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Mehvish Khan

@mehvishrainbow2

Inactive

Posted: 20 years ago

SHAH RUKH-HRITHIK TOGETHER AGAIN

In an era of big budget flops and bad casting goof-ups, perhaps the only surety lies in opting for a proven and tested casting combo. And two industry persons who seem to have made it a habit of always enlisting a near casting coup with their ventures are Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Call it a game of healthy one-upmanship or following the winning formula, after Karan's K3G coup casting of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan in one film; the Chopra Junior has also revealed a retake of the same cast for his forthcoming unannounced film. Now whether it repeats the success story of Karan's K3G only time will tell!

SAIF'S 'EXPOSED' IN YASH CHOPRA'S NEW FILM

Now you can see much more of Salf Ali Khan that ever before. Saif not only reveals the elastic band, but more of his underwear for Yash Chopra's under-production film 'Salaam Namaste,' as revealed in a promotional shot of the film with an equally skimpily clad Preity Zinta for company. But of course, Saif is the son of Sharmila Tagore, who had dared to sport a bikini in an age when it was criminal to see lead actresses in anything other than fully covered saris and salwar suits. Well some people are born smart, or should we add a little bohemian!

Interview: SHAH RUKH KHAN

A Question of Time!

Paheli directed by Amol Palekar will be a nice synthesis of two schools of thought- art and commerce, says Shah Rukh Khan. For more... read on!

Tell me something about your latest production venture, Paheli.
Paheli is based on the legendary story 'Duvidha' written by the literary stalwart Vijaydan Detha. Keeping the simplicity of the original folk form intact, Vijaydan has added contemporary dimensions to his story that is a monumental example of Indian literature. Amol Palekar, whose ardent fan I have always been from my childhood, has directed Paheli. The film also has formidable actors like Rani Mukherjee, Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Aditi Gowatrikar, Rajpal Yadav, Suneil Shetty, Anupam Kher, Dilip Prabhawalkar and Neena Kulkarni.

Is Paheli a love story?
Yes, Paheli is a love story with which I am sure the audience will relate to. It is a fast-paced and shorter film than my earlier films as a producer. It is about a woman's decision to love a man she likes. It is frankly an experiment to bring Amol Palekar's style of making films to match with that of ours. Amol has sought to achieve a blend of the so-called parallel and mainstream cinema. Paheli is quite a progressive subject. Mani Kaul had made a film called 'Duvidha' almost thirty-three years ago based on the same novel by Vijaydan. Some changes in the screenplay have been made the subject has been set in a modern touch too.

Could you unfold the story of Paheli in a few lines?
Once upon a time, there was a lovely girl who was married to a man who was only interested in making money. On the wedding night itself, the husband leaves home for five long years on account of his business. There is a ghost who falls madly in love with her. The ghost takes on the husband's appearance and enters the life of the wife. A few years later, when the husband returns home, the villagers and the relatives are bewildered. How this situation gets resolved forms the crux of Paheli. Paheli, in short, is the dilemma of the girl who has to choose between the ghost's eternal love and her husband's insensitive monotone and his dilemma of facing rejection from his own people.

Why did you volunteer to produce the film when Amol offered to cast you in it?
I've already produced four films – Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindusthani, Asoka, Chalte Chalte and Main Hoon Na under the sister companies Dreamz Unlimited, Arclightz and Red Chillies. I was keen on making an experimental film, as an exercise, in just 45 days. When Amol came to me and asked me if I would like to act in his film, I grabbed the opportunity and told him I'd be delighted to act in it and produce it as well. In fact, when he came to me, our production house was sitting idle.

What has been your approach as a producer?
Allah has been kind to me for the last four years. I am happy I could be associated with hits like Main Hoon Na, Chalte Chalte, and Veer Zaara. I have been working for the last fifteen years. As an actor I am trying to do my best. As a producer I also want to make films, which will be remembered. God has given me the strength to make an attempt to produce different kinds of films. Paheli is one such attempt. It's an entertainer like Main Hoon Na.

Is it true that Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla and Suneil Shetty are playing cameo roles in the film?
Yes. I requested Amitji, Juhi and Suneil Shetty to do small cameo roles in my film. I genuinely feel that all the three of them have been very kind to me because they went out of the way to accommodate my film in their schedules and didn't even charge me.

What is your role in Paheli?
I play Kishan, a nice, loving, likeable ghost as well as the husband.

What is Rani's role?
Rani Mukherjee plays Lachchi, the wife who is in a dilemma. Amol had already spoken to Rani Mukherjee and finalized her when he came to me with the offer to cast me in the lead. I didn't recommend Rani's name, though Rani is part of my family now.

What did you learn while working with a director like Amol Palekar?
Working with a director of the calibre of Amol has been an eye- opener. I have learnt the nuances of detailing. Paheli will be a nice mix, a synthesis of two schools of thought, art and commerce. It will appeal to the youth because it will have a lot of special effects in it. It will also appeal to all those who are in love. I feel that in this world there are more lovers than anybody else.

To what extent were you inspired by Aamir Khan to sport a moustache in Paheli?
To get into the skin of my character, Amolsaab asked me to sport a moustache. I am ready to even grow a tail if it's essential for me to get into my character. Mooch lagana to badi baat nahin hai. Anyway, my moustache is different from the one Aamir has sported in The Rising. In any case, let Aamir sport a moustache for the next ten years. I have no objection at all. I sported a moustache in Paheli because I always bow to the demands of the script.

As a producer how do you react to the music of Paheli?
Mujhe music ke bare mein zyada samajh nahin hai and hence, I cannot give my expert opinion on the music of Paheli. Paheli does not have any phataka number and hence we are releasing its music one and a half months before the release of the film. However, all I can say is that music director M.M. Kreem has done a fabulous job.

How economically viable has Paheli been for you as a producer?
Paheli has been made on a modest budget of Rs. 13 to 14 crores. As a production house, we tried to sell it with the aim of only recovering the production costs. Our idea is to see that our distributors have the least amount of pressure when they exploit our film and hence we have sold the film at a very moderate price per territory.

What are your forthcoming projects?
After Paheli is released, I will start work on Farah Khan's project Happy New Year. The star cast is yet to be finalised. I'll also work in Farhan Akhtar's adaptation of the 70's hit Don.

Interview: ZAYED KHAN

Master & Commander!

He's spunky, stylish, sassy... and now successful. Zayed Khan is riding on the wave of success and is trying to get on a higher one. With his dude attitude, power-packed appearance this young Khan is a high contender in the numbers game. Quick-witted and full of energy, Zayed says he wants to be the master of his own destiny.

You had lots of expectations from Shabd. When it flopped it must have been quite a disappointment for you.
We all had hopes from the film but I don't know what went wrong with it. The film was a complete deviation from what I had done earlier. Shabd was simple and almost like a vacation. My character Yash was a breath of fresh air; sunshine and laughter, one of those happy-go-lucky characters. It was challenging to portray his disappointment on screen. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the making and the experience.

How was it working with Aishwarya Rai for the first time?
I was quite excited about working with the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai for I always wanted to work with her. I had fantasised working with her right from her Miss World days. The entire excitement of working with her made my character look better. Ash is incredible! She's simply amazing. Working with Ash was like a dream come true. She's such a nice human being that I don't think there's anyone on this planet who doesn't like her. Her beauty, patience and attitude to life make her all the more attractive. I'm still to find similar qualities in any other actress. I don't imagine any man not falling in love with her. Just sitting and chatting with her was a tremendous experience. Ash is a very grounded person and has her fundas in place. She knows to filter adulation very well. I had a great time working with her.

Shabd was your third film so how difficult or easy was it to do romantic scenes with someone like Aishwarya Rai?
Thankfully I shared a very good chemistry with Ash. She made me feel comfortable in every shot that I did with her. She was so cooperative. I have great regard for her as a co-star.

Vaada too didn't deliver at the box office.
Vaada was very strenuous and took much out of me as an actor. I worked like mad for the film. I had to work hard on achieving that level of madness, which made a person do something as deviant i.e. creating havoc in your lover's life by being an obsessive lover. I took up the challenge due to the role, which would have been a difficult one to bag. Vashu Bhagnani told me about the role and how it had more footage and edge. But I never think of roles being big or small, footage wise. I look instead, at the depth, intensity and impact of the role in a film. There is no such thing as a small role. It's all about whether you can create magic on celluloid or not. As far as the box-office is concerned, I don't think Vaada was a flop. Calling it that would be wrong. I agree it wasn't a hit but the film definitely was an average grosser. It got back the producer his money and that's more than enough these days.

Trade pundits feel it was too soon to do a negative role. Do you agree?
Not at all! In fact, my character in both films have two polarities. In Vaada, my character had grey shades; in Shabd, I'm the manifestation of love. I don't think doing negative roles is a wrong career move. Be it early or late, if one can carry it off, then that's what matters. Today the concept of hero, heroine and villain is pass. We play character roles to avoid being stuck in an image. We all want good roles that make a difference and make us noticeable on screen. I don't care if the character I play is positive or negative as long as I get the scope to act and it is something I haven't done before. Audiences too want their stars to be versatile and not in the same mould. I knew that taking up Vaada wasn't a wrong move at all. In today's set-up, actors don't get labelled a villains if you do one negative role. Moreover, I don't like clean characters. They bore me.

Did you relate to any of these characters at all?
I know for sure that people aren't all black and white and as I have always been a rebel – I know some grey area exists in everyone. I always listen to what others say but ultimately do my own thing. Maybe at times I have paid the price for my actions too. Like in school, I'd get into trouble over trival things. I've bunked classes, watched movies and done all sorts of mischievous things. My innocent looks and smile helped me a lot (laughs). But I don't regret anything. I have the reputation of being a spoilt brat. I wonder why! The only reason I can think of is that the screen personalities I have portrayed so far have that undercurrent of being naughty and rash. But also deep down people think I have a clean heart. I have always had fun with my co-stars and played pranks on them, with a straight face. Thus, even today I get away with things.

After a flop debut, Main Hoon Na brought you back to life. How do you look back on it?
I don't feel that I have proved a point or something but I do feel that my work should be noticed, and it was. That gives me immense satisfaction. Many critics thought I couldn't deliver in Chura Liya Hai Tumne but the same ones were praising me after Main Hoon Na. The lesson I learnt was that with each film life takes a twist. I've seen careers being made and broken because of one film. Being an actor means having ups and downs in life. One shouldn't take things too seriously. Just listen to people close to you and they'll dish out the best advice. This year has been a great one. I know Main Hoon Na wasn't a solo film so there's yet a long way to go. I feel extremely overwhelmed and equally grateful about it too. There are expectations that drive me to be more serious about what I'm doing. At the same time I want to strike a balance between giving the audiences what they want and pursuing my own creative desires. It's all about balance and fair play.

Do you think Main Hoon Na was the kind of break every newcomer dreams of getting in Bollywood?
I got Vaada and Shabd only because Main Hoon Na was such a huge hit. I think people have started expecting a lot from me after my performance in Farah's film. Certainly, Main Hoon Na is the kind of break most newcomers can only dream about.

You seem to get along well with Sanjay Dutt after Shabd and now your bonding must have increased with David Dhawan's Shaadi No 1.
Yeah. Doing Shaadi No 1 with David and Sanjubhai is an experience I had to have. Plus, I have Fardeen in the film too. So all of us had lots of dhamaal on the sets. We talked lots about body maintenance, work-outs, dumbbells, tattoos etc. It's a pleasure to work with Sanjubhai; he treats me like a younger brother. I know he's a big star, but it's a wrong notion that Sunju intimidates people. I never once felt like that in his presence. I think he's an awesome personality.

You're accused of being lackadaisical about the way you go about choosing your films.
That's utter rubbish. Yes, I am choosy but that's because I want to do the projects that excite me. Otherwise I'd rather chill out at home or work-out. Thankfully, I do not need to take on everything that comes my way. I'm really grateful for that. It's a matter of perception. What you might call laziness, I call being choosy. I have worked my choices in such a way that I need not be embarrassed about anything I lend my name to. I don't want to cringe when I go to a movie hall, and that is my motto. Even if I'm sitting at home, it's not like I don't know where my next meal is coming from. I have Dus, Shaadi No 1 and Farah Khan's next film. So I think I have enough on my plate for now.

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Mehvish Khan

@mehvishrainbow2

Inactive

Posted: 20 years ago

Interview: VIVEK OBEROI

Viva Vivek!

He was one star who was splashed on every daily, fortnightly, weekly and monthly… eons before even his first release. He was the new superstar that people hoped would come in competition with the reigning Shah Rukh Khan. And bring in some freshness to Bollywood. Vivek finally came and did make an impact. But not enough to rule at the top!

What happened? Films came and films went. Company, Dum, Saathiyaan, Masti, Road, Darna Mana Hai, Kyon Ho Gaya Na, Yuva, Kisna, and now Kaal… his tenth film. And even that struggles to survive a the box-office. To be fair, Vivek has not scored badly in his career, but he's not at the top of the heap.

Add to this controversies that seem to dog him. After the Salman SMS saga comes the latest fly in the ointment – Chief Minister Jayalalitha of Tamilnadu who accused Vivek of self-glorification during his Tsunami relief work. If you will remember, he was the first and only Bollywood actor, at that time, to run to Thevanampattinam, bringing succour to the afflicted. The 'g' editorial of February 2005 lauded his efforts. So it's hard to believe Jayalalitha's jibes at the man.

We give Vivek a chance to have his word. And he speaks to us, even as we learn that 350 houses worth seven crores are being built in Pattinachery , situated 17 km away from Nagapattinam for the Tsunami victims, by the man.

Let's begin with your latest release, Kaal.
Whatever the outcome of Kaal at the box-office, I cherish the experience of having worked in it. My role in Kaal was the most interesting aspect of the film. For me it was like the rush of adrenalin combined with a rollercoaster-like ride as an actor.

Is Soham also a childhood friend like Shaad Ali and Sameer Karnik were?
I have known Soham from the time he was Mr Juhu Gymkhana. When he said he was planning to make a film, I told him to make a completely different one from the run-of-the-mill ones one sees today, and he came up with the script of Kaal. There was a game of musical chairs as far as the casting of Kaal was concerned.

Could you please elaborate!
You can say that Kaal had an interesting history behind it. Karan was the first producer to call me up and encourage me after Company was released. Sunita Menon had predicted that my career would go great guns after a bad phase. As luck would have it, I got a call for Kaal. Initially Nana Patekar was supposed to play the role, which Ajay Devgan has now played in Kaal. I had been offered the same role earlier, but because of genuine date problems I couldn't accept it. So Karan approached Shahid Kapoor first and Saif Ali Khan later but they were hesitant about working in multi-starrers. Soham came back to me after six months and offered me the role of Dev because he felt that I suited it better. Ajay Devgan did the role I was to do. The character of Dev was re-written with a lot of twists and turns to it. Get the picture!

How do you rate Soham as a director?
To tell you the truth, I was surprised to find him quite talented. When you work with a friend, you tend to take him for granted. I've never seen Soham losing his temper even once throughout the entire shoot. He has clarity of thought. He was always relaxed as if he was making not his first, but his tenth film. This boy is here to stay. Generally when a film is made there are chances that it may turn out to be quite different from the bound script. This one hasn't. It was I who recommended Soham to Ramu to assist him in Bhoot. Soham has made an entertaining film that will definitely leave his imprint, though it could have ended as a documentary. It belongs only to the director.

Was there any unhealthy competition among the actors while working for Kaal?
No one was interested in one-upmanship for the simple reason that the screenplay of the film had absolutely no scope for that. It's basically a director's film. Like Soham, John and I are pro-conservation guys. In fact, I used to wake up at 4.00 a.m. and go out in search of the tigers in Corbett Park.

Which are your forthcoming films?
I'll be doing an action-adventure film with Sunny Deol for debutante director Sachin Bajaj, son of distributor Tolu Bajaj. There is also Sujoy Ghosh's Home Delivery with Mahima Chowdhury. Bipasha Basu is not doing the film because she had a problem. It's not because of me or the money offered to her, as it's being made out by the media. Manish Malhotra has also signed me for his debut venture as director for producer Suneel Darshan. Priyanka Chopra and I were signed to act in Subhash Ghai's next venture, with Satish Kaushik as the director, but Subhashji did not like the subject and it has been kept on hold. Inder Kumar and Ashok Thakeria have also signed me for their next venture after Masti.

How did you react to the bad showing of Kisna at the box-office?
Kisna isn't the first flop of my career. I have had a decent share of hits as well as flops. We made a good film but no one came to watch it. I felt bad for Subhashji.

Coming to the latest controversy in your life. You are accused of seeking free publicity by collecting funds for the Tsunami victims in Tamilnadu. Comment.
I had taken a four-month break after I completed shooting for Kaal to fulfill my Tsunami commitments. I should thank my co-stars because they adjusted their dates to suit my commitments. If I wanted to indulge in hanky panky in order to gain publicity, it would have been easier for me to get it by spreading rumors about an affair with an actress. Why would I travel all the way and suffer hardship in order to do so? Give it a thought!

You seem to have irked Jayalalitha, who has come out heavily against you.
I've always received support from the Tamilnadu government. My project 'Hope Orphanage' is under construction in Cuddalore on a piece of land donated by the Tamilnadu government. Seventeen kilometres away from Nagapattinam in Pattinachery. We're presently in the process of building around 350 houses, worth seven crores, there, for those rendered homeless after the Tsunami tragedy.

Aishwarya Rai will soon be married! True or false?
Very clever! But let me honestly confess that my intentions are honourable and both Ash and I mean a lot to one another. But there are so such plans in the near future. The whole interview, which I had given to a channel, is being blown out of proportion.

Generation Gap?

It is always flattering to be considered younger than one is, or to appear younger than one actually is. In ego-laden showbiz, it is especially very exciting to be co-starring with a hero or heroine much younger than you.

Narcissistic as most film stars tend to be, it is often that they sign films with, or recommend for them, romantic co-stars who are young – or almost young – enough to be their progenies. Or there may be a story, script or filmmaker that ensure that such pairings need not jar, despite the generation chasm.

On an average, by convention, a difference of up to 15 years can actually be considered 'normal' between a senior hero and his heroine, since heroes do tend to have longer screen innings, but in the case of heroines the gap between the actress and her hero can only be a maximum 10 years for the younger hero to be still considered a contemporary of sorts. After all, some of our heroes have no compunction about playing collegians till well into the late '30s or beyond. Just last year, Ajay Devgan played a college student with Esha Deol, 11 years his screen junior, actually portraying his professor in Yuva (ironically meaning 'Youth'!). Earlier, a 35-plus Aamir Khan played a college dude in Dil Chahta Hai (2001). Though one has not seen the film, it is said that the '40s-born Manoj Kumar even played a collegian in his 1989 production Clerk – Anita Raj, who had made her debut in 1981, was one of his heroines here! Remember also how Ashok Kumar (debut 1936) has co-starred romantically even with a late '50s heroine like Asha Parekh (Meri Soorat Teri Ankhen).

Dilip Kumar (debut 1944) made screen love with '70s heroine Leena Chandavarkar (Bairaag, which he co-scripted) in one of his last attempts to remain a quintessential hero in 1976. Later, as an elderly protagonist, Dilipsaab starred with Raakhee (Shakti) and Rekha (Qila, Aag Ka Dariya), two actresses who had joined films after Dilip completed 25 years as hero! Mumtaz (Ram Aur Shyam), wife Saira Banu (whom he married at 46 when she was in her early twenties) and Sharmila Tagore had also been his naayika's on screen.

Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar's contemporary, has even co-starred with Sabrina, the one-film blunder, in her debut making film aptly titled Main Solah Baras Ki, in his 53rd year as actor! Of course, Dev tended to have stories that were conveniently of teenagers or young women having a crush on an older man when he romanced, earlier, Tina Munim in Des Pardes (1978), Lootmaar and Man Pasand (both 1980) and Tabu in Hum Naujawan (1986), while in Swami Dada (1982), Padmini Kolhapure was shown to be in love with Dev as her guru. Please notice that all these films, with the exception of the My Fair Lady rip-off Man Pasand produced by close buddy Amit Khanna, were made under the Navketan banner itself!

Earlier, when Dev was still the dashing, debonair, stylized 'young man', the man had also serenaded (given the 15-year leeway) heroines as young as Sadhana, Nanda, Tanuja, Mumtaz, Sharmila Tagore, Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Raakhee, Yogeeta Bali, Parveen Babi, Zeenat Aman and even smaller names like Zaheeda!

Raj Kapoor (debut in 1946 as a hero) played Dream Girl Hema Malini's dreamboat in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1969), and had things worked out, the twosome would have been love-birds again in Mera Naam Joker a year later.

Hema Malini of course was the sensation when she arrived to conquer both hearts and the box-office. Her sudden and sensational stardom in the early '70s made her the right woman in the right place for several heroes' last few efforts to rejuvenate their own careers – but interestingly often with success. Thus she became the love interest of '50s heroes like Shammi Kapoor (Andaz/1971), Rajendra Kumar (Gora Aur Kala, Shirdi Ke Sai Baba), Manoj Kumar (Sanyasi, Dus Numbri, Kranti, Deshwasi) and especially Raaj Kumar (Lal Patthar, Hema's home production Sharara, Desh Ke Dushmun, Galiyon Ka Badshah, Mohabbat Ke Dushmun) apart from her many expeditions with Dev Anand all the way from Johny Mera Naam (1970) to Censor (2001), where they essayed a middle-aged couple.

Dharmendra, the stud of the '60s and '70s, worked also in the '80s and '90s with heroines as young as Amrita Singh (Veeru Dada, Paap Ki Aandhi, Sachai Ki Taaqat), Farha (Paap Ki Aandhi), Kimi Katkar (Humlaa), Madhavi (Laathi), Anita Raj (Karishma Kudrat Ka), Sridevi (Naakabandi) and Jaya Prada (in a slew of films). Incredibly, the he-man-cum-gentle romantic thus shared more heroines with his son Sunny Deol than any other actor whose son followed him in the profession, with the still garam Dharam romancing Amrita Singh (who was his own choice as Sunny's first heroine in Betaab!), Sridevi, Kimi Katkar and Farha (apart from Dimple Kapadia) on-screen after his son's first pair-ups with them!

Shashi Kapoor, by and large, stuck to actresses of his generation (as in a 15 year-span again), but played husband to Jayaprada in Sindoor (1987) just two years before he played her contemporary Sridevi's father in Gair Kanoooni. His other young forays were with Bindiya Goswami (after she replaced Hema Malini in Shaan), Poonam Dhillon (Sawaal) and Rati Agnihotri (Pighalta Aasmaan).

Poor Sanjeev Kumar (debut 1965), typecast as an old man right from the early '70s, wasn't as lucky as his contemporaries, and he only managed a Rati Agnihotri (Aiyash/1982) before his death in 1985, though he was to work with Padmini Kolhapure in Professor Ki Padosan. The film's script had to be modified after Haribhai's death
and it was finally released in unrecognizable form in 1994.

Jeetendra (debut 1964) had the 1988 'debutante' Sangeeta Bijlani (Saki Haatimtai) culminating a list that included most of the '80s faces like Sridevi, Jayapradha, Meenakshi Seshadri, Madhavi, Amrita Singh, Anita Raj, Kimi Katkar, Bhanupriya and Mandakini.

Feroz Khan indulged himself in Jaanbaaz with Sridevi as his drug-addict amora, while Sunil Dutt (debut 1955) had Amrita Singh (debut 1983!) playing not only his daughter but also his wife in a dual role in Kala Dhanda Goray Log in 1986. Sanjay Khan (1964) teamed up with Anita Raaj in the same film, which he directed from his own story.

Vinod Khanna (Amrita Singh, Farha, Kimi Katkar, Sangeeta Bijlani, Juhi Chawla, Madhuri Dixit) and Shatrughan Sinha (Amrita, Kimi and also Sonam), both having appeared in 1969, also had their flings with younger damsels. So did Mithun Chakraborty (1978) who got to woo Sonali Bendre, Shilpa Shirodkar, Pooja Bhatt and a bevy of South starlets (Rambha, Sneha et al) in his '90s outings. Amitabh Bachchan, their contemporary, had designer scripts that paired him, apart from Amrita and Kimi, with '90s actresses Raveena Tandon (Aks), and Shilpa Shetty and Manisha Koirala (both in Laal Baadshah). And of course, who can forget his moment of passion with student Rani Mukerji in Black?

Last but not the least among the heroes was Rishi Kapoor, whose lover-boy image adhered to him through his successful 20-year phase from 1973 to 1992. His long list of co-stars included late '80s heroines like Sonam and Sangeeta Bijlani (whom he romanced in Hathyar while Amrita Singh, six years senior to Sangeeta, was paired with Sunjay Dutt, eight years junior to Rishi!) to '90s frauleins like Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar, Tabu, Pooja Bhatt, Ashwini Bhave, Varsha Usgaonkar and Zeba Bakhtiar!

The trend continued with heroes who came in later, with – to give only the standout examples – Sunny Deol (1983) becoming Priyanka Chopra's first hero (The Hero/2003), Sanjay Dutt (1981) also wooing Gracy Singh (2001) in Munnabhai MBBS and Priyanka again in home production Plan, Jackie Shroff (1983) teaming with Aishwarya Rai (1997) in Albela, and Anil Kapoor (1982), though in an 'older' role with Kareena Kapoor (2000) in Bewafaa. Check also Salman Khan (1988) with Sneha Ullal (his home production Lucky – No Time For Love, but in character with their ages) and of course good old Priyanka Chopra again (Mujhse Shaadi Karogi) apart from Bhumika Chawla (2003) in Tere Naam and Dil Ne Jisse Apna Kahaa. In fact, Priyanka seems to have this 'reverse' fetish for older men, as she has also romanced Amrish Puri without any Aitraaz and is all set to tango with Govinda (1986) in a delayed K.C. Bokadia film!

THE FLIP SIDE

So there we go again – what the men can do, so can the women – well, at least the age- conscious among them! Rekha (1970), for example, refused to play Mallika Sherawat's mom in the forthcoming Bachke Rehna Re Baba, which is inspired by a Hollywood maa-beti caper. So the role was 'adjusted' to that of Mallika's sister. And Rekha has romanced – let us not forget – Arshad Warsi (1996) in Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachao and Akshay Kumar (1991) in Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi. Anil Kapoor (Bulandi) and Jackie Shroff (Azaad Desh Ke Ghulam) were her other leading men from the younger brigade. Zeenat Aman (1971) had Jackie cast opposite her in Haathon Ki Lakeerein.

Dimple Kapadia (1973) portrayed an older woman who infatuates Amol Mhatre (2002) in Leela, and Akshaye Khanna (1997) wooed her in Dil Chahta Hai, but her heroes list also includes Chunky Pandey (1987), Jackie Shroff and Sunny Deol (both 1983 'debutantes') in so many films each and Anil Kapoor (Jaanbaaz) have been among her 'young men'.

Among the older lot, Waheeda Rehman (1957) was cast with Shatrughan Sinha in Maqsad and with Amitabh Bachchan in Kabhi Kabhie. Both were cast together as a senior couple in Adalat and Mahaan. Sadhana (1960) even dared to pair with the then baby-faced Anil Dhawan (1972) in Mehfil, ditto Asha Parekh (1959) with chocolate heroes like Vijay Arora (1972) (Raakhi Aur Haathkadi) and Navin Nischal (1970) (Nadaan). Nutan and Mala Sinha were '50s heroines who worked with Amitabh Bachchan romantically in Saudagar and Sanjog respectively.

MERE PAAS MAA HAI!

We cannot resist talking about the flipside of this phenomenon – where contemporary heroines had to play screen mothers to contemporaries as time flew by, only because male egos refused to allow themselves to get 'aged'!

Between the two phases when Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee played young (Kabhi Kabhie et al) and aged (Ek Rishta) couples, poor Raakhee was forced to play mom to Aby Baby in films like Laawaris and Shakti. Rishi Kapoor's contemporary Raakhee (both appeared in 1970!) also played his mother in both Kabhi Kabhie and Yeh Vaada Raha and was cast as an older woman who besots Rishi in Doosara Aadmi. Hema Malini, just a couple of years senior to the actor, played Rishi Kapoor's mom too in Vijay and his bhabhi in Ek Chaddar Maili Si

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