Most actors speak about fitness in familiar terms: six-pack abs, punishing gym sessions and meticulously counted calories. Anant Joshi’s wellness journey takes a different route. The 12th Fail, Gullak, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and Virgin Bhasskar actor has discovered that the best exercise routine is often the one you genuinely look forward to repeating. For him, that happened the first time he watched flamenco dancers perform while assisting a Spanish director in Delhi more than a decade ago. Curiosity soon shaped his commitment. Joshi travelled to Seville to learn under flamenco maestros Bettina Castaño, David Pérez, Angelita Gómez and El Rubio, returning year after year to refine his craft. What began as an artistic pursuit slowly transformed his relationship with health.

Today, he says fitness, to him, is about having a body capable of climbing mountains, dancing for hours, surviving gruelling shoots and enjoying everyday life without feeling exhausted. “I don’t train for aesthetics. I train for functionality. I want to stay agile, move well and feel strong enough to live fully,” Joshi says.

Joshi’s weekly routine combines yoga, strength training, body-weight exercises, calisthenics, long walks and three sessions with his trainer. Yet he believes flamenco ties everything together because it demands complete involvement.

Unlike repetitive gym exercises, dance constantly challenges the brain, he explains. Every sequence requires balance, coordination, rhythm, memory and emotional expression, while the body responds with strength, stamina and precision. You are thinking and moving at the same time.

“Flamenco is percussion, storytelling, music and movement all at once. You’re completely present. There isn’t space in your head for anything except the next beat.”

That complete absorption is something psychologists describe as a “flow state”, where concentration becomes so intense that everyday worries temporarily disappear.

Joshi’s approach to nutrition follows the same balanced philosophy. He is predominantly vegetarian, although he occasionally eats meat while travelling if vegetarian options are limited. His staple meal remains a simple Indian thali, and he has consciously increased his protein intake through eggs, paneer, tofu and legumes after recognising that recovery matters as much as exercise.

“I listen to my body more than diet trends. Cooking is another way of caring for myself. It connects directly to both physical and mental health,” he says.

His mornings begin with two glasses of water, followed by black coffee, a single date and a spoonful of peanut butter. Dinner varies depending on his work schedule, but he avoids eating very late. More importantly, he refuses to obsess over every meal. Comfort food has its place, too. During the monsoon he happily reaches for pakoras or samosas, while a good Margherita pizza remains one of his favourite indulgences.

Ask Joshi what matters most in his wellness routine and he answers without hesitation. “Sleep”. He believes recovery determines everything else, from mood to metabolism.

Music also forms part of his recovery routine. It is almost always playing at home, while painting offers another outlet whenever he needs to slow down after work. Recent research from University College London suggests that regular participation in creative activities, including painting, music and cultural pursuits, is associated with slower biological ageing and lower stress levels, reinforcing the value of creative hobbies beyond simple relaxation.

Equally important are friendships. “If something is bothering me, I ask myself whether it’s really worth worrying about. Talking to friends helps because stress grows when you keep it bottled up.” His instinct would be supported by mental health professionals, no doubt. After all, studies have repeatedly shown that strong social relationships protect emotional well-being.

Travel is another essential part of Joshi’s well-being. Walkable cities fascinate him because they encourage curiosity instead of haste. One of his proudest adventures remains cycling from Delhi to Pokhara in Nepal, a journey that tested both physical endurance and mental determination.

His annual trips to Spain have become something deeper than holidays, too. They are periods of immersion that reconnect him with flamenco and, by extension, with himself. He has also found surprising common ground between flamenco and Kathak, collaborating with Kathak exponent Aditi Bhagwat in annual flamenco-Kathak performances for the Embassy of Spain. The dialogue between two traditions reminds him that fitness, creativity and culture need not exist in separate worlds.

Perhaps the healthiest habit of all is choosing movement that brings joy rather than obligation. For Joshi, that rhythm happens to echo from the streets of Seville, but the lesson can begin anywhere.

As football fever grips fans across the globe with the FIFA World Cup in full swing, actor and avid football enthusiast Aparshakti Khurana reveals his deep passion and enthusiasm for the sport.

“Despite my hectic professional commitments, just the adrenaline that football carries keeps bringing me back to it,” he shares, adding that the sport is his “biggest stress buster”.

With excitement building for the ongoing World Cup, the 38-year-old shares his match-day ritual: “I try to keep my day easy at work so I’m fresh enough to watch the match... you need a lot of energy as a fan too.”

Aparshakti also adds how it fascinates him to witness the standard of football on display. He says, “The quality of football has gone up so much in the past few years — the fitness, the competition and the intensity.”

While among Indian footballers, the actor reserves a special admiration for former player Sunil Chhetri and calls him a “legend”, on the global stage, Argentina’s Lionel Messi remains his favourite. “He’s inspired generations while remaining grounded, and his journey reflects what football is all about — passion, perseverance and teamwork,” he says.

While the actor feels Indian football is progressing positively, he stresses the importance of investing in grassroots development: “More investment in youth academies and football infrastructure would help. Consistent success from the national team and stronger domestic leagues can inspire a larger fan base and create a long-term football culture.”

Having played several matches for All Stars FC, a celebrity football team dedicated to raising money for charity, Aparshakti is quick to name actor Tiger Shroff as the best footballer in the team. “His fitness is unmatchable.”

Comparing football dressing rooms with film sets, Aparshakti adds, “Even though I haven’t played football at the highest level, I know one thing for sure — no film set can compare to a locker room or a sports field. That’s where we find the real heroes. We make only films on them.”

Croatia: Technically strong, disciplined and capable of surprising bigger nations

Argentina’s Lionel Messi

Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain

Argentina lifting the World Cup in 2022

Sunderland ’Til I Die (2018)

Jason Statham (Hollywood actor). From Bollywood, I’d say Ranbir Kapoor and Tiger Shroff

Badminton

Argentina vs Spain with Argentina emerging as winners

While Kalki has had a busy year, the actress always prioritises spending time with her four-year-old daughter Sappho over everything else. In a chat with us, she talks about balancing parenting duties and her career, how she longs to continue working and how excited she was when Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) re-released in theatres earlier this year. Excerpts:

Kalki, who is based out of Goa, has to keep travelling for her work, even to foreign locations. Ask Kalki, who shot for Her Story this year, how she manages her shooting schedules while being a hands-on mom, and she says, “The longest I have been away from Sappho is three weeks for a shoot. Earlier this year, when I was in France for a whole month for a shoot, I spoke to her much earlier and told her I would be away. Sometimes, she bargains with me on the number of days I can be out. Whenever I am out working, I narrate bedtime stories through voice notes. She listens to them before going to sleep. It can be difficult, but we have to face it together because even I long to work.”

Earlier this year, ZNMD, which featured Kalki along with Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar, was re-released in the theatres. Talking about the response the film got, Kalki said, “Now the one thing everyone has been asking me is when’s the sequel coming? I have no answer to this question (laughs). I feel excited that the movie has been relived and rewatched after so many years in theatres.”

The Zoya Akhtar directorial released in July 2011. Kalki, who usually doesn’t like watching her own films, has seen the film thrice. “Even Guy (husband, Guy Hershberg) enjoyed the movie. He found my character funny because it is very different from what he sees of me in real life. I think Sappho has danced on the film’s track Sooraj Ki Baahon Mein in her school,” says the actress.

Reminiscing about the days of shooting ZNMD, she shares, “It was my first big Bollywood film. Of course, I did have a good start with Dev D, but it was still an off-beat kind of film. I got along well with Hrithik Roshan while shooting ZNMD. We share our birthday. We bonded over similar things. I shared with him how I struggle with dancing, and he spoke to me about his struggle with speech.”

Talking about what made the shooting experience special, she said, “We shot the film abroad (Spain), and the nature of the film was such that everybody was together. The separation was not there, and that hierarchy was not felt. I really didn’t appreciate how important and special it was at that time because as time went by and I did more movies, I realized that the separation or hierarchy is something that is ingrained in our system, and ZNMD was indeed a special experience.”

Esha Gupta shuttles between Spain, Delhi and Mumbai. During her recent visit to Mumbai, she spoke to us about love, marriage and having children with her boyfriend, Spanish-entrepreneur Manuel Campos Guallar. Excerpts:

At 37, Esha is quite relaxed and is spiritually drawn. She is not in any rat race, especially when it comes to movies. She talks about pacing down in her career and shares, “I'm glad that I have, Manuel (Campos Guallar, Spanish-entrepreneur boyfriend) in my life. He's helped me set up a business (a restaurant in Spain). Coming from the service background, you don't think of business; you think of being self-made, but not really business. I always thought I'd be doing a job under someone and be in a law firm. It's easier, it's more reliable. But he's helped me secure my life. I often joke, that now you can't even leave me. You have to marry me."

As she mentions marriage, the question of when she is planning to tie the knot falls subsequently. The two have been seeing each other for almost five years now. Esha replies, “Marriage would happen anytime soon. I'm focusing more on just my health. Eventually, whenever down the line, I'll get married, and then down the line, I have kids. I'm focusing on that. The last two years by God's grace have been a big change in his life, work-wise. I've always dreamed of having kids. That's always been important. Kids and dogs are two aspects of my life that I can never think of living without."

Motherhood is something that comes innately to Esha. She recalls as a kid she would have a doll, whom she would address as her child. For the first time, Esha vouchsafes that she froze her eggs. She elaborates, “I did my freezing in 2017, before I met Manuel. I was very smart. I was single for almost 3 and half years before I met Manuel (in 2019). I met him by chance, not even in his country or my country. Since then we both knew that we were getting into a relationship and not dating. You're not at that age to date. We were very clear that if it goes well, our end goal is marriage. We want to get married; we want to have kids. I've always loved babies a lot. Manuel knows that; he's ready (to be a father), and he's prepared. When we get married, it will be either IVF or surrogacy – depending on when we get married and what my body is going through. For a woman who wants to have a family, that's important."

It was Esha's aunt - who herself has been through the process - who suggested the Rustom actress to freeze her eggs when she is healthy. Fresh off the promotions of her flick Baadshaho, Esha went under the process. “I did the freezing at that time when in India it was really expensive. But I was certain that when it comes to health – anything. These (the eggs) are my kids. I'd rather freeze them when I'm healthy. If I wasn't an actor, I would have already had three kids by now for sure, I've always wanted kids, so I think I would have had three," she elaborates.

Talking about Manuel, she adds, "Manuel is prepared and luckily, he's one of those open-minded men. He is okay with surrogacy which many might have a problem with; he is even okay with adoption – something I told him that we might. So, I'm not stressed when we get married.

(laughs). I keep telling Manuel, I want the baby to have his eyes and my skin colour. I just want to marry him because of kids (laughs). And he's like, 'But what if it's the other way around?' I reply, 'Then we will have to keep reproducing (laughs)".

Esha also spoke on the process of freezing eggs, as she mentions, "You end up gaining weight because of the hormones. Our body is changing. You end up becoming moody, but it makes you happy somewhat because it's exciting. It's truly exciting when you're doing it because you're like, ‘Dude, you know what? Tomorrow they are gonna be my kids’."

Inarguably among the most anticipated offerings of Indian cinema, Ayan Mukerji-directed War 2 is set to bring two of the finest stars in the same frame. Shooting for the Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr film, mid-day hears, is expected to kick off in February 2024.

A source reveals, “NTR Jr is currently shooting for his 30th film, directed by Koratala Siva, and will then begin his first schedule for War 2. Aditya Chopra and Ayan have planned a massive action entry shot for him in the film. Shooting for the portions involving Hrithik and him will commence in February in Mumbai over a month-long schedule. The dramatic portions will be canned first, and will be followed with action sequences.”

South African stunt director Franz Spilhaus, and stuntman Spiro Razatos are expected to hop aboard the project along with an Indian action director.

The source adds that while Mukerji has completed the first schedule of the film in Spain last month, the second one will begin in Abu Dhabi, in December. “Like he did for the Spain leg, he is likely to use stunt doubles for the actors in Abu Dhabi too for the scenes that are to be filmed in the absence of the main cast members. Ayan shot high-octane car chase sequences in Spain over two weeks.”

While Roshan will reprise his role as RAW agent Major Kabir Dhaliwal in this offering, NTR Jr is expected to play a “dark and ruthless character”.

What is life without a little danger, especially if you are paid a million bucks for it? That’s what the makers of Khatron Ke Khiladi will tell you. Kicking off in India in 2008, the reality show, over its subsequent seasons, has shown us the varied forms of daredevilry—from being tied underwater on a wheel in season 9 to lying under a moving train in season 10.

In July, the 13th season kicked off with contestants Daisy Shah, Shiv Thakare, and Arjit Taneja, among others. But what does it exactly take to create a show like this? It’s with this question that we sit down with Malaya Pradhan, Project Head, Fear Factor. “The planning has many components, location being the most critical one and the feasibility of doing the show in that locale,” says the showrunner.

Undeniably, stunts are the most important part of an adventure reality show. But they largely depend on the show’s location. Which is why, Pradhan says, the design team begins scouting for destinations almost a year in advance. “In 2017, when we did the Spain edition, [my team] landed in the country in June 2016, and then again in February 2017, before the host and contestants came down in May,” he recollects.

While doing recce, three things are taken into account—camera angles, possibility of stunts in the location, and finally, the animals that the region acts as a habitat to. “Any location has to look great on camera, even if it is to capture the sunset. Since we are investing so much money and effort into the show, it is important to capture locations that the country is known for. The next thing we look at is if at least 30 to 40 stunts can be pulled off there. For example, we see if there are two buildings of the same height and whether a stunt can be arranged between them. Or whether there is a water body and whether a helicopter can be flown over it. We also have to check if the lakes are deep enough so that if someone falls into it, they don’t hit the bottom.”

When it comes to wildlife, different regions satisfy different criteria. While lions are easily available in South Africa, tigers and bears have a dense population in Spain. “At any point, we have to make sure at least 150 types of snakes can be used. So, we check whether the location can provide that. A lot of paperwork goes behind everything we do.”

One also has to consider whether the locales chosen can accommodate the huge shooting team. At any given time, the location has to accommodate at least 200 people. “Production logistics is key. We may find a beautiful location, but if there is no place to park at least 150 vehicles for the production, artistes, hosts and the cranes, it cannot be used,” he explains, adding that they take multiple trips before zeroing in on a destination.

After finalizing the location, the design team addresses the heart of the show—the stunts. Pradhan says all stunts can be broken down into four broad categories—height, water, speed, and reaction. “Height could be [a stunt from the top of a] building or in a chopper. [We sometimes intersect it] with water, wherein you have a contestant on a rig jump into water. Water stunts include anything from [going] underwater or performing a task in a swimming pool. Speed stunts involve cars or long container trucks. The reaction stunts vary from animals to shock. This season, we did about 84 stunts with a forest theme at the opening.”

Putting together close to 80 stunts every season is not a cake walk. Season on season, the Indian team has been working with either the Argentinian or South African stunt teams. While Pradhan’s team designs and ideates the stunts, the foreign counterpart is trusted with gauging their executability and ensuring the contestants’ safety.

“For instance, this year, we decided against introducing contestants one by one. We decided to have the contestants holding on to a reverse balloon structure under the chopper. The South African team executed it. They determined what is the maximum weight the chopper can carry, what will be the structure, what material it will be made of, and so on. They took every individual’s weight into account before building the structure under the chopper,” shares Pradhan.

In a show of this nature, there are bound to be surprises. Pradhan emphasizes that the key is to be thoroughly prepared. So, what is the biggest challenge? The weather, he says promptly. Summer in Europe is the best time to shoot because there is no wind or rain.

“In 2018, the weather was a huge issue in Argentina [during season 9]. It was extremely cold. When you are doing a height stunt [involving] a rig that is 25 storeys above the ground and one has to walk on a table plate [disc shaped things], which is placed on a ladder or from one building to the other, the wind plays a huge role. In such a scenario, we have to wait for the wind to subside or cancel the stunt. Similarly, once we had planned a chopper stunt. But because of [gusty] winds, we didn’t get the permission from local weather traffic control to take off.”

Weather isn’t the only spoilsport. Sometimes, the team has had to cancel stunts involving animals. “In Bulgaria, in season 10, we had to push a stunt because the ostriches [were running amok]. Likewise, in Spain [in season 8], the animal handler told us to wait for the lions to calm down before shooting with them. We don’t take safety lightly.”

The team keeps back-up stunt designs ready in such situations. Present on location are the safety team, medical team, local production, the Indian production, technical, directors, creative and commercial team. 

Chopper stunt (season 11)

Pecked by hen (season 11)

Rotating wheel underwater (season 9)

Under moving train (season 10)

Fire cycle (season 9)

Battling with ostriches (season 11)

Wax on body (season 10)

Tear gas chamber (season 10)

Breathless in vacuum (season 9)

Malaya Pradhan

The Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer Pathaan grabbed headlines last year when the song Besharam Rang, from the movie dropped. A certain section of people slammed Padukone’s attire.

Back then, despite facing threats, criticism and boycott calls before the film’s release, Padukone, Khan and the makers of the film refrained from reacting to it. However, now director Siddharth Anand has come out in the open and reacted to it. He said in an interview to News18 that since “there was nothing objectionable in the film, the cast and crew was not scared”. He further called the Pathaan boycott calls “white noise”. The filmmaker also recalled how the colour of Padukone’s outfit came about during the shoot.

Anand said to the news portal, “When we were in Spain, I chose that costume randomly. Our team never gave too much thought to it. The colour was nice. It was sunny, the grass was green, and the water was blue and the orange colour looked good. We thought, when the audience would watch it, they would understand that our intent was not wrong.”

He concluded, “And when you are calling for a boycott of a star or a movie, you are not seeing how many people’s livelihoods are dependent on that movie. It’s very easy to say boycott that too without reason.”

Shah Rukh Khan is known to be a generous producer, often showering his directors and co-actors with gifts. It wasn’t different on the sets of producer Aditya Chopra’s Pathaan that marks the superstar’s return to the big screen after over four years. After he wrapped up the shoot of the spy thriller, the actor gifted books to some members of the technical team —including production designer Rajat Poddarr, cinematographer Satchith Paulose, and associate director Abhishek Tiwari—as a mark of his appreciation.

Each book was chosen personally by Khan, keeping in mind the taste of the technician. Poddarr, who had previously worked with the actor in Yes Boss (1997), reveals that he was gifted The Cinema of Satyajit Ray penned by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay. “When the team was celebrating my birthday during Pathaan’s shoot, I told SRK that I first worked with him in Yes Boss, and showed him a picture [from the set]. SRK was so thrilled that he showed the picture to everyone on the sets. Since I am a Bengali and a fan of Ray’s work, he chose this book for me. I found it a thoughtful gesture coming from a superstar like him,” says Poddarr.

The production designer goes on to reveal that Khan penned a personal inscription for him, thanking him for standing by 'Pathaan'. Poddarr reveals that when they were filming 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan' in Spain, he got a call from YRF informing him to go to Bhopal to work on their other project, 'The Railway Men'.

“Siddharth [Anand, director] and I share a comfortable rapport. He didn’t want me to go, so he told SRK about it. Shah Rukh, in turn, told me, ‘Dada, how can you leave us at this time?’ Such was their appeal that I stayed back in Spain.”

The actioner, starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, is a visual spectacle. The leading man’s favourite sequence is the train scene with Salman Khan. “We had to construct multiple parts of a train, including a burnt compartment, one with a broken roof, and a broken bridge. That set took a week to be built. When Shah Rukh told me that he found my finishing excellent, I was surprised. I wondered when he had the time to observe the details. But he spoke so specifically about the set that I knew it was observed keenly by him.”

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.

In Shriya Saran’s words, she was a “bohemian” spirit, calling different parts of the world her home. If she spent her formative years in Haridwar, her subsequent years brought her to Mumbai. The actor felt equally at home in Spain, where she moved after tying the knot with Russian beau Andrei Koscheev in April 2018. But motherhood brings with it unexpected pangs. After giving birth to daughter Radha in January 2021, Saran felt an urge to return to her roots in Mumbai.

“It was almost an overnight decision after Radha’s birth. Before she was born, I was a bohemian, gallivanting from one place to another with Andrei. The Coronavirus pandemic changed a lot of things for us, as it did for most people. I needed family, a home to come back to,” she smiles.

When in Spain, Saran was initially happy to take things slow on the work front. But the artiste in her soon started missing the frenetic pace of shoots. A month after Radha’s birth in January 2021, Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam 2 dropped online. That set the ball rolling on the Hindi sequel, which would star her alongside Ajay Devgn and Tabu. Radha was seven-and-a-half months old when Saran started prepping to get back to work.

“Andrei used to take care of her while I would go for my yoga and workouts. We first stayed in Madrid, then Barcelona. When I wanted to return to acting, Andrei supported me. He decided to move to Mumbai and start his import-export business here.”

 The couple, who returned to the city in the second half of 2021, first stayed in Bandra, then moved to Lokhandwala, where her parents stay. “I needed my mom’s help. If she has to go out, and Andrei has his meetings, I stay with Radha. Plus, COVID has been hard. So, it’s great to have your family around.” 

How has Koscheev adapted to the change? “He loves challenges. He was excited about moving to Mumbai. He loves that I am independent, and always encourages me.” What does he say about her performances? “He loves the Drishyam franchise. He cried a little after watching Tadka,” shares Saran, who has Kannada film Kabzaa, and the Telugu movie, Music School, in the pipeline.

Last seen together in a blockbuster (RRR) that took the global audience by storm, Shriya Saran is back with Ajay Devgn in Drishyam 2 as his wife, Nandini Salgaonkar. She married Russian entrepreneur Andrei Koscheev in 2018 and welcomed their first child, Radha Saran Koscheev, who was born in Barcelona last year. In an interview with Bombay Times, the actress talks about sharing screen space with Ajay and Tabu in Drishyam 2, her return to Mumbai, her gypsy soul finding an anchor in her daughter and the changing culture of films. Read on…

Director Abhishek Pathak has pushed the envelope further this time around. It’s a strong character and though she is helpless, she wants to protect the family. It’s a well-written character that you can relate to, and the scenes are extremely intense… I would say even more than the previous film. I know the crux of the story, but I haven’t watched the Malayalam original. I think it’s better to approach a different language adaptation as a standalone film, as it has its own style and treatment.

Ajay doesn’t talk much, he is a man of few words and gives you enough room to react as an actor. Maintaining that longevity as an actor for decades isn’t easy and he has achieved that. He acts, has directed and produced films… it’s inspiring to work with someone who is constantly reinventing and growing. I love to work with Tabu as well. She is so easy to talk to and is involved in every scene.

It was very random. We met on a boat in the Maldives and there was an instant connect. We both love travelling, are self-made and started working from a young age. His mom’s a teacher and dad’s an engineer, we had similar upbringing and background. We knew it might work. From the time we met, we travelled everywhere together for a year, and then our parents suggested we get married. We got married a year later on the same day that we had met for the first time (April 19).

Of course, you need to explain a few things, but there’s a lot of beauty in diversity. I didn’t tell him that he doesn’t need to fast for Karva Chauth, he only found out this year that he didn’t need to (laughs). He has been fasting with me before that. He loves rajma chawal, roti sabji and ghar ka khaana over restaurant food. He is completely Indian now.

We are based in Mumbai now as my work really got intense. He is quite funny and he loves the paps. For a Halloween bash, we were both dressed as Mumbai cops, and he enjoyed it. He kisses me when someone’s taking a picture because it’s cute. He is still learning the cultural differences as to how it’s not common for people to kiss in public here. He knew that I was an actor before he came here, but he didn’t know that I was a known face. He is not overwhelmed by the shutterbugs at all. I think my baby loves the cameras as well.

It has taught me a lot. Yes, our lives have changed. We had a bohemian lifestyle, where we wouldn’t follow a set pattern. After marriage, we decided to go to Spain out of nowhere because we wanted to learn a new language or start a business. For some reason, that didn’t happen, so we went to South America instead and lived there for months. I would head back to India for my films and then go to London, we were constantly on the go. During the pandemic, our daughter was born, and our lives are drastically different now. She is like an anchorin our lives, and every life-changing experience makes you a better actor

The moment your child is born and you hold your baby, your heart is no longer yours. It changes you forever. Becoming a mother was beautiful, and I wanted to get back to work for her. I wanted her to know that I am a working mom and have always been a hard-working woman. Also, getting back wasn’t easy. I had to shed all my post-pregnancy weight and get back into shape within seven months. It was extremely hard, but the toughest was to leave her at home and go to work. I want the best for her, but I also want her to see who I am. The first time I travelled for work without her, I couldn’t sleep at night. You constantly ask yourself if you are doing the right thing. Perhaps, I am more serious about my work now because when she sees my films, I want her to say, ‘Mamma, that was great. I am happy you did this.’ She is 22 months old and says ‘Bye’ when I leave and hugs me when I return. I want her to be a child who sees that you need to work hard for the things you want.

Shriya Pilgaonkar considers travelling her soul food. The actor, who recently returned from a threeweek vacation in Spain, says she’s all charged up after the trip and is ready for her work commitments for the rest of the year. “The past six-seven months have been incredibly busy in terms of work. Three of my projects were released and I finished shooting for two more. So, I needed to unwind. In Spain, I had the time of my life with my friends and am back with more energy and enthusiasm. It was a much-deserved vacation for me,” shares Shriya. In a chat, the actress elaborates on her passion for travelling, exploring the OTT space and more...

The Fan actor says that she is an explorer at heart, and adds, “The thrill of being in a new place and meeting new people is incomparable. Since acting is about observation, I feel that travelling is a necessity for me in order to gain perspective. I may take a luxury-filled or laidback trip with my family.”

Shriya adds, “But on solo trips or a holiday with friends, I like to bring out that adventurous side of mine and try offbeat stuff like hiking, scuba diving, cliff jumping etc. Since I am a foodie, discovering a place through its food is also an important part of my travels. Just go with the flow is my travel mantra.”

While her mother, actress Supriya Pilgaonkar encouraged her to go on solo trips, Shriya calls her maternal grandfather Arun Sabnis a travel inspiration. Shriya says, “My grandfather is 83 and has travelled around 95 countries. We have done a few fun trips together, including an unplanned trip once. Since he has so much experience, he ended up becoming my tour guide. Travelling with him is genuinely fun and easy. He maintains travel journals, a habit I have now imbibed too.”

Shriya has been basking in the glory of the success of her recent OTT projects, and believes that this is an exciting time in her career. She adds, “The digital space has turned out to be a real game changer for my career. Along with the critical appreciation, it feels amazing to get the audience’s love. I am flooded with messages.”

That said, she wishes to be seen on the big screen too. “I want to do feature films as well. It’s been a while since I have had a theatrical release. There is a project in the pipeline, a romantic comedy which also features Neena Gupta and Lara Dutta. In addition to that, I am actively seeking international projects,” she says, adding, “I want to establish myself as a global artiste. In international projects, the need for inclusivity and the writing have promoted multi-ethnic casting. It’s good to see characters being written in a way that breaks stereotypes and cliches. To me, the body of Irrfan sir’s work is inspiring. My priority has always been a good script, irrespective of the medium or language. There are different kinds of roles that I am aiming to do now.”

Shriya says that she wants to maintain a balance between doing films and OTT projects. She also says that she’s looking at different ways to put herself out there in order to avoid getting stereotyped. “The recognition I got from OTT shows helped me bag films. I would like to believe that good filmmakers and production houses don’t put actors in a certain bracket. At times, people are quick to stereotype you with respect to your roles. But I think you have to keep putting yourself out there in different ways and roles. That’s the only way to hopefully avoid getting stereotyped,” she says.

Shriya comes from a film family. In fact, her father, actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar, was the one who directed Shriya in her big screen debut, Ekulti Ek (2013). While the actress agrees that there are perks of coming from a film family, she says she is happy to have established a place in the industry on her

own. “It is indeed a privilege to have parents who are actors. Since they have vast experience in the field, they understand the highs and lows and what it takes to navigate the industry as an actor. They have helped me get stronger from within, and be able to deal with the ups and downs. But I would like to say that it has been a step-by-step journey for me. I have never approached things from an entitled space. I had to work very hard for everything that I have achieved, and I still do. I have carved a path for myself,” says Shriya.

She adds, “I was selected for most of my projects after auditioning for roles. Every actor has their journey. In my case, good work has brought in good work. There have been projects that didn’t work, but I have enjoyed doing those. I give all projects my best, but the outcome and response is something that’s not in my hands.”

Esha Gupta, whose boyfriend Manuel Campos Guallar is from Spain, had made the country her home during the pandemic. The actress has now returned to India and will join the team of MX Player’s Aashram that reunites her with director Prakash Jha. In a conversation with BT, she opens up about falling in love at first sight and navigating a long-distance relationship. Excerpts

In recent times work took me to California, and I also travelled to London. Now I am in India for a shoot. I am really excited about MX Player’s Aashram. Director Prakash Jha is someone who believed in me and gave me an opportunity in his film Chakravyuh at the beginning of my career. He is one of those people who taught me a lot without teaching me directly.

I remember watching the first season of Aashram with my family in Delhi during the lockdown. While watching it, I told my mom that it would be interesting to be a part of a project like this, and soon, I was approached for the second season.

The Coronavirus pandemic allowed us to spend a lot of time with each other. However, we were aware of the fact that we would be in a long-distance relationship. We enjoy our time together, but we are very secure enough in our relationship to enjoy our time apart as well. Work requires me to travel, so I will, and the moment I am not shooting, I will head to Spain to spend time with him. I feel, if both individuals are ambitious about their work, they need to have an understanding of each other’s careers, and once that happens, things should run pretty smoothly.

Manuel is into real estate and his firm reached out to me for some work. I met him for the first time in Rome, and it was love at first sight...at least for me. I made sure he fell for me too (laughs!). We connected really well during our first meeting. After we returned to our respective countries, we kept in touch. Then we met once again after nearly two months. Back then, we didn’t know the direction in which this relationship was going to go, but now, two years down the line, we know exactly where it’s going.

There’s always a right time for everything. I will wait for mine!

Manuel likes the fact that I am religious. I have created a small space in our home in Spain where I say my prayers. He likes to see me in traditional Indian wear. On Dussehra, I wore a saree to attend a puja through a video call with my parents (who were in India). Post the call, he asked me not to change and made me meet his entire family in the traditional look. Like Indians, the Spanish, too, are very family-oriented people. Manuel is also extremely close to his family and relatives.

To be honest, I never thought of living in any other country than India. I am a total Delhiite at heart. My friends there are mesmerized seeing the pictures of India that I post on social media. They want me to take them to places like Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi. My stay in Spain has only expanded my horizons. It has definitely helped work-wise, and I got a lot of exposure to international cinema. As an actor, you are a global citizen. But home will always be India for me, no matter where I live.

I love myself and the way I look. I have always been comfortable in my skin. Initially, it used to bother me when people would troll me. I have realised that it doesn’t matter what they say. I became good friends with a photographer in Madrid. Whenever we get a chance, we do these shoots. It is like a woman being a woman in these pictures. That’s the idea. I don’t have any other agenda like eyeing roles in projects. I believe that if you ignore your trolls, they end up becoming your fans. No matter how much they hate you, they will eventually love you.

Director Siddharth Anand is a relieved man today. The director has finally wrapped up the Spain schedule of Pathaan, his espionage thriller starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. The foreign schedule was in the pipeline since last October, but had to be deferred due to several unforeseen reasons — from Aryan Khan’s drugs-on-cruise case to the third wave of the pandemic.

“The Spain schedule has turned out beyond what we had envisaged. This film commands a massive scale, and I’m happy with what we have achieved. The fact that we could finally pull off such a schedule without any hassle is a huge feat for the production,” says the director.

As reported by mid-day last week (When in Spain, do the flamenco, March 25), the team shot a song in Mallorca, followed by a dance number in Jerez de la Frontera. Considering that the 2023 release marks Khan’s return to the big screen after over four years, the director is leaving no stone unturned to make it worth the wait.

“We intend to make it the biggest event film of India. I strive to make every film a bigger experience for the audience than my last film. It’s my personal ambition to make Pathaan on par with any film made in the world,” he adds.

Only days after we got a sneak peek into the latest schedule of Pathaan by way of some leaked pictures, there is more news trickling in about the espionage thriller. mid-day has learnt that Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, who were shooting in Mallorca over the past 10 days, have now moved to Cadiz — a port city in southwestern Spain — for the next leg. Director Siddharth Anand has lined up a lavish song shoot in the picturesque locales of Jerez de la Frontera. What makes the dance number all the more special is that it will see the superstars try their hand at flamenco, a popular dance form that originated in southern Spain.

Earlier this week, the leads began their stint in Cadiz by canning a chase sequence on the streets of the port city. On Thursday, it was time for Khan and Padukone to put on their dancing shoes. A trade source says, “Jerez de la Frontera is known for its flamenco music and dance. The song, which is currently being filmed, has a flamenco influence and is choreographed by Bosco Martis. By the time Siddharth completes the song shoot, John Abraham — who had flown down to India for the promotions of Attack — will return to Spain. He will film some confrontation scenes with Shah Rukh, after which the director can call it a wrap on the Spain schedule. The unit is expected to fly back by March-end, and will then turn their attention to the patchwork shoot in Mumbai.”

Considering Pathaan is one of the biggest releases of 2023, there has been tremendous curiosity about the spy thriller. The fans’ interest piqued further when the pictures from Mallorca hit the Internet. The source reveals that over the last week, the unit shot a song in Mallorca. “The track, titled Nasha, is sung by Shilpa Rao and choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant. The lyrics are a mix of Spanish and Hindi. Apart from the number, Shah Rukh also shot an elaborate action scene with John in the coves of the island.”

Since late December, it has been work all the way for Shah Rukh Khan as he honoured his commitments on Pathan and his cameo in Tiger 3. With a major chunk of Pathan shot on home turf, director Siddharth Anand is now ready to revisit his plan of taking the espionage thriller to Spain. It may be recalled that Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham were scheduled to be Mallorca-bound last October for an extensive foreign leg (Serenading Dippy in Spain, Sep 28). The plan, which had to be deferred after Khan’s son Aryan was embroiled in the drugs-on-cruise case, is now back on the table. mid-day has learnt that the cast and crew will head to the European country in the first week of March.

On the itinerary are Mallorca, and Cadiz in southwestern Spain. “The director will shoot a romantic song in Mallorca. He wants to capture the beauty of the island city that is famed for its pristine beaches and limestone mountains. It is Pathan’s first international schedule, and Siddharth wants to pull out all stops to make the sequences look grand. He will also film high-octane action scenes featuring Shah Rukh, Deepika and John, and major confrontational sequences during the 17-day stint. While the schedule was initially deferred in the wake of the Aryan case, the director had to postpone it further after the third wave of the pandemic hit India in the last week of December,” reveals a trade source.

Before Khan & Co wing their way to Europe, they will have to make pit-stops at the Yash Raj Studios and Film City. “A week-long schedule has been lined up for the last week of February, during which they will focus on action scenes,” adds the source.

The Internet went into a tizzy on Wednesday evening, and with good reason — Shah Rukh Khan was seen returning to work almost three months after his son Aryan was embroiled in the drugs-on-cruise case. While many assumed that he reported to the Pathan set, it was, in fact, for the filming of a brand commercial. Now, Khan is back in action — mid-day has learnt that on Thursday, the superstar began shooting for close friend Salman Khan’s movie, Tiger 3. The actor will make a special appearance as a Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer, joining forces with Salman’s R&AW agent Tiger in Maneesh Sharma’s directorial venture.

A source reveals, “It will be a 12-day schedule at Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. While Salman will not join him in this stint, the two actors will share the frame at some point for the combination scenes of Tiger 3. After Shah Rukh wraps up his portions, he will fly out for the foreign schedule of Pathan, where a romantic song with leading lady Deepika Padukone and some action scenes will be canned.”

It may be recalled that Pathan’s crew was to be Spain-bound on October 7 for the international leg (Serenading Deepika in Spain, September 28). However, the schedule had to be cancelled after Aryan’s case.

In early October, Khan was shooting for filmmaker Atlee’s next when Aryan and many others on board the cruise were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The star kid was finally granted bail on October 28.

The source adds, “That month, Shah Rukh was slated to lead a 10-day shoot at a south Mumbai hospital for Atlee’s film before flying off to Spain. But he put all the shoots on hold then, to single-mindedly focus on his son’s legal battle. Now, he is picking up where he left off. After Shah Rukh’s shoot and the Delhi schedule with Salman and Katrina Kaif in mid-January, Tiger 3 will be almost complete.”

Actress and Miss India International 2007 Esha Gupta was in Varanasi recently. While in the city, Esha indulged in all things touristy, visiting the ghats for Ganga aarti, going for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and also going shopping for the famous Banarasi sarees.

The Baadshaho actress said, “I love travelling as my father was in the Air Force, so we have travelled with him and seen a lot of our country. Every holiday, we used to take a road trip and explore places. Varanasi was always on my wish list, so when my friend Abhishek Jalan invited me for a visit, I was more than eager to go there. I did what every tourist does in the city. I went for the boat ride, walked on the ghat and sought blessings at Kashi Vishwanath temple. I did not want to miss out on anything. I visited Spain recently and when they got to know that I am Indian, they expressed their wish to visit Varanasi. I really felt proud that people from such faraway places want to come and see our country.”

Esha, who hails from Amroha, in UP, said, “While coming to Varanasi, I was looking forward to UP ka khaana. So, I really binged on it the moment I landed in Varanasi. I started with an early morning breakfast of kachori and sabzi, then it was time for other Banarasi delicacies like sattu ka paratha, etc. Apart from the food, what I really loved about the city is the language. The tone and way people talk in Varanasi is so affable that it instantly strikes a chord.”

The Chakravyuh actress also performed puja and Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedha Ghat. She says, “This was my first experience of a live Ganga aarti and it was just beautiful. People watching the aarti from boats and the floating diyas in the Ganga made for a very mesmerising view. There is a different kind of smell, very earthy, which makes you feel that you are in the heart of India. Indians are basically very courteous and helpful, and this is what I also found in Varanasi. I feel my visit there was a divine calling.”

Since the arrest of his son Aryan Khan in a drug case, actor Shah Rukh Khan hasn’t stepped out for shoots, but that doesn’t mean work has come to a grinding halt. Instead, his body double, Prashant Walde, is ensuring the show goes on.

At the moment, Walde is shooting portions of Khan’s latest project with filmmaker Atlee, and some commercial advertisements. “The shooting of the film with Atlee is going as per plan. I’ve been shooting these projects for the last 20 days, and that hasn’t changed after recent developments,” Walde tells us, adding that the only difference is that Khan isn’t coming to the set at the moment. The stand-in actor is also ready to jet off to Spain for the next schedule of Pathan.

According to Walde, the superstar has asked the camera to not stop rolling even in his absence as he understands how the delay might affect the income of many crew members. “Our work has resumed after so many difficulties after the lockdown. The whole team from South is here for the shoot of the film. Aur unke kaam ke saath lakhon logon ka rozgaar juda hai, aur yeh SRK sir ko bhi maloom hai. That’s why he hasn’t asked us to stop working,” shares the body double, who has been working with Khan for the last 15 years.

Ask him about the current mood on the set, and he shares, “We are all trying to be professional, but are also disturbed on the inside ke SRK sir ke saath yeh kya problem ho gayi. But we trust him.”

While the shoot of Atlee’s film might be going smoothly, there have been several reports about Pathan’s Spain schedule being in a limbo. Walde reveals, “We all got our visas, but don’t know when we will fly out, and whether sir will join us or not. In fact, I don’t know when he’ll get back on set. But, whatever he decides, will be best for all of us.”

Last week, mid-day had reported that Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone would kick off Pathan’s first international schedule on October 10 in Spain (Serenading Dippy in Spain, Sep 28). The superstars were to shoot for a grand romantic number in the scenic locales of Mallorca and Cádiz, followed by the filming of some action scenes.

However, sources say that the three-week schedule of Siddharth Anand’s directorial venture, in all probability, will be postponed in light of the superstar’s son Aryan Khan being remanded to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) custody. The next bail hearing of Aryan, who was part of a cruise-liner party raided by the NCB over the weekend, is scheduled for October 7.

“While Siddharth and his unit were to head to Spain on October 7, Shah Rukh and Deepika were to fly out the next day. But with the latest events, it has been a tense situation for the superstar. Right now, the shoot of Pathan is the last thing on anyone’s mind. There is no question of going ahead with the foreign schedule without Shah Rukh. The dates will likely be reworked after things settle down in Mumbai,” says a trade source. Many from the industry have expressed solidarity with Khan, with close friend Salman Khan dropping in to meet him on Sunday night.

Yash Raj Films remained unavailable for comment.