The good wife and sister

The Good Wife and Sister • Because age is more than a number • Keeping bad company

Contrary to what the tabloids insist, there’s been no falling out between Kareena Kapoor and Karan Johar after the actress walked out of his troubled production Shuddhi. Kareena, who has always described the filmmaker as “the brother I never had”, insists they’re still very close. “When Saif’s travelling, Karan comes over and we sit on my couch and drink champagne and gossip till three in the morning,” she reveals.

Recently the actress and her husband Saif Ali Khan reportedly accompanied her sister Karisma to the family court, where the latter is working through a messy divorce from her husband, Delhi-based businessman Sanjay Kapur. As for rumours suggesting that her sister has a new man in her life—namely Sandeep Toshniwal, a pharma company honcho—Kareena will say nothing. Not a word.

It’s easier to get her talking about her cousin Ranbir and his relationship with Katrina Kaif, which she ‘outed’ on Karan’s chat show not so long ago. Rag her about letting the Kat out of the bag, and she says, “There’s nothing I said on that show that I didn’t have full permission from both of them to say.”

But she’s not likely to go on another television show anytime soon. Asked by Saif’s partner Dinesh Vijan to help promote their banner’s new film Lekar Hum Deewana Dil , by appearing on a popular comedy show with her cousin Armaan Jain who debuts in the film, Kareena was unsure. Saif, however, is clear his wife will not be roped in for a project she has no involvement in. He’s advised her against it.

After offering the part to every A-lister she could think of—everyone from Rekha and Dimple Kapadia to Madhuri Dixit and Tabu—Zoya Akhtar finally cast Shefali Shah as Anil Kapoor’s wife in Dil Dhadakne Do, which she’s currently shooting on a luxury cruise in the European waters. Turns out none of the ladies were keen to take the part because they were unwilling to play Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh’s mother.

The job was even offered to a much younger actress who burst onto the screens last year with a starring role in a celebrated indie, but understandably she was offended. No amount of persuasion that they would ‘age her gracefully’ would do the trick.

With her start date rapidly approaching, and no A-lister willing to bite the bait, Zoya locked in Shefali for the film. That reportedly created problems for another project, namely the Meghna Gulzar-directed crime drama Talwar, based on the Arushi Talwar murder. According to sources, Shefali had been roped in to play Irrfan Khan’s wife in that film, but had to ditch the movie when Zoya signed her for DDD. Thanks to producer Vishal Bhardwaj’s connections, however, Talwar landed Tabu.

Apparently Zoya’s not thrilled that Tabu would take a supporting role in Meghna’s film over a central part in her ensemble drama, but with both projects currently filming, it appears that all’s well that ends well.

There are whispers going around that the staff of a leading male star are concerned about the actor’s growing closeness to a ‘confidante’ who may be alienating him from his very loyalists. According to members of his team, the star in question, well-known for his professionalism and impeccable manners, is increasingly becoming unsympathetic and indifferent towards those working for him.

Fingers are being pointed squarely at his latest friend and ‘consultant’, who tends to behave like a star himself, particularly with the actor’s staff. Those employed by the actor are not thrilled taking orders from the new friend, and they don’t seem to like the fact that the actor is clearly under his influence. Some even suggest that the new fella on the block may have some hand in the actor’s recent personal crises too—certainly as far as advising him wrongly goes.

Karan JoharKareena KapoorRanbir Kapoor