Last week was all about applause for filmmaker S S Rajamouli as he showed the first glimpse of Varanasi at La Cinémathèque Française in Paris on June 27, marking its first presentation to the European audience. Now, the filmmaker is set to dive again into the shoot of the Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj-starrer. mid-day has learnt that beginning July 7, the leading man and the director will film one of the movie’s biggest war set-pieces, involving 3500 junior artistes, in Hyderabad.

A production insider revealed, “Preparations have been going on for weeks ahead of shooting the war sequence. The scale is unprecedented, even by Rajamouli’s standards.”

According to another insider, the shoot with 3500 junior artistes will only be the starting point. The sequence’s scale will be magnified at the VFX table.

The insider shared, “Thousands of performers will later be expanded digitally through VFX, resulting in an army that is several times larger on screen. The ambition is to create one of the biggest battle spectacles attempted in Indian cinema. We will see 50,000 vanars on screen.”

Varanasi is said to be a mythological action epic that follows the protagonist’s adventures across timelines.

His career spans 14 years, and he already has a National Award to his name, apart from the moniker ‘clutter breaker’. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, currently tickling the audience’s funny bone with his latest flick Pati Patni Aur Woh Do (PPAWD), spoke on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra about his upcoming choices, post-Covid trajectory shift, and more:

Kisi bhi zamaane mein aaiye, clutter break hona chahiye. I don’t feel like following whatever is working. This has been my genre, of course, but going forward, even I am doing an action film, it will be an action-comedy. I guess whatever interests me or engages me to my core, I go for it rather than thinking about trends or algorithms in cinema.

We are not promoting infidelity with this film. In fact, out of all the films in the Pati Patni franchise, only ours has a male lead who doesn’t have a roving eye. He’s loyal to his wife. It’s a comedy of errors; he gets caught in such situations.

I had never shot there before this film. In fact, this film was tentatively titled Prayagraj Ka Prajapati! But since Pati Patni Aur Woh has been an iconic franchise since the first film in the 1970s, the producers titled it this. So many films have been based in Kanpur and Varanasi till now, so we thought Prayagraj is the one!

I always wanted to be courageous when it comes to my choices. Courage surpasses talent most of the times. Kabhi kabhi aap mein voh kadam lene ki himmat nahi hoti, jabki aap ke paas talent hota hai. This (PPAWD) is a commercial, safe film. My upcoming films are courageous. I did films like An Action Hero (2022) and Andhadhun (2018). It has to be a mish-mash so that my commercial films can help my other kind of films.

It’s 90% shot; one song and two scenes are left, which is a maximum of seven days of shoot. It will release on November 27 this year. Jab main Sooraj sir ke set pe jaata hoon toh unke set ko naman karta hoon, touch his feet! It really feels like I have come to a temple. He’s such a spiritual person, very clean-hearted. Unse zyaada sant insaan industry mein koi nahi hai. He’s a purist and goes by his vision, hamesha audience aur fans ko saath mein leke chalte hain. Every actor in his film’s cast is the hero. The last time I did a film like this was Badhaai Ho (2018), jahaan naani se lekar daadi tak, everyone was an important character. We are going back to that. The entire family is the star of the film, and only Sooraj Barjatya can do that.

(Actors) Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan sir, of course we revere them. Among my contemporaries, I really love Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. We have a lot of exciting actors in our industry, but these are the ones I really respect.

I am doing films which cater to family audiences. My daughter Varushka (12) watched the edit of Pati Patni… recently, and she loved it! That’s the barometer — that my kids enjoy my films. It has to reach Gen Alpha also, apart from Millennials and Gen Z. I want to do family films and get them into theatres. The fun of community watch is amazing.

I think maine saare taboo topics khatam kar diye hain (laughs). I have worked in so many films based on them. It limits the family audience. I did films on taboo subjects before the Covid pandemic. Even after that, I did Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021) and Doctor G (2022), which didn’t get as much at the box office as I hoped for. After OTT became big, I only looked for films which were for wider audiences. Taboo break se zyaada relatable subjects which people can watch together. Everything was so different before the pandemic; the films I did had tremendous box office uproar. But things changed post-pandemic.

Courage is bigger than talent. Take risks. Sahi waqt kabhi nahin hota; jab aap karte ho, tabhi sahi waqt hota hai.

Three months after mid-day reported that filmmaker Mira Nair conducted a recce in Amritsar for ‘Amri’, we have more news on the biopic about the renowned Hungarian-Indian painter, Amrita Sher-Gil. Sources have told us that Priyanka Chopra will be seen in a special appearance and has shot her portions.

Nair has kept details about the project under wraps, including the principal cast. Little then is known about Chopra’s role in her first outing with Nair. However, industry chatter suggests that it’s not fleeting.

A source revealed, “The film aims to present the painter’s life across Hungary, India, and France. There was a specific part for which Mira had approached Priyanka last year, and she shot for it last week. The actor was in Hyderabad to finish some work on ‘Varanasi’. After that, she flew down to Amritsar and filmed for two days.”

mid-day reached out to Chopra’s team and Nair’s production team. Both didn’t respond till press time.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has always been driven by a hunger—an insatiable curiosity to explore new stories, new roles, and new ways to connect with the world and her audience. She once again follows that instinct with the documentary she has produced, Born Hungry, which traces the heart-wrenching but inspiring story of Sash Simpson, an abandoned young boy living on the streets of Chennai, who is adopted by a Canadian couple and his journey thereon, of becoming a globally celebrated chef. In a conversation with us, Priyanka reflects on why this story spoke to her so deeply, why its themes of identity, belonging, hunger and purpose echo her own experiences, and how this story “reminds you that — whether that hunger is real or metaphorical, it pushes you to find a purpose”. Excerpts…

Everything about this movie resonated with me. My production company, Purple Pebble Pictures, has been built on wanting to tell stories that deserve recognition, that deserve wings and be able to give stories that are inspiring to the world and from our diaspora. Having grown up in India and travelled the world and worked with children around the world, I’ve met so many young children whose futures don’t change, whose lives don’t change, who live in the cyclical nature of wondering whether they were abandoned, what their past was, what their future will be, and there are so many missing pieces of their stories. I was moved by Sash’s story and his journey back to India, trying to find his family. He’s still not found his family. And we’re really hoping that through this movie, we can get some more information about his birth parents, and that can give him some sort of peace & solace.

I feel very nomadic as well. And in the way my life has taken me around the world, I make a home wherever my work and family take me. My home is where my family is. There are mysterious pieces that make me wonder what forces pushed me towards the life that I have today. Sash and my backgrounds are completely different, but the one thing I really resonate with him on is resilience – being able to adapt and find the best version of yourself wherever you are. I constantly think about his younger self on those railway platforms, trying to look for food and not having grown-ups with him. It brings me to tears just thinking about how many children around the world still go through that. Having grown up in India, we get desensitized to such realities. It’s something that I’ve always been affected by, and now as a mother, I feel it even more.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I have a soft spot for true stories, whether that’s in books, films or dramas, which are the narrative versions of real-life stories. In my career, I’ve had the good fortune to portray and be a part of some films which are inspired by real stories. I feel there’s something so incredible about humanity and human beings. As much as I love human stories, I love stories of resilience. And I might be whoever I am, but I still think about my younger self when I was in boarding school and had no grown-ups around me. I remember that feeling in the second, third and fourth grade, and just looking around and thinking… who am I? So, we all have our versions. And I look for inspiration in human beings more than anything else, not just for my profession, but also my life. And one of the greatest sources of joy is meeting humans that have persevered, survived and thrived.

I think Indian cinema is also evolving and trying to figure out what this evolving landscape looks like – between theatrical films and content on the web. There are so many different avenues for people to consume entertainment now. So, I think cinema all around the world is going through the growing pains of figuring out where it will land. Again, if you throw AI in the process, that landscape is changing further. Some incredible work has been coming out, and what is working (whether it is comedy, action, drama or documentaries) is what’s coming from a place of authenticity. Gone are the days when you can say, ‘Oh, leave your brains at home’. People don’t want to do that anymore. There was a time when I think people were looking for escapism, but now, with so much information overload coming our way, we’re looking for honesty and truth. It’s an evolving process.

Yes, maybe. However, sometimes I like to escape when I’m watching my entertainment. You’ll see me watching multiple seasons of Love Is Blind or something like that when I want escapism. And then there are times when I want to watch something like Born Hungry that will bring me to reality. So, I think we shouldn’t put our consumption or creation of entertainment in a box. We’re living in a wonderful time where we can dip into genres, we can make any kind of subject matter, and there will be an audience for it because there’s a curiosity for almost everything.

I think all of us do. You know, just because we see one side of a human being’s personality, we say, ‘Oh, this person’s set or they’ve made it.’ There are so many layers and facets to every human being and each one of us has an inner hunger and longing for something. Whatever might be the deepest, darkest secret of humans, I think it’s your hunger that pushes you to want something better and gives you a sense of purpose. And this documentary reminds you that - whether that hunger is real or metaphorical, it pushes you to find a purpose. Sash is a successful restaurant owner and has built an amazing life with his wife and children – and that came from his hunger to prove something, he found a purpose. I feel it’s that purpose we all need to seek as that’s the only thing which makes us move forward.

It’s a tough question. I think we’re all trying to play catch-up with how not just the entertainment industry is changing, but just the overall landscape around us. Yes, technology has become such a massive part of all our lives, and our children are going to grow up in a world that is vastly different from the one you and I grew up in. So now, there is no hard and fast rule about what kind of subject matter resonates, but one thing I think resonates with the audience is authenticity – whether it’s content creators on social media, filmmakers, directors or producers. If you’re telling a story for the right reasons and not trying to make people feel something that doesn’t exist, they will resonate with you. I love all kinds of storytelling and from my limited understanding of where the world is going, I just think that authenticity is going to be what comes out on top.

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When asked if she misses the chaos, madness and energy of a Bollywood movie set, the actress who was recently on an Indian movie set after a long time for S S Rajamouli’s Varanasi said, “What I miss is the language. I really miss Hindi and saying my filmy dialogues in Hindi. I really enjoyed doing my dialogues in Telugu. I’ve always been fascinated with languages and whether I understand the language or not, I really love different cultures. I am very excited to be a part of something which is going to be culturally so evolved. Rajamouli sir has such an incredible vision and amazing discipline. That’s how I like to work, as I, too, have tremendous discipline. Also, coming back to India and working on an Indian film after such a long time was so much fun.”

On November 15, S S Rajamouli finally let the audience into the grand world that he has been quietly building, as he unveiled the title of his next, Varanasi, at an event in Hyderabad. While the three-minute-plus teaser of the Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer has expectedly made headlines, the filmmaker is already focusing on the film’s next leg.

mid-day has learnt that a month-long schedule will kick off at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad next week. Heightened security measures and caution will drive the stint as the unit will film the climax.

Insiders say that Babu’s look being leaked hours before the official reveal left Rajamouli disappointed. It has made him bullish about keeping further details tightly under wraps. An insider from the production unit says, “The film will release in 2027 and all details will have to be guarded until then.”

As a result, the makers are tightening on-ground protocols in the next leg. A source reveals, “Many departments, including costume and hair, won’t be allowed near the core shooting area. Only 100 people of the 400-member team will be allowed. A no-phone policy for the crew is in place. Rajamouli sir wants absolute secrecy.”

Viineet Kumar Siingh and his wife Ruchiraa Ghormare welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on 24 July. Reflecting on this new chapter, the actor shares, “This feeling is very special. As they say, the world changes after becoming a father, I feel it right now.”

Holding his son for the first time left him awestruck. “When I held my son for the first time, I was nervous, thinking he is so delicate. It is an overwhelming feeling,” he recalls.

What followed, he says, was an immediate shift in perspective. He adds, “In that moment, all my priorities somehow shifted immediately. Everything related to the baby became my priority. From figuring out his sleep schedule to running errands for him, I am constantly trying to make sure he is well taken care of.”

On embracing fatherhood, he says, “Fatherhood is a deep feeling of love, and it can be felt only when one goes through that journey. The role of a father is beyond anything I might have done or will do in movies and shows. I want to fulfil this role for the rest of my life. Ruchira and I are trying our best to fulfil the responsibility of being parents.”

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Actor Viineet Kumar Siingh and his wife, actor Ruchira Singh, took their newborn home on Monday. Sharing his excitement about becoming a dad, Viineet, who welcomed his son on July 24, says: “I don’t have words to describe the feeling. I feel like a newcomer all over again. Everyone in the family is so happy and many of them have already travelled to Mumbai from Varanasi (his hometown).”

Though the new parents “haven’t slept in three days”, Viineet realizes that it’s just the beginning. A licensed medical practitioner himself, the actor doesn’t only want to be a hands-on dad, but also be there for his wife.

“Postpartum is real. A new mother goes through so many hormonal changes. So, such factors cannot be ignored. Logon ko aisa lagta hai ki delivery ho gayi toh ab sab theek hai. But, we must realize that we’ve just crossed the first level,” says the 46-year-old.

The couple has already decided upon a name for the baby, but they will reveal it in due time. Ask Viineet, who was seen in Chhaava earlier this year, if he would take a break from work, and he says, “I am not going outside the city for work for at least 45 days. From being my stylist to manager, Ruchira is the one who manages all my work. She runs the house too. Ab usey meri zarurat hai, so I want to be with her all the time.”

Last week, it was announced that Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi-starrer Bhool Chuk Maaf, which was to initially hit the screens on April 10, has been pushed to May 9. Now, mid-day has learnt that director Karan Sharma is making additions, specifically two songs, to the romantic comedy. Sources tell us that while one is a promotional dance number, the other is a romantic track.

What made the director add two songs at the last minute? From what we’ve heard, both Sharma and producer Dinesh Vijan apparently felt they would increase the entertainment quotient of the comedy, which revolves around Rao’s character who is stuck in a time loop a day before his wedding.

A source reveals, “Of the two songs, Rajkummar and Wamiqa filmed one on March 29 at a studio in Mira Road. A set depicting a small-town street was built for the vibrant track. It’s a peppy promotional number composed by Tanishk Bagchi.”

The unit is now prepping for the second song that will be shot in Uttar Pradesh, which is where the film is set. “Rajkummar and Wamiqa will head to Varanasi in mid-April. With the film revolving around the couple’s impending wedding, this one will have a romantic bachelorette party vibe. Both the songs are choreographed by Vijay Ganguly, with costumes by Sheetal Sharma,” adds the source.

Ever wondered what it must be like to shoot a film in the middle of crores of people? Ask actor Abhishek Banerjee, who wrapped up the shoot for Maha Sangam at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj (UP) last month, and he says it was a “blessed experience”.

“It was a rare experience for the entire crew, as no one had done anything like this before. As actors, we are used to silence and isolation on the set,” the Stree (2018) actor says, adding, “Par yahan hum log shor ke saath acting kar rahe the. I feel there was a divine intervention. We did the shoot without any VIP culture — ek aam aadmi ki tarah.”

So, how much planning went into a shoot like this? He shares, “We had done all the planning and had a storyboard, too. But as we started, everything went for a toss. Any planning in such a crowd is just impossible. Every day, we used to have some adventure.”

Abhishek recalls, “I stopped thinking beyond the scenes. Throughout scenes, shots, frames, locations and portrayal, we were improvising. It turned out to be a kind of docu-fictional film, as we documented all that was around us and fictionalized it.”

Filming in the middle of milling crowds is no mean feat. So, how did they manage to pull it off? “The shoot does generally get disturbed when there are so many people around. Some may walk in to shake hands, and others may try to disturb the cameraman. But, fortunately, the people there were understanding. They were all on a mission to take a holy dip. Isiliye manage ho gaya,” the 37-year-old smiles.

“We shot there for eight days. Before that, we shot in Varanasi for a few days. Though it got too crowded around Magh Purnima, it was still manageable,” he adds.

Dwelling on the significance of the mela, Abhishek muses, “Kumbh ki kahani hai about family and relationship. This mega festival gives learning to every devotee. The characters in the film, too, get a kind of learning.”

Asked what the film has to offer and why it is sure to resonate with people, he explains, “I guess, for the first time, the people in India and abroad alike will watch a film on Kumbh. The film was earlier titled Khoj, which suggests that kabhi kabhi insaan bhi apne aap ko kho deta hain. So, this is a khone aur paane ki kahani.” Besides, the actor is all praise for the man who is helming the project: “Our director, Bharat Bala, is a legendary filmmaker.”

How has shooting at the mela influenced Abhishek? ”Bahut saalon ke baad apne desh se rubaru hua hoon. I saw people from all over India and abroad in one place. These 7-8 days will remain in my heart for a long time,” the actor signs off.

Films dubbed in Hindi saw a nearly fivefold jump in collection to Rs 1,464 crore in 2024 from Rs 295 crore, according to the 2024 Box Office Report of media and entertainment research and consulting firm Ormax Media.

On the other hand, films made in Hindi language saw a 37% dip in collection to Rs 3215 crore from Rs 5085 crore in the previous year.

The share of dubbed Hindi films in the total collection of films in Hindi language surged to 31.2% in 2024 from about 6% in 2023, according to the report.

“The increasing contribution of dubbed films to the Hindi box office can be attributed to successful storytelling in south Indian films, particularly Telugu cinema. This aligns more closely with the evolving preferences of Hindi theatrical audiences and their perception of ‘theatrical worthiness’ of films,” said Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical), at Ormax Media.

“Increasing viewership of films on streaming platforms and box-office successes of several dubbed films have encouraged exploration of diverse cinemas beyond Hindi. These factors have greatly increased audience comfort of watching dubbed content in theatres.”

Among the dubbed southern films released in 2024, Pushpa 2 – The Rule contributed Rs 889 crore and Kalki 2898 AD contributed Rs 348 crore to the Hindi film collection.

Producer Rajesh R Nair, known for films such as Kaminey and Adipurush, said, “Today, southern films are targeting the northern Hindi market. After Allu Arjun released  Pushpa 2 – The Rule’s trailer in Patna, Bihar, Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi released a song of their upcoming film Thandel in Varanasi. This strategy is working because the audience in the northern market knows them.”

He added, “Crossover southern films are giving much better content than Hindi films in the past two to three years. Recently, makers of Pushpa 2: The Rule added 20 minutes to their film and released it in theatres. This addition has increased a day’s collection by two times in the past two days. This shows how audiences are clued into dubbed Hindi films.”

Trade analysts estimate that the collection of the dubbed Hindi  Pushpa 2 – The Rule jumped to Rs 45-50 lakh from Rs 15 lakh between Friday and Saturday. Even a mid-budget Malayalam film Marco, which was hardly promoted before its release, has attracted audiences and collected Rs 13 crore in its Hindi dubbed version.

Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films, said, “South Indian cinema continues to transcend boundaries, captivating audiences across India. Blockbusters like Pushpa 2: The Rule, Kalki 2898 AD, Maharaja and Jailer have redefined pan-India success with their gripping stories, breathtaking visuals and unmatched appeal in Hindi-dubbed versions, proving that great cinema speaks a universal language.”

He further said, “As 2025 unfolds, south Indian cinema promises another wave of box-office triumphs. With highly anticipated releases like Coolie, L2: Empuraan, Kantara: Chapter 2 and Thug Life, the stage is set for these films to captivate audiences, redefine storytelling and continue the legacy of pan-India success in Hindi-dubbed versions.”

Producer Rajesh R Nair concurred, saying, “I think the contribution of dubbed Hindi films to the total Hindi collection will grow much higher than their contribution in 2024. But more than dubbed Hindi films, in 2025, we will also see southern actors in pivotal roles in Hindi films. A lot of conversations are happening on these lines in the industry. So, the crossover is becoming larger.”

One of the biggest Hindi releases of 2025, War 2, has Telugu actor NT Rama Rao Jr. Besides, Kannada actor Rishab Shetty will play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the upcoming biopic The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Singer Monali Thakur’s recent concert in Varanasi came to an abrupt end due to glaring mismanagement on Sunday, leaving the singer disheartened and apologetic towards her audience.

The event, marked by alleged infrastructure issues, including apparently a poorly set-up stage, posed safety risks and forced her to call off the show midway. The singer did not mince words while criticizing the organizers, labelling them “irresponsible and unethical”.

She added, “We were trying so hard because I am answerable to you all, and you come for me, right? So, you will hold me accountable for all of this. I hope I grow so much that I can take all the responsibility myself and never have to rely on any Tom, Dick and Harry who are such a waste, unethical, and irresponsible.”

Settled in Switzerland, Thakur frequently travels to India for her work commitments. She promised her fans a better event in the future, saying, “I sincerely apologize that we have to shut down this show, but I am going to come back for sure. And I hope I can give you a much better event than this. So, forgive us.”

The incident echoes similar grievances voiced by singer Diljit Dosanjh, who recently criticized the poor infrastructure of Indian concert venues.

Gyanendra Tripathi had umpteen questions when he first read the script of Barah By Barah, his upcoming film which narrates the story of a death photographer based in Varanasi.

“He clicks pictures of dead bodies that are brought for cremation. I wondered what his outlook on life would be, and if there was a spiritual element linked to this job. These questions excited me,” says the actor, days ahead of the film’s theatrical release following a two-year-long festival run.

To step into his character for the project, which marks director Gaurav Madan’s feature debut, Tripathi roamed the streets of Varanasi, interacting with locals and observing cremations.

“I reached Varanasi a week before the shoot began. Most of the filming happened at real locations. The pyres that you would see in the film are real. So, it was important that my body language was appropriate. I would sit on a ghat, and see multiple dead bodies being brought in, one after the other. People would harbour different emotions—some would also come with band baaja, and celebrate it. I also worked on the dialect, and kept an eye on how locals greet each other,” he says.

Up next in his kitty is Reema Kagti’s Superman Of Malegaon, also starring Adarsh Gourav and Vineet Kumar. “Reema’s set was driven by women. The atmosphere was completely different. Nobody was seen screaming, shouting, or using cuss words. Everything was well planned.”

Kagti’s directorial venture has been penned by Varun Grover.

Only months after the stupendous success of Gadar 2: The Katha Continues (2023), Anil Sharma had started shooting his next, Journey, and hoped to wrap it up by March-end. Sure enough, the Nana Patekar-led film is now gearing up for its final schedule that will take place in Mumbai. Considering the father-son relationship drama is largely set in Uttar Pradesh, we hear the team will film a nautanki song—a folk art that has its origins in north India—during this leg. Besides Patekar, it will feature Kushboo Sundar and Utkarsh Sharma, who play his on-screen wife and son respectively.

Currently, a set reflecting the vibrant mood of Varanasi is being built in a north Mumbai studio for the dance number.

A source from the film’s creative team shares, “The final schedule will begin on March 20. Over those 15 days, Anil sir wants to shoot some talkie portions featuring the primary cast, and the nautanki song. Mithoon has composed a foot-tapping track, keeping the sounds of the folk art in mind, while production designer Muneesh Sappel is designing the set. Since the folk song relies heavily on dance, Anil sir’s brief to choreographer Shabina Khan was to imagine it as a bright and colourful number, capturing the spirit of Varanasi.”

Journey’s narrative spans three cities—Varanasi, Shimla and Mumbai. While the first schedule was shot in real locations of the Uttar Pradesh city, the unit then had a 25-day leg in Shimla in January. After the Mumbai stint is complete, the filmmaker will dive into post-production in order to ready the movie for the last quarter of 2024. The source adds, “The aim is to release the movie on a festival weekend in October or November.”

For Anil, his first collaboration with Patekar is the highlight. The filmmaker says, “All I can say is that he is an extraordinary actor who is completely involved in the film. For six months, he has only been thinking about Journey and nothing else. He loves to discuss everything [about the scene in question] before, but on set, there is no discussion about the movie.”

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia was spotted in a sadhavi attire shooting at Chet Singh Fort in Varanasi. The Baahubali actress was shooting for the inaugural scene of the Telugu project titled Odela 2, which is a sequel to the film Odela Railway Station.

The actress, along with a group of local artists as sadhus, canned several scenes on the ghat. Several onlookers, including foreigners, were really intrigued to see the shooting happening.

Later, the shooting shifted to inside of the fort and some scenes were filmed on the terrace of the fort. The crew also took some montage shots of the area. As the lights became low, lanterns were used to shoot a sequence on the boat.

Despite a tight schedule, Tamannaah shared photographs of her spiritual outings in the city on her social media account. She also had darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and shared images of a tranquil moment on the ghat.

Sudha Chandran was recently in Lucknow and though it wasn’t her first visit to the city, the actress said she can’t help but fall in love with it every time she is here. “The trip to Lucknow never fails to amaze me considering its richness in culture and heritage,” said the actress who is presently seen in the show Doree.

She added, “I went to Imambara, saw Rumi Gate, and had the famous chaat in Hazratganj. Once when I was in the city a while back, having heard so much about Bhool Bhulaiya, I was eager to visit the place. Initially, when I entered, it looked very complicated to me, but as we moved around Bhool Bhulaiya, I was able to pave my way through it. I believe in the same way, it defines our life also. For me, visiting Bhool Bhulaiya was a life lesson.”

“Dance and acting go together in my life like hand and glove. Why would anybody want to give up on something for the other thing? Has our mother ever given up on her household duties to pursue a career? Women are the best time managers and multi-taskers. Acting is an extension of dance. Today people tell me that I have the skill of conversing through my eyes, that is because of dance. The thought process required for the understanding of emotions, expressions, and acting is better comprehended when you are a dancer or a performer. Many things make one a good actress, among which also counts dancing.”

Despite her long-standing presence in the industry, Sudha believes that the film industry has yet to accord her the recognition she rightfully deserves. “Having started my journey from films, I do have a regret that the film industry has not done me justice, honestly. I’d have consoled myself if TV also had not accepted me with the thought that probably I was not meant for this. However, I became one of those TV actresses who survived a long time doing meaty roles in the industry. When the TV industry has that faith in me, then why is the film industry failing to trust me? Especially even after giving hits like Malamaal Weekly, I am nowhere. When people ask me why I am not doing films, I say jab bulanyege tab karenge na. I don’t want to be disloyal to the TV industry. I won’t abandon TV, as it has given me everything, unlike the film industry that didn’t offer me opportunities when I wanted them.”

Ask Sudha about mostly doing vampish roles and she says, “In all mediums, negative characters persist, it’s just that television hammers it for a long time compared to films, making its impact staggering. To glorify Ram, Ravan’s presence was necessary. I always say for every protagonist the antagonist has to be very strong. When you’re playing a negative role, it becomes more difficult if you’re not that type of person. When people meet me they say you are such a positive person in real life, how can you play such a negative character? That challenge is big when you have to play a character diametrically opposite of what you are.”

Sudha shot for her latest show Doree extensively in Varanasi. “Everything about Banaras is special and holy to me, especially seeing and doing Ganga Aarti for which so many people gather together. Having that sacred dip in Ganga was one thing I had never thought of doing in my entire life owing to my fear of water. Fortunately, I got the opportunity to take the dip as one of the scenes in my upcoming serial demanded it. Shayad mere kuchh paap bhi dhul gaye hongay.”

Even before the year has come to a close, Anil Sharma—the director behind the blockbuster, Gadar 2: The Katha Continues—has made his way back to a movie set. He recently wrapped up the first schedule of Journey, which is led by Nana Patekar. If Gadar 2 saw Sunny Deol’s protagonist cross the border to rescue his son, the upcoming father-son drama is understated and realistic. Sources say that Journey is along the lines of Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini’s Baghban (2003).

A source from the creative team reveals, “Journey spans three cities and revolves around elderly parents and their child, played by Utkarsh Sharma. It will remind viewers of Baghban, and Rajesh Khanna and Shabana Azmi-starrer, Avtaar [1983]. South actor Kushboo Sundar plays Nana’s wife.”

While the cast kicked off the shoot in the first week of November in Varanasi, the second schedule will be conducted in Shimla in January. The source adds, “Beginning January 15, a 40-day schedule has been lined up. The final leg will be in Mumbai, with Anil planning to complete the shoot by March-end.”

For the director, it is a pleasure to work with an actor of Patekar’s calibre. Anil says, “Once he gets the script, he is like a student. Nana-ji will sit with the director, write down each dialogue, and take notes in a book. He tells us, ‘When I come on the set, I should be fully comfortable with my lines so that I can focus on my performance.’ That’s why his dialogues and performances look so real.”

The filmmaker, who is riding the wave of success after Gadar 2, says he doesn’t feel pressured to deliver another hit. “After Gadar 2, the expectations have naturally increased, but I don’t let them affect me. If Journey manages to win people’s hearts, I will be happy.”

Nazar fame actress Monalisa recently visited her favourite city Varanasi with hubby Vikrant Singh Rajpoot. The actress, who is presently seen in the show Bekaboo, shared how excited she was to be in the city.

"I always feel that you do not visit Banaras, but the city calls you. Same was the case with me. I somehow got a calling to visit the city especially Kashi Vishwanath temple with Vikrant, my husband. This visit was more special for me because I was visiting the city and Kashivishwanath Baba in the month of Sawan which is considered to be quite auspicious. The city looked more beautiful also because it was the full moon day and the newly built temple corridor looked mesmerizing," says she adding, "After the darshan, I went to visit my in-laws in Azamgarh. They live in Madiapar village in Atraulia. The best part about this visit was that I had a lot of fan encounters in Banaras where people recognized me and they still remembered me for my role in the TV serial Nazar. Some even enquired about the show's next season."

Not many actresses from the Bhojpuri belt are able to make it big in mainstream cinema or on Indian television. However, Monalisa has been one of the few exceptions from the industry. "The tag of being a Bhojpuri actress is still there with me. I don't mind having that tag but with that, people consider you only a dancer. However, I would first like to be known as an actress. For an actress in a Bhojpuri film, her dancing is always highlighted in the movie so woh jo ek acting hai woh kahin peeche chali jaati hai," she says.

However, Monalisa feels things changed for her post her reality show stint. "Things changed a lot for me post I appeared on Bigg Boss 14 in 2020. Somehow I got an opportunity to project myself as an actress from that reality show. Even though I might have done good work on TV but today when I sit back and watch several web series, I feel I still have a lot to explore in the field of acting," she says.

Actors in Bhojpuri cinema are earning so well and we earn a lot of fame from there. The industry is improving but at a slow pace. It will take time for the industry to be at par with other regional cinema.

Vikrant and I are definitely planning to extend our family now. We have just started to plan as we are ready for parenthood. Thankfully, as of now, we haven't faced any medical issues and are trying to conceive naturally.

Varanasi: The untimely death of Nitin Desai—the celebrated art director of films like ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’—has landed the Varanasi administration, particularly the Kashi Vishwanath Dham (KVD) authorities, in a fix as he was behind the light and sound shows running on Ganga Dwar and walls of Lalita and Jalasen Ghats in the city. Besides, he was also instrumental in holding digital shows at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham museum.

Divisional commissioner and chairman of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board, Kaushal Raj Sharma, confirmed that Desai was associated with the project of light and sound show being run at Ganga Dwar and adjoining ghats and had visited the city on Saturday. “Desai had also been working on the digital shows proposed to run in Varanasi gallery of KV Dham,” said Sharma.

He said, “During Desai’s recent visit here, his attention was drawn towards the sound quality of the light and sound show at Ganga Dwar and he had also assured to improve the volume for more clarity.”

Regarding the impact of Desai’s death on the ongoing projects, Sharma said, “Desai’s team members would be contacted soon to know how these projects would move forward.” Officials said, “Desai was planning to start working on the next project of preparing thematic light and sound show to all the ghats where big walls are available for screening.”

Actor-couple Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee are currently in Varanasi for the mundan (tonsure) ceremony of their two daughters.

“I last came here in 2019. Tab bachchon ke liye mannat maangi thi, toh wapas toh aana hi tha. Also, when you are connected with spirituality, you get a different feel and vibe here,” Choudhary tells us.

The couple, who tied the knot in 2011, welcomed their two daughters last year — Lianna in April and Divisha in November. Since the former was not doing well, they performed her mundan in Mumbai itself but carried her shaved hair for immersion in the holy river.

“We decided to do Divisha’s mundan in Varanasi and submerse both our daughters’ hair in the holy river,” says Choudhary. The ritual was held at the Dashashwamedh Ghat.

Bonnerjee, in fact, has a special and strong connection with the holy city. “My nani used to live here, so I have visited a lot and have strong memories related to the city, its narrow lanes, temples and ghats. A lot has changed since then. Ghats and temples ka nazaara hi alag hai,” she ends.

Pop rock band Euphoria’s frontman, Dr Palash Sen, shared a close bond with Pradeep Sarkar. So much so that he sobs intermittently when we speak to him about the late director, who he fondly addressed as dada. Sarkar shot Euphoria’s first music video for their cult song Dhoom Pichak Dhoom in 1998. The duo also did songs like Kabhi Aana Tu Meri Gali, Maaeri, Sha Na Na Na and Tum together.

Recalling their first collaboration, the singer says, “Dada heard Dhoom Pichak while we were recording it at a studio in Delhi and he immediately told me that he wanted to shoot the video. I felt honoured. We took a train to Benares (Varanasi; Uttar Pradesh). Our three-day schedule turned into a seven-day one because of the rains and the setting he wanted. The song became so big because of dada. He was the best.”

Sen says Sarkar was his mentor and guide. The singer feels the director, who died on March 24, never got his due in the industry: “He never copied anybody. He should have won awards for the work he did with us. He taught so many people, but he didn’t get enough credit because he never marketed himself.”