Mission Impossible

Mission Impossible • John-Vidya Shootout • My Way or the Highway

According to the industry grapevine, Priyanka Chopra is feeling betrayed by producer Aditya Chopra, who she complains has repeatedly overlooked her while casting new projects for the Yash Raj Films (YRF) banner. Reportedly, the actress has been telling friends she only agreed to star in Pyaar Impossible opposite the producer’s brother Uday Chopra because she expected Aditya to return the favour by signing her for future YRF projects. Alas, not a single film has come her way since.

Priyanka is also allegedly not thrilled that the company recently signed Katrina Kaif for three of their plum projects—Mere Brother Ki Dulhan opposite Imran Khan, Ek Tha Tiger opposite Salman Khan, and an untitled Yash Chopra-directed film opposite Shah Rukh Khan. PC cannot understand why none of these films was offered to her.

Her friends explain that her disappointment is justified, given that no actress was willing to do a film opposite Uday when Priyanka graciously signed on for Pyaar Impossible—which for all practical purposes was a ‘no-go’ film whose fate was sealed from day one. Not just that, the actress had promoted the film extensively and stood by it just like she does her bigger projects. Which is why she cannot wrap her head around the fact that the big-shot producer never seems to remember her when he’s casting for the banner’s other films.

Not that Priyanka needs to sulk, really.  She has major films coming out opposite most of the big stars—Don 2 with Shah Rukh, Agneepath with Hrithik, and Barfee with Ranbir—and has reportedly just signed two new films opposite Shah Rukh. 

Kaante director Sanjay Gupta and his band of writers have been holed up in his Khandala farmhouse cracking the script of his next film, Shootout in Wadala. Apparently, the team has been re-watching everything from Scarface to The Godfather in their hunt for relevant gangster references. The film, which is likely to go into production this December, will star John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Rohit Roy and Tusshar Kapoor.

Gupta reportedly wants Vidya Balan to play the female lead opposite John Abraham, and given that his co-producer Ekta Kapoor is ‘in’ with the actress (Vidya is starring in Ekta’s The Dirty Picture), it shouldn’t be difficult to rope her in. But when Ekta’s team met Vidya at the Ramoji Rao Studios in Hyderabad to discuss the possibility, the actress apparently made it clear that she was not keen.

Vidya’s hesitation stems from the fact that she’s uncomfortable working with John Abraham, who she briefly dated while they were shooting Salaam-e-Ishq a few years ago. According to sources close to both stars, that relationship didn’t end too well, and John and Vidya don’t even speak to each other now. Furthermore, Vidya is rumoured to have hinted that it might make her current boyfriend uncomfortable if she decided to work with her ex.

Although she hasn’t issued a flat out ‘no’ yet, Vidya is keeping the makers of Shootout guessing. They’ve already convinced her she’s the only female lead in the film, since Mahie Gill has been cast in a small supporting role. Still, Vidya has asked for some time to make up her mind.

More than a few people who’ve worked closely with this A-list male star have revealed that he’s in the habit of hogging other people’s credit, and likes to think he’s come up with the killer ideas that may have been suggested by others during brainstorming sessions.

It appears that the actor will sit patiently and quietly through strategy meetings to decide his film’s publicity or marketing plans. He’ll listen to every idea thrown up by the concerned team that has worked tirelessly for days. When a genuinely exciting, out-of-the-box idea emerges, he’ll offer a small, cosmetic change to it, and pass off the whole idea as his own. Nobody will disagree with him for fear of being kicked off the project. It’s just the way things work with him. Over time, the star has been credited with coming up with some revolutionary ideas in marketing and promotions. Only his core team knows the extent of his own contribution to those ideas.

About The Author

Rajeev Masand

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