Imran Khan is Bollywood's new 'it' boy

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Punit Malhotra’s I Hate Luv Storys is carrying the right vibe. Trade pundits are of the opinion that Dharma Productions rom-com set to hit theatres on July 2, is near perfect.

It’s priced correctly, it’s a love story coming from Karan Johar — the man who knows romance better than most filmmakers, and it has Imran Khan — the actor with the ‘it’ factor going for him.

Imran, who stormed the film scene two Julys ago with Aamir Khan’s sweet mushy flick Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, is the quintessential chocolate boy who with his fair skin and light eyes makes the girls go weak in the knees. Take what happened at a bookstore in a mall. The girls who strolled in and caught Imran in their midst screamed the mall down. They were so excited, they almost tore the actor’s shirt off in their attempt to get closer to him.

Imran is flattered with this attention he has been from the trade and the janta. The actor who has a fabulous sense of humour, says, “It is always flattering for an actor to feel wanted, but for a few minutes I wondered if all this squealing and shouting was stage-managed by the PR of the film. We’re in the business of selling ourselves, and being labelled sexy and being spoken of as having that ‘it’ quality is the ultimate goal. When I see people reacting to my body, I feel it was worth all the hard work I put in. I remember all those bland meals that I suffered and those heavy weights I lifted to be able to get this body. There is a sense of personal gratification when I see my image in the mirror. But there is also the need here for me to thank Manish Malhotra, Karan and Punit who are responsible for the way I have been projected in IHLS.’’

The actor who confesses that he is very romantic but doesn’t believe in the superfluous flowers, chocolates and SMS routines when it comes to professing his feelings for his loved one, adds, “I must still be doing something correct. Otherwise the same girl wouldn’t be with me for the last eight years.’’ He has a point — when it comes to romance he has what it takes — both on screen and off it.

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Vivek flirts with Shazahn

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Vivek Oberoi was recently seen at a party hitting on Sharon Prabhakar’s daughter Shazahn, Ranbir Kapoor’s co-star in Rocket Singh, Salesman Of The Year.

An eyewitness, who also overheard a conversation between Vivek and Shazahn reveals, “Shazahn came to the party with her mom Sharon. When Vivek saw Shazahn standing alone in a corner he started asking her where she was going later and with whom.

He was at his flirtatious best, when Shazahn’s mom Sharon, who was scandalised to see Vivek standing so close, pulled her daughter away and left.”

When contacted, Shazahn Padamsee said, “I don’t wish to comment.” Vivek Oberoi, in turn, also declined to comment.

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Abhi's offered Rs.7 crores for next!

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So Raavan is reportedly dead meat. So what? There are many Bollywood superstars out there who have given more than two flops in the last two years and who are still getting big money from producers.

The same goes for Abhishek Bachchan. Rumours (no one in Bollywood ever talks money, they only drop huge hints) have it that Junior B has just reportedly been offered Rs.7 crores for a film with Raj Kumar Santoshi to be bankrolled by a film corporation. Actually, the full rumour goes like this. That Raj Santoshi will make a film with the Bachchan family — Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya.

And the fee earmarked for Abhi alone is Rs.7 crores. Incidentally, Raj Santoshi is also making another film with his current favourite Katrina Kaif with whom he gave that hit Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

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I would do it again: Ash

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Raavan, Abhishek Bachchan and Mani Ratnam

Raavan has been a gruelling experience for you?
Why just me? Everyone in the film has gone through an equal amount of hardships to create a film we all believe in. There we were, getting drenched in the rain, and Mani Ratnam, Santosh Sivan . ..everyone was there facing the weather. We were all friends in the project. Everyone was there for one another. We could joke and say it was like an adventure sport, or a video game while we were making our way through the most impossible conditions. But we knew what the truth was.

Were you prepared for the severe hardships when you read the script?
It was still a bit of shock and surprise when we had to face the climatic conditions in the jungles. On top of that Mani loves to make on-the-spot changes. He improvises all the time. He doesn’t want to strictly follow the written word. He’s a master of creating magical moments out of the seemingly ordinary. What he does is incredible. Just the pleasure of working with him again (after Iruvar) was amazing.

But for a lady to be climbing those slippery rocks ....
Really (laughs), we didn’t know how slippery those rocks would be. There was this huge waterfall where we shot a lot. One never thought one would leap down those heights in and around the waterfall. Of course we were wired. But once you’re going down there’s no control. The rocks were so mossy, we had no control over our movements. We were climbing so close to the waterfall we could feel its power. It was the power of Nature in all its glory.

How could you focus on emoting while doing such dangerous stunts?
That’s magic of the camera, the magic of cinema. As for getting the emotions right, you know Mani Ratnam. Do you think he would relent until he got the emotions he wanted? We’d go through the most incredibly impossible scene. Then he’d come up to us and say, ‘I’ve got a better idea. Let’s do the whole thing again.’ I was like, ‘Are you for real? Do you know what we’re doing? And we’ve another version to capture before the light fades.’ I’d do it in Hindi and then do it all over again in Tamil.

Was the scale of your emotions higher in Tamil?
I haven’t seen the Tamil film. No time! The nuances alter from one language to the same. But the emotions were the same. Some of the lines were changed to show a difference in culture. What would seem theatrical in Hindi is natural in Tamil. But I didn’t consciously move into a different zone in the two languages. Our camereman Santosh Sivan was so innovative. The changes in lighting and mood were done by him. He was having a party while we were trying to get it right in two languages. He doesn’t only create fabulous images. He creates a magic in the language of the film. You can be sure that Mani and Santosh will together bring it all together finally. You know, Manikandan was doing the cinematography earlier. But you can’t tell where and when Santosh took over.

You actually dubbed your own lines in Tamil?
Oh yes, as far as dubbing is concerned I’ve come a long way. I remember during my first film Iruvar in Tamil, I panicked at the language. Now of course I am far more confident. But two films simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil meant pressure full-on. Until we were on the sets none of us knew what pressures we were getting into. After a while Mani was giving me scenes on the sets. Then he’d humour me saying, ‘Come come let’s do it.’It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. I’d be standing there, having just completed a harrowing scene with Abhishek, and then without a minute’s pause I’d have to do the same scene with Vikram. We were all passionate about the project to the point of being obsessive. Everyone in the crew was there in the jungles throughout. We would tell one another that we were on a picnic or a safari adventure. But we knew what we were going through.

Would you do it again if you have to?
While we were shooting Raavan we felt the situation was impossible and we didn’t know how we’d get through it. But now that we did ...yes, I’d do it again! Just before the film’s release we all met up and we kept looking at each other thinking the same thing. ‘Is it all done already?’ And we kept saying, ‘We can do it any time again.’ And Mani was like, ‘You guys are crazy.’

You feel ill with serious viral infections during the film?
It just got widely reported. Even Abhishek and Vikram fell ill. These things happen when working under tough conditions. Mani got it. His wife Suhasini visited us. And she too got it. Such things do happen specially when you have to remain drenched from head to toe. During childhood we were taught to keep our head dry. And here I was getting drenched from early morning till late night. There was no point in drying myself because I was soaked in seconds.

Curiously you shot with two of the finest directors Mani Ratnam and Sanjay Leela Bhansali almost simultaneously, Mani completely outdoors and Sanjay fully on the sets.
And both so fulfilling in their own way. Let me tell you, I consider myself blessed. I’ve worked repeatedly with both. And both have taken my acting abilities seriously.

Hrithik sneaks into a nude beach

It’s not what you think, so get your mind out of the gutter, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin aren’t, er, stripping for this film. The Censor Board may as well relax. The unit of Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, including Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar and co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani, were actually in for a surprise when they landed on the sandy shores of Costa Brava in Spain. All the vacationers there were sunbathing in the nude. And, seeing the actors and crew descending upon them with cameras, they initially thought that somebody was out to shoot them. Once realisation dawned, they got back to catching their sun tans. And Messrs Hrithik, Kat, farhan, Abhay and Kalki went about their work undisturbed. Well, not quite. Because, as one unit hand said, “We had a hard time shooting... and making sure that we didn’t capture any nudists on the beach... that would have given the Censor Board a fit. In fact, we looked like the odd ones out dressed up as we were!”

Trisha signs three-film contract with Akki

Trisha has not one, but three good reasons to be excited. The pretty actress will debut in a Hindi movie (Khatta Meetha) starring Akshay Kumar, which is being directed by Priyadarshan. In a literal coup of sorts, Trisha has been signed up for three films under Akki’s banner Hari Om Productions, without any restrictions on her taking up other films. Trisha was in Chennai for a day before leaving to Australia for Gopichand’s Sankam. She spoke to DC in an exclusive interview.

* Wasn’t Priyan supposed to launch you in Bollywood a few years ago?
There have been a couple of offers from Bollywood. Priyan sir has been talking to me about my launch in Hindi. But he advised me to wait for a script that had a significant scope for my role. He was also busy making films with multiple stars, with more than one heroine. He felt Khatta Meetha would be the right launch pad for me. It has a single leading lady and the role is as important as that of the hero. I have committed 60 days at a stretch in October and November this year and they plan to finish the movie within three months.

* How did Akshay select you?
Akshay was looking for a fresh face for this movie. When Priyan suggested my name, he got interested and watched few of my Telugu and Tamil films. One day I got a call from him and he said that although he hadn’t met me or screen tested me, he was happy with my work and that he had faith in Priyadarshan’s advice. He also said that being Priyan’s discovery, he imagined I would play my role with ease. We spoke a few times over the telephone. I guess he’s keen to repeat the success of his earlier two productions — Singh is King and Namaste London, which will give him a hatrick.

* Did the opportunity mean compromising on your remuneration?
Anyone would be delighted if she was offered a lead role with a star like Akshay. It’s only natural that I am excited about the opportunity, but there is no compromise on remuneration. Priyan is not a ‘bargaining director’, and he knows where I stand today.

* In Hindi cinema, size-zero and glamour are all important. How are you preparing yourself for the role?
I have maintained my figure reasonably well, so far. I’ll need to tone up some more. Looking glamourous should not be viewed as something demeaning, as is often portrayed. A good performance combined with glamour is a powerful proposition. On the language front, I have learnt some Hindi and can understand and converse in it, to some extent. If required, I will dub my own voice.

* Are you sporting a new look in Khatta….?
It’s premature to talk about it right now, since I haven’t yet discussed the story with Priyan. He’s in Dubai now. Once we’re back, we’ll discuss my look for the film, and the costume designs. I was told the designer will be the same person who works with Akki.

No Tollywood films to be shot in Oz

Tags: Hyderabad

Hyderabad, June 13: Alarmed at the number of attacks on Indian students Down Under, the Producers Council of Tollywood has asked film-makers not to shoot in Australia.
The last film shot in Australia is Oye starring Sidharth, which is yet to be released. The council informed film-makers that

the situation in Australia is “disturbing” and shooting there could prove risky. Though the council did not suggest any timeline for not shooting in Australian locations, it is felt that the industry’s decision to avoid Australia is in solidarity to the victims of racist attacks.

“Our students are being beaten up and the attacks have not stopped. If we are shooting there, there could be attacks on the film crew too,” said Mr Thammareddy Bharadwaja, president, Producers Council. “That apart, it is also a matter of self-respect. We can’t shoot there when our countrymen are being brutally attacked. There are so many other countries where songs and sequences can be shot. So I have asked film makers to avoid Australia,” Mr Bharadwaja said.

Producers said that it would send wrong signals to the Indian diaspora if Tollywood is shooting Australia when Indians are being attacked. They said that it is easy for them to avoid Australia as the number of movies being shot there is very small. “Ten years ago, a large number of songs were shot in Australia. But now most of them throng to Europe. There are hardly any movies being shot in Australia, said Mr Srinivas Reddy, film producer.