The bad patch in director Anurag Kashyap's career has come to an end, feels Sharma, who has signed Kashyap to direct a new film, starting August this year, reports Bollywood Trade.

"The year ahead will be a bright one for Anurag. I am confident that his 'Black Friday' will also be cleared for release very soon," Sharma said.

-*-

Muskaan to star in brother's 'Blue Film'!

After an unceremonious exit from Pooja Bhatt's "Holiday", Muskaan is to play the lead role in big brother Mohit Suri's "Blue Film", a movie based on the life of a pornography star. Muskaan is Bhatt's niece.

"I had offered Smiley (as Muskaan is fondly called at home) the role in 'Blue Film' even before she signed 'Holiday'," said Suri.

Commenting on Bhatt dropping Muskaan from "Holiday", Suri said, "It's Pooja's film. If she felt Smiley wasn't delivering the goods, she had the right to do whatever she felt was right," reports Bollywood Trade.

So where does that leave Deepal Shaw, who was supposed to play the lead in Suri's film? "Deepal is very much there. There are roles for two actresses in the film. Deepal will be the playing the second lead," Suri clarified.

-*-

Nihalani unhappy with smoking ban

Pahlaj Nihalani, president of AMPTPP (Association of Motion Pictures and Television Program Producers), has voiced his protest against the health ministry's directive banning smoking on screen.

He said that the ban will have tremendous logistical implications on several films under production, as producers will have to re-shoot the portions where a character is shown smoking, reports Bollywood Trade.

Nihalani argued that the decision is a diktat as not a single member from the film industry was consulted.

"Why isn't the government looking at the Rs.300 billion tobacco industry, which employs thousands of people, instead of targeting the film industry?" Nihalani asked.

-*-

Sunny Deol in supernatural thriller

Sunny Deol has given his go-ahead for starring in the supernatural thriller "Aayega", to be directed by the relatively less-known Rohit Shetty. This Ashtavinayak Creations presentation will be Sunny's first supernatural venture.

"The film will be replete with rich production values and special effects. There won't be any distorted, horrible faces," said Shetty.

With another project under his belt, the Pritish Nandy Communications' (PNC) "Golmaal", Shetty seems to be on the moon. "Golmaal" is an "out and out comedy written by Anees Bazmi, with an underlying suspense element", and stars Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi and Sharman Joshi, reports Bollywood Trade.

The shooting for "Aayega" will start in Feburary 2006, after Shetty wraps up the shooting for "Golmaal".

-*-

Rani Mukherjee to sizzle as street girl!

After Kareena 'Chameli' Kapoor and Sushmita 'Chingari' Sen, it is the turn of Rani Mukherjee to play a prostitute. The versatile actress who received critical acclaim for her role in "Black", will be seen in the role of an 18th century prostitute called Heera in Ketan Mehta's "The Rising".

Rani, who is cast opposite Aamir Khan in the film, is said to have put in her own style and perception into the raunchy role in the film. The two were last paired in "Ghulam", seven years ago, which changed Rani's career-graph for good. Later, she made a guest appearance in a song in Indra Kumar's "Mann", starring Aamir, reports Bollywood Trade.

-*-

Emraan Hashmi woos Tanushree Dutta now!

After seducing Mallika Sherawat in "Murder", Dia Mirza in "Tumsa Nahin Dekha" and Udita Goswami in "Zeher", Emraan Hashmi will now be seen wooing ex-Miss India, Tanushree Dutta in his next film "Aashique Banaya Apne", a love triangle.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of Aditya Dutt, grandson of the late lyricist Anand Bakshi, also stars Sonu Sood, reports Bollywood Trade.

Emraan plays a flamboyant, flirtatious character, while Sonu's character is that of a reserved, scholarly boy. Tanushree is caught between the two men. Almost 50 percent of the film has already been shot.