From the Press
     News
     Sports
     Diary
     Editorials
     In Bombay
     Market Gossip
     Ad Gallery

  Xtras
     Style
     Business Extra
     Bombay First
     Woman's Extra
     In Touch
     Bollywood
     Health Check
     TV Track
     Celebrity Interviews

  Busybee
     Round and About
     Eating Out
     Ask Busybee
     Books

  Q & A with...
     Farzana Versey
     Asit Chandmal
     Dr. Shirin Wadia
     Tripty Kapadia
     Mehraboon Irani

 Coffee Break
     Astrology
     Mario's Cartoon
     Bombay Quiz
     Postcards
     Crossword

.

|Extra Special |

GOSSIP

WANNA GO TO BED WITH ME?

Talk about Bollywood's voracious libidinous appetites! Now our stars are inviting the hoi-polloi to go to bed with them! Not literally, mind you...India Talkies, a company floated by SALMAN KHAN, SANJAY DUTT, GOVINDA, MAHIMA CHAUDHARY and KARISMA KAPOOR, have tied up with Bombay Dyeing to produce a range of bed-sheets and bed linens with photographs of film stars across them! But weren't they contemplating a restaurant chain on the lines of Planet Hollywood before this? Or mebbe, they believe in having the just desserts before the main-course!

RAVEENA: GOING THE ARTY WAY!

Raveena's doing some great art flicks!

KALPANI LAJMI, I am told, doesn't repeat her stars. True? Don't think so, coz she approached DIMPLE KAPADIA with three offers after 'Rudaali' (including 'Daman'), which the latter refused coz the script wasn't enticing enough. Having completed shooting for 'Daman', Lajmi, we hear, is quite impressed with RAVEENA's performance and has decided to repeat R.T. for her next project to be produced by the upcoming PRITI SINHA. Of course, like us, even Ravs is mighty thrilled and hopes that her diligence gets her a statuette, something she was expecting from 'Shool'. While on the front for critics' awards, even two of her august contemporaries will be vying for the similar honours: KARISMA KAPOOR for SHYAM BENEGAL's 'Zubeida' and TABU for MAHESH MANJREKAR's 'Astitva'. And we're sure the decision will be a tough one!

SINGING STARS!

What a catch! I hear that SHANNON ELIZABETH, who was served up so tastily in 'American Pie', is being seen with Latino heart-throb ENRIQUE IGLESIAS. But what about the wannabe Enriques in filmdom? AAMIR did a Khandala-bit in 'Ghulam', SALMAN a Holi-bit in 'Hello Brother', SANJAY and GOVINDA a 'tapori'-bit in 'Haseena Maan Jaayegi', SHAHRUKH a wooing-bit in 'Josh', Aamir, again a romantic-bit in 'Lagaan' and now, AMITABH BACHCHAN and NANDITA DAS a poetry-bit in RAKESH MEHRA's 'Aks'. Bit by bit, they're all attempting a poke in the pie of an alternative career!

ON AMITABH BACHCHAN...

Alright, so he's singing in 'Aks'; and is also performing at the launch of a Kashmiri channel in Srinagar today. RAVEENA TANDON, SHILPA SHETTY, LUCKY ALI, ILA ARUN, SAJID KHAN and RUBY BHATIA are likely to be the other 'attractions' at the event that will be attended by a host of political luminaries such as ARUN JAITLEY, LAL KRISHNA ADVANI and FAROOQ ABDULLAH. Moving to YASH CHOPRA's 'Mohabbatein'; it is believed that A.B.'s given a stellar performance in the role of a stern college principal with a poignant past. JATIN-LALIT's soundtrack, especially the college prom number, is carrying rave reviews, and if all goes well, the biggest B might even contend with the likes of HRITHIK, ANIL and AAMIR for the 'Best Actor' statuette!

ONTO ABHISHEK...

I hate to confess but I've formed an opinion on ABHISHEK BACHCHAN's histrionics already! And the big surprise is that I'm loving every bit of this youngster in the promos of 'Refugee'; much more than his father! He isn't the quintessential sorta stud with beef and style, but one who's loaded with oodles of screen presence and charm. Looks like Sr. BACHCHAN's prayers at the holy shrine of Badrinath will surely be reciprocated with proportionate benisons! Coming up on July 7 is J P DUTTA's 'Refugee', followed by VASHU BHAGNANI's 'Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya' on August 18 and RAJ KANWAR's 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke' on September 22. The countdown begins...

HOT STUFF

The promos of HARRY BAWEJA's 'Deewane': They don't show the film's name or the faces of its cast; merely mention 'Melodies Of Love'. Let's get you in on the big secret: The two are AJAY DEVGAN and URMILA MATONDKAR. Exciting?

NOT HOT

KUNDAN SHAH, for giving nerve-numbing flicks like 'Kya Kehna' and 'Hum To Mohabbat Karega' in consecutive weeks.

RUMOURS

  • Refugee might release on 7 July because 7 has been Amitabh's lucky number
  • Liril girl, Hrishita Thakkar, might be considered for the role opposite Saif in Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahata Hai
  • Bobby Deol and Malaika Arora do a sensational number, Ekwari Tak Le, for Guddu Dhanoa's Bichhoo
  • OUR LAST DAY TO GRAB BOBBY FOR FREE!

    Our office hasn't stopped ringing with the sound of incessantly crooning telephones! The 'Bichhoo' music contest has generated such a frenzy among BOBBY and RANI fans; the music, of course, is a mighty sell-out in the market! In fact, reliable sources from the music industry tell us that after the smashing sales of the 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai' soundtrack, in six months, only 'Josh' and now 'Bichhoo' are chugging up the same road to success! Today's the last day when 200 premium cassettes and 50CDs of the flick will be up for free grabs at the 'Afternoon House'. Walk in, quick, for a sweet sting!

    NOT QUITE 'PRETTY'!

    How often we con ourselves into believing something we wouldn't like to! Take PREITY ZINTA's example. After a supposed hit called 'Kya Kehna', the thingie is on a yak-a-tack spree! We were appalled to read an interview of hers in a leading news-magazine. Firstly, this magazine, unjustifiably, gives the entire "credit" to Zinta coz SAIF and CHANDRACHUR are "box-office zeroes"! Oopsieeee...but what is 'miss' Zinta in that case?

    In 'Soldier', she was reducing to moving T&A, 'Dil Se' bombed like nobody's business and 'Sangharsh' only made matters ten shades worse. At least these heroes have money-spinners like 'Tere Mere Sapne', 'Maachis', 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' and 'Main Khiladi Tu Anari' to boast about! And without the presence of these heroes, I'd like to know whether people would have even dared to go in for an oddball consisting of Zinta in every frame!

    In the first question, the interviewer asks Zi how she is feeling, considering no heroine, not even Rekha, Sridevi or Madhuri, have managed to open a film. The mag exhorts the missie for doing the formidable! Excuse me but have these poor souls forgotten that Madhuri got 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun' a thunderous opening in 1994 when Salman was nowhere close to a star! Before that, she got 'Raja' a fantabulous opening despite a hero like Sanjay Kapoor!

    Then there is Rekha, thanks to whom K C Bokadia's 'Phool Bane Angaarey' opened to a superb response and also Rakesh Roshan's 'Khoon Bhari Maang' and 'Umrao Jaan' with Farooque Sheikh. Sridevi's 'Army' got a terrific initial despite the absence of saleable heroes, so did her 'Jaag Utha Insaan' with Mithun and 'Bhagwan Dada' with Rakesh Roshan!

    Then when Zinta is asked about how all the critics "bummed" the film and her performance, she springs up an impudent one, "Who cares for critics?" And to think, that she was the same girl, who, on joining the industry had said that she would like to please the critics and audience! She adds that "millions" have accepted it, but what about the millions who haven't? Take a look at the all-India collections, PZ:

    Other than a leading financial newspaper, we were shocked to hear about the 'ticket-tearing' practice adopted by producers, reported by another prominent newspaper last Sunday. And if the verdict of these film trade magazines is the yardstick being used by producers, let us give you a startling revelation of their integrity/authenticity:

    'Trade Guide' reported that the first-week collections of the Sanjay Dutt-starrer 'Jung' were a measly 65.86%, while 'Film Information' stated that the first-week collections of the same film were 80% !!

    Quick Surf
    |Extra Special |