There is a time for everything and there is a time for every man/woman. Like there is this strange care of Ramesh Sippy, the director, who made a film called Sholay which ran for five years in almost all the big theatres where it was released. It was one of the biggest hits in years. It gave us GABBAR SINGH (Amjad Khan). It was a trend-setter. Innumerable filmmakers wanted to make another Sholay but failed and failed miserably. Ramesh Sippy proved that there could be only one Sholay and there was only one Ramesh Sippy who could make a Sholay, just once.

It is twenty-five years now and there has never been another Sholay. And what is more surprising and almost painful is that Ramesh Sippy, the master story teller and technician par excellence, has not been able to make even a half of another Sholay.

Ramesh has made films like Shaan and Shakti, Bhrashtachaar and Akayla and a film with Shah Rukh Khan. He has made mega serials like Buniyaad and Kismet and one or two such more. He has done a whole lot of work but all that work during the last twenty-five years has not been able to snatch away that tag around his neck - the tag which reads Ramesh Sippy, the maker of Sholay. Was Sholay a fluke? What happened to Ramesh after Sholay? Why couldn’t he repeat the multi-starrer .........? Will he ever be able to do it again? Why do such things happen only once?

Narayan Iyer, Mumbai:
A reliable friend of mine told me that Yash Chopra who did Chandni and Lamhe with Sridevi wants to do another film with her even though she is a mother of two daughters.
They have even talked about the subject. Yash is charged with it and so is Sridevi. It can happen; Yash says it can. Sridevi is still not in a position to say yes but she has not said no.

Rajan Narayan, Goa:
When will we see Anupam Kher becoming the Ambassador of India to America. That’s a dream I saw some time ago?
That’s a distant dream. Anyway, I am an ambassador of too many causes crossing different barriers and communities both in my own country and abroad.

Humphrey Mark, Kalyanpur:
When are you and Kiron Kher doing your next play.? Salgirah was such a wonderful show. Do it again, both you Khers, please.
We take theatre more seriously than films. The selection of the playwright, the subject and then go ahead. We are very busy with too many things. One more challenging than the other. But we promise you we will come back to theatre. It is our first love. It just showed us a way to earn our bread and butter.

Preeti Mathur, Calcutta:
Where is that very good, versatile director, Ramesh Talwar, who made films like Doosra Aadmi, Baseraa, Duniya and atleast three other good films? Why has he taken to directing plays?
Ramesh is one of those very very sensitive and talented directors. He was the first chief assistant director of Yash Chopra. He took up directing his own films and proved to be one of the distinguished directors. The best stars were ever willing to work with Ramesh. He soon lost interest in the meaningless, mindless films being made and just decided to do TV. He was again not satisfied and so has now gone back to theatre and enjoying doing it. He has already directed the ever-so-talented Jaya Bachchan in plays like Maa Retire Hoti Hai and Dr. Mukta and is working on some other sensible and sensitive plays.

Jaya Sawant, Goa:
Why have some of the better filmmakers stopped shooting in aamche Goya (our Goa)?
Believe me, they still love Goa but the stars of today are not satisfied with Goa. They are game for places like Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, France, Italy, Mauritius and even Bhutan.

Sanjay Dutt, Ludhiana:
Believe it or not but you have to believe me. My name is Sanjay Dutt. I am as good looking as Sanjay Dutt and I want to be an actor like Sanjay Dutt. What should I do?
Be the Sanjay Dutt you are. Please don’t try to do anything to imitate the real Sanjay Dutt. You will never succeed. That’s not my challenge, that’s my advice.

Supriya Thakur, Dehra Dun:
I feel desperate when I think of living in a place like Dehra Dun. I want to be an actor and there is nothing that I can do to prove myself.
Come to Mumbai, come to Mumbai, Mumbai teri ho sakti hai. Agar hai dum to aa jaa. Mumbai aapka intezaar kar raha hai.

Suresh Shetty, Mangalore:
Will Sunil Dutt, the panther ever walk in future again?
It is still too early to say. He is just be back from America after the best treatment in the world. He will then concentrate on all the work that he has left incomplete. He can think of acting only after he has all his jobs which deserve his priority and pleasure (social work is this saint’s pleasure).

Peter Fernandes, Mumbai:
Why do Mumbai filmmakers always makes fun of the Christian community?
Yes,it’s both sad and bad. If you ask me, I feel the Christian community is the most well-behaved, civilised, cultured and even educated community. It is high time our Hindi filmmakers realised the truth.

RK Pillai, MUmbai:
I sometimes to through some of these so-called trade magazines. What shocks me most about the rags are the obscene ads. Is there no authority which can stop these ads? Doesn’t any one realise that these magazines also fall into the hands of little children.
I think if I was given the opportunity, I would first born these dirty, filthy, sick, sexy ads in these mags which are not worth calling mags.