Showing posts with label Amsterdam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amsterdam. Show all posts
Kangana Ranaut to start filming Queen 2 by end of April, protagonist to travel across India in the sequel
3:54 PM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 1, 2026)
Any takers for a sequel to Queen (2014)? Countless, we imagine. After all, Kangana Ranaut’s coming-of-age film, which saw her character Rani take off on a solo honeymoon after being dumped by her fiancé, became a roaring success. Well, we’ll meet Rani again soon! mid-day has found out that leading lady Ranaut and filmmaker Vikas Bahl are set to take Queen 2 on floors by April-end.
So, where will Rani take us this time around? From what we’ve heard, the sequel won’t be a continuation of the 2014 hit, but will carry forward the themes of self-discovery and self-reliance.
A source revealed, “In Queen 2, Kangana’s Rani will be a city girl unlike the small-town girl in the original. She will be smart, strong, and quirky, but a plot point will send her on the road of self-discovery. It will show how she conquers life through her individuality, self-realization, and courage. While the first one saw her travelling to Paris and Amsterdam alone, this journey will take her across cities in India.”
Besides Ranaut, we won’t see any familiar faces from the original. The director has apparently zeroed in on several theatre actors for supporting roles in the second instalment.
The source added, “The unit will kick off the project in a Mumbai studio, where a set reflecting a North Indian city and another depicting the protagonist’s home will be built. After the Mumbai leg, they will move to other metro cities. The film will be completed in a start-to-finish schedule of three months.”
‘Queen’ (2014) was produced by Phantom Films and Viacom18 Motion Pictures. With Phantom Films — founded by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena, and Vikas Bahl — having been dissolved in 2018, the sequel is being backed by Bahl under his banner. He also serves as the film’s writer.
I always thought the boys were my real competition-Vidya Balan
4:00 PM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; June 10, 2025)
The world may hail her as a game-changer, a sherni who roared her way through Bollywood’s rulebook — but Vidya Balan doesn’t see it that way. Twenty years in Hindi cinema, and she is still dancing to her own rhythm. The actor, who defied norms, wants to be free of those tags and labels – free of that baggage. There’s a newfound lightness about her, yet she’s just as fiercely passionate about her craft as she was two decades ago. In this deeply personal interview with us, she talks about her inner battles, her evolution shaped by heartbreak and healing – and all the joy that went into it.
If you could relive one moment from your 20-year journey in Hindi cinema, which one would it be?
The premiere of Parineeta in Amsterdam. I don’t remember watching the film, as that memory is a blur. It’s like your wedding day (laughs). What I remember is standing up on that stage along with the cast and looking at the world. It was a full house. It was something about that moment – this is what I had always wanted. I didn’t know if there was a road ahead, but I felt I had reached the summit. That moment has stayed with me. It’s like I walked up with my back to the audience, and when I turned to the world, my world had changed.
In your early days, how did you deal with stereotypes and industry expectations of how an actress should be? You’ve never been apologetic about the characters you’ve played – whether it was flawed, sensual, loud or silent. How did you stay so true to your choices?
I don’t think I did anything consciously. It’s just the way I am made. I am shamelessly accepting of my dreams and aspirations. I don’t think anything was stopping me from being a conventional heroine. Also, I never thought of myself as unconventional and different – these were the tags given to me. I wanted to be like all the actresses I had admired over the years. With every opportunity I got, I made the most of it – whether it was Guru with Mani Ratnam, Halla Bol with Rajkumar Santoshi or Salaam-E-Ishq with Nikkhil Advani. I played the lead in these films, but they were all different. That is who I am and that began to find expression. When there is success, you are okay being seen for who you are. There are two films where I feel I didn’t do my best – Heyy Babyy and Kismat Konnection. People enjoyed those films, but I got a lot of criticism for it.
It must have been shattering at that point. Would you say there were many such breaking points in your career, from where you had to rebuild your confidence, renew your spirit and rise again?
It happened at various points. After The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, many of my films didn’t work and I was going through a persecution complex. I felt everyone was out to get me. I began to assume a certain kind of self-importance thinking everyone was talking about me. Everyone is not talking about you, but you feel that because you are only looking at yourself. I thought, why is my dressing such a problem? Today, when I look back, yes, it was a huge problem, as I was not doing anything that I liked doing. I am so grateful for that period, those films, the criticism, the nasty things that people said and the humiliating experiences – it made me realize what is the kind of work I want to do. Who am I really? I slowly started embracing myself. It was tough and it came with a lot of heartbreak. I feel my father has given me a certain fearlessness to be myself and my mom has given me faith and that has taken me a long way.
When did the feeling of being comfortable with who you are — your work, your body — finally come in?
After The Dirty Picture, I was going through some health issues and the weight kept going up. I had also got married, so people thought that I was taking it easy. Every few months, there’d be a rumour that I was pregnant. I wanted to be invisible in those days, and that is a horrible place to be in. I was at my lowest professionally and personally because of the way I was viewing myself. I’ve been with a healer for the past 14 years, and that has been a huge help. It is a lifelong process. I feel now everyone goes through it and a lot more. At that point, I felt that I was being singled out and judged for everything. Today, I am more in touch with who I am.
If you met the Vidya of 2005 today, the Vidya who was on the cusp of becoming a star, what would you tell her?
I would say don’t try too hard. I’ve spent a lot of time trying too hard. Be yourself and go with the flow. Don’t think of where, what, when and how it will happen. It will all happen. Deep down, even I knew that, yet I needed life to teach me that through my journey.
In 2012, when your career was soaring, you married Siddharth (Roy Kapur) — despite having once said that marriage wasn’t really on the cards. Thirteen years in, has the experience changed your perspective?
Yes, I didn’t want to get married at all. Even today I don’t think partnerships are easy and I don’t think marriage is easy. But the fact that we both are from the industry is a blessing, because if anyone can understand our work and life, it is people from the same business. Now I’ve come to understand that marriage is always work in progress, it’s learning, unlearning, relearning and growing together. Siddharth and I never give each other advice, but we are fully supportive of each other and respect how passionate we are about what we do. I feel blessed to have a partner who lets me be. He is my anchor.
Your perspective on marriage has changed, but what were the beliefs or fears that made you resist it initially?
Earlier, I could never see myself getting married because I felt marriage was about domestication. I often wondered who my mother would have been if she hadn’t been married. I don’t know if she wondered that though. I always felt ki mujhe shaadi nahin karni hai. Also, I have always wanted to be better than the boys, so a long partnership with a boy seemed impossible. Come to think of it, maybe I never competed with the girls because I always thought the boys were my real competition. At the gym, I would lift heavier weights than the boys. We are two sisters, and I do think that my mom subconsciously wanted a boy, as she already had a girl. In our extended family, there were mostly girls, so the ones with boys were given that much more importance. These are very subconscious things, and I picked up on all those cues and I thought I will be better than the boys. Maybe that explains my career, too, in a way… don’t you think?
Perhaps, a lot of my hormonal issues were an outcome of this rejection of the feminine part of me and I fought it, as I wanted to constantly prove that I was better than the boys. But marriage has allowed me to accept that side of me. Maybe, it has made me realize that I’m not lesser and don’t need to be better than the boys to be good enough. I’m good enough just being me…wholly me!
Being hospitalized in a foreign country was scary-Srishty Rode
10:25 PM
Hasti Doshi (BOMBAY TIMES; January 3, 2025)
Srishty Rode’s exciting European vacation came to an unexpected halt after she fell sick and had to be hospitalized in Amsterdam. The Ishqbaaaz actress, who is back in India now, says that it was a scary experience.
She shares, “I went to Europe towards the end of November and while I was in Paris, I got a fever, which didn’t subside even after taking medication. When I was in Amsterdam, I still wasn’t feeling well. On the day I was supposed to take a flight back to India, my oxygen levels dropped and I had to be hospitalized. Although my friends were with me, it was still scary to be hospitalized in a foreign country.”
She adds, “I was diagnosed with pneumonia and had to keep an oxygen pipe with me constantly in the hospital. Things took time to stabilize. Visitors were allowed once a day and my friends could meet me just for some time. I felt alone and used to cry. After four days, I was discharged & took a flight back to India. Once back here, I had to be hospitalized for another five days.”
The actress is recovering slowly. “Eating good food and taking care of my health is my priority now. After this experience, I am scared to travel anywhere, but I’m hoping to overcome my fear soon.”
It may sound silly to go on a honeymoon again, but all these years, we have never travelled without our children-Ronit Roy
11:01 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; December 27, 2023)
Ronit Bose Roy is gearing up for his honeymoon after renewing his vows with wife Neelam on their 20th wedding anniversary. Ronit says, “It feels good. Now we get to go on a honeymoon again! Neelam’s favourite places are Amsterdam and Gstaad. It may sound silly to go on a honeymoon again, but all these years, we have never travelled without our children. Now, we plan to do that because my daughter is studying in Los Angeles and my son will soon go abroad, too.”
Sharing details of the ceremony that took place at their farmhouse in Goa on Monday, Ronit says, “It was a wish come true. Neelam wanted to renew our wedding vows for a long time, and I was keen, too. We regularly perform puja at this temple on our property in Goa and Neelam had expressed her wish to get married here again. So, during this trip, we planned to tie the knot. Her family’s presence was a surprise for her, and my mother, who does not go anywhere, also came to bless us. My children joked how they were not present for our wedding, but were happy to see their parents get married again.”
Ronit and Neelam tied the knot in 2003. Talking about their life together, he says, “We dated for three years before getting married. Back then, when I asked her about her future plans, she had said, ‘I want to get married, have children and be a homemaker.’ Being a homemaker and keeping the home front going well is a big task.”
He adds, “We do have our issues and fights, but we sort them out and that’s how our marriage has become stronger. Neelam has been a pillar of support and that’s why I say I can marry her over and over again.” Before trying the knot with Neelam, Ronit was married and had a daughter from his first marriage.
Once your mind opens up, you can look at characters with a different perspective-Saqib Saleem
8:15 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 10, 2020)
For Saqib Saleem, 2019 was a rather busy year. He had been shooting for Kabir Khan’s ’83, where he portrayed the character of former Indian cricketer, Mohinder Amarnath. And so, he decided to take a trip to Amsterdam to “clear his mind” and start 2019 on a fresh note. “I had my friends taking a trip to Europe. But, as I was shooting till December 30, I decided to travel on January 1 and begin the year with a bang. I was in Amsterdam for five days and it was an amazing trip. I really needed this break,” he says.
The Race 3 (2018) actor adds, “Travelling makes me happy. It was important for me to go out there and have some fun. I worked throughout last year and I needed some time off. I have never been to Amsterdam, or Europe for that matter. It helped me start focussing on what I wanted to do next.”
So, what did he do while in the Dutch capital? “While in Amsterdam, I did the usual touristy things. I went to the Rembrandt Square, Dam Square, Van Gogh Museum and Moco Musuem. I used to wake up in the morning, get out of the house, pick up some coffee and keep walking with my jackets, mufflers and cap. It was very cold there,” the 31-year-old shares.
For Saqib, it’s important to take breaks to detach from a character and switch to a new one. He explains, “Once you travel, it opens up your mind as you meet different people and get to know about different cultures and settings in the world. It’s important to take breaks and travel between your work. Once your mind opens up, you can look at characters with a different perspective.”
The young actor explains that ’83 was a rather emotional exercise. “Every character that I play does something to me. When I played Jimmy Amarnath, it made me calmer as a human being because Jimmy sir is very calm. If one had to get him right, they had to inculcate a Zen like attitude and bring forth a sense of resilience. It was difficult to play a character who’s so calm because I’m normally very hyper. I had to start meditation just to calm myself down,” the Bombay Talkies (2013) actor says.
Now, my family addresses me as ‘Pandey ji’. Earlier, I was called Pandu-Chunky Panday
8:12 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (September 14, 2019)
During a recent turn on Kapil Sharma’s chat show, The Kapil Sharma Show, Chunky Panday revealed what made him take up villainous roles on screen. According to the actor, who was accompanied by the Prassthanam team—Sanjay Dutt, his producer-wife Maanayata Dutt, Satyajeet Dubey and Amyra Dastur—it was his wife, Bhavna, who persuaded him. “Whenever my wife and I fought, she would say, ‘Chunky you are a real villain, bade neech insaan ho,’” the actor revealed, noting that his gundagardi has earned him more respect in the Panday household. “Now, my family addresses me as ‘Pandey ji’. Earlier, I was called Pandu,” Chunky chuckled.
While Maanayata revealed that her actor-husband once tried to prank her by refusing to wear a dhoti for a scene, Kapil too got into the spirit of spilling secrets, sharing that he was in Amsterdam when Dutt’s biopic Sanju released and he was denied entry into a show after arriving late. To get in, he showed a picture of himself with Ranbir Kapoor (the film’s lead) to convince security that he was the film’s producer.
Priyanka Chopra to host Valentine's Day bash in 10 cities around globe?
8:24 AM
For her first Valentine's Day celebration after marriage, Priyanka Chopra to host bash in 10 cities around globe; party kicks off in Auckland, ends in LA
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 14, 2019)
It's her first Valentine's Day after her fairytale wedding to Nick Jonas last December, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas wants the world to join her in the celebration of love.
Turns out, the actor - in association with Bumble, the social networking-cum-dating app that she backs - has planned an elaborate 24-hour Valentine's Day party that will travel across several countries. Termed the Domino Effect Valentine's Party, it offers users across the globe a chance to party with Chopra.
A source close to the actor informs, "Since it is her first Valentine's Day after marriage, Priyanka wanted it to be special. The actor's team came up with the idea of her hosting a party that begins in one part of the world and ends in another. While the first bash will kick off in Auckland, it will then move to Sydney followed by Manila and Mumbai. The other cities on the itinerary include London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Toronto, with the final destination being Los Angeles. While Priyanka will join the guests at the other parties through live streaming, she is expected to attend the Los Angeles soiree with Nick by her side."
Besides supervising the preparations for the Los Angeles leg, Chopra has also taken a keen interest in the Mumbai do. "The bash will be held at a Worli hotspot and the guest list includes Dino Morea, Manushi Chhillar, Shibani Dandekar and Milind Soman, among others."
The Mumbai bash will be hosted by real-life couple Karan Kundra and Anusha Dandekar. Dandekar says she agreed to be part of the do as the networking site empowers women by giving them the power of choice. "I have believed in pushing women to the forefront to be able to make their own choices. Since the party represents that, it was an immediate yes from my end."
Images: Family time for Priyanka-Parineeti Chopra, Anil and Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut
8:06 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (November 7, 2018)
Kangana Ranaut, who is in Manali to celebrate Diwali with family, vintage wine and music, spent Monday outdoors for some sun and snow with her parents, sister Rangoli and her nephew.Anil and Sunita Kapoor, meanwhile, are in London with daughter Sonam and son-in-law Anand Ahuja, while younger daughter Rhea has joined in with rumoured boyfriend Karan Boolani. On Monday, the happy bunch dropped by a theatre at the West End to catch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s widely acclaimed musical, Hamilton. “The plan is to fan this spark into a flame,” Rhea captioned the image of the family outing.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Chopra was recently joined by actress-cousin Parineeti Chopra and friend Isha Ambani in Amsterdam, where her bachelorette had commenced on Sunday. While the bride-to-be chose a Georges Chakra dress for the occasion – “Featherweight of the world,” she said about her outfit – her gang, which also included sister-in-law-to-be Sophie Turner and besties Srishti Behl-Arya, Natasha Pal, was colour-coordinated in red.
After the party, groom-to-be Nick Jonas left a comment on a picture of PeeCee and Pari shared by the latter. “Wow she is so beautiful. Any chance you could introduce me?” Parineeti shot back, “She is very hard to get! But I can try for you, if you agree to pay the 5 million dollar shoe hiding fee!”
Bride-to-be Priyanka Chopra now adds a ‘J’ to her name?
8:41 AM
Ismat Tahseen (BOMBAY TIMES; November 6, 2018)
Priyanka Chopra, who is reportedly set to tie the knot with singer Nick Jonas on December 2 in Jodhpur, has kicked off her wedding celebrations, alright! After a bridal shower in New York last weekend that was attended by the likes of Hollywood stars Kelly Ripa and Lupita Nyong’o, Priyanka and her girl squad — Sophie Turner, Srishti Behl Arya, Tamanna Dutt, Natasha Pal, Chanchal D’Souza and Dana Supnick — brought in her bachelorette on a yacht in Amsterdam. The photos and videos have gone viral and there is one specific photo where the actress is seen wearing a cap with the initials ‘P.C.J.’ Has she added the ‘J’ officially? Well, only time will tell. In the same picture, she is also wearing a sash with the words ‘Bride to be’.BOATS, BLING AND BRIDE GOALS
In Amsterdam, Priyanka kicked things off with a picture showing off her finger with a blingy ring and captioned the photo, ‘Bachelorette Vibes’, to which her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Denise Jonas, playfully posted a comment, ‘Be Good’, with a red heart emoji. That was followed by a series of fun posts.
The actress wore a short sweater dress with feather details, snakeskin boots and a cream coat and posed with her gal gang by a boat. The photo that was posted read, ‘Setting sail...#bachelorette #Squad.’ After their canal cruise, the actress switched to a colour blocked orange sweater, plaid skirt ‘Bride to be’ sash and tiara, when she hit the city for some fun.
PeeCee then shared a photo of herself enjoying a drink with the caption, ‘A day in the life of... #bachelorette.’ In another Insta post, the actress was seen later twirling around in a short, sequined white dress with a feathery cape in her hotel lobby, with a caption, ‘Bride Goals.’
WORLD, MEET THE ‘J SISTERS’
The bachelorette party went on to be a fun evening, where Priyanka and Sophie Turner announced themselves as the ‘J Sisters’. A video emerged that night of Priyanka taking her sister-in-law to-be, Sophie Turner, piggyback during her celebrations. Priyanka added the hashtags ‘#TheJSisters’ and ‘#HighHeelFails’ to the video and is seen looking into the camera and saying, “In heels! This is what you have to do for sisters-in-law these days.” Both actresses have been on double dates with the JoBros before this, but they definitely took their camaraderie to the next level with their ‘J Sisters’ shout-out to each other.
Ranveer Singh kicks off wedding festivities with Satyanarayan puja and haldi ceremony
8:21 AM
Ranveer Singh takes a break from Simmba's Goa shoot to attend pre-wedding function in Mumbai
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 5, 2018)
After Deepika Padukone flew down to Bengaluru for Nandi Puja last week, groom-to-be Ranveer Singh kicked off wedding celebrations with a Satyanarayan puja and haldi ceremony on Sunday. The actor, who was shooting Simmba in Goa, flew down to Mumbai for a day.
"When Ranveer informed Rohit Shetty that he will be taking a day off for the pre-wedding celebrations, the director happily obliged. He flew down on Saturday evening, well in time for the Satyanarayan puja that was held on Sunday morning. It was followed by a haldi ceremony. Arjun Kapoor and casting director Shanoo Sharma attended the function, apart from Ranveer's friends from outside the industry," informs a source.
The actor's Bandra residence was bedecked with flowers for the occasion. Clad in a white kurta and pyjama, Singh was spotted at his balcony as he posed with Sharma for selfies.
Ranveer Singh and Shanoo Sharma (Pic/Yogen Shah)
Ranveer Singh and Shanoo Sharma clicked while taking a selfie
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Dutch bachelorette for Priyanka Chopra; Ranveer Singh keeps it desi for haldi
MUMBAI MIRROR (November 5, 2018)
Celebrations have begun for the two big weddings of the year. While Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s nuptials are scheduled for November 14 and 15 at Lake Como in Italy, Priyanka Chopra will tie the knot with her American singersongwriter beau Nick Jonas in Jodhpur between November 29 and December 2.
After a bridal shower in New York organised by her besties, filmmaker Mubina Rattonsey and manager Anjula Acharia last Sunday, PeeCee has taken off to Amsterdam for her bachelorette with her girl gang of Srishti Behl Arya, Tamanna Dutt, Natasha Pal, Chanchal Dsouza, Dana Supnick-Guidoni and Sophie Turner. “They will hang out for a couple of days in the Dutch capital before the bride-to-be gets busy with a work commitment. The plan is to chill,” informs a source.
Meanwhile, Ranveer Singh’s haldi celebrations took place at his Bandra residence on Sunday. His close buddy and casting director Shanoo Sharma clicked selfies with the excited groom-to-be, who’s still sporting his Simmba mousetache, on his terrace. The strings of marigold added a festive touch and reminded one of Deepika who wore the same shade of orange during the nandi puja on Friday at her Bangalore home.
Pride parades are celebrations of life-Abhishek Kapoor
3:07 PM
Abhishek Kapoor who chose to ring in his 47th birthday on Monday by being a part of one in Amsterdam
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 7, 2018)
How did the idea of walking in the Pride Parade in Amsterdam on your birthday come about?
It happened spontaneously. Close friends in Mumbai and Amsterdam were prepping up for it and it sounded like a lot of fun. My wife Pragya prodded me to go experience this incredible movement. Sexual orientation should not be a reason for discrimination, but unfairly it is. Pride Parades are expressions of freedom and a celebration of life over everything else. This spirit, attitude and spunk is worthy of respect.
Tell us about your interactions during the Parade?
I met the most amazing people across the spectrum and the energy was unbelievable! The people of Amsterdam are the best brand ambassadors for their city. Inclusiveness is a way of life there and they take it most seriously. Streets, canals, balconies and even rooftops were overflowing with people who were cheering with love, joy and compassion.
Any other plans for the vacay?
I needed a break after the crazy year I’ve had filming Kedarnath. I needed to chill, re-charge my batteries, soak in some inspiration and experiences. Now, I’m looking forward to home and family; the most fitting end to the birthday.
When do you get back?
I’m spending a couple of more days in Europe but I can’t wait to get back and finish the film, which is neck deep in post-production. Technically, we’re having two babies, back to back.
Pragya makes it so effortless, I simply follow her lead and do as I’m told. For the first few months I know I’ll be treading on eggshells.
Anything you’ve learnt with your son Isana that will come in handy?
The first thought is “burp the baby”, and the huge relief when my little one burped. Isana is a lovely boy who has trained us both very well.
Kedarnath is finally complete. What was the shoot like?
It’s the toughest shoot I’ve been on. The terrain and the weather were both daunting, and taking a crew of 150 on a trek for a month to shoot is not an easy task. The actors also gave their best. I don’t think anyone other than Sushant (Singh Rajput) could have done what he has in this film.
What changes did Ronnie Screwvala coming ín as a producer after Prernaa Arora’s exit, bring into the project?
He got me out of the mess we were in. Ronnie stuck an arm out for me and I can never forget that. He is a visionary, an exemplary leader; I continue to learn a lot from him. His work ethics and discipline are motivating and inspiring. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. I guess someone up there is watching over me
Your thoughts on Sushant Singh Rajput and debutante Sara Ali Khan?
Sushant is special. We have an unspoken connection which translates into crackling chemistry on the sets. He is an evolved human being and the most dedicated professional. Sara is equally evolved, and possesses her own brand of maturity; when the camera comes on, it’s like some higher inner power takes over. Together, they share an on-screen bond that’s unusually captivating and effortlessly fresh.
Me and my wife dozed off in the Parineeta premiere-Pradeep Sarkar
8:04 AM
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 14, 2018)
When Vidhu Vinod Chopra during a meeting with ad filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar casually enquired if he had any story for a Hindi film, Dada admitted he wanted to adapt Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1914 Bengali novel Parineeta but wasn’t quite convinced about Shekhar and Lalita’s ‘mala badal’ wedding which forms the crux of the story. Intrigued, Vinod asked for a narration and surprised Dada by saying, “Chalo, yeh film ek saath karte hain.” Dada however wasn’t sure of convincing the new-age audience, for that matter Lalita herself, that uske shaadi ho gayi when she unthinkingly slipped his gold chain around the neck of her neighbour Shekhar. Just because this happened while a priest was conducting another wedding next door and the mahurat was auspicious, did it make the marriage real and binding? How was he going to justify the title Parineeta (The Married Woman) when he wasn’t convinced? Vinod insisted they go ahead, reassuring Dada that they’d find a way of making that defining moment believable. “And so I went into Parineeta, unconvinced, waiting to see what would happen, the only consolation being the team believed aisa ho sakta hai,” Dada reminisces.
On D-day, a fight erupted between Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan after she used an unscripted Bengali expression which he believed to be rude. “Saif was really angry and noting the cold vibes, I’d resigned myself to an early pack-up when it struck me that perhaps this was how it was between Shekhar and Lalita too,” reasons Dada.
In the story Shekhar is miffed that Lalita has found new friends, including Girish, a tycoon from London, and when she swings by to hand him his kurta buttons and slips the gold chain around his neck he exclaims, “What have you done?” She retorts, “Ab kya galat kar diya maine?” and suddenly, his anger melts away and he reaches for her. She struggles to break free, not wanting to be held but also not wanting him to let her go. “As I watched the scene play out, I realised that kabhi kabhi jhagade aur manana brings lovers close,” Dada explains, sighing that filmmaking is a huge responsibility as you’re creating a world of your own. “Sometimes the responsibilities can overwhelm you and when that happens it is best to leave things to a higher power sitting besides you. He could be the cinematographer or the spotboy. That evening, I felt God was with me and he resolved the dilemma. When I told Kabir Bedi this on a TV show, he asked me, ‘So what happened during Laaga Chunari Mein Daag?’ and left me speechless.”
He also veered from the original ending where Shekhar leaves the final decision to his mother, telling her to do what she thinks right. “It was a lukewarm end, not the way a hero would react,” he asserts, and so made Shekhar break down the wall that had come up between his house and Lalita’s, in the process breaking down the wall between them. “I knew I’d have to face the repercussions of this in Kolkata and was relieved when Rituparno Ghosh called me at 2 am after a screening and lauded me, saying Sarat babu too had wanted to break down walls, metaphorically.”
He goes on to recall the first’s day’s shoot in Kolkata after a schedule in Assam. “We were waiting for three trucks of props to arrive so we could start filming 'Piyu Bole Piya Bole' when I was informed they were stuck in Orissa. We had just a piano. I called for a ghoda gaadi but since we didn’t have permission for the horses, the cart was positioned in a corner, and I sat Saif down by the piano and around 10 pm got started on the song, shooting through the night. Cinema is all about magic and madness,” he smiles.
By the time Dada arrived in Amsterdam for Parineeta’s premiere he was exhausted, mentally and physically. “The screening was in a beautiful hall with an old world charm, lots of big names around but they were all strangers since I was from the ad world. The film started and both my wife and I dozed off. I woke up with a start to hear my name being called and realised they wanted me up on stage,” he laughs, saying fondly, “It was a film made from the heart, that’s why we are still talking about it 13 years later.”
There should be freedom of press, of expression, freedom of every kind-Sonam Kapoor
7:11 AM
Upala KBR (DNA; May 12, 2017)
Recently, there have been many conversations on censorship in films, on social media, at places of work etc. Sonam Kapoor who is known to speak her mind, feels this isn’t healthy.
Pro-choice
She explains her stance by giving an example of her recent visit to Amsterdam and how she found it to be probably one of the safest cities in the world “because everybody has a choice”. Says Sonam, “Most of the Dutch people don’t smoke up because the choice is theirs and they don’t have to hide and do it. Even prostitution is legal there. And they have the least number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cases over there. They have the lowest crime rate because everyone has a choice and they use it responsibly; with the right precautions and safety measures.”
There has been talk of banning alcohol in some states of India. She counters, “With bans in place, bootlegging will happen — leading to consumption of spurious alcohol, killing people.”
She offers a personal example: “My parents never stopped me from doing anything and because of that, I didn’t feel the need to do certain things. They would never say, ‘You can’t have a boyfriend’ or ‘You can’t do this or that…’ In fact, at one point, my mother asked me, ‘Why don’t you have a boyfriend?’ Because they never stopped me! So, I have had barely any linkups. And when they have happened, I have never spoken about it, but dealt with the situation in a certain way or had a certain dignity in doing things, because I was never told that’s it’s not okay to be that person.”
Why so secretive?
She says she finds it weird when people secretly do things because then it looks like you are doing something wrong. She explains, “A lot of my friends are in the closet and I feel like that they make certain decisions that might not be good for their mental, emotional and physical health, because they can’t be open about their lives. Hence, they can’t make informed decisions because they feel it’s illegal to be gay in our country and the right information is not available to them.”
She further elaborates, “Information should be given and people should be more liberal in their thought process otherwise young people will be confused and hurt themselves.”
More freedoms, please!
In fact, she says that with the kind of restrictions we are putting on ourselves, it’s not going to help as we are too vast a country — with many cultures, languages, religion, ways of thinking, education systems. She concludes, “There are so many different types of mindsets, it’s confusing. So everything should be allowed and open. There should be freedom of press, of expression — freedom of every kind — so that people can make informed decisions.”
I'd love to gatecrash Leonardo DiCaprio’s New Year’s party-Rajkummar Rao
8:01 AM
Rajkummar Rao knows how to have fun and let loose, too. Like he does in his upcoming film
Karan Shah (DNA; December 28, 2016)
Most of his roles have been intense affairs, the last one being in Aligarh. Rajkummar Rao’s next, Behen Hogi Teri, is markedly different — it’s a light-hearted masala entertainer. We visited the sets in Lucknow and saw him in action. Excerpts from our chat...
What made you say yes to Behen Hogi Teri?
The script. I found BHT funny and relatable. The characters are real and human. I met director Ajay Pannalal and found him to be a great guy. Before BHT and Bareily Ki Barfi, I finished three films that were quite taxing for me as an actor — Trap, Omerta and Newton. I thought of trying something light. That’s why I chose this film.
A photo of you dressed up as Lord Shiva went viral. What is your character like in the film?
My character’s name is Shiv Nautiyal, but people call him Gattu. He is in love with this girl, Binny, who is played by Shruti (Haasan). They’ve been neighbours since childhood. And as it happens in North India, you can’t really fall in love with your neighbour. I don’t know why the practice exists, but it is kind of strange. So the film shows us, how since childhood he is trying to woo her, but he cannot as it is not allowed. Then he joins her jagran mandali, which is owned by Shruti’s family. He starts working there and starts performing like Lord Shiva. He is also studying. So there is a lot of drama that follows, a lot of confusion.
You posted a few selfies, showing off your six-pack abs. Will you be doing that in the film, too? Do we see you taking off your shirt?
No, I doubt if people will be able to see that in Behen Hogi Teri. That was only for Instagram. I’ve always been a sports enthusiast, but never got the opportunity. So I like working out. I like to shoot, then work out, eat and sleep — that’s my life.
You don’t talk much about your relationship with Patralekhaa...
It’s as boring as it gets, it’s just a relationship like every other relationship. We have spoken a lot about it during Citylights and now we are focusing on our respective careers now. It’s there, that’s about it.
Reports about your break-up with her made headlines earlier this year. Do such rumours bother you?
No, not really. As long as you know the truth, nothing else matters.
Any plans to get married soon?
No, not anytime soon. I am still a kid.
Coming back to movies, tell us a little bit about more about your upcoming projects.
I think Trapped will be the first one to come out. I am really looking forward to that. It’s just a one-character story, so that way it is very special. Then there is Hansal Mehta’s Omerta, which I feel is one of the most explosive films till date. Then I have Newton, a satire, a black comedy and a slice-of-life film, all rolled into one. Then there is Bareilly Ki Barfi. In the movie, I play two drastically different personalities, which was fun. And then there is Behen Hogi Teri.
What has been your favourite movie of 2016?
This Kannada film called Thithi and Udta Punjab.
What’s been the song of the year for you?
It changes every month because there is so much good music coming out. But Ikk Kudi from Udta Punjab.
The actor and actress of the year, according to you?
I think Manoj Bajpayee in Aligarh was really fabulous. From the actresses, a lot of them did great work this year. I haven’t seen Kahaani 2 yet, but Alia in Udta Punjab was amazing.
Three biggest events of the year for you...
Donald Trump winning the presidential elections in America. Demonetization, for sure, has affected everyone. I remember, we were shooting for Bareily Ki Barfi in Lucknow and somebody called me to say that it had happened and I retorted that it didn’t. But people on the sets confirmed that it did. At the time, I had around Rs 4,000-5,000 rupees in my wallet. But it suddenly changes your perception towards life. The currency I had was just paper by then. There’s really no point taking anything seriously as anything can change anytime.
Any New Year plans?
I am planning to go to Amsterdam.
One person’s New Year party you would like to gatecrash?
Leonardo DiCaprio’s. I think his party will be a lot of fun. He is one of the best actors we have, so his parties will be great, too.
Radhika Apte: Around the world in a few dollars
8:43 AM
Actress Radhika Apte recalls her many adventures, from Budapest to Zanzibar
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 28, 2015)
Radhika Apte has just returned from a much needed vacation in the Himalayas with her musician husband, Benedict Taylor. And along with a sense of awe inspired by the majestic mountains, she also feels a niggling sense of disappointment.
The actress hiked from Raibareli to Kausani, through the Valley of Flowers to Hemkund and then on to Badrinath, Mannar and Rishikesh. Apte was shocked to see the high levels of pollution in the religious shrines. "Doesn't religion teach you about hygiene and cleanliness?" she asks. "There were plastic bottles lying everywhere, even on glaciers at 45,000 feet. Ashrams have turned into resorts. There are a lot more people and a lot less quiet."
Apte had visited Joshimath and Badrinath, then travelled up north as a child. The memories are cloudy. The family friends she'd gone with insisted that a lot has changed. She wanted to revisit some of these places and see for herself. It was as much a trip down memory lane as a recce of sorts for an under-the-wraps project. She's returned rejuvenated but also somewhat disheartened by the human erosion of picture-perfect nature.
Wanderlust bit Apte early. Her mother shares her love for travelling and they have gone trekking in Kashmir, Himachal, and Uttaranchal together. She's also travelled through Rajasthan extensively and still has vivid memories of the many hues of the Pink City. She remembers watching the solar eclipse in the deserts of Jaisalmer through makeshift glasses in the '90s.
"I remember
there was a magician travelling with us who'd keep us entertained. One
trick was getting us to write the name of our favourite sweet on a piece
of paper which he'd fold, say the hocus pocus mantra, then ask us to
unfold and lick. It always tasted like the rasgullas, gulab jamuns and
laddoos we were craving for. It was only later that he revealed that the
paper was dusted with sugar powder and he was using human psychology to
trick us into believing that we'd got the mithai of our choice," Apte
chuckles. She recalls another trip, in her teens, to a repertory in Mussoorie where a friend taught. From there, she headed to Dalhousie and then to Manali on a "deluxe bus".
"Once on the bus, I realised that the seats were soaking wet. I pointed it out to the conductor who smiled and said that he'd just washed them," narrates Apte, who tore up a cardboard box holding bottled water to line her wet seat.
But a more pressing problem was her neighbour who dozed off, and kept dropping his head on her shoulder. Sleep-deprived, she decided to shift to seat next to the driver. He was an elderly, paternal sardar who got off midway, urged her to skip Manali and go home with him.
Despite the shocking proposition, Apte braved an overnight journey on a state transport bus where she was the only female passenger. "I don't know if I'd be as brave or as naive today," she admits with a laugh, adding that she can't forget the yummy rajma chawal she had at the dhabha where the bus stopped for dinner.
Soon after high school, the 19-year-old with wandering feet decided to backpack through Europe by herself. It didn't matter that having been to a Marathi medium school in Pune, her English wasn't too fluent or that she had never been abroad.
Just like Kangana Ranaut's character in Queen, Apte went to Amsterdam and visited the sex shops, attended live performances and even befriended a showgirl who'd discovered that she was partially of Indian descent.
Then, she was off to France via Luxembourg. Stepping out of the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris — where she ducked into a shop to call her friend who was supposed to meet her — Apte had her first brush with racism. "The lady inside was livid when I told her I couldn't speak French. Snatching the receipt from me, she pointed me to the door warning me not to enter her shop again," recounts Apte.
Later, when her friend arrived, he found her sobbing on the phone. He wiped her tears and convinced her that the French weren't all that bad. "I even stayed for 10 days in a studio apartment housing film school students. Being with them was such a revelation."
Since she didn't want to borrow money from her parents and because theatre didn't pay much, she had to rough it out or hope to sign a film which would take her to picturesque locations. "I did Shor In the City because I needed Rs 45,000 to go to Zanzibar for a theatre festival. They paid me Rs 60,000," she reminisces.
Another trip to Colombo with Sri Lankan dancer friends changed the course of her life. Apte quit theatre, left Pune and moved to London to learn contemporary dance.
In Edinburgh, she met a 92-year-old who was conducting the Buena Vista Tour. From there, it was on to the Scottish isles where she met her husband Benedict, a British musician who has composed the score for the recently-released film Killa. He spent a year in South Africa shuttling from one farm to the next, working in the fields to afford a living. "Some day, may be I can do that too," she smiles.
Friends come easy to the girl with a bright smile. She remembers reaching Budapest — after changing four trains — and then being unable to locate the address of the Hungarian director who wanted to cast her.
Unfazed, she went to a nearby cafe, struck up a friendship with the owner and ended up spending five days with him and his theatre friends, exploring the city. "I finally located the lady I'd come to meet. Her film never got made but I ended up making several new friends whom I'd like to revisit someday," she says.
For the past two years, all the travelling she's been doing has been for work. That's no fun for Apte because the itinerary is planned, she stays in five-stars and is driven around in air-conditioned cars. "It's all so touristy. And as Paul Theroux once said, 'Tourists don't know where they've been, travellers don't know where they are going," smiles the actress who loves to travel.
Why Kapil Sharma's wife Sumona Chakravarti is missing from Comedy Nights With Kapil
7:46 AM
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; December 24, 2014)
Kapil Sharma's onscreen wife
Sumona Chakravarti has been missing from the show Comedy Nights
With Kapil for more than two weeks now. We hear the actress was
holidaying in Europe for the last two weeks and is back in the country
now. When contacted, she said, “I was shooting for a film in London, and
then went on a holiday to Amsterdam and Paris. Now, I am back
and have resumed shooting for the show. Nothing else is wrong
and viewers will get to see me soon.“
'Queen' Kangana Ranaut visits red-light areas in Amsterdam
7:57 AM
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; January 22, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut, who has shot in Amsterdam’s red light areas for the song Gujariya for Vikas Bahl’s upcoming movie Queen, made it a point to take some time off to interact with the locals. And though her shoot spanned just a few days, Kangana had made a few friends by the end of the shoot.
Kangana, who is currently in the US, confirmed this news. “Though I have heard a lot about the red light districts in Amsterdam, seeing it for real and interact with its people was a unique experience,” says the actress, who — interestingly – had interacted with people from the red-light areas of Central Mumbai during the shoot for her film, Rajjo.
A source adds that during the Amsterdam leg of the shoot, Kangana was totally at ease, despite the presence of many men in the area. “There was no awkwardness whatsoever. It was also good to see that people there knew who Kangana was — we have also shot a lot of footage for the behind-the-scenes video,” says the source.
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