Inqlings: Bollywood on the Schuylkill

Who's in it? Who knows? Yesterday was the first day of camera work for an untitled drama from Mumbai's Yash Raj Studios, which shot an action film called New York here a year ago. For Day One, cast and crew were camped at a store near Seventh Street and Girard Avenue in North Philly. Tomorrow, they'll shoot all day at the Trolley Car Diner in Mount Airy. Sri Rao, a Pennsylvania-born producer who does a lot of work in the Philly area, said exteriors would be filmed in and around Center City until Oct. 11 or 12. The production, which was begun in Mumbai, will wrap in New York. Rao, however, would not disclose the plot or the names of anyone affiliated with the flick, which, as is the case with all Bollywood productions, is drawing heated attention from fans. A source identified the male and female leads as Shahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, who, if you believe the Bollywood grapevine, are dating in real life. Director is first-timer Parmeet Sethi. Rao says Yash Raj's New York, released in June, did great box office worldwide. It received only limited distribution in the Philadelphia market. It should be noted that Yash Raj is not the Bollywood film company that stiffed dozens of people in Philly last year. That was Dharma Productions, which had retained Australia's Swish Films to handle Philly production of its untitled drama that filmed in the late fall. Around Christmas, Swish bounced checks and left town. With Swish now seeking bankruptcy protection, legal action against Dharma continues. Representatives for Swish and Dharma have not returned messages for comment. Also in filmdom Though Reese Witherspoon was spotted in L.A. last weekend, she's still very much working on the untitled James L. Brooks comedy that will be shooting here till late October. She's due back in Philly late this week, and is expected to remain in town for the duration. One star who is no longer here is Owen Wilson, who plays a ballplayer and one of Witherspoon's character's love interests. He wrapped his work recently and skedaddled. Kathryn Hahn, who left abruptly in late July after the birth of her daughter, is due on set this week to finish her scenes; she plays the assistant of Paul Rudd, the third side in the love triangle. And as for the movie's lack of a title, get over it. Hollywood lore has it that Brooks didn't come up with the name As Good As It Gets until he was out of the editing bay with the 1997 Jack Nicholson-Helen Hunt smash. Briefly noted Adam Richman of the Travel Channel show Man v. Food stops at DiNic's at Reading Terminal Market to eat roast beef and pork and at the Franklin Fountain in Old City for ice cream. He caps it with a cheesesteak challenge at Tony Luke's in South Philly, all for tomorrow's episode (10 p.m.). Fox29 reporter/anchor John Atwater has tendered his resignation after four years. Last day will be Sunday. He's bound for Boston to be closer to family. Ike Reese is cohosting Howard Eskin's afternoon show on WIP (610), while part-timer Rob Ellis is filling Reese's nighttime slot. The station - touting Reese's past as an All-Pro Eagle - says the changes will be in effect through football season. Pete Lorenzo's, a longtime New Jersey politico hot spot across from the Amtrak/NJ Transit station in Trenton, seems to have closed after 88 years. It was dark over the weekend and the phone has been disconnected. Billy Crystal will tape an appearance on The Jay Leno Show via satellite from the Merriam Theater next Tuesday. He'll promote his show 700 Sundays, which opens the following night at the Merriam.