Bhansali's Vitriolic Attack on Shah Rukh Khan

Sanjay Leela Bhanshali seems to have stoked a dormant fire by lashing out against his critics after getting hit by box office blues.

It’s a feud that is spiralling out of control. If you thought that the Saawariya-OSO war would die down with the release of both the films, you got it wrong. In fact the fires have been stoked anew with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s vitriolic attack on Shah Rukh Khan in his media interviews post Saawariya.

After SRK announced a few days before Diwali that he would ‘destroy’ the competition, (read ‘Saawariya’), Bhansali has come back with a vengeance, saying SRK had no locus standi to make such comments, and that it was unfair to put down a work of art.

“This is the new era of marketing a film, where even after it has released, the war will continue. Bhansali is obviously hurt by the negative comments that have been made against him and his film and that is why he is coming out in its defence,” says one industry source.

The makers of OSO however do not seem very keen to take this further. When we sms-ed Farah Khan asking for her reaction, she gave us a very tongue-in-cheek reply saying, “I have no reactions whatsoever. Too busy taking congratulatory calls.”

Not everyone is very happy though. Film critic Taran Adarsh, who also found a mention in Bhansali’s tirade is in no mood to sit back and listen.

“I want to tell Bhansali that he should wake up and smell the coffee. If there is a theatre near his house, he should go and count the number of people who are even sitting in the film, let alone liking the film. People have a mind of their own. They don’t need Taran Adarsh to tell them that Saawariya is a bad film and has been rejected by everyone.”

Strong words those. Obviously, we haven’t heard the last of this yet. Its going to be a long drawn out war.

Shilpa Jamkhandikar, DNAindia.com
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Sanjay Leela Bhansali says SRK has no rights to destroy 150 people!

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has come out fighting in defense of his movie Saawariya, and at the top of his target list is… Shah Rukh Khan.

As Om Shanti Om runs away with the top accolades for the Diwali battle, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has gone on record to ask the Bollywood King Shah Rukh Khan some very awkward questions. “Shah Rukh Khan is the king of Bollywood. He can say whatever he likes. But why is he going around saying, ‘I will destroy them?' Where is the dignity of the reigning superstar? Why compare yourself to a film with two newcomers? Who are you to destroy them? Have you created them? Do we eat off your plate? Have we made the film with your money? What gives you the right to say you will destroy 150 people who have invested so much in the film? Let people judge. It's a film with good values, and principles, people should appreciate that,” said an angry Bhansali last night.

He then went on to express his disappointment further, “You feel disappointed. We decided that we'll maintain a certain dignity and not pull each other's films down. But then he started making comments like he will destroy us.”

When asked about the success of Om Shanti Om, Bhansali responded, “I feel that acting is not about six-packs but I've never said it until now. Why ‘destroy' us? It's time for new cinema, cricketers, politicians. Let the newcomers like Ranbir come in. Shah Rukh Khan will remain a king. Just because People love (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni, it doesn't mean they will forget Sachin (Tendulkar).”

Maybe positioning Saawariya against Om Shanti Om was not a good strategy, “I've got a big opening. No other filmmaker would've got that against a Shah Rukh Khan film, and it's a big deal. We got the biggest opening for an Indian film with newcomers in the lead. Anyway, why compare two completely different films? My films are about art, and OSO is about commerce. People are walking out of OSO too, so why are we only talking about people not liking Saawariya? There is an agenda to this,” responded Bhansali positively.

When asked about why critics such as Komal Nahta and Taran Adarsh blasted the movie, Bhansali responded, ““Only a handful of critics are trying to influence the audience against the film…Komal and Taran belong to the cinema of the eighties, they are antiquated and I never expected them to understand ‘Saawariya'. Great cinema should be kept away from such reviewers.”

Rajiv Dutta, IndiaTarget.com

Brangelina and SRK rub shoulders in Dubai

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is set to join Dubai's swelling celebrity ranks next year when he takes up residence in a property on the emirate’s Palm Islands.

The star of blockbuster Om Shanti Om was given the keys to his house three months ago, according to Indian press reports. The actor’s wife, producer Gauri Khan is said to be heading to Dubai later this month to oversee work on interiors.

The property is said to be a gift from Dubai’s ruler, as the actor acts as unofficial brand ambassador for the islands, Sawf.org reported.

The three Palm Islands, located off the Dubai coast in the Persian Gulf, are the world’s biggest man-made islands, based on the biggest land reclamation project in the world. The project will increase Dubai’s shoreline by 120 kilometres.

Celebrity site Ahlanlive reported yesterday that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had bought their own private Island within Dubai’s ‘The World,’ which they intend to turn into a showpiece for environmental issues.

Out of reach from Paparazzi lenses, the islands are a haven of privacy for celebrities, accessible only by boat. Also hoping to avoid the public glare with Dubai properties are David Beckham, Tom Cruise, Sir Richard Branson and Rod Stewart.

ArabianBusiness.com - UAE

King Khan Performs for Cricket Teams

The King Khan performed for the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams yesterday (November 12) at a gala event organised by Subroto Roy Sahara of the Sahara Group, triggering speculation over whether Shahrukh Khan had taken the place of the Big B who till recently was the biggest endorser of the Sahara camp. And just where was one-time close friend and confidante Amar Singh?

Meanwhile Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh today (November 13) took jibes against the Sahara Group and also lashed out at Shahrukh Khan, reacting to the reports published in a national newspaper.

The report quoted a top executive of Sahara as saying, "Only family members and not outsiders" were allowed at the recent Sahara function in Lucknow.

An angry Amar Singh reacted today saying it was up to the media to "read between the lines" and that it was Shahrukh Khan who started the verbal duel when he made nasty comments against him at the Filmfare awards last year.

"I have read in Mumbai Mirror that the Director of Corporate Communication has said that only friends and family was invited not outsiders- if Sahara has made this statement it is for you read between the lines," said Singh.

He went on to "put on record", "I have don't have anything against Shahrukh Khan. He made a comment against me in a Filmfare function. He might be a superstar and a rockstar, but I have also got some North Indian foolish supporters who reacted angrily on that. I am sorry about that. Shahrukh gave a statement that his kids had felt very bad about that - even my kids are Shahrukh fan - when they heard his statement they asked me, why Shahrukh 'uncle' was talking against me that way.

"Thereafter he is keeping mum, I am also keeping mum, I do not have any issue with him because he is not joining SP, and I am not going to join Bombay Film Industry.," said Singh to TIMES NOW.

Shahrukh Khan danced the night away on Monday (November 12) at Sahara City in Lucknow - a Dawat -e-Dosti organised by the head honcho of the Sahara Group, Subroto Roy Sahara. While the evening was a gala one with celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment, it was not so much the guest list as the people excluded from it that set tongues wagging.

While Shahrukh was given superstar treatment with a private jet and a personal invite, one-time confidante of the Subroto Roy Sahara, SP leader Amar Singh and 'Big B' Amitabh Bachchan were conspicuous by their absence.

Though representatives of the Sahara Group have been quick to brush aside the Big B's absence claiming he was busy - but we can't help but wonder whether a new order is in a place - and is Shahrukh the new poster boy for the Sahara group?

TIMES NOW managed to catch up with BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla, who was also present at the gala, for his take.

"They (Sahara) are the Team India sponsors, Sahara had invited Mr Shahrukh Khan and he was gracious enough to be there," said Shukla.

But while everyone may be doing their best to pooh-pooh the reports - it wouldn't exacztly be a bolt out of the blue, considering rumours have been afloat for sometime now of an alleged falling-out between the Sahara family and Amar Singh and a consequent distancing from the Bachchans as well.

Well, evidently in the world of politics and entertainment, relationships rarely last forever!

TimesNow.tv