Fenil and Bollywood

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 28, 2018)

Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khattar have an age gap of 14 years. The actor admits that he almost feels like a father towards his younger sibling. Even as he awaits his little brother’s debut on the global platform in Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds, Sasha talks about how he was overwhelmed when he saw the film.

I’m so proud of Ishaan
Ishaan is excellent in Beyond the Clouds. I’m so proud of him. My biggest fear before I went for the screening was, ‘How would he be in the film?’ I knew if he was good, I would get emotional and if he wasn’t, I would get depressed. I struggled to get my Bollywood break. For him, it was much easier because everyone is aware that he is Shahid Kapoor’s brother. So, I know that all eyes are on him.

Nepotism never helps
People make a cardinal mistake when they assume that they have a certain sense of ownership over the film industry. Often, I have seen an attitude that goes, ‘It runs in my family, so I’ll be a star.’ However, that’s not the case. If you have a star parent or sibling, it gives a huge start but in the long run, you need to have some mettle. I always hoped Ishaan has his own personality and style. And I’m happy that he has managed to do so.

It was special for my mother and me
I started working when I was 21, so I came into my own early in life. I’ve been independent from the start. Ishaan is 14 years younger than me. You cannot feel like a sibling when there’s such a huge age gap. That’s why, I’ve always felt protective about Ishaan. He might hate me for saying this but it’s the truth. So, it was an emotional moment for my mother and me to see him on the big screen.

People will be blown away by Ishaan’s performance
He is immensely talented and passionate about his work. Of course, he is fortunate to have someone of the stature of Majid Majidi directing him in his debut. It’s a great start for him.

Reliving personal memories
During an emotional scene, an actor often remembers moments from his life. When I saw Ishaan cry on screen, I remembered when he had shed tears in real life. Likewise, when he jumped, I was reminded of the occasions when he danced in real life and the happy moments we spent together. It’s very personal. We have been through rough times in our earlier days. So, it felt nice to see that today while I’m an established actor, Ishaan is starting a new journey and taking off with flying colours.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 1, 2018)

Anushka Sharma’s upcoming production, Pari, releases tomorrow. While the makers and cast of most films like to be gung-ho about promoting their projects, the makers of Pari have maintained a low- key. “We wanted to break the traditional pattern to let the content to speak for itself,” says co-producer Prernaa Arora.

She adds, “The onus was entirely on the director [Prosit Roy] to do a great job. Anushka has worked hard for the movie. She tweeted every poster and teaser. But since it’s a mystery, it didn’t make sense to have her give interviews about the film when she couldn’t talk about it.”

A source says that Sharma was to be part of a promotional campaign in the city, but it was called off due to Sridevi’s sudden demise. “Anushka was to take a few days off from Sui Dhaaga’s Bhopal schedule to promote Pari in Mumbai, but with the tragic death of Sridevi, it seemed inappropriate. A screening that was scheduled to be held last night was also called off.”

Arora adds that Sharma won’t be able to make it to the film’s premiere tonight. “But Karnesh Sharma [co-producer and Anushka's brother] and I will be there.”

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 28, 2018)

In December 2015, it was Shah Rukh Khan versus Ranveer Singh when Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani clashed at the box office. This year, Ranveer might find himself in a similar spot, albeit, with another Khan — Salman!

A DECEMBER 2018 RELEASE?
The third instalment of the successful Dabangg franchise has been in the pipeline for some time now. Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, sources tell us that Arbaaz Khan (the producer) and Prabhudheva (the director) have already locked its script. Our source informs, “The plan is to begin the movie this year and wrap it in one go so that it can be released at the end of 2018.”

NO CLASH WITH SRK
Since Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero releases the week before Christmas, his buddy Salman was firm that he wouldn’t release his film on the same date. Our source adds, “Even though Salman knows that he will miss out on the Christmas weekend, he has made it clear to his team that he won’t clash with Zero at any cost.”

BATTLE OF THE COPS
Since the makers of Dabangg 3 can’t have their movie hitting the screens on X’Mas weekend, they are eyeing the following weekend (December 28). Our source adds, “Dabangg 3 will probably come a week later, which means it will battle it out with Rohit Shetty’s Simmba (a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Temper). But nothing is confirmed right now.” This will not only lead to a clash between Ranveer and Salman, but also between two cop stories.

Ranveer plays a corrupt policeman — Sangram Bhalerao aka Simmba — in Rohit’s film and from the first look, it seems like the character is on the lines of Salman’s Chulbul Pandey in Dabangg and Ajay Devgn’s Singham. Salman, as usual, will return to playing his Robinhood character.

SALMAN’S TIMELINE
In a previous interview to this paper, Salman had spoken about how packed his schedule is this year. He had said, “Dabangg 3’s script is ready. I’ll shoot for it between the schedules of Bharat, which is Atul and Alvira Agnihotri’s production. The movie, which is being directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, requires some gaps during its filming.”

Confirming the same, a source close to the actor says, “Salman wraps Race 3 by April. It will release in June. He will also finish his commitment to the second season of Dus Ka Dum during that time. In June, he starts the first schedule of Bharat, which won’t be too long. He then takes a break from Ali’s film and plays Chulbul Pandey. He wraps up Dabangg 3 in a start-to-finish schedule and then goes back to shooting Bharat, which will be his Eid release for 2019. Then, he begins work on Kick 2 next year.”

ARBAAZ SPEAKS
When After Hrs contacted Arbaaz, he said, “I’ll comment when I’m sure of starting the film. Currently, I’m concentrating on the script. I’ll have a clear idea by the end of April.”

DNA (February 28, 2018)

The Dubai authorities finished their investigation and handed over the mortal remains of Indian cinema icon Sridevi to her family around 2.30 pm (IST) yesterday. Her death on February 24 is being attributed to ‘accidental drowning in the bathtub’ and the actress’ funeral has been delayed by two days. Even while Arjun Kapoor flew to Dubai yesterday to be with his father, Boney, the Kapoor khandaan in Mumbai are grief-stricken. A source, who visited the family yesterday, said, “Even Anil Kapoor, Sunita Kapoor and the immediate family members were as eager to learn of the latest developments as all of us.”

Of course, the team that left to be by Boney’s side in Dubai on Sunday was sending regular updates. Producer Rajat Rawail’s messages were the most eagerly awaited because according to one of the recipients, ‘They read like a call sheet.’ Reportedly, their contents were on the lines of — 10 am: now in Court; 1 pm: Expecting Prosecutor to sign off; 1.30 pm: Body to be taken for embalming, so on and so forth.

Andre Timmins, (one of the founder directors of a leading international entertainment company) who was accompanying Sanjay Kapoor to Dubai on the 4 am flight on Sunday, was also keeping people posted about the details of the proceedings. A source says, “Andre’s messages were more to the point and he was being helpful in communicating with the family.”

In Mumbai, the messages were encrypted by Reshma Shetty, who is managing Jahnvi’s career and is stationed at Anil’s residence. The duties have been divided systematically. Yash Raj Films’ PR team is in charge of media briefings while Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is taking care of the security arrangements.

While many ‘new’ forces have come forward to stand with the Kapoors in their hour of bereavement, Boney’s own staff is slightly lost. Reveals an informer, “Though they have been with his production house for a long time, they have fewer details than even the outsiders. No one is keeping them in the loop.”

Sonam, Anil and several other Bollywood actors (who have specifically requested that their names should not be revealed) are on standby. A Bollywood superstar, who was expected to go for his outdoor shoot, has been waiting patiently since the last two days for the legend’s body to arrive as he idolised Sri and wanted to pay his last respects to her.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; March 1, 2018)

She had a knack for bringing us together — every time she appeared on the big screen, we, in unison, would be left captivated by her charms. And she did it yesterday again — brought the country together as it bid the final goodbye to India’s first female superstar, Sridevi.

A sea of fans had gathered outside The Celebration Sports Club in Andheri from as early as 2 am yesterday, waiting to catch one last glimpse of Sridevi. The mortal remains were kept at the club, minutes away from her Lokhandwala home, so that fans could pay their last respects to the star who had enthralled them for the past four decades. More than 200 policemen were present at the venue to keep the teeming crowd in check. The hall had three entry points — one each for VIPs, the media and the public.

Inside the hall, Sridevi’s mortal remains were draped in a red Kanjivaram saree with a bindi on her forehead. Sonam and Rhea Kapoor were by daughters Janhvi and Khushi’s side as the two were inconsolable, while Boney Kapoor put on a brave front. Anil and Sanjay Kapoor received the guests. Rani Mukerji, who has often expressed her admiration for the superstar and shared a deep friendship with her, lent her support to the family.

Bollywood came out in full force to pay homage to the actor, who left behind a legacy that very few will be able to match. Madhuri Dixit Nene, who enjoyed a healthy competition with the superstar in their heydays, was one of the first to arrive with husband Sriram Nene. From yesteryear actors like Hema Malini, Rekha and Rakesh Roshan to the current crop including Ajay Devgn and Kajol, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor, B-Town celebs grieved the loss of one of the brightest talents. Jaya Bachchan walked in with daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai while an emotional Vidya Balan came to bid adieu to her idol. Manish Malhotra, who considered Sridevi his muse and his closest friend, is said to have broken down in the final moments.

At the end of the condolence meet, the icon, who was conferred with Padma Shri in 2013, was given state honours as the Mumbai police offered her the Guard Of Honour and draped her body in the tricolour.

The actor began her final journey as mourners kept jostling for space to catch a glimpse of her cortege as it slowly made its way through the city to the Vile Parle crematorium. Some of the fans even tried to break through the barricades, forcing the police to resort to lathicharge. The body of the 54-year-old, who died in Dubai on Saturday, was taken in a hearse that was bedecked in white flowers. Her filmmaker husband, along with Arjun Kapoor, and other family members were beside her in the hearse.

Several stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Rohit Shetty and Farhan Akhtar came to the crematorium for the last rites. The surging crowd made it difficult for the stars to reach the venue. In fact, Sonam too had a tough time to reach the crematorium. After a few rituals, Boney preformed the mukhaagni [last rites] bidding the final adieu to his wife.

As an important chapter of his life came to an end, Boney issued a statement saying, “I am blessed to have the support of Arjun and Anshula [Kapoor, Boney’s children], who have been such pillars of strength for myself, Khushi and Janhvi. Together as a family we have tried to face this unbearable loss... To the world she was their Chandni, but to me she was my love, mother to our girls... She was the axis around which our family ran... Rest in peace, my love.”

Avinash Lohana and Shravan Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 1, 2018)
In one of the biggest funeral processions, on par with Mohammed Rafi’s in July 1980 and Rajesh Khanna in July 2012, as close to 30-40 thousand fans turned up in busloads from as far as Chennai, Hyderabad and Rajasthan for Sridevi’s final journey. Draped in a maroon Kanjeevaram saree, complimented with gold temple jewellery, the actress’s body rested in a glass casket wrapped in the Indian tricolor. It was placed in an open truck decorated with garlands of mogra, her favourite flower, and a life-size portrait of her, which wended through the city’s streets choked with grieving fans towards the Vile Parle crematorium.

The six-kilometre drive which started at Sridevi’s Lokhandwala residence, took over two hours to complete. Craving one last glimpse of their idol, the pan-India star’s legion of admirers clambered up signals and lamp posts, and crowded into the Vile Parle skywalk which was in danger of collapsing. Cries of “sleeping beauty”, “devi” and “Sridevi amar rahe” filled the streets, as family members, including daughters Janhvi and Khushi, husband Boney Kapoor, his brothers, Anil and Sanjay, son Arjun and nephew Mohit Marwah with his new bride Antara, huddled together in the truck looking devastated.

Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi were among the first ones to arrive at the crematorium at 3:30 pm. Among other friends and colleagues who attended the funeral were Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor, Imtiaz Ali and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Deepika Padukone accompanied by producer Juno Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra, Vidya Balan with producer-husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vivek Oberoi and father Suresh, Neil Nitin Mukesh and father Nitin Mukesh, Shraddha Kapoor with mother Shivangi and brother Siddhanth, Karan Kapadia with aunt Dimple Kapadia, Sara Ali Khan with mother Amrita Singh, Rani Mukerji with choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant were spotted amongst the mourners too.

Among the politicians were Aditya Thackeray with mother Rashmi and Sanjay Nirupam. Industrialist Anil Ambani with wife Tina had been with the family since the body arrived around 9:40 pm from Dubai on Tuesday in his private jet. Sridevi, who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2013, was accorded full state honours, complete with a gun salute. Janhvi and Khushi paid their last respects before the body was consigned to the flames with husband Boney standing by quietly.

Many from the film fraternity paid their respects at a condolence meet scheduled at a club near Sridevi’s home from 9:30 am to 12 noon on Wednesday. Rekha who was among the first of the mourners, stood beside Sridevi’s body with designer Manish Malhotra and both wept quietly as they remembered their friend. Sonam Kapoor was inconsolable despite beau Anand Ahuja’s solid presence and a comforting hug from actress-friend Jacqueline Fernandez. By 10 am, Tabu, Nimrat Kaur, Manish Paul, Neelima Azeem, Jaya Prada, Ravi Kishan and director Subhash Ghai had had a quiet word with the family. While many celebs chose to walk in to the crematorium, Amitabh Bachchan took his car right inside the venue, like designer Masaba Gupta and producer-husband Madhu Mantena had done earlier that day at the Club. In the rush, South star Venkatesh had walked in with a large garland. Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan arrived with mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan and sister-in-law Shweta Bachchan. Sushmita Sen was there too, as were Akshaye Khanna, Satish Kaushik and Hema Malini with daughter Esha Deol. Vidhu Vinod Chopra was with Rajkummar Hirani. Also present were Fardeen Khan and Reena Roy.

Anil Kapoor’s actor-son Harshvardhan Kapoor was overseeing the arrangements in the morning.

It was peaceful for a while but then with the crowds growing and many fans breaking queue, the cops had to resort to lathi charge briefly. With folded hands, Sanjay Kapoor greeted the crowd.

After chants of “Om Namo Narayanaya” had filled the air during the prayer meet, there was smoke from burning incense sticks spiralling around giving the surrounding a surreal air as Sridevi’s body was taken out of the truck at 4 pm.

As the flames burnt bright, it was goodbye for India’s pan-India star two days before the festival of colours. The residents of the housing society on Wednesday cancelled all Holi celebrations as a mark of respect for their late neighbour.

As the sun went down the Kapoor, Ayappan and Marwah families, shared a note which read:

“The past few days have been trying times for us as a family. Today, particularly, has been one of the hardest. We laid to rest a beautiful soul who has gone too soon. She leaves behind a legacy that is unique. Her talent was undeniable, her beauty unmatched and her ability to connect with the audience was legendary. Sri had the same connect with her family as well. The one thing that helped us all get through these last few days, was the amazing amount of love and support from everyone — be it her many colleagues, to her innumerable fans, her caring friends and loving family, from across the country and the world. This outpouring of love is the memory that we would like Khushi and Janhvi to have of their mother… a woman who was loved unquestionably by everyone. Let us all who loved Sri envelope her two little ones, “her life”, as she often called them, with as much or more love than we gave Sri so that they can live their lives ahead with a little less ache in their hearts. Let us help them remember their mother fondly, with that beloved twinkle in her eyes, and help them build a life and be what Sri had dreamt for them.”

Image result for sonu ke titu ki sweety welcome to new york

Box Office India Trade Network

SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY was rock steady on Tuesday with a limited drop from Monday as it grossed 4.50 crore nett and this takes the collections of the film to over 35 crore nett in just five days. The film is doing excellent business in all major cities across India.

The film will have PARI for competition this week which is a horror film but the horror does look a bit weak so its unlikely to affect the run of SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY which is established for a strong run now. The week is going over 42 crore nett and then the second Friday will tell if the film can emerge a SUPER HIT or maybe even better. If the collections on Friday (real value as its Holi so they could go up) are similar to Thursday then this film could go anywhere.

The collections of SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY till date are as follows
Friday - 6,25,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 9,00,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 10,75,00,000 apprx
Monday - 4,75,00,000 apprx
Tuesday - 4,50,00,000 apprx
Total - 35,25,00,000 apprx

WELCOME TO NEW YORK continued its miserable run on Tuesday with a further drop. The business of WELCOME TO NEW YORK over the first five days is as follows.
Friday - 65,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 70,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 75,00,000 apprx
Monday - 25,00,000 apprx
Tuesday - 20,00,000 apprx
Total - 2,55,00,000 apprx

A genre with a lot of potential but highly underused has to be horror. Besides few of Vikram Bhatt and Ram Gopal Varma's flicks, most of the horror films have been major disappointments. Ek Thi Daayan did impress a lot but it faltered heavily with the second half. Pari is also in a similar space as Ek Thi Daayan but unlike the latter, Pari gets better in the second half. It’s surely a film that the horror film lovers would give thumbs up!

The story and best scenes won’t be listed in this review to provide a spoiler-free experience to the readers!

One expects horror element from the first scene itself but surprisingly, that doesn’t happen. It’s only after around ten minutes when fear unleashes all of a sudden. The plot turns intriguing as the action briefly shifts to Dhaka and the flashback is shown. It must also be added that though one looks forward to what will happen next, the execution could have been a bit more simpler. Also the horror bit could have been better. Just showing blood and gore doesn’t add to the scare factor all the time. The intermission point however is a shocker. The second half gets better as the director finally joins the dots. One also starts seeing the characters in a different light as one learns about their backstory. The finale puts you in a moral dilemma as after knowing the history of characters, one might not empathize with them fully. But the maker expects us to do so. Nevertheless, the maker wins and this is not a major complaint as such since this bit has some brilliant scenes. The film ends on a great note and the end credits are smartly presented.

Anushka Sharma delivers her best performance and one of the best performances of the year. In not a single scene can one say that she has acted in a similar way in a previous film. She goes into an altogether different zone like never before and comes out with flying colours. And hats off to her – no top league actress would have had the guts to opt for such a role. Anushka Sharma not only acted but also produced it and this is quite a feat! Parambrata Chatterjee who rocked the show in Kahaani gives yet another terrific performance. The way he brings out his shy and nervous side is lovely. Surely an actor who deserves to be seen more. Rajat Kapoor comes up with another power-packed performance. From the first scene itself, he intrigues viewers and he gets to do something drastically different from his rich body of work. Ritabhari Chakraborty is charming and gives the much needed human and sweet touch to the film. Her smile is infectious! Others do a fine job too.

Anupam Roy's music is fair. The situational track in the first half and the end credit song are fine. Ketan Sodha's background score adds to the chills. Jishnu Bhattacharjee's cinematography is classy without going overboard, like how many horror films do. Also the bylanes and the colonial buildings of Kolkata are well captured. Manas Mittal’s editing is also quite subtle and effective. Meenal Agarwal's production design is creepy but realistic. Veera Kapur Ee's costumes are straight out of life. VFX matches global standards.

Abhishek Banerjee and Prosit Roy's story is original and unpredictable at places. The screenplay is great on the whole but it’s weak in the first half as too much is happening and too many characters are introduced. Anvita Dutt’s dialogues are simple and sharp. Prosit Roy’s direction is excellent for a first timer. One of the reasons horror films of Bhatts worked is because they were quite massy and easy to understand. Pari might look like a multiplex film but it has elements that can work with the masses. At the same time, Prosit has balanced it off by not repeating the mistakes made previously in horror films. Moreover, the manner in which he has brilliantly used the props like nail cutter, freezer, biscuit, sketches etc is very praiseworthy.

On the whole, Pari is a well made horror flick that gives the much needed boost to this genre, which had not seen much of a growth in recent times. It has some massy elements and this can give the film a slight edge in markets where horror films work. However, it is scary and violent and definitely not for the faint hearted! Go for it and get spooked!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

Bella Jaisinghani (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 1, 2018)

In a historic turnout for a celebrity funeral in recent memory, around 25,000 people lined the roads from Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri to Juhu to bid farewell to veteran actor Sridevi on Wednesday. She was accorded a state funeral. The last rites of the first female superstar of Hindi cinema—a Padma Shri awardee—were performed around 5pm. Husband Boney Kapoor lit the pyre, along with daughters Janhvi and Khushi.

Policemen draped the corpse in the tricolour and presented a guard of honour while the police band trumpeted a musical tribute.

Around 2.15pm, the cortege began its journey from Lokhandwala Complex to Vile Parle Seva Samaj crematorium at Pavan Hans.

The truck was bedecked with white flowers, mainly asters and carnations. A large portrait of the actor wearing a smile on her face was framed in flowers. Members of the family led by husband Boney Kapoor, daughter Janhvi, Anil, Arjun and Harshvardhan rode the truck bearing the glass casket with Sridevi’s body.

The actor was dressed in a deep red sari with gold border and adorned with vermilion in her hair and a big red bindi on her forehead.

The pace of the procession slowed down as thousands of fans lined the streets from Andheri to Juhu. Along the length of the route, people stood on dividers and pavements holding their cellphones aloft and shooting videos of the passing cortege. Bikers dodged police motorcycles as their pillion riders took pictures.

As the procession reached Pavan Hans around 4pm, multitudes surged on to the nearby skywalk.

Visiting dignitaries had a tough time too, for only 12 cars belonging to the immediate family were permitted to enter the crematorium compound.

Mourners, including Shah Rukh Khan, had to alight outside and walk some distance to the cemetery.

Celebrities from the film industry, business and politics turned out in strength to pay homage, first for the wake at Celebration Club, Lokhandwala, from 9.30am to 12.30pm, and thereafter at the crematorium. Amitabh Bachchan joined the funeral while wife Jaya, daughter Shweta and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attended the viewing. There were Anil and Tina Ambani, Kumarmangalam Birla, Rekha, Vidya Balan, Ramesh Sippy, Madhuri Dixit, Subhash Ghai, Karan Johar, Hema Malini, Karisma Kapoor, Imtiaz Ali, Sanjay Nirupam, Sushmita Sen, Tanuja, Kajol and Ajay Devgn, and Amar Singh and Jayaprada, among others.
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‘Let us all who loved Sri envelop her two little ones’

A statement issued by the Kapoor, Ayyappan and Marwah families on Wednesday said: “The past few days have been trying times for us as a family. Today, particularly, has been one of the hardest. We laid to rest a beautiful soul who has gone too soon. She leaves behind a legacy that is unique.

“The one thing that helped us all get through these last few days, was the amazing amount of love and support from everyone—be it her many colleagues to her innumerable fans, her caring friends and loving family, from across the country and the world.

“This outpouring of love is the memory that we would like Khushi and Janhvi to have of their mother… a woman who was loved unquestionably by everyone. Let us all who loved Sri envelop her two little ones, her life, as she often called them, with as much or more love than we gave Sri so that they can live their lives ahead with a little less ache in their hearts.”

Later in the evening, Boney Kapoor also issued a statement requesting that the family be allowed to grieve privately.

THE TIMES OF INDIA (March 3, 2018)

Actor Anushka Sharma's horror film ‘Pari’ has been banned in Pakistan alleging it “promotes black magic, some non-Islamic values and anti-Muslim sentiments”, reports in Pakistan media said.

The country’s censor board also banned the film because it “reportedly contains objectionable sequences where Quranic verses have been used”, said Pakistan’s Geo TV, quoting a cinema owner.

“The film not only mixed Quranic verses with Hindu chants but also portrayed Muslims in a negative light as they were shown using Quranic verses to do black magic,” a source at Pakistan's censor board told Geo.

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; March 3, 2018)

In seven years in the industry, Saqib Saleem has chosen to be part of films that have not just earned rave reviews but have also raked in the numbers at the box office. In a candid chat with BT, the actor, who will soon be seen in Dil Juunglee, talks about how a middle-class Delhi boy earned a ticket to Bollywood and why an actor needs to strike a balance between masala entertainers and serious cinema. Excerpts...

You’ve spent seven years in Bollywood… how do you look back at the journey?
Had I not been an actor, I would have been counting cash at my father’s restaurant or supervising activities in the kitchen. I did it for a year when I was in college. I put on 10 kgs and then it hit me that I couldn’t do that anymore. I was single and I wanted attention from girls. They were obviously not looking at me because my belly was not where it was supposed to be. Though my father has been in the restaurant business for close to 50 years, I couldn’t see myself doing it. I came to Mumbai because I was in love with a girl. I told my parents that I am going there to take care of Huma (Qureshi), but when I finally landed, I didn’t meet Huma for months (laughs).

How did your family take to your choice of career?
The last film my father saw before he saw me on the big screen was Mughal-E-Azam. Whatever I have achieved in the industry is something I consider to be amazing. Also, I am the younger sibling and Huma paved the way for me. She always took the bullet.

From your choice of films — whether it’s Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge or Dil Juunglee — it looks like you want to do content-driven films and not just commercial entertainers...
I don’t think it’s right to define films as commercial or art house. What’s important is that a film evokes a certain emotion when it’s being watched. Whether it is a Mere Dad Ki Maruti or Hawaa Hawaai, both films did decent numbers and were appreciated by the critics too. I want to ensure that films provide entertainment, but at the same time are content-driven. I am not the guy who can get a Rs 10 crore opening at the box-office because I have not reached that stage in my career. Whenever people see me on screen, I want them to feel that I am making an effort and pushing the envelope. I remember heading to watch Dabangg at Chandan Cinema during Eid when I landed in Mumbai from Delhi. The kind of hysteria I saw surrounding a Salman Khan film was something I had not witnessed before. That’s where I want to be. I want to get mobbed and want people to see me as the guy who they can’t get enough of.

But if you want to be a star, you will have to work in the typical masala entertainers...
One of the actor’s whose work I admire is Aamir Khan. His repertoire of films makes me jealous. When I am 50, I want other actors to look at my work and feel the same way. As an actor it’s very easy to stay in one’s cocoon. One is surrounded by managers and publicists and they could create a fictional world around you. I disconnect from that world from time-to-time, I spend a week in Delhi with my friends and get a reality check. I have always been a late bloomer. I enjoy the process and the journey more than just wanting to reach the destination. Being on a film set is better than eating the mutton biryani my mother makes!

How difficult was it for you to make inroads into the industry?
In any field, people want to work with those who they know and trust. It’s the same in the Hindi film industry. They might know you because of what you portray on screen, but you need to have a personal connection with everybody around you. I am a people’s person and it comes naturally to me.

What’s your say on people coming out and sharing their experiences with sexual harassment, both in Hollywood and Bollywood?
Those who’ve faced sexual assault should speak up. The more we talk about it, the lesser it will happen. The conversations could act as a deterrent and that’s a good thing. Also, if you really like somebody, be a man and woo that person. Don’t be a lech. There is absolutely no fun in being a stalker. Let’s begin by respecting women.

You’ll be seen in the third instalment of the Race franchise...
It’s the biggest film of my career. When I am working with actors like Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor, it encourages me to up my game. By working in a film like Race 3, I’m only going to enhance my status as an actor. I am getting the opportunity to reach out to a large audience because I am part of a film that stars Salman Khan.

Aleya Sen, director of Dil Juunglee, talks about how her film explores relationships in today’s world
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; March 3, 2018)

Debutant director Aleya Sen’s film Dil Juunglee, which releases on March 9, is about real characters and showcases how relationships have been redefined by today’s generation. Aleya, a prominent ad filmmaker, who has won a Dadasaheb Phalke Award for her ad film, says, “When you are in school, your idea of love stems from what you see around you or from books and films. But as you mature, you realise that love has different dimensions. My film delves into these issues.”

Ask Aleya how it was working with Taapsee Pannu and Saqib Saleem, who play the characters Koroli Nair and Sumit Uppal in the film, and she says, “They share a natural chemistry. They bond very well off screen, so it was great to explore this chemistry onscreen.”

The filmmaker, who hails from Delhi, feels that it’s tough to make inroads in Bollywood. She says, “I have been working for many years and it is lot of hard work. But even though I am from Delhi, I’ve never felt like an outsider here. I enjoy doing ad films and hopefully, the audience will like my work in films too.”

BOMBAY TIMES (March 4, 2018)

Here’s some good news for Abhay Deol fans. The actor spent last year setting the stage for five films that are in post production and now, he has signed two more.

Abhay has just wrapped up shooting with Brendan Fraser (of The Mummy and George Of The Jungle fame) for the film, The Field, which is a thriller based on the land mafia in Delhi. The actor will be seen getting into a cop avatar in the movie.

From the start of his career, Abhay has always taken chances with his film choices, even when it comes to working with first-time directors — Imtiaz Ali, Reema Kagti or Navdeep Singh. Five of the seven films he’s working on currently, are being helmed by new directors. Talking about it, the actor says, “I’m very excited, I love working with new talent. My endeavour is to raise the bar with every project I do.”

Meanwhile, the actor is working on another out-of-the-box dark comedy, Nanu Ki Jannu that will hit theatres in April 2018. The movie is an afterlife love story and stars Abhay and Patralekhaa in leading roles.

Post the comedy, he will complete filming for JL-50, a Canadian production in Hindi. He will then start working on Sahlath, which will go on floors in June.

With so many releases on his plate, looks like Abhay’s fans will have a variety to choose from.

Ashraf Thamarassery, who helped send back actor's mortal remains from Dubai, has been the 'From' address for over 4,700 people repatriated to 39 countries, including Farooq Sheikh
Vinod Kumar Menon (MID-DAY; March 1, 2018)

He is the "messiah" for bereaved families awaiting mortal remains of their loved ones from UAE. All coffins getting airlifted from UAE and taken across the world are sent "from" him. He is Ashraf Thamarassery, 43, a Kozhikode native who works at the embalming centre in Dubai.

The Ajman resident, in the last 18 years, has got connected to approximately 4,700 families world over, having assisted in the repatriation of their loved ones' bodies.

Ashraf knows every death that gets reported in any part of six of UAE's emirates — Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaiman, Fujairah, Umm al-Quwain and Ajman.

Assisting the Kapoors
On Wednesday, as Bollywood superstar Sridevi was laid to rest at Vile Parle, Ashraf was busy completing formalities to repatriate two cases that had come to him for embalming — C Haridasan, 41, of Kochi, who worked with a construction company in Ajman and had died of a heart attack, and Vijay Reddy, 36, from Ahmedabad, an accidental death.

Speaking to mid-day over the phone, Ashraf said, "I was at the embalming centre when I learnt about Sridevi's death through my network in the hospital, where she was brought and declared dead. But I have no role to play unless the police or prosecution clear the body after post-mortem for embalming. Usually, it takes anywhere between a day and four for them to decide on the reason and circumstances surrounding the death. Only after that the body is sent for embalming, and then repatriation. Unlike earlier, when it would take nearly a week for repatriation, as most of the work was done manually at different offices, technology has changed things today."

When asked if Boney Kapoor came to the embalming centre to claim the body, Ashraf replied in the negative and said, "The distance between the mortuary and embalming centre is around 15 km; the body was accompanied by the Bur Dubai police and a person representing them. He (Boney) was not around even after the body was kept in the ambulance post embalming."

Refuting social media rumours about the late actor having sustained injuries, he added, "She (Sridevi) had no injuries, and her body wasn't bloated either, as stated in some reports. Her photograph was shown for completing formalities, and she looked like she did in the picture."

Interestingly, Ashraf has not seen a single movie of Sridevi. "I am at the embalming centre from morning till late night, assisting the police and next of kin in completing formalities and obtaining necessary permissions from various offices. I seldom take leave; I don't watch television even when I go to Kerala for a visit."

Not his first celebrity
This is not the first time Ashraf has assisted the family of a celebrity in repatriation. On December 28, 2013, actor Farooq Sheikh, 65, died of a heart attack while on a holiday in Dubai.

Ashraf recalled, "Farooq's body could be handed over within a day, as the police and prosecution were satisfied with heart attack being the cause of death, and papers were cleared faster. I had assisted in the paperwork and in getting the body repatriated faster. A huge crowd had turned up at the embalming centre then, his fans and admirers."

Another case he remembers is that of Nandana, the eight-year-old daughter of renowned playback singer Chitra, who had drowned in a hotel pool in April 2011.

"In the last 18 years, I have handed over bodies right from a two-year-old to an 80-year-old. I have dealt with all sorts of deaths — natural and unnatural, including accidents — and have repatriated coffins to 39 locations across the world. I believe that when in distress, especially in case of death in a foreign land, we must come forward and do everything possible to help faster repatriation," he said.

Putting connections to use
According to Ashraf, the cost of repatriating a body from UAE to the destination is between 5,000 and 6,000 UAE dirham, including the local ambulance and embalming costs and cargo airfare.

Ashraf's elder brother Mohammed Bashir, 55, speaking to mid-day from Kozhikode, said, "At times, when claimants do not have sufficient money or the air cargo does not have room to accommodate the coffin (usually, airlines allow only two coffins per aircraft), Ashraf uses his network with influential people in the UAE and provides every assistance he can to them."

Ashraf has a suggestion for the Indian government: request UAE to fix an amount for airlifting coffins, currently decided on the weight of the coffin and body. "These are human remains, which can't be weighed like vegetables or meat. We must do away with this system of weighing a dead body and then paying a few thousand dirhams; it's a hurtful practice."

Modest beginnings
When asked how he came into this field, Ashraf, who has studied only till Std X, said, "I came to Ajman as a water tanker driver and did all sorts of odd jobs to make ends meet. During that time, an Indian friend, who was settled here with his family, passed away in a hospital after falling sick.
"I went to the hospital and saw his wife and children helpless, as they had to take the body back to India. I then decided to take up the cause and help every single Indian pravasi to get decent last rites at his/her homeland."

Ashraf stays with his wife Fatima Suhra, 36, and two children in Ajman; his elder son is pursuing his engineering in Kerala and joins them during vacations. Ashraf has become a single point of contact not only for Indians based in UAE, but also for government officials and the UAE police.
He has won many awards, including the Bharatiya Pravasi Sanman in 2015 at Ahmedabad, a function in which PM Narendra Modi and other senior leaders were present. Four novels have been written on him, with the recent one just a few months ago.

A proud village
Ashraf hails from Chungam in Thamarassery, Kozhikode, and is one of Fatima's, 75, nine children. He is a known face in the UAE and in Kozhikode, having won awards for his work. He is financially supported by his brothers and sister based in the Gulf. He owns land and a villa close to their ancestral house in Kerala.

Bashir said, "I am joining him next month; I have assisted him in nearly 300 cases of repatriation. It gives us immense satisfaction as we feel that the bereaved family needs to get their loved ones' remains at the earliest."

Boney Kapoor (top centre of frame) and daughters Khushi (right) and Jhanvi (partly seen behind Boney Kapoor) bid adieu to Sridevi on Wednesday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Boney Kapoor (top centre of frame) and daughters Khushi (right) and Jhanvi (partly seen behind Boney Kapoor) bid adieu to Sridevi on Wednesday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Set to return to Bollywood after having become a mother, Rani Mukerji on why the film industry is more accepting of older men than women
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 3, 2018)

"I hadn't realised how much I missed the set until the day I stepped on one to shoot for Hichki," Rani Mukerji says, taking us by surprise, given that this was the same actor who spoke passionately of her daring outings like Black (2005).

It's been four years since she last charmed viewers on screen in Mardaani, and the actor attributes this long hiatus to enjoying her life away from the cameras. "I love motherhood and am completely consumed by Adira," she says of her two-year-old daughter. Even though Rani Mukerji "never went actively looking for anything in life," Hichki, like many other good offers, simply came her way. "I just had to say yes. I loved it."

The film marks her return to Bollywood after a break following her marriage to producer Aditya Chopra, and motherhood. The industry has often been criticised for its gender inequality, allowing older male actors to romance younger women, but not its female actors. However, Mukerji attributes this tendency towards the ability of male actors to mould their physique better than women.

"The male actors today look younger than they are. For women, looking younger is a challenge. For instance, Aamir Khan, who played a wrestler in his 50s in Dangal (2016), will look younger in his next film. That transformation is a pre-requisite for the craft. People will be accepting of you if you can look the age of your character, irrespective of how old you really are. The women need to achieve that with their looks."

However, while an actor may be appreciated for his/her ability to pull off a role, women, she says, are, unfortunately, perceived differently after marriage. "In India, there is a hichki [here, obstacle] that married actors face. People feel, shaadi ho gayi, bachcha ho gaya, toh a woman is not desirable. They can't do certain roles because they are viewed differently. When single, they seemed attainable."

The attitude is at odds with that in the West, where viewers are accepting of artistes solely because of their talent. Fortunately, things are looking up in Bollywood. "Age or status is not a defining factor in roping in a good actor anymore."

The American singer-songwriter grooved to “Tatad Tatad” and “Happy” with the Bollywood actor
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2018)

International singing sensation and Grammy Award-winner Pharrell Williams got to see the festival of colours up close on Friday. The rapper, who was in the city for a professional commitment, met Ranveer Singh who hosted a party for him and showed Pharrell how Holi is played in India.

A source from the bash reveals that the duo had a blast together with Ranveer determined to give him some good times to cherish. “They entered the party together and telling him that we Indians believed guests were like Gods — ‘atithi devo bhava’— Ranveer streaked his face with gulal. Then, as the organisers belted out the duo’s chartbusters, he brought the house down, dancing with Pharrell to the tunes of 'Tune Maari Entriyaan' from Gunday, 'Khalibali'from Padmaavat and 'Tatad Tatad' from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. They also grooved to Pharrell’s hits like 'Happy' and 'Drop It Like It’s Hot', bringing the crowd to its feet,” a guest from the fun bash told Mirror.

Clearly overwhelmed by the adulation and adoration, Pharrell and his B-town buddy played for an hour-and-a-half, stepping out of their enclosure to party with the other guests. Ranveer even explained the mythological significance of Holi to him, telling him what the different colours stand for in the Indian tradition.

It was a party to remember for the actor too who has been busy shooting for Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, in which co-incidentally he plays a rapper-singer. The film has Alia Bhatt as his leading lady.

Shraddha Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty and Apoorva Lakhia show keen interest in the English cricketer’s pet cause
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2018)

English cricketer Kevin Pietersen was in India recently to spread awareness about his campaign to save rhinos. His filmmaker-friend, Apoorva Lakhia, had spoken to some of his actor-buddies and they were keen to lend him their support. While Shraddha Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan met Kevin at home over tea, the former England captain bonded with Suniel Shetty over lunch. Reportedly, he gifted them with an autographed bat.

“I have always been passionate about the diminishing rhino population on our planet, and as I’m about to retire, I have formed a charity called SORAI (Save Our Rhinos Africa, India) which is totally committed to spreading awareness for this cause. I was overwhelmed by the response I got in India towards the work we are doing. Suniel, Abhishek and Shraddha have shown great interest towards this cause,” says Kevin.

He spoke to the actors about sports and films and was delighted the trio as also Shraddha’s actor-brother Siddhanth are big sports fans and animal lovers. “It will be important for my charity to have these prominent Bollywood figures lend their voice for both Indian and African rhinos given their dwindling figures every day,” says the concerned cricketer, informing that the endangered species is killed every eight hours and there are only 18,000 left on this planet. “A rhino horn fetches over 65,000 dollar per kg and if poaching is not stopped, by the time our kids are 25, there will be no rhinos in the wild. They are beautiful and harmless creatures that need to be protected.”

Does he have plans to organise a charity event or cricket match to raise funds for the cause? “My charity will donate 20 per cent of its earnings towards the protection of rhinos, to create awareness, train guards and educate people all over the world, especially in India and Africa, where the majority of the rhinos are, and poaching is a huge threat. I plan to have a press conference once I return to India and would love more celebs to lend their voice and support,” asserts Kevin.

Born in South Africa and having played cricket in England, the cricketer has a lot of Indian friends. “Bollywood is close to my heart. I would have liked to meet Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan, but he was busy with his shoot and I was in Mumbai for only a day. Apoorva is a good friend; I’ve watched two of his films and thought they were great. I love watching Bollywood songs on TV when in India, everything is so beautiful,” he says.

Kevin Pietersen with Suniel Shetty; the cricketer with Apoorva Lakhia and Abhishek Bachchan

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2018)

Salman Khan was all set to head to Kathmandu on March 10 for the Da-Bangg tour with Kriti Sanon, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhudheva, Daisy Shah, Meet Bros and Maniesh Paul but the plans have hit a roadblock. The Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’ last week reportedly demanded the cancellation of the show, calling all nationalist forces to unite and oppose the event. The show has now been pushed to April.

Sohail Khan confirmed the news, saying, “We will know the real reason and new date in a couple of days and we will announce it then.”

A representative of ODC Entertainment, the organisers, told Mirror, “The event is now expected to happen in the first week of April. We had decided on March 10 earlier but a political strike is expected in Kathmandu then, so we had to postpone it again.”

On January 19, Sohail and the organisers had jointly organised a press conference in Kathmandu to confirm Khan’s arrival, along with other Bollywood stars.

The tour, which kicked off last year has already entertained fans in several cities around the world, including Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, London and Birmingham.

Meanwhile, the 52-year-old actor has been busy filming Remo D’souza’s Race 3 with Jacqueline Fernandez, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Saqib Saleem and Daisy Shah. After this, he will kick off Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat and Prabhudheva’s Dabangg 3 simultaneously. He also has his TV show Dus Ka Dum to look forward to.

Having spent the past two years working in regional films, Boman Irani, who recently featured in Welcome To New York, chronicles his toil of acing dialects
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; March 4, 2018)

The distinctiveness with which he approaches his craft is made evident when Boman Irani responds to our questions of aping the mannerisms and physicality of Kailash Satyarthi with a pithy, "That's just secondary". Instead of studying the superficial, he dug deeper to unearth three distinct personalities of the Nobel Peace Prize recipient. "He wears a cape and becomes a crusader when he's rescuing children - tough and brave as he walks into factories and liberates them from labour," Irani says, his voice mirroring the valour that Satyarthi would have portrayed during such endeavours. In the company of children, the child rights activist becomes one among them, says the actor, adding that the third facet to his personality emerges when he addresses the world on international podiums. "He's a statesman, a world president when he joins the likes of Malala [Yousafzai, activist] to address people."

Irani, set to play Satyarthi in an upcoming venture, may have met the activist umpteen times to have noticed such nitty gritties, one might assume. But an interaction with the man, he reveals, is still pending. "I've binge-watched over 100 videos of him to arrive at the conclusion. These three personalities rolled into one is what makes him Kailash Satyarthi. He is someone everybody should know about," prides Irani, quick to add that Jhalki, as the film's name suggests, will see only a few glimpses of him. "I have a small role. The protagonist of the film is a young girl. It chronicles her story."

As fans await his performance in the long-in-the-making film, Irani recently charmed them in Welcome To New York as the organiser of a coveted awards gala, reeling with the constant hiccups of managing a live event. But, it was only after a significant hiatus of two years that cinephiles could enjoy the wit of the actor, whose last Bollywood film was the 2016 Housefull 3. In the interim, he humoured his fans in the South with a series of Marathi and Telugu outings, including Priyanka Chopra's production, Ventilator. Irani talks about his regional projects with a fervour that's unparalleled. The kind his directors harbour when chasing him to sign on the dotted line. "It's easy to understand if someone following up with you for a project is genuinely interested in roping you or not," he says.

While some may despise it, he enjoys the unpredictable atmosphere of an unfamiliar set. "It keeps you on your toes," he says, adding, "Working with a new crew in a different language is exciting. It takes you into a zone that you are not familiar with, and that's positive. You approach cinema differently, which is good for an actor's growth; it keeps you awake." Much at odds with popular notion, a stint in a smaller industry doesn't imply less work for the actor, who is painfully particular about nabbing the pronunciation of a new language. "When you speak in a language that's not yours, you must treat it with respect. If you don't, you're just mouthing lines, and the cast and crew can notice that you're not paying heed to their language. When I learn my lines, I do so in English. I'll act it out in English so that I understand the subtext and scene. I'll do so again in Hindi, and then finally in the language of the film. This way, I have a better understanding of the lines I'm saying, not only because I've rehearsed it enough, but also because I understand the subtext of every line. You need to be phonetically correct when speaking a new language." In his tryst to do so, Irani ensures that his work for the film doesn't end on set. He spends several hours with his directors working on his speech after the shoot wraps up. "They drive home with me, and may even come to my room after a late schedule for a meal. We continue to understand what is being said. Only when you do so will the audience respect you."

It is owing to this immense effort that goes into creating a cinematic outing worthy of people's time that the actor is critical of the furor caused by fringe groups ahead of the release of a film. With Welcome To New York having found itself in the eye of the storm over the inclusion of Pak singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice, and later for the lyrics of a track crooned by leading man Diljit Dosanjh, Irani says the trend to create controversy before a film's release is, unfortunately, becoming commonplace. "It's become part and parcel of the release. It's not a good trend, but it is happening. The producers work hard to meet deadlines, and such incidents put their toil to waste. Producers need to accommodate time and energy towards sorting these things too. Nowadays, every film seems to have a problem."

While his contemporaries are actively giving a go at digital ventures, Boman Irani isn't hurried to get onto streaming services. The offers have been pouring in every day, he says, but none of them have him "excited enough". But what may interest him need not necessarily be something that carries a social message. "Sometime, you can't be picky about good subjects because, let's be honest, great subjects are far and few. Some films purely entertain. People need it. If you remove entertainment from people's lives, you'll have an unhappy society. What I look for is a subject that can simply keep me excited. Also, you need to enjoy working with those associated with the film. A set has to be a happy place. As far as the web is concerned, I want my first project to be the right one. Else people will say, 'It didn't work out for him in this space.'"

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; March 1, 2018)

Kartik Aaryan is on cloud nine. His latest release Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS) has not only set the cash registers ringing but the young actor’s performance as an over-possessive friend in the romcom has also been praised by the audience. After Hrs catches up with him for a fun chat. Excerpts…

With SKTKS working well at the box office, you must be extremely happy?
Of course, I am. I think this film is the turning point of my career. What is happening right now is surreal. Bahut alag feeling hai. I had expected it to do well but the kind of success that it’s turning out to be is outstanding.

This is a major boost for your career...
The reason I am an actor is because I have faith in myself. Star ki tarah toh main nahin sochta tha, but I was always keen to make my own journey. I wanted to take small steps but SKTKS has turned out to be a major step in my career. I can’t talk about the star status, only time will tell. But the kind of response the film is getting is speaking for itself. I’m really happy. I don’t think about any league. Everything is just falling into place.

Will this Holi be different because of the success?
Of course! Nothing tastes like success. I always celebrate festivals — whether it’s Holi or Diwali. But I have more reasons to celebrate it now. My family is here after a long time, so, I’ll be with them. Even they are very kicked about the film’s success. There’s something special about this Holi.

How do you plan to celebrate the festival of colours this time around?
I am a foodie. Bachpan mein mummy bahut sweets banati thi. Shakkar paare is my favourite. I also like gujia and mathri. My mom is here and she has already made all of them. I crave for such sweets, especially during festivals. I play dry and an eco-friendly Holi with gulaal. I enjoy spending time with my family and having conversations with them.

What’s your fondest memory of Holi?
I don’t drink at all. During my college days, I used to stay in an all-boys hostel. Once, we were celebrating Holi at the basketball court under the scorching heat. I drank thandai and I loved it so much ki main peeta gaya. I didn’t realise that there was bhang in it aur dhoop mein bhaang zyada hi chadhti hai. So, I was completely out and it was actually like the line from my song Main Nashe Mein Talli Ho Gaya. I tore my clothes as well as that of others. I was on a T-shirt tearing spree and it had some after-effects, so I kept laughing my guts out for a long time. On the other hand, my roommate was crying, so it was weird. This continued for hours.

You must have played a lot of pranks during Rang Panchami as a kid?
There was a ground in Gwalior where my friends and I would play with colours. We were complete brats. Hum log ek doosre ko bilkul ganda kar dete the. There was a garden where there used to be a lot of mud. We would throw people in that. It was dirty, but a lot of fun. I still cherish those memories. Thankfully, I’ve never put ridiculous colours on anyone. But mere saath aisa ho chuka hai. I’ve had a red face once and half-green and half-silver once for 15 days after Holi. I used to go to school like a bhoot (laughs).

Do you miss playing a dirty Holi now?
You always miss what you do in your childhood. I’m no different. There’s an age and time for everything. Now, I’m more civil (smiles).

Will you catch up with your SKTKS co-stars tomorrow?
I’ll meet them for sure. Ho sakta hai ki hum log ek hi jagah par khel bhi rahe ho saath mein.

I was emotional after watching Ishaan Khatter’s debut film-Shahid Kapoor

Pari producer Prernaa Arora explains how low-key promotions have been a strategic move

Ranveer Singh's Simmba to clash with Salman Khan's Dabangg 3?

Sridevi's tragic death leaves Bollywood on standby

Sridevi gets a three gun salute; members of Bollywood fraternity come out in full force to pay their last respects

Sridevi funeral: And they turned up in thousands to say goodbye…

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety collects 35.25 cr in 5 days; Welcome To New York collects 2.55 cr

Movie Review: PARI by FENIL SETA

Sridevi gets the biggest farewell for a film star in years

Anushka Sharma-thriller Pari banned in Pakistan after objections

I want to get mobbed and want people to see me as the guy who they can’t get enough of-Saqib Saleem

As you mature, you realise that love has different dimensions-Aleya Sen

Abhay Deol strikes back with seven films this year

Meet Ashraf Thamarassery, the man who brought back Sridevi

For women, looking young is a challenge-Rani Mukerji

Image: Ranveer Singh celebrates Holi with Pharrell Williams

Bollywood stars support Kevin Pietersen in quest to save rhinos

Salman Khan's Da-Bangg The Tour to Nepal postponed to April?

Respect a language that's not yours-Boman Irani

We used to throw people in the mud-Kartik Aaryan on his Holi memories