Ameesha Patel grabs Race 2

The original Race released to packed audiences in 2008. Abbas-Mastan's entertaining murder mystery took the box office by storm to become one of the highest grossers of the year.

Ameesha Patel has now joined the film's sequel. The sequel, of course, is expected to outdo even the original.

Simply titled Race 2 as of now, the cast includes Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Chitrangda Singh. It is learnt that Ameesha will star opposite Anil Kapoor, who played a quirky, corrupt detective in Race.

A source close to the star has revealed that Ameesha will sport a bikini in the film, adding to its glam quotient. Many will remember that Ameesha sported a yellow bikini in Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. Though the film bombed, Ameesha's sizzling turn brought her back into the public eye.

Race 2 will go on floors this October and will release in August 2012.

John & 5 beautiful Women: I Me aur Main

Bollywood hunk John Abraham will be seen with five actresses, including Chitrangada Singh and Prachi Desai, in a new movie I, Me Aur Main, to be directed by debutant Kapil Sharma, son of noted astronaut Rakesh Sharma.

Presented by Reliance Entertainment, the film is produced by Shrishti Behl Arya and Goldie Behl, the movie is a slice-of-life film about protagonist John and the women in his life.

"We're happy to announce the title of the film I, Me aur Main starring John Abraham directed by a very talented Kapil Sharma and presented by Reliance Entertainment. It's a feel good film with something for everyone," Arya said in a press statement.

Apart from Chitrangada and Prachi, actress Zareena Wahab will also be seen in the film, along with two other female leads, details of whom are currently under wraps.

'I Me Aur Main' is an entertaining youthful film that will release early in 2012 with a fresh and light touch.

"We are very pleased with the way the film is shaping and are confident it will deliver to the company's vision of producing wholesome entertainers," said Sanjeev Lamba, CEO of Reliance Entertainment.

Rumors don't affect me

Actress Chitrangda Singh doesn’t believe in mincing words, whether it’s talk about her professional life or personal one.

“To be honest, I’d prefer if people talk about my work, rather than my personal life, but it’s a catch-22 situation for actors, I feel. We’re damned if we do talk and damned if we don’t,” says the actor, who has been facing a barrage of rumours revolving around her personal life, ever since her debut in B-wood.

“I’m a rather private person, happy to return home to my family than party and ‘be seen’, so I don’t know where these rumours (of an alleged link-up and problems on the home front) crop up from. But I’m trying to not let them affect me and concentrate on my work instead,” she says referring to her film kitty that’s bulking up with some interesting ones including Desi Boyz, Shristi Arya’s next, Krishh 2, Prakash Jha’s next with Arjun Rampal, Sudhir Mishra’s next and there’re also talks of her signing Race 2.

Her natural progression into mainstream cinema is hard to miss, even though the actor admits that it’s taken her a while to find a foothold in mainstream Bollywood. That, despite earning praise for her off-beat cinema. But Chitrangda feels that she’d rather be slow and steady than live in the fast lane and falter.

“I’m in no rush to prove anything and happy to take things at my own pace. But yes, I’m glad that the pace is picking up,” she smiles. But more than working in mainstream films, the attraction, explains Singh, is in doing a variety of roles and not getting typecast in a particular image of being an offbeat film heroine. “I’m happy to explore and play characters across board,” she adds.

So, does she regret not making a debut with a mainstream flick then? “Not at all. I have no regrets. I don’t think any other film would have earned me the kind of respect or recognition as an actor as Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi did. I don’t regret doing any of the other films that I did post HKA too, whether it worked at the box-office or not,” she explains.

Singh’s also unperturbed about her marital status and feels that it makes no difference to her professional life. Though she does agree that married women have far more responsibilities to consider, they are just as professional, she says. “Married actresses here have proven that they are just as viable, as actors, as the unmarried ones, so why should the marital status make any difference,” she quips. “After all, we can have the best of both the worlds too,” she signs off.

Chitrangda opposite Hrithik in "Krrish 2"

Chitrangda Singh can't wait to be seen as Bollywood's first female mutant, and that too opposite the hot Hrithik Roshan in " Krrish 2".

Having returned from Hong Kong, where she underwent training for her fight sequences in the film, the "Yeh Saali Zindagi" actress says that she is having the time of her life, doing all sorts of crazy stunts.

"I'm back from my action workshop, where I was getting trained under experts, as my role requires me to do a lot of dhishum dhishum and maar dhaad," she says and adds, "I did a lot of training on ropes, harnesses and even did a little bit of kick boxing."

So is she excited or nervous about working with Hrithik? "Of course I'm excited. He's such a cool person. In fact, he and I were in China together some time back, to prepare ourselves for the movie. He also wanted me to get the hang of the character. He told me that I have to look and act and prepare myself in a certain way. He's even given me tips on how to handle action sequences. I am super duper excited, but I can't talk much about the film. Let the right time come," says the actress.

Receiving compliments for having lost weight from those around her, Chitrangda seems ready to play a sexy mutant. She's even got a new piercing, one on her tragus. Is that for the film? "No yaar. It's something that I wanted to get done." Well, it sure helps you look sexier!