Those who missed IIFA 2016 on TV on Sunday night will be excused for not being up to speed with the recalibration of Bollywood’s new power structure
Those who missed IIFA 2016 on TV on Sunday night will be excused for not being up to speed with the recalibration of Bollywood’s new power structure.
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The awards event known as ‘Bollywood’s own’ (as opposed to the many others it shakes a leg for), saw a heady mix of stratospheric star power, a European venue and screaming hysterical fans, and has resulted in an interesting message: of a new order being forged of relatively young ‘uns like Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar (with what seemed to be an adulatory nod in the direction of Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor), and a marked absence of heavy weights SRK, Aamir, AB and Ranbir.
Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone. Pics/AFP, Getty Images
Also the top female hierarchy now appears to be Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone (with the former as the reigning deity of the industry for her successful crossover to Hollywood); most interestingly, for the creativity in advertising and content creation on display, the overarching message cannot be missed: when it comes to ‘its own,’ nothing can beat Bollywood’s marketing muscle and elan.
Cars, consumer durables and other goods and services taking centre stage along with the country’s most famous faces? No doubt about it, the rules of the entertainment media game have just been rewritten.
The top job
It must be the most speculated upon job replacement in recent times, even surmounting the one that followed news of Ratan Tata’s departure as Chairman of Tata sons.
Arvind Subramaniam, Arundhati Bhattacharya and Raghuram Rajan
While the name of the Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog and professor of economics at the Columbia University, Arvind Panagariya is being discussed as top contender for the post of RBI governor, “So far there appear to be a handful of candidates,” says an ace financial journalist, who has the country’s leading policy wonks and banking sources on speed dial, about the all important question of RBI governor Raghuram Rajan’s successor.
“Of course the eminent economist Urjit Patel, currently serving as Deputy Governor is very much in the running, but Arundhati Bhattacharya is being seen as a strong contender, though she might just as well be chosen to succeed Sebi chairman UK Sinha on his retirement in March next year,” he says.
“KV Kamath is also a name that’s said to be in consideration though his seniority might be an issue. Other names being mentioned are Arvind Subramaniam, the present Chief Economic Adviser to the GoI, though it’s doubtful whether the powers that be will pick another Tam Bram, given the ‘Swamy factor’” he shuddered, adding, “Former Deputy Gov Rakesh Mohan would be an excellent choice but it’s being said that family responsibilities might prevent him from accepting, and Economic Affairs Secretary Shakti Kanta Das is also in the consideration, but whether a career bureaucrat would be the right candidate for such a high-profile job where an economist of global stature is required, to reassure nervous international markets, will be a factor.”
Gosh, that’s a lot of information, we said to the ace financial journo, impressed. You obviously learnt all of this by talking to your policy wonks and banking sources. “Not at all,” he replied massaging his temples, wearily. “I learnt all this after two weeks in Mumbai. This is the only thing Mumbai biz circles are talking about!”
Portrait of the artist
When Shobhaa De sends out a mail with the legend, ‘He’s done it,’ it’s sure to be a conversation stopper. After all, the author of some of the country’s best-selling fiction and sharpest commentary does not mince her words.
Dilip and Shobhaa De
No surprises then that the ‘save the date’ notice for husband Dilip De’s debut as an artist has elicited so much interest. Dilip, as is known, has been an avid art collector for the past decades, with some drool worthy works of Tyeb Mehta, S H Raza, Bikash Bhattacharjee and M F Husain in his possession.
‘You’ve known him and admired him as an adventurous art collector and enthusiastic patron. Now get to know him as an artist and painter,’ says the teaser invite to De’s premier solo art show next month. And, of course, having whetted appetites with these words, Shobhaa the consummate wordsmith is mum. “Let me check with the main man,” is all she replied to our enquiries about her husband’s artistic debut.
Fortuitous betrothal
As heiresses go she’s one of the most low key, and yet, the recent engagement of Vidhi, daughter of Dilip Shanghvi, the low key Founder and MD of Sun Pharmaceuticals, and one of the richest men in the country, did not pass unnoticed.
Dilip Shanghvi. Pic/Twitter, Mukesh Ambani and Dattaraj and Dipti Salgaocar
The young lady, who, along with her brother Aalok works in the family business, is said to be betrothed to a scion of the Salgaocar’s, Goa’s leading mining clans.
Incidentally, this fortuitous coupling will also result in another mega alliance: with Shanghvi’s fiancé being a nephew to Raj Salgaocar who is married to Mukesh Ambani’s sister Dipti, two of India’s richest men Mukesh Ambani and Dilip Shanghvi will also be related soon.
Next big move?
He’s more or less done it all: edited a respected financial daily, served as advisor to the highest authority in the land, been head hunted to lead an international think tank and even written a best selling book — but a recent power lunch between two of the Capital’s leading media mavens, a top female anchor and the aforementioned gent has set tongue’s wagging about his next assignment.
If his high-profile lunching companion is to be believed, it looks like his next assignment might just be as an MP or even an MLC! Stranger things have happened in saddi Dilli.
Big wheels
When it was launched a few years ago it was known as the first car of choice of plutocrats, heads of State and oligarchs and even though the Maybach, was discontinued as a separate brand a few years later, today, rebranded as part of the Mercedes premium S class line, it remains in popular imagination as the ultimate luxury limo.
Swati Piramal
Last year when Mukesh Ambani took delivery of his custom made brand-new armoured variant of the sedan, it had attracted media notice. Now, we hear there are two more additions to its list of patrons, Swati Piramal the erudite scientist and Vice Chairperson of Piramal Enterprises has allegedly acquired one recently, and word comes in that a former IPS officer tuned politician, who runs a high-profile security agency (and is said to possess the best fleet of limos in the city) has also become the proud owner of the luxury sedan.
Isn’t that a bit excessive even for such an ardent collector? “Not really,” says an insider, “The same big wheel also bought a Lamborghini recently.”
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