Not long ago, actors R Madhvan and Vidya Balan appeared on our television sets in a series of Airtel commercials and won our hearts as a much-in-love couple. The ads were well-scripted and their chemistry sizzled. Little surprise then that the commercials became hugely popular across the country. Now you have that Tata Sky commercial featuring Aamir Khan and Gul Panag as a married couple dying to get their hands on the TV remote. The earlier commercial with Aamir dressed in drag received mixed reactions but this particular one has already become the talk of the town.

Gul Panag, of Dor and Manorama Six Feet Under fame, is naturally thrilled to do a commercial with Aamir Khan no less and was more than willing to speak about the experience. “The commercial has been directed by Vinil Mathew who has also worked on the Madhavan-Vidya Balan ad. But this one is different. Here, the couple is not very lovey-dovey with each other. Their life together is about getting to watch their choice of shows,” she says, adding, “There are a lot of moments between us in the ad which is making it work.”

Gul is all praise for Aamir — the actor with whom she has struck a great chemistry on screen. “You only realise why he is such a great actor and why he has reached where he is today after you’ve worked with him. He is really focused on his work and is an exceptional actor.”

Shedding some light on the product she endorses, Gul says, “You can watch your favourite serial while another programme is being recorded for later viewing. So that takes care of disagreements in a house hold”, she laughs. Talking about her career, Gul’s biggest claim to fame was the moment when she won the Miss India title and was raved about for her cute dimples. But that proved to be a temporary phase as she was quickly forgotten, until she took a plunge into acting. Gul denies she was ever striving to be a successful model. “This is a common misconception. After you win a beauty pageant, people assume that you are a model. I never did any modeling. In fact my first assignment was as an anchor on TV.” She started her career from the small screen and has gracefully made inroads in Bollywood too. Talking about her journey so far, she says, “I’m really grateful because Miss India happened to me and for the way things have shaped up so far. Most of my films have been appreciated, be it Dor or Manorama Six Feet Under.”

She also reveals that unlike other actresses, she is not here for another five-ten years. She states, “I’m a marathon runner. And plan to be here for as long as possible. It’s very important to keep the long-term picture in your mind while taking decisions. Where I want to be in ten years will determine if I’ll do a certain film. If you identify your goal, it makes it easier to accomplish things. I’d like to do films, which can be watched even after ten years without losing their relevance.” The actress’ upcoming projects include Trade with Vinay Pathak, Hello Darling with Mukta Arts and Ram Gopal Varma’s next.

Your Yash Raj movie seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons. Apparently director Anurag Singh was sidelined during the Chandigarh shoot and Rani Mukherji was ghost directing it.
Now tell me, who was in Chandigarh to see all this? We were shooting in the middle of huge wheat fields.. was any reporter hiding there among the wheat stalks and reporting such news? There was nothing of the sort yaar, I don’t know how such news makes it to print. There was no such stress.

So there are no issues between Rani and you?
Of course not. Rani is very professional. And like (director) Anurag, she’s been a part of the Yash Raj set-up since years.

When this news of Rani ghost directing came out, we were still in Chandigarh and we all laughed about it. (Smiles slyly) In fact, we’ve captured some moments in the making ofthe film about the incident.

Isn’t the movie inspired by She’s The Man?
I haven’t seen that movie, so I wouldn’t know. (Laughs) But when I see it, I’ll let you know first. As far as I know, it’s an original screenplay.

I believe you’re playing a top cricketer in the movie.
(Laughs) Let’s do one thing. I’ll tell you everything about all my four movies which will be released in 2009. So next year, I won’t have anything more to say about them.

Okay, so isn’t the Rani Mukherji-Shahid Kapur jodi as odd as the pairing with Vidya Balan?
I guess people should wait for the promos before they talk about our chemistry.

Your chemistry, in real life, with every actress becomes grist for the gossip mills. Right now, you’re pretty buddy-buddy with Priyanka Chopra..
(Exasperated but smiling) Ooof, this has been happening to me since last year. Even if go out for dinner with my cousin sister, I’m linked with her. Just because two celebrities sit together and laugh on the sets, you can’t jump to conclusions.

If the media wants to conclude that there’s something going on between me and every girl I talk to and laugh with, then it’s their problem, not mine.

In hindsight, should you have made your relationship with Kareena Kapoor so public?
Let’s face it, do actors have a choice? It’s a professional hazard. Even if I want to be private, I wouldn’t be given the freedom. Having said that, I don’t hide anything. If I’m seeing someone, it is bound to become public knowledge. But I’d like to hang on to whatever little privacy I can get.

So are you holding on to a ‘single and dating’ status now?
(Laughs) No, no, no. I was a kid when I started out in this profession.. I didn’t know what was going on. I’ve made some mistakes but with age and experience, I’m more balanced now.

Oh, you sound pretty mature for someone..
(Cuts in.. with mock anger) Tu mujhe mature bana raha hai? This must be the first interview in my life during which I’ve actually been called mature. (Animatedly) I’m really happy yaar, because I’m working really hard to look older.

But aren’t you making some rash decisions.. like nixing Rajkumar Santoshi’s Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s your Rashee?
(Smiles) Even the most innocent thing you say about a movie you’ve turned down becomes a controversy. Let’s just say, I can take on new projects only after completing my earlier commitments.

You’re featured prominently in the promos of Milind Ukey’s Paathshala.. though it’s only a cameo.
Yeah, I’m not the hero of the film, very clearly. I’m doing it for Ahmed Khan who’s a dear friend and his wife is producing a film for the first time. But I have a substantial half-an-hour or 40-minute role of an English and music teacher.. unfortunately not a dance teacher.

You’re learning some international dance form for Ken Ghosh’s Yahoo, right?
Yeah, we’ve brought in Marty, a choreographer who does most of Justin Timberlake’s videos. (Smiles earnestly) I’m working really hard yaar.. it’s a dance movie.
Talk was that Ken Ghosh was unhappy with some of Jiah Khan’s scenes?
There was four or five days of re-shooting but not because he was unhappy with anyone.. we’re just looking at the overall product.

Has the movie been delayed for six months because of your neck injury?
There was a cancellation of just a few days, that’s it.

Was the injury because of all the stunts you’re performing for Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay?
The neck injury didn’t happen on any set. Okay, I’ve had some minor injuries while shooting for Kaminay.. but that happens during every physically demanding movie.

What’s with the title of the movie?
(Laughs) Hey, you guys should ask Vishal this question. He thought of the title but I like it very much.. it’s very relevant to the film.

How come you’re not doing anything on TV?
It would be too early to do that at this point. And honestly, I’d resolved not to do any endorsements either if I didn’t care for the product or if the product didn’t connect with me.

You’re doing an ad for a VIP.. what’s the connect there?
See, VIP has a history.. they are the highest selling Indian bags in India. And now they have come up with a stylish line for the young traveller.. VIP Nuovo.
I’d like to think that I represent the young generation. Plus I liked the creatives, so I signed on as their brand ambassador.

Okay. So what’s the status on the delayed-by-eons Milenge Milenge? Apparently you didn’t want to dub for it.
See, I finished shooting for the film three years ago.. no one contacted me about it until recently. I’ve started dubbing for it now. But I have several prior commitments, so I will complete the dubbing when I get the time.

And what’s happening with your father Pankaj Kapur’s film? It was announced almost an year ago.
We’ll shoot for that from April through the entire year.. because it’s the kind of subject requires for me to do nothing else while I’m shooting for it.. and not just because it’s my father’s film.

Back to the basics.. are you okay being single?
Hey, you won’t get me there. Whether I’m single or not, I’m very happy with my private life.

So you are not single then?
(Laughs) Go figure!

Here’s taking a look at the not-so-happening jodis in tinsel town…

Vidya Balan & Salman Khan

They’re both short and stocky. So ideally they should form a perfect match. But that’s not the case.For the simple reason Salman and Vidya are both muscular and have bulging biceps.
A love scene between them in all probability would look like a wrestling match…

She enjoys nature walks in between shots. She’d rather sit in the greenery and soak in its beauty than be stuck in the van. Vidya finds the entire experience to be meditative and absolutely soothing.” Even when she is not shooting, Vidya doesn’t idle away her time. “Vidya goes for these long walks on the roads of Wai. So if you spot someone in tracksuits with an ipod and speakers hooked into her ears, walking away briskly, you know who it is,” laughs the unit member.

Viday’s staff does accompany for her brisk walks. “We cannot take any risks. What if she gets mobbed,” says a staff member. Vidya believes that natural environment is the best environment.

When I watch tv I just surf restlessly. A lot of the fare is uninteresting to me. Since I don’t have the time to follow the soaps I end up watching just the news or music channels.

Even the news channels are so tacky sometimes. These things that they put on anything in the name of news. I don’t enjoy surfing. Because a lot of the stuff is just a carryover from Bollywood I might as well watch a film. I enjoy the music-talent shows.

These shows have given us so much singing talent. However one aspect of these shows upsets me. People on these shows come just for 15 minutes of fame and not for the love of the arts. Sorry if I sound judgemental. But no one seems to have his or her priorities right on these shows.

Saif Ali Khan: “My favourite tv shows are Entourage, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Blackadder, Prison Break, 24, The X Files, Murder She Wrote and Who’s The Boss.

Naseeruddin Shah: “I only watch tennis and cricket on television. Also old movies. I tried watching the Olympics on television and gave up for obvious reasons.

Madhavan: ” I watch about an hour of television at the most. And that too depends on whether I’m shooting or not.My favourite tv shows are the ones on National Geographic, Untamed Africa, etc.

My favorite personality on TV is Barkha Datt. Barring a few most news channels are tabloids…find very hard to digest. Reality shows are now formated and predictable.

Kay Kay Menon: “I don’t normally watch daily soaps or reality shows. I only watch the news and sports channels. And National Geographic, Dicovery and History channel. I recently watched the music talent show Junoon Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka on NDTV Imagine. I loved it very much for its superior standards and quality of singing.

Raima Sen: “I only watch Friends ands Sex & The City. Both are hilarious and the characters are easy to relate to. I also like Fear Factor, though I’d never want to participate in it.

Dino Morea: “I only watch television for the sports, or if there’s important news. Or if I’m on some show.

Manoj Bajpai: “I only watch the news channels because I want to keep abreast of what’s happening in the world.”

Starlet Vidya Balan is loving all the attention that she’s been getting since the day her name was put with that of Shahid’s. This Bollywood beauty chose to keep the ‘Shahid’ topic open ended. We are sure that the Shahid-Vidya pairing will be back on demand very soon.

Uncannily all agents want to show her flats in the same apartment complex as Shahid’s. Now what’s that talk about a real ‘Kismat Konnection’?

As most actress try to get glamorous look are they good in acting also ? well answer is “No”. The common people who watches movies wants an actress with glamourous look but with that the performance should also be good, but that often happens.

Get to see the most glamorous look pics of the Vidya Balan from FHM magazine august 2008 edition.

To sell a film, you have to first sell its title,” declares director Anees Bazmee whose last three films are titled Singh Is Kinng , Welcome and No Entry . Bazmee believes Hindi is fast losing ground as urban Indian society gets increasingly anglicised. “Tell me how many people would have watched my films if I had called them Swagat instead of Welcome or Parwesh Nishedh in place of No Entry?” he laughs, pleased with his own humour. If Bazmee, as son-of-the-soil as you can get, roots for English, can anything be expected from the anglicised new crop of actors and directors? Vijay Akela, who penned Ek pal ka jeena for Kaho Naa Pyar Hai a few years ago, recalls singer Lucky Ali’s problem with the word aas (hope) during the song’s recording. “He kept pronouncing ‘ aas ‘ as ‘ass’. He would not understand that a word like ‘ aas ‘ existed,” says Akela. As for actors, it is no secret that most demand scripts in Roman, as they cannot read Devnagri. With the new phenomenon of targeting films at the multiplex crowd, a species that marketers read as a generation with a severely limited Hindi vocabulary, the charm of the language has been drowned out. The multiplex syndrome is so powerful that film-makers don’t want to risk offending their potential metro audiences even if the film’s story has nothing to do with a big city. Benegal’s Welcome To Sajjanpur , based in rustic Bundelkhand, is officially registered as Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur and got its censor certificate with the same name. But when it came to selling the film, Benegal says, the marketing people got cold feet. “They debated many titles. Welcome To Sajjanpur seemed more welcoming to them,” he laughs, adding that the vanishing of Hindi from cinema is “a process of evolution”. If this is evolution, it’s certainly taking place at an astronomical speed. Lyrics are getting increasingly peppered with English, as is dialogue. All-powerful actors, short on language sense, even get their lines tailored to suit their convenience, and lyricists and scriptwriters are only too willing to give in to their demands. ” Yeh nahin chahiye to yeh le lo (If you don’t like this, take this),” is how Shah Rukh Khan once recalled lyricist Javed Akhtar’s to dish out whatever was required. The national language is not just getting ignored in Bollywood, it’s often ridiculed as well. So when Aamir Khan wanted to depict a Hindi teacher in Taare Zameen Par , he plumped for a bespectacled buffoon with hair sprouting from his ears. When Fardeen Khan tried to teach ’shuddh’ Hindi to Vidya Balan in Heyy Baby , he actually made fun of the language. “It is not funny. It is actually an insult,” says trade analyst Amod Mehra. A song in Farhan Akhtar-produced Rock On goes: Meri laundry ka ek bill/ Ek aadhi padhi novel/ Ek ladki ka phone number/ Mere kaam ka ek paper . Perhaps this is what Nandy means when he says, “We all speak versions and dialects of bastardised street lingo.” Goodbye, Hindi!