MUMBAI MIRROR (March 18, 2020)

In a recent interview, Anushka Shetty addressing rumours of a romance with her Baahubali co-star Prabhas, said, “I have known Prabhas for over 15 years now, he is one of my 3 am friends. We are usually linked because neither of us is married and we make an amazing on-screen pair. Had there been anything between both of us, it would have been out by this time because we are not the kind of people who would hide (the relationship) our emotions if we are involved.”

Beside Baahubali, the duo has featured in Billa and Mirchi. When he appeared on Karan Johar’s chat show, Prabhas had also insisted that they were just good friends.

Meanwhile, there is also the buzz that the actress is marrying her Size Zero director Prakash Kovelamudi. However, she retorted, “None of that is true. I don’t get affected by such rumours, but I don’t know why my wedding is such a big deal. It is a sensitive matter and people should deal it with some sensitivity.”

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 22, 2019)

Prabhas has been jet-setting to different cities to promote his upcoming action thriller, Saaho. The film, which was simultaneously shot in Telugu and Hindi marks the 39-year-old actor’s debut in Bollywood. The day (rather, the night) we met, he had just finished filming for a reality show. Though he was a little fatigued, the Baahubali star never showed it and answered every question candidly — be it the immense pressure that he is under for Saaho, which comes after the massive success of his mythical period dramas that made him a national hero, wedding rumours or his link-up with South actress Anushka Shetty. Over to Prabhas...

Saaho is being touted as one of the biggest action films with a budget of Rs 350 crore. Did the success of Baahubali scale it up?
Yes, it was after Baahubali that the designing and the scale of Saaho become big; but the idea was in place earlier when Baahubali was being filmed in Telugu and Tamil. Even the script was ready. But after the success of the period drama, the action scenes were mounted up, the set-up was made bigger, and corrections were made to make the story stronger.

Was it your decision to start the film only after Baahubali 2?
Actually, after part one, we decided to take a gap of six months during which I thought we will shoot for Saaho because I knew Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) will take one-and-a-half years. But after Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), I was so tired. I also felt it wouldn’t be good to shoot for a couple of months, stop and restart because, in between, I’d have to shoot for Baahubali 2. I cannot do the (different) looks or shoot them because I know the way it goes. And as I said, I needed some rest, so we decided to shoot after Baahubali 2.

Between the two action films, which one did you find more challenging?
Baahubali was definitely more challenging. Saaho is a contemporary film and the action scenes are designed to the next level. But in the former, everything was new. I always wanted to do a period film and the most exciting part was the war. In Saaho, the action is real. The truck that you see sliding in the trailer is real, it is not CG (computer graphics). That vehicle was travelling at a speed of 40 miles per hour and we needed to stop it. That stunt had to be done in real motion and it was extremely hard to stop the truck because the tyre was out of control. So, we got the drivers from the Hollywood film Transformers, and a lot of action and stunt masters from around the world to get that real feel.

Are you the kind who does all the stunts himself?
I do most of the stunts myself. When I was new to the industry, I was very enthusiastic and wanted to do all the stunts even those not captured by the camera, including the dupe shots! Later, when you start getting injuries, you think, okay, you’ll do what is necessary. I have done a lot of action films in Telugu, so, after some time, your body tells you that you need to be careful.

Saaho will be an acid-test for you coming on the back of Baahubali and it’s also your debut Hindi film.
Yes. I know. There is a lot of pressure on me, but the script is the master for any film, even for Baahubali. Also, because Saaho is releasing in so many languages, and the budget is so high. Sujeeth (director) worked for so many years on it. He and the producer are my friends, so it’s also a personal thing.

It was reported that you took a 20 per cent pay cut for Saaho...
Yes, because for films like Baahubali or Saaho, you can’t take whatever remuneration you get when you’re in demand. That part can instead be used to make the film bigger. These films require a huge budget and a lot of research because they haven’t been tried before.

How was the experience of filming it?
It was interesting because my friends were involved and they took a lot of care with details. Sujeeth is young and excited with fresh thoughts. He spent a lot of time on the film’s pre-production — on the script and planning. I think it was great of him to manage big names from the South like Sabu Cyril, Madhie sir and Sreekar Prasad in his second film, with such a high budget. There were (internal) fights but he managed so well, he never fought or showed his anger.

While you make your debut in Hindi, Shraddha Kapoor forays into the South with this film. Did you help each other?
The first day Shraddha spoke Telugu, I was shocked. She must have practised but still she was so good. She was excited about shooting the Telugu portion because it was new for her. The same thing happened to me while shooting Baahubali in Tamil because that was a first for me and it brings new energy. While filming Saaho, I used to ask several times whether my flow and accent in Hindi is right because words can be corrected later in dubbing, but the flow has to be right. I had a Hindi tutor, Kamal sir from Mumbai on sets and even during the dubbing.

Was it difficult to shoot simultaneously in different languages?
Yes, it was strenuous. I have been doing films for the past 16-17 years, where after you give a shot and it’s okay, you are done. But here you have to do it again in different languages and it becomes strenuous for actors and technicians because you have to capture the whole mood again. Sometimes, it’s that spark, which you get once. I am not a many take actor, I get done in a couple of shots, so it was stressful for me.

The film was to release on August 15 but was pushed by two weeks. Are you happy with the shift?
I’m happy because quality can’t be compromised, especially for a film one was working on for so many years. I understand it is not right for the business, and also for other films, which had to shift their releases because they already had plans. It is wrong from our side but for the quality of the film, I don’t mind.

Do you like doing action movies?
I like to do action as well as love stories. In Telugu, my favourite film is Geetanjali (1989) in which there is absolutely no action, not even a slap.

What would you like to do next?
I want to do a romantic movie or romcom after Saaho. But I will plan once the movie releases and I know the result.

You have had hits and flops in your career. How do you deal with it?
My first two films did not do well and I thought I will never get a hit. However, offers were pouring in and I got a big blockbuster. But then there was a phase when for three years my films were disasters. That was the hardest time. Then I had two hits and a flop. Next, Mirchi was a hit, Baahubali happened and the last four years have been really good. Now, after Saaho, let’s see...

Every time your film is up for release, there are rumours about your marriage, and there has been talk about you and Anushka Shetty dating each other...
I know there have been a lot of rumours since the last four years. Once I was linked to a politician, whom I had never met. That was one of the most hateful rumours, it was irritating. Anushka and I are friends and when we did Baahubali, we worked for four years together. People liked the love story and Devsena (her character). It is common to get linked with your co-star. But you cannot hide something like this for two years. And, why should we hide if there is something?

Prabhas on the Baahubali phenomenon, taking a pay-cut for his next action-thriller and why the post-production delays were justified
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 15, 2019)

It’s a scene straight out of a Hindi film. The hero and heroine slip out of a suburban theatre, skip into their getaway vehicle, and zoom off. The waiting media is caught unawares, losing precious minutes in finding transport before they can give chase. And just when they are closing in, Mumbai’s notorious traffic jams play spoilsport, allowing Saaho’s leads, Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhas, enough time to grab a bite before they face the firing squad to talk about their upcoming action-thriller.

“How soon can you get here, there’s no one to interview him?” the panicked publicist hollers. Equally panicked, one leaps into an autorickshaw and, wending through narrow by-lanes to arrive at the Juhu five-star, only to discover that the duo has already been cornered by a TV channel.

An hour later, one is sitting opposite the Baahubali, who is tall, strong and innocuous. He confides that as a kid, he had felt intimidated by the crowds and the lights when he visited the sets of his uncle’s (actor Upppalapati Krishnam Raju) films. “My uncle was strong... superb... but I knew this was not for me. However, as I grew up, I was drawn to this world thanks to people like Bapu who directed our home production, Bhakta Kannappa. When I was 18-19, I asked myself, ‘Can I be an actor?’ Since the idea no longer felt alien, I took it to my father (producer Suryanarayana Raju U), quit B.Com in the second year, and joined films,” Prabhas reminisces.

Starting with Eeshwar in 2002, the actor has featured in 25 films so far, the biggest being S S Rajamouli’s epic adventure, Baahubali: The Beginning in 2015, followed by Baahubali: The Conclusion two years later, which made him not just a pan-India hero but also found him a fan base in Japan—admirers from the Land of the Rising Sun are found dancing outside his house today. Prabhas acknowledges that the team was confident about the film’s prospects in Telugu and Tamil, but the phenomenal response to the period war-drama in Mumbai and up North shocked even them. “I am still wondering if it (franchise) really happened, it’s surreal. A few months ago, Karthikeya, Rajamouli’s son and a friend, called to inform that Skyfall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Baahubali 1 and 2 will be screened at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October in the ‘10 Years of Films in Concert’ series with live orchestra. Excited, I told him I want to be there too, feel a part of the magnum opus again,” he says.

Prabhas admits that while he doesn’t usually like being disturbed during a movie, he has watched some big films, including his own, alongside cheering fans, and in the case of Baahubali, it was an learning experience. “I was watching their reactions to see if they were connecting with a certain expression of mine or a shot Rajamouli had suggested. What was working? What wasn’t? Of course, eventually, it’s not about action or actors, the visuals or even the format, but eventually it is the script that works,” he explains. The actor, as part of Saaho’s prep, watched films with great screenplays on his director Sujeeth’s suggestion, including several Guy Ritchie films, Kevin Spacey’s Usual Suspects and Brad Pitt’s Seven.

Baahubali still plays on the mind. Which of the two parts was more difficult? “The Beginning, since the budget was so huge, and we weren’t sure of its reception up North. Even the second part exceeded our expectations,” he says. As an actor, which role was tougher? “I loved the challenge of the father’s. Shivudu was more casual, a destiny’s child, but Amarendra was a more designed character with depth in the way he looked, thought and spoke.”

Did Amarendra remind him of his own father? “I’ve never thought that way but with a beard, I look like my father sometimes. It feels good to look into the mirror and see his face,” Prabhas smiles. And what has been his family’s reaction to his Baahubali blockbusters? “They are shocked, and thrilled. My mother (Siva Kumari) told me I had to remain cool, not let success go to my head. Two years later, I asked her if I had changed, she shook her head but reiterated I should be careful. You know what mothers are like!” he laughs indulgently.

Saaho is the way forward now. Wouldn’t Independence Day have been a better release day for this lavishly-mounted action spectacle? Prabhas admits that they are disappointed that delay in post-production forced them to push the release to August 30. “But everyone has worked hard on the film for two years, the director for three. We could have earned so much more if we’d released it soon after Baahubali 2, but the idea was to make a quality film without compromising on time and money. I have to add that Bhushan (Kumar, producer) helped us make Saaho bigger and better. After so much effort, we could wait 15 days more if it meant we got to see the film without feeling disappointed on any level,” he reasons.

Tell him that buzz is, he’s been paid Rs 100 crore for the film and he chuckles, saying, “Baahubali has set the bar high, but Saaho was a Rs 250 crore film, so I knew I couldn’t charge my usual remuneration. I started out with a 20 per cent cut. Then, the film went slightly over and though my friends were ready to pay up, I couldn’t take their money knowing they were putting in so much without thinking of what they’d earn.”

Another rumour doing the rounds is that he will be tying the knot with Anushka Shetty after Saaho’s release. There’s also talk of them buying a love nest in Los Angeles. For the first time, you see a flicker of exasperation, “Anushka and I are very good friends but if there was something more, wouldn’t someone have spotted us together in the last two years? The question was posed to me on Karan Johar’s show too. I let Rajamouli and Rana (Daggubati, Baahubali co-star) answer it and even they stated that there was nothing between us. It wasn’t as if I had prepared them,” Prabhas states.

Has Rajamouli offered him another film? He shares that it’s only RRR for the director for now as he only focuses on one project at a time. For him, it’s an untitled love story he had committed to long ago and shot for just 20 days last year because of Saaho. “The director’s been waiting a long time,” he sighs.

When asked if he has noticed any changes in himself during his journey from shy guy to superstar, he mulls over the question and goes on to admit that he is exposed to different cinemas now, from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada to Punjabi and Hindi. But he doesn’t see them as different film industries. “Irrespective of the language, I have to do my job well otherwise even in the Telugu film industry no one will want me,” he points out.

Prabhudheva drops by to meet him. Is a collaboration cooking? Prabhas chuckles, “Nothing at the moment, he’s been a friend for 15 years.” The Indian Jackson had got his actor-friend to do a special appearance in the Ajay Devgn-starrer, Action Jackson. “Yes, but I never saw the film,” Prabhas reveals, admitting that he hasn’t seen Baaghi either, which was reportedly inspired by his Varsham. But he has seen and loved Dangal. “What an inspiring story!” he exclaims. Can he see himself doing a remake of the wrestling drama? Baahubali shrugs, “I don’t know if I can carry it off. Aamir (Khan) was superb!”

He may be making his Hindi debut, but Mumbai has always been a familiar city for the actor, as he frequently visits friends here. “And I can read and write Hindi too,” he reveals, and noting the surprise on your face, admits that his ‘master’ on Saaho was surprised too. “Earlier, I wasn’t comfortable with the press interviews here, but this one wasn’t difficult,” Prabhas smiles as he rushes off to meet Prabhudheva who is waiting in his suite.


Prabhas and Anushka Shetty in the 2013 film Mirchi

R Madhavan on sharing screen space with Kill Bill star Michael Madsen in his upcoming thriller Silence
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; March 28, 2019)

Evidently excited to share screen space with Michael Madsen in the Hollywood crossover thriller, Silence, R Madhavan heaps praise on the actor's repertoire. "Michael has an amazing body of work, so I can't wait to get on the sets and groove with him," says Madhavan of the actor, who has featured in several offerings of ace director Quentin Tarantino, including Kill Bill and the upcoming multi-starrer, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Hemant Madhukar's directorial venture pairs Madhavan with Anushka Shetty in a trilingual (Telugu, Tamil and English) that will simultaneously go on floors in April, in America. "The concept is unique. Anushka is a rockstar. In the past, we have worked together [in Rendu, 2006]. I can't wait to work with her again."

While the actor refuses to divulge details about his character, he is willing to reveal that he has begun prepping for it. "I am learning to play the saxophone, and the cello. It is tough but will make my part look authentic."

Madsen, it is suggested, plays the role of the antagonist in the offering that marks his international film debut. The venture also features Subbaraju, Shalini Pandey and Avasarala Srinivas.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; January 2, 2018)

This man needs no introduction. Well, not after he flexed his perfectly greased, rock-solid bahu (arms) at the box office. Yes, the man is Prabhas, whose magnum opus Bahubali swept all records nationally and globally in 2017. Bollywood threw open its gates for him and suddenly, moviegoers across the nation were waiting with bated breath for one unanswered question — Kattapa ne Bahubali ko kyu maara? (in Bahubali 2: The Conclusion).

But even after all the adulation and success, the actor remains a man of few words. He believes in letting his action speak out loud, literally. Recently, the actor, who rarely gives interviews, got chatty with us about the landmark year (2017) of his career, his life after the epic drama, his affair with Bollywood and his step to superstardom.

“Bahubali was a life-changing experience. Without that film, people wouldn’t have recognised me across the country. I have done good Tamil films, too, but after Bahubali, people across cultures and languages started recognising me, including the overseas audience. S S Rajamouli (director) knew that he was making something big, given the budget and scale of both the films, but the response that we got was beyond expectations.”

‘Instead of saying that the script does not work, we say that the actor didn’t work in the role’
Ask him if there was a huge difference in his life before and after Bahubali, and he’s quick to reply, “Yes, you can definitely say that there was a life before and after Bahubali. This was a once-in-a-lifetime movie. I definitely feel that it has been a huge change for me, even my old dubbed films got an opening after three-four years, and they enjoyed a good run.”

This year, the actor has moved on to other films, like the trilingual Saaho with Shraddha Kapoor, but he fondly reminisces the five years that he spent living as Bahubali. “Walking into such a grand set every day is exciting for an actor. I was part of a great wonder, so the experience didn’t ever exhaust me. It’s just in the last one month of the shoot that I felt that I should do something else. I told Raja also that I wanted to do something else now,” he says. In the same breath, he adds, “During the first part, the pressure was far more, as we didn’t know how the Hindi-speaking audience would react to it. The Tamil and the Malayalam audience are slightly different, so when it worked with the Hindi audience, we were shocked. But Rajamouli made a universal film, so that made a huge difference. His vision is larger than what you can even imagine. Someone like Karan Johar backing the film also helped a lot. Initially, we wanted to make part one and two together, but then Raja thought that the script was becoming too long, and he wanted to focus on many characters like Kattappa, Devasena, Shivamani and Avantika. Of course, the question — Why Kattappa killed Bahubali — kept the audience engaged for a year.”

About Saaho, he adds, “Our director (Sujeeth) was very keen to have Shraddha on board. When he discussed it with the producers and all of us in the team, everyone felt that Shraddha is perfect for the role and luckily, she accepted the film.”

‘ANUSHKA (SHETTY) AND I ARE JUST GOOD FRIENDS’
The Friday fate is every actor’s nightmare, so for an actor to devote five years of his life to one ambitious project was a humongous risk. “I was never insecure about how the film would turn out. I am from the film background, so I know how it works. Even if Bahubali didn’t work, I would treat it like — here is a film I gave the kind of time in which I could have done three films and it bombed. So what? I put the maximum effort on the greatest film. I knew Raja could make the greatest film in Indian cinema, and this was the biggest opportunity of my life, so I didn’t want to miss it for anything,” he asserts.

During the course of filming Bahubali, rumours had sparked about love brewing between his co-star Anushka Shetty and him. Any truth to that? “When you are paired opposite someone on screen (for so long), people tend to link you up with them. As for Anushka and me, we are just good friends,” he clarifies.

‘PEOPLE WANT TO WATCH INDIAN STORIES’
What is interesting is that in today’s times when we are talking about new-age cinema, urban stories et al, India’s fourth biggest blockbuster, Bahubali, was an epic film. It was a fantasy drama rooted in Indian ethos and tradition, albeit told in a very Indian style, presented with the grandness of new-age special effects.

It goes to prove that stories that are purely Indian in nature are still very close to our hearts, right? He spontaneously replies, “People want to watch Indian stories. There was a time when Mughal-E-Azam was the most grand cinema that was made. Bahubali was Rajamouli’s way of saying a story, but we all are somewhere unknowingly still inspired by epics like the Ramayan, Mahabharat, and stories from the Amar Chitra Katha. These stories will always be inside us. We make modern films, but then again, something in us wants to revisit historic films and tales from the past. After 10 years, we might get bored of all this, and make something else.”

‘I HOPE THAT I NEVER LET STARDOM GET TO MY HEAD’
Talk to him about working in Bollywood and watching Hindi films, and he says, “I watch a lot of Hindi films; I live in Hyderabad, where 60 per cent of the people speak in Hindi. I am getting good offers from Bollywood; I had okayed a script three years ago. It is a love story that I will do post Saaho.” What about friends in Bollywood? “I made a good association with Karan Johar; if I want anything, I think I can ask him. He has helped us a lot. In fact, I met some actors (from Bollywood) in Karan’s house. They were all very chilled out.”

Now that he has made an entry into BTown circles, we ask him if stars down South are different, in the way they interact with each other. “There might be some small regional differences, but they are all generally very cool. I think that Bollywood stars are more chilled out than actors in Tamil or Telugu cinema, though the new generation of actors (down South) are also more chilled out,” he says.

For an actor who is now at the top of his game, Prabhas is grounded, humble and keeps a low profile. “From my first film, I was like this. While dubbing for Bahubali, Karan Johar told me that publicity is important. Basically, I am a shy person,” he explains.

About being high on success, he says, “I hope that I never let stardom get to my head. I always have my childhood friends around me; some of them are my producers, too, and for them, it doesn’t matter if I am doing films. They just feel happy for me. I have grown up with them, so they don’t see me as a star. I have the best people around me, so if I let success go to my head, they will be the first to put a hammer to my head.

South actors have a massive fan following, they are put on pedestals and worshipped by their fans. Does all that pressure make him fiercely competitive? “There is competition in every industry. Healthy competition is something that helps you get better and better. So, in that way, I am competitive,” he replies.

‘IF THE SCRIPT IS NOT GOOD, THE FILM WILL NOT WORK’
To break away from the larger-than-life image of Bahubali is also no mean feat. Will filmmakers be able to downplay that aura with ease and cast him in roles that are closer to reality?

“Well, in Hollywood, the guy who plays Batman and Spider-Man also plays normal characters. The biggest stars in the world want to play different characters. We can’t give the excuse that because an actor played a superhero in his previous film, his next one won’t work. If the script is not good, the film will not work. Instead of saying that the script does not work, we say that the actor didn’t work in the role. That is the problem. I was doing a lot of action films and people loved me in those movies. After that, I did a small love story and it was a hit as the script was good. People forgot that I had done so many action films and started liking me in the love story,” he explains.

Apparently, Prabhas had never set out to be an actor. With time, choices changed. And fate too. Today, he’s titled a superstar, and that’s a mighty leap. But he quickly reacts to that and says, “Not yet, but I’m hoping one day I will be a superstar."

Subhash K Jha (DNA; July 4, 2017)

Anushka Shetty, the Southern sensation of Baahubali fame, would have made her debut​ in Bollywood opposite Ajay Devgn in Singham. But there were financial disagreements. As Anushka says, “Everything happens at the right time.”

She was seen by a massive Hindi-speaking audience in Baahubali, which was a dubbed Hindi film. In her next with Prabhas titled Saaho, Anushka makes her full-fledged Hindi debut. There is an independent Hindi version of the film on the anvil for which both Anushka and Prabhas are learning the language. And, this time unlike their costumes in Baahubali, Prabhas and Anushka will don a variety of urban-chic looks.

Says a source, “Their chemistry will be sizzling-hot. Baahubali was all about holding back passion. In Saaho, Anushka and Prabhas will let it all out.”

Both the actors have been ordered to lose weight and get into shape where they can wear the coolest clothes including leather jeans and beachwear. They play young people of today caught in a situation of crisis.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 25, 2014)

Rajinikanth starrer Lingaa's Hindi edition will not see as much of the Thalaiva as the Tamil and Telugu versions.

The film starring Rajinikanth, Sonakshi Sinha and Anushka Shetty released in South India on December 12 and has reportedly suffered heavy losses across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

As a result, the makers are editing the Hindi version of the film and have reduced its runtime from a little over three hours to two hours and 28 minutes.

"The audience in the North does not worship Rajinikanth. There is no need to show him as a 'God' on screen. We have edited out all his OTT scenes," said the film's director and co-writer K S Ravikumar, who also helmed Rajinikanth's 1999 Tamil superhit Padayappa.

And it was only Rajinikanth's scenes that were left on the editing table. "Except two songs, no sequences featuring Sonakshi and Anushka were edited out," added Ravikumar.

"Keeping all the commercial aspects in mind, we shortened the songs from five and a half minutes to a maximum of three minutes," he added.

Eros had purchased the film's distribution rights for a whooping Rs 200 crore and planned a worldwide release of 5500 screens for the film. They are optimistic that the film will pick up over the holidays. "We are hoping that the holiday season will bring in the crowds," said Ravikumar.

Make-up artist Charu Khurana fought and won the legal battle in the Supreme Court against the irrational union rule in Mumbai that didn't allow women makeup artists to work in Bollywood Excerpts of a conversation with the lady who fought and won equal rights for women in Bollywood:
Saloni Bhatia (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2014)

Makeup artist Charu Khurana refused to accept the archaic union rule that prohibits female makeup artists from working in Bollywood. Harassed by the strongarming by the Cine Costume and Make Up Artists Association, Mumbai, she took her fight to the Supreme Court last year. The rule, that prohibits women from working as makeup artists and limits them to working as hairstylists in Bollywood, was called “constitutionally impermissible discrimination“ by the Supreme Court. Jyotika Kalra, her lawyer, told us, “The Supreme Court has struck down the clauses in the constitution of the Cine Costume and Make Up Artists Association (Mumbai) that say that only men can work as makeup artists, and only when a person has been staying in the state for five years. The union has been directed to allow women to work as makeup artists, and the domicile clause has been struck down.“

“The court has also directed the police to ensure that the association allows this to happen. The petition has not been closed till now and a hearing will take place on January 14 regarding similar clauses in other state makeup artists' associations.“

Before the verdict came through, we met Charu in her Lajpat Nagar home (in Delhi), where she told us about her struggles as she took a stand against the outdated rule and the humiliation that she suffered.

VERY FEW MAKEUP ARTISTS IN INDIA
The issue went to the court the previous year, but I've been fighting the union for the last five years. I first came to know about this rule when, after learning under Vidya Tikari in Delhi, I went to do a small ad in Mumbai as a makeup artist and there were only men there, who were looking down on me. I was told that only men could work as makeup artists in the film industry, but at that time, I didn't give it much thought. In 2008, I went to LA and did my masters in special effects. There, I saw the evolution of the makeup industry. I am trained in special effects and prosthetics. We still have international makeup artists coming to India to work in films. I am not saying that we shouldn't encourage international makeup artists, but our makeup artists should also get a chance to work with international talent, so that they can learn the tricks of the trade.

IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE I DID A PROJECT
When I was initially not allowed to work as a makeup artist, I approached the Maharashtra State Women's Commission, but they were not very keen on helping me. Then I went to the NCW (National Commission for Women) in 2009, which took up my case. Girija Vyas was the chairperson at the time. The NCW helped me with the paperwork and I'm very grateful to them, but they need to be stricter in dealing with their cases. Agar koi aur hota, toh woh chhod deta yeh fight and doosra profession pakad leta. It's a government body, but what they say or recommend isn't followed. The wait was frustrating. It has been two years since I did a single project. My lawyer, Jyotika Kalra, didn't charge a penny for fighting the case and was quite supportive throughout.

PAKISTAN'S ACTORS WORK IN BOLLYWOOD, BUT OUR FEMALE MAKEUP ARTISTS COULDN'T
Apart from stopping women from becoming makeup artists, there are a number of other discriminatory laws that prevent women from working in the film industry. There are unions in five states - Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu - and if you want to work there, you need to have domicile proof that you have stayed in that state for five years. This means, people from one state can't work in another state's film industry. Where will the people from the rest of the states go? Is it not discrimination? When you talk about singers or actors, we have people from Pakistan working in our films. We have people from Britain working here and even settling down here, but our own artists are not welcome. I was ready to work as a hairdresser, but then, they asked me for domicile proof, which I didn't have. That's when I decided to take up the matter with the court.

FEMALE ACTRESSES NEED FEMALE MAKEUP ARTISTS
There are so many female actresses in our industry, and yet, this rule continued to exist. Female makeup artists could only work with actresses in their vanity vans or hotel rooms. I mean, if an actress needs a touch-up on the sets, she has to seek the help of male makeup artists, which may not be very comfortable for them. Sometimes, if they are wearing skimpy clothes or bikinis, they might be more comfortable around a female makeup artist than a male one.

I GOT SUPPORT FROM THE INDUSTRY
My teacher in LA was friends with Kamal Haasan, and after finishing my course, my teacher helped me get in touch with him. He was doing a film which needed special effects. Unfortunately, that film never went on the floors, but I did the Tamil remake of A Wednesday with him. There, on the sets, the union harassed me, but Kamal Haasan supported me during that time. He has guided me by explaining what the bylaws of the union are. Vikram, a popular actor in the South, used my services for one or two films and Anushka Shetty, a Tamil actress, gave me guidance and helped me meet the right people. Even Abhishek Bachchan, with whom I worked in Raavan, said that the rule was unfair. Shoojit Sircar gave me my first film Yahaan and I have done a couple of ads with him too. My brother Rohit Khurana, who is a TV actor, has also provided me with support.

I HAD TO SHARE MY PAY WITH MALE ARTISTS
Many a time, I've had to give up my credit in films because of this rule. I've had to share my remuneration with a male makeup artist because of it, as have many other female makeup artists. They were quite happy when this case went to court. While there are some qualified male makeup artists who will accept this decision, there are others who might still create problems. The union has become stricter in the last few days. They've been raiding sets to search for female makeup artists. They're even checking vanity fans. Namrata Soni was harassed a few days ago, when she was working on a film set. The association is resisting the rise of women makeup artists.

The union harasses producers who hire female makeup artists. Some people voiced their opinion against the rule. For instance, Farah Khan wanted female makeup artists for her film and she even spoke to the union, but they didn't allow it. These people would raid the sets, cut off the electricity and abuse us. They would charge producers a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 that was not accounted for. No producer or director would like to work under such conditions. That's why the producers complied with the rule - they had no other option.

IRRATIONAL RULES THAT EXISTED IN THE STATES OF MAHARASHTRA, TAMIL NADU, KERALA, KARNATAKA AND ANDHRA PRADESH
A woman can't work as a makeup artist. She can, however, work as a hair stylist, if she has domicile proof of residing in the state for five years. If a child's father is a makeup artist, the child is entitled to getting a membership of the union, if he decides to work as a makeup artist. If you are a member of one of these unions, you can work as a makeup artist in any of the other industries. You can't work in the film industry of these states if you are not a member of the union.

Southern actress Anushka Shetty, who was to make her foray in B-town with Singham, says she is not looking for Bollywood stardom
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 17, 2014)

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 28, 2014)

On April 4, Mirror brought you the story that Sonakshi Sinha will make her debut in the Tamil film industry with a Rajinikanth-starrer, which may be dubbed in Hindi. The film has two female leads, a girl-next-door from a bygone era and a contemporary character, and Sonakshi was asked to take her pick. Now, Mirror has it that the actress has made her choice. She will play the girl from the ’40s. This newspaper can also reveal that Rajinikanth has a double role in the film. The Tamil superstar plays a royal who returns to rule his kingdom after getting an education abroad and then is seen as his grandson. A source revealed, “Sonakshi will play the royal's love interest and Anushka Shetty will be paired opposite the Rajini of today. The two characters do not have any scenes together.” Back to Sonakshi, a source close to the actress revealed, “The role picked by Sonakshi is meatier. The film’s director Ravikumar too thought that she is well suited to enact the role of the girl from the 40s.” Written and directed by KS Ravikumar, who also penned the story and screenplay of Rajini’s Kochadaiyaan, the Sonakshi-starrer which was expected to flag off in May at a lavish set in Mysore, will now go on floors next week. “We are starting earlier than planned. Sonakshi will start shooting on May 3 with Rajini sir . Her wardrobe is ready and she will be seen wearing South Indian half sarees in quite a few scenes.” said the source.

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; April 7, 2014)

While it is being insinuated that Rajinikanth may romance the 27-year-old Sonakshi Sinha in his next Tamil film that also has Anushka Shetty as one of the leading ladies, one hears two conflicting versions from the South. It is said that Shatrughan Sinha and Rajinikanth who acted together in Asli Naqli (1986) are close friends. And while Sona’s age may not be the deterrent for the 60-plus Rajinikanth, his closeness to Shotgun Sinha could make the Tamil legend slightly uncomfortable in romancing the daughter of his friend. Sources from Kollywood say that other actresses like Nayanthara are being spoken to for the same role for which Sona is being considered. Let’s wait and see how this plays out. It would be interesting, of course, to see Sona make her Tamil debut if this casting ultimately goes through.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 4, 2014)

Who says Rajinikanth is ready to call it a day? His daughter, Soundarya, who’s preparing to unveil her directorial debut Kochadaiiyaan on May 12, has refuted rumours about her dad’s frail health. She insists that he’s absolutely fit and all set to work on his next project, a live action movie. “Expect an announcement soon,” she told Mirror.

The film in question is a period romance that starts in the ’50s and continues to the present day. It is written and directed by K S Ravikumar who has also penned the story and screenplay for Kochadaiiyaan. Produced by Rockline Venkatesh, the film is expected to flag off towards the end of May on a lavish set being erected in Mysore. It will be a Tamil film with plenty of local colour and may get dubbed in Hindi too.

Buzz was, Sonakshi Sinha and Singham 2 actress Anushka Shetty were the contenders for the female leads. Mirror has learnt that the two roles are, a girl-next-door from another era and the other, a trendy miss of today. Sonakshi who loved the script has been given first preference to pick the role of her choice.

A source close to the film reveals, “They are two different tracks and the girls will not share much screen space. This means they can allot a different set of dates to the two actresses. Sonakshi, a busy Bollywood actress, will pick her role depending on her schedule. She likes both of them equally.”

The makers who met her in Mumbai recently, are also trying to rope in Oscar winner A R Rahman to compose the music. “Rajini sir loves Rahman’s music. He has crooned a composition by him in Kochadaiiyaan,”adds the source.

Cinematographer Rathnavelu will reportedly be the DOP, while the rest of the cast and crew are still being finalised.

A friend of Sonakshi’s confirmed the news saying, “She is trying her best to work out the dates for Rajini sir’s film.”