There are some films which even God with all his benevolence and all his blessings can not save. Things which are supposed to go right from the night it starts, go wrong and then give sleepless nights, nightmarish nights shooting blood pressure, thudding of the hearts the near going out of minds and almost a kind of clinical death.
Like just two weeks ago we had a big release called Karobaar. It was started gloriously on one Christmas eve almost five years ago, a day which is also the birthday of Anil Kapoor, one of the leading men of the film. The party to launch the film at The Leela was chock-a-block with celebrities and gave them very little time to think of attending all the other Christmas parties in the city.

Gurvinder Singh (better known as Gava) the brother in law of Yash Chopra started a big film with some of the biggest, glamourous, glimmering and great stars. Rakesh Roshan the man who had rarely seen failure after he threw away his wig as an actor and concentrated on his career as a director was to direct the film. It was one more-remake of "Sleeping with the Enemy". That first night was a great night, the only great night. Then slowly every day turned into night. There were conflicts, confusion and chaos at one time beyond redemption. And it looked the film would be shelved at any time. The "set-up" changed. The titled changed to "Karobaar" in keeping with the director’s love for titles starting with the alphabet K. Of all the big stars paraded on stage that night just three of the faithfuls stayed back, Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla. The film chugged and choked and almost came to a stop at times but Gava and his influence, his once known power as the right hand man of Yash Chopra some how managed to complete the film in more than five years. Some thing that is naturally not done. There were problems before the release but they were solved by some of Gava’s friends and relatives. And all the stars and all the efforts and all the time all went waste because the film flopped in the very first few days. It was directed by the same man, Rakesh Roshan who had directed the biggest hit of the year Kaho Na…Pyar Hai. It had all the stars who were still in the race, music by the same music director Rajesh Roshan, who scored the music for Kaho Na… Gava called on all the Gods and all the men who could help him but nothing worked. He was not destined to make a successful film. That was all and that was something that couldn't be changed by the power that had already decided its future when it was started.

Rahul M. Mumbai:
I am a steward in a five-star hotel. I think and my friends think that I can make it as a hero in Hindi films. Incidentally I also speak both the shudh and the tapori kind of Hindi language. What do you think are my chances of making it as an actor?
Your description of your self is very encouraging so take charge of your self. How long will you go on saying yes madam, no madam? Chuck up your job and try it out in films. I have a strong feeling that you will make it.

Molly Rego, Gorai:
What’s happening to Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lajja.
You will be surprised to know that the director who used to take years to complete films has completed Lajja within a matter of months. And just imagine the stars, Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala who is playing the central character, the opportunity of her life. Raj is now working on giving the film the final touches and will release it as one of the biggest surprises in November or December. Raj also wants to make it very clear that his Lajja has got nothing to do with Taslima Nasreen’s, the Bangladesh authors book based on the same name.

Asgar Ali, Hyderabad:
Why is there no news about Priya Tendulkar the one-time Rajni who took T. V. by storm?
She is the kind of girl who can not sit idle. She has finished three major T.V. serials all by herself with her Internationally known father, the writer and playwright Vijay Tendulkar, as her guide. She is working on some more shows. She is writing a book. She is running a boutique. She plays a prominent part in all kinds of social work. It is high time that she received the Padmashri for all the work that she has put in at such a young age.

Swati Ali, Mumbai:
Why are more and more actors and actresses who come from theatre going back to theatre?
Theatre is a passion. It doesn’t leave you alone. And these actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal and Dinesh Thakur are crazy about theatre. These days there is money, fame, fortune and a very good chance for actors and actresses to travel all over the world with their shows. Moreover the applause coming from the lovers of theatre comes straight from the heart. I have been experiencing it for the last twenty five years. Believe me, these days tickets are not selling for films but tickets for good plays like Khel or Maa Retire Hoti Hai or Dr. Mukta (both with Jaya Bachchan leading the cast) tickets are being sold at four times the price of the original tickets.

Shyam Kumar, New Delhi:
Do you think that Dilip Kumar will ever come back to acting. I am very eager to see him at his best because I want all our young actors to see what great acting, any great acting is all about?
Dilip Kumar is waiting to get it all over with Aag Ka Dariya and Kalinga. He can think of other films only after he has done with them. He has some health problems. He is not at his best right now. But he is sure that he will come back I hope he does because if he does he will open up a whole new world of acting to the new generation.

U R Murti, Bangalore:
Do you think Shah Rukh Khan will be able to do justice to great roles like Devdaas and Ashoka?
All I know is that Shah Rukh is one of our best young actors. I also know that he is working with two of our best directors, Santosh Sivan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I expect him to wonder specially because he is a wounded tiger wounded by the media, let down by the media for mistakes which are certainly not his mistakes. I am sure Shah Rukh will put his entire life and if I know him well he can even give up his life to bring these two characters alive.

DD, Mysore:
What’s happened to Anupam’s dream about making it as a director?
It is still very much alive, still more active. Some recent betrayals who walked away betraying him as come in his way. But Anupam has never believed in giving up.
He will fight back and show those who betrayed him what he is capable of.

Usha S, Rajkot:
Why can’t some one make a film with the legends Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and the three sons of the late Raj Kapoor?
You are talking of a dream. I have tried my best to see if a subject can be worked out to bring them together. I have failed. Why don’t you try?

Stanley Borthwick, Mumbai:
What do you think about your brother, Raju Kher? Isn’t he growing into a very fascinating actor?
He is very good. He is a self made fighting-actor. He has also turned director of T.V. serials of late.