Devastation and destruction have gripped Assam over the past 10 days, as the state has been battling one of its worst floods in recent years. In the wake of the floods, members of the Hindi film industry have begun mobilising relief efforts on the ground. mid-day has learnt that Salman Khan, who has been shooting Vamshi Paidipally’s yet-untitled next in Mumbai, has been coordinating with his fan club in Assam to distribute food and essential supplies to the state’s worst-hit areas.

A source close to the actor told mid-day, “He connected with the Salman Khan Fan Club [SKFC] Assam and planned a phased process to aid the affected.”

In the first phase of the initiative, Khan’s NGO Being Human has joined forces with the SKFC Assam to distribute ready-to-eat food packets in Sivasagar, from Guwahati.

“Each packet consists of biscuits, jaggery, poha, puffed rice, bread, cheese, and jam. Salman’s priority is to make sure families have enough food to last for at least three days until the situation improves,” added the source.

They are also distributing sanitary pads, mosquito coils, drinking water, and water purification tablets. 

The second phase, to be started next week, will focus on distribution of ration kits and medicines. In the final phase, Being Human will undertake the responsibility of reconstructing schools and hospitals in severely affected areas.

Actor Bhumi Pednekkar has also extended support by partnering with Bharat Disaster Relief Foundation (BDRF), which is currently providing ration kits, hygiene kits, drinking water, and other essential supplies to families in Sivasagar.

A source said, “When Bhumi found out that BDRF was driving relief efforts in Assam, she partnered with the non-profit organization.”

Bhumi Satish Pednekkar has come on board the cast of The Pride Of Bharat - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The actress will portray Belawadi Mallamma, the warrior queen of Karnataka, in the historical drama headlined by Rishab Shetty, who essays the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Bhumi says, “I’m honoured to be part of a film on the life and legacy of the great Maratha warrior-king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It’s a privilege for me to play Karnataka’s brave warrior queen, Belawadi Mallamma, and bring her to life on screen. I am a huge Kantara fan, and Rishab Shetty’s stunning performance blew me away. So, the moment Sandeep narrated the film, the actor in me instantly said yes. This is unlike anything I’ve done before, and I’m grateful to the makers for seeing me in a completely new light.”

Directed and produced by Sandeep Singh, The Pride Of Bharat - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a two-part saga. The film also stars Arjun Rampal and Vivek Oberoi and is set to go on floors later this year.

As reported by us earlier, following Pritam’s decision to take a break from mainstream music, the makers roped in Amit Trivedi to compose the music for the historical drama.

A source had shared with us, “The team believes Amit Trivedi’s ability to blend powerful orchestration with deeply rooted Indian melodies makes him an ideal fit for the film’s vision. The music has to capture Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s courage, vision, legacy and the emotional heartbeat of the story. The makers were looking for a composer who could balance scale with emotion, and they are confident Amit’s music will elevate the film’s narrative while staying true to its historical essence.”

With the Assam flood toll at 62 and over 7 lakh people still affected, actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar has urged citizens to support relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state. Bhumi shared a video on Instagram appealing for donations of food, mattresses, sanitation supplies and other essentials.

Speaking to us, she says, “At this point, large parts of the country have come together for a unified voice. A lot of other important things across the country are not getting a platform, and one of those things is the Assam floods.”

The actor says she became aware of the scale of the crisis after being contacted by someone involved in relief work. “That’s when I realized how disastrous the entire situation is... dead bodies are floating… and the amount of cattle that has been swept away in the flood.”

Calling for citizen-led support, she adds, “Of course we have our Army on ground, and the government is doing what they can do. But I really appeal to all citizens… the way they came together last year for the Punjab floods via citizen-led initiatives, people going on boats to distribute food, we need to come together for this too.”

The Royals was greenlit for a second season, soon after the first dropped. But now mid-day has learnt that the leading lady, Bhumi Satish Pednekkar has left the show. The Netflix drama, which marked Zeenat Aman’s OTT debut, is expected to take a different turn from where the first season ended.

A source close to the production says, “When you do a romance, it is the story that leads. When the show came out, what resonated [with the audience] was the family — Ishaan [Khatter], Sakshi [Tanwar], Zeenat, and the world of The Royals — which feels different. We left season one at an unresolved romance. There was no decision to carry it forward. There was no fight with Bhumi. The makers are simply letting the story lead forward organically in the second season.”

Pednekkar has moved on from the series and is now prioritising darker, layered material. Sources say the actor is in talks for a courtroom drama backed by the makers of Haq (2025).

“Bhumi is also set to feature opposite Imran Khan in what insiders describe as his long-awaited comeback film for Netflix. The project, currently under wraps, has been in development for some time. She is also expected to begin working on Daldal 2, a project that aligns more closely with the intense space she has increasingly gravitated towards in recent years,” adds the source.

Pednekkar, who faced criticism after the first instalment, admitted in her Sit With Hitlist interview on mid-day that the backlash deeply affected her. “The noise became so loud that I couldn’t hear my own creative voice anymore. When you are told every day that you ‘don’t look like yourself,’ it starts to seep in. I felt numb.”

Sources close to the production maintain that the season two is being designed as a natural continuation of the world established in the first season, even if the central love story no longer remains the priority.

Amid chatter that Wheel Of Fortune India has been renewed for a second season, host Akshay Kumar recently shot for the grand finale. For the superstar, the episode brought both — the hope of meeting the audience again for a new season, and a sense of nostalgia as he walked down memory lane with Farah Khan, Bhumi Pednekkar, and Jacqueline Fernandez.

A source told mid-day that the channel is keen to continue with the actor, given his high audience engagement. The source shared, “The decision to move ahead with the next season has been influenced by contestants, who love the laughter and nostalgia that Akshay evokes.”

The final episode is a perfect example of that. Apparently, Kumar shared a warm anecdote about Farah and her brother Sajid Khan’s childhood that left the audience in splits. He revealed that the siblings would often go to the theatre to watch movies, with their mother Menaka Irani preparing sandwiches for their outings.

Kumar shared, “Farah would beat her brother during the interval, and you’ll be shocked to hear why. [It’s because] he would eat up the onions, tomatoes, eggs, and potatoes in the sandwiches, leaving just the bread for her! Does anybody beat up their brother for this?”

Actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar didn’t hold back as she spoke during a session on Monday at the just-concluded International Film Festival Delhi’s inaugural edition, getting candid about social media trolling and the need to support smaller films.

In conversation with Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor-Entertainment and Lifestyle, she had a clear stance on dealing with online bullying: speak up or risk becoming a victim. “There should be strong laws against cyberbullying. Not just influencers and actors, but common people face it too. These trolls write such nasty stuff that it borders on being inhumane. To wish for someone’s death under the garb of commenting is taking it too far. Aaj agar awaaz nahi uthayi toh aap shikaar banoge kal,” she said.

The 36-year-old added that social media has become increasingly unforgiving. “Kisi se ek galti ho gayi, toh aap society ke har insaan ko pathhar maaroge?” she remarked.

Turning to the film industry, she stressed the importance of audiences supporting smaller films alongside big-ticket successes like Dhurandhar. “I request everyone to please support small films. I have watched Dhurandhar, mujhe bahot pasand aayi, and I am not even a person who likes violent films! But even those films which are light, slice-of-life, heartfelt, agar sirf iss wajah se films ko theatres mein jagah nahin milegi, toh hum log kahaan jaayenge?” she said, adding, “Chhoti films dekhna zaroori hai. There are a handful of OTT platforms, if even they don’t take small films like theatres, toh poori industry band ho jaayegi.”

Addressing the growing fixation with box office figures, Bhumi, recently seen in Daldal, added, “Trade numbers se apne aap ko disassociate kar lo... You should only be concerned with whether the film is good to watch or not.”

Actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar’s clarity of thought is refreshing in a world of rehearsed answers by celebrities. In the latest episode of The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra, she talks about her journey, troll culture and urges fans to support low budget films.

Small and medium-sized films are dwindling. Friday ko collections aane shuru ho jaate hain aur ek judgement de diya jata hai ki iss film ki opening nahin lagi. Agar nahin lagi toh kya it’s not a film that’s worthy of being given a shot?... I have people around me saying ‘haan lekin iski opening nahin lagi hai na’. I’m like why do you all care? This is not for you. This is for the business and industry people. Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) had opened at Rs. 1 crore! Agar tab yeh systems hote toh na mera, na Ayushmann Khurrana, na Rajkummar Rao, na Taapsee Pannu, kisi ke career nahi hote. I really feel bad. These are the films that actually change the society. Har cheez number ho gayi hai ab. We need to encourage small and medium sized films and that will only happen if we stop labelling them.

Actor Arjun Kapoor’s Instagram post made fans and trolls alike sit up and take notice on Tuesday. The 40-year-old wrote an emotional birthday message for his late mother, Mona Kapoor. But the lines that caught social media users’ eyes are: “Life’s been kinda cruel to me lately... We will ride it out together. I’ll see u again soon.”

A 2017 video of Arjun’s ‘blank stare’ at a press conference resurfaced. What started as harmless fun around a funny video soon turned nasty. Arjun’s Instagram posts and Reels were flooded by comments that blurred the line between criticism and bullying, often rage baiting responses and farming engagement. Messages included: ‘God blast you’, ‘You are the reason I believe in failure’, ‘Aap bahut peeche jaaoge’, ‘Arjun the superzero’, and ‘Always give up’, among others. But now, the commenters have changed their tune.

Arjun’s new post saw an outpouring of love. Actor Genelia Deshmukh commented, “All will be good, Arjun. You have your own special angel always looking after you.” Others shared strings of heart emojis.

Bhumi Pednekar, Arjun’s co-star in his last screen outing Mere Husband Ki Biwi (2025), says trolling is synonymous with bullying: “What’s frightening is how easily we’ve begun to accept trolling as normal behaviour. The internet forgets that there is a human being they are referring to and not a bot.”

His father Boney Kapoor says, “All the trolling will make Arjun stronger in his resolve. Nothing of this sort will deter him. He’s a brave and sensible boy.”

We reached out to Arjun about his post, but received no response till the time of going to press.

The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra was the first to question the behaviour of trolls, urging commenters to show more empathy, compassion and respect towards the actor. The Reel clocked 2 million views, nearly 94k likes and over 5k comments, including reactions from celebrities Varun Dhawan, Rakul Preet Singh, Vaani Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh, to name a few

While Bhumi Pednekar makes a commanding return to OTT in Amazon Prime Video’s Daldal, she finds an almost formidable counterpart in Samara Tijori. As the mercurial serial killer Anita/Anant Acharya, the actor has earned significant acclaim for her portrayal of a ruthless antagonist masquerading as a journalist. Reflecting on the reception, Tijori admits the response has been profound: “It is overwhelming; my heart is full,” she notes with evident gratitude.

Samara, who wanted to pursue criminology, thinks she subconsciously manifested getting the part. Her dedication knew no bounds. She chopped her hair for real. Ask her why, and she explains, “When I went in for the look test, we tried a wig. I remember being like, ‘This is not really making me feel anything.’ When the wind was flowing, the hair was not moving. It wasn’t looking real. I thought to myself, ‘This is a part that I have, and I’m going to give 150 per cent to the performance on an emotional and physical level.’ As soon as I cut my hair, it was helpful to be Anant. It helped me detach, and it was certainly a good decision that I made.”

In the series, Samara shares a close bond with Aditya Rawal. With an evident onscreen chemistry, she asserts that they had become each other’s safe space while filming. “I love him to bits. We immediately clicked as friends. We watched a couple of films together because we had no reference point and had to enact the vulnerability,” she says. 

As for her senior, Bhumi Pednekar, Samara recalled working as an AD on Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship (2020) that starred the former. But things were different now that they were co-actors. She says, “I definitely was intimidated because I have looked up to her for a very long time. I met her the first time at the reading. And she literally hugged me and said, ‘I'm so happy that we are doing this together.’”

Samara, who is the daughter of veteran actor Deepak Tijori, says that she had to shoot the climax earlier than expected, which left her petrified. But one phone call to her dad added a massive dose of encouragement. “He has always told me to be patient because it’s not always hunky-dory. I saw good and bad days with my father, and what I took from that is resilience. He emphasizes being ready because when something comes, you shouldn't be slacking,” she says.

Samara is aware of the pressures that come with great work. But she believes in going with the flow. “For a change, I would like to play happier roles,” she laughs. “If I can access these parts of myself and express them as an actor, there is nothing more fulfilling than that. But I am definitely in a space where I want to see where this takes me. It's not like some 50 things are flooding me. It’s very soon,” she signs off. 

Imran Khan is all set to make a comeback in films after 10 years, and later this month, he will also mark the 15th anniversary of his Deepika Padukone co-starrer Break Ke Baad (2010). The timing feels perfect, the actor says, because he is reuniting with the same director, Danish Aslam, for his comeback film.

The 42-year-old explains, “The movie is pretty much like what the team of Break Ke Baad would be doing 15 years later in life. So, I feel it’s a natural progression. Danish and I now have a collective life experience; he’s been married, and I’ve gone through a divorce. It’s just the film we should make 15 years later.”

Reflecting on the making of the film, Imran adds, “This is very much a personal project that came from the creative urge to tell a story and work with dear friends. The shoot is complete, and it’s now in post-production. We are looking at a digital release once the streaming platform finalizes the date.”

On how actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar joined the project, he says, “It was a co-creative decision. We all agreed on her and what she would bring to the film. She brought a great vibe to the set, and the same is true for (actor) Gurfateh Pirzada. In fact, this is the happiest set I’ve ever been on.”

Imran also shares how he had initially rejected Break Ke Baad, but a chance meeting at a party changed everything. He recalls, “I was shooting for I Hate Luv Storys in 2010 when Danish came in to narrate Break Ke Baad. He hates narrations, and I don’t do well listening to them, so I said ‘no thanks’ and left. Later, I met him at a party, and we hit it off. Halfway through our conversation, I realized he was the same guy whose script I had turned down. That’s when he sent me a draft to read, and it clicked with me. We were shooting the film a couple of months later.”

Bhumi and Samiksha Pednekar are not just sisters, but each other’s best friends, confidantes and now business partners, too. This Raksha Bandhan, as they continue their personal tradition of tying rakhis to each other, the Pednekar sisters open up about how their bond has deepened over the years — especially after losing their father at a young age. The siblings talk about how they fiercely stand by each other, even while knowing their boundaries.

Bhumi: My mom has our pictures of us tying rakhis from the time when we were little kids. Over the years, the meaning of the ritual has changed for us. At its core, Raksha Bandhan for us is all about supporting your sibling, protecting them and just being there for each other.

Samiksha: Rakhi would start 10 days before the festival. We would go rakhi shopping and send rakhis via post to our cousin brothers. In fact, to this date, we do that.

Bhumi: Through the years, we met some incredible people who are now our rakhi brothers. I have so many rakhi brothers. It just happens naturally sometimes that you meet some people, and they feel like family. Nikhil Shetty, who I bonded with during my initial years as an actor, is my rakhi brother. He was Shanoo Sharma’s (casting director) rakhi brother and that’s how I met him. He’s one of the strongest people I know, and he’s supported me so much. I lost my father, and he just took on that role so beautifully in my life.

Samiksha: When dad passed away, Bhumi transformed so quickly. She took over my pain. She took over the responsibility of the house. I really felt that protection.

Bhumi: It just happened very organically. It was the correct thing for me to do for my family. We all stood up for each other. We all had our days and our moments. That’s what a family unit does. You stand up for each other when the other person is falling. To date, the only person who truly, even emotionally, protects me from the world is my sister. Nobody can say anything about me in front of Samiksha. She can go up against the world for me. Now, we are just not sisters, we are co-founders of a venture we started. Without defining boundaries, we have figured out each other’s boundaries. On a lighter note, the beauty of our relationship is that we fight every five minutes. They might look like fights to the world, but to us, it is a way of communication (laughs).

Samiksha: When she became an actor, social media was new. Somewhere in the middle of her career, it picked up, and the trolls came about. I would go on their page, report and even comment back. Bhumi always told me not to engage with the trolls, but then how do you not engage when you see something like that? I would engage without telling her.

Samiksha: Bhumi would be Jaadu (Koi… Mil Gaya) because she’s magical.

Bhumi: She’s quite fiery… I would say Damini.

Bhumi: If I became Samiksha, then I would be a lot more disciplined.

Samiksha: If I were Bhumi, then I would have better style!

Bhumi: Oh my God… this answer is my best rakhi gift (laughs).

Bhumi Pednekar, known for her strong and unconventional roles, has rarely ventured into traditional romance on screen. Speaking about her selective approachto the genre, she says, “I will only be a part of the genre when the story has more to say than just boy-meets-girl and they fall in love. Having said that, it’s a very beautiful emotion. I am not trying to undermine that. I just think love is one of the greatest things that can happen to any individual. But it is also complicated and complex. So, I like being a part of stories that show multiple shades.”

Ask Bhumi whether she calls love ‘complicated and complex’ based on her personal experiences, and she says, “I think everybody goes through complex love situations. It is not just about what I have gone through, but what I have heard from my friends, people within my family and my parents. I think growing up, you completely dehumanize your parents, but as you grow up, you realize how sensitive and complex their relationship was and how they made it work. At times, couples don’t make it work. Today, there is such pressure about relationships not working out. But at times it can also be celebrated because maybe that is the best thing that happened for individuals that were in it.”

Talking about the actor whom she would want to romance on the big screen, she says, “Shah Rukh Khan. He is indeed the King of Romance.”

Reportedly, Bhumi will be seen with Imran Khan in the latter’s comeback film, which is apparently a quirky romantic drama.

Without revealing anything, she says, “I think a romcom is a perfect comeback genre for Imran, because when he was actively working, he was known for that genre. I had a crush on him. For me, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was a transformational film,” says Bhumi, who was recently seen opposite Ishaan Khatter in the web show The Royals.

Actor Bhumi Pednekar’s latest outing — web show The Royals — has seen a mixed response, while she has received some criticism for her appearance. But she does not feel bogged down by it.

“When women do parts where they have to look glamorous and good, that work is not taken seriously,” the 35-year-old opines, adding, “There’s a standard feeling: ‘Yeh toh heroine hai, isko bas achcha dikhna hai’. But uske bhi aage cheezein hoti hain!’”

The actor’s goal is to break this preconceived notion with her body of work: “(I do) parts where you’re not just purely objectified but have an opportunity to dig deep and explore various layers.”

The show, alongside her film Thank You For Coming (2023), was a stark departure from her previous roles rooted in rural stories. Sharing that she did feel pigeonholed, Bhumi shares, “Even though I’ve done romcoms, they were like more in the B and C centre character space. But I’ve evolved as an actor and as a person. It’s not like I was seeking these parts; they’ve come to me organically.”

With the web show, Bhumi believes she has balanced the blend of vanity and performance. “You need a certain level of performance for romance, which I delivered in the show... If my character doesn’t have agency, I won’t do the part. And I can proudly say that my character had that,” she concludes.

Zeenat Aman (right) with Sharma (centre) and Kavya Trehan (left)

A sweeping palace bathed in golden-hour light sees a self-made startup queen storm into a room of chandeliers in a sharp pantsuit. At the other end, a prince in a royal bandhgala looks on. When we sat down with Aastha Sharma, that’s the picture she painted for us of The Royals — Netflix India’s newest offering. “Think what happens when royalty is reimagined with a distinctly modern swagger....” she says.

In the buzzy romantic dramedy created by Rangita and Ishita Pritish Nandy, Bhumi Pednekar plays Sophia, a fiery entrepreneur who falls for Ishaan Khatter’s Prince Aviraj. And in the most inspired casting coup of recent times, Zeenat Aman graces the screen as the matriarch, while the ensemble is packed with names like Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, and Lisa Misra, among others. Known for dressing red carpet queens like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kiara Advani, Sharma’s work here is character architecture.

“When people hear ‘royals’, they think of heavy silks and stiff embroidery. But I kept asking myself: ‘what would a 2025 Maharani wear to brunch?’” Sharma says.

That’s where the mood board began, mixing heritage with haute couture, and old money with new mood.

“The aim wasn’t to cosplay the monarchy. It was to create aspirational, elevated looks that reflected privilege, power, and personality. I had met the Nandy sisters, Rangita and Ishita, in 2017. I got a call saying that they’re making a show, Four More Shots. It was an instant connection. Rangita has a very strong sense of style, and we are constantly sending each other styles, trends, and how we can incorporate that in what we do next. And just like that, it’s been eight years,” she snaps her fingers.

Strapped for time with only a month to shoot, Sharma says that best creativity happens on a deadline. “I had just had my baby and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to live in Rajasthan for a few months. But the only person who was locked for the show was Zeenat, and how does anyone pass up the opportunity to style the OG?”

When she read Zeenat Aman’s character, she had goosebumps, Sharma says. “I thought that this is it, this is my dream project. I would get to dress the ultimate icon in a way she’s never been styled before. The day she walked in for the presentation was the first time I met her. We showed her the look board, the mood board. She was all in instantly. She looked at me and said, ‘You’re going to style me?’ I nodded. Then she said, ‘You’re going to make me look like this?’ I said yes. And she just went, ‘Bang on.’ At our first fitting, she looked at herself and said, ‘You know, no one has ever made me look this cool.’ I nearly fainted. She does look incredibly cool and gorgeous. It was surreal. She’s Zeenat Aman. I don’t even need to say anything more. And these weren’t easy clothes to carry off. They were layered, textured, opulent. But as Maajisa, she killed it.”

Each principal character had a clear fashion persona. Bhumi’s Sophia is an outsider. She is unapologetically a disruptor. “We leaned into structured cinched blazers, cigarette trousers, and a muted palette. She is today’s girl and I dressed her in power suits.”

Ishaan’s Prince Aviraj, by contrast, is the reluctant royal. “We always do research, but all I got was images of men dressed in the traditional regalia — for the most part, the same stereotypical portrayal. I had to reimagine it. Here was a character who is a Maharaja by birth but he’s never actually lived that life. He’s grown up in New York, far from palaces and protocol. When he returns, he’s not walking in with a crown on his head or wearing those expected brocades or silks. He’d look like someone you’d see in South Bombay today; stylish, effortless, and contemporary. Yet there’s something about him… The royalty is in his bearing. It’s inborn. We did multiple trials to arrive at that look. There’s a transformation arc in the show, emotionally and aesthetically, and it reflects in his wardrobe too. It was a team effort. Rangita, Ishaan, the rest of us all shaped Aviraj together.”

The show’s creators allowed Sharma the room to design with depth. “When I found out the shoot was happening in Jaipur, I thought, ‘Half my job is already done!’ Jaipur has some of the finest jewellers, people with the craftsmanship we needed for this world. In a show like this, jewellery is everything. These characters are royalty. Even if they aren’t in elaborate clothes all the time, their jewellery needs to speak for their lineage. It has to be exquisite. So I brought Amrapali, Gem Palace, and Rambhajo Jewellers on board. These three were absolute saviours. Because I’ve been in this industry for so many years, I simply picked up the phone and said, ‘Guys, I really need your support on this one.’ And everyone came through wholeheartedly. From Falguni and Shane Peacock to Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, they all said yes instantly. I just had to call and remind them, ‘We’ve worked together for so long now I need your real backing.’ And they showed up for me. The styling on this show is massive, but somehow, everything came together beautifully. This show let us have fun. We weren’t restricted by realism. We were creating a fantasy with roots in India’s royal past.”

Of course, comparisons were inevitable. A commoner entering a palace as a misfit, and challenging legacy? Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan’s Khoobsurat (2014) walked that line. But Sharma insists this series is painting a wholly different picture.

“Khoobsurat was a fairy tale. The Royals is a satire dressed as a romance.  Moreover, that film is over 10 years old. Royalty, like everything else, has seen a sea of change ever since...”

For Sharma, The Royals is an experience of a lifetime. And who gets to be royal in 2025? “Anyone who walks into a room and owns it,” she smiles.

Hope it’s crown-worthy!

It wasn’t Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, the new pairing, or the curiosity surrounding royal lives that drew us to creators Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy’s latest show, The Royals. It was to see how yesteryear actor Zeenat Aman marks her comeback on the screen. However, when we confessed that to director Priyanka Ghose, she clarified that they had every intention for the senior actor to have more scenes.

When we said we only began rooting for Khatter and Pednekar’s love story after episode six, she said, “That was by design. I knew that by then people will want them to get back together.”

The Netflix eight-episode series follows the clash between an entitled prince and a tech startup entrepreneur amid a contemporary fairytale setting. In conversation with mid-day, she discussed the casting choices and why she had to hand over direction to Nupur Asthana later. Excerpts from the interview.

When you’re writing a script, writers shouldn’t be limited by restraints. The minute you get to execution level, you know the challenges. You’re aware that you’ll get an actor only for a limited time and shoot only so much. As a director, you have to be clear on what to cut and what to keep. We had written and wanted more of Maajisa, but by the time we cast Zeenat ma’am, we knew her health challenges. We had spoken to her and her management, and learnt that her health would permit her only a few days. So, I worked backwards. We handpicked the scenes and calculated how much screen time to give her. I knew the key scenes she had to be part of, even in the royal ensemble during the charity fashion show. Her scenes with Sakshi [Tanwar] ma’am were non-negotiable — we needed the emotional arc. In the royal gathering, there were earlier scenes for her, but since she couldn’t shoot more days, I had to remove her from them. I shot the polo scenes for three days and the fashion show for two. It was difficult to have Zeenat ma’am sit through all that. I had to finish her parts all at once. The next day, I would shoot the opposite axis to avoid her angle. The intention was more, but the reality differed. Still, we did our best to include Maajisa in the right proportions across the season.

We brought in Nupur to direct episodes four and seven, which we shot last. The schedule had shifted because when we were to shoot in the mahals, it was peak wedding season in January and February. The dates shifted, and by the time we got to episodes four and seven, I wasn’t available. Rangita and I actively went out looking for a director to take over. Nupur had little to shoot in Rajasthan because her episodes were set in Mumbai and Madurai. Even the royal ball was shot in Mumbai. It broke my heart — I had done all the homework — but I had already committed to another project.

That’s like giving away secrets [she laughs]! Across six episodes, the entire schedule was in Rajasthan, then a short one in Goa for the opening episode, and some bits in Mumbai like the Gastronomics competition. I did three rounds of location recces. I picked different palaces because one palace doesn’t offer everything. We needed a bat-pooping corner, a dancing hall, darbar hall, exteriors, a swimming pool, and a polo ground. I went out with my production designer — incidentally, my sister Payal Ghose. The challenge was to make different locations seamlessly look like one palace. Even when we got access, we were only given empty barren halls. Payal dressed them up from scratch. Yuvanath Singh’s [Milind Soman] room was a giant open hall with no artwork or bathroom. Everything was constructed on-site by Payal and her team, including painting the walls.

Each royal family from different provinces is positioned differently — financially, socially, or politically. On our recce trips, I had met some royals. Through those interactions, I realized every family’s trajectory is different. They might be holding onto a title from the past, but some of them are very affluent doing well after foraying into fashion, polo, politics and other fields. We showed different shades inspired by them.

I knew of Sakshi ma’am through casting coach Atul Mongia, who directed her in Mai [2022] and spoke highly of her. I had to convince her of Padmaja’s arc across the season. This was new to her, and she was skeptical, but that was the challenge she took as an artiste. She was also going through a personal crisis, but I saw a hungry artiste wanting to prove herself. In three days, she found her rhythm. Watching her scenes with Ishaan on camera was a joy.

Ishaan in real life is a sexy, endearing, sensitive man — that was easy to portray. I was surprised no one had tapped into that before. He made Aviraaj far more likeable than he is on paper. If you just read the script, he’s a brat who behaves badly — during the will-reading and post a one-night stand. No one would root for him. But Ishaan brought more to the table. Yes, the ‘eye-candyness’ helps. His shirtless scenes didn’t feel forced and he is comfortable in his skin. I never used an inch of body make-up on him. He carried the trauma of the crown taking his father away and ran from it. Ishaan brought those layers effortlessly.

Was it intentional to show the leading lady as a knight in shining armour instead of a damsel in distress?

Yes, that arc was always in the story — Sophia is the one pulling the royal family out of its misery. Full marks to the women creators who thought of the female character in a wholesome way.

Her impulsiveness was on paper. We leaned into it knowing Bhumi could pull it off without making it overbearing. With any other actor, I’d be skeptical. In India, we don’t easily accept authoritative women. But Bhumi has softness and vulnerability. Sophia is flawed, and only Bhumi could make her likeable. Sophia is Bhumi in real life.

Bhumi Pednekar’s latest film, Mere Husband Ki Biwi, released last month and it failed to rake in the moolah at the box office. However, the actor is satisfied with the project, as she says, “As long as somebody finds something to connect with the film, I am okay with it. We wanted to make a fun popcorn watcher, so if it is successful in doing that, it’s enough. I really hope that the time of word-of-mouth films doesn’t go away. If that didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have been here.”

Like Bala (2019), Saand Ki Aankh (2019), Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) and Govinda Naam Mera (2022), Mere Husband Ki Biwi, too, is a two-heroine film, co-starring Rakul Preet Singhs.

Sharing how she enjoys being a part of such projects rather than feeling insecure, Bhumi says, “I am a very secure actor. A lot of times, the length of a female actor’s role takes a hit due to a male actor’s part, so it’s unfair to do the same to another female actor in a two-heroine film. Ultimately, these are all characters. I had so much fun working on films with another strong female character, because as girls, we understand and always root for each other. I have done a Saand Ki Aankh with Taapsee (Pannu, actor), which is one of my most cherished works.”

Bhumi insists that for her, a good story is all that matters. “I will never leave a film because the other female part is better. Aap mujhe chaar scene bhi doge toh I will do my best. In that story, if there are 10 protagonists or just me, it doesn’t make a difference. Like in Bala, I feel Yami (Gautam Dhar, actor) killed it, and a very good reason why I did Bala was because the other girl’s part was written so well,” she ends.

There has been a lot of buzz around actor Imran Khan’s comeback in recent times. Things seem to be finally progressing in the right direction for the 42-year-old, who has not acted in any project since Katti Batti (2015).

A source close to the film, which will stream on Netflix, tells us that the shoot is going to begin in April: “The OTT platform wants to make the first announcement. Bhumi Pednekar has been finalized as the female lead opposite Imran. The pre-production work is on in full swing, and the cameras will roll in a month.”

We had reported in September 2024 that the film’s script has been written by Danish Aslam, while it will be produced by him, Imran and another mutual friend. Danish had also helmed Imaran’s 2010 film, Break Ke Baad. “They took the project to an OTT platform, who, based on the pitch level, gave it a thumbs up since there was no full screenplay. No agreement has been signed yet, that’s only done when the screenplay is approved,” another source had told us then. Everything fell into place and the concerned parties have signed on the dotted line now.

Actor Bhumi Pednekar recently reacted to the Hema Committee report, which was released in August last year, that exposed the harassment and sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

“It is one part of the Indian fraternity where proper legal process was followed, and heartbreaking, gruesome details came out. As a woman in India today, I’m scared,” the 35-year-old said at the ABP summit.

“I feel scared when my younger cousin, who lives with me in Mumbai, goes to college and doesn’t come home by 11 pm. I get nervous,” Bhumi said, adding, “There’s deep conditioning of power. There’s a problem when front-page news is filled with reports about violence against women. This is not a one-off thing; this is a regular occurrence.”

In response to a question about the casting couch phenomenon in the Hindi film industry, the actor — who previously worked as an assistant casting director at a production house — mentioned that although she has not personally experienced it, she recognises that such incidents are widespread within the industry.

“Before I became an actor, I was casting in an institution that was clean and organized. My casting director, Abhimanyu Ray, would never cast a girl without me being present in the room. Now that’s the ecosystem in which I grew up. I was 17 when I started as a casting director, and I’ve no first-hand experience of it. But does that mean it doesn’t happen? No, it does because we’ve had many women who have dared to come out and speak about it. I would never negate a girl’s experience,” she said.

The actor also addressed the glaring gender pay gap that persists in Bollywood and said it happens across all industries globally. “The CEO of any major conglomerate, if she is a woman, will undoubtedly earn a lower salary. The pay gap is even more in the film industry,” she claimed.

Bhumi also recalled the time she was paid less than what her male counterpart earned for a project: “I was offered 5% of what my male counterpart got. I made this comparison because he and I had the same number of hits. We were leading the film... and yet he got 80% more. I did that film because I didn’t have a choice. I wanted to create an ecosystem where I can empower myself and others,” she said.