Showing posts with label Sanjeeda Shaikh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sanjeeda Shaikh. Show all posts
My non-controversial life became the most complicated during my divorce-Aamir Ali
8:19 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; February 5, 2025)
They say men in love are the most beautiful creatures in the world, and one glance at Aamir Ali's blush is all it takes to confirm the actor has indeed fallen deeply in love. “I am a shy guy, I blush for everything,” quips Aamir as you point out when he talks about his newfound love for the first time. Excerpts are as follows...
'Everybody deserves love'
Aamir was papped with a mystery girl recently, leading to multiple speculations about their relationship. BT can confirm that Aamir is dating Ankita Kukreti. He says, “It's a nice place to be in. I'm getting to know somebody after a long time. Everybody deserves love. Of course, someone had to move on before anything happened, and someone is moving on now. I'm in a happy space, as I get to know her closely and nicely. It feels different. It feels good. And I'm enjoying this place. I always tell her one thing – Thank you for making me realize I still have a heart (laughs)... It just started now, almost five months. It's just the beginning of something.”
Aamir admits he “never gave up on love” “Whenever someone asked me about it, I would reply, ‘Everybody has to fall in love and I'll also get settled’. Because I also want to have a family. And I never gave up on those things mentally.”
Aamir says, "Somewhere deep down inside I realized I was struggling with my heart. Sometimes you feel everything is normal, but then you don't know what is going on. Last year I was meeting a lot of people but the minute something happens, I run away. I started thinking, ‘I don't think I'm capable enough (to love) anymore’. And then this happened. It all happened in a week’s time. I was like - Why am I behaving like this? Why am I being a little more emotional than normal? Then I realized I like this girl."
'I was not in a good spot during the divorce'
As Aamir talks about giving second chances in love, he also for the first time opens up about the time when he was getting divorced from his ex-wife Sanjeeda Shaikh. “In little words, I was not in a good spot. But I had to do it all by myself. I'm a happy and better person now. It took some time,” he says.
Talking about dealing with the widely publicized divorce reports, he adds, “My non-controversial life became the most complicated in that phase. I couldn't explain to anyone, no one could understand what the hell was happening. I've always been very private about things, so it became complicated.”
Aamir and Sanjeeda just around the separation had a daughter Ayra. However, he clarifies he is not in touch with her. “I'm not in touch with anyone. It's complicated, as I said. I wish everyone all the best and all the love, but I'm not (in touch). I don't want to talk about it,” he states.
He adds, "A lot was written because my ex and I (Sanjeeda) decided not to talk about it and keep each other's respect. Otherwise, it would have just been washing dirty linen in public. I don't think any of us wanted it. I never said anything against her, because we shared a relationship. I can never talk badly about anyone whom I've been with. People were speculating and writing whatever they wanted, but I can't do anything about it."
'I'm not getting the kind of roles that I really want'
On the work front, the actor is doing multiple OTT shows. However, he isn’t riding high on ambition. “I am in a space in my life where I only want to do quality work. I've done television. Although I would never say never, and whatever I am today is because of TV, I don’t want to do it. I can't look down upon TV, but I'm enjoying myself on OTT right now. I'm not getting the kind of roles that I really want. The kind of scripts that are coming most of the ones I don't want to do and the better ones that I want to do, are maybe going to somebody else right now. But I'm not in a hurry; I'm chilling. I'm in a space in my life where happiness is most important. I've worked very hard for 11-12 years on television,” he explains.
I feel stronger than any man-Sanjeeda Shaikh
8:08 AM
Actor Sanjeeda Shaikh talks about raising her daughter as a single mum and being open to a new relationship
Mugdha Kapoor (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 23, 2024)
Sanjeeda Shaikh says her five-year-old daughter, Ayra, has transformed her in ways she had never anticipated. On the joy motherhood has brought her, the actor says, “I feel stronger than any man on this planet. I’m motivated to do good work and give [Ayra] the best in life.”
With all her focus on Ayra, Shaikh, who rang in her 40th birthday on December 20, finds that her view on companionship has changed. “My companions are my child and my family. I’m lucky to be surrounded by great energy. You need to have people in your life who keep you motivated.” She also addresses recent statements where she mentioned partners who “try to demotivate you”. The comment provoked a response from her ex-husband, actor Aamir Ali, who said discussing personal matters publicly was “not his class”.
Shaikh admits, “I’ve matured since then. I’ve realized that not every situation requires a reaction. Dimaag jitna saaf rakhoge, utna khush rahoge.” Shaikh and Ali divorced in 2021, after nearly nine years of marriage.
Ask if she’s open to a new relationship and Shaikh, who was linked to actor Harshvardhan Rane, has a lighthearted response: “Main toh normal ladki hoon, toh why not? Any normal person should be open to a relationship. You have good and bad phases, but what is important is how you bounce back.” Having earned praise for her turn as Waheeda in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar earlier this year, Shaikh turns reflective on the years she spent juggling work and motherhood.
“After working for so many years, I’ve realized that it’s so important to spend time with your family,” she tells us, adding, “With work, we sometimes forget to do that.”
My interviews were taken out of context-Sharmin Segal
9:27 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (June 19, 2024)
Actor Sharmin Segal has been on the receiving end of heavy criticism for her performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar and her “negative” interviews.
Segal has been facing flak for what many consider to be dismissive remarks about her co-stars; in a now-viral video, the actor seemed to refer to her co-star Sanjeeda Shaikh as an “outsider”. During the interview, Shaikh called Bhansali a “perfectionist”, to which Segal responded: “It’s is a very basic word to describe [Bhansali], it’s what an outsider, would use.”
When asked if she feels an “insider versus outsider” narrative was created over her interviews with Shaikh and actor Aditi Rao Hydari, she replied, “This is something I don’t know... my interviews were taken out of context. I share a very cordial equation with both Aditi and Sanjeeda. I wish people would not use 10-second clips to define the relationship I share with them.”
At Heeramandi's premiere, Rekha ji said, ‘Lo, hum toh aapke fan ho gaye’-Jayati Bhatia
8:55 AM
Akhya Shriti (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 11, 2024)
Jayati Bhatia considers herself “blessed” to have been a part of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali universe, and being around the filmmaker was nothing but “pure happiness” for her.
The actor, who has been getting recognition for her character of Phatto in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, tells us, “I’ve learned so much just by being on that set. I remember when I did theatre, I’d get butterflies and I’d be overwhelmed before going up on the stage; I felt exactly the same roller-coaster ride in front of the camera during Heeramandi’s shoot.”
Amid all the compliments, Bhatia says getting praises from veteran actor Rekha meant the world to her. “During the premiere, Rekha ji was talking to my co-actor Sanjeeda (Shaikh), as I stood in the corner, totally starstruck as I had never seen her from such a close distance before. She saw me, stopped the conversation midway, came up to me and said, ‘Lo, hum toh aapke fan ho gaye’. She gave me a hug and pecked my cheek,” gushes Bhatia, adding, “She also complimented me for working on my character the way I wanted. It was such a beautiful thing to hear and I’ll forever be grateful.”
Meanwhile, Bhatia is aware of the backlash her co-star, Sharmin Segal Mehta is facing. Stating that Bhansali got exactly what he was looking for from Alamzeb’s character, the actor feels Mehta is being unfairly targeted.
“People are trolling her unnecessarily by digging up old interviews given during promotions. She’s a young girl, who doesn’t know how to sugar-coat her words. She’s neither trying to put down anyone nor make others think anything highly of her. She is a person with a pure heart and has nothing against anyone,” Bhatia ends.
Washing dirty linen in public not my class-Aamir Ali
12:09 PM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (June 6, 2024)
Actor Aamir Ali has ruled out ex-wife, actor Sanjeeda Shaikh referring to him when she, in a recent interview, brought up the subject of ‘partners who try to demotivate you’. Ali, who was married to Shaikh for eight years before they split in 2020, says she was likely referring to another juncture of her life.
“We haven’t been together for nearly five years. She could have gone through something in that period,” Ali told News18.
“Ours is an old story now that is over. I know what I went through in that separation period and what happened to me. But washing dirty linen in public is not my class,” added Ali, who has a six-year-old daughter with Shaikh.
Recently, Shaikh, who was seen in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, told Hauterrfly: “There are men, and there are partners who try to demotivate you, who tell you that you can’t do anything. It’s better to be away from such people. There are phases in a relationship where you’re happy, and some when you are not. Then you take a call for your life and that’s what I did.”
My daughter Arya is a blessing. She has made me the woman I am today-Sanjeeda Shaikh
12:04 PM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; June 6, 2024)
Sanjeeda Shaikh is in a happy space in life, both personally and professionally. The actress, who became popular as a TV actress, has successfully made the transition to other mediums. And on the personal front, she is enjoying every moment of motherhood, raising her almost five-year-old daughter Ayra.
‘Ayra brags to her friends about my work’
Sanjeeda, who got divorced from Aamir Ali in 2021, talks to us about raising her child as a single mother.
She shares, “My daughter is my friend. She’s someone who’s very involved with what I am doing. She loves that I work and understands how demanding my work can be. She takes pride in the fact that I have to go for shoots and travel for work. She brags to her friends about my work. As understanding as she is, she also demands that I get something for her when I come back home (laughs). Kids are too smart these days.”
‘Ayra has made me extremely confident and aware about myself’
The actress who ventured into the digital space a few years ago, feels that Ayra has been lucky for her.
She says, “She’s a blessing. She has made me the woman I am today. She has made me confident and aware about myself. I am blessed to be her mother. Sometimes Ayra acts like she is my mother! My mother has been my best friend and now my daughter is too. My daughter is the one who gave me the courage to work. I will do anything to give her everything she wants in life.”
‘I have managed to secure myself financially because of TV’
Sanjeeda began her journey in showbiz with Baghban in 2003, post which she did a few South films before venturing into television with Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa in 2006.
Looking back at her journey, she says, “It was quite a smooth ride for me; I really didn’t have to struggle. I began as a choreographer and then joined the entertainment industry. I worked in television for a decade. I had no time to dream about Bollywood back then because TV kept me occupied. I had surrendered myself to TV and then I took a conscious break. But yes, I can be choosy about the work I take up. It’s thanks to TV that I have managed to secure myself financially. I am an independent woman and today, if required, I can sit at home without worrying about kal kya hoga.”
‘Seven years ago, I only wanted to play lead roles’
She has essayed lead roles in TV shows, but today what matters most to her is how important her part is in a project. The actress, who was recently seen in Heeramandi, explains, “Seven years ago, I only wanted to play lead roles. Things have changed, and now, it’s about doing that one scene, cracking it well and being spoken about for it. And that’s what happened to me with Fighter. People talk about my scene with Hrithik Roshan.”
The actress, who is now focusing on web shows and films, says, “I feel I have finally arrived. I am glad that people are taking me seriously as an actor now. Thoda sa waqt lag gaya lekin it is never too late.”
It’s easy to emote with Deepika Padukone because she has naturally expressive eyes-Sanjeeda Shaikh
10:45 AM
Enjoying big-ticket projects in Fighter and Heeramandi, Sanjeeda on graduating to movies and web after doing TV in its ‘best’ years
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 12, 2024)
Sanjeeda Shaikh doesn’t believe in mapping out life. Instead, she goes with the flow, hoping to do good work and collaborate with fine artistes. The mantra is working out for her—she was recently seen in Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone-led Fighter, and up next is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi. After being among the leading television actors, she is now enjoying her run in films and web.
“I did TV when it was at its best. I learnt so much from my television years. Sometimes, I miss it in terms of going to shoot every day, but I’ve done [all] I could on TV. As an actor, my job is not to think of the medium, but to keep getting better with every passing day,” says Shaikh.
Even while signing Fighter, Shaikh made only one request to director Siddharth Anand— to give her moments that offer her a chance to perform. “He gave me beautiful scenes with Hrithik and Deepika,” she says. Working with the two superstars gave her a chance to see their hard work up close.
“The moment Hrithik enters the set, his only agenda is to give more to the scene. There’s so much to learn by just observing him. It’s easy to emote with Deepika because she has naturally expressive eyes and you just have to look into them. She also makes you feel comfortable.”
After my marriage with Sanjeeda Shaikh fell apart, main hil chuka tha-Aamir Ali
8:24 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; August 24, 2022)
After maintaining silence on his personal life ever since his marriage of nine years with actress Sanjeeda Shaikh ended in January, Aamir Ali has finally opened up on matters of the heart. The actor has been focusing on work, his family and taking it one day at a time. But that doesn’t mean he is closed to the idea of finding love again. In an exclusive chat with BT, he talks about hitting a rough patch in his personal life, picking up the broken pieces of life and swinging back into action with a renewed perspective.
‘AFTER MY MARRIAGE FELL APART, MAIN HIL CHUKA THA’
Talking about his failed marriage to Sanjeeda is like touching a raw nerve, as it has taken Aamir a lot of time to overcome the difficult phase. He says, “It was extremely difficult at that point. After my marriage fell apart, main hil chuka tha. But I am a sportsman by nature, and I never give up. I have always been a happy soul, and I am glad that I am back to being that. I don’t harbour ill feelings for anyone and I wish the best for my ex. Sab khush raho life mein. Everything happens for a reason and everyone ought to be happy. If Coronavirus can strike us, anything can happen. Relationships ka tootna toh phir bahut chhoti baat hoti hai. During the pandemic, I got a lot of time to introspect. I started looking at the positives, be it from COVID-19 or my failed relationship. I learnt to move on. If I am happy, I will be able to keep everyone around me happy or else my world will collapse.”
Ask him if the two have been in touch after their divorce came through and he replies, “No, we are not in touch. ”
‘SOMEONE I HAVE SPENT SO MANY YEARS WITH DESERVES RESPECT’
Reacting to the report of him not being allowed to meet his daughter Ayra, who will turn three on August 30, for the past 10 months, he says, “It’s a sensitive topic and I don’t wish to talk about it. I don’t want to play any cards, but unfortunately, a man is always blamed. I have always maintained a dignified silence on matters related to my personal life. Someone I have spent so many years with deserves respect. So, I won’t say anything. I just wish them all the best. I am sure Ayra is being taken care of in the best way possible and I only have immense love for her.”
‘NO MATTER HOW STRONG A RELATIONSHIP MAY SEEM, SOMETIMES IT’S NOT MEANT TO LAST’
Even after a failed relationship, Aamir isn’t disillusioned about love and marriage. However, he isn’t actively seeking it. He shares, “I am single. However, I believe in never saying never, be it TV, Bigg Boss, FIR 2, or marriage (laughs!). Aagey kuchh bhi ho sakta hai. I still believe in the institution of marriage, but I am enjoying singlehood at the moment. I feel someone somewhere is made for you. We shouldn’t be averse to love because of one bad experience. No matter how strong a relationship may seem, sometimes it’s not meant to last. I am glad that Sanjeeda and I handled our separation with dignity. I hope my ex finds someone who keeps her happy. Two people should come together just for love. If it’s for any other reason phir gadbad ho jaati hai.”
‘I DON’T WANT TO TAKE UP SHOWS FOR THE HECK OF IT’
On the work front, Aamir was recently seen in a series on urban sanitation, which was released on an online platform. He shares, “At this stage, I don’t want to take up shows for the heck of it. Either a project should enable me to improve my craft, or show me in a different light.”
He credits his growth and popularity to the small screen. The actor, who is currently on a break from the medium, acknowledges, “I have been extremely fortunate on TV. Whatever I am today is because of the small screen. I am one of those few actors who have done eight to nine shows in the lead role. Par harr cheez ka ek waqt hota hai. Though I believe in never say never, I don’t know when I would take up a TV show.”
‘THE DIVIDE BETWEEN TV AND OTHER MEDIUMS STILL EXISTS’
More often than not, TV actors are forced to take a break to shed their screen image before they can make headway on other mediums. Aamir admits, “TV karke web ya film karna difficult hai. The divide exists. That’s the reason I took a break from everything for a couple of years. It’s not easy for an outsider – even after working on TV for so many years – to venture into films easily. People liked me in I Hate Luv Storys (IHLS, 2010), but it didn’t translate into more offers. In fact, I was inundated with offers from television. I kept declining them for six to eight months, hoping that I would be offered films. I was offered FIR at that time and I picked it up. Today, I can afford to wait.”
He adds, “You have to wait for that one big maker to trust you. The director of a film I shot for recently told me that his crew remembered me primarily for my dance, looks and comic timing, and he offered me a role that was a breakaway from the popular image. After a successful inning on TV, I am on a new journey – to make a mark in Indian cinema.”
Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Shaikh divorced after nine years of marriage
8:20 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 6, 2022)
After months of speculation about their separation, actors Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Shaikh are divorced. While the two never addressed their split, we have learnt that the couple didn’t intend to officially announce their judicial separation either.
A source close to the couple shares, “It has been around nine months since the divorce papers came through. They have moved on in their respective lives. Both of them are extremely private, and thus didn’t wish to give out any official statement about the divorce.”
We have also learnt that the custody of their two-year-old daughter Ayra is with Shaikh, who apparently is living in her paternal house after the divorce.
When contacted, both Ali and Shaikh neither denied nor confirmed the divorce. While maintaining a “no comments” stance, Shaikh, however, mentions, “I just want to make my child proud.” On the other hand, Ali without revealing much, expresses, “I wish Sanjeeda all the happiness.”
The actor couple tied the knot in 2012, after years of courtship. In 2020, reports about their marriage hitting a rough patch made headlines. It was reported that they were living separately. In the wake of those rumours, it was also revealed that the pair had a four-month-old surrogate baby. The two never addressed the conjectures around their separation.
I decided to shoot Kun Faya Kun before Jogira Sara Ra Ra as it's a quickie-Kushan Nandy
8:08 AM
Director Kushan Nandy on why he chose to kick off Kun Faya Kun instead of resuming work on Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Jogira Sara Ra Ra
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 13, 2020)
Yesterday, director Kushan Nandy kicked off the shoot of Kun Faya Kun — featuring Harshvardhan Rane and Sanjeeda Shaikh — in Mahabaleshwar. The move left many wondering about the fate of his Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Jogira Sara Ra Ra. After all, the actor-director duo had shot the rom-com for three days in Lucknow in March before the pandemic threw a wrench in their plans.
Ask him if he has put the Siddiqui-starrer on the backburner, and Nandy clarifies, "Kun Faya Kun is being filmed in a start-to-finish 35-day schedule. So, I will be done with the movie by the second week of December. It doesn't have too many songs. So, we decided to shoot this before as it's a quickie. Then, I can head to the pre-production of Jogira. That way, I will have two releases next year."
Come 2021, Nandy will revisit the universe of Jogira Sara Ra Ra with Siddiqui. The duo had previously collaborated on Babumoshai Bandookbaaz. "Nawaz is like an elder brother to me; he knows we are starting Kun Faya Kun. After coordinating the dates of the entire cast of Jogira, we have finally decided to roll from February 1," adds the director.
Frankly, being a TV actor, I thought I would never get the projects, but I was proved wrong-Sanjeeda Shaikh
8:39 AM
Sanjeeda Shaikh pursues digital entertainment with Taish, Kaali Khuhi after small-screen stint
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 28, 2020)
Best remembered for Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa, Kayamath and Ek Haseena Thi, television actor Sanjeeda Shaikh has now switched gears to the web world. Come this weekend, the actor will be seen in two back-to-back releases — Bejoy Nambiar's Taish on ZEE5 and Terrie Samundra's Netflix film, Kaali Khuhi. "When I got a call from the casting agency, I did the look test. Frankly, being a TV actor, I thought I would never get the projects, but I was proved wrong," exclaims Shaikh.
Over her 14-year run in showbiz, Shaikh had become one of the most popular actors in Indian television. However, over the past few years, she cut down on her television appearances, in a bid to explore uncharted waters. "I am a proud television actor; it is because of my work on the small screen that people know of me. But television gets monotonous after some time. Playing the same character in the same get-up for years can be repetitive. An offer has to be enticing for me to return to the tube at this juncture."
Where she plays a family-oriented woman in Taish, Shaikh essays the role of a mother in the Netflix horror thriller. She admits that the latter holds a special place in her career as it marks her on-screen union with Shabana Azmi. "My mother was elated to know that I would be in the same frame as the legend. She has been Shabana ji's fan since Ankur [1974]. Being with her was like going back to acting school. In our first meeting, she gave me a warm hug that put all my nervous energy to rest."
The hunger inside me as an actor needed this transition to films-Sanjeeda Shaikh
8:07 AM
Sanjeeda Shaikh talks about her transition to films and fight with her good friend Mouni Roy
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 1, 2019)
Sanjeeda Shaikh is looking forward to the next year as she has two film releases lined up. The actor has been acting since 2005 in popular TV dramas and later did a web series, Gehraiyaan. She also featured in music videos including the recent one, Ruka Hoon.
She admits that films happened to her of late and not earlier in her career. “I feel, one is destined to get what you get. Obviously, I wanted to do films and thankfully, for the last couple of years, many actors from TV have transitioned to films. They have done really well and, thankfully, the filmmakers have started taking actors from TV seriously. Earlier, when I would go for auditions, they would love my take but later say that my face is overexposed on TV,” she says.
Glad about the progression in the industry, which led to newer concepts and different stories being told, Sanjeeda feels that this also resulted in the industry as well as the audiences becoming more accepting of new faces. She says, “Today, the lines have been blurred and the medium doesn’t matter. This line of thought has worked in my favour. I have done so much TV in my life that at this stage of my career, creative satisfaction was quite important for me. I have learnt all that I could on TV and I know, I will always get work on TV but the hunger inside me as an actor needed this transition to films.”
She recently wrapped up the shoot of a film on female infanticide called, Kaali Khuhi, where she plays a mother to an eight-year-old. “Earlier, whenever I was offered a mother’s role, I would worry about being tagged with the image but thankfully, today I am more confident of myself as an actor. I took on this role as a challenge.” Doing feature films is a relatively new experience for Sanjeeda. She had a ball shooting in Amritsar, Punjab for a month and later shot for Bejoy Nambiar’s Taish in London, UK, for 40 days.
Tiff with Mouni Roy
Sanjeeda Shaikh and her good friend Mouni Roy unfollowed each other on Instagram and buzz is that they are no longer friends. Ask her about it and Sanjeeda says, “I don’t want to talk about it. Generally speaking, in a relationship, when you are into each other or fight, you still wish well for the other person. I am happy with whatever she is doing and if things have to be okay (between us), they will be. We have shared some great years of friendship and that was beautiful.”
Sanjeeda Shaikh to make her Bollywood debut with Bejoy Nambiar’s revenge drama Taish
8:12 AM
Ismat Tahseen (BOMBAY TIMES; August 11, 2019)
TV actress Sanjeeda Shaikh has bagged the lead role in Bejoy Nambiar’s next. The film is a revenge drama titled Taish and has an ensemble cast. Sanjeeda will be playing the female lead opposite Harshvardhan Rane and she’s gung-ho about her role.
Says the actress, “Everyone waits to work with a good filmmaker and I am glad I did that. My role is not an easy character, but a complicated one. We had to prep for it — normally in TV we don’t have preps and workshops, and I loved the whole process. What also attracted me to the film was the genre, it’s very interesting. It allows me to play a tough girl, something that I also aspire to be in real life. It’s my first Bollywood film and my fingers are crossed. My earlier film was with Shoojit Sircar, but owing to some complications, it didn’t release. I also got busy with TV, did a Punjabi film, and now I have this. So, it is technically my first Bollywood film and I want to give it my 200 per cent.”
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