AN ABORTED CRUSADE
SHABANA AZMI’s back in the news again. Just last month, she was earning the plaudits of London-based newscribes for her sensitive portrayal of a woman awaiting entry into heaven, in The Waiting Room at the Royal Theatre. And a couple of weeks before that, a bald-pated Shabana had become newsmaker, not so much for the hairloss, as the crusade she’d led against the ban on the shoots of Fire.

Now what’s she done next, did you ask? Last week, the Rajya Sabha MP was the centre of attraction at a convention of Madhya Pradesh’s public representatives at the Vidhan Bhavan, Bhopal. Among other luminaries present on the dais, was chief minister, Digvijay Singh, but Shabana clearly stole the show. She was in her elements lambasting the CM for his proposed population policy at the convention organised by the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population Development. The government’s revolutionary decision to debar those producing their third child after January 26 next, from voting in elections, has come in for a great deal of flak, even from progressives like Shabana.

"It’s unfortunate that some people have come up with weird suggestions to control the population," said Shabana. Her own take on the issue is that the measure amounts to violating the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.

An unabashed admirer of the actress, CM Singh had gone out of his way to woo the unit of Fire to shoot in his state, in the wake of the UP government’s ban. But if the CM was fazed by the criticism coming from unexpected quarters on the population issue, he didn’t seem to let on. Neither was a change of tack forthcoming. He assured Shabana the state government had arrived at the decision after much discussion, and the state was committed to the legislation despite the flood of criticism it’s attracted. So, do we have the makings of another Shabana crusade here? We’ll keep you posted.

BACK FROM GENEVA
AS we’d reported a while back, MANISHA KOIRALA was India’s lone goodwill ambassador at the recent UNFPA conference in Geneva. Reports say she was quite at home in Switzerland, impressing other delegates with not only her beauty and track-record as an actress but also her knowledge on matters related to population.

Now, back home in India, Manisha was the star attraction at yet another population-related event -- the seminar on World Population Day (July 11) in New Delhi. To be struck by her way with facts and figures, this time, were government officials and representatives of several leading NGOs.

Obviously, Manisha’s developing into quite a resource person on matters related to population. And following the exposure at the Geneva event, her progress has been evident to all.

Hopefully she will soon make news on the movie front as well: among her coming attractions are Mehbooba, opposite Sanjay Dutt and the Rajkumar Santoshi film, Lajja. Can they help revive her tottering acting career? Keep watching this space.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DISGUISE
WHAT’S another disguise to a movie actress? It’s all just part of the humdrum workaday world. But what if the disguise happens to be a burkha of all things, and the actress in question is MAMTA KULKARNI? Well, well, well...

Perhaps, it’s her career in the movies that’s got to do with it. But Mamta, she of the skimpily-clad routine, now seems to be developing quite a taste for costumes. And, not to forget, an acute sense of the dramatic.

Outside the 19th Esplanade Court, Mumbai, where she’d been summoned in connection with a 1993 obscenity case, she was spotted getting off her car in a burkha. But little did people realise it was Mamta herself until she’d entered the courtroom.

Ironically, it was for posing in the buff for two editions of a filmrag that she was being tried. And the irony was not lost on the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, KH Holambe-Patil. When the magistrate asked her what had prompted the disguise, she replied it was the best way she could think of, to avoid being mobbed by the presshounds and her fans. But even the disguise, it turned out, didn’t quite win the magistrate’s sympathy. Though he cancelled the non-bailable warrant issued against her, Mamta was asked to either pay a fine of Rs 15,000, or be imprisoned till July 28. She opted to pay up, on condition that she would appear in court on July 28.
So what disguise will she try next?

IT TAKES THREE TO TANGO
THE promotional brochures of his forthcoming movie, Nayak, have created a sensation of sorts in Mumbai, wherever they’ve been presented. Attribute it to some exceptional photography, all of which readily catch the eye, particularly, the one we’ve featured for your benefit, as the Pic o’the Week.

But while his photographs wow those in the movie trade, ANIL KAPOOR himself is in Hyderabad, shooting for his other big forthcoming opus -- brother Boney’s Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, in which he has Aishwarya Rai and Sonali Bendre for co-stars. Anil, as our grapevine had hinted long ago, has tied up with his bosom pals, Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik to open a production house, as though home banner, SK Films isn’t quite prolific enough. "All I want to do is to help my buddies out," he says. And yes, brother Boney, with his years of experience in production will collaborate with the troika, too.

Meanwhile, more surprises are in store, for those who’re close watchers of the SK clan. Sridevi has firmed up plans to open a production house all her own, presumably after her second baby is born. Kajol will play the lead in Sridevi’s woman-centric first film, which also has Shah Rukh Khan in the cast. But Anil has hinted that the new outfit, too, will be a kind of subsidiary to the family banner.

TOPS AT THIRTY
CUT to July 17. The Mayfair Rooms, Mumbai. The Topsgrup, among India’s leading security service providers, celebrated their 30th anniversary with their celebfriends. Among the wellknown faces at the do were Pooja Batra, Leslie Lewis, Vikas Bhalla, Aditya Panscholi, Puneet Issar, Bhagyashree, hubby Himalaya, Shikha Swaroop and Baba Sehgal.

MC, Ruby Bhatia, was in her elements, dressed in the Tops uniform, and guiding the guests through the eventful evening, which began with a spectacular Karate demo by the Tops men. Also on show were the likes of the Sixth Sense and DJ Aqeel, who had the guests on their toes till the wee hours of the morning.

Interestingly, also among host Diwan Rahul Nanda’s invitees at the bash, were commissioner of police, MN Singh, and former DGP, Shivaji Rao Barakor. Did the police top brass pick up a few tips on security solutions from the Tops men? Or vice versa? Unlikely on both counts, for the accent on the show was on fun. Clearly, the hosts insisted on not combining business with pleasure.

EVERY SCHOOLGIRL’S DREAM
FOR LARA DUTTA, it’s been an event-crammed, exhausting week. But it’s been worth it all for India’s Ms Universe 2000. After all, it’s been the week her fans and the paparazzi have been waiting for, the week when she staged her triumphant return to her homeland.

"It’s been the kind of reception every schoolgirl and pageant contestant aspires to get," the reigning Ms Universe decreed, when she touched base in Mumbai. "I’ve been looking forward to it for the last two months, ever since I won the crown. But much as I’m delighted to be back, I’m saddened by the news of the recent floods and landslides, when many lost their lives," she added, sounding every bit like the goodwill ambassador she is.

On her crowded itinerary, are customary visits to president KR Narayanan in Delhi, and Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and Shiv Sena chief, Balasaheb Thackeray in Mumbai. Mercifully, she has time enough to catch her breath, too. She will be at home in Mumbai till the end of the month, probably the only time she’ll get to be with her parents and sister for the rest of the year. Her schedule for the rest of the year promises to be just as hectic as the first two months of her reign have been.

But Lara isn’t complaining. "I asked for it, didn’t I?" she queries.

THE TOAST OF MANGALORE
SUNIL SHETTY’s a big draw in his hometown, Mangalore. There’s an avid audience panting for more glimpses of the action hunk on the big screen, which is why his films have always done well in that part of the country. If we’ve had doubts on that score in the past, after our visit to the town, last week, we’ve come away ‘believing’.
Shetty’s store, Mischief, at Saibeen Complex, is a big draw in Mangalore, too. And thanks to the fact that he keeps dropping by on frequent visits, has helped the readymade garments outlet multiply its clientele base many times over in recent times.

For Shetty’s legions of fans here, it’s been a happening fortnight for other reasons as well. What with two bigtime releases making it to theatres in quick succession, Refugee, wherein he plays a Paki armyman, and Jungle, which has him playing a lone cop on the trail of a gang of extremists, they’ve had plenty to cheer about. Shetty’s staged an emphatic comeback to the big time, with two memorable performances that have come in for a fair bit of praise. And considering he has another big act to follow, in Dhadkan, who knows, Shetty may rank among the heros who’ve made the most of the year 2000. Who says Hrithik Roshan is the nation’s only heartthrob? There’s a huge groundswell even for the likes of Shetty.

Shaju George Alex
With Inputs From Salma Khatib and Namita Nivas