Permanent Friendship? Enemies Forever? Never!!
September 15, 2008 by FSJ
Nothing is permanent in this industry. Neither friendships nor enmities. Today’s bosom pals could be tomorrow’s sworn enemies and vice versa.
Remember how Karan Johan and his late father, Yash Johar, had been so agitated when Kareena Kapoor had demanded a far higher price for acting in their Kal Ho Naa Ho than what they were ready to pay that they replaced her with Preity Zinta? Karan and Kareena did not speak with each other for many months thereafter. But all that is forgotten today as Kareena gets ready to face the cameras again in a film to be produced under the Johars’ Dharma Productions banner.
Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt used to be allergic to each other’s names once upon a time but today, they are friends. Why, Anil Kapoor even acted in Dutt’s home production, Musafir, alongwith him. And like one good turn deserves another, Sanjay Dutt has also made a special appearance in Anil’s forthcoming production venture, Shortkut. Both, Anil and Sanjay will be seen in a song sequence in the film alongwith its heroine, Amrita Rao.
Boney Kapoor had sworn never to work with Karisma Kapoor after she walked out of his Judaai just days before it was to go before the cameras and yet, a few years later, Karisma was brother Sanjay Kapoor’s leading lady in Boney’s Shakti – The Power. Years before Judaai and Shakti – The Power were even conceived, Rekha had had a spat with Shatrughan Sinha after which they couldn’t see eye to eye. But today, not only is Rekha fond of Shatrughan Sinha’s son who is being launched as a hero, but she is also acting in a film being produced by Shatru’s wife, Poonam Sinha. The film, incidentally, is titled Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai and, believe it or not, features Shatrughan as Rekha’s co-star.
Rekha and Gulzar’s relationship also turned sour during the making of Namkeen. Rekha was one of the choices of the filmmaker for the female lead but she was quickly replaced by Sharmila Tagore. And yet, both, Rekha and Gulzar, let bygones be bygones when they teamed together six years later in 1988, for Ijaazat.
The spat between Hrithik Roshan’s father, Rakesh Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor is too well-known.
After shooting for a couple of days for what would’ve been the debut film of both the actors, Kareena simply walked out of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. However, that did not prevent Hrithik and Kareena from coming together in Yash Chopra’s Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Sooraj Barjatya’s Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon and Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham….
Not many may be aware of the fact that Firoz Nadiadwala’s father, Gaffarbhai Nadiadwala, had launched Parampara (1993) with Anil Kapoor in one of the leading roles but when things didn’t work out between them, the actor walked out. The Nadiadwalas were, quite understandably, livid and vowed never again to work with Kapoor. Still Anil was one of the leading men of Firoz Nadiadwala’s Welcome released last year.
Shah Rukh Khan may have got to stutter K-K-K-Kiran in Darr, which, in a way, has become his trademark line now, but he was never the original choice for the negative role in the film. It was actually Aamir Khan who was to play the role. However, Yash Chopra felt very let down when Aamir opted out of the film. For more than a decade from 1993 (when Darr was released), Yash Chopra and Aamir never worked together and it seemed, the two would never come together again. But then Fanaa happened. Kunal Kohli directed Fanaa, with Aamir and Kajol in the lead, for Yash Raj Films.
Everyone knows how several years ago, Subhash Ghai and Salman Khan fought like kids at a film party and even came to blows. Salman’s father, writer Salim Khan, of course, made Salman apologise to Ghai but nobody had ever imagined then that the two would one day be working together. But today, Subhash Ghai’s Yuvvraaj, with Salman Khan in the leading role, is almost ready for release. Not only that, Salman may also be acting in another film to be directed by Ghai.
Friendships turning sour is one thing but two professionals reaching the court of law is quite another. Tips dragged Rajkumar Santoshi to the corridors of the court after its The Legend Of Bhagat Singh, directed by Santoshi, bombed. The Tauranis of Tips accused Santoshi of spending more than budgeted. Yet, even before the court could deliver its judgement, Rajkumar Santoshi is directing Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani for Tips! Ghazab indeed!!
Meenakshi Sheshadri may not have gone all the way to the court but she did file a complaint in the Association against Rajkumar Santoshi when he tried to throw her out of Damini midway. The Association ordered Santoshi to complete Damini with Meenakshi. After such a battle, one could’ve never expected that the duo would collaborate on any other film, but Santoshi made Ghatak with Meenakshi again.
For Kareena Kapoor, it was a case of a dear friend becoming an enemy and another of an enemy becoming her friend and even singing her praises. In the early days of their careers, Kareena and Esha Deol were close to one another. But the two fell out after which an embittered Esha is said to have remarked that two actresses can never be friends in this industry.
The story of Kareena and Bipasha is almost reverse. The two fought like cats on the sets of their first film together, Ajnabee, and Kareena is even reported to have called Bipasha “kaali billi”. Well, that “kaali billi” has forgiven Kareena today and claims to be very fond of her!
Aamir Khan, who debuted opposite the one-film-old Juhi Chawla in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, was great friends with her for years after that. And then a misunderstanding cropped up between them – and the two stopped talking to each other. It remained like that for years, but both are now on talking terms.
Ajay Devgan is said to have wanted to beat up David Dhawan once, when the two of them were shooting for two different films in close proximity. But before the world could really get to the root of their problem with each other, the roly poly director was making Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin with Ajay in one of the male lead roles.
Even David Dhawan and Sushmita Sen were not on talking terms for several years but they are now working together in Do Knot Disturb.
Similarly, lyricist Javed Akhtar and music director Anu Malik’s professional relationship ended when the former refused to write songs for composition by the latter. But after some years of aloofness, the duo can be seen together in recording rooms, Love Story 2050 being their very recent release.
One would’ve imagined that Mani Ratnam would never repeat Manisha Koirala after the trouble she is said to have given him during the making of Bombay. But yet, the celebrated director cast her opposite Shah Rukh Khan in his Dil Se… Years ago, Hema Malini was asked to leave a film she was working in, down South, with Shridhar as director. But the same Shridhar cast her in Gehri Chaal.
The case of friends Shah Rukh and Salman turning foes, then becoming friends again and now, spitting fire against each other is too well-known.
So, there’s nothing permanent about relationships in the film industry. As a wag in the industry remarked, “When marriages don’t last here, how can you expect friendships to last?”
Issue dated Sep 14 – 20, 2008
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