Short Takes

Get well soon
The devastatingly gorgeous silver-screen Sita - Shobhana Samarth, has been hospitalised for a neuro-complication. Reportedly the grand dame of mythological films is in a critical condition and is being tended by Tanuja. While Kajol is away in Ooty shooting for home-production Raju Chacha.

Known for her wanton spirit and chutzpah, Shobhana was a doting mom to her talented daughters as she produced Hamari Beti for Nutan and Chhabili for Tanuja. Having acted in over 50 films including super-hits like Ram Rajya and Bharat Milap, she was celebrated for her beauty as well as her talent. At 84, Shobhana lived independently at her cottage in Lonavala where Kajol dropped by often and so did her “most favourite grandchild” Mohnish. We wish the great matriarch a speedy recovery.

The French connection
Young Ms Mali’s innocent effervescence in Mast has earned her the coveted position amongst the top five debutants in the sixth Screen-Videocon Awards and Antara chirps excitedly about being nominated,”I thought, perhaps my fleeting appearance in the film may go unnoticed, but I am glad that my sincere efforts were recognised,” she beams brightly.

Antara tells us there are offers galore but she would indulge in something very exclusive,”I have no inhibitions about commercial or parallel films but it must be a lead role of consequence,” she outlines. Accordingly she has taken up an Indo-French venture to be directed by Paris trained Partho Sengupta. So it’s Paris calling Antara now! The spunky actress gurgles with laughter as she reveals,”What do you know. the entire film is being shot on-location in the chawls of Parel!” Hope her histrionic capers in Parel will eventually lead her to Paris. l

Rising star
The pretty and petite daughter of Kamal and Sarika’s caused quite a stir at the recently held music release of Hey! Ram. Shruti Haasan renders a number for the film and you have to hand it to the young singer for doing full justice to Ilayaraja’s tricky tune. When we managed to steal some moments with the talented teenager, she smiled shyly and confessed,”Although I enjoy singing, acting is the passion of my life. I want to be an actress someday,” she said dreamily. Well if you are Kamal and Sarika’s daughter what else would you want to do? Watch out for the star in-the-making.

Bleeding for Bihar
Manoj Bajpai seems intent on raising Bihar-related issues through his brooding intensity on-screen. Maati, his just-launched movie for instance deals with the naxalites in his home state again. After Shool and Netua this is the third venture of his that focusses on Bihari problems. Is it some kind of personal crusade for Bajpai? “As an actor that is the least I can do for Bihar. Anarchy is rampant in the state - recently my sister’s place was ransacked by dacoits and they also beat up jijaji very brutally. The situation is deteriorating every day and I am even shifting my parents out of Bihar because of the prevalent insecurity,” he reasons. Manoj’s awareness drive will yield some results hopefully.

Together again
What Bachchan was to Manmohan Desai, Govinda is to David Dhawan, Sunny is to Raj Santoshi. Deol and Santoshi formed a star pair hitting the bullseye thrice over with Damin, Ghayal and Ghatak. Their relationship however, turned sour during the making of Barsaat. But the two seem to have buried the hatchet now. And they are back again to make another winning actor-director duo. David Dhawan - Sunny is to Raj Santoshi. Until recently Sunny and Santoshi formed a hit pair hitting the bullseye thrice over with Damin, Ghayal and Ghatak. Their relationship soured during the making of Barsaat. The two seem to have buried the hatchet now. Why else do you suppose Santoshi has signed Sunny, Anil Kapoor and Karisma for his latest venture? We welcome the truce called by them in the interest of good cinema. Peace be!

Friends indeed
Who said actresses can never be friends? When bonds of friendship have held heroines together since time immemorial. Nanda and Waheeda Rahman, Vijayanthimala and Helen, Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure are the greatest of buddies. And in recent times Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji are close pals. So much so that Rani says,”We are like twin souls. We think alike, we have the same philosophy of life and we just dote on each other,” she gushes. Rani supports her best friend ferverently and eversince Ash has been nominated in the category of Best Actress for her stellar performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam - Rani has been chanting incessantly “Ash will win”. All the best Ash!

Bhuj briefs
All is well at Bhuj with Aamir Khan and co. The latest news on the Lagan front is that shooting is progressing smoothly and on-schedule too. We ran into a unit hand recently and he was all praise for the Khan’s method of functioning,”It’s like a Hollywood film, everyone gets his call-sheet by four in the afternoon and the next day everbody reports on-dot and shooting goes on as per the plan. It’s so unlike the usual Hindi film shooting where chaos and confusion reign supreme,” remarked our wise khabari. So Aamir’s story-boarding technique is working wonders. It appears that Aamir has picked up some good things from his Earth shoot, Aamir is also reported to have had a complete script reading - just like Deepa Mehta had for Earth. That’s the thinking and learning Khan for you.

Hail journos!
Shah Rukh Khan was indeed at his charming best prior to the release of his home-production Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. Having chosen telly reporters as the central characters of his film , Khan may have revised his opinion about the members of the fourth estate felt the assembled press persons. Shah Rukh quipped wittily,”Hey, you guys are athe greatest and after khuda it’s you I love and worship. My film is on release and I can’t afford to cross swords with you,” he admitted mockingly. Glad to note that Khan hasn’t lost his Scorpionic sting.

Out in the wilderness
Ram Gopal Verma is shooting in the deep woods at a break-neck speed for his on-going venture Jungle inspired by the life and times of the notorious bandit Veerappan. After wrapping up the first schedule at the Bush Betta wild life sanctuary, Ramu has taken his cast and crew for the second schedule to the verdant Malshej ghat, a four-hour motorable distance from Mumbai. But that doesn’t make it any easier for the lead players Urmila and Fardeen for the location has no telecom link and the only means of communication with the Jungle unit is through a messenger who has to drive down all the way to pass on the missive. Cut off from civilisation, there’s no distraction for the cast and crew. That’s the secret behind Ramu’s prolific filmmaking, he won’t trifle away his time.

Deepa Karmalkar with ALok Mathur and Salma Khatib