Short Takes

Director's specialGone are the days when Sunil Shetty used to swear by the script of a film. The story and plot do not interest the muscle m...

Director’s special
Gone are the days when Sunil Shetty used to swear by the script of a film. The story and plot do not interest the muscle man any longer,“What’s the use? “he asks,” I used to scrutinise scripts to the minutest detail before signing any film, but look where it landed me. After a string of flops I realised my mistake,” says the wise guy. Shetty has come to terms with the fact that it’s the director who calls the shots. “These days all I care to know is who is directing the film, a good director rarely goes wrong with the script. After all script is his responsibility,” he reasons.

And looks as if his scheme of things is working, take a look at the films he’s landed – Gulzar’s Hu Tu Tu, Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri, J.P.Dutta’s Refugee, Shashilal Nair’s Hum Panchhi Hain Ek Daal Ke, Dharmesh Darshan’s Dhadkan, Govind Nihalani, Ram Gopal Verma and Rajiv Rai’s next – pretty impressive, huh?

But for bulk dates
Why director-duo Abbas-Mastan never worked with Akshay Kumar after Khiladi is not because they don’t want to, “We are really keen on working with Akshay again, but after the success of Khiladi he got so busy that he couldn’t spare bulk dates for us. And our way of functioning is such that we like to complete our films within a given period of time for which we need bulk dates. The day Akshay has them, we are ready to work with him again,” they reason. One way to get over the lean phase in his career could be by doing that. From Salman-Sooraj, Ajay-Kuku Kohli, Aamir-Indra Kumar, Akki can take a cue as to how the director-actor combo can work wonders.

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No messing with meghana
Meghana Gulzar is not your regular star-kid. The young lady is far too independent and convinced about what she does. On the sets of her dad’s Hu Tu Tu where she assists him in direction, she will politely refuse to be interviewed, “I am just one among the four assists here, if you will interview them, I wouldn’t mind being a part of it. But if I am being singled out just because I am Gulzar’s daughter, it’s not fair to my colleagues,” she counters and busies herself with the proceedings on the sets. Phew! that’s some logic, you can’t deny.

London se telephoon
“I am tired of twiddling my thumbs,” cries Shravan, “ There are several offers and I just can’t keep pushing those aside,” he declares. Does that mean he’s tired of waiting for his partner, Nadeem who’s in exile in London as a consequence of being charged with Gulshan Kumar’s murder? “There is no question of going solo,” he says resolutely,” I am constantly in touch with Nadeem over the telephone and we have decided to resume our work together. We will discuss and decide the tunes over the phone and then I will arrange the music over here. And there are some very big offers which will be announced very soon,” he adds. Stressing on his solidarity with his partner, Shravan asserts,” Nadeem is innocent until proven otherwise”.

Singing sensation
If Aamir Khan rates him the best among his tribe, it’s not without reason. Raghuveer Yadav is really good at his job as an actor. He creates a lasting impression even in the briefest of his screen appearances. But the lesser known fact about this media shy actor is that he sings as well as he acts. He has a semi-classical training from his nautanki days. Here’s a mine of talent waiting to be tapped.