It is a well known fact that the best loved Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan smokes; and from time to time smoking in films has come under the scanner for possible negative impact on the youth. Film makers and actors are frequently admonished for displaying scenes of smoking in films and SRK recently received an anti-smoking missive from an NGO called HRIDAY which urged the actor … [Read more...]
M F Husain Muses and the Hindi Film Industry
Maqbool Fida Husain, India’s best known artist; responsible for putting India on the world art map, died on 9 June 2011. Regardless of the multitudes of controversies surrounding M F Husain, there can be no doubt that the artist was revered by the art world, to say nothing of the Hindi Film Industry with which he had a long and close association. It is well known that M F … [Read more...]
Preview- Bbuddah hoga tera Baap and Aarakshan
You have to hand it to the man, he is 68 and he still manages to land the choicest roles available in Hindi cinema – we preview two very different upcoming Hindi films, both starring Amitabh Bachchan – Bbuddah hoga tera Baap and Arakshan. The first is an irreverent comedy about a cussed, angry old man, and the latter a film about an extremely serious issue that every Indian … [Read more...]
Bollywood and Politics – Do they Mesh?
The forays that Bollywood actors have made into politics have been frequent but not always hugely successful; which raises the question - do Bollywood and Politics really mesh? Are Bollywood stars cut out for politics and if not, why so? Recently Saif Ali Khan made a statement to the effect that he was not interested in politics – “I am not a politician by nature. I am very … [Read more...]
The Strange Tale of Hindi Film Actor Raj Kiran – Lost and Found
Remember that hauntingly beautiful melody Tum itna jo muskura rahi ho and the shy faced, sensitive actor in Mahesh Bhatt’s acclaimed film Arth, as he cuts a small pastry to celebrate the birthday of Shabana Azmi’s character in the film? That man is Bollywood actor Raj Kiran, who at the time showed great promise with his histrionic ability, and who then seemed to fall off the … [Read more...]