by Subhash K Jha

Govinda's career as a politician might be under siege. But there's no denying the fact that his career as an actor is getting back on an even keel. Besides bagging a plum role in Aparna Sen's film Govinda is also a part of two other very important films.

"I'm starting David Dhawan's next with Salmanbhai next month. People have been speculating about my friendship with David. Our well -wishers would love to see us fall apart. But sorry, we never stopped being friends. He was doing his own thing and I mine. Now we'll hopefully create the dhamaka of our earlier films."

In Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq Govinda is paired with South African actress Shanon Esra.

"This isn't the first time I'm being paired opposite a foreigner. If you remember I had made a guest appearance with Samantha Fox in Rock Dancer for a song and dance. But I guess everyone would rather forget about that. I'm really looking forward to working with Shanon. We did a photo-session together last week. And it turned out well. In the character that Nikhil narrated to me I sensed the innocence of a simple man from North India. Badaa achcha lagaa."

The stupid controversies about Dawood notwithstanding, Govinda is very positive about his career. "I'm very happy with the films that I've signed. I guess some people don't like the idea of seeing me back in films."

And then there's the super-meticulous costar-conscious Aamir Khan. Contrary to belief, Aamir Khan isn't paired with Soha Ali Khan in Rakeysh Mehra's Rang De Basanti.

His co-star is totally unexpected...or it she??

It's almost becoming a force of habit for Aamir Khan. He teamed up with a British actress Rachel Shelley in Lagaan. More recently there was a lilting hint of a liaison between Aamir 'Mangal Pandey' Khan and the British actress Carol Beed who played Emily in Ketan Mehta's bio-pic.

And now Aamir is all set to be seen with yet another British actress in the much-awaited Rang De Basanti. This time it's a very well known British stage actress Alice Patten who teams up with Aamir.

"I don't think 'team up' is the right term to describe what Aamir and Alice share in Rang De Basanti," laughs director Rakeysh Mehra, currently in Chennai recording the background music for his film with Rahman.

Patten is a stage actress seen in well-received British plays like Cigarettes & Chocolates and Vincent In Brixton and also in tv serials like Fosythe Saga. Rang De Basanti is her first feature film.

Elaborates the Aks director, "It's very difficult to specify the relationships in Rang De Basanti. All I can say is, it's a very modern film depicting contemporary relationships."

The film which opens in January was originally meant to have a separate English version. "But we decided against it," reveals Rakeysh Mehra. "Even the film's title Rang De Basanti wasn't sounding right in English—Paint It Yellow. Every film has its own rhythm, cast and language."