Big B's Big Bash!

Take a bow, Tina and Anil Ambani! This is the way to mark a landmark Birthday for a good friend. Reliance Mediaworks in distant Film City , pulled out all the stops to celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's 70 th. My eyes were reserved for Baby B - little Aaradhya, who totally stole the show on stage. And that's quite a feat when the stage has all the other Bachchans on it...plus, Karan Johar! I have to rush. Am catching a flight to Goa. And then leaving for the Khushwant Singh Lit Fest in Kasauli. More, much more on the Shahenshah's party on my return. This is just the tantalising teaser. For me, Sridevi clad in a red gown, was by far the most super glam heroine around. And yes, she was speaking English-Vinglish.

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Big B's Big Day coming up....

These are my Four Deviyaan. That's Mallika Noor Mehta to the far right. I guess you know the rest? Arundhati, Avantikka and Anandita. My girls! ******************** Big B’s Big Day Shall we just say Amitabh Bachchan has been declared the 8th Wonder of the World on his 70th Birthday? And why not? I cannot think of a single other actor in the history of cinema who has held his own for over forty years in as tough and competitive a business as movies? In an industry defined by the transitory nature of people’s love and admiration, here’s someone who soared to the pinnacle four decades ago, and pretty much stayed there. Yes, there have been a few hiccups along the way, and low periods, too. But somehow…. almost miraculously so, Amitabh has managed to hang in there, not as just another senior actor hired to play character roles in big ticket films, but , get this – as an undisputed Superstar, able to command a fawning audience on his own terms. That is a unique feat. And one has to hand it to him. Amitabh’s equation with his fraternity is equally unique. Not one to be on buddy- buddy terms with too many hangers- on, today, Amitabh conveys the image of a magnificent lion… the unchallenged King of the Jungle. A lone player, reasonably happy in his own lair, surrounding by his pride. Amitabh remains aloof and somewhat detached from the lunatic life in the movies, even as he puts in hours and hours of hard work at a pretty relentless pace. Men half his age can’t or refuse to keep up. But this guy carries on… it’s a job, and someone’s got to do it. It is this admirable commitment to his chosen profession that has got Amitabh to where he is. Nothing more, nothing less. His positioning today is so phenomenal, it would not be an exaggeration to call him The Untouchable. It wasn’t always this way. Amitabh had to confront crises that might have destroyed lesser beings. Crises, in the professional and personal realms. That he rode them out without a big dent to his halo, is remarkable. There aren’t too many people who can claim to know Mr. Bachchan. Perhaps he prefers it this way. He has his loyal acolytes who’d happily give an arm and a leg for him, but those are anonymous, discreet individuals, content to be in his orbit, demanding nothing from the man, but a few minutes of his attention. Apart from family members, his close friends remain the ones he made decades ago.There is no space in his crowded life for anyone else. Despite his killer schedule, he manages his relationships efficiently, maintaining a healthy balance between his career and personal priorities. For the past seven years, he has stayed away from alcohol. His health regimen is equally well calibrated, be it the vegetarian food he prefers or the disciplined exercise routine he sticks to. Amitabh’s strict regime is worth emulating.As an actor, he does what he is paid for - he acts.He is alarmingly punctual on the sets, and comes well prepared , lines memorized, make up in place. Compare this to the roguish conduct of far younger stars ( or even some of his contemporaries), there is a key lesson in there for those aspiring to his exalted position. Once on the set, he focuses on doing the best he can to interpret the director’s vision. Zero interference, zero meddling. Once ‘pack up’ is announced, the man is off to occupy other worlds, pursue other passions. Blogs, Twitter and more recently, Face Book, The Big B at 70 is still a hyper active player and presence across platforms. While watching the utterly captivating ‘English Vinglish’, a simple yet telling line flashed on the screen : 100 Years of Indian Cinema. 70 Years of Amitabh Bachchan. Take a bow, Sexy Sam…. the best is yet to come!

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Think Pink. Now!

It will happen a few minutes from now. Mumbai's stunning Sea Link will be bathed in a pink glow. It's a part of the global Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative. ****************** This appeared in The Week.... Topless Kate… Alright, the whole world has seen the royal bum. And then some more. So?Apart from the churlish response of some obscure Irish editor, the others have reacted with mild amusement. Nobody has died of shock so far. Poor Kate… is the general feeling about ‘those’ naughty pictures. In this era of zero privacy for public figures, it comes as no surprise that the future Queen of England was the target of a particularly adventurous paparazzo who’d positioned himself strategically across a chateau where the young royals were taking a break, armed with modern day’s most lethal weapon – a telephoto lens. It’s a no brainer! Had it not been this particular photographer’s ingenuity, a press party in a chopper, hungrily circling over the private property where Kate was airing her body parts would have managed a sizzling scoop, too. This is how it goes in today’s ferociously competitive times. A photo-op like this one comes but once in a journalist’s career. These are professional peeping toms who make a living out of snooping on celebrity antics. Big money, combined with vicarious thrills provided by such pictures, feeds an entire industry devoted to juicy gossip. That the ‘victim’ this time happened to be Kate Middleton, should come as no surprise. She is one of the most watched human beings on earth. In much the same way as Princess Diana, her late mother-in-law once was. Scandalous photographs of Britain’s royals at play have become a staple for tabloids across the world. Kate is young, hot, newly married and obviously in love with her husband. That the Brits are obsessed with her… and sun bathing, is not a new discovery, either, given their wretched weather and equally wretched mood. Anybody who understands the rules of tanning knows there is nothing worse than a partial tan. A good tan has to be an all over tan.Kate clearly believes in getting her tan right. For that to happen, she has to lose her bikini top. Plus, the bottom. How else can the royal buns look appropriately baked? As always, the old girl ( Queen Elizabeth) has maintained a stiff upper lip and left it to her staff to get into action. Frankly, had the royal couple laughed it off , the world would have reacted equally casually. But William has been wrongly advised – yet again! It was really silly of him to get all huffy over his wife’s bare body being ogled at and worse, commented on, by readers of racy Italian magazines. By protesting and sending a legal notice, those candid pictures have acquired a great deal of importance. Let’s be honest : what’s the big fuss all about? Have we not seen tits and ass before Kate’s assets became public property? The internet is clogged with nanga pictures of celebrities – sports stars, movie stars, politicians, rock stars, models…it’s come to the point where one can dial-a-nude.A big ticket nude, at that. Moral huffing and puffing about indignity, intrusion, ignominy, vaghera –vaghera, is so last century. Given all the hi-tech hardware so freely available in the market, plus, the all pervasive presence of spies- in –the- skies, it’s a wonder we didn’t get images of the royal suhaag raat itself. Or perhaps, I have spoken too soon. Poor Princess Diana was betrayed by her butler, bodyguard and chamber maid. Who knows? Perhaps there was a royal footmen hiding under the four poster on their wedding night recording every moan and groan on his nifty camera phone? Meanwhile, reactions to the debacle on countless digital platforms have been most telling. The really offensive pictures (according to those who post irreverent opinions by the micro-second), aren’t the ones that expose Kate’s bootylicious anatomy. They are the ones of the couple being carried in a palanquin by natives during their post-scandal trip to the islands. The royal backside is fully covered, as is the royal head in Malaysia. But somehow, the obscenity of the images strikes a lot of people as being far more offensive in what it conveys. Did William and Kate have any say in those photo-ops? Unlikely. By the same argument, did the two lovebirds have anything to do with the exposed ass shots? Nope. They were caught on the wrong foot by an intrepid lensman. Such are the travails of 21st century celebrityhood. Kate should remain above and beyond it all. Her late mother-in-law had a superb body that she happily flaunted. Kate’s is pretty good , too. As they say… when you’ve got it… you know the rest. Moral of the story: next time Kate, find yourself a sanitized tanning parlour. Better still, opt for a sprayed on tan- from -a -can.

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Mama De's big night!

Aditya,Anandita and Arundhati dress up for Mama De's big night! And what a super fabulous night it was! Warm and wonderful all the way. The Vintage Veuve Clicquot definitely helped set the mood for a truly sparkling evening.... and the Tribute itself was powerful and inspiring. I was even more touched and impressed by the informal tributes paid to me by two good friends - Alex Kuruvilla and Tasneem Zakaria Mehta. In the beautiful and accomplished Tasneem's case, our friendship spans three generations. I knew her parents well. I know her even better. And our daughters are best friends! Like great Champagne, even deep friendships improve with time! ******************** This appeared in Asian Age today.... Why Lit Fests are no different from Fashion Weeks… It was inevitable. The last Jaipur Jamboree received so much media play, it inspired every other city,town,taluka and hamlet across India, to get into the act and announce a Lit Fest to call its own.Today, there are almost as many Lit Fests in India as there are new authors. Which can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing. A few years ago, something similar happened to Fashion. After the early success of the first few Fashion Weeks, suddenly, every other week became a week dedicated to fancy frocks and killer heels. Encouraged by the excitement being generated in the press, several eager sponsors jumped into the ring and voila – we had a Fashion Week sprouting up in any city that had a mall, or was dreaming of getting one. Self styled fashion designers were immensely encouraged by what was seen as a huge boost to the desi darzi brigade. Today, one Fashion Week flows into another seamlessly and we have a year long calendar crammed with fashion. Nobody can actually tell the difference between these assorted weeks… which is also fine. For they are no longer about fashion. This is a fascinating phenomenon: Just like the IPL is not really about cricket, and Fashion Weeks have little to do with fashion, we now have Lit Fests that aren’t about Literature. My worry is this : while the IPL in its sexy avatar has thrown up a galaxy of young, gifted cricketers who have made serious money, neither the glamourised Lit Fests nor the frenzied Fashion Weeks have pushed the cause of poor, over worked and underpaid authors and designers. There are many more of us in the literary maidan these days… but how many of our tribe can claim to have hit jackpots? What have these high profile Lit Fests really done to upgrade the lifestyle of those who are up there on the stage, morosely reading from their latest tome? Apart from the firangi stars who have already made it big ( but, who, out of habit , still cadge free drinks from fawning local acolytes), the rest hang about hoping to strike better deals,receive higher advances, manage superior distribution – the usual grouses of authors the world over. The story of J.K. Rowling is an exceptional one. It’s worthy of several books. And bio pics.How she made it as the most successful writer ( in terms of earnings) in the history of publishing, starting off as a broke single mother, is by now the stuff of legend. With her first adult fiction (“A Casual Vacancy’) declared a best seller before a single copy hit bookstores, the Rowling juggernaut continues to move on. As the Newsweek reviewer pointed out in a piece aptly titled From ‘Potter to Pagford’, Rowling’s kid- lit was not written exclusively for children. The more important question: Did Rowling need Lit Fests to sell her books? Nope. It’s Lit Fests that needed and will continue to need Rowling. I am an incorrigible Lit Fest hag. I love the circus. Meeting readers is the bonus. Meeting other authors? Let me put it this way…. every big ticket writer holds his or her own nightly durbar. These are amazing occasions! You go at your own peril. Once the official sessions are done, it’s time to relax and diss. Publishing gossip dominates with anxious questions revolving around whose book has sold how many copies, whose foreign rights have been acquired at a record price, and which young thing is doing which big shot agent/ mentor/ publisher/ co-writer/ editor. This is the best part. There’s nothing like a monumental bitchfest to keep the ponderous, pompous authors from boring everybody with their genius. With hilarious and frequently scandalous, side shows galore, Lit Fests have acquired their own sheen and allure. Just like those Fashion Weeks, during which warring designers frequently indulge in very public spats. These meltdowns are far more riveting than anything canny organisers can dream up. Now that Lit Fests have started attracting sexy supernova celebrities from Delhi, Mumbai, London and beyond, what’s the bet there will be sponsors galore lining up to keep those thirsty throats from drying up? Free booze is by far the most inspirational element at Fests of any kind. Designers, models, writers, painters….it’s hard to tell them apart, which is how it should be. They dress alike, look alike, talk alike, perhaps even think alike. In fact, the scenario is so confusing these days, one has to stop and ask, “ Errrr…. excuse me…. is this the lit fest venue? Or am I at Fashion Week?” Even if someone does clarify, it hardly matters. The audience remains the same. Let’s see… at last count, I have been invited to five Lit Fests. I am tempted to attend all of them. I have a new novel to promote. And an older list to keep flogging. The brand new book jacket is looking good. But my worry is about my own jacket! It is sooooo last season! Nobody will notice the design of the new book. But everybody will comment on my dismal design sense. I’m faced with a major dilemma. Should I aggressively invest in the book? Or save it all up for a better investment in the latest ‘It’ bag? My practical self tells me to go with the bag. It will get widely photographed ( thank you, Hina Rabbani for an invaluable tip) even if it isn’t a limited edition Birkin. As for the book….maybe I should get a sharp and savvy designer to launch it at the next Fashion Week? Sethji as a show stopper? Why ever not?

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La Grande Dame!

A daughter's heartfelt tribute .............. My heart bursts with pride...mama De is painting the town yellow! What better way to flag off the "festive season", than with my mother receiving the Veuve Clicquot Tribute, this Friday evening? It is not enough that she has been a constant source of inspiration for me and my siblings, but also to countless nameless and often faceless women all across India and Asia, over the past four decades. But she receives this very special honour from VC in the category of 'Inspirational Women of the World'. Ladies and Gentleman, please do read the official note below:

Without sounding too gushy, this is truly an important moment in her life time. I feel tremendously proud of her. She has worked so hard and so sincerely and has contributed to society in the best ways known to her, and with all the resources at her command. Working out of our home, with the family dining table as her office, the perenially broken cordless as her dedicated hotline and with the services of our semi-literate home help as her "personal assistants", my mum has furiously and prolifically carried on. Never fussing as a creative or glamorous person usually does, she has done her work with all her heart and soul, over the din of kitchen sounds, the dhobiwaala and the phonewalla.She has always been this way, as far back as I can remember. Never compromising on her family life and valuing us in her life, she manages to balance all the worlds that she has chosen to be a part of. When I was younger, there were many times that I would be irked that I would have to share her or our time together with people who were mere strangers (intruders?) to me, who would come to visit her. I was always encouraged to hang about these meetings, and being the chipkoo little girl that I was, I would just stay put, sponging in all that I heard. All kinds of people from different parts of the world and various walks of life meet with mum and the case usually is that they come to her with the force of a homing device to its base. It takes just a few moments after meeting her that these people enjoy a "volcano moment" and simply erupt their thoughts, their troubles, their ideas, their hearts... Through these interactions, I have learned so much about the lives of others and it is only now that I can value those experiences. I have been fortunate enough to meet some truly great and wonderful people and particularly some fabulous women, whom I could have never met on my own. So I am glad that I was that chipkoo creature, clinging on to her and never feeling too shy to stay in! Now as I attempt to forge my own path in life, I find myself in amusing situations when people "realise" that I am her flesh and blood. The colour in their faces change, their eyes brighten and I know that they are looking at me in a different light. Without skipping a beat, I follow suit and play the part to the T! But it is so amusing...because she is just my mom, sitting at home in her kaftaan, in front of the laptop going clickety-clack and awaiting the return of her absconding children, even if they roll home at 5 am! But to the outside world, she is a role model and a figure of motivation. I can't say she is a regular mom, and thank God for that! I have enjoyed life's best moments with her or living vicariously through her. As I get ready to celebrate her moment this Friday evening, my only thought is that I hope to have even half her effervescence and joie de vivre. Chin-chin folks.... and drink up your cup of life.

Mum in Reims at the Shobhaa De vintage line of VC champagne Posted By Arundhati to aazäd aaväz on 10/04/2012 04:36:00 PM

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What is that 'something' about Sridevi?

Isn't this an intriguing image? Arundhati shot it at the fragrant and elegant LÓccitaine Boutique in Mumbai. If you look closely, you'll identify the brass L'Occitaine tile embedded in the flooring. Right now, even as I key this in, I'm slathering my face with the Creme Precieuse from the Immortelle range. I don't really know whether it will do much good for my skin.... but I swear it's doing great things to my mood! *********** This appeared in Bombay Times today... What is that ‘something’ about Sridevi…? While we all agree there’s ‘something’ about Sri, when asked what that something really is, we are totally thrown! We could say it’s nostalgia – for a top actress who waltzed away from dizzying movie glory , fifteen long years ago. That fact alone is enough to get her fans into a frenzy of anticipation.But that’s not the whole answer, is it? Many an actress has waltzed away, waltzed back and regretted the decision later. As they say in this cruel business, once off the silver screen, it’s off from people’s hearts and minds. Largely true. Fantasy feeds on visual reminders. In an era in which an alarmingly young Alia Bhatt (17) is being projected as the next big thing, and established stars hitting 30 are seen as over-the hill has- beens, it is a monumental challenge for Sridevi (49), a mother of two teenage daughters, to woo a blasé, hardened, seasoned audience once again. Will English-vinglish do the trick for the glorious Sri? I’d say, whether or not the movie sets the box office on fire, Sridevi devotees ( countless, across the world) will applaud, whistle and shout during the screenings. I know one such diehard fan who lives in Hong Kong. Rama has worshipped Sri from the time he was a little boy ( Rama is just 30 himself). His home is a shrine dedicated to Sri . It has been his sole and most fervent dream to be in Sri’s divine presence and breathe the same air as his Goddess. Well, it happened recently when Sri was in Hong Kong to promote her film. I am not sure Rama has started breathing normally yet! To evoke this powerful a response, an actor needs more than just physical beauty. Sri, with her statuesque body and those eyes like ‘dark pools’ ( Rama’s description!) that invite you to drown in them, is indeed a gorgeous lady. But there are equally gorgeous and far younger stars around. While most of Sri’s contemporaries have either opted for Reality TV ( Madhuri Dixit) or disappeared into oblivion, by picking an unconventional,quirky subject, Sri has displayed rare acumen. For a girl , who at her peak, was known for her standard ‘Ask Mummy’ response to any and every question, today’s Sri has responded to interviewers with poise, grace and intelligence. More importantly, she has picked a deglamorised role that relies far more on her histrionics than on those ample curves. That’s a pretty brave decision! Going by just the teasers and previews, Sri’s plain jane character comes into her own after facing enormous hurdles on account of her lack of English language skills in a foreign land ( Canada). Determined to overcome these hurdles and prejudices, the awkward, embarrassed lady decides to enroll in a language school. What happens after she acquires those hard to master skills, is the basic premise of Gouri Shinde’s movie. Thousands of Indians across the world will easily identify with Sri’s predicament. That in itself is a huge start. But eventually, the film’s commercial and critical success will rest on the audience response to Sri herself. One generation of movie goers doesn’t really know who Sridevi is . The older fans may expect another wet blue saree dream sequence, complete with orgasmic groans and close ups of Sri’s heaving bosom. Despite these distorted hopes, my feeling is that Sri will score big time. The reason is simple : Sridevi endears herself to her audience. She has the capacity to connect directly and emotionally to her fans. On screen, Sri is electrifying, no matter whom she’s playing. Off screen, she’s another human being – almost boringly reticent. The other thing about her comeback, is that she doesn’t sound desperate about it. Unlike most of her rivals. She, more than any of them, appears relaxed and chilled out about her big decision to taste stardom all over again. With an attitude like that, Sri has nothing to lose!

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