In an interview with the Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day, Indian painter M.F Husain (Now a Qatari citizen) criticised many of Bollywood's best and brightest stars.
While admitting to veteran film journalist Khalid Mohamed that he cherishes Hindi cinema and makes an effort to see at least one film a week, Husain was also highly critical of the latest crop of Bollywood stars.
On Kites: Kites ke baare mein yahan bhi bahut charcha tha. But the next day, it nose-dived. It’s a third-rate movie. It should be banned. Kuch tuk hi nahin tha. What was Hrithik Roshan doing?
On Barbara Mori: A few days ago, I saw someone called Barbara Mori from Brazil or Mexico. I was horrified! Why cast her when so many of our girls are far more beautiful and talented? There was another girl in that movie… Kites… she looked ghostly. Who was she?
On Kangana Ranaut: Hanh, Kangna had so much white make-up, she looked as if she had applied chalk all over her face.
On Katrina Kaif: She’s zero in acting but she is beautiful, not bad!!
On Priyanka Chopra: She’s all about imaging. If she gets a good role, she’s good. People liked her in Fashion and Kaminey but she’s not my type of heroine.
On Kareena Kapoor: And I wonder why people like Kareena Kapoor. Bilkul matchstick hai. She has come to destroy Saif Ali Khan and go away.
On Vidya Balan: I’m absolutely bowled over by Vidya Balan. She conveys pure Indianness, feminine, sensual, without making an effort. I was captivated by her in Ishqiya which I saw a dozen times just for her. The film was okay, it had a silly, meaningless title.
On Aamir Khan: I admired Aamir Khan for Taare Zameen Par but wondered if it was a fluke when I saw Ghajini. Horrible! Aamir should have been pulled up for all the violence, the film should have been banned.
On Amitabh Bachchan: Amitabh is from such a decent family but he is full of contradictions. Can he ever live down the fact that he did that vulgar number Tere angne mein?
On Amrita Rao: I admired her but sorry, not anymore.I liked her very much in Vivaah. Just one more movie… phir woh bhi khatam ho gayee kya? Maybe she just didn’t find a manager who could guide her career properly.
On Ranbir Kapoor: would say that he’s the first real actor in the Kapoor khandaan. Raj, Shammi, Shashi had tremendous screen presence and charm… but Rishi Kapoor’s boy acts… really acts. He doesn’t make funny faces like the other young actors.
Earlier this year, MF Husain opted for Qatari citizenship, and settled into a new life in Doha.
It's not that he wanted to leave his home city of Mumbai. But countless cases of obscenity had been registered against the 94-year-old artist for depicting Hindu deities in an offensive manner, and there were concerns for his safety.
