Filmi Fundas

Is Bollywood losing faith in award ceremonies?

The number of award ceremonies is growing in Bollywood, but many stars seem to be disillusioned with them. Aamir Khan was the first to boycott them, now Ajay Devgan has joined him, and others too feel there is no space for genuine talent at such events meant to garner publicity. “I don’t see any value in any of these award ceremonies I see around me nowadays. The ones I don’t have value for from my heart, I don’t go there,” says Aamir.

However, he does value some. “I have been to a couple of them. I went to the Kolhapuri Award, which was in Chennai. It’s a very small awards ceremony, they give just one award in the whole evening and it’s only for a first-time film-maker. I have also been to collect an award that I got from the Deenanath Mangeshkar Trust. These are two awards that I value, so I was happy to be selected for them,” says Aamir.

Some of the well-known awards in the Hindi movie industry are Filmfare Awards, Apsara Awards, Star Screen Awards, Zee Cine Awards and International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards.

Ajay says such ceremonies keep cropping up every year as organisers try to primarily market themselves through awards and celebs.

“I don’t attend award ceremonies. They give awards to those who attend the function. So they keep their options open. If all attend the ceremony then the award gets divided into three categories,” says Ajay. “They also have to market it; they also have to sell their awards.”

This year the National Award winning actor was nominated for four awards – Big Star Entertainment Award, Star Screen Awards, Apsara Awards and Zee Cine Awards – in the best actor category for his performance in the crime thriller Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. But he didn’t attend either of them; neither did he receive any.

Emraan Hashmi echoes the same sentiment and maintains that these ceremonies try to keep everyone happy. “If you see any award ceremony, they are pleasing everyone.

There are three categories for best actor – it’s ridiculous. I really don’t want to be part of the circus. The whole industry goes and claps, but I don’t want to be part of it,” says Emraan. Award ceremonies don’t excite actress Kareena Kapoor either, because she feels most awards go to undeserving candidates. “Those who don’t attend – their names are never declared in award ceremonies. Those who don’t deserve get the awards and those who deserve land up enjoying pizzas at home.” Suniel Shetty says, “I don’t think that all the awards in a ceremony are rigged, but sometimes it happens that awards are given to please them (celebs), under pressure. I don’t attend ceremonies because I am occupied with prior commitments.”

At a recent award ceremony, Bollywood’s dream girl Hema Malini was honoured with the lifetime achievement honour and in her acceptance speech she revealed that during her prime she received only one trophy. Veteran director Ramesh Sippy, who gave away the award and is known for the cult film Sholay, said he wasn’t lucky enough to get even that one award.

However, Priyanka Chopra still has faith in honours and wants to believe none of them is rigged.

“I don’t think so and really want to believe they are not (rigged) because we work very hard and every actor, technician and everyone who works really hard to make a film happen would like to believe the same. Just because you know someone, you are related to someone, you will win an award – I don’t believe it.

Out of personal experience I would love to believe that every award I have won has been out of voting because I deserved it,” says Priyanka.

‘I am a fun loving guy’

Shy and brooding, these are the words often used to describe Ajay Devgan. But the Bollywood star says that the image is far from the truth and now he wants to set the record right.

And he has already started work on it. Ajay’s next is his first romantic comedy Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Jee and he is also making a much hyped appearance on Karan Johar’s talk show Koffee with Karan.

“Karan has been trying to convince me for years. And I thought, ‘Well it will be fun’, so I said yes. I am a fun loving guy and I had a great time shooting and I think Karan was rather surprised that I did,” said Ajay.

Ajay, who has made his singing debut in the film and also danced to a salsa tune, says that he has been plagued by questions about similarities between him and the character, much to his surprise.

“I play a shy divorcee who falls for a gregarious woman half his age and the generation gap between the two results in some very funny situations. And there is really no connect with my real life except that people believe me to be a very reserved person and my wife is very chirpy,” said he. The actor began his career in 1991 with the superhit action flick Phool Aur Kante, where he played a gangster’s son forced to take over his father’s empire.

But Ajay has over the years broken that mould and his four hits in the past year, Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge, Raajneeti, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai and Golmaal 3, were all of varied genres.

“I first attempted comedy with Ishq and I have done a few romantic movies also like Pyar Toh Hona Hi Tha with Kajol. I broke out of the whole action hero image a few years ago and I am thankful that the audience accepted me because I really do enjoy doing comedy,” said Ajay who is peaking in his acting career after a two-decade long stint in the industry.

“I have got better with age. Everyone does. You learn from your mistakes and get over your insecurities. There are more interesting roles coming my way than a decade ago and each one is different from the other,” said Ajay.

And after dabbling in comedy, Ajay will be back as action hero in Tezz and the Hindi remake of the Tamil hit Singham.

“I had given up on the gym while shooting for Dil Toh... and I am going back to pumping iron now,” said Ajay.

Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Jee starring Ajay, Emraan Hashmi, Omi Vaidya, Shahzahn Padamsee, Shradha Das and Shruti Haasan releases on January 28.

Over a steaming cup of coffee

The beautiful Madhuri Dixit is in India to judge the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and hence, everyone desperately wants to rub shoulders with the diva during her stay in the country.

One such person is film-maker and talk show host Karan Johar. The director wants a younger actress to be paired with Madhuri Dixit, when she appears on his show Koffee with Karan.

And he is spoilt for choice! Laughs the Koffee host, “I am amazed by Madhuri’s popularity. When I decided to invite her on my show, I did not know that her popularity seeps right down to youngest actors of Bollywood. I am very keen to bring her on with one of the younger actresses. But I really do not know whom to zero in on. It is really a tough call.”

As for being on Karan Johar’s chat show, Madhuri is fine with any co-guest. Just like she never minded who her co-star was, whether Anil Kapoor or Sanjay Kapoor, the kind-hearted Madhuri has no problem with any other star for company as she shares a cordial relation with everyone in the industry.

The latest news is that Karan has zeroed in on the Dabangg starlet Sonakshi Sinha to partner Madhuri on his show. Madhuri had earlier appeared on the chat show  in 2007 with Rani Mukherjee. 

Stealing the thunder 

Music composer Lalit Pandit is disappointed with Dabangg’s music director duo Sajid-Wajid.

Pandit, who according to sources composed 2010’s biggest item song Munni Badnaam Hui, feels the two musicians have hogged the limelight.

“Forget the recognition, if only I could get my share of royalty for Munni Badnaam Hui, it would be great. I hope we soon see a law that gives composers and writers a share of the royalty,” says a disappointed Pandit.

Ignored by the beauty 

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha have had a long history, both onscreen and offscreen.  The two stars have worked together in a number of films like Mr Natwarlal, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Silsila.

But it seems that the differences between the two stars have not ended at all.  Rekha completely ignored Big B at the recently-held Screen Awards ceremony.  She named every actor but Big B when she was asked about her favourite star.  Even Shah Rukh Khan, who was enacting Big B’s  role in the jig asked Rekha, if she had forgotten to mention someone to which she said, “No!” Though not surprising, her answer caused a lot of curiosity. 

Knight in shining armour

Fairytales do come true, especially in the case of our very own B-town beauty Celina Jaitley.

Celina recently made headlines with her engagement to Dubai-based hotelier Peter Haag, and the two lovebirds are on cloud nine ever since then.

The doe-eyed beauty was recently at The Cairo Film Festival where she served as a jury member.

During her stay at Cairo, the actress had a severe knee inflammation and was terribly upset about it.

Apparently, Peter flew down all the way to Cairo for a day to surprise Celina! He even took her to the doctor to get her a proper treatment and was there by her side to take care of her.

All the other jury members on board were rather pleased to see the love between the couple and Celina was ecstatic!

Shower of praises

Vishakha Singh has been receiving praises for her supporting act alongside Deepika Padukone in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and now, she has received a nomination for the Stardust Breakthrough Performer for her excellent performance in the film.

The jury felt that it was an extremely difficult, sensitive and challenging role for an actor to make his or her debut with and this indeed is an extraordinary accomplishment.

She has also scored a double whammy by appearing in the list of top ten actors for 2010.

Noted film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh has included Vishakha’s name in his list of top ten actors for 2010. Vishakha’s name appears among the likes of Katrina Kaif, Vidya Balan, Neetu Singh, Anushka Sharma and Amrita Puri.

No best wishes please

Aamir Khan, who earlier used to give his best wishes to Sachin Tendulkar before every major game, has stopped doing so now.

“I am very superstitious about this matter. Because every time I would call Sachin before his matches to wish him luck, it so happened that he would be out for a few runs.So I have stopped wishing him for a while now,” said Aamir. 

A sincere Aamir even confessed to Tendulkar about this. “Yes I spoke to him about my belief and surprisingly ever since I have stopped wishing him luck, he has been scoring centuries,” said Aamir.