Sushant under spotlight
Anushka Sharma seems to be creating controversy after controversy these days. Just recently, the actress lashed out at her competition (read: Deepika Padukone), advising other actresses not to "throw garbage at her".
But now, the actress seems to be indulging in a little petty trash-slinging herself. Apparently, she recently took a snipe at Sushant Singh Rajput, who will be seen in Rajkumar Hirani's Peekay, saying, "Sushant has only eight days of work (in Peekay). He is just a small chapter in my life."
Apparently, members of the film fraternity are perceiving this as an attempt to undervalue Sushant's contribution to the film. A source says, "Isn't Anushka annoyed about her colleagues trying to downplay and downsize her stardom? Then why is she doing the same to another colleague? Why is Anushka commenting on the length and breadth of a co-star's role? How does she even know the size of Sushant's role? No one — except probably Aamir — has read the full script."
The source, who seems to know plenty of details about the film, sets things straight by adding, "Yes, it's a relatively small role. At a time when he (Sushant) is playing the lead in a Yash Raj film, he has agreed to do the role in Peekay for one reason only — Rajkumar Hirani. It was Sushant's dream to work with Hirani. When he was offered the role, Sushant was over the moon. Hirani warned him that it's a small but important role. Sushant said, 'Doesn't matter sir, even if you ask me to walk from one side of the frame to the other, I'd do it'.
Sushant's role in Peekay, it seems, has been billed as a 'friendly appearance'. "He will be seen at the beginning of the film. His character then disappears and reappears at the end," adds the source.
'I faced fears like any other kid'
Hollywood heartthrob Chris Pine seems to be feeling candid of late — the actor recently opened up about the fears he personally faced when he was a child. "I think I faced fears like any other kid has — the dark and being by myself. It actually struck me, while making my last film, that most of the fears you have when you're a kid are to do with being alone; being on your own and not having the safety net of your parents or a support system. In many ways, I think that's what Jack (his character is 'Rise of the Guardians') is dealing with in the beginning of the film. He feels like an outsider because his safety net was ripped out from under him so early on in his life and he's had to make his own way," says Chris.
Speaking on his role as the heroic Jack Frost in the film, he adds, "I like the pure heartedness and simplicity of the story. There's an earnest quality to 'Rise Of The Guardians' — there's a joy and belief in imagination."
Some criticism for Saif
Saif Ali Khan might have impressed his detractors, critics and audiences with his variety of roles — and it's no secret that his 'begum' Kareena can't seem to stop gushing about him — but if there's one person he hasn't quite managed to sway with his performances, it is his own mother, Sharmila Tagore.
A source close to Saif says that when Sharmila watched his last film, 'Cocktail', she told him he was "charming, confident and felt the character". But just when Saif was beginning to feel good, she added, "But you've done much better work in the past". Coming from his mom, Saif, of course, took this statement in his stride.