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Journalism of Courage
THE director and the producer of the Karisma Kapoor TV show, Karishma: The Miracle of Destiny, have figured out a foolproof method to draw out the best from their lead actress. Everytime they notice Karisma feeling tired or her interest waning on the sets, someone will mention how Sridevi’s television show, Hamari Bahu Malini Iyer (for the same channel, Sahara) has excellent production values and is generating positive buzz. Almost instantly, Karisma will jump out of her chair and put her best foot forward, often shooting until the wee hours of the morning. Always immensely competitive, Karisma refuses to be Number Two at anything she does.
Juhi: Never Say Die
JUHI Chawla may be pregnant again, but she’s still very much working. She’s just greenlighted a thriller titled Sannata, and there’s talk that other filmmakers have also been meeting her. Interestingly, in her next release Jhan-kaar Beats, Juhi plays a pregnant housewife. She shot that film with a pillow under her clothes, and now she’s sporting the real thing.
Back with a Bang
FOR years he was in oblivion, but director Anant Balani (best remembered, or forgotten, for the Salman-starrer Patthar Ke Phool) has bounced back now, and how! Just a few months ago, he wrapped production on Mumbai Masala, an urban comedy starring Rahul Bose. Now, in less than 20 days, he’s finished his latest, Ek Din, a Run Lola Run-style thriller in which Nandita Das must take a bag of money to a certain place if she wants to save her boyfriend’s (played by Bose again) life. And in March, he will direct Jogger’s Park for Subhash Ghai’s production company. If the grapevine’s to be believed, this next one is a desi version of Red, the classic French film from the Kieslowski trilogy.
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Nagging Doubt
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Perizaad Zorabian and Manisha Koirala have played Indira Gandhi in Bandung Sonata and A Tryst with Destiny respectively. Now Tabu will play her in another film. Are we in for a slew of Indira films? Milind Soman: ‘‘If there are already two films and one in the making, the spate is already underway. Maybe we will see another film, but none after that.’’ Mayuri Kango: ‘‘It seems like there’s a severe dearth of fresh ideas in the film industry. Indira Gandhi is a new concept, so people rushing to make a film on the subject.’’ Ayesha Jhulka: ‘‘I fail to understand why filmmakers want to base their films on the same person. With so many films on the same person, it is not his/her life that we go to see, but the stars.’’ Arshad Warsi: ‘‘The film industry tends to repeat similar themes. When Gandhi was released, there was a spate of similar films, the same with Bhagat Singh. Now I guess it’s Indira Gandhi’s turn.’’ |
