“The way Goldie [director, writer and producer Sidharth Sengupta] and I work is that he sends me an open file with the screenplay; I just push the space bar, create space for myself and start writing dialogues,” says actor Varun Badola, known for his work in television serials like Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani, Koshish - Ek Asha and Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand. Badola admits that he writes primarily for friends like Sengupta and hints at the organic nature of this working partnership. Besides being a well-known face in the Indian television circuit, Badola is also an accomplished dialogue writer, having worked for prominent web shows including ALT Balaji’s Apharan and Undekhi on Sony Liv.

Assisting Tigmanshu Dhulia in Haasil and Charas when he was only 22, and functioning as his additional dialogue writer helped him learn the ropes, shares Badola, now 48. It was an experience he put to good use when he was roped in to write episodes and scenes for Astitva, Koshish and Ek Chabi Hai Pados Mein later. It was his work on the latter which Sengupta came in to direct, that he believes got him the Apaharan job in 2017, a show which Badola believes holds some of his best work.

The two writing processes, however, have been starkly different. In television, Badola explains, one could be writing the same situation five times over. “When I was writing for TV, the idea was not to have the same conversation, the same words, but to think of something new which was difficult, because one needs to have more ideas.”

The writing for web shows on the other hand, needs to be taut and precise, he says. So, does he prefer one format over the other? “I have never written for personal satisfaction or achievement,” he responds. “It’s something to do with the way we’ve been brought up. The idea is to get the job done. Writing a good scene is just about that sometimes.”

Among writers he has admired over the years, the Salim-Javed pair still stands out, as the actor-writer recalls a scene from Don where the character’s release from jail is accomplished in less than 20 seconds. “Because they have already established that Don is so [influential], there is no need for explanations about security lapses, for instance,” he points out. “Bas story aage bhagao”. “If anyone has used willing suspension of disbelief to its fullest, it has to be them.”

At the same time, in spite of Hindi cinema’s dependence on such stellar writers, Badola is quick to point out how this creative sect in our country still does not get the credit or respect it deserves. Badola himself however refrains from writing screenplays and stories as those would take up too much time and prevent him from dedicating his energy to acting. “I don’t want to give up on acting as I love the craft. The idea [ultimately] is to have fun [with both].”  

The years have taught him to make the conversations he writes, more precise although he hasn’t consciously thought of growth in spite of having practised the craft for so many years. “The charm of writing a dialogue and of doing something new would be completely lost then,” he notes. At the same time, there is no strategising involved. “When I write a scene, I still write everything that comes to my mind and then we decide what stays and what goes,” he says.

For a creative individual whose simultaneous careers have frequently collided—he has spoken lines he had himself written in shows like Astitva—Badola hasn’t found one art to outweigh the other. “I am in love with the whole process,” he declares. There is also a need to disassociate oneself from one’s writing, he points out, because as an actor he may have visualised a scene differently from how another actor chooses to play it. “If everybody is acting to your whims and fancies, then perhaps all the actors will start looking the same,” he observes. “[The point is to] never get too emotional about your creation.”

Smita Poojary (DNA; July 27, 2019)

Kubbra Sait was filming with Saif Ali Khan for Jawaani Jaaneman in London when we had a chat with her about her latest web series, RejectX. The movie is her second project starring the Baazaar actor — she shot to fame after playing Kuku in Sacred Games, which also starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actress spoke to After Hrs about the experience of working with Saif, her new show, upcoming projects and Kabir Singh director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s slap comment. Excerpts...

What made you sign RejectX?
To begin with, it was director Goldie Behl’s infectious energy and positive spirit towards the project. Working on set in Thailand was the best time I’ve had. It was just a few days but they were amazing.

Tell us something about your character...
Anushka is a counsellor. What I love about the role is that the age-gap between the students and her isn’t much, so it is like two friends talking to each other. While my character tries to help others with their problems, she is personally quite messed up.

How was it working with Sumeet Vyas after Tripling?
This is our third project together. Sometimes it used to be funny as I’d look at him and know he was going to laugh about something. We would both crack up and everybody had to control us for the next 10 minutes. It was great to work with an actor who never forgets that every job he does is different. I love how effortless he is when the cameras roll.

Kuku was a bold character. Do you think the perception of such roles is changing in India?
There are different industries that co-exist. So, just because we do not consume a particular kind of stuff, it does not mean it is bold. But is there a story to the character? As a viewer, does the part move you in any way? If it does, I don’t think I’m doing a bold role or being experimental. I’m just doing my job as an actor and being comfortable with it. This is the time to create such content as the whole world is looking at India. We have so many stories to tell and we should not restrict ourselves.

Are you excited about Sacred Games 2?
More than just an actor in it, I’m a fan of the show. So, I’m waiting for the second season. I want to see what they have done after my death (laughs).

Do you think digital content is taking over films?
No. There is always going to be a universe that exists for experiential viewing. Larger-than-life films are always going to get that audience. You will never want to watch Mad Max, Star Wars, etc. at home but go to a theatre for the experience. The only challenge web series have is creating good content constantly, where people will have an urge to watch the show no matter where they are.

You recently took a dig at Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s slap comment...
I have nothing against the movie being made nor do I have anything against Kabir Singh, the character. I have an issue when the father of the project turns around and justifies slapping each other. The minute you stop differentiating between a character and yourself, we have a problem. More importantly, it may work for you but if you turn around and say this is how it is and if you haven’t experienced this then you have not felt love, then that idea is not working for me.

What can the audience expect from you in 2019?
I am excited about RejectX. I’m pretty thrilled about Jawaani Jaaneman.

How is it working with Saif Ali Khan?
He is a sorted and patient actor. With the kind of experience he has, working with him is like a fun masterclass. It is amazing to see a senior actor like him stay back for the last cue so that his co-actor is comfortable.

Madhoo, who is making a comeback to Hindi films after eight years with a horror-comedy, explains the reason behind the hiatus from Bollywood
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 15, 2019)

Madhoo, who made her acting debut alongside Ajay Devgn in Kuku Kohli’s 1991 actionromance Phool Aur Kaante and followed it up with Mani Ratnam’s National award-winning romantic-thriller Roja opposite Arvind Swamy, was last seen in a Hindi film eight years ago with Love U... Mr. Kalakaar. Now, Mirror has learnt that the actress is making her comeback to Hindi films with a horror-comedy titled Khalli Balli. Directed by Manoj Sharma, the film rolls on Friday.

Explaining how the new project came her way, Madhoo says, “Before Love U...Mr Kalakaar, I had taken a sabbatical as my children were young and I wanted to focus on them. But after that film, I had hoped that I would be working constantly. But that didn’t happen for a few more years. Then, Goldie (Behl) came to me with his TV show Aarambh. That really boosted my confidence. I shared a great rapport with my co-star Rajniesh (Duggall) and after it ended we were hoping to work together again. When Khalli Balli came his way, he suggested my name too.”

The actress will begin shooting for the film in Mumbai, from where the story goes to Lucknow through a road trip. “The horror part is treated very beautifully, and my character is not doing anything senseless or slapstick. The story is inherently funny, so much so, that I agreed to be a part of it on the day it was narrated to me. It’s an interesting script and since the genre is horror I can’t reveal much about the story, but I can tell you one thing… main bhoot nai hoon,” she laughs.

Madhoo admits it was the TV show that gave her the push she needed but Hindi projects were few and far between. “After Aarambh, I never stopped working and have done several South films, three of which have released in the first few months of this year. However, to tell you the truth, apart from Goldie and some other TV shows, nobody really came to me with offers and I didn’t want to do the latter because it would mean working every day of the month, which I wasn’t comfortable with,” she asserts.

When asked about the reason behind it, she explains that it could be because “people seem to believe that I am not working, I have settled abroad or down South, or I am not interested in working at all. That’s not true. I have always been living in Mumbai, I love working in films… and I love working in Hindi films,” she signs off. 

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; February 4, 2019)

She stares in the mirror. Strong in the face of a disease that erodes strength by its very mention. A malignancy that grows faster in the fears of the afflicted (and their loved ones), than in the human cells. Every instinct in the body prepares to fight back. Every muscle that matters joins in the battle and every prayer counts. Tears are spilled and the spirit is shaken, but a fighter faces the blow and fights back. Long and strong, if need be. Sonali Bendre Behl is one such fighter. She beat the cancer beast with all the courage and grace she had. Yes, the Big C has had its collateral damage and she’s scarred, however, she has emerged even more beautiful. She’s a survivor, who has bravely shared her story with the world, sometimes with a teardrop, at times with a laugh. But always giving a dose of strength to others to keep the fight going. Today, on World Cancer Day, the actress and author tells us about her ordeal, the lows, learnings and the revelations. Yes, she tears up at times, but that spirit of hers, you can’t tear it down. Shine the spotlight on Sonali, folks, and read on...

It’s great to have you back in Mumbai, Sonali, and see that you are on the road to recovery (last year, she was diagnosed with high-grade metastatic cancer, following which she went to New York for treatment). It must be so much more comforting being in home territory, right? Like your social media posts said #OneDayAtATime, are you following that mantra?
There was a time when we thought that we should stay on in New York for a few more months, but then, at the earliest opportunity that I got, I ran back. Home is home, after all. It is here where my family is. Eventually, your mental health is as important as what is going on with you physically. I needed to be back, I was away for nearly six months. Two months, have gone by since I am back, and I’ve barely stepped out. Yet, I am not bored of being at home. So, rather than saying how does it feel being back home, let’s say… how does it feel being back. I can’t believe that I am back! Of course, once you are on home ground, you tend to go back into the old pattern. I have to remind myself to take one day at time, and go slow. I’m a very hands-on kind of person, so I’ve to tell myself that there is no need to panic if I can’t do certain things today; I will do them next week. I have to remind myself that my body will take some time to start doing normal things again, though I don’t know when that will happen at this point.

I loved one of your online posts from New York where you said that you are “Walking among so many stories. Each trying to write their own chapter in different ways.” Tell us about some of the stories and people who touched your life...
I was always surrounded by family and friends. They were staggering their visits, so that I always had someone around. And then you realise, there are people in the same hospital room who are absolutely alone. There was this 80-year-old lady, who said, ‘I know this has happened and I don’t see any reason why anyone else should be stopping their lives for it. I can come here, take my treatment and go home’. On one hand, I am grateful I have people around me, at the same time, I look around and see the kind of strength people have. It is about moving on and accepting life. There was another lady I met at the café, near the hospital, she came up to me and said that she was diagnosed with breast cancer just a while ago, and she thought that her world had come to an end. She said, ‘I was moping and then my husband showed me your posts. It made me feel that if you could do this, I can too. I will fight it and live a normal life.’ There are so many such stories that I will not ever forget.

So, even while you were battling cancer in a different country, in those moments of uncertainty and pain, you found a new perspective towards life. Would you say that? Has this whole experience opened you up as a person?
It’s difficult, the patterns still come back and the instinct is to hold back, as I am a private person. Every time I put out a post, I doubt if I should do it, as I know that I am sharing a part of my life. In a city like NY, you meet people from all over the world. And the one thing I realised was that there is so much love and humanity around us. Most importantly, I got so much of love from people who don’t know me at all. I had lost all my hair, so people obviously knew that I was going through some treatment, and the kind of sensitivity they showed me was so touching. It could be anyone at the cash counter, grocery store or salon; they figured that I was going through something in life, so just that one smile or one sweet gesture made a difference. And here, I have been thinking all along…what world is my child going to live in? You hear such stories like there is no love in the world, there is so much hatred around. People have become cynical and they are only fighting with each other. While I was going through all this, Goldie (Behl, husband) and I sat down and thought…what are we so bloody scared about? The world is not as bad as it seems. I think that instinctively, the first thing human beings feel is love and the need to help each other. To do the rest of the things like hating and judging people, we have to really go out of our character. Yes, these stories gave me a different perspective towards life, and I know that there is so much to learn from it and so much to give back.

Goldie and I both agree that when we were teenagers, we were fearless. We thought that the whole world is in front of us and we have nothing to worry about. As you grow older, especially when you become parents, you become fearful. I think for us, we are back to our teenage years. We are back to being fearless again. Every time I feel scared, I tell myself that I have to be fearless, because all the stories that we are talking about, none of those were scripted. It really happened. So if there is so much of love and niceness in the world, you have to believe that sab achcha hi hoga.

A lot of cancer survivors are often not open to talking about their personal trials and trauma. A few years ago, when you had written the book, The Modern Gurukul: My Experiments With Parenting, you had said that being a private person, it was hard to share experiences of your life. And here you were, opening your heart out and bravely sharing stories of probably the most painful phase of your life. Was it comforting in a way?
After I started putting the posts out, I realised that cancer is so rampant, and people from every strata of society starting writing to me about their battle with the disease. I have heard people breaking down while telling me that they went through it without their mother or the rest of the family knowing about it. There are so many people who hide it and have no outlet. For me, because I had let it out, I got so much of love and support. I can’t imagine myself sitting alone in NY and going through this horror without anyone knowing about it. I would have been a nervous wreck. People have gone through years of that and hats off to them. The more I reached out and shared my stories with people; I realised that I was not alone. Keeping it all inside you and not sharing it with anyone, is worse than what the disease can do to you. Think of what you are doing to your mind? You are attacking your mental health by shutting yourself down and eventually, your mental health is what is going to see you through this. Just to know you are not alone and that you are loved can see you through this ordeal. I have had numerous people who have said that my posts have inspired them so much. There are still so many people who are writing to me. I have had people stop me on the road in NY, and say, ‘I can’t hug you, but after reading your posts, I am looking at my life in a different way.’ We were standing there in the middle of the street, and of course, I was emotionally fragile, I was crying and she was crying, while Goldie was standing patiently and looking at us.

In the past, you have said that you have a good and dark sense of humour. Did that come handy while tiding over this?
I think humour is the best way to deal with it. I laughed through it, I laughed with it. And I continue to laugh at it. There is no other way to deal with it. When you are going through all this, people treat you with kid gloves and it’s quite hilarious at times. There are some things that you say so casually, but in this situation it sounds strange. Like I told someone…Look at this view, it is to die for. And then I paused and said…yes, well, it’s great, but I don’t mean it. I think I will change my vocabulary. I remember that post-surgery, I would sometimes walk around the hospital with my chemotherapy IV in my hand, because I was bored of lying down. My friends have some funny videos of me doing all that stuff. My hair had gone and I was constantly rubbing my head. I have one of those videos, where my friend is telling me that I am constantly rubbing my head, and I turn around and tell her that I am actually dancing to Tattad Tattad. They fell down laughing. Even while the chemo was going on, we would look at videos, crack jokes and laugh. I told myself, I am spending so much of money here, so I will treat it like a holiday in NY, with a little bit of chemos thrown in. That was my way of dealing with it.

In your online posts, you have said that you want to learn that there can be a ‘new normal’. Are you finding your way through it?
It’s not easy to find a new normal, it is damn tough. You keep falling back, but I know that I will get there.

Do you plan to go back to work sometime soon?
I am definitely getting back to work; I want to work every day of my life now. I don’t know what I will do, so I am leaving that open. I have realised in the last six months that if your brain is working at a fast pace and your body can’t keep up with it, then it can get really frustrating. You know what, we are all going to get to an age where our body won’t keep up with our brain, right now it’s all good and so, I will make the most of it. After I had my son (Ranveer), I said that I want to spend time with him while he was growing up. I did it, and touch wood, he is a good boy. Now, he doesn’t need a mother who is around him all the time. He needs the independence to grow into the person he is. For that to happen, I need to occupy myself, and hence, going to work is the best option for all of us (smiles). These six months have shown me that he can deal with things, and if that is the case, I have to give him that space. I need to be doing my own thing.

With so many new stories in your head, do you feel like writing another book, maybe?
I don’t want to write a book right now, because writing a book can be a very lonely process. Maybe, I will get over it, but at this point of time, being alone is a bit scary and I definitely don’t want to sit alone with my thoughts. I need to see people around me; I need to see life around me. I want to meet and spend time with young people. You know what I mean, I want to be around people who feel alive and have that kind of energy. I don’t want it to be quiet and alone. I have had that. The last six months, while people were around me all the time, I was in a different country, different place and that can get very lonely. I always thought that I was a loner, but that myth has been busted. As far as writing is concerned, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to collaborate and do some different kind of writing. Books are not the only way to tell a story, there are so many mediums now.

The actress was in the US, undergoing treatment for cancer
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 3, 2018)

In July, when she had taken off to New York to undergo treatment for a high-grade cancer, Sonali Bendre Behl had said on social media, “I am determined to fight every step of the way.” Fought she has, and how! Well on the path of recovery, the actress is expected to return to Mumbai in the wee hours of Monday. She is accompanied by her filmmaker husband Goldie Behl and one of her sisters.

On her way back, Sonali tweeted: “They say ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder’. It sure does. But let’s never underestimate what distance teaches you. Being away from home in the city of New York, I realised that I was walking amongst so many stories. Each trying to write their own chapter in different ways. Each struggling to do it but never giving up. Each taking it #OneDayAtATime. And now, I’m on my way back to where my heart is. It’s a feeling I can’t describe in words but I'm going to try — it’s the joy to see my family and friends again, the excitement to do what I love and mainly the gratitude for the journey I’ve had up until this moment. The fight is not yet over...but I’m happy and looking forward to this happy interval.”

MUMBAI MIRROR (September 10, 2018)

For the screen adaptation of Marry Me, Stranger, the first book in Novoneel Chakraborty’s Stranger trilogy, show runner Goldie Behl has finalised Anuja Joshi to play the protagonist Rivanah. The actress joins Gaurav Chopra, Mrinal Dutt and Priya Banerjee, who portray key characters in the series that captures the journey of the protagonist. The story is aimed at young Indians with Anuja slated to bring freshness to the role. Actor-filmmaker Faruk Kabir, who’s made the short The Awakening and the feature-length Allah Ke Bandey, has directed the series, which is one of the premiere shows of Applause Entertainment, the content studio from the Aditya Birla Group headed by Sameer Nair.

Born and brought up in the US, Anuja has studied acting and direction at New York University, and has professional theatre experience in New York with directors like Julie Taymor and Mira Nair. She will be featuring in the upcoming Hollywood film My Cousin Sister’s Wedding.

Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment, said, “Marry Me, Stranger belongs to the ‘sexy and scary’ genre and Goldie has brought Novoneel’s disturbing book to life. It is a dark, twisted story in the universe of the young and restless urban India”.

Goldie added, “The Stranger series with its present-day and relatable context is the perfect web series for today’s audiences and I’m happy to be working on it.”

Anuja said, “I am thrilled for the opportunity to portray Rivanah. We have passionately created an edge-of-the-seat adventure. I hope everyone will enjoy the trippy ride that is Marry Me, Stranger.”

Applause Entertainment has been making premium, contemporary digital series. Marry Me, Stranger is currently in the post-production phase and will be ready to stream soon.


L-R: Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment, Goldie Behl, Novoneel Chakraborty; Anuja Joshi (left)

Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar meet the actress and her husband in New York, where she is undergoing treatment at the Sloan-Kettering hospital; son Ranveer flown in two days ago
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 5, 2018) 

Days after it had emerged that Huma Qureshi has stepped in as one of the judges on the kids’ talent hunt show, India’s Best Draamebaaz, after Sonali Bendre walked out, the latter took to her Instagram account to relay some news to her followers.

In the post, the 43-year-old actress who is married to filmmaker Goldie Behl and is mother to their 12-year-old son Ranveer, revealed that she has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer and is currently undergoing treatment in New York.

“Sometimes, when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with a high-grade cancer that has metastised, which we frankly did not see coming. A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis... I’m taking this battle head on, knowing I have the strength of my family and friends behind me,” her note revealed.

While Bollywood stars rallied behind Sonali with good wishes and support — Arjun Kapoor (who lost his mother Mona Kapoor to cancer in 2012) urged her to “fight that bastard,” Karan Johar wrote, “Godspeed, love and strength to a true fighter and a solid soul!” and Anil Kapoor said, “You are a fighter, always have been! Sending you all our love and support, Sonali. Hoping to see you fit and fine super soon!” — Akshay Kumar, who returns to India from a vacation in the US with wife Twinkle Khanna and their kids, Aarav and Nitara, met her a few days ago.

While Sonali was accompanied by husband Goldie for treatment at New York’s Sloan-Kettering hospital, their son Ranveer was reportedly flown in two days ago. Abhishek Bachchan, a close friend of the couple, flew to the Big Apple last week to meet them. Filmmaker Omung Kumar, who was a judge alongside Sonali and Vivek Oberoi on India’s Best Draamebaaz, told Mirror, “We shot for four episodes together before she was replaced. We were laughing, having fun, even discussing our respective shoes. I don’t think she knew about it (the diagnosis) at the time. Later, we were told that she had left for New York for some tests and a second opinion, but we didn’t know she had cancer. It’s shocking. I know she’s a fighter and will come out of it.” Vivek added, “She has never ceased to amaze me with her positivity and strength. She is one of the strongest women I know. A Wonder Woman who does it all...and does it very well... Cancer will surely lose this fight.”

Sonali had made a seamless transition from films to TV– she made her small screen debut with the show Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye in 2014, which ran for a year.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; June 19, 2017)

With the television industry becoming an increasingly attractive platform for Bollywood bigwigs, including actors, writers and producers to explore, mounting a series on a magnificent budget is becoming commonplace in the trade. The latest to join this list is Baahubali writer K V Vijayendra Prasad’s Aarambh, which has a budget of Rs 1 crore laid out for a single war sequence, making it the most expensive scene on the small screen.

A source tells mid-day, “After months of planning and rehearsing, the team decided to shoot an epic war sequence, which required the actors to train rigorously over the past few months. Moreover, the costumes and weapons were specially designed for the lead actors. A fair amount of VFX has been used to make the sequence look realistic.”

Shooting for the 65-episode show, informs the source, was held in Manali and Kathmandu, with certain portions being canned at Mumbai’s Film City. Given that Baahubali had shattered box-office records, director Goldie Behl wanted to leave no stone unturned in delivering a superlative drama after Prasad came on board. “The idea was to make Aarambh a larger-than-life experience. Since the show will witness the clash of two clans – Aryans and Dravidians – we wanted to project the war sequence on a bigger scale. The sequence was shot over a period of 10 days,” Behl says.

The show features South actress Karthika Nair and Rajneish Duggal. It also marks the television debut of veteran actress Tanuja.

Upala KBR (DNA; June 10, 2017)

After Half Girlfriend, director Mohit Suri is working on his next film, in which he teams up with Farhan Akhtar for the first time. While he has a couple of concepts in mind, he is keen on making one about a father-son relationship, which he has also penned. The film has boxing as its backdrop. Farhan has started prepping and building his body for this film. Set in two time zones, Farhan will first play the son, and later, father to a young kid.

Close to real life
Mohit confirms that he’s also directing the film. “Goldie (Behl) and I approached Farhan recently with my script on a father-son relationship. He really liked it. I need another actor for the role parallel to Farhan, when he plays the son,” says Mohit. The director adds that it is an original story, although similar to the Hollywood film, The Champ (1979). “The story is close to my own relationship with my father, except that the film has boxing as its backdrop. I was eight when my mother passed away, and my father raised me on his own. The story is about the struggle he faced as a single dad at 36.”

Farhan loves the script
Mohit is also looking for someone to play Farhan’s son. “Farhan and I spoke about the script, and he thinks it’s brilliant,” says Mohit. He has taken a month’s break after Half Girlfriend. “On June 23, I will go to the US for two weeks and start my next project when I return,” he says.

Excited to tell his story
Post Aashiqui 2, when Mohit met Goldie, the latter wanted to remake a South Korean film, Crying Mist. “I could not make that film as it didn’t suit my sensibilities. Then I got busy with other films. Now, I’m excited about bringing my real-life story to the screen.” Mohit says.

It happened at Farah Khan’s Sunday dinner; there was a tenth director around too but…
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 19, 2017)


She may be several pounds lighter, but the svelte Farah Khan has not quit on her Sunday lunches. The filmmaker hosts one almost every week and admits it’s become something of a tradition to invite friends home if she is in town.

Last Sunday, she threw a dinner party when tennis ace Sania Mirza was in town after very long, almost six months. “I invited a few more people, including Karan (Johar), who on his show had groused that I never call him. So, this time I asked him to come and stop bitching about the guest list, cutlery and crockery,” laughs Farah, quick to add that there were a lot of other guests around, besides the eight directors — Kabir Khan, Karan Johar, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Punit Malhotra, Sajid Khan and Goldie Behl — you see with her in the picture.

“Actually there was a tenth director at home too who refused to come out,” she quips, obviously referring to husband Shirish Kunder, who she admits is very shy and comfortable chatting when there are only about five-six people around. “When it is a big party, he refuses to come out of his den and into the frame.”

Prod her on what the director gang spoke about and she says she can’t recall. She doesn’t think they discussed any films in particular. “It was just about business in China and other random stuff,” she shrugs.

Farah points out that usually such power dinners have actors and starlets on the guest list. “But I was happy to invite my filmmaker friends. It wasn’t planned but when we realised there were so many directors around, we decided on a memento photograph. Lucky for us, Avinash (ace photographer Avinash Gowariker) was around to capture the priceless moment. What a night it was!” she exults.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; August 7, 2016)


Salman Khan-Sooraj Barjatya
When Salman Khan broke down at Sooraj Barjatya’s cousin Rajat’s memorial meeting, it became clear to the world that these two friends share a closeness far beyond work. The two did not work together for 14 years. But the unspoken bond between the soft-spoken, gentle, unassuming director and the flamboyant superstar remained. Sooraj once told me, “Salman is like my own brother. We share a bonding that goes beyond the films that we work on, together.” While one goes to sleep at the time that the other wakes up, the two spiritually bonded friends even resembled each other physically during the making of Hum Aapke Hain.. Koun. The character Prem that Salman plays in Sooraj’s films is actually the director’s alter-ego. And when Hrithik Roshan tried to play him in Sooraj’s Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, disaster struck. There is only one Prem in Sooraj Barjatya’s cinema.

Ranbir Kapoor-Ayan Mukerji
The joke in the film industry is, girlfriends may come and girlfriends may go, but Ranbir’s dosti with Ayan Mukerji goes on forever. Amen to that.

Abhishek Bachchan-Goldie Behl
While Abhishek’s dad doesn’t really have any best friends except his own son, Abhishek is a buddy’s buddy. Outgoing and loyal, Abhishek’s friendship with filmmaker Goldie Behl has lasted since their childhood and outlasted two thundering flops that Goldie directed with Abhishek. “I don’t care whether the films with Goldie work or not. Our friendship is not work-based.”

Anil Kapoor-Anupam Kher
Their friendship went through a dark phase when Anil did his own version of Mahatma Gandhi’s story knowing very well that Anupam was doing it. But all acrimony has been washed away. Now Anil and Anupam are the proverbial peas in a pod. Says Kher, “I can drop in at Anil’s for breakfast or dinner unannounced if my wife is not around. We don’t need to be formal with one another. We are not.”

Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani
Friends first, business partners later. Farhan and Ritesh continue to work and bond together, although they lead separate lives. “We don’t have to meet every day. We are not married to one another. We have separate lives. But we’ve been friends long enough to not let vested interests spoil it,” says Farhan.

Shatrughan Sinha-Pahlaj Nihalani
Pahlaj Nihalani considers himself the Hanuman to Shatrughan Sinha’s Ram. Indeed, he has been a loyal and trusted friend to not just the Sinha scion, but also his entire family. The twins Luv Kush and daughter Sonakshi spent many hours of their growing years on Pahlaj Uncle’s lap. Says Pahlaj, “We may not meet every day due to our killing schedules. But the minute he needs me, I am there. We do not have to talk about our friendship. It is there, like the air we breathe,” says Pahlaj emotionally.

Rakesh Roshan-Jeetendra
The two, often joined by Rishi Kapoor, would meet every evening over drinks and gossip sessions, until a few years ago, when family obligations made the daily bonding difficult. But Rakesh and Jeetu still meet. “We’re been friends for over 30 years. Our friendship has nothing to do with work,” says Rakesh. Sadly, their children (Jeetendra’s Tusshar and Ekta, Rakesh’s Hrithik and Sunaina) do not share their fathers’ mutual affection.

Asha Parekh-Shammi
The actress Shammi is now 86, unable to hear or walk properly. But best friend Asha Parekh looks out for her pal, Says Asha, “Shammi Aunty—I call her that because she’s much older to me — is no longer able to move out of her home. It is difficult to have a conversation with her. But she has been my friend for 50 years. We don’t have to talk to each other to communicate. She knows I am there for her.”

Danny Denzongpa-Jaya Bachchan
They know each another from the time when they were FTII alumni. When Jaya was seeing Amitabh, she often confided in Danny about her feelings. He, in turn, has been a steadfast influence in Jaya’s life. “We don’t meet or even talk that often anymore. But she knows I am there for her,” says Danny.

Rani Mukerji-Vaibhavi Merchant
This actor-choreographer bonding has lasted for more than a decade. Rani and Vaibhavi are so close that when the former married filmmaker Aditya Chopra, cynics in the film industry wondered if Vaibhavi would accompany Rani to Aditya’s home as part of the dowry gift.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 7, 2016)

Hrithik Roshan is all set to turn 42 in style. He is hosting a big bash at a rooftop watering hole of a Worli hotel and being the perfectionist that he is, is looking into every detail himself, from the decor to the menu. While his birthday is on January 10, the party will begin the night before from 9 pm.

"Hrithik has invited around 200-odd people and that includes the who's who of the industry, along with close buddies, Kunal Kapoor and Naina Bachchan, Sonali Bendre and Goldie Behl, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh," informs a source close to the actor.

Hrithik who has always preferred quiet celebrations in the past, is in a mood to party this year. "He has become pretty social of late and has been accepting plenty of invitations from filmi friends. It's time to reciprocate," adds the source.

However, after letting his hair down, the actor will be up early on Sunday for a havan organised at his Juhu residence. His family, including parents, Rakesh and Pinky Roshan, uncle Rajesh Roshan, sister Sunaina and sons, Hrehaan and Hridhaan will be present for the puja and the leisurely lunch that follows.

Last year, Hrithik had brought in the day quietly with a puja at his new home, then cut a cake with his fans and journos. The rest of the day was divided among his parents, sons, sister and uncle.

There was a small party attended by some of his B-town buddies, including Parineeti Chopra, Priyanka Chopra, Ali Zafar and Kangana Ranaut. Another cake was cut at Umang 2015, the annual celebration for the Mumbai Police, where the Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, was the chief guest.

"Family will always come first for Hrithik but this time he also wants to let his hair down with friends," the source signs off.

Actor Sonali Bendre Behl plays the toughest role of her life in the real world — that of first- time mum. The lessons it’s taught her make it to a new book
Anjana (MID-DAY; October 18, 2015)

It was about 10 years ago that actor Sonali Bendre Behl stepped aside the silver screen to nurse her career as fulltime mum. The real life drama that comes with that part — a role of and for a lifetime — now unfolds on the pages of The Modern Gurukul, a slim 204-page Penguin Random House India publication.

It’s a simple book that starts off like a mother’s diary right from zero hour, actually just from a little bit before the labour pains strike, from the point where Bendre-Behl is sitting pretty, confident that she’d ace motherhood, confident even that she wouldn’t need epidural. But, her first submission comes within 12-hours of labour — “Knock me out. Give me that epidural. I’m desperate” — and in a way it sets the tone for what’s to come. This is a book on parenthood, its joys and frustrations and coming to terms with the fact that sometimes you’re plain wrong and, what’s more, nobody really knows what’s “right”. This is a point that comes through in the first few pages itself, when Bendre-Behl talks about breastfeeding. While baby books typically prescribe a regimental chart of how and when to wean babies off breast milk, the actor found that approach just didn’t work for her and introduced solid foods at three months, that’s three months ahead of the prescribed time. “It’s an example that I felt was very important because for everything that new mothers are told and taught, every child is different and sometimes you need to try different things. There’s no hard and fast rule,” she tells us, emphasising that her book is about her journey, that it’s not some sort of cheat sheet that’ll guarantee an A in motherhood.

“When my husband read the draft, one of the things that he was concerned about was the kind of pressure it would put on our son to be a good boy,” she laughs, referring to director Goldie Behl. The clarity is necessary, because while the book touches on some very important issues, such as the pressure to fall in love with your baby at first glance, the harsh self-criticism that follows when you don’t, and the need to expose your vulnerabilities to your children, admit mistakes and apologise when you’re wrong, parts of it may set the bar too high for many.

Though differently phrased in different chapters, on more than one occasion, Bendre-Behl stresses, “ I did EVERYTHING myself,” — she refers of course, to the feeding, bathing, massaging etc. Surprisingly, even though she speaks of the need for a strong support system for mothers, that topic is quickly diminished into a “need to maintain peace” as the author goes on to set clear limits for what grandparents must do, pretty much limiting their role to showering the kids with love and affection. To be fair, she does also repeatedly point out that, “Not all are as fortunate as me.” Her decisions to enroll her son in an IB school, follow certain diet regimes or allow mealtimes before the tele etc. are therefore exactly that — her decisions. This is important to remember because to a new mother struggling to cope with a flood of hormones, a large workload and household chores, a line such as, “If you really want something, you will make time for it,” can be all it takes to push you across to full- blown postpartum depression. Though more than two pages have been dedicated to Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s excellent tips from Thirukkural, a book on ancient behavioural psychology as it were, this book must therefore not be treated as a guide book on parenthood but rather a means to exchange notes with a mother.

In that ambition — as a book that touches on issues that most mothers in India would have dealt with — it succeeds. Though certain lines and scenes here are easily imagined as film dialogues, like, “I decided that I would be that teacher for Ranveer and our home would be his gurukul” the author’s commitment to stay true to her cause — to familiarise Indian women with the evolution of Indian parenting — is evident in her honest approach.

She has opened up about family disagreements on viewpoints and even her husband’s dyslexia, though clearly these are sensitive topics. She tells us, “This whole experience has been very scary for me. I’m not even on social networking sites because I’m such a private person, so for me to write all this... but I realised I needed to do it properly, and to be completely honest because sometimes, you hear about someone dealing with something and it can help you with what you’re going through."

Upala KBR (DNA; October 3, 2015)


Sonali tells us that it’s about her own experiences as a mother to 10-year-old-Ranveer. “It’s an easy-to-read book which talks about my experiences with him. There is so much about all of us I have put out there — little anecdotes and stories. I don’t think I have ever spoken so much about Ranveer anywhere so much! I want to share it with all those working mothers out there — women travelling to work in autos, cabs, trains and cars. It’s not an expensive book, so anybody can pick it up. I don’t want to be called a budding writer — but a parent. If the book sells, then I may continue writing. It all depends on how many people like it,” she smiles.

While she has been penning down her thoughts into notes and snippets ever since her son was born, the writing was completed in eight months. “Writing for me is a work of passion more than economic. I am not doing it for the money. I don’t want to have a grand Bollywood launch. Dr Indu Shahani, who liked the book, has written the foreword. My husband Goldie was the first person to read it when the first copy came. I had to show it to him because so much of our personal life is there in it. He never reads anything but told me he had enjoyed it as it was easy to read.” Has her son read it? “Not yet. It’s more for working mothers than children.”

MID-DAY (September 10, 2015)

The escalating graph of farmer suicides in the state has been an area of concern for several years now even as political parties trade clame scramble to stake their claim as the true champions of farmers’ interests. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) issued a letter to Bollywood artistes, film producers and directors, appealing for help for farmers reeling under the drought crisis — but with a veiled threat. It mentions that in case of non-cooperation by the tinseltown folk, films of the celebrities, who do not extend assistance, will be boycotted.

Issued by Ameya Khopkar, president of the party’s film wing Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, the letter reads: “These artistes spend lakhs on parties, in fun and frolic. But it seems their minds are obscured and they are blind to concepts such as gratitude and humanitarianism. It would now be necessary to black out their films and throw more light in their darkened heads (sic).”

Khopkar also mentions that while many “may be selfish” but some celebs like Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have been keenly involved in charitable acts and the others must take a cue from them. “Our film industry has always come forward to fight for our legitimate rights. Why not now? Do not put ideas into the heads of the people of Maharashtra. And, therefore, before they retaliate, we appeal to you through this letter,” writes Khopkar.

Although seeking the assistance of B-Town is a thoughtful gesture, subtle hints about blacklisting the films has not gone down well with the industry celebs. Says actress Swara Bhaskar, “It sounds like the intention is noble, but issuing a threat of this nature completely ruins the effort. I don’t understand why the MNS cadre express themselves only through hooliganism and vandalism, even for a good cause. How self defeating is that? This is juvenile and dangerous.”


Echoing her sentiments is Adil Hussain, who was last seen on the big screen in Zed Plus (2014). “Asking for help for drought- affected areas is very legitimate. And I think the industry should help. But disrupting screening of Hindi films is a threat. If threats are to be treated as requests, I don’t have any problems. Otherwise, it is equivalent to extortion.”

He also questions why the MNS hasn’t threatened the state government yet. “The same party (ruling the state) is at the Centre. Is the BJP government not going to protect the farmers? Why doesn’t the Navnirman Sena go to the Ambanis and Adanis and ask for help? Just a thought,” adds Hussain.

Mukesh Bhatt, president, Film and Television Producers’ Guild, echoes Hussain’s sentiments when he says. “Let them approach the Ambani brothers before coming to us.”

Gulshan Devaiah feels that Bollywood should rise to the occasion, but does not need to do it at anybody’s behest. “Some use diplomacy, some use war, but unfortunately we now associate the MNS with the latter option. I think ideally Indian entertainment industry and its corporate machinery as a while, regardless of what diaspora it caters to, should do what it can about such situations without anyone asking or ordering do so,” he states.

Producer Goldie Behl, on the other hand, says that the film fraternity has always tried “in its own small way to contribute to any and every crisis situation”. Vipul A Shah also says, “The film industry has always supported all good causes, so we would do our bit happily. The threat won’t work. If they want our support, then they have to do it with love.”