“It’s not about acting ability, I am sorry to say,” Dino Morea told me when I asked him what it takes to become a major Bollywood star. The Italian-Indian stud – his father is Italian - was in London last week to meet his fans and explore possible acting opportunities in the UK. “I want to focus now on films which make an impact; this means any form of cinema including British films as long as it interests me.”

Morea made it big in 2002 with the supernatural thriller, ‘Raaz’, opposite then girlfriend Bipasha Basu. He has subsequently acted in many forgettable flicks like ‘Julie’, ‘Fight Club’ and last month’s ‘Bhram’ which failed to get a UK release. Does he regret doing these films? “I do not regret them but I would not want to repeat them.”

In 2000, Morea acted with Aishwarya Rai in the Tamil film ‘Kandukondain Kandukondain’, when they were both newcomers. Has he kept in touch with the gorgeous Rai? “We do meet and greet each other at social functions but we have not kept in touch.” Morea was last seen on UK screens last year in the Shah Rukh Khan blockbuster, ‘Om Shanti Om’. Who has the better six pack? “Shah Rukh Khan has a six pack; I have an eight pack!”

The Cricket-Singing King Khan

Shah Rukh Khan’s cricket team the ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’ takes on the ‘Bangalore Royal Challengers’ in the opening match of the Indian Premier League on Friday 18 in Bangalore. The ‘King Khan’ is taking no chances in gathering support for his team, reserving some tickets at 100 rupees (about £1.20) for ‘the youth’ and recording a song, ‘Run Just Run’, for the team’s music album. Music director Bappi Lahiri beams: “This is the first time Shah Rukh has sung a hip-hop number. He has not just hummed a few lines but has sung the whole song.”

A Muslim Bond girl?

Will the new Bond girl be a British Asian Muslim actress? Zara Adams, female lead of the unreleased Bollywood film ‘Aanch’, is currently in talks with the ‘Quantum of Solace’ producers to play a part in the latest 007 adventure. The Scottish born actress's conservative Pakistani and Iranian parents are not overjoyed at their daughters’ career choice but Adams intends to forge ahead as she is a “creative person”. Whether or not Adams will emerge out of the sea in a bikini Ursula Andress-style remains to be seen.

Will Priyanka Chopra oblige?

“I think I was the only heterosexual on the list; that’s why I won,” Hamant Verma humbly declares. The UK editor of Eastern Eye, ‘the voice of British Asians’ newspaper, was voted Britain’s most eligible bachelor in a recent poll. Verma is currently in Bollywood: he intends to change his status by trying his luck with Bollywood babes. “Priyanka Chopra would be my ideal mate as she is a fellow Punjabi,” Varma reasons.

Bollywood Burn

Shilpa Shetty’s recently launched yoga DVD has competition. A new workout feature, ‘Bollywood Burn’ has hit the market. “Feel the burn!” urges Hemalayaa Behl in her disc as she goes through various Bollywood dance moves in an attempt to get us into shape for summer. Behl is not the only one jumping onto the Bollywood bandwagon: The latest John Lewis department store television advert urges shoppers to get ready for spring and uses a Bollywood track to get its message across.

Bollywood’s boring?

Spotted: British Asian director Gurinder Chadha and her husband at last Friday’s night screening of Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut, ‘U Me aur Hum’ in London’s West End. The ‘Bend it like Beckham’ director and her hubby were clearly not impressed: they left at the interval.

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