Bollywood's new strategy: before you sell a film, sell its title, suitably abbreviated. Vashu Bhagnani did an RHTDM (Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein), Karan Johar a K3G (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham). Maybe it's a ploy to snare the SMS-savvy youth, maybe it isn't. But catch Preity Zinta parroting KBKB on TV spots plugging her new film Kabhie Bhi Kaise Bhi. As of now, she's not supposed to say a word beyond the four letters, except that the entire film is shot in an airplane. The ad is currently on air.

Change of Art

Theatre is not a prelude to film. Or is it? Guess who's making the cross-over now? Bangalore playwright and stage director Mahesh Dattani is extending his repertoire with Mango Souffle, a film on "sexuality in the metros". So is Heeba Shah-actor Naseerudin Shah's daughter who made her stage debut with Ismat Apa Ke Naam and Manto Ismat Haazir Hain last year. In Dattani's first directorial biopic, the junior Shah will make her acting debut. It's not going to be a one-off fling for Dattani though: "The film is meant for a niche audience. We are not among those who try everything, yet reach nowhere. To me, film is a wholesome, sensory experience." Much like soufflé.

Riya and Moon Moon (top); Lilette and Neha

The Family Act

After Daman's non-show at the box office-okay, it got Raveena Tandon a national award-director Kalpana Lajmi is not taking any chances. For her next film Kyon, Lajmi has managed to get Kolkata's sexy mother-daughter duo-Moon Moon Sen and offspring Riya. Monsoon Wedding star Neha Dubey is in the cast too and Lajmi is crossing her fingers about Lilette Dubey to play her on-screen mom. "Lilette is keen but dates are a problem," she rues. Lajmi's logic? Reel emotions work well when there's real bonding. Kyon, a film about youth crime, is inspired by a real-life tragedy. So why not?

A Classic Whodunnit?

Yet another woman-centric film-just the kind Rituparno Ghosh loves-but this one will be in the realm of crime fiction. In his next directorial excursion Shubho Maharat, Ghosh will do an Agatha Christie. But that won't be all. The film's eal draw will be the cast: Ghosh brings ageless Bollywood beauties Rakhee and Sharmila Tagore together-the last time they did so was in Daag a long time ago. And who's Miss Marple? Ghosh's natural choice was Rakhee, who he thought looked like a "domesticated Bengali woman with a fair sense of independence". The film also stars Nandita Das, who plays a journalist. Tagore plays a filmmaker. So who gets bumped off? As if Ghosh will tell.

-Compiled by Methil Renuka