Masala Bytes: HT City Daily News Wrap

Actor Neha Dhupia admits that shooting through her third trimester comes with a lot of struggle. But she's putting all the energy into her work to set a precedent, with a hope of bringing about change in the business, so that there's more work for pregnant women. “Shooting during the Covid-19 times is hard. Plus, I'm in my third trimester, so the exhaustion is more. But, I'm doing this to prove that if I can do it, others can, too,” says Dhupia, who turns 41 today. She points out that a lot of women are forced to choose between their personal or professional lives. “If I can strike a balance now, things might change in the business. I hope this would result in more roles, not just for women, but pregnant women as well,” says the actor. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

In light of the Afghan crisis, Tisca Chopra took to social media to share that she spent a major chunk of her childhood in Kabul. She tells us, “We were part of the Indian community there. My dad was the principal at the India School, Kabul. We spent 10 years there”. Her heart goes out to those who are stuck in the country or are leaving. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Pedro Alonso aka Berlin from Money Heist is one character that gets under your skin. In an exclusive with HT, Pedro opens up about Money Heist's crazy following in India. “In the recent years, in Spain, many Bollywood productions had a moment of presence. I was surprised to see the level of production and the magnitude of Indian industry. I've seen Indian movies, but honestly, I don't have a serious connect with Indian actors. I'm more connected with the mythology of your country. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

From taking a 200-member crew to the UK to shoot a film from start to finish amid the pandemic last year, to wrapping up five films since then, Akshay Kumar has been leading by example. On what changes he sees in the business of filmmaking, theatres and the mood of the fraternity, Kumar says, “I can't comment about others, but I am going about doing business as usual. I've already completed five films during the pandemic. And, I'm onto the next one, Cinderella, with the same team as BellBottom, directed by Ranjit Tewari. But then, this has always been the way I've worked — doing an average of four films a year. Yes, the avenues to showcase our films may change a little. I know even before shoot begins, that some films are being planned for an OTT release only. Also, another term I have recently learnt is hybrid release — when a film releases in theatres and on an OTT platform, simultaneously. One way or another, the show must and will go on.

Sidharth Malhotra shares a rather personal connection with his “labour of love”, Shershaah. Ask the actor about it and he says that the film hits home for more reasons than one. “My grandfather got injured at the Indo-China war and took an early retirement. My father is an Army brat and he has seen my grandfather serve. He's just happy that one of his son has become a pretend Army soldier and is playing this amazing character,” he says. While feedback from the audience and the critics matter, what he is looking forward to the most is a positive nod from his and Captain Vikram Batra's family: “My father knows what sacrifices one has to make to serve their country. I hope Captain Batra's family thinks that I've done justice to his story,” he reveals.

At his first Olympics appearance, Bajrang Punia gave his all on the mat, and won a bronze medal in the 65kg freestyle wrestling event in Tokyo. But the wrestler is not satisfied. “I have won a medal but it is not the one I wanted. Nonetheless, I am happy to have made my country proud,” says the 27-year-old, whose victory is part of India's biggest medal haul at the quadrennial mega event. Punia's bronze gave India its second medal from wrestling in Tokyo after Ravi Dahiya's silver. Punia says, “I was struggling with a knee injury, but I knew that the hopes of my nation are pinned on me, so I moved past the pain and tried my level best.” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

A disappointed Shah Rukh Khan tweeted minutes after the India women's hockey team lost the bronze medal match at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics to Great Britain. The nail-biter concluded with India losing 5-4. Shah Rukh Khan, who'd been invested in the team's progress throughout the tournament, wrote in a tweet, "Heartbreak!!! But all reasons to hold our heads high. Well played Indian Women's Hockey Team. You all inspired everyone in India. That itself is a victory. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Venturing out today and working amid the pandemic is a big task for actors, considering they've to remove their masks. And in such a scenario, Rashmika Mandanna not only managed to keep working, but also shifted cities and houses. She has bought herself a new house in Mumbai, with her eyes set on Bollywood after Kannada and Telugu films. Mandanna, 25, was shooting for Goodbye until recently with Amitabh Bachchan. “It has been amazing shooting with him. When you shoot for a long time, you gel with the other actors really well. It's this blend, which gives performances that are really fun. I've been grateful enough to be doing that. We give out performances, and when people see your comfort, the director and everyone, they're happy,” she gushes. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Varun Sharma, a self- proclaimed fan of digital content, is glad to have made his debut on OTT. The actor starred in a web series, Chutzpah, which talked about how the internet is deeply embedded in our world. “It is World Wide Web for everyone, but for some people it is weird wide web,” says Sharma, adding, “I have always played characters that are relatable. Be it Chucha or Sexa, they work for me. The digital space is such an interesting medium as people of all ages watch content online and there is something for everyone.”

Sonu Sood is not big on birthdays, but nothing can stop his fans from making it special for him. Another temple is being constructed for the actor in Andhra Pradesh, and he feels humbled by it. “I'm humbled to see the love being showered by them. The moment I started helping people, I didn't focus on one village or state, it was pan India. I want to continue making it bigger,” he shares. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

"We've reached a brink where we've pushed our planet to a point where things have gotten out of control. If you see what's happening around — the flash floods in Germany, parts of Maharashtra and China — it's all bad. There are forest fires in the US, there's heatwave in Canada. It's important to understand that we've pushed it beyond our control and if we don't set things right, and then the future is not going to be good,” cautions Pednekar. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Olympics silver- medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu opened India's medal count at Tokyo Olympics in a resounding victory, clinching a silver medal in 49kg category in women's weightlifting event.“Sab sapna jaisa hai. Bahut bada moment hain mere liye (This feels like a dream),” shares Chanu who always dreamed ahead and has showed the world that dreams do come true. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

For Armaan Malik, social media should be a place to have conversation infused with kindness and compassion, instead of toxicity. And that's what the singer-songwriter is trying to do through his presence in the virtual world. “In the pandemic, it's important that we're there for each other. I may be going through a lot, but we can help each other by just being able to share that with people, or people sharing their stories with me,” admits Malik, who turned 26 yesterday. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Raj Kundra has been sent to police custody till July 23 for alleged involvement in a pornography case. Vasisth was also arrested in the same case and is out on bail. Her publicist released a statement on her behalf saying, “Police should investigate fully as there are more skeletons in the cupboards of the rich." Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Lucky Ali describes commercial music as aggressive and overtly expressive. He further says, “When there's commercialization of music, there's an end to those things; it is evident right now. When things lose their validity, nature itself takes its way and makes it defunct. You can do all you want but nature doesn't allow for that to happen.” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani is joining artists Miley Cyrus and Elton John to celebrate the legacy of Metallica.“They introduced me to the genre of metal music that I grew to love. Whether it is Master of Puppets or Kill ‘Em All or Ride the Lightning, it became a part of my life, and is now ingrained in me. Metallica is a seminal band, and always will be.” he says. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Rahul Vaidya and Disha Parmar are days away from walking the aisle and the wedding madness seems to have enveloped them. “The frenzy has made me realize why people marry only once. There are so many things pending. I'm looking into every detail. Shaadi mein bahut mehnat lag rahi hai,” he says

According to Shweta Tiwari, financial security is needed to survive and fight this pandemic. The actor feels one has to step out for work while taking all precautions. Explaining further, she adds, “Protocols must be followed, but one has to work. If you fall ill and need medical care, you need money. People are not working, projects are stuck but money is necessary to pay off EMIs and bills. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

The Hollywood suffered from another curse as the the director of classic movie Putney Swope 'Robert Downey Jr' left us at the age of 85. The Great Hollywood star 'Robert Downey Jr' wrote, "He was a true maverick filmmaker, and remained remarkably optimistic throughout. According to my stepmom's calculations, they were happily married for just over 2000 years" Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

The sudden news of filmmaker Richard Donner's demise has shattered Hollywood, following which heartfelt tributes are pouring in for the late star. Director Steven Spielberg, who wrote the story for Donner's The Goonies (1985), paid tribute to him in a statement to Variety. “He was all kid. All heart. I can't believe he's gone, but his husky, hearty laugh will stay with me always,” Spielberg said. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Debina Bonnerjee came up with an initiative to support small-scale and struggling fashion businesses during the ongoing pandemic. She says, "I realised that they are really suffering. Many people like small-scale weavers and tailors, are dependent on these businesses.” Glad to see humanity during this difficult time. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Madhur Bhandarkar was almost done with his upcoming film but he had to stop everything due to the second Covid wave. “I wanted to send the film to Cannes and Venice film festivals, I missed the dates for both because of the lockdown.” he laments. But unimaginably, he adopted positive view to this. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

Aniruddh Dave, who was treated for 55 days in a Bhopal hospital after contracting Covid-19 says "the hustle-bustle of the hospital and watching emergency situations being dealt with was something I can never forget. Staying positive was not easy” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

Reflecting on how the pandemic has affected the music industry in India, and the way forward, sitarist Anoushka Shankar says, “We were fully locked down in the UK when shows and festivals were happening in India, last winter. Now, as we take slow steps towards resuming cultural events, it's still grim in India.” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

20 days since Neeti Mohan delivered a baby boy, and she is back in the recording studio, Tisca Chopra is also preparing to resume work on her upcoming project in Delhi next month, For Avika Gor, the lockdown has been a time that helped strengthen her bond with boyfriend and social entrepreneur Milind Chandwani. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

I would want to remind them that my first film ever was Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), a really big ensemble film. I was barely there for 15 minutes, and that film changed my life. Army of the Dead again, ironically, happened almost 10 years after that, it was my debut film in Hollywood. That was a big ensemble with a really acclaimed director (Zack Snyder).” says Huma Qureshi. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

“The indie music space is returning. I'm very happy for artists in the country as now they don't need a film to become musicians. I know so many who've ended up being a one-hit-wonder in Bollywood. Being an artist is about growing with our own music. I love the freedom that comes with independent music", says Jubin Nautiyal. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

Singer Palak Muchhal, who uses her live musical shows to raise money for underprivileged children, reveals that surgeries of over 400 kids are pending ever since the channel of money got disrupted, with no live music shows happening. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

“I looked up the news on the internet because I couldn't believe it. I was going through a slightly low phase because of the Covid-19 situation but the news came like a ray of sunshine", says Prajakta Koli. Vaani Kapoor, has two more films in the pipeline set for release this year. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat

As someone who calls herself a lifelong ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, Celina Jaitly feels that there is still a long way to go before the community is fully emancipated. Actor Gulshan Devaiah says “People have unrealistic expectations about Bollywood. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Several Bollywood celebs such as actors Dia Mirza, Lisa Haydon, Kishwer Merchant and Geeta Basra all are due to deliver babies. And most of them admit that second wave has been tough one to handle. “It has been a challenge to keep myself positive. Bolna bahut aasan hai ke ‘stay positive', but how can you just be blind to what's happening around? You can't just cut out from the outside world. We don't wake up to positive news anymore,” says Basra Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Mohit Raina has filed a complaint against four people who allegedly started 'Mohit Bachao (Save Mohit)' campaign on social media. The complaint has been reportedly registered against Mohit's self-proclaimed well wisher Sara Sharma and her friends Listen to all that's been happening in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Mika Singh and self-pro-claimed critic Kamaal R Khan (KRK) have been at loggerheads ever since the singer supported actor Salman Khan in his defamation lawsuit against KRK. Listen to all that's been happening in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

In a bid to preserve the pre-Partition culture that nurtured two of India's greatest film legends, Dilip Kumar and late Raj Kapoor, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government of Pakistan has approved the purchase of their ancestral homes so that they can be converted into museums. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

The morning of June 1 was abuzz with the news of TV actor Karan Mehra's arrest. The Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actor's wife, Nisha Rawal filed a complaint against him following a fight. He was arrested by the Mumbai Police and later granted bail. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

After being ousted from filmmaker Karan Johar's Dostana 2, and subsequently from Shah Rukh Khan's production, Freddie, rumour mills are abuzz that actor Kartik Aaryan may have lost out on yet another potential project. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

And they finally got back together! After over 17 years, including a delay of over a year because of the Covid-19 crisis, actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer reunited to take a trip down memory lane. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, creators of the series The Family Man, along with the show's star Manoj Bajpayee, have issued a statement in response to the controversy around its depiction of Tamil Nadu. A trailer for the new season of the show, due out on June 4, attracted backlash from certain sections. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee says “It has been tough for everyone in the country in this second surge of Covid-19 cases. But they have come forward to help both known and unknown people. The manner in which the entire nation has come together to help one another has been an extraordinary experience.” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Neha Dhupia is currently in Delhi, spending some quality time with her family. At time when the country is reeling under a pandemic, the actor says that- being in the company of her loved ones gives her strength and hope to live. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh admits that she has no qualms about approaching filmmakers that she wants to work with. She doesn't shy away from sending texts or calling people in the industry and feels at times, it is necessary Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Abhishek Bachchan had not one, but two of his films — Ludo and The Big Bull — released digitally. The best thing about such releases, says the actor, is the fact that the hype around numbers doesn't take place as is the case with big screen releases. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

actor Sonakshi Sinha was able to wrap her web debut project, Fallen, in the nick of time as its shoot culminated right before the latest curbs were imposed. The actor admits that she could sense tension even while working with a host of restrictions and it felt scary to remove her mask during the shoot, though, given the circumstance one can't do much but get used to it. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Ali Asgar says “I have been doing what I can over the past year and I have been taught not to mention when you help someone. Iss haath se do toh doosre haath ko bhi pata na chale,” he explains Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Jackie Shroff has been reading about Covid-19, trying to help as many people as possible and spreading the message of sticking to the protocols and guidelines. “Every day is a worry,” he says about the second wave, adding, “People are affected and unfortunately, so many have passed away. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Suniel Shetty feels politicians are not doing enough and that should be remembered while casting our votes, next time. “Every elected politician is thinking of the coming five years and ways to make money, but not about giving back to the system,” says Shetty, Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Actor Kangana Ranaut's Twitter account was ‘permanently suspended' yesterday after she posted a series of provocative tweets in reaction to the alleged violence in West Bengal. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Amit said “The recent events have made me reflect on whether I should be posting my pictures and reels. Especially when my city Mumbai and the entire state is under strict COVID restriction” Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Rana Daggubati, talking about his life as a newly married man, the actor says, “Married life is treating me good. I finally feel old and settled, and so I am happy.” While it has been a good period for him personally, he does agree that the pandemic has been quite challenging for everyone, especially the entertainment industry. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of Entertainment & Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

Bollywood actor Shashikala, who was known for her roles in films such as Aarti (1962), Junglee (1961), Anupama and Phool Aur Patthar (both 1966), passed away in Mumbai aged 88. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday arrested actor Ajaz Khan after eight hours of interrogation in connection with a drug case. He was detained at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening. Listen to all that's been trending in the world of #Entertainment & #Lifestyle with Mallika Bhagat.