Jacqueline almost injures Saif

Actress almost hurts co-star Saif Ali Khan while filming the fencing sequence for 'Race 2'

Jacqueline Fernandez who has a fencing sequence with Saif Ali Khan in Abbas-Mustan's upcoming film rehearsed for the act for days before the shoot 

But during the shoot she poked Saif in the chest and face while shooting. She had to do a back flip with the bladed weapon used for fencing and it almost got his chest. However she stopped just in time to avoid Saif from being injured. 

Phew!

Bollywood is a very competitive industry

Many would believe that "Betrayal Is Survival", the tag line of Jacqueline Fernandez's "Race 2", truly reflects the cut-throat competition and survival mantra in the Hindi film industry, but the Sri Lankan-born actress says hard work and honesty can do wonders. 

"It is a very competitive industry. They say that if you want to survive here, you have to be cut-throat. But I don't see a need for that. Sometimes I feel that hard work works. If you want to sleep well at night it is better if you just be an honest person, " Jacqueline told in an interview.

Personally, she feels it is better to forgive and forget than hold a grudge against anyone. 
"I think betrayal is a part and parcel of life and I think we all have experienced it. But I am someone who doesn't believe in holding grudges. I am someone who forgives and forgets. I think it is important, " she said. 

Born to a Sri Lankan father and Malaysian mother, Jacqueline was raised in Bahrain, and at the age of 14 was hosting a fitness show. She moved to Australia for her college studies, and then returned to Sri Lanka, where she took up a reporting job. 

The year 2006 turned to be a game-changer for her as she entered the Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant, and won the crown. That set the stage for the Miss Universe contest at Los Angeles for her. She didn't make it to the finals, but her visibility drew in advise that she must try her luck in Bollywood.

It worked. 

She made her debut in the Hindi film industry with 2009 film "Aladin" opposite Riteish Deshmukh. Though it didn't click at the box-office, the film landed her roles in "Housefull 2", "Murder 2" and now "Race 2". 

Creating a place for herself was not easy, says Jacqueline. 

"It is a little bit difficult when you have come from outside. I feel that the industry embraces people who are from the industry faster and with wider arms. But once you have proved yourself, it is easier for them to accept you, " she said. 

"I remember when 'Aladin' didn't do well, I felt a little bit shunned, because it is so difficult to get a second chance specially if you are not from the group. You put in twice the effort and start again, " she added. 

Even though the 27-year-old actress has managed to create an identity, she is still wary of making friends in the industry. 
"I think at the end of the day, these are all people you have to work with. Sometimes it is difficult because you don't want to cross that line between professionalism and friendship. Getting along with co-stars is important, but when it comes to having real friends I don't go looking for them in the film industry, " she said. 

With two successful films "Murder 2" and "Housefull 2" in her kitty, Jacqueline views the achievement as an add on responsibility. 

"It (success) just gives you more responsibility. I guess it makes you work harder. It doesn't change you as a person; it changes the surrounding and scenario and gives a lot more responsibility, " she said. 

Directed by Abbas-Mustan, "Race 2" also stars Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Ameesha Patel. It releases Jan 25, 2013.

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John Abraham gives Saif Ali Khan some biking tips

John Abraham taught Saif Ali Khan a thing or two about his new motorbike

In an industry where one-upmanship is a common feature, it's heartwarming to hear of instances when actors bonded best with each other. On the sets of their next, John Abraham apparently turned coach for Saif Ali Khan to teach him the finer nuances of biking.

A source from the sets says, Saif would often arrive on the sets of the film on his new bike. And John was often spotted with Saif discussing their love for two-wheelers.
In fact, we hear that John even taught the Nawab how to pull off a few stunts on the bike and a thing or two about its controls. He would even apparently talk to Saif about his recently purchased Mustang.

In fact, Saif was so impressed with John's knowledge about two-wheelers and four-wheelers that he even told the latter to take his car or bike whenever his heart desired.

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Go Goa Gone to release on Valentine's Day?

Saif Ali Khan's "Go Goa Gone" will hit the screens in the New Year, and director Raj Nidimoru says it might release Feb 14, which happens to be Valentine's Day.

However, he says nothing is final yet.

"We have planned to release 'Go Goa Gone' on 14th February next year. The date has not been confirmed at the moment, but we are trying for that date," Nidimoru told.

The film stars Saif, Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das, and Puja Gupta.

It is a zombie film and the thought behind releasing it Feb 14 is that the story line will be in complete contrast with the significance of the date.

"14th February will be contrast to our story line. 'Go Goa Gone' is a zombie film," said Nidimoru, who has co-directed the project with Krishna D.K.

The shooting for the movie is over, and it is currently under post production.

The director duo has earlier worked on films like "Shor in The City" and "99".

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Saif-Shahid connection, no it's not just Kareena

Saif Ali Khan and choreographer Ahmed Khan to team up after eight long years in 'Race 2'. Read how... 

In Bollywood, they say there are no permanent friends or foes. And looks like so is the case between Saif Ali Khan and choreographer Ahmed Khan. After working on one of Saif's most popular tracks Ole Ole, the actor and the choreographer are all set to come together again after eight years, in Abbas-Mustan's next.

Salaam Namaste was the last film the two worked together in. Rumour has it that Ahmed's friendship with Shahid Kapoor had a profound impact on the choreographer's working relationship with Saif. 

A source says, It is a known fact that Ahmed and Shahid are best friends. Whereas, Ahmed used to teach dance to Saif when he entered the industry. However after Saif and Kareena started dating, they never worked together again.
Ahmed states, There were unspoken differences. But after Rameshji (Taurani) and Abbas-Mustanji told Saif that they wanted me for their film, he was happy. The first day when I landed in Turkey, Saif called me to his room and we hugged. Everything was fine again. Saif and I were part of the same team earlier and now all's well once more.

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Revealed: Saif has an old grudge against YRF

Reason why Saif Ali Khan skipped 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' premiere

Actor apparently skipped 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' screening owing to an old grudge against YRF

Saif Ali Khan has an old grudge against Aditya Chopra's production house ever since he acted in 'Tashan'

Apparently his role was chopped substantially due to which he was upset. But then if you have an actor like Akshay Kumar as co-star who is known to sit on the editing tables to get more footage, what did he expect?

Anyway why is this being talked now? That apparently was the reason he gave a skip to the premiere of Jab Tak Hai Jaan! Ouch!

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Quite an earful Race 2!

After shortlisting 20 odd tunes for Abbas-Mustan's nex film, Pritam finally picked his favourite 

The soundtrack may not make or break a film's fate at the box office, but it certainly can create a buzz around the project. No wonder that Pritam along with the makers of an upcoming thriller had to work hard at deciding what to finalise for the final cut. 

Buzz is that Pritam had shortlisted 20 odd tunes but had a tough time selecting the final one. A source says, The music director along with Abbas-Mustan and producer Kumar Taurani just didn't know which one to pick.
Creative producer of the film Jay Shewakramanai adds, Pritam presented some tunes to us and we liked them too. However he said he was not entirely happy with them himself and kept rejecting them one by one. He wanted a theme that would become an instant party anthem.

However, once the music director had got his right tune, he couldn't contain his excitement. Jay says, He called us at 1.30 in the night to announce he had found his favourite tune.

Incidentally since the track features the entire cast of the film, choreographer Ahmad Khan had a tough time coordinating the shoot in Turkey. 

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Prince Saif learns fencing for Race 2

Thanks to his princely upbringing, Saif Ali Khan shot for a fencing sequence in his next with great ease 

To the manner born, for anyone has its own set of advantages. And courtesy his royal upbringing, Saif Ali Khan had absolutely no qualms in shooting for a fencing sequence in his upcoming thriller, after brushing up his sword-fighting skills for only three days. 

Our sources say that the Nawab of Pataudi was required to shoot for a scene opposite co-star Jacqueline Fernandez, which involved a duelling sequence. While Jackie took almost two months to get a hang of the sport, Saif needed only a few days to brush up his skills, acquired during childhood.
Director duo Abbas and Mustan tell us, We had a fencing action sequence in our film which took us a week to shoot. Jacqueline had no clue about fencing at all, so our action director Peter Heins got trainers flown down to India and coached her for over two months on its various techniques. However, with Saif's family background, he was already a pro at the game. He just needed to spruce up his skills.

While Heins insisted on not using body doubles for the sequence, Jackie was glad her yoga background helped her learn the ropes. She says, I was training extensively in action stunts and my cross fit and yoga background helped me immensely. Incidentally, Saif had shot for a similar scene opposite Aamir Khan in Yash Chopra's Parampara, way back in the 1990s. 

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Sharmila pampers son Saif Ali Khan

Sharmila Tagore was spotted fanning her son Saif Ali Khan as he got ready for his wedding

Mothers, they never give up pampering their sons!

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REVEALED: Saif-Bebo's wedding look

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor pose in their wedding finery. Take a look...

Bebo is wearing the same gharara which her mother-in-law Sharmila Tagore wore for her marriage to Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi

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Revealed: The Pataudi's very old Kapoor link

Prithviraj Kapoor had staged plays for the Nawab of Bhopal

The Pataudi royal family and the Kapoors might be related now, with the wedding of Saif and Kareena, but not many know that Prithviraj Kapoor had a connection to Bhopal.

In December 1949, Prithviraj had sought permission from the Bhopal state seeking permission to stage plays by Prithvi Theatre in Bhopal. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's grandfather was the Nawab of Bhopal.

In his letter to the chief commissioner of Bhopal he had sought permission to stage his productions Shakuntala, Deewar, Pathan, Ghadaar and Ahooti and requested their subsequent exception from entertainment tax.

He wrote, `After every show I stand near the main gate and collect donations for national and humanitarian purposes.` About Rs 50, 000 was collected for the Indian National Army relief fund.

With three wagon loads of theatre equipment and 90 workers, Kapoor asked for accommodation in the state guest house for 90 days. Acknowledging his request, the minister for education and local self government, Colonel Yasin ull Mulk, told him how he had seen the plays in Bombay and Delhi. No entertainment tax was levied.

However, `As the month of Ramzan has commenced you will agree with that this month may kindly be left out, ` says the letter. The play was scheduled for Eid week.

Who knew that one day, Prithviraj's great granddaughter Kareena would become the daughter-in-law of the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, whose grandfather was the Nawab of Bhopal!

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Biggest Stars, Political bigwigs throng Saif-Kareena's grand Walima

From Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur to Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to celebrities like Nandita Das and Imtiaz Ali, the Dawat-e-Walima (wedding reception) of star couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor here Thursday saw the who's who from politics and Bollywood in their finery.

Dressed in elegant sherwanis and colourful ghararas, lehengas and saris, some of the country's noted personalities attended the grand event, hosted by Saif's mother, veteran actress and Begum of Pataudi, Sharmila Tagore. The celebrations marked the culmination of a five-day wedding gala for Saif, 42, and Kareena, 32.
"Bless the couple and join in our happiness," Sharmila, who looked regal and resplendent in a gold sari, told reporters here outside the well-decked government bungalow at Aurangzeb Road here. 

Among other attendees at the event were ministers Farooq Abdullah, Rajiv Shukla, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kamal Nath, Congress' Renuka Chowdhary and Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, and politician-writer Shashi Tharoor with his wife Sunanda.
Celebrities from the world of cricket included Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Ajay Jadeja, while Ritu Kumar, Meera and Muzaffar Ali and Manish Malhotra represented the fashion fraternity. 

Malhotra, who took care of Kareena's entire trousseau, only hinted that the new bride, daughter of Randhir Kapoor and Babita, wore a gold gharara with shades of pink for the event. Saif, son of the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, is said to have worn a black sherwani by designer Raghavendra Rathore.

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi and sarod player Amjad Ali Khan also came for the extravaganza, and wished the couple "all the best". 

With a guest list so eclectic and VIP such as this, the security was upto the mark. At least a force of 300 security personnel were appointed for the event since 6 p.m. Thursday, an official told. 
The bungalow was decorated in cream and gold, with mogra flowers and traditional brass hanging diyas. A major attraction at the entrance was an intricately embroidered carpet, said to be an over a century old possession of the Pataudi family. 

According to the buzz, the interiors for the function were inspired by the Mughal period, and the setup had several royal artefacts. 

This was the last in the wedding revelry of one of the most awaited unions of tinsel town. The celebrations began with a pre-wedding bash at Kareena's Mumbai residence Sunday, followed by a registered wedding at Saif's Bandra residence Tuesday afternoon. 

The couple exchanged vows at a Mumbai hotel in the presence of Bollywood's glitterati, including Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri, Karan Johar, Tusshar Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Anil Kapoor with daughter Sonam.

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Newly-wed Saif, Kareena to perform at People's Choice Awards

Newly-wed couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor will team up for a live performance, their first after their marriage, at the People's Choice Awards, to be held here Oct 27.

"The newlywed couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor will be performing for the People's Choice Awards," Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors, which will telecast the function, told reporters.

Saif and Kareena, who have starred together in films like "Tashan", "Kurbaan" and "Agent Vinod", had a registered marriage Oct 16, followed by a grand reception party during the night on the same day.

Their performance will be an attraction at the event, which will also witness dance sequences by Madhuri Dixit, Parineeti Chopra and Priyanka Chopra.

Priyanka was here to unveil the People's Choice Awards trophy, and said she is looking forward to her performance at the show.

"I will be doing a stage performance and I love live stage. It's fun and a different kind of act. I am sure it will be very interesting," said the actress, who recently launched her international single "In my city".

But she won't sing during the award function, she added.

The host for the People's Choice Awards is the effervescent Ayushmann Khurrana, who scored a hit with his debut film "Vicky Donor".

The People's Choice Awards will be a celebration of the various shades of entertainment, honouring talent across Bollywood, music, television and sports.

The awards will not be decided by any jury but will be based on the votes of people.

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No Saat Pheras, No Nikaah. Saifeena just exchange vows after marriage registry

After a registered marriage, newly-weds Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor went in for an exchange of vows before hosting a grand reception that went on till the wee hours today

While there were rumours that a 'nikaah' was held, Kareena's close friend and fashion designer Manish Malhotra said that there was a simple exchange of vows between the two actors, who have been dating for five years.

"They just exchanged vows at the Taj Mahal hotel in Colaba. There were no 'saath pheras'... They did not adhere to any particular style (of wedding)," Malhotra told. 
The marriage at Saif's residence here was a simple affair yesterday afternoon, but the post-wedding functions at the South Mumbai hotel saw a host of B-town celebs like Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri, Priety Zinta, Karan Johar, Tusshar Kapoor, Salman Khan's sister Alvira, Anil Kapoor with daughter Sonam.

Malhotra said that the 32-year-old actress wore Saif's grandmother's traditional gharara for the ceremony last night. The actor's mother Sharmila Tagore had worn the same gharara at her own 'nikaah'. She then passed it on to her son's new wife. Delhi-based designer Ritu Kumar was given the responsibility of restoring and embellishing the gharara.
"I worked on the antique Pataudi gharara that was restored by Ritu Kumar for Kareena's wedding... we did the final fittings and added a bit of touch of embroidery here and there," Malhotra said.

"When Saif and Kareena exchanged vows... she wore Sharmilaji's gharara for some time," Malhotra said. Later, Kareena changed into a Malhotra creation for the post-wedding party and Saif donned a Banarsi brocade 'achkan' by designer Raghvendra Rathore.

"Kareena wore a burgundy color embellished gharara with maroon duppatta. I gave a very old world charm to all the ghararas. The party had 80-100 people and went on till 3 am," Malhotra said. Malhotra has designed Kareena's other outfits too, apart from clothes for sister Karisma, which they will wear at various wedding functions.
Among family members present at the post-wedding party were Kareena's father Randhir Kapoor, Babita, uncle Rajiv Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, wife Neetu son Ranbir Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor's son Aditya, Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan with beau Kunal Khemu and Saif's sister Saba.
Wishing his daughter and son-in-law a blissful life, Randhir Kapoor said, "I request all fans of Kareena and Saif to wish the couple a happy marriage... We are happy that they married without any conversion. 

Here two lovers have got married... they are two lovely people." 

Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta and her son, Boney Kapoor's son Arjun Kapoor and his uncle Sanjay Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and designer Vikram Phadnis were also seen at the party.

For the reception in Delhi tomorrow, Kareena will wear a pink gharara or a pink-blue or green sari, he said. 

The wedding functions were held at Saif-Kareena's new residence - Satguru Sharan - in suburban Bandra on October 14 followed by a registered marriage yesterday at Saif's home and a reception at Taj Mahal Hotel last night. 42-year-old Saif has two children - son Ibrahim and daughter Sara - from his previous marriage to actress Amrita Singh in 1991.
Kareena, who comes from a family of actors and is the great granddaughter of Prithviraj Kapoor, ended her three-year relationship with Shahid Kapoor while they were working on the film 'Jab We Met' (2007) She began dating Saif, son of former Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore, while working in 'Tashan' (2008). The actor was anointed as the new Nawab of Pataudi after his father's death last year.

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Saif bags Wife and a Bike at the same time! Bollywood hotties send wishes

Looks like the Chhote Nawab bagged a Begum and a bike at the same time. Saif Ali Khan not only has a new bride but also a new pair of wheels in his life!

The actor's spanking new two-wheeler was spotted at the Andheri RTO office for its registration. The number plate reads MH-02 CX 1970. 
Saif's year of birth is 1970 and apparently the star was keen to have it embossed on the plate. We won't be surprised if Saifu and Bebo are spotted taking a spin in the Bandra's bylanes with a Just Married placard!

Celebs wish just married Saifeena

Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor and Preity Zinta - a bevy of Bollywood stars came to wish newly married couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor at a spectacular post-wedding party at the The Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba here. 
After a registered wedding at Saif's Bandra residence Tuesday afternoon, both the screen stars, who had a courtship of five years, decked up for the night party, thrown by the Kapoor family.

There were speculations that the nikaah would take place during the party, but no confirmation has been made on that front. 
From her uncle Rishi Kapoor and aunt Neetu Kapoor and cousin Ranbir to celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Gauri Khan, Dia Mirza, Gauri Shinde, R. Balki, Fardeen Khan, Alvira Khan, Atul Agnihotri and Amrita Arora, flocked to the gala to bless the newly weds. 
Saif's sister, actress Soha Ali Khan, who was not present for the court marriage, attended the party in a traditional lehenga, with her beau, Kunal Kemmu in tow. Saif's other sister Saba was also spotted.
In the afternoon, Kareena's mother Babita and father Randhir Kapoor signed as witnesses from the bride's side, while Saif's mother and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore signed as a witness from the groom's side.

Saif, 42, and Kareena, 32, who have been dating for past five years, have starred together in films like "Tashan", "Kurbaan" and "Agent Vinod", and their off screen chemistry has reflected well on screen.

The post-wedding celebrations have reportedly not ended. There is a party in the capital as well as one in Saif's ancestral home Pataudi, are due to take place.

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Grand reception for Saif-Kareena

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, who got married on Tuesday, will host a reception in Delhi. A number of political bigwigs have been invited to the function which will take place at an Aurangzeb Road bungalow by Saif's mother Sharmila Tagore.

President Pranab Mukherjee, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni and Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit are among the invitees.

Union minister for new and renewable energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah also will be attending the reception to shower his blessings on the couple.

Today the entire Bollywood is going ga-ga over this wedding which has stormed the Press and Media. The very influential and some hidden sources updates us about Union law minister Salman Khurshid and MP Mohd Azharuddin have also been invited. Minister of State for parliamentary affairs Rajeev Shukla, who will also be going to wish the couple.

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor had a registered marriage followed by a nikaah on Monday.

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Saif, Kareena are husband and wife, finally!

Actor Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor completed the formalities of a registered marriage Tuesday afternoon and became husband and wife. 

The marriage took place at Saif's Bandra home. 

While Kareena's mother Babita and father Randhir Kapoor signed as witnesses from the bride's side, Saif's mother and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore signed as a witness from the groom's side. 

For her D-day Kareena, 32, wore a green punjabi suit, while 42-year-old Saif chose to dress up in a grey kurta-pyjama. Also present at the wedding was Kareena's sister Karisma and cousin Ranbir Kapoor. Both were dressed in white. 

Saif and Kareena dated each for five years before getting married, which has been a very private affair.


Celebrities come to wish Saif-Kareena

The pre-wedding bash for Bollywood couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor saw celebrities from B-town coming to wish them 
The party was held on the terrace of Kareena's residence in suburban Bandra last night. Several close family members and celebrities including Babita, Neetu Singh, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu, Sanjay Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Malaika Arora Khan and Kareena's good friend Amrita Arora attended the party.

"It was just a fun party with close family and friends. It was meant to be only for 50 to 60 people. It was not a 'sangeet' ceremony," Manish Malhotra told.

Kareena was dressed in an orange lehenga, teamed up with a heavy necklace, green bangles and flowers in hair, while Saif was seen in a white outfit. On the occasion Tusshar Kapoor said, "I wish them all the happiness and a successful married life." 

The couple will have a registered marriage tomorrow which will be a quiet affair. It will be followed by a reception in New Delhi on October 18. 

Kajol wishes a happy marriage

Actress Kajol has wished Bollywood's star couple Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan who will tie the knot tomorrow, a happy marriage 

"I wish them both the very best. He is a wonderful person. I wish her a happy, long, fruitful marriage," Kajol said at an event here. 

When asked if she will attend the wedding, Kajol replied in the negative. A registration marriage will be held tomorrow in Mumbai, to be followed by a reception in Delhi on October 18.

The couple, who have been going steady for six years, had officially declared their intention to tie the knot in the beginning of 2012 after the release of their film 'Agent Vinod' in March.

PETA to present vegan chocolate chickens to Saif-Kareena

As Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor prepare to tie the knot Tuesday, animal activist group PETA is set to present the couple a special gift - a flock of vegan chocolate chickens.

"Kareena Kapoor is a vegetarian and refused to eat eggs while filming 'Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu'," Poorva Joshipura, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"What better occasion than this wedding of the year for PETA to honour Kareena's compassion and to do our part to get Saif and Kareena off to a deliciously sweet start in their new life together," Joshipura added.

Saif and Kareena will have a registered marriage Tuesday at Saif's house in Mumbai and it will be attended by close friends and family members, which is said to be followed by a reception in the evening.

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REVEALED: An intimate party at Pataudi Palace for Newlywed Saif and Kareena

Newlyweds Saif and Kareena will travel to Pataudi Palace to take part in dinner event to be attended by hand picked family members 

Far away from the hubbub, a private but significant dinner is being hosted by the Pataudi Palace for Saif Ali Khan's extended royal family

While the entire country is going bonkers about the Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor nuptials, our sources close to the royal family say that an intimate but significant event will take place far from the madding crowd today. 

The newlyweds will travel to the Pataudi Palace to take part in a family dinner that will see 36 handpicked family members attend the celebrations.
The invited guests belong to Saif's extended family all the way from London, Islamabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. Our source says, The celebration is a close-knit affair as both the families are skeptical because of security reasons which Sharmila Tagore had admitted to, during her visit to Bhopal earlier in August.
Our source from Pataudi elaborates, The family has gone all out to impress the Kapoors! The arrangements at the Pataudi House are minimalistic from the outside but the palace is filled with grand masterpieces belonging to the erstwhile rulers of the Bhopal State. 

Tiger Pataudi's mother Sajida Sultan was the daughter of the last ruler of Bhopal, Nawab Hamidullah Khan. The palace is also filled with priceless crockery and artwork by artists like MF Husain, S G Thakur Singh and the others.
Bhopal's erstwhile begum, Shah Jahan, in the family Pishwas

Dress circle

For Kareena everything may be going according to what the couple had planned. However, one bit heirloom that remains elusive to Bebo is the special wedding attire called the Peshwas that belongs to the royal family and is woven out of real gold thread. The Peshwas is a long and flowy ensemble (almost like a gown) accompanied with a churidaar.
The dress was once a part of disputed family heirlooms and currently resides in the house of Saif's aunt Nilofer. Due to the feud over the property and assets, this traditional wedding ensemble will not be a part of Kareena's trousseau.

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Nawab of Fashion designs Chotte Nawab's wedding achkan

Raghavendra Rathore calls Saif Ali Khan 'most stylish' but 'non-fussy' and says he has created a Banarasi brocade 'achkan' for the actor's wedding with inputs from the groom and references from his father's wardrobe

Saif is tying the knot with his longtime girlfriend Kareena Kapoor Oct 16 and Rathore says 'I'm working with him for almost an year now.' 'Few months ago, he mentioned that he is probably going to get married soon. So I told him to let me know the right time. Then, three months ago, we spoke and finalised the dates, ' Rathore, also known as the Nawab of Fashion, told.

He has readied an achkan sans any embroidery for the main function apart from working on 'eight-nine other looks'. 'We have given him a lot of 'bandgalas' and lots of breeches for three to four days of functions. He is free to wear whenever he want. The only thing that has been fixed is the main function attire - an 'achkan', ' said Rathore.

He says for the achkan, he took references from attires and styles of Saif's late father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. 'The outfit for the main function personifies Saif's personality. We also discussed about what his father wore and what he looked like in the old-world theme. We spoke about his father's outfit and saw a couple of clipping too.'

'One can see very classy, tight-fitted, customised pieces that can be called ultimate couture. He was very keen to carry the brocade idea forward so the outfit is made in Benarasi brocade and is paired with Jodhpuri breeches and turban. The look is classic and he is wearing his set of dual buttons with that. Also, to match the outfit of his wife, we have given him a pocket scarf, ' said Rathore. 
'Gold has been the theme for the 'achkan'. Also, lot of classic and bio-degradable fabrics, including Benarasi brocades, silk, cotton and velvets have been used. We have avoided fabrics like polyester  Everything has been sourced from specific regions of the country, ' said the designer.

Rathore, who styled Saif in the film 'Eklavya', describes the actor as a 'stylish' person. 'In my opinion, he is one of the most stylish people in our generation. Also, his understanding of style is superb and lines well with our brand. Therefore, it's been a great association. I think he understands styles and that is why lot of inputs have actually come from him. 

'He is not very fussy. Also, he wanted me to stick with my craft work and asked me to use that. There is hardly any embroidery in any of the clothes and to me that is very appealing, ' he said. It's not just the groom. Rathore has also styled Saif's relatives. 

'We are also doing a lot of stuff for his relatives, including his son Ibrahim, who will wear an 'achkan' inspired by his grandpa. We wanted to make sure they all look smart. I have designed for some other people who is attending from Bollywood.'

Rathore says he was tight-lipped about his involvement in designing Saif's wardrobe because he wanted to be 'discreet' about the talked-about wedding.

'I choose to keep my mouth shut on particular thing as I feel, it's good to be quiet. The order of our country right now demands that the less you speak, the more wisdom you will get. I always wanted to be discreet about Saif's wedding but somehow it didn't happen, ' he said.

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Look who's coming from Pakistan to attend Kareena-Saif wedding!

Buzz is that the extended Pataudi family in India could give Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's nuptials a miss 

The entire country is avidly discussing the upcoming nuptials of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, so much so that even the Kapoor khandan seem to be sorting out their differences in the run up to the big event. However, it appears that a part of the extended Pataudi family wants to have very little to do with the hype and hoopla around the wedding of the year.

While Bebo's mom Babita recently visited Rishi and Neetu Kapoor at Krishna Raj to extend an invitation to the wedding, several members of the Pataudi family are yet to receive the invite. 
One of Saif's many cousins tells us on conditions of anonymity, Many of us have not been invited to the wedding which is taking place in Delhi. There is buzz that the actor's first cousin Faiz Bin Jung who is the Late Nawab Pataudi's sister Saleha Sultan's son will also be giving the wedding a miss.

While Saif's cousins in India could boycott the event, word is that his cousins in Pakistan are gearing up to travel across the border to attend the wedding. 

A friend close to the Pataudi's from Pakistan points out, Several relatives have already applied for visa. Faiza Sultan Khan (Saif's cousin) and Shaharyar Khan (Saif's uncle) could also be coming from Pakistan to attend the wedding.

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Many Indians want big fat Bollywood wedding

Some want a beach wedding like in "Salaam Namaste", some prefer a farmhouse gala a la "Hum Tum", while others go pompous with the kind of decor depicted in "Band Baaja Baaraat". The glitzy and jazzy wedding set-ups in Bollywood movies are becoming a fad in real life, giving a filmy twist to the country's approximately $30 billion wedding market.

Hindi films have been a major influence on the common man, admits Nandita Sharma.

"Bollywood always has an influence on people's mind in terms of weddings. People see a movie with a wedding sequence and they immediately decide the wedding trousseau, decoration and invites accordingly," Sharma told.

The trend started with movies like "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Hum Saath Saath Hai", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" and "Kal Ho Naa Ho". Recent flicks like "Tanu Weds Manu" and "Band Baaja Baraat" took it forward.

If people love taking inspiration from films, they also add a personal touch to it.

"Nowadays, people are more pro towards adding that 'personal touch' to their wedding decor. That's the reason why their creativity overflows in terms of wedding sets. People want exotic fruits, flowers, show pieces, lights, candles, props, cloth being used for their wedding stage," said Sharma.

The most preferred Bollywood style has been Arshad Warsi's beach wedding in "Salaam Namaste" or the depiction of Las Vegas in "Kites".

"We have clients referring to beach weddings, or to get a classy touch like from the movie 'Kites'. The Las Vegas theme is also going strong, as the city is famous for its glamour, casinos and larger than life image. So, the set-up with chips on every table, with roulette games add the wow factor," added Bharat Kanodia, CEO and founder of Shaadi-e-Khas.

The personal touch comes when people choose to do up the wedding space in subtle colours. Even though Bollywood uses bright colours, people off the screen prefer a minimalist, simpler look.

"People today prefer simple colour schemes over any traditional theme. They look for subtle colours over bold and solid ones. They also opt for different colour themes in all their different functions.

For instance, a whole marigold-coloured theme for a mehdi function partnered with a village-like personification of the venue or a complete blue or aqua theme on the cocktail night," said Mukta Kapoor, director, Yuna Weddings.

If you plan to go ahead with such ostentatious ideas, expect to burn a hole anywhere between Rs.500,000 and Rs.5 crore in your pocket. But fret not, even if you have a smaller budget. With some cost-cutting here and there, it's not too tough to get a customised wedding set-up.

"First of all, it is better to skim through some ideas for the kind of wedding set you plan to have; then execute the idea with the help of a decorator who can provide you with simpler options of the material used.

"One can choose artificial flowers over real flowers to make it cost-effective. Choosing seasonal flowers instead of exotic flowers, getting look alike of expensive cloth material such as polyester fabric instead of silk and using show pieces as centre pieces is another idea for cost cutting. Using these ideas can bring the price down to Rs.50,000- Rs.200,000," said Nandita Sharma.

With the wedding season almost setting in, are you ready to choose your theme?

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