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I went through vigorous training for 'Neerja': Sonam AsianVoiceNews
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In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, actress Sonam Kapoor talks about her upcoming movie 'Neerja' and the importance of standing up for what's right. Mitul Paniker
The trailer for 'Neerja' looks absolutely promising. Was preparing for the movie tougher than your other projects? How different was it? It wasn't tougher, it just required more hard work. Director Ram Madhwani and I are very meticulous about any character concerned and this one had to be a little more refined. I went through rigorous training for almost two months. What was your experience working with Shabana Azmi in the movie? Shabana Azmi's my aunt. She knows me since I was born, so for me she has never been The Shabana Azmi, she has always been my aunt. She has seen me grow up and gives me advise on personal matters. So we share a very close relationship. We have a certain comfort, where I could hug her and cuddle with her, and there was a certain reality that actually comes off screen. Neerja Bhanot was an exceptional character. Do you think Indian women lack female role models? No. I think we have very inspirational heroines in India. Neerja Bhanot is an unsung hero, the youngest recipient of the Ashoka Chakra, which is why we did a film on her. She needs to be known and celebrated once again, 30 years later. I think strong characters that come
out will inspire more of us to stand up for what's right. Would you call yourself a feminist? I am a feminist. I am a complete feminist. I believe in women's rights and I have said this time and again since I was 21 years old. Bollywood actresses are making quite the buzz in the west. When will we see Sonam Kapoor make her Hollywood debut? As soon as I get a role which inspires me. I am not interested in playing the exotic Indian girl. I want the story to inspire people then only can I decide. I want the film to have depth and gravity. None right now, but as soon as I get something interesting for me to do, I will go for it.
Irrfan Khan turns down Spielberg's offer
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ontemporary actor Irrfan Khan has quite a grip in Hollywood, with western actors heaping praises on him. After well-known actor and 'Inferno' co-star Tom Hanks commended his professionalism, American actress and comedienne Mindy Kaling called him her “favourite actor in the world” last week. While the actor himself has taken his foreign projects seriously, he recently turned down a Steven Spielberg drama 'Ghost in the Shell', alongside Scarlett Johansson. While his fans and the media collectively gasped, the actor said, “No is never a pleasant thing to say. I believe there is a right time for things to fall in place. I feel extremely humbled by the kind of opportunities that come my way and I am hungry for so much more as an actor,” he said. Talking about ScarJo, he said, “She's a brilliant actor. Hopefully, we will share screen space sometime soon in something else.” The actor has been part of two-Oscar winning films, 'Slumdog
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Millionaire' and 'Life of Pi'. He had bowed out of Ridley Scott's 'The Martian', and was eventually replaced by Chiwetel Ejiofor as a scientist of Indian-origin in the Matt Damon-starrer. “It's quite a dilemma for me to make such choices as I am at a stage in my career where I'm trying my best to surprise my audience with every role, give them some variety. Who wouldn't want to work with prestigious names like Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg! I am hoping the future holds something so path-breaking and so empowering for me as an artist that a 'no' will not be an option,” he said.
ky is the limit for our beloved Piggy Chops, and not only us, but even the West can't seem to get enough of her now. After winning the Favourite Actress in a New TV Series Award at the People's Choice Awards 2016 for 'Quantico' and presenting an award to Vin Diesel at the same event, Priyanka Chopra has been slowly inching her way close to a much deserved international stardom. After attending the Screen Actors Guild Award recently, she will now be a presenter at the forthcoming Oscars, which are to be held on February 28 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, LA. While the esteemed awards has found itself in controversy over the lack of diversity in the nominees, the official Twitter handle of the 88th Academy Awards recently announced its second slate of 13 new Oscar presenters with Priyanka's name alongside esteemed people like Steve Carrell, Jared Leto, Julianne Moore, Olivia Munn, Margot Robbie, Kerry Washington, and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few. Responding to the news, an ecstatic Priyanka tweeted, “Looking forward to the Academy Awards. This will be an insaaaane night!”
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ollywood actress Deepika Padukone who had quite an eventful year with back to back hits, has won the NDTV Indian 'Actor of the Year' award. She received the award for her performance in the film 'Piku', by her on-screen father Amitabh Bachchan. While Deepika ruled the stage at the events, it was her alleged boyfriend who couldn't keep his energy levels down and kept rooting for the actress. “You know, the day you got to go and act and do a scene with Deepika, there is just no worry. She is so generous as a co-actor you can trust her to the degree that you just look into her eyes and connect and the scene will happen,” Ranveer Singh said. When asked what scene he was talking about, Deepika flashed her
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ans of Rancho rejoice! Actor Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani have confirmed plans for a sequel to 2009 blockbuster movie '3 Idiots'. “Raju Hirani has given me a hint about '3 Idiots' sequel and I am giving you all a hint. The film will happen if and whenever he will write the script. Let's keep our fingers crossed,” Aamir said at the special screening of 'Saala Khadoos'. Hirani said, “Six months back I thought of an idea which would be great for the sequel. Abhijat and I worked on it for a few days and then spoke to Aamir about it. He got really excited but nothing much has happened. Its' a long way. But this is one film that I really want to do.”
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NDTV's 'Actor of The Year' award for Deepika
Virat, Anushka end relationship?
And now a sequel to '3 Idiots'
Priyanka to be Oscar presenter now
Asian Voice | 13th Februar 2016
ormer love birds Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have ended up their two year old relationship, says a media report. The report further says, “while the 27year-old actress is maintaining a stoic silence on the breakup, her former beau has made quite a spectacle of it. All rumours about Virat trying to woo Anushka back are hogwash. He unfollowed her on Twitter and Instagram and then, uploaded, deleted and reuploaded a photograph of himself, originally captioned, 'Heartbroken'.”
dimples saying, “I don't know which scene he is talking about!” The eccentric Ranveer then started singing, “Nazar jo teri laage, main deewani ho gayi... Deepika we are really proud of you. Since you are leaving tonight, to go and shoot your big Hollywood action blockbuster, we all wish you all the best. May you conquer this new frontier and make us proud like you always have!”
Preity Zinta to get married soon?
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ollywood actress Preity Zinta called up her friends and asked them to fly out to Los Angeles for her wedding. Her would be is G e n e Goodenough, who is her American boyfriend since the past 18 months. Gene was spotted beside Preity in the IPL 2015. "It's a five day affair in the US from February 12-16. It would be great if you can join me in my moment of happiness," she was quoted as saying. Preity has been thinking about tying the knot with Gene since quite some time. There were lot of rumours about their marriage happening last month and it seems that she chickened out then. All said and done, it mustn't have been an easy decision for her to take even now.
Sunny Leone apologises to Sunny Deol
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unny Leone has apologised to 'Ghayal' star Sunny Deol for all the 'funny' jokes they share due to their similar first name. In a recently conducted interview where she had to promote her adult comedy 'Mastizaade', she said, “Mr Sunny Deol, I just want to say that I am so sorry. Please forgive me, because of the many horrible, weird jokes on you and me- all because of me. So I am sorry.” Talking about Indians' double standards on sex, she openly said, “I think people are a lot more accepting, a lot more open-minded than we give them credit for, I am a walking proof of that. If people had double standards and were this way, I wouldn't have been here.”