After the much-loved Dreams , producer Ravi Bhagchandka returns as one of the producers of Sitaare Zameen Par, a heartwarming film headlined by Aamir Khan. The movie by Aamir Khan Productions, which is all set to release on June 20, is already creating buzz for its emotional depth and feel-good energy.

Ravi’s journey with the film began in 2018 at the Berlin Film Festival, where he secured the rights to the Spanish original Champion. Later, during the pandemic, Aamir saw the film and liked it.

Ravi says, “It was the biggest dream of my life to capture the journey of Sachin sir (Sachin Tendulkar). After that, I wanted to back something that genuinely moved me, and this story did just that. It’s a beautiful take on empathy, inclusion and self-worth.”

The trailer has received a great response, with the audience eager to watch this heartfelt story unfold. “I truly hope it connects with people,” says Ravi.

Sachin: A Billion Dreams, which was a cinematic tribute to Sachin Tendulkar and gave fans goosebumps, is all set to complete eight years. Reflecting on his journey so far, Ravi says, “Sachin: A Billion Dreams was special and opened up so many avenues for me as a producer. Now, with Sitaare Zameen Par, I feel the same kind of spark.”

Under his banner, 200 Not Out Cinema, Ravi is developing a range of new projects across genres. His next is Yuvraj Singh’s biopic. “We’re working on stories that entertain, inspire and stay with you. That’s the kind of cinema I believe in,” he signs off.

A survivor of stage IV ovarian cancer, actor Manisha Koirala recently received a letter from the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, where she expressed her joy at learning that Koirala is cancer free after such a serious diagnosis and has been able to continue her professional and charitable work while inspiring many.

Ask Koirala about the letter and she says, “It gives one the strength to go on. When I was undergoing treatment, it meant a lot when other cancer patients reached out and gave me hope. I really thank (cricketer) Yuvraj Singh, (actor) Lisa Ray and a few others who came out of cancer and spoke about it. Now, it’s my time to do the same.”

Middleton, who underwent preventative chemotherapy this year, is now cancer free.

The actor, who works towards cancer care in India and Nepal, adds, “To be recognized by such an esteemed person like the Princess is a motivation to carry on with my work.”

Talking about what is required for better cancer care, Koirala says, “Cancer treatments are expensive. So, it’s important to make it available for everyone. We also need more awareness about a healthy lifestyle. Cancer is no longer a death sentence, so more education is needed.”

Calling cancer her “biggest teacher”, Koirala adds, “No matter how painful, it taught me the most valuable lessons. It’s about being proactive, pro solution, living in the moment and figuring out what gives you joy.”

Bhushan Kumar and Ravi Bhagchandka are all set to bring Yuvraj Singh’s extraordinary life to the big screen with a biopic that honours the cricketer and his remarkable achievements. The film promises to be a celebration of his unique journey and contributions to cricket, capturing the essence of his career, unforgettable six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup and his courageous off-field battles.

Since his international debut in 2000, Yuvraj has won fans over with his aggressive left-handed batting and impressive fielding. As an important contributor to India’s 2011 World Cup victory, his all round brilliance was crucial to India’s victory. His dominance continued in the IPL, where his exceptional T20 performances further solidified his reputation as a powerhouse sportsperson.

However, Yuvraj’s story extends beyond his cricketing achievements. In 2011, he faced a formidable opponent off the field. His courageous battle and subsequent return to cricket in 2012 demonstrated remarkable resilience and inspired millions globally — a comeback that the world remembers to this day.

Bhushan Kumar, known for impactful films like Animal, Srikanth, Drishyam 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Jhund, Kabir Singh, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Ludo, is excited about this new venture.

He says, “Yuvraj Singh’s life is a compelling narrative of resilience, triumph and passion. His journey from a promising cricketer to a cricketing hero, and then to a hero in real life, is truly inspiring. I am thrilled to bring a story that needs to be told and heard through the big screen and to celebrate his extraordinary achievements.”

Yuvraj added, “I am deeply honoured that my story will be showcased to millions of my fans across the globe by Bhushanji and Ravi. Cricket has been my greatest love and source of strength through all the highs and lows.”

The film is co-produced by Ravi Bhagchandka, known for Sachin: A Billion Dreams and the upcoming Sitaare Zameen Par. Talking about his connection with Yuvraj Singh, Ravi shares, “Yuvraj has been a dear friend for many years. I’m honoured that he trusted us to translate his incredible cricketing journey into a cinematic experience. Yuvi is not just a world champion, but a true legend in every sense of the word.”

Recently, when the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton announced her battle with cancer, my heart went out to her. I could sense that the family was not comfortable telling the world about Kate’s battle (at least not yet). But given the tremendous pressure and fake news doing the rounds, it seemed she had no choice but take a drastic step and put an end to all the unwarranted speculation.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was looking for some positive articles and there weren’t many people talking about it.

But I came out because I realized, just as I was desperately looking for hope, I needed to share it with others as well. I began reaching out to people and Lisa Ray, a cancer survivor, messaged me on Facebook. It was very comforting for me to have received a positive message from her. I remember Yuvraj Singh also talking about it, then there was a cyclist and a Hollywood actress, who spoke a little while wearing a wig. I told myself that if I ever get okay, not only will I talk about my journey but also give a truthful picture of myself. Not a flowery one.

It wasn’t a cakewalk. It was the most difficult phase of my life, but I was blessed with great family support and doctors. This encouraged me to speak about my struggle, fears as well as my recovery.

Yes, there’s fear. You are worried about how people will respond to you when you come out with your diagnosis. But it is nothing compared to the phase when you are facing death – at that moment it doesn’t matter how people look at you. Your priority is to recover. It is important to get the right information and encouragement, and I did that to help me sail through the gruelling chemotherapy. When you know you are fine and you realize that there is a 50 per cent chance of you surviving, that’s when you start thinking about your looks, the hair loss and how people perceive you now. I thought I would never be able to work again. But I was wrong.

Once I came out, I got tons of love and support. I received messages from strangers on social media. I thought that I would be judged, and people would pity me. My fears were unfounded because people were encouraging and caring enough for me to be able to go through this journey.

Which is why I am slightly uncomfortable with the way the media went all out with all the conspiracy theories and conjectures about Kate’s absence from public life. When someone is quiet about a personal matter and not reachable, you imagine the worst. And very quickly at that. Before jumping to any kind of conclusion, one must think a hundred times, because you don’t know the kind of struggle they are going through.

Unfortunately for Kate, there were so many bizarre rumours flying around that she was forced to come out, even if it may not have been her first choice. One must understand that there are some people who want to deal with something like cancer quietly because that is the best way for them to heal. For others, sharing this may be cathartic. It is a personal choice, and we need to respect that.

A left-handed all-rounder with a record of being the only Indian cricketer who smashed six sixes in a single over in 2007’s T20 World Cup, former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh is a fighter both on and off the field. Lovingly known as Yuvi, the cricketer was in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon where he expressed his wish of Ranbir Kapoor doing his biopic, striking a balance between work and fatherhood and more. Excerpts.

Talking about having no regrets, except one, the left-handed all-rounder said, "Now there are three teams, more than one captains but back then, it wasn’t like this. Dada (Sourav Ganguly) was a great captain, so was Mahi (Mahendra Singh Dhoni). I’ve no regrets as becoming captain is about destiny. I gave my all as a team member and that is all that matters to me. The only regret I’ve is that I could have played more test matches."

When asked about which actor would be the right choice for his biopic, the cricketer said, "I recently watched Animal and I think Ranbir Kapoor would be the right fit for my biopic. But eventually, it’ll be the director’s call. We’re definitely working on it and will have some good news soon."

Yuvraj says that back in the day, the infrastructure for cricket training was not up to the mark. Emphasizing on the importance of creating an atmosphere where young cricketers can pursue cricket professionally, he said, “Young kids aged between 10-19 should receive the best of training which can help them build a career for themselves. The country has given us so much love and support whenever we were playing abroad, now it’s time to give back to the country by creating an atmosphere conducive to the growth of young kids for them to learn, grow and play professional cricket.”

Yuvraj likes being a hands-on father, he says, “My kids are in England so I’ve to go back and forth to see them. My whole world revolves around my kids. Our lives change once we become parents. You want to give them the best of everything and I am trying my best to give them the best education and life,” said the left-handed all-rounder.

When asked about his message for young students of the nation, the cricketer said, “Education and sports both are really important. My message to students is that they should focus on both the things, and once you know what you are good at, pursue your career in that.”

The cricket legend was in the city to inaugurate the Yuvraj Singh Centre of Excellence and High Performance Centre in collaboration with the Merlin Group.

On August 25, cricketer Yuvraj Singh and his wife, actor Hazel Keech Singh, were thrilled to share the news of the couple welcoming their second child, daughter Aura into their lives. She was born in mid July. For the first time, Hazel shares her thoughts on her newborn daughter, pregnancy and more.

The actress told Bombay Times, “I always wanted Orion to have a sibling. I feel like siblings teach you to share, they teach you about compassion, and they teach you that other people are going to be different from you - bigger, stronger, shorter. They teach you a kind of tolerance that you could only learn at home before you go to school and into the real world. Also, a sibling, whether you get on or not, you kind of always know in the world that you have someone who will be there on your journey with you. I feel blessed to have a boy and a girl. Orion's the only boy in my family as we are all girls. It's nice that Orion has a younger sister and I'm glad that Yuvi also has a daughter because I feel there's a certain kind of softness that comes when a man becomes a father of a girl.”

She elaborated, “I feel very lucky to have been able to have two children. My pregnancy was much easier this time around though recovery is a little slow because now I have a toddler who just learned to walk and now is running everywhere. So, I'm trying to give him as much attention as I can while fulfilling all my newborn duties of feeding and burping and just trying to be as aware and attentive mum as I can.”

The delivery happened in London. Not many knew that Hazel and Yuvraj were expecting their second child so everyone was pleasantly surprised. Speaking of keeping it low-key, Hazel added, “I do prefer to keep my private life private. Pregnancy is such a delicate journey for everyone and it's so personal, you never know what can happen at any stage. I prefer to let my children just be children rather than celebrities from before they're born. They should have every chance to make mistakes and not have pressure to be a certain way because of the public eye because people are judging them and watching them. We choose to be celebrities. We choose to share our lives with the world, the public and the media. But children don't have a choice in that. So, Yuvi and I choose to let them just be children.”

Hazel is all praises for Yuvraj. She reveals, "Yuvi is a hands-on father and he's just amazing with both of our children. He knows how to burp the baby, change nappies, put them to bed, and bathe. Because he travels so much, these small, small things make the bond with him and Orion so strong. So, both my children are daddy's boy and daddy's girl. When he leaves the room, Aura starts crying. When I can't calm her down, Yuvi holds her and she thinks because he's so tall and strong, he's like this big mountain of support. They feel so safe and secure in his arms, which makes me fall in love with him all over again. I’m proud of the father he’s become and the man he’s growing into."

"I have two sons. I always wanted a daughter. Mujhe laga jaise meri icchha puri ho gayi. I have a granddaughter now. You can dress up little girls in various clothes like lehenga choli, different accessories, something you can’t do with boys. I missed doing all of this when my boys were growing up. I am so happy for Hazel and Yuvraj. I am proud to see Yuvi as a hands-on father who is equally involved in the baby duties - changing diapers etc. I am glad he is at a stage in his life where he can give enough time to his family and see his kids growing up. I remember Sachin Tendulkar saying that he missed out on seeing his children grow as he was constantly travelling and playing cricket at the time. Yuvi has that opportunity so I am happy for him, also daughters always have a special bond with their fathers."

Abhishek Bachchan will be seen playing Saiyami Kher’s cricket coach in R Balki’s next, Ghoomer. This will be the second time that Abhishek and Saiyami will share screen space; the two were earlier seen in the second season of the web series Breathe 2.

Saiyami’s character in the film is inspired by the story of Károly Takács, the late Hungarian righthand shooter who won two Olympic gold medals with his left hand after his other hand was seriously injured. In an exclusive chat with Bombay Times, Saiyami and director R Balki opened up about their film and more.

Balki said, “Ghoomer is neither a traditional cricket film, nor meant to be a women’s cricket story or about women empowerment or gender dynamics. We wrote this about four years ago. It’s about an individual’s resilience who refuses to wallow in self-pity. This character happens to be a woman. What Saiyami has done with this role is incredible. Abhishek also plays a complex character. How do you help a person without pitying their circumstances? He essays a man who has not had a great life but wants to help fulfil someone else’s dream.”

Saiyami revealed, “Cricket has always been my first love and I have played the sport right from my school days. To be able to play a cricketer on screen was thrilling, but the real challenge here was different. I play a differently-abled cricketer in Ghoomer. She has only one arm and she bowls with it. I am a right-handed player, but I had to bowl with my left arm here. We had to invent a new delivery, bowling action and norms of how the sport is played. I had to field, bat, and bowl with one arm. Despite knowing the game and having the body language of a sportsman, the training took me three months. We take so many things for granted in life. Essaying this character gave me a different perspective on life. Abhishek plays the man who inspires this physically challenged cricketer to become a champion. It is not just another film on cricket. It’s about the triumph of the human spirit.”

The actress was guided by cricketers like Yuvraj Singh and Ajinkya Rahane through this journey. “Most of my cricketer friends get bored talking to me about cricket, but various conversations with them helped. Cricket commentator and former left-arm spinner Murali Kartik was of great help in particular.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 22, 2017)

Their dreamy Italy wedding and an exotic honeymoon in Finland behind them, it was finally time for Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma to bring their love story to desi turf. The couple hosted their Delhi reception at the Durbar Hall of Taj Diplomatic Enclave last night for their extended family and friends in the capital.

The function kickstarted when Kohli and Sharma walked out, hand-in-hand, to the special enclave set up for the media and posed for the shutterbugs. With Sabyasachi at the helm of their styling, it wasn't surprising to see the actor go the traditional way — Sharma beamed in a red Benarasi from his Peeli Kothi collection complete with red bindi, sindoor and mogra in her hair. She paired it with a heritage uncut diamond choker and jhumkas. Kohli chose a black textured bandhgala with 18 karat gold buttons teaming it with a handwoven brocade churidaar and a hand-embroidered antique Kashmiri Pashmina shawl.

It took some convincing for one of India's fiercest pace bowlers, Zaheer Khan to open up on his romantic side, life beyond cricket and how he was bowled over by Chak De girl Sagarika Ghatge. But once he did, even his gorgeous actress fiancée seemed mesmerised as he showed up in a majestic sherwani for our photoshoot. In an elaborate chat, he dropped his guard and revealed his witty personality often hidden behind a straight face and stoic demeanour. A little less than a month before their marriage, the couple played perfect hosts as they welcomed us into their plush Parel residence, which in Zaheer's words 'isn't a bachelor pad anymore'. Excerpts from the couple's joint interview with Bombay Times, on how they fell in love and more. Read on...

Zaheer, your wedding is just round the corner. What's the mood like in the house?
It's upbeat for me, stressful for Sagarika (smiles). She is the worrier, because she is more responsible as far as the timelines are concerned. With me, things go haywire.

A marriage is not just about two people, but two families coming together. Given this is an inter-religious marriage, was it smooth sailing for you two or did you have to brave some storms?
Zaheer: We didn't face any such issues. Both our families are evolved enough to understand that it's about marrying the right person over marrying into the same religion. It's important to be a good human being.
Sagarika: My parents are also open-minded and their primary concern was that I marry the right person. I am sure they may have had their apprehensions, but after meeting him, it cleared a lot of things for them. He is perfect.

What's the wedding ceremony going to be like? Will there be a nikaah and a Hindu wedding?
Zaheer: We are going to stay away from both. It will be a court marriage on November 27 in Mumbai. There will be a pre and post wedding functions. I am planning to have something in Pune as well, so the ceremony will go on for a few days. We want this to be a get-together for close friends and family.
Sagarika: We are also planning to have something in my hometown Kolhapur, sometime later.

Tell us how the love story began?
Sagarika: I met him three years ago. It was weird that every time I met him, my friends would tease us for some reason. We would be cordial with each other and stick to the regular 'Hi' and 'Hello'. But there were people, like my close friend, who thought we should be together even before we thought about it.
Zaheer: We both were in a different phase of our lives back then. We got to know each other through common friends. We don't know exactly when it started, but we eased into it.

What were your early impressions of each other?
Sagarika: Zaheer is a good host and is extremely well-mannered. For me it matters a lot. A guy needs to be chivalrous. That was my first impression of him - that he was humble. I am sure he had a different impression of me (laughs).
Zaheer: I am very relaxed and nonjudgmental in my approach. I let people be. This quality of mine, where I am unfazed by things, bothers my friends a lot.  Even Yuvraj pulls my leg and tells me that ticking all the boxes during the wedding prep is crazy and hectic. I guess he is envious of how calm I am.
Sagarika: And that's a good quality, but not always. It gets annoying for me. I end up telling him, “You have to have a reaction! You cannot be like that.“

Who made the first move? And how did the friendship graduate to romance?
Zaheer: One person had to take the lead, and it was me (smiles). Things started to get serious when I actually told her about it. Before that we would always meet as part of a group. We would enjoy each other's company, but I wasn't sure if she liked me or not. So I just told her, “I would like to take you out for dinner, but it should be just you and me, not with the gang.“ She thought I was joking about it! We always felt there was something between us, but didn't say it. We have different personalities, but are similar in a lot of ways as well. She is quite choosy about who she hangs out with and so am I. We take our time to open up to people. We both are introverted to a certain extent.
Sagarika: I always knew he was a good guy. Whenever I met this common friend of ours called Ritik, I would always tell him that Zaheer seems like a good guy. He knew that I never talk about anyone like that, so there was probably something more to this. What I liked about him the most was his humility. Despite achieving so much in life, he is grounded. That is one quality in him that I truly I admire. Sometimes I fly, but he is grounded.

Now that you've retired from international cricket, will that give you more time for your marriage?
Zaheer: Yes. People used to often ask me, why aren't you getting married? I can do only one thing at a time. The game is demanding and getting more professional now. To divide time between family and cricket is tough. Not just because of the nature of the game, but the amount of traveling that's involved. It's not easy for us to cope with with such pressures, especially if you want to start a famil .

Sagarika, given that he is a sportsman, was your family a Zaheer Khan fan before? And what about you Zaheer?
Sagarika: Everyone in the family has always been a sports fan, not just cricket. They love him also because he speaks in Marathi. Even I don't always talk to my mom in Marathi but he does and that worked.
Zaheer: When I shared the news with my parents, the first thing they did was get a CD of Chak De! India and watch it. That mutual admiration is there from both families.

Did you particularly remember her when you saw the film back then?
Zaheer: I did. All I knew was she didn't like cricketers in the movie back then.

Sagarika, how comfortable are you mingling with the cricket fraternity?
Sagarika: I never hung out with cricketers before. But his really close friends Ajit, Ashish, Yuvi are just like him, so it was easy to blend in. I think his friends like me more than him now. Even if I work in the films, I have my own set of friends. Everyone who knows me knew that I was never interested in marrying an actor or a cricketer.
Zaheer: She took her Chak De character too seriously (laughs).

Sagarika, was there a notion some where that actors or cricketers are less likely to commit?
May be that was at the back of my mind, but I will never accept it. I guess it was more about being in my com fort zone.

Did you have any apprehensions about marriage per se before finding one another?
Zaheer: Personally, I always believed that when you are ready, it comes to you. I've always looked at it that wa . So when I started dating her, that thought naturally came to my mind. She was apprehensive, but I had the clarity. I always believed in marriage.
Sagarika: I believed and respected the institution of marriage so much that it scared me as I expected so much out of it. You want it to be right.

Sagarika, are you fascinated with the term 'WAG' (Wives and Girlfriends of athletes)?
Sagarika: I am not happy with that term. I don't know why some people like it.
Zaheer: She is happy that I've retired and that no one will call her that.

Unlike a lot of celeb couples, you just went straight ahead and took to social media to announce your engagement.
Sagarika: That's how I have been and he is also like that. He has no pretense. Besides, there was nothing to hide in the first place. He wasn't fooling around and neither was I.
Zaheer: Once you have clarity in a relationship what's there to hide? That's how I have been all my life. Also when it comes to these things, it's very individualistic. Everyone looks at things differently . I did what I felt was right.