If only moral science classes could be packaged like this. Director Kalpana Lajmi's Kyon? is a comment on the value erosion amongst affluent youth and who better than sex kitten Riya Sen-last seen strutting her stuff in N. Chandra's Style-to get the attention of the wayward youth? Sen is part of a group of friends including three boys and another girl-all played by newcomers. Lajmi has recruited pop group Silk Route to compose and perform two songs. Kyon?, her first flick after the National Award-winning Daman in 2001, will be on the floors by May. The director was inspired by a real-life incident where a 17-year-old boy was murdered by his friends because he didn't attend a birthday party. "There is a lack of social dimension in today's youth," quips Lajmi.

Q&A
MILIND SOMAN
"There's no lack of roles"

His debut Tarkieb sank without a trace. Hot bod Milind Soman just dug his heels deeper and came back with 16 December. Though the film has not broken any box-office records, Soman has won critical acclaim for his role.

Q. What has been the response to 16 December?
A. It has gone beyond expectations. The film was a small set-up with a little known director. People have really liked it.

Q: You've sung for the film. Comment.
A: I recorded just the promotional track-it had a raw feel to it. I was quite scared initially when Mani (Shankar) asked me.

Q. What next?
A. I have some interesting roles. I'm doing Karan Razdan's Roshni with Bikram Saluja and Kiran Zaveri, an animation feature film with Tabu called Bhagmati-the Queen of Fortunes. In June, Agnivarsha based on Girish Karnad's play The Fire and the Rain, will be released where I play Jackie Shroff's younger brother Arvasu. It has a big star cast.

Q. Unlike other newcomers you have not gone on a signing spree. Comment.
A. I like to do one project at a time.

Q. What is your dream role?
A. I've been getting different kinds of roles. I'm happy with what I have. There hasn't been a lack of good roles.

The Don

ROLE OF A CONMAN: Shroff is to play Sobhraj in Bottomline

Numerous tales of this Indian-Vietnamese 'smooth criminal' have kept the police and global intelligence agencies on their toes and travellers wary. Now his life is coming to a theatre near you. The life of the notorious Charles Sobhraj will be made into a biopic with actor Jackie Shroff playing the man. According to the film's producer-director, Sorab Irani, it was the "street-wise, macho and riff-raff quality of Shroff" which prompted this decision. The film will be shot in December and is called Bottomline. But controversy has visited even before the sets could begin to be put up. According to Irani, Parsi writer Farookh Dhondy has been kicked out of the project because he did not understand the medium.
We hope the rest of them do.

BOX OFFICE
Caged In

Exams and the turbulent political condition wreaked havoc on the big-budget releases of the past fortnight, Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai and Kitne Door Kitne Paas (loss: Rs 5 cr). Smaller productions like Vadh and Durga, too, did little to create some good ol' excitement for the movies. But appreciation for Mani Shankar's 16 December gives another thumbs-up for the small budget movie.