Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
No film set can compare to a locker room or a sports field-Aparshakti Khurana
9:18 AM
The actor opens up about his love for football, the ongoing World Cup and his take on the sport
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 23, 2026)
As football fever grips fans across the globe with the FIFA World Cup in full swing, actor and avid football enthusiast Aparshakti Khurana reveals his deep passion and enthusiasm for the sport.
“Despite my hectic professional commitments, just the adrenaline that football carries keeps bringing me back to it,” he shares, adding that the sport is his “biggest stress buster”.
MATCH DAY RITUAL
With excitement building for the ongoing World Cup, the 38-year-old shares his match-day ritual: “I try to keep my day easy at work so I’m fresh enough to watch the match... you need a lot of energy as a fan too.”
Aparshakti also adds how it fascinates him to witness the standard of football on display. He says, “The quality of football has gone up so much in the past few years — the fitness, the competition and the intensity.”
FAVOURITE FOOTBALLER
While among Indian footballers, the actor reserves a special admiration for former player Sunil Chhetri and calls him a “legend”, on the global stage, Argentina’s Lionel Messi remains his favourite. “He’s inspired generations while remaining grounded, and his journey reflects what football is all about — passion, perseverance and teamwork,” he says.
INDIA AND FOOTBALL
While the actor feels Indian football is progressing positively, he stresses the importance of investing in grassroots development: “More investment in youth academies and football infrastructure would help. Consistent success from the national team and stronger domestic leagues can inspire a larger fan base and create a long-term football culture.”
B’WOOD AND THE SPORT
Having played several matches for All Stars FC, a celebrity football team dedicated to raising money for charity, Aparshakti is quick to name actor Tiger Shroff as the best footballer in the team. “His fitness is unmatchable.”
Comparing football dressing rooms with film sets, Aparshakti adds, “Even though I haven’t played football at the highest level, I know one thing for sure — no film set can compare to a locker room or a sports field. That’s where we find the real heroes. We make only films on them.”
Rapid Fire
The underdog of this FIFA season?
Croatia: Technically strong, disciplined and capable of surprising bigger nations
A footballer whose mentality inspires you?
Argentina’s Lionel Messi
One stadium on your bucket list?
Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain
One football memory you’ll never forget?
Argentina lifting the World Cup in 2022
Favourite football documentary?
Sunderland ’Til I Die (2018)
One actor who’d make a surprisingly good footballer?
Jason Statham (Hollywood actor). From Bollywood, I’d say Ranbir Kapoor and Tiger Shroff
If not football, then which sport?
Badminton
Your prediction for this FIFA World Cup final?
Argentina vs Spain with Argentina emerging as winners
Preaching to kids is useless but telling stories works-Shriya Saran
2:26 PM
After acting in south and Bollywood films for nearly two decades, Shriya Saran decided to step away from the limelight when she conceived. The Haridwar-born star and her Russian husband Andrei Koscheev moved to Barcelona so she could enjoy her pregnancy, “get fat and not care what people wrote about her.’ Saran announced the ‘good news’ nine months after their daughter Radha’s birth, and by then she was back to her svelte self. The actor spoke to Neha Bhayana about how she lost the pregnancy weight and dealt with postpartum blues
Neha Bhayana (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 25, 2024)
Radha turned three last month. Are you facing threenage tantrums? What’s your trick for getting her to listen to you?
We are seeing tantrums these days. I find that telling stories really works. If you preach or tell children ‘no, don’t do this’, they will not understand, but stories work. I just make up random tales about animals. For example, I talk about an elephant and bananas and about how the doctor came. It may make no sense, but they get distracted and go into that world. I notice if you ask the child, “Will you be happy if that happened to you?”, it does not help, but if you say, “What if the elephant did it differently, wouldn’t it be nicer?” then it kind of works.
You have a busy schedule with films and endorsements. How do you ensure you are making enough time for Radha?
I try to come home as early as I can so I can spend time with her. I tell stories, take her for long walks. When we are not working, we take her to a farm on weekends to keep her connected to nature.
Acting or parenting — what’s more challenging?
That’s a tough question because I think one prepares you for the other role. I’m a better person when I am with Radha. My experience with her makes me a better actor. I think life prepares you to be a better actor. And when you do good work, your soul is satisfied, you’re happy inside and that prepares you to be a better mom. I feel we all need passions and we all need something that we love doing. So, whatever it is that makes your soul happy, you need to do that.
What, according to you, is the toughest part of parenting?
I think the toughest part of parenting is trying to match up to our own parents. I feel like that generation of parents were like Mother Teresa; they were way too giving. We are a little more self-centred. Our parents did so much for us, but they didn’t tell us what problems they had. They never spoke about time balance issues or health problems; they just went on and on with their job. They made sure they came home early and spent time with us. My dad taught me cycling, and my mom took me to dance classes. When I was very young (17), we moved to Delhi so I could learn dance from Sovana Narayan. They didn’t speak about these sacrifices. Also, as parents today, we’re very aware. This inability to disconnect is tough too. I feel a little bit of ignorance is bliss.
I’ll give you a simple example. When I was a kid, I couldn’t understand the difference between E and A so I was very scared to learn a new language. But still, I went on to do films in four different languages. The languages which were not mine, I learnt or understood before the films or at least memorized the lines. When I saw ‘Taare Zameen Par’, I realized that there is a situation when you don’t know left and right, you can’t differentiate between certain letters or that it is called dyslexia. I had no idea I had it. But at that time, there weren’t so many counsellors and not so many people were aware so you didn’t really know. But now that you know, sometimes, I think it’s good to not know.
What’s the best part about parenting?
The joy your baby gives you, the hugs and love you get when you come home. It is unmatched.
You will soon be seen in Karan Johar’s web series ‘Showtime’. Acting is a demanding profession. Is it difficult to juggle work commitments and your parenting duties?
When I am away, Andrei takes over or my mom. I have a great support system with my mom, my mom-in-law and my dad and I am very grateful to them. As an actress, you need a lot of help. A lot of heroes now acknowledge and are very grateful to their wives for managing the show when they are not there.
Yours is a cross-cultural marriage. What are the similarities and differences in your parenting style? Do you have clashes?
His upbringing is very similar to mine. His mother was a history teacher and his dad was an engineer. My dad too was an engineer and my mother, a teacher. It helps to have that similarity. Our value systems are the same. Of course, we do have clashes and differences but we find a middle path. Like he does not understand the practice of mundan (head shaving) and why we do it. But otherwise, he has really taken to our culture. He has turned vegetarian. We go to the temple together. He understands the different cultures in India. We have named our daughter Radha which means something in both languages. ‘Radha’ means ‘happy’ in old Russian. We want Radha to be part of both cultures. Radha goes for a Russian class and she loves sports just like her dad. I am going to introduce her to dance very soon. She speaks brilliant Hindi; better than most people I know. She speaks English and Russian too. And, she was born in Spain, so we want her to know Spanish as well. We want her to be fluent in at least four languages.
A lot of moms are now speaking up about postpartum depression. Did you find the first year difficult?
It was a difficult time. There was a lockdown and there was no help. We were in Barcelona. My mom came for two months but after that, for the next five months, we were completely on our own. There were times when you get up and you are feeling very low. It happens. There’s a huge change because your body was preparing to create this human and nurture that human. You are carrying the baby and suddenly it’s not there with you. So, your hormonal balance is very different. All that happened but I didn’t have time to even think. Breastfeeding is very, very important, but people don’t tell you that it is very difficult. It hurts; it is painful. And I was diagnosed with Covid-19 when Radha was seven months old. I had to stay away from her for two weeks. That was very difficult for me. I couldn’t stop crying.
You must have had to wean her off breastfeeding suddenly?
Yeah…that happened to a lot of women who had Covid. Suddenly, you had to stop breastfeeding. It's super painful. That year was hard. I had time maybe to cry for like five minutes and then I had to get up and cook to make sure there’s food for us and for our child. It’s not easy. If I was cooking, Andrei was making milk. If Andrei was cooking, I had to give her a bath. One does have emotional issues and all of that. But I think the best way to get over it is to listen to a lot of music. Recognize that your body is going through a lot and let it be. Let it go.
Is your husband Andrei equally involved in Radha’s care?
To be honest, a woman’s job is a woman’s job. As much as we say it’s equal, all of that doesn't happen. Andrei surely does much more than a lot of other men I know. He actually dedicated the entire year after Radha’s birth to her care. We were like a team and took care of her all by ourselves. We were very grateful for that time (in Barcelona) because it really got us connected to Radha. Now, we try to spend as much time with her as we can. We also constantly have these arguments and conversations because I feel Andrei should spend more time with Radha. He does try but it is hard. His work is very demanding too.
Between the two of you, who’s strict and who’s soft?
I think Andrei sometimes becomes a super softie. And then I fight with him and I get really pissed with him. But of late, we have agreed to be a team. So whatever one says, the other parent says the same. Unless one of us is saying something that is really out of the context or makes no sense at all. And that happens. Sometimes, I say things that really make no sense at all (laughs). So, we do check each other when required.
Is Radha mama’s baby or papa’s pet?
She is more attached to me. Andrei travels from Andheri to Thane for work so he is away for 16 hours a day. And when I am shooting, I’m not there at all. But she understands. She's very smart. When I am away, she goes to Andrei. When he is away, she goes to my mom or dad. When they are not around either, she goes to the nanny.
Are you a disciplinarian? What are your rules for screens, sugar and sleep?
We do have a set schedule for meals and Radha sleeps by 9 pm. I try to avoid sugar and as of now, she does not watch cartoons. I want to not let her watch TV for a long time. It is a struggle. When you are in the car, an hour seems difficult to pass and the next hour seems even more difficult. But after that, kids figure out what to do. They start counting the cars outside. They start tracking the traffic signal. It is a challenge but one manages.
Did you follow any exercise or diet regimen during pregnancy to avoid too much weight gain?
My doctor didn’t allow me to check my weight. He didn’t want me to get conscious and worried because being an actress you anyway tend to be very weight conscious. But I continued yoga and kathak (she is an accomplished dancer) through the pregnancy.
What did you crave the most during your pregnancy?
I ate a lot of good food. Initially, I was very homesick. My mom somehow managed to send garam masala to Barcelona despite the lockdown. And I got obsessed with south Indian food. I wanted to eat dosa every day. I learned how to make dosa for myself. It was a lovely time in my life. But by the time I delivered, I had put on 20 kilos.
And yet you seem to be slimmer than ever now…
It was not easy. The shoot for ‘Drishyam 2’ was starting and then I was doing another film, ‘Kabzaa’, so I had to lose weight fast. I dropped 15 kgs in seven months. After that, the last five kilos were the hardest. Dance and yoga really helped me.
You played a mom in Drishyam 1 when you were not even married and by the time you did ‘Drishyam 2’, you had had your baby. Did your real-life experience as a mom influence the way you portrayed a mom on screen?
Every experience helps. I think as an actor, what you see and observe around you also helps. It’s a mixture of both.
You have been involved in a lot of philanthropic work. How can parents encourage their kids to be empathetic and what values do you hope to imbibe?
It’s a process. It’s not easy. You keep doing it. You keep telling them and they learn. I want Radha to be someone who is friendly, happy, giving, forgiving, loving and kind. And most of all, someone who's hard working.
The plan was to visit Barcelona for just 2 weeks; I have come back 2 years later, with a beautiful baby-Shriya Saran
8:11 AM
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; October 14, 2021)
For someone who has spent nearly two decades in showbiz, with the spotlight on her almost always, Shriya Saran is a strange paradox. She loves the limelight, sure. But she’s also a very private person who’s fiercely protective about her personal life. No wonder she managed to keep the news of the birth of her baby girl, Radha, a secret for a good 10 months. Despite seemingly living out her life on social media through the lockdown, Shriya had given no indication whatsoever of being pregnant or having delivered a child. How did she manage that, we asked. And she spilled the beans.
Excerpts from an exclusive chat with Shriya and her husband, Andrei Koscheev, on everything from the joys of parenthood to why they wanted to go through the process of pregnancy away from the limelight.
Congratulations Shriya and Andrei, how does it feel to be parents?
Shriya: It feels great! But it’s also quite surreal really, you know. When I went to Barcelona before lockdown, the plan was to visit for just two weeks. I had packed clothes for just two weeks... And then the lockdown happened and I was there all this while. I come back nearly two years later, with a beautiful baby. The journey has been incredible. Having a child is such an amazing feeling and we’re immensely grateful to be blessed with such a beautiful baby girl. She changed our lives completely and she’s teaching us to be better every day.
Andrei: Becoming parents is a beautiful experience. The whole journey has been wonderful for us, more so because for many months, Shriya and I raised the child alone. We learnt new things each day. The whole experience changed us forever.
What made you choose the name Radha?
Andrei: Shriya was talking to her mom on the phone before the baby was born. We had just found out that we were going to be having a baby girl. And then her mom just started calling her Radha Rani and I was like, ‘why?’ I asked because in Russian, ‘Radha’ means happiness. Both Russian and Hindi come from Sanskrit and ‘Radha’ in both our languages means happiness. And right there, we knew that was the name for our child. We weren’t considering any other option. We just decided in five minutes that she was Radha.
Shriya: In Barcelona, you have to register the name before a child is born. It’s a very emotional moment. You’re in labour, going through so much pain and you have to think of a name. At that point, when both of us looked at each other, we just knew that she was going to be called Radha.
Tell us about your pregnancy. How challenging was it to go through it during the lockdown in a foreign country?
Shriya: Pregnancy is such an intense process and it has so many ups and downs. You have good moments and there are times when you feel very emotionally drained out and tired. I did a lot of yoga. I was dancing every day; I did a lot of Kathak. I also went on long walks and kept pushing myself to be healthy and safe.
Andrei: We had a rule. She could have either ice cream or hot chocolate. Shriya always wanted to have both (laughs!).
Shriya, for someone who’s so outgoing, expressive and social media-friendly, it must have taken some effort to keep your pregnancy a secret. Was it a conscious choice to keep your pregnancy away from the limelight?
Shriya: Yes, I just wanted to be healthy and enjoy the process. I wanted to concentrate on this beautiful journey and experience every moment of it the way it is meant to be. I didn’t want any scrutiny or anyone telling me how I should look or behave. The whole time when I was pregnant and during delivery, it was my time with the child and I wanted to keep it to myself. It was important for me to keep it to myself and not share the news till I was ready. Now that I’m back and ready to get back to work, I feel like I’m ready to share this wonderful news with the rest of the world.
Andrei: Besides, it’s very difficult to hide a baby in Bandra (laughs!).
Yes! And that makes us wonder how did you manage to keep the child away from Mumbai’s paparazzi for so long...
Shriya: (Laughs!) It was extremely difficult. We had it all planned out. Everything was a process. We arrived at night and I went out first and then Andrei came. She’s just a child and we wanted to keep her away from the limelight.
Did having a baby influence your decision to move back to India from Spain?
Andrei: It happened very naturally. Once we had a child, we realised that you can’t keep travelling between three countries, especially during COVID times. My parents are in Russia and Shriya’s parents are here in Mumbai. We first went to Russia and spent a couple months there and then moved to India.
Shriya: I think the game changer was when we were in Russia. I couldn’t be vaccinated when I was pregnant and when I was nursing the baby. When we went to Russia, we both got Coronavirus. We found out literally four to five hours before we were flying out of Russia. I was in denial and I thought it was a mistake. But then symptoms started showing and then Andrei got it too and we had to go to the hospital. The hardest part was we couldn’t see Radha for 15 days. That’s when we decided to shift to India.
Andrei, how are you liking life in India?
I love it here. I feel very comfortable and positive about being here. I love Indian food. I now have Indian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It started during Shriya’s pregnancy, she could only eat Indian food at the time and I started eating a lot more Indian food then. So now, I’m used to it. I love all kinds of food.
They say that having a child changes your life forever. How has it been for the two of you?
Shriya: Yes, a child most certainly changes your life. She drives me to spend more time with her and be with her whenever she needs us. Even when I’m working, I constantly think of Radha.
Andrei: We want her to be proud of us. That gives us extra motivation to be the best version of ourselves and set the right example for our child. Because children, knowingly or unknowingly, end up copying everything you do. So we try to be the best parents that we can be.
I can’t wait for Andrei Koscheev to get a taste of Ganpati festivities in Mumbai-Shriya Saran
8:18 AM
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; September 12, 2021)
Having spent several lockdowns in Barcelona over the last year-and-a-half, it’s time for new beginnings for Shriya Saran. Last month, the actress moved back to India with her husband Andrei Koscheev and the duo are delighted to begin their new journey living together in Mumbai. “I’ve been wanting to get back to work and that required me to come back to India. Andrei, too, wanted to experience the culture here. He loves India and wants to explore it further. So we decided to move to Mumbai. My mom is thrilled to have me back home,” says Shriya.
The Drishyam actress is keen to show her husband, the vibrant culture that India has to offer, and says one of the best ways to do that is to show him how Ganesh Utsav is celebrated here. “Having lived in Mumbai for many years, I’ve always loved the way Ganesh Utsav is celebrated and I always wanted Andrei to experience that. During this time, it doesn’t matter which religion you belong to and where you come from – everyone comes together to celebrate. For the next few days, it’s going to be a carnival, and I can’t wait to experience it with Andrei,” she says, excitedly.
While Shriya’s excited to experience Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on the streets of Mumbai, she says the festivities at home will remain simple. “Ever since I was a child, Ganesh Chaturthi was a simple affair. Right from a young age, we decided against having POP idols at home. I’d always make a tiny Ganesha idol with clay and we would immerse it in a plant. For years, this has been our tradition and it’s going to be no different this year,” says Shriya, adding, “This year, I was excited to make my clay Ganesha from scratch. I hadn’t done it for a while, so it felt good to be making it again. We have a tulsi plant at home, so we plan to immerse the Ganesha there after a few days. It’s very soothing and therapeutic to see the Ganesha idol take new life in the plant.”
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, no matter how simple, are incomplete without good food. “Andrei’s in for a treat. The best part about festivals in India is all the delicious food that we get to eat and this is going to be no different. We’re going to be savouring all the homemade delicacies such as modaks and ladoos,” says Shriya.
Apart from making a Ganesha idol and gorging on good food, what Shriya is looking forward to soaking in the festive fervour with Andrei. “He doesn’t know what it’s going to be like. So, it’s going to be a surprise for him. Andrei is someone who loves to experience different cultures and I’m sure he would love this. The whole vibe during the festive season is something else. Everybody comes together to pray, dance, eat and celebrate. It’s a beautiful thing and I’m looking forward to the next few days of celebration,” adds Shriya.
Living like a student was one of the best things I did-Shefali Shah
7:58 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 30, 2021)
She is known for her acclaimed performances, but there is another side to actor Shefali Shah that not many are aware of. She is passionate about painting and has been sharing a number of her vivid watercolour paintings on social media. In fact, during the lockdown, she took to sketching and created a number of sketches. Her next set of paintings are currently being used in her director husband Vipul Shah’s web show, which she says is “quite exciting”.
“It is never about the destination but the journey for me. The process is what drives me to paint and I find that exciting,” she says talking about her passion for art. “It consumes and fulfils me. It is an artistic expression.”
Shah also pursued a three-and-a-half month painting course in Spain, in 2016, which she says was a novel experience. Talking about taking up an art course abroad, Shah explains, “I have been choosy about my work, so there was a vacuum of expression that I needed an outlet for. I started learning to paint with my kids, their teacher and later from online videos. When I wanted to pursue it as an art form, I took up this course in Barcelona, Spain. We had an exhibition at the end of the course for what we wanted to create and I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. So, living like a student was one of the best things I did,” says the actor.
She admits that selling her painting in a group exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery was thrilling even though her first solo exhibition in Pune in 2017 was not such a success. “It was disappointing. But I am a student, so you learn, you fail, fall and pick up. I am continuing doing what I love.”
Living in Spain, I got to see first hand how quickly COVID-19 turned our lives upside down-Shriya Saran
8:24 AM
As told to Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; April 14, 2020)
I’ve been in lockdown for nearly a month now in Barcelona. It’s surreal how drastically things changed around me ever since Coronavirus first hit us. Living in Spain, one of the worst-hit countries, I got to see first-hand how quickly this virus turned our lives upside down. It all changed on March 13, when Andrei (Koscheev, husband) and I stepped out to celebrate our anniversary, unperturbed by the coronavirus. We had made a reservation, but when we got to the restaurant, we saw that it was shut. That’s when it dawned upon us that things are really serious; the whole of Spain was under lockdown. From then on, everything changed. The police passed a rule allowing only one person per household to step out, and that too, only if absolutely unavoidable. In fact, Andrei and I were once stopped by the cops, but since he is white and I’m brown, they didn’t realise we were together, so they let us go.Gradually, the gravity of the situation hit home as we started reading up more about the pandemic. To make matters worse, Andrei began to develop a dry cough and fever. We rushed to a hospital, but the doctors were overwhelmed and urged us to leave and self-isolate instead. “Chances are that even if he doesn’t have COVID-19, he will get it if he stays here,” the doctors told us. So, we decided to go home and self-isolate ourselves and get treatment at home. We slept in different rooms and maintained a safe distance from each other. Thankfully, he’s feeling better now, so I hope the worst is behind us.
Staying cooped up in one place is frustrating and I try to keep myself occupied — with yoga, meditation, cooking, reading, watching movies to take my mind off things. But no matter what, at 8 pm every day, everybody goes out to their balconies, to clap and sing together. It fills us all with that much-needed positivity in these trying times.Though things are getting better here, I miss India. I don’t know when I’ll be able to come home. My parents are in Mumbai and I’m constantly on video-call with them. My mum has shared some of her recipes and I’ve learnt to make them. But now I’m running out of spices and garam masala, so I’m worried that I won’t be able to eat desi food soon. My problems are trivial compared to the sufferings many are enduring due to the pandemic. So, when we light a candle every night or clap from our balconies, we must keep them in our thoughts too, and if we can, we should do something for them.
This pandemic will change the way we look at the environment. I think we will have greater appreciation for things we’ve always taken for granted. It’s a long road back to normalcy, but when all this is over, we will hopefully have a better world.
I first met Andrei Koscheev while diving in Maldives & what followed was a magical love story-Shriya Saran
2:27 PM
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; February 14, 2020)
It’s Valentine’s Day and love is definitely in the air when we catch up with Shriya Saran at a studio in Hyderabad. She may be four thousand miles away from her husband of almost two years, but mention his name and she still blushes like a new bride. “I am in the happiest phase of my life and all credit goes to Andrei Koscheev,” she gushes, speaking of her hubby, a Russian tennis player and entrepreneur based in Barcelona.Having moved to the Catalonian coastal city to live with Andrei, away from the hustle-bustle of Mumbai, Shriya says she has discovered a whole new side to her. She’s pursuing new hobbies, reigniting her love affair with dance and is on a quest to fulfill her insatiable thirst for travel. The actress, who’s been hitherto hushhush about her private life, opens up for the first time about her marriage. Excerpts:
You look happier than ever before. Are you enjoying married life?
Yes, I’m very happy. God has been kind and I’m blessed to have such a supportive partner like Andrei. I somehow like the word partner more than husband. Because Andrei is like my partner-in-crime, partner-in-fun and everything else. He’s really proud of me and my work. Whenever I’m stressed or worried about what I’m doing, he always tries to calm me down. He’s the best thing that’s happened to me and I’m loving every minute that I spend with him.
You’ve always been tight-lipped about your private life and that hasn’t changed after marriage. In fact, your wedding itself was very hush-hush and you promptly shot down reporters who asked you about Andrei. But you’ve slowly started opening up about your relationship to the outside world, be it by posting his pictures on social media or attending Ramesh Taurani’s Diwali party together in Mumbai last year. What changed?
I felt like there were too many negative comments going around. People would say stuff like, ‘Why are you marrying a white boy?’, ‘Couldn’t you find someone here?’, etc. But when you fall in love, you fall for the person he is and not where he comes from or what he does. And that’s what happened with me. Yes, I’ve always been quiet about my personal life and I’ve never really spoken about what I was doing apart from work. That’s because I’m a very private person outside of work. Of course, I’m a happy-go-lucky person, I have a lot of friends and I love people. But we all have a right to personal life. But yes, now, little by little, we’re slowly talking about each other publicly. It’s just so happened that I wanted to post a picture and in all the pictures, he was there. So I told myself, ‘Let us start with one’. We both were very nervous about it. Because if you’re on social media, you will get 90 bad comments and maybe 10 good ones. I told myself, ‘Concentrate on the positive and don’t bother about the negative’. After a while, I reached a stage, where I could tell myself, ‘Don’t concentrate on anything. You like a picture, just go ahead and post it’. In my case luckily, 99 per cent of the comments were good and only two-three were bad. So I thought to myself, maybe it’s not so bad after all.
Tell us more about your love story. Where did you first meet Andrei?
I’m not too comfortable going into the details, but yes, my love story with Andrei is beautiful and magical. We first met while I had gone diving in Maldives. He didn’t even know who I was when we first met. It was only later that he found out I’m an actress. A few months after we met, he asked me, ‘Do you have a movie online?’ and I said, ‘Yes I do’. So then, he went ahead and watched it. That was really sweet.
What’s the most romantic thing Andrei has done for you?
One gesture of his that surprised me the most was when he once took me to St Petersburg. I had shot for a song with Mahesh Babu there for Arjun (2004). Obviously, he didn’t know about this — or so I thought. When I reached St. Petersburg, he picked me up in his car and he took me to all the places where I shot and he kept asking me, ‘Do you remember?’ And I was like, ‘No, I don’t remember anything’. And then he started laughing and said, ‘You shot at all these places’. I was stunned and asked him how he knew this, and he replied, ‘Because I saw it’. That was the cutest thing he had done.
Ever since you got married, you’ve been shuffling between Mumbai and Barcelona. What’s that been like?
I love Mumbai... India is where part of my heart lies. Everytime I come back home, I gorge on paranthas and dosas and it makes me happy. I simply love Indian food. But I’m a completely different person when I’m in Barcelona. There’s no make-up and I get to walk around in shorts, without worrying about how I look or what I’m wearing. We live in the central part of the city, so I get to walk around everywhere. I have a foldable bicycle, so everyday I take it out and cycle around town. It’s great fun. I have a problem with directions a bit, whenever I want to turn right, I go left (laughs). And Barcelona has a completely different driving style. I do a lot of yoga and I’m learning Spanish. So I’m doing a whole lot of things that I really love. But I do love India and I get excited whenever I come here for shoot. So, I’m currently enjoying the best of both worlds.
Check out sizzling Shriya Saran in a still from her item number in Sab Kushal Mangal
8:05 AM
Married to a businessman from St Petersburg and based in Spain, Shriya Saran returns to Bollywood for a special song
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 23, 2019)
“I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since Andrei and I tied the knot!” Shriya exclaims and you wonder why she kept the shaadi so hush hush. Pat comes the answer, “There’s nothing to hide, but I like to keep my private life quiet and simple. My work is my bread and butter and my husband is very supportive; he would love me to do more work.”
The couple love deep sea-diving and it was during one of her trips to Maldives three years ago, that they met. The couple has recently moved to Barcelona for business and Shriya is quick to inform that after she turned 17 and started working, she doesn’t remember having lived in any city for more than two weeks. “But my base will always be Mumbai since my parents live here and I will always come down here or fly down South for work. I don’t want to lose my base in India,” she asserts.
Talking about the song, “Naya Naya Love” with Akshaye Khanna and Priyaank Sharma, the actress attributes it to her friendship with the producer, Prachi Manmohan. They know each other since the 2011 film, Gali Gali Chor Hai, which Prachi’s father Nitin Manmohan produced with Akshaye and Shriya. “It’s a peppy dance song and an important part of the narrative. It was great working with Akshaye after a long time,” smiles the actress, who is looking for interesting stories that turn into talking points.
Priyanka Chopra to host Valentine's Day bash in 10 cities around globe?
8:24 AM
For her first Valentine's Day celebration after marriage, Priyanka Chopra to host bash in 10 cities around globe; party kicks off in Auckland, ends in LA
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 14, 2019)
It's her first Valentine's Day after her fairytale wedding to Nick Jonas last December, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas wants the world to join her in the celebration of love.
Turns out, the actor - in association with Bumble, the social networking-cum-dating app that she backs - has planned an elaborate 24-hour Valentine's Day party that will travel across several countries. Termed the Domino Effect Valentine's Party, it offers users across the globe a chance to party with Chopra.
A source close to the actor informs, "Since it is her first Valentine's Day after marriage, Priyanka wanted it to be special. The actor's team came up with the idea of her hosting a party that begins in one part of the world and ends in another. While the first bash will kick off in Auckland, it will then move to Sydney followed by Manila and Mumbai. The other cities on the itinerary include London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Toronto, with the final destination being Los Angeles. While Priyanka will join the guests at the other parties through live streaming, she is expected to attend the Los Angeles soiree with Nick by her side."
Besides supervising the preparations for the Los Angeles leg, Chopra has also taken a keen interest in the Mumbai do. "The bash will be held at a Worli hotspot and the guest list includes Dino Morea, Manushi Chhillar, Shibani Dandekar and Milind Soman, among others."
The Mumbai bash will be hosted by real-life couple Karan Kundra and Anusha Dandekar. Dandekar says she agreed to be part of the do as the networking site empowers women by giving them the power of choice. "I have believed in pushing women to the forefront to be able to make their own choices. Since the party represents that, it was an immediate yes from my end."
Check out Kareena Kapoor's glamorous photoshoot in Barcelona
8:05 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (January 9, 2016)
Kareena Kapoor, who wrapped up R Balki's gender-bending romcom, Ki and Ka, opposite Arjun Kapoor, has been on an extended vacation with hubby Saif Ali Khan ever since the New Year celebrations kicked in.
After ringing in 2016 in their trusty holiday spot, the quiet and quaint Gstaad, where they invariably head off every year for some serious downtime, the nawab and his begum are now in Paris. But it hasn't been all play and amour for Bebo. The couple made a quick stopover en route to sunny Barcelona so the actress could do a photo-shoot before heading to the city of love. Dressed in what could be a red Gauri and Nainika gown, a golden headdress and accessories, the actress looked like a Grecian goddess as she posed for pictures.
The next stop on the jet-setting couple's itinerary is another trusted destination, London, a family favourite with the Khans and Kapoors. While little is known about Kareena's upcoming projects, Saif wrapped up the first schedule of Vishal Bhardwaj's Casablanca-like love story, Rangoon, in Mumbai before heading out of the country for the holidays. They return to Mumbai on January 11.
Deepika Padukone joins Ranveer Singh on the cruise in Barcelona?
10:21 AM
Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; June 1, 2014)
Deepika Padukone may have
strongly refuted rumours about joining `good friend' Ranveer Singh in
Barcelona, but our sources claim otherwise. We hear that the actress,
who was holidaying in New York, flew to the Spanish city on May 30 to be
with Ranveer, who is on a cruise shooting for Zoya Akhtar's Dil
Dhadakne Do.
It seems she will spend a fortnight with him and the rest of the team, including Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma. Says a source close to Dippy , “She is expected to return in the second week of June and will go to Bangalore."
Deepika Padukone may have
strongly refuted rumours about joining `good friend' Ranveer Singh in
Barcelona, but our sources claim otherwise. We hear that the actress,
who was holidaying in New York, flew to the Spanish city on May 30 to be
with Ranveer, who is on a cruise shooting for Zoya Akhtar's Dil
Dhadakne Do.It seems she will spend a fortnight with him and the rest of the team, including Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma. Says a source close to Dippy , “She is expected to return in the second week of June and will go to Bangalore."
Anushka Sharma spending time with Virat Kohli before going to Barcelona?
7:58 AM
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; May 28, 2014)
Anushka Sharma is all set to fly to Barcelona for a two month long shoot and
before that she is apparently spending quality time with ‘ good friend’
Virat Kohli.The actress, who has just returned to Mumbai from Jodhpur after a gruelling one and half month schedule for her home production, NH10, currently has the cricketer giving her company.
It is being said that with his team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, knocked out of IPL 7, Virat now has some time on hand and this is why he has come down to Mumbai. Says a source, “On May 29, Anushka will be travelling to Barcelona where she will be shooting for Zoya Akhtar’s film, Dil Dhadakne Do, for one and half months.”
The couple, that has apparently been seeing each other for quite some time now, has not been able to meet for a while due to their professional commitments. “Though the cricketer visited her on her birthday ( May 1) when she was shooting in Jodhpur, they haven’t really been able to spend much time together,” says the source.
Ranbir Kapoor to join Aditya for the football match in Madrid?
8:06 AM
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 22, 2014)
Well, Aditya Roy Kapur has already booked his tickets for the upcoming football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Spain. And now it seems he has got company. No, it is not the usual suspect, his old steady Shraddha Kapoor o his new bestie Parineeti Chopra, but another Kapoor!
Ranbir Kapoor, who returned to the city yesterday after wrapping up Bombay Velvet’s Sri Lankan schedule, is also planning to leave for Madrid on Saturday just in time to catch the game.
Reveals a source close to the actor, “Ranbir is a hardcore football fan and at no cost would want to miss this all-important match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. He made the plan well in advance.’’
Back in 2011, FC Barcelona had named Ranbir, a self-proclaimed Barca fan, their Indian brand ambassador.
Although Aditya and Ranbir have been spotted indulging in a game of football quite often in Bandra, it is not clear if the two planned their Spanish rendezvous together.
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