More news-news than I anticipated today. Still nothing super exciting (unless you have a mad passion for Nawazuddin, or are a Zayed Khan super-fan), but at least something beyond “so and so’s maid tested positive” (stories that always make me think “wait, are the household servants still allowed to travel, or are they separated from their families indefinitely?”)
Nawazuddin Siddiqui Getting Divorced
Not much here, his wife filed for divorce and full custody, and her lawyer did a controlled rumor that there is more to the story. Pretty standard divorce rules so far, her lawyer isn’t going to put all his cards out, but he is going to make sure Nawazuddin’s lawyers know they are willing to go public with something. And maybe there is something there, and maybe it is really nothing but she wants custody and so is going to make nothing sound like something.
But also, the lawyer indicated that the situation came to a head because of the quarantine. Which I have been wondering about! Are we going to see more celebrity divorces because of quarantine all over the world? Different from all the regular divorces we might see, because part of it is perception. It’s easy to pretend to the public that your failed marriage is fine so long as you can quietly lead separate lives. But once lockdown hits, the whole shell game of “oh, our marriage is fine, I’m just living over here for 4 months during filming” falls apart.
Zayed Khan is Getting Re-Launched
I like Zayed, but isn’t he FREAKISHLY OLD for a re-launch? I think of that as more of a 30 year old’s game, and Zayed is 40. Also his Dad is coordinating the launch, and I think 79 is also FREAKISHLY OLD to try and save your son’s career.
Speaking of Sanjay, if I say “sleazy producer guy who cheated on his wife with Zeenat Aman and then hit her in public at a party so hard he damaged her eye”, this is exactly the picture that comes to mind, right? Really remarkable outside/inside matching moment.

Anil Kapoor Writes Anniversary Instagram for Wife
Anil and Sunita’s anniversary is today, and he did a lovely little instagram post. Be sure to read the whole thing and click through every picture! FOR HAPPINESS
Oh, and yesterday’s post, for the anniversary of his proposal, complete with Anil’s voice doing a recorded message. HEARTS!
Well, i hope he wasn’t an abusive creep. If not, it’s a shame she didn’t divorce him at another time so he could come on a post-divorce mid life crisis trip to Europe. But presumably there is something deeply wrong with him, so.
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I don’t want to rush to judgement, because it could easily just be divorce jockeying speak. But on the other hand, there was this very weird thing a few years back about his autobiography. It included an explicit (and somewhat silly) description of his first sexual encounter with an ex-girlfriend. She filed a libel case against him, not denying the relationship just not wanting their sex life in a book. That feels a big creepy.
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:06 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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That is weird. Also, who’d read his autobio? I wouldn’t even.
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Here’s one of my posts on it, with links for more details: https://dontcallitbollywood.com/2017/10/30/news-round-up-sexual-harassment-and-abhishek-unrelated-again/
https://dontcallitbollywood.com/2017/10/26/news-round-up-prabhas-is-pricey-sushant-singh-rajput-pinches-pennies/
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:17 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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What an interesting birthday present for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Today is his birthday. I don’t feel like celebrating it.
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Honestly, I have no problems with the way he described that. I’ve read way worse in other autobios, but of course it could be total lies. Also, that’s the kind of description you see in rockstar or groupie bios, not serious actor ones. Which makes it really weird and tasteless. But then, like I said, who’d even read an autobio by someone like him? So he has some ego problems, at least.
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I have no problems in America, but that is not behavior that India is going to accept in the woman and it is kind of scuzzy for him to set her up for that kind of scrutiny, you know?
On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 2:03 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Yeah that would be a jerk move.
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So adorable!!!! And it’s my birthday so I feel especially close to them! I can really imagine Anil tearing up.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:13 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Happy Birthday!
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Happy birthday!
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Happy Birthday!!! 😀
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Happy birthday!
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I have only seen Zayed Khan in one movie, and from that movie I don’t think he is an awesome actor, nor do I think he is amazingly gorgeous, but he is taller than average…
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Taller than average, good enough! Let’s give him another chance at 40!
I think I’ve seen him in maybe 4 movies. I find him charming and pleasant onscreen, I don’t mind watching him at all, but he doesn’t really set my world on fire.
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:14 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I thought he was quite good in Love Breakup Zindagi. Better than in Main Hoon Na.
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Agree. And he co-produced that. I was hoping he would move into a producing/acting kind of interesting direction, but that was a long time ago and nothing happened, so I guess not.
Also, I just made a birthday present for you, check the newest post.
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:59 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Aw! And thanks to everyone for the wishes. It was a very good birthday. Without qualification.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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You got me, you knew exactly which “One Movie” I had seen Zayed in!
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Anil is complete #HusbandGoals. I mean, whenever Harsh gets over from his high brow cinema and sneakers phase and wants to be actually serious in life he has the perfect father to take advice from on matters. As long as he is smart enough to realise it.
Curious to see how the Nawazudding divorce drama will be as things go on…or if there is going to be any in the first place
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Anil is a delight, always. And this is the kind of anniversary message I like to see on social media. It’s not a love note to his wife, like instead of just saying “I love you” over breakfast he has to show off and shout it to the world. Instead it is more like an after dinner toast, I want to give a speech to everyone about how awesome my wife is and our marriage.
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:15 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Yesterday I read the story of how 24 years ago Sunil Shetty helped 128 victims of sex-trafficking return to their homes in Nepal.
https://www.thebetterindia.com/227031/sunil-shetty-1996-rescue-operation-sex-trafficking-victims-nepal-real-hero-inspiring-ser106/
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Thank you! And also, thank you for the website link. I love these websites that give legitimate news with a positive spin only. Why not? there’s just as many good stories in the world as bad, if not more, and usually they are more useful for us to read.
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 3:23 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I read the headline as Naseeruddin Shah and my heart just stopped. I mean, no idea what he’s lke as a husband, but he and Ratna seem to make such a great team, coming out and complaining about Hindi cinema together.
As for celebrity divorce wave: I wonder about this. It’s not like anyone is stuck together in a like a 2-bedroom apartment; it seems like people with enormous houses can just avoid each other.
Yay, Anil. Sunita looks so lovely. I hope Sonam is looking forward to getting older.
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I assure you, if there is any news related to the Shah-Patnak marriage, the headline will read “Ratna Pathak”. I know where the true allegiance of this community lies.
With the celebrity divorce wave, if you have been playing the “no no, I’m just out of town for filming/on tour/vacation with old friends” game, maybe a house just can’t be big enough? maybe you have been putting continents between each other for months and going back to a house is impossible?
That’s in the American context where it seems far more common to do a slow lowkey separation until time is right for an official announcement. In the Indian context, on the other hand, I very much wonder about the lowkey non-married couples. Like, are Sunny and Dimple separated indefinitely now? We already had the blind item maybe about Vicky and Kat. What about Arjun and Malaika? Ayan and Ranbir? Hrithik and Shweta?
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 10:42 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Alia and Ranbir are quarantining together, rumor has it, which is a perfect opportunity for her to get sick of him. Sunny must be with his actual wife? Or are they quietly separated? Arjun and Malaika, I feel sure, are quarantined together. I’m imagining a quarantine bubble with all the Kapoors and their significant others.
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I think Sunny officially lives with his wife all the time, maybe even in a combined family situation. And then he quietly goes on vacations with Dimple and stuff. But that’s not happening now, no 5 nights home, 2 nights gone, kind of relationship is going to fly.
The thing with Arjun and Malaika is, she’s got a son! And an ex. So if she and Arbaaz are quarantining together for the sake of the kid, that leaves poor Arjun out in the cold. And I really really hope that Ayan is quietly quarantining with Ranbir and Alia for his own sake. But on the other hand, that would also help Ralia last a little longer, and none of us want that.
On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 7:16 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I don’t think Arjun quarantines with Malaika. A few weeks ago he made a video about his routine and she was commenting on his Instagram. For me, it means she wasn’t there with him.
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Poor Arjun!
On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:02 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I didn’t know Nawaz was still married and has children, thought he separated long ago. I don’t know what to think of him since that thing in his autobiography came out!
Sonam looks so much like Sunita in that wedding picture!
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Maybe they separated long ago, but have been keeping up appearances?
On Tue, May 19, 2020 at 11:23 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I haven’t seen Zayed for ages and was curious how he looks now e.g Fardeen Khan was quite handsome in the past but now gained a lot of weight and he’s hard to recognize. Zayed was never handsome or talented so I’m very surprised he will be re-launched.
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Yeah, I may have been too quick to report this, let’s see if anything comes of it.
On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 4:25 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m glad you did because it made me think about young Fardeen Khan and that in turn made me think about Prem Aggan which makes me very happy because it’s the funniest movie ever. I love it.
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Is it true about Nawazuddin Sir…or just a rumour arround..!
The comeback of him on televison was even a bit success but in films…..uuummmmm!
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