Latest news with #D-Town
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Great to do a Gujarati film after so many years in showbiz: Helly Shah
Helly Shah Helly Shah , who made her D-Town debut with Surprise recently, says that she is 'really happy to have finally done a film in my mother tongue.' The popular TV actress, who has done shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum, Laal Ishq and Sufiyana Pyaar Mera, was in Ahmedabad recently. Helly, who made her OTT debut with Gullak 4 last year, adds, 'I was telling Vatsal (Sheth, her co-actor in Surprise) that it's wonderful to have finally done a Gujarati film after so many years in showbiz. I guess there is a right time for everything; der aaye durust aaye. Vatsal is a gem of a person and working with him was really easy.' She adds, 'During the promotional activities of my debut film, I visited Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. It was great fun because my extended family stays in Ahmedabad. I am a big foodie and love the local delicacies in every city. In Rajkot, I had bhakri with butter and it was mouth-watering.' 'This is an exciting phase for Gujarati cinema ' Helly feels 'this is an exciting phase for Gujarati cinema.' She adds, 'I immediately said yes to Surprise because I found the story intriguing. It was not your typical suspense thriller and playing a thief on screen was great fun. Gujarati cinema is coming up with very good content now, and the production value is excellent too. I like the vision that the makers have for the industry.' She adds, 'I have completed shooting for another Gujarati film, Deda, which may release later this year. It is an emotionally enriching story that is completely different from what I have done in my debut film. I am also in talks for another Gujarati film. My mom and I love enjoying Gujarati films together. We have loved films like Kutch Express, Hellaro, Dear Father, Vash and Chhello Divas . I feel this is a great time for me to enter the industry.' 'Doing comedy for the first time was challenging but fun' Helly, who took a break from TV after Ishq Mein Marjawan 2 (2021), recently made her small screen comeback with Zyada Mat Udd. She says, 'I always wanted to do a sitcom and it's not often that you see a TV show based on the aviation industry. Also, I had never done a comedy before. While it was challenging, I had great fun because I got to work with some terrific co-actors. It's very different from typical saas-bahu serials. ' She adds, 'There are people who have told me that the show has not done as well as we had expected. However, we feel we should be proud because we tried something different. Times are changing and I hope shows that try something new are accepted. I have a couple of interesting OTT projects lined up this year, and I am very excited about them.' Asked about whether TV is exploring new concepts often enough, she shares, 'It's not happening regularly. Saal-do saal mein aisa ek show aata hai, which is completely out of the box. Sometimes, a good show is not appreciated enough when it is released and the audience appreciates its true worth after a few years, like it happened in the case of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. I want to see more experimentation on TV. It would be great if makers take more risks.' Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Thoda late hua, but I am finally here: Vatsal Sheth on D-Town debut
Vatsal Sheth , who recently made his D-Town debut with Surprise, says he felt 'very nervous' about it. Vatsal, who has done TV shows like Just Mohabbat, Haasil, Ek Hasina Thi and films like Taarzan: The Wonder Car (his Bollywood debut) and Adipurush, says, 'Although I am a Gujarati and speak Gujarati, it is a different industry. I hope people in Gujarat will accept me as their own.' 'Unfortunately, nobody offered me a Gujarati film earlier' The actor has also shot for another Gujarati film with Esha Kansara and Vrajesh Hirjee. He says, 'It's amazing to see Gujarati cinema doing so well. It is on the rise, and the talent here is amazing. There is Mallhar, Yash (Soni) and many National Award winners. Gujarati films are being remade in Hindi, and even my family watches Gujarati films now. I am happy to be entering the industry; thoda late hua, but I am finally here. ' So, why did it take so long? He shares, 'I've always wanted to do a Gujarati film, but unfortunately, nobody offered me one. Probably they thought that I am not a Gujarati. Also, the budgets in Hindi films and television are very different, so they must have thought, 'Yeh Gujarati film karega ya nahi?'' 'I worked on my Gujarati accent for my D-Town debut' Vatsal, who has worked in Bollywood for almost 22 years, says, 'I speak Gujarati at home. But when it comes to performing in front of the camera, there is a bit of a struggle as I am so used to speaking in Hindi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trekking pants for mountain sports and adventure travel Trek Kit India Shop Now Undo I become conscious when I have to speak in Gujarati, and I worked hard for my role. I attended workshops for language training and diction. People in Gujarat speak very differently but that's the challenge for actors, and it was fun to portray the character. My accent is very urban in the film.' He wants to work in all mediums and says, 'I enjoy all the mediums. I also have a web series slated for release later this year. For me, the character and role are most important. When I did Adipurush, I put in a lot of effort and it was also released in many south Indian languages. So, language doesn't matter for me.' 'I do whatever my heart tells me' I was reading an amazing book recently, which talks about how to stop overthinking. I've actually applied that. If I really enjoy doing Gujarati films, I will do it. I won't stop myself, thinking that agar main Gujarati film karunga toh mujhe Hindi ya Tamil offers nahi aayenge. When I took up Ek Hasina Thi, many people told me that I will not get films anymore. But that didn't happen, and I learnt many things by doing TV. Ek Hasina Thi became the number one show and I got several offers after it. So, I do whatever my heart tells me. 'Will take some time off when the baby arrives' Vatsal and his actor-wife Ishita Dutta Sheth are expecting their second child soon. Vatsal says, 'I am not taking up any new projects now, since Ishita is due in June. I want to take a paternity break and spend time with Vaayu (their son) and Ishita. A lot is happening in my life right now. The release date of Surprise was preponed. It is an exciting time in my life, and I will take some time off when the baby arrives.' Asked about how they plan the journey ahead with two kids, he adds, 'I like to live in the moment. We know we'll figure out a way when the baby arrives. I always take inspiration from my parents, and everyone else around me.' Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Curious to find out audience's reaction to my Gujarati film debut: Swwapnil Joshi
Swwapnil Joshi to make his debut in Gujarati films with Shubhchintak Marathi superstar Swwapnil Joshi is all set to make his debut in Gujarati films with Shubhchintak , which also stars Manasi Parekh and Viraf Patell. Swwapnil, who was in Ahmedabad for an event, says, 'I am really excited to work in Gujarati films. I have seen the kind of content being explored here and the growth this industry has seen in the last decade. It is a great time to enter a progressive regional industry like Gujarati.' Talking about his debut D-Town project, the Papad Pol – Shahabuddin Rathod Ki Rangeen Duniya actor adds, 'For me, it's important to share a comfort level with the team. Manasi (Parekh) and Parthiv (Gohil) are friends, and I love the kind of cinema they bring to the audience. Most importantly, I loved the script and the role.' 'Subtitles have come as a blessing for regional cinema' While he has done his fair share of Hindi TV shows and a couple of Bollywood films, the actor-producer says working primarily in Marathi films has been 'a conscious choice.' He shares, 'Now, the lines are blurring when it comes to films. They are no longer viewed as Hindi films, Marathi films or Gujarati films; they are just films. My focus has always been to do films that take me forward as an actor and storyteller. Today, some of my Marathi films are being viewed all over the country. Duniyadari has been remade in seven languages in India. The idea is to bring out good content for everyone, and not to just tick a box by working solely in Bollywood.' Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jawa Tengah: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo He adds, 'The subtitles have come as a blessing for regional cinema. While the nuances can be understood better if you know the language, the story is reaching everyone and everywhere.' 'Feel blessed that audiences accepted me beyond the role of Krishna ' Swwapnil's role of a young Krishna in the show Krishna (1993) made him a household name. Was it tough for him to get other roles? Swwapnil says, 'On many occasions, actors who have played mythological characters try to break out of their image and do something different, but not everyone is successful. I feel blessed that audiences accepted me beyond my mythological characters. The credit goes to them; they have accepted me as a villain, hero, and even as a beggar in my Marathi film Bhikari.' He adds, 'Now that I am entering a new industry (Gujarati) with a role I haven't done before, I am excited. The child in me is very curious and thrilled to see the audience reaction after watching me in a Gujarati film (smiles).' 'Marathi films are successful as good stories are being told consistently' Asked about why Marathi films have been successful for such a long time, he says, 'Primarily, it is because good stories are being told consistently. Thankfully, our business model is not governed by corporates per se, so we can tell the stories that we want to tell and make the kind of content we want. Also, similar to Gujarat, Maharashtra has a rich legacy of theatre and literature. Natak (drama) ka bahut contribution hai Marathi industry ke success mein. Marathi plays don't just entertain, they enrich us too. Since there are dramas belonging to different genres, the audience is accepting of all kinds of topics in films too.' He says, "If the story is good, I am open to working in any industry, whether it's a Bengali film or any OTT show. For me, script and subject are important, irrespective of the language or streaming platform." Talking about working in Gujarat, Swwapnil says, "I studied in a Parsi school, so I had a lot of Gujarati friends and knew the language. But I had to brush up on it a bit. I have realised that Gujarat is about food. Jo thoda bahut weight badha hai mera is because of all the food I have relished here (laughs). I have always had a connect with the Gujarati audience due to my shows like Papad Pol... So, I am excited about how they accept me after watching my debut Gujarati film."
