By Jilawatan

Southern beauty Asin Thottumkal, who stepped into Bollywood three years back and has already worked with bigwigs like Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, says that she finds herself lucky to have got such opportunities.

“I do find myself lucky because in the film industry there are a lot of factors that probably result in success. You need talent and discipline but somewhere you need to have that X factor also. What that X factor is, whether that’s luck, or god’s grace or the wishes of all the people around you, that is open to interpretation.

“But I think that that one factor that helps is definitely with me otherwise I wouldn’t have got all these opportunities to work with these bigwigs of the industry,” Asin told.

The 25-year-old has worked with Aamir in Ghajini and with Salman in two films – London Dreams and Ready. She is now geared up to work opposite Akshay Kumar in Housefull 2.

By Jilawatan

Ready has opened to a huge response with its opening day takings second only to Dabangg. South Indian actress Asin has now managed a second successful film for herself after Ghajini, which means she can now leave the disappointment of London Dreams behind her.

In a conversation with Joginder Tuteja and, Asin talks about her chemistry with Salman Khan and how their professional relationship has grown between the two films and her growing relationship with Bollywood…

lRumour has it you were Salman’s first choice for Wanted before Ayesha Takia stepped in. Also, you were supposed to play his wife (instead of Kareena Kapoor) in Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. Is that true?

Do you think it makes sense to rake up the past when I have opened a new chapter with Salman in Ready? Let me not even comment on whether these rumours were true or not because it is only going to lead to further questions. Let’s ignore the past.

lSo one can assume your interaction with Salman during London Dreams must have come in handy during Ready, right?

Yes, of course it was a smooth working experience with Salman. We were required to spend a lot of time outdoors during the Sri Lanka and Bangkok shoots. I won’t say we were forever having lunches or dinners together, but then when you are out of India, you get to interact a lot more than you would normally do at a Mumbai film studio.

lWhile Salman’s success may have soared in recent years, how about your reel chemistry with him? When you two were signed opposite each other, many wondered if it was a good decision as there weren’t any sparks in London Dreams

I guess it is unfair to talk about chemistry between two actors based on just one film. Yes, London Dreams didn’t work. Chemistry is something that happens when you have a good script to fall back on. When there isn’t anything in the script, it won’t translate on screen. There has to be a certain treatment that accentuates the overall impact.

I knew that would happen this time around with Salman in Ready and the results are there to be seen by everyone.

lDoes this also mean that for Ready the two of you actually sat across a table and discussed how to approach your parts so that you could rock the show in you second outing together?

I guess it is something very basic for the professionals to give their best, based on the script provided to them. We believed in what Aneesji (Bazmee) explained to us for Ready and followed the written part to the T. But no, there wasn’t any conver-sation between Salman and me on how to approach our roles.

lYou are one of the few leading ladies who has been repeatedly called for by Salman. You must share a good comfort level with him by now, right?

When you spend so much with a co-star on set, you need to be very comfortable with him. He in fact keeps track of my work and has apparently seen many of my films. He is very fond of me. I know many actresses say that, but in my case it has indeed been the case. I consider myself quite lucky to be his leading lady in two consecutive films.

The kind of interaction I had in London Dreams helped me to be comfortable with him in Ready. Already the rapport was created.

lWhat is your role in Ready?

I play a girl called Sanjana. She is close to her family and comes back to India, but she has some issues with her uncles. While going through and escaping from her problems she comes across Prem (Salman Khan), who in turn helps her out and also charms his way into her heart.

lDoes the rumour about your relationship with Salman have any effect?

It started during London Dreams and there is no base at all. Well, it’s nice to write something when you don’t have anything to write about. A rumour even came out that we had secretly got married.

lActing with superstars like Salman, how difficult is it to get noticed in the film?

I think it’s not in the hands of the lead actress, but in the hands of the script writer, director, or the makers. Salman is a superstar and is bound to get the adoration.

lSalman is known for his short temper. Did you face something like that?

Actually I never faced it. In Salman I have come across someone who is very pure at heart. Whatever emotion he feels comes out. Salman is straight-forward and will say to your face what he feels about you.

lWhat difference did you find between Salman and Aamir?

Salman is quite spontaneous in front of camera. You have to be very alert while the camera is rolling and you have to give appropriate reactions. It shouldn’t look like you are blanked out so you have to be ready for whatever he throws at to you. Whereas Aamir, if he comes up with any idea he will discuss it with the director and get the approval, so you know what will happen when the camera is rolling.

lWho is the better co-star, Salman or Aamir?

I gel with both of them. With Aamir I did my first Bollywood film Ghajini, which is very close to my heart, and after that I did to back-to- back films with Salman. So it’s difficult to choose.

lBollywood or Tollywood?

Well, I would say I like the Indian film industry. I don’t like to differentiate on the basis of language or region. I can’t choose, as I started my career with south Indian films and recently entered in Bollywood.

lWhat in your opinion is the special aspect of Bollywood?

Bollywood is a bigger platform which appeals to the national audience and it is much more glamorous.

lWhat are your upcoming projects?

After Ready I will be doing Houseful 2 opposite Akshay Kumar.

By Jilawatan

Neil Nitin Mukesh, who has just returned after a gruelling schedule in Russia for Abbas Mustan’s Players, is amazed that during his absence he has been linked not just to Asin but matters have reached a stage where it is being said that he is recommending her to filmmakers and she is making career decisions for him.

He rubbishes the rumours saying, “To begin with I am not seeing Asin. I don’t know how these rumours take life. Regular friendships become affairs and suddenly someone else other than me and my family are making career decisions for me.

This has got to stop.” What has got the usually good boy Neil so riled up is a recent report that he had recommended Asin to a filmmaker, who later said she wasn’t doing the film but also didn’t want Neil to do it. Neil, who knows exactly where he wants his career to go and is perfectly capable of seeing it get there is aghast at the mere suggestion that he would recommend anyone, even good friend Asin for a role. “And as for which film I should do or not, that is a call only I will take,” he adds.

By Jilawatan

It is the return of good times for actress Asin. After a lull in her career, her calendar suddenly looks overactive. Now, with READY opposite Salman all set to roll, the actress is also getting set to shoot for Sajid Khan’s HOUSEFULL 2 soon.

But, amidst all this frenzy, Asin is harbouring a few dilemmas too. According to our sources, one of the biggest confusions Asin has for the moment is about her bikini act in HOUSEFULL 2 and the poor actress can’t seem to decide.

Our sources further add, “Asin’s dilemma is rooted in her earlier stand when she had not done any bollywood films. Over the years, Asin has cultivated an image of being true to her traditions, but it seems her brush with bollywood has shaken her fundamentals. Now, Asin knows that to survive in bollywood she has to have some hot-quotient too and donning a bikini might be the introductory step in that direction.”

The issue now for Asin is how to take that plunge. Though, all reports and predictions seem to hint that Asin would have to strip-down in HOUSEFULL 2, but the actress seems to be undecided still. The confusion seems to be only getting complex by the day. Well, let’s hope this two piece act is only one step away for Asin.

By Jilawatan

While some of the Bollywood as well as K’Town stars take off to exotic locations abroad to beat the summer heat, here is our own Malayali girl Asin Thottumkal who chose to be different.

Instead of going to foreign locations, the Ghajini girl preferred to go her native place in God’s Own Country, which according to her, is a ‘Paradise on earth’, which is lush green and has water everywhere.
The pretty actress along with a gang of her school friends is cooling her heels in a houseboat in Alleppey for the last few days.

“I am enjoying every moment of life here. After a year of hectic shooting schedule for Ready, I am taking my first break for a week. I don’t literally plan and go for holidays. It is just suddenly I felt like meeting my friends to have a get-together and I chose this houseboat idea,” says an excited Asin.

The star, who is fond of fish delicacies, is all the more thrilled about houseboat menu which has a few fish items, reveals one of her close friends.

Asin will leave for Mumbai by Monday evening and join the promos of her upcoming flick Ready with Salman Khan, which is scheduled for June 3 release.

As written first by this newspaper a few months ago about her teaming up with Shahrukh Khan for Vishal Bharadwaj’s 2 States, the southern beauty says it is still in discussion stage.

By Jilawatan

Are you ready for Ready? Well, the music lovers have given the film the red light, as the soundtrack has already topped the charts. The movie places Bollywood’s hottest hunk Salman Khan, and actress Asin together again. However, this time round we hope the magic works better than it did in their previous movie, London Dreams.
Winner of the Best Newcomer award for her performance in Ghajini, Asin is rarely seen at social events, and prefers to stay in the spotlight only on film sets. The actress has already tasted success and knows how to maintain it. Having worked with two of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan at such an early stage in her career, co-star Salman Khan recently stated, ‘I think as far as acting is concerned, she is one of the better actresses that we have today’.
Ready is Asin’s third Bollywood flick, and the actress is known to be very careful when it comes to choosing the right film. Sounds like she’s following the same sort of strategy Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan use by only doing one movie a year. However, this strategy was applied many years later for them, so will this strategy work for Asin so early in her career?
We think yes, as the recent buzz in Bollywood is that she will be casted opposite another superstar actor, Shah Rukh Khan in Chetan Bhagat’s, 2 States showing phenomenal star power already.
We rest our case!

By Jilawatan

Superstar Salman Khan, who will be back in action with Asin in Anees Bazmee’s ‘Ready’ says, the southern beauty is certainly one of the better actresses in the current crop.

“I think as far as acting is concerned she is one of the better actresses that we have today. The amazing thing about her is that she tasted success with ‘Ghajini’, which was almost three years back,” Salman said.

‘Ready’, a romantic-comedy, starring Salman and Asin in lead roles, promises to have the audiences rolling down the aisles with its hilarious storyline.

“‘Ready’ is her third film and it shows that she has not gone and signed random films. She is very particular when it comes to work,” the 45-year-old actor said.

Salman said his leading lady was the brain child behind the item song ‘Character Dheela’.

‘Character Dheela Hai’ was Asin’s idea. So there was no way I could refuse the heroine of the film. ‘Character Dheela’ is mostly used in a negative manner but the director wanted to use the phrase in a positive way. Originally, that line was sung by the hero. Then I suggested that the heroine sing it too,” Salman said.

The special item song ‘Character Dheela’ will see Salman and Zarine Khan recreating the magic of olden classics.

Salman and Zarine Khan are seen playing Shahzada Saleem and Anarkali like Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ in one of the acts; in another both are seen in the black and white era playing tribute to the showman Raj Kapoor along with Nargis. Yet another sequence will see the two recreate the magic of the ‘Sholay’ pair, Viru and Basanti on screen.

“We were doing the publicity of the film and I wanted all the iconic posters right from Raj Kapoor’s movies to Dilip Kumar to Dharmendra’s. The dance director came up with the idea and thats how the whole thing happened. Its our way of paying tribute to Raj saheb, Dilip saheb and Dharamji,” he said. The film is set to release on June 3.

By Jilawatan

It seems the ‘Ghajini’ star Asin Thottumkal is in much demand these days, and is all set to join the SRK camp soon.

Reportedly, the actress, who has already worked with two Khans of the industry, will be seen playing the leading lady opposite Shahrukh Khan in a movie based on Chetan Bhagat’s ‘2 States’.

Buzz is that Asin, who has already teamed up with Aamir Khan in ‘Ghajini’ and Salman Khan in ‘London Dreams’ and ‘Ready’, was the first choice of producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Vishal Bhardwaj for the SRK-starrer forthcoming movie.

“Asin, who is already working in Nadiadwala’s production Housefull 2, recently met up with the producer and director to discuss the film. Both the producer and the director feel she is best suited for the role and Asin, too, is excited about the prospect of working with SRK and that too in a Bhardwaj film,” informed an industry source.

Asin’s character in the SRK-starrer imminent movie
‘2 States’ chronicles around the life of a young couple Krish and Ananya, who belong to Delhi and Tamil Nadu respectively, and come to know each other while studying at IIM, Ahmedabad.

Things take an ugly turn when they fall in love with each other, and their parents are against their ‘cross cultural’ marriage.

Asin is most likely to play the role of the Tamil Nadu girl, but the news has not been confirmed yet.

Kareena prefers Nayanthara over Asin
Meanwhile, it was reported that actress Kareena Kapoor watched the South Indian versions of her upcoming movie ‘Bodyguard’ on request of the director and liked Nayanthara-starrer Malayalam version more than the Asin-starrer Tamil version.

“Kareena commented that she found Nayanthara’s acting more promising and real as compared to Asin. Besides, Bebo also complimented her look and said that she would try to implement in her character,” confirmed a source.

But to handle the situation wittily, Bebo went on to say that Asin was also not too bad.

Well, we wonder what Asin has to say to about it!!

By Jilawatan

Kareena Kapoor is known for giving honest remarks about everyone, be it her friends or her contemporaries. However, little does the actress forget that her remarks often land her into trouble.

Recently, Bebo happen to watch the Malyalam as well as Tamil version of of her upcoming Hindi remake ‘Bodyguard’. However, what followed later that after watching the movie, Kareena felt that nayanthara who played the lead in the Malyalam flick was much better than Asin who was the lead in the Tamil Version of ‘Bodyguard’.

Even though many actresses do not prefer to watch the original movies before acting in remakes, Kareena however had to watch the original version after director Siddique’s requested her to do so.

Apparently, after watching the movie, Kareena commented that she found Nayanthara’s acting more promising and real as compared to Asin. Besides, Bebo also complimented her look and said that she would try to implement in her character.

However, a smart that she is; Kareena immediately went on to clarifiy that she liked Asin’s performance too after feeling that her comment may hurt the girl.

When contacted, Asin was in mood to stretch this matter and said that such remarks don’t affect her at all.

By Jilawatan

Salman Khan and Asin’s dance number Dhinka Chika from the film Ready is making waves.

Ask Asin what has worked for the song and she takes nothing more than a second to blurt out, “Salman Khan of course.”

In a recent tête-à-tête, the actress said, “Salman’s the best thing about Dhinka Chika. He has this trademark step in the song which is completely awesome. All Salman songs these days have one trademark step and they become a huge hit. I am sure Dhinka Chika will have the same outcome.”

Talking more about the steps in the song, Asin said, “It will be a little tough for the girls to perform it. But if you are wearing a pant and have pockets, you can pull it off.”

The step where Salman and Asin seem to be scratching their bum has specially gained a lot of attention and Asin can’t agree more that it has made the catchy song all the more interesting. And for this, she once again credits Salman. “The bum scratching step is conceived and choreographed by Mr. Salman Khan,” she revealed.

The actress, who teams up with Salman for the second time after London Dreams, said that she had fun working with the Khan and assures that the movie will be as entertaining for the audience too.