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	June 26, 2000

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India Today issue dated June 26, 2000 More of Malaika
If Cindy Crawford could do House of Style, why, Malaika Arora will do Style Check. Scoffing at rumours that she's quitting MTV for the new music channel B4U, the stunning veejay is digging her Malaika Arora heels in further. MTV has reportedly hiked her pay packet, and given her an additional show. Malaika laughs off the press speculation. "My experience with MTV has been so good," she says, "there's no reason to leave." Most of their other veejays are not a patch on her, so no reason why MTV would leave her either.

To All Appearances
It's a dubious distinction, but well, it's a distinction all the same. Shilpa Shetty has notched up more hit songs than hit films in recent months. First there was the hot guest appearance with Main aayee hoon UP-Bihar lootne in the Manoj Bajpai-starrer Shool, then came Aila re from Jung and now there's Dupatte ka pallu in the soon-to-be-released Tarkieb. The pundits aren't sniggering. Says Trade Guide editor Taran Adarsh: "These songs are hammered all day long on TV. Besides, actresses with hit songs are the first to be selected for shows. She can make pots of money there." Good for her.

Role Model
She was having a pretty good run as model-choreographer, when this cameo came along. When supermodel Lisa Ray walked out of the Hrithik Roshan-starrer Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, Achala Sachdev stepped right in. She anchors Original Sound Track on Zee English, Star's Day Out and Disco Me Khisco on Music Asia; she had earlier done a bit role in Meera Nair's Kama Sutra and shaken a leg in the flop Kajol-Ajay Devgan starrer Dil Kya Kare. Says the husky, dusky damsel: "The shooting's been fun so far. I really like the character, Anna, that I'm playing. She's vivacious, sensuous, somewhat funny, and lives life her own way." Sounds like Achala herself.

They're Two of a Kind
Two grand old ladies of Indian cinema (well, not old, but you know what we mean) are making waves in London. Theatre and film veteran Shabana Azmi has won raves with her performance in The Waiting Room at the National Theatre. "Azmi has qualities that remind me of Judi Dench at her finest," says one critic. "Her performance almost defies description," says another. Jaya Bachchan, meanwhile, is acting in director Ramesh Talwar's Maa Retire Hoti Hai at Wembley Conference Centre. In a film industry obsessed with youth, "Today, if she acts in films, she may not get those chunky roles," says Talwar. "In theatre, it's possible." Bollywood's loss, what else.

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