END OF AN ERA: RK STUDIOS

The show will no longer go on at the iconic 71-year-old RK Studios in Mumbai.

It will now make way for a swank residential complex-cum-shopping plaza through its new owner, realty major Godrej Properties Ltd.

GPL has purchased the 2.20 acres (roughly, 100,000 sq. feet) RK Studios premises in Chembur, north-east Mumbai - founded in 1948 - which were gutted in a major fire that engulfed it on September 16, 2017.

GPL, which has inked the deal for an undisclosed amount with the Bollywood's Kapoor clan - plan to now convert it into a modern residential apartments complex and a luxury retail centre spread over a saleable area of around 350,000 sq. feet.

Leading realty players though point out that the current commercial property rates in and around Chembur are in the range of Rs 24,000-Rs 28,000 per sq. feet depending on the locality.

Executive Chairman of GPL, Pirojsha Godrej, said the deal fits with the company's strategy of deepening its presence in key locations across India's leading cities.

"We will seek to ensure we celebrate the remarkable legacy of this site with the goal of delivering an outstanding lifestyle for its residents," Godrej said.

Veteran Bollywood actor Randhir Kapoor, son of the founder of RK Studios, the legendary Raj Kapoor, said,

"This property in Chembur, has been of tremendous significance to my family over the many decades that RK Studios has operated from there. We are excited to have chosen GPL to script a new chapter for this location and build upon its rich history."

According to sources, work on the designs for the mega-project will start shortly and after obtaining the necessary approvals, the construction of the housing-cum-shopping complex could begin by early 2020.

Incidentally, the studio property sale deal comes barely eight months after late Raj Kapoor's widow, Krishna, passed away at the age of 87, on 1 October 2018.

Soon after the blaze, which also reduced to ashes precious memorabilia and costumes from the RK Films and Studios banner films over the past seven decades, the Kapoor family had expressed their inability to revive it or continue maintaining it.

The RK Studios was the shooting venue for some classics of RK Films like Aag (1948), Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Jaagte Raho (1956), Anari (1959), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) and many more.

Raj Kapoor passed away in June 1988 after which some of his incomplete films like Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1989) Henna (1991) were also made here.

AKSHAY: RESIDENT NON-RESIDENT INDIAN

Poor Akshay Kumar. His Canadian links have put a few chinks in his deshbhakt image this past week. He has faced flak for talking about patriotism despite not being an Indian citizen.

The trolls claimed he didn’t turn up to vote this election, despite that wellpublicised (but “non political”) interview with PM Narendra Modi. And oh, should his National Award for Best Actor (Rustom, 2016) be revoked?

As it turns out, it’s all good. The honorary Canadian citizenship came after he was brand ambassador for Canadian tourism in India in 2010.

But in these ultra-nationalist times, the ‘Canadian’ tag is sticking on days after the furore died down. Videos have been resurrected from a Toronto stage show years ago where the star claimed, “This is my home and this is where I will return after I retire from the movies.”

But you know, being a true blue Punjabi and all, we could surely have guessed there was a bit of “Can-ay-dda” in the dude…

Patriotism has been a favourite theme in many of Akshay’s films: Kesari, Baby, Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty and Airlift.

MUMTAZ: HALE AND HEARTY

Poor Mumtaz. For the second time, she has had to wake up to news reports that she had, er, died.

This time round, her daughter Tanya Madhwani had to take to a video message on social media to say all is well.

"My mother is fine. She is in London... She is sending her love to you all."

But she wrote on Instagram, “So exhausting, another rumour of my mother's death. She is healthy and looking beautiful as always and has asked me to let her fans know she is well! It's all rubbish.”

Reportedly the veteran actress was upset and irritated at the news (which apparently even well-regarded journo Komal Nahtatweeted about). But later as her family in London laughed about it all, she relaxed.

The actress, it is claimed, is enjoying retired life playing grandma to four little ones.

Hmm, wonder if she sings Bindiya chamkegi to keep them entertained?

Maybe she’s calling out Loafer to those spreading the rumours that she’s kicked the bucket… or Dushman, or maybe Mujhe Jeene Do!

Stop us, somebody…

RAKUL PREET: LONG WAY TO GO YET

Poor Rakul Preet. Even after critical acclaim, she says she hasn't made a name for herself in Bollywood, and still has a long way to go.

Rakul made her acting debut in 2009 with Kannada film Gilli. She ventured into Bollywood in 2014 with Yaariyan and was later seen in Aiyaary in 2018.

"I don't think I have yet made a name for myself in Bollywood. I don't think I have done anything. In fact, I always say that the fact that 'I am an actor' has not sunk in my head. I have been in this industry, in films for five to six years now," Rakulsadi recently, indulging in a bit of self-analysis.

She added, "Having done so many films even in the south, I mean I take my job seriously, but I don't take the fact that I am an actor seriously."

The 28-year-old will soon be seen in De De Pyaar De, due for release on 17