From wishing your loved ones to telling your boss that you want to quit, online platforms are offering a host of celebrities to share personalised messages
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2020)

Every year, Melbourne-based twins Navdeep and Avdeep Munjal make it a point to visit their mother Rekha in Delhi on her birthday which falls on July 7. This year, when the  Coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on their travel plans, the twins chanced upon a unique birthday gift — getting their mother’s favourite TV star Rohit Roy to wish her on their behalf. The 60-year-old was deeply moved when she received a short video from the Swabhimaan star. The message, which landed in her inbox out of the blue, was not only about how much her sons missed her, but the actor even told her that she needs to take care of herself. The Munjals managed to make their mum’s special day unforgettable through Celebyte, an online platform, which offers many celebrity engagement packages.

And today, when most continue to remain self-isolated for fear of contracting the Coronavirus, this form of levity that comes with some semblance of connection with one’s idols, is really a pitch-perfect offering. For a predetermined rate (anything from Rs 500 to Rs 50,000), a fan can get a celebrity of his or her choice to send a personalised video message to a loved one (typically, birthday or anniversary wishes), get on a video call, reply to a text, or slide into their DMs on Instagram. “While our customers want access, the celebs want to monetise their time on social media. We help facilitate this in a way that the friction is eliminated,” says Sanjay Tripathy, co-founder and CEO, Celebyte. His firm has also developed celeb-interaction apps for actors Riya Sen and Minissha Lamba and has garnered over three million users cumulatively across 14 apps.

Similar platforms such as Wysh, Gonuts, Tring, Unlu and Simsim Rubaru, too, are cashing in. From an assortment of TV actors (like Delnaaz Irani, Hiten Tejwani, Kiku Sharda) and film veterans (like Prem Chopra, Madhu Shah, Shakti Kapoor) to a plethora of Bigg Boss contestants (like Arshi Khan, Shefali Jariwala), impersonators (of Nana Patekar, Donald Trump) and TikTokers, everyone is just a click away.

Dial a celeb
Producing personalised video messages usually takes little preparation. Most are shot on the phone and filmed at breakfast tables, while lying in bed, or on film sets — whenever a celeb can spare a few minutes. While the promised turnaround time is from five to seven days, most try to honour requests within 24-48 hours. “We have surely benefited from people’s apprehensions about exchanging physical gifts,” says Mahesh Gogineni, co-founder of Wysh, which has grown 15 times since its launch in January. “There has also been no innovation in the digital gifting space for long, and since people are crazy about celebs, it’s a perfect match,” he adds.

Beyond birthdays
While getting a celeb to wish someone is a popular choice, many are opting for more creative reasons. For instance, an entrepreneur got ghazal singer Talat Aziz to shoot a heartfelt video for his father, thanking him for his sacrifices and asking him to keep faith in his son, despite his start-up’s relatively poor performance over the last two years. And to sweeten the deal, Aziz signed off with the recipient’s favourite ghazal. “We also had a head priest who wanted Kailash Kher to send a message out to devotees,” says Joji George, founder of Gonuts. “In April, we heard from someone from Varanasi who wrote a poem in honour of frontline health workers and wanted it to be read out by Kailash Kher.”

A unique request came from someone who was trying to resign from a job he had held for eight years. “He wanted Delnaaz [Irani] to speak to his boss and get the ball rolling before he could follow it up with a one-on-one,” says Rahul Saini, co-founder, Tring, which launched this March and lists over 1,800 celebrities.

The kickbacks
These platforms work on a revenue-sharing model. Hence arriving at the ‘right’ price is tricky. Stars need to score enough bookings at a modest price and yet, if they underbid themselves, they won’t be able to keep up.

That said, the big earners can make over a lakh a month. And for most, it is easy money, given the effort and time spent. “If a celeb charges Rs 1,000 for a 30-second-video message and does 30 such requests, he’s earning Rs 30,000 in 15 minutes. A TV star may not be able to make that much money in such a short period of time,” says Gogineni, who feels the demand from users can be extremely price sensitive. He gives the example of a celebrity, who charges Rs 999 for short videos on his platform, but Rs 1,500 on another platform. “Despite the marginal price difference, the star received 54 requests from my platform and only four on the other,” he says.

But there’s no fixed rule. Rohit Roy, who features on several platforms, bumped his rates up, but remains one of the most requested talents.

Saini says that 98 per cent of users on such platforms are not willing to pay more than Rs 2,000. “Those who are popular and demand a high price fall in a niche segment, but those who are popular and yet affordable comprise our cash cows,” says Saini.

Going forward, the demand for such a service is surely likely to surge, especially given that today being a celebrity casts a wide net. “This segment is still evolving. You will see more celebrities being a part of their fans’ highs and lows,” says Tripathy. The stars don’t mind either. It’s helpful to have another revenue stream when their own industry is still limping back to normal.

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 1, 2020)

Like any other industry, one has to be prepared for ups and downs in a career in showbiz,” says Hiten Tejwani, who feels aspiring actors shouldn’t lose focus if they find themselves out of work.

“One could have investments or a business to fall back on. But those who don’t, have to be patient and manage their finances well, especially in times like these. Showbiz is an insecure place. You have to learn to deal with it. Today, you could star in the hottest project, and tomorrow you could be out of work,” says the actor, 46.

A popular name in the television industry, Tejwani feels that a career in acting is all about choices. “You get offers for varied roles, it is up to you to choose or reject. No one forces you to do a role. You even do roles that might be impactful, but have less footage. They could be for experience or just to make contact with a production house you wanted to work with,” he opines.

Tejwani, however, believes that having a solid support system always helps. “If one doesn’t have family around, insecurity and anxiety about work and life can make you miserable. As for me, I believe that if one thing drops, another project comes along,” he ends.

Does the small-screen tag still weigh down actors keen to make a transition to the big screen?
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 20, 2020)

Sushant Singh Rajput was the biggest TV-to-film success story in recent times. And his death has indeed brought a pall of gloom in the TV industry, especially to many who looked up to the actor’s phenomenal journey.

Actor Radhika Madan recalled how, when she was transitioning from television to movies, people always said, ‘Don’t do it’. “And I remember always giving them Sushant’s example. He made it look.. achievable. He inspired many actors like me,” she posted recently. Actors such as Mohit Raina and Karan Kundrra, too, shared how Rajput inspired many small-screen actors eyeing the big screen. But his death has raised questions on whether TV actors are whole-heartedly accepted in the film industry, despite the precedent of a certain Shah Rukh Khan.

Actor Hiten Tejwani, who has dabbled in both TV and films, with his last big-screen appearance in Kalank (2019), says in Bollywood, unlike in the West, some still believe in the demarcation of a TV actor and film actor. “But it is slowly going away. Casting TV actors does get a bit difficult as people have the thing of TV actors being over-exposed,” he says.

TV actor Manasi Parekh (below), who made her Bollywood debut with Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), feels stigmas around TV actors are long gone. “Whatever struggles he [Rajput] had, what he could or could not do, is his journey. We all loved him as an actor, he was extremely talented. It is unfortunate what happened. But we should let it be, not speculate,” she says.

Film trade analyst Atul Mohan feels talent is what matters at the end of the day and, in the recent past, there has been “a healthy influx of actors from the television world in films”.

Actor Rohan Mehra, who starred in the TV shows Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, besides a few films, says, “He [Rajput] was an inspiration; his death is a demotivation for sure. If your inspiration does this after achieving so much, what are we going to do?”

And actor Ragini Khanna, star of several hit TV projects and films such as Teen Thay Bhai (2011) and Gurgaon (2017), observes every industry is tough. “Films are not a step up and TV is not a step down. We should not look at it like that. As an actor when you are out there, who are you seeking acceptance from? The only acceptance an actor needs is from the audience,” she shares.

Shivangi Joshi shooting at her home

Be it shooting scenes from home, launching shows or spreading awareness, actors are at their busiest
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 18, 2020)

With no new shoots happening due to the lockdown, life seems to have paused for actors. However, some feel the show must go on even if it means having to do everything on their own.


Actors turn all-rounders
Comedienne Bharti Singh and husband, writer Haarsh Limbachiyaa, have come up with a new show, Hum Tum Aur Quarantine, giving a sneak peek into their lives. “We’re trying to entertain with humour. We’ll enlighten people on the importance of staying at home, washing hands, practising social distancing, etc. Also, for this series, Harsh and I are writing the script, improvising, directing, shooting and editing,” she says.


One for social awareness
The makers of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai share that the actors have shot special bits from home. Producer Binaifer Kohli says, “Our actors have shot some bytes endorsing those who’re helping us. And it’s been aired with the re-runs. They gave messages like, ‘Bhabi ji ghar par hain, aap bhi ghar par rahiye’.”

Actor Hiten Tejwani shares a short film on the pandemic, starring him, has gone as an entry at the Lockdown Festival of India, along with a music video, which is a tribute to “doctors, nurses, police officers and others”.


New tadka to old episodes
Producer Rajan Shahi has got actors of his daily soaps — Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and and Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke — to shoot some special scenes at home, which are then added to their re-reruns. Shahi says, “We’ve linked these new bytes (to old episodes) and it has come out very nice.”

Talking about his ‘different’ experience of shooting at home, actor Shaheer Sheikh shares, “It felt a little odd to be in the character at home, decide the timing and everything. It was weird to look into the camera and talk. Though we do it on sets, this was different.”

Qubool Hai and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon director Lalit Mohan calls this an “experimental phase”, and says if it works, “we can do it in the future too”.

The sagas that had redefined Indian TV, now hope to win audiences all over again
Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 14, 2020)

Agreat strategy or crisis management — reruns of phenomenally popular mythological shows Mahabharat and Ramayan or sitcoms Dekh Bhai Dekh and Shrimaan Shrimati during the Coronavirus lockdown are proving to be quite the game-changer on TV. Now, with Balika Vadhu the latest to return, many feel getting back iconic saas bahu sagas such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, among others, will boost TRPs.

Producer Rajan Shahi feels good shows will resonate whenever they air. “If we bring back saas-bahu shows which started a new phase on Indian TV, broadcasters can cash in on the popularity again,” he says.

Avika Gor, aka the young Anandi of Balika Vadhu, is overwhelmed as her show returns. “It was a one-of-its kind show, and each episode had a message that made a difference,” she says.

Actors who became a household name with these shows also feel it’s a great idea to bring them back.

Urvashi Dholakia aka Komolika of Kasautii... feels people will love to go down memory lane. Other than her show, she says, “I’d also like to see Kahaani... because I love Sakshi Tanwar’s acting and the whole cast was perfect. Even Ghar Ek Mandir and Mehndi Tere Naam Ki were very relatable and the characters beautifully etched.” Echoing the sentiment, Hiten Tejwani of Kyunki... says, “All these shows hold a great recall value and will definitely get a good audience. Even the current generation will be able to connect.”

Though the popular sitcoms are doing well on screen, getting daily soaps back “involves calculative risk”, points out scriptwriter Gajra Kottary. “Most of these are long-running shows and once the lockdown is over, the new shows would be back. Balika Vadhu for instance, went on for eight years, so it will club two episodes and air for an hour daily. So, some broadcasters are playing it safe by going for shows with shorter episodes,” Kottary adds.

Hiten Tejwani talks about being replaced on a comedy show without any intimation
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 19, 2018)

Overnight replacements are common in the television industry. However, when a seasoned actor is replaced on a show, it comes as a shocker. And what’s even more shocking is when they are not informed about it. Something similar happened with Hiten Tejwani recently. The actor was all set to foray into comedy for the first time with the show, Namune. However, just a few days before the shoot was to commence, he was replaced by Kunal Kumar without any intimation.

Hiten spoke about it in his signature calm demeanour, “So far, I have replaced actors, but this is the first time I have been replaced without intimation. I have been a part of this industry and such things are quite common. I shot for four days for the pilot of the show. I did a lot of prep for it, as this was also the first time I was venturing into comedy. It’s not an easy genre. It takes effort to get into the skin of the character. I was very excited about the project, but now, what can I say?” he said.

Shedding light on what could possibly be the reason for this change, the actor said, “After the look test was done, I was wondering what happened, as there was no communication from their end. So, when the shooting date came near, I got in touch with someone I knew in the production team and the person was shocked that I wasn’t informed about the development. He broke the news to me that I had been replaced. Actors are often replaced, if they don’t suit a character or fit the bill. However, my problem was that they felt that I didn’t look like a lower middle-class guy, despite trying every trick in the book to make me look like one! Then suddenly, someone else was brought on board for my part overnight, and I wasn’t even informed about it. I’ve been a part of the industry for years and I have seen it all, but I am sure something like this would be difficult for new actors. They would take time to come to terms with what just hit them. It can also dent their confidence, as they would wonder why they were suddenly replaced, without even been given an opportunity to improve their acting."

TV actor features in Abhishek Varman’s period-drama alongside Alia Bhatt, Sanjay Dutt, Aditya Roy Kapur
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 21, 2018)

TV actor Hiten Tejwani is the newest entrant in Abhishek Varman’s multi-starrer, the period-drama Kalank, which is headlined by Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sonakshi Sinha. Hiten, who was last seen in the Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 11, is to start shooting by the month-end for his portions on the film’s sets in Andheri. A source associated with the film reveals, “Hiten’s character Ahmed shares screen space with Sanjay, Aditya and Alia. He is a trusted employee in a company owned by Sanjay’s character where he also interacts with Aditya and Alia. His portions are expected to wrap up by December.”

Mirror had earlier reported (June 12) that Sonakshi had begun shooting last Wednesday while Sanjay joined the team on Monday. The rest of the cast has been filming since April when the project kicked off. Kalank hits the theatres on April 19 next year.

Hiten has been a part of Vikram Bhatt’s Love Games and Rajiv Ruia’s Saansein, but Kalank is expected to be his big Bollywood break. He has also signed a project with mentor Ekta Kapoor.

Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 16, 2018)

While reality show competitors are quick to forgo animosity towards each other once they are off set, Bigg Boss 11 winner and television actor Shilpa Shinde refuses to put her dislike for close contender Hina Khan behind her. Shinde, a favourite since the controversial reality show kicked off in October, beat Khan, a popular TV star, last evening, taking home the R44 lakh prize money.

In a post-win interview to mid-day, moments after bagging the trophy from host Salman Khan, Shinde said she has only Khan to blame for her troubles on the show.

"Hina was the meanest person on the show. She would be sweet only if she wanted something from you. If you confronted her about the comments she made, she would deny them outright," she said, adding that she had secretly hoped that the final fight remained between her and Khan so that she could beat her. "I'm glad it happened that way."

Khan was not the most popular contestant in the house during the three-month-long stint, and it was often that fans of both actors would be at loggerheads on social media. Shinde alleged that Khan, who gained popularity as Akshara in the daily soap, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, "treated me like a servant."

Accused of spending most of her time cooking meals for the housemates so that she could avoid participating in tasks assigned by Bigg Boss, Shinde described her experience as "horrid". "It's not easy to cook for 20 people. If I made extra food, they would complain; if it fell short, it was again an issue. Hina squirmed if the food was stale. Despite doing everything [I could], she wasn't appreciative," Shinde said, adding that things got worse because Khan chose to mock her misery.

But the win has turned tables. Shinde called it a "slap" on the face of those who criticised her. The only housemate she hopes to keep in touch with is Puneesh Sharma, who she claimed appreciated her for who she was.

The other contestant, and close contender for the prize, Vikas Gupta, was another thorn in her flesh. That he was responsible for her ouster from the hit comedy show, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai [BGPH], which led to her being out of work for two years, was a topic of discussion throughout the season. Although she and Gupta managed to bury the hatchet in the house, Shinde said she doesn't foresee a professional collaboration with him.

"I want to finally be known as myself, not as a character from a daily soap," she said referring to Angoori, the character that catapulted her to fame. "I won't do another reality show either. I want to now try my hand at hosting [shows] and acting in films."


Hina Khan

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; January 16, 2018)

Shilpa Shinde, TV’s original Angoori bhabhi, emerged the winner of Bigg Boss 11, on Sunday night. It was her straightforwardness that propelled her to victory. From locking horns with her arch-nemesis Vikas Gupta — their rivalry began two years ago — and then warming up to him; being at loggerheads with fellow inmate Hina Khan, to becoming ‘ShilMa’ to Arshi Khan and Akash Dadlani, the audience witnessed several but real shades of Shilpa, whose sole reason to participate on the show was to show her true self to the world. Here are excerpts from her candid chat with BT after the win...

‘HINA IS ARROGANT AND MEAN’
The actress says that she wanted Hina in the final two, to compete with her for the trophy. She says, “I was hoping for her to be the other contestant when I win the show.” The actress couldn’t strike a chord with Hina, though we saw them team up against Vikas just before the show reached its final leg. So, can two actresses never be friends? With her characteristic bluntness, Shilpa replies, “Many actresses have been friends, but Hina is different. She is arrogant and really mean. I will have to think hard to count the good things about her; I haven’t been able to find any till now. When we entered the house, she seemed to know everything about the show, as she has followed every single season. So, I asked her if we could keep our belongings in the drawer and she replied, ‘Mere papa ka show hai kya?’ I was shocked at her response. She would say mean things and then claim that she has never said it. Hina commented on my dress sense and said that I can’t pull off Western clothes. It’s up to me; If I don’t want to wear Western clothes, I won’t. Actually, unko lomdi (vixen) bola tha show mein kisi ne. Though I felt bad for her in the beginning, eventually, I couldn’t agree more with that term. Hina is probably the only person I won’t meet outside.”

Shilpa adds, “I was really fond of that girl. I thought she was pretty and liked her work. But many people, including the technicians of her show, had warned me to be careful of her. Many told me, ‘Hina Khan aa rahi hai show mein, bahut chaalaak hain’.”

‘EVERYTHING IS FINE BETWEEN VIKAS AND ME’
While her equation with Hina wasn’t good, Shilpa actually mended ties with her archrival, fellow contestant Vikas Gupta. She says, “Vikas has been a good player and his journey on the show was interesting. I think I was also instrumental in making it interesting, though I don’t know if he will give me the credit. After locking horns with Vikas in the beginning, there came a time when I handled the matter maturely and took a back seat. However, people viewed that too with suspicion, wondering how I could become friends with him in just two days. What people didn’t notice was that Vikas was trying to be nice to me since day one, but I didn’t reciprocate.”

There were even stories of her marriage with Vikas when they were inside the house. “It’s a joke. Mere itne bure din aaye hain kya?” she asks.

Shilpa says that she wouldn’t even mind collaborating with Vikas professionally. “Everything is fine between us. During a task, he promised to cast me on a show. Since I have committed, I will work with him, but I don’t want to take up a daily soap and be bound by a character. I hope I get good work in Bollywood. I had signed a film, but they were waiting for Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s dates. I entered the house during that time.”

‘SALMAN JI KE LIYE KUCHH BHI KAROONGI’
Apart from her fans who broke Twitter in her support, the one person who praised her on multiple occasions was the host himself — Salman Khan. Has he offered her anything yet? “He hasn’t offered or promised me anything yet. Also, we haven’t got a chance to speak about it. I have no qualms about asking Salman for work; I feel I can ask him directly. But then, I have never asked anyone for work. His support is enough for me. He praised me and said that we will meet. He had such nice things to tell me. He said that I am a really nice person, which is such a good feeling.”

So, will the television bhabhi agree to play Salman’s bhabhi in a film and pat comes the reply, “Salman ji ke liye kuchh bhi karoongi, anything!”

‘I HAVE BEEN CALLED MAA AND IT’S A THANKLESS JOB’
About her graduation from bhabhiji to ShilMa, Shilpa says, “It’s been a great journey and I have been my real self. Many people had issues with me cooking in the kitchen. However, I would like to say that on days when food wasn’t enough, I have skipped my meal and fed others. I cooked again if it got over. Hina once mentioned that she would recommend the future Bigg Boss participants to learn cooking, if they wanted to win the show. I got the title of ShilMa because of my honesty; I don’t know if they used it for their game or wanted to show me as old, which even Salman Khan mentioned once on the show. He said, ‘Aapko maa bol kar aapka istemaal kiya gaya hai, game ke liye, ki aap badi dikhe’. I never hid my age, though. I couldn’t understand the real intention, but I was happy with the title. I have been called Maa and it’s a thankless job. But it’s wisely said that one shouldn’t expect anything. Duniya ka dastoor hai ki neki kar dariya mein daal.”

Remind her how the gharwaale called her ‘flip’ during the show and she says, “Gharwale khud flip the isliye main flip dikhti thi unko. I don’t know when I flipped.” She adds, “People who know me know main kaisi hoon. That’s the reason I entered the house with Salman mouthing his famous dialogue: ‘Ye dil mein aati hai samajh mein nahi’. I don’t have many friends in the industry, but jo mujhe jaante hain unhe pata hai main kaisi hoon. People used to say usko chhedo mat, shaant hai woh. Meri satakti hai toh satakti hai. Aata maajhi satakli.”

‘I WANT TO SEEK DIVINE BLESSINGS’
And just as the victory is sinking in, we ask her what she plans to do with the cash prize of Rs 44 lakh and she replies, “Laddoo milega toh sab mein batega. Honestly, I haven’t thought about it yet. The first thing I am going to do is visit a Hanuman temple. I want to seek divine blessings.”

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 16, 2018)

After three months of struggle, fights, drama and emotions, Bigg Boss 11 has found its winner. TV actress Shilpa Shinde has won the trophy this year. The actress, who also received an amount of Rs 44 lakh, talks to us about winning the show, her future plans, and why it doesn’t involve daily soaps at all.

Weren’t you expecting to win the show?
(Smiles) Yes, I won’t say that I wasn’t expecting it. In Weekend Ka Vaar episodes with Salman ji he used to tell us how we were faring and that gave me confidence. I’m happy that I was shown the way I am. I was aware that this game was about strategies, which is why I was never fond of Bigg Boss in the first place. I said ‘No’ so many times. It took the people from the channel seven hours to convince me. After I entered the show, I was just being myself.

Being a TV star, you had the baggage of an image, which could’ve been destroyed once you came on Bigg Boss. Was that always playing on your mind?
See, Hiten (Tejwani) and I are like this in real life, too. Whatever you have seen on the show is how we are. There were times when I used to ask Hiten to react and not be cold. I’m aggressive at times and there are also situations where I get very angry. But I also let it go after a point. Even when I got out of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, I did the same. Nothing is permanent. So, yes, I was aware that viewers have seen me in a particular way but then, nobody can act for three-and-a-half months.

Do you see this as redemption?
Yes. I’m happy that I have won a show where there was public voting and my fans made sure I got the trophy. I always wanted to give an answer to whatever was being said about me, but I waited for the right time.

There were a record number of tweets for you...
I haven’t completely heard about it but when I was at the mall (for the live voting), there were posters which said ‘Record break on Twitter’ so mujhe thoda andaza toh ho chuka tha. There were people who came and told me that they are watching the show only for two people — Salmanji and me. Then, there were people who came and asked me not to trust Puneesh (Sharma). The craze was overwhelming. But staying in that house is no joke. It was a horrible experience because of the conditions that we are put in. I’m happy I won because of my willpower but it’s crazy inside.

How have you changed post Bigg Boss?
Whatever I have gone through outside, it helped me to withstand whatever happened to me inside the house. Otherwise, I would have gone mad. It gave me the power and energy to face difficult people. Logon se zyada bhayankar kuch nahi hai life mein. From the first day, people started calling me aggressive.

It’s between Vikas (Gupta) and me and it’s up to me how I’m handling it. So my whole experience has helped me understand how to deal with everyone better.

You and Vikas had your share of nok-jhonk. Would you be friends with him?
We never became friends inside the show. In the whole incident that happened to me (referring to her decision to quit Bhabi ji Ghar Par Hai), Vikas was the root cause. He just disappeared and whenever I would take his name in the media, it would be beeped. I got to know on the day of Bigg Boss’ premiere that he was also coming on the show. I knew that iske peechhe zaroor koi raaz hai. Because aaj tak, no producer has come inside the house. So I took it as my chance to take revenge and maine haste haste apna badla liya.

But what’s the status between you two now?
Abhi, it’s okay. Khatas mit gayi! By heart, he’s not a bad person and you can see that when you watch him on this show. But when you are at a particular position, everyone wants to dictate terms to you. I had told him that he got the wrong picture of me and he should have given me a little more time. I was asked to do Code Red, which I had refused because I didn’t want to juggle two shows. When he knew all this, he shouldn’t have reacted. Nobody knows exactly how things happened but I know that he was the main culprit.

But he wants to work with you...
Yes, I’ve promised that I will work with him and I will maintain that. I told him clearly that I won’t do a daily soap ever again. So he has offered me a web series and I’ll do it. Story bhi suna chuke hain woh mujhe! He’s like now, ‘I’ve told you, bahar jaake palto mat’(laughs). So, I’ll definitely do it. But I don’t have the capacity to do any daily soaps.

Do you look forward to doing more reality shows then?
As a TV contestant or celebrity, I would not participate in any reality show. I don’t have the stature to be a judge yet, so obviously, I can’t take up that role either. But I want to host TV shows. I’m very interested in that.

And there are talks of a film as well...
Yes, you are right. There are one or two offers. I was supposed to start in November-December but I participated in Bigg Boss without informing the makers. So now, I don’t know what’s the scenario. But there were a couple of films, so let’s see.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 25, 2017)

After months of raising hell in the Bigg Boss 11 house with her outspokenness, Arshi Khan has become the latest evictee and says she wasn’t prepared for it. “After coming out, I discovered that the audience feels 90% of the season ran because of me, with Aakash (Dadlani) and Puneesh (Sharma) being the least popular. If people liked me so much, how did I get less votes? Even the housemates were quite sure I would not go,” she tells Mirror.

Arshi first raised hackles among fellow housemates when she called TV actress Shilpa Shinde ‘maa’ and later fought with her. She even accused Shilpa of misbehaving with her father when he had entered the house as a guest. “Shilpa and I had always been close which is why I started addressing her as maa but she is very possessive, which is not right. I tried to lend support to Hina (Khan) when she was lonely and that’s when my relationship with Shilpa deteriorated. She was forcing me to choose between Hina and her and she got angry quickly,” Arshi explains.

When prodded on her flirtatious behavior with Hiten Tejwani, which had grabbed eyeballs, she says, “I had a great rapport with Hiten as well as Vikas (Gupta). The three of us would have fun and also discuss our issues. Bigg Boss gave me the opportunity to send Vikas to the semi finale that is as good as winning for me,” she contends, adding, “Hina is fake, she wants everyone to listen to her but she refuses to listen to others. Shilpa is fake in another sense. I would cook in the house but she made it seem like she did everything,” Arshi grouses, adding, “I regret being out while people who aren’t providing any content continue to stay on. Puneesh is not playing the game. Neither are Luv Tyagi and Priyank (Sharma). It’s really insulting that I got out before them.” Up next, Arshi has big plans for the future. “I want to work with Salman Khan. I would also like to meet former BB contestants Kamya Punjabi and Gauahar Khan,” she signs off.

Latest reality show evictee Hiten Tejwani on returning with dignity and deflecting a fellow inmate’s advances
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2017)

TV actor Hiten Tejwani has become the latest inmate to be cast out of the Bigg Boss house. “I’m still disoriented. It will take me a couple of days to get back to my routine as my body-clock is still set to Bigg Boss time. I didn’t expect to be out but it’s happened so I have to accept it. The housemates were given a choice to save either Priyank (Sharma) or me and they picked him. The game has become so dirty that people want to strike off strong contenders. I respected everybody and didn’t indulge in back-biting so I expected them to root for me me but they felt threatened by me so they wanted me out. Priyank is not a threat to them,” Hiten reasons.

While the actor, who is married to former co-star Gauri Pradhan, kept a relatively low-profile, his stint on the reality show was punctuated by fellow inmate Arshi Khan’s advances. “It irritated me initially and I would tell her that there were other boys in the house for her to target, to which she said that she wanted a man, not a boy. She was very funny but she never crossed the line. She was always supportive and extremely loyal,” Hiten says, adding that he wants Vikas Gupta, Shilpa Shinde or Arshi to win.

While many believe that he didn’t add much masala to the show, the actor is far from disgruntled. “I am happy that I didn’t have to change my personality. My dignity is intact,” he contends, adding that having his wife and kids visit him on the show were among the most memorable moments. He is also all praise for host Salman Khan, “He is the real Bigg Boss.”

Hiten and family will ring in the New Year in Mumbai but are planning a holiday later. “I wouldn’t mind doing Khatron Ke Khiladi next,” Hiten signs off.

File photo of TV actress Ridhi Dogra with director Waseem Sabir

Waseem Sabir, director of popular television shows 'Veera' and 'Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon' dies after falling backwards, injuring skull at home. TV industry mourns his death
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; January 4, 2017)

Close on the heels of film producer Abis Rizvi's death in the Istanbul terror attacks on New Year's Eve, popular TV director Waseem Sabir passed away at his residence on Monday. Sabir, who was in is mid 30s, reportedly fell backwards and injured his head while tugging at a jammed drawer in an attempt to clean it. He was taken to hospital, but succumbed following internal bleeding.

Sabir helmed popular shows including the Barun Sobti and Sanaya Irani-starrer 'Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon', 'Veera', 'Tamanna' and 'Ganga'. His untimely death sent shockwaves across the television industry. Producer Yash Patnaik ('Kuch Rang Pyaar Ke Aise Bhi') says, "I was with him at the Lilavati hospital. I can't believe that Waseem is not around. He had such a great career ahead of him. He was a fine director and a wonderful human being. The way he understood the characters and story was exceptional."

Ridhi Dogra, who had worked with him on three shows, including her debut program, says, "He was the only person I could turn to for guidance. My husband, Raqesh Vashisht, and I feel a deep sense of emptiness; he was the first to know of our relationship and wanted us to marry soon."

Several television folk took to Twitter to express shock

Karan Wahi: Will miss you Waseem bhai…so much to tell u ... RIP bhai ..till we meet again.

Gautam Rode: Mera bhai meri jaan RIP. Tu jahan bhi rahe khush rahe.. will always love u mere bhai..Kahin naa kahin zaroor milenge.

Hiten Tejwani: U will be missed brother... shocking ..Waseem.. may your soul rest in peace.