26042025-LSTL-01.qxd 4/25/2025 8:48 PM Page 1 c m y b ARIJIT CANCELS CONCERT Singer Arijit Singh has announced the cancellation of his upcoming concert in Chennai, scheduled for April 27, as a mark of respect and solidarity with the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. TRIBUNE Life Harassment! In a video shared on Instagram, singer Justin Bieber expressed his frustration with the constant harassment he faces from paparazzi. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 26 APRIL 2025 Here are five B-town actresses who delivered big ticket successes with their debut as producers ALIA BHATT AND (INSET) DARLINGS Behind the scenes too! DEEPIKA PADUKONE AND (INSET) CHHAPAAK Taking charge behind the camera is no small feat, but these leading ladies from Bollywood proved that they can call the shots just as powerfully as they deliver them on screen. These women have shown that producing isn’t just a business move—it’s a creative force and they’re using it to amplify voices, break moulds and back stories that matter. With bold, impactful choices and box-office success, here are five actresses who aced their debut as producers. DEEPIKA PADUKONE: Chhapaak (2020) With Chhapaak, Deepika made a courageous choice to tell the real-life story of an acid attack survivor. While emotionally intense, the film was praised for its sensitive storytelling and Deepika’s bold choice to produce such an unconventional narrative for her first outing behind the scenes. ANUSHKA SHARMA AND (INSET) NH10 ANUSHKA SHARMA: NH10 (2015) Anushka took a gritty leap with NH10, a neo-noir thriller that stunned critics and audiences alike. Her production house Clean Slate Filmz immediately stood out for backing bold content. The film was both a critical and commercial success, cementing her status as a producer to watch out for. PRIYANKA CHOPRA: Ventilator (2016) Under her Purple Pebble Pictures banner, Priyanka Chopra ventured into Marathi cinema with Ventilator, a heartwarming family drama that turned out to be a national award-winning hit. Her commitment to promoting regional stories paid off beautifully and showcased her global vision for Indian cinema. ALIA BHATT: Darlings (2022) RICHA CHADHA: Girls Will Be Girls (2024) PRIYANKA CHOPRA AND (INSET) VENTILATOR Richa Chadha made waves on the global festival circuit with her debut production Girls Will Be Girls, co-produced under her and Ali Fazal’s banner Pushing Buttons Studios. The film earned international accolades, premiered at Sundance and SXSW, and marked Richa as a formidable new voice in independent cinema. A legacy of baking Mona From sharing Swiss rolls after their evening walks at the Leisure valley to having the same flavour for their wedding cake, the Capital Bakery in Sector 10 has been part of many such sweet love stories for the past 50 years. Light on sugar, melt-inmouth, the Swiss rolls here have retained the same flavour over the years. Photographer-actor Paramjjit Chawla has been a regular for the last 20 years. “My son would come for matches from Delhi at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association and we would always visit here to enjoy our Chandigarh treat,” shares Chawla, as he gets his standard order, mushroom patties and Swiss rolls packed. He has moved to the tricity now and on each celebratory occasion, the cake is from Capital only, even if he has to travel 15 kilometres to pick it up. The owner, Hoshiar Singh Thakur saw an opportunity in the bakery that wasn’t run- HOT SPOT ning well back in the 70s and was confident he could run it, having had some experience in the field. He started with Sector 11, before shifting to Sector 10 and life hasn’t been the same since. “Food business is a huge responsibility. Right from the choice of ingredients to people making and serving the dish, one has to be cautious on every step,” shares Thakur. For him, the day starts at five or six in the morning and ends at midnight sometimes. “We haven’t taken a break for decades,” says Krishna Thakur, his wife. Their daughter Arti Vinayak also helps run the bakery, along with a staff of 20-odd staff. “I grew up watching stuff being baked. One of my fondest memory is that of African students coming here to have donuts,” shares Arti. The huge donuts at a reasonable price were a hit back then! Thakur makes sure he spends time at the bakery every single day. “My young clients love our baked goods; many of them share stories of their parents and grandparents and look forward to having a word with me. I like that,” shares Thakur, his Himachali topi in place. A native of Kangra, he has called Chandigarh home for long now. The modest place is teeming with patrons, and the courteous staff delivers swiftly. We catch Abhishek Bansal, UPSC aspirant from Fatehgarh Sahib, gorging on a mushroom patty. “My brother introduced to me to Capital bakery,” he beams. If Swiss rolls and mushroom patties are their hottest selling goods, desi ghee biscuits, coconut cookies and old style macrons enjoy their own loyal patronage. “People come looking for the same taste high on nostalgic value. My father ensures that we continue to cater to that,” says Arti. Alia Bhatt’s debut as a producer under her banner Eternal Sunshine Productions hit the mark with Darlings, a dark comedy about domestic violence, co-starring Shefali Shah and Vijay Varma. The film, released on Netflix, received massive acclaim and became one of the platform’s most-watched Indian films, showing Alia’s sharp instinct for strong content. At the Capital Bakery in Sector 10, Chandigarh, eating is an experience HOSHIAR SINGH THAKUR PHOTOS: PRADEEP TEWARI c m y b RICHA CHADHA AND (INSET) GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS ‘It matters to be vocal’ her Selena Gomez opens up on mental health journey Actress and singer Selena Gomez opened up about her mental health journey and said she must advocate for the same. “At the end of the day, I believe it matters to be vocal about issues that matter to you, whether you are famous or not,” said Gomez, who will be honoured as Woman of the Year at the 2025 Billboard Latin Women in Music event on May 1. “It’s not for the faint of heart because you are putting yourself out there and trust me, there will be a lot of opinions that come at you for even having the nerve to say anything at all,” she added. She recalled the first time she spoke about her journey and the fear she experienced, “It was scary to be that vulnerable and I didn’t ever want anyone to think I am a victim,” she said. Gomez shared, “I thought by sharing my own story I could help others, and I will take any negative opinions that come with that because I see the bigger picture of how the conversations have changed around mental health.” — ANI