Vijay V Singh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 12, 2020)

Mumbai: Rhea Chakraborty has reportedly told the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that last October when she and Sushant Singh Rajput were on a Europe tour, the actor developed a psychological problem on seeing some paintings in the hotel room.

Sources quoting Rhea said a reproduction of Francisco Goya’s ‘Saturn devouring his Son’ (below) left him shaken. “Apparently, he began imagining the characters in the painting were moving,” the source said. He started chanting using Rudraksha beads, sources said, quoting Rhea. The heritage hotel in Florence, Italy, where they stayed had several famous paintings on its walls.

The duo went to Austria from there, but Rhea claimed they cut short their tour and returned to India because Rajput’s problem persisted, often leading to bouts of crying. They stayed together and he was under psychiatric treatment, she reportedly told ED. Rhea claimed she also went through a phase of depression and was under treatment for a while.

The two companies in which Rajput was a director along with Rhea and her brother were set up during this period.

On Tuesday, ED again recorded Rajput’s manager Shruti Modi’s statement. She had earlier told officials though she was his manager, Rhea used to take all decisions on behalf of Sushant. The ED also recorded the statement of one of Rajput’s sisters, Mitu Singh, on Tuesday. Officials said the money laundering case has become a jigsaw puzzle. Rhea claimed six days before his alleged suicide, Rajput sent her to her parents’ house for her well-being. Two days later, he even messaged her brother to inquire about her. The ED has registered a money laundering case against Rhea, her brother Showik, their father and others. It is probing allegations that Rs 15 crore was siphoned off from Rajput’s account before his death.

Juhi Chawla recounts how Coronavirus pandemic cut short her trip to Austria, prompting hurried return to Mumbai with husband and son; informs daughter is in Uganda with her grandparents
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 3, 2020)

Around this time of the year, Juhi Chawla is usually in Kolkata, cheering her Boys in Purple (team Knight Riders) from the stands while anxiously watching the scoreboard. But this IPL cricket season, the actress and franchise co-owner is locked down in her Mumbai home. “Unless the situation improves and travel restrictions around the world are lifted, we can’t expect matches to start,” she reasons.

Juhi’s Austrian family holiday with husband Jay Mehta and children Jahnavi and Arjun turned into an event straight out of a film as the Coronavirus scare spread across Europe. “Austria partially closed off its borders soon after we left. Ditto Switzerland. So, we returned to our London home where my in-laws joined us,” she recounts.

By then, India had started restricting incoming international flights and a lockdown-like situation seemed imminent. “So, we decided to fly back. Apna ghar, apna ghar hota hai aur apna desh, apna desh hota hai,” Juhi says emphatically, asserting that she didn’t want to be anywhere else but home during these trying times. “We approached the High Commission of India and they helped us reach Mumbai safely. All the racing and the dodging made it seem like we were shooting for a thriller.”

Upon her return to the city, the actress faced yet another challenge. “Some of our staff comes from outside and it quickly became apparent that they wouldn’t be able to continue reporting to work. So, we re-organised everything and shut off some of the rooms for better management of the rest. Thankfully, I have people in the kitchen, otherwise it would have been a disaster. We are functioning with skeletal staff and one in-house driver,” the actress informs.

Juhi’s businessman-husband is with her, along with son Arjun, while daughter Jahnavi is in Uganda with her grandparents. “She studies in the US and they have to attend online classes. Being in India would mean staying up all night for lectures. At least the time difference is not so huge there,” she explains.

Arjun, who will appear for his standard 10 exams this year, is continuing with his studies, too, in case the school suddenly decides to hold them. “He’s also watering the plants, now that the gardener can’t come in. There’s also a lot of fiddling around with gadgets,” she says, going on to enquire if the person on the other end of the line is using earphones or speaking directly into the handset. Sounding disappointed when told it’s the latter, Juhi says she’s trying to stay away from mobile phones as much as possible.

Meanwhile, with the family priests unable to come in, Jay and Juhi have started conducting the morning pooja themselves, beginning the day with prayers. “It’s calming; perhaps this is God’s way of bringing us closer together,” muses the actress, who has also started doing riyaaz again. “I was a dedicated student to begin with, but as life got busier, I gave up music. My teacher prodded me to start again and I have started taking online classes.”

She’s tuning out negative news so it doesn’t add to her anxiety, and is reveling in the positives instead. “It’s not so hot in Mumbai anymore. Normally, by this time, you couldn’t do without the air-conditioner. The skies are so clear that I can see the lights all the way to Cuffe Parade from my Malabar Hill apartment,” she exults, adding that she is having methi seeds, soaked overnight, every morning to pamper her tresses. Is it working? “If I come out of this lockdown with thick, lustrous hair, you’d know,” she chuckles.

Juhi Chawla recounts how she had to cut short her trip and return to Mumbai
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 1, 2020)

Juhi Chawla had spent weeks chalking out the month-long Austria holiday, knowing little that fate had other plans in store. The actor, who headed to Austria with husband Jai Mehta and kids Jahnavi and Arjun on March 1, had to cut short her vacation and fly back home as the Coronavirus pandemic spread across Europe.

Narrating her ordeal, the actor says, "When we reached Austria, the country was on the verge of closing down [ahead of its partial lockdown on March 16]. So, we could stay back or leave right away. After our Austria trip, we were scheduled to travel to London. So, we advanced that and promptly headed to London where we have a family home."

By mid-March, the situation in the British capital was turning bleaker. Around the same time, back home, the Indian government announced restrictions on incoming international flights. "We were again [left with the same options] — return to India right away or stay back in London. We then went to the High Commission of India; the officials there ensured that we could travel back home safely," recounts Chawla, who landed in the bay on March 20. Under home quarantine since, Chawla has contributed to various non-profit organisations that are helping those affected by the lockdown.

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 22, 2020)

After a trip to Florence, Italy, last month, Juhi Chawla and her family flew to Austria, earlier this month, as her daughter, wanted to spend her spring break skiing. Right before they decided, Chawla asked her family if they should be travelling as many cases of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) were reported around the world. “But everyone insisted, so we landed in Zurich, Switzerland, on March 12,” she shares.

“After reaching Austria and skiing for a day, we learnt that Austria will be shutting the resorts by March 16 as they found a few people infected in the country. Meanwhile, some of Jay’s (Jay Mehta, Juhi’s husband) other friends joined us, so we decided to stay for two days and then leave. But the next day, while we were on the mountain, we heard that the resort would close that very day and if we don’t leave, we would be stuck there. So, we packed and left for Zurich as we couldn’t get any flights to London (UK),” says the actor.

They stayed the night in Zurich, flew to London the next day and hoped to stay there for a while. But a day later, they heard that India would be closing its borders too, so they had to either leave the UK in two days or stay there till March 31, when the situation would be reviewed.

Chawla says, “Once again, we were panicking as I am the only Indian national and the rest of my family has OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards. I have never seen this kind of scenario, where whichever country we left was shutting its borders. The last seven-eight days of my life have been crazy. We were just running from one place to the next. In the UK, we applied for visas to be fast tracked and the officials were kind and helpful. There were other family members and friends, too, who needed to get back to India. On the flight, we filled a form giving out details of the places we had travelled to in the past month. At the Mumbai airport, officials checked every form and as we had been to Europe, stamped us - Home Quarantine!”

They were later whisked off to a doctor, who explained to a group of similarly stamped people, how to conduct themselves at home over the next fortnight. Chawla is thankful they managed to return to India on time as things are serious back home.

Praising the government’s efforts to tackle this outbreak, she says, “What was clear was that our government is trying hard to help everyone and protect us as far as possible. Huge respect for all the officials on duty.”

With public gatherings restricted in Austria following the coronavirus outbreak, the actress and her family are confined to their estate. She is making the most of this forced break to bond with family
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; March 20, 2020)

For the past few years, actress Celina Jaitley has been enjoying a quiet life away from the limelight in Austria, with her entrepreneur-hotelier husband Peter Haag and sons Winston, Viraaj and Arthur. However, the Coronavirus pandemic has left the family rattled, especially due to their proximity to Italy, one of the countries that’s heavily hit by COVID-19. Celina tells BT, “Due to proximity to Italian borders, everyone is taking extreme measures to follow the government’s directions. Even as I am worried about the way the virus is spreading, I am relieved that our estate is located high on the Alps.”

Celina says that she’s thankful for her husband’s foresight. “We were prepared well in advance — even prior to Austria’s chancellor announcing restrictions on movement in public places on Sunday. As of now, we can only leave the house for urgent work, to buy necessary food supplies or to help others. All roads and malls are deserted,” she shares.

While city-dwellers have no option other than self-isolation, the actress feels fortunate that she gets to enjoy the greens around her estate. She says, “Though we are under curfew, we have brooks, orchards, gardens and a winter garden within our property.”

The actress, who has been a part of films like No Entry, Golmaal Returns and Thank You, is also using this forced break to teach her children about India. She elaborates, “I am taking great pleasure in homeschooling the boys and teaching them Sanskrit and Hindi, besides their school curriculum. I am also educating them about ancient and modern Indian history.”

She signs off saying, “This time with my family has truly helped me get over my parents’ untimely demise last year.”

Couple is keeping it low-key with board games, books and long walks during their week-long stay
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2019)

Ayushmann Khurrana, who won his first National Award recently—for his turn in Sriram Raghavan’s AndhaDhun— has taken a break from the promotions of his next film, Dream Girl, to holiday in Austria with wife Tahira Kashyap. According to a source close to the actor, the couple left for the destination on August 24 and are scheduled to return to Mumbai after a week. “Ayushmann had been looking forward to the break as he has worked continuously for the last six months. They will be exploring the scenic Salzburg and Altaussee,” the source informed, adding that the couple is spending their time reading, playing board games and going for long walks.

On Thursday, Ayushmann documented his trip on social media, noting, “Sukoon ki talaash mein duniya ghoom lo. Hota tumhare andar hi hai. (sic)” Tahira kept it more playful, taking a dig at her actor-husband’s competitive attitude. “He was so determined to beat me that he got the chess to the room! (sic),” she remarked.

Last year, it was reported that Tahira is gearing up to make her directorial debut with a slice-of-life film. The project was put on hold when she was diagnosed with cancer. “Now, she is doing pretty good with the treatment. Once they are back in Mumbai, Tahira will continue to fine-tune the script, while Ayushmann will get back to his next release,” the source shared.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 19, 2019)

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez recently shot a special song for Saaho with Prabhas in Austria. The number, titled Bad Boy, was shot over two-and-a-half days with virtually no time for rehearsals before the shoot. Sung by Badshah (who has also penned the track) and Neeti Mohan, the song comes close on the heels of a crucial fight sequence in the bilingual action-thriller. Talking about the song and working with Prabhas, Jacqueline said, “Prabhas works relentlessly till he gets things right. It was crazy and fun. Though there is action around the song and I love throwing in kicks and punches, I’m not part of any action sequences here. I was just very nervous as to how we’d do this because I had to get my Telugu lines right. I couldn’t do it without being fully ready, but I was pleasantly surprised that I could nail my lines in the first take.”

Jacqueline, who was in Europe for another professional commitment, met the team of Saaho in Croatia. “As much as I like rehearsing for all my songs in advance, there was no scope for that here. I was already shooting for something else when this opportunity came my way. I just wanted to team up with Prabhas in some capacity, and I was excited when this song was offered to me. So, we started shooting in the second half of the day and over the next two days wrapped it up,” said Jacqueline, adding, “We went into this song completely blindfolded, and yet, it’s turned out very well. It’s the first time that I worked with a team down South, and I was amazed that they work at such a fast pace. They’re so professional and well-prepared. Prabhas rehearsed all his moves with me on the set till he had nailed it.”

Actress rehearsing for dance film while shooting for Prabhas-starrer
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 26, 2019)

After wrapping up the Dubai schedule of Remo D’souza’s Street Dancer 3D with costar Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor took off to Austria last week to resume shooting for the Sujeeth-directed Saaho, which also features Prabhas. The actress has been filming for a romantic number with the Baahubali actor along with a few action and conversational sequences. Given her tight schedule with back-to-back projects, the actress’s mother Shivangi Kapoor had joined her on the European schedule before heading to Amsterdam, where Shraddha’s brother Siddhanth is on a break after wrapping up his next, Chehre.

Mirror has now learnt that besides shooting for Saaho, the actress is also prepping for the climax shoot of Street Dancer 3D, which she resumes shooting on June 29, the day of her return to India. The makers of the film have flown choreographer Tania Torao to Austria so that Shraddha can rehearse her moves for the forthcoming schedule. “Shraddha wasn’t getting enough time to prep so Tania, who has been with her since the beginning of the film, is helping her rehearse her hip-hop steps in-between breaks,” informs a source close to the development. The film’s team has erected a huge set in suburban Mumbai where the cast will be shooting for the climax sequence. “During the Dubai schedule, Shraddha filmed the recreated version of 'Muqabala' with Prabhudheva and will even have a face-off sequence with Varun as they are initially shown as members of opposite teams. The last schedule will go on for 22 days. Several international dancers are flying down to Mumbai to shoot for the finale sequence,” adds the source. 

Saaho stars Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor stranded on the Austrian Alps after cable car stops midway due to heavy rains
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 24, 2019)

Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor are currently shooting for the last schedule of Saaho in Austria. In keeping with the grand scale of the thriller, director Sujeeth had envisioned a high-octane action sequence to be filmed in the snow-clad resort of Sölden. While the two-day shooting at the Alpine ski resort was a smooth sail, the cast apparently had a hiccup on their way to the base camp.

A source says, "There are high-tech gondola lifts that provide access to the ski slopes. After filming the sequence on Thursday, Prabhas, Shraddha and their team — including hair stylist Nikita Menon, costume designer Leepakshi Ellawadi and makeup artist Shraddha Naik, among others — began their descent, in the cable car, when it started raining. Minutes into the ride, the cable car stopped midway and the team found themselves stranded at an altitude of 1,368 metres. Understandably, everybody was terrified as dusk was falling over and the rains showed no signs of receding."

The source adds that it was Prabhas who comforted the unit, assuring them that rescue teams would be sent if the situation worsened. "He kept a cool mind and explained to everybody that the cable car would resume its operation as soon as the rains stopped. Usually, in high-risk situations, rescue teams use helicopters to evacuate passengers. Thankfully, that need didn't arise. The rain stopped after about half-an-hour, and soon enough, the cable car resumed its journey downwards." mid-day reached out to the film's producer in Austria, but he refused to comment.

Deepali Singh (DNA; June 1, 2019)

It was Mrunal Thakur’s first time in Vienna but the actress who made her debut with the critically-acclaimed Love Sonia last year, wasn’t in the Austrian city for tourism purposes. On Monday, the Tabrez Noorani directorial about the gritty reality of the sex trafficking business was screened at Stadtkino Wien, one of Austria’s oldest cinemas. This screening was organised by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), an independent institution of the OSCE based in Warsaw, Poland. ODIHR has been active in preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in the OSCE region since 1999. Later, the film will also be screened in Washington DC on June 9 and in Racine, Chicago on June 13 respectively.

For the one-film-old actress, it was a privilege to meet and interact with representatives of delegations of OSCE participating states, OSCE and UN officials, international experts on trafficking in human beings and law enforcement, representatives of international and civil society organisations working on the topic, survivor leaders and members of the media. “It was wonderful to discuss the issue and talk about ways to combat sex trafficking. We also discussed the filmmaking process with them,” she stated.

As for the response to the screening, Mrunal says it was absolutely wonderful. “One of the comments we got — which I personally loved — was that the film ends on a positive note. I’m glad that people see hope and are ready to fight against sex trafficking,” she said, post the screening in Vienna. The actress, who will be seen next in Super 30 and Batla House, is now looking forward to the next two screenings. “I will be travelling to Washington DC and Racine for the first time. It’s very important for me that the film reaches the audience everywhere because this story deserves to be told. What is even more important is that people are made aware of this issue happening around them, to realise it when they see it happening and to know who to approach,” she added.

Keen to have a wide global release, makers of Salman Khan-starrer eye untapped markets in Sudan, Central Asia
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 17, 2019)

Considering Bharat is one of the biggest films to come out of Salman Khan's stable, the makers are pulling out all stops to ensure that the film enjoys a wide release. mid-day has it that the producers are keen to tap into unexplored international markets with the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed drama.

Says a trade source, "Cinestaan AA Distributors and C International Sales have picked up the international rights of Bharat. They have taken the movie to the Cannes Film Festival with the idea of selling the distribution rights in different countries. While a release in the traditional markets such as the US, UK and Abu Dhabi is on the cards, C International Sales is also in talks with distributors in untapped markets such as Africa, Kyrgyzstan, Austria, Hungary and Sudan. If all goes well, Bharat will be one of the first Bollywood films to have a simultaneous release in these countries."

Co-producer Nikhil Namit says, "It was Atul Agnihotri [producer] and my vision to release Bharat in territories where Bollywood has never gone before. We are planning to go to the non-traditional markets."

DNA (August 5, 2018)

It’s been a busy few months for Anil Kapoor. The actor has already had two releases this year — Race 3 and Fanney Khan — and has one more, Total Dhamaal, in the pipeline. Though these movies are ensemble projects, he had packed schedules with the shooting and promotion work. With the release of Fanney Khan, his date diary has eased up a bit.

The 61-year-old, who is health conscious and takes good care of himself, is making the most of this opportunity and heading to a wellness clinic. A source says, “Anil has been shooting non-stop and was planning to take a few days off. He went to Austria on August 3 and will be there till August 16. While he will be travelling around for a few days, he will also spend time at a wellness facility. Once he is back, he will resume his other projects.” On the work front, Total Dhamaal, which has him sharing screen space with Ajay Devgn, Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Riteish Deshmukh, is slated to release on December 7.

From cycling 10 kms daily to sweating it out at gym for three months, Khan’s rigorous prep chronicled by Tiger Zinda Hai director
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 6, 2017)

After doing a few human dramas in the past two years, Salman Khan is returning to his home turf — action — with Tiger Zinda Hai. Well aware that the spy thriller, replete with its high- octane action sequences, would be physically demanding on him, the actor had to undergo intensive prep.

Director Ali Abbas Zafar reveals that Khan hit the gym three months before the film went on floors, to attain the muscular look. “Salman has really pushed himself for the part. He started working out three months before we began the shoot in Austria, to ensure that he had the fitness level that a film like this demands of you,” he says.

With a significant portion of the Katrina Kaif-starrer being shot in the snow-capped mountains of Austria, the director points out that altitude training was one of the biggest challenges for Khan. “He had to undergo altitude training, before he could attempt the daring stunts that had to be shot in the Alps. Salman would also cycle the 10-kilometre distance to the set and we all know it’s not easy to cycle in such harsh environments.”

A source reveals that the superstar also altered his diet to a high- protein, no carbs one in his bid to maintain the beefed-up physique. “Salman struck sugar off his diet altogether and also cut down on his intake of salt.”

Recalling Khan’s dedication to his fitness, Zafar adds that the actor treated himself to a cheat day only after the project wrapped up. “Salman had a special diet charted out — one that kept him agile. He paid minute attention to whatever he was eating throughout the shoot. The cheat day came in the last schedule in Greece!”

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 2, 2017)

Director Ali Abbas Zafar knew that shooting for an ambitious film like Tiger Zinda Hai would be a challenge unto itself, given that the sequel to the 2012 hit, Ek Tha Tiger, had to be shot across five countries — Austria, Greece, Morocco, UAE and India. However, the film’s Austria schedule turned out to be particularly challenging for Salman Khan.

The superstar suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disorder that results in episodes of shock - like pain that lasts for seconds to a few minutes. The condition gets aggravated in extreme cold or heat. Khan suffered excruciating pain on his face while shooting in the biting cold of Austria, where the temperature had dropped to -2 degree C. The actor, we hear, was running high fever but refused to be laid up, lest it delay the tight schedule.

Says a unit hand, “We had to shoot a chunk of action sequences on the snow-covered mountains of Tyrol. Despite the brutal weather conditions playing havoc with his health, Salman continued with his shots. Not once did anyone hear a single complaint from him.”

Zafar says that while the daredevil stunts were tricky to begin with, matters became worse for Khan given his health condition. “What we see onscreen might look a lot easier than it actually is. A lot of pain has gone behind this sequence. Salman developed a health issue, but he still trained for the shot and delivered a tough action sequence.” Ali Abbas Zafar with Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan in Austria