A disappointed director
By Madhur Mittal

JAANAM Samjha Karo happens to be the labour of love of debut director Andaleb M Sultanpuri, after assisting filmmaker Raj Kumar Santoshi over the years. But the surprising thing is that JSK is no Ghaayal or Ghaatak! On the contrary, it’s turned out to be a frothy, fun filled entertainer... because that’s precisely what Andaleb wanted his picture to be.

But, he admits that he’s disappointed with the viewers’ response, in totality. "I wanted to give cinegoers a film without the usual violence...and with loads of light entertainment they’d simply sit back and enjoy. Basically, my personal idea of a good movie is one that gives the viewers their ticket money’s worth, see? You know, great music, peppy song and dance picturisations, comedy, romance — a deliberately fizzy and funky treatment, without being frivolous.

But, obviously, somehow, somewhere, I have’t been able to communicate my intentions to the viewers and I’m not one of those directors who turn around to blame the producer (Bubby Kent) or the script writer (Rajkumar Santoshi) Because I believe in myself, in what I’ve done, fully and implicitly."

That’s some candid ‘confession’. It isn’t everyday that one meets up with a director who’s willing to own up for the average run of his celluloid offering! Can’t help wishing him luck... for, Andaleb M.Sultanpuri (famed lyricist Majrooh Saab’s youngest son) is a future film-maker to watch.

Is something missing?

Looking at her from a purely professional point of view, there is just about nothing lacking in pretty Shweta Menon, y’know. Attractively packaged, she has the all those ‘vital’ requisites for the making of a top heroine. And yet, she’s hardly thought of more than a glamorous gal — putting in (voluptuous) "special appearances" as the don’s mol, a cabaret dancer, a delightful decorative "item".

Is something missing, huh? Uh, may be yes: Her smiling nod on the casting couch! Here is a gutsy young girl who has no inhibitions about revealing her body on screen but also one who absolutely refuses to be exploited by filmland touts who are ever on the hunt for an aspirant actress to "arrange" roles for her — at a rather dicey price, if you know what I mean. And just because Shweta has done some sexy shoots for the film glossies, most folks jump to the (totally wrong and misled) conclusion that our comely lass "must be an easy one", see?

Well, it doesn’t bother Shweta one bit. Like, she says with a smile: "So what if I’ve shown some body? The thing I’m really out here to show is my talent!"

The ‘fevicol bond’

I’am sure you readers are aware that Govinda is on the hit list — of quite a few heroes and heroines; they don’t want to work with him because they find him coming on too heavy on the sets with his overbearing attitude, habitual late coming and incorrigible interference in the directors’ directions.

There’s one particular actress who says she’d love to do a hundred films with Chi Chi and, frankly, at the rate she’s signing more and more movies with him, that century may not be too far off.

Care to toss a guess as to who "she" is? It’s Raveena Tandon. Th?? seen in this year itself. This is only the beginning. Watch out.

Any wonder then, that industry wags are already sniggering. The way Raveena is firmly stuck to Govinda — it must be the ‘Fevicol bond’.

Secretive Sunil?

The other day, some of the best in Bombay beef was on display at the flashy inauguration of the latest iron pumping club in equally flashy (and fashionable) Napeansea Road highrise skyscrapers. Almost 700 square feet area (Whoosh! That must have cost the earth, literally!) of air conditioned hi tech physical fund-as, called the Priyadarshini Park Aerobics & Fitness Centre!

It was inaugurated by none other than Sunil "The Hulk" Shetty withmuch fanfare. He went around the place grinning from ear to ear, trying out the imported equipment and even posing with the musclemen of Mumbai who’d been especially invited over. Apparently, Shetty was there as the locality celebrity but, according to an insider, he has a big stake in the setup. However, Sunil wants to be secretive about it!