The 79th Cannes Film Festival, set to run from May 12 to 23 in France, will see a strong Indian presence this year, spanning Bollywood representatives as well as regional voices.

Actor Alia Bhatt, who made her debut at the festival last year, is set to return. She will be joined by actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Filmmaker Karan Johar will also be there, along with actor Tara Sutaria, who is making her Cannes debut. Actors Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra will also be present.

India’s official delegation will be represented by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker as the newly appointed director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Punjabi cinema will make its debut with singer-actor Ammy Virk and actor Roopi Gill. From Marathi cinema, veteran actor Ashok Saraf and his wife, actor Nivedita Saraf, will attend the festival. Gujarati cinema will be represented by actor-producer Manasi Parekh, while from the Malayalam film industry, filmmaker Chidambaram will present his film Balan: The Boy at the Cannes market.

Huma Qureshi sports a radiant glow in white ethnic wear as she celebrates Eid with a special shoot for us. For her, it isn’t merely a festival; it’s a feeling, a ritual of togetherness, and a gentle reminder of all that truly matters.

While this year, it’ll be a celebration at home, among her fondest memories is a chaotic, joy-filled Eid from her college days. “I came home late, and 17 of my girlfriends had already landed. The food had gone cold, but no one cared. We just sat and ate thanda khana – biryani, korma – while my mother kept yelling at us,” she recounts.

Talking about what Eid signifies for her, Huma says, “Sharing with friends, family, people around you, your community, and perhaps people who are less privileged than you are. Ramzan is a month when we do a lot of things – whether it’s iftar or just sharing whatever we’re eating and opening our table out to friends and others. I think it’s a very important part of who we are as a family. I have a bunch of friends whom I don’t even need to invite. If it’s Eid, they’ll come home. The relationship is not just with me, but also with my family and mother. They want to have uske haat ka khana.”

For Huma, Ramzan is less about grand gestures and more about mindful pauses. “We often forget to take a moment, pause and be genuinely grateful for what we have in our daily life,” she says.

For Huma, Eid fashion was serious business growing up. “What will I wear? Salwar kameez or lehenga? It was a proper discussion when I was a kid,” she laughs. Then came the real highlight – eidi. “All of us cousins would stand in a line after namaz and collect money from every elder. Then we’d try to sneak back in again. The day would end with counting, comparing and of course, chocolates.”

Eid memories for Huma cannot be complete without her actor-brother, Saqib Saleem. She shares, “I remember stealing his money! We would have lots of fights over chocolates, because he would save them and I would finish mine.” Cooking, she admits candidly, is not her strength. “Unfortunately, I have not learned how to make a good biryani, but I definitely know where to find a good biryani and to appreciate it. That’s also an art,” she says with a grin.

Yash: The film Toxic, I’ve already got my Eidi.

Saqib Saleem: Undivided attention and time

Nawazuddin Siddiqui: Already got my Eidi—we’ve worked together

Farah Khan: I don't want any Eidi from her. She sends me so much food like every week. Maybe she should stop sending me so much food! (Laughs)

Rachit Singh: A free acting workshop. He is the best.

Tara Sutaria: She should just keep smiling all the time. She has a gorgeous smile.

Starting at the age of five, actor Tara Sutaria trained as a ballerina for over a decade. On World Ballet Day today, she shares how the discipline and training continue to guide her every day: “I learnt from the pioneer of classical ballet in India, Mrs Tushna Dallas. She trained several known names, including (choreographer) Shiamak Davar. My training completely shaped how I sit and stand, walk and talk, how I present myself and greet people. All the grace and poise I possess come from my ballet training.”

The 29-year-old adds how helps her professionally: “Today, I can learn dance routines for my films within minutes thanks to my training. My body is accustomed to learning dance quickly because of muscle memory,” she shares.

As a child, she would go to ballet class with her sister, Pia, straight from school. “We used to change into our ballet clothes and tie our hair into a bun in the car while doing homework. Tushna ensured there wasn’t a hair out of place. It taught us discipline.”

Calling ballet “for everyone,” Tara says, “There’s no gender attached to it. The athleticism required is more than most sports.”

The KGF franchise, with its massive success, is a tough act to follow. But Kannada actor Yash is hoping to up the game with his next, Toxic, which is being designed as an action spectacle. Director Geetu Mohandas kicked off the latest schedule in Mumbai on July 21 with the leading man, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, and Akshay Oberoi. The three-week schedule is focused on a singular aspect — the action sequences.

A source said, “Last Monday, the new schedule kicked off in Film City, Goregaon. It will be largely indoors, where the actors will perform their stunts without the help of body doubles. It includes many sequences that involve hand-to-hand combat.” 

Given the demand of the story, the actors underwent intense training before reporting to the set.

The source added, “A team of 15 experts has been put together for safety and execution. They are helping the actors with close-cut scenes. The action in Toxic is raw, brutal, and grounded. In the hand-to-hand combat sequences, action directors J J Perry and Giorgi Iarajuli have blended elements of Krav Maga, Filipino Kali, and MMA techniques to create a gritty style of action.”

In an exclusive chat with Bombay Times, Tara Sutaria delves into her eight-year journey in Bollywood, reflecting on the challenges of navigating an industry that often favors insiders. From her debut in Student Of The Year 2 to establishing herself as a versatile performer, Tara discusses her evolution as both an actor and a singer, her decision to focus on quality over quantity in her career, and the importance of trusting her intuition.

Tara’s journey into the Bollywood film industry wasn’t paved with the privilege of a filmi background or insider connections. Reflecting on her early years, she shares how difficult it was to make sense of a world that felt foreign and overwhelming at first.

“When I began my career in films, I didn’t know a lot of people in the industry, and I was new to a lot of this whole world of filmmaking. So, it took many years to get used to a lot of things, to understand how the industry functions and works. I’ve realized a lot of things about both myself and about how one has to navigate this line of work as somebody who’s not from a film family. I would say it's a very singular experience. It's a very specific experience for somebody from the outside. I've been extremely lucky and very blessed to have made certain friendships and to have cultivated certain relationships. But it has also been a very difficult and a very lonely task to manoeuvre and navigate so many things because when you're not from the inside, you don't have anybody to really discuss things with, seek advice from. A lot of people who are known to the industry know a lot of inside information about films, what's being made, how films get tracked and they're privy to a lot more information. That is a very big part of this business. It's something I didn't realize when I first entered this line of work,” she explains.

Tara’s honesty sheds light on the often-invisible challenges faced by outsiders—challenges that are not just about learning the craft but about understanding the rules of an unspoken game.

“Over time I figured out my own space. I figured out my own likes and dislikes. I know today who I would like to work with and who I perhaps would not like to. And that has only come by learning by myself. So, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Of course, there have been some very difficult moments in my career, which, I would have appreciated advice and guidance on. But I've realized I'm actually very proud of myself and very happy that I've been able to navigate it the last eight years in this very difficult business. Especially when you're a person who is relatively reserved and introverted, it can be very tricky.”

She adds, "I'm very happy in my own lane. I'm very happy focusing on quality work rather than quantity. Earlier I used to shoot like three films a year. I've stopped doing that. I'm focused on the other skill set that I have, which is my music and my singing."

During this process, has she found herself lonely? Tara replies, “I haven’t felt because of my support system and because of the fact that I can speak to my parents about pretty much anything and everything. I could have had the most boring work day, but I will sit with them and discuss what is bothering me. I can sit and I can talk to these people about. So, while it has been difficult, I wouldn't say it's been lonely because I've been able to talk about it. I know so many young actors who don't have the privilege or the good fortune, to be able to discuss things openly with family members or a parent, or even friends. Today, it's such a crazy world. People don't give you their time anymore.”

She further adds, “Of course there have been so many instances in my career where I wish I could have had guidance, I wish I could have had people from the inside of the industry help me out. In my experience it's best to listen to your gut and intuition for your own career. I have stuck true to my intuition and gut very strongly. It may have gone against me with certain producers and directors when I've said no to working with them, but honestly, I today feel very proud of myself for having done that because it has been the right decision for me personally and professionally because I wouldn't have been happy doing those films."

A lot has changed in Vikrant Massey’s life between his 2018 web series, Broken…But Beautiful, and the upcoming Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. But one thing has remained unchanged, says Santosh Singh, who helmed both offerings. He points out that after Broken…But Beautiful, the actor hasn’t featured in a tender, aching love story. That was one of the reasons Massey signed Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan opposite Shanaya Kapoor.

“Broken… was the first love story we did together, and now we are back with another. Vikrant once told me that most [filmmakers] cast him in hard-hitting movies like 12th Fail [2023] or negative roles like Sector 36 [2024], but only I see him as a romantic hero,” says Singh, who is readying the film for a July 11 release.

Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan looks at the love that blossoms between Massey’s musician and Kapoor’s theatre actor. It also marks the latter’s Bollywood debut.

Singh recalls, “The film had its own journey of finding the heroine. We [initially] had Tara Sutaria and Pratibha Ranta for the role, but their dates didn’t work out. We tested Shanaya and she passed with flying colours. We did four months of workshops with her; she also worked with an acting coach. By the time we started shooting, she knew the script by heart.”

Actor Tara Sutaria has finally ended her long silence on dating rumours with actor Arunoday Singh. Refuting buzz of the two being in a relationship, Sutaria tells us, “Arunoday is a dear friend of mine and I am single.”

According to reports, Sutaria and 41-year-old Singh have been in a relationship for the past one-and-a-half years. The 28-year-old’s personal life has been in the news for some time now. Her break-up with actor Aadar Jain in 2023 had also hit headlines.

While speaking at the sidelines of a beauty event in the Capital, Sutaria says that she doesn’t get overwhelmed by the public scrutiny on her private life: “I think it’s so much simpler than what other actors make it out to be. If you want to do anything, if you believe in it and if you want to stay true to yourself, it’s very simple. Just stay true to yourself. Both my twin sister (Pia) and I have always prioritized things that were personal to us since we were little. Now, too, even if I am busier than I have ever been, that is what always matters.”

On the work front, Sutaria is said to be a part of K.G.F. actor Yash’s upcoming film, Toxic. Refusing to confirm the reports, she adds, “There is something exciting coming up, for which we are shooting now. I can’t talk about it. It’s something I have never done before and it’s the kind of work every actor dreams about.”

On August 8, Yash marked the beginning of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups’ shoot by sharing a picture of the producer and himself. In no time, the picture raked up countless likes, a clear signal of how eagerly his fans are awaiting the action drama. It looks like director Geetu Mohandas’ period drama is becoming every inch the biggie that the Kannada superstar’s fans expect it to be. Sources tell mid-day that the team is shooting on the outskirts of Bengaluru where a 20-acre set has been built.

“The production design team has created a world authentic to the 1940s. The team has been working at a breakneck pace. While Geetu has shot many crucial portions featuring Yash, she has also canned some scenes with Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria and Huma Qureshi,” says a source.

According to reports, Nayanthara plays the leading man’s on-screen sister while Advani essays the role of his love interest.

The lavishness of the production isn’t limited to the primary cast. An insider reveals that Toxic is being shot with a 1000-member crew.

Another source says, “Geetu has roped in 450 actors, who are shooting intermittently in this schedule. About 300 foreign support actors have been called in for a crucial sequence. A part of the shoot was being done outdoors, and due to heavy rain, filming had to be halted many times. But the cast and crew are fully committed and have been putting in multiple all-night shoots.”

Christmas is a festival our family has always celebrated ardently, along with the Parsi New Year,” says Tara Sutaria, who grew up watching her nani and nana host grand Christmas bashes – a tradition that she plans to continue with her twin sister, Pia.

Tara, who hosts intimate Christmas dinners for her loved ones leading up to the festival, enjoys cooking the meal herself.“The festive dinner is just an excuse to cook good food and have a good time with your friends and family. It’s a family tradition to make Christmas pudding every year. During this season, everybody takes a break, so we come together to eat, drink and just make merry,” she says.

Talking about her favourite memories of the festival, Tara shares, “When I was a kid, our neighbour’s son would come dressed as Santa Claus, and we believed that Santa was real. There would be so many gifts under the Christmas tree during the dinner party. There would be a gift for every guest. I have fond memories of my nana and nani hugging each other by the Christmas tree. There’s a 30-year age gap between them, and my idea of romance comes from that (smiles). Also, I enjoy celebrating Christmas in London. In December, everyone in England is celebrating the holidays. We have family there and we love celebrating the festival with them.”

With a few days left to usher 2024, the Heropanti 2 actress looks back at the year that was. She says, “2023 has been a year of many unexpected things for me. Personally, there has been a lot of introspection and a lot of downs, but some incredible ups, too. Professionally, Apurva released online and it was the best thing that happened to me.”

The survival thriller saw Tara play an intense role. She adds, “I am touched with the kind of response I received from everyone. I hope 2024 has only good and positive things, both personally and professionally, in store for me.”

Tara, who’s known for her singing skills, shares, “I remember as a kid, I would go to this street very close to my home where they have a festival called Carols. It is a very sweet way of encouraging and celebrating talent from Bandra. It’s where people from the locality come and sing carols. That apart, it is a family tradition at home during Christmas dinners where my parents ask me to sing carols, so it is either Silent Night or O Holy Night.”

It would be Arjun Kapoor because he loves food as much as I do! And we cook so much for Christmas that I am sure he will enjoy the feast.

My sister (Pia) doesn’t live here as much anymore. She lives in London. She’s here for the festive celebrations, so I will bake one for her.

It would be Tiger Shroff because we have similar tastes in music and so many other things, too. I will be able to find him a good gift because I know his taste, likes and dislikes. I will gift him a record of George Michael’s Christmas songs.

It has to be Home Alone. It’s a tradition to watch the film every year on the occasion.

In the past four years, Tara Sutaria admits she has been looking for stories that align with her ideas. Apurva could well be the first film to tick that box. Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s 24-hour survival drama sees Sutaria as the titular character, who fights assailants after they abduct her from a bus. To her, it’s the story of “a Durga inside every woman.”

“Women possess an innate strength that comes out in the face of adversity. No woman should have to go through this, but as an actor, this role is a privilege,” begins the actor.

After forgettable films in Marjaavaan (2019) and Ek Villain Returns (2022), Sutaria is excited to headline a project. She knows how rare the opportunity is in Bollywood that churns out testosterone-driven films.

“There are so many hero-centric films but women-oriented films are rare. I’m glad the film chose me. I’ve learnt the hard way that if your film doesn’t work, people won’t accept you. I don’t have a Godfather, and in this industry, some guidance always helps. That said, every time I took advice, it backfired. So, I’m left to go with my gut feeling.”

It is this gut feeling that made her say an instant yes to Apurva, also starring Abhishek Banerjee and Dhairya Karwa. The reason was simple—the survival thriller spoke about woman power, an idea that Sutaria stands by, but saw being challenged often in showbiz.

“I grew up in a house that didn’t have gender-specific roles. When I came to this industry, I saw inequality and injustice of gargantuan levels. It has been difficult for me to put my point across in male-heavy rooms. I have been cut short, short of being shut down.”

Apurva will be her game-changer, she tells us. But shooting for the Disney+ Hotstar film in Rajasthan was gruelling. “I was barefoot throughout the shoot in Jaisalmer. I was jumping off trains, walking on hot sand, doing all my stunts without body doubles. I lived on intermittent napping because we were shooting day and night. At one point, I didn’t shower for 10 days. I didn’t brush my hair. I didn’t wash my face. My eyes had mud in them. Headlining a film is a responsibility and I wanted to do my best.”

This picture is special because it was one of the first few shoots that I did post the lockdown. Mr Amitabh Bachchan himself had just recovered from COVID-19. Amidst all of this, we did a shoot. After the shoot, I requested him to pose for my #PostPackUpShot. He obliged with this million-dollar expression. But just before I posted the image, he called me, and said he was wondering whether it was appropriate to post such a happy photo when there was so much sadness and gloom everywhere. I disagreed. I said a photo like this, and that too, of him, will only bring joy and hope to everyone that things are getting better. He took a pause, and in his inimitable way said, ‘Ok then, I leave it to you’.

This image of Sanju was shot on my first ever assignment in 1993, which was for the film, Aatish: Feel The Fire (1994). I was an assistant, and I had a fanboy moment when I met Sanju here for the first time. The picture is special as it also marked my entry into the film industry. We shot this on a fishing trip in Mauritius, for which Sanju woke us up at 5 am. I had a brand-new camera with me, and I was really scared to take it along, but Sanju ensured I got my camera along and said, ‘You will get the best shots of your life’. It turned out to be a launch pad for me once the hoardings of Aatish came up and this picture was published in magazines.

This shoot was beyond my wildest dreams. While clicking the pictures, my hands were trembling at the beginning. Messi was just a nonchalant guy – no airs, no tantrums, just professional. I have never used a tripod for a shoot, but for this one, I had to use it. He doesn’t speak English, so there was a translator, Jordi, who was helping us communicate. I happened to tell him that I am a massive Messi and Barcelona fan, and he insisted that I get a picture with Messi, but I was too shy to ask. After the shoot wrapped up, I went up to Messi and shook his hand and he walked away. Like a completely filmy moment, he came back and hugged me. That was my moment. After the shoot, I sat on the lawn and wept as I was overwhelmed.

Tara and I shot this picture in a studio, unplanned. It was a rainy day, and the sun came out briefly, so I told her let’s shoot some interesting images. The sun came out for literally five minutes, and we manipulated the shadows by using a couple of branches and leaves to create that sort of outdoor texture. We shot this in about two minutes, yet it turned out to be the best image clicked that day.

Katrina Kaif’s sister Isabella and Kriti Sanon’s sister Nupur have followed in their sisters’ footsteps and made their debut in showbiz. Tara Sutaria is really close to her twin sister Pia and often shares pictures of them together.

Ask the Marjaavaan actress if she is keen to see Pia pursue a career in Bollywood, too, and she is quick to reply, “Oh, God...no! I would never want to push Pia to get into movies here, ever! She is actually the much cooler twin. She is so much more accomplished than I am and has a blossoming career in London.”

Pia, who shuttles between Mumbai and London, is a professional ballet dancer and has performed around the world. Tara shares, “Pia lives in London and keeps coming here for dance, acting and music-related work. She is a singer as well. She has got so many amazing opportunities in India. However, she stayed away, because inherently her personality has always been drawn to theatre and stage.”

The twins share a common love for theatre. “While growing up, we both loved theatre. She likes to watch things live. Pia is focusing on doing more international work because that resonates with her. It’s a luxury to get even two minutes of her time,” says the proud sister, who will soon be seen in the film Apurva.

Actor Janhvi Kapoor is unbothered when it comes to competition. While ‘female actors can never be friends’ is a notion that gets thrown around quite frequently, she claims it doesn’t hold true for her.

She has only nice things to say about other women in the industry: “My contemporaries — Ananya (Panday), Sara (Ali Khan), Radhika (Madan), Tara (Sutaria) and all — are such wonderful actors. They are confident in the way they carry themselves. My aim in life is to constantly learn (from her peers and co-stars) and hopefully evolve.”

How would she describe the equation she shares with the female actors? Kapoor says it’s one of mutual respect and a lot of ease. “At this point, we are just over the stupid ‘who wore it better’ collages (on social media), or who’s doing what, and who did what better. Of course, there’s an element of insecurity in all of us as human beings, but I think we are confident about our individual personalities. There’s a lot of respect and adoration for each other,” shares the actor, last seen in Good Luck Jerry.

The 25-year-old, whose next project is set to be Mr And Mrs Mahi, goes on to add that only one’s contemporaries are able to relate to what one is going through as a part of showbiz.

Kapoor elaborates, “We are genuinely fond of each other. They are such fun girls, what they are doing is so cool! It’s not easy — whether one comes from a place of privilege or not — to wake up every day and put yourself out there and entertain people. I think they do it with a lot of ease. No one will understand your situation better than your peers.”

Tara Sutaria is a romantic at heart and believes that love finds its way, however tough the road ahead might be. The Marjaavaan actress, who is reportedly dating Aadar Jain, while talking on the subject of love, said, “I’ve always loved everything about love. I would often wonder where life and love would take me, and I’m happy to be where I am currently. I feel blessed. I’m a Scorpio, we are known for being passionate and loving intensely. I think the world we live in can be a tough place to do most things, but it hasn’t changed how I feel about love. Call me utopian but I’ve always believed that love is the answer.”

The actress who has been seen on the big screen in some intense romantic dramas, shares that her favourite book is also an all-time favourite of many romantics. “My favourite book has always been Love Story by Erich Segal,” she shared.

The actress’ belief in love was shaped by the people close to her. She said, “My perception of love was shaped by real women and men around me. My nani and nana had a 30-year age gap between them, but that wasn’t a problem in the slightest. They’ve had the most glorious love all their lives and I’m yet to see a pair as smitten and crazy about each other.”

Bollywood actors have often used their star power to raise awareness about environmental conservation. While World Environment Day (June 5) was marked by virtual campaigns over the past two years due to the pandemic, many stars are coming together to celebrate the day with three live events in Mumbai this year.

What’s more, environmentalist Asif Bhamla has put together a music video — featuring Shilpa Shetty, Tara Sutaria, and Kapil Sharma, among others — to promote the United Nations’ global campaign, Only One Earth.

The score has been composed by Shaan and Shankar Mahadevan, while the video has been choreographed by Ahmed Khan. “It has been sung by Kapil, B Praak, Adnan Sami, and others. We will release the music video in the first week of June. Only One Earth was a theme started, 50 years ago, by the United Nations,” says Bhamla.

He is excited about the events that his foundation has lined up for June 5. “We will host two events in the evening — one for the public at Carter Road and a select do with live performances at a five-star Bandra hotel. There will be a cyclothon in the morning from Carter Road to Bandstand.”

Sutaria, who along with Sachin Tendulkar, is the face of the campaign, says it is time to take steps against climate change. “For the past 50 years, we have been talking about [conservation], and yet little has been done. Our time is running out. We have to save our planet’s resources by using them responsibly. We have to live in harmony with nature.”

As is the norm with Bollywood’s action fares, Heropanti 2 is centred on leading man Tiger Shroff and his stunts. However, Tara Sutaria, who plays Shroff’s love interest in the movie, insists her character Inaaya isn’t “the typical bubbly girl” that one sees in such offerings.

She elaborates, “This is Ahmed’s [Khan, director] first film where the girl has more [dialogues] than Tiger. Inaaya has an opinion on everything, speaks fast and is quite loud. Sometimes, she might be irritating, but we have tried to make her endearing. Towards the end of the film, you will understand why Inaaya is like that.”

Only three films old in the industry, Sutaria says she enjoys masala potboilers like Heropanti 2. “This is a massy film. You don’t need months of prep for such movies. I enjoy doing such fun films. Inaaya is different from the real me; the only similarity is that we both are strong women.”

Her latest release reunites her with her first co-star after Student Of The Year 2 (2019). “Tiger hasn’t changed as a person at all. I consider my co-actors my friends, whether we are approaching a scene together or when doing promotions.”

With Ahan Shetty’s Tadap behind her, Tara Sutaria has trained attention to Ekta Kapoor’s Ek Villain Returns. An avid fan of music, Sutaria has gone behind the mic to lend her voice to a song track that features her. The progression, she suggests, is a natural one.

“I always thought that I would act for a year or two, and then enter the space that I love the most—singing. The idea is to balance it out. I have never performed to Hindi music before because I have been a western and pop singer. I can’t wait for everyone to hear the songs that I have recorded,” says the actor.

She will be seen opposite Arjun Kapoor in the multi-starrer film, which also features John Abraham and Disha Patani. That she had a director as musically inclined as Mohit Suri at the helm worked in her favour. “It was easy to understand his vision for my character. We gelled well. It was great to create music with him,” she says of the film, a sequel to Suri’s 2014 movie, Ek Villain.

Launching a star kid can be a big responsibility. Director Milan Luthria, however, is not feeling any pressure as he is days away from introducing Ahan Shetty to the audience with Tadap. He says the assurance comes from his faith in the youngster’s potential. With his brooding presence and bulky physique, the star kid instantly reminds one of his actor-father Suniel Shetty. The nature of the business is such that comparisons will be inevitable.

“With due respect, both of us had to leave Suniel behind [when we started working on the film],” states the director. “Ahan, as an actor, is different from his father. He has a mind of his own and performs instinctively. My only brief to him was, ‘Be yourself because there is only one Ahan Shetty in the world. Don’t try to be somebody else.’”

The popular notion that star kids get their Bollywood break relatively easily may not be entirely wrong. But Luthria asserts that he screened the junior Shetty before roping him in. “I liked Ahan, but I tested him. I gauged his potential before I agreed to do the film. I tested Tara [Sutaria] as well. So, I knew I had two good actors on board. I was looking for things that challenge me, and [helming a film with] two new actors is challenging.”

A remake of the Telugu film RX 100 (2018), Tadap is an intense love story of two star-crossed lovers Ishana and Ramisa. The filmmaker often gravitates towards tragic love stories for their poignant take on romance. “In Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai [2010], Ajay [Devgn’s character] dies in the end. Ditto for Vidya Balan’s character in The Dirty Picture [2011]. Tragedies leave you with a strong emotion. Films like Sadak [1991], Hero [1983] and Ek Duuje Ke Liye [1981] are great examples of action romantic entertainers. I wanted to go down that path rather than attempt a typical college love story. To me, Tadap is more a shocker than anything else.”