Jab Tak Hai Jaan and the top Diwali busts in Bollywood

Diwali hasn’t been all that crackling for Bollywood. Of more than 30 films released in the past decade during the festival, less than a dozen elicited fireworks at the box office. But this year seems promising with “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” (JTHJ) and “Son Of Sardaar” (SOS) lined up to hit the screens Nov 13, Diwali day itself.

Both are biggies. JTHJ is Yash Chopra’s last directorial venture, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, while SOS is a comic caper with Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt and Sonakshi Sinha in key roles. Chopra’s sudden death Oct 21, before he could can the last song for the film in the Swiss Alps, has generated more interest in JTHJ, expected to be the last reflection of his kind of romantic, sensitive and picture perfect cinema.

The film is expected to set the cash registers ringing — given the past record of Shah Rukh’s Diwali releases, including “Baazigar” (1993), “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (1995), “Dil To Pagal Hai” (1997), “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (1998), “Veer-Zaara” (2004), “Don: The Chase Begins Again” (2006) and “Om Shanti Om” (2007).

But those appeared to be the exceptions. Shah Rukh’s “Mohabbatein” (2000) and mega-budget “RA.One” (2011), released around the festival, didn’t quite ruffle up the ticket counters beyond the opening weekend.

All in all, Diwali hasn’t brought much ‘Lakshmi’ to Hindi films, even if the festive season is considered to be a good time to release films, given the holiday mood. Some films indeed went on to be winners but most tanked at the box office.

Of the three films – “RA.One”, “Tell Me O Kkhuda” and “Damadamm!” – released around Diwali last year, the latter two were hardly visible due to the extensive promotion of Shah Rukh’s Rs.150 crore budget entertainer. If the first two bombed, even “RA.One” failed to generate the expected response.

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Raveena and Asin share birthday

National Award winning Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon and talented B-town beauty from the South Asin Thottumkal celebrated their birthdays on Friday.

Raveena, who was born in the year 1974, turned 38, while Asin turned 27.

Asin, who made her Bollywood debut with ‘Ghajini’ in 2008, will spend her birthday by working on the sets of her next movie.

`It has been a crazy and chaotic month for me so far so I have not even thought about my birthday as such. My film is releasing in December and we have to finish work as all of us are racing against time,` Asin told Mid-Day.

`Earlier I have been lucky enough to get my day off on my shoots and I have also shot during the day on my birthdays but never in the nights. My immediate family, my mom and dad are here with me. I guess after pack up when I land up at home early morning, we will have our small little celebrations before I crash,` she said.

Asin featured in several Bollywood films like ‘Ready’, ‘London Dreams’, ‘Housefull 2′ and ‘Bol Bachchan’.

Her upcoming project includes ‘Khiladi 786′, where she will be cast along with her ‘Housefull 2′ costar, Akshay Kumar.

In Kollywood, she has showcased her talents in movies like ‘Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi’, ‘Shivamani 9848022338′,

‘Gharshana’, ‘M. Kumaran son of Mahalakshmi’, ‘Ghajini’, ‘Sivakasi’, ‘Varalaru’, ‘Pokkiri’, ‘Dasavathaaram’.

Raveena, on the other hand was seen busy thanking her friends on micro-blogging site Twitter for wishing her on the day.

She made her debut with the film ‘Patthar Ke Phool’ in 1991 which was box office hit and the she received the Filmfare Lux New Face Award for her performance in the film.

Raveena then starred in films like ‘Mohra’, ‘Dilwale’, ‘Laadla’, ‘Imtihaan’, ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi’, ‘Ziddi’, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’.

Her performance in films like ‘Shool’, ‘Aks’, ‘Satta’, ‘Dobara’ and ‘Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence’ won her critical recognition and was praised by critics and fans for her power packed performances.

She also won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her performance in Kalpana Lajmi’s ‘Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence’.

Raveena married film distributor Anil Thadani in 2004 and the couple are now proud parents of a girl named Rasha and a boy named Ranbir.

Much before her marriage and motherhood Raveena had adopted two girls, Pooja and Chhaya, as a single mother in 1995.

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Deep Trouble

Santa and Banta decide to apply for jobs at a mine that had opened nearby. After sitting in the waiting room for a while, Banta gets called in for his interview. The boss asks Banta if he had worked underground mines before? Banta says that he had. The boss asks him how deep under ground he worked? Banta says, “Oh, about 8 to 10 feet.” The boss says, “Mines are a lot deeper than that, get out of here – you’re no miner!” On his way out, Banta tells Santa to tell the boss that he worked real deep underground so he could get the job. Santa gets called in. The boss asks Santa if he had worked underground mines before? Santa says, “Oh sure.” The boss asks how deep underground he worked. Santa says, “I used to work in a mine 20,000 feet underground.” The boss says, “20,000 feet, Wow! That is incredible!, “What kind of lights did you use in a mine so deep underground?” Santa says, “Oh, I didn’t need a light, I worked on the day shift!”

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ADVICE FROM PETER – A RETIRED HUSBAND

It is important for men to remember that, as women grow older, it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as when they were younger. When you notice this, try not to yell at them. Some are oversensitive, and there’s nothing worse than an oversensitive woman.

My name is Peter. Let me relate how I handled the situation with my wife. When I retired a few years ago, it became necessary for Lesley to get a full-time job, along with her part-time job, both for extra income and for the health benefits that we needed. Shortly after she started working, I noticed she was beginning to show her age. I usually get home from the golf club about the same time she gets home from work.

Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always says she has to rest for half an hour or so before she starts dinner. I don’t yell at her. Instead, I tell her to take her time and just wake me when she gets dinner on the table. I generally have lunch in the Men’s Grill at the club, so eating out is not reasonable. I’m ready for some home-cooked grub when I hit that door. She used to do the dishes as soon as we finished eating. But now it’s not unusual for them to sit on the table for several hours after dinner.

I do what I can by diplomatically reminding her several times each evening that they won’t clean themselves. I know she really appreciates this, as it does seem to motivate her to get them done before she goes to bed.

Another symptom of aging is complaining, I think.For example, she will say that it is difficult for her to find time to pay the monthly bills during her lunch hour. But, Boys, we take ‘em for better or worse, so I just smile and offer encouragement. I tell her to stretch it out over two, or even three days. That way, she won’t have to rush so much. I also remind her that missing lunch completely now and then wouldn’t hurt her any (if you know what I mean). I like to think tact is one of my strong points.

When doing simple jobs, she seems to think she needs more rest periods. She had to take a break when she was only half-finished mowing the yard. I try not to make a scene. I’m a fair man. I tell her to fix herself a nice, big, cold glass of freshly squeezed lemonade and just sit for a while. And, as long as she is making one for herself, she may as well make one for me, too.

I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support my wife. I’m not saying that showing this much consideration is easy. Many men will find it difficult. Some will find it impossible! Nobody knows better than I do how frustrating women get as they get older. However, Guys, even if you just use a little more tact and less criticism of your aging wife because of this article, I will consider that writing it was well worthwhile. After all, we are put on this earth to help each other.

EDITOR’S NOTE:
Peter, died suddenly on January 31 of a perforated rectum. The police report says he was found with a Calloway extra-long 50-inch Big Bertha Driver II golf club jammed up his rear end, with barely 5 inches of grip showing, and a sledge hammer laying nearby. His wife was arrested and charged with murder. The all-woman jury took only 10 minutes to find her Not Guilty, accepting her defense that Peter, somehow without looking, accidentally sat down on his golf club.

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Kareena Kapoor Khan to put work on hold for honeymoon?

Mumbai: Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, who tied the nuptial on 16th October, are contemplating taking a break from work for their impending honeymoon.

Buzz has it that the Nawab has asked his begum not to take up too much work as he has plans to take her to the Swiss Alps this winter.

Apparently, Saif was gung-ho about his trip to the Alps along with his bride Kareena and can’t wait to spend some time with her.

So, producers who are keen to sign this good-looking duo for their projects will have to wait. They are worth waiting for, we reckon!

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