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The Dhoti Got Cooler, Thanks To Sushant
Sushant Singh Rajput once wondered to me why the national costume is not as favoured by Indian male celebrities as the saree is favoured by women in the limelight. Before Sushant other major Bollywood stars have also embraced the Dhoti.
Here’s listing the 10 top Dhoti-clad Bollywood stars.
1. Dilip Kumar in Ganga Jumna/Devdas/Naya Daur : The maestro of method acting wore the national costume with such casual pride it seemed he was born in one. After watching the Thespian woo Vyjanthimala in a dhoti in all three films hordes of youth in the 1950s and 60s switched to the loincloth as a formal dress code to college.Swadesi became cool.
2. Dharmendra in Anupama/Satyakam: He serenaded Sharmila Tagore in both the films wearing the Dhoti with such suave sophistication that she, the dimpled diva, simply fell for his charms. Dharmendra loves to wear the dhoti even in real life,though not to public functions.
3. Amitabh Bachchan in Anand: As the stern no-nonsense brooding Dr Bhaskar, the Big B donned the dhoti and looked every inch the Babu Mashai that he played.
4. Rajesh Khanna in Amar Prem/Safar: What is about Sharmila Tagore that brings the dhoti side out of her co-stars?It can be said with confidence that no Bollywood actor carried off the Dhoti with as much aplomb as Kakaji, a.k.a Rajesh Khanna. As the Bhadra Lok Anand Babu in Amar Prem who ends up frequenting a brothel to meet the only woman who offers him solace Rajesh Khanna insisted on wearing the dhoti right through the film.It’s hard to imagine any other actor looking so poised in the dhoti singing Yeh kya hua kaise hua without tripping over the baggy apparel.
5. John Abraham in Water: Who would believe that John had never worn a dhoti before Deepa Mehta taught him how to look comfortable in one playing a 19th century reformist ? John is unlikely to wear the Dhoti in his future films.Aisa roles kahan?
6. Shah Rukh Khan in Devdas: Whenever Sanjay Leela Bhansali shot his close-ups Khan would slip off the dhoti and shoot in his jeans. Apparently he wasn’t too comfortable wearing one.But he carried it off effectively.
7. Salman Khan in Bandhan: One doesn’t know how he managed it. But manage he did to wear a dhoti in one of his rare roles as rustic character. Playing his sister Ashwini Bhave’s protector Salman rocked it in the Gandhian togs.
8. Aamir Khan in Lagaan: Who would have ever thought this extremely urban actor would pull of the extremely rustic role, pull on the dhoti and walk home with all the awards?
9. Abhishek Bachchan In Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se: Everyone told Junior he looked like his father in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand. But Gowariker’s historical where Abhishek played a real-life freedom fighter flopped miserably. He never returned to the dhoti.
10. Sushant Singh Rajput in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy: Playing the 19th century Kolkata detective Sushant not only wore the dhoti he even performed some really intricate stunts in it. Way to go.
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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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Pathaan Collects 55 crore nett in India On Day 1

YRF’s Pathaan has apparently wiped out all previous records as it collected 55 crore nett in India and recorded the biggest ever Day 1 for a Hindi film. The total collections of Pathaan on Day One is 57 crore nett (Hindi – 55 crore and dubbed versions 2 crore).
It is the widest Hindi release of all time in India and also the highest grossing 1st Day for a Hindi film.It is also the highest grosser on the first first for a non-holiday release. Pathhan is also the highest opener for Shah Rukh Khan.
Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, says, “It is a historic day for Indian cinema and we are humbled to see the love and appreciation that is flowing for Pathaan globally. For Pathaan to shatter records in this fashion on a non holiday, just proves that the theatrical business is here to stay, provided we make films that entice people to come to the cinemas to witness a never seen before experience that entertains them thoroughly.“
He adds, “We, at YRF, are thrilled with the start that the film has got across India and we are hopeful that Pathaan brings joy to cine-goers globally in the days to come! Pathaan is the fourth film of our YRF Spy Universe and we are thrilled that we have been able to elevate the cinematic experience of audiences with each film from this franchise. We humbly share this moment with all the stake-holders of the film who have given their blood, sweat and tears to give people a movie-going experience like never before.”
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