OM PURI: AN ACTOR FOR ALL SEASONS

His craggy, pockmarked but distinctive face may have kept him from becoming a leading man infilms, but Om Puri used the remarkable range of expressions he could convey, from impotent rage to blazing menace to comic exasperation, along with his trademark baritone, to play some immortal roles on the big and small screen in India and abroad.

The true tribute to any actor is in remembering some of their performances and for Om Puri, who succumbed to a sudden heart attack this month, there is no shortage of roles, big or small, heroic, comic or villainous, in masala or art films to recall his skill

Will we remember him for his depiction of the victimised tribal of Aakrosh (1980), conveyinghis anguished helplessness by facialexpressionstill the very last shocking scene when he finally opens his mouth in a loud protest, the hapless policeman in Ardh Satya(1982), the enthusiastic poetry-lover in In Custody/ Muhafiz(1993) or sinister terrorist Sanatan in Maachis (1996).

Or will we prefer to remember him in anotherlight, assuspicious secretary Banwari Lal in Chachi420(1998), thejovial and kind but dutifulInspectorKhan in Pyar To Hona Hi Tha(1997) or determined Inspector Udham Singh in Gupt (1997). Then there is also his portrayal of British-Pakistani George Khan, who is loving but can be authoritarian and abusive towards his mixed family in East Is East (1999).

And let us not forget two cameos where he well marked his presence - Nahari, the unrepentant rioter in RichardAttenborough's Gandhi(1982), and as GenZia ul-Haq inCharlie Wilson's War (2007), whichshows how the Americansbegan their slide into theAfghan quagmire.

Vikas Datta

DEV PATEL: SEXIEST MAN ALIVE?

Popular American talk show host Ellen DeGeneresthinksIndian-origin British actor Dev Patel should be named the sexiest man alive.

Dev appeared on The Ellen OeGeneres Show recently to promote his film Lion, and DeGeneres encouraged him to start a campaign for "Sexiest Man Alive".

"Because you look so good, and people are saying you look buff and everything, I had this made for you," DeGeneres told Dev before presenting the 26-year-old actor with a fake magazine cover of him as People's annual hot man honouree.

"You can hand this out, it'll help your career"

Patel responded, "I'llgive it to my mom, she'll put it at the entrance to her house."

"This is very awkward," he went on, leadingDeGeneres to quip, "You don't understand Hollywood."

Awww, simple, lovable Dev!

Meanwhile, Ellen is making many new Indian friends. Recall how well she got on with Priyanka Chopra not so long ago? She had PeeCee downing vodka shots one after the other (in an obvious send up of apni Priyanka's vodka confessions at a red carpetjust prior). And if news is to be believed, Ellen has signed Deepika Padukone to appear on hershow, in the lead upto the release of xXx: Return ofXander Cage.

Vodka for Priyanka, People magazine cover for Dev wonder what Ellen has in store for Dippy? Need any help there, Ellen? How about good looking boys names Ranbir,Ranveer, Ranvir maybe ?Just a suggestion!

Dev, PeeCee, Dippy, we can't wait to see you in your new films.

And on more TV talk shows!

IT'S A TOILET BREAK FOR BHUMI PEDNEKAR

Her firstfilm Oum Laga Ke Haisha contained the message that over-sized women are not at a disadvantage as long as there is love.

Bhumi Pednekar's secondfilm too has a societal message. It's about... toilets? No, it's a love story. Heck, no, it's a love story set in a toilet. No, no, no, it's a story where toilets fall in love.

Excuse our confusion. But the filmmakers are not telling us much about thefilm other than the fact that it's calledToilet: Ek Prem Katha. Now you understand our foggy minds

The 27-year-old actor said the film isn't preachy.

"It is a beautiful love story that taps into aspects of our society as well," she noted.

While it is quite apparent from the title that the film is about personal hygiene, the producers are keeping the storyline close to their chests to retain interest in the movie that is set to release inJune.AkshayKumar stars alongside Bhumi.

Bhumi is more than happy about Bollywood making message-basedfilms and says cinema is the easiest way to communicate with the people.

"I feel that today's people, audiences andfilmmakers, we all have become very aware of the problems andthe situations that we have around us," she remarked. "Earlier, we were in a position to ignore them but I think we have now reached a point where we cannot ignore certain things and I think that's fantastic. Cinema is the largest and the easiest way to communicate with the masses and if you can put it to good use, then why not."

She went on, "What attracts me is real stories about real Indian girls."

You go, girl!

Bhumi, who before entering the world of flms was a casting director, considers herself to be lucky for bagging realistic roles.

"I think I have been really lucky that I have been getting roles where I can play the girl-next-door or a girl My roles are not similar at all," she said.

Oum Laga Ke Haisha came in 2015 and Bhumi's nextfilm is all set to release in June 2017.

Will the time gap help her build a new image?

"The time I took off was planned because I hadto come back to being Bhumi (my natural self) and it took me this much time. I had gained an insane amount of weight for the film and I had to drop it off,"she explained.

When Priyanka Glittered In Gold

Priyanka Chopra made a glittering statement at the Golden Globe Awards in her custom-made Ralph Lauren golden gown.

Priyanka's outfit was described as 'one-of-a-kind hand-embroidered evening dress' by the official Twitter handle of the designer brand.

In a candidconfession to IANS before the 74th edition of the award gala,

Priyanka had said that she likes to have a "fun on red carpet as I meet people I work with. It's fun time for me."

Bollywood's 'desi girl' made her debut appearance at the Golden Globe Awards, which recognise excellence in film andtelevision, both domestic andforeign, to present the award for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series -Drama. She was joinedbyHollywood actorJeffrey Dean Morgan. She gave away the trophy to Billy Bob Thornton for his role in Goliath. ColleaguesZac Efron and Dwayne Johnson certainly liked her look.

"Bad is an understatement. Why I love her! Stunning tonight. Being 'Baywatch' Golden Globes," Johnson tweeted.

"Congrats Priyanka! Teams killin it tonight! You look beautiful! 'Baywatch' babe," Efron tweeted.

Many back home complain that most Indian celebrities opt for international labels for their red carpet appearances. Does Priyanka feelsuch comments are justified?

"I think people wear clothes that work for an event. I have worn Indian designersinternationally, and vice versa. There is no harm in t as clothes are clothes. People should wear what they feel like wearing," Priyanka said.

Aussie Holiday For Bips

Bipasha Basu was inAustraliarecently and on extended honeymoon with her bridegroomKaran Singh Grover. Sydney and the Gold Coast featured on their itinerary, with the loved up duo bringing in the New Year in Sydney, an arms' length away from the world-famous fireworks on the harbour. The bubbly actor tweeted pies of herself and her miyan at the Opera House forecourt, at Pitt St Mall, in Myer in the city, on a boat in Sydney Harbour, fish and chips at Watson's Bay, in Leura in the Blue Mountains, beach-bumming, at various restaurants all accompaniedby the hashtag aussiemonkeys.

On ya, Bipasha!

WORTH WAITING FOR? YOU DECIDE!

Ohhhhh, here's another unfortunately named film: Haramkhor, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi.

Shweta (of Masaan fame) has been gushingall over the place about her talented colleague.

"Atfirst, I was worried sharing screen with an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui because he is a remarkable actor and an outstanding person," she said recently. "(But) he didn't make me feel like a newcomer. Nawazuddin brings himself down to match thelevel. I felt as though I was working with an actor who has same experience like me.

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

KATIESTEVENS orMALAIKA ARORA KHAN in ZEYNAP ERDOGAN?

+Shareyourviews withus on our Facebookpage /lndianLinkAustra/ia

That's why I respect him so much. I don't know anybody who does that. He givesspace to another co-star."

Er, okay.

Shot in asmallvillage in Gujarat, the film exploresthe romance between a 14-year-old schoolstudent and her teacher.

The main characters of thefilm are the teacher, the student, a boy who has a crush on the girl and his friend who helps him and the teacher's wife.

Meanwhile, SalmanKhan is headed to Morocco with former squeeze Katrina Kaif, for director AliAbbas Zaffar's TigerZindaHai, a sequel to 2012 blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger.

Zaffar is currently busyscouting locations in Morocco.

Produced byAditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films, thefilm is gearing up for a Christmas release this year.

What Tweety Bird Told Us This Week

Matchthe starstothefollowing tweets Deepika Padukone, ShahRukhKhan, Priyanka Chopra,KaranJohar, Salman Khan,Amitabh Bachchan, AkshayKumar

Sometimes too many options aren't a good thing #GoldenGlobes #GirlProblems suggestions?

The Sundaywell wishers always an occasion to consider that life is worth what it gave me

Jaan se #Zaalima tak Hope you all like it!

Joining hands on a project where @ akshaykumar is the hero and will be co producedby @karanjohar and #SKF

Here it is #GoPagal with our first song, my favourite song from #JollyLLB2!!

Cried my heart out in #LION and absolutely loved #DevPatel sad and cathartic butso magical in many moments

Thrilledto announce that #XxX:TheReturnofXanderCage will release in India first! before anywhere else in the world! #14thJanuary #VinDiesel

What'sthe chitchat between LIONstars DEV PATEL and SONNY PAWAR

Send inyourresponsesto win@indianlinkcom.au andwin asurprise prize

What'sthe chitchat between AKSHAY KUMAR and SAJIDNADIADWALA duringtheirgrand entrytothesetof Yaaron Ki Baraat Everybodygetready for Houseful/ 4!

SIMONESINGH, Werribee, VIC wins a ticketto OKJANU