FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION IN BIG CINEMAS ONLY. NOT FOR SALE.

January 2009 | Vol 2, Issue 06

After 17 years in the business and the most impressive hit record in recent times, Akshay Kumar is still a down to earth munda.

THE HITMAN

BEHIND THE SCENES

Check out our definitive list of movies to watch out for this year.

PLUS REGULAR FEATURES

Music Trivia Queen Bee Trailers Contests & Trivia cinema tickets to be won! And much more!

FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION IN BIG CINEMAS ONLY. NOT FOR SALE.

January 2009 | Vol 2, Issue 06

The Plot
After 17 years in the business and the most impressive hit record in recent times, Akshay Kumar is still a down to earth munda.

THE HITMAN

Vol. 2 No. 06 JANUARY 2009

BEHIND THE SCENES

Check out our definitive list of movies to watch out for this year.

PLUS REGULAR FEATURES

Music Trivia + Queen Bee + Trailers + Contests & Trivia cinema tickets to be won! + And much more!

wh a t s i n si d e

TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY Send an email to theplot.magazine@adlabslms.com PUBLISHED BY Adlabs Films Limited Film City Complex, Goregaon East, Mumbai 400 065 (India) Tel: +91 22 28423333 PRINTED AT Magna Graphics (India) Limited 101 C&D Govt. Industrial Estate Hindustan Naka Kandivli (W) Mumbai 400067 (India) Tel: +91 22 28683738, 28687475 EDITORIAL TEAM Chaitali Patel Anjali Malhotra DESIGN Liquid Designs India 103, 1st Floor, 50 Community Centre Naraina Industrial Area Phase I New Delhi 110 028 (India) Tel: +91 11 45082428, 45082429 www.liquiddesignsindia.com DISCLAIMERS All information in this magazine is derived from sources considered reliable. However, the information passed on to our readers must be veried by them. The contents of this publication express views of the authors and are not necessarily of the publishers. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by any parties in abstracts and/ or interviews are not necessarily shared/ do not necessarily reect any opinion of the publishers. No arguments shall be sustained regarding articles published in this magazine and neither the writers, editor, publisher nor printer shall be held in any way responsible for the same. The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning unsolicited material, nor is responsible for material lost or damaged in transit. The publisher reserves the rights to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements, without explanation. COPYRIGHT All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Any material appearing in the publication cannot be reproduced in whole or in part, without prior written permission from the publisher.

THE BIG PICTURE HIT MAN

Seventeen years into the business, Akshay Kumar is more successful than hes ever been. And yet believable as a humble cook from Chandni Chowk.

TRAILERS Which are the movies that are set to have you queuing up at the box ofce? We bring you a glimpse of the bonanza of new releases in the month to come.

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STYLE ICON KATS GOT YOUR TONGUE Katrina Kaifs style is so condent that she can bring her cool elegant personality into a wide range of looks. Thats what makes her a classic style queen. MUSIC LEGEND MR. SPACEMAN David Bowies ideas may have seemed spaced out in his time. But somehow his genius has managed to endure and inspire.

THE BIG GIG RENAISSANCE MAN Neeraj Shridhar has made the tough transition from cover artist to becoming one of the coolest voices in Bollywood.

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THE GREAT GAME Sacred 2: Fallen Angel + all the cool gizmos you gotta have

BEHIND THE SCENES WHATS IN LINE IN 09 Heres what your favourite Bollywood lm-makers and stars will be up to this year.

MUSIC TRIVIA HITS IN MISSES What happens when a songs a stud but the lms a dud? Fascinating Music Trivia of course!

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QUEEN BEE Our resident Queen Bee dishes out the buzz on telly land, and watch out, cause it aint all sugar and honey!

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BRAIN TONIC Tease your grey cells with our contests and win free movie tickets.

WWW.ADLABSFILMS.COM

CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS OF THE DECEMBER 2008 CONTESTS! THEY WILL BE INFORMED INDIVIDUALLY.
JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 01

THE

HITMAN
On the eve of his eagerly awaited Chandni Chowk to China, Akshay Kumar discusses his co-stars, tackles the controversies and talks about his passion for martial arts in a tte-tte with JYOTHI VENKATESH.
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the big picture

kshay Kumar has come a long way from when he was a lowly assistant to photographer Jayesh Sheth in the late 80s long before he embarked on his path to stardom, a fact that he has not forgotten at all, unlike others of his ilk who tend to get a bout of amnesia when they taste success in a big way. And Akshay has denitely had success in a big way with as many as ve super duper hits in fast succession - Namastey London, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiya, Welcome and Singh is Kinng. But Im happy to report that Akshay continues to be a down to earth munda. Did he have great expectations from Singh is Kinng before it was released? I was condent that it would become a hit but frankly speaking, never ever dreamt it would turn out to be such a big hit. Im overwhelmed! Incidentally Singh is Kinng was his hat trick with Katrina Kaif with whom he had delivered two hits earlier - Namastey London and Welcome. Akshay is peeved when you ask him whether Katrina Kaif has reached whatever position she enjoys today only because he has had a big hand in promoting her career. Its belittling Katrina. Why dont journalists ask Katrina whether shes had a hand in promoting my career, especially since Ive got not just one or two but three hits when Ive acted with her? Each and every actor in a lm is responsible for its success, he shoots back. Akshay is now eagerly awaiting the release of his next blockbuster lm Chandni Chowk to China. It was earlier called Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo Made in China but we decided to change the title to Chandni Chowk to China because its an almost autobiographical tale starting from my days of struggle in Delhis Chandni Chowk. He elaborates about his role. I play a simple

cook called Sidhu from Delhi who goes to China to try his luck there. Getting into the character was not difcult for me as I had been a cook in real life, but shooting for the movie was a difcult experience. We shot at the Great Wall of China in extreme cold conditions which was quite tough. Akshay has managed to shift gears from action to comedy with ease and Chandni Chowk combines the two effortlessly. I am of the rm belief that action will always sell as far as cinema is concerned. I will never stop accepting action-packed roles because I enjoy performing dangerous stunt sequences, though my wife Tina (Twinkle Khanna) doesnt like me doing such death defying stuff. He got to do some heady action sequences in the lm but admits that the toughest part was ghting with Chinese martial arts master Gordon Liu. I watched 36 Chambers of Shaolin 52 times before doing the lm. Doing the action sequences and ghting with the Chinese masters, particularly Sir Gordon Liu, was the most difcult in the movie. Gordon Liu is known for Hollywood lms like the Kill Bill and Shaolin series. His title as Action King comes with some effort. Im one of the few actors in Bollywood who has always made it a point to maintain a well-toned body though Ive never bothered to go in for four or six pack abs, like say Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om. I make it a point to spend my evenings whenever Im shooting outdoors by jogging to my hearts content. Nor do I indulge in drinking bouts, unlike most of my colleagues in the industry. Akshay has more sound advice to the younger generation who want to emulate him as far as physique and tness are concerned. Ive always believed that if you cant give at least one hour every day to your own body,

Ive always believed that if you cant give at least one hour every day to your own body, you should just kill yourself.
JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 03

the big picture

you should just kill yourself. Bollywood was rife with rumours that Akshay had set out to sabotage Amitabh Bachchans Unforgettable Tour. Says Akshay, Unequivocally I would only blame the media for all the speculation suggesting that I had sabotaged the show. Why would I think of sabotaging their shows? I have worked in seven lms with Mr. Bachchan who is like a pillar of this industry. I am often asked who the king of the lm industry is and I have always replied that it is none other than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. You cannot discount the fact that he has been in this industry for the last 35 to 40 years. All the rest of us, whether its Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan or for that matter even I, may claim to be kings but were not. More controversy. Akshay has a dangerous reputation for trimming his costars scenes. In his characteristic style, he jokes, If I nd myself out of work as an actor tomorrow, I wouldnt be bothered at all because I can always take up editing, since Im well known for chopping off my co-actors scenes. Jokes apart, I am not insecure about my co-actors. Theres room for everyone at the top. I was happy when I entered the industry almost two decades ago. Im happy today too. However he confesses that he does

have some insecurities: Its all these newcomers who keep me on my toes! His co-star Deepika Padukone should be attered. Shilpa Shetty has now turned a producer. Would he agree to act in her lm if she asks him to? Akki doesnt bat an eyelid. If Im offered a good script that appeals to me, Im ready to work with Shilpa Shetty. Why should I not do a lm with her? Over the last two decades since I started my career, Ive delivered quite a few hits with Shilpa including Main Khiladi Tu Anadi and would certainly love to work with her. What is his dream project as of now? Its always been my ardent dream to start a school for karate and show more and more Indians the power and beauty of martial arts. The show that I hosted on National Geographic some time ago gave me a great opportunity to reach out to people across the country and explain to children and parents the discipline and strength that martial arts bring to ones life. Right now Im quite keen on getting a plot of land from either the government of Maharashtra or a philanthropist to build an institute in a prime area like say Bandra to start teaching martial arts to people, irrespective of their ages. Anyone can learn martial arts from 8 to 80.

If I nd myself out of work as an actor tomorrow, I wouldnt be bothered at all because I can always take up editing, since Im well known for chopping off my co-actors scenes.

AK-KNOWLEDGE
His rst modeling offer for a furniture showroom ad was through one of his martial arts students, a model coordinator. It was the man who is now his make-up man who spotted him and referred him to lmmaker Pramod Chakravorty. The veteran producer-director took an instant liking for him and signed him there and then for Deedar as a lead hero.

Kambakkht Ishq will not be the rst time hes acted alongside a major international action star such as Stallone. He performed with WWF star, the Undertaker in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.
He says that he and Shah Rukh Khan are the only stars today whove made it without a godfather.

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t r a i l e r s
LUCK BY CHANCE
Director: Zoya Akhtar Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen,
Saurabh Shukla, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Juhi Chawla, Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Kapoor, Isha Sharwani, Arjun Mathur Vikram Jaisingh (Farhan Akhtar) arrives in Bombay to make it big as a lm star with the help of Abhimanyu (Arjun Mathur) a TV star friend, who puts him up at his house. His girlfriend Sona Mishra (Konkona Sen Sharma) is also a junior artist trying to break into the big league. The lm attempts to prole the strange ways of the lmi world the superstition, the hypocrisy, the nepotism and egoism through a series of quirky but stereotypical characters such as producer Romy Rolly (Rishi Kapoor), his superstitious wife Minty (Juhi Chawla) and the reigning superstar, Zaffar Khan (Hrithik Roshan in a cameo). Convinced of their own talent when even their closest friends begin to lose faith, Vikram and Sona are continually frustrated by rejection and betrayal. Do they make it big or does the struggle defeat them?

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Director: Danny Boyle Cast: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Rajendranath Zutshi, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on Indias Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Freida Pinto), the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of Jamals increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the shows seemingly impossible questions. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the gameshow? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the nal question, the Inspector (Irrfan Khan), host (Anil Kapoor) and sixty million viewers are about to nd out.

CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA

Director: Nikhil Advani Cast: Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Ranvir Shorey, Mithun Chakraborty, Gordon Liu Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) makes his living by cutting vegetables at a roadside food stall in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. He longs to escape this dreary existence and goes to astrologers and tarot readers for guidance. However, one day his fate changes when two strangers from China claim him as a reincarnation of a war hero and take him to China. Little does he know that he is actually being taken there to rid a Chinese village of a vicious smuggler named Hojo (Gordon Liu)! Thanks to a devious translator, a conman by the name Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey), Sidhu is blissfully unaware of the perils that await him. Along the way, he meets Sakhi (Deepika Padukone), who is also on her way to China. Initially, through a series of lucky coincidences, Sidhu manages to sidestep being beaten by Hojos men but Hojo nally catches up with him and exposes him as the country buffoon that he really is.
JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 05

t r a i l e r s
VICTORY
Director: Ajitpal Mangat Cast: Harman Baweja, Anupam Kher, Amrita Rao, Gulshan Grover In the small town of Jaisalmer, Ram Shekhawat (Anupam Kher) dreams of his son Vijay Shekhawat (Harman Baweja) playing for the Indian national cricket team. Vijay fullls his fathers dream and becomes Indias latest world-class batting sensation. But his newly-acquired demigod status makes the small-town boy stray from his true vocation, leading to a loss of focus and a miserable drop in his performance. By the time Vijay nally realizes the error of his ways, its too late and he nds himself thrown out of the Indian cricket team for indiscipline. Suddenly the hero of cricket crazy India becomes a villain in everyones eyes. Rams dreams are shattered and he suffers a paralytic stroke. This tragedy awakens Vijays conscience and sense of honour. To redeem himself in the eyes of his father and fans, he once again makes it back to the Indian team and gets to play in the nals of the Champions trophy against Australia. But a victory in this match may cost him a huge sacrice. Watch out for cameos from the Australian team.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Director: David Fincher Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond This Golden Globe nominated lm is adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century. It follows the life of Benjamin (Brad Pitt), who is born with the appearance and physical limitations of a man in his eighties. Abandoned in a nursing home by his father, Benjamin begins aging backward. While in the home, he meets Daisy (Cate Blanchett), a young aspiring ballerina. As the lm progresses, the two fall in love while struggling to deal with the issue of one growing younger while the other grows older. This is a journey as unusual as any mans life can be of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he nds and loses, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.

RAAZ THE MYSTERY CONTINUES

Director: Mohit Suri Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Adhyayan Suman, Kangna Ranaut A brooding artist Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi), experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita (Kangna Ranaut), a woman he has never met. The woman in his paintings bears a close resemblance to her. Intrigued by these visions and their outcome, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents waiting to happen. At rst, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvis paintings and the near-death incidents in her life is hard to ignore. To make matters worse, Prithvi paints her as a dead person. Now the only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash (Adhyayan Suman), a rational and logical man who refuses to believe in Prithvis premonitions.

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t r a i l e r s

SEVEN POUNDS
Director: Gabriele Muccino Cast: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson Ben Thomas (Will Smith) is an IRS agent who is depressed after the death of his wife and guilt-ridden for mistakes from his past. He decides to kill himself, but to also help seven struggling individuals before doing so. When he meets Emily (Rosario Dawson), a beautiful woman with a heart condition, he falls in love with her, complicating his plans of suicide. Ezra Turner (Woody Harrelson) is a blind pianist who befriends Ben.

CHANGELING
Director: Clint Eastwood Cast: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich

Changeling is inspired by actual events that occurred in 1920sera Los Angeles. The year is 1928. As Christine (Angelina Jolie) says goodbye to her son, Walter (Gattlin Grifth), and departs for work, she never anticipates that this is the day her life will change forever. Upon returning home, Christine discovers that Walter is nowhere to be found. Over the course of the following months, the mother launches a desperate search. When all hope seems to be lost, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Christines son seems to appear out of thin air. Overcome with emotions and uncertain how to face the authorities or the press, Christine invites the child to stay in her home despite knowing without a doubt that he is not her son. As much as Christine would like to accept the fact that her son has been returned to her, she cannot accept the injustice being pushed upon her and continues to challenge the Los Angeles police force at every turn. As a result, Christine is slandered by the powers that be, and painted as an unt mother. The only person willing to aid her in her search is benevolent local activist Reverend Briegleb (John Malkovich).

DEV D
Director: Anurag Kashyap Cast: Abhay Deol, Kalki, Mahi Gill

Dev D is a modern take on Devdas, the novel written by Sarat Chandra and adapted for lm several times. However, this is Anurag Kashyaps version based in todays day and age. Devdas (Abhay Deol) is the son of a zamindar (tax collector). He and Paro (Mahi Gill) are childhood sweethearts. However, differences in status and caste prevent their marriage. Devdas is sent to Calcutta while Paro is married off to a rich but aged widower. In Calcutta, Devdas meets the sympathetic prostitute Chandramukhi (Kalki) but remorse drives him to excesses and ultimately to his end.

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 07

t r a i l e r s
UNDERWORLD 3: RISE OF THE LYCANS
Director: Patrick Tatopoulos Cast: Michael Sheen, Rhona Mitra, Bill Nighy This, the third installment in the Underworld series, is a prequel set prior to Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, covering the origins of the centuries old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra) in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

FIRAAQ
Director: Nandita Das Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval, Sanjay Suri, Tisca Chopra, Shahana Goswami Acclaimed actress Nandita Das makes her directorial debut with Firaaq. Set over a 24-hour period beginning one month after the carnage that took place in Gujarat in 2002, Firaaq traces the emotional journeys of ordinary people - victims, perpetrators and some who chose to watch silently. A middle-class housewife closes the door on a woman desperately seeking refuge and then struggles to overcome her guilt. The loyalty of two best friends is challenged in times rife with fear and suspicion. A group of victimized young men seek revenge as a way out of their helplessness and anger. A modern day Hindu-Muslim couple struggle between the survival instinct to hide their true identities and the desire to assert them. A boy, having lost most of his family in the riots, wanders through the streets searching for his missing father. A saintly musician clings on to his idealism until an evidence of civil strife shakes his faith.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Director: Sam Mendes Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates Director Sam Mendes pairs his wife Kate Winslet with her Titanic co-star, Leo DiCaprio in this social commentary on marriage and the American Dream set in the 1950s, based on the critically acclaimed book by the same name. Frank (Leonardo Di Caprio) and April (Kate Winslet) have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social connes of the era. Yet, for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers nd themselves becoming exactly what they didnt expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a lessthan-happy homemaker starving for fulllment and passion; an American family with lost dreams like any other. Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put into motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes one to escape, whatever the cost, the other to save all they have, no matter the compromises.
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t r a i l e r s
FROST / NIXON
Director: Ron Howard Cast: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Oliver Platt In this Golden Globe nominated lm, Oscar-winning director Ron Howard brings to the screen the electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and renowned journalist David Frost, in the untold story of the historic encounter that changed both men. For three years after being forced out of ofce, former US President Nixon (Frank Langella) has remained silent. But in the summer of 1977, he agrees to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in ofce and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprises everyone in selecting David Frost (Michael Sheen) as his interviewer, intending to outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans. Likewise, Frosts team harbours doubts about their boss ability to hold his own. But as cameras roll, a charged battle of wits takes place. Over the course of their encounter, each man reveals his own insecurities, ego and reserves of dignity ultimately setting aside pretence in a stunning display of unvarnished truth.

STREET KINGS
Director: David Ayer Cast: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Lawrie, Terry Crews Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a disillusioned LA police ofcer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. While his entire department stretches the rules on a regular basis, his former partner, Terrence Washington (Terry Crews) no longer approves of the corruption and deception and has gone straight. He reports the problems to Internal Affairs Captain James Biggs (Hugh Laurie), who starts an investigation against Ludlow. Upset at Washington for snitching, Ludlow follows him to a convenience store to confront him. However, Washington is executed in the store in an orchestrated hit, with Ludlow present. Though Ludlow is innocent, the circumstances heavily implicate him in the murder. It is assumed that Washington himself was corrupt, despite his seemingly changed attitude. Ludlow seeks to clear his name but he must use the same techniques that got him into this mess in the rst place.

OUTSOURCED
Director: John Jeffcoat Cast: Josh Hamilton, Ayesha Dharker, Asif Basra

Outsourced is a comedy of cross-cultural conict and romance. Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) spends his days managing a customer call centre in Seattle until his job, along with those of the entire ofce, are outsourced to India. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his new replacement Purohit Virajnarianan (Asif Basra). As he navigates through the chaos of Bombay and an ofce paralysed by constant cultural misunderstandings, Todd yearns to return to the comforts of home. But it is through his team of quirky yet likable Indian call center workers, including his friendly and motivated replacement and the charming, opinionated Asha (Ayesha Dharker), that Todd realizes that he too has a lot to learn - not only about India and America, but about himself. He soon discovers that being outsourced may be the best thing that ever happened to him.
JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 09

style icon

KATS GOT YOUR

TONGUE
SHILPI MADAN proles the style of Katrina Kaif, a classic

beauty whos become the thinking mans sex symbol.

s a giggly teenager, she wore stringy bikini tops with tight jeans in Kaizad Gustads Boom. The ick was forgettable. Yet Katrina Kaifs smooth, peaches and cream complexion, taut gure and smile werent. Ten years later, Kats has evolved as a selfassured woman who breathes sheer elegance, sports Victorian gowns and mini skirts with equal class and who has, despite her pardesi accent, emerged as a lucky box ofce mascot. Ok, were ignoring Hello and Yuvvraaj but she had a pretty good run before that! At 5 feet 8 inches, Katrina Kaif easily towers over most of our screen studs and doesnt bother to disguise it. Which is what makes her appeal to our egoistical Indian men so surprising. For someone who avoids the skimpy attire route, shes been voted the most popular and sexiest Bollywood actress in multiple mens magazine polls. Its not my style to either wear minimum clothes, to strip or to even be comfortable with a sex symbol label, she says. Whether Armani, Miu Miu or our desi Rocky S, she has an eye for picking up stuff that suits her to the T. She looks gorgeous,
10 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

knows what atters her hourglass gure the most and experiments little with her looks, says fashion designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed. Nor will you ever nd her issuing press releases on how many Louis Vuitton bags she possesses or how many Versace sun combatters lounge in her vanity bag. She is chic and classy, careful about what she wears and what she says, believing that style cannot be conned only to what you wear but how you behave as well. Heres a savvy globe trotter who is aware of the trends on the international catwalks but who can also strike a ne balance within the Indian environment. You are as likely to see her in a Gucci sheath as a chic Tarun Tahiliani Indian ensemble, snug jewelled jeans by Rina Dhaka teamed with knee length boots on her towering European frame, as an embroidered saree by Rohit Bal. She is a calypso in pearl strewn bustiers and sh cut lehengas but equally appealing in sneakers, crimped hair and short skirts. A young lady with nesse who stalks about in Jimmy Choos clutching a Fendi purse, yet can also be seen sipping naariyal paani by the

seaside in a plain white tee and blue jeans with equal pizzazz. Kats picks translucent shades for her make-up palette, choosing to touch up her soft features with a swipe of mascara and subtle nude lip gloss, while keeping the drama of brooding maroons and scarlet reds for ad lms. Shes the quintessential lady in red that glides into a room brushing past you, leaving her signature scent (Gucci Rush) lingering behind like the night...

the big gig

Renaissance Man
As he strikes a major record deal, Neeraj Shridhar tells SAM LAL how he found it easy to break in, but so hard to stick around.
t would have been the easiest task in the world to dismiss Neeraj Shridhar as an opportunist rider on a trendy bandwagon. Arriving on the scene about a decade ago when the remix revolution ruled the Indian music market, Neeraj and his band Bombay Vikings, stormed the charts with Euro synth pop versions of Bollywoods big hits. Zaroorat Hai therefore became Kya Soorat Hai and Woh Chali was given a Hinglish twist with lyrics like, Woh chali, woh chali / Now shes found a love thats real / Now her wounded heart is healed / Finally, nally. Yes, indeed, it wouldnt have been difcult to strike off Neeraj as a ash-in-thepan boy wonder who would duly make his way into obscurity once the lease of his moment in the sun came to an end. But there are three factors that prevented Neeraj from being written off as a hasbeen. First is the fact that while most of his contemporaries from the remix era have long bid their goodbyes to the world of showbiz, he is standing tall with an enviable body of original songs to his credit. The second is the quality of his voice. Unique would be an understatement and fabulous would be more like it. To illustrate the point, lets try a little experiment. Take any of Neerajs smash hits, Halke
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Halke from Honeymoon Travels, the title track from Bhagam Bhag, Hare Ram from Bhool Bhulaiyaa or Chandni Chowk to China from Akshay Kumars soon-tobe-released movie of the same name. Listen to the songs and you will be struck by the smooth, velvety texture of the mans voice. Then try singing along to the tunes. That is when the realisation will dawn that although it sounds very soft and exquisite, Neeraj hits very high notes indeed. Any other man singing at the same pitch would sound screechy. Neeraj just makes it sound very melliuous and romantic.

THE NEERAJ FACT FILES

Neeraj migrated to Sweden with his brother when he was twelve. He aspired to be a guitar player and worked three months in a plastic les factory to raise enough money to buy a good guitar. He is an accomplished keyboard player too. Kya Soorat Hai, one of his songs with Bombay Vikings, topped the Indian charts for a record eleven months.

Its a rare vocal quality and it was developed when Neeraj was a teenager. Im actually a rocker, he says, I started out when I was fourteen and was singing songs by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Bad Company. So that explains it. The bands that Neeraj mentions have been fronted by some of the most outstanding vocalists in music history and if that is what he grew up idolising, its no wonder hes one of the nest voices in Bollywood today. The nal factor, which makes Neeraj the huge star that he is, has to be the honesty with which he analyses everything about his career. It was quite easy to get in, he says, referring to the cover versions of classic hits which provided him his initial breakthrough. But to bring about sustainability is tough. The years from 1999 to 2008 have been challenging because I wanted to do something more than the usual remixes. You should be able to give people something new and bring your own innovations to music. Not that Neeraj is worried about that any more. Hes just been signed on for a ve-year artiste management deal by T-Series, one of the biggest entertainment companies in the country. Theyre letting me do what I want, he says. To paraphrase one of his early hits, Finally, nally...

music legend

lthough a large percentage of his legacy is based on an elaborately crafted persona, David Bowie got his mismatched eyes by accident and not by design. It happened when David was fteen and found himself getting into a heated argument with his friend George Underwood, over a girl. George then proceeded to - quite literally thrash the lights out of David and when the dust settled, the future pop star had an eye that was potentially blind. It took doctors some eight months to prevent complete loss of vision, but it left David with one pupil permanently dilated. However, inspite of all this, Bowie didnt bear any ill will towards his mate and dismissed the whole incident as one big hearty punch-up. George would later repay his debt by doing all the artwork for Bowies early albums. Bowies journey towards becoming one of the most iconic and intriguing personas in popular music began when he was nine. His father got him records of all the early rock n roll pioneers like Chuck Berry and Little Richard and when the young David spun them, it was as if he had heard God. He became so fascinated with the saxophone that his mother gave him a plastic one for Christmas. Three years later, Bowie had graduated to a real instrument and had formed his rst band, The Konrads in 1962. Lyrically, David is a man ob-

MR. SPACEMAN
As David Bowie turns 52 SAM LAL traces his journey to rocks leading innovator.

sessed with outer space and aliens and they have formed the subject matter of some of his biggest hits. The rst one came in 1969 and instantly became a landmark moment in music history. Recorded and issued to coincide with mans maiden landing on the moon, Space Oddity, became a huge smash and has pervaded popular culture like nothing else before it. Everything from television sitcom Friends to video games like Metal Gear 3, contains references to Major Tom, the main protagonist of Space Oddity. The second career dening moment came when David created Ziggy Stardust, an alter ego rock superstar, backed by a band of outstanding musicians called The Spiders From Mars. Adopting a glam persona that included ery red hair and outlandish superhero costumes, David released a concept album titled Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, which yielded at least four bonade classics. The title track and Suffragette City, in particular, have been covered by successive generation of musicians ever since. From that point on, David Bowie has run through the entire gamut of the musical spectrum, from R&B and dance pop, to the heavy rock sounds of his work with Tin Machine. He may have relinquished his role as rocks leading innovator, but his relevance is in no danger of fading away.

BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA - The Life and Times of Bowie

David Bowie was born David Robert Jones on the 8th of January 1947 in Brixton, London. He borrowed his stage name partly from the legendary nineteenth century American soldier James Bowie. He is an actor too and has appeared in many lms most notably The Man Who Fell To Earth and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. He was also offered the role of Max Zorin in the James Bond movie, A View to a Kill but turned it down because he didnt want the entire role to be about watching his stunt double fall off mountains. He is a prolic songwriter and has written big hits for other bands like Under Pressure for Queen and All The Young Dudes for Mott The Hoople.

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 13

GAME OF THE MONTH

the great

a m

By Asif Khan

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

Publisher cdv Software Entertainment Genre Action RPG Platforms MS Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Estimated Price Rs. 3000 approx

COOL STUFF
PlayStation Wireless Keypad: For those who have the increasing need of using text-based messaging through their gaming pursuits and nd the use of the D pad a bit tedious while using PlayStation, there is respite in the form of this QWERTY keypad which can be clamped to the controller. This one sets you back a neat Rs. 3000. Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard: Heres another accessory that promises to ease multitasking key functions, as well as to take care of the excruciating treatment usually meted out to hapless keyboards. Priced a bit steeply at around Rs. 4000, this should take care of your worries and looks good alongside your keyboard. Street Fighter PS3 Joysticks: If you still swear by the arcade style fun provided by that killer of a game by the name of Street Fighter, Mad Catz has introduced a couple of joysticks for PlayStation 3 which are sure to offer you a huge bit of nostalgia. They are priced at around Rs. 3500 and Rs. 7000 each respectively. NZXT Avatar Gaming Mouse: NZXT has decided to take a plunge into the peripherals market by introducing this gaming mouse with cutting edge features. Silver accent side buttons, neon blue trim lights and a scroll wheel containing programmable buttons too this has pretty much everything to take care of what you need. All of this is expected to be available at around Rs. 2600.
14 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

REVIEW
The continent of Ancaria is a magical land full of mysteries and surprises. Picturesque landscapes, babbling streams, rugged mountainous terrain and dense forests as well as pleasing foliage this place has everything imaginable. In the midst of all this, there lurks a mysterious source of energy that will decide the future course of events leading to either prosperity or decadence. Sacred 2: Fallen Angel follows in the footsteps of the original Sacred as the click and boom shooter-slasher and is set in an age a couple of millennia before the original. Through some foolish actions by inhabitants of Ancaria, the energy source called T-Energy goes haywire and starts wreaking havoc on the continent, threatening its very existence. Thats where we step in to restore order. If you are, however, in the mood for pulverising things, you can step into the shadows of evil too and do your best to make sure everything goes up in smoke. Theres a choice of six characters to choose from ranging from Seraphim, the good one, to Inquisitor, the dark one at the other end of the spectrum. Once you have made the choice, its a matter of traversing the contours of the map and completing various tasks that are assigned as you move forward, mostly consisting of shooting and looting. The accompanying soundtrack is refreshingly heavy with contributions by metal band Blind Guardian. All said, though the game play is engaging, it isnt completely devoid of glitches and bugs with regard to frame rate at times. Lets hope these are taken care of soon enough in this otherwise gratifying game.

behind the scenes

09
I

Whats In Line In

Economic slowdown, terrorist attacks, ops, shortage of saleable stars - nothing fazes Bollywood, as producers gear up to release a variety of lms in 2009. DEEPA GAHLOT previews v out the lms to watch o for.
f theres an important lesson re-learnt in import agg 2008, its that aggressive promotion can make even a dud lm run, provided it has a star i the drivers seat. Most of the small lms t in th d i that followed in the wake of Bheja Frys success sank at the box-ofce and the tide seems to have turned once again towards lms with stars but with controlled budgets.

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 15

behind the scenes

TEN FILMS
to look out for in the first quarter of 2009
Dilli 6
Dev D Chandni Chowk to China
After the debacle of SalaamE-Ishq, Nikhil Advani has to prove that Kal Ho Na Ho was not a uke. As a result, his Akshay Kumar- Deepika Padukone starrer pulls out all the stops as far as scale goes. Akshay plays a Delhi cook who is taken to ght for a beleaguered village in China as he is believed to be the incarnation of a warrior. Action scenes on the Great Wall are supposed to be the highlight. Anurag Kashyaps modern-day take on the Saratchandra epic stars Abhay Deol, Mahi Gill and Kalki. The story of a heart-broken lover who turns alcoholic and wins the love of a prostitute is given a darkly comic, surreal look. After several casting glitches, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehras semi-autobiographical lm took off with Abhishek Bachchan playing an American-born man who brings his ailing grandmother back to India - to her old home in Delhi - and how the journey transforms him. Also starring Sonam Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Rishi Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman.

Billu Barber
Priyadarshan remakes a Malayalam hit about a star coming to shoot in a village and word going round that the local barber is a buddy. Shah Rukh Khan, Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta star in this contemporary version of the Krishna-Sudama story.

Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai

Ravi Chopra directs a comedy with Govinda, Lara Dutta and Tabu which is said to be inspired by My Cousin Vinny in which the hero plays a bungling lawyer ghting his rst crucial case against an ace female lawyer.

Rang Rasiya
Ketan Mehtas bio-pic on iconic painter Raja Ravi Verma, stars Randeep Hooda and Nandana Dev Sen as his muse Sugandha. Mehta makes a case for artistic freedom, as the artist faces persecution for his scandalous depiction of goddesses.

Raaz
The Mystery Continues
Mohit Suri directs Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman in a mysteryhorror lm about a woman who keeps mysteriously appearing in an artists work and ends up ghting for her sanity and her life. It exploits the success of the older Raaz, through its title, but is not a sequel.

Firaaq
Actress Nandita Das makes an assured directorial debut with a much feted-at-festivals lm featuring an ensemble cast headed by Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval and others. It tells the stories of several people affected during the communal riots, as seen over a 24-hour period, and how their lives are altered by the violence.

Victory
Harman Baweja could do with a hit after Love Story 2050 and Ajitpal Mangats cricket lm is about a small town boy who fullls his fathers dream to become a rst class cricketer. Amrita Rao and Anupam Kher co-star, along with many reallife cricketers.

Luck By Chance
Zoya Akhtar makes her debut with this lm set against the backdrop of the lm industry. The star-studded lm with Farhan Akhtar, Konkana Sen Sharma, Hrithik Roshan, Juhi Chawla, Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor, is about a pair of strugglers and their dreams of success in Bollywood.
16 THE PLOT JANUARY 09 JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 03

behind the scenes

TEN FILMS
to look out for later in 2009
Kites
Rakesh Roshan has signed Anurag Basu to direct Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori and Kangna Ranaut in a love story with a dash of Hrithikstyle action of course.

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani 3 Idiots

Rajkumar Hiranis direction, Chetan Bhagats best-selling novel Five Point Someone, and the star power of Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor with Sharman Joshi, Madhavan and Boman Irani in this Vidhu Vinod Chopra production. Two of todays brightest young stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif co-star in Rajkumar Santoshis romantic comedy.

Kambakkht Ishq
Producer Sajid Nadiadwala is splurging on this Sabir Khandirected actioner starring Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Sylvester Stallone and Denise Richards. Other Hollywood stars are reported to be doing cameos.

My Name is Khan
The year will probably end with Karan Johars lm starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, about an autistic man and the difculties faced by a Muslim in a hostile post-9/11 world.

Paathshala
Shahid Kapur plays a teacher in Milind Ukyes lm starring Nana Patekar and Ayesha Takia, about the problems of the education system in the country.

Whats Your Rashee? Raavan

Mani Ratnams modern version of the Ramayan stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Govinda as Hanuman. After the exhaustion of a period epic like Jodhaa Akbar, Ashutosh Gowarikar picks a light-hearted contemporary story, starring Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra, about an NRIs search for the perfect bride in India.

London Dreams
Vipul Shah directs this expensive Ajay Devgan-Salman Khan starrer about two Indian musicians who struggle for their place in the sun in London, with Asin as the female lead. What, no Akshay, no Katrina?

New York
This Yash Raj Films production, directed by Kabir Khan and starring John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif takes up the issue of racial proling in the US.

So there you are. International stars like Gordon Liu, Sylvester Stallone making their way to Bollywood, a sensitive lm-maker best known for epics making a light hearted romance, and in contrast, the makers of cotton candy romantic lms attacking sensitive subjects like racial proling. And of course all the usual suspects with not too many new ones. See you in cinemas in 2009!
JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 17

music trivia

H TS IN
M SSES
Yaar bina chain kahaan re Saheb Sexy, sexy, sexy mujhe log bole Khuddar The hatke song of the 90s that catapulted Karisma Kapoor to the list of dancing queens created quite a few jhatkas with its controversial lyrics. Unfortunately, no one cared to see beyond the song and ll cinema seats.

Bollywood looks at music as essential promotion for a lm. But what happens when the music totally overshadows the lm and fails to pull the lm t along with it on its way to the top? w Music Tr Trivia of course! CHANTHARA KAPAHI CHANTH at takes a look a some of the songs o top son of op movies. ngs

A dud of a movie, a stud of a song. Whether youve heard the original or the remix, youre bound to love it. A classic disco number, churned out by the king of glitz himself, Bappida, this dhinchak song gets you dancing all night!

Chaiyya chaiyya Dil Se De Despite the magical combination of SR SRK, Mani Ratnam, A.R. Rehman an and this song brilliantly shot atop a mo moving train with sexy Malaika Arora Khan, this lm totally tanked thanks Kh to its not so mainstream subject. Who wants foreign locales for item shoots wa anymore? Just hop onto your nearest any train and dance away! tra

Dilwalon ke dil ka karar lootne, main aayi hoon UP-Bihar lootne Shool With the sinuous Shilpa Shetty gyrating across the screen, it was little wonder that this number was all the rage for that year, and several years to come. Not just in UP and Bihar, men across India were falling at her feet. Yet, as far as what the movie was about, were really clueless!

18 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

music trivia
Kambakth ishq Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya Choreographed along the lines of Madonnas Human Nature video, this song had the hot Urmila Matondkar alongside a rather chubby Fardeen Khan who could neither match her steps or her chutzpah on-screen. Despite the visible lack of chemistry between them all through the lm, the song catapulted to the top of the charts and has even inspired the title of an Akshay Kumar starrer coming out later this year.

Allah ke bandhe Waisa Bhi Hota Hai - Part 2 For a little known movie with even lesser known actors, this heart wrenching song from the little man, Kailash Kher really ally stood out. Unusual, catchy and with no jhatkas, this ballad proved that no matter how nondescript a movie, a good song will always get its due.

Tere bin Bas Ek Pal As Atif Aslam crooned away about his aching-breaking heart, a million other girls sighed wistfully. The movie sank without a trace, but the song raced to the top and stayed put. So all you bleeding heart Romeos, listen up and list sing sin this to your jilting you Juliets youll soon you nd her back your arms. in y

Its rockingyaara kabhi ishq toh karo hk Kya Love Story Hai Bebo, a vision of a sexy seductress, prior to her size zero gure set the stage are with this little item number. Performed as a token of friendship for director Lovely Singh, no one remembers this movie, but everyone remembers this wow number.

Chhaliya chhaliya Tashan Ah! T size zero cult arrived The with Bebo in the bikini dancing on the shores of the danc Mediterranean. The song was Med denitely one of the most de watched numbers of 2008, wat but ironically Tashan was possibly the le least watched. The movie crashed at the B.O. despite Kareenas sizzlin performance. Guess all sizzling t d B b in th bikini, d t th th j t wanted was Bebo i the biki i and not the extras in the lm. the junta

Move Your Body (Doob ja mere pyaar mein) Johnny Gaddaar The lm received rave reviews and was super successful on home video for ages after, but as far as box ofce collections go, this totally tanked. Thankfully, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Hard Kaur gave it well deserved props with this top dance number.

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 19

queen bee

Our resident Queen Bee dishes out the buzz on telly land but heres a warning: it aint sugar and honey! ILL WILL
Ranbir Rano, the love story featuring Vinay Rohraa and Sakshi Talwar is in doldrums these days. Firstly, it was shifted to a not-soprime slot on Zee TV with new supernatural thriller Shree replacing it. Now Vinay Rohraa has faced the axe and is getting replaced by Ravi Dubey of Yehaan Ke Hum Sikandar fame apparently because of lack of chemistry between Vinay and Sakshi. Vinay rubbishes reports saying Ive left the show voluntarily. Theres some emergency at home and I have to take a long break. Since its a daily soap, it requires my continuous dates, which I cannot provide at the moment. Its a matter of life and death for a family member who needs my constant attention. I had no other option but to quit the show since the production house could not give me leave. News is also buzzing that very soon Sakshi too is going to be replaced because shes suffering from a liver infection. Forget about chemistry, I think its biology thats bothering this very unhealthy cast.

ENGLISH MEDIUM BABU DESI SERIALS

Saillesh Gulabani is entering Aroona Iranis supernatural thriller Naaginn on Zee TV in a negative role and is really kicked about it. He says, Im playing a supernatural character called Agni (Fire) who possesses magical powers. A sadhu (sage) wakes me up and tells me about the naagmani (snake gem). A team consisting of three of us is then assigned the task of acquiring the naagmani by all means. What really scares Sailesh though? When I was asked to deliver dialogues in chaste Hindi, he admits sheepishly. This is what happens when English medium school types try to play to the masses, darlings.

JOYFUL TIMES
After a gap of almost two decades, matinee idol of yesteryear Joy Mukherjee has made a comeback on screen with Aye-Dil-E-Nadaan, a daily soap for Doordarshan. But thats not enough joy. His sons Monjoy and Sujoy (enough, for Gods sake!) are also acting in this family saga, with the former also having composed the music. Gushes Monjoy, Seeing dad on the small screen is very touching and exciting for all of us and a dream come true for me. Yes, its nice when daddy wakes up from retirement to get his sons a couple of jobs too.

20 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

queen bee

HIGH SPIRITED
Ok, heres another one in the supernatural genre. Akanksha Gilani who is currently busy playing a spirit called Manyata in the serial Kaisi Lagi Lagan for Sahara One has been burning the midnight oil learning to be a ghost. Shes been watching movies like The Entity, The Omen and even claims to have visited certain locations around Mumbai like Thane, Ambernath, Vasai, Virar that are supposedly haunted to get a feel of the energy of the place. According to Akanksha, when she visited the Vasai Fort and the churches in the Vasai Fort area where Maratha soldiers lost their lives in erce battles against the Portuguese, she could actually feel the presence of abnormal energy in the place, particularly in the late evening as darkness fell. After reading about the energy associated with spirits, I could perceive some paranormal activity in the area. I dont know if it was my mind playing tricks on me but I immediately got out of the place. Dearies, that story even scared brave ol me, but not for the reasons you think.

CRAZY HOURS
Finally, after 460 episodes of playing Kakul in Ghar Ek Sapnaa on Sahara One, Sayantani has opted out of the show and Anisha Kapur has stepped into her shoes as the new Kakul at a juncture when the character is declared insane and admitted into an asylum. Considering the number of episodes Sayantani completed and the kind of hours soap actors put in, it wouldnt surprise me one teeny bit if Sayantani was actually the inspiration for her characters role and was sitting in an asylum somewhere.

GUNSHOT WEDDING
My dears, when a serial thats been providing employment to scores of actors shuts down, they need to go out and spread their CVs around. So Ketki Dave, who was Dakshaben in the now retired Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has wasted no time. On Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki on SAB TV, Ketki plays the daughter of a famous Don in Goa and takes over his business after his death. She marries Aman (Amit Dolawat in a double role) who is several years her junior at gunpoint and then makes him dance to her tune all day long. Thats not all. She also kidnaps people and loots banks. I dont know about you, honey buns, but Im not going to miss this one. Looks like the end of Kyunkihad more benets than I thought.

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 21

queen bee

THINKING SMALL
With actors like Vinay Pathak, Rajeev Khandelwal and Irrfan Khan emerging from television to lms, Parmeet Sethi too is heading in the same direction. The man has been signed for two lms, Vighnaharta Sri Siddhivinayak and the other is US-based director Varun Khannas comedy Bad Luck Govind. So what is Sethi expecting from his lms? Not much, really. Parmeet says, Frankly, I dont think I am in a position to demand being the protagonist. And be it lms, TV or even the stage for that matter, every character, big or small is as important. If I get to play the main lead, obviously I would but smaller roles arent that bad either! Now why do our TV stars demand so little from Bollywood? Parmeet needs to take a page out of Rajeev Khandelwals book and set his sights way higher.

A HAIR RAISING TALE

When she was roped in to play a princess on Star Plus Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, Kanika Maheshwari was delighted. Designer saris, intricate jewellery, what more could a girl want than to feel like royalty? Unfortunately, a reverse Cinderella onscreen transformation was on the cards. Going from the palace to the slums, Kanika soon found herself milking cows, picking up cow dung and much more such delightful stuff. But the worst was yet to come. In her words: I was talking to my friend on the phone in between shots. Suddenly, I realized that something strange was happening on my head. When I turned around I saw a cow licking my hair (tied in a bun). It was the most sickening thing Id ever witnessed. I called for a pack-up because I needed to wash my hair urgently. Darling, methinks that cow w is somewhere gargling on mouthwash for all its worth.

SEETA, GEETA AUR WOH

Hunk Cezanne Khan who has been missing from the television scene post his role as Anurag Basu in Kasauti Zindagi Kii, is back after a hiatus. He will now be seen on NDTV Imagines daily serial Seeta Aur Geeta, an authorised television version of GP Sippys 1972 super hit lm of the same name. Cezanne will be playing the role earlier played by Sanjeev Kumar. Now, sweetie pies, I really dont see the resemblance between Cezanne and Sanjeev Kumar but Im not in the habit of complaining when handsome men are on screen. Still, wouldnt he have been better in Dharmendras role, especially as that hadnt been cast at the time?

INKO NAHIN PEHCHANA?

Star Plus new show Arre Deewano Mujhe Pehchano is sort of a version of Candid Camera with celebrities in disguise playing silly pranks on unsuspecting subjects and capturing their reactions. Celebs billed to be on the show include Gulshan Grover, Mahesh Manjrekar, Divya Dutta, Rakhi Sawant, Mandira Bedi, Mona Singh, Yash Tonk, Shweta Keswani with Kavita Kaushik as anchor. One question: do some of these celebrities really need to be in disguise to go unrecognised? Like, have you seen Rakhi without makeup? And does anyone know what Mahesh Manjrekar looks like outside the lm industry? Anyway, Star claims the show is free from emotional outbursts, melodrama, walkouts, backbiting and stress. In other words, no fun stuff. Babes, Im just wondering what Rakhi Sawant is doing on this show.
22 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

brain tonic

Crossword
1 2 3 4 5

10

11

12

13

Across: 1. This music man is Indias Golden Globe ticket. 4. That unforgettable dimpled smile 6. Farhan Akhtars sister makes her directorial debut with Luck By Chance. 7. Devdas yet again! 8. The thinking mans Sen 9. With just one release in 2009, wheres the Bachchan bahu hiding? 11. Sallus turn to be superhero after Hrithik, Harman and AB Jr. 14. Indias ofcial entry to the 2008 Academy Awards 15. Kajol and SRK are reunited by their favourite director. 18. This namesake Khan is the real favourite internationally. Down: 1. The mystery continues. 2. Ravi Varmas muse has a Nobel dad. 3. Harman Baweja is in desperate need for this. 4. She set hearts autter in China. 5. These lm makers just love those romantic extravaganzas. 8. Akshay married into this family. 10. Not difcult for him to play a superstar in Luck By Chance 12. You can hate her or love her, but you cant ignore this item girl. 13. SRKs Billu follows this profession. 16. The lovely lady in Rishi and Ranbir Kapoors life 17. Looks like this queen has gained a little pyaar but lost some magic.

(6) (6) (4) (3,1) (7) (3) (4) (1,1,1) (5) (6)

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O A D S I D E R O
15 13

E N
5

A V H A R M E D K
7 4

A C

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Last issues crossword solution

S H

10

11

12

O
14

O A L M A A
17

I M A N A Y

A A

A N

(4) (7) (7) (8) (7) (6) (7) (5) (6) (5) (4)

K S H A

T A

E O

16

N A

18

Pair & Win!

1 2 3 4

Identify these young stars from their lips. In your answer, mention the right image number against each name. Five early birds who get the pairs right will each get vouchers for two free tickets to any show at any BIG cinema across India on any day in February 2009. Deepika Padukone Asin Anushka Sharma Jiah Khan

In the Pair & Win contest of our August issue, we had invited siblings to send us their pictures for a HAIR magazine makeover. We are pleased to announce the winners: 1. Vinita Misra & Sushmita Sharma, Mumbai 2. Avantika Chitlangia & Malvika Taparia, Mumbai Watch out for their fabulous makeovers in the next issue of The Plot!

Send in your pairs to: theplot.contests@adlabslms.com Your entry will be valid only if: (1) You write Pair & Win as the subject of your mail, and (2) Include your full name, postal address and mobile (or landline) number along with the answer. Adlabs Films employees and members of their families cannot participate in this contest. Last Date: January 31, 2009

JANUARY 09 THE PLOT 23

brain tonic

Boley Toh One Blurb, Two Free Tickets Like The Deal?

Are you a magician with words? Write a mazedaar blurb for Akshays character in this still from Chandni Chowk to China. If you manage to tickle our funny bone, you will be one of ve winners to be crowned the Badshah of Blurbs, and will get vouchers for two free tickets each to any show at any BIG cinema across India on any day in February 2009. Send in your answers to: theplot.contests@adlabslms.com or SMS* PLOT <SPACE> TEXT <SPACE> NAME For example, SMS PLOT PLEASE LET ME GO SAUVIK to 55454. Your e-mail entry will be valid only if: (1) you mention Badshah of Blurbs as the subject of your mail, and (2) include your full name, postal address and mobile (or landline) number along with the answer. Adlabs Films employees and members of their families cannot participate in this contest. Last Date: January 31, 2009

THE 90-SECOND QUIZ

which lm? (a) Inteha (b) Aadaz (c) Qayamat (d) Zinda Dil What is the name of the 2 club John Abraham and football Arshad Warsi played for in the movie Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal?
(a) Manchester United Football Club (b) Indian United Football Club (c) Southampton United Football Club (d) Southall United Football Club

Are you a lm buff? Be a good sport and test your knowledge with our quiz.

Vidya Malvade What is the real the 1 Chak De girlBollywood in 2003made 5 actress who playslife nameofofJes- Jackpot Question her debut in with the role minder Bhamra in the movie Bend It Like Beckham?
(a) Gurinder Chadha (b) Guljit Bindra (c) Parminder Nagra (d) Shaheen Khan Answer this one and you could win free tickets to any BIG cinema across India ve pairs of tickets are up for grabs. Name the hill station that was featured in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. (a) Ooty (b) Dehradun (c) Nainital (d) Mussoorie If youre one of the ve early birds to get the answer right, you will get vouchers for two free tickets each to a show at any BIG cinema across India on any day in February 2009. Send in your answers to: theplot.contests@adlabslms.com or SMS* PLOT <SPACE> OPTION <SPACE> NAME For example, SMS PLOT A ALIYA to 55454 Your e-mail entry will be valid only if: (1) You write January Jackpot Question as the subject of your e-mail, and (2) Include your full name, postal address and mobile (or landline) number along with the answer. Adlabs Films employees and members of their families cannot participate in this contest. Last Date: January 31, 2009
*Up to Rs 3/- per SMS. Please check with your mobile operator for exact SMS rates.

Name ex-model 6 acted inthe famous Say Salaamwho the movie In-

dia.
(a) Milind Soman (b) John Abraham (c) Bikram Saluja (d) Arjun Rampal

Which Ranji Trophy side does Shreyas Talpade play for in the movie Iqbal?
(a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Karnataka (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Andra Pradesh

Before taking 7 his fathers unup boxing to fulll nished dream, what profession does Bobby Deol follow in Apne?
(a) racing (b) singing (c) dancing (d) cooking Name 8 Kulli Kithe lead actor in the lm Chain Main Kulli. (a) Sanjay Dutt (b) Sunny Deol (c) Rahul Bose (d) Kunal Khemu
90-Second Quiz: The Answers 1. (a) Inteha 2. (d) Southall United Foot-

In which village 4 Lagaan shot?

was the movie

(a) Bhuj (b) Kanuria (c) Ballia (d) Kutch

24 THE PLOT JANUARY 09

RATE YOURSELF: A Beautiful Mind 7 8; Top Gun 5 6; Forrest Gump 3 4; Dumb and Dumber 0 2

ball Club 3. (b) Karnataka 4. (b) Kanuria 5. (c) Parminder Nagra

6. (a) Milind Soman 7. (b) singing 8. (c) Rahul Bose