A song for every season

Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and a Funeral, that was the name of a British musical inspired by the Salman Khan-Madhuri Dixit starrer Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! The title of the stage adaptation aptly summed up Sooraj Barjatya's second film as a director. Two decades after its release, on August 5, 1994, Didi tera devar deewana and Maye ni maye still play at big fat Indian weddings.

Lata Mangeshkar sang 12 of these14 songs and the 60-plus songstress posed stiff competition to singers half her age. She had earlier dropped out of contention for the Filmfare Awards after bagging four, to encourage young talent. But that didn't stop the magazine readers from voting Didi tera devar deewana the year's best song and Lata didi the best female playback. As a mark of respect to this overwhelming appreciation, she agreed to accept a special award.

It had taken Sooraj a year and nine months to finish the screenplay. As he candidly admitted, "The first five months I was trying to write another Maine Pyaar Kiya and then I realised that there was no point in repeating myself and started all over again."

His father, Rajkumar Barjatya, suggested he rework one of Rajshri's earlier films, Nadiya Ke Paar. Sooraj would occasionally grumble that there was little drama in the story as there were no real villains apart from the circumstances and so no scope for maar dhad action. The songs were used to build relationships, take the story forward and help Sooraj handle stock situations.

As he pointed out, when Renuka Shahane delivers a baby and her family comes visiting, instead of falling back on the usual cliches, Sooraj treated the situation musically with the song Dhik Tana Dhik Tana. His grandfather, movie mogul Tarachand Barjatya, so loved the song that he suggested they title the film Dhik Tana Dhik Tana. But eventually, thry went with a more simple and direct Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!

The film flagged off on July 2, 1992,, with a song by Ramlaxman. Sooraj had around 50 sittings with his composer while scripting. It took him three months to record the 14 songs and in the course of four-hour-narrations for every member of the cast he'd play the songs and if they weren't recorded, sing them himself.

For Madhuri, matching steps to them was easy, but Renuka who was no dancer was thrilled that during Didi tera devar deewana she was 'pregnant' so though it was tiresome to lug a 'tummy' around, she didn't have to worry about getting the jhatkas right.

Four years after it was conceived, the film was ready. At a private screening, Sooraj was told it was too long and had too many songs. But only 10 days after the release did he agree to edit two songs -- Chocolate Limejuice Icecream and Mujhse judaa hokar -- and a couple of stanzas from another one. Then, encouraged by the response in Dehradun, Gandhinagar and Nizamabad where the film opened in its entirety, he restored the songs and the scenes in the new prints.

The film, derided by some as a 'wedding video', was one of Bollywood's biggest grossers. Two decades, later Didi tera devar deewana is still bang on target.

‘My words have found their soul in Rahman’s music’

From afar, Kapil Sibal seems an unlikely lyricist, or at best, an accidental one. But behind the steely exterior is a poet in hiding and the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, is foraying into the art with Raunaq - a music album with seven songs composed by AR Rahman and written by Sibal.

The songs, by Sibal's own admission, are a reflection of the current social scenario in our country. He has also drawn from personal experiences. "When one writes, his surroundings often end up becoming important participants in the activity. I've found that expression through my poetry and the result is beautiful," the Minister reveals.

Each song revolves around a unique theme. From an individual's journey through life and the story of a woman's struggles and eventual success, to love and romance, the album charts several moods.

Collaborating with Rahman was an obvious choice for Sibal considering the musician's extraordinary body of work and his love for unconventional melodies. "Rahman is a genius. I felt my words had found their soul in his tunes," Sibal gushes.

He adds that Rahman's appeal also lies in the fact that his music has a refreshing, non-Bollywood feel to it. "His tone and texture is free of any extravaganza. He creates music, not items. When I wrote these songs, I wanted them in the hands of someone who had consistency of thought and I think Rahman's music has that."

With Indian politics at a crucial juncture and his own responsibilities as minister, where does he find the time to write?

"If you really like something, you'll always find the time to pursue it. I'm a romantic at heart. To explore that side, I've been writing these songs for the past year-and-a-half," Sibal asserts.

What a flying coincidence!

Is Sunny Leone trying to pull a J.Lo in her latest song? A billowing black gown, plenty of leg and a background of writhing bodies; there's surely a flash from Jennifer Lopez's Dance Again in Sunny's Baby Doll track from Ragini MMS 2.

The song, which recently crossed 2 million views on YouTube shows the adult movie star tumbling onto a pile of seminaked bodies. Even the pattern of lights on the wall is similar to Dance Again. Another uncanny resemblance: Sunny wears black.

When we texted the film's producer Ekta Kapoor asking if J.Lo "inspired" the sequence in the song, she promptly replied with an emphatic, "Noooo." However, Manmeet of Meet Bros. who has sung the track said, "Yes, a lot of people called in to point out the similarity. Sometimes the visual artist working on the song likes a certain sequence so much that it creeps into their work. I feel that's what happened with Baby Doll too."

This is not the first time that the horrorflick has faced the copycat accusation. The film's first teaser was promptly taken off YouTube following a plagiarism charge from the British band The Black Angels who alleged that the background track used in the film's teaser was lifted from their song Young Men Dead. Later, a different teaser was released.

Chalo Lara’s back!

Three years after her first home production, Chalo Dilli, released, on April 29, 2011, Lara Dutta is getting ready to roll with its sequel.

"Chalo China will be shot in multiple locations across Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and China. This film is not set in India," informs the actress.

Lara's character, the very 'propah' investment banker from Mumbai, Mihika Banerjee, who en route to meet her husband Akshay Kumar is forced to take to the road with an unlikely travelling companion, will return in all her manicured glory in the sequel. "We'll maintain Mihika's look and presentation," says the actress.

Vinay Pathak too will return as Manu Gupta, the loud sari seller who is a quintessential Dilliwallah. "I had put on 15 kgs for the earlier film, this time I'm almost there. Manu is not Milkha Singh so he can be of any shape or size. Even if he weren't obese and moustached, you'd still know it was him,"says Vinay, adding that after the cult hit Bheja Fry, he was deliberately looking to play a character that was not a stock comic and found him in Manu who enjoys street food and budget travel.

While the lead actors haven't changed, the original director Shashant Shah has been replaced by Shashanka Ghosh.

"All three of us worked together in a music channel. After Chalo Dilli, Shashant wasn't keen on doing a sequel and Shashanka had an idea for one. We started work on Chalo China a little over a year ago. Mahesh (tennis ace and Lara's husband Mahesh Bhupathi), Lara and I overlooked a couple of scripts before arriving at this one. We've been working on it for a while and we're just polishing it. It offers a different and fresh take on the earlier tale."

Like the first film, Chalo China is being produced by Mahesh's banner Big Daddy Productions, Lara's Bheegi Basanti Entertainment and Eros. Chalo Dilli was wrapped up in a start-to-finish 33-day schedule with only a three-day break. Its sequel too will be on the fast track once it rolls in March-April.

Will we see Mahesh making a special appearance? "No, Mahesh is not in the film," says Lara, shrugging off talks of a franchise,"We haven't thought of further sequels yet. I'm working with outside banners, but I will be able to share any information on them according to the timelines of the projects."

Wheeling Dealing

Shah Rukh Khan seems to be in a generous mood these days. A few days ago, the Mirror diarist reported that the star had gifted an expensive sedan to his wife Gauri on Valentine's Day and on Thursday, SRK surprised his Happy New Year costar Abhishek Bachchan with a gift.

This present too was a wheeled one. Abhishek was pleasantly surprised when a bike, a coveted model which costs approximately Rs 12.5 lakh, was delivered to his Juhu bungalow.

The two had worked together in Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna in 2006. But their rapport had hit a rough patch and SRK and Gauri were not invited to the Abhi-Ash wedding in 2007. SRK's relationship with Aishwarya had soured after he dropped her from his home production Chalte Chalte. However, K Jo bought Ash and SRK together at his birthday party in 2011 and both decided to put aside their differences and make a fresh start.

Later, the ice between Abhishek and SRK was broken at photographer Daboo Ratnani's party to launch his 2012 calendar. However the two actors have really bonded during the making of Happy New Year.

A friend of Shah Rukh told Mirror, "Shah Rukh is in a very happy place these days. After the success of Chennai Express, he hasn't stopped smiling. His on-going film too is making brisk progress."

Meanwhile, Bachchan Jr is getting ready to zip-zap-zoom in the Juhu lanes during the weekends.

IIM grad’s tragedy now on screen

Manjunath Shanmugam's story as been adapted on screen by ad filmmakerturned-director Sandeep Verma.

The film, bankrolled by Viacom and NFDC, also features actress Divya Dutta. Delhi-based rock band Parikrama will compose the music. It has been extensively shot in UP, with some portions filmed at the Lucknow IIM campus.

Asked what triggered him to make the film nine years after Manjunath's death, the director says, "We look to create heroes in our movies and here was a 'real life hero' - an ordinary young man yet extraordinary because he refused to cow down to the corrupt."

The Phoenix rises in B’town

The Expendables star, John DeLong, will make his Bollywood debut in Rajiv Ruia's film, Flames. Rajiv had earlier directed My Friend Ganesha and Main Krishna Hoon.

DeLong, who has also acted in films like Deadliest Prey and The Phoenix Rises, will be seen as a reporter with a channel who comes to India to research a project. "He studies a few tribal villages in Chattisgarh where women are still exploited under the guise of black magic. I had read about these disturbing age-old practices and wanted to make a film on it," says the director.

Ruia got to know DeLong through a common friend and mailed him the script. ":He didn't take long to say 'yes'," he says elatedly. "We have recreated parts of Chattisgarh in a Gujarat village and have hired many of the locals to be a part of the film in some way. They are all very excited about making their Bollywood debut with a Hollywood actor."

The film also stars Hrishitaa Bhatt whom DeLong meets in India and falls in love with her.

MATCH POINT: TWO OF A KIND

Some hug, some even kiss but we prefer those who show their love through outfits!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have already cemented their place as one of Hollywood's all-time cutest couples. However, they reaffirmed their status - and love for one another - with adorable matching tuxedos at the recently-held BAFTAs.

The stunning couple posed together in identical black tuxedos - and it's giving us flashbacks of their lead roles in Mr and Mrs Smith.

However, the two aren't the only celebrity couple to match their clothes before leaving the house to show the world they're completely in love.

Posh and Becks have certainly pulled out some rather special outfits from their wardrobes in the past in a bid to show a united front and who can forget the time Cheryl Cole and her footballer ex Ashley dressed all in white to show off their status as a power couple.

Perhaps those famous folk think we won't recognise them if they blind us with their double outfits but it's certainly not the case.

JLaw to quit acting for a year

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence is set to quit acting for a year - after making eight movies in the last 12 months. The exhausted 23-year-old actress will enjoy a much earned rest from the big screen according to Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein - who worked with her on Silver Linings Playbook - revealed: "She's going to have a long break for a year where she won't do anything. It's been non-stop for her and she deserves a rest."

The famed producer also defended her decision to not attend the BAFTAs ceremony, despite receiving an award for her role in American Hustle. He explained to The Sun on Sunday: "Jennifer is too nice and will do people favours and agrees to do a movie like American Hustle when she could have had a rest.

"She signed on to do Hunger Games when she was young and wouldn't have realised how much it would dominate her life. But she's a professional and always will be."

Mid-air drama for Priyan’s cricket team

Aircraft headed for Hyderabad returns to Kochi to deplane errant players.

Filmmaker Priyadarshan and his wife Lissy were gearing up to make an all-iswell appearance today in Hyderabad at their team Kochi Warriors' semi-final match in the CCL (Celebrity Cricket League). But the couple was in for a rude shock when they got a call yesterday afternoon saying that their players had misbehaved on the flight to Hyderabad and been off-loaded.

The pilot took a U-turn mid-air and returned to the Kochi airport following complaints by irate passengers and cabin crew. Enquiries revealed that their team had misbehaved not only on board but also in the airport lounge.

Priyadarshan and Lissy quickly got their act together and arranged the tickets for the players to take the next flight and reach Hyderabad in time for the match.

A source told Mirror, "The Kerala Strikers were in a celebratory mood and started creating a ruckus within minutes of entering the airport. The authorities warned them before they checked-in. Yet, they continued to create trouble even after entering the aircraft."

After a stern warning by the cabin crew, they went quiet. But 15 minutes after they took off, the Strikers were back to their rowdy ways much to the horror of their co-passengers.

Said the source, "The cabin crew and the pilot discussed the matter and the latter decided to divert the plane back to Kochi and offload the team. After a brief stopover in Kochi, the plane took off for Hyderabad again, but without the Kerala Strikers."

Admitting to the fracas, Lissy who is the co-owner of the team told Mirror, "I don't know what exactly transpired. I believe one of the airhostesses had a problem. But yes, the flight returned to Kochi and my boys were asked to disembark and take the evening flight. I will definitely have a word with them when I meet them in the stadium today."

Battered, not beaten

Shah Rukh Khan recently suffered a major blow while shooting for Happy New Year which led to a head injury, a fractured shoulder getting and a torn knee patella tissue. It's not the first time that the actor has been injured during a shoot. Known to perform daredevil stunts himself, injuries haven't stopped him, they have only pushed him to work harder.

A source close to the actor tells Mirror that everytime he has injured himself, he has returned to the sets in a week or at best, in 10 days. And this has often resulted in having to undergo more surgeries later.

1996 Injury no 1

(Body Part - Ribs) One of Shah Rukh's first injuries was in the 90s when he fractured three ribs while shooting English Babu Desi Mem. But he was back on his feet in a jiffy, shooting for his next, Trimurti.

1997 Injury no 2

(Body Part - Knee) Shah Rukh broke his knee during an action sequence in Koyla. Since they were in Arunachal Pradesh, he continued shooting so Rakesh Roshan would not undergo losses. He required a surgery later.

1998 Injury no 3

(Body Part - Right Toe) In 1998, while shooting for Mani Ratnam's Dil Se, he injured his right toe during a sequence that required him to jump.

1998 Injury no 4

(Body Part - Chest) While shooting for Duplicate, a costume that Shah Rukh was wearing resulted in a big cut on his chest. He needed multiple stitches.

2001 Injury no 5

(Body Part - Right Ankle) Shah Rukh broke his right ankle in 2001 while shooting for his movie One 2 Ka 4.

2003 Injury no 6

(Body Part - Back) While shooting an action sequence for Shakti -- The Power, he suffered a back injury. The diagnosis said prolapsed disc. In 2003, while filming Chalte Chalte and just before he started Kal Ho Naa Ho, he had to undergo surgery.

2010 Injury no 7

(Body Part - Left Shoulder) He broke it while shooting a cameo in Dulha Mil Gaya.

2010 Injury no 8

(Body Part - Left shoulder) Pain intensified during My Name is Khan. Another surgery.

2011 Injury no 9

(Body Part - Right Shoulder) Hurt it again during Ra.One and had to undergo a major surgery.

2013 Injury no 10

(Body Part - Right Shoulder) During Chennai Express, the pain aggravated requiring another surgery.

2014 Injury no 11

A door fell on his head during Happy New Year resulting in a fractured shoulder and torn knee patella tissue.

EXPERT SPEAK

Physiotherapist Dr Aijaz Ashai says, "I'm sure Shah Rukh is exercising regularly. He needs to work on building muscle around joints and increase the endurance of muscle fibre. He also needs to rest for a while so an injury can heal. He has a flexible body and many people guiding him.