Surrogacy and Bollywood

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao's baby boy through surrogacy has brought the procedure into public focus. A look at how Bollywood tackled surrogacy

Adoption and surrogate motherhood have been a part of Indian cinema and Bollywood for as long as we can remember. Off late, there has been a spate of adoptions in the industry.

Besides Sushmita Sen who adopted a second girl-child, there are directors like Nikhil Advani, Dibakar Bannerjee and Kunal Kohli who have brought home a nanhi pari and are in a state of blessed bliss ever since.

Aamir's decorous declaration of his surrogate parenthood has imbued an all-new dimension to the concept of non-traditional motherhood.

A friend of the couple said on condition of anonymity, "None of us knew about this beautiful development in Aamir and Kiran's life.

The grace and joy with which he has shared the news with everyone is something only Aamir can manage. And by adopting surrogacy he has actually given legitimacy to an unconventional route to pregnancy."

Subject

One hears Aamir and Kiran intend to celebrate the new arrival in their family. At the moment, the film industry is still absorbing the gravity of the announcement, trying to come to terms with it.

One top leading man was honest enough to admit sheepishly, "Mujhe to yeh bhi nahin maloom surrogacy kya hota hai.

(I do not know what is surrogacy). Thanks to Aamir, I found out. But I still don't understand what it entails." The best comment came from a producer who said wryly, "Trust Aamir to push the envelope when it comes to production of any kind."

Ignorance

Ignorance on the subject of surrogacy comes as a surprise. Bollywood and surrogacy have shared a long kinship. Way back in 1983 the underrated director Lekh Tandon made Doosri Dulhan.

This was a film about a childless couple played by Victor Bannerjee and Sharmila Tagore who bring home a prostitute played with blizzard like bravura by Shabana Azmi, to bear them a child.

The film claimed its origins in a play by Anil Barve. Shabana Azmi who played the surrogate mother in Doosri Dulhan, says, "The movie was made in 1982 way ahead of its time. I did a lot of research on the character who was picked up from Kamathipura, but didn't do research on surrogacy.

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Katrina looks so beautiful when she is sleeping: Anushka Sharma

Anushka Sharma has changed her profession…she is no longer the wedding planner from Band Baaja Baaraat, but a con woman all set to floor Ranveer Singh in Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl. Sreya Basu in conversation with the actor in Mumbai days before the film’s release

Your film Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl releases this Friday. Is there too much pressure?
The film is releasing Dec 9…so things are hotting up for sure.

It’s all happening…as we are getting closer, the intensity is increasing…the pressure is there, but the excitement is higher. And let’s just wait and watch…fingers crossed.

This is the second time you are pairing up with Ranveer Singh post Band Baaja Baaraat success. Do you think you can cope up with people’s expectation from your pairing with Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl?
We have shot Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl with as much dedication as we did Band Baaja Baaraat, we promoted the film good…as much as we did for Band Baaja Baaraat and all our films.

I think what happens before a film releases is exactly the same for every film…you work that hard.

You don’t say before Band Baaja Baaraat there was not so much pressure, but now let’s work hard. It doesn’t work that way. But what happens post the film’s release, is left to the people who decide the verdict. We are hoping that the verdict will be a positive one.

What effect did Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl have on your on-screen relationship with Ranveer? 
We have become a lot more comfortable with each other. Ranveer and I are very different actors where the approach to scenes is concerned.

In our first film together (Band Baaja Baaraat), we could not adapt ourselves with each other’s approach to acting.

And it would trouble us so much…I used to wonder: What the hell is he doing? And he used to think: What the hell is she doing? We just could not get over that.

He used to do rehearsals and kapal bharti before takes, while I don’t rehearse much…I am a more spontaneous actor. But with this film (Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl), we have gained a lot more respect for each other. We worked better as a team in this film than Band Baaja Baaraat.

What does Ranveer has to say about your equation with him? 
That you have to ask him. But he keeps saying that he doesn’t know much about equations as he kept failing in chemistry throughout his life.

And when I came in his life, he passed with flying colours. That’s Ricky Bahl for you ladies…pakhandi. (Laughs)

You are doing a film (Matru Ki Biwi Ka Mann Dola) with Vishal Bhardwaj? 
Yes, I am going to do Vishal Bhardwaj-ji’s next film and I am really excited about it because he is one director I always wanted to work with.

I always admire his work, the way he thinks and the way he portrays his thinking on cinema.

You are also going to work with Katrina Kaif in Yash Chopra’s directorial next. Now do we expect some cat fights since things are generally not very smooth when two pretty girls work together?
I was watching Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara sometime back, and there’s a scene where she (Katrina) is sleeping…and the camera goes over her face…and I exclaimed: Wow…she looks so beautiful when she is sleeping.

Katrina is stunningly beautiful and more than that she has managed to make a place in everybody’s heart all over the country. And people love her… children, old people…all adore Katrina Kaif.

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Veena Malik disowned by father after nude photo scandal

Veena Malik

LONDON: Pakistani actress and model Veena Malik's father has disowned her and demanded that she be punished, after nude photos of her appeared on the cover of a men's magazine.

Malik has denied modeling for the magazineFHM and has insisted that the pictures were fake.

But her father Malik Mohammad Aslam has made it clear in an emotional outburst that he is not impressed with the situation.

He has also demanded that she make a promise not to visit India once the scandal is over.

"I have disowned her," the Mirror quoted him as saying.

"I have severed all ties with her and I don't want her to have any share in whatever meagre assets I have until she is cleared of the controversy and pledges not to visit India again," he said.

He went on to suggest that he hoped his daughter would be punished if found guilty of stripping off for the racy images "so that no other woman would think of doing such thing".

"I can ignore if she disobeys me but I cannot tolerate anything against my country and my faith," he added.

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Eros International joins hands with Dharma to release AGNEEPATH internationally

Eros International Media Ltd (EIML), a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry, has announced that it shall be releasing Dharma Productions'AGNEEPATH, one of the most eagerly awaited releases in the New Year in the international markets on January 26, 2012.

Announcing the deal, Pranab Kapadia, President - Marketing & Distribution, Eros International plc said, "AGNEEPATH marks the first of the big ticket releases next year and Eros is excited about associating with Dharma Productions to present this thrilling action film on a global platform. Audiences are looking forward to Hrithik's portrayal of the legendary Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, made famous by Amitabh Bachchan while Sanjay Dutt's villainous look has stirred up much curiosity. The promos have evoked very good reactions and we are anticipating a very encouraging response to the film."

CHECK OUT: AGNEEPATH Movie Preview

Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions added, "We are delighted that Dharma Productions is collaborating with a leading studio like Eros. We have always been appreciative of Eros' endeavour in the world of commercial cinema and we hope this coming together for the first time helps both of us to take a giant leap in the coming years!"

AGNEEPATH directed by Karan Malhotra is homage to the cult 1990 classic directed by the late Mukul S Anand. The action drama stars Hrithik Roshan playing the role of Vijay Dinanath Chauhan originally played by Amitabh Bachchan. The film also starsPriyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt as the menacing 'Kancha Cheena' and Rishi Kapoor who also essays an antagonist in the film.

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Ranveer - The Ladies' Man

Ranveer plays a hot conman who dupes ladies in his new movie

Ranveer and Anushka co-star in 'Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl'

Actor Ranveer Singh hopes he can recreate the magic of 'Band Baaja Baraat' with co-star Anushka Sharma in their film, ‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl.’ The romcom is the latest produce from Yash Raj Films and is loosely based on the Hollywood movie ‘John Tucker Must Die.'

Ranveer plays a suave seducer who gets women to fall head over heels in love with him as a means to get to their money. The victims in his quest for money are actress Aditi Sharma ('Mausa'm), Asamese model turned actress, Dipannita Sharma and Priyanka Chopra's cousin, Parineeti Chopra.

We are excited to see if the on-screen chemistry between Ranveer and Anushka is as sizzling as it was in Maneesh Sharma’s ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ along with Pareeniti Chopra's acting chops. If she has Priyanka's genes, then we really have a star worth watching out for!

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Priyanka Chopra - The Indian Uma Thurman?

Priyanka Chopra to star in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Kill Bill’ inspired movie.

Priyanka Chopra, possibly B'wood's new action heroine

Priyanka who already starred in several box office hits could possibly be adding another hit movie to her list, with the making of Farhan Akhtar’s new action movie.

She made quite an impact on Farhan with her action roles in previous movies. So it seems he cannot wait to cast her as his new lead actress in his upcoming ‘Kill Bill’ inspired movie.

Farhan plans to move away from the ‘Don’ series, at least for now. Meanwhile, Priyanka is very excited and can’t wait to get started on her next action movie. Rumour has it, the new project has already been discussed and planned with PC and the wheels are already in motion.

It looks like Indian Cinema is about to get even more exciting...we can’t wait to see how this turns out!

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Bedazzled!

Jewellery designer and philanthropist Falguni Mehta opens up to Masala! 

 

Falguni Mehta

Falguni Mehta’s simple upbringing and groundedness is apparent from the moment you meet her. Warm and welcoming, her sprawling mansion has a surprisingly intimate feel to it with a generous plethora of art and artefacts adorning every nook and corner. What’s more, this lady is more than accomplished in both her personal and professional pursuits; a jewellery designer extraordinaire and a member of the charity Roshni, under the ICWC umbrella, she has worked in hospitals and medical camps to alleviate some amount of suffering. Her contribution to society at large in the region doesn’t just end there. Along with her husband Yogesh Mehta, Falguni supports many cultural events and causes in Dubai and is an avid music fan too. Her worldly perspective and creative bent makes her a prized addition to the Masala! Awards judges’ panel this year. Here are excerpts of our chat with the wonderful Falguni Mehta...

Where did you grow up? Tell us about your upbringing...
I grew up in Mumbai, India. I had a nice and happy childhood. We were a close knit family and enjoyed life’s simple pleasures.

Can you tell us about your work and how you became a jewellery designer?
I have always loved jewellery and had an eye for it. At some point I started designing my own jewellery which was appreciated by my friends and they asked me to make
some pieces for them; that actually got the ball rolling.

What kind of jewellery do you create? Tell us about your latest collection…
I got together with my jeweller friend in India and we started designing our own line of jewellery with diamonds, precious stones and pearls. Our latest collection is festive in nature. We introduced a few new concepts which were well appreciated by our loyal clientele and the response has been overwhelming. Sometimes to add drama, we introduce enamel, shells, carved stones and more to make our pieces different. Our earrings are very popular.

Can you tell us about being a member of the charity Roshni?
Roshni is a charity group we formed three years ago. We are 13 women who work toward doing our bit for the underprivileged. We have various activities like fund-raising, jail visits, hospital visits and helping in medical camps. We work under the umbrella of the ICWC.

What is a regular day in your life like?
Every day in my life is different as I have a lot of commitments and travel a lot. However, I still try and juggle things around and find time to do all the things I like. I must admit, however, that life does get hectic sometimes, but at the end of it all, I am not complaining.

How do you kick back and relax when you are not working?
Casual dinners and lunches are a great time to unwind and relax. My husband and I take a lot of holidays sometimes mixing work and pleasure. We have a home in London so we just go there for a few days to relax. Our son, Rohan, was studying in Boston and I would go and stay with him for a couple of weeks and come back totally rejuvenated. He is now in Dallas and I hope to spend some time with him there too! Just being together makes us feel so good.

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Katrina has a British accent and I have an American accent" - Nargis Fakhri on DNA

Nargis Fakhri in a recent interview to DNA had this to say about comparisons with Katrina. BTW, I really like her:). Catch the rest of the interview in the link.

There have been a lot of comparisons between you and Katrina Kaif. Some have even said that you look like Katrina Kaif and talk like her when she had started off in Bollywood. Do you agree? What do you feel about the comparisons?
How can I talk or sound like her when she has a British accent and I have an American accent? That’s funny. I think it’s a compliment that they think we look alike. I find her extremely sexy, so if people think that about me too, that’s awesome. But I don’t really think you can compare any two people…makes no sense to me, because we are all so different and unique and special in our own ways.

There are rumours that you have replaced Deepika and Sonam in certain brand endorse ments. What is the USP behind you bagging contracts worth Rs 9 crore even before your film released?
= I don’t know about replacing people, but yes, I have had the honour of being associated with some fantastic brands. I am just happy that they think I am a good fit for their brand. You’ll have to ask them about the USP, because for a brand it is important to find someone that stands for what they do, and someone who can take them forward.

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What’s in store for Aamir and Kiran’s baby?

It looks like B'wood's newest star kid is not going to have it easy

The proud and happy new parents

Astro-numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi predicts what numbers have in store for Aamir and Kiran’s newborn baby boy. As he was born on December 1st, he is a Number 1 in numerology and will, therefore, much like his dad, have a strong personality and be a leader. In fact, he may even turn out to be arrogant and short tempered!

The little tot's life will not be a bed of roses; he will have his fair share of ups and downs in his life. However, there is nothing to fear really as, if he wears a blue Sapphire, his problems will be ironed out.

Aamir and Kiran's little bundle of joy is destined to be a mama’s boy. Dad Aamir and him may have some ego-ridden issues but there is, again, nothing to worry about as these problems can be easily resolved.

Here's wishing Aamir and Kiran all the best for their new life together!

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Talk of Marriage with Bhajji hampers my career Geeta Basra

That actress Geeta Basra is in a relationship with cricketer Harbhajan Singh is a given. But the engagement-marriage rumours are not only wrong, they are also infuriating to the actress who’s trying to build a career for herself.

Says Geeta indignantly, “He is a dear friend. Look, everyone in this industry has a personal life. I am not saying I am single or not single.

Beyond that, whether we are getting married or not…I am not getting into all that. I am here to work really hard. And it hurts to hear my hard work being trivialized by such rumours.

I’ve shot a terrific item song for Zilla Parishad. Rumours of an engagement or marriage at this juncture would definitely harm my career. There is no shaadi on the anvil.

Such talk will take my career ten steps backwards. I can’t afford that. I’ve just regained lost ground.

When producers hear such rumours they will obviously say, ‘Isski to shaadi hone wali hai. ’ I’ve been hearing such talk for three years. How come I’m not married yet? I am young and I want to make my career. Such rumours do impact my career. ”

Reacting sharply to the latest engagement rumours Geeta says, “I’ve been getting updates about my private life in the papers. Now they’re even drawingup a list of the guests. Let me set the record straight.

He (Harbhajan Singh) is my very good friend. But we aren’t getting engaged or married. My personal life is my personal life. No way am I going to use it to stay in the news. ”

Refuting the January-engagement rumours Geeta says, “I am not getting engaged. Maybe he (Harbhajan Singh) is. You’ve to ask him. Forget enagagement or marriage, I am starting a new movie in January.

Let January come, and the world will know. Why do I need to say anything. As per reports, Itni baar hamari breakup aur shaadi ho chuki hai. I feel there’s no need to clarify anything. ”

Shockingly Geeta’s last release was The Train in 2007. She is making a comeback with a sizzling item song with Sanjay Dutt in Zilla Ghaziabad and the last thing she needs are those annoying rumours of getting legally attached to her cricketer-friend.

She admits she has waited long to sign a new film. “Three years is a very long time in the entertainment industry. But it was a conscious decision. I had so many offers. It was very hard to turn them down.

You can’t imagine the number of films I’ve turned down in the last three years including Golmaal Returns. Even the money was good.

Everyone kept advising me, ‘Geeta, you’ve to be seen’. But I knew what I wanted. I had to wait. And I had no godfather to guide me. ”

All Geeta has done in three years is a music video with Rahet Fateh Ali Khan. “I’m also continued doing a lot of events. So I haven’t been sitting idle. ”

Now she is not in the mood of denying it. Nor is she ready to go public about the relationship.

“Who is giving these reports on my engagement and marriage?It isn’t funny. I’ve waited three years for my career to move forward. And now when things are finally happening the last thing I need is brakes being applied through such false rumours. ”

Geeta gets charged up at talking about her item song. “I love dancing. I always wanted to an item song like Madhuri Dixit’s Ek do teen. In fact I came down from London to Mumbai because I was inspired by Madhuri.

I wanted at least five days to rehearse. But there was no time. I had to virtually get ready in a day. Luckily my choreographer Remo d’Souza is so calm.

It’s so difficult to perform an item song. I don’t know how Madhuri made it look so effortless. ”

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