Sunday, June 17, 2001		Movie Magic

From a ‘caterpillar’ to beautiful butterfly
Madhur Mittal

BELIEVE me, the transformation is amazing! Kareena Kapoor — whom we scribes used to jokingly refer to as " a cute, colourful caterpillar" not too long ago — has bloomed into a gorgeous butterfly, suddenly, stunningly! And all those snide comments comparing her to her vivacious, lovely sister, Karisma, have flown out of the nearest French windows.

Kareena is looking awesome, what with her long (streaked) hair, her cream ‘n’ peaches complexion and her mesmerising green/blue light eyes. Let me be very honest: I find it impossible to meet her eye-to-eye for more than a couple of minutes (or less), fearing that a big, bright bolt of lightning will hit me and leave me flat on my back... twitching ‘n’ gibbering like an insane idiot.

What’s more, bewitching Bebo is busy wiping away all competition like a turbo mop gone into overdrive. If you recall, it was only a year ago that she was sulking and moping (at home), blasting the film-makers for not signing her and, at the same time, going green with envy that Lolo was getting the best assignments... and coveted awards, as well!

No more. No way. Today, Kareena is poised to overtake Karisma as far as the sheer (staggering) number of big banner films she’s being constantly gifted with on a diamond-studded platinum platter is concerned. Mujhe Kuchh Kehna Hai is already her first hit and lined up are whoppers like Subhash Ghai’s Yaadein (with Hrithik); Santosh Sivan’s Asoka (with Shah Rukh); Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and so on. And so, shall we hear it for comely Kr Kapoor?!

Show off Shah Rukh!

How can a coyote change its colour? Or its whine, huh? This, my dear friends, happens to be precisely the problem with Shah Rukh Khan. Having tried just about every attention-grabbing gimmick (ostensibly to "lick my rivals and critics and detractors and ..."), and having bit the dust every time, this Khan is now looking westwards to collaborate with a real global celebrity with a view to making a killing in desi movieland.

So, his most recent chaal was to write to NASA in the USA and plead for "an invitation to be a privileged, celebrity visitor to your incomparable space agency, NASA". On the other hand, he held a press conference to announce that it was NASA which had specially invited him!

Alas, despite the published picture showing the Shah hugging Eugene Cernan — the last man to walk on the moon — our man is still sitting in Mumbai, twiddling his thumbs (and whatever else!) and wondering what stunt to pull off next that will fetch him some darned attention...... Giggle!

Here’s a (short) story about two, new good looking girls who’re all set to make their debuts on the silver screen of Bollywood — and both come from well-known theatre families and both claim they’re going to take the Hindi film industry like a twister !

I have the proud pleasure to introduce to you, Juhi Babbar (pretty daughter of, you guessed it, Raj and Nadira Zaheer Babbar) and Neha Dubey (comely lass of star actress Lilette Dubey and Dr Dubey). Now, while Juhi is doing films like Kaash Aap Hamare Hote, Neha is the leading lady of Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding, the craze at Cannes! Are these two streakers going to sear up the desi screen(s) even as I pound on my Triumph typewriter, hey?

A number of recent motion pic

tures have clobbered the box office rather surprisingly. I mean, when Bollywood is producing one new film after another, almost akin to an automotive assembly line, how come these "so,so" flicks have made the goodly grade ?

Yes, the cinegoers have gone cuckoo over releases like Chhupa Rustum, Jodi No 1, Albela, Pyaar Toone Kya Kiya, Mujhe Kuchh Kehna Hai, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Ek Rishta ad nauseam! Why? What on earth is so specially captivating about them...? Well, only the janta can tell.