02092023-LSTL-01.qxd 9/1/2023 10:13 PM Page 1 c m y b YAATRIS ON WAY Actor and cricketer Anuraag Malhan is all set to make his Bollywood debut with the film Yaatris, starring alongside renowned actors like Raghubir Yadav, Seema Pahwa, Jamie Lever and Chahatt Khanna. The film, directed by Harish Vyas, is set to release on October 6. TRIBUNE Love story Life Singer Armaan Malik has released a video titled Kasam Se that takes the viewers inside the big ‘proposal’ day, and that special moment when fashion influencer Aashna Shroff had said ‘yes’ to him. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 2 SEPTEMBER 2023 ‘Have a heart of steel’ Nonika Singh A 90s kid, acclaimed directors Raj and DK’s series and even if hers wasn’t a ‘central’ part, so many things were tipped in favour that Pooja Gor could not have possibly refused Guns & Gulaabs. Rather she beams, “I think I manifested it.” Today she is both exhilarated and humbled by the response to the Netflix series. Part of the exhilaration comes from the two celebrated makers who helmed it. She shares, “Raj and DK sir put you at ease immediately, are so much fun on the sets and have such a fantastic wry sense of humour, no ‘ha ha’ jokes for them.” Their Pooja Gor agrees that social media is unorthodox and both a boon and a bane. unique way of story“Overexposure can be detrimental. It telling with ‘lots of triggers anxiety and there is pressure of heart in it’ too finds numbers, but at the same time it’s the fulsome praise from best way to connect with fans.” With her. And to cap it all, an Instagram following of over one she got to play supermillion, she has a team to assist star Dulquer her but writes her own posts, “I want it to be my Salmaan’s wife. Could own voice.” she have asked for more? On her gifted co-actor, she says, “Apart from being such a fantastic actor, a natural at that, he is a good-hearted human being. He is very Actress Pooja Gor, who is riding high on the success of web series Guns & Gulaabs, believes stories are not just about the lead actors Ready for challenges FAN CONNECT chivalrous and on point in his etiquette, all the qualities you want in a co-actor. The way he talks about his wife and daughter is so endearing; his eyes simply light up.” Of course, in the show he plays a flawed family man. Would she forgive infidelity in real life? Her answer oscillates between yes and no. “No, for obviously such a thing would be earth-shattering and yes if one has to move on.” But she would rather ‘forgive and not forget’ than simply forgive and compromise. On the other trait of her onscreen character, well, she could certainly Fire on two wheels RAVI KUMAR Actor Amit Sadh, on a bike trip to Ladakh, says one should not be intimidated by challenges Sheetal Actor Amit Sadh is a man on a mission these days. Having started a month-long journey to Ladakh from Mumbai on August 25, he stopped over in Panchkula on Thursday. Titled ‘Motorcycles Saved My Life’, his biking expedition is all about appreciating and experiencing the beauty of India, which he believes is not about just living in cities, but more about exploring villages. The actor has already cov- understand, if not relate to, the wifely quality of a supportive and entrepreneurial spouse ready to push her career in the background for her husband’s sake. “I have seen women of my mother’s and grandmother’s generation do it.” If love beckons she can’t say whether she would move lock, stock and barrel from Mumbai, which is home now. But, yes her other love, her work, does take her to different places. ered as many 1,800 kilometres and by the end of the expedition aims at 7,000 kilometres. He shares, “I believe in learning before doing something. So, I did an obstacle course, pursued a course in USA as well, because I wished to know what I was getting into. I did not get intimidated by the fear of injuries. I have undergone surgery for my shoulder and if need be, I would get another one. But to not do something for the fear of injuries is soul-crushing. I remember Salman Khan doing multiple back flips to get it right at the time of shooting Sultan! Tom Cruise is 69 and doing his own stunts. So even I can.” SHOW TIME Known for his work in Sultan, Jeet Ki Zid, Avrodh, Breathe, and more, the actor will soon be seen in Duranga Season 2 and in a cameo in the film Sukhi. He points out, “I am reprising my role in Duranga and while I was in coma for the most part, now as I finally wake up in Season 2, it remains to be seen how I make everyone else’s life on the show hell.” The humble actor says he doesn’t like to make comparisons. Amit shares, “I believe that artistes’ lives are that of privilege and from that point of view, speaking about struggles and challenges seems ironic. I used to be a security guard and to come so far from where I began, I prefer to be thankful to each and everyone.” c m y b With a popular serial Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya behind her, where she essayed the titular role of Pratigya, saying yes to a smaller part in the film Kedarnath does not bother her. “When you are part of ensemble, you can’t think in conventional terms of hero and heroine. The film gave me a chance to do something new, as I got to play a grey character. As actors, we feed off challenges. Sometimes even a single scene act can be the driver in the narrative. Stories are not just about lead actors.” Though right now she would like to focus more on OTT and movies for ‘I have done enough of television’, she would not say OTT is the medium of today. She adds, “Young India prefers streaming platforms. But there is an audience for every medium and actors like us tend to gain a lot from this new algorithm, and get to work in different genres across mediums.” Working with directors like Abhishek Kapoor and of course Raj & DK too is an enriching process. Critics may have felt that as compared to four male characters in Guns & Gulaabs female ones were not as fleshed out, she insists, “Wait for the unravelling in the second season.” You bet, apart from the second season, Guns & Gulaabs has opened doors as ‘many positive aftereffects’ and many offers are on the table for her. Watch out for her in yet another Netflix series, starring Vijay Varma and directed by Anubhav Sinha. The biggest lesson she has learnt from top-notch directors she has worked with is, “No matter how successful you are, you must strive harder.” Of course, lasting in any profession that is competitive requires resilience. Thus, to all those young aspirants who want to be part of the entertainment industry, her advice is, “Have a heart of steel.” Manish turns producer Ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra has added another feather to his cap, as he announced his debut as a producer with his production house Stage 5. Taking to Instagram, Manish dropped the company’s logo and wrote, “Ever since my childhood there’s a certain calling I’ve had for clothes, colours and films. I was fascinated by fabrics, textures and music, and watched every film wide-eyed, longing to be a part of Indian cinema one day. The fascination with clothes grew and I became a costume designer and then startedmy label after many years. Today, after three decades, I present to you Stage 5 Production. A company that will nurture different artistic voices from all over and take pride in the diversity of stories, collaborating with directors, writers, artiste who are not only talented but also have a unique new vision .. @stage5production.” —ANI When Vijay got angry! Madonna returns to rehearsals Veteran pop star Madonna has revealed she is back to rehearsals for her Celebrations Tour, just months after she was rushed to an intensive care unit after being found uncon- The pop tar was recently hospitalised scious. The Queen of Pop was forced to reschedule her world tour after her worrying hospital dash. She was intubated for at least one night back in June after suffering a “serious bacterial infection”. After being released from hospital, Madonna spent time recovering in her New York home, where she was looked after by her children. She’s now taken to her Instagram Stories to announce she was back to work. Sharing a picture of herself dancing, the 65-yearold wrote, “Good news...back to rehearsals now. See you on the road!”—IANS Actor Vijay Varma, who recently shared the screen with actress and his partner, Tamannaah Bhatia, in the streaming anthology Lust Stories 2, looked visibly uncomfortable and annoyed at the paparazzi after his return from a vacation in Maldives. As the actor walked towards his car from the arrival section of the Mumbai airport, he was all smiles as he posed and interacted until one of the photographers asked him: ‘Maldives mein samundar ke maze leke aaye ho’, in a now viral video. This upset the Gully Boy actor and his expressions changed all of a sudden. He went onto school the photographer and told him: “Iss tarah ki baat nahi kar sakte (You cannot talk like this).” Earlier, Tamannaah too was spotted leaving the airport. Several photos and videos of the actors from the airport have flooded social media. On August 26, Tamannaah and Vijay were spotted at Mumbai airport as they jet- VIJAY VARMA TAMANNAAH BHATIA It was out there... Pop singer Miley Cyrus spoke about a viral photo of herself wearing sweat pants and boots next to a glammed-out Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and Hannah Montana co-star Emily Osment, and said, “If you guys didn’t know I was bisexual.” Cyrus, 30, while going through her archives, unearthed a memory from a night out with Swift, Lovato and Osment. On the latest installment of her Used to Be Young TikTok series, she wondered how no one picked up on her bisexuality based on a viral meme from 2009. “This picture has become a meme — where it says ‘Be the Miley of your friend group’,” the singer recalled on TikTok, before Miley Cyrus shares throwback viral photo of herself revealing she is bisexual joking, “If you guys didn’t know I was bisexual from this damn picture, I don’t know what’s wrong with you.” After noticing laughter off-camera, Cyrus said she was only stating the obvious and offering a bit more context. — IANS