Salman’s Sunny Side up

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has found an unlikely ally in Salman Khan. The Badlapur star, who’s currently shooting for director Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan with Bollywood’s original Bhai, has revealed that Salman and him got along famously during this schedule, often spending hours chatting and drinking after pack-up. Admitting that they didn’t quite get to know each other while making Kick—Salman was famously bonding with Randeep Hooda during that shoot— Nawaz has said he enjoyed his time with the superstar, and that the two actors had a lot to talk about.

Even while making Kick, Nawaz said he faced no starry tantrums from his controversial co-star, and has added that it was Salman in fact who encouraged him to add a bit of flourish to his villain character, even pushing him to come up with clever punch-lines. “There’s a bit in the climax where I’m meant to set my henchmen on him. Salman told me to give the scene some flair, and that’s when I came up with the idea to be dismissive of him while he’s talking, and just let the henchmen take over,” Nawaz remembers. “I’m not sure many big heroes would be comfortable with that. But Salman thought it was a great idea and went along with it happily.”

That’s not the experience actors like John Abraham have had while working with Salman. Or even Shahid Kapoor, who is believed to have seen a ‘difficult’ side to the star while participating in overseas stage shows together. Could it be that the leopard has changed its spots after all …?

Former Flames Unite

At least two former romantic couples in Bollywood have shown considerable maturity recently, putting their differences behind them and collaborating on a common agenda. The first is Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, who will both appear in Dedh Ishqiya director Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab, a Traffic-style multiple- character drugs drama. The movie went on the floors last week with a schedule featuring Kareena Kapoor. Her ex, and Jab We Met co-star, Shahid is not expected to film any scenes with her; he’s paired opposite his Shandaar heroine Alia Bhatt. But you can be sure the film’s producers will plan promotional activities with both Kareena and Shahid participating, once the film is closer to release. The former couple have come a long way from the time they flatly refused to shoot patchwork scenes for Boney Kapoor’s unfinished Milenge Milenge, which they’d signed when they were still romantically involved but which released long after their famously acrimonious split.

More surprising is Akshay Kumar’s involvement with a celebrity-based home-shopping channel, in which he has as partners his former girlfriend Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra. The two stars appeared friendly at the launch event of this new business last week, showing no trace of any bitterness. Theirs was an equally ugly break up, after Akshay reportedly ditched Shilpa for Twinkle Khanna whom he subsequently married. Insiders say it was Kundra who approached Akshay to join hands with them in the initiative, and the famously business-minded khiladi is believed to have jumped at the opportunity.

Unhappy Playing Second Fiddle

An up-and-coming action hero is reportedly peeved at the producers of a new thriller that he’s signed to appear in because they made a big media announcement when they signed a top actress, but didn’t create any noise over his casting. Evidently insecure about the fact that he’s playing the second male lead in the film—opposite a bigger hero whom he already played second fiddle to in an earlier movie—the action star was hoping to be propped up by the filmmakers as a top-billed member of the cast.

His advisors, apparently, have warned him against taking the film as it may permanently slot him as ‘second lead material’. Others are telling him not to lose the opportunity of working with a prominent director and a studio reputed for making successful films. Turns out the makers have a replacement lined up in case he decides to bail out. The part would then go to a respected ‘arthouse’ star who’s just delivered a strong performance in a commercial hit. He owes the director for casting him in his breakout role, a strong supporting part in a blockbuster woman-centric hit.

Kareena KapoorNawazuddin SiddiquiRandeep HoodaSalman KhanShahid Kapoor