|
December 23, 1997
BILLBOARD
QUOTE MARTIAL
MAKING WAVES
ROUGH CUTS
MEMORIES
ARCHIVES
MOVIES CHAT
|
Madhuri out on a limb
|
Madhuri Dixit. Click for bigger pic!
|
Remember we told you about Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan coming up together in a Rajshri film? Our readers wanted more info on the subject. And some tartly corrected us about the cast.
Last we heard, the film is being called Hum Saath Saath Hai, not Hum Sab Saath Hai as we said or Hum Saath Hai as some others suggested. One reader, name of Manju, had the name right bang on.
But the film, about three brothers as one would expect from the Rajshris, won't star Aishwarya Rai. The cast, again, last heard, includes Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan, Mohnish Behl, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Karisma -- yes, replacing Madhuri -- though the Kapoor is yet to sign on the dotted line. Saif apparently gets the juiciest part of 'em all.
The Rajshris apparently told Dixit that the role had been written for a younger girl and so... Leaving the lady out of a job, as it were.
That practical Jat
|
Dharmendra. Click for bigger pic!
|
Dharmendra may be carting paycheques to the bank by the truckfuls but he isn't taking much out. For, he's scrimping and saving for the new studio he's building at Khandala, Maharashtra.
The one-time turner at a Ludhiana tube well is now doing films at Rs 100,000 per shift and still the roles keep coming in.
"I do about 23 films every year," he says with satisfaction, admitting, "Not all of them run -- I do the same role in every film. But I am happy because I am able to save money," he says.
Not one to rest on his laurels he launched London which son Sunny later took over. Since the reins -- and the money -- remained within the family, Dharmendra didn't mind.
That matter settled, the ageing Jat is now learning to speak the Marathi, which will help him up there in Khandala.
Giving the Deol his due
|
Sunny Deol. Click for bigger pic!
|
Not that the Deols think solely in terms of money. Keeping it, that is.
For when Sunny's make-up man had a health problem, the star was by his side. In gratefulness for all those pats on the face over the years, Sunny paid all the hospital expenses, which ran up to Rs 1,50,000.
Talking about kindly stars, we musn't forget Shah Rukh Khan who paid Rs 30,000 to get the eunuch Tikku, on whom films Darmiyan and Tamanna were based, out of Nanavati Hospital.
One wonders what happened to Mahesh Bhatt who'd made a pretty packet bleeding all over celluloid about the bad deal the world had given Tikku. And film done, promptly forgot all about Tikku.
Kaha Koirala?
|
Manisha Koirala. Click for bigger pic!
|
Since somewhere we were discussing heroines who aren't very visible, we must tell you that people are wondering where Manisha Koirala has disappeared. If they have to wonder much longer, they may even decide wondering isn't worth the bother.
The Nepali nymphet, who was in the limelight with hits like Bombay and Agnisakshi, and classics like Khamoshi and 1942, A Love Story had vanished from the scene, except for a short and flashy number with Govinda in Loha. Last seen, she was boogeying away with DJ pal Samir Hussain.
Koirala's last big release, Gupt, was in July. The reason she's so hard to see, we hear, is that she's being choosy about her films. We shall, of course, ignore the odd Jai Hind -- the Pride of Manoj Kumar that she signed when she was still wet behind the ears, cinematically speaking.
Among the films she has better hopes of is Sanam, an old and yet incomplete film with Sanjay Dutt and Vivek Mushran. It was being produced by Magnum but after owners Hanif Kadawala and Samir Hingora landed in the slammer for their alleged involvement in the Bombay bomb blasts case, Aziz Sejawal took over.
She's also got another film in the works, opposite Shah Rukh Khan, called Ladakh-Ek Kahani directed by Mani Ratnam and produced by Shekhar Kapur and Ram Gopal Verma. That one, you can be sure, is closer to both Koirala's home and heart.
Wanted: one producer
|
Gulzar. Click for bigger pic!
|
After Maachis, we thought he'd give it a rest. But no. Gulzar is busy on another project on terrorism. But the director finds one vital ingredient missing in his plan -- a producer.
"I don't have the money to make it myself," he says. The producer of Maachis, R V Pandit, is apparently pretty upset with the way his Darmiyan did. Or, rather, didn't do.
Miffed at realising how empty stalls a flop does make, Pandit has retired to ponder bitterly about life and its ways. Leaving Gulzar one producer short and putting out that wanted sign. Any takers?
The nth No 1
|
Govinda No 1. Click for bigger pic!
|
Govinda's craze to be No 1 is legendary. His latest offering, on the lines of Coolie No 1, Hero No1, Aunty No 1, whatever, is Sindhi No 1. To his credit, and those of Karisma Kapoor, David Dhawan and Vashu Bhagnani, it's been one great series.
Also on the anvil is Biwi No 1. But Sindhi No 1 hits the floors only next year since Govinda is busy plastering his Aunty (No 1) all over the screen.
The idea apparently hit Dhawan and Govinda when sitting over drinks at Bhagnani's home. Both Govinda and Bhagnani are Sindhis by origin. The question everyone's asking is whether this idea is the effect of one peg too many. Time, and the audiences, might tell.
|