FROM ON SCREEN TO OFF SCREEN PART 01

For a very long time, I wanted to write an article about the people for whom a scripted romance bloomed into a real one. And I am not talking about the co-stars who just dated each other, no, I am talking about the celebrity couple who fell in love with each other while working together and then later took the big step of tying the nuptial knot. So here is the list of my Favorite on & off screen couples....

P.S. The following compilation only includes Asian stars.

1)  Liu Shi Shi aka Cecilia Liu & Nicky Wu

This beautiful pair met on the set of their super-hit drama series Scarlet Heart/ Bu Bu Jing Xin in the year 2011. Despite of the huge age gap,16 years, their sizzling on screen chemistry bedazzled the viewers completely making them both the most sought after couple by the media. The actress publicly acknowledged her relationship with her then boyfriend Nicky Wu in 2013 and this year,2015 the couple got married in a very private ceremony. It's a second marriage for Nicky Wu, who was earlier married to the fellow Chinese actress Ma Yashu.

2) Ji Sung & Lee Bo Young

These excellent actors worked together in the 2004 TV series Save the last dance for me. The buzz is that the actor (Ji Sung), who prior had a relationship with another of his costar Park Sol mi, was so smitten with Lee Bo Young that he relentlessly pursued the actress for three months before she finally gave in. Their relationship became public in 2007. After getting married in 2013 the couple was blessed with a baby daughter on 12th June 2015.

3) Li Xiao Lu & Jia Nai Lang 

The golden horse award-winning actress (Li Xiao Lu) worked together with her husband (Jia Nai Lang) in the 2011 series, Dang Po Po Yu Shang Ma aka when mother in law meets the mother.The series landed them both the award for best actor & actress in 2012. The couple got married on July, 6th 2012 and on 23rd Oct 2012 Li Xiao Lu gave birth to their only daughter. These days both Jia Nai Lang and their daughter can be seen together in the Chinese variety show 'Dad is back!'

4) Han Ga-in & Yeon Jung-hoon

The actor (Yeon Jung-hoon) was bowled over by the beautiful and shy actress (Han Ga-in) when they started working together in the 2003 drama series Yellow handkerchief. He courted the lady for a couple of months before they officially started dating. The duo got married in 2005. Sadly after suffering a miscarriage for their first pregnancy the couple is still childless.

5) Kareena Kapoor & Saif Ali Khan

The real life nawab (urdu word used for a person from nobility), previously divorced actor (Saif Ali Khan) wooed this Bollywood diva (Kareena Kapoor) when they started working together for the movie, Tashan, in the year 2007. At that time Kareena Kapoor, who is 10 years younger than her beau, had just split up with her then boyfriend Shahid Kapoor. The couple opened up about their relationship in 2009. Apparently to show his love for the lady, Saif had got her name tattooed on his arm which was noticed and later turned into a hot topic by their fans. The media named the couple 'Saifeena'  (Brangelina of the Bollywood)  After five years of dating the couple finally got married in 2012.

A/N: For now Ciao...will see you guys soon with Flash marriage 18.2

SHAANDAAR

This is the first time I am going to write a review for a Bollywood movie and  I hope I will be able to pull it off fairly.

SHAANDAAR

Dharma Productions and Fox studio's next joint project was released today 22nd Oct, 2015 worldwide. And I, a sucker for rom-com, barged in the theater for the first day first show and Oh boy was I disappointed or was I disappointed. 

With its big promotions, superb marketing, star studded cast, big banner production house and currently-a -trend songs the movie before it's release had already raised the bar for people's expectations but unfortunately fails to meet them. It seems more like a serendipitous experiment by Vikas Bahl (the director and story writer) and Anurag Kashyap. Other than the utter absurdity and randomness of the story, what hurts most is the sheer wastage of the talents like Pankaj Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor.

Story: There is nothing much to tell about the story. On a personal note, I have a feeling that the story was penned by a ten year old child because its that childish and immature and as if that was not enough the makers actually put too much CGs in the movie, making one wonder if he has come to watch an animated movie or what. 

Anyways for the heck of it I am going to brief you guys about the story. It goes like this Two Business families, both at the brink of bankruptcy (apparently a secret from each other), decide to get their children married as a clause of their newly signed business deal. 

Enter, the Arora and Fundmani (yes you heard it right) clans. The Bride family's, Aroras, is under the dictatorship of their matriarch Kamlaji. years ago, Her elder son Vipin played by Pankaj Kapoor was also married to the girl of her choice as a part of business deal. only once in his life Vipin had gone against the wishes of his mother and wife when he decided to adopt a little orphan girl Alia (Alia Bhatt). later on it's revealed that she is actually his illegitimate daughter  born out of a wedlock. Alia as she grows up becomes a true combination of wacko and eccentricity. Nevertheless She is a favorite of her dad Vipin but a thorn in the eyes of her grandmother. She also shares a very strong bond with her sister Isha (Vipin's real daughter) Isha, a sweet, fat and obedient daughter is the one who is getting married to the Fundmani's son. 

The grand wedding is being organized and planned by JJ (Shahid Kapoor) at a beautiful castle. During the various pre-wedding bashes JJ and Alia become closer to each other due to their common problem, insomnia and as they grow closer they become able to overcome that problem and heal each others internal wounds. As they do so they manage to shake up the courage inside Isha to stand up for herself, win Vipin's heart who was earlier against their courtship, kill Kamlaji (really weird) and escape Fundmani's fraud.

Cast: Shahid Kapoor: I truly feel sorry for the poor actor because despite of having everything, the looks and the skills he still failed to charm the audience, well at least he couldn't with this flick. After watching him in Haider (a must see Bollywood rendition of 'Hamlet') I sincerely wanted to see his next project but who knew it would lead me to this Mambo Jumbo. anyways i hope he will learn from his blunder and from now on he will actually read the script before signing the movie. 

Alia Bhatt: I have no complaints against her. That's because i never expected anything from her. 

Pankaj Kapoor: If the movie had some bearable moments it was all courtesy to him. Real life father of actor Shahid kapoor played his would be Father in law in the movie. Even with this crappy story and screenplay He managed to bring out some laughter in a few scenes which shows he truly is a veteran actor.

I can go on and on about the shortcomings of this movie but am going to save my breath and not going to discuss it any further. 

My suggestion for you guys will be if you can leave your sane mind (which i am sure almost everyone has) at home then go ahead  watch this one otherwise leave it for the time when you think you have become crazy enough to survive this.