As the Salman Khan-starrer Tere Naam opened to an unprecedented record breaking opening all over, HT City and DT Cinemas celebrated the occasion on Friday evening at ITC Maurya Sheraton’s Kamal Mahal. Star-struck Salman fans caught a glimpse of their favorite hero as well as got an opportunity to interact with him at the do.
Most of the swish set that turned out at the gala had missed out on the special screening of the film organized by DT cinemas earlier in the day but planned to catch it soon. “I haven’t seen the film but I am here specially for Salman,” said Pratibha Advani. Echoing her view was MP, Rajeev Shukla: “The last movie I checked out was Koi… Mil Gaya and Tere Naam is surely next on my ‘things to do’ list!”
Those who had attended the screening earlier in the day couldn’t stop raving about how well an intricate web of emotions had been spun in the story. “The portrayal of emotions is beautiful,” remarked Neelam Rudy, wife of Civil Aviation Minister, Rajiv Pratap Singh Rudy.
Denying rumors that the story of the film was inspired by his own life, Salman joked: “It’s actually the true love story of Gautam Kumar (who presents the film).” Looking happy with the initial response that the film has garnered was Bollywood debutante Bhoomika Chawla who stars in Tere Naam opposite Salman. Of course, she may be Salman’s obsession in the film, but Bhoomika stumped all (Salman included, of course) by addressing him as “Salman Bhai”. With her head firmly on her shoulders, Chawla is choosing her roles with caution: “Right now, I am doing Run but I am looking forward to doing some different roles, not the same old run-of-the-mill characters.”
Satish Kaushik, director of Tere Naam, moves away from his characteristic slapstick (Badhai Ho Badhai) or family melodrama (Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai) to more realistic yet commercial filmmaking with this film. “This is way beyond my personality, but continuing in this genre I will soon be staging a play, Salesman Ramlal,” he informs.
Producer Sunil Manchanda is already laughing his way to the bank, “with the opening weekend being booked to capacity. I can’t even imagine what history this film will create,” he said. |
 It was megawatt star power at the Sun-n-Sand hotel on Thursday, Independence Day Eve. The occasion was the launch of Bharathi S Pradhan’s (Moviemag International editor) book called, ‘Cars, Colas and Communal Harmony’, celebrating the numerous inter-faith Bollywood marriages and doffing its hat to the industry’s secular colours. The evening had both style and substance.
The glitzy quota was fulfilled by the formidable star presence. Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Arbaaz Khan, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, Sanjay Khan, Salim Khan with wives: Salma and Helen sitting next to each other, Raveena Tandon, compere Rati Agnihotri, Aditi Govitrikar... the list had luster.
Former super cop Julio Riberio spoke about how he was horrified to learn about the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai while he was in Romania as India’s ambassador to the country. Joint Commissioner of Police Javed Ahmed, impressive in uniform, took the dais to give his message: This Independence Day let us have freedom from our bias and prejudices.
Mahesh Bhatt roared, “Anybody who has lived through the fires of religious hatred knowns what it is. I have not said everything in the book, because there is only that much truth people can handle.” Model Aditi Govitrikar spoke about how she fell in love with her Muslim husband Muffazal, ironically when she was stranded in her hostel at Grant Medical College while communal riots raged outside.
Salman Khan said, “I am used to getting in trouble. I am going to do so again I think. Without me Javed saab (Javed Ahmed, he meant) would be out of work.” After the audience had recovered, Salman went on harking back to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, “We all come from monkeys. Monkeys have no religion.” He raised laughs at the sporting swipe he took at himself, “I learnt about God in the fifth standard. Incidentally, I had great difficulty in making it to the sixth standard. I am not a graduate. I might do my graduation when I am 60 or 70...” Finally, SK left the mike with, “I was born in Indore, brought up in Bombay, Bandra Bandstand. I opened my eyes in this country, I will shut them here.”
Akshay Kumar revealed that he has decided not to mouth anti-Pakistan dialogues in his projects. Saying ‘no’ to the India vs. Pakistan stand, Akshay said, it must be India with Pakistan vs. terrorism. The feel-good evening closed early by 8.30 pm.
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