Fundraiser plans afoot, with promise to choreograph songs that adhere to social distancing
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 15, 2020)

With no set to report to and actor to direct or choreograph, Remo D’souza has been cutting funny videos of his new, domesticated self, roping in his dog and wife Lizelle as co-actors. He has realised after 21 years of marriage that his better half is a ‘drama queen’ and that there are corners in his home he didn’t know existed. “When I first came to Mumbai, I lived alone and did all the chores. That experience has come in handy. My wife and kids love my masala chawal, dal and egg preparations,” he relays.

It will be a while before he gets back to the editing table, so, the choreographer-turned-filmmaker is happy snipping off hair. “I had just returned from Tirupati when the Coronavirus lockdown was announced, so my hair was taken care of. But Lizelle, our son Zene, the house help and even my dog needed a trim. So, I volunteered. I think I did a good job,” boasts Remo, who also dabbled in paints to commemorate his recent brush with Balaji.

Chatting with the aam aadmi on a one-hour live session every day was also inspirational. “I have three ideas—for a musical, a thriller and an action film—ready to be scripted,” he informs, adding that before the lockdown, he choreographed two songs for the Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer fantasy adventure drama, Brahmastra: “The song we shot in Varanasi is a travel song and called for the typical Bollywood dance style.” He was simultaneously working on a sports drama inspired by a real-life event.

Currently, all his efforts are focused on helping out-of-work background dancers. “Social distancing norms will be applicable even after we return to the sets, which will be a problem. I’ll try and come up with choreography that adheres to all the rules,” assures Remo who is gearing up for a show to raise money for his tribe. “We will record performances from homes, all the choreographers are coming together to support it.”

He is already in Round 2 of a cross-country online dance competition called Danz Station, which has dancers sending him tapes of their recorded performance. The winner gets a cash prize of Rs 50,000. “We have received some amazing entries so far,” he exults.

Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 14, 2019)

Bollywood couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh had a fairytale wedding last year, and while they were reluctant to admit their relationship before marriage, post it, they’ve been setting major #couplegoals. And, completing a year of togetherness, Deepika says the past year has been “fun.”

“Before marriage, we kept it traditional. We didn’t want to live in and discover each other before we tied the knot. We are both quite traditional in that way. Discovering different aspects about each other, and living with each other, has been so much fun,” gushes the 33-year-old.

Their two-day wedding celebrations in Lake Como (Italy) had two ceremonies — the first one was a traditional Konkani Brahmin style wedding on November 14, followed by Anand Karaj the next day. While their wedding was an elaborate affair, followed by multiple receptions, the couple is keeping things very low-key for their anniversary celebrations. They will visit Tirupati Balaji temple and the Padmavathi temple, Andhra Pradesh, today and then fly to Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple tomorrow.

The couple has been busy for the past one year with their respective work commitments. However, Deepika says they have always made sure to make time for each other. She says, “Yes, we’ve been extremely busy. We’ve had our hands full with our work commitments and it’ll be like this for a while. But despite that, whatever time off we get, we spend it with each other. We value that time and look forward to it.”

The pair, who had worked together in films like Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018), have collaborated after marriage, too. They star together in the upcoming sports drama ’83 in which Ranveer plays the role of cricketer Kapil Dev and Deepika, his wife, Romi Dev. So, how has it been working together post-marriage? She says,“It wasn’t any different. We’re both so obsessed with our work on the set that we don’t think about our personal relationship. We think about our characters and the nuances of the scenes. When the camera starts to roll, we are actors, not husband-wife.”

The actress is lending her voice to a TV show dedicated to pilgrim landmarks across the country
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 10, 2017)

Juhi Chawla is set to lend her voice to a travelogue on TV that will take viewers to popular religious destinations across the country. It will show rituals being performed, have devotees explain why they are drawn to these pilgrim centres and the mythology associated with the temples. The show is called Sharanam - Safar Vishwas Ka.

Confirming the news, the actress says, “Earlier this year, I was on a vacation with my family in London when my manager called to tell me about this show which is all about faith and the positive energy that brings people to these places. I was fascinated by the concept and told her I wanted to be a part of it. I felt it would be a great learning experience and I would be richer from it.” She laughs, adding, “ I’m even getting paid for it.”

Juhi reveals that there’s a Shiva temple close to her Malabar Hill residence and it’s almost like a ritual for her to go there on her children’s (Jhanvi and Arjun) birthday and other significant occasions. It’s a way of thanking God for the joys and asking for the strength to combat trouble.

“Also, whenever I’m in Kolkata, I make it a point to visit Kalighat and offer my prayers to Ma. I’m usually there during the IPL season and on tenterhooks so I visit the temple morning and evening before and after matches. I’ve also been to Vaishno Devi in Jammu, Puri’s famous Jagannath Temple and the Somnath Mandir in Saurashtra, as also Tirupati, Dwarka and Shirdi on family trips,” she reels off.

Recalling a not so pleasant experience Juhi narrates that during the shoot of a South Indian film, as a newcomer she went to Tirupati with her hairdresser and makeup man. “I stood in the paid queue for three-four hours and when my turn came, the usher rudely pushed me away. I was so angry and swore I’d never go back but I have, twice after making a name in films,” she smiles.

As a child Juhi lived in Cuffe Parade and since both her parents worked, there was no set routine to go to a temple every day or even every week. If they felt like it or when her parents had time, they would visit a mandir near Colaba market. “I had a pet dog, Penny, and once she had to undergo a surgery. The vet told us frankly that he didn’t know if she would make it through. I was heartbroken and went running to the temple but it was shut. I still stood there, prayed and sobbed my heart out. An hour later, I went back to the clinic and was told Penny was fine and could be taken home. The memory has stayed with me,” she shares.

Always honest, the actress admits that she’s not a couch potato and only watches TV occasionally, when her inlaws are around. Sometimes husband, Jay Mehta, switches it on. “If I’m at home, there’s always so much to do. But the kids enjoy watching the sports channels and Jay always tunes into the news while my in-laws watch the music shows and serials. I run away from serials because coming from a film background, I know how storylines are manipulated to please the audience. I prefer reality and talent shows,” she signs off.

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2015)