Blind Item – 17th July

This blind item is from Rajeev Masand. It is about this global A-lister, who started off in Bollywood. A TV show & a franchisee movie about beach bods has made her a household name in the US. We wonder if she is still dating the superstar back home

Blind Item
By the time you’re reading this, a popular Bollywood awards event will already be well underway in the Big Apple. Dozens of film stars, filmmakers, plus-ones, and hangers-on have left for the city that never sleeps to participate in a celebratory weekend packed with self-patting exercises and activities.

The organisers have roped in a handful of A-listers, but were reportedly unable to snag this top female star who has emerged as something of a global celebrity lately. The actress had been approached to co-host the show with Bollywood’s savviest film director, and negotiations were going well. But, according to sources close to both parties, things hit a snag when they couldn’t agree on a fee. The organisers did not want to fork out the sum her agents had quoted, or even a number nearabouts that figure. The actress’ management was happy to negotiate a fee that worked for both sides, but refused to be bullied. The haggling apparently continued. Then she signed an international project that required her to be shooting in Europe on the same dates and she asked her team to end negotiations. The organisers suddenly didn’t have a star. But it was too late for a compromise.

The organisers subsequently succeeded in getting a male actor for the job, but they realised they’d missed out on a coup. Last heard, the actress has signed another international film project with A-list co-stars. The loss wasn’t hers.

Our Guess:
Top female star: Priyanka Chopra