Two decades after Tere Naam, Ravi Kishan continues to hold Salman Khan in high regard. The actor-politician, who shared both screen space and gym sessions with Salman, says his admiration has only grown over the years.

“Superb man, what a lovely human being. Salman Khan bahut acche insaan hain. Mere acche dost hain, aur hamara bahut purana sambandh hai,” Ravi says. “I have only good things to say about him. I see him as a very helpful person. Ye meri raaye hai; log kya kehte hain ya kya kahenge, I don’t care.”

Recalling their early days, he adds, “Woh aur main acche dost hain. Woh hamare senior hain. Main 1991 mein aaya tha; woh 1986-87 mein aa chuke the.”

Kishan also recalled their time training together at a gym in Bandra, where he would watch the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor effortlessly power through pull-ups. Sharing details about their workouts and bond, he said, “Ek Gym karke Bandra mein hota tha. We used to work out there. Main unko dekhta tha, woh bahut pull-ups maarte the. Aur jab bhi hamari baat hoti hai, unka aur mera humour connection bahut kamaal ka hai. Huge Salman Khan fan,” he added.

Ravi Kishan played Pandit Rameshwar in Tere Naam, alongside Salman Khan and Bhumika Chawla.

Running a restaurant beyond the romance and opening-night buzz is not for the faint-hearted. Once the applause fades, the real work begins. Set inside a 90-year-old Portuguese bungalow in Bandra, Scarlett House feels less like a celebrity venture and more like an extension of Malaika Arora’s everyday life. The idea grew organically from how she eats and hosts at home: inviting friends over, recreating dishes discovered while travelling, and paying attention to how food makes you feel after the meal, not just during it.

From the outset, the intent was clear: comfort without excess, wellness without sermonizing, and a space people would want to return to, again and again. One year into running Scarlett House, the journey has been less about trends or visibility and more about understanding the realities of hospitality: consistency, restraint, and the patience required to scale thoughtfully. These are the lessons that shaped the first year.

I wasn’t great at Math in school. Economics intimidated me; but running a restaurant forced me to confront what I once avoided — budgets and planning. Terms like net, gross, EBITDA and sales splits were unfamiliar but I learnt on the job. I don’t have a business degree, but this is real-world education.

Food and beverage is a people-facing space where you communicate daily. Beyond menus and margins, the biggest learning has been people. Teams, guests, and collaboration — there are so many moving parts, you have to understand people to run a place like this.

It’s easy to get emotionally attached to dishes and you don’t want to remove anything, but nostalgia has to be balanced with performance. When you realize some things don’t move; you edit, you tweak, you rethink. Menu building is about thinking ten steps ahead.

“Some dishes going viral surprised me. Like the khichdi and paneer thecha weren’t designed as hero dishes—they were home food. That’s what people connect to. Comfort food always finds its way.”

“Every time you’re back, it should taste exactly the same. Menus may evolve, but favourites stay. People return for familiarity—for a certain flavour, a certain feeling. That consistency is very important.”

“It’s never one person’s decision. From chefs and bar teams to marketing and design, every voice shapes the final outcome. You take a little from everybody. That’s how a collaborative business works.”

“Not every space can be a flagship. Expansion was always planned, but with restraint. The DNA stays the same, but the space adapts. We don’t want to become massy or spread ourselves thin.”

“We thought we could do breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We couldn’t. Reality demanded simplification. Once we focused on what was practical, everything worked better.”

We’re in a heritage building. You have to respect the structure, the neighbourhood, the people. Behind the scenes are approvals, systems, and daily negotiations. There’s so much involved that people never see.”

Daisy Shah shared a video on Instagram late Tuesday night after a fire broke out in a neighbouring building in Bandra East. The blaze gutted a flat in the same residential compound where she lives, and she alleged it was triggered by firecrackers during an election campaign.

Recounting the incident, Daisy said the fire broke out around 8.30 pm while she was at home. She said, “I was in my bedroom when I started hearing announcements on a loudspeaker. There was some prachar happening, which I was fine with as it is part of the election process. Soon after, I began hearing crackers continuously. When my dogs became uncomfortable, I went to the living room to close the window and saw sparks flying towards it.”

The actress pointed out that the situation escalated quickly. She said, “Our building and the adjacent one are part of the same compound and connected by a terrace. The distance between the two is barely 20 feet. I saw a spark fly towards the neighbouring flat, and within minutes, it turned into a fire inside the house. Initially, my mother thought it was just light reflecting, but soon she could clearly see something burning. I told her this was a fire. She rushed downstairs, alerted residents, and called the fire brigade. In the next 15 minutes, the entire house was on fire. It could have spread in any direction and could have gutted my home as well. I was shaking the entire night.”

She added, “The fire brigade arrived in about 45 minutes and took around an hour to douse the flames completely. By then, the entire flat was engulfed, but once they arrived, the fire brigade and police acted swiftly and handled the situation professionally.”

Fortunately, no residents were at home at the time of the incident. She said, “The son and his wife had gone to a wedding, and the wheelchair-bound uncle had stepped out. They did have pets. Five parrots, a large fish tank, and two cats. The cats managed to escape, but two out of five birds did not survive. Everything else was reduced to ash.”

In the video that Daisy shared on social media, she is seen asking whether anyone had contacted the fire brigade, which led to comments questioning why she did not do so herself. She clarified, “I did call the fire brigade. I tried multiple numbers, including the Kurla and Chembur stations, but the calls did not go through. I even have the call logs.”

She added that the impact continues, with the gas pipeline shut in both buildings and a power cut in the affected one. “Running an election campaign is fine, but the people hired need to be taught basic civic sense. This is not the first time firecrackers have caused such damage. This could have ended far worse,” she concluded.

Actor Daisy Shah has expressed shock and anger after a house in Bandra East was reportedly set ablaze when crackers were burst as part of an election campaign. The incident took place late at night (January 6, Tuesday) while the actor was walking her dogs near her building. Daisy shared a video of the aftermath on Instagram, where she criticized what she described as “irresponsible behaviour” by campaigners. She alleged that the people bursting crackers fled the spot after the fire broke out, leaving residents to manage the situation.

In a strongly-worded note accompanying the video, Daisy wrote that although she has no political affiliation, campaign organizers must ensure that the teams they deploy act responsibly. “I have got nothing to do with any political party, but when you hire teams to run campaigns for your elections please make sure they have some common sense in them,” she posted.

She added that her building committee had refused permission for campaign workers to go door-to-door, which she implied may have helped prevent further escalation.

Calling out the use of fireworks near residential structures, Shah said bursting crackers next to homes is “not the way to go about it”, describing the incident as the result of a complete lack of civic sense.

“It ain’t a natural calamity, it’s caused by brainless people. Take accountability, it’s high time,” she wrote, urging people to act more responsibly in public spaces.

Local authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Suniel Shetty, a staunch supporter of sustainable living, highlights the need to embrace electric vehicles (EVs). He views EVs not as a passing trend but as a vital step toward a greener future. Practicing what he preaches, the actor often opts for his compact EV – an MG Comet – for shorter trips, effortlessly navigating narrow lanes and city traffic.

“For my daily work and a quick visit to Athiya’s (his daughter) house in Bandra I take my EV. It’s just too compact so it is easy to scoot in and move around. The best part is it is eco-friendly. Right now we are expecting the environment to work for us but I think it is important for us to work for the environment. So, each one of us should contribute by taking to EVs and planting more trees and cutting down on pollution,” he shares.

Suniel also talks about the importance of dispelling common misconceptions around EVs – like range anxiety, lack of charging stations, and maintenance issues – by educating people about the significant advancements in technology.

“People still think that EVs are only good for short journeys and that there are not enough charging stations. They are stressed about the servicing of the cars. Whenever there is something new in the market people are wary. Eventually, it is going to help with pollution control and smoother rides. Having said that, there is scope for more charging centres, and more awareness,” the actor explains.

His love for electric mobility doesn’t end with cars – Suniel is also a big fan of electric cycles. He uses these battery run cycles regularly at his farm. “I have one in my farm and I use it to get around everywhere. I can also hang it on my van and get it on my set,” says.

The electric cycle allows you to paddle when you want to, and shift to throttle as easily. “The speed is also limited so it is very safe. Plus, it’s perfect for my cardio and fitness.”

(L-R) Ranjit Bindra with wife Tina, business partner Shilpa Shetty, and Raj Kundra

After nearly a decade as one of Mumbai’s most popular dining destinations, Bastian Bandra — owned by Shilpa Shetty and Ranjit Bindra — is closing its doors today. The restaurant has been known for its sumptuous seafood, vibrant atmosphere, and Arcane Affair that drew the city’s elite. But the city’s foodies won’t miss their favourite dish from the restaurant for too long because Shetty, on September 3, announced that she would be opening Bastian Beach Club in Juhu.

mid-day has learnt that Juhu’s sea-facing property, Sun-n-Sand Hotel, will house the actor’s newest restaurant. According to insiders, the deal was negotiated in April.

A source from the hotel tells us, “The pool area and one of the restaurants have been cordoned off for a while. On September 1, the area was shut down for guests in the hotel as well. The construction work has begun and will continue till October.”

The plan is to throw open Bastian Beach Club’s doors by November-December, in time for the holiday season. Meanwhile, Bastian At The Top in Dadar will operate as usual.

In her post, the actor and entrepreneur also revealed that the Bandra address would serve as the venue for her latest eatery, Ammakai, which will serve Mangalorean cuisine and will be an ode to her roots.

mid-day reached out to Sun-n-Sand Hotel, which confirmed its association with Bastian Beach Club. 

Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon has purchased a sea-facing luxury duplex penthouse in a residential tower Supreme Prana in plush Pali Hill locality in Mumbai’s Bandra west suburb for over Rs 78.20 crore.

The apartment spread over a carpet area of 6,636 sq ft is spread across the 14th and 15th floors, the topmost levels of the under-construction development. The deal is valued at around Rs 1.18 lakh per sq ft, making it one of the costliest property transactions in the city’s suburbs.

The actor has paid Rs 3.91 crore towards stamp duty charges for the transaction that was registered on Thursday. She has paid over Rs 84.16 crore for the property including the Goods & Services Tax (GST) and other charges.

Sanon has purchased the apartment directly from the project’s developer Supreme Universal along with her mother as the joint owner of the property, showed the documents reviewed by ET.

The deal has attracted 1% lower stamp duty of 5% as the homebuyers are women. In 2021, the government of Maharashtra had announced a 1% concession in prevailing stamp duty for female homebuyers.

As part of the agreement, Sanon will get exclusive access to a total six car parking slots in the upcoming tower. The agreement also provides her exclusive access to an open terrace spread over 1,209 sq ft on the 15th floor.

Last year too, Sanon had invested in a land parcel in a premium plotted development project in Alibaug near Mumbai.

ET’s email query to Sanon’s team and Supreme Universal remained unanswered until the time of going to press.

In recent years, Bollywood celebrities have increasingly turned to real estate as both a lifestyle upgrade and a long-term investment strategy. From luxury apartments in Mumbai’s prime localities to sprawling second homes in Alibaug, Goa, and Dubai, the trend reflects a mix of personal use and portfolio diversification.

Salman Khan cycling through the streets of Bandra was once a familiar and cherished sight. The Bollywood superstar has always preferred this eco-friendly and healthy mode of travel for short distances around his home. It wasn’t uncommon to spot him riding from Galaxy Apartments to Mehboob Studios. However, ever since the attack on his house last year, Salman has been under heavy security, which has brought his cycling routines in the city to a halt. When asked if he misses riding around Bandra, Salman admitted, “Of course! I do miss it, but I still manage it at the farm (in Panvel).”

Speaking to us at the unveiling of Season 2 of the Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), where he serves as the brand ambassador, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor reminisced about learning to ride from his father, Salim Khan – a memory that clearly holds sentimental value. It’s a skill he has proudly passed on to the next generation.

“I taught my nephews Arhaan (Arbaaz Khan’s son) and Nirvaan (Sohail Khan’s son) to bike at our farm. They used to take turns and do wheelies at a young age. Their turns were such that they would grind the footrest on the ground,” shared the actor.

Salman also raised concerns about the growing trend of reckless biking stunts on Mumbai’s streets, particularly those done without safety measures. “I have lost a friend of mine, Timmy, when this Bandra Reclamation was under construction. They used to have these races, and he won the race, but his helmet got stuck and he couldn’t apply the brakes in time. This resulted in a crash, and he passed away.”

He also spoke about one of the best bikers he knows, saying, “You know (Zaheer) Iqbal’s father Iqbal Ratansi, he was one of the most amazing riders I have ever seen,” he said.

Last year, Salman had shared a picture on Instagram, where he was seen posing with a vintage bike alongside his father. He captioned it: ‘Dad’s 1st bike, Triumph Tiger 100, 1956.’ Getting nostalgic, he told us, “He bought this bike when he was 16 years old for Rs. 4800.”

The legendary writer later parted with the bike, but he would often recall it in conversations with Sohail Khan. Salman shared, “Sohail sourced this bike. It was lying in a junkyard in Hyderabad. So, we got this bike from Hyderabad, sourced all the parts (that were missing) and restored it for him.”

Eid has been a special moment for Salman and his fans, who gather in huge numbers to catch a glimpse of him waving from his balcony. However, this year the moment came with a stark change as the actor was seen behind a bulletproof glass barrier.

Reacting to this, he said, “It is not because of any other reason, but we had to do something about the security because sometimes we would find some fan sleeping in the balcony. They used to climb up and sleep on the balcony, so we had to cover that place.”

In April, mid-day reported that Taapsee Pannu and filmmaker Anubhav Sinha had kicked off Mulk 2, the sequel to their hard-hitting 2018 courtroom drama (Court mein phir se haazir ho, April 14). Over a month on, work on the drama is on in full swing. The actor, over the past two weeks, has been filming pivotal scenes at a Bandra church, which has been transformed into a courtroom for the shoot.

Like Mulk, the sequel will explore themes of identity, faith, and civil liberties. It remains unclear whether Pannu is reprising her role of lawyer Aarti.

A source from the unit reveals, “Taapsee has been shooting courtroom portions over the past few days. The emotionally charged sequences see her delivering lengthy monologues. She is fully prepped, and one can see how deeply she is invested in the material.”

From what we’ve heard, the Mumbai leg will go on for another four days. After that, Sinha is apparently planning an intensive 20-day outdoor schedule in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Another insider tells us, “Anubhav’s past films are proof that he tells his stories in a gritty and realistic manner. He wants to root Mulk 2’s story in its social and geographical context. Locations have been finalised in Lucknow, Meerut, and Karnal, where the director will film some rally and courtroom scenes. The movie will have another 20-25 days of work before he calls it a wrap.”

After Mulk 2, Pannu will move to Haseen Dillruba 3.

Over the past few weeks, rumours have been rife that the shoot of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Arjun Ustara has halted, sparking speculation about the fate of the project. However, a bit of digging has revealed that the chatter is baseless. mid-day has learnt that work on the Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri-starrer is progressing as per schedule, with the shoot underway in Bandra, Mumbai.

“The cast and crew are filming daily. There is absolutely no question of the shoot being stalled,” says a source from the unit.

So, what exactly sparked rumours that the gangster film’s shoot had ground to a halt? The postponement of a special song perhaps, indicate insiders. It turns out a special dance number was to be shot in early April.

“The shoot was deferred as the dancers we wanted weren’t available, and the song’s look and vibe weren’t working out at that point. That shoot has been rescheduled,” adds the source.

Bhardwaj took Arjun Ustara, also starring Randeep Hooda, on floors in January 2025. Since then, the actioner has been constantly in production, barring a two-week gap that preceded the ongoing schedule. 

Another insider notes, “There was a two-week break before the latest schedule began in the last week of April. The song was supposed to be shot during that time, but had to be held up. That may have led to these rumours. But everything else is moving as planned. In June, we have a long schedule in Europe, starting with Georgia.”

The project is expected to be wrapped up by June-end.

Mumbai’s iconic Bandra Fort holds many special memories for Imran Khan, who filmed several scenes of his debut film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) at the location. The actor took a stroll down memory lane as he joined us for an exclusive shoot at the famous landmark, which was revamped and reopened. Walking along the fort area, with its garden that now has exotic trees, an amphitheatre area and more, the Bandra boy couldn’t help getting nostalgic and recalling memories associated with place.

Imran recalled, “My memories go way back before Jaane Tu. When I was 15-16, I used to hang around here with my friends, and at that time this area was desolate. There was just a juice centre here where we would have sandwiches and vada pav, but there were barely any crowds. There would be some questionable folks hiding in the bushes, and we were told not to visit this area. So, there was a sense of adventure each time we came here. When Abbas (Tyrewala) wanted to shoot the film here, it hit home for a lot of us, as even Genelia (Deshmukh) is a Bandra girl. It was our backyard, which is why it felt so organic for our characters to hang around here.”

Imran also recalled that the Bandra Fort was converted into a mela for a song sequence in Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara.

Speaking about how he has seen the area he has lived in all his life change, the actor says, “It’s a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the place is cleaned up, and there are promenades and street lighting, which make it look great. Now it looks like a park-complex, however, that feeling of mystery and romance doesn’t exist. There was a charm to the old relic. But during my teenage years, Carter Road was a backroad that no one used. You could sit there any time of the day as it was always deserted. I miss that feeling of quiet, today Bandra is the central hub of the city.”

Imran says his one regret is that he can’t take his daughter Imara to the places he enjoyed as a child. He says at one point he had to have a talk with Imara and explain the situation to her. “She would wonder why people are following our car, so I gradually explained to her that I acted in some movies, so people recognize me. When you have these conversations with a child, you realize how bizarre the situation is. Once you become an actor, part of the contract is that you can no longer wander into public spaces like anyone else. That is an experience I regret not being able to give to my child. If she wants to go to a public park, we have to plan it in a certain way because sometimes people don’t have a sense of consideration around a little child, their excitement of seeing a famous person overrides everything.”

Mumbai: Hindi film and TV actor-director Parvin Dabas, 50, suffered injuries in a road accident at Hill Road, Bandra, early Saturday morning. He was admitted to Holy Family Hospital nearby. Police said no FIR has been registered.

According to the police, Dabas was returning from a shoot around 5.30 am. He was driving a car and was its sole occupant. “He was temporarily blinded due to the headlights of an oncoming vehicle and rammed into the divider on Hill Road,” said an officer.

He was admitted to hospital thereafter, and his family was informed. His wife actress Preeti Jhangiani rushed to attend to him. The hospital declined comment.

Dabas has featured in ‘Monsoon Wedding’, ‘Khosla ka Ghosla’, ‘The Hero’ and ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara’ apart from the TV series ‘Bestsellers’.

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Salim Khan. File Pic/Atul Kamble (right) Umar Aasif Shaikh, who was booked along with his girlfriend

A Sewri-based couple was booked after allegedly threatening screenwriter Salim Khan, 88, on Thursday morning at Bandstand in Bandra West, purportedly as part of a prank. The woman allegedly approached Khan and said, “Shall I send Lawrence Bishnoi” before fleeing on a bike along with the man, Umar Aasif Shaikh, 26.

An officer said, “Khan noted four digits of the scooter’s licence number before informing his security team.” An FIR was registered under Sections 353(2), 292 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with spreading false information and creating a nuisance.”

The cops eventually traced the couple to the RAK Marg area in Sewri. The incident came a few months after the octogenarian’s son, Salman Khan, had a serious security scare when two men on a motorcycle, allegedly belonging to the Bishnoi gang, opened fire outside his residence, Galaxy Apartments.

During their interrogation, the couple said they resorted to the prank to become famous. The woman, Ashma Shaikh, 22, who was wearing a burqa at the time was told to utter, ‘Lawrence Bishnoi ko bheju kya?’

A police officer on anonymity said, “The couple doesn’t have a criminal history nor are they connected with any gang. Umar Aasif had planned the prank as he wanted to impress his girlfriend.” Meanwhile, security was beefed up at Galaxy Apartments. 

Raj Tilak Roushan, DCP, Zone IX, said, “We didn’t find evidence linking the accused to the Bishnoi gang. They committed the crime purely for fun. They admitted that it was all a prank. They did this for publicity. Still, we are checking their call records and investigating every angle.”

In another incident, a 21-year-old motorcycle-borne man, Uzar Faiz Moiyuddin, was briefly detained by the Bandra police for allegedly following Salman Khan’s convoy in a bid to approach his car early around 12.15 am on Tuesday. He was detained after a security officer promptly informed police officers stationed at Galaxy Apartments.

According to the police, the actor was heading home when the incident occurred. Moiyuddin, a Hyderabad resident, claimed he was unaware of whose convoy he was following while being questioned by the police. He was subsequently issued a notice and released.

Bollywood actor, producer, and politician Kangana Ranaut has sold her bungalow on Nargis Dutt Road in plush Pali Hill locality of Mumbai’s western suburb Bandra west to a Hyderabad-based company for Rs 32 crore.

The ground plus 3-storey property has a total built up area of 3,075 sq ft along with a parking garage spread over 565 sq ft. The bungalow has been sold to Kamalini Holdings at Rs 1.04 lakh per sq ft basis the built-up space.

The property is part of a co-operative society developed on nearly an acre of prime land parcel, but has its independent access. Ranaut had bought this property for Rs 20.70 crore in September 2017.

The buyer has paid stamp duty worth Rs 1.92 crore for the registration of the transaction that took place on September 5, showed the documents accessed through IndexTap.com.

The actor has recently purchased an office property in Mumbai’s western suburb Andheri for over Rs 1.56 crore. This property is spread over a carpet area of 407 sq ft on the 19th floor of an under-construction commercial project. Ranaut has bought this property at Rs 38,391 per sq ft on carpet area basis.

ET’s email query to Ranaut’s team remained unanswered until the time of going to press. Kamalini Holdings could not be reached for a comment.

Real estate continues to be a top investment choice for high net-worth individuals. Bollywood celebrities have been actively acquiring properties, recognizing the value of these assets not just for personal use but also as an attractive investment opportunity that can contribute to their growing wealth portfolios.

Several prominent personalities from Bollywood, including actors, producers, and directors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, have actively invested in various real estate ventures.

These industry stalwarts have been strategically diversifying their portfolios by acquiring properties across prime locations.

Additionally, in recent quarters, notable celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukerji, Alia Bhatt, Disha Patani, and Janhvi Kapoor have also been involved in multiple high-profile transactions, focusing particularly on luxurious and upscale properties.

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After much speculation around their wedding, actor-couple Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are set to tie the knot on June 23. And it looks like the festivities have already begun. On Monday night, Sinha shared several pictures on Instagram from what seems to be a bachelorette party. The snaps featured her bestie, actor Huma Qureshi and Iqbal’s sister, stylist Sanam Ratansi.

Now, we have learnt that the couple will host a haldi ceremony on June 20, three days before their wedding.

“The function will take place at Sonakshi’s new Bandra (Mumbai) home, which she bought after leaving her parents’ house. It will be a tight setting with only close friends and family. Less than 50 people have been invited for the function — that’s why they opted for Sona’s house as the venue,” says a source.

The insider also tells us that the bride-to-be is leaning towards unconventional decor for her haldi. The source shares, “She wants to keep the ambience minimal and has suggested certain ideas to the planners. Sonakshi is not going for a typical yellow and pink theme, as she wanted to avoid mainstream decor.”

Don’t we all love stories about the movies? From Om Shanti Om (2007) to Luck By Chance (2009), from Jubilee (2023) to this year’s Showtime, each project gave us a look into the film world from different vantage points.

Now, The Viral Fever (TVF) team is offering a tongue-in-cheek take with Industry, which examines showbiz from the lens of a struggling screenwriter, played by Gagan Arora. Chunky Panday portrays a producer who promises to get the writer’s film off the ground.

Panday says the subject’s light-handed treatment drew him to director Navjot Gulati’s series for Amazon mini TV. “It is a comedy-drama with an in-depth take on the business, without being preachy or bitchy. When people show Bollywood, they usually depict its glamorous side. But this series is about the film industry that exists in Aram Nagar and Lokhandwala, and showcases the lives of the young people [trying to break into the industry]. It’s not dark; the reality is handled in a humorous manner,” he shares.

The senior actor has a knack for bringing humour into his parts. It wasn’t any different for his role of Raman Kumar, whom Panday describes as a “jugaadu producer”. As it turns out, he had a few ready references for the part.

“I play a jugaadu producer who multi-tasks. I modelled it on a few producers whom I worked with in the ’80s and ’90s, and who are active now. So, Raman Kumar is a cocktail of five crazy characters!”

A series about Bollywood cannot be complete without the presence of the industry folk. “Many real-life struggling young actors, writers, and directors, have acted in the show. Many celebrities have done cameos too, including Hansal Mehta, Guneet Monga, Kunal Kapoor, and Kartiki Gonsalves [The Elephant Whisperers director],” says Panday.

Though he has been in the business for over three decades, the actor says Industry—written by Gulati, Gullak creator Shreyansh Pandey, Girish Jotwani, Shreemi Verma and Abhishek Dixit—acquainted him with a new side of the film world. “In my 38 years as an actor, I have met so many people who have written scripts and want to make them into movies. I only knew about the Bandra side of the film industry, this world in Andheri was a revelation to me.”