Sonam Kapoor Verve photo

Sonam Kapoor fans are likely to have a super 2010. The actress, who debuted in 2007 and has done only two movies since then, has her hands full this year – two films are to be released and shooting is on for three others.

Sonam Kapoor’s upcoming movies

I hate Luv Story’s (2010)
Aisha (2010)
Thank You (2011 )
Mausam (2011)
Unnamed movie (2011 / 2012)

Sonam Kapoor, the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, debuted in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya opposite Ranbir Kapoor and was then seen in Rakeysh Mehra’s Delhi-6 with Abhishek Bachchan. The 24-year-old is keenly awaiting the release of Aisha and I Hate Luv Storys in 2010.

Photo: Sonam Kapoor, Imran Khan on the sets of I Hate Luv Storys

“Guys, I’ve finished filming Aisha and I Hate Luv Storys and they will be my two releases this year. I’m working on three films this year. I’m doing Thank You, Mausam and the third one I can’t talk about,” Sonam Kapoor posted on her Twitter page recently.

I Hate Luv Storys is a romantic movie slated for a July 2 release. Produced by Karan Johar and directed by his nephew, debutant Punit Malhotra, the film casts Sonam Kapoor opposite Imran Khan (best known for Jane Tu … Ya Jaane Na) and Sammir Dattani. There were media reports recently that Punit Malhotra and Sonam Kapoor are dating. Also heard from the sets of I Hate Luv Storys was a funny story of how Sonam was embarrassed and refused to shoot intimate scenes when her father, Anil Kapoor, visited the sets.

In I Hate Luv Storys, the fashionable young actress plays a character similar to her off-screen persona. Samir Dattani plays a movie director, while Imran Khan is an assistant director and Sonam Kapoor plays a production designer. Both the men fall in love with Sonam Kapoor, and the fireworks begin. Nothing new as far as the storyline is concerned, but what might be different would be the treatment – an area where Bollywood is getting better all the time with the new crop of young directors.

Aisha, Anil Kapoor’s home production, is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel Emma. Sonam plays an uber chic high-society girl. Abhay Deol, Arunudoy Singh and popular veejay Cyrus Sahukar also star in the film, expected to release on August 6, 2010.

The actress says that Aisha is close to her heart because she plays Emma and had a wonderful time discovering who she is.

On the fact that she’s doing Anil Kapoor’s film, Sonam Kapoor said that her father is not making a film for her. He’s making the film because he believes in the script, she said, adding that she discusses movies and acting with her father, but the final decision is always hers.

Sources said Sonam Kapoor wants I Hate Luv Storys to release before Aisha, her home production as she’s keen not to have two releases in the same month.

The actress, known to be quite a fashionista, says she’s “a young, happy-go-lucky, well-read working girl, who likes to work hard and have fun meeting people.”

Apart from her new releases, Sonam Kapoor will also be working on Anees Bazmee’s romantic comedy Thank You with Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Kapoor’s Mausam with his son Shahid and another project for which details are not available. We’ll get them to you as soon as we are in the know.

Mausam, Pankaj Kapoor’s directorial debut, spotlights his son, Shahid Kapoor, with Sonam Kapoor. The film is scheduled to go on the floors in May. The film was to be shot in Kashmir, but the shooting was cancelled due to security issues. Mausam will now be shot in Edinburgh.

Shahid Kapoor, who plays an air force pilot in the film, has prioritized his father’s work and is not taking on any other roles till Mausam is wrapped up.

Sonam Kapoor will soon be off to Canada for a shooting stint for Thank You. The actress plays a character very similar to tennis player Sania Mirza in the romantic comedy, for which shooting starts in April 2010.

Director Anees Bazmee said Sonam plays a tennis champion in the film while Akshay Kumar plays a serial flirt who turns a new leaf when he meets Sonam. The movie is said to be a funny take on courtship.

Sonam Kapoor will be trained by a tennis coach for her role.

The actress is happy with the way her career has progressed till now. She says she’s been recognized for her acting skills and not as arm candy, which is what she wants.

Before venturing into acting, Sonam Kapoor, the granddaughter of film-maker Surinder Kapoor, worked as an assistant with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and assisted him on the making Black (2005). She then debuted opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Bhansali’s Saawariya (2007). The film did not do very well, but her performance was lauded by most critics.

Photo: Imran Khan

The wacky-cheeky duo will be missed, though. While Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are smart kids, they are also sweet boys, very earnest and fair. And that does not entertaining hosting make. But better earnest, than rude.

At least there will be no embarrassing fireworks, like the ones we saw at the 2009 Screen awards, with Ashutosh Gowarikar flaying Sajid Khan publicly, and Farah Khan jumping into the melee with both feet, arms flailing. Not nice.

Ranbir Kapoor photo

Reports say Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are finetuning a comic script and rehearsing it.

The 26-year-old Imran Khan debuted in 2008 with Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, which was a blockbuster. Khan was much appreciated for his acting talent and his good looks. Imran’s next release was Kidnap, which was not a hit, but Imran Khan did receive some positive reviews. Imran Khan will be next seen in Luck and Delhi Belly, both of which will release in 2009.

Photo: Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan hosting the 2008 Filmfare Awards

Ranbir Kapoor’s debut movie was the disastrous Saawariya, though he won the 2008 Filmfare award for the Best Debut Male. Ranbir Kapoor last flick Bachna Ae Haseeno was a huge hit. Ranbir Kapoor’s forthcoming releases in 2009 are Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, Wake Up Sid, and Rajniti.

Minissha Lamba bikini picture from Kidnap

a) Good girl Minissha Lamba, who has earlier shown no inclination to show skin, is going to wear a bikini in Kidnap and prance underwater.

Minissha Lamba says she worked very hard to make her body bikini fit, and is looking forward to play a glamorous role, which is rather refreshing, considering most actresses wouldn’t be caught dead saying they want to look glam. They all want to look like an ‘actor.’

When Minissha Lamba was approached the role and told about the bikini scenes, she said that at that point, she was hardly fit. She demanded, and got, time to get trim and toned enough to get proudly in a bikini.

The few bikini photos of Kidnap, already available on the Net are a big hit with Minissha Lamba fans.

But then Minissha Lamba does have some acting credentials to start with. She did a fab job in Yahaan, her debut flick, which bombed at the box office but won her considerable acclaim.

b) Good boy Imran Khan is going to play a out-and-out mean guy – at least I hope he is and the film-maker does not give us a sob story about a turned good guy, at then end of the film, which lets face it, happens to most “negative roles” in Hindi films.

Kidnap is Imran Khan’s second film, after the smash hit Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, where Imran plays a sweet young man, earnest and strong minded. Imran’s career trajectory looks uncannily like that of his famous uncle superstar Aamir Khan. Aamir’s first movie was Qayamat Se Qayamak Tak, a tale of starcrossed lovers.

Imran Khan in a still from the movie Kidnap

Aamir’s second flick, the little-known Raakh (1989) had Aamir play a very grim role – that of a vigilante set on avenging the rape of his girlfriend. Raakh, unsurprisingly – it was dark, gritty, had no songs, and minimal dialogue – tanked at the box office.

Minissha Lamba in a still from Kidnap

Will Imran Khan bite the dust too with Kidnap? Chances are he won’t, which has nothing to do with his unquestionable acting talent, but more to do with the box office drawing power of Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi. Dhoom 1 and 2 have been mega hits despite a terrible screenplay and the lack of a plot.

Minissha Lamba in Kidnap

What Sanjay Gadhvi can do and do it well is, well, gloss and tons of it.

So you can expect bare tanned chests – which is not a hardship if the chest belongs to Hrithik or Akshay Kumar, or even SRK, and even less of a hardship when it comes to mystery chests like that of Imran Khan.

Minissha Lamba in a still from Kidnap

And you can expect bikinis, long legs on surfboards, sparkling locations, hunky bikes, mean machines, and adventure sports somehow weaved into a plot (since there is no plot, one can safely say, crammed into what passes for a  plot.)

But then as long as I get to see Imran Khan’s chest debut, I don’t care!