TELEVISION
More at ease behind lens

Ekta Kapoor: Camera shy

THE ‘Kueen of TV kitsch’ is back but this time with a twist in the tale. No, no. Ekta Kapoor isn’t trying another gimmick to boost the TRPs of her serials. She has launched a man—and woman—hunt for a new show that Balaji Telefilms is producing for MTV.

But why this massive exercise? Considering the number of actors who are leaving her serials for pastures new, she has decided to induct all new faces.

MTV has been airing promos where Ekta is shown urging youngsters to participate in a talent hunt for a show to be aired in August. "We figured a direct call from me would get a big response," she explains.

And what a response it’s been. The Balaji team is now virtually working round the clock conducting auditions across the country to select six gifted youngsters.

The show details are a secret but what’s no secret is that Ekta was very uncomfortable in front of a camera. "It took me a whole day to get a few dialogues done," she admits. Nervous debut? May be. She should take some lessons from dad and brother.

APART from rooting for the BJP in the elections and making an occasional appearance in Shobha De’s Kittie Party, Poonam Dhillon seems to have precious little to do these days.

But the star of the 1980s says she’s quite a busybee and her main occupation is theatre. She has teamed up with Dinyar Contractor for a new stage comedy.

For the uninitiated, Contractor is an acclaimed Mumbai director of comic dramas like Whose Wife Is It Anyway?, Madhouse and I Love You Too. His new mission in life, he says, is to make Dhillon a top comedy star.

Poonam Dhillon and comedy? That’s quite a feat. All one can say is you’ve got to have real sense of humour to laugh at that.

BACK in the 1990s, his pathbreaking India’s Most Wanted cut short the careers of many goons, kidnappers and murderers and made Suhaib Illyasi an overnight celebrity.

Now four years after it’s been off air, the man is resurfacing with the same show re-christened India TV’s Most Wanted on Rajat Sharma’s newly launched
India TV.

When he started out he would often say that IMW was a commitment for him. He still maintains that. "I want to help victims of crimes get justice."

Besides India TV’s Most Wanted, Illyasi is also making a film Wanted No. 1 that revolves around a man whose mission is to bring criminals to justice. Autobiographical? No, he says. "One builds on experience but that doesn’t mean it’s my story. It’s not."

FOR a man of his talent he’s waited long—far too long—for the right break. He thought he had it made with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. The hit fetched him bit roles. No more.

Now, after knocking at the gates of heaven for six years, a TV serial has done what DDLJ couldn’t do for Parmeet Sethi. Playing the flamboyant Raj in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin has changed his fortunes forever.

"I instinctively knew this character was going to work for me," says Sethi. And sure it has. Today, apart from Jassi.. he’s doing cameos in Saara Akaash, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Karishma.

Now a new daily comedy Ruby Duby Hub Dub on Sahara Manoranjan is cashing in on his gentle humour. Sethi is all set to conquer Bollywood with not one but 10 films, including the Punjabi-English Des Hoyaa Pardes co-starring Juhi Chawla.

So, what’s the secret of his success? Wife Archana Puran Singh, of course. "She’s so proud of me. Earlier, she thought I was a waster." Truly, behind every successful man there’s a surprised wife. NF

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