Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 9, 2017)

After a guest appearance on a dance-based reality show, yoga guru Ramdev will judge a reality show with Sonakshi Sinha (Mirror, August 2). Now, we hear he’s foraying into films with the patriotic-drama Yeh Hai India in which he features in the song “Saiyan Saiyan”, written by Tapesh Panwar and sung by Javed Ali.

Directed by Lom Harsh, the film follows a 25-year-old NRI with a stereotypical view of India who realises his mistake in the course of the film. It features Gavie Chahal and Brit model-actress Deana Uppal and was shot in Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. “When Babaji was told about the film he came on-board as it is of national interest. After a screening, he said it felt like the film reflected the soul of India,” producer Sandeep Choudhary told Mirror, asserting that Ramdev is constantly approached to promote Bollywood films but refuses as they don’t align with his vision.

“India is no longer a country of snakes. It has the capability to lead the world. This change has been showcased in this film so I decided to support it,” said Ramdev, who has also shot for a pre-film video which will be released shortly.