I will do anything for Bihar: Neetu Chandra

Bollywood actor Neetu Chandra is fierce about her Bihar roots. "For Bihar I will do anything," she stressed. Chandra has come to perform in `Fantasians-2009' scheduled on Saturday at the Bharatiya Nritya Kala Mandir.

The event is being organized by the Notre Dame Academy Almuni Association and Chandra is an almuna of this school and Bihar's only girl in Bollywood. "My director was pressing to go ahead with the shooting. But I cancelled the shooting to be here," she remarked and pointed out that this would be the first time she would be performing in Bihar. The proceedings of the show will go to her school for upgrading its computer lab.

The `Garam Masala' girl has a busy 2009. Her next film `13th B' is scheduled for next year. Other films `Khusat Prasad' and `Sandy' - the film launching Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv - are also scheduled to be released this year. "In Bollywood, I have to fight for my career and my image as a Bihari," she said, pointing out that she was often asked in Bollywood if she lived in a village in Bihar where farming was done.

"That's the image Bihar has," Chandra, who has lived in Patna throughout her life before shifting to Mumbai, stressed. She said that it took quite a lot of persuasion in Bollywood to make other stars to come to Patna. "Perhaps it is because of their past experience in Bihar," she said.

Though Bihar has thrown up quite a few male actors in Bollywood - Shatughan Sinha, Manoj Bajpayee and Shekhar Suman - to name a few, Chandra happens to be the only female actor, "Perhaps more women from Bihar will come to Bollywood if we change our mentality. The parents, schools and teachers all have to contribute. I was encouraged in school and by my parents. There are Bihari girls working for theatres in Delhi. Perhaps they will come," she said.

Talking about `exposing her body', Chandra stressed that she had no hesitation in dressing as per the demand of the character played by her. "If I have to wear a swimming suit I will wear it. There is a protocol which has to be adhered to or else there are thousands of others who will do it," she remarked. She said that she has no objection to working in Bhojpuri films. "But I have asked the directors to make a film which a child can see with his grandfather," she stressed, pointing out that it was the presentation which mattered. "One can look decent in a swim suit and vulgar in a saree," she stressed.link

Director Prakash Jha likely to contest LS poll

Noted film director-producer Prakash Jha is likely to be the candidate of the Ram Vilas Paswan led LJP from Bettiah Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar.

Party sources said that Jha has already held discussions with Paswan three-four times on the issue and the party has in principle agreed to field Jha from the seat.

The latest round of telephonic discussion between the two took place last night in which Jha is reported to have said that he is ready to fight the election.

"We have decided to field Jha from Bettiah but a formal announcement would be made after we decide whether to contest alone or in a UPA alliance," a senior party leader said on the condition of anonymity.

Party sources say that initially the party was in double mind and was also thinking of finalizing a candidate keeping in mind the minority community, which has a sizeable population in Bettiah.

Jha, a resident of Barharwa village of the West Champaran district, whose headquarters is Bettiah, had contested the last Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate. He had a crushing defeat and he lost even his security deposit as the contest became a direct one between BJP and RJD.

RJD had wrested the seat from BJP with its leader Raghunath Jha defeating the saffron party's Madan Prasad Jaiswal by over 26,000 votes. The seat was earlier held by BJP.

Sources say that the sitting MP from Bettiah Raghunath Jha is this time interested in contesting from Bagha, earlier a reserved seat, which has now become general after the delimitation.

Grapevine has it that RJD MP from Gopalganj and party supremo Lalu Prasad's brother- in law Anirudh Prasad Yadav alias Sadhu Yadav is keen on shifting to Bettiah seat this time.

Speculation was rife earlier that Jha may contest the Lok Sabha election on either a JD (U) or a BJP ticket. A LJP leader however said that Jha was "in touch with us for quite a long time" and the party has "almost decided" to field Jha from Bettiah.

Jha has directed Bollywood films like Apaharan, Gangajal, Mrityudand, Damul, Hip Hip Hurray and Bandish. He has also been a producer for many other films, a large number of which deal with social themes like casteism, poverty and hunger.

Jha had directed the Ajay Devgan starrer "Apharan" immediately after contesting the Lok Sabha election in 2004.

The film dealt with the issue of the nexus between crime and politics in Bihar against the backdrop of a spate of abductions in the Hindi heartland. After the election, Jha had promised to make another movie on Bihar politics "Rajniti", which is yet to be released.