Upala KBR (MID-DAY; September 6, 2018)

Mid-Day had previously reported about director Sachin Gupta’s inability to get his film Pakhi to cinema halls after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) termed it too “crude” for viewing. Now, Gupta tells mid-day that while the film, based on child-trafficking, has got an A certificate, an item number from the song has been eliminated.

Talking to mid-day about the track titled Khabrein Garam, Gupta says, “The CBFC is getting into [interfering with] the creative zone [of directors]. They asked me to delete the entire song, which is along the lines of Beedi Jalai Le in Omkara, or Chikni Chameli in Agneepath. They simply said it wasn’t looking good in the film,” says the director, adding that the track in question doesn’t contain raunchy lyrics.

Gupta argues that item songs, including the one in recent- releases Stree (Kamariya) and Satyameva Jayate (Dilbar) are retained despite the films being certified for general viewing. “Rules for every filmmaker should be constant. They won’t have concerns with Dharma Productions or Yash Raj Films, only with me or other individual [directors].”

CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi remained unavailable for comment.

Director approaches revising committee
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 9, 2018)

Even as it finds a place on ticket booking websites as a film set to release tomorrow, director-producer Sachin Gupta’s Pakhi, will not be hitting screens. Starring Anamika Shukla, Sumeet Kant Kaul, Anmol Goswami and Pallavi Das, the venture that dabbles with the sensitive subject of child- trafficking has been rendered “crude” by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The Board, Gupta tells mid-day, has refused to certify the film following a screening held on August 4.

“The Board tells me that we have dealt with the subject, and shown sexual assault and child-trafficking in a crude manner. That is surprising, given that the film has no nudity, violence or religious [connotations]. If the film is based on child-trafficking, it’s obvious that it will depict something. It’s not a love story,” says Gupta further chiding the Board for treating him like a “college student” when he has two films to his credit.

Pointing out that films like Mardaani (2014), Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016) and Lakshmi (2014) have also dealt with the subject, Gupta is further agitated that the Board hasn’t even suggested amends in his edit. “They simply said, ‘We won’t pass it. There’s a problem in every scene. We wouldn’t want to see this film with our children. What are you trying to teach children?’ I am a filmmaker; I only want people to know that this happens. For instance, there’s a scene that shows a girl taking hormonal injections; that happens. Also, we treated the scene sensitively,” he reasons.

Chronicling the story of a 10-year-old girl, the film, Gupta promises, “has nothing graphic”. He argues that should the Board object to showcasing the film to children, an A certification should have been provided. “I’ve been told to approach the Revising Committee. But, I am stuck, because my film was to release tomorrow. We have promoted it and booked theatres. If it doesn’t release tomorrow, it’s a financial blow for me. I have invested my savings in the movie.”

mid-day reached out to CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi, who said, “ The CBFC processes [pertaining to] this film are not [completed] yet.”

Iulia Vantur takes on trolls, opens up about good friend Salman Khan and describing Mumbai as her home, says ‘Home is where the heart is’
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 16, 2018)

For someone who is seen way more than she is heard in the public domain, Iulia Vantur instantly registers her presence with a pronounced accent and wit. She is also strikingly articulate in a retelling of her discovery of India — walking through the streets of Rishikesh during her maiden visit, exploring art in Rajasthan, and acquainting herself with the vibe of Mumbai, which she has come to call home over the last few years. In this interview, the 37-year-old TV host-singer (she was never an actress, she clarifies after frequently being called one) talks about lesser-known aspects of her life in Romania, her equation with Salman Khan and Bollywood aspirations.

Your friendship with Salman Khan and proximity to his family has made headlines in the last two years. Is it somewhat tiring to remain silent on the subject, especially since you live in Mumbai now?
I was 19 when I walked into a newsroom for the first time. I had heard that a channel was looking for an anchor. I was going to drop in my CV and leave, when an assistant told me that the producer hated blondes and I didn’t stand a chance. I insisted on giving it a shot anyway. As luck would have it, the producer walked by right then and upon learning that I wanted to be an anchor, asked me if I’d take the test right away. I was young and hesitant but I aced it and landed the job. I worked as a news anchor for the next 15 years, writing, editing news stories and becoming an independent, working woman in the process. I was winning at life. I went on to host Dancing With The Stars for eight seasons. So, I don’t scare easy. And I don’t focus on the negativity.

Nobody knows this side of you…
Nobody knows me here. They even call me ‘Lulia’ here, when my name is spelt with an ‘I’. I am a respected personality in Romania. A news anchor receives a certain status symbol wherever they are based. Here, people don’t know of my life and journey. They don’t know my struggles and the hard work that I have put in for decades. They look at me and they see a girl with big Bollywood dreams. (Laughs) But that’s not me at all! I’ve lived the famed life, the rich life, and I don’t crave for it. I never thought life would bring me to India but I followed my heart and here I am.

Online trolls have been merciless, constantly using uncharitable words to downplay your professional achievements…
Many friends have told me that I need to have a reaction to things that are happening around me. But my life is filled with beautiful moments and beautiful people, and I choose to stick to that. I’m a single child, born to caring and protective parents, and they get really pissed off when they hear things about my private life. After I finished law school, my father was sure I’d become a court magistrate one day. And despite my foray into television and eventually music, they have supported me. It upsets them to hear negative comments about their only child. But they know who they raised at home, and I like to guard their privacy.

You’re a Hindi singer now. Do you also have plans to become a Bollywood actress?
(Laughs) I had never planned to come to India to work. There was no ambition, no fool-proof plan. Salman (Khan) is a good friend and he guided me, encouraging me to sing. I never thought that I would be able to sing in Hindi but he supported me. I started singing because of him. I had no plans to be a part of Bollywood but I also like surprises at the same time.

There is so much talk around his bachelorhood and your impending marriage…
I’m aware of the gossip. Most of it is not true. But I cannot stop people from spinning stories. I have a lot of respect for Salman. At the same time, I have no idea where life is taking me. Three years ago, I was all about being responsible and making plans, but not everything turns out the way we expect them to. Not everything is our will. What happens was meant to happen.

How did it all – the music, the rumours, your initiation into the elite circle of Bollywood – really begin?
It started from the song “Teri Meri” (sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal for the 2011 Salman-starrer Bodyguard). At the time, I was in the studio, and everybody asked me to sing a Romanian song. I chose a Christmas carol that I sing to my parents every year. Himesh (Reshammiya, composer) loved it and said, “We’re going to make a beautiful song out of this.” Six years later, when he wanted to work on a music video, he thought of me, and “Every Night and Day” came into being.

You’re ready with your next single, “Harjai”…
Maniesh (Paul, who also features in the single) and I are great friends and since we’re both TV hosts, there’s a lot of conversations around that. I spend a lot of time at recording studios and Sachin Gupta, who was composing a track for T-Series at the time, heard me jam with Maneish. We were soon having fun and he asked me to join in. It was a challenge learning pronunciations of Hindi words but Sachin and director Shabina Khan helped me through it. There’s so much to learn from Indian classical music and I’d love to explore it next.

Is there an album in the works, too?
I don’t have a plan for that. My music will remain an organic journey. And Mumbai is now my home. Home is where the heart is.

So will the media be hearing more from you now?
Maybe… Well, honestly, no.

Encouraged by the actor, who believed they complement each other as singers, the duo recently shot for a music video with another favourite of the Khan camp
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2018)

It is no secret that TV host-turned-actor Maniesh Paul is one of Salman Khan’s favourites and has hosted every Da-bangg concert over the last year. Salman even gifted Maniesh a jacket from his personal collection for his performance on “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi”, among other chartbusters, during the international tour. Recently, the younger actor who’s a frequent guest at Salman’s house parties confided in him that he wanted to come out with his first music video. The 52-year-old-actor immediately got into action, pointing him in the direction of his good friend Iulia Vantur. He had launched the Romanian model-singer in mid-2016 and promised to promote her as a fine musical talent. Salman was convinced that Maniesh and Iulia would make a perfect match on screen and set about putting the project together.

Directed by Shabina Khan, Salman’s choreographer on films like Dabanng, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Tubelight, the romantic song is titled “Harjai”, and has been written and composed by “Doori” singer Sachin Gupta and sung by Maniesh and lulia. It was shot entirely at a city studio using rustic backdrops.

“I came on board because of Bhai. His trust in me was touching and we are looking forward to showing him the complete song. Iulia’s voice is unique which made the song really romantic. You will see a softer side to Maneish here, without his usual masti and jokes,” she smiles.

Iulia, who has been taking Hindi classes in Mumbai, has in the past sung “Jag Ghoomeya” and crooned and appeared in Himesh Reshammiya’s music video “Every Night And Day”. According to a source from the sets of the T-Series music video, Salman joked that since Iulia was already one music video and two songs-old, Maniesh could learn a few moves from the senior songstress.

The actor himself has been prepping up for the Sunday finale of his reality show, Bigg Boss. Determined to make his last act of season 11 an unforgettable one, Salman has roped in Shabina for this one too.

Speaking about her TV debut, Shabina says, “It’s an action-packed act and we have stunt guys performing with Bhai and the background dancers. It has romance, humour and his popular dialogues. Since Tiger Zinda Hai has been received so well, we wanted to give the audience a feel of the film too and that’s how the idea developed. We will be shooting it today. Since Bhai has been so busy with his upcoming film, Race 3, we barely had two days to come up with the concept, compose the music and get the act ready with the dancers, before we start rehearsals with him.”

On Thursday, after completing his shoots at Mehboob studio and Film City for the third instalment in the franchise, Salman recorded some of his iconic lines late in the night for his finale act on the TV show, before showing up for dance practise. “His energy is amazing!” Shabina signs off on a high note.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2017)

A couple of weeks ago, Kookie Gulati, who has directed over 200 music videos for Ramesh Taurani’s production, decided to launch two new talents with a romantic single, “Dil Zara Tu Sunn”.

The six-minute video, composed by Sachin Gupta and helmed by Kookie, features Kolkata-based singer-actor Subhro Ganguly opposite Taurani’s daughter, Raveena. It has been shot entirely in Mumbai.

“I wanted the song to have a storyline so the narrative follows a guy who is not too confident about himself or his music and how a girl he meets ends up putting him on a stage,” writer-director Kookie told Mirror, adding that one of restaurateur Riyaz Amlani’s food labs in Bandra, which boasts of a large coffee machine, was converted into Subhro’s home for a daylong indoor schedule. “For the outdoor sequences, we got the permission to cordon off Horniman Circle and the adjacent gardens so that we could shoot in Fort. It was lovely.”

Subhro, who has been a music assistant for four years, trained with composer Qadir Mustafa Khan, son of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan. He lost 14 kg to get into picture perfect shape for his first single. “Subhro once bumped into veteran singer Usha Uthup on a flight to Delhi and sang to her. Impressed with his voice, she asked him to meet her in Kolkata and that’s how he landed his first break. He went on to open for Arijit Singh too,” Kookie informed.

Meanwhile Raveena’s prepping to be a full-time actress. She attended acting and dance workshops for four weeks before the shoot and made her producer-father proud of her performance. “We’re now planning a feature film, among other projects with Raveena,” Kookie revealed.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; March 27, 2017)

Salman Khan’s special friend, Iulia Vantur seems to be seriously pursuing Hindi music. After recording a single with Himesh Reshammiya just four months ago, the Romanian actress is ready to unveil a song with actor-host Maniesh Paul. She has not only lent her voice to it, but will also shoot for a music video featuring her with Manish.

Produced by Sangeeta Manjrekar, the music video is being directed by composer Sachin Gupta. Gupta tells midday, “Maniesh has this hidden talent [as a singer] and you will realise that after listening to the song. Iulia’s voice has an amazing texture. She has sung beautifully. Both have done justice to my composition.” Gupta has earlier scored music for films like Mere Dad Ki Maruti (2013) and Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011). “I am returning with a single after five years and this album marks my debut as a music video director as well,” he adds.

BOMBAY TIMES (July 8, 2015)

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 2, 2015)

A qualified software engineer, Sachin Gupta's tryst with theatre started when he was 12. He has staged over 75 shows around the world, including the award winning off-Broadway musical Celebration of Life. Handicapped City and Kailashnath Weds Madhumati were also staged Off-Broadway and in New York and Toronto. Now, the recipient of the National Award, Natya Bhushan, for his contribution to theatre, Sachin is gearing up for a musical on the popular animated TV and film character, Chhota Bheem.

"We will be performing at the Siri Fort auditorium in Delhi on July 24, 25 and 26. There will be nine shows over three days with 35-40 actors from my repertory performing live. You will see Chhota Bheem on stage and amongst the audience. There will be about six-seven music pieces based on the songs you've heard before," informs Sachin.

This is the first time the owners of the franchise have parted with the copyright for a stage version. Sachin, who's in the midst of scripting and character rehearsals, admits that they were in talks with a few others too. "But I think they liked my concept of an interactive musical when we met in Hyderabad around three weeks ago and we locked the deal. My 2007 English play, A Roller Coaster Ride was very popular with kids too."

Meanwhile, his musical comedy, Thoda Lutf Thoda Ishq, featuring Rajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra, opens soon. "For the last two years, I've been busy with films. A musical on stage is like a vacation and I'm super excited. We'll bring the show to Mumbai soon, and take it to Bangalore and Pune as well. There are offers from Dubai, New York and London too."

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; June 22, 2015)

Sachin Gupta, who is best known as the voice behind the song Tere Liye from Prince, is embroiled in a controversy yet again. Apparently, the singer/composer ill-treats his pet dog — he ties the dog in the balcony of his Juhu residence for hours together without food. Says a source, “Sachin has a Labrador who is often spotted tied to the balcony grill irrespective of the weather. The dog barks and sometimes cries too but he doesn’t bother checking on it. So, out of concern for the dog, the neighbours have lodged a complaint against the composer.”

The neighbours have also spread the word against him on social media and it is said that the police did warn Sachin after his neighbours’ complaints.

Sachin denies the allegations and says, “The police never came to my house. My dog’s name is 3D and he is happiest with me. I guess my dog enjoying the sun and rain in my Juhu home balcony at times makes them (neighbours) jealous. Rather than paying attention to other unethical activities in the neighbourhood, they are bothered about my dog. This is their way to harass me and my normal life.”

Incidentally this is not for the first time that the composer has found himself trapped in a controversy. In 2014, his wife, Sasha Agha along with her mother Salma was spotted at the Oshiwara Police station to apparently file a complaint against Sachin. However, he denied the buzz.

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

Buzz is that actress Sasha Aagha’s marriage to musician Sachin Gupta is headed for splitsville. In a secret ceremony last year, Sasha, daughter of yesteryear actress-singer Salma Aagha had tied the knot with Sachin, who lived in the same neighbourhood. As Salma was unhappy about it, the two always maintained that they are just close pals.

Says a source, “There were constant differences between the mother-daughter duo over Sachin. Sasha was adamant about being with Sachin against her mother’s wishes while Salma was keen that she concentrate on her professional life. Things took an ugly turn and Sasha has now moved to Dubai.”

Sachin, however, maintains that Sasha has gone to Dubai as her maternal grandfather has not been keeping well. “As for our marriage ( breaking up), it is only a rumour,” he adds.

Sasha remained unavailable for comment.

In May last year, Salma had lodged a police complaint against Sachin at the Oshiwara police station. He was even questioned by the cops in the presence of Salma and Sasha. At that time, Sachin had rubbished reports about the interrogation and said that they were at the police station to complain about water leakage problems in their building.

The actress has featured in films like Aurangzeb (2013) and more recently in Desi Kattey (2014).

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 5, 2014)

Rumour mills have been working overtime since Thursday about Salma Aagha's daughter Sasha Aagha, who made her debut opposite Arjun Kapoor in Aurangzeb. Buzz is, the 22-year-old has tied the knot with music composer Sachin Gupta, against her mother's wish.

When Mirror called Salma last evening, she hung up after promising to get back. Within minutes, Sasha called to say that she is still single but her mother is no longer opposed to her relationship with Sachin.

Salma has been unhappy about her daughter seeing Sachin. However, the lovebirds continued the relationship even after the former singer-actress filed a complaint against Sachin at the Oshiwara police station in May. A major showdown between the mother and daughter, followed this episode.

When we asked Sasha how she had managed to pacify her mother, she said: "How long could my mother remain angry? I understand her concern. She feels we should both concentrate on our respective careers. But eventually she realised that we are really serious about each other and gave in. Sachin and I have known each other for six years and have been together for two years."

When quizzed on the subject, Sachin echoed her words, saying, "Sasha and I are madly in love. She is a lovely girl. And now Salma aunty is fine with our relationship. But contrary to rumours, we haven't got married yet."

Sasha chirped up saying that people have misunderstood their relationship status because Sachin sometimes calls her 'wifey'.

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; May 3, 2014)

The wee hours of Friday saw a fair share of drama unfold at the Oshiwara police station. It seems that former actress Salma Aagha, who is apparently upset about her daughter Sasha Aagha dating music director Sachin Gupta, went to the police in order to lodge a complaint against him.

Says a source, “Sasha Aagha and music director Sachin Gupta are said to be in love. But Salma Aagha is opposed to this relationship. In fact, the music director has been dating Sasheh for a while now and Salma has been upset about this. So she went to the Oshiwara police station to file a complaint against him.” Soon after, the music director came to the police station accompanied by girlfriend Sasheh. “The police witnessed a Salma-Sasha face off and they had to step in to control the situation,” says the source.

However, Sachin Gupta had another version to offer. “There has been a misunderstanding. We went to the police to sort out a water leakage problem in our building and it has already been resolved. Salmaji is a beautiful singer and I respect her a lot. There’s nothing between me and Sasha; we are just good friends.”

Sasha too denied her relationship with Sachin Gupta. “I really don’t know where this has come from, because we went to the police to sort out a water leakage problem. Sachin is a sweetheart and there’s nothing between us. Even if there was something, why would my mother go to the police station. We stay in the 21st century and nobody does such a thing now. Whoever gave you this story needs to come up with something better,” she said A source at the police station, however, confirmed the story. “Yes, Sachin Gupta was called to the station. Sasha and Salma Agha too were present at the police station, where Sachin was questioned about his relationship with Sasha. After briefly questioning the couple, the cops allowed them to go.”

(With inputs by Shiva Devnath)