Fear Is The Key, Kamal
Kamalahaasan has been ready with his new techno flick Abhay for quite a while. Based on anovel written by Kamal himself, the film has him in a double role—as a commando and apsychopath. The soundtrack, with some weird music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, hit the market amonth ago and has already made it to TV countdowns, but the producers have been ditheringover the film’s release. First, the Batman-Superman-inspired special effects, done incollaboration with Australian experts, took some time. Then the extended success of Lagaanand Gadar meant a problem in showing in the desired theatres. Finally, the filmwas to hit the screens on September 28 but that would have meant just a 46-day run tillDiwali, a crucial day when the exhibitors would have yanked it off from important cinemasto make way for the newer films. And the unwritten code of filmdom is that a star’sfilm has to run for 100 days whether people watch it or not. So now Abhay is set for aDiwali release. That is, unless another cracker bursts on the way.
Charlie’s Challenge
Filmmaker Pankaj Parashar is a bit confused. The fourth estate has gone out and declaredthat he’s making a Hindi version of Charlie’s Angels with Sushmita Sen, ShilpaShetty and Raveena Tandon as the terrific trio. That’s not true, says thetechno-whiz, best known for Karamchand, Jalwa and the disastrous Rajkumar.Not Charlie’s Angels, Parashar claims he’s doing one better. His‘version’ will have not three but four angels and no Charlie. Challenge will bea rare action flick without a hero. Instead, it will have four girls who hate each otherbut are thrown together by circumstances. "It’ll be a lot of fun," promisesParashar. Sushmita and Diya Mirza are already in, negotiations are on with Raveena andShilpa. Buzz has it that the four-member team will be sent to Hong Kong for a crash coursein karate. Is Jackie Chan playing teacher?
Reality Bites Part II
A sequel needs a story. Which is why Hindi cinema hasn’t thrown up any Part IIs.Mahesh Manjrekar’s Pratibimb or Vaastav II bucks thetrend. In Vaastav Sanjay Dutt is a gangster who dies in the end. In Pratibimb, he’sback as the gangster’s son. Namrata Shirodkar, Dutt’s wife In Vaastav,is now his mom; Shilpa Shetty, his lady love. "I focus on how a gangster’sfamily lives on with the stigma," says Mahesh. Gangsta rap, is it?
Monumental Effort
Delhi Tourism Development Corporation (dtdc) is doing a good thing this winter. It’sorganising a 52-week festival which will have prominent artistes performing before some ofthe city’s 1,300 known and unknown heritage monuments. The event will serve a dualpurpose—as a cultural soiree and a fund-raising event for the maintenance and upkeepof the historical properties. Starting mid-November, the year-long megashow has a lineupof classical music legends like Kishori Amonkar, Ustad Amjad Ali, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasiaand Pt Jasraj as well as contemporary performers like Shiamak Davar and Ashley Lobo."Performances in the backdrop of such gigantic structures have a differentfeel," says Rajiv Talwar, MD, dtdc. Agreed.
Shantanu Guha Ray
Designers Cooperative
Sure he’s a looker enough to model the clothes that he designs but Ashish Soni is notwalking the ramp as our picture would have you believe here. He, along with fellowdesigners Manju and Bobby Grover, Raghuvendra Rathore, Rajesh Pratap, Puja Nayar andAparna Suneja, came out with the Rhythm in Blues collection, the new line of Indo-Westernoutfits for Raymond’s exclusive pret-a-porter design studio, Be. Obviously, thecommon thread was the shades of blue—angel blue, Alaskan blue, sky blue, indigo anddeep ultramarine. Other fashion statements: denim was back, be it in flares, skirts,trousers or capris. Knit tops in white, lilac and blue and embroidered short silk kurtasin blue, lilac and black completed the look.
Trash Of The Fortnight : Asoka
The Making of Asoka is a visual feast, it’s also an Amar Chitra Katha worldview intothe Asoka myths. Most importantly, it’s a tackboard for all the behind-the-scenestrivia—such as how the casting director gawked at Kareena. In fact, that is theinherent problem with the book—it’s an inhouse diary masquerading as acoffee-table book. A kind of book that works only if the film does well. Mushtaq Sheikhshould have waited to see if the film evokes the kind of curiosity Sholay achieved decadesafter its release. Moreover, the chatty, giggly style is fine for a film mag, but marks asharp drop from the ideal tone of the coffee table format. So, buy it for the ShahrukhKhan and Kareena pinups, the Santosh Sivan stills and, maybe, the Husain sketches. But notfor the coffee table!
Priya Sahgal
