Charismatic Karisma
By Madhur Mittal

CALL it unbelievable, or incredible, but the fact remains that Karisma Kapoor has an uncanny knack for making cine-buffs sit up straight and take notice of her. With her latest starrer — Silsila Hai Pyar Ka — she has once more proved her celluloid charisma.

To think of it, it’s her first film with debut director, Shrabani Deodhar. Portraying two dramatically contrasting personas in one single film is no kid-stuff, surely. Karisma has put in a performance that makes both her characterisations convincing. Although it’s been done before, this type of portrayal requires honed histrionics to make the viewers appreciate it, the dramatic change in make-up, hairstyles and dresses notwithstanding. Okay?

"I personally feel the in-depth briefing by Shrabaniji helped me a lot in accomplishing what I was supposed to," smiles the seductive star. "And it was very important to me to make a good screen impression because Silsila Hai Pyar Ka was my first release in 99 — the first after months when my fans went ga ga over my role in Dil To Pagal Hai. The expectations were high and, to be very honest, I was a wee bit nervy about it all! But I’m so happy that I’ve done it!"

Spokesperson Saif!

At the press conference for Biwi No 1, it was Saif Ali Khan all the way. He really had the scribes in splits... not to mention Tabu and Sushmita Sen who were either covering their faces or clutching on to their bellies while they doubled up in (uncontrollable) laughter! Karisma managed to keep a straight face as Saif went to town calling leading man Govinda all sorts of names — like "this joker here", "he’s a certified madcap" and "trust him to put his foot into his mouth without any political pressure".

Thank God for this witty, vocal Khan. At least he realises that there can be no "so-called" press conference without the lead actors or actresses clutching the mike and letting forth quotable quotes. Because, if current trends are anything to go by, the main marquee of stars and technicians merely sit one alongside the other, facing a battery of photographers, scribes and TV channel video cameras — either whispering to one another or simply, stonily staring studiously over the Press’ heads! Some ‘conferences’, these.

Eclipse of fortune

Perhaps, Shashi Kapoor was the first star to turn producer in a big way and sadly, flop eventually with enormous debts and IOUs staring him starkly in the face. The dismal ditto by Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher followed. And next in the line of the filmi firing squad was Jackie Shroff. "Was", because he realised where his production ambitions were leading him to — in the nick of time!

So Jackie was quick to change his tracks and plans before he also became a victim to mortgaging his property and assets. Jacks abruptly shelved the three (or was it five) productions he had announced grandiosely to, instead, concentrate on signing on as many new movies as he possibly could! The smartest move our man has made is to team up with Mithun Chakraborty since the lather is one actor who still enjoys the maximum number of new releases each year! Get it?

Ergo, there’s gonna be a spate of films featuring the two during the rest of ‘99 and spilling over into the next millennium — Phool Aur Aag and Ganga Ki Kasam, to kick off with. Wise thinking on Jaggu’s part, considering that his first, completed home production, Grahan, is under a total eclipse, literally!!