Actor Janhvi Kapoor made her Bollywood debut in 2018 opposite Ishaan Khatter with Dhadak. Now, she has revealed struggling with depression despite her first film’s commercial success.

“Every time anyone talks to me about my first film, they are like, ‘She was so good in it’. But my memory of Dhadak was very different. I was depressed after Dhadak,” the 29-year-old said on Raj Shamani’s podcast, adding, “I thought ho gaya, pack-up ho gaya. People hate me.”

Janhvi made her debut just months after the sudden and tragic death of her mother, veteran actor Sridevi in February 2018.

“I got all of my validation in my life from my mum. She went away. So I was like, ‘I’m going to shift that to the audience’. I was expecting some across-the-board acceptance, which I didn’t know does not exist,” she shared.

The actor admitted that she focused only on criticism, overlooking the film’s strong performance at the box office: “I didn’t even acknowledge that it was a very big success. I think it was the most commercially successful film with newcomers until Saiyaara. It didn’t click that it was a hit. I just knew that I sucked and people hated me… Because I only looked at the negative, and that became my reality.”

Saiyaara (2025), starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, broke Dhadak’s record for highest opening day ticket sales for a debutant-led Hindi film.

He put India on the global map with his beautiful creations. But beyond the genius, he’s only human. He carries a heart that misses his near and dear ones, especially the actor who had the biggest influence on him. Designer Manish Malhotra reflects on his bond with late actor Sridevi, which continues through her daughter, actor Janhvi Kapoor. Excerpts from The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra:

Late photographer Rakesh Shrestha liked my sketches and introduced me to actors for styling them. I went to meet Sridevi for the first time at Mehboob Studio in 1991 and I was a big fan even before I met her. She was in a red outfit and was just going to the set. She was quiet. Then she called me to do a sweater, which was a continuity sweater for Khuda Gawaah (1992). I went to meet her, and somehow we connected.

Then, in 1996, we were in Las Vegas and she told me she was leaving films. She said she worked from the age of four and she wanted her life to carry on. I remember getting a little lump in my throat. I was so attached to her. And in the 15 years when she didn’t work and gave birth to Janhvi and Khushi, I was the one person who was always in touch with her. And I still called her ma’am. I continued my respect and friendship because I think she really contributed to my career. Her death was a big loss to the film industry.

I’m very fond of South Indian food and ma’am would get it to my house. That’s something that Janhvi sweetly does now, which is so nice of her. Every month, she makes it a point to come over, spend time, and get food from her house.

I was there at Rani Mukerji’s first shot for Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat (1997), Kareena Kapoor Khan for Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000; she was the original heroine), Deepika Padukone in Om Shanti Om (2007), Alia Bhatt for Student Of The Year (2012), and Ananya Panday for Student Of The Year 2 (2019). So, I would say I’m the lucky mascot here. I’ve seen them grow and evolve.

In fact, with Kriti Sanon, Bipasha Basu and Lara Dutta, I worked with them before they became actresses, as models. I’ve seen their journeys from being newcomers to being established actors, with some even getting married and becoming mothers! Now we are working with the newer generation.

Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s because the entire wedding was done by us. There were discussions about the décor, the surprises entry dance by Kiara, or the Reel that Sidharth did. And I forced them to put it up, saying, ‘Please put up this Reel!’ I am grateful to them for their love and respect. So happy! So I think that is one of my most cherished weddings.

People think winning a pageant opens every door professionally, but that’s not entirely true, says Ruhi Singh. Miss Universal Peace and Humanity 2014. “It opens options, but doesn’t guarantee work, only a moment of visibility. After that you start from zero again,” she explains. The model-actor calls pageants “only a structured route to achieve my dream of becoming an actor”.

She says, “There’s always been a stereotype that if you come from a pageant, you’re ‘model material’, not acting material. But that box had nothing to do with the actor I wanted to be, or actor I am.” She adds, “I’ve done theatre, character workshops, everything. I just wanted to learn the craft honestly. My journey has not been a walk in the park.”

Her OTT work, including Runaway Lugai, reshaped how filmmakers see her. She says, “OTT changed the game for me… It showed makers I can do more than what my image suggests. The industry is more willing to experiment directors and producers see performers, not labels.”

Ruhi, who recently starred in Mastiii 4, adds, “Comedy is the toughest genre. I studied Juhi Chawla, Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever and Sridevi. Cracking a role and seeing it release, creates a whole new ball game,” she signs off.

Before Sholay, I was already doing stunts in Gujarati films — jumping off rooftops, rolling down hills, whatever the scene demanded. One afternoon, on an outdoor shoot, a call came for me at the studio watchman’s post. It was from my Guruji, Azim Bhai, who had introduced me to this line of work. He said Ramesh Sippy’s team was hunting for a stuntwoman for a big project and asked me to get in touch with the stunt director.

They had already auditioned women who could ride horses and were trained in action. But they hadn’t found what they were looking for.

I called from a neighbour’s phone. They asked me to meet them as soon as I was back in Bombay. I called and was asked to reach a Juhu hotel by 5.30 the next morning. There was a large open area, and the team, including Ramesh-ji (Sippy), was sitting there. They asked me to drive a tonga.

I forgot I was supposed to drive just a little and stop. I went quite far before turning around. When I returned and stopped in front of them, they all stood up and clapped. They asked, ‘Why did you go so far?’ I told them it had been a while since I rode on such a long open stretch. That was it, I was selected.

Later, I was taken to Ramesh-ji’s office for fittings. They took my measurements for bangles and wigs. Even then, I didn’t know whose body double I was going to be. Back then, stunt people weren’t told much, we just did the work. Two days later, I got a call at the ration shop near my house. They told me to be at the airport the next morning. I packed and left.

We went to Bangalore. The first shot they took was of Hema-ji (Malini) sitting by the water and seeing her reflection and then four dacoits approach. She sees them and takes off in the tonga. That whole chase scene was me. I jumped onto the tonga from behind and rode off. Later, they filmed Hema-ji’s close-ups. But the running tonga was all me.

I was on that shoot for 22 days. One unforgettable incident happened during the Holi scene, when Gabbar’s men attack the village. A little girl runs during the chaos. I was supposed to rescue her by running through the horses. As I ran towards her, she suddenly fell. The horses were right behind us. I didn’t have time to think. I grabbed her mid-fall, rolled on the ground to shield her, and ran through the horses with her in my arms. She didn’t get a scratch. I was badly bruised.

People clapped after that shot. Even Dharmendra-ji came up to me and gave me Rs. 100 as a token of appreciation. That was a big amount then. Our daily wage was just Rs. 175, so I hesitated to take it. I was always nervous about men offering money. But my Guruji signalled to me to accept it, so I did.

Then came the dangerous tonga scene. Hema-ji’s tonga hits a rock, one wheel breaks, the tonga topples. It’s me in that scene. Originally, the broken wheel was supposed to be a fake wooden one that would break easily. But the second wheel was accidentally replaced with a real metal one. When the tonga hit the rock, it didn’t break but dragged. I was thrown off and the tonga overturned. That was a real accident and I was injured. But those two scenes really stayed with people. I even received awards, seven in total.

On the sets, Hema-ji always treated me with respect. If she was sitting, she would ask for a chair for me to sit. Our body types matched so well, if I wore her makeup and stood sideways, you couldn’t tell the difference. Same with Sridevi-ji, Rekha-ji. I matched them naturally.

Sholay was the turning point in my career. Back then, things were difficult. Only boys did stunts. People would say, ‘You are so beautiful. Why are you doing this? If you get a scar on your face or break a bone, who will marry you?’ But marriage wasn’t my priority. We had fallen on hard times. I had to feed my family.

After Sholay, people realized I could drive a tonga and handle daring action. The film gave me recognition and credibility. I became a go-to stuntwoman for all kinds of scenes.

Eventually, I bought a house, got my siblings married and fulfilled every responsibility that had once felt impossible. And then, life came full circle. In 2019, a biopic on my journey was made. It was called The Sholay Girl.

Actors usually put their best fashion foot forward to walk the red carpet, especially when it is for the Cannes Film Festival. Nitanshi Goel combined fashion with emotion as she made her debut at the festival with an homage to Madhubala, Rekha, Sridevi, and Hema Malini, among others. Goel, who rose to fame with her debut film Laapataa Ladies (2024), was seen sporting a pearl hair accessory (parandi) with frames of veteran actors created by jewellery brand BeAbhika.

Speaking to mid-day about the inspiration behind this gesture, she says the idea was to pay an homage that “felt personal yet celebratory”. “It came from love for the icons who’ve defined grace, strength, and cinematic brilliance in Indian cinema. Their presence has always felt timeless, and I wanted to carry their spirit with me to Cannes. These women walked so we could run,” beams Goel, who was part of the newly-inaugurated Bharat Pavilion — the government-backed platform at Cannes — aimed at promoting Indian cinema.

By representing India at the festival, her dream became a reality. She says, “I was there to celebrate our culture, stories, and the women who’ve shaped it so beautifully. The experience was filled with inspiration, heartfelt conversations, and warmth from people all over the world. I’ve returned with a heart full of gratitude.”

Still basking in the acclaim and accolades for Laapataa Ladies, Goel shares that the film’s glory is reflected in the offers she gets now. “The parts coming my way now are more layered and diverse. I feel ready to dive into stories that challenge me,” she says.

Nitanshi Goel holds her meeting with Rekha close to her heart. She shares that the yesteryear actor once told her, “Be patient with the journey, and protect your truth.”

Legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, celebrated for his patriotic films and notable contribution to Indian cinema, passed away on April 4. In a conversation with BT, his son and actor Kunal Goswami reflects on his father’s legacy and his own journey in films. Excerpts:

As a son and actor, I’ve had the privilege of learning and unlearning many things about cinema and life from him. My father was affectionately known as Mr Bharat because he embodied patriotism. He pursued acting with great passion and dedication. Films like Upkar, Purab Aur Pachhim and Shaheed reflect how deeply patriotism was rooted in him — and we, his children, saw and lived that passion every day.

I was too young to make that decision myself. One day, my father simply said, “Chalo, aana hai set pe?” and suddenly, I was surrounded by the media and thousands of people while he was directing a scene with Dilip Kumar saab and Hema Malini ji. I was around 14 when I made my debut. I went on to work in Ghunghroo with Prakash Mehra and Kalakaar with Sridevi, which became popular for its music. I acted in around 10 films, but things didn’t quite take off. After my father directed me in Jai Hind (2000), I decided to step away from the film industry.

I didn’t want to cling to the idea of “once an actor, always an actor,” especially if it meant accepting roles that didn’t feel right. Being a star’s son is a double-edged sword — you get an initial platform, but there are assumptions. Many filmmakers believed they had to approach me through my father, who wasn’t very social or easily approachable. This hesitation worked against me. I reached out to filmmakers myself, but strong roles never came my way. Others like Kumar Gaurav and Chimpoo Kapoor went through similar struggles. Eventually, I moved into the catering business. My father encouraged me to stay in films because he saw my creative side, but he never forced me. Acting may be behind me, but I do hope to direct a film someday.

No, I don’t think those films can be remade. You can remake a Don — it’s a commercial film, much like James Bond — but films like Upkar, Purab Aur Pachhim or Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan are in a league of their own. The emotional depth and context they carried can’t be replicated. Even though multiple versions of Shaheed have been made since, people still remember Manoj Kumar as the original Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Last month, when Nikita Dutta featured in Ram Madhvani’s historical series The Waking Of A Nation, it satiated the actor in her. With her upcoming work, Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal’s heist thriller Jewel Thief—co-starring Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat—she is living her Bollywood dream: playing the classic heroine and drawing inspiration from all the stars she grew up watching. Ahead of the Netflix film’s release, in conversation with mid-day, Dutta reveals the joy of shooting for an out-and-out masala film, why she doesn’t compromise her individuality to become a commercial star, and her admiration for Jewel Thief co-star Khan’s actor-wife Kareena Kapoor Khan—who she believes is the last of the stars.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

We all know the hook steps of popular Bollywood numbers. It is what we all love [to do]. However much we say that cinema is real and great, which it is in parts, when you talk about the Bollywood that we have grown up to, [the realistic films] took away the filminess of it. So, it was exciting to be a part of that because I was getting to do what I have always [dreamed of doing]. The closet actor in all of us has somewhere enacted that in front of the mirror. I was told, ‘You aren’t a heroine until you have worn a saree in the snow.’ I am still waiting for that.

If we go back to our classic heroines, who are known for doing commercial cinema—from Sridevi, Madhuri [Dixit-Nene] to Aishwarya [Rai Bachchan]—I always look up to these actors and feel they tick all the boxes for me. If you see, none of them were trying to be like each other. They all had their own personality. And that’s what made them [so popular]. Or if you look at Kareena Kapoor [Khan], she is the last in the league. I have no one else in mind, who looks good, dances great and has these fabulous expressions.

What I am trying to do right now, irrespective of Jewel Thief, is not follow a trend or get into the zone where everyone is blindly getting into the plastic world and looking like clones of each other. I am trying to stay true to what I saw growing up, which is to have your own personality, but at the same time try to adapt to what a particular film or story demands.

Somewhere, when OTT picked up, there was a boom that happened and there was an abundance of work. So, we got used to that but now everyone, including makers, has become cautious. People have more options, so they pick and choose and they aren’t ready to watch anything or everything. So many changes have happened—OTT platforms merging, and the numbers of a film getting affected because it has come directly to OTT. I wouldn’t say that work has slowed down but there’s a lot of processing. We are going through a change, where makers are trying to see what will and will not work. So, experiments are bound to happen.

Irrespective of anything, you get offered things and you just have to choose the best from what you get. That’s an ongoing process.

It’s been seven years since Sridevi, one of the biggest stars in Indian cinema, passed away. On her death anniversary today, her younger daughter, actor Khushi Kapoor recalls, “My mom gave her all to acting, starting when she was barely four.”

The 24-year-old adds, “My sister (actor Janhvi Kapoor) and I are very proud of her, and she will always play a huge part in our lives.”

Khushi, who recently made her theatrical debut with Loveyapa, shares, “When I saw myself on the big screen for the first time, I missed her a lot.”

Addressing how people often compare her to Sridevi, she says, “I can’t be like my mom even in the next 100 years. She was made of a different mould; they don’t make artistes like her anymore.”

Sharing her most vivid memory of her mother, Khushi says, “I remember accompanying her to New York for English Vinglish (2012). She had to perform a dance sequence in a chiffon saree, and she was shivering because of the cold, but she completed the scene to perfection. She simply adored her craft.”

Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan has not donned the director’s hat since the release of the Happy New Year in 2014. And she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to plan her next project.

“I directed four films – Main Hoon Na (2004), Om Shanti Om (2007), Tees Maar Khan (2010) and Happy New Year (2014). Of these, except Tees Maar Khan, all did very well. I am proud of the fact that I got to direct the top stars of our country after working with them as a choreographer for years,” she says. Farah, who is gearing up to host the TV show Celebrity MasterChef, talks to us about choreographing for stars across generations, her Bollywood friendships and some disasters in the kitchen. Excerpts:

Farah, who had choreographed for actors like Aamir and Sridevi, says that now she is excited to be working with their children, Junaid and Khushi. She says, “Life has come full circle. I started my career with the song Pehla Nasha (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar) with Aamir Khan. I remember him grilling me on the sets, and cut to now, I choreographed Junaid Khan for an upcoming film. Years ago, when I choreographed Sridevi, she was a big star and now it is a surreal experience to direct Khushi. I was a newbie when I worked with their parents and a veteran when I am directing the kids.”

Ask her whether she plans to direct anytime soon, and she says, “After Happy New Year, I took a break because there was nothing exciting coming my way. So, I got busy doing other things, which included looking after my kids, going on holidays with them and enjoying life. I want to direct a film again, but it will happen when I have the right script and when it is destined.”

Farah says that she is lucky to have found long-lasting friendships in B-Town, and there have also been some bonds that go back to a time before her friends became stars. She shares, “I became friends with Shah Rukh Khan even before Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Deewana released. We share the same level of friendship even now. If it was hard working with him then, it is harder now. Every time we work on a song, the pressure doubles because we have created such iconic songs together.”

The filmmaker, who is all set for her cooking reality show, reveals that she has had her share of bad days in the kitchen.

Farah recounts, “We were shooting for Dil Chahta Hai in Australia, and I was cooking yakhni pulao in those small pots on the induction cooker, and my then-boyfriend called. I got busy talking to him, and the next thing I heard was fire alarms all over the building. The entire evening was spent with people making faces as everything smelt of burnt yakhni pulao on the premises. It was so embarrassing.”

Actors Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora’s breakup earlier this year made headlines, with Arora remaining mostly silent on the matter while Kapoor occasionally confirmed their separation. So, it came as a surprise when he was spotted by her side following the death of her father, Anil Arora, in September (see right).

In a recent appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Kapoor explained why he chose to be there for his ex during such a difficult time, despite the common belief that exes usually avoid one another. “Without going into one instance... when what happened with dad (filmmaker Boney Kapoor’s wife, Sridevi, died suddenly in 2018) and Khushi-Janhvi (Kapoor, actors-sisters), there was an impulse. And in this case, also, there was an instinct and impulse,” he shared.

“If I’ve formed an emotional bond with somebody, I would always like to believe that I will be there, regardless of the good or the bad. If I’m invited for the good, I’ll be there. And if I’m needed for the bad, I’ll be there. I’m not somebody who has a lot of friends; I’m not doing this for all and sundry. If that person doesn’t want me there, I’ll maintain a distance, as I have in the past with other relationships.”

Kapoor, 39, also reflected on how the media and the industry have evolved over time. “When I made my debut, and when I was growing up, there were a lot of things that were clandestine, and for the right reasons. It’s one thing to have gossip, but the moment you confirm things now, there’s a culture of wanting to know everything. Nowadays, you can’t just go to a restaurant without being ‘spotted’. Everyone has a phone, forget the paps.”

Losing his mother, Mona, at a young age has also shaped his perspective on life and relationships. “There’s a fear of loss,” he said and added: “My mom left me, my father made a choice. So, there’s a feeling that eventually, everyone will leave.”

My relationship with Bombay Times goes back to its inception. I was first featured in the paper as a quirky, edgy designer, as I used to wear a lot of blue jeans, white shirts and oxidised silver jewellery. The first time film fashion was written about was by Bombay Times, and it was for the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. I was so nervous about it as I thought my career had ended because this had to be the best work of my career for BT to feature it!

Film fashion was considered a no-go. It was all about high fashion, as fashion was just evolving in India. Bombay Times played an integral part where fashion was concerned. We have come a long way from film fashion not being accepted to it becoming a norm. Of course, it’s taken three decades. I was the first designer to travel abroad and buy clothes for my commercial films, which was due to the lack of brands available in the country. Every pair of jeans was stitched and the jewellery was curated for the films. I used to go abroad (to London, Paris, and Amsterdam) to buy raw materials, fabric, and whatever else I needed for the film.

What people don’t understand is how important the role of film fashion is to society. Whatever you shoot goes down in history. Everyone is looking at Mughal-E-Azam for inspiration to date. Even Jodha Akbar has gone down in history. I entered the industry because I saw the works of Xerxes Bhathena, a designer who had studied fashion and gone into mainstream fashion. I had this huge thing for Sridevi, and I wanted to be Xerxes Bhathena, who used to dress up the actresses in gold outfits. Back then, the director would never give us a script. They’d say, ‘This dress had to be made for the song. Just make it’. And then we were left wondering what it was for? We would be given requirements two days or, sometimes, even a day before.

We have come a long way from film fashion not being accepted to it becoming a norm

Ronit Roy, known for his roles in the film Udaan and TV shows Swaran Ghar and Adaalat recently came to Lucknow to attend the ET Leadership Excellence Awards, 2024. He sat down with us for a chat where he revealed why he took a break from social media and what’s keeping him away from doing television.

Ronit recently posted a cryptic note on social media about needing to heal, which he later deleted.

Discussing this, he shared, “I put that post because everybody needs periodic healing, especially artists. Artists have heightened emotions, and sometimes it gets overwhelming. Social media can be toxic, and sometimes I need a break from it to focus on my family and personal life.”

Mostly seen wearing either white or black outfits, we quizzed Ronit about it. “I wear only white shirts and white t-shirts. It’s like the Steve Jobs angle. I don’t want to spend half my time thinking about what to wear. It’s about simplifying my life. I have a lot of clothes, but I don’t wear them anymore. Slowly, I have already emptied about 20% of my closet, including shoes and other things and accessories. I’m donating them. Even after emptying 20% of my closet, I still don’t have space to stand in it, it’s that packed. Now, whenever I am shooting and I see that they are buying new clothes for the shoot, I tell them that please take it from me and return them to me later. In the end, a green suit is a green suit, why buy a new one for a shoot.”

When asked about returning to television, Ronit said “Television doesn’t know how to slot me right now. But if something like Adalat comes up, it would be interesting. A lot of my fans ask me to bring back the series. Even if not the same series, long time back I told the network to bring a 2025 version of Adalat. If something like that comes up I would love to do but for me to take a long-running television is not possible now. I think the time has come for finite series on television. We are ready for seasons ranging between 50 to 90 episodes. This change could bring new pathways for actors.”

A picture of Ronit Roy with Sridevi, Mohnish Behl, Sudesh Berry, Harish, and Ravi Kishan, took rounds on social media. Having seen it himself, Ronit told us that the picture was from the movie Army. 

Reminiscing about that moment which he calls special, Ronit says, “We were shooting near Mysore at a beautiful but steep waterfall location. Like many waterfalls, a viewing area was accessible by a long flight of about a hundred steps. We had a long day of shooting and finally called it a wrap in the evening. As everyone started to pack up and head back, we began to climb up the steps. I was just ahead of Sridevi ji. Suddenly, in her soft, graceful voice she called out to me, ‘Ronit, can you hold my hand?’ I turned around and saw her standing there. Without hesitation, I held her and helped her up the steps. It was a treasured moment for me that I got to help her.”

Only weeks after the première of Mirzapur’s third season, Rajesh Tailang is counting the days to his next release, Ulajh. For the thriller, director Sudhanshu Saria has brought an eclectic cast together—Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan Mathew hold centre-stage, ably supported by seasoned actors Adil Hussain and Tailang.

“All my co-stars in Ulajh are so sincere, and did such a good job. I don’t think I was as good an actor at their age. Roshan and Gulshan are thoughtful actors. They do a scene not just for the sake of it; they put a lot of thought and hard work behind it,” marvels Tailang.

Most of his scenes in the film are with Kapoor, whom he calls a natural in front of the camera. “She is hard-working and a natural. She is a supportive and grounded actor, which helps you as a co-star. We were all fans of her mother. You can see a glimpse of Sridevi-ji in her,” he says.

After Ulajh, Tailang will be seen in Bandish Bandits 2, a satire with Sakshi Tanwar and Gajraj Rao, and a ZEE5 series directed by Sudhir Mishra. This busy phase in his career is hard-earned. The actor, with a two-decade-plus career behind him, remembers the time when he faced repeated rejections in the industry.

“I have rejected work, but more than that, people have rejected me. But I have never been insecure because I have focused on my growth as an actor. When I didn’t have a lot of screen work, I did theatre and taught at NSD [National School of Drama]. When you work on yourself and your craft, the fragrance [of your hard work] reaches people.”

Kriti Sanon, one of the top actresses in the industry today, is basking in the appreciation and love she’s getting for her film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (TBMAUJ), in which she effortlessly plays a robot and looks stunning while at it. The National Award-winning actress talks to us about playing risky roles, her craft and more.

I always felt that people equated good performances to intense scenes and emotions. This character lacked emotions, so I didn’t expect the response to be this overwhelming. To convince the audience that I am a machine in the film was extremely tricky. I knew it was a challenging role, which is what made it easy for me to take it up. There couldn’t have been many references for a character like this.

When I heard the role for the first time, I found it exciting and over time, it became even better. To strike a balance between human and robot as a humanoid was tough. When I was trying to look for a reference, the only reference I could see was Scarlett Johansson’s voice in Her. I couldn’t find references to robots as characters where they were so close to being humans, which made it exciting for me as an actor.

I have always been looking for an out-and-out comedy film. Female actors are not perceived for roles in the comedy genre. Some female actors, like Sridevi ma’am, Madhuri (Dixit Nene) ma’am and Juhi Chawla, have attempted comedy. Personally, I have enjoyed watching films like Andaz Apna Apna, Chaalbaaz and a movie like Queen, which was more of a feel-good film with comedy organically weaved in it.

“People told me that you were completely like a robot, but we felt for you, and that’s what I was trying to achieve. The challenge was to be like a robot, not falter, and seem human-like at the same time. Consistency was the key. At the screening, I saw my sister (Nupur Sanon) laughing and thoroughly enjoying it. She loved Mimi, and after watching this film, she said, this is my best performance to date. Nupur is honest and critical, so her positive reaction meant a lot to me.”

Last week, days before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary, Sandeep Singh announced his next directorial venture, The Pride Of Bharat - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Through the biopic, he wants to take the story of the famed Maratha warrior king across the country.

“People don’t know [enough] about Shivaji, even though they may have heard of him. This kind of historical drama needs a lot of research,” starts the producer-turned-director, who plans to mount the project on a lavish scale and release it in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi. 

The obvious question is— whom does he wish to cast in the titular role? “My first choice would be Ranveer Singh as I have worked with him in Bajirao Mastani [2015] and Ram Leela [2013]. When nobody was ready to shave their head for Bajirao, he went ahead and did it. That is the dedication we require to play Shivaji Maharaj. There’s nobody better than him to play Shivaji. He was born and brought up in Mumbai, and knows Marathi too.”

The director, who is fine-tuning the script, will approach the actor after he is ready. “I’ll go to him only with a bound script. I’m sure Ranveer will say yes. Who will say no to play the legendary hero?”

The Maratha king’s mother Jijabai was known to have influenced his values and ideals. The film, which will roll by the year-end, will shed light on her too.

“I will ensure that every part of his life story is captured, including how he started going to war at the age of 13 and his sacrifices. If Sridevi was alive, I would’ve requested her to play Jijabai. But now, my ideal choice is Madhuri Dixit-Nene. She is a powerful actor with a strong persona and vast experience.”

A recurring theme on Koffee with Karan 8 this year has been personal stories. The latest episode featuring Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor is no exception. The Kapoor sisters bared their heart out to host Karan Johar on the Disney+ Hotstar offering, as they spoke about their actor-mother Sridevi’s untimely demise. When Johar shared that it took him two years to process the grief of losing his father Yash Johar in 2004, Khushi admitted that she felt ‘confused and lost’ after Sridevi passed on.

“When it happened, it took me a while [to process my emotions], to accept it. I wasn’t crying all the time, I was just confused and lost. It did suddenly hit me after a while,” she recounted.

As the two sisters revisited the fateful night, Janhvi remembered her younger sister being a pillar of strength.

“When I got the call, I was in my room and I could hear wailing from Khushi’s room. I barged into her room howling. The minute she looked at me, she just stopped crying. She sat next to me, started comforting me and I’ve never seen her cry about it since.”

To this, Khushi said, “I felt like I had to hold it together for everyone.”

With her recent acting debut, Khushi Kapoor is the talk of the town. As we reach her Mumbai home for an exclusive Christmas shoot, the actor welcomes us warmly. Dressed immaculately, the 23-year-old manages to take time out in-between the shots to play with her pets, Panda and Mochi. Excerpts from the chat:

I link Christmas to a lot of food! And then spending time with my family and friends. We are putting up a tree for the first time in many years.

When we were kids, we would do that. Right now, everyone is busy — me, Janhvi (Kapoor; sister), Anshula (Kapoor; sister), we are all working. It is hard to coordinate everyone’s dates for a vacation.

I hope to keep working, which is my main goal right now. I am content with how things are going. I just want to keep working and growing. That’s my wish for 2024.

A lunch or dinner with friends. This time too, that’s my plan for the day — baking some cookies at home and being in fun Christmas pyjamas, as I am a homebody.

I am feeling good. I am glad it is finally out for people to watch. I have worked on it for a very long time, and put in efforts. I don’t seek out reviews, I saw a few of them. I try not to get into reading every single thing, because there are a lot of people ready to hate on it for various other reasons. For my own sanity, I wanted to stay away from that.

During a recent discussion on initiating change and becoming the poster girl for substantial films with women in lead roles, Vidya Balan said that it was never a conscious choice to play certain kinds of characters. “I didn’t see the glass ceiling, I saw the sky,” she said.

Discussing how films like Bandini (1963) and Sujata (1959) had women in lead roles, and why female-led movies suddenly disappeared from the big screen, Vidya said, “Because women were not seen in society. It is as simple as that, so they were not visible in films. Society is not a mirror of films, but our films mirror society. It is as simple as that.”

Vidya added that now that women are taking centre stage in their lives, they want to see that reflected on screen. “We don’t want to see women (on screen) as sacrificial mothers, the wife who puts up with everything for her husband or a daughter who is pious. We are not defined by relationships with the men in our lives anymore. We are our own people and because we are our own people that’s what we are seeing in cinema. That’s why we are willing to go and buy tickets and watch those films,” she said.

“For me, it was never a conscious decision to break the glass ceiling. I didn’t see the glass ceiling; I just saw the sky. We had Meena Kumari, Rekha, Jaya Bahaduri, Sridevi, Hema Malini, Smita Patil, Tabu – Invariably, every female actor had one or two of those (lead) films in their entire career, spanning decades. I wondered, ‘Why can’t it be the mainstay? Why can’t women be just doing substantial films? Why can’t women be doing not just serious and intense but comedy roles too?’… I think maybe the world was moving in that direction, and that’s why I had the desire in me too. It all aligned. The universe responded with great opportunities. And today, we have a situation that is far better for women.”

Responding to a question on doing films with a social message, Vidya said, “Sandesh dene ka kaam politicians ka hai aur hum yahaan keval manoranjan karne baithe hain. If along with that we can compel you to think about any particular issue, then that’s a win for us. Like audience, we are also a part of the society. Yes it’s said that people learn smoking, drinking, vulgarity from the films, but then why don’t they learn when a film is telling good things? I don’t think films have the power to influence society; society influences films.”

After creating a splash in Bollywood, Janhvi Kapoor is following in her mother, late actor Sridevi’s footsteps by making her debut in a movie down south. The actor will be seen opposite Jr NTR in director Koratala Siva’s Devara. The 26-year-old is excited about her “first out-and-out commercial role”. “I am having so much fun with it,” she tells us. However, this new journey is also bringing forth emotions and memories about her mother, who worked in several films down south.

“It’s my first Telugu film, so a lot of my time is spent in learning the dialogues as I don’t speak the language. My mum spoke [to us] in Hindi and English at home. But whenever we went to Chennai (Tamil Nadu), more often than not, she would speak in Tamil. I am more familiar with Tamil, than I am with Telugu,” she confesses.

The Bawaal actor shares that working on the film feels like “homecoming”. “I feel ki main ghar aa gayi hoon. Everyone on set feels like my own. I don’t know if it’s because of my intense emotional attachment to mum or if I am feeling attached to her by doing a film down south. It’s spiritual,” says Kapoor.

Cinema had played an integral role in the life of Sridevi, who had spent nearly 50 years in front of the camera. In a way, it would be fitting then that her life story—from her beginning in the film industry as a child artiste, to her meteoric rise to become India’s first female superstar—be captured on celluloid, a way for her legion of fans to remember the actor who passed away in 2018.

At a time when Bollywood is churning out biopics, Boney reveals that he has got many offers to make a biopic on his late actor-wife. But the producer is against the idea. “I will never make a biopic on Sri. I have got offers to make a movie on her life story, but I will never do it. It’s too personal. People are taking interviews of others [who knew her] and writing books on her life. I don’t even want to do that,” he says.

The couple’s love story was tumultuous yet fated. Kapoor, who was in awe of the actor since he saw her in a Tamil film, finally met her when he signed her on for Mr India (1987). Love blossomed later, and the two tied the knot in 1996, going on to become parents to Janhvi and Khushi.

Tell him that their romance itself is a tale waiting to be told on the silver screen, and the producer says, “I’m not interested in talking about it to the world. Our love story will always remain with me, close to my heart as Sri is. How two people fell in love and got married are extremely private moments, which one cannot share with an audience.”