Get ready for Gaja Gamini!
By Madhur Mittal

TO be brutally frank, the filmi fourth estate is being taken for a royal ride by most of the film-makers. And, gullible (or is the appropriate word "desperate"?), that journalists and photographers obviously are, they dance to the producers’ terse tune so willingly... almost happily! So sick, so sad — but true.

Take for instance, the case of the much touted Gaja Gamini . Produced by Rikku Rakeshnath and directed by the inimitable M F Hussain, this film was off limits to the Press persons during its making. "No Visitors, No Press" was the boldly painted password on big boards at the studios/locations. And yet, when Rikku and MFH wanted to use the same ‘banned’ Press people (since the two needed the rest more than vice versa), the former(s) promptly sent out invites for attending "the glorious completion of a film beyond films" with a vested view to garner maximum publicity in the media... even though this was also botched by their self-effacing PRO, who left out a whole lot of important scribes and lensmen!!!

The party, held at the exclusive The Club in Andheri, was inevitably an ostentatious one do. Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, hero Inder Kumar and others literally preened themselves for the photographers as well as the TV channels. However, the surprising part was the conspicuous absence of other filmland bigwigs. Perhaps, they knew better than to attend a function intended solely for the sake of petty publicity.

In any case, I’d like to suggest to Rikku that either he becomes more print media conscious (and friendly)... or, at least, change his anti-publicity image !

"Hey, hang on!"

There’s so much happening around Govinda that he doesn’t know which way to look! The guy has always been in demand for the best banners ... but now, even the topmost music companies are clamouring for him! And all our very own Chi Chi can holler out is: "Hey, hang on, guys!"

Yeah, Shri Ahuja is in a rather unprecedented Catch 22 situation right now. You see, he has very precious prime on his time (especially when you consider that our man cannot make a move outside of his bed until 12 noon!) and simply too many demanding a performer on the sets (consequently taking up a whole lotta extra time in retakes in his fetish for "the perfect take"). See what I mean?

Will Govinda soon be singing and dancing to his own tunes......?

Anupam...again!

Remember I wrote that the Kher is going through a strange mid career crisis? Well, he decided to prove it by doing a rather bizarre thing: Filing an FIR with the cops against well-known freelance journalist, Ms Lata Khubchandani, alleging "sexual harassment"!

Look, the main points of this (weirdo) story may already be known to you via the agencies’ reports, but what I’m trying to get at is something quite different.—the guy’s psyche. Obviously, Anupam is out of his mind, thanks to his personal and financial stress. Because in Bollywood folks are aware that Khubchandani has done a number of positive articles on Kher... and the two have been the best of friends — professionally. The lady is aghast at Anupam’s action and wonders what could’ve brought on this sudden fit of paranoia...? Like, is it cuckoo time, huh?

Urmila replaces Raveena?

Could it really be true that comely Urmila Matondkar has been working (over-time) on some prominent film-makers, of late? Because out of the blue, comes the news that she is doing not just one but two fresh films — with none other than comedy king Govinda! (Ab tera kya hoga, Raveena?)

Well, since Chi Chi is there, can director David Dhawan be far behind, eh? Yes he’s directing Kunwara with the duo — having done so innumerable times with "his" hero and now doing his debut with the leggy sizzler. The other confirmed film is called Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain, said to be "a madcap caper on celluloid". A scream.

Since Govinda is running short of heroines willing to team up with him, this should be good news for our man. And, as for Urmi, she really has nothing to bite her pretty, manicured nails over, so long as Ramgopal Varmaji is there! Right?

Perhaps, She’s simply decided not to put all her eggs in one basket.......