Amid the US-Iran war, Irani actor-activist Mandana Karimi has reaffirmed her fierce opposition to the country’s ruling establishment, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“No one celebrates innocent loss of life. But you cannot ask a nation that has endured decades of executions, imprisonment, torture, and mass crackdowns to react with conventional mourning,” she says, adding that for many Iranians, “Celebration has become a form of resistance and a way to reclaim power over grief.”

Addressing accusations that such reactions amount to endorsing foreign military intervention, she responds: “This was not a random foreign agenda imposed on us. No one wants bombs in their country, but when all internal paths to reform are blocked, people begin to look outward.”

Mandana, 37, adds how Irani citizens are now calling for political activist Reza Pahlavi as their leader. “The chants of Javid Shah (Long live the king, a slogan opposing the Irani government) did not start abroad… they started inside Iran. We see Pahlavi as a transitional alternative capable of uniting the country.”

Actor Esha Gupta and shuttler P V Sindhu, who were stranded in the UAE amid the air travel shutdown, shared respective updates about being “back home”. Esha wrote, “I saw the strength of UAE... Thank you to our government for bringing the citizens home. Thank you to UAE government for working in solidarity with every country.”

Meanwhile, Sindhu wrote: “A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time.” She had to pull out of the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 due to the Dubai ordeal.

It’s been over 13 years since Esha Gupta made her Bollywood debut with Jannat 2. The actress, who was in Bengaluru for an event, says her journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster filled with growth, learning, and new experiences. In a chat with us, she talks about how her approach to characters has evolved, why she enjoys music videos, and more. Excerpts:

When it comes to choosing roles, Esha admits her outlook has evolved. “Times have changed, and so has my approach. Earlier, it was about what the script was doing for me. Now, it’s only about the character and the director’s vision. A simple story can turn into a masterpiece with the right filmmaker. Even if my role is just two minutes long, I make sure to give it my best, because the writer created it with me in mind.”

In recent years, Esha has carved a niche with music videos, something she thoroughly enjoys. “Music videos are my favourite. They’re fun, high-energy, and quick to shoot. You work with top singers and directors for just two or three days, and thanks to social media, they go viral in no time. It’s so rewarding to see people connect to them.”

The actress has been vocal about mental health, something many hesitate to address. “There was no deep thought behind it,” she says firmly. “In our country, therapy is often looked down upon, but actually, only a healthy mind would choose therapy. Most of us are in therapy because of people who really need it, but don’t go. For me, therapy has helped me move forward. I always say money should only buy you good health, both mental and physical. Without that, nothing else matters.”

Esha has also acted in Telugu films, though she feels she hasn’t done enough to draw comparisons. “I don’t think I’ve worked enough in the South to compare, but one thing I love is how well everyone dances. I was lucky to work with Ram Charan, one of the best dancers out there.”

Actor Esha Gupta has set the record straight on her rumoured romance with cricketer Hardik Pandya. She shared that there was a time when they were talking to each other, but it never translated into anything.

Addressing the linkup rumours in a conversation with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube show, the 39-year-old said, “Yeah, for some time we were talking. I don’t think we were dating. We were at that ‘maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t’ stage. It ended before we even reached the dating stage. So it wasn’t dating-dating. We met once or twice; that’s it. So yeah, as I said, it was a couple of months, and then it ended.”

When asked if a relationship was a possibility, Esha replied that “maybe it could have happened”. However, timing and compatibility, she shared, did not quite match up. “There was no drama or bitterness. It just wasn’t meant to be,” she added.

Interestingly, Esha had called out Hardik for certain “misogynistic” comments during a 2019 Koffee With Karan episode. “By then, I’d become thick-skinned. When the episode aired, [the backlash] didn’t affect me,” she said, reiterating that she was not in touch with Hardik when the controversy took place.

While her family is based in Delhi, Esha Gupta shuttles between multiple destinations for work. Currently in Abu Dhabi, most of the time she also spends in Mumbai for work and when she’s free she bounces back to her hometown to spend family time.

The actress who turned a year older this week is now aiming to spend some good time with her family this year. She tells us, “Apart from the obvious materialistic things, what I am truly hoping for this year is that I am aiming at many more holidays with my family which includes my parents, my sister (Neha) and my babies (pets). I want to make as many memories with them as possible.”

For her travel plans, she has one request! She elaborates, “I am making a birthday request to all the airlines to allow small dogs and cats to travel on planes. I am not going to put them in the luggage because trust me they are my emotional support (and better behaved than most kids) and I need them and that’s all.”

In an earlier chat with us, Esha opened up about how turning a year older has brought a deeper understanding of life for her. She said, “When you’re younger, you have a different perception of life. Now, I’m grateful to God for blessing me with a beautiful family and friends who have become like family. Everyone who enters your life has a purpose—they’re either there to love you or to teach you a lesson. It takes time to realise this, but it’s so valuable. Right now, I feel at my best—healthiest, fittest, most successful, and happiest. It’s truly a blessing.” 

“Sex symbol” is a tag the Hindi film industry has often given to actresses. Whether it was Zeenat Aman, who is hailed as the first sex symbol of the industry to multiple other heroines that followed her. One such actress who dealt with this tag was actress Esha Gupta. She admits that it was difficult for her to shed her image of a “sexy actress” as she opens up about her tryst with the industry's perception.

Esha started her career with Jannat in 2012 and did an array of movies which led to her getting the tag.

“It is difficult to shed that image. The problem is the conception people have about you. But what is a sexy girl? The sexy girl still goes home, has a family, and is a girl who's sitting at home watching a movie, cooking, and cleaning. But the perception is that she cannot be someone’s girlfriend or daughter. It is tough to break that image. It took me a while to accept it. There have been a few people in my life who said, that instead of shaking it off, accept it; because there are so many who are trying to be sexy, and then they could not,” Esha explains.

The Rustom actress recalls dating this one guy from the industry - “the only guy from the industry” she has ever dated - who added to her insecurities. “He made me so insecure. He always told me, ‘Oh, you want to be like this actress, right? Then don't wear such clothes’. Those clothes were a spaghetti top and jeans. He had a problem with that. ‘Don’t wear a bikini’, ‘Oh, if you want to do this, don't do this song’, ‘Don't do this work’. I said a lot of no's because of him. He put that constant pressure and insecurity in my head. If I want to be that girl next door and to get those kinds (girl next door) of roles, I should try and shed the (sexy) image that I have. But I realized I'm too bold. And boldness is a mindset. I'm really sure of myself now,” she reminisces.

Esha’s ex wasn’t the only one feeding her with insecurity. She confesses that the industry in general also makes you feel excluded. “The fact that you're made to feel that you need to enter a clan that damages you. You realize that, ‘I don't have any friends in the industry! What will I do? My life matters nothing’. It's taken me years to realize that my life is something. You are always made to feel like you are not invited to that one's party or you're not doing this? Of course, I never go because I have a routine. Some people I would go, because, I respect them a lot. But I'm not invited to most house parties, which I'm more than okay with. But for years I was like shit - 'I'm not invited to this party, I'm not invited to her thing, I didn't get a call for this'. There are also a lot of people who make you realize that you are excluded. Initially, you even had those PRs. I've been through PRs, who would tell you, ‘Listen, you have to go to this one’s party and I’ll get you the invite'. But guess what? Those people are not invited into my life. Not because I have anything against them, but only because I don't feel they are important in my life. I'm sure they feel the same way about me," she concludes.

For those who follow Esha Gupta on social media, it’s no secret that she often digs into her mom and granny’s closets and wears some of their precious heirloom possessions. Today, on National Handloom Day, the actress speaks to us about her love for Indian handloom, traditional weaves, and sustainability in fashion.

During a recent visit to her ancestral home in Uttar Pradesh, Esha discovered a large wooden box lying unopened for years. When she opened it, it revealed a treasure trove of her grandmother’s vintage jewellery and decades-old saris – Mango silk, Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Chanderi – all preserved with utmost care.

Esha shares, “I’ve been wearing my mom and grandma’s saris forever now. The saris I discovered from my granny, I believe she got them when she got married, probably when she was just 15 or 16. Now, I have inherited them.”

For her, saris are more a way of life than a fashion statement. “I remember seeing my mother’s pictures. She would ride a bicycle in a sari to her university. It wasn’t just her; most women of her time did the same. I grew up seeing the women in my family in saris, doing household chores and working in the kitchen with every pleat intact. It seemed like the most comfortable outfit for them. I wonder how, because today we need a team to help us when we wear a gown,” she says.

Talking about how gifting saris is like a ritual in her family, she says, “Back home, we have storage beds filled with dozens of saris, folded, packed and preserved - many of them perhaps never worn. In my family, it’s a ritual to gift each other saris on special occasions.”

Commenting on how saris complement every body type, Esha points out, “The weave, the material and the way of draping might vary, but they all look amazing on every body type. A sari is a complete outfit in itself.”

This traditional Indian attire perfectly aligns with the cause of sustainability as well, says Esha. The actress emphasises how India’s masterful weaves are a traditionally sustainable and eco-conscious choice.

She says, “My granny wore them, then my mother wore them. When I inherited them, I had them delicately refurbished so that the zardozi work or the threadwork wouldn’t get spoiled. A sari is an outfit that can be passed down for generations, and it will only gain heritage value. You can hardly do that with your fast-fashion Western outfits.”

In the last decade, Indian traditional fabrics have blown up on the international fashion scene. Esha says, “It’s great that many international brands are using Indian fabrics, especially our silk. Our Indian handloom weavers have kept our culture and heritage alive through their work. I commend those who support sustainable fashion. Fast fashion is detrimental to the environment on a large scale. Keep your clothes well and wear them as long as you can because we’re not here to impress others, we’re here to live our lives.”

Esha Gupta shuttles between Spain, Delhi and Mumbai. During her recent visit to Mumbai, she spoke to us about love, marriage and having children with her boyfriend, Spanish-entrepreneur Manuel Campos Guallar. Excerpts:

At 37, Esha is quite relaxed and is spiritually drawn. She is not in any rat race, especially when it comes to movies. She talks about pacing down in her career and shares, “I'm glad that I have, Manuel (Campos Guallar, Spanish-entrepreneur boyfriend) in my life. He's helped me set up a business (a restaurant in Spain). Coming from the service background, you don't think of business; you think of being self-made, but not really business. I always thought I'd be doing a job under someone and be in a law firm. It's easier, it's more reliable. But he's helped me secure my life. I often joke, that now you can't even leave me. You have to marry me."

As she mentions marriage, the question of when she is planning to tie the knot falls subsequently. The two have been seeing each other for almost five years now. Esha replies, “Marriage would happen anytime soon. I'm focusing more on just my health. Eventually, whenever down the line, I'll get married, and then down the line, I have kids. I'm focusing on that. The last two years by God's grace have been a big change in his life, work-wise. I've always dreamed of having kids. That's always been important. Kids and dogs are two aspects of my life that I can never think of living without."

Motherhood is something that comes innately to Esha. She recalls as a kid she would have a doll, whom she would address as her child. For the first time, Esha vouchsafes that she froze her eggs. She elaborates, “I did my freezing in 2017, before I met Manuel. I was very smart. I was single for almost 3 and half years before I met Manuel (in 2019). I met him by chance, not even in his country or my country. Since then we both knew that we were getting into a relationship and not dating. You're not at that age to date. We were very clear that if it goes well, our end goal is marriage. We want to get married; we want to have kids. I've always loved babies a lot. Manuel knows that; he's ready (to be a father), and he's prepared. When we get married, it will be either IVF or surrogacy – depending on when we get married and what my body is going through. For a woman who wants to have a family, that's important."

It was Esha's aunt - who herself has been through the process - who suggested the Rustom actress to freeze her eggs when she is healthy. Fresh off the promotions of her flick Baadshaho, Esha went under the process. “I did the freezing at that time when in India it was really expensive. But I was certain that when it comes to health – anything. These (the eggs) are my kids. I'd rather freeze them when I'm healthy. If I wasn't an actor, I would have already had three kids by now for sure, I've always wanted kids, so I think I would have had three," she elaborates.

Talking about Manuel, she adds, "Manuel is prepared and luckily, he's one of those open-minded men. He is okay with surrogacy which many might have a problem with; he is even okay with adoption – something I told him that we might. So, I'm not stressed when we get married.

(laughs). I keep telling Manuel, I want the baby to have his eyes and my skin colour. I just want to marry him because of kids (laughs). And he's like, 'But what if it's the other way around?' I reply, 'Then we will have to keep reproducing (laughs)".

Esha also spoke on the process of freezing eggs, as she mentions, "You end up gaining weight because of the hormones. Our body is changing. You end up becoming moody, but it makes you happy somewhat because it's exciting. It's truly exciting when you're doing it because you're like, ‘Dude, you know what? Tomorrow they are gonna be my kids’."

The plunging air quality in Delhi-NCR has left Esha Gupta appalled. The actor, who hails from Delhi, wonders why no preventive steps were taken by authorities all year round.

“It is just sad that instead of taking preventative measures all year round, our leaders are only reacting when the air is unbreathable,” says the 36-year-old, adding, “Vehicular emission and crop burning are adding to it (pollution).”

Here, she stresses on the need to find an alternative to stubble burning. “The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has come up with a solution for stubble burning. With this process, we can spray an enzyme on the crops, and this bio-enzyme decomposes the stubble in 20-25 days, turning it into fertilizer. This can be provided by the government to every farmer for free,” she suggests.

Gupta was recently named the ambassador of SeaLegacy, a non-profit organisation working towards the conservation of oceans. As a public persona, she says she feels responsible to voice pertinent issues.

“The Capital is going through its own climate crisis. A few years of conscious work will change things. We have the inherent duty of protecting our planet,” she ends.

Esha Gupta, who is currently shooting for a thriller in Lucknow, firmly believes that everyone should have a backup plan for their career, “Not only as an artiste but as a person, everyone should have a backup plan, and why not! My backup plan is to go and sit for my final Bar exam so that I can practice law because I have the degree and I just have to clear my bar exam. Also, acting was never my plan. I always wanted to become a lawyer and I became an actor by chance.”

Recently, Ranveer Singh’s nude photoshoot spiralled into a controversy, and several memes were made of it, too. Few even compared his picture with the one that Esha had posted of herself on social media. When asked about it Esha said, “When the whole controversy happened, I was travelling, and I came back and suddenly I saw all the memes. I think there are many other important things in our country which need to be highlighted than drawing comparisons between two artistes.”

In a steady relationship with Spanish businessman Manuel Campos Guallar, Esha says marriage is definitely on the cards for her. “Marriage is definitely on the cards for me but I do not know when it is going to happen. I have never been against marriage,” she says.

Esha Gupta seems to have cracked the code to achieving her dreams through the power of manifestation, or so she says while discussing her association with the show, Aashram. Gupta, who will play an image consultant to Bobby Deol’s Baba Nirala in the third season of the show, says, “I manifested it. I even told Prakash sir [Jha, creator] that when I saw Aashram during the lockdown, I wished I got the chance to be part of a show like that one. And I did!”

That she was an ardent admirer of the series made her appointment a “gift from the universe”, she says.

The show marks Gupta’s second association with Jha after Chakravyuh (2012). “I love working with Prakash sir, and troubling him. His name for me on Aashram’s set was aafat ki pudiya. I love it.”

Ask her if the process of working on a show is at odds with doing so for a film and she says, “The effort put in is at par. You only have to shoot more for a series than a film.”

If her limited screen appearances are an indication, Gupta seems to have been rather picky with her selections. “I just want to do as I please; love and live my life,” quips the actor, who will soon begin shooting for a psychological thriller film.

Esha Gupta, in her decade-long career, has done it all on her own. And as her first film, Jannat 2 (2012), recently completed 10 years of its release, the actor opens up on how doing it without any connections or support was not easy.

“Of course, it is tough when you have no shoulder to cry on, and there is no one to guide you. Even if you are going wrong, you don’t know [it]. If you get a hit, you don’t know what you did for that hit too. No one will help. That’s the only thing I always wished I had,” confesses the 36-year-old, adding that she does realise that nothing comes easy.

Recalling the time she started out, Gupta shares that she had no plans of becoming an actor, but life took her by surprise. “I am grateful for everything I have. I didn’t even dream of becoming an actor; I was doing law. I didn’t want to do anything else. And [then] Jannat 2 happened.”

After the movie, she went on to work in films such as Raaz 3 (2012), Baadshaho (2017) andOne Day: Justice Delivered (2019). The actor is happy with how her career has charted out, and is especially grateful for the kind of music her films have had. “Jannat 2 had an amazing album. We had someone as amazing as Pritam (music director). We were lucky. Even now, college students say they love the film’s songs. Nowadays, we are making music that you don’t listen to after many years. We don’t have melodious songs [today],” she ends.

Esha Gupta, whose boyfriend Manuel Campos Guallar is from Spain, had made the country her home during the pandemic. The actress has now returned to India and will join the team of MX Player’s Aashram that reunites her with director Prakash Jha. In a conversation with BT, she opens up about falling in love at first sight and navigating a long-distance relationship. Excerpts

In recent times work took me to California, and I also travelled to London. Now I am in India for a shoot. I am really excited about MX Player’s Aashram. Director Prakash Jha is someone who believed in me and gave me an opportunity in his film Chakravyuh at the beginning of my career. He is one of those people who taught me a lot without teaching me directly.

I remember watching the first season of Aashram with my family in Delhi during the lockdown. While watching it, I told my mom that it would be interesting to be a part of a project like this, and soon, I was approached for the second season.

The Coronavirus pandemic allowed us to spend a lot of time with each other. However, we were aware of the fact that we would be in a long-distance relationship. We enjoy our time together, but we are very secure enough in our relationship to enjoy our time apart as well. Work requires me to travel, so I will, and the moment I am not shooting, I will head to Spain to spend time with him. I feel, if both individuals are ambitious about their work, they need to have an understanding of each other’s careers, and once that happens, things should run pretty smoothly.

Manuel is into real estate and his firm reached out to me for some work. I met him for the first time in Rome, and it was love at first sight...at least for me. I made sure he fell for me too (laughs!). We connected really well during our first meeting. After we returned to our respective countries, we kept in touch. Then we met once again after nearly two months. Back then, we didn’t know the direction in which this relationship was going to go, but now, two years down the line, we know exactly where it’s going.

There’s always a right time for everything. I will wait for mine!

Manuel likes the fact that I am religious. I have created a small space in our home in Spain where I say my prayers. He likes to see me in traditional Indian wear. On Dussehra, I wore a saree to attend a puja through a video call with my parents (who were in India). Post the call, he asked me not to change and made me meet his entire family in the traditional look. Like Indians, the Spanish, too, are very family-oriented people. Manuel is also extremely close to his family and relatives.

To be honest, I never thought of living in any other country than India. I am a total Delhiite at heart. My friends there are mesmerized seeing the pictures of India that I post on social media. They want me to take them to places like Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi. My stay in Spain has only expanded my horizons. It has definitely helped work-wise, and I got a lot of exposure to international cinema. As an actor, you are a global citizen. But home will always be India for me, no matter where I live.

I love myself and the way I look. I have always been comfortable in my skin. Initially, it used to bother me when people would troll me. I have realised that it doesn’t matter what they say. I became good friends with a photographer in Madrid. Whenever we get a chance, we do these shoots. It is like a woman being a woman in these pictures. That’s the idea. I don’t have any other agenda like eyeing roles in projects. I believe that if you ignore your trolls, they end up becoming your fans. No matter how much they hate you, they will eventually love you.

A decade after Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), Samir Karnik is back with another situational comedy. The filmmaker is set to reunite Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty for his film Doghouse, which is expected to go on floors by mid-2022, depending on the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

The film revolves around “everyday characters”, and their mishaps lend to a comic narrative. “They get embroiled in a serious issue, [which leads] to funny situations that will have the audience laughing,” explains a trade source of the story penned by Karnik. “The makers — [Viacom18, Shetty, Sujit Jain and Dutt] — are yet to lock a location for the shoot in Mumbai and overseas,” he adds.

Besides Shetty and Dutt, Doghouse features Saurabh Shukla, Zayed Khan, Jaaved Jaaferi and Esha Gupta in pivotal roles. Crediting the Hera Pheri actor for bringing the brilliant cast on board, Karnik says, “Suniel anna played an important role in putting the project together. He stood by me like a rock and got everyone on board. Anna liked the story and spoke to Sanju sir, who got on board immediately.”

He informs that rumours of the film being Punjabi-based are untrue. “It’s an out-and-out comedy. Neither is it a Punjabi-based film, nor are Sanju and Suniel playing Punjabis in the film.”

It’s that time of the year when giving and receiving gifts is on everyone’s mind. B-Town actors reveal who they would want as their Secret Santa and who they’d want to play Santa to this Christmas

I would like to be Sonu Sood’s Secret Santa. Through the pandemic, he rushed to the aid of the people. I feel Sonu is doing everything for everyone, but who is doing anything for him? So, I would definitely like to gift him something as his Secret Santa. I would like to gift him all the help that he needs to keep up with his social work. What a guy! He helped out so many people and continues to do so.

I would love to play Secret Santa to the newly-married couples — Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif and Rajkummar Rao-Patralekhaa. They are starting this wonderful new phase of their life and I’d be happy to gift them something that will add to their married life.

I would like to be Taapsee Pannu’s Secret Santa. And I would like to gift her a cape, for not all heroes wear capes, but she definitely knows how to fly!

I would love to be the Secret Santa for Tiger Shroff and gift him an opportunity to dance with none other than the global (dance) icon and eternal star, Michael Jackson. Both of them are so fluid. I have seen Tiger’s homage to MJ and I would love to see them perform together.

I would like to have Farhan Akhtar as my Secret Santa, and as a gift, cast me in his next directorial. I just like the way he makes movies and would like to be a part of them.

I would like to have my sister Priyanka (Chopra Jonas) as my Secret Santa because she gives the most awesome gifts. Even for my birthday, she and Nick gave me an amazing gift. I can’t reveal what it was, but it was truly special and meaningful. As for the gift, I know she would pick something that would be best for me.

I think I would want either Suniel Shetty sir or Akshay Kumar sir as my Secret Santa. But the gift I want from them would be intangible. I would love to have their elixir of youth and discipline.

I want to be Shah Rukh Khan’s Secret Santa and gift him an evening where he could dine with his parents and his entire family. My family and I watch his interviews and the one thing that stands out is his love for his family and a sense of longing for his parents. He lost his parents early on in life and there cannot be a bigger gift for a child than to relive some precious moments with them.

She kicked off her digital innings with the second instalment of RejectX in 2020 and followed it up with Nakaab early this year. Enjoying the new found prominence in the OTT space, Esha Gupta has now been signed on for two more projects — Invisible Woman opposite Suniel Shetty and the third season of the Bobby Deol-starrer Ashram.

Prakash Jha’s debut web series follows the journey of conman-turned-godman Kashipur Waale Baba Nirala (Deol’s character) and his misdeeds for two seasons. The culmination of the third season is suspected to bring out the skeletons out of the closet. Gupta, a new addition to the edition, has been roped in to play Baba’s image corrector.

The actor, who recently wrapped up her schedule for the series says, “I play an image manager [in the show]. The role is unlike any I have essayed on screen. It is exciting to get into the skin of a character that challenges me.”

While Jha and writer Habib Faisal outlined the character in detail, the actor took up the role after a “good amount of research”.

Actress and Miss India International 2007 Esha Gupta was in Varanasi recently. While in the city, Esha indulged in all things touristy, visiting the ghats for Ganga aarti, going for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and also going shopping for the famous Banarasi sarees.

The Baadshaho actress said, “I love travelling as my father was in the Air Force, so we have travelled with him and seen a lot of our country. Every holiday, we used to take a road trip and explore places. Varanasi was always on my wish list, so when my friend Abhishek Jalan invited me for a visit, I was more than eager to go there. I did what every tourist does in the city. I went for the boat ride, walked on the ghat and sought blessings at Kashi Vishwanath temple. I did not want to miss out on anything. I visited Spain recently and when they got to know that I am Indian, they expressed their wish to visit Varanasi. I really felt proud that people from such faraway places want to come and see our country.”

Esha, who hails from Amroha, in UP, said, “While coming to Varanasi, I was looking forward to UP ka khaana. So, I really binged on it the moment I landed in Varanasi. I started with an early morning breakfast of kachori and sabzi, then it was time for other Banarasi delicacies like sattu ka paratha, etc. Apart from the food, what I really loved about the city is the language. The tone and way people talk in Varanasi is so affable that it instantly strikes a chord.”

The Chakravyuh actress also performed puja and Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedha Ghat. She says, “This was my first experience of a live Ganga aarti and it was just beautiful. People watching the aarti from boats and the floating diyas in the Ganga made for a very mesmerising view. There is a different kind of smell, very earthy, which makes you feel that you are in the heart of India. Indians are basically very courteous and helpful, and this is what I also found in Varanasi. I feel my visit there was a divine calling.”

Esha Gupta has often been trolled and slut shamed for posting sultry pictures of herself on social media. Recently, the actor shared some pictures while sunbathing at a balcony. They featured her topless, with her back facing the camera. And once again, her Instagram was flooded with risqué comments.

“It’s a gender bias. So many male actors put up shirtless pictures. Why not ask them to cover up? People look at them and go, ‘Waah bhai! Kya body hai’,” Gupta, 35, points out.

She also expresses exasperation over people who hold women responsible for promoting rape with their outfit choices: “It’s their mentality that’s to be blamed. A woman’s clothes making people think about rape is problematic,” she adds.

Though trolls used to bother her a few years back, she has now learnt to turn a deaf ear to them. The One Day: Justice Delivered (2019) actor says, “I’ve matured to the level where I don’t react anymore. I understand that people will point fingers, no matter what you do. I remember putting up a picture in a saree and somebody wrote, ‘Aaj poore kapdon mein photo daala hai!’ When I post a picture with makeup on, I’m called ‘plastic beauty’. When I post a picture without it, they call me ugly and say I need makeup.”

The problem lies at a basic level, believes Gupta. “There are many who don’t like girls who’re upfront. But people know that I’m strong and if someone slaps me, I’m going to slap them twice,” she says, adding, “This isn’t just limited to our country. It happens everywhere in the world, despite conversations about gender inequality and sexism. I wish we become more progressive in our thoughts.”

It takes one to start a change. In August, mid-day reported that Vidya Balan has issued a strict no-Photoshop and no-retouching policy for her pictures, thus taking a hard stand against the unrealistic beauty standards of the glamour industry (She doesn’t want to be made slimmer for pictures, Aug 12). Her brave step is creating ripple effects in Bollywood. Recently, during a brand shoot with Esha Gupta, the photographer suggested erasing a few blemishes on her skin, employing Photoshop. However, she took a firm stand against it, insisting that her pictures not be subjected to touch-ups or airbrushing.

The actor, who was recently seen in the web series, Nakaab, says it is imperative to alter the narrative around beauty. “As women, we have been frequently made to feel insecure about the way we look. The larger conditioning has to slowly change. I don’t think there’s a single woman who stands in front of the mirror and feels she is looking brilliant. We are designed to focus too hard on our flaws. Blemishes are normal; tanning is normal. Natural is beautiful and we have to give women the confidence to do it.” 

Gupta encourages her peers to make the no-airbrushing a norm, adding, “True change can come only if we are together in this.”

With the past year proving that digital entertainment is the way to go forward, many Bollywood actors have dived into the OTT world. The latest to join the bandwagon is Suniel Shetty. Given his penchant for action, it’s only fitting that the actor is making his web debut with a noir action thriller titled Invisible Woman. He will be joined by Esha Gupta in the series that will be helmed by Tamil director Rajesh M Selva.

Excited as he is by the dynamic nature of OTT entertainment, Shetty says he was waiting for a compelling story to foray into it. “Today, a web series must have something to set it apart from the barrage of narratives that already exist. The story of Invisible Woman immediately captured my attention,” says the senior actor, who believes that the thriller’s “unique” plot will grab eyeballs. The series — backed by Yoodlee Films — is expected to go on floors in Mumbai in the next few days.

Vikram Mehra, managing director, Saregama India, says that the project also marks the studio’s foray into the web. “We have been itching to get into the space, given how the consumption patterns of consumers have seen a tectonic shift. Invisible Woman, an edgy action thriller, is just the right one to augur this transition,” he states.