Urmila in Ramu's next

Urmila Matondkar has been roped in Ram Gopal Varma's next film Bhoot.

Varma is likely to sign Company star Vivek Oberoi for the main lead in the film.

OP Dutta upset with Bhansali

Veteran writer OP Dutta, father of filmmaker JP Dutta is upset with Devdas director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for claiming in a press release that none of films based on Saratchandra's novel Devdas were successful at the box office.

"The handout claims that they (Bhansali's production) will prove that classic literature can be made into successful films. It also states we Indians have no classic literature as such," says Dutta

Devdas has had two versions in the past -- one directed by P C Barua and stars K L Saigal (1935), and the other directed by Bimal Roy and stars Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen and Vyjayanthimala (1955). The 2002 version, which releases in June, stars Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai. A Bengali version directed by Shakti Samanta and starring Prasanjit will also release at the same time.

"This is an insult to our culture! Obviously they have not heard of Vyas, Valmiki, Kalidas, Munshi Premchand, Rajinder Singh Bedi," says Dutta.

Priyanka out of Rajja Bhayya

Former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is no longer in Maan Singh Deep's film Rajja Bhayya. She has been replaced by Aarti Chabaria (of Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai).

Reportedly, she has been fired after she committed dates to another film.

The film stars Govinda and new find Kanishkaa along with Prem Chopra.

Compiled by: Bharati Dubey
Design: Uday Kuckian