PANAJI - Hugh Gantzer, one of India's first travel writers, shoots straight from the hip. Little wonder that, at a travel fair here, he gunned for hippies, backpackers and even "rubbish tourism ministers", saying they were sullying Goa's image as a top tourist destination.

NEW DELHI - Films depicting a compulsive liar and a snake woman's vengeance a la "Naagin" and a biopic on a slain factionist-turned political leader... take your pick from "Jhootha Hi Sahi", "Hisss" and "Rakta Charitra", three distinctly different films that release this Friday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Malayalam superstar Mammootty compares himself to a "hard working farmer" who just cares about his work and hopes for the best.

MUMBAI - Deepika Padukone will be seen in two back-to-back films - as the free-spirited Aaliya in one and as the intense Kalpana in the other. The actress revealed that shifting roles was quite challenging for her.