Priyanka to do Veer?
Looks like Priyanka Chopra is going out of her way to make sure now that she is on Salman Khan’s good side, that’s where she stays. If the buzz in Bollywood is to be believed Priyanka might bag the role opposite Khan in his film Veer.
“It has taken a lot of effort from Priyanka to sort things out with Salman. He can be quite bad when you rub him the wrong way too many times. After a lot of tears and explaining she has managed to get on Salman’s good side. So when she heard that the hunt was on for an actress to play the lead opposite him she made sure that his people knew that her diary was wide open,” says an industry insider, “This was her way of just reiterating the fact that when she had turned down Mr. & Mrs. Khanna earlier it was genuinely because of dates and nothing else!”
He adds that Priyanka did speak to Salman after the two patched up. “When she agreed to do a cameo in Mr. & Mrs. Khanna (the film she previously turned down) she managed to get back into Salman’s good books. And soon thereafter news of Veer going on the floors soon also was out and Priyanka made sure that she let Sallu know that she would be more than happy to work with him.”
When Salman and Priyanka had a falling out, the actor refused to acknowledge or speak to her. Things got so bad that the two had a showdown on the sets of God Tussi Great Ho when Priyanka was believed to have kept Sallu waiting. In fact many set insiders have confirmed that Salman made it clear that he wasn’t interested in speaking to her and rarely interacted with her.
While Priyanka is filming in Miami, her business manager says it’s too early to speculate. “I can talk about those things that have been confirmed. But iske baarein mein abhi kuch bol nahee sakte,” he said.
After Priyanka finishes with Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana, the actress doesn’t have any other movie ready and lined up.
“She has been filming non stop. First it was Love Story 2050 and Drona, then she went on Madhur’s Fashion. Now she is in Miami filming for Dostana. So while 2008 will see plenty of her releases she is yet to take on any new film… And that’s largely because she wants to do Veer,” concludes the source.
Nana’s comments leave Tanushree fuming
Nana Patekar and Tanushree Dutta had a tiff on the sets of Horn Ok Pleass after the veteran actor passed some comments on the latter’s dress.
The two who are shooting for an item number in the film ended up getting angry at each other. Tanushree had come dressed scantily according to the needs of the script. However, during the shoot one of the over-500 junior artists present passed a lewd comment on Tanushree. She was upset and was further infuriated when Nana told her that she should have been more cautious with her dresses.
Angry, Tanushre remained holed up in her van for the rest of the day thus brining the shooting to a hault. Nana, who is not used to be kept waiting on the sets, got angry too.
I am in love with Ranbir: Deepika
After shying away from and playing cloak and dagger and leaving a lot to speculation,. Deepika Padukone confirmed that she and Ranbir Kapoor are definitely a couple.
Deepika Padukone has finally revealed the truth about that special man in her life, and he is none other than Ranbir Kapoor. After shying away for a long time the lovely lass has now put all the speculations to rest and admitted that she is indeed dating Ranbir. Deepika has been quoted saying, ‘I am in love.’
“Yes, Ranbir and I are seeing each other. I am so sorry that the media will not have any gossip to write about me anymore”, said Deepika. In an interview with a Mumbai tabloid she also said that love is the most beautiful emotion in the world.
Ask her how it happened and she tells,” Whenever Ranbir and I met, the media started speculating. We used to meet often but that was because we were getting to know each other better. After a certain time, we drifted apart because we both got busy with our respective shooting schedules.
Today, we realise that we are compatible with each other. So, we have no qualms in telling the world that we are in love.”
Now that their relationship is out in the open, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone have overnight become the most talked-about couple in filmdom.
But what about Yuvraj Singh and Nihar Pandya?
“We were kind of dating. But I never got to spend time with him to get to know him better. As soon as I met him, he went off to Australia.
So I am not commenting anymore on my past. I am very happy right now in my relationship with Ranbir,” says Deepika and adds,”About Nihar, his parents have taken care of me and treated me like family. I am in touch with Nihar and his parents.”
As for future plans to take the plunge and seal their relationship, the couple does not have any such plans for the near future. At the moment their careers are what matters the most to both of them, who are on their way to make a mark within the film industry.
‘Topless’ pictures upset Aishwarya!
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is pretty miffed these days as her allegedly topless picture had been flashed across various TV channels, few days back.
Rumour has it that these pictures were taken at a time when Ash was beginning her career in ad and and modelling industry during the mid 90’s where she reportedly posed for a magazine along with four, five models.
The names of the models in the magazine go as Milind Soman , Madhu Sapre , Ruchi Malhotra, Aishwarya Rai, Anu Verma, Coleen Khan. Atul Karleskar had reportedly shot the picture and Micky Contractor had done the make-up.
Abhishek Bachchan is apparantly upset over these ‘topless’ pictures and is keen to take drastic step and having a talk with his lawyers regarding this defamatory issue.
Ash has also taken the matter very seriously and released a statement saying that the pictures are fabricated and that she was never involved.
“She would never do something like that. You know the actress you are talking about.
No matter at which time in her profession they say these pictures were taken we can guarantee you that they are just the work some of some publicity hungry individual,” says Ash’s manager, “She has made it clear that she will take action against anyone who publishes them on the assumption that they are hers. And so will her close ones.”
He also adds that this new rumour hasn’t gone done well with the actress or the rest of her family.
The picture reportedly shows Ash in a pair of tiny denim shorts with her back to the camera with other models as well some other ones that are much more bold.
‘I’m not the burning bra chick’
Preity Zinta is known for speaking her mind. In the Capital recently to announce the arrival of The Golden Ovary Awards in India, she spoke as the ambassador of the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.
Preity is an interesting mix of glamour tantrums and an aware intellect. She’s unafraid to discuss women’s issues over tabloid rumours.
“I am not the burning bra kind of feminist chick. But I have the strength to stand behind what I believe in,” she says.
Having won the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award for speaking out in court in the Bharat Shah case, she is now lending support to The Golden Ovary Awards, which she believes will help recognise “the unsung but not lost women who have lived and worked with the courage of their convictions.”
Believing that celebrities make a difference, she has previously also supported different campaigns, be it against female foeticide or the spread of HIV.
She explains, “When I came into the industry nine years ago, HIV was perceived as the greatest threat. But through different campaigns the prevalence is now said to have dropped.”
Preity’s first English movie ‘The Last Lear,’ directed by Rituparno Ghosh, premiered recently at the Toronto International Film Festival. Besides ‘The Last Lear,’ she will also be seen soon in Jahnu Barua’s forthcoming ‘Har Pal’ and Deepa Mehta’s ‘Heaven on Earth.’
In ‘The Last Lear,’ she plays a modern and successful actor struggling in a claustrophobic relationship. While the movie delves into the ethical issues of art, it also explores the currents and cross-currents of three women who happen to come together one night.
It is not a feminist lecture, yet it strongly explores women’s issues. Preity is positive about the roles that are opening up for women on screen. She sees a change from the typical “damsel in distress” scenario.
She asserts, “Cinema makers have started experimenting more. The characters are getting more real.”
Preity has been known to take on different if not revolutionary roles in Bollywood. Back in 2000 she played a single mother in ‘Kya Kehna.’ More recently in 2005, she was seen in ‘Salaam Namastey’ which dealt with a couple in a live-in relationship.
While her roles have often explored new territory, movies are never women-centric in Bollywood today.
Side-stepping the issue, Preity retorts, “There can’t be a hit movie without a female actor. Try having a man in a sari running around a tree. It wouldn’t work!”
She puts a positive twist to the dearth of women-centric cinema by saying that the risk for female actors is less. “If a male actor has five flops, he is dead. If a female actor has five flops, she is in a coma.”
Bollywood is known for running on its male actors. While it is speculated that the lead actors earn as much as Rs. 10 crores per movie, lead female actors seldom get more than 3 crores.
The inequality seems glaring, yet Preity doesn’t feel wronged, “Yes, it’s true that the male stars do get paid more. The female actors are paid less, but they get paid a lot.” She continues, “But look at the modelling world, the female models are paid much more than the male.”
Recently, she has been more in the news for reasons other than cinema. Caught by the cameras recently bidding for the Indian Premiere League, it’s clear that her ambitions now sweep beyond celluloid.
She is currently still riding high after capturing star cricketers such as Harbhajan Singh for her Mohali team. Adjusting her hair, she says jokingly that she’s excited about IPL because “now people can watch some healthy sport and not those television serials that caricature women!”
Buying a cricket team is an unusual venture for a female actor, to say the least. But she makes clear that she now wants to learn the business of doing business.
While emphasising on economic empowerment for women, she adds, “The point is not to be a man.” With typical candour she adds, “I was a boy till I was 17! While I like to be strong and tough, I never want to be a man.”
Having played basketball and participated in athletics in school, Preity hopes to open a sports school in Himachal Pradesh. Will she consider bidding for a women’s cricket team? “If the bidding opens,” she answers immediately!
Harry Potter smokes 20 cigarettes everyday
“Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe’s co-stars have warned him of serious health problems if he doesn’t quit smoking 20 cigarettes a day.
Radcliffe has been nicknamed Harry Puffer on the set of the new Potter movie as he rushes off to smoke between takes. He is reportedly smoking a pack a day and this is worrying his friends, thesun.co.uk reports.
A source said: “Daniel has recently been smoking up to 20 cigarettes a day. Every time they call ‘Cut’, he lights up. It’s disgusting. Friends and co-stars including Rupert Grint have been warning him about the dangers of smoking. But he doesn’t take any notice.”
Producers are also afraid that Radcliffe’s image could be damaged if he is seen smoking in public.
“He’s been having late nights out with stars like Kevin Spacey and Stephen Fry and seems to have picked up bad habits …,” the source added.
Aishwarya Rai’s weight loss and gain saga continues
Be it the role in ‘Mistress of the Spices’ or be it ‘Guru’ or any other flick no one has an iota of doubt that Aishwarya Rai plays the roles given to her most convincingly.Aishwarya Rai makes sure to fit into the roles offered to her, so much so, that she started gaining and losing weight according to the needs of the character.
“How To Gain Weight”
The 32-year actress, however, didn’t have to maintain that image for long since there was a sudden change in all her diet regimen as Dhoom II producer Aditya Chopra wanted her to exude sensuality in the screen and asked the paragon of beauty to shed off some weight fast.
Trainer Deepika Mehta was rushed to Namibia where the shooting of the Dhoom 2 was taking place. Deepika was asked to design a training programme and she started two-hour workout sessions for Aishwarya, which starts at 4 am each morning. Her new film “Dhoom II,” which is due for release in India this fall.
When asked about Aishwarya’s schedule, Simone told desifans.com “Aishwarya does have a full schedule but she is quite use to this. Working full days is nothing new to her and nothing she can’t handle. The fact that she enjoys her work so much makes the time go by quickly. She always seems to have an inner peace with a soft smile and a kind word for all. ”
In ‘Guru’ along with Aishwarya Rai Abhishek Bachchan,Arya Babbar and Madhavan will play the lead roles whereas in Dhoom II, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai will team up for the first time. Hope Aishwarya’s perseverance and dedication don’t go unnoticed.
Who Says Women Aren’t Funny?
Over a year ago, Christopher Hitchens, the misogynistic blowhard had an essay in Vanity Fair entitled Why Women Aren’t Funny. The article pissed off a lot of people including me and now a little over a year later, Vanity Fair takes a look at the other side with its April cover story Who Says Women Aren’t Funny.
Firstly, it pisses me off that just because Hitchens says women aren’t funny that we now have to defend ourselves. It just plays into the bullshit that feminists are humorless. Alessandra Stanley (who writes about TV for the NY Times) goes behind the scenes with some of today’s funniest women to look at how comedy has evolved since the days of the big screen screwball comedies which featured some of the highest profile women of the time. As Stanley says, today’s comedians are found on TV, not film (because we all know that there are hardly any funny (or even non-funny) women starring on the big screen today.
The leader of today’s funny women is feminist Tina Fey who parlayed her role as head writer on Saturday Night Live into the comedy 30 Rock, which she created, writes and stars in. (Shame on you if you don’t watch this show, it is fantastic and funny.) She’s about launch a new female buddy comedy Baby Mama co-starring Amy Poehler which will open the Tribeca Film Festival in NY on April 23rd.
Here are some quotes from the piece:
It used to be that women were not funny. Then they couldn’t be funny if they were pretty. Now a female comedian has to be pretty- even sexy- to get a laugh. At least, that’s one way to view the trajectory from Phyllis Diller and Carol Burnett to Tina Fey. Some say it’s the natural evolution of the women’s movement; others argue it’s a devolution. But the funniest women on television are youthful, good-looking, and even, in a few cases, close to beautiful—the kind of women who in past decades might have been the butt of a stand-up comic’s jokes.
Comedy used to be about women making fun of themselves as well as everyone else, and you couldn’t really make fun of yourself if you were too pretty (think of Gilda Radner). The pretty girls get everything. Now, the one place where looks didn’t matter as long as you made them laugh, is being taken over by the pretty girls. Come on. What’s left for the rest of us?
How this evolution happened is not entirely clear. The backlash school of feminism would argue that it’s the tyranny of a looks-obsessed culture that promotes sex appeal over talent, be it in comedy, pop music, or even sports.
Is there a backlash school of feminism? Are there classes available? Give me a break. It’s not the backlash school of feminism that thinks our culture is looks obsessed — it’s the WHOLE CULTURE that KNOWS that we are obsessed with looks.
There has been an epochal change even from 20 years ago, when female stand-up comics mostly complained about the female condition—cellulite and cellophane—and Joan Rivers and Roseanne Barr perfectly represented the two poles of acceptable female humor: feline self-derision or macho-feminist ferocity.
The younger women on TV today owe their careers to Joan Rivers and Roseanne and don’t forget Joy Behar and Rosie O’Donnell and the many other women who worked the clubs when it was all guys. They pushed the envelope and made it acceptable for women to be funny. They were funny and feminist. Stanley mentions Wanda Sykes and Maya Rudolph in her piece but hardly any other women of color. And also, where is Julia Louis-Dreyfus? I love The New Adventures of Old Christine that stars Dreyfus and Sykes.
It’s not that these girls are better than the girls who preceded them,” says Fran Lebowitz. “They’re luckier. They came along at a time when the boys allowed them to do this. In comedy, timing is everything.”
So glad to see we still need permission to be allowed to be funny.
At the moment, though, big-budget comedies are still a reach for most women. Comedians such as Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, and Sacha Baron Cohen are major movie stars in a way that their female counterparts are not. Looks, for them, aren’t important: pudgy Jack Black and Seth Rogen are tapped as romantic leads opposite Kate Winslet and Katherine Heigl.
Nobody knew who the hell Sacha Baron Cohen was before Borat. It seems that the films are trying to apply to the lowest common denominator (namely the young boys who are maybe too immature to understand nuanced comedy.) But the real question is, why are women allowed to be funny on TV and have to be the killjoys in films?
Poehler argues that, despite the changes in television and comedy clubs, Hollywood has made it harder than ever for comediennes to play leads in romantic film comedies. “I guess I’m not able to play the girlfriend of guys my own age anymore,” she says. “I play the bitchy older sister. And who doesn’t love the bitchy older sister who gets it in the end?” Poehler speaks wistfully of the days—20 years ago—when “Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler could open a movie, Teri Garr and Diane Keaton were movie stars and they looked like they lived in your building; you felt you could kind of know them.”
Amen, Amy.
It’s oddly cultural but not really much of a mystery: ticket sales are driven by young men (18–24), whereas television, especially network television, is more of a woman’s world. (Female viewers outnumber men by approximately 30 percent during prime time.) So it is something of a milestone that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have teamed up to make Baby Mama, a comedy about a single career woman (Fey) who wants a child and hires a working-class surrogate (Poehler), who moves in; they then clash like The Odd Couple. In a market that favors boy-girl romantic comedies such as 27 Dresses, a female buddy picture is bold. There have not been many successful ones since Bette Midler and Shelley Long starred in Outrageous Fortune in 1987. (Thelma & Louise had its funny moments, but that final pratfall was deadly.)Fey says she is aware of the risks. “Women drive what’s on television, and husbands and boyfriends decide on movies,” she said. “I’m doing it backwards: I have a TV show for men and a movie coming out for women.”
I am so incredibly sad that the last female buddy comedy that they could think of to mention is 20 years old. somebody please help me understand why we can be funny or star in TV shows but cannot be funny or star in films. Let’s all decide to go and see Tina Fey’s movie on opening weekend to support her and her work! Anyone want to come with me?
Women at the Box Office This Weekend
There are no new women-centric releases this weekend.
Women & Hollywood recommends that you check out Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day which is playing in most communities. Girls Rock! is also rolling out on a limited basis and is fantastic. Here are reviews: Miss Pettigrew Review; Girls Rock Review
Holdovers Remaining in Theatres
The Other Boleyn Girl
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
The Orphanage
Juno
Penelope
Mad Money
Atonement
La Vie en Rose
Opening Next Week
Under the Same Moon – interview with director Patricia Riggen to come next week
TV This Weekend
If you don’t want to go to the theatre there are a couple of things on TV worth watching.
The Return of Jezebel James
Feminist Amy Sherman-Palladino’s return to scripted TV. Show stars Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose
Friday night, Fox, 8pm.
This commentary from the Huffington Post lays out why we should take a chance on the show and not listen to the reviewers. (I might add that in general I have stopped reading reviews before I watch something, especially on shows related to women. They just don’t help and are usually get off on trashing a show) Will Jezebel James Follow in the Footsteps of the Gilmore Girls?
On Deadly Ground: The Women of Iraq
A behind the scenes look at how deadly it has become for women. Another unacceptable tragedy of the US occupation. Weren’t we supposed to help women get rights?
CNN, Saturday and Sunday night at 8pm.
John Adams
While this is not about a woman, Laura Linney co-stars as Abigail Adams and gives another one of her fantastic performances. I’ve seen the first two parts and this is one of the most well done TV films I’ve seen in a long time. HBO does these types of TV events better than anyone else. It’s riveting and Paul Giamatti is beyond good. Don’t miss it.
Premieres Sunday night at 9pm on HBO.
Bollywood Love Predictions of 2008
Harman still remains a good friend.
They will make a good partners but still a long way to go!
Akshay (b.9 Sept) and Twinkle (b. 29 Dec) are number 2 and 9. These two numbers have a strong attraction. But attraction fades and they remain as friends. They also make as very good partners in business. Don’t we all know that Akshay’s luck changed after he got married? It continues this year as well.
Kajol (b. 5 August) and Ajay (b. 2 April) are simply awesome with each other.
No matter what be the situation, they will always be united and strong.
Bipasha (b. 7 Jan) and John (b. 17 Dec) are numbers 7 and 8. The relationship of these numbers fades off with time. Need not say more!
Katrina (b. 16 July) and Salman (b. 27 Dec) are numbers 7 and 9. These numbers get along very well. They end up as excellent friends and life partners too.
Deepika (b. 5 Jan) and Yuvyaj (b. 12 Dec) are numbers 5 and 3. These numbers have strong attraction. No emotions whatsoever and are purely practical numbers.
If they want, this would be an extremely rational relationship based on assumptions and understandings.
Preity (b. 31 Jan) and Ness (b. 30 May) are numbers 3 and 4 which are good as friends.
But Ness Wadia’s name comes to number 29.He better be careful as 29 means that you can be ditched anytime and by anyone.
Abhishek Bachchan (b. 5 Feb) and Aishwarya (b. 1 Nov) are numbers 5 and 1 which are like a house on fire. These two are made for each other. Aishwarya will be extremely lucky for Abhishek. Check out Abhishek’s growth this year.
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
Saif being born on 16th August is a number 7 while Kareena born on 21 September is a number 3.These two numbers get along like a house on fire.
But a small spark can spoil the relationship. So it’s a very delicate one.
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