Spicy Saturday: Ali Zafar

Like last week's pick, Farhan Akhtar, Pakistani pop star Ali Zafar is a Renaissance man, a creative jack-of-all-trades. The singer/songwriter went to art school, has modeled and has also worked in TV. He skyrocketed to fame in 2003, with his hit single "Channo." The success of his first album, Huqa Paani, made him an overnight superstar. Touted as the Prince of Pop,  Ali made his film debut in 2010's Tere Bin Laden, netting all sorts of award nominations for his performance — particularly noteworthy as he is the first Pakistani actor to be the solo lead in a Bollywood film. He's most recently earned cinematic raves for 2012's London, Paris, New York. Ali and his wife Ayesha have a 2-year-old son.

Father's Day, Bollywood Confidential-style

Who's Your Daddy?
By Suleikha Snyder

In this special, never-been-published, ficlet set after the events of SPICE AND SMOKE, partners Vikram Malhotra and Sam Khanna ring in the holiday with potty mouths and a little tongue. Reading the novella first isn't necessary, but if you want to find out how the guys get here, pick up a copy of S&S now! (Contains adult language and couple-y affection between two dudes.)

The rose inspired hilarity. The coffee and biscuits, a smacking kiss on the mouth and an exaggerated romantic declaration of "You're a saint like Harsh Mathur, jaan-e-maan!" As for the card…" 'Happy Father's Day'? Yeh kya hain?" Sam frowned, his thin eyebrows furrowing. "What in the hell is this?"
 

Spicy Saturday: Farhan Akhtar

Writer, director, actor, producer and singer Farhan Akhtar is a true cinematic Renaissance man. Son of acclaimed poet/lyricist Javed Akhtar and actress/screenwriter Honey Irani, and brother to director Zoya Akhtar, creativity literally runs through Farhan's veins. His 2001 directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai, took Bollywood by storm, scoring Filmfare Awards and a National Film Award, and he's since had commercial success with the blockbuster remake of a Hindi cult classic, Don, and its shiny new sequel, Don 2. Farhan has also won acting accolades for roles in Rock On!!, Luck By Chance and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Basically, he can do anything!




Farhan singing, in character, at the climactic point in Rock On!! Yes, Adi is basically serenading the guy in the car — his lover estranged best friend, Joe. (Delusion? What delusion?)

Farhan and his stylist wife, Adhuna, have two daughters. You'd think this would stop me from having a giant crush on him. It does not. He's more than a little of the inspiration for Rahul Anand in Spice and Smoke, whose own story I hope you'll get to see soon!

Suite Up!

Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel and released in both paperback and e-book form by Cleis Press, officially drops tomorrow, June 12. Featuring steamy stories by Delilah Devlin, Remittance Girl, yours truly and more, it's a wild ride through an array of inns, motels and hotels, with all sorts of sexy hook-ups.

I don't get to stay in a lot of hotels myself, but I have been to the LVH, where my short story "Surrender with a Twist" takes place — and I wish The Star Trek Experience was still there! I've stayed at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, various airport and convention hotels and three of Disney World's deluxe resorts. (Can you beat a hotel that has giraffes grazing outside the windows? I honestly don't know!) I hope to travel more in the future and could definitely use a few recommendations!
 
I have one copy of Suite Encounters up for grabs. Leave a comment by 12 PM on Friday, June 15, with your favorite place to vacay or staycay, and you'll be entered to win it!

U.S. and Canada residents only. Winner will be chosen by random number generator. 

6/19/12: Winner chosen! Teresa Noelle Roberts!

Spicy Saturday: Barun Sobti

Sexy Sobti. Sexy Singh Raizada. The "sexy" seems to follow Indian soap actor and model Barun Sobti wherever he goes. First winning hearts as Shravan in Sony's Baat Hamari Pakki Hai, Barun is best known for his current role as brooding Mr. Darcy-esque millionaire Arnav Singh Raizada on StarPlus' Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. The Delhi native is also dipping his toe in the Bollywood pool, doing a big screen project with Shenaz Treasuryvala (ex-Rama, One Life to Live)*. Much to the chagrin of his lovestruck fans, Sexy Sobti is off the market — married to his childhood sweetheart, Pashmeen Manchanda.

*In a hilarious coincidence, Barun and Shenaz are who I pictured playing two of my Spice And... characters: Rahul Anand and Sunita Khanna. So, it's kind of awesome that they're working together.