Sonam Kapoor: Being ‘Neerja’ was challenging but a great honour
Mumbai– Bollywood actress Sonam K. Ahuja says playing flight attendant Neerja Bhanot in the 2016 biopic “Neerja” was challenging, but it also a great honour to live the role on screen.
On September 5 1986, Neerja Bhanot died while saving 359 passengers on board Pan AM Flight 73, which was hijacked by terrorists during a stopover in Karachi, Pakistan. Bhanot was posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. She became the youngest recipient of the honour, at the age of 22. She was also honoured with several awards in the United States and Pakistan.
“Portraying a young girl from Bombay who saved the lives of the 359 passengers on board Pan AM Flight 73 was not only challenging but also a great honour. As the movie completes its 4th anniversary, I would want people to recall how fear gave courage to the young Neerja Bhanot,” she tweeted.
Sonam added: “She was the true icon of bravery, strength, and sacrifice for our country. She continues to be an inspiration to everyone. #4YearsOfNeerja”
“Neerja” is directed by Ram Madhvani. The film also features Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku and Shekhar Ravjiani in supporting roles.
Dia Mirza on preparing for ‘Thappad’
Mumbai– Actress Dia Mirza loved playing the character of someone who makes choices on her own in the new film “Thappad”.
Sharing her experience on how she prepared for her role in the movie, Dia said: “Playing any character is a combination of both preparation as well as spontaneous emotions. Many years ago, one of my friends told me that one must meet opportunity with preparedness, one should understand the story from all the perspectives and not just the character’s side.”
“Once we understand all the perspectives, we should master the craft of letting go of all that information and just flow within the moment, and this really helped me to prepare for my role for ‘Thappad’,” she added.
The film starring Taapsee Pannu, is directed by Anubhav Sinha and is scheduled to open on February 28. This is Dia’s third movie with Sinha, after “Dus” and “Cash”.
Seerat Kapoor: Don’t be fooled by Rana Daggubati’s exterior
New Delhi– Actress Seerat Kapoor says actor Rana Daggubati, who presents her Telugu film “Krishna And His Leela”, is her dear friend and that people should not be fooled by his imposing physique.
“Rana is a very dear friend of mine, with a personality that holds the room together. Don’t be fooled by his exterior. It is actually sensitivity and warmth that reside within him,” Seerat said about the tall and handsome actor.
Talking about the film, she told IANS: “In the film, I play the character Ruksaar. She is a free-spirited woman who carries herself with a presence of mind. She is that one friend in the group who has mature conversations, often leaves others feeling tongue-tied. Her take on life and relationships is of a wise soul.”
This isn’t her first Telugu film. She had made her acting debut with a Telugu movie, “Run Raja Run”, in 2014.
“For me, Tollywood was fate. Tollywood was that key which unlocked my door at the time when I was discovering this new side of me. After the release of ‘Run Raja Run’, the kind of appreciation, adoration, and applause I received; it was all organic and natural for me to continue my journey in the industry,” she said.
After featuring in Hindi film “Zid” in 2014, she didn’t take up any other Bollywood project after that.
“We shot ‘Zid’ before ‘Run Raja Run’, however, it released after. After the release of ‘Run Raja Run’, I was quite occupied down south,” she said.
Rekha on posing next to Big B pic: ‘Yahaan danger zone hai’
Mumbai– Veteran actress Rekha gave a hilarious response when she stood next to megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s photograph during a recent calendar launch in the city.
The veteran star was spotted at the annual calendar launch of celebrity photographer Daboo Ratnani.
While posing next to a set of photographs the actress left the paparazzi in splits, according to pinkvilla.com. As the 65-year-old actress struck regal poses for the shutterbugs, she walked towards a corner that had photos of Big B among several other popular celebrities.
In a clip, as she neared the photograph, she is heard saying: “Yahaan danger zone hai (this is danger zone)!”
This is not the first time that Rekha has avoided getting clicked near Bachchan’s photograph. Earlier, too, she was once seen moving away from Big B’s photograph at an event.
Malaika Arora recalls her ‘auditions’ days
Mumbai– Malaika Arora has now earned the label of a dancing diva, but there was a time when she had to struggle like any other newcomer and face rejections.
“I remember going for many auditions and my mother used to accompany me. When I started off, I faced many rejections but that never let me down. I never gave up and kept trying. I was 17 years old when I started with my modelling career and from then one thing led to another and today, I am in the position to judge a show,” she said.
“It was not easy. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was 15-16 years old and today kids who come for auditions are so clear with what they want to do. Also, I was in my teens when I met Terence (Lewis) about 20 years ago and I was learning dance in his academy and today I am judging a show with him,” she added.
Malaika and Terence along with choreographer Geeta Kapur will be seen as judges of the dance reality show, “India’s Best Dancer”, which will premiere on February 29 on Sony Entertainment Television. The show will give a platform to talent who are aged between 15 and 30, and passionate about dance.
Anya Singh: Hope whoever I’m with becomes or is my best friend
New Delhi– Actress Anya Singh, who is currently featuring in a web-series “Never Kiss Your Best Friend”, hopes whoever she is with becomes her best friend or is her best friend and described it as a comfortable space to be in.
“I totally agree with it… I think you are lucky if you’re best friend can become your partner or your partner becomes your best friend because I feel when you are with your best friends whether it is a guy or a girl, you completely let your guards down. There’s no facade. You are completely real and yourself and if that person accepts you for that it’s a very pure relationship,” Anya told IANS.
“You are not hiding anything as they know you in and out. I think, it is a beautiful space to be in and lucky space to be in. I hope, whoever I am with, becomes my best friend or is my best friend and luckily has happened once before… It’s a comfortable space to be in,” she added.
The show “Never Kiss Your Best Friend” is based on a book of the same name by Sumrit Shahi. It is streaming on ZEE5.
Anya, 27, made her Bollywood debut in 2017 with “Qaidi Band”, which revolves around seven innocent undertrials, who give a band performance in the prison to get into the good books of the authorities and secure their acquittal.
Deepika Padukone shares her first look as Romi Dev in ’83’
Mumbai– Actress Deepika Padukone on Wednesday unveiled her look as Romi Dev, wife of cricket legend Kapil Dev, in the upcoming film “83”. She says the film is an ode to every woman who puts her husband’s dream before her own.
In the photo, she is dressed in a black top and peach coloured bottom, and sporting a short hairdo. She is seen smiling at actor Ranveer Singh, who plays Kapil in the film.
Deepika captioned it: “To be able to play a small but significant part in a film that captures one of the most iconic moments in sporting history has been an absolute honour.”
“I’ve seen very closely the role a wife plays in the success of her husband’s professional and personal aspirations in my mother and ’83’ for me in many ways is an ode to every woman who puts her husband’s dream before her own,” added the daughter of badminton star Prakash Padukone.
The film’s director Kabir Khan shared: “I have always thought of Deepika as a phenomenal actress and when I was thinking of casting for Romi Dev’s role, I could only think of her. Romi has a disarmingly charming and positive energy and Deepika has captured that with perfection.”
“Her easy chemistry with Ranveer will also greatly help in portraying the relationship that Kapil Dev and Romi share. I’m delighted that Deepika has been such an integral part of our journey for ’83’,” added the director about Deepika, who is married to Ranveer in real life too.
The film is produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Sajid Nadiadwala, Phantom Films, Reliance Entertainment and 83 Film Ltd. (IANS)
