That director Anurag Basu is a closet-actor was proven when he played a pivotal role as a doctor in Onir’s I Am. But the fact that he has played a role in his own film <em>Barfi</em> came as a complete shocker. It was revealed by an actor in the film who said, “Anurag hasn’t told anyone about it. But he has done a role in <em>Barfi</em>. He appears in the sequence where Ranbir and Priyanka are traveling in an open truck. There is a man with his face covered sitting opposite the snoozing figure of Priyanka leering at her legs. The man leering at Priyanka’s legs is played by Anurag.”

Giving films like Kahaani, The Dirty Picture and Paan Singh Tomar and several others a nudge, UTV-Disney’s Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D'Cruz-starrer Barfi has been chosen as India’s official entry to the Academy awards this year. The film tells the story of Barfi, a mute and deaf boy in Darjeeling, and his relation with two girls, one of whom is autistic. On the whole, the film centers around these three young people who learn that love can neither be defined nor contained by society's norms of normal and abnormal.

Emboldened by the tremendous response that his latest film Barfi has been getting all around, Anurag Basu has now decided to helm an issue-based film on Bihar's innovative educational coaching institute Super 30 and its founder Anand Kumar. It is said that earlier, Basu met Anand Kumar and talked to him.

Shabana Azmi’s home was a beehive of activity on Tuesday when the actress turned, in her words, “a very proud 62”. Guests poured in, since her home is an open house of birthdays. However the birthday girl was nowhere to be seen. Her husband Javed Akhtar, mom Shaukat Azmi and sister-in-law who greeted an avalanche of guests from theatre, cinema and politics sheepishly kept up a face repeating the line, “Shabana will be back soon.” But it was a good 3 and half hours before Shabana returned.

He is one of the most fascinating directors in the Hindi film industry. With Metro, he redefined the idea of a modern day love story, and with his recent release <em>Barfi</em>, his bag is full with nothing else but sweet accolades. Yes, we are talking about Anurag Basu. Moviechakkar entered into a conversation who is hogging all the limelight at the moment. Excerpts: <strong>How do you plan to take <em>Barfi</em> ahead of the non-Hindi audience? </strong>

Starring: <strong>Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana d’Cruz</strong> Directed by <strong>Anurag Basu</strong> Rating: <strong>**** ?</strong> Silences seldom spoke so eloquently. It’s been a while since we saw a film that set style at a subsidiary state to substance, put the characters’ inner life ahead of the flamboyant manifestations of self-identity in a world governed by benevolence and charm.

The Barfi team is taking its get-happy mood for the film very seriously. Starting on Saturday 6 September in Mumbai, the team would be participating in nationwide <em>Barfi</em> musical concerts that would stretch over the weekend and beyond. The entire music team is expected to participate in the concerts that kickstart at the R Mall Mulund in Mumbai and then proceed to Kolkata (9 September), Bangalore (10 September) and Delhi (11 September).

UTV Motion Pictures has announced the release dates of three of its big-ticket films. While the Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Joker will release on 31 August, the Anurag Basu-directed film Barfi! will release on 14 September. These will be followed by Madhur Bhandarkar-helmed Kareena Kapoor-starrer Heroine on 21 September (2012).