'Our viewers have grown up over the years.' 'Today, they want to see something which is sensible, a story rooted in logic rather than jingoism.'
The veteran actor passed into the ages in the early hours of Friday, April 4, 2025. Sukanya Verma looks back at his most memorable performances.
As an IAS officer in Kerala, Gyanesh Kumar -- who the Congress described as Amit Shah's 'right hand man' -- had a good working equation with the state's Congress and Left leaders.
'When you are taking on something which is this big in India, there are so many pressures about wanting to do justice to them, so I am still scared.'
Food, feminism, fights, father-son issues, famous rivalries, OTT is as loaded as it gets this week.
'We will take all necessary steps to ensure that Abir Gulaal is not released in India.'
'The largest listenership for Vividh Bharati outside the country is in Spain.' 'The labourers who go there for the tomato-picking season feel cut off from their country and listen to Vividh Bharati to overcome their loneliness.'
'The second half of 2022 definitely looks stronger for Bollywood.'
A day before his film Jatt released, Sunny Deol made a comment, surprising those who are so used to his cinematic patriotic image and his Pakistan-bashing movies.
Sukanya Verma lists everything that's there on OTT this week.
Kamal has a crisp pen when it comes to writing short and yet powerful film dialogues. But while speaking ex tempore -- and that has been his style -- he looks every bit a confused man, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
'One person says let us move ahead, the other doesn't want to.'
Javed Akhtar is a treasure chest, full of stories. Some of the stories may touch your heart, like his struggle to become a writer in Hindi cinema, and others, where people still don't recognise him, even after all these years.
If in the current streaming age, audiences can watch the originals, why would they spend their money on second-hand content? Is it possible that mainstream Hindi filmmakers have lost the pulse of their audience, asks Deepa Gahlot.
'Aamir messaged me asking me, 'Is my sister good in the film?' I said, 'Sir, she is a lot better than good.' Mayur Sanap, Hitesh Harisinghani and Afsar Dayatar report from the trailer launch of L2: Empuraan.
'Krishna garu was completely broken after the death of his son Ramesh Babu and then, Indira Devi.' 'His second wife Vijaya Nirmala was also gone.' 'I think Krishna garu had lost the will to live.'
Within his short lifespan of 63 years, Raj Kapoor left behind an incredible cinematic legacy. Dinesh Raheja continues celebrating Raj Kapoor's birth centenary by looking at seven sequences from his films that have defined Hindi cinema.
'When Bad Newz was given to me to direct, the first thing I did was go back to my childhood.' 'It's an ode to Hindi cinema.'
Javed Akhtar picked son Farhan Akhtar's birthday on January 9 to release his coffee table book, Jadunama.
'This is the age where if you Blinkit, you will get things in eight minutes.' 'But nothing will happen here in eight minutes. It takes at least eight years to do something.'
The biggest releases of 2025 will actually start arriving in theatres from the Independence Day weekend.
Dinesh Raheja views Raj Kapoor's cinema through his women, while celebrating his birth centenary on December 14.
'When Shahid, Ishaan and I are together, it is a madhouse because we are all performers.'
Ajay Devgn, not Karthi, will be playing the lead in the Hindi remake of Kaithi entitled Bholaa.
'It was the toughest of roles because he had to change quickly behind the sofa and come out in the next dress!'
'I enjoyed my fiery exchanges with Akshay Kumar, who was extremely gracious and generous when the camera was not rolling. I enjoyed locking horns with him in court.'
To see the 92-year old father attending court for his son's bail plea was more heartbreaking than any scene from Kohli's cinema.
'What is Balaji without Ekta (Kapoor), what is Dharma without Karan (Johar?)'
'The young generation doesn't want to work with old hats like me.' 'They don't understand that we are brighter and wiser because of our experience.' 'We can take them on the right path, but they should keep their ears open.'
Just as Gandhiji's spinning wheel became a symbol of resistance, Indian travellers today can turn their passports into instruments of peaceful protest, argues Harsh Roongta.
Manjulika, Bajirao Singham, Squid Games, it's an action-packed end to 2024 on OTT this week.
The unspoken subject of Mithya is violence, and the big zinger here is our recognition that the movie is showing us the makings of a juvenile delinquent -- perhaps the finest since Truffaut unleashed his Antoine Doinel, applauds Sreehari Nair.
'Here is a man who's always pushing the envelope regardless of the repercussions.' 'That's the frenzy of a genius at work.'
Witches and westerns, goosebumps and goldfish, it's all there on OTT this week.
Vicky Kaushal does not mince his words when he interacts with the media. But when he was asked about rumours of his wife Katrina Kaif's pregnancy, it left the actor blushing.
'What is fascinating about Aamir sir is that the audience in him is still alive and throbbing.' 'He still cries. He still laughs.'
One of Hindi cinema's most high-profile couples celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 3.
'A lot of people are famous. But for how long will you be there?' 'It changes after every three days of release, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.'
'...be it a comedy, thriller or a love story.' 'The bhindi costs Rs 30 per kilo, but the price of potato remains unchanged.'
From Star Wars to Santa to Alia Bhatt, OTT has a variety of entertainment to offer for all ages this week. Sukanya Verma lists her recommendations.
