When Indian cinema is redeeming itself offering good roles to our female stars, no winder famous stars of yesteryear are feeling rejuvenated, notes V GANGADHAR.
Hindi cinema is on the upswing. More money, better scripts, additional honour to stats, international recognition to our own Priyanka Chopra and Co. We have our own ‘Oscars’, Golden Globes’ and so on distributing awards to everyone. What more can one ask for? Mind you this is not a new story. From the time I started taking interest in Bollywood activities I was impressed with the friendship and spirit of camaraderie among our stars, male and female. Particularly the latter, The stars formed their groups, gossiped, played cards and occasionally tried to steal one another’s boyfriends and plum roles which were in circulation.
One of the major groups was made up of veteran stars Asha Parekh, Bindu, Waheeda Rehman, Sadhana and a couple of others. They often met chit-chatted, shared snacks, watched films on the video and talked about the good ol’ days and bad ol’ days of the present. One such meeting of the group was held at the Pali Hill home of a star. The mood was sombre on the death of one of the members. With bowed heads the rest bof the group paid tributes to to Sadhana,
discussed her unique hair style and condemned a city builder who had criticized in the media on the issue of her flat. Once these topics were exhausted the group turned to other juicy topics.
Waheeda: Asha, congratulations. You are quite a character. Teaching a proper lesson to that ‘jaadia’ BJP politician. What a disgraceful behaviour. Even the ‘Times’ carried story in great detail. Asha, I didn’t know you had so much apunk. This did not come out in your films even hits like ‘Kati Patang’.
Asha Parekh: Han! Don’t ever mention his name in decent company. The meanest fellow in Bollywood. We all know the notorious political guys, having made dozens of movies on the corrupt, ruthless, guys with nothing but political ambition (lowering her voice) Do you know some years back the body of a little girl was found inside his car. And
now he has exposed himself as a fellow who we cannot trust! Breaking the confidence of people like Us! Betraying our secrets, they are ministers (clutching her knees). O, they hurt badly.
Bindu: Asha, is it true you climbed twelve flights of stairs to meet Gadkari to request him to recommend you for Padma Bhushan and kept on pestering him?
Asha Parekh: What does Gadkari think of himself? A cheap politician brokering national honours and then discussing tem in public We may be film people but we don’t betray secrets with what we discuss with ministers. But the man did that Do you remember my hit film ‘Sach ka gadbad’ I am betrayed my political friend and would have been tortured by the villains but was rescued in time by the two heroes, Dharmendra and Dara Singh. Even today there are plenty of heroes who are ready to rescue from lying political villains. Let Gadkari make any more statements like this, he will regret them.
