Sunday, October 8, 2000		Bollywood Bhelpuri

OF all the glamour leading ladies of Bollywood, is it really gonna be Raveena Tandon who’s determined to do what Shabana Azmi and (the late) Smita Patil did — a startling flip-flap of image? Why is she so desperately hell-bent upon bringing about a total change of image.

Ms (Terrific) Tandon spurts a mystical — and ever so slightly mocking — smile while she toys with the mangalsutra around her neck. "Honestly, I’m rather amused by the different kinds of reactions from industry people as well the cinegoers and, in particular, my fans." I can see she’s enjoying herself as she continues. "Inevitably, the prime reaction has been one of surprise, shock... and utter disbelief! I mean, who could’ve expected that the sexy, sashaying Shehar Ki Ladki would suddenly start wearing simple sarees, sindoor in her hair and mangalsutra in her neck...! But I’m absolutely ‘n’ totally confident of winning over everyone (that includes my ever-energetic critics!) eventually proving, beyond doubt, that my histrionic reach is truly far out, okay? Just watch the new lot of movies in which I am starring and you’ll know how superbly successful my new gameplan has been...."

Meghna Kothari, who was introduced in Prem Aggan with Fardeen Khan, is quite literally up in arms, now that her co-star has made it with his second film. She is vehement in her feelings (and loud statements) that she has been given "a raw and vindictive deal" insofar as her career is concerned. And she spares nobody at all.

Now, Meghna has decided to get even — by becoming the ‘hottest’ and the most sought after dancing, prancing heroine for sizzling music videos!

Don’t make the mistake of presuming that, since (former) megastar, Madhuri Dixit, isn’t doing new movies, she’s not making megabucks anymore. Far from it, in fact. Because she has landed what could be called "the cosmetic contract of the millennium" with Emami Limited — the well-known manufacturers of beauty aids — beating all competition from (much) younger, today’s heroines hands down!

The exact amount that Ms Nene will be pocketing is being kept a top secret, but insiders insist her one-time fee will be nothing less than 5000 million, going by the (conservative) equivalent of Rs 50 crore!

Hey, Don’t faint! It’s an 11-year deal and Madhuri certainly has (loads of) hard work cut out for her by way of promotional tours, media interviews, photo shoots... the works! An entire range of international skin, hair and bodycare Emami products are in the pipeline — ‘naturally’ to be labelled "Madhuri"....

Yes, the gods are being (mighty) kind to Sanjay Dutt, of late. Not only are his starrers doing well at the box office, ..he’s suddenly become a hot favourite for doing live stage shows abroad! Singing, prancing ‘n’ dancing amidst pyrotechnic gizmos and a bevy of leggy beauties, Dutt has been making his female fans swoon across the UK, USA and Canada by participating in the immensely popular stage shows.

And to think, he was once jeered at as "the guy with two left feet"!

So it’s good to see even Sanju raking in the greenbucks — ample proof of his starry status and charisma. He’ll have to be very docile and discreet in his on-stage as well as off-stage behaviour throughout the two-month tour because, before he left Mumbai, he had to give a written undertaking to the cops and the legal beagle boys that he would (strictly) stay out of ‘acts’ which "Your Honor" would disapprove of. I’m told that he’s already had his first bash-up with a too-persistent photographer in Birmingham! Good Lord, what next...?!

The last time, I mentioned that the inordinately latecoming of chief stars to parties is becoming a (big) pain. Jackie and his pretty wife, Ayesha, got a heavy dose of this bitter medicine at the ostentatious music release of their new production — Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai. For, even tho’ all the VIP invitees (including the Bachchans) had assembled by 10 pm, leading lady Sonali Bendre sashayed in only after 11.15 and ‘hero’ Govinda — at 12.20 am. At this (reprimandable) rate, methinks Bollywood should ban "a get-together evening altogether! Right, folks?