Amazing Bollywood

Vivah has made a helluva difference to its lead player Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao. If individually they are now in a position to pick and choose, as a team they’re even more in demand.

Not only did they deliver a hit in their first film Ishq Vishq, they also proved themselves an unexpected bonanza in Vivah. And if director Sooraj Barjatya had his way he would probably have them back together in his next film.

In fact Sooraj confesses he never felt the absence of his favourite hero Salman Khan once Shahid faced the camera.

As for Amrita, the minute he saw her in Ishq Vishq, Sooraj decided no other heroine could play his simple yet elegant and utterly Indian small-town heroine in Vivah.

Kareena who had set her heart on being in Bajatyas’ next after Main Prem Ki Diwani Hai specially when she got to know Shahid was in the film had to be gently told she didn’t suit the role.

Naturally post-Vivah a cluster of filmmakers are keen to sign the Shahid-Amrita pair together, one of them being David Dhawan whose new film for UTV is his first non-comic outing since Swarg and Andhiyaan at the beginning of his brimming career.

After initial consultation, however, Shahid and Dhawan stayed away from each other. A probable reason? The couple would like to remain special and exclusive for Sooraj Barjatya who might want to cast them together again.

Shahid is therefore out, Sidharth the choosy Rang De Basanti Telugu actor has taken over the onus of hero-giri in Dhawan’s film.

Confirming her presence in David Dhawan’s film Amrita says, “It’s not a typical David Dhawan film at all. From what I could make out of the script it’s far removed from the image that he has.”

As for Siddharth, Amrita says she hasn’t met him as yet. “But I’m sure we’ll make an interesting and convincing pair.”

Not too many leading men would seem to suit the petite and painfully tender –looking Amrita. In fact in her next release My Name Is Anthony Gonzalves Amrita is teamed with a newcomer Nikhil Diwedi.