She is back smiling laughing enjoying life. Last year when reports of Manisha Koirala’s ill-health filtered in, I prayed they are not true. One of the loveliest women I’ve ever met,Manisha came to my home once with her boyfriend ,a kind considerate cultured man named Cecil. We all could see the love in his eyes for her.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with Manisha?She carries a sense of cheerful bonhomie wherever she goes. I’ve heard stories of her moodiness and temper tantrums. But with me Manisha is always a doll. A dreamily beautiful woman with a smile that can light up the darkest night.
She has so far been singularly unlucky in love
As an actress she was at one time way ahead of her colleagues and peers ,regarded more resplendently than even the dazzling Tabu. From the time she came to Mumbaifrom Nepal in 1991 every major filmmaker in Mumbai wanted to work with Manisha .
Manisha had no idea how to tell a Mani Ratnam apart from an Indra Kumar.She just picked whatever came her way.
About her early-days in Bollywood Manisha once confided in me, “I was immature. I was so young when I came into the film industry. I had hardly watched a handful of Hindi films in my life. I had no choice but to do what other people said . A lot of people told me playing the role of a growing children’s mother in Mani Ratnam’s Bombay would be suicidal to my career. I wouldn’t name them , but a lot of my colleagues criticized me playing a mother, and that too in a South Indian film, blah blah blah. They were happy doing teenybopper roles . I didn’t mind playing ANYTHING as long as I had something substantial to do in the plot. Fortunately I got the chance to work with the best directors in the country from Shekhar Kapur and Mansoor Khan to Mani Ratnam and SanjayBhansali. I learnt a lot from them.”
Her career began to flounder and there were many failed relationships. But Manishacould actually laugh about her mistakes. “Experience is the best teacher. I feel I’ve evolved as a person. I’ve never followed the rules. I’ve made my own rules by trial and error. I’m not Ms Perfect. I do make mistakes. But I’m not ashamed of them.I got major bad-press even back then when I was just starting out. 5 –6 years back I was an outspoken girl. Today my beliefs haven’t changed. But I’ve learnt to keep my mouth shut.”
After her dream innings as an actress her career began to fall apart and so do did her personal relationships. If doing the game-show Sawaal Dus Crore Ka was a blunder, so were some of the men in her life.Manisha turned down films with Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair and Shyam Benegal for the flimsiest of reasons.
When stories of her drinking became unbearable I boldly broached the subject bracing myself for a taste of the infamous Koirala temper.
She took the accusation of alcoholism surprisingly well and said, “I do enjoy my drinks. But I’m not an alcoholic. I don’t drink everyday. Most of my colleagues drink. Those who claim not to are the ones who probably drink the hardest.”
A true realist she could stare unflinchingly at her own mistakes. Once when I lightly chided her about the wrong choices in matters of the heart Manisha turned around and said, “I don’t think I would have been the person that I am if I hadn’t been honest. If I had to hide any aspect of my life, I would look back and feel terribly guilty . I want to achieve my goals in life and career without playing lying games. If I have to lie to be successful, then I’d rather not have success. I would rather die than be dishonest about my basic values. Yes,I’ve had some bad relationships. My family and friends saw it. But I didn’t. Even my brother is far cleverer about such things than I am. See, I’ve to fall before picking myself up. Luckily for me now things are okay.”
I haven’t seen any woman make such an effort to make her marriage work. In spite of those failed relationships she genuinely thought her marriage was for keeps because she wanted it to be.
“I really want it to work.Pray for me,” she had pleaded.
Failed marriage and a floundering career lately gravitated Manisha towards spiritualism.
Manisha told me, “All my life I’ve been a seeker . I’ve been trying to find inner peace through travel and books. The Oneness course solved all the questions on life and existence.I wanted to focus on other aspects of life. The Oneness course has changed my life completely. I’ve become so much calmer and more focused.
Manisha also intends to direct a film soon. Two years ago she went to New York University to learn editing and direction . “I know I have it in me. Some day soon I’ll direct a film. But it has to be a natural process.I won’t persuade myself to do anything I don’t believe in. I never have.I’ve been approached by some responsible producers. And I just may take the plunge,” she confided in me.
This beautiful creature of caprice has many moons to conquer. There is no one quite likeManisha.
Stay well,my lovely one.

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Jamuna Had A Love-Hate Relationship With Bollywood

Veteran Telugu actress Jamuna who passed away on Friday, shared an uneasy relationship with the Hindi film industry.She did eleven Hindi films including the iconic Milan in 1967 where Jamuna agreed to play the second lead, or the supporting role if you will, to Nutan.
Jamuna as Gauri was the Other Woman who craved for the hero Sunil Dutt’s attention whereas he had eyes and devotion only for Nutan. In later years Aruna Irani played a similar role in Caravan.
In Milan Jamuna was not keen to do a supporting role. Producer L V Prasad tempted her with three chartbusting songs. Besides, Jamuna had played the same role in Mooga Manasulu, the Telugu original of Milan. But it was the songs composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal which convinced Jamuna to take up the second lead in Milan.
While Nutan had no solo songs in Milan, she did have the chartbuster duet Sawan ka mahina . Jamuna on the other hand, had two splendid Lata Mangeshkar solos: Tohey saawariya naahin khabariya and the magnificent Ghazal Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin.Not only these, Jamuna also had a hit duet with Mukesh based on her character Gauri: Bol Gauri bol tera kaun piya.
But then, fate intervened. After the film released one of Jamuna’s solos, the poignant and memorable Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin was snipped out of the film.
Here is what happened: the Ghazal , one of Lataji’s all-time greats, was very much a part of Milan when it released on 17 March 1967. But then it was seen to hamper the flow of the film and edited out. The beautiful song occurred right after intermission. Producer Prasad, a shrewd filmmaker, got to know that audiences prolonged their loo breaks as there was a song after the break. Hence the sacrifice of a seriously sonorous melody.
Jamuna hardly did Hindi films after Milan. Her last Bollywood appearance was in Raj Kumar Kohli’s Raj Tilak where she was lost in a multistarrer as the royal queen.
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Karan Johar Moves Alia Song From Switzerland To Kashmir

The romantic duet in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani which was to be shot in Switzerland and which was delayed due to the film’s leading lady Alia Bhatt’s motherhood, is now being relocated to Kashmir.
Purely out of the love for new mom Alia.
Says a source in the know, “Karan loves Alia like his own daughter. He would do anything for her. He postponed the release of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani as the love duet could not be shot before Alia’s maternity leave. Karan had decided to shoot the song in Switzerland after Alia’s maternity love. But now he has relocated the song to Kashmir as Alia doesn’t want to leave her baby girl behind for long stretches.”
And as Karan Johar argued, snow is snow. How does it matter whether it is Switzerland or Kashmir?
This song would be Karan Johar’s tribute to his idol Yash Chopra. Alia would be dressed in chiffon sarees while Ranveer, for a change, would be seen in formals.
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Bobby Deol’s Switchover To Villainous Roles

After Prakash Jha’s webseries Ashram where Bobby played a sleazy godman, and Love Hostel where he was a ruthless assassin, he is playing the villain to Ranbir Kapoor in Sandeep Vanga’s Animal.
Bobby says it is not conscious career decision to play negative characters but a conscious decision to play interesting characters. “ I don’t look at characters as positive or negative.When I watch films there is always one character that stays with you. I want to play that character.”
Prakash Jha’s Ashram proved a gamechanger for Bobby. He admits finding challenging roles is tough. “I am trying. I am doing Sandeep Vanga’s Animal with Ranbir Kapoor , Parineeti Chopra. Then I am doing the family film Apne 2 which I am very excited about.”
In an earlier interview with this writer Bobby spoke about his long absence from screen before Prakash Jha’s Ashram. “My fans would ask why I wasn’t being seen on the screen.And I couldn’t tell them it was because I wasn’t getting good roles. But my fans stood by me. They gave me the strength to keep looking for the right roles. Thankfully I found the roles I liked. My new films have given me some new fans. I am thankful I am still here. Yeah , I am in a good space right now.”
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Undekhi A Dark Compelling Thriller Set In The Heartland

Undekhi the forthcoming webseries from Applause Entertainment and Sony LIV which starts streaming from July 10, looks like the kind of thriller that won’t let us rest easy until we see the last episode. It is mounted with a stress on growing pressure.
One promo shows a rotund cop investigating a gruesome murder in a dense tribal area.The other promo shows a politician gunning down a dancer on stage in front of the public and the press.
Wild West comes to the North. Undekhi is a thriller set in Manali, Himachal created for Applause by Siddharth Sengupta. It’s a gripping story that sees Harsh Chhaya making an impressive comeback as a drunk Papaji in a super-rich amoral Punjabi family. And Surya Sharma (Prince from Hostages) really shines as Rinku , the main bad guy and Papaji’s nephew. It’s got a terrific cast of other characters, many of whom we all recognize as names .
The talented Harsh Chhaya makes a debut of sorts on the digital medium with Undekhi.
Says Harsh, “I have never played anything so wild and mad. I am looking forward to Undekhi, hope it works for the audience too.This is a debut in a sense that this is the first one I shot for the OTT platform.But the other two I shot for after this was streamed before this one Out Of Love and Rangbaaz, Phir Se.
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