M.F. Hussain is one of the most prominent painters in the world but the man has a lot to say about our Bollywood actresses. He has previously been smitten by Madhuri Dixit and even Amrita Rao. Unfortunately, due to the content of his paintings, deemed obscene, the painter has been exiled from India and is now putting up in Qatar, Doha. Still, the 94-year-old painter does not miss out on his Hindi movies. Granted, he may not sit through the entire film but he definitely goes for a quick dekho. In an interview with a leading newspaper, Hussain spoke about his favorite B-Town actresses and has some interesting comments about a few other ones.
On Madhuri Dixit: I speak to her on the phone. But see, she wasn’t a typical Bollywood girl even at the height of her popularity. Often, I remember a small scene from Hum Aapke Hain Koun… it is shot by moonlight created in a studio. The way she performs, her total surrender to the camera is what beautiful heroines are about.
On Barbara Mori: A few days ago, I saw someone called Barbara Mori from Brazil or Mexico. I was horrified! Why cast her when so many of our girls are far more beautiful and talented?
On Kangna Ranaut: Kangna had so much white make-up, she looked as if she had applied chalk all over her face. Kites ke baare mein yahan bhi bahut charcha tha. But the next day, it nose-dived. It’s a third-rate movie. It should be banned. Kuch tuk hi nahin tha.
On Amrita Rao: I liked her very much in Vivaah. Just one more movie, hir woh bhi khatam ho gayee kya? Maybe she just didn’t find a manager who could guide her career properly. Actually, the heroes are performing better than the girls nowadays.
On Vidya Balan: Of the girls, I’m absolutely bowled over by Vidya Balan. She conveys pure Indianness, feminine, sensual, without making an effort. I was captivated by her in Ishqiya which I saw a dozen times just for her. The film was okay, it had a silly, meaningless title. In Paa, also she was wonderful but I didn’t care for the film much. Amitabh Bachchan behaving like a schoolboy was supposed to be sweet but I couldn’t take itI was concentrating on Vidya anyway. She seems to be intelligent enough not to get spoilt by all the acclaim she’s getting. Praise is transitory. If she agrees, I would like to cast her in my film. I have spoken to her, I will tell her all about it when I meet her in Dubai or London, so let’s see what happens.
On Katrina Kaif: She’s zero in acting but she is beautiful, not bad.
On Priyanka Chopra: She’s all about imaging. If she gets a good role, she’s good. People liked her in Fashion and Kaminey but she’s not my type of heroine.
On Kareena Kapoor: I wonder why people like Kareena Kapoor. Bilkul matchstick hai. She has come to destroy Saif Ali Khan and go away.
Check out what he had to say about some of the men in the industry!
On Ranbir Kapoor: He’s so natural. I would say that he’s the first real actor in the Kapoor khandaan. Raj, Shammi, Shashi had tremendous screen presence and charm. But Rishi Kapoor’s boy acts;really acts. He doesn’t make funny faces like the other young actors.
On Amitabh Bachchan: Amitabh is from such a decent family but he is full of contradictions. Can he ever live down the fact that he did that vulgar number Tere angne mein?
On Yash Chopra: the less said about him the better. I was supposed to do a series of paintings on Indian cinema that would be put up in his studio. Then I realised it was no point. He didn’t treat me like an artist who was doing something for him out of friendship, he treated me as if was one of his employees. Phir bhi, I’ll always be grateful to Yash for making Gaja Gamini possible. Despite all sorts of problems created by Madhuri’s secretary Rikoo, he ensured that she would do the film. It had become such a problem that at one point, Yash had said, “Forget about Madhuri, I’ll get Kajol to do your film.” But you know me, it had to be Madhuri or no one else. I nearly died while making the film. There were so many pressures. So when I’m alone now, I count my blessings. I’m alive at least.
