Kajol News

Yuvraj Pours His Heart Out

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/tv-guide/yuvraj-pours-his-heart-out-455

Simi Garewal is gratified. This week’s guest is cricketer Yuvraj Singh who will be speaking his heart out on the show. Not many know that Yuvraj has acted in two Punjabi films. When asked if he would star in more films he said, “Maybe when I retire. I would love to act with Kajol.”

On being asked if he has met Kajol and got a chance to speak to her, Yuvraj said, “Ya, I have and when I got a chance to meet her I told her, ‘When I was young, I had come to take an autograph’ but I just couldn’t get through to her because of the crowd.” Strange as it may sound, cricket was not the explosive cricketer’s first love. It was skating. But his father hated it. “He thought it was a girl’s game. I remember when I was a child and I won a championship, he threw my gold medal and skates away and said that was enough of this game, start playing cricket,” revealed Yuvraj.

His father Yograj never played for India and wanted Yuvraj to fulfil his dream. The training he gave Yuvraj was tough. “I remember practising in the lights with nets and the ball. It was just cricket 24 hours… I used to get so tired,” he recalled. When asked whether his father stole the son’s childhood, Yuvraj said, “I won’t say that. But yes, he was tough on me, I didn’t like it at that time but I think those sacrifices were the reason why I played for India at a very early age.”

I'd Love To Work With Shah Rukh Khan: Kajol

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-25/news-interviews/29926661_1_actress-kajol-shah-rukh-khan-tanishaa

Actress Kajol attended the fashion week to cheer sister Tanishaa on who was walking the ramp. The lady, however, made a quit exit soon afterwards, and though she gave the media a miss, she told us, "Have to get back to the kids. I'm missing them already."

Kajol, now a mommy of two, is giving her home and family her priority. But it's always been that way for the actress who lights up the screen everytime she appears. She squeezes in one film after every few years, and mostly they are with Shah Rukh Khan. "I have two favourite co-stars: One is Shah Rukh, and the other my husband! And I'd love to work with them again and again and again."

Her hubby is climbing the ladder of success quite quickly. She said, "Yes, I know. I loved Singham. It was masaaledaar and total paisa vasool."

I've Punched A Fan In The Face: Kajol

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/newsinterviews/Ive-punched-a-fan-in-the-face-Kajol/articleshow/9757515.cms

Fiery, feisty Kajol. A brand by herself. A firebrand. Yet one of the best ever.

Here she confesses how she pinched a kid, punched a fan in the face, whistled during Singham - and was, well, essentially Kajol. All day long, on zoOm Superstar Weekends. Keep watching...

Looking good after baby no. 2. How was motherhood this time around?
Oh, completely different actually. I met a lot more people than I did the last time. The last time, I just locked myself at home and didn't meet too many people. But this time, I was working till I was six months pregnant and I then got back to work two-three months after Yug was born. I've really been out and about this pregnancy!

Recently, Ajay advised Kareena and Saif to not get married in an interview! Your comment?
I take it as advice that he has given, not something that he's practising, thank God. Haha!

Did you enjoy Singham?
OMG! I loved it! I screamed, I shouted, I ceetee maroed and everything... I had a blast. And mind you, I didn't watch it at a single screen. I watched it at a special screening and we went in looking all classy. Five minutes into the movie, everybody was screaming, clapping and whistling! It was fabulous.

Was it you who gave Ajay the Marathi tips?
Not really, but I've been training him for the past 15 years (laughs); so something should rub off na?

Are you working on your personal website? What will it have?
I don't have the time or the energy to join 100 different networking sites, so an official website would be one way of talking to my fans. Basically to voice something; or put yourself up as how you see yourself rather than what everybody else sees you as.

And what do you see yourself as?
I see myself as a good person most of the times, a bitch sometimes (laughs); but I like myself as a person. I respect myself. It's a little bit of everything.

You use that B-word for yourself. I doubt you can really be that, do you?
Not really, but there is a little streak of meanness in me that I think is there in most people, which they deny. I am mean, I'm nasty at times. I don't feel like talking to people at times. When I am in a bad mood and have had a really awful day, don't come in my face because I am not tolerant and I am not a goddess, I can't handle it after a point. I am going to get up and I am going to scream and I am going to say bad things to you.

What's the meanest thing you've done?
I've punched a fan in the face because he was obnoxious. I've also pinched a child and made him cry, but I was 10 then!

Seven Sins Check

Are you guilty of Lust?
I hope so, I have two children. I sure as hell hope so (laughs)!

Gluttony. One food item that you cant resist.
There is no one thing. Especially when you are on a diet. Ooof!

Greed. Have you ever done a role for money?
No, I haven't.

Anger. One person who has angered you the most.
I have a lot of road rage. Mostly with the rickshaw and cab drivers trying to cut me, it's the traffic. Grrrr!

Envy?
I don't envy anybody, touch wood.

Pride. Do you think pride is a sin?
No not at all. It's a trait that should be put into people. Most of the population in our country don't have enough of it.

Sloth: Are you guilty of it?
I'd love sloth. I wish sloth would come home and visit me once in a while. I don't consider laziness a sin at all.

It would be awesome if she had a website! She can always ask some good website deigner Or she could simply have a blog like Big B.

I feel all bad but I kinda wish she would still just get a damn Twitter
Hopefully this website will be good!

i don't care for twitter i am glad she will do a website instead

Neelambari Perumal a fan of Madhuri and Kajol!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Neelambari-Perumal-a-fan-of-Madhuri-and-Kajol/articleshow/9943729.cms

Madhuri Dixit and Kajol have a new fan amongst their growing list of admirers. Neelambari Perumal, who will make her Bollywood debut with the film Jeet Lengey Jahan, says that both she and her mother are huge fans of the actresses, "My mother is a Bharatnatyam dancer, and I have also been inclined towards dance since as long as I can remember.

Whenever I used to dance, my mother would ask me whether I have seen how graceful Madhuri Dixit looks while dancing and that I must follow in her footsteps, literally. She is an amazing actress and both of us are huge fans of her."

She is also a die-hard Kajol fan and says, "I have seen all of Kajol's films. She is just so unbelievably good! These are truly inspiring actresses."

Talking of her debut film, she says, "My character is called Saloni and it's a film about three friends who are inseparable in college but lose regular touch after student life. It's a meaty role and the film also talks about anti-corruption, which makes it even more relevant. I am really excited and the entire shooting experience was fun, as we were great buddies off the sets. I am not too nervous as I have worked in Bombay Mittayi, a big Malayalam film, earlier. I just hope everything goes well and next, I might do a Tamil movie. As long as I get good roles, language doesn't matter."

Mind Your Lingo

http://www.asianage.com/cinema-paradiso/mind-your-lingo-361

It was supposed to be their ‘mother’ tongues, so to speak. With the advent of time and linguistic flexibility, though, Bollywood films are no longer being made in the Hindi language. Welcome hybrid speak?

They have been speaking in a heavy smattering of English. And even movie titles baffle the viewer unaccustomed to the Queen’s language. Whether it’s Bodyguard, That Girl in Yellow Boots, Mere Brother ki Dulhan, Force or Tell Me Oh Khuda (heavens!), and uh oh, there’s more: U R My Jaan, Rascals, Love Breakups Zindagi, Players and Dirty Picture. The tendency is to completely exclude viewers who aren’t English savvy, never mind if they actually comprise the bulk of the movie audience.
Throwing caution to the winds, Delhi Belly was almost entirely in English, topped by expletives which for once didn’t burn the ears of the fuddy-duddy Censor Board.
In recent decades, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are the only lyric and dialogue writers who have assigned a degree of importance to the Hindustani language — a blend of Urdu and Hindi/Hindustani — in which the Bombay-produced films have traditionally spoken. However, of late they too have opted for Hinglish, particularly in their lyrics, defending themselves with the excuse that this is the ‘sign of the times’. Indeed? Big city moviegoers may be partial to English but small town viewers are certainly not.
The English bias can be explained partly by the boom, sparked in the 1990s, for Bollywood cinema among the NRIs settled all over the world. Of late, though, the overseas market has been fluctuating, leaving quite a few ‘upmarket’ filmmakers flummoxed. Whom are they designing their films for? Ask them that and they dart the expression of blank slates. And to think there was a time when a single throw of a line of dialogue from jaani Raaj Kumar and the arre-o Amjad Khan had audiences asking for more, much more.
Be that as it may, the diction of actors has become largely laughable. Most actors, like John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan, appear to have trouble in handling a single line of dialogue delivery. So even as your ears jangle with the massacre of the Hindustani language in the Bollywood movies, your respect mounts for the few artistes who have cared for and at least sought to preserve the purity of movie dialoguebaazi.

Here’s saluting the top 12 living movie personalities who have sought to mind their language:

Dilip Kumar: No one can touch Yusuf saab for pronunciation, modulation and those deafening pauses which were more expressive than a thousand words.
You must hear him in: Uran Khatola, Amar, Devdas... actually practically everything he acted in.

Amitabh Bachchan: He picked a trick or two from Dilip Kumar and evolved his own distinct, baritone style... outstanding particularly during those angry young days. Too much of going haiiiiinh-haiiiinh now.
You must hear him in: Deewar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Chupke Chupke, Agneepath, Kaun Banega Crorepati shows.

Rekha: Knows her Urdu inflections perfectly... a cool voice...
Terrific at accents and dictions.
Considered the Best Dubbing Artiste. It is believed that the tricks of the diction trade were taught to her by Mr Bachchan. Applause please!
You must hear her in: Umrao Jaan, Muqaddar ka Sikandar.

Shabana Azmi: Dramatic, home-bred in Urdu, adept at pitching dialogue to just the right level.
You must hear her in: Arth, Mandi, practically everything she acts in.

Tabu: Understated, underplayed and yet gets every nuance of the language spot-on. Also outstanding in Telugu.
You must hear her in: Maachis, Astitva.

Govinda: Despite his tendency to go crazily colloquial, he’s excellent in Hindi dialogue, now if only he got screenplay writers who wouldn’t make chutney of his zubaan.
You must hear him in: In snatches from his movies... in recent times, Partner is his best.

Ajay Devgn: Cool, correct pronunciation and fluent.
You must hear him in: Phool aur Kaante, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Company, Singham.

Shah Rukh Khan: Has the Delhi lehza. Initially had the trademark stutter k..k..k..k but dispensed that to give shape to each one of his words.
You must hear him in: Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Chak De! India, Rab ne Bana di Jodi.

Aamir Khan: Effortless, at home in pronunciation and diction... can be tops in street smart stuff too (Rangeela).
You must hear him in: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Rangeela, Raja Hindustani, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, practically every film he has acted in.

Run for cover: They need language and diction lessons. Hema Malini (still), Katrina Kaif (she tried to get it somewhat right in Rajneeti, but in vain), Priyanka Chopra, Urmila Matondkar, Lara Dutta (ewwww types), Kareena Kapoor (too la-di-duh), Saif Ali Khan (sounds like Himesh Reshammiya on a bad day), Kajol (hyyyyyyyysterical, eats up words), Abhishek Bachchan (dubbing studio engineer’s nightmare), Aishwarya Rai (much too sing-song), Asin (is that her voiiiice?) and Bipasha Basu (can’t get it right unless she has one or two simple lines to say).

----

Makes me laugh since I LOVE when Kajol talks

Celebrity Adds Support Weight

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Celebrity-ads-add-sports-weight/Article1-744442.aspx

The period of January to June this year saw an 11% jump in sports personalities’ endorsement of brands in TV advertising, compared to the same period in 2010, according to TAM AdEx data based on advertising volumes — in seconds — during commercial time. Sports personalities' share of celebrity endorsement advertising stood at 21% in the first half (H1) of 2011, compared to 10% in H1 2010.

MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar featured at the third and fifth positions among the top 10 celebrity ad endorsers this time around. Dhoni had been the last and the only sports celebrity in the top 10 celebrity ad endorsement rankings in H1 2010.

A look at the top 10 sports endorsers in H1 2011 showed an almost total domination by cricketers, current and past. The only non-cricket sportsperson in this list was Saina Nehwal at seventh position. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and IPL in H1 this year, with high expectations on India winning the World Cup, had a lot to do with the cricket celebrity skew in the top sports celebrity ad list.

During H1 2011, celebrity advertising captured a 16% volume share of overall TV ads, with film actresses continuing to dominate the celebrity endorsement space with a 39% share, a drop from 42% in H1 2010. Katrina Kaif continued to rule the rankings with a 6.42% share of the pie.

Among actors (TAM AdEx considers actors and actresses from Hindi cinema and TV), Shahrukh Khan displaced Abhishek Bachchan from second rank with a 5.59% ad share. Abhishek Bachchan had a 4.25% share of celeb ads in H1 2010 at second position but in H1 2011, he slipped to seventh rank with a 3.09% share. Akshay Kumar improved his ranking from the 10th to the eighth rank with a 3.01% share, and Asin and Saif Ali Khan made an entry in the top 10 list.

Amitabh Bachchan featured in the sixth position with a 3.51% share in H1 2011; he had not featured in the H1 2010 top 10 list. Kareena Kapoor took the fourth position with a 3.78% share, up from sixth last H1. Aishwarya Bachchan, Kajol, Deepika Padukone and Genelia D'Souza disappeared from the H1 2011 top 10 list — they had featured on the list in H1 2010.

The Thirties Club Allures

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article2441975.ece

Who says only the 20-somethings have all the fun in showbiz? Bollywood is getting used to the 30-plus tribe that includes a few late bloomers, finds sangeetha devi dundoo

Gul Panag gave the phrase ‘Turning 30' a glamorous dimension with her film. Even before Gul, Bollywood had warmed up to the 30s club, when a number of actresses at the peak of their career turned 30 and had no qualms admitting it.

Kajol, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, Rani Mukherji, Vidya Balan and recently Kareena Kapoor didn't flinch when they hit 30. Some continued to cast a spell while others didn't and their age had nothing to do with it.

One could argue that established actresses would have it fairly easy with big production houses continuing to woo them (like in the case of Kareena), but surprisingly, the industry is witnessing actresses even making a debut post 30.

Two of this year's spunky debuts — Poorna Jagannathan (Delhi Belly) and Nargis Fakhri (soon-to-be-released Rockstar starring Ranbir Kapoor, directed by Imtiaz Ali) — are on the ‘wrong side' of 30, conventionally speaking. Add to that list Barbara Mori of the cold turkey Kites who was 30-plus when she made her debut.

Thirty five-year-old Mahie Gill, who has been around in the industry, didn't hit the bull's eye till Dev D came her way in 2007. Vidya Balan, too, was a late entrant by Bollywood standards at 28, when she arrived with Parineeta.

Dhobi Ghat's Monica Dogra, too, was 28 when she auditioned for the film. The list doesn't end there. Riya Sen, Reema Sen and Anjana Sukhani are also part of the 30s club.

Nargis Fakhri

Ever since Imtiaz Ali revealed that half-Czech, half-Pakistani model Nargis Fakhri will be sharing the screen with Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar, the spotlight has shone on her.

The production team barred her from talking to the media prior to the film's release to ensure she remains a mystery woman. Speculations on whether she is dating the Kapoor scion only added to the aura. Nargis hails from New York, met Imtiaz Ali in Prague and was at first reluctant to step into Bollywood but eventually agreed. Rockstar is scheduled to release in November.

Poorna Jagannathan

She had no problems smooching Imran Khan or mouthing expletives in Delhi Belly. The 39-year-old actress was a brand strategist in advertising before taking up acting lessons at Actor's Studio, New York. Born in Tunisia and having spent her early years in Brazil, US, Argentina and Pakistan thanks to her diplomat father, Poorna Jagannathan romanced the camera for television productions in the US before Delhi Belly came along.

Monica Dogra

Armed with a camera, she scans the gritty bylanes of Mumbai in Kiran Rao's picture-perfect Dhobi Ghat.

Of late, she has been touring the country performing as part of her band Shaa'ir+Func and looks forward to her new albums — a solo and a collaborative work with Midival Punditz' Gaurav Raina. Monica turned down Kiran Rao's request for an audition as she felt Bollywood was steeped in clichés. She relented much later when Kiran called her a second time.

Monica also lent her voice to the Dooriyan number in Break ke Baad. Though Monica made heads turn with Dhobi Ghat, production houses haven't made a beeline to sign on this dusky singer/actress who loves unconventional roles. Will she be another late bloomer like Vidya Balan and Mahie Gill?

Kajal Arggarwal Joins The Ranks Of Madhuri & Kajol

http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/11/sep/08-kajal-aggarwal-joins-the-ranks-of-madhuri-kajol-091107.asp

After the success of SINGHAM, Kajal has become a hit with the brands too, specially her smile. Recently, when she was shooting an ad for a leading brand, everyone couldn't stop complementing her on her smile.

Says a source, "When Kajal walked in, the first thing that people noticed was her smile. They couldn't stop talking about it. There are very few actresses who have a beautiful smile like Madhuri Dixit and Kajol and now Kajal joins the gang. Infact, one unit member said that everyone kept telling her again and again that she has a million dollar smile. "

"Kajal Aggarwal, who is originally a Mumbaikar, has managed to establish herself as one of the biggest actresses down South. And now with her debut in Bollywood with SINGHAM, she did make a lot of heads turn. From essaying the role of a princess to a girl next door to a traditional girl and now a simple Goan girl in SINGHAM, Kajal has proved that she can do a great job as an actor. She has a varied range in looks. What's creditable is that in a short span of 4 years she has managed to do over 22 films down south. Down south she has worked with all the top actors like Charan (Cheeranjivi's son), NTR, Prabhas, Suriya, Mahesh Babu and many more,"

She played the lead in MAGADHEERA, which is the highest grossing Telugu film ever. Her role was critically acclaimed universally. She did a brilliant job as a princess in MAGADHEERA and reviews stated her as the surprise package of the film, apart from calling her cute, charming and eye catching.

Add Sridevi to those who need language and diction lessons (still).

I think the way Kajol talks reflects her personality. She says what and how she wants. And she doesn´t really care

Which it should

Madhuri Dixit remembers Gautam Rajadhyaksha
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/LIF-madhuri-dixit-remembers-gautam-rajadhyaksha-2429453.html?LOF-2

For actor Madhuri Dixit-Nene the news of ace photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha passing away on Tuesday came as a rude shock.

“I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Madhuri told DNA from her home in Denver. “He was like family. In fact, he considered Kajol and me daughters. When I got married, he said that his daughter’s going away now. He even visited me when I had children and he would call them his grandkids.”

“I have lost a good friend,” said Madhuri, hoping that he went away peaceful and satisfied. “I do wish though that he could have inaugurated his photography school in Pune. That was his dream that he’d finally realised,” added the actor, who was a personal favourite of the photographer. “That’s what he always told me, but in fact, he was the one who was a fave with everyone.”

Madhuri revealed that her first shoot was with Gautam and she was “merely a nervous newcomer. “I was about 17 when I walked in for my first shoot with Gautam.

I was so insecure and unsure about make-up, the looks and all, but he was such a gentleman and put me at ease saying that I didn’t need makeup at all. Then there was no looking back. I did so much work with him after that,” shared Madhuri. “He was a beautiful photographer and wise, warm, generous, kind-hearted and giving in spirit as a person. He saw beauty in everything and his portraits were simply stunning.”

“Shooting with him was always like a picnic,” said Madhuri, as she spoke about him getting her favourite food duringshoots. “He would get me kaande pohe and keep in mind what food I enjoyed.”

She revealed that he was also a talented singer. “He was extremely well-versed in classical music and would sing beautifully. In fact, we would always have Latatai’s or Ashatai’s songs playing in the background during shoots. Once when I told him that I too loved their songs, he gifted me an entire collection of their songs that he recorded especially for me. I still cherish those cassettes,” she said.

“It’s hard to put in words the loss I feel, but I have lost a true friend and nothing can compensate his absence. I just hope that he’s in a happy place. Miss you, Gautam.”

Kajol Gets Involved With Indian Dance School

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/bollywood/Kajol+promotes+dance+school-59898.html

One of Bollywood's most-loved and talented actresses, Kajol has recently been approached by dance school 'Strut' to attend one of their classes. The stunning star who agreed to come along also interacted with all the dance students during her visit.

Speaking to The Times of India, Kajol said that she liked the work of Bhaavesh Gandhi who is the dance instructer at 'Strut' and who has also worked with award-winning Bollywood contemporary dance choreographer, Shiamak Davar. She said about Bhaavesh that: "I have seen him and I believe he's very good."

She goes on to say: "Two very good friends, Ryan Stephen and writer Niranjan Iyengar own this dance school, and I am all for promoting talent and any form of education."

The 37-year-old actress also loves to dance as a form of exercise herself, especially since the birth of her second child Yug, last year. Kajol has been on a strict diet to keep healthy and is also learning new forms of dance to remain fit and keep her body in shape.

Remembering Gautam

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-16/people/30160770_1_kajol-gautam-rajadhyaksha-amitabh-bachchan

On his birthday today, Jitesh Pillaai pens his memories of the ace photographer

Two days ago, we lost one of those magicians — Gautam Rajadhyaksha — to time.

Flashback : It was one of those early morning shoots, with a designer. Gautam wailed, "He's just not an early bird." There was Kajol making, what else, a racket, Mickey Contractor patting and powdering her early morning blues and reds. Bekhudi , her first film (also written by Gautam), had just been released. Kajol made no bones about the fact that she enjoyed photoshoots and journos like me as much as she took pleasure in getting a root canal treatment.

Yet there was a calmness that descended in the room, as the magician started his trade. Things settled, shutters opened and shut in the blink of an eye, and the final result made Kajol's face lighten up with a smile. Gautam assuaged ruffled feathers, was equally at home with Puccini, Asha Bhosle and Natya Sangeet, and could make even a government office burnish with a glow.

The stairs leading to his home had pictures of leading operas. It was an old world charm, like the ones in Parisienne households. Servants noiselessly gliding around with trays of food. In that house redolent of operas and soul curry, he could rustle up varan bhaat and Shepherd's pie just as he whipped up his 'softies'.

I've seen goslings morph into divas. Tabu and Juhi do jewellery shoots for Filmfare. SRK and Kajol shoot for DDLJ and KKHH . Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala shoot for Akele Hum Akele Tum . All along, you would find Gautam patiently cajoling, eliciting a map of expressions from even the most frozen faces. Like all magicians had their muses, I secretly suspected that he had his perennial favourites — for their myriad hues — perhaps Madhuri, Aishwarya and Kajol. His pictures of Rekha had a textbook precision. Each telling a true blue tale.

I particularly recall the one he did with Karisma Kapoor after the Filmfare awards, in dim candle light as the electricity current had gone off. His command of the language of light, his ability to respect the star and draw out the personae stood out — be it Sunil Gavaskar, JRD Tata or Amitabh Bachchan. Superstars are known to be a particularly suspicious species. But they just submitted to Gautam.

Gautam Rajadhyaksha's Picture Perfect Moments

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Gautam-Rajadhyaksha-s-picture-perfect-moments/Article1-747199.aspx

I was just out of college, on my first job, when I met Gautam Rajadhyaksha. He was imperious, immaculately turned out and impatient with little twits.

I would tiptoe into his studio and try to melt into the background as the lights were being set up for the diva of the day. Sometimes, he would agree to visit a star at home for an exclusive. I would trot along like Mary’s little lamb for the interview, sometimes even carrying the tripod for his Man Friday, while Gautam marched ahead like a commander-in-chief.

One such shoot was at Poonam Dhillon’s house, soon after she married Dil producer Ashok Thakeria. The star and our star lensman bonded over erratic hours and unfortunate pimples, while Ashok and I exchanged stray comments as we waited for the pictures to be clicked and the tête-à-tête to begin.

I still remember the romance in those pictures, even with a painfully shy Ashok having to be coaxed to face the camera. However, when it came to ‘together’ sessions, Gautam’s personal favourite was the one with Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. No, I wasn’t present at that shoot, but I heard about it from him years later when I prodded him to pick a photograph from his collection for our anniversary special.

The date: December 1, 1991. Venue: The suite of a suburban hotel. Time: 7 pm sharp. Gautam and his assistants, along with the film magazine’s editorial duo, waited and wondered if the shoot would happen. Would the habitually late Kaka offend Babumoshai, who was a stickler for punctuality, and would two decades of hostility spark off more hostility?

The clock struck the hour, no one appeared. The minutes ticked away… Five, ten, fifteen…At 7.15 pm, the two superstars walked in, hand-in-hand. Forty-five minutes later, the pictures were done and it was time for the interface.

“At my prompting, Rajesh Khanna recalled how after a preview show of Anand, three days before the film’s release, he had stopped off at Javed Akhtar’s house to tell his wife, Honey and him that the tall, dark man (Amitabh Bachchan) was going to shake up the industry and wipe them all out,” Gautam had told me.

I wondered worriedly if the flashback had made sparks fly. “No, Kaka went on to say that two of Amit’s and his best films—Anand and Namak Haram—are those that featured them together. The tall man agreed. And I came back with a historic picture,” he smiled.
It wasn’t often that you heard any traces of awe in Gautam’s voice when he spoke about his models. But there was awe in people’s eyes when they saw his beautiful faces; Madhuri Dixit’s in particular. Gautam openly admitted that she was his muse. And she also got the maximum chiding, in chaste Marathi, for her talent for sprouting a fresh crop of pimples just before an important shot.

She turned up once, with one side of her face covered with these eyesores. Gautam frowned darkly and handed her over to make-up whiz Mickey Contractor for a salvage operation. But not even Mickey’s pancake and paints could make Madhuri’s face blemish less again.

I despaired over our shoot happening, but I’d forgotten we had a magician around. Gautam tossed a ‘duppata’ at her and told her to cover her head and the “offending” side of her face with it. He then picked up his camera and voila, we had our cover girl!

On another occasion, she came to the studio after an accident, with a badly injured back. There was no way she could wear anything tight. Gautam fussed over her like a protective patriarch and gave her a swatch of royal blue to wrap herself with. Only her shoulders peeked out tantalizingly. A silver choker around her neck, studs in her ears, her hair dressed up in a chignon and the Mumbai ‘chi mulgi’ had metamorphosed into Princess Grace of Monaco!

If Madhuri was malleable clay that could be easily moulded, Kajol was a flighty Ariel who had to be bribed with Toblerone chocolates to face the camera. Gautam was the one who had persuaded Rahul Rawail to come for Tanu’s (Tanuja) daughter, Kajol’s first photo session. They were looking for a fresh face for Bekhudi that Gautam had scripted and Rahul was instantly wowed.

Kajol had gone on to become Bollywood’s numero uno and then shocked everyone with her decision to chuck it all away at the peak of her career and settle down with steady date Ajay Devgn. Only Gautam wasn’t surprised by her decision, and when prodded, he had said, “If her happiness lies in opening an orphanage or a bookshop or even rearing children, then so be it. Whatever brings her joy brings me joy too.”

He knew his godchild well and had predicted correctly that even if she were to continue as an actor, she would not be a part of the rat race. Making it to the top has never been a big deal for Kajol, he pointed out, but insisted that she would continue doing the odd film that would always draw crowds.

He was one of the few invitees at her non-filmi wedding, and what made it memorable for him was seeing Kajol as a Maharastrian bride in a typically conservative Punjabi household. “The craving for Mills & Boon romances and Toblerone chocolates has been satiated. Kajol’s found her man. In fact, she’s found herself not just a good husband, but also a good home,” he told me with all the warmth of a proud father.

The words came back to haunt me as I watched Kajol bid her final adieu to a man who had been her friend, philosopher and guide.
Work kept me away from his funeral, but I bid him a quiet goodbye from the office.

Some friends are forever...Even when they are not around. I miss you Gautam, but will not forget you. Your memory will always be framed in your beautiful ‘faces’.

Dusky Beauties Of Tollywood

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-20/news-interviews/30179295_1_skin-tone-dusky-beauties-heroines

They've come in various hues down the ages — peaches-andcream, pale, wheatish, dark; think Sharmila or Moon Moon, Debasree or Shatabdi, Tapas Pal or Arjun Chakraborty — but sitting in the cinema, you wouldn't have known the difference.

Call it the grace of lighting or make-up, the default skin tone for Tollywood's damsels and heroes has always tended towards the fair — at least on screen. But a clutch of actors are now breaking free of the shackles to show that dusky is beautiful.

Says Parno Mittra, who is one of those breaking the skin tone stereotype, "When I was doing television, I used to be told that my make-up should make me look fair. Amake phorsa kore dite bola hoto. But not in cinema. I have been a very confident child and never fancied a fair complexion. Today, even glamorous roles are offered to actors with dusky skin tones. The audience also loves my skin tone and I am very confident and comfortable with it."

It started in Bollywood with heroines like Kajol, Bipasha Basu, Malaika Arora Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Neetu Chandra, Sameera Reddy and Chitrangada Singh. Among heroes, Ajay Devgn, Irrfan, Kay Kay Menon, Madhavan and Chandan Roy Sanyal were dark, but not discriminated against.

That trend has picked up in Tollywood too. Paoli, Parno, Ananya Chatterjee and Sudipta Chakraborty among the women and heroes Dev, Indraneil Sengupta, Rudranil Ghosh and Tota Roy Chowdhury have delivered hits that show that the mindset of Bengal's audience is changing as well.

Says Paoli, "Never in my life have I used a fairness cream. Initially, it was very difficult for me. I was not considered glamorous at all. Though dusky beauties have always ruled in the West, Tollywood had this mindset of only wanting fair heroines to play the lead. Since I didn't come from a filmi family, it was tough for me to prove myself and be a trendsetter. With the kind of roles that I have done, I think, it's become a lot easier for many dusky heroines who are entering the industry now."

Ananya feels that it's actually because of her skin tone that she is offered interesting roles. "When Chandreyee and I started doing serials, dusky heroines had already started being accepted on the small screen. Offbeat movies offer interesting work to heroines with wheatish complexion. In mainstream Bengali cinema, there is still a fetish for the fair heroine. But when it comes to men, Dev, I believe, has fought against any taboo and found mass acceptance despite his complexion," she says.

The industry accepts that after Mithun Chakraborty, it's Dev who has broken the myth that heroes should be fair in mainstream cinema. "There was a time during my college days when I wished I could be as fair as my friends. But not any longer. Today, I realize it's all about connecting with the audience. They have to believe that I am one of them. Once they think they too can be like me, it establishes an instant connect. Then skin tone doesn't matter at all," Dev says.

Directors, of course, are also conscious about the shift in preferences among the audience. Says Raj Chakrabarty, hitmaker of "Chirodini... Tumi Je Amar" and "Ley Chakka", "The screen presence of an actor is most important. That has nothing to do with the skin tone. A fair actor might look very unsmart in front of the camera and he would never work for me. There was a time when Tollywood's heroes were supposed to be fair and slightly plump. Now, the fundamentals have changed. It's about casting the tall, dark and handsome guys. Dev's complexion never bothered me when I cast him in my movies. Of course, my heroines have all been fair. But that's because I never got my 'krishnakali'. I personally like dusky women and would love to work with them."

Says Kaushik Ganguly, "The audience has evolved. The industry is more educated. Gone are the days of chocolate heroes. In "Laptop", I cast Rahul Bose, Ananya, Rajesh Sharma and myself. In "Rang Milanti", I have Tanaji and Indrasish. None of them can be called fair."

Where Are The Big Indian Stars, Asks Toronto's Cabbies

http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/where-are-the-big-stars/20110916.htm

Toronto cab driver Rashid Khan has declared the Toronto International Film Festival a flop. And this, without seeing even a single festival film. "Mazaa nahin aya," he said. "No fun, brother. There was no glamour this year."

He was, of course, talking about the actors.

I said, "Brad Pitt [ Images ] was there. Madonna [ Images ] was there, and there were also many young Hollywood actresses."

"That is not enough," he said, giving me a 'are you stupid or what' kind of look. "Where was Katrina Kaif [ Images ] or Kareena Kapoor [ Images ]?"

He said the previous years when Rani Mukerji [ Images ], Priyanka Chopra [ Images ] and Kajol [ Images ] walked the red carpet, he took off hours from his routine to stand by the curb-side and watch the event. "I even went to see two or three films because Hindustani actors were there at the special show. My bosses were not happy. I was losing money but to see Shah Rukh [ Images ] or Aamir or Priyanka, it is nothing."

The owner of a Somali restaurant, Ali Hussain, said he too was disappointed that no big stars from Bollywood were going to be in Toronto this year.

"I would have closed my business for couple of hours to see them," said Hussain who single-handedly runs a 15-seat restaurant about one-and-a-half miles from the main festival venue. "In Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria or even the whole of Africa, we like Indian heroes because when they lose their sweethearts they cry and sing. Hollywood actors are afraid to do it. That is why I like Shah Rukh and Salman more than Brad Pitt. When they fight with their girls, they are very, very sad and we cry watching them."

Brad Pitt was in town to promote his latest Moneyball which was one of the more popular movies at the festival.

Most of the estimated 6,000 cab drivers in Toronto are of Pakistani, Indian, Iranian, Ethiopian and Somali origin and Hindi films are very popular with them.

When an Ethiopian or Iranian cab driver asks me if I have seen any celebrity at the film festival, he is not thinking of big Hollywood names. "I saw Hathi Mere Sathi when I was a boy more than 35 years ago," says an Ethiopian cab driver. "I think I have seen the film at least ten times and I think it is the best film I have ever seen."

When I told an elderly Indian cab driver that Shahid Kapoor [ Images ] and Sonam Kapoor [ Images ] were coming to the premiere of Mausam (which was cancelled later), he said, "I have heard of Shahid. I think I have seen him in a film with Kareena Kapoor, but who is this Sonam?"

An Iranian cab driver who watches two or three Hindi films a month on video had heard Akshay Kumar [ Images ] was going to be in town to promote his first English language production. "But he comes to Toronto many times," he said. "Will Salman Khan [ Images ] be coming? I heard he is all right after his surgery in America."

When a Pakistani cabbie also asked about Bollywood stars at the festival, I said Freida Pinto [ Images ] is here to promote Trishna.

"Is she Hindustani?" he said. "What kind of a name is that? I like names like Saira Banu, Nutan, Meena Kumari and Nargis [ Images ]."

Kajol Most Desired Mom

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-27/news-interviews/30207928_1_kajol-sonali-bendre-commercials

Madhuri Dixt who is now returning to India from Colorado, USA, has bagged a couple of commercials. One is for a fabric softener where she is shown playing with a child.

Well here is news from an advertising world insider.Parvez Qureshi who makes commercials and corporate movies says that of all the married actresses who are now available for commercials like Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Sonali Bendre, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol and Juhi Chawla, Kajol apparently is the most preferred mom among the Bollywood mothers especially for commercials.

Kajol who is already endorsing a life-style range with husband Ajay Devgn and a couple of food products is apparently approached for most commercials featuring the 30-plus moms. However since she comes with a much bigger price factor than the other heroines, the makers or the product owners approach the other married actresses.

It is said that Kajol is the leading name because her equity is attached to makers like Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra who still find central roles for her in their movies.

Kajol Dances On Jennifer Lopez's Song

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-16/news-interviews/30283736_1_kajol-dances-lot-of-free-time

Kajol isn't shooting these days and has a lot of free time on hand. So she has taken up a new hobby. She dropped in to try a class at Strut - The Dancemakers in Bandra.

Kajol danced to the tune of Jennifer Lopez's Get On The Floor with her friend Bhavesh Gandhi. She gushed later, "It was fabulous. Bhaav is a good teacher and I will come here again." C'mon Kajol, do an item song now!

Welcoming Baby Bachchan

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/welcoming-baby-bachchan/861752/

If the traffic jam around Amitabh Bachchan’s home, Jalsa in Mumbai’s Juhu area, on Tuesday afternoon, is any indication, then the to-be-born baby of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan is already a star. All the lovely moms and grandmoms of tinseltown came

calling for Aishwarya Rai’s baby shower. The glam mum brigade was led by Gauri Khan, Twinkle Khanna, Manyata Dutt, Sonali Bendre and Kajol. Kirron Kher, Pamela Chopra, Hiroo Johar and designers Neeta Lulla (who came in with daughter Nishka) and Anna Singh also took part in the celebrations at Jalsa.

Jaya Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan Nanda were the joyous hosts, ensuring fussing over guests.

All the attention was focused on the parents-to-be who looked resplendent. While Abhishek was clad in a matte gold kurta, Aishwarya wore a saffron-and-red coloured lehenga along with a long kurta with floral jewellery and a veil dotted with mogra flowers.

Designer Anna Singh noted how beautiful Aishwarya looked. “She was glowing and more than anything else, she looked really happy,” she said.

In keeping with the custom, the food was vegetarian Indian cuisine. Shamianas with beautiful floral decorations were erected specially for the function and singers belted out Hindustani classical songs. One of the guests pointed out that the event was, in typical Bachchan style, “very classy”. “The Bachchans never go overboard and this time too, they chose to keep it simple and beautiful,” said the source. Aishwarya’s mother Vrinda Rai is also planning another function along the same lines on October 23.

When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Defeated Sholay

http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/when-dilwale-dulhania-le-jayenge-defeated-sholay/



The Shahrukh Khan-Kajol starrer surpassed the Amitabh Bachchan film to become the longest-running Bollywood film

When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge released on October 20, 1995, no one expected it would go on to become the longest-running film in Bollywood history. True, it was backed by Yash Chopra, but it was an untried director (Aditya Chopra) with young unconventional-looking stars Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in a love story. But every negative perception fell by the wayside once the movie hit the screens. It received rave reviews from critics in India and abroad, and from the public. Tom Vick reviewed the film for Allmovie and said, “An immensely likeable movie, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge performs the rarely achieved feat of stretching a predictable plot over three hours and making every minute enjoyable.” It is reported to have earned over Rs. 106 crore in India and Rs. 15 crore overseas. Six years later, it overtook Sholay to become the longest-running film in Indian cinema. And it didn’t stop there. DDLJ continued to run for 15 years non-stop at a Mumbai theatre. In fact, it is believed to be among the top five highest grossing Hindi films of all time.

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Makes me laugh because some people didn't believe me when I said it would happen

Akshay Back To MasterChef India!

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Television/Akshay-back-to-MasterChef-India/Article1-783950.aspx

The actor, who was once rumoured to be anchoring the current season, dropped out of it around August this year, stating that he didn’t have the required dates. Also, his show, Khatron Ke Khiladi Torchaar, was ending too close to the culinary reality show’s opening. He had reasoned that he didn’t
want anyone to associate him with two rival channels in a single year, within a gap of two months.

Later on, there were rumours that Farhan Akhtar and Kajol had been approached to anchor the show as well, but the actors turned it down for reasons best known to them. Eventually, Akshay was replaced in the second season of MasterChef India by Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna.

MasterChef India 2 ends on January 1, 2012 with Akshay Kumar as the celebrity guest-judge on the show. He is likely to announce the winner’s name and hand over the prize to him or her. Airing on Star Plus, the show is only two weeks away from the grand finale, which will have the remaining top chefs battle it out for the title of MasterChef.

Nitin Vaidya, business head, Hindi channels for Star Network, confirms the news and says, “It’s our pleasure that Akshay managed to take time out of his schedule for this show. We are working out a plan to ensure that we make it worth his time.”

The numbers for the show, that airs almost in the same slot as the previous season, have been between 1.5 and 2.5 across weeks, which is higher than the previous season. Buzz is that the channel plans to continue to ride high, with Akshay Kumar taking charge of the next season that should start next year.

Nitin adds, “This year has been extremely fruitful for the format and in turn, for us. The content has been loved and followed by many people across the country. We have no complains.”

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Can't say I'm sad she's not doing it. I just want a film.