Latest news with #IndiaToday.in
India Today
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Actor Deepti Sadhwani on beauty standards in South: They don't want skinny actors
Actor Deepti Sadhwani, known for her role in 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah', recently opened up about the beauty standards in the entertainment industry. She spoke about the pressure to conform to stereotypes and how she eventually overcame an exclusive interview with Deepti recalled an incident when she was set to walk in a fashion show. However, things took a turn when the designers called her 'fat,' prompting her to undergo a drastic physical her story, the actor said, 'Before Cannes, I was supposed to walk for a fashion show and someone told me I was fat and I took it to heart. If you compare me from last year to now, I've lost 18 kg. This was around seven months ago, just before Paris Fashion Week. I was all set to be a showstopper. Everything was ready, but during trials, the outfit didn't fit. That's when I said to myself, 'I'm going to change. I'll fit into that size 8.' Eventually, I went beyond that and I came down to a size 6. I lost more than expected.' The actor further spoke about how beauty standards in showbiz can take a toll on one's mental health. She compared it to the South Indian film industry and pointed out how women have been objectified in Bollywood for the longest on the issue, she said, 'That's absolutely true. But things are changing now. Earlier, fashion shows mostly featured size four or size six models. Today, inclusivity has become a key focus.'If you go to the South, they actually prefer a fuller body, being skinny often doesn't work there. And in other regions, it's the complete opposite. This just shows how women have been objectified for the longest time. Take Tamannaah, for example. She looked stunning in 'Aaj Ki Raat', but soon after, people started calling her fat. She herself said, 'I didn't even realise I had gained weight, people just came up and told me.'Sadhwani added that Tamannaah is happy the way she is and doesn't appreciate being labelled as 'milky,' 'fat,' or 'slim'.'This objectification has long been part of the industry. It's show business, where looks often come before talent. Acting is considered only after the appearance. But thankfully, that's starting to change. People are finally beginning to value acting over just how someone looks,' the actor Sadhwani started her journey as a singer who lent her voice to tracks like 'Haryana Roadways', 'Lala Lala Lori', and 'Toot Jayein'. However, it was her role in the hit sitcom 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' that brought her nationwide recognition. For those unaware, Deepti played the character Aradhana Sharma in the Reel
India Today
a day ago
- General
- India Today
Liberal arts in India: Still a niche or the next big shift?
Once considered a niche pursuit, liberal arts education is now slowly finding its footing in India's academic landscape. As the country shifts focus from rote learning to interdisciplinary thinking, the liberal arts promise a more holistic and critical approach to knowledge. But is this transformation reflected meaningfully in Indian universities? Are students and parents beginning to see value in a liberal arts degree amid a still-strong bias towards engineering, medicine, and commerce?To understand where liberal arts stands today in Indian higher education, spoke to Prof. Chandan Gowda, Professor and Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Vidyashilp University, who has been at the forefront of shaping and advocating for liberal arts education in GROWING RELEVANCE OF LIBERAL ARTS IN A CHANGING INDIAThe immense value of a liberal arts education in India cannot be in doubt. The social sciences and humanities offer a careful and critical understanding of the past and present of the country's social, political and economic institutions. In imparting this knowledge, they also help appreciate the diverse ways of knowing the Indian world: the work of historians, sociologists, political scientists, economists, psychologists, philosophers, novelists, artists, among others, illuminates the diverse perspectives through which Indian society can be understood. Liberal arts enable students to appreciate the depth and complexity of India - they are indispensable for higher STORYTELLING SHAPES LEADERS AND CREATORSEthnography strives to make interpretive sense of cultural worlds. It has arrived at sophisticated means of doing fieldwork for understanding cultural practices in various fields. Ethnographic thinking, which heightens the awareness of and sensitivity to the cultural, political and moral lives of communities and societies, offers students a valuable intellectual orientation to the human condition. The core course in ethnography that all students do at Vidyashilp University acquaints them with rich ethnographic scholarship and field methods and helps them become empathetic and critically minded citizens, leaders and social EDUCATION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?advertisement Sadly, the answer here is no. Students in the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, commerce, management, have little or no opportunity to encounter the sophisticated discussions in the liberal arts in their institutions of higher education. Even those who have chosen to study social sciences and humanities for their higher education do not usually encounter high quality curricula and learning environments in their colleges. The latter are essential for a well-grounded engagement with one's own KANNADA STORIES TO LIFE IN THE CLASSROOMLiterature and cinema illuminate the complexities of the social world. Social science conversations gain immensely from engaging them since the latter help illuminate the diversity in the human self, in the imagination of community, in the experience of time, in the expression of critique, among others. Texts from Kannada - as well as from other language - literatures that explore these dimensions foster a rich and complex intellectual awareness among kind of student does the School of Liberal Arts at Vidyashilp hope to nurture?A student with a solid appreciation of inter-disciplinary knowledge and an evolved capacity for critical thinking and deep regard for ethical practices.
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Sitaare Zameen Par box office prediction: Will Aamir Khan be back to rule?
Aamir Khan is all set to return to the big screen after three years with 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. Positioned as a spiritual sequel to his critically acclaimed 'Taare Zameen Par' (2007), the film comes at a crucial point in his career. After the underwhelming performances of 'Laal Singh Chaddha' (2022) which collected Rs133.5 crore net worldwide, and 'Thugs of Hindostan' (2018), which earned Rs151.3 crore net worldwide, the project could mark a much-needed resurgence for the only two days left for its release, spoke exclusively to trade experts Taran Adarsh and Ramesh Bala about 'Sitaare Zameen Par's opening weekend expectations, the buzz around the film, and whether it could mark Khan's big box office expert Ramesh Bala believes that the film will have a promising start. With so much riding on Khan's shoulders, including his own box office revival, things look hopeful, he said. "For the opening weekend, I am expecting about Rs 40-50 crore." He went on to talk about the value that 'Sitaare Zameen Par' brings to Khan's body of work. "It's very important for Aamir Khan because he hasn't had box office success in a long time. This movie should do well for him to regain his old glory. Since 'Taare Zameen Par' which collected Rs 98.50 crore gross worldwide, did well a long time ago... the story is somewhat similar. Hopefully, he can bounce back with 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. It is very crucial for him to get back to the box office."advertisementTrade analyst Taran Adarsh gave a slightly more conservative prediction. He said, "The box office run (of Aamir Khan) currently depends on word-of-mouth. Since the promotion for the film is very light, now the film's success depends only on Aamir Khan's face-value. For the opening weekend, it could be around Rs 30 crore."The trade expert drew a parallel between the comeback movies of the Khans, and how they performed at the box office. He shared that Shah Rukh Khan is the only actor from the league of the coveted Bollywood superstars, who has managed to make a solid comeback at the ticket window. Aamir, with the failure of 'Laal Singh Chaddha', is even behind Salman Khan, who recently had a box office dud in 'Sikandar'."Considering his last films - 'Laal Singh Chaddha' and 'Thugs of Hindostan' - 'Sitaare Zameen Par' will have to get considerable numbers. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman, and Aamir - all three of them came to the big screen after a long halt. But only SRK's comeback films like 'Jawan' which collected Rs 1160 crore net worldwide and 'Pathaan' earned Rs 1055 crore net worldwide did really well at the box office. Salman's 'Sikandar' was a huge disaster," he continued, "Since it's a sequel to 'Taare Zameen Par', and the 2007 film did really well in its time, I hope 'Sitaare Zameen Par' works well for Aamir. While the film's numbers won't go beyond 'Taare Zameen Par', it should at least touch a success limit unlike his recent movies."Bala further underscored the importance of word-of-mouth wonder for 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. The trade analyst didn't agree with Adarsh on the film's promotion aspect. Highlighting that the film "is promoted well," he said, "the teaser and trailer did well. He (Aamir) is also giving a lot of interviews, so there is a lot of buzz around the movie. At least for the multiplex audience, the class audience who are looking for it. Hopefully it should do well. And based on word-of-mouth, it can pick up further. For this kind of movie, he is doing the right promotions."Both experts were also asked about whether the inclusion of debutant actors, many of whom are specially-abled, would be an advantage to the film. Bala shared, "No, newcomers are more neutral. The movie is going to depend on Aamir Khan's name and fame. The movie is already in talks. These debutants are specially-abled, playing basketball. So, this kind of story should resonate well with people. It will be a heartwarming movie. Hopefully, if he gets the formula right, it should do well. Newcomers as such are not making an impact. Anyway, it's mostly on Aamir Khan."advertisementAdarsh added, "With debutants who are specially-abled, Aamir Khan can have the emotional and heartwarming appeal to draw audiences to this film. But again, that depends on Aamir Khan's fame, which he recently didn't prove well with his recent films. Being empathetic to drawing audiences is not the only way to make a hit at the box office. It also depends on the story, the acting, and mostly the execution of the film."With all eyes on Aamir Khan, 'Sitaare Zameen Par' is carrying huge expectations. Will it break box office records and become the biggest comeback of Khan's career? Let's wait and watch!Must Watch IN THIS STORY#Aamir Khan
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Aamir Khan seeks magic, not perfection: Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna
Actor Aamir Khan is known and celebrated for being a perfectionist in the film industry. However, for director RS Prasanna, who has helmed his latest film 'Sitaare Zameen Par', it's 'magic' that he's after, more than perfectionism. In an exclusive interview with the director spoke at length about Aamir's style of filmmaking, and his passion as a creative who earlier directed 'Shubh Mangal Savdhaan', shared that Aamir's brilliance lies in the way he looks at a film as a wholesome project, and not in the capacity of an actor or a producer. When asked how he would define the filmmaking style of the 60-year-old, Prasanna said, "Well, the perfectionist tag of Mr Aamir Khan, I think, requires an updated version. More than perfection, I think what he's after is magic."advertisementHe compared Khan's process of making a film to the search for the shiniest pearl deep in an ocean. "We are all excited by magic, and you don't know where magic comes from, right? So one delves, and deep in the process, hoping to find magic. It's like diving deep down to find that one pearl, right? So you got to dive constantly and keep at it before you find that, that one oyster shell with a pearl inside, right? So I think it's diving for magic. It's hoping for magic," he added. He continued, "It's trying to create an environment where magic can potentially happen. I think that is what I feel AK sir is constantly after, and so are we as passionate filmmakers."advertisementPrasanna shared that Khan is someone who downplays his stardom and success, unlike others in the industry. He said, "I grew up watching his films - 'Lagaan' and 'Taare Zameen Par', 'Dangal' - so many of his movies have broken the norm and have constantly tried to push the envelope into what we consider mainstream filmmaking."He added. "It's an absolute pleasure and joy working with a legend like Aamir sir because I think he wears his fame and experience very, very director further denied the rumours of Khan being a hands-on producer who takes full control of the sets. Prasanna called Aamir Khan "one of the most collaborative actors I've ever worked with." "He's a selfless actor. For him, nothing matters about the film. In all these years, I can tell you, there's not been one conversation I've had with him where it has stemmed from, 'hey, you know, is this something that can be done so that I can get this as an actor out of it?' No, never. You know, that's a conversation that can never ever come out of Aamir sir's being. I think every single focus of Aamir sir is, like I said, seeking magic and making sure the film is forever kept above all our egos or insecurities or our tiredness or whatever it is," he further discussed how Khan values his directors, and what that means about his personality. He shared that the actor doesn't judge a director from the kind of work they have done in the past, from their potential and what they can bring to the table in the explained, "He's very protective of his directors. If you speak to the directors who worked with him, they will tell you that he is very protective of directors, very protective of every single person who's working on the film. And, he's very generous, he's very kind."Prasanna went on, "He constantly backs directors that may not have done big stuff before. He sees the future in a director more than their past. I think therefore, he's a dream producer and actor to work with. And as a superstar, I think he's one of the humblest possibly in the world." advertisementAamir Khan, known for using cinema as a tool to initiate discussion in society, brings the stories of neurodivergent children to the screen with 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. The film is a spiritual sequel to his 2007 hit film 'Taare Zameen Par', which brought the discussions about dyslexia into our living film, also starring Genelia D'Souza in an important role, is slated to hit the screens on June Watch IN THIS STORY#Aamir Khan
India Today
2 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Aruna Irani's battle with breast cancer and the question of chemotherapy
Veteran actress Aruna Irani recently surprised fans by revealing that she quietly battled breast cancer not once, but first discovered she had breast cancer in 2015, after feeling unwell on a shoot. 'I don't know how, but I felt something,' she recalled. A doctor initially brushed it off as a small lump, but Irani insisted on having it removed. When advised to take chemotherapy, she said, "The doctor told me that I have to undergo chemotherapy clinically. Chemotherapy wasn't that advanced back then. So your skin turned black, and you would experience hair loss. I asked the doctor for another way, and he told me to take medicine daily. That went on for five years." Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses strong medicines to kill fast-growing cancer cells in the body. It can be given as pills or through injections. While it kills cancer cells, it can also affect healthy cells, which may cause side effects like hair loss, tiredness, or decision, however, came with March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, her cancer returned. This time, Irani followed the medical advice and underwent chemotherapy. 'It was my fault because I did not opt for chemotherapy the first time. This time around, I took it,' she said. Chemotherapy uses strong medicines to kill cancer cells in the body. () advertisementHer story, shared in an interview with Lehren Retro podcast, opens up an important health conversation: can some cancers be treated without chemotherapy?WHEN IS CHEMOTHERAPY AVOIDABLE?Irani's journey is not unique. With advances in precision oncology, many patients today have the option of skipping chemotherapy, depending on the type and stage of their cancer.'Definitely not all breast cancers require chemotherapy,' Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, founder of the Art of Healing Cancer Centre told 'Breast cancer is a heterogeneous group, with multiple varieties.'Hormone-positive breast cancers, which make up 40–50% of breast cancer cases in India, are often driven by hormones like estrogen and these, hormone therapy (like anti-estrogen pills) can be an effective treatment, especially in early-stage cases where the cancer hasn't spread.'In such cases, we can run genomic tests to assess the risk of recurrence. If the cancer is low-risk, chemotherapy can often be avoided. These patients can be treated with surgery and hormone therapy alone, which helps them maintain a good quality of life," Dr. Malhotra IMPORTANCE OF PERSONALISATIONDr. Saphalta Baghmar, Program Head for Breast Cancer at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, agreed that the era of "one-size-fits-all" treatment is over.'Thanks to molecular diagnostics, we now know breast cancer is a spectrum of subtypes. Chemotherapy is required in aggressive types like triple-negative or HER2-positive cancers, but for hormone receptor-positive cancers, we can often safely skip it, especially when genomic tests show low recurrence scores,' she told If detected early, many hormone-driven breast cancers can be treated without chemotherapy. () Tests like Oncotype DX and MammaPrint help oncologists evaluate whether a patient can avoid chemo without compromising the treatment's RECURRENCE POSSIBLE?However, doctors warned that even with these treatments, recurrence is still a risk.'Yes, breast cancer can come back, whether or not chemotherapy was used. Recurrence depends on how advanced the cancer was at diagnosis, its biology, and how the patient responded to initial treatment. That's why follow-up is so critical," Dr. Baghmar more women face breast cancer diagnoses, especially in India where rates are steadily rising, understanding whether chemotherapy is necessary is becoming an important part of the conversation."Today, beating cancer isn't just about surviving. It's about surviving well, and science is helping us do just that," Dr. Baghmar detected early, many hormone-driven breast cancers can be treated without chemotherapy. But personalised care, regular monitoring, and awareness are essential for long-term Watch
