Sunday, December 23, 2001		Movie Magic

YES, a whole lot of industry people think so. You see, our ‘No 1’ funnyman takes his career — and his rivals — very seriously, indeed. He may keep on joking about it, but fact is that this is one actor who literally has both eyes on the numero uno slot.

These days, Chi Chi is involved in a new ball game altogether: Planning strategies! Like, he’s got over a dozen insider informers whose sole job is to keep their "Master" (sic) in the know of all new projects being secretly set up — and very particularly those of Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda’s modus operandi is straight ‘n’ simple: Before a new film is finalised, he arranges a ‘casual’, informal meeting with the concerned producer and offers his own availability for the role that has appealed to him — at an unheard of discount. He also ensures a long spell of uninterrupted dates.

Tell me, which filmmaker in his right mind wouldn’t grab an offer like this?With both hands, at that!

Lagaan has broken many records of different sorts, okay, but perhaps none as mind-boggling as that of newcomer Gracy Singh! Virtually overnight, this little-known TV actress has become the talk of Bollywood, trust me.

And she played her part of "Gauri" to near perfection in yards ‘n’ yards of cotton sarees, ghaagra cholis, backless string blouses, bindi et al. What a darling gaon-ki-gori! Well, this may surprise you, but Gracy happens to be a real cool cat in real life...loud make-up, sexy jeans and doing the disco with a vengeance....! How she could transform herself for the Lagaan role so drastically....and dramatically, to say the least!.....is something I’ll probably never understand.

Er...or should some the credit go to whiz director Ashutosh Gowarikar, too.

Believe me, I still can’t believe it actually, really happened. At the Udit Narayan Diwali Nite, hosted by the propah and elite Khar Gymkhana, all was going smooth as premium scotch till about past 11 pm. Then suddenly (and horrifyingly shockingly) there was some sort of a scuffle near the stage. The music stopped and all one could hear was the sound of furniture being thrown around. And a never-ending, string of the choicest invectives.

What the hell was it all about? Turned out that a group of burly club members had set upon poor Udit and were doing their beastly best to make pulp out of him! Can you ’beat’ that? Soon, other members flung themselves into the (mad) melee and helped the singer up from where he had fallen, hurting himself quite badly in the free for all.

The provocation? Udit inadvertently happened to greet a senior friend over the mike...when the rules of the club totally forbid calling out any member’s name who’s standing for elections! Jesus.

Apparently stung by some sharp sniggers and criticism, Roshan Jr has decided to take a leaf out of papa’s book and hit back at his detractors. "I just want them to know I’m no sucking loser. Or a nerd!" he says. Grimly.

"I know what my priorities are, what I have to do and achieve. There are certain camps here who’re jealous of my success. They’d resort to any petty (false) propaganda to try and pull me down. But, sorry to disappoint ‘em, I’m ten steps ahead of them! And they will soon realise that I’m no flash-in-the-pan star. Because I’ve made promises to my loving parents, Suzanne and myself. That Hrithik Roshan is here to stay and beat the stinking crap out of anyone who calls me ‘a flukey’? Got it?"