Big B's Sonshine?

A son's promotion can be accepted as a father's interest. But when it starts involving a daughter-inlaw too, it becomes unpalatable to many. Amitabh recently had an argument with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra over his next film, Talisman. The Reliance group who is financing the film arranged a high profile meeting between Reliance Entertainment, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Amitabh to decide on the heroine of the film.

The film is an adaptation of the novel Chandrakanta, to be directed by ad filmmaker Ram Madhvani and stars Amitabh and Sanjay Dutt, who plays the villain in the film. Amitabh insisted that his daughterin- law, Ash, be signed on without a doubt. His argument was that she was so superb in Jodhaa Akbar as the princess that she would suit this role best.

Chandrakanta is a princess of a kingdom and the film is a fantasy story. Amitabh's choice surprised Vidhu who felt that they needed a fresh face as the princess and not someone as senior as Ash. As adamant as Amitabh was on his casting Ash, equally determined was Vidhu not to let Amitabh get his way. Even though Vidhu admires Amitabh as an actor and a person, he was surprised that Amitabh was so insistent on choosing the leading lady. Never before had he known Amitabh to interfere in the selection of a cast.

Vidhu had Deepika Padukone in mind for the role as he feels that she will suit the character best. Says a source, "The meeting between the group went on for ages, with Vidhu getting more and more adamant that he did not think that Ash suited the role. Amitabh did not see why Vidhu was being so difficult. The meeting ended on an uncertain note and no one as yet has been finalised to play Chandrakanta.

Vidhu was even willing to sign on a newcomer if not Deepika. It's not like Vidhu does not like Ash but he just does not feel she looks young and fresh enough to play the princess in his film. "He had once approached Ash for his film Kareeb which she was unable to do. He had also approached her for Parineeta which she was unable to do too.

Now, it remains to be seen who will win the race for the heroine. Vidhu is not the type to get bulldozed by the hero in his choice of heroine! "We have known Amitabh for ages. This was one hero who never interfered in any film or it's making. I remember Manmohan Desai saying that he had never met such a director's actor.

A disciplined man who minded his own business. Such an actor was hard to find. "It is only after Abhishek came into the industry and the competition between him and Shah Rukh began that Amitabh started pushing for his son. This competition burned him so severely that he began to take on his son's causes and all this lead to people taking sides in the industry. "He did not allow his son to fight any battle even those that were created by the media.

For all this, Amitabh and his family started losing their dignity and affection. "Just recently Amitabh went into such minute details about his daughter-in-law Ash. "An article appeared calling Ash a 'demure bahurani' to which Amitabh reacted saying, '"You speak of Aishwarya as a 'demure bahurani' who chooses to 'stand behind quietly'.

This is insufferable and I will not remain silent on such a serious issue as women's liberty and equality in our society. Aishwarya has continued an independent career since her marriage with the full family support... Her mother-inlaw is a Senator in the Indian Parliament, hardly a role model for a quiet bahu.'

"Of course Amitabh has the right to express his views freely but now, it is getting in the way of producers and directors when he keeps pushing for his daughter-in-law to get a role. It's just that it embarrasses a lot of producers who do not like to refuse anything that the Big B suggests," concludes the insider.