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August 14, 1998
BILLBOARD
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The ex factor
Sanjay Bhansali has now finished shooting his second film, Hun Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan. While there's no real reason Aishwarya Rai should not have been taken, and the reason she was was because Manisha Koirala was out. Apparently when she was feeling more loose-mouthed once, Manisha had cursed Bhansali and Khamoshi, the film she had done with him earlier. Bhansali dropped her like a sizzling spud and picked up Ash, the latter's special qualification being that she too had had Ranjeev Mulchandani as a boyfriend at one time. That, Bhansali allegedly hopes, will drive the knife farther into Manisha. While Ash has reportedly done a great job in the film, she must be a bit bemused to hear that she owes her good fortune to an ex-boyfriend...
Jackie's gamble
Parts of the film also had to be reshot because Jackie's mentor, Subhash Ghai, said so. Jackie was also scraping together funds for the purpose. Now those dicey bits too have been reworked under the showman's supervision. But finally, after a long time, things appear to be moving again. And a JSEL meeting this week is to decide on the future measures to be taken. This is one thing the chap's pretty serious about. For on the success of Grahan does the future of his company rest.
Neha to wed
It isn't much of secret really. During the making of Kareeb, the title suited more her geographical location vis-à-vis producer Vir Chopra, brother of director Vidhu Vinod, than the hero, Bobby Deol. The latter didn't mind particularly, since he's already married. The question is when the duo will get married. For if Neha aka Shabana Raza wants to go on acting, she may have to postpone the wedding indefinitely. Unless Vir doesn't follow Bollywood tradition that demands that post-matrimony, a wife should face a camera no more.
Telling it like it was
Written first in Hind, the 100-page book has been released in Marathi too. Hangal, who has been associated with the theatre movement in India, is still visible on stage and the small screen. "My friends just forced me to write the book. I am an actor. How could I have written a book?" he muses. Well, he has. And if it's demand that's made him put it out in English too, we wonder what he put in it.
The last strike
That could be one reason getting her all heated up about her upcoming film, Mela, entering its last legs of shooting now. To be fair to her, Twinkle's under tremendous pressure since, being the daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, she is expected to deliver something awesome. Two sets of acting genes mean double the acting power, the audiences unreason. "It is very difficult to deliver like that. A rank newcomer does not have so much pressure on her. Even if she gives a series of flops, no one bothers. But since it's me, I've been written off. I also have International Khiladi ahead...." Well, she does, doesn't she? And if you have a shine for her, pray that Twinkle does become a star.
Hype machine backs China Gate
Parts of the film, which stars Sameer Soni, Mamta Kulkarni, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Danny Dengzongpa, Anajan Srivastav et al, is being reshot since Santoshi is not happy with certain portions. To be fair, Tinnu Verma, who we've taken plenty of jabs on these columns, has apparently done a fine job on the action scenes. The only problem that our man seems to be facing is that there aren't many buyers for this film. Gets Santoshi's goat, that does. But he's prepared to wait, apparently certain the film will speak for itself. Will it? We'll see, won't we?
Now for the bad newsThe film industry is going on a one-day strike on August 18 to protest against rampant piracy. They are also neither amused nor flattered that cable operators are putting their films up every night. A film like Dil To Pagal Hai, which could make a cool Rs 300 million as earnings, can lose up to a third of its earnings due to cable operators putting it up. An incensed film industry will take out a procession from Mehboob Studios to Azad Maidan -- both in Bombay if you're in any doubt. In sympathy, all the theatres in the city will also remain closed on the day. If there's any problem, it's that thwarted audiences may seek solace from the unscrupulous cable operators....
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-- V S Srinivasan | |||||||||||||
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