Ram Kapoor has wowed the internet with his drastic physical transformation. The actor shared a selfie on Instagram showcasing his all-new dapper look. The 51-year-old, who was on a long social-media hiatus, left everyone amazed with his sleek and cool new look. It was in April this year when he shared a photo of himself at the gym, showcasing how he was at it!

On Thursday, the actor took to Instagram to share a stylish mirror selfie and captioned it: “Hi guys, sorry for the slightly long absence from Insta, was working on myself quite extensively (sic).” The post featured him flaunting his fit, dapper look in a classic T-shirt and denim look, leaving fans in awe. He shared another pic with wife, actor Gautami Kapoor, which mentioned, “42 Kapoor”, hinting at losing 42 kg.

His post earned a lot of attention from the fraternity and other internet users. While actor Neena Gupta quipped, “What is that u (sic),” actor Karan Wahi dropped several heart emojis. A user wrote, “Has he done gastric bypass surgery?? (sic),” while another joked, “AI generated hai (sic).”

In 2019, Kapoor had undergone a remarkable weight-loss transformation, shedding 30kg in seven months.

Barun Sobti, who became a household name with the show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, is now enjoying being a part of the OTT space. Talking about the response to his two digital stints, Asur 2 and Kohrra, he says, “It fills me up with joy. Of course, it doesn’t change me as a person. I never waited for any validation. My process of picking up projects still hasn’t changed. Fame is a tricky thing. I deal with it by being in denial. I’m fine without fame. It has never bothered or changed me at all.”

At the age of 17, Barun started working in a telecom company, while secretly hoping to be an actor. He got the opportunity when his school friend Karan Wahi backed out of a TV show. “Karan was offered a show (Shraddha) and he asked for a certain amount. The makers didn’t have the budget, so they asked for a cheaper version of him. He recommended my name. I sent my pictures, and everything worked out,” Barun recalls.

Barun says he didn’t have to face a lot of struggle at the beginning of his career. “I didn’t even give a lot of auditions. The last show that I auditioned for was IPKKND. I didn’t even want to do the show, as I wanted to move to Australia with my wife,” he reminisces. Eventually, the show’s overnight success led to Barun dropping the idea of moving to another country. He adds, “I started making money and we realised that we could have a good life here.”

When Barun started his career, he was panned for his acting and was only called a good-looking guy. “I was not a good actor; I would not blame the people who were saying that,” he admits. With his recent performances, life has come full circle. “Looks are something you are gifted with. However, skill set is what can take credit for,” he says.

Interestingly, not many know that Barun has a no-kissing policy, courtesy of his sweet promise to his wife, Pashmeen Manchanda when they were 15. “The first time I told her that I wanted to be an actor, she jokingly said, ‘Now you will kiss every girl’. That’s when I decided I would not kiss on screen. To date, she tells me how stupid I am! There’s no clause as such, and I am not averse to it. If it makes sense and is essential, I will think about it,” he ends.

Shraddha Kapoor’s trainer and nutritionist Maahek Nair gives her a variety of options to pick from. “She begins the day with an amla shot, which promotes immune functions and is a great anti-oxidant that is loaded with vitamin C. It is a good way to start the day.

For breakfast, she may either have a slice of sour-dough or gluten-free bread, sliced avocado, and a cup of almond masala chai or black coffee. This is a complete meal, comprising an adequate amount of carbs, fats, and protein. Else, she may have a smoothie bowl consisting of plant-based milk, avocado,  açai, and berries topped with nuts and hemp seeds. These foods are loaded with antioxidants, are nutrient-dense, and are easy to carry around and consume.”

Ranbir Kapoor’s trainer Shivoham reveals that he consumes 200 grams of carbs on the days that he trains, so that he has sufficient energy to pull off the routine. He also consumes 150-180 grams of protein each day, and, currently, has only minimal amounts of fat.

“We are focusing on his carbs and protein intake at the moment. We don’t need to add extra fat since he has enough carbs in his diet. His breakfast varies, and depends on when he trains, and shoots. It also depends on how many times he trains in a day. His breakfast usually comprises oats mush with berries or fruits, oats or rajgira pancakes with fruits, and nut butter, scrambled eggs, caviar, two sour-dough toasts. When he isn’t consuming carbs, he will also have egg whites and avocados.”

My breakfast has been the same for many years. I have carbs, protein and healthy fats at breakfast. It comprises three egg whites, two slices of bread, and five nuts, which provide the required fats. On certain days, I may have quinoa upma, or multi-grain rotis as carbs, and may experiment with low-fat paneer recipes to [match my protein intake]. I love cheese, and have half a cube of it every day.

Nutritionist Shweta Shah ensures that Rautela commences her day with celery and cucumber juice because “she has a tendency to retain water”. “We also add kari patta to it. Given that she is on intermittent fasting, she breaks her fast with a banana. Her first meal is her lunch, which comprises paneer and a protein shake. We need her to up her protein intake because she is on a vegetarian meal plan currently. Right now, given certain commitments, she isn’t consuming [carbs] like roti,” she says.

Rakul Preet Singh says she adjusts her breakfast in accordance with her fitness routine. “I may have a smoothie comprising pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, blueberries, and cinnamon. If I feel hungry before lunch, I’ll have eggs. If I have had an intense training session, I will have an avocado toast with scrambled eggs.”

Her nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal adds, “Bananas act as a glycogen replenisher, and are essential because her breakfast is also her post-workout meal. Flax seeds provide fibre, cinnamon is an anti-oxidant, and nutmeg powder is anti-inflammatory. We also add whey isolate. It is not a heavy meal, so anyone consuming this would feel hungry at lunch time, which will enable them to subsequently have a wholesome meal.”

I have an omelette comprising four eggs, a slice of brown bread, fresh orange juice, banana, watermelons, and baked beans. I also consume a protein shake. 

I prefer to have a heavy breakfast as it keeps me going through the day and helps me start my day with ample energy. Most of my carb-loading happens in the morning.

In 2004, he became an overnight star with his first show, Remix. While Karan Wahi initially enjoyed the flurry of projects and popularity that followed, he eventually realised that the television projects hardly creatively satisfied him. After trading fiction shows for non-fiction offerings, the actor finally found his groove in digital entertainment. Wahi dissects his 18-year career as he sits down for a chat about his upcoming ZEE5 web series Never Kiss Your Best Friend season 2.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

When you start your career, you think less and work more. But as soon as you do something that becomes big, you start thinking hard about the kind of projects you want to do because you become critical of your work. In 2012, I left fiction shows because I couldn’t cope with 30 days of work every month. My health was going for a toss. The only time I would get to myself is probably when I was driving back home. At that time, I tried my hand at being an anchor. Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa [in 2012] set the ball rolling for non-fiction. The second reason [for my decision] was that I had reached a point where I could ask questions and get answers, and not just work because there is a telecast the next day. [When doing fiction shows], I used to make a lot of money, but the reason I walked away was that I wanted to be happy as well as make money.

I jumped on the OTT bandwagon way before the medium took off. I did not start off with Sacred Games (2018). I had done a show called Bar Code, but it took a long time for Hungama to release it. I think I have done more shows on OTT than on television now. The last few years have also seen a change in OTT entertainment; you see an influx of film stars. While it is a great opportunity, not every show on OTT is as good as we think it is.

 

There are times when the makers might not perceive me as the lead. My job is to perform something I like to the best of my ability. I would rather do a character I enjoy than play the lead, out of ego. It doesn’t bother me. I’m grateful that after 18 years in the industry, I am still relevant.

For a long time, I was working only for the money. When I first said no to [a project I didn’t believe in], I was depressed for a month. Saying no was hard initially, but after that, I learned to live in that scenario. Early on, I was happy being referred to as the chocolate boy or the boy-next-door. But I got more [congratulatory] calls for my role in Sacred Games than I did for Remix. Many told me that I had played my part with conviction. That changed the game for me. Suddenly, people were talking about my work and not my looks. That is what you want to hear as an actor.

I had signed this show before the lockdown. In the times of thrillers and gaon khede ki stories, here is a light rom-com, which a lot of youngsters will relate to. The OTT platforms need a little romance, because we Indians loved our romance dramas in the ’90s. That drew me to the show.

We are producing Blackboards for ALT Balaji. Almost 70 per cent of the show is shot. We will wrap up the shoot by the first week of March, and are hoping for an August release. Rithvik is the showrunner and is completely invested in it.

Television show Pehredaar Piya Ki (PPK), which revolves around an eight-year-old boy married to an 18year-old girl, has been in the eye of a storm for quite some time now. After TV actor Karan Wahi lashed out at it, an online petition was floated, seeking its ban. It was also reported that Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani had forwarded the petition to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council.

However, the producers of the show, Sumeet and Shashi Mittal, on Monday denied receiving any ban order from the government. “We have not received any letter or petition from the minister's office. As soon we receive such a letter, we will respond. Besides, I also feel that it was irresponsible on Karan Wahi's part to post his views on social media without watching the show,“ Sumeet said.

At a press meet, they said that people should watch the show before spreading rumours about it. Shashi, who has also written the show, said, “Most of the people we meet say that they don't watch TV. If that's the case, how can they decide if PPK has objectionable content?“

The producer duo also refuted allegations about the content being regressive. Shashi added, “I agree that a marriage like the one shown in the serial - between an eight-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl - doesn't happen in our homes. But if the show takes a time leap, the marriage will be about an older woman and a younger man, which does happen in our society.“

Later, talking to BT, he elaborated, “If a man on his deathbed asks a mature girl to look after his son whose life could be in danger by marrying him, what's wrong in that? He is a selfish father who wants his son to be protected.“

Well, couldn't the mature girl have adopted the boy or simply become his caretaker? Shashi replied, “This is a fictional show. It portrays circumstances where the father feels that just being a caretaker or mother will not help.“ When asked if the storyline aims at garnering good ratings by creating a shock value, Shashi said, “Our show has opened to good ratings, but not good enough for us to celebrate. If we had wanted to create shock value, we would have registered very good ratings by now.“

Also, the producers don't fear that the show will be banned. Sumeet noted, “The people who have reacted strongly comprise the internet generation; maybe I should call them trolls. Our real viewers are watching the show and they find it entertaining.“
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Despite facing backlash for its unsettling premise, makers of Pehredaar Piya Ki defend show, assert that they will ‘continue as planned’
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; August 15, 2017)

In the four weeks since Pehredaar Piya Ki went on air, the show has caused outrage across the country. While the plot that revolves around an 18-year-old girl getting married to a nine-year-old boy didn’t sit well with viewers for obvious reasons, matters got worse when the makers recently aired a ‘suhag raat’ sequence between the leads.

“The show is not trying to romanticise the relationship between the protagonists,” says producer Sumeet Hukamchand Mittal in defense. “People have complained about the suhag raat sequence. But, we didn’t show any lovemaking sequence between them. The two play with flowers and you can’t tell me it’s wrong.”

While an online petition demanded the show be banned — one that received 1.25 lakh signatures over the last few days, I&B Minister Smriti Irani wrote to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), asking them to review the content.

But Mittal remains unfazed. “We don’t intend to change the script unless the BCCC feels that it’s not appropriate. So far, they’ve not given us any diktat, so we’ll continue as planned.” Point out how the viewers have expressed their reservations against the objectionable content and Mittal shoots back, “Have these people seen a single episode?” Ironically, he feels the show is made for family audiences. “There’s another petition that wants the show to continue, as it’s not corrupting anyone’s mind.”

Captain Abhishek Bachchan and his football team, including Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Dino Morea, Aditya Roy Kapur, Armaan Jain, Kartik Aryan, choreographer Marc Robinson and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, TV actors Shabir Ahluwalia and Karan Wahi, amongst others, are heading to the capital for a face-off with a dozen Members of Parliament for a charity match scheduled for June 11 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“The idea came from Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) and Arjuna awardee and ace footballer, Prasun Banerjee who is now the MP from Howrah. They thought a match against the popular celebrity team could be turned into a ticketing event. They however refused to take the field arguing that younger, fitter MPs are easier on the eye. Prasun came on board as mentor and Rudy announced that 50 per cent of the funds raised would be donated to the skills development initiative,“ Ameet Mehta whose organisation is spearheading the initiative along with Bunty Walia's All Stars Football Club (ASFC) for the charity match informed Mirror.

Ameet admits that it was a task bringing the politicos on board but he had over 14 signed acceptance letters at the end of six months from MPs of all ages who were willing to prep up for the match. The team is led by singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo and comprises of actor-politician Manoj Tiwari, three MPs from Uttar Pradesh--Anshul Verma, Kamlesh Paswan and Keshav Prasad Mourya--and Saumitra Khan and Anupam Hazra from West Bengal. There's also Parvesh Verma, MP from West Delhi and son of late Delhi CM Saheb Singh Verma, along with MP from Rajmahal, Jharkhand, Vijay Kumar Hansdak, and Rajasthan politicos Rahul Kaswan and Devji Patel. Abhishek Singh, son of Chhatisgarh CM Raman Singh, and North Mumbai MP Gopal Shetty are also part of the playing X1. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, will be chief guests,“ Ameet adds.

Before the showdown in Delhi, AB junior's team is prepping up for another match against the Indian cricket team, which will take place in Mumbai on June 4. “There are several initiatives and charitable organisations hoping to partner with the all-star team so we are yet to finalise the details of the match,“ Bunty Walia informs, adding that the team is set to play one match each in Qatar, Singapore, Dubai and the UK as part of their first international football tour. “Government officials and local sports teams from each country will play against the B-townies,“ Bunty says.

Abhishek's star footballer, Ranbir, who didn't miss a single practice session, showed up on the field even a day before taking off to Morocco for Anurag Basu's Jagga Jasoos on May 7.