On Turning 30!!!
Turning 30!!! is unapologetically women-centric but I think the film has enough to attract men as well. It’s a story about a girl who has her life all set. She has the perfect job, man, friends: the prefect everything and suddenly her world falls apart and how she fights back. The film is Naina’s journey. It teaches you that the focus of your life is not a man. Romance is part of the film and not the film.

On Her Kisses In The Film
Before I sign a film I ask, “Kiss hai ke nahi? (Is there a kiss or not?)” (laughs) Jokes apart, I’m not uncomfortable kissing if it is necessary in the script. And Purab and I very comfortable with each other so kissing was not a problem.

On Commercial & Art Films
I do a film based on my gut feeling. It went wrong with Hello Darling but it was more because of that greed of widening my scope. As an actor, you cannot control situations and just hope that they don’t happen again. You cant walk out of a film because that’s unethical. At the same time, there’s any such thing as a commercial or art film – its just a film.

Gul’s Picks

I think Deepika Padukone is THE emerging star.
My best role was in Manorama Six Feet Under.
I would love to do a movie along the lines of Bheja Fry. Hmm…and if I think of it, I would want to do a biker film, an action role, play a cop, portray a negative character and something on the lines of Barkha Dutt.

Her Future Plans
I’m debating whether to buy a plane. I’m also looking forward to the marathon. It gives a purpose, a ramification of life in a generation. I am also trying to mount a film; an international film with a friend, Britain-based Italian origin director Ovidio Salazar, which should shape up by 2012.

Vivek, who started his acting career with theatre, made his mark in television with famous shows like Ulta Pulta, Flop Show and Full Tension. He also made us laugh in films like Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), 36 China Town (2006) and Nanhe Jaisalmer: A Dream Come True (2007). He acted in about 54 Bollywood films and some Punjabi films too.

His last film appearance was in a 2010 film, Hello Darling.

Vivek Shauq will be cremated in Chembur, Mumbai, on January 11th, 2011. May his soul rest in peace.

“When I like a script, I don’t think of the reasons. I go with my gut instinct. But sometimes you go wrong, like with ‘Hello Darling’,” she rues. Gul explains further, “What was narrated to me was different; it was two different stories. When they narrated the story to me, I was told my character would be career-centric but there were other things that I wasn’t informed of…but if I look at my character myopically, selfishly, I can’t complain. I’m not looking crazy, my character isn’t looking bad,” she shrugs. With a hint of mischief she adds, “I’m a smart character, in a “different” film!”

But Gul isn’t blaming anyone or taking names. She understands that the makers of ‘Hello Darling’ too were under pressure from different sides. Even though Mukta Arts did not promote the film at the last moment, Gul still looks up to Subhash Ghai and “would give my right arm” to work with the esteemed director. Talk about Gul’s dance routine in the film and she winces, “You have no idea what I was going through during that scene!” It’s one of those things that she takes in her stride, “It’s my greed as an actor to widen the scope of my work,” she says.

Gul, who turned 31 recently, is looking forward to her next film, Turning 30, in which she plays an advertising executive dealing with heartbreak and a career crisis just before her 30th birthday. “It’s unapologetically women-centric. It’s a chick-flick like Bridget Jones’s Diary, ‘Lipstick Jungle’ & Sex and the City.” And what about the prospects of this chick-flick? She smiles and replies, “I will still believe in my gut instinct.”

Watch Gul Panag’s interview on ‘Hello Darling’ and ‘Turning 30’:

The other release this weekend, The Film Emotional Atyachar, with Kalki Koechlin, Mohit Alawat, is an ordinary fare and will not be able to do much at the box-office. The opening was dull and weak at most places. The supernatural thriller Mallika is a poor fare which will find favour with some front-benchers only. The publicity was fair and the opening dull. The dubbed version of the Hollywood action, horror, science-fiction drama Piranha 3D is an average fare.

Last week’s release, the John Abraham starrer Aashayein has not found appreciation, even among the classes. Total 2,00,87,124 from 385 cinemas. Even Celina Jaitly, Gul Panag and Eesha Koppikhar’s joint pouting could not endear Hello Darling to the public. Total 1,34,71,996 from 258 cinemas.

Neil Nitin Mukesh and Deepika Padukone’s Lafangey Parindey has crashed. 2^nd week collections (August 27 to September 5) are 3,04,21,992 from 265 cinemas. Peepli Live is going good even in its 3^rd week with 1,35,59,597 from 174 cinemas. Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai stands at 69,98,729 from 133 cinemas.

Detailed collections:

India Box Office Collections for the week of August 27 – September 2, 2010 (Figures in Rs.)

- By Komal Nahta

Star cast: Gul Panag, Celina Jiatley, Eesha Koppikhar,  Javed Jaffery, Chunky Panday, Divya Dutta.

Plot: Javed is a lecherous boss under whom Gul, Celina and Eesha feel sexually harassed. They decide to teach him a lesson.

What’s Good: Nothing!

What’s Bad: Everything, right from the crude jokes to the disjointed screenplay.

Verdict: HELLO DARLING will prove to be an alarming disaster.

Loo break: Anytime!

It is supposed to be a comedy on the burning topic of sexual harassment at the work place. But the tragedy is that the so-called comedy fails to evoke laughter or even a smile.

Pankaj Trivedi and Sachin Shah, who tickled the funny bone with their adult comedy, Kya Kool Hain Hum, fail miserably this time, what with their disjointed script being an assemblage of crude jokes, crass lines and double-meaning – make that single-meaning (the dirty one!) – dialogues. Is it because the film has turned out to be so shoddy that Subhash Ghai chose to not even present younger brother Ashok Ghai’s film under the Mukta Arts banner? Or is it due to the accusation that the film is a rip off on the Hollywood flick, Nine To Five?

Anyway, Mansi (Gul Panag), Candy (Celina Jaitley) and Satvati (Eesha Koppikhar) work in a company, the vice president of which is lecherous Harddick (yes, that’s how his name is spelt!) Vasu. He sexually harasses them, they physically harass him when they tie him up in chains and hold him captive for days together – and all this harassment becomes an embarrassment for the public to watch. The sexual advances are so direct, you wonder if there’s anything called subtlety.

Gul is at least earnest and sincere in this mindless enterprise. Celina and Eesha are okay. Jaaved Jaaferi should stop acting in films with such inane plots. Chunky Panday has been hoplessly wasted. Divya Dutta tries to entertain with her Gujaratiben act but a…ra…ra…., doesn’t she know, Ketaki Dave did it ages ago as Dakshaben in Kyunki… Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi? Seema Biswas plays Phoolan Tai and must say, Shekhar Kapur, who introduced her as Phoolan Devi in Bandit Queen, would cry tears of blood if he saw this film.

Manoj Tiwari makes a pitiable debut as director. After all, he is unable to raise any laughter, chuckle or smile. Pritam seems to be out of form because the songs are far from engaging.

On the whole, Hello Darling will bid the box-office ’bye in no time. As for those associated with the film, they’ll have to say “hello” to failure.

- By Komal Nahta

Star cast: Gul Panag, Eesha Koppikhar, Celina Jaitly and Javed Jaffrey

Plot: Three girls working together in Mumbai bond with each other, though they’re very different from each other. The biggest issue they face now is in their own work place – their chronic playboy boss. When their lusty boss begins to cause trouble for the three, they decide to take him on in a hilarious series of events.

Expectations: Not much. In spite of three leading ladies, the film lacks a A-lister star.

- By Komal Nahta

Celina Jaitly, Eesha Koppikhar and Gul Panag will seduce you with style in the song ‘Aa Jaane Jaa’ from Hello Darling.

- By Koimoi.com Team

Celina Jaitly, Gul Panag and Eesha Koppikhar want to teach their leech-of-a-boss Javed Jaffrey a lesson. Watch the hilarious consequences in this trailer of Hello Darling.

-Koimoi.com Team

Don’t miss Celina Jaitly, Eesha Koppikhar and Gul Panag get back at their boss Javed Jaffrey in Hello Darling‘!

- By Koimoi Team

Watch Celina Jaitly and Eesha Koppikhar teach Gul Panag a few steps in the foot-tapping Punjabi shaadi number ‘Band Baaja’ from ‘Hello Darling‘.

- Koimoi.com Team

Eesha Koppikhar and Gul Panag are a sight for sore eyes as they shoot for a song on the sets of Hello Darling. Celina Jaitly looks bright as sunshine in a short yellow dress as she shows a few moves to Eesha and Gul.

Gul Panag is all praise about her Hello Darling co-stars. “Eesha is a brilliant actor. I’ve worked with her before in Hello, so we share a good professional relationship. Celina completely blew me away with her brilliance. She can talk about anything under the sun!” Gul raved.

The girls are obviously shooting for a song, so how does Gul feel about donning some dancing shoes? “There wasn’t supposed to be any naach-gaana in the script initially but director Manoj Tiwari added a song later on and I had no choice. But Eesha and Celina were a great and they helped me a lot with the steps.” And the lovely dimples are back.

Ishaa was recently seen in a negative role in Subhash Ghai’s Right Yaaa Wrong and she will be seen once again in Ghai’s forthcoming film, Hello Darling. In the latter film, she plays a Haryanvi girl who has come to Bombay to make a career.