When the Golden Arrows Squadron of the Indian Air Force pulled off what became the world’s highest-altitude air operation, they changed the course of the Kargil War. Air Marshal Vinod Patney (retd), who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command during the 1999 war, was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM) for his leadership. In the series Operation Safed Sagar, Adil Hussain plays the officer – delivering a performance marked by a commanding ease.

In a conversation with us, Adil spoke about the series, what it took to step into the role, and how he found the human being behind a senior officer’s uniform.

Before Adil agreed to play Air Marshal Patney, he had a few questions. “‘Is it a hyper-jingoistic thing? There would be a bit of jingoism or violence because it’s a war story. But are we glorifying it? Or are we showing it so that people do not get inspired to become violent?’ These were the questions I had,” he says. “I said I would read the entire script and decide whether to be part of it or not,” he tells us, adding, “And after reading two or three episodes, I realized it was very different. So I was very sure about Operation Safed Sagar from the beginning.”

Adil credits much of the show’s realistic portrayal to the Air Force consultants. “Of course it makes a huge difference,” he explains, “The nuances, the details of their lives, the technicalities, the way they behave, look, think about their relationship between them and their aircraft, the way someone cleans the aircraft – all these things, when you see them by yourself, make a huge difference. When you have access to the actual people, actual aircraft, actual machinery, the person who comes and cleans the hangar, the person who works in the canteen, how the senior airmen behave, how they have fun and how they carry themselves in every aspect of their airfield – it’s a huge advantage.”

Besides, it traces back to one person: co-creator Kushal Srivastava, who served in the Air Force himself before becoming a creator. “I would say almost 50%, or maybe 60%, of the success of this particular series is because Kushal Srivastava is from the Air Force,” he emphasizes.

Air Marshal Patney’s Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal makes him a decorated figure within the Air Force, but he is not a face familiar to the public. An actor playing him cannot draw on decades of footage and public memory. “I had the advantage of playing the role, not the character. There is a difference. Characters are defined by the characteristics of the person. The role is defined by what role this person has played in the entire thing,” shares Adil.

He elaborates, “He has this no-nonsense attitude, an absolutely dedicated person. I did not imitate him. I didn’t have to look like him, I didn’t have to walk like him. But the inner attitude – his sincerity, dedication and absolute masterful understanding of strategic warfare – these are universal qualities of any great leader. I embodied that.”

He reaches for a comparison outside military drama: Invictus (2009), in which Morgan Freeman played Nelson Mandela. For Adil, Freeman’s performance offered a useful lesson in approaching a real-life figure without becoming an imitation of them.

“Morgan Freeman never wanted to look like Nelson Mandela. He played the role, and I think it’s one of the best depictions of Nelson Mandela, in spite of him not looking like or behaving like him or sounding like him. So I took a similar artistic decision. I’m not going to imitate him. I will play the role – a person who embodies all these great qualities of a leader, which is called the archetype,” Adil tells us.

Filming at Air Force stations came with its own discipline. He recalls, “I shoot in Mumbai all the time, and suddenly I get to know that there’s an Air Force Station in Madh Island. And then you’re there and everything is confiscated at the gate. There are strictly enforced rules that no photography is allowed. In hindsight, we were really happy to be in each other’s company. We could dedicate our time to preparing for the scenes that were coming up.”

The warmth, he says, went both ways. “The kind of warmth that all the Air Force personnel had, whether at Madh Island or Chandigarh Air Force Station, was wonderful. They had all seen my films, so they were very sweet. They came to take photos and sometimes gave me access to sit in the pilot seat and look at the console. That was amazing.”

The officers, watching a shoot unfold for the first time, came away with new respect. “They were also realizing how hard it is to make a series. They were telling us, ‘Oh my God, we didn’t know it was so hard. You stand in the sun for hours and take one shot’. I was like – yes, it is,” he laughs.

If there’s a word viewers and Adil return to more than any other in explaining why the portrayal landed, it’s dignity. Adil explains, “The difference between the enemy and you is that you are dignified, you are graceful. You do not behave the way your enemy would. That is the difference: you do not fall from your grace, and yet you protect your country with utmost dedication. That is one of the strengths of this series.”

He extends the thought well past the show itself. “Dignity and grace have been lost, or are slowly disappearing from human society in every part of the world. So it is important to bring about, or inspire, or fill in the aspiration of people to walk towards a higher quality of human beings – dignity, grace, compassion, dedication, honesty, serving with absolute sincerity, whatever you do, whether you are an actor, a farmer, an airman, a military person, a doctor or a teacher.”

It is easy to forget that before she became a familiar face across television, theatre and cinema, Mita Vasisht was simply another young actor fresh out of the National School of Drama, hoping for the role that would change everything. That opportunity came after her striking turn in Kumar Shahani’s 1986 short Var Var Vari caught the attention of Mani Kaul who, by then, had already secured his place among the defining voices of India’s New Wave cinema with films such as Uski Roti, Ashadh Ka Ek Din and Duvidha.

Kaul would go on to become her mentor, teacher and, ultimately, a lifelong guide. “It was after he saw Kumar Shahani’s film that he decided to offer me Siddheshwari,” Vasisht recalls, referring to the docu-feature on the Thumri artist that turned her from a budding actress into an arthouse regular.

“I hadn’t seen any of his films. I didn’t know who he was; I was just a young actress at the time. Everyone told me he was a famous director, but that I should work with someone like Shyam Benegal instead, to win National Awards. For some reason, though, I was drawn to him.”

Thirty-seven years after that breakthrough, Vasisht has chosen to honour the man who shaped her craft. Her film, Mani Kaul And That Thing Called The Actor, celebrates his mind. After a screening at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, on June 6, the anniversary of Kaul’s death, Vasisht brings the film to Third Bell Studios, Versova, on July 16.

Kaul was a man of many quirks, and one shaped the very title of Vasisht’s film: his distrust of trained actors. “He disliked trained actors,” she laughs. “I had trained for four years at NSD, and before that at the Department of Indian Theatre in Chandigarh. Yet he cast me in the lead role. I later realized he wanted to challenge me, to help me break free of every convention I had learned.”

This insistence, Vasisht discovered, was Kaul’s way of letting an audience find its own emotional response rather than have one imposed on it. “We were taught us things connected to acting: painting, sculpture, music, poetry,” she says.

“Most people considered him a non-actor director, but I found him deeply connected to the craft, with no patience for loud, outward performance.”

Capturing the life of such an unconventional figure proved a creative challenge. Vasisht refuses to call her project a documentary, preferring the term “fiction feature”. “It follows an actress and a young musician who travel through a director’s mind while they prepare for Siddheshwari,” she explains.

“The film moves before and after that making of the film, and deconstructs the process of its own making.” Vasisht wanted to present the auteur’s psyche, beyond the reach of a conventional biopic.

“I don’t know if Kaul ever wanted to be an actor. He thought he might, but he never appeared in a film beyond his diploma projects.”

After FTII, Kaul turned to direction and produced his acclaimed debut Uski Roti at twenty-five, “an extraordinary film by any measure.”

“I studied Kaul closely and noted everything he told the cinematographer or the costume designer. Few realise how much work goes into a single moment on camera,” says Vasisht. Aside from him, though, she credits directors like Shahani and Govind Nihalani for her path into filmmaking.

“I observe directors very closely to see what they’re searching for. What they ask for isn’t always what they’re actually trying to achieve.”

The film is, in many ways, less a tribute than that conversation continued across time. Vasisht hopes it will introduce a new generation to not just Kaul but to ideas that remain as radical today as they were nearly four decades ago.

Honey Trehan and Gurvinder Singh

Over the past week, Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj has become a national talking point after Zee5 removed the film within days of its July 3 première. With many artistes and politicians debating over the sustained censorship meted out to Honey Trehan’s crime drama, where does filmmaker Gurvinder Singh — one of the most prominent voices of alternate Punjabi cinema — stand on the matter, we wondered. 

“Disheartening” is how he described the ban on the movie that tells the story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated the extrajudicial killings in Punjab of the 1990s.

“The censorship that the film has gone through is disheartening. But that’s the truth of the times we live in, and he [Trehan] should have been prepared [for this],” reflected Singh. Per him, there were “other ways” to tell the story.

“[That way] the government could have said, ‘Dekhne do logo ko.’ When the government sees my films, they feel, ‘Iss mein kya hai? Dekhne do.’ But Honey’s approach was the film should have that impact and reach everyone. In that context, it’s a very well-made movie. But the film faced this whole problem because it’s so explicit, because the government knows it will arouse people of different faiths for different reasons,” he said.

The National Film Award-winning director watched Satluj long ago at a preview in Chandigarh. What he remembers distinctly is how the film made him angry about what transpired in Punjab. “It’s not my kind of film because it doesn’t leave anything for you to imagine. It explicitly shows everything, and that’s fine if the filmmaker feels that’s the way needed to tell the story in the most emphatic manner. It made me angry about what happened at that time. So, they were successful in doing that,” shared Singh.

Chandigarh: The paraglider rescued by IAF from the remote mountaintops of Kullu’s Deo Tibba region in Himachal Pradesh is has turned out to be Hollywood cinematographer George Richmond, the visual mastermind behind blockbusters like 'Deadpool & Wolverine', 'Free Guy', and the Elton John biopic, 'Rocketman'.

Severely injured in the crash, the 54-year-old underwent spinal surgery on Thursday at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

The accident occurred on June 9 at an altitude of around 12,000 feet. Richmond was on a multi-day ‘bivouac flying’ adventure, a style of cross-country paragliding where pilots fly by day and camp in remote wilderness by night. Having taken off from the world-famous paragliding site at Bir Billing, he crashed on June 8 during a difficult take-off attempt from the base of Mt. Deo Tibba, at 19,688 feet the second tallest peak in the Pir Panjal Range.

Fellow paragliders alerted Kullu administration, which informed the British embassy. A rescue operation was launched immediately. Two IAF helicopters flew in to evacuate Richmond.

Within hours, he was flown to Bhuntar Airport and then shifted to Kullu Regional Hospital. After initial stabilization here, he was flown to the advanced trauma centre at PGI-Chandigarh (220km away) as a high-priority ‘red-alert’ emergency.

A multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, orthopaedic spine specialists, and cardiac anaesthetists was immediately mobilized. Led by Dr Vishal Kumar, a senior orthopaedic spine surgeon holding prestigious British fellowships (FRCS), the team performed an intricate, emergency surgery on June 11.

“The entire newly aligned section of the neck was permanently anchored using a titanium plate secured with four medical screws to ensure absolute structural stability. Now we are confident of making him mobile in a few days,” said Dr Vishal.

When Netflix India unveiled its 2025 slate in February, one of the shows that caught attention was Pratik Gandhi's Saare Jahan Se Accha. Set in the 1970s, the spy thriller — which also stars Tillotama Shome, Rajat Kapoor, and Sunny Hinduja — revolves around an Indian undercover agent who is sent to Pakistan to stop it from becoming a nuclear force. Sources indicate that with a chunk of the series set in Pakistan, director Sumit Purohit and his team had to recreate parts of the country in India.

A source said, “More than half the story is set in the neighbouring country. As the unit couldn’t travel to Pakistan, massive sets reflecting Karachi were made in Mumbai and Chandigarh. One was built at the Golden Tobacco Factory in Vile Parle, Mumbai, and a Karachi marketplace was recreated at a local market in Chandigarh.”

Sejal Shah and Bhavesh Mandalia, who recently backed Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Costao, serve as the series’ producers and showrunners. “It is one of Netflix India’s biggest series, with a budget of around Rs 100 crore,” added the source.

Saare Jahan Se Accha comes as the latest offering from Gandhi, who is on an upward streak with Madgaon Express (2024), Do Aur Do Pyaar (2024), and Dhoom Dhaam earlier this year. But unlike these projects, the spy thriller will see him step into a grey role — something that he excels in, if his breakthrough show Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) was any indication.

“The makers needed someone who could give a strong performance, and Pratik fit the bill. He is playing a complex character — under the cover of being a diplomat, he is an R&AW [Research and Analysis Wing] agent who stops Pakistan’s nuclear program. The role has been inspired by different real-life Indian spies. The show depicts the period when late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was at the helm, and R N Kao was heading R&AW, as India and Pakistan were trying to edge out one another in the nuclear arms race.”

Initially, the six-episode series was titled For Your Eyes Only. What brought on the rechristening? The source added that it was a mutual decision between the makers and the streaming giant. “All the stakeholders felt Saare Jahan Se Accha was a better fit as it’s desi and reflects the show’s patriotic theme.”

From the size of venues to the number of attendees and the grandeur of the artistes, concerts in the past year have evolved – transforming from mere music events into a larger cultural phenomenon. It didn’t matter whether one was a die-hard music lover; the sheer demand for the live gig experience had fans scrambling to snag tickets.

Case in point: Coldplay’s Ahmedabad performance broke the record for the largest stadium show of the 21st century, with 1,11,989 fans in attendance – narrowly surpassing the record set by George Strait, who played to 1,10,905 fans in Texas last June.

At a time when concerts have become a melting pot for artistes, organizers and fans alike, the conversation around event logistics has never been more relevant. From seamless entry and exit to parking, washrooms, crowd management, and ensuring both fan safety and artiste satisfaction, stakeholders across the board weigh in on the infrastructure expectations at live events.

In December, Diljit Dosanjh spoke about infrastructure at his Chandigarh show and said in Punjabi, “Here we don’t have infrastructure for live shows. This is a source of big revenue, many people get work and are able to work here... I’ll try next time that the stage is at the centre so that you (the fans) can be around it. Till this happens, I won’t do shows in India, that’s for sure.”

A diabetic Mumbai-based fan had shared his harrowing experience at the Byran Adams concert. He claimed that the lack of washrooms left him with no choice but to pee his pants. “I am NOT ashamed to say that I am diabetic with continence issues. You guys should be ashamed for providing three loos/1000 people,” he wrote in a post, accusing the organizers.

In December, singer Monali Thakur left the stage midway during a live gig in Varanasi. Explaining to her fans about this decision, the singer wrote in a post, “I am disheartened because my team and I were so excited to perform here. Let’s not talk about the infrastructure and its condition, as that is the management’s responsibility. I can’t explain what they have done to the stage just so they can steal money.”

She added, “Time and again, I said that I could injure my ankle here. My dancers have been telling me to calm down, but everything was a mess. We were trying because I am answerable to you all, and you come for me, right? You will hold me accountable for all of this”

From an organizer's perspective, several key areas warrant attention. “Beyond venue development, improvements to transportation and robust security measures are crucial. A cohesive understanding between event organizers and local authorities will significantly enhance the experience for both artistes and attendees,” says Rishabh Talwar, Business Head, Team Innovation.

-Active stadiums like a cricket stadium cannot always be used for concerts due to scheduling conflicts and their primary function as sports venues

- Organizers need multipurpose, plug-and-play venues designed for concerts, similar to those in the west

- These venues should have built-in production facilities and acoustic treatment

- The ease of organising concerts must improve, with streamlined permissions and reduced bureaucratic hurdles

— Avadh Nagpal, co founder, Souldout

- Obtaining approvals and coordinating with authorities to conduct concerts is a task, often leading to last-minute cancellations without care for the financial and logistical investment of organizers

- There is no uniformity in production quality across different venues. The same concert in Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore can feel drastically different because of inconsistent infrastructure and acoustics

- Lack of industry regulations: Currently, anyone with some financial backing, can call themselves an event organizer. This results in inexperienced promoters inflating artiste fees to secure shows but failing to deliver quality production or marketing

- Established artistes don’t always scrutinize the credentials of event organizers, which sometimes leads to mismanaged tours, ultimately harming the industry

— Avadh Nagpal

Talking about the Bryan Adams show that he did in Goa, Deepak Choudhary, founder and MD of EVA Live, shares, “We did a Bryan Adams show in Bambolim Stadium in Goa with 15,000 people and the city was still operating well. 70% of the time the stadium is not being used. The country has the infrastructure. The greatness of a Coldplay show in Ahmedabad is an example of that. Finally, we are getting stadiums to do concerts. Like in Delhi, A R Rahman’s show happened at Garden of Five Senses a few years ago but nobody is doing a show there now. The issue is not the absence of the facilities, but the lack of a right plan.”

“There is certainly a need to have more venues for bigger concerts. As an artiste, I also feel that fans usually struggle with logistics like parking spots or accessing the road to the venue. I feel everything else can be managed, these are the two things that we need, we lack proper planning,” shares Rahul Vaidya.

Kailash Kher, who performs with his band Kailasa, adds that it is encouraging that a discussion has now started on concerts and concert economy. “Music concerts pehle bhi hote thay par music ko lightly liya jaata tha. In the last decade – government, corporates and institutes have started taking these seriously. Infrastructure improve hone ki zaroorat hai... When international concerts happen, chahe samajh aaye na aaye, audience ka joh approach hai unke liye, ek jaisa har jagah hai. Aise hamare music ko bhi promote karna chahiye. Unke tickets black mein le rahe hain, par jab Kailasa ka show hota hai, wahi log free mein passes chahte hain toh yeh jo mentality hai, yeh change hona chahiye. Difference ko kam karne ki zaroorat hai,” Kher points out.

Subir Malik from Parikrama adds that in terms of music, light and sound, we don’t lack anything or in technical aspects, it just depends on the organizer and local event organizer. “From the musician’s point of view, I go and watch concerts all over the world. With the quality of sound, lights, and the engineers we have, the output of our vendors in India is world-class. From the music’s point of view, I am happy that India is getting all kinds of diverse artistes. The production of a show like Coldplay’s is not easy but that was managed and that is a huge thing for the country. The only thing where we need to work a little extra is crowd management, entry into the concerts, exit from the concerts and availability of toilets.”

Faridkot duo Inder Preet Singh and Rajarshi Sanyal agree that the infrastructure isn’t as big an issue as organising big concerts efficiently. “Hosting a concert takes a lot of intense technical and logistical requirements. From managing local transport for a large crowd to the food, beverages and the venue – all play an important factor in ensuring a smooth concert experience. Take for instance, the recent Coldplay concert. Many fans took a long time to just exit the venue after the concert. If we look at the one organized in Abu Dhabi, many fans were raving about how they were in their cabs and on their way home within 15 minutes after the concert was over. We have to figure out how to make the process efficient so that we can get closer to such numbers,” they tell us.

Shilpa Khanna, a resident of Sec 52, Gurgaon, who attended AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla concerts last year, shares, “I attend almost all concerts in NCR. I can manage the entry/exit points but what one cannot deal with are the washrooms at these venues. Firstly, it is impossible to find a washroom and when you do find one, there are long queues. And they are anything but hygienic. So, imagine being at a venue for 5-6 hours without any basic infrastructure in place.”

While complaints about the conditions of public restrooms at such venues remain a common grievance among concertgoers, attendees also contend with parking issues and occasional rowdy crowds. “Most of my friends choose not to go to concerts because of the crowd. Who wants to push people to enter and exit a venue. Sometimes you end up spending more time at exit and entry points than you do at the performance. It doesn’t matter if the concert is in Gurgaon or Delhi, finding a parking spot is impossible and if are lucky to find one, it takes hours to leave the venue after a concert,” says Rajat Chopra, a resident of Ramesh Nagar, who attended Bryan Adams’ show in Gurgaon last year.

Deepak Choudhary, founder and MD of an event company, shares that most promoters either already have arranged or are working to provide better washrooms at concerts. “Sometimes a promoter’s ROI does not allow them to give access to washrooms. In such cases, they are at fault. However, some of these promoters (like District by Zomato) are now asking customers to fill satisfaction forms while finalizing an event. The real issue is parking. The communication to fans abroad is ‘don’t bring your cars.’ We also tell our consumers here that there will be no parking but they still think they will find a way. They think they will bring their cars and find parking. And then we plan a 2 km walk and they get upset that they had to walk for 2 km. The infrastructure is not ready within the venue to park so many cars. And that has to be solved with the consumer behaviour, govt’s effort and pre-planning of enough parking areas near the venue. Organizers also need to make sure that there’s enough parking management.”

Deepak Choudhary highlights the gap between concertgoers’ expectations and reality. “Someone told me that they fainted because they didn’t get water at the concert but the organizers have planned enough water booths. It is a delivery expectation. We, as promoters, are not the people who will give something in your hand. We are giving you the access, doing everything we can and sometimes some promoters don’t communicate. That is the issue.”

Chandigarh: Surprising fans during a live show in Chandigarh, singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh announced that he "won't perform (live) in India until infrastructure for it is improved."

Stopping in the middle of a throbbing presentation on Saturday, he said, "Instead of bothering us (artistes), improve your concert infrastructure or I will not perform in India... I want to say this to the administration. We do not have proper facilities for live shows here. It is a big revenue source. A lot of people work (on these events) and get employment due to it. So, please pay heed to it."

The statement was received by a fawning audience in the packed space with thunderous applause. Dosanjh also made it a point to say that it is not he who calls children to his recitals, but "parents bring them".

Following Telangana's move some time ago, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights had issued an advisory regarding "maintaining noise level, not inviting kids to stage, and not singing songs promoting drugs, alcohol and violence" during the performance.

In a video that has now been shared widely on the social media, the singer, who has starred in films like ‘Chamkila’ and ‘Udta Punjab’, can be heard asking: “Will you stop me like this?”

Dosanjh’s much-in-demand Dil-Luminati India tour, which kicked off in Delhi on October 26 and has drawn massive crowds in every city it has premiered, has had it rough with the administrations in various states across country. It has been fraught with challenges for the entertainer.

Ahead of his concert in Hyderabad on November 15, Telangana govt issued a notice to Dosanjh asking him to “refrain from performing songs that promote alcohol, drugs, or violence”. It came after a professor from Chandigarh, Panditrao Dharennavar, filed a representation to authorities to not allow Dosanjh “sing such songs”. Accordingly, the singer at that time changed the lyrics of some of his songs, but criticised Telangana govt for restrictions imposed on him.

His next in Ahmedabad saw him issue a challenge of his own. “If alcohol consumption is banned nationwide, I will no longer sing songs that mention it,” he had said.

It was worse in Indore. Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers held a protest near the venue hours before the concert began. In response, Dosanjh dedicated his concert in the city to poet Rahat Indori, a resident of Indore who had died in 2020, and recited his lines: “If they oppose, let them; life is not at stake. This is just smoke, not the sky. Everybody’s blood (sacrifice) is mixed in this land’s soil, Hindustan is not anyone’s property.”

No songs on alcohol, drugs or violence. And no “twisted words” to bypass this directive, says an ‘advisory’ to singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh by the Chandigarh child rights panel ahead of his concert in the city this Saturday. It comes less than a month after similar curbs by Telangana govt.

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Chandigarh: No songs mentioning alcohol, drugs or violence. And no “twisted words” to bypass this directive, says an ‘advisory’ issued to singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh by the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) ahead of his concert in the city this Saturday.

The notice comes less than a month after Telangana govt clamped similar restrictions on the singer before his Dil-Luminati India tour gig in Hyderabad.

The singer, who is scheduled to perform at the Exhibition Ground in Chandigarh’s Sector 34, will be liable for penal action if the order is not complied with, the commission’s chairperson Shipra Bansal said. Songs that refer or allude to alcohol, drugs and violence affect children of impressionable age, the panel said, also citing a World Health Organization report that highlights the perils of being exposed to high decibels.

Even adults should not be exposed to sound levels above 140db. For children, the level is 120db, the notice states. “It is advisable not to invite children on the stage during the live show where peak sound pressure level is above 120db which is harmful for children.”

The concert organizers are required to ensure that those below 25 years— the legal drinking age in Chandigarh—are not served alcohol. Any violation is punishable under the Juvenile Justice Act and other relevant laws, the notice mentions.

“Other than the organizer and singer, the UT administration has been marked in a copy of the advisory,” Bansal said, adding that “it is also the responsibility of parents to make kids understand”.

Bansal said singer Karan Aujla had received a similar notice for his Dec 7 show.

In Hyderabad, Dosanjh tweaked the lyrics of his songs, replacing mention of alcohol with another word. The singer-actor also faced protests by right-wing organizations in Indore for reciting couplets from Rahat Indori’s poem, ‘Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustan Thodi Hai’, which was often heard during the anti-CAA agitation.

Both Telangana govt’s notice and the CCPCR advisory to Aujla and Dosanjh were issued following complaints by Pandit Rao Dharennavar, assistant professor at Chandigarh’s Post-Graduate Government College in Sector 46.

What does one do after emerging as a breakout star? Most likely, go on a signing spree. But Sidhant Gupta, who burst on the scene last year with Jubilee, vanished from the spotlight. Now, over one-and-a-half years on, the actor is back on screen as India’s first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in Nikkhil Advani’s period drama, Freedom At Midnight. 

“As an actor, you get to know yourself as you move along, when success and acceptance come in. Why am I doing this work? This has been a life-changing question for me. I asked myself this when no one wanted to work with me, and I ask myself this today as well. When I read the script of Freedom At Midnight, I got my answer,” begins the actor. He is aware that the audience would have expected to see more of him after Jubilee.

But he instead dived deep into the Sony LIV series, which follows the events leading up to India’s partition and independence in 1947. “Nothing else mattered, not the perception of people. I didn’t want to take the safe route. I don’t want to keep doing the same three-film [deal] and back-to-back shifts. I want to stick to my guns,” he says.

That is not to say that Gupta is averse to commercial outings. After Jubilee, the actor read multiple scripts, but stayed true to his pursuit as an artiste. “If the characters are appealing, I might do those [mainstream projects] as well. I’m not hiding behind the character of Jawaharlal Nehru. I’m doing the job that actors sign up to do, which is to become someone else.”

Besides the creative satisfaction that Freedom At Midnight—also starring Chirag Vohra and Rajendra Chawla—offered, Gupta immensely enjoyed being on Advani’s set. He says the creator-director treats his unit like a family.

Recalling an incident from their Patiala shoot, the actor shares, “One day, we had to stall the shoot as the rains weren’t stopping. A day’s cost is enormous in such a huge show. So, usually, you see directors and producers thinking about how to save money. But Nikkhil sir took the entire unit to Chandigarh for a day and threw a bash. When I told him it was commendable, he replied, ‘This will drive the team for the next 15-20 days.’”

Shehnaaz Gill is celebrating this Diwali with her grandparents in Beas, Punjab. After her grandmother battled cancer and was treated successfully at Chandigarh’s PGIMER last year, Shehnaaz decided to thank the doctors and staff with a gesture at the hospital this Diwali. Excerpts from an exclusive conversation with Shehnaaz in Chandigarh.

I celebrate Diwali every year because I truly feel the symbolism of light on this festival, I feel it brings much needed cheer to the world. I have a very strong belief in spirituality and try my best to manifest good things for not just myself and my dear ones, but for everyone. And festivals are a powerful time for good vibes and manifestations. This year I decided to do my bit to spread some cheer on Diwali by spending time with the staff and patients of PGIMER in Chandigarh. They had made a beautiful rangoli at the hospital and I felt good giving it its finishing touches. Amid all the sadness that illness brings in its wake, doctors and staff stand as a beacon of light with their dedication towards patients.

My weight loss journey was very difficult, and as anyone who has lost a lot of weight will tell you, it requires a lot of focus. The determination to avoid junk food and control food cravings is not easy at all but I achieved all that. I had set that goal for myself, not in competition with others. I was excited to feature in the video of the song Sajna Ve Sajna, which was a remake of the original. The song required a certain look which was possible because of the hard work I had put towards my fitness. I was happy that audiences followed my dance steps and recreated my costume for their own reels.

Good things come to those who wait, and I have tremendous patience. As an artist aspiring for good work, I am waiting for an impactful role to come my way. There are many things I am getting into, besides acting and singing, which I will talk about once those are finalized.

Actor Shabana Azmi has come out in support and condemned the attack on newly elected Member of Parliament, actor Kangana Ranaut. On June 6, while travelling to Delhi from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, for her swearing-in ceremony, Ranaut was slapped by a lady CISF personnel at the Chandigarh airport, Punjab, for her comments on the farmers’ protests.

“I condemn the slapping incident completely,” says Azmi, adding, “Kangana is a duly elected MP, here to serve the country. You can disagree with her views, but resorting to violence isn’t acceptable in any circumstances. The true essence of a democracy is that there is room for dissent without taking the law into your hands.”

Referencing Indira Gandhi’s assassination, where the former late Prime Minister’s armed bodyguard fatally shot her on October 31, 1984, the 73-year-old elaborates, “We trust our security personnel with our safety. If that confidence is breached there will be a descension into chaos. Remember what happened with Indira Gandhi? No amount of provocation can justify the actions of the CISF personnel, particularly when she is in uniform.” Incidentally, Ranaut will play the role of Gandhi in her next film, Emergency.

After actors Raveena Tandon, Anupam Kher and singer Mika Singh voiced their support for Ranaut, actors Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, Soni Razdan, Sonakshi Sinha and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar have liked a June 8 Instagram post condemning the incident. Meanwhile, an old post where Ranaut voiced her support for actor Will Smith slapping actor Chris Rock, at the 2022 Oscars, resurfaced and has the internet buzzing.

Actor and BJP’s newly elected MP Kangana Ranaut alleged that she was slapped by a CISF woman constable after asecurity check at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Chandigarh on Thursday, report Barinderjit Saluja & Bharti Jain.

According to eyewitness accounts and reliable sources, the constable, identified as Kulwinder Kaur, allegedly confronted Kangana about her remarks regarding women participating in the ongoing farmers’ protests. The altercation escalated when the constable, visibly agitated by Kangana’s comments, allegedly slapped her. A CISF spokesperson told TOI that the force has suspended the woman constable and lodged an FIR against her.

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Chandigarh/New Delhi: Kangana Ranaut, Bollywood actor and newly elected BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, alleged she was slapped by a CISF woman constable after a security check at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh, on Thursday.

According to eyewitness accounts and reliable sources, the constable, identified as Kulwinder Kaur, allegedly confronted Kangana about her remarks regarding women participating in the ongoing farmers’ protests. The altercation escalated when the constable, visibly agitated by Kangana’s comments, allegedly slapped her.

A video of the constable was soon widely circulated on social media. In the video, Kulwinder says: “Isne (Kangana) bayaan diya tha na ki 100-100 rupaye ke liye baithi hain wahan pe (during the farmers’ protest). Yeh baithegi wahan? Meri maa baithi thi jab isne bayaan diya (Ranaut had said during the farmers’ protest that women were sitting there for Rs 100. My mother was also at the protest when she said that.)”

The incident was widely condemned and action sought against the constable. A CISF spokesperson told TOI on Thursday that the paramilitary force has suspended the constable and lodged an FIR against her. “Local police will conduct a criminal investigation. At our end, there will be a full internal inquiry and action will be taken as required,” said the officer.

Ranaut, who was going to Delhi to attend a meeting of MPs convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, later released a video saying, “I am safe, but I am worried about the growing terrorism and extremism in Punjab…”

The incident has raised questions about security arrangements at airports as well as the need for better training and sensitization of security personnel to handle such situations.

Terming the incident a serious matter, National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma called for serious action and said the panel had taken up the matter with the CISF.

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As soon as you ring the bell at her home, you’re greeted by booming woofs from her five dogs — Gabbar, Milli, Julie, Fluki, and Momo. Wamiqa Gabbi, the proud companion of these five furry friends, welcomes us with a bright smile and adds, “They are my life.”

The minimal aesthetic of her home allows ample space for the dogs to play around. She says, “While it takes time to understand them and manage their individual needs, they are not very high-maintenance. They just need love and food. I make sure to get them checked by a doctor once every month.”

Interestingly, Wamiqa’s relationship with dogs had not always been so amicable. Her earliest memory of a dog was of being bitten by one at the age of eight. She had been petrified of dogs since. However, things took an unexpected turn seven years ago when she was gifted a toy Pomeranian by her then-boyfriend. The small gesture marked the beginning of a remarkable turnaround, where Wamiqa’s fear of dogs gradually turned into love.

The actress bought her first dog Phoebe, a Doberman, five years ago. In her own words, she experienced a deep, almost spiritual, journey with her. She vowed against buying animals again, especially after watching videos and learning about the breeding of dogs. She says she hadn’t planned on bringing home a second dog. But when the pandemic struck, Wamiqa was stuck in Chandigarh and Phoebe was in Mumbai. During that time, one of her friends in Punjab got a street Pomeranian named Gabbar. Since Wamiqa missed Phoebe, she requested her friend to let Gabbar stay with her for some time.

“Gabbar rehte rehte mera hi ho gaya, my friend never took him back,” The actress recounts, adding, “Street dogs suffered a lot during the pandemic and that’s how Mili came into my life. Her mother died in an accident, and she was left to be adopted. Now, all five of them, including Gabbar, stay with me in Mumbai, while Phoebe stays in Chandigarh.”

Talking about people’s preference for pedigrees over Indies, she clarifies that if one is looking for companionship, irrespective of the breed, dogs have a way of making you feel loved, heard, and understood.

She shares, “They just keep giving, right from the day they come into your lives. Spending time with them has made me more sensitive as a human. I have learnt from them their ability to give unconditional and selfless love, being non-judgmental and forgiving. My idea of love has also changed because of them. They have helped me improve my interpersonal relationships.”

Keeping in mind, National Pet Day (11 April), Wamiqa calls for stricter laws against animal abuse and animal cruelty. And before you raise your eyebrows, let me tell you that she walks the talk as well. “I only get oat milk at home and don’t endorse any product that promotes animal cruelty, no matter how lucrative the deal is,” says the actress, adding, “Many people I try to educate about animals get annoyed, but I’ll continue to do my best in raising awareness about them.”

So, what would her message be for National Pet Day, we ask? She answers, “Feed them, even if you can’t really love or treat strays like pets. That’s the least we can do for them. It’s our responsibility to show compassion as human beings, especially since we have encroached upon their lands.”

In a conversation with us, Ayushmann Khurrana talked about the need for family entertainers and massy films, the characters he would like to play on screen and shares his views about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the creative space.

Ayushmann’s last release, Dream Girl 2, met with success at the box office. However, the actor, who is known for his hatke roles in socially relevant subjects, also wants to do something grand and spectacular on the big screen. He says, “At this point, I think for a theatrical (big screen experience), you need to also be relatable. It can’t be completely alienated in terms of concept. You need to choose scripts that are massier, commercial and also reach a wider audience. It has to be a family entertainer, and after all, I love being on the big screen.”

In terms of spectacle films, Ayushmann wants to try his hand at mythology. He says, “I would love to do a mythological film someday. Coming from a theatre background, my language is my strong point. My Hindi is pretty good. I think in Hindi. It is difficult for a Chandigarh boy to speak shuddh Hindi, but thankfully, in my family, there was this tradition of reading a lot of Hindi books, shayari and poetry. I have read Munshi Premchand and Harivansh Rai Bachchan. So, yes, I am dying to do a mythological film. As an actor, you can have a field day if your language is good.”

Apart from acting, Ayushmann has always made his love for music known. Ask him if he is concerned about the way AI is being used to recreate popular voices, and he says, “Of course, it is nerve-racking, but only till a point, where it doesn’t develop the soul. I have tried ChatGPT. I tried using it to write like Gulzar saab, Javed Akhtar saab and Ghalib, and it probably got the grammar right, but the soul was missing. I feel AI may take care of some technical jobs, but how will you get the soul (in a creative job)? It’s all about the soul.”

Talking about the mythological character that he wishes to play on screen, Ayushmann says, “You will be surprised to know that during my college days, I played Ashwatthama. We did a play called Andha Yug by Dharamvir Bharati. It’s a famous play in Hindi, and I got a lot of awards for playing Ashwatthama. I would also love to play Krishna, Arjun or even Chanakya.”

Several comedians would vouch for the fact that tragedy begets comedy. Soon after coming close to experiencing the death of his career, Vir Das is now celebrating a career milestone. Das, however, believes that his International Emmy Award win for his stand-up special, Landing, will not significantly change his life. “It was a good night; I met really good people who I respect and admire. It’s something I’ll remember for a long time,” he says, quick to add that within a few hours, he’ll be back to doing what he was meant to.

“I’ll be in Panchkula, Chandigarh, in 36 hours. When I stand on stage, [the crowd] will look at me and say, ‘We’re happy for you’. They’ll clap, [shower me] with love, and I’ll appreciate it. But, 90 seconds later, they’re going to say, ‘We got babysitters. We spent a damn ton of money and drove all this way to see you. Come on, make us laugh’.”

Das’s Landing could well be described as a personal anecdote, penned with the aim of giving a viewer a peek into his life, including the shame he encountered when his trajectory nosedived. “I had never put myself out there like I did with Landing. I was ready to share it with people. [I thought], if Taylor Swift gets to write about a rough night, why don’t I? I am hopeful that my narrative helps somebody else deal with their rough night.” 

Among his inspirations are Johny Lever for the way he “owns the stage”, George Carlin for “saying the tough things that make people uncomfortable”, and Richard Pryor for tackling “very vulnerable situations”. But, when asked what sets him apart from his fellow comedians, Das refuses to analyze his work. “It’s none of my business. When I leave the stage, the viewer will [be assured of the fact that] I have given 600 per cent. Thereafter, the viewer can decide if that was good or bad.”

Like most evolving artistes, he struggles to watch his years-old content. “I cannot even watch stuff from two months ago. I don’t watch myself. If I can get through a whole year without having to look at myself, that will be a good year. Sometimes, when I [analyze] an old premise that I worked on, [I tell myself], look at what I did with that eight years ago, and what I can do with it today. Back then, it led to the [making of] two jokes, now it could have been 24. I didn’t know enough back then.”

He may not be able to chart a roadmap to the Emmys for aspiring comedians, but he encourages them to “write and rewrite”. “Also, they [viewers] have to know you. If you can get them to get to know you in the first 30 seconds and form a real connection, they’ll stick with you for 60 minutes. If you can’t, they’ll stick with you for 60 minutes, but might forget about you the next minute,” says Das, who is gearing up for his next stand-up special.

“MindFool is about not knowing how to adult. Most adults, I believe, are kids pretending to have their s**t together.”

Actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son, Ibrahim Ali Khan, is set to debut with director Kayoze Irani’s Sarzameen along with actors Kajol and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Before his first film’s release, Ibrahim has already started working on his next project — a sports drama, titled Diler.

A source close to the production tells us, “He shot for the film in Chandigarh for around 10 days. Kunal Deshmukh has directed him in the sports drama, which is based on a marathon player and the next schedule will be held in Himachal Pradesh.”

Going on to clarify that the film is “not a biopic” on a sports personality, the source adds, “It’s a fictional story about an athlete who doesn’t take his talent seriously, until life makes him realize that he has taken things for granted.”

During the shoot, Ibrahim wasn’t joined by any big names, “as it was a demo to understand how things would be between the director and the actors”.

The source goes on to say, “Ibrahim’s performance looks very promising. There is stark resemblance with Saif in terms of his acting, mannerism and expressions.”

On a humid afternoon in Delhi with clouds playing hide and seek, actor Amit Sadh joined HT City on his bike as he completed the first phase of his month-long biking trip — Motorcycles Saved My Life. And the journey, he reveals, has been far from easy.

“On the very first day, after being on the bike for over 10 hours, I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing it?’ But then I passed a beautiful canal. The breeze, the sunset, a nice terrain to ride... I had answers to all my questions,” says the 40-year-old, who left Mumbai on August 25 and has crossed Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Delhi and Chandigarh, enroute to Leh (Ladakh).

“I have a knack of putting myself in danger,” quips Sadh, who has faced several life-threatening situations in his 25 years of biking. “In 2017, I was on my way to Manali, for which one has to cross Chang La (situated at an elevation of 17,688 feet). At that time, it was fully covered with snow and the temperature was minus 17 degrees. Nobody travels on that route during that time... As soon as we left, my bike slipped and then my friend’s bike slipped, followed by a puncture. As a result, we had to stay for a night there because the vehicle could not get fixed. Thankfully, the locals helped and we could move the next morning,” he recounts.

Sadh took a liking to adventure activities when he was just about five years old. Now, any free time he gets, he is ready to vroom. “That’s how much I love bike riding. It’s also my way of connecting back with life. I’ve not even finished this trip and have already planned my next one,” the Jeet Ki Zid (2021) actor says.

Passion aside, he also ensures he’s adequately prepped. Sadh, who has been to California Riding School, shares, “I’ve been to schools around the world to learn how to ride on mud, in snow etc. So, it’s also about testing my skills. While the reason for riding can be emotional, when I am on the bike, I keep my emotions aside and execute with discipline, knowledge and instincts to minimize the risk.”

Reflecting on all the biking expeditions he has been on so far, Sadh says these experiences of riding through different terrains and meeting new people have made him the person he is today. Citing a recent example, he shares, “On my way to Delhi this time, I met a truck driver at a dhaba and he told me about his life and I told him about what I’m doing. More than anything, these experiences keep me grounded. They make me fall in love with everything around me. They teach me discipline and resilience. I’m a product of all these experiences.”

This one!

In 2017, when I got stuck in Chang La

Train as much as you can. Learn about your bike before you go on a trip.

Start with places around you, within 100-200km

Mongolia

Every trip to Ladakh

First day of this trip. I rode the bike for 10 hours

Travelling for more than 200-300km a day

photos: Dhruv sethi/ HT Concept: Monika Rawal Kukreja

Amit Sadh is in the second leg of his month-long biking trip from Mumbai to Leh. The actor plans to halt in many cities to meet people and experience India in a new way.

On the fifth day of his biking expedition, Amit Sadh made a quick stop in the capital. The actor’s #MotorcyclesSavedMyLife trip is his first long-route ride post COVID.

With Himachal Pradesh being adversely affected during the monsoon, going to or via HP to other cities right now is not advisable. Ask Amit whether he reconsidered his trip, and he says, “No, I just knew that I had to go. So, we figured out the routes from Chandigarh to Leh. The route via Manali was a complete no-go, so we decided to go via Spiti. I have already been to Ladakh 10 times. I know people in those regions; I am almost a local (laughs). We did proper recce and locals told me it was okay to ride. From Chandigarh to Shimla, I might encounter a few roadblocks, but I’ll find my way around them.”

Talking about his love for biking, he says, “When I was younger, biking was an escape for me. I used to ride in anger. It meant running away, and this running away also taught me a lot. It has taught me discipline. Now I feel, since I am riding differently, life has changed and things are mellow. There’s happiness, there’s calmness – life’s better. When you are biking, you might either have a hundred thoughts racing in your mind or have nothing at all.”

The Jeet Ki Zid actor, who is a very private person, says, “I rarely share stories about my biking adventures with my fans, but this time I decided to share this journey with everyone. The hero of this trip is my bike. I am taking this trip to inspire myself, spread smiles, and experience India differently.” 

Amit travels to the hills quite often. He shares, "India is so beautiful, mann nahi bharta. As a child, I used to travel with my father to the hills a lot. Those memories have stayed with me. So, I travel to the mountains and apne dad ko bhi yaad karta hoon."

"Being in Delhi was always fun. We used to do a lot of biking and bike racing at India Gate. This was about 20 years back. Many of my biker friends are still in Delhi and the city will always be special to me," he says reminiscing about his time in Delhi.

Theirs isn’t a story of love at first sight. Instead, it’s a story of two parties taking an initial dislike to each other, looking past it to patiently learn about one another’s strengths and frailties, and coming together to form a lasting friendship.

“I had eyes like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s. I believed that Mumbai was waiting to give me a red-carpet welcome, that every filmmaker would be eager to cast me. A lot of my delusions were broken by this city. My parents gave birth to me and took care of me, but Mumbai made me an adult,” smiles Wamiqa Gabbi.

Mumbai figured in Gabbi’s plans for as long as she could remember. From a tender age, she had only one goal—to be an actor. Even as she was raised in Chandigarh, she tried her luck in Hindi films. At 14, she made a blink-and-miss appearance in Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (2007) as Kareena Kapoor Khan’s cousin. After two years, she had a walk-on role in Love Aaj Kal (2009).

In 2013, at the age of 19, she was emotionally ready to leave Chandigarh to actively pursue her dream of seeing herself on the big screen. When she packed her suitcase to try her luck in Mumbai, her father, Govardhan Gabbi, had only one piece of advice for her: “Aise rehna ki raat nu neend aa jaye, aur jab sheeshe vich dekho, toh khud ke saath nazre mila sako. [Live life in such a way that you can sleep peacefully at night and face yourself in the mirror.]” 

But Mumbai and she weren’t quite ready for each other. What followed was a string of auditions, some bit roles, and staying in rented apartments. Like any new girl in the city, Gabbi was initially shocked to see matchbox-sized flats that often housed more than one person.

“I remember seeing a room [online] and finalising the deal. When I got here, I saw they were matchbox-sized, which was a stark difference from my Chandigarh house. The room adjacent to mine had two girls living in one room. Even when you opened the windows, you couldn’t feel the fresh air. I went to a friend’s place, called my dad and told him that I could not stay here,” recounts the actor.

The multiple rejections also took a toll on the actor. “I used to feel special in Chandigarh—at home, in school, in college—but Mumbai made me feel ordinary. That is when you understand that you need to become extraordinary on this ordinary ground. I can’t call my experiences a struggle, when there are so many people who don’t have the same privileges that I was born with. I never had to worry about where my next meal will come from. But I came to do one thing, act, and I was unable to do that. I was under-confident and started disliking myself. But that was also part of my personal journey.”

Gabbi then trained her focus on Punjabi and south films, largely shuttling between Chandigarh and Hyderabad, and flying to Mumbai only if a project came her way. Yet, something told her that Hindi films would happen eventually. Sure enough, Kabir Khan’s 83 (2020) came her way, and by the end of 2019, the actor shifted base to Mumbai, renting a bungalow in Madh Island, where she lived with her six dogs and help.

This time around, Gabbi had wised up and knew that the city rewarded only those who persevered. And persevere she did. Between 2020 and 2022, the actor landed three big projects—Disney+ Hotstar’s Grahan, Netflix’s Mai, and Amazon Prime Video’s Modern Love Mumbai. Finally, it felt like the island city was beginning to accept her.

“In my initial years, I never felt Mumbai was my city because I never considered it as such. Once I changed my views on it, [things got better]. The city taught me to be independent. [During my first stint], my electricity supply would often get cut because I would forget to pay the bill. How could I accept a city that made me feel so lonely? But the most beautiful thing was that Mumbai made me accept my loneliness. That’s why I fell in love with this city,” she smiles.

This year, she broke through with her performance in Vikramaditya Motwane’s Jubilee, in which she played a ’50s aspiring actor who rises to the top. She followed it up with Modern Love Chennai, and Vishal Bhardwaj’s short film Fursat, and the recent Charlie Chopra. There is a lot happening on the personal front too. The actor has bought a house in Andheri, and is in the process of shifting there. “It is way smaller and way more expensive than my Madh house,” she laughs, left helpless by the city’s unreasonable real-estate market. 

She has grown up a lot in the past three years. Now, when she loses a film, she doesn’t lose sleep over it, instead simply moving on to her next. “My dad always says, ‘Jo hota hai, achche ke liye hota hai. Jo nahin hota hai, woh aur bhi achche ke liye hota hai.’” And is there anything that hasn’t changed in these years? Her awestruck reaction to Gateway of India, she says.

“Every time I go to Gateway, I cannot take my eyes off it. When I go to south Mumbai, or in the nooks and corners of Bandra, it feels like I’m in the city of dreams.”

That it has a mixture of good and bad people. But once you find your tribe, especially in the art scene, it’s beautiful.

The waterlogging, but I do love the rains.

I have no grand expectations. I believe it has been extremely kind to me.

Growing up, I always saw myself [playing a role]in Devdas. Jubilee [came close to] that for me. So, in a way, yes, it did.

I love being in Mumbai. But for me, home is where there is a lot of space and where I can see the sky without skyscrapers.