JAMI’S VOTING WITH HIS FEET

It’s a serious issue. Jami is one of the finest filmmakers that our country has. After the way the sit-in by a politico-religious party ended in Islamabad, with a seeming abject capitulation by the state, the director tweeted he wants to shift his family abroad because he doesn’t want his children to live in this “mess”.

Creative people hold up a mirror to society. If they start leaving the country or feel disgruntled by what’s going on, it means the state might need to revisit its policies. Don’t hold your breath though.

NO MORE ‘HISTORICALS’

Way to go Deepika Padukone, that’s the spirit! In the face of vicious threats to her life related to the film Padmavati in which she is playing the central character, the girl is unfazed and resolute in her opinion on the matter.

The artist with the cutest dimples in showbiz has told a journalist friend that her colleagues in the film are keen to show their “work of love, passion and enthusiasm” to cine-goers. She remarked that her gut feeling is that the film, whose release has been delayed, is going to be “really special”. However, the Padmavati heroine also suggested that she might not do another period drama for a while. Good call Deepika P. This nose-cutting, head-chopping threats’ drama is enough to unnerve a tough person, leave alone a sensitive soul.

HARASSMENT, SHE WROTE

Nonagenarian actress Angela Lansbury is in a spot of bother. Last week, the Murder She Wrote star gave an interview to the Radio Times in which she, talking about the sexual harassment issue with reference to Harvey Weinstein and the rest of the men whose names emerged afterwards, said, “Women must sometimes take blame.” This unleashed a series of comments on social media against her stance. Not just that, the Rape Crisis of England and Wales issued a lengthy statement criticising her.

The actress then clarified her position by saying, “There is no excuse for men to harass women in an abusive sexual manner,” adding she’s a strong supporter of women’s rights. Hmmm … old age can sometimes make you utter things that you wouldn’t have uttered even in your youth.

COMPLETE NOT COMPETE

Now that’s how artists should treat each other. The talented Neelam Munir is these days promoting her film Chupan Chupai.

Ahsan Khan is her co-actor in it, and she can’t stop praising his acting skills. She has been heard saying to friends that she’s learnt a lot from him during the shoot of the movie and feels he is a ‘complete’ actor.

While that is commendable camaraderie, it does beg the question whether it means that the rest of the actors she’s worked with are incomplete.

KAPUR’S LEE

This is exciting. Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is working on a Bruce Lee biopic whose first draft was penned by the iconic actor and martial artist’s daughter, Shannon Lee. Shekhar K is directing and co-writing the film which is titled Little Dragon.

The project is in a pre-production stage and will be ready for screening next year. Mind you, it’s been several years since the Bandit Queen director has made a film. He is now 71 years of age, and it might not be easy for him to pull off a nunchaku film.

SHASHI KAPOOR, ALAS!

One of the finest actors of his generation and ’70s heartthrob Shashi Kapoor passed away in Mumbai on Dec 4. He was 79. He leaves behind two sons — Kunal and Karan — and a daughter, Sanjana.

Shashi started his career as the leading man in the film Dharamputra (1961). Before that, he had appeared as a child artist in a couple of his older brother Raj Kapoor’s films. His pairing with actress Nanda became quite popular in the ’60s; he did seven films with Nanda including Jab Jab Phool Khile and Raja Sahib. But his popularity increased manifold in the ’70s when he appeared in films both as the solo male lead and alongside Amitabh Bachchan. Together, the two formidable actors gave a series of hit movies such as Deewar, Do Aur Do Paanch, Kabhi Kabhi and Suhaag. Later in his career, he produced critically acclaimed films, the foremost of which were Junoon, 36 Chowrangi Lane and Kalyug. He was also one of the first Indian actors, if not the first, who worked in Western projects, and his collaboration with Merchant-Ivory Productions blazed a trail for a lot of other Indian actors to go global.

Shashi got married to Jennifer Kendal, sister of Felicity Kendal, in 1958. She died of cancer in 1984. Together they worked on a number of film and theatre projects.

May he rest in peace.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 10th, 2017