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A couple of years ago, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta were the ruling troika of queen bees in Bollywood.
Almost overnight, you have new favourites Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif being labelled as the soon-to-be queens, thanks to their box-office successes in recent months.
Rani, who's had a bad innings last year ( Ta Ra Rum Pum and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag ), was tinseltown's blue-eyed girl until her films crashed at the box-office. Rumours of her marriage to Aditya Chopra didn't go down well with the audience either.
Close rival Preity seems to have shifted gear to meaningful films and has become a franchisee owner of IPL, giving her no time for films. The Bachchan bahu has wrapped up for Sarkar Raj co-starring hubby Abhishek, walked the red carpet in Cannes Film Festival again and is exploring fresher avenues in Hollywood.
In such a scenario, it is inevitable that filmmakers would move on to newer stars who can offer bulk dates, commitment and box-office guarantee as well. Unlike male superstars, women stars never had that kind of sway over ticket windows anyway. While married male superstars are welcome, attached women superstars are almost outcasts even in 21st century Mumbai tinseltown. Why do top female superstars have such a limited shelf life? Says filmmaker Sanjay Gadhvi, "Globally, a film is sold mainly because of the male actor.
Except maybe a Julia Roberts, no female actor has been able to command a price at the box-office in Mumbai. So today, if we find Rani, Ash or Preity not doing many roles, it's because they claim to have become selective. Katrina, Kareena or Bipasha are getting there, so they will be doing clichd roles initially to establish a foothold in the industry."
Some filmmakers feel the new crop of stars have enough talent too. Says Pritish Nandy, "There is an overflow of talent actually. There is Chitrangada Singh, Kangana Ranaut, Jiah Khan, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and so many more. But they all need good scripts." Says trade analyst Komal Nahata, "Ash, Rani and Preity are not very hot now because they have passed their prime and are demanding huge sums of money. Producers are ready to bank on good male actors so obviously Ash, Rani and Preity will look for alternative careers or settle for marital bliss."
Even as her Thoda Pyar Thodi Magic gets set for a theatrical release, Rani is preparing for Aditya Chopra's next, Preity Zinta's got Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear, Jahnu Barua's Har Pall, Deepa Mehta's Canadian on Earth, Sameer Karnik's Heroes, while Aishwarya's Sarkar Raaj releases next week, after which she wraps up Pink Panther and Robot.
Preity Zinta however, is quick to point out, "There can't be a hit movie without a (female) actor!" Rani confesses that the offers keep pouring in, but "nothing excites me. Now I am at a position that I can put my heart and soul into every role I do."
Well, being choosy sometimes pays for the three divas, bringing them critical acclaim and commercial success. And when the formula doesn't work, there are always younger stars to take over those slots.
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