Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; July 25, 2017)

The last time I met Amy Jackson a few months ago, she was shooting with Salman Khan for Being Human’s apparel range. To my surprise, she remembered that when we caught up over coffee for this interview. Over the next 30 minutes, the actress talked candidly about her upcoming films — 2.0, The Villain and Boogieman, her idea of success, and life as an actress. Read on...

Many Indian actors complain of racism in the West. Have you ever faced it here in India?
This is a problem globally and it’s not just about actors working in different countries. It’s just a general thing. I feel very fortunate that way. I get trolled on Twitter but that comes with the territory. But again, it’s not just happening to actors only.

Do you still face rejection?
A 100 per cent! When you go for castings and meetings, that is a possibility. When I would go for modelling castings and I would not get a call back, I used to take it very personally because I was 15 at the time and my hopes were high. I think my mom used to take it even more personally than I would. But this industry actually gives you a thick skin. As much as it’s good for life skills and life training, you also get to know your worth, and be happy with yourself. For the last 12 months, I have only grown as a person. Rejection is something you have to accept in life and it’s important to say that it’s not personal.

Has your perception about success and failure changed over the years?
Definitely! Success isn’t according to other people. It’s about how you feel. Obviously, I want to be happy and have a great career. I have goals. But in your personal life, to be happy is just as important.

How do you deal with failures now?
I deal with failures much better now, obviously. I do think about them, but I don’t dwell on it. Criticism is somebody else’s opinion and they are entitled to it. But it’s very hard to accept. That comes with growth and confidence. I just want to be better at my work next time.

Do you not get interesting Hindi film offers?
The problem is, all of last year, I had been shooting for 2.0. Shankar is really strict about his dates. Believe me, I missed out on a huge film when I was shooting for I. Unfortunately, that’s the price you pay for working with someone of that stature. I am working with Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar and you can’t change your dates. Last year, 2.0 was my priority. I’m waiting for the next big thing in Bollywood.

What kind of films are you looking at from here onwards?
I would like to keep it very varied. It’s so easy for me to get typecast. I tried to stay away from that. In the south industry, I could stay away from that, I have done a bit of everything. Freaky Ali was great because I wanted to work with someone of that calibre. Singh is Bliing made me realise I can do action. Now that I have done it, I want to continue doing that and have that as my niche because I enjoy it and it turned out well.

Have you been inspired by Akshay to do a stunt scenes in The Villain. Your director Prem had a stunt double ready, but you did it yourself...
I shot that a few weeks ago. We were in Bangkok and I felt confident about doing the action scenes. I love doing it. My job doesn’t feel like work anyway. But when I have to learn the language, it’s a lot of effort and hard work, but action comes naturally to me. For Singh is Bliing, too, they had this lady who had come from Bangkok as my stunt double. We didn’t use her, we didn’t need to. So, they had another girl in Bangkok. We didn’t need to use her either. I was like, ‘No, I’ll do it’. (Smiles)

Do you think the industry is opening up to the idea of having a female action hero?
I would like to think so. There are more female-oriented scripts and I think the actresses are more demanding. With the likes of Deepika Padukone or Priyanka Chopra, who are strong women and won’t tolerate anything less. The rest of the industry expects that too. Open-minded directors and writers are getting inspiration from the talent in the industry.

How much does screen time matter to you?
The role matters. I want to be remembered, not get lost in the crowd. I don’t think about screen time, but about the impact it can have. In his first film, Brad Pitt’s had a legit five minute cameo on a horse. From there, he went on to become a superstar. That’s what’s important — what you come across to the audience as. You can be there for two minutes or two hours, but if you are boring and have a rubbish role, people won’t like you.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; July 18, 2017)

Amy Jackson and Rajinikanth might just beat what Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif did for Dhoom 3. Their song Malang took 10 days to finish, while the average time taken to finish a song is three to six days. Now, Shankar is set to break that record with a big song-and-dance sequence for his Robot sequel.

Amy confirms, “We have completed the shoot for 2.0. Only a song is left. Rajini and I are going to shoot for a 12-day song schedule next month. We are not travelling for the song, it will be indoors. There will be a huge set erected for the same, much like Shankar’s style.”

“AR Rahman is composing the song, as we speak,” Amy adds. Giving us a little sneak peek into the number, Amy reveals, “It’s a song, with a lot of dancing and romance. It has a bit of both, but it’s going to be a dance track.”

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajinikanth had grooved to Naina Mile in the first instalment. Ask her about comparisons and she says she “has been warned”. She adds, “Apart from the 12-day song shoot, I have been told to block at least 10 days for rehearsals. Shankar works like that, so for the song you have to block the whole month. But then, the results are always fabulous. From past experiences on I (Shankar’s film), the song Ennodu Nee Irundhal, took us 14 days to film. Bosco choreographed it and I think he’s doing it again for 2.0.”

A lot of money will be spent just to film the song. The Malang song was shot at a budget of approx Rs 5 crore. The song in 2.0 will be bigger as the film’s budget is Rs 400 crore.

Upen Patel quashes rumours of trouble in his relationship with Karishma Tanna
Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; November 24, 2015)

Actress Amy Jackson just cannot do without tucking into Indian food even when back home in England
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; June 14, 2015)

UK import Amy Jackson feels she can now dig into any Indian fare beyond the British obsession of chicken tikka masala and curry. The actress is currently shooting for Prabhu Dheva’s Singh Is Bliing which has Akshay Kumar as her co-star. A beauty pageant winner, the youngster was noticed by a Tamil filmmaker. After doing South flicks, she was seen in Ekk Deewana Tha (2012) — her Bollywood debut. Earlier this year, she was seen in the Tamil thriller I with South star Vikram. Amy, who now considers India as her second home, reveals her culinary habits...

Dessert island
I’m a big foodie and I like to experiment when it comes to food. I do follow a balanced diet, but if I could get away with it, I would have desserts — morning, noon and night. To ensure that I don’t binge on naughty treats by completely cutting them out of my diet, I allow myself something sweet each day, be it a chocolate bar, ice cream or a slice of cake. I am a chocoholic and can polish off anything and everything that has chocolate within minutes.

Daily plate
I like to start my day with a big breakfast. As soon as I wake up, I have a cup of warm water and lemon followed by an ABC (apple beetroot and carrot) juice. I then have a bowl of porridge with honey or Bircher muesli. This muesli is named after a Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner, who developed it for patients to get fruits in their diet. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and Bircher muesli is perfect as it is loaded with apple pieces and pomegranates. This is followed by a portion of eggs for protein intake. For lunch, I tend to go for something light like a chicken salad and a fruit juice. I also include some quinoa or a baked sweet potato for extra energy. I wrap up my evening meal, preferably by around 8 pm. I stay clear of carbs and stick to stuff like grilled fish/chicken, seaweed salad and greens. Lastly, I finish the day with something sweet which has to be chocolatey. I look forward to it the entire day.


Amy Jackson tucks into grilled chicken and seaweed salad
On the set
While on shoot, it is unit food or specially ordered tiffin — or a mixture of both. The tiffin usually has grilled fish/chicken and sautéed vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, beans and carrots. This ensures that I get all the goodness and energy I need while shooting. When we are filming in different parts of the country, I do enjoy the local specialities. While shooting in Patiala for Singh is Bliing, we would always finish our food with gur parathas which I found to be delicious. For my South film I, we had to shoot extensively in the Hunan province of China, but eating Chinese fare there was a different experience — the local cuisine was hot with lots of chilli peppers.

Hot and spicy
When I first came to India, I was not at all used to the spices, but now I even cook spicy Indian dishes. My favourites include butter chicken, Kerala-style vegetable stew and mutton biryani. As I have shot for several South films and have spent substantial amount of time in Chennai, I am familiar with their local fare. From the creamy curd rice to payasams, I have familiarised myself with their cuisine.

Liverpool league
Back home in Liverpool, I love my mom’s homemade meat pie and gravy. On Sundays, we always have a roast dinner which consists of meat with lots of potatoes. We have a traditional dish called scouse, which is basically a meat stew with potatoes, carrots, onion and spices. We eat this with bread slices. My grandmother had her own version and it was considered her signature dish. Another known dish of Liverpool is Bubble and Squeak. It is made with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, broad beans and sprouts. It is served with cold meat from the roast. We eat a lot of stews, pies, sausages and of course the well known Yorkshire pudding. In London, I usually dine out and catch up with friends. My favourite food is sushi so the best restaurants for me in London for Japanese fare are Koya and Nozomi.

Cook nook
Being away from home has forced me to enter the kitchen. I enjoy cooking now. I like simple, healthy dishes with lots of colour, so when I cook, I usually make a tuna steak, sweet potato mash and some Mediterranean veggies. When I feel lazy or want to get out of the house, there are so many choices for dining out in Bandra. My favourite restaurant is Hakkasan and just for a casual bite I like Pali Village Cafe and Eat Around The Corner.

Fit and fine
I believe that you should find something you enjoy doing to keep you fit or you’ll end up dreading your workout and slack. Early morning runs on Juhu beach are the best bet for me. I love horse riding and that too goes a long way in keeping myself in shape. I also enjoy doing yoga. When I need to shed some weight, cardio is the main port of call for me.

Silky pudding
Amy considers herself a chocoholic. If there is no chocolate in the dessert, it ain’t no dessert, says Amy. For her, there is nothing like pudding to end a meal on a sweet note. Though there are various ways of making chocolate pudding, Amy prefers the simple, old pudding without the trappings of cream and vanilla swirls or with crushed chocolate as topping.

INGREDIENTS
>> 2 1/2 cups milk
>> 1/3 cup sugar
>> 3 tablespoons cornflour
>> 1/4 teaspoon salt
>> 2 egg yolks
>> 2 teaspoons butter
>> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
>> 10 tablespoons chopped chocolate

METHOD
Place two cups of milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Mix sugar, cornflour and salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine the remaining milk and egg yolks and whisk well. Add this to the sugar mixture and mix well. Gradually add half of the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture. Stir constantly with a whisk. Return the milk mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla and stir in the chocolate until its melts.
Pour into a bowl and when it cools, cover the surface of the bowl with a plastic wrap, and keep in fridge. Serve chilled.

Did you know?
Ketchup was used as a medicine in the 1800s to treat diarrhea, among other things

AN ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2015

The first quarter of the year is about to get over and have been pretty okay. The first quarter of 2014 had delivered hits in the form of Queen and Ragini MMS 2 and also a 100-crore grosser – Jai Ho. However, 2015’s first quarter has been poor. Films that were expected to fetch good numbers like Alone, I, Dolly Ki Doli, Shamitabh, Khamoshiyan, Roy etc turned out to be huge flops. What surprised many was how some of the films were made on an insanely huge budget. Hawaizaada and Shamitabh turned out to be disasters thanks to the costs involved. Both these films hardly attracted viewers and got entry into the list of ‘biggest disasters of recent times’. Roy opened well and might have recovered going by the opening weekend numbers. Sadly, the content was outright disappointing. It started dropping from Day 4 heavily, that left many shocked.

Thankfully, few films made a mark commercially. Baby opened on an average note but held up very, very well. Badlapur attracted people despite the violent theme. Same goes for NH10. Dum Laga Ke Haisha had a very poor opening. But it was a fabulous film and hence sustained beautifully, even during weekdays.

However, a big commercial hit is missing in the first quarter. The industry has suffered many such setbacks previously but sadly, lessons are never learnt. And everyone has to make an effort. The makers on their part should make films on reasonable costs (which is very much possible). This also includes not overspending on publicity. For instance, NH10 was made in 3-4 crores and almost 8-9 crores were spent on publicity. It is said that the film would have opened with similar numbers if the makers had spent even half the amount on publicity. Hence, correct and impactful marketing is the key. Just by going all out is not a guarantee that people will throng to see the film. And more important than the cost is the fact that makers should invest in good scripts. The success of NH10 and Dum Laga Ke Haisha has proved how people are ready to see different subjects. The multiplex wallahs on their post should bring costs down on an immediate basis. It’s shocking to see tickets priced at 300-400 bucks during weekends, for all kinds of films! Theatre owners should realize that they are bound to lose a chunk of audience by having such inflated ticket rates. Thirdly, the audience should be smart as well. There are times when genuine efforts go unnoticed just because those films weren’t ‘typical entertainers’. Audiences should realize that they should invest their hard-earned films on good films, whether or not it’s entertaining in the conventional manner.

However, there’s a lot to cheer. The next quarter promises some fabulous films like Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, Dharam Sankat Mein, Mr X, Gabbar Is Back, Piku, Mastizaade, Welcome Back, Bombay Velvet, Dil Dhadakne Do, Hamari Adhuri Kahani etc. Hope good times are here and they are here to stay!

Eepsita Guha (BOMBAY TIMES; January 13, 2015)

This is what AR Rahman told Italian-Canadian singer Natalie Di Luccio before recording their first Tamil opera
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 27, 2014)

Italian-Canadian singer Natalie Di Luccio has recently sung an opera number for director Shankar's upcoming Tamil film I. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that this is the first time Grammy-winning composer A R Rahman is dabbling in the genre.

Titled Aila Aila, the song mixes opera with pop, and classical music.

The 24-year old singer, who has also sung the Hindi and Telugu version of the song, calls this her toughest project till date. "This was the first time I sang an opera in Tamil. I didn't understand the lyrics at all. And I had to sing for minimum lengths of 10-15 seconds. Three different lyricists penned down the words for the versions and their job seemed tougher than mine as they were trying to keep the lyrics as easy to pronounce as possible," says Natalie.

When asked what it was like to work with Rahman, she says, "'Sing like you are on Broadway', that is what he told me and then he let me improvise."

The singer first came to India in 2009, after her recording of Sonu Nigam's Maha Ganesha went viral. And once she recorded a tribute to Michael Jackson with Nigam, offers started trickling in from B'town.

After recording this song, it seems A R Rahman has taken a keen fondness for her voice and the singer can be seen accompanying the maestro to most of his concerts. "We sang Aila for the first time together at a concert in Chennai last week. Generally, Rahman leaves immediately after his performance is over. But this time since it was his first experimental opera number and the concert was his hometown and he waited for a group hug," she quips.

The Tamil song has already become a hit number in the South and the Hindi and Telugu versions will be released on New Year's Eve.

Natalie will next be seen in three music videos by Canadian songwriter and music producer Matthew Tishler. Shooting for the same will begin next month in Rajasthan.

Natalie has also recorded another number with Rahman for a big Bollywood film, but the singer refuses to divulge the details. "I cannot reveal anything about the song. Only that we have finished recording the song and it will be released in Tamil and Telugu as well."

Gladwin Emmanuel (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 17, 2014)

There were no fireworks when the Terminator met the Thalaivar recently. Instead Rajinikanth and Arnold Schwarznegger sat close to each other, barely exchanging a word, at the audio launch for the Tamil film I, as a packed stadium watched on in Chennai.

The audio launch of the Vikram-Amy Jackson starrer, which took place on Monday night, was late by many hours. And the Hollywood actor-turned politician, who was the chief guest, addressed the gathering and left the venue well before the launch.

Director Shankar, who turned up well after Rajinikanth, was seated next to Schwarznegger and not the Tamil superstar. And buzz is, Rajini was upset by this. What made matters worse is that the American star did not mention his Tamil counterpart in his speech and Rajinikanth too did not address him.