Chasing Bollywood stars in Amsterdam

Toe Knee

Gauri Khan looks askance at me. She is dressed in white and clutches a shopping bag in either hand. As I move towards her on a busy street in Amsterdam, she takes a step back and frowns. I don't take the hint. As I start to mumble something, the wife of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan hurries past me and disappears into an alley.

No, I wasn't trying to assault her.

The IIFA Awards were being held in Amsterdam in 2005 and I was a cub reporter let loose in the city of canals. Celebrities from the Indian film industry had been spotted in The Netherlands and I had been pacing the sunny sidewalks hoping to catch a glimpse.

I had better luck a few minutes later. Chunky Pandey was rummaging through a stack of colourful T-shirts at a shop around the corner. We exchanged pleasantries but I didn't harass him further, sensing that he wanted to be left alone.

Bollywood stars - hounded by fans at home and abroad. I could understand their predicament. Their need to feel free. The need to walk unmolested through crowds who didn't care who they were. And why stars viewed reporters with suspicion.

I walk past alfresco cafes and Gothic churches, stopping only for a glass of hot chocolate (they call it Chocomel here). As I pause to admire miniature windmills for sale at a roadside stall, cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin walks past with wife Sangeeta Bijlani. I leave them at peace and walk back to the hotel where the stars are cloistered.

There I find Boman Irani at his entertaining best, waving to a clutch of NRI girls waiting outside. Aftab Shivdasani is in the lobby too, looking dapper in a black suit. Ayesha Takia is wearing a brown ensemble, which seems to add inches to her waist. Bad designer or Amsterdam chocolates?

In contrast, Amitabh Bachchan is looking haggard and unshaven. The Big B has received news that his mother is unwell back home. He assures us things will be better on the morrow.

Actors - legends and one-film wonders - troop in for dozens of press conferences held over three days. Salman Khan is late (as usual?) and keeps co-stars and reporters waiting at the No Entry presser. The stars reel off their lines with practised ease, flash their botoxed smiles and leave as swiftly as they came.

At the Marigold presser (the film is yet to be released), starlet Ali Larter lingers a tad longer for one-on-one interviews. She drapes an arm over my shoulder and giggles when she's flummoxed by a question. Good strategy.

The IIFA schedule is chock-a-block. Aishwarya Rai waltzes in to have a tulip named after her. Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan brighten up the centuries-old Pathe Tuschinski theatre at the premiere of Pradeep Sarkar's Parineeta. Hrithik's team beats Shahrukh's bunch hollow when it comes to celebrity cricket.

And at the grand finale, Papa Bachchan, Abhishek and now Bachchan bahu Aishwarya enthral the crowds with 'Kajra Re' redux.

[Why am I being nostalgic about the 2005 awards now? Well, IIFA goes to Yorkshire in a few days and unfortunately, I am not going. A friend is covering the event and I can't help going green with envy. Grrrr!]

Tracking Down: Miss Universe 2007

Prithwish

India's dream of winning another Miss Universe crown was dashed when the sassy Miss India Puja Gupta's name was not called out from the list of the final five gorgeous women.

Though Puja looked ravishing than ever on the ramp (seemed like the training and make-up men had toiled very hard!!) and eased through the final fifteen and final ten stages, she failed to make the cut for the top 5 which saw Japan, Brazil, Korea, Venezuela and USA battle it out for the 2007 Miss Universe crown!

Though it was great to see a contestant from Asia win but I'm sure that had Miss USA (she's got a fantastic smile, body and charisma) not slipped during the evening gown round, she could have been the next Miss Universe.

But tonight is 20-year-old Miss Japan Riyo Mori's (she loves to dance and has been dancing since she was 4!!) night. She was buoyant and confident and was personality personified throughout the contest!

Congrats Riyo! You deserved to win!

Check out the links below to know more about the finalists:

Top 15 contestents were : http://www.missuniverse.com/mainevent/top15.html
Top 10 contestents were: http://www.missuniverse.com/mainevent/top10.html
Top 5 contestants were: http://www.missuniverse.com/mainevent/top5.html
Miss Photogenic : http://www.missuniverse.com/mainevent/photogenic.html
Miss Congeniality: http://www.missuniverse.com/mainevent/congeniality.html
Riyo Mori's Photo Courtesy: http://www.missuniverse.com/missuniverse/index.html

Konkona getting a raw deal, eh?

Toe Knee

Poor Konkona Sen Sharma. Why are directors hell-bent on making her fall in love with a gay colleague? As if Page 3 wasn't enough, Metro sees Konkona walking in on a none-too-brotherly encounter.

But she still gets off lightly. In a city where extra-marital affairs are passe and cool dude Sharman Joshi makes money by renting out his apartment for scheduled sexcapades. Which reminds me, is the similarity with The Apartment (1960) purely coincidental?

Shilpa Shetty, in her first film since winning British hearts in 'Celebrity Big Brother', plays the wronged wife to perfection. Hubby Kay Kay Menon is spending too much time in office meetings, or rather massaging Kangana Ranaut. And leaves a lonely Shilpa to find solace in the arms of theatre artist Shiney Ahuja.

As if that wasn't enough, director Anurag Basu brings in an ageing Dharmendra and Nafisa Ali to spice things up for older viewers. Despite this odd couple, Basu still manages to hold the film together with some tight editing and some spectacular scenes - go watch the movie, you will know which ones I'm talking about.

And I haven't even talked about the surprise package yet - Irrfan Khan is the soul of the film. He mouths the funniest and the most philosophical lines. Leaving those of the hamming variety in Shiney's kitty. By the way, I hated Shiney's theatre scene.

Nevertheless, Life in a ...Metro is eminently watchable. Be it for Irrfan Khan. Or Pritam's soul-stirring music. Or Kay Kay Menon's ogre husband bit. Or even Shilpa Shetty's return to stardom. Take your pick.

Rating: ****

NEWS: Mallika charges 15 million rupees from Himesh for a song appearance

Prithwish

Bollywood's maverick music director and singer Himesh Reshamiiya has roped in the sultry Mallika Sherawat to shoot a song titled 'Mehbooba' for his movie "Aap Kaa Surroor".

The song is set to be shot from May 29 and grapevine says that Mallika has charged 15 million rupees for the 10-minute sequence!

Good luck Himesh, hope the returns from the box-office are good!

Photo courtesy: http://im.rediff.com/movies/2005/sep/22poster.jpg

LOOKOUT: Miss Universe Contest

Prithwish

Come May 28 and India may win another Miss Universe title.

Meet Puja Gupta, 23, born and brought up in Delhi and currently toiling it out in Mexico City to achieve success at the biggest stage!

Though history says winning a Miss Universe/Miss World title is only a step closer to fulfilling one's Bollywood dream. We have to wait and watch if Puja takes the same course!

Though rumours have it that offers are already pouring in, Puja hasn't revealed anything about her Bollywood plans and in fact this gorgeous gal has been sizzling in Mexico. (Check out the link below!!!) But we'll keep our eyes and ears open for Puja's entry to the world of latkas and jhatkas!

All the best Puja.. Win the Universe!

Catch Puja at Miss Universe 2007's official website:
http://www.missuniverse.com/delegates/2007/files/IN.html

Photo Courtesy: http://www.daijiworld.com/images1/miss_040907-4.jpg

NEWS: Miss Britain to act in Bollywood movie

Prithwish

Twenty-five-year-old 2006 Miss Britain, Preeti Desai, is willing to act in Bollywood films, an Indian news agency reported on Thursday.

"I hadn't thought about acting before, but some movie producers have approached me and I am going to meet them," the svelte model was quoted as saying. " It would be silly not to take up an opportunity like that."

"I've had a fantastic time as Miss Great Britain but now you might end up seeing me in Bollywood," she said.

Photo Courtesy: www.nriinternet.com

NEWS: Gere-Shetty kiss case suspended

Prithwish

India's apex court -- the Supreme Court -- has suspended all legal proceedings against Big Brother famed svelte Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who was facing charges for not resisting repeated kisses by Hollywood actor Richard Gere on her cheek during an anti-AIDS promotion event held in New Delhi aimed at raising awareness of the truckdrivers about the virus.