Even before their first film hits theatres on July 4, Imran Khan and Harman Baweja have signed numerous 'big' projects. While Imran—better known as Aamir Khan's nephew—has been signed for the lead role in Dhoom and Sanjay Gadhvi's action film Kidnap , Harman Baweja has signed up for a cricket flick, Victory , and for film-maker Ashutosh Gowariker's next project.
Kapoor kid Ranbir is starring in Siddharth Anand's Bachna Aye Haseeno while legendary singer Mukesh's grandson Neil has a Yash Raj film in his kitty. Sikander Kher, whose Woodstock Villa didn't impress at the box office, has a film coming up for release, Deepika Padukone has already signed three big films and Sonam Kapoor has been signed by Rakyesh Mehra for his film Dilli 6 .
A whole new batch of actors has emerged over the last one year and Bollywood is busy wooing them whether they're good, bad or indifferent. According to an industry estimate, close to Rs 500 crore is riding on these newcomers who are still to prove their box-office worthiness. "The business is in desperate need of saleable stars," says a trade observer.
"To make matter worse," he adds, "names like Shah Rukh, Aamir, Akshay or Hrithik are extremely choosy about the films they want to do and normally won't do more than one film a year. Where does that leave directors in a business that is getting more and more volume driven? We need more young actors who can carry films on their shoulders."
As recently as 2002, Vivek Oberoi was paid Rs 2.5 lakh for his debut film Company . Today's newcomers start at one crore. Imran Khan, even before the release of his first film, allegedly charges Rs 3 crore while Ranbir gets even more. Neil Nitin Mukesh hiked his price to about Rs 2 crore after Johnny Gaddar . Deepika Padukone has been demanding a crore with only one release to her credit.
"Since there is a substantial increase in the size of the industry, it's natural that more professionals are needed. Hollywood has a pool of stars which enables it to make more and more films and thrive as an industry. Our talent pool needs to increase too," notes a trade expert. "With new faces, there can be more projects and more creative options before film-makers."
However, even among the new entrants it's clear that only those with film backgrounds are getting a real slice of the pie. Outsiders are still unwelcome in this expanding industry which is seemingly open. "Yes, it's true that most of these newcomers are industry insiders," says an insider.
"There are many reasons for this, the primary one being that a newcomer with a film lineage is more saleable than a rank newcomer. The other obvious reason is proximity."
Film-maker Mahesh Bhatt says, "There's too much money chasing too little talent. The stars have become 'sacred property' thanks to the slave mentality of these desperate corporates who feel that only stars can make a movie work."
He adds, "Honestly, in most cases where you see newcomers being launched, it's nothing but a case of the grapes being sour. Producers who don't have access to stars end up making movies with newcomers. In any case, these newcomers are inevitably children or relatives of bigwigs in the film industry."
Deepika Padukone, who made her Bollywood debut with Om Shanti Om last year, will lead the annual India Day parade in New York on August 17.
The parade, which has showcased India's culture on Manhattan's Madison Avenue since 1981, will also have industrialist Vijay Mallya as chief guest, Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) president Yash Paul Soi announced.
The FIA, an umbrella group of cultural, educational and community organisations in New York tristate region, which organises the parade, flagged off the event at the Indian consulate in New York on June 10.
The parade will begin on 41st Street, wind down Madison Avenue and culminate in a variety show on 23rd Street, drawing an estimated 50,000 people.
Last year, Priyanka Chopra was the grand marshal at the event, which celebrated India's 60th anniversary of independence. In past years, Govinda , Madhuri Dixit , Dev Anand , astronaut Sunita Williams and music conductor Zubin Mehta have marched with the crowd.
On the guest list this year are city mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey governor John Corzine, New York governor David Paterson, and President Bharrat Jagdeo of the Republic of Guyana.
The June 10 event, where consul general Neelam Deo lauded the organisers for celebrating India, paid homage to the martyrs of the first major struggle for independence in India in 1857. The gathering observed 57 seconds of silence.
Rajni Sarin, a co-convener of the BJP's doctors' cell, is travelling to New York with a kalash (metal pot) that contains soil from the birthplaces of the martyrs in the battle for independence. On May 10, many events were organised in India to mark 'Naman 1847.
' The FIA also announced its plans to campaign for two Gandhi statutes on Ellis Island and on the campus of the United Nations. The organisation is very positive about the response from the UN, former FIA president Jayesh Patel said, and fund-raising will start as soon as the requisite permissions are granted. It is drawing hope from the UN declaration last year of Mahatma Gandhi's [Images] birthday as International Day of Non-Violence. FIA will also campaign to get the Mahatma's birthday celebrated in public schools in the New York region.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is now gone down in history along with Rajasthan Royals and Bollywood was well represented at the matches.
However, one glowing face that was a regular fixture six months ago was nowhere to be seen or sighted, by Dhoni, Yuvraj or the fans.
No guessing game here! We are talking about Deepika Padukone. We guess, Ranbir is not interested in cricket. But while on Deepika, it is interesting to note that her idea of a dream home
“Is staying with my parents.” Agreed, the girl is constantly on the move all the time and time spent with family is always a “dream”! Well, said Deepika. But that’s what we called paying a heavy price for stardom!
