A rough ride: Shah rukh
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” for Shah Rukh Khan in 2013. While the Baadshah of Bollywood ended the year on a high note with his Chennai Express going on to garner over Rs 200 crore at the box office (some reports peg the number closer to Rs 300 crore in gross earnings), it was a year of much personal turmoil as well.
In May, he underwent a surgery — his eighth — for an injury he sustained while shooting for Chennai Express. No sooner had he recuperated from the procedure, that was performed at Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, that reports emerged of a “new addition” to the King Khan’s family. While Shah Rukh soon shared news about his and wife Gauri’s youngest child AbRam (born through surrogacy) with the world, he found himself embroiled in a fresh controversy after allegations that the Khans had undergone a pre-natal sex determination test — later established as untrue.
Then, just when things were beginning to look bright again for the superstar — there was a much-publicised hug with Salman Khan at an iftar party that was believed to have ended their long estrangement (although both stars’ camps said they were just being polite) — he was stuck in a plagiarism row over a speech he made at the All India Management Association.
Of course, there’s no balm like success, but even his triumph with Chennai Express was tinged by controversy. Heading into a box office clash with Balaji Telefilms’ Once Upon A Time in Mumbai 2, SRK and production house UTV reportedly struck a deal with Ekta Kapoor to push back OUATIM2’s release by a week, in exchange for freeing up a few screening venues at that time. The OUATIM2 team alleged that the Chennai Express makers backtracked on the agreement, and caused huge losses for their film.
With all the controversies now in the past, here’s hoping SRK has a Happy New Year to look forward to in 2014 — in more ways than one.
Katrina Kaif’s Bikini-gate
“Resourceful” fans have been leaking photos of Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor online for a long time now. But in late July, photos surfaced of a bikini-clad Katrina frolicking on the beaches of Ibiza with Ranbir. The images were widely published. While she has since claimed to be okay with it, Katrina didn’t seem as sanguine when she wrote this open letter in August: “I feel most upset, distressed and invaded at my pictures (being) published... The pictures were taken while I was on holiday by someone who has shot without permission and used the pictures for commercial gain.”
Ranveer-Deepika link-up
“She is yin to my yang,” said Ranveer Singh of his Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela co-star Deepika Padukone. “We are complementing energies.”
Throughout the latter half of 2013, B-town’s link-up landscape was dominated by speculation on the exact nature of Deepika and Ranveer’s relationship. Not only were they working in and promoting one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, but when he was hospitalised with dengue, Deepika rushed to be by his side. Then Ranveer made a trip to Dubai, seemingly to visit Deepika on the sets of Happy New Year.
While Deepika has been the more restrained of the two, she did admit, “I am more of an observer and an absorber. But Ranveer is the complete opposite. He wants to talk and engage with everyone.”
And we’ll have to be content with that for the time being.
Hrithik-Sussanne split
One of B-town’s power couples called time out on their 17-year relationship. Despite a love story that could have come right out of a Bollywood movie (he stopped next to her at a traffic light and fell in love) and two little boys (Hrehaan, 7, and Hridhaan, 5) Sussanne and Hrithik decided to separate in December this year. In a statement released to his fans, Hrithik confirmed, “Sussanne has decided to separate from me and end our 17-year relationship (13 years of marriage). This is a very trying time for the entire family and I request the media and the people to grant us our privacy at this time.”
In the time since they’ve announced their split, there have been reports that Sussanne has asked for Rs 100 crore in an alimony settlement. Saying she was “deeply disappointed” by the reports, Sussanne denied the rumours. “There is no element of truth in the news and it is entirely speculative,” she said.
Anurag Kashyap-Kalki Koechlin separate
He was the filmmaker, she was his beautiful, talented muse. But Anurag Kashyap and Kalki Koechlin’s fairytale romance, which started on the sets of 2009’s Dev D, hit a speed bump in November this year. Plagued by reports of marital strain, Anurag and Kalki finally issued a statement last month, announcing that they were separating. However, they clarified that they haven’t filed for divorce, but were taking time off from their two-year marriage. “Kalki and I are separating, we are taking time off from each other to figure things out. We are not divorcing,” a statement released by Anurag read. There has been no word on whether the couple will reconcile.
