Shah Rukh may have to undergo spinal surgery

A serious back problem has been troubling actor Shah Rukh Khan for over a fortnight. The actor was seen making fleeting appearances with a medically prescribed strap around his neck. The pain was so severe that Khan was told by his doctor to wear the strap to keep his spinal cord straight.

But the local treatment hasn't been of much help and the star has now been forced to fly to London for special consultation.

Sources close to Shah Rukh say that he had been in talks with well known doctors in London who had advised him to fly down for a quick check up. Shah Rukh may also have to undergo surgery depending on the results of the tests he will have to undergo.

Shah Rukh has remained silent about his health because he does not want his producer to panic. The actor flew out early this morning and was accompanied by Juhi Chawla's husband, Jai Mehta, who is said to be using his good offices to fix up appointments and help the actor avail of the best health care facilities.

Paanch and Khullam Khulla Pyar Kare to clash at the BO

March 29, 2002 will see the release of two films, both produced by the same film house. Padmini Tele-Media presentations will release the controversial Anurag Kashyap film Paanch and the Govinda-Priety Zinta starrer Khullam Khulla Pyar Kare.

Tutu Sharma, Managing Director of Padmini Tele-Media, said that the two films fitted into completely different genres and it was impossible that the release of one can affect the other.

Scorsese pays rich tribute to Satyajit Ray

Hollywood director Martin Scorsese paid rich homage to Satyajit Ray saying that the late Indian director's films aroused his interest in a different culture.

Scorsese said he was in high school when he saw Pather Panchali, the first part of Ray's coming-of-age trilogy in the 1950s about a boy from a Bengali village.

Scorsese was opening a Smithsonian retrospective of Ray's films at the Freer Gallery of Art in the US. The films will run at different centres in Washington through April 28.

Bipasha signs another with Bobby

Newcomer Bipasha Basu emerges as one of the industry's most promising actresses with a new film she has recently signed with Bobby Deol.

Bipasha made her debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Abbas Mastan's thriller Ajnabee, also starring Bobby Deol and Kareena Kapoor. Now she will soon be seen opposite Bobby in the David Dhawan comedy Chor Machaye Shor.

Although she cannot reveal details yet, she promises that this one will be a huge project.

Compiled by Vivek Fernandes
Design: Imran Shaikh