Lolo hits back in anger Karishma Kapoor by Anuradha ChoudharyThe room is festooned with balloons, buntings, gold and silver balls. They're remains of the previous day. Multi-coloured paper letters exult: 'Happy Birthday Mama! We love you.' Karisma Kapoor glides in. "Yesterday was mom's birthday. She turned 50. So we had a little family get together," she says flipping through the album of instamatic pix. There's another reason to celebrate. Sister Kareena has just received the confirmation letter admitting her to Harvard University in the U.S. Excitedly, Karisma says that Karena's subjects are computers and dramatic arts. Babita can't believe that her daughter will soon be heading westward. "For the first time in the history of the family, a Kapoor is going abroad for higher education," she says somewhat incredulously. Karisma chuckles, "When Kareena joins the film industry, imagine what she'll say in her first interview. She'll brag, 'I'm Harvard returned. But I'm playing a gaonwali in my first picture." After Raja Hindustani, Lolo has chalked up two more hits -- Judwaa and Hero No.1. "Touchwood!" the blue eyed actress says. "I don't know anything about the number game, or for that matter, how the trade decides who's on top and who's not. I'm only interested in doing good work and that my films should do good business. Beyond that nothing interests me." That she's scalding hot property is abundantly clear. Producers have been making a bee-line for the Rani Hindustani... and she can't be blamed for being picky at this stage of her career. Karisma has been pencilled in for Vijeta films' next production featuring Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, directed by Gurinder Kaur, the London-based director of Bhaji On The Beach. There's a veritable line-up of new assignments which she'll talk about only when the negotiations are finalised.
She's particularly gung-ho about the Vijeta project: "Sunny and Bobby will be together for the first time on screen. I think they are planning to call the film 'London'. I've even done a photo-session with the two for the film. Do you know we won't need to dub for it? Their sound technology is so advanced that dialogue will be recorded during the shoot itself. The entire film will be shot in the pre-planned, professional Hollywood style." She's also on a high about Yash Chopra's Dil To Pagal Hai, which she describes as a cute love story. Frankly, Karisma admits, Madhuri Dixit has the bigger role. "But mine is absolutely crucial to the story. In fact, each character is important," she says confidently. On the sets, what were the vibes between her and Ms Dixit like? She states that she got along with M.D like a house on fire. "You should see us on the sets," she smiles. "We're laughing all the time. It's like going on a picnic. Madhuri is a wonderful person. She is absolutely hassle free. " And how has success been treating her? "Oh, it's behaving itself," Karisma laughs. "At last, I'm being taken seriously. Those days of two-scenes-and-three songs are over. No more inconsequential roles from now on." Why Mrityudaata then? She explains: "For the opportunity of acting with Amitabh Bachchan. Every minute on the sets was a learning experience." The gossip mags have been full of stories that Karisma has turned super-arrogant and starry. "I'm not some newcomer from Jhumritalaiya who is seeing success all of a sudden. I have been brought up in show business. I've seen glamour and money all my life. Success hasn't hit me like a bolt from the blue. So why should it go to my head?" Anxious to clear any doubts, K.K. elaborates: "I've slogged to reach where I am today for five-and-a-half years. And, mind you, without the help of top directors like Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma. I've proved myself at last. And that is affecting a lot of people. Just because I don't shoot off my mouth and make a fool of myself, all sorts of silly stories are being concocted about me. But let me tell you that I won't keep quiet anymore. I won't allow anyone to talk nonsense about me." Karisma is also being criticised for being unprofessional of late. That she cancels shootings whimsically and shows attitude on the sets. Shaking her head with disbelief, she replies, "The only time I've cancelled a few days' shoots was when my house was raided by the income tax department." With a touch of pride, K.K. says that she's the only heroine who has done 35 films in five years. "How could that have been possible if I was unprofessional? All those rumours are started by vested interests who cannot digest my success. They are plain jealous of me," she states vehemently. So how come she's no longer in much discussed projects like Dus, Badshah and Biwi No. I? Karisma responds a mite wearily: "Why does everything I do become a controversial issue? Even other actresses refuse films, but no one talks about them. Why am I the only one being crucified? I would have loved to do Dus and Badshah, but things didn't work out. Anyway, in a film like Dus, with two heroes and two heroines, I wouldn't have had much to do." Apparently Salman Khan has remarked in print that he wants to work with a hassle-free heroine in Dus. Director Mukul Anand agreed and so Karisma was out. Lolo doesn't believe that her friend Salman could have uttered such drivel. "Why, I'm even going on shows with him!" she retorts. "Surely that wouldn't be happening if there was even the slightest tension between us. I've known Salman even before I joined films. I believe my friend more than I believe yellow journalism." The trade buzz has it that all's not well with the hit team, David Dhawan-Govinda-Karisma. Else why would David opt for another heroine in Biwi No.1 and Govinda take on Raveena for his home production, Aunty No.1? "Some people are trying to create a major controversy between Govinda and me. But we are too close to let such things affect our friendship. It was Chi Chi who told me that perhaps we should do only a few, select films together from now on. He said that we shouldn't overexpose our pair... after all we've given five hits in a row. He said that from now on we should do only good films together and leave all jhatak-matak dances to the others." About Dhawan, she says, "Our bond is too strong to be broken. How many heroines have given so many hits with a single director and actor? I'm not taking credit for their hits. But I certainly was a part of those films." Who are these people who have started a smear campaign against her? "I don't want to name them," Karisma snaps. "But there are these people who have ants in their pants. They can't sleep at night ever since I've become successful. Why, a magazine has even devoted nearly their entire issue to me. I can't believe the filth they've written about me. "And there's a certain actress who has made it her profession to talk about me in all her interviews. This actress probably thought no one could touch or surpass her. Now that I have, she is so shaken that she keeps blabbering on and on about me in print." Then there are Manisha Koirala's recent remarks that Karisma has plotted and planned her career all her life. "Anyone who has been around even for a short while knows that you can't plan anything in this industry," Lolo responds. "I was supposed to make my debut with Barsaat, but my first film was Prem Qaidi. Things just happen. The day you start manipulating and scheming, nothing works. "Those who say that I've planned my career should know that. Even if I have, why does it affect others so much? Just goes to show how important I've become in other people's lives." Filmwallahs appear to have a grouse that Karisma has hiked her price unreasonably after Raja Hindustani. "Why is my fee anyone's business but my producers' and mine?" she asks indignantly. "If I want I could do a film for free or for Re 1. Who is anyone to tell me what I should charge? And it isn't as if I'm not getting my price." "Look, my family has taught me to respect my work," she states firmly. "I live by my work. That's the way I am and will always be. If I'm serious about my work, it's said she doesn't have a life of her own. But if tomorrow I were to cancel shoots like other heroines, I'd immediately be called unprofessional. So here, you are damned if you do and you're damned if you don't." What made her so confident that she would make it big one day? "I always knew if there was justice in the world, I would make it," Lolo concludes. "I was laughed at because of my sincerity, but I didn't care. I remember an actress made a bitchy statement after her film was a hit, that she had left Karisma way behind. That hurt. There was no need for her to do that. I wasn't even competing with her. I knew I would get back at her. And I've done it..."
Edited by Nkapoor3 - 13 years ago
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