Bollywood gets an art attack

Some of our actors are not just artistes but artists too. We look at some Bollywood stars who secretly nurse a passion for painting. Sridevi is making a comeback in Hindi films with Gauri Shinde’s directorial debut, English Vinglish. Between shots, the actor would often be spotted with crayons, sketch pens and paper. “Sridevi loves to draw and paint. I’ve seen some really huge paintings made by her lining the walls of her home. They’re really good, but that’s not surprising because Sridevi is a perfectionist who excels in everything she takes up,” says Gauri. “The artworks range from abstracts to portraits. There’s a really huge one of Michael Jackson, who’s her idol since she’s a dancer too.”Salman Khan Salman inherited his artistic abilities from his mother Salma and paints abstracts, religious imagery, couples and his dogs. In 2008, he gifted Ranbir Kapoor a painting of his grandfather Raj Kapoor on his game show, Dus Ka Dum, and presented Aamir one of him in his Ghajini (2008) avatar. He got an approving nod from the late MF Husain, also inspired Dabangg (2010) co-star Sonakshi Sinha to move beyond sketches and paint a woman.
Bhagyashree

For Salman’s Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) co-star, painting was a fun pastime that let her imagination take flight. She says, “I began when I was 13, with sketches of my favourite stars, Amitabh Bachchan, Marilyn Monroe, Bridget Bardot and Michael Jackson.”
Ali Zafar

The actor-singer has been painting since he was a child and has a degree in fine arts. At 18, he sold 20-minute charcoal portraits in a hotel lobby for R500 each to fund his music albums.“Some women wanted a painting like the one Leonardo DiCaprio makes for Kate Winslet in Titanic, including my wife, whom I later painted,” he says. “Once I got busy with music, I stopped painting. I picked up the brush after seven years in 2010 when my father asked me to be a part of a national exhibition in Lahore,” says Zafar. The exhibition featuring over 100 Pakistani artistes was hosted by the alumni association of the College of Art and Design for the rehabilitation of craftsmen affected by the devastating floods. More recently, Zafar painted London, Paris, New York (2012) co-star Aditi Rao Hydari during the film’s promotions.
Aamir Khan

Perfectionist Aamir took art lessons before playing Arun, the painter, in wife Kiran Rao’s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat (2010). Salman was his inspiration“Salman’s a fantastic painter and has presented me with four beautiful paintings that are up on our walls. I tried to copy one of them.. a face… and realised I’d a really bad artist but a good imitator,” he laughs. “I gifted the canvas to Salman and it has pride of place in his living room. I guess, he didn’t want to break my heart.” Interestingly, Salman’s paintings lined the walls of Prateik’s shack in the film.
Ashok Kumar

He was a prolific painter who dabbled in charcoal, water-colour and oil. “I like to paint nudes, in the nude, in the privacy of my bathroom,” the veteran actor once admitted. He’s made 300-odd paintings, many of which he gifted away but on his birth centenary last year the Ashok Kumar Foundation organised an exhibition of his art that had a self-potrait of him playing the violin.
Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone always got an
A grade in art when in school.
And during Love Aaj Kal (2009), in which she played a fresco
restoration artist, when she suddenly spotted canvasses and paint on the set, she made a couple of paintings. Source:http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk

WikiLeaks takes on Bollywood

New Delhi: As Julian Assange's WikiLeaks continues to cause embarrassment to governments across the globe, its latest target is the world's largest maker of movies Bollywood, the reference of which appears in several of the leaked embassy cables made public by the whistleblowing website.

Many of the cables are surprisingly succinct and contain detailed analysis of the Indian film industry that churns out almost 1000 films a year and generates billions of rupees in revenue.

The documents look at different aspects of Bollywood, including its profitability, connections to organized crime, growth opportunities, and the Bollywood-Hollywood partnerships. India's movie industry generated an estimated Rs 10,700 crore in revenue in 2008, and that is expected to increase by an average of 11.5 per cent a year to 2013, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a study.

Hollywood-Bollywood partnerships
Two documents that analysed the Hollywood-Bollywood partnership are critical of the Hindi film industry and the scope of US film studios in the second fastest growing economy.
"Hollywood film studios, amongst the world's highest revenue earners, are increasingly beginning to stake their claim in Bollywood," a document said. "Though not without challenges, major US studios have started to try to capture a piece of this potentially lucrative market. US studios ranging from Sony, Disney, and Warner Brothers have co-produced Hindi movies attracted by the growth potential and opportunities in Indian cinema," it said.

The embassy cable said while big budget Hollywood action films - dubbed in vernacular languages - have done relatively well in India, success has eluded Hollywood-Bollywood co-production partnerships so far.

Black money
A leaked diplomatic cable also said that Bollywood welcomed funding from gangsters and politicians, known in India as "black money."

While there is no direct reference of Dawood Ibrahim which allegedly financed a number of movies, the cable said that in recent decades, Bollywood has been associated with the notorious Mumbai underworld, at the nexus of gangsters, money, and politics.

According to Jehil Thakkar, Head of Media and Entertainment for (KPMG), this association stemmed from the financing needs of the industry; until 2000, by government fiat, the film industry was ineligible for bank credit, private equity, and other means of legitimate commercial financing.

Bollywood and US visa
Following intensive investigation which also included a visit to the shooting site of 'My Name is Khan' the US Consulate in Mumbai in 2009 concluded that Bollywood generally does not misuse the US visas issued to its crew. Home to one of the largest entertainment industries in the world, Mumbai sends many stars and production crews to the US on O1 and O2 visas, it said, adding that the investigation was based on reports of fraud in other categories of visas.

"The study found that O2 travelers have a low overstay rate of 1.6 per cent. Site visits to major Indian production houses and no evidence of fraud for O2 applicants further suggests that most entertainment companies in Mumbai do not intend to misuse their US visas," said the US Consulate in Mumbai its cable dated December 14, 2009, which was released by WikiLeaks on August 30.

Chiranjeevi's political foray
A fan who committed suicide citing actor Chiranjeevi's indecision about entering politics, may have helped the "distraught" Telugu film star make up his mind, according to a leaked embassy cable made public by WikiLeaks.

The March 5, 2008 cable that was published August 8, 2011 said Chiranjeevi was toying with the idea of floating his own political party at that time. According to the cable, the actor appeared distraught and explained that one of his fans had committed suicide. The fan left a note saying he killed himself because he could no longer stand waiting for his hero to decide whether to enter politics. Source

Bollywood bodyguards reveal life beside the stars

They are an essential part of any Bollywood star's entourage, silently shadowing their every move and keeping over-eager fans and a celebrity-obsessed media at a muscular arm's length.

Now several of the increasing number of bodyguards working for A-list Hindi-language film stars have stepped into the limelight to speak about their duties, as a new movie on the subject is released.

The focus of attention has been a well-built Sikh nicknamed Shera (Tiger), who has been at action hero Salman Khan's side for the last 15 years and is accompanying him on promotional tours for Khan's new movie "Bodyguard".

"If anyone fires a bullet at him, I will stand in front of it and sacrifice my life for him. I love him to that extent," broad-shouldered Shera, who is in his early 40s, told reporters this week.
"In the last 15 years, Salman-bhai has done so much for me," he added. "Bhai" is Hindi for "brother" and is often used between close friends.

The feeling is reciprocated by Khan, who plays a bodyguard for Kareena Kapoor in the movie, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam-language film of the same name.

Shera -- real name Gurmeet Singh Jolly -- has been with Khan through the best of times and the worst of times, including a drink-driving case in 2002 and when Khan was jailed for a week in 2006 for killing endangered animals.

In a sign of his loyalty, Khan opted to use the badge and uniform of Shera's own firm, Tiger Security, in the film despite lucrative offers from a number of leading private security companies.

"I trust Shera completely with everything in my life, be it my money or even my women," joked the 45-year-old actor recently.

"If he ever decides to write a biography on me, I'm finished. He is the man whom I fear the most because he knows everything about me."

Bollywood stars inspire a fanatical following in India, making security staff as much of a requirement as an agent or a personal stylist.

While most fans are well-behaved, Kashinath Karmatkar, who works for megastar Amitabh Bachchan, said some can overstep the mark.

"Many times fans go crazy when they see stars face-to-face and they try to approach them closely," he said at a publicity event for "Bodyguard".

"It's at that time we have to be very careful to prevent them from coming close to the actor and at the same time see that the fans don't get hurt by our behaviour."

Hearthrob actor John Abraham has said he is rarely mobbed in Mumbai and is left to get on with his daily routine. But it is a different story elsewhere in India.

"I once walked into a Jaipur ATM and couldn't come out," he wrote on his web site last year. "By the time I had finished, there was a very committed Rajput ATM guard, who was trying to protect me from a very noisy mob of followers."

Female fans have pinched and even scratched him on other occasions, he has said.
Bachchan, star of some of the biggest hits of the 1970s, has long used bodyguards, who work so closely with actors that they often feel part of the family.

"The Big B" still has a huge following, with hordes of fans regularly camping outside his north Mumbai home just to catch a glimpse of him.

But the trend only really took off in the 1990s, when underworld figures tried to establish a stranglehold on the industry, and actors, producers and directors frequently received threats.

Bollywood's unarmed bodyguards now largely work at crowd control, with the bonus of accompanying stars at home and abroad.

For men like Yuvraj Ghorpade, who left school with few qualifications at age 16, the job has provided him with undreamed-of opportunities.

"The future was dark for me as I was doing odd jobs for survival until I decided to join Ace Security nine years ago," said Ghorpade, who has been a keen bodybuilder since his teens and is now in his 30s.

"Today, I am the bodyguard for (the actor-producer-director) Aamir Khan and many of my friends are envious of the fact that I roam with such a big celebrity all the time." (AFP)

Bollywood condemns Mumbai terrorist blasts

Figures from the Bollywood film industry have spoken out in condemnation against the latest terror attacks to hit Mumbai.A wide number of Hindi film celebrities have taken to social network sites to condemn the series of three blasts which took place on Wednesday.

Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog: "Bomb blasts in Mumbai .. !! God ! I hope people are safe (sic)."

Priyanka Chopra posted to her 1.2 million Twitter followers: "Terrible news about the blasts. A request - please do not cause panic by tweeting/ spreading rumours / unconfirmed news."

Madhur Bhandarkar posted: "Resilience of Mumbai again put to test because of the blasts. Heart aches for the victims. Condemn such cowardly acts of terror."

Actor Tusshar Kapoor used Twitter to express his anger at the latest attack on India's entertainment capital: "Completely resent what has happened in our city, high time these cowards are hanged and don't just languish in our jails."

Ranvir Shorey, urging restraint to the people of Mumbai, wrote: "We've been here before, #Mumbai. Let not these murderers win, by reacting without any chaos. Let's get back with more calm and efficiency."

The blasts occurred in three areas of the city, in the Opera House district, at the Zaveri bazaar and in Dadar.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan was earlier caught up in a controversy surrounding the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai.

Uma Thurman 'wants Bollywood film role'

Uma Thurman has said that she would like to maintain her personal relationship with India by starring in a Bollywood film.

Speaking to Gulf News , the Kill Bill star explained that she had a deep connection to the country that stemmed beyond more than just her Indian name.

Thurman spent part of her childhood living in the Almora district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and was named 'Uma' by her father, who is a Sanskrit scholar and a Tibetologist.

The actress said: "I have friends there and I feel very connected to it... the smell, the sights, the people. It's familiar.

"I didn't realise how close we were to India (in the UAE). Had I known earlier, I would have gone by. I go there often, my last visit was about two years ago."

When asked about the possibility of starring in a Bollywood movie, Thurman commented: "That will be the best. I am good friends with Mira Nair. In fact, I heard she's filming a movie in India that's coming up soon and I'm very upset I'm not in it. I'm going to have a word with her about that."

Nair directed Thurman in the HBO film Hysterical Blindness.

Thurman stars alongside Robert Pattinson in her next release Bel Ami, a period film based on the 19th century French novel of the same name by Guy de Maupassant.

Bollywood sequels: a recipe for success?

MUMBAI: A glut of Bollywood sequels are due out in the coming months, prompting questions about whether the industry has run out of ideas or is just milking a successful formula in troubled times.

More than a dozen follow-ups are in the pipeline, including "Bheja Fry 2" (Brain Fry), a second "Dabangg" (Fearless), a third in the "Dhoom" franchise and another installment of the "Golmaal" series.

Shah Rukh Khan is also getting in on the act, with a sequel due out by the end of the year of his hit "Don". The action film, in which the actor reportedly does his own stunts, is currently in post-production.

Bollywood studios are increasingly desperate for a money-spinner, with box office takings in the Indian film industry as a whole down for the last two years and the lack of original, quality script-writing a common complaint.

But "Bheja Fry 2" director Sagar Ballary rejected the notion that follow-ups are an easy option -- and said success was not guaranteed.

"I didn't rush to make the sequel immediately after the first film came out in 2007. We waited for the right script to make this part two," he said.

"Every film stands on its own. Whether it's a sequel or not, the film has to be good to work."

"Bheja Fry,", starring comedian Vinay Pathak, is based on the popular 1998 French comedy "Le Diner de Cons" (The Dinner Game), which was also made into a Hollywood movie, "Dinner for Schmucks".

Follow-ups are an established part of Hollywood. Some films, like those in the "Godfather" trilogy, are arguably better than the original. Others, like the Star Wars prequels, fail to find favour with fans or critics.

Bollywood, which is increasingly following Hollywood trends in filmmaking and marketing, has not been averse to sequels in the past.

Notable franchises include the crime comedy "Munnabhai" series, starring Sanjay Dutt.

The "Golmaal" series, which came out in 2006, 2008 and 2010, were all popular.

Director Rohit Shetty will be hoping the fourth, starring Kareena Kapoor and Ajay Devgn, will be just as successful and has no qualms about doing another follow-up.

"If I have created a brand, why should I be apologetic about making money on it? You reap what you sow, right?" Shetty was quoted as saying in the Hindustan Times newspaper recently.

The "Dhoom" series has equally been a box office winner throughout the last decade.

Bollywood producer Arbaaz Khan, who will direct "Dabangg 2", said the film was at the scripting stage and hopes that it will live up to audiences' expectations.

"Dabangg", a corrupt cop romp starring Salman Khan, was one of the few hits last year, winning a host of awards including Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at last week's National Film Awards.

Arbaaz Khan said a sequel is justified given the film's following.

"It was the biggest mass entertaining film of the last year that did extremely well at the box office. So, the sequel, too, will hopefully work like the first one," he said.

For all their insistence on artistic integrity, Khan, Ballary and other filmmakers admit that financial factors are important.

With the "brand" already known, less has to be spent on marketing and success is more likely, the argument goes.

"Producers are demanding because for them it's good business," said Ballary. "They know sequels will surely recover the cost of the box office because of the success of part one and there's not much to lose.

"There are many scripts and good story ideas in the market but producers don't want to risk new ideas and they feel it's safe to work with a sequel because audiences like it."

Khan added: "The pressure to deliver a hit is bigger because people will surely have greater expectations." (AFP)

South Indian films 'outperforming Bollywood'

South Indian cinema is reported to be performing better internationally than Bollywood.

According to Daily News and Analysis, south Indian releases are increasingly watched by non-resident Indians.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh commented: "Distributors are slowly becoming confident enough to release their films abroad."

He attributed the popularity of Rajinikanth's most recent release as a turning point in the south Indian film industry.

"The success of films like Endhiran last year has been a great factor that has brought in this change," said the TV presenter.

He also cited the large population of overseas resident south Indians as a contributing factor in the commercial reception of these projects.

"South Indian films are doing exceptionally well this year. Take the case of Telugu releases like Mr Perfect, Theenmaar and 100% Love or Tamil ones like Ko, Vaanam or Engeyum Kadhal, each has had bigger openings compared to Hindi films that released alongside them," he said.

Cannes festival to celebrate Bollywood

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival will celebrate the success and wonder of Bollywood in its 64th edition beginning next month.

'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', a feature film produced by Shekhar Kapoor and UTV Motion Pictures exclusively for the Festival de Cannes, will be screened during the festival that runs from May 11 to May 22. The film will be shown out of competition.

The film is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and American documentary filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist. Mehra had written and directed the 2006 Bollywood blockbuster 'Rang de Basanti'.

According to Cannes festival authorities, the origin of 'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', could be traced back to a conversation with Shekhar Kapoor, a member of the Cannes jury in 2010.

The question then was: Why not make a film that brings together the most beautiful moments in the history of Indian musical films, with all their moving pageantry and dance? "A few months later, there was 'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', a Cannes festival release said today while announcing the selection of the film.

The 81-minute film is said to be a swirling and poignant montage in which Shekhar Kapoor, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Jeff Zimbalist pay tribute to this cinema genre that has contributed to establishing India's identity in the eyes of the world and to making Mumbai one of the world capitals of film history.

Cricket causes $11.1mln loss to Bollywood

MUMBAI: A packed cricket schedule that peaked with an Indian win in the World Cup final has hit the country's other grand passion -- film -- emptying cinemas and forcing studios to postpone big movie releases.

Analysts said business at multiplex cinemas had been weak so far in 2011, with the six-week World Cup that finished earlier this month keeping people glued to their television screens in the evenings.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, which began immediately afterwards is also expected to keep many cinema-goers away until the end of May.

The short-format Twenty20 competition has all the glitz of Bollywood, with many film stars owning team franchises and big name players from around the world, cheered on by a bevy of scantily clad dancing girls.

The financial newspaper Mint said during the week that multiplex chains may have lost up to 500 million rupees ($11.1 million) in the three months to the end of March. Earnings data is expected in coming weeks.

"It was a weak quarter, with average occupancy rates at theatres declining to between 10 to 12 percent," said Chitrangda Kapur, media analyst with Mumbai-based Angel Broking.

"Due to the World Cup and IPL, fewer films were released from February up to May" said Rajesh Jain, head of media and entertainment at global consultants KPMG.

In the absence of the usual number of weekend movie releases, some multiplex chains even resorted to screening cricket matches to attract audiences.

Alok Tandon, chief executive of Inox Leisure Ltd, said they had no option.

"As we know, February-March is traditionally a period when kids are busy with their exams and families prefer not to go out to watch movies," he said.

"Apart from the movies, cricket is the other religion of our country and hence during this period, very few big banner movies were released.... We screened the semi-final and final, which ran to nearly house-full shows."

The back-to-back cricket tournaments could not have come at a worse time, with the Indian film industry struggling to recover from a prolonged slump.

Overall revenues have fallen 20 percent in the past three years from $2.3 billion in 2008 to $1.85 billion in 2010, according to KPMG research.

Domestic box office revenues still contribute 75 percent of an Indian film's earnings.

Poor quality content, rising overheads, the global economic crisis and an increase in other ways for people to spend their spare time have also been blamed for the downturn.

"The industry just needs one strong story to change the trend," said Devang Sampat, chief India strategist with Cinepolis, the world's fourth-largest multiplex operator globally.

Sampat cited the example of Aamir Khan's "3 Idiots" which broke box office records in 2009, but few releases in 2011 have enjoyed even a fraction of that success.

Hopes are again being pinned on Khan, and his ageing superstar namesakes Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, to boost box-office sales.

Salman's comedy "Ready" hits theatres in June, while Shah Rukh Khan stars in a sci-fi superhero movie "Ra.One" (Random Access - Version 1.0) and Aamir in "Delhi Belly" later this year.

KPMG's Jain predicted a better second half of the year for the industry.

"We have a good line-up of releases in the forthcoming quarters, including a good list of 3D and regional movies," said Inox's Tandon. "We are quite positive that these movies will do well."

Bollywood celebs pray for disaster-hit Japan

A host of Bollywood personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shekhar Kapur and Madhuri Dixit have expressed grief at the devastation in Japan, which was hit Friday by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami.

The celebrities are shocked at the images of the country after the disaster and, in postings on their blogs and social networking site Twitter, they hope that the pain and suffering will subside soon.

Here's what they had to say:
Amitabh Bachchan: The horrible visuals of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan are just unbearable to watch! The fury of the devastation and the helplessness of those that suffer is petrifying. In this hour of grief our heads bow down in prayer and hope, for those that face this trauma and wish that we can through our thoughts give them solace and comfort.

Shekhar Kapur: Watching videos from Japan was like watching an apocalypse. Heart and prayers go out to people of Japan.

Madhuri Dixit: Can you believe another quake and tsunami? My heart goes out to them.

Gul Panag: My heart goes out to all those affected by nature's fury in Japan. Gut-wrenching images on TV.

Vivek Oberoi: Just got back and saw the heartbreaking images of the tragedy in Japan... brings back memories of the destruction and devastation I saw during the tsunami in India. The images we see on television are nothing compared to the real pain and anguish of the people going through it... my thoughts and prayers are with them.

Shahana Goswami: Feel really helpless and upset with the tsunami and what its done to Japan. All the support and love to the survivors.

Aftab Shivdasani: Shocking visuals of the earthquake in Japan... Dreading the loss of life there. It's nature's way of saying do not spoil the planet... Must respect nature before it gets too late. My condolences and deep compassion to all those who lost their loved ones in this unforeseen fury of nature. May the divine bless the souls.

Arshad Warsi: God be with the ppl of Japan...

Siddharth: The visuals of yesterday (Friday) still haven't sunk in. It's all so very tragic. 2012 does seem like just another doomsday prophecy anymore!

Shahid Kapoor: Spread the love people... Life is just too short... Japan could have been us... Live with no regrets... May god bless us all!

R. Madhavan: My heart goes out to Japan. Having lived through one in Chennai I can't even imagine how this must be.

Lisa Ray: Deeply saddened by news of natural disaster in Japan.

Sanjay Suri: Heart and prayers for all suffering in Japan. Life is so very fragile.

Divya Dutta: EverythIng that we run around for is so frivolous in front of nature's fury. Let's make every day magical as if there's no tomorrow... prayers for Japan.

Sophie Choudry: As I lay me down to sleep, can't help but think of today's (Friday's) tragedy. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. Lord have mercy.

Shreya Ghosal: The Japan Earthquake, Tsunami is MASSIVE!! I am just praying... Dear God, have mercy..

Bollywood bazaar

Lahore : Bollywood’s involvement with our local businesses be it films, music or fashion, has always been a contentious issue in the country. Any collaboration with professionals across the border is typically seen as a sellout at best and an unpatriotic act at worst. While Bollywood has largely remained a sore subject for our ailing film industry as the thug who steals precious screen space, it has now become a topic in many a household gatherings as the villain who is usurping billboard space for valuable ad campaigns.

When Firdous, a company that has been producing lawn for several years came into the limelight (quite literally) with its campaign last year with Bollywood’s reigning queen Kareena Kapoor, many eyes popped and mouths were left agape at the mere thought of how a Pakistani enterprise could land Bollywood’s crown jewel. While till last year, the industry and people at large were stunned by this coup, this year Firdous’ billboards with Deepika Padukone and debutante Crescent lawn’s ad’s with Sushmita Sen, have set tongues wagging. and on fire.

“I am totally against this using of Bollywood starlets to market our products,” said Shama, one of the millions lining up at a lawn exhibition. “We have such beautiful girls here like Shaista Wahidi and Nadia Hussain who look great on billboards, so what’s the need for getting Deepika Padukone?”. Perhaps with Kareena Kapoor last year, people felt that it was a onetime event — the shock value was enough to resonate with the masses for a very long time.

The fact that now, this gimmick has become a ‘trend’ is what disturbs many as yet another tactic of Indian supremacy.

New timers Crescent Lawn rebuke the critcism against Sen. They say, “We don’t believe in shooting stars, our theory is to use shining stars and Sushmita is currently the only Miss Universe in the sub-continent,” spoke Farhad Naveed, the COO of the group. Omer Saleem, the director of marketing and sales at Firdous, is indignant that his company is being censured so acerbically by all and sundry. “I have managed to sell in India, Malaysia and the UAE because of the Kareena Kapoor campaign. Believe me I didn’t do as much business in Pakistan as I did internationally,” stated Saleem. “This is business. I am not doing this for fun. The return of investment is far greater when we used an international celebrity like Kapoor”. He pointed out that nobody spoke to him about his lawn when they were using local models.

“Who knows our models abroad? Name one model or celebrity that people abroad can identify with,” Saleem asks challenges. And he is right. We have a severe dearth of stars, let alone stars that have global recognition and fame.

Naveed from Crescent says, “We have worked with local talent. Our last few campaigns had Iman Ali representing Stoneage. Since we don’t have much female talent in Pakistan, plus, whoever was available was being used by other lawn brands so we opted for Sushmita Sen as an eastern iconic face people can relate to.”

While fashion industry insiders also condemn the Bollywood move, PR professional Selina Rashid holds a pragmatic view. “These ads are to attract a certain demographic that we do not fall into. Such ads have massive recall and aspirational value.” If they did not, it wouldn’t be a point of contention to begin with. Yet someone like Saleem is quite irate with the way things have turned ugly: “There is no law against using Bollywood actors in ads so how can they ask me to pull down my billboards! I have spent hard earned money on these campaigns. If India is so hated then we should stop all kinds of international trade starting from multinationals. Stop drinking Pepsi and Coke, then if you want to promote local Colas. Ban all international products then,” he says.

The ‘we should promote our own talent’ slogan is a double sided dagger, a handful of media savvy talent exists in the country in the first place and they too do not have the kind of status to lure in foreign trade. Secondly, instead of being threatened and on the defensive, one should become strong enough to compete with international talent.

It is time to stop the endless cribbing and as one gentleman Asghar concludes the lawn war debate. “We should promote our talent to that level where it is at par and even beyond international talent. We should not grow by obstructing other’s growth.”
The Crescent lawn exhibit opens today, only time will tell how much lawn the ex-Miss Universe sells.

Credit : The Express Tribune, Pakistan