Showing posts with label Jyotika. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jyotika. Show all posts
Sunny Deol to film Ramayana 2 in April after completing first schedule of his untitled actioner in Mumbai
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Sources say Sunny Deol is currently filming his action thriller in Mumbai and is expected to shift to Ramayana 2 next month
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 28, 2026)
Sunny Deol is in no mood to slow down after the strong start to 2026 with Border 2. In the first week of March, the senior actor kicked off his yet-untitled next, an action thriller produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, at Film City. Sources have told us that director Balaji Ganesh has almost wrapped the first schedule of the project, which also stars Jyotika and Vijay Varma.
Designed as an out-and-out action entertainer, it sees Deol play a cop. Apparently, the actor sports a distinct look — think a moustache and beard.
A source told mid-day, “Over the past three weeks, the unit has been shooting all across Mumbai. They began with an action sequence, featuring Sunny and Vijay, in Film City, where a huge set depicting a carnival was erected. Over the past fortnight, they shot at a bungalow in Bandra, then in a college near Churchgate, followed by a stint at Marol Police Camp in Andheri East.”
As soon as the director calls it a wrap on the first leg on March 30, filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari will come calling for Ramayana: Part 2. The source added, “Sunny wants to complete his portions of Hanuman by April-end. In May, he will resume his cop role in Goa.”
The film will reach the finish line by July.
Ranbir Kapoor was my senior in school, now it’s such a coincidence that I got to work with him-Addinath Kothare
9:18 AM
Actor Addinath Kothare, who plays Bharat in Ramayana, opens up about working with Ranbir Kapoor and being inspired by his dedication to the craft
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; July 25, 2025)
Addinath M Kothare knows that being part of the magnum opus, Ramayana, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What he holds dearer is the fact that the two-part drama has given him the chance to work with filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari. The actor, who plays Bharat to Ranbir Kapoor’s Lord Rama in the movie that also stars Sai Pallavi and Yash, says it was inspiring to see Tiwari lead the epic that’s undeniably one of the biggest Indian films of recent times.
“The way he is so patient and in control of what he wants is awe-inspiring. He is absolutely clear about his vision. That makes it easy for him to communicate his needs to the team,” reflects Kothare.
Being a director, Kothare knows the pressure that accompanies filmmaking. It makes him appreciate Tiwari’s calm approach all the more. “I never saw the pressure of a big film getting to him. When the captain of the ship is so experienced, grounded, and humble, it’s a delight for any artiste to be on that side,” shares Kothare, who helmed the Marathi film, Paani (2024).
Equally delightful was sharing screen space with Kapoor. In his maiden collaboration with the superstar, Kothare has walked away impressed. “He is such a secure, sincere, and focused actor. It was inspiring to see him work. He was my senior in school, but I didn’t get to meet him at the time. Now it’s such a coincidence that I got to work with him! I mentioned this to him during our shoot.”
Director jodi
After working with Nitesh Tiwari, Addinath Kothare is shooting with the director and Tiwari’s wife Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari for her yet-untitled next, led by Jyotika and Sonakshi Sinha. In them, he has found his favourite real-life couple. “Within a year, I’ve had the privilege of working with both of them. I think they are the most talented couple I’ve ever met,” he says.
Sonakshi Sinha, Jyotika to butt heads in the courtroom for Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's film
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After years in limbo, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s legal drama finally kicks off with a new cast
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 8, 2025)
After two years of delays at the negotiation table, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has finally kicked off her courtroom drama. The Amazon Prime Video film, originally set to star Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kiara Advani, will now be headlined by Sonakshi Sinha and Jyotika. While the team had planned to start the shoot in March, it only began last week in Malvani, Madh Island, and Vile Parle, where courtroom interiors have been recreated.
An insider revealed that the original plan with Kapoor and Advani didn’t materialise “because it didn’t align with [our] timelines and creative direction.”
“Early this year, after shelving the initial version, a fresh draft was locked. Sonakshi came on board after extensive look tests and readings. She brings a grounded intensity to the role that impressed the creative team.”
Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment and Harman Baweja’s Baweja Studios, the yet-untitled film revolves around a legal battle rooted in social justice and personal trauma. The source further informed that Sinha plays a fierce lawyer.
“The script is gritty and is not your typical courtroom drama. The legal arguments have emotional backstories, and both female leads have equal weight. Jyotika starts filming by mid-June, and their courtroom scenes are expected to be the highlight of the film.”
The film is expected to wrap up principal photography by year-end.
Jyotika adopts the anti-inflammatory regimen; sheds 9 kilos in 3 months
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Actor Jyotika, recently seen in Dabba Cartel, adopts the anti-inflammatory regimen being widely discussed on social media to shed nine kilos in three months
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; March 26, 2025)
South actor Jyotika’s fitness regimen is not for the faint-hearted. Pulling off the kind of high-intensity plyometric workouts that would make those in their 20s raise their eyebrows, the actor, at 46, is easily an inspiration to women across the globe.
“Though I felt great and knew I was fit, I wanted to lose about 10 kilos, and wasn’t able to. Regardless of the diet I followed, I was able to shed only two kilos, which I would gain again if I ate even one meal [that wasn’t made at home]. It’s also due to how one’s metabolism [is affected] after they turn 40,” says Jyotika, who heard about a holistic approach from actor Vidya Balan’s interviews.
Jyotika, who lost nine kilos within three months, says the journey laid emphasis on gut health and began with a food-elimination process.
“[They’d add] one food each day to the diet and see how the body would react. If certain food would make you feel bloated, [they’d eliminate it]. Interestingly, certain foods that are considered ‘fattening’ weren’t leading to weight gain for me. But I was surprised to know that sweet potato doesn’t suit me. So, the programme is created based on how your gut reacts.”
Asserting that the company lays emphasis on enhancing health instead of encouraging weight loss, she says they encouraged her to eliminate inflammatory foods from the get-go.
“These include milk, gluten, peanuts and cashew nuts, sugar in every form, including fruits and organic sugars, soy and corn products, dals, and bread. As soon as you eliminate them, you lose about two kilos within the first few days. Over three months, I was made to add one food item each day and notice how my body was reacting. If I gained weight the next day, that was [an indicator] that the food wasn’t suiting me. By the end of three months, I could identify what suits me and what does not.”
Ask her what her diet comprises nowadays, and she says, “There’s so much to eat apart from these items. There’s rice, curries, non-vegetarian foods, and black coffee. You can have curd and paneer too, if they suit you. It wasn’t tough to adjust to the changes because you’re given an antidote for everything that is being eliminated. Almond milk can replace regular milk. If you must have dals, you are encouraged to have sprouted dals, because doing so rids them of their inflammatory properties. Food science is absolutely magical.”
Jyotika admits that with exercise being considered an inflammatory activity, she was encouraged to avoid practising it in the last few months. “But I haven’t felt my energy drop. They’ve also told me that I should be able to return to training within two weeks.”
My social media activities make me financially secure-Pratibha Ranta
8:35 AM
Nominated at Melbourne film fest for Laapataa Ladies, Pratibha says earnings through social media activities give her freedom to pick and choose movies
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; July 17, 2024)
Not too long ago, Pratibha Ranta would look in awe at Alia Bhatt’s performances on the big screen. Today, her performance in Laapataa Ladies has scored her a nomination alongside Bhatt in the Best Actor category at the upcoming Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. “Alia, Jyotika [for Kaathal—The Core, 2023] and Parvathy [for Ullozhukku] have inspired me with the kind of roles they’ve done and continue to do. To be nominated alongside them is a dream come true,” she says.
After playing the strong-minded Jaya in her debut film, Ranta was seen in a short but impactful part in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar in May. Her life hasn’t remained the same ever since she became a popular face. “I want to keep my life as it used to be before. When my life was simple, I was able to focus on my craft more. I always remind myself of that.”
Being grounded also helps the actor approach her work practically. She is happy to use her social media popularity for financial sustenance, which gives her the freedom to choose only films that she truly loves. “My social media activities make me so financially secure that when I am offered acting work, I’m not even negotiating money. I only negotiate on the script,” she says, adding that she aims to feature in more stories about women.
“I want to lend a voice to the women around us. I’m being offered a variety of characters. They are so interesting that at times, I get confused about what to pick.” Does it get difficult to say no? “I had never read a script before this; all of this is new to me. It is not easy to turn down an offer. But if you’re honest, you find a way.”
The depiction of South in Bollywood is usually wrong-Jyotika
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While Jyotika is happy that she’s had two Hindi film releases recently, the actor hopes to go beyond stereotypes; admits that she’s now looking for longer and more meaningful roles
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 4, 2024)
Jyotika has made a return to Bollywood this year with two back-to-back films, Shaitaan and Srikanth. “The comeback was a surprise for me. It happened very organically. For 25 years, there was no sound and suddenly these two films made such noise,” she says. The actor made her Hindi film debut with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998).
But all these years, Tamil cinema kept her busy, with films such as Raatchasi (2019), Udanpirappe (2021) and Chandramukhi 2 (2023) to her credit. She believes she has returned to Hindi films during the “best phase” of Indian cinema.
“But, in Bollywood, I’m still waiting for the kind of roles I am used to doing in the South. I chose these films as they are beautiful stories, but I am looking for more as an actor, in terms of the length of my role in a film,” she elaborates.
Jyotika admits that the Hindi film industry often sticks to stereotypical portrayals of people from down South in their films. “I agree that some things are over-the-top in the South; we love idli-sambar and action films, but how it’s depicted is definitely overdone. It might be done in good spirits, but frankly, they do get it wrong most of the time,” she asserts.
Recalling the days when she started doing films down South, the actor says, “I saw people weren’t watching a lot of Hindi films there. In Bollywood, people would make fun of the South with (actor) Rajinikanth memes.” But she admits that things are changing. “On the set of Shaitaan, (actor) R Madhavan and I were treated with a lot of respect. Ajay (Devgn, actor) made us feel equal to him. They recognized we are big artistes and not just regional actors,” says the actor.
She shares that venturing into Tamil cinema wasn’t a choice. Accepting that the failure of her first Hindi film “was upsetting”, she adds, “There were many female actors who came in around that time, including Kareena (Kapoor Khan), Rani (Mukerji) and Preity (G Zinta). They were the lucky ones whose films worked.”
While she did look for some work in Bollywood after her debut, it felt futile: “It wasn’t working out. Your first film has to be a hit for the actor in you to be recognized. After that, I did one film in the South, which didn’t do well either, but they recognized my talent. That is a little difference I saw in both the industries.”
I came back without any aches from Everest Base Camp, and did not even need a recovery massage-Jyotika
8:09 AM
Leaping, punching and lifting at 45 like most can’t in their 20s, south actor Jyotika’s fitness routine is not for the faint-hearted. Actor and her trainer reveal how she got into ship shape within two years
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; May 8, 2024)
An attention-grabbing tactic in the field of social media marketing is a phenomenon called ‘stop the scroll’, which refers to a post that’s so addictive from the get-go that a user is compelled to watch it. Amid a flurry of fitness videos created by celebrities in the film industry, Jyotika’s content precisely fits this bill. A far cry from the regular weight-lifting videos that fill social media feeds, the south actor’s multi-planar regimen sees her leaping over plyometric boxes, whipping weighted ropes, and executing a bevy of inversions with flair.
While the comfort with which she executes the moves may deceive one into believing she comes from years of experience, she reveals that she only began to work with her trainer, Mahesh Ghanekar, two years ago.
“When I approached him, the idea was to lose weight. But he made me understand that developing strength and building muscle mass is more important, and weight loss would be the consequence of it. He would say that my aim should be to be able to climb mountains at the age of 70, and keep the mind and core strong. Fitness became fun,” says the actor.
Given that Jyotika—who was seen alongside Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan in Shaitaan—had “significant knee ailments”, she had to unlearn previous movement patterns to develop those that were technically sound.
“We had to first work towards tending to her hunching [back], then address her lower back [aches], and subsequently fix her knee concerns. There is a difference between weight lifting and strength training, and the latter is essential to build a better life. In weight training, the heart rate recovers faster, but that doesn’t happen with strength training. I try to keep her heart rate between 150 and 190 bpm using functional training methods because it is then that fat loss occurs.”
Her consistency, he admits, is integral to retaining the fitness levels she has developed. “She doesn’t only train [for film roles], but does so to live a better life. She recently did the Mount Everest base camp trek, and because I knew that she would need to walk for nine hours a day with an eight-kilo backpack, I’d make her train while wearing a 15-kilo jacket.”
The technique worked, admits the actor, adding, “I came back without any aches, and did not even need a [recovery] massage. That was not the case before. I remember, when I had previously returned from a Kashmir trek, my knees would pain.”
Ghanekar credits Jyotika for encouraging women to build muscle mass, which can “truly change your life”. “When you develop functional strength and make your core muscles stronger, you can prevent many ailments,” he says, as she adds, “I used to be a runner and an ‘anti-gym person’. But, I hurt myself in the process. After 20 years of [running] without seeing weight-loss, I realized that hitting the gym is how I can lose weight, develop bone density and build strength. People need to understand that the gym is so much more than a place that’s all about lifting weights. Barring four machines, we have never executed the same exercise on two separate days. It’s always a new routine. Working out has to be as basic a habit as eating food.”
The actor also asserts that adhering to ayurveda-backed eating habits, like eating between sunrise and sunset, has served her well. “It aids in digestion,” she signs off.
Final schedule of Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyotika's supernatural thriller begins
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Ajay Devgn's upcoming supernatural thriller also starring Madhavan moves to Andheri to film crucial scenes over the final 15-day leg
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; September 8, 2023)
Ajay Devgn’s upcoming supernatural horror thriller, also starring R Madhavan, has entered its last shooting leg in Andheri. A source close to the development tells mid-day that the duo, along with actor Jyotika are filming “songs and dramatic portions” in this ongoing 15-day leg.
“It’s been a hectic time for Ajay as he has been [shooting] several movies back-to-back. For this leg, they have about four days’ worth of work left. Prior to this, the cast and crew were shooting in and around London, including Bedford and Windsor. The two-month schedule in July and August saw them film important scenes, including some action. More than 90 per cent of the film was shot then, and after their return, they resumed shooting in Mumbai immediately,” says the source.
While a title is yet to be arrived at for the Vikas Bahl-directed venture, the source reveals that the film is an adaptation of the hit Gujarati offering, Vash, directed by Krishnadev Yagnik. It also featured Janki Bodiwala, who also stars in this edition that marks her Hindi film debut. While Hitu Kanodia played the role of her father in the original, Devgn slipped into the part in this version.
“In stark contrast to his previous roles, Madhavan sports a new look in this edition as a crafty and ruthless antagonist. The good versus evil psycho-thriller is full of twists and turns and sheds light on black magic as well. Just like Devgn’s last film Drishyam 2 was altered to suit a new audience, this film too will have a pan-India appeal. It follows a family man who fights to protect his family when they head on a vacation.”
Devgn has previously dabbled in the genre with films like Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot (2002) and Soham Shah’s Kaal (2005). Devgn is expected to kickstart Rohit Shetty’s cop franchise, Singham 3 in mid-September, while this offering is expected to hit the screens on March 8, 2024.
Jyotika is all set to return to Hindi films after 25 years with the biopic Sri, co-starring Rajkummar Rao
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BOMBAY TIMES (February 1, 2023)
Jyotika, who was last seen in the Tamil film Udanpirappe, her 50th film, is making her comeback in Bollywood. The actress has finished shooting for the film Sri, which stars Rajkummar Rao in the lead.
Taking to Instagram, the actress wrote, “Wrapped up my portions for ‘Sri’ with a heavy heart. One of the best crews I have ever worked with. Thank u Tushaar and Nidhi for all the respect and making me part of this meaningful cinema. Huge fan of yours Raj. It’s an honour for me to share the screen space with one of the most brilliant actors in Bollywood. Learnt so much from you. What I’m taking back from this team as an actor is… GROWTH. (sic)”
The film is said to be a biopic on visually impaired industrialist Srikanth Bolla. The cast also includes Alaya F and Sharad Kelkar. Tushar Hiranandani had previously helmed Saand Ki Aankh starring Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar in 2019.
Jyotika had made her film debut in Hindi with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, in 1998. Even though her 2001-fantasy film Little John was released in Hindi, Sri will mark her first straight Hindi film in 25 years.
Replying to the post, Jyotika’s husband, actor Suriya congratulated her, and wrote, “May this wonderful journey win all heart. (sic)”
Critically-acclaimed Tamil film Soorarai Pottru to be remade in Hindi
8:09 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (July 12, 2021)
Two of India’s leading content creators and producers, 2D Entertainment and Abundantia Entertainment, have joined hands to remake the critically-acclaimed Tamil film Soorarai Pottru (Praise The Brave) in Hindi. The film showcases an emotional and impactful story based on the life of Nedumaaran Rajangam or Maara, played by Suriya, who sets out to ensure that the common man, too, can fly, and in the process, takes on the world’s most capital-intensive industry.
The film was partly inspired by events in the life of Air Deccan founder, Captain G R Gopinath. It made history by being the only Indian film to be ranked third on IMDb’s highest-rated films list. While the casting is underway, the director of the original, Sudha Kongara, will helm the Hindi remake as well.
Abundantia Entertainment, led by Vikram Malhotra, constantly endeavours to be audience-focused in its approach to tell inspiring stories. Their films, much like the recently released Vidya Balan-starrer Sherni, Shakuntala Devi, Airlift and Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, have always made an impact. 2D Entertainment, led by Suriya, actor Jyotika Sadanah and Rajsekar Pandian, believes in harnessing the power of great stories to touch people’s lives, besides entertaining them. Their diverse range of films such as Ponmagal Vandhal, 24 and Soorarai Pottru echo this sentiment.
Many countries refused theatrical release for 7 months, says Ponmagal Vandhal director J J Fredrick
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Ponmagal Vandhal director J J Fredrick on why they chose a digital premiere for the drama
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 28, 2020)
Last month, actor-producer Suriya created a stir when he indicated that wife Jyotika's film, Ponmagal Vandhal, may have a direct-to-web release. In retaliation, the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners' Association threatened to ban the superstar's upcoming movies. As the courtroom drama is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video tomorrow, director J J Fredrick explains that a digital release is the need of the hour."We had originally planned to release it across the world. But when copies of the film were sent abroad, [the distributors in] almost eight countries said that they won't be able to release it for the next seven months [due to the Coronavirus pandemic]. Here too, we don't see things returning to normal before October. By then, there will be an array of films lined up for release. In such a case, this is the best platform offering a worldwide release."
Hasn't the move left the South exhibitors disturbed? "Now, they have realised that it's a temporary arrangement. Nothing can replace the theatres," he says, adding that the trailer has been appreciated by the legal fraternity. "Lawyers from the Chennai High Court called to praise it."
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