Priyanka Chopra

Is this a new mature Bollywood? If Priyanka Chopra's words of appreciation for her peers at the top is any indication, this could well be the case. Though one seldom finds an actress sharing more than just a cursory remark about other actresses, Priyanka is being an exception as she not only acknowledges that each one of them is doing very well but also shares many decent words around them. This was in response to an observation around how she, along with some of the other leading actresses at the top, were around for close to a decade and still doing so very well for themselves.

“But then I don’t know why it always works like that for women where people start counting years for them? Why don’t we do that for men,” questions Priyanka who is in the 11th year of her career as an actress, “Honestly, I find it really annoying when people do that for women and not for men. I guess audience enjoys actors as well as actress in equal measures; there is no bias in them.”

She adds, “I have worked with a gamut of heroes and recently my co-stars in Gunday were the ones who are relatively new in the industry. Yes, I come with more experience than say an Arjun or a Ranveer but then I am almost the same age as them.”

This is when the conversation veers towards her female counterparts.

“If you pick me and Katrina (Kaif), it has been eleven years for us now. Both of us have been doing tremendous work so there is place for everyone. As a matter of fact even Bebo (Kareena Kapoor) came three years before both us and look at the kind of great work she is doing. Or for that matter Deepika (Padukone) who came after us. She has been enjoying a fabulous innings too,” Priyanka observes.

“All of us are doing some excellent work and are in great form. So high time that people see us for our work and not start counting years,” reflects Priyanka while signing off.

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Sunny Leone: Doesn't find Aamir's Film Scary

Sunny Leone

If Sunny Leone is to be believed, Talaash hardly qualifies as a film with true-blue supernatural and horror elements. As a matter of fact, she was surprised when the Aamir Khan-Kareena Kapoor-Rani Mukerji film was hailed as a modern day contemporary horror flick.

“When she was approached to feature in Ragini MMS-2, it was going to be her first stint with a Bollywood horror film. Since she hadn't seen many in the past, there were no references available for her. That is when one of her Bollywood associates suggested Talaash. Of course she was interested, considering it featured some of the biggest superstars. However, she was thoroughly disappointed when the film didn't do much to scare her. She felt that the film worked more as a human drama than as a jump-off-your-seat affair,” informs a source close to the adult star-turned-Bollywood heroine.

On being contacted, Sunny didn't beat around the bush and confessed that Talaash did underwhelm her as a horror affair.

“Yes, I was told that Talaash was a horror movie. However, it wasn't scary for me at all. Yes, it was a great story. Also, who doesn’t watch Kareena and Aamir? Still, it didn't do to me what it intended to,” says Sunny Leone who promises that as a ‘horrex’ (horror and sex) affair, Ragini MMS-2 would meet expectations.

As for her preparation for the part in her upcoming film, Sunny had to eventually fall back on some of the classic horror films from the West.

“Of course one of my all time favorites is The Exorcist. I can't get tired to watch it again; it is always so scary. Then I also caught up on The Conjuring, which was very scary. As for the Hindi ones, I haven't seen too many of those,” says Sunny.

Guess her ‘talaash’ would continue for some more time until Ragini MMS-2 ends up setting that benchmark.

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Ali Zafar: Could Relate to "Total Siyapaa"

Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam in "Total Siyapaa."

Ali Zafar is playing a Pakistani in Total Siyapaa, and proudly so. As a cross border neighbor who has to win hearts of his beloved's Indian family, Ali admits that he could draw a lot of parallels between real and reel life.

How exactly?

For starters, I could relate to the film as I felt that if a Pakistani actually gets stuck in such a situation, how would he actually approach it so as to win it over. For example, if I am referring to Shahid Afridi in one of the scenes, it is for a reason. Like sometimes when people, be it friends or lovers, start having a discussion over Pakistan and India, they come up with such strange pointers or arguments just to prove their side of story. There are so many biases as well and I tried to bring it all through a light-hearted banter.

The film earlier had a not-so-light title in the form of “Aman Ki Asha.”

Yes, we too felt so. Aman Ki Asha was the working title since my name is Aman and Yaami's [Gautam] name is Asha in the film. However we felt that because of this whole Aman Ki Asha campaign by a media house, it sounded very heavy for our film. Also, it gave a perception that we are making a very serious film with some agenda. We decided that the name should portray what the story is about and hence a much more fun and frothy title Total Siyapaa came in.

Talking of Yaami, she too is being seen in a lighter avatar after her serious part in “Vicky Donor.”

I think Yaami is a perfect casting for this film as it has a very realistic kind of setting, something that goes with her. Moreover, she is very sorted and levelheaded. She doesn't throw any tantrums. I am not saying that big stars throw tantrums but then Yaami’s intrinsic personality is such that it gelled perfectly well with the film.

How are you gelling into Bollywood four years after “Tere Bin Laden” [2010]?

Well, out of the four films of mine that have released, three (Tere Bin Laden, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Chashme Baddoor) have been box office hits. At the start of your career if you have such a good strike rate, it isn't a bad deal after all, right (smiles)? I am content and raring to go for more.

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Alia Bhatt: Loves Arjun's Sense of Humor

Alia Bhatt in "Student of the Year."

From a rather dark and serious drive on a Highway, Alia Bhatt has now quickly moved on to a much brighter journey via 2 States. The journey has become all the more enjoyable for the petite actress, courtesy presence of Arjun Kapoor who is no more in a ‘gunday’ company and has turned all sweet and simple with a great sense of humor to boast.

“That's true. Not many know, but Arjun's sense of humor is really quite interesting. It isn’t of the usual kind like everyone else. He has a very sarcastic way of cracking a joke and you need to be really alert about when and where he says something. You need to pick it up quick,” says Alia who spent quite some time with the Kapoor scion during the making of this Sajid Nadiadwala-Karan Johar flick.

Carrying a special place for Arjun in her heart, Alia adds, “There isn't any single anecdote or incident that I can quote around his humorous streak because there are so many of those. I can't pick and choose one. All I can say is that right through the film's shoot, it was a breeze because he made me laugh so much.”

There wasn't much laughter though during the making of her recent release Highway. However the appreciation that has come her way for the film has more than made up for the lack of on-screen smiles.

“Highway was a very difficult film for me. It always had a very special place in my heart though. It wasn’t a conscious decision for me to pick a de-glam film after Student of the Year. It just happened, though I am glad it turned out to be my second film,” says Alia, “Now with 2 States, there is going to be a lot more laughter ahead.”

In Arjun's company, that has to be the case.

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Madhuri Dixit: Now It’s 100 Crores

Naseeruddin Shah and Madhuri Dixit in "Dedh Ishqiya."

For an actress who has spent three decades in the industry and featured in over 70 films, almost all as a lead actress, Madhuri Dixit has pretty much seen and done it all. No wonder, when she looks at the current fad of “100 crore” finding a mention before release of each and every film, she is visibly amused.

“I have realized that it is only the words that have changed, and not the world,” says Madhuri, “Back then, it was about golden jubilees and diamond jubilees. Now everything is instant. Everyone talks of crores and not for how long it has been running and or how many people are appreciating it. I don't think movies can be made with crores in mind. They have to be made with heart. When I sign up for a Gulaab Gang, it is because there is something in there that touches the core of my heart. When you pin your heart to a film, it can do any kind of business.”

She could well have expected the same for Dedh Ishqiya too and though the film did run, one expected it to have enjoyed a much better sustenance.

“It doesn't really matter because I would want to work for posterity. I know that Dedh Ishiqya would be talked about even 20 years from now. That and Gulaab Gang are the kind of films I want to do. If they are well done and audience like it then skies are the limit.”

A promise that was made to her by producer Anubhav Sinha and director Soumik Sen as well as co-producers Sahara.

Says Sandeep Bhargava, CEO, Sahara Movie Studios, “While audience no doubt looks forward to seeing big commercial film with the big stars, at the same time they are now also looking forward to watching films which are good in content. Films like Gulaab Gang are rare to come by as they have this rare mix of strong content while also being out and out commercial. Then, when someone like Madhuri Dixit green lights your film, you know that the film has something really right going for it.”

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