Sahher Bambba gets candid with us about work and life

24/09/2021
How was your experience working in Ishq Mein with Sunny Kaushal? It was a great experience. Sunny is a cute co-star. I loved the larger-than-life aspect of a music video. Many music videos are being made in recent times. Why are actors keen on them? I feel music and dance is a part of our culture and people can resonate with it very well. The reach of music videos is also quite huge. Tell us about your love for dance? I have studied in a convent school in Shimla and Kathak was the only dan...

Rashmeet Kaur and her unrelenting desire to keep creating music

24/09/2021
Rashmeet Kaur has quickly become one of the biggest musicians in the country, thanks to hits such as ‘Bajre Da Sitta’ and ‘Nadiyon Paar’. Yet, the 27-year-old doesn’t let success get to her head and one of the ways she manages to do that is her unending desire to keep creating new music. “I can’t stop creating or just focus on the reaction of my song becoming a massive hit. Yes, I feel grateful about every achievement everyday but at the same time I am always focusing on what the next song or ...

TV is like daal-chawal, says popular TV and film actress Ragini Nandwani

24/09/2021
Tell us something about your background? I am from Dehradun and belong to a Punjabi family. When I was doing mass communication in Delhi, I got an offer to work in a music video for TIPS. That’s how I got my first break. I never thought of becoming an actress. How has been your journey in the telly world? My last show was Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein. My character Lovely was quite loved by viewers. Such shows are rare and very real. Why did you stay away from television in between? I did...

‘Bigg Boss OTT’ winner Divya Agarwal reveals Varun Sood said she was arrogant on the show

24/09/2021
Karan Johar named Divya Agarwal as the winner of Bigg Boss OTT. On the finale stage, the Splitsvilla 10 actress was accompanied by choreographer Nishant Bhat. Apart from Divya and Nishant, the top five finalists also included Shamita Shetty, the second runner-up, Raqesh Bapat, and Pratik Sehajpal. Divya won Rs 25 lakh in cash as well as the Bigg Boss trophy. Divya's journey on the show has been a roller coaster. Despite the fact that she never managed to capture the hearts of her fellow cont...

I get messages on social media where people call me a Nazi and an Islamist: Kubbra Sait

24/09/2021
Actress Kubbra Sait has been one of the very few celebrities in B-Town who has stood up for every given cause and has never shied away from calling a spade a spade. She is someone who has been a great advocate of social causes, and she stands up for the right things and demands justice to be done to people and communities who need it. However much you do good work in the country, there is always a section of the audience who says that you’ve not done enough, and thereby criticise your work. S...

I have dropped nine kgs already for Aye Zindagi: Satyajeet Dubey

24/09/2021
Actor Satyajeet Dubey is on a roll. His work in 'Mumbai Dairies 26/11' as Dr Shaan Mirza has been noticed and the actor is looking forward to his upcoming film. He will be seen in 'Aye Zindagi' where he is playing the lead role along with South-Indian cinema veteran actress Revathi. When asked to describe himself, he tells us, “I’m a wild experimental artist with crazy creative energy.” In an interview, he talks about his first break, his love for performing arts, the Hindi film industry and m...

Payal Ghosh recalls the attack on her: I shouted like hell because I was so damn scared

23/09/2021
Remember actress Payal Ghosh? Exactly a year back she had alleged a MeToo claim on one of the topmost filmmakers of Bollywood. Now, she has claimed that she was recently attacked by a group of men late in the night on Sunday (September 19) when she has gone out to the pharmacy to get some medicines. Talking in a small chat, she reveals all that happened on that fateful night. Excerpts: Please tell us a bit about the attack that happened outside your car? I just went out because on Sundays...

I’m having more fun now than I did in my 20s as an actor: Lara Dutta

23/09/2021
Lara Dutta Bhupathi has been in the Hindi film industry for 18 years and she says she is having more fun now than she did in her 20s as an actor. Talking about her almost two decade-long journey in Bollywood, Lara said: "I am very content with what my journey has been like. I have seen all phases and angles of the industry. I came in from being a Miss Universe to having an opportunity to work in a film like 'Andaaz'. "Having success from right at the start and just having the opportunity to w...

Our parents only taught us one thing and that is to respect elders: Sanjay Dutt

23/09/2021
Sanjay Dutt is showing no signs of slowing down. The actor has already seen a film release this year and has a tight schedule ahead as he has multiple projects lined up. The actor recently made an appearance on a reality show where he opened up on his upbringing. Sanjay Dutt spoke about how his parents raised him and his sisters, and he shared, "They never gave that feeling of supremacy to the 3 of us. They only taught us one thing and that is to respect elders. Love the kids, respect the ...

Bollywood will always remain a part of Fankind, we are diversifying into sports: Anshula Kapoor

23/09/2021
Anshula Kapoor’s initiative Fankind that started out by giving fans the opportunity to meet their favourite Bollywood stars by urging them to donate for various causes is back with a new edition. This time around, Fankind will auction autographed ‘Blue jerseys’ to be worn by the Royal Challengers Bangalore team on September 20, to raise funds for Give India’s ‘Vaccination for All’ mission. Speaking to mid-day.com, Anshula tells us all about the initiative. How did the idea of bringing in a s...

Mallika Sherawat on why she was pulled up for ‘bold scenes’, while male co-stars got away ‘with everything’

23/09/2021
Actor Mallika Sherawat has said that it is a sign of a patriarchal society that men are able to get away with doing the same things that women are pulled up for. She recalled how she was treated by the media for doing ‘bold scenes’ in films, while nobody asked the male actors anything. In an interview, Mallika Sherawat admitted that things have changed and that ‘frontal nudity’ is considered artistic in some films these days. Asked why she was always targeted, and never her male co-stars, ...

On finishing shoot for Bengali film, Yami Gautam talks about her love for Bengal

23/09/2021
She made her debut with the film 'Vicky Donor', directed by Shoojit Sircar and released in 2012, in which she played a Bengali girl - Ashima Roy. The film was a super success, and with it, Bollywood actress Yami Gautam Dhar, seen most recently in 'Bhoot Police', started her love affair with Bengali culture, food and Kolkata. As the actress finished shooting for another film titled 'Lost', directed by another National Award-winning director Aniruddha Roy Chaudhary, she opened up in a conversati...

I think every young composer can helm a solo project: Amaal Mallik

22/09/2021
Music composer Amaal Mallik's recent composition for the song 'Tum Aaogey' from the film 'Bell Bottom' has garnered rave reviews. "Tum Aaogey is one of my most special songs and one of my best works that I have done for film music," said Amaal during a candid conversation. Amaal represents the new generation of Indian music. In a short span of seven years, he has delivered hits like 'Sooraj Dooba Hain' (Roy), 'Soch Na Sake' (Airlift), 'Kar Gayi Chul' (Kapoor & Sons) among several others. He...

Delhi feels like home to me, as all my films have been shot here: Sonnalli Seygall

22/09/2021
Delhi has a special place in Sonnalli Seygall’s heart as not only does she have many relatives living here, but also because all her movies have been shot in the capital. The actress, who was in the city recently for an event, shares, “It genuinely feels like home, all my films have been shot here. I also have a lot of relatives living in the city and I fly down here for professional events regularly as well.” On a recent trip to the city, the actress spoke about dealing with professional unce...

No mask compulsion in the UK did worry actor Aahana Kumra

22/09/2021
Actor Aahana Kumra is in the UK for the shoot of a crime thriller, and while she’s happy to finally be able to travel for work, there’s something that’s worrying her during this trip. “It’s totally different (here) from India. These are like two different worlds. People are out and about not wearing masks. It’s not mandatory by the government,” she continues, “I was very scared when I stepped out her for the first time. But here, almost 75% of the population is vaccinated. I see a lot of fea...

Akansha Ranjan Kapoor: I don’t live with any fear of people

22/09/2021
With every passing year, we tend to learn something. For actor Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, it’s the year of taking a step towards embracing her “loud” self and finally letting go of the fear of getting judged, which she says has taught her the true meaning of life. The actor who turned 28 on September 18 is glad that she is becoming wiser every passing year. “Over these years, I’ve learnt to embrace my true self, including the insecurities, 100 percent. I have a very loud personality, in general....

Urvashi Rautela learns martial arts for upcoming action film

22/09/2021
Actress Urvashi Rautela is in action mode as she is learning martial arts for her upcoming film. She says she is prepping hard for her role and added that martial arts is fun. "I love the idea of prepping hard for my action film and having to fight and learn a new skill set, whether it's Muay Thai, Kali, Filipino stick fighting or Bojutsu. To me, it's like school for life," Urvashi said. The actress added: "Martial arts is fun, it's all choreographed a bit like dance. Which is cool because it...

Kangana Ranaut takes a dig at Javed Akhtar: Remember those who can’t make you, they can’t break you either

22/09/2021
Recently, Kangana Ranaut arrived in Andheri magistrate’s court for the hearing in the defamation case filed against her by veteran Bollywood lyricist, Javed Akhtar. Now, the star took to her Instagram handle to take a dig at Javed. She posted a picture of herself in a pink saree with a matching blouse. The star finished the look with oversized black sunnies. She captioned the post as, ''Remember those who can’t make you, they can’t break you either….Also when in these eye of the storm ….. look...

Quitting acting and experiencing a new phase in life made me happy: Sangeeta Bijlani

22/09/2021
Sangeeta Bijlani may have won the Miss India Universe title in 1980 but much before that, she had already started getting film offers. The beauty queen, however, chose modelling as a career first, till director Rajiv Rai convinced her and her mother that the film industry wasn't such a bad place after all. Once she signed her first film though, filmmakers couldn't wait to get her on board and she landed three projects even before the release of the first. Your recent appearance on a dance rea...

Playing a spy agent in ‘Mission Majnu’, but it’s not like James Bond: Sidharth Malhotra

21/09/2021
Actor Sidharth Malhotra says his character of a RAW agent in his upcoming film "Mission Majnu" has much more to offer than conventional action sequences. The film marks the feature directorial debut of ad filmmaker Shantanu Bagchi and is produced by Ronnie Screwvala of RSVP, and Amar Butala and Garima Mehta (Guilty By Association Media). According to the makers, "Mission Majnu" is inspired by real events set in the 1970s and follows the story of India's most courageous mission in the heart of...

‘Annabelle Sethupathi’: Taapsee Pannu says fantasy-comedy genre has always given her big hits

21/09/2021
Ahead of the release of her highly-anticipated film 'Annabelle Sethupathi', actor Taapsee Pannu sheds light on how her experience was working on the fantasy-comedy film. Powerhouse performers Taapsee Pannu and Vijay Sethupathi have joined forces for the first time in a project that promises to take the audiences on an intriguing journey between the past and the present. "This genre has a weird connect with me because I have always been opposed to this genre but it has always attracted me and...

Diljit Dosanjh holds back emotion, says ‘superstar honge apne ghar pe’ after he’s asked about Bollywood experience

21/09/2021
Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh clammed up after he was asked if he enjoyed his time in Bollywood. After initially saying that he would prefer to remain silent, he said, “Superstar honge apne ghar pe (Those actors can be lions in their own dens).” In an interview, Diljit Dosanjh said that he doesn't care about whether or not he cultivates a successful career in Bollywood, as he has absolute control when it comes to his music. He said that nobody can stop him from making the kind of music he wants ...

Radhika Madan on her love life: I never love in instalments

21/09/2021
Actress Radhika Madan, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming romantic film 'Shiddat', has talked about her own love life. She says she does not love in instalments. Speaking in a candid chat, Radhika said: "Mujhe hamesha Shiddat wala pyaar hi hota hai (I always get into serious love). It is either zero or hundred. There is no in between. She added: "Kishton wala pyaar mere main hai hi nahi. Naap tol ke main pyaar kar hi nahi sakti. (I never fall in love in instalments.)" Radhika ...

Jacqueline asks Bhoot Police director about her performance; is met with awkward silence

21/09/2021
Actor Jacqueline Fernandez composed herself after a potentially awkward situation when she asked her Bhoot Police director how she performed on the first day of filming, and he didn’t say anything. The moment was documented in a new vlog shared by Jacqueline on her YouTube channel. The actor had previously shared part one of her Bhoot Police vlogs. The second instalment documented the initial few days of the shoot in Dalhousie and featured her co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Yami G...

Rakul Preet Singh’s look from Doctor G revealed! The actor opens up about her role

21/09/2021
Rakul Preet Singh got into serious prep mode before she donned the doctor’s coat for her role in Junglee Pictures’ Doctor G. The actress plays doctor Fatima in the film that has her sharing screen space with Ayushmann Khurrana and Shefali Shah. Rakul had to learn medical terminology and nuances of what goes on in a hospital and surgical room for this campus comedy-drama directed by Anubhuti Kashyap. From the writing stage itself, director Anubhuti was keen on the authentic portrayal of the m...

Radhika Apte, Ali Fazal to host Netflix fan event ‘TUDUM: India Spotlight’

21/09/2021
Streaming platform Netflix on Monday announced actors Radhika Apte and Ali Fazal will host the Indian segment of the upcoming Netflix global fan event TUDUM. 'TUDUM: A Netflix Global Fan Event' will be held on September 25 in a virtual format and will see more than 145 stars and creators from around the world representing over 70 series, films and specials come together for "a day full of exclusives and first looks". Ahead of this global fan event, Netflix India Youtube will premiere 'TUDUM: ...

Tamannaah Bhatia looks for challenges to expand her range as actor

21/09/2021
Actress Tamannaah Bhatia's recent Telugu release 'Maestro' is drawing appreciation from the audience. Talking about picking the right projects, she says like every artiste, she too likes challenges. "As an actor, you are always hungry for challenging roles which allow you to expand your range," says the actress, who plays a negative character in the Telugu remake of Bollywood flick 'Andhadhun'. 'Maestro' also stars Nithiin and Nabha Natesh in lead roles. Talking about her role, which was playe...

Sahher Bambba: I remember fumbling during my first ever scene with Shabana Azmi

20/09/2021
After making a debut with Sunny Deol's son Karan Deol in 'Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas', Sahher Bambba is now spreading her wings and has already been a part of a OTT show and a music video. The actress, who has always been inclined towards singing and dancing, insists she didn't have a backup plan if her film career had failed to take off. In an exclusive chat with ETimes, she opens up on her web show, being an outsider as opposed to an insider, and working with the Deols. Excerpts: How has life been ...

“I didn’t want to go the dirty way, hence rejected many offers”: Garima Jain

20/09/2021
Here's Garima Jain- whose game changed with the recognition that Ekta Kapoor's web show 'Gandii Baat' got her- going explosive in an interview on HowIMadeIt this week, wherein she sheds light on the casting couch. The 'Gandii Baat' actress Garima insists that she didn't want to go the dirty way, hence she rejected many offers in Bollywood. Garima considers TV as a safer medium. Then why did she quit 'Shakti- Astitva Ek Ehsaas Ki'? She replies, "The time I was spending in travel to shoot it w...

Today, there’s much more to being an actor than just being on set and doing the scenes: Esha Deol

20/09/2021
Esha Deol might have started her film career as an actor only in 2002, with the film Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe, but her association began with the industry right from her birth. The daughter of yesteryear stars Hema Malini and Dharmendra, the actor sure knows how everything works here. And that’s exactly why she is aware of whatever changes have taken place, in all these years. “I think it has definitely grown and changed in many ways, especially with the whole digital space coming in, and cor...

MF Husain gifted me his paint brush: Amrita Rao

20/09/2021
It’s the celebrated and internationally acclaimed painter MF Husain’s 106 th birth anniversary today. On the occasion, Amrita Rao revisits a memory associated with the painter which stays quite close to her heart. The duo shared a special bond. For the unawares, he considered Amrita his muse and even live painted her getting inspired by her role Poonam after watching her film Vivah starring Shahid Kapoor. On his birth anniversary today, Amrita shares that she received a gift from the painter...

OTT has been the only savior for the entertainment industry amid pandemic: Manoj Bajpayee

20/09/2021
Some may call it a boon, some may call it a fad, but for Manoj Bajpayee the OTT boom is here to stay and he believes that it will only grow. The actor himself has embraced the medium wholeheartedly and continues to work in multiple digital projects, which are highly acclaimed and loved by the audience equally. “This has happened worldwide. There was only one medium of entertainment in a situation like lockdown when people couldn’t even step out and do anything, forget about watching a film in...

No more searching for validation from people in the industry: Nakuul Mehta

20/09/2021
There was a time when actor Nakuul Mehta was looking for validation from people in industry, and he would say yes to most projects. But now, he has learnt the art of saying no comfortably, and he considers that his greatest strength. “My fodder as an artiste comes from the life I live outside. I don’t know if many people in the industry get it because people are in a hurry or rush to work and hustle,” confesses the actor. Mehta became a household name with his small screen debut show, Pyaar K...

Balancing my professional and personal lives was not much of a challenge: Lara Dutta

20/09/2021
Lara Dutta Bhupathi’s turn as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in BellBottom was highly appreciated. It was the actress’ first prominent film appearance in a long time. The actress who started her career playing Akshay Kumar’s leading lady in Andaaz has become increasingly selective about her work. While she opted for small yet strong characters in films once in a while, she moved to play central roles in OTT shows. The recent spy drama, in many ways, brought her back to the big screen. Talking...

The most versatile actor in Hindi film industry who should be celebrated even more: Shabana Azmi

19/09/2021
A lot of Indian celebrities are often asked ‘Which actor’s career path would they like to follow?’ and more often than not, they reply – Meryl Streep. In many of these interviews, I have often wondered if Shabana Azmi is the Streep that India got decades ago but somehow, our industry did not really know how to celebrate her the way Hollywood celebrates Meryl Streep. Of course, she is a stellar actor who has won multiple awards, is known for her charismatic screen presence, and is all-around an ...

For me, the big step was taking therapy and acknowledging: Shruti Haasan

19/09/2021
Actor Shruti Haasan is still on the path of finding ways to love herself, and says taking therapy has really helped her get a grip on the realities, and dealing with it. Over all these years, Haasan has used her social media to stress on the need and importance of loving oneself, especially amid the ongoing pandemic crisis. And she admits that she is still a work in progress. “Getting comfortable and embracing my real self has been a process for me. Actually, it is funny because when I think ...

We are all learning about the digital world everyday, including online crime: Renuka Shahane

19/09/2021
Renuka Shahane is back on television. She is hosting a crime show and calls her self a crime buff. She agrees that at times crime shows can be quite vivid in portrayals of crime but then without drama it would be a documentary. Talking about various kinds of crime in society, she says, “Often socio-economic and psychological situations lead to crimes. There are so many kinds of crimes and criminals out there which you are not exposed to as a citizen. People are astounded to hear about their ne...

I don’t work with directors who just tell me on set ‘kuchh bhi kar do’: Divya Dutta

19/09/2021
Divya Dutta has been a part of various acclaimed films, received many awards, including the National Award, for her performances. But the actor surprises us when she says she still gets nervous even today, be it before going on a new project’s set, or right before any release. “For any actor, it will be the same. It is like exam results, you have worked hard on something. In our case, we work on roles, and then to get nominated at various awards and film festivals, there is excitement and nerv...

It was futile to spend more time there: Priyanka Chopra

19/09/2021
Priyanka Chopra has tried her hand at acting, producing movies, backing tech firms, writing an autobiography and even launching her own hair care brand. However, he agrees that even for her, trying to make it big as a singer could have been a futile effort. Priyanka released her first single In My City in 2012 and collaborated with US rapper and singer Pitbull on their 2013 song Exotic. However, she could not find much success at it. Speaking at a recent event, Priyanka said she knows when to q...

I had to respond, not for the ‘flop actress’ bit, but for the ‘maid’ comment: Tillotama Shome

19/09/2021
Tillotama Shome has been winning hearts and awards alike for her performances in various films, but trolling on social media is something even she wasn’t spared from. The actor tweeted that a hater called her a ‘flop actress who looks like a maid’. Talking to us, Shome explains what compelled her to call out that troll. “So, I rarely get nasty remarks, at least I’ve not seen them. This one I had to respond to, not for the ‘flop actress’ bit, but for the ‘looks like a maid’ comment,” she clears...

Anupam Kher tours across USA for his first live show amid pandemic

19/09/2021
A while back, Anupam Kher flew to the USA to shoot for his upcoming project, Shiv Shastri Balboa. On completion of the shoot, he decided to stay back and tour across the cities of Dallas, Atlanta, San Jose, New Jersey, Washington and Indianapolis for Zindagi Ka Safar which marks his first live show amid the pandemic. He says, “When we were shooting in New Jersey, a lot of Indians would come to the shoot. This pandemic has given us a strange sense of insecurity and uncertainty. Apart from the f...

Priyanka Chopra Jonas: I’m very confident in what I bring to the table now

18/09/2021
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is an icon for all who dared to dream and for those who dared not; for all who tried and failed, and particularly for those who never tried for fear of failure. She has done it all. She dreamt, she attempted; she feared, she overcame; she was rejected and then unexpectedly accepted. Was it destiny or carefully laid out plans, sheer grit, or her refusal to accept failure or is there a formula to her amazing success story? In this chat with us at the Times Lit Fest, Priyanka...

I have been told that it’s not ideal to do a two-heroine project: Tara Sutaria

18/09/2021
From her debut film Student Of The Year 2 to her upcoming movie Ek Villain Returns, Tara Sutaria has starred in movies featuring two heroines. However, in her forthcoming projects, she is all set to explore the solo heroine space. Ask her how she feels about it, and she says, “I don’t look at films in this fashion. People like to pit your co-actresses against you and talk about how you are sharing screen space with another heroine and also suggest that it is not ideal to do a two-heroine proj...

Mrunal Thakur: I wasn’t okay with letting go of projects due to Covid, but I had to

18/09/2021
Life post the second Covid-19 wave was stressful for actor Mrunal Thakur andshe has to let go of some work because everything started at the same time after restrictions were lifted. The actor explains, “This has been a busy year for me so far. After the second lockdown was lifted, all producers wanted to shoot together. We are still trying to figure it out. A couple of films, I had to take a step back because I felt even if I did them, it would be an injustice. The character in each film need...

I feel negative roles give you the opportunity to showcase your real talent: Ravi Pandey

18/09/2021
Actor Ravi Pandey, best known for his work in roles in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi has bagged a prominent role in Anish Sharon Khan’s Kaand - The Dirty Scam, which will be extensively shot in Lucknow. The Ra One actor, who hails from Sultanpur, and was brought up in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, shares his Bollywood journey, his Lucknow connection, upcoming films, and much more. Ravi has done quite a number of films like Sallu Ki Shaadi, Admissions Open, Baabarr, RaOne. Talking about his Bollywoo...

Success is not permanent, I come from a family of salaried teachers and I know the value of every rupee: Pratik Gandhi

18/09/2021
After the success of Hansal Mehta's ‘Scam 1992’, its face and lead actor Pratik Gandhi has become a household name. So much so, that anyone who’s wanting to make anything in the film industry, wants to work with Pratik. It’s literally like someone shone a 24x7 spotlight on the young man, turning him into a sensation. But Pratik knows better than to bask in the glory. He draws wisdom from his modest background and middle-class upbringing. And that’s why he doesn’t make any noise about his succes...