Latest news with #Pooja
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pooja Hegde on Handling Film Flops: The Importance of Allowing Actors to Fail
Actress is all set to reignite her much-loved on-screen pairing with Tamil superstar Vijay, in what is expected to be his final film before retiring. With a career spanning 12 years across multiple industries Pooja sits down to discuss her journey. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'It is great to work with Vijay' Talking about her reunion with Vijay for his final film, she says, "I'm very excited because of course it's a Jodi that's kind of been a hit with Arabic Kuthu and Beast. And it's great working with him. He's just so professional and such a nice person. So, it's great to work with him because he just makes it very easy," Pooja says, brimming with enthusiasm. While she acknowledges the bittersweet nature of Vijay's retirement, Pooja is keen on celebrating the journey. "Of course, a part of me is sad that it's his last film because we love to watch his films, and I mean, I love his films. And more than anything, it should just be treated as a celebration,' she adds. 'Coming from a non-filmy family, you really have to hustle very hard to get your projects' Pooja, who has been a part of multiple blockbusters and also a few duds in the recent pasts, reflects on how her definition of success has evolved over the years. "My definition of success has changed over the years," she admits, before adding that this phase of her career is particularly significant. "I feel like my lineup this year, the kind of films I take now, will define what kind of actor I am for the rest of my thing. Coming from a non-filmy family, you really have to hustle very hard to get your projects. I've managed to establish myself to one level and now I want to move to the next level,' she explains. 'I don't take successes to heart because when failure happens, you have to take that also to your heart' Pooja's ambitions are clear – she seeks to work with good filmmakers, take on roles that push her as an actor, and earn critical acclaim, all while balancing the mass-appeal films that her fans adore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She adds, 'That's my goal right now. I want to work with good filmmakers. I want to do the right kind of films which pushes me as an actor for critical acclaim as well. Yes, I've had blockbuster successes. I've had six blockbusters back-to-back. However, I think you're only a success until you perform the act and then you have to do it again. I don't take successes to heart because when failure happens, you have to take that also to your heart. But I want to push myself to do better work, to do good films, to do good roles and leave a memorable filmography behind. So that's where I'm at. Also, I am an entertainer. So, I do want to continue doing the big blockbuster, Mass Masala films because there's also that audience, which are my fans. So, I think it's a mix of both where I want to work with good filmmakers and have commercial success.' 'We are actors, we have to be allowed to fail' Pooja's recent films, especially in the Hindi front such as Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan , Cirkus , and Radhe Shyam were box office disasters. On the topic of failures and how she handles them, Pooja speaks with refreshing candor. 'I've been able to predict it. There are some films when you're making it, you feel it. Nothing has come as a big shock to me. But we are artists, we are actors, we have to be allowed to fail, because unless we aren't allowed to fail, we will not give you anything new. You cannot, expect every time you're gonna do the same thing and it's gonna work out. At the end of the day, I'm not at the edit table. I am not making the film. I am not writing the story,' she says thoughtfully. For Pooja, it's about giving her best to every project. "Did I do my best to that particular role? Yes. From the films that were offered to me, were these my best options? Yes," she asserts. 'It will be a trial and error. It will be. It's a process. It's a roller coaster. Right. There'll be ups, there'll be downs, but as long as you're having fun while.' She adds, "When I had my successes, I just thought, 'Wow, this film did well. Let's move on to the next'. I don't think I even celebrated my successes that much, which sometimes I feel like I should have. Because when my films didn't do well, I didn't think too much of it either. I was like, okay, fine. I learned something from it. And I move on. I also think that if you have given your hundred percent to any film, there will be somebody who will watch your film and you will get something from it for sure. "
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
India signs off with its best-ever finish on foreign soil in 40 years
Sachin Yadav had promised to not let the conditions or opponents affect him and while he took time to get into his rhythm, the young javelin thrower made good on his promise with a personal best of 85.16m to win a silver in his maiden international outing behind Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem on the final day of the 26th Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, on Saturday. India wrapped up the campaign with its best-ever performance in the competition on foreign soil, finishing with 24 medals, in 40 years. The concluding day saw India grab three silver and as many bronze to finish with eight gold, 10 silver and six bronze. Although it was three less than the 27 medals in 2023, the number of gold medals went up from six to eight, pushing India to second spot on the table behind China (15,8,3). India's previous best outing was way back in 1985 at Jakarta, winning 22 medals with 10 gold, including five by P.T. Usha. Besides Sachin, Parul Chaudhary finished second in 5,000m to add to her silver in 3,000m steeplechase and the women's 4x100m relay team scorched the track for the country's final silver medal. Pooja added a bronze in the 800m, as did Animesh Kujur in 200m and Vithya Ramraj in 400m hurdles. Sachin started slowly, going past the 80m mark only in his fifth attempt but then managed to get both his technique and strides correct for a massive final throw to go past Japan's Yuta Sakiyama, who finished third with 83.75m in his last attempt. Although he fell short of his main target — qualifying for the World Championships (85.5m) – by 34cm, the result places Sachin ninth the world at the moment. Yashvir Singh too managed an impressive personal best of 82.57m to finish fifth. Nadeem, favourite to win in his first competition since the Paris Olympics, dug deep for a big 86.40m final throw to close out the competition. In fact, his third throw of 85.57m was also enough to seal both gold and a Worlds spot. Parul, meanwhile, clocked 15:15.33 in 5,000m to finish behind Kazakhstan's Norah Jeruto Tanui for the second time in as many days. Jeruto set a new Asian record of 14:58.71. This was Parul's third podium finish in the event after bronze in 2019 and silver in 2023. Sanjivani Jadhav clocked a season's best of 15:36.40 to finish fifth. Pooja landed a bronze in 800m with a personal best of 2:01.89s to add to her 1500m silver, ahead of fourth-placed compatriot Twinkle Chaudhary (2:03.33). Vithya clocked 56.46s to finish third in the 400m hurdles behind China's Mo Jiadie (55.31s), who upset the reigning Asian record holder Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya of Bahrain (55.32s) at the finish line. Anu Raghavan, who had won a silver in the event way back in 2017, clocked a second season's best in as many days (57.46s) to finish seventh. Animesh, meanwhile, shattered his own national record in the 200m for the second time this season with a 20.32s to clinch bronze. However, it was a disappointing day in men's 800m with Krishan Kumar and Anu Kumar bringing up the rear in seventh and eighth positions respectively. Jyothi Yarraji finished fifth and Nithya Gandhe seventh in the women's 200m. The latter, however, made up with a solid anchor leg to get India's 10th silver in the 4x100m relay. The Indian quartet — a mix of youth and experience — clocked 43.86s to finish behind China (43.28s). Veteran Srabani Nanda gave a good start, S.S. Sneha kept up the pressure but it was 18-year old Abinaya Rajarajan, the U-20 national record holder and on her senior international debut, who brought India into medal contention with a blazing run in the third leg, going toe-to-toe with Singapore's experienced Veronica Shanti Pereira before Nithya sealed the medal.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Sachin, Parul clinch silver as India adds 5 medals at Asian Championships
Parul Chaudhary clinched her second silver and javelin thrower Sachin Yadav also finished second while sprinter Animesh Kujur shattered the national record en route a bronze show as India's medal rush continued on the final day of the 26th Asian Athletics Championships here on Saturday. Vithya Ramraj and Pooja also won bronze medals in their respective events. Chaudhary, who had earlier bagged silver in the 3000m steeplechase, clocked 15:15.33s to finish second in the women's 5000m. In the men's javelin throw event, rising star Yadav produced a personal best performance as he sent his spear to 85.16m to finish behind reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who fetched the gold with a best effort of 86.40. Hailing from a farmer's family at Khekra village near Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, the 25-year old had a previous personal best of 84.39m. Fellow Indian Yashvir Singh also impressed with a personal best of 82.57m for a fifth-place finish. India's first medal of the day came through Kujur, who claimed a rare medal in the men's 200m. He produced a standout performance, setting a new national record of 20.32 seconds. The 21-year-old bettered his previous mark of 20.40s, set earlier this year at the National Federation Senior Athletics Competition. Japan's Towa Uzawa won gold with a time of 20.12s, while Saudi Arabia's Abdulaziz Abdu I Atafi took silver in 20.31s. Asian Games medallist Vithya sailed smoothly over the 400m hurdles to finish on the third step of the podium. The 26-year-old Tamil Nadu athlete clocked 56.46s to finish on the podium. China's Mo Jiadie clinched gold in 55.31s, edging out Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya, who finished second in 55.32s. Anu Raghavan, the other Indian in the race, was placed seventh with 57.46s. Pooja grabbed India's third bronze of the day as she finished the women's 800m with a personal best of 2:01.89s. In the women's 200m final, Jyoti Yarraji finished fifth with a time of 23.47s, while Nithya Gandhe came seventh in 23.90s. Yarraji had won gold in the women's 100m hurdles earlier in the week.
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Asian Athletics: India win silver in Women's 4X100 relay, Pooja bags bronze in 800m
The Indian contingent continued their brilliant run on Day 5 of the Asian Athletics Championship 2025 on Saturday, May 31 at in Gumi, South Korea. After a terrific beginning, India closed out the day with two more medals as Pooja bagged a bronze in the Women's 800m final while the women's 4x100 m relay team secured a silver finished the race with a personal best of 2:01.89s while China's Wu Hongjiao (2:00:00s) and Japan's Rin Kubo (2:00:42s) won gold and silver, respectively. On the other hand, the Indian women's relay team consisting of Srabani Nanda, Abhinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS, and Nithya Gandhe finished second with a season-best timing of 43.86 were left marginally behind the Chinese Quartet, who secured the gold medal position by crossing the finish line within 43.28 seconds. On the other hand, Thailand finished third in 44.26 seconds. Meanwhile, India's Krishan Kumar (1:48.72) and Anu Kumar (1:58.04) finished seventh and eighth respectively in the men's 800m final. Kuwait's Ebrahim Alzofairi (1:44.59s) bagged gold, while Iran's Ali Amirian (1:44:97s) and Qatar's Abubhaker Haydar H Abdalla (1:45.20 s) won silver and and bronze medals Animesh Kujur began the day on a positive note by winning a bronze in the men's 200m as he shattered the national record. Parul Chaudhary also bagged her second medal in the event as she secured a silver medal in the women's 5000m event. Chaudhary had also won the silver medal in the women's 3000m steeplechase medals continued to flow for India on the final day as Vithya Ramraj also won the bronze medal in the women's 400m hurdles. The 26-year-old clocked 56.46 seconds to finish third after China's Mo Jiadie and Bahrain's Mujidat the men's Javelin Throw final, Sachin Yadav, propelled himself into the silver medal spot with two sensational throws of 83.03m and 85.16m in the final two attempts of the competition. Apart from Sachin, Yashvir Singh, finished 5th with his personal best throw of 82.57m.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Asian Athletics Championships 2025: Full list of Indian medal winners
India finished the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, South Korea, on Saturday with 24 medals — eight gold, 10 silver and six bronze. With this, India finished second in the medal tally, behind China. In addition to the substantial medal haul, there were two National Records for India: Animesh Kujur (Men's 200m) and Parul Chaudhary (Women's 3000m Steeplechase). Here is the full list of India's medal winners from Asian Athletics Championships 2025: Men's 20km race walk - Servin Sebastian (Bronze) Men's 10,000m - Gulveer Singh (Gold) Women's 400m - Rupal Chaudhary (Silver) Men's 1500m - Yoonus Shah (Bronze) Women's 1500m - Pooja (Silver) Decathlon - Tejaswin Shankar (Silver) Men's Triple Jump - Praveen Chithravel (Silver) Mixed 4x400m relay - Gold Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Avinash Sable (Gold) Women's 100m hurdles - Jyothi Yarraji (Gold) Women's 4x400m Relay - Gold Men's 4x400m Relay - Silver Women's Long Jump - Ancy Sojan (Silver) Women's Long Jump - Shaili Singh (Bronze) Men's 5000m - Gulveer Singh (Gold) Women's 3000m Steeplechase - Parul Chaudhary (Silver, with National Record ) ) Women's High Jump - Pooja (Gold) Heptathlon - Nandini Agasara (Gold) Men's 200m - Animesh Kujur (Bronze, with National Record ) ) Women's 400m hurdles - Vithya Ramraj (Bronze) Men's Javelin Throw - Sachin Yadav (Silver) Women's 5000m - Parul Chaudhary (Silver) Women's 800m - Pooja (Bronze) Women's 4x100m Relay - Silver
