Latest news with #Duplicate
News18
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Girls Were Afraid Of Me': Bollywood's Most Feared Villain Opens Up About Life Off-Screen
Last Updated: Feared on screen and misunderstood in real life, Bollywood's 'Bad Man' opens up about being shunned by women and how social media changed everything Known for delivering unforgettable villainous performances and iconic lines such as ' By God, Dil Garden Garden Ho Gaya" (My heart is blooming with joy) and ' Jo cheez bikti nahi, main usko chhin leta hoon" (What doesn't sell, I take by force), Gulshan Grover has terrified audiences for decades. His deep-rooted on-screen image as a villain earned him the title of Bollywood's 'Bad Man', but that reputation extended well beyond the big screen. Gulshan Grover Visits Archana Puran Singh Recently, Gulshan Grover paid a visit to the home of Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi. He appeared on Archana Puran Singh's personal vlog, and he opened up about how his menacing roles not only frightened moviegoers but also impacted his personal life, particularly his interactions with women. 'Girls Were Afraid Of Me': Consequences Of Playing Evil In a candid chat, Gulshan Grover admitted that for a long time, women kept their distance from him. 'Girls were afraid to come to me," he recalled with a laugh, noting that people often assumed he was as dangerous in real life as the villains he portrayed. When Parmeet Sethi asked whether girls truly avoided him, Gulshan Grover agreed wholeheartedly. 'Until social media came along, no girl approached me because they thought I was just like my characters in the films," he explained. Social Media Leads To A Shift In Public Perception Gulshan Grover shared a humorous anecdote about a party he attended where he hugged Archana Puran Singh. An actress at the event, taken aback, remarked with surprise that 'the man who was always chasing people in films" was now giving hugs and behaving warmly. Over time, thanks to social media and public appearances, people began to realise that the on-screen villain was just a skilled actor, not the dangerous man they feared. More Than Just A Villain: A Legacy Beyond Bollywood Gulshan Grover's image as a villain was solidified after his unforgettable role in Ram Lakhan (1989), and his powerful negative characters in films like Sir (1993), Mohra (1994), Duplicate (1998) and Hera Pheri (2000) remain iconic. But his talent has also taken him to Hollywood, where he's earned international acclaim for the drama Desperate Endeavours (2011). Next In Line: 'Heer Express' To Release This September Gulshan Grover is now preparing for his next big release, Heer Express, directed by Umesh Shukla, which is set to hit cinemas on September 12. The film marks the debut of Divita Juneja, and features a strong cast including Ashutosh Rana, Sanjay Mishra, and Preet Kamani, alongside Gulshan Grover in a significant role. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Geeta Kapur criticises followers-based casting in Bollywood, calls it unfair: ‘I feel bad for those who learn the craft'
Choreographer Geeta Kapur, who has helmed the choreography for several popular films including Heyy Babyy, Saathiya, Duplicate, Tees Maar Khan and more, recently expressed her disappointment in an interview with Hindi Rush over the growing trend of casting actors in films based on their social media following. (Also Read: Geeta Kapur admits some parts of reality shows are scripted: 'Everyone enjoys peeking into others' lives') Geeta Kapur slams hiring actors on the basis of followers in Bollywood. Geeta feels that the trend is unfair but not entirely wrong, and added, "These days, even recruitment happens based on follower count. It took me 8–10 years to genuinely build 2.3 million followers. And some people just appear overnight with 23 million followers. It's a different world. That system is something else. I think talent is separate but if someone makes their hold in 15 seconds and grabs your attention, then they are doing something right." She added, "There are many talented actors in the industry who truly deserve a chance, but if this is the trend now, it's unfair, but not wrong. I think it's unfair for the people who work on their craft. I feel bad for those who actually spend time learning the craft. I'm also amazed by people who manage to convince others they know the craft, without actually knowing it. It's a very strange circle of life. You put a dancing video, people liked it, and your followers increased. Now, these people say we'll teach you dance, and people get convinced and go to them. You don't see their experience, but just the viral dance. It's very screwed up." Geeta also recalled how people used to offer her the opportunity to open a dance academy in her name and wanted her to teach, but at that time, she was busy. She revealed that many also offered her to just be the face of the academy, but she rejected it because she felt like it was cheating. About Geeta Kapur Geeta is a renowned Indian choreographer and television personality best known for her work in Bollywood and reality dance shows. Starting as an assistant to choreographer Farah Khan, Geeta gained fame choreographing numerous hit songs across decades including Sheila Ki Jawani, Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam and more. Often referred to as 'Geeta Maa' by her fans and reality show contestants, she has judged popular dance shows like Dance India Dance, Super Dancer, and India's Best Dancer, and is admired for her emotional connection with dancers.
India.com
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sonali Bendre finally breaks silence over reports of dating Raj Thackeray 20 years ago, says, 'Relationship is...'
Sonali Bendre finally breaks silence over reports of dating Raj Thackeray 20 years ago, says, 'Relationship is...' Sonali Bendre, who captivated audiences with her admirable beauty and acting chops in 90s, has finally broke silence on her link-up rumours with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The online chatter started when an old video of the two went viral, which led to the speculations that Raj Thackeray was allegedly having crush on her 20 years ago. Reacting to the buzz in an interview with ANI, Bendre said, 'Did he… I doubt it,' Firmly denying the rumours she clarified, 'I was talking to my sister who was right there.' Addressing the gossip, The Hum Hum Saath Saath Hai actress added, 'I don't know. I mean, a lot of people… I think it's just not in very good taste when people talk about it like that. First of all, I mean, there are families involved and people involved in all of that.' Explaining the decade-old association she had with his family, Sonali said, 'Other than the fact that my brother-in-law and my sister… my brother-in-law who's a cricketer and hence used to play cricket with Raj's cousin… Sister's husband and they always played together. Secondly, my sister's mother-in-law was the head of the department that taught us English literature in the (Ramnarain) Ruia College, which I'm from.' She further revealed a personal family bond, stating, '…so they all knew each other. For me, the connection was that Sharmila, Raj's wife, her mother, and my Maasi were best friends. Her mother has held me for 10 days because you know how, oh, her, my mother's younger sister, Maasi. So when she delivered Raj, they all came laughing. Oh, her elder sister's baby. Let's go and see the baby. They've come to the hospital and seen me. So literally, that's the kind of connection.' Sonali further added, 'I've always travelled around… It's not something that I know them beyond a point because I came into Maharashtra only once in two years during summer holidays or something like that.' When asked whether she's interested in joining politics, the Sarfarosh actress firmly denied and said, 'No, not really. I think you need a lot of very thick skin for it, which I don't have… and I'm not politically correct… unfortunately.' Meanwhile, Sonali Bendre has been a part of several hit movies including, Major Saab, Sarfarosh, Duplicate, Zakhm, Chori Chori, and Hum Saath Saath Hain, among others. She was last seen in the second season of the ZEE5 series The Broken News.
Indian Express
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sonali Bendre says her role in Shah Rukh Khan's Duplicate was reduced to a secondary character: ‘I was supposed to have equal screen space'
When Shah Rukh Khan's Duplicate released, it made a lot of noise for the actor's dual role. Juhi Chawla and Sonali Bendre were cast as the female leads. The film earned double its budget of Rs 10 crore and became one of the highest grossing film of 1998. However, Sonali recently revealed that she felt shortchanged by the way her role turned out in Duplicate, saying it 'became more of a secondary character.' In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sonali expressed her frustration with the role and said, 'It was a film that a lot of people talk about. But this is one of those films that really helped shape the way I wanted my character to be. The idea was to have beautiful grey shades in this character, but it kind of started becoming very one-dimensional. I think it became more of a secondary character when I got onto it.' Sonali Bendre agreed to take on the role solely because of her positive experience working with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on Zakhm, which released the same year. Although her role in Zakhm was also brief, she was aware of it from the outset, unlike in Duplicate. She said, 'When I did Zakhm, I knew it wasn't the main character. I knew Pooja (Bhatt) had that role. But it was a beautiful story with Bhatt Sahab, and I just wanted to be a part of it, so I did it. But when Duplicate was concerned, I was supposed to have had an equal amount. And at that point, it started to feel like it wasn't the same kind of role anymore. So at that time, I did start to feel like I wasn't getting my due. But I think eventually, it all evened out, and I did get my due.' Also Read | Kareena Kapoor reveals her new schedule; says she has dinner at 6pm, lights out at 9:30 pm: 'Saif, the kids and me, we're all cooking together' Previously, talking to India Today, Sonali Bendre shared how her role in Duplicate started to feel like a caricature to her. She shared, 'There was a film I was doing at that time called Duplicate where I was approached to play a grey character in some way. It was very exciting and challenging for me to portray that character. We started preparing for the role in that way and also started shooting it accordingly, but slowly, as things moved, I felt I became a caricature and not really the grey character I was supposed to play.' Expressing her disappointment in the kind of shift the film took during the filming process, Sonali added, 'Every time a Duplicate song is played and people mention the film, the thing that I remember the most is the fact that how much a story can get de-railed and how much you can start with something and where it goes. And, for me, that was a huge learning. As time goes by, you start thinking whether I misinterpreted something or it was the other way around. But then, as you go forward, sometimes you do things for that paycheck, but other than that, in my second innings, I don't want to be slotted and boxed, and I want to do characters that break this stereotype.'
India Today
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Sonali Bendre on disappointment with Duplicate: Grey role became one-dimensional
Actor Sonali Bendre Behl, in a recent interview, shared her disappointment with the film 'Duplicate', in which she starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla. She revealed that she found her role in the film to be very one-dimensional. She also recalled working with Salman Khan in 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sonali Bendre talked about her experience in 'Duplicate'. She said, "It was a film that a lot of people talk about. But this is one of those films that really helped shape the way I wanted my character to be. The idea was to have beautiful grey shades in this character, but it kind of started becoming very one-dimensional. I think it became more of a secondary character when I got onto it.'advertisementShe added, 'When I did 'Zakhm', I knew it wasn't the main character, I knew Pooja had that role. But it was a beautiful story with Bhatt Sahab, and I just wanted to be a part of it, so I did it. But when 'Duplicate' was concerned, I was supposed to have had an equal amount. And at that point, it started to feel like it wasn't the same kind of role anymore. So at that time, I did start to feel like I wasn't getting my due. But I think eventually, it all evened out, and I did get my due. In the same interview, upon seeing an old photo from the sets of 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' featuring Salman Khan, she laughed and remarked, "Am I not pouring tea or milk here?"advertisementShe also talked about how Salman used to make faces and tease her while she was giving close-up shots. "We were fighting all the time. I should ask Salman about it then. Because whenever I was giving close-ups, Salman would be making faces at me. And I would get so pissed off that I would say, 'What the hell?', she also shared how difficult it was to shoot in the heavy golden ghagra she wore in the film. 'It weighed around 20 kilos and had heavy zari work, the fake jewellery I wore gave me allergies and rashes everywhere. To take a turn in that ghagra itself took 4 beats more,' she the work front, Sonali Bendre was last seen in a small role in Remo D'Souza's film 'Be Happy'. She made her OTT debut in 2022 with the web series 'The Broken News'. The show was loved by the audience and came back with a second season last Reel
