Convict Queen
Though AIADMK leader Jayalalitha was debarred from contesting the elections on grounds of her conviction in a corruption case, she was sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Will her aggressive game plan work? And should popular mandate overrule judicial verdicts?

Great Call Of China
Indian entrepreneurs are eagerly joining the swiftly growing queue to set up shop in China.
The land once considered forbidden has suddenly become
the hottest destination for Indian businessmen.

Looking East
Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Malaysia may have achieved little on Quattrochi's extradition and India's greater ties with ASEAN, but it showed there is more to their bilateral relations than these two issues.

Mother's Day
Stalinist methods played a vital role in the humiliating finale of M. Karunanidhi's dynastic ambition.

Readying For Nukes For the first time after India became a nuclear power, the Army stages a nuclear war game to check preparedness.

ENTERTAINMENT: CINEMA

A Family Affair

Juhi Babbar

So far, Bollywood has seen the star father launching films for the son. But now a mother is making a film for her daughter. Nadira Babbar has donned the mantle of producer for beti Juhi. Kaash ... Aap Hamare Hote is set to release this year-end and is going to be a family affair as father Raj Babbar will be travelling to Norway next week to check out scenic locations for the love story. Predictably, Juhi, the 22-year-old fashion designer who plays "an educated girl from a small town thrown into the big bad world", is excited. "I have a lot of confidence but people expect more from me. I hope I am able to deliver the goods," she says. Mama, too, seems to be confident but leaves the verdict to the audience.

Q&A: Akshay Kumar

"I was getting bored of being slated as 'Action' Kumar"

Ek Rishtaa-The Bond of Love is a saga of relationships, especially the turmoil between Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. Akshay reveals his experience and plans.

Q. What was it like working with Bachchan?
A. It was a great experience. He is easy to work with. I had heard that looking him in the eyes can make you forget the dialogues. Nothing like that happened to me (laughs).

Q. This is a shift from your image as an action hero.

A. This is the third film (after Dhadkan and Hera Pheri) where I do not have an action role. I was getting bored of the media slating me as Akshay 'Action' Kumar. And I really wanted to try and work this out.

Q. Are you willing to do negative roles?
A. Yes, I am willing to try them out, provided there is a good script.

Did You Know ...

Still from Khosla's film Taj Mahal—A Monument of love

Unarguably the single greatest Indian tourist attraction, the Taj Mahal is the subject of two Indian films in English. The first, a $1 million Indo-Canadian film directed by Robin Khosla, opens next month. Two newcomers play Shah Jahan and Mumtaz. It is to be dubbed in several languages to enhance the global appeal. The second project, due for completion next year, is India's first IMAX film (a format three times bigger than 70 mm) to be made by the director duo of Bharat Bala and Kanika Myer Bharat. It stars Aishwarya Rai as Mumtaz.

Box Office

PYAAR TUNE KYA KIYA * *
Weeks in release: 2
Collections: Rs 30,92,051
A tale of one-sided love, or obsession, it has limited appeal.

DAMAN *
Weeks in release: 2
Collections: Rs 4,18,324
Domestic violence and marital rape fail to generate any mass appeal despite the mast-mast girl Raveena Tandon's National Award-winning performance.

* * * Good
* * Average
* Flop
Mumbai collections only
Source: Trade magazines

Uuderworld Exposed

Ajinkya Deo in Avgat

BOLLYWOOD'S TRYST WITH the underworld continues. On screen at least. Two new films offer tough looks at Mumbai's underworld this year, particularly after the Chhota Rajan shootout episode. It appears to have generated not just curiosity about real dons but also to have inspired filmmakers in Bollywood. The films are loosely based on the lives of Mumbai's underworld dons and their gang wars. There is Ram Gopal Varma's Company where Ajay Devgan and newcomer Vivek Oberoi play rival mobsters. Then there's Sunil Thakur's gritty, low-budget Avgat made with a cast of theatre actors using realistic locations. Whether reel stories give the real picture of mafia dons or portray a larger-than-life picture remains to be seen.

-Himanshi Dhawan and Sandeep Unnithan

MetroScape

Delhi Cinema:
"Flicks Down Under"

Mumbai Restaurant:
Karma

Kolkata Restaurant:
Teej

The Madhya Pradesh governor orders a CBI inquiry into a land allotment by the chief minister to the Nai Duniya group, kicking off a constitutional crisis. INDIA TODAY Special Correspondent Neeraj Mishra reports in
Conflict Of Interest.