Showing posts with label Monica Bellucci. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monica Bellucci. Show all posts
Girija Oak Godbole on being called ‘India’s answer to Sydney Sweeney’: "I am amused"
10:53 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 12, 2025)
If you’ve scrolled through X in the past few days, you’d have come across the ‘blue saree wali’ that social media is crushing on. Meet actor Girija Oak Godbole, who is being touted ‘India’s answer’ to American actor Sydney Sweeney and Italian model Monica Bellucci by excited fans on social media. She has been working in Marathi and Hindi cinema for two decades.
Speaking about going viral for the first time, she tells us, “I am amused! My phone started buzzing like crazy on Sunday evening. I was in rehearsals for my play and couldn’t take calls. Suddenly, all my friends were messaging me, ‘Do you know what’s happening on X?’”
The actor adds, “One sent me a post debating if it was (actor) Priya Bapat or me! Then my devar told me some cheap handles picked up my pictures and there was a whole ‘bhabhi lover’ scene happening. Some pages sexualized me. But Marathi fans said, ‘You’ve only just discovered her! We’ve known her for years’.”
As memes flooded X, Girija took it in stride: “At the cost of sounding wise and old, it’s a trend; it’ll come and go. The work I do is here to stay. If people discover my work now, that makes me happy.”
Despite some of the more explicit content, her family, she says, wasn’t fazed: “Fortunately, I come from a film family. My father’s an actor, my father-in-law is a producer, my husband’s a filmmaker. We understand you can’t control perceptions. I never have to go out of my way to explain, because we’re all aware of the nature of the beast. If you put yourself on a pedestal, people will talk.”
Monica Bellucci cancels Mumbai visit due to daughter's sickness
7:55 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 14, 2017)
Mirror had earlier reported (September 27) that Italian stunner and actress Monica Bellucci will be in town to receive an award at a film festival. But we’ve now learnt that the actress will not be able to make it and an event featuring her in conversation with Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on October 15 now stands cancelled. As her daughter is unwell, the 53-yearold actress has had to reschedule her visit. The festival spokesperson revealed that Monica is now expected to be in Mumbai in February, 2018.
I hope to meet Shah Rukh Khan and his family during my stay in Mumbai-Monica Bellucci
8:05 AM
Monica Bellucci on detaching herself from her public image, her growing fascination with Hindi cinema and her upcoming visit to Mumbai
Anupama Chopra (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 27, 2017)
For years there have been rumours about you doing a Bollywood film and now you are finally coming to India for the Mumbai Film Festival. What do you like about Hindi cinema and what are you most looking forward to?
I would love to make a Hindi film. One of the reasons I am an actress is because through my work I have the pleasure of creating new human experiences and getting in contact with new cultures. I first saw Bandit Queen, made by Shekhar Kapur, and got very interested. I loved films like Anurag Kashyap’s Ugly and Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan. It is amazing to see how much Indian stars and Indian movies are loved all over the world.
The first Bollywood films I saw was Devdas, which was screened in Cannes in 2002. I loved it and discovered Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are not only great actors but great dancers too. It is impressive as I can’t dance myself.
I am glad to have met a delegation of Indian actors, directors and producers in Morocco once. I could feel the love of the public, it was really special and quite unique. I was seated next to Shah Rukh Khan at the royal dinner so we had a real conversation about cinema and India. I have a lot of respect for him and his career. He is a kind-hearted man. I hope to meet him and his family during my stay in Mumbai.
I’ve wanted to come to India for a long time but didn’t find the time. I’m happy to be visiting in October, I’ll receive the first Trailblazer Award given to a woman for her role in cinema at the fest.
You have worked with some of the world’s leading directors, including Giuseppe Tornatore, Emir Kusturica, Francis Ford Coppola, Sam Mendes, Mel Gibson, Gasper Noe. What is the hallmark of a great director? What is the one trait common to them?
They are all very talented in different ways. A great director for me has to have his own universe. That’s what makes him or her special! I am curious and always ready for new adventures.
When Bahman Ghobadi was asked why he picked you for Rhino Season, he said, “Number one, she is a good human being. Number two, she is a good human being. Number three, she is a very good actress.” Do you have to be a good human being to be a good actor?
No. What you do is not what you really are!
Actors like you, Isabelle Huppert, Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Charlotte Rampling have broken the clichés of ageism in cinema — specially when it comes to leading ladies. How hard has it been to do this and what is the secret sauce?
Things are changing and women have different visions about themselves. They respect themselves much more and it creates more respect from outside. There are also more roles today for mature women. That’s why actresses like Julianne Moore and Isabelle Huppert work a lot. They put themselves in danger and take risks in their roles.
You said in an interview that “being pretty when you are an actress is like a painful banality. Do you know many ugly actresses? If I was an astronaut it would be more original.” Do you think your beauty has been an obstacle?
Beauty is like a horse. You have to know how to ride it. If you count only on beauty, you don’t go far!
Ageing is difficult for everyone but I imagine that it’s especially hard for someone whose beauty is so celebrated. You said that you look at yourself with compassion. How do you do this?
I think it is important to learn how to get detached from your image. There is a moment when it is important to work on your inside beauty. It is the real ageless beauty! To become a mother taught me so many things in this way.
You had children at 40 and 45. What are the advantages of becoming a mother later in life and how has the experience shaped you as an actor?
I started my career very young, first as a model, then as an actress. When I became a mother my career gave me the freedom to choose when I want to work and have time for my children. Children bring you some serenity and I guess some distance with things. You only focus on what really matters so all these things must reflect in you as an actor.
I can’t resist asking — how do you manage to look so incredible. You’ve said that you occasionally have a face massage, acupuncture and you do pilates. Surely there’s got to be more!
What makes me feel beautiful is to be loved by the people I love.
What’s your life mantra?
Be free.
Jackie Shroff returns to seduce, with Jism 3
7:49 AM
Plays one of the three male leads in Jism 3; Pooja Bhatt's looking for a Monica Bellucci for the heroine's role
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 7, 2016)
After a successful Part 1
and 2, Pooja Bhatt is gearing up for Jism 3. The script is ready, the
screenplay is getting its final touches and casting is in progress.
“This time I have three leading men to drool over--one in his 50s,
another in his 30s and the third in his 20s. My women audience deserve
more eye-candy,“ informs the producer with a laugh, adding that her
leading lady will be real and sensual. “It's alright if she has stretch
marks and wrinkles, but she must have depth. With Bipasha Basu I threw
the concept of a fair and lovely heroine out of the window and in Jism 2
I dared to cast an
adult star (Sunny Leone) in the lead. This time I'm looking for someone
like Monica Bellucci though I don't know where I will find her. Maybe I
will have to give birth to her myself since the film rolls in
September.“
Buzz is, Pooja is in talks with Jackie Shroff for one of the male leads. The director admits that she's been wanting to direct him since she made Dhokha. “This time I hope I've convinced him to come on board as the 50-plus guy. I want attractive personalities in my film and Jackie fits right in,“ she asserts.
The actor confirmed the news saying, “Bhatt saab gave me Kaash which was a milestone in my journey. I'm sure I'll rock with Pooja as my director this time around.“
Buzz is, Pooja is in talks with Jackie Shroff for one of the male leads. The director admits that she's been wanting to direct him since she made Dhokha. “This time I hope I've convinced him to come on board as the 50-plus guy. I want attractive personalities in my film and Jackie fits right in,“ she asserts.
The actor confirmed the news saying, “Bhatt saab gave me Kaash which was a milestone in my journey. I'm sure I'll rock with Pooja as my director this time around.“
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)