Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Akshay Oberoi on his family world tour: "This is my calm before the chaos"
2:46 PM
Neha Maheshwri (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 25, 2026)
Akshay Oberoi is making the most of a rare pause in his packed schedule before diving into a busy second half of 2026. He is on an extensive family holiday covering London, Paris, Ghana, New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Francisco and several other destinations across the globe.
Akshay says, “This trip is honestly my calm before the chaos. As actors, we are constantly moving from one set to another and one city to another, but we rarely get to travel with no agenda other than spending time together as a family. My son Avyaan is growing up so fast, and I don’t want to miss these moments with him.”
His nine-year-old son, Avyaan, has been at the heart of the month-long itinerary. Akshay says, “We keep Avyaan’s interests in mind because he’s nine and needs to stay engaged, but he’s wonderfully adaptable and goes with the flow. We wanted him to experience the world this way because I truly believe travel broadens a person’s perspective.”
Even while on holiday, Akshay doesn’t believe in completely switching off from work. He says, “I don’t think I would ever want to completely disconnect from work because I genuinely love what I do. My wife often calls acting a lifestyle job, and she’s absolutely right. It’s become such an integral part of who I am that I’m always thinking about my work, the films I’m making and the dreams I have for my career.”
The experiences he gathers away from film sets, he believes, eventually enrich his performances. He shares, “Travel has always been deeply therapeutic for me. I love meeting people, trying local food, walking through unfamiliar streets and simply soaking in new experiences. The more you travel, the richer your understanding of life becomes, and that naturally reflects in your work as an actor. Every experience adds something to your craft because, ultimately, life is what an actor brings to the screen.”
My phone didn’t ring for eight months after Animal-Siddhant Karnick
4:35 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2026)
A blockbuster is often expected to change the fortunes of everyone associated with it. After playing Ranbir Kapoor’s brother-in-law in Animal (2023), Siddhant Karnick believed the film would finally mark the breakthrough he had spent two decades working towards. Instead, what followed was eight months of complete silence.
Looking back at the period after Animal, he says, “I’d had a strong year with appreciation for my performances in Adipurush, Made In Heaven and then Animal to close the year. After Animal, I expected the floodgates to open. I thought, ‘Two decades of grinding, it’s finally paying off.’ I waited eight months. Let alone offers, there weren’t even any enquiries. My phone didn’t ring at all. That’s when I realized nobody was coming to give me opportunities. That slap to my fantasy was the best thing that could have happened because it forced me to shift my approach. I stopped thinking like an actor and started thinking like a producer. The difference now is that I’m not waiting for the phone to ring. I’m the one making the calls.”
The setback also prompted Siddhant to take charge of his own career. Since then, he has acted in two French films, an English film as the lead, and has a commercial release slated for December. One of those projects, the French short film The Diggers, earned him two Best Actor awards.
He says, “After two decades in this industry, I realized the best way to have control over your career is to create your own opportunities. Jean Louis Carrasco was the first filmmaker I reached out to. We’ve been creative collaborators for 18 years, ever since a passion project short film that won at the Bodega Film Festival and was selected for the Cannes Short Film Corner. Together we developed The Diggers, a 24-minute suspense thriller about an Indian immigrant in Paris who gets pulled into the Parisian underworld. What we’ve shot is essentially Act Two of a feature film, with Acts One and Three currently in development.”
While the recognition has been gratifying, Siddhant believes its true value lies in what it signals to the industry.
“The awards are gratifying, but more importantly, they’re validation. They tell financiers and distributors that this team, this story and this execution have both commercial and critical viability. That’s what matters to me at this stage of my career,” he concludes.
Kangana Ranaut to start filming Queen 2 by end of April, protagonist to travel across India in the sequel
3:54 PM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 1, 2026)
Any takers for a sequel to Queen (2014)? Countless, we imagine. After all, Kangana Ranaut’s coming-of-age film, which saw her character Rani take off on a solo honeymoon after being dumped by her fiancé, became a roaring success. Well, we’ll meet Rani again soon! mid-day has found out that leading lady Ranaut and filmmaker Vikas Bahl are set to take Queen 2 on floors by April-end.
So, where will Rani take us this time around? From what we’ve heard, the sequel won’t be a continuation of the 2014 hit, but will carry forward the themes of self-discovery and self-reliance.
A source revealed, “In Queen 2, Kangana’s Rani will be a city girl unlike the small-town girl in the original. She will be smart, strong, and quirky, but a plot point will send her on the road of self-discovery. It will show how she conquers life through her individuality, self-realization, and courage. While the first one saw her travelling to Paris and Amsterdam alone, this journey will take her across cities in India.”
Besides Ranaut, we won’t see any familiar faces from the original. The director has apparently zeroed in on several theatre actors for supporting roles in the second instalment.
The source added, “The unit will kick off the project in a Mumbai studio, where a set reflecting a North Indian city and another depicting the protagonist’s home will be built. After the Mumbai leg, they will move to other metro cities. The film will be completed in a start-to-finish schedule of three months.”
‘Queen’ (2014) was produced by Phantom Films and Viacom18 Motion Pictures. With Phantom Films — founded by Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena, and Vikas Bahl — having been dissolved in 2018, the sequel is being backed by Bahl under his banner. He also serves as the film’s writer.
Deepika Padukone backs out of Louis Vuitton show in Paris due to limited flight operations amid West Asia tensions
9:46 AM
Sources say Deepika Padukone had to pull out of Louis Vuitton show in Paris due to limited flight operations amid the West Asia conflict
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 11, 2026)
As one of the global ambassadors for Louis Vuitton, Deepika Padukone was scheduled to attend the French luxury house’s Fall/Winter show on March 10 in Paris. However, the superstar was a no-show. Sources indicated that the actor had to pull out of the event due to the limited flight operations amid the US and Israel’s war on Iran.
A source told us that the actor was to head to the French capital on March 9, and her team had been in discussion with the fashion house for the past few days about the possibility of her having to cancel the trip.
“Deepika was initially confirmed to attend. She had zeroed in on her outfits and begun fittings for the appearance. But her flight was among the many that were cancelled in the last few days. Also, given that the war has been escalating and affecting several countries across West Asia, she reconsidered whether it was the right time to be travelling,” said the source.
Louis Vuitton, which appointed her as one of its house ambassadors in 2022, was naturally understanding of the situation and respected the actor’s decision.
mid-day contacted Padukone’s team, who didn’t respond till press time.
I love being known as Ananya’s dad or Bhavana’s husband-Chunky Panday
8:41 AM
Iti Shree Misra (BOMBAY TIMES; September 9, 2025)
From his unforgettable comic timing as Aakhri Pasta in Housefull to early hits like Tezaab, Apna Sapna Money Money and Aankhen, Chunky Panday has carved a niche in Hindi cinema with a career that has seen many turns. In Manali shooting for his upcoming film Rahu Ketu sometime back, Chunky, in an exclusive conversation with us, talked about his new project, a long-lost film that never released, his experience working on The Royals, and watching the women in his life, wife Bhavana and daughter Ananya steal the spotlight in their own ways.
‘My first film shot in Manali, based on Shashi Tharoor’s book, never got released’
Chunky spent considerable time shooting in Manali in the early monsoon for his new film Rahu Ketu. Telling us about his time spent there, the actor said that this was his second film shoot in Manali, the first one never being released.
“I came back to Manali after ages to shoot. I had done a film here 35 years ago, and I was so excited to come back here for this film. That film, based on a novel by Shashi Tharoor called Bollywood: Show Business, never released,” recalled the 62 year-old actor.
The actor also shared his experience of shooting Rahu Ketu in Manali. “Manali is beautiful, I’d love to come here in winters when it snows. The weather was perfect then in June-July. It was crowded at that time, but very beautiful. It is sad to see how badly it is affected due to floods. I hope and pray that people there are safe. They were so good to us when we were there.”
‘In Paris, a group of tourists asked me to click a picture of them with Bhavna!’
Lately, Chunky has been happily soaking in the success of the women in his life. Speaking of his wife Bhavana, who found fame after her stint in Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives, he shared, “I was with Bhavana in Paris after the show released. A group foreigners stopped and wanted a photo with her. They were so excited to see her and actually handed me the camera to take a picture of them with her. I was so happy seeing that fandom for her and thought to myself that ‘this is like the ultimate moment’.”
“First I was Chunky Panday, then I became Ananya’s dad and now I’m known as Bhavana’s husband. So I’m loving it. I think I’m enjoying Ananya’s success and whatever success Bhavana is getting now more than I’ve enjoyed my own success. When I was successful, I was too busy working to enjoy it. But this is something I really enjoy. I love being known as Ananya’s father or Bhavana’s husband, it makes me so proud of these women in my life, who have an identity of their own,” said the Don actor.
‘Ananya’s tribute stunned me’
Speaking of a cherished moment that came from a tribute and not a trophy, the actor shared one of the most emotional moments during an awards function in Mumbai. “The whole theme was fan moments where actors paid tribute to someone they had always admired. Ananya came on stage, did a little number and said she wanted to pay tribute to someone who always made her laugh. I whispered to Bhavana that she’s probably going to call out SRK’s name. But she started the segment with a Neelam song, and I thought maybe it’s for Neelam. But then, she broke into my songs one after the other. I was just stunned with the realization that my daughter was paying a tribute to me,” said the actor.
‘I love to be stereotyped’
Seen in the web show The Royals, Chunky again portrayed a flirtatious comic character, one which he has often portrayed on screen. When asked if he views being typecast as limiting he said, “On the contrary, I love to be stereotyped! I’m flattered, in fact. Yes, there definitely is a comfort in playing roles that one can master well. However, I felt so nice doing The Royals. I felt like a star doing it..”
He went on to add, “When I did the character Aakhri Pasta in Housefull, everyone just wanted me to do similar roles. Similarly, when I had done a Nepali character, many people wanted to cast me as a Nepali in their film. It’s very flattering when that one thing clicks. But, I always try to break the image and give a little different taste to the audience. And that’s why in Rahu Ketu, I’m playing a villain.”
Ask if he would change anything about his career trajectory if given a chance, the Tezaab actor shared, “If I went and changed the course of my career, maybe the chances were I would not meet Bhavana, and the chances are that Ananya and Rysa wouldn’t be born. So, I would not want to change anything in my life,” he said.
‘I was a very last-moment addition to The Royals’
“I was a very last-moment addition to The Royals. They called me up and asked me two things: ‘are these dates available? And do you know horse-riding?’ And I lied about both,” he chuckled. “I was a horse rider in my first film. But it had been almost 40 years since I got onto a horse. And here I had to play polo with Ishaan Khatter, who had been practicing it for two months. I was surprised that the role fell into my lap. I hope they consider me for a second season as well. My character is a very integral part of the story,” he added.
Bach gaye bas, says Rahul Bhat on being stuck in Paris riots
9:50 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 3, 2025)
Actor Rahul Bhat, who was in Paris (France) for a shoot schedule over the weekend, shared firsthand visuals of the chaos in the city following Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League (club association football competition) on Saturday. The celebrations resulted in clashes between fans and police. Rahul had shared a series of Instagram Stories, showing the chaos.
The 47-year-old, who arrived in Mumbai on Monday, tells us, “I was celebrating my evening in Paris. But after the PSG victory, it seemed like everyone came out in the streets. People were enjoying and suddenly things got ugly. Somehow, I was caught in the public frenzy.”
Not being versed in the local language, Rahul was clueless. But sought help from the local police tasked with controlling the crowd: “They understood that I was stuck and sheltered me. Bahut scary ho gaya tha. Lag raha tha ki aaj toh kuch gadbad hoga. My phone’s battery was also drained. I couldn’t book a cab and had to walk back to the hotel... Bach gaye bas.”
As per reports, the clashes across France resulted in two deaths, 192 injuries, and 559 arrests. In Paris, cars were torched and bus shelters vandalized by celebrating fans.
Sameer Uddin was there when I needed him the most-Neha Bhasin
11:16 PM
Almost a decade after getting married to music composer Sameer Uddin, singer Neha Bhasin opens up about how she knew he was the one
Samarth Goyal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 13, 2025)
For singer Neha Bhasin and music composer Sameer Uddin, it was anything but love at first sight. Neha says she wasn’t even impressed with Sam — as she calls him lovingly — when they met for the first time.
The couple’s paths first crossed in the early 2000s when she was looking for someone to produce her music. And she was introduced to Sam by a mutual friend. “He (Sam) charged me Rs. 5,000 for that! I still get angry when I think about it,” she laughs.
After their first meet, they went their own separate ways. And it wasn’t until years later that they reconnected. “We met again through the same mutual friend. This time, we discussed music and my dream of becoming a pop star,” she recalls, adding, “Everyone then was switching to film music, but I wanted to carry on in the non-film and independent space. And he was the only one who supported me. I guess that is why I fell in love with him.”
As time passed and the two got to know each other better, Neha soon realized that Sameer was the one. “Though I’ve had boyfriends who wanted to marry me, I never saw myself settling down with them,” the 42-year-old shares, musing, “Sam is the only person I ever felt like being with for the rest of my life.”
Discussing the supportive side of her husband, she explains, “There have been times I went to award shows alone. He might have not been there at award functions with me, but he was there when I needed him the most. And that’s what matters to me.”
Their relationship blossomed over shared dreams and melodies, culminating in a memorable proposal. “We were in Japan when he proposed. I was not initially convinced about going to Japan; I wanted him to propose in Paris or somewhere. But the way he proposed was just magical, and I wouldn’t want to change any of it,” Neha reflects.
In 2016, Neha and Sameer tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Tuscany, Italy.
Reflecting on their wedding, which was a private affair, Neha says, “Everybody talks about what looks good, how dreamy it was, but ours was very simple. In my mind, it was perfect. We were surrounded only by the people who really knew us and our families. It didn’t have to be a big affair,” she signs off.
Milind Soman, wife Ankita Konwar run barefoot for 42 kms in Paris: "One of the toughest marathons I've ever run"
8:13 AM
Ismat Tahseen (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 10, 2024)
Actor and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman and his wife Ankita Konwar have jetted off to Paris for their sixth anniversary. They celebrated their love with a 42-km barefoot run. “It was crazy fun! Definitely one of the toughest marathons I’ve ever run,” says Ankita. Milind calls it: “Tough, challenging and exciting!”
He elaborates, “There was a shared energy among thousands of people who challenged their minds and bodies over this 42-km route. We always celebrate our anniversaries with a fun challenge, a trek, a marathon or a dive in some exotic sea.”
Running the Paris marathon was a “spur of the moment decision”, shares Milind, adding, “Plus Ankita had never been to Paris.” For Ankita, “These are our best memories, where we go through a challenge and achieve something together.”
As they ran past the iconic Paris landmarks, starting from the Arc de Triomphe on Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the Obelisk, the Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower, he admits, “Paris is incredibly beautiful. It’s not just the boulevards, the avenues and the architecture, but something else, something in the air, Paris has a vibe.”
For now, French food and art are on the cards and soon, another run. “Ankita wants to run the 21-km route between Nice in the south of France and Monte Carlo in Monaco,” he wraps up.
BT Exclusive: I’ve never felt the pressure to dress a certain way-Khushi Kapoor
8:31 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; October 8, 2023)
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s younger daughter Khushi, who is set to make her acting debut later this year, recently made her maiden appearance at the Paris Fashion Week. On her return to India, she spoke to BT (which also happens to be her first interview ever). “I was really excited to be there. I was venturing out of India for the first time to do something on my own, away from films and into the fashion world. It was exciting to start finding my footing,” she says.
The fashionista tag may come with a certain pressure for others, but that doesn’t hold true for Khushi. “I’ve never really felt the pressure to look or dress a certain way or fit into any box when it comes to fashion, that’s the best part. I think people like what I wear because I don’t try very hard to be liked by others,” she shares.
But does she worry that her fashionista image might overpower the actor that she aspires to be? “Fashion is a medium for me to express myself, and it’s completely different from the work aspect of me. I believe that if you do well enough in your work, then it will speak for itself. So, that’s not really been a worry in my head. I’ve always separated the two, and fashion is fun for me,” she explains.
‘It’s a part of fashion to experiment and step out of the box’
Does that mean she will never step out of her comfort zone when it comes to fashion? “I like stepping out of my comfort zone to try different things because I don’t like conforming to what I see people around me wearing all the time. It’s not like I don’t like following certain trends, but I do think it’s a part of fashion to experiment and step out of the box,” Khushi says.
After the honeymoon period, you realize there is a big difference between visiting a city and living in one-Koel Purie
3:05 PM
Grab another hyphen: Actor, TV host and producer Koel Purie Rinchet has just turned author, and we speak to the Delhi girl in Paris, about what that’s like
Mitali Parekh (MID-DAY; July 30, 2023)
She wrote the book out in six months, starting with turning on her computer at her Parisienne apartment, the house emptied of her husband and daughter, and then doing everything else until the flow came. Sometimes, it only came as the apartment was filling back and then she would write through the night. The edit process, “because the literary world is so, I don’t know, diligent? slow?” took two years.
So though actor, TV show host and writer-producer Koël Purie Rinchet’s first work of fiction—Clearly Invisible in Paris (Rupi Books)—was written in 2021, it launched last week for us to read. The book was born in the space of being an outsider in the City of lights for nearly five years. She is married to Frenchman Laurent Rinchet. “After the honeymoon period with the city is over, [you realize] there is a big difference between visiting a city and living in one,” says Purie.
Her book is also about four outsiders, women from different social-cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Which is also what the play she has written, produced, performed (Mummy’s Dead, Long Live Mummy!); and will be bringing to Delhi, Mumbai and one more Indian city, has in common. As does her first fiction writing—the Doordarshan show Aaj Ki Naari— had, minus one woman. For it, she would take an issue and weave it into a script that the three protagonists of the show—mother, daughter and grandmother—would bring their own perspective to.
It’s this sorority—most palpable when you become a mother—that Purie has unconsciously witnessed and been a channel for many, many times in her professional and personal life. “That’s what my play is about,” says the Delhi girl, whose pedigree stretches into the India Today publishing group, but is often mistaken to be actor Amrish or Om Puri’s daughter.
“Mothers just have to get things done. You can’t give up. You can’t die. When you become a mother, your lifeline becomes other mothers who you would not necessarily have even coffee with on any other day. But when your baby has a rash in the middle of the night, that’s the woman you call. I saw that happening with this book too. Women everywhere just came together to say, we’re going to champion it. And it’s not in a transactional way or with a bitchy [undertone], like, she should be so grateful for the help…”
Living in different places has revealed to her how much women who work in domestic jobs support. “Eleven people in her home depended on the housekeeper who looked after me in Tokyo. She and her sisters supported the family. With the women doing everything, the men stayed at home but didn’t take care of it—they were either drunk, home or dead.”
The trials and triumphs of these women, within a network of disparate women, make up the framework of her book and play.
Purie emphasizes that the book is completely and utterly fictional and not based on anyone she knows, though there are parts of herself in every character. There’d be a trigger point and she’s then fall into the rabbit hole of research comprising home videos with five view about jazz festivals in St Louis, Senegal; or come across a fact, like how poor families in Philippines request undertakers to inject formaldehyde into cadavers to keep them from decaying while the family strung together the pennies needed for a full ritualistic Catholic funeral.
“I read that in an article and the image stayed with me so much that I had to verify it. That’s the beauty of fiction—you can invent anything, take the plot or the character anywhere. Or you can take a starting point, and flesh it out. It was so soul-quenching… that time in front of the computer, in the flow. It was my Ikigai. I was able to disperse and distribute my flaws amongst the characters… now that I think about it… dissect them, and hopefully change them. Or just be aware of them and accept them. That’s a strange place to be… to be aware [of one’s flaws] but not be able to do anything about it. Do we want to fix it?”
As we speak in her room overlooking the Arabian Sea, Purie is dressed like a Pariesenne; she dresses like an Indian in Paris, wearing a saree far more often. It’s a black tank over high-waist, wide-legged pleated emerald trousers falling over tan block heels. In the corner of her room are gold, platform Penny loafers. Three of the five rings on her fingers are serpents, the fourth is also a coil but ends in red and a neutral stone. The green of her pants echoes in the beads around her neck. Then there’s a strand of aquamarine droplets ending in a Tibetan pendant. A long silver chain hangs from her earlobes, ending in a drop of neutral gemstone. And there are ear cuffs, and a gold band on one wrist. There’s a lot going on here, in different tones of colour, but it doesn’t seem crowded. “I love, love fashion but I cannot give the time and attention shopping needs,” she tells us.
“So I steal from my friends [like she did the black enamelled snake ring]. Or my sister [Kalli] will come and say, ‘Here, take this. I’ve seen you wear this outfit too many times in public.’ I’m sustainable, I’ll say, and she’ll retort, ‘No! You are just lazy.’ French women have a studied carelessness about them, but I don’t think they do formals or dress up well, like we do.”
In the coming days, she wants to spend more time in Mumbai for creative work opportunities. “There are so many creative outlets,” she says, “With OTT, I can be a cop, a murderer or from a village, though no one has imagined me as that. Yet.” But it’s out there now…
I am really concerned about my team's safety-Urvashi Rautela
8:38 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 12, 2023)
As protests and rioting continue in Paris, getting stranded in the French capital has actor Urvashi Rautela shaken and anxious about how things would turn out. The 29-year-old is especially worried about her team, who are grounded in the city on her account.
“I have them here with me, and I am really concerned about their safety. In fact, our families back in India are also worried about our safety because they are reading about the news,” shares the Inspector Avinash actor.
Rautela, who attended the Paris Fashion Week 2023 (July 3-6), flew in even as rioting picked up pace in the city suburbs. On June 28, violence and protests broke out in the Paris region after a cop fatally shot a teen during a traffic stop late last month.
“Everything in Paris is okay and smooth, for which I am really grateful. Earlier, with the news coming in when I arrived in the city, I was petrified, but now, I am okay,” Rautela says, adding that she was happy that she was able to fulfil her professional commitments.
Despairing at the situation in the city, Rautela expresses hope that Paris will emerge out of the unrest soon. “It saddens me deeply to witness the turmoil and divisiveness that have gripped this beautiful country. The power of unity and understanding is important now more than ever. Violence only breeds more violence but compassion and empathy can heal wounds,” she says, adding, “My thoughts and prayers are with those affected. Stay strong and we will rise above this adversity.”
Hansika Motwani jets off to Paris for holiday, says it is safe for tourists
8:29 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 9, 2023)
Amid news of Paris witnessing riots and violence, Hansika Motwani has jetted off for a Euro tour with her family to ring in her mum’s birthday. The French capital is also on their itinerary. “We usually go on a family trip on my mum’s birthday. This time, we decided to visit France, including Paris, which is one of my favourite cities in the world,” says Motwani, who started the vacation on Friday night.
The French city’s suburbs have been gripped by riots following the killing of a teen by a cop, deterring several tourists from making holiday plans. Asked if this news made her rethink her vacation plans, the 31-year-old says, “I read about it, and from what I’ve researched, going to the city is safe for tourists. Paris Fashion Week was also held recently. So it is safe.”
The Partner actor is excited about the visit as the city “holds a special place” in her heart because Paris is where her husband, entrepreneur Sohael Khaturiya, proposed to her almost a year ago. “My first big film in Tamil was also shot in Paris. So, the city will always be special,” Motwani ends.
We stayed in Paris for five days and didn’t witness any riots-Geeta Basra
3:17 PM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 8, 2023)
Actor Geeta Basra was rethinking her holiday plans to Paris (France) after seeing the visuals of the riots as people protested the killing of a teen by a cop. But, she is happy she didn’t cancel her vacation since it wasn’t “as terrifying” as it was portrayed in the news.
Accompanied by her husband, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, and their kids, daughter Hinaya Heer Plaha and son Jovan Veer Singh Plaha, Paris was the last stop of her vacation in Europe. “We stayed in Paris for five days and didn’t witness any riots. It was very peaceful. There were police across the city, but there was nothing to worry about,” says Basra, who is back home in London.
The 39-year-old was in Monte Carlo (Monaco) when she heard the news about the riots from her family. “I called my friends in Paris, who assured me that things were fine. I’m thankful that we had five fabulous days there. We walked the city’s streets and saw the Eiffel Tower,” she says.
For those planning a trip to the French capital, the actor suggests “do your own research”. She adds, “Make sure you ask those living in Paris about the situation. Don’t go by just what you’re hearing or seeing.”
Things aren’t as bad here, says Roshni Chopra on being in Paris amid the riots
8:26 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 5, 2023)
Actor-influencer Roshni Chopra, who’s currently in France, says “things aren’t as bad here” as they appear on TV. She is attending the Paris Haute Couture Week Fall/Winter 2023-2024 in Paris. The city suburbs have been gripped by violence as riots broke out after a cop shot a teen during a traffic stop.
Before she left for Paris, she wasn’t sure if she should travel “as the visuals in the news were concerning and scary”.
However, Chopra, who has been in the city since June 30, adds, “I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary as yet. The area around the Paris Opera is quiet. The only cautionary advice the hotel staff and locals have given us is to not stay out after 9 pm. I attended (designer) Rahul Mishra’s show on day one and it was spectacular.”
The 42-year-old was flooded with messages from her Insta followers, who asked her about the situation in the city currently: “I told so many people that things are fine here. It’s not like the city isn’t working. The restaurants, theatres and shops are open.”
On Bastille Day in Paris, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi asked me to marry him-Sharmila Tagore
8:27 AM
On The Kapil Sharma Show, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore recounts her love story with Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and the dreamy proposal in Paris
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 12, 2023)
Sharmila Tagore and the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s love story is straight out of a fairytale. The senior actor recently opened up on her four-year courtship and decades-long marriage with the cricketer, as she shot for an episode of The Kapil Sharma Show. Tagore, who was joined by her Gulmohar co-star Manoj Bajpayee on the episode, took a walk down memory lane, reliving how she met Pataudi through a common friend.
The veteran actor recounted that she was an ardent cricket fan. She shared, “My parents were mad about cricket, and Kolkata has a craze for all kinds of sports. I remember we would stand in a queue and cheer for the cricketers; I was [M L] Jaisimha’s fan. It was around that time that I met Nawab ji. At the time, he had recently returned to India and his English was difficult to understand as he had a pure British accent. His sense of humour was also unique. I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight, but I always felt that he would never hurt me. I felt I could trust him, and that is where love blossomed between us.”
Many dream of having the perfect proposal in Paris. Tagore considers herself lucky that she experienced it. When one of the hosts, Archana Puran Singh, asked her how Pataudi popped the question, she replied, “We were in Paris, and it was Bastille Day when the entire city was on the streets celebrating their independence. He went down on one knee, and asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ Since it was very loud, I couldn’t hear him. So, he asked again loudly, and I said ‘Yes!’”
On the comedy show, Tagore and Bajpayee were joined by other cast members of Gulmohar. When host Kapil Sharma asked Bajpayee about his experience of working with the veteran actor, he admitted that it was a dream come true.
“I still can’t believe that I have worked with Sharmila Tagore. After the reading for the film was done, the workshop conducted by me was about to begin. We all expected Sharmila Tagore ji would leave, but she didn’t. Despite the workshops not being intended for her, she wholeheartedly participated in all the exercises. She was incredibly supportive during the film’s making.”
With Pathaan, our aim was to create a film that would raise the bar of action movies in India-Siddharth Anand
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Pathaan director on taking his cast across eight countries to film sequences for Khan’s return vehicle
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; December 2, 2022)
With Pathaan marking Shah Rukh Khan’s first film in four years, director Siddharth Anand was keen to create an offering that befit his stardom. In a bid to make Pathaan a “visual spectacle”, Anand took his cast and crew, including Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham across eight countries for the shoot of the actioner.
“The selection of the right locations is always an important part of making a film, and it was more crucial for an actioner like this one. We wanted to create a spectacle for audiences; one that they have never seen before,” says Anand, whose previous offerings include dramas like War, Bang Bang, and Bachana Ae Haseeno.
Filming for Aditya Chopra’s production took place across Spain, UAE, Turkey, Russia and Siberia, Italy, France, and Afghanistan. “This was done to achieve a variation in the [settings]. A lot of planning went into deciding how we would go about filming.”
Pre-production for the film, which also releases in Tamil and Telugu, took nearly two years to complete. “Our aim was to create a film that would raise the bar of action movies in India. We have shot in remote and exquisite spaces so as to make the film both immersive and outlandish,” says the director of the January 25 release that was shot near Paris’s Eiffel Tower, and Siberia’s snow-clad mountains.
Rumours of Hrithik Roshan tying the knot with Saba Azad doing the rounds
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BOMBAY TIMES (July 21, 2022)
Hrithik Roshan and Saba Azad may not have spoken about their relationship, but they haven’t really hidden it from the world. In fact, Saba has often been seen in pictures with the Roshans at their residence. The couple made their relationship official when they walked in together for Karan Johar’s 50th birthday party and smiled for the cameras. On social media, too, they often post sweet messages for each other.
Now, there’s buzz that they are planning to tie the knot soon. While the marriage rumours seem to be just that as of now, the couple did spend some quality time together during their recent Europe vacation. Saba shared pictures from Paris as well as London. In April, they were spotted partying in Goa with Hrithik’s ex-wife Sussanne Khan and her good friend Arslan Goni. The two were among the guests present for the opening of Sussanne’s restaurant there.
On the work front, Hrithik will be seen in the Hindi remake of the Tamil film Vikram Vedha alongside Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte, and Fighter opposite Deepika Padukone.
Saba, who is an actor and singer, has been a part of the electronic band Madboy/Mink, which she started with actor and musician Imaad Shah. She made her Bollywood debut with the movie Dil Kabaddi and is currently working in a few web shows.
Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora to come together for a show?
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Sources say Netflix is developing reality series Guts that focuses on glamorous lives of actor-friends Kareena, Karisma, Malaika and Amrita
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 30, 2022)
Remember the time when Kareena Kapoor Khan revealed that she has a WhatsApp group named Guts — consisting of sister Karisma Kapoor, bestie Amrita Arora, Malaika Arora and Karan Johar — where they dissect fellow stars’ outfits and airport looks? Well, we can’t be privy to their chats, but if the latest rumours are anything to go by, we might just get an insider pass to their glamorous lives.
mid-day has learnt that Bollywood’s OG girl gang — Kareena, Karisma, Malaika and Amrita — are set to team up for a Netflix show titled Guts.
The reality series has apparently been in the making since before the pandemic. A source says, “After months of discussions, it’s only now that the makers have put a structure in place. The series will be shot in the four fashion capitals — Paris, New York, London and Singapore. It will give an inside view into the four friends’ lives as they juggle their work, travel, and party together.”
The OTT giant tasted success with the 2020 reality series, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. The source adds, “Guts will be different in tonality, focusing more on travel, food and shopping.”
mid-day reached out to Netflix India, which remained unavailable for comment.
I felt so helpless, says Annu Kapoor on being robbed of cash and other valuables in France
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Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 24, 2022)
Actor and anchor Annu Kapoor and his wife Anupama Patel met with an unfortunate incident on their Europe holiday. The actor was robbed while he was boarding a train from Dijon-Ville station in France on June 18. They lost their expensive bag, credit cards, iPad, diary and money.
Speaking exclusively to BT from Switzerland, Annu Kapoor said, “My wife Anupama and I were waiting on platform H of Dijon-Ville railway station to board the 1:28 pm train to Paris Gare de Lyon. Most of the trains in France do not have space to put heavy bags, and sometimes you find people to help you with luggage. Two men suddenly came to us and offered to help with the two suitcases we had. While I tried to pick up one suitcase and he helped, they immediately grabbed my wife’s bag, got hold of my pouch, which had credit cards and cash, iPad and diary, and fled. Nobody tried to go after them and we stood there helpless. Thankfully, they did not take my passport, so my wife and I boarded the train, reached the Paris Gare de Lyon station and registered a complaint with the police.”
The actor, who will travel to London from Switzerland, is slated to return to Mumbai on June 29. He said, “This was a very unfortunate incident. I have been travelling to Europe for the last 26 years, but I guess this was destined to happen now. Thankfully, my friends in Paris and other locals who I know, came forward to help me. It was a long procedure to block my cards and I have lost around 10-15 lakh rupees. ”
He added, “My advice to all travellers is to always be alert. People who travel should always have their medical and theft insurance in place otherwise, their holiday can turn into a nightmare.”
Just the way Korea’s music exploded across the globe with K-pop, I think it is India’s time-Armaan Malik
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Discussing his love track that was shot in Paris, Armaan chronicles his journey as an English pop singer, and wanting to create an EP
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; January 10, 2022)
Armaan Malik makes a transition to an English pop music career appear seamless. And yet, several unsuccessful attempts by artistes before him suggest otherwise. As he discusses “returning home” to the genre of love ballads with You — his latest lilting pop rendition — he opens up on how his seemingly overnight success as an English singer was a “master plan”, a decade in the making.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
How did the concept of creating a love song in Paris, in the middle of a pandemic, come about?
You has been with me since two years. It was recorded and produced around the time I had released my debut English track, Control. Recently I was in Paris for a show, and decided that since I was in such a beautiful place, I should record a song. The entire team thought that since You was ready, and we were in Paris, the love capital, it was a no-brainer that we should film it there. The whole thing was conceptualized and shot in 48 hours, even though it may not look like it has. As soon as I came back, we saw cases rise again. I feel, God was looking out for me. I managed to go there, shoot and come back with such a beautiful product. Also, when I began my English music career, I did so in a different zone when pitted against what I was doing in Bollywood. People didn’t relate to me. People know me as this romantic singer who has his way around ballads. So, with You, I felt like I was coming home.
There is only a small chunk of your major fan base in India that also consumes English music. As a singer with a fine business acumen, who is your target audience then?
I am an Indian singer with a body of work in Bollywood and in the Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada [industries]. The ability to do what I did in that market came from the push that I got from here. I am a mainstream artiste trying to make it internationally. My ultimate goal is to develop and create a global audience. For them, I am a new artiste. Some of them could be NRIs who know me through my Bollywood work, and are now discovering me with my English music. I hope they say, ‘Wow, he can sing Bol do na zara, and something like a Control too.’ I am a multilingual singer. I can’t stop singing in all these amazing languages that I know. India is a very big market for [international music labels]. Just the way Korea’s music exploded across the globe with K-pop, I think it is India’s time. This changes how Indians have been perceived so far — which is a country that primarily consumes Bollywood music. I want to make a dent in the international scene.
Surely that has to do with the entire packaging of the product that you put out. When Control released, it didn’t seem like the work of a débutante, but one with experience in that market.
That’s because this was my master plan. Not too many people know this but my English career journey was in the making for about a decade. It may look like its just the beginning, but I have dreamt this dream over and over again as a child. Releasing Control was a mammoth task for me. A lot of Indians release English songs, but to do so with the aim of creating that impact is not easy. Which is why I went to Los Angeles, and spent time with people to learn the kind of songs that people write. I spent time in New York understanding the industry. I knew that if I wanted to make a dent in the industry, I need to understand it first. Also, while I went about my work in Bollywood, I would silently practice singing in English as well. I have 100 demos of English songs in my laptop, only four of which have released into the world. Every artiste needs to keep hustling. I had this dream at 15. It was realised at 24.
The reception to your Hindi songs was testimony that you were on the right path. But how did you judge yourself as an English singer when you had no one to guide you?
It’s not easy to sing in English the way I do. People say Indians don’t sing in English correctly because it is not polished. But I’ve consumed it since I was nine. It is as engrained in me as Hindi ragas. Just as much as [I’ve listened to] Mohammed Rafi sa’ab, I have heard John Mayer, and Bruno Mars. It’s part of my DNA. It’s been a silent journey, and now people are seeing the results. I didn’t have anyone to brief me. Vocally, a lot of the training was self-taught. But, the knowledge of being in the right direction came from the reception I got from an acclaimed [music label head] who wanted to sign me. That came as a seal of approval.
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