A step for justice or needless vilification? We ask celebs who have been vocal about the Sushant Singh Rajput case
HINDUSTAN TIMES (September 10, 2020)

Supporting The Arrest


Kamya Panjabi
I saw people celebrating on social media that ‘she’s been arrested for drug abuse, not murder’, but drug abuse is illegal, too! If they don’t arrest her, what message will they give to the youth? Also, Rhea kya doodh peeti bacchi hai ki drugs laane ke liye force kar diya? The said person is not here to defend himself, you can say just anything. Now you will say ki muh mein drugs daal diya tha.


Samir Soni
There isn’t any other way of looking at it. This case has become like a can of worms, which started off with how did Sushant die. The drug aspect can’t be ignored, the underworld dealings and stuff. We gave local authorities almost two months to figure out, we should give CBI, NCB and ED at least a few months. I am happy with the way the case is going. It won’t be comfortable for a lot of people perhaps, but it is what it is.


Shekhar Suman
As per NCB’s investigation, Rhea was procuring drugs and was in touch with peddlers, so the arrest is justified. But whether she is connected to a cartel is yet to be proven. The drug angle can be a parallel investigation... We should focus on the primary investigation of the reason behind Sushant’s death. The general sentiment was that Rhea should be arrested, but I feel the media trial was not correct. We should shut up now and let the agencies do their job.

Against The Arrest


Swara Bhasker
Rhea’s being targeted in a media trial fuelled by a social media lynch mob, led by people with their own agendas. She’s being made a scapegoat for voyeuristic pleasure. I’ve always maintained that the law of the land must be allowed to function in a rational and impartial manner. And as far as I know, Rhea is cooperating with all the investigations.


Sayani Gupta
It’s unbelievable what’s happening with Rhea and her family. There’s not an iota of empathy. We have a judiciary for a reason. If she’s proven guilty, punish her, but this isn’t the way. This witch hunt must stop. It seems people have already made up their mind that she’s guilty. Let law take its course.


Hansal Mehta
I stand in solidarity with Rhea. I am as pained as I’d be about my own child. It’s disturbing to see such harassment and misogyny that has failed us, as a society. All the top agencies of the country have been working on the case but still nothing has been proven. It’s also painful to hear someone casually saying that the entire industry does drugs.

Scripts will be improvised so as to not have scenes with too many people
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 24, 2020)

With PPE kits and sanitisers in place, your favourite celebrities have brought back your favourite TV shows on air again, but with tweaks for both the storyline and how they shoot. Shows now won’t have shoots in different locations, family together in one frame, fights, marriages or hand-holding.

‘Kiss will become flying kiss’
J D Majethia, producer of the show Bhakarwadi, says a big no to any scene which shows a gathering of people. “You can’t have too many people in one frame. We also have to cut down on scenes which show someone touching an elder’s feet! Aashirwaad bhi door se dena padhega. Intimacy isn’t there on TV anyway,” he says.

The 51-year-old sums it up by saying, “Earlier, there was kiss, now it has become a flying kiss. We can’t go to outdoor locations, as that would be dangerous for that particular locality. Though we haven’t tweaked our story too much, we have a new track.”

Precautionary measures part of the show
Viewers who watch Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, saw their favourite characters wearing face shields, masks and using sanitisers — all as a part of the story. Pooja Banerjee, who is working on two shows currently — Kumkum Bhagya and Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2, says stories have already been tweaked according to the guidelines. “There’s no touching, no romantic scenes, no intimate scenes, or even hugging. When I was shooting for Kumkum Bhagya, literally even the elbow touching was missing. In fact, I wear a face mask in one of the scenes, and those are part of the episode. We sanitise our hands after a scene even if we touch just a glass,” she tells us.

Kamya Panjabi, whose show Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki is back with new episodes, says that the story will change for many shows. “We won’t be able to explore much. Your safety is in your hands. The channel and producer won’t serve safety on a platter. We will only shoot indoors now,” she says.

Technology to the rescue?
From a writer’s point of view too, things will alter. Sumrit Shahi, who has been the writer for shows such as Veer Ki Ardaas… Veera and the recent web show Never Kiss Your Best Friend, says that as smaller units are in operation, storylines will change in terms of the grandness. “A lot of grandeur shots require many production people, and that is changing. One should be glad that work is finally happening again now. I don’t think anyone is in a state of complaining,” he reasons.

He goes on to give an example of how the shots will look like. “You write the close up scenes in such a way that the two people are in the same frame, but it’s not being shot together. Also, we don’t write crowd scenes, we will use stock footage, but I don’t know how much of a solution is that, we’ll have to use audio smartly,” says Shahi.

Hands are tied, show banks to go for a toss
Producer Benaifer Kohli, who is shooting for her show Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, says that right now, she’s not interested in spending on costumes or jewellery for her characters, but rather on safety procedures. “I have told everyone to be six feet apart. My show set is certified safe,” Kohli tells us.

Emphasising on how even guidelines can’t change a good storyteller, Kohli admits that in a sense, her hands are tied. She says, “If I write ‘bazaar mein’, bazaar dikha nahi sakti. I want to show five people have gone to the police station, but I can’t show those five people. We are limited. We will have to shoot smartly.” she adds.

Television actors say that just like Bollywood, their industry too, is rampant with unfair practices
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 17, 2020)

After several voices spoke up against nepotism and favouritism being rampant in the Hindi film and music industry, it seems that even television has not been left untouched. We talk to a few popular names in the TV world, and what they reveal is rather surprising.

Actor Kamya Panjabi, 40, tells us that it’s practised quite openly, and many people have to suffer because of the preferential system. “It hasn’t happened with me, but I agree 100%, and I know about it. In a lot of places, it’s called being a channel’s favourite. A certain actor will continue to work even if he or she causes problems, shoots only for eight hours, or isn’t able to perform,” she says.

More actors join the debate and agree. Debina Bonnerjee, known for shows such as Ramayan and Chidiya Ghar, says that people need to take chances with actors, and not be limited in their choices.

“Sometimes, you give a very good audition, but certain channels don’t feel the same way, and you don’t know why. People have to take that chance. I never worked with proper GEC channels until last year, and they loved it, so did the audience. You have to give somebody a chance, and then decide whether that person is capable or not,” she urges.

In fact, things get to such a point, that people around the ‘channel’s favourite’ begin to question their own talent and worth.

Panjabi says, “If you want to become big, you’ve to be the channel’s favourite, and in films, the producers’ favourite. These things have caused other artistes to go into depression. They suddenly feel worthless that ‘We’ve to wait for 10 hours, and we don’t even get much money because we aren’t the favourites’. They’re the ones who agree to compromise and take pay cuts also.”

Being a ‘favourite’ can only take you so far, believes actor Karanvir Bohra. He admits favouritism exists, and he’s never been that person. “Thankfully, production houses believed in me as an actor, and my characters did well. You’ve to set your own standards also. I’ve been around for a long time, and channels’ favourites have come and gone. I saw it happen in 2006. Yes, we all feel it’s not fair, and bullsh*t. But you don’t sit and cry about it, nothing comes easy, you’ve to work hard and smart,” says the 37-year-old.

Saumya Tandon, who has been a part of showbiz since 2006, says that favouritism exists everywhere, including TV. But she adds that it’s not so pronounced as it’s in Bollywood. “That’s because the stakes aren’t that high. I still feel I’m not a TV insider because I hardly get into the politics of it, and I hardly party, or attend award functions unless I’m hosting. I feel the best feedback comes from people and it should translate into better work opportunities, everything else is useless.”

Echoing Bohra’s sentiment that talent takes you far in the entertainment industry, Mahhi Vij concurs that some actors get better treatment than others. But she argues that it happens in other industries as well.

“If I’m not considered for a role, somebody else gets it, even if I auditioned for it to the T. That’s okay. They might get opportunities because of favouritism, but if it doesn’t connect with the audience, the show will get wrapped up. Favouritism ka achaar daaloge?,” she questions.

Sharad Malhotra calls for a level playing field for everyone, irrespective of them being an insider or outsider or their favourite status. “Maidaan dono ko same do, phir dekho kaun zyaada unchi chhalaang laga sakta hai. You can’t hinder someone’s chances, you can’t do something venomous or harmful to somebody to stop their growth. That’s not how we function. When someone calls me saying ‘aapke liye role nahi hai, aapka koi bhai ya dost hai’, I personally call up my friends or other people. Any kind of insecurity shouldn’t exist,” he opines.

Kamya Panjabi recently flew back from Delhi with her daughter to return to work; says unit will reside in studio, technicians already quarantined
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 11, 2020)

On Tuesday, Kamya Panjabi posted a picture online with her 11-year-old daughter, both of them masked and in protective gear, returning to the city of Mumbai to resume work. For the last few weeks, the actress was in Delhi, where she had flown to just before the Coronavirus lockdown to spend time with her husband Shalabh Dang and his family.

Kamya informs that the producers of her TV show, Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, have told her that they will resume shooting in the coming week. “All the arrangements are in place. We should hopefully begin on or before June 15,” she asserts, quick to add that the makers have taken measures for the safety of the cast and crew. “The unit will be residing in the studio and a cook will be hired to make healthy food for everyone. There will be constant check-ups and a nearby hotel has been booked for the actors who do not wish to travel. The technicians have been quarantined before the shooting, so that they and everyone else on the set are perfectly safe. I think we will be able to successfully pull off this new normal as far as shooting is concerned.”

The actress, who tied the knot with healthcare professional Shalabh on February 10, says they were lucky to have picked that date. “We had to decide between February and November and I preferred the latter as I wanted time to prepare for an elaborate, traditional Punjabi wedding. But Shalabh and my family didn’t want to wait,” she recalls, adding that her honeymoon, planned for March to some place where she could shop too, had to be pushed due to the lockdown. “But I got a different kind of a vacation and this time alone gave us an opportunity to come closer as a family, as otherwise, we are both busy with work. We watched movies, painted and my daughter and his 12-year-old son, who is now my son, too, fought, bonded and cooked together like siblings. I also got time to connect with my in-laws.”

Being a healthcare professional, Shalabh has been working on the field. She must have been worried about him? “I was scared, but I am also proud of the work he is doing,” she asserts.

Suchitra Pillai shares details of the actress’s traditional Punjabi wedding
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 11, 2020)

Kamya Panjabi tied the knot with healthcare professional Shalabh Dang in a small Gurudwara wedding on Monday morning. The festivities began with a bachelorette party on February 2, followed by an engagement ceremony at a Gurudwara on Saturday. The haldi was held on Sunday morning. During the mehendi and sangeet the same evening, Kamya had danced with bestie, Kavita Kaushik (right), to the tunes of “Mujhko Rana Ji Maaf Karna”. Kavita had to miss the wedding after she injured her knee while doing yoga the next morning.

Fellow actress and another close friend Suchitra Pillai, was at the shaadi and informed that it was a family only affair with traditional rituals and a few close friends. The baraat arrived at 11 am and the pheras took place at 1 pm, followed by lunch. “Kamya looked like a princess in her lehenga and Shalabh was her prince. It was a beautiful, dreamy wedding,” Suchitra gushed. The bride wore a traditional red lehenga and gold jewellery with the groom in a golden sherwani.

The couple will host a party for family and friends from the industry at a club tonight. They will head to Delhi, Shalabh’s hometown after that to complete the rituals.

On January 17, Kamya marked one year of their relationship with a heartfelt post. Recalling how she was broken and lonely on the same day last year, she thanked Shalabh for picking up the pieces and making her happy again. Proclaiming him to be “Gannu’s best gift” to her, she said she was looking forward for a lifetime with him. Her beau, in turn, promised her, “Only and Only Good times ahead.” The following day, the actress shared a glimpse of their wedding card.

Kamya has been a part of the TV industry since 2001 and has been a part of shows like Piya Ka Ghar and Banoo Main Teri Dulhan. She is best remembered for her stint as a contestant on Bigg Boss 7 and is currently seen on the show Shakti—Astitva ke Ehsaas Ki.