Chat-Pati Khabre!!

JIS DESH MEIN GOVINDA REHTA HAI...


Contributed by Akhlaq Hussain

. JIS DESH MEIN GOVINDA REHTA HAI... Well guess who have just become best buds of sorts, none other than apna CHICHI BHAIYA and JAGGU DADA (that's GOVINDA and JACKIE SHROFF for the kids). The duo have hit it off so well that ChiChi has even signed a one-schedule start-to-finish venture for JACKIE's production company JSEL. The film is called JIS DESH MEIN GANGA REHTA HAI and has MAHESH MANJREKAR of VAASTAV fame as director, with SONALI BENDRE and RINKE KHANNA as Ganga's love interests. Originally the film was to be shot from start to finish in MAURITIUS but with Jackie's limited budget(and ChiChi's habits of taking every AHUJA east of LONDON with him for foreign shoots) the venue was changed to Goa, well it certainly will be Jis Desh Mein Govinda Rehta Hai.

If you remember last week kids we told you about the brewing battle of GOVINDA-DAVID DHAWAN-SALMAN KHAN. Well this week the battle takes a new turn with TIME MAGNETICS already announcing their next venture with GOVINDA and SUNJAY DUTT, the title (no snickering please) JODI NO. 1. SONALI BENDRE and TWINKLE KHANNA star opposite the Dhawan loyalists and the film is inspired by an old classic HINDI film. Which one you ask? Well with Dhawan as director does it really matter?

DO YOU REMEMBER ME?

SUBHASH GHAI has announced his next magnumopus, the title is YAADEIN and it has current heartthrob HRITIK ROSHAN with KAREENA KAPOOR(don't ask how he managed that) and his old pal JACKIE SHROFF returning to the MUKTA ARTS banner after his 2 film hiatus. Naturally it will be a love story with a heavy emphasis on music, by ANU MALIK who is working with Ghai for the first time. This will be another film where JACKIE will play the villain, looks like the HERO is going to have to take a lesson from his KHALNAYAK buddy SUNJAY DUTT on how to make bad look good.

WHEN A HIT ISN'T WORTH IT

While Hritik's newfound success has made his papa RAKESH proud, it is the pathetic UNDERWORLD who apparently could not stand the fact that Roshan's film KAHO NA PYAR HAI did so great and demanded "protection" money from Rakesh. As soon as Roshan put his foot down and told the goons to get a life, he found himself the victim of gunfire outside his office in suburban MUMBAI. Thankfully Roshan has recovered from his encounter and is alive and well. The shooting has sent a red-alert across BOLLYWOOD with 34 top stars like GOVINDA, MANISHA KOIRALA, DILIP KUMAR, AMITABH BACHCHAN, etc. extending their wishes to be protected by the MUMBAI police 24/7. However, several stars including SHAH RUKH KHAN have decided to continue business as usual, truly showing the underworld who's boss.Discussions will occur later this week on what to do as far as securityfor film artists goes.

While the main targets are usually producers who sometimes squablle over distribution with shady characters, film artists have also been targetted by the "bhais." Let's hope the Mumbai police counter with some great security measures, otherwise we will be back to the 1980s when almost 50 percent of films were funded by the Underworld and each film was forced to contain at least one cabaret number, one rape scene, and a corrupt police officer. Let's all pray for the past never to come back.


IN OTHER NEWS...

SHAH RUKH's productional debut PHIR BHI DIL HAI HINDUSTANI has opened to a lukewarm response all over. The average music and the not-so-gripping direction by AZIZ MIRZA is being blamed. Interestingly enough, besides SIRF TUM, no actor's home production has proven to be successful in the past 12 months. Let's wait and see how PUKAR fares for ANIL KAPOOR.

The two BOLLYWOOD beefcakes HRITIK ROSHAN and BOBBY DEOL have been signed to do RAJ KANWAR's next film.

JAANWAR has been declared the biggest hit of 1999 in BENGAL and many small interior areas. Unlike rival AJAY DEVGAN, the audience does prefer to see AKSHAY in these action films. Another rural-set film MELA also is doing good in the interiors.

KAMAL HASSAN's HEY RAM has run into trouble with the censors over the depiction of certain political scenes. There is also a heavy kissing scene between Rani and Kamal which the censors let pass completely. Hmm... wonder where their priorities lie?

Many big films are being planned for release in March: DULHAN HUM LE JAYANGE, HADH KARDI AAPNE, JUNG, KUNWAARA, GRAHAN (don't laugh, that's what JACKIE told me), VIDROHI, and HERA PHERI. Let's see who's standing with a smile on APRIL 1.

Gossips:
Operation Holiday!


Shah Rukh Khan is eagerly awaiting the release of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. Not just because it is his maiden venture, but because he is off for a ankle surgery to Austria after the film. “I broke it during the shooting of Dil Se,” explains Khan. “I am not able to move it much and hence the surgery.” Khan also plans to couple this with a shooting schedule of Yash Chopra’s next film and take a holiday with wife Gauri and son Aryan in London.
Now that is what you call a plan that just Khan’t be bettered!

Papa dearest

More on Khan and his son. Shah Rukh is so much a part of his son’s growing-up process that he has turned photographer. The proud papa not only clicks his son at every available opportunity, but also ensures that no picture of his son sneaks by mistake even to the outside world. Papa also makes sure he is home almost every evening, and Sundays belong to little Aryan.
No wonder, the two-and-a-half-year-old begins to look at the door whenever the clock strikes seven.

Don’t miss that kiss

Kamal Hassan has interspersed the historic moments of Hey Ram! with erotic scenes! And Rani Mukherjee who gained quite a few pounds and sported round bindi to look like Kamal’s Bengali wife who gets killed during partition, didn’t mind the kisses, “as they were done gracefully.” Rani is also happy as Kamal has given her a chance to prove her histrionics as well, a rare chance for heroines in Bollywood, one must admit. As for Kamal himself, he admits, “my film is an orgy of provocative passion and intensity with an undercurrent of historical events blended with fiction!” Means a possible commercial hit, Mr Hassan?

Sister Ash!

Aishwarya Rai has decided go gung-ho to stay in Bollywood now. The recent attempt to rectify a blunder is evidence of Ash’s newfound seriousness. Her recent move was when she convinced Mansoor Khan to change her role from being Shah Rukh Khan’s sister to a friend in Josh. Why! Simply because she is paired opposite him in Yash Chopra’s Mohabbatein and another untitled film.

Kiss and sell!

Well, talking of Ash, she has also decided to shed her inhibitions and Salman alike. The move was evident when she did a smooching scene with Chandrachur in Josh.What is possessive Khan’s reaction going to be when he sees the rushes? Watch this space…

Sush moves on…

While on beauties, universal beauty Sushmita Sen has now finally cut off from married man Vikram Bhatt. The fact that she is real close to composer Sandeep Chowta is evidence enough. Will Chowta make a difference in Sen’s life? Only time will tell.

Manisha splits with Hoosein?

While Sush has found an anchor in Chowta, apparently one woman who is alone again is Manisha Koirala. Seems, Manisha has split up with her heart-throb Hoosein. A little bird tells us that this time Manisha will not look for greener shores, but will kiss and make-up. Hang in there to see if Manisha will still sing the Hoosein tune..

Marathi folk number in Hey Ram

More on Hey Ram! Another woman to watch out for in this film is actress-danseuse Prachee Shah. Seems the lavnee (Maharashtrian folk dance) by her in the film has made her a sought-after danseuse in Bollywood. But will the song send Universal Music’s cash registers ringing? After the Saagar numbers being a hit for them earlier, seems the music company considers Kamal Hassan its lucky mascot, and is looking at some good earnings from Hey Ram.

1999 in ReviewOk, so this year was no better than any other. The same old potpurri of hits and flops (more flops, of course). Here's a brief look at 1999.



The 10 biggest hits include Biwi No. 1, Daag - The Fire, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Kachche Daage, Sarfarosh, Taal, Vaastav.



Other movies in the hit/average category include Aa Ab Laut Chalen, Arjun Pandit, Baadshah, Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, Kartoos, Kaun, Shool, and Sirf Tum.


The major disappointments were Hello Brother, Mann, Sooryavansham, Khoobsurat, Dillagi, Dil Kya Kare, Hindustan Ki Kasam, Mast, Janam Samjha Karo, 1947-Earth, Rajaji, Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain, Anari No. 1, Thakshak, Kohram, Lawaaris, Lal Baadshah, Aarzoo, Zulmi, International Khiladi, Sangharsh, Pyar Koi Khel Nahin, Hu Tu Tu, Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya, Safari, and Jai Hind-The Pride.


1999 was a good year for Aamir Khan (Sarfarosh, 1947-Earth, Mann), Salman Khan (Hum Saath Saath Hain, Biwi No. 1, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Janam Samjha Karo, Hello Brother), Sanjay Dutt (Vaastav, Daag, Khoobsurat, Kartoos, Safari), and Anil Kapoor (Taal, Mann, Biwi No. 1, Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain).


Those whose positions were not really affected - Ajay Devgan (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, Dil Kya Kare, Hindustan Ki Kasam), Sunny Deol (Arjun Pandit, Dillagi, Pyar Koi Khel Nahin), Govinda (Haseena Maan Jayegi, Rajaji, Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain, Anari No. 1), Akshaye Khanna (Taal, Lawaaris, Aa Ab Laut Chalen, Dahek) and Shah Rukh Khan (Baadshah).



It was a bad year for Akshay Kumar (International Khiladi, Sangharsh, Jaanwar, Aarzoo), Jackie Shroff (Lawaaris, Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya, Kartoos), and Amitabh Bachchan (Kohram, Lal Baadshah, Sooryavansham).



As for the heroines, Karisma Kapoor completed a hat trick (Biwi No. 1, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Hum Saath Saath Hain), in spite of two flops, Silsila Hai Pyaar Ka and Jaanwar.



Other top heroines of 99 - Sonali Bendre (Sarfarosh, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Dahek), Aishwarya Rai (Taal, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aa Ab Laut Chalen), Sushmita Sen (Hindustan Ki Kasam, Sirf Tum, Biwi No. 1).



Those heroines whose releases were average include Juhi Chawla (Arjun Pandit, Safari), Mahima Chaudhry (Daag, Pyar Koi Khel Nahin, Dil Kya Kare), Kajol (Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya, Dil Kya Kare), Raveena Tandon (Anari No. 1, Shool, Rajaji), Twinkle Khanna (Baadshah, International Khiladi, Zulmi), and Tabu (Hum Saath Saath Hain, Hu Tu Tu, Thakshak, Kohram).



Those whose status was affected by 1999 include Rani Mukherjee (Hello Brother), Preity Zinta (Sangharsh), Madhuri Dixit (Aarzoo), Manisha Koirala (Kartoos, Lawaaris, Lal Baadshah, Mann, Jai Hind, Kachche Daage, Hindustan Ki Kasam), and Urmila Matondkar (Mast, Kaun, Khoobsurat, Dillagi, Janam Samjha Karo, Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain).

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