Salman is everywhere today!  Sometimes actually mentioned, sometimes just implied.  I guess that’s fair, it is his Birthday Week after all.

Karan and Salman Fall Out

What is reported is that Akshay is about to start filming his next movie, which will be produced by Dharma films/Karan and oh by the way, Salman was announced as co-producer and is no longer involved, for some reason.  Ha-HA!  Reshma Shetty fall out!  This is what I was waiting for!

Reshma Shetty is one of Karan’s closest friends and was Salman’s manager.  And then was suddenly let go a few months ago, which made me immediately wonder if this would cause a break with Karan, or maybe was in response to a break with Karan.  And it looks like, yes, it is one of those things.

I am leaning more towards “cause a break”.  As in, Reshma had this tight connection that she could call on when she felt like it would be helpful for her client.  No doubt she was instrumental in getting Salman on Koffee those two times, and probably helped put him together with Karan for this production.  And now that Reshma is out of the picture, the glue that was holding them together is gone and they are slipping apart.

But it’s all being handled very well, I seem to be the only person putting the dots together in this way, otherwise it is being reported as a sort of general “well, Karan was taking the lead on the project so Salman felt like he might as well step back” non-specific mature sort of thing.

(remember all the excitement when this photo came out?  And now, nothing)

 

Salman and Bobby

Meanwhile, this story was reported as a break between Salman and Emraan, when it seems more like a coming together of Salman and Bobby.  Poor Bobby, I read an interview with him a few years back in which he explicitly said that he was trying to get a job, any job from anyone, and no one was hiring.  Well, Salman heard his prayers!

Salman has apparently roped in both Bobby (after Emraan turned the role down) and Daisy Shah for Race 3.  Which I guess means Abbas-Mustan are willing to do just about anything if he will only act for them, letting Salman control the whole rest of the cast.  But it’s also a nice thing, once again Salman is sticking his neck out for his friends and trying to get them work.  I don’t really mind it, he seems to be (mostly) savvy enough to know what will work and what won’t.  Bobby is fine as a third hero, even enjoyable.  And Daisy Shah, in presumably a fairly small love interest type part, that’s not a problem.  So long as he keeps showing this kind of generosity and loyalty to the strugglers in the industry, I don’t have a problem with him parting ways with Karan Johar and Akshay Kumar, who are the opposite of strugglers.

(I guess Bobby was technically in Poster Boys recently, but that wasn’t really a career re-starter)

 

Varun Follows Salman

This is disappointing, Varun’s next film after October is rumored to be a Biwi No.1 remake directed by his father. Booooooo!  I don’t want to see him in another remake!  It can’t possibly live up to the original, it is just setting him up for failure.

And it’s not building his own “brand”.  All along Varun has been in Salman’s shadow a little.  In a lot of ways that was healthy, Salman helped him and gave him advice and it was nice to see Varun’s sincere respect and appreciation for him.  But it’s not good when Varun more and more feels like he is just trying to imitate Salman and doesn’t have anything of his own to contribute.

Plus, just like with Judwaa, YOU CAN’T REPLACE KARISMA!!!!!!!!  Salman’s role in Biwi No. 1 is super hard, because you have to be mad at him without hating him.  And Karisma’s is equally hard, because you have to love her without pitying her.  And I can’t think of a female star today who can pull that off.  Sushmita’s role is kind of hard to, you have to disapprove of what she is doing but still like her, but that I feel like Jacqueline Fernandez could do no problem.  Karisma though, I just can’t think of anyone for Karisma.

(She’s the title character!!!!  She should be the one cast first)