The Hisss actor gets caught in a web of her own making as a video interview of hers goes viral
In today's time, with the Internet cutting the distance between people, actors just cannot afford to tell stories. Especially not at the world's most prestigious film festival, from where news is bound to travel far and wide! However, no one seems to have explained this logic to the Murder actor Mallika Sherawat. Or maybe she hasn't gotten her head around the intricacies of using the net….we're not sure what the truth is.
Much to the annoyance of millions of desi viewers, Mallika was seen and heard boasting about her cinematic accomplishments in an interview she gave at a media booth at the66th Cannes International Film Festival. The Hisss actor was seen telling the interviewer in an accent that was neither Indian nor American but definitely exotic, that she was the first person to kiss onscreen. The lady spoke with all her heart, obviously believing deeply in herself, saying that the 17 kisses that she shared with her costar (Himanshu Malik in Khwahish, 2003) onscreen helped champion women's causes in India. She even insisted that she was the first one wear a bikini in an Indian film!
Of course, she seems to have forgotten that a far more talented actor called Devika Rani kissed her co-star and later husband Himanshu Rai several decades earlier, in a 1933 film called Karma, the liplock lasting four minutes! And there are more than a dozen heroines who wore bikinis long before Mallika did, starting with Sharmila Tagore in 1967 (Evening in Paris), Dimple Kapadia (Bobby, 1973), Zeenat Aman (Qurbani, 1980), Aruna Irani (Bombay to Goa, 1972), Rakhee (Sharmilee, 1971), Mumtaz (Apradh, 1972), Madhrui Dixit (Mujrim, 1989)… we could go on and on! This only goes to show what a regressive mindset Mallika herself has, to subvert a whole chapter in the history of Indian cinema just to appear 'cool' and 'with the times', no?
Ms Sherawat also went on to say that after the many kisses she did, she became a fallen woman even as she attained superstar status in India. Not entirely true, wethinks. Her choice of movies like The Myth (with Jackie Chan, 2005) and the debacle of epic proportions that was Hisss (2010) were more responsible for boring holes in her career, rather than the temporary fame her kissing scenes got her. Sure, we admit that Bollywood is not as progressive as it should be when it comes to giving leading ladies their due, but it isn't as bad as Mallika makes it out to be either. But we know that in any women's empowerment that will take place in the future, Mallika's shapely self will not aid the cause!
Guess she just needs better PR these days. And an accent coach!
Arjun
Cricket
1