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India Today
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Nobody had faith in Priyanka Chopra: Director Suneel Darshan on Andaaz casting
When 'Andaaz' was released in 2003, it not only became a box office hit but also marked the Bollywood debut of two beauty queens - Miss Universe Lara Dutta and Miss World Priyanka Chopra. Now, more than two decades later, director Suneel Darshan is shedding light on the unexpected casting decisions that helped launch both actors' an exclusive conversation with India Today, Darshan revealed, "They were not in the film. When the film was planned, it only had Akshay Kumar. He was a part of everything that was happening."advertisementDarshan explained that, initially, he had envisioned established stars for the female leads. 'It was a foregone conclusion that either Karisma Kapoor or Kareena Kapoor would play one of the leads. Then, there was another big female star who wanted to be a part of the film - I won't name her,' he said. 'But I just thought there was no freshness coming out of it as a proposal. I said I need to do something about it,' he continued. 'There was a little bit of difference on certain issues with one of them. Also, I felt they were not complimenting each other in the film. So, I had to find two girls who could compliment each other," he said as he explained his LARA DUTTA LANDED THE ROLESpeaking about how Lara Dutta came on board, Darshan said, 'Destiny played its game. Lara was known. She had done a photo shoot with Akshay Kumar for a Filmfare cover, and I had seen that. I said, 'That was interesting.' So, I called for her. She was in Bangalore, where her parents lived. She came in immediately.'advertisementHe continued, 'The next morning, she was in town and we spoke. She was more than happy to be a part of the cinema because she had actually done videos before that - which I didn't know at the time. Maybe if I had known, I would have had second thoughts. But I thought she was fresh, she was available, and we wanted to make a movie in a quick timeframe.' PRIYANKA CHOPRA - 'THIS IS REKHA COMING BACK'Darshan went on to recount how Priyanka Chopra came into the picture. 'The second lead had to be someone who could match Lara. And out of the blue, again destiny played its game. I was sitting in my chamber, and I got a call. An actor's secretary had come with a girl he wanted to introduce me to.''My system is - when a newcomer comes in, I meet them. That day, it was Prakash Jaju, who was Priyanka Chopra's secretary. She was Miss World,' he Darshan admitted he wasn't particularly impressed. 'My first response was not wow. But later, she groomed herself - evolved is the right word. Fifteen minutes into the conversation, I observed her eyes and said to myself, 'Iski aankhein kya kamaal hai, aur iski awaaz Rekha ki yaad dilati hai.''advertisementHe added, 'That day I was sure - this is Rekha coming back. I had known Rekha ji earlier. But except for me, nobody else involved in the film saw that or had faith. They were more supportive of Lara and her personality. Priyanka was a different ball game. But I was very sure Priyanka Chopra was going to be a top star."'AKSHAY KUMAR WAS SUPPORTIVE'Speaking about Akshay Kumar's response to the casting, Darshan said, 'Akshay's reactions to all his heroines have always been very pleasant and courteous. He's never said, 'No, I don't want to work with someone.' Never. He never told me anything like that, ever.'WERE PRIYANKA AND LARA FRIENDS ON SET?On their equation during the shoot, Darshan remarked, 'They were Punjabi kudis. Whatever the competition was between them, on set it felt like an all-Punjabi crew — Akshay talking Punjabi, Lara talking Punjabi, Priyanka talking Punjabi. It was quite funny, but that's the way it was.'He further stated, 'They were buddies. Lara, Priyanka, Bipasha, Celina - five or six of them had come around the same time. I thought they were basically friends in their own right. The competition may have been there, but it never showed on the sets.'Must Watch
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Meena Kumari knew she would die soon, that's why she sold her Bandra bungalow to me', says Mumtaz: ‘She was not bankrupt'
In 1972, producer Saawan Kumar Tak announced a new project Gomti Ke Kinare. The film's star, Meena Kumari, insisted that he also direct the film. She was battling with alcoholism and her health had taken a hit. Meena's deteriorating health extended the film's shoot, causing Saawan to run out of money. To help her friend, Meena Kumari decided to sell her Bandra bungalow, which was eventually bought by her co-star Mumtaz. Meena Kumari's decision fuelled speculation. Some claimed she was bankrupt, other said Mumtaz helped Meena by buying her property. Now, Mumtaz has reacted to these claims by sharing her version of the story. In an interview with Radio Nasha, Mumtaz shared, 'There are lot of misconceptions about this incident.' Explaining what really happened, Mumtaz said, 'Saawan Kumar Tak was her good friend. While making the film, the project faced some financial issues. There was shortage of funds.' Mumtaz was yet to be paid her fees. 'During those days, I used to charge Rs 7.5 lakh per film. I was the highest paid actress. They were yet to pay me about Rs 5 lakh. It was during this time, when an extremely sick Meena Kumari asked, 'Mumtaz, would you mind if I give you my bungalow instead of your due payment?' At first I hesitated, because it was a home she had built for herself, but she kept saying that she wouldn't be around for much longer due to her illness. I eventually took it.' ALSO READ | Shabana Azmi was denied a flat because of her faith, Javed Akhtar reflects on bitterness of Partition: 'Apne girebaan mein jhaanko' Mumtaz added, 'All the news which claims she went bankrupt and that is why she sold her bungalow are false. She just knew she doesn't have any family, so she thought she better give away that bungalow to me than leaving it abandoned. I guess that house was quite lucky for me. I did well in my career after moving in.' Previously, talking about the incident, Saawan Kumar Tak told Filmfare, 'I told Meena Kumari, 'Because of the delay in shoot, I have exhausted all the finances.' She said, 'Don't worry.' I needed one and half lakh rupees. After five to six days, she gave me the amount saying, 'I am not giving you charity. You can return the money.' Later, I came to know that she had sold her bungalow in Bandra to Mumtaz to give me that money.' Gomti Ke Kinare was her last release post her death in March 1972. The film, however, didn't work at the box office.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Vinod Khanna would get bored of Osho's ashram and gossip about it with Kabir Bedi, was broke when he return to India: ‘He started afresh from a one-room flat'
Kabir Bedi and Vinod Khanna shared more than just a professional rapport, they shared a deep mutual respect, a spiritual curiosity, and a warm personal bond. In a recent interview with Filmfare, Kabir opened up about their friendship, rooted in their common admiration for the spiritual teacher Osho, whom Vinod followed with great devotion. 'Vinod had a very philosophical bent,' Kabir recalled. 'He was very interested in Osho, became one of Osho's great devotees. Definitely, I had enormous respect for Osho. I just didn't go and see him, which I regret deeply, because people were expected to wear a certain colour and something when they went to see him. I said, 'Nobody's going to tell me what to wear.' It was an ego thing, and I regret it, because I would have met one of the greatest minds and philosophers.' Kabir described how, despite never having visited Osho himself, he was deeply influenced by the guru's teachings. 'I read his books, I heard his tapes,' he said. 'And when Osho was driven out of India, literally, by Morarji Desai at the time, and he came to America, he went to a place, a state called Oregon, and he set up his ashram out there… Vinod left India and went with him. He gave up his entire career in Bollywood.' Vinod's spiritual commitment led him to walk away from a flourishing film career at its peak. But his bond with Kabir endured even during this unconventional chapter of his life. 'When he got a little bored or tired of the ashram, he would come down to me in Los Angeles, and we'd spend some wonderful times together,' Kabir reminisced. 'And I knew all the gossip that was going on at the thing. In fact, there's a documentary called Wild Wild Country, which is on Netflix, which talks about that phase of Osho's life, which is very interesting. But it really doesn't give you a sense of who Osho was and what he meant as a teacher and as a philosopher. It was very unfair to him in that sense. But certainly, many of the bad things that happened at that ashram as a result of some of his followers were true. And I knew all about it because Vinod had told me what was happening. In fact, he [Osho] was a great builder, a great creator, a great philosopher, a great man.' Also Read | Vinod Khanna came to Osho as he was struggling with marital problems, says Ma Anand Sheela: 'He was big star but was just another sanyasi for me' Reflecting more deeply on Vinod as a person, Kabir painted the portrait of a deeply introspective and emotionally rich individual. 'A very thoughtful person,' he said. 'He didn't talk too much. He thought a lot. But a man who felt a lot. He was a man of his heart. And he just related to you on a heart level. So if he liked you, he liked you, and he would do anything for you.' Kabir also recalled how Vinod described the profound spiritual experiences he had during meditation: 'And when you asked him to describe the experiences that he had with your shots, he said, 'I can't, Kabir, I can't. Something just takes over. It takes me to another level. It makes me feel divine. I cannot talk about this. I can't explain what happens.' So he wasn't a very verbal person, but a very feeling person.' In later years, Kabir said their interactions were mostly limited to social events. But his admiration for Vinod only grew stronger with time, particularly after witnessing the resilience with which he restarted his life post-Osho. 'I really had great admiration for Vinod,' he said, 'Because I know when he came back from the Osho ashram, he had no money, and he really started his career all afresh—from a single one-room, one-bedroom flat in Bombay. He restarted his life, and he went on to buy one of the biggest flats on Malabar Hill and marry a wonderful girl. He didn't let his professional ambitions get in the way of his philosophical quest. And he followed his guru, giving up everything. And when his guru finally started his journey around the world, Vinod came back and started from scratch. And… yeah, he still always swore by Osho. And I have the greatest of respect for him.' Vinod's association with Osho was well documented, he famously left the film industry in the early 1980s to join the spiritual commune in Oregon, a decision that shocked Bollywood. But he later returned to acting, successfully rebuilding his career. Kabir and Vinod also shared screen space in several films, including The Burning Train, Farz Aur Kanoon, and Kshatriya, among others.
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kabir Bedi on open marriage with first wife Protima, growing close to Parveen Babi: ‘Somebody has an affair, then someone else has an affair'
Veteran actor Kabir Bedi, who once made headlines for his unconventional open marriage with his first wife, Protima Gupta, recently opened up in an interview with Filmfare about how turbulent that relationship eventually became. 'See, when you talk about us having an open marriage, it's not like we married and we had an open marriage,' he said. 'We did try the traditional model for a long time. But at times, what happens is somebody has an affair, then someone else has an affair, and then the problem of outside relationships comes into the marriage. Egos take over, you become possessive, and what not. And the fact that it does upset you, despite you being an advocate of free love… The fact is, it's very hard for an open marriage to succeed.' Kabir revealed that the decision to have an open marriage came only later, as an attempt to salvage what was already falling apart. 'In our case, it was adopted at the end of the marriage because there was no other way to keep the marriage together. We tried that, and it failed.' He also recalled a pivotal moment when Protima left him and the children to pursue a life in dance, moving abruptly to learn Odissi. 'All I could say was, 'If that's what your spirit tells you, then take that flight and go.'' Kabir added, 'I said I would look after the kids.' It was around that time that he grew closer to actress Parveen Babi, which further complicated matters. 'It became another upheaval as I left home, which was very difficult and painful. But it was inevitable, given the state of our marriage at that time, it wasn't just working.' Also Read | Kabir Bedi says all his 4 marriages lasted over 7 years, had 'significant relationships, not one-night stands': 'I was indiscriminate in my choice of women' Kabir also spoke about the tensions between Protima and Parveen. 'Parveen was always bothered by Protima because she believed that Protima wanted to get back together with me, and she was very certain of that,' he said. 'So anything to do with meeting Protima caused terrible scenes. But I was like, I have to meet Protima. I cannot not meet her. I have children with her. I have to see the children. I have to talk to her about the children.' He further clarified that Parveen did not take on a parental role. 'There were times, when we got together, Protima had to go out, and I had to look after the children. But it was not like Parveen looked after the children,' he said. 'Sure, the children would visit her and talk to her. But I wanted time alone with them as well. So it was a difficult situation, not easy to handle. But I dealt with it. In the middle of a career, dealing with emotions, dealing with the needs of the children, creates a huge strain, a huge pressure. But that's what we created, and that's what we had to live with and do.'
India.com
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
'I can't wear...' Director wanted to destroy THIS actress's career, was hurt by her decision to not..., later she..., her name is...
'I can't wear...' Director wanted to destroy THIS actress's career, was hurt by her decision to not..., later she..., her name is... Moushumi Chatterjee has cemented her place as one of the most admired actresses of Indian cinema. She was one of those rare actresses who actually started working as a leading lady in Hindi movies after she got married. In a recent interview, Moushumi talked about her career struggles, and how she lost out the lead role in Guddi, a film that later went to Jaya Bachchan, and became a milestone in her career. At the age of 15, Moushumi Chatterjee made her acting debut with the Bengali film Balika Badhu, alongside legendary actor, Uttam Kumar. Around the same time, she got married to Jayanta Mukherjee, and had received an offer from director Hrishikesh Mukherjee to work in Guddi (1971) . She turned down the film as her character was supposed to wear a 'short skirt'. In a chat with Filmfare, Moushumi Chatterjee recalled, 'I didn't do Guddi because the heroine was supposed to wear a short skirt. My father said no because firstly, this was a Hindi film, and because we didn't know who Hrishikesh Mukherjee was. He said I did Talaash only because I wanted to make up for what happened on Guddi. He said, I ruined your career.' Hrishikesh was so upset by Moushumi's refusal that he promised to destroy her career even before it began. Years later, while working on the 1990s TV show, Talaash , he confessed that her rejection hurt his ego, and he no longer wanted to cast her as heroine. That's when, the role was offered to Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan), and catapulted her to fame. 'He said… 'At that time, I was such an egoist. I thought you said no to Hrishikesh Mukherjee, we will see how you come and make a career in Mumbai.' He said, I did not want you to work on that movie. I don't want this heroine, I want that heroine.' Moushumi revealed. Moushumi shared that she was never comfortable with revealing outfits, and started wearing sarees at the age of 13. In the same interview, she recalled an incident when director Mani J Rabadi asked her to wear a backless blouse and short ghagra for a film. She started crying and told her husband, 'I feel like I am naked.' He then assured her that the dress was okay and not anything unusual for films.
