ShowBiz

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actress Niharika Chouksey, who essays the role of Anu in the television show ‘Tumm Se Tumm Tak’, has spoken up on her protein intake, and how she keeps it on track.

The actress shared that for her protein intake she prefers to take black chana, paneer bowls and salads in her diet.

She told IANS, “Protein is important for everyone, whether you're an actor or not. It's essential for a healthy body. I also think it's a myth that you can only get enough protein from non-vegetarian food”.

She further mentioned, “There are plenty of vegetarian options available. I make sure to include foods like black chana, paneer bowls and salads in my diet. Since I do eat non-vegetarian food as well, I also ensure that I include eggs regularly”.

Earlier, the actress had shared how the show changed her perception of love and relationships. In the recent track of the show, Anu (played by Niharika Chouksey) and Arya (played by Sharad Kelkar) finally tied the knot after overcoming several hurdles, emotional setbacks, and societal pressures.

She earlier told IANS, “When I look back at Anu's journey, I genuinely feel she has taught me so much. There were moments when everything seemed to be falling apart for her, but she never stopped believing in love. What I admire most about Anu is that her love was never blind or impulsive; it came from trust, patience, and understanding”.

“She stood by Arya not because life was easy, but because she believed in their bond, and I think that's something really beautiful”, she added.

The show captures the nuances of middle-class life, from family bonds and dreams to the balancing act between tradition and modernity, making it a genuine favourite among audiences.

‘Tumm Se Tumm Tak’ airs on Zee TV.

--IANS

aa/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actor Govinda, who is making a comeback with his upcoming film ‘Roopa’ has said that he was written off by the film industry.

The actor attended the press conference for the film in the city on Monday, and shared that maybe it was his destiny that he was written off by the industry so that he can come back stronger.

He said, “Maybe it was destiny that I was written off many times. People said that now he will not appear in films. I start again. And I pray to God that what I have thought and what people cannot think, this film works its magic. This film is especially for youngsters. When they will see this in the theater. Such a dream will come true. And this is possible. I will not discuss any spirituality in this”.

The actor also shared that he is a firm believer of numerology, and got into it from a very tender age.

He said, “Number 14 is my good luck number. I believe in numerology. My name is also as per numerology. I believed in it at a very young age. I was 14 years old. I was blessed by God. I signed 14 films in a week. Then I saw super-stardom for 14 years. Then I became a member of parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha. I struggled for 14 years. And then I came back to films. This is the first time that I could not wait for more than 5 years. I said, ‘I will start again’. And now I hope that the journey has started from here”.

“When I used to say in the village that I will become a hero, people used to laugh at me. They said, ‘Neither you smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol, non-vegetarian food, garlic, nor onion. How can you become a hero?’. People used to say that if you run in fear, you will become a saint. But this did not happen. I did what my mother had thought. And now I feel that this film is very important for children. That such films should be made. And children should move forward”, he added.

--IANS

aa/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Raj Babbar revealed during "The Kapil Sharma Show" how he escaped dancing during the shoot of their movie 'Hum Paanch'.

Babbar shared that the film had all non-dancers like himself, Naseeruddin Shah. The only one who could do any step was Mithun Chakraborty. In order to avoid dancing under the strict dance master Kamal master, they all came up with a plan.

"So, this syndicate decided that we'll do something. We will make him (Kamal Master) abuse us, and when he abuses us in front of so many people, we'll get angry and will refuse to dance", shared Babbar.

He added that that is exactly what happened, "Mithun Chakraborty agreed to do all the movements. He kept doing it, but we didn't. So, there was a sound coming from the bottom. First, there was a sound "Cut, cut, cut, cut." After that, a loud noise came from the bottom, and we stood up and walked the other way round."

As the actors walked away, Boney Kapoor came running to them to sort out the matter. However, in the end, they all became good friends and came to an understanding.

"We used to follow the crowd around us and do some hand movements. We concentrated so much on the hand movements and with such great intensity that our hands probably seemed better than Mithun," Raj Babbar joked.

Made under the direction of Bapu, "Hum Paanch" marked Boney Kapoor's first movie as a producer. The all-star cast of the drama included Sanjeev Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Mithun Chakraborty, Deepti Naval, Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Uday Chandra, Gulshan Grover, and Amrish Puri.

The film is a remake of the 1978 Kannada drama "Paduvaaralli Pandavaru" directed by Puttanna Kanagal. The movie was also remade by Bapu in Telugu in 1978 with the name "Mana Voori Pandavulu". Released on 19 December 1980, "Hum Paanch" turned out to be a massive hit at the box office.

--IANS pm/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actor Sriimurali has called his upcoming movie, 'PARAAK' as one of the most challenging films of his 23-year career, adding that the upcoming pan-India action entertainer demanded a different level of preparation, focus and commitment from every member of the team.

Speaking after the teaser was unveiled on Sunday, Sriimurali said, "Cinema has only one language, and that is good cinema. With 'PARAAK', I want to give the audience something different. It is the story and the concept that excited me the most. I have been in the industry for 23 years and have done many action sequences, but what we have attempted in this film is one of the most challenging experiences of my career. It is not about making a film quickly. It is about making it with conviction, responsibility and the determination to create something truly unique."

The actor revealed that working on 'PARAAK' required an entirely new approach.

He added, "'PARAAK' needed a different kind of preparation and a different level of focus. It is a new production house with a team of new technicians, and I always enjoy working with newcomers because they come with fresh thoughts and new energy. Our director, Halesh Kogundi, has a very clear vision. When everyone believes in that vision, something special can happen. The teaser will explain it better. I have never been part of a teaser like this in my career, and I genuinely feel the film is attempting something new for Indian cinema."

Describing the scale of the project, Sriimurali added, "When we started, we thought we were stepping into a river. Very soon, we realised it was actually a sea. That's how challenging 'PARAAK' has been. Every department had to prepare thoroughly, and all of us had to make small sacrifices

to stay true to the subject. We always kept the director's vision in mind, and that has guided every decision we made."

Director Halesh Kogundi said his vision was to create an action film where emotions remain at the heart of the narrative.

"I have been an action film lover since childhood. Watching great action films, especially 'Mad Max', made me realize that if I ever became a filmmaker, I wanted to make action films," he said.

Explaining his approach, the director added, "For me, action is more than spectacle or fight sequences, it's storytelling too. I want to explore human emotions, inner conflicts, and the realities I've witnessed through my upbringing. At its heart, this is a character-driven story where every action sequence grows organically from the characters, their choices, and their emotional journeys."

Calling 'PARAAK' an action suspense thriller, Halesh further said, "This film blends intense action with strong character arcs, ensuring that every moment serves both the story and the people at its center."

Talking about the teaser, it showcases Sriimurali in a rugged new avatar with a striking physical transformation, high-octane action sequences and large-scale visuals, backed by Charan Raj MR's powerful background score.

Known for films such as 'Ugramm', 'Mufti', 'Bharaate' and 'Bagheera', Sriimurali returns with what is being called as one of Kannada cinema's biggest pan-India action films.

Directed by Halesh Kogundi, 'PARAAK' is produced by Akhilesh Kogundi, Ashik Madal and Deepak Ashwath Narayan under the Brand Studios banner.

The film features music by Charan Raj MR, cinematography by Sandeep Valluri, while the story has been penned by Halesh Kogundi along with Team Brand Studios. The action choreography has been designed by stunt director Dr. K. Ravivarma.

–IANS

rd/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actress and entrepreneur Anshula Kapoor took a trip down memory lane as she shared an emotional glimpse of her bidaai moments from her wedding.

Sharing the video, she celebrated the tender father-daughter bond she shares with filmmaker Boney Kapoor.

Taking to her social media account, Anshula posted a heartfelt reel capturing some of the most emotional moments from her bidaai ceremony on the day of her wedding.

The video showed Boney Kapoor embracing his daughter warmly as she graced the wedding venue.

In one frame, Anshula was seen holding on to him before bidding farewell and in another touching frame showed the father and daughter sharing a quiet moment amid the wedding celebrations.

Alongside the reel, Anshula wrote, 'In between all the big moments were little memories like these... and somehow, it's the quiet moments that end up meaning the most. Love you, Dad.'

Earlier, in a video posted by Anshula she had expressed how most of a childhood she did not get to spend with her father Boney Kapoor and spent all of it with her mother.

For the uninitiated, Boney Kapoor had gone on to marry Bollywood superstar Sridevi while he was still married to Arjun and Anshula's mother and his first wife Mona Shaurie Kapoor.

Sridevi and Boney Kapoor became parents to two children Jahnvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor, with whom he spent most of his time.

On the day most special day of her life, Anshula had expressed missing her late mother, and had shared a heartfelt video on her social media account, reflecting on how wedding planning unexpectedly became a reminder of her mother's absence.

In the video, she shared a few moments featuring her mother's pictures and her own wedding moments, and said, "This is me and this is my mom. This picture was taken on my fourth birthday and over the years it has somehow become the picture I always come back to whenever I need to feel close to her.

"I thought wedding planning would mostly be about flowers, outfits and guest lists.

She added, "I didn't expect it to be filled with moments where all I wanted was my mom. I wanted to ask her questions, I wanted to see her face when she saw me as a bride. Mostly though, I just wanted one of her hugs.

Anshula revealed how she carried her mother's essence and fragrance in a customised perfume while on her bachelorrate celebration in Seoul, Korea.

"She gave the kind of hugs that made everything feel okay. So, on my bachelorette in Seoul, I did something I'll treasure forever. I tried to turn this memory into a scent because on my wedding day, there was always going to be that one hug missing.

"I wore this perfume hoping that I'd feel like she was still there beside me and this is the closest I'll get to having her there.”

–IANS

rd/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actress Akshara Haasan, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film ‘Simulacra’, has said that her role demanded a different level of maturity from her. She also said that the role allowed her to explore a different side of her as an actor.

The teaser of the film was recently unveiled, and it introduces Akshara Haasan as Nivi. It offers the audiences a glimpse into a futuristic world where memories can be rewritten through neural brain chips.

Talking about her role, Akshara Haasan shared, "Nivi is a very different character that I’ve played. This time I feel it required a different maturity level as a person and therefore a character. With how layered the story is, I discovered a side of me as an actor and got to explore emotions and complexities of emotions colliding. It challenged me as an actor. I truly enjoyed performing the character Nivi”.

The film is set in an imminent near-future where human lives are governed by neural brain chips, Simulacra explores a world where tech giants allow people to tailor, rewrite, or completely erase their personal memories. The plot follows two pedestrians, Nayan (played by Satyajeet Dubey) and Nivi (played by Akshara Haasan), who cross paths in a society increasingly reliant on trans-humanism.

Nayan claims a deep, intimate history with Nivi, presenting photographs stored directly in his neural memory vault. Nivi, however, has absolutely no recollection of him—her own vault reads entirely blank. As Nayan attempts to recreate their past to spark her memory, the two begin developing real feelings for each other.

Satyajeet Dubey said, "What intrigued me about ‘Simulacra’ was the film’s exploration of objective and subjective reality, identity, relationships, and how technology increasingly blurs the lines between what’s real and what’s perceived. Those themes feel quite relevant today, especially in the age of AI. I found his (director Pankaj Sawant’s) intent to tell this story and his eagerness to bring it to life really inspiring, and I felt compelled to be part of that journey”.

Produced by Philosia Films, the film is set to drop on July 17 on Waves OTT.

--IANS

aa/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actress Jayati Bhatia has opened up about the challenges of portraying the manipulative and negative Sharda, aka Shalini Batra, in her TV show, 'Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile'.

The actress stated that remaining in the character's dark mindset for long hours every day has tested her as a performer.

Speaking about playing the negative character for over one-and-a-half years, Jayati said, "Playing Sharda, aka Shalini Batra, for over one and a half years has been one of the most challenging yet fulfilling journeys of my career. With every twist in the story, Sharda's negativity has only grown, and staying in that headspace for 12–14 hours a day pushes me as an actor."

The actress further added that she consciously separates herself from the character once shooting ends.

"But the moment I pack up, I make it a point to leave Sharda on the sets and become Jayati again. My co-stars have always understood that Sharda is just a character, so off-screen we're constantly laughing and enjoying each other's company," she said.

Jayati also shared that criticism directed at her on-screen character is something she takes it as a validation as an actor.

"As for the audience, when they get angry with Sharda or criticize her actions, I take it as a compliment because it means they've completely accepted me in the role. I never take those reactions personally. Instead, they motivate me to portray Sharda with even more conviction and honesty. For me, that's the biggest reward of playing a powerful negative character," she added.

The current track of 'Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile' sees Sharda once again emerging as the mastermind behind Raghav and Reet's heartbreak after secretly kidnapping their newborn.

For the uninitiated, Jayati Bhatia has been a familiar face on Indian television for over three decades. She is best known for her performances in popular shows such as 'Sasural Simar Ka', 'Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki', 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay', 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', and 'Jhansi Ki Rani'.

Besides television, she has also appeared in films including 'Devdas', 'Koi... Mil Gaya', and 'Fiza'. She currently essays the role of Sharda, also known as Shalini Batra, in Zee TV's 'Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile'.

–IANS

rd/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Tusshar Kapoor who was last seen in "Welcome to Jungle" has revealed why he did not wish to make his Bollywood debut with his well-established producer sister Ektaa Kapoor.

Speaking exclusively to IANS a few weeks ago, on the occasion of completing 25 years in the industry, Tusshar revealed that he had once told Ektaa, "I'll never do a film with you. My first film will never be with you," a remark that left her extremely upset.

"I want to launch... We should launch you. Why should somebody else launch you?" the television mogul had told her brother.

However, when Ektaa got to know that Tusshar is being launched by Vashu Bhagnani and saw the primary poster of 'Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai', she was content that her brother would be presented well.

Tussar added "The poster that he brought out, the first poster, without revealing any faces, with an umbrella and rain, I remember it wasn't even released to the public. It was just for, that time there was no press, in the sense that there was no social media. So, I think during the mahurat, he had shown that poster to his distributors, and my face was not even shown in it. So she was very excited about that. She said that he's going to present you very well."

Tusshar was further asked, "So was it just the younger sibling's ego, or you really wanted to make your own path?" To this, he replied, "Always wanted, neither should my father, mother or my sister launch me. It was not ego, it was just the fact that I have to feel good about myself. It's very easy for a family member to launch another family member. What is the achievement in that? The achievement is when you've earned something on your own merit. An outsider will only invest money if they feel there's some potential in you."

In another news, Tusshar Kapoor's debut movie, 'Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai' clocked 25 years of release on May 25 this year, and he decided to commemorate the special milestone with an emotional post that read, "My journey began with a film that gave me not just a debut, but a lifetime of memories. Honestly, today, when I look back at how time has flown by it feels unreal. So much has changed over the years, but the love I’ve received from all of you has remained constant through every phase (sic)." -

-IANS

pm/ayk

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Television actress Eisha Singh, who plays an autistic girl in the show “Juhi Mui”, said the show's biggest success would be if it manages to change even one person's perspective and encourages viewers to think differently about the issues it highlights.

Asked if it is an added responsibility on the show because it needs to educate as much as it needs to entertain, Eisha told IANS: “By the end of every episode, if we can change the perspective, I think it's a great victory for all of us. Same if we can start the conversation around this topic, I think again, it's great.”

“We do have, I think we both take them with pride and the fact that we have a show around this topic. Of course, at the same time, we both have that responsibility on our shoulders, but I, yeah, I think, yeah, that's it. See, times are changing,” she concluded.

Eisha said it is high time that the audiences should be ready because stories like this don't come really often.

"A lot of people I know, they don't know what autism really is. So, to know about it and to understand its sensitivity, we should watch the show. We need to learn about it, and we need to approach people who are autistic with a little more kindness, inclusion and acceptance,” added Eisha.

The actress is currently seen alongside Vijayendra Kumeria in the show “Juhi Mui”.

'Juhi Mui' traces the journey of Juhi Suri, a brilliant young autistic woman whose mind becomes her greatest strength in a world that often misunderstands her. In the current track, after losing her father, the one who shielded her from the harsh realities of society, she struggles to navigate her grief.

Juhi Mui airs on Colors.

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Actor Ronit Roy gave fans a glimpse of his adorable bond with wife Neelam Bose Roy on Sunday night.

Sharing a loved-up picture from their recent night out, he affectionately called her his 'baby bhi, boss bhi'.

Taking to his social media account, the actor posted a stylish picture with Neelam, where they can be seen twinning in elegant black outfits.

Ronit looked dapper in a black suit paired with a white shirt and black tie, and Neelam stunned in a black saree with a shimmering gold border.

The two were seen smiling warmly for the camera as they hugged each other.

Sharing the picture, Ronit captioned the post as, 'Night out with the #bossbaby ! Oops sorry with the #babybhibossbhi.'

Talking about the couple's live story, Ronit Roy married Neelam Bose Roy in 2003 after the two met through mutual friends and gradually fell in love.

Over the years, the couple has often spoken about the importance of immense trust, companionship and mutual respect in their relationship.

They are parents to daughter Aador and son Agastya.

On the professional front, Ronit has carved a successful career across television, films and OTT platforms.

He became a household name with iconic television shows such as Mr. Bajaj in 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay', and Mihir in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', followed by 'Bandini' and 'Adaalat'.

He later established himself as a powerful character actor in Hindi movies such as 'Udaan', '2 States', 'Boss', 'Kaabil', 'Ugly', 'Student of the Year', 'Liger' and 'Bloody Daddy'.

–IANS

rd/