Bush wasn’t the only imperial American to visit India last week. Mega-movie star, sometime rapper, and potential aspirant to the presidency Will Smith was also there as well. While he was in India to promote a new English language movie channel, he graciously complimented the competition, endearing himself to Indians with his love for Bollywood: 
“The first Hindi film that I saw was Sarkar,” he explained, “and I was blown away by the Big B (megastar Amitabh Bachchan). I want to be known as Big W from today.” [Link]
“Just recently I got to know the number of films Bollywood makes a year – a whopping 800. And each with its share of song, music, dance and drama… I am simply enticed to be part of it” [Link]
Although his representatives denied that Smith had any concrete plans for a crossover movie, he did spend a whole day meeting with various filmi types, so something may be in the works.
<
p>For me, the highlight of Smith’s visit was his appearence on Indian Idol. There he imitated Tom Cruise by jumping up on the sofa (scaring the presenter Mini Mathur half to death) where he mugged and sang:
Telling the contestants how to deal with butterflies in their stomachs, Will said, “It’s hard going on stage, and I used to have a weird feeling in my gut too. Sometimes, I still do. And when I really want to make sure I’m ready for stage, I go to a really crowded place, like a mall or something, I just climb up onto something (jumps onto the sofa) and do this!” He screams his guts out, wildly, his lunatic expressions all over the place. [Link]
<
p>[To see a flip book animation of his performance, click here] While on the show, he not only performed “Getting Jiggy With It” but he also ventured a duet of “Aati Kya Khandala” with one of the contestants. Unfortunately, one of the male contestants was considerably more self-conscious than Smith was:
Will got off the couch to raucous applause, encouraging the lad right next to him, Sandeep, to do the same. “Go ahead, man, go for it! Your turn now!”
And this is where the Idol hopeful blew it. If Will Smith tells you to leap onto a sofa and yell your head off on television, you do it. Sandeep hesitantly got to his feet, perched atop the couch as if made to stand to attention, and then, instead of just shouting, he fumbled around for a microphone. Even as Will kept egging him on, Sandeep managed a lame ‘Woo’ sound, then stood there grinning haplessly. [Link]
<
p>Why am I not surprised?
<
p>Unlike the President, Smith also had time in his schedule to visit the Taj Mahal with his son, where he communed with the spirit of Shah Jahan:
He said: “In my home in Los Angeles, I’ve built a lake and called it ‘Her Lake’ as a token of my love for my wife. “I totally understand that feeling of building a monument to show your love for your woman…. When I was walking through the Taj Mahal, I kept saying, I am that man…” [Link]
<
p>In yet another politically shrewd move, he announced to the press that he had always wanted to work with Ash:
“I really wanted to work with her in Hitch but she was shooting for Bride and Prejudice at the time and she couldn’t do it,” he said. “She has this powerful energy where she doesn’t have to say anything, do anything, she can just stand there. Anything she’s making, I’ll be there…” [Link]
<
p>And went so far as to offer her a role in a forthcoming film:
The meeting lasted a good one and a half hours and after the initial pleasantries, Smith sat down and gave Aishwaraya a detailed narration of the film’s story after which he offered it to her… [Her manager said,] “It is a fantastic story and Ash was absolutely delighted on hearing it. She was more than pleased to accept it…” [Link]
I was quite impressed by Smith’s astuteness, his ability to strike the right notes an so thoroughly ingratiate himself to a people. By genuflecting in the direction of both Amitabh and Ash, he paid homage to India’s secular religion. He was just as sure footed when it came to India’s older religions, at ease when he was welcomed with an aarti and quite happy to receive a brass statue of Ganesh from Aish’s team. Honestly, this guy puts Bubba to shame as a man of the people, and that’s saying something.
The only false note he sounded was culinary. He said he wanted to taste “authentic” Chicken Tikka Masala in India, yet he would have to go to the UK to do that:
Chicken Tikka Masala is thought to have originated from the kitchens of Bangladeshi chefs in Great Britain… British politician Robin Cook described it as “a true British national dish”. [Link]
Still, I’ll be generous and “forgive” him this one faux pas … Will, if you need a Sikh extra co-star in your next movie, you know where to find me 
What a cool guy.
Big Willy rocks. I love this guy. He’s clean, a family boy and for petes sake was the Fresh Prince. I love his penchant for sticking the line “Hell no” into all his films and his comic timing. I’d say this was the best executed American celebrity visit to India to top even Dubya’s. Low key and warm but with a lot of impact.
From the slideshow:
Hmmmm….wonder what that was?
Ennis ~ I’m sure his next movie will need a taxi driver or convenience store clerk
Actually, the one time that I was recruited for a movie, it was as an extra playing a taxi-driver. I was so insulted by the script (not the role) that I wrote down suggestions for how to rewrite it on the physical script, and walked out before I met with the casting director. When I saw the movie, I noticed that they had taken my suggestions and rewriten the script accordingly … but that’s a story for another time 😉
What a delightful observation!
wow, if there is one person who i always liked its Will Smith.. First of all, he never seems to age and he is still the same great person he was back when we were kids! I dont know him personally but he just seems so down to earth!
Wow!! What an awesome way of protest !!! You are a REAL mutineer. My congratulations.
Bring back Carlton.
All together now: “It’s not unuuuusual to……”
In other news: Mini Mathur continues to get foxier with each passing year.
The actor who played Carlton was actually at the Indian Idol performance, if I read the rediff article correctly …
Slick Willy II: Over the Top in Delhi.
wonder what his pick up line would be.
Wow! Will Smith in India. Totally awesome. Nows thats something to talk about 🙂
Now some might accuse me of being rude for mocking this post. I think the Sepia Gods should now get used to such behavior which is akin to guests who lecture them on how to re-arrange their furniture in their house, desi style ;
Anyone know if there’s any video of Will Smith’s sit in with Indian Idol floating around?
Hey Al – careful what you say about the furniture. You don’t want DD to come out of the kitchen and discipline you, velna in hand …
I like that Will Smith tried to be “himself” as much as he could in India (or the “himself” that the media makes him out to be)…I couldn’t help feeling tho if all the parties and gifts from Fardeen, Salman, Shah Rukh were a bit much. Too much pandering?
Also, I don’t watch Indian Idol, I’m not even sure I can from the East Coast…but is it me or the male contestants on the show just really, really, ridiculously good-looking?
Based on the reports he not only had the public but also the press swooning all over him. Rediff itself has a few articles on how female journalists asked for a hug from him during a press conference. Some even asking for a kiss. But the most embarassing part was when Bollywood went too far in it’s “Welcome Will Smith”. The Willu Bhaiyya thingy got stretched a bit too far at the Filmfare awards function where the name “Will Smith” or “Willu Bhaiyya” was used more than the word “Filmfare” itself.
Loving the look on Mini’s face…
Oz,
shrug I guess it’s just an element of people being, well, starstruck. Will Smith is actually a very big Hollywood star at the moment, after all.
In any case, given Bollywood’s not-so-stellar depiction of black people in many of its movies, along with the racist attitudes of many desis, I think it was nice that Big W got such a warm and rapturous (okay, some would say hysterical and over-excited) welcome there. He was just treated as a famous, popular American movie star. Again, very nice to see — he certainly seemed to having the time of his life and finding it all to be a fun experience.
Clarifications:
Ahem – now, are you doing to stay on topic, or do I have to threaten you with DD and her rolling pin as well?
Brother knows where TMBWITW’s true talents lie. In hanging around. As opposed to …er…acting. ROTFL.
Ennis,
Only if I also get to ‘discipline’ DD with my own, er, rolling p…..I think I’d better stop there before this conversation degenerates into yet another debate about spanking, temples, and the question of adding a certain someone’s booty to the list of nominations for the new 7 Wonders of the World…..
DDiA,
Bro don’t diss T2ndMTBITW’s talent. It takes a lot of energy, focus, and concentration to just “stand there” with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression without simultaneously falling over.
Sorry, that should have said “T2ndMBWITW”. See what I mean, even putting oneself mentally in her shoes and trying to spell that anagram correctly causes a guy to get all wide-eyed, confused, and on the brink of suddenly toppling over for no reason.
DDiA- she’s also good at crying. Any of her movies will show you that 😉
Jai- she’s the 47th MBWITW, not the 2nd 😉 Like you need to be told who’s #1…
DesiDancer,
Why, you, of course 😉
Okay, I’m just goofing around (although by all accounts it may well be true). I know that #1 is officially Angelina Jolie…..Hmm, I could take Brad on in a fight for her affections…..Okay, he’s taller than me and has a bit more money, but I have a deeper voice than him and can out-growl him in order to woo the lovely Angelina away…..
In fact, she does already live in the UK and not too far from London…..Aha, the plot thickens…..
Jai, Here is a link for you related to the comments you made regarding some Sikh characters being potrayed worshiping Hindu idols in Hindi serials. Here this famous Sikh guy is indulging in same in real life. May be the director of that serial was inspired from such people. And i personally know more than one Sikh ladies who visit Hindu temples quite often. Navjot Singh Sidhu worshipping Shiva on Mahashivratri? Check it out
What would happen if Angelina and Aishwarya ever met face-to-face ? Would there be a sudden bang and they’d just cancel each other out, like matter & antimatter ? Or would it be some kung-fu movie style face-off, a fight to the death, with sudden close-ups of blue-grey eyes and snarling pouty lips ?
“So, Aishwarya…..We meet at last.”
“You have been searching for me, yet I have been here waiting for you.”
“There Can Be Only One.”
Giggle
“No, please…..Not the giggle…..anything but that…..”
Giggle giggle giggle
“I find your lack of raunchiness disturbing. Join me, and we can rule this industry forever, side by side, as it should be, TMBWITW and TMBWITW”.
“You will never take me alive.”
Angelina jumps and pins Aish to the ground with some lightening-fast Lara Croft moves. Aish is trapped in Angelina’s vice-like grip.
“Aishwarya…..You know I’m into girls too, right ?”
Cue close up of “Blue Steel”, Aishwarya’s trademark confused, terrified deer-in-the-headlights wide-eyed expression.
Screen fades to black. To Be Continued…..
Jai, you had that fantasy too ?!?
Since DD and Jai make such impassioned pleas (and mostly because Jai writes such incredible harlequin romances) I give in to the innate talents that lurk behind those gale-inducing eyelashes. Although, I still maintain that she is TMBWITW. Sush might be more leggy and might have wanted to be like Mother Teresa harder than Aish, but she lacks that snow-queen alabaster aloofness that adds to her botlike beauty. It’s almost as if you expect her eyelashes to create typhoons inside chic urban lofts.
LoL thats funny Jai.
Hmmmm, that’s text from Rediff! When will they stop! Salman and superstar in the same line! The poor I-missed-a-court-date-cos-I-am-recovering-from-a-hair-weave bastard needs to be chained for his misdeeds!
I dint read all the comments above but just scanned through all of them… i dont know if someone already mentioned that Will Smith also appeared on the Filmfare awards and gave the Best Actress Award to Rani Mukherjee! Just wanted to let you guys know! =D
See the video here.
Hey for some reason that video’s not playing. I don’t know if anybody else has that problem. It only loads a millisecond of the entire video and never plays. I must see it!!! Ahhhhh!!! runs off into the night, ranting and jumping on people’s couches
k, i didn’t really do that. …be funny tho..
“And each with its share of song, music, dance and drama… I am simply enticed to be part of it“
Oh please. Do I smell a made up quote or what?
Sonia,
Hasn’t everybody ? wink
DDiA,
What you said about Ms Rai is true from a purely aesthetic sense, but if we were going to discuss both looks and personality then I think that, amongst the desi starlets, someone like Celina Jaitley could definitely give her a run for her money (she also has the whole light-eyed/alabaster-skin thing going on). Have you ever seen Celina being interviewed ? She comes across as being great company — very laid-back yet quick-thinking, and she has a really funny, sardonic sense of humour.
Priyanka Chopra is well on her way to being a force to be reckoned with. She also is quite a decent singer.
Now if only she’d quit taking crappy movies…
Agreed about Priyanka. She comes across very well in interviews too, very relaxed and poised for someone who’s still quite young. I also think she knows how to “emote” well in the songs in her various movies, especially (for example) that “torch song” number from Karam and (a more recent example) in the video for “Right Here Right Now” from Bluffmaster. Actually she and Abhishek make a good pair, they seem well-matched in all aspects.
I already mentioned Priyanka’s performance in Aitraaz a while ago so I don’t need to say anything more about that; the guys here on SM will know what I mean, especially that leg-crossing scene where she huskily offers Akshay Kumar a drink. Jai shakes head with a knowing grin on his face
DD: Did Priyanka Chopra sing in a Hindi movie? I know she did for a Tamil dud with Vijay (her debut , I think).
Manoj,to my knowledge, she’s not actually had a singing role in any of her Hindi movies, but when she went out on the SRK Temptations tour (her, SRK, Saif, Preity, Rani, Arjun Rampal– couple years ago) her solo segment included showcasing her singing skills. She did a damn fine job; ought to do playback singing for her own items in the movies, really. It’s a hell of a lot harder to sing live, night after night, than to lay down a track and let the digital musicians fix you. example: Enrique Iglesias.
Celina is a pretty woman but wears inches of pancake makeup and colored contacts way too much. She looked much better as a Miss India contestant. Much more natural with her real skin and eye color. But she’s not much of an actress and dresses really cheap at times (but maybe that’s not her fault). Priyanka Chopra is beautiful but nearly ruined her looks by having a ridiculous nose job for awhile – one of those slightly upturned, snubby western noses that didn’t suit her face. Looks like she’s corrected it a bit. And when will these Indian women blessed with beautiful hair stop ruining it with all that hideous blonde and really light brown streaking? Even the actors. In the end they end up looking like they suffer from malnutrition with a head full of brittle orangish-blonde-brown hair. And they could cut down on the make up as well.
As for her scene in Aitraaz, talk about appealing to the lowest common denominator. That line and scene was so obviously a copy of Basic Instint (a really bad movie in itself) and so cheesy it can only make you laugh out loud and shake your head at how bad and unsexy it is. Merely aping someone else’s ideas of what is sexy is a bad way to go.
you know what DEFINITELY doesn’t win respect? hijacking threads. it’s just rude, especially since jai and ennis already addressed those of you who insisted upon doing it. i haven’t read the kirpan post/thread but i was reading THIS one, and i could’ve done without all the anonymous bitching during my breakfast. thanks.
Jai,
If we were to include personality, then I think Preity Zinta wins hands down. Celina’s Basic Instinct-like scenes notwithstanding.
DDiA, movie personality or IRL? The rep she has among dancers/jr. actors is that she’s a self-absorbed diva biotch. But it’s ok, hon’, some guys like that 😉
All of you – please stop or I will have to close this thread down for the simple reason that it is tiresome. Just stop discussing the other matter, and get back to discussing Will Smith, Ash, or whatever other bit of tawdry filmi gossip you want.
Ok Fine Ennis – I’ll post more about Aishwarya – geez.
DDiA & DD,
Some people would say Preity has a little “too much” personality, considering how loud and talkative she is 😉
However, from various interviews I’ve seen of her too, she actually looks much better in real-life than she does on-screen, her appearance in her films (except for Veer-Zara) really doesn’t do her justice. Same applies to Twinkle Khanna too; she was one of the main guests at one of Zee’s “live melas” here in London about 5 or 6 years ago and everyone was totally blown away by her, she’s actually stunning.
All of you – please stop or I will have to close this thread down for the simple reason that it is tiresome. Just stop discussing the other matter, and get back to discussing Will Smith, Ash, or whatever other bit of tawdry filmi gossip you want.
Agreed. Silly me I thought we put the matter to rest last night!
Back to filmidom. Has anyone seen clips of Aishwarya from “The Last Legion”? She looks really good.
Sonia, the last I knew, Simone Sheffield was Ash’s manager, yet the article you link to offers a completely different name attached to her potential Will Smith deal, further a business manager. Business manager is a fancy way of saying “accountant to celebrities”, though they have been known to step in as Manager if the artist is temporarily without (ie, fired them).
I don’t know if I buy the story. especially with this involved, it’s all questionable.