While shooting for Ishaqzaade, haven’t you got the call in the morning from Yash raj production?(Parineeti chopra)
During Ishaqzaade shooting we were on the set at morning 7.00 clock and Arjun was giving his close-up so, I was waiting for him suddenly my phone rang with the name written Yash chopra calling so I directly stood up and receive the call and Yashji said, Thank you for doing my film at that time, I understand what is the value of humility in this industry and he is truly a gentleman, I don’t think any actor is as lucky as I am.

Arjun, from a director to an actor, did you realize yourself that you had a spark before Salman Khan came into the picture?
I think subconsciously, I would have liked to but because of the weight I put on it played on my mental state of mind so I didn’t think, I would be convincing as a commercial, mainstream actor. I guess, I lose that confidence so that’s where Salman bhai came and gave me confidence and made me realize that if you push yourself hard enough, you can become an actor.

So, What was your head space when Salman Khan used to make you drive bicycle behind him from the location to the film studio through Mumbai?(Arjun)
At that time, I was just numb and was trying to be positive about the experience. I was focusing on the weight loss. And didn’t focused on whether it was absurd or not because of Salman Bhai. He made me believe, If you don’t have that belief, you can’t go through. If you don’t have that confidence, you can’t go through cycling for two hours.

Parineeti, you called up your dad and had a meeting with him in Ambala? What was that meeting like? (Parineeti Chopra)
Ohh – very scary! I had already given my parents a shock when I told them I’m leaving London and coming back to India they knew for eighteen years of my life, “I want to go abroad, I want to study and live there and I don’t want to live in India, I wanted to be a banker.” I studied, worked, and went to university to pursue my dream. So, when I tell them I’m packing my bags and coming back to India that was a shock to them. A year later, I flew down to Ambala and said “Papa, I want to become an actor now”. So for him, not being part of the profession, he thought I was doing it for all the wrong reasons, either for glamour or wanting to become famous, at the age of 21. But fortunately, I did have my sister who set a very good example, and had done quite well. My parents are very cool though. They have never said no to anything I’ve wanted to do. They said you know, “we hope you know what you’re getting into” but then do it well. So I knew, from the first day, I’m an extremely hard worker, and from the first day, I’ve done that. So even if I wanted to be a butler tomorrow, they know that they would support me because they know I would really work hard and I do well at it. It was a really big shock for them but they were then very cool – they said “okay, go ahead. We know you’ll do well.”

Arjun, for you to be a director, what was the conversation with your father when you decided to make the switch?
I think Salman Khan played a big hand as an actor, as a human, as a personality, as a person who showed so much interest in you. He made me believe in hopes. My family also knew that he was coming from a very genuine place to inspired me and made me do for the right reasons. It wasn’t like he suddenly left. He took it upon himself to start training me personally, and taking interest in what I do, how I eat, how I live and said from today, I’m working toward being an actor. And I started taking training from Salman Bhai to lose my weight and eventually, when I started losing weight, then I started getting the confidence. My father was happy about the fact that I was pushing myself to lose weight for health reasons and as well as, you know I could be an actor and direct in the future. My mother was slightly confused as to why I made this jump because, I don’t think any mother in the world would want her son jumping from one job to another especially at the age of twenty, but she also accepted the fact that Salman Bhai believed so much in me and she always held on to that. It was only him who saw that. It never came down to having that conversation. It was just a gradual thing that happened.

Parineeti, you’re doing marketing with YRF what was the turning point? Was there a moment that it crystallized you to be an actor or was it a gradual thing?
Yeah, for me, it was a gradual thing. I think what happened was, when I went into YRF, I wanted to leave in six months, then go back to London, study further, then look for any other internship there or start working there. When I got the job, I started looking at the actors every single day. So every day, I used to sit there and look and think “Oh My God! what he’s doing, I can do it better. Oh My God, what she’s doing, I can do it better.” So, you know, I started thinking like them, like how would I answer that question? What would I wear? What would I do in that situation? So I realized and started thinking like an actor and I just fell in love with it.

Arjun, what Salman said, that became crystallizing moment, when you did – a specific line, a specific sentence or was it a gradual thing for you as well?
He said “do this or else you’ll break up ten years from today and regret it.” That some how struck a chord because he woke up that sleeping, dormant volcano of ambition in me. And it was a win-win situation? I mean, what’s the worst that could have happened at that time? I was just an assistant. I could have worked hard and lose my weight in the six months, and would have still been healthier. I just did it keeping in mind that I’m going to do it for the next six months and see how it goes. I didn’t think it would take me four years to lose all the weight. It wasn’t a plan. I’d always thought I would do it for six months and see how it pans out. I kept pushing myself, and I pulled through. Thankfully, the six months went really well and I kept going. Four years later, I was fit enough to be in front of the camera. That’s when Yash Raj Films – and Ishaqzaade happened.

Arjun, you knew a lot of things from being on film sets and assisting.
I had a grasp of the making and understanding of how the evolution from paper to film it would be. I was not awed by being on a film set so that helped me. If you haven’t been on a set in front of two hundred people, there is certain nakedness in an actor so that quality always helps you. The only one thing when going into the shoot was that I don’t need to worry about any other technical aspects because there are qualified individuals who know what they’re doing. They will make sure that I look my best, sound my best, and come across being the best I can be, and I need to put my best foot forward. And not to worry about the acting part. I know behind the camera, they are talented, which is why they are involved in the film.

So what was the most difficult part of shooting in Lucknow then? (Parineeti)
It was the weather! It was unbelievable. You know, in the film, it looks warm and beautiful and rustic. But we’ve shot in zero degrees weather, wearing those costumes – me with the Churidar Salwar and him with the jeans and vest. It was difficult to shoot! The weather was horrible. There was fog. There was rain and our D.O.P. (Director of Photography) only shoots in natural light. So we had to wait for the sun to come out before we could shoot and it was just crazy! I was glad we had work-shop for months. So, whenever the conditions were ready, the actors were ready.

Going back to the characters, do you think in real life you would be attracted to someone that similar? (Parineeti)
Uhh, I don’t know. Maybe my relationship would start that way. I don’t know. I’m not in a relationship so, I can’t say. But it may be the starting point if we have similar interests, and the first ten days, we can use that to do similar things. But I don’t know what the thing is that would make my relationship work. People always say opposites attract but all my friends are my friends because we are all similar. See, I’m single so I don’t know if I’ll fall in love, because we’re similar or because I don’t see anything of myself in him. When the time comes, I’ll let you know.

Arjun, there were very many influential people in your life, your father, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, your cousin – Sonam Kapoor. Who perhaps has had the most influential role to play in your development as an actor? (Arjun)
As an actor, I like to believe that everyone is an individual and that your process is your own. There has never been a major influence in acting because in a sense, that would make me seem like someone else. As an actor, I think you should have to respond to how you impulsively feel about the character. You can’t think about how someone else would do it – that would be a crutch in life. That can’t get you very far.

I’m more influenced by them off-camera – like the dedication you should bring to your work, I’ve learnt from Anil chachu. The spontaneity is from Salman – he is effortless in what he does. Govinda is watched for his comic timing. I try to learn from each but my performances, I like to hope, pray, and believe that I am never influenced by any one person.

The post Arjun Kapoor – Parineeti Chopra “Understanding The Mindset And Emotional Plight Of The Other Person Is Really Important” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Let us know Meghana as a person
I came from an army background and grown up in lots of small places in India, places we wouldn’t that even heard of. Those are very small but I think that upbringing sort of as a person made me love travel and also people, food. No, lot of army schools, small convent, mix of all of that and it was a beautiful journey and obviously as a army kid I was exposed to so many different people at a young age. Every 2 years you make new friends, your best friends keeps changing so by the time you reach cold you have so many more friends. I suppose to have 2-3 friends to be grown up with and I have always been very passionate about sports, my dad who was a basketball champion in his college days. He use to play for cordinal. He was very encouraging to me and my brother. He use to be like “Play sports”. So I would literally come back home, put my bag, eat my lunch and by 3:30 I was in the swimming pool doing water Pollos, swimming championship, tenis in winter’s, horse riding early in the morning. I did a lot of things . I use to come home like 8:30-9 when I was even little girl because I just didn’t feel like being home. Home was boring. I was somebody who never wanted to miss school because I had so much fun going to the school .I never bunked classes. I was very good student, did really well in exams.

So, did you enjoy your school days?
Alot, I think school was the best part of my life. I could do it all over again. I could just for back and start. I was a teacher’s pet specially my English teacher. There’s something about English teachers . The way they read, dress up, romanticize the fiction, novels, books that we would read and part of me always wanted to enact so gradually that’s when I exposed myself in theater.

Why did you expose yourself in theaters? How the interest in acting developed?
Because I was always very pro in reading plays. It was just an organic extension of myself. I was extremely active in extra-curricular activities. I was doing debates, auditions, sports, theaters like everything in school. So there was something Meghna has to be there. A community being formed Meghna had to represent it. It was somewhat like that because I was just very go to person for everything. Sometimes I just feel it’s a blessing to have had the parent’s that supports you in all of this. Instead of them forcing you to study they would tell me not to study so much because I use to always b up in exam days, I use to not sleep at all. I would come back from school do my sports, then study all night, go to my paper the next morning and again the next day the same pattern follows . So my parents were scared like “Oh my god, this women is hyper energy”.

How did you land in Mumbai?
Mumbai happened because of my best friend. I was in Delhi working as a journalist. He knew this is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because he know me really well.

So you studied journalism?
Yes, I studied journalism and then started working as a journalist. I worked with Headlines Today. Did lot of internships in college. I worked with Indian Express, Hindustan Times 7 years back during 2011-2012. I studied Bachelors in Journalism from Delhi University. We had some extra system. Every 6 months we had to do internships and give our exams.

So were you based in Delhi?
Yes, i was studying there living in a hostel because my parents were posted in Jodhpur so i was living in the army hostel and studying in that was an another experience of living away from family. Taste of Independence makes you realise how to manage your pocket money. First parents use to pay for everything but now you have to pay for your convenience, fee,money for coffee’s, shopping. Thats when i realised that its amazing for a women to be independent because you cannot just take care of yourself but you can actually support your friends. Your family not has to complaint about “Humari Beti is asking for money” that should never happen. That for me was very important because i wanted to actually be able to pay back for all the lovely years that they had spend spoiling me. So that came very early in my life. I always wanted to put together money for holidays so i have been able to do that couple of times now. I’m really greatful. Its just a small homage that could pay to my parents.

Why did you think that you cannot be successful journalist?
It’s not like that. My heart was not into journalism. I would have been enjoyed facing the camera more as an actor than I as a news anchor.

You went for modelling as well!
Yes, I did a number of modelling assignments for prints and ramp shows in Delhi. While working with Headlines Today I have started modelling along side. That time, I didn’t have the courage to quit a good job.

Were your parents happy with your decision to quit journalism?
No, initially they were scared. After quitting my job I didn’t inform my parents about it for almost 3 months. When I visited my parents in Jaipur, this was revealed. My father was septical about it. I had told them that I would like to pursue something I love though journalism is a very respected profession. I was not enjoying my work. I want to a brand of myself which was not possible as a journalist.

Which assignments have you taken up now?
I am doing a web series which is for a renowned platform. I can’t disclose it as I am not allowed to do so. However, the series is directed by Ayush Raina, which also stars Pratik Babbar, Rahul Dev, Sara Jean Dias. There are two films in the pipeline. One of the films will on floor in August-September where I am playing the lead and another big banner film will start from October where I am the parallel lead.

The post Meghana Kaushik “Organic Extension Of Self” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Tell us how was life before and after the Bahubali phase almost for half a decade?
After getting involved with the “Bahubali” franchise for more than half a decade, my career almost did a volte face. Earlier I did 17 Telugu films with the same clichéd themes.There was nothing to look forward to, as it was the same old routine. I had done one film with SS Rajamouli . All thanks to him that I got rid of this routine cycle of my career. I gave almost 5 years to SS Rajamouli for his epic creation the “Bahubali” franchise and life after that is beyond imagination. I don’t have words to describe my joy. I could not achieve so much even after doing 17 Telugu films that I achieved with just two films with SS Rajamouli. Needless to say I have learnt a lot. I gained a lot of enriching experience too. Another good thing that happened to me after passing through the “Bahubali” phase was that I am the first ever Telugu actor to have his wax figure installed at Madam Tussad’s Musuem.

In the wake of the grand success of the “Bahubali” franchise you have signed only one Telugu film Saaho! What made you go for the movie?
After doing the epic franchise of “Bahubali”, I could have easily signed on the dotted line of every film offered to me. I was also offered half a dozen other films on the lines of Bahubali. But I put my foot down and refused all of them. I cannot afford to waste another half a decade on yet another epic film like Babhubali.

Did you choose Saaho to get an entry to Bollywood?
After Bahubali it was only Saaho’s script that had caught my fancy. As said before I had already refused dozens of offers. In fact Saaho literally lived up to my criterion of selecting a good script. But then there was no other temptation. Shraddha Kapoor was signed on much later before the film went on the floors.

Aren’t you interested to be associated with Bollywood sooner or later?
I am very keen to do Bollywood movies for sure but only if I like the script. It must offer me something concrete to literally sink my teeth into it. The producer and his banner, and the director should be good though frankly I am not really fussy about my co-star. I may even go ahead and act opposite a rank newcomer. Maybe before Bahubali I would not have gone to such length of picking and choosing. Like my other contemporary South Indian actors and even my senior South Indian actors, I too have the desire to make it big in Bollywood. So let’s see which way the wind blows.

You also made a fleeting appearance in a Bollywood movie in actor – director Prabhudheva’s Action Jackson?
That’s it! Action Jackson was just a fleeting appearance. I did it just for my good friend Prabhudheva.

What is Saaho all about?
Saaho is a trilingual film that is being made in Hindi-Tamil-Telugu. It is an out an out commercial film with each and every actor having a well defined role .The story has been narrated from the point of view of Shraddha Kapoor’s character though it is not entirely a female oriented film. But all the characters are very important as they are just not fleeting in and out of the movie. It is being directed by Sujeeth. Surprisingly many other Bollywood actors also feature in Saaho besides Shraddha Kapoor and the main antagonist is Neil Nitin Mukesh. Stars like Jackie Shroff, Chunky Pandey, Mandira Bedi, Evelyn Sharma, Aditya Shrivastav of CID fame, Mahesh Manjrekar, Murli Sharma, Rudranil Ghosh & the late Narendra Jha are there in supporting roles. Saaho has been shot in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dubai, especially in Burj Khalifa, Abu Dhabi and Romania.

How was Shraddha Kapoor as a co-star?
Shraddha Kapoor is the main highlight of Saaho. She has literally put her heart and soul in her debut Telugu movie. I fully enjoyed working with her and our pair looks very good and fresh on the screen. She was not only fun to work with but our onscreen–chemistry too is something really good to watch out for. She is very professional, extremely dedicated and even I, as an actor, learnt a lot from her. I would really like to work with Shraddha Kapoor in a proper Bollywood movie too.

Do you remember any of the routine Telugu movies that you had ended up doing before Bahubali happened to you?
Those films were not routine. Some of them were really well made but they could have been made even better. Even if they were the run of the mill films, I have no regrets doing them. Some films that I really remember are Varsham, Chatrapathi, Chakram, Billa, Darling, Mr. Perfect and Mirchi for which I had bagged the Nandi award as a “Best Actor”

What is the real reason for the delay in doing a Bollywood movie?
When Bahubali was dubbed in Hindi it was the small screen actor Sharad Kelkar who ended up dubbing for me. So now I am trying my best to learn Hindi with its perfect nuances. And as and when I do a typical Hindi film, I would like to do it’s dubbing all by myself. I still have the hangover of a South Indian accent whenever I try to speak or converse with someone in Hindi.

What would you like to say about the rumors linking you with your Bahubali co-star Anushka Shetty?
First of all, I take all the rumors and the gossip in my stride as being a part and parcel of my profession. I will not deny that we both are very good friends till now. You can also call us family friends but please don’t try to read anything more than necessary. I am even aware of the marriage rumors circulating about us. But I believe in accepting such rumors with a pinch of salt. Period!

What next after Saaho?
My next movie after Saaho will be a small budget movie bordering totally on a love story. The movie will be filmed entirely in Europe. It is all set to go on the floors next month.

The post Prabhas “Beloved ‘Bahubali’ of the Masses” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

You made your debut in films with Utsav after your foray in theatre. How did you get the desirable break from Shashi Kapoor?
I never ever dreamt that one day I’d be acting in films too. I was actually working with a garment export house as well as doing theatre with Satyadev Dubeyji when I got the offer to act in Shashi Kapoor’s film Utsav which was being directed by Girish Karnad. I was a B.Com graduate who was drawing then a princely sum of Rs 750. Shankar Nag was my classmate at Lala Lajpat Rai College in Mahalakshmi and it was he who had introduced me to the theatre. Girish Karnad had seen me in theatre. I was zeroed in by producer Shashi Kapoor for Utsav, when he came to see my play Chowkidaar at prithvi theatre.

But was Mandi the first film of yours to be released?
Yes. I also started shooting for Mandi directed by Shyam Benegal in August end of 1982. After that there has been no looking back and I was part of films like Utsav, Dacait, Mr India, Pratibandh etc since offers started pouring in by buckets

You were a staunch fan of Shammi Kapoor !
Yes. I was an ardent fan of Shammi Kapoor and never missed the first day first show of his.

Was it difficult for a Gujarati boy like you to enter films?
First of all, let me clarify that I am not a Gujarati though people presume that I am a Gujarati because Gujaratis also have the surname of Patel. Arya is my surname. If at all I am today in films, I’d give the entire credit to my erstwhile boss at the garment exporting company- Kishorebhai who let me pursue my career in theatre first and films later as an actor.

Anil Kapoor had offered to cast you in Bapu’s film Woh Saat Din but you did not take it up. Why?
I knew Anil from the days he was working at the Prithvi Theater when he was simultaneously acting in Kannada films in small roles. He offered me the role that Master Raju did in Who Saat Din when we were sitting at Dubeyji’s office. I could not accept the role as I was busy dabbling in acting in plays as well as attending my office and had not thought of acting in films.

How did your tryst with TV start?
I never struggled for a break on TV, because I was happy with my stint with the theatre. It was Manju Singh who offered to cast me in her TV serial Ek Kahani which was followed by Shyam Benegal who cast me in his TV serial Katha Sagar before I ended up bagging Jyoti Swaroop’s serial Aa Bail Mujhe Maar

Is it true that you replaced Naseeruddin Shah in a play?
Naseeruddin Shah was acting in Satyadev Dubeyji’s play Sambog Se Sanyaas Tak. Once when he had to report for the shooting of Shyam Benegal’s Manthan,he could not act in the play and Satyadevji asked me to do the same role in the play.

Which are your five best serials as an actor?
My five best TV shows are Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Hum Hindusthani, one episode called J.K of Mahanagar which I did with Dr Shreeram Lagoo, Katha Sagar, Shyam Benegal’s Discovery of India and of course Shankar Nag’s Malgudy Days which proved to be a turning point in my career.

Who are your favorite current filmmakers in India?
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rajkumar Hirani are my all time favorite filmmakers today.

Where do you think you went wrong as far as Bollywood is concerned?
My biggest mistake was that I did not at all plan my career and did films blindly, like Kanti Shah’s C grade films or similar films and did not think about the consequences. I did not pursue the right projects and hence I missed the bus even after working with the Telugu super star Chiranjeevi in Pratibandh and Karisma Kapoor in producer D. Rama Naidu’s film Prem Qaidi. I think it was my approach which was wrong. I did not reach the people who mattered at the right time. I remember once I was stuck at the shooting of Pahalaj Nihalani and reached very late for Salim Akhtar’s shooting. In short, I did not at all know who was who in Bollywood at that point of time.

Why did you disappear from the scene in Mumbai and embrace the U.K TV scene?
It was way back in 2002 that I realized that character actors had nothing to do and the character actors were just reduced to being fillers on the sets

How did you bag your break in the West?
It was way back in 1992, when I was selected by BBC which scouted for talent for their series Buddha of Suburbia. The people who had come down to India had seen me in Govind Nihalani’s Tamas and insisted that they wanted to meet me. Roger Michell (of the film Notting Hill fame) zeroed in on me and I went to London to be part of many series. I was at that point of time only shooting for films like Parmatma and Aankhen. When I asked Pahalaj Nihalani if I could go abroad leaving his shooting of Aankhen, he coolly told me that for him the stars was his monkey and I was free to go to London for four months.

And you made U.K your second home for work!
Yes. Luckily, I bagged the Royal National Theatre’s play Rafta Rafta and the film Run Fat Boy and also did series like No 1 Ladies Detective Agency,The Driver, David Wlliams different series besides Romeo & Juliet for Shaespeare’s Globe Theatre. I was also a part of the longest running series called Coronation Street of which I had been a part of 45 episodes. The series has been on air from 1960. I have done 36 projects in TV, films and theatre from 2004 till today in UK.

In what way is the scenario in U.K different as far as TV serials are concerned for actors?
Unlike in India, there is no bonded labor in U.K and there is absolutely no exploitation of actors and quality always works

Didn’t you too face hassles over work permit like Dilip Tahil faced while in London?
Actor’s Equity was approached with the complaint that an actor was imported from India to act in Run Fat Boy Run but director David Schwimmer told them he wanted either me or no one else. Dilip won the case when the local Indian actors settled in U.K took objection to his working in Eastenders, since he had obtained the work permit for acting in the play Bombay Dreams

You did not try your luck at acting in series in USA Like Priyanka Chopra did!
I did three pilots in 2005, 2010 and 2011 like those of Scott Ellis’ Never Mind Nirvana for 20th Century Fox, David Schwimmer’s Nearly Nirvana for NBC for which I was paid $ 60000 per episode with retainer fee of $ 80,000 for six months but unfortunately for me they never got series orders, like Quantico got and David Schwimmer’s Nearly Nirvana for NBC and Tristram Shapeero’s Freaking Family for ABC

What are your projects right now in India?
Frankly I am free right now in India and do not have even a single project, because I kept in turning down offers in India whenever I was offered one because I was committed to my projects in the West. However,I am now open for both offers in films as well as TV but then the approach should be proper. People should not think that they are doing me a favor and approaching me as if I am sitting idle at home now, as I am not visible in India either in films or TV.

The post Harish Patel “I am open for offers for Films and Tv” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Excerpts from the interview:

Why did you think of becoming a producer in the first place? Isn’t production a tough job?
There are many concepts and ideas that have been bouncing around in my mind for some time now and I felt that I wanted to do much more, alongside acting. There are many times when you aren’t shooting or travelling and I wanted to make better use of that time. I wanted to explore direction and production both and use many of the skills that I have picked up along the way. Every job is tough, but as long as you enjoy it, it’s all worth it. Acting, directing and producing all have their own challenges, but I feel that it’s what I was born to do. I love all the different aspects of the creative field.

Don’t you think taking production and direction along with acting is like chewing many things at the same time?
When I decided to direct Ata Pata Laapata, it was because I didn’t feel that anyone else understood the story the way I did, because it is my vision. I have a great direction and writing team that helped me to put everything together, but even before the screenplay was on paper, I had already seen the film in my mind. The responsibility of the production was given to my wife because she is much better at the administrative side then I am, I preferred handling the creative side of things.

Where did you learn direction? Did you assist anybody in the past?
Direction was a part of my studies at Bhartendu Natya Academy, Lucknow and National School of Drama, Delhi. It was something that initially I had not thought of doing, but then after my nomination for Best Actor for the film Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon, I thought that I wanted to do something more. It was then that I had thought to explore into direction sometime over the next ten years and Ata Pata Laapata seemed to be the right project to start direction with. I have no regrets that I made my debut as a director with Ata Pata Laapata.

Does it mean that you have decided to quit acting and concentrate on filmmaking?
No. Acting will always be number one for me, but direction is a new found passion. I haven’t assisted anyone in the past, but I feel I have learnt a lot in the time I have spent on the sets as an actor. I will continue to learn and think of myself as a student of acting and direction.

How was your experience working with stalwart late Satyadev Dubey?
It was a tremendous experience working with legends like Dara Singhji and Dubeyji. Dubeyji was my teacher in NSD and it was such an interesting time we spent on the sets. Initially, I was intimidated to direct him, but he told me to go ahead and do my job as a director and tell him if he was going wrong. He was a complete director’s actor and we had a great time working together. He too has played a very symbolic role in the film and I feel will be a very memorable performance.

Tell me something about your experience of having worked in Ata Pata Laapata with Dara Singhji!
Dara Singhji, a legend in his own right, was a dream to work with. We could not imagine anyone else for the role that he has done in the film. Even a few short weeks before his passing, he dubbed the film in his own voice at his home. He worked until the end and that is something to be proud of. Both Dubeyji and Daraji were inspiring artists of theatre and film and I feel very blessed to have worked with them.

What is your approach to acting?
I have always have had a very positive approach towards acting in films. When Salman Khan’s office rang me up and asked me if I was ready to do two scenes as an actor in Pankaj Parashar’s film Tumko Na Bhool Payenge, I immediately said yes but both Salman and Pankaj were so impressed with my performance that ultimately I found myself doing 22 scenes in the film.

You have done Theater, Films and Television. How has your experience been in each medium and which medium among them you love the best?
I have had a great experience with all the three. It has been 25 years that I have spent in acting and each has taught me a lot. Each medium has its own value and requires an equal amount of hard work. These days I am enjoying working in films, but I still try to take out some time for theatre every couple of years.

Your latest release has been Tishnagi with Aryan Vaid and a host of newcomers. What made you say yes to the offer?
I do two kinds of films. There is one kind of film which I do to support myself as it has big banner, big director and big co-star. There is yet another kind of films which I do to support others with my presence. I know Tishnagi is a small budget film but I chose to be part of it because they told me that if I lent my support to them by being part of the film, they would be happy. I did the film, because I just cannot forget the fact that I too was a newcomer at one stage in my career.

Besides Hindi, you have also acted in films in Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Punjabi, Kannada and Bengali!
Yes. Not many are aware of the fact that till date, I have acted in around 180 films in Hindi, besides two films in Punjabi, two in Bengali, three in Marathi, two in Gujarati, one in Kannada. I confess that though Hindi films is my priority, I occasionally dabble in regional films though till date, I have not acted in a Tamil, Malayalam or a Bhojpuri films

Is it true that you have dubbed your lines in Telugu for director Surendra Reddy’s film?
Yes. It was because Surendra Reddy was particular that since Telugu has a striking resemblance to our ancient Sanskrit language, I should dub the lines in Telugu on my own.

You have been drawn in a legal suit and asked to give back Rs 5 cr which you had to take a loan to turn a producer with Ata Pata Lapata!.
It is not just a question of Rs 5 cr which I have to pay back. Till date, not a single person has raised a finger of his in front of me and I have not done anything that is even remotely seedy. It is actually the question of my hard earned reputation which I have built over the last 25 years of being a part of the film industry ever since I had started out with Prakash Jha’s TV serial Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapney. An unseen conspiracy is being hatched against me and someone is playing a political game against me, I will wage my own individual war and emerge victorious and also clear my name. I will not let my name be tarnished and will show to the world khoon is khoon and paani is is paani.

You are playing the role of a cop in Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish!
Yes. After Judwa 2, in which I played a comedian, I will be now seen as a cop in Lakshmi R Iyer’s historical drama, Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish (Gandhi – The Conspiracy), produced under the banner Nugen Media Productions and directed by Karim Traidia and Pankaj Sehgal.

Tell me about the role in detail!
I play the character of Delhi based DSP Jaswant Singh, which is dramatised around the true event when a two member police team headed by a DSP from Delhi was flown to Bombay with post interrogation confessional statements of Madan Lal, and carried what Delhi police claimed was incriminating data that could have got the would be murderers of Mahatma Gandhi arrested and nip the conspiracy in the bud.

Is it a complicated role of a simple honest police officer?
\Yes. I play a complicated but interesting role of an honest but simple police officer, who is unable to handle inter-departmental politics between Bombay and Delhi police, which remains an unresolved matter even today. It’s a light situational comedy in an otherwise dark thriller and comes in between the two attempts made on Mahatma Gandhi’s life in January 1948.

In what way is Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish different from other Gandhi films?
Though there have been several films made on Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish is different as it gives a fresh take on the conspiracy behind the murder of the late political leader. The story is quite intriguing and the script really appealed to me. Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish is a film based on true events that led to the first political assassination in independent India, and is scheduled to release this year.

What are your forthcoming films?
There are many films releasing soon such as my first Hollywood release, Barefoot and Hindi films such as Tukka Fit, Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo, Pied Piper, Priyadarshan’s next film, Sajid Khan’s Houseful 4 and last but not the least Gandhi Hatya: Ek Saazish.

The post Rajpal Yadav “Acting will always be my number one passion” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

How did you start your journey in Bollywood?
You would not believe it but the fact is that I had begin my career as a guy writing vouchers in the Accounts Department of Shakti Samanta’s Shakti Films in Andheri at Natraj Studios way back in 1973. When Shaktida was making his film Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, I was made the Head of Production and flown to outdoor shooting with Amitji, Amjad Khan and Raakhi. It was for the first time that I went by flight in my life.

For how many years did you work with Shaktida and in how many films?
I worked with Shaktida for ten years in films like Ayyash, Main Awara Hoon, Khwaab etc as Head of Production but frankly speaking, I could not learn much with my stint there because Shaktida was a One Man Show and did practically each and everything on his own steam.

Who did you join after you left Shakti Films?
I left Shaktida and joined producer-director B.R. Chopra as an assistant. Later I joined producer Titu. With him, I worked for seven years in films like Mar Mitenge, Dav Pech, Amiri Garibi and Bhutacha Bhau in Marathi. After I took part in the mahurat of Pankaj Parashar’s film Rajkumar, I left Titu because I could not see eye to eye with Pankaj Parashar and did not like his way of working as he was too loud.

When did you join UTV?
Manish Popat approached me and asked me to join UTV. When I went to see Ronnie Screwvala who was heading UTV, he was impressed with my profile. Ronnie told me that he was into making several soaps and I wondered where I was heading because I did not know he was meaning serials when he said soaps. I joined UTV as producer.

How many soaps oops sorry serials did you produce for UTV?
I produced Parivartan with Bharat Rangachary as the director. It was the first ever serial shot entirely in a seven star hotel. The serial was a big hit. Except for Binaji, Pradeep Kumar’s daughter-actress, every one else including Prashant Narayanan and Govind Namdeo weer new actors in the serial. Then I produced Ayyash, Shagun, CATS, Sarhadein, episodes of Saturday Suspense,Rishtey and X Zone with UTV. I also made Namaskar with Anjan Srivastav and Shoma Anand. It was Shoma Anand’s first ever serial. It was his second serial after Wagle Ki Duniya. I also had produced the serial Bhabhi and lost 3 crores in it. It took me four to five years to come out of it as I had a prolonged legal fight with Ronnie Screwvala and UTV.

You turned to managing events after your stint with UTV. How and why?
I had met this guy from Holland when I was working for Titu. He wanted to do a show in Holland with Jeetendra and Rishi Kapoor. I told him to meet me at Titu’s office the next day when he met me at a bar in the night. He came to meet me the next day and left with me five lakhs of rupees in dollars and asked me to fix Jeetu and Rishi Kapoor as they were not in town. My stint started as an event manager with him for the next several years. Today as an event manager on my own merit, I send abroad celebrity stars like Priyanka Chopra and Parineeti Chopra. Last year I had sent Jackie Shroff for an event in Chennai in April. This year, I will be sending Bappida for the same event in Chennai

Why have you stopped making serials for TV?
My television career started with Ronnie Screwvala of UTV for whom I produced several serials as a producer as well as Line Producer. When I began as a TV serial producer, the channels used to give the money to producer to make the serial. Thereafter the producer was asked to make a serial, deliver it and collect his money. Nowadays you will have to wait for 100 days to get your money from the channel as the corporate has stepped in now. I did not enjoy my stint with UTV. I did 10 shows for them. Though I had invested nearly 4 to 5 cr in them, I did not earn anything at all and only lost money. I am happy doing events now. I have spent as many as 45 years in this industry and enjoyed my journey till date. I am happy I am still active and what’s more in the news too.

What are you producing for TV now?
I have pitched in a serial called Jazba Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka based on campus to Star Plus. I am also all set to produce a web series.

What about the film Padmavati that you were planning to produce?
Yes. I read about the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati. It struck me that I should make a real film on Padmavati I even got in touch with the gharanas of the Rajasthan family. I decided to take advantage of the publicity generated by Padmavati and even did the recce for Padmavati in Jaipur. I also met the Karni Sena chief. I will launch my film with new comers because I am confident that people will come to see my film though it will be made in 3 cr because Sanjay Leela Bhansali has made a mess of the warrior that Padmavati was. I was disappointed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s title of Padmavati as I feel that it should have been Khilji as it revolved more around Khilji than Padmavati. Mine will be more of a mythology on Chittoor Rani Padmini.

Why is there a delay in your project?
After the release of Padmavat, I was called by Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts who were keen to make the film on Padmavati jointly with me. I had to put in the money and Mukta Arts would put the infrastructure including the locations. Either I will make Padmavati with Mukta Arts or make two more films for them, one of them a thriller and the other a love story.

Your father is Chandrashekarji!
My father Chandrashekarji is not only a former actor but also a producer, director and social activist. He is 95 years old today. Dilip Kumar is only 6 months older to my father. I am very proud to be the son of Chandrashekharji. Besides my dad, I am happy that I have my nephew Shakti Arora who is a very popular actor in TV and my son Vishal Shekhar who directs ad films.

Though you do not wish to be a director, which are the directors who are in your wish list as directors?
I have always liked masala film directors like Nasir Hussain. Manmohan Desai, Prakash Mehra etc earlier and like Luv Ranjan now. The TV industry has become a money game today. Ravi Rai, Raman Kumar etc are nowhere today whereas Anand Rai who used to look after Ravi Rai’s production is at the top of the game in films today.

Do you miss the golden days of TV when weeklies were the norm?
Earlier, personal relationships used to count , whether it was the film industry or for that matter the television industry, whereas nowadays it is all about money. I miss the good old TV days. I was the first TV serial producer to take my unit to Mahabaleshwar and Goa to shoot my serials and invite journalists to cover shootings. In fact, I used to host Holi parties every year but discontinued when the underworld took note of it.

The post Ashok Shekhar : An all rounder for forty years first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

You play one of the antagonists in the Tamil film Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru. Is it for the first time that you are working in a Tamil film? What exactly is your role in it?
It is for the first time that I am acting in a Tamil film. I play one of the two antagonists in the film, the other being Abhimanyu Singh, who plays Oma Singh. I play Banna Singh who is next in hierarchy to Oma. The cops are hunting for Banno and Oma, in the film but they do not know how they look.

How difficult was it for you to mouth your lines in Tamil for the role?
It was not difficult as I was required to talk mostly in Hindi as the film is based in Rajasthan. However, to lend authenticity to my character in the Tamil film, I also managed to speak a few lines in Tamil, which elicited a lot of applause for me all over Tamil Nadu.

When you were offered the role, did you realise that you would have to play the second fiddle to Abhimanyu Singh?
Frankly speaking, I did not know at all that Abhimanyu was the main villain in the film when it was offered to me, till I saw the film after it was complete. Though I do not play the main villain, mine is quite a significant character in the film. I just shared one single scene with Abhimanyu but I was overwhelmed with the response that my character fetched from all the fans.

Who plays the title role in the film?
It is Karthi who is one of the superstars down South who has played the title role of Theeran in the film. Karthi happens to be the younger brother of super star Surya and the son of yesteryear actor Sivakumar. The best thing about Karthi is that though he is a super star with a following of his own, he does not have even an iota of pride or any baggage with him.

You hail from the theatre background. Where did you learn acting?
Yes. I am from the theatre background. I learnt acting at Roshan Taneja’s Acting Academy in Mumbai. I was also a part of Om Katare’s Yatri group. Basically I learnt acting only by observing all the actors in plays.

With which film did you make your debut as an actor?
It was with Rajat Kapoor’s film Mitya that I had made my debut as an actor in Hindi films, though it was Ekta Kapoor’s Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, that fetched me a lot of accolades as an actor, even though it was a scene that had me for just 33 seconds. In fact, when Karthi told me on the day we were shooting together for Dheeran in Rajasthan, that he had watched me in the film just the night before. Karthi could not believe it when I told him that it was role which I had accepted when I was struggling for good roles.

In what way did your small role in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai help you as an actor?
After watching the 33 second role in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, the director of Baramas offered to cast me in his serious issue based film Baramas, because he was very impressed with my screen presence in the film.

How do you look back at your career till date?
Though I have put in 12 years as an actor in the film industry, I think I have learnt a lot in spite of having arrived very late. I would say that Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru is a milestone in my career, since it has fetched me recognition and popularity as an actor which all these years Hindi films could not fetch me at all.

Why has it taken you more time to get recognition as well as fame in films?
I think I’d rather blame myself for this state of affairs because for 12 years, I did a lot of TV serials not only to gain experience in acting, but also get money to sustain myself though my focus was always on films.

Are you not getting offers to be part of web series now that the trend has caught up in a big way?
I am of course getting a lot of offers to be a part of web series, but I am waiting and watching because my priority right now is only films.

Which are some of the memorable films in which you had acted to date?
Khel To Ab Shuru Hoga, Jannat and Jannat 2, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Raja Natwarlal, Micky Virus, Mitya, Baramas, and a few others are some of the Hindi films which I still remember for the kind of roles that I got the opportunity to portray.

What has happened to Vishram Sawant’s film Shooter in which you were cast with Suniel Shetty and Randeep Hooda?
Unfortunately for me, the film in which I have a stellar role is yet to get a proper release.

How choosy are you as an actor when a film offer is made to you?
I am not at all choosy because I just cannot afford to be choosy. Today, I am flooded with offers to play either a negative role or an anti hero role. With honesty, I would like to state that as an actor, I have absolutely no choice. All that I wish at this stage of my career is that I should get work on a regular basis.

In what way do you think cinema has changed over the years from the time that you had made your debut with Mitya?
Cinema has changed hell of a lot for the good of course since the time I had acted in Mitya. Today, the casting directors play a vital role in casting any actor in a film whereas earlier it was only the directors who used to decide on whom to cast for which role in their films.

Do you have any regrets that you have not been seen in as many films as possible?
I may have done less work when you compare it with that of my other colleagues, but I have the satisfaction that I have done good work. I have never shied away from work. I remember there have been times when I have worked for even 18 hours day on the sets of my films. I am glad that though I never used to quote my price as such, I have always been paid quite handsomely by my producers.

What next after Teheran Adhigaaram Ondru?
I am excited to be a part of a film called Gul which is directed by Patrick. I play an army soldier in the film, which is the story of one night. I am also there in the film Gaaon, directed by Gautam Singh, which is a real issue based film which has been shot in Jharkhand.

The post Rohit Pathak “Dheeran Adhigaaram Ondru Is A Milestone In My Career As An Actor” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

What do you think about MIFF 2018 held recently?
It is a very good thing that the makers of short films and documentaries are getting a good platform in the form of MIFF to showcase what they are making. They should also get their rightful place in the sun. When you make a short film or a documentary, you can work on intelligent and offbeat ideas and Indian stories without any limitations.

You have acted in the short film ‘Pressure Cooker’ directed by Heena D’ Souza, which was showcased by MIFF this year. Can you tell us something about what the film is all about?
In the India of 1990s, which hadn’t yet opened up to the glitter of the free market and unimaginable choices, like today, monotony had a flavour attached to it, which was crafted with utmost care and attention over the years. What happens when a lonely housewife from lower-middle-class Mumbai starts getting a taste of novelty through a metaphorical new automatic pressure cooker and also the attraction of a younger man. Whether she will be able to allow new commodities to enter the floodgates of her world, forms the crux of the film.

How was the experience as an actress?
The subject was very cute because it did not have a conclusive end. It is for the first time in my career that I have acted in a short film like Pressure Cooker. It was a fairly enjoyable experience working with a woman-oriented film directed by a woman director.

What message does the film set out to drive home?
The film is an effort by the director Heena D’souza to look at the changing modernizing worlds of commodity and sexuality in an era where a change of anything, especially a kitchen appliance was a deeply emotional issue. From the eyes of a middle-aged Mumbai woman, Pressure Cooker is about the analogy of an irritating pressure cooker of a housewife and her extremely irritating husband who depends on her for every need of his. How she settles for her old cooker though she had a choice to opt for a brand new one, forms the crux of the plot of the film.

How did you approach your role in the short film?
I play Swati, the wife of a dispirited husband. There are so many hidden layers in it, even though it is a very simple story. The director hasn’t tried to tell you which angle you should follow, and she hasn’t tried to play the intellectual card at all. It’s told so simply that you understand every little nuance in it. Like her character in the film realizes that even though caught in the rut, the old will always be gold, the times have changed and for someone belonging to that era, not everything was a throwaway fashion.

Can you elaborate on this point a bit?
Back in our time, when I was a kid, the things and appliances used to run for a long time. You had a transistor, two in one radio set, TV which lasted for 10-12 years. That doesn’t happen anymore. We’re living in an age where even Apple has confessed to slowing down their phones once the new models are out. And that mindset translates to everything else too. In today’s time, even the relationships are now ‘use and throw’ like disposable relationships.

How did you prepare to get into the skin of your character?
I have a friend who went in for a separation after several years of marriage when she realized that her husband had fallen in love with another woman. When I asked her if she had moved on in life, she frankly told me that she was not ready to go through the whole process of wooing yet another person after her traumatic split from her husband, though she was not exactly whining, because she was beyond that phase. I kept in mind my friend’s situation when I agreed to act in the short film.

Were you not sceptical about Heena D’ Souza since she is a new director?
Heena was very confident and not at all in awe of me. Girls of today’s generation are not like what we were earlier. They know exactly what they have to deliver of today. I feel that it isn’t fair that you should be suspicious or doubtful about whether a new director would be able to direct a film. I should say that Heena was indeed very wonderful. Can you believe it, but she completed the film in just three days.

Can you evaluate your growth over the years as an actress?
I may have acted in as many as 25 films as a child artist and I have to my credit as many as 65 to 70 films as an adult actress. I should confess that I have acted more in TV shows than films over the years. I had made my debut with the Marathi play Mukhavate as a child actress. It was the Marathi adaptation of the popular play Adhe Adhure by Mohan Rakesh.

How would you feel your career has shaped since the last few years?
I think your age and experience help you tremendously as an actor and make you a better artist. When you are in your 20’s, whether you like it or not, the fact is that you only imagine things, whereas when you are in your 40’s you will know things.

What is your role in The Tashkent File?
I play a bitch of a woman called Ayesha Alisha in the film. I am playing one of the members who is asked to sit on a judicial enquiry in the film.

When do you plan to turn a director?
I do not think that it is for me to turn a director, though I consider myself a good producer especially because I am little laid back. I feel that acting is also tough and I do not think that I want to increase my troubles by also setting out to direct films like my husband Vivek Agnihotri does.

Which are the five best films of yours according to you?
Andha Yudh, Making of The Mahatma, Sooraj ka Saatwa Ghoda, Buddha In A Traffic Jam and The Tashkent File, which has just been completed and being readied for release.

What are you working on next?
Right now I am working on a film called The Tashkent File which revolves around a chapter in the late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s life and times. I am glad that I have been pitted in the film with a host of talented actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborty, Shweta Basu Prasad, Pankaj Tripathi and Prakash Belawade. My husband Vivek Agnihotri is directing the film after his directorial venture Buddha In A Traffic Jam. I play Ayesha Ali Shah, a bitch of a woman in The Tashkent File. It was very difficult to play the character because I was given the strict brief by my director – husband that I should not smile at all, though it is my natural disposition to smile.

The post Pallavi Joshi “You can tell your Story in 3 to 15 minutes with a Short Film” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Yogita, you were born to your parents when the family name was splashed across in a negative light at all times. How did your father Arun Gawli’s reputation affect your childhood?
Our childhood was never affected negatively. Yes, there were many watchful eyes, but even though my siblings and I went to different schools, we were treated with love and affection everywhere. There was never any kind of bullying because of who we were.

How involved or aware is your father in the matters of family? How do the family dynamics work now in his absence?
Dad is still involved in family matters, he is updated with what each one of us are doing in our lives. Of course, Mummy (Asha Gawli) has taken the reigns of the family in her hands, but every decision is discussed with Dad and everything happens with his support. My dad has also been very supportive of my marriage and my choice of life partner.

Tell us more about your father’s decisions. What were his beliefs and his life choices?
He loves education and was fond of studying. He might have never quit his studies if it wasn’t for all the politics related issues back then, when my dad had decided to fight back. That’s when he got sucked in to the whirlpool of the circumstances as he tried to defend his people against the wrongdoings. That’s when he had formed the gang. My father always believed that he was a victim of circumstances. He stands by his people and does not believe that running away from a situation is an option! Dad is a strong believer of Krishna and Shambho.

What do you think has been his biggest regret?
He regrets not spending time with his family. He missed the chance to see his children grow. My elder sister Geeta was 3 years old, when Dad first saw her because he was in the hiding. Due to the dangerous circumstances back then, he missed doing things that other normal families did such as going to the movies or just moving around freely.

How has distance from family changed him? What has his absence in the family been like?
His absence has been a big loss for everyone. My parents had a love marriage, and mom has always supported his decisions.He has always been very concerned about our safety. That’s mostly all that he worries about. But as a family, it’s been a matter of pride for us. We are only proud of his actions and I consider very fortunate to be my parents’ daughter. Daddy has always been a fighter and he has survived it all. Mummy (As Mrs Asha Arun Gawli is fondly called by all) has also done a lot for the society and it shows in the amount of respect we are all met with till date. In fact, even though Daddy is inside, he is still approached for help. He is always surrounded by people in need of help and he never turns them away.

Who does he trust the most with taking decisions on his behalf?
Definitely Mummy! She has also been through equal amount of struggle. We have grown very close to mom, we tell her everything easily because for a few things he is still a strict head of the family.

If he could change one thing or go back in time and reverse one event, what would that be and why?
I can’t really say if there’s only one thing. I’m sure he would want to change where he is right now. But Daddy is a learner. He has learnt from the mistakes he made and tried to make his life better, but he is not a man of regrets!

How did it feel to have your family life opened up to the masses via the movie Daddy?
My father did not read the script or go through any formal contract signing when he was first approached for the film. He had allowed the makers to go ahead and make the film in good faith. The only condition was to not mess with his personal life or the love angle in the script and that Mr. Arjun Rampal personally made sure of. Daddy wasn’t concerned about how his character was portrayed but more concerned about the way his partners, his people and the gang was shown. In fact, there were some last minute changes that were made because in many scenes women were not shown or looked at in a dignified way. But the movie was made keeping many sensitive facts aside and we all were aware of the kind of publicity it would lead to. We were okay with that because we all are proud of whose children we are.

What inspired your father to change his ways? How did he opt for a life in politics?
Dad was always attached to charity – with or without politics. He was a believerDaan Dharmo. He has always helped the needy and that’s always been a driving force for him, either in his younger years or when he decided to take up politics. While he was out, he saw that people still had the same problem for basic amenities such as water or corruption. That’s when he decided to start Akhil Bhartiya Sena. He wanted to take care of his people through his own party because he knew that’s the only way to stand up for the needy without being harassed by authorities. That’s why he entered politics and left the old ways behind.

What’s your opinion about your father’s conviction? What do you think about his arrest and sentence?
I’d say that this has affected our faith in the Indian judiciary. There are a lot of facts that do not add up and yet he has spent 10 years inside. Imagine if this is how difficult it becomes for the then MLA to fight for justice, it’s impossible for the common man to expect a fair verdict in time. This has gone on for too long and the system should consider the amount of time that has been lost in vain.

My sister Geeta who has been a BMC Corporator 3 times in a row is also trying her best.
There were many criminals, dons and gangsters who left their people dying, to flee the country. I am proud to say that my dad didn’t abandon anyone. He stayed where he was, trying to do good for his people in one way or the other and that’s what the authorities need to understand. Daddy wasn’t evil. He was only a victim of the circumstances and he decided to fight back in support of the people who believed in him.

The post Gangster Arun Gawli Turned Dharmatma first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Yogita Arun Gawli doesn’t dream of making it big in the commercial world, she has instead chosen to start a social entrepreneurial venture which will benefit the socio-economically compromised community.

Being the 3rd generation of an illustrious family supporting social up-liftment causes, she plans to take the same to the next level through Kara Foundation, an NGO she set up for bringing the marginalized community into the main stream.

Having completed her Masters in Political Science with an internship with SAARC in Kathmandu on Poverty Alleviation, she has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Governments Public policy-making. She plans to use the same and transcend the benefits of these pro-marginalized people based policies of the Government to the community through her Kara Foundation.

Daughter of Arun and Asha Gawli, Yogita has hands on experience of political campaign management for the family wherein she has interacted with and understood the constituency people and their issues first hand. She plans to alleviate their major problem of poverty due to lack of education, employment and health by implementing the various government schemes and passing on their benefits to the socio- economically compromised communities.

Her goal is to bring a smile to the face of the marginalized community through her selfless devotion of time and resources to the cause of social up-liftment in urban and rural areas of Maharashtra.

Kara Foundation which she started in September 2016 is based on Yogita’s belief in giving back to the society which has given her so much.

The core focus is on Health and Hygiene for the girl child, women empowerment and youth entrepreneurial skill building. Yogita’s dream is to see that no girl child in Maharashtra misses her school or college during her monthly cycle due to the lack of a hygienic sanitary solution.

In her project, every woman is ensured of some financial independence through the foundations work from home projects.

Kara Foundation endeavours to enhance the lives of the girl child, youth and women by providing differentiator solutions to all three sections of the socio-economically compromised community.

VERUS FERREIRA met up with Founder and Managing Trustee of Kara Foundation YOGITA GAWLI to know more about her NGO and her core focus on providing hygienic sanitary solutions for the girl child.

What inspired you to start Kara Foundation?
The interest has always been in me to do some social work and I felt this more after I completed my Masters in Political Science with an internship with SAARC in Kathmandu on Poverty Alleviation. Women empowerment was always in my mind, but I also wanted to do take up a common cause which was always neglected and I thought why not focus on the problems faced by women. Then I did a little bit of research and found that almost 80 per cent of Indian women have health issues by not using sanitary pads. There were young girls in Mumbai who were not using it. It was then that I thought of creating our own manufacturing unit where women would be trained and earn a livelihood and bring out a product that is not harmful for the environment. We went to many places like Jaipur, Rajasthan, we also met Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu, whose mission was to provide sanitary napkins to poor women of rural areas and is today known as Pad Man to know more about the situation. But taking the machinery to Mumbai would be difficult and so we met up with a manufacturer in Mumbai which is ISO certified who could help us produce biodegradable pads. We started this unit in July 2017. We now have 12 women working for us. We have 10 BMC schools and 552 girls who we have adopted for their monthly sanitary needs, all this for free. My target is to have around 2000 girls benefit by this year end.

So how is the sanitary pad different from the branded ones? What is the quality of the sanitary pads you make?
Our product is called ‘U-vati’ and cost around Rs. 35 – 40 a month for 8 pads, which comes to around Rs. 480 a year for a girl’s yearly sanitary hygiene. The product is a handmade, completely chemical free, regular in size, user and skin friendly, 100 per cent biodegradable pad. The pads made by branded companies are super absorbent material and are 90 per cent plastic and cause a lot of health problems such as a weak immune system, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer, hormone dysfunction and so on. Unlike branded companies who spend on packaging, brand name and other factors which make their price above Rs. 60 and Rs. 70 for a pack of 6, our price is low due to the products we use.
How do you source funds for this project?
As of now it is self funded, but we are always looking at help from anyone who is willing to give us a hand.

Is the product available in the market?
We have not got to the point of selling these pads, we presently donate. But now to cover costs due to the running of the unit, the salary of the women, the raw material and other expenses, we are slowly going to put the pads up for sale. One we do this we would even appeal to society at large to come and help us contribute so that we can adopt more girls for our cause.

Do think the government or any other NGO would collaborate with you and together you could make this a pan India movement?
We are hoping for it and I do hope so because the cause is good as I think that the pads should be given free to at least the girls who are from the poorer category or those who cannot afford it. I feel that once they are used to using these pads, when they grow older and more independent by themselves, they can also buy it for themselves. And I feel the government should support us because it’s a product that is Make In India, by Indian women. As for the availability of the pads, now it’s only Mumbai, we then plan on slowly covering all of Maharashtra and then all over India.

How has the response been to the product?
We are just about one and a half year old and the BMC schools have shown a great interest and are very cooperative with us in what we are doing. Every month we go to schools and have health camps for girls on the same issue.

What is your monthly production numbers?
It’s around 2000 to 3000 pads, but now since we are not into sales, but once we get into sales, our production would be more and our cost would also be less.

Have you received any requests or queries from overseas?
I want to get associated.

Does your family support the work that you do, especially your dad?
Yes, my family is very supportive in this and my dad is very supportive for social causes and especially for the girl child. They don’t feel its taboo; it’s something that has to be acknowledged, to be known and to be respected. In the lower middle class they are so neglected that the women themselves start neglecting themselves, not taking care of themselves, using the old fashioned way of an old cloth, dry leaves, for their menstruation, which later causes infection. We want to change this monthly problem, for it is natural, not something to make a big issue about, but also something that needs to be taken care of.

There’s also a Bollywood movie ‘Pad Man’ based on the real story of India’s pad man Arunachalam Muruganantham releasing this month. Do you think this movie would give an answer to the problems of women and make them think?
Well I think that people should be entertained and at the same time learn that how one man from a rural area felt it important to take the imitative and do this. This film would make an impact and make women feel that this is an important thing to know about and make them feel that they should give their attention to.

Are you trying to associate yourself with the movie in anyway?
Well I am trying my best to contact Akshay Kumar. But I think he is busy promoting his movie and I am sure that if he knows about my NGO, he would surely support it since he is so much into showcasing the cause in the film.

The sanitary pads are one aspect of your Foundation, what other projects are you involved with?
First we had initiated a project on women empowerment. I found that women are very talented when it comes to government schemes. But though the government has many courses for women, the problem is that after doing these courses, the women are still at home. So I thought it would be good to have a project where women can also work from home. So we have this project called Godhri (quilt), which is a dying art of Maharashtra. We thought we’d revive it. Godhri is basically a multi colored hand made quilt. So we taught women how to design it, how to stitch it and give colourful designs to it. We also taught them how to make bags, earrings, pillow covers, mats and other things. The women learn from us, take the material from us, and have the option to work at home. Once done, we then exhibit it and try to give them a name and branding and in the end they make some money out of it.

How did you come up with the name Kara for your NGO?
When I was thinking about a name for my NGO, I wasn’t thinking too much into a Hindi sounding name or a Sanskrit or English name either, nothing too long too. I came up with the name Kar which means hands, and I added an ‘a’ to it and got ‘Kara’ which in Marathi means ‘to do’, like to do something for a good cause. It has many other good meaning in Sanskrit like hope, upliftment and so on. So I thought this is the best, short and sweet and I kept it. It also has a double A, one ‘A’ for my father Arun and the other ‘A’ for my mother Asha.

How do you plan to take the Kara Foundation forward?
I am proud that I have initiated one project which is women empowerment and work from home and the girl project. We have put this together under this whole programme as U-vati, which means young girl. I look forward to the support of anyone to come forward and extend a helping hand.

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