Sushmita Sen is in the news once again. This time, she is doing something different. She is breaking Vikram Bhatt's home. Not that Sushmita has surprised us. Her wayward ways have always made news. Her practiced smile and honey-coated words have done little to salvage her wild image. But just how far will she go? For when you move at breakneck speed, there is little else but disaster waiting at the end of the road.
CINEBLITZ investigates the psyche of Sushmita Sen with the help of Mahesh Bhatt and others. As the shocking truth unfolds, the picture of Sushmita takes on a different look altogether!
From what one saw at the Press conference, one is reassured that she is a brilliant actress. But few are buying her crocodile tears and the other stories which accompanied them. Like she does not touch alcohol, she is not involved with a married man, she is not a reckless driver! What was interesting however, was the fact that the same Ms Sen, who went overboard giving interviews to the magazines with statements like, "I would like to bear my lover's child", did not invite even a single magazine to the conference. She proudly displayed her assets on the covers of these very magazines but she would not want them questioning her about her life, since they know too much. It was indeed convenient then, to simply have the dailies present. She wouldn't want those questions coming up just when she is trying to wipe her slate clean, a day before the release of Dastak! But you can't get lucky all the time.Dastak has gone bust at the box-office. The standing industry joke is, "Das tak? Yeh film to teen tak nahin chalegi"! After Jackson, if anybody has made history, it is her. She dismissed boyfriend Rajat Tara but told the Press that she really loved him. She had a brief fling with Akshay Kumar, this was denied too. Then there was Vicky Oberoi, the builder, who she painted the town red with. The government of Seychelles admonished her for reckless (and apparently drunk) driving, she tells the Press the car had skidded in the mist. Either Sushmita Sen is very smart or she thinks we are a bunch of bloody fools. We spare ourselves and our entire fraternity the trouble of unravelling the confusion (read mess) that Sushmita has created, by speaking to Mahesh Bhatt. Not only because he directs her debut film Dastak but also because of his startling honesty. "When we first started shooting for Dastak, she came across as a very accessible person who did not mind being corrected and appeared eager to learn. What did hassle everybody, was that she took hours to change her make-up," says Mahesh. A photographer friends of hers also reveals that on completion of her make-up she shakes a triumphant fist in front of her reflection and goes, 'Oh yeah!" If that isn't narcissism, what is? But during the Seychelles outdoor, Mahesh felt that his producer could not afford an actress who took hours to reach the sets. 'It was a foreign location after all! I told Sushmita, "Mukesh and I will come here again to shoot for some other film but this is your only chance". "I must say that whenever I have provoked or confronted her, she has responded. We went through more turbulence when I discovered she did not have regularised habits. She had night psyche and would go to the casinos every night. I can sleep for two hours and wake up in the morning and still be active but for an actress, it is very important to get a good sleep!"
Mahesh's no nonsense talk worked and Sush responded miraculously. According to Bhatt, in the second half of the film, her performance is brilliant. 'She seems to be very intensely involved with my boy, Vikram Bhatt. I do not interfere with people's lives and I have no objection to their relationship. I would protect them if they needed my help. I have asked them to hide behind my skirt if the need arises" Mahesh isn't the only one who acknowledges Sushmita's involvement with his nephew. An ex-employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, informed us about many men in general and three industry men in particular, who frequented her pad at Versova. Akshay Kumar, according to him, was definitely seeing his madam for sometime, until something went wrong. Then there was the awestruck Vikram Bhatt who hung around her like a little lovesick puppy. 'But at that time, she did not even notice him. He was just there all the time though! 'It used to frighten me to see the way she drove her car. There would be at least one big dent in it a day!" But it is hardly the poor girl's fault if she came into the industry ill advised, which is probably the reason why she is so mixed up. Some people insist that it is the split between Sushmita's parents that speaks for her insecurity. Whether or not Sush is in love with Vikram right now, is a debatable issue. While some insist it is a career move, there are others who think she is looking for an anchor. Vikram, on the other hand, is torn between his wife and Sushmita. But he is obviously so enamoured by the lather's charms that he has sent his wife packing to her parents" home. His explanation to the world was that his wife was schizophrenic, which is why he was seeking solace in Sushmita's arms. We decided to meet Pravin beat's family. And managing to make our way into Vikram Bhatt's house, we met his mother Varsha Bhatt. As expected, there was no sign of Aditi. 'She has gone to her mother's house in Juhu," the maid informed us. But Varsha quickly covered up by saying that Aditi's father was very unwell so she was nursing him. Later on she added that Aditi's father had developed a heart problem due to rumours of his son-in-law's infidelity. 'Our family is very conservative. The Press is writing about our son's affair with Sushmita. Such a thing has never happened in our family. Only Mahesh and Pooja have done such things. Mahesh did it when he married Soni and believe it or not, to date, I haven't stepped inside Soni's house. In fact, Kiran is still very close to me and my husband.
Varsha asserted that Aditi was prone to bouts of depression. 'Which woman would not be depressed by such things? Naturally she will have psychological problems. Aditi is just like a daughter to us and we will support her till the time she decides to leave Vikram. Anyway, he is so disturbed since these rumours started. I have told him not to work with Sushmita again. Even if there is no involvement, I do not want people to talk about it. Once they stop meeting, the rumours will stop." Then she added, 'My son is so simple, I know what other directors do when they go on outdoor shoots. They don't even spare the girls who come to watch the shooting. Tedi medi, aairi gairi, jo bhi aaye voh hai meri. Anyway, give it another month and this whole affair will be forgotten." If close family friends are to be believed, the Bhatts are maintaining a double stance. Apparently, they heartily encouraged the Vicky-Sush liaison hoping she would become a permanent member of the Bhatt camp. They tried to fan the fires, hoping for pre-release publicity but it only backfired! Dastak met with its fate at the box-office. And even though Sushmita's performance has been appreciated, she has suddenly developed cold feet where the industry is concerned. She announced at the Press conference that she only wants to be around for another year or so. The very girl who issued bold statements, and sold magazine covers with her ample assets, is now crying in front of the whole world. |
SONALI KHULLAR
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