Showing posts with label Unfair And Lovely. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unfair And Lovely. Show all posts
I am capable of so much more. I haven’t done more films by my own choice-Ileana DCruz
8:33 AM
Agreeing that she has taken it slow so far, Ileana D’Cruz is raring to go as she slips into heavyweight role in The Big Bull
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 1, 2021)
In a film like The Big Bull where the protagonist transforms from an underdog we root for to a drunk-on-power billionaire, Ileana D’Cruz’s character is of prime importance — she serves as the story’s moral compass. Playing a no-nonsense journalist who exposes the country’s biggest financial scam in the Abhishek Bachchan-starrer, D’Cruz says she tried to lend authenticity to her character that is modelled on Sucheta Dalal. “Our film is inspired by true events, and we’ve made our own version of it. My character is married to her work. I put my own spin to the role without looking up for references. It was crucial to maintain a balance; where she is a strong woman, she also encounters intimidation and is taken down by powerful people. There’s a certain insanity to Hemant Shah [Bachchan’s character] that had to be evened out [through my part],” she says, describing her role as the movie’s turning point.
The Kookie Gulati-directed drama brings the actor back on screen after her 2019 release Pagalpanti. Asked if she is satisfied with the way her career has panned out, D’Cruz takes a pause before saying, “No, I am capable of so much more. I haven’t done more films by my own choice, but now, I will push ahead and do better. I won’t trade my restlessness and hunger.”
The year looks promising for the actor, who has Unfair And Lovely with Randeep Hooda lined up. As someone who has battled body dysmorphia for a long time, she acknowledges that the film about unrealistic beauty standards is close to her heart. “There were moments when I broke down while filming a scene. It amazes me that people discriminate basis colour. I feel honoured to do a film that triggers a dialogue. I didn’t put my own anxiety into the role; a film set is liberating as [it lets me] play someone else.”
There’s a misconception about Randeep Hooda being a serious person, but he is not-Ileana DCruz
8:07 AM
The actress talks about paring up with Randeep Hooda for the first time and shooting for Unfair And Lovely in Haryana amid the pandemic
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; December 5, 2020)
“Who gets hurt shooting a romantic comedy? I do (laughs!). It was the most easy and simple shot. I just had to climb up a truck, but I sliced my hand while doing so. I think everything happens for good though, as the first take itself was okayed,” Ileana says.
Unfair And Lovely directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua (who wrote the screenplay of Saand Ki Aankh) is set in Haryana and reportedly explores the subject of people’s obsession with fair skin in India. The actress, who will be sharing screen space with Randeep for the first time, says that he was a great help when it came to nailing the nuances that were required for the part. “Being from Haryana himself, he shared a lot about their culture, the way they talk and more. It was quite fascinating to learn all this from him as my character has a few Haryanvi elements in it,” she explains.
Talking about her camaraderie with her co-star, Ileana added, “With Randeep, there’s a little misconception about him being extremely serious as a person. Maybe it comes from the fact that he has done a lot of serious films. However, he is not like that. He is easy going and jokes around on set. In fact, he was far more jovial than I was during the shoot (laughs!).”
Though they were like one big family on set, and several occasions like her birthday (November 1) and Diwali came along the way during the shoot, the team was only focussed on wrapping up work. “I insisted that we don’t have a birthday party or celebrate anything in a big way. After all, we were shooting amid a pandemic. We had to stay safe and healthy. The focus was on finishing the shoot in time,” she signs off.
We were not meant to be perfectly sculpted statues-Ileana DCruz
8:14 AM
Ileana D’Cruz on learning to accept her ‘beautifully flawed’ body, taking on an 80-day fitness challenge to give herself a goal during the lockdown, and what made a recent visit to the US ‘liberating’
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 21, 2020)
In an interaction with Mirror (August 10), Ileana D’Cruz had shared that she’d been away from her parents for eight months because of the pandemic and would take the first flight out to the US to meet them once travelling is feasible again. Soon after, she followed through with the plan, and says it was “liberating”.
“In Mumbai, I had gotten so used to being at home for five months that when I reached there, I felt like I could breathe again. I went out and basked in the sun after what felt like ages,” she reminisces, adding that being with her parents after such a long time was emotionally overwhelming. “Normally, I’m a positive person, but with everything that had been happening, the moment I saw my family, I broke down. It was a huge relief spending time with them. I didn’t want to come back.”
The actress returned to the city in September, to give herself enough time to quarantine before resuming work on The Big Bull, with Abhishek Bachchan. Through October, Ileana shot for the film at intervals, before wrapping up her shoot towards the month-end. She then set off to Karnal with Randeep Hooda to kick off a romcom, Unfair And Lovely. “The story focuses on our country’s obsession with fair skin and how at times it gets prioritised over things that matter. It’s an issue we have been battling for years. We are treating it in a lighter vein, not preachy or heavy, but without taking away from the sensitivity of the subject,” she assures, excited about her fresh pairing with Randeep, who she describes as an “amazing actor” who will be seen in a “completely new avatar in the film.”
As part of her prep, she spoke to locals in Haryana to get the accent, look and behaviour right, taking some inputs from her Haryanvi co-star as well. “He was quite impressed with how quickly I acquired their personality traits,” she chuckles. The actress celebrated her birthday on November 1 on the set and was surprised with a cake. Taking everyone’s safety into consideration, she didn’t blow out the candles and chose paper plates to distribute it around. “But my focus was more on work than celebration. I wanted to finish the film ASAP and go back to my family,” she says fervently.
Keeping up with her plans, the actress flew down to the US, soon after wrapping up the schedule of the film this week.
On October 1, Ileana took to Instagram to share how she had dealt with body image issues and learnt to accept her “beautifully flawed” body. Pointing out that she has always been vocal about this issue, she confides that there are still days when she wakes up feeling great about herself and days when she hates the way she looks. “Acceptance is something that I have been working on for some time now. That post reflected my state of mind then. I had been working out a lot at the time, keeping myself healthy, physically and mentally,” she says, quick to add that we put constant pressure on ourself to look a certain way and need to pull away from that image. “If I look in the mirror and see that I am a bit lumpy, I should be okay with it as it is normal. It’s okay to have a little bump, some scars too, as they add to your character, make you who you are. One needs to be forgiving towards oneself, understand that we were not meant to be perfectly sculpted statues. We are flawed and imperfect as that is what makes us who we are.”
Ileana’s love for fitness is evident from her social media handle. Even during the lockdown, she kept her fans updated on her fitness regime. She insists her documentation is not just to inspire others but also to motivate herself to work harder and further. “During the lockdown, I took an 80-day fitness challenge and after hitting a few breaks, finally completed it this month. It really worked for me, helping me centre myself. Being at home alone for months, I needed something to push me and this challenge gave me a purpose. Now, I am searching for the next challenge,” she concludes.
Randeep Hooda heads to Karnal to shoot for Unfair And Lovely
8:02 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2020)
On Thursday, Randeep Hooda headed to Karnal in Haryana to kick off the 20-day schedule of his upcoming romcom, Unfair And Lovely. On a pit stop at Murthal, the actor connected with Mirror to inform that the ride to the North was unusual.
“You are suspicious of anything that is given to you and then close your eyes, hoping for the best,” he laughed, adding, “Since I am from the state, my first priority was to ensure that not too many get wind of my presence, and those who do, have been asked to meet me only after the shoot is over keeping everyone’s safety in mind.”
Romcom is a new genre for Randeep who’s hoping it will give a new direction to his career. He’s known the director, Balwinder Singh Janjua, for a long time and they’ve been discussing the project for a while. “It took some time to take shape and now I’m excited to run with it,” he acknowledges.
Before this, he wrapped up Salman Khan’s Radhe in early October. Ask him what lessons he’s learnt on that shoot to survive in the new normal and pat comes the reply, “Just do it, don’t talk.” He describes Prabhudheva as a “sorted director” and hopes his third collaboration with Salman, after Kick and Sultan, works as well as the other two and Radhe arrives in the theatres to give everyone, from the exhibitors to the film industry, a much-needed push.
Randeep had got tested multiple times for Coronavirus because of these shoots. Was he scared? “What’s the point of being scared, the aim of getting tested is to know and if positive, control it’s spread. Unfortunately, if someone does test positive, there will be some scheduling hassles, but we’ll deal with that when it comes,” he says, asserting that it’s time to move forward.
The actor underwent a surgery in August and insists it didn’t impact him during the Radhe shoot. “The gravitas is still there, rest we’ll find out as we go along,” he chuckles, saying he wants to do an action film now. “I haven’t fully explored the physical action genre and quite enjoy it. I hope to get to do that in a film soon.”
After completing the shoot, Randeep plans to go to the jungle which he misses. “Hopefully, I will get some amazing landscape and wildlife clicks before I move to my next project,” he says wistfully.
I did some of my best films with metal screws and plates in my leg-Randeep Hooda
8:34 AM
Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 4, 2020)
Last week, when actor Randeep Hooda was hospitalised, it worried his fans and well wishers. To everyone’s relief, he tested negative for Coronavirus but was admitted in the hospital for a leg surgery. Expressing “gratitude” to all the good wishes he received, the actor shares that he is recovering well.
“My leg is healing, there are no post operative complications. I’ll be able to move around properly in a week’s time,” he says.
Revealing more about his condition, the actor, who is an equestrian sportsman, continues, “Dr Chetan Unadkat has been taking care of me for long because I keep hurting myself. This right leg injury is 12 years old. I fell from my horse in 2008 while playing a game of polo. It had to be operated on, and plates and screws were put to fix the damage.”
The actor was supposed to get the plates and screws removed after a year, but he says he either “didn’t have the time or the money to get it done”. “These plates and screws have been the longest relationship of my life, it is sad that it has come to an end. I think the best films in my career happened when they were with me, and now, I don’t know if I will be the same actor again,” he jokes.
Ready to “get back to shoot” Hooda will start work for debut director Balwinder Singh Janjua’s Hindi project Unfair And Lovely also starring Ileana D’cruz, in October. “We had finished 60-70% of the shoot before lockdown. I’m hoping things get better and the film industry gets back on track,” he says.
I think I have changed as a person amid the pandemic-Randeep Hooda
8:09 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 19, 2020)
Randeep Hooda is someone who’s extremely passionate about his craft, but at the same time, he’s a man with varied interests, who equally enjoys life away from the limelight, in the lap of nature. He finds fulfilment in riding and nurturing his horses, cleaning beaches and wildlife photography.
Given his love for the outdoors, we asked the Highway actor how he spent the past few months, confined to his apartment in Mumbai. It turns out he was going places during the lockdown, and has his own interesting explanation for that. “During the Coronavirus pandemic, my horizons have expanded, both internally and externally,” he said. Talking about his acting projects, he said, “I’m reading many interesting scripts, and have also signed up with a Hollywood talent agency. The international project I was a part of, has opened doors for more collaborations.”
Elaborating on how the pandemic has affected us, Randeep said, “I think over the past few months, I’ve changed as a person. Maybe, everyone has changed. When we get back to work, it’ll be interesting to see what new things we bring to the table. It could also be that we’ve lost a lot from within in this time. Also, nature has proved it can thrive without humans. We need nature, not the other way around. I hope the pandemic has been an awakening for many.”
On the home front, right before the lockdown was announced, he was in Karnal (Haryana) shooting for his next Bollywood project, Unfair And Lovely, with Ileana D’Cruz. He said, “I have a backlog of two-three movies, but there is ambiguity about when the shoots will resume.”
Randeep is an animal lover and everytime he talks about his horses, his face lights up. Sharing news with us on that front, he said, “I had sent one of my mares to Bengaluru to get impregnated. She’s finally conceived and I am happy that soon, I will become a daddy to a baby horse.”
I will finish shooting film with Ileana DCruz first-Randeep Hooda
8:05 AM
Randeep Hooda prioritises his shoots as work in the industry resumes
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 2, 2020)
The atmosphere is anxious as actors contemplate going back to shoot amid the pandemic. Randeep Hooda, who had to leave the shoot of Unfair And Lovely mid-way, is keen to get back on the set, albeit with necessary precautions. "I was shooting for a comedy film in Karnal when the Coronavirus lockdown was announced. [Whenever things re-start] I will finish shooting the film with Ileana [D'cruz] first, although I am not sure when that will be," says the actor, who has been urging people to exit the lockdown responsibly in tandem with the Restart Responsibly campaign by Discovery.
Unfair and Lovely grapples with the unrelenting obsession of fair skin in our country but with a humourous take. "It was great fun shooting for this film," says Hooda who claims to "have a funny side" that he has never explored in Hindi cinema. Before Balwinder Singh Janjua's directorial film, Hooda says he wrapped up Salman Khan's Radhe, much before the shoot halted.
The Sarbjit actor says he is not afraid to go back to work, but hopes that people remain careful. "I don't feel the fear, just being cautious. I am confident that the film association, director, light men will all follow the guidelines to get back to work."
Randeep Hooda and Ileana Dcruz bag Unfair And Lovely, a film on colour bias
8:11 AM
The actor-duo collaborates for the first time with a quirky story revolving around a dusky girl in Haryana
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 16, 2020)
The actress is excited to have landed what she describes as a “very relatable character” in Lovely after her first Hindi film, Barfi!. “This role is different from all my earlier work and a challenging one. The character requires a lot of sensitivity and I’m waiting to see how it unfolds. I can assure you that the film will leave you with a smile,” Ileana insists.
Randeep is equally kicked about attempting a genre he is not usually associated with, given his intense portrayals. “I do have a lighter side to me and when I heard this story, I was instantly hooked,” he shares. The film marks the directorial debut of Balwinder Singh Janjua, the screenplay writer of Saand Ki Aankh, the biopic of the revolver daadis, Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, and Anees Bazmee’s romcom, Mubarakan, which had also featured Ileana.
Last year, Dinesh Vijan’s Bala, which revolved around the woes of a prematurely balding bachelor, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, had a parallel track which touched on this subject, with Bhumi Pednekar, his classmate and later his lawyer, out to prove to the world that her complexion did not make her any less beautiful. Carrying forward that thought, writers Anil Rodhan and Kunal Mandekar have spent a lot of time deciding how to treat the subject in a way that is novel and light. The film targets a 2021 release.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)