Bollywood's hit pairs are back

<div class="section1"><div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="77.7%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><script language="javascript" src="Config?Configid=43376741"></script><br /><a href="javascript:popUp(&quot1;photopop?msid=121001&type=0&quot1;)"> <img border="0" align="left" src="/cms.dll/thumb?height=276&width=276&photoID=121001" hspace="12"" /></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">click to enlarge picture</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">Film buffs have reason to rejoice.After a hiatus of 20 years, moviedom''s favourite friends Jai and Veeru will recreate their magic in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hum Kaun Hai</span>. Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra''s last outing together was in 1983 in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Ram Balram</span>. Similarly, Shabana Azmi and Urmila Matondkar, after playing mother and daughter in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Masoom</span> in 1984, have teamed up for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tehzeeb.</span><br /><br />"During <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Masoom</span>, she was always Shabana auntie," recalls <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Urmila</span>, "It was only after several years that I realised what a great actress she is. While working for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tehzeeb</span>, I was awed by her acting." <br /><br />Other hit teams, which are reunited include Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea who, after enjoying success with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Raaz</span>, come together in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Ishq Hai Tumse</span>. "Bipasha and I share excellent off-screen camaraderie, which reflects on the screen. When a pair has a hit behind them, the expectations are high," says Dino. Bipasha Basu will also reunite with John Abraham for Aetbaar, after the success of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Jism</span>. <br /><br />Hit director-actor pairs are also coming back to woo the box-office. Shah Rukh and Karan Johar, after <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">K3G</span>, are back with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kal Ho Naa Ho</span>, even though the directorial reins are with Nikhil Advani this time round. "I write my scripts with Shah Rukh in mind," confirms Johar. <br /><br />JP Dutta is back with his <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Border</span> team and some more additions for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">LoC</span>, though Sunny Deol is an absentee.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Also, Raj Kumar Santoshi and Ajay Devagan, after <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Legend of Bhagat Singh</span>, have reunited for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Khakee.</span><br /><br />"All these directors and actors have a standing of their own, making their films a matter of interest. The expectations of the trade and viewers are high but, at the end of the day, a film is a combination of the storyline and music, among other factors," says trade analyst Indu Mirani. <br /><br />"Working with an actor, one has worked with previously establishes a comfort level," says director Ken Ghosh, who is working on his second venture with Shahid Kapoor after the success of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Ishq-Vishq.</span><br /><br />"Directors aware of the potential of a particular star can push him or her to do well," says Mirani. Finally, in Bollywood, where Lady Luck assumes a fickle mood, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">jodi hit hai, to fit hai! </span></div> </div>