06122022-LSTC-01.qxd 12/5/2022 10:45 PM Page 1 c m y b AKSHAY MEANS BUSINESS Akshay Kumar, one of the busiest actors of Bollywood, in a recent interaction talked about film business in the post-Covid world. The actor said, “I think we have to try far more than earlier to make our films work at the box-office. It’s our fault and we need to stop blaming the audience for everything. TMS TRIBUNE Great year Actress Mrunal Thakur, who made her Telugu debut opposite Dulquer Salmaan with Sita Ramam, has shared that she has had quite an amazing year. TMS LUDHIANA| TUESDAY | 6 DECEMBER 2022 Catching the eye A Mona fine actor, Randeep Hooda, known for the transformations he undergoes to play different characters, has taken on a new role now. A writer and director, he would be seen as and in Swatantra Veer Savarkar, and the film has consumed him totally. But that for later; not having slept for three nights straight, he made a stop at Chandigarh to promote another show that he is very much invested in — CAT. In Chandigarh, Bollywood star Randeep Hooda talks about his love for all things Punjabi Proving a point Vicky talks about fitting into the ‘quintessential Bollywood hero’ tag For the first time, Bollywood heartthrob Vicky Kaushal will be seen dancing and doing comedy in the upcoming film Govinda Naam Mera. He believes every actor wants to prove his or her self in a holistic manner. Talking about fitting into the ‘quintessential Bollywood hero’ tag with all the song and dance in Govinda Naam Mera, Vicky says, “I think every actor out there, including myself, wants to prove his or her self as an actor in a holisI THINK EVERY ACTOR OUT tic way and, of course, in a THERE, INCLUDING MYSELF, Bollywood set up. That’s WANTS TO PROVE HIS OR HER what they say — it’s only SELF AS AN ACTOR IN A after you do the song and HOLISTIC WAY. dance, and comedies that you become a complete actor.” VICKY KAUSHAL “I always wanted to explore this and knew it was inside me, but I wanted to do it with the right script as well as the team. I am just happy that I got to do this with Shashank Khaitan in Govinda Naam Mera.” The film also stars Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar. It will release on December 16 on Disney+ Hotstar. — IANS ❝ Set in the backdrop of insurgency and drug peddling in Punjab, Hooda steps into a turbaned avatar of Gurnam Singh. And with this he wants to shatter every misconception that the film industry has about Punjab. “Sarson ke khet in Hindi films are shown as the perfect setting for love, but in reality it takes blood, sweat, hard work, water, fertiliser, saving the crop from rain, hail and more,” he says, sipping on tea. “Also, there is a misconception about Sikhs that they are really loud and thigh-slapping folks, but in my research for another project that never fructified, Battle of Saragarhi, I found that Sikhs are very cultured. From there germinated the character of Gurnam Singh.” GREAT JOURNEY Hooda plays a CAT—a secret police informant—who will go to any lengths for the sake of his family. Directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, the show boasts of an ensemble cast, including Suvinder Vicky and Hasleen Kaur. The story goes back and forth between two timelines. “Within the show, my character undergoes a transformation and it was quite a journey in itself,” says Hooda. Couple it with an engaging screenplay, good music and fine performances, Hooda feels they’ve got a winner. “I have great admiration for Sikhs; playing this role I have been spiritually closest to myself.” Such is his love for Punjabi that Hooda refused to dub for the show in Hindi! “A sardar speaking Hindi, that too from a background the character is from, would have looked pretty awkward.” While the show is in Punjabi, it would be available in both Hindi and English. If Punjab is about tales of love and honour, it’s also the lesson of seva that Hooda has learnt from the state. “Whenever I go to Golden Temple, I wash utensils. Or wherever I have langar, it is such a lesson in humility.” “We have tried to be as authentic as possible in representing the two timelines that are shown; the language, the tracks, the complexities of relationships and the journey of our characters. CAT is a very unique story and I am glad we could collaborate with Netflix to bring this to life,” says the creator and director of the show, Balwinder Singh Janjua. ❝ WEIGHTY AFFAIR TO LOSE WEIGHT, ONE NEEDS A PURPOSE. DROPPING IT FOR BEAUTY, HEALTH, VANITY OR FOR A ROLE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS. I SHARE TWO KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY FRIDGE — ONE IS IT SINGING TO ME PREETAM AAN MILO WHEN I SLEEP HUNGRY, AND ANOTHER WHEN IT SAYS GIVE ME A BREAK, LET ME COOL DOWN; IT’S BETWEEN THE TWO THAT I LOSE AND GAIN WEIGHT. I SEEK GUIDANCE FROM MY SISTER ANJALI HOODA SANGWAN, WHO IS A DOCTOR, TO STAY HEALTHY THROUGH IT ALL. RANDEEP HOODA, ACTOR PERSONAL NOTE The boy from Rohtak has made it big in the entertainment industry, with films like Highway, Sarbjit and Rang Rasiya to his credit, and also Hollywood film Extraction, but he credits it all to destiny. “I started my stage journey from Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Haryana, and went through the bylanes of Delhi and Melbourne, following academics to driving a taxi. From almost joining the Army to becoming a trainer for horses, 22 years of professional journey and I am back on stage — only it’s a different one.” (CAT will be streaming from December 9, 2022, on Netflix) Hansika marries Sohael Like mother, like daughter Hollywood actress Kate Winslet recently talked about being in the limelight and the pressure to look a certain way. With Winslet’s daughter gaining name for her acting, the Titanic star talks about how much more difficult it is now. “When I was younger, my agent would get calls saying, ‘how’s her weight?’,” she said. However, at 47, Winslet says that she cares ‘about being that actor who moves her face and has a body that jiggles’. She feels things in the industry have changed. Winslet’s daughter Mia Threapleton is 22 years old and with social media ever present in everyone’s daily life, it represents a new difficulty for celebrities as they have to be more guarded. Winslet stars with her daughter in I Am Ruth, where they play mother and daughter on screen too. Identity issues are at the centre of the story. — IANS DIRECTOR’S CUT Actress Hansika Motwani tied the knot with entrepreneur Sohael Katuriya on Sunday (December 4) at Mundota Fort in Jaipur. Their wedding was an intimate affair with only close friends and family in attendance. — TMS Kate Winslet stars with her daughter in I Am Ruth A STILL FROM CAT PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Tough times Producer Nitin Manmohan was rushed to hospital on December 3 after he suffered a heart attack. His condition is said to be stable, but he is still on ventilator support at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Vashi (Maharashtra). According to reports, Nitin had gone for Ayurvedic detox treatment to Panvel when he started feeling breathless. Manmohan has given many successful films and worked with actors such as Salman Khan in Baaghi, Rishi Kapoor in Bol Radha Bol, Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in Laadla, Ajay Devgn in Deewangee, and many more. — TMS SLB to release his first-ever original music album Sukoon Sweet notes NITIN MANMOHAN c m y b Ever since Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced that he will be launching a set of original songs as part of the music album titled Sukoon, audiences have been waiting with bated breath. Says Bhansali, “Two years in the making amidst the difficult times of Covid, I found peace, quiet and love while creating Sukoon. I hope you find the same while listening.” With Sukoon, we will see yet another collaboration between Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Saregama. Speaking about their journey of coming up with Sukoon, Vikram Mehra, Managing Director, Saregama India Ltd, says, “If perfection had a face, then it must be Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and once again it’s evident through his labour of love Sukoon, a collection of nine pieces of art.” The album will be out on December 7, 2022. — TMS