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DEEPIKA READY TO RESCHEDULE DATES FOR RAJINIKANTH’S RANA
Actor Deepika Padukone, who stars with south supertsar Rajinikanth in the film Rana, has said that she is free to shoot for the film whenever the actor recuperates from his illness. “I have assured them that whenever they want to start the film, whether this year or next, they shouldn’t worry about my dates. Whenever they need me, I will make myself available,” says Deepika, adding “Rajini sir’s health is most important.” The film is being co-produced by Rajinikanth’s daughter Saundarya. PRASHANT SINGH
WORLD CUP HIGH ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
Kites with images of India lifting the World Cup are bestsellers this year PHOTOS: ZABEEH AFAQUE
If Anil Kapoor witnessed what Dev and I were experiencing, I must say he’s a genius. But he shouldn’t have said it
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
N EW D E L H I , Fr i day Au g u s t 1 2 , 2 0 1 1 , 14 PA G ES w w w. h i n d u s t a n t i m e s . c o m
Frieda Pinto
Ban glass manja, demand stars B
Anil let my secret out: Frieda A
ctor Frieda Pinto (above), 26 has spoken out against her Slumdog Millionaire co-star Anil Kapoor, 51, for disclosing her relationship with actor Dev Patel before the couple was ready to tell all. In a soon to be aired episode of Simi Selects India’s Most Desirable, Pinto says that Kapoor “should have given them some time.” In 2009, Anil Kapoor, on Ryan Seacrest’s morning show, revealed that Pinto was seeing Patel. “When I meet them I feel there’s something happening. [I think] this is the beginning of something exciting,” he had said. Opening up about Kapoor’s statement two years later, Pinto says, “If at all it happened while the film was being made, we were not aware of it, or
rather didn’t want to address it. Because you don’t know whether it’s the film doing it or whether it’s the real people that we are that is creating the magic, so we didn’t talk about it, we had these code words to describe in complete profundity what we are feeling, like we’d give each other hints and not say ‘I am developing feelings for you.’ If Anil Kapoor witnessed this when we were experiencing it, he is a genius because sometimes it’s better that the third person sees it. But he shouldn’t have said it before we said it. He should have given us some time.” She adds, “I am at this red carpet and he is suddenly talking to Ryan Seacrest and saying things that are embarrassing me and I was like, what is happening, where do I look.”
When I meet them (Frieda and Dev), I feel there is something happening. This is the beginning of something exciting. Anil Kapoor, on Ryan Seacrest’s show (2009)
If Anil witnessed it, he must be a genius. He shouldn’t have said it before we said it...he said things that embarrassed me Frieda Pinto, on Simi Grewal’s show (2011)
are priced at R5 while the plastic-coatVaishali ed ones cost R10. “On Bhambri one single day we sold ■ vaishali.bhambri@2,000 victory kites; they are hindustantimes.com the biggest hit this year,” says Balbir Singh, owner of his Independence Bhishan Chand and Sons Day, cricket has Kite Merchants. pipped Bollywood Surprisingly, this kite is — with thousands even more popular than choosing to fly World Cup those which have Bollywood victory kites over the ones stars on them. Even the with Bollywood themes. Munni Badnam kite, which Even though India is losing has an image of Malaika abysmally in the ongoing test Arora Khan in the Dabangg series in England, the World item song, and the Sheila Cup win is still a high for kite, which shows Katrina most and kites with picKaif dancing to Sheila Ki Bharat tures of Team India’s Jawani, are not as popcaptain MS Dhoni ular. “Kites with itne saal and the men in Bollywood stars baad World Cup laaya Blue lifting on them are hai, patange toh banti hai the trophy selling, but (India won the World Cup after are bestnot as much. sellers in the In fact, we so long, we deserve to fly kites Capital. are getting more in honour of the win) In Lal Kuan in demand for the —Balbir Singh, Chandni Chowk — Harry Potter kites. I kiteseller the kite manufacturing had 700 kites and they hub of Delhi — some sold out in a day, and I had vendors claim to have sold to order more,” says Ram over 2,000 World Cup Kumar, owner of General kites in a day. “Boys come International Kite Makers. with their friends and ask For youngsters, flying victory specifically for the victory kites on Independence Day is kites. These are selling even a double whammy. “What betmore than the tricolour kites, ter way to feel proud on which are the bestsellers Independence Day!” says every year,” says Mohammad Abhishekh Baruah, 20. “I Altaf of Kallu Bhai Patang have bought 150 victory kites. Wale. He adds that they’ve The kite flying competition already sold 1,700 victory will be awesome,” says kites. The paper kites Raman Khanduja, 23.
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KITE FLYING MANIA HITS THE CAPITAL ■
To walk the streets of kite market with us and check out Bollywood theme kites and the latest Chinese kites, turn to page 10 of our bumper HT City or log on to www.hindustantimes.com/kitesindelhi
On a roll with Winnie Robin Bansal ■
robin.bansal@hindustan times.com
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Jim Cummings has been the voice of Winnie The Pooh for 25 years
e has been voicing Winnie the Pooh and his friend Tigger since almost 25 years now and veteran voice artist Jim Cummings (left), 58, says the honey hunt isn’t over yet. “That’s me. ‘I’m Winnie the Pooh. O ya but don’t forget old Tigger,” he mimics the iconic characters as he speaks to us over phone from Los Angeles. Excited about Winnie the Pooh movie’ release in India, Cummings says he loves India and Indian food. “I’d love to come there. Oh my God, you have such a wonderful country. Bollywood is really big over here. One of my daugh-
ter’s is a gourmet chef and all she cooks is Indian food,” he laughs. Even after voicing over 100 characters in over 350 titles such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shrek, DuckTales, Aladdin, TaleSpin, The Little Mermaid and The Simpsons to name a few, Cummings says the journey hasn’t ended. “I never try to take myself too seriously but I try to take my work seriously. Animated movies last forever. And it’s a great honour,” he says.
Ask him why he’s stuck to animation for so long and he says it’s because that genre is “forever.” “I’ve been a great fan of Walt Disney. I wish I could have met him… I am doing this for my children... and grandchildren.” Cummings casts a dig at the current sci-fi trend in Hollywood and says, “There are no giant robots in this movie. No aliens or no zombies. You have to sit through till the very end of the credit because there is a little surprise for everybody. You’d be glad you did.”
HOT SELLERS THIS YEAR Harry Potter Kites: Has an image of a young Daniel Radcliffe from the first movie — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Secret ■ Sheila Ki Jawani Kite Shows Katrina Kaif in a pink outfit from the item song in Tees Maar Khan ■ Munni Badnam Kite Has the now-iconic image of Malaika Arora Khan in the item song from Dabangg ■ Yamla Pagla Deewana Kite Has a photograph of all three Deol — Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby — from the film ■
ollywood actor Rahul Khanna has written to the government asking them to ban the sale of glass laced manja (kite string) this Independence Day. Khanna has joined hands with the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals and other Bollywood stars to create awareness of the fact that glassed manja causes fatal injuries to birds who are entangled in the string. “The manja used in kite flying competitions at this time of the year can be deadly to animals. Something this dangerous should be considered a deadly weapon and must be outlawed without delay,” he says. “Any precaution taken to support animal or human welfare is appreciated. It’s definitely more sensible than changing names of lanes and cities,” says actor Amrita Rao, who supports the cause. Last year, actor Sonam Kapoor featured in an ad calling for a ban on manja. “When these stars learned that countless birds are injured or killed by glass coated manja, they wanted to do everything to stop the deadly kite strings from being used,” says Sachin Bangera, of PETA India.
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
The manja used in kiteflying competitions is laced with glass and deadly for birds. It must be outlawed Rahul Khanna, actor
Actor Sonam Kapoor is also a supporter of the cause