Bhansali Plays Patience

Bhansali Plays Patience • The One-boy Woman • Experiments With Body Language

Despite rumours doing the rounds that Sanjay Leela Bhansali will revive his long gestating Bajirao Mastani project with Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor, the truth is that the filmmaker has been making frequent visits to the Kapoor residence at Bandra’s Pali Hill, seeking a meeting with Ranbir Kapoor. Well-placed sources reveal that Bhansali was over for lunch with Ranbir’s mum, Neetu Singh, last week, although the actor himself was shooting out of town.

It turns out that Bhansali has been trying to persuade Ranbir to do his next film, but the actor has reservations. Apparently still scarred by the temper tantrums he had to endure while working with Bhansali as an assistant director and while acting in Saawariya, Ranbir is in no hurry to put himself in a similar situation again. He has reportedly asked the filmmaker to give him a few months so that he can finish his current film, Barfee, before he sits down to hear a complete script narration from Bhansali.

Our source says Ranbir is hoping Bhansali will not have the patience to wait for him, and will turn to another actor instead. If Ranbir isn’t turning down the offer flat out, it’s because he doesn’t want to be seen as an ingrate, given that Bhansali was the director of his debut film.

In other news, Bhansali apparently sent repeated messages to soap queen Ekta Kapoor, asking her not to go ahead with her plans of making a television show based on the legendary romance of Peshwa general Baji Rao and the beautiful Princess Mastani who went on to become his wife. Bhansali insisted the idea ‘belonged’ to him as he had announced his film years ago. Kapoor allegedly pooh-poohed Bhansali’s grumblings and said she was going ahead with her TV project whether the filmmaker liked it or not.

Kareena Kapoor may have repeatedly pushed back the shooting schedule of the Imran Khan-starrer Ek Main Aur Ek Tu in order to finish shooting Bodyguard and Agent Vinod on schedule, but the actress apparently has a lot invested in this romcom produced by her buddy Karan Johar. According to the industry grapevine, a few months ago, once it became clear that she wasn’t going to be able to stick to the original dates she’d committed to the film, she begged Johar not to replace her.

Kareena—who has films opposite Aamir, Shah Rukh, Salman and Saif Ali Khan—has been concerned lately that unlike her rivals Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone, she’s not working with any of Bollywood’s younger heartthrobs. Given that she can’t do a romantic lead opposite Ranbir Kapoor because he’s her cousin, and a film with ex-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor is out of the question, the only ‘under-35’ leading man available to do a movie with her is Imran Khan. Which is why Kareena doesn’t want to let go of this film.

With Bodyguard, Ra.One and Agent Vinod now done, she’s focusing solely on Ek Main Aur Ek Tu and has promised Johar she’ll complete it without any more hiccups.

This young male star may be licking his wounds over the colossal dud he recently delivered, but only weeks ago, he was living it up at a private party thrown by another male star at his Bandra home. The actor arrived at the party solo, but mingled with the guests, including a few actresses who’d also been invited. Guests were very surprised to see him flirting shamelessly with a reasonably popular female actress he’d done a reasonably successful movie with last year.

Apparently, the lady—who recently broke up with her own actor-boyfriend a few months ago—didn’t resist her former co-star’s advances, and flirted right back. At least two guests have said they grew uncomfortable being present in the same room with this couple, who began making out in full view of the host and his guests.

The couple left the party separately later that night, and the joke going round is that they were probably too exhausted from all that public grunting and grinding to continue their session at either of their homes.

About The Author

Rajeev Masand

•