Bollywood Roundup: Ananya Panday, Kareena Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, and more…

Ananya Panday Offers Peek Into 48-Hour Monaco Trip

Mumbai — Ananya Panday shared glimpses from her quick 48-hour trip to Monaco, posting photos from the scenic European destination on Instagram.

The actress captioned the photo series, “48 hours in Monaco.” The pictures showed her posing in a backless dress against a striking backdrop, along with other images from her outing. She also shared glimpses of food from the trip, including ice cream and pizza, as well as scenic views from around Monaco.

Earlier, Ananya had shared details from a four-day wellness retreat focused on relaxation and self-care. She said the retreat included meditation, morning walks, Ayurvedic massages, oxygen therapy, aqua therapy, sound therapy, acupuncture and quiet reading time.

On the work front, Ananya was most recently seen in “Chand Mera Dil,” directed by Vivek Soni and co-starring Lakshya Lalwani. The film followed two college students whose romance is tested as they enter adulthood. It was released in theaters across India on May 22.

Kareena Kapoor Shares Sneak Peek of ‘Daayra,’ Sets Sept. 18 Release

Mumbai — Kareena Kapoor has shared a sneak peek of her upcoming film “Daayra” and announced that the movie will be released in theaters on Sept. 18.

The actress posted a video on social media featuring a mix of on-screen and behind-the-scenes moments from the film. In one scene, Kareena is seen dressed as a police officer, while another shows director Meghna Gulzar guiding the team during a shoot.

Prithviraj Sukumaran, who also plays a key role in the film, is seen in what appears to be an intense part.

“This one is for the books…Raw and unseen. A sneak peek behind the scenes of DAAYRA. #Daayra arrives in cinemas on 18th September,” Kareena wrote.

Kareena reportedly traveled across several parts of Mumbai while filming “Daayra.” A source close to the production said the shoot involved extensive travel across locations, including interiors of the city.

Earlier, Kareena had shared that Gulzar had taken her from Khalapur to Bhiwandi to Virar during the shoot, adding that she was enjoying the chance to see “the real Mumbai.”

Set in the world of crime and justice, “Daayra” features Kareena and Prithviraj in dramatic roles.

Farhan Akhtar Says Early Film Roles Drew Him Toward Acting

Mumbai — Farhan Akhtar said his move into acting came after early opportunities helped him see the creative possibilities of performing on screen.

The actor-filmmaker said his first acting experience came when his friend Anand Surapur insisted that he play the lead in “The Fakir of Venice.”

“It was a combination of a few things that happened together. One was a friend of mine Anand Surapur, who was directing his film The Fakir of Venice. He was very adamant that I play the lead in his film. That was the first acting experience that I had. I enjoyed that experience,” Farhan told IANS.

He said “Rock On!!,” directed by Abhishek Kapoor, further encouraged him to pursue acting.

“Then I met Gattu (Abhisek Kapoor) and Rock On!! happened. So out of the exploration of acting through those films is where I felt there is a lot of possibility to try and do more, which is why I subsequently did Luck By Chance, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and Dil Dhadakne Do,” he added.

Farhan began his career as a director with “Dil Chahta Hai,” followed by “Lakshya,” “Don” and “Don 2.” He later built an acting career with films including “Luck By Chance,” “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” and “Dil Dhadakne Do.”

He was also seen in “120 Bahadur,” a historical war drama set during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, in which he played Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Shaitan Singh.

‘Alpha’ Action Director Praises Alia Bhatt, Sharvari for Stunt Preparation

Mumbai — Action director Craig Macrae has praised Alia Bhatt and Sharvari for their dedication to the action sequences in “Alpha.”

Macrae, who has worked with global action stars including Charlize Theron and Milla Jovovich, said Alia’s work ethic stood out during the film’s preparation.

“What sets Alia Bhatt apart from those other female stars is that I think her work ethic is absolutely incredible. She’s really put in a lot of time and a lot of effort into preparing for Alpha,” Macrae said.

“She was really dedicated to the movie and I think that’s going to be the thing that really makes a huge difference in her on-screen presence.”

He said Alia also worked hard on building her character, in addition to preparing for the action.

“She obviously did a lot of work for the preparation as the character as well. She’s one of those people that you can really feel is willing to put in the amount of work that is required and then some, to go above and beyond what’s needed for the film,” he said.

Macrae also credited Alia and Sharvari for making the stunt team’s job easier through their training and preparation.

“Alia and Sharvari were absolutely incredible for this movie. The preparation that they put into it, the work that they put into preparing for this movie physically and with their skills training and stunt training was absolutely incredible,” he said.

Produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by Shiv Rawail, “Alpha” is set to release in theaters worldwide on July 3.

Janhvi Kapoor Shares Glimpse of Her ‘Happy Place’

Mumbai — Janhvi Kapoor shared a glimpse of her “happy place” on Instagram, posting peaceful moments with her dog, sister Khushi Kapoor and Shikhar Pahariya.

The actress shared a video featuring relaxed and candid moments, including her playing with her dog, posing with Khushi and enjoying an adventurous ride with Shikhar. Another shot showed her unwinding in the hills.

“#happyplace @jasleenroyal obsessed with your song,” Janhvi wrote, adding Jasleen Royal’s song “Inaam” as the background track.

On the work front, Janhvi was last seen in Shashank Khaitan’s “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari,” alongside Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Maniesh Paul and Akshay Oberoi.

She was also seen in “Peddi,” a sports action drama directed by Buchi Babu Sana and co-starring Ram Charan. The film featured Ram as a “crossover athlete” who moves between cricket, wrestling and sprinting.

Janhvi, daughter of late actress Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor, said she was not very athletic growing up but always enjoyed dancing.

“Peddi,” which also starred Boman Irani, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu and Divyenndu, was released on June 4. Some scenes in the film drew criticism, particularly over the portrayal of the heroine and the romantic storyline. Following the backlash, Buchi Babu Sana said the feedback had been taken seriously and apologized if any part of the film made viewers feel disrespected.

Kriti Sanon Says ‘Cocktail 2’ Gave Her the Fresh, Messy Film She Wanted

Mumbai — Kriti Sanon said she was drawn to “Cocktail 2” because it felt fresh, young and different from the intense roles she had been seeing recently.

Speaking at the song launch event of the film, Kriti said she connected with the story and her character, Ally, right away.

“When I heard the story of Cocktail 2, I just found it so different and so relevant and so fun. And all these three characters were so well written and they had their own graph and they were just fresh. And I think I was missing a film like this. I think I have seen so much of intensity and action and all of that. I wanted to see a fresh young film with just messy characters like we all are in life,” she said.

She added that Ally felt very different from her own personality.

“I felt Ally was just so away from me as a person and so refreshing and so unhinged and liberated that I was just very drawn to her. I am just so glad that I could play her,” Kriti said.

Kriti’s look in the film has also drawn attention, with the actress seen in bohemian outfits that reflect her character’s carefree style.

Directed by Homi Adajania, “Cocktail 2” also stars Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna. The film is set to release on June 19.

Archana Gautam Recalls Ravi Kishan Encouraging Her to Pursue Acting

Mumbai — Archana Gautam opened up about her early struggles and recalled how Ravi Kishan encouraged her to take acting seriously.

The actress and “Bigg Boss” alum will appear on an upcoming episode of “Tum Ho Naa – Ghar Ki Superstar,” hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal, where she spoke about her journey from Meerut to Mumbai.

Archana said her family once struggled to pay her college fees of INR 20,000, and her mother had to work overtime to arrange the money. She later took up different jobs, built her sales skills and tried to make her own identity before returning to Meerut when things did not go as planned.

Recalling a turning point, Archana said her father saw an advertisement for the show “Sales Ka Baazigar” and encouraged her to audition.

“Papa ne newspaper mein padha tha ki ek show aaya hua hai, Sales Ka Baazigar, unhone mujhe kaha ki ek baar try karo. Uss show mein apni sales skills dikhani hoti thi, kuch bhi bechna hota tha. Mera selection ho gaya aur wahan Ravi Kishan ji judge the. Unhone mujhe dekha aur kaha, Archana, mujhe lagta hai aap acting ke liye bani ho,’” she said.

Archana said Ravi Kishan later encouraged her to try acting. She took his assistant’s number, and after her father spoke to him, she traveled to Mumbai by train with her father and brother to meet him.

“Ravi Kishan ji ne mujhe acting try karne ko kaha. Maine unke personal assistant ka number liya, mere papa ne unse baat ki, aur unhone humein Mumbai bulaya. Main, mere papa aur mera bhai train se Mumbai aaye aur unke ghar gaye. Unhone mujhse poocha ki mujhe kis cheez mein interest hai. Maine kaha, ‘Dekho, ab main Katrina Kaif toh ban nahi sakti. Maine kabhi bahut bada sapna nahi dekha. Mujhe toh koi chhota-mota role bhi mil jaaye kisi serial mein, toh bhi main khush ho jaungi.’ Unhone kaha, ‘Theek hai Archana, tum jao, main tumhe bulata hoon,’” she recalled. (Source: IANS)