As the release date of JP Dutta's Umrao Jaan nears, TV channels, newspapers and magazines seem to be falling over each other to present the first images of Aishwarya Rai from the film.

"We are inundated by calls from all the newspapers and channels for Aishwarya's pictures from Umrao Jaan," said a source from Dutta's camp.

After getting impressed with Aishwarya Rai's professionalism, filmmaker Mani Ratnam is now all praise for Bachchan Junior...

Abhishek Bachchan has a new fan in the form of Mani Ratnam. Now that Mani's film 'Guru' is almost on the verge of being wrapped up, the filmmaker is all praise for Bachchan Junior.

KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA has emerged a money spinner. The film has grossed approx. Rs. 31 crores in 17 days from the three major markets - U.S., U.K. and Australia.

Are you endorsing infidelity in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna(KANK)?

I must tell you a mother came up to me after seeing the film. She was very angry. 'My daughter recently got divorced. I took her out to make her happy with a Karan Johar film. But look at what you made her suffer! We wanted to go into another world. We didn't want to see our lives'. She was upset. But I think I had hit home. I don't claim to be an expert on marriage or anything else. I'm not endorsing anything. KANK is my take on what happens when people marry for the wrong reason.

According to Vidya Balan, Mani Ratnam’s Guru is Abhishek Bachchan’s show all the way. The child-man at the center of all attention is delighted. "Did Vidya really say that? So sweet of her. Any actor getting to work with Mani is lucky. I’ve worked with him twice and I’m twice lucky. He’s a sheer pleasure to work with. Rest assured when you work with a director of Mani’s calibre he’s going to challenge you into discovering new areas of your personality. This is what has happened in Guru. Working with Mani is a huge learning experience."

Starlet Geeta Basra, who forays in filmdom with director Aditya Datt's "Dil Diya Hai", claims she is a huge fan of Abhishek Bachchan and would like to act with him someday.

"I think all the actors are very talented. I want to work with all the Khans, John Abraham and I am a huge fan of Abhishek Bachchan."

Abhishek has gone from strength to strength…

Not many young actors get contrasting opportunities like Sarkar and KANK in such a short span of time.It's wonderful that Abhishek got it. But somewhere it also it shows the confidence of the respective makers in the actor. Two different directors from two different schools and ideologies seeing something different in the same actor, and then going ahead to manifest this difference on screen, it speaks volumes about their perception too...and if the actor delivers...and I pray that he does..then it speaks volumes on the capability of the actor as well.