Political alliances are unpredictable, but this one beats even the Sonia-Jayalalithaa tea party surprise. Sachin, son of the late Rajesh Pilot, has found a co-pilot in Sara, daughter of Farooq Abdullah. "They have been seeing each other and will get engaged," says a family source. "But they won't get married for at least a year as she's still studying in London." Politics, as is said, has its share of unlikely bedfellows.

Picture Perfect

Priyanka or Rahul? Those looking for a sign from 10 Janpath were reading one, literally, in Mrs G's new year card. Featuring a photo of an innocuous tulip, it was on the card's backcover-credited to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra-that some saw a signal. Especially since Sonia's card always has a photo by Rajiv. "The family makes the selection together," says a party member. "This year it decided to use Priyanka's." But while New Year's eve saw Sonia working-the Gujarat debacle put a spoke in her vacation plans-for Priyanka, it was holiday as usual. Looks like following in dad's footsteps is restricted to her flirtation with the camera.

Noisy Performance

Never mind her debut in Gautam Ghosh's Gudia or the accolades for the Canadian film Seducing Maarya. Nandana Deb Sen now seeks love in a cacophonous Mumbai housing society. Amartya Sen's sultry daughter makes her mainstream debut in Vinta Nanda's White Noise. "She has no pre-conceived notions of how an actor in an Indian film should behave,'' gushes Nanda. Will the noise carry over to the box office?

Hot Item

With Malaika Arora having had an item of her own, there's a vacancy for an item girl in Bollywood, and Rakhi Sawant is a hopeful contender. She bares cleavage with competence in Mohabbat Hain Mirchi from Chura Liya Tumne, but she'll have you know she's not all belly-shake. She has a role and as for the skimpy outfit, "Would you expect a Bangkok moll to wear salwar kameez?'' Er, no. But in Main Hoon Na, she will again appear as a mini-skirted bimbette. More items follow in Om and 2nd December.

-Compiled by Kanika Gahlaut