Some years down the line Bollywood's most talked about couple most probably will be holding a record for the most number of appearances made by a real life B-Town pair as lovebirds on the big screen.
Ram Gopal Varma's latest offering 'Sarkar Raj' has not yet got released, but not itself the news of Abishek Bachchan and his Wife Aishwarya teaming up for an untitled movie of the master director Mani Rathnam is already attracting enough interest.
Seems like the directors get a spark of novel ideas, subjects, inspiration, great characters and all those other things that start of a film's journey from the creator's mind to the screen just by seeing this couple together.
Apparently the famous Director, Cinematographer Rajiv Menon who started off as a director with 'Minsara Kanuvu' starring Prabhu Deva and Kajol which came to B-Town as 'Sapnay' later on directed 'Kandukondain Kandukondain' a Tamil film with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in a key role is thinking of having the Abhi-Ash team in a film of his too.
Rajiv Menon who did the duties of the cinematographer for the film 'Guru' directed by Mani Rathnam narrated the story of the film to the star couple while they were in the sets of 'Guru'.
Abhi and Ash gave the go ahead signal to the director to work on the script after liking the romantic story.
The fates of the two movies at the box office in which the most wanted couple will be seen before Rajeev Menon's film gets to the floor will have an impact on the this future project.
But as the business in Bollywood goes, drastic changes can be made with box office fortunes kept in mind.
Abhishek- Aishwarya agian
Vidya Balan to star opposite Abhishek Bachchan
The ad maverick Balki's first feature film Cheeni Kum made a dynamic dent in audience's minds. It also made him a lifelong Amitabh Bachchan fan. Having gotten masterly performances out of Tabu and the Big B in Cheeni Kum, you'd expect him to recreate the same magic in his next feature film.
But no. Balki is on to a different route for his second film. His next film entitled Pa which begins at the end of the year features real-life father-son Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan. And no Tabu! This, in spite of her brilliant performance. "But that's because Pa has no room for Tabu at all. This time the story is a father-son one. Amitabh has no love interest in the film. And sorry about that. Abhishek does have a girl though." And for the first time Junior is being paired with the petite and lately out-of-sight Vidya Balan.
Says Balki, "We've already approached Vidya and she's more-or-less agreed. I can see her as a pair with Abhishek, can't you?" Vidya comes into the picture through her sister Priya who works with Balki at Lintas. "In fact, it's Priya I know well. I got to know Vidya only when we started talking for Pa," says Balki.
After repeated pairing with Preity, Rani and Priyanka, Abhishek is on the look-out for fresh collaborative opportunities. Vidya Balan is someone the Bachchans have admired from the time the Big B saw her in Parineeta and then worked with her in Eklavya. The Big B had compared Vidya with his favourite actress Waheeda Rehman. Both father and son adore Waheedaji.
So is Balki looking at the prospect of directing a new pair? "I don't look at it that way. Vidya suits the role. I've known her from her ad days. Though we haven't done any ad together, she has done ads for my company Lintas."
One questions remains. Why don't encore- projects happen with Tabu even after powerhouse performances the first time? Madhur Bhandarkar's Chandni Bar and Balki's Cheeni Kum led to no second project. In fact the only directors whom Tabu has worked with more than once are Priyadarshan and Gulzar.
Courtesy:indiafm
Abhishek: I like Ash's pairing with Hrithik
Guru which most consider your finest performance to date came at the start of 2007. Do you think it's forgotten at the awards at the end of the year?
Why do you say that? Rang De Basanti had also been released in January. Awards are no doubt very encouraging. But there have been many notable films in the past that haven't won awards. At the end of the day, the greatest award is a successful film.
Are you more possessive about Sarkar Raj than Jodhaa Akbar since the former stars you with your wife?
No. At the end of the day I am an actor. And we're both thoroughly professional. It would be incorrect for me to be possessive about our film together. I am both an actor and her husband. I'm possessive about her, not her films. It doesn't matter whom she works with. In fact, I really like her pairing with Duggu. I think they looked good together in Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa Akbar. I wish that pair all the best.
Interestingly the first and second turning points in your career were both courtesy Mani Ratnam, weren't they?
Yes, Yuva and Guru. Mani is very special. He had faith in me at a time when most people had lost faith, including myself. He's a friend and mentor. I hope I never let him down. I'd love to work again and again with him. He knows I'm only a phone call away. According to me, he's one of the most talented directors we've ever had. Mani is very reserved. If he has another film for me he would tell me when he's ready.
You went through a prolonged lean phase at the beginning of your career. Comment.
During the times when my films were flopping I had friends like Karan Johar who kept my morale high. I can't deny access to the industry was easier because you are a Bachchan. And I guess I did have it much easier than many people. But once you get a chance you've to prove yourself just like anybody else. I had to struggle. I almost gave up after seventeen failures. My father kept saying, just keep working and believe in yourself. Thankfully, better days were around the corner. You've to work very hard to get anywhere in this business. And I'm working hard. However, there's no formula for success. When I decided to do Guru, a lot of my friends thought it wouldn't work at all. By the grace of God it did well.
Are you pleased with your assignments?
Of course! How wonderful to be working at a time when an actor gets to do a Sarkar Raj, Drona and Dilli 6 during the same year. It's a dream come true for any actor.
Why did you initially opt out of Dilli 6?
Rakeysh Mehra mentioned the subject to me many years ago. He finally decided to shoot it in winter 2006 when I was committed to shooting Drona. I suggested he do it with someone else. He asked Duggu who asked me if it was okay. I was perfectly okay with that. But then Duggu's dates didn't work out. Then Rakeysh decided to re-write the script. By then it was December 2007 and I was thankfully able to do the film. The rest, I hope will be history. Rakeysh is a very sensitive director and I love working with him. I was meant to start my career with him.
How has the experience in Jaipur been so far?
It's like attending acting school every morning. When would I again get an opportunity to observe and work with actors like Waheeda Rehmanji, Chintu Uncle(Rishi Kapoor), Om Puriji, Deepak Dobriyal, Pawan Malhotra,, Vijay Raaz, Atul Kulkarni, K.K Raina….It's school! It's cool!
Both you and dad are huge fans of Waheedaji?
Who isn't? This is my second film with her after Om Jai Jagdish. I just keep staring at her. Actors would do anything to be in one frame with her.
And what about your co-star Sonam Kapoor?
I saw Saawariya and thought she was wonderful. When I started my career I wasn't half as good as Sonam or Ranbir. It's wonderful to see this whole eager enthusiastic new generation coming in.
source:IndiaFM
Raj Thackeray watches excerpts from Sarkar Raj
Raj Thackeray, chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the man whose remarks and activities of his followers sparked off parochial unrest in Mumbai, has met Bolloywood director Ram Gopal Varma to watch a part of Sarkar Raj.
Loosely based on Shiv Sena's chief Bal Thackeray's life, Sarkar Raj is a sequel to Varma's Sarkar and stars Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in key roles. Raj Thackeray had also taken on Amitabh Bachchan in his diatribe.
"Raj and Varma have been friends for some time now. In fact, when Sarkar was made, it was Raj who coordinated between Varma and the Shiv Sena supremo," a source close to Varma told IANS.
"Raj is keenly interested in movies. So when after chatting up, Varma asked Raj if he wanted to watch some of Sarkar Raj, he readily agreed. He watched about 30 minutes of the film and apparently loved it," the source said.
Raj was amused to see one of the actors in Sarkar Raj resembled him. "Yes, one of the actors does resemble Raj, but his role is not modelled on him," added the source.
Amitabh to play Abhishek's grand pa in the film 'Dilli 6'
Confused? You should be. Bachchan Sr. who does not have any restrictions for the roles that he portrays has got a role never before attempted by him.
Yes, Amitabh has got a role to play son Abhishek's grand pa in the film 'Dilli 6'.
Acting for over four decades and reigning Bollywood, this is one role that will raise the curiosity of most of the film goers. How will it be for a dad to play the grand dad's role? Easy is what we would say, for an actor with the talent and calibre of Big B!
'Dilli 6' is Rakeysh Mehra's semi-autobiographical film and the Big B's role will be shot by the director come May. If reports are to be believed then this director has a few more films in the pipline for Big B and after 'Dilli 6' the director will cast Bachchan in 'Paanch Kaurav'. A few more films are getting ready for which the talks are going on.
This Mehra-Bachchan combo seems to be doing magic, all we hope is that this magic continues!
Courtesy:IndiaGlitz
