Showing posts with label Laado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laado. Show all posts
It was a conscious decision to do South films first and then move to Bollywood-Avika Gor
8:12 AM
Roshni Olivera (BOMBAY TIMES; May 24, 2022)
She was the original Balika Vadhu of TV and audiences loved her portrayal of the young, innocent Anandi. But Avika Gor grew up too soon on the small screen, and at 14, she was seen playing a grown-up in Sasural Simar Ka. But that didn’t hamper her career, it actually helped her hone her craft, she says.
At 24 today, Avika is happy with the way her career has shaped up. She has made a name for herself in the Telugu film industry and is now gearing up for her Bollywood debut. She has also turned producer and is in the process of making her first South film. In a candid chat, Avika talks about her different-yet-normal childhood, her career plans and how she manages her long-distance relationship. Excerpts...
You started as a child artiste on TV and later moved to South films. Was it a conscious decision to do South movies because you felt that would be easier to help you get into Bollywood?
It was a conscious decision. I was doing Sasural Simar Ka when I was around 14, but I was playing a 20-year-old on the show. So, I knew that people were looking at me as a grown-up. Around that time, I was approached for a few Hindi film projects, but they were not the kind that I would want to get launched with. I decided to start with South movies and then move to Bollywood with that experience, which I felt would add value.
Today things have changed dramatically, with South movies doing very well across the country. How do you see this change?
I have done more than 15 films in different South languages. It’s nice to see South films now getting national and international recognition. The perception of South cinema has changed, Bollywood has taken notice and also the audience. Pushpa, RRR and KGF have proven that cinema has no language barriers anymore.
Talking about your acting career, usually, a child artiste takes a break and then returns to showbiz a few years later as an adult. In your case, you did not take a break, and soon after Balika Vadhu, you were seen playing a grown-up in Sasural Simar Ka. What was the thought behind that?
The reason I did not want to take a break was because in Sasural Simar Ka, people saw me as a grown-up, so they already knew how I would look after growing up. Yes, I know some child artistes who have taken breaks and returned a few years later, but in my case, I did not want to do that. Also, I loved being on the set every day and couldn’t think of not doing that anymore! But after Sasural Simar Ka, I took a year-long break from TV before my next show, Laado. That break was mainly for me to decide what I really wanted to do in life. I learned a lot of things, from editing to directing, but I also realised that I love being in front of the camera. So, then it was just about grooming myself as an actress. I knew there was a lot I could do. In the beginning, I took things for granted, but later, when I started to work on myself, everything changed.
At 14,you played a married woman dressed in a sari in Sasural Simar Ka. Do you feel amused when you look back at it?
I am very proud of it. I remember my directors telling me to stand in a certain way because I should look like a grown-up. That’s when I learnt that as an actor, you have to do different things for a character. I have never gone to an acting school, so these shows were like an acting school for me. The space and the dedication TV actors and writers have is amazing. When I do films now, if the team asks me to stay a bit longer and complete a shoot, I totally understand that.
Did you ever miss having a regular childhood or doing things that teenagers usually do?
There were times when I felt that way, but within a day or two, I would be fine. I remember once I wanted to go for a night’s stay at a friend’s place and my mom let me go. That made me feel that I was like any other girl my age. Even now, I do a lot of regular things, but at the same time, I also get to do a lot of different things, like I have been travelling for a month. I don’t think anybody my age would be able to do that.
Some time ago, you spoke about how you pulled yourself out of an unhappy phase and worked towards becoming a better version of yourself. Are you in a happy space now, post your transformation?
I had people approaching me for work and everything was fine, but I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t comfortable in my skin. Then I worked on myself and began losing those extra kilos. I started feeling more confident and realised that I could be the best version of myself. I was cribbing because I wasn’t trying enough. So, I tried my best and I’m proud that I did not give up during that period. The moment I started working on what was bothering me, I realised that I really like myself and this is one thing that I am doing for myself.
You are now set to make your debut in Bollywood with Vikram Bhatt’s 1920: Horror Of The Hearts. Why did you choose this film for your debut?
This film has a story and a character which every actor dreams of! It’s challenging. People in the South appreciate my script selection. Mahesh Bhatt has written this film and Vikram Bhatt is producing it, so there was no reason to not accept such a good offer. I am in talks for more films now.
Along with acting, you seem happy to have donned the hat of a producer, and are making your first Telugu film. How different is Avika, the actor, from the producer?
Being an actor has made me a better producer. I know how much hard work goes into making a movie. So I think in my case, it’s a good combination, and I am happy doing what I am.
On the personal front, you have been open about your relationship with Milind Chandwani. But it’s a long-distance relationship. How do you manage that, and any marriage plans on the cards?
I remember telling Milind that I wanted to get married on the second day that I met him. That’s the kind of restless person I am. He is very sensible. He is not from the industry. Ours is a long-distance relationship, but we make sure to take out time for our holidays. That’s how we manage our relationship.
We can’t tell the overweight to accept their bodies in the name of body positivity-Avika Gor
8:23 AM
Having shed 20 kilos, TV’s blue-eyed girl Avika Gor says she wouldn’t have accomplished all that she did had she listened to those who misrepresent body-positivity
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; December 29, 2021)
Avika Gor sits before us for this interview sans makeup, and in a sleeveless top. Both, she says, are “accomplishments” that make her proud. Not too long ago, she would wake up each morning with “a frown on my face” owing to her poor fitness levels — a constant reminder of the fact that her body was no longer capable of doing the things that it could.
Gor had been a dancer since the age of four. But Indian television’s blue-eyed girl, caught in the daily rigmarole of filming a series, found her fitness routine taking a back seat. “[Being overweight] didn’t affect the work that came my way. I got [the series] Laado when I was at my heaviest, that is 74 kilos. I was also working in south Indian films, where I usually bagged the part of a chubby girl,” says the actor, asserting that while she did not want to take her success for granted, she had delayed addressing her fitness needs.
“I would often cry, and was unhappy with how I treated food. I was consuming only junk food. That I was getting roles that were all too similar also affected me. I wanted to do exciting roles, and I wanted people to know that there was more to me than they thought.” The revelation of her physical shortcomings following her participation in a stunt-based reality show served as the final jolt.
Over 90 to 120-minute routines, Gor addressed her physical fitness. “I did weight-training, cardio and pilates. I’d mix it up with bouts of dancing, and boxing.” Gor never faltered on her 15,000-steps-a-day deal. On set, while wearing makeup, and in her character’s attire, she’d strut around to clock in the number on her smart-watch. “People really underestimate walking”.
Unwilling to negotiate with her eating habits at 22, Gor chose to train harder instead. “It was a slow process. Often, I would lose patience. When I’d hit a plateau, I’d make small tweaks, like eat millets instead of rice, or exercise harder.”
Adding fruits to her diet not only fixed her skin concerns, but also helped alleviate gastric issues linked with weight-loss. In stark contrast with the kind of roles that were offered to her, Gor is now approached for parts related to action and dance. “These roles are more glam; ones that need me to be in western-wear or swimsuits. I was offered such parts in the past as well, but I am confident about pulling them off, only now. Perhaps, because people can see that I am open to doing them, they are approaching me more often.”
Gor has successfully negotiated her weight-loss journey, but it is easy to see that she hasn’t come out unscathed. She counts Indian viewers among those who have contributed to the need to rope in glamorous actors. She expresses gratitude to Yami Gautam for shattering beauty perceptions. “She is supposed to be the icon of beauty, and when she talks of her skin issue [Keratosis Pilaris] with such confidence, then a person like me, who also battles the same condition, is inspired.”
She also believes that the body-positivity movement needs to be better comprehended. “Many people can’t lose weight due to medical conditions. It is not easy. But, those who can, should address their weight concerns. We can’t tell [overweight] people to accept their bodies in the name of body positivity. [Had I taken their advice] I would not have been able to achieve what I have. I wouldn’t have taken care of my health. You need to see what you can make [of yourself]. I was so proud to be in fitness magazines. I never knew I could be there.”
There isn’t an exam in this country which isn’t rigged-Ashwini Chaudhary
8:08 AM
Ashwini Chaudhary's next film revolves around education and employment mafia
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 19, 2018)
National Award-winning director Ashwini Chaudhary recently wrapped up his next, titled Setters. Featuring Shreyash Talpade and Aftab Shivdasani, it is set against the backdrop of the education and employment mafia in India, a premise which on paper sounds similar to Emraan Hashmi’s upcoming film, Cheat India. Unfazed by the comparisons, Ashwini insists his film tackles a completely different social evil.“After seeing the trailer of Cheat India, I can say confidently say that they are two different films. Ours is in the real space, and more than education, it deals with employment market. I hope Emraan’s film works big time so it sets the ground for mine,” he smiles.
He reveals that while researching the subject, they discovered that a mafia exists in both sectors, and they are called setters. “There isn’t an exam in this country which isn’t rigged. And we are looking to expose the modus operandi of both these mafias within the framework of a thriller,” explains Ashwini who shot the film in Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi and Mumbai over 42 days.
He believes that Setters is closest he has come to his 2000 directorial debut, Laado, which bagged him the National Award. “After that I went into a commercial space but with Setters, I’m returning to my roots. In terms of content and treatment, it’s as hard-hitting as Laado,” he signs off.
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