Queen | Gujariya | Official Song | Kangana Ranaut | 7th Mar, 2014

Russell-Jemima engaged?

Russell Brand has openly confessed to being in love with Jemima Khan - but could the couple be planning to wed? Judging by the ring on her finger in these pictures clicked in east London, the answer could be yes.

Jemima also had a diamond ring on at a London restaurant on Friday.

A source said: "It looked like an engagement ring. It was very pretty and classy. She looked very happy."

Jemima, 40, and Russell, 38, began dating last summer. She has two sons by ex-Pakistan captain Imran Khan, and dated actor Hugh Grant.

Meanwhile Russell is divorced from stunning pop star Kety Perry. Russell has revealed how Jemima has made him a "Changed man" and inspired him to swap his womanising ways for meditation and dog-walking.

The comedian told how he loved spending time with his socialite girlfriend, 39, and her German shepherd Brain, who both joined him on the Jonathan Ross show.

Lindsay claims to have scored with soccer star

The list of celebrity conquests complied by Lindsay Lohan includes a Premier League footballer, the Sunday People reported. Lindsay, 27, who had Hollywood in a spin, when a list of her alleged former lovers was published this month, is said to have slept with the international player after meeting on the party circuit.


She apparently scribbled the soccer star's name on a piece of paper and threw it to a friend.

For legal reasons, his name was not printed in the list of her lovers published two weeks ago. But the player is married with children and has played for his country. A friend of the Mean Girls actress said: "There were some names blocked out of the full list of her 36 lovers. The footballer was one of them.

"Lindsay met him while out on the party scene. She thought he was pretty hunky and became quite fond of him. The footballer would be mortified if this came out.

"He is married and his wife wouldn't be very happy at all, because she likes to live a far quieter life than Lindsay."

Grover refuses to be backbencher

On Sunday evening, Salman Khan's charity foundation, in collaboration with a TV channel and a couple of other NGOs, hosted a fundraiser for the physically challenged. And besides Anupam Kher, Swara Bhaskar and Vishakha Singh, the list of invitees included Bad Man Gulshan Grover.

The event, which was held at a suburban five star hotel, commenced right on schedule at 4.30 pm. However, Grover walked in only around 6 pm and by then the front row seats were already occupied. Revealed a source: "Gulshan refused to sit in the back and promptly walked out leaving the organisers upset."

When contacted he said: "I had told them in advance that I wouldn't be staying for too long as I had to be at some place else around the same time. So, I quickly left after meeting Salman. If I ask for front row seats, I get it."

Of course! Or else you throw a fit and walk out.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Salman Khan's body double injured while filming Kick in Delhi.

When you'll watch the high-octane chase between Salman Khan and Randeep Hooda in Sajid Nadiadwala's forthcoming film Kick, if you don't read this, little will you know what happened to the guy who kicked off the scene for Salman. This guy, who goes by just his first name Ajay in the industry, landed himself in the hospital with serious facial injuries.

The incident happened in Delhi last week. Nadiadwala had rented a row house near a railway track. Ajay (one of Salman's body doubles) was supposed to jump from the first floor of the house onto the railway track.

The scene then required Salman (not Ajay) to get onto a moving train with Randeep Hooda (who plays a cop) close on his heels. Ajay went through the sugar glass (a brittle transparent form of sugar used in place of glass) but the timing went wrong and many broken pieces of the glass pierced his face. 

Salman and Nadiadwala both rushed to Ajay and the latter immediately arranged for a car to drive him to a hospital. The shooting was called off for the day.

"Salman has four body doubles specialising in different kinds of action for Kick as the movie has several deadly stunts. It would be foolish for Salman to risk his life all the time. What happened was unfortunate," an eyewitness told Mirror.

Till the time of going to the press, Ajay had not returned to the sets. Mirror has learnt that the scene was wrapped up the next day by one of the other three body doubles working on the film. 

Silver lining

On Saturday night, producer Vashu Bhagnani hosted a bash to celebrate his banner, Puja Films' journey of 25 films. The party started at 10 pm and went on till 1 am. Amitabh Bachchan was one of the first guests, going on stage with Jaya and Abhishek Bachchan.

Vashu admitted that when he came to Mumbai, he stood outside the gates of Big B's Juhu bungalow. "If I got a rare glimpse of him, it was a day well spent. I never imagined one day, I'd cast him in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan one day," he reminisced.

Amitabh responded by saying that Vashu is one of the most generous producers. "And what's most nice is the permanent smile on his face - it's a sign of a very content man," he added. Sushmita Sen who starred in Biwi No. 1 recalled how he'd sent a team to Miami to pick up clothes for her, instructing them, ''Buy all the top brands for Sush, no compromise."

Dia Mirza thanked Vashu for not only giving him her first film, Rehna Hai Terre Dil Mein, but also giving her a family in Mumbai. To that Hrithik Roshan joked on stage,"Please cast me sir, 25 films and I don't feature in any of them!" 

David Dhawan, Sajid Khan, Tusshar Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia D'souza and Arshad Warsi were also present. Only Vashu's 'No. 1' hero Govinda stayed away. 

'This will be my Lord of the Rings’

Contrary to speculation, Fitoor, Abhishek Kapoor's desi adaptation of the Charles Dickens' classic Great Expectations, has not been shelved.

"We're shooting in Delhi, London and across Kashmir. The weather plays a central role in the plot so the prep took a little longer as we had to figure out the conditions we want to capture on film at the chosen locales. Fitoor will release as per schedule in July 2015,"he asserts.

Meanwhile, Disney India has announced their next collaboration with Abhishek-- a cinematic rendition of Mahabharata which the director, known by his nickname Gattu, will start after wrapping up the shoot of his Katrina Kaif-Aditya Roy Kapoor starrer by the end of this year.

The tome has seen plenty of cinematic renditions, the latest being Jayantilal Gada's animated version. But unlike the latter, Kapoor's Mahabharata will be a live action epic with a script penned by writer Ashok Banker, who is well known for his eight-volume Ramayana series. 


When Mirror contacted the director, he said that the Bhagwad Gita inspired him to take up the project. "There was a phase in my life when I was going through hell. It was the spiritual solace I got from the Bhagwad Gita which gave me the courage to carry on," asserts Gattu. But isn't the scale of the project giving him the jitters?

"It's all about going out there and making the impossible," he says confidently. "Unless we attempt it, we will never know if we are capable of making it. Look at what the West has achieved. They routinely make films on such a lavish scale and with every new film break the current record. My idea is to make the Mahabharata on the same scale as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series." 

'Samrat is not Sherlock’

She's a Barjatya yet her first production is not a sappy family drama but a thriller, Samrat & Co., revolving around 20 characters. Each has a dark secret. Even the sleuth, played by Rajeev Khandelwal, according to Kavita Barjatya is not the stereotypical "doodh mein dhula hero".

Kavita, the third generation of the filmy family, forayed into showbiz with TV soaps and after eight years of good bahus, bad vamps and no shades in between, was ready for a palate cleansing thriller.

Surprisingly, her father, Kamal Kumar Barjatya, who is the head of the family and the business too, showed an interest in murder mysteries during a period of convalescence two years ago and immediately said yes when she narrated this story writer-director Kaushik Ghatak had been working on for four years. "The rest of the family too has been extremely supportive," says the debutant film producer.

The breakaway from the Rajshri tradition does not end there. Kavita has used technicians who've never worked with the home banner before, including a host of composers who came up with a party song, Tequila Vequila, which is unlike anything we've heard in a Rajshri film'. 

"My favourite film was my grandfather Tarachand Barjatya's Dulhan Wohi Jo Piya Man Bhaye, but the idea here is to reel in the youth since they are the main theatre going audience," she says, explaining the need to go for digital movement posters and a YouTube campaign made up of animation videos based on Ghatak's short stories.

Explaining why she chose to go with Rajeev Khandelwal, she reasons that A-listers are very busy and she didn't want to wait for their dates for two years: "Besides, as soon as we gave Rajeev the script, he memorised all the lines. That's the kind of involvement we were looking at."

So can we expect to see an Indian version of the BBC TV show Sherlock, given that Samrat seems to have a lot in common with the British sleuth played by Benedict Cumberbatch? "Sherlock Holmes is a benchmark for every detective. But I've read Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie and dada has grown up on Bengali literature. Samrat is very Indian. Yes, he uses a magnifying glass and wears a long coat but so did Karamchand," she argues.

Does she plan to return to TV's kitchen politics again with her partner-in-crime Ghatak? "No, as far as TV goes, creative stagnation has set in. Besides, it's an exhausting grind and right now all I can think of is going off on a 10-day break with no Internet or phone connection," she laughs, adding when she returns Ghatak will be waiting with a traditional love story and a quirky one. "And Samrat 2. We made this film with the idea of a franchise." 

Love in Dubai

On March 3, Mirror brought you the news that Tanishaa Mukerji and Armaan Kohli had visited Vaishno Devi temple to seek blessings, along with Tanishaa's mother Tanuja and Armaan's father Rajkumar Kohli. Now the couple has been spotted in Dubai, painting the town red.

Early on Saturday, Tanishaa landed up at Armaan's place and told him to pack for Dubai. Initially he thought it was a joke but she had come armed with two tickets to the most expensive city in the Middle East. She had planned the trip to coincide with Armaan's birthday.

When the lovestruck duo landed in Dubai on Saturday, a limousine took them to Faysal Ali Zarooni's palatial mansion. Faysal, who is a family friend of Tanishaa's, owns many luxury properties in Dubai. During the drive, Tanishaa refused to disclose the final destination to Armaan and he was dumbfounded when the car finally pulled into Faysal's bungalow.

When Mirror contacted Armaan yesterday afternoon, he gushed, "I am not over the surprise that Tanishaa planned for me. I'm floored. This holiday is like a dream. We are in Dubai and will be back in a couple of days."

Rahul dating Mugdha?

Buzz is, Rahul Dev has found love again, but when asked if he is indeed dating Mugdha Godse, the model-turned-actor seemed confused as he mumbled, "I can't say."

However, he quickly added that he knows the actress pretty well since they are from the same fraternity. "We met at a fashion show last October and since then she's been a very close friend and a well-wisher," he said. Rahul, who lost his wife Rina to cancer in May 2009, has been shuttling between Mumbai and Delhi. "Right now I'm in my house in Delhi since my son studies here. Life has not been easy but I still maintain my Yari Road flat too," he sighed.

Rahul who made his debut with Champion in 2000, has done 85 films, several of them down South. "I might do an interesting role in Lara Dutta's Chalo China next," he revealed. Mugdha Godse remained unavailable for comment.

She’s the girl you wanna take to mom

Says proud papa JP Dutta, as he prepares to launch daughter Nidhi in showbiz.

JP Dutta has been working on two projects-Border 2 and Border 3 based on the Indo-China 1962 war and the Indo-Pak 1971 war respectively. But due to reasons he refuses to divulge, the filmmaker has put his war epics on hold to focus on a medium-budget film that he hopes to roll with by the end of May. This story about friendship and love will launch his daughter Nidhi as an actress opposite Nafisa Ali's son, Ajit Sodhi.

Speaking to Mirror Dutta says, "Nidhi is the third generation of Duttas to become a part of the film industry. She had assisted me during Umrao Jaan and I then realised that she was keener on facing the camera than staying behind it. But after that I went to Border 2 and being a war film, there wasn't anything substantial for a girl."

Then, one day, he heard her speaking to Binoy Gandhi, who has assisted Kunal Kohli in two films, and understood that his daughter was interested in starting out with a light-hearted romance. 

"Since I haven't made any romcoms I decided that Binoy who was ready with an original script, should make his directorial debut with this as-yet-untitled film," says Dutta, who had worked with Raj Kapoor, a filmmaker who never interfered when another director was at the helm and promises to give Binoy his creative space.

The film will be shot partly abroad and Dutta is toying with locations like Mauritius and Bangkok. And in India he is looking at archaeological sites down South and in Rajasthan. "I've visited some of these places but never shot there.They would be a perfect setting for the characters," he reasons.

So, what sets his actors apart from the crowd of newcomers? Ajit, he says, is a "good-looking, hard-working boy" he had planned to launch in Border 2. "Since he was committed to the company, we cast him opposite Nidhi."

Prod him on his daughter and he smiles with paternal pride, "During a recent photosession with Nidhi, her resemblance with Bindiya (wife Bindya Goswami) struck me. She has the same ende-aring quality, a girl you would want to take home to your mother." 

Vidya tells Bhatts she’s ready

 

Back from her US sojourn, the actress assures producers that she will shoot whenever required.

Vidya Balan opted out of Sujoy Ghosh's film last week, but she is definitely not in the mood to quit Mohit Suri's love triangle Hamari Adhuri Kahani. After a holiday in the US with husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, the actress returned to Mumbai on Tuesday and immediately had a long chat with the film's head honcho Mahesh Bhatt. Mahesh asserts, "All is well, Vidya and Vishesh Films are on board together."

With the pregnancy rumours squashed, Vidya will continue with her break with a trip to Sydney for a film festival, before moving on to Delhi to accept the Padma Shri. She'll be back in the city on April 3 and will meet Mahesh again to discuss the details of the film. 

According to a close friend, during her break Vidya will catch up on her reading, learn to cook and work out. "She will continue to do commercials and has just finished dubbing for one and signed up for a big endorsement deal which might require her to travel abroad for a few days," says the friend. "She also wants to renovate her home where she's hardly spent time since her wedding."

However, since the Bhatts are in no hurry to flag off their film, Vidya's break could get extended unless she signs another film. Explains Mahesh, "Portions of Hamari Adhuri Kahani will be filmed in the Middle-East and you cannot shoot there throughout the year. Also, Emraan's son Ayan is still undergoing treatment and the film won't start till he completes Vikram's (Bhatt) Mr X. He won't shoot for more than one film at a time till June."

Talking about Vidya's decision, his brother and the film's producer Mukesh Bhatt says, "I think it's great that Vidya has decided to take some time out for herself. Why should she do back-to-back films? A break will do her a world of good." 

God of small things

I've always been fascinated by the smiling old man (Krishna Das) that stands at Juhu signal with a placard that reads, 'Follow your religion. Love Everybody'. I smile back. For that moment, he is much more than the Holi Man he is known to be. I've also wondered about why and how he decided to do this. Bauji (Mishra) in Aakhon Dekhi gives me a slight insight into the circumstances that form such souls.

There is no sudden moment of enlightenment or earth-shattering truth. In fact, Bauji ends up emulating Mr Das to establish no particular purpose. Even he stands at a circle with the message, 'Everything is here. Open your eyes and look.' All they share in common is others' momentary belief in them. His friends call it Male Menopause and his family calls it a midlife crisis. Like Mr Das, though not spelled out (thankfully), Bauji eventually becomes more of a Messiah without knowing it. In this tiny Delhi-6 locality (and many others), people don't fear-but blindly follow-what they don't understand. 

If a man suddenly decides to believe in only what he sees or take an indefinite oath of silence, he must be more than just a father and husband. His frustrated wife (a flawless Seema Pahwa) reluctantly realises this, and even understands when his brother (Rajat) wants to move to a new house with his family. Her grief is definite; she knows what follows. While Bauji is still struggling to free himself of worldly possessions and seeking real tigers for proof that it roars, the daughter (Sarao) quickly navigates her way towards a future.

I have rarely seen a better ensemble cast (and production value) with actors so natural that you wonder if there's a camera in those cramped rooms. They make you believe in the plausibility of Bauji's meandering phase. I became part of their banter, urging them to unite the two warring brothers. The moment of resolution is pure and incidental-a final calling card for Bauji to seek his path.

Sanjay Mishra is so serene and endearing that one look at his face will immediately tell you that a journey of self-discovery to Europe is not an option for the masses. Instead, he must achieve penance within the limits of his existence. Instead, like Mr Das, he must settle for finding temporary meaning in the mountains.

I believe that when a man nears the end of his life, he starts worrying about what he will be remembered for. Rajat Kapoor's charming little film debases this theory with a portrait of an enigmatic old sod adamant on proving that infinity is not a number. See it yourself to believe in it. 

Ragini MMS 2

Dear Viewer, Do not fret. This is not another Open Letter. Just as the makers expect us to believe Ragini MMS2 is actually a film, you can go ahead and imagine this to be a review. I don't think they will take it personally. They are pretty clear about what they're selling. I like that. It is an open challenge—Take it or leave it.

This lette review is about you. I suppose you will enjoy a cheeky disclaimer at the beginning that says 'This film does not promote girl kissing or scientific activity'. I enjoyed it. You might even enjoy the meta-idea about filmmaker Rocks (Dabas) planning to make a 'horrex' movie based on the events of part 1. Ragini (Motivala) is in a mental asylum and Sunny Leone will play Ragini in this grand production. The crew will shoot at the same haunted house. Oh, and Sunny Leone is actually Sunny Leone here—ex adult film star, serious actress. In her director's words, she wants to go from Porno to Rituporno.

I forgot to explain what the term 'Horrex' means: Horror+Sex. I prefer Serror, which rhymes with error. I believe the real term for this mutant genre is 'snuff', but don't look that up on the internet. Why do you want to do that when you can pay money to watch this instead?

I should add that those of you with hearing disability will never enjoy an Indian horror film. I tried closing my ears, and all I saw was Miss Leone gesticulating wildly. Who would want to see that? 


Are you okay with the fact that Divya Dutta is a psychiatrist that specializes in paranormal cases? Or that her initial scenes are preceded by the same stock footage of Marine Drive? It doesn't matter. The makers are sure you will be okay with Miss Leone wearing her sexiest lingerie to bed every night. Or tied to a chair in lingerie. Where will you ever see that?

I don't expect you to notice silly technicalities like live (sync) sound abruptly taking over mid-scene. That is my job, not yours. Your job is to decide if you want to take up the makers' open challenge. Or would you rather watch a James Wan horror film (Saw, The Conjuring)? You can be deaf too, because he depends solely on visuals. Not on Babydoll.
A famous director recently concluded on a talk show that critics in India are irrelevant. A younger director opined that they are essential but misguided.

Dear viewer, even you know that reviewers are only as good as the films in their country. Hence, today, I am very irrelevant and we are misguided.

Not your fault. Yours faithfully, Irrelevant Critic 

Stage set for Kajol's comeback

Ajay Devgn has tied up with the Lullas to flag off his wife's film.

Kajol is gearing up to return to the silver screen in husband Ajay Devgn's next.

A few days ago, the actress told the media that she had green-lighted a film to be produced by Ajay. Now, Mirror has learnt that the actor/producer has joined hands with Sunil and Kishore Lulla's Eros International to co-produce the film.

Kajol had previously said that the home venture may take off by year-end. A source close to her confirms, "With Eros on board, the film is taking off by November end and is targetting a 2015 release."

Ajay Devgn Film (ADF) and Eros International had earlier coproduced Son Of Sardar.

The film starring Kajol is a women-oriented subject with an A-list cast. Says the source, " The film will be serious yet entertaining."

The director is yet to be finalised. "A few names have been short listed. The final decision will be taken soon," added the source. 

Ranbir to score at Madrid

Well, Aditya Roy Kapur has already booked his tickets for the upcoming football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Spain. And now it seems he has got company. No, it is not the usual suspect, his old steady Shraddha Kapoor o his new bestie Parineeti Chopra, but another Kapoor!

Ranbir Kapoor, who returned to the city yesterday after wrapping up Bombay Velvet's Sri Lankan schedule, is also planning to leave for Madrid on Saturday just in time to catch the game.

Reveals a source close to the actor, "Ranbir is a hardcore football fan and at no cost would want to miss this all-important match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. He made the plan well in advance.''

Back in 2011, FC Barcelona had named Ranbir, a self-proclaimed Barca fan, their Indian brand ambassador. 

Although Aditya and Ranbir have been spotted indulging in a game of football quite often in Bandra, it is not clear if the two planned their Spanish rendezvous together.

Terrifying tuesday for Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore was home alone on Tuesday night when an unexpected visitor came to call. The heavily pregnant actress heard someone hammering on her door on while she was nursing her 18-monthold daughter Olive. Without husband Will Kopelman there to back her up, the spooked star called 911.

It turns out the unwanted visitor was a worker from cable company who had arrived at the wrong house. The LAPD brought out helicopters and squad cars and eventually the copters found the van and verified the mix up.

Bombay to Goa and back again

Plans afoot for a tribute to mark Mehmood's 10th death anniversary.

A week-long screening of Mehmood's evergreen classic Bombay to Goa is in the offing, thanks to the efforts of the comedian's family members.

Amitabh Bachchan, who starred in the film with Mehmood, has been approached to flag off the retrospective in the second week of April, followed by the screenings of the film at a multiplex in Mumbai.

The tribute is the brainchild of Akaar Mathur Ali, the son of Mehmood's brother Anwar. He plans to revive magical moments from Mehmood's career over a period of nine months through various events, culminating on his birth anniversary, September 29.

Confirming this, Anwar's wife Mona Mathur said, "Bombay to Goa is an unforgettable film. It successfully transcended all barriers of age, caste, community and time and has remained an all-time favourite. It's re-release will offfer an opportunity to oldtimers to relive the experience and for youngsters to catch it in theatres.

Queen and I

The Kangana Ranaut starrer Queen is one of the rare Bollywood films to have done better business in the second week owing to strong word-of-mouth publicity. Director Vikas Bahl is elated as he sits downs with Mirror for a Q and A. Excerpts:

Queen is being appreciated by both the critics and the masses...

What makes the film special is that people have connected with Rani's character. I've been getting messages saying the movie has given them a reason to introspect on their lives. And they're awestruck by the locales.

Seems you wanted the film to be introspective...

No, that was never the intention. I don't enjoy giving gyaan. I only wanted to make a fun-filled film that involved travelling. But the hold of cinema is such that it does things you never imagined!

Was Kangana always your first choice? 

I wouldn't have made the film had Kangana not agreed to play Rani. She is such an unpredictable actress and as a director, I wanted to be surprised.

She has also been credited for additional dialogues. How much was improvised?

A lot, and not only Kanagana but all the actors improvised. Once they're on the set, I let them do what they feel like as it brings in a sense of realism into the film.

Was Queen inspired by a real Rani?

Not really. In India everybody's life is planned and they are seemingly happy living it, particularly girls. Once they are 20, family are in a hurry to get the girl 'settled'. Only for a fortunate few the plan is disrupted. Most don't recognise the benefit of the disruption, but only feel the agony. In Rani's case, because her plans went haywire, she discovered another side to herself.

Yes, Rani's transformation comes from self-realisation. How did you manage to retain the character's innocence while imbuing her with an enhanced worldview?

It was challenging but I was very clear that I was making a non-judgemental film. In the first half, Rani gets over the guy, and in the second, she gets over herself. Her naive notions are shattered, one by one, and in the end when she hugs her ex-fiance, (played by Rajkummar Rao) who'd dumped her on the eve of her marriage, there's no hatred, only gratitude!  

People have drawn parallels to English Vinglish...

It's a great film to be compared with but we shot Queen before English Vinglish. When you travel, you meet people from different ethnicities. My film is simply about meeting people and growing as a person.

Which character did you relate to the most?

I'm the grandmother. Even in relationships, I have always stood two feet away from my date. So if there's heartbreak, I'm detached enough to find humour in it. I see humour in odd places!

After Queen, there must be tremendous pressure on you for your third film...

I'm an easygoing person, I didn't plan to become a director. I can handle it. Shaandar is a fun, destination-wedding film. An Indian family lands up in Europe for an exotic shaadi. I bounced off the idea to Shahid who readily came on board. I'm still looking for a heroine.

We won't deny RD's influence

Says Wajid, admitting their latest track has traces of a Big B hit.

Bollywood's twisted interpretation of 'inspiration' versus plagiarism continues to be a mystery. That is exactly the case with the recent track from Main Tera Hero -- Tera Dhyaan Kidhar Hai.

The song composed by Sajid-Wajid and sung by Arijit Singh apparently bears an uncanny similarity with the Kishore Kumar-R D Burman chartbuster from Kalia featuring Amitabh Bachchan -Jahan Teri Ye Nazar Hai.

When we called up Wajid of the composer duo to ask whether the song's tune has been indeed "inspired" by the famous Kalia track, he retorted: "It was not a conscious attempt, but I've been a huge fan of RD Burman. As a kid, I used to accompany my father to his concerts. And I won't deny his influence in our work, but I'm not sure to what extent it goes," he said. 

When prodded further, he added, "The lyrics and the vibe of the song are similar. Some people have called us to say that. But the tune is different. The roots of all contemporary music can be traced to a composition of yesteryear. You cannot help when subconsciously somebody else's work creeps into your own."

According to Wajid, a musician has his limitations as he has just seven notes to play with: "There are only saat surs in music. There's only so much hera pheri that you can do to make a song sound refreshingly different," he pointed out. 

Gang of Ghosts

A disputed Mumbai mansion serves as refuge for its proud ex-Zamindar, a British lord from the East India Company, a yesteryear Superstar actress, a Haryanvi brigadier, an angst-ridden rocker, a spoilt townie girl, a classist Bengali intellectual and a 'gareeb' driver. They're ghosts from different eras. What's more they're all part of a story being narrated by a struggling scriptwriter to a director scouting for locations at this dilapidated mansion.

For a fleeting moment, I was fascinated by the originality of this premise. At best, I imagined it to be a bizarre result of Kundan Shah swishing his satirical wand over China Gate (yes, the movie) based in a paranormal world with the sensibilities of the Munnabhai series. In between mandatory fart gags, there were digs at everything from Ramgopal Varma and his inane camera angles to Ragini and her 'cheap publicity stunts'. Forget that Ragini is actually the name of a character in this movie, or that the name Makarand is elaborately divided into three words that convert the film's certificate from U to U/A (parental guidance). 


Gang Of Ghosts is a remake of Bhooter Bhabishyat, one of the most acclaimed Bengali films in recent times. I haven't seen this social satire, but I could immediately understand its contextual significance. Buried beneath the thick layers of Bollywoodisation, the original script manages to sporadically shine through. It crackles with self-referential humor—a parody about parodies of films within a contemporary film-with numerous tributes to regions and their idiosyncrasies.

Of course, director Satish Kaushik refuses to quit when he is ahead, and injects it with a familiar loud brand of motley chaos. He disguises it as a no-brainer and the visual style resembles a stage play-which can be enjoyable if you view this as a verbose musical, and mentally replace the ghosts with animated dogs jostling for space in cities.

Instead of relying on a genuinely playful setup (social media 'Spookbook', cinematic whisky SAD 69, 'Ghoster' beers), Mr. Kaushik goes wild with unending medleys of customised old songs, a rather complicated narration by the writer (Sharman Joshi still in Ferrari Ki Sawaari mode), and Anupam Kher's bucktoothed buffoonery. Mahie Gill clearly has a ball while nailing a melancholic female version of the immortal KL Saigal, stealing almost every scene she's in until Jackie Shroff waltzes in as a late don. Somewhere between these spirits though, the real spirit of the message seems to have been lost in translation.

I wouldn't go as far as declaring this imitation to be the best form of flattery, but Gang Of Ghosts does arouse enough curiosity to make you want to watch the real deal. Excuse me while I procure a DVD. 

Lakshmi

Nagesh Kukunoor is the first filmmaker that comes to mind when I hear oft-abused terms like 'offbeat', 'auteur' and 'M. Night Shyamalan'. He has had his fair share of indulgent phases, but it is hard to ignore his voice— unwaveringly original, invariably at the cost of his craft. Lakshmi, his latest effort about the brutality of child trafficking and prostitution, isn't one of those mistakes.

A dramatised story of a 14 year old girl coaxed into prostitution in Hyderabad, this is a difficult and uncomfortable film to watch.

It begins with a bunch of helpless girls already at the beginning of a dark journey to the depths of debauchery. Lakshmi (Thakur) is one of them, as she is transported into a seedy world where lollipops are anything but sweet gifts. The Reddy brothers (Kaushik and Kukunoor), despite their dodgy Andhra accents, are kingpin pimps and the first faces of hell for the young girl. It is virtually impossible to not be alarmed by a topless Satish Kaushik, more so when you know exactly what he wants from his new 'investment' at the stroke of midnight. 



Kukunoor achieves what he strives for; his film is brutally honest in its simplicity. Much of young Lakshmi's graphic ordeal is suggestive, complete with how her body struggles to accept abuse every night. Every time the door to her room closes, my stomach churned at the thought of what (or who) awaited her. The writing is deliberately repetitive, drilling in this horrific draining of innocence through routine violation. Jyoti (Shefali Shah) is the madam of this 'Girls hostel', and hers is a conflicted character that drives home the helplessness of women trapped in this reluctant existence. She chooses to be the most desperate symbol of maternity, providing for her own girl by auctioning bodies of other girls.

Kukunoor's strength is also his weakness; his unfussy way about storytelling doesn't always work for his supporting characters. Ram Kapoor as the lawyer and the courtroom scenes are particularly superficial— a bit too matter-of-fact for my liking. Little more than cellphone cameras have been used for stock shots of the city, a piece of lazy filmmaking that disrupts the narrative. If not for (playback singer) Monali Thakur as Lakshmi, these glaring errors would have been unforgivable. Her fragile face bears all the scars of a traumatising, yet transformative experience. She couldn't have debuted in a more essential role, adding to the impressive list of female-driven films this year.

Lakshmi is not without its flaws; the sort of topical theme Madhur Bhandarkar would have chosen at his prime. It makes you cringe for important reasons though, and must be watched for its relentless pursuit of relevance and authenticity.

Hrithik’s loss, Ranveer’s gain

Karan Johar has found a new leading man for Shuddhi.

Karan Johar's magnum opus Shuddhi hit a roadblock after the original casting of Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor fell apart when Hrithik opted out in February, thus delaying the project. "I cannot let a vision like Shuddhi stagnate any further," he asserted in his official exit statement.

The film may roll soon with Ranveer Singh stepping into Hrithik's shoes. A source close to the development told Mirror that as soon as the actor returns from Delhi, where he is shooting for Shaad Ali's next, he will meet Karan Johar and director Karan Malhotra for a final round of talks before he signs on the dotted line. Last week, the trio had a long meeting wherein Ranveer gave his consent to play the male lead.

His Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela heroine Deepika Padukone has been finalised as the female lead. Her name was being tossed around even when Kareena Kapoor Khan was the official pick (Mirror, December 17, 2013). 

Many names, including that of Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan were doing the rounds, to replace Hrithik. But the source tells us, "Karan has zeroed down on Ranveer."

So, how will Ranveer juggle Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani and Karan's Shuddhi? After all both are big budget projects with demanding roles. "That won't be a problem as Bhansali's film will not take off before March 2015," added the insider.

Karan Johar and Ranveer Singh chose not to comment. 

Nawab turns count

Saif Ali Khan to star in a desi adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Alexandre Dumas's 1844 literary classic, The Count of Monte Cristo, has anchored on Bollywood shores after numerous international adaptations.

The story of a wronged man, who unearths a treasure on his way to revenge and true love, will be directed by Abbas-Mustan and produced by Sunir Kheterpal of Azure Entertainment.

A source close to the developments told Mirror, "Saif Ali Khan will be playing a businessman in this film. There will be two heroines opposite him; one will be a younger actress and another six years older than him."

Kheterpal confirmed the news saying, "Yes, we are working on an adaptation of the novel with Saif in the lead. The revenge drama is right up Abbas-Mustan's alley. The film is still untitled and will release in 2015." 

Mustan added that film will not be an outand-out adaptation as the story and screenplay are their own and different from that of the novel's.

"We gave Saif a one-and-a-half hour narration before he left for Mauritius for the shoot of Humshakals. He liked it and after he returned we met him with a bound script," says the filmmaker who's waiting for the actor to return to Mumbai from Phantom's Chandigarh schedule, to work out the film's details.

The director duo has worked with the actor earlier in Main Khiladi Tu Anari and the Race franchise. But as Mustan points out, the first one was a two-hero film with Akshay Kumar and in Race and Race 2 too he shared the screen with two heroes- Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor in the first and Anil and John Abraham in the second.

"This is a solo hero project. Tentatively, we should roll in October, after Phantom opens on October 2. But there could be a two-three months time lag," Mustan says.

Scott was 'embrassed and millions in debt'

 

The designer had committed suicide in her Manhattan apartment yesterday

L'Wren Scott's business was massively in debt and she owed nearly $6million to creditors, it has emerged.
The body of Muck Jagger's girlfriend was found hanging in her New York apartment yesterday.

Cops said they do not believe foul play was involved in her death. Now, it has emerged that the renowned fashion designer was 'embarrassed' over her business problems. Despite this, she always refused financial help from the Rolling Stones frontman.

Accounts for her business LS Fashion LTD show it had a deficit of $5,899,548 (4,237,164 Euros) and the designer owed creditors $7.641 million (euros 5,488,125).

Her company's debts had doubled year-on-year in recent years. The designer has been linked to the Rolling Stones frontman for more than a decade.

Scott was a famous stylist and fashion designer. High profile celebrities.

‘I was trained to handle break-ups’

 

Harman Baweja talks about Priyanka Chopra, Bipasha Basu, Shahid Kapoor and John Abraham.

Mirror caught up with the actor at Empire Studio where he was dubbing for a film. Excerpts:

After What's Your Rashee where did you disappear?

My father (filmmaker Harry Baweja) asked me if he should make a film for me. But I decided to take a break. I wanted some time and space for myself.

...to get over the break-up with Priyanka Chopra?

No, I was trained to handle break-ups since my college days. Priyanka and I still chat once in a while. She sent me a complimentary text after watching the promo of Dishkiyaaoon.

Will you sign a film with Priyanka today? 

If it is a great script, why not?

And Bipasha Basu's ex John Abraham?

Why not! But I'll have to hit the gym doubly hard to match John's fitness.

After Bipasha broke up with John, how much of a help were in getting over the heartbreak

As much of a help as she was to me.

How did Bipasha come into your life?

I knew her socially, but at Bachchan Sir's (Amitabh Bachchan) 70th birthday bash, something clicked and we wanted to meet each other again. She is a lively and caring person. Slowly our feelings changed to love.

Are you guys planning to get married this year?

(Long pause) We shall make an announcement when the time is right.

Would you like to change anything about Bipasha?

If someone is as emotional as her, the other person in the relationship needs to be equally sensitive with her. 


Shahid Kapoor and you were buddies, but stopped talking to each other after he got involved with Priyanka. Now suddenly, you are as thick as thieves...

We have a common friend circle and started interacting again. Everything is fine again.

Tired of the Hrithik Roshan lookalike comments?

People obviously saw some resembled him. (Shrugs) I can't change the way I look. Thank God, all that's behind me now. Right now I'm looking forward to Dishkiyaaoon in which I play a gangster with a heart. The director Sanamjit Singh Talwar has done a great job. Dad gave some inputs too.

What's your dad doing these days?

He is gearing up to direct an animation film based on Guru Gobindsinghji's four sons.

Sallu’s (F)ugly walkout!

The superstar stormed off the set of a special number, leaving producer Akshay Kumar high and dry.

Salman Khan's generosity with special appearances is well known. But the cameos apparently come with a condition; the star has to be the centre of attention. Unfortunately, Akshay Kumar was not aware of the rider.

Sallu and Akki were to shoot the title track of Fugly, sung by Honey Singh, a few days ago. While the young cast of the film being produced by Akshay, including Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh, Arfi Lamba and Keira Advani, were excited to have Salman on set, their happiness was short-lived.

After the shoot started, Sallu realised that it is Akki who's hogging most of the limelight in the special song.

Revealed a source, "Sallu did not know about the details of the song and was briefed when he arrived on the set. Since Akshay had more screen time in the song, he coolly walked off after shooting the first stanza of the song, much to everyone's shock." 

Mirror has learnt that despite the efforts made by director Kabir Sadanand, Sallu refused to shoot the rest of the song, which was centred on a lyrical exchange between Akshay and Sallu. So what did the makers do with the song?

"There is no verbal exchange between the two now as Salman didn't shoot for the whole song in the first place. They have somehow managed to wrap it up with Akki and the rest of the actors," said the source.

We sent a text message to Kabir Sadanand, but he chose not to respond.

Recreating snow-capped mountains

For the Barjatyas' first murder mystery, Samrat and Co, a VFX specialist was recruited to recreate the snow-capped mountains of Manali in Mumbai's Film City. "The idea was to create locations which would prove logistically difficult to shoot in ," says Prasad Sutar, VFX supervisor of the film. He has previously worked on films like Barfi! and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

He points out that with a classic whodunit plot it was easier to get into a space which could be treated as surreal. "With the help of production designer Jayant Deshmukh and cinematographer Sanjay Malwankar, we tried to stay as true to the brief as was technologically possible," says Sutar.

And the brief was to make this medium-budget film look sweeping in scale. "The story unfolds in a house in Manali. We created a part of the house in Film City and then went on to extend the set using VFX. We even digitally incorporated the snow-capped mountains in the backdrop," he informs. 

The action sequences involving Rajeev Khandelwal were mostly shot in Film City but on screen the locations will convincingly pass off as the mountainous terrain in Manali and Shimla, he promises.

"We travelled extensively around Manali, trekked up the Rohtang pass, and explored parts of Shimla to understand the topography of the area and the way the weather is at different points during the day. Accordingly, the background plates were created using a software," says Prasad, adding, "At last count, we have over 1200 VFX shots." This makes Samrat and Co. the first film of the Barjatya's to be so heavy on special effects.

Prasad is all praise for the hero. "It's difficult to act when you are shooting primarily on green screen but Rajeev was very patient," he gushes.

His next project is Sooraj Barjatya's Salman Khan-starrer, Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo that rolls in June in Mumbai's ND Studio.

"The Barjatyas have never used computer generated graphics extensively in their earlier films. But they are now ready to upgrade technologically. I had worked earlier with Sooraji on Vivah, and figured then that when they finally decide to use VFX they will take the plunge without any restrictions," he says. "And that's exactly what they've done for this film." 

I'm happily married to Manoj

Says Farheen as she readies for a comeback, 15 years after she pulled a vanishing act.

She exploded on to the scene in '92 with Jaan Tere Naam and Bollywood went gaga over the Madhuri Dixit lookalike. A spate of movies followed, including Amaanat, Sainik, Dil Ki Baazi, and a few down South.

Two years later, she met controversial cricketer Manoj Prabhakar and they started a relationship, even though the sportsman was already married and a father. Reports of a secret nikaah followed and then, Farheen disappeared.

Buzz was, after a four-year-long affair and a three-year-old son, Manoj had left Farheen to return to first wife Sandhya and their son. But then in November 2006, a Delhi court settled a dowry harrassment case filed by Sandhya. But Farheen's whereabouts remained a mystery. 

Mirror has now tracked her down to Delhi where she lives with Prabhakar and their two children--16-year-old Raahil and 11-year-old Manavansh. The cricketer's father and Rohan, his 25-year-old son with Sandhya, plus Rohan's wife (a match Farheen says she arranged) and baby, complete the family."So you see I'm already a grandmother," laughs the 41-year-old who is gearing up for a comeback in the Jaan Tere Naam sequel as the "young" mother of the heroine.

"I couldn't say no to Deepakji (director Deepak Balraj Vij). I'd do even a bit role for him," she tells Mirror in a telephonic chat. Quiz her about her sudden departure from the spotlight and she reminisces, "I turned down Baazigar opposite Shah Rukh as the dates clashed with a film I was doing with Kamal Haasan. After Kalignan, I was flooded with offers from the South and I accepted them because the money was good and they wrapped up fast. Then in '94, I met Manoj."  

 

Farheen insists that they started off as friends but somewhere along the way, they fell in love. "He was going through a rough patch and he needed me. So, I chose him over my career," explains the actress who made a hasty exit from showbiz and was soon firmly ensconced in domesticity."There were a couple of offers for serials but TV is time-consuming. My children were young and I had to be around. I have a home to run and a herbal skincare business too. Besides, I was happily married, there was no pressure to work two shifts a day," she says.

But why the vanishing act, given that a lot of former actresses continue to be public figures? The question draws a laugh: "I did not disappear. It's just that I'm in Delhi and chose to keep in touch with just a few of my industry friends like Deepakji, Aditya (Pancholi) and Shakti Kapoor. And though both Manoj and I lead very private lives, we do socialise and people here are avid Bollywood fans and have seen my movies. I just didn't give any interviews before this."

Sound her out on the rumours about her relationship with Manoj and she clarifies, "Manoj is a part of my life, as are the kids and his family. But I don't want to comment on his ex-wife or the charges of match fixing levelled against him. He's still connected with cricket as a commentator."

Farheen credits her atheletic husband for her youthful looks. "Thanks to him, I've never missed out on a gym routine which has kept me in shape after two babies. Since I'm blessed with great skin, I'm told I still look like I am 30," she says. 

And how have the kids reacted to her decision to return to acting? "They show my films to their friends and tell them their mother is the most beautiful woman in the world. They know I gave up my career for them and they're happy that I'm going back,"she says.

So Madhuri Dixit, who too has made a much talked about comeback, will have competition again? "Madhuri is beautiful, but I think I'm more beautiful, even my sons say so," she laughs. "Had I not got married I would have given her good takkar. She is an actress par excellence but I had age on my side as I entered the industry seven years after she did. But today, I don't think I resemble her. My hair is longer now and when I met Shatrughan Sinha recently, he told me that I look like Suchitra Sen. That's a real compliment."   

Scarlett Johansson calls Dylan Farrow’s essay irresponsible

Dylan Farrow's open letter accusing Woody Allen of molesting her when she was a child, has been labelled "irresponsible" by Scarlett Johannson. In the letter, Dylan had called out a number of Allen collaborators, including the actress, for working with the filmmaker despite the charges levelled against him.

Johansson, who collaborated with Allen on films like Match Point and Vicky Christina Barcelona, broke her silence on the feud that had Hollywood taking sides in an interview to The Guardian.

Dylan, 28, criticised Johansson, Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, Diane Keaton and Alec Baldwin for working with Allen in her New York Times essay this year.

"I think it's irresponsible to take a bunch of actors that will have a Google alert on and to suddenly throw their name into a situation that none of us could possibly knowingly comment on. That just feels irresponsible to me."

Anurag miffed with Raju-Aamir

The director got a rude shock when he learnt that P.K. too is set for a Christmas release.

Anurag Kashyap has been vocal about the fact that Bombay Velvet is his most ambitious film till date.

The maverick filmmaker has erected an ornate replica of '50s Mumbai in Sri Lanka and is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all goes well for his magnum opus targetting a Christmas release.

So, the news that another long-awaited film, Rajkumar Hirani's Aamir Khan-starrer P.K. would also arrive on the same day, a slot booked by him months in advance, has left Anurag fuming.

"All it would have taken is a phone call," says Anurag."I heard the rumours and called Raju to tell him that if they were indeed planning a Christmas release to please let me know in advance. At that point, they said there were no such plans," says a distraught Anurag. 



The call never came but three days later, he learnt from Aamir Khan's Twitter handle that P.K, that was to open on June 6, had been pushed to December 25 -- a slot which has proved lucky for him (3 Idiots, Ghajini, Dhoom 3). "It hurts because I respect Raju as a filmmaker and as a person.

Apart from being a colleague, he is also a friend," Anurag says.

So is he worried about P.K. denting the commercial prospects of his film? "Right now, I am focused on making a spectacular film. I'm not concerned about the marketing blitzkrieg at this point. It's obvious that both films will be affected if they release on the same day. We may sort that out at a later stage," says Anurag. Rajkumar Hirani remained unavailable for comment.

Brit Journo kicked about Bolly Role

Bureau chief of an international financial daily plays a diplomat in Sallu's next.

It's not every day that you hear of the bureau chief of an internationally renowned financial paper playing a bit role in a Bollywood movie, that too a commercial potboiler. But when you have Salman Khan on board, anything is possible.

Mirror has learnt that Sajid Nadiadwala, who is making his directorial debut with the Salman Khan-Jacqueline Fernandez starrer Kick, was running from pillar to post to find an "extra" to play the role of a British diplomat.

"They wanted a guy who didn't only look the part, but also could convincingly pull off the lines. They couldn't find anyone who fit the part until Chetan Bhagat, who's written the script, came up with an idea," said a source close to the film's production.

It is learnt that the bestselling novelist, an IIM graduate who was an investment banker before becoming a full-time writer, suggested the name of his friend James Crabtree, the Mumbai bureau chief of the London-based newspaper Financial Times. "And James who is a Bollywood fan, instantly agreed to come on board," the source informed. 

An elated James, who will be making his acting debut with Kick, said: "Of course I want to be in a Bollywood film but I was hoping there would be no song and dance because I can't do either!"

He admitted that many foreigners come to India to fulfil their Bollywood dreams. "I'm fortunate to be in a film without actually trying," James said, adding that he plays a British diplomat working in the Indian embassy of London. "The ambassador happens to be the father of Salman's love interest, and while we and another Brit diplomat are having a discussion, all hell breaks loose as the former's mother walks in."

The other Brit diplomat is a Swiss named Bernard with a thick German accent. "Clearly, Bollywood is not concerned about cinematic realism," he guffawed.

James is disappointed that he didn't get a chance to share screen space with Salman Khan. "He was there on the set, but I didn't get a chance to interact with him. My wife and I have been a fan of his films. We watched his Ek Tha Tiger with subtitles. It was a lot of fun," he said.

Is he eager to pick up more Bollywood assignments? "Well, yes. Friends have been calling up to say that I should quit journalism and become the next Tom Alter," he joked.

Yami’s royal act with Rahman

Yami Gautam plays an oldworld princess from a Raja Ravi Varma painting in the music video, Aabhi Jaa, featured in AR Rahman's just-released album Raunaq. The cherry on the musical pie: the song has been penned by Minister of IT & Telecommunications, Kapil Sibal.

"I've always wanted to do a costume drama," admits the actress, who enjoyed the four-day shoot in Chennai even though the make-up took a little longer than usual. "For a wedding sequence I was transformed into a South Indian bride and when I saw the original painting, I was exhilarated by the thought of being a part of history."

Rahman is yet to see her debut film, Vickey Donor, but Yami's face, reminiscent of the women Varma liked to paint, convinced him that she was the right choice.

And working with the Oscarwinning composer was always on the actress' to-do list.

"I've loved his music all my life and was amazed at how simple, composed and humble he is."

And did he offer to make a singer of her? "No," she retorts. "But I'm not a bad singer and some day, I'd like to sing for a character I'm playing on screen."

Dying another day

Eighty-three years ago, on March 23, Bhagat Singh was in his cell when jail officials arrived with his death warrant. The 23-year-old revolutionary, who had been tried and convicted for the murder of British police officer John Saunders, is believed to have quietly requested them to give him a few minutes so he could finish the last chapter of Karl Marx's book. Once done, he let himself be marched to the gallows with a smile playing on his lips.

Manoj Kumar who relived the martyr's short but eventful life in the 1965 patriotic drama Shaheed, insists that Bhagat Singh could have saved his life with an apology. In fact, Chandrashekhar Azaad had planned the perfect escape plan for him. But he chose to be publicly executed because he believed his death would inspire the country's youth to rise up against British imperialism.

While reliving his idol's life, the actor and his unit stayed in Ludhiana jail for two months and interacted with the real qaidis. One of them, a Sardar sentenced to life for several murders, confided that he'd been a jail warden in Bhagat Singh's time and nothing being filmed was exaggerated or out of sync. 

"Even the gallows that Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru walk towards were real gallows," asserts Kumar, who at the age of 10, had been chosen to play the fiery nationalist in a street play but ran away before the curtains went up, overcome by an acute attack of nerves.

Soon after, he accompanied his uncle for his first film, Jugnu. The film's hero, Dilip Kumar whom he knew as Suraj, died at the end and the young boy cried all the way back home.

But a few months later, he spotted Suraj again on the posters of Shaheed (1948) and coaxed his uncle to take him for the film. On screen, he was amazed to see Suraj resurrected as Ram, fighting his father and the British, before dying a second time.

This time he returned home bemused and asked his mother how many times a man could die. In response to her "once" he prodded, "What if he dies twice?" To that beeji had replied, "Then he is a farishta, an angel." That day Hari Krishna Goswami who was later rechristened Manoj Kumar for the silver screen, decided he was going to be a farishta too.... He went on to die a martyr's death on screen.

Kamini Kaushal, who had played Dilip Kumar's heroine in the 1948 film, played Manoj Kumar's mother in the Shaheed that came 17 years later. The actress had retired and settled down to quiet domesticity since and was surprised when she discovered what Kumar had to offer. "You want me to play a mother?" she asked.

"Not just any mother but Bhagat Singh's mother," he retorted. Kamini Kaushal agreed and shot for the film while being seven months pregnant.  

The revolutionary's real chaiji confided to the actor that he reminded her in many ways of the son she had lost to the freedom struggle and even started calling him Bhagat.

She was at Rashtrapati Bhavan when Manoj Kumar walked up to receive his first National Award.

He invited her up on stage and as the old lady dressed in white stepped in the dais, the auditorium erupted with thunderous applause. Reminisces the actor, "The standing ovation continued for a good 10 minutes."

Indeed, some memories live on, forever.