Dev Anand Bollywood's original style icon: Designers

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) Dev Anand, the style icon of 1950s and 1960s, scripted a fashion statement with his scarves, mufflers and jackets and his singnature puff, inspired by his childhood ideal Gregory Peck. The newage designers describe him as a trendsetter and a mentor who gave a fillip to Bollywood fashion.

Thanks to his good looks, further enhanced by his stylish wardrobe and on-screen romantic image portrayed in songs like 'Abhi na jao chodkar', 'Jia o' and 'Khoya khoya chand', Dev Anand had girls swooning over him. There was a time when female fans frenzy reached such a crescendo that they started sending him letters in their blood especially after seeing him in a black suit. Such was his persona that he was 'banned' from wearing a black suit in public.

'I think, he was never scared of following his mind when it came to dressing up. He was someone who took that extra mile to start up those trends which were considered bold and experimental during the 1960s. He gave mufflers worldwide recognition and that too in various forms,' designer Nida Mahmood told IANS.

'The two films which I actually remember of him where he was portrayed as the true style icons was 'Heera Paana' and 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'. He crossed all boundaries to invent trends which were never seen before in the Hindi film industry and scarf was one of them,' she added.

Do you remember Shah Rukh Khan in 'Mohabbatein' (2000) where he is seen wrapping sweaters around his shoulders? that style was actually introduced by Dev Anand in his 1973 movie 'Heera Panna'.

Arpan Vohra says Dev saab created style 'not only in reel but also in real life. His signature strip black trousers, cap wore on one side, bright cardigans and scarves tied around his neck created sensation.'

'How can we forget his effortless attempt of wearing sweaters on shoulders, which became a rage. He was the one who invented fashion 40 years back but people still follow it whole-heatedly. He gave fresh flowers a new meaning with his movie 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' by using it as an accessory. When we talk about retro look, the first individual which comes to our mind is Dev Anand and that's what he is known for in glamour world,' he added.

The actor was climbing the success ladder in the 1960s, which is said to be one of the most fashion-conscious periods in recent history. Apart from his wardrobe, he exercised a profound influence on the youth with his puffed hair style.

'The way he created sensation in 1960's was daring, especially his little puffed hairstyle. He was the one who started the trend of boy next-door, neat look. I will consider him as the father of fashion in the lead actors wardrobe. The kind of longevity he had when it comes to making a trend popular is phenomenal. Before him, I can only remember Prithvi Raj Chauhan,' said designer Rahul Mishra.

The realisation that no one can bring back that era in Bollywood saddens Mishra.

'I think that era will never come back because right now people are too much influenced by outside world. Rather than creating their own style, many people are looking at the West. But I would say Dev saab was the global style icon as his style and sense of dressing infected the entire world. How can we forget that at one time he was termed as the true competitor of Elvis Presley because of his hair style,' he added.

The 'Guide' star's clothing sense has not failed to inspire or motivate the current lot of designers and Abhishek Dutta says he would love to dedicate a collection inspired by Dev saab.

'I would consider him as the one who revived Bollywood in true sense through his style and presentation. The way he used vibrant colours in his wardrobe was phenomenal especially because people during that time were living in black and white period.

' In 'Guide', I saw him crossing boundaries and bringing in the entire new concept to the Bollywood fashion especially with his shirts and buttoned up look. I would definitely want to make a collection keeping his style in mind,' said Dutta.

Read more »

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Bollywood's new royal princess

India's most famous couple - actress and model Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her actor husband Abhishek Bachchan - have had a baby girl. As the latest addition to one of a small number of acting and producing dynasties that dominate Bollywood, will she grow up to be an actress?

If the odds, or the genes, are to be believed, then the newly born daughter to the Bachchan-Rais is destined for the silver screen.

She might only be in the first week of her life, but being born into Bollywood royalty gives her a head start like no other.

Her mother is Aishwarya Rai, the face of L'Oreal, a former Miss World, who has starred in a number of Bollywood films.

Her father is Abhishek Bachchan, a Bollywood actor who is rarely far from the front pages of magazines.

Her grandmother is actress Jaya Bhaduri. And her grandfather is India's most famous man, Amitabh Bachchan, a Bollywood megastar whose career has spanned decades.

Blood is thick in Bollywood.

There are eight-to-10 prominent families who control at least 65% of the Indian film industry, says SMM Ausaja, a Bollywood historian and author.

The vast majority of the country's top acting talent is from a so-called "filmi" family, of either actors or producers.

Salman Khan, Kareena and Karishma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt and Bobby and Sunny Deol are just some of the star names belonging to powerful Bollywood families.

Rise of the Kapoors

This genetic dominance began in the 1940s, when the old Bollywood studio system broke down says Ausaja.

Like the collapse of Hollywood star system, it meant film studios were no longer contracted to hire certain actors or manage their careers and paved the way for independent producers.

"The family element really came in because the producer preferred his own son to come in rather than somebody else," says Ausaja.

The beginnings of the biggest and most feted Bollywood family date from around this time, when actor and producer Prithviraj Kapoor helped launch his sons Raj, Shashi and Shammi Kapoor.

Raj Kapoor, who went on to become the most successful of the trio, later set up his own studio to launch the careers of the next generation of his family members, including his son, Randhir.

The big budget film Rockstar, which opened this week in India, stars the youngest of the Kapoor acting clan, Ranbir Kapoor.

"Yes I come from a film family and I've been brought up in a very cushioned environment, but I'm a working professional.

"I take credit for my success and I deal with my failures and I think that just makes you more mature as a person," he says.

Kapoor, who is one of Bollywood's men of the moment, told the BBC thatbeing from a dynasty didn't protect him from the challenges of the industry: "It's a jungle and you have to make a name for yourself," he said.

Bollywood's first families

1) The Bachchans - Amitabh and wife Jaya Bhaduri (pictured), Abhishek (held by mother), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

2) The Kapoors - Prithviraj, Raj, Shammi, Rishi, Randhir, Neetu Singh, Rajiv, Karishma, Kareena, Ranbir

3) The Deols - Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sunny, Bobby, Esha, Abhay



Family business


Of course having a big name, makes it easier.

This is also true in Hollywood which is home to acting dynasties such as the Redgraves, the Sheens, the Douglases and the Fondas, but Indian culture is a big reason why a few families dominate. More..

Read more »

Veena Malik performs her own stunts in her 3D horror flick

Her romance with Ashmit Patel in the last season of Big Boss kick started Pakistani actress Veena Malik’s career in Bollywood. At present, she has a 3D horror flick in her kitty for which she is currently shooting in a jungle in southern India.
Talking about the flick, Veena said: ‘It’s a 3D horror film with Telugu filmmaker Hemant Madhukar, and it’s really hard to shoot.’
‘For one, we are shooting in the wilderness. There are no luxury hotels, no daily comforts. Then it’s a 3D film, not like the other 3D films in Hindi where the 2D format is converted into 3D. We are shooting in 3D which means every shot takes hours sometimes. It’s really time consuming because I am playing both the ‘thriller’ and ‘horror’ element of the film,’ she added.
Veena detailed that she has done all the stunts in the film on her own. ‘(There’s) lots of wirework and flips and somersaults and bruises and cuts. I am roughing it out here in the jungles and enjoying every bit of it!’ she revealed.
For those who are still unaware, the actress will appear in the reality show ‘Swayamvar’ as the next star after Rakhi Sawant, Rahul Mahajan and Ratan Rajput.

Read more »

The music launch of ‘Ghost’

After coming out clean from the much defamatory rape allegation, actor Shiney Ahuja is trying to revive his career with forthcoming horror flick ‘Ghost’ which has Sayali Bhagat as his co-star. The makers of the flick have launched the music of the same and the event was graced by Sanjay Dutt himself.

On the occasion, Sanjay Dutt told the reporters,“I came to launch the music of Ghost because of Bharat Bhai as I can’t say no to him.”

Sanjay also wished Shiney Ahuja good luck and said: “May his film work; and his personal problems vanish soon.”

it may be recalled here that Sayali Bhagat had accused Shiney Ahuja of sexual harassment during the shoot of the film. However, with the warmth the two shared at the event, it can be said that the two have made up.

Read more »

Diya Mirza launches a new range from the Bodyshop

The Body Shop has launched an innovative range of 100% pure mineral ultra-blend able foundations, the new Extra Virgin Minerals foundations. The Body Shop celebrated the Extra Virgin Minerals Party with brand ambassador and actress, Dia Mirza and International Make-up expert Daniel Bauer along with Shriti Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer, The Body Shop India, at the Phoenix Mills store.
The actress looked fresh and resplendent in a summer dress; Post the launch she also sat down with ace make-up expert Daniel Bauer to apply the Extra Virgin Minerals™ foundation and to showcase its effectiveness.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Dia Mirza said, “The Body Shop has always been a wonderful and inspiring brand and now with launch of their new Extra Virgin Mineral™ foundation range, I am very excited as it is the ultimate answer to my complexion needs! It is smooth and excellently blends with my skin that too for 14 hours straight!
I had heard a lot about the beauty benefits of olive oil and when I was told that this range contains extra virgin olive oil, I couldn’t wait to try it! All three formats in this foundation range are first-rate! My personal favourite is Extra Virgin Minerals™ Cream Compact as It feels wonderfully weightless on my skin”.
Check out Dia Mirza looking effortlessly beautiful as ever in a short summer dress at the launch…..

Read more »

Some Hope for Bollywood: Upcoming Releases

Finally, things are looking up for Bollywood. I already confessed my excitement for the upcoming  film Aisha, but am still trying to forget the disaster that was I Hate Luv Storys.
After a very disappointing 2010 (My Name is Khan fans: stop reading now), I have good reason to be optimistic about the rest of the year. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long. On Friday, July 16, two movies that I’ve been eagerly waiting for will be released. Soon after that, Aamir Khan’s Peepli Live and Aisha will also hit  theaters.
Next week, Udaan and Tere Bin Laden will release. Udaan is another film that appeals to the urban youth audience, the latest trend in Bollywood. (Thank God the NRI phase is over). Anurag Kashyap  started last year with a bang when Dev D.’s success was attributed to this emerging demographic. As a producer for Udaan, I expect this film will also be able attract a younger crowd, and slowly, a larger audience. After the horrific HLS , which was as formulaic, predictable and cliche as they come, sensible Bollywood fans are dying for a film that is, well, good. Udaan will stand in stark comparison to IHLS. And if the film doesn’t turn out to be the saving grace of indie-Bollywood, we at least have some great music by Amit Trivedi. Check out the theatrical trailer for the film:

Promos for Tere Bin Laden never fails to make me burst out laughing. With such an enticing premise, which includes a look-alike Osama Bin Laden, the film has set up high expectations for anyone who hears the title or watches the trailer. If the filmmakers can pull off such a novel concept, it will be the biggest story in Bollywood this year. It’s a hard task, one that reminds me of my ultimate favorite film, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron– it’s hard to beat the film’s satiric tone and  its intricately woven message about corruption. As is well known in Bollywood, it takes one movie to become a hit to start a trend. Bollywood hasn’t yet been able to consistently address political issues, and Tere Bin Laden would be a great start.

Peepli Live is the reason Aamir Khan is infinitely better than his arch nemesis, Shahrukh Khan. The film addresses farmer suicides, and even though it is produced by Bollywood’s favorite actor, most actors are either art house or unknown. The film would have gone unnoticed by the masses if it weren’t for Aamir Khan’s name attached to the project, and no matter how big Khan’s ego is (one of the biggest in Bollywood, which is saying something), the fact that he’s putting his name behind a film that isn’t a popcorn movie (even the music is authentic), is inspiring and commendable.
Here’s a great video about the film:

Let’s see what the coming weeks in Bollywood bring us. Hopefully, these films can carry us through the winter, when the brainless masala films takeover the industry.

Read more »

Bollywood

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing films in regional languages.^[1] Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest centers of film production in the world.

Read more »