Short Takes

Shaadi dot com
The latest member to join the dot com brigade is none other than the gentle Gujju Hansal Mehta. We certainly aren’t referring to Mehta’s portal or penchant for the net here, what we are talking about is the title of his latest venture. Just as his  Tabu-Manoj starrer Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar takes off, Mehta signs up for another assignment titled Shaadi.com. “It’s about the marriage between Indian common sense and the Internet,” he explains. An inspired version of You’ve Got Mail, perhaps? He’s quick to deny any similarity with the Hollywood hit,”Oh no, it’s an original, indigenious script. This is the love story of a marriage,” he elucidates. Prod him further about the cast of the film and he says that negotiations are on. Our sleuths however, have been working overtime and they tell us that he has Tabu paired opposite chhote Nawab Saif Ali Khan in the film.  Well from the looks of it, Hansal’s flick  has all the makings of a rib-tickler.

Splitsville?
Are the Kapoor bros heading for Splitsville? Are Boney and Anil finally parting ways? Are the two bhais calling it quits? Well we thought it better to confront Anil with all the queries. And Anil had this to say in response,”Ha, ha! Don’t the gossip mongers ever tire themselves of repeating the same story?” he laughs. But this time the rumours aren’t totally baseless, we remind him. Hasn’t he joined hands with Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik to launch a company of their own? “Oh yes,  I have started a partnership with them. But that’s just because Anupam is a very close pal of mine. That does not mean I am parting ways with Boney. We are in it together for ever,” he reiterates. That’s the kind of fraternal spirit we admire.

No item gal
Dressed in a dazzling curve-flaunting, powder blue ghaghra choli, Shilpa Shetty swayed rumbunctiously at St Andrews Auditorium in Bandra for Jay Mehta’s Nana-Tabu starrer Tarkeib. As the folkish number rang out ’dupatte ka pallu kidhar ka kidhar hai’, we began wondering if it weren’t an item song like the one in Shool.  Shilpa was quick to point out that she’s no “ item gal”,”I have a full-fledged role in the film,  I play a military nurse who’s one of the seven suspects in a murder case,” she adds further,” I put in a special dance appearance in Shool for dear friend Nitin Manmohan. But that was an exceptional case, I would rather play a part rather than put in a dance appearance,” she stresses. Oh well, so be it.

Talent unlimited
Pint- sized Sanjay Narvekar made his presence felt as Sanju Dutt’s spokesman in Vaastav. His role as Dedh Phutiya won him nominations for his histrionic ability.  In addition to his film assignment, Narvekar is busy putting up shows of three Marathi plays in which he essays varying roles. While he plays a ghost of time bygone in Aamhi Aalo Re, in Amchya Sarkhe Amhich he essays a comic double role and in Adhantar he’s a local don. He’s being tipped off as the successor to Nana Patekar’s glorius legacy. A well- known Marathi director sums up Narvekar’s talent thus,”He’s the Al Pacino of Marathi theatre, he is amazingly versatile.” No wonder Narvekar is being offered a wide range of roles by the film fraternity. Keep it up Sanjay!

Great job!
Jackie Shroff may have burnt his fingers in producing Grahan but that hasn’t put him off filmmaking. He’s back with a bang with the launch of Govinda-Sonali starrer ’Jis Desh Main Ganga Rehta Hai’ directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. This time round Jackie’s experience has been most encouraging, as he relates,”Whoever called Chi chi a ’late lateef’ must have been kidding. On my sets, he’s been most punctual and thoroughly  professional. So much so that within a couple of schedules in Panchgani and   Hyderabad, we have wrapped up 80% of the film,” he declares. Another evidence in favour of new and time-conscious Govinda for you. Stick to it Chi chi, your millennial resolution surely is working wonders for you.

For want of a script
Long ago, at the peak of his stardom when Amitabh Bachchan was questioned if he was averse to parallel cinema - Bachchan had evaded the query with charcteristic panache saying that he was very keen to work in meaningful films but makers like Shyam Benegal never appoached him for role. When we met Shyam Babu recently on the sets of Zubeida, we brought up Bachchan’s complaint. It’s not as if he doesn’t cast mainstream actors in his films, he has worked with the likes of Shashi Kapoor, Rekha and Karisma. What has prevented him from associating with the BIg B then? “I would very much love to work with Bachchan, he’s wonderful actor. But I must have a good script for him. What’s the point in wasting his colossal talent otherwise,” he counters. So you never know, the two B’s may team up as soon as the right script is found.

All’s well
Last heard, Manoj Bajpai had engineered Raveena’s exit from Akashdeep’s Ghaat arguing that the film would suffer a Shool hangover if the same cast was repeated in a similar story. Ravs was promptly replaced by Tabu. Presumably that would have left some bitter after taste with  Raveena, so we caustiously avoided mentioning Manoj in our conversation with her. But were we surprised when Ravs herself waxed eloquent about the misfire,”It’s just that I didn’t have the requisite dates for Ghaat, so I opted out voluntarily. Nonetheless I am doing an item number for the film. Manoj and I get along famously. Why for that matter we have ben teamed up in Rakesh Mehra’s next.  There really is no bad blood between the two of us,” she stressed. Peace be!

English summer
Come summer and the mercury starts soaring, Mumbai begins sweating and panting as sun beats down relentlessly. That’s the time most of stars seek refuge in the cooler climes of Europe and US. Switzerland may have been the most popular summer destination hitherto, but this year, the hot spot cetainly is London. While Adi Chopra and his mega cast comprising Mr Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai will shoot for Mohobbatein from the next month in London, Karan Johar and pal Manish Malhotra are already camping in the Queens country working on the script of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum. Last we heard, David Dhawan was also headed for UK, perhaps scouting locations for one of his fun flicks. So if you are in London this summer, don’t be surprised if you bump into Bollywood biggies while strolling down Thames or Piccadilly Circus.

More dreams
Their maiden venture Phir Bhi Dil hai Hindustani, they insist has fared well. Juhi and Shah Rukh are convinced that together they can really bring about a cinematic revolution. Their missionary zeal is almost touching. Having got rid of his knee problem in Vienna, Shah Rukh’s already scouting for talent and ideas for their next projects. Last we heard, Juhi and Shah Rukh have signed up Abbas -Mustan and Indra Kumar for their forthcoming films. That Shah Rukh should pick Abbas Mustan following his Baazigar and Badshah experience is understandable, but what makes him single out Indra Kumar whose pet actor happens to be Aamir, remains inexplicable to us. Perhaps it has occured to Shah Rukh and partners that it’s not personal rapport but professional credibility that counts while manufacturing Dreams Unlimited.

Deepa Karmalkar with ALok Mathur, Namita Niwas