Mallika to perform at New Year's bash in LA

Mallika Sherawat, who is currently in the US, is performing at a New Year's Eve gala in Los Angeles. The sex siren is apparently being paid R 1.5 crore for her gig to usher in 2013. A constant fixture at various suburban hotels in Mumbai over the years, the Jalebi Bai may be skipping the countdown to another year here, but has not given up on what she has been doing for years on December 31.

Says a source, "Ever since Mallika decided to bring in 2013 in LA, she began getting offers to perform at December 31 galas there. She has chosen to get jiggy at a private bash in LA. She is being paid in dollars that works out to R 1.5 crore in Indian currency. She will perform to a mix of Bollywood and international tracks."

According to B-Town buzz, Mallika earns the highest fees among Hindi film female stars for her New Year extravaganzas. Last year she performed at a hotel at Juhu and was apparently paid R 4 lakh per minute for her half-hour act. She has earlier ushered in the New Year at different hotels in the suburbs for equally astronomical sums.

Adds the source, "She's happy that she got her price even in the US. She has already started planning her act to cater to the international audience. Mallika plans to return to Mumbai by mid-January." There has been constant buzz that she has made LA her base and decided to stay put in the US. Mallika who was seen in Kismet Love Paisa Dilli earlier this year points out, "Nothing can be further from the truth.

I have always maintained that first and foremost I am a Bollywood actress. Today whatever I have achieved is due to Hindi films and I will never give up on them. Such rumours are spread by people who are hellbent on writing my obituary, but to their dismay, I have always bounced back and this is always going to be the case."

Mallika adds, "As an actress, apart from Hindi films, I am always open to work in any film irrespective of language, state or country if a role excites me. I have a couple of good offers both in Hollywood and Bollywood, hence I keep on shuttling between Mumbai and LA. I will be back in Mumbai as the shooting of my next film based on the life of Bhanwari Devi starts in January. I hope that silences wagging tongues."

Me too!
Buzz is that Bipasha Basu has been roped in to perform at a Dubai-based venue, where she would be dancing to her latest songs. She is said to have been paid double the amount of what she was given last year for her New Year's performance.