Actress and UN Equality Champion, Celina Jaitly, who has her roots in Afghanistan, took to social media to voice her opinion on the current political turmoil caused after the Taliban took over. Talking about why she hasn’t addressed the issue so far, she said, “In order to protect the safety, security and location of friends and people known to me who are stranded in Afghanistan, I had no option but to wait until things were better for them. The current outcome is shocking, I never believed we would see this day. Having said that, my heart breaks for Afghanistan, it breaks for my Afghan brothers and sisters around the world, it breaks for people who spent the last two decades rebuilding Afghanistan and it breaks for all those people who put their faith in powers whom they thought would protect them.”

The actress further added, “I also feel a sense of great guilt that I survived, but I survived thanks to the courage of one woman who fled oppression four generations ago and came to seek refuge in India. India offered refuge, dignity, respect and opportunity for that family’s generations to grow and evolve. And therefore, I stand here today in order to speak from that voice of four generations ago, that it is our... it is the governments around the world... it is their moral and legal responsibility to protect the people fleeing from oppression, from bullets, trying to save the children from being trafficked, and you never know the very person that you protect today and give refuge to, may one day become the pride and joy of your country. Being a mother myself, I know, and I am sure that no one puts their children in a boat unless they know that the water is safer than land. A lot of people put everything on land to rebuild Afghanistan in the last two decades, their lives are all in jeopardy at the moment.”

While she applauded the strength of the aid workers, she said that the world cannot ignore the issue. “Afghanistan is a wound that is bleeding, and if we all turn a blind eye to this wound, this blood will come and knock on everybody’s door in the near future.”

Celina Jaitly Haag’s comeback project, Season’s Greetings, has been winning multiple awards at film festivals across the globe. Recently, she also won an award for best actor. After her big success, the actor says she has been receiving a plethora of offers.

She shares, “I feel extremely blessed to make such a phenomenal comeback. I never left the film industry; it was time to take a pause and rethink the direction I wanted to take both as a woman and as an actor. I have lots of amazing offers as well as plans.”

Haag reveals that she will soon be seen in a comedy project, a genre she loves and trusts as her “highest plus point”. “Covid travel restrictions are making me refrain from travelling. But I am working on something fascinating and hilarious,” she adds.

The actor, who was last seen in feature films Thank You and Shrimathi (both 2011), admits that now is the time to explore her creativity since showbiz has undergone a major transformation: “I was a teenager, when I started working in cinema. I was more of a beauty queen than an actor in the eyes of directors, and I too was learning. I had the talent within me but I did not know how to channel it.”

Haag signs off saying she has no plans of shifting base to India in the near future.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 2, 2020)

Celine Jaitly is currently in Austria with her husband and her three sons. As the country is on its way to lift the lockdown, Jaitly cannot wait to go back to her normal life. She says, “Austria went into lockdown on March 16, but restrictions started earlier that week, with bans on more than five people gathering in public put in place on March 15. The lockdown will hopefully be over almost entirely by mid-May.”

She explains that Austria’s prompt medical services have contributed in battling the pandemic. “The lockdown has helped reduce the daily increase in infections to 1.6%. There are 24-hour medical rescue support services in case of an emergency. There’s a Coronavirus hotline of the AGES - Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit here,” she says.

With children at home, life in lockdown can be a challenge but the former beauty queen credits her husband Peter Haag for being an “expert in crisis management”. She shares, “Thanks to his foresight, we were well-prepared for the lockdown much before it was announced. We’ve had no problems regarding grocery supplies despite the strict lockdown. The advantage of living high in The Alps is that we also have a continued supply of fresh local vegetables and dairy products.”

To take care of her family at this time of a health crisis, the No Entry (2005) actor has resorted to a healthier style of cooking. She says, “Cooking is my hobby, and I’ve been trying many international recipes during this time. I’m using a lot of Indian spices (in our food), thus following our Prime Minister’s advice to incorporate Ayurveda as it helps towards immunity building.”

A while ago, she took to Instagram to hail actors Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar for their donations to the PM-CARES fund. Talking about them, she says, “Shah Rukh, Gauri (Khan) and Akshay are playing very important roles in inspiring and lifting the spirits of people in India with their wonderful actions, the beauty and joy of which reminds us of our humanity.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Celina Jaitly and Shree Ghatak, Bollywood's first transgender actor, on why their new film is going to be a game changer
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; September 22, 2019)

"I don't think about my gender anymore. There was a time when I was trapped, but now I am free," says Shree Ghatak (Muhury), who has become Bollywood's first transgender actor after bagging a role as Chapala in Ram Kamal Mukherjee's Season's Greetings. The movie, which is slated for an October release, also stars Celina Jaitly and Lillette Dubey, and tells the story about a mother and daughter. It is dedicated to auteur Rituparno Ghosh, who made films like Titli, Dahan, Chokher Bali, Raincoat and Antarmahal, and will give a glimpse of all his major works, ideology and passion for music.

When Ghatak got this role, she was hesitant about taking it up, because she didn't want to play another stereotype. She runs the Troyee Foundation, which works for poor women, street children and the LGBTQi community. In 2017, she married her childhood friend Sanjay Muhury, paving the way for many couples like them. "I always wanted myself to be counted among other common people. I never wanted to be pigeon-holed into any category. My soul had always been of a girl, so I didn't think of myself as transgender. Then, I got married, and my husband told me that I should embrace the fact that I am an inspiration. Most transgenders get accepted as prostitutes and beggars, but my journey shows them the light."

Ghatak found a friend in Jaitly, who makes a comeback with Season's Greetings, and has always been a staunch supporter of LGBTQi rights. She was the ambassador of the Kashish Film Festival from its inception till 2016, has worked closely with NGOs like the Humsafar Trust, and has often rued the fact that not many actors support the cause. "When Ram wanted to cast Chapala, no one was willing to play a transgender, and we were all frustrated. His decision to cast Ghatak is groundbreaking. She will open the gates for many aspiring trans actors."

Ghatak adds, "I adore Celina for standing by the cause and making me feel comfortable at the shoot." Jaitly hopes that the storyline inspires conversations among people, specifically in "our newly liberated democratic rainbow society", where queer women definitely need their stories to be given their due.

"The movie focuses on the need for in-depth understanding of what being a woman from the LGBTQi community truly means in a country like India. In a subtle way, it encourages both legal reforms and public education to counter homophobia and transphobia. I am convinced that the best way to have this difficult conversation is through a medium most relatable to people, and that for me is cinema," she says. Of her own character, Romita, she says many people will identify with her, and will know that they have to have "uncomfortable" conversations at home, and beyond. "I have been involved with the LGBTQi cause for 18 years, so I needed to do this movie. I also recently lost my mom, and the experience that I shared with Lilette who played my mother, was emotional. I just hope that our film, like all others by Rituparno da, connects with people."

Ask Ghatak, who is going to be setting yet another example with this film, what she wants people to take away from the film, and she simply says, "People should know that there are many shades inside all of us, and we need to accept all of them."

Actress and UN human rights equality activist Celina Jaitly opens up in the wake of Priyanka Chopra being accused of encouraging nuclear war through her tweet. She also talks about her army background and return to films
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; August 25, 2019)

You haven’t been in the public eye for a while now. What have you been up to?
I have been through massive ups and downs in the last three years, but I guess that’s life. But now, I am looking forward to the release of my next film — Season’s Greetings, which is tribute to filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh. I tragically lost both my parents last year and the script of this film came along at a time when I was going through an emotional crisis. It helped me sail through the turbulent waters. It’s also special because, this was the first time that I got to shoot a film in Kolkata, a city that I consider my hometown. It brought back a lot of memories. I have spent my childhood all around India, but I spent considerable amount of time in Kolkata owing to the fact that my father was posted there. Kolkata reminds me of my struggling days, as I started off my modelling career there. At heart, I am a Bengali, and I hope the people of the city adopt me as one of them. I will always be a Kolkata girl.

Priyanka Chopra has been associated with UNICEF for over a decade now. Pakistan’s Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari sent a letter to UN on August 20, seeking her removal as their Goodwill Ambassador. She was accused of ‘encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan’, by a Pakistani-American influencer who was present at a beauty event in Los Angeles, where PC was invited as a guest. She called Priyanka a hypocrite and claimed that an old tweet of the actress supported the Indian Army and thus, encouraged war. What’s your take on this issue?
Priyanka’s simple tribute to the Armed Forces was completely blown out of proportion by a wannabe influencer. Celebrating our Armed Forces does not mean we are promoting nuclear war! Do you expect us to stop saying Jai Hind or dismiss the contribution of generations of our Armed Forces? This whole thing was unfair to Priyanka. I think it was done to evoke a hyper reaction from her, but she handled it with so much grace and dignity. First and foremost, we are Indians. Priyanka’s parents have served as doctors in the Armed Forces and four generations of my family have been in the Army. We are proud citizens of this country who stand united behind our armed forces. This does not mean we are propagating nuclear war! We are eternally grateful to the valiant services of our Armed Forces in keeping us safe and secure. India has always been a global ambassador of peace.

Do you think this was an attempt by a person to grab eyeballs and attention on social media by targeting a celebrity?
A dignified celebration of our Armed Forces’ dedication and selfless service does not mean in any way that one is encouraging nukes. Anyone who misconstrues the intent needs a reality check. This is just an insinuation by a wannabe instagrammer who wanted to increase her followers. Celebrities are often attacked on social media on baseless grounds to garner publicity. Voicing your opinion at a cosmetic event at a UN ambassador who talks about human rights does not make you a propagator of peace. You cannot accuse someone of encouraging nuclear war only because they respect their Armed Forces! Every patriot does that. There is not an iota of doubt that in order to achieve sustainable growth and development all over the world, we need to prioritise peace over war. Peace is often defined as the absence of violence, conflict, hostility and war. We can always propagate peace, but peace is not merely the absence of violence, but also vanquishing of oppression and terrorism if needed. I hate to say this, but sometimes war is needed to sustain peace... it goes both ways. Peace also comes at a cost. There is no history of continued peace in the world unless war intervened to maintain that peace. Even a soldier does not want war, but he has to go and defend his country.

Last year, in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court scrapped Section 377 of the IPC. You are a strong advocate of the LGBTQIA rights. Hereon, where do you see things heading?
Many people from the LGBTQIA community have played an important role in my life. I started my career at 16 and all through these years, they have had a strong impact on me. In fact, they had such a strong influence on me that it made me stand up for what is right even before I joined the UN to support this movement of equal rights. Activism is a long process as changing mindsets is not easy. We have come a long way as we have finally overthrown an archaic law.

You married Austrian hotelier Peter Haag in 2011. How easy or tough was it initially to embrace the cultural differences?
I believe that marriage in itself is a work in progress, no matter who you are married to or which culture you are married into. I was very fortunate that my husband is an expatriate who came from a family of expats. He is openminded and was keen to embrace our Indian culture. Embracing each other’s culture is crucial in a cross-cultural marriage. Peter has taken a liking to all the crazy things I do in India. He likes street food like vada pav and paani puri. I love cooking and over the years, I have embraced cooking Austrian food in a massive way. He is Austrian, I am Indian and we have lived in places like Dubai and Singapore, and now, we are back in Europe for a while. Travel helps you evolve so much as a human being. Your children grow up as global citizens, which is fascinating because you see them imbibe different traditions and cultures. As an actor you think that you have seen it all and done it all. But no, the truth is that you haven’t. Once you live in different parts of the world, you grow by leaps and bounds.

It must be interesting to see your kids soaking in both the cultures. Moving your base from place to place has its challenges, but on the other hand, it could amount to life changing experiences for them. Do you agree?
Our kids are multilingual. Peter speaks with them in German and I speak to them in Bengali, Hindi and English. Coming from an army background, a lot of Hinglish was spoken at home. So yes, they definitely understand and speak Hindi, but not too fluently, as they have been studying in a German medium school. But the good thing is that, they have understanding of both our cultures. They look forward to festivals like Diwali and Holi. They ask for mithai after having a perfect German meal. It’s funny to overhear their conversations. The twins tell their friends from Austria, China and Japan what a paani puri is all about. They say, “It’s a ball filled with spicy water”.

Ram Kamal Mukherjee on his next film which has been endorsed by the United Nations’ Free and Equal campaign
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2019)

A Tribute To Rituparno Ghosh: Season’s Greetings has become the first film to be endorsed by United Nations’ Free and Equal campaign that aims at raising awareness against homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination. It will be screened across the world. UN official Rikke Hennum says, “We know from experience that films like this can play a critical role in starting and sustaining conversations to help raise awareness of some of the issues the film touches upon—from acceptance of same sex relationships, to the lives of LGBTQIA people in India.”

Director Ram Kamal Mukherjee, who started out with the intention of acquainting mainstream audiences with Rituparno’s work, reveals that issues faced by the LGBTQIA community became a part of his film organically. “Just before we began shooting, the Supreme Court abolished Section 377 on September 6. Since Rituparno was always vocal about the community’s rights, it made sense to incorporate it. In the film, September 5 is an important date,” he informs.

He took the film to the UN on his leading ladies, Celina Jaitly and Lillete Dubey’s insistence. “I was not sure about it because I felt it would be difficult for them to relate to, since the film is set in India. But I have been proved wrong,” says Ram. Celina, who has been an active supporter of LGBTQIA rights, shares, “Changing attitudes is never easy but it has happened on other issues and it is happening already in many parts of the world on this one. With the UN coming on board as a social partner, we are hoping this film will strike a chord globally.”

The film also marks the debut of transgender actor Shree Ghatak. Quiz Ram if it was a conscious choice and he says, “I wanted an established actor but everyone was skeptical about playing a transgender. Celina and Lillete voiced concerns over taking a non-actor for the role but it was a risk we took and I am happy with the result.”

His gay rights activist colleagues mull over his decision
Subhash K Jha (DNA; January 15, 2017)

In his autobiography An Unsuitable Boy, Karan Johar has discussed his sexuality, but refused to come out of the closet to actually say he’s gay. Gay activists have hooted this ‘safe’ attitude. They feel more celebrities need to come in the open about their homosexuality.

Writer and filmmaker Apurva Asrani says, “Of course, more people need to come out. We can’t fight 377 from dark closets. Karan is almost an out-gay man. Has it negatively affected his career? I think he is more successful today than he ever was. We need to remove this fear of being ourselves, as the fear is mostly in our heads. You are respected much more for being honest, and you have less to fear when you hide less. And yes, if someone wants to stay closeted, they have every right to.” Point out to him that George Michael’s career suffered when he came out of the closet and Apurva shoots back, “He didn’t ‘come out’. He was ‘caught out’. Big difference.”

Filmmaker Onir, on the other hand, thinks gay celebrities need to exercise their choice to remain in the closet. “I think there is undue pressure on the entertainment industry... I think sports men... Other role models need to actively participate in human rights. I believe and respect that every individual has the right to decide how much of one’s private life one is willing to make public.” Onir explains why he is the only self-admitted gay filmmaker in Bollywood. “My being open was not a compulsion. It was not even a choice. I just happened to be open. As a filmmaker and an individual, I have grown to find positivity in people and their acts.”

Gay rights activist, actress Celina Jaitly feels homosexuality is an issue that needs to be addressed on a broader platform than Bollywood celebrities coming out of the closet. She says, “I don’t think coming out in our industry is an issue anymore. Yes, there is homophobia, as there is in any industry. People who worry the most would be those up for leading male or female parts, where the audience is wanting to identify with and follow the story of those people. I think people who are not actors but from other aspects of the film industry have less to worry about their image.” She is more concerned about the isolation of the non-celebrity homosexual and how celebrities can help their cause. “In today’s more tolerant age, there are many lonely people out there still afraid to reveal who they really are for fear of marginalization and abuse. But people with influential platforms have an ethical responsibility and even though 'coming out' is such a personal and sensitive issue for an individual, there’s no doubt that in doing so, they do provide support for young gay people and hence whenever they are ready, must try to set an example,” she says.