logo
Arnav Maggo blends music and acting in Hai Junoon

Arnav Maggo blends music and acting in Hai Junoon

Time of India19-05-2025

Actor-singer
Arnav Maggo
plays Saransh, a passionate college vocalist, in the musical drama
Hai Junoon
.
Starring alongside Neil Nitin Mukesh, Arnav brings a mix of musical experience and acting skill to his role as a member of the band Supersonics at Anderson's College, where Neil plays their mentor.
The role allowed Arnav to draw from his real-life background as a trained musician. 'Saransh's journey mirrored my own — a singer chasing his dream,' he says. 'It felt like I was telling my own story on screen.' His musical roots helped him during the audition and throughout the show's performance-heavy sequences.
Hai Junoon
marks Arnav's second major screen appearance following his debut in Neeraj Pandey's
The Freelancer
. He also led the short film
Aloo Bhujia
, directed by Lakshmi Iyer and produced by Gul Panag. The film was showcased at various festivals.
Although Arnav and
Jacqueline Fernandez
, who also debuts on OTT with this series, don't share scenes, they met during promotions. 'She is extremely sweet,' Arnav says. The show follows a campus music rivalry between two bands — The Misfits and Supersonics — as they compete for the GOATs Trophy.
Arnav, who grew up in Delhi and studied in New York, splits his time between Dubai, Delhi, and Mumbai. He shares a personal connection to Kolkata, where his mother was raised and his grandfather lived. He fondly remembers childhood visits, especially the food at Bengali weddings. Next, Arnav will appear in a music video.
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. Don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Violence in cinema is a reflection of society'
‘Violence in cinema is a reflection of society'

New Indian Express

time16 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

‘Violence in cinema is a reflection of society'

You mentioned showing the film to Mani Ratnam and that he had a suggestion... I showed the film to both Mani (Ratnam) sir and Kamal sir. But the first person I screened it for was Joshiy sir. When the film was about 60% complete, I sought his feedback, and it proved valuable. Later, I showed the full version to Mani sir and Kamal sir. Interestingly, both of them pointed out that a scene I had removed would have added value to the film. I took their suggestion and reinstated the scene, which synced well with the rest of the film. After re-editing, I showed it to Karthik Subbaraj, who suggested another possibility, leading to one more round of editing. That version ultimately became the final cut. Do you think Pani didn't get the recognition it deserved? Many top directors, distributors, and producers from the Tamil industry appreciated the film, saying it should have done better at the box office. Perhaps it's destiny, but I believe our system played a role. Some people find it difficult to accept my success, having seen me struggle as a junior actor earning `50. Now, my salary is significantly higher and it's hard for them to digest that fact. The film was a labour of love, with 18 edit versions. It was a huge risk, with a big budget and newcomers. But I'm grateful it paid off. Had it failed, my career would have taken a massive hit. I invested two years of my life and `18 crore. I feel it deserved more appreciation. Did people close to you hesitate to appreciate the film? Don't you think the movie would have received a better response had the director's name been different? That's worth considering. As for the controversy with a reviewer, it's disheartening that no one stood up for me. And the media didn't give me a chance to share my side of the story. The villain in Pani was particularly intense and memorable. Have you ever met such a person in real life? I haven't met anyone exactly like that, but I've encountered many people with that shade of personality. I've seen people committing grave crimes over trivial matters. The character in Pani reflects that mindset... someone who doesn't care about consequences. You are known for your action sequences. How much do you enjoy doing action scenes? For me, action scenes are an extension of acting. I focus on the context, characters, and overall scene dynamics. Before performing an action sequence, I consider all these factors. When Joshiy sir cast me in Porinju Mariam Jose, I was surprised and had to rise to the challenge of doing an action sequence. The scene was shot in my hometown, with around 3,000 people watching, which added to the pressure. But I grew up watching fights. So it was easy for me... Have you encountered a fight in your real life? I've been beaten up and I've beaten up others too (laughs). There's a general perception that violence is increasing in films... Violence in cinema is a reflection of what's happening in society. People are getting bored with routine narratives. And they are in fact enjoying intense content. But if we're asking whether films are influencing real life, I'd say look around. The reality is far worse. While researching for Pani, I came across incidents that shook me. In one, a six-year-old was stamped to death near my own neighbourhood. Now, which film do we blame for such brutality? We're living in a time when violence is embedded in everyday life. In this context, I strongly believe the police need to take tougher action. The respect and fear that people once had for the police have eroded. Today, criminals show no remorse. They live comfortably in jail, eating chapatis and chicken, while schoolchildren are served kanji (gruel) and cereal. Harsh as it may sound, I believe such criminals should be dealt with firmly, even eliminated. Whether that belief is right or wrong, I don't know. Talk is that Joju's movies are dark. How do you view that? (Laughs) Some people call me 'Depression Star'. Such comments were made on stage too.

Kuberaa OTT release: Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna and Nagarjuna Akkineni starrer will debut on THIS streaming giant
Kuberaa OTT release: Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna and Nagarjuna Akkineni starrer will debut on THIS streaming giant

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

Kuberaa OTT release: Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna and Nagarjuna Akkineni starrer will debut on THIS streaming giant

Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna and Nagarjuna Akkineni starrer 'Kuberaa' hit the big screens on Friday, June 20. Released in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada and Tamil, its OTT release is in wide discussion since its strong theatrical debut. Directed by Sekhar Kammula of 'Fidaa' fame, the film is produced by Sree Venkateswara Cinemas and Amigos Creations. Featuring a runtime of 182 Mins, this social-themed depicts intense storyline and is packed with powerhouse performances. 'Kuberaa' has bagged a huge OTT deal as streaming giant Amazon Prime Video bought the digital streaming rights of the film reportedly for ₹ 50 crore, OTT play reported. Marking the biggest deal for Dhanush and Nagarjuna, the pan-Indian social thriller is making waves at the box office. Although no confirmation about its release date is available yet, 'Kuberaa' will reportedly be released on OTT platform within a month of its theatrical release. According to a key member of the film crew, the film will be released in the third week of July 2025. The Tollywood movie opened to a massive ₹ 14.75 crore net in India, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The movie witnessed 19.39 percent spike in its earnings on the second day in theatres and minted ₹ 17.61 crore net on Saturday, June 21. Telugu screenings are driving its earnings and domestic box office collection after two day run stands at ₹ 32.36 crore net. Kuberaa's star cast also features Jim Sarbh and Dalip Tahil in pivotal roles. The filmmakers in a post on X claimed that the movie did a business of ₹ 30 crore gross worldwide on Day 1. The post states, " ₹ 30 Cr+ Day 1 worldwide gross (estimated). This is just the beginning of a rage that's set to ignite the box office in the days to come."

Nagarjuna claims he is the 'main character' in 'Kuberaa.' Angry Dhanush fans react: 'Will he say the same for Rajinikanth's film?'
Nagarjuna claims he is the 'main character' in 'Kuberaa.' Angry Dhanush fans react: 'Will he say the same for Rajinikanth's film?'

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Nagarjuna claims he is the 'main character' in 'Kuberaa.' Angry Dhanush fans react: 'Will he say the same for Rajinikanth's film?'

Tamil star Dhanush 's Telugu comeback, ' Kuberaa ,' opened to rave reviews and is touted to become one of the best movies to come out of Tollywood this year. While the cast's acting, especially Dhanush's soulful performance as Deva, an impoverished young man who is involved in a race against time to survive, has been unanimously praised, Telugu superstar Nagarjuna , who plays a co-lead in the movie, stirred the hornet's nest by claiming that he was the hero of 'Kuberaa.' At the success meet of the film held on Saturday, Nagarjuna stated that while Dhanush's character may have more screen time, the character arc of his role, Deepak, is the soul of the movie. 'Kuberaa is Deepak's film from start to end,' he told the press. 'Through this film, I am the main character in the film, and everything else revolves around me. The character arc for Deepak is what I liked a lot. Jim Sarbh has done a fantastic job, but his role has a straight arc. Similarly, for Dhanush's character, which doesn't have a guilt complex or an element of sacrifice. He is a very innocent character, with a single graph. My character has three shades,' he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo — CinemaWithAB (@CinemaWithAB) Nagarjuna portrays Deepak Tej , a principled ex-CBI officer whose unwavering integrity is gradually eroded by the harsh realities of life. Worn down by repeated injustices and disillusioned by a system that punishes honesty, Deepak eventually aligns himself with a powerful businessman, choosing a path he once stood firmly against. Dhanush Fans Slam Nagarjuna The clip went viral on X and irked the ire of many Dhanush fans. 'Will he do the same for the Rajnikanth movie?' quipped one fan, referring to the fact that the superstar will make an appearance in the upcoming Rajinikanth-starrer 'Coolie'. Another stated, 'Both did their part well. No one should take all the credit. It's a multi-star film..' said another. One Nagarjuna fan came to his defense: 'Nagarjuna is giving credit to the director ... that his character was executed well ... that's it ... why do you guys blame him ... everyone knows Dhanush is the hero ...' 'Kuberaa' Box Office Report As per a Sacnilk. com report, 'Kuberaa' has earned Rs 32.36 crore within two days of its release. About 'Kuberaa' Directed by Sekhar Kammula , 'Kuberaa' revolves around Deva, a naive, impoverished man from Tirupati who inadvertently gets caught in a web of lies and fake get-rich-quick schemes and now must fight to stay alive. Aside from Dhanush and Nagarjuna, the movie also features Rashmika Mandanna and Jim Sarbh.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store