I hate the word sexy and did everything to change it: Neha Dhupia

21/10/2017
Neha Dhupia feels that actors often make the mistake of worrying too much about roles and paychecks before taking up films. The actor, who stars alongside Vidya Balan in Tumhari Sulu, says that one should focus on the job at hand, instead of worrying about the territory of work. “I tell everyone to first grab the job and then worry about other things. Don’t become a star before the job is given to you. A lot of people make that mistake in our business,” says Neha. Sharing her own experiences ...

After Lipstick Under My Burkha, I am being considered an actor of some worth: Aahana

21/10/2017
Aahana Kumra, who played the gritty Leela in director Alankrita Shrivastava’s film Lipstick Under My Burkha, touched the chord with the audience. The actor feels that the film, in a way, has opened doors for her given the appreciation it received from the audience both in India and abroad. Aahana shares the film has also proved what she is capable of doing as an artist and she has been getting quite a few offers now. “A lot of people have seen my work via this film. And now, I am being conside...

I was sexually assaulted by a director at 16: Witherspoon

21/10/2017
Actor Reese Witherspoon has opened up about being sexually assaulted by a director when she was just 16. The 41-year-old star hoped the Harvey Weinstein scandal will encourage women to speak up about harassment, reported People magazine. "This has been a really hard week for women in Hollywood, for women all over the world, and a lot of situations and a lot of industries are forced to remember and relive a lot of ugly truths," Witherspoon said during her speech at the Elle Women in Hollywood....

Every Indian will be proud of 'Padmavati': Shahid

21/10/2017
Padmavati is a film that celebrates India's culture and every Indian should be proud of it, actor Shahid Kapoor said, as he urged people to see the film before judging. Shahid asserted that the film will be releasing on December 1, despite threats from the Rajput Karni Sena to "burn cinema halls" which screen the movie, if the makers do not show them the film before its release. "We are ready to release (the movie) on December 1. It's a film that every Indian is proud of as it's a film that c...

I am itching to do comedy: Ira Dubey

21/10/2017
Ira Dubey calls herself a Delhi girl and a Bombay person, but she loves the calm and quiet of Pune. The actor, who was in the city for her mother Lillete Dubey’s play, 9 parts of Desire, has performed in six different plays over the past 10 days. Does it get physically and emotionally draining to portray varied characters one after the other? Ira says, “My co-actors and directors often tell me that I invest a lot as an actor. But I feel that I am just doing my job. In the West, or for that matt...

Are Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif getting close again?

21/10/2017
If sources from the location of Tiger Zinda Hai are to be believed, then Katrina Kaif is definitely inching back to her previous equation with Salman Khan. According to eyewitnesses from the location, the two were seen bonding “like they used to before. Salman and Katrina were in deep conversations between shots.” Friends in the know say that Salman has again started advising Katrina on her career. “Earlier even after she became a star, Katrina wouldn’t sign a single film without consulting S...

Dhanteras and Diwali is the only time when I wear gold jewellery: Divya Khosla Kumar

21/10/2017
Divya Khosla Kumar awaits Dhanteras not to buy gold jewellery, but to wear her jewellery that mostly remains in her closet and lockers. The actress shared that the festive season is the only time when she takes out her gold jewellery. "A few days back I took out my mangalsutra that mostly lies in my cupboard. I think all working women do not get a chance to wear their gold jewellery and Diwali and Dhanteras are the occasions when we wear our gold bangles, etc," said the actress and filmmaker,...

‘Padmavati’ was an exhausting experience: Deepika

19/10/2017
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone said, though she feels fortunate to have portrayed a character like Padmavati, the filming was extremely exhausting for her. The actress was present at the book launch of Hema Malini's biography - 'Beyond The Dream Girl', written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee. During an interactive session with Hema, Deepika shared how time has changed. Acting in the magnum opus 'Padmavati' has transform her creative mind. She said, "Working in Padmavati was an exhausting experience...

It’s difficult to survive in the industry: Parineeti

19/10/2017
While she never dreamt of being an actress, it was in her destiny. Films fell into her lap, and Parineeti Chopra became a known name overnight. In a candid chat, the actress reveals that while people see a very rosy picture of actors, she says that industry people don’t get to enjoy a certain peace of mind. “Our lives are as real as any other person’s,” she says. “We perform and make you feel something in our films, but our personal lives are as real as yours. People will never understand t...

Salman Khan turns down villain’s part in Race 3

19/10/2017
Race 3, which will be directed by Remo D’Souza, has a terrific part for the antagonist. In fact, insiders say the villain’s part in Race 3 is the strongest character in the plot. So naturally, everybody in the Race team thought that Salman would be perfect in the antagonist’s part, especially since he had never played a villain before. But Salman, after some thought, decided to let go of the grey role. He would rather play the protagonist, even if it isn’t as impactful than the villain’s par...

Was asked to create a ‘scandal’ for ‘Lucknow Central’: Nikhil Advani

19/10/2017
Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani has revealed that such is the emphasis on creating a "buzz" in the industry that he was told to ask Farhan Akhtar to create a "scandal" to get more limelight than Kangana Ranaut during "Lucknow Central". Kangana has been in the news recently over her row with actor Hrithik Roshan. She gave multiple interviews during the release of her film "Simran". Around the same time, Farhan's "Lucknow Central" released, which Advani had produced. Talking about the culture of exce...

Gauri Khan is my dear friend: Sussanne Khan

19/10/2017
Entrepreneur Sussanne Khan, says there is no competition between her and Shah Rukh Khan’s wife Gauri when it comes to interior designing. “I think Gauri Khan is my dear friend. I am really happy that she is doing very well,” Sussanne, who attended the preview of Rustomejee Elements, a residential apartment which was designed by her, told reporters on Saturday. “I think that when you’re friends you feel happy for the person, there is no competition, there is more love,” she added. Both Sussan...

Being at the top is lonely: Hema Malini

19/10/2017
For the whole of 70s and 80s, actor Hema Malini ruled the hearts of millions in the country. But even as enormous success kept her company for more than a decade, the person behind the enviable sheen felt lonely, something which the arc-lights obviously failed to capture. As she launched her biography Beyond the Dream Girl on her 69th birthday on Monday, Hema spoke about being in the numero uno position and how it interfered with her personal space. “First of all, I don’t even know if I am sup...

On Diwali, it’s all about my family, and reunion with friends: Ayushmann Khurrana

19/10/2017
To say that Ayushmann Khurrana loves celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, is an understatement it’s his favourite festival! He tells us, “I’m always excited about Diwali. For me, the day has always been spent in Chandigarh (my hometown) with family.” On why he loves Diwali so much, the actor says, “You love the day for the nostalgia, especially when you don’t stay in your hometown, and are away from parents. It becomes more special when you [live] in Mumbai, and then go home to all the ...

I’m fed up of this query: Tabu

19/10/2017
Though Tabu is tired from all the interviews she’s given ahead of Golmaal Again, she’s her usual fun self. But before the volley of questions start, she quips: “Are you going to ask me a question about my marriage plans? Just like they ask Salman Khan about his marital status, people ask only one question ‘Aapki shaadi kab I’m fed up of this query!” Then ask her about the news that went viral on Ajay Devgn being the reason she’s not married, and she bursts into laughter. “Arre… yaar, the headl...

When you are open to learning, or unlearning, you keep improving: Rakul

18/10/2017
The last few weeks have been quite exciting for Rakul Preet. While her Tamil-Telugu bilingual, Murugadoss's Spyder with Mahesh Babu, hit screens amidst many expectations, she also got busy wrapping up her Bollywood film Aiyaary. More recently, the actress was named the brand ambassador of Telangana's Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. In a chat with Chennai Times, Rakul talks to us about being seen in a Kollywood film after a while, why she doesn't get intimidated by her co-stars and how you can...

Madhuri Dixit to make her Marathi debut

18/10/2017
Bollywood dancing diva Madhuri Dixit is all set to make her debut in a Marathi film. The 50-year-old actor, whose career in Hindi films spans over three decades, is set to feature in a slice-of-life Marathi movie that revolves around the self-realisation journey of a woman with a dash of humour attached to its narrative style. Talking about the project, Madhuri said, "It is a story of every household yet it has a silver lining. It not only gives you hope and inspiration but also encourages yo...

I won’t take up films just because I have spare time: Kriti Sanon

18/10/2017
With four years and as many films behind her in Bollywood, actor Kriti Sanon is following a slow, but steady pace. That her contemporaries are on a signing spree doesn’t affect Kriti. “I don’t want to follow any rules or restrictions. I just follow my heart. There might be a time, when I am doing more films, where I like three scripts in a row that are happening in one year. I would go mad and have just about no time; but then, you can’t predict,” says the 27-year-old actor. On whether she ha...

Being selective has not been easy, but worth it: Kunal Kapoor

18/10/2017
He is very selective when it comes to picking projects, but is not willing to ditch his personal beliefs for more work. Actor Kunal Kapoor says it is important as an actor to “be seen” but even more important to be part of work that one believes in. The actor, who made his debut with ‘Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities’ in 2004, also said there was a time when he didn’t have a release for a couple of years, but he didn’t give up. “It is important as an actor to ‘be seen’. But I think it’s even more imp...

Time to see the world through ‘feminine gaze’: Shabana Azmi

18/10/2017
Veteran actress Shabana Azmi on Monday said it is time people started seeing the world through a "feminine gaze". The pro-equality actress was speaking at "#F for Freedom MAMI" segment of Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film Festival. "I am very delighted that MAMI this year is concentrating on making women's work more visible. I think it is high time that we started see the world through feminine gaze," she said. The festival hosted a brunch to discuss and inspire women equality and quality films, whi...

Played most complex character in The Hungry: Tisca

18/10/2017
Tisca Chopra, playing a pivotal role in the film ‘The Hungry’, says her character is quite “dark and complex”, adding that working on a Shakespearian piece was on her wish list as an actor. After the premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, ‘The Hungry’ has its Asian Premiere at the 19th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star on Saturday. Directed by Bornila Chatterjee, ‘The Hungry’ is the adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Titus Andronicus’. Keeping the core essence of the story intac...

PM Modi's Jan Dhan Yojna helps villagers cut down on alcohol, tobacco consumption: SBI report

17/10/2017
new delhi: There is both statistically significant and economically meaningful drop in consumption of intoxicants such as alcohol and tobacco products in states where more Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts opened, a study by the State Bank of India’s economic research wing has said. “This could be because of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) Trinity which has helped in better channelising government subsidies and helped in curbing the unproductive expenditure such as alcohol and to...

Festive sales finally bring cheers for retail stores

17/10/2017
NEW DELHI: A shopping blitz in the weekend before Diwali seems to have salvaged the otherwise lacklustre festive season with mall owners and apparel brands witnessing a 15-20 per cent surge in sales over last year in Mumbai, Delhi and elsewhere. Festive season shopping accounts for 40 per cent of annual sales for most retailers. "This year Diwali has been a slow starter but this weekend has lifted the mood. We have done slightly better than last year and are hoping it will continue till Christ...

Festive sales finally bring cheers for retail stores

17/10/2017
NEW DELHI: A shopping blitz in the weekend before Diwali seems to have salvaged the otherwise lacklustre festive season with mall owners and apparel brands witnessing a 15-20 per cent surge in sales over last year in Mumbai, Delhi and elsewhere. Festive season shopping accounts for 40 per cent of annual sales for most retailers. "This year Diwali has been a slow starter but this weekend has lifted the mood. We have done slightly better than last year and are hoping it will continue till Christ...

Bharti Airtel, Millicom close deal to combine Ghana ops

17/10/2017
new delhi: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and Millicom International Cellular today announced completion of a deal to combine their operations in Ghana. The deal, executed through their respective subsidiaries, will create Ghana's second largest mobile operator with nearly 10 million subscribers and USD 300 million in revenue. "The combined networks of the two companies will cover more than 80 per cent of Ghana's population, in particular in villages and far flung areas and serve customers wi...

Economic recovery likely to have taken hold in Sept quarter: Report

17/10/2017
new delhi: Continued strength in import growth is a reflection of healthy underlying demand trend and an indication that growth recovery is expected to have taken hold in the September quarter, says a Morgan Stanley report. According to the global financial services major, global economic growth is expected to stay positive and accordingly exports are likely to remain supportive going ahead. Supportive export growth "coupled with robust consumption trends, we now have a clear runway for growt...

IndusInd Bank to take over micro finance company Bharat Financial Inclusion

17/10/2017
Mumbai: The Board of Directors of IndusInd Bank Ltd and Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd on Saturday approved the merger of two companies through a composite scheme of arrangement. As per the merger terms, the shareholders of Bharat Financial will receive 639 shares of IndusInd for every 1,000 shares of Bharat Financial. This implies a premium of 12.6 per cent to Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited over two-week volume weighted price (VWAP). The Board of Directors of the two companies approved ...

Wholesale inflation falls to 2.6% in Sept as food items soften

17/10/2017
new delhi: Wholesale inflation fell to 2.60 percent in September as prices of food articles, led by vegetables, softened. Inflation, based on the wholesale price index (WPI), had soared to a four-month high of 3.24 percent in August 2017. It was 1.36 percent in September 2016. The government data released today showed that inflation in food articles tapered to 2.04 percent in September, as against 5.75 percent in August on an yearly basis. Inflation in vegetable prices cooled to 15.48 per ce...

Triumph new Street Triple RS launched in India at Rs 10.55 lakh

17/10/2017
new delhi: UK-based high-end motorcycle brand Triumph on Monday launched updated version of Street Triple RS in India priced at Rs 10.55 lakh (ex-showroom). The company, which entered India in 2013 with ten models, now has 17 models across five categories in its portfolio in the country. "The new Triumph Street Triple RS is a force machine that delivers in terms of performance and style," Triumph Motorcycles India Managing Director Vimal Sumbly told reporters here. The latest version of the ...

Bharat Financial Inclusion shares gain over 4%; IndusInd Bank slips

17/10/2017
new delhi: Shares of Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL) on Monday rose by over 4 percent to touch a one-year high as IndusInd Bank will acquire the country's second largest microfinance player. The scrip went up by 4.29 percent to Rs 1,046.50 its 52-week high on BSE. Shares of IndusInd Bank, however, fell by 2.85 percent to Rs 1,700.10. IndusInd Bank on Saturday said it will acquire country's second largest microfinance player Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL) and the transaction is exp...

Led by Chinese, nearly 600 companies line up $85 billion investments in India

17/10/2017
NEW DELHI: Sany Heavy Industry heads up a list of close to 600 companies planning to invest a total of about $85 billion in India in projects that will create an estimated 700,000 jobs in the country in next five years. Invest India, the government's foreign investment promotion agency, is planning to actively promote the country as an investment destination and has drawn up a list of 200 companies not present in India that it wants to target. "We want to achieve a $100 billion target of fore...

Ayushmann is my senior. So, I should really deserve to direct him: Tahira Kashyap

16/10/2017
She is an accomplished author with books such as I Promise and Souled Out to her credit. Now, Tahira Kashyap, who is actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s wife, dons the director’s avatar as she helms a short film, Toffee that has been produced by Ayushmann and casting director Mukesh Chhabra. Herein, she talks about her inspirations, life, husband Ayushmann and more. How excited, happy or nervous are you? I am very excited. I think I was waiting for it (smiles). It’s a beautiful space to be in and I re...

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor Pooja Joshi blessed with a baby girl

16/10/2017
The stork recently came visiting Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor Pooja Joshi. The talented artist, who plays Varsha in the daily soap, was blessed with a baby girl on October 11. The actor is married to businessman Manish Arora. Sharing her joy with indianexpress.com, Pooja said, “It’s a feeling of fulfillment for us. We have named our little angel Ridhima.” Pooja, who is currently in the hospital, shared that both mother and baby are absolutely fine. The actor, who had taken a maternity leav...

Salman never promised my return on ‘Bigg Boss’: Priyank

16/10/2017
‘Bigg Boss 11’ contestant Priyank Sharma says host Salman Khan scolded him for attacking a fellow housemate but has not assured his return to the show. Salman evicted Priyank from the show during the 'Weekend Ka Vaar' episode when he allegedly physically assaulted co-contestant Akash Dadlani, after an argument broke out between Vikas Gupta and the latter. "Nothing is happening (regarding the return to the show). I am out of the show, I have no idea if I am coming back to the show or not. Let'...

I am enjoying being a board member of CBFC: Vidya Balan

16/10/2017
Actor Vidya Balan, who is one of the board members of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), today said she is enjoying her new role. In August this year, the National Award-winning actor was appointed as part of the reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). "I am enjoying being a board member. A lot of people don't know what it means to be a board member... We don't watch all films, only when there is a problem we see the film. So I have seen very few films, which is a ...

I still enter award shows wondering if people recognise me: Taapsee Pannu

16/10/2017
From proving her acting prowess in films such as Pink (2016) and Naam Shabana (2017), to revealing her glamorous side in Bollywood with an out-and-out commercial venture like Judwaa 2, Taapsee Pannu has seen the best of both worlds. But the actor doesn’t feel she can relax just yet. “I still feel that I need to continue giving hits, and don’t know when this feeling will go. I feel that I’m a perpetual struggler. I always keep struggling to get certain roles, and when I get them, I struggle to ...

The phenomenon of fame throws me off guard: Tabu

16/10/2017
With films such as "The Namesake", "Chandni Bar", "Maqbool" and "Haider" to her credit, Tabu is undoubtedly one of the finest performers of her generation, but the actor says becoming a star was never on her agenda. The 45-year-old actor, who did an offbeat film like "Maachis" in the initial days of her career, says she decided to carve her own path in films as she never wanted to be pigeonholed. Excerpts from an interview: Q- You have build a varied filmography. It seems you always opted for...

Shame it took nine years to prove Talwars’ innocence: Konkona

15/10/2017
Actor Konkana Sensharma has hailed Allahabad High Court's decision to acquit the Talwar couple in the 2008 Aarushi and Hemraj murder case and said it is shameful the real killers are still unknown. The court said the Talwars could not be held guilty on the basis of the evidence on record, thus ending the nine-year ordeal of the parents who were found guilty by a CBI court of murdering their 14-year-old daughter, Aarushi. In Meghna Gulzar's "Talvar", the actor had played the role of Aarushi's ...

If I was in cement business, they wouldn’t have made me FTII chairman: Anupam

15/10/2017
Actor Anupam Kher is busy replying to the congratulatory messages that have been pouring in ever since he was declared the newly appointed chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, on Wednesday. However, amid those good wishes for him and his new role, there are some messages that have called his appointment a “joke”, because Kher already runs a private acting school, called Actor Prepares. Reacting to this, Kher tells us, “If I was in the cement business, why would ...

Aamir Khan on Sarfarosh sequel: I would love to play ACP Rathod

15/10/2017
Superstar Aamir Khan said he is all game to reprise his iconic role from Sarfarosh in the film’s sequel. The 1999 movie, directed by John Matthew Matthan, dealt with a police officer’s quest to rein in cross-border terrorism and received critical acclaim. Aamir played the role of a tough cop, Ajay Singh Rathod in the film. There were reports that Matthan is set to begin work on the sequel. When asked about it, Aamir told reporters, “Oh, it’s getting made? I didn’t know. How wonderful, that’s g...

We need freedom to make meaningful cinema: Sharmila Tagore

15/10/2017
Veteran actor and former CBFC chairperson Sharmila Tagore late Thursday asserted that filmmakers need an enabling environment if the country wants quality cinema to blossom. Tagore’s strong comment was a part of her speech after she accepted a special honour at Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film Festival for her contribution to Indian cinema. The two-time National Award winner, who has worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema for over four decades, said that working simultaneously in two film industries exp...

Aditi Rao Hydari takes on trolls: Actors are not mere objects; unfair to judge us all the time

15/10/2017
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari has somehow managed to keep her slate clean and not get embroiled in any controversies. But when it comes to trolls, the actor has had her share of experiences to share and hence, she has a lot to say about how it has become an unavoidable phenomenon in today’s time. The actor, who recently starred in the film Bhoomi playing the role of Sanjay Dutt’s on-screen daughter, shares that during her initial years in the industry, she used to read these comments but eventually s...

Adhyayan saw Kangana’s messages to Hrithik, he cried to me and my wife: Shekhar Suman

15/10/2017
Actor Shekhar Suman, whose son Adhyayan Suman was in a relationship with actor Kangana Ranaut in 2009, has joined the list of Bollywood celebs backing Hrithik Roshan in his legal battle against Kangana. In an interview to Spotboye.com, Shekhar Suman has said that Kangana’s love for Hrithik was one sided and Adhyayan was devastated when he saw her messages to Hrithik. In the detailed interview, Shekhar said, “ Hrithik too suffered a lot. He should have spoken out long ago and put an end to this...

I have never been calculative about my work: Aahana Kumra

15/10/2017
From essaying unconventional characters in short films and web series to playing pivotal roles in television and movies, Aahana Kumra is an actor to reckon with. The actor who is riding high on the success of Inside Edge and Lipstick Under My Burkha opens up about her choice of scripts and the challenges faced by Hindi cinema. Q. The kind of work you have been a part of over the years has been mostly non-commercial fares featuring challenging characters. Was there a deliberate effort on your p...