I will carry Olympic torch: Aamir

After footballer Baichung Bhutia backed out on the Tibet issue, Bollywood star Aamir Khan on Tuesday agreed to run with the Olympic torch here though he empathizes with the Tibetan people and feels the games “do not belong to China”.

Declining requests not to take part in the relay, he asked them “to understand that when I do run with the torch on April 17, it is not in support of China. In fact, it will be with a prayer in my heart for the people of Tibet“.

The Indian Olympic Association has roped in celebrities like the actor, former supercop Kiran Bedi and tennis ace Leander Paes although Bhutia has declined to run in the event citing the Tibetan issue.

Former Olympic football captain P K Banerjee has also decided to participate, despite his failing health (given that he is 71) as it is a matter of pride for him.

Aamir said in a statement posted on his weblog, “I have the highest regard for the struggle that the people of Tibet are going through. I completely empathise with them“.

‘Idiots’ from IIT

If rumours are to be believed Aamir Khan has signed on the dotted line to act in Rajkumar Hirani’s next venture tentatively titled ‘Idiots’.

Aamir has confirmed the development in his blog (www.aamirkhan.com) and if things work out well between one of India’s most versatile actors and the man behind the ‘Munnabhai’ movies, it could well become a cinematic super-success.

The latest Raju Hirani film would be produced by his mentor Vidhu Vinod Chopra and there was some gossip that Chopra and Shah Rukh had some disagreements over which they decided to part ways on ‘Idiots’. Needless to say, Shah Rukh’s loss proved to be Aamir’s gain.

 

Hirani has also approached Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh and John Abraham for roles in the film, which is based on Chetan Bhagat’s ‘Five Point Someone’ and deals with the story of three IIT students.

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The book starts with a disclaimer, “This is not a book to teach you how to get into IIT or even how to live in college. In fact, it describes how screwed up things can get if you don’t think straight.”

Three hostelmates - Alok, Hari and Ryan get off to a bad start in IIT - they screw up the first class quiz. And while they try to make amends, things only get worse. It takes them a while to realize: If you try and screw with the IIT system, it comes back to double screw you. Before they know it, they are at the lowest echelons of IIT society. They have a five-point-something GPA out of ten, ranking near the end of their class. This GPA is a tattoo that will remain with them, and come in the way of anything else that matters - their friendship, their future, their love life. While the world expects IITians to conquer the world, these guys are struggling to survive.

Will they make it? Do underperformers have a right to live? Can they show that they are not just a five-point-somebody but a five-point-someone?
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And speaking of Saif, there are reports that Kareena could be part of the ‘Idiots’ team too. This follows rumours that Hirani, who approached Kajol for the role, was upset at her comments that she would first read the script before accepting the offer.

 

Ref: From news site.