The new yuppies and fachas of Bollywood are taking the top honours and rolling in the quick buck. They're young, the bold side of 20s, energetic, smile lots, tweet, well-read, are social networking savvy and well have corporate managers handling their dealings in place of the unfriendly filmi PR. The older lot of the 80s and 90s stars can start vacating their chairs. The fresh top cream is all about the Millenium. Check out few ones...
Katrina Kaif, 25
When the half Kashmiri blood Britisher came to India declaring her Raj over the glamour circuit, we all raised an eyebrow.
She couldn't even speak Hindi without a dialogue coach but post her entry into Bollywood after a guest appearance Kaizad Gustad's sensual lapse Boom in 2003, things have been only looking up for the firangi miss. For starters, Bollywood's favourite bad boy Salman Khan is her boyfriend.
Her lack of acting skills and unfamiliarity with the language being her only hurdles - Kaif has worked on her shortcomings and is now in the reckoning with the top talent in the nation. Her claim to fame? A string of hits in Partner, Singh Kinng, Race, New York and more recently Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. The talent circuit still wary, but the lass has been smart enough to use her potent good looks, charm and the Casanova Khan to her advantage. With leading men like Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan and now current eyecandy Ranbir Kapoor wooing her screen, the frame is only getting wider. And what makes her a popular choice amongst filmmakers is her insidious hard work.
That's the reason she pockets 3.5 crore per film. She is also big on the brand and endorsement circuit as the face of Barbie India and a favourite at all major fashion weeks. She also endorses Anne French, Olay and Nakshatra diamond jewellery, all formerly endorsed by Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai.
Priyanka Chopra, 27
Last year, the lass was named celebrity endorsement queen by an advertising research conducted on celeb endorsements.
What the Big B was to brand selling a few years ago, Piggy Chops is to leading brands now. She leads the youth brigade as the face of brands like Lux, Ponds, Sunsilk, Hero Honda, Nokia, Tag Heuer, J. Hampsted and Virgin Comics.
And she is tech savvy with a tweet update every few hours, flaunts her own website with her online content team driving every update with her approval. She has a team of managers keeping time and step with her daily itineries.
There is someone to look after her style closet, looks, day plan and month plan and background checks.
No wonder, the 27 year old is the corporate diva of Bollywood. Fashion, Dostana and Kaminey are just some of the reasons she is right at the top at the moment. Awards, accolades and special mentions aside Priyanka's ascent to the top might have been jumpy and somewhat controversial but like Madhur Bhandarkar says, it's hard not to like this girl. "She gives the word professionalism a whole new meaning," he says.
So aside all her fiery link- ups with the Harmans, Shahids and notorious health meltdowns, Priyanka's per movie fee of Rs 10 crore is well earned.
Ranbir Kapoor, 27
Up until two years ago, all our entertainment concerns from the youngest Kapoor to enter filmdom was his infamous towel drop sequence in the magnum tragic- disaster Saawariya. Cut to 2009. The doeeyed, delayed collegiate struck lad is raking in top honours already.
All it really took was a Bachna Ae Haseeno and a Wake Up Sid. Slowly, the Kapoor scion is inching up the superstar status ladder, courtesy his brilliant brand building exercise.
In a recent survey conducted by Agencyfaqs, post the release of Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani, Ranbir has pipped previous top hooch SRK in terms of PR strategy and popularity.
Ranbir Kapoor is, well, his own man.
Industry sources tell us that he is getting Rs 3 crore per endorsement as opposed to Rs1.5 crore he was getting two years ago when he signed on for Pepsi. Talking movies, he pockets Rs 5 crore a movie as compared to Rs 3 crore his peers are getting including Imran Khan. There is still Rocket Singh in the offing and that'll most probably seal the deal.
Freida Pintio, 25
She has been the odd ball success story of 2009. While the rest of the world views her as the Indian quotient on the world stage, we are still waiting to discover Freida Pinto. The Malad born Mangalorian is Hollywood's newest it- girl post her little sashay down the Oscar red carpet for Slumdog Millionaire. Amidst many award nominations, wins and walks down the coveted red carpets, the young dusky charmer is currently making mega green bucks as Woody Allen's newest lady in his upcoming movie starring Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas, Antony Hopkins and Anupam Kher.
Julian Schanbel has signed her on for his next project. She is the face of Esteé Lauder and is giving Aishwarya Rai the tipple as the L'oreal global ambassadress.
Her simple charm and Cinderella looks have won her many corners in the west. Adguru Prahlad Kakkar calls her our generation's Persis Khambhatta. "Only Hollywood can be fascinated with something that is truly representative of desi in their cinema. The onus goes to Danny Boyle and Freida's Mangalorean heritage."
Posted by Neha Mehta | Views 448 | Share Blog
