Komal Nahta

Miss Asia-Pacific 2000 Diya Mirza succumbed to the lure of Bollywood.

Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra hasn't lagged far behind, either!

Priyanka has signed on for her first film, opposite none other than Champion Sunny Deol.

The Hero is directed and produced by Anil Sharma.

Anil Sharma is currently directing Gadar Ek Prem Katha for Zee, which stars Sunny Deol and Amisha Patel.

His earlier films include the Govinda starrer Maharaja, the Dharmendra starrers Hukumat and Elaan-E-Jung and the Raakhee-Suresh Oberoi starrer, Shraddhanjali.

Meanwhile, an aside. Anil Sharma has now been dragged to court.

Shyam Goel, writer of the Govinda-Manisha starrer, Maharaja, has implicated Sharma under the Negotiable Instruments Act for dishonouring cheques pending in the 9th Metropolitan Magistrate's court at Bandra, Bombay.

Anil Sharma took part of the remuneration from Naraindas Makhija, producer of Maharaja. "It was done with my consent," admitted Goel.

But come the time to return Goel's amount, Sharma played truant. The former then had to settle his claim for a smaller amount (Rs 1.5 lakh in place of the Rs 3.5 lakh claim which Anil Sharma had in any case taken from Makhija).

The cheques, issued by Anil Sharma to Shyam Goel for repayment of the Rs 1.5 lakh as decided by the association, bounced.

Shyam Goel had no alternative but to launch criminal proceedings against Anil Sharma. The matter has been fixed for hearing in June 2001.

Design: Lynette Menezes