Ranbir, Bipasha bosom pals

One of Ranbir Kapoor’s close aides thought Bipasha Basu certainly didn’t suit him in Bachna Ae Haseeno. However Ranbir thinks differently. He and Bips are close buddies.

Yeah, their friendship started when they were shooting Bachna... and it continues. Now this is one friendship that is real. Sources say that whenever Ranbir wants to unwind, read it as — confess about his girlfriends or just have a quiet dinner with a pal, he dials the Bengali bombshell’s number.

Bips is also very fond of Ranbir and she thinks he will be No.1 someday. Her beau John Abraham knows of her friendship with Ranbir. In fact John doesn’t seem to mind Ranbir at all. Such no-holds-barred, true friendships are a rarity in Bollywood. Here stars hug when they meet and bitch when their backs are turned. So let’s raise a toast to something pure for a change.

Ajay, Kajol to celebrate 11th wedding anniversary

Ajay Devgn and Kajol will bring in their 11th wedding anniversary on Feb 24.

This superstar couple who usually take a few days off each year just around their anniversary are planning a party with closest friends and family at their Juhu bungalow. Their six-year old daughter Nysa is going to play host to her parents and some of her aunts and uncles. Ajay who loves Kajol to distraction hasn’t shown his affection publicly. However, one hears that with each passing year, he has learnt to appreciate his wife’s dedication to the institution of marriage. And he gives Kajol full marks for making their marriage so succesful. Chalo here’s one couple who can’t have enough of each other despite the years.

Preity a hot gossip topic of B-town

Guess who was the hot topic of discussion on the sets of a film? Preity Zinta. A bunch of Bollywood stars after the director had announced ‘pack-up’, were heard sitting and gossiping about the actress . “When stars have no work, they usually say ‘I’m reading a few scripts let’s see how it goes. Actually in reality, they have no work,” laughed a senior actor and added, “Preity’s now saying the same thing. Bollywood is like a conveyor belt, if you are off it, you can’t get onto it again,” he said. “Preity’s ‘innings’ is over,” he added. To that another actor said, “When their career is rocking, they say ‘I’m tired of doing commercial films, I want to do something more meaningful and then when they get a jolt, they promptly go on to say, ‘I’m dying to do a hard-core masala film.’” Gossip mongers beware, the fiery Preity Zinta won’t take any of this lying down. “People don’t know that today I’ve made so much money that I don’t need to work for the rest of my life. But I can’t sit doing nothing. I’m busy with my IPL team, my production house and also with the TV show I’m going to host,” she had said besides of course, “reading a few scripts!”

Ritiesh, Jacqueline more than friends

Riteish Deshmukh, we have three questions for you. What’s with the skinny, scrawny, almost anorexic look these days? Success, they say goes to your head, but what’s gone to your head, dude? Are you and Jacqueline Fernandez more than just friends? The actor and Jacqueline were holed up in a vanity van throughout the day on the sets of Sajid Khan’s Housefull. The Sri Lankan beauty, who’s just part of a song in the film, was all chirpy and happy in his company. Riteish, apparently, had also told a cameraman at a recent event that he won’t pose alag se for a photo “kyunki hum abhi saath-saath hain”. We, unlike Genelia, have no objection to that, but we do have an objection to your attitude. He, apparently, has the habit of making people wait. He was irritated when photographers asked him to pose for a picture when the rest of the cast including the star of the film, Akshay, was more than relenting. “Patah nahin itna attitude kyun hai,” remarked a person from the sets. Riteish, you must have already angered the Sainiks for your growing friendship with a non-Marathi mulgi, but why anger the media too. Mend your ways, boy!

I'm not aping Rekha: Vidya

Two back-to-back critical and commercial successes and Vidya Balan is literally spoilt with appreciation. And it showed in the glow on her face during her recent visit to the city. While some have marvelled at her effortless reinvention, others have insisted that she has carved a non-interchangeable space for herself after busting the myth of power and beauty being strange bed-partners in recent Hindi cinema. And for yet some more, Vidya is slowly inching towards a zone that was earlier reserved for an actor like Rekha! Ask Vidya about the changing images of Indian heroines and the actor says, “There was a time when Hindi films had heroines including Madhubala, Nargis, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha, who epitomized beauty and strength. Our cinema then had men and women. In the mid 80s, youth became the selling point even as we began to ape the American culture mindlessly. So, it was all about cinema with boys and girls. And even if boys graduated into men, girls remained static. The mindless obsession with youth made us lose sight of heroines abroad, who were more than mere glam dolls.” But today, film-makers claim that Vidya’s choices of breaking away from the clutter have given wings to their imagination. So, is Vidya trying to be the Rekha of new-age Indian cinema? “I am not trying to ape Rekha,” she says at the mention of how, at a recent award ceremony, she had dressed like the diva. “Each one of us is unique. I admire Rekha a lot. She epitomizes the quintessential Indian woman who is vulnerable, desirable, strong, sensuous and so much more. Beyond the obvious South Indian connection of the Kanjeevaram and open hair, to be likened to someone like her, who epitomizes the quintessential Indian woman, is humbling.” What, however, is not humbling for her is the trend of behavioural restrictions on acceptance speeches, especially the ‘no tears, please’ regulation for Oscar nominees. “It’s nice to fumble and also be speechless on stage. Why dehumanize creative people who are extremely emotional? Why take their spontaneity away and make everything look so studied on stage? Even if I don’t feel like crying, I would still do so if I was asked not to,” she insists. And while on emotions, has Vidya found someone special? “I’m single and happy, but ready to be in a relationship. I’m a self-assured person and I’d want someone who is that way. Irrespective of which profession he comes from, I want him to respect others. That’ll happen if he respects himself,” she adds. And what about her personal take on multiple partners considering that her character in Ishqiya has romanced two men? “Men are great at compartmentalizing relationships. A woman can simultaneously have feelings for two men, but she can’t be sexually intimate with both. Polygamy exists, but I don’t think polyandry does.” Meanwhile, offers to explore different mature shades of relationships have come her way. And some of them are in Bengali too. “Film-maker Sujoy Ghosh had offered me a Bengali film, Premer Golpo that would have both Hindi and Bengali film actors. But I don’t know what’s happening to it. I’m keen on doing another classic with Dada (Pradeep Sarkar).” And, of course, there’s Rituparno Ghosh in the list too. Meanwhile, she is readying to go to Delhi on Thursday to shoot for Rajkumar Gupta’s film. Though tight-lipped about the film, Vidya is all praise for co-star Rani Mukerji. “She is a fabulous actor and one of my favourites among my immediate seniors. This film is based on an incident that we are all aware of. But, we are not filming it like a docu-feature. My sister lives in Gurgaon and I am looking forward to my stay in Delhi. The city has a certain sense of romanticism to it. I had shot there for a day for Paa. This time, I’ll be shooting for two months.”
And finally, what’s more challenging for her? Doing a period film or one that’s based on current affairs? “For me, the only defining thing for an actor is to be true to every moment. If I can breathe truth into the most simple moment, my job is done.” Amen!

I don’t know what you say

By Vishal Kumar Bhagat

We have often heard about differences between directors and actors, but this one is surely an exception. Imran Khan and director Punit Malhotra of I Hate Luv Storys have created their own language which only they know and understand.

This might be a fun way for Punit and Imran to share secrets and talk about personal stuff that too in front of everyone, but it cause for amusement and at times even annoyance for the cast and crew of the film.

A source from the unit reveals, “Imran and Punit get along like a house on fire. They know each other since many years and working on the same film has only bought them closer. They both have been born and brought up in Bandra and strangely have their own code language which they always converse in. This language is only known and understood by them. It has been termed as the IP (Imran-Punit) language by the crew.

At times it is quite amusing to hear them talking in their code language because of all the weird words and noises. For an onlooker, it is as good as hearing Greek or German. At times it also gets annoying because no one understands what they are telling each other and more importantly about whom.

After trying hard to figure out what they are saying, Sonam Kapoor has finally given up on them.” Punit says, “I am shocked you know about the code language we use. It’s a very personal thing between us.”

Doesn’t it annoy the cast and crew? “Not really. It is a Pali Hill language which we both have known for ages and we use it now. It is actually used when we want to bitch about someone,” he quips.

On the wall?????

By Vishal kumar Bhagat.

It was a meeting meant to sort out the imbroglio between film producers and lyricists-writers, the latter’s forum represented by Javed Akhtar. But matters came to a sticky head when Aamir Khan, siding with film producers, suggested that lyricists don’t really contribute much to the impact of a song.

It was just too much for the legendary poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar to take, and it soon became a war of words between him and Aamir. Says an eyewitness, “Aamir made it clear that he felt a song becomes a hit because it is picturised on a big star. To this Javed saab asked him, ‘Your first big song was Papa kehte hain. Did it make you a star or did you make that a song run?’”
Temperatures in the room started rising, but Aamir stuck to his stand. “When Aamir again insisted that it’s the star who makes a bigger contribution to a song becoming a hit, Javed retorted, ‘Your so-called contribution is nothing but interference. We lyricists would be eternally grateful if you keep your so-called contribution to yourself. We manage to do good work not because of, but in spite of your contribution.’”

Needless to say, Aamir was growing hot under the collar at this direct confrontation. “But when Aamir went a step further to claim that in any film, a writer contributes more than a song-writer to the film, it was the last straw for Javed. He said, ‘Good for Chetan Bhagat’.”

News of the altercation spread like wildfire in the industry. When contacted, Javed Akhtar said, “I wouldn’t like to comment on what happened between me and Aamir. But this is not just a matter about lyricists, but all writers. Certain royalties have to be paid to writers, which in our film industry, aren’t paid properly. We writers are almost like bonded labourers. There is no room for us to profit in any way. But the government is making suitable amendments in the favour of writers and musician’s. This amendment will benefit everyone, including classical musicians like Pandit Ravi Shankar, who has spoken up in favour of the amendment.”
When pressed to comment on what transpired between Aamir, who represented film producers, and himself, Javed said, “Why just Aamir? They were all against it. The producers and music companies were till now forcing us to write off all rights. The Cabinet has now sanctioned the change, but producers, led by certain stars, are trying to stall it. We aren’t living in a feudal age - we have our rights. And producers have to understand this. All the lyricists, writers and musicians have joined hands to fight this issue together. I am not alone.”

Your so-called contribution is nothing but interference — Javed Akhtar