DNA (November 24, 2016)

Get ready to see what a 42-year-old friendship looks like, when Sajid Nadiadwala and Akshay Kumar make a joint appearance for their buddies Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s TV show Yaaron Ki Baraat.

Akshay and Nadiad’s dosti began at Don Bosco’s, Matunga where the two were classmates. They’ve done eight films together — the first was Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), the last was Housefull 3 earlier this year.

Kumar fondly calls Nadiadwala Sethji, while the filmmaker calls the actor Sundi. Moreover, they share several similarities. Both got married the same year (2000) and Sajid’s son Subhaan was born two days after Akshay’s son Aarav, in the same hospital, in the same delivery.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 24, 2016)

Boman Irani who is a good friend of Rajkumar Hirani and has featured in all his directorials – Munna Bhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, and PK – joined the filmmaker as the newest guests on Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s show, Yaaron Ki Baraat, on Tuesday.

A source from the set told Mirror, “Raju revealed that he only met and got to work with Boman because of Vidhu Vinod Chopra who produced his debut, Munna Bhai MBBS. He couldn’t afford the actor before as he was working as an editor and adman. Boman admitted that he took to Raju instantly because ‘he is a very simple man,’ joking that even though the filmmaker lives in Mumbai he gets his suits tailored from his hometown Nagpur and still turns up everywhere in a simple shirt and jacket instead.” The 56-year-old Housefull 3 actor also described himself as an “aristocratic pauper” as he has appeared in nearly 1000 films and TV shows as an extra.

Raju went on to reveal that Amrish Puri was the original choice for the role of Dr Asthana in Munna Bhai MBBS. After the late actor turned down the offer, it went to Boman. But it was only when the actor turned up in character, almost unrecognisable, to decide on his final look that Raju was truly impressed with his old man turn. It’s been a mutual admiration society ever since for this actor-director duo!

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 11, 2016)

Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma who are currently shooting for Imtiaz Ali’s next, The Ring, took time out to reveal lesser known facts about each other on Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s chat show, Yaaron Ki Baraat.

Anushka, who made her Bollywood debut opposite the King Khan, revealed that she first met him as a model at a fashion show. “She recalled that she was on the ramp when he entered as a showstopper, along with the team of his home production, Om Shanti Om. He was wearing a “splashy cologne” that made her head turn in his direction.

She then went on to become his leading lady in as many as three films, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and now The Ring, admitting she hadn’t imagined this journey even in her wildest dreams,” informs a source from the set.

SRK went on to applaud his feisty co-star for having a mind of her own and joked that, while shooting for their first film which incidentally was her Bollywood debut, she turned to him and said, “Please haan, you’re not a very good actor,” which Anushka instantly denied on the show. SRK further shares that he likes the fact that she doesn’t gossip which is why he opens up to her on a range of topics, from his children to his work.

When reminded that former American President Barack Obama had quoted his ‘Bade bade deshon mein’ dialogue from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the Bollywood badshah quipped, “That was a fantastic moment but Obama’s dialogue delivery could have been better.”

When asked what she’d like to change about her co-star, Anushka insisted that SRK go a little easy on himself, especially when it comes to his injuries. She recounted an incident from when they were shooting for their 2012 romantic-drama.

The 51-year-old actor would wake up in the mornings even in biting cold which would make his knee joints hurt but he would continue to push himself for stunts which would worsen his condition. “Shah Rukh, on the other hand, wanted Anushka to be less punctual so that he could feel less guilty about his 'late lateefi' on the sets,” the source concludes.

Manish Mishra (DNA; November 10, 2016)

Shah Rukh Khan is amazingly quicksilver. Always full of zest, wit and humour. He infuses his inimitable touch to every TV show he is on. This week, he visited the sets of Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s TV show Yaaron Ki Baraat with his co-star of three films Anushka Sharma. The two share a terrific chemistry, which inevitably translates into an arresting on-screen chemistry.

Superimpose this chemistry with Sajid and Riteish’s rip-roaring repartee and you’ve got the hottest ticket on (Zee) TV.

An insider informs, “SRK and Anushka started shooting at 11 pm and went on to shoot till 2.30 am. Like always, SRK was a bundle of boundless energy. He, in fact, asked Sajid to ask him more questions as he was having so much fun on the show. He continued to shoot, regaling everyone. Now it’ll be a two-episode package.”

The pair also sportingly performed a pole dance and grooved twice to Nacho Re Nacho which King Khan found incredibly addictive.

However, the highpoint of the show was when Khan recalled an incredibly funny incident, which occurred almost two decades ago, when he was in London catching a flight at the Heathrow airport when a fan started chasing him. She kept running after the actor who was delayed and caught him right at the gate and handed him a piece of paper for his autograph saying, “I’m your biggest fan, Akshay Kumar.”

Any other actor would have got offended, but SRK took it in good spirit and replied, “Then you must have loved my song, Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast.” To which, the deluded fan replied yes. Khan signed the autograph as ‘With love from Akshay Kumar’ and caught his flight.

This anecdote had everyone on the sets breaking into peels of laughter.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 10, 2016)

Two weeks ago, we saw buddies Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor quashing all rumours about their romantic involvement on the TV show Yaaron Ki Baraat.

While it was good to see the Rock On 2 pair celebrate their friendship in public, what was not as good was the encouragement Shradha extended to a fan who had been pursuing her relentlessly.

By her own admission, she was meeting the fan for the 17th time, this time on the sets of Sajid and Ritesh’s talk show. In a choked voice, she told us she had seen his van at her shootings, under her residential building, etc.

Instead of reprimanding the fan for stalking her, Shraddha hugged the bewildered guy and thanked him for “being so supportive”.

Stalking, in case Shraddha doesn’t know, is a serious cognisable offence. Several working women have recently lost their lives to stalkers who have turned deadly.

Perhaps the illusion of safety provided by security guards around her exempts Shraddha from the perils of stalking. But when she hugs a stalker on national television, she puts other far less privileged and protected working-women, in imminent danger from stalkers, who might think they’re doing nothing wrong. We’d urge her to not endorse socially unacceptable behaviour in an effort to appear liberal or cute.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2016)

The childhood buddies spilled all their secrets on a chat show recently
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 20, 2016)

The host of the show Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh are very close to both Abhishek and Ajay and tried to get the pair happen for for the show
Upala KBR (DNA; October 14, 2016)

Everyone knows that Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan are good friends which is why they were to come together on Yaaron Ki Baraat but now because of AB's work commitments that's not happening. Says a source, "The host of the show Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh are very close to both Abhishek and Ajay and tried to get the pair happen for for the show. Ajay is very close to the Bachchans and was one of the few stars invited for Abhishek's marriage to Aishwarya Rai. They go back a long way hence it would have been nice for the duo to come together on the show and share some interesting memories but strangely it didn't work out. For a month the channels's creative team and the hosts tried their best but Abhishek's work commitments didn't allow it to happen."

The source adds that now they are trying to work out the dates for Ajay with Sanjay Dutt. "Both are extremely close and have been with each other through thick and thin. In fact, Ajay and Sanju have known each other much longer and the senior actor had done a parallel lead in Devgn's home production Son Of Sardaar. Fortunately Sanju and Ajay's dates are more compatible."

DNA (October 14, 2016)

After the grand premiere episode (last Saturday) featuring the original Dostana icons Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha, tomorrow, at 8 pm, the hosts of Yaaron Ki Baraat Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh will be seen engaging in a light-hearted chat with Sania Mirza and Parineeti Chopra. On the show, the guests reveal how both met and became friends.

There was a surprise for Pari on the show because hosts Sajid and Riteish invited her younger brother Sehej, who revealed her secret — that she is a die-hard fan of Saif Ali Khan from her school years in Ambala.

Says a source, “Sahej revealed that Pari had collected over 1,500 empty packets of chips with Saif’s face on it.” He also added, “She would eat at least three packets of chips (endorsed by Saif) every day and all the cousins were also instructed to eat only that label of chips and then hand over the empty packs to Pari.

Later, on the show, Parineeti was introduced to her fans. And much to their delight, the actress who has around millions of followers on Twitter and Instagram instantaneously recognised one amongst them.

When the fans were invited onstage, and one of them introduced himself as Limesh, Pari asked him, asked “Are you Limesh Mahajan from Twitter? OMG! “ She told the hosts, “He writes to me 50 times a day and has been following me for five years now!” In one of her interviews, Pari said that love, faith and hope are the three most important virtues for her. Limesh had these three words inked on his arms. Moved by his love for her, post-shoot and ordered pizza for him and his friends.

Farah Khan is scripting a woman-centric film; promises to be a supporting wife to Shirish when he starts his next film
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 7, 2016)

While speculations have been rife about the cast of her next film, a woman-centric story, with names like Alia Bhatt and Parineeti Chopra doing the rounds, choreographer-director Farah Khan jokes that all this talk is confusing her. “My writer and I feel that we still need to work on the second half of the film before it can roll. Meanwhile, if I have another idea for a big film, I’ll dive into it,” she says.

Does she plan to work with close friend and her favourite leading man, Shah Rukh Khan, or maybe Salman Khan, in her next? “They can do many things but I doubt they would want to play 21-yearold girls, that’s who I’m looking for,” Farah says, tongue firmly in cheek.

While she’s still debating the follow-up to Happy New Year, the filmmaker is gearing up to join the reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, as a judge this Saturday, and has been simultaneously focused on facilitating dialogue on gender empowerment. “Discussing the gender issue is something I usually do not do but I’ve begun to enjoy it,” Farah reveals, adding that she got her son, Czar, to tie rakhis on his sisters, Diva and Anya’s wrists this Raksha Bandhan. “They didn’t like the part where they had to give Czar gifts,” the proud mum smiles.

She lets us in on her strategy to play judge on Jhalak: “I say things in ways that aren’t hurtful to people. If they haven’t danced properly, I will tell them where they need to improve. It’s basically constructive criticism. Even contestants know that if I give them 10 points for a performance, they have earned it.”

Meanwhile, her brother, filmmaker and funnyman Sajid Khan, is back on the small screen with buddy Riteish Deshmukh as hosts of a chat show about celebrity friendships. Farah recently shot for an episode as a guest with bestie Karan Johar. “Whenever I did a show of my own, Sajid and Riteish always showed up. It’s like having family over. I’d let them shoot it in my drawing room; it’s that comfortable among us. Karan and I did a lot of bhanda-phod on the show. Even Sajid didn’t know some of the secrets about me that Karan decided to reveal on national TV,” Farah laughs.

Buzz is, her husband, filmmaker-editor Shirish Kunder, has begun work on his next. Farah says she’s happy to just play the ‘Best Supporting Wife’ admitting that, “we start fighting when we work together”.

DNA (October 7, 2016)


Recreating their magic from films like Dostana, Bombay to Goa, Naseeb, Kaala Patthar and Shaan, Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha spill the beans on their friendship on the new series. The premiere episode airs on October 8 at 8 pm on Zee TV.

When asked by Sajid which quality of Big B’s he’d like to imbibe, Shotgun said there were many. Shatru added, “He has a legendary family background — his father was one of India’s most prolific writer-poets, his mother, a social activist. His command over language — be it Hindi or English, makes him an excellent orator. Lastly, his faith in God and his spiritual side make him an ideal candidate for President of India. I strongly feel he should contest the elections.”

Bachchan dismissed the idea saying, “Arre nahi nahi, mazaak kar rahe hain yeh!” He further added that Sinha says things like this only to embarrass him and had even said something to the same effect at a recent awards function, leaving him embarrassed. In fact, when Amitabh asked Shatrughan why he’d pronounce him to be the best candidate for being President, Shatrughan chuckled, “Arre... bolne mein kya jaata hai?’

Riteish and Sajid had the superstars play fun games that tested their compatibility as friends, asked them questions that brought out their mischievous sides and even had them interacting with some of their biggest fans.

The fun-filled chat show is the first-of-its-kind and a 10-week festive dhamaka that will have the hottest celebrities spill the beans on each other and reveal several unknown facets about their friendship.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; September 29, 2016)


No, it’s not for a Bollywood film. It’s for Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s show Yaaron Ki Baraat. Says a source, “The idea is to get pairs of actors who are great friends in real life, too. Till date, people have only seen Varun with Sidharth and Ranveer with Arjun on screen. It’s time they see the camaraderie between Arjun and Varun, which hasn’t yet been explored on camera. They instantly agreed to come together for the show that starts airing on Zee TV this October.”

The show has already finalised a few pairs of Bollywood dosts: Sania Mirza and Parineeti Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha, Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan, Farah Khan and Karan Johar and now, Varun and Arjun join that list.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 27, 2016)


A project featuring the two inimitable iconic stars is already in the pipeline.

The besties revealed on a chat show that their friendship started with a misunderstanding and how they struggle to keep in touch over the phone
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 26, 2016)

Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh reveal all about their upcoming chat show Yaaron Ki Baraat on Zee TV
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; September 22, 2016)


Who came up with this idea?
Sajid: This idea was developed by Parth and Kailash Gandhi from Essel Vision. We were in discussions about this concept. They asked me if Riteish would be game. I said we should definitely ask him.
Riteish: (Cuts in) And then they said, without Riteish the show can’t happen. They told Sajid, we can do it without you but not without Riteish (bursts out laughing).
Sajid: Then when we heard the entire idea, we both instantly said yes.

Was it easier to convince Riteish because Sajid was already on board?
R: Of course, yes! Because you see primarily, it’s against the formula that there are two hosts. Here, it’s not a host supported by a group of other talented people. We usually have one person leading the show and they are also doing great. Even I enjoy watching those shows. But it’s the first time we have two guys who know each other really well. Also, more than anything else, chats are so much fun with their friends.
S: What he’s saying is completely right. But it would be difficult to pull off if the two guys didn’t respect each other’s space. We both have that understanding. If I know I’m falling, I also know Riteish will catch me and vice versa. That’s how much we care for each other. Also, I can ask him any time to give me a punchline and he won’t say no. I, too, try to give him the better punchline. Somewhere, it’s also because I have directed him in all my five films, so I know all his strengths and his weaknesses (Riteish makes a face).

You are friends in real life and the show is about exploring the bond of friendship between two celebrities. Does that become a point of instant connect?
R: We are friends and the world knows it. The people making appearances on the show are friends, too. Obviously, that’s why they are coming. But they are good friends of ours, too. It’s not like we are talking to two strangers. Sania Mirza and Parineeti Chopra are two people we have hung around with, so we know them in a space that’s not professional, but more private.
S: It will never be that we are meeting our guests for the first time and we have the formal hi-hello sessions. There has to be chemistry.

Is it more interesting to get a pair like Parineeti and Sania — who many people don’t know are best friends — or famous B-Town friends on board?
S: The hardest thing is not what they will do on stage. The hardest is... (after a little pause) to get their dates!
R: Obviously, people know about Sania and Parineeti. And even if there are people who don’t know them, they will come to know about the kind of friendship they share once they watch the show. It’s interesting to see two popular women, who have achieved so much in their own spaces, to come together and show the world their fun side.

Why not get two enemies together to patch up on the show? Wouldn’t it be more interesting?
R: What’s this new idea about?
S: Ab samjha main! You want it to be called Dushmano Ki Baaraat? This show is about friends, celebrating friendship. It’s not a platform to get two celebrities to patch up.

Do you guys remember when you two met for the first time?
S: Yes.
R: (Cuts in) How could I forget that unfortunate moment?
S: That was the darkest day of my life!
R: Uss din poorey Mumbai ki bijlee chali gayi thi. (Both start laughing)
S: Actually, I initially thought that he’s got a lot of attitude but once I started talking to him, I realised that ‘Hey, I was... so right!’
R: When I spoke to him for the first time I felt, ‘Why am I talking to him?’ After talking to him, I felt, ‘Why did I talk to him?’
S: I first thought he’s like Pitbull. But then I understood that no, he’s... Baba Sehgal! (laughs)
R: And Sajid’s the bull in the pit! (laughs)

What happened then?
S: In 2002, my then-girlfriend — now, my ex — told me she was at a party in town and saw a guy dancing there. She said party and you won’t believe he belongs to a political family. And that’s the time I got to know that Riteish is a damn good dancer. Then I met him at a coffee shop. I had lost my wallet and Riteish had paid with his credit card. That’s how we became friends.
R: I didn’t have a credit card back then, Sajid!
S: Oh then, it was his friend’s credit card who had lost his wallet! (Laughs) Okay, on a serious note, we became friends because of our love for movies. I thought I was the filmiest kid till I met him. This guy is more filmy than anybody else. And that’s when we instantly bonded.
R: I said, I love Mithun, he said he loves Mithun. He said he loves Jeetendra and I said I love Jeetendra. And we said we both loved Kader Khan. And we said we’re best friends.
S: Then I would just test him to check if he knows their dialogues. So I said, ‘Itihaas mat puchho...’
R: ‘Jo main kehta hoon woh suno’.
S: See, he knows it! And that’s how we became friends.

Do you guys ever fight?
S: No! We have never fought.
R: Not at all.

Not even over little things?
R: Maybe while working, he must have asked me to do some scene and I didn’t want to. Then he would be like, ‘No, you have to do it’. Then he pulls the cut that ‘I am the director’. So I have to give up.
S: But he doesn’t listen even then! Then you have to emotionally blackmail him. After some time, he would do it. And then, after half-an-hour, when he sees it on the monitor, he bursts out laughing saying it’s very funny. He does that.

What’s the one thing you love about each other?
S: I like the way he’s maintained his lifestyle. Also, I love it that though he’s from such an affluent family, he and his brother have always been very grounded and don’t have any airs or snooty noses. Sometimes, you meet a person like that and you feel this is all an act and this will have to come off soon. How long can he hold his breath? Till you realise that he’s actually like that. He’s very much a people’s person. And he hasn’t changed. When I met him in 2001, that was the same T-shirt.
R: One thing about him is that Sajid is a friend who will always be there. Without any doubt or questions. He wouldn’t want to understand if you are right or wrong — ethically or morally. He would be like, ‘You are a friend and I’m going to support you’. Irrespective of whether you are right or wrong. That’s something really good about him.

What’s the one thing you hate about each other?
S: I think sometimes he becomes a little boring. Too correct, too moralistic, he does that sometimes. He would be like, ‘No Saj, don’t do this’. Though he’s younger than me, sometimes I feel he’s my elder brother. What he says is right, but I feel one shouldn’t stop having fun. He’s naturally a great husband, father, son, brother and friend. Sometimes, there’s a bit of role-playing too. Sometimes, he wants to curb someone else’s enthusiasm including his own. He wants to have fun, but he can’t do that.
R: See the problem with Sajid is that he’s great when he talks rubbish. And when he’s trying to make sense, you know he’s talking rubbish. (Sajid makes a face and starts laughing) He’s got a great sense of humour. But what I don’t like about him is that ... (Sajid says he has to think) he gives too much importance to things that are not important. So things that you need to let go off and move on, which won’t bother anyone, for some strange reason will bother him and it will be like a calamity that has happened to him.
S: He’s hit the nail straight...

Who’s crazier among the two?
S: Obviously, me. He’s gone into the whole family-man zone.
R: Definitely Sajid. He’s crack.
S: Riteish takes time to open up and chooses his people who he wants to open up to. I am an open book from the word go.

Salman-SRK and Big B-Shatru are all coming on the show...
R: According to him? We haven’t said all that.
S: Contractually, we are not allowed to take any names. Essel Vision has asked us not to take any names before they cut a promo and put it out. Now, you know about Sania and Parineeti, because she tweeted about it.

Will you be more comfortable saying yes to your second show if offered any now, Riteish?
R: It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do it. Obviously, it’s the first time for me. And I do have a bit of jitters, but that happens to everyone, I believe. I said I am more comfortable because Sajid’s around. Eventually, what happens is the show came to me with a choice I liked. There were no discussions there. But yes, I am definitely going to be more comfortable with the TV space.

Why not a show with Farah then, Sajid?
S: You know Farah and I have been offered a lot of shows together in the past and I think we’ll be superb as well. But this format doesn’t allow that. It’s about friends, not siblings. Also, I host shows alone normally. But over here, the host takes a back-seat and the dost takes a front seat. The word host-and-dost was coined by me way back in 1992 but by now, at least 20,000 people have used it. When two people work on the same lines, then there’s a sense of competition. It’s not the same with Riteish.
R: Because Sajid is no competition to me. (Smiles)

Who from Bollywood do you think has the craziest sense of humour, apart from you two?
R: There are different people with different kinds of humour. I think Karan and Farah are extremely funny.
S: Sundi (Akshay Kumar), Nadiad (Sajid Nadiadwala)...
R: Akshay is poker-face funny while Nadiad is incredibly funny. Boman is Parsi-funny.
S: There are a few other actors who aren’t funny, but you have to stand beside them and laugh because they are big actors. Otherwise these people are really funny because they can make people laugh.

Who do you think cannot take a joke on themselves?
S: Bollywood!
R: Most of the people we know are people who know how to take a joke.
S: Or at least pretend to do it!
S: That’s okay. At the end of the day, we come from the industry and we do have a sense of humour. Other people get offended for other people.

Are there plans of making it a seasonal show?
R: No. What we are looking at now is what we have in hand. Once we start having fun on the show, the audiences will automatically start having fun. Whatever happens later, I don’t know.
S: We are concentrating on Season 1. But on a parting note, I would like to say, ‘No job is too big and ... no fee is too small (Screams)’.