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Posts tagged Meena Iyer
Rajesh Khanna: End of an Era
010 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Meena Iyer on her 30-year-old equation with the Bollywood superstar who was once a phenomenon, and then forgotten
BOMBAY TIMES (July 19, 2012)
It was in the second half of the 1960s that I first saw Rajesh Khanna. He was dating Anju Mahendroo, who lived on the ground floor of Laxmi Niwas, one lane away from where I lived.
His car would be parked outside Anju’s home all night long. In the mornings, I would bump into Anju’s Catholic maid servant who would be sent to the market by Anju’s mother, Shanti Mahendroo, to buy eggs because “Kakaji wanted eggs for breakfast”. Like me, another girl exactly my age, also followed Kaka’s life quite closely. Her name was Tina Munim. She went to the Gujarati medium school right next to Anju’s house. Like most teenagers, Tina too was fascinated by the country’s phenomenon.
Years later, in the first half of the 80s, I was officially introduced to Rajesh Khanna. This time, he was Tina’s co-star and I would hang around her home, which was also in my neighbourhood.
I remember that long before Tina and he were spoken about as a couple, he had brought his wife Dimple Kapadia to Tina’s house for dinner. And all of us had stared in awe at Mrs Rajesh Khanna. Sometime in 1983, I got an opportunity to interact with Khanna in my role as a reporter for Star & Style magazine. I was asked to do a cover story on him because two of his movies, Mohan Kumar’s Avtaar and Saawan Kumar Tak’s Souten, had made a mark at the box office. This period was seen as More >
Celebs on Hrithik’s Best Host victory
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Hrithik Roshan’s recent award for Best TV Host has also won him praise from other actors and friends
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; October 5, 2011)
Hrithik Roshan was born with a pair of dancing shoes on. Easily one of the best hotsteppers in Bollywood, the trade and junta are of the opinion that when Duggu dances you stand transfixed.
And so it came as no surprise when the superstar was recently judged Best Host for his non-fiction show Just Dance. The show opened to a good TRP of 4.7 and made Saturday night television viewing a compulsion. And in a new research called Characters India Loves, Hrithik won hands down. Sailesh Kapoor, the CEO of Ormax Media, the agency who conducted the research said, “What works for Hrithik is the immense trust viewers have in his ability as a dancer. When it comes to dance, no other star comes close.”
Hrithik’s best buddy Shah Rukh Khan feels that way too. Says he, “Duggu was wary of hosting the show initially, but he’s done such a fantastic job of it. I was on the show for about 20 minutes recently and I could feel the positive energy he infused into it. Duggu is unsurpassable as a dancer.’’
Filmmaker and TV host Karan Johar adds, “Hrithik has an extremely charming demeanour on television. His connection with the participants is absolutely endearing. He has emerged as one of the most popular hosts on Indian television with this show.”
As for Sanjay Dutt, he concedes, “It is dogged determination and hard work that have made Duggu scale new More >
Deepika Padukone out of Race 2?
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
She may ditch Saif for her ex Ranbir Kapoor!
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; October 3, 2011)
It had to happen. Once Deepika Padukone signed on Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani with her exboyfriend Ranbir Kapoor, everything else had to take a backseat. The first casualty seems to be Abbas Mustan’s Race 2, where she is teamed opposite Saif Ali Khan.
Our source informs, “Race 2 is meant to be shot between January 2012 and June 2012. Saif, John Abraham (the baddie), Anil Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha have allotted dates accordingly. However, Deepika is not able to accommodate this film now as the dates of Race 2 and YJHD are clashing.”
Deepika was asked to make a choice and she chose Ranbir (naturally) over Saif. Reports suggest that producer Ramesh Taurani is livid with Deepika. Her last-minute ditch may leave the project in limbo.
Since it is a multi-starrer with big names involved, putting the project together with all their dates itself has taken a while. Now, Deepika’s exit may just jeopardise it. Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma don’t have dates for this project either. Deepika’s spokesperson said, “It’s still not final whether Deepika will quit Race 2. Her dates are being worked out.”
Deepika-Ranbir together again for Ayan’s next
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
In a romantic film directed by Ayan Mukherjee which begins next year
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; September 21, 2011)
Karan Johar’s banner that gave us Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna and some of the best contemporary romantic fare, has just announced Ayan Mukerjee’s film. It is a love story, which Dharma Productions excel in. This (hold your breath!) Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone film is titled Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. Says Karan Johar, “The line Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani is taken from the famous RD Burman song from the 70s hit Jawani Deewani. It will our second film with Ranbir and Ayan, the team that won awards and accolades for Wake Up Sid. While WUS was a coming of age film, YJHD is quintessentially a romantic one.” When asked how Deepika managed to bag this film when so many other heroines out there were actually vying for it, Karan says, “Ayan, Ranbir and I are convinced she is the best choice for the film.”
He adds, “Deepika and Ranbir were seen together in Bachna Ae Haseeno. But according to me, their celluloid chemistry is yet to be exploited to its fullest.” Happy that Deepika will be on board for the first time in her four-year-old career, Karan says, “We’re happy to have Deepika work with us. She is a lovely girl and a very interesting actor.” YJHD will go on the floors in January 2012.
I am extremely moody-Sonam Kapoor
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Sonam Kapoor prefers to work on her own terms
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; September 10, 2011)
There’s something about Sonam Kapoor. She doesn’t hard-sell herself like other actors. She’s honest, endearing and wears her attitude well. Here are excerpts from an interview ahead of her new film— Eros International and Vistaar Religare Film Fund’s Mausam — produced by Sunil Lulla and Sheetal Vinod Talwar (releasing worldwide on September 16)…
We hear you fainted often on set… • I am perfectly well now but till five months ago I kept falling ill because I was overworked. Mausam has taken a lot from all of us; we have worked very hard on it. In the course of a year, I shot for three films: Mausam, Players and Thank You, and promoted two: Aisha and I Hate Luv Storys.
And you contracted typhoid twice! • Yes, I got typhoid in New York of all places and was hospitalised there.When I returned to India, I went to work almost immediately and had a relapse. I love eating roadside food, so perhaps that also played a part. Now I’m careful.
Like Shahid you gave two years of your life to Pankaj Kapur’s Mausam… • I have literally given Mausam my sweat, blood and tears, but I am used to working like that. I gave that kind of time to Saawariya and Delhi 6 too. I would rather do quality work than churn out films like a factory. Whether my films work or not, I want people to remember me and my characters.
You said Shahid Kapoor is the best looking guy in a uniform! • Yes, after my dad! My More >
Eid, Ganpati & Anna bless Bodyguard
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The Salman-Kareena starrer couldn’t have timed it better
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; August 31, 2011)
It is Bollywood’s biggest release to date. Reliance Entertainment’s action-romance Bodyguard, which releases worldwide today, will put out as many as 2,000 prints across 2,799 screens.
“Bodyguard is no ordinary film. It’s to be treated as an event,” says producer-distributor N R Pachisia, adding, “Actually since Wanted, Salman Khan movies have become events in themselves. His releases usually coincide with Eid, so it becomes a family/community outing. This time, the mood in the country is jubilant. We have Eid/Ganpati for a dual celebration.”
A trade source adds, “And not to forget that with Anna Hazare having broken his fast, there is a feeling of victory and triumph among the people.”
Salman Khan feels 2,000 prints is just the beginning. “As we go into the next big release, the number of prints will increase,” says the industry’s bhai. “It is a natural phenomenon. The business has grown manifold with the number of theatres also increasing. With business being concentrated over the weekends, the box office dynamics have changed. Bodyguard is fortunate to release around Eid/ Ganpati, and both Hindus and Muslims are in a celebratory mood.”
Salman adds that Dabangg and Ready may be on the list of the five highest grossers ever, “But for me my earlier films Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun are equally significant, because if their business (inflation adjusted) is taken More >
I’m just like Salman-Asin Thottumkal
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Asin Thottumkal talks of men, movies, money and more…
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; August 25, 2011)
Asin Thottumkal made a promising Bollywood debut with Ghajini (2008), only to follow it up with a flop (2009’s London Dreams). She redeemed herself with Ready (2011) and is now part of two hardcore Hindi masala entertainers: Housefull 2 and Bol Bachchan. Excerpts from an interview:
NO PROJECTS DOWN SOUTH Honestly, every single day, I receive an offer from Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu cinema. And it is not a conscious decision to go away from the South. Somewhere, I am very attached to my roots. The South film industry has made me an actor and that is where people relate to me the most. I would never give it up. I have a personal connect with each of the industries there.
NORTH FOR THE MOMENT… Yes, my bulk dates until March 2012 is with projects like Sajid Khan’s Housefull 2 and Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan which will finish by March. The work being offered to me in Hindi is pretty exciting. In the South, I wish to get something unusual because I have done the routine stuff. Now if I accept a South offer, it has to be spectacular.
OUT-PRICED? Money is not the driving force. From the start of my career, I have always looked for five criteria while selecting a project: the script, the role, the director, the production house and the co-artistes. The language or the financial aspects comes into consideration only after this.
SALMAN KHAN, MY 4 AM FRIEND I like Salman because he More >
Short Term Shaadi is now Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Karan Johar changes the title of his Imran-Kareena starrer Short Term Shaadi to Ek Main Air Ekk Tu
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; August 24, 2011)
It’s official. Karan Johar and UTV Motion Pictures’ Short Term Shaadi, starring Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan, is now Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu.
Says Karan, “Short Term Shaadi was just a working title that attached itself to this film through the making. Neither Shakun Batra (who makes his directorial debut here) nor I were happy with it from the start, so we went title hunting. Just recently, we settled on Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, but there was a process attached to getting it, hence the delayed announcement.’’
KJo adds that the new title fits this romcom perfectly well. He says, “Short Term Shaadi wasn’t giving the right vibe. This story is about the conversational chemistry between these two very beautiful people — Imran and Kareena. EMAET is a witty, feel-good, slice-of-life comedy and it conveys the energies of this couple.’’
Revealing a secret, Karan says, “Imran is a self-confessed Kareena fan. When I saw these two together in one frame at the photo shoot, I realised that they were a smashing couple. Casting them together was a wise decision. It is amazing that Kareena is romancing Aamir in one film and then his nephew Imran in another. Getting Bebo and Imran together is a coup of sorts.’’
Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu will release on February 10 and KJo recommends it as the perfect Valentine’s Day flick. Says he, “You can watch it with your More >