'It is surprising Mumbaikars take it all in their stride, but it has nothing to do with the crappy spirit of Mumbai that television channels extol every time a tragedy hits us, but all to do with the compulsion of stepping out to earn one's daily roti and dal,' says N Suresh.
Making her film debut with The Householder, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala wrote more screenplays than novels, winning two Oscars -- for A Room with a View and Howards End. She kept her distance from the film crowd, seeking refuge in the 'protective' company of her two life-long collaborators, Director James Ivory and Producer Ismail Merchant.
'I did not grow up watching Bollywood movies because I don't understand Hindi. The only Bollywood movie I have watched is Piku. I may have seen Hindi films with my mother when I was younger, but otherwise, I haven't sat down to watch a Bollywood film.' Andrea Tariang gets ready for her big Bollywood debut.
The one good thing about watching Miss Lovely is that now when I tell people I've watched it, they might mistake me for an intellectual, says Paloma Sharma.
Indira Kannan picks Made in Bangladesh, Greed, Moothon.
As superstar Rajinikanth begins shooting his newest film Kaala Karikalan in Mumbai, there is much speculation about which Tamilian ganglord the Thalaivar is bringing to life.
'He had a continuing interest in life, people, and the society in which he lived,' remembers Shyam Benegal, who collaborated with the polyglot playwright and actor through the 1970s and remained his friend for more than five decades.
'There has been a lot of ups and downs, unexpected highs and unimaginable pain, almost thinking that I'm going to die.'
'And he was really trying just to do the best by the shareholders, and by the laws of India.'
'I always thought that if you play a negative character, people will tend to hate you.' 'But the reaction has been amazing, especially after Season 2.'
Yesteryear's heart-throb Shashi Kapoor will get the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for his contribution to Indian cinema. On this occasion, we reproduce Dinesh Raheja's nostalgia piece on the actor here:
All through Moothon, you can sense Mohandas trying hard to empathise with her characters; I just wish she was interested in them, declares Sreehari Nair.
'Deepika always got all the jobs she auditioned for.' 'There was really no stopping her.'
To those who feel that Dhadak doesn't measure up to Sairat, Kshamaya Daniel, 19, has one piece of advice: We're talking about wine here, not scotch.
Hansal Mehta preceded over the do as the chief guest.
It turns 20 and Mumbai will celebrate, says Avantika Bhuyan.
'People say my father was scared of Kishore Kumar. That is untrue. There are so many songs that my father told the composers to let some other singer sing because they too are good.'
'When the same rotten paratha is served to someone year after year, it shocks them when all of a sudden there is a change in taste.' Kay Kay Menon justifies why he took up Yudh.
Umrika, which won the audience award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, finally releases in India.
'I don't take being a Nawab very seriously.'
Addressing Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, Ranaut posted a video message saying his 'ego will be destroyed' the way her Bandra home was demolished.
'After watching Elvis Presley, Shammi Kapoor decided to pick the rock and roll star's style itself.' 'Dada was the kind of producer who took a leap of faith and gave Shammi Kapoor the freedom to display himself as crazy, mad, rough -- all the charms of Elvis Presley -- in his films.'
'One of the director's primary jobs is to make sure that all the actors perform as if they are in the same movie, playing in the same band -- one is not acting in a different band than the other.'
With four back to back hits, the shy lad from Chandigarh is an unlikely movie star. Ayushmann Khurrana tells Ronjita Kulkarni/Rediff.com how it all came together and how he prepares to confront the toughest three months of his life.
'The most striking comment Yasser Usman makes -- not only about Sanjay Dutt, but also our contemporary society -- is about the transformation that he goes through: From being a man who claimed Muslim blood to one who is a devotee of Hindu gods,' notes Uttaran Das Gupta.
Akhilesh Yadav is now seeking to devote the remaining 18 months of his tenure in casting the state in a new mould.
S'Working with Huma made us understand each other as actors more.' 'We share an awkward sibling relationship in Dobaara, totally different from how we are in real life.'
From sports to history, Rediff reader Sabyasachi Dutta shares a selection of books for you to add to your reading list in 2020.
'If today, I have to take up a nude role, I will, if I like the script and the director.'' 'It has to affect me as a script and be meaningful.' 'It should not be to titillate the audience.'
'I don't remember (watching) a good horror Hindi movie in a long time. I like films like Bhoot, Raaz and the first 1920. I wouldn't even include the second 1920 in this.' Meera Chopra is all set for 1920 London.
'Movie theatres, despite their diminished stature, will continue to play a role in our culture. Just like cinema. After all, we have at least another big centennial to commemorate in our lifetime,' says Murali Kamma.
'My mother has one complaint -- I die in all of my films. She has told me to stop dying now.'
Pavan Malhotra, one of our finest actors, shows us another side of Bollywood.
How things have changed for Dev Patel!
'Single life is pretty good. I like the attention. If I feel lonely, I just call my mom and she sleeps in my bed,' Kalki Koechlin tells Rediff.com contributor Paloma Sharma.
'Truth is stranger than fiction. You cannot think these things up.' 'What happens is weird enough.'
