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Salman Khan
In his 20-year career, the blockbusters may have been few and far between, but when it comes to counting controversies, Salman Khan is right on top.The list in brief: getting violent with girlfriends, from Somy Ali to Aishwarya Rai; running his car over a group of pavement dwellers, killing one; poaching blackbucks in Rajasthan. And some more: drunken brawls, spats with co-actors (Shah Rukh Khan has recently joined the list), underworld links, making threatening phone calls. Salman has been accused of doing it all.
What to do: Should highlight his softer, humane side. “Salman is involved in a lot of charity work and bears the treatment expenses for cancer-afflicted children. He spends time with them and attends every birthday. But he never talks about it,” says Sallu fan Sambit Ray. Salman apparently wanted to donate his bone marrow for the treatment of these children.
Salman is also sensitive (proof: he spends hours painting) and generous (he hands over expensive Rolex watches to co-stars and even strangers. Wow!). He reportedly cries his heart out whenever he watches an emotional film (so does L.K. Advani).
Salman Khan should come out.
What not to do: Shouldn’t drive rashly. Shouldn’t drink and drive. Should get himself a driver.
Shouldn’t threaten present boyfriends of ex-girlfriends in the middle of the night. Not 41 times.
Should not be seen drinking straight out of a bottle.
Should not be seen anywhere close to an endangered animal.
Should not go to Rajasthan. After the blackbuck case, Salman is mired in another controversy in the desert state, with allegations that the sets of his new film Veer have damaged the Amber Fort where it is being shot. The shoot has now been called off. “The bad boy image works for Salman, his I-am-what-I-am attitude makes him THE Salman Khan. But it wouldn’t really harm him if he controlled his temper and toned down his attitude. I feel that he is grossly misunderstood and should amend that by being more media-friendly,” says publicist Dale Bhagwagar.
What to say: “I am sorry.”
What not to say: “I don’t care what people think about me.”
Who to be seen with: People he has had a problem with — from Viveik Oberoi to the Bachchans to Shah Rukh Khan.
Who not to be seen with: Anyone with underworld connections.
What to be seen using: Clothes. Maybe a shirt?
What not to be seen using: A gun.
Mallika Sherawat
She is controversial and she couldn’t care less. Whether it is her clothes, her films or her uncanny ability to shoot from the lip, Mallika Sherawat has never been apologetic. Her fans love her for what she is, but others (that is most!) feel that Mallika is a screaming, scheming attention-seeker. “I think she needs to tone down a little or there won’t be much difference between her and Rakhi Sawant,” says advertising professional Niladri Singha Roy.
What to do: Should choose her films with care. “Mallika should take up more films like Pyaar Ke Side Effects and less films like Murder,” says Niladri.
What not to do: Should not try to make controversial statements all the time. Should try to be a little boring.
What to say: Should keep quiet.
What not to say: “I am like Viagra to Indian men!” or “Men talk to my breasts.”
Who to be seen with: Amitabh Bachchan, running on the beach (Mallika’s long-standing wish has been to run —yes, run — with AB).
Also, she looks cute with Rahul Bose.
Who not to be seen with: Emraan Hashmi. He is a bad influence.
What to be seen using: Her acting talent.
What not to be seen using: Her mouth. Shooting it off, that is.
Christian Bale
Onscreen he has been the saviour of the world, the eternal romantic and the loving family man — off-screen Christian Bale is anything but. Three weeks ago on the sets of Terminator Salvation, the Dark Knight actor, notorious for flying off the handle at the slightest pretext, launched into a profanity-charged outburst at director of photography Shane Hurlbut who had inadvertently interrupted a scene while filming. The recorded assault lasted four minutes and had 37 four-letter words, causing an uproar even in Hollywood. But this wasn’t a first for Bale, who was arrested last July for allegedly attacking his mother and sister in public after a flare-up over a longstanding dispute.
What to do: Should enroll in an anger management class.
Should highlight his charity work. Bale has been raising money for animal welfare and campaigning for mountain gorillas in Rwanda.
Should spend more time in public with his family.
Will counting till 10 help?
What not to do: Shouldn’t be around directors of
photography who barge in.
What to say: “Sorry”. Again and again.
What not to say: “I am a star.”
Who to be seen with: Sharing a meal with his mother and sister.
Who not to be seen with: Stay away from Robert Downey Jr and John McEnroe.
What to be seen using: Ice-packs.
What not to be seen using: Anything that gets him hyper. Energy drinks included.
Naomi Campbell
The 178,000 results for the search keywords “Naomi Campbell+assault” say it all. The American supermodel has an uncontrollable temper. Naomi has several assault cases pending against her and has spent time in jail as well as done community service. British Airways has banned her from taking any of their flights after she pleaded guilty of assaulting an officer over her missing luggage.
What to do: Should use mobiles and phones to talk instead of hurling them at people. Has hit an assistant with a telephone, another with a BlackBerry and a third with a jewel-encrusted mobile phone.
What not to do: Shouldn’t wear anything that is not exclusive. Campbell once punched Italian actress Yvonne Scio because the two landed up at a party wearing the same dress!
What to say: “I will be a good employer.”
What not to say: “I don’t always wear underwear.” She’s said that many times.
Who to be seen with: A psychiatrist.
Who not to be seen with: Conmen. Naomi once landed up on the red carpet of a film holding hands with one.
What to be seen using: A self-help book titled When Anger Hurts — Quieting the Storm Within.
What not to be seen using: Things that can be thrown.
Sanjay Dutt and Maanyata
From his drug problems early on in life to being accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts and spending a year and a half in jail to his colourful personal life, Sanjay Dutt has been synonymous with trouble. Dutt’s recent entry into politics too has been mired in controversy, with sister and Congress MP Priya not approving of Dutt’s candidature from the Samajwadi Party. Add to that the family’s disapproval of Sanju’s third wife Maanyata.
What to do: He should patch up with the sisters. They were the ones who stood by him in troubled times.
He should learn from his past mistakes.
Maanyata should quit putting on that fake accent and that air of innocence.
What not to do: He should stop looking like Maanyata’s puppy. She should stop looking so propreitorial.
What to say: “Bole toh, hum saath saath hain” (to his family, not to Amar Singh).
What not to say: “Married women should not use their father’s surnames.” (This was directed at Priya in public a few weeks ago).
Who to be seen with: His daughter from his previous marriage, Trishala.
Who not to be seen with: Gandhiji’s photographs.
Harbhajan Singh
The hot-headed Harbhajan has always been embroiled in some controversy or the other, and true to form, the spinner found himself in a spot on the Indian cricket team’s tour of Australia in early 2008 when an on-pitch spat with Aussie all-rounder Andrew Symonds snowballed into a major racism row. Soon after, teammate Sreesanth was at the receiving end of “one tight slap” from Bhajji at the IPL, reducing the Kerala seamer to tears and labelling Harbhajan the bad boy of Indian cricket.
What to do: Should stop using expletives — whether on the field, on TV shows (Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena) and in films (Victory). If he does swear, he should do it well — there should be no confusion between “Monkey” and “Maa ki”.
What not to do: Should not be seen more on TV and the silver screen than on the cricket field.
What to say: “Main ab kabhi bhi gussa nahi karoonga.”
What not to say: “Monkey is Australian for Maa ki.”
Who to be seen with: Sachin Tendulkar. Mr Cool’s company should do Bhajji a world of good.
Who not to be seen with: Sreesanth.
What to be seen using: A Hindi to English expletive dictionary.
What not to be seen using: A monkey cap.
Viveik Oberoi
He came into the industry showing a lot of promise, but his off-screen shenanigans undid all the good work. Viveik Oberoi now is the laughing stock of the film industry. Despite an occasional spark as the bad-good guy, Viveik has nowhere to go.
What to do: Next time wait for the girlfriend to acknowledge your relationship and then go and announce it to the world. Right, Ash?
Should sign some good films. You have the talent, get some right advice.
What not to do: Shouldn’t call press conferences at the drop of a hat.
Shouldn’t make his apology look like a circus act. His apology to Salman on a stage show may have grabbed headlines, but it didn’t earn Viveik any Brownie points with Salman.
What to say: “I made a mistake.”
What not to say: “I made a mistake. I made a mistake. I made a mistake. I made a mistake…”
Who to be seen with: No one.
Who not to be seen with: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
What to be seen using: A cool head.
What not to be seen using: A microphone.
Amy Winehouse
If there was anyone who needed an image overhaul NOW, it would have to be five-time Grammy winner Amy Winehouse. Substance abuse, alcoholism, physical violence and legal disputes — the singer is in every sort of trouble. Her addiction has landed her in hospital many times. She has been found bruised and battered, wandering aimlessly. Her marriage with now-estranged husband Blake Fielder-Civil was rough with the two often photographed hitting each other. Once a rage among teenagers, Winehouse has dropped in the popularity charts over the last year, thanks to her negative image.
What to do: Should cut down on the drink and leave out the dope. At least try.
Should never spit at the crowd at a stage show or hit any of her fans (yes, she’s done that too!).
Should get a new haircut and a change of wardrobe. The OTT hair and clothes may be a rage among her fans, but adopting a cleaner, more sober look may help.
What not to do: Beat up future boyfriend(s)/ husband(s).
What to say: “I promise to turn over a new leaf and it’s not marijuana.”
What not to say: “One for the road!”
Who to be seen with: Parents and siblings.
Who not to be seen with: Friends at a nightclub.
What to be seen using: Her rehab registration card.
What not to be seen using: A syringe.
Jennifer Aniston
She still is the Rachel we all loved from her popular sitcom Friends. But ever since divorcing actor Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston has been wallowing in self-pity. Today her image is that of an abandoned and lonely woman, who has been unable to come to terms with the end of her marriage.
What to do: Stop projecting herself as the victim.
What not to do: Get back with someone (read John Mayer) who dumped her unceremoniously
What to say: “I am moving on.” And mean it!
What not to say: “I still love Brad Pitt.”
Who to be seen with: Hot, sexy, powerful men.
Who not to be seen with: Alone.
What to be seen with: Self-respect.
What not to be seen with: A photograph of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Or maybe she would like to be adopted by them?
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