HIGH LIFE- Hum ‘dard’
Seeking and seeking desperately one bright, enterprising tele scribe to go snooping in Bollywood. To find out if we have learnt or not? Are we asking questions or simply welcoming every gori chitti chick who wants to come and work here in Bollywood. Are questions being asked? Are papers for foreign Bollywood aspirants being filed? Am not too sure. In fact, I was shocked when a reliable source told me the other day that a couple of our most popular beauties at the moment are here without work permits. Yes, we are required to go to the foreigners’ registration office and let them know we are working here. Hey! But this rule probably holds good just for the corporates. I guess even when government officials watch these actors sing and dance on their screens the thought doesn’t strike them that this person is perhaps here on my TV without a work permit. Certain stars are famous for being their humdards and giving panah to so many non-Indian artists be they actors or hummers… Oops! I meant singers. All you need is a beautiful face and a tourist visa and then a Bollywood biggie who gets attracted to you. Wham! Mam! You are right here in Bollywood. No questions asked. So many of our stars have been romantically involved with non-Indian women and men for decades. I wonder how many of these artists who come here to sing or judge competitions have work visas. Tourist visa hai na… chalega! All you need is an influential buddy in filmdom who is promoting you. Wouldn’t it be ironical if we saw one such celebrity talking about the terror attack and condemning them? This, when they are blissfully breaking rules. Do you think one of our stars would be able to work and become famous in Hollywood without work papers? Isn’t it time we ask how much these Pakistanis here have paid us in taxes after using our industry to make millions? Can every filmmaker make sure they see work permits and not just sign on a pretty face or a sweet voice just like that? Lastly, shame on all those filmi bigwigs who tried using clout to get their movies released simultaneously in India and Pakistan when the country’s tears haven’t even stopped dripping.
POW WOW
• Persons of the week would start with Gautam Singhania. He is the new poster boy. Ok now don’t get me wrong; he isn’t threatening to take of his trunks like John Abraham. Recently, when wife Nawaz launched her paintings, he actually wore one of her works at the back of his white shirt. Sweet!
• Arnab Goswami, for relentlessly giving us the best coverage of the terror attacks. There were times when you could feel his throat drying up but the man just wouldn’t quit. Three of my friends now have a crush on him.
• To whoever held the sign at the Gateway Peace March that said Deshmu‘r’kh for Deshmukh.
• The young Sikh boys who kept the commandos and jawans going by serving them at least 1000 packets of home-cooked puri bhaji and water right outside the Taj twice a day. Like one of the jawans said, “The fact that the common man has such empathy for us kept us going.” Jai Hind!
Simi Chandoke is the Editor-in-Chief, Lifestyle and Society, Zoom