Stardust - July 2021 by magnapublishing

JULY

2021

India ₹ 75.00 UK/Europe € 3.99 USA/Canada $ 2.99

A MAGNA PUBLICATION

“

We were the first in the world to start and finish our film (Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom) during the pandemic.

- Deepshikha Deshmukh

Tragedy King, greatest lover, superstar...

A tribute to the late Dilip Kumar!

”

Shocking: Spotlighting cyber bullying of female actors

15 year itch or link-up with Fatima Sana Shaikh?

...What broke Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao’s marriage? 1

Publisher Editor Head of Business Development Graphics Designer

: Nari M. Hira : Sumita Chakraborty : Prashant Rane : Sayad Zaid Inamdar

CANADA For Advertising contact : Ms.Anki Khanna

Tel : 647-964-1802 Email : :stardustmaganki@gmail.com

Please write to stardustindiamagazine@gmail.com and give us your comments, suggestions, opinions, criticism and feedback. We have several new exciting things – from great articles, interviews, candid pictures and interactive competitions with great prizes in the offing, so watch this space for more…

Cover Story: 15 year itch or Fatima Sana Shaikh... What is the reason behind Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao’s divorce? .............................................12 My Choice: Poonam Khubani causes a stir at the amfAR Gala event at the Cannes Film Festival ............... 20 Snap Show: Yami Gautam .................................................................................................................................... 32 Starry Opinion: Cyber bullying, Shaming &amp; Trolling Female Actors ..................................................... 28 Stardust Exclusive: Dharmendar’s grandson and Sunny Deol’s son Karan engaged to Bimal Roy’s grand granddaughter Drisha! .................................................. 30 Stardust Tribute: Dilip Kumar - End Of An Era! ...................................................................................................... 22 Starry Spotlight: “We were the first in the world to start and finish a film (Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom)during the pandemic.” – Deepshika Deshmukh ..... 38 In Focus: “Shankar Mahadevan has a real story to inspire everyone, of all ages and nationalities.” – Deepti Sivan ...................................................................................... 48

FEATURES

Music Room: “It is deeply satisfying winning an international award that has been adjudged the best work from entries across the globe.” - Dhruv Ghanekar ................................... 44 Web Show: ............................................................................................................................................................... 72 Show Time: ............................................................................................................................................................... 70 Starry Look: Shraddha Kapoor .............................................................................................................................. 62 Star Show: Sonu Nigam turns model for Vickky Idnaani Label. ........................................................................ 66 Starry Style: Manish Malhotra ............................................................................................................................ 64

COLUMNS

Neeta’s Natter ....................................................................................................................................................... 06 Starry Sashay ........................................................................................................................................................ 46 Web Show ............................................................................................................................................................... 72 Starry Dazzle ...................,...................................................................................................................................... 05 STARDUST is published monthly by the proprietors MAGNA PUBLISHING CO. LTD., Magna House, 100/E Old Prabhadevi Road. Mumbai 400025, India. Tel No: 91-22-67091234. Editorial texts and illustrations are the copyright of the publishers of this magazine. No one may reproduce any material before permission is obtained in writing. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai (India) only 2020 Copyright Magna Publishing Co Ltd. Volume No 51 (No. 7) Please address all your advertising, subscriptions and trade enquiries for to: Magna Publishing Inc, 125 Central Park North, PH4, New York NY 10026. T: 212-725-7833 F: 212-889-3250 E: stardustmagazine@aol.com

STARDUST IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CLAIM MADE BY THE ADVERTISER

Starry Dazzle

d at e il e v n u m r o f t the US; Pla in s e h c n u la 5 Zee s as a a n Jo a r p o h C a h Priyank it w t n e v e a g e am special guest Zee5, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content, launched in the U.S. “The launch of ZEE5 in the U.S. is a very significant moment for us,” said Amit Goenka, President, Digital Businesses & Platforms, ZEE Entertainment. “We’ve had a long association of over two decades with this market, bringing our viewers here the best of Indian entertainment through our channels. With ZEE5, we now look to offer both these audiences and the younger demographic access to a much wider choice of premium content with our Originals, digital premieres and more, on any screen of their choice and with a completely personalized viewing experience.” ZEE5’s launch announcement was made by Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global. She was joined by Actor, Producer, Activist and Entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas in unveiling ZEE5’s upcoming content slate and its new global brand campaign “Welcome to South Asia: Stories from our world.”

nces new

annou d n a s e n n a c t a ts Film alUla debu crews lm fi r o f s e it il c a f

A delegation from Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla’s newly established film agency, arrived at Cannes Film Festival to promote international film and TV production in AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia. Having launched at the Berlinale earlier this year, this is the first appearance for the destination at Cannes. Film AlUla also announced its new facilitates which will accommodate 150 film crew and will include production offices and recreational facilities as well as an outdoor cinema. The first phase of construction is already underway with accommodation to be available by the end of 2021. The Cannes Film Festival, celebrating its 74th edition is taking place from July 6 to 16, 2021. Film AlUla has showcased an extraordinary, mostly unexplored destination which presents filmmakers and the world at large with some of earth’s most sensational scenery. 5

Did you know SRK’s magnum opus film Devdas has completed 19 years already? Time sure flies fast. …And an emotional Shah Rukh Khan shared a quirky picture from the film on social media remembering it with nostalgia. He remembered ‘the arduous late nights and early morning shoots, the teeny-weeny problems… yet it all worked out fine because of co-actors, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Kiron Kher and the entire team under patient filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’. “Problems”? Wasn’t this the time Salman and Shah Rukh had a huge fight over Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?

Aamir Khan who has been shooting for his film Laal Singh Chaddha in Ladakh has been brutally trolled by a netizen who tweeted a video showing clips of his village badly polluted after the shooting team left waste materials scattered everywhere. The video was captioned: ‘This is the gift Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s upcoming movie Lal Singh Chada has left for the villagers of Wakha in Ladakh. Aamir Khan himself talks big about environmental cleanliness at Satyamev Jayate but this is what happens when it comes to himself.’ However, Aamir Khan strongly denied the team had littered. But a video like that can’t be doctored, can it? 6

It’s raining babies. Dia Mirza and her husband Vaibhav Rekhi welcomed their premature baby boy Avyaan Azaad Rekhi in May. An over the moon Dia called him her “miracle baby”. Hmm… didn’t she deny in a huge social media post that she was pregnant during her wedding?

Well, following suit, Sunday actor Evelyn Sharma also took to her social media to announce that she is expecting her first child with husband Tushaan Bhindi. Sharing a picture of herself with her left hand over her baby bump, Eve gushed: ‘Can’t wait to hold you in my arms’. How cute!

Talking about being happy, Kim Sharma after a rather public social media break up with actor Harshvardhan Rane who informed the world and Kim that he was breaking up with her seems to have found love again. This time, she was seen nestled cozily in tennis ace Leander Paes arms at a beach resort in Goa. Supposedly, they are madly in love and quite serious about each other. 7

Another actor who seems to be very serious is Arjun Kapoor who can’t get enough of lady love Malaika Arora. The loved up couple’s rather PDA is quite cute. Supposedly according to some insiders, Arjun has also done a few transformations to his face on the advice of Malaika. Looks good on him, we say!

Poor Salman Khan… he’s again been dragged into a controversy and this time supposedly, he and his sister Alvira Khan were summoned in an alleged fraud case pertaining to Being Human. There sure seems to be a continuous witch hunt against our poor Bhaijaan; everybody who seems to have too much time on their hands embroils him in some case or the other.

When Taimur was born, practically half of India debated rather vociferously about his name. This time ‘round, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan who welcomed their second child in February went mum for several months about the name of their second son. It was Randhir Kapoor who confirmed that they have named the li’l one ‘Jeh’. How cute… Tai and Jeh!

After two babies, Kareena Kapoor Khan has decided that she knows everything that needs to be known about pregnancy. So she’s recently launched her pregnancy book called ‘Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Pregnancy Bible’ which she claims is her third child. And such is Bebo’s aura that the book has already become a best seller and is on #1. No wonder, Kareena says, ‘main apni favourite hun’. 8

Saif’s nawaabzaadi Sara Ali Khan in the meantime has been temple hopping which has stirred the hornet’s nest of some religious fanatics quite a bit. She visited Shree Mukteshwar Shani Temple accompanied by her mother Amrita Singh and brother Ibrahim Pataudi and then the Kashi temple. After that, she was spotted at Kamkhya temple in Assam. Wonder what’s with the temple hopping? Is Sara getting spiritual or is she doing it to regain her peace of mind after some very unsettling incidents that happened in her life? Hmm…

Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan are soon going to be co-stars for the remake of Tamil hit film Vikram Vedha. Many insiders advised Saif to better watch out, as Hrithik is known to be extremely competitive. However, the Zindagi Na Hoga Dobara actor insists he’s become much more chilled out over the years and takes things more calmly and peacefully these days. It’s his inner Zen that has calmed him down, you see! …Or is it because one Ms Kang Kong has been temporarily shut down on social media.

It’s good news for the powerhouse performer Alia Bhatt who has signed a contract with an International talent agency WME (William Morris Endevor) that represents Gal Gadot and Emma Stone. So is Alia heading westward? Do we see her as the next wonder girl soon? Well, whatever it may be, Hollywood is soon going to get a taste of our Alia behn’s magic and we can’t be happier.

Another wonder girl is our Kriti Sanon who has ditched her glam avatar to play a surrogate mother in her upcoming movie ‘Mimi’. The most unique thing about the film is that Pankaj Tripathi will be pitted against her. The film which is a remake of a Marathi film seems to be making all the right noises more so as accolades and appreciations have been pouring in. Not too many people know that Kriti was badly hit by Sushant Singh Rajput’s death but looks like this plucky girl has channelized her entire energies in choosing different scripts and reinventing herself. Good going Kriti! 9

Recently Karan Johar revealed that he has returned to his first love – direction. He will be directing his next film titled ‘Rocky aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’ which will star KJo’s all-time faves Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt and it will be a light hearted romantic comedy. According to Karan, this film will be ‘A love story embedded in the roots of family’. Err… isn’t that something Karan keeps recycling in every film?

The magical jodi Raveena Tandon and Govinda are back! Supposedly, they met up for a reality show and their banter and chemistry was so good that the audience just couldn’t stop applauding. Earlier, Govinda teamed up with his rumoured one-sided love Neelam and they too looked super cute. Did we imagine it or was Govinda so mesmerized by the gorgeous Neelam that he just couldn’t stop smiling like a Cheshire cat?

There’s some bad news in the offing. The release date of KGF Chapter 2 has been postponed due to the pandemic. The movie starring Raveena Tandon, Sanjay Dutt and Yash has been stalled for some time because the producers say that the time is not right and the team is utilizing the delay by trying to make the final product better. No wonder, the adventure seeking Raveena instead of shooting for it, is touring the forest sanctuaries armed with her massive camera snapping the tigers sauntering her way.

Esha Deol who had settled rather comfortably in domestic bliss with hubby Bharat and two daughters, is back again. She’s going to star alongside Ajay Devgn in a web-series titled Rudra - The Edge of Darkness’, a remake of the British web series Luther. …Looks like this one definitely deserves a dekko from the audience. 10

The gorgeous Janhvi Kapoor was recently seen wearing a mini bodycon coffee colored dress while filming an episode for a chat show. She looked super hot and her fans insisted she looked like Kylie Jenner. Quite a huge compliment for Janhvi? Or is it, eh?

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli were seen celebrating the six month anniversary of being parents. Anushka shared a series of pictures where they were seen hugging their li’l daughter Vamika, and though pictures of the baby is still a ‘no no’, Anushka did share a picture of a cute cake for the munchkin.

Cat’s Crown

This month goes to... Akshay Kumar. His Filhal 2 music album has broken all sorts of records and his jodi with Kriti Sanon’s sis Nupur Sanon – despite the massive age difference – is actually being appreciated. Good for him!

Cover story

15 year itch or Fatima Sana Shaikh... What is the reason behind Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao’s divorce

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao have announced their impending divorce officially. Rumours are rife that it is because of Aamir’s closeness to starlet Fatima Shaikh. Sumita Chakraborty probes to find out whether the 15 year jinx got hold of Aamir again or was it Fatima Sana Shaikh who broke Aamir and Kiran’s marriage?

hey call it Aamir Khan’s 15 year itch. His first marriage with Reena (Dutta) lasted for 15 years and this time ‘round, at the onset of the 15th year of their marriage, Aamir and second wife Kiran Rao have called it quits even though they claim everything was done very khushi khushi and they are cordial still. In fact, the duo (Aamir and Kiran) in a joint statement averred, “In these 15 beautiful years together we have shared a lifetime of experiences, joy and laughter, and our relationship has only grown in trust, respect and love. Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives — no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.” Furthermore stating, “We began a planned separation some time ago, and now feel comfortable to formalise this arrangement, of living separately yet sharing our lives the way an extended family does. We remain devoted parents to our son Azad, who we will nurture and raise together.”

“Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives — no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.” - Aamir and Kiran

The statement said that both Aamir and Kiran would continue to collaborate on films, Paani foundation and other projects and requested their ‘well-wishers for good wishes and blessings’ adding that they should see ‘this divorce not as an end, but as the start of a new journey.‘ They also released a video on social video looking rather cordial with each other though Kiran Rao’s reactions looked a trifle forced. But of course, she isn’t an actor. Aamir however looked completely at ease talking about Kiran and his bond being eternal and even grabbing Kiran’s hand to make his point. So what is with Aamir Khan and his 15 year itch? Memes floating on the social media claimed he had divorced his first wife Reena with whom he had a love marriage – in fact they had rather romantically eloped to get married - on the 15th year of their marriage. Pap’s who probed the reason for Reena and Aamir’s divorce insisted that perhaps it was because Reena who wasn’t from the industry couldn’t cope with the alleged rumours of Aamir’s linkups with his heroines which unfortunately were the pitfall of Aamir’s profession. However, Reena and Aamir seemed to live in harmony even after the divorce – visiting each other, son Junaid and daughter Ira often meeting

“This divorce (should be seen) not as an end, but as the start of a new journey.” – Aamir and Kiran

Memes floating on the social media claimed he had divorced his first wife Reena with whom he had a love marriage – in fact they had rather romantically eloped to get married - on the 15th year of their marriage.

Aamir etc. So everything seemed fine on the Aamir Khan front who for a brief time enjoyed his bachelorhood. At that point, there were many rumours linking him with actors, news anchors and even a British journalist and author Jessica Hines who the pap’s insisted was in a live-in relationship with Aamir during the making of Ghulam. Later, a pregnant Jessica Hines returned to Britain to have a son who she named Jaan. Though there were rumours that Jaan was supposedly Aamir’s son, Jessica never confirmed that and Aamir never acknowledged Jaan who is a model now as his son. So that was all water under the bridge and nothing more was said about this issue. But then he met the be-spectacled geeky looking intellect Kiran Rao who was an assistant director on the sets of Lagaan. Their animated intellectual discussions on cinema excited the self-professed cerebal Aamir Khan who found her very different from the actors he moved around with. Love struck an intellectual chord and Kiran and Aamir got married on December 28, 2005. Things seemed perfect in the beginning – both Kiran and Aamir seemed to have similar tastes and aspirations. Then they had a baby through surrogacy and named him Azad. Everything seemed hunky dory in the Khan paradise for almost a decade. Or was it? And then the jinx hit Aamir’s second marriage too. Suddenly whispers were rife about Kiran and Aamir’s relationship being on the brink of a break up. Insiders claimed that all was not well in the Rao-Khan family front. …

That there were frequent disagreements and skirmishes and it all allegedly revolved around a certain sensuous Ms Fatima Sana Shaikh. Memes doing the rounds after Aamir and Kiran announced their divorce - had a picture of first wife Reena captioned Badi Ma followed by Kiran Rao with the caption Choti Ma… subsequently followed by a picture of Fatima with the caption ‘Fatima’ thereby pointing out a link-up between Aamir and Fatima. Fatima if you recall had played Aamir’s daughter in the blockbuster Dangal and from that time, they say the superstar has had a soft corner for this sexy actress so much so that Sanya Malhotra, the other actor who played Aamir’s second daughter started feeling left out. And when Fatima was signed for Thugs of Hindostan supposedly on Aamir Khan’s behest, the whispers accelerated rather vociferously. The shoot was in Malta and crew members spoke about how Aamir seemed to spend more time with Fatima than anybody else. But to be fair to Aamir and Fatima, they had acted in Dangal together so obviously the camaraderie would be there. Perhaps he just wanted to make this young actor feel comfortable. And comfortable she obviously was, as crew members insisted that Fatima allegedly was lording it up on the sets so much so that Katrina Kaif who was actually the main lead of the film started feeling a little insecure.

When Fatima was signed for Thugs of Hindostan supposedly on Aamir Khan’s behest, the whispers accelerated rather vociferously.

“A bunch of strangers, whom I’ve never met, are writing things about me. They don’t even know if there’s any truth to it. People reading it assume that I’m ‘not a good person’.” – Fatima Sana Shaikh

Gossipmongers also claimed that supposedly after hearing all those insidious whispers wife Kiran Rao too flew to Malta to be with Aamir. An insider claimed there were a lot of heated arguments between Aamir and Kiran supposedly about Fatima. Not that it bothered Fatima too much, said the insider, for she allegedly continued to hover around Aamir. Rumours continued to fuel this link-up. But Aamir and Fatima seemed to be comfortable in their own bubble and ignored any of the backlash. They were instead seen together – whether watching a film in Jaipur or attending a party with Kiran in tow. So were any of these rumours true? But both Kiran and Aamir chose not to air any of this in public and so were mum about it. But now with their divorce confirmed, the grapevine insisted that Aamir Khan asked for the divorce from Kiran so that he could get married to Fatima Sana Shaikh. But when Fatima was asked about this in an interview to a glossy magazine, she poohpoohed all the allegations and instead said, “Earlier, I used to get affected. I’d feel bad.

…Because I’ve never dealt with anything of this sort at such a big level. A bunch of strangers, whom I’ve never met, are writing things about me. They don’t even know if there’s any truth to it. People reading it assume that I’m ‘not a good person’.” She went on to say, “You feel like telling that person, ‘Ask me, I’ll give you an answer’. It disturbs me because I don’t want people to assume wrong things. Agar main asliyat mein haraami hoon toh people should see my asliyat (If I am a bad person in reality then people should see my reality). But If I’m not, I don’t want them to see me as a bad person. But I’ve learnt to ignore it. Yet, there are some days when I do get affected.” In another interview, Fatima spoke out about the rumours of a link-up with Aamir, “If someone accuses you of something, the first instinct is to come out and tell, ‘Listen, why do you think it is like this?’ If you are an aggressive person, you will attack. If you are a submissive person, even then you will talk about it.” Very cleverly worded…. Fatima very clearly evaded answering a straight forward question about her link-up with Aamir. But now after the cordial divorce with Kiran, 56-year-old Aamir Khan is free to live his life his way and whether he gets married to the 28-year-old Fatima is to be seen. Rumours however claim that Aamir is besotted by Fatima and in this relationship; the sexy lady has an upper hand. However, neither have confirmed this so for now we just have to wait ‘n’ watch. Will Fatima be wife no 3 or were all those rumours about their link-up a complete hogwash? Watch this space to know more...

Will Fatima be wife no 3 or were all those rumours about their link-up a complete hogwash?

My Choice Poonam Khubani

–producer, singer, trendsetter, cinema lover, advocate of social causes and fashionista, causes a stir at the amfAR Gala event at the Cannes Film Festival The multi-talented Poonam Khubani, producer and melodious singer is indeed a woman of multi-faceted talents. Not only has she proved to be a singer par excellence – her song Ek Look Ek Look directed by Anand Raaj Anand from the film Aryan: The Unbreakable and her own album Nach Le have been the talk of the town for their amazingly hummable tunes. But not too many people know that Poonam is also a prolific globetrotter, an avid cinema lover and a vociferous advocate for social causes. In fact, this stylish lady has been an integral part of the prestigious amfAR Gala event held at the Cannes Film Festival every year. According to Forbes magazine, “It (amfAR) is one of the most glamorous charity events that always thrills the attendees with its over-the-top auction items ranging from outrageous art to luxury travel and celebrity experiences. All items fetch enormous amounts of money in a spirited auction, all for an amazing cause.” 20

says, “The event was a gathering of like-minded people looking to further a good cause for humanity. It was admirable to see the details that went into making this event memorable. The show, attendees and auction were all incredible!” Indeed, Kering was the major sponsor of the Gala and Poonam who attended Poonam who had attended the amfAR Gala Cannes 2018 during the Cannes Film Festival, avers, “amfAR Gala is the most prestigious and renowned event held in Cannes to benefit The Foundation for AIDS Research. The gala is one of the world’s most successful benefit events and the most coveted ticket in town during the Cannes Film Festival. As a philanthropist, I was invited to attend this charity event.”

A trendsetter and a fashionista, Poonam who was spotted at YSL getting ready for the amfAR Gala,

the prestigious Alexander McQueen event held at the beach, was also dressed in an awesome MCQueen creation. In fact, she was spotted at the Gala evening party rubbing shoulders with a bevy of Hollywood stars and models. The guests included Alessandra Ambrosio, Poppy Delevigne, Linda Evangelista, Sylvia Fendi, Aileen Getty, Kate Hudson, Scarlett Johansson, Milla Jovovich, Heidi Klum, Daphna Krim, Karolina Kurkova, Sienna Miller, Angela Missoni, Mary Parent, Katy Perry, Natasha Poly, Aishwarya Rai, Vanessa Redgrave,

Joely Richardson, Carine Roitfeld, Caroline Scheufele, Irina Shayk, Lara Stone, Donatella Versace and Michelle Yeoh. Poonam too was spotted at the charity event where Alessandra Ambrosio walked the ramp along with top models, the great Jason Derulo performed in front of a fab audience, Sting and Shaggy, two huge names in the world of music, too showed their mettle at the event. The annual star-studded event is one of the world’s most successful benefits (almost $210 million raised to date) and is the hardest ticket to get during the Cannes International Film Festival, with an envious location at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France. Poonam who truly believes that this kind of charity event helps propagate social causes, says, “We should have something of this level in India to contribute in progression of science and help mankind.” More power to this amazing woman. 21

Stardust Tribute

Dilip Kumar End Of An Era!

The demise of the great Dilip Kumar at the age of 98 is an irreparable loss to the Hindi film industry. Sumita Chakraborty on behalf of Stardust magazine pays rich tribute to this mega actor.

ragedy King, an actor par excellence, an inspiration… thespian Dilip Kumar was one of the finest actors the Hindi film industry has seen. Hugely respected, the superstar was revered by his colleagues, admired by critics and garnered huge adulations from his fans. On July 7, 2021, Dilip Kumar at the ripe age of 98 left for his heavenly abode after a severe bout of pneumonia, leaving his bereaved wife Saira Banu and his other relatives shocked and in tears.

Way back, I had watched his film Shakti where he was pitted against the ruling actor of that time Amitabh Bachchan, … and I was a huge fan of Mr Bachchan. However, Dilip Kumar just aced it in the role of a tortured father unable to bond with his son, and, how! His exquisitely nuanced performance had the right balance. His powerful histrionics was amazing. Dilip Kumar had set the yardstick and for the other actors, that was indeed a tall feat to emulate. And yes, I became a huge fan. The sparkling cinematic memories he left behind with his huge body of work is a milestone in the history of Hindi Film Industry. Eminent author Raaj Grover who penned Yaadein Zara Zara translated into English as Pocket Full Of Memories The Legends of Bollywood says in his

book, “Dilip Kumar was known as the ‘Tragedy King’ not due to just one, but several reasons. When a person gives it his best to achieve something in life, he undergoes several lifealtering experiences. And, these are what change the course of his life. This experience separates his existence from the others. Dilip Kumar would immerse himself in the roles he was playing with such intensity that even the filmmaker would wonder whether he was looking at the actor or the character he had created. People would often walk into the theatre to watch a Dilip Kumar movie with smiles on their lips but would leave the theatre dewy-eyed. Films like Jogan, Babul, Deedar and Devdas had this effect on people, they made them feel one with the character. The

effect wore out only after they got back to the real world. It was only then they would realise that it was in fact not Devdas, but Dilip Kumar, who had had that effect on them.” Indeed, his screen presence was so powerful that the audience put him up on a pedestal… too high for the competition and actors who imitated him to reach. Very few know that this matinee idol was an unwilling actor. Raaj Grover in his book further says, “A close friend of mine, Bunny Reuben, also a good friend of Dilip Kumar, had interviewed him long ago. The following is a gist of the same. “I was never interested in becoming an actor. For a shy person with a rueful face, it was impossible to even think about it. My father was a businessman. 23

Thanks to his efforts, honesty, experience and goodness, the business was flourishing and we (the elders of the family and I) were happy and content. Today, some of them are no more and others aren’t as happy. When I was studying, my father and

his friends would coax me to speak in English that I had recently learned. I had to speak. And though they didn’t understand a word, I could see the pride in their stance when they heard me. In those moments, I was far from worried. But when the family fell into troubled times, I understood what that word meant. This situation motivated me to contribute monetarily. “T h e a f t e r s h o c k s o f Partition saw us moving lock, stock and barrel to Bombay. My father opened a dry fruit shop in the famous Crawford Market in the city. His experience helped. Initially, even I would help out in the shop, but when I saw that things had settled down, I went searching for another job. All my brothers, however, continued to be a part of the family business.” And so Dilip Kumar forayed into Tinsel Town. He was selected by Devika Rani to debut in Jwar Bhata (1944). In 1947, at the age of 25, he starred opposite Noor Jehan in Jugnu, which was directed-produced by Shaukat Rizvi.

Yusuf Khan became Dilip Kumar thanks to Devika Rani. Supposedly, she didn’t feel Yusuf Khan was a name that would endear him to the audience. At that time, Ashok Kumar was reigning in the film industry, so she christened Yusuf Khan as Dilip Kumar… and the rest was history. In the late ‘40s- early ‘50s, Dilip Kumar’s success soared. Devdas, Ganga Jamuna, Madhumati, Aan, Kohinoor, Andaaz was hugely successful. A star was born! Over the years, this star went on to carve an indelible niche in the history of the Hindi Film Industry. Dilip Kumar became the crowned king of the industry and a superstar. Despite so many successful heroes coming in,

the aura of Dilip Kumar never waned. His last film Qila was at the age of 76 and he still wowed the audience with his powerful performance. On the sets, Dilip Kumar was said to be a thorough professional. Raaj Grover narrates an incident in his book: ‘A famous producer from Coimbatore, SMS Naidu, was the owner of a huge studio in Coimbatore; it was like an entire city in itself. Apart from all the services required for film production, it also houses a hospital, petrol pump, cinema hall, a five-star hotel, and various shops! The entire crew would stay in the studio till the film’s completion. No one was allowed to go out of the studio during that period. This particular clause, in fact, used to be included in their contracts. SMS Naidu made the film Azad with Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari who used to charge exorbitant fees for their time. Dilip Kumar was given whatever he demanded on time, perhaps even before time. The actor and producer were both happy and became rather friendly. During the shooting, Dilip saheb encountered a thrilling experience. He wanted to go to Bombay for a few days. But Naidu saheb flatly said no.

People were stunned at Naidu saheb’s audacity for having refused such a big actor’s demand. This matter somehow made its way to the press. When he heard about this, Naidu saheb told Dilip Kumar, “Sir, I know you are the finest and a priceless actor. Nobody can deny it. I just cannot think of buying anything from you, sir… I have only bought your costly time at your demand price. Your signed contract is with me, complete the shooting, sir, and then go. I am thankful for your time.” Dilip saheb heard him quietly and realised that the producer was right – work should always precede rest.”

Dilip Kumar was also a passionate lover. Who can forget him telling all and sundry once in court where he was a witness for a case filed on Madhubala for a film called Naya Daur that “I love Madhu”? That love affair was supposedly foiled by Madhubala’s father. But Dilip Kumar was fervently passionate in his love. Meeting Saira Banu, years his junior, was also destined. Raaj Grover avers, “Saira Banu, daughter of famous heroine Naseem Bano, also known as Fairy Face. Both the families knew each other well. When Saira turned sixteen, she pestered her mother about wanting to join the film industry. Naseem Bano asked Dilip Kumar to discourage her. Everyone tried their best to dissuade her, but her mind was set. To get work wasn’t difficult for Saira. Not only was she Naseem Bano’s daughter, her beauty was unparalleled. Eventually her career took off. Once, Dilip Kumar signed a film, but the minute he realised Saira was the lead heroine, he refused saying that there was a huge age difference between them. The producer was heartbroken, but this was not the end. When Saira heard the news, she was unhappy too. Her mother had already suspected her of having an affair as she had been acting cranky since a few days.

She requested Dilip Kumar to talk sense into her daughter again. When he met Saira, she was calm and composed, and told him, “Okay, don’t act with me. But… marry me.” Dilip Kumar was caught off-guard but he did not waste a moment and said yes, and soon, they were married. The news of the wedding was something to rejoice for Dilip Kumar’s fans the world over, who, apart from his professional success, also wished him a happy personal life. And that is how it worked out. His marriage was as successful as his career and continues to be so.” In between there was a minor storm in the name of a lady called Asma – supposedly, a brief interlude resulted in Dilip Kumar marrying Asma for a short time only to divorce her again - but that was short-lived and Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu lived happily ever after. The demise of thespian Dilip Kumar is indeed the end of an era. The Hindi Film Industry has lost a powerful actor, a superstar and a fabulous human being. From the Stardust family, we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in eternal peace! 27

Starry Opinion

Cyber bullying, Shaming & Trolling Female Actors With the predominance of social media, the era of matinee idols and demigods has ended. Instead, a more heinous trend of cyber bullying especially of female actors seems to be taking predominance. Nandita Chatterjee spotlights the trend of cyber bullying and trolling actors on the social media.

he sun has begun to set in rural India as the sound of the conch shell vibrates through the air bringing in worshipers looking for a bit of solace and strength. As one enters, the scent of sandalwood wafts through the atmosphere as a welcoming embrace. You walk towards the alter energized to see whatever version of the Almighty may be perched on the throne, but wait…. what lies before you is no deity depicting the divine, but instead quite the opposite, A FILM STAR!! Films in India have always been a magnificent escape to reality - the average citizen’s word tour to foreign lands that they will likely never see, wearing clothes that would not be included in their wardrobe

this lifetime. This larger-than-life aura of the industry gave the actors in these films a demigod status, mistaking their reel life persona for the “real life” personality. Temples have even been constructed to pay homage to some actors, in the hope that their good fortune and heroic abilities will rub off on the devotee before him. The culture of celebrity worship however has taken a drastic turning the last few years. A parallel version of socialist upheaval of sorts where offspring of seasoned actors were ridiculed and trolled for their easy entry into the industry with the predominance of social media the average person found a voice that could tangibly affect the being of the chosen matinee idol (no longer seen as the idols they once were).

While one would appreciate the shift in attitude as the demigod status was long overdue to end, the new evil that has risen is a culture of cyber bullying. Female actors seem to be getting the brunt of this constant criticism and shaming by a society that is still significantly developing when it comes to women’s equality. Recently we witnessed the merciless trolling of bereaved actor Mandira Bedi. While she grieved the loss of her husband and father to her young children (one of whom is an adopted girl child that she was ridiculously trolled for as well) she bravely spearheaded the traditional Hindu cremation ceremony which women were once barred from even attending not long ago. Regrettably, instead of lauding her strength and commitment citizens decided to brand her as sac religiose and go as far as to determine her husband’s fate in the celestial world. While the country takes pride in the advancement of women, apparently that sentiment is somehow exempt from the entertainment industry. Shehnaaz Gill, a young Bollywood aspirant who made her mark in the country’s most sought-after reality show “Bigg Boss” hails from a small village in Punjab. Despite coming from a rural

background, she was known to be brazen enough to go against her family and pursue her dreams. While in the Punjabi industry, she was ostracized for simply giving her opinion on the project of a senior artist, in mainstream Indian entertainment she was met with a new set of hurdles. Her relationship with her co contestant Siddharth Shukla received scrutiny for a variety of regressive reasons. For starters despite obvious instances on the reality show that the two were romantically involved, people dubbed it as a father–daughter? (for someone only 12 years older to her?) or subordinate association. It was deemed impossible that an urban idol known for his educated outlook as well as commercial success could fall in love with what they deemed a country bumpkin (despite her being college educated and fiercely independent).

Things took a turn for the worse when she openly expressed her love for her co contestant and people were quick to label her “characterless” for no apparent reason. Even archaic concepts such as caste differences were spit out in what was nothing more than the inability to accept the success of a rural girl that dared to defy the patriarchy. Last but not least we look at the worship of the immortal bond of the Late Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Bano. Their 22-year age difference is seen as a beautiful connection between two souls and appreciated by one and all. However, in the same vein when a Malaika Aurora dates a younger Arjun Kapoor, she is labeled a cougar and a vamp of the first order. So while we are advancing as a nation with 5G connectivity, let hope our mindsets receive a reboot as well! 29

Stardust Exclusive

Is Dharmendar’s grandson and Sunny Deol’s son Karan engaged to Bimal Roy’s great granddaughter Drisha?

Karan Deol - Photograph: Vickky Idnaani Assisted by: Avinash Bamania Styling: Gagan OberoiMakeup: Sonu Biswas Hair: Arsalan, Team Hakim Alim Recently, there have been whispers all around that Karan Deol – Sunny Deol’s gorgeous son - has got engaged. In fact, rumours were rife that two of the biggest and the most powerful families in the film industry have forged a holy alliance - veteran actor Dharmendra’s grandson and Sunny Deol’s son Karan allegedly supposedly got engaged to Drisha, Bimal Roy’s great granddaughter and Basu Bhattacharjee’s granddaughter. And obviously with so many super good looking and multi-talented genes at play, this news that filtered in sounded very exciting. …So we decided to find out for ourselves whether it was true or not? The pap’s have often spotted the goodlooking Karan with Drisha even though the 30

typical shy Deol boy would try and hide from the shutterbugs. In fact, he was also spotted at Drisha’s birthday party even though he maintained a low profile donning a cap and staying slightly behind her as she cut the cake. …Perhaps that’s how the rumours started and culminated all around like wild fire. Karan, if you recall, had made his Bollywood debut with a film titled Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas which was directed by Karan’s father Sunny Deol. Karan, in fact, had candidly spoken in an earlier interview how he ‘broke down really badly during his first ever shot and had even second-guessed himself’. But of course, he was fine tuned as an actor under his father’s able direction and had

given a good performance. Unfortunately, though Karan was appreciated a lot, the film didn’t do too well. Asked about nephew Karan, uncle Bobby Deol too had said in an interview, “Karan is a hard-working guy and I’m sure things will work out for him.” …And things sure seem to be looking up for this 30-year-old good looker. Karan is currently shooting for his new crime comedy Velley. In an interview to ANI, Karan Deol mentioned how excited he was about his new venture. He said, “The lockdown was tough for all of us but it is important to slowly safely restart. I am excited and looking forward to getting back to shoot life. Working on something really different this time with a young enthusiastic team, can’t wait to share details soon.” However, as for all those engagement rumours, they were just that – “rumours” – all smoke and no fire. We were told by Karan’s Pr to hold our horses, “the engagement news is completely fake.” They further insisted, “The story of actor Karan Deol being engaged to the great granddaughter of Bimal Roy is completely false and baseless. We request you to please check with us before publishing anything about him in the future.” Well, for all those crazy Karan Deol fans… it’s good news again! Karan Deol is single! …And we are hoping to see him in more stellar roles proving his mettle as an actor. 31

Snap Show

is back in the town, and here’s what is keeping her busy! Back in Mumbai, Yami will soon commence shooting for her next highly anticipated thriller, ‘A Thursday’. Known to be the girl with a Midas touch, the film will feature Yami in a never-seen-before avatar. Helmed by Behzad Khambata, it also stars Neha Dhupia, Atul Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia. Just a while ago, the self-made actress had wrapped up her shooting schedule for the film Dasvi. Playing the role of an IPS Officer, the stunner will share the screen with Abhishek Bachchan and Nimrat Kaur. Apart from that, the stunner also has the spooky adventure comedy ‘Bhoot Police’ with Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Lapata in the pipeline. Ready to take the box office by storm this year, Yami has eight releases lined up this year.

Yami Gautam

Get Snappy

“Raj and DK sir also pushed me to make Sajid badder and bigger in season 2.” – Shahab Ali His menacing character as Sajid in Family Man Season 1 and Season 2 was super impressive. Meet the man who essayed the character – Shahab Ali who talks about his foray into the film industry, his struggle, his bond with Sushant Singh Rajput and more.

Shahab, you’ve been around for 4 to five years in the Hindi film industry, how has the journey been? It’s been a tough yet an enriching journey for me. I first started with cracking auditions for main leads in Broadway style musical shows. At the same time, I used to send self tests for films, ads and web shows from my hometown Delhi. Just like every other actor, I have also been rejected in auditions so I haven’t got too many opportunities. I had not shifted to Mumbai until I got The Family Man, so I feel that my first work for the web as Sajid has been a good step in my career. I was able to come to Mumbai and go directly to casting offices for auditions. Now here I am in the City of Dreams and giving auditions everyday and trying my level best to bag roles. The Family Man has brought immense positivity for me but there’s a long way to go. I just hope that this will translate into more quality work because that’s what matters in our industry. I’m positive and look forward to what lies ahead for me in the future. Hoping for the best and prepared for the worst. You worked with the late Sushant Singh Rajput in Kedarnath, could you tell us something about working in Kedarnath and Sushant Singh Rajput? My experience with Sushant was amazing. I did not have a single scene with him but still he asked me to come and rehearse with him. I said, ‘But I do not have a scene with you, it’s a flashback’. He still said, ‘Ya but I have to speak those lines in a scene with Sara. So I want to listen to those lines, because If my father used to speak to me in my childhood, then I need to know how my father speaks in the film and in the same way I will remember him. So I was so impressed by the way he was so dedicated towards his work that even if we didn’t have a scene together, he rehearsed with me. He was so enthusiastic about it and I got really impressed by it. It is really sad that he is not with us anymore but he was an amazing human. However, I was excited about that film because they told me there were shooting in Kedarnath and nothing can be more positive and auspicious than this, so yes.

You played the lead Role of Zangoora in India’s first Broadway Style Bollywood Musical Show Zangoora- The Gypsy Prince at Kingdom of Dreams, tell us about this? The role of Zangoora had every possible Bollywood element in it. It was very challenging since there was Bollywood Dancing, Aerial acts, sword fights, magic tricks and lots of Heropantiall in one character. That too in a two-and-ahalf-hour live show that I used to do almost every day. It was very challenging, especially the dancing bit and aerial acts. I trained for almost 5 months to do my first show as Zangoora. I was lucky enough to get the role even before graduating from NSD. So I knew that I had to just complete my course - and a wonderful opportunity was waiting for me. That was a rare and a positive thing. It was an honour to be centre stage for a show where music was composed by leading Bollywood composers, Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, the story, screenplay and dialogues was by Javed Akhtar, Dance direction and choreography by Shiamak Davar, costumes by Neeta Lulla, while stunt direction by Alan Amin. Zangoora taught me a lot. It added some very important personality traits in me. It changed me as a performer, gave me a lot of confidence and self-belief. The word of mouth for my performance was also quite good. I started getting auditions for good roles. Honestly, it was only my training for this role that I understood, nothing is impossible if you give your best.

How was it working with Manoj Bajpayee, directors DK and Raj and others in Family Man 1 and 2? I was speechless. I can write a book on Manoj sir because he is amazing. He is not just a great actor but such a great human being. I am impressed by his grounded-ness and humility. I feel blessed to have worked with Manoj sir in my first-ever web show. It was a wonderful experience. As an actor, I have learnt so much from him. He is so good, the way transforms himself into the character, the way he improvises, the approach he has and the way humanizes his character, it is amazing. Was there any difference working in Family Man season 1 and season 2?

Tell us about Family Man and how did you bag it? It was random - I used to give auditions and I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company. Just like any other day - it was a random audition call. They said, ‘You are not in Mumbai, so send a self-test. So I made a video at home and sent it to them. Then they asked me to come to Mumbai. I came to Mumbai and gave the audition, then met the directors. I met Krishna DK sir and the meeting went really well, then I got the script. So, it was a process of almost a month. For that one month, I was really scared about whether I’m going to get this role or not. I remember my meeting with DK Sir and he was continuously praising me. I was like, ‘he is definitely going to reject me’. He is such a big director, he can’t praise me so much. But he actually liked me. So it happened and I’m so happy because to crack a role like Sajid in an audition - you need to be very lucky. It’s not just luck, luck comes when you put in hard work. 36

The Family Man Season 1 was, in a way, my first gig. In the film Kedarnath, I was there for hardly 10 seconds. Due to lack of experience, I wasn’t sure about a lot of things. I just trusted the casting and went all in. I worked really hard on the character and on my transformation into the part. I gave it everything that I had in me as an actor - all my training, experiences, observations and learning - so that later I had no regrets about my first performance. When I started shooting, it went really smooth. I was surprised that I was so comfortable. We hardly did any retakes. It proved to be an effortless experience for me. I consider myself blessed in terms of starting with creative people like Raj and DK who were really supportive and confident about what they were doing. Luckily, I got good reviews and the character got lots of appreciation post season 1. Hence, season 2 became that rare opportunity to take Sajid to the next level. I tried to take the performance a few notches up since I had already done all the homework related to the character in season one. I felt much more comfortable playing Sajid this time. Raj and DK sir also pushed me to make Sajid badder and bigger in season 2. I still remember once Raj sir called me and suggested that I take liberty and explore. He said that he’s there with me and I should play with my lines, if anything doesn’t work, we will try again. That gave me a lot of confidence. Their trust in me was my biggest strength in season two.

I developed a comfort level with them and Suparn Sir as third director enhanced my performance further in many ways. Both the seasons were great learning experiences for me, which are going to help me a lot in future projects. You have been exposed to various traditional and contemporary art forms like kalaripayattu, chhau, kutiyattam, Bollywood dance, Aerial acts, and sword fighting. Tell us about this? During my training at NSD, I was exposed to several acting and dancing forms. I got the opportunity to learn the oldest acting form called “Koodiyattam” from my teacher G. Venu. I learnt Yoga for a year, then did Kalaripayattu for a few months then Navrasa Sadhna, contemporary dance classes, Chhau, sword fight. I was introduced to all these forms as a student and every input made me better as a performer. I got the opportunity to learn Bollywood dance and aerial ballet for Zangoora -The Gypsy Prince at Kingdom of Dreams. Both these places provided me the perfect environment to groom myself in every possible way. The reason now I feel that I can attempt anything is only because of these experiences. I’m very grateful that I got the opportunities to learn such vivid forms in life. The feeling of discomfort doesn’t scare me anymore when I try something different.

hope that this journey doesn’t stop and I keep working as an actor. That’s what I want to do all my life. My vision is to do some amazing roles before I leave this world. Next projects in the pipeline? Next up is an MX player original show and I can’t disclose much. But I’m playing a gangster in it and it is set in 1989 Bombay. So, it’s a very interesting story and my character is also very different from Sajid. So, I’m really looking forward to it! Lastly, when you look back at your journey, is there anything you want to change ? I often think that I would like to change my past circumstances that didn’t let me be free with my choices and didn’t allow me to come to Mumbai earlier. But then I feel that it was only those adversities that really pushed me to work really hard. The reason that I was always very focused was that I had no other choice. I had to move forward. So I don’t think I would like to change anything. I think everything happens for a reason. My journey has been wonderful and I’m very proud of everything related to that. I’m grateful for all the success and hope for better days.

Since it’s a raging topic, what is your opinion about this “insiders versus outsiders” debate? I don’t consider myself knowledgeable enough to get into a debate like this but I always believed that I had to be very lucky to get launched by anyone. I decided to receive training and learn the craft. I chose to do theatre so that I had something to offer or contribute as an artist. Luckily enough, I received a lot of love from the audience from the beginning. The ‘word of mouth’ was good for all the roles that I did in theatre and musical shows and I somehow found my way to do my first work on camera. But as I said it’s really just the beginning. So many actors have struggled for years even after giving great performances. I feel that I have a lot more to learn and a lot more to offer. I just 37

Starry Spotlight

“We were the first in the world to start and finish a film (Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom) during the pandemic.” – Deepshika Deshmukh Multi-faceted Deepshika Deshmukh is a producer with a Midas touch. All her films – from Sarabjeet, Coolie No 1 to Bell Bottom have been talked about, won accolades and have been successful. In a free-wheeling interview with Sumita Chakraborty, Deepshika Deshmukh talks about her foray into the Hindi film industry, her films and more. One of the youngest producers in Bollywood, Deepshika Deshmukh, daughter of Vasu Bhagnani, sister of Jackky Bhagnani and sister-in-law of Riteish Deshmukh has indeed an illustrious lineage to boast of. But this multi-faceted independent lady eked out on her own to not only produce films with the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Varun Dhawan, Tiger Shroff and more but to also start her new Ayurvedic skin brand Love Organically and be an advocate for a green planet and other social causes. Read on as she talks about working on Bellbottom during the pandemic, collaborating with Priyanka Chopra, her film with Tiger Shroff and much more. 38

“We created a safety bubble and quarantined everyone (working in the film Bell Bottom) when our chartered flight landed in Scotland from Mumbai.”

You are one of the youngest, female producers in the Hindi film industry. How does it feel? I always say it takes a village to make a film. There are so many aspects of filmmaking and so many people involved. There are so many new techniques, theories, scripts and approaches that one must always keep oneself updated. I think what I love most about being part of the movies is that there’s something new to learn every single day. I always say that I’m a lifelong student and the more I get to learn, the more exciting stuff there is to discover. I am amazed by how enriched my work makes me feel on a daily basis. There’s a lot more every producer needs to do now including marketing, selection of stories, working in tandem with the direction team, the strategy behind the release of a film, its positioning etc. There’s so much that goes into filmmaking and one can never know it all. I feel blessed as a young producer

because I get opportunities everyday to evolve and grow. From being the dad, Vashu Bhagnani’s ladli to being his secretary to now a producer, how has the journey been? I started working during a college break when I was 16. I used to accompany dad as his secretary and made notes of the

“I feel blessed as a young producer because I get opportunities everyday to evolve and grow.” 39

“I have seen my father Vashu Bhagnani build Pooja Entertainment from a scratch with sheer willpower and hard work.” phone calls he would get and the calls he needed to return. From then on, I got an opportunity to be on film sets and learn the ropes from scratch. Even as a producer now, there’s something new to learn every day and every film brings an abundance of varied experiences. 40

What motivated you to become a producer with Pooja Entertainment as a career option? Well, I have seen my father Vashu Bhagnani build Pooja Entertainment from a scratch with sheer will-power and hard work. I have seen how the magic of cinema unfolds when actors, directors and the producer work in synergy. That was an experience I always wanted to make a part of my life as well. So here I am. Your first film was Sarabjit working with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Randeep Hooda, how was the experience? Were there any challenges? When I first heard the script of Sarabjit, I found it beautiful. The bond between the sister and brother was so powerful and moving, and the script had so many layers. The story instantly forged an emotional connection with me. Director Omung Kumar had planned every last detail so beautifully and creatively - He was the captain of the ship and he was the one who made everything happen. Our contribution was more towards the marketing of the project and we learnt so much on the job.

When we went for the premiere at Cannes, it was an absolute dreamcome-true to walk the red carpet and to screen the film on a global platform. The star of the show was, of course, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who the international media and all of us love so much.

As for Madaari, it was a fantastic journey and we learnt so much from Irrfan sir because he went into the depths of everything and was a true master of his craft. It’s an experience that I will cherish for a lifetime. The industry has lost not just a great actor but an exemplary human-being.

You also distributed the Irrfan Khan starrer ‘Madaari,’ and partnered with Priyanka Chopra as a producer for Pooja Entertainment’s first Punjabi film ‘Sarvann’. How was the experience? We wanted to curate exceptional regional talent and give it a great platform and our first Punjabi film was the perfect way to achieve that end. We’ve always been inclined towards Punjabi cinema and I think there’s so much more in that space that can be explored. Working with Priyanka Chopra Jonas was amazing even though we were in different time zones most of the time. She’s such a powerhouse of talent herself and brought so much creative energy to the table.

Your other notable productions include, ‘Welcome to New York,’ starring Sonakshi Sinha, Diljit Dosanjh, and Karan Johar, and the 2020 blockbuster, ‘Jawaani Jaaneman,’ starring Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, and Alaya F, were there any memorable anecdotes during these two films? I’ve had some really good memories attached to each one of them. ‘Jawaani Jaaneman’ was a unique experience. Working with Saif was great fun - he is a task master and a perfectionist even when he is doing something as funny as getting into a gown, or doing that famous ‘Ole Ole’ jig! Shooting for ‘Welcome to New York’ was also wonderful and like every production, it also brought its own set of lessons, insights and experiences. 41

“Working with Saif was great fun - he is a task master and a perfectionist even when he is doing something as funny as getting into a gown, or doing that famous ‘Ole Ole’ jig!” And now you have a hit film, ‘Coolie No. 1’ under your belt, how does it feel? I’m very emotional about ‘Coolie No. 1’, because it is the first film with which my father started his journey in the industry. That film means a lot to all of us and to recreate its magic in today’s time was 42

a challenge. Creatively it was all David uncle who looked into every detail of the film - I feel great that the cast and the songs were so well appreciated. The 2020 Coolie No1 marked Pooja Entertainment’s 25 silver years in the industry and we cannot stop celebrating the joy this film has given us. Despite the global pandemic, you oversaw the completion of the Akshay starrer ‘Bell Bottom’, from start to finish. Tell us about this – working despite the pandemic? It was challenging but ultimately rewarding because we pulled it off, against all odds. The safety and the health of our unit was paramount. We created a safety bubble and quarantined everyone when our chartered flight landed in Scotland from Mumbai. Post the quarantine, the entire cast, and the crew only moved in a safety bubble between the set and the hotel. The sets had to be sanitized and surfaces needed to be disinfected frequently. Everybody’s temperature levels were constantly monitored and we had to work with social distancing protocols in place. The actors removed their masks only

“Working with Priyanka Chopra Jonas was amazing even though we were in different time zones most of the time.” before the camera. We even had our own cooks to make sure that the food being served was safe. To keep this level of meticulous planning going, my father, my brother Jackky made sure we made this happen, and our brilliant team at Pooja Entertainment made sure that the safety rules were being followed stringently. Everyone worked day and night to ensure safety and professionalism and that’s how we managed to complete the shooting in the scheduled timeline. We were the first in the world to start and finish a film during the pandemic, so that makes me extra proud.

Your other massive blockbusters that you are helming include, ‘Ganapath’ starring Tiger Shroff and the multilingual historic epic,? Vikas and Jackky have a brilliant vision for ‘Ganapath’ as the posters have already indicated. It’s a futuristic film and based on the premise of a dystopian world. The audience is going to absolutely love it. You are an entrepreneur too and have founded a venture named Love Organically, tell us more about this? Love Organically is a skincare brand that has products made from hand-picked natural ingredients. Each one has a unique role to play in self-care. Some hydrate your skin, some pamper it, some help you sleep better. The brand was born purely because my kids Vansh and Diviyanaa had skin allergies, and I started to look for natural remedies that would soothe them Ayurvedic beauty secrets and time-tested remedies based on the wisdom of the women in my family, including my two grandmothers, my mother-in-law, my mother, and several experts helped me ideate these products. Love Veda is the new 43

“When we went for the premiere at Cannes, it was an absolute dreamcome-true to walk the red carpet and to screen Sarbjeet on a global platform.” line of Ayurvedic luxurious wellness products that I launched recently and we are working on expanding our range even further. 44

You are also a change-maker and a strong, public advocate of social awareness, tell us about this? I have two little children and as a mother, I am invested in the future of the planet. Deforestation, the generation of pollutants and the depletion of resources worries me. I believe we must consume less and give back more to Mother Earth. It’s so important to leave behind a greener and healthier planet for our children and their children. Everything that I do - whether it’s on a film set or while creating products for my brand Love Organically, I do it with a certain intention to make a social and environmental impact. That is why I am now working to reduce, upcycle and recycle waste on the sets of Pooja Entertainment. I want to bring awareness as much as I can and collectively find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and waste.

A little bit about your family and how do you balance your personal and professional life? There’s no mantra that one can chant to make everything flow easily. What works for me is mindfulness and living in the moment, whether I am at work or at home. This means that I give my 100 percent whether I’m in the office or at home. I visualise my day before starting it and I don’t procrastinate when something needs to be done there and then. Family is most important to me and time with my children is nonnegotiable. Managing my beauty brand ‘Love Organically’ also entails a similar

demarcation of time and energy so that work and life do not interfere with each other though as a mother, my children take precedence over everything. From my father, I have learnt the art of focus and complete dedication to the task at hand so that work does not pile up. This discipline has really helped me balance my life. I also have great help at home and the unstinted support of my family while I’m at work. It is a blessing to have a family that has your back and I must add that Dhiraj is an excellent father and an amazing husband. I am extremely lucky to have him. 45

Starry Sashay Following trends is easy more so if you leave it to the stars to start them.

The chunky sneaker or the dad shoe trend are trendsetters that are raising the mercurial levels on the trend-o-meter and is here to stay. So your favorite white chunks can be worn in any colour now, thanks to the stars but for now, to be honest, white looks like everyone’s safest bet. As it’s no secret that sneakers can make your western outfits look amazing, but what’s even better is that what’s trending on the style ladder is pairing sneakers with an Indian outfit – and that makes you look like a badass and so we are definitely here for the trend! As for the stars, looks like Aalia and Ananya are definitely slaying the chunky sneaker look and the other gorgeous babes are following suit. So rate this – does this trend work for you?

In Focus

“

Shankar Mahadevan has a real story to inspire everyone, of all ages and nationalities.” – Deepti Sivan In a candid interview, the acclaimed director of Decoding Shankar, Deepti Sivan talks to Sumita Chakraborty about her documentary on Shankar Mahadevan, why she made this film, her life as an actress and now director, and much more

eepti Sivan, the director of Decoding Shankar, has been winning accolades and awards galore for her ‘on point’ 50-minute documentary film on Shankar Mahadevan. Produced by her film director husband Sanjeev Sivan, who is incidentally also

illustrious cinematographer Santosh Sivan’s brother, the film is interesting because of the content but more so as unlike other biographical films, Deepti chose to have the story narrated by the protagonist himself – Shankar Mahadevan.

So Shankar talks about his childhood, the dilemma he faced before quitting his job, entering the world of jingles and, finally, making it as a musician. To give a proper perspective of the man himself, there are celebrity videos from Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Javed Akhtar, Gulzar Sahib, Farhan Akhtar, Aamir Khan, Zakir Hussain, Louis Banks, Pandit Jasraj and many others who speak about their association with Shankar Mahadevan.

Decoding Shankar – Life & Works Of Renowned musician Shankar Mahadevan has been appreciated a lot especially at film festivals like Toronto Film Festival. Why Shankar Mahadevan? Why did you want to make a film on him? Shankar Mahadevan has a real story to inspire everyone of all ages and nationalities. My family has been following his life and music closely and there’s such a wonderful lesson on how passion and love for your craft can find the path to success. There are parents who focus on academics and if they support their children who are Godgifted and encourage their talent, then it becomes easier to make a career choice. Shankar was the ideal example to the community as he was an engineering graduate and yet he decided to follow his passion for music and hence the world has a great musician like Shankar Mahadevan. It was really important that he told the world his story and hence I took it upon myself to plan this documentary. I have been a huge fan of Shankar since ‘Breathless’ and being a fan I was literally tracking his life every time and quoting his success as an example to everyone

Decoding Shankar was screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Goa and other festivals, including Stuttgart in Germany; Jecheon International Music and Film Festival, South Korea; and DC South Asian Film Festival, Gaithersburg. The film has won four awards recently at the Toronto International Women Film Festival, Indo French International Film Festival, Tokyo International Short Film Festival and Santa Monica Short Film Festival. Read on as Deepti elaborates why she felt she had to make this documentary and more. 49

around me. Hence, I thought that I may as well document his life. When I met him, he was reluctant as to why me but when I shared my thoughts that he was an inspiration to the younger generation for his dedication and discipline, he joked that I seem to know him more than he knew himself. What were the challenges making the film? How was the experience? I had the finest experience working with Shankar Mahadevan and it was a different experience with each and every celebrity who featured in my film. I was six months pregnant when I started the project with them and some portions were shot before my delivery - and I was back on the sets with my three months old baby in a baby bag much to the shock of Shankar. When he was not in the scene and I was shooting his mother and wife, he would take the baby and ask me to not get distracted and concentrate on the job. He didn’t need to do this and I literally became part of his family and now am very close to all his family members. With regard to the other celebrities who featured in the film like Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Javed Akhtar, Gulzar Sahib, Farhan Akhtar, Aamir Khan, Zakir Hussain, Louis Banks and others, no one gave me even the 50

slightest hesitation and accommodated the time based on my convenience. Farhan Akhtar wanted to narrate the whole experience of Dil Chahta Hai in a very methodical way and his personal association with Shankar. Javed Akhtar had so much to tell me about his jingle days with Shankar that Shabana Azmi came and asked if we were shooting or we were just talking? Gulzar Sahib also wanted to ensure that all the questions definitely covered his love for Shankar and the professional journey of creating beautiful music. I had to feature Sachin Tendulkar not because of any cricket connection but he had lost his father at the World Cup and he wanted to pay a tribute to him by making a song out of one of his Father’s poem. So he approached Shankar and he was completely amazed how a South Indian could have the perfect Marathi diction. Pandit Jasraj knew Shankar from college, Kamala Hassan, his Vishwaroopam Director - so there were many endless heart-warming stories from each of them.

While making the film, what is that one thing you found out about him that we all don’t know about? The one thing about Shankar Mahadevan apart from music is his passion for food. He knows every ingredient that goes into any dish. He’s an encyclopedia on every cuisine from every state and every country. He has a unique and peculiar talent to mix music and food together. Another distinctive quality about Shankar is that he never gets angry or

won the Indo French International Film Festival, Tokyo International Short Film Festival and Santa Monica Short Film Festival. These are all big festivals that recognise your work and I am hugely motivated to make my country proud and being the daughter of an Army officer, I want to showcase my country on the world’s stage.

ever loses his patience with anyone starting with his maid or staff or family that is very rare. He narrated his father’s advice to him that if a glass is broken, you can never fix it back so there’s no point getting upset and you can always go and buy a new one. This is ingrained in his nature since childhood. You have won the Best Biographical Film Award for your film ‘Decoding Shankar’ at the Toronto Film Festival! How does it feel? It is every filmmaker ‘s dream to win an award at Cannes, Berlin, Oscars and you will always hear a mention of it. So much of hard work had gone into making of Decoding Shankar and the appreciation was most overwhelming and gratifying. Awards are an endorsement by the world that you’ve done a good job and it becomes a benchmark to work even harder and come up with a even better product and showcase your talent. Post the Toronto International Women Film Festival, Decoding Shankar also

Your film has been showcased at International festivals like Germany and Korea also, how has the response been? I have had the good fortune to go to various film festivals in Germany and Korea and I had first-hand experience in how foreigners are very aware of Indian films and the music, particularly the lyrics! Surprisingly, they knew all the songs in my film and they were singing and dancing when the music was on the screen. Post screening, all the Decoding Shanker’ posters at the festival venue were picked up and they wanted my autograph on it! Everyone loved the film and the response of these foreign audience was an eye-opener for me that we’re all aware of Shankar Mahadevan and his music. The experience is hard to describe in words. From being an actress to now a successful documentary filmmaker, how has the journey been? Everything in my life has been accidental! I was good at academics and was a rank holder and I did my Law

Will you move onto commercial films – Bollywood or South? I have written a commercial film and I have discussed the same with one of the lead actors in Bollywood and he was pushing me to do it. He has assured me that he will be ready whenever I am ready. My husband and I complement and support each other. When Sanjeev is directing, I become the production designer for his projects and vice versa. We are spread across different film industries without any boundaries. We are doing a Bollywood film, a Malayalam film and also different genres like web series, documentaries, feature films, etc. We are waiting for the Covid situation to get better and we will get into action. Your brother-in-law Santosh Sivan is an illustrious filmmaker, have you thought of making a documentary on him?

Degree. By chance, I came into the film industry and I worked with the superstar of the Malayalam industry - Mohanlal. Meeting my husband was accidental and getting into a family that had the best technicians; it was like a school for me. But my Guru is my husband Sanjeev Sivan who taught me the basics and every department of Production. Over the years, I have been inducted and grounded into learning the minutest details of film making. I have been assisting Sanjeev in all his projects and so I had a deep rooted grounding which helped me when I made this documentary on Shankar Mahadevan. Being a creative person, I love being in control of the camera. When you are the director, then it’s your vision and when the world is liking it and endorsing it, it’s even more gratifying than being in front of the camera. Given an opportunity I will yet act but I find directing a lot more satisfying and inspiring. 52

What a fantastic question! Yes I would love to make a biography on Santosh Sivan. He is one of the finest cinematographer India has seen and he is the first Indian to be listed in the American Society of Cinematographers. He’s had an illustrious career working with the best of people in Bollywood and Hollywood. I have never actually given it a thought but it is definitely worth it as no one knows him as well as the family does so - thank you for the seed and we will think about it. I am not sure if Santosh Sivan will allow it but currently, we haven’t even given it a thought. How do you balance your personal and professional life? I am a complete family person. I have three children aged 5,10 and 15. I am a filmmaker but whenever I was making babies, I took up a corporate job. I established the radio station in the South called Red FM, then I went on

to head the Television channel of SUN network of SUN TV group, the largest channel in South India. During my third baby, I was setting up Zee TV in Kerala. Now that my babies are grown up, I am concentrating on my passion and dreams and it is a lot easier to handle things. My mother and sister have been a huge support to look after the kids whenever I am on shoot. When it was possible to take the children to shoot location, I would take them along. My children are already interested in film making. My eldest son made two films called ‘My brother Rushi’ and ‘I have a Dream’ which was screened at the International Children’s Film Festival. My children also accompanied me to Shankar Mahadevan’s shoot and he was really gracious to allow them to hang around and his kids and mine were having a good time together. So that’s how I balance my personal and professional life. By God’s grace, I have managed well so far.

What’s next in the pipeline? We are doing a web series on the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the richest temple in the world. My husband Sanjeev and I are doing this project together. We have a few projects lined up for the OTT platforms. We’ve also signed Nawazuddin Siddiqui for a feature film which is stalled because of the Covid situation. It is being directed by my husband like I told you we complement each other. I’m also going to direct a film on the Indian Army, as I’ve been raised in an Army environment and I don’t know anyone who can showcase this film more authentically than me. There’s lots more in the pipeline and we will share as the time comes as I am superstitious to share everything at one go.

Music Room

“It is deeply satisfying winning an international award that has been adjudged the best work from entries across the globe.” - Dhruv Ghanekar

An accomplished and celebrated musician, Dhruv Ghanekar is a name to be reckoned with in the world of music. In an in-depth interview with Sumita Chakraborty, the amazing Dhruv Ghanekar talks about his action packed musical journey, producing two songs for the Beatles Documentary, winning accolades and awards, working with music bests and more… Dhruv Ghanekar, the super-talented music composer, producer, and guitarist from Mumbai is a musician par excellence. Recently, he won the Best Music Award at the D&AD Awards London 2021 & the Kyoorius Creative Awards for Best Music for his work in the recently released Jimmy Nelson short film, Save Our Sentinels - his exceptional composition added telling layers to the visual storytelling. Not only that, he has produced 2 songs in the soon to be released documentary The Beatles and India. This year has seen Dhruv scale even greater heights with the Jimmy Nelson film film getting shortlisted at Cannes , The Fevicol Sofa Ad (It has won the Spikes Asia award for Best Music) Building on what is turning out to be a very successful 2021 - Dhruv has a host of exciting projects in the pipeline. He’s composing for two major commercial films - Choona on Netflix and the Kangana Ranaut starrer Dhakkad that releases in 2022. …Read on as this exceptional musician talks about his musical journey and more.

“Before I became a guitar nerd, I started as a singer in my childhood singing professionally for albums etc.” Dhruv, you are a music composer, producer, and guitarist from Mumbai who has carved a niche for himself in the global and Indian arena, how has your musical journey of two decades been? It has been incredibly rewarding. I never imagined that this journey would (a) Be this long and (b) Take me down so many different paths. Along the way there have been amazing experiences: from scoring Bombay Boys within the first year of my 56

composing life,to having a golden run of doing an insane amount of advertising and television work. In the mid 2000s we set up Blue Frog, thanks to which I met so many brilliant artists from all over the world. The last decade has been about going back to my roots using all those experiences and channelling it into my music. Of course, all the international accolades have been extremely gratifying. I’m just lucky to be doing what I do, but the amazing thing about music is that after all these years, I feel like I am just getting started! There have been massive challenges along the way, but hard work and sincerity to your craft always pays off and that keeps me grounded. You have produced two songs on the Beatles Documentary film, which has won many awards at the UK Asian Film Festival. Tell us a bit more about it. The Beatles and India documentary was an incredible opportunity for me to revisit my childhood. I had a Beatles mixtape on loop for over three years when I was 10 years old, so it literally was the soundtrack of my wonder years.

I have the honour of contributing to this incredible project about The Beatles and their time spent in India. I have performed, arranged and produced 2 songs on the CD. 1. Julia by John Lennon 2. Love You To by George Harrison Being a long time Beatles fan, this was a marvelous opportunity to re-interpret these classics whilst giving it an Indian tilt. Reinterpreting Beatles songs is a daunting task, as there’s such a plethora of already existing covers by many a great artist. But I am pleased with the outcome and I am certain the end result will surprise audiences as well. Besides winning accolades and 50 international awards for your composition for the film Jimmy Nelson Blink & Save Our Sentinls, you have also garnered rave reviews from critics - winning the Kyoorius Award for Best Music and the Best Music Award at the D&AD Awards London 2021, this is quite a feat, how do you feel garnering such wonderful reviews and accolades? It is deeply satisfying winning an international award that has been adjudged the best work from entries across the globe. This year has been even more difficult as its 2020 and 2021 combined! The aim of the Blink and SOS films is to mobilise an international audience to help preserve the world’s collective cultural identity. The film is a powerful visual commentary on the cultural identity of the last sentinels of our natural reserves. It is stitched together from thousands of original documented pictures of the last few indigenous tribes interspersed with the unique footage of their ancient habitats in the previous twenty years by celebrated photographer Jimmy Nelson and his team. We worked on the Blink film in 2018 and it was the most awarded campaign of 2019, winning over 50 international awards. SOS was a follow up that I worked on in 2020 and hence had to have a larger scale, so we recorded music from tribes all over the world, from Central Africa to Siberia, from Senegal and Cameroon to Tibet and of course, India. I have a great

relationship working with Senthil Kumar (CCO Wunderman Thompson). He’s a fantastic creative person to work with who knows how to create a healthy atmosphere where all teams are moving in the same direction. He gives a lot of creative space to me and the result is the music for Blink and SOS. Both the films were challenging to compose. But we share a history of doing tricky work – The NIKE films that I scored in 2013 & 2014, were also crazy editorially and challenging to exe-

“We had a packed auditorium full of Norwegians dancing to a jazz band from India! It looked like the scene from Back to the Future and I was Michael J Fox!”

cute. So having done a lot of this sort of work , I guess now I am typecast to do complicated scores that require a lot of detailing. I actually welcome the challenge of doing complicated and difficult work now, I get a bit of a kick out of it. The awards are always a welcome pat on the back. 2021 has been good for you with three of your projects entered getting nominated at Cannes - The Jimmy Nelson film, (Shortlisted) The Fevicol Sofa Ad (it has won the Spikes Asia award for Best Music) and the Ad for Vaseline! Congrats, is there any magical formula for success that you’ve hit on (haha). But seriously, how do you decide what works and what doesn’t with the audience and critics? There are no formulas, every job is unique. As a creative person, you are ultimately hired for your aesthetics and intuition. As a Film music composer, I am always at the service of the film. Every morning you start from scratch on a blank canvas. One has to keep aside personal indulgences and objectively look to enhance the visuals, but an important piece of that puzzle is the director of the film. The Fevicol ad is directed by Prasoon Pandey, who is again an incredible director and a phenomenal creative person. His knowledge of music is second to none. We have a long history of doing amazing work over the years. When you get into a room with someone like him, great things are bound

to happen. Awards are always flattering and rewarding but nothing can match an organic reaction of the audience to your work. Your resume is brilliant –- according to you which was the most exciting musical moment and can you share any anecdote – funny or otherwise about anything that was memorable? Life on the road is full of stories. The most fun I’ve ever had performing was back in 2012, I was on tour with my band across Norway. Our second concert was in this place called Vadso, which is in the Arctic circle. Vadso has breathtaking beauty and in summer it has 24 hours of sunlight. We were scheduled to play at 9 p.m., so after what seemed like an eternity, we finished our set and the crowd went wild. They wouldn’t let us leave, finally after the 3rd encore, we ran out of songs to play so we started jamming on tunes we hadn’t ever played or rehearsed. We eventually landed up playing Johnny B Good - the old rock n roll classic and it was surreal! We had a packed auditorium full of Norwegians dancing to a jazz band from India! It looked like the scene from Back to the Future and I was Michael J Fox! We finally finished our concert and as we walked out of the concert hall, the sky had turned the most beautiful purple I had ever seen. We were escorted to the pier where we ate giant crabs for dinner and hung out with some Norwegian musicians under the midnight sun. It was an unforgettable evening.

“Dhaakad is directed by Razy Ghai , whom I have worked with on several occasions in the past. He is a fantastic visual story teller and I am really looking forward to seeing what he does.” 58

“Unfortunately most remixes that I hear are lazy productions. It’s usually the flavour of the year mixed with the original melody with tons of auto-tune. That’s terribly boring.”

You are an exceptional guitarist – how did your journey as a guitarist begin? Before I became a guitar nerd, I started as a singer in my childhood singing professionally for albums etc. But my voice changed when I turned 14 and began to look around for something to do and eventually picked up the guitar when I turned 16. Those early days were amazing, because I had all the time in the world and I would be practicing for 8-12 hours a day... After a couple of years of playing in my bedroom I formed a band called “Chakraview” while I was still in college. We became quite popular playing a unique style of progressive rock music. But the band split up in 1996 and I went off to pursue my studies in the States. After I got back, the opportunities to perform were very few and my composing career had taken off. In 2007, after we set up Blue Frog, I began playing more frequently again, often finish my recording through the day and jumping on stage at night , as my studio was right next door. After I released my two albums “Distance” and “Voyage”, I travelled and performed a whole lot more, touring really interesting places that I never thought I would

visit. Performing live is something that I wish I could pursue more often but my studio commitments always take precedence. I hope that I can do a better job of managing my time so that I can perform more often! You have rubbed shoulders and composed, played and jammed with some of the best in the music industry, could you tell us more about playing with AR Rehman, Trilok Gurtu, Ustaad Zakir Hussain and so many others? I worked with A.R. Rahman arranging and programming some songs for a couple of film projects, way back in 2003. A.R. only works in the night and we weren’t prepared for that as we had a session that morning at another studio, so we landed up back at our place at 9 p.m. completely exhausted only to begin working with him on a film called Boys. We landed up working all night. I was eventually falling asleep on the mixing console. Trilok Gurtu is someone I have admired since I started playing music. He was performing at Blue Frog and invited me to play on a few songs. By the end of the night, I had played most of the set. Every song was at a tempo that was faster than we had rehearsed. By the end of the night, I was ready to collapse. I have also worked with him on my album. 59

I had the opportunity to work with Zakir bhai on the film Saaz, the RD Burman biopic. We were very young and had to learn a complicated rhythmic phrase within a few minutes as we were about to start shooting. We were super nervous and made a mess of it, but Zakir bhai was so gracious and patient, he allowed us time to learn it. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to spend time with him and with Taufiq and Fazal bhai as well, both of whom I have performed and worked with on various instances. Working with these great masters I always learn something new and keeps me in a student frame of mind. I love it. You also have a host of exciting projects in the pipeline including two major commercial films – ‘Choona’ on Netflix and the Kangana Ranaut starrer ‘Dhaakad’ that releases in 2022. Tell us about this? Dhaakad is directed by Razy Ghai , whom I have worked with on several occasions in the past. He is a fantastic visual story teller and I am really looking forward to seeing what he does. Unfortunately the project is in the works so I am not allowed to reveal much about it. Choona is a crime heist comedy web series with a terrific cast and directed by Pushpendra Mishra that is commissioned by Netflix . I am really looking to scoring it. Again since it’s in the pipeline so unfortunately I can’t reveal much. You have composed over 3,500 ad commercials for global brands, with many of them bagging prestigious awards both at home and abroad. What gets your adrenalin pumping most – composing for films, live audience or commercials? Each discipline has its own reward and USP. Performing to an audience is exhilarating. Even better is performing to international audiences, which is is always exciting as there are always pre conceived notions watching an artist from India. But I revel in breaking the stereotypes as my music is anything but...... Composing for feature films is extremely rewarding as you get to paint on a bigger canvas, making a musical statement on a scale that is larger and of course one also gets 60

“I won a Stardust Award for my work on Drona way back in 2009. Time sure flies when you are having fun!” exposure to a global audience. Listening to your music in a cinema hall is a surreal experience. And finally composing commercials… I get to work with amazing craftsmen in advertising, many of whom are my friends now. It’s always challenging and a whole lotta fun to create a musical statement in 60 seconds. After all these years I don’t have a personal favourite, each has its place and I have made peace with it. It keeps me on my toes and keeps the ideas pool fresh. There’s a lot of talk about politics in music, have you ever faced it in your career, what do you feel about this. We are living in a time when politics has permeated every part of our culture. Of course politics exists in every business and the music and film business is no different. I think if you want to play with the big boys, you have to roll with the punches. Its a part of life so one has to learn to deal with it. Remixes are big now... what do you feel about them? I have just finished doing two reinterpretations of Beatles songs for a film, so I am certainly not against it. I think, if there’s a fresh take on a song then it’s definitely refreshing. Unfortunately most remixes that I hear are lazy productions. It’s usually the flavour of the year mixed with the original melody with tons of auto-tune. That’s terribly boring. Films, documentaries, commercials, live gigs – you have covered all bases? What’s next for you? Of course there’s a ton of stuff left to do. Ishitta Arun (my wife) and I are working on a really

“The stereotypical Bollywood song is morphing into a newer more international sound. There are so many influences and directors are willing to take risks.”

interesting project that she is co-producing with Abhinay Deo, that he is also directing. The film is a hilarious look into music making. I am involved in the scripting stage as a consultant. What about Bollywood songs, do you enjoy composing them? Of course I do. The stereotypical Bollywood song is morphing into a newer more international sound. There are so many influences and directors are willing to take risks. I always look to push the envelope where ever I can. Composing songs is extremely gratifying to me and will always be my first love. I love the process of working with directors on a brief and creating and crafting a melody – it’s a bit like trying to catch a butterfly in flight. You’re a Stardust awardee too - I believe you’ve won the Stardust Award too, tell us about that? I won a Stardust Award for my work on Drona way back in 2009. Time sure flies when you are having fun!

Starry Look

Slay It Like Shraddha Kapoor! Deesha Mirwani unplugs the secrets that make this young diva, the stunner she is! Absolutely stunning, actor Shraddha Kapoor’s fashion sense is always at its best. So no wonder, it is admired and toasted by the young Gen who look up to her and are all curious to know about her fashion secrets! So let’s take a sneak peek at the secrets that make this stunner, the trendsetter that she is. 62

Her Stunning Looks Shraddha chooses to wear chirpy and bright colours for her lunch outings. Her airport looks are dashing, she is to be seen wearing hoodies, sweatpants and sneakers and her sunglasses just ace her look. She was recently seen wearing a ghagra choli and she looked gorgeous. Indeed, she can pull off any look. Her Beauty Secrets Shraddha follows a simple skin care routine. Getting the right amount of sleep, staying hydrated, washing her face regularly and taking off her make up before sleeping is something she believes in for maintaining her glowing skin. Besides this, she prefers to eat homemade food and stay happy; perhaps that’s why it gives her that glow which never comes off her face. Mane Attraction Shraddha believes in homemade remedies, and uses homemade packs which have ingredients like curd, hibiscus and aloe Vera which keep her hair well nourished. She avoids using chemical based shampoos, instead she oils her hair to keep it smooth. She loves trying on new hair styles which make her look extremely vibrant. Make-Up Dos Her make-up is always on point! She likes keeping it subtle and simple. Her go-to make up look would be using just three products - a moisturizer is a must along with some concealer and lip balm. A major tip given by her is to never over-do your make up. An animal lover, she makes sure her products are natural and cruelty free. Bodilicious I want that body! Shraddha is always so fit and fine. What’s the secret behind her fitness? She maintains a healthy diet by drinking 3-4 litres of water daily and eating homemade food. She avoids skipping meals and has a lot of fruits. She loves doing Yoga - and she believes in consistency and discipline when it comes to working out. 63

Starry Style A Taste Of The Real Stardom with Manish Malhotra! Designer par excellence, Manish Malhotra talks about the most fashionable actors, who he would prefer to see on the international ramp and his association with Blender’s Pride.

Could you tell us about your association with Blenders Pride? I have had a long-standing association with Blenders Pride and it gives me great pleasure to announce this collaboration. The brand takes immense pride in their product quality and heritage and continues to celebrate the pride in craft

through this collaboration. The pack is a sophisticated and glamourous statement that combines exquisite taste and design, bringing together the precision and the bold, rich character of Blenders Pride on the same canvas, making a bold style statement that spells out ‘My Craft, My Pride’.

Since we are Stardust, and you have been associated with the film industry for so many years, if you had to choose your showstopper from the current lot of actors, who would you choose and why? I don’t have one favourite. Everyone that I work with, I share an individual bond with which is different from the other so it’s absolutely unfair for me to choose one. I love all my showstoppers as they come with their individual personalities that make them special in their own way. Who do you think is the most fashionable actor (Male and Female) in the film industry? Why? For me, I think the Late Sridevi and Rekhaji are the epitome of classic timeless fashion.

You have designed a limited pack for Blenders Pride, could you tell us about it? The limited-edition pack, in collaboration with Blenders Pride is a true representation of my vision and spirited style, and brings together the precision and the bold, rich character of Blenders Pride on the same canvas. It embodies a seamless blend of fine craftsmanship that persuades the consumers to ‘taste the real stardom’ so one can celebrate the exquisite taste and unmatched quality of the pack.

Which actor according to you would be fantastic on the international ramp? I think all of them. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra have already done it so beautifully. So can a Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Kiara Advanior any others. I think they all look great.

Star Show

Celeb photographer Vickky Idnaani takes a fashionable turn; Sonu Nigam turns model for Vickky Idnaani Label.

The lockdown has made many rediscover and re-invent themselves… and this is exactly what celeb photographer Viccky Idnaani has done too. Having photographed the Khans, Kapoors, Bachchans, Roshans, Kumars, Rajkummar Rao and Ayushman Khurrana to name a few… Lensman Vickky Idnaani launches a collection with his partner and stylist Avinash Bamania … and Bollywood’s top-notch singer Sonu Nigam becomes the Brand Ambassador of Vickky Idnaani Label. As a photographer, Vickky idnaani has been in the news for his book covers with Rishi Kapoor, Hema Malini and Sridevi His book cover with yet another superstar is going to be released next month. This time ‘round, the super stylish Viccky who is known for his dapper appearance, has launched his own brand Label. Singer Sonu Nigam, another gorgeous man, has become the Brand Ambassador of Label.

We caught up Vickky to ask him about his collection and association with singer Sonu Nigam. Viccky says, “Separating the men from the boys is Sonu Nigam. He’s good looking and iconic. We couldn’t have asked for a better model. We are blessed to collaborate with this gifted singer - he gives our small collection a big heart.”

So what does singer Sonu Nigam say about this? Sonu Nigam avers, “When a creative person decides to venture into something new, the results are something to watch out for. It was one of the best shoots I have done despite the fact that I was extremely fatigued that particular day... His designs are innovative, comfortable and the styling impeccable.” What’s very remarkable about this is that Vickky dedicates this menswear collection to the women of his family… He says, “The love of my life, my sister Vinu di, who was my first teacher, my first muse, and my niece Richa Idnani Bhatt for encouraging me to design.” So since Vickky has turned designer, let’s get the top-most trends of his collection from this stylish persona himself… 68

According to Vickky: four trending designs that define his collection are: • “I’m a Hindu born in india, but not many know both my parents were born in Pakistan, and my mom’s entire family continues to live there. Being inspired by Pakistani fabrics and prints I have experimented with using it for men, along with camouflage printed hoodies. We have embroidered shoulder flaps with leather detailing and buckles. • It might sound clichéd but I love to play with colours. For instance, we dyed this pant to go with a pink apple cut short sherwani jacket. • We live in the times of instagram – so here is an outfit you can hate, or love but you won’t be able to ignore it. It is just one for fun or shock value. • Nothing like a classic black sherwani to ace the look. Here we have clubbed it with stripped velvet kurta and pants. Along with a self printed floral jacket, and a vintage brooch for a touch of class.

It might sound clichéd but I love to play with colours. For instance, we dyed this pant to go with a pink apple cut short sherwani jacket.

This collection can be seen on Vickky Idnaani Label page on instagram and will be available at Kushal Bhatt’s Erkan in Dubai.

TRANSFORMATION

Show Time

TRANS

Bollywood actors who underwent major physical transformation for their films

Known to be one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world, Hindi cinema, also known as Bollywood has always inspired zillions around the world. While many of us fancy the idea of being a movie star, it’s definitely not as easy as it looks on the outside. Our B-town stars give an incredible amount of hardwork and dedication to do justice to their on-screen characters. Celebrating the zeal of such movie stars, today we list down 4 Bollywood actors who underwent major physical transformation for their films. Take a look...

Aditya Roy Kapur Just when the nation tried to label Aditya Roy Kapur as the chocolate boy next door, the versatile actor left cinelovers with his massive physical transformation for his blockbuster release ‘Malang’. A dark thriller which won the audiences with its unpredictable and edgy storyline, Malang turned out to be a game changer for Kapur. As cinegoers recognised him as a new action mass hero, it was impressive how the actor underwent a massive physical transformation and donned two completely different avatars in the film. Performing deadly, high octane action sequences, deadly high octane action sequences, Aditya was seen in two extremely distinct looks in the film, one being lean and the other being bulky avatar. Even for his next ‘Om’, Roy Kapur has worked hard to achieve the desired look.

SFORMATION Ranveer Singh

Known to be a director’s actor, Ranveer Singh has time and again undergone physical transformations for his role in various films. The actor had worked really hard on his body for Rohit Shetty’s cop drama ‘Simmba’ and underwent major training to attain a beefed-up body. And yet again, not too long ago, Singh worked hard on his physical appearance and looks for his upcoming film ‘83, for which he developed a lean physique. We hear that besides the intense workout sessions, the actor also had a meticulous diet regime in place for the same.

Ranbir Kapoor Credited for giving Hindi cinema one of the finest performances in today’s generation, Ranbir Kapoor has earned himself a spot in every top filmmaker’s wishlist. The actor who will be next seen in ‘Brahmastra’ opposite girlfriend and actor Alia Bhatt, underwent a solid physical transformation for his critically acclaimed film, ‘Sanju’. In order to get the required bulked up look for the Sanjay Dutt biopic, RK used to have 8 meals a day and wake up at 3 in the morning to drink a protein shake, along with intense workouts.

Vicky Kaushal Last seen in the ‘Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship’, Vicky Kaushal is known not just for his exemplary acting skills but for his incredible physical transformations as well. For his superhit film ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, Vicky went through a complete change and gained 15 kilos for portraying the role of a military man. In order to get the right look for his character in the film, Vicky followed a strict diet regime and did immense training, building muscles for the desired sculpted structure. Next to be seen in ‘Sardar Udham Singh’, we hear he will be again seen in a never seen before avatar. 71

Web Show Five relevant shows that highlight cybercrime When hi-tech meets crime on the OTT platform… you get some super interesting web shows to binge on. From small stores going online, to finding medication in app - many found a reason to switch over almost completely to an online market universe in the last year. But as part of this digital progression, there has been a spike in white collar thefts and cybercrime, with hacking rackets affecting many of us directly or indirectly. We tend to stereotype the masterminds behind such activities as evil-minded geeks whose only real friends are their computers. And not surprisingly, our fascination with hacker personas, and the world of geniuses who hack for money and live glamorous lives is now the makings of intriguing content across OTT, TV and films - forming or enriching the plot lines of these narratives. Here are 5 some great creations that do more than scratch the surface of the hacker mystique while serving up some good entertainment.

1. Chakravyuh – An Inspector Virkar Crime Thriller Headlined by Prateik Babbar who plays the role of Inspector Virkar, Crime Branch - he is in a race against time to solve a ghastly murder mystery. As part of his investigation, Inspector Virkar stumbles across a group of tech savvy miscreants who use the internet to blackmail & conduct other illegal activity. Based on Piyush Jha’s book ‘Anti-Social Network’, this well-made series follows Virkar’s fight against the wrong and his quest to find who this blackmailer. Streaming on MX Player.

2. Hello Mini 2

Hello Mini 2 is a sequel based on Novoneel Chakraborty’s Stranger Trilogy. While the first season saw Mini battle the threat of being stalked by The Stranger, season 2 sees Mini getting sucked into yet another vortex by the Stranger and she also becomes a prime suspect in murder investigation because she participates in an illegal game called Dare Defy on the dark web. Will Mini be able to beat the Stranger and stay alive? Headlined by Anuja Joshi, Mrinal Dutt, Gaurav Chopra, amongst others, this series is directed by Arjun Srivasstava and streaming on MX Player 72

3. Jamtara – Sabka Number Ayega Directed by Soumendra Padhi, this is an Indian crime drama that highlights phishing operations in the Jamtara district of Jharkhand. Starring Amit Sial, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and Aksha Pardasany amongst others, it’s a tale of small-town young guns who operate a successful phishing racket until a corrupt politician wants a share of their business.

4. Hacked Hello Mini 2 is a sequel based on Novoneel Chakraborty’s Stranger Trilogy. While the first season saw Mini battle the threat of being stalked by The Stranger, season 2 sees Mini getting sucked into yet another vortex by the Stranger and she also becomes a prime suspect in murder investigation because she participates in an illegal game called Dare Defy on the dark web. Will Mini be able to beat the Stranger and stay alive? Headlined by Anuja Joshi, Mrinal Dutt, Gaurav Chopra, amongst others, this series is directed by Arjun Srivasstava and streaming on MX Player

5. Troll Police Available on Voot, this show addresses sensitive issues such as cyber-bullying and trolling. Hosted by Rannvijay Singha, viewers can see various popular personalities talk about trolls who spread negativity on social media and in people’s lives.

Stardust - July 2021

Articles inside

Music Room - Dhruv Ghaenkar

'Decoding Shankar' - Deepti Sivan

Cyber bullying, Shaming & Trolling Female Actors

What is the reason behind Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao's divorce?