On Saturday, three UPSC aspirants, Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nevin Dalwin, died by drowning in the flooded basement of a Delhi-based coaching institute. Actor Abhilash Thapliyal, who played a student preparing for the civil services exams in the web show Aspirants, laments the incident, commenting on how no one took the blame for the loss of young lives.

“Teen bachche mare hain, and the sad part is, people are simply politicising it. I feel, laash ka dher dekh ke do hi log fayda utha sakte hain, giddh (vultures) aur neta (politician). All that our system is doing is passing the blame. Before this, a kid passed away due to electrocution. So, who is safe in our country?” the 36-year-old says.

The actor agrees that such an incident highlights the lack of amenities in our country for students. “We should feel ashamed as a system that we weren’t able to provide them (the students) with facilities when they needed them. We celebrate and glorify struggle, and it is quite sad,” he adds.

It’s raining influencers on the Cannes red carpet, and social media is inundated with visuals from VIP gala dinners and after-parties. All while everyone back home wonders why. As social media users debate the prestigious film festival transmogrifying into another Met Gala — it’s worth reiterating that after 30 years, a film (All We Imagine As Light by Payal Kapadia) is competing for the Palme d’Or – Golden Palm (Main Competition) category? Or, that six other Indian films are being screened and competing across categories.

Actor-producer Vani Tripathi Tikoo laments that the festival’s purpose is falling by the wayside. “It’s unforgivable. Cannes is not about who is walking the red carpet. Just like the ads we see online, the red carpet is also a sponsored activity and not the main realm of the festival,” she says.

Referring to the Indian films in contention at Cannes, actor Richa Chadha says, “Shouldn’t we know what these Indian films are about? Payal’s debut feature is in competition with (Francis Ford) Coppola and (David) Cronenberg!”

Referring to actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Vidya Balan, who have been on Cannes juries in the past years, Tikoo says: “They are not just hot bodies with great faces who walk the red carpet. They have been a part of amazing cinema, so people need to differentiate between the fluff and the essence of festivals.”

In fact, something that has been happening for decades, came out as a big revelation to many — that celebrities have paid as much as Rs. 30 lakh to walk the red carpet. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur says, “I’ve walked the red carpet a number of times, including as a jury member. But I’ve never heard about people paying for it.”

Tikoo says invitees being required to pay to attend different events at Cannes is nothing new: “There’s a price tag on everything these days. We have to sift out the truth, which is that Cannes is one of the most important and well-meaning festivals. That should not be negotiated. We need to take a step back from glamour and talk about films.”

Chadha concurs, “The focus must always be cinema and who is in those films — like (actors) Kani Kusruti, Tanmay Dhanania and Shahana Goswami (at the festival for AWIAL, The Shameless and Santosh, respectively).”

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As told to Farah S Rizvi

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Vani Tripathi Tikoo: We’re paying attention to nonsensical things and that’s unforgivable. I urge people to focus on the gorgeous cinema and great films which come and compete with the best of the best in different categories.

Richa Chadha: It’s historic that an Indian film is in the main Palme d’Or competition after 30 years! And yet there is so much more scrutiny on the red carpet, very replaceable brand ambassadors who have no clout, or newbie actors hanging around hoping to get photographed.

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In a series of Insta Stories, journalist Aishwarya Subramanyam has (@otherwarya) claimed that the slew of influencers red carpet paid their way to the Cannes red carpet. She also spilled the beans on the kind of money it takes to attend various events at the festival

Is the buzz around non-industry red-carpet appearances taking away from Cannes’ essence, especially in a year an Indian film is in the running for the biggest award at the festival?

Actor Abhilash Thapliyal is over the moon after receiving positive feedback for his role as a sharp-witted sports commentator in Maidaan. Post this success, buying a house in Mumbai comes as a cherry on top for him.

Making Mumbai his home, the 36-year-old actor, who is known for his roles in Kennedy (2023) and Blurr (2022), recently moved to Andheri with a 3BHK sea-facing apartment. After purchasing the property, Thapliyal, along with his wife Anubhooti Panda (corporate professional), decided to turn the complex into “an extension of themselves”.

Taking charge of the decor, the couple has copiously decorated their home with caricatures and favourite art, including a DIY coffee table which was recycled from an old scooter that belonged to Thapliyal’s late father.

“It (Mumbai) has been my karmabhoomi for quite a few years. Buying a place in the city give me an anchor to stay here for a longer period of time. Now, this has become my home,” Thapliyal tells us, adding how the couple wanted to buy a property with a balcony. He days, “I come from Delhi where balconies are not uncommon. But this is not the same in Mumbai. So, our only benchmark for buying a house was a balcony.”

The actor, who took out a loan for the purchase recalls feeling “anxious”. But he adds how it’s not the be-all and end-all of his endeavours: “People are reacting to the news [of buying a house] as if I’ve climbed the final ladder of success. But I don’t think that buying a good car, house or phone reflects the success of an artiste. However, good projects do reflect success, and that’s what I’ll strive for.”

According to reports, Taapsee Pannu tied the knot with her boyfriend, Mathias Boe, in an intimate ceremony in Udaipur on March 23. Only the couple’s families and close friends were present at the much-guarded wedding.

Three days ago, Taapsee’s Thappad co-actor Pavail Gulati, posted a group picture of what looked like a celebration and captioned it, “Twinkle twinkle little star, we have no idea where we are!” This gave rise to buzz that he was one of the guests at Taapsee-Mathias’ wedding.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and screenwriters Kanika Dhillon and Himanshu Sharma, too, were apparently part of the celebrations. Till the time of going to press, there was no official confirmation from the actress.

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Taapsee Pannu, 36, tied the knot with former Denmark badminton player Mathias Boe, 43. The couple were dating for a long time and had an “intimate” wedding ceremony in Udaipur, Rajasthan on March 23, reportedly.

“The pre-wedding festivities kick-started on March 20. The couple was sure they didn’t want any media attention on their big day. Both of them are known to be private... they wouldn’t have had it any other way,” a source said.

The actor’s Thappad (2020) co-star Pavail Gulati was in attendance, along with close friend, writer-producer Kanika Dhillon and her husband Himanshu Sharma. “Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who shares a close bond with Pannu also flew to Udaipur,” reported News18.

Dhillon took to Instagram to share photos with the #MereYaarKiShaadi. Gulati posted a photo with the actor’s sister Shagun Pannu and cousin Evania Pannu. Actor Abhilash Thapliyal’s post said “IYKYK”. We reached out to the actor, but didn’t receive any response from her or her team at the time of going to press.

Taapsee Pannu, the pan-Indian star, believes in engaging in diverse activities. Whether it’s her film choices, the campaigns she supports, or her unfiltered presence on social media, she never fails to charm her fans. Now, to provide her followers with a deeper insight into her life and establish a closer connection, the actress has unveiled her own NFT platform called taapseeclub.com.

The purpose behind launching it is to create a positive platform for her fans worldwide and give them a glimpse into her life. By becoming a member, individuals will have the opportunity to experience being on her film sets, celebrate special occasions with her, engage in interactions and a lot more.

Taapsee has already organized an exclusive event to celebrate her birthday, where well-known comedians like Abish Mathew, Angad Ranyal and Gurleen Pannu will be present along with RJ and actor Abhilash Thapliyal. This event promises to be an unforgettable one, as she will be hilariously roasted on her special day.

Taapsee says, “In today’s cluttered world, it becomes crucial to distinguish the content we share with those genuinely interested in actors and supportive of their endeavours. This helps separate the faceless trolls from the true fans. So, I have decided to launch NFTs exclusively for genuine individuals, providing them with an opportunity to get to know me on a more personal level. I aim to present a distinct social media experience for my NFT members, one that differs from my public presence. As an extrovert who enjoys interacting with people, I find social media to be too toxic for expressing my true self. It is always beneficial to have a close-knit community of individuals who genuinely wish the best for you and contribute to personal growth.”

On the work front, Taapsee has an exciting line-up of projects, including Dunki alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

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Actor Bijou Thaangjam recently called out Bollywood for not raising voice against the ethnic violence unfolding in his home state, Manipur. He says the silence is disappointing, though this is not the first time the state has faced such indifference.

The Mary Kom (2014) actor says, “Previously, too, there have been so many issues when the state and its people needed support, but nobody from this fraternity came forward. Every time, we [expect] that things will change, but nobody comes out to speak for us until and unless there is pressure from the media or social media,” he says, adding that it’s already too late to react.

On June 17, Thaangjam and fellow Manipuri actor, Lin Laishram, among others, led a peaceful protest to draw attention to the grave situation the state is in. Thaangjam has also been constantly posting stories on Instagram, seeking support and spreading awareness on the matter, but to no avail. “I did not even get private calls or messages. Except a few, like director Omung Kumar and actor Abhilash Thapliyal, everyone saw my stories but no one responded. That left me perplexed because I am also part of this fraternity and I expect support from my friends,” he says.

Thaangjam points out that despite the message of inclusivity that goes around, “when something like this happens, suddenly everyone goes quiet”. The 37-year-old says: “We live in a culture where Bollywood stars and cricketers have a strong influence on people. They can at least talk about how Manipur is burning, like (actor) Richa Chadha did (she retweeted his post). It would create pressure even on the government to act soon.”

Abhilash Thapliyal has been getting great feedback for his recent releases, Blurr and Faadu. However, the actor says he’s not taking anything for granted or becoming too “comfortable” with the success and praise. He says his race for auditions and attempts at cracking them continues.

“With all the great feedback coming my way, I’m still giving auditions in Bandra (Mumbai). And I have no problems with that,” shares Thapliyal, who made his movie debut with Dil Juunglee (2018).

The Aspirants actor adds, “It’s not like I don’t want to audition and want scripts to come directly to me. If that happens, I’ll be happy. But if I’m asked to audition, I’m happy with that. This (finding work on merit) has been a reality of our lives, be it from the time I was in radio to now in showbiz. We had to go, meet people and give auditions. My conscience is also clear this way ke jo hain apne dum pe hain. Haq se bol sakte hain ke we have got this work on our own merit, hardwork and talent.”

The actor is glad that he has made it this far without a godfather. In fact, he was delighted to land the role in Blurr after an audition despite his friend, actor Taapsee Pannu backing the project: “Taapsee was clear from the beginning that the audition process was a must. And that dosti ke basis pe kaam nahi milega. That feeling was mutual.”

While the Pannu and Gulshan Devaiah-starrer saw Thapliyal as the psychopathic antagonist, in Faadu, he portrays an alcoholic. Now, he is hoping to explore his range: “Due to my recent works, audiences have started to look at me beyond [stereotypical] boxes of being a hero’s friend, a comedian, etc. I hope I’ll get some good parts.”