Candice Boucher plays a sand artist in upcoming spy flick

Candice Boucher, a South African Playboy hottie who features in Percept's untitled next, essays the role of a sand artist in the espionage drama.

Directed by Prashant Chaddha (Aap Ka Surror), the film stars Sachin Joshi (the Managing Director of an energy drink endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan) and Arya Babbar.

The beauty had to train from a professional artiste for the role. She says, "Learning from a sand artiste from Belarus was an amazing experience.

It's an intricate art more difficult than oils and watercolours on canvas as sand keeps shifting all the time. One's concentration has to be sharper and more focussed."

As reported 'Playmate on board' (Hitlist, June 11), Candice was the nude centrespread attraction of Playboy magazine for April 2010 and is also the brand ambassador for an international jeans brand.

She was signed for the film during the FIFA World Cup in June (it was held in her home country) to up the project's glam quotient.

The movie is about an informant who has to go undercover to save his brother and the nation from the effects of a biological war.

German mag ' the face of global Bollywood'

A German-language magazine has been described as 'the face of global Bollywood'.

Ishq magazine, which is published in Berlin, is said to have a circulation of over 30,000, reports the Economic Times.

Chief Editor Julia Wessel commented: "No doubt Bollywood is a niche market in Germany but it has a loyal fanbase. And interestingly it is not just the non-resident Indians who read it."

Wessel said that Shah Rukh Khan, who has held premieres of some of his most recent releases in Berlin, is the country's most popular Hindi cinema star.

London correspondent Sunny Malik told "I think German fans have been very loyal to Bollywood. The Om Shanti Om premiere tickets in Berlin sold out within the first minute. Some were sold illegally for up to 600 Euros."

Shah Rukh Khan is currently filming Don 2 in the German capital.

Bollywood Gossip Of The Week

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Shah Rukh is getting into action big time. Pun intended. He has kick started the shoot of the sequel to 'Don'. Meanwhile, his team will get busy with the post production of 'Ra. 1', a film which is touted to be bigger than Rajnikanth's 'Robot'.

- Release of 'Kajraare' has shocked the trade industry and audience alike. This Himesh Reshammiya starrer was released in one show each in Mumbai and Pune without any prior intimation, so much so that even Himesh Reshammiya and director Pooja Bhatt were caught by surprise.

- Flip flop continues around Hrithik Roshan's next two projects after 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. There is no confirmation yet on whether he would be a part of Karan Johar's remake of 'Agneepath' and Shekhar Kapur's 'Paani' or not.

- After an eventful 2009 (Ajab Prem Ki Ghzab Kahani, Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year) and 2010 (Raajneeti, Anjaana Anjaani) which saw five of his films releasing in a span of 13 months, Ranbir Kapoor can take a breather. He has at least 9 months to go before his next release 'Rockstar'.

- November, which was earlier boasting of only four notable films - 'Action Replayy', 'Golmaal 3', 'Guzaarish' and 'Break Ke Baad' - is turning heavier. Quite some backlog from October is spilling over with 'Allah Ke Banday' and 'A Flat' opting for November release. Moreover, Part II of 'Rakta Charitra', too, is all set to arrive on 19th November, the same day as 'Guzaarish'.