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Netflix’s “The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Brides” delivers exactly what it promises: a shining window into the lives of four wealthy and glamorous women celebrating their lasting friendships onscreen. Bravo may have arrived first with its ‘Real Housewives’ franchise, but the streaming giant’s take is the first of its kind in India.
The chemistry between the four women – who are all married to actors – is palpable. Of the four, Neelam Kothari is arguably the most successful, having enjoyed a long career as a Bollywood frontman in the 1980s and 1990s.
About 20 years ago, Kothari put time into her acting career. She is now married to actor Samir Soni (“student of year 2”). “Coming back to the screen after so many years, and that too, with my best friends, has been an exhilarating experience,” Kothari says. Variety. “We wanted the audience to see us for who we really are and have a good laugh with us.”
Kothari made an on-screen pairing with actor Chunkey Pandey in the films “Aag Hi Aag” (1987), “Paap Ki Duniya” (1988) and “Ghar Ka Chiraag”. Pandey’s costume designer wife Bhavana Pandey is also one of the protagonists of the show.
“How many people get the chance to do a show with their best friends?” asks Bhavana Pandey. “Well we did and enjoyed every minute of it. The Pandey’s daughter, Ananya, is also a Bollywood star (“Pati Patni Aur Woh”), and appears on the show.
“The four of us have been friends for ages and we really enjoyed celebrating this friendship on this show,” said former model Maheep Kapoor, married to actor Sanjay.
In the first episode, the Kapoors take their acting-training daughter Shanaya to Paris for the Le Bal des Debutantes ball, where Sanjay is hit by a star to meet Jet Li and takes a mandatory selfie.
If it all sounds very cozy and islandy, it is, as the series is produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, hugely influential producer and director Karan Johar. Johar, aside from his films like “My Name is Khan”, is known to have landed top Bollywood talent on his “Koffee With Karan” chat show, which airs on the Disney’s Star Network.
However, “Bollywood Wives” also serves as a stark reminder that just having access and opportunity is no guarantee of success in the industry. Sanjay Kapoor, for example, was born into Bollywood royalty with his producer brother Boney (“Mr. India”) and his actor brother Anil (“Slumdog Millionaire”) both being A-listers, and received a launch of dream as a hero film “Prem” (1995). However, his career never took off in the same way, and it wasn’t until recently, with Netflix’s “Lust Stories,” that the actor staged a comeback.
“I have seen this industry too closely; it’s not a fairy tale, ”says Sanjay Kapoor in one of the series’ most candid moments.
The show’s protagonists repeatedly refer to themselves as family, rather than just friends, and in case that reminds viewers of another famous TV family, the Kardashians, their name is duly verified. , with shop owner Seema Khan, married to actor and producer Sohail Khan (“Dabangg 3”, with his brother Salman Khan) being a big fan.
While the globe series trots like a well-oiled machine (Michael Call, producer of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” consults the producer on some episodes), the big and the good of Bollywood also make cameos.
As Seema Khan says, “The only goal we had in doing this show was to have fun with our best friends (with each other) and we had plenty! We hope audiences enjoy this 25-year friendship and all the craziness that goes with it.
“The Fabulous Life of Bollywood Brides” airs November 27.
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