Rani to talk about her 'engagement'

Apart from a scene or two in her films, Rani Mukherjee has never touched a cigarette in her life.

A story that Rani has been lately puffing on the cancer stick has her family and friends amused exasperated and bewildered.

A very close friend of Rani says, "Rani's mother has apparently been asking Rani to quit smoking. Rani's mom is having fits. She wants to know why she'd ask her daughter to quit smoking when the girl doesn't light up at all?

All her friends smoke and drink, and Rani is okay with that. But she won't touch either. We've never seen Rani smoke in our life. She has done a couple of scenes in Bicchoo and Bunty Aur Babli where she had to smoke. Beyond that she has never touched the damned thing. "

Says the friend, "First the false report on Rani's engagement with Aditya Chopra, now this report about she being a smoker…The day Rani was supposed to have been engaged she was shooting the entire day for Pradeep Sarkar's Laga Chunri Mein Daag and laughing her head off.

'Hey guys guess what? I got engaged and I don't know about it,' she called her friends and joked. But now Rani is really up to her neck. Her father cannot go on clarifying on her behalf.

Even on the engagement issue she felt it wasn't right to for her ailing dad to be harassed. 'Dad is already handling my work. How much more can he take?' Rani said to us friends.

Her silence is being misconstrued as acquiescence. Rani has been lying low because she feels the stories are much too baseless to be dignified with a clarification. But now she feels some people are taking advantage of her silence. "

The lady in question is all set to speak out against all the controversies.

Ironically, the story about her smoking comes at a time Rani is all set to do a campaign against smoking.

Says the friend, "Rani had decided to do an anti-smoking campaign on television even before this story came out. Now she's all the more determined to do the campaign, and not just that.

She'll soon be giving her version on the supposed engagement with Aditya Chopra because her family and close friends feel such talk and her silence are damaging her career. "

Young Aditya Narayan is the anchor of Zee's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007-Sangeet ka Pratham Vishwa-Yudh'

Aditya Narayan : Son of the famous singer Udit Narayan had been in the headlines since his childhood for his wonderful voice and acting skills.

We now have the small kid as the smart, young and cheerful Udit Narayan who signed as the anchor of Zee's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007-Sangeet ka Pratham Vishwa-Yudh'.

Q: How is it feeling hosting Zee 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007-Sangeet ka Pratham Vishwa-Yudh'?
A: It is feeling nice that I have got the opportunity of hosting such a good show. It is not a new show; it has been on television since the past thirteen years now and has done very well.

So when I was approached by the channel, initially I thought about it but I guess there was no need of thinking. I accepted the show even though I was not planning to begin my career before my studies. Also it is a musical based show, and I'm passionate about music.

Q: So that must be adding a greater responsibility on your shoulders as an anchor?
A: Yes it does add a sense of responsibility. Earlier too the anchors were Sonu bhaiya and Shaan bhaiya who did a very good job here on the show. Actually it is a show which does not have any usual anchors.

I'm not pointing my fingers at other anchors, but here the anchors here have been related to music so as an anchor too one can comment on the performance of the participants. But I will try to do my best.

Q: Do you have any prior experience of anchoring?
A: No I do not have any prior experience.

Q: So are you undergoing any kind of homework or training?
A: I have been watching the show for a long time now and so have a bit of cue. Also I have been with the team of Zee where I had been briefed about how to go about it.

I do have an experience of acting but it is different from anchoring. So I do not have to worry when professionals are guiding me. Also I will learn as time passes by.

Q: Tell us a bit about your academic background?
A: I was doing my graduation here but in between I left for London where I did a Diploma in English Contemporary Music. Now I'm in Mumbai for the past three month and willing to complete my graduation. I have also learnt Indian classical music from Satyanarayan Mishra and also took training under Kalyanji Anandji.

Q: Why Diploma in English Contemporary Music? Was it your choice?
A: See I want to know music to the fullest. Not just Indian or classical, I want to learn international music and in truly international way. It was purely my choice; Uditji did not want me to go abroad, but I forced my decision on him.

Q: So what are your future plans?
A: I have a lot planned for future. I want to do good work where I can utilize my capabilities to the fullest. I want to do good work and put in my best efforts in whatever I would do.

Q: Does it include films too?
A: Yes why not. I have acted before and will do films if I get good work which I can identify with. But my first preference would always be music. But I tell you it will not only be in films but also in other aspects. I want to spread my wings.

Q: So how much does Uditji guide you?
A: Frankly speaking, Uditji guides me in only one way. He only reminds me of my roots. He tells me that there is nothing compared to hard work and effort. He tells me that 'power comes with hard work'. That is all that he guides me about.

Q: Does being Udit Narayan's son help you in some way?
A: If I tell you frankly it does help and it doesn't. See if I did not have talent, I would have still managed some work considering that I was Unit Narayan's son. But till when? At some point, they would have known that I do not have the talent. Now since I'm his son, there is more expectation from me. So there is a plus side and a negative side too.

Q: So do people treat you differently since you are his son?
A: Yes they do sometimes.

Q: Coming on a lighter note, now that you are back, have you united with your old friends?
A: Yes I have and I'm happy to be back with them. I'm enjoying my time here with them.

Q: United with girlfriends too. Do you have girlfriends?
A: See it would be wrong if I say that I don't enjoy the company of men (laughs). I'm just 19 so I do have friends who are girls but basically I'm a reserved person and do not have a girlfriend. But see women following makes a person star (laughs again).

Q: Uditji is a judge in Indian Idol and you are the anchor of challenge 2007. Do you think you will be able to attract more eyeballs?
A: (laughs) I hope so. But I also wish the other show success because my father is a part of it.

Q: We have heard that you wish to work with Jiah Khan?
A: (laughs out loud) Actually I was asked as to who I would like to work with and since I'm young so I think that I would look good with Jiah since even she is young. I don't think I would look good with Rani Mukherjee at this age. Moreover she acts well so what is the problem. (SAMPURN)