The country as a whole cannot afford another lockdown: Sonakshi Sinha

21/01/2022
The new year began with a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, affecting our lives yet again, and showbiz is not untouched either. Film releases have been postponed, shoots have been affected. Actor Sonakshi Sinha, who has a busy year in terms of projects, worries about the debilitating impact a third lockdown would have on the film industry. “Not only the film industry, everyone has been badly hit [by the pandemic] in terms of jobs, taking care of their family. The country as a whole cannot affo...

Kubbra Sait on current Covid crisis: There is so much uncertainty around travelling, a certain stigma attached

21/01/2022
Travelling forms a major part of any actor’s career. Be it a professional commitment or shooting, they are constantly on the go. And when the Covid pandemic struck, naturally all such plans got impacted too. With travel having resumed though, Kubbra Sait managed a quick one day trip to the Capital for a prior commitment. Ask her how does it feel to travel amid so much uncertainty, with the Omicron variant beginning to sound like trouble, she says, “9/11 changed the way we travelled. If y...

Flora Saini recounts experience of working with Subhash Ghai

21/01/2022
Flora Saini, who was last seen in movies such as 'Stree', 'Dabbang 2' and 'Begum Jaan', is excited about being able to work with a master entertainer of the stature of Subhash Ghai for upcoming film '36 Farmhouse'. Sharing her experience, Flora said: "It was like a wish coming true. Anyone who comes to Mumbai wants to work with legends and people whose films one has grown up watching. Subhash Ghai Sir is one of those names I have always wished I could work with." Flora said Ghai, who is makin...

Protecting the planet is a cause that is close to my heart: Rupali Suri

21/01/2022
Rupali Suri, who was the 2nd Runner-up at the Miss Tourism International pageant, has been instrumental in planting trees to replace those destroyed by Cyclone Tauktae, which struck the Indian coast of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra last year. The actress, who is the Green Ambassador of the Make Earth Green Again (MEGA) Foundation, says, “Protecting the planet is a cause that is close to my heart. So, when I was approached to be the Green Ambassador by Make Earth Green Again (MEGA) ...

Bollywood offers me the chance to reach out to a wider audience: Sai Tamhankar

21/01/2022
Apart from a queue of Marathi films that are lined up for release, Sai Tamhankar has interesting Bollywood and digital projects in her kitty. Definitely having an exciting time as an actor, the Mimi actress is now vying for versatile roles more than ever. "I don’t dwell too much on how my career is shaping up, but I’m happy with the kind of roles that I’m getting to play today," she says. Sai, who will soon be seen in Madhur Bhandarkar's India Lockdown, has bagged another Hindi film and has ...

Can’t wait for people to watch my films on the big screen again: Vijay Varma

21/01/2022
This year is a big one for actor Vijay Varma who has many projects up for the release. And despite the Covid scare once again, the actor hopes that things open up soon and everyone ends up having the good time in the industry like they hoped for. The actor has an exciting line up for 2022 with film like Darlings with Alia Bhatt, Hurdang with Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sunny Kaushal, web series Fallen with Sonakshi Sinha, and an untitled project. “I have work (coming up) made for both the mediums...

Sushmita Sen says she isn’t ‘lost’: ‘You just haven’t found me yet’

21/01/2022
Sushmita Sen shared a new Instagram post on Monday, and in her own style, spoke about love and finding the right person in life. The actor recently ended her relationship with boyfriend Rohman Shawl. Sushmita picked a picture from one of her photoshoots and in the caption wrote, “‘I am not lost sweetheart…you just haven’t found me yet’ I love you guys!!!” Sushmita has been sharing several thoughts on Instagram, most of the time hinting at her current state of mind. Sushmita, who’s riding hi...

Aditi Rao Hydari: Why should I put myself in a box as an actor?

20/01/2022
Professionally, the last two years have been quite good for Aditi Rao Hydari. The actress, who believes in being a pan-Indian artiste instead of restricting herself to one film industry, was seen in films in languages including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi. “Why should I be put in a box? I don’t want to be in a box,” says Aditi, adding, “If the Hindi audience loves me as an actor and accepts me and at the same time the Tamil, Telugu and the Malayalam audience love and accept me too, th...

It was my dream to play a cricketer onscreen: Titeeksha Tawde

20/01/2022
Titeeksha Tawde, who became a household name with the Marathi show Saraswati, is all set to play the role of a professional cricketer in director Srijit Mukerji’s Shabaash Mithu, which is based on the life of Indian cricketer Mithali Raj. The film features Taapsee Pannu in the lead. Talking about how she bagged the project, Titeeksha says, “I first auditioned for this film in March 2020, but due to the outbreak of coronavirus, everything came to a halt at that time. In August 2020 again, I c...

Different people show love in different ways: Sonu Sood

20/01/2022
While the last two years Sonu Sood garnered headlines for all the social work he did through the pandemic. However, the fans of ‘actor’ Sonu Sood got excited after her announced his brand new acting venture at the end of 2021. Titled Fateh, which is also produced by Sonu, has him playing the role of a man who comes to the rescue of people facing cyber frauds. As soon as the actor unveiled the poster of the film, his fans bathe it with milk. Talking about this craze he witnessed, Sonu toldT, “I...

Feel confident about shouldering films on my own now: Yami Gautam

20/01/2022
Actor Yami Gautam has a lot to look forward to this year. What particularly excites her is shouldering two films, A Thursday and Lost, for the first time. Talking about how glad she is to have jumped at the opportunities that came her way, she says, “I feel confident to headline films on my own but the nervousness will always be there. It also comes from the fact that I love these scripts, the subjects they are themed on and the filmmakers helming them.” In 2021, Gautam wrapped up the shoo...

I want to produce the kind of content that is not being made right now: Parineeti Chopra

20/01/2022
While male actors jumped on to the production bandwagon more than a decade ago, now B-Town’s leading ladies, too, are seen flexing their muscle in this field. Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone are among those who have put their weight behind the kind of stories they want to tell. Parineeti Chopra, too, wants to back projects that she wants to watch as an audience. The actress says, “I do want to produce, and I want to do that because I feel that many times there is a...

Shefali Jariwala on her recent US visit amid rising Covid cases: I feared I would get stuck there

20/01/2022
Despite the rising number of Covid-19 cases around the world, Shefali Jariwala had to travel to the United States for work. While the trip was a success in terms of completion of her work commitments, the actor admits that the whole experience was rather unsettling. “It was a scary experience but we got to do what we got to do. I was in New York which is the epicentre of Covid-19 and everyone I knew was sick. I had a professional commitment which was announced many months ago… But the numbers...

There are no boundaries anymore: Aakanksha Singh

19/01/2022
After starting with TV and then dabbling in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Kannada cinema and OTT space, actor Aakanksha Singh feels that there are no barriers right now. “The appreciation I am getting is giving me power to break my boundaries and get better with each project. There are no boundaries anymore and a lot of people from Bollywood are doing South Indian films, which was earlier the other way round. It’s because so much good content is being made there and there is no language barrier rig...

Kriti Sanon on being criticised for her nose, ‘gummy smile’: ‘I am not a plastic doll’

19/01/2022
Actor Kriti Sanon has opened up on being criticised for her looks, with people pointing out that her 'nostrils flare up' and she that has a ‘gummy smile’. In a new interview, Kriti also revealed she was body-shamed with someone asking her to take her 'waist a little more in'. She said that she's 'not a plastic doll' and never felt the need to change. Kriti Sanon made her debut in Bollywood with Heropanti, directed by Sabbir Khan, in 2014. The film also features Tiger Shroff and Prakash Raj...

Social media has been the biggest blessing for me during pandemic: Alaya F

19/01/2022
Actor Alaya F, who was seen in Jawaani Jaaneman (2020), is looking forward to 2022 as she has three projects lined up for release. Talking about how the past two years have been rather tough for her, she says, “It was mentally very taxing for me to be away from the public eye for so long. I also had staff salaries to pay. I kept wondering that I’ll have to go back and ask my parents for their help and I hadn’t done that in three years!” And that’s when she decided to use her free time in a p...

Nidhhi Agerwal says she ‘didn’t even care’ about no-dating clause in Munna Michael that didn’t apply to Tiger Shroff

19/01/2022
Nidhhi Agerwal, who made her Bollywood debut with Munna Michael in 2017, talked about the no-dating clause in her contract. Incidentally, her co-star Tiger Shroff was not given similar terms and conditions. In an interview, Nidhhi said that she ‘didn’t even care’ about the no-dating clause because she was too happy to have bagged her first film. On being asked by Siddharth Kannan if she actually signed a no-dating clause in her contract for Munna Michael, Nidhhi said, “I did. But clearly,...

I have received the sweetest messages over the last few days: Shruti Haasan

19/01/2022
Actress-singer Shruti Haasan who celebrates her birthday on the 28th of January, has already started getting celebratory messages from her fans on account of her birthday month. Shruti enjoys some solid following across social media. We hear, the actress’ fan clubs in Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai among other places are planning to celebrate her birthday in a grand manner. A friend revealed, “Shruti is overwhelmed by her fans’ gesture and her DMs are flooded with birthday messages and greeting...

Tusshar Kapoor: Actor’s personal story of becoming ‘Bachelor Dad’ and Ekta-Jeetendra-Shobha’s reactions

19/01/2022
Tusshar Kapoor chose to become a single parent and Laksshya came into his life in 2016. Six years down the line, he has penned his journey to fatherhood in a book called 'Bachelor Dad' which will be released in a few days time. ETimes spoke to Tusshar at length about this. Here are the excerpts from the conversation that transpired: You named your son 'Laksshya', which is so apt; children are every parent's first priority... Lakshya means goal. Children should be the first priority for all p...

Just pissed me off: Priyanka on Aussie journo questioning her credentials

18/01/2022
Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she usually doesn't get bothered by people's opinions but she was "pissed off" when an Australian journalist questioned her qualification for announcing Oscar nominations last year. In March last year, an Australian entertainment journalist tweeted wondering why the 39-year-old actor and her musician-husband Nick Jonas were roped in to unveil nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards. Chopra Jonas posted a staunch reply to the journalist as she shared a video listi...

Rasika Dugal on the ongoing Covid crisis: The uncertainty is unsettling to different degrees

18/01/2022
Actor Rasika Dugal had to hit the pause button on her shooting schedule in Ooty because of the rising Covid-19 cases. She is now spending everyday realigning everything, but the continued uncertainty is adding to her woes. “Everything is in a limbo. I was shooting for a project in Ooty, and we didn’t even finish the schedule, but we had to get back since things were getting unsafe. That’s why the producers took a call to stop that shoot. Then I had to fly to Palampur for another shoot, whi...

Divyenndu: It’s overwhelming when people address me by my character’s name

18/01/2022
Actor Divyenndu, who enthralled the audience with his performance of Munna Bhaiya in 'Mirzapur', feels overwhelmed when people address him by the characters that he has portrayed on the screen. The actor also mentioned that more than the medium of exhibition, it's about the challenges that a character brings with itself. He always takes into consideration the relevance of the content before being a part of it. Talking about the characters, Divyenndu said, "Munna Bhaiya and Akhil Shrivastav ...

It’s a big deal to block festival dates for releases: Tiger Shroff

18/01/2022
Get ready to witness Tiger Shroff in action avatar this year, and that too in two different films 'Heropanti 2' and 'Ganapath'. Interestingly, both films will be released around festivals. "2022 is a very important and special year for me as both my films 'Heropanti 2' and 'Ganapath' will be releasing on festivals, Eid and Christmas respectively. It's a big deal to block the festival dates for release, especially those that have only been taken by stalwarts of our industry so far and I'm gr...

I will be taking the booster shot and I recommend everyone to do so: Boman Irani

18/01/2022
The booster dose drive has begun in the country and actor Boman Irani says that as a senior citizen he will make sure that he gets it as soon as possible. As of now, the booster dose is being administered for senior citizens. The actor, who has been continuously shooting his various projects, says, “I am a senior citizen. I will be taking the booster shot as soon as possible and I recommend everyone to do so. The reason why the virus has become weaker is simply because a good number of people...

I’m in love with acting, says actress Kashmira

18/01/2022
How did you start your journey in the field of acting? I came to Mumbai to become a designer and that’s what led me to NIFT. In my last year, I signed up for a theatre workshop at Pravah and was introduced to acting there. I fell in love with acting and decided to take up acting as my profession. You have recently made your OTT debut with Anbarivu. What is your take on the rise of OTT platforms? Yes, Anbarivu is getting a good response from the audience. OTT has become big during the pandemi...

Sat next to you with tears in your eyes: Anushka recalls Virat Kohli’s journey

17/01/2022
Actor Anushka Sharma on Sunday shared a post for her husband, cricketer Virat Kohli, a day after he quit as the Test captain for the Indian cricket team. Taking to Instagram, Anushka also attached pictures to her note and in one of them, she was seen kissing Virat. Sharing the post, Anushka Sharma recalled Virat Kohli's journey and wrote, “I remember the day in 2014 when you told me that you have been made the captain as MS had decided to retire from test cricket. I remember MS, you and I havi...

‘My kids are absolute monsters, especially Taimur’, reveals weekend plans: Kareena Kapoor

17/01/2022
Kareena Kapoor Khan is excited to spend the upcoming weekend with her tiny tots Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan. The actor took to her social media platforms to share a video mentioning how she will be watching Hotel Transylvania: Transfor-mania on Amazon Prime Video with her two boys. Kareena’s post caption reads: “My house will be filled with monsters this weekend… I’m going to spend some family time watching #Hotel TransylvaniaOnPrime @primevideoin ????????.” In the video, Kareena says, “M...

Actors are like warriors, we work in different, difficult circumstances: Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya

17/01/2022
For actor Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, venturing out to shoot throughout the Covid-19 pandemic has not been very scarry. In fact, she not only shot in India, but also travelled abroad for a reality show. “When you are an actor, you are almost like a warrior or soldier during this pandemic. We work in very difficult and different circumstances. I am generally born with that mentality, main darrti nahi hoon. I don’t say no because I am scared of any situation, that’s a personal thing. Main darr ko ...

Music composers asked to compose same kind of songs again and again: Asees Kaur

17/01/2022
Her song, Raatan Lambiyaan for Shershaah (2021) was a chartbuster, and remains a favourite with listeners. Asees Kaur is happy with how it opened up so many avenues for her. But typecasting in the music industry is a reality, and she faced it too after this stint. “There is the pressure because you get similar songs again and again. It has to happen in an industry where whenever a song is a big hit, even music composers are asked to compose such songs again. And eventually, the first choice wi...

Deeply cared for her but couldn’t prevent her breakdown: Kabir Bedi

17/01/2022
Much has been said and written about the turbulent relationship between Kabir Bedi and Parveen Babi. The two actors dated in the 1970s even as Kabir was in an open marriage with Protima Bedi initially. In a recent interview, Kabir opened up about the relationship and what he was grateful to Parveen for. Calling Parveen 'an extremely sensitive and intelligent woman,' the veteran actor shared why their relationship fell apart even as both of them wanted to stay together. Parveen Babi battled me...

I keep testing myself for Covid-19 at regular intervals: Dharmendra

17/01/2022
Actor Dharmendra took to social media to share a video f himself receiving a Covid-19 booster shot. Stressing on the need for everyone above the age of 60 to get jabbed, he says, “But even after taking the shot, we should be very careful. The Omicron variant is spreading like wildfire. I’m trying to take care of myself. So far, I’m doing good, and I believe it’s a result of the blessings of my audience and my hard work.” To keep himself safe and away from Mumbai where Covid-19 cases are on a c...

It’s a blessing to be at work in such times: Archana Singh Rajput

17/01/2022
A qualified software engineer driven by the passion for acting, UPite Archana Singh Rajput has come a long way. Starting with a daily soap followed by Telugu films and Punjabi songs she all set to make her OTT debut with a series slated for this year. “Coming from a conservative Rajput background it was not easy for me. But, with the blessing of my family and hard work I have found a foothold for myself in the industry. In Covid times, when people are struggling for work, I just completed my w...

Shefali Jariwala: I would love to steal Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s wardrobe

16/01/2022
In a fun and quick tete-a-tete, mid-day.com takes you on a tour of actress Shefali Jariwala's wardrobe, as she spills the beans on her fashion favourites. The most dramatic outfit I have worn My most dramatic outfits are usually my stage performance outfits. Full of rhinestones and fringe and heavily embellished. Stage is always an exaggerated version of me and of course Bollywood. Hence all the drama. The outfit I'm most comfortable in I am most comfortable in sweat suits. You will find me...

Vaani Kapoor on playing a trans woman and intimate scenes in ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’, dealing with trolls and more

16/01/2022
Vaani Kapoor has received good reviews for her performance in her recent film 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui'. What does Vaani Kapoor think of the intimate scenes in 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', 'War' and 'Befikre'? When does Vaani Kapoor hit back at trolls? What does she have to say about her next film, 'Shamshera'? What were the challenges she faced while playing a trans woman in 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui'? How was it working with Abhishek Kapoor (Gattu, as he is fondly called in the industry)? ...

I’m a director’s actor, I go with my director’s vision: Arjun Kapoor

16/01/2022
Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor maintains that he completely surrenders to the vision of a filmmaker. The actor, who received praise for his work in Dibakar Banerjee's 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar' also wants to dabble in the best of both worlds of mainstream and content heavy cinema. Arjun says, "I'm actually a director's actor. I go with whatever my director says, I try to do justice to the role and the script. So, if today, people are loving what I have done in 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar', they w...

Harshali Zine feels youth is over-exposed to manipulated information

16/01/2022
Harshali Zine of Ba of Special Services fame is concerned about how youngsters are over-exposed to fake information on social media nowadays. The actress says, “Youth is over-exposed to fake and manipulated information. They must learn to be balanced, only then they could differentiate between fake and real, and choose what kind of content to follow on social media. What they know at their core and what they’re watching, reading, listening or experiencing are poles apart. Hence, the con...

Shashaa Tirupati on her collaborations with Arijit Singh: I am happy that our voices marry so beautifully together

16/01/2022
After working with Arijit Singh in ‘Phir Bhi Tumko Chaahunga’ ('Half Girlfriend') and ‘Khulke Jeene Ka’ ('Dil Bechara’), Shashaa Tirupati collaborated with the singer for the third time recently for ‘Rait Zara Si’ ('Atrangi Re'). The talented singer is also making headlines for her first single, ‘In My Skin’. In an exclusive interview, Shashaa opened up about her debut EP, working with AR Rahman, the independent music scene in India and more. Excerpts… Your first single, ‘In My Skin’ from your...

I look for longevity of my songs, not instant gratification: Armaan Malik

16/01/2022
As singer Armaan Malik has received positive responses for his latest English single 'You', he says for a love song, he looks for its archival value more than instant gratification. Known for delivering several superhit songs be it in films as a playback singer and in several music videos as an independent artiste, Armaan managed to gain and maintain a strong fan following in the past 15 years. Armaan told: "There are two kinds of music that happen, one is those party songs, seasonal where we...

People will see a different me in Mission Majnu and Goodbye: Rashmika Mandanna

15/01/2022
Rashmika Mandanna is stoked to see all the love her recent Telugu release Pushpa: The Rise is receiving from audiences across the country and the actor hopes people also welcome her upcoming Hindi films, Mission Majnu and Goodbye. The actor, who recently completed five years in the film industry, made her acting debut in 2016 with the Kannada movie Kirik Party. She followed it up with successful outings in Telugu films Geetha Govindam, Devadas, Dear Comrade, Sulthan (Tamil), and Yajamana (Kann...

For me, Pongal in Chennai always meant going to my godmother’s house: Shruti Haasan

15/01/2022
For actor Shruti Haasan, Pongal is associated with special memories from the days spent as a kid in the lanes of Chennai. This year, she will be celebrating the festival of harvest in Mumbai, and says it has always been about leaning back on good food and vibe. “I’m not a very big festival person. The only two festivals which we really ever celebrated were Christmas and Pongal. I don’t know how, but it just kind of happened that way always,” says Shruti, daughter of superstar Kamal Haasan....

I won’t be campaigning for my sister Malvika: Sonu Sood

15/01/2022
For the past two years, Sonu Sood has worked to help those affected by the pandemic from helping migrant workers reach home to providing people in need of medical facilities during the second wave. Since his social work kept him busy, his film projects took a back seat during this phase. Though the actor was shooting for some projects, he didn’t have any Hindi releases in 2020 and 2021. Ask him if he missed being away from the screen, and he says, “No, I didn’t miss any of it. I must say th...

Let’s join hands to end violence against children everywhere: Ayushmann Khurrana

15/01/2022
Ayushmann Khurrana is aiming to bring constructive, positive changes in society with his progressive, conversation starting entertainers. Ayushmann, voted as one of the most influential people of the world by TIME Magazine, has been recently appointed as UNICEF’s Celebrity Advocate for their global campaign EVAC (Ending Violence Against Children). On National Youth Day today, Ayushmann has a special message for the people of our country towards curbing violence against children. He says, “...

In 2022, maybe I’ll find my soulmate: Alankrita Sahai

15/01/2022
Alankrita Sahai had a working New Year’s Eve in Goa and she’s glad for that. “I feel blessed to be busy and working, and what better place to be than that?” she asks. The last year has been tough for a lot of people and Alankrita is no exception. Looking back at 2021, the beauty pageant titleholder and Bollywood actress, elaborates, “We encountered challenges. We experienced chaos. We witnessed changes. I think my biggest lessons would be to conserve my energy and not give away all of mysel...

I can handle COVID-19 symptoms, what’s tough though is being unable to hug my daughter Vidya: Lakshmi Manchu

15/01/2022
Lakshmi Manchu’s had a busy few months in November, she was in Kerala spending time learning kalaripayattu and shooting for her Malayalam debut, Monster; in December she was in London and she even brought in the New Year with great optimism. However, barely a week into 2022 and COVID struck. “Despite all the precautions, it was my time this time to meet with the dreaded virus. But I’m determined to get through this too,” she says, as she speaks to us about life in isolation, working with Moha...