Mallika Sherawat is quite emotional! Though it is very rare of her to show that side of her, considering the cut-throat competition in the film industry, she recently did so when she completed the shooting of Maan Gaye ‘Mughall-E-Azam’!

Sherawat threw a bash in honour of the cast and crew on the last day of the shooting. She made it a point to invite the 120 member crew, including the cast personally. It was her way of thanking them for the hard work that each of them had put during the making of the film. What also moved her was the spirit of unit members that worked as team for the film.

Confirming that Mallika threw a party for the entire cast and crew of ‘Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam’, producer Ratan Jain said, “It was a surprise that we will never forget! Mallika’s party made everybody’s day. She made it a point to invite each and everybody and that was very kind of her. It was an unforgettable evening for all of us.”

Mumbai-based writer and filmmaker, Brahmanand Singh’s documentary film, ‘Pancham Unmixed: Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai’ recently had its world premiere at ArcLight Hollywood, Los Angeles as part of IFFLA 2008. The film has received a very positive response.

According to Brahmanand, “The R.D documentary was a houseful show, with people waiting outside, trying to use festival influences to get hold of a few more tickets. A lot of people had turned up from the East Coast and other parts of US, one even from Dubai, just to catch the film. Close to half a dozen festival representatives in US itself have reached out, wanting to invite the film. The response seemed absolutely phenomenal, and it was quite an experience.”

This 113 minutes long documentary which brings together Asha Bhonsle, Gulzar, Shammi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Vishal Bharadwaj, Shantanu Moitra, Ismail Darbar, Usha Uthup, Kavita Krishnamurthy and many others, explores both the personal and profession life of R.D Burman. In fact, Pancham Unmixed touches upon many facets of the musical legend’s life including how he got to do Teesri Manzil, his courtship, marriage and divorce with Rita Patel, his naughty pranks, his approach to music composition, his Latin American Album Pantera, his eventual lapse into depression and much more.

So low profiles are the relationships among the co-brothers in Bollywood that their rivalries are known only to the intimate friends and this is why no one has ever spoken about Amitabh Bachchan and Rajeev Verma in the same breath. Or for that matter, about Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah.

Rajeev Verma is a character actor who has done over 30 films including Maine Pyar Kiya. His wife Rita (not to be confused with actress Rita Bhaduri) is the real sister of Jaya Bachchan.(nee Bhaduri). He never acknowledges his much more successful co-brother Amitabh Bachchan and in fact, they have never worked together! If Bachchans invited him to Abhi-Ash marriage, we have never heard it.

More interesting is the relationship between Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah. Pankaj married Supriya Pathak and Ratna is the wife of Naseer. These two have worked together but you can sense the undercurrent of rivalry between the two.

We, however, noticed one common trait in both of them. When Naseer failed as a director recently (Yon hota to Kya Hota) he blamed his producer and when Pankaj failed as Karamchand in its second avatar, he put the blame on the director, Pankaj Prashar.

Lets he how Pankaj’s son Shahid and Sanjay Kapur relate to each other after (and if) Kareena and Shahid get married. Sanjay Kapur is elder sister Karisma’s husband. Now don’t ask me why these Kapoor girls marry only Kapoors!

Malaika Arora Khan was asked to wear a bikini for the Ms.Bikini World contest, expected to be held in Goa in December this year. Apparently Malaika Arora asked for such a large amount of money that the organizers had to turn her down.

Malaika Arora admitted that this did happen and has confirmed that she was reluctant to wear a bikini in a film or on the ramp and quoting a high price was her way of scaring them away. The organizers, Niksan Infomedia are in talks with Malaika Arora to host the event or become their brand ambassador but nothing has been finalised yet. Malaika Arora is often seen wearing plunging necklines and skimpy outfits, most of which she’s able to carry off well. LAst month, Malaika Arora did a photo shoot for Maxim Magazine’s Indian edition which had her sporting a bikini.

The media in India ought to impose a pretty long moratorium on Amitabh Bachchan interviews. The media bakes the same old banalities and garnishes them as profound questions. And Bachchan, with no other option left, responds in a mockingly serious tone. Like a jaded couple trapped in a dull matrimony both the media and Bachchan have run out of things to say. Can you blame either? They have been tangoing for the past 30 years. There are no new moves left. They can only grunt at each other.

One recurring question that I have heard the media ask in the past 25 years concerns Bachchan’s status as the ultimate Indian cinema icon. The media asserts with unbridled enthusiasm that he is one. He, on the other hand feeling awkward about the relentlessness of the compliment, begs to differ and says he is just an “ordinary, mediocre actor”. It would not hurt the media to tone down its praise just as it would not harm Bachchan if for once he were to accept some of the compliments for what they are.

In the great Indian tradition of fawning before an icon, his fans become delirious while showering praises on him. Bachchan, on the other hand, perhaps genuinely befuddled by all the attention, responds with self-effacement, which, even if real, comes across as contrived. He knows he possesses unquestionably great artistry and should acknowledge it without much fanfare. If after over three decades of astonishing critical and box-office success, he still regards himself as an “ordinary, mediocre actor”, then it can only mean that the world around him has been fundamentally flawed in its judgment about him and his craft. This seeming reluctance to accept praise is a patently Indian trait born out of a carefully choreographed dance of humility.

It is entirely plausible that Bachchan’s self-effacement and humility stem from the core of who he really is. It is equally plausible that he genuinely does not know how to handle the encomiums, which are poured on him so routinely. I am willing to grant that he sincerely rates himself rather low on the acting calibre scale. If that be the case then he must wonder in his private moments with amusement how he has managed to enthral millions for decades with his “ordinary and mediocre” talent. I am sure that is not his intention at all but when Bachchan insists about the limited nature of his abilities he seems to tell the world, “Listen you impressionable fools, get a life.”

The media is much more to be blamed than the man. What do you expect the practitioner of a highly self-absorbed profession to do when he is badgered with gushing compliments every single time? He tries, even at the risk of sounding insincere, to play down his own standing so as not to come across as someone who is full of himself. He tries, even at the risk of sounding trite, to tell the world how normal a person he is with all the frailties and weaknesses like the rest of us. He bends over backwards to make others not feel small and inadequate in comparison. Give the man a break. It has been a well-known fact that Bachchan is arguably among the world’s great actors. Just leave it that. There is no need to compel him to respond to or to celebrate his own talent every day of his life.

Another frequently asked question is who the real Amitabh Bachchan is. In his latest interview with CNN-IBN, Bachchan quite effectively demolished the notion that the world needs to know the real him. He was right in implying that the world connects to him through his celluloid image and should be content doing so. If he were not the superstar he is, who would have bothered to find out about what he is really all about? That is a valid question.

If Bachchan has been aggressive with the media for the better part of his career, and more particularly in recent weeks in his blogs, it is primarily because he seems to feel that while it is necessary, the media cannot become the arbiter of his destiny. It is fair game for him to turn the tables on the media through his blogs and subject it to the same treatment of judging and castigating. He has understood the power of blogging, especially the fact that it allows him to eliminate intermediaries from the media who spin what he has to say for their own utilitarian reasons. To that extent blogging has liberated Bachchan from the shackles of media judgment and spin.

Once the newspaper platform was much coveted and had to be earned with a great deal of work and commitment. The crass democratisation of the print and broadcast media in the past five years or so has meant perceptibly declining standards in the quality of the written and broadcast material. Any urbane nitwit with a microphone has the gumption to grab the media pulpit. It is just as well that in this climate of declining professional media standards, Bachchan has begun taking pot shots at us using the net. It would be worthwhile for him to completely stop random interviews and say whatever he has to say via his blog. I am afraid both the world and Bachchan have had quite enough of each other for the foreseeable future.

Mumbai, May 17 (IANS) Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is enjoying his blogging experience and “the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism” that come along with it. The Bollywood icon has clarified that his remarks about Shah Rukh Khan’s quiz show on his blog were misinterpreted by the media and he has apologised to the actor since then.

“I narrated on my blog what transpired during one my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well,” Amitabh, who is currently in Cannes with his family, explained in a telephone interview with IANS.

He added: “I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion, not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog, apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.

“I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.”

On visiting Cannes, he said the family was there to be with daughter-in-law Aishwarya, who is a brand ambassador of L’Oreal, and to spend quality time with one another.

“We went to the opening with her (Aishwarya) and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we’ve all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It’s lovely to just be together and catch up, before we drift away to our respective schedules,” Amitabh said.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. Are you in Cannes? Are you representing a film?

A. Yes I am in Cannes and with the family. This is a private visit and there are no films I am representing. I believe there was an article criticising us for not visiting the India pavilion. Well, firstly, this is a private visit and moreover, no one has invited us. And secondly, I am a little wary of government invitations. They invite you to be chief guest at a function and when you arrive there, tell you you are not invited.

We are here to be with Aishwarya, who is here in an official capacity as brand ambassador for L’Oreal. We went to the opening with her and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we’ve all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It’s lovely to just be together and catch up before we drift away to our respective schedules.

Q. How satisfying has the experience of blogging been so far?

A. It has been a most wonderful experience and I have wondered why this was not known to me earlier. The speed of communication the world over, the responses to my thoughts, the adulation and endearment expressed by well-wishers, the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism, the demand for more on my father’s works … all of it has been educative and awe-inspiring. It has been like talking to each one of them personally.

Q. Is it very time consuming?

A. It is time consuming because I read all the messages myself and I write my blog personally too. I have not permitted the server to allow comments to go through a ‘moderator’ because I want a fair, democratic approach to be practised. To cope with this I sleep a little less perhaps to make time for those who write.

Q. You seem to have become far more frank and forthright, far less diplomatic than you used to be.

A. Maybe. I think it comes from the knowledge that what you write or express has the ability to go to the reader without dilution or moderation. The absence of the middleman helps in the purity of my output. I try to be as honest as I can in my outpouring and yes they may seem to be more frank and forthright and less diplomatic.

As I spoke in my last blog of Day 28(i), words and expressions can get twisted and misinterpreted and can cause unwanted hurt or a misunderstanding. A twisted thought could create an avalanche of negativity … I would hate that to happen and whenever it has, I have not hesitated to tender an apology or to correct myself if I have done wrong.

Q. Your comments on Shah Rukh’s TV show have been discussed widely. Do you feel your comments could’ve had an impact that perhaps exceeded your intentions?

A. Exactly. I narrated on my blog what transpired during one of my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them some genuine questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well … I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.

I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.

Q. What expansion plans do you have as a blogger?

A. The blog will shortly become a part of the website that is under construction. The website will be more encompassing - my father, mother, Jaya, Abhishek, Aishwarya, Shweta or any other family member or non-member for that matter who wishes to contribute to it, will have a presence. Matter containing my father’s works will be prominently displayed. His repertoire is vast and of immense literary value and I wish to give it its pride of place.

Q. It’s being said in a section of the press that the blog is a commercial enterprise and that you’re being paid a hefty amount to keep it interesting.

A. I repeat here again that the blog is not a commercial venture and I have not been paid this ridiculous amount of money to write it. I am merely using the facility of the server provided by bigadda.com to carry my blog.

Mumbai, May 19 (IANS) Actress Manisha Koirala has quite a few reasons to be happy. Not only is she doing her first double-role film, she’s also got a new man in her life.

The film by Partho Ghosh was shot extensively in Malaysia and has Manisha starring alongside a Pakistani actor and Jackie Shroff.

“It’s called ‘Ek Second’ and is directed by Partho Ghosh, who did one of my most successful filmsm, ‘Agnisakshi’. It’s about how one moment can change one’s entire life. The story of my life,” she laughs.

“My co-stars were a talented Pakistani actor Momin Rana … and Jackie Shroff - good old Jaggu Dada whom I really get along with. A nice mix of the new and the familiar … Just the way I want in my life at this time.”

And Manisha reveals that there is a new man in her life whom she has been seeing for some months now.

“He’s an American and a very spiritual person. I’ve never been happier. Beyond that I don’t want to say anything about him until I’m sure about where the relationship is going.”

Manisha was in Bangkok for three months as she was looking after her father Prakash Koirala, who was unwell and had to be hospitalised.

“My dad was critically ill. How ill? You can judge from the fact that he was in hospital for two months.”

“My mother, my brother Siddharth and his wife Yulie were by his side throughout. I also had no desire to leave his side. Nothing seemed more important than his health. I just wanted him to get well. Now he’s on the way to recovery. We’ve brought him back to Mumbai where his medication will continue.

“We were all together when my father fell ill. I saw how my mother looked after my father. Some day in the near future I hope to be an equally good wife and mother.”

Manisha’s father, who was a minister during King Gyanendra’s rule, had to move out of their home in Nepal due to political unrest.

“Things aren’t very smooth-sailing for us Koiralas in Nepal,” Manisha said cautiously. “Besides I wanted my father to get the best health care possible. Bangkok seemed the best bet.”

In her absence, a rather sweet film “Sirf”, where she played a neglected wife to Kay Kay Menon, was released.

“It was a good film. Though an ensemble piece, I liked my role and enjoyed doing it. I was too concerned about my dad to care about my career. I don’t know what happened to the film. I dubbed and left for Malaysia to shoot, and then for Bangkok to attend to my dad.”

Pune, May 19 (IANS) Noted Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar died Monday at his residence here after prolonged illness. He was 80 years old.

Family sources said Tendulkar died at about 8 a.m. He had been unwell for the past two months.

A Padma Bhushan awardee, Tendulkar was best known for his plays “Ghashiram Kotwal” and “Sakharam Binder”. He was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement.

In 1977, Tendulkar won the National Film Award for his screenplay of Shyam Benegal’s movie “Manthan”. He also wrote the screenplays for other critically acclaimed films like “Nishant”, “Akrosh” and “Ardh Satya”.

Parinda adds:

Vijay Tendulkar had been suffering from Myasthenia Gravis and been in hospital for five weeks. Vijay Tendulkar was father to television actress-social activist Priya Tendulkar who died in 2002.

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Air Deccan has been asked to pay compensation of Rs.25,000 to a customer who had booked three low-cost air tickets nearly six months in advance but was informed later that the flight had been cancelled.

The Delhi state Consumer Commission has also asked Air Deccan to deposit an equal amount with it as part of the Legal Aid fund.

Justice J.D. Kapoor held the airlines guilty of falsely informing the consumer that his flight booked six months in advance under a promotional fare scheme has been cancelled as the Bombay-Delhi flights were not operational from May 1-31, 2007. The airlines had also claimed that the consumer himself cancelled the tickets and asked them for compensation.

The complainant, Ajay Goel, said on April 27, 2007, that he verified Air Deccan’s flight cancellation and found it to be untrue. He claimed the lower value tickets of Rs.300 he had purchased were cancelled on the flight in lieu of the more expensive tickets costing Rs.7,650.

The court turned down the Air Deccan plea that it has the right to cancel flights under circumstances beyond its control like meteorological conditions, mechanical failure, staff or employee strikes, wars, disturbances, labour difficulties or others as in the present case not a single circumstance existed for cancelling the flight.

Justice Kapoor observed that whenever a service provider wants to take advantage of the circumstances permitting it to delay, cancel or change the schedule of the flight, the onus is heavily upon it. Otherwise, it is bound to compensate the consumer for wrongful cancellation or wrongful delay.

He observed that service providers like airlines little realise that their inefficiency, casual or cavalier attitude towards passengers causes immense mental agony, harassment, emotional suffering and physical discomfort to passengers as they are left stranded for hours and when the consumers ask for refund, the airlines make them run from pillar to post and offer them half the price of the ticket.

Ajay Goel had booked a return ticket for himself and his two relatives under a promotional fare scheme Nov 12, 2006, in which the basic fare was less than Rs.300. On April 26, 2007, the day of his flight, he received a call from Bangalore saying that their flight had been cancelled.

On enquiry, he came to know that the flight was operational.