by Alex Deleon

 

Local newspapers are loaded with reports on upcoming events in Bollywood as the year 2018 wheels into its second week. The main event in the immediate offing is the release on the same day, January 25, (Republic Day Weekend) of the breathlessly awaited Historical superhero epic "Samvat" by top director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and another new heroic vehicle "Padman" in which Alshay Kumar emerges as a kind of Indian saviour of womanhood.

With three big hits in succession behind him Akshay, now 50, is currently one of the most bankable stars in B.Town. 

Himself a known champion of worthy social causes, in the biopic Padman he portrays the life and triumph of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a Tamilian social activist who revolutionized the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India by creating a low-cost sanitary napkins machine. Until now very much a taboo subject menstruation has become a hot topic, especially when brought to the fore by a handsome popular actor like Akshay Kumar. 

            

                           Akshay Kumar in "Padman,

 

January 25, marking the Republic Day weekend, is the first big holiday of the year in India and therefore a prime film release date.

This is not the first time that two big-ticket films would release on the same day. The reason why producers come to near-blows when it comes to this release day is the cutthroat competition for the number of screens they can garner for their films.  Being diametrically opposite in terms of themes and genre, However, both Padmavat and Padman should ideally not eat into each other’s business. Living Bwd legend Amitabh Bachchan will also contribute a cameo to the Akshay opus.

Bhansali's historical epic fantasy "Samvat-i" starring Deepika Padukone, (the dazzlingly beautiful Indian reincarnation of Ava Gardner) was originally slated for a December 1st release but became mired in a morass of idiotic censorship issues and will only be released with the title shortened by one "eye" (SAMVAT!) to mollify the wrath of the hysterical zealots who wanted it blocked on the grounds that it "distorted sacrosanct Indian history".

  

 Dazzling Deepika Padukone

  perfect Avaistic beauty in action

 

Shah Rukh Khan, the towering King of Bollywood who has done just about everything, including a speech impaired retard in "My Name is Khan" (2014) will next appear on screen this year as a Dwarf!

Aanand L Rai's yet-to-be-titled film starring Shah Rukh in the never before seen avatar of a dwarf, alongside Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma has already placed itself on the list of the most awaited films of 2018.  

This will be his first pairing, incidentally, with reigning Bollywood super sex symbol Katrina Kaif.  Until now KK has primarily been associated, romantically and professionally, with SRK's main Bollywood rival, Salman Khan.   That there is no love lost between Salman and Shah Rukh, who have nearly come to blows upon occasion, is not exactly a hush hush secret in Tinseltown.

 

 Zoftic hakfbreed Katrina can not only dance seductively and act when necessary, but now she acts in perfect Hindi!

 

The film was "originally" to be titled 'Katrina Meri Jaan'. (Katrina my Dear Soulmate)  but that will probably be changed.
Katrina  will play an "actress" in the film, but doesn't play herself (Katrina Kaif). Her character will have a "different name" in the  final cut. 

Katrina who started out with the handicap of bare bones limited  Hindi is now reputed, after much hard work and coaching, to have acheived flawless perfection in the language. Sexpot or not, this voluptuous beauty is no dummy. She is currently appearing as a gun toting bone bashing action heroine opposite Salman in the turn of the year entertainment blockbuster TIGER Zinda Hai! ~ in which she is an amazing asskick Tigress to Salman's Tiger. 

 

            
                 Kaif backing Salman up in Tiger Zinda Hai

 

The big Hollywood film with a January release in India  is Steven Spielberg's latest offering, "The Post" starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. This is still another biopic focusing on the career of Kathryn Graham, the first female publisher of The Washington Post (Streep), and her obsessed editor, Ben Bradlee (Hanks) ~ an interesting top star pairing if nothing else. 

Lady Streep just keeps on rolling like Ole Man River...

 

The other big filmic news, even here, was the sensational Golden Globes turnout of Women in Black at the Golden Globes in Hollywood two nights ago. 

The Bombay Times Feature Headlines looked like this:

All-Black Golden Globes

The highly anticipated wear-black protest at the Golden Globes was a success as A-listers like Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Biel attended the red carpet in their best black outfits.