Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 13, 2020)

Hrithik Roshan has cancelled an upcoming engagement in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. The 46-year-old actor was to interact with American fans in Chicago, New Jersey, Dallas, San Jose, Washington DC and Atlanta in the course of a nine-day tour, starting April 10. “Hrithik and the organisers will figure out new dates once the global health scenario is stable. The tour stands postponed as of now,” revealed a source close to the development.

Meanwhile, Salman Khan’s annual concert tour to the US and Canada, organised by actor-filmmaker brother Sohail, has also been put on hold. The 54-year-old actor was to perform in Atlanta, New Jersey, Detroit, Boston, Toronto, Dallas, Houston, San Jose and Seattle from April 3 to April 12. His team confirmed the news to Mirror, saying, “It is not advisable to travel right now. We will announce fresh dates once the scare subsides.”

Lata Mangeshkar during a live performance in Mumbai (1977)

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 28, 2019)

Nitin Mukesh, son of the late singer Mukesh (right), has known Lata Mangeshkar, who turns 90 today, since before he was born. The Melody Queen was clicked with the Mathur family during a concert in Delhi when he was still in his mother’s womb, forging a bond, which he believes is pre-destined. When he was born, Lata ji’s mother presented him with a gold chain and by the time he was around five, little Nitin was trailing behind his papa to song recordings. It was a year or two later that he realised the legend his father was, as also this enchanting goddess who was always warm and affectionate towards him. And once he did, he was in love with her, for life.

“It’s the purest emotion I can feel,” Nitin ji rhapsodises, pointing out that he has a playlist of Lata ji’s songs, around 400 of them, which he listens to every day, from “Kuchh Dil Ne Kaha” (Anupama) and “Kai Din Se Jee Hai Bekal” (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki) to “Kya Janu Sajan” (Baharon Ke Sapne) and all the Raj Kapoor film songs, among others. “There are times when my beloved father’s songs make me depressed because I lost him too soon, but Didi’s songs always elevate my spirit.”

He flashbacks to August 24, 1976, when he made his stage debut with Lata ji at the age of 25. He had accompanied his father on a concert tour. They were in Toronto and Mukesh ji had a slight cold. A concerned Lata ji suggested that since he wasn’t feeling too well, she could sing a couple of duets with Nitin. When the boy was told this, he was aghast. “Papa, will I be able to do it?” he wailed. In her gentle way, Lata ji assured young Nitin that he would do great, and introduced him on stage. His first song as a performer was “Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein” which ironically turned out to be his papa’s last one.

It was encore in Montreal and Nitin ji remembers Mukesh ji crying like a baby in the wings as he watched him sing with Lata ji. Then, leaving him to enjoy the adulation alone, he rushed back to the hotel to call his wife, telling her proudly that their son “papa ki chutti kar di”.

Before this Mukesh ji would keep seeking assurance from Lata ji, “Nitin, apni dal roti kama lega na?” After seeing him perform with her he was convinced the boy would do well. “Meri pension pakki,” he exulted.

Three days after his son’s glorious debut, Mukesh ji succumbed to a sudden heart attack on August 27, and the Detroit and Philadelphia shows had to be cancelled. “But in December, Lata ji graciously returned to the two cities with me, pointing out that papa had never hurt anyone during his lifetime, so it was our responsibility to honour his commitment and ensure the promoters of these shows did not suffer. ‘Tu chal unka adhura sapna pura karne,’ she urged, leading me by the hand again and introducing me to the world as her Mukesh bhaiyya’s son. My father gave me his name, but without Didi, I might have got lost in the mists of anonymity and not been able to take his legacy forward. She gave me a career,” Nitin ji says, his voice cracking with emotion.

Today, he proudly claims that among male playback singers, except for her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar, he’s done the maximum stage shows with Lata ji. They have travelled across the world, from the UK, US, Canada and Europe to Africa, UAE, Russia, West Indies and even Swaziland in South Africa till she took the curtain call. In her heydays, she went on at least three-four foreign tours every year, and everywhere they went, she got a rousing reception.

Nitin ji recalls a visit to Georgetown when they drove from the airport to the hotel in an open car for around 60 kms at a snail’s pace, with screaming fans lining both sides of the road. “It was as if all of Guyana had descended for a glimpse of this petite, unassuming lady who stood all the way, smiling and shyly waving out to the fans. I was told later that not even heads of state, including the Queen of England, had ever drawn such euphoric crowds,” recounts Nitin ji, sharing that no matter what time a concert ended, Lata ji was the first to be ready for sightseeing next morning. Her devotion to music still leaves him awed as he recalls how the songstress never stepped on stage wearing footwear. Also, on the morning of every concert, she’d insist on an hour or two of rehearsals, going over the 30-odd songs in the set. “If show time was 7 pm, she was in the hotel lobby a minute before 6 pm, and two minutes before the curtains went up, she was at the mic. Didi is so disciplined, you can set your watch by her,” he asserts.

At recordings, she was always the last one to arrive at the studio. She’d write down the lyrics, go over the tune with the composer once and was ready to sing live. “She’s Goddess Saraswati, while singers like me, even after four weeks of practise, would stumble. Once, a worried music director asked her if she’d like to sing her portion and leave, but Didi waved him off saying she was in no hurry, we’d do the song together. She’s always had a soft spot for me because I’m her Mukesh bhaiyya’s son,” smiles Nitin ji, whose gems with Lata ji include Satyam Shivam Sundaram’s “Woh Aurat Hai Tu Mehbooba”, “Zindagi Ki Naa Toote Ladi” from Kranti , Noorie’s “Aaja Re O Mere Dilbar” and Trishul’s “Gapoochi Gapoochi Gam Gam” (right) to name a few.

They stay in touch through Whatsapp texts, Lata ji responding to his emotional, “Missing you Didi,” with “God bless you, I love you too” and every now and then, sending him a rare song of hers in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia or Bengali. “For me music begins and ends with Lata Didi, she is the greatest there ever will be,” Nitin ji signs off.


Producer Gulshan Rai, director Yash Chopra, Lata Mangeshkar, Nitin Mukesh and composer Khayyam during a Trishul recording in 1978

Kriti and Nupur Sanon’s vacation in the US and Canada was replete with shopping and club-hopping
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2019)

On Tuesday, Kriti Sanon posted a picture with her sister, Nupur, exclaiming, “Our first just-us kind trip together!!.. #SistaTrip #girlsjustwannahavefun (sic).” The Sanon siblings were on a week-long trip to the US and Canada and it was an impromptu plan.

“We had been planning a trip to Canada to meet our aunt and cousins for a while, but it never materialised. Kriti had to attend a fashion week in New York recently, and that’s when we decided to club it with the Canada plan. Luckily, my visa for US and Canada was in place, so we saved time and air-dashed,” Nupur smiles, adding that this was their first trip together.

“After Kriti was done with work commitments, we stayed in New York for three days and shopped a lot. Kriti has been there before but it was my first time and seeing the Statue Of Liberty during a chopper ride was magnificent. We also went to Times Square and explored the clubbing scene,” Nupur informs.

In Canada, the sisters visited the Niagara Falls. “It was beautiful. The weather was so good, with a bit of a light drizzle. Kriti was mobbed from time to time and we were trying to save her by covering her face with sunglasses,” Nupur chuckles, adding that she was like a curious kid during the trip. “I asked a lot of questions as I was excited about everything I encountered. Kriti also opened up about how excited she used to be while travelling in the early days of her career,” she adds.

Sanon Jr, who is gearing up for her own Bollywood debut, reveals that they also hit Downtown Toronto for another spot of shopping. Ask her if she has a favourite way to plan a trip and Nupur says, “I like trips that don’t have an itinerary. I believe trips should be smooth and easy-going. Do what you want to do in that moment.”

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 23, 2019)

Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh stormed into Bollywood with a crackling, livewire of a performance in Udta Punjab. The actor followed his Bollywood debut up with the Anushka Sharma-starrer Phillauri, along with a bunch of other films including Soorma, a biopic on hockey player Sandeep Singh, for which he won immense appreciation. The actor who is reserved, yet someone who can surprise you with his funny one-liners, has showcased a variety of shades on screen with his measured performances. Coming up next, he will be seen in director Rohit Jugraj’s spoof comedy Arjun Patiala, along with Kriti Sanon. Talking about exploring the spoof comedy space in Hindi films, the actor-singer says, “I don’t understand things like what genre the film belongs to within the comedy space. The producers narrated the script and told me it was funny. Bas bande achhe lage toh kar lee, koi tension nahi hai. My choice of script is governed by two factors — either I’ve to like the people associated with the project or the storyline should be interesting. I focus more on the vibe and the type of energy I get from them.”

The actor is also known for his soulful voice, which has moved his fans as much, or more than his acting chops. The song from Ikk Kudi (Udta Punjab) went on to become a rage. He also sang numbers like Dum Dum (Phillauri) and Proper Patola (Namaste England), and now, he has also rendered a song titled Dil Todeya for Arjun Patiala. The song, which releases today, has been composed by Guru Randhawa and Sachin-Jigar.

Going by his track record in Bollywood, the actor has had his share of ups and downs. Understandably, it affects him when his films tank at the box office, but Diljit believes in moving on. In fact, he opines that every failure makes him wiser when it comes to choosing films and every success has him working twice as hard. Talking about failures, Welcome To New York was one of his films that didn’t do well at the box office. He explains, “Woh bohot buri film thi. Woh film hi nahi thi. Having said that, I don’t regret it. There are times when a film turns out differently from how it was narrated. But I don’t look at it as a bad thing. Agar aap ek journey par nikle ho toh aise hi seekhoge. I don’t have a godfather, na hi kisi ne bana ke diya hai hamein kuchh. Kuchh galtiyaan bhi karenge aur kuchh sahi bhi hoga, lekin ek achhi journey rahegi.”

He adds, “There is no doubt that I feel bad when a film flops, but I can’t sit back and not take up new work owing to that. Kaam toh karna hi hai. I think every artiste feels bad about such things because they put in so much hard work into every film. I think a director is hugely responsible for the fate of a film, so if it does well, he should be appreciated. As an actor, I can only perform well or choose to work with a good director in a good film.”

While that’s how Diljit deals with failures, he is equally conscious about not letting success go to his head. In real life, he continues to be the person he was before he became a star. When he gets time off work, he hangs out with his childhood friends and often watches his own films from the past. “I don’t want to change, as I believe ki main jitna raw rahoon utna achha hai. If I feel I’m becoming superficial, I watch my old videos and films and think it will be better if I remain the way I was back then. Kam se kam main toh khush tha, baaki kisi ka mujhe pata nahi. Puraane doston se mil leta hoon jo gaali waali bhi de dete hain. Tab lagta hai sab theek hai. I don’t wish to complicate life. I have seen a lot of people riding high on success, which is temporary. Ye bade kamaal ki cheez hoti hai ki jis bande ko success ka nasha chadhta hai, usko pata bhi nahi chalta ki kya hua hai, aur woh sochta rehta hai ki saamne wala meri baat samajh hi nahi raha hai. Harr dinn realise hote rehna chhaiye ki main kahaan galat hoon,” he says.

A singer at heart, Diljit says he is always more worried about the fate of his live shows rather than the performance of his movies at the box office. He shares, “Till date, I get all worked up about my music tours and keep thinking whether the arena will be full. A day after the release of my Punjabi film, which was a massive hit, I had a show in Toronto. But more than the film’s fate, I was worried about my show, praying that it would go well. Aaj bhi live shows mein perform karne mein mujhe darr lagta hai because anything can happen. I think that no number of rehearsals can guarantee the outcome of a live show.”

While he is a force to reckon with in the Punjabi film industry as a singer and as an actor, Diljit says he is still trying to consolidate his position in Bollywood. So, is there an image he wants to create in the Hindi film industry? “I don’t think too much about it. Main toh jahaan kaam milta hai wahaan pohoch jaata hoon. I am not image conscious. Everyone has an image of himself and they want people to perceive them according to that image. You shouldn’t take yourself so seriously. In my eyes, I have no image and so, I can mould myself in any manner,” he avers.

Though he talks freely about his professional life, Diljit is known to be fiercely guarded about his personal life. But then, every star’s life is subjected to media scrutiny and he is no exception. It was reported a few years ago that his marriage was in trouble. The actor, who is reportedly married to Sandeep Kaur and has a son, has always dodged questions pertaining to his personal life. Ask him about the speculations around his marriage hitting a rocky patch and if he feels the need to clear the air by addressing the matter, he replies, “Kuchh hua hi nahi. Yeh baat hi kyu karte hain log? Kisi ko kya matlab hai? I don’t think that people need to know about it. I am at peace. I don’t peep into people’s homes and I would not want them to look into mine. My personal life is separate from my professional life; something I have been clear about since day one. I love my family a lot. Kyunki azaadi hai bolne ki sabko, gaaliyaan bhi dete hain log internet par. Public domain par hai toh koi bhi kisi ko kuchh bhi bol sakta hai. I am happy and content that my family is safe. Main jisko pyaar karta hoon uske baare mein bura nahi sunn sakta. I am fine with my life being subjected to speculation, since I know that I am a part of the film industry, where I will be both praised and dissed. I have faced a lot of criticism in Punjab and once, there was even a protest outside my house, over one of my songs. There are some people in this business who want to stop others from growing. Kuchh log hote hain jo already uss business mein hain, aur woh sochte hain ki kyu ye banda grow kar raha hai, aur kaise rokk sakte hain iske shows. Pehle woh dekhte hain ki yeh kya kar paayega, phir jab woh banda achha karne laga hai toh usko kheechne ki naubat aati hai. They eventually realise ki ye nahi rukega toh chhod do usko, aur phir koi naya banda dhoondhte hain. Mera woh ‘chhod do ye nahi rukega’ wala phase chal raha hai.”

Hiren Kotwani (DNA; April 15, 2019)

A few years ago, concerts with Bollywood biggies shimmying meant big bucks for everybody. But that hasn’t been the case in the recent past. The footfalls and revenue generated by starry shows abroad have paled. More often than not, organisers have either lost money or barely managed to recover their investments.

TWO CANADA SHOWS ON THE CARDS FOR DILJIT
Diljit Dosanjh (Punjabi superstar and Bollywood hero of Udta Punjab and Soorma fame), who has a huge fan following in Canada, is expected to do two shows there in June. If things go as scheduled, he will be in Toronto on June 22 and in Vancouver on June 29.

WAIT, THERE IS A TWIST
However, one hears another show organiser had reportedly developed cold feet. A source tells us, “The logistics for a concert with Diljit were proving hard to justify. So, one of the key organisers had opted out. Considering his asking fee and the requirements for his performances, it didn’t seem viable. The organiser allegedly felt he may risk losing Rs 2 crore after deducting the costs and the star’s fee.” Apparently, another show planned with Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Katrina Kaif and Disha Patani is said to be more feasible.

ONE NIGGLING DOUBT
When asked about Diljit’s two gigs, our source said, “He has considerable influence with the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora in Canada. So, he has managed to get others to invest for his shows; each concert is said to cost about Rs 4 crore.”  Our source adds, “Diljit and his organisers are confident of generating profit. Yet, there is also an element of doubt brewing because of another event.”

DEAL-BREAKER COULD BE ANOTHER SHOW
“Another big event company is planning an extravaganza with Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Katrina Kaif and Disha Patani in June-July in Canada,” says our informer, adding, “And in spite of a hi-tech entry for the four actors and some high-octane stunts by Hrithik and Tiger, it is expected to cost about Rs 7 crore to the organisers. Moreover, the audience for this kind of a programme isn’t limited to just Sikhs and Punjabis, but to many more Bollywood lovers settled overseas. That’s what makes this more viable than Diljit’s shows.”

DILJIT’S SHOW IS NOT YET CANNED
When probed further about the Punjabi actor’s shows, our source said, “Word gets around fast and the organisers are aware that another multi-star programme is being planned. They also know the cost factor. So, it remains to be seen whether they will salvage their solo-Diljit events with a down-sized budget or whether they will can it altogether because the other extravaganza with Hrithik, Tiger, Katrina and Disha is bound to attract more audiences.”

For her first Valentine's Day celebration after marriage, Priyanka Chopra to host bash in 10 cities around globe; party kicks off in Auckland, ends in LA
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 14, 2019)

It's her first Valentine's Day after her fairytale wedding to Nick Jonas last December, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas wants the world to join her in the celebration of love.

Turns out, the actor - in association with Bumble, the social networking-cum-dating app that she backs - has planned an elaborate 24-hour Valentine's Day party that will travel across several countries. Termed the Domino Effect Valentine's Party, it offers users across the globe a chance to party with Chopra.

A source close to the actor informs, "Since it is her first Valentine's Day after marriage, Priyanka wanted it to be special. The actor's team came up with the idea of her hosting a party that begins in one part of the world and ends in another. While the first bash will kick off in Auckland, it will then move to Sydney followed by Manila and Mumbai. The other cities on the itinerary include London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Toronto, with the final destination being Los Angeles. While Priyanka will join the guests at the other parties through live streaming, she is expected to attend the Los Angeles soiree with Nick by her side."

Besides supervising the preparations for the Los Angeles leg, Chopra has also taken a keen interest in the Mumbai do. "The bash will be held at a Worli hotspot and the guest list includes Dino Morea, Manushi Chhillar, Shibani Dandekar and Milind Soman, among others."

The Mumbai bash will be hosted by real-life couple Karan Kundra and Anusha Dandekar. Dandekar says she agreed to be part of the do as the networking site empowers women by giving them the power of choice. "I have believed in pushing women to the forefront to be able to make their own choices. Since the party represents that, it was an immediate yes from my end."

After actor referred to the late Kader Khan as ‘father figure’, son Sarfaraz accuses him —among other industry folk —of indifference
MID-DAY (January 4, 2019)

He expresses no overt resentment, but the late writer-actor Kader Khan’s son Sarfaraz’s bitterness spills through when he talks of the way his illustrious father was neglected by the film industry after he migrated to Canada to live with his three sons.

Sarfaraz said, “It is the way the Indian film industry has become now. There are too many fragmented camps and loyalties. The out-of-sight-out-of-mind mentality can’t be helped. My father always told us, not to expect anything from anybody, and we grew up with the belief that one must do what is required in life and expect nothing in return.”

However, the hurt is palpable, specially since not too many from the film industry have bothered to call his sons in Canada even after Khan’s death. “There are so many people in the film industry whom my father was close to. But the one person that he loved the most was Bachchan saab [Amitabh Bachchan]. I’d ask my father whom he missed the most from the film industry and the answer promptly would be Bachchan saab. And I know the love was mutual. I want Bachchan saab to know that my father spoke about him till the end,” said the doting son emotionally.

Shakti Kapoor, David Dhawan and Govinda were others who worked very closely with Khan during the ’ 80s and ’ 90s. Govinda has gone on record to say Khan was like a ‘father figure’ to him. Sarfaraz laughed mirthlessly, and said, “Please ask Govinda how many times he inquired about his father figure’s health. Has he bothered to call us even once after my father’s passing away? This is the way our film industry has become. There are no real feelings for those, who have contributed to Indian cinema when they’re no longer active. The top guns may be seen getting clicked with these retired veterans. But the affection goes only as far as photographs. No more. Look at the condition in which Lalita Pawar ji and Mohan Choti ji died. Luckily, my father had three sons to look after him. What about those who die with no financial and emotional support?”

Khan’s fans would be happy to know that he passed away surrounded by those he loved the most. “There was a smile on my father’s face when he passed away. I cherish that smile more than anything else in the world. My father’s final years were very painful for him. He suffered from a degenerative disease that left him completely without the will to do anything. He got the best possible medical care here in Toronto.”

Khan’s three sons live close to one another in Toronto. Sarfaraz says the family intends to carry his legacy forward. “My father has contributed so much to Hindi cinema. We intend to honour his memory in a substantial and relevant way. At the moment we’re all mourning his going. But I can assure his fans all over the world that we won’t let the film industry forget him.”

DNA (January 1, 2019)

Hours before 2018 ended, Bollywood lost another powerhouse of talent. Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away in Canada on Monday (December 31) at 6 pm (Canada time) after a prolonged illness. The 81-year-old Khan was hospitalised on Friday (December 28) after he complained of breathlessness.

Earlier on Monday afternoon, Khan slipped into a coma. His son Sarfraz has been quoted as saying, “He was in the hospital for 16-17 weeks. The last rites will be performed here in Canada only. We have our entire family here and we live here, so we are doing it here.”

When he was hospitalised on Friday for breathlessness, Khan was put on a BiPAP ventilator. He was apparently unable to talk and showed signs of pneumonia. He suffered from progressive supra-nuclear palsy (PSP), an uncommon brain disorder that causes serious problems with walking, balance and eye movements. In 2017, he had also undergone surgeries for his knees.

Born in Kabul (Afghanistan) on October 22, 1937, Khan moved with his family to Mumbai where he enrolled in a municipal school and later went to Ismail Yusuf College, after which he obtained a Master’s Diploma in Engineering from the Institute of Engineers (India), with a specialisation in Civil Engineering. He taught Engineering at MH Saboo Siddik College from 1970 to 1975. And it was while performing in an annual day play that he was noticed by Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar, who signed him for his next film.

Khan, who also used to write plays for theatre, was offered to script Ramesh Behl’s Jawani Diwani (1972), starring Randhir Kapoor and Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan). He began his acting career playing a prosecution lawyer in Yash Chopra’s Daag (1973) starring Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee and followed it up with Sagina (1974), starring Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu. There was no looking back, as he went on to act in over 300 films and write dialogues for over 250 titles. Essaying a wide variety of roles, he acted with almost all actors, from Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra to Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Govinda, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi. Actors, directors and technicians, whether he worked with them or not, mourned his loss on social media.

She may have disappointed her father, who wished to see his classical pianist daughter receive a standing ovation at the Albert Hall, but she currently has half a million people, including A R Rahman, cheering her score for the new mob drama Sacred Games. Meet Alokananda Dasgupta, one of a handful of female music directors in Bollywood, who tells Mohua Das about going it alone in a man’s world, conjuring music from noise, and the need to bring background scores to the foreground
Mohua Das (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 21, 2018)

The apocalyptic chorus in the opening credits of Sacred Games is turning out to be as intriguing as the Laurel-Yanny audio illusion! From kahwa and waah waah to Wadala and Wai Wai, speculation is rife. Please solve this puzzle.

It’s aah waa anne yawa tyu aai — absolute gibberish. I wanted to create a chant with a religious aspect, but at the same time I did not want it to be associated with any religion or country. I wanted it to sound pagan but not witchcrafty. So, I mouthed some nonsensical words on the soundtrack and it fit. A very anti-climactic mystery, actually!

Rahman graciously welcomed you into the “scoring club” on Twitter. But why do you think background scores are still overlooked?
I’ve wondered too. Despite Ilaiyaraja, Satyajit Ray and A R Rahman having set the bar high, it’s only songs that are considered to be music. Even at award shows, it belongs in the technical category. What part of the creativity do they not see? In the West, soundtracks are available in isolation. It’s like the bassline in a rock song. You don’t need to hear it but without it, the song would fall apart. But I think that’s changing now. I’ve never received so much praise for a soundtrack.

You tend to use unconventional sounds — trap rap, water drops, clanging metal, creaks, drones, thuds — alongside classical strings, winds and keys. What guides your musical instincts?
The classical bit comes from my background in piano. Secondly, I’ve been suffering from a noise problem. It started some years ago and it ate me up to an extent that I was hearing noise all the time, be it construction, traffic and motor sounds or the elevator announcement: ‘Please close the door.’ I got my ears tested, checked for Vitamin B deficiency, went to a shrink until I couldn’t deal with it anymore and decided that instead of dreading it, I would look forward to it. I started recording noises and recreating them as musical rhythms. Some of the steel and rubble sounds in Trapped are actual noises from the construction below my floor. It was a personal trip to see if dissonance can attract people and it worked.

How do you define your creative idiom?
I can never let go of my roots in Western classical, Indian folk and attention to melody. Above that bedrock are the ups and downs I’m facing in life, new music and films, people I meet, and the indigenous instruments I discover. To me the sound of the cello is as fascinating as the instrument used for beating cotton mattresses. I think my forte lies in my strong sense of cinema. I really understand narrative and like to defamiliarise the familiar. Anything that you’ve listened to in the past, I want to morph differently.

That sense probably stems from growing up with a famous filmmaker father (Buddhadeb Dasgupta). How did you take to music?
There were many other influences at play. My mother’s grandfather was Rajanikanta Sen (Bengali renaissance poet and composer) and my sister and I were naturally into dance. I was going to take up Odishi as a career but Baba introduced us to piano. We did it as a chore because we weren’t good performers. Then Fauzia Mariker, a music teacher in Kolkata inspired me to study music, for which I went to York University in Toronto. Over time, I realised my happy zone was in the compositional part. I landed in Mumbai to work, assisted Amit Trivedi and then two Marathi films Shala and Fandry came my way. Having grown up on foreign films, a different language or culture didn’t pose a problem. Instead, it opened doors.

We’re seeing women directors, cinematographers, editors; why not more music directors?
I don’t understand why it has been so male dominated for generations although there shouldn’t be anything holding women back. There might be aspects considered easier for men, like handling long and late hours though in a city like Mumbai it isn’t really a problem. There’s also this intimidation of technology. But that’s not imperative to producing good music. I started by writing notations on paper and gradually moved to computing and programming. It can easily be learnt on the job. The craft has nothing to do with gender.

But does it get more difficult when you belong to a minority in an industry within the industry?
Oh yes, there’s definitely an inequality that you know exists but once you get into it, you can change things for yourself. I’ve never faced gender discrimination in terms of wages or work respect. I was always like Matangini Hazra (freedom fighter), expressing myself if I felt something was unfair.

Vin Diesel has the answer to what everyone wants to know
Tushar Joshi (DNA; January 16, 2017)

Vin Diesel was in India for the premiere of his revived franchise xXx: Return of Xander Cage starrring Deepika Padukone. The actor had his first brush with Indian hospitality as he was welcomed at the airport in traditional style. He even got a taste of what it feels like to attend an Indian premiere on Thursday night when he hosted some B-Town actors who came over to watch his film.

During an interaction with After Hrs, Vin spoke about his first teaser photo with Deepika that had the back of his head in it. The photo broke the internet and had everyone talking about his chemistry with DP...

When asked if he remembered the day that picture was taken he said, “I do remember that moment. I can remember that moment like it was yesterday. It was very exciting for us because we knew we had found our Serena, so it was a very important moment. We didn’t want to wait anymore. She had just flown from Toronto into Los Angeles with her mother. Deepika and I had met several years before and...we knew right then. You know it was all intended to be, because normally there is a formality. I have to go back and talk to the studio and production, make sure everything is perfect, she had to check her dates, everything had to be scurried through, of course. We didn’t wait at all. In that moment, I remember her going — 'Are you sure we should do this?'”

Deepika added that she was in shock with the sudden turn of events, “Because no one had said anything. I had just met DJ (Caruso) the morning before and then I get a call saying Vin heard you are in Toronto and you met the director and he wants to see you. Luckily, I had a visa for the US, I flew in to see him and we had this amazing four-hour chat. We were just talking about the movie which was great, but I still didn’t know why I was there or what I was doing. We were just catching up and he was telling me what he is doing next, I didn’t know. I saw some signs when I walked in and the triple-X — the first one where he was in it was playing in the background? I was like, ‘What is going on?’ Something inside me said ‘I think I’ve got this, but he didn’t say anything, no one said anything. And then we start doing this random photo shoot in the middle of the night and I was all like ‘What the hell is going on!’ The casting director is like I am tweeting it, I am putting it out, I was like ‘Okay’.”

During the press interaction there was chatter that the director of the film, DJ Caruso was playing with the idea of setting the next film in India. When asked how long would it be before we see Vin back in India, the actor said, “Well, I am here now, which, hopefully, won’t take me as long as it took me the first time. I’d love to come back and I overheard DJ saying that he can imagine the setting being in India in this franchise.”

Hollywood actor Vin Diesel came to Mumbai with Deepika Padukone and all talk revolved around love, dreams and another sequel, titled Serena’s Revenge
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2017)


Vin Diesel fits the image of a quintessential Bollywood hero perfectly. He’s over-the-top, extremely charming, enjoys quoting Indian gurus out-of-context and his conversations are interspersed with dramatic pauses. When his gorgeous co-star Deepika Padukone refers to him as “an adorable teddy bear” and his xXx: Return of Xander Cage director D J Caruso admits “he walks around with a wide smile all the time”, Vin dramatically rises from his chair, flaunts his Peshwa-styled suit-kurta which he spent all afternoon hand-picking, and asks, “Do I look regal in that beautiful, Indian-way? Do I look majestic? Do you really see the teddy bear Deepika talks about? Or do you see the grizzly bear!”

There’s more, when he has run out of words for Deepika who he has eulogised a “goddess”, “angel” and “the most beautiful woman in the world”, he says, theatrically, “She’s a thespian majesty!” DJ is the first to burst into splits, pointing out that he’s going to gift Deepika a T-shirt with those exact words embossed on it, soon.

The trio is in India for the premiere of their high-voltage action thriller, which marks Deepika’s Hollywood debut as Serena, the feisty love interest of Xander Cage. The film opens in India first, a week before its international release on January 20. They landed in Mumbai at 6am on Thursday for a two-day promotional round and were welcomed by 30 turbaned women on bullets, draped in fiery red Nauvari saris and combat boots.

“Being in the city is a dream come true and I had wanted to work with Deepika since we met many years ago and saw that the chemistry between us was something special,” Vin admitted, turning to smile at the desi girl whose hand he held for most of the day.

He went on to reveal that when they started filming xXx, Deepika had just one request—she wanted a huge Hollywood-style premiere in her home country. “The fact that we’re here means we delivered on the promise. And the love you see between the two characters played by Deepika and me is evidence of the multi-cultural global harmony that you see in our film,” asserts the action hero.

The conversation kept veering back to Madam D who was all dimples. She’d first met Vin in 2011 when they shot for a film’s audition video but the project never took off.

Cut to October 2015 when after noticing the sizzling chemistry between the two actors from the four-year-old audition tape, DJ asked Deepika to fly to Toronto overnight for lunch with him while he was on recce. The meeting was two hours long but nothing was finalised. “I was to fly out of Toronto the same night when Vin learnt that I was in Canada and asked me to immediately fly out to Los Angeles. I got on a plane and reached LA at night. That’s when he tweeted that first picture of the two of us together and everyone was asking me if I was doing xXx. I did not know if I was but since Vin had put out this picture, I thought maybe I was,” Deepika flashbacked.

Vin was quick to add that given how demanding the role was, everyone wondered if Deepika would be able to pull off all the action. “But she made us feel like she would go to any lengths to personify this daredevil of a character. We needed a counterpart to Xander and it wasn’t just her beauty and grace that we could rely on but also the commitment to the action. You can’t mess up, because bad things happen during dangerous stunts. She came in every day for four months and practiced her stunts,” he reveals.

Buzz is, there is a sequel in the pipeline which will kick off this May with Vin and Deepika. DJ jokes, “How many days of shooting are we talking about, Vin?” He shoots back, “How soon is the question. I think that what DJ is saying is that we are filming the next xXx in May, it is evident how much I like working with Deepika” and DJ adds, “It will be titled Serena’s Revenge.”

Deepika has retained her Indian accent in the film and the trio reiterates that it was a conscious decision. “What we are trying to do is deliberately not stay within the confines of Hollywood, we want to go into different film markets and invite them into a film’s franchise. Everybody’s accent was celebrated. We wanted the diversity and that’s what makes this movie special,” insists Vin who will be interacting with fans live, exploring the city and attending a bash with the who’s who of Bollywood over the next 24 hours, before flying off with Deepika for the film’s LA premiere.

He gets emotional as he recalls his close connection with India, admitting that he’s been dreaming of visiting the country since he was a child. “The first movie that my father took me to see was the Thief of Bagdad, starring Sabu (Dastagir), and from that moment as a five-year-old, I’ve always imagined that movie stars could look different than the ones we saw in Hollywood. So I have a long-standing connection with India with reference to my stardom and success. I was just waiting for the opportunity to come to India,” he states, going back to rhapsodising about “this queen”, “this blessing in my life”, his “very special Deepika”.

“India gets to claim her because this is her origin, but she is the queen of the world, so the whole world will get to claim her now – someone with such a beautiful soul…” Vin trails off, before adding, “…If you just let me kiss her…” And saying that he plants a kiss on Deepika who is all smiles. The crowd hoots and cheers on, “Once more, once more…” Fadeout…

Did we just see a movie or was it for real?

MID-DAY (November 19, 2016)

For the first time, a Punjabi film will be launched in foreign shores, something unheard of even for Bollywood projects. And that's Priyanka Chopra's brainwave — no surprises there. Jointly produced by the actress' Purple Pebble Pictures and Pooja Films, Sarvann is gearing up for a Toronto launch on Sunday, where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will unveil the film's first poster and trailer. The movie marks Priyanka's foray into the regional movie territory.

Currently busy with her commitments in the West, PeeCee remained unavailable for a comment on the development. Her co-producer Deepshikha Deshmukh tells us, "We believe cinema has no language. Our production house took Sarbjit to Cannes and we will do the same for this film. It's great to be working with fierce women like Priyanka and her mother (Dr Madhu Chopra). PeeCee is a go-getter. And even though she is relatively new to production, she knows the job inside out. Her experience in Hollywood really adds to her skills. She is sharp and bright. We ladies know exactly what we want and how to go about it."

Since Canada has a considerably high Punjabi population, Priyanka and Deepshika hope the launch event itself will create good buzz for the movie. "It will certainly give a boost to the film. The reason we chose to launch the film in Toronto is because the story is about an NRI boy, who returns to India to explore his roots. Fashioned as a thriller, it essentially is a coming-of-age story of a young boy who unknowingly discovers his identity," adds Deepshikha. The film's director Karan Guiliani as well as actors Amrinder Gill, Ranjit Bawa and Simi Chehail will also be present for the event along with PeeCee, her mother and Deepshikha.

Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; September 9, 2016)

"I can't live without music. When I started singing at the age of 21, my life revolved around music. It’s an integral part of my life. I am glad Indian films are musical, and they involve song and dance. I always wanted to be an actor who could sing,” says Ayushmann Khurrana.

While he is currently busy with Meri Pyaari Bindu, Bareily Ki Barfi and Manmarziyan, the actor-singer ensures that music never takes a backseat. He recently finished his multi-city tour in the US and Canada. “This was my first multicity US tour. I think the enthusiasm of Indians who stay away from the country is phenomenal. They are connected to the country through Hindi film music,” he says.

Ayushmann is set to release a new single next week. “This is the first time I am collaborating with my brother (Aparshakti). We composed and wrote the song together. Ayesha Sharma (Neha Sharma’s sister) is in the video and Pradeep Sarkar has directed it. We shot it in Georgia. It’s a love song in Hindi and Punjabi,” he says.

Ask the singer if he got a chance to meet any international artistes while in the US, and Ayushmann says his schedule was too jampacked. “But I’m glad I got to explore the underground music scene while in Canada. When I was in Toronto, I started jamming with a Canadian rapper on the streets at 3 am. I sang Kishore Kumar’s Humein Tumse Pyaar Kitna to his rap,” he recalls.

So is Ayushmann interested in collaborating with an international artiste? “I would love to work with an international rapper. But having said that, the more rooted you are, the more connected you are with the audience. Legends like Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia or Pandit Shivkumar Sharma are connected to their roots, and that’s why they are legends. I want to explore Indian folk sounds and incorporate them in my music,” he says.