
Amid Deepika Padukone, Sandeep Reddy Vanga row, Radhika Apte admits industry is not conducive to new mom needs: ‘It's really difficult...'
The news of Deepika Padukone's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit started a discourse in the industry after it was claimed that her 'unprofessional demands' led to her ouster. After Aja Devgn came to the actress' support, Radhika Apte, who is also a new mother, claimed that the industry is not conducive to the needs of a new mother.
The Lust Stories actress announced her pregnancy last year as she flaunted her baby bump on the red carpet of the BAFTA Awards. She was there as her British film, Sister Midnight, was nominated in the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer category. She welcomed a baby girl in December 2024 with her husband, Benedict Taylor.
In a recent interview with the Indian Express' SCREEN, Apte was asked if the film industry is encouraging towards the needs of new mothers. In response to this, the actress shared her concern, expressing, 'I don't think they are. I don't know how I'm going to navigate that going ahead.'
She further explained her reason, noting that an actor rarely gets the time to see their child, considering long shoot hours. 'It's really difficult to work in our film industry, given the number of hours and how we film generally, and the time for which we don't get to see the child. So I guess I'll just have to figure it out now,' she further added.
Notably, this comes days after a Bollywood Hungama report claimed that Deepika Padukone was ousted from Sandeep Reddy Vanga 's Spirit after she demanded changes in her contract through her agency. It was reported that the actress refused to shoot for more than 6 hours a day. The report also claimed that the actress demanded extra pay for every single day if the shoot extended beyond 100 days.
Ajay Devgn, on the other hand, during the trailer launch of Maa, also reacted to the row and assured that most of the "honest filmmakers" don't have any problem with these things. He also claimed that most people have started working 8-9-hour shifts.
After getting a release in the UK and the US later in 2024, Sister Midnight has finally been released in India. It is currently running in the theaters.
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Aamir Khan hated Josh': Mansoor Khan reflects on 25 years of Shah Rukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai-starrer, says film left him ‘disillusioned'
Steven Spielberg's recent rendition of the timeless West Side Story invited comparisons that inevitably fall short when held against Mansoor Khan's Josh, a film that transcends its musical roots to deliver a far more exciting exploration of gang rivalries and the torments of forbidden love. Josh recently completed 25 years, and after much pursuit and patient waiting, I finally had the chance to speak with Mansoor Khan about the Shah Rukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai-starrer. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, he reflected not only on the creative journey behind Josh, but also on his seminal coming-of-age classic Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, his evolving relationship with his cousin Aamir Khan, insights into Junaid Khan's craft, and the possibility of a long-anticipated return to filmmaking. What I find fascinating about Josh is that, unlike its source material, it's not a romantic tragedy. It has this almost rebellious energy and a very positive outlook on love and life. Was that a conscious choice, especially considering you had already explored a tragic love story with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak? So basically, see, I've always wanted to make a spirited musical with Josh. Every now and then, I think, 'Okay, this one is going to be a musical.' By musical, I don't mean in the literal sense of just having songs in the film. I mean a true musical, like Fiddler on the Roof, where the scenes themselves become musical, you know? Take me back to the beginning, when did the idea of adapting West Side Story strike you? Was it the popularity of the original that drew you in, or was it more about giving your own spin to a timeless classic and making it resonate with Indian audiences? I really liked the premise of West Side Story. It is basically Romeo and Juliet in a different form. Instead of parents and families, it's two brothers. So at its core, that's the premise. But when I saw the film, I was very disappointed. I thought the first half was okay, very stylish and all. It had that stage musical feel. But I lost interest in the film after the brother dies, which happens midway through. I honestly don't even remember the rest of it. Still, that premise stuck with me, brothers opposing the love of their siblings. I wanted to take that idea somewhere else, though. The Indian audience needs a little more than just that. And I didn't want to focus only on resolving the love angle, you know? And I've always been fascinated by Goa and its history, especially Portuguese history, which a lot of people don't know about. My wife is Goan, and I found that part of the history really intriguing. You co-wrote some truly iconic dialogues for Josh with the late Neeraj Vora. What was that process like? Neeraj was a storehouse of talent, and he was a very, very amusing and funny guy. He could be quite distracting, actually, because every time we sat down, and we had dozens of sittings, he'd come up with a new idea. Especially for the introduction, for a few weeks, he kept throwing in fresh thoughts that would totally throw us off. We'd be like, 'Wow, that's a great idea. Come on, we've written it now, we're going with this.' And then the next day, Neeraj would come in and say, 'You know, actually, I was thinking… if we do it like this, that could work too.' And we'd be like, 'Yeah, let's do it that way.' But, you know, I don't get distracted easily. So sometimes I did have to put a stop to it. But he had such a fertile mind, it was great fun to work with him. He didn't take things too seriously, and his sense of humour was wicked. You can see that, especially in Josh, but also in the kind of comedy he brought in. All those funny lines, even that bit about the bakery turning into a rat house, that's all him. There are so many wild casting stories around Josh! Is it true that you originally wanted Aamir and Shah Rukh together in the film? So after Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, I was looking for a script. And it was then I wrote a lot of Josh, and I had both Aamir and Shah Rukh in mind, Aamir for the romantic part, opposite whoever the actress would be, and Shah Rukh as Max. But when I narrated it to Aamir, I didn't tell him who was supposed to play which role. So he started imagining that he'd be playing Max. I thought, 'Oh no, now what do I do?' In my head, I was like, okay, don't jump the gun. Let me go see what Shah Rukh says first. Not that I ever intended to give Max's role to Aamir, honestly, I just wanted to see how the cards would fall. So I went to meet Shah Rukh and narrated the script to him. He really liked it. And by the end of the narration, he'd already started talking about the scenes, because his mind is very active. He was like, 'Yeah, in that scene, Max can do this, and in that one, Max can do that.' And I thought, 'Oh God, this guy also wants the same role' But anyway, I did want him for Max. So I asked, 'Shah Rukh, are you doing the film?' And he said, 'No, because I know Aamir will get Max's role.' At that point, I didn't really know how to respond. So I just left it there. I didn't say anything. But later on, Aamir himself said, 'No, no, I don't want to play this role.' He'd already done a lot of soft-boy, lover-boy parts. And he'd also done that tapori role in Rangeela, so he wanted to change his image. So he said no on his own. Anyway, in my mind, even to this day, there's only one Max, and that's Shah Rukh. He's got that panache, the humour, and that underlying threat needed for the role. He is a charismatic guy. Did Aamir ever see Josh? What was his reaction to it? He saw it at that time and said he hated it. So I said, okay, fine. I was pretty disillusioned after that too. I didn't watch it again for 15, maybe 17 years. I finally saw it about eight years ago, and honestly, I feel it's not a bad film. I told Aamir, 'You should see it now.' I said, 'See, back then, the wounds were still fresh.' Also Read | When Mansoor Khan asked Priya Gill to hit Shah Rukh Khan 'with force': 'It was most embarrassing part of my career, entire set was silent' How was it working with Anu Malik on the music of Josh? So my first choice was actually AR Rahman. I went and met him, but I suddenly realised, Rahman is excellent, no doubt, but his work style is very different, and he's quite elusive. I'm used to sitting with music directors and really being involved, because I play music myself. I record, I compose my own songs. In fact, that's a big part of my life now, which I had ignored for a long time. The thing is, I like to interact closely, right from selecting the tune, obviously, but even down to the instrumentation and arrangement. I want a certain sound. I want a specific drum sound, a certain electric guitar tone. I don't want screeching violins. They can definitely be used, but in the right way, not the overused, clichéd way they often are. And I knew that kind of hands-on process wouldn't happen with Rahman. So when I came back from Chennai, I called him and said, 'I'm sorry, Rahman, this is not working out.' He was very gracious and understanding. Now, Anu, since I had worked with him on Akele Hum Akele Tum, he was already pitching for this film. He knew I was about to start something new, and he was hoping I'd take him again. I had actually told him, 'No, Anu, this time I'm going to work with Rahman.' But when that didn't work out, I came back and called him, and he was thrilled. And honestly, Anu is really one of a kind. He's full of tunes, he's a melody guy. Whose idea was it to have Shah Rukh sing 'Apun Bola'? I'm so glad you brought this up. So, I had actually heard 'Aati Kya Khandala' way before anyone else had—way before any of the guys had heard it. But it just didn't fit into my film. I realised that Aati Kya Khandala, from a musical standpoint too, and also in terms of tone, just didn't belong. I really liked the song, it was exciting, but I don't like forcing things into a film when they don't naturally fit where I want them to go. Actually, maybe it's a good thing they took it, because they kept the original lyrics, which were perfect for what it was. If I had taken the tune, I might have taken the lyrics somewhere else, and maybe it would have worked, maybe not. So, coming to your question, I think, yeah, maybe I did get inspired because Aamir had sung Khandala. That's when I thought, 'Hey, let Shah Rukh sing, it should feel more like him.' Because that's really his only song in the film. I mean, not the only song, but the one that really needs to reflect his character. Like 'Sailaru Sailare', that one, honestly, anyone else could've sung it too. In fact, someone else might've done it even better. Were you disappointed with the way the film performed at the box office? The first thing is, reception never really affects me. When I finish a film, for me, it's all about whether I feel I've done a good job. Whether I've stayed true to the premise and rendered it the way I visualised it. And if I've done that, then I feel it's not bad. Of course, what's considered good or bad also depends on audience taste. But I go by my own judgment. So I never felt like, even when Aamir told me he didn't like Josh, that didn't affect me. Because, I don't know, I just felt that there's something about Akele Hum Akele Tum, Josh, and even Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, my films tend to take time for the audience to really get into them. Like, if you go on YouTube, I used to read comments there, when Akele Hum had just released, the internet was just starting to become a thing. And maybe 10 years after its release, I'd start seeing reviews that were like, 'Oh okay, decent film, nice story, this and that…' But if you read the comments now, of all my films, Akele Hum actually has the most engagement. On one particular channel alone, it's got nearly 70 million views. And it's not just about the number of views, people might watch and move on. But the comments, they're like, 'Oh my God, I cried my heart out,' 'What a film,' you know? Times have changed. So the taste and preferences also evolve. Finally, we've heard whispers that you may be returning to filmmaking after all these years. Is that true? Can you tell us anything about what you're working on? See, let me tell you that I have written two books. The first one is non-fiction, called, The Third Curve, and it's about the concept of perpetual economic growth. It questions whether such growth is truly possible or sustainable, and explores how we've built an entire global belief system around the idea of endless growth, treating it almost like a religion. It critically examines how symbolic financial instruments like hedge funds and stock markets contribute to an illusion of growth, disconnected from real productivity. The second book is fiction, titled, One: The Story of the Ultimate Myth. It deals with deep ecological and cultural themes. It argues that it's not all of humanity, but specifically the culture of civilization that is responsible for the destruction of the planet, through its values of expansion, dominance, and consumption. The book explores how civilisation behaves like a virus, converting or wiping out other cultures, and how our understanding of 'progress' and 'advanced' cultures is flawed. And I'm in the process of adapting this book for the screen and hoping to collaborate with Aamir on it.


India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Meet Akshay Kumar's heroine, who has given no hits in 20 years, regrets rejecting 3 blockbusters, one was Aamir Khan's..., her name is...
Meet Akshay Kumar's heroine, who has given no hits in 20 years, regrets rejecting 3 blockbusters, one was Aamir Khan's..., her name is... Chitrangda Singh, recently seen in Housefull 5 is known for her stunning and captivating screen presence. The Desi Boyz actress recently sat down for a chat to discuss her unconventional journey in films, including some career opportunities she regrets missing. During a conversation with Screen, Chitrangda opened up about her nine-year sabbatical. She was reportedly offered some blockbuster movies, that she regrets passing them on. 'I have made those mistakes. I said no to Anurag Basu's Gangster. I refused Tanu Weds Manu. In Mangal Pandey, I said no to the role that Ameesha Patel played.' She said. Chitrangda Singh was also offered Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chalte Chalte She also recalled that Shah Rukh Khan wanted to cast her in Chalte Chalte (2003). Revealing why she had to miss out on that role, Chitrangda said, 'There was one more that I am forgetting, and then there was Chalte Chalte that starred Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, which I wasn't around for at all. They had run into some trouble and wanted to desperately cast someone. SRK had told me this.' She further added, 'Saeed Mirza had loved my work, and they were looking for me. Juhi Chawla's brother Bobby was looking for my number. I had worked with SRK on an ad film when he had told me all this.' In a career spanning over 19 years, the actress has starred in movies like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi to her role in movies like Yeh Saali Zindagi, Desi Boyz, and Baazaar, among others. After Housefull 5, Chitrangda is set to mark her first-ever collaboration with superstar Salman Khan. The film, that is yet-to-be-titled, is said to be based on the Galwan Valley clash, drawing inspiration from Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh's book India's Most Fearless 3.


News18
3 hours ago
- News18
She Left Her Husband, Kids For Masai Tribesman After Holiday Fling. 30 Years On, She Regrets It
Last Updated: Daniel's habits began to irritate Cheryl. He would jump around the garden doing Masai dances, saying he wanted to leap as high as an elephant, which she found increasingly odd A holiday romance that once seemed like a fairytale has turned into a lifelong regret for a British woman. Decades ago, during a trip to Kenya, she fell in love with a tribal man and, in a moment of passion, left her husband and children to marry him. Now, nearly 30 years later, the relationship has ended—and she's speaking out about the decision she calls the biggest mistake of her life. According to a report by The Mirror, in 1994, when Cheryl Thomasgood was 34, she travelled to Kenya for a holiday. There, she fell in love with Daniel Lekimencho, a young man from the Masai tribe—but what began as a holiday romance soon turned into bitter regret. Now a mother of four, Cheryl has come forward to share her story, urging other women to think twice before falling in love on holiday. At the time, she was living a comfortable life on the Isle of Wight, England, but was also grappling with unresolved childhood trauma and a broken marriage. On a friend's suggestion from church, she visited the Bamburi Beach Hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, where she first met Daniel, a performer in a traditional dance troupe. Cheryl was drawn to Daniel's simplicity and detachment from material things. So strong was the impression that, after returning to the UK from her three-week holiday, she made the drastic decision to leave her husband, Mike Mason, and their children. She went back to Kenya and began living with Daniel in his tribal village—sleeping on goat skin, cooking on an open fire, and eating traditional foods like cabbage and cow blood. In 1995, the two returned to England and married on Valentine's Day in traditional Masai attire. Daniel then moved to the Isle of Wight to live with Cheryl's children, and the couple welcomed a daughter, Misty, who is now 27. While everything seemed exciting at first, Cheryl soon realised that Daniel's priorities had shifted—from spiritual values to material desires. He began demanding a big house, expensive clothes, and money to send back to his family. Daniel's habits gradually began to irritate Cheryl. He would jump around the garden performing traditional Masai dances and say he wanted to jump as high as an elephant. While this may have been entertaining for the children, it started to feel strange to Cheryl. In 1999, their relationship ended and the couple divorced. Cheryl believes she stayed in the relationship only because she wanted to prove society wrong. 'The biggest regret is that my children could not accept Daniel as a stable father — they lost a lot," she said. Now, after three marriages, Cheryl shared that she will never marry again. She currently lives a peaceful life with her four children — Steve (43), Tommy (41), Chloe (34), and Misty (27). Daniel still lives on the Isle of Wight and works in a supermarket. First Published: