Twinkle Twinkle little stars of B-town

As the year draws to a close here’s taking at all the newsmakers of 2008.

Tanu Talwar

A new ‘Kinng’, a desi fashionista obsessed with zero, a fashion designer’s worst nightmare and two friends turned into die hard jaani dushmaan reality is stranger than fiction and our Bollywood houses the strangest realities. Cooking up new spicy curry by the minute, tinsel town, with its taste for the good life and high fashion, adds that much needed zing into our busy monotonous lives. So as the year draws to a close here’s taking at all the newsmakers. Priyanka Chopra She fought, she survived and alas she won; a true showstopper indeed. Priyanka Chopra ruled the roost when it came to hitting headlines this year. Just when she was on the verge of being written off as the year’s worst performers, she turned the tables and walked away with the year’s biggest hits. The dusky long-legged lass, not only makes news she is news. Tumbling and falling off the ever so critical BO, the sassy babe cut through razor sharp competition and catwalked the topsy turvy B-town runway into all our hearts. Her 24/7 romance with the lens brought to the fore a femme fatale, who not only gave sleepless nights to the sleeping beauties of Bollywood, but also jitters to the ever so masculine 6-pack abs Hindi film hero. From movie hoardings, cover pages, brand endorsements, ramp walks to the alluring 70 mm if there is one actress who can be rightly crowned as the ‘Newsmaker 2008’ it’s Priyanka Chopra. Be it her ever so rocking professional life or the closely guarded personal affairs, Piggy Chops kept the gossip mills busy giving them some meaty speculations to feed upon every now and then. After delivering the year’s most torturous flick, ‘Love Story 2050’, the lady redeemed her flushed down image in the most fashionable and gay manner with ‘Fashion’ and ‘Dostana’. But what the lady couldn’t wash her hands off was her Hrithik Roshan clone for a beau. Passing shy smiles and soft blushes, she and Harman have been known to be sweet on each other. Still sticking by the oldest ‘just friends’ theory, this is one cliché that does not match our queen newsmaker’s bold image. Nevertheless, we bow to her never say die spirit. She deserves every compliment coming her way. Harman Baweja Alright so he made news, right but like they say, for all the wrong reasons. While his supposed arm candy Priyanka was the biggest hit this year, Harman too managed to bag a title for himself - ‘Loser 2008’- courtesy his dad. With an uncanny resemblance that did not go beyond facial similarities to superstar Hrithik Roshan, journalists had a field day poking fun at the Baweja lad. So much so, that some even reported of the actor going under the knife to get that Hrithik’s killer Greek God looks. With such similarities and big shoes to fill, the actor’s career had crashed even before it could take off. But those few who went against the flow and braved the risk to give the newcomer a fair chance, were left feeling sore and ashamed once his debut flick hit theaters for it was sheer assault. The actor holds the record for making the most disastrous debut on a magnum opus scale. After taking the audiences for a ride, it was only safe for Harman to go into hiding. But no matter what a big risk we know it is, we would like to say that the actor does show potential if only he stops cloning Hrithik and get miles away from the directorial advices of his father, this boy may just do fine. Akshay Kumar Akki the ‘Singh’ is the ‘Kinng’ indeed. Akshay Kumar’s Sikh avatar has taken the world by storm and it’s time we bow to this newly crowned ‘kinng’ of Bollywood. A consistent performer, Akki’s foolhardy village bumpkin Sikh act turned him into an overnight sensation bringing him accolades long due and the success much deserved. With his uber hot body, humble heart and brave gut, our punjabi munda left all competition behind as he went to claim the top spot at the BO. Be it acting in films, hosting shows on small screen or going topless for a mouth watering, jaw dropping, sexy ramp walk, the man ditched all fear to get his factors right this year. Sans any personal rivalries, the actor settled all his past scores in the professional ring; hitting the bull’s-eye with his every career endeavor. He not only scored over the Khan czars of Bollywood in terms of fan following; he hit them under the belt by pocketing the maximum moolah filmmakers had to offer. After all the ‘Kinng’s’ demands are the filmmaker’s commands. Long live the ‘Kinng’. Katrina Kaif Like everywhere else, here too Katrina is following her on-screen knight in shining armour. The lady, who has faced much flak for her anglicized British accent and Sallu for a godfather cum beau, was the surprise hit this year. Next only to Priyanka, Katrina is the sole actress who reduced all competition to bits and pieces. The sassy seductress, who has been touted as Akki’s arm-candy and an onscreen eye-candy proved her mettle to one and all with a trancelike performance with her real life prince Salman on reel in ‘Yuvvraaj’. But like all Sallu’s past damsels, Katrina too was in deep distress as she had to bear the brunt of his infamous rage. The muscle man’s hustle with Shah Rukh Kahn on Kat’s birthday bash brought in the much detested media invasion. Known to have used every trick in the book to evade inquires related to her personal life, Katrina also hit the headlines for bagging major money this year. With the sponsors going bananas and ready to shell crores over Katrina’s charms; the lady is surely riding high on the crest of success. As of now life’s a big rocking party for Katrina, who has the two of the fiercest men wrapped around her finger. Shah Rukh Khan While Akshay took over the Bollywood throne, Shah Rukh the King was ruling the controversy charts this year. Nevertheless the actor is a superstar. For only a superstar can manage to make news when there is no news. Only a superstar can afford to pick fights with legends like Big B, talented peers like Aamir Khan and industry heavy weights like Salman Khan. Shah Rukh Khan might not have had a busy professional year nevertheless his rocking personal life ensured that he remains pressed for time. He has had a sole release this year, yet he was one of the most prominent newsmakers who kept hitting headlines. From owning a cricket team, hosting time ‘pass’ shows to feeding juicy fodder to gossip mills through his tacky comments on industry big wigs, Shah Rukh Khan had been doing everything, but keeping a low profile. And let us remind you this is just the tip of the iceberg. Unlike the other Shenshah of Bollytown, SRK is deeply in love with his ‘King Khan’ tag. Going by his obsession with titles, it won’t be surprising if soon he’ll get this name copyrighted as well. However as of now it appears that his kingdom is crumbling with his ‘Mannat’ coming under a legal scanner, his golden boys fading away in the knight and good friend Salman turning into a die hard enemy (the latter being the scariest till now), SRK has had anything but an easy year. Nevertheless he has had more airtime than celebs, whose flicks have done a fairly good business at the BO this year. Wonder how? It’s simple as the man is everywhere and we mean that literally. Be it endorsement deals, public hoardings, marriage parties to TV commercials, you had to be blind not to notice him. While the speculations are still alive and kicking as to what actually caused the ugly face-off at poor Kat’s birthday bash, King Khan has moved on save his throne and is finally concentrating on what he does best i.e. acting. Cheers to that. Salman Khan Everything - and we mean everything - was down right dirty and personal for this angry old man of B-town. Controversies’ favourite child, the year had Salman Khan living up to his sidelined bad boy image. The year that started off with the macho man revealing his humanely adorable side, as he took up the host role, turned ugly as the most raved about friendship in Bollywood Shah Rukh and Sallu ‘yaarana’ went bitter. The once best buddies were seen as wild and bloodthirsty, out to slash each others throat. But unlike all the other times, where he had preferred to stay mum about his enemies, this time Salman was doing everything but keeping quiet. From firing sarcastic comments from close range to taking a dig at the Badshah every now and then, Sallu once again reinforced his almost forgotten spoiled ways. With still no word as to what caused the ugly face off, we all are still wondering ‘Sallu ko gussa kyun atta hai’. Aamir Khan Hire Aamir Khan and you have got yourself a package deal. An actor, singer and a ghost director, Aamir Khan is your best bet in a time of recession. Keeping up with his infamous tendencies of poking his nose into every aspect of films that involve him or his loved ones, the actor once again hit headlines for meddling with directorial aspects of his nephew’s launch vehicle ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’. But we know that Aamir and his itchy nag for perfection did wonders for Imran. So Aamir did provide a dream launch to his nephew but he made sure he spread the word far and wide that he was the man behind Imran’s success. Elaborating every single goody act; Aamir ditched the word humble and presented Imran as his much priced gold trophy. Point being, want Imran, call Aamir. But there comes some good of his idiosyncratic ways, take a look at his muscled up 6-pack image an you’ll know what we mean. The actor, who left mouths open and throats dry with his name-calling, ‘dog’s name is SRK’ blogs, hogged on the limelight for the most sought after trends from hair styles to health tips. His only flick this year, ‘Ghajini’ has already won rave reviews for his scintillating fresh looks and action cum romantic appeal. With such promising films by his side, Aamir’s perfectionism has brought him more professional acclaim than flak this year. So be prepared for a nosier intrusive Aamir next year, who shall either have it his way or show you the highway… Imran Khan Under the very protective shadow of his loved uncle, Imran Khan was a sure shot visual treat this year. With his super luring innocent charms and raunchy masculine appeal coupled with polished and groomed acting skills, Imran Khan is one naughty hottie all ladies find hard to resist. So, its simple just stop resisting and let temptation rule, for the actor is here to stay. After the astounding success of his debut flick, ‘Kidnap’ was a huge let down, but aren’t all newcomers allowed a mistake or two. So we are being a tad biased, but this Khan lad with his perfect genes and drop dead good looks has a long innings ahead in Bollywood. And why fight battles you can’t win. As of now just sit back and feast your eyes. Right ladies? Vidya Balan A fashion designer’s worst nightmare, Vidya Balloon errr Balan is one challenge every fashion guru is scared to take on. The lady with her flabby self and bulky frame had the word HELP written all over her. While the other b-town beauties took on the ramp, Vidya might have been asked to keep miles away from the designer’s mecca. No amount of convincing from filmmakers and designers could get this heavy weight actress to shed a few kilos. Be it Indian get-up or western gear, Vidya was hell bent upon looking hideous. With B-town’s favorite tailor Manish Malhotra scratching his head trying to burst his creative senses to get this fashion fiasco right, Vidya made sure she got her share of the propitious limelight by hook and crook sense of styling, anyone of us would find hard to ignore. In an age where the only size that matters is zero, Vidya Balan is your ticket to the well rounded 70’s heroines. A true blast from the past. Deepika and Ranbir If Saif and Kareena are the desi Brangelina, then Deepika and Ranbir are the latest Saifeena, just a much younger version. Just when the arc lights were fading after their lavish debuts, the two decided to get the buzz rolling again by going public with their relationship. And boy how that candid admission worked in their favour! It was well observed by the paparazzi that followed the couple round the clock. And why not? The couple did everything to stay in news. From getting up close and intimate in public places to embracing and hugging each other at airport farewells and welcomes, they obligingly laid out every titsy bitsy piece of private intimate detail spared. Well, the truth is that these two lovebirds are any day a bigger story together than they would be individually - a fact they understood long back and have been cashing on ever since. Sanjay Dutt and Manyata When Sanjay Dutt aka Munna Bhai tied the knot, it turned out to be a knotted affair. Marrying the lesser-known Manyata in a hush hush private ceremony whereby his own sisters failed to make to the guest list; the last thing Sanju baba anticipated was his wedding vows to be turned into a media circus. With a seedy character called Meraj crying foul over the marriage, calling it illegal over claims of Manyata being his wife, Dutt found himself at the helm of yet another controversy. What came next was something that the troubled actor has grown immune to - numerous court dates, hearings and plenty of name-calling and baseless allegations made by the suddenly popular Meraj. After days of investigations and eye-popping revelations; the case was closed shut for the lack of evidence. Apparently Meraj had quite a notorious track record and was infamous for making a quick buck by troubling celebs. The controversy like all others died a natural death. Nevertheless, the crisis worked wonders for the newly weds, who were seen much in love. As they say, crisis is the best catalyst of a strong marriage and true love. With the couple sailing thorough all difficulties that most lovers are faced with in a lifetime, the newly weds surely seemed to have formed a strong bond. Saifeena It has been one of the most talked about rather hyped affairs in recent times. An affair that has all the makings of a big budget ‘masala’ love story, and it surely had the nation talking. Well no points for guessing this one guys, It’s the Chhote Nawab and Bebo affair i.e ‘ Love Story 2008’. On the one side there is Saif Ali Khan, a man who comes from a royal lineage and is just getting sexier and naughtier with age (and you thought men get naughty at forty was only a Tambola cliche). On the other side there is young Miss Kapoor, who too comes from the first family of Bollywood. So when they came together the world literally came after them. They turned the otherwise occasional photographers into celeb crazy paparazzi. With the shutterbugs going ‘click click’ each time the two came together, there is hardly anything private left about their private affair. But no blaming the media here I must say. The two have been anything but secretive. In fact, each time the camera gets rolling they seem to fall in love all over again. Whether it was the famous tattoo Victoria errr Kareena, expensive diamond rings or a public spat followed by endless banter about their break ups, there was nothing that you could ignore about this over the top couple. The sparks of their affair only mellowed down once ‘Tashan’ released. Don’t know about real life but on reel the two literally spelled the word D I S A S T E R. Even though the movie might have bombed at the BO, it surely has done some good by bringing the endless banter about the couple to a halt. Kareena Vs Kareena Just when you thought that Bebo could not move beyond her childish breakup and mature linkups, she proved us all wrong and got the buzz rolling again. Yes, this time round the young Miss Kapoor decided to make news for a change much needed. But no, it was no change in her acting skills. In fact, after Shahid and Saif it was another S-word that caught Kareena’s fancy. Care to guess this one… Well the word is ‘Size’ and the size is ‘zero’. So, Kareena has had a makeover and blah blah blah …But in case you remember Bebo flaunting those thunderous thighs in ‘Hulchul’ and ‘Aitraaz’, you would surely agree that the weight loss is coming a little too late and with a man much older than her. Well size zero or size ten. The movie that was to test the sizzling makeover ‘Tashan’ could garner no numbers at the charts but a big zero. However, Tashan’s debacle did not stop Bebo from quoting astounding prices. The actress, who still seems to be riding high on the success of ‘Jab We Met’, has made a smart choice to ignore the failure of her latest movie as far as her fee is concerned. But I wonder what Bebo is spending such big bucks on? Looking at the size zero figure I can assure you it’s not the food, nor the clothes as they are just getting shorter. As far as expensive luxury goods go, her beau Saif Ali Khan makes sure that his lady love blings with the best of diamonds that money can buy. All there to say is that you can get away from the couple but there’s no getting away from Bebo and her antics or may I say ‘skinny antics’, as that’s is latest ishtyle. Soha Ali Khan Hot photo shoots and bikini romps are no big feat in Bollywood. But when a lady who comes from a royal lineage and has every characteristic of an heiress; strips down to a skimpy piece of lingerie it definitely calls for attention. Chhote Nawab’s baby sis, Soha exposed her wild side this year as she posed in a flimsy two piece bikini for a fad magazine cover. Besides gaining some critical acclaim for her offbeat choice of films; the lass did away with her princess ways to date co-star Siddharth. Be it her choice of Mr Right or clothes, the girl broke all rules this year. Well, if her brother’s arm-candy can go on a bikini romp; then so can Soha. We are all for women’s liberation. Right, Saif? Farhan Akhtar A proven director, the year saw Farhan Akhtar taking on the actor’s mantle with the most successful debut flick ‘Rock On’. The film that showcased Farhan’s perfect acting genes had his two avatars, ‘Farhan, the actor’ and ‘Farhan, the director’, trying to outdo each other. And if acting was not enough, this Akhtar lad made sure he had undivided audience attention as he crooned to perfection. The year’s talented multitasker, Farhan comes next only to Mr Perfect Aamir Khan. With his panache for acting, direction and singing, Farhan might be rightly touted as the new age Aamir Khan (sans his meddling ways!). Now, that’s a rare package.