What does it mean to be white and desi? Late actor Tom Alter's YouTuber son, who is also an established sports journalist, breaks it down one video at a time
Jane Borges (MID-DAY; April 5, 2020)

A Hindi-speaking, white man is an anomaly. The last person, we remember, who made it look so easy on stage and screen, was late actor Tom Alter. It was then but natural that when the co-writers of the mini-series Afsos, which released on Amazon Prime in February, were looking at casting a white man for the role of Dr Goldfish, whose grasp over Hindi is a defining twist in the plot, they would be reminded of the veteran. "After searching a lot, when we did not get anything [a person who fit the bill], we thought Tom Alter would have been great for this role," Sourav Ghosh, who has co-written the Gulshan Devaiah-starrer mini-series, had later shared. "We decided to check if Tom Alter has any family." A Google search led them to his son Jamie Alter, who not known to many, had enjoyed a popular stint as funnyman Tinku Jiya, an anchor on a news satire show, Fake It India.

"Namaskar doston, main hoon apne ghar waalo ka lalla aur aapke jigar ka challa, Tinku Jiya," the opening lines, which Jamie rattled effortlessly on his show, won the writers over. "It was extremely overwhelming. Someone had seen me in a role that I had never envisioned myself in. But it had come at a perfect time," says Jamie, 39, over the phone from Noida.

Jamie, unlike most children who grew up in homes where acting was bread and butter, never took a shine to it. His father, lived two lives every day, he says. "It used to be surreal to see him at home, as this man, who drinks tea, eats mangoes and toast, watches cricket and plays games with us. And then, as soon as he was out, he'd put a wig on, wear a white suit, and hold a machine gun."

"I actually had a great time, joining dad on the outdoor shoots, visiting him on set and attending those movie premieres and screenings. But, as I hit my teenage years, I grappled with whether I should be doing what my father was doing, or try something different." Jamie found his passion in sports journalism, and continued at it for nearly 15 years, while his father, followed his success from the side-lines. "Dad, I think, was happier that I got into journalism. It was something he did, too. In fact, he had been associated with mid-day, ever since the newspaper launched, and balanced a lot of sports writing with his acting in the 1980s and early '90s."

Even until the last few months before he passed away in September 2017, Jamie remembers his father taking a keen interest in his writing. "Once, when he was to come to Delhi for work, he called, saying, 'I don't have the time to read online, but will you get me the print-outs of all your articles when we meet.' He was so happy the first time, I interviewed Rahul Dravid."

Jamie's stint as Tinku Jiya—the name has been lifted from a Bollywood music number—came about in 2017, when he was a digital sports editor with a newspaper. "During one of our very dull, daily edit meetings, my colleague Neeraj Badhwar, a humourist, suddenly had a brainwave and asked if I would play a character that he had in mind, for his show. He told me, 'You are the white guy, speaking in Hindi. It's disruptive as an idea. People are going to catch on, and love the show." As Badhwar predicted, Tinku Jiya really took off. Alter, who happened to see just two shows that featured his son, was impressed. "He said this [my character] was real fun, and that I should keep doing it. Dad was always so encouraging and supportive. I still remember the number of actors who'd show up at our house, requesting five minutes of dad's time… he'd give them five hours."

Tinku Jiya took a break, after Jamie switched jobs. But the demand from his followers continued. "I went back to Neeraj, after I started freelancing last year, and we revived the character," he says.

Last year, Jamie started his own YouTube channel, which currently has 85.2K subscribers. Here, he shares videos that include everything from comedy sketches, to cricket discussions, stories of his father, and his white identity. "There are a lot of misconceptions around my identity. I have also been asked if I am an albino. Some think my father was British or that he came here as a hippie. That was not the case at all."

Alter was the son of American missionaries. His grandfather moved to India in the early 1900s. "I attempt to answer those questions through these videos," he says. "I also enjoy humour. I did an episode on what it means to be travelling abroad with an Indian passport, and being white. That got me seven lakh views."

For now, Jamie is enjoying this phase, where he is trying just about everything that's coming his way. But, he says, when it comes to acting, the legacy his father left behind, will be unmatched. Some of his fondest memories are of watching him in the Doordarshan show, Jugalbandi, which also featured Radha Seth and Girish Karnad. He even tweeted to DD National last week, asking if they would consider a re-run of the show, during the national lockdown. "As actor, I don't have the drive that my father did. It is humbling that people have such nice things to say about my work. But, we both did very different things. I make YouTube videos, and dad was a great stage actor. Afsos, which is possibly my only body of acting work, literally fell onto my lap. Nothing came easily for dad. He worked very hard for it."

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; June 23, 2016)


Says a source, “Amar Butala, who’s heading SKF, has been in constant touch with Fawad and it’s true that the two have finally decided to work together. But it’s not for Jugalbandi. Fawad has greenlit Filmistaan director Nitin Kakkar’s next film instead.”

Fawad, who established himself more firmly in Bollywood, post his much-appreciated performance in Kapoor & Sons, will start working on the project soon. Says our source, “Fawad was to replace Saif in Jugalbandi, so now they are still on the lookout for an actor to step into that role. Meanwhile, Anil Kapoor and Jacqueline are in the film. Once the third actor is finalised, the announcement will be made.”

As of now, SKF’s immediate next venture is the Kabir Khan directorial Tubelight starring Salman and Sohail. Only after that, will the makers decide which one to start next — Nitin Kakkar’s next or Jugalbandi!

Anil Kapoor on his commitment to television as a medium, the possibility of a film spinoff of 24 and the show’s second season
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; June 1, 2016)


Tell me about Season 2.
I am very excited. I am looking forward to the second season. We are at this stage where we got huge critical acclaim for the first season and we built a fan base. Hopefully, the TRPs will be better than the first season. We have an interesting mix — film, television and theatre stars, all of who have a huge fan following. Like there is Sakshi Tanwar, who is playing a very important role in the show, and Surveen Chawla. Yes, Surveen has a huge fan base and Sakshi is playing something completely opposite to what she has played in all the other shows. She plays the ATU Chief, which is a very strong role with lot of layers and in my absence, she runs the cell. There is Neil Bhoopalam. After he got great acclaim in the first season and in NH10. And Sikander Kher, who is going to be the surprise package of the show.

Why was there was such a big gap between the two seasons?
That was because I got busy with Dil Dhadakne Do and Welcome Back. Also, the three producers — Viacom 18, 20th Century Fox and my Company Anil Kapoor Productions — had so much trust in each other that we finished the first season without actually signing the long agreement. This time I said, “Yeh first season toh kar diya, but now let’s get it on paper.’ So, trying to finish these films and contract took a lot of time; that is the reason for the long gap. But I think the pace and the fan following of the first season — whatever it was — is strong, solid and alive. And I saw to it that I kept it alive. I saw to it that it wasn’t diluted, so wherever I went, I spoke about 24. I want it to succeed, so I am putting all my force — all my emotional and physical effort and everything in my capacity, to see to it that it works. The show gives so much employment to actors and technicians. Today, on 24, there are a minimum of 200 people employed who don’t have to worry about their families being looked after for one year. It’s not like films, where you do a film and then wait for the next one, so there is a gap in between. I am happier that this show is giving so many job opportunities to so many people.

This character, Jai Singh Rathore, has become so popular. Do you see yourself taking it to the screen?
That’s the first thing I really wanted when I spoke to them. In my contract, I got everything... It will be a great character on the big screen, and I’m still pursuing it, but legally, I still don’t have the rights.

The original makers had also planned to make the 24 film.
They planned to make it, but they have not yet succeeded. With my relationships with them, one day, I’ll be able to convince them. That will be phenomenal because it’s really a fantastic character. In fact, my name on my Twitter page has been Jai Singh Rathore for a year now. Because I’ve not done anything, but 24 for that time. I have committed and devoted myself to this show as an actor and producer. I want to lead by example. I don’t see television as a cash cow. I don’t look down upon it. For me, television, today, is something I am totally committed to.

Did you have anything to do with Arjun doing Khatron Ke Khiladi?
No, I didn’t. But Raj (Nayak) said that because of my association with him, he felt like Arjun was family, and he felt comfortable approaching him to host the show. Raj has a good relationship with me and Boney also... Somewhere, I feel it was a very brave decision for Arjun to take up a TV show.

Yes, although Big B, Aamir, SRK and Salman have been on TV, the Gen Next have not yet explored that world yet.
I think that today’s times are such that any content you get excited about — and it might be any platform, you have to do it. That’s why I am really looking forward to doing something on digital. I am talking to a lot of people, but I’m not yet really sure what it is going to be. So I think it’s very cool for Arjun to do television. Maybe the next time you meet me, I will be telling you about what I am doing on the digital platform.

Do you see yourself doing as many shows as the international one?
They did nine seasons. I was there in the eighth season. I think we can do even more. (Smiles) Now, it depends on the people who are backing it to believe in it as much as I do. But I feel every show has its own destiny and if you believe in it and if you put your heart and soul into it...why nine seasons, it might go on for even more.

We haven’t seen you in any international film for a long time. Have you decided to concentrate on your films here and your shows?
I have been offered some interesting films, but they are not as exciting as I want them to be. There were certain films — for example, this year, I was supposed to be in Cannes to announce that film — and then I had to make a choice to be there because I was committed to this film, which I can’t tell you about now. Then there is Jugalbandi and 24. It was coming in between 24 and Salman’s film. Then I weighed the pros and cons, I said the role is good, but not great enough for me to sacrifice so many exciting things happening over here and so I just passed it up. I feel I have done three things and they have been hugely successful. I have done 24, Slumdog Millionaire and Mission Impossible. So that equity is there with me, I can cash it whenever I want to cash it.

So you have been nixing offers?
I just want to cash in at the right time and I want to take a step ahead, not backwards. In teeno ke baad fourth cheez bhi jo main karunga has to be either bigger or better. So I would rather... because for them I am not a hero, I am a leading man, I am a character actor and I feel I have 15 more years to choose the right film. I’ll wait, everybody knows me and I have my agents and I am doing a lot of business, I have put my energies into the business part and the entrepreneur in me. So, why not wait for the best?

What’s happening to Modern Family?
So, after 24, which I am working on, these are the two formats: Modern Family and Prison Break. So, if these three formats work, I don’t have to look anywhere all my life. Even one life won’t be enough. My children will have to take all these franchises forward and I know they will. All of them are very creative. There is so much available to me. I want my company to be a boutique one. I don’t want to go into mass production. Nobody is really there to, you know, want you to go slow and steady and do one thing at a time.

Upala KBR (DNA; May 17, 2016)

While heroes of the 50-plus brigade are doing two-three films a year, Saif Ali Khan is working like Gen Next is: one film a year. He did Humshakals in 2014, Phantom in 2015, and this year, it will be Rangoon.

Saif is quickly gaining a reputation of walking out of films, rather than signing them. The latest being, that he is no longer part of Salman Khan Films’ Jugalbandi, directed by Sameer Sharma (of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurrana fame) and that Fawad Khan has stepped into that role.

Saif was to play the part of a young man from the music industry based in London while Anil Kapoor plays a senior music teacher, who become friends after the titular jugalbandi. They later have a fallout due to ego hassles.

Fawad is a former musician and so, the role suits him better. Also, he made his Bollywood entry with Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat and is now set to work with her father in this film.

Now, the big question is whether Saif will return the signing amount of Rs 1.5 crore he got from SKF. When an actor leaves projects, or if a film is shelved, the signing amount is usually returned. Or the amount is adjusted in another film. It remains to be seen what happens here.

The battered and exhausted star reflects candidly on the perils of his enduring stardom, and the newest, 'incredibly haraami' Prem
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2015)


Salman Khan walks with a slight limp around Bandra's Mehboob Studio, where he is currently undergoing intense physical training for his role as a wrestler in his next Eid release. His slouched shoulders and puffy eyes give away the fact that this is probably the most exhausted anyone has ever seen him.

"I have been getting beaten and kicked around all day and it has messed up my back," he tells Mirror in between sips of his diet coke. The road to actualising his character in the sports drama is decidedly a tough one. "We're getting into contact sport now. I wish I was more disciplined before. My problem is that I keep putting off things and then, at the last moment, I have to push myself harder," he sighs.

Settling down on a chair surrounded by four mosquito-repellent coils, Salman is understandably relieved to report that the day's work is done and he is looking forward to going home to his parents and his dog. "My father stays up late and I live nearby," he says matter-of-factly.

When asked about his comeback as Sooraj Barjatya's Prem in Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo (PRDP) - his last outing was in the director's 1999 family drama Hum Saath Saath Hai - Salman quips that Sooraj is the real Prem. "But there's a lot of Salman in Prem as well. Sooraj writes what he feels like writing and then he looks at me and writes some more. Sooraj and Salman made Prem and Prem has made Sooraj and Salman," the actor points out.

And while there is inevitable buzz surrounding his Diwali release, with his legions of fans lapping up the film's title track and recreating it with their own Dubsmash versions for social media, Salman remains rather unfazed by all the promotional hysteria. According to him, it's only "cool and cute" when the kids do it.

"For me, the lines I mouth on screen are not signature dialogues. They're just normal, situational lines that catch on. I say 'Swagat nahi karoge aap humara...' and people clap. I don't know why," he smiles, adding, "I toh forget the lines after delivering them. Lately, everyone's been asking me to repeat a particular dialogue from PRDP and this one time, I said it completely wrong," he guffaws.

For all his jokes, delivered in his inimitable Bhai style, Salman believes that the film will change everyone who watches it. "Boys will rethink their whole attitude towards their girlfriends. But Prem is incredibly haraami this time. I remember wondering while shooting for the film, 'Sooraj Barjatya ki film main yeh aise waise dialogues kahaan se aa gaye?'" he laughs.

The Kick star, who reunites with Sonam Kapoor after featuring in her 2007 debut Saawariya, says that the actress's fashionista image is completely different from what she is off the camera. "All that dressing up, that's not her at all. She's a really simple girl. She started off by grooming herself and that became a trend. Every woman likes to dress up well and I know that. But after pack up, Sonam is a complete jhalli... dheele dhaale kapde and completely at ease," Salman reveals, who is all praises for his on-screen sister Swara Bhaskar because, "all sisters are sweet," he says, moving on to another PRDP co-star, Neil Nitin Mukesh. "Neil is a total stud. I made him do all sorts of things while shooting for the film. We recorded videos of him singing in Sanjeev Kumar's voice too," he chuckles.

Notorious for his snappy oneliners in interviews and his perennial love-hate relationship with the media, Salman's occasional candour feels like a breath of fresh air. Especially when he confides that he'd rather just sit at home and tweet about "rats and ants and the little timepass things" and not make a big deal of having 14 million followers on Twitter.

But wouldn't it come in handy to clear the air surrounding his rumoured nuptials with Romanian beauty Lulia Vantur? The star takes a deep breath, stares into the distance and braces himself to deliver a lengthy explanation.

"There is a lot of buzz about a lot of things about me, which is never true. Yes, I read what is written, hear what is said, and my right answer to your question would be that I am indifferent to all of it. The small things don't bother me at all, but they bother my parents. And THAT really bothers me," he says, continuing, "If they didn't care about all this nautanki giri, if the judges and public prosecutors laughed off everything that's written about me, it wouldn't bother me at all. Sahi jawaab na?" he smirks.

"I think everyone has their own journey, their own realisation. I deal with my demons and everyone has to deal with theirs," he says.

"All this nautanki leads to fiveyear-long jail terms and I have to go to work with that sword hanging over my head and be Prem, where I am beautiful and pure. But actually I have 50, 000 things on my mind. My mother's not keeping well, my dad undergoes a surgery, it's difficult work my dear," Salman sighs, adding, " The more you deal with your problems without making a big deal of them, the more people point fingers at you and say, "Yeh dekho court cases hai, lekin isko farak hi nahi padta."

It's certainly not easy walking in Salman's shoes. When everything he does invites bad press, he instinctively downplays all the good he does, too. The actor had taken the unit of his last release Bajrangi Bhaijaan, including costar Kareena Kapoor, director Kabir Khan, composer Himesh Reshammiya, to paint the homes, and clean the streets of the Hatluni village in Karjat when the film's schedule had wrapped up, in December, 2014. "There is no beautiful side to this! What difference do old ladies praying for me and youngsters screaming my name make to me?" he asks.

Salman's cynicism extends to box office numbers too. His debut production Hero, that launched Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty, managed to only break even at the box office, but he remains unfazed. "Not every film makes 100-200 crores," the actor reasons, adding that he has had absolutely no time to look at other scripts. "I have no plans of producing more films at the moment. I haven't heard the script of Jugalbandi yet. Right now, I am stuck with my court cases and have not had the time to even read the script of the film I am doing next. Actually, I don't read scripts because I go on my own tangent when I do that. I have them narrated to me instead," he smiles.

Ayushmann Khurrana on his co-star in Sameer Sharma's upcoming directorial `Manmarziyan'
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 23, 2015)

Saif Ali Khan has excused himself from three projects after signing on; he explains why...
Upala KBR (DNA; October 16, 2015)


Last year, he pulled a Bebo on Vikramaditya Motwane’s AK Vs SK and Sujoy Ghosh’s The Devotion of Suspect X. This year he turned his back on Sameer Sharma’s Jugalbandi produced by Salman Khan.

Says a source, "To be fair, Saif is re-evaluating his choices after his last few films didn’t work at the box-office. And none of his films had progressed to shooting stage when he walked out. Right now, Saif is choosing to work with directors he has already worked with like Vishal Bhardwaj for Rangoon. With regards to Jugalbandi, Saif has claimed that he had date issues.”

When quizzed about walking out of the film’s he had committed to, he says, “I haven’t walked out of these films. To say that is being too dramatic! You are offered films, some work out and some you don’t want to do. Sometimes it’s wrong to discuss what other people are doing. For one reason or another, it’s not meant to be.”

When told that he and his wife Kareena had been given the nick of the walkout couple — Saif gets upset, “That’s ridiculous! I think there’s too much talk and a lot of premature announcements are made. Nobody’s walking out of a film. Walking out of a film is when you are all set to go and then you dump the project. Sounds terrible! But nobody does that. I have never done that. I’ve never walked out of a film after I signed it. You come and discuss films, some work out but some don’t. So many films are offered to so many people who reject them but they don’t make the press every time. Wrong people talk sometimes, sometimes people announce prematurely... It’s quite a small industry and word gets out.”

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 22, 2015)


Never really tried
He is associated with the band Parikrama in any case. So, what’s stopping him? He says, “I don’t think I can sing that well. I have never really tried. But who knows? I don’t know if I should right now. It has to fit properly. I haven’t given it too much thought.”

Only when confirmed...
He’s in the news for signing Jugalbandi, a musical. But he’s tightlipped about it. “All kinds of conversations happen in my life as an actor, some of them are really exciting projects. Until they are really long term, signed with the date chart given, I don’t like to talk about it.” Why? “It’s too early to talk about it. Then it will get delayed and then people start talking about it. Until it’s confirmed, there’s no point speaking about it,” he says.

Not playing a musician
While reports suggest that he’s playing a musician in Jugalbandi, Saif dismisses all reports. “I am not playing a music composer in the film. Neither am I a guitar player. I am playing a music agent, if and when it happens,” he reveals.

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; August 19, 2015)

Looks like Saif Ali Khan doesn’t want to go on a film signing spree — his last three releases (Bullett Raja, Humshakals and Happy Ending) failed to work at the box-office and there’s pressure on him to stage a comeback with his upcoming counter-terrorism drama, Phantom.

Industry insiders suggest the actor has turned down two films that were recently offered to him. A source says, “Saif was approached for a Salman Khan production, Jugalbandi, and another film that Vipul Shah is making. He has said no to both since he wants to concentrate just on Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon. He is being choosy and biding his time because his image has taken a bit of a beating with back-to-back flops.”

The actor was not available for comment while a source close to Saif explains, “He loved the concepts of both films and the dates are currently being sorted out. At the moment, he is keen on starting Rangoon.”

Saif Ali Khan opens up about the honour, his court cases, his career mistakes and his 'incredible' wife
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2015)

As Saif Ali Khan steps into the room after a quick shower, you realise he's looking different. Maybe it's his unusual attire — a white kurta tucked into shorts — or maybe, it's the 'agent' haircut. He insists, it's the two-year-old beard. "I'm fed up of it and even shaved it off, but the Phantom makers insisted I grow it back for the promotions. I've also been exercising and dieting," he admits.

There's a mellow air about him which has nothing to do with becoming a nawab. He doesn't take the title seriously and the responsibilities he's undertaken are as a good citizen helping those less fortunate.

"I recall my father (Mansoor Ali Khan Patuadi) saying, after the privy purses were abolished, and it was a relief not to be a nawab anymore. You were expected to look after everyone and there wasn't enough money to do so. Being a royal is interesting only if you are paid huge money, which we aren't. I inherited a nice house and some great cricket photographs, but the money to renovate the house comes from my movies," he asserts, adding that after his death, his children, Sara and Ibrahim, will get lots of money and land, houses and watches. "But it's what I earned, not inherited." There was a time when money was a concern, but today he's settled, financially, and looking forward to moving into a new house, renting out property, investments paying off and living on a certain budget independent of movies. "Now I can work with good directors, build a reputation as a reliable, committed actor and produce something creatively special with an eye on the budget to ensure recovery for the investors. That's something I overlooked with Bullett Raja and Happy Ending. I made money, but also made lots of mistakes which proved costly in the long run. You can't be blamed for the ideas but it's a grievous error to go over budget, somebody has to pay for it," he rues. He's being extra cautious today. Home productions are waiting for a viable idea and a good director and though several announcements have been made lately, including Sujoy Ghosh's The Devotion of Suspect X, Vipul Shah's remake of the Colin Firth thriller Before I Go To Sleep, Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon with Salman Khan's Jugalbandi, Saif insists that they were premature. "Jugalbandi's a nice story and Salman as a producer is a plus, but we're still working things out. Sujoy and I have to decide what to do. Vipul has the rights to a film I really like, but apart from Rangoon, nothing else is signed or rolling. But news leaks out, people do things for various reasons," he sighs.

Rangoon is a role he was offered a few years before and the script has changed much since. "I've done some of my best acting with Vishal and I'm blessed he decided to cast me. At this stage, I hope good directors see some merit in me as an actor," he says.

Bollywood's bad boy at 44, is a responsible man. He points out that he was 19 when he was first written about. "In India, at a certain age, we're prone to excitement, things were a little more wild when I was growing up," he confesses, conceding that his daughter Sara is smarter and more responsible. "Both Ibrahim and Sara are far better behaved than I ever was. This has a lot to do with the way their mother (Amrita Singh) brought them up, which is not to say that my mother didn't bring me up well. But children are like Russian roulette. Having the best behaved mother can be a recipe for a naughty child and I'm living proof of that," he laughs.

There are two cases pending against him. He's hopeful that they'll be resolved soon. "I was pleased when the judge asked us to mediate. I admit it was bad behaviour which I regret," he says, referring to the 2012-assault case. "It shouldn't have happened, I'm sorry, I'll make sure nothing like this happens again."

And the 1998-black buck case? He reasons that court cases go on so long that you've grown up since, "And you feel silly, it's embarrassing."

These cases led to demands that he should be stripped off the Padma Shri title. Saif confides that he feels he doesn't deserve the honour and his first instinct was not to accept it. "My father thought for a second, then told me he didn't think I could say 'no' to the Indian government. I wish I'd followed my instinct," he says. "A Padma Shri isn't hauled up for a fracas in a restaurant or bad behaviour."

Talking about the recent demand to withdraw the honour he agrees that there's dissatisfaction over the decision, a feeling that it was a case of nepotism with the Congress government showering undue love on him. "I plead innocence on these counts but I'm embarrassed to flaunt the Padma Shri. I got a letter from the government that the positives outweigh this negatives. I can argue that despite my family background, I made my way on my own, created an urban, multiplex hero, but that's pathetic. I only accepted the honour when two-three names in the list of recipients caught my eye. I thought if the honour could be given to them, they could give it to me, too," he reasons.

Today, his priority is his upcoming thriller, Phantom, about an expendable agent on a suicidal mission. That its made by Kabir Khan who gave a Rs 200 crore, Ek Tha Tiger, with Salman in the past, makes him confident: "He knows the territory and the audience. He knows the subject and how to commercialise it." But the 26/11 reference can stir up a controversy. "Rather than borrow an idea from somewhere else, we wove a story around something that happened to our city," Saif argues.

His wife, Kareena Kapoor, has just delivered a blockbuster with Kabir, Bajrangi Bhaijaan which made Saif realise that the 'Big Indian Hero', from Dilip Kumar to Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan, is one who is selfless in strife, a smile on his lips, a song in his heart and values that come from the soil. "That's what makes the character attractive and heroic. Salman has always been correct in his choices of films, my characters are more urban and selfish perhaps because of the perception that I'm privileged," he sighs, admitting his wife has been more balanced, juggling mega blockbusters with a offbeat films. "We learn from each other, with me doing more learning right now," he smiles. "Kareena's incredible and phenomenally understanding. She's very easy to live with it." He was really young when he had Sara, wouldn't he want to have a child now that he's more settled? "It's something to look forward to but not anytime soon. Sara jokes that I'll go from being a young, cool dad to an old dad," he guffaws. "I don't think I'll win any father's race now."

Jacqueline Fernandez opens up on the Kick-ed out barb, reveals that Varun Dhawan and she have adopted a monkey
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 5, 2015)


When she was a year old, Jacqueline Fernandez fell in love with Tinkerbell. She was one of the seven dogs, two cats, a turtle and many fishes Jacky grew up with. As a child, she adopted a mouse which she kept inside her doll house till her mother discovered it and ordered her to take her pet outside. Tinkerbell died when Jacky turned 21, and she's missed her first love, ever since.

"Now, Varun (Dhawan) and I are adopting a monkey. We met Coco during the shoot of Rohit Dhawan's Dishoom in Morocco. We're waiting to bring him home as soon as the formalities are completed," says Jacky, who plans to hire an army of servants to look after all the other pets she plans to bring into her home.

The actress was in Morocco for 15 days and returned on Sunday with her new bestie, Varun. "He shares my sense of humour. Last week, he took my phone and started posting random pictures on my Instagram account. When I asked him to stop, he posted a shirtless picture of himself and tagged it, 'My Varun, the best in the world. He's an angel and a voice of reason in troubled times, taught me so much!'" Jacky guffaws.

Buzz is, she's dating Arjun Kapoor. The query is greeted with peals of laughter, "That's absurd and Arjun will agree! I giggle when people hook us up."

She continues to giggle when asked about why Salman Khan said at a function in Dubai that he has Kick-ed her out of the sequel of their action thriller. "I find it funny when people say that we're 'cut off'. Salman would never disrespect me or any woman. Even if he did say that he had Kick-ed me out of Kick 2, it wasn't meant to hurt me. Casting is his decision, he doesn't owe me anything. Our relationship goes beyond professional commitments," she asserts.

Apparently, he made amends by replacing Parineeti Chopra with her in his next home production, Jugalbandi, featuring Saif Ali Khan. "Jugalbandi is an interesting film but Salman's the best person to answer this question," she says cagily. "All I can say is that I'll always be there for him, now and forever."

Jacky has also been bonding majorly with Sonam Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. "Girls can be friends too," she points out. "Sonam is fun to talk to and I look up to Priyanka. Actresses are gradually warming up to me as I stay clear of any gossip and don't judge. Instead, I make a conscious effort to stay happy," she smiles sunnily.

Jacky is eagerly waiting for the release of Karan Anshuman's directorial debut, Bangistan, with Riteish Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat. She plays Rosie, the owner of a cafe in Poland, who takes the boys on a tour of the city. "Rosie is energetic and lively," she says. "Riteish knows when to crack a joke, where to draw the line and how to snap in and out of his role. And Pulkit is shy," she quips.

The 29-year-old actress, who owns a high-end restaurant in Colombo, is planning to open a branch in Mumbai and bring Sri Lankan cuisine to the city. "I enjoy making business investments and my Bollywood career has given me the means to do so. Opening another restaurant, launching a clothing line and turning producer are my goals for next year," she says.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; July 10, 2015)


A source confirms the development. “Salman felt Jacqueline fit the bill perfectly and asked her to come on board.” This happened right after Baba Siddique’s iftaar party when onlookers saw the actress sharing a dinner table with the ‘Khan’daan.

A source close to the heroine says, “Jackie is very fond of Salman and she can’t say no to him. Plus, she has liked the script. So she will be doing the film. Currently, she has asked her team to work out the dates for the film.”

Jacqueline, who is busy promoting Brothers, will soon start filming Dishoom opposite Varun Dhawan and John Abraham and Flying Jat opposite Tiger Shroff, almost simultaneously. She also has Housefull 3 on her plate. With such a choc-a-bloc schedule, she will need to find time for Jugalbandi, expected on floors end-2015.

This would mean another blow for Parineeti Chopra, who has had no releases since Kill Dil last November. Not just that, she has not even signed anything yet. “Pari had only been in talks for Jugalbandi with Saif Ali Khan. Now with this also landing in Jacqueline’s lap, Parineeti has no films in hand, except Sultan maybe for which her mentor Aditya Chopra is rooting for his protégée.” But then again, After Hrs has earlier reported that Salman wants Kriti Sanon in place of Pari in Sultan. Will Pari lose out on the YRF project as well? We don’t know yet!

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2015)

Writer-director Sameer Sharma, who made his debut with the Kunal Kapoor-Huma Qureshi starrer Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana in 2012, is now busy with the prep of Jugalbandi, being produced by Salman Khan.

The musical drama featuring Saif Ali Khan will roll in London in January and is rumoured to be shot entirely overseas.

Saif, who plays a 'not so honest' music agent, constantly scouting for new talent, has been asked to start growing his hair for the role. The 44-year-old actor is usually tuned into jazz and blues, but enjoys rock n' roll the most, which will also play an important part in the film's score. What's more, he will also have his begum for company.

Mirror has learnt that Salman's Bajrangi Bhaijaan co-star, Kareena Kapoor, will make a special appearance in the film. "Since the film is a musical, it will have plenty of songs and Kareena will probably shake a leg in one of them. She adores Salman and has often said that she will do anything for him. Three years ago, she danced to 'Fevicol Se...' in Dabangg 2," says a source close to the development.

Saif and Kareena have earlier been seen together in three films, Tashan in 2008, Kurbaan in 2009 and Agent Vinod in 2012. Buzz is, the nawab and his begum would be seen in Vikramaditya Motwane's next, but apparently, Saif has not approved the script and Kareena has said that she is not doing the film.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 30, 2015)

Parineeti Chopra, who has been going through a lean phase following two successive boxoffice debacles, Daawat-e-Ishq and Kill Dil, finally has something to smile about in 2015.

The actress, who has repeatedly admitted that she has a "crazy crush"on Saif Ali Khan could be romancing the dapper nawab in an upcoming musical, Jugalbandi.

A source close to the actress revealed that she has been given a narration by Sameer Sharma, the director of 2012 romcom, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, and has responded positively to the script.

"Saif is plays a music agent in the film and Parineeti was recently approached to play his love interest. The duo has not acted in the past and that is precisely why the makers want to cast them. They will make a refreshingly gorgeous jodi onscreen," said a source close to the development, adding, "The film is likely to go on floors later this year."

Interestingly, Saif's business partner, producer Dinesh Vijan's directorial debut had been announced with Saif and Parineeti last year, but the romantic drama was put on hold and went back to the scripting stage after the makers realised that the film had drastic similarities with another of Saif's production, Aarif Ali's directorial debut, Lekar hum Deewana Dil, which failed at the boxoffice.

About Parineet being roped in to romance Saif in Jugalbandi, her spokesperson told Mirror, "At the moment, we can't comment on this. An announcement will be made once things are finalised."

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 27, 2015)

Rukmini Chopra (DNA; April 22, 2015)

Salman Khan is is ready to produce his next film under Being Human Productions. The film is titled Jugalbandi, but won’t star Salman in it. Instead, Saif Ali Khan has been roped in to play the hero! Interestingly, Salman is currently working with Saif’s begum Kareena Kapoor in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Jugalbandi will be directed by Sameer Sharma of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana fame. The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 2, 2015)

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 17, 2015)