Salman Khan-Dabangg

After Shah Rukh Khan, it's Salman Khan who is calling the shots in his home production Dabangg. The actor has spent a great amount of time in editing the movie.

A source working on the film tells Mumbai Mirror, "Salman has taken a great deal of interest in editing. He's been patient and learnt all the technical aspects of being a good editor. In fact, he started editing Dabangg right during the making of the film. He knew at the shooting stage what he wanted to keep in the film, and what needed to be chopped."

According to reports, Salman also wanted to edit out a lot of his last release Veer, but director Anil Sharma hadn't let him interfere.

Salman Khan will play a corrupt and fearless cop from Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming film Dabangg, which will mark Shatrughan Sinha's daughter Sonakshi's debut in Bollywood.

The film, which will have Salman mouthing a lot of UP slang, will also mark the debut of his brother, Arbaaz Khan, as a producer. Arbaaz also acts in the film to be helmed by Anurag Kashyap's brother, Abhinav Kashyap.

Dabangg, which means bold, will feature Salman in a never before seen role and makeover, well outside the mould of the rich and stylish Prem.

Arbaaz says, “Salman Khan's role is terrific. Salman's fans have never seen him like this before. Besides, I haven't cast Salman because he is my brother, but he fits the character perfectly. When Abhinav offered me a role in the film, I immediately wanted to produce it. For long, I had been toying with the idea of turning producer. This was just the excuse I needed to take the plunge.”

Talking about casting debutant Sonakshi, Arbaaz says, “There's no point in casting a heroine who has already been seen four times with Salman. I wanted to cast a stunning new girl and Sonakshi fits the bill. She has lost a lot of weight. She still needs to lose a little more.”

Sonakshi, who turned 22 this month, has studied fashion design at SNDT college, Mumbai and was all set to pursue a career in fashion designing. However, Salman discerned a lot of histrionic potential in her when she walked the ramp at a fashion show that he attended. He convinced Sonakshi and her parents – Shatrughan and Poonam – to give acting a shot but told her she would need to shed 10 kg of weight. Sonakshi had already shed 30 kg before her ramp debut.

So far, Sohail Khan has been the producer in the 'Khan'dan, with Salman featuring in most of his film, typically co-starring with a sibling. Upcoming Sohail Khan films include Wanted Dead Or Alive featuring Salman with Arbaaz; and Main Aur Mrs Khanna featuring Salman with Sohail.

Lerner blasts City over continued Milner chase

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has hit out at Manchester City over their pursuit of midfielder James Milner and also hinted that caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald could be a serious contender to replace Martin O'Neill on a permanent basis.

Lerner claims City have broken rules by continuing their interest in the England international after being told Villa did not want to sell.

"Big, bad Manchester City came along and asked for Milner and we said, 'No, he is not for sale'. And under the rules you have to respect that," Lerner told The Mail on Sunday.

"Manchester City respected that for two whole days. And then they violated the rules and came in for him again."

Milner played a starring role in Villa's 3-0 win over West Ham in their Premier League opener, scoring his side's superb third goal.

"We are not a selling club. A selling club is when you let it be known that you want to sell a player, through an agent or whatever," Lerner said. "That didn't happen with Gareth Barry and it didn't happen with James Milner either. As for Ashley Young, he was never going."

Lerner then turned his attentions to the vacancy left by O'Neill's departure on Monday.

"There are those managers who like the show and the attention - and then there are those such as Kevin," said the American. "I'm not going to say it is in Kevin's hands now and I would be disappointed if it was reported like that. But much will depend on how Kevin feels, whether he thinks this might be right for him, if he is comfortable with the idea of being Villa's manager.

"He is such a cool guy, he is popular with the players - who really played for him - and with the fans and the press. We will see how he feels when he wakes up from this and then we will look at the situation from there."

Gareth Barry: City players must accept new arrivals

Gareth Barry has urged Manchester City's expensively assembled squad to pull together - and is keen to see further spending before the transfer window closes.

Barry was recruited from Aston Villa last summer and James Milner is set to make the same move after a similarly protracted pursuit this time around.

And Barry is excited about the prospect, telling the Sunday Mirror: "James brings energy and quality to any team.

"You only have to look at the number of goals and chances he has created over the last couple of seasons. He is always in the top two or three in terms of assists. He would be a great addition to any team."

The England midfielder's arrival would add to the already fierce competition for places at Eastlands, and Barry has warned that players must battle for places rather than sulking if they miss out on the matchday squad.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given was a notable casualty on the first day of the Barclays Premier League season, sitting on the bench at White Hart Lane as England's Joe Hart almost single-handedly frustrated Tottenham.

"The manager has made it clear he's got some big decisions to make on players leaving because of this new 25-player limit that's come in," Barry said.

"One or two players will be upset because they no longer feature in Roberto Mancini's plans, but that is the way the club is going and it is a feature of how the game as a whole has moved on.

"Even some of the players who are in the 25 will be upset some weeks because they will be left out of the team. Again, that's something you have to come to terms with if you want to play for a club that is aiming as high as we are.

"I have loved seeing new players arrive this summer and if more come in that's even better.

"The competition for places will be tough and the manager has already made it clear to us that he will rotate the squad. I certainly won't spit my dummy out if I find myself being left out of the team. I will just fight even harder."

Bellamy edging closer to Cardiff switch

Cardiff are close to sealing the capture of Manchester City's out-of-favour striker Craig Bellamy, according to reports.

Bellamy has been told he can leave Eastlands by City manager Roberto Mancini, with Cardiff emerging as a strong contender to sign the 31-year-old. And while Cardiff would not confirm a deal had been agreed with Bellamy, it is thought he could complete a loan move on Monday.

A Cardiff spokesman said: "With the number and the names of the clubs being mentioned in connection to Craig it is flattering that we are an option, but at this stage it is pure speculation. Being connected to a player of this calibre shows how far we have come, to be even considered in a deal like this. We would love it to happen of course, but we are by no means alone in this.''

Bellamy suggested earlier in the week that he would be open to a move to club he supported as a boy. At a press conference in Cardiff prior to Wales' friendly against Luxembourg, he said: "I have always wanted to play for Cardiff. I've never been shy in saying that.

"My wife and kids live here, I've missed them now for the last five or six years, so that would have more of a pull to me than most. I will have to wait and see and see what options are possible but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. Would I love to get Cardiff City to the Premier League? Of course I would. I feel I'd have more of an impact doing that than playing 100 games for Wales. For us to move forward as a nation football-wise, we need a Premier League team.''

Cardiff manager Dave Jones has also spoken of his desire to lure Bellamy to south Wales, but admitted the club were likely to face stiff competition for the player's signature.

Speaking after his side's 2-1 victory at Derby on Saturday, Jones said: "If it happens, it would be fantastic and we would all love him to be here but there are bigger fish for him.''

Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Manchester City

City indebted to Hart

Manchester City's top-four credentials were no clearer after a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance in a goalless draw in their Barclays Premier League opener at Tottenham.

City somehow survived a first-half Spurs onslaught as Joe Hart fully justified his new status as City and England number one with a succession of world-class saves to deny Jermain Defoe, Tom Huddlestone and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, while Gareth Bale also hit the post.

City's multi-million-pound summer signings went AWOL in the opening 45 minutes but finally turned up after the break, with Shaun Wright-Phillips having their best chance, although Bale missed a golden chance to snatch victory for Spurs.

Hart got the nod of Shay Given in the City goal, while the visitors also handed competitive debuts to Yaya Toure, David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov.

Mario Balotelli, who only completed his move from Inter Milan on Friday, was not in the squad, with Carlos Tevez captaining the side and starting up front on his own.

In stark contrast to City's summer spending spree, Spurs' only new recruit - Sandro - had yet to arrive from Internacional.

But Harry Redknapp's men had been good enough to deny their opponents a top-four spot in May, winning at the City of Manchester Stadium to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Anything less than that for City this term would not be tolerated by their mega-rich owners.

A fast and frenetic opening saw a half-chance on the volley for Wright-Phillips and a Peter Crouch header kept out by Hart.

Crouch was proving a handful, setting up the first clear-cut opportunity in the 11th minute with a header back across goal from Aaron Lennon's cross.

Defoe swivelled to fire goalward at point-blank range but Hart somehow kept the ball out and Ledley King was thwarted on the rebound.

Hart sprang sideways to repel Huddlestone's hooked 25-yard volley moments before producing an even better save to keep out Assou-Ekotto's viciously-deflected piledriver.

Vincent Kompany earned the first yellow card for bringing down Defoe 25 yards from goal and a Michael Dawson slip in the box almost let in Tevez but King snuffed out the danger.

Hart rescued City again seconds later when Kompany was beaten to the ball by Defoe.

The City keeper was finally beaten on the half-hour but the post came to his rescue to keep out Bale's 12-yard drive and Kompany managed to block Lennon's follow-up.

City broke and Yaya Toure drilled wide from 20 yards before a wonderful crossfield ball from Assou-Ekotto sent Defoe clean through.

Hart's legs did enough to keep the ball out and Kolarov just beat Defoe to the rebound.

A peach of a cross from Bale evaded everyone before Yaya Toure's deflected drive forced the first real save from Heurelho Gomes.

Kompany escaped a second yellow card moments before the break despite a cynical foul on Defoe.

Spurs paraded the majority of their 1961 double-winning side at half-time, during which City withdrew the injured Kolarov for Pablo Zabaleta.

The visitors should have taken the lead inside a minute, Yaya Toure brilliantly picking out the diagonal run of Wright-Phillips.

But the winger's first touch let him down and Assou-Ekotto recovered to nick the ball to safety.

Yaya Toure was making inroads and Silva and Tevez both saw shots blocked from another fine ball as light rain began to fall in north London.

Zabaleta was booked for felling Lennon on the right touchline but otherwise City were defending with much greater comfort.

They were also more of a threat, Yaya Toure picking out Micah Richards, whose weak header was caught by Gomes.

City almost came unstuck just past the hour mark but an unmarked Crouch horribly mistimed his header from Lennon's cross.

Both sides made 68th minute changes, Adam Johnson coming on for Wright-Phillips for City, while Spurs replaced their strikeforce as Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko both entered the fray.

Johnson made an instant impact, feeding Tevez, whose shot was deflected narrowly wide by the charging King.

Spurs broke from the resulting corner and Pavlyuchenko twice sent shots too close to Hart.

Lennon then cut inside and fired straight at Hart moments before being replaced for the final 13 minutes by Giovani Dos Santos.

The forward just failed to get on the end of Luka Modric's clipped ball.

Tevez saw another shot blocked - this time by the head of King - the striker's last act before being replaced by Emmanuel Adebayor for the final seven minutes.

Bale missed a glorious chance to snatch all three points for Spurs when he sliced horribly wide on his weaker right foot after Pavlyuchenko's cross had broken to him off Nigel de Jong.

The winger made amends with a glorious ball for the Russian, who was thwarted by a brilliant Kompany tackle.

Pavlyuchenko was well wide from distance in the closing moments as the game ended goalless.

Bewafa [Dhol Mix] - Imran Khan - Dj Sukh

City on the brink of Luiz swoop

Manchester City are preparing to make their move for Benfica defender David Luiz, and are ready to bid £25 million for the Brazilian defender, who they have been tracking for some time.

But as RashyCruz.Blogspot revealed earlier this month, Benfica want £35 million for highly-rated left-back Luiz, who has a £45 million buy-out clause in his contract, so City will likely be asked to up their offer.

Luiz can also play as a defensive midfielder and is on the wanted list of several top European clubs, but City have set out their willingness to spend big to land him ahead of their rivals.

City manager Roberto Mancini has watched Luiz several times this season and was impressed when the Brazilian's performance against Liverpool in the Europa League quarter-finals.

The 23-year-old has also been watched by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United, but City are the first to accept Benfica's massive valuation.

Luiz, who joined Benfica from Brazilian club Vitoria three years ago, has formed a strong defensive pairing with compatriot Luisao at the heart of the defence, though his considerable pace allows him to be equally comfortable at left back.

Many of Benfica's players have caught the eye after guiding the club to the Portuguese title - the club's first triumph in five years - and RashyCruz.Blogspot broke the story earlier this month that City were chasing both Luiz and team-mate Angel Di Maria in a sensational double swoop.

Benfica's enormous reported price tag of £75 million for the pair would put many clubs off, but City are in a unique position to afford such princely sums.

Man City player ratings

With another term coming to end, and a summer holiday dominated by the World Cup fast approaching, it seems an appropriate time to deliver those all-important report cards for the Premier League elite.

So which players excelled themselves, and which were left fearing the hairdryer treatment on a weekly basis? RashyCruz.blogspot deliver their its out of ten.

Carlos Tevez - 9. Had a lot to live up to after a controversial cross-town move from Manchester United and that billboard, but you can't argue with a return of 29 goals. Led the line with his boundless enthusiasm and determination, and deserves to be playing in the Champions League next season. One of few players Sir Alex Ferguson will regret letting go.

Shay Given - 8.5. The Irishman's importance to City was probably best summed up by the farcical goalkeeping crisis that engulfed the club when he dislocated his shoulder with three games to go. Given was almost faultless behind a defence that was anything but, and has been arguably the best signing since the Abu Dhabi takeover.

Adam Johnson - 8. Like Shay Given, a bargain at £7 million and proof that City don't have to buy success. Few people expected Johnson to have such a big impact when he signed in the January window but his ability to excel on either flank has kept Shaun Wright-Phillips out of the team and negated the loss of Robinho. Deserves a shot at the World Cup for England.

Vincent Kompany - 7.5. Might have expected a return to midfield after City spent the best part of £40 million on Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure in the summer, but Kompany has once again been the club's outstanding centre back despite missing the first two months of the season recovering from toe surgery.

Craig Bellamy - 7. One of the most electrifying wingers in the Premier League on his day, Bellamy is an asset to any team but he lacks consistency and the ability to get on with just about anybody except Mark Hughes. The fiery Welshman's fall-out with Roberto Mancini over training and how best to protect his suspect knees is likely to lead to his departure this summer, probably to Spurs.

Nigel De Jong - 7. Arguably City's most consistent central midfielder. A tough, no-frills character who helps provide a valuable anchor to a team over-laden with attacking talent.

Pablo Zabaleta - 7. Solid performer and a popular player with Roberto Mancini who has made full use of the Argentine's versatility. Mancini has often preferred him to Micah Richards at right back, but Zabaleta has also appeared on the left side of defence and across City's midfield. Never let his manager or teammates down.

Gareth Barry - 6.5. One of those industrious 'unsung heroes' but, even so, it is tempting to wonder what all the fuss was about when City gazumped Liverpool to sign him from Aston Villa. A solid midfield operator who may yet make the World Cup after injury, but are City any weaker with Nigel de Jong, Patrick Vieira or Pablo Zabaleta in his place?

Emmanuel Adebayor - 6. Started the season on fire after a £25 million move from Arsenal but it all began to awry when he came up against his old club, earning a ban for raking his studs down the face of Robin van Persie and widespread criticism for his goal celebration in front of the Gunners fans. His season was turned upside down after the Togo terrorist atrocity in January and, unsurprisingly, will view the season as a disappointment.

Patrick Vieira - 6. Slow start by a 33-year-old who has lost his pace and arrived from Italy in January with a calf injury, but Vieira began to show flashes of the form that made him a dominant midfield force at Arsenal and was imperious against Aston Villa towards the end of the season. Worth keeping around for another year. With a full pre-season under his belt, he could improve even more.

Joleon Lescott - 5.5. Took time to rediscover his form after a fractious £22 million move from Everton, and then suffered knee and hamstring injuries just when things seemed to be looking up. No guarantee Lescott would have gone to the World Cup even if he was fit.

Wayne Bridge - 5. He will be glad to see the back of a season in which he suffered a knee injury, a hernia and a broken heart. John Terry's affair with his ex-partner may have grabbed the headlines and led to the City defender's withdrawal from the World Cup, but Bridge also suffered on the pitch as two prolonged injury absences limited his contribution.

Micah Richards - 5. The youngest defender ever to be capped by England continues to see his stock fall, and it was no surprise to see Richards' name omitted from Fabio Capello's World Cup squad. One of several homegrown City players who may benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.

Shaun Wright-Phillips - 5. His call-up to England's extended World Cup squad should not mask what has been a frustrating season. Another product of City's academy who has struggled to find favour with Roberto Mancini despite a regular run in the side under Mark Hughes, Wright-Phillips admits his form and confidence have suffered. A dispute over his new contract terms has not helped either.

Sylvinho - 4.5. Arrived at Eastlands as a Champions League winner but his lack of pace was exposed, particularly in a 3-0 defeat at Tottenham in December when he was given a real chasing by Aaron Lennon. It wasn't all Sylvinho's fault, but that result signalled the end for manager Mark Hughes and was vital in the final reckoning for Champions League places.

Kolo Toure - 4.5. Signed from Arsenal as a leader who would bring experience and stability to City's defence, but has looked vulnerable on too many occasions. His partnership with Lescott did not live up to expectations, and no one can blame City fans for pining after Richard Dunne.

Stephen Ireland - 4. A key attacking midfielder and City's player of the season under Mark Hughes, Ireland's involvement has dipped alarmingly since Roberto Mancini took over in mid-season. The Italian says Ireland can get back to his best if his attitude changes, but he might well decide his future lies elsewhere.

Martin Petrov - 4. The Bulgarian winger missed the last three months of a frustrating season with the knee injury he aggravated in mid-February and is expected to leave at the end of his contract this summer.

Roque Santa Cruz - 4. Another forward with dodgy knees, Santa Cruz continues to live off that one good season at Blackburn. No other clubs were in the queue when Mark Hughes offered his old club £18 million for the Paraguayan and now we know why. In a season spent on the periphery, it was ironic that two of his three Premier League goals came in Hughes' last stand at home to Sunderland.

Robinho - 2. Well, what can you say? The £32.5 million Brazilian has replaced Juan Sebastian Veron as the most expensive South American flop in the history of the Premier League. Signed as a statement of intent by the new owners, he became a symbol of all that is wrong about the City 'project'. Shipped off to Santos on loan by Roberto Mancini, who made a statement of his own, it was perhaps appropriate that the disappointing Robinho soap opera ended at Scunthorpe in the FA Cup.

Roque hopes for Ireland stay

Roque Santa Cruz has urged Manchester City team-mate Stephen Ireland not to turn his back on the Eastlands club amid mounting speculation over the midfielder's future.

Ireland has struggled to find his way into the plans of City manager Roberto Martinez following the Italian's arrival midway through last season.

The 23-year-old is just 12 months into a lucrative five-year deal at City but is reportedly eyeing an exit after failing to reproduce the sparkling form he showed during the 2008/09 campaign.

However, Paraguay international Santa Cruz believes Ireland still has much to offer the Premier League club, despite the expected influx of new players this summer.

"He is a very nice guy and a fantastic player also, so I think everybody at the club would be very disappointed to see him leaving. He is a great talent,'' said Santa Cruz.

"This season has been hard for him, not finding a starting place in the team, but it is always going to be hard when you are at a team that is always getting new players who start all the time. It is very hard for everyone.''

Meanwhile, City midfielder Nigel de Jong has urged the club to sign his international team-mate, Ajax's Gregory van der Wiel.

"I know that Greg is on our wanted list at Manchester City," De Jong told the Daily Star. "I have pleaded with them to sign him, as we could use a good right back. The tempo of English football will make him stronger still and I've recommended him to City's management."

Man City and Spurs in race to sign Dzeko

Edin Dzeko has the choice between playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League or a pot of cash with Manchester City

City and Spurs have both opened talks to land Dzeko, and while new Wolfsburg boss Steve McClaren has stated he wants to keep hold of the striker it seems certain he will move on.

Roberto Mancini has set his sights on Dzeko after it became apparent that Fernando Torres would go to Chelsea, rather than City, if he was sold by Liverpool this summer.

Dzeko has been in prolific form for his club since joining from Czech side Teplice in 2007, and the 24-year-old's record of 54 goals in 94 games for his club has persuaded Mancini to make him his new top target.

The player, though, has the option of going to Spurs with a tantalising place in the Champions League the big carrot that Harry Redknapp can now dangle before his transfer targets.