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.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 10, 2020)

There’s no respite for Mahhi Vij even during the Coronavirus lockdown. She’s spending her days taking care of Khushi and Rajveer, her adopted children, and her nine-month-old toddler, Tara. “I miss taking all of them out. We’re making up for that by holding terrace parties. Some days, we have a pool party too,” she says.

She believes that she’s “a hands-on mother” to Tara and is constantly on her toes. She says, “I’m a little fussy when it comes to her. I want things to be in a particular way in her room. I clean and sterilise her bottles myself, check the temperature of her room and the milk that she drinks. I don’t even have five minutes to sit and relax because I need to constantly make sure that she’s comfortable.”

Vij feels though she has matured after embracing motherhood, she’s also become emotional. “I can’t be in the same room when she gets her shots because I start crying. I’ve become so emotional that even if I hear a sad song on the television, I start crying,” she describes.

The Laagi Tujhse Lagan actor feels that with the arrival of her toddler, her relationship with her mother has improved. “Earlier, I used to fight a lot with my mother for the smallest of things. When I was pregnant, I saw her, a diabetic patient, standing in the kitchen for hours cooking for me. She would be up throughout the night to take care of me. I realised how important she is to me. I’ve become very attached to my mother,” she signs off.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 14, 2019)

Television couple Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali, who tied the knot in 2010, are expecting their first child. Mahhi is in her second trimester and the couple, we hear, is excited about this development in their life.

The buzz about Mahhi’s pregnancy started after the actress stopped being active on social media and attending parties. That led her friends to speculate that Mahhi and Jay could be expecting their first child. The couple already takes care of their house help Manoj’s kids — five-year-old Khushi and three-year-old Rajveer — and are extremely attached to them. In fact, they are almost like foster parents to the two. BT reached out to the couple, but they did not respond. 

After two women were stabbed to death by their stalkers within 24 hours in the capital city, we spoke to TV actresses, who are originally from Delhi, about their scary experiences from the past
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; September 23, 2016)

Celebrities tell the After Hrs team that it’s criminal that the animal offenders who knowingly hurt a dog got away with a petty fine. They suggest punishments that ought to be meted out to them
DNA (July 9, 2016)

Two medical students — Gautam Sudarshan and Ashish Pal — one of whom heartlessly threw a dog off the terrace while the other one filmed the macabre incident, were arrested and then released on bail in Chennai.

The incident shook the nation. The dog is reported to have suffered two fractures, one in her right hind leg and another in her spine, and is now under treatment. She has been named Bhadra (which means blessed).

The men were charged with offences punishable with fines of `10 and `50 instead of jail time. Now the question remains: is the token bail amount enough punishment for the inhuman act?

“The Prevention of Cruelty Act is pretty outdated, it is a 1960 law and we want a change in that because they can just get away with a fine of `50,” said animal rights activist Shravan Krishnan to a news portal. The video went viral and has sparked a lot of outrage and debate on animal cruelty laws on social media. We ask celebrities from the world of art, media and entertainment about what punishment the culprits really deserve...

‘Stricter laws are needed’: Sooraj Pancholi, Actor
It’s ridiculous that the person who committed the crime has been let off so easily. Rs 50 cannot be the price of anyone’s life — human or animal. Even animals have emotions and feelings. Not only the people who committed the crime, but also the people who let them off so easily should be questioned. I am slowly losing my faith in humanity. I feel these offenders should be made to serve prison time. We need stricter laws for such heinous crimes. Throwing a dog off the terrace is as serious a crime as harming a human being.

‘Should’ve kept them in jail for a week’: Riteish Deshmukh, Actor
I know what the laws to punish humans for anti-social activities like robbery and murder are, but I don’t know what’s the law for protecting animals and for such offences. This is documented evidence where he’s showing off what he can do! The collective thoughts of everyone made sure these two people were caught. I think they should have been kept in jail at least for a week because everyone can see what they actually did. Two people wished the poor dog dead, but so many people thought together so it was alive. There’s a certain collective energy working here which created this miracle. Genelia and I were so happy when we heard the puppy was alive.

‘Force them to work in animal shelters’: Sunny Leone, Actress
I think the men in question should have to pay all the pup’s medical expenses. Furthermore, they should be forced to work in animal shelters under supervision for free to help them learn animal compassion.

‘Losing their friends would be the biggest punishment’: Suniel Shetty, Actor
We need to educate people about pets and how much they mean to us. According to me, these guys are mentally unstable. Their parents should take that into consideration and check out their mental stability. What promoted them to do such a crazy thing? Rather than punishing them we need to understand their state of mind and work on it. As the video went viral they must have lost all their friends and that would be their biggest punishment. To be shunned like this is shameful for them. As far as being let off too easy what can you do? It’s a mental issue... some people fear stray dogs which bark and throw stones at them. They need to keep this in check.

‘Jail is a good punishment’: Tusshar Kapoor, Actor
I thought it was really sad that humans have become so sadistic, especially with a creature that’s so selfless and unconditional in its love. I am glad that the animal is alive. I have heard that the two men are out in bail. If that’s true then what about animal rights? If Bollywood has to give disclaimers for even using an animal harmlessly, why are these people not put behind bars? Jail is a good punishment for animal abusers. I love animals and for me a Rs 50 fine is not enough.

‘Throw the guy off the roof: Dino Morea, Actor
Sick people like these need to be punished for taking out a life. It’s insensitive and inhuman to do such a thing. It’s ridiculous that he was let off for a sum of Rs 50. Punishment needs to be harsh because there will be more sick guys who will do similar thing and be let off for Rs 50. I’ve seen the video a few times and saw that the guy was enjoying doing such a thing as was the guy recording the footage. Jail this guy for a year or throw him off the roof! Only then he will understand the real effect of his actions.

‘Whatever acts as a deterrent...’: Pooja Bedi, Actor
As human beings we have responsibility not only towards mankind, but also towards animals, nature and the environment. Animals are living creatures and they have a right to co-exist, and any act of barbarity should be punished. Whatever acts as a deterrent should be encouraged, whether it’s a hefty monetary fine, serving prison time or even community service.

‘Get a strong message across that it’s wrong’: Rithvik Dhanjani, Actor
I am deeply saddened by what has happened. I feel defeated that I am part of such a species that thinks only humans are important. We are so self-centered that we think everybody other than humans is a threat to us. What is alarming is that they attempted such a crime. Bawaal machna chahiye jo nahi hua. Also, how do you decide the price of a dog is Rs 50? That’s how cheap life is! In an alternative world, imagine you throw a human being and pay a fine of Rs 200. If it comes to me I will probably throw them down four-five floors and pay a fine of Rs 5000. I am not the one to decide the punishment, but there is a need of some sort of payback from those guys. And it shouldn’t be monetary. We have to figure out how we should get across a strong message that this is wrong. I cannot do much, but at least I can speak my heart out against it.

‘Throw them from the same spot’: Sanjay Gupta, Filmmaker
I saw the video and found it very upsetting and disturbing. The right thing to do is throw them from the same spot! I would have done it myself and then paid whatever fine was required. The animal laws have to change. It’s not about letting them off easy or anything... Letting them go with Rs 50 fine is ridiculous, it’s a joke!

‘...higher bail and jail time’: Diandra Soares, Model
I am in shock hearing about the Rs 50 fine. I definitely feel that the medical school should remove both of them. I understand that people at times make mistakes, but these two men were not uneducated kids. It’s very sad that in our country we don’t have strict laws for animal abuse. This case demands for a stricter punishment. If I meet this guy I think I might push him off a terrace myself. They should have been given a much higher bail amount and some jail time as well. I wouldn’t mind starting a movement for a harsher punishment. An example needs to be set.

‘There should be a national reaction against it’: Ruslaan Mumtaz, Actor
In India, people take life of humans and animals very lightly. India is supposedly the most religious and spiritual country. I am really disappointed that even today, our country does not do anything and lets go of all kinds of crimes. That’s the sad part. In this case, I honestly feel all the animal activists should come together and fight. They will not allow this person to go with the fine of Rs 50. There should be a national reaction against it.

‘They should be rusticated, not just suspended’: Mini Mathur, TV host
One can’t equate this act of throwing a dog from a terrace with the act of throwing a stone on a dog — it’s not the same kind of cruelty to animals. This case should be a wake up call to reform the law. It shows mental derangement, it’s a premeditated act of sadism. According to me the men should be arrested. They should also be rusticated and not just suspended from medical college. Such people are dangerous criminals and shouldn’t be allowed to treat humans and become doctors. They should be put behind bars and booked under sadism and unnatural acts. I sincerely hope some revocation to the Rs 50 fine is given and that they are ridiculed in public.

‘This crime was equivalent to manslaughter’: Divya Palat, Theatre actor and director
I think the best punishment for these men is imprisonment. If you are caught trying to murder someone you would be jailed. This crime was equivalent to manslaughter. I think we live in such a horrific world that anything perceived to be weaker whether it’s animals or women are hurt, beaten or raped. And we are okay with it? Animals should have the same rights as human beings. The dog hadn’t done anything wrong. Also, how much of a psychopath do you have to be to do something like this! And to think the man might become a doctor someday. The magnitude of the crime is deplorable. Such people who are let off for Rs 50 will do it again and again. Forget the law, there has to be some humanity left.

‘Usse lakhon logon ki baddua lagegi’: Ravi Dubey, TV actor
I think for somebody who is being inhuman, harming either a person or an animal, there has to be a much bigger punishment. I have a dog and I consider him my son. He is a part of my family. It was infuriating to watch that video, I wanted to put my opinion online. It is ridiculous after such a huge hue and cry, that guy was let off with a fine of just Rs 50. It was a cold-blooded act — he has no respect for life. I don’t know what the ideal punishment should be, but it should send across a strong message to someone who intends doing something like that to retain and sustain their humanity. He has been let off but usko lakhon logon ki baddua lagegi.

‘He is sick and should be in jail’: Mahhi Vij, Actress
If that man could do this to a dog, he can do it to a human too. His mindset is not right. He is sick and should be in jail. The problem is, we don’t have laws for such kind of things in India. I had a poodle and two drunkards driving a car ran over it when it was sitting at the corner of the gate. When I went to file a complaint, the cops told me that I can’t because nothing like that exists. Americans have a better system and laws against such cruelties. Animals also have a heart. They can’t speak, but that doesn’t mean you treat them inhumanly.

‘Consider it an attempt to murder...’: Jay Bhanushali, Actor
It is saddening that just for Facebook likes and YouTube hits, people are doing these kind of things. I think people who do this to animals should get the same punishment if they had done it to humans. It should be considered an attempt to murder. Otherwise, this will keep happening. At least, in the metros we need to change laws in favour of animal rights. And as Mahii said, an incident happened with our dog Angel and after fighting with the cops to file a complaint, I realised that since there are no laws, nothing can be done.

‘Nothing less than life imprisonment’: Rahul Da Cunha, Theatre personality
I feel people like the two accused who harm animals for fun, deserve nothing less than life imprisonment. And in the case of the BJP minister who attacked a horse who later succumbed to his injuries, to begin with, he should have at least been removed from the party.

The cast of the tele soap is shocked by the channel's sudden decision after repeated promises of a two-month notice before wrap
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 7, 2016)



Balika Vadhu, recognised by the Limca Book of Records in May this year as India's longest running show, is drawing to a close after 2225 episodes. Launched on July 21, 2008, on Colors, its finale episode will be aired on July 31.

It started off as the story of a Rajasthani child bride, Anandi (played by Avika Gor), and her husband, Jagya (Avinash Mukherjee), and entered its second season this April with the narrative focus shifting from Anandi to her daughter, Nandini (Mahhi Vij), and her love interest Krish (Ruslaan Mumtaz). Incidentally, the cast wasn't apprised of the decision and the abrupt end has come as a shock.

"We were promised we'd get two months' notice before the soap wrapped up, but we've been informed just days in advance. We have been hearing rumours but whenever I enquired on the sets and with the production house, they reiterated their promise. I feel the show had run its course with the last cast, getting new actors like Mahhi and me on board was an attempt to revive it's magic. Maybe the story just got too modern for the audience and it didn't work. It's alright, I'm ready to move on," Ruslaan told Mirror.

Mahhi who made a comeback after three years with the show is furious: "We were informed on Tuesday that the show is ending on July 31 and July 20 will be our last day of shoot. It was picking up in the 8 pm slot even during the IPL, but the channel suddenly shifted it to 6.30 pm. We didn't even get a chance to make it work. I had turned down a lot of offers for this one because of its long run and legacy so this is most unexpected."

Avinash Mukherjee who played the original male lead Jagya when nine years old is emotional about the sudden end. Pointing out that it was loved all over the world, he revealed that he is prepping up for a Balika Vadhu-themed concert in Vietnam. "Other cast members, including Siddharth Shukla, Asiya Kazi and Roopal Durgapal, are joining me. Balika Vadhu is huge there," asserted the 18-year-old, recalling how his introduction scene was shot in Rajasthan with the temperature up at 50 degrees. "Avika and I were curious kids. We'd sit with the sound recording and camera departments. I co-directed some scenes and shot some others. I gave my first autograph even before the show aired. Then, I took a break in the 10th standard. Everything I've learnt today is from the show," he admits.

Surekha Sikri who played Dadisa admitted that the experience was lovely while it lasted. "The soap managed to maintain quality for a long time but later deteriorated. I was called for an episode recently. I heard it wasn't doing well. But I'd like to hold on to the good memories I have of the show," she said.

Twenty-four-year Pratyusha Banerjee replaced Avika as the grown-up Anandi in 2010. She was the Balika Vadhu for the next two years. The actress committed suicide on April 1, 2016. Four months later, it's a sad end for her tele-drama too. The channel chose not to comment.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2016)

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; February 10, 2016)

Upala KBR (DNA; January 24, 2016)

The daredevil hosts of Khatron Ke Khiladi - Kabhi Peeda Kabhi Keeda usually try out physically demanding stunts. But Arjun Kapoor, who is hosting the show for the first time, has taken on a dare, that requires mental strength. He stuck his head in a box filled with killer bees and flies, his face smeared with sweet cream and attempted to eat strawberries at the same time. It is the first time in the history of the show that a host has taken up such a task.

Arjun will be seen performing the task in the season’s first episode itself. This would be the first of many tasks involving bugs, creepy-crawlies and reptiles that have been designed specifically to push the contestants to their limits in this season. Notes a source, “Over the years, the show’s daring hosts motivated and supported the contestants, especially when it came to tasks involving insects. Arjun is the first host to willingly offer to perform the task himself. During the task, his face became a pincushion for bee-stings, but he continued to perform till he ate all the strawberries. Arjun wanted to motivate the contestants not just with his words, but also with his actions. He also wanted to experience the adrenaline rush one experiences when doing such a stunt.”

Arjun says, “I always believe actions speak louder than words, even when it comes to motivating my contestants or khiladis. I have no phobias of anything, so I had fun doing this. Shooting this stunt was a blast!”

One of the contestants, Mahhi Vij, while watching Arjun laughed and said, “Aaj Kapoor khandaan kitna khush hoga!”

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; November 24, 2015)

Arjun Kapoor-hosted reality show in Argentina seems to be creating more buzz due to the antics of contestants than their adventurous pursuits. If sources are to be believed, telly couple Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali, who are taking part in Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi, had an ugly spat in their Buenos Aires hotel room. Reason? Jay’s alleged growing closeness to another participant, model-turned-actress Parvathy Omanakuttan.

Sources state that Mahhi then apparently asked to be put up in a separate room. “She felt that her husband was getting too friendly with Parvathy and confronted him. That escalated into an expletive-laden exchange between the couple. Later, when Mahhi was asked why she wanted another room, she was overheard telling co-contestants about how Jay had behaved with her,” reveals a unit hand.

Jay and Mahhi had a hushhush wedding in 2011, but made it public only a year later. Two years later, there were reports about trouble in their paradise, but in early 2014, they put speculation to rest by exchanging wedding vows yet again while holidaying in Las Vegas. However, post that, there has been intermittent buzz about strained relations due to Mahi’s apparent possessive nature.

Mahhi remained unavailable for comment.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; July 21, 2014)

They say that couples, over time, begin to look alike. Now while that is debatable, one does see a change in behaviour of some men, as soon as they commit themselves to a woman. The men start making a deliberate change in their lives, mostly to please the women they love. Male celebrities are no exceptions.

A recent instance would be that of Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. The two have never admitted to being more than friends, but by now we know that the couple spends a lot of quality time together as and when time permits. Anushka recently took a break from her shooting schedule to fly to the UK, where Virat is currently playing as part of the Indian cricket team. He too dropped in on the sets of her film, NH10, to spend time with her on her birthday. Now it has emerged that the cricketer has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to permit Anushka to join him on his England tour.

Clearly, love does make the world go round....


Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande
Lowdown: Sushant Singh Rajput has been dating Ankita Lokhande for a quite some time now and the two are living together in their suburban flat. There has been a lot of speculation about their relationship status; rumours have it that the couple has even tied the knot and is just waiting for the right moment to announce the same. And while the duo remains tightlipped about the status of their relationship, their friends say that it is Ankita who calls the shots in their equation. “In the early days of his career, Sushant was very friendly and he would hang out with friends, but under Ankita’s influence, he has become more of an introvert now. He is not so easily approachable anymore thanks to Ankita,” says a source.


Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor
Lowdown: Ranbir Kapoor would happily pose for the shutterbugs, but after he started seeing Katrina Kaif, he prefers being more ‘ private’. This has led to some not so pleasant run- ins with the media. Katrina, for one, has not had an easy equation with the media and not so long ago, when pictures of the couple’s holiday in Ibiza were leaked out, she saw red and dashed off a letter to the media expressing her displeasure.
It may be pointed out that Ranbir too has got into a tussle with photographers in the recent past. The actor, once known to be mediafriendly, is hardly comfortable getting photographed now.


Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij
Lowdown: Television star Jay Bhanushali, who made his big screen debut last week with Hate Story 2, has recently been in the news for the wrong reasons. The actor allegedly walked out of promotions for his film on a whim. It is being said that he has become a bit of an introvert post his marriage to TV actress Mahhi Vij.
Sources close to him say that he was a lot more outgoing before his marriage. “Interestingly, Mahhi too was very talkative and friendly before marriage. But now both of them seem to have changed. Looks like their social behaviour is a thing of the past,” says the source, adding that the couple’s friends are surprised to see this change.


Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee
Lowdown: Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee’s common friends point out that the former’s behaviour and outlook has changed since Debina entered his life. It turns out that Debina apparently doesn’t like Gurmeet interacting with other women at parties and get- togethers. The source says, “She keeps an eye on Gurmeet and doesn’t approve of him talking to other women. Gurmeet apparently doesn’t want to pick a fight, so he does as Debina says.”

(with inputs from Asira Tarannum)