Reading recent pieces, and Karan Johar’s comments about the importance of publicists and stylists in Bollywood, you are reminded of the time, not so long ago, when the relationship between stars and the media was not so complicated.

Stars used to have a secretary, who was an all-rounder, doing everything from negotiating contracts to fixing appointments [...]

Over the last few days one has been inundated with details about the weddings of Shilpa Shetty and Eesha Koppikar.  What they and their grooms wore, who designed their outfits, where they shopped, where they will go on their honeymoon.  When they return, presumably, there will be stories about the new homes, followed by speculations [...]

There is a quotable quote that turns up often in pieces about lack of equality between the sexes:  A woman has to work twice as hard a man to be thought of as half as good.
This was proved right in the media response to recent releases, Wanted and Dil Bole Hadippa!. The first meant to [...]

Wonder what Emraan Hashmi would have done then—till a few years ago, many housing societies in the suburbs did not want to allow film people into their buildings. The person’s religion had nothing to do with it, they were afraid of the corrupting influence of film people on their kids—ordinary folks believed the “film line” [...]

As the Kambakkht Ishq hype oozes out of everywhere, it looks like, the way things are these days, filmmakers decide on how to promote their films before they shoot a frame of it. Maybe even before a line of the script is written. Sign a Hollywood star, get a pop icon to shoot an item [...]

A few weeks ago, if Neetu Chandra had walked down a crowded street, chances are nobody would have recognized her. Even after a few releases, people are likely to ask “Neetu who?”

And now, those who glace at the tabloids or surf the net, know of her, since she has acquired some kind of dubious celebrity [...]

The buzz was really strong—that it was a big hit in the midst of the slump; the adds claimed it was the biggest hit of the century.. and so on.

Finally, I made my way to a suburban hall to catch Mee Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy – written by Mahesh Manjrekar, and directed by Santosh Manjrekar.  It stars [...]

The first time it happened to me, I was taken aback.  I booked a  ticket in advance for the much talked about Dharm (which the director wanted to send as India’s entry for the Oscars and went to court for it), and the show was cancelled, because nobody else had turned up at the Andheri [...]

One would have imagined that a couple of days after the Oscar awards ceremony,  Slumdog fatigue would set in; but no, stories about the Oscar ‘Millionaires’ are still pouring out.
An over-enthusiastic media has gone to the hometowns of the Indian winners, met families, neighbours,  teachers, schoolmates of the Slumdog Millionaire cast.  Freida Pinto’s discarded fiancé [...]

After Shah Rukh Khan had his shoulder surgery,  he called a press conference and gave the media all details, which, the public ostensibly needs to be informed about.
He could have, if he wanted to, not even told anyone outside of his inner circle, gone abroad and had the surgery done quietly. But then, look at [...]