Just what could have driven scriptwriter Anurag Kashyap, who recently hogged headlines for his controversial directorial debut Paanch, to theatre? The film took time to get past the censors and will release mid-March. If anything, it had left Kashyap drained, depressed and angry. But thankfully, there was theatre. Kashyap, 29, who scripted Ramgopal Varma's Satya, plays a hapless lover in Makrand Deshpande's Sir Sir Sarla opposite Sonali Kulkarni (Dil Chahta Hai). "I relate to the character because he feels bitterness and regret for the past." Is he playing himself?

Switching Jobs

Ayesha Jhulka is perhaps best-and only-remembered as Aamir Khan's leading lady in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander. But that was a few years ago. Not having had a good run in the film industry, the petite actress, now on the wrong side of 30, tried theatre in a play called Purush with Nana Patekar. That was last year. That did not last either. This year, Jhulka has predictably switched her smoky-eyed gaze to-what else?-television soaps. She has bagged the lead in a serial called Tum Bin, an emotion-packed love story, co-starring Alok Nath, conveniently set against the backdrop of Bollywood. Big screen or small screen, guess the B word really helps.

In Its Prime

Aaj Tak's Manish Dubey receives the ITA award from Kapil Dev

There are many firsts to this win. Its first birthday round the corner (December 31), Aaj Tak, part of the India Today Group, bagged the Best News Channel award at the first Indian Television Academy awards (ITA) gala in Mumbai. In terms of TRPs, Aaj Tak, whose advertising slogan is "sabse tez channel", is first again, leading the pack with 53 per cent of the news channel market and a connectivity of over 24 million homes, all in only 11 months. Not bad for a channel that combines colloquial Hindi with trailblazing journalism. Says Aaj Tak CEO G. Krishnan: "The award is a bada celebration for the bada hi tez channel."

Singing Star

Dalip Tahil's "Bombay dreams" came true in London. For a part in Andrew Lloyd Webber's much-trumpeted musical Bombay Dreams, Tahil, 47, had to undergo an arduous audition in London, a rite he has managed to bypass in the Indian film industry. But Tahil loved every moment: "It was an amazing feeling-the whole rigmarole of auditioning, putting to test my basic skills as an artist and then landing the role!" He felt like a jolly 21-year-old. In the production, Tahil has "a sizeable role" as Madan, the father of the leading lady (Preeya Kalidas). What's more, the part involves some singing and dancing too, and Tahil gets two full songs. That's one break even big, bad Bollywood is yet to give him.

-Compiled by Methil Renuka