Sonam Kapoor
DELHI 6 premiere takes place in (where else) Delhi today and Sonam Kapoor would be walking the red carpet (yet again) close to one a half years after the release of SAAWARIYA. We caught up with the actor and spoke to her about her confidence level post SAAWARIYA, her current favorite film (DEV D) and of course her definite image change (courtesy her ‘bindaas’ photo shoots). Over to Sonam:
Amrita Rao
2008 was an eventful year for Amrita Rao. She started off with MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES which in spite of not doing well at the box office at the least helped showcase a different (read ultra glam) side of hers. A special appearance in SHAURYA followed but the role was so small that it went relatively unnoticed. However, she bounced back with WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR where in her ‘gaon ki gori’ role, she went on to win hearts all over again. From a village setting, she graduated to playing a small time girl in VICTORY which is now finally getting ready to hit the screens this Friday.
Shilpa
Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS) Actress Shilpa Shetty, who plays an Odissi dancer in an upcoming Sino-Indian film venture titled “The Desire”, is full of praise for her Chinese co-star Xia Yu, whose name she says is invariably mispronounced by Indians.
Deepika Padukone
You have a phenomenon 2009 ahead of you and life seems too good to be true. But did you have any resolutions this New Year’s eve?
No resolutions really, every year I hope that the following year is as exciting as the previous year and I am very happy with the way my professional life is going and I just hope that this year is the same for me. I always hope that I remain happy because I think happiness is very important.
What do you think about the music of RAB NE BANA DI JODI?Which is your favourite track from the film?
I was not apprehensive of looking older in
ew Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Actress and television host Mandira Bedi, who will be seen opposite TV actor Eijaz Khan in the forthcoming film “Meerabai Not Out”, rubbishes talk that she was apprehensive about looking older than her co-star in the film.
Suniel Shetty
Actor Suniel Shetty is a true businessman. The way he is juggling two careers that of a producer and an actor one will envy him. Right now he is all excited about his recent film EMI, that has been produced by his production house Popcorn Motion Pictures and he is hopeful about the film doing good at the theatres. The actor speaks to our correspondent on his films, production house and future plans.
Imraan Khan
He’s cool…literally. Unlike politically correct Bollywood stars he mouths his mind. After his debut in JAANE TU…YA JAANE NA, Imraan Khan has become the new icon of Gen Y. The 24-year old plays the ‘bad man’ in his second film KIDNAP. Our correspondent catches up with the new Khan on the block during his breezy visit to Kolkata.
So you are all set to be seen as ‘the angry bad young man’ in KIDNAP?
Ya…see, I am not going to say ‘I am so lucky to have such diverse roles’ sort of thing. Bollywood is maturing…now we have refreshing storyline as well as experiment-loving producers who are ready to risk new subjects with newcomers.
But can you deny that being Aamir Khan’s nephew has made things easier for you?
Let me make an honest confession. I found my debut project myself. Abbas Tyrewala, the director of JAANE TU… saw me in a party and we gelled well. He narrated me the script of his new film that Jhamu Sughand was supposed to produce. I said I am interested in doing the film and was selected at the screen test. But for some reason Sughand declined to produce the film. Aamir Khan was looking for a good film to invest his money. He liked the script and produced the film. But of course I will always remain grateful to him for my break.
Did you always want to be a part of Bollywood?
Yes, I wanted to make my career in Bollywood, but not as an actor. I wanted to be a filmmaker. I am trained in script-writing and film direction from New York Film Academy. Actually when I came back to Mumbai, I was meeting people who will be interested to give me a scope to work here. In fact my family even said Aamir is wasting his money in the film because Imraan can’t act.
Tell us something about your character in your second film KIDNAP.
You told that yourself in the beginning of the interview…that I play the ‘angry bad young man’ with an edgy look. Actually my character in the film is not as grey as it looks…after all I am the hero, yaar! But on the contrary, I had to stretch myself a lot to get into this character unlike JAANE TU…that was a comfort zone.
There is a rumour that after JAANE TU… your signing amount has hiked to Rs.7 crore that makes you the highest paid newcomer in Bollywood. Is it true?
I don’t know about the ‘highest paid newcomer’ tag because I don’t have time for market survey. If someone is making a good small budget film, I will definitely ask for a small amount.
There’s another talk of the town that you were not the producer’s choice for KIDNAP …true?
Yes and the full credit goes to director Sanjay Gadhvi. There was an entire list of actors suggested for the role by the producers at Ashtavinayak Films. But I was Gandvi’s choice and after a few meetings with the producers I became their choice too.
You seem to be quite open to discuss your girlfriend Avantika Malik. Is it a new trend of neo-Bollywood?
During the promotion of JAANE TU… a journalist in Mumbai asked me that since Aamir Khan hid his marriage during his debut in QAYAMAT SE QAYAMAT TAK, do I too have such plans. I gave her detailed history of my six-year relationship with Avantika and said if my personal life is the yardstick that determines the success of my professional life, then I won’t have to showcase my talent. The film will sell like hot cake anyway since I am a bachelor. As in mamu’s (Aamir) case, there were reasons for his decision.
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was in Kolkata to walk the ramp. Our correspondent caught up with the Bachchan-bahu for a candid interview
Abhishek is playing a superman in his recent release DRONA. Don’t you too want to play a superwoman in future?
Why in future? I am already a superwoman in real life. Ask any married woman and she will agree to my answer.
You are just back from The Unforgettable tour. As far as we know, you have been the initiator of this entire idea. True?
Not the only but one of the initiators. Actually way back when Abhishek and I were just co-actors, I kept telling him ‘let’s be a part of a troupe and go on a world tour’. And he kept on saying ‘It’s not the right time’. But I never thought that my wish will be fulfilled in such a grand way and that we will be part of the team as man and wife.
You too are married for over a year. Are you more ‘a Bachchan bahu’ or Abhishek’s wife?
(laughs) Both are the same.
Really?
Okay. See, when Abhishek proposed to me, we were only lovers. But when you are married you can’t expect to remain only a wife. Isn’t it? I am happy that Abhishek gave me such a wonderful and caring family. As for Abhishek, he is everything I wanted my man to be and more.
But has marriage affected your male fan following, and in Abhishek’s case, his female fan following?
For this, you should have come with us to the world tour. Girls went mad screaming for Abhishek. And, well…ask Abhishek to comment on my fans on my behalf.
Coming back to DRONA, what do you have to say about Shahrukh Khan attending the premiere in Mumbai?
What do I have to say…it’s for the media to say and scribble. Jokes apart, see in spite of all our differences we are part of the film fraternity and it’s our courtesy to welcome all fellow-members. It’s not just being good to one person but the entire industry.
Okay, now back to Abhishek.
Oh-my-God…so you are determined to make our personal life public.
So, has marriage changed you a lot?
Not at all. I am what I was. See, we are not married for changing ourselves. But of course when two people settle down together there are little adjustments to be made on both sides. Other than that, we make sure to give each other enough breathing space.
While every one was expecting you two to be a part of a romantic flick, your post-marriage release was SARKAR RAJ-that’s far away from romance. When will the audience see you romancing each other on screen?
In Mani Ratnam’s next. Right now the film is called RAVAN but the title may change. Well, that reminds me, I won’t need to ‘act’ in that film.
During your marriage there were speculations that your marriage is actually a marriage of brands…
What rubbish! Do you think our marriage would have survived even for a day if it was not out of love. Tell me, what can I do if my father-in-law is Amitabh Bachchan, mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan, my hubby Abhishek Bachchan and I am the bahu of the Harvansh Rai Bachchan family!
Are there no competition in the family regarding the profession?
Compete with Amitabh Bachchan on acting! Forget it. And Abhishek is my hubby and I, like any Indian wife, can only be proud of his achievements.
Are you planning a family right now?
I already have a family. (laughs loud) I know what you exactly mean. Do you think I will be able to hide it under my drapes if there is really something right now! And trust me; I won’t even try to hide it.
Amitabh Bachchan is into blogging. Do you have any such plans in future?
Blogging is the best way to communicate with our well-wishers. It’s just like sharing your happiness, worries and achievements will all our fans who make us ‘stars’. I have seen Pa’s (Amitabh) blog…how people interact with him with so much ease…as if they are just sitting beside him. Both Abhishek and I would love to blog but don’t have enough time to dedicate to it. So for the time being, we will have the media as our communicator.
Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor, 77, was recently in Kolkata to cheer one of his favourite directors, Shakti Samanta at the latter’s festival of retrospectives in the city. In a tete-a tete with our correspondent, Kapoor gets into a nostalgic mood
Screen, an esteemed British quarterly on serious cinema, once carried a piece comparing Shammi Kapoor, the dance-master hero, to Elvis Presley. Knowing this independent actor, he would not care for the comparison. Today the ‘Yahoo!’ guy is a net wizard and as sharp as ever.
Tell us something about your famous helicopter song in AN EVENING IN PARIS.
That was one of the scariest experiences of my life. The film was novel because it was a rare occasion in those days to shoot across the world and Shakki (Shakti Samanta) had decided to take us to places like Canada, Beirut, Switzerland, France and many other places. While the song ‘aasmaan se aaya farishta’ was being recorded, I had a brainwave. I suggested to Shakki why don’t we shoot this song from a helicopter so that it brought out the meaning of the song. It was just a joke; I forgot all about it. Then comes this telephone call from Shakti informing me that we were shooting that song with me hanging out from a helicopter! He had hired a helicopter and its pilot for shooting in Beirut. I was so scared that my skin stood out in goose bumps. I had to down two glasses of brandy on the morning of the shoot to keep my spirits up. But when I was high up on the air, hanging precariously off the helicopter, I could not hear the song I was supposed to lip sync to. Shakki solved the problem. He looked up at me and sang out the lines and I followed his lip movements to lip-sync. The song is still a big hit among listeners but no one knows the inside story. I jumped 200 feet from the helicopter right into the sea with no bones broken.
Let’s hear about your Kolkata connection.
I have some fond memories of this city. And I cherish them because these are linked to my first years of growing up. We lived somewhere near Hazra. I used to go to a nursery school with a servant. One day, I got drenched in the rain and my teacher made me strip down completely right inside the class in front of the others. There were girls too and even at that early age, I recall I felt very embarrassed in front of them. Once, my older sister Umi took me to the tramline and left me there, I do not remember why or how. I was scared to death and I do not remember who brought me back. Once, my mother gave us a one-rupee coin because Raj had promised to take our manservant and me to watch GULLIVER’S TRAVELS at Metro cinema hall. He was only seven but very diabolic about money. He asked us to wait while he fetched the tickets. He came back after two hours only to tell us that there were no tickets! Many years later, I realized that it was a trick he had played to watch the film alone and pocket the money for the other two tickets!
I also remember the wonderful Bengali dishes I savour to this day such as chorchori, the mishmash of vegetables you cook with mustard oil, chingri maach and mutton curry. I did a Bangla film called PARAPAR with Tapas Pal and Anup Kumar in 1990. I have worked with Uttam Kumar in DESH PREMI and I liked him very much as a man admired him as a wonderful actor. We shot the climax of Shakti Samanta’s CHINA TOWN with the Hooghly as the backdrop. I met Manik-da (Satyajit Ray) at the silver jubilee celebrations of my film PROFESSOR in Kolkata.
