How to Alienate People

Not given to Filmi Airs • Of Extravagant Stinginess

Saif Ali Khan sure isn’t making many fans with his recent behaviour. First he pissed off industrywalas when he publicly denounced Sajid Khan after the failure of Humshakals. Now, a week before the release of Finding Fanny, he gave an interview announcing that he was parting ways with his producing partner of five years, Dinesh Vijan, because Saif didn’t want his name on projects that he didn’t believe in.

Although a clarification was issued the following day, explaining that Saif and Dinesh would still keep the Illuminati Films banner alive to produce any films that they both may feel strongly about, that statement felt more like a face-saving opportunity for poor Dinesh. After all, Saif hadn’t minced any words while explaining that he wasn’t happy with the movies Dinesh had chosen to produce under their joint banner, particularly Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, which starred—ahem—the actor’s wife Kareena’s first cousin Armaan Jain in his debut.

Expectedly, the Kapoors aren’t exactly thrilled with Saif’s admission, pretty much disowning the film. Reportedly this incident has strained the already delicate relationship between the Kapoors and Kareena’s side of the family.

But wait! What’s still worse is that Saif has apparently walked out of Dinesh’s directorial venture, a romantic comedy co-starring Parineeti Chopra that was meant to go into production in October. The official word is that the film is on hold till Saif completes Talaash director Reema Kagti’s film with Kangana Ranaut, but insiders say he is no longer attached to the project. His abandoning of the film has left Parineeti with an empty schedule starting October, and Dinesh with sleepless nights.

Not given to Filmi Airs

Aditya Roy Kapoor is coming off two blockbusters—Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani—but if his Daawat-e-Ishq co-star Parineeti Chopra is to be believed, he still doesn’t know how to handle all the attention. Interestingly, that’s exactly what his Yeh Jawaani co-star Ranbir Kapoor had said while they were promoting that film last year. Hot off the success of Aashiqui 2, Aditya was reportedly shy and awkward and had no idea how to respond to fans that were literally throwing themselves at him while he toured the country with Ranbir and Deepika.

Not much has changed since then, Parineeti insists. She claims he’s still painfully shy and usually at a loss of words when the attention becomes intense. Aditya, for his own part, says he’s become a little bit more confident but still hasn’t mastered the art of waving moviestar-like to the crowds. Also, he doesn’t seem like he’s in a hurry to change old habits. He’ll still ride into a movie set or even a film premiere on his trusted motorbike, he continues to be criticised for dressing down at major occasions, and his tendency to not shave before making public appearances is routinely frowned upon. “I can’t change who I am,” he says, shrugging his shoulders helplessly, a little smile escaping his lips as he considers the long list of complaints. “But I’m trying not to disappoint people,” he quickly adds.

After Dawaat-e-Ishq, he begins filming Kai Po Che director Abhishek Kapoor’s Great Expectations adap Fitoor, which is set in Kashmir and will also star Katrina Kaif and Rekha. He hasn’t signed any new films but says he’s hoping his luck doesn’t run out anytime soon.

Of Extravagant Stinginess

A Richie Rich producer and heir to a multi-crore film empire has gotten a bad name for reportedly trying to cut corners and pinch pennies. The young ‘un visited a leading Bollywood star- producer not long ago on the set of one of his films, and urged him, during a meeting in his vanity van, to write off the Rs 11 lakh that the moghul owed him on their last project together, a box-office blockbuster.

The moghul insisted that he had lost money on the project—a claim that the superstar refused to buy—and was hoping he could be excused from coughing up the money he owed the star. While dropping him off to his car, the actor—known to put people in their place—couldn’t resist pointing out to the moghul, in full earshot of dozens of unitwalas who were gathered around, that the hotshot producer could afford to zip about in a fancy Lamborghini but was being miserly about a few lakh rupees.

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Rajeev Masand

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