The ‘It’ Guy of Tinseltown

Not that one needs any proof to point out just how popular he currently is, but the guest list at Varun Dhawan’s success party for ABCD2 reads like the who’s-who of tinseltown. From bonafide superstars (Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan), and A-list headliners (Kangana Ranaut, Tabu, John Abraham), to young up-and-comers (Sidharth Malhotra, Ayushmann Khurrana),and a steady stream of PYTs (Kriti Sannon, Sonam Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Parineeti Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, Yami Gautam, Shruti Haasan, Radhika Apte, Lauren Gottlieb), virtually every actor group from Bollywood was well represented at the weekend bash. Plus you had big-name directors and producers (Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Mohit Suri, Sajid Nadiadwala, Mukesh Bhatt), and even rival studio bosses (Siddharth Roy Kapur, Sunil Lulla) mingling amicably at the no-cameras- allowed-inside do.

Varun, who followed up a surprisingly mature performance in Badlapur with the Rs 100 crore-grossing blockbuster ABCD2, is currently tinseltown’s ‘It’ boy—with that status further confirmed by the fact that he was handpicked by Shah Rukh Khan to star alongside him in December’s Dilwale. Eyewitnesses at the party say Varun didn’t display the swagger of most ‘look-I’ve-made- it’ rising stars. Instead, he was warm and grateful to his industry friends for showing up to celebrate with him. When the photo- graphers gathered outside clamoured for a picture of his, Varun reportedly insisted that they shoot him with his ABCD2 leading lady Shraddha Kapoor, who, by the way, showed up with her entire family in tow.

In the Lowlands

Katrina Kaif, who hasn’t had a release since the debacle of Bang Bang! last year, appears to be lying low. The actress wasn’t spotted at any of the recent high-profile filmi parties or weddings, and Bollywood insiders are saying that’s exactly how she wants it to be till she begins promoting Kabir Khan’s thriller Phantom, which is slated for release at the end of August this year.

The actress, who seems to be lagging in the rat race this year, seems to have found an unlikely cheerleader in Kareena Kapoor, however, who can’t stop praising her to anyone who cares to listen. Kareena has said she got the opportunity to spend some time with Katrina while she was visiting her husband Saif Ali Khan on the sets of Phantom, and has decided she’s a “really cool chick”. Kareena also insists Katrina is the right girl for her cousin Ranbir Kapoor, and that she can’t wait for them to be married.

Catty industrywalas can’t help smelling a rat when it comes to the famously snotty Kareena’s generous praise for another actress. Some say that the Begum’s approval of Katrina is her way of cocking a snoot at Katrina’s rival Deepika Padukone. It’s no secret that Kareena’s not a fan of DP, and hasn’t been one since Deepika broke out in Love Aaj Kal opposite Saif. The same gossip-mongers are saying Kareena’s recent appreciation of Kangana Ranaut and her performance in Tanu Weds Manu Returns was intended as another put down of Deepika, whose performance in Piku will likely rival Kangana’s, come awards time.

Papa Don’t Misbehave!

A pair of star kids gearing up to be launched shortly are being trained in the ways of showbiz and being groomed to face the unforgiving glare of the media. The two young new- comers—who are also said to be romantically involved with each other— are being mentored by a superstar’s core team, and their debut vehicle will be promoted by this A-lister too.

It’s the famously controversial parent of one of the two newcomers who might prove harder to put on a leash, though. The one-time actor has a reputation for getting into scrapes; only months ago, he was embroiled in a widely reported bar fight, and he subsequently raised eyebrows when he made tactless jokes about a bald attorney in court.

The superstar’s managers are hoping they will not have any trouble with the errant parent, given that they are already working on damage control to combat the inevitable messiness of a controversy that one of the star kids is involved in.

Ayushmann KhurranaKatrina KaifSalman KhanShah Rukh KhanVarun Dhawan