Too Cocky for His Own Good

Bangistan star Pulkit Samrat got some pretty scathing reviews for his performance in the film, but that’s not even the worst thing people are saying about him. Turns out the diminutive actor has a serious attitude problem and has rubbed more than a few people the wrong way. Count Sonam Kapoor, his Dolly Ki Doli co-star, as one of the injured parties. Sources close to the actress say she was “fed up” with Pulkit’s high-handed behaviour while working on the film, and that she often complained to her producer Arbaaz Khan that he was “too big for his boots”. Sonam got along famously with Rajkummar Rao and Varun Sharma, the other two male leads in the film, but reportedly she “couldn’t make it work” with Pulkit.

The folks at Dharma Productions aren’t fans of his either. The actor was called in to test for Gippi director Sonam Nair’s next film, but her assistants took an instant dislike to him because of his arrogant attitude. Sonam was keen to cast him in the film, but Pulkit—in spite of having tested— was holding up production because he wouldn’t commit. Apparently everyone around her was thrilled that the actor was having second thoughts about doing the film. For many of the crew who were working on the project, the only good thing that came out of the film ultimately being put on the back- burner was the knowledge that they didn’t have to spend months working with Pulkit.

Industry insiders explain that the former TV star, who is consistently accused of apeing Salman Khan on screen, gets his sense of entitlement from the fact that the Dabangg superstar is, as it happens, his mentor. He was responsible for Pulkit landing the lead in his brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri’s last production, the awful comedy O Teri! Salman also attended Pulkit’s wedding ceremony some months ago, and it’s well-known that he routinely recommends the upstart to producers.

Blockbuster in the Family

Speaking of the Khans, eldest brother Salman may be the blockbuster star in the house and the one that makes all the headlines (for both the right and wrong reasons), but the coolest fella in that family has got to be the youngest of the three brothers, Sohail. This director and sometime-actor tops popularity polls within the Khan household, particularly among the kids—his own and those of his siblings. Always the one happy to accompany his nephews and nieces on holidays and to movies, and the official babysitter for his brother Arbaaz and sister Alvira’s kids, Sohail has been anointed something of an overgrown kid himself, a reputation he seems perfectly comfortable with, as his love for cartoon characters and superhero-inspired T-shirts would prove.

Last weekend, while attending a South Indian film awards celebration in Dubai, Sohail again stayed faithful to his favourite casuals for glamorous events on two consecutive nights. At the big awards ceremony the second night, while everyone from Dhanush and Rana Daggubati stuck to tuxes and suits, cucumber cool Sohail entered in blue jeans, an Incredible Hulk T-shirt, and paired the ensemble with red Converse sneakers. What’s more, he didn’t reveal a hint of discomfort being the odd one out when he was called on stage to present an award.

Oh, and like his big brother, he seems to have a thing for ditching his shirt every time he feels like it.

Fatal Attraction?

There are strong rumours about an influential film producer and a pretty actress he’s believed to have taken a shine to. He’s cast her in at least two of his plum projects, and her name is being bandied about for another film that he’s currently planning with an A-list male star.

No problem with such an arrangement, except for the fact that the producer is married with kids. His missus, Bollywood insiders say, has gone under the knife so frequently, it’s hard to recognise her these days. What’s also just a wee bit creepy is the fact that the actress was in a serious romantic relationship with the producer’s best friend only a few years ago.

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Rajeev Masand

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