Sonakshi's wedding gift to Vidya a secret

Sonakshi Sinha was in her element at an event yesterday to announce her as the brand ambassador of a real estate, textile and hospitality conglomerate

Also Read: I open fire only when required: Sonakshi Sinha
As it was the day of Vidya Balan's marriage, she was asked what present she would give the newly-wed. And whether she would gift one of the properties that she endorses? Sona replied, I am the brand ambassador, not the owner that I can gift properties to whosoever I wish.
And won't the tax authorities hound me if I do so? When the question of Vidya's gift persisted, the lady said, I have decided on what to gift her and that's a secret. Sssshh....

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Vidya Balan gets Married

Bollywood's latest 'ishqiya kahaani' entered a new chapter Friday with actress Vidya Balan and Disney UTV managing director Siddharth Roy Kapur getting married in a quiet ceremony that wove together Tamil and Punjabi rituals. 

Vidya, whose roles in films like "Ishqiya", "Kahaani" and "The Dirty Picture" propelled her into a unique category all her own, is a Tamil. And Siddharth, who incidentally produced Vidya's acclaimed film "No One Killed Jessica", has a Punjabi background. 
Thus, both traditions were kept in mind for their exchange of vows in what was a completely private affair, close friends of the couple said. 
The ceremony, which took place at the Green Gifts bungalow in upscale Bandra, was attended by the couple's close family and friends. No guests from the film industry were present. 

Bride Vidya looked simple but is said to have changed her wedding attire thrice, a friend said.
Siddharth's family members were seen wearing pink saafas, and the wedding procession arrived in typical Punjabi style, complete with dhol and 'balle balles'.

The entire set-up and decoration as well as the food was Tamil style. 
Vidya and Siddharth's pre-wedding celebrations kickstarted with a 'sangeet' Dec 11, which was followed by 'mehndi', again a private ceremony. Yesteryear diva Rekha was among the close friends of Vidya, who marked her presence. 

A wedding reception will reportedly be held in Chennai Saturday. 

Actress Priyanka Chopra, as well as filmmakers Madhur Bhandarkar and Kumar Taurani took to Twitter to congratulate the newly wed couple.
"Congratulations to my friends Siddharth Roy Kapoor and Vidya Balan! They make such a beautiful couple... here's wishing them happiness forever," said Priyanka.

Added Madhur: "My heart filled wishes to buddy Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vidya Balan for the new phase of their lives together. Congratulations to the beautiful couple."

"Congratulations to Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vidya Balan. God bless newly wedded couple," said producer Kumar Taurani.

Hot off the press
To keep their wedding hush-hush, Vid and Sid even went to extreme lengths

No one from Siddharth Roy Kapoor's company UTV has been invited to the much hyped wedding.

After their quiet wedding, the couple intends to send sweets to industrywalas.

The wedding venue has been kept under wraps and even close friends were to be told at the last minute to keep the media at bay. 

The ceremony is expected to have taken place in authentic South Indian style and the Vadhyayar (the priest) has been sworn to secrecy. 

Even close friends of the couple like filmmakers Milan Luthria, Ekta Kapoor and Rajkumar Gupta were clueless about the wedding.

Na na karte pyaar
The story so far...
December 2010: Love blossomed between Siddharth and Vidya when the former's production company was working on No One Killed Jessica. The news of their romance leaked in the media even before the film hit the theatres.

February 2011: Though the lovebirds kept denying the many media reports, they were spotted in Goa relaxing on the Baga beach.

March 2011: Vidya coined the term SRK for Sid, using the initials of her beau's name.

May 2012: Sid and Vid stepped out together for Karan Johar's 40th birthday bash
July 2012: Sid buys Vidya a Rs 14 crore sea facing flat on Juhu Tara Road. The same month, he whisks her away to London to watch a tennis match at the Wimbledon stadium.

November 2012: Vidya and Siddharth get busy doing up their new abode to settle down in after their marriage.

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A very private mehendi ceremony for not so coy Vidya

A very private mehendi ceremony for not so coy Vidya Balan Actress Vidya Balan, set to wed Siddharth Roy Kapur, opted for a private mehndi ceremony at her Khar residence here Wednesday night. It was attended by her family members, and Vidya's favourite, veteran actress Rekha marked her presence. 

Vidya wore a yellow sari in typical Bengali style with floral ornaments. She even chose to go simple with her mehdni - rather than the usual full-hand intricate design, Vidya went with round blobs of henna on her palm. 

The actress had a private family dinner Tuesday night, and is said to be tying the knot with Kapur, managing director - Studios, Disney UTV, here Friday. 
A wedding reception will reportedly be held in Chennai Saturday. 

If grapevine is to be believed, the nuptials will be conducted both in Punjabi and south Indian styles.

Coy no more

Vidya and Siddharth prefer to be tightlipped about their big day but happily posed for pictures 

Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapoor began their wedding celebrations with a get-together of both the families along with their near and dear ones at a banquet hall at Juhu on Monday night
The bride and the groom still prefer to be tightlipped about their big day but happily posed for snapshots outside venue. Pyar kiya toh darna kya? 

A mehndi function, which was an all-girls affair, was held last night. 

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Revealed: Vidya's temple wedding details

Rumours are that part of the marriage ceremony would take place in a South Indian temple

The wedding season is going full swing and Bollywood's soon-to-be bride Vidya Balan is getting ready to tie the knot. Sources say that the ceremony that is slated to take place on December 14 will be conducted in both Punjabi and South Indian style 

Rumours are that Vidya's family could be heading to the Sri Subramania Samaj temple in Chheda Nagar in Chembur on Friday morning. 
While Vidya is a Tamilian, her fiance Siddharth Roy Kapoor is a Punjabi. A part of the wedding ceremony is also said to be taking place at the Kapoor residence in Cuffe Parade. 

A common friend of the couple says, The couple will announce their wedding to the world when they want to. Their friends and family have been asked to stay tightlipped about the wedding. 

Wedding Plans Speeden Ghanchakkar Schedule

By now every Vidya Balan fan who has ever wondered about the 'SRK' factor in the actress' life, knows she's tying the knot with UTV's Siddharth Roy Kapoor. What is not known, and was revealed by a source close to Vidya's latest film Ghanchakkar, is that the entire schedule of Ghanchakkar was planned according to Vidya's wedding plans. 

That, in fact her work in Ghanchakkar is being rush-completed in time for her wedding preparations. 
Says a source, It seems Vidya and Mr Kapoor had chalked out the wedding plans long in advance. The only film that Vidya is currently shooting is Ghanchakkar. And since it is produced by UTV it was convenient to co-ordinate her shooting schedule with her wedding date.

In fact, reveals our sources, director Rajkumar Gupta who has to be in his hometown Hazaribagh in Jharkhand for his younger brother's wedding this week would now have to rush back for Vidya's last 3 days of her shooting from 12 December to 15 December. After this, we are told, Vidya would take a longish sabbatical before returning to work. 
The source reveals that Vidya's work in Ghanchakkar would be done after the final 3-day shooting. 

It was all planned well in advance. The director Rajkumar Gupta who is a very dear friend of Vidya and Emraan Khan whom Vidya gets along with like a house on fire have fully co-operated in ensuring Vidya completes her work in Ghanchakkar before she takes time off. Arrry bhai, shaadi ka maamla hai. Everyone has to fall in line,  says our source. 

When one spoke to the Ghanchakkar director Rajkumar Gupta he was thick in the middle of his brother's wedding festivities. 
Taking time off from the delightful din, Rajkumar admitted he had to rush back to Mumbai for the final 3 days' shooting. Yes, we've to shoot from December 12 to December 15. . After that I've one week-long schedule in January. But Vidya is not required for that.

When asked if the schedules had to be worked out in-sync with Vidya's wedding plans Rajkumar got understandably evasive. The schedules were worked out well in advance, so that Vidya's work was completed by the middle of December. Vidya has been with the project all through, giving a hundred percent of herself.

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OMG!! What an idea, Sirjee!

Barfi!, Vicky Donor, English Vinglish, Kahaani ” these films tasted both critical and commercial success due to their script and story, not 'star factor'.

As audiences hunger for something new and actors push the envelope with concept-driven films, Hindi cinema is going beyond the usual formulae and plotlines

Of late, Bollywood has witnessed a new star rising on the horizon. Forget big-name actors or chartbusting item numbers, `concept-driven` film script are the buzzwords.

Variations of age-old plotlines helmed by stars are still going strong, but 2012 is proof that out-of-the-box films that provoke thought and excite debate with their unusual concepts can also strike critical and box office gold.
Sridevi's comeback as Shashi in English Vinglish was markedly different from her previous roles

Few in Bollywood believed that Barfi!, a tale of a deaf-and-mute boy and an autistic girl, would gross Rs 100 crore. 

But the film proved to be a viewer favourite, reiterating the fact that you cannot second guess the audience. This Anurag Basu film didn't coast on its stars Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra's image, but preferred to tell an oddball story; and the well-received film has now been chosen to represent India at the Oscars.

Sridevi made her triumphant comeback in English Vinglish, a film markedly different from some of her biggest hits of the 1980s. Gauri Shinde presented her as a woman who intrepidly learns a foreign language to earn the respect of her daughter and husband, only to assert that self-respect transcends all languages. 

Akshay Kumar chose to make character actor Paresh Rawal the protagonist of his home production OMG: Oh My God! a film that questioned the traditional ideas of religion. The theme tried to find a rationale behind the rituals with which we worship our gods; and appealed to millions of viewers.
Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani boldly showed its protagonist to be pregnant for most of the film. In a marked contrast from her The Dirty Picture appearance, Vidya Balan played a woman purportedly tracing the whereabouts of her missing husband and won over the audience.
OMG: Oh My God!, a film that questioned religion, has Paresh Rawal in the lead while Akshay Kumar appeared in the second half

And, this year, for the first time ever, a sperm donor played the protagonist of a successful Hindi film. The Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam starrer Vicky Donor was a unique attempt at showcasing the life of a sperm donor, who helps childless couples have babies.

This new array of films that have clicked with the audiences and critics alike are proof that the so-called division between art and commercial cinema is blurring. A film with a good concept is what the audience wants to see.

Wider acceptance
Content has always been important,  feels Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director - Studios, Disney UTV, but it is true that today, movies that deal with different themes and subjects are receiving huge appreciation from an audience that is hungering for great content. It's an incredible time for filmmakers, artistes and studios.

Kapur defines his filmmaking endeavour as an attempt to offer audiences cinema that is entertaining and pushes the envelope at the same time. True to his words, his studio has produced several content-driven films such as Khosla Ka Ghosla, A Wednesday, Aamir, Dev D, Udaan, No One Killed Jessica, Paan Singh Tomar, Barfi! and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana.
Sujoy Ghosh believes filmmakers are simply following the audience, which has made its proclivity for new themes amply clear. Ghosh's Kahaani has been in the vanguard of the content revolution, and he reasons, The audience has become more generous now, they are more open; it is a natural progression. 

Earlier, we didn't have access to DVDs and the Internet and we didn't know much about subjects other than two people falling in love, or a son taking revenge for his dad's death. As the world evolves, we also evolve; and so does our acceptance.

Umesh Shukla, the director of OMG: Oh My God!, heartily welcomes the changing scenario. If your concept is the hero of the film, you don't need anything else. The box office collections on the first two days might not be as good because of the absence of a star, but the subject will do wonders later,  says Shukla, whose film had character actor Paresh Rawal in the lead, with star Akshay Kumar coming into the picture only in the latter half of the film. Shukla insists, Even the stars want good scripts.

Actors are game
Mainstream actors and directors too are gravitating towards concept-driven films. Even newcomers are beginning to look at such films as a safe bet with which to enter Bollywood.

Ileana D'Cruz, who made her Bollywood debut with Barfi!, opines, I honestly didn't expect to have a debut like this. I wanted a song and dance film. But I think people are more open now to different stories and they are giving such films a chance. Mainstream commercial actors like Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra are doing unconventional characters. There has been a big change in the films that are being made.
Kunal Kapoor firmly believes, Content driven films are being liked by the audiences. This is reflected in his choice of films like the recent Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, which revolved around finding the right recipe for a chicken dish.
Tabu, who has given exceptional performances in films such as Maachis, Chandni Bar, The Namesake and the recent Life Of Pi, approves of the trend. She says, If I get an offer to do a film like Vicky Donor and worthwhile money, I will do it. I really enjoyed English Vinglish too.

Tried and tested
Though mainstream films like Rowdy Rathore, Student of The Year, Bol Bachchan and Housefull 2 have done roaring business at the box office this year, it has not deterred the spirits of the directors who want to try something unique.

But filmmakers making concept films are well aware that audiences still have a taste for the tried and tested; and that they have to work hard to ensure their films stand out. Umesh Shukla reveals he was a bit apprehensive about OMG: Oh My God!. When I was making OMG: Oh My God!, mujhe darr laga ki meri film chalegi ki nahin.

Paresh said, 'We should try to make a good film. Whether it works at the box office or not is secondary.'` OMG released with Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal, a sequel to the 2006 hit Malamaal Weekly. Despite expectations from the Priyadarshan film, it couldn't replicate the success of its predecessor while Shukla's film surprised everyone, including the director, by doing very well.
Shukla says, I wasn't expecting it to be such a big hit, but I expected it to do well. The problem lies in the formula that we (Bollywood) have created - some action scenes, romance and an item song in a film and it's bound to work.

Our film didn't subscribe to trade norms - there was no heroine in the film, and we didn't have any double meaning dialogues or item songs. It is a surprise that our film is nearing the 100 crore club.

Ghosh discloses that factors that are conventionally considered safe are not of paramount importance in the long run. If I have a face like Vidya, Ranbir or Sridevi in my film, it does help to draw an audience, but finally, it is the film that speaks for itself.

Future concepts
The success of these concept-driven films has enthused new directors who are willing to experiment with projects in which the script is the star. On the anvil is the Vidya Balan- Emraan Hashmi dark comedy, Ghanchakkar, Table No 21 which stars Paresh Rawal in a negative role, and Nautanki Saala which has Ayushmann Khurana playing a theatre actor.
Shukla sees a not-so-distant time when `people will soon start working on better scripts rather than chasing stars.` Ghosh envisions the emergence of `other themes like science fiction, or maybe time travel.`

But he also warns against being hung up on 'the idea'. `If you make a film thinking it is concept-based, it might just turn out to be a gimmick. The film should essentially be a story that audiences can connect to.` 

Actors speak
Honestly, I wanted a song and dance film for a debut. But people are now giving concept-driven films a chance. Mainstream actors like Ranbir and Priyanka are playing unconventional characters. There has been a big change in the films being made
- Ileana D'Cruz, who made her Bollywood debut with Barfi!
A person will watch Vicky Donor because of the quirkiness of the subject. It had a brilliant team and I was surrounded by the right people -John Abraham, Shoojit Sircar, and Annu Kapoor. It is always safe when you choose an unconventional subject and a credible director
- Ayushmann Khurrana, lead, Vicky Donor

What has changed
If your concept is the hero, you don't need anything else. The collections on the first two days might not be as good because of the lack of a star, but the subject will do wonders later. Even the stars want to act in a good script
- Umesh Shukla, Director of OMG: Oh My God! 

The audience has become more generous, they are more open. Earlier, we didn't have access to DVDs and the Internet and we didn't know much about different subjects. As the world evolves, we also evolve
- Sujoy Ghosh, Director of Kahaani
Today, movies that deal with different themes are being appreciated by an audience that is hungering for great content. It's an incredible time for filmmakers, artistes and studios
- Siddharth Roy Kapur, Managing Director - Studios, Disney UTV 

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