Showing posts with label Pawan Kalyan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pawan Kalyan. Show all posts
Pawan Kalyan’s eight-year-old son injured in fire at Singapore school
10:07 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (April 9, 2025)
Actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s younger son, Mark Shankar, has suffered injuries in a fire mishap at his school in Singapore on Tuesday morning. The information was shared on the official X handle of Pawan’s Jana Sena Party.
According to the tweet, Mark has suffered burns on his hands and legs in the fire, which broke out due to unknown reasons. He also inhaled smoke, resulting in respiratory discomfort. The child is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore.
Meanwhile, Pawan, who is presently on an official tour of Alluri Sitarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, has been advised by party leaders and officials to shorten his trip and head to Singapore to be with his son.
However, the Deputy CM plans to attend the scheduled programmes before departing for Singapore from Vishakhapatnam, a party leader said.
Mark is the younger son of Pawan and Anna Lezhneva, a Russian model-actor he married in 2013. They also have an elder daughter, Polena Anjana. Pawan also has two children, Akira Nandan and Aadya, from his earlier marriage with actor Renu Desai.
Pawan Kalyan says it’s ‘not fair’ to solely blame Allu Arjun for stampede
8:39 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (January 1, 2025)
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister-actor Pawan Kalyan recently addressed the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, for which actor Allu Arjun was arrested earlier in December.
While speaking to the press at Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kalyan said, “The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind. That said, the theatre staff should have informed Allu Arjun earlier about any issues. Once he sat in the seat, they should have instructed him to vacate it if necessary. It would have been better if someone had visited the victim’s family earlier on behalf of Allu Arjun. Revathi’s death in this incident has deeply shocked me. They turned what was already lost into an even greater tragedy.”
Kalyan further said, “We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter.”
Addressing the public sentiment, he added, “The people’s anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident. It is not fair to make Allu Arjun solely responsible for the incident... Sometimes, decisions are dictated by circumstances. In the past, even Chiranjeevi used to watch movies with his fans. Otherwise, he would wear a mask and go to the theatre alone.”
The stampede occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2 – The Rule, where a woman died. Her son, 9, is still hospitalized and in a critical condition.
In Bollywood, we play it too safe. I think we should change that-Emraan Hashmi
10:05 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; February 13, 2024)
Bollywood’s OG serial kisser boy has evolved. It has taken him time to break out of the box, but he did. In recent years, he’s been seen experimenting with a range of roles, including two-film hero projects like Selfiee and Tiger 3. The latter where he played the anti-hero brought him back into the spotlight. Emraan talks to us about why he doesn’t want to be slotted as a villain, his foray into south films and more.
‘Earlier, my idea of a villain was that he will only be painted as this dark character’
Talking about the switch in his career, Emraan says, “People wouldn’t have thought of me featuring me in a Salman Khan or Akshay Kumar starrer. They are two different worlds and when they collide, there’s something that sparks off. I think Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai would be one of my first films in that space. It took a lot of convincing on Milan’s (Luthria, director) part to get me to do that part. I was reluctant because I was playing just the main leads until then. Earlier, my idea of a villain was that he will only be painted as this dark character. But in that film, I played the anti-hero. The same goes with my role in Tiger 3. He is the hero of his own narrative. I wouldn’t like to play a one-toned villain in a film. I am grateful to filmmakers to have realized that and experimented with that. I just go with the flow, and I don’t yearn to do films in a certain genre.”
‘I don’t want to get slotted as a villain’
He enjoys playing the antagonist in films, but he doesn’t want to do that repeatedly. He elaborates, “I have done few antagonist roles. I don’t want to get slotted in villainous roles. Yes, it is an interesting time to experiment. People are liking the larger-than-life experience in films where two titans are taking on each other.”
‘There was a deliberate effort to try something different’
When he had started out, Emraan was known for a certain kind of cinema – intimate and bold. He was trapped in the image for years before he finally broke away from it. Ask him what’s his hook as an actor today and he says, “I think that finding a groove is dangerous because that could put you in a box again. I hated the fact that I was boxed into certain kind of roles for almost 15 years. There was a deliberate effort to get out of that box and try something different because I wasn’t growing as an actor. I was sleepwalking on every set. That is when I took up films like Shanghai and Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. It’s actually a huge trap. A lot of actors from the West also probably bail out from doing characters like Bond, because you gradually get boxed in sometimes. They say it is detrimental to your career because people can’t see you as anything else when you come out of that.”
‘I never imagined myself getting into the south film industry’
Between all the leaps he has been taking as an actor, the biggest plunge is venturing into a pan-India south project. Talking about the film, where he features with Telugu star Pawan Kalyan, he says, “I never imagined myself getting into the south film industry. But it was a fantastic script and a great character. Sujeeth is a great director and is making this film on an enormous canvas.”
‘We have a lot to learn from the way south films are made’
Ask him how different it is working in the south film industry, and he says, “I think south filmmakers are way more disciplined than we are (in Hindi cinema). Every penny that they spend on their film shows on screen. I think we often spend money in the wrong areas in Hindi films, and it doesn’t eventually translate on screen. They have finesse in their films when it comes to VFX, the scale and choice of path-breaking stories. We have some ground to cover before we can match that and we have a lot to learn from the way they make films.”
My Telugu debut is going to be on the scale of Pushpa, RRR, and Baahubali-Arjun Rampal
8:29 AM
Arjun Rampal on playing a dysfunctional cop in London Files that touches on immigration, depression and parenting
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 19, 2022)
A quick look at his career graph, and it’s easy to see Arjun Rampal’s fascination for complex roles. He assures that London Files is another addition to the list. The actor, who plays a dysfunctional cop in Voot Select’s upcoming series, says the role demanded considerable prep. Over to Rampal as he dissects why he was drawn to the series, and his evolution as an artiste.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
What was novel about the show that attracted you to it?
Om Singh is by far the most interesting character I have played in my career. He is a dysfunctional cop. The story highlights a lot of issues that people are facing. It depicts how parenting affects children today. What happens when the government suddenly passes the anti-immigration bill and takes away the rights of people who have migrated and been given citizenship in a foreign country? What happens when [countries] start shutting their borders? A lot of issues have been cleverly written in the show with the help of layered characters.
Do you gravitate towards intense roles over slice-of-life stories?
This is definitely a slice-of-life story [laughs]. Sometimes, you just attract certain things, and you say yes, hoping you can do the part. I love slice-of-life shows. If a good script comes along, I’ll do it. But right now, I lean more towards dystopian, issue-based and gritty stories.
Tell us about your prep for the character.
With London Files, I have spent a lot of time [with the core team] when [the script] was coming alive. A lot of contribution has come in [from the director, Sachin Pathak] on how to do a scene. We are showing a guy who worked in the London police force, so you cannot have the British chief talking in Hindi. So, we did those scenes in English. I haven’t done many English films, but I aspired to make it look real. You have to do a lot of workshops, and understand the world you portray to make it more real.
There are two types of actors — one who lives the part, and one who can switch on and off. Which one are you?
For me, it’s a combination of the two. You have to switch off at some point, or you will get exhausted. It is important to detach; it can give you new ideas about the character, but at the same time, I can’t completely switch off. I have to be in the zone. That is why I do one project at a time. Sometimes, it is difficult to switch off because the character stays with you. But as you start prepping for the next project, you let the earlier character go.
How do you feel you’ve evolved as an actor?
Sometimes, I feel on top of the world. Just when I start feeling that way, I go to the set and do a terrible scene [laughs]. There have been times in my career when I have done scenes on a superficial level. Now, I take every character and make it a part of me. It could also be [attributed to] being inexperienced and the choices I have made. [Earlier], I didn’t get parts that I could go deeper into. The choices I make today allow me to do that.
You are making your Telugu debut.
I am walking into the unknown. It is going to be [on the scale of] Pushpa, RRR, and Baahubali. I want to work in [the south industry]. The film stars Pawan Kalyan and I am playing a larger-than-life character. I’m nervous; I don’t know what to expect, but I am going out there to experience something.
I was overworked & stressed; I felt that I wasn’t doing things that made me happy-Nargis Fakhri
8:07 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; March 27, 2022)
Nargis Fakhri, who came into the spotlight with her debut film, Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar opposite Ranbir Kapoor in 2011, was later seen in films like Madras Cafe, Main Tera Hero, Azhar and Housefull 3. She also showed off her dancing skills in songs like Dhating Naach (Phata Poster Nikla Hero) and Yaar Naa Miley (Kick). After a busy 2016, when she had five releases, Nargis suddenly packed her bags and flew back to her home in New York. While she continued to stay connected through social media, she was hardly seen on the big screen. In a heart-to-heart chat with Bombay Times, Nargis, who is now in India, spoke about her exit from Bollywood, her plans for re-entry and what lies ahead. Read on…
Buzz was that you left Mumbai because of health issues. What brings you back to the city?
That was a long time ago. I don’t want to focus on that today. I am healthy now and am ready to take over the world (laughs!). I was to come to Mumbai earlier, but the world was hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, I had joined a 10-day meditation retreat, and when that ended, and I came out, I was shocked to see that life had come to a standstill. I had a ticket to come back to Mumbai in April 2020, but look at the irony, I was all set to take over the world, but the world had shut down! When I was in the US during the pandemic, I was eager to get back to work. Now that I am in India, I am looking forward to start shooting for my south project, Hari Hara Veera Mallu with Pawan Kalyan. It is a period film, a genre I haven’t done before, and it excites me. I want to do more Hindi projects. I also know that the OTT space has opened up, and people have consumed so much digital content in the past few years that fantastic work is coming up now. I will certainly not discriminate between films on the big screen and OTT.
Tell us about the time you spent in the US away from the lime light. Did you utilize it to explore other avenues and better yourself as an artiste, too?
I always explore other facets of my personality. I am definitely not one dimensional. I am a creative person, and I spent my time reading, writing and even painting. I have painted still life and abstract art. I have a Major in Fine Arts, and my love for painting comes from there. I am also into health, wellness and spirituality.
When you live a hectic life as an actor, you are only working in a specific area or space, and you don’t get to enjoy those other things that are still important to you and make you happy. I also took this time to explore a few investment and business options.
Following the success of your debut film Rockstar, you were in the spotlight in Bollywood. In fact, in 2016, you had five releases. So, at a time when your career in Bollywood was looking bright, why did you leave it all and head back to the US in such haste?
Somewhere down the line, I realised that I was overworked and stressed. I missed my family and friends. I remember that 2016-2017 was a period of realisation for me. I felt that I wasn’t doing things that made me happy. I did films back-to-back and thought there was just too much happening, and I needed to stop. I felt the need to pause to balance my mind and body. And that’s when I took the step.
Weren’t you worried that leaving at that point would make your comeback into the space a lot tougher?
Once in a while, it is important for the sake of your mental and physical health to take a break. I know that in the industry, actors, their managers, and even PR agencies tell you that you have to be more visible and that if you take a break for too long, people tend to forget you. I think there is a lot of fear in the minds of the artistes who don’t want to lose what they have worked hard for. My perspective is, you never lose, especially when you take time out for yourself, for selfcare, and to introspect. Instead, you actually win when you do that.
You have a home and life back in New York, too. Does it get lonely living by yourself to pursue your career here?
It is definitely difficult for those who go back alone to an empty home. It is important that, as humans, you have a support system in your family or have good friends around. That is also the reason I moved back to New York. I hadn’t seen my mother and friends for a long time. So, when I went back, I spent a lot of time with my mother and shared everything with her. Nothing can compensate for the time you spend with your family.
While you were here, did you make friends in Bollywood who could be your support system here?
I have made some good friends here who I love to hang out with. But in the end, everybody is just so busy here, so it is quite hard to get together. I know Varun Dhawan, Ileana D’Cruz and Huma Qureshi very well. I am happy that we have kept in touch. However, there is nothing like friends who you have a history with and your own family.
You were in a long-term relationship with Uday Chopra. At present, you are reportedly dating businessman Tony Beig. What is your take on relationships, and do you plan to take your relationship to the next level?
Right now, I feel work is the most important part of every human life. You need to have a purpose and coming back to Bollywood and working in the film industry is part of my purpose. Hopefully, the job you choose is one that you love and enjoy. Talking about relationships, how many people who take their relationship to the next level are happy? Do we know? Obviously not, because people usually don’t talk about it in public. You don’t have to take the relationship to the next level to feel settled. You can have a great partnership. The two of you can be good to each other... like best friends. What’s most important is that someone keeps you happy and supports you throughout.
Nepotism, by definition, is applied to political hierarchy or public sector companies-Rana Daggubati
8:10 AM
Rana Daggubati on collaborating with other actors, the reign of content and more]
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 5, 2021)
Actor Rana Daggubati was quite excited about his trilingual film Haathi Mere Saathi (HMS). He had envisioned that the movie would receive appreciation pan India. However, unlike his expectation, it received mixed responses from movie lovers and critics. Talking about the film, which had a digital release a while back, the actor shares, “Like success, failure and mixed reviews are part of a few films you do, especially, when (doing) things a bit offbeat.” He adds that in such scenarios, “the learnings” are always abundant and “quite fruitful”.
Moving ahead, Daggubati will be collaborating with his colleague from the Telugu movie industry, Pawan Kalyan, in one of his next projects. “The story of the film plays on the male ego. It will be a new film for both of us as well as for the Telugu audience,” excitedly shares Daggubati, who will also be seen sharing screen space with another Telugu star Venkatesh on a digital project.
Ask him about Tollywood stars collaborating in multiple projects — a phenomenon that is a bit rare in the one-hero Hindi film industry — and he says, “It is the story that drives it all. If we have directors that demand it, audiences will always love and enjoy it.”
But hasn’t the hero-worship declined in recent times, especially with the invasion of digital media, we probe? “Stars are stars irrespective of the era. But having said that, it is the kind of content that the stars continually work on (that matters the most) to keep fans engaged,” quips the 36-year-old.
Also, Tollywood comprises actors who belong to prominent film families but, the debate around nepotism never seems to arise there. The Baahubali actor explains, “Nepotism, by definition, is applied to political hierarchy or public sector companies...The entertainment world is based on arts. It requires hard work from everyone, irrespective of being from a prominent family or not.”
People have become lax about safety; Coronavirus must be taken seriously-Shruti Haasan
8:02 AM
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; December 5, 2020)
Last week, Shruti Haasan was in for a rude shock on the sets of her upcoming film Laabam, when she and co-star Vijay Sethupathi were mobbed by a large group of fans, who somehow managed to enter the sets. Infuriated by the security lapse, the actress lashed out on social media in a post that seemed to be directed towards the production house for not having stricter measures in place. “COVID is a serious health risk everyone! The pandemic is not over! I, as a person and an actor, have the right to prioritise my safety and health if protocols are not followed! Just saying (sic),” she tweeted.
Speaking to us, the actress says it’s important for people to realise the implications of the pandemic and prioritise safety over everything else. “When we first started shooting post lockdown, there were thorough temperature checks, sanitisation, etc. But off late, people have become very lax. Coronavirus is not the common cold, so it must be treated seriously. Having said that, it is an individual responsibility to ensure we prioritize safety and create a conducive working environment,” says Shruti, adding, “There are people who don’t wear masks properly, they just hang it below their nose or their chin. It’s frustrating when you see that.”
Despite the scare on the sets of Laabam, Shruti says that she will not stop doing movies. “I had a long break this year, so I’m not ready to go into another lockdown,” she says.
She adds, “I will continue to take safety precautions and keep working. I have a number of films lined up. Shooting for my film Krack is almost done and once that is wrapped up, I will start shoot for Vakeel Saab with Pawan Kalyan. These are exciting projects and I can’t wait to get started.”
Shruti will be returning to Telugu cinema after a three-year-gap with Ravi Teja-starrer Krack and says the film will show her an exciting new avatar. “It’s a total massy family entertainer. I play Ravi Teja’s wife in it and I’m also a mother. It’s an interesting role and I look forward to seeing how it’s received,” says Shruti.
Shruti has spent most part of 2020 alone and says that she will take her learnings from the experience as she looks forward to the new year. “I’ve learnt a lot this year by living alone. I have a lot more clarity of thought. I’ve been able to dedicate a lot more time for my music and hopefully, I have evolved as a musician, too. I hope to carry the same momentum into 2021. I want to start the year with positivity, the same clarity of thought and of course, lots of music,” says Shruti, signing off.
Triply whammy for Boney Kapoor as his three films are stuck in production
9:05 AM
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 5, 2020)
It’s not really a secret that the Coronavirus lockdown has dealt a major blow to filmmakers, and showbiz in general. Boney Kapoor, too, is no different. In fact, the producer has three films that are stuck in various stages of production — Ajay Devgn-starrer Maidaan, a Telugu film titled Vakeel Saab featuring Pawan Kalyan (the remake of Shoojit Sircar’s Pink; 2016) and Ajith-starrer Tamil actioner, Valimai.
While Vakeel Saab is 10-15 shoot days away from completion, Valimai is nearly 50% complete. On the other hand, around a month-long shoot is still left for Maidaan’s completion. In fact, a few days back, Kapoor and his partners took a call to dismantle the massive set of the film spread over 16 acres before “monsoons arrive in Mumbai”. Now, the “massive set” will be rebuilt in September, and Kapoor is hopeful that the shoot can commence around November.
“It goes without saying that it has resulted in a huge loss for the team. Thankfully, however, we had already shot all the indoor and also some outdoor portions of the film [in Lucknow and Kolkata]. But now, we will have to wait for the set to come up again to shoot the Olympic games of Helsinki, Rome, Melbourne and Jakarta Asian Games,” says Kapoor.
Not just Maidaan, the Wanted (2009) maker was cruising along with the shoot of his Telugu film, Vakeel Saab along with Valimai when the shutdown came into force. “In all likelihood, we would have completed the films by now had there been no lockdown. But what can you do in such an extraordinary situation? Now, we hope to finish work on all the films at the earliest, whenever work restarts. Sometimes, I feel I must be the only producer, who has three big films –— from different film industries of the country — stuck at various stages,” says Kapoor with a smile.
Jacqueline Fernandez to team up with Pawan Kalyan for Krish's Telugu period action-adventure
8:50 AM
The upcoming Telugu period action adventure, to be directed by Krish, will release in several languages
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 31, 2020)
Last year, Jacqueline Fernandez revealed that she had been on a much-needed break in Los Angeles after a decade in the Hindi film industry. She used the time to hone her acting skills, taking classes at the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Now, the actress is back in the race with John Abraham’s Attack and Salman Khan’s Kick 2, and is looking Southwards, too.Mirror has learnt that Jacqueline has signed a Telugu film opposite Pawan Kalyan. A period action-adventure, the yet-untitled film will have Pawan as a Robin Hood-like character and will be directed by Krish. The filmmaker has previously helmed Akshay Kumar’s Gabbar is Back and the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi, along with almost a dozen films down South.
“It is a pan-India film set in 1870 and will release in multiple languages. Jacqueline is looking to explore newer avenues and this is a step forward in that direction. She flew down to Hyderabad several times this year to meet her director and costar,” revealed a source close to the development.
The actress has allotted 40 days to the project and is expected to jump into the shoot as soon as the Coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted. “The film will be shot at multiple studios in Hyderabad on lavish sets. The visuals will be enhanced further using special effects. Jacqueline will sport a different avatar, wearing heavy designer clothes and period jewelry,” the source added.
Buzz is, Pawan had started shooting for the film in February. The new schedule will be chalked out once there is absolute clarity on when work can resume.
Last year, Jacqueline performed a special dance number in the action-thriller, Saaho, fronted by Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor. “She is open to acting in all film industries as the gap between regional and Hindi films has been bridged,” added the source.
Mirror had earlier reported (July 20) that the actress is in talks with Madhu Mantena to spin an action franchise fronted by her. “Even that’s in the works,” the source confirmed.
We can live without paychecks, but many daily wage earners cannot-Kapil Sharma
8:27 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 30, 2020)
“I have been home ever since my daughter was born in December. I would step out only to shoot for my show’s episodes. Now, of course, we aren’t shooting, so staying at home hasn’t really been all that different,” says Kapil Sharma.
He is glad to be at home with his three-month old daughter Anayra and wife Ginni as “time passes quickly when you have a child at home”. Moreover, he has been watching online content, has written a stand up skit and has started reading books that he had bought at airports but never read. He says, “I am happy that India has things under control, and I pray that the Coronavirus lockdown works and helps us get rid of the virus. People should follow it strictly but some of them aren’t taking it seriously as they don’t know the gravity of the situation. We should learn from countries that were prepared and ones that were not, about what to do and what not to do.”
The actor-comedian says that this lockdown has allowed a lot of nature to come back in our midst, “Earlier, I hardly could hear birds chirping, but recently, I was glad to hear a Koyal singing, and even spotted some sparrows near my house. It felt like kudrat detox kar rahi hai. We have developed a lot but in that race, we took nature for granted.”
Sharma also recently went live on Facebook, and spoke to his fans about Covid-19, the lockdown and the seriousness of it. He adds, “God forbid, if we were facing water shortage across the world, it would unimaginable. We should save water, ban plastic, and plant more trees. No one had ever imagined that a virus would bring the world to a standstill, but this virus has brought the world together. We have to change the way we think.”
Sharma has donated ₹50 lakh to the PM’s relief fund and urges others to do what they can to help people. “I read that [Telugu stars] Pawan Kalyan and Ram Charan had donated to the fund, so I felt I should as well. I tweeted about it so that people come forward and do their bit. At this time, any sum is helpful. We can afford to stay at home without pay checks for months but there are so many daily wage earners who need our help right now. I am also helping the NGOs near my house who are helping the strays and needy people in the vicinity,” he signs off.
Prabhas, Rajinikanth, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, Chiranjeevi, Mahesh Babu, Ram Charan show the way forward
8:26 AM
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 28, 2020)
Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, the South film industry has come forward to lend its support to the state and central government. Not only are the big names urging people to stay indoors, but they have also donated money to relief funds working to support the country’s health care system.
Leading the pack is Baahubali actor Prabhas, who contributed Rs 3 crore to the Prime Minister Relief Fund and Rs 50 lakh each to CM relief funds of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The actor recently returned from Georgia after the shoot of his next period romance with Pooja Hegde was halted due to coronavirus scare.
Telugu actor-politician Pawan Kalyan has donated Rs 1 crore to the PM’s relief fund and Rs 50 lakh each to both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana CM relief funds. Ram Charan, on the eve of his birthday on March 27, informed that he was contributing Rs 70 lakh. His actor-politician father, Chiranjeevi, has pledged Rs 1 crore to as financial aid for daily wage workers and lower income groups in the country, including the Telugu film industry. Tamil Nadu’s Thalaiva, Rajinikanth, has pledged Rs 50 lakh to the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) for the daily wage workers.
Another Telugu actor, Mahesh Babu, has also contributed Rs 1 crore to the CM Relief Funds of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He has made an appeal for donations “because every contribution will make a tremendous difference”. He posted a video of his daughter, Sitara, educating masses on the golden rules in the fight against the deadly virus.
Allu Arjun is equally optimistic that India will overcome this crisis together if we stay home, practice hygiene and self-isolation. He had donated Rs 1.25 crore to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala.
Telangana migrants star in Solapur poll theatre
8:20 AM
Three movie theatres in Solapur cater primarily to the Telugu migrants who have lived in Maharashtra for generations
Priyanka Kakodkar (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 14, 2019)
Solapur: Padma Chitra Mandir in the heart of Solapur city has just finished screening NTR’s biopic. More than 70 years old — its stunning art deco facade still intact — the theatre shows mainly Telugu films.
Its among the three theatres that cater to the large population of Telugu migrants in Maharashtra city, which is close to both Telangana and Karnataka. Though fewer in numbers than Kannada speakers, Telugu migrants account for 2-3 lakh people. Nearly 70% belong to the weaving community of Padmashalis.
“When there is a big release of our favourite heroes like Pawan Kalyan, Chiranjeevi or Junior NTR, we garland their posters with marigold flowers and lemons,” says Naresh Konda, who works in a garment factory.
In the past, for big-ticket releases, the police were called in for crowd control and fans would set up large cardboard cutouts of their heroes. Today, a large section watches Telugu films on TV though there is a dedicated theatre audience.
“Telugu speakers form a sizeable voter base. Solapur has had three Telugus peaking MPs,” says Ashok Indapure, former general secretary of the Padmashali jati sanstha.
Earlier, the Padmashalis voted mainly Congress but now they have shifted towards BJP, says Indapure. CPM has a following among the beedi workers, with its leader Narsayya Adam winning assembly polls thrice from here.
The Telangana migrants made their way to the state more than 175 years ago, escaping a fierce drought. They settled mainly in Solapur, Icchalkaranji, Nanded, Jalna, Pune and Bhiwandi.
Since Solapur was historically a textile town, Telugu migrants worked mainly in its mills and handloom enterprises. Later, they moved to powerlooms, ready-made garments and beedi trade.
In the beedi-workers colony in Shastri Nagar, locals retain much of Telangana culture including food and customs. Many even arrange marriages in Telangana or find partners for their children from there. “I got my daughter married in Telangana because of its Re 1 rice scheme,” says Laxmibai Vashi, whose family has been in Solapur for generations.
“We eat traditional Telangana food. The only difference is we started eating chapatis in Solapur. Earlier it was only rice,” says Vithalbai Enganti.
The religious jatras in Telangana draw many from Solapur. “At least 10,000 people from Solapur travel each year for the jatra at the Edupayala Durgamma temple in Telangana,” says Srinivas Dasari, reporter with a local paper.
While the migrants speak Telugu, most cannot read or write it. “Since there were no Telugu schools here, they find it difficult to read and write,” says Dasari.
Now, the community is undergoing reverse migration. The educated younger generations no longer wants to work in beedi or garment trade. “They’re migrating to Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad,” says Indapure. “The need to work and fill their stomachs brought them to Solapur. Now, it’s taking them away.”
I've enjoyed breaking expectations-Shruti Haasan
8:04 AM
Shruti Haasan on her upcoming film, the unlikely pairing in it with Rajkummar Rao, South films, social media and an introspection on how she’s changed over the year so far
Karan Shah (DNA; December 14, 2016)
Shruti Haasan has a fascination for unlikely pairings. So much so, she’s excited about her own pairing with Rajkummar Rao in her new film Behen Hogi Teri. Dressed in a pink Lucknowi salwar kameez, Shruti is busy shooting a mehendi scene when we meet. For someone who has completed nine-odd years in Bollywood, Shruti still has the zeal and excitement to approach all her roles with equal enthusiasm. Excerpts from our chat...
What made you take up Behen Hogi Teri?
I liked the freshness of it. The thing that struck me the most about the script was that the emotions were so simple and wonderful and they leave you feeling warm and reminiscent of a time in your own life when things were simpler and purer.
A bit about your character...
She has this fun, boisterous kind of energy. She also has this sensitive, girly side to her. The mix of the two is something I really liked about this character.
Is your pairing with Rajkummar exciting for you?
I like to see unexpected pairings. Just like people in the business think that A and D would gell together or this and this would go well together, even the audience kind of mentally prepares itself to see them like that. Breaking expectations, even as an audience member, is something that I have enjoyed. So, I really hope that people like that kind of quirkiness of the pairing.
Is it easy balancing between working in the South and Bollywood?
Yes, it is crazy, the packing and the travelling. But it is something that I always wanted to do because I grew up in a multi-cultural home. I am really lucky that I got to do it.
You are quite active on social media...
I like it because it connects me to a certain group in a certain way. It gives me a certain meter and a better sense of things as well. And there is a lot of rubbish as well, any actor saying that there is no rubbish, is lying. There are absolute nut cases out there, which is also entertaining. But on a day-to-day basis, the kind of love and encouragement you get is unparallelled.
What other films are you working on?
In the South, I am working with Surya and Pawan Kalyan again, two of the most wonderful superstars and both of whom I started my career with. It was really wonderful to revisit that. So I am really excited.
The three biggest events that happened to you this year...
I have changed a lot as a person. It has been a year of self-awareness. I think I have been open to a lot of things that I have not been open to before. I think I have become tougher about the things I like and I don’t like, which is great and comes with turning 30. I think I am also doing a lot more music, which is exciting.
Randeep Hooda offered Rs 3 cr to play villain in Telegu film Gabbar Singh 2?
7:41 AM
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; May 20, 2015)
Telegu actor/producer Pawan Kalyan’s film Gabbar Singh 2 is all set to go on floors soon. The buzz doing the round of industry circles is that Randeep Hooda was approached to play the villain in the film, but turned it down.
According to a source, “The makers of the film were keen on signing Randeep Hooda as the villain. The producers were ready to pay around Rs 3 crore to the actor, but he declined to be a part of the project.”
Adds a source close to the actor, “Yes, Randeep was approached to play the baddie in Gabbar Singh 2 for which the makers were ready to pay a huge amount, but Randeep eyes certain kind of roles and said no to the film.”
The flick will finally go on the floors on May 29 after a lot of back and forth owing to Pawan’s involvement in politics.
Randeep remained unavailable for comment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)