Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Screen Goddesses - Where are you??

This appeared in Bombay Times.
****************

When I look at the current crop of Bollywood’s top heroines, an obvious question arises : where are the asli beauties?? There may be several ‘Hotties’ around, but honestly speaking, nobody really makes the cut as a classically beautiful woman – the kind who takes your breath away. Someone from the old school. It’s the same story in Hollywood. There are any number of spectacularly glamourous ladies floating around in even more spectacular couture – but show me a Vivenne Leigh. And remember, those were pre-Botox days, nobody was ‘fixed up’ and the only enhancements that were mandatory involved stuffing in the bra. Make up artists used chalky powder and home made kaajal, photo shop had not been invented, neither had air brushing of images. What you saw on screen ( very rarely in person) was what you got – an abundance of unadulterated , untouched raw beauty. Our own film industry in its hey days boasted of an impressive roster of genuine lookers – from Nutan to Vyjayantimala , Hema Malini to Madhuri Dixit. Abruptly, that era ended with the arrival of the Plastic Queens. These days it is virtually impossible to tell where real stops and plastic kicks in. Not that it matters. The girls today have so much more work to put in. Work, as in getting their image in place, participating in killer publicity, doing elaborate photo shoots – and above all else, dealing with the strain of looking over their shoulders constantly to see what younger rivals are up to. Enough to give even the most radiant rose a few unexpected thorns to deal with. Besides, with the focus so heavily on the Body Beautiful, not too many people are looking at the face. Today’s gals know it’s all about delivering with the curves – gone are the days when it actually mattered whether the eyes expressed genuine emotion, whether those tears were glycerine induced, whether a dramatic moment had to register via a glance rather than a pelvic thrust. Oof…. Meena Kumari … we miss you!
Most of the top bracket ladies today are interchangeable – they look the same, dress the same, sound the same, are the same. Their box office status is determined more by their Sizzle Quotient than histrionic abilities. Looks are key – but not beauty. So long as their bods emote and they are up for ‘item’ songs that set the screen on fire, that’s all that matters. These are Café Coffee Day gals – instant gratification, zero recall. Of course, there is just one, solitary Aishwarya Bachchan, still flying the beauty flag , but for the rest, it’s only about manipulating polls that declare them to be the ‘Hottest’ or ‘Sexiest’ women on the planet. Your jaws drop as you go , “ Whaaaat? This one – hot? Sexy? Have people lost it?” But then again, that’s how the endorsement game is played – win a poll, bag a deal. Ditto, world wide. Why, even a Serena Williams is said to have gone under the knife recently and had her nose fixed, so that she photographs better when she whacks opponents off the centre court… and gets top advertisers to sign her on. Politicians aren’t far behind. Tony Blair was the last poster boy from Britain to exploit the power of imaging. David Cameron, the newly minted daddy, is learning rapidly. While here in India, only Shashi Tharoor seems to have mastered the art of projection, as anybody who saw him and his latest bride ,being gently pushed on a swing (traditional jhoola) dressed in wedding finery, will attest. That’s what is called the triumph of the spirit over nature.
But .. please dear God – can we get a few authentic gorgeous female icons to light up our lives ( and movie theatres) in place of the ridiculously gym toned, ruthlessly reassembled, comically dumb faced creatures we idiotically hold up and worship? It’s a little like settling for frozen yogurt over creamy ice cream. In other words, the audience is feeling short changed. Screen Goddesses, where are you?
*****************
Planning to watch 'We are Family' on thursday along with my own family! The promos are looking terrific. The subject is terrific ( and officially borrowed ). The star cast is terrific .... that leaves the actual movie! Let's see what Siddharth Malhotra has done with the subject. Watch this space for the verdict!

64 comments:

wise donkey said...

As if the men don't go under the knife. why the double standards mam!
How many amongst us have not been sickened by the faces, more tight than Govinda's pants many years back.
The girls are around for a few years and well Sizzle factor determines their Shelf life.
But the guys who get to be college boys for couple of decades, what about them?

Plastic heros can act, only with plastic heroines.

Ugh ! didn't expect double standards from you. And next time you are judging some contest, remember this post.

anamika said...

by plastic...r u pointing specifically at Aishwarya lolz...

http://www.wiseshe.com

UjjwalRaaj said...

Agreed absolutely!

From an 18 year old point of view(mine specifically) I'd say MOST (not all) actresses, or even actors for that matter don't have 'class'.

There's a reason why people still have that shot of Monroe holding her skirt down, or that shot of Madhubala holding in tears from Mughal-e-Azam.

Even the best of actors can't be Sean Connery as James bond.

It's because movies, these days are meant to be released, watched, profited from, and forgotten. Music is a commodity.

It's evolution....but it's sad that my grandkids won't have a Thunderball or Casablanca for them.

goodluck said...

By the way, you forgot or did not want to mention Madhubala. Yesteryear heroines were overmelodramatic and were more like painted flowers. Just nostalgia makes them special. Can anyone sit through one of those movies without wincing? And some of our regional ones have some authenticity in few of their films. If given good scripts, some of these gymmed heroines also give good performances like JWM. And Vidya Balan has old world charm.

sonal said...

I dont completely agree there, well u may have a point, but we cannot be stuck in the past! Life moves on and ever age has its own standards of beauty depending on the market.I think some of the girls like Katrina and Bipasha are quite awesome.Aishwarya is loveliness personified and i have never quite been able to understand why ppl percieved her as plastic!She seemed quite real to my sensibilties!All these heroines connect with their audiences immensely, Kajol is a fine actress,[her performance in Family seems oustanding!]And Kareena carries glamour on her shoulders effortlessly.Kangna, u mentioned somewhr for her fashion sense, is a little edgy, knows her mind, is petite and feminine but does not make it to the A list!Vidhya Balan simpers out and would not be able to hold her own infront of the competition.She photographs beautifully, but i am not completely convinced by her talents. I feel she is a wee bit overhyped!Give me the mainstream, commercial heroines anyday!Sonam is very pretty and also has an old world charm and sweetness, despite being a GEn Y icon.Bhansali captured it well in his failed saga Saawariya!But eventually my bet is on Katrina!
Madhubala and Meena Kumari are timeless and will never fade out of our subconscious, like our Madhuri Dixit!
By the way for the fans of Marylin Monroe, let me tell u that she was lambasted in her times by feminists for her bumb blonde portrayal and her over sexiness.She was more a man's woman than a womans woman!!
I rest my case!

Unknown said...

I think U r Being too Nostalgic....I hate people who says tat the Old era had the best of songs,music,stories,acting and looks..do u really thinks so...Plz maam, I think age is playing with ya..Songs/Music(AR Rahman - Can they have done tat then,Atif Aslam),Stories(Rang de basanti,munna bhai and many more, Acting(Have anyone seen Koi Mil Gaya, Just Because it was a Super Hit doesnt mean u take the credit of Good Acting..Same goes for Black,RDB etc.) and LOOKS - hmm let me see the Actresses(Katrina - Good, Ash(Great), Asin(Good Face Cut), Kareena(Sophisticated) and Many more - Compare that to Meena kumari,Mala Sinha, Nutan - Considered Hot then but would look like a Plain Jane in front of these...Come one...Old age is not always Gold just because its done in a Black/White Way...It was the Age When India was considered a Snale Charmer Country, Women in this Country was considered second Class Citizen and the Class between rich and poor was massive..I am so happy with this Age of India..JAI HO

goodluck said...

If we leave the glamour and oomph factor, Deepti naval, Smitha Patil, shabana Azmi made a lot of difference by their understated acting and down to earth looks. The only thing that was great of that era is melodious music and beautiful lyrics. Take away that music and that era becomes quite barren.

aayanman said...

In case it has missed your attention here are some names which IMHO are outstanding beauties even today.Needless to say they are not in order of preference or their acting prowess.

Hollywood -

Catherine Zeta Jones
Kate Winslet
Rachel Weisz
Meryl Steep
Monica Belucci


Indian Film Industry

Since you've already mentioned Ash - I ll skip that.

Katrina Kaif
Preity Zinta
Sushmita Sen
Soha Ali Khan
Vidya Balan

IceMaiden said...

" It’s a little like settling for frozen yogurt over creamy ice cream."

Takes the cake. :)

Cheers,
Annie.

Rajesh Rajoo said...

Err... the only plastic face I see in Bollywood is Aishwarya's. Way too fake. Way too much plastic. Yuck. And believe me, it isn't just me.

Naveen said...

Nice article, thought provoking one! But surely not everything is lost over time. The likes of Aiswarya Rai, Vidya Balan, Sonam Kapoor, Prachi Desai and many more would have been the gems in any generation when it comes to raw beauty. More over, I am not a big supporter of the old days, don't take me wrong, what i mean is I won't plainly say the standard of movies have degraded over time, movies, many of them are better than the ones made in yesteryears, but there are bad ones too. The advancement in technologies have made even the bad movies of this age worth watching.

Nalini Hebbar said...

Ash is as fake as fake can be!...they all look the same to me, but maybe I am old fashioned and love the natural look more that the 'identical' look....same hairstyle, same body language...it must be the 'in' thing to act that way, if you can call that acting!

darkling said...

this is soo soo right!!!and it is for these plastic queens women-kind suffers as a whole[trying to ape such standards!!]However aishwarya is defntly not the the lone star flying the beauty flag!!gawd she is more plastic than the entire bunch!!

avidblogger said...

Your reading of these heroines is so true. All plastic. I wish there were more actresses like Vidya Balan and Konkona Sen Sharma and Kajol.They can really give those plastic looking actresses a run for their money with their stellar performances. And they do nothing to show their curves. But the fault also lies with the scripts today. Roles for actresses are limited to being showpieces and item girls. If you have meaty and non glam roles for the girls, I am sure more such character actresses will step up. And we shall have our screen goddesses back once again.

sonal said...

Did someone say Prachi Desai??yee God!She is nothing more than a pretty girl!Far from being called a beauty, surely guys u cant tell the difference.And as far as Aishwarys is concerned, i think there are jst too many jealous folks in this country.Watch mistress of spices and u will know what beautiful is.Simple saNS MAKEUP, IN A WHITE COTTON SARREE, yet stunning!And the lone scene whr she transforms herself in a red outfit, outstanding!! Pure magic.If there is one woman who can create magic its her!katrina is again a very natural beauty.
her curves, her skin her hair.....very real.
As for Ash, give her a break folks, she has proved her point many times over!leave her alone!

चंद्रमौलेश्वर प्रसाद said...

"Their box office status is determined more by their Sizzle Quotient than histrionic abilities. "

histrionic abilities has become history :)

akanksha said...

@Sonal,
just because someone doesn't like Aishwarya doesn't mean they are jealous. Stop reacting like it's treason to call Aishwarya fake or plastic. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
@ everyone,
I just want Aishwarya fans to stop getting so hyper everytime everytime someone gives their opinion on her ('so-called'?) beauty!!
And someone mentioned Prachi Desai.. i have seen Prachi Desai up close in real life,and trust me,, she is nothing like what she looks like on screen... you've to double check to make sure it's her... infact, if you can believe, Ekta Kapoor looks much better in person than Prachi Desai.
The thing is, in this age, you can never make sure if the beauty you see on screen actually exists in real life... That wasn;t the case in 'the olden days' ..if someone was beautiful on screen, they were beautiful off-screen as well. I think that's the point of this article .. not which era gave us better movies

Anonymous said...

One thing u shd understand, those so called 'screen godess' had nothing substancial to play in past. Bollywood has always been male-centric majorly. Atlease today's actresses like Priyanka, Kangna or Konkona get films where they are the central protagonist. They act well, are sexy & can ensure box office good opening as well. Do u think this could have been possible in 70's or 80's with any of the top leading ladies?? In fact I feel what u have said reality is just the opposite. Anyways its my opinion.

sonal said...

My dear Akanksha,
Aishwarya is a beauty, there are no two ways about it.The problem with tdy age is that thr are too many ppl with too many opinions.Thankfully the legends remain what they are the legends!There is a reason she is known all over the globe for her beauty.So many opinion makers cud'nt all be blind.True we are all, and i say'everyone' is entitled to their opinions, but there is such a thing as making irresponsible statements on a public forum.

Latha said...

Yes, those stuffed bras of yore, 'what God has forgotten, we fill with cotton'& all that. That is old fashion. Now it is silicon. You'll never know where God stopped & where the surgeon took over to play the second God.
I agree with you. 'from Nutan to Vyjayantimala , Hema Malini to Madhuri Dixit.'
' whether a dramatic moment had to register via a glance rather than a pelvic thrust.'- Waheeda Rahman in Khamoshi.
And today's best of best item girls cannot hold a candle to our own club dance beauty, Helen. Hers was a natural body so flexible & meant to gyrate. She entered bollywood as 'surpanaka' of sampoorn ramayan & ultimately no film was made if they couldn't get Helen's date. She did all that with aplomb, captivating without being vulgar.
Yes of course there is Vidya Balan & Sonam K. But who wants classic beauties today ? Who do you think would cast a Jayaprada who was admired by none other than the doyen of Indian cinema Satyajit Ray himself ? Gone are those days madam.

Anonymous said...

hail vidya balan, konkona and kajol !!!

aishwarya , sonam, prachi hai hai!

akanksha said...

@Sonal,
I am not saying Aishwarya is not beautiful.
My only problem is the way some of Aishwarya worshippers start bashing people when they say that Aishwarya can't act or she looks fake!!
Peace!!

Anonymous said...

Yep, I agree
And even Screen God
Dharmendra/Sunil Dutt/Jeetendra/Vinod Khanna/Vinod Mehra/Shatrughan Sinha/Amitabh Bachchan - all those Man - Yes, real Men.
Where are you?

Re.: We are Family
boring maybe but will wait for your post...

sonal said...

Akanksha,
I reacted to ure statement,'so called beauty'.Yeah some of us love our icons and dont like to see other ppl badmouthing them for no rhyme and reason.I have seen it happening much too often, so i react strongly.Anyways, we live in times when even the Mahatma is ground to the dust,Aishwarya is but a mere mortal i guess!!But I for one adore her!Her beauty is blinding,[i had stumbled out of the theatre in Umraao jaan haLFway,coz her perfect beauty was killing me and i couldnt handle it!]She lights up the screen in so many ways with her animated acting and just her beauty.can anyone repeat what she did in Dhoom?The size zero figure and those lovely green eyes matching Hritiks in the opening scene, whr they both wear a hood.Jodha Akbar was again a tribute to two of the best looking actors in the industry.The marriage consummation song was sheer poetry!
I can go on and on but would like to end with this quote from the poet Keats,Beauty is truth and Truth beauty![Hope i have got it right!]
They say beauty has the ability to launch a thousand ships,well Aishwarya has done that!

Ambika said...

The names I am going to mention are not really 'current crop' of actresses, but they are not from the bygone era either.
One is Manish Koirala. She looked very beautiful in 1942, A Love Story and also in Dil Se.
And, then Tabu. She is not considered beautiful in conventional terms, but you can't ignore her oomph factor. For eg making eyes at Irrfan in Maqbool.

sonal said...

Yes Tabu and Manisha both win my votes as classic beauties. Tabu is earthy, exudes strength and is remarkable for her acting prowess.Her choice or roles is amazing and brave.Chandini bar is a highlight!As for Manisha , Her controversial film, Ek Chotti Si Love Story, raised quite a few eyebrows!Kudos to these Indian women for daring to do such bold unconventional roles.It goes beyond just appearing on the screen in a Bikini!

Nandini Rao said...

@ Shobhaa De...
you're bang on once again!
but more than Ash's looks, i would love if someone could comment on her being an inspiration in any which way....
i personally hate all her interviews, simply because there isn't an iota of genuine talk in any of those shows, and the accent...my my, you need an ear piece to simply attenuate that senseless, ever changing slang..
i simply wonder if she can ever be truthful in her conduct.

Sushmita Sen, fake or not, she is one person I adore, she is what I call an inspiration, and her interviews...cannot ignore them, that is what I call straight talk,...
I'm glad she's still around.

Anonymous said...

But is it about having the oomph factor with or without the plastic? I say this because I ain't sure if Ms.Rai is non-plastic....!

sonal said...

For the above girls,Sushmita is a known home breaker, I am glad to hear that she is an inspiration to all of u!!
Call it retrogade but atleast Ash is desi at heart, celebrates karva Chauth,[whatever the implications of it] is a good Daughter-in -law, as vouchsafed by her famous Pa.in.law., has a squeaky clean onscreen image and otherwise too, has commanded great respect and generated awe in large doses.If u put someone under the scanner to see their warts, thats all u will get to see.So she may be a little squeaky and giggles l.ike a school girl sometimes but hell Chanda ko bhi Daag hain!!
Thank God Krunal has not commented on this post, or he wud take away the credit of being beautiful from us women too!

Unknown said...

Lol @ Akansha on Ekta looking better than Prachi!! You got me cracking out with laughter! :D

Well, I havent seen any actresses personally so wont comment on any. But I disagree with Ms De on this matter... they are plastic beauties, maybe, but atleast they give a hope to the young girls out there that nothing is impossible. I mean they work hard on their looks and its nothing natural and something that we say looking at the legends that kaash..I was somewhere close to her beauty!

And I belive Katrina is one actress who looks great and even if she wears small skirts or figure-hugging outfits, it doesnt look vulgar on her..! Her speaking skills in hindi doesnt define her as an actress even if she's in the top bracket of heroines of this era.

sonal said...

All Iz well! well these women are surely inspirational to me!They are in complete charge of their lives their decesions!no mama accompanying them on the sets like heroines of yesteryears.
Deepika Padukone for one has been on her own since the age of 17.I truly admire that!Actresses are today portraying roles, and balancing marriages and babies.Kajol jst delivered her second baby or is about to, and her release is due![I mean the film!ha ha!]The roles they portray are full of Tashan[kareena].They are in ure face and ready to kick butt!Deepika again in Chandni chowk to China! Priyanka in that superhero flick.These women are young, raring to go and go getters!
yes they are defn aspirational to me.
By the way i was watching the reaction of men in the cinema hall during the BIkini shot of Kareena in Tashan.There was absolute shock and silence in the hall. No cat calls and whistles or cheap comments.The men just didint know how to respond.
i think the superwoman is here to stay!!viva!!

Pooja Rathore said...

you are right they all look the same no individuality half of them look malnourished( look anaemic) and some are also ambassadors for good food and health i hope God bless them with both.
Madhuri Dixit is gorgeous Kajol is very attractive in her own way .aishwaraya rai is synonymous with the word Beautiful.
vidya Balan is different she is not skinny though she can improve her dressing sense and dancing skills.
waiting for your verdict!

Jyostna said...

I agree to the post. I am not a great fan of old era but I sure believe that they were much beautiful n natural than the present BW glam dolls.
Everybody follow similar style, as in ur earlier post, very few have their own style statement..rest of them just follow.
Amongst the present I like Vidya Balan but she is too classyy at times.
a leading lady shld b able to carry herself well in all outfits n roles. I don't find one single woman as such.

Nandini Rao said...

well, ...by inspiration ..I only meant Sushmita Sen has the innate humanity to adopt two GIRL CHILDREN ( she could have easily adopted boys), which is courageous in a society where one would invariably frown upon single mothers.
That definitely is an inspiration to me at least, not that I care about what others think!!...
Ash no heart breaker??...I wonder if there's one Vivek around..??

Harsha said...

interesting article..but i feel you missed out on "Madhubala" who I believe is the epitome of beauty...and as far as Aishwarya Rai is concerned...she is beautiful but doesnt feel she is real ...she all plastic & fake..even the way she smiles...:))

Unknown said...

@ sonal
I agree Aishwarya is pretty but your adoration for her is seemingly border line obsession. Stumbled out of the threate of umrao jaan? are you for real? BTW aishwarya's looks only conform to a group of individual's preferences and might not conform to all. She's light skinned, blue eyed, the works and yah thats what some deem as beautiful but not all. In Nigeria for example the criteria for beauty is completely the opposite. If you want to come across as a stable and responsible individual on a public forum, I humbly suggest you don't sound like such a 'groupie' for lack of a better word. In my opinion shes pretty with a handful of decent acting to her credit in devdas, hum dil..., choker bali, and raincoat but thats about it. I don't know whether she is fake or real, while I don't know the reality of Sushmita's relationship with Vikram Bhatt. Calling somebody a homebreaker is a moral allegation, and without knowing the facts its quite irresponsible to say that, don't you think so?

On the subject, I couldn't sit through any of the yesteryear films but i do admire rekha, sri devi, sharmila tagore, the late samita patil and shabana azmi for their versatility and the ability to switch from glam to non glam roles. I do like Rani Mukerjee and hope she does better work in the future. Kareena can act but she comes across as far too arrogant. Deepika is alright and Sonam hasn't done much to speak about except strut her stuff in designer wear. Marilyn Munroe is iconic but not for her acting, Katharine Hepburn was a real icon.

Even hollywood today is producing these mediocre actresses hyped for their looks or personal lives stuck in the romcom genre. Jennifer Aniston, J.Lo, Sandra Bullock to name a few. Actresses like Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Halle Berry manage to be beautiful and glamorous and yet be fantastic actresses.

sonal said...

Dear Sarah,
I havent been to Nigeria so i wudnt know what women or the standards of beauty there are.I can only speak for what works in this country.As for Aishwarya the kind of fan following and success she has achieved speaks louder than any'crazy ' statements i may make!Anyways i am only speaking about the effect she has on me, maybe she has a very diff effect on u! I wonder!!
As for Sushmita, it is from the horses mouth that i have heard what i have stated.Sushmita is quite open and blase about her relationships. And so she openly states in her interviews, whichever few she gives!U folks like her independent bindaas image, yes that woman says it like it is. So i am only speaking what is so openly known!

sonal said...

Anyways my apologies to Sushmita fans, She has the right to lead her life the way she wants.And yes i would commend her on adopting children, girls or boys, is a diff issue!Raveena Tandon too had adopted two young girls and was taking care of their education!mt

goodluck said...

I feel sorry for the poor plastic. It does not deserve that type of comparison.
Ash is very beautiful. Modelling made her lose some spontaneity. Her acting is good as half the work is done by her beauty. But no surprises. The usual standard stuff like assembly line product. Compare her to another beauty Hema. She surprised us with her very good performances in Lal Patthar, Sholay and many other movies. And Hema still looks so good and still can surprise us with more Baghbans.
As for inspiration, it is one's choice to choose.

Unknown said...

@ sonal

If you want to like a celebrity, its your business and if someone doesn't its their business. Just humbly pointing out that while you might not like the remarks made for Aishwarya by some of the posts here it isn't fair to label these people as jealous. There will never be a universal consensus on beauty because to each it's different (And pageants hardly testify as a validation). Since its being a public forum lets not assume that everyone here is a native of your country, while I'm not from Nigeria, I'm not Indian either.
And while Sushmita was involved with a married man its rather close minded to label her a home breaker as I said we don't know the reality of one's relationship. Its been making rounds that Abhishek was involved with Rani while Aishwarya 'got to him', again I can't comment on it because their truth and not mine. While its someone's own choice to admire an actor or actress its healthy for all of us that we think of them as just another human being, with a set of qualities and faults and not esteem them to be anything above that.
And as far as liking Sushmita's image is concerned, I don't like Sushmita any better than I like Aishwarya, they are both good in their own way.

sonal said...

Primarily i am concerned with someones beauty as the quality which makes them stand apart.True standards of beauty may be diff in every part of the world, but some beauty has the abilty to set standards.If i said i was blinded by her beauty, its the same as perhaps u wud comment for a beautiful sunset or a breathtaking scene!
I think its unfair to comment on the personal lives and choices of our celebrities,[or 'icons'] as we put it.And i have already apologised for that.True ths ppl are also human but there are qualities which set them apart, or give them the huge success they enjoy, be they a Shobha de, or then an Aishwarya.why are they there and we here! surely thr is a diff.its very easy to dismiss someone and call them fake or plastic, but well..
aS FOR aSH, she is perhaps the only Indian actress who can hold her good even in Hollywood, so basically she makes me proud![Fair skin nothwithstanding]For me a sultry Bipasha is equally sexy and appealing.But for most Indians Ash possesses what few have and maybe that explains her demi goddess status here.She is like the Apsara of yesteryears.I know i may be sounding ridiculous to more urbane ears but thats how popular perceptions and imaginations work!From what i hear Ashs inlaws, her extended family affectionately calls her Pari!!so u see.
anyways i am exhausted praising ASh,i dont know whats the point,Its not like she is my best friend of something!! u guys have already declared her a fake and cheap plastic.i retire hurt!!i feel like an idiot here.

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goodluck said...

Why should one feel hurt? The opinion is directed against a star and not against any blogger. And as for, why they are there and why we are here is an immature statement. We all have our own life and our own personalities. Why should one want to be them? It is like blaming our parents for conceiving us in their wombs and regretting. Life has so many flavours and it is so rich. Each of us have our own loving parents, loving children etc. Why should we crave to be an Ash or a Shobhaa de? Everything that glitters may not be gold. Everything that is not glittering may not be trash. For that matter I never endorsed the iconic Ayn Rand's views on communism and I am fine with it. And I became quite unpopular because of my views on her. Everyone has an opinion and they can express them as long as they dont cross decency limits.

sonal said...

Hmm Goodluck, i am actually quite happy to hear what u have to say.yes i guess some of us are content being who we are while some of us aspire for greater success, fame and world domination.Quite stupid na, but then we humans are stupid and irrational.wish we all had ure level of contentment.
anyways i wasnt hurt, jst a matter of speech,jst cant understand how and why ppl dont see the obvious.I mean when it comes to colours one wudnt call a black a white or vice versa?Noone wud look at a beautiful sun set and say , Yuck!!,
wud u??The strong reactions against Ash make me a little skeptical!i guess success also invites hatred etc etc, i wont mention the ;J' word, the above wud kill me.Anyways i guess its okay not to like her!period! Actually she comes acrooss as a very simple girl to me and i have heard such stories about her manipulative ways.
A foreign interviewer on one of his shows actually uttered out in surprise to her,''u are actually quite real!' and Amitabh commented on her domesticated waYS!WELL'she sure is fooling a lot of folks!!mAYBE they are as blinded by her as i was!!

goodluck said...

Beautiful sunsets have no personality. Hence we all like them. But a so called beautiful human has so many shades some good and some bad. Some people focus on the good and some on the bad.We aspire to achieve our own kind of success. And world domination! Once a person dies, the domination automatically ends. It is nice to be admired and followed by so many people and it is also nice to be loved by a few.
Sonal, you seem to be fantastic person and I am sure you have many admirers in your own circle. Dont take these things to heart. Even in our own families, every one have their own favourite heroes and heroines and arguments galore.

sonal said...

hey a sunset defn has a personality, its not inanimate!Its alive throbbing, orange or red, and try going near it, it will burn u and sear u!!The inanimate paintinf of MOnaaLisa has a personality, She seems to mock the world in the slight knowing smile she has on her face!Its hailed the world over as a classic and thousands line up every year just to glimpse that cold smile!
Dont underestimate success!

Buzzintown Blogger said...

On the verge of extinction 'Natural Beauty'

5 Reasons Not To Watch We Are Family

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

@sonal - please get a life.. u sound like a lesbian,, believe me u have no idea what ash is like - she is such a plotting and scheming woman- as soon as she knew that she was going to drop out of the limelight for getting too old, she married Abhishek the son of the greatest superstar of all time to make sure she always has the limelight.she is as fake and dumb a bimbette as can possibly exist. she can only open her mouth to giggle at the most inopportune moments. she is beautiful no doubt but thats all she is.
Sushmita is beautiful and has brains, she has guts, to adopt two children without needing the crutch of any man, forget a famous man.

Unknown said...

Shobha De - You rock!! We love you!! Can always rely on you to call a spade a spade. You've been an inspiration for me since I was a little girl .. And please don't be offended in the least by blondes like Sonam Kapoor who have nothing in the brain department! She may belong to our generation but doesn't voice our views! And the bitch doesn't even realize that a fossil is a national treasure!!

sonal said...

okay thanks a lot.I guess its not quite normal for one woman to praise another. Women are known to pull each other down!!now thats quite normal, isnt it!

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Unknown said...

@ Minx This is blowing out of proportion, not that I'm playing referee or anything but I see how @sonal sounds a little obsessive, theres no reason to call her lesbian? and since when did calling anyone a lesbian became a put down? Its a lifestyle choice people. And blonde is not synonymous with dumb if thats what you're getting at regarding Sonam Kapoor. Just call her dumb if you think she is.
Back to the point I'm trying to make, its healthy for all of us to take celebs as human beings and not reincarnations of deities (directed towards sonal) and not scheming and manipulative reincarnations of the devil(directed at Minx). Chances are Aishwarya ain't a saint but she isn't cunning either, maybe a bit of both like each and every one of us, some ave one aspect less than the other. We can't judge somebody by the analysing their life(whatever of it is exposed to us) or by or reading a bunch of quotes giving by movers and shakers of the showbiz. If she is domesticated, good for her, shouldn't every woman or man pay attention to their home life? How does that make anyone a saint?Celebs weren't bred in a different dimension, they are as regular as you and me only their achievements and failures are publicly known and not ours.
I agree with goodluck though just because someone is more famous doesn't mean they are anymore content than us. We are the ones who quite foolishly put these people at an impossible pedestral. Another way to look at it is their success is dependent on a millions of people, my success is dependent on me, I think I'm better off. They are just actors (or singers or whomever rocks your boat) watch their movie, have a good time thats it. They are just accessories in our lives, nothing more, nothing less.
I don't even think people who top 'Most Influential' lists are any better than us, let alone Mrs De or Mrs Rai-Bachan.

Akshay said...

Excellent post as usual Ms.De....but i guess beauty nowadays is all about how u look n not abt how u really are as a person...its sad but true...

abt the debate above..i think Ash is beautiful..its a lil overrated..thats all

Anil Kumar said...

What Shobha meant is that there are so many sluts being manufactured in Bollywood who are willing to open their legs and dont hesitate in lip-locking or showing their ass that everyone see them and forget about them very QUICKLY.

The list includes many more including Aishwarya, kareena, Deepika padukone, mallika...etc...etc...

These SLUTS come and go and no one remember them for long time because they have limited acting abilities and their is nothing left for imagination as far as their slutty assets are concerned. Besides new SLUT takes over their place as their is no shortage of such sluts in Bollywood.

Got it now...This is the translation of Shobhas in depth article.

a hindu seeker said...
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Latha said...

@Krunal - excellent. I agree with you 100%.
Here in Virginia, women roam around wearing something microscopic in their skin colour next to being naked & men don't even bother to look at them. I'm seeing it right now while typing since my house is facing the colony swimming pool.

sonal said...

I have strong objection to the men using the word SLut! Kindly do not allow it on this forum Shobha ji!Its highly derogatory to woman, any kind of women.
The reson one slut calls other women slut is because she dosent understand thaT aMETRICAN men dont respond to women the way Indian men do.Abroad seeing a woman topless or in micro something is quite normal and the men dont lech, unlike some Indian men who cant handle beautufl sexy women on the screen.Indian men are wimps and we have plenty examples of them on this forum.

Latha said...

Aishwarya Rai has attended Rajnikant's daughter Soundarya's wedding in a black mourning dress. This is what happens when one loses any sense of dress & starts depending upon dress designers even for a simple function. Why should she be always conscious of promoting herself ? Even while attending a marriage can't she be a natural? Her Sabysachi churidaar among all the kanjeevarams is shocking to say the least. These people act like robots & lose their sense of proportion in the pretext of maintaining their image. If Aishwarya doesn't act herself & keeps depending upon Sabyasachi even for a morning walk, she is sure to lose her image. She in her black dress for a wedding sticks out like a sore thumb.
That said, Shobhaa, please delete messages of Anil Kumar. Otherwise decent women who come to your blog wouldn't feel comfortable.

Sidhusaaheb said...

Beautiful women in currently in Hindi cinema?

Hmmm...

I vote for Zarine Khan and Katrina Kaif (when they are fully dressed, as against the glam-doll/exposure-mode). Sonam Kapoor also looks lovely when she dresses simply and fully, as seen during most of the film Delhi-6.

You are right about the fact that very few notice the beauty of the face, when the rest of the body is on display through skin-tight or skin-show clothes.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks jaded somewhat, for reasons unknown to me. Perhaps she is as tired of that 'plastic' smile of hers as I am.

Sidhusaaheb said...

Although the film called Vir flopped, Zarine Khan managed to look stunningly beautiful throughout, I think.

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Shalet Jimmy said...

Most of the comments were on Aishwarya Rai. It's an undisputed fact that we have only plastic beauties all around except very few. What Shobhaji has said is absolutely true.There exists only few in the bollywood industry who really looks genuine and feminine.And my view about Aishwarya Rai is she is all plastic and fake who is only bothered about promoting herself.

What about her acting skills?

You could never see a character, but Miss Aishwarya Rai on the screen. It's there she always failed terribly.

I would definitely like to vote for Konkana Sen Sharma, Vidya Balan , Kajol and Rani.

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