Sonali Kulkarni was stranded in traffic for nearly five hours on Mumbai’s Mankhurd bridge on Wednesday night while travelling to Pune, as severe congestion on roads leading to Navi Mumbai brought vehicles to a standstill. The Dil Chahta Hai actor took to social media to describe the ordeal, calling the situation “scary.” Now in Pune, Sonali speaks to Bombay Times about the experience.

Opening up about why she chose to speak out on social media, Sonali says, “It was genuinely out of concern and fear. I felt like reaching out on social media because there were many people who were stuck. Some people who were going home chose to walk down the bridge. I took a walk for a kilometre, back-and-forth and saw that there were kids crying and people were hungry. There was no food or water. I can’t even tell you what women did because there were no washrooms on the bridge. The only positive point was that the traffic control room where I called was responding. The officer there was patiently answering all questions. The engineering team and the traffic team could not reach due to the situation, they were helpless. It was an extremely painful experience.”

Clarifying her intent, Sonali emphasised that her voice came from conviction rather than confrontation. “So far, I feel that whenever I have raised a voice, I was convinced about it. I was convinced about the need to do it. I was not protesting, neither was I vehemently fighting with the government. I was stating facts about our harrowing experience”.

Concluding with a broader reflection—something she has often articulated through her public interactions, the actor called for accountability and better planning in a growing metropolis.

“I think as a metro, we need to think about civic planning and what we lack. What if someone had a medical emergency, what would they do? We need to address this. What do we do about this and who do we ask? I think as a citizen who is sincerely paying taxes and showing trust in the government, we deserve these answers. The public emotion was amazing, there was nobody shouting, screaming and there were no quarrels. Many people had shut down their vehicle because there was fuel limitation. I feel resilience is not a virtue, but it is helplessness.”

Navi Mumbai: Like the clichéd “last straw on the camel’s back”, a Navi Mumbai-based dry fruits businessman, Subodh Shetye (57), became so harried after paying various govt taxes in the past 40 years, that he has now vented his entire life’s frustrations in a creative way by making a full-length Hindi feature film called “Tax Free India”. The Censor Board, however, is not amused.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to clear Shetye’s film on the ground that the film’s screenplay is “too amateurish; against the democratic govt policies” and that it “creates confusion in the present tax policies, and encourages public revolt”.

While Shetye has been given the option to approach the high court to get his film certified, he has decided to release it first on YouTube by the end of the month or early May, where the censor board’s jurisdiction does not hold.

“Since my teen years, I have assisted my family in our dry fruits business. I have seen how tax officials harass. Sometimes raiding parties show up and demand random amounts even if you have maintained all accounts and books; some vague clause will be quoted to extract more tax,” said Shetye, who not only produced but also acted as the protagonist in the film, which runs a little over two hours.

Adding that he may release the film on YouTube by month-end or first week of May. Shetye said: “We income tax, GST, excise, customs, property tax, professional tax, besides stamp duty if you are purchasing a property. And yet, India has to take a loan from the World Bank. Shouldn’t our tax system be more simplified and minimize corruption?”

He added that the revised tax system, which he dwells on in his film, will also reduce inflation.

One of his supporters, a city developer, said, “I have seen the rushes of ‘Tax Free India’, and it strikes me that the business and middle class pay so much tax. But still, most of our tax money is spent by the govt on political appeasement , or to redevelop already good roads and infrastructure so that contractors can benefit. Taxes and corruption are slowing down India. Is the govt scared to give it a censor certificate?”

American statesman Benjamin Franklin had once famously said, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.

A spate of actioners later, Sidharth Malhotra is in the mood to explore romance again with his next, tentatively titled Param Sundari. We’ve heard the actor began shooting Tushar Jalota’s directorial venture in Nerul earlier this week. The first schedule will run for the next two weeks, with leading lady Janhvi Kapoor joining the shoot in early January.

Earlier, mid-day had reported that the love story sees Malhotra essay the role of a suave business tycoon hailing from Delhi to Kapoor’s free-spirited artist from Kerala (When north meets south, Oct 27). Sources tell us that in the ongoing leg, the director intends to shoot key scenes depicting the male lead’s emotional journey.

An insider reveals, “The Nerul shoot is crucial for setting up the protagonist’s backstory. Kharghar and Nerul will be the unit’s locations for the next few days, as Tushar cans emotional scenes featuring Sidharth. After Janhvi reports to the set in January, they will film the pair’s romantic sequences. Following the Mumbai stint, the director has lined up extensive schedules in Kerala and Delhi.”

The source adds that the rom-com, which marks the actors’ first collaboration, is part of a larger on-screen universe being developed by producer Dinesh Vijan, outside of his horror comedy universe.

Urmila Matondkar loves indulging into Mumbai’s popular snack wada pav. In a special shoot with Bombay Times celebrating World Wada Pav Day (August 23), the actress went hopping from one stall to another gorging on the snack.

In a fun chat we asked the actress which of the following ingredients of wada pav reminded her of Bollywood actors and she set the rapid fire round on fire! She told us, “I will say that the spicy batata bhaji reminds me of Kareena Kapoor Khan and the crispy besan coating of the wada reminds me of Sara Ali Khan.”

About the chutneys that go with wada pav, the actress added, “The sukha red hot chutney I believe reminds me of not one person but a couple - Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal, together as a jodi! And the teekha hari mirch you take a bite of with every wada pav bite is Deepika Padukone.”

Ask her who does she think of looking at the soft-soft pav and she is quick to add, “Salman Khan, because he might come across hard from outside but he is way too soft from inside.”

Of late a lot of reels have been going viral where the Mumbai snack is gaining popularity in Delhi.

Urmila who’s followed such reels says, “Wada Pav is way healthier for Delhiites than a lot of unhealthy food that they eat there. I have seen some horrible reels of fake paneer being made there. Well, my advice to them will be to indulge in our snack instead and my most important food tip to them will be to ask the vendor to add dry red chutney, green chutney and have every bite with a bite of a deep-fried green chili.”

------------------------------------------------

Mumbai: Around 30-40% multiplex screens will open by Sunday, on a weekend that will see a sole Hindi film hitting theatres. Though the state government had allowed movie theatres to reopen from November 5 at 50% capacity, merely a handful could do so due to logistical issues. Several multiplexes had cancelled their housekeeping contracts soon after the Coronavirus lockdown and some had even cut their power connections to avoid standalone connection charges.

Since the decision to allow reopening was sudden, a majority of owners are still struggling to get the logistics in place, besides a new revenue model based on the government’s 50% seating criterion.

Multiplex Association of India office-bearers say it will take a few weeks more to get all the 745 screens in the state to start screening films as they have to rehire staff as well as come up with a new economic model. While 575 are inside 150 multiplexes, the remaining 170 are single screens. Mumbai has 193 screens in 42 multiplexes and 66 are single screen theatres.

In Pune, 10 of the 30 multiplex screens will open this Friday, while in Mumbai and other parts of the state, only 30-40% screens will light up, said association secretary Prakash Chaphalkar. However, none of the single-screen theatres will open this weekend, he added. Chaphalkar said ‘Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari’ is the only Hindi film that will release this weekend.

In MMR, Navi Mumbai has 25 screens in six multiplexes, Thane has 10 screens in three multiplexes, besides four single screens, and Kalyan-Dombivali has eight single screens. Major players in the multiplex segment include Inox, PVR, Cinepolis, Carnival and Citypride.

Some owner members were of the opinion that if they opened without working out a financial model, they would incur more losses than during the lockdown period. With no other films either from Hollywood or local languages making it to the theatres this weekend, sources said deciding on content and revenue models that can survive in the new normal till full seating capacity is allowed has become necessary.

Justin Bieber's exit from Mumbai was as hush-hush as his arrival on Wednesday at 1.30 am. While it was speculated that he would tour India for a few days, it came as a surprise when he left for South Africa soon after his concert in Navi Mumbai the same night. The hype around his visit turned out to be a damp squib, as he skipped all the plans chalked out for him, including attending high profile parties.

A source revealed, “Justin reached the concert venue at 7.55 pm, was on stage at 8.10 pm and made a backdoor exit at 9.45 pm. He headed straight to the Kalina airport, from where he boarded his private jet to Johannesburg, where he will perform on May 14. He chose to travel by road both ways, though a chopper was kept on hold for him.“

However, in what turned out to be a hurried 22-hour visit to India (since he extended his stay in Dubai), the pop star managed to soak in the sights and sounds of Mumbai as much as possible.

The source adds, “Before heading for his concert, Justin went to the slums in Reay Road and Shivaji Nagar (in Govandi), accompanied by security in-charge Shera and his personal bodyguards. He interacted with underprivileged children and played football with them. He also visited the Deonar dumping ground and finally, headed to a shopping mall in Navi Mumbai, where he grabbed a drink at an American coffee shop. He even visited the Gateway of India at 4 am on Wednesday morning but that's all he could manage in a day's time.“

While Justin crooned to his hit song, Let Me Love You, at the concert, he didn't give Mumbai enough time to love him back.

While Justin Bieber enthralled his fans with an electrifying performance at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium last night, not many know what the Canadian pop sensation did soon after arriving in Mumbai at 1.30 am on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old singer went straight to his hotel from the airport, and soon after, left for a quick darshan of South Mumbai. A source said, “He was on his toes since his arrival. Instead of resting at the hotel, he explored the streets of Mumbai. Accompanied by his security in-charge Shera and a couple of his personal bodyguards, Bieber visited the Gateway Of India at 4 am. He got off the car and enjoyed a stroll on the road, before returning to the hotel.“

The source added, “Initially, Bieber wanted to walk around the streets without security, but he wasn't allowed to because given his immense popularity, it would have been a security hazard.“ After coming back to the hotel, Bieber enjoyed a traditional Kerala massage by a special masseuse flown down from the southern state. Later, he took off for his performance on a chopper from Mahalaxmi Race Course.

TIGHT SECURITY IN PLACE
Salman Khan's bodyguard Shera, who has previously handled the security of various international artistes touring the country, including Michael Jackson, Peter Andre, Diana King and Keanu Reeves, spoke to BT about the special arrangements made for the singer. He said, “I have a team of around 50 people working with me. I will be with him throughout the tour and have been stationed in the hotel since Sunday.“

Talking about the pressures of handling an international celebrity like Bieber, he added, “The stressful part is handling the press and the crowd. Justin has a huge fan following among the youth. Many of my friends and acquaintances have been seeking my help to get a picture clicked with him, but I am very professional. Even my son called up from the US saying that he is coming down to see Bieber, but I asked him to go to the concert on his own.“
--------------------------------
Justin on his toes since landing in city — visits Gateway at 3 am, relishes tandoori delicacies, grabs impromptu coffee at Vashi mall
MID-DAY (May 11, 2017)

India, you are next, Justin Bieber announced on Twitter, a day ahead of his visit to the country as part of the Purpose World Tour. His fans responded by turning up in huge numbers at the city airport’s Kalina gate at 1.30 am yesterday to welcome the Canadian singer ahead of last evening’s gig. Following a two-day delay in his arrival owing to an extended stay in Dubai, Bieber landed in Mumbai amid much fanfare.

Sporting a pink hoodie, he was accompanied by Salman Khan’s bodyguard, Shera, who is overlooking security arrangements for his India stay. An entourage of vehicles, including a Rolls Royce awaited the Grammy-award winner at the airport. He was driven to St Regis Hotel in Lower Parel, where preparations for his arrival have been underway for the past few days, as first reported by mid-day.

A source said, “Soon after reaching the hotel, Bieber wanted to head out and party, or at least play snooker at a club. When told that Mumbai doesn’t have a 24/7 party scene, he asked for a quick tour of the city.”

Mumbai darshan at 3 am
With five security officials and three cars following him, the source adds, Bieber left the hotel at 3 am. “He enjoyed views of the Gateway of India and Kala Ghoda in South Mumbai. He also made a dash to Navi Mumbai for a quick recce of the venue and suggested a few production changes.”

After the four-hour drive, Bieber returned to the hotel, where an array of gifts were laid out for him. “He also asked to try Indian tandoor dishes. Bieber is a big fan of chicken and paneer tikka,” the source says.

Out and about
In a video going viral, Bieber is seen meeting a bunch of less-privileged children on a bus, a garland around his neck. He shakes hands with them and enquires, “You guys good?” The children were given free passes to the concert. He even played a game of football with them.

On his way to the venue, he made a pit stop at a shopping mall near Vashi station. As he walked in with minimum security around him, onlookers were taken by surprise. He went up to the counter of an international coffee chain with his bodyguards in tow and ordered for four coffees — Iced Kenya in pour-over.

The stage is set for Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber's concert, which is scheduled to be held at Navi Mumbai's Dr D Y Patil Stadium tomorrow. With at least 45,000 fans expected at the venue in Nerul, the satellite city's police and traffic departments have chalked out elaborate security, emergency, disaster management and traffic regulation plans.

To begin with, the venue will be under extensive CCTV surveillance. Footage will be monitored from the control room every minute. Also, a lot of planning has gone into managing the crowd as efficiently as possible. Over 500 police personnel will be on duty. A few sniffer dogs will also be deployed.

When contacted, Hemant Nagrale, the commissioner of police, Navi Mumbai, said, “Before the event, the venue will be screened by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad. Drone cameras will be used for live feed, which will be monitored from the control room. We're also deputing officials in civilian clothes.“

Given the expected footfall at the concert, parking arrangements for a large number of vehicles are also in place. A ground near the venue, which can accommodate up to 3,000 cars at a time, has been earmarked for this purpose. A shuttle service will also be provided from the parking lot to the venue.

In a bid to keep the roads decongested, the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police Department will divert traffic from the London Pilsner Junction to Uran Phata exit on the Sion-Panvel highway. The service lanes around the stadium will also be blocked, while a few lanes in the vicinity will be turned into one-way roads for the day.

S K Shinde, Senior Police Inspector, Turbhe Traffic Department, added, “Twenty officers and 200 constables will be deployed to manage traffic along with 100 volunteers. The organisers have also arranged for towing cars wherever necessary.“

Sunday morning turned out to be pretty entertaining for residents of Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, as they spotted Bollywood actors Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor shooting for their forthcoming film, Half Girlfriend in the Shilp Chowk area of the city.