Have I mentioned before how HORRIBLE the Indian press is? It’s HORRIBLE!!!!! And now I have to do an Priyanka story AGAIN just because I seem to be the only one doing the 10 seconds of research required to present it accurately. Why do you make me do this, Bollywoodhungama “reporters”??????? (and now you are thinking “why is Margaret complaining? it’s her own fault for reading BH.” And I know, you’re right.)
Kangana Loses a Movie Maybe
It was reported in sources so shadey I don’t repeat them that Rajkummar and Kangana were working together again after Mental Hai Kya in a film with Anurag Basu, possibly a Life…in a Metro sequel. Which seemed like a terribly idea, since Anurag isn’t the best at controlling a tricky film set (Jagga Jasoos, anyone?), and Kangana isn’t the best at controlling herself. But now the news is out in the less shadey sources, the ones that wait for confirmation before printing, that it is PARINEETI who is getting the role, not Kangana (story here).
Isn’t that interesting? Both that Kangana isn’t getting this role and that Pari is. Kangana should be getting the role, setting aside the shadey sources claiming it was offered to her, a Rajkumar-Anurag film is exactly the sort of middle-brow thing that Kangana specializes in. And she’s worked with both the director and the co-star a lot. So either her reputation is beginning to lose her roles, or she has hit the point of being too big for these films.
And then there’s Pari, I am very excited about this for her. She has stayed pretty strictly mainstream until now, and I think it has weakened her. Putting in the time in a more parallel cinema film will get her more credit with the critics, plus build those connections outside of the mainstream world to help her get a different kind of part. On top of the pure artistic growth it will provide.
So, overall, yay!!! I still don’t like Anurag Basu much, but I am excited by the rest of this story enough to maybe want to see the movie.
Priyanka Fails to Do Public Service
UGH Bollywoodhungama!!!! And also, UGH Priyanka’s PR team! This story is reported as “Priyanka bravely reveals she has asthma and joins a campaign to eradicate it in India”. But, NO! Priyanka was just hired as the brand ambassador for an inhaler company that is trying to move into the Indian market. (story here)
I’m seeing it reported everywhere, not just in BH, with the twist of “Priyanka Chopra was asthmatic since she was 5 but never let it stop her, is now part of a campaign to help other children”. Which…maybe? I mean, I suppose it is true that she was asthmatic since she was 5 and uses an inhaler, why not. And probably she has some commitment to the brand she is fronting.
But, ick! To sell a campaign to sell a brand of medical equipment as a public service message, that’s just gross. It’s going to make people doubt real public service messages and NGOs. That’s not a film comment or a PC comment, that’s a “hey! YUCK!” directed towards whatever marketing person came up with this concept and, especially, all of the “reporters” who are incorrectly labeling it instead of taking ten seconds to google the campaign and find this website:
Oh, and from the Priyanka side, I don’t know how it is from the India side, but in America being the face of a pharmaceutical brand is one of the lowest forms of celebrity endorsement. It’s a good campaign, tying it in with her real life medical issues and stuff. But it still feels a little bit lowclass maybe? I don’t know, I could be completely missing something, but it seems like asthma inhalers are a lessor item to promote than, say, jewelry stores?
Ajay and Varun Get New Images
Two similar stories here. Both Ajay and Varun have rom-coms coming out, Varun is playing older than before (married romance and so on) and Ajay is playing younger and lighter than usual. So both films have pre-campaigns selling us on this new view of the heroes. Anushka is talking about how Varun is such a great pleasant respectful co-star and boyfriend and will someday make a wonderful husband (story here), and Ajay’s film is leaking news about how it will be a fun ride, romantic, not Golmaal but also not serious (story here).
I’m trying not to fall for the campaigns, but I am excited by them wanting me to get excited about these things, you know? That is, whether or not Varun will succeed in bringing a mature kind persona onscreen, I am excited that the goal of the film is that. And I am excited that the goal of Ajay’s film is a fun light but still romantic movie.
Oh, and I TOTALLY believe that Varun is secretly a responsible caring guy and a good boyfriend. One of the first stories I heard about him back during SOTY days was that he always picked up and dropped Alia to her home after filming. Because she was just a kid, someone had to go with her there and back. And the fact that he has been with the same girlfriend for almost ten years since college, and is very careful about when and how she is allowed to be photographed, feels mature too. Ajay being capable of a light romance, that I may have to see to believe.
dontcallitbollywood 
Asthma inhalers are a lessor item to promote, but on the other hand there is so much money in pharmaceutical industry , much more than in jewlery sotres and I’m sure Priyanka has been paid very well.
And can I say something mean? I’m always more convinced Rajkumar Rao movie choices are part of some strange bet – he choses the worst actresses to prove that he can hold a movie all by himself. First Nargis Fakhri, then Shraddha, now Parineeti.. I’m afraid to think who will be next, Rakhi Sawant maybe 😉
LikeLike
You are SO MEAN. But if Rajkummar signs something with Shruti Haasan next, I will know you are right.
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 3:18 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
They already had a movie together!
https://st1.bollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Behan-Hogi-teri.jpg##image/jpg
LikeLike
Okay, your theory is obviously correct. Maybe it’s for romantic reasons? He is trying to help his girlfriend get jobs by costarring with all these terrible actresses in order to make them look even worse in comparison with him so producers will finally hire people who can actually act.
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 3:28 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I’m reading Rajkummar filmography now and he really works only with the worst actresses (when he is not doing his serious movies like Omerta or Love Sonia). Only in last 2 years he made movies with:
Shruti Haasan
Aishwarya Rai
Shraddha
Nargis Fakhri
and upcoming movie is with Sonam Kapoor!
Now he only needs Katrina Kaif and we are done.
Now I’m even more curious about Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana to see if Kriti Kharbanda matches our list (why why ths movie is nowhere to be find?)
LikeLike
Maybe they think he will do the acting for the both of them and end up making them look good? It doesn’t work though, at least for me, the heroines just look even worse than usual when compared to him.
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 3:53 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Watching him act with Aish was like watching him drag an anvil through the dirt. A preening, vain anvil.
LikeLike
So, Shraddha over Aish for you as Rajkummar costars?
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 4:40 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Yes. Shraddha is boring but inoffensive. Aish’s vanity is so freakin’ annoying. Except mostly in Jodhaa Akbar. which I’ll tell you all about when the review goes up.
LikeLike
I’m excited about Pari with Rajkumar!! She’s got it in her. Ishaqzade, HTP, ladies vs and daawat-e-ishq are proof of that. Some poor movie choices aside, I wouldn’t question her talent or compare her to Shraddha. Also I loved life in a metro. Kangana konkana irfan were so good in it. Though I can understand film makers avoiding kangana now. It’s getting complicated with her. I only want the music to be as epic.
LikeLike
I like how comparison to Shraddha is now an understood insult in the DCIB world 🙂
I am trying to remain on the fence with Pari. I’ve really only seen her in two movies, so I don’t have enough to judge yet.
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 3:36 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Parallel is the new mainstream – thats where the woke audience is. With this and Jabariya Jodi, Pari is trying to mix things up. She does well as long as she has a competent director. I think the key is she keeps working – worked too little in the past 4 years. And she looked a bit rusty in MPB n Golmaal. Shradha might not be a good actress, but she surely is hardworking and I think she’s getting marginally better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you’re right. Pari was maybe marginally worse in Golmaal Again than in Deewat E Ishq. Certainly there was no advancement in the years between. But I still have hope for her, I keep remembering how terrible Deepika was, and even Rani in some of her early films, and how amazingly good they grew to be. It’s definitely on the job training.
On Tue, Sep 18, 2018 at 5:43 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I do too! Somehow I like her. I feel she could’ve had a career similar to Tapsee but played it too safe.
LikeLike
I’m happy for Parineeti, too. This is a good career move for her and she has it in her.
I’m still so mad about the Ajay “rom-com.” This should be a realistic romance where he ends up with Tabu!
LikeLike
I am optimistic! They are selling it as “not a total comedy but lighthearted” which makes me hopeful that it will be more of a sweet May-December thing rather than a sex farce. Also, Tabu was mentioned in the story as also having a “light” role, which makes me think that she must be an equal lead, if all 3 of them are being sold to us.
I know what you mean though, we are hoping for Cactus Flower and dreading 7 Year Itch.
On Wed, Sep 19, 2018 at 12:31 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike