JANUARY

1978--He-man Dharmendra rides roughshod over filmi journo R.Krishna. Hema Malini's tearful mother visits the scribe in the hospital.
1988--Dimple Kapadia emotionally browbeats Rajesh Khanna to sign her up for his home production, Jai Shiv Shankar. Mercifully no journos are given the treatment when they carry the story.
1997--Thicker than bricks, rumours abound that Sridevi is pregnant with Boney Kapoor's baby.
2008--Hema Malini's beti Ahna and Sridevi's beti Jhanavi are launched in Boney Kapoor's Production No 1 called Mera Ghar Mere Bache. The venture will be directed by, hold your mares, Dimple Kapadia.

FEBRUARY

1978--News travels that Rishi Kapoor-Neetu Singh are to be married. It's also whispered that Neetu will quit films.
1988--At 27, Poonam Dhillon insists that it's too early for her to talk about sex.
1997--Poonam Dhillon and husband Ashok Thakeria separate after 10 years of marriage. And yes, she has educated her kids about the birds and the bees. Meanwhile, the fat is in the fire when word is out that there's trouble brewing in the Rishi-Neetu marriage.
Mercifully, this turns out to be a false alarm.
2008--Ms Dhillon dons a new avatar and directs Gupt Gyan II. Ashok Thakeria finances the venture.

MARCH

1978--Kamal Haasan marries danseuse Vani Ganapathy. His first marriage.
1988--Shiver me timbers. Mahesh Bhatt confesses that women frighten him. He's only been married twice.
1997--Another marriage. Flood-lit roads lead to the Bachchan residences. Shweta Bachchan marries Raj Kapoor's grandson Nikhil Nanda. Ghus pus is that Rekha danced with the baraatis. But Ma'am Maya laughs the rumours away.
2008--Rekha's autobiography is finally out. It's called Men Don't Frighten Me. Mahesh Bhatt isn't invited to the book release.

APRIL

1978--After the release of Ganga Ki Saugandh, the pst-pst pashas insist that Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha are more than just good friends. Reports trickle in that Rekha bunks shooting to be with good friend Amitabh Bachchan who's shooting close-by in Pune for Kala Pathar.
1988-- The pst-pst brigade is still at it about AB and Re.
1997--The buzz mill works overtime that AB and Re are back together again.
2008-- They never give up. Speculation is still rife that Aby baby and Ma'am Maya will co-star in a film directed by Aditya Chopra, appositely titled Dilwale Milenge Kabhi Kabhi.


MAY

1978--Raj Kapoor's Satyam Shivam Sundaram opens to a mixed response. But Zeenat Aman reveals more than just an acting prowess.
1988--Raj Kapoor takes seriously ill while in Delhi to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke award. A month later he passes away... and an era draws to a close.
1997--Beta Rishi Kapoor keeps the RK banner flying high. He launches Aa Ab Laut Chalen.
2008--Rishi's daughter says no to films, but son Ranbir is launched in Bobby Kho Jaye... to be directed by believe or faint, Karisma Kapoor.

JUNE

1978--At a crowded press conference in Natraj Studios, Vinod Khanna announces his decision to quit films and join Bhagwan Rajneesh. A shoal of producers are holed up in his make-up room begging him to reconsider his decision. Nope, says VK... Bhagwan beckons.
1988--The Oregon fling is over. VK returns to don the warpaint.
1987--A star is born again. Vinod Khanna's putra Akshaye makes a dream debut in a disasterville called Himalay Putra. Ditto brother Rahul, who's signed up by Deepa Mehta for Earth.
2008--Vinod's third son, Sakshi, is groomed to face the camera. No, Akshaye isn't directing, neither is he turning spiritual.

JULY

1978--Amol Palekar is fulsome praise for his Solva Sawan co-star Sridevi. He calls her the most accomplished actress he's ever come across. The start of something big?
1988--Sridevi is the uncertified queen of the marquee with huge hits like Nagina and Mr India.
1997--Judaai is reportedly Sridevi's swan song. Way to go.
2008--Sridevi sends her producers a notice that she's finally retiring making way for beti Jhanavi who's debuting as a child star in Boney Kapoor's production No 1.

AUGUST

1978--Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim co-star for the first time in Shomu Mukherjee's Fifty Fifty. Dimple Kapadia even poses for keepsakes with Rajesh and Tina at the mahurat where Shomu's daughter Kajol flounces around in a frilly skirt.
1988--According to the glossies, fast rising star Farha and Vindoo are an item and are even contemplating marriage.
1997--A storm brews in the Farha-Vindoo marriage. It's reported that the couple are even staying separately. Meanwhile Kajol reigns supreme with hits like Gupt and Ishq.
2008--Farha opens a karate school for wannabes. Battered house husbands enlist. Whereas Kajol starts a finishing school for wannabes. There are also special courses in diplomacy and the art of genteel behaviour.

SEPTEMBER

1978--Naseeruddin Shah receives rave reviews for Bhumika and Manthan. He's anointed the Amitabh Bachchan of the parallel cinema movement.
1988--The industry is in the grip of a Madhuri Dixit mania. She's compared with everyone from Meena Kumari to Madhubala. Film-makers from Feroz Khan to Mukul Anand trip over each other to sign her on.
1997--Just when trade pundits write her off, Madhuri Dixit silences them with Dil To Pagal Hai.
2008--While on a sabbatical, Madhuri meets her man ka meet. A computer analyst and a Maharashtrian to boot. No, she isn't settling down in the US of A.

OCTOBER

1978--Sholay enters it's third year of playing to packed houses and even celebrates a thousand and fifty nights run at the Minerva. And is still rock steady.
1988--Bobbit arrives much earlier in India. Zakhmi Aurat and Dimple Kapadia snip the bad guys below the belt.
1997--Kamal Haasan launches his mega-opus Marudanayagam. Queen Elizabeth II is the VVVVVIP guest
2008--Ramesh Sippy launches Sholay Ke Bache. Esha Deol and Abhishek Bachchan star.

NOVEMBER

1978--Kumar Gaurav is launched by Papa Rajendra Kumar in Love Story. Mid-way through the film the director Rahul Rawail falls out with the senior Kumar.
1988--Juhi Chawla opts out of BR Chopra's tele opus Mahabharata following her new found star status with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
1997--Ms Chawla's still big news with hits like Deewana Mastana, Yes Boss and Ishq. Simultaneously the canards of her marriage to Jai Mehta rage on like a forest fire.
2008--Juhi insists that she'll never quit films and that she isn't married either. But Jai Mehta is spotted with her at all the prominent splashes.

DECEMBER


1978--Jeetendra is in the throes of preparing a tonic that will not only make people immune to jaundice but also keep them eternally young.
1988--Maine Pyar Kiya is just completed. But debutante Bhagyashree decides that boyfriend Himalay is far more important than the warpaint and that MPK will be her last film. The film and her own love story turn out to be enduring successes.
1997--Bhagyashree is seen in some soppy operas on televison and chhoti sister Madhuwanti makes a disastrous debut with Govinda in Do Aankhen Baara Haath.
2008-Jeetuji signs a megabucks deal with a pharmaceutical company. He agrees to endorse capsules for the 40-plus. Truly earning the tag of the jumping jack of all trades!