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December 30, 1998

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Bobby bobs up again

Bobby Deol. Click for bigger pic!
Soldier has propped up the career of Bobby Deol that hype alone couldn't hold up.

Now several film-makers who might not have touched him with a barge pole or worse, have begun considering him as a serious option again.

Salim Akhtar, who had made a deal with the younger Deol long ago, even got shooting going in a hurry with Rani Mukherjee as the heroine.

The last decent film Bobby had was Gupt, a hit in Bombay and south India but doing rather badly in other areas, even failing to recover its cost in some places. And the unlamented Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and Kareeb did not help any.

He must be rather relieved that Soldier came to drag him out from the flop circuit.

The Raj connection

Rinke Khanna. Click for bigger pic!
Her father, mother and sister did it. Now Rinke, the last of the Khannas, also makes her pitch for stardom. She is paired opposite another newcomer, Siddhant, in Raj Kaushal's Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi.

There's an odd coincidence to this, for all the women in her family have made their debut in a film directed by a Raj. Dimple started off with Raj Kapoor's Bobby and Twinkle got off the mark in Raj Kumar Santoshi's Barsaat.

And just incidentally, pater Raj-esh didn't start his career with a director named Raj. But then his first film was called Raaz...

Keep your hair on, Akshaye

Akshaye Khanna. Click for bigger pic!
Akshaye Khanna was considered the hottest thing in Bollywood, post-Border. Directors said he would be the next Amitabh, women swore they'd marry him by the dozens, and critics felt he'd change the face of the industry.

Well, none of all that happened. And while he hasn't yet changed the face of the industry, his own is undergoing a transformation, for the poor chap's going bald with a vengeance.

His Doli Saja Ke Rakhna and Kudrat made at least the sweepers happy in the theatres it was shown; it was indeed rare that no one came in to litter up the place.

He hasn't a single solo hit to his credit. His launch vehicle, Himalayputra went nowhere and Mohabbat, where he worked with Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Kapoor, did nothing to help his case.

And now he has more serious worries, for his hair's falling off in a hurry and his forehead's receding faster than the Antarctic iceline in summer.

He needs a hit fast and though we aren't sure how he'll manage that, some hair too.

Mr Consistency

Mithun Chakraborthy. Click for bigger pic!
Himmatwala is Mithun Chakraborthy's last release of the year. And while hyped names struggle for a few films to their name, the ageing wonder's done 15 of them. Not one other hero comes close.

Though his films needn't always do well, some are even flops, producers are helped by the fact that his monetary demands are more reasonable than most other heroes. Therefore, flops are easier to forget, hits far more profitable. And things are helped by the fact that the hero rarely upsets schedules.

Mithun thus ensures himself a steady income and regular work. So if you wondered why the man, who certainly doesn't look hero material now, is such a rage, you've just been answered.

The Khan jinx

Manisha Koirala. Click for bigger pic!
Dil Se has flopped and there are some in the industry who assert they knew it long before the movie was released.

These Bollywood oracles claim that Manisha and a Khan are fatal pair for any producer. There was Guddu also with Shah Rukh Khan, Akele Hum, Akele Tum with Aamir Khan, and Sangdil Sanam, Majhdaar, and Khamoshi with Salman Khan. Every one of them was a failure.

There's only one film she has remaining with a Khan, Indra Kumar's Mann with Aamir.

Now will that break the jinx? The industry's soothsayers say nay.

Mother has no takers

Rekha. Click for bigger pic!
There have been few films that have taken so long to get off the ground as Saawan Kumar Tak's Mother 98 has.

And just around the time 1998 was throwing in the towel, the director decided to postpone the release further. He had a valid reason -- there were few distributors willing to take on his film starring Rekha, that siren of the seventies.

Well, we look forward to the day Mother, with 99 as a suffix, makes its weary way into the theatres.

Sridevi may return

Sridevi. Click for bigger pic!
When Sridevi bid a tearful goodbye to the big screen some time ago, the fans wailed, the critics fretted. And now her that long maternity leave appears to be over, she's aiming to come right back.

But now she'll only appear in Boney Kapoor's newest. But wait, nothing's been finalised so far, not even the script, but it's just a matter of time, we're told.

We doubt if there will be any display of those famed thunder thighs, Boney being, in his own way, rather the conservative type.

A sinking inspiration

A still from the Titanic
A famous Oscar-bagging romantic tragedy made for the big screen has fired imaginations in India too. Or so it seems.

Both Rakesh Roshan and Indra Kumar are now planning stories based on ships. But, hey, they are nothing to do with the Titanic, okay?

Come to think of it, that could be true. For a remake of the Titanic, with all its technical wizardry, could make them look a wee bit stupid, we guess.

-- Komal Nahata

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