Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Mallika Sherawat says she will never get Botox or fillers: "I don’t want to look 25 forever"
9:20 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; July 30, 2026)
At a time when many actors are turning to cosmetic procedures to maintain a youthful appearance, Mallika Sherawat is choosing a different path. She says she has never had Botox or fillers and doesn’t intend to, adding that she would rather focus on being healthy than trying to look 25 forever. She shares, “I have chosen to remain natural. I have not relied on any plastic surgeon. I like the face that I have and I believe there is no shortcut for authenticity and discipline.”
Talking about ageing gracefully, she adds, “I don’t understand why girls are getting convinced that their real faces are not good enough. I don’t want an Instagram face. I want a life that’s worthy of putting on Instagram.”
Mallika shares, “No late nights, no smoking, no alcohol, sleeping early, yoga and pranayama... that’s what I follow. I don’t want to look 25 forever. I simply want to be the healthiest and happiest version of myself at every age.”
‘I don’t have to work for money’
On the work front, 13 years after The Bachelorette India: Mere Khayalon Ki Mallika, Mallika is making her reality show comeback with The Traitors. “Initially, I was apprehensive about taking it up. I didn’t want to do any reality shows, but my manager convinced me to do it.”
Mallika says she has been offered Bigg Boss, too, in the past, but it doesn’t excite her. “The format doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t think that as an actor I can bring any value to it. If there’s something I don’t want to do, I simply don’t do it. I’ve been very sensible with my money, and today I don’t have to work just to earn money,” she says.
‘I was ahead of my time’
Looking back at being labelled a sex symbol, Mallika believes perceptions have changed with time. “Every situation has two sides. Today, being called a sex symbol is considered exciting. I genuinely believe I was ahead of my time. Society wasn’t ready then, which is why people found my honesty, glamour and confidence unusual. Today, writers are creating characters like that. But I also don’t understand why people think glamour and depth cannot coexist, or that an outspoken woman cannot be thoughtful. Those are assumptions some people make,” says Mallika, who has been part of films like Murder, The Myth and Pyaar Ke Side Effects.
‘I’m grateful, not a victim’
Despite criticism and controversies throughout her career, Mallika says gratitude has always outweighed resentment. “This industry gave me financial independence, and that is the most important thing for a woman if she wants to live life on her own terms. I’m forever grateful to the industry and even to the women who spoke badly about me — they gave me free publicity and made me even more popular. I studied Philosophy early in life and it changed the way I think. I have so much to be grateful for. Coming from Haryana, meeting US President Barack Obama, walking the Cannes red carpet, working with Jackie Chan and so many incredible people — why would I play victim?” she says.
‘There is no emptiness in my life’
Ask Mallika, who is single, whether she is looking for love or feels the absence of a companion in her life, and she replies, “It’s not that I’m walking around with a torch looking for love. I don’t feel any emptiness or a void in my life. Why would I give up the admiration of so many men for one companion? I love the attention I get.” (smiles)
When Kal Penn made MILF jokes in the White House, and other funny stories
8:11 AM
When Kal Penn, born Kalpen Modi, decided to split his first name and add an extra ‘n’, it wasn’t an actor’s obsession with numerology but a brown person in America taking a subtle jab at Hollywood’s fixation with hokey accents and turbans. “I joke that the ‘n’ stands for ‘not going to play a stereotypical cab driver.” Frank and refreshingly free of movie star airs, the 44-year-old Indian American actor spoke to Mohua Das about some honest and wildly funny stories that have gone into the making of his memoir, You Can’t Be Serious
Mohua Das (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 2, 2022)
The book is loaded with funny footnotes. Did it occur to you that nobody actually reads footnotes?
Yes, it did occur to me! A lot of comedic nuggets are in the footnotes and if you ignore them you won’t get all the jokes. So, there’s just one part in the book that my parents had a problem with. It was a joke that I made in a footnote about a close cousin. We’ve been playing pranks on each other for years. I decided to tell people in the book that he got gonorrhea (grins) and in the footnote I say, he certainly didn’t. But then, nobody reads footnotes and I’ve won the prank contest now!
Be it the kid in kindergarten who called you the N-word or aunties who rolled their eyes when you told them that you were going to arts school — if you could have a conversation with them now, what would you tell them?
I guess everything in in the book! (laughs) Much of what kids see and hear comes from some of the things they’re exposed to on TV and the lack thereof. The only exposure they had to anyone who looked like me was Apu from The Simpsons or people from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Much has changed since then so I don’t think I have to go back and say anything to them. They have TV! As for the aunties. . . I can’t imagine what it’s like to move halfway around the world, away from your family in your 20s at a time when you couldn’t even make a phone call. I feel silly that I never considered that when I was growing up. So, aunties and uncles in a place like America where your parents are immigrants are a support network because ten people are there to cheer you on. On the downside, you have ten people trying to give you advice!
As a brown actor in America, race and identity issues lie at the heart of your book… A lot of stories especially earlier in my career are about race and misogyny at the movie studio but then I put that in the context of today and how wonderful it is to see how things have progressed.
I couldn’t have dreamt of turning on the TV 15 years ago and seeing the types of projects out there today — Mindy Kaling has three shows, Hasan Minhaj is sold out, there are so many sketch comedy artistes who are all South Asians or desis. It all comes down to the fact that audiences want content that is diverse, authentic, slice of life and get to meet characters that they’re either meeting or not meeting in real life.
You put your acting career on hold to work for the Barack Obama administration for a year and then extended it. Why was that?
My commitment was for a year but in the first year I realised that the government moves very slowly in a democracy. The things that I was working on — the Affordable Care Act, repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell act — I wanted to see them through and so I extended for a second year. I also got appointed to the president’s committee on the arts and humanities and was able to work on arts education and cultural diplomacy.
What do you miss about working at the White House?
On a serious side, you miss the opportunity to do really good work for people and being humbled every day that you walk into that building. On the flip side, I had to police my overly creative brain. Like, in my second week, I got looped into an email from the President’s National Security Council. The document said, ‘Kal you need to know about the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’ acronymed MILF. How MILF is highly dangerous and MILF recruits young men! Laughing my butt out in the office I hit reply without thinking and said, ‘Their main terror group is the MILF?’ Nobody replied to that email until about an hour later a senior bureaucrat wrote back, ‘Looks like Kal is in the House!’ (Laughs) It reminded me that there’s a time to be serious and a time to be funny and I loved finding that balance.
Your coming out is not something you dwell much on in the book. Why is that?
I didn’t think it was the most interesting chapter. It was too easy to write. The harder stuff to write was about the racist directors and the rage I had while working for them or helping Obama — the first sitting president — plan the first-ever Diwali. There are lots of stories about me that people didn’t know. Like how my grandparents marching with Mahatma Gandhi is tied to my public service at the White House…these are the stories that I felt would resonate.
I don’t know how Barack Obama heard my song-Prateek Kuhad
9:26 AM
Samarth Goyal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 1, 2020)
Singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad is on cloud nine ever since on Monday evening former US President Barack Obama listed Kuhad’s song, cold/mess, as one of his favourite songs in 2019.
“I was playing Chinese Checkers with my mum and my girlfriend, when someone I know from a music sharing platform shared his (Obama’s) post with me. For the first few minutes, I just kept staring at the post, and wondered, why was I sent this. Then I saw my song in his list and I was shocked,” beams Prateek, who is still in a trance. The singer thereon has been inundated with calls and texts from his fans and friends.
“I’m honestly shocked. I don’t even know how it happened. It’s not like I am signed to a record label or anything like that. I don’t even know how he heard my song, or who made him listen to it. How did it become one of his favourite songs. All this is very legit,” he says laughing.
“It’s nice to see someone like him, a person like Obama, listening to my music. I mean, he is one of the very few world leaders who is liked by everyone. He just comes across as a nice guy,” adds the Tum Jab Paas singer, who is clearly chuffed about the moment.
The 29-year-old, who recently wrapped up his North America and India tour, feels good that his music is being appreciated globally. “I don’t think much about these things. I’m really finicky about little details, and that’s the reason why I think the song has a global appeal,” adds Prateek.
I don’t want to shed my glamorous image just for the sake of it-Mallika Sherawat
8:34 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; April 28, 2018)
Mallika Sherawat made kissing on screen fashionable back in the early 2000s. However, after a sensational start in Bollywood, she found fewer opportunities to show her acting chops. Today, she’s a Cannes regular, often seen hobnobbing with A-list Hollywood actors at the French Riviera and at key events in America, apart from doing quirky roles in films across the globe. The actress, who is currently in India for a set of professional commitments, is also fronting a social cause that rehabilitates victims of child sex trafficking. In a conversation with BT, she throws light on what drove her to take up the cause, playing strong characters and why India will take long before it gets its own #MeToo campaign. Excerpts:
It’s been three years since your last Hindi film, Dirty Politics, released. Now that there are talks of Welcome 3 being in the pipeline, can we expect you to make a comeback?
Well, I’d love to be a part of Welcome 3. Romancing Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor in the first installment was so much fun. Anees Bazmee is a fabulous director.
You are known for your sultry avatar in all your films. Will you be willing to shed it, if an exciting and challenging offer comes your way?
I don’t want to shed my glamorous image just for the sake of it. I am a very bold person in real life, too. That’s part of my personality and I am comfortable with it. But having said that, I now want to veer towards performance-oriented roles, and wouldn’t even mind playing a vamp. In fact, I’m obsessed with the idea of being a character artiste.
You started out in the early 2000s, when there weren’t as many women-centric films being made. Do you think that there is a marked improvement in the situation today?
I think it’s still a struggle to find a film that is genuinely centred around a woman, though it’s getting better with the new breed of directors. The number of films written with men as the central characters is way higher. What hasn’t changed is that then and even now, people enjoy a heroine being a heroine. However, actresses like Vidya Balan and their choices are exemplary. They’re proving that women can hold a film on their shoulders. Also, the internet has opened a new world to all of us. Today, we have access to content from all over the world. There’s also independent cinema, which caters to the thinking mind.
Soon, you will be seen at Cannes. While your bold outfits are often talked about, your detractors say that you get to be on the coveted red carpet without much mainstream work to your credit…
Why not? I go, because I get invited. I had a chance to hobnob with Barack Obama (former US President) and I did. Why shouldn’t I be there? I don’t focus on detractors; what they say doesn’t matter. I focus on the happy and pleasant things in my life. In fact, it’s fun to have detractors and prove them wrong with twice the might. I feel bad when their numbers reduce. I don’t want their number to dwindle. You see, I’m having a ball in my life. My aim was to be financially independent; it was never to win an Oscar. Most women in my home state (Haryana) don’t even get a chance at life. It’s a gilded cage and so, women like me who’ve managed to get out, are asked how we did it. Today, I’m just very happy that I am financially sound. I can pay my bills and afford this lifestyle. It’s a big deal given where I come from. I give myself a lot of credit for that.
You have joined an initiative, which rehabilitates victims of child prostitution and trafficking. Do you think that your growing-up years in Haryana pushed you to support this cause? Also, do you feel that the perception of the state, after producing talents like Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar and a cross-section of women sportspersons, has seen a change?
Children, especially girls, are being forced into prostitution, which leads to several other crimes. This initiative by School For Justice, among other things, educate rescued girls to become lawyers, who can then fight for themselves and other girls who are being trafficked. Merely rescuing girls is a meaningless process. When I was growing up, I had regressive experiences in childhood. I was only allowed to breathe. That’s it! I wasn’t allowed to go out or pursue hobbies. The fact that my parents could educate me is an exemplary feat on their part. I grew up in the middle of a feudal and patriarchal system. Women were subjected to unheard-of cruelties. When I had spoken openly against this, after the release of Murder (2004), it led to a backlash. At least now, we are in a position to have a conversation on these topics. But I still don’t see a campaign like #MeToo happening in India because of the way people think.
But do you think that if women in India stopped competing with one another, they could find a way to initiate a #MeToo campaign?
Powerful people will have to understand that if a woman is raped, it’s not her fault. They must not blame the woman. Sadly, I’ve also seen certain women practise victim-shaming and blaming. The patriarchal mindset needs to change. Having said that, it’s not just women, as a society, we have a tendency to pull each other down. People love pulling me down; they love to see me fall because it makes them feel happy and justified.
Talking about your personal life, you are in a steady relationship. Is marriage on the cards?
I am not interested in marriage. I don’t want to be a bahu, yaar! Why would I forsake the admiration of so many men for one man? It doesn’t make sense. I do have a man in my life and I am in love. The relationship is a very private aspect of my life. I have great companionship and he’s proud of my choices and my approach to life. That’s what matters…
Hemant Oberoi to reveal favourite dish of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Rishi & Neetu Kapoor in debut TV show
7:49 AM
Celebrity chef Hemant Oberoi on his debut TV show will reveal the favourite dish of the Bollywood couple, along with that of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Barack and Michelle Obama, George and Laura Bush and John Major to name a few.
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 6, 2017)
The culinary secrets of former American
President Barack Obama and wife Michelle, George Bush and wife Laura,
former Prime Ministers of UK, John Major, Hollywood stars and exes, Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie and Bollywood actor-couple Rishi and Neetu
Kapoor will be revealed on Indian TV in a show curated by celebrity chef
Hemant Oberoi. In the past, the celebrated chef has personally prepared
meals for these personalities and over time interacted with them over
their favourite meals.
The Kapoors have picked ‘Pohai Chilli Chilean Sea Bass’ as their favourite dish, while the Obamas chose ‘Varqi Crab with Prawn’. The rest of the celebrity recipes are being kept under wraps and will be unveiled on the show, titled, Food Memoirs With Chef Hemant Oberoi, which will air on Living Foodz and showcase a total of 13 delicacies from around the world.
Rishi and Neetu’s mouth-watering dish involves marinating the fillet baine of seabass in salt, crushed black pepper and lime juice. The fish is then coated with refined flour, fried and coated with a paste of pickled pohai chillies, basted with butter, sprinkled with lime juice and served hot on a plate of orzo pasta. “The pasta is boiled till al dente and strained. Then, butter is heated in a pan and spinach tossed in it before the pasta is added. It is topped with chives cream which is a mix of sauteed onions stirred with cream and cheese to which chopped chives is added and blended,” explains the chef, admitting that Rishi is an absolute foodie and can cook up a storm in the kitchen when in a great mood.
The 65-year-old-actor is one of his most loyal patrons and when the award-winning chef took a sabbatical last year, Rishi had joked, “You’re retiring, so I will finally be able to lose weight!”
The Kapoors have picked ‘Pohai Chilli Chilean Sea Bass’ as their favourite dish, while the Obamas chose ‘Varqi Crab with Prawn’. The rest of the celebrity recipes are being kept under wraps and will be unveiled on the show, titled, Food Memoirs With Chef Hemant Oberoi, which will air on Living Foodz and showcase a total of 13 delicacies from around the world.
Rishi and Neetu’s mouth-watering dish involves marinating the fillet baine of seabass in salt, crushed black pepper and lime juice. The fish is then coated with refined flour, fried and coated with a paste of pickled pohai chillies, basted with butter, sprinkled with lime juice and served hot on a plate of orzo pasta. “The pasta is boiled till al dente and strained. Then, butter is heated in a pan and spinach tossed in it before the pasta is added. It is topped with chives cream which is a mix of sauteed onions stirred with cream and cheese to which chopped chives is added and blended,” explains the chef, admitting that Rishi is an absolute foodie and can cook up a storm in the kitchen when in a great mood.
The 65-year-old-actor is one of his most loyal patrons and when the award-winning chef took a sabbatical last year, Rishi had joked, “You’re retiring, so I will finally be able to lose weight!”
I would not say the president's DDLJ line was my idea. It was his idea-Kal Penn
8:04 AM
Kal Penn won't tell if using SRK's line in Obama's Delhi town hall speech was his idea. What he will tell is that he's loving how Indian-origin actors Aziz, Mindy, PC - are crushing it in Hollywood
Aarushi Nigam (BOMBAY TIMES; May 13, 2016)
When Hollywood actor Kal
Penn came to Delhi, the two ques tions he fielded the most were 'When
are you doing Harold & Kumar 4?' and what he thought of the US
presidential race, especially Donald Trump's ascent. That a crazy stoner
film and the election were on the same platform for the press didn't
strike anyone as odd (maybe because, well, they're not that different?).
But actually, because he's juggled both - his most-loved movie role and
his most significant real-life role quite comfortably. He's worked
full time for the Obama administration for two-and-a-half years, gone
back to acting, returned to the White House, and then taken turns with
each. Questions about being an Indian-American in Hollywood took second
place as BT quizzed him about accompanying Obama to India on his visit
last year, and about that line yes, Obama's “Senorita, bade bade
deshon mein...“ at his town hall address at Siri Fort. Was including the
dialogue that had Twitter swooning, his idea? Read on!
Most of the Indian press realised you were in Obama's team during his 2015 visit only after you left, from your tweets. Why did you keep such a low profile?
I didn't! I tweeted at like four o'clock in the morning when we were getting on Air Force One, at Andrews Air Force base right outside of DC. I tweeted a picture of the plane and I wrote, 'Honoured to be accompanying President Obama on this historic trip.' I didn't realise till after that people didn't think that it was happening in real time. Also, I'm sorry, you have President Obama and Prime Minister Modi - that's what the focus should be on. And when we were gone, people must have been like, 'Oh yeah, there were other people too'.
When it was part of your job to brief President Obama, anything interesting you informed him about?
One of the things I remember briefing the president on was Diwali. He was the first US president to celebrate Diwali in person at the White House. And that was his choice. He'd celebrated it before and he has friends who celebrated it from the time he was a kid, so none of it was news to him. But it was interesting because he wanted to make sure there was a cross-section of the community there. Not just wealthy Indian doctors and CEOs, but people who work with battered-women shelters, and the taxi workers' alliance and folks like that also. So, having a chance to sit down with him after we've put the invite list together and share who's there and what the ceremony would be like, was really cool. And he knew most of it already.
Obama's 'senorita' line in Delhi where did that come from? Whose idea was it?
We may have talked about it a little bit (winks)!
Was that your idea?
We mayyy have talked about it a bit.
So it was your idea?
It was a group effort. It was a group effort!
Yeah it was your idea...
Well no, I think one of the things we wanted to do was... film is such a huge, iconic part of Indian culture, and the president is a huge arts and culture fan. And he's a huge movie buff. Really, if you ask him a whole bunch of different things, from art films to dumb comedies to action movies, he watches a lot of them. So I think he was looking for that connection. Particularly as that event was a people event. He wanted something that was authentic and would show a love for the arts, and that people-to-people diplomacy ... so I would not say it was my idea, it was the president's idea!
Your 'Main hoon Don (ald Trump)' dubsmash with Trump's face on yours, saying 'Don ka intezaar toh gyarah mulkon ki police kar rahi hai'... why?!
I just (laughs)... I don't know! I saw that it was on dubsmash and I was like, this seems like the most ridiculous thing to be able to do. And that's when I still thought it was funny. Now the Trump rhetoric is getting a little scary.
You've been called the most famous Indian-American actor in the world at one point. The last few years have seen pretty major strides for so many actors of Indian descent - Aziz Ansari, Dev Patel... Do you have any favourites?
I think they're all great. This is what I love about the community there... that it's always existed. I mean, there are tons of very, very talented actors of Indian-American descent who do regional theatre, who are writers, who do TV here and there. So there's really no shortage of talent. And I love that there are so many actors who're having opportunities now that weren't there before. If you just look at Mindy Kaling, and the show that she's created, it's phenomenal, right? It was on the big network before, now it's on a digital platform. I think that also says a lot about how much the industry is changing. Obviously, Aziz is just crushing it. It's amazing, I love Master Of None. Two episodes are my favourites - the one about his parents, and then one about auditions and what it's like being an Indian-American actor. It's really part of great TV, period. It's really well done. And then even the big networks I'm doing a show for ABC this fall called Designated Survivor, and they've got quite a bit of diversity on their network as a whole. And Quantico is on ABC, so they've also got Priyanka on. (She's great, she's phenomenal.) So, I think just in the last ten years, the way that American TV has changed, it's much more inclusive. I think it's because audiences want the types of stories and characters that they haven't observed or seen before.
How did the auditions episode resonate with you, given your own experiences with bad auditions, where you've been told to fake an Indian accent or a south Indian accent?
What I like about those episodes on Master Of None, particularly the parents episode, is when I hear people talking about it, they seem to talk about it in a similar way to The Namesake. Which is to say, you have a race-cultural specificity if you're south Indian, or a Bengali, whether it's Master Of None or The Namesake. So there is an authentic cultural specificity, but most audiences identify with it more universally. So you don't have to be of that background, you don't even have to be Indian-American to enjoy both of those. And that's what's really remarkable, that they're both only-American stories. A lot of people can relate to them, whether they have recent immigrants in their family or not. And as far as his interpretation of what it's like going out on auditions it's pretty accurate. Yeah, I don't know what to say, I'm certainly not gonna defend a casting director who behaves that way. You encounter that very, very regularly, unfortunately. But like I said, it's changed a lot in the last ten years and I'm hoping it continues to change.
Most of the Indian press realised you were in Obama's team during his 2015 visit only after you left, from your tweets. Why did you keep such a low profile?
I didn't! I tweeted at like four o'clock in the morning when we were getting on Air Force One, at Andrews Air Force base right outside of DC. I tweeted a picture of the plane and I wrote, 'Honoured to be accompanying President Obama on this historic trip.' I didn't realise till after that people didn't think that it was happening in real time. Also, I'm sorry, you have President Obama and Prime Minister Modi - that's what the focus should be on. And when we were gone, people must have been like, 'Oh yeah, there were other people too'.
When it was part of your job to brief President Obama, anything interesting you informed him about?
One of the things I remember briefing the president on was Diwali. He was the first US president to celebrate Diwali in person at the White House. And that was his choice. He'd celebrated it before and he has friends who celebrated it from the time he was a kid, so none of it was news to him. But it was interesting because he wanted to make sure there was a cross-section of the community there. Not just wealthy Indian doctors and CEOs, but people who work with battered-women shelters, and the taxi workers' alliance and folks like that also. So, having a chance to sit down with him after we've put the invite list together and share who's there and what the ceremony would be like, was really cool. And he knew most of it already.
Obama's 'senorita' line in Delhi where did that come from? Whose idea was it?
We may have talked about it a little bit (winks)!
Was that your idea?
We mayyy have talked about it a bit.
So it was your idea?
It was a group effort. It was a group effort!
Yeah it was your idea...
Well no, I think one of the things we wanted to do was... film is such a huge, iconic part of Indian culture, and the president is a huge arts and culture fan. And he's a huge movie buff. Really, if you ask him a whole bunch of different things, from art films to dumb comedies to action movies, he watches a lot of them. So I think he was looking for that connection. Particularly as that event was a people event. He wanted something that was authentic and would show a love for the arts, and that people-to-people diplomacy ... so I would not say it was my idea, it was the president's idea!
Your 'Main hoon Don (ald Trump)' dubsmash with Trump's face on yours, saying 'Don ka intezaar toh gyarah mulkon ki police kar rahi hai'... why?!
I just (laughs)... I don't know! I saw that it was on dubsmash and I was like, this seems like the most ridiculous thing to be able to do. And that's when I still thought it was funny. Now the Trump rhetoric is getting a little scary.
You've been called the most famous Indian-American actor in the world at one point. The last few years have seen pretty major strides for so many actors of Indian descent - Aziz Ansari, Dev Patel... Do you have any favourites?
I think they're all great. This is what I love about the community there... that it's always existed. I mean, there are tons of very, very talented actors of Indian-American descent who do regional theatre, who are writers, who do TV here and there. So there's really no shortage of talent. And I love that there are so many actors who're having opportunities now that weren't there before. If you just look at Mindy Kaling, and the show that she's created, it's phenomenal, right? It was on the big network before, now it's on a digital platform. I think that also says a lot about how much the industry is changing. Obviously, Aziz is just crushing it. It's amazing, I love Master Of None. Two episodes are my favourites - the one about his parents, and then one about auditions and what it's like being an Indian-American actor. It's really part of great TV, period. It's really well done. And then even the big networks I'm doing a show for ABC this fall called Designated Survivor, and they've got quite a bit of diversity on their network as a whole. And Quantico is on ABC, so they've also got Priyanka on. (She's great, she's phenomenal.) So, I think just in the last ten years, the way that American TV has changed, it's much more inclusive. I think it's because audiences want the types of stories and characters that they haven't observed or seen before.
How did the auditions episode resonate with you, given your own experiences with bad auditions, where you've been told to fake an Indian accent or a south Indian accent?
What I like about those episodes on Master Of None, particularly the parents episode, is when I hear people talking about it, they seem to talk about it in a similar way to The Namesake. Which is to say, you have a race-cultural specificity if you're south Indian, or a Bengali, whether it's Master Of None or The Namesake. So there is an authentic cultural specificity, but most audiences identify with it more universally. So you don't have to be of that background, you don't even have to be Indian-American to enjoy both of those. And that's what's really remarkable, that they're both only-American stories. A lot of people can relate to them, whether they have recent immigrants in their family or not. And as far as his interpretation of what it's like going out on auditions it's pretty accurate. Yeah, I don't know what to say, I'm certainly not gonna defend a casting director who behaves that way. You encounter that very, very regularly, unfortunately. But like I said, it's changed a lot in the last ten years and I'm hoping it continues to change.
Images & Report: Priyanka Chopra sizzles at the White House Correspondent's Dinner
8:56 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (May 2, 2016)
In one of Washington's
biggest events of the year, all eyes were on Priyanka Chopra as she
turned up in a sexy black, sheer-stripe gown with a dangerously plunging
neckline. The stunner, who is starring in the Baywatch reboot, in a
negative role, was among several high-profile celebrities including
Oscar winners Helen Mirren and Jared Leto, Will Smith, Emma Watson and
Bryan Cranston. The guests showed up US President Barack Obama's final
correspondent's dinner. The actress later posted a picture of herself
with Obama and his wife Michelle on a photo-blogging website and wrote,
“Lovely to meet the very funny and charming @barackobama and the
beautiful @michelleobama. Thank you for a lovely evening. Cannot wait to
start working on your girls education program
#whitehousecorrespondentdinner“. (sic) The non-profit White House
Correspondents' Association, which has members including reporters,
producers, camera operators and journalists regularly covering the White
House, traditionally hosts this annual dinner to raise money for
journalism scholarships.
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The actress who made a splash at the White House says she is a proud Indian happy to represent her country anywhere but now waiting for a family vacation
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 2, 2016)
Will Smith, Emma Watson,
Nina Dobrev and Kendall Jenner were all there at the White House
Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, but Priyanka Chopra still managed to
hold her own on the red carpet at one of Washington DC's biggest and
most glamor ous galas in a sexy black Zuhair Murad gown with ruffles,
sheer panels and a deep décolletage. “When in Rome do as the Romans do. I
am an Indian in America so I decided to go with the attire of the
people here and I'm glad that the gown has been appreciated and has made
it to the best dressed lists,“ the actress exults from across seven
seas.Just a few weeks ago, PeeCee had made another style statement with a sun shine yellow hand-woven sari when accepting the Padma Shri. She admits that she is really fond of the sari and was happy to wear one when receiving the coveted national honour back home. “For me the biggest excitement was being at the Rashtrapati Bhavan with President Pranab Mukherjee and at the White House with President Barack Obama in the same month,“ she points out.
While she is not willing to talk about her interactions with the Hollywood A-listers, she is happy to discuss the charming Obama and his funny and entertaining speech. What did they talk about? “He spoke about his visit to India and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to America. He was very warm and gracious and it felt really nice to be recognised as an Indian actress,“ she admits.
Priyanka also had a few words with First Lady Michelle Obama. “She has been doing some work on the girl's education programme and so am I. We had a conversation about it on Saturday. Hopefully something will come out of it,“ she reveals, but firmly dismisses the question of campaigning for the upcoming US elections. “I am apolitical and while I have opinions, I am not an American citizen with voting rights so I don't see a role for myself in the country's politics.“
Do people there know that she is Padma Shri Priyanka Chopra now? Pointing out that different countries have different cultures and Americans have to be appraised of what's important to Indians and vice versa, she laughs, “But I am really proud of the honour and keep talking about it all the time.“ Does this means that she will agree to be India's brand ambassador? The actress argues that while her team has been spoken to there has been no official intimation on this so there is no point speculating about something which is still hypothetical. “I'm a proud Indian and I would be happy to represent my country, anywhere, anytime. I've been doing it since I was 17,“ points out the former Miss World who recently made it to the Time magazine cover as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Her TV series, Quantico, has made her a household name in the West, followed by the Baywatch movie in which she plays the antagonist. Quiz her on the latter and she reminds you that she has played negative characters in a few Hindi films in the past, including Aitraaz. “People were expecting me to play the heroine in my first Hollywood film but I don't like being conventional. It's fun taking on all the six lifeguards, the entire Baywatch team,“ she chuckles. So will we see her in the famous red swimsuit? “Since I am not one of the lifeguards I won't be wearing the red swimsuit. Whether I wear one or not is something you will have to wait and watch,“ she says enigmatically.
With all the offers coming her way in the West, will she get further distanced from India? Priyanka reasons that she has been successfully balancing her career in the US and India for the last few years without having to choose between one and the other and will continue to do so. “Hindi films are in my blood and my soul, I can never be distanced from them,“ she avers.
There's been talk of her playing Amrita Pritam in the Sahir biopic being produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and a directorial with Sanjay himself. She admits that he's her favourite filmmaker. “If he comes to me with something there's no question of saying no. Over the last one year I have been filming Bajirao Mastani, Gangaajal and now Baywatch along with Quantico. It's been difficult. I have been flying down to India for a day and back. After all the hard work and long hours I need a family vacation. I will be flying back next month and will be home for a month-and-a-half before I return in July for the second season of Quantico. That's when I will decide what films to take on. One thing however is clear, after Quantico I won't be doing another TV show,“ she rings off.
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MID-DAY (May 2, 2016)
Priyanka Chopra attended the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner in Washington over the weekend. The actress shared her snapshot with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Twitter. PeeCee chose a lacy black shimmery Zuhair Murad gown for the gala. She posted on Twitter, “Lovely to meet the very funny and charming Barack Obama and the beautiful Michelle Obama.
Thank you for a lovely evening. Cannot wait to start working on your girls education programme (sic).”
MID-DAY (May 2, 2016)
Priyanka Chopra attended the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner in Washington over the weekend. The actress shared her snapshot with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Twitter. PeeCee chose a lacy black shimmery Zuhair Murad gown for the gala. She posted on Twitter, “Lovely to meet the very funny and charming Barack Obama and the beautiful Michelle Obama.
Thank you for a lovely evening. Cannot wait to start working on your girls education programme (sic).”
Meet Iman Crosson aka Alphacat, Obama's lookalike in Tere Bin Laden Dead Or Alive
8:04 AM
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 10, 2016)
When Abhishek Sharma began scripting a spin-off to his 2010 surprise hit Tere Bin Laden, along with his reellife Osama bin Laden, Pradhuman Singh, the writer-director started scouting for the perfect actor to play America's first African-American President, Barack Obama. He knew he had found his man when he came across a video titled President Obama on Death of Osama bin Laden, which featured American rapper-comedian Iman Crosson. Popularly known as Alphacat, Iman describes himself as the "President's ghost writer" who raps all his speeches, no matter how serious they are, giving them a humorous spin. In this particular video, he had rapped Obrama's speech announcing the death of the terrorist on May 1, 2011.
"My team got in touch with Iman who's based in Los Angeles. He flew down to Mumbai and we shot with him on a large set of Abbottabad, recreating the speech and the rap," Abhishek told Mirror.
Iman has been invited to the White House twice and has managed to make the President smile with his impersonations. Obama calls him his "best mimic". To top that, the President knows that Alphacat will be impersonating him in Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive. "Obama is the central catalyst around whom the chaos unfolds. He keeps getting sucked into the conspiracy," explains Abhishek, describing his film as a 'farce' which mocks the fact that there is no documented proof of Osama's death. "I think Osama saw Tere Bin Laden before he died, if he actually died, that is..."
Sikander Kher's interaction with the reel life Obama adds to the humour. The newlyengaged actor plays a white CIA Agent, David Do-Something, who keeps misleading the President. He comes to India undercover as David Chaddha, discarding his Texan accent for a Punjabi one. "It's pretty hilarious. The first of its kind," promises Abhishek, whose upcoming film is independent of its first instalment.
Shah Rukh Khan proud to be a part of Barack Obama speech
7:55 AM
PTI (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 27, 2015)
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today said he was proud get a mention in US President Barack Obama's speech on gender and religious equality.
Obama charmed the crowd while addressing a Town hall event in Siri Fort on the third and final day of his visit to India by quoting Shah Rukh Khan's famous line 'Senorita, bade bade deshon mein...' from blockbuster 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'.
The actor's name cropped up again in his address as the President picked Shah Rukh, sports icons like Milkha Singh and Mary Kom and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi's names to make a point about humanitarian values.
"Proud to be part of the gender and religion equality speech of President Obama. Sad he couldn't do the Bhangra... next time Chaiyya Chaiyya for sure," Shah Rukh tweeted.
Amitabh Bachchan won't be able to meet Barack Obama due to Shamitabh promotions?
7:43 AM
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; January 15, 2015)
If sources are to be believed, Amitabh Bachchan had been invited for the Republic Day parade in New Delhi that will have US President Barack Obama as the chief guest. But it looks like the superstar will have to give it a miss.
A source says, “He had initially agreed to be part of the January 26 celebrations, but now since he is expected to attend some promotional events for his upcoming film Shamitabh, he may not be able to fly to Delhi and meet the American President.” It is said that the promotional plan was drawn much after Sr Bachchan received the R-Day event invite and will not able to adjust his dates.
Another source says, “He has already started the promotions. Even though he will be in India on January 26, it will be practically impossible for him to fly in and out of town in a day.”
The film’s spokesperson confirms the news about Big B skipping the R-Day function.
Curious Case: How a great PR machinery takes Mallika Sherawat to places
7:50 AM
MID-DAY (February 19, 2014)
Mallika Sherawat possesses a magic wand — at least that’s what it seems like when one looks at some of her ‘stellar achievements’ so far.
The actress, who shot to fame with her film Murder, has somehow found a way to stay in the limelight with her celeb appearances.
The latest news has it that the actress, who divides her time between LA and India, has been invited by the Oxford Union to address a panel discussion on gender discrimination. Despite having no hit film in the past three years, Mallika has grabbed headlines for her antics — be it singing Happy Birthday to a politician, making provocative statements or just her dressing sense.
One wonders how Sherawat — whose films make less noise than her celeb outings — ends up with such invitations. Clearly, her PR machinery has been on an overdrive.
With His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Monaco in May last year
With Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas in June 2012
She often meets Jackie Chan, whom she starred with in the film, Myth
Mallika Sherawat met US President Barck Obama on April 22, 2011
She appeared on Piers Morgan’s TV show in December last year
Seen here with award-winning singer, Sir Elton John, whom she met in December 2012
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