He is one of the most popular baddies on the small screen, but in real life, Karanvir Bohra is putty in the hands of his three daughters. A hilarious post on Instagram shows the muscular TV actor with a ponytail and blue tutu skirt, spinning on one foot like a wind-up doll after his youngest turns a pretend key on his back. Bohra, who has been part of many hit dramas like ‘Kasauti Zindagi Kay’ and ‘Shararat’, spoke to Neha Bhayana about fatherhood and how he talks so his kids listen

The toughest part of being a father to three girls will come when they become teenagers, when they start having their own likes and dislikes, crushes, late-night plans, and a world of their own. The best part of being a girl dad is knowing that no matter how grown up they become, a part of their heart will always belong to you…and they’ll always love you the most.

I think I’m a pretty cool dad, but I don’t know how I’m going to react when boyfriends enter the picture or when my daughters go through their first heartbreaks. I know it is all part of life, and while my instinct will be to protect them, I hope I’ll also be understanding.

As for things like partying, tattoos, drinking, and all other choices they will make as they grow up, I may not always agree with everything. There will definitely be moments that challenge me. But I don’t want to be the kind of father who controls or forces. I want to be someone they can always talk to, someone who guides rather than dictates. A dad who is a mix of fierce and understanding, who sets boundaries but never stops listening.

The past two years have been difficult being away from them while they study in Canada, and I’m here working and attending to my parents. I miss the little moments we once shared every day. Those hugs, conversations, laughter, and simple togetherness…I miss them immensely. My little one, Gia, is such a beautifully free-spirited soul. She stayed with me (in Mumbai) for a year, and those moments were truly special.

Being a television actor comes with its own challenges. There were days when I would shoot for 12 to 14 hours straight, so many times I’d bring Gia along to the set, and she would just chill with me there. And honestly, she loves the set. If you ask her, “What does papa do?” she’ll smile and say, “He’s shooting.”

There’s no trick in the book to make children listen to you. The only real way is to speak to them in their language. Talk to them with respect, as though they are individuals with their own thoughts and emotions. Explain to them what’s right, what’s wrong, and help them understand the consequences of their choices. And then, instead of forcing an answer on them, ask them gently: “What do you think you should do?”

People often misunderstand the meaning of gentle parenting. Gentle parenting does not mean spoiling your child. It means not getting angry over every little thing. It means not constantly scolding them for mistakes, but instead guiding them with patience and understanding. It means giving them your time when they say, “Dad, let’s play,” “Listen to my story,” or “Tell me a story.” At the heart of it, gentle parenting is simply about giving your children the quality time, attention, and emotional presence that many of us wish we had received growing up. And at the same time, I completely understand our parents, too. They came from a very different space and generation of parenting, and they did the best they could with what they knew at that time.

That’s primarily the reason I chose to share my experiences and the experiences of other fathers as well. There are so many momfluencers today, but very rarely do we get to hear a dad’s perspective on parenting or co-parenting. I genuinely felt people needed to hear that side too. That’s what led me to start a podcast on my YouTube channel called ‘Daddy Adventures’. I’ve had some really interesting and heartfelt conversations with Karan Singh Grover, Raghu Ram, Tusshar Kapoor, Gurmeet Choudhary, Zaid Darbar, Kiku Sharda and many other dads. What touched me the most was getting such a beautiful insight into how they feel as fathers, the emotional journeys they go through, and how each of them is navigating this entire new-age approach to parenting.

I still remember when my dad and uncle pushed me to take a bus alone for the very first time. I was barely 10, travelling from Colaba to Nana Chowk. When I completed that journey by myself, I felt so empowered. Years later, a similar situation arose with my daughter when she had to travel alone because of an issue with my visa. I realised airlines take great care of children travelling solo. I felt secure knowing she was safe, and I could also see how empowered and confident the experience made her feel. I truly believe parents should encourage children to have small adventures and independent experiences — that’s how they become mentally and emotionally strong.

Becoming a father changed everything for me. Life is no longer just about my dreams, my ambitions, or my journey. It’s about them. Every decision I make now carries a greater sense of responsibility because little eyes are always watching.

What I have learned over the years is that children are not ours to control; they are ours to love, guide and support. My role is not to shape them into who I want them to be, but to help them become who they are meant to be.

My journey as a father has been like a merry-go-round. I have chased my kids to eat food, get ready, go down and play, go to school, etc. Watching my daughters grow up has given me some of the most beautiful moments of my life; it’s like a bouquet of memories I will cherish forever.

It’s a month of celebrations for Bipasha Basu. The actress celebrated Baisakhi yesterday (her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover is Punjabi) and today she is all set to celebrate Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year). The period also marks a personal milestone — it’s the time when Karan proposed to her for marriage a decade ago. “It’s always a special month for us, as it is also associated with our wedding anniversary (April 30), It’s a joyous time for us as a family,” she tells us.

The Raaz actress goes on to add, “The first thing that comes to my mind is that Karan proposed to me in January 2016, and we decided we would get married later in the year, but a friend told him, ‘You are going to wait that much? She’s a catch, she’s going to run away.’ So, he went to my mother and asked for the first available date. And one could only marry post the Bengali New Year. That’s how we got married in the peak of summer on April 30. Our life stories are quite funny.”

For Bipasha, the Bengali New Year begins and ends at the dining table — everything else is secondary. “I’m a very simple Bengali girl who loves a lot of food and mishti (sweets). I love mishti so much that I gave my daughter the nickname, Mishti. It’s only my mother who calls her that, however, she prefers to be called Devi, she’s quite a goddess in her own way. I’m such a Bengali at heart, I love mishti so much. We, Bengalis, only celebrate with food. That’s our love language.”

She adds, “Poila Boishakh is followed by Baishakhi, so our families always meet and eat together. If you are from a Bengali household, you would know how we love to get together, chat and eat. Everyone talks at the same time, and everyone understands everything (laughs).”

She keeps things simple and doesn’t fuss much about dressing-up too much for such occasions. “I am quite a lazy girl in my real space, but I love to be in comfortable clothes. I think the maximum effort of dressing up is for my work. In my house, my husband loves to dress up, my daughter loves to dress up, but I am the person who doesn’t like to dress up much,” she says.

There’s no ‘New Year, New Me’ mantra for Bipasha. “I’m pretty happy with all the decisions that I make in life. I’m quite a deep thinker and I don’t make rash decisions ever. I’m a Capricorn, I’m a goat — slow and steady, hardworking, and we plan a lot. Everything in my life is organized, so there’s nothing that I can really think of leaving behind now,” she concludes.

Bipasha Basu, once a fixture on the silver screen, has spent the past few years in the comforting shadows of a more personal spotlight — motherhood. While many actors often stay in the public eye through interviews and podcasts, even without current work, the Raaz actress prefers to keep her voice measured and meaningful.

"I think I should do interviews when I have content to talk about. I'm very clear about that. I don't want to make noise just like that. It's a simple life right now," she tells us.

Bipasha's last full-fledged cinematic outing was in 2015’s Alone, and since then she has kept a deliberate low profile.

Talking about her much-deserving sabbatical, she says, "I have worked from the age of 15, so I needed a break. When I got married, I definitely consciously stepped back. I wanted to enjoy the perks of all that I had worked hard for. Then the three years went by so fast - being in love and settling down, it was great. I don't regret any of it. Then the decision of wanting to become a mother - that was a little difficult on me. I had to take some strong decisions, and it took me some time to do that. I had a baby and now I don't want to miss out on any time with my baby. Itni mehnat se bacha bada kiya hai. It's as simple as that. And I'm grateful that I can do that. I worked so hard that today I can take that decision of stepping back and be with my baby and it's going to be fine."

​Despite the absence from the screen, the passion never dimmed. Ask her if she misses facing the camera, and she doesn’t skip a beat: "I do miss it. I love acting. I used to do it 365 days a year. I've done it for 20 years. So, I do miss it. And it's (return to acting) going to happen soon. I'm not worried about that because now it's looking good for women. There are more opportunities, there are more platforms. There are newer ways the world is looking at women, it's not stereotypical. I have tried to always do something different, right from the time I began, I went against the tide always. And it's always worked for me. So, I do believe that you have to live your life. The work and your life have to kind of be in balance. Mine is not right now. It's my baby, my baby, my baby. But it is going to come. I think it is the right time. I will do it."

​While she's open to diving back into the professional pool, Bipasha is in no rush to sign on the dotted line. She has "no idea" what she is looking for. "I have no idea. I'm all open. I've always been a very open person. So just bring it on. When I'm ready, bring it on. And I will choose and do so. I feel like if I have to commit, then will I have time, otherwise I'm going to keep pushing this. Acting is something that I love, so. And I need my child to see who I am, apart from being a mum. Now she's becoming more intelligent and sharper. She always is curious - 'Why are people taking Mama's pictures at airports?'. She frowns. She doesn't understand it, right now. But I want to make her proud and I want to do some substantial work which will make her proud as she's growing up," she admits.

As for her time at home, Bipasha, who recently walked as a showstopper for Max's vibrant Lilo & Stitch collection, has found joy in the simplest of roles—being her daughter’s full-time fashion guide. Devi, who is three, is a "fashionista"

Bipasha reveals. "My baby is a fashionista. And I am her stylist. She likes to dress up, very unlike me. I don't like to dress up in my normal time. She's taken after the father (actor, Karan Singh Grover). She likes to dress up every day. She likes to go and see herself as soon as she gets ready. There are times when she's telling me, ‘Mama, you didn't put lipstick’, to which I reply, ‘Just keep quiet. I'm going to go out without lipstick. I'm not going to get ready’. That little one is becoming a fashionista because the stylist is excellent. I take all the credit. Everyone asked me, how does she tie her hair so much? She's so small, but she loves it. And she sits very patiently. And five minutes, her hairstyles are done," she concludes.​

Singer Mika Singh has called out actor-couple Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover over his experience of working with them on the OTT series Dangerous (2020), which was co-produced by him.

Speaking on the Kadak podcast, the singer said, “I wanted to cast Karan and a newcomer girl so that the project remains under budget, but Bipasha jumped into it. They didn’t exceed the budget, but the experience was horrible.”

Singh said that the couple created a “lot of drama”: “We took a team of 50 people to London for a month, but it ended up being two months! Karan and Bipasha caused a lot of drama. Since they were a married couple, I had booked a single room for them, but they were like, ‘No way, we want separate rooms.’ Then, they asked to switch to a different hotel, so we did.”

He also claimed that though a kissing scene was a part of their contract, the actors refused to perform it. “They even created issues while dubbing, with excuses like they have a sore throat. I couldn’t understand the drama, especially when they were paid for their work,” he said.

Actor Karan Singh Grover rose to unprecedented fame through his stint on TV. As the actor completes 20 years one cannot help but wonder the love he received. However, with the unconditional love, also came multiple conjectures - right from multiple reports about him being unprofessional, him quitting the show, attitude issues, and more. Karan, however, never paid heed to them.

Karan states, “I wasn’t a professional actor. So, I can't say that, but I'm not the kind of person who would go and justify anything to anybody because I don't need to. I'm not somebody who gets bothered if people think good or bad about me. It's ok. It's their choice. It's their life. It is not even coming into my force field.”

That chain of thought may be one of the reasons why Karan has never spoken about his divorces that happened with Shraddha Nigam in 2009, and Jennifer Winget in 2014. As he sat down for conversation with Bombay Times, for the first time Karan addressed his two separations.

Karan tells us, “There's nothing good about a breakup or a divorce. Yeah, later when people move on, they realize that it happened for the best. That's a good thing. But I never felt the need to speak to anyone about the crap that's happening in my life because I don't expect people to come and talk to me about the crap that's happening in their life. That is not my main motive. I would like to spread some love and joy. Everyone has their own sh*t to deal with and I think everyone deserves that kind of privacy to handle their own sh*t."

Karan is now married to actress Bipasha Basu. He admits she has changed his entire life. "She is the kind of person who is in a constant state of giving. Whoever's in her life stays connected with her. All the heavy, all the negative, the lower vibration stuff just falls. I have another profession (he has also started painting) because of her. She helped me understand and connect with me. The real me. I know myself today because of her. The change that has happened is so drastic. Like from being a nocturnal being to somebody waking up at 5 a.m. and wanting to see every sunrise and every sunset," he signs off.

Karan Singh Grover is a doting dad who cannot wait to get back to his daughter Devi, every time he steps out. And we discovered that he has something in common with Alia Bhatt, too. Like Alia sings for Raha, Karan sings for Devi. Giving us a glimpse into his life as a dad, he admits that he loves to sing his little girl to sleep.

“I sing lullabies for Devi and it’s one duty that I absolutely enjoy, and I think I sing well.” Speaking of parental duties, the hands-on father has no qualms in admitting that matching up to his wife, actress Bipasha Basu’s energy is no mean task.

The Fighter actor, known for his passion for fitness, is in awe of his wife’s discipline. He said, “I have no qualms in admitting that women have always been higher beings. Their dedication and sincerity are inspirational. When Bipasha wakes up in the morning, she is all charged up and raring to go. I wish I could say the same about myself. She ensures she is sharp on time no matter where she goes and is extremely organized. That has rubbed off on me, too and it’s a positive change.”

In an interview, Bipasha had told us where that quality comes from. “My mother taught us to value time. I am always on time, even when others are late. I would want my child to learn that. These are basic things that take you a long way, professionally and personally. My mother is extremely organized, so that also has helped me a lot. It simplifies and lessens the chaos in your life,” she revealed.

With Fighter less than a month away from release, director Siddharth Anand has already given us a peek into the film’s world with the teaser and two songs. While the party number Sher khul gaye saw Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor hit the dance floor, Ishq jaisa kuch served crackling chemistry between the leads. Given that Fighter is an aerial action thriller, it turns out that the director wanted to keep the songs to bare minimum. Sources tell us that two more numbers are on the anvil, with one picturised as a dream sequence since Anand felt that it didn’t lend naturally to the thriller that sees Roshan and Padukone as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.

Like Ishq Jaisa Kuch, the upcoming romantic number, composed by Vishal-Shekhar and shot by Satchith Paulose, has been canned in the picturesque Italian island of Sardinia. Apparently, the director’s brief to choreographer Bosco Martis and art designer Rajat Poddar was to make it look dreamy.

A source reveals, “Ishq Jaisa Kuch and the other romantic track are part of dream sequences and not related to the film’s proceedings. Both songs were shot in October, across the beautiful locales of Sardinia. Siddharth wanted each number to look grand, glamorous and distinct. Since Bosco and Rajat have worked with him on chartbusters from War [2019] and Pathaan, they knew exactly what he wanted. While Ishq Jaisa Kuch  has been imagined as a sensuous number on the golden beaches, the upcoming one is an exotic dance track set in the outdoors. Caravans, bonfires, barbecue and a dance floor form the set-up.”

The last track has been filmed in Kashmir and will serve as a background song. The source adds, “In the movie, it has been used to introduce the central characters, including those essayed by Akshay Oberoi and Karan Singh Grover. It focuses on the pilots’ indomitable spirit and their camaraderie.”

After travelling across India, Fighter director-producer Siddharth Anand brings his crew back home to Mumbai to film the last of select major sequences of his Hrithik Roshan-starrer. Apart from canning dramatic scenes, the leg also includes a party song that will be picturized on the actor and his co-stars.

“This is a party number. It is a song that celebrates the camaraderie between the actors [who play pilots] in the film. Hrithik, Anil Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Karan Singh Grover, and Akshay Oberoi will be seen grooving to the peppy number that has been composed by Vishal-Sheykhar and choreographed by Bosco Martis. The set designer is Rajat Poddarr, and the director of photography is Satchith Paulose,” says a source close to the production, adding that filming commences today.

After this number, the director will also film two songs that will be picturized on Roshan and Padukone. “Those will be filmed on international locations.”

The makers kicked off the first schedule at the Tezpur Air Force base, Assam in November last year, and also subsequently shot a month-long climax sequence in April that was choreographed by SeYoung Oh, who has worked on films like Snowpiercer (2013) and the 2019 Roshan-starrer War. 

Working on the special effects, we are told, will commence in October. “Siddharth has planned his shooting schedules in such a way that the film can meet its January 25, 2024 date with the audience.”

In a recent Instagram live session with Neha Dhupia, Bipasha Basu opened up about her daughter Devi, whom she welcomed in November last year, being born with two holes in her heart. The actress broke down as she talked about her li’l girl having to undergo open heart surgery when she was three months old.

“I got to know on the third day of me having a baby that she is born with two holes in her heart. You feel so sad, burdened and conflicted because how can you put such a small child through an open heart surgery,” Bipasha said, adding, “But if you love your child, you must do it however difficult (it can be). It’s for the future of your child.”

Talking about their journey as parents, Bipasha said, “The last three months were fine, but the first five months were very difficult for us. But Devi has been fabulous from day one. She is a fighter.” The actress also shared that Devi is doing well now. She added, “It is the toughest thing to have your little child and have these 10 doctors explain to you what all can happen. Devi had a very successful operation, but those six hours when she was in the OT (operation theatre), my life felt like it had stopped.”

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Actor Bipasha Basu has revealed that her daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover, was born with ventricular septal defect (VSD) in November last year. During an Instagram live session with actor Neha Dhupia, an emotional Basu revealed how she and her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover, navigated through the difficult times.

“On the third day [after delivery], we found out that Devi was born with two holes in her heart,” said the 44-year-old.

She added, “We didn’t even know what VSD was. It was a crazy period. We wanted to celebrate the birth of our baby, but Karan and I were numb. She had an open-heart surgery when she was three months old and those six hours [when she was in the operation theatre] were the toughest for us, I felt my life would end. But Devi has been fabulous since day one. She is so strong. She gives us a lot of strength.”

Actors Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basu welcomed their daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover, in November last year. On Father’s Day today, Karan, in his first interview since becoming a dad, recalls the first time he saw Devi.

“Before I saw her, I thought I’d burn my eyes out, crying. But when I held Devi for the first time, I felt something change in me. When we were pregnant, I’d speak to Bipasha’s belly every day and say, ‘Hi chota babu, Papa is here’. I said that again when I held Devi and she opened her eyes. I did the first skin-to-skin with her, too.”

Though he’s proud to call himself “a hands-on dad”, Karan goes on to salute the power of a mother: “I don’t think any father can be as hands-on as a mum, because they definitely have more than two hands (laughs). Their potential is unfathomable. But yes, I try to do everything that I am capable of and become a better dad every day by understanding my baby’s needs, likes and dislikes.”

For celeb parents, striking a balance between work and their baby could be arduous. Talking about it, Karan shares, “Being a dad takes a lot of my time and I enjoy that. Sometimes, if I have to take things slow on the work front, I don’t mind that because I don’t want to miss out on any of Devi’s firsts — her first crawl, her first wink, her first splash of water... But, I feel blessed to belong to a profession that allows me to do things at my own pace. I can work one day and take the next day off to be with my baby and Bipasha. A lot of people don’t have that luxury.”

She has my chin and she smiles like me. Also, she and I sleep in the same position. Bipasha calls it the fallen man position (laughs).

We have a playlist called Devi’s bath playlist. We play it when her bath is about to start. We also have music time during the day and I sing to her. She enjoys old songs from The Jungle Book, including The Bare Necessities and I Wan’na Be Like You. I dance for her while mumma applies moisturizer.

In a recent interview, director Siddharth Anand said that the mammoth success of Pathaan is a “once-in-a-lifetime” achievement, and he wants to cherish it all he can. But it looks like Anand cannot stay away from work for long.

Only 10 days after Pathaan’s release, the director has headed to Kashmir to resume the shoot of Fighter, his ambitious aerial action thriller. Leads Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone reached the valley on Monday, in time to begin the film’s second schedule today.

Over the next six days, the director, along with cinematographer Satchith Paulose and action director Sunil Rodrigues, will film some action sequences, and portions of a song. “Siddharth has zeroed in on various locations, including the Dal Lake, and parts of Srinagar and Pahalgam, for the stint. The team is expected to return to Mumbai by next week for a quick break, before flying out to Hyderabad for the third schedule,” says a source.

In December, mid-day had reported that a chunk of the actioner would be shot at the Indian Air Force Academy at Dundigal, near Hyderabad (Start at ground zero, before aiming for sky, Dec 20). Sure enough, the defence service training institute will be the team’s next pit-stop.

The source adds, “At the IAF Academy, Siddharth will shoot the early stages of the protagonist’s journey. It will trace how Hrithik’s character goes from being an ordinary boy to becoming one of the best fighter pilots. Akshay Oberoi and Karan Singh Grover will play his batch-mates. Originally, this was to be a 15-day schedule, but now, it has been reduced to less than a week. Certain portions that were to be initially shot at the IAF Academy will now be canned on a set in Mumbai.”

Anil Kapoor will join the unit during the Mumbai schedule in March. Since certain areas of the IAF Academy are restricted to the public, production designer Rajat Poddarr will build a set reflecting the interiors of the institute.

“In addition, elaborate sets of an airport, and hangars will be built. Another set-up will be created to film a graduation party scene that sees Hrithik and his batch-mates being presented with the Wings. Siddharth intends to wrap up the principal shoot by April, after which the VFX work on the January 2024 release will begin.”

Durga Puja, this year, is rather special for actor Bipasha Basu Singh Grover, as she and her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover await the arrival of their little one.

“This year has been blessed by Maa Durga. Our baby is going to arrive soon,” the mum to-be tells us, and goes on to share an incident she holds very close to her heart: “Last year, in November, we had a beautiful darshan of Maa Vaishno Devi, and Karan and I prayed to have a baby. When we got to know of my pregnancy and I went for my first ultrasound, the due date turned out to be the same date on which we were there (in Vaishno Devi)! Maa Durga is a part of our lives.”

Given the stage of pregnancy she is in at present, Bipasha has been told by her doctors not to venture out much. And that means no pandal hopping, either. “I’m pretty close to my due date. Even though I want to go, my size doesn’t permit me. Also, I don’t have clothes. Any time I have to step out, I’ve to think what to wear! But, the main reason (for not stepping out) is the health of the baby. I’d prefer to not to expose myself much to the viruses around, at this point,” she says.

Pujo has always been very special for the 43-year-old. She recalls, “Though I was born in Delhi, we used to travel to Kolkata for this (Pujo). I’ve been a devotee of Maa Durga from a very young age. My mum gave me a Durga locket, and I don’t go anywhere without it. I miss the celebrations in Kolkata. It’s beautiful in Mumbai, too, but I still miss the fervour there.”

Bipasha Basu is Monica Geller of Friends. The mother-to-be has an Excel sheet ready for tasks to do, a practice she has inherited from her mom, and like Chandler Bing, husband Karan Singh Grover’s busy taking notes while sportingly teasing his extremely organised wife. Amid theongoing renovation at their home to suit the needs of their baby, Bipasha spoke to Bombay Times about motherhood, women facing pressures like constant reminders of their biological clock ticking, others’ expectations, judgemental social media and more. Excerpts:

Karan and I were clear from the beginning that we wanted a baby. I don’t have any thoughts on why it is so late or why it took time. For me, this is the right time. I believe this is when we were supposed to have our baby. We believe in manifestation. From the time we have wanted a child, we have hoped for a baby girl. I know a baby is a beautiful gift, and we are supposed to be in acceptance of any gender, and the bigger picture is that, but we call our baby ‘she’. We believe it’s a she, and we have believed that since the time we decided to have a baby.

My daily routine has changed. All pregnancies are different. A lot of pregnant women can do many activities. I have been told not to do much. I don’t have a physically active pregnancy, but I am active mentally. I am always multitasking. Slowing myself down was tough initially because I am an extremely active person. I know the need of the hour and right now, I am doing what’s right for my baby and I have made changes in my lifestyle accordingly. After you deliver the child, there is no need to give up your professional life. I won’t. I did take a long break to have a baby and enjoy my married life. I know that as soon as I have my baby and get the hang of being a new mom, I will get back to work immediately.

Karan and I are soulmates. We are great friends. We have been evolving as people since the time we met. We have been together for almost eight years. This new journey of parenthood is going to help evolve our equation even more. Throughout the pregnancy, Karan has been a hands-on husband. He would not let me do anything because I was extremely sick initially. He has evolved a lot during this phase because he has never seen me this inactive. He had to look into everything — house, work, my condition, doctor, appointments… all of it. That’s the way a relationship should be.

There are zillions of things that I would like to carry forward from my mom. Cleanliness is next to godliness. It cleanses your life also, and she taught us that. A clean way of living makes you value yourself and everything around you. It detoxes your mind. She taught us to value time. I am always on time, even when others are late. I love that about my mother. I would want my child to learn that. These are basic things that take you a long way, professionally and personally. Things like eating home food and learning to cook so that your child eats nutritious food... all these little things are actually building blocks of life. My mother is extremely organised, so that also has helped me a lot. It simplifies andlessens the chaos in your life. She prioritised love and bonding time with family over everything. The core of every relationship should be love and pure love.

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Talking about this new, exciting chapter in his life, Karan says, “Honestly, I’ve been completely consumed by and in awe of this ongoing miracle that is the most precious and, at the same time, the very basic experience of life. We know it as the creation of life. I feel grateful and blessed to be able to witness this amazing journey, which is nothing short of a fairytale, even though an ordeal for my wife. I see her transform from being my girl to a creator of human life, which I feel can only be described as something divine. Soon we will have a little monkey baby of our own, made by us. I feel life is changing, and it is getting better in every possible way. I’m a part of it and a witness to it, for which I’m eternally grateful. I think with all of this to experience, the only thing I’ve not had thoughts about isbeing a father. I guess this is what it is when you get to know you will become a father soon. One day a guy is just a guy, and then on another beautiful, unforgettable day, you’re just so much more. You’re a father… a parent! It is amazing.”

Actor-couple Bipasha Basu Singh Grover and Karan Singh Grover, who announced their pregnancy on Wednesday, say they had been trying for a baby for a long time but put it on hold when the world was hit by the pandemic. Talking exclusively to us about this new chapter, Bipasha reveals that it was, in 2021 when she and Karan again thought about starting a family.

“The plan was definitely to focus on that (having a baby). I did not take up any kind of work at first because I wanted to have a baby, [but] then I started working again. So, it took me a little time. But we completely dropped the idea in 2020 because we didn’t know where the world was going [due to Coronavirus]. So, for one year, we took a break from trying [to conceive]. And in 2021, we decided to try again, and God has been kind. We conceived!”

The 43-year-old doesn’t reveal when the baby is due, but we have got to know that she is in her second trimester and is five months pregnant currently. Recalling the moment she found out she was pregnant, she shares, “It was a very emotional day. I remember Karan and I running to my mother’s house. She was the first person I wanted to tell. Everyone was emotional. It has been my mother’s dream that Karan and I have a baby. I always had faith that it would happen. I am more than grateful for this.”

The couple got married in 2016 and this will be their first child. Bipasha harks back and says that she is aware that she got married a little later than the usual norm, but asserts, “When you find a partner late in life and settle down late, as a person you are extremely mature and responsible, and you know when exactly you will be responsible enough to give birth to another life. It was a proper decision between us. We decided to not have one until we are able enough.”

Bipasha is considered one of the fittest artistes in Hindi films. Ask her how she is feeling about all the changes that happen during pregnancy, and she says, “There have been a lot of changes, and I am absolutely comfortable with everything.”

While there has been buzz that B-Town couple, Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover are expecting their first child, they didn’t address the rumours. Instead, the two decided to surprise everyone by sharing their big news on social media yesterday.

They dropped photos from a pregnancy shoot on social media, and wrote, “A new time, a new phase, a new light adds another unique shade to our prism of life. Making us a little more whole than we used to be. We began this life individually and then we met each other and from then we were two. Too much love for only two, seemed a little unfair for us to see…so soon, we who once were two will now become three. A creation manifested by our love, our baby will join us soon and add to our glee (sic). ”

They sported matching oversized white shirts for the shoot. A number of people from the film industry chimed in to give the couple their good wishes for the new phase in their life. In their note, Bipasha and Karan thanked their well-wishers and said, “Thank you all, for your unconditional love, your prayers and good wishes as they are and will always be a part of us. Thank you for being a part of our lives and manifesting with us another beautiful life, our baby. Durga Durga (sic).”

Bipasha and Karan met on the sets of the film Alone in 2015. They tied the knot in 2016.

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Actor Bipasha Basu Singh Grover and her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover, have finally put speculations to rest. The couple took to their respective social media handles on Tuesday morning to reveal that they are soon going to be parents.

Alongside pictures of Karan, 40, holding Bipasha, 43, while she flaunts her baby bump, they shared a post that read, “A new time, a new phase, a new light adds another unique shade to our prism of life. Making us a little more whole than we used to be. We began this life individually and then we met each other and from then we were two. Too much love for only two, seemed a little unfair for us to see…so soon, we who once were two will now become three. A creation manifested by our love, our baby will join us soon and add to our glee. Thank you all, for your unconditional love, your prayers and good wishes as they are and will always be a part of us. Thank you for being a part of our lives and manifesting with us another beautiful life, our baby. Durga Durga (sic).”

The duo got married in 2016 after dating for a year and rumours about them expecting their first child have done the rounds many times ever since.

Bipasha Basu Singh Grover admits to being ‘paranoid’, especially about her parents, amid the increase in Coronavirus cases in India. The actor says she keeps tabs on everything they do, as any concerned daughter would, and ensures that they are safe.

Bipasha also makes sure that the staff caring for her parents follow all protocols, and maintain hygiene. “I am very particular about what my parents do, where and how they go. For a long time, they didn’t travel, so when everything felt better (last year), with all possible protocols in place, I took them to the Maldives. Then my father flew to Kolkata. I was very paranoid and wanted him to come back to Mumbai, and thankfully he reached just before this new wave,” says the actor, who turns 43 today.

Bipasha will be celebrating the day with her parents and husband, actor Karan Singh Grover, and says it is one of the most special days of her life. She gushes, “I am very excited about my birthdays each year, no matter how old I am getting. I am as excited as I was in childhood.”

Bipasha adds, “I had a lot of plans for this year… I was supposed to go to the Maldives, it is Karan’s and my favourite place. A lot of plans were there, but owing to this third wave that has come in, we are trying to be responsible and stay put at home, doing our bit to contain the wave.”

Talking further about her plans for the day, the Alone (2015) actor says, “There will be no party as such; it will be very simple, with my mum and dad and food. I am a foodie. All my favourite specialties will be made by my mum. I will miss all my friends and my birthday holiday, which I love.”

The actor adds that “this will be the second year in a row” that she hasn’t “celebrated her birthday” in a big way. She shares, “Last year, Karan got Covid-19 and was stuck in Serbia. Our plans for the New Year’s and my birthday got cancelled. I am grateful that this year my entire family is healthy and all are happy.”

Every time a married woman gains weight doesn’t mean she is pregnant. This misconception is something actor Bipasha Basu Singh Grover constantly battles. “My family life is important. I know there have been a lot of speculations about me being pregnant, on and off, when I put on weight,” the actor tells us.

Though she is among the celebs who are looked up to for their fitness, the Race (2008) actor says she likes to take it easy at times. “I know I’m an ambassador of fitness. But there is a time when I can let go and live life a little bit. It’s not that I’m becoming unhealthy. But the speculations are always going to be there till the time people see me with a baby,” she says.

She married actor Karan Singh Grover in 2016 and understands that people wish well for her. “They are wishing that I have a family, and it is a sweet thought. If that’s supposed to happen, it will happen. The constant scrutiny doesn’t bother me. It’s just that I’m not pregnant, so that’s sad,” expresses the 42-year-old.

When it comes to work life, she was last seen in a web project, Dangerous, last year. She admits that the pandemic affected her. “I’ve not done anything for a long time. Covid-19 definitely put a halt in my head. So, I was not even reading any scripts. But now I’m open to it,” says the actor.

After television and movies, Karan Singh Grover took a plunge into the digital world with the web show, Qubool Hai 2.0 recently. It re-introduced him as Asad Ahmed Khan, the popular character from the television series by the same name. While talking to BT about his successful transition across mediums as an actor, Karan also opened up about his new venture and his passion for art. Excerpts...

There are many dimensions to me that people are not aware of. I am just happy that with Qubool Hai 2.0, I could showcase an aspect of myself. Besides, the character that I play in this web show is quite different from what I did on the TV show. I have done action and comedy before, but it wasn’t put out there so prominently like they did in this show, which could be the reason why my performance stood out even more.

I worked a lot on the character of Asad Ahmed Khan and his nuances during the inception of the show in 2012, so much so that character stayed with me through the years. It’s not a healthy thing to keep a character within you for so long, but this is a phenomenon that can be expected with television projects that are shot for a long period of time. So, as soon as Qubool Hai 2.0 came up, Asad was there at the snap of a finger. Since he is shown to be a sharpshooter on the show, I trained for a few days at a shooting range in Mumbai. Interestingly, I was quite good at it and that surprised my coaches. The game of shooting is much in sync with your breathing.

As far as the chemistry between me and Surbhi is concerned, even though our characters, Asad and Zoya, are meeting and falling in love for the first time on the web show, they already have a strong base that was created when we worked together for the first time on TV. You can’t really portray this chemistry, unless you’ve spent time prepping for a character before.

The artist was always there within me, but I never explored it. I never took it seriously as I was bad at art when I was in school. When teachers asked me to draw a scenery, I would draw it the way I felt it. Nobody cared about my perspective and would advise me to draw mountains and trees. It is only when Bipasha encouraged me that I took up art seriously. She came across one of my drawings and asked me to explain it. She was surprised when I told her it’s called ‘Dreaming Birth’ as it depicts the soul having already gained its highest potential before entering a womb. She asked me to do more of such work. All of this happened on December 31 in 2015. I remember the day well because that’s the day I proposed to her and asked her to marry me. It was her enthusiasm that motivated me to do my first series called ‘Ascension’. There has been no looking back since. I am not an Arts student, but the more I dabbled in painting, the more I understood it better.

The response has been great. I’ve had people comparing my pieces of art with some renowned works of celebrated artists that I can’t name (smiles!). My art is an extension of my personality. I have also been signed on for Aparajita Jain’s online gallery of new contemporary artists from South Asia. A physical exhibition will happen by the end of this year and I am really looking forward to it. 

Despite the short stint on Qubool Hai, Karan Singh Grover had made an impact as Asad Ahmed Khan. Almost nine years later, the actor has found his way back into the universe of the love story as he headlines Qubool Hai 2.0, a spin-off of the Zee drama. “It is a difficult role because the character is the antithesis of my own personality,” he begins. “Asad is exactly like he was; only that he is not an architect, but a world shooting champion. Zoya’s character and family have been altered. The world around them has changed, but viewers will see them meeting for the first time and falling in love.”

With the series graduating from television to an OTT platform, come changes in its format of storytelling. Ask him how different is the web world, and he says, “I am enjoying this space as much as I enjoyed TV. The story and the character are important for me. Here, there is less stress regarding TRPs. We know the plot, and shoot it at a stretch till we reach the finish line. It is a better way to perform and write.”

Shooting for the Zee5 series was not all roses for the actor — on wrapping up the last leg of shooting in Serbia in early January, he tested positive for COVID-19. “We were shooting in zero degrees, and in a particular scene, I was not wearing a jacket. So, I was down with fever for a day. Two days later when we were to go back home, the unit had to do the mandatory testing before flying out. When the test results came, I was diagnosed with the virus. I didn’t show any symptoms except that I had lost my sense of smell for three days. So, I had to stay back till January 9.”

As he fought the infection, the news took an emotional toll on his wife, actor Bipasha Basu. “Bipasha was devastated; she is strong, but she gets scared when it comes to the health of her loved ones. Often, she doesn’t take care of herself, but wants to make sure everyone around her is okay. So, my diagnosis hit her worse than me,” he remembers.

If the pandemic had brought the world to a standstill last year, it also made us reassess our life decisions and priorities. For Grover, a significant fallout of the pandemic was leaving Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2, a show that saw him take centrestage as Mr Bajaj. The actor decided against shooting in the new normal when the unit of the Ekta Kapoor show resumed work. “I didn’t want to go [on a set] and expose my loved ones to a virus that has affected the world so badly. So, I have not done a lot of work because of the current scenario. You have to work for a living, but you can’t do it at the cost of risking your family. I loved the character, the story and of course, Ekta, but we must prioritise our wants.”