Compiled by Poorva Rajaram
So far, we have heard one interesting thing about Nargis Fakhri, the star in Imtiaz Ali’s upcoming Rockstar, the muttering topic on Page 3 and Ranbir Kapoor’s rumoured girlfriend. Fakhri nearly made it to the house (the final round) of America’s Next Top Model in Cycle 3 that took place long ago in 2004. And, in a fleeting appearance, she proved she was no ordinary contestant. Either pluck or self-defeating honesty drove her to announce in front of all the judges that she was not very interested in fashion or modelling! We would like to retroactively congratulate her for incurring Tyra Banks’wrath.
Lots Of News Is Good News
Sonam Kapoor just can’t seem to fall out of B-town’s glitzy orbit. She has rightfully won the Golden Kela — Bollywood’s only self-taming bullshit detector — for ‘acting’ in Aisha. But don’t fear, there are rumours of a ripe role in Dabangg 2. More rumours include trouble in make-up vans on the sets of Mausam. Perhaps, the make-up artist was from Haryana and accidentally called Shefali (rememberAisha?). If you are one of those who think cosmic order is governed by the butterfly effect, Kapoor’s candour on Koffee With Karan could be the catalyst for its death. Apparently, the rest of the season will have reruns because potential guests, fearing backlash, are afraid to bare all.
We are not sure what to make of the proposed Ishqiya sequel. We would love to hear Rekha Bhardwaj alluringly chant via-a-misty- eyed Vidya Balan again and would love to see another eye-tickling Arshad Warsi sex scene. But, we are not sure crime caper plots can have a sequel. If you’ve already blown up buildings, intercepted arms dealers, disinterred dead husbands and given us a furiously rotating love triangle, what’s left? We are quite convinced that Abhishek Chaubey will be up to the challenge. If their adventures take place with Balan wearing those joyously floral saris, perhaps we won’t even judge the plot contortions in store for us.
Time And Time Again
We already know that both of Anuja Chauhan’s splendidly zeitgeist books, The Zoya Factor (2008) and Battle For Bittora (2010) are being turned into movies. But that brings us to that niggling question, where are the movies? In the meantime, though, Chauhan is writing a screenplay for Nikhil Advani, writer and director of Salaam-e-Ishq (2007), and the movie might land in your universe before her two books. We are also glad Chauhan was not fettered by Bollywood’s time-lag syndrome because we know that our movie-watching sprightliness will only shoot up once we are not subjected to Advani’s screenwriting.
‘At work, I dominate; at home, I’m dominated’
WHO A fashion veteran for the past 20 years, BBC called her ‘Gaultier of the East’. Her impressive clientele includes the likes of Naomi Campbell, Uma Thurman to Lara Dutta. She is married to businessman Ajay Sharma and is the mother of two sons.
By Niha Masih
Did you ever try to hide your background to be cool in school?
We are Jats and, at that point, I don’t think we were very proud to have tonnes of Jat relatives. Today, I think it’s a matter of pride and I’m very happy being one. Now I’m not afraid of showing it. When we were young, we tried to show off by saying we’re Punjabis.
How did you discover your calling?
My parents wanted me to get married. Even as a fashion design student at a polytechnic, I did not think fashion was my calling. At that time, I used to think I’m an intellectual and way smarter than most of the other girls in my school. I didn’t think so much but I guess I wanted to be a teacher. Everybody wants to be one when they are young.
Do you have any rules in your marriage?
My husband and I are just two human beings who are together because we love each other. I come home to him every evening after work. Other than that, I don’t have any rules. Marriage is based on trust. I’m not going to paint a perfect picture because it never is. At the end of the day, you are two different people. I’m dominating at work and I’m dominated at home. There is conflict in every marriage. Luckily, we have kept our spark going. The formula is to ignore the small issues.
How do you cope with your high-stress job?
I think my rebirth has been my discovery of Buddhism. I am sure I would have been a headless chicken by now in some clinic, suffering from lack of sleep or a person with a high panic disorder. Life changed completely after I became a Buddhist. I took upon my challenges better.
Would you bring up your children any differently?
The funny thing is you always think that everything that went wrong with you is because of your parents and when you become a parent, you try too hard. The phrase ‘perfect parenting’ doesn’t exist. I’m the tough cop of the house. My husband is the good cop and I’m the bad cop.