'I would think a hundred times before I wrote a gay character or a mentally challenged character because it requires a lot of research and empathy. That's the reason I shy away entirely from stories that have rape. I just can't. It's just terrifying for me, as a woman, to handle subjects like that because it's so sensitive.'
After Jawan, it has emerged as the second Hindi film to enter the Rs 600 Crore (Rs 6 billion) Club.
What was once a solemn Vedic ritual is today a celebration for the entire extended family. And why not? With families living in distant cities, even continents, weddings are seen as an occasion for cousins and uncles to congregate under one roof for two or three days, observes Ambi Parmeswaran.
Husband Abhishek Bachchan was not seen with her.
'The kind of things they were writing, 'Oh, what is this, she's overacting at her wedding.' 'Why is she not covering her head?' 'The kind of liberty people take to comment on what I should be doing in my personal life is not something I'm okay with.'
Sukanya Verma gives you some interesting options.
If there is any actor who emerges from this wreck with his talent unscathed, it is Vijay Raaz, observes Deepa Gahlot.
'Till my wife called me up one day and said, "Hey, we need food on the table".'
It could be the H N Reliance hospital in south Mumbai, which has seen quite a few celebrity babies being born.
November brings Diwali with it, and the box office may finally get some good news with the release of the festival films, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
Putin said that the Indian leader had "aptly" noted that it is "not an anti-western one but a non-western one".
Putin expressed concern over the situation in Gaza, and said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been invited to BRICS events.
'As a storyteller, one always looks to create something for the audience which is thrilling, engaging and entertaining and that is exactly what we have endeavoured with Sikandar Ka Muqaddar.'
'I had got some offers from the South and most of them were negative roles.' 'I used to think that whatever I would play, the character would stay inside me and corrupt my value system.' 'So I was very scared of getting out of character, especially negative roles.'
After delivering the biggest hit of her career with Animal, Rashmika Mandanna finds herself on this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 achievers list.
Bollywood looked gorgeous as they stepped out on the red carpet at the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) awards in Abu Dhabi.
Joginder Tuteja looks at the biggies coming our way this year.
Troubled twins, dangerous cults, portent dreams, telepathic kids, World War III, yakuza clans... Sukanya Verma lists the many options on OTT this week.
Kapil Dev's historic World Cup win wasn't the only highlight of 1983. Sukanya Verma looks back how the year treated Bollywood.
'In anything in life, privilege helps.' 'Privilege means access. Access means connections.' 'Does it help? Of course, it does. In whatever you do.'
'Whatever you do will spark controversies, so it is best do what your heart tells you to do. Simple.'
'When I did Bhoot we got a lot of appreciation. After that I didn't get any script that was good in this genre.'
'How is it to live in a place that does not have electricity or a telephone connection, where people do not have any concept of what the world is beyond the mountains?'
'I have no family (in the industry), no network, no mentor.' 'Still, I'm consistently working since 20 years and now I have a National Award.' 'It may take time, but if you're consistently at it, nothing can stop you.'
While the lifetime score of Gadar 2 and Pathaan is history now, next up is Animal, which would be crossed in a couple of days. The biggest of them all is Jawan and indications are that the Hindi version of last year's biggest hit will be challenged by this year's surprise blockbuster.
'We called him Sher-e-Kashmir but we realised he was no lion but a pussycat who surrendered.'
'We have to scale down our theatre's seating capacity by tweaking the arrangement of seats.' 'We have to stop screening back-to-back shows to ensure that people do not bump into one another.'
Sukanya Verma gives us some interesting options.
Like in Baahubali, even here, Prabhas walks like he is doing the hop, step and jump in the Olympics. And he carries the same weapons, notices A Ganesh Nadar, viewing Adipurush in Tamil.
Aseem Chhabra's Top 10 Films/ Series from TIFF 2024 includes films that he watched for the first time in Toronto. The films were impressive due to their rigor, passion, unique storytelling style and sometimes exploring the vulnerable sides of big name stars.
Citadel: Honey Bunny will stream from November 7 on Amazon Prime Video.
Call Me Bae is a spirited new addition in guilty pleasures for the fashion-loving, rom-com starved soul, applauds Sukanya Verma.
In the last few years, dubbed films from south Indian languages have made a lucrative impression at the Hindi box office. Kalki 2898 AD steps into the list as well, with its opening day collections making it to the Top Five.
Lots of romance and action on OTT this week. Sukanya Verma lists her recommendations.
'I love the country and the people so very much. My children grew up watching Om Shanti Om.'
'It was my job to read out their lines to the actors and make sure they spoke them with the right diction, accent and pronunciation. If you look at my photographs from the Sadma set, you will always find me with a file in hand, even when I am in my costume. While Kamal and Sridevi were diligent about their Hindi dialogue, Silk Smitha, while always respectful, was not too interested in her lines or my instructions.'
From tennis love to Tudor queens, Sukanya Verma lists everything you can catch on OTT this week.
When mainstream Hindi cinema is preoccupied with romance, comedy, horror and action, stories about sisters and brothers are very rare. Vasan Bala has made a first-of-its-kind film where the leads play sister and brother, notes Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra imagines a time, 20 years from now, when movie-watching in theatres will be long gone, thanks to the coronavirus, and pens a letter to his grandchild, explaining the magic of the cinema hall.
After dating for almost four years, Rakul Singh and Jackky Bhagnani are set to get married on February 21.
