Film buffs will know if there has ever been another instance when a mother-daughter team of actresses have both enjoyed heroine billing concurrently in Bollywood
Sridevi and Jhanvi Kapoor
Mum and daughter team
Film buffs will know if there has ever been another instance when a mother-daughter team of actresses have both enjoyed heroine billing concurrently in Bollywood. By any reckoning, Sridevi and daughter Jhanvi's spate of signings have been the talk of Bollywood. As is known, Sridevi will be acting alongside Sanjay Dutt in Karan Johar's next to be directed by Abhishek Varman. (Coincidentally, this is a good 20-odd years after they starred in Karan's father, Yash Johar's home production Gumraah, when the famously moody star is reported to have shared her legendary frosty vibes with the Khalnayak star.)
ADVERTISEMENT
The fact that Sri's daughter Jhanvi too is being launched by Dharma in a remake of the hit 2016 Marathi musical romantic drama Sairaat opposite Shahid Kapoor's brother Ishaan is just a happy coincidence. Both mother daughter in top line projects with Dharma Productions?
Nice.
Vikas Khanna then and now (right)
Of big hearts and dreams
We have always been impressed by chef Vikas Khanna's drive. A big international success, he has won Michelin stars, been called the world's 'sexiest chef', cooked for the likes of the Pope and Barack Obama, and is the subject of a film on his life's journey, which debuted this week at the Venice Film Festival. Half of these achievements would make anyone proud, especially a boy from a small town in Amritsar, who couldn't speak English for the better half of his life. But we feel the reason for the success and accolades he has received has a lot to do with his caring, compassionate nature. Recently, we came across this photo of the chef in his salad days, accompanied by his poignant post on social media in which he describes his initial struggles on foreign soil. "Mr. X to me in 1994 – "You small town people, small homes, small thinking, small brain and big dreams, go learn some English"."
Me – "But Big Heart".
Nice.
Sabina and AD Singh
Kitchsy-coo
"Think of it as a baby shower with the fun of a bachelorette," the invitation reads for the party to celebrate the arrival of Sabina and A D's newborn son Zen, (Zoe Tara's little brother). Called 'Kitsch Kitsch Hota Hai,' in tribute to Sabina's penchant for the style that she has made famous in the many interior projects she has undertaken in their restaurants and her own homes, it will take place over the weekend at a popular eatery and promises to feature all 'the masti and madness that tends to unfold when Sabina Singh is in the house!'
As for the proud dad A D, when we last spoke, he promised to make good on the 'beer and cigar bash' for guys (and some gals) that he'd hosted at his favourite city club to celebrate the birth of his daughter a few years ago.
Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Sonam Kapoor and Anil Kapoor
That wedding thing
It's not only Indians who splurge on big fat weddings. Aneel Mussarat, the UK-based bizman of Pakistani origin, is said to have splashed about £4m on his daughter Anoosha's wedding to property developer Edmund Kissner recently. While PTI leader and ageing sex symbol Imran Khan was flown down for the occasion from Lahore, Pakistan's obsession with Bollywood was evident in the heavyweights flown in from Mumbai.
Not only were Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan and Ranveer Singh said to have kept their plethora of assignments aside to jet in to London, where they were hosted by the family in a suitably lavish Park Street hotel, but a formidable amount of money is said to have exchanged hands, for the privilege of their attendance.
Anil Kapoor and daughter Sonam too, who enjoy old and deep ties with a sizeable section of London's air kissing set, and have known the family for many years, were also seen at what many say was a feast for the senses by any standards.
Hum kissise kam nahin?
Bhupen Khakhar
Celebrating Bhupen
It had been Bhupen Khakhar who'd famously said, "I entered Samovar as a CA and left as an artist." To be sure, Khakhar, a CA with a commerce degree from Sydenham College, is not the only unlikely alumnus of the college who had turned to art. Culturista, art maven and leading dance critic Sunil Kothari also emerged unscathed from its left brain atmosphere.
Khakhar, a boy from Mumbai's Khetwadi, along with his friend and peer Ghulam Mohamad Sheikh, had gone on to become one of the moving spirits in the formation of the Baroda School of Art, and a favourite of the likes of Salman Rushdie and Howard Hodgkin.
Next week will witness a celebration of the artist who wore his homosexuality on his sleeve, when auction house Sotheby's will feature a talk on him by Dr. Rajeev Lochan, former director of the NGMA, to kick-off its upcoming Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art Sale. The evening will also feature two iconic works by Khakhar from the estate of Howard Hodgkin, along with champagne and canapes.
Incidentally, it had been reviews of Khakhar's retrospective 'You can't please all' at the Tate last year, which had resulted in the controversy over Western calumny amongst his many admirers in India.
The artist and his muse
The topic of artists and their muses was the subject at a recent brunch this weekend. While a late Delhi artist was said to have had many a beautiful lady paramour (but only tall ones, it was noted), the fact that his family made sure that his studio was placed under secure lock and key to prevent the secretion of canvasses supposedly bequeathed to them in a moment of ardour, was not lost on anyone. Another dreamy Kolkata artist meanwhile came in for considerable criticism for his choice of muse. "She's downright aesthetically displeasing," said one art maven, "and doesn't even make up for her looks with a pleasing manner."
But what tickled the gathering no end was the case of this young bearded artist from Bengal, whose works were flying off the shelves due to his beatific and soulful good looks. "Not just the usual suspects mind you," guffawed one gallerist. "He's got the wealthy 80-year-old grande dames eating out of his hands."
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
