Zee Bollywood by Vahiju PC

AED 5 April 2008

Love Games

Cricketers fall for hot Bollywood girls!

Meet Controversy’s Favourite Children Riya Sen, Upen, Mallika & Amisha

Anil Kapoor

25 super successful years!

Bipasha Basu

“Sexy is not a dirty word!”

ROCKSTAR, COOL & IN LOVE

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6 297000 070155

Saif refuses to take his image seriously

Publisher & Managing Editor Yogesh Radhakrishnan Business Head: Rajeshree Iyer Advertising Sales: Keshav Karve Marketing & Corporate Communication: Manoj Mathew Zeeshahn Fezi Niladri Mondal Production and Distribution Coordinator: Kashif Bashir Design Team: www.artdeskonline.com Content Contributors: Key Note Media Pvt. Ltd. Sampurn Cover Photography: Avinash Gowariker Tattoo: Ash Kumar Courtesy: Provogue Spring Summer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 Photographers: Rakesh Shrestha, Dabboo Ratnani, Subi Samuel, Vicky Idnani, Viral Bhayani

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Real Media FZ LLC

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25 years

18 growing stronger

Neptune Advertising & Distribution, Dubai Printed at:

Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing House LLC, Dubai While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

Inside 18 Focus

Anil Kapoor completes 25 years in films. The appreciation for Welcome, Black and White and Race right at the outset of the year, has only got him more kicked about his promising line-up of films.

4 Talk of the Town The latest news

10 Madame X: The Juiciest Gossip

12 Cover: The hot, sexy and talented Saif Ali Khan. His race to the top

16 Shooting Stars: The Hottest Pictures

42 In the picture: Preity Zinta

49 Take 3:

Bipasha Basu Rituparna Sengupta Tusshar Kapoor

60 Romance down Shobha & Jeetendra

62 Tele Talk 64 Star Gazing By Sandeep Koacher

22 Feature

While some stars became famous for their acting abilities and films, others achieve fame by making headlines. Here’s taking a look at some of controversy’s favourite children.

28 What’s Cooking

He knows as much about food as he knows about walking the ramp. Zulfi Sayed lets out how he eats well and eats healthy, all at the same time.

32 Home Truths

Gul Panag’s home is her hideaway from all that she’s doesn’t like. Since she encounters life with unpredictability, it’s her home that she seeks comfort in.

36 Style Check

Minnisha Lamba talks about the style quotient of Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu and Preity Zinta.

38 Frankly Speaking

Om Shanti Om’s success has made his day and he’s ready for more of it! Arjun Rampal let’s his guard down and talks about all that’s close to his heart.

56 Controversy

Here’s looking into the magnetic quality of the actors and cricketers that always bring them closer and compels cupid to strike.

60 Director’s special

They have their distinctive style and audience. Here’s chatting with the Abbas-Mustan duo about the one thing they love doing— making films.

talk of the town

SANJU-SALLU FRIENDSHIP IN TROUBLE The buzz is that the Sanjay Dutt-Salman Khan friendship is on the verge of breaking-up after Salman dropped out of Sanjay’s homeproduction and dream project based on the Hollywood cult film Ghostbusters. Sources say that presently Salman is busy helping launch Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar as an actor. Salman apparently recommended Sanjay to cast Shoaib in stead of him. Sanjay, however, didn’t want to take chances by casting an untrained actor in his dream project and refused to cast Shoaib. An irate Salman then excused himself out of Sanjay’s project saying he was busy.

WILL BEBO GET IN TO A BIKINI???

For those who are keenly waiting to see Kareena Kapoor in a bikini in YashRaj’s Tashan may be very disappointed. If the rumours coming from YashRaj sources are to be believed then there may be no bikini show by Kareena in the film. Se too will not admit or deny it but has talked of some daring stunts. But YashRaj at present is heavily banking on the promos being a major draw because of the hot chemistry between the real life lovers, Kareena and Saif.

LARA DITCHES BACHCHAN’S

Even Lara Dutta has chosen to ditch the Bachchan’s Unforgettable Show saying that she had injured her knee and hence wouldn’t be able to perform! Lara’s the latest star to drop out of the Bachchan tour after Akshay Kumar and John Abraham. Whilst the Bachchans’ competitor Shah Rukh’s Temptations boasts of Rani Mukherji, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra and many top stars. Wonder if the Bachchan trio of Abhishek, Aishwarya and Amitabh will be able to survive the competition with only Tushar Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh in tow.

FANS DAMAGE SHAHID’S MERCEDES Bebo’s ex-boyfriend Shahid recently attended an function that he will remember all his life, as post the event a mob of rowdy fans damaged his brand new Mercedes Benz. Ironically the incident occurred while Shahid was attending a Police function in Maharashtra. Sadly the police could do nothing much to save Shahid’s car. Sources say that while Shahid was exiting the venue, a group of people gathered around his car and started banging on the windows and doors. They didn’t allow Shahid to move and the actor was trapped for around 15 minutes. Shahid has learnt his lesson and will save his more expensive cars for his dates and not daily use! 4

talk of the town

DEOL WOMEN TOGETHER

Former actress Hema Malini has finally taken her role as a Member of Parliament seriously. She is all set to launch a 15 minute dance video which will create awareness about female foeticide. Daughters Esha and Ahana will give company to Hema in this good deed. Says Hema, “If I can pass on a good deed through my dance, then why not? My daughters Esha and Ahana have given me all the happiness in the world and this is the message that I want to pass on to people. Daughters should be treated as special gifts from God and not a burden!”

SONALI BENDRE ON TV

From Kajol to Pooja Bhatt to Raveena Tandon and Ajay Devgan, they all are entering the world of television. Why should Sonali Bendre be left behind? Sonali quit films after marriage to producer Goldie Behl and will soon be seen judging a reality show on television titled Mr. and Ms. TV. When asked what prompted her to take up this offer, Sonali explains, “I liked the concept of the show – television actors doing comedy, singing and dancing is very unique. And moreover they agreed to shoot just nine days a week so I can spend enough time with my family.” While she’s all set to shine on the small screen, her big screen comeback will have to wait for sometime, “Films are a big commitment and right now my son is my top priority. Maybe a few years down the line!”

SAIF’S ON A ROLL

Kareena Kapoor may not have been lucky for her ex-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor but her presence is doing wonders in new love Saif Ali Khan’s life. From big budget films to endorsement deals Saif has become the most sought after actor in the industry presently with films such as Shirish Kunder’s Joker, YashRaj’s Tashan, Kunal Kohli’s fantasy film, Karan Johar’s Dostana and Imtiaz Ali’s next film with Deepika Padukone. The actor is being offered Rs. 7 Crores for brand endorsements along with Bebo and Rs. 3 Crores for solo endorsement deals. Recently Farhan Akhtar replaced Irrfan Khan and cast Saif in his next home production Voice From The Sky because he felt that Saif could get audiences to the cinema hall. Saif has also taken his career to the next level by starting his own production house and is currently working on the post production details of his debut as a producer with Agent Vinod. Here’s wishing him good luck.

BHANSALI ATTACKS INDUSTRY

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is back from Paris and is fuming at Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and the entire industry for poking fun at him and his film Saawariya at an awards function. Apart from Shah Rukh and Saif, Bhansali also vents his anger on the entire industry “I’m ashamed that a lot of people sat through this mockery and actually found it funny and were laughing at it!” Bhansali angrily adds, “these people have no dignity left in them. I was upset because one of them (Shah Rukh) has worked with me! They call themselves stars but they don’t know how to behave like one!” 6

talk of the town

ASH CHEERS FOR SIKANDER

Rumours of the Abhishek Bachchan – Sikander Kher friendship going kaput maybe doing the rounds, but it seems the two friends have finally patched up and have settled their differences. Recently, Sikander was introduced to the media at an event where his debut film Summer of 2007 was unveiled officially. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was present at the event and was seen cheering for Sikander. Aishwarya mingled with all the guests and said, “Sikander is like Abhishek’s younger brother and this is a personal moment for us. I’m here to represent the Bachchan family and show our support for Sikander.”

AKSHAY TURNS DOWN YASHRAJ

While most actors would drop everything to do a YashRaj film, Akshay Kumar is the exception. He recently turned down a YashRaj film because he felt that the “script was weak!” Leaving head-honcho Aditya Chopra shocked. In 1997 Akshay had done a small role in the YashRaj hit Dil to Pagal Hai since then YashRaj never worked with him but off late Akshay’s stock at the boxoffice has only been rising. YashRaj decided to cash in on it and signed him for

Tashan. All was fine until the promos of Tashan started airing, YashRaj known for its excellent marketing strategies, played up the real life love affair between Tashan stars Kareena and Saif completely sidelining Akshay.

IS NEETU WARY OF DEEPIKA?

While Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone make a happy couple, Ranbir’s mum Neetu Singh Kapoor doesn’t seem to be too excited about her son’s new love. Recently when asked if Deepika and Ranbir are officially in a relationship, Neetu said, “I don’t know how official Ranbir’s relationship with Deepika is. I just know that they are great friends!” Is this Neetu’s way of under playing her son’s relationship? When asked if she liked Deepika, Neetu came up with yet another wishy washy answer, “I’ve met Deepika only at a few parties and don’t know her that much but she seems to be a nice girl!” Impressing Neetu could be a tough job for Deepika.

MIMOH TO DEBUT FINALLY Sikander Kher isn’t the only star son who’s been waiting patiently for his debut film, Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh has also been waiting in the wings for two-years now. After numerous announcements and postponements, Mimoh’s debut film Jimmy will now finally release on April 18, however both Mimoh and dad Mithun are reportedly not too happy with the timing. For just a week after Jimmy’s release, YashRaj’s most talked about film, Tashan is set to release. Last heard the father-son duo are pushing the film’s producer to postpone the film’s release till May hoping that maybe by then the Tashan fever may die out! 7

talk of the town

EMRAAN BORED OF KISSING

Is Emraan Hashmi bored of smooching on screen? Or has wife Parveen issued him an ultimatum? The actor confesses that he did not want to include any kissing scenes in his forthcoming film Jannat and requested director Kunal Singh to keep the film free of any smooches. However, his director did not pay him any heed. “Kunal didn’t listen to me at all! He persuaded me to do just one kissing scene, but then he got greedy and added a few more such scenes!” It seems Kunal Singh doesn’t want to disappoint Emraan’s fans.

TABU PLAYS TRUANT

Love makes even the wisest of us go crazy, and the latest person suffering from this phenomenon is actress Tabu! Tabu who was supposed to be shooting a song along with Govinda for Ravi Chopra’s Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai, bunked work as she was busy driving around Mumbai along with latest attraction Upen Patel. So engrossed was Tabu in Upen, that neither did she care to inform Ravi Chopra that she wouldn’t report for shooting nor did she pick up Chopra’s calls. Chopra waited for Tabu till 2 p.m. but then went ahead and shot the song with Govinda, as he the latter had to leave for a long outdoor schedule the next day. Tabu’s part will now be shot separately and added to the film through computer techniques!

NANA UPSETS TANUSHREE

Actor Nana Patekar loves to give unsolicited advice but not everyone appreciates this. Actress Tanushree Dutta was one of them. Tanushree who is working with Nana in director Rakesh Saarang’s Horn Ok Please got upset when the senior actor gave her a lecture on how to conduct herself on the sets. The incident occurred when Tanushree complained to her director about a junior actor who had passed a lewd comment on her. Reports our source, “We were shooting an item number so Tanushree was wearing a revealing outfit. After the scene she continued to wear the same outfit. Seeing this some junior actors passed lewd comments!” Following this Nana apparently told Tanushree that she should cover up after shots. This didn’t go down well with the actress who locked herself in her vanity van and sulked for a few hours. Director Rakesh Sarang had to intervene and cool her down to begin shooting again.

JOBI LOOKING FOR NEST

The buzz around town is that John Abraham and Bipasha Basu are busy scouting Mumbai for a property. Sources close to the two actors reveal that the duo has wanted to buy a house together for a long time and they feel that this is the right time to invest. Does this mean that the couple who has been dating for more than six-years are finally planning to take the plunge this year?

madame X Hello again darlings and I have a question for you this time... Wasn’t it only love that made the world go round? Well, according to what I have lined up for you, it’s apparently money that makes the stars go round! But do not panic – I have plenty of the usual hot stuff too. Read on...

ishwarya Bachchan has the love and money to complete her happy picture. Apparently she’s being paid close to Rs.40 million to play Rajnikant’s leading lady in Shankar’s Robot and is like the cat who got the cream. You’d feel the same pets if that makes you the highest paid actress in Bollywood! A source close to Mrs. Bachchan Jr. says, “She’s very amused when she reads that she is the highest paid actress in Bollywood. With three hits in a row, Guru, Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa Akbar, Ash’s equity as a Rai and a Bachchan have gone through the roof.” But the only one who pips her at this post in Robot darlings is the man himself... A Tamilian gentleman chuckles, “It’s still chicken feed compared to what Rajnikant carries home. He gets Rs.150 million plus 50 per cent of his film’s profits!” And then there’s Aamir Khan, who never ceases to amaze me... Like his complete turnover from media phobia on his recent birthday, actually had him cutting a cake with the Press... Obviously Taare Zameen Par and wife Kiran have helped to loosen him up, before he went bald for Gajjini a few days later. I’m told Aamir cancelled the public birthday bash though, since he preferred to spend the evening with his family and a great Mughlai meal! I could give you the menu pets but there’s other ambrosia in store too... Caught Anil Kapoor at dinner the other night at the swanky new China Garden in the suburbs and the man only gets better with age! You just might have mistaken him for one of his kids’ (Sonam, Ria and Harshvardhan) friends as he joined in their meal merriment. And did you know that one of his most emotional moments in Black and White was dubbed by Subhash Ghai? The director insisted that the emotion in his

voice was better than that of Anil’s! Sad but true is the fact that Sonam Kapoor is now on her ownsomelonesome though... I mean here you have Ranbir Kapoor now grinning publicly all over his face about new love (or should we make that renewed love) Deepika Padukone... She has also decided to come clean and claim, “Yes, I am in love with Ranbir... We’re seeing each other... Love is a beautiful emotion...” But I must tell you a behind the scenes story on this one pets. After her January YashRaj schedule in Sydney with Ranbir, she did hop on a flight to Adelaide to desperately seek out Yuvraj Singh. And on the morning she was leaving, Ranbir was nowhere to be found... Guess he was keeping his emotions in check, until Madame D finally made up her mind! As far as money and numerology go, Himesh Reshammiya seems totally satiated... After the success of Aap Kaa Surroor-The Moviee (note the spelling), The Real Luv Story, he has a fat three-film contract with T-Series. There’s Karzzzz (the spelling gets worse) directed by Satish Kaushik. Then you have Kajra Re, to be directed by Pooja Bhatt. And then comes A Love Issshtory (positively terrible spelling now!) by Sarfarosh maker John Matthew Matthan. Ah well darlings, Himesh is certainly not complaining with a growing bank balance and his superstition intact! Speaking of T-Series, apparently they’ve tied Ram Gopal Varma up in knots with a case of charges of extortion, fraud, conspiracy, extortion, cheating and criminal breach of trust! Now isn’t that quite a mouthful darlings? Apparently both parties entered into a contract for the rights of 14 of Varma’s films, mid-June 2006 but it all went wrong somewhere... T-Series spokesman Vinod Bhansuhali says

Ramu tried to terminate the contract in November 2007 on grounds that were not acceptable to his firm. While Ramu also filed a case against them arguing that T-Series had duped him of over Rs.4.6 million. And even as I was speaking to hot Kareena Kapoor only the other day, she told me she was very nervous about working with Salman Khan in Main Aur Mrs. Khanna. “After all, he was my sister’s hero earlier and I don’t know why I always am nervous about working with Salman... The film is an intense love story and I don’t think

he’s done something like this before...” Well sweets, that’s even more reason for boyfriend Saif to be a little nervous, don’t you think? After all, he did sulk for hours at a party when Kareena and Salman seemed to be hitting it off rather well... As for Kareena – her nerves should focus in Katrina’s direction instead. It is hotter competition at the box-office for these two! I’m told director of Aladdin, Sujoy Ghosh is a little disappointed that Amitabh Bachchan has stamped out his spark of inspiration on the film... In what might have been a master-caster stroke, Sujoy had visions of signing Rekha for the film too, but Big B positively

stamped his big foot down several times in a ‘NO’. Instead and strangely so, he said he wouldn’t mind having Jaya Prada for a heroine. Ah well darlings, that’s a Bachchan attempt at safety I presume... How boring! I must leave you pets... But here’s something on Shah Rukh Khan’s whacky sense of humour to keep you smiling. To harass former co-star and still good friend Juhi Chawla-Mehta, he sometimes makes surprise calls to her at 2.30 in the morning and goes... “K-k-k-Kiran... I love you!” Don’t panic darlings, Gauri is in the know of this but can’t seem to deter him from disturbing Juhi!

coverstory

SAIF AT HIS BEST There’s something about Saif— his stubble in Race, his double barreled moustache in Tashan and the way he holds his guitar at the rock concerts— it’s the style. Add to that the finesse that he has gained as an actor over the years and you get one of India’s coolest star-actors today. Chote Nawab, Saifu, and rock star— are actually just different sides to Saif Ali Khan, the person and the actor. After all, he is the first Bollywood star to have toured with a rock band and performed live. He’s someone who makes the guitar look sexy. But tell him that and he asserts that he’s not looking to cash in on this image. “I don’t see myself as a rock star. There are so many talented musicians languishing in our country right now! Had it been the US, they would have been rock stars there. So I don’t take this image seriously. It’s an unimportant image for me,” says Saif.

ven as he took to the stage to perform his favourite rock songs, people’s attention was focused on his slashed palm. What everyone has been interested in for the past six months is his relationship with girlfriend Kareena Kapoor. He almost seemed to have been swept by the Kareena storm last year. Even now the newspapers carry a new detail about their relationship almost every single day. From the tattoo on his forearm to the Rs 4 crore-worth diamond on her finger— every single move has been closely watched. But the biggest buzz was created when reports of a secret ‘nikaah’ ceremony between the two began coming in. And Saif wasn’t amused. “I would certainly be getting married in the next three to four years. But right now, we have our individual careers to look out for. I was worried about how such rumours would affect

Kareena’s career. At this juncture of her career, the last thing she needs is to have people eagerly marrying her off.” He makes it clear that the relationship would come to a logical conclusion, namely, marriage. “When it does happen, we’ll announce it properly. Kareena is the woman I want to marry,” he says. But even his mom wasn’t sure if he had actually got married. Sharmila Tagore even made a statement that he did not inform his family when he married for the first time. Saif admits. “That’s true. But in a million years, I wouldn’t do that to my family again.” Even after denying the wedding, the speculation continued for some time. Whether it’s true or not— one can only wait and watch. But Saif thinks far too much is being read into the relationship. “There’s been far too much speculation and fabrication about our relationship. It annoyed me and I’m

sure it’s annoyed other people as well. Far too much attention was being paid to our relationship. Rumours about our marriage were the limit. Both our families were very upset by them,” says Saif. But if he seemed hassled by all the media speculation, he also brought into play his good-old cool sense of humour to counter it. When he teamed up with Shah Rukh Khan to host a recent award function, he poked fun at himself while SRK kept calling Kareena, ‘bhabhi’ (sister-in-law). The two were a riot on stage. Their wit coupled with their sense of humour is something unique to the two Khans. “Playing an emcee is something is I just enjoy. Shah Rukh and I make a good pair I think,” he says. Finally though, the storm surrounding his new found relationship seems to be settling down, much to Saif’s relief. “Things are kind of settled now. I don’t want to shout from the rooftops but I 13

am also not the type of guy who can hide his relationships. It is important to say certain things about a relationship so that people know that I respect it and they respect your relationship too. I would like to say that Kareena has been a very positive influence on me. She is a wonderful girl.” The relationship sure is approaching a new high now with the promos of Tashan out. Everyone’s looking super in this one but its Kareena and Saif’s presence that is the most-awaited part of this YashRaj Films’ action-flick. The audience will soon get the first glimpse of the on screen chemistry of the real life much-hyped couple. If the initial buzz is anything to go by its crackling! “Tashan is special in many ways. I met Kareena during its shooting. I’m confident of its success and I hope that our on-screen chemistry will catch on and break success records of many love stories.

Apart from that, I had a lot of fun shooting for this film,” he says. There’s one more pair in Tashan that should be looked forward to as these two are teaming up after a very long time—Saif with his old time costar Akshay Kumar. The last time the two starred together, things were different though. Akshay was already a star while Saif was still struggling. Today Saif is in toplist of actors. Saif though thinks that their relationship hasn’t got much to do with that. “Success comes when it’s due. And with Akshay I have a very different rapport. I love him. He has become a millionaire with his own hard work. I admire him as much as I admire SRK, who inspires me. Earlier it was this silly camaraderie. Now he’s like my elder brother.” Remind him that he has been in this industry for the last 16 years and Saif smiles. But it’s only now that Saif, the

actor has begun to peak. He seemed to lack that confidence to carry off complicated roles, early on in his career. The transition according to Saif began with Dil Chahta Hai. “Farhan has got a lot to do with my metamorphosis. Earlier, I walked blindfolded through an array of roles. Now I have a wide variety— with Hum Tum, Namaste London, Being Cyrus, Ek Haseena Thi, Parineeta and then of course came Langda Taygi in Omkara which was my most daunting role.” He’s working with Farhan again though. In fact, Saif has a huge line-up of films in the coming year— Farhan Akhtar’s Voice From the Sky, Sriram Raghavan’s Agent Vinod, Imtiaz’s next with Deepika Padukone, and Kunal Kohli’s next with Rani Mukherji. So does Saif think he has finally become the big bankable star? “I feel I’m taken seriously enough to be signed with lots of money

and interesting performances. I think I am quite saleable and I am a good actor.” And he thinks that Omkara was the film that turned things around for him. “I felt like a real actor when I began preparing for my role as Langda Tyagi. People initially thought that I was good in the second lead. So Langda Tyagi’s role daunted me. Iago I thought was not quite my scene but when it came to me, it really excited me. And I think, I have made something out of it.” Guess no one can deny him the credit where it’s due. Saif has arrived in a big way. Apart from the several big films and solo hero films in his pocket, his overseas market has expanded and is constantly growing. He has 11 endorsements under his belt and he has upped his fee too. If that was not enough Saif has decided to walk in the footsteps of Aamir Khan and mentor SRK. He has ventured into production, an area which is exciting him most at this point. His production house Illuminating Films, which also produces advertisements, will begin

work on its first production— Imtiaz Ali’s next with Deepika and Saif. And it’s not only the moolah that prompted him from venturing into the business of films. “I wanted more creative control, especially on the marketing side. My production house will focus on making commercial films but once in a while I will like to do some challenging stuff too. I am keen on signing other actors for my productions but at the moment I will be in most of my productions. But I will continue doing films outside my banner.” Saif admits that he has had an eventful life. A lot of water has passed under the bridge and there is a lot he has to look forward to. “It’s been an interesting journey. I have grown up as a person. I have become calmer. I have never been so fit, health-wise. I am heavily into exercise. I don’t smoke or drink anymore. I have become more patient and honest. I am raising the bar to be the best that I can be— on the personal as well as professional front.” 15

shooting stars 2

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5 6 16

Gracy Singh promotes a cleaner, greener Mumbai at Inorbit Mall, Mumbai Aamir Khan cuts his cake at his residence in Bandra on his 43th birthday Amitabh with Juhi Chawla at the Bhootnath press conference at Cinemax The Rai family. Mrs Vrinda Rai with son Aditya, daughter- in- law Shrima, Aishwarya and Krishna Raj Rai at the The Sailors Seafarer Awards where Aishwarya preseted her father with the Life Time Achievement award for serving in the maritime industry. Ila Arun with husband at the Yami Women Achieverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;function Shah Rukh Khan with Sourav Ganguly at the IPL press meet

7 8 9 10 11 12

Dia Mirza, Reitesh Deshmukh and Sajid Khan at the Rajiv Gandhi College function Prachi Desai, Ronit Roy and Rakhi Sawant at the 9X Yeh Hai Jalwa meet Naseruddin Shah at the music launch of Khuda Kay Liye Faizal Khan with Haroon Hussain Syed at Memsahabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music launch Preity with Ness, his niece and mother Maureen Wadia at the CN Wadia Cup Million Adnan Sami with Javed Akhtar and Rahul Bose at the Shaurya music launch 17

focus

25 years

GROWING 18

STRONGER

Anil Kapoor will complete 25 years in films this year. The success of Welcome and appreciation for Black and White and Race right at the outset of the year, has only got this most consistent actor more kicked about the promising line-up of films in his kitty

nil Kapoor has Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraj and YashRaj Films Tashan up next. After playing a tapori so successfully in Welcome, Anil will keep the gangster image alive with Tashan. “Adi (Chopra) says he only likes me in Lakhan kind of roles. He often asks me why I do these sober roles. I haven’t worked with them after Lamhe. I had met Adi before but was not comfortable. If he feels that someone is right for the role, he will do his best to get that person in, no matter what has happened in the past,” says Anil. It took many years for him to work with the YashRaj banner again. “What had happened between us was such a small thing. Yashji had wanted me to do Parampara and I had refused. But now

that’s behind us,” says Anil. His career is definitely up and kicking. How many of his contemporaries can boast of that? Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff whom he has been pitted against for years are now out of the limelight. “I think it is a bit unfair. Things can change any time to anybody. Everyone goes through ups and downs. I might be in the same situation someday, so I don’t want to gloat,” he says. But then there has hardly been a low point in his career. Anil thinks that the lowest point in his career was when he was forced to do some films solely for money which overrode his convictions. “The only time I felt that my career was at a low was when I had to take decisions that I felt I shouldn’t have. I did two films 19

with Pahlaj Nihalani— Andaz and Mr Azaad— for purely monetary reasons. Roop Ki Rani had not done well. I knew I was doing something wrong, and I still did it. That was for me, my lowest patch.” “Then again, when I did Bewafaa with Dharmesh Darshan, I had a lot of issues with the film but I kept quiet because of Boney. I feel that if I had been stronger at the time and said no, it would’ve been better for all of us. At that moment, if I had said no, they would’ve been upset but in the end it would’ve been better for all concerned. But I was on this whole trip of being a good guy, and that can go against you. Trying to be good to others is not only bad for you, but it’s bad for them also.” But he seems to have rediscovered himself off-late. His energy, enthusiasm and his youthfulness in terms of his attitude towards people and work, is something only second to probably, someone like the evergreen Dev Anand. “I don’t consciously try to work on my looks and appearance. I have never done that because I always go with the character. I feel people not only want to see good acting on screen, but they also want the person on screen to look like the character,” says Anil. Anil is also more interested in making films he believes in. He is preparing to make one more film called Shortcut after the critical acclaim that Gandhi My Father received. “For my first home production, I had to raise the bar. The quality, the content and the performances had to be top notch. I feel I have succeeded in a very big way. The film has won loads of international awards.” But the film did not make money at the box office. “Let me just say that when I released the film for the Indian diaspora, in one shot, I recovered all the money I had spent. In fact, much more than I had expected. When I started 20

There are many reasons for Sonam doing just one film. To her acting is a passion, it’s not like she has to buy a house, or something. So she can afford to take her time. She has the advantage that other actresses probably don’t have. Her film has to have a good script, good hero, good director and a good producer. She should do films that help her grow and improve her craft. She need not sign five-six films at a time the film, many people from the industry told me that I would suffer losses and be running around with a begging bowl after its release.” But he is known to stick to his decisions. He was so passionate and confident about the subject that nothing deterred him. “Boney always goes with my creative instincts. He knows that when I take these mad decisions, they go right for me. He is also very careful about saying anything about

my choices. He knows that nobody can make me change my decisions. There are times when you go right, and times when you go wrong. Gandhi My Father has managed to build a brand for me as a filmmaker. And that I would not have been able to buy even with crores of rupees.” Apart from the three brothers Boney, Sanjay and Anil, now there is one more family member in films. What does he advice his young daughter? “I don’t advice Sonam. In fact, she advises me!”

he says. So why is Sonam doing only one film? “There are many reasons for Sonam doing just one film. To her acting is a passion, it’s not like she has to buy a house, or something. So she can afford to take her time. She has the advantage that other actresses probably don’t have. Her film has to have a good script, good hero, good director and a good producer. She should do films that help her grow and improve her craft. She need not sign five-six films at a time.” 21

controversy

Controversy’s favourite children While some stars became famous for their acting abilities and films, others achieve fame by making headlines. Here’s taking a look at some celebrities whose names have become synonymous with controversies DEEPIKA PADUKONE: The youngest and newest star to join the club of controversial actors, Deepika became famous even before her debut film Om Shanti Om became a hit. She hit the headlines each month with news on her latest beaus. While she was working on Om Shanti Om Deepika was in the news for dumping boyfriend of two years, Nihar Pandya for Ranbir Kapoor. She then hogged the limelight when Ranbir and Nihar had a street fight because of her, following which she broke up with Ranbir and started seeing Nihar. Post the release and success of Om Shanti Om Deepika was linked with cricketer Yuvraj Singh as the duo was often spotted together. Deepika also visited Australia where Yuvraj was playing a match. But then she appeared at the Filmfare Awards alongside Ranbir, following which the couple attended a party together where they were seen whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears. Recently Ranbir confessed in an interview that Deepika was his love 22

and that they were romantically involved. Deepika has also admitted that she is in love with Ranbir.

AMISHA PATEL Apart from being distant cousins and sharing the same surnames, Upen and Amisha both share a penchant for controversies. Ever since Amisha’s debut in Bollywood she has been crying hoarse about something or the other. She started off by accusing mentor Rakesh Roshan of promoting son Hrithik and leaving her in the cold. She had said, “Hrithik received all the accolades and I never got my dues!” Amisha then picked a fight with Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor by commenting she’d never do a Jism or Chameli because it was against her moral values! She then went on to say that unlike other actresses, she was “educated and came from a classy family.” As a result Kareena got Amisha kicked out from a world tour concert and Bipasha responded by saying, “Amisha doesn’t have the body to do a Jism!” Amisha was once again in the limelight when she accused her parents of cheating and siphoning her money. Amisha filed a court case against her parents and walked out of their home. Amisha’s parents on the other hand blamed Vikram Bhatt for influencing Amisha and putting her against them. Both the parties filed allegations and counter allegations against each other. Career wise Amisha isn’t doing great. She’s reduced to playing a supporting actress, but she manages to keep herself in the news thanks to the controversies surrounding her. The latest is that she’s ditched Vikram for a richer NRI boyfriend. RIYA SEN: Unlike older sister Raima who’s known for her on-screen talent Riya has gained notoriety for her off-screen antics. It may be difficult to remember her last hit but it’s impossible to forget her steamy 90-second MMS clip with former boyfriend Ashmit Patel, which got leaked prior to their film Silsilay’s release. While Riya said that it

wasn’t her in the MMS, buzz was that it was indeed Riya in the clip which Ashmit had intentionally leaked after the duo broke-up. Unfortunately, the MMS proved to be fatal for both their careers. She had just gotten over the MMS scandal when Riya got into a catfight with Koena Mitra and Tanushree Dutta. While working with Koena, Riya apparently spread rumours that Koena had a face-lift. When Koena quizzed Riya if she had spread rumours about her, Riya passed the buck on their common friend Tanushree Dutta. Riya’s game was exposed when Tanushree pleaded innocence to Koena and told her that Riya was the culprit. Now both Tanushree and Koena stay as far as they

can from Riya! Last year Riya grabbed the headlines when rumours of her alleged fling with a much married actor broke out. Apparently the actor’s wife found out about the fling, prompting the actor to end the affair. Recently the younger Sen sibling also caught the eye of writer Salman Rushdie who apparently was smitten by her. The buzz is that Rushdie met her at a party and was mesmerized by her! They met twice thereafter and even visited the Sen home to meet sister Raima.

UPEN PATEL Actions speak louder than words and Upen Patel’s actions especially when 23

way. Maybe, it’s because I’m an outsider in Bollywood.”

MALLIKA SHERAWAT

he is angry or drunk have made him famous. Just two years in Bollywood and Upen’s picked fights with most of the people he’s worked with. In 2005 after Upen broke up with girlfriend Shamita Singha and emptied a glass of wine over her head, Shamita told the press that Upen had anger issues and “needs serious help!” Despite facing public humiliation from Upen, Shamita couldn’t resist his charm and patched up with him but the relationship didn’t last long and they broke up again and this time for good. In early 2007 a drunken Upen was caught getting romantic with the much older Tabu at a popular Mumbai 24

nightspot. When reporters quizzed him about it he hurled abuses at them. He made it to the headlines again. Upen’s saga didn’t end here. Recently in a fit of rage he tore the clothes given to him by the costume designers of Ganesh Acharya’s Money Hai Toh Honey Hai. Upen later justified himself saying that the designers would pick up T-Shirts and Jeans from roadside stalls and pass them off as designer stuff. Upen’s latest enemy is director Ashwin Dheer of 123 whom Upen has accused of being unprofessional and chopping off his role, “He’s edited my role and also chopped off my song. I don’t know why I should be treated this

Wherever Mallika goes controversies follow. Her debut film Khwaish sank without a trace but her 17 kisses and quotable quotes, “Men talk to my breasts!” kept her in the news. Mahesh Bhatt’s Murder gave her a legitimate hit and an opportunity to hog the limelight which she seized with open hands. From bad mouthing her co-stars, Emraan Hashmi and Ashmit Patel, to talking abut her cloistered life in a small village and a forced arrange marriage, to her father’s hatred towards her, Mallika spoke about anything and everything to be in the news. She soon established herself and had filmmakers queuing at her doorstep! Her goal achieved Mallika suddenly became unavailable and went underground. She signed The Myth opposite Jackie Chan and since then tales of her divaesque behaviour started doing the rounds. Mallika would rarely give interviews and never mix with the Bollywood crowd. She’d wear a burqa while in public places and apparently refused to acknowledge even senior actors such as Rekha and Shah Rukh! She attended the Cannes Film Festival along with Chan where she created a flutter by wearing an extremely oomph outfit. She again made news in January 2007 when she charged Rs 75 Lakhs for a 45 minute performance on New Year’s Eve at a Mumbai hotel. Her show was interrupted however because of her objectionable show of skin. Mallika hasn’t spared even a senior and talented actor like Kamal Hassan who regrets signing her for his home production Dasavatharam. Apparently Kamal is fed up of her starry demands. Mallika (which means Queen) is taking the meaning of her name a tad too seriously.

SALMAN KHAN Controversy is probably Salman Khan’s middle name. Hitting girlfriends,

conversations with Aishwarya, in which he allegedly bragged about his underworld links. The authenticity of the tapes has not been established and later it was proved that the voice didn’t match Salman’s! All’s well that ends well.

SANJAY DUTT

car accidents, spats, killing black bucks; Salman’s real life has all the ingredients of a Bollywood pot boiler. Salman rose to fame with Sooraj Barjatya’s Maine Pyaar Kiya and later Hum Aapke Hai Koun...! Despite all the controversies dodging him the actor has an immense fan following within as well as outside the industry. He is known for his temper and buzz is that all his girlfriends from Sangeeta Bijalani to Katrina Kaif have been victims of his brash behaviour. Rumours insist that he recently slapped current flame Katrina at a local coffee shop; though she denies this episode. Salman once threw a glass and hurt ex-girlfriend Somy Ali and reportedly was violent with Aishwarya Rai too. Vivek Oberoi accused him of harassing him while he was dating Aishwarya. Salman further made headlines in1998 after he shot down two black bucks, an endangered species, and an Indian Gazelle on a shooting spree in a protected area in Rajasthan’s wilderness. In September 2002, Salman was in the spotlight when he allegedly rammed his Toyota Land Cruiser into a bakery in Bandra, killing one man and injuring

three others who were sleeping on the sidewalk. In 2005, newspapers published transcripts of his alleged telephone

Like his good friend Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt’s life has also been marred with one controversy or the other. After his debut film became a hit there were rumours that the actor was hooked on drugs. Sanjay went into rehab and came out clean. His first marriage to late actress Richa Sharma was short-lived. A small time actress Richa quit her acting career after marriage and gave birth to the couple’s daughter Trishala in 1988. Soon after Trishala’s birth, Richa was diagnosed with brain tumor. The illness coupled with Sanjay’s philandering ways added a strain on the couple’s marriage and Richa took Trishala and moved to

relationship with his daughter. Sanjay tried to concentrate on his career and gave hit films such as Saajan and Khalnayak but as always good times were short lived. In April 1993 while shooting in Mauritius for Mahesh Bhatt’s Gumraah he was arrested for possession of illegal weapons during the Mumbai blasts. He spent more than 18 months in jail after being released on bail. During this time he received huge support from friends, family, the Bollywood film fraternity and millions of fans from all over the world. Once he was released from jail, Sanjay married model Rhea Pillai but this marriage was also short-lived and the couple soon separated. In November 2006, a special TADA court found him guilty for the crime he committed in 1993 and sent him to jail for six-years. Presently the actor is out on bail and has recently tied the knot with girlfriend of two years Manyata. One thought that this was the end to all his problems but he once again got on to the wrong side of the law. Apparently the actor’s wife forged papers in order to tie the knot and is yet to obtain a divorce from her ex-husband!

SUSHMITA SEN

the US to stay with her parents. Richa passed away in 1996, following which Sanjay had a bitter courtroom battle with his in-laws over the custody 26

of his daughter. Sanjay eventually lost custody and his daughter still lives in the USA with her mother’s family. However, Sanjay now shares a very good

She hasn’t had a single release in 2007 yet she manages to stay in the spotlight via the men in her life. While she isn’t the only actress in the industry to have dated so many men it’s the men she chooses that get her the headlines. Every time Sush entered a relationship, one thought it would be for keeps but within months one hears of a break-up. She dumped her childhood sweetheart Rajat Tara after she was crowned Miss Universe. While shooting for her debut film Dastak she fell for her director Vikram Bhatt knowing well that he was married and had recently become a father. Sush was labeled a home-breaker when Vikram’s wife accussed her off breaking up their family. Later Vikram made a film Ankahee, reportedly based on his love affair with Sush; the film portrayed Sush

in a negative light even hinting that the actress was self-destructive. Sush fell in love with Sanjay Narang but left him for a lesser known and much younger aspiring actor Randeep Hooda. The couple lived together for more than a year and Sush even did a crossover film with Randeep. However, it is rumoured that while Sush was still dating Randeep she had a fling with a married industrialist. Sush left Randeep for Manav Menon, who was married and also younger than her. While Manav was all set to divorce his wife, her closeness to Randeep even after breaking-up with him spoiled her relationship with Manav. Sush was then seen hanging around with Bunty Sachdeva but reportedly the relationship lasted for barely a week and since then Sush is found in the company of debutante director Mudassar Aziz who is in his early 20s. Sush literally believes in wearing her heart on her sleeve.

KANGNA RANAUT While her on-screen roles have all been controversial, her off-screen life has always been shrouded in mystery. A week after Kangna’s debut film released it was rumoured that the actress had been in a long term relationship with the much older and married actor Aditya Pancholi and was living in a house gifted by him. Kangna refuted the rumours and said that Aditya was just a close friend. There were reports that it was Aditya who had introduced Kangna to mentor Mahesh Bhatt. In early 2007 Aditya and Kangna had a public spat on the Bandra roads following which Aditya slapped her. Later they went to a local police station and filed complaints against each other; Aditya accused Kangna of using him while the lady claimed that he was “over-possessive and controlling!” However, after all the drama the very next day the couple attended an award ceremony together, holding hands and appearing lovey dovey. Kangna has also had trouble getting along with co-star Shiney Ahuja with whom she has starred in two films.

Apparently Shiney offered her a few acting tips and that didn’t go down well with her. The two actors may have played lovers on-screen but off-screen they stay as far as they can from each other.

Kangna reportedly even rubbed up Aamir Khan on the wrong side when she started talking about his film Ghajini to the press; the fiercely private Khan dropped her from his film and signed Jiah Khan instead! 27

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking

Kitchen confidential This hotel management graduate knows as much about food as he knows about walking the ramp. Zulfi Sayed lets out how he eats well and eats healthy at the same time even as he continues to indulge his taste buds

I am a big foodie and I love experimenting with food. But yes, I like eating healthy food. My idea of a whole-some meal is probably just a chicken or a mutton biryani with some salad to go with it. My idea of healthy food is something that is not too spicy as it is not good for your stomach and something that’s not too oily. It spoils your health. I love cooking in olive oil. People don’t use olive oil usually because they don’t like the taste and it does not go well with most Indian food. But I think it tastes better with most preparations. But to a large extent it depends on what kind of food I am making. I come from a hotel management background so I know a lot about food. I have a cook and I give him lots of instructions when he is cooking. I make sure all the required ingredients are available at home and the right things are being put in the right preparations. For me the kitchen is very important and the hygiene there is most important. I love cooking and I cook at least twice a week. I try my hand at fish or chicken. I am not much into cooking vegetarian food. I find it boring. I sometimes read the papers and magazines and try out new recipes. I like experimenting with my cooking and trying out different stuff. I like making baked fish in my oven. It’s also very healthy with just a little salt, lime and pepper added to it. Masalas not required at all. My day begins with a glass of juice. I’m not into tea and coffee. Right now I’m having carrot and amla juice since it’s the season for them. I have the Maharasthrian poha for breakfast. It is very light. My cook makes good dosas, otherwise I settle for rotis with an omlette. When I’m shooting I eat with the unit. Sometimes its home food, sometimes the food on the sets or sometimes and we order in. There is a lot of choice. For Chinese food I go to the Legacy of China. I have been going 30

there for years but the taste hasn’t changed at all. I like their consistency. For Indian and Punjabi food I visit this place called Dhaba. I like the stuff they have on their menu. I am also fond of the restaurants called Salt and Pepper and Mist. The chef is really good at Mist. But these days I like eating home food more. I often call my friends over for dinner. I also cook very good sweets. So, if my cook is making the main course I make a sweet dish for them. There is this dish called Halwe ki puri. It has coconut, zafran and almond. It’s quite healthy and tasty. My friends often ask me to make it for them. I love go out and try out new cuisines and dishes. I enjoy the Tibetan and Israeli cuisines. You get a lot of these different cuisines if you visit Goa. I like going to Britos on Bagha beach in Goa. That restaurant is amazing. It’s got a great kitchen. And you get the best meals there. When I think of my best food experience abroad I think of Dubai. It has so much of variety and choice in terms of rich non-vegetarian food! There’s Moroccan food, Tibetan food, Lebanese food and stuff. The best thing is that they prepare it in front of you and serve it hot, healthy and tasty. My mom is the best cook in the family. She makes all the dishes like biryani and shami kabas taste so amazing. Even I can’t match her talent for shami kababs. I always forget to put something or the other but she’s the expert. I love drinking fresh juices. I don’t drink canned juices since they have preservatives. As it’s not freshly made it has extra added sugar. I have a friend who makes these juices so I know how it is made. My favourites are orange, black grapes and pomegranate depending upon the season. The most tempting food item for me is sweets. I have a sweet tooth and I love trying out various types of sweet preparations. You can say they are my weakness. My favourite desserts are all Indian like rasmalai and gulab jamun.

I eat street food sometimes. But during Ramzan I make sure I go to Mohammad Ali Road in Mumbai. They have some yummy stuff. What I like about a restaurant is when you can see the kitchen. When you go abroad most places have glass separating the kitchen and the eating area. Even Hotel Sahara Star near Mumbai air port has a visible kitchen. The concept of showing your kitchen to the customers has come in. It’s great to be able to see what the chef is making and how he’s making it. One also gets

PEPPER CHICKEN

an idea of the hygiene levels there. Hygiene should be kept in mind when eating out. My regular fitness regime includes running five times in a week. I run a lot. I start from running outdoors in the park and then continue on the treadmill. My best diet tip is that one must eat everything but under control. One must not avoid anything completely. Some people just stop eating sugar or oil without realising that our body requires these in a certain quantity.

INGREDIENTS 500 gms of chicken â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cut in small pieces with bones Freshly ground black pepper 1 finely chopped onion 1 chopped tomato Coriander leaves Curry leaves 1 1/2 tsp ginger and garlic pasteSalt to taste Turmeric Olive oil METHOD Heat oil and add the onions and fry well till golden brown. Then add in the ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes, and curry leaves. Add salt, turmeric powder, and pepper powder according to taste. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and very little water, just sufficient to cook the chicken. When the chicken is done, add the coriander leaves and stir well. You can keep the gravy or let it get dry.

home truths

Chilling with

Gul Panag! 32

Gul Panag’s first take on Mumbai, when she moved here from Delhi was, “Mumbai is very indifferent, very apathetic at times too. But on the brighter side, these very traits give you space. I like the fact that here, my neighbours do not want to know what I am doing.” Now, she can’t think of living anywhere else, with happening films and a happening life!

ul got in professional help to make her home comfortably yet classy. And for this she worked alongside home décor designer Renu Chainani. Her home reflects lots of space with a sensible minimalist approach. She recounts of Delhi, “In the North, it’s not very safe for girls to live

on their own. But Mumbai is female friendly…” Then she laughs, “I’ve even adopted one more trait of the city – I do not wear or allow shoes to be worn at home. This is not something that used to happen in Delhi!” And then she gets reflective as she tells us, “My home is my hideaway from all that I don’t like or want to be.

Since I normally encounter life with unpredictability, home is where I seek comfort in the predictable. I know exactly where my clothes or sneakers or anything else is. It fills me with a sense of organization and of what is coming next.” Hailing from an army background, it wasn’t too difficult for Gul to adjust to 33

her flat in Versova, Andheri. “A home is made happy by the people who dwell in it. The most beautiful of homes can cause you depression.” And then she smiles as we react to the sound of the wind chime in her drawing room. “No, I am not a Feng Shui follower. I have a wind chime only because it sounds nice. It’s your own thoughts that make a home auspicious or otherwise…” The drawing room, her dining area and her bedroom have a lot of natural light streaming in and “That was my first condition for this home – that it should be bright. I also love a lot of space – I don’t put things into my home for effect. I may like a particular lampshade, an awesome fountain or a piece of Bohemian crystal but why clutter the area? A nice comfortable sofa does just as well!” But she’s extremely proud of her souvenir cabinet. “I only stock it with travel souvenirs. When I’m travelling abroad, I like to pick up things that symbolize the spirit of the nation though not necessarily the popular stuff. From Catalonia in Spain, I once picked up a piece of mosaic. They have common souvenirs in the shape of a chameleon like creature but I didn’t find those exciting. I also bought a Dodo bird from Mauritius. And in America, instead of the usual Statue of Liberty souvenirs, I picked up stuffed toys from McDonalds and a mini Coke bottle from the Coca Cola factory in Atlanta! I also have Matrishka dolls from Russia…” Yet Gul admits she’s not a hoarder. “If God gives you something bigger and better, you have to let the old thing go. I don’t think I am inseparable from anything, even a home and even have my photographs lying in a carton.” With her dad being a Lieutenant General, her home definitely reflects army orderliness! “I am predictably obsessive about spotlessness. I have this compulsive obsessive disorder for cleanliness! I don’t allow my maid to touch my cupboard since I have all my clothes colour coordinated!” 34

I enjoy reading too and have a wall full of books. I also cook at times, particularly Oriental cuisine. I enjoy preparing Mexican food as well. The fastest thing I can prepare is Chilli Con Carne. My house is a great girl pad. So it’s great when friends come over and we watch lots of films

And you don’t even have to open a door to catch a glimpse of her bathroom! “The door is left ajar because it is a nice clean place. If I find even one corner dirty, I will pick up a toothbrush and scrub the tile. My dad once said, ‘People may have the most beautiful homes but you know the truth about them from their kitchens and bathrooms. These two are the most neglected areas’. He still cleans his own toilet. The book Alchemist states, ‘cleaning is good for the soul’.” Though light streams through her bedroom in the day, it’s equally darkened at night since Gul believes, “The mind must associate the sleeping area with only sleep. The body should enter that zone and only think of relaxing.” A television set is a definite no-no and she doesn’t believe in reading in bed either. She especially gives credit to her designer, Renu Chainani, for two very beautiful corners of her home. One is the Thai corner, for which, the artifacts were brought from Thailand. “There is a Thai drum which has been converted into a lamp. Then there is

a hand painted tile with Buddha on it. The low side table is a typical Thai opium table with gold leafing.” Then there’s the Moroccan corner. “It reflects my fascination for candles and light. The huge multi-coloured brass lamps are from Morocco as are the ceramic pots with silver work on them. The dim lighting creates the perfect ambience for me to relax at home.” This she does by starting out a day at home with a jog on the beach with her dog Milo. “I enjoy reading too and have a wall full of books. I also cook at times, particularly Oriental cuisine. I enjoy preparing Mexican food as well. The fastest thing I can prepare is Chilli Con Carne. My house is a great girl pad. So it’s great when friends come over and we watch lots of films.” But she has yet to acquire the home of her dreams… “It would be a small wooden cottage in the mountains. It would have a mezzanine floor and half of the house would be at split level. It would also have a white picket fenced garden. To complete the picture, it would have a fireplace and enamel utensils!”

style check

MINISSHA LAMBA OUTFITS/ACCESSORIES/ WARDROBE My Favourite Outfit: Capris and a T shirt Favourite Outfit When Driving to a Shoot: Anything that I can lay my hands on at 6.00a.m.! My Favourite Evening Wear: A nice knee length, A-line dress For Formal Dining: Again that would be a dress – something nice and feminine To a Party at a Friend’s Place: I’d probably wear jeans with a nice top My Favourite Outfit for a Formal Occasion: A sari of a single colour, not a very heavy one, but something with work only on the border I Like to Sleep in: My skin! My Favourite Designers: Anjali & Arjun Kapoor and Priya Avasthi My Favourite Colours: I go through phases. Currently I’m on a bold colour trip: reds, maroons, black white. My Favourite Fabrics: Stretch cotton, stretch denim, linen, georgette My Favourite Brand of Jeans: True Religion I have a Collection of: Shoes, watches and sunglasses I have a Fetish for: When I like something – like a shirt or a top – I buy it in all colours! My Favourite Accessory is: A watch. I usually like to wear chunky, men watches! My Wardrobe is incomplete without: Great lingerie! I look best in: I’m told I look best when I’m simple. I don’t like outfits with hectic work – I prefer simple cuts, lines and designs I would like my man to be dressed in: Definitely an Indian outfit. I think men

look gorgeous in sherwanis, kurtapyjamas, Pathanis…

MISCILANIOUS Q. The Best Dressed Men & Women in the Industry: Bipasha Basu – I love the fact that she can wear anything and look good – whether it’s her clothes, hair or make-up. Preity Zinta – she’s very classy in her taste, very refined. Shah Rukh Khan – a man who looks great in Indian sherwanis; I love seeing him like that when he wears them for his songs on screen. Also, when he’s in an all-black ensemble; black suit, shirt and tie, he looks simply gorgeous! Saif Ali Khan – he’s the quintessential man who looks great in anything from a suit to his rocker attire with bandana! He speaks of casual comfort. For the First Day of my Shoot I wore: A nervous expression! I pick up my Clothes from: There are no fixed places; I shop anywhere that catches my fancy. I Never Leave my House without: My phone and my lip balm! My Wallet always contains: Bills! An Inexpensive thing I bought but Treasure: I recently picked up a cocktail ring that I had made for myself. It took months to lock in on the stones, the size and design. The Brand of Watch I wear: Anything from Pierre Cardin, to a Choppard and a Jaeger. I’m planning to pick up a very expensive watch next – either a GP or a Hublot Shoes: I like wearing what’s comfortable from flats to heels to boots to Converse sneakers

HAIRCARE My Shampoo is: Neutrogena for

normal hair My Conditioner is: Neutrogena also The Texture of my Hair is: Very fine – and it has a mind of its own… It does not seem to do anything when made to and simply does not conform! The Colour of my Hair is: Dark brown I Like my Hair streaked in: I prefer it to be of one shade At Home I Like my Hair to be: Always left loose For Formal Occasions I: Style my hair with curls and volume My Hairstylist is: Sapna Bhavnani I Admire/ Envy the Hair of: No one in particular My Hair care Routine comprises: Hydrating and cleansing and is very basic

MAKE-UP When I am not Shooting: I don’t wear make-up at all My Favourite Shades of Make-up are: Browns, earth colours My Favourite Brand of Make-up: Bobby Brown The Features I like to Conceal with Make-up: I don’t conceal anything except for maybe a few blemishes The Features I like to Highlight: My cheeks – it adds a softness to the face My Favourite Perfume: Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue My Handbag at any time Consists of: My car keys, house keys, debit card, some money and my phone My Favourite Brands in Bags and Shoes: I don’t have any particular favourites I always pack my Bags: I always do pack my own bags since I alone know what I need! 37

frankly speaking

“I can’t scream from the rooftops…”

Looking lean and trim, the quiet Arjun Rampal lets down his guard… Success with Om Shanti Om has made his day and he’s ready for more of it! Here he talks about all that’s close to his heart.

What was the highlight of 2007 for you? I would definitely say Om Shanti Om. I also made a very conscious decision to do different types of films in 2007 and that’s what I did – one was The Last Lear and one was Om Shanti Om. I really did have the patience to stay and just do two films: The Last Lear was over 30 days and Om Shanti Om was over 80 days. So the rest of the year gave me a lot of time to work out what I wanted to do for the next year. And that’s the way I like to work – get into a film and give it enough time to set a look for it, get into character and get it over and out of the way before you start on the next one. I’m happy my decisions paid off. And what do you look forward to in 2008? I have Farhan Akhtar’s Rock On which is about a rock band and Suneil Shetty’s EMI with Sanjay Dutt, which is a great fun film. This is what I’m working on right now. Towards the end of the year, my own production company will make a film too. We’re working on scripts right now. Would you say your patience has finally paid off? Yes I think so. It’s also about really understanding your work; it takes time when you’re an outsider to this industry. I’m not born with anybody in here so your first few years go in sousing it out. They go into making

relationships which will last. I think it’s important to have great chemistry with your co-actor, to bond, because that’s what comes out on screen. I think that’s what happened with Om Shanti Om. That’s what happens when I work with Mr. Bachchan; I’m very fond of him and likewise he’s very fond of me. So all the people I’m fond of like Paresh Rawal, Mr. Bachchan, I like to work with, since we can always push each other to do good work. That’s the most important thing for me at the end of the day – to work with the right amount of people and be happy. The worst thing for an actor is to be unhappy while making a film. Have you felt this way about trusting anyone else in the industry? Yes I felt this way about The Last Lear as well. I think you finally have to trust yourself in everyone’s hands that you go with. This was an English film where again I was doing something different. There’s Rituparno Ghosh who’s a serious filmmaker, so as commercial as Om Shanti Om was, this film was that much more realistic. I play a director who wants to bring this retired Shakespearean theatre actor (played by Mr. Bachchan) back into films. I think there are wonderful performances from Mr. Bachchan, Preity, Shefali and a performance I’m proud of too. They’ve done outstandingly well and we were all very proud when we saw it in an international market. The biggest compliment that really 39

I’m not the kind of guy who, if I believe I’ve done something good, will stand on top of a building and scream ‘I’m the greatest’. I believe it all comes in time. Each one has their own way of working and reaching where they have to reach. I really admire actors like Daniel Day Lewis and Anthony Hopkins, Denzel Washington, and I don’t see them do that. They’ve left a mark and have done wonderfully for themselves. I would rather be like that than a Paris Hilton! came for all of us was because we had subtitled it in English even though it’s an English film and everyone said ‘Why did you subtitle it since it was only distracting’… They thought people might not understand it since we speak in a different way. But people complimented us on the way we speak English and that was great. We had a standing ovation in Toronto for half an hour; and in London and Rome too. There is talk of you having got Om Shanti Om because Shah Rukh is a friend… No, in fact when Shah Rukh and Farah came to me with the film initially I was a little skeptical because I didn’t know how it would turn out. Yes, I do trust Shah Rukh and Farah a lot and that’s what they asked me to do. They said, ‘We know this is a tough one and you have a lot of thoughts on it but just trust us as this would be somewhat of a surprise if you want to shock and push the envelope’. So yes, I trusted them and I’m glad I did and I would always. I’ve done a world tour with Shah Rukh; I’ve done Don with him; our families know each other really well and we are close… I respect him a lot and there’s a lot to learn from him. He’s always generous with his knowledge and is not the kind of person who’ll ever let you down. Once he says this is it, he won’t tell you there’s so much more or less in it either. He puts it to you exactly how it is and then it depends on you as well as to where you can take it. I was really happy working on the film 40

and with what came out of it – that was a great feeling.

on my films! I think she’s now happy with what I’ve achieved in 2007 though!

You’re very quiet about what you do… I’m not the kind of guy who, if I believe I’ve done something good, will stand on top of a building and scream ‘I’m the greatest’. I believe it all comes in time. Each one has their own way of working and reaching where they have to reach. I really admire actors like Daniel Day Lewis and Anthony Hopkins, Denzel Washington, and I don’t see them do that. They’ve left a mark and have done wonderfully for themselves. I would rather be like that than a Paris Hilton!

How do you manage to bond with your daughters? I’m friends with them and that’s the way I want it to stay. It’s very important for children to have an outdoor, sporty life, I’ve had that… Maybe sometimes I don’t get to spend as much time with them since I’m working but for me the quality of time I spend with them counts. My younger daughter Myra is two-anda-half and is already developing her own personality! I take off every summer when they have their summer vacation and we go on holiday as a family. That’s a very private and personal time for us. Then I take time off over the Christmas vacation too and we either head to Goa or somewhere close by.

Has a lot of good come out of your recent performances in Don and Om Shanti Om for you, from the industry perspective? Sure, from the industry and the audience. I think it’s very rare to get a film that gives you both commercial and critical success. And in this there was a combination of the two. Of course then people start thinking of you and saying, ‘He can do different kinds of things’ ‘He’s open to doing this…’ But then again I don’t want to be typecast or repetitive in whatever I do. But yes, I’m doing good films. You are closest to… …My family…My wife Mehr, my daughters Mahikaa and Myra and my extended family. They’re your reality check – and my wife is my biggest critic

Something you catch up on at home is… I like to play cricket on the computer whenever I get the time to! What do you like about Dubai? It’s amazing how the skyline of the city keeps changing every time you visit. Dubai has an energy which catches on and the growth in terms of economy and culture is something to really look at. Actually it’s a cultural melting pot where you feel you’re in a home away from home. I really love Dubai and especially the food! The last time I was there, I went to this amazing street which has Arabic food and enjoyed all of it! I think Dubai has some of the best hotels too.

in the pictures

ZESTY ZINTA

Preity Zinta has a new love, cricket, along with boyfriend Ness Wadia and a few partners Preity bought the Mohali cricket team in the Twenty- 20 cricket league for 76 million dollars. 42

fter conquering Bollywood Preity Zinta’s now entered the world of cricket as a zesty businesswoman. Preity Zinta has a new love, cricket, along with boyfriend Ness Wadia and a few partners Preity bought the Mohali cricket team in the Twenty- 20 cricket league for 76 million dollars. This wasn’t an off the bat decision says Preity; “I’m extremely passionate about cricket and am here to do some serious business!” But does the 33-year-old actress understand the game, “I do follow the game and understand it but now I’m learning the intricacies associated with it. I’ve started to read and follow cricket news. I am not an expert but I’m trying to get to know the game better,” she asserts. Recently Preity also started her own film company P Zinta Films, “I’ve started my own production house and we’ve shot a music video for my cricket team,” Preity exclaims. Post the film debacle, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Preity hasn’t been on the big screen. Does it mean bye bye films, here I come cricket? “No way, films will always be my first love!” Preity exclaims. And goes on to explain, “After Jhoom Barabar Jhoom I took a break because I had a lot of personal stuff to wind up.” Preity’s name doesn’t feature in any of her favourite Yashraj Films forthcoming projects, “I have been here for 10 years and have done purely commercial cinema, now I want to experiment,” she says. Preity feels that this is the right time for it, “Directors are coming up with so many different themes and the audience is reacting positively. Aamir’s Taare Zameen Par and Shah Rukh’s Chak De India weren’t typically commercial films but people did accept them!” Preity has four releases coming up this year, “Har Pall with Jahnu Barua, The Last Lear with Rituparno Ghosh, Deepa Mehta’s Heaven On Earth and only one commercial film Heroes with Salman Khan,” Preity concludes. And as far as her relationship with boyfriend Ness is concerned Preity

says, “He’s the wind beneath my wings!” Preity signs off by saying, “Ness treats me like an equal and

supports me in all my projects. I don’t think there are many guys who would do that!”

director special

ABBAS-MUSTAN

The thriller experts You think of thrillers and you most definitely think of AbbasMustan. This director duo has made 13 thrillers in the last 16 years, most of which have been successful. The duo started off with the successful Khiladi which brought Akshay Kumar into the A-list of actors and then Baazigar where Shah Rukh Khan played the negative character and it made his career

he two have constantly raised the bar as far as Bollywood thrillers go— Khiladi, Baazigar, Daraar, Badshah, Soldier, Humraaz and Ajnabee. And the odd films like Chori Chori Chupke Chupke and Tarzan: The Wonder Car that they made outside this genre didn’t really work with the audience. So it’s almost imperative that they are known as the thriller experts. And now, with their last release Race they have taken the thrill to

another level— with constant intriguing suspense elements, loads of twists and turns, and unpredictable and deceptive characters. It’s equally hard to imagine that this humble and simple duo dressed in white make slick suspense flicks. “We would dress up in white shorts and t-shirts ever since we were in school. So it’s not really a style statement. We always loved wearing white,” says Mustan. “And we have always enjoyed thrillers,” adds Abbas.

Heard you have signed several films after the success of Race? Abbas: Yes. But we had these projects in hand even before the release of Race. We are working with four production houses— Subhash Ghai, Tips, Venus and Balaji Films. Apart from that we are also working on our first home production. All thrillers? Abbas: Yes. 45

When we are working on a script, we are around 10 of us. That includes our assistants and team that has been with us for many years. We sit down and discuss what it should be like at every stage. We have an opinion and even if one of us doesn’t agree then the matter doesn’t get resolved unless one of them has convinced the other regarding his point of view. Of course the final decision is up to us. But one thing is for sure, we never have ego problems

Aren’t you planning to work on some other genre? Mustan: Thrillers are not that easy to make and it has now become our forte. When a producer makes five films, he wants to make different films— a thriller, a comedy, a romantic one etc. But he approaches us only for the thriller. Abbas: Everyone knows that we have made successful suspense thrillers. So everyone approaches us with those kinds of subjects. Even writers that come to us, come with some thriller subject. We enjoy it though. You did make Tarzan: the Wonder Car. It was a departure from what your forte is. Mustan: That is because we got an interesting subject to make. If we get a subject that’s interesting then we would love to make a film on that. Many writers come to us with subjects and we listen to every writer who approaches us. But most subjects are repetitive. Some even rehash our own stories and make us listen to them. You have worked with several actors when they were in the initial stage of their careers. How do you feel when you have to chase the same actors for dates today? Abbas: We don’t chase anyone. We know that every actor is busy today. We approach them when we think of them for a role and then we wait to know how they would react to the script. It works both ways actually. Mustan: Honestly, we’ve never 46

had to chase any actor. If they are doing some other film, they can’t leave it mid way and work with us. They have to complete their respective films. Actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar started off their careers working with you. Do you have trouble paying them today? Mustan: Akshay has never discussed his price with us. We are working with him soon. The project is in the scripting process. We will be directing and producing that film. It’ll be our first home production. Abbas: Akshay is an actor with a lot of dedication. During Aitraaz we had a 22-day schedule but we finished shooting in 17 days. He worked from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. We do save money when our films complete before time. Why should I mind paying him a huge sum if he is so dedicated? You worked with Bipasha Basu in her first film and again in Race. Do you see a change in her? Mustan: As an actor, she was very raw at the time of Ajnabee. We had to teach her some basics but she grasps things really fast. She had improved tremendously by the time we reached the end of the schedule. She’s was very good during Race. As a person, she has remained the same. She talks and behaves in the same way that she used to when we first met her. How often do the two of you have creative differences?

Mustan: When we are working on a script, we are around 10 of us. That includes our assistants and team that has been with us for many years. We sit down and discuss what it should be like at every stage. We have an opinion and even if one of us doesn’t agree then the matter doesn’t get resolved unless one of them has convinced the other regarding his point of view. Of course the final decision is up to us. But one thing is for sure, we never have ego problems. How do you manage to upgrade your filmmaking style with time. Like in Race there was a lot of slick action. Abbas: Even in Soldier we had some good slick action. But yes, we do some homework from time to time. Like for Race, the thrills and the stunts had to be top notch. In the climax scene we required someone to drift the cars during the car race. We got professional drifters from Australia. We had got two drifters initially as the race is between Saif and Akshaye. But since the camera was on another car, the two race cars kept going out of the frame. Then we had to call for another drifter and the camera was placed in that car so that we could keep pace with the speeding cars. Mr Fraud has been stuck for a long time. Are there any chances that it will get completed? Mustan: It’s 60 per cent complete. But yes, it is stuck at the moment. Abbas: The film got stuck because

of Sanjay Dutt’s case. Once he got out he completed all his prior commitments which had him as the solo hero. The producers are Ashtavinayak and they are trying to get the combination dates of Sanjay, Ajay Devgan and Bipasha. They will let us know if and when they get the combination dates. Mustan: There always are some continuity problems when a film gets delayed. Bipasha had got a hair-cut especially for our film but now she has 48

changed her hairstyle. Some scenes and sequences might also have to be re-shot. But there is no surety right now. Why are most of your films being shot abroad? Mustan: There’s a visual splendor in shooting outdoor. The look of the film becomes good. The problem in India is that you don’t get blanket permissions to shoot. While shooting abroad you have to just inform the council and they

allow you to shoot. They also give you police protection. Abbas: It is very economical shooting abroad. Shooting in India, means having to get ten different permissions and paying huge sums of money. If you have to shoot on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway you have to pay lakhs of rupees for just one hour. Also, fans and crowds trouble the stars and the unit. While in almost all countries they don’t charge a penny. Mauritius, the US and Switzerland are so convenient.

Take

Bipasha Basu Rituparna Sengupta Tusshar Kapoor

take 3

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am comfortable with sizzling scenesâ&#x20AC;? 50

She stands for sexy and is extremely at ease with that. Bipasha Basu is among the few female actors who can talk about sex appeal, chemistry and relationships with super comfort You have done quite a few steamy scenes in your career— with Dino Morea in Raaz, John Abraham in Jism and now Saif Ali Khan in Race. I am comfortable with sizzling scenes. As long as I know what I am supposed to do and am not uncomfortable with it, I can do any scene. If there is any remote discomfort for me, then I won’t do it. I am not an inhibited person. In today’s times, one can’t feel awkward about any scene during shooting as we are given the entire story and screenplay in advance before the shoot commences. Have you left behind your link-up with Saif? Saif is a very close friend of mine and I am not going to allow rumours to affect our friendship. I won’t justify my relationship with him because of some gossip mongers. I certainly won’t avoid Saif because of that. We get along very well. We had gone for dinners together and John knows about it. What’s the big deal? Saif is an easy person to get along with. We have a similar mindset. Your car used to be spotted outside his house many a time? I’ve gone to his house many times. What’s wrong with that?

You got a great response for your look in Goal. People said I was looking hot and fit, and that’s terrific because I was not even ready to be that fit.

Has the whole speculation brought the two of you closer together? We have always been close. It’s worthless to discuss this since people don’t value anybody’s privacy.

You had actually refused No Entry because you thought you had put on a lot of weight? When Boney Kapoor approached me with the role of a sexy club dancer, I turned it down. I had put on some serious flab and didn’t want to look like a joke. It scared the daylights out of me to wear skimpy outfits, when I had love handles showing. But Boney is too bull headed and coaxed me. That’s when I turned to fitness in a big way.

Does it flatter you to be voted the sexiest Asian woman in 2007? Yes. It’s great to get back the title that I won in 2005. But then, even a routine compliment can flatter me.

When media speculates about the status of your relationship with John, do you miss being an ordinary person? Though it’s tough, I will not trade this life for anything. Sometimes, the media speculation is so amusing that I wonder why the world is so childish. It’s true that I too want to know details about Brad Pitt. Celebs need to accept the curiosity as part and parcel of their lives. But I never share my notes on how to react to media speculation with anyone from the industry. Laughter on the sets is fine but I am not close to anyone in the industry.

How would you define the word ‘sexy’? Indians have used the word ‘sexy’ confusedly. It used to be a derogatory word. Recent surveys on sex have elevated the word to mean something good. It’s not a dirty word. Today, SRK without a shirt onscreen can also be very sexy. Society changes with time and so do definitions. The term sexy has gone beyond a beautiful body. Today, it encompasses talent, screen presence, personality and intelligence too. It’s a package deal of what you are in person — and on screen. Do you find inanimate objects like cars sexy as well? No way! But John would say a bike is sexy. I lack passion for inanimate objects. 51

take 3

“I am one of the

most glamorous actresses in Bengal” She has a whole list of films releasing this year and she is kicked about her new found busy status in Hindi films. Rituparna Sengupta talks about why she shifted focus from Bengali films to Hindi Cinema

You have loads of films lined up for release? Yes. I have a good variety too. So let’s talk about them one by one. How was it shooting for SRK with Vinay Pathak? It’s been good fun. It’s a comedy directed by Ajay Sharma and Vinay is really good. Shooting in Munnar in Kerela was amazing. We would hardly get mobile network there and it was like we were detached from the rest of the world. But it is one of the most beautiful and soothing places I have been to. Your next release will be Sirf, right? Yes. It is somewhat on the lines of Life In A Metro— on relationships. I have worked with Kay Kay Menon, Manisha Koirala and Parvin Dabbas in this film. Then there is Love Kichdi. Yes. I am opposite Randeep Hooda

in this film. It’s a very interesting subject. It’s a story of a chef and how he falls in love with the girls that come into his life. It’s directed by Shrinivas. He is sort of a new age director who has a very new style of filmmaking. It’s a smart trendy film, interesting and also quite hilarious. How is Randeep Hooda as a costar? Randeep is very jovial. He would talk a lot about his horses and his love for the game of polo. It was fun being around him and working with him. Mittal vs Mittal has been the most talked about film in your list of films so far. Yes. It has Rohit Roy who plays my husband and Suchitra Mukherji who plays my lawyer. The story telling is very unique in Mittal vs Mittal. It’s about marital rape. Karan Razdan has handled the subject very sensitively though the

film started on a lighter note where my character is a model and then she falls in love and gets married. All is hunky dory initially. It can happen to anyone. Why did you decide to shift your focus to the Hindi film industry? As an actress I wanted to come to Hindi films for the variety. The look of Hindi cinema has changed over the years and as an actress I want to be a part of this change. There is a lot to explore here at the moment. Didn’t you think of making the shift earlier on in your career? Actually, I was so busy with Bengali films that I didn’t get the opportunity to think of moving here. With Pati Patni Aur Woh, I got the chance to do something different. It gave me lot of attention and appreciation. How is the filmmaking experience in

the Hindi film industry different from Bengali films? Hindi films have a different way of doing things. There is national exposure. I am one of the most glamorous actresses in Bengali cinema, but regional films have certain limitations, even though Bengali films are reaching places and have got global appeal. But Hindi films are going through changes. People are coming up with new ideas and concepts and I feel influenced by this kind of work. Other regional film industries are also catching up but the major change is taking place in Hindi films. So you have completely shifted focus to Hindi films now? I want to do some substantial work in Hindi films. But I am doing Bengali films too. I did Anuranan just recently which was dubbed in Hindi. It got great reviews. You had recently said in an interview that you would love to do an item number? Why not? As an actress Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m capable of doing anything. I will do an item number with the right kind of setting, cast, film and music. I am a good dancer. I have danced in Bengali films. It has to be well done. Does it bother you that Hindi film audiences are not aware of your credentials as an actress and about the awards and experience you have working in Bengali films? I have just opened up to Hindi films and I will give the Hindi film audience some time to open up to me. So how has it been so far? It has not been a very smooth run for me but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been good. There is a lot of competition. Every day a new star is born here. But if you are hard working and your work is appreciated then more good work will come.

take 3

‘I don’t flash my private life in public’ He has a string of comedies to his name this year— One Two Three, Golmaal Returns, C Company and Run Bhola Run but is known to be dead serious when it comes to films. Tusshar Kapoor tells us why he’s doing so many comedies and why he’s keeping his love life a secret You seemed to have really enjoyed doing One Two Three? The concept of three characters from different parts of the country who don’t know each other with the same name was interesting. They had no connection with each other but their lives get mixed up. And they don’t even know their whole journey and life is getting mixed. They continue to think that they are in the right place at the right time. It was a very fun concept. And all of us were called Laxminarayan.

Not that I’m deliberately choosing comedies. Basically, I am choosing the best out of whatever roles are being offered to me. And somehow this year I have been offered mostly comedies. But next year I think there will be more family, social, and action films. It’s just a coincidence that all my films have been on the lighter side. Shootout At Lokhandwala has been an exception. But I guess these kind of comedies are working with the audience so more and more people are making such films.

You had played a gangster in Shootout At Lokhandwala and then playing this hilarious gangster Laxminarayan must’ve have felt funny too. Yes. I played a sort of wannabe gangster. I am the son of a gangster and it is fun to imagine him being launched into the world of crime. Probably like a star son being launched in a film. He wants to look real and stylish but he is not like that from inside. He is basically a nice guy. So both his sides kept surfacing— his true self and this side that he wants to be.

You have worked with Paresh Rawal who is superb when it comes to comedy. How has your equation been with him? He’s really nice. I did work with him in One Two Three but what set it apart was that it was not a boy gang film like Golmaal or Dhol. So we hardly had any scenes together till the climax of the film. For the great part of the film they don’t even meet each other or see each other and don’t even know that the other person exits. So we had separate tracks. But I have worked with him in Golmaal and Good Boy Bad Boy and I think we had good chemistry. He’s such a fine actor! We share a great equation. There is a lot of give and take with each other.

Loads of comedies for you suddenly. After Golmaal and Dhol, there is One Two Three, and Golmaal Returns is also in the waiting. Is it because you have become completely comfortable with comedy?

Why don’t we get to read about controversies and rumours related

to Tusshar? Is it because you are very particular about not being written about for the wrong reasons or is it that you are plain lucky? I don’t think it’s because I’m lucky. But I have kept my private life private. I don’t go to many public places to be seen or noticed. I don’t do things to be in the public eye. I know it’s in vogue to flash your affairs and private life in public. But I’m not like that. Hard to believe that there have been no women in your life? I am not denying that there have been women in my life. It’s just that I don’t flash it in public. What I do in my house or in my private life is very personal for me. I’m very secretive. I’m not seriously involved anyway. And I have so many releases coming up that I will be in the news for them. That would be enough for me because otherwise people will get sick of me. First they’ll be reading tons about my personal life and then again about my work and films. I think that will be an overdose. So planning any more films? I have shot for the first schedule of Neeraj Vora’s Run Bhola Run and then there will be Apurva Lakhia’s action film. Apurva has got the script ready but has to work on the casting and other details. 55

Passion Play

Romancing the maidens Everyone wants them— the public, the media and the brands! The magnetic quality of the actors and cricketers— two of the most glamorous professions in India— always bring them together. There always is a possibility of bumping into each other— at a party, for an ad film, through a common friend, at an awards function, at a cricket match or for dinner.

ust recently a luxury soap brand brought two young glamorous stars together to create curiosity. Before Shreesanth and Priyanka Chopra met at the press conference for the promotion of the brand, false tapes of their conversation were repeatedly aired on television news channels for two days to create a buzz around the couple and bring in enough media coverage when they actually get down to promoting the brand. The gimmick did work. “When I think about you I get the same scary uncontrollable feeling, I have never ever felt this kind of emotion. My knees shake or my palms sweat. I’m, sorry if this sounds silly but I had to tell you,” said Shreesanth in that conversation. But this feeling has often been experienced by cricketers for the actresses! There are several others who met through brand endorsements and ad shoots. The oldest such

example is that of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore. They met at an ad shoot in Delhi. He was smitten by the Bengali beauty but had to head for a test series aboard. When he got back he met her in Mumbai and they dated for four years. After much speculation by family about whether they were suited for each other, the two tied the knot. They have been married for over almost four decades now. Even Mohammad Azzaruddin met actress Sangita Bijlani when they shot for an ad together. He was married with two children when he met her and Sangita was in a steady relationship with Salman Khan. There was a very slim possibility of them ending up together but they did get married and have stuck to each other since then. Every time a new young lot of actors come, a whole new set of link-up stories begin. Fast bowler Ishant Sharma confessed at an IPL (Indian Premier League) press conference

held recently that he was crazy about Katrina Kaif and would want to meet her. Shah Rukh Khan who was present for the press conference nodded and agreed to introduce the two. Earlier, Indian captian Mahendra Singh Dhoni would blush every time Deepika came to watch a cricket match in South Africa. They met up after the match. Then Shah Rukh and Deepika held a special screening for Dhoni and his boys. But it was his team mate Yuvraj Singh who managed to impress her. It seems his mum liked Deepika. But after spending time together in Australia, Deepika broke up on the phone when she got back to India. The reason being that Yuvraj had become too possessive. But it wasn’t a first for Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj, who is big on the party circuit, met Kim Sharma a few years ago at a party and they were together for the next four years. But after all the years of partying and being photographed together, Yuvi broke up with Kim to 57

please mum who didn’t quite like her. There is something unexplainable about this romantic synergy between cricketers and actresses. The first question a fresh cricketer is asked in an interview is ‘who is your favourite actress?’ and a fresh actress is asked to state her favourite cricketer. And as soon as they mouth the name, a curiosity starts building up. And almost every year you hear a new love story. There was one about Zaheer Khan and Subhash Ghai’s discovery Isha Sherwani. He would stay with her each time he came down to Mumbai. They were seen hanging out and cozying up together. She was spotted receiving him at the Mumbai air port and they were seen in the car on several occasions too. Zaheer never confessed how seriously he was taking this. The two eventually broke up. Then there was one about pace bowler Irfan Pathan who fell for Sayali Bhagat (remember the movie The Train where she played Emraan Hashmi’s love interest?). He, in fact, 58

went to great lengths to get her contact number. Sayali didn’t hesitate in confessing that he is her favourite cricketer. But the story kind of fizzled out once Irfan went off for the recent Australia tour. And it’s not just the Indian cricketers who are attracted to the leading ladies of Bollywood. Pakistani cricketer and English county player Usman Afzal fell for Amrita Arora after they met each other several times and developed a friendship. The two met first through Mohammed Kaif when Usman had come down to India for a series. She had been in a relationship with singer Kamal Khan and later with model-actor Upen Patel before she started seeing Usman. She has met his parents and he has met hers. This one looks like it will go a long way. But there was one more which went nowhere. A few years’ ago Preity Zinta confessed that she thought Brett Lee was cute. The two even met. The rumour mills buzzed for a while but nothing eventually happened.

The romance between movies and cricket— the romance between an actress and a cricketer— always gets the rumour mills ringing. Hype, constant media coverage and speculation surround such relationships. It’s natural for cricketers and film stars to be attracted to each other, thrown as they are in a similar cauldron of fame, money and adulation bordering on mania. Bumping into each other constantly at the same social dos only makes matters more conducive. But apart from the fact that the paths of these two glamorous personalities often entwine, what could the enigma behind this romance be? Anju Mahendru who was in love with Gary Sobers ages ago and broke up only because her parents strongly disapproved a black man’s presence is her life had said, “Sports people have a certain aura around them.” Let’s settle for that explanation. It’s all about the aura!

And there were more…

Vivian Richards- Neena Gupta There was a lot of speculation around their relationship. It was a whirlwind romance and no one knew how far it would go. Soon a magazine published the birth certificate of Gupta’s love child Masaba which mentioned Vivian as her father. There was no hiding after that. Vivian comes down to meet his daughter once a year and she goes to the Caribbean to be with her extended family. Kapil Dev- Sarika They were supposed to tie the knot with their parents consent but suddenly his old girlfriend Romi came back into the picture and he decided to go for her. Sarika of course ended up with Kamal Hasan later. Gary Sobers-Anju Mahendru Though Anju Mahendru was in a steady relationship with superstar Rajesh Khanna, she fell head over heels in love with Gary Sobers. But her parents’ strong disapproval for a black man led to their break-up. The two have remained friends since then. Imran Khan- Zeenat Aman The two fell madly in love after they met socially. But Zeenat was unable to impress his Pakistani relatives who didn’t think highly of her since she was an actress and the two separated. Ravi Shastri- Amrita Singh They were engaged to be married. But they suddenly broke up and went their own ways. The reason for their break-up remains a mystery. `Saurav Ganguly- Nagma They were secretly seeing each other for almost three years. But it only lasted until a regional newspaper broke the news of them being together in Tirupati. Saurav’s wife Dona managed to keep her man to herself.

down memory lane

Their love story

Their love story had all the ingredients of a Bollywood love film…opposing parents, childhood sweethearts, a good dose of action and finally a happy ending!

hen Shobha Kapoor first met Jeetendra (Ravi Kapoor then) she was a 14-year-old who didn’t know a thing about love and he was just a teenager looking for some fun. “I was with a few friends when she was taking a stroll on Marine Drive. I threw a peanut at her and that was it!” Jeetendra exclaims. Since then the couple have been together. They have been married for 31-years and over the time their relationship has braved many a storm but as Jeetu puts it “it was all worth it.” While Shobha goes on to say, “I heard of all his affairs but as long as he came back to me and the kids I wasn’t bothered by the rumours.” Jeetendra became a star after the release of Farz while Shobha was an air hostess with British Airways. The thing that Shobha likes most about him is, “his simplicity and honesty. He was a fun lover but not ‘dependable’ in that sense though! We had to cross many hurdles before we married. But once we did, he proved to be an excellent husband.” Ask her how she handled all

the rumours about her husband’s philandering and Shobha is brutally honest, “Initially I would get upset but then I learnt to deal with it. He has always given me respect, never brought me embarrassment. He may not have been the most faithful of husbands, but he never let me suffer for it. Many people hinted that he was having affairs with South Indian actresses... so I would make it a point to fly down every weekend with my kids to spend time with him.” Shobha founded Balaji Productions along with their daughter Ektaa and continues to handle all the managerial decisions at Balaji. A proud husband Jeetendra is all praise for his wife, “She is very stable and is a perfect match for someone like me who isn’t all that stable and moreover is in an insecure profession. She’s my anchor!” he says adding that marriage made him calm. While Balaji is a name to reckon with today, in its initial days the company suffered heavy losses but Jeetendra never lost his trust in his wife. Reveals Shobha, “We (Ektaa and I) worked hard and did not let him down. Our detractors said we were spoilt women but we proved ourselves.” What

is it that led to this implicit trust we ask Jeetendra and he grins, “Shobha is very good with money. She has always handled my finances. Till date I have not signed any check or passed any money for Balaji Telefilms. Instead I take the policy decisions for the growth of the company.” Jeetendra is equally proud of daughter Ektaa and son Tushar. “Both my kids are extremely responsible and never take anything for granted,” he says. He recalls how “Shobha and I started off from the streets with very little money. We needed to struggle to earn enough to feed ourselves.” Ask them the secret of their long standing relationship and Shobha says, “Jeetuji believes in equality and isn’t a chauvinist. He doesn’t mind saying sorry if he commits a mistake. We don’t step on each other’s toes and we give our children their due space as well.” They have been married for 31 years but Shobha is still thrilled by the little things her husband does to make her feel special. When asked for an example she smiles, “It is very special when we visit the Balaji temple. We fly down and then drive to the temple. He walks me up the slippery path protectively and even carries my bag up the stairway!” Jeetendra’s answer to this is, “You’re the best thing that happened to me!” 61

tele-talk

Initial rounds showcase the 24 talented participants of

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Middle East Pakistan 2008 N

ever before has there been a set of 24 participants who have come together from five countries and bonded to form a group that have gone through grueling sessions by professionals from the industry and taken through the nuances of singing for a competition, grooming to face the camera and last but not least of all to be good performers. At this stage groups of four participants are in competition with each other and the initial eliminations rounds are on and vying to be in the top 15 os Sa Re Ga 62

Ma Pa Middle East Pakistan !!! The program has seen success from the word go. Given the 100 percent increase in the aspiring participants who came to the auditions from Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and UAE, the judges were impressed with the quality of the talent that came forward to participate and the unprecedented knowledge they had of the program. Zee TV, the organizers of the program took special care to ensure that a warm and comforting atmosphere was created at the studio. The ripple effect

was simple and expected. Organizers, musicians, judges and the participants spent some memorable light moments together. Some of them will have lasting impressions for most of the participants. Cricket matches, Antakshari sessions, singing practice were only excuses to stick around and have the time of their lives. April will see groups of four performers give it their best shot. A single mistake and all hopes of becoming a singing sensation can be forgotten. The latent talent is clearly

brought forward to fight for their place in the sun. Their hard work and confidence will take them one step higher at each phase of the contest. Time and again Zee TV has proven that Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has had deep insights to pick the right talent, hone their skills and prepare them for a world of professional singing and much deserved recognition. Keep watching Zee TV every Friday, 7.30 pm to get your weekly dose of singing sensations.

Star gazing

MADHURI DIXIT - The Heart Beat of Bollywood Venus the planet of music, dance, drama & acting is responsible for her comeback, which is ruling her chart at this time. The true Taurus she is, governed again by beautiful planet Venus. Her moon and Jupiter in 9th house of her birth chart, the house of luck, is the most important combination. It is not only forming powerful Gajkesri yoga but is responsible for her immense fame. The same combination holds good for everlasting fame. The new beginning will be clearly the big innings for her inspite of pinching dancing shoes in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aja Nach Leâ&#x20AC;?

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) You need to do more research before you make your final decision. Elders may need your help. You must try to help. Emotional up and downs have caused doubts in your personal life. Your mind is on bigger issues and long-range plans. You are optimistic and enthusiastic about your ideas, but disinclined to read the fine print or study all the facts, which can result in an error in judgment. Try not to be lax about important details.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Older family members may take advantage of you by making you feel guilty. You will have a great day if you just say what you feel. You can stabilize your financial situation if you make property investments. Arguments with relatives may lead to a split in the family. You find it stressful to balance needs for freedom and independence with needs for love and intimate companionship.

Stars: Amisha Patel, Shilpa Shetty, Dimple Kapadia

Stars: Govinda, Arbaaz Khan, Dharmendra, John Abraham, Arjun Rampal

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) You may blow situations out of proportion when dealing with the one you love. Sentimental feelings may make it difficult to get much done at work. Don't be too eager to give a piece of your mind or even your opinion this month. Set the ball in motion and be relentless until you complete the project. You may find something you believed to be lost or irretrievable.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19) You can make successful moves. You may be frustrated by the way situations are being handled in your personal life. Throw yourself into your work. You will be overly sensitive when dealing with your personal life. Intellectual disagreements or differences of opinion and viewpoints will arise. You may have to speak your mind in a way that challenges or unnerves someone else.

Stars: Karisma Kapoor, Kumar Gaurav, Naseeruddin Shah

Stars: Salman Khan, AR Rahman, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna

Leo (July 23 - August 22) Take care that arrangements to spend quality time together are made in advance. Recognition can be yours if you present your ideas and stand behind your beliefs. Empty promises will cause upset. Make love, not war, and all will be fine. You will become optimistic and possibly extravagant. You will be cautious than usual, feeling that nothing can possibly go wrong.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Your ability to work with detail could help you achieve your goals. You'll be able to discuss your ambitions with your mate. Don't let your mate bully you into thinking that you owe them your time and your life. Don't agree to make any of those cosmetic alterations you've been considering. You feel lucky and are apt to overestimate yourself or the possibilities in some situation.

Stars: Sonu Nigam, Sanjay Dutt, Rajeshwari, Kajol, Suneil Shetty, Manisha Koirala

Stars: Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol, Jackie Shroff, Urmila

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Offer good conversation and a nice soothing lunch. Try not to let your emotions interfere with the completion of your work. It's time to reevaluate your motives. Be prepared to lose friends or alienate other people if you insist on being stub born. Exchanging information, ideas, and opinions plays an important role in your life.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Investments will cost more than you anticipated. Your partner may push buttons that infuriate you. You may need a good friend to lean on. You need a day to rest and relax with the ones you love. Put your energy at the work place to achieve the best. Friendships and cooperative endeavors flourish in future.

Stars: Viveik Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Mahesh Bhatt

Stars: Shahid Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Pooja Bhatt, Fardeen Khan

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

You could meet an interesting individual you'll want to get to know better. You may want to make changes in your home environment. Don't give your heart too readily. Hobbies will be good for your emotional well being. . You want comfort and ease and have luxurious tastes. Quality is especially important to you right now. Also, you want to share whatever good fortune you have.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) You may find that your documents are not in order. In-laws may cause difficulties. Travel should be considered. Get out and, about. You will be well looked upon due to your compassionate and giving nature. This is a time when you express yourself very clearly, and conversations, negotiations, and communications of all kinds are cordial and successful.

Stars: Yash Chopra, Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Om Puri, Sunny Deol

Stars: Rani Mukherjee, Ajay Devgan, Jaya Bachchan, Arshad Warsi

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) Your ability to charm others will bring added popularity. Secret affairs will only lead to deception. You will be overly generous with children this month. You need to be careful not to make promises that you can't fulfill. Your needs for love, companionship, friendship, and sharing are very strong now, and you won't want to be alone or go off to do solitary work.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) New methods and innovative technology will make your job far easier than you anticipated. Travel will initiate new friendships or love connections. Pleasure trips will turn out to be better than anticipated. Make your intentions perfectly clear and find out exactly what is expected of you. Unexpected pleasures, or a more playful, adventurous attitude in your relationships make this time period stimulating and delightful.

Stars: Raveena Tandon, Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Tabu, Esha Deol

Stars: Bipasha Basu, Madhuri Dixit, Pooja Bedi, Kamal Hassan

Star Gazing is brought to you by Sundeep Koachar, an internationally acclaimed celebrity astrologer based in Delhi. Sundeep treats astrology as a sacred science and not purely as a matter of commercial pursuit. Having studied at AIFAS and Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidhyapeeth, he is currently pursuing M.Phil in the field of astrology. He has had an interest in palmistry right from his childhood days and is quite adept at face reading too. Thanks to his honest answers, using a combination of astrology, palmistry along with the study of the face, Sundeep has a loyal following of celebrity clients including film stars, cricketers, politicians and industrialists. He has made his mark in both the print and the electronic media, having successfully hosted live TV programmes both in India and abroad. For more details about Sundeep log on to www.astro4you.com

Star gazing

Stars: Amisha Patel, Shilpa Shetty, Dimple Kapadia

Stars: Govinda, Arbaaz Khan, Dharmendra, John Abraham, Arjun Rampal

Stars: Karisma Kapoor, Kumar Gaurav, Naseeruddin Shah

Stars: Salman Khan, AR Rahman, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna

Stars: Sonu Nigam, Sanjay Dutt, Rajeshwari, Kajol, Suneil Shetty, Manisha Koirala

Stars: Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol, Jackie Shroff, Urmila

Stars: Viveik Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Mahesh Bhatt

Stars: Shahid Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Pooja Bhatt, Fardeen Khan

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

Stars: Yash Chopra, Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Om Puri, Sunny Deol

Stars: Rani Mukherjee, Ajay Devgan, Jaya Bachchan, Arshad Warsi

Stars: Raveena Tandon, Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Tabu, Esha Deol

Stars: Bipasha Basu, Madhuri Dixit, Pooja Bedi, Kamal Hassan