How fair is Bollywood with the Fairer sex?

It is often observed that Bollywood always associates the women folk to beauty, charisma and style. There’s hardly any mention of their acting prowess. It’s not because they don’t possess the ability to emote perfectly, but because they were never thought anything more than glamour dolls. And this phenomenon is nothing new to this industry.

From it’s inception till date, the way a woman is portrayed on screen is a far cry to our Western counterparts. Hollywood churns out female-centric stories like Lara Croft: The Tomb Raider and the Kill Bill series at regular intervals. However, in Bollywood, a female centric film means an arty genre, which only pulls critics to the theatres not crowds. From Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor to Kangana Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra, everyone fell prey to this mediocrity on the part of the industry.

Say for example, Aishwarya Rai who was equally good as Jodha in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa Akbar, but it was Hrithik Roshan who walked away with the Best Actor trophy in almost all the award ceremonies.

The past comes calling

There were random instances of stalwarts like Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan and Raj Kapoor making an exception with their brilliant presentation of women excelling as a wife, mother and beloved. Bimal Roy’s Bandini, Sujata, had women taking centre stage in the film with powerful performances by Nutan. But unfortunately, the films got tagged as art cinema, thereby alienating it from the mainstream Hindi movies.

The poetically beautiful, scintillating, and mesmerizing Madhubala too fell prey to this trend until Mughal-E-Azam came along to prove her worth as a fine actress. Not only her touch-me-not beauty enthralled the audiences, but also her superb portrayal of forlorn courtesan in love with the heir to the throne of Hindustan, Salim. Before she got immortalised by Mughal-E-Azam , she was often seen doing little to minute roles in films like Chalti Ka Naam Gaddi, Kalapani, Mr. And Mrs. 55, etc. Same goes for Nargis, who though was a quintessential element in all Raj Kapoor movies and was equally wonderful as the showman himself, remained just heroes’ love-interest. In films like Shree 420, Awaara and others, she was just Raj Kapoor’s heroine who gets him back on track when he goes astray. It took Mehboob Khan’s Mother India to bring out the actress in her and bag an Academy Award nomination.

However, there was an exception in the form of Meena Kumari who was one actress for whom roles were

tailor-made. She was the most versatile actress of all times. She could equally match up to the comic histrionics of Kishore Kumar in Shararat and also play the tragedy queen in Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam convincingly. She was not just another pretty face in tinsel-town but an actress whose expressions used to speak a 1000 words.

But other actresses like Sadhna, Nanda, Saira Banu, Sharmila Tagore, though were iconic, their presence in the films used to just add on to the glamour quotient. Even actresses like Vyajanthimala, Hema Malini and others were just dancing divas which used to eclipse their acting prowess.

The worst 90’s

This trend took a turn for the worse with the advent of 90s. It was an era of actions films and required well-built actors who could bash up 10-20 goons singlehandedly. So while actors like Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan. Suniel Shetty, and other did the beating up parts, actresses like Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor were just their muses. Being confined to sing and dance routines, actresses took more interest on the way they dressed than the way they act. Even a brilliant actress Tabu did films which couldn’t prove the brilliance of this actress. She debuted in a commercial flick Prem and did many such films like Ek Chor Ek Sipahi, Vijaypath, and others, which confined her to the glam doll image. Then came the hard-hitting Astitva and Chandni Bar, which not only bagged her two National Awards each, but also an identity of a talented actress. Same goes for Madhuri Dixit (Mrityudand), Raveena Tandon (Daman) and Karisma Kapoor (Fiza, Zubeida).

However, Sridevi is one actress who not only managed to get author-backed roles in majority of her films but also excelled in it. She started her career with Solva Saawan after doing loads of south Indian films. Her second film Himmatwala was a big success and she also got recognized but she kept on getting same kind of roles and even

starred in a few. She took the most daring step to be different from the rest when she signed Sadma. Here she played the role of an amnesic girl, which won her adulations and the National Award for Best Actress alike. And the rest as they say is history. She went on into doing some of the enviable roles of all times in films like Naagin, Lamhe, Chaalbaaz, Judaai, and others.

Apart from her, no one was as lucky to go anywhere near to her. And with such movies in circulation, the female audiences always felt left out or cheated to see the state of girls being so weak and demoralizing in films. The wardrobe exhibition which the heroines took to towards the end of the 20th century made them more prone to being just a glamour doll.

The Present

In the present times, we do get to see female-centric films coming out every year. But other than Fashion, none of these films scoop up a heavy total at the box-office. They are still tagged as ‘Unconventional films’. But with a surge of new starlets, filmmakers and storytellers, the trend is somewhat moving towards the brighter side. Today films like Lajja, Chameli, Woh Lamhe, Fashion and others do hit the theatres but the frequency is too rare to get noticed. Even if they are not classified as non-commercial films, they still have a niche audience mostly girls themselves. So the reach of such films is still negligible when compared to a Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan starrer.

Read More.....

Priyanka Chopra gets discharged!

Priyanka Chopra, who had to be rushed to the hospital after she complained of severe stomach pain on early Saturday morning, being discharged from the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Monday morning. A pale looking Priyanka left the hospital with her father Ashok Chopra.

Of late, Piggy Chop's health seems to be fragile as she had also fainted a couple of days earlier on the sets of her forthcoming film, What's Your Raashee? Priyanka constantly had visitors during her stay at the hospital including beau Shahid Kapur who spent some quality and quantity time with her on Saturday. Interestingly, Shahid's parents Pankaj Kapur and Supriya Pathak Kapur too visited Priyanka, clearly sending signals that she is very much part of Shahid's family.

However, her once 'best friend' Hurman Baweja stayed away from visiting her, as he is said to be currently shooting.

Read More.....

Shah Rukh’s causing a din!

One man’s construction is another man’s obstruction – such is the case at the Shah Rukh Khan household where ongoing construction work has shattered the neighbourhood’s peace. The worst affected by the noise is Retreat House that lies right behind Khan’s home, Mannat, and shares a common wall.

Shah Rukh is currently in the process of building a huge underground car park behind Mannat, and the constant hammering and grinding is affecting Retreat House, which is a congregation home where senior Jesuit priests to meditate and hold masses for clergy. Sources say that Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri had sent an advance apology note to the priests, and had promised that between 1 pm and 3 pm weekdays and on Sundays, excavation work would be stopped. But it has failed to appease the priests especially since four senior priests were forced to walk out of Retreat House due to the din.

To make matters worse, Gauri sent another missive to the priests requesting that they allow the engineers to erect steel props on either side of the 15 feet compound wall. The priests are unprepared to allow such an intrusion and are consulting their lawyers in the matter. Maybe Khan’s “mannat” this April better be for peace!

Read More.....

Sophie on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens

Making a drastic move from onscreen oomph to sizzling music videos and now to a haven to die for, is Sophie Choudry with her Mumbai pad, that reflects just about everything from aesthetic taste and fascination with the far eastern culture to an abode that boast of three generations of women with a lavish taste under a single roof. Though this lass has always been talked about for her curvy figure, the ultimate household magazine 'Better Homes and Gardens' (in its April issue) takes a peek at her Oriental abode.

Offering some tips about her haven's décor is Sophie herself, with play with colours, to enhance not just the beauty of the furniture within but also to augment the natural light that adds to the over serenity of the place.

Talking about the décor, Sophie hints at minor changes that can help revive the surrounding as well as enhance the karma flowing through the house. With well placed and majestically designed décor any mundane flat can be turned into a Shangri-La.

The magazine takes the reader into her bed room that screams of royal glamour and bliss, a perfect combination of modern times with aesthetic sensibility to achieve the zenith of stability and serenity.

The issue is a must have for all die-hard Sophie fans who get a chance of a lifetime to have a sneak peek into her heavenly abode.

Read More.....

Movie Review : 8x10 Tasveer

8 x 10 TASVEER disappoints. The film goes wrong, in fact horribly wrong, in the penultimate 20-25 minutes, which is the lifeline of any suspense-thriller. Nagesh Kukunoor has missed the bus this time!

Nagesh Kukunoor enters a new zone with 8 x 10 TASVEER: Suspense-thriller. His choice of the genre and subject material is also right. Yet, 8 x 10 TASVEER goes wrong, horribly wrong.

Now what was that? This is one question that haunts you at the end of the show. And, seriously, you want to direct this question to Kukunoor, who is also credited as the writer of this film.

Okay, let's dissect... The concept is interesting. The atmosphere is perfect. The mystery deepens with each passing minute. Just when you thought that Kukunoor had pulled it off, a twist in the tale pulls the carpet off your feet. The film crumbles and the impression generated by some brilliantly executed sequences evaporate into thin air.

For any whodunit to succeed, it ought to hold your interest till the very last frame. Most importantly, the answers raised in the screenplay have to be convincing and justified. But 8 x 10 TASVEER gets unbearable towards the penultimate 20-25 minutes. When the mask is taken off the killer's face, you are surprised. But the reasons that compelled him to act that way are childish. What happened, Mr. Kukunoor?

To cut a long story short, this tasveer is out of focus!

8 x 10 TASVEER is about Jai [Akshay Kumar], who possesses supernatural powers. Jai is of Indian origin who works as a forest ranger in Canada. His life is shattered by a loss of an important person in his life - his father [Benjamin Gilani]. This personal tragedy leads him to use his unique supernatural powers to unravel the mystery.

Now let's get to the root of the problem: The discrepancies in the script. Of course, 8 x 10 TASVEER is a whodunit and it would be sacrilege to reveal the end or the identity of the killer, but the reasons that compel the murderer to commit crime after crime are unbelievable and far from convincing.

The moment the truth is out in the open, from that point onwards, the writer doesn't have convincing answers to offer. There are so many gaps that remain wide open till the end.

Nagesh Kukunoor goes two steps ahead as a technician, but five steps behind as a storyteller. The film has been shot stylishly and the breath-taking locales of Canada and South Africa only give the film a picture perfect look. But the screenplay is faulty. So faulty that you exit the auditorium with questions and more questions in your mind. The outcome fails to convince.

Vikas Sivaraman's cinematography is top notch. The locales are splendid and the DoP has captured them with élan. There's no scope for music in the film and the three songs [opening titles, romantic song and end credits] are passable. The background score [Salim-Sulaiman] is electrifying.

Akshay pitches in a sincere performance. 8 x 10 TASVEER is a complete departure from the kind of films the actor is popular for and it only goes to prove that he's ready to experiment. Ayesha is natural. Sharmila Tagore is graceful. Jaaved Jaaferi is first-rate. Girish Karnad, Benjamin Gilani, Ananth Mahadevan and Rushaad Rana are perfect in their respective roles.

On the whole, 8 x 10 TASVEER disappoints. The film goes wrong, in fact horribly wrong, in the penultimate 20-25 minutes, which is the lifeline of any suspense-thriller. Nagesh Kukunoor has missed the bus this time!

Read More.....

Abhishek as Tansen!

The Barjatyas may be lying low after Ek Aur Vivah, but they’re planning to return with their grandest film of all.

To be directed by Satish Kaushik, it will be a bio-pic on the life and music of the legendary musician-singer Tansen who regaled Emperor Akbar’s court in the 16th century. The last important film on Tansen was made in 1943 when K L Saigal immortalised the classical vocalist with his screen presence and voice in a film directed by Jayant Desai. The only actor-singer today is Himesh Reshammiya. But Himesh as Tansen?

Apparently since Kaushik worked with him in Karz, Himesh’s name did come up for consideration. But the Barjatyas, known to be sticklers for protocol and tradition, firmly vetoed the idea. And the mantle has fallen on Abhishek Bachchan.

“He has the look and intensity. He also has the dialogue delivery of his father. And we do need a Tansen who thinks in Hindi and talks the language fluently,” said Satish. That kind of eliminates the Barjatyas’s favourites Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan — who apparently were also considered. But the all-important music score that will require a firm grip over classical elements, is going to another favourite, Ravindra Jain, who did films like Geet Gata Chal and
Chit Chor.

Read More.....

Women are superior: Akshay

Is it sheer coincidence, pure conspiracy or a publicity stunt that whenever Akshay Kumar has a film ready for release, the action star gets embroiled in some controversy that takes on national proportions and gets played out on all channels with full drama?

It happened before Chandni Chowk To China and, earlier, Singh Is Kinng. Now just after the Khiladi’s new big film hit the screens yesterday, Akshay is in the thick of two burning issues relating to a promo for Sajid Nadiadwala’s July release Kambhakth Ishq and his being a somewhat daring showstopper at the Lakme Fashion Week for designer Tarun Tahiliani on Monday.

According to his detractors, the Kambhakth Ishq promo has Akshay holding the sexy Kareena Kapoor suggestively with his lines reading, “Women are good for only one thing...” The film promo, released on March 27, has tongues wagging in disapproval already. And at fashion week, well, his walking the ramp in jeans that were unbuttoned partially by wife Twinkle sitting among the frontbenchers, has led to a social worker filing a complaint with the police against the actor, his wife, the LFW organisers and also the hotel where the event was held for indecent, vulgar and obscene behaviour..

The police is uncertain whether it has a case. And legal experts vary between being vague about the law and dismissive of the complaint. But Akshay is furious. These aren’t publicity stunts, he declared.

Earlier when dragged through similar fires, the actor scoffed at the attempts to defame him as being the work of a leading contemporary in Bollywood who was insecure about his meteoric rise in the film industry. But this time, while not taking names and hinting that he knew who was behind the exercise, Akshay is determined to prove a point.

Apologising if the jeans-being-unbuttoned stunt hurt anybody’s sentiments, he said that the entire act was part of the storyboard and was no big deal — thereby shooting down the rumour that it was done at the last minute because SRK was going to be Manish Malhotra’s showstopper later that night. And of the Kambhakth Ishq promo, again he chose to take the actor’s way out by saying, “Why do people forget that actors play roles, enact parts and deliver lines to get reactions... they are never personal?”

The promo, incidentally, gives only half the line. “Wait for the complete line,” advised Akshay, “then women will be glad to know how the jerk I portray eventually sees the value and importance of the superior gender — the woman!”

Read More.....

What's happening in Bollywood!

All the pretty girls in town; one has a sporty cover, one has a new cosmetic deal, the others have the same phone and two have the same awful dress.

Perfect New Face: Joining the likes of Aishwarya Rai and Eva Longoria, is the stylish Sonam Kapoor who is seen in a print ad for the new Flawless White Perfect day crème. The ad appears in the April issue of magazines like Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire.

Sporty Girl: Svelte and sexy bod Shilpa Shetty graces the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. It makes sense for her to be in sportswear since the IPL is about to start.

Same-Same: Priyanka Chopra and Prachi Desai share the same phone in different colours. Priyanka has a black Nokie N95 while Prachi has the mauve and silver version of the same. The phone will set you back by a cool 25 grand

Vote Karo: While we are happy that Kat has been named as the Indian Barbie but we can't really help but wonder if that decision is fair?! Katrina has a British passport and is a British citizen. What is more is that she can’t even speak the National language fluently enought while Ash is fluent in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Urdu along with English. Ash is internationally renowned while Katrina doesn’t enjoy international fame. So really what could be the reason for Kat edging Ash out for this one?

Horrific Match: Shriya Saran wore the short and slightly varied version of the dress to the LFW recently while Neetu Chandra wore it to a Gladrags event a month ago. Both are equally repulsive and ghastly. Don’t the ladies take a second opinion before stepping out?

Jewellery Diva: The gorgeous Sushmita Sen inaugurates a PC Jewellers showroom in New Delhi. We love that she isn’t clad in black and her white outfit looks beautiful and relaxed. Her kundan neckpiece is elegant, even royal and we’d love to get out hands on it. The green rock on her finger makes us green with envy.

Read More.....

Models present creations by designer Anamika Khanna during Day 5 of Lakme Fashion Week 2009

Read More.....

Neil Nitin Mukesh had to get a tanned look for Aa Dekhen Zara & New York

Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif looked so gora together on screen in Kabir Khan's New York that one of them had to tone down the fairness-quotient.

And naturally, the chosen one was Neil. He had to use tanned makeup in the film. Laughs Neil, "All three of us Katrina, John and I are light complexioned. John had a nice dark tan during the shooting in Philadelphia. But it was a fight between me and Katrina on who was looking fairer. She used to accuse me of looking fairer than her."



Eventually, Neil had to settle for a tan to tone down his 'fairness'. And not just in New York. He also had to tan himself in Aa Dekhen Zara for totally opposite reasons. Bipasha being dusky, Neil had to tone down his fair skin to match his co-star's complexion.

"In fact I've become used to tanning my skin by now, for one reason or another," laughs Neil.

About his latest release Aa Dekhen Zara, Neil is excited for more reasons than one. "It's a film about seeing the future through the camera. We haven't gone into the futuristic space at all. It breaks the myth about super-hero films. All super-heroes save the world. My character in Aa Dekhan Zara is only interested in saving himself."

As for his successful singing father, Nitin Mukesh was scared Neil would let down not so much the legendary grandfather Mukesh as the equally-illustrious Kishore Kumar's legacy.

Says Neil, "I've chosen to make my singing debut with a Kishore Kumar rather than my grandfather's number which is fine with my family. We are all Kishore Kumar fans in my family. It would've been one thing to take one of my grandfather's songs and turn it around. Ghar ki baat and all that. But this was a very special responsibility, to carry another legendary singer's legacy forward. Glad I managed it."

Read More.....

In Pics; Vijay Mallya Kissing Sophie Chaudhary at Party

Read More.....

In Pics: Katrina Kaif Visits Mumbai’s Dharavi Slums

Read More.....

Ash declines to be immortalised as Barbie

Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai has declined to be immortalised as a Barbie doll, due to her professional commitments.

It was earlier reported that representatives of the 35-year-old actress were in negotiations with Barbie’s manufacturer Mattel, who planned to give the iconic doll a Bollywood face. But the deal did not take off.

Since 1994 when Aishwarya won the Miss World title, the company has made numerous attempts to make a celebrity doll modelled on the Indian beauty. However, she could never get time for their endeavour, due to her professional commitments, she said.

Yet again on the doll’s 50th anniversary, Aishwarya was approached to appear decked up as a celebrity Barbie.

“Mattel was keen to have the actress walk the ramp on Lakme Fashion Week ‘Barbie dolled up’ in a winning design as Single Likeness Barbie, which would be unveiled and auctioned for a charity of her choice,” said a statement issued by Aishwarya’s spokesperson.

However, the actress opted out due to her prior commitments as she did not want to cause inconvenience to the film-makers she was working with by taking time out for the event.

Read More.....