The shoot of Made in Heaven 2, which was to kick off next month in Europe, postponed after government's temporary suspension of travel visas
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 13, 2020)

With the count of Coronavirus cases rising to 73 in India, the ripple effect can well be felt in showbiz. Even as the makers of big-ticket summer films have begun deferring their releases, several shoots are being cancelled in the wake of the pandemic. Among the many projects affected is Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's much-loved series, Made in Heaven. mid-day has learnt that the second season of the Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur-fronted show, which was to go on floors next month, is now postponed. This development comes in light of the government's suspension of almost all travel visas starting today in its effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Turns out, the second season of the wedding drama was to be shot in Europe, with plans afoot to head to the locales by the first week of April. A source close to the production reveals, "This time, the script was designed to include more destination weddings. The unit, headed by Zoya, Reema and Nitya Mehra, were planning to shoot in different parts of Europe, including Spain and Italy. However, given the lockdown in certain countries in Europe and the latest suspension of visas in India, the schedule remains cancelled till May. Only after May will the team take a call on when they can resume work."

A unit hand informs that the team was contemplating kicking off the filming with a schedule in North India, thereby not losing out on time. "But everyone agreed that given the current scenario, it's safer to postpone the shoot altogether until the situation gets better." Naturally, this move will impact the show's release. Initially slated to drop online in January 2021, the makers are apparently now eyeing a mid-2021 release.

mid-day reached out to Amazon Prime and Akhtar, who remained unavailable for comment.

The frontrunner for Best Creator gong for Made in Heaven in the upcoming mid-day and Radio City Hitlist Web Awards, Zoya Akhtar says two Delhi weddings provided fodder for the show
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; February 28, 2020)

Zoya Akhtar believes that the blend of traditional practices and modern trends as seen in Indian weddings provides sufficient drama for the creation of a promising show. "You'll see rituals that are completely traditional, but everything is [uploaded on] Instagram. This massive clash of the modern generation with [practitioners of] traditional [rituals] is beautiful. It's a hotbed for drama," says the Made In Heaven co-creator, who has been nominated in the Best Creator and Best Writing categories at the upcoming mid-day and Radio City Hitlist Web Awards.

The consecutive weddings of two of her Delhi-based friends came as manna from heaven for Akhtar and co-creator Reema Kagti, who were in the process of developing the script. "We interviewed people, and attended the events. The conflicts depicted in the show were [inspired by things] that have happened to friends and family. The instances are drawn from real life, from what we read in newspapers. But the nuances — like the characterisation, the things people spent money on, or how they live — came from [that experience]."

The powerful tracks and wonderful visual imagery aside, Made In Heaven was an enjoyable watch owing to the beautifully cast actors. "We just lucked out," exclaims the director, knowing that it made leading lady Sobhita Dhulipala an overnight sensation. "We [were certain] we wanted some of them, like Arjun [Mathur], who Nitya [Mehra, co-director] and I knew. We put him on tape for Amazon [Prime Video], and they said, 'He's the one'."

As the vulnerable landlord, Vinay Pathak breathed life into one of the most poignant sub-plots of the show, earning a Best Supporting Actor nomination along the way. "We knew we needed a sensitive actor who could evoke a sense of sympathy in a story like this. Vinay is a genius. We didn't go to anybody else," says Akhtar.

More About Made In Heaven
- Designer Aparna Chandra and casting director Nandini Shrikent's weddings served as fodder for the show.
- The second season of the drama will have two additions to the cast.

- Cast Your Vote For The Hitlist Web Awards

- Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have been nominated in the Best Creator category for Made in Heaven (Amazon Prime)

The other nominees are:
- Raj-DK (The Family Man)
- Vikramaditya Motwane (Sacred Games S02)
- Biswa Kalyan Rath (Laakhon Mein Ek S02)
- Richie Mehta (Delhi Crime)

- Made in Heaven enjoys seven nominations, including Best Series, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female), Best Supporting Actor (Male), Best Supporting Actor (Female) and Best Writing.

- There are 14 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.hitlistwebawards.com to cast your vote.

- You can also vote via SMS. Send HITLIST <space> category name <space> your choice (a/b/c/d as on the website) to 57575.

- Voting lines close on March 8

Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2019)

It was a special Diwali for Nitya Mehra and Karan Kapadia. On Monday, the couple, who got married in 2015, welcomed a baby boy at a suburban hospital in Mumbai. Nitya who worked as an assistant director on films like The Life of Pi and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, before making her Bollywood directorial debut with the Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif starrer Baar Baar Dekho, had kept her pregnancy a closely guarded secret for nine months. It was only on Saturday that she shared her big news with a picture on her Instagram in support of breast cancer awareness.

The new parents tried to keep the media at bay after the birth, giving the mother time to recuperate. However, they were happy to have Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone visiting them. “Ranveer and Nitya are close friends and as soon as he heard the news, he rushed to the hospital with Deepika and the couple spent the day there. They came at around 8 am and stayed till around 4 pm,” a source informed Mirror, adding that Ranveer was expected to drop by on Tuesday as well.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; July 21, 2019)

In the last eight months, Katrina Kaif’s life has been through a sea change. From being a pretty face in the frame, she’s now winning praise for being a promising actor, and one who is willing to dive deep into her well of emotions to deliver a fine performance. The actress, who celebrated her birthday on July 16, is currently in the midst of a well-deserved break in Mexico. Katrina spoke to BT about all that has changed in the last year in her life, in the personal and professional space. Excerpts:

Looking at your social media profile, it would be fair to say that you’re living the title of one of your films, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara…
(Laughs!) Yeah, and I hope I am doing Zoya (Akhtar) proud with the way I am living it up.

On a serious note, what do you think has changed for you in the last one year, personally and professionally?
The most prominent change that I notice in my life is that I feel a deeper sense of gratitude and fulfilment with my work. There’s a different kind of joy that I experience when I hear good things about my performance in Zero and Bharat, which gave me so much creative satisfaction. Making these films was such a wonderful experience. Both the films taught me a lot. These films propelled the actor in me and had a lot to contribute in helping me grow, both as a person and a professional.

There was a noticeable difference in the way you approached these characters — Babita Kumari in Zero and Kumud Raina in Bharat. Both won you praise in the reviews. What has changed in the way you look at your roles now?
In the last one-and-a-half years, I’ve begun to find more joy in the creative process of making a film and playing a role. I’ve changed the way I work and live. It’s difficult to put a finger on the exact reason or the turning point, but I’ve begun to give a lot more of myself to work. I’ve started understanding the process of making a film more deeply. As an actor, this means that you have to push your boundaries and work with directors who can make you do that. Working with Ali Abbas Zafar and Aanand L Rai helped me in a big way. In the last year or so, I’ve also found a lot more comfort and a still place within me that allows me to focus on what I am trying to do. The positive comments for Bharat and Zero made me feel wonderful because it was an incredibly happy experience working on these films. Now, I want to continue with the momentum.

While playing these parts, did you dive deep into your emotions and borrow from your own experiences?
That’s what I have been trying to do lately, and I’ve been enjoying it. Discovering characters has become so much more enriching. And then, you meet teachers, who can guide you to further your craft.

Post Zero and Bharat, has your criteria for giving a nod to a film changed?
Striking a balance is important. Also, you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously. I’d still like to be a part of some fun, entertaining summer releases. It’s important to enjoy what you create. I relish lighter and easier films, while I also enjoy a role that challenges me. I’m just trying to take on films that can help me keep that balance.

In the last few months, in several interviews, you’ve made statements like, ‘My life is an open book, I got nothing to hide’. That frankness is refreshing, but it also makes one wonder why you have suddenly let your guard down...
I wasn’t even 18 when I started out in the industry. I’ve been in the public eye since then. The other day, when I was thinking about it, I realised that we are two different people in our teens and in our 30s. Experiences change you. We’re all over the place in our teens, discovering ourselves in our 20s, while finding our feet and experiencing things that mould us and help us understand who we really are. The 30s are when we accept what feels real. I know that a lot of people tend to shy away from the media and be on their guard all the time. I have also done that at certain times in my life, when I felt unstable or I didn’t know what’s really going on. This new me didn’t happen overnight or with any one decision. I felt that this is the industry, this is the work I do and I am here for everyone to see. So, whoever engages with me should get to see the most honest version of who I am and that’s what I am doing.

How did you get rid of your insecurities and become so accepting of everything around you, which is evident in the way you express yourself now?
I feel the biggest change in the Katrina of then and now is that, today, I am comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable. Everyone in their 20s goes through bouts of uncertainty; I did, too. But today, I’m okay not knowing everything or having an air of doubt. When you are just starting out, you are bound to feel shaky, while trying to find your feet when the avenues are just about opening up. With these years of being here, and with success and acceptance, you also gain a sense of confidence. It holds true for everyone. It’s not like I don’t get insecure thoughts, or I don’t feel weak or doubtful now, but I’ve stopped running away from it, which is working for me. Also, I think I was quite guarded as a person, especially when it came to my personal life. That was an overwhelming factor, which people felt about me. I always wanted to keep my guard up and that has changed. How do people perceive it? I don’t know, but we have to be who we are. Perception is something that no one can control.

Who are the people who keep you together when you’re in the thick of uncertainty or in an uncomfortable situation?
I have six wonderful sisters who’re all so different from each other. One sister is a mathematician, another is into social sciences and my brother is into deep-sea diving. Their uniqueness adds a lot of beauty to my life. My mom is devoted to helping others, and to me, she is a wonder woman who has never had a bad word to say about anyone. I’ve always seen her with a smile, and she’s imparted her virtues to all of us. I’ve also got a fantastic set of friends, and they all love me unconditionally. Nitya Mehra and her husband Karan, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, Ali Abbas Zafar, Kabir Khan and his wife Mini, are some of my closest friends. Kabir has played a big part in me finding my voice. Our first interaction was while working on the film, New York. He was full of belief, which instilled the confidence in me that I could really do anything. Aditya Chopra has been such a constant in my life. Alvira is an incredible friend. I am privileged to have so many people in my life who love and care for me.

And Salman Khan?
We have such a wonderful friendship. He’s an incredible guy and the kind of dynamics we shared while working on Bharat was wonderful. Working with him has helped me grow as an actor and as an individual. And how can I ever forget Karan Johar? He keeps every single person around him happy.

Considering the fact that an actor’s life plays out in the public domain, does it get difficult to find the right person, maintain a relationship or go through an emotionally-draining phase like a break-up while being under the spotlight constantly?
Not at all! We don’t need to give this any thought. I have no preconceived ideas and thoughts regarding relationships. I just know that it has to happen organically, and you need to follow what feels right to you.

There’s nothing like it’s hard or easy. A relationship should feel right to you and you should take it one day at a time. To answer the other part of your question, I think every experience has only enriched me; I don’t think relationships can drain or empty you emotionally. Right now, I’m not even thinking of a relationship, we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.

Lastly, while it’s common for people to feel or look awkward in the presence of exes or people they have a shared past with, it hasn’t quite been the case with you. You have dealt with all of that with a lot of grace and dignity…
I just don’t feel awkward and I don’t carry any heavy thoughts about it. As I said, all my experiences have only given me something. Also, why do we have to make everything so complex and heavy? It’s a personal thing and may not work for everyone, but if I had two options, I would always choose the simple one over the heavy and complex. Why would I want to feel awkward in anyone’s presence? I would rather smile, laugh, have a good chat and keep it easy, instead of keeping a sad face. Simple!

Nayandeep Rakshit and Hiren Kotwani (DNA; November 16, 2018)

Bollywood’s ‘it’ couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh solemnised their relationship amidst much fanfare at The CastaDiva Resort and Spa overlooking Lake Como in Italy.

THE NORTH-INDIAN WEDDING

RANVEER DANCED ALL ALONG
For the Anand Karaj yesterday morning, the Padukones reached the venue early to welcome the groom and baaraatis. True to a North Indian-style wedding, the ceremony was a lot of fun. Ranveer and his baaraatis arrived dancing to dhol and music.

The ladkewaale made a dashing entry, grooving to Anil Kapoor and Govinda’s chartbuster tracks. Ranveer was in his element, jiving to Meri Pant Bhi Sexy, Tamma Tamma and My Name Is Lakhan playing out loud in the background.

MATCHING OUTFITS FOR THE BRIDE AND GROOM
The lovebirds complemented each other and wore shades of the same colour. While DP picked a beautiful red Sabyasachi outfit for the occasion, hubby Ranveer matched her dress sporting a pinkish red Indian ensemble by the same designer. The two families were also dressed in shades of red and pink. The ladkewaale sported pink turbans. The Padmaavat actor’s friend and photographer Rohan Shrestha along with director Nitya Mehra (of Baar Baar Dekho fame) were among the 40 guests that were present at the occasion.

THE SINDHI PLATTER
The Bhavnanis planned a lavish buffet for the guests at the ceremony. The menu included popular Sindhi delicacies like dal pakwan, sindhi kadhi-chawal, sev barfi and others.

THE SOUTH-INDIAN WEDDING

KEEPING IT CLASSY
For the traditional Konkani-style wedding on November 14, which started at 8 am and concluded at 2 pm, Ranveer’s family wore white-and-ivory outfits while the groom was dressed in a mundu (a traditional outfit) in the same shades. Meanwhile, Dippy’s side sported the traditional red-and-gold combination. The actress looked resplendent in an ethnic red, white and gold sari.

As per tradition, the bride had to walk from her villa to the mandap where the rituals were being performed. “While Deepika was doing so, songstress Shubha Mudgal delivered a live performance. DP looked like a vision in her bridal attire and Shubha’s booming voice lent a surreal feel to the proceedings,” says our source.

COLOUR CODES FOR THE GUESTS
Reportedly, the couple gave their guests different colour codes for all the ceremonies. While the actress is known for her drop-dead gorgeous looks, the guests were heard saying that they hadn’t seen a more beautiful bride than Deepika. “Even though the atmosphere was of complete joy and happiness all around, there were several moments when Deepika got emotional,” adds our source.

FOR THE LOVE OF COFFEE
Like most Indian shaadis, the families took great care about what was being served on the menu. Our khabri mentions, “Deepika loves filter coffee, so she made sure packets of the same were taken from Bengaluru. The beverage was served for the guests daily during breakfast and all the ceremonies.” Even the food served at the wedding was a traditional Mangalorean affair and chefs were specially flown down from the town in Karnataka for the same. “The Padukones ensured that the guests got a taste of their culture. So, they were presented delicacies like Mangalorean gatti, jaggery payasam, and Deepika’s favourite rasam rice. It was a traditional affair comprising a sit-down lunch where the guests were served on banana leaves. Even local Italian waiters, who were hired to serve at the couple’s wedding ceremonies, were trained about the cuisines. For instance, while serving rasam or payasam, they would describe the dish to the invitees,” informs the source.

THE VENUE WAS A CLOSELY-GUARDED SECRET
Both DP and RS wanted their wedding to be an intimate affair. “The place where the mandap was built and the duo exchanged vows was in a different resort, which was a little away from the venue where the Bhavnanis and Padukones were staying. This place is a short distance away from George Clooney’s property. Even the guests weren’t aware about the actual venue. Early morning, they were transported to the resort via speed boats,” reveals our source. The Anand Karaj also took place at the same venue yesterday from 8 am onwards.

THE JODI WILL BE BACK IN THE BAY TOMORROW
Both the families stayed in a private resort that had been booked for four days. Says a source, “The CastaDiva Resort and Spa was completely booked for the wedding, from November 13 to November 17. After the wedding ceremonies, the families will celebrate and relax for the next two days, before flying back to India.”


(Clockwise): Ranveer’s family arrives at the venue for the Konkani wedding; Deepika’s father Prakash Padukone; The Padmaavat actor with his family during the ceremony; and The actress’ family

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 15, 2018)

After Producers Guild of India and the Screenwriters Association, who have set up anti-harassment committees in the wake of #MeToo in Bollywood, 11 women filmmakers have joined hands to lend support of the movement.

Alankrita Shrivastava, Gauri Shinde, Kiran Rao, Konkona Sen Sharma, Meghna Gulzar, Nandita Das, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, Ruchi Narain, Shonali Bose and Zoya Akhtar, released a joint statement on Sunday. “We are here to spread awareness and to help create a safe and equal atmosphere for all in the workplace. We have also taken a stand to not work with proven offenders. We urge all our peers in the industry to do the same,” the statement read.

Lipstick Under My Burkha director Alankrita feels that #MeToo has come to India as a cry against a system that has failed women. “It is about social change against toxic masculinity and normalised misogyny. I think we all felt the need to let the women in the industry know that they are not alone and ended up reaching out to each other to make it happen. It is a shout-out to our peers to come together to create a more equitable film industry. The Women in Cinema Collective is already doing some fantastic work in the Malayalam film industry. I hope that we can work towards forming a solid network of female filmmakers who can be a voice of change,” she said.

Dear Zindagi director Gauri Shinde is positive that more women filmmakers from across the country will join in and make it a substantial movement, while Ruchi Narain who has written Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and directed Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow, told Mirror, “Too many men have abused their power to prey on, assault and intimidate women for too long. We want to add our support to the voices of these women and others who are yet to come forward, so they feel empowered and safe in their lives and jobs to stand up for themselves. The balance in the business needs to change and move towards equal opportunity.”

The actress is celebrating “homecoming week”
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 25, 2017)

Priyanka Chopra, who successfully crossed over to Hollywood in 2015 with the primetime TV show, Quantico, has been routinely returning home during work breaks. She’s now down in Mumbai for three weeks before she jets back to promote her big screen debut, Baywatch. Ever since the 34-year-old actress touched down on Saturday, there have been speculations aplenty of her signing multiple films, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next production, the Sahir Ludhianvi biopic, and the Kalpana Chawla biopic to be helmed by debutante director Priya Mishra. However, the actress’s spokesperson insists the actress has only been catching up with family and friends, determined to celebrate her “homecoming week”, and will only start fi alising projects in the coming week.

On Saturday, she was at a house party by producer-friend Ritesh Sidhwani and his wife, Dolly. Other guests included Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar, his sister Zoya and their filmmaker friend Nitya Mehra, directors Karan Kapadia, Homi Adajania with stylist wife, Anaita Shroff, and photographer Abheet Gidwani. Ranveer shared an elevator selfie with his two faves, Zoya and PeeCee, and captioned it – ‘Mama Zo and Madame Mercurial’.

After partying through Saturday, Priyanka had a slumber party of sorts at her Andheri home with one of her oldest besties, Tamanna Sharma Dutt. Today, she is hosting a bash with producer mom, Madhu Chopra, at a popular Khar watering hole to celebrate the success of her Marathi production, Ventilator, which bagged three National Awards for Best Director, Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing. The guest list includes Ventilator director Rajesh Mapuskar and the cast, including Ashutosh Gowariker and Boman Irani. Teams of their three productions, Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi, Sarvann and Pahuna, will also attend.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 9, 2016)

Sidharth Malhotra sits on a tranquil stage at Mehboob Studio, an impish grin playing on his lips. He is in a hurry to wrap up the day’s work (read: promotions for Baar Baar Dekho) and grab a bite. Before he can attend to tummy grumbles, he meets hitlist for a quick chat. Excerpts:

Baar Baar Dekho is said to be inspired by About Time...
The only common thing is the concept of time travel.

Your chemistry with Katrina Kaif is gaining attention.
In love stories, you can’t decide what leads to good chemistry. When you work with someone you have not worked with earlier, it creates something unseen, unique and novel.

Were you friends with Katrina before this film?
We knew each other socially, but there was no friendship. I had a massive crush on her. We started from zero and became friends while filming. Nitya (Mehra, director) is clever. The first schedule was strategically placed, at a time when we were not getting along. The film, at that point, required us to be distant and Katrina is methodical as an actor that she didn’t speak to me at all on set. As and when we warmed up during shooting, we did the more intimate scenes.

Most of your films are with Dharma and Karan Johar. Do you fear being pigeonholed?
It isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I don’t feel stuck under Karan’s shadow. He is and will always be my mentor. Varun (Dhawan), Alia (Bhatt) and I are Dharma talent and we carry that tag proudly. I did Kapoor & Sons and I am already dying to do a solo romantic film under the banner. This is home, family, comfort zone.

Sidharth Malhotra on films, friendships, time travel, his relationship status, marriage plans and more...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; September 2, 2016)


BBD isn’t a time travel film, but it does show three time periods, much like Teri Meri Kahaani. That didn’t work. Any risk here?
I haven’t seen that film, but I can talk about my film. I have never seen a concept like this before. It’s so different because there’s no technology or gadget here. By chance, the guy gets to see the future of his love life, the mistakes he made, the things he took for granted and things he wants to change. That’s something most of us want to know but we don’t get the chance to experience it. So, it’s a fictitious story done in a real way. The plan is to package a love story in a different way. We want to give ourselves and our work priority and not commit at all. Jai is a professor and he wants to give more attention to himself and his profession. He has a childhood girlfriend Diya, played by Katrina and he’s toying with the idea of whether he should take that leap of faith and get married or not. I like how Nitya has adapted the script and she has not shown the picture, the technology and kept everything very subtle.

You play your older selves in the film. Most newcomers don’t do that early on.
Girls are loving my older look a lot. So I’m safe if I look like what I do in the film at 46. That’s again something which has not been done. To mould the faces, we had extensive prosthetic work done, the hair is different and there’s a look at 60 which we haven’t revealed yet. We wanted to make it look believable. I’m a little fatter, too. Some of my costumes were used to make my character droopy. We got a team from the UK, led by Oscar- winning prosthetics expert Mark Hulio on board. It would take me two-and-a-half hours to get ready, but it has turned out really well. People are complimenting me, so my future is perfectly set! (Laughs) Playing 60 was interesting for me. I wanted to do different things in life. Be it Ek Villain, where I had negative shades, to Brothers, where I was aggressive, but at the same time, very quiet. I don’t equate things anyway. You can’t compare any of my two films and say they are similar. There’s a lot of thought behind it. In the same year, I have come from Kapoor & Sons to this. Next year too, I will have two diametrically different films. So I guess I have now set the tone.

What would you change if you could travel back in time?
I would tell my younger self, ‘Bro, your life is sorted. This is what you are going to be. You would be doing some 10 films in five years’. You will be successful so you need to stop stressing and just relax. Because I feel coming from the outside, we have nothing to fall back on. There are times you fall prey to the stress and anxiety of what would I do if things don’t work out. Iske baad kya? So far, I have been lucky, God has been kind. So, I would tell myself to enjoy the process much more. 

Are you commitment-phobic?
I have been. I will put myself in that category. I don’t know if that’s commitment phobia, but I put my career before anything else. I have always done that since coming to Mumbai, eight years ago. When I came, I knew that a tunnel vision is zaroori so maine left-right nahi dekha. I have made some really good friends, but I didn’t have anyone special then.

And now?
Ab mujhe value thodi samajh aayi hai! (Smiles) I guess balance is a very important thing. So I feel career aapni jagah hai, I will definitely want to make maximum amount of money and be successful. But if you have nobody to share it with, it’s not a complete, wholesome life. So, I won’t say I’m ready, but I am still understanding it. I still don’t have any responsibilities, so thoda bachpana hai mujhe mein.

Alia said that she doesn’t like talking about her love life because there’s a lot of slut shaming...
(Cuts in) Did she? I don’t think she said it. People must have added that.

Why don’t you talk about your love life? Do you get bothered by what’s written?
I actually don’t read what’s written about me at all. I have been told that I should do so a lot more. I am very protective about my relationships. I think it’s a personal decision if you want to talk about who’s visiting you, who you are going out with at night or who you are hanging out with. I don’t know how it’s news even or how interesting it is to people. I can’t connect to it, so it’s very odd for me to talk about my personal life. I also feel there should be a space people don’t ask about my personal life.

How is living alone?
My family is very sweet so they offer to come and help. At times, they do come and change the vibe of my house. Otherwise, me and my dog are the only two people living in the house. It’s very hard to be alone and live in this city, even you know it and face it everyday. It’s painful.

Don’t your parents put pressure on you to get married?
No, everyone is very happy. My mom and dad are pretty chilled out. I think it’s because of the service-class mentality where we only think about work, work and work. More than marriage, my parents are concerned about security. So they indirectly push me towards working more. They do give me advice, when I am too stressed out. They put things into perspective, they remind me where I came from. So I have so much gratitude to show. 10 years ago while I was still in college, if someone told me I would be sitting here talking to you and giving an interview to dna about myself, I would think that person to be a fool. Things do happen and that’s where my energies are going these days. At least for the next couple of years.

So, no plans of getting married soon?
No. I believe in the institution of marriage. I have grown up in a middle-class environment where we have joint families, we have chacha-tais and I love that energy. But in today’s day and age, marriage has become just a tagline. I think I will only get married when I want to have babies. I think otherwise, it would be unfair to the child to not give him/her a name. Till then, it doesn’t matter. You can be with whoever you want to. Marriage is just a technicality, it doesn’t change your love for that person.

What makes you angry?
I am very protective, territorial and sensitive about my friends. If I feel that they are neglecting me or I’m neglecting them or they aren’t visiting because they assume that I am extremely busy, I ask them to not assume things on my behalf. I really depend on them. I am also a very needy friend because I stay alone here and I do child-like things. I call my friends and am like, “You guys made a plan, why didn’t you come?’ They would say, ‘We felt you would be tired and all.” I just tell them not to assume that because even if I am tired, I will always make time to meet them. It’s very therapeutic to meet friends. Otherwise, I think that somewhere, dishonesty where people are not completely honest to my face, when they try to manipulate and mince their words, offends me. I have worked really hard to be where I am and I have not duped or manipulated anybody to come here. I am slightly naive that way where I expect everyone to do the same things.

Naive even now?
No, I think I am slightly mature now that I am 31 years old. I feel that theek hai, I will keep my sanity. I try and control my anger, but when it comes to relationships, I can be child-like and cranky.

When the media pits you and Varun together, does it affect your friendship?
I don’t care what ranking people put me in. But if you ask about our friendship, it has not changed. I guess that’s an understanding we both have. Whatever our social interactions, it is very different from what happens at the box-office. We can’t make a film bigger or smaller by interacting socially. That’s a very immature, old-school way of thinking, maybe. We have an understanding where when we meet, we are the same. We haven’t done a film together after SOTY. But we spent a lot of time during the Dream Team tour. Since we know each other pehle se, it doesn’t matter ki yeh picture hit hui hai and yeh zyada paisa kamaya. I couldn’t make it for Dishoom, so I texted him. Things are the same between us, because our understanding with anyone on a personal level has nothing to do with the fate of my films. Both of us are aware of that and we are concentrating on what we have on our plates.

Katrina Kaif on why her attitude towards Baar Baar Dekho is different from her previous two films...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 29, 2016)

 Her last two films Phantom and Fitoor could not spell magic at the box-office, but Katrina Kaif isn’t disheartened. She’s raring to go. With Baar Baar Dekho, she admits. “I think we all have put our best foot forward. I have tried to give 1,000 per cent to this one.” She is still the same reserved person she always used to be, measuring her words and always saying the right things. Visibly tired after a long day of interviews, Katrina still sits down for another one with a smile. And we begin our chat. Excerpts:

Kala Chashma is getting better reactions than Chikni Chameli. Agree?
To me, it’s hard to see the difference. Kala Chashma is a great track to get. That also, after a long time. Probably after many years, I felt there is a kind of energy in the song. Bosco and I have an amazing equation together and he was one of the first people to push me into dance and get me to do things right. Then, there was Sid... dancing with him in the song was amazing. Those things drove all of us to come up with something really fun, something clutter-breaking.

Phantom and Fitoor didn’t do well at the BO. You think Baar Baar Dekho will break that jinx?
First of all, I don’t think it’s a jinx. I feel, in both those films (Phantom, Fitoor), my concentration was not 100 per cent. My priorities were slightly different at that point in time. I guess I was in a very relaxed space. My focus was not 1,000 per cent like it should have been on a film set. That was also an important lesson for me to learn. If a person takes things for granted or takes it easy, it will always show and the film will obviously suffer. I know I could have done better. Not that I didn’t try, I did. Especially in Fitoor, we all tried a lot. But maybe, I could have tried harder and could have given more.

Given a chance, would you like to see what’s in store for your future?
I would not mind seeing it if I really got a chance.

But if you could go back in time and change something, what would it be?
I don’t think we should regret any decision we make. I think everything you’ve done, as long as you’ve done it being true to yourself, then you should not punish yourself or kick yourself for what you’ve done. If I could tweak anything about myself, it would just be to worry or stress less.

You’re doing back-to-back films with Karan Johar after many years. Why the long wait?
There hasn’t been such a long wait. As actors, the media sometimes reads too much into things. There is no planning as such. You do the scripts that you like and most of the times, it’s a matter of coincidence. There aren’t banners that you choose where you are restricting yourself to working with only a certain banner or person.

You play different ages in the film. What was your first reaction when you saw yourself as a 60-year-old?
We had the best prosthetics team in the world. So I was very happy. We had loads of fun. Playing a 60-year-old was not even an issue. It was not distracting. Nitya (Mehra, director of the film) had done a lot of work with us. We didn’t just walk on to the set trying to execute this film. We had discussions about each phase. We did a lot of look tests to check how we looked. Nitya was very clear about how she saw both our characters at every age, knowing exactly what they would be feeling. That was priceless guidance to have.

Baar Baar Dekho is clashing with Freaky Ali. Comment.
This is the first time anyone has mentioned this to me. I don’t think the clash will affect any of the films because they are two very different films. Had the genre of both the films been the same, that would not be a good idea to clash. Everyone would love to have a solo release, of course. We announced the date a year ago. We obviously could not shift it. I think the producers of Freaky Ali also felt it was a good date for them as well. There’s enough space for everyone.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 2, 2016)

The actress gets chatty on her 33rd birthday, after a hard day's night. Admits she's all for passionate, undying love like in her fave film, 'Gone with the Wind'
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 18, 2016)

Katrina Kaif on life, love and everything in between
Upala KBR (DNA; February 2, 2016)

Breakups make people sadder and wiser. That’s the impression I get when I meet Katrina Kaif post her breakup with Ranbir Kapoor. Everyone wants to know what went wrong. You could simply put it down to the seven-year-itch. Or the fact that no one really gave a chance to this relationship. Then, there are the optimists ( I am on their side) who believe that this couple will get back together. Kat doesn’t seem as broken as I’d expected her to be. Either it is a defense mechanism or she, too, believes this split to be temporary. When I meet her, it’s pretty obvious she doesn’t want to talk about her breakup (‘I wish I could tell you, but I can’t’ is her constant refrain). Perhaps, she doesn’t want to spoil her chances with Ranbir again by saying the wrong thing and shutting the door on any reconciliation. Whatever her state of mind, this is definitely a new, more evolved, more mature Katrina — determined to put the past and the mistakes she’s made, behind her and start afresh. Over to Katrina, Fitoor, love and marriage:


Fitoor releases soon. What’s next? What kind of films do you want to do now?
God willing, I am looking at signing many films this year. I know I haven’t done too many last year, but at different times, you focus on different things. Sometimes, on different areas of your life. But this year, I have these three releases and I am hoping that they deliver something for me as an actor. I am really hoping that I get something exciting like Mad Max: Fury Road. I would love to play what Charlize Theron did in that film if supported and mounted right like that. I would love to play an action film – go up there and save someone! I like that rugged feminity. I feel, that with Fitoor, I am an actor giving an exam and it will show me whether I passed or failed and I want to see where it takes me. It’s been a wonderful, short and quick journey.

Let’s talk about your next few releases...
Post Fitoor, my next films are Anurag Basu’s Jagga Jasoos and Nitya Mehra’s love story Baar Baar Dekho. My next two films are equally exciting. They are not what people expect from me. We all know the kind of films that Anurag Basu makes. After Barfi!, every actor that I know wanted to be a part of the film that Dada would make. His eyes are so unique… his lenses are so different. He just comes with a different perspective. You don’t know what to expect and he’s looking for the unpredictability in you, things as an actor which nobody has seen, he’s looking for the way and it’s that search which makes the journey so unpredictable. That’s what has taken time and what people talk about, but at the end of the day, when people see us together they will see that magic happening. Art takes time, everyone has got their own method of working and what matters is the film that we deliver. Once the credits roll and the first copy is out, everything else is forgotten. Whether it took 10 days or 100 — people forget what happened. That’s important for me to see — where we reach with Jagga.

And Baar Baar Dekho?
Acting in Baar Baar Dekho has been too much fun for me. That story is really new and exciting. There are too many surprises in it but the journey is a new take on a love story — something we haven’t seen before and I have enjoyed the process a lot. Working with Nitya has been really liberating and I am really excited about it.

You gave a candid interview to a men’s magazine. What brought that on, given that you don’t talk about your personal life?
A lot of what I said in that interview, I was speaking generally. That was my take on relationships and equations in general. There were specific things here and there but we discusses my opinions in general on women, men and marriage. I spoke a lot, but when you condense it down, it seems specific. I speak all the time on love and marriage… my views in general. I find myself very Sufi, I got lots of things to say on love and life but not specifically, because you know me and how I feel about that.

What’s your take on love now?
My take on love is never going to change. I feel my views on love have grown and evolved. I have learned to deal with relationships, people, learnt to be less selfish, more giving, more supportive of a person’s dreams, more supportive of a person’s internal growth apart from your own and understanding the person better. That comes with maturity but your belief in love, your conviction in love, the passion that you feel when you are in love, the integrity that you believe and hope for out of love, hopefully, for me, will always be the same.

Aren’t you off love, now?
I can never be off love for good, nor can I become cynical about it. Nothing and nobody can put me off love. (Smiles quizzically). Love is the most beautiful thing in the world. I have no reason to be cynical about absolutely anything in life. I have only seen the beauty and the most beautiful parts of life and I see only beauty in life and love.

Are you happy right now?
I aim to be happy in every moment of my life and that’s something we should all try for. I am very emotional and my emotions are very transparent, of course. You should always be true to yourself. As long as you know your feelings, the fact that I choose to, in my professional capacity, not allow that personal space to come in front or stand alongside with me on my professional work or platform, this is an aspect (personal life) that will remains there, always. I don’t think I am the only person to take this stand in Bollywood or Hollywood.

Isn’t it ironic that during your Valentine release you will be single?
No… Wasn’t it me who said that I am single till I marry (laughs)? So we must always stand by our statements and as technically my status is unmarried. So, I guess I am still single!

When will you get married?
Whenever God wills it. I think you have to leave these things, your destiny and what is meant for you in the hands of God. Keep your faith and your trust in God.

You seem cheerful, when the world is seeing you as someone dealing with a breakup.
See, now we are discussing an assumption on my personal life, which I am not going to be dragged into. I am not going to step into that arena because I know it’s a tough stand to take, but I am just not going to speak about my personal life. I know there are times and moments when people say that I said or did this so why are you not speaking now? But let’s take a larger look at the picture — I have never spoken about my personal life and I choose to maintain that even now because I want people to focus on my profession. When I am an actor or a spokesperson for an international luxury brand, I am being hired in a professional capacity. I need to protect that identity. Speculation is a garnishing that comes with the profession of being an actor, it’s not something that I believe one should get caught up in.

Salman Khan has become very protective about you as we saw on Bigg Boss. Comment.
That’s a friendship and a person I have known for many years. What has to be spoken on that I believe I have spoken enough on that. This is where I draw the line on that or it becomes a never-ending conversation. Salman is a person I have great and immense respect for and I believe he has that respect back for me. Suffice to say, when there’s respect between two individuals that says a lot and you don’t need to elaborate anymore…

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 9, 2015)

Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif, who have been filming Nitya Mehra's time-travel romance Baar Baar Dekho in Glasgow, spent last night partying with the unit after the debutante director called the schedule a wrap.

The unit went bar crawling through the streets of Scotland, and even insisted that Sid try on a 'Kilt', the knee-length, non-bifurcated skirt-type garment with pleats, which is a popular Scottish attire.

The film, which brings Sid and Kat together for the first time, goes back and forth in time and will see the jodi age from their 20s to their 60s.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; September 2, 2015)

The shoot of debutante director Nitya Mehra’s Baar Baar Dekho (earlier titled Kal Jissne Dekha) has barely begun in London and rumours about all not being well are surfacing. Before the film rolled, lead actor Sidharth Malhotra had reportedly upset co-star Katrina Kaif by stating he had watched her films when he was in school.

Now, we hear that Amit Trivedi, who had been roped in to score the film’s music, has opted out of the project apparently due to the director’s interference. Nitya worked as an assistant director in films like Don ( 2006) and Lakshya ( 2004).

Says a source, “They both had severe differences over creative control. When Amit felt that the interference got too much to handle, he decided to quit the film. There was also an issue about having multiple music composers. He felt it was better to wash his hands of the project before it proceeded any further.” The source adds, “He does not want to talk about the project at this juncture.” Amit remained unavailable for comment.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; April 18, 2015)


“Nitya assisted Farhan in Don and Lakshya and is now making her maiden directional venture under Farhan’s banner,” a source revealed. The casting of the film made headlines ever since Aamir and DP opted out.

Dippy’s reasons for leaving the film is not known but Aamir who liked the script, decided to leave the film after a fallout over the film’s remuneration (reportedly, the actor had demanded a huge stake at the film’s profits). Nitya then approached Hrithik Roshan who also turned the film down before Sid came on board.

Though Farhan is supposed to play the second lead, the length of his role is undecided, “but will be pivotal to the lead pair’s love track”, reveals a source. “It’s a twisted love story of a time traveller played by Sid, while Kat plays his love interest.”

Nitya now plans to start shooting soon. A source told us, “Nitya’s film will roll towards the end of the year. Kat is busy with Jagga Jasoos and Fitoor now. She will then be promoting Phantom. Meanwhile, Sid will wrap up Karan Johar’s Kapoor & Sons.”