The actor-comedian traces the genesis of some of his famous small screen alter egos
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 17, 2020)

Sunil Grover became a household name with his cross-dressing character Gutthi in Comedy Nights With Kapil. She was so popular that when his journey with Kapil, Gutthi and the show ended, no one thought the versatile stand-up comedian would be able to top this performance, till he returned with Rinku Devi and Dr Mashoor Gulati. Sunil reveals that the trio has its genesis in his early years. “I was in third or fourth standard when I attempted mimicry and my first subjects were my teachers,” shares the actor.

He went on to do take-offs on B-Town biggies, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. How does he make sure to not offend them? “I’m their fan, I love them. I’m okay with missing a joke or two rather than offend anyone. I don’t mimic anyone I don’t like,” says the stand-up comedian, who once copied Kapil Dev in front of the cricketer himself and left him in splits. “He laughed his heart out and appreciated the act.”

Sunil lurched through his first gig for a corporate event, playing a drunkard. His debut on TV was a blink-and-miss affair, forgettable even for his own family. “It was a two-second appearance with just one line of dialogue, ‘Daku aa gaye, daku aa gaye.’ All my relatives were sitting in the living room waiting for my scene. My aunt got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen when my scene flashed. She rushed back, but by then I was gone,” he reminisces with a laugh.

With a masters in theatre, Sunil did bit roles on TV and worked as a voice artiste for around eight years. Then, one night his prayers were answered and Gutthi happened. “After the show came on air, I went to perform at a live event before an audience of almost 4000 people. As soon as I came on stage, I noticed 3000 camera lights on me. People started cheering and I looked back to check if there was someone standing behind. I realised there was no one there except me and from deep within, a I let out a cheer, ‘Yayyyy,’” Sunil laughs at the memory.

And how does it feel to portray a woman, we wonder, and he says that till he can make people laugh without offending anyone, he is fine with it. “While doing a character, I don’t think of the gender,” retorts the actor, saying the only difference is that it takes him just five minutes to get ready for a male character while it takes 10 minutes more when he’s playing Gutthi or Rinku “because a woman’s shringar never gets over”.

And does it irk him when people call out to him by his character’s name rather than his own? “Not at all; I love it. They know me by the characters I play, so that’s what they will call me,” Sunil reasons, saying that while he loves all these characters, he has a soft corner for Dr Mashoor Gulati and Khairati Lal, Kapil’s father-in-law on Comedy Nights. “As Mashoor Gulati, I had a 'Gerua' moment with Shah Rukh and Kajol during Dilwale promotions, which is unforgettable.”

He had released a single as Rinku Devi, titled “Mere Husband Mujhko Pyaar Nahi Karte”. How did the idea come to him? “Every woman asks her husband regularly how much he loves her. This was my favourite line, so I thought why not turn it into a funny music video,” Sunil informs, ruing that even though he has ideas for several new characters, he has to keep coming back to the old favourites because of public demand.

Onkar Kulkarni and Ismat Tahseen (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2019)

BIPASHA BASU: ‘What happened at Mukesh Mills while shooting was a scary experience’
“None of my spooky stories are related to the horror films that I’ve done. I was shooting for Footpath (2003) at Mukesh Mills, in Mumbai. It’s known to be spooky and there are many stories around it that the people in the film business keep talking about. It was during the day and I was supposed to shoot on the second floor of the premises. Generally, I don’t forget my dialogues and I was alone in one room and there was this very long track that was placed. Everyone else was in the other room, and each time I had to walk ahead and say the dialogue, it felt like something was stopping me. I knew my entire monologue by heart, yet, I kept forgetting the lines. This happened repeatedly, and that’s when my director Vikram Bhatt asked my hair stylist, ‘What is Bipasha feeling?’ Eventually, we decided that we should get out of there. They got me out of the set, and they gave me some holy water and stuff like that. I slept in the vanity van for a while and then they called for packup. The next day, the crew did a pooja there, basically so that we could continue shooting, but even the pandit who did the pooja had an accident. So, after that, we didn’t complete the scene there; we shot it at a different location. I have no explanation for it, but what happened at Mukesh Mills was a scary experience.

Also, there was another incident in Goa, where I was sharing a room with my hairstylist, at a hotel which was supposed to be spooky. We turned off the lights and went off to sleep. The AC was on and suddenly, I started feeling cold and saw that the fan was on, too. So, I asked my hairstylist, ‘Have you turned on the fan?’ She said that she didn’t do it. I asked her if the switch was by her bedside. It wasn’t. We both got up feeling really scared and wondering how the fan started, when we both didn’t do it ourselves. Then, we tried to turn the lights on, but it didn’t work. I remember how much both of us screamed. Also, just to add, I’ve done a lot of horror films, but in reality, I am a person who gets easily scared of anything. I can’t sleep alone in a room, and if I have to, I keep all the lights on. I’m quite a fattu person. But yes, I try to get over my fears by doing horror films, but not like that’s really helped.”


SUNNY LEONE: ‘I yelled at the ghost and it left me alone’
“I was shooting for one of the seasons of Splitsvilla at a palace in Rajasthan. When we retired to our rooms for the night, I had sleep paralysis. I literally had to push myself to wake up, but I felt some presence holding me down. When it repeated for the third time, I just got up and yelled, ‘Leave me alone!’ It seems this one was a kind ghost as it did leave me alone and things were back to normal.”


ADAH SHARMA: ‘I cannot forget the experience of being in a castle that is believed to be haunted’
“My real-life spooky experience happened during the making of horror movie 1920 (which released in 2008). I was scaring people while shooting for the film; I like to do that for fun, but this place, Allerton Castle, in Yorkshire, was haunted. In fact, it’s supposed to be one of the top 10 haunted castles in the world. When we went there, I was laughing and saying, ‘What nonsense, there’s no such thing,’ and then the caretakers told us stories about how the wife of the housekeeper, who had died, haunts the castle. When we reached there, we saw this huge portrait of her that’s hung on the wall, and the way the woman resembled me, it was uncanny. It was so unreal and crazy that I was really spooked out. Sometime later, I went to the rest room , and while I was trying to come out, I realised that I was locked in and even the lights just went off. No one was around, and I was wondering how I got locked in. The toilets were in the basement and the network had also gone. I was stuck down there for a good 15 minutes, without being able to reach out to anyone for help. On set, they thought that I was outside somewhere. It was scary, and I can’t forget the experience of being in a castle that is believed to be haunted. It takes a lot to scare me, but it did leave us wondering what really happened there.”


GURMEET CHOUDHARY: ‘My hairstylist was behaving like she was possessed’
Many years ago, when I was shooting for Ramayan (TV show) with my wife Debina Bonnerjee in Vadodara, on the banks of the Narmada, our hairdresser was behaving like she was possessed. We were shooting at a shamshaan ghaat. My hairstylist suddenly started crying loudly, and after a while, she started laughing loudly and talking in Gujarati. She is from the south and has never spoken in Gujarati. We asked her to stop, but she just could not. Eventually, we took her to the hotel and tried to calm her down. Even then, she did not stop shouting and crying out loudly. This happened in front of the entire unit and we still can’t forget the experience.


KRITI SANON: ‘My make-up artist felt someone was pushing her’
“When we were shooting for Dilwale (2015), my make-up artist felt an unearthly presence in her hotel room. There was a bottle of body lotion that fell, so she put it back in its place, but it fell again. She was surprised as the table wasn’t moving, nor was there any wind. Later in the night, she felt that someone was pushing her and that’s when we all were spooked out!”


TAAPSEE PANNU: ‘I heard footsteps in my hotel room’
“Firstly, I am extremely scared of ghosts and I do believe that they exist. Personally, I felt something in my room when I was staying at a hotel in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. I had heard stories earlier of the hotel being haunted. I was alone in the room, when I heard some footsteps echoing. Since I am a scaredy-cat when it comes to ghosts, all I did was convince myself that I was imagining things and literally forced myself to sleep. There was no way I could fight a ghost!”

VARUN SHARMA: ‘I was spooked by an apparition in Manali’
“I remember one incident while travelling to Manali as a kid. There was intense fog on the road, and I was sitting ahead with the driver, when we saw a human-like figure, which disappeared in a jiffy. I was spooked out. Was it just a work of my imagination or was there someone really there? This is something that still remains unanswered. The incident feels like it just happened yesterday, and it still creeps me out. It is etched in my memory for good.”

The actor who’s winning hearts with his latest comic turn, on childhood idols, rejections and how he reinevents his game
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 22, 2019)

Twenty-nine-year-old Varun Sharma shot to fame almost instantly, when he made his debut in the film Fukrey in 2013. So persuasive was his portrayal of the obnoxious prankster Choocha, that the name became synonymous with the actor. But Sharma’s latest turn in Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore promises to change that. “People already call me ‘Sexa’ wherever I go,” says Sharma, who sees it as a measure of the popularity of his latest avatar — a guy obsessed with porn.

His enthusiasm is justified. After all, it’s all he ever wanted. “I spoke with a lisp when I was young,” says Sharma, and describes how he’d stand on his bed and belt out “Yeh Tali Tali Aakhen” from his favourite film, Baazigar. “Years later, when I got to work with Abbas Mustan (in Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon) and Shah Rukh sir and Kajol ma’am (in Dilwale), it felt like life had come full circle.”

Born in Jalandhar, Sharma’s earliest memories of regaling an audience go back to his formative years. “Chabilal bhaiya”, who would drive him to his boarding school in Sanawar, HP, served as captive audience and Sharma entertained him with dialogues from his favourite films. Incidentally, school was also where his decision to turn to the profession came to be cemented. “Sanjay Dutt sir, who is an alumnus of my school, was the chief guest at a play once, and I signed up just for a chance to see him,” says Sharma. This was a big deal because Dutt’s 1997 film Daud was the first movie Sharma ever watched on the big screen at Jalandhar’s Lal Ratan Cinema. “I played a tree, and just stared at him [Dutt] in awe for the two hours I was on stage,” Sharma recalls.

Later, while pursuing a Bachelors in Chandigarh, Sharma began collaborating with Punjab University students on theatre productions. “Surprisingly, not once did I attempt comedy then,” says Sharma, who worked on Anton Chekhov’s plays, and even played Ashwathama in Andha Yug.

Moving to Mumbai nine years ago, Sharma began assisting casting director Nandini Shrikent, taking on movies such as Talaash, Ek Main Aur Ek Tu and Student Of The Year. But the ambition to act wasn’t shelved. “I used to audition whenever I could,” says Sharma, who credits his assisting gig for fine-tuning his craft. “When I’d audition 400 people for a part, I would learn as many ways to perform the same role.”

Yet, for all that learning, landing an acting job, even a commercial, seemed a distant dream. “I even got rejected from a shopping network,” says the actor, who was once told off because he didn’t look “upmarket” enough. “I was like ‘Main gora hoon, and my mummy says I am handsome’,” he laughs.

But Sharma was conscious that he wasn’t cut out to play the quintessential Bollywood hero. “My friends would tell me ‘Pehle body bana, phir audition pe ja’. But I felt if I wasted time on my physique, I would miss out on auditions.”

Three years later, he was signed for Fukrey. “I remember that day.” His eyes light up with the memory. “I called my mother to tell her that I would be working with the makers of Dil Chahta Hain, Rock On and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara — and they’re saying I will be on the poster.” His mother went quiet for a minute, Sharma remembers. “That’s when I realised, a lot can be said through silence.”

The success of that film ensured Sharma wouldn’t have to hustle any more. “During my first script narration, a comedy, I broke into tears,” Sharma recalls. “When the director asked me what was wrong, I told him that it was the first time someone was actually asking me to be a part of a project.”

A dozen films later, some feel Sharma has gotten typecast. “If I seem repetitive, it may be because I become too attached to characters and need to work harder,” he defends himself “In Mumbai, one is constantly surrounded by shoptalk and this can get to you,” he says. To break away, after his first few films, Sharma spent a month in Goa, waiting tables at a friend’s bar. “The customers were mostly Russian so no one recognised me. And the experience helped me to reinvent my game.” For his next secret sabbatical, Sharma plans to take up a short-term course with a university overseas. “I want to study during the day, and spend my evenings working as a cashier in a department store or as an attendant at a petrol pump,” he says. “This could be a Pardes or Aa Ab Laut Chalen hangover.”

Finding a sweet spot in romantic comedies, Kriti Sanon on her movie choices and working with senior actors
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 21, 2019)

"I go with my gut," says Kriti Sanon who is on a high after the success of her last film Luka Chuppi. Sanon, 28, in an exclusive interview with mid-day talks about what gives her the confidence to make risky choices, changing the notion of being an unbankable star, working with Diljit Dosanjh in the cop movie Arjun Patiala and more.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

How do you align your sensibilities with an over-the-top film like Arjun Patiala?
Shah Rukh [Khan] had told me [during Dilwale], 'You need to adjust yourself to the world of a film. Every movie has a different flavour and an actor needs to mould himself to that world'. Arjun Patiala is not entirely over-the-top. Every scene can become a cliché; the idea is to think differently. During a rain sequence, I am wearing a white sari and it's a banal scene. Since we were aware of that, we decided to take it a notch higher by adding some fun elements. At times, it is difficult to perform these scenes compared to something that comes naturally. As an actor, I need to realise the sur [rhythm] of the film and go with it.

Bareilly Ki Barfi, Luka Chuppi and Arjun Patiala are all romantic comedies. As is Housefull 4. You seem to have settled in this genre.
I enjoy it. Comedy is all about reactions. It's about feeding from each other's energies. The actor and director have to be in sync. Even when I am not cracking a joke, the audience will find it funny because of my reaction to the situation. It was all action and reaction between Diljit and me. He is a natural. We improvised several scenes during rehearsals that were included in the final cut purely because our reactions were unexpected.

You have a varied line up of films ahead—Arjun Patiala, Housefull 4, Panipat and an untitled film with Rahul Dholakia—For someone who says choosing the right script is tough, do you think you have made the right choices?
I am going with my gut and hoping that my choices are right. Eventually, how the film shapes up depends on the collaborative effort. Whenever a film does well and connects with the audience, it gives me reinstates my confidence. That helps in taking risks and experimenting.

Did the success of Bareilly Ki Barfi empower you? 
When the film worked it did [empowered me]. However, when I was shooting for it, I didn't receive confident reactions from people. They were hesitant and asked, 'Choti budget ki movie hai, kar logi kya? [It's a small budget film, will you do it]'. I don't think any film is small or big because at the end of the day content works irrespective of the budget. After the success [of Bareilly Ki Barfi], I got noticed as an actor which had never happened before. People did not expect me to fit in the role of a small town girl. This changed the opportunities coming my way. I consider the film a milestone and a turning point in my career. Now, it has become trickier to choose what interests me.

Despite having a higher success ratio among your contemporary actors, there is a notion that you are not a bankable star. Has that changed?
The media always mentions 'bankable star' so it has registered in my mind, but I don't know what goes into being one. I think it changed after the success of Luka Chuppi. It's a common belief that one hit can be a fluke, but when Luka Chuppi received great numbers at the box office it boosted my confidence. I am now in a position to take the risk and responsibility. Yes, that is a lot of pressure, but it will keep me from slacking.

Does your equation change when you are working with senior actors like in Housefull 4?
In my case, both Akshay [Kumar] sir and Shah Rukh sir are chilled out. I don't feel the difference because they made me comfortable from the get-go. Of course, with a senior actor on set you have to behave appropriately, but things alter depending on the equation. Akshay sir is someone who helped me in scenes and has no qualms about taking or giving suggestions. In between shots, he would pick up an orange and start playing catch or a game of tic-tac-toe. That is the beauty of this profession, eventually everyone is on the same level.

What's your idea of entertainment outside of movies?
I still find watching movies entertaining [smiles]. I also like writing poems but that doesn't happen often. Otherwise, I catch up with my parents [in Delhi], or school and college friends. I also enjoy travelling in between films.

On Being Trolled
Recently, Kriti Sanon got flak for posting a picture with a Cheetah. When asked if she feels the need to hit back, Sanon says, "It's not about giving back to the trolls. I am an animal lover. People said that the cheetah was drugged, but if that was the case, he wouldn't be able to walk. These cheetahs are a part of the national park and have grown up there. I try to respond to trolls, but I don't take the pressure, nor do I get bothered by people's comments. I stay away from negativity."

Rohit Shetty talks about working with Akshay Kumar in Sooryavanshi and how he wants to expand this cop universe
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; May 13, 2019)

It has been a week since Rohit Shetty kicked off the shoot of Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi in Goa. "Twenty-seven years ago, I was an assistant director on Akshay's Suhaag [1992], and today, I am directing him. So, there is a sense of achievement. When he is on the set, he is immersed in his work," says the director. The actioner marks his third cop drama after Singham (2011) and Simmba (2018). Confirming Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh's presence in the climax of Sooryavanshi, the filmmaker adds, "Now, I want to expand this cop universe. We are writing a story in which all three heroes will appear together."

Shetty has often been criticised for etching female characters that have precious little to do in his films. Ask him if Katrina Kaif will enjoy a meatier role in Sooryavanshi, and he retorts, "Why don't people discuss Chennai Express [2013] or Dilwale [2015] when they are debating about the female characters in my films? I have my hero to do all the action, so I can't be making the actresses fight. When I make a lady cop film, they will fight villains. We are developing a film along those lines."

Kriti Sanon, who is juggling four films, went scuba-diving because she was terrified of drowning and now wants to go sky-diving
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 5, 2019)

Kriti Sanon who made her debut with Tiger Shroff in Heropanti, describes her four-year stint in Bollywood as an “unplanned journey”. “I never thought of becoming an actor nor did I attend any acting workshops. I’ve been learning on the job with every film,” she points out, adding that getting to working with Shah Rukh Khan in her second film was a dream she had never had. “Just being on the Dilwale sets with him was a surreal experience.”

It was with her fourth film, Bareily Ki Barfi, that was a turning point of sorts for the 28-year-old actress. “A lot of people had questioned my casting before the film’s release, its success and the appreciation I got broke the barriers for me. It was a different high!” exults Kriti.

She recently wrapped up the fourth installment of the Housefull franchise and believes the period set-up will set it apart from the three earlier films. “Both Sajid (producer Sajid Nadiadwala) and I think Housefull 4 is the funniest of all the films and the concept of reincarnation adds to the mad chaos,” she asserts, gushing over how co-star Akshay Kumar even after all these years is constantly improvising on the sets to make a scene better. “His style of working inspires me.”

She is now entering the most exciting phase of her career with four diversely different film, starting with Dinesh Vijan’s Luka Chuppi with Kartik Aaryan which she describes as a love story with a lot of situational comedy. “It isn’t a quintessential romcom, more like a quirky romantic film with a lot of humour,” she explains, anxious to see how the audience reacts to this special film.

She’s also jumped on the period film bandwagon with Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Panipat in which she plays Parvatibai and is working hard to get the Maharashtrian accent right. Kriti admits her director is focused on detailing which is why his films take time to get completed. “He is very sure about what he wants but when you’re making something that is larger-than-life you can’t hurry things up,” she reasons, saying she would have loved to portray Aishwarya Rai’s queen from Jodhaa Akhbar. “There’s also Arjun Patiala with Diljit (Dosanjh) in which I play a journalist like you, but mine is a TV reporter,” she laughs.

Kriti opines that this is a great time to be in the industry as people are no longer willing to invest time and money in anything mediocre and this motivates the actors to go out there and do something meaningful. However, she doesn’t agree with the general perception that it is curtains for mainstream Hindi cinema. “There will always be an audience that wants to see a film for the commercial aspects of the story. However, every kind of cinema today must be engaging,” she avers.

In December, Kriti took off to Maldives for a family vacation. “This was the first time since Dilwale that I went on a holiday with my parents and sister. It was very relaxing as I was comfortable in my personal space,” she smiles, adding that she went scuba-diving to overcome her fear of drowning. “Next on my bucket list is sky-diving. You face fears to overcome them. I’m terrified I’ll fall off,” she confides.

Kriti confirms that her sister, Nupur is also looking to enter showbiz though everything has yet to fall in place. “Nupur would love to act but she wants to chart her own journey, not hurry up the process and sign up anything that comes her way,” she concludes. 

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 9, 2018)

Times are changing in Bollywood. Today, producers, directors and actors are trying to break the industry norms and come up with diverse content. In 2016, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil had Ranbir Kapoor romancing a much older Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The same year, Kareena Kapoor Khan was seen opposite Arjun Kapoor in Ki & Ka. Recently, Ash played Rajkummar Rao’s love interest in Fanney Khan.

Ask Kajol if she would be game for such a role and she smiles, “Of course, why not? But it depends on what the film would be about. I’ve no reservations, but the only thing that will make or break it for me is the script. If it’s great, then I’ll do it.”

Given a choice, whom would she pick from the younger generation as her co-star? Kajol says, “It has to be Varun (Dhawan). He’s a sweet guy and working with him is a lot of fun. I had a great time with him during Dilwale. So, if I have to romance someone, it would be him.” Filmmakers take note!

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 11, 2018)

Although Kriti Sanon made a mark with her debut in Heropanti (2014), followed by a role in the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale (2015), it was her freespirited act as Bitti Sharma in Junglee Pictures’ Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) that won her the real accolades. With no filmi lineage to fall back on, Kriti believes in learning with each failure and discovering things on her own. The tall and slender actress bares it all about growing as an actor, her choice of films and her middle-class upbringing. Excerpts…

You have been lauded for your performance in your last release, Bareilly Ki Barfi (BKB),which did well,both commercially and critically. Many felt that it’s your best so far...
When you are not playing a glamorous role in a film, people start noticing you more. Also, my character in BKB was real and relatable, which is what the audience connected with. I feel a performer grows with every act. In my case, I have grown as an actor from Heropanti to Bareilly Ki Barfi. I keep saying that even though Raabta (2017) didn’t work, I feel I grew the most during that film because I was playing two diametrically opposite and layered characters for the first time.

Has the success of BKB changed the way you choose films?
No, I don’t think it has changed at all. Perhaps, the kinds of films that I am being offered today have changed and I have more options to choose from. But the way I pick films still remains the same. If I connect with a script, or if the role is great, I just go for it. These things have always been the criteria for me. I follow my gut.

While you’ve chosen content-driven films like Bareilly Ki Barfi (BKB) and now Panipat, you’re also going to be seen in an out-and-out commercial entertainer like Housefull 4. Are you trying to strike a balance in your career choices?
It’s not that after BKB, I only want to do films that revolve around me. As a viewer, I like watching different kinds of cinema. So, as an actor, I have to cater to a variety of audience and not get stuck in a genre. Hence, while I am doing comedies like Housefull 4 and Arjun Patiala, I am also doing Panipat, which is my first full-on period film. With Housefull 4, it is not so much about the script, as it is about being part of a hit franchise. It is a fun film that caters to a much larger audience, across different age groups. Honestly, even though Heropanti did well, it didn’t reach out to as many people as Dilwale did. When I go abroad, people don’t recognise me for Heropanti, but they remember me for Dilwale. Besides, I will be working with Sajid (Nadiadwala) sir again… my second outing with the production house (after Heropanti). It’s a crazy, mad film and funnier than the last three. It’s difficult to do comedy and make people laugh. There is so much stress in our lives today that it’s sometimes good to watch lighthearted films and forget about your troubles.

Hailing from a middle-class, non-film family, how have your parents reacted to your stardom?
It’s been gradual. They have come to terms with a lot of things, like the media attention, all the stuff that’s written about me or even the fact that we can’t visit malls anymore. There have been times when my mom has called me and asked me if I have signed a certain film, because she had read about it in the news. I would tell her, ‘Mom, I will tell you when I sign a film. This is not true’. Now, they know that if there’s something important, they will know about it before others. They trust me a lot. But sometimes, there is a lot of attention, which can get troublesome for them. Well, my parents are the only people I owe an explanation to, while they have to deal with relatives and friends. So, I understand their concerns. My dad has been a very content person. My mom is the one who takes all the stress of the universe, especially when it comes to my sister (Nupur) and me. Sometimes, they ask me sudden questions like, ‘You are not working for these many months?’ and I tell them that it is okay if I am not occupied for a few months. The unpredictability that comes with my profession is something they are still adjusting to.

Has the fact that you are not from the industry made you more realistic about this profession, where fate changes every Friday?
As an outsider, you feel like a baby who is coming into a new world and is fascinated by everything that’s happening around. You learn with each fall at every step, because you are discovering how things work. I think you slowly understand what matters and what doesn’t in the long run. You also realise how to approach certain situations and how to be diplomatic. I have had so many foot-in-mouth situations. My problem is that sometimes, I am a little too honest, which people don’t always appreciate and it is often misconstrued. I am not the best at putting my thoughts into words. I just say what comes to my mind, with complete honesty and without any malice. At times, I feel that I shouldn’t have said some of the things, but I can’t be fake. I feel being fake and trying to fit in is dangerous, because then, you are acting all the time. It’s better to be real and face situations as they unfold.

Your sister Nupur is all set to follow in your footsteps and join the industry. What’s the one advice you have given her that you got from your parents?
My parents told me nothing (laughs!). They didn’t put any restrictions on me. Of course, they told me to be patient and choose the first film very carefully, as your debut film sets you on your career path. Fortunately, I waited for the right debut and it paid off. There are times when you are irritated and tempted to just start out with whatever comes your way, but you should not let that feeling take over. When Nupur moved to Mumbai, I advised her to try out things to see what she really likes and find her true calling. I told her to be patient and not be in a hurry to grab the first opportunity. I am always there to guide her, but she wants to have her own journey, too.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2018)

Years ago, Varun Sharma had come to Mumbai to fulfil his dream of becoming an actor. It was a huge step for the Jalandhar boy, to leave his family and friends back home in Chandigarh, and pursue a career in Bollywood.

Today, Varun has scripted his success story on the big screen, and he says that he loves every bit of this city — which he refers to as his home and karmbhoomi. He says, “People make a city, it’s not the other way round. It is the vibe of a city that makes it unique. Mumbai and its people are full of warmth and love — it has the best qualities of all the cities in India. People from across the country come here to fulfil their dreams. Look at the film industry — it has talents from different parts of the country, speaking different languages and belonging to different cultures, collaborating to entertain the whole of India.”

Ask him how he flirts with the city, and Varun says that he loves exploring the by-lanes of Mumbai in his car. He says, “Driving in the city rejuvenates me.” The actor loves Mumbai’s monsoon as well — especially going out for a stroll in the rains and munching on bhutta. He tells us, “If North Indians rave about their winters, we have our monsoon. When I am not shooting, I sit in my balcony with a cuppa and some pakodas. What better way to enjoy rains than lazing around in your house and admiring nature.”

Talking about his early days in the city, Varun recalls his special association with Carter Road. He had landed in Mumbai a few days ahead of India’s historic cricket World Cup win in 2011. After the match, he stepped out with his sister on Carter Road, as the celebrations shifted from people’s living rooms to the streets of Mumbai.

Little did he know then that this stroll would get him to meet Shah Rukh Khan in person! Varun recollects, “We were celebrating our win with ice cream. Suddenly, a car pulled over and the next thing I see is Shah Rukh Khan emerging out of the sun roof and waving at the crowd. He has always been my inspiration and he was the reason I had come to Mumbai. At that point, I didn’t know that I would be working with him in Dilwale.”

Bungalows of famous stars are definitely an attraction for aspiring actors and during his initial days here, Varun would often stand outside his favourite actors’ bungalows. The other popular landmarks he feels a strong connect with are Mehboob Studio and Aaram Nagar. He explains, “As a child, whenever I heard news about the film industry, I would particularly be fascinated by the word Mehboob Studio. So, I made it a point to see it after I landed here. Araam Nagar is special for obvious reasons, as every aspiring actor goes through rounds of auditions there.”

The actor says that he loves being a part of the madness, warmth and chaos of Mumbai. “Outsiders feel that one can easily get lost in Mumbai. But when you join the madness, you realise the immense love and great opportunities it offers. This city will never let you sleep on an empty stomach if you are willing to work hard. My family was a bundle of nerves when I was coming here, but the journey has been fruitful and beautiful,” says the actor, adding, “Nothing beats the street food in Mumbai. My favourite haunts are Amar Juice centre for the late-night pav bhaji and dosa. I also frequent South Mumbai for its amazing food joints.”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 11, 2018)

Varun Dhawan adores his fans and willingly poses for low-light selfies with them even when they follow him in dimly lit elevators. He assures us, “If it makes them happy, why not?” Ever since his film debut six years ago, the young actor has ruled the roost even though his choices have not been dictated by commercial success alone. That explains his keenness to do films like Badlapur and October along with potboilers like Judwaa 2 and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. “If the intention was to solely make money, I’d have been a producer,” he quips. In an exclusive interview with BT, the dashing Dhawan tells us why Shoojit Sircar’s October took him on a journey of self-introspection and more. Excerpts…

It was interesting what you said at October’s trailer launch, about Shoojit Sircar not really being in favour of you promoting the film...
Yes, it’s a kind of film that needs to speak for itself. He was also worried that I might give away the story. But honestly, a lot of times when you promote a film, you tell people what to expect from it, which tends to take away from the joy of discovery. October is a love story that compels you to follow your inner voice. It’s not about dates, love at first sight, chasing someone around, saying ‘No’, then saying ‘Yes’, longing, crying… it’s none of that. Just saying ‘I love you’ doesn’t mean anything. Love is what you do. I also feel heartbreak is essential as it makes you realise what true love is.

Your films have been consistently successful at the box office in spite of the choices you have made, some of which came as a surprise. No one expected that your second film would be a comedy like Main Tera Hero; a year later, you proved to be a revelation in Badlapur. While majority of your films have been mainstream, not all your roles have been typically heroic by Bollywood standards.
A hero doesn’t always have to go and save someone’s life. Even doing little things in our daily lives which could mean something to someone is heroic. We have stopped doing things like having a conversation with someone or listening to people. I feel the definition of heroism has changed in Hindi cinema and so has the portrayal of a hero. My character in my second film (Main Tera Hero) was an unlikely hero, too. It was a comedy of errors and I wasn’t saving the day. I was on the back foot even in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya. Be it ABCD 2 or Dishoom, my characters have had a common man’s approach. Also, films to me are either good or bad. I never go by how big or small they are. A filmmaker and his vision matter to me the most. I was the last one to be cast in October and that’s how it should be. Casting certain actors solely because unki picture chal rahi hai is not the right thing to do. I don’t have any qualms in admitting that I needed a film like October the most at this point in my career. I never saw it as a risk.

You’ve managed to strike a balance between realistic and mainstream cinema. Interestingly, portraying ordinary characters on screen is more challenging, isn’t it?
As an actor, you are constantly told what to do, what to wear and how to speak. What you get eventually is an image, not the real person. It’s all fake somewhere. October demanded I get rid of that persona and present the real me. I was used to a certain tone while speaking as I had just shot Judwaa 2, so my pitch was high when I delivered the dialogue. Shoojit da would calmly tell me, “Varun, I am right here. Why are you screaming?” He would tell me not to wear make-up even on days when I hadn’t (laughs!). He would deliberately ruffle my hair as he wanted me to come across the way common people do. After shooting October for 37 days, I was a changed person.

Some films leave a deeper impact on us than others. Do you think October was one such experience in your life?
The film took me on a journey of self introspection. I prepared for it by unlearning things. It required a lot of honesty, as I couldn’t do things like taking my shirt off or flaunting my dance moves. Shoojit da made me undergo digital detox, where I stayed away from my phone for about a month and observed nature, people and life. I listened to music and practised meditation. It made me realise that since we live in a digital world, our mind is constantly cluttered and corrupted by an overdose of information. October expected me to be as normal as possible and getting into that zone as an actor was difficult.

This generation of actors has some real good talent. Who do you consider as your competition?
How would you define competition? I don’t see other actors doing films as diverse as Judwaa 2 and October. My decisions are my decisions, so I don’t see it as competition. Do I wish to do the kind of roles that others have? Yes, I do get inspired. For instance, when I saw Salman bhai in Bajrangi Bhaijaan or Aamir in Dangal or 3 Idiots, it made me feel that I wish I could do something like that. But at the end of the day, I am not doing what others are doing, so I don’t look at it as competition.

What according to you is the biggest challenge that actors face today?
I think this problem is not limited to actors per se, but according to me, to focus solely on your craft has become difficult. There are things like social media interaction, brand endorsements, promotions... and so many such distractions. All these things take you away from filmmaking. It has become increasingly important to prioritise your life.

You were trolled during Christopher Nolan’s recent visit to India for a comment you had made while promoting Dilwale. You had said, ‘If you have seen, liked and understood Inception, you will like Dilwale as well.’
That was supposed to be a joke! I had made that comment during a press interaction as an inside joke between the press and me. I didn’t read what the trolls wrote about me when Nolan was here, but the fact that they spent their precious time to write about me, implies that I am relevant. What I joked about three years ago is still evoking a response! I find some of these things funny. I recently read a meme somewhere that said, ‘Even if October doesn’t do well, since it’s releasing in April, it will always be ahead of its time.’ This to me was hilarious.

On a more serious note, as a celebrity are you wary about every word you utter, especially when it comes to socio-political issues? There’s always a lurking fear of being misconstrued, right?
As actors when we are asked political questions, it’s not that we don’t have an opinion or don’t know the answer or don’t care to answer. We do care, but the judgement that follows is what is irksome. There are some people who also say that we are actors and it’s not our job to comment. I want to tell them that this is my country and I do care about everything that happens here.

Do you think your father’s generation was relatively lucky in the pre-paparazzi and pre-digital age, as they didn’t have to undergo the scrutiny you do?
It’s a generation thing. They had different set of pressures. At my age, my dad had to look after his entire family and financially support us. Till now, I don’t have that kind of responsibility. He has come up the hard way. The love I get from people today, I have inherited that from my dad. They love me to a huge extent because they love him and his films.

As a son, actor and a movie lover who’s doing all kinds of films, does it bother you when some purists consider the ‘David Dhawan brand of cinema’ as lowbrow?
When I said I inherited the love that his fans bestow upon my dad and his films, I also inherited the prejudice against his movies. But the people who enjoy his films have always outnumbered and outweighed those who may not like his work or cinematic sensibility. Even now, he has delivered a hat-trick at the box office with Judwaa 2, Main Tera Hero and Chashme Baddoor. His longevity as a filmmaker says it all.

Does he have a say in the films that you choose?
Not really. Of course, we discuss films and what I am working on, but I don’t necessarily take his advice.

You have always been reluctant to speak about it, but there has been a lot of speculation about your love life…
Well, there will always be speculation, but I don’t like to speak about my personal life. There’s a reason why it’s personal.

So you are going steady with your long-time girlfriend Natasha Dalal?
I am not saying that. You are.

JUDWAA 2 is a sensation on television proving to be the biggest Hindi language film of 2017 after BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION. The film has put up numbers on second viewing that only six other films outside JUDWAA 2 could do on first viewing.
 
The film is easily a bigger blockbuster on television than DANGAL as its first two viewing numbers are as much as the first three viewings of DANGAL. The film racked up over 90 lakh impressions on its second viewing adding to the 1.5 crore plus on first screening. This takes the total to nearly 2.5 crore in just two viewings.

The film has beaten the first screening numbers of big films like BAJIRAO MASTANI, RAEES, DILWALE, AIRLIFT, KAABIL and others on its second screening. The top films on television in 2017 in terms of first three screenings are as follows. Basically the five films below are the biggest HITS on television of 2017. The numbers are impressions which are the number of television sets viewing the film.

1. Bahubali - The Conclusion - 5.85 crore
2. Judwaa 2 - 2.45 crore (2 Screenings Only)
3. Dangal - 2.39 crore
3. DJ - 2.12 crore  (Telugu film Duvvada Jagannadham dubbed)
5. Toilet Ek Prem Katha - 1.86 crore

If we take the last two years then BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and SULTAN are the biggest blockbusters on television. BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION is a one horse race and is unbeatable but JUDWAA 2 could go ahead of SULTAN which has 3.4 crore impression in first five screenings and JUDWAA 2 is in with a good chance of beating that.

Meena Iyer (DNA; December 26, 2017)

A Khan is to Bollywood’s Christmas, what Santa Claus is to the rest of the world. Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan are harbingers of good luck and cheer. The triumvirate comes bearing gifts in the form of huge box office collections.

When Aamir released Ghajini (2008) during Christmas, he set a precedent of sorts. Not only did the film pave the way for the coveted Rs 100 cr club, but it also made other superstars realise the potential of the holiday season; clearly the 10-day window from Christmas Eve until January 2 set the cash registers ringing across the globe and proved to be the most lucrative for Hindi cinema, too. “The period starting from Christmas until New Year is the most profitable for a film to hit the marquee,” says exhibitor-producer N R Pachisia. He adds that unlike Diwali, which has pujas, card parties and family traditions (like bhaidooj) to accommodate besides films, the Christmas-New Year holidays are mainly reserved for having fun, relaxing and watching movies. “So, movies released during this period, really do bring in enviable numbers,” he states.

For years on end, Christmas holidays were the most-sought-after phase to release Hollywood flicks in India. However, over the last nine years, Bollywood too has reaped big profits during this time frame. “And, mostly it’s a Khan who has always benefited,” says a trade expert. Aamir has, of course, proved to be the smartest as far as getting Christmas into his kitty goes. In 2009, he released 3 Idiots (Rs 202 cr), in 2013, he had Dhoom 3 (Rs 265 cr), in 2014 he had PK (Rs 325 cr) and his 2016 Christmas release Dangal (Rs 375 cr) is the highest-grossing Hindi film ever.

Following closely in Aamir’s footsteps was Salman, who brought Dabangg 2 during Christmas 2012. Though the film wasn’t able to replicate Aamir’s box-office magic, it did earn a commendable Rs 148 cr. It also made Salman aware that besides monopolizing Eid-ul-Fitr, he could capitalize the Christmas time, too.

In fact, this year, he brought his highly-anticipated Tiger Zinda Hai and the espionage thriller has managed a blockbuster opening. “If the opening trend is closely monitored, the film may go on to do huge numbers,” says trade analyst Girish Johar. Reports say that in just three days, TZH had already crossed the Rs 115 cr mark, making the industry rejoice because from here on, the sky is the limit.

Unfortunately for Shah Rukh Khan, the holiday period of 2015 didn’t prove very lucrative when his Dilwale clashed with Ranveer Singh’s  Bajirao Mastani. Since Bajirao received bouquets and Dilwale got brickbats, SRK had to settle for less at the box office. Still in that year, Christmas cumulatively saw a box office collection of Rs. 314 cr.  So, the period didn’t fail the films. In fact, Ranveer tasted his first mega success with Bajirao Mastani.

Everyone in the trade now agrees that the Christmas weekend has emerged as the highest revenue-generating period. In the last decade, this phase has stolen a march over other festival weekends like Eid-ul-Fitr and Diwali.

So far, actors have been civil and reserved different festivals for themselves. However, after the thumping opening of TZH, one can expect a Christmas clash in Bollywood.  Going forward, each of the B-Town biggies is going to try and reserve Christmas for themselves. SRK has already laid claim to Christmas 2018 for his untitled Aanand L Rai film. And, Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath with newbies Sara Ali Khan and Sushant Singh Rajput is meant to release on the same day. As of now, Ranveer is slated to arrive a week later with Simmba.

Like we said, suddenly there’s a war-like atmosphere building around the Christmas period. Will there be cheers or tears, who knows. but many Bollywood egos will definitely be at play.

[Figures (nett gross): Box Office India]

The actor-duo shot for a Diwali special with tennis ace Sania Mirza recently
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 20, 2017)

Mirror had earlier reported (October 12) about Shah Rukh Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput and tennis ace Sania Mirza teaming up for the Diwali special episode of the singing reality show, Lip Sing Battle. SRK, who was shooting for Aanand L Rai’s dwarf film, took some hours off to make it to Farah Khan’s show on Tuesday.

A source from the sets reveals that Sushant danced on “Ruk Ja Ae Dil Deewane” from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which was choreographed by Farah back in 1995. The performance also included all of Shah Rukh’s iconic dialogues and scenes. “The highlight was Sushant running behind a train, recreating the famous DDLJ climax, and SRK entering through a train. It was an unexpected moment and the crowd went crazy,” the source added.

Sushant, who has earned his stripes as a dancer, was so overwhelmed to have his icon dancing with him, that he forgot some of his steps mid-performance. Shah Rukh, who’d rehearsed his act for only a few hours, joked that he felt the pressure to match Sushant’s dancing skills. The duo rounded off their joint TV turns with the King Khan’s charttopper, “Chaiyya Chaiyya” from Dil Se.

Sania also gushed through her performance with the Khan. The actor serenaded her to the tunes of the romantic “Gerua” from Dilwale.

“Shah Rukh was shooting in Bandra for his film and hopped over to Andheri to shoot for my show. He returned to Mehboob Studio to film till the next morning. It reminded me of Om Shanti Om, when stars kept appearing from different places,” Farah says.

Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; October 18, 2017)

Rohit Shetty has worked till 5 am the previous night but is looking as fresh as someone who has just returned from a vacay. Which is what happens when you love what you do, as much as Rohit does. The recluse has decided not to do any pre release interviews. But when he speaks, it’s no holds barred. He doesn’t shy away from admitting his last film didn’t work. He has analysed the reasons why it failed, better than the audience or the critics. This man knows the pulse of his audience and that’s why he has delivered more 100 crore films than any other director. Read on for excerpts from our chat....

Horror comedy is the flavour of the season, how was your experience of making one?
Actually we planned it seven years ago, after Golmaal 3. After Golmaal 3, when we were making Singham, we decided that if we make another Golmaal, it will be a horror comedy and we cracked the story then. But it didn’t reach to a level I wanted. Then we got busy with Bol Bachchan, Chennai Express etc. During Singham Returns we started again three years ago and then we cracked the script.

Have you ever had a ghostly experience?
(Laughs) Every morning I see the mirror I do have one, otherwise, no.

Golmaal is one of the biggest franchises today. Did you imagine that, while making the first?
No. Honestly, when I made my first Golmaal, it was for survival. Comedies were doing really well and I thought at least it will be an average to a good film. Even when we were making it we knew where it would land, and my career will be safe.

At what point did you plan the sequel?
I think after three to four months. I was making something else… Hera Pheri and Munna Bhai had done sequels by then and sequels were just starting off. Yunus (writer) came up with some story and I thought can be made into a sequel and that is how it happened.

For Golmaal Aagain, you’ve changed the entire crew from cameraman to production designer. Why?
Actually most of them have been working with me. Like my art director was an assistant art director earlier… The whole look of this film is different. We hardly shot in Goa. We just went to Goa because of ‘I want to go to Goa.’ It was not there in the script of the film. It is a hill station based film. I wanted a total different look for this Golmaal.

Why is that?
Because I think we are done with that kind of a look and I thought let’s not just cash in on the title or the franchise of Golmaal. We have to give the audience something new. This is the costliest film I have made. Costlier than Chennai Express and Singham Returns. If you see the film, the grandness and scale and how we have shot, CGI, you will realise that. Not costlier than Dilwale for sure. The budget of Golmaal Again is almost double of Golmaal 3. I wanted to do that so that the audience gets that kind of an experience, like a comic book experience. We shot the film in five months but the whole planning went on for a year. It’s the first time, it’s happened this way.

So you’ve plunged into Golmaal immediately after Dilwale, which received a lukewarm response at the box office. What were the lessons you learnt?
We know where we went wrong in Dilwale. My mother said, ‘Teri nazar utar gayi’ and I told her, ‘bohot mehengi nazar utri’(Laughs).

You said that you know where you went wrong…
From my first film till Dilwale, we never changed our script. If I narrate the original script, you will fall down laughing and it was a typical Rohit Shetty film. But after Kajol came on board, and because Shah Rukh and Kajol coming together is so big, we started catering to that audience. And then the whole 40 minutes of the chunk, which was not there in the original script was added. It is my fault. Nobody told me to do that, to be very honest.

Golmaal 3 was supposed to be the only release this Diwali but now Secret Superstar has also joined in. Does it spoil the party?
Every Diwali, in future, will have two releases. I am happy that the films belong to two different genres; if the genres were the same, it would have been difficult for us and them. We once had a similar Diwali with Golmaal Returns and Fashion and both films did well.

Secret Superstar was considered a niche film. Now, Aamir is going all out to promote it as his film. Does that bother you?
No, not really. It is only about business. Theirs is going to be a critically-acclaimed film and this is going to be an entertainer. Business-wise, what will happen, neither of us knows. But where the media is concerned, and where critical acclaim is concerned, it’s all going to go to Secret Superstar.

Are you worried about critical acclaim?
No. I do not have the recipe for that and I’m not worried about that part. So that’s sorted in my head.

Golmaal is tracking at a phenomenal figure of Rs 28 crore on the first day, are those expectations scary?
During Dilwale, I was scared because I had gone off track, away from the script and away from my audience and catering to Shah Rukh-Kajol audience. This time, I do not know how big it will be and whether it will be a blockbuster, but the audience will come out satisfied, that’s for sure.

In this Golmaal, you took a long time to decide who the actress would be. Why? Were you waiting for Kareena Kapoor?
I never said why Bebo was not in the film. Or we would have revealed the story. But now, it is in the trailer so I can tell you that we needed an age difference between Ajay and the lead actress. When you see the film, you will know why we didn’t take Bebo.

The surprise factor of this film is Tabu. What made you think she would do comedy well?
It was not a sudden plan. I worked with Tabu 25 years ago in a film called Haqeeqat where I was an assistant director. We know each other from those days and she has seen my growth. Then for last five-seven years, whenever we met, Tabu used to say, ‘I want to do a commercial film and I am going to do it with you.’ When we were writing Golmaal, I called her. We narrated the script to her and she loved it.

You’re a director and producer and host of a reality show; what do you enjoy the most?
It is direction. Hosting is fine. I enjoy hosting if it is my genre. Other than that, I get bored. But directing, obviously.

You do not take much of a break between movies. After Golmaal Again, you get on to your next film with Ranveer Singh. The title is My Name is Lakhan?
No, we haven’t finalised the title yet. We’re still working on the final draft. I will be getting time in between because my dates are in May as per now. So I still have time. I will go for a holiday.

You, a workaholic, are going on a holiday!
Yes, I always go. It is just that I do not inform the media so they aren’t at the airport to click pictures.

Are you on Instagram? You can put your holiday pictures.
No, I am happy like this only.

What are your plans for Diwali?
I will be at home.

When are you not at home?
(Smiles) I will be home with family. The film releases the next day. So I’ll be sleeping in the morning and do not want to get up and take the stress. Jo ho gaya, ho gaya.

You have always been very chilled before release.
I do get nervous; it is human nature. I’m pretty chilled out. Jo ho gaya woh ho gaya, main kya badal dunga.

What do you think of the ban on crackers by SC in Delhi? Do you think this should be in Mumbai?
I do not like crackers. I guess it goes with age. I think we have to find a way where kids can enjoy and there’s no pollution. Maybe some Indian company should come up with an idea. If they do, I will take a copyright.

Do you have an all time favourite ghost comedy?
No. There are a lot of black and white films that are not exactly ghost-related but you feel there’s a ghost. There was a movie of Mehmood and R D Burman, Bhoot Bangla. It is quite an interesting film. I feel like a commercial multi-starrer horror film works. For that matter, even Bhool Bhulaiyya works.

Critics haven’t ever been appreciative of the Golmaal franchise. Did that bother you initially?
Initially, it did. But now everybody has come to terms with it. So it is fine now. We are all in a good space. We have mutual respect for each other.

As a director, are you ever tempted to step out of your comfort zone and do a romantic film?
Dilwale, all said and done, reached out to a level. It is still the highest grosser of Shah Rukh overseas, which had great music and won an award for it, too. I get scared. If I do (make an experimental movie), then I will make a very small film. Tomorrow, if it doesn’t work, then what?

There is a popular belief among younger actors that the audience doesn’t want to see mass entertainers anymore, but the numbers speak a different story. Why do you think there is a disconnect?
Social media. There needs to be a lot of homework. Like the BARC has come. If you see the ratings of what films are doing well, things will change. It’s just that people are saying commercial films are not doing well, but for the last one-and-a-half years; we didn’t have a commercial release. Name one hardcore commercial film other than Judwaa 2? It is just a phase which comes and goes; reading the history of cinema is also important. I have always said that. When Manmohan Desai was making Amar Akbar Anthony, Basu Chatterjee was making Rajnigandha and Chit Chor and Amol Palekar was also a star and Amitabh Bachchan was also a star. Then came Farooq Sheikh and then Om Puri with Ardh Satya. Commercial films co-existed and were not looked down upon.

That is happening even now. For every Shah Rukh Khan, there is an Irrfan Khan...
It has always been there and will always be there. Newton with Rajkummar Rao is also doing well as is Judwaa 2 with Varun. Social media is scary. It is better to keep the phone away and live like a tiger. A star should behave like a star, then everything will be fine.

Do you agree that commercial cinema does not get the respect it deserves?
Yes, 110 per cent.

Who do you blame for that?
I don’t know... Commercial films are not easy to make. A lot of hard work goes into it. It is all about perception. I think the only way to change the perception is if we stop saying the film made Rs 200 crore and start saying 10 crore people or 10 lakh people saw this film, then things will change. It is not about Rs 200 crore, it’s about how many people saw it. That is the kind of cinema people want to see. Ultimately, you are making a film for the audience. If you are not, then it is fine.

It is such a shame that Hindi cinema looks down upon pan-India films when the South is making Baahubali. The south is doing so well. Films from Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are doing well because they are catering to an Indian audience. Here, we are confused about what to do. Pan-India film is the way ahead. It’s not that it will not do well. Look at Judwaa 2.

Speaking of sequels...What about Singham 3?
We will be making it but I do not have the right script right now. We know what space to go in, though.

The far from diplomatic Kajol gets candid on motherhood, ageing and disregard for the fashion police
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 30, 2017)

In 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge changed the face of Bollywood romance. Besides being the longest running film in theatres (it still runs a show in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir), it created pop icons of its lead characters, Raj and Simran. For Shah Rukh Khan, who played Raj, the film was instrumental in earning him the title of the king of romance. Rightly so, Kajol who played Simran, should be called the queen but, she coos, “No, I grew beyond these labels.” We catch up with the actor at a suburban five-star. As her stylist cajoles her into doing another round of touch-up, Kajol dismisses her saying, “Natural is better.” Proudly unconventional, admittedly difficult, she is the rare actor who does not believe in diplomacy as we ask her:

At this point in your career, are you free to make choices, which you couldn’t as leading lady?
I have always been choosy. I have only got pickier with time and experience. I was always at peace with my choices. I was given the power to decide my own fate.

Is this another comeback?
Wasn’t Dilwale (2015) my comeback film? No, wait may be Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) was. I have made 25 comebacks. I am losing track of the number. Every new film feels like my first and yet, in so many ways, this is a milestone. I am happy that VIP 2 is a Tamil film. I got to do something new after long. It wasn’t a cakewalk. I had to mug dialogues every night. I am never doing a film in another language again. It is a lot of work. I made the effort because they were willing to work with me. Dhanush (co-actor) and Soundarya (Rajinikanth, director) were wonderfully supportive. It wouldn’t be seamless if they hadn’t helped.

Simran in DDLJ is a prototype to base characters on, even though the connotation of love has changed. Or does it never change for women?
The way people look at romance and what they believe of romance has changed drastically. I don’t think people believe in the idea of ‘forever’ anymore. People have forevers with multiple people these days. The idea of knowing that there’s only one special person for you is a risky one. People now have enough choices to have a swayamvar if they want. Of course, I am an old-school romantic. Rom-coms work well because stories don’t have their fairytale edge. Who is dreamy anymore? Women used to believe that Prince Charming would come riding on his horse. Girls these days expect that the horse will break down and he will land up on a turtle.

SRK and you have done iconic films together. He continues to romance female actors as half his age. Do you grudge the fact that you aren’t allowed those parts?
I don’t grudge Shah Rukh as the king of romance. It takes someone as special as him to be able to sell that. For me, to be able to work it out film-wise will be difficult. I am not as technical an actor as him. I have always preferred being cozy in my space.

But female actors, once married, have a shorter shelf life, right?
Women, female actors more so, need to be comfortable about the lives they choose. I wouldn’t want to be 16 ever again. I am prettier, smarter and better at my skill. Yes, there is no denying that longevity of female actor is a lot lesser than their male counterparts. After marriage, priorities change. Socially and personally, I am entrusted with more responsibilities, so is my partner. In this country, marrying the man is not enough. You marry an entire family. My attitude to life changed after marriage. I accepted it and went ahead with everything just the way I should have. Men have their own share of chaos to deal with in order to adjust. As far as careers are concerned, women have to look at it in a more balanced way. In India, with female actors, what changes is how people look at them. After marriage, she is less appealing because she is ‘taken’. Are they allowed to be human enough to fault and err? Actors have dehumanised themselves. We hold ourselves to these impossible standards because we’ve created them. Looking a certain way is an issue we’ve created. I wear regular stuff, clothes which are comfortable. It’s not airport fashion. It’s what normal people wear. I can’t wear stilettos while travelling. Flats were created for a reason. What is size zero? I don’t understand it. I can’t allow critics to pressure me.

Does being blunt come with a cost?
Huge cost. Ajay (Devgn) blasts me every other day. I can’t take diplomacy seriously even though it lands my husband in trouble with people in the industry. At parties, he chides me for saying things as is. But believe me, I say things in the nicest of ways with the best of intentions. Fortunately for me, people forgive me a lot. It’s difficult to be diplomatic. I’ll forget what you lied about.

What about the industry do you dislike?
I hate airport looks. It’s idiotic. It’s ridiculous to look perfect all the time. I am not walking in heels with perfect lipstick. After long flights, everyone looks like they survived a calamity. It’s fine.

The fashion police has bitter advice for younoften. Do you care?
I don’t take the fashion police seriously. People have accepted me for who I am. On screen, there are requirements, which I understand. But beyond that we need to draw the line.

Kajol on working with her husband and her absence from Bollywood
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 26, 2017)

Two years after Dilwale, you’ve surprised many by returning to the screen with a Tamil film.
I wasn’t planning on doing a Tamil film. In fact, after I heard the script of VIP 2, I pointed out to the makers that it was in a language I wasn’t familiar with. They reasoned that 50 per cent of the dialogues are in English and for the rest, it didn’t matter if I spoke Chinese. But on the first day, they gave me three pages in Tamil and insisted, “Let’s try, let’s try.” I’m proud to say that by the third day, I was speaking my lines in Tamil and on the last day, delivered an entire page of dialogue in one shot with only my name written in English. I’ve to thank my co-star Dhanush and director Soundarya (Rajnikanth), who worked with and around me to ensure my transition was seamless.

You did Rajiv Menon’s Tamil film Minsara Kanavu back in 1997…
(Interrupts) Yes, and every night I’d sit up for two hours memorising my lines. It was like going back to school and prepping for my board exams. After that no matter how much anybody paid me, I wouldn’t take on the stress of doing a film in a language other than Hindi.

What’s keeping you from Hindi films?
My home production should roll in September. I’m really happy with the script. Good scripts in any language are hard to come by. I’ve been picky since the beginning and have only done films that interested me. It has worked for me all my life and I don’t feel the need to change it.

Is this film an adaptation of Anand Gandhi’s Gujarati play Beta Kaagdo?
Anand has scripted it but I wouldn’t know if it is an adaptation of a Gujarati play. It’s really funny. I loved it and pounced on it. We are also producing a Marathi film which should roll soon. Another Marathi film is already on the floors. Ajay (husband Ajay Devgn) and I don’t stretch ourselves, but things are happening, slowly and steadily.

Ajay Devgn is so quiet, he doesn’t interact much with the press…
(Laughs) He is like that personally too.

… But whenever we ask him about you or your kids, Nysa and Yug, his face lights up.
(Laughs again) Thank God. It should, na?

Tell us about the marriage that is the envy of B-town...
We have been married for 18 years. You need to work on relationships every day. Both Ajay and I realise that. Both of us want this relationship enough to want to make it last.

Nysa was with Ajay at the London Indian Film Festival for the premiere of Parched. Does she intend to follow in your footsteps?
She’s too young and studying at the moment. We’ll think about this later.

Your last film, Dilwale, didn’t do well. Were you disappointed?
I’m proud of all my work, no regrets. I had a great time making Dilwale.

Any plans of collaborating with Shah Rukh Khan again?
Shah Rukh and I come together once in six-seven years. That’s what we’ve been doing for 25 years so there’s another three-four years to go for our next film.

Do you want to do more women centric films?
I want to do good films, films I’d want to watch. Maybe that makes me frivolous, not serious enough to be a great actress, but I don’t want to watch films that don’t leave me with a good feeling. Performances are fine, but I need to want to wake up in the morning and go to work. This is a fantastic time for all creative people in the industry because finally they have a chance of putting their thoughts, ideas and performances on a stage in front of an evolved audience. But eventually, it’s for the actor to decide what they are attracted to. It’s a personal choice. I’ve had a wonderful time and plan to keep on having a wonderful time. The day it’s no longer wonderful, I will stop acting.

Is Ajay Devgn planning to direct you again after U Me Aur Hum?
I hope so. I have always said that he is one of the most fab directors I have ever worked with.

Are you open to TV and the digital platform?
I have no issues with TV if they give me something mind-blowing. My script is my hero, that has been an unbreakable rule.

You were offered one such television show by Rensil DSilva?
I had a chat with Rensil but I don’t think it worked out.

Your friendship with Karan snapped during the Shivaay promotions. What went wrong there?
Since you are expecting an answer, I am going to give you one. This is not the time or place to clarify. I would prefer not to speak about it.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; June 10, 2017)

Rohit Shetty’s name is synonymous with action in Bollywood. Little wonder then, he’s been roped in for the stunt-based reality show for the third time. The director hosted the fifth and sixth season, and is back for the eighth. Rohit says that he has an emotional connect with the show and cannot be a trophy judge on any other music or dance-based reality shows.

Emotional connect
“It feels great to be back. Before me, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Arjun Kapoor have hosted some seasons. There was a long gap on the show and when they wanted to come back, they wanted to do it with me. We did two seasons and worked really hard on them. It’s not like other shows — you don’t just dress up and judge. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and planning. Time is secondary, but I had put in a lot of emotions and hard work to get it back on track, so it was an emotional moment for me when the channel asked me to come on board again.”

Skipping the last season
I am still shooting for Golmaal Again, but I knew somehow that I will do this show because I want it to do really well again. I could not do it last time because they wanted to shoot in November and Dilwale was releasing in December. There was no way I could have gone in November 2015, that too having a release in one month’s time. But there is still time for Golmaal Again to release, so I could easily accommodate this show.

For the heck of it
I would love to do shows where I can give my input. That can happen if I do shows I have knowledge about. I did Comedy Circus for three-four years and then this one came. It’s not like I don’t want to do reality shows, but I should add something. I don’t want to dress up, sit on a chair and make comments. Then you’re not emotionally investing into the show. You are then just waiting for pack-up to happen. I should have an emotional connect with that genre.