Considering the photo paranoia that stars suffer from, Fardeen Khan's appearance at a public do in Delhi with girlfriend Ruheen Jaiswal was seen by many as an entry designed to send signals about his honourable intentions. Jaiswal, who lives in Delhi's posh Sunder Nagar area and is from one of the capital's old-money families, has reportedly been seeing Khan, filmstar and former coke-bust victim, for about a year now. "He seems quite devoted to her," says a social butterfly. Watch out for further developments here.

Heart Doctors

Either Akshay Kumar's heart-wrecking skills are so good that a doctor needs to undo the damage or Madhuri Dixit has set a craze in Bollywood for US-based docs. Now Pooja Batra is marrying a surgeon, Sonu Ahluwalia. Yes, the announcement was followed by the cliche: films will continue to be her first love. Shilpa Shetty, are you next?

Coming of Age

Don't Mind, Sonali Bendre, but why is it that the moment a heroine gets hitched, she wants to do meaningful cinema? Bendre, who has signed up for Amol "Daayra" Palekar's Anahat-a period film on the custom of impregnating a queen in case of the king's impotency-thinks it has to do with "growing up". Says the on-screen bimbo: "Eight years in the industry, I was looking for a grown-up role." What's the film like? "It's about a woman's awakening. It's socially relevant." Okay, cut the jargon: we believe you when you say you've grown up.

Something About Mary

She is not the World No.1 but two-time Grand Slam champion Mary Pierce's presence in Hyderabad has made all the difference to the $140,000 WTA Indian Open. The tennis diva, who is making a comeback after a severe back injury, is enjoying her stay off court too. "People here have been very nice," says Pierce, who celebrated the Chinese New Year with her doubles partner, Sania Mirza, and her family. As for the rules of the game: "I never set goals for myself. But I don't give up a match without a fight." Words of wisdom that could serve the Indian cricket team well too.

-Compiled by Kanika Gahlaut