Akanksha Puri, who played one of the leads in Madhur Bhandarkar's Calendar Girls, has switched to TV and will be seen playing Goddess Parvati in the show Ganesha. Ask her if it was the paucity of roles in Bollywood that drew her to television and she says, “After Calendar Girls, I was offered only erotic roles which didn't make any sense. I wanted to do something different and acted in a few films down South, too. But considering the reach that television has today, I felt it would be challenging to play Goddess Parvati.“

Ask her if she was disillusioned or experienced the casting couch, because of which she had to leave Bollywood, and she answers, “No, I will continue working in Bollywood. As far as compromises or casting couch issues are concerned, it all depends on the woman. If she does not feel desperate or insecure about her career, she doesn't need to compromise.“ Her role in Calendar Girls was quite bold and her pictures in bikinis have been doing the rounds on social media. So, how comfortable is she playing the role of Goddess Parvati? “People are making a big deal of me wearing a bikini. I wore it for hardly 20 seconds, but unfortunately, only those pictures are floating around on social media,“ she retorts.

While the actress considers Madhur Bhandarkar her mentor, she started her career with Dr Vijay Mallya's airline as an air hostess. Ask her if she is in touch with the controversial business tycoon and she says, “Whatever happened is sad. But my experience of working with the organisation was good.“

Madhur Bhandarkar's brand of cinema is of course women-centric and reality-based, but it also is gutsy with a big element of 'khulasa' in it. His film Calendar Girls that releases today may have been made on a moderate budget, shot over just 41 days with five newcomers, but it has all the ingredients of a typical Madhur Bhandarkar film, be it shock value, emotion, drama and most important, a big element of revelation. We ask the filmmaker a quick set of questions on why we should see his film today. Excerpts:

What made you make a film on the subject of Calendar Girls?
I felt that Calendar Girls is a subject that has never been told. It happened because one of my office boys while cleaning the office was holding some 4-5 calendars. After flipping through some of the calendars, I wondered where these girls went and what happens to them after they become Calendar Girls? 99% of these girls are not successful and a minority goes on to becoming stars and superstars. As a filmmaker, I have made a number of films based on the glamour world, be it Fashion, Heroine or PAGE 3, and I felt that the story behind these Calendar Girls needed to be told. After one year when the new calendar comes out, the old ones are totally forgotten. I started doing research and got so much material that I decided that I had to make a film on this. I met a lot of Calendar Girls. While some were forthcoming, some were hesitant, some didn't want to talk and some who liked my films felt that I would do justice to this subject. All asked for their identities to never be revealed. And I never will ever reveal any of their identities. While some girls have moved abroad, some have changed their profession. This film talks about another facet of the glamour world and over just two hours and eight minutes, shows the past, present and future of a Calendar Girl through the stories of five girls in the film.

The man who introduced and glamourised the idea of the Calendar Girls was Vijay Mallya. Suhel Seth told us in his interview that Mallya had offered to play himself in the film. Is that true?
I personally know Vijay sir for the last decade. He has always appreciated my movies. Yes that's true, he did tell me that he would have been happy to play himself. But that's because he is an extremely gracious man.

What were the key highlights of your research?
I would like my audience to watch the film and see that, but I could tell you that it has intrigue, a lot of revelations, emotional content and while it will make you laugh too, it will shock you in places and finally leave you with moist eyes.

Your films are based on reality. How much of Calendar Girls is based on truth?
Almost 75% is truth. 25% I had to tweak it and have taken cinematic liberty. I have kept certain people in mind while making the film, who may have had apprehensions knowing that I was making a film on the subject of Calendar Girls. I remember when I was about to start shooting Heroine, I was standing at the traffic signal of Versova when a bookseller who knew me, came to me and said, 'Sir, since you showed our life at traffic signals, our dhanda has come down a lot. Now you are making a film on Bollywood, so I want that just like you exposed our life, you will tell us about your industry too and will not feel scared.' Somewhere that really shook me. He was so right. I took that cue from that guy and while there are always people who may get upset with me, I do make films fearlessly, pushing the envelope in each of my films. I feel when people can read about it, can gossip in corridors, can see it on TV sometimes, why can't they see it as a film? Why wonder whether Madhur Bhandarkar is targeting anyone? A model's life is very different from that of an actress' life. Again, a Page 3 journalist has a very different life than that of a Calendar Girl.

Which world did you find most interesting?
Every world is interesting. Page 3 world was about being 'superficial', the fashion world was all about the 'void' and while Heroine dealt with 'the changing Friday to Friday equations', the world of Calendar Girls is clearly about 'the short-lived life'.

Given that you have always made only heroine-led films, will you ever work with a hero in your life?
I will definitely work with a hero in my life provided I have a subject to make such a film.

Why did you choose to work with new girls for Calendar Girls?
Yes I made a Chandni Bar with a Tabu, but I also made PAGE 3 with a newcomer Konkona Sen Sharma. Yes, I made Corporate with a big star like Bipasha Basu, but I also made Traffic Signal with newcomers Kunal Kemmu and Neetu Chandra. I am a concept-driven filmmaker. I am a storyteller. I sell concepts and take stars only when I need them.

What next?
I want to make a thriller on the underworld. I also want to tell a simple love story without any khulasa.

There are people who judge girls for doing swimsuit rounds and shoots, but the fact is that you need an extremely voluptuous body and tons of confidence to pull that off. Kyra Dutt, a Bengali from Kolkata, is one such. She first featured in the 2013 calendar of Kingfisher and is now playing a Calendar Girl in Madhur Bhandarkar's film titled Calendar Girls. Much like her character of Sharon Pinto in the film, she too came to Mumbai with dreams in her eyes. Having been a real-life Calendar Girl, gave her an edge and a deeper connect with the film. Excerpts from a quick conversation with the real-life Calendar Girl:

What did it mean to become a Calendar Girl?
I was modelling in Mumbai and was at Arjun Khanna's party when Atul Kasbekar walked up to me and asked me to come and audition for the Kingfisher calendar. I had never done a swimsuit shoot before, but was excited as it involved going to exotic locations and shooting. We were in South Africa for two weeks and shot across several cities at different exotic locations. While Mr Vijay Mallya came for the launch, he was never there for the shoot. But he was the person who would select the final pictures that went into the calendar. It's great to be a part of the calendar, as it reaches the who's who of the corporate and social world and people get to see your pictures with your name. I got Madhur's film as a result of that.

Any interesting experience that you can tell us while shooting the calendar.
We were shooting in Kruger in this wildlife resort. We were given these little villas and the main reception was a big villa in the centre. So can you imagine the ranger would need to come and pick you up otherwise the lion may just eat you on the way. There was this nice open shower where I was taking a shower, when I heard a lioness and I thought it would come and attack me, but then I came to know that there was this one lioness in the reserve who had lost a mate and thus had been crying through the night. But it was very creepy and scary. It's really tough being a Calendar Girl. There was this one shot when I am supposed to look all sexy standing below a shower. We were shooting at 4am and it was freezing. The water was ice cold and I was dying, but I had to behave as if it was really hot and I was enjoying my shower. Then there was this one girl amongst us who had a good body but somehow in her head she thought that she had to lose weight. So she went through this dangerous powder medical diet. Atul Kasbekar would always tell us that eat healthy as he felt that swimsuit models need to be voluptuous looking and not skinny. But she would have this sachet with water and would start fainting and her rib cage started showing and she looked gross.

You have been a model, and a very successful one at that. What got you to modelling?
I was always quite a dreamer. I used to take part in all the competitions in school, even if I didn't know what it was all about, like poetry, dance and singing. I started modelling because I was fascinated by it. I watched Fashion and thought of becoming a ramp model and it worked well for me. Then, I won the Miss Universal Peace and Humanity. Being on stage in the spotlight and having the audience clapping for you and also representing your country is quite something. And I was fortunate enough that I won there.

Do you enjoy being an actor as much?
I love acting. I love it more than anything I have ever done so far. It gives you a chance to explore your personality. There is so much to challenge yourself in acting that anything and everything else fades away for me.

How did Calendar Girls happen?
The makers had seen a documentary I had featured in. I got a call from director Madhur Bhandarkar's office, asking me to meet him. I was nervous, and I did not even know if it was Calendar Girls or one of his other projects. But he just kept smiling and asking me questions. I didn't know that he had already finalised me.

Any recollections of the first day at shoot?
I was nervous and worried. Madhur is a perfectionist and such a big director. You get butterflies in your stomach when you think about him. After doing films like Heroine and Fashion with actors like Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor Khan, he was working with me, Ruhi Singh... the feeling was awesome. He actually came up to me and showed me how to do the scene. Also what's amazing about him is that he gives you the freedom to experiment. And he clapped for almost everything that I did on the first day. It was the best day of my life!

How do you keep fit?
I love my gym, and all kinds of physical activity. I am an outdoor person and love adventure sports. I go running, skating, and play basketball and football.

Your debut film is yet to release, but we believe you already have fans lining up. Can you share a fan experience?
There was this guy who sent me 12 bouquets of roses on my birthday. But my dog ripped it apart before I could see who had sent it. But the next day, I got a letter from the guy, and another one the next day. I received about eight letters!

Tell us something about you that is not known otherwise.
I have been taking singing lessons for some time. I sing, but I am better at rapping. I definitely see myself releasing an international album.

Finally, your fans on Follo would love to know what you look for in a man...
One thing that really turns me on is when a man is respectful towards a woman. Also, he needs to take care of himself. As I'm fitness conscious, I like it when a guy goes to the gym. Also, he needs to be ambitious. And he should be good looking and tall.

Suhel Seth may feel like he is 21, but in reality, he is 52 years old. He believes in the saying that a man is only as old as the woman he feels. So when we asked him how old was the youngest woman he had been with at the age of 52, he immediately said 22. Having always topped his school and college and beaten everyone and anyone in any debate he has participated in, having acted with Mrinal Sen and having done theatre with Utpal Dutt, he may be anal and arrogant, but he is also brutally honest and warm. He is always prepared and impatient with imperfection, but has all the patience when it comes to his parents.Ahead of his role modelled on tycoon Vijay Mallya in Madhur Bhandarkar's Calendar Girls, he talks to Bombay Times about his proud Kolkata roots, Mallya's big heart and why he considers flirting as intelligent. Excerpts.

Talk about your background?
While I am a Punjabi, I have lived in Calcutta till the age of 28 and everyone says that I am more Bengali than most Bengalis. My dad had a factory of chemicals, which then went kaput due to unions and strikes and the naxalite movement. And that's when I decided that I would never get into business and would become a professional instead. As a professional, you have the right to abuse, you can be squeaky clean and you don't have to take nonsense from an excise inspector who is a jerk. I started Equus Advertising Agency with my brother in 2006. But I then realised that advertising had unintelligent people, brand managers who had no clue, who had never gone to the field but would sit in AC offices and guide the destiny of brands without having the feel of consumer insights. So, I got into high-end consulting and now advise Chairmen and CEOs on branding and marketing. I charge a bomb and have great relationships with my clients and while I have never made clients out of friends, I have always made friends out of clients. I am also a great believer in the family.

Talk about your parents?
I was devastated when I lost my father this year. I used to live with my parents and then they used to live with me, so we have never lived apart. We are not birds that we leave the nest and go away. If I am in town, there is never a meal that I will not have with them. Every day I eat my lunch with my mom. And that's the Calcutta upbringing. I love my parents the most in the world and feel that the only two people who love you unconditionally are your parents and your dogs.

Some people call you obnoxious and arrogant. What are you like in reality?
We want a level of political correctness and conformity and are willing to sacrifice our own self-esteem just to be popular. Churchill said that the only reason you need to be popular is if you have a wife and since I have none, I don't need to be. I am straight, blunt, even rude at times. I can't suffer fools as that is a congenital disease. I am extremely committed to philanthropy and have had all my staff work for me for no less than 23 years.

What does your mother like the most about you?
That I will always be there. But she doesn't like the fact that I am always rude, though not to her ever. She is always worried that someone would kill me, given my brutal honesty. I have never ever had an agenda.

Were you ever married?
I was married from 1989 to 1993 to a lovely person, Sandhya. And the reason we grew apart was that I wanted kids and she didn't want as she was career-driven. So, the only regret I have in life is not having kids.

You are full of warmth. Who do you share it with?
There is a particular concentric circle within me that no one will penetrate. It's a defence mechanism as I don't want to be hurt. I have always believed that money is transactional. I started my life on a motorcycle. But I grew and made everything on my own. Two weeks ago, I boarded a minibus from Taj Bengal in Kolkata to Victoria Station, as I didn't want to go all the way around. For me, the journey is not important, the destination is.

Talk about your role in Madhur Bhandarkar's Calendar Girls?
I like Madhur's films as they are real and talk about issues that we are in denial of all the time. He told me I am doing Calendar Girls and want you to play Vijay Mallya. Vijay Mallya, I have been advising for a long time and he is also a pal of mine. I told Madhur, 'I am doing Calendar Girls, but I will play Suhel Seth.' If I am playing Vijay Mallya, I am playing a parody. I want to do a character based on the person Mallya is, but not play him, which means being an owner of a company that invests in a calendar every year, who uses that calendar for social appeasement and makes a song and dance about it, as it is connected to his brand. It's an interesting character and when you see the film, you will know that it is not Mallya.

What is Vijay Mallya like?
He is one of my dearest friends and is one of the nicest and the most large-hearted human beings you will ever meet. He is a very poor judge of character and his courtiers, and for a long time, he relied on his yes-men, but intrinsically, he is a good human being. I have never stayed on his yacht or taken his hospitality or flown his airline, but whether he goes to jail or not, the courts will decide, but let failure not detract from someone's past of successes. In our country, we become absolutely vicious when someone fails and that I can't understand. By the way, he is so cool that he had actually told Madhur, 'Why the hell didn't you cast me?' He recently met me in London and said, 'I hope you're playing me well?' I said, 'I am not playing you.' Every business is allowed to fail but the emotional quotient we carry in India, is far more regressive. It's very easy to throw stones at a man who is down and out, but difficult to give him the opportunity perhaps to rise like a phoenix. He may or may not. But unlike the US who sees failure as an opportunity to rise again, in India, we see failure as an opportunity to castigate the person further.

You seem to be a loyal person.
Yes, I attach a huge premium to loyalty and also to how well you sleep at night. I believe in Munshi Premchand's story of Ashwathama. There was this priest who had the most-prized stallion in the village. Every day he would ride his horse, everyone would say what a horse and he would feel very good. But at night, he would worry about the horse and how he would feed it. One evening as he was riding his horse, one hunchback beggar asked him for alms. The priest got off the horse to give him money, just when the beggar pushed the priest and stole the horse. So, the priest went back walking to his house and for the first time, slept well. But he woke up in the middle of the night worried. He went back to the beggar's house and said, 'I will gift you this horse publicly in the chowk.' The beggar said, 'I thought you would report it to the police.' He said, 'No. But if I don't do that, people will lose faith in beggars in the future and will not give them anything.' So he gave the horse to him in front of everyone at the chowk to reinstate faith in humanity, went back home and finally slept well. That is also from where we got the famous saying, 'Ghode bechke so raha hai.' I believe that no matter what you do, if you harm someone, you cannot sleep well. I have never ever uttered a lie in my life.

Are you a flirt?
I don't think so and I hope I am not, although flirting is very intelligent and cerebral. It's far more elegant to flirt than to say 'Will you sleep with me?'

Recently, Pakistani distributors reportedly refused filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar's Calendar Girls fearing backlash from their Censor Board for an objectionable dialogue in the movie. Now, their Ministry of Culture has sent a letter to the Censor Board stating that it won't issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the film. Consequently, the Censor Board officials, who were supposed to watch the movie on Wednesday (September 23), weren't able to issue it a clearance certificate. As a result of these developments, the film, which releases in India on September 25, won't open in cinemas in the neighbouring country.

According to the film's overseas distributor Sajjan Damani, “We had applied for the censor certificate clearance through one of the Pakistani distributors but their Ministry of Culture refused to issue the NOC only on the basis of watching the trailer. They have taken an objection to a dialogue in the film - 'Pakistani ladkiyaan bhi utne hi bold kaam karti hain jitni baaki ladkiyaan karti hain, balki kabhi kabhi uss se zyada bhi' - spoken by Avani Modi who plays Nazneen Mallik, a Pakistani aspiring to become a supermodel. She is also sporting a bikini in the film, which is against their culture.“

The movie is produced by Sangeeta Ahir under her banner ManglMurti Films.

National Award-winning making filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar is known for hard-hitting realistic movies. Moreover, he's said to be the torchbearer of women-centric films with female protagonists leading many of his narratives. As he gears up for Calendar Girls, produced by Sangeeta Ahir, which sees five girls - Ruhi Singh (Winner, Miss Universal Peace and Humanity, 2014), Satarupa Pyne, Avani Modi, Akanksha Puri and Kyra Dutt - making their Bollywood debut, we look at some of the heroines in his previous movies.

TABU IN CHANDNI BAR
Mumtaz (Tabu) comes to Mumbai to live with her uncle after her family is killed in riots. Tabu won the National Award for her performance in the film that depicts the gritty life of Mumbai's dance bars, prostitution, underworld and gun crime.

RAVEENA TANDON IN SATTA
Anuradha Sehgal (Raveena)'s foray into the murky world of politics begins when her husband, who aspires to become the Chief Minister, is arrested for murder and the family persuades her to contest elections.

KONKONA SEN SHARMA IN PAGE 3
Disillusioned at being told to apolo gise to an actor for an exposé on him, entertainment journalist Madhvi Sharma (Konkona) changes her beat to crime. When she breaks a story of an industrialist's involvement in exploiting children for sexual acts, she is asked to resign.

BIPASHA BASU IN CORPORATE
Despite helping her company to steal a march over their rivals, Nishigandha Dasgupta (Bipasha) is asked by her bosses to shoulder responsibility when authorities conduct a raid and find pesticides in her company's soft drinks.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA AND KANGANA RANAUT IN FASHION
Priyanka and Kangana play models who were inspired by real-life people from the Indian fashion industry. The two also won National Awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively for their performances.

KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN IN HEROINE
Actress Mahi Arora's (Kareena) career is on the decline. In an attempt to regain her prime position, she hires a publicist to help reinvent her image and return to the limelight.

Madhur says, “I feel certain issues that are prevalent in society are better conveyed from the perspective of women. Most of Calendar Girls is inspired by society itself.“ Pleased to see more women-centric subjects on screen, he adds, “Now people want to see good movies, irrespective of whether it revolves around a hero or a heroine. The success of women-centric films has encouraged more filmmakers to explore this zone and has also opened up the market.“

Calendar Girls, produced by ManglMurti Films, releases September 25.

Model Satarupa Pyne, who is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Calendar Girls, says she has forayed into the industry because of destiny. “I've been living in Mumbai for two years and have established myself as a model. I had no experience in acting when I auditioned for this film but I knew that I could act. Fate helped me land a role in this film,“ she says.

Satarupa plays a 'Bong bombshell' named Paroma Ghosh in this Madhur Bhandarkar film, which is produced by ManglMurti Films and releases on September 25. “My character is crucial to the story. Paroma comes from a middle-class family and hence she is easy to relate to. Madhurji has attempted to unmask the IPL match-fixing scams with my track,“ she adds.

Despite being roped in to essay a demanding role, the actress kept her research minimal. She explains, “I wasn't sure on whom my character was based, but there was an element of realism in it which made me feel at ease instantly. The character comes close to my real-life persona. Since I'm a model, wearing a bikini wasn't a big deal for me.“

Satarupa emphasises that collaborating with Madhur was an enriching experience for her. She concedes, “I'd never expected him to treat us with such respect. He didn't make us feel like newcomers. After every good take, he would give us a hug. He had faith in me when I had no faith in myself. MB (as we fondly call him) has spoilt us with his love.“

Though Satarupa shares screen space with four other debutantes in the movie, she has a sense of security as she was the first to sign the film. She says, “I feel it is an advantage that the film divides its attention equally between us. That gave us our individual space to learn. Working with actors of different temperament teaches you how to bond with people even though you know that you'll be competing with them.“

A large chunk of the movie is shot in Mauritius. Recalling her most memorable anecdote from the overseas schedule, the she says, “While the others shot at picturesque beaches, I had to shoot in a jungle with two white tigers. I was shivering at the thought, though the animals were both well-trained. Madhur said I'm his 'Bengal Tigress' and so he had the scene in mind for me. I somehow survived that daredevil act and ended up feeling on the top of the world.“

With the release of her debut film around the corner, Satarupa isn't anxious. “I have been an athlete for most part of my life and I know that you can either win or lose a game. Something gives me tremendous faith that Calendar Girls will work for me. I haven't watched the film yet, but I am hoping for the best,“ she signs off.

Calendar Girls, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, is the latest to face the heat in Pakistan. The local distributors have reportedly refused the movie stating the Pakistan Censor Board doesn't want to see it because of a particular line in the trailer.

The dialogue in question is -“Paksitani ladkiyaan bhi utne hi bold kaam karti hain jitni baaki ladkiyaan karti hain, balki kabhi kabhi uss se zyada bhi“ - spoken by Avani Modi who plays Nazneen Mallik, a Pakistani girl aspiring to become a supermodel.

The Pakistan Censor Board has apparently deemed this dialogue as demeaning to their women and they do not want to even view it for certification, says a source. Therefore, the film may not release in the neighbouring country.

Producer Sangeeta Ahir of Mangl Murti Films, says, “It is unfortunate that such a decision has been taken without even viewing the film. One should not make a judgement on the basis of just one dialogue. Instead, they should see the film in totality. I'm hoping the Pakistan Censor Board change their mind as there is nothing derogatory about anyone in the film.“

Ashok Ahuja, Head of Distribution for the production house, says, “The distributors from Pakistan are wary that their Censor Board could reprimand them severely for the objectionable dialogue, and have hence taken the self-censorship route and declined our film. They probably fear that the board's negative reaction could jeopardise their license to distribute other Bollywood films as well. On our part, we've told them to view Calendar Girls, that is scheduled for release on September 25, before making any decision and we are sincerely hoping that they consider our request. Incidentally, the Dubai authorities have cleared it and we're releasing it in 40 screens there.“

Madhur Bhandarkar has known Vijay Mallya close to a decade now and he is a regular invitee to all his parties. The last party Madhur attended was last December on the occasion of Mallya's birthday at Niladri, Mallya's Mumbai residence. Vijay Mallya by this time was aware that Madhur was making a film on Calendar Girls in which Suhel Seth was playing Mallya. We have now learnt that it was at this party that Mallya anxiously asked Madhur about the film. Telling us about it, Madhur said, “Yes, it's true that Vijay asked me about the film and I told him you see for yourself. But he was very cool and gracious. Vijay is in London currently and will be back in a couple of days.“ We will wait to see if Madhur will show his film to friend Vijay Mallya on his return. Incidentally, Mallya's favourite photographer Atul Kasbekar is played by Rohit Roy in the film.

Madhur Bhandarkar is known for making women-oriented films and his next captures the inside world of the life of a 'Calendar Girl'. Vijay Mallya was the man who pioneered the idea of using super sexy girls to make his annual calendar. Interestingly, we found that one of Madhur's 'Calendar Girls' Akanksha Puri has been an air hostess for Kingfisher Airlines and was coincidentally, handpicked by the senior Mallya himself. Excerpts from a conversation with her.

How did you become an air hostess?
I wanted to meet people from different walks of life and coming from Indore, I didn't get that platform earlier. I wanted that exposure, plus I loved travelling. I had never planned to join the aviation sector, but once I had gone to visit my cousins in Chandigarh, where walk-in interviews for Kingfisher Airlines were happening. I also decided to give it a try. Vijay Mallya was there himself along with a panel to interview us. I too was not alone and there were a few girls with me to give the interview. He asked me a number of questions, but what struck me the most about him was how he was a very good observer. I find a lot of similarities between him and Madhur Bhandarkar sir. Mr Mallya, apart from the usual questions, asked me what I liked about fashion, friends and whether I liked to go out, as against talking about just aviation. Much like that, Madhur sir came to know that I was from Indore and he started talking to me about Ujjain and Mahakal as he is a Shiv Bhakt. I too believe a lot in Shiva and Ujjain and coincidentally, I had tied the red and yellow thread from Ujjain at that time. Madhur sir visits Ujjain before each of his releases. I later realised that that was his way of knowing whether I would fit in his role.

Any memories of the time when you were a cabin crew?
I was flying Kingfisher first class and was an Inflight Bartender (IBT). I had been trained to serve the best of wines and liquor. Mr Mallya had created a beautiful lounge with two white couches and four bar stools and the bar was my space, where I would be throughout the flight. I have flown many stars including Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Sidhartha Mallya and Deepika Padukone. I have also flown the Kingfisher Calendar girls. They were all tall, skinny girls and were all about glamour. The idea of them shooting at the best international locations with the top photographers would always fascinate me. If we would be flying on a night flight to London, there would be people just sitting at the bar for the whole night. I would not get rest as there was some body or the other always at the bar. There would be a lot of people flirting with you and I would get to hear a lot of inside stories as when people get drunk, they talk a lot of things that they otherwise would not. Sidhartha Mallya and I have flown many times and I remember him to always be a very good boy. He was the only boy who at my bar would have just orange juice and coconut water. He would not drink at all. The female superstars would usually take their beauty sleep and would rest. I have seen a lot of things happen on a night flight, things that happen under the blanket once the lights are shut. But being a crew, we have to keep our mouth shut even when we can see a lot of things.There are things you choose to ignore unless it's a problem for other passengers or if it becomes very obvious. Fortunately, the seats and blankets are very big in the first class.

Avani Modi, who makes her debut in Calendar Girls, was initially surprised when she learnt that she'd be playing a Pakistani girl who aspires to become a supermodel in Mumbai. But after director Madhur Bhandarkar convinced her, she took it up as a challenge. Interestingly, she is the only one of the five debutantes - Ruhi Singh (Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014), Akanksha Puri, Satarupa Pyne and Kyra Dutt being the other four ­ who wears everything from a burqa to a bikini in the film.

Avani, who also learnt how to wear a burqa and tie a hijab for her character Nazneen Khalid, says, “Wearing a bikini is no big deal. A lot of actresses wear a bikini just to show off. I am playing one of the Calendar girls and my character required me to wear it. It's not shown in a sleazy way. Also, I feel that wearing bold outfits and doing intimate scenes have now become a part of our films.“

Call it coincidence that Akanksha Puri, who makes her debut in Calendar Girls, has a couple of things in common with the film's director Madhur Bhandarkar. Both share their birth day, August 26, which they discovered after they started shooting. The movie's production team had got a cake with Akanksha and Madhur's names, which they cut on the set.

Another common factor is that the two are devotees of Lord Shiva. They visit the deity's Mahakaal temple in Ujjain as often as they can. And both wear the red thread from the temple on their wrists. The two also exchange their experiences of their visit when on set. And now with their film's promotions underway, Akanksha and Madhur are hoping they also visit the temple with their colleagues in the coming weeks.

The shoot of Madhur Bhandarkar's Calendar Girls had a fair share of adventure for the newcomers - Ruhi Singh (Winner, Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014), Akanksha Puri, Avani Modi, Satarupa Pyne and Kyra Dutt. Once, during the picturisation of the song Awesome Mora Mahiya, the choreography team disappeared with the boat, leaving the girls at sea. Though some tourists around offered help, the newbies opted to wait for the movie crew. Recalls Akanksha, “It was so difficult to stand on the slippery stones for 20 minutes. We held each other tightly as there was a mild water current underneath and we had to stop ourselves from slipping.Instead of shouting for help we kept singing the Awesome Mora Mahiya song till the crew resurfaced with the boat.“
In another instance, a sequence with the five girls was being shot on a secluded island from a helicopter. Suddenly, the chopper went missing. The debutantes were looking around for 15 minutes before the helicopter came back into their horizon. That's when they realised that Madhur and his team were playing pranks on them.