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Kareena feels her Garnier ad makes a style statement
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS) She's the new Garnier girl. And she looks smashing in the ads. But compliments about her looks don't faze Kareena Kapoor.

"Garnier is about youth, style and energy. If they've chosen me, it's because they think I can make a style statement on their product. So I'm quite flattered that they chose me. Since it is an international product, I'm honoured," Kareena told IANS.

Her world seems to be complete. She has just given a powerhouse performance as a doctor treating a mentally disturbed patient in Priyadarshan's "Kyun Ki".

"It wasn't a fun role like Priyan's 'Hulchal' where we all had a ball. This was far more serious, though still a lot of fun. I can't shoot with Priyan and not have fun," Kareena laughs.

She has already done three films with the prolific director.

"I've never done so many films before with any director. I've just completed my second film with Satishji ('Milenge Milenge'). And I'm doing my second film with Abbas-Mustan. But never before had I done three films with the same director in such quick succession."

Kareena plays a deaf-and-mute girl in Priyan's next.

Many people have noticed her traditional sari-clad look in "Kyun Ki".

"I dressed that way in 'Bewafaa' also. I like wearing saris. They can be really glamorous. Look how sensuous Sridevi looked in a sari in 'Chandni' and 'Mr India' or for that matter Madhuri while doing the 'dhak dhak' song in 'Beta' ... or my sister Karisma in 'Raja Hindustani'.

"I don't think being attractive is about just short skirts and high heels."

She raves about Salman khan.

"I know him as my sister's co-star. At first he was very awkward being paired with me. 'How can I be romancing you? You're Lolo's kid sister.'

"But like the two professionals that we are, we succeeded in establishing a comfort level. Now we're doing Salman's home production 'My Punjabi Nikaah' with him. We'll have loads of fun."

Coming back to "Kyun Ki", Kareena expresses some nervousness.

"Everyone wants to see Salman and me together. And they won't be disappointed. We really look good together. Like Akshay (Kumar), Salman has done many films with my sister. Now it's my turn," she says.
  

Abhishek, Aishwarya to recreate 'Umrao Jaan'
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS) Movie mogul J.P. Dutta's courtesan's tale "Umrao Jaan" is courting a captivating cast while recreating an alluring past.

After signing Aishwarya Rai for the leading lady's role and Shabana Azmi as her mother, the visionary in JP has zeroed-in on his favourite blue-eyed for the main romantic lead.

"Abhishek Bachchan is my hero in Umrao Jaan," JP announces proudly amid hectic pre-production work and music recordings with lyricist Javed Akhtar and composer Anu Malik.

"If you remember I was supposed to launch Abhishek in a period film based on the life of Bahadur Shah Zafar and his son, also featuring Dilip Kumar. That project unfortunately got shelved. Instead 'Refugee' happened. But my dream of casting him in the classic mould remained within me."

Pausing and pondering, JP proceeds: "After Ash was cast as Umrao, I needed a man who could look like a poet and a dreamer, and at the same time could stand next to her as an ideal partner. When I closed my eyes, I could only see Abhishek."

At first JP was hesitant to approach Abhishek.

"I'm very proud to see the growth in him as an actor, star and human being. I know how busy he has become. He has come a long way since 'Refugee'. Today he's one of the hottest stars, well on the way to becoming No.1," JP told IANS.

"But at heart Abhishek remains untouched and unspoilt. I knew he'd never say no to me. There I was in a dilemma. Would it be right for me to ask for something that he cannot say no to?

"Finally the filmmaker in me won. I had to have Abhishek as Umrao's love interest."

Abhishek said: "With JP saab there's no question of saying no. Even if he asks me to do one passing shot, I'd happily do it.

"Everything I know about acting, everything that my career has achieved is because of JP saab. I haven't asked him my role in 'Umrao Jaan'. All I know is that I'm cast opposite Ash. That's it."

This would be Abhishek's third film with the former Miss World, and his second brush with a period film. "I've done a period film with Rituparno Ghosh - 'Antar Mahal'. But I know 'Umrao Jaan' will be a completely new experience."

JP intends to make Abhishek's role roomy and reverberant enough to make the male lead as preponderant as the title role.

"'Umrao Jaan' is about Umrao's search for love, Abhishek will represent love in all its facets," says JP.
 

Arun Nayar's divorce granted, to wed Hurley soon
(LEAD)
By Prasun Sonwalkar, Indo-Asian News Service

London, Nov 6 (IANS) The last hurdle to Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar's marriage has been cleared - Nayar's divorce application against his ex-wife has been was granted by the English courts.

The divorce came through in end-October and Hurley is reported to be delighted with the news. She travelled to India last week to deliver the news to Nayar and his family.

The Mail on Sunday reported that Nayar paid nearly 700,000 pounds to his ex-wife, Italian former model Valentina Pedroni, to whom he was married for seven years. 

The paper quoted friends as saying that the payout had left him financially stretched but deeply relieved that he was now free to marry the woman he loved. 

"Elizabeth is delighted that Arun's divorce has finally come through," a friend told the paper.

"It was all very hush-hush and was rushed through in an English court. Very few people knew it had been finalised. Like Liz and Arun, Valentina had tired of the whole sorry saga and just wanted it to be over."

Liz, 40, has told friends she wants to marry in the new year, although there have been reports that the couple may tie the knot in India this weekend.

Close friends, however, insist the pair are planning two ceremonies - one in England and one in Mumbai.

"You can bet your bottom dollar that Liz will have the wedding of the year," a friend told the paper.

"She has waited for this for long enough. She wants pomp and ceremony, and at least three days of celebrations."
 

'Garam Masala', a modern-day Raas Leela
By Subhash K Jha, Indo-Asian News Service 

Film: "Garam Masala"; Starring Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Riimi Sen, Neetu Chandra, Daisy Bopanna, Nargis, Mohan Joshi, Neha Dhupia; Directed by Priyadarshan; Rating: **

"You'll just have to put an end to this Raas Leela," a character finally expresses what the audience is itching for all through this longish visual limerick on leggy Lolitas limping in and out of Casanova Akshay Kumar's suspiciously large home and heart. 

Playing the roving-eyed modern-day Krishna comes naturally to Akshay Kumar. One of the meagre pleasures of watching this mating-farce is to see how much Akshay has evolved as a comic actor. Not one false move, even as he falls repeatedly in love...and trips over his nose in a flurry of amorous activity.

Priyadarshan's comedies have always been very physical...Goofy oddballs tripping over chairs, tables and other furniture-sometimes of the human variety.

Happily, the actors on this hit-and-run occasion are all in fine shape...though we can't say that about the actresses, except in the most obvious physical sense. 

The three newcomers Daisy, Neetu and Nargis are like red ice-candy melting under the lascivious male gaze.

Akshay Kumar with considerable assistance from satirical sophomore John Abraham and the seasoned virtuoso Paresh Rawail whips up a luscious lather of libidinous laughter. 

The in-through-the-ouch-door variety of situational comedy isn't easy to uphold. The plot's comic chemistry hinges with heaving hilarity on the principal actors' swirling nervous tension as two or more of Akshay's girlfriends land up together. 

John and Paresh are the bewildered and exasperated bystanders, revving up the proceedings with a whirr of wicked one-liners.

John makes a very brave and largely honest attempt to play the bumbling but conniving pal with a heart of coal. He comes up with cool candour in some sequences. 

It's interesting to watch the all boys' club consisting of the Casanova, the companion and the cook make use of the living-room space to conjure up the dead-on drollery of a bedroom farce. 

Yes, it does get progressively tedious to watch as the three-timing hero's amoral antics get rapidly frenzied. To his credit Akshay Kumar with some help from his two male co-stars, keeps the proceedings perked up. 

When it comes to a two-timing hero, timing is all. Akshay seems to have realized it. The revved-up hero, his comically contained co-stars, the dialogue writer Neeraj Vora and the director make sure that this raas leela doesn't lapse into a crass leela.
 

Can Aishwarya beat 30-plus blues?
By Priyanka Khanna, Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) Aishwarya Rai, known as the most beautiful woman in the world, has breached the invisible ceiling for 30-plus women in the quirky world of Hindi cinema.

Even as the ice-maiden turned 32 last week, one of Bollywood's influential filmmakers, J.P. Dutta, formalised her in the title role of his multi-million dollar film - "Umrao Jaan" - proving beyond doubt that she continues to be a force to reckon with in Bollywood.

If "Umrao Jaan" puts the box-office on fire, not only will it be Aishwarya's first hit in years but also go a long way for the cause of 30-plus female actors.

Though portrayal of women in films has evolved by leaps and bounds over the years, the industry has not seen emergence of a female Amitabh Bachchan for over a decade. Even Madhuri Dixit, who could carry a film on her shoulders, found the line of directors queuing to sign her on more or less vanish when she turned 30.

Juhi Chawla, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon and Rati Agnihotri were sought out only for the odd role after they turned 30. Anupama Chopra, author of books based on Bollywood, says: "The 30-rule holds for women only. The trouble is that heroines largely serve one function: eye-candy."

There just aren't any films made about mature women. A few good films, that give these women a chance to show their talent, wouldn't hurt," says Anupama.

If "Umrao Jaan" succeeds, it will hopefully bring women-oriented films back in vogue. The courtesan's tale will feature Bollywood's hot and happening male star Abhishek Bachchan play second fiddle.

For the most part of the last two years, Bollywood has been churning out films that were virtual skin shows - just a few films had strong women characters and a relatively better understanding of female sexuality.

This year, we have had women-oriented films like "Black," "Page 3" and "Paheli." After a long gap, viewers are feasting on films that have handled women characters sensitively and boldly.

As Sushmita Sen recently said: "It used to be an industry where actresses were considered props - maybe a vase on the sideboard. Now at last, the vase has reached the centre table."

This has been made possible because of female filmmakers bringing in their distinctive style to an industry dominated by male directors, and leading ladies plunging into direction, production and heading industry associations.

Yet another factor is that popular female actors like Aishwarya, Urmila Matondkar and Kareena Kapoor seem keen on winning the national award rather than simply raking in the moolah.

This means that directors are taking up women-oriented films since they get star power without considerably boosting their budgets, since popular female actors are willing to cut fees for good roles, says trade observer Deepa Gehlot.

With the inflow of corporate finance into Bollywood making small budget commercially viable films a reality, a lot has changed for women in the trade.

Unlike 10 years ago, married actresses no longer become oblivious. Well into their 30s, Pooja Bhatt, Kajol and Juhi continue to mint money.

Juhi is a partner in production company, Dreamz Unlimited, and is in-charge of putting together multi-million dollar projects.

Bhatt, opted out of the bimbette roles, and became a National-award winning producer instead. Kajol is rumoured to be an active player in husband, Ajay Devgan's production company.

But the bottom line remains the same. Until the box office responds to an Aishwarya Rai like it does to a Shah Rukh Khan, women will remain fluff-balls in the power structure.

The 'King Khan' turned 40 last week and there is no sign of his slowing down. He was neck deep in filming for Karan Johar's "Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna" and promoting his home-production "Paheli" which is India's entry for Oscars.

The wait is on for Aishwarya Rai to make her mark yet again.

-*-

The Indian marquees, meanwhile, are flush with girls with small roles and equally small clothes. Two of the three films that went off the marquees feature bimbettes.

Girls who in real life are career-minded are seen in bimbette parts in Priyadarshan's "Garam Masala" and David Dhawan's "Shaadi No.1." Kareena Kapoor and Rimi Sen got a better deal in Priyadarshan's other release - "Kyon Ki," starring Salman Khan.

Trade observer Taran Adarsh says: "The much-awaited festive week has begun, but there is no reason to be euphoric. Almost Rs.450 million are at stake but the initials of the three films have not too promising."

"Garam Masala" seems to be the best bet followed by "Shaadi No. 1" and "Kyon Ki."

Last year, the female-dominated film "Morning Raga" had hit the marquees during this week of November. Though its box-office failure was cited to declare that women-oriented films always turn out to be duds, the same talk is unlikely to be heard if Salman Khan's "Kyon Ki" does not perform.

Clearly, Bollywood only talks about women-oriented films that flop and conveniently glosses over the huge number of hero-centric ones that fail.

We are waiting for Sai Paranjpye, Aruna Raje, Kalpana Lajmi, and new entrants, Meghna Gulzar, Farah Khan and Revathy to make a mark - like Aparna Sen, Suhasini Mani Ratnam and Suma Josson have.