Tim Pigott-Smith hated the natives in The Jewel in the Crown, but went back a lover of India at the end of the four-month shoot. India not only gave him a career-defining role but touched him in many different ways. Documentary filmmaker Siddharth Kak -- who acted with the classy actor in the beloved television series -- shares his memories with Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
Sukanya Verma discovers what she loves about Anushka Sharma's 'spirit' on more than one occasion in her super-filmi week.
It's not just the aam aadmi who has been feeling the corruption heat.
Kalki Koechlin talks about her upcoming projects, marriage and much more!
'If you are not doing a Hindi film, it doesn't mean you are not doing any work. Success is all about saying no to what you don't want to do. Thankfully, I have been successful.' Neetu Chandra has just won a National Award and she's hugely excited!
Before Akshay Kumar takes centrestage in the courtroom this Friday, here's looking at filmi lawyers before him.
'God gave me a second chance to live and I had to make the most of it.'
Celebrating the Thalaiva's birthday.
Finding Fanny strikes gold, raves Raja Sen.
'...changed my image, changed everything.' 'Now I make calls with great confidence.' 'Day before yesterday, I sent a message to a director that I heard you are making a film, is there any role for me?' 'I have confidence now. Earlier, I could never do.'
Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali looks back at his movies.
Here's looking at 10 of his most action-packed Akshay Kumar moments on screen.
'I salute Dixit and Qureshi for playing roles that are not in line with what mainstream Bollywood expects of its female stars,' says Aseem Chhabra, noting how Dedh Ishqiya makes important points in the most nuanced way.
Sukanya Verma looks at the wide-eyed dolly's presence in our movies.
Besides the five Indian films that are playing at the Toronto International Film Festival this year -- a rather large collection at an international film festival, says Aseem Chhabra -- there are more films with an Indian connect.
'I just lucked out.' 'I got good roles. I was in the right phase, selected at the right time.' 'But I had no great ambition.' Suchitra Krishnamoorthy gives us a glimpse into her career.
We look at 52 of them, spread over 52 Fridays, in a two-part special. Here's the first part.
'After doing films like Dedh Ishqiya and Bucket List, I am ready to take up risks in films. I am game for any kind of roles that put me in a different light.'
As the MAMI film festival kicks off, Aseem Chhabra picks the must watch Indian movies.
'Who wouldn't want to dress up like a princess every morning?' Shweta Prasad Basu gets ready to play one in her new TV show.
'Acting is the toughest job in the world.'
"They call me the Class 10 vice-chancellor," he says as his thin lips flirt with a smile. You almost feel that the tall man of spare build is being facetious. And then you see that his deep set eyes are not twinkling. There is a sense of the combative in them.
'Asked which Dilip Kumar films were among her favourites, she said she had seen not a single movie of his until that time. This became a sensational issue. She did not mean to offend Dilip Kumar. There was not a bone of diplomacy in her and she never acquired that calculating attitude even at the cost of some of the roles that she would eventually lose.'
'I was very nervous working with Rani Mukerji in Mardaani initially because she is such a senior actor.' Meet Tahir Raj Bhasin.
'I have some more things to do on this planet that will make me happy. Just because I have become a grandfather doesn't mean I am ready for retirement.' Boman Irani gets ready for a new phase in his life.
'I have watched comedies but some have failed to make me laugh. The characters indulge in too much buffoonery. They move too much, falling, hitting each other, making faces... Comedy is very serious business.' Director Anees Bazmee tells us how he makes people laugh with his films.
Christopher Nolan's next, Gulzar's gussa, Shyam Benegal's Shivaji and RD's Lawrence of Arabia connection, catch all this and more in Sukanya Verma's super filmi week.
'I do films because I want to feel proud of myself as an actor. Why should I sign nonsense? The right roles aren't coming. The only cameo I have done in Hindi is Zoya's Dil Dhadakne Do. She is a friend and I desperately wanted to work with her. She casts big stars, so obviously, I couldn't be the lead.' Rahul Bose on his films, and Poorna.
Politicians, actors and eminent jurists have written a petition to the President to waive off the 1993 Mumbai blasts convict's execution, saying it 'would degrade us all'.
'My father is the best father in the world. He is not strict; he has never shouted at us. Anybody who meets my mom will fall in love with her. Bhaiyya pampers me. But for him, I will always be a baby. The age difference between us is quite big.' Shaandaar actress Sanah Kapoor talks about her famous family.
Going behind the scenes with director Mira Nair.
Sukanya Verma lists the lessons Bollywood taught us this year.
Meet Randeep Hooda, the man with a great sense of humour, an actor who loves his craft, an animal lover and, over and above all that, a Jat lad in touch with his roots...
'I have been offered the main lead many times now, including romantic and action hero roles. But they're not interesting. I want to do films like Aandhi, Angoor, Ram Aur Shyam, Mela, Deewar, Zanjeer and Sholay but I don't have a plan.' Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub gets ready for the next level.
After injecting life into Mumbai's Prithvi Theatre and running it for years, Sanjana Kapoor tells Anjuli Bhargava that she is consumed by a new passion -- Junoon.
'We have won our political freedom, we have liberalised our economy and now it's time to liberate our minds also. That is why this film.' Director Ketan Mehta lists his reasons for making Rang Rasiya.
On the 20th anniversary of her tragic death, the actress remains strikingly relevant.
'He never went to the Bombay industry.'
Shashi Kapoor, the star who made us laugh, romance and cry, passed into the ages on December 4. We look back at the often underrated actor, who reinvested all his earnings as an actor into making films and keeping the theatre he established, Prithvi Theatre, alive.
