Ugly scene

Mani Ratnam is a director who is revered in south India. But that didn’t stop some distributors from storming into his office and demanding their money back after his latest film, Kadal, tanked at the box office. A spokesperson from Ratnam’s office, Madras Talkies, said the men were clearly not from the film industry. “We did not recognise any of them. The Tamil film industry respects Mani to the extent that people remove their shoes when they enter his office,” she said. However, Ratnam has steadfastly refused to name the people behind the ugly incident. Instead, he quietly went to court and demanded protection, which he has got now. The only response Ratnam had to this episode was apparently: “What is this happening around us?” What indeed.

Singer zinger

Chinmayi Sripada, a Chennai-based singer, found out recently how some Indians still view a profession like singing or dancing. As Sripada puts it, she was talking to a “gentleman” who asked her what she did for a living. When she replied that she was a professional singer, the gentleman asked her: “But otherwise what is your profession?” It left the singer utterly gobsmacked and she shared the experience on Twitter. So what was her response to the man’s apparent disbelief that one can earn one’s living solely through singing? Sripada doesn’t tell. But no doubt, her followers on Twitter were left very indignant.

Inspiring tale

Yuvraj Singh was struck with cancer in the prime of his life and his soaring cricketing career. But he has come out victorious from the ordeal. The flamboyant cricketer tells that tale now in a book called The Test of My Life. The book, out later this month, focuses on the 3 Cs — cricket, cup and cancer. He lays bare his fears, doubts and the lows he experienced during chemotherapy sessions in the US when he lost not just his energy, but his appetite and hair as well. For Singh, the book is an effort to help other patients battling the illness — so that they can deal with the sadness, loneliness, fear and desperation they experience. As always, Singh is an inspirational figure.

No item girl

Remakes are the flavour of the day and newbie actress Taapsee is relishing her experience of working in the retelling of Sai Paranjpye’s now classic film, Chashme Buddoor. Pointing out that it is the “age of remakes”, she says, “I have no qualms working in a remake. I can add a different flavour to the character and not blindly copy what was done before.” Shooting was a “joyride”, says Taapsee, who essays the role of Deepti Naval in the new film. “It was the most fun and stress-free project I’ve been part of,” she adds. So now that the actress, who hails from the Tamil film industry, has got her big Bollywood break, will she ever do an item number? “I love dancing,” she replies. “I don’t mind being a part of an item song but it will only be after I reach a certain stage in my career and not before that.” Very propah, Taapsee.

Boss man

Following Salman Khan’s example is rarely a bad idea. After all, the actor who bares his chest at the slightest pretext has a knack of being a success at whatever he does. Well, Kannada actor Sudeep has decided to do a Khan by becoming the host of the Kannada version of reality show Bigg Boss. (Khan had hosted Season 6 of Bigg Boss.) Sudeep, who made his Hindi film debut in the sleeper hit Makkhi last year, is said to be excited at the prospect of being a sort of southern Salman Khan, albeit in the context of a reality show. “Khan’s film Tere Naam was a copy of Huccha in Kannada where Sudeep had played the lead role. Now it is a role reversal,” says a source close to Sudeep. The Kannada Bigg Boss will be on air from this month. Will Sudeep emulate Khan’s style in the show? One will have to wait and watch.