Latest news with #Harold&Kumar
News18
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Kal Penn says Saath Nibhaana Saathiya Had A 'Ridiculous' Plot Line: 'Super Addictive'
Last Updated: Kal Penn says Saath Nibhaana Saathiya helped him learn Hindi and reveals he wants to appear on both Delhi Crime and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Before Saath Nibhaana Saathiya became a viral internet sensation thanks to the now-iconic 'Rasode mein kaun tha?" remix, many people outside of Indian TV audiences had barely heard of it. But for Kal Penn, the show played a much more personal role – it was actually one of his first Hindi tutors. During a candid chat at Express Adda, hosted by The Indian Express Group, the Harold & Kumar star opened up about his relationship with Indian shows, his love for desi TV dramas, and the surprising ways they've shaped his understanding of the language. Kal, who is fluent in English and Gujarati, admitted that Hindi isn't exactly his strongest suit – but he found an unexpected teacher in the drama-heavy, twist-filled world of Indian soaps. 'This is hard because Hindi is not my first language. It is English and then Gujarati. But one of the ways that I started trying to learn Hindi was through episodes of Saath Nibhana Saathiya," he said. 'Because the level of Hindi is accessible to somebody who is learning Hindi. They have super addictive, ridiculous plot lines. So I will go with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi." The actor-comedian also had high praise for the sheer variety in Indian entertainment, calling out how different shows represent a wide range of voices and styles. He's clearly a fan of both light-hearted comedies and gritty crime dramas. 'I got to know Asit Modi a couple of years ago and I did a set visit to Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah and I was geeking out over this – it is like one of the most watched shows on the planet. It is not everybody's palate, and very different from Delhi Crime. But, you look at it what India is turning out and the spectrum of voices and content… I be like, 'this is so cool.' I want to be on both shows. I would love to do episodes of Delhi Crime." Asked to pick between Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Kal didn't hesitate to bring it back to where it all started – with the dramatic, meme-friendly world of Saath Nibhaana Saathiya. Kal Penn, born Kalpen Suresh Modi, is best known for his roles in House, Harold & Kumar, and a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother. Beyond acting, he's also an author and a former White House staffer during Barack Obama's presidency. Meanwhile, Saath Nibhaana Saathiya, the show that helped Kal get a grip on Hindi, ran for over 2,100 episodes between 2010 and 2017 – becoming one of the longest-running TV dramas in Indian history. view comments First Published: August 03, 2025, 07:33 IST 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.
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kal Penn BACKS Priyanka Chopra for picking hot dogs over vada pav: ‘Aren't people allowed to like other things?'
Actor, producer and former White House staffer Kal Penn has come forward in support of Priyanka Chopra after her recent food preference stirred an unexpected online debate. The drama began when Priyanka , during a red carpet interview at the premiere of her film 'Heads of State', picked hot dogs over the beloved Mumbai street snack, vada pav. While many fans were amused, others expressed their disappointment at her choice, with some even accusing her of turning her back on Indian street food. But Kal Penn, known for his roles in 'Harold & Kumar' and 'Designated Survivor', had a simple question in response to the criticism, 'Are people not allowed to like other things?' Kal Penn recalls MasterChef food moment Speaking to Indian Express, Kal admitted that he hadn't seen exactly what Priyanka said, but he opened up about facing similar moments. He recalled being on MasterChef, where the judges were surprised when he said his favourite food was tacos. 'They were clearly disappointed, and then they asked me whether I could cook something like chicken tikka masala or something Indian. I told them straight away no, and they asked me, 'Do you not like Indian food?' I told them I loved Indian food, and I had even planned on cooking one of my mother's recipes on the show, but now I am definitely not going to do it,' Kal shared. Kal feels others push their preferences Kal believes that people often expect celebrities to behave a certain way, especially when it comes to culture. 'For me, it's just the silliness of the fact that are people not allowed to like other things? I think people just project their own likes and dislikes, so I just laugh it off,' he said. Kal Penn calls Priyanka unapologetically real Kal also shared kind words about Priyanka. He said, 'I know and love her. I find her to be completely authentic and wonderful, and unapologetically so, which is very refreshing.' Priyanka's food choice sparked online reactions The food talk started when Priyanka was asked to choose between hot dogs and vada pav at the premiere of her film 'Heads of State'. She quickly picked hot dogs and didn't say yes to samosas either. This led to a wave of reactions on social media. Some people joked about it, but others questioned her 'desi-ness'. Not one to stay silent, Priyanka shared a funny reel by an influencer on Instagram. In the video, he questioned why she took so long to pick between Indian and Western snacks. She wrote in her story, 'Wow bro! Didn't know there was a syllabus for being desi. Its not that serious (laughing face emoticons).' Priyanka's upcoming films PeeCee will be back as Nadia in Season 2 of 'Citadel'. She is also playing a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in 'The Bluff'. Another big film on her list is one by SS Rajamouli, where she will star alongside Mahesh Babu .
Indian Express
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Mira Nair didn't want to cast Kal Penn in The Namesake, after son showed her Harold and Kumar: ‘Beta, this is clearly not the guy for us'
Actor Kal Penn was the latest guest at Express Adda, a platform for candid conversations hosted by The Indian Express Group. During the conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, Kal shared how his breakout role as Kumar in Harold & Kumar almost sabotaged his chances to be cast in Mira Nair's The Namesake. The actor shared how he was battling with stereotypical roles during his early days, and talked about the film Van Wilder, in which he played the role of Taj Mahal. Kal admitted that the Van Wilder gig actually helped him land Harold & Kumar, but the film in turn almost lost him the role of Gogol in The Namesake. He shared, 'The Namesake has been my favourite project, and Mira was a role model of mine when I was a kid. She was one of the catalyst of why I became an actor. The way I got that role, was that I wrote her a letter and I said, 'The Namesake is an incredible book, and you have to let me audition for it.' It just so happened that her 14-year-old son (Zohran Mamdani) was a fan of Harold & Kumar. He told her to cast me and actually showed her clips from the movie. She instantly said, 'Beta this is clearly not the guy for us,' but then she got my letter and said, 'What the heck, because of my son have to let him audition.'' ALSO READ: Kal Penn defends Priyanka Chopra for choosing hot dogs over vada pav, recalls being told to cook Indian food during a celebrity cook off: 'Can't Indians like other things?' Kal Penn also shared his experience of working with Irfan Khan in The Namesake and said, 'He was incredible. He had this power of communicating through silence. There is this one scene, when he comes into my room in college to give a book, and he just uses silence to show what his character is feeling. He does something similar when where are in a car and he tells Gogol the origin of his name, and in both those scenes, there is so little dialogue, but he such a beautiful and generous performer. We all miss him.' Kal admitted that while some of the roles he played, or was offered, were frustrating at the time, in hindsight, they paved the way for the work he truly wanted to do. Also Read | Kal Penn reveals regret doing teen sex comedy Van Wilder: 'I played a fairly stereotypical Indian exchange student' The Express Adda is a series of informal interactions organised by The Indian Express Group. Previous guests at the Adda include Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, philanthropist Bill Gates and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Harold & Kumar to get another sequel! Creators of the cult classic stoner film confirm; everything to know
Remember Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle? (2004) Well, everyone's favourite stoner cult classic is now getting a fourth part as the creators behind Netflix's Cobra Kai — Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald — have officially signed on to write a new installment of the franchise. Hurwitz and Schlossberg will also direct the film, which is currently in development under Lionsgate's Mandate Pictures. It's a homecoming of sorts for the duo, whose Hollywood careers were launched by scripting the 2004 original and then directing its 2008 follow-up, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. The franchise also boasts a third film — A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. John Cho and Kal Penn, who famously played the uptight Harold Lee and the carefree Kumar Patel, are expected to return, but no contracts have been finalised. Neil Patrick Harris, who played a drugged-up, fictionalised version of himself in the series, has not yet been confirmed either. The original Harold & Kumar film, directed by Danny Leiner, follows the two unlikely best friends as they embark on a late-night quest for White Castle burgers. Fueled by marijuana and munchies, they stumble into absurd scenarios, from racist cops and escaped cheetahs to a drug-fueled Neil Patrick Harris joyride. While the announcement has stirred up excitement among nostalgic fans, not everyone is sold on the idea of a fourth film. 'The first one was great. The second one was mostly boring but had a few funny moments. The third one is absolute trash. I'm not particularly excited for a fourth movie,' one fan admitted on X. Others speculated about the plot, guessing everything from an ICE-themed satire to Harold & Kumar's midlife crisis. But most expressed confusion over the announcement coming before the leads had officially signed on. 'Weird to announce it when the two stars haven't signed deals,' one user pointed out. 'They must be very close or Kal and John have a leg up in negotiations and the studio's pressuring them by announcing it,' reasoned another. For many, the idea of seeing Harold and Kumar return, even to a suburban nightmare instead of a burger joint, is enough to spark some cautious excitement.
See - Sada Elbalad
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Harold & Kumar 4" in Works with John Cho and Kal Penn Expected to Return
Yara Sameh Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald, the creators behind the worldwide Netflix sensation Cobra Kai, have closed a deal to write a new installment of "Harold & Kumar", the buddy comedy franchise that was popular in the early 2000s. Hurwitz and Schlossberg will also direct the entry, which is being developed at Lionsgate-owned Mandate Pictures. John Cho and Kal Penn are presumed to reprise their roles as Harold and Kumar, although no deals have been made with the actors. It's unclear if Neil Patrick Harris, who played a pivotal role in the franchise, will be back. Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald will produce via their Counterbalance Entertainment banner, alongside Greg Shapiro, who produced the original movies. Mandate, which also produced the original trio, will again produce. The movie will be one of the first projects produced by Nathan Kahane, Lionsgate's current motion picture group president who is stepping down at year's end and returning to Mandate to be a producer. Dina Hillier will executive produce for Counterbalance. The original Harold & Kumar, directed by Danny Leiner, follows to two young men, Korean American Harold Lee and Indian American Kumar Patel, who embark on a road trip to the Northeast burger joint named White Castle to satiate their munchies after they smoked drugs. But with the nearest White Castle miles away, they find themselves on a series of increasingly bizarre adventures, including getting arrested by racist cops, getting high with a cheetah, and picking up a hitchhiker who turns out to be famous TV actor Neil Patrick Harris, on cloud nine. The pic became a hit and spawned two sequels, 2008's 'Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay' and 2011's 'A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.' Penn has long expressed a desire to return to Harold and Kumar's world. 'We would love to do a fourth movie. John Cho and I text about it all the time,' Penn told Variety in 2020. 'Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg — who created and wrote all three movies in the franchise — we all would love to do one. I think we all, thankfully, have the blessing of being really busy right now and want to find the right venue and the right timing.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
