Latest news with #Dharma
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Vivek Soni on Aap Jaisa Koi: ‘Any story told through the personal lens will touch people's heart'
Exuding old-school charm, the upcoming 'Aap Jaisa Koi' is a modern love story in which 'a buttoned-up older man falls for a feisty young woman'. Directed by Vivek Soni, it follows the story of Shrirenu (R Madhavan), a reserved Sanskrit teacher, and Madhu (Fatima Sana Shaikh), a spirited French instructor as they navigate layered family ties. The film produced by Dharmatic Entertainment will premiere on Netflix on July 11. Soni, who has earlier helmed 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' (2021), featuring Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani, and is set to direct Ananya Panday's 'Chand Mera Dil', talks about directing R Madhavan and his creative process. Excerpts: Tell us about your journey from making social drama 'Bawdi' (2012) to directing a rom-com feature. I made 'Bawdi', a short film, as part of my film direction course from Whistling Woods International. I co-wrote 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' with my friend Aarsh Vora. We developed it with Dharma and later Netflix came on board. In the case of 'Aap Jaisa Koi', Netflix approached Dharma with the story that's written by Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa. When they shared it with me, it was a 10-page-long story; I loved it. Both my feature films are love stories at heart and speak about different aspects of life. R Madhavan returns as a romantic hero after a gap. How did he come on board? After we finished writing the screenplay, we approached him and he liked the story. He is an actor who balances warmth and nuance in his performance. He also fits into the age bracket of the character — above 40. Have you done the de-aging for him? No. He just shaved his beard. Did you do any workshops for Madhavan and Fatima? We did readings together. I follow the process of meeting the actors individually first, going through the script, scenes and character graph. I did that separately with Maddy Sir and Fatima. Then we sat together and went over the script and details. It might come across as a cliché but the entire 36-day shoot with them was memorable. Your films 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' and 'Love Storiyaan's Love on Air' (2024) episode, as well as 'Aap Jaisa Koi' are set in different parts of the country. The location is one of the most crucial aspects of the story. Before starting any project, I take into account the kind of landscape I am getting to explore through the story. This determines the costumes, sounds and visuals. With 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar', I explored Tamil Nadu. When I did 'Love Storiyaan', I got a chance to shoot in Meghalaya. For 'Aap Jaisa Koi', I wanted to explore Kolkata. Do you think romance as a genre lacks freshness today? There are good romantic stories told in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. When people go to a theatre, they want a spectacle. It is also about what's being consumed. However, I believe any story that's told through a personal lens is going to touch people's hearts. What are the things on top of your mind while you are writing or developing a project? One thumb rule is to give it a personal touch. For example, if it's the scene of a man proposing to a woman, the act should not come across as generic. Their individuality should reflect in that scene. From growing up in Rajasthan to making films in Mumbai, how did you make that journey? I'm from Rajasthan's Bhilwara. After I finished my schooling there, I lived in Kota to prepare for engineering. From 2004 to 2008, I studied at Hyderabad's ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. After that I moved to Mumbai and worked in advertising. Later, I joined Whistling Woods International to study direction for two years. Are you inspired by any particular filmmakers? Since my childhood I have been a movie-buff. While preparing for this film, I revisited the works of filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Rituparno Ghosh, Aki Kaurismäki, Wes Anderson, Billy Wilder, Wong Kar-wai and Paul Thomas Anderson. It was an intuitive decision.
Hans India
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Kartik Aaryan plays Messi Vs Ronaldo with Argentinean aunties
Mumbai: There has always been a big Messi vs Ronaldo debate among football fans. Actor Kartik Aaryan is currently in Argentina to shoot for her next, "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri". Kartik recently took to his Instagram and dropped a fun video asking the Argentinean aunties who is their favorite between Messi and Ronaldo. While all the ladies take Messi's name, Kartik shared that his favorite is Ronaldo. As he said this, one of the ladies said, "No no no no no no" in an assertive tone. To this, Kartik hilariously reacted with, "Ye marengi". "Argentina ki Aunty fav toh Ronaldo hai," he captioned the post. Recently, Kartik and Ananya Panday completed the Croatia schedule for "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri". Commemorating the occasion, Kartik and Ananya were seen grooving to the song "Dheeme Dheeme" from their previous release, "Pati Patni Aur Woh". Sharing the fun clip on his Instagram, Kartik captioned the post, "Apni Ananya ka schedule wrap ho aur hum Dheeme Dheeme par dance na karein, aisa kaise ho sakta hai @ananyapanday#TuMeriMainTeraMainTeraTuMeri #Croatia 🇭🇷." Backed by Karan Johar, along with Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Shareen Mantri Kedia, and Kishor Arora, "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri" is slated for a theatrical release on February 13, 2026. Revealing the release date for his next, Karan Johar dropped a photo on his IG which showed Kartik and Ananya locking lips behind an Indian passport. The Dharma head captioned the post, 'Signed, sealed & delivering hamaari Ray ki Rumi! @kartikaaryan @ananyapanday #TuMeriMainTeraMainTeraTuMeri - in cinemas next Valentine's : 13th Feb, 2026'. Made under the direction of Sameer Vidwans, the much-awaited drama has been presented by Dharma Productions in collaboration with Namah Pictures. Over and above this, Kartik has also collaborated on another project with Karan Johar, "NaagZilla".
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Ranbir-Deepika Lite': Kartik Aaryan-Ananya Panday's unseen pics from Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri get trolled
Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, who were last seen together in Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019), are currently in Croatia together. The actors have been busy shooting for their upcoming Dharma film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. Earlier this month, Kartik introduced Ananya as his leading lady with a sizzling picture of the two kissing behind a passport. Well, last night Kartik announced 'Apni Ananya ka schedule wrap' with a cute video, featuring them dancing together on their beloved track Dheeme Dheeme. While the clip won hearts, their new unseen pictures from Croatia have sadly become fodder for trolls across the internet. A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday are a good-looking pair. They also have cute chemistry on and off the camera. So why are they being trolled on the internet right now? Well, netizens seem to be disappointed with Ananya and Kartik's looks in unseen pictures from Croatia, which we are guessing were clicked during the shoot of a song in Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. In these photographs, Kartik has donned spiky hair and sunglasses whereas Ananya, dressed in neon pink with feather dangler earrings, has honey blonde highlights in her hair. The two also look quite tanned. Netizens are now comparing them to Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, claiming that Ananya and Kartik look like DP-RK's 'lite' versions. For instance, one social media user claimed, 'She wants to be DP and he wants to be Ranbir but it's giving just 'wannabe',' whereas another wrote, 'Ranbir and Deepika Lite.' A comment read, 'When your embarrassing friends dress up as Ash and Hrithik from Dhoom for Halloween,' whereas another netizen opined, 'Saste Ranveer deepika.' Talking about just Ananya, a social media user stated, 'the deepikafication of ananya,' whereas another wrote, 'Ananya Panday looks so Deepikafied.' Drawing parallels between Ananya and Deepika, an internet user shared, 'WHY IS ANANYA BRONZED?! Pls don't do this 😒😒😒😒😒 Is this a YRF production? Ananya resembles Deepu from Pathaan & Fighter😒.' Helmed by Sameer Vidwans, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri is all set to arrive in theatres next Valentine's Day, on February 13, 2026. Are you excited for Ananya and Kartik's reunion?
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Samalochana thinkers meet held
Rajamahendravaram: Senior advocate of the Supreme Court P Sridhar shared profound insights on the theme 'Dharma – Constitution – Challenges'. The event brought together intellectuals to explore India's ethical and constitutional foundations. In a compelling address at the 'Samalochana' thinkers meet, held at Cherukuri Veeraju Kalyana Mandapam in Rajamahendravaram, Sridhar reflected on the deep spiritual meaning of Dharma and Satya, asking whether the two are synonymous or distinct. Drawing from personal experience, he recalled how the death of his father in 2011 led him into the world of Ithihasas like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Guided by mentors such as Justice Narasimha and the legendary advocate K Parasaran, he discovered how ancient scriptures remain relevant to constitutional and ethical discourse. He highlighted the teachings of Bheeshma from the Mahabharata and noted that Dharma involves non-violence, truth, charity, and control over anger. He questioned society's tendency to accept the words of the powerful as Dharma, sidelining the voices of the righteous but powerless. Through the story of Prahlada and Virochana, he illustrated the inescapable duty of responsibility in any profession. He argued that Dharma requires action in thought (manasa), word (vachasa), and deed (karmena). Sridhar explored the distinction between Dharma and Satya, quoting Bheeshma's 11 attributes of truth like impartiality, compassion, and dignity, and asserted 'Satya is that which furthers Dharma.' He mentioned an episode from Karna Parva, where Krishna equates Para Ninda (criticizing others) with murder and Atma Stuti (self-praise) with suicide, offering a powerful reflection on ethical speech and inner discipline. In today's society, while many people actively speak about their rights, there is a growing need to pay greater attention to responsibilities, said renowned advocate Chintapenta Prabhakar. He attended this gathering as the chief guest. He said that parents must instil a sense of social responsibility and patriotism in their children from an early age. 'It is not enough to merely educate children academically. They must also be taught to become responsible citizens who contribute to the betterment of society,' he remarked. Stressing the significance of Dharma, Prabhakar stated that every Indian must understand and uphold it. He added, 'Our ancient texts place great importance on Dharma. These principles are timeless and relevant even in modern life. It is our responsibility to pass this wisdom on to the next generation.' Samalochana Rajamahendravaram chapter president Matta Reddy and secretary Sanat Kumar Janapati also spoke at this meeting.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Karan Johar gets real about parenthood
While Karan Johar is celebrated as one of Bollywood's most influential filmmakers, behind the glitz and glamour, he plays another important role—that of a devoted father to his adorable twins, Yash and Roohi. As Father's Day 2025 approaches, it's the perfect time to revisit some heartfelt parenting anecdotes the Dharma head honcho shared on his Audible podcast Live Your Best Life with Karan Johar. 'You came from my heart' In a candid conversation with Masaba Gupta, KJo opened up about how he's navigating difficult questions from his children about their birth. 'Those questions have started,' he admitted. 'So far, I've been poetic. I tell them, 'You've come from Dada's heart'. But I know I'll eventually have to sit down and explain the truth.' When fashion meets brutal honesty Even Bollywood's fashion icon isn't spared by the critiques of his little ones. Karan shared a hilarious moment: 'Sometimes, my mum asks me to change before leaving the house, and Yash and Roohi go, 'Dada, you look like a clown'.' The joy and challenge of co-parenting Johar reflected on his unconventional family structure, stating, 'Raising Roohi and Yash with Mum is the single best decision I've made. Best. But it was certainly not the easiest.' A tribe that fills the gaps Despite not having a life partner, Karan considers his circle of friends and his mother Hiroo Johar as his children's pillars of love. 'They couldn't be more surrounded by a mother's love—with my mum, and my tribe—Gauri, Farah, Neha, Shweta, and Kajal,' he said. The sports day panic In a relatable moment with Neha Dhupia, KJo recounted his son's innocent but anxiety-inducing challenge: 'Yash once asked, 'Why don't you run this race with me?' I panicked—thinking I'd lose to my own seven-year-old!' From emotional revelations to laugh-out-loud moments, Karan Johar's fatherhood journey is filled with love, learning, and a whole lot of heart.
