logo
Puneett Chouksey: My mother has always been a strong pillar in my life

Puneett Chouksey: My mother has always been a strong pillar in my life

Time of India11-05-2025
Actor
, who began his acting journey in 2016 with
and went on to feature in shows like
, Naagin 3, and Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki, shares a heartfelt tribute to his mother, this Mother's Day.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Sharing about his love for his mother, he says, 'My mom,
, is a retired government employee. I've seen her balance work and home so gracefully—it always amazed me how perfect she was in everything. She was amazing professionally, never brought work stress home. At the same time, she was a perfect wife—my father always admired and complimented her. Those are a few things that I have learnt from her to balance life."
Puneett adds, 'Being a mother to three children—me, my brother, and my sister—she never let any of us feel neglected.
Even with her job, she made time to check our studies, cook meals, and just be there for us. Her smile is what starts my day, and her hug is what ends it peacefully. She's always been a strong pillar in my life and has taught me the value of relationships, humanity, and especially the role of women.'
The actor feels grateful to his mother for always supporting him in his career choices, too. Puneett says, 'Coming from a government service background, she never questioned my decision to switch from banking to acting post-MBA. She supported me unconditionally. I owe every success to her for the belief in me.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NYC dances to India's beat: Independence Day ignites Battery Dance Festival with ‘Shakti' fervour
NYC dances to India's beat: Independence Day ignites Battery Dance Festival with ‘Shakti' fervour

First Post

timea day ago

  • First Post

NYC dances to India's beat: Independence Day ignites Battery Dance Festival with ‘Shakti' fervour

On August 15, marking India's Independence Day, the festival will host 'India Day,' a showcase of 'Shakti - Divine Energy,' a mixed programme featuring dance and cultural performances by global artists, paying homage to the female essence and creativity. New York city's longest-running public dance festival will commemorate India's Independence Day on August 15 by hosting an array of cultural performances focusing on the essence of 'Shakti' – the female divine energy. The 44th Annual Battery Dance Festival, which brings together diverse dance companies from around the world, will run from August 12-16. On August 15, marking India's Independence Day, the festival will host 'India Day,' a showcase of 'Shakti - Divine Energy,' a mixed programme featuring dance and cultural performances by global artists, paying homage to the female essence and creativity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The last two years we had a very strong focus on 'Purush', male dancers, and this year we have switched it around and we will have a strong focus on 'Shakti, divine energy,' Founder and artistic director of Battery Dance Jonathan Hollander told PTI in an interview. The specially curated day will have seven different groups which will offer their 'creative take on the essence of the feminine principle in creativity and in life itself. It's a really important theme for today's world, where there's so much conflict, fracture and unknowns,' Hollander said. 'Mother and the female essence is something that we all can relate to', at times like these, he said. The India Day Programme is supported through grants from the Consulate General of India in New York and the State Bank of India, New York. It will feature the Nandanik Dance Troupe from Pittsburgh with choreographer and soloist Subhajit Khush Das from Kolkata in a new production on the Goddess Kali. Other works that will pay tribute to the female essence will be by choreographers Bijayini Satpathy, Maya Kulkarni, Lada Pada, Sonali Skandan, Swathi Gundapuneedi-Atluri, Subhajit Khush Das, Renjith Babu and Malini Srinivasan for dancers and dance companies from Kolkata, Pittsburgh, New Jersey and New York in the styles of Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Uday Shankar. Emphasising the theme of the 'India Day' performances, Hollander said that on a political and social level, women's rights and respect for women and the way 'we all relate to the women in our lives, this is something that can never have too much attention." With artists from across India and the US coming together for various performances, he underscored that this speaks to the highly skilled and creative diaspora of the Indian culture in North America. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Battery Dance Festival is New York City's longest-running free public dance festival, drawing a combined audience of over 12,000 in-person and over 10,000 virtual viewers every year. 'We are all seeking a moment of refreshing ourselves, refreshing our minds,' Hollander said, speaking about the message of the festival. With people consumed with the news every day, many are left wondering, 'What is the next crisis or what is the next horror that we're going to see and feel?' he said. 'And when you're sitting at the park, in a community of people that many of whom you don't know, and you are shoulder to shoulder with people of all cultures, ethnicities, ages, I think there's a sense of celebrating human nature and celebrating what we have in common,' he added.

US to celebrate 'India Day': How is NYC's longest-running public dance festival celebrating Independence Day? Details inside
US to celebrate 'India Day': How is NYC's longest-running public dance festival celebrating Independence Day? Details inside

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

US to celebrate 'India Day': How is NYC's longest-running public dance festival celebrating Independence Day? Details inside

Image: New York City's longest-running public dance festival will mark India's Independence Day on August 15 with the celebration of 'Shakti', the divine female energy. The 44th Annual Battery Dance Festival, which features diverse dance companies from around the world, will run from August 12 to 16, as per the news agency PTI. As part of the festivities, August 15 will be observed as 'India Day' presenting 'Shakti' a mixed programme of dance and cultural performances by international artists, honoring the female essence and creativity. Highlighting the theme of the 'India Day' performance, Jonathan Hollander, the founder and director of Battery Dance, said, that on both political and social levels, women's rights, respect for women and the way 'we all relate to the women in our lives' are issues that 'can never have too much attention.' 'Mother and the female essence is something that we all can relate to,' said Hollander, as quoted by PTI. 'The last two years we had a very strong focus on 'Purush', male dancers, and this year we have switched it around and we will have a strong focus on 'Shakti, divine energy,' Hollander told PTI. The specially curated day will feature seven groups presenting their 'creative take on the essence of the feminine principle in creativity and in life itself,' Hollander said. 'It's a really important theme for today's world, where there's so much conflict, fracture and unknowns.' The programme will include the Nandanik Dance Troupe from Pittsburgh, joined by Kolkata-based choreographer and soloist Subhajit Khush Das, in a new work centered around Goddess Kali. Other performances celebrating the female essence will feature works by choreographers Bijayini Satpathy, Maya Kulkarni, Lada Pada, Sonali Skandan, Swathi Gundapuneedi-Atluri, Subhajit Khush Das, Renjith Babu, and Malini Srinivasan. Dancers and companies from Kolkata, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and New York will present pieces in Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and the Uday Shankar style. The Battery Dance Festival is considered to be New York City's longest-running dance festival and attracts more than 12,000 in-person attendees and over 10,000 virtual viewers each year. 'We are all seeking a moment of refreshing ourselves, refreshing our minds,' said Hollander, referring to the festival's message. "And when you're sitting at the park, in a community of people that many of whom you don't know, and you are shoulder to shoulder with people of all cultures, ethnicities, ages, I think there's a sense of celebrating human nature and celebrating what we have in common,' he added, reported PTI.

Amitabh Bachchan once revealed that Smita Patil had a bad dream about him just one day before his near-fatal accident during ‘Coolie': ‘Around 2 am I received call…'
Amitabh Bachchan once revealed that Smita Patil had a bad dream about him just one day before his near-fatal accident during ‘Coolie': ‘Around 2 am I received call…'

Time of India

time2 days ago

  • Time of India

Amitabh Bachchan once revealed that Smita Patil had a bad dream about him just one day before his near-fatal accident during ‘Coolie': ‘Around 2 am I received call…'

Back in 1982, while shooting for Manmohan Desai 's hit film 'Coolie' in Bangalore, Amitabh Bachchan suffered a near-fatal accident during an action scene. The injury was so serious that it took him several months to fully recover. Years later, the megastar revealed a surprising story about actress Smita Patil that happened just a day before this life-changing incident. A late-night call from Smita Patil In 2015, speaking at the launch of the book 'Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence', Bachchan recalled an unusual phone call he received in the middle of the night. 'I was in Bangalore shooting for 'Coolie' once. Late into the night at around 2 am I received call in my hotel room. The receptionist informed me that it was Smita Patil on the line. I was shocked as I had never spoken or talked to her at such a time. Thinking that it would be important one, I answered,' Big B said. Smita had a bad dream about Amitabh During that unexpected conversation, Smita asked about his wellbeing. 'Smita asked me if I was alright and in good health. I answered yes and she said that she just had a bad dream about me and that's the reason behind calling up so late in the night. The next day I had my accident,' he said. Films they shared the screen in Smita Patil and Amitabh Bachchan worked together in several films, creating memorable on-screen moments. Some of these include 'Namak Halaal' and 'Shakti'. Smita Patil's untimely and tragic passing Smita Patil passed away on 13 December 1986 due to complications from childbirth. Her career may have been short, but her talent and presence left a lasting mark on Indian cinema.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store