Latest news with #Sandhya
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sandhya Mridul recalls how she was just 'done' with Bollywood after some bitter experiences but Yash Chopra persuaded her to do 'Saathiya': 'I told him role is boring'
Sandhya Mridul 's journey began on the small screen, where she rose to prominence with Mahesh Bhatt 's acclaimed television series Abhiman. In a candid conversation, she revealed that Bhatt's habit of praising her acting in front of influential industry figures led to a wave of film offers. But the reality of the Hindi film industry didn't sit well with her, especially the tendency to reduce female actors to mere 'pretty faces.' After repeatedly being approached for superficial roles and even being asked to appear in bikinis, she unexpectedly got a call from Yash Raj Films for a pivotal role in Saathiya. 'I got a call saying that Yash Raj Films is trying to call me. I thought somebody is pranking me because I was a TV actor and I had not worked for three months during that time,' she recalled. When she finally met Yash Chopra , her first thought was, 'I met Yash ji himself and I was like why is he meeting me?' Chopra's warmth took her by surprise. 'Chopra told me, 'Bache I love you. I love your work. I don't leave a scene of your TV show, Koshish. My wife wants to meet you. Also, she loves you, we love you.' He was lovely. He told me, 'Beta, ye picture kar le. This film will do well.'' To his astonishment, Sandhya turned him down. 'Mereko pictures nahin karni hai,' she told him, explaining that she simply didn't understand Bollywood. Laughing at the memory, she added, 'I said this to the king of Bollywood.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologist: Just Add 1 Drop Of This Household Item To Any Dark Spot And Wait 3 Minutes Undo But instead of being offended, Yash Chopra only admired her honesty. 'You are a truthful person. We are not like that. Hum achhe se rahenge, hum bade pyaar se tereko rakhenge,' he assured her, persuading her to at least meet the film's director. That meeting with Shaad Ali took an unexpected turn when Sandhya realised they shared a past connection, which made her more open to the idea. Still, after watching the Tamil original, she wasn't impressed with the character. 'I came to Shaad and told him role 'it is boring',' she admitted. It was Yash Chopra's final words that sealed the deal for her. Sandhya recalled, "He told me, 'You do this role according to you. You will breathe life into this role, and that's why I am bringing you in.' His encouragement made all the difference."
Indian Express
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sandhya Mridul swore off Bollywood after bitter experiences, recalls how Yash Chopra persuaded her to do Saathiya: ‘Hum achhe se rahenge'
Sandhya Mridul began her career in television, making a name for herself with Mahesh Bhatt's critically acclaimed TV show Abhiman. In a recent interaction, Sandhya admitted that Mahesh Bhatt often praised her acting in front of industry folks, which led to many offers from the Hindi film industry. However, she revealed that she didn't like the way the film industry functioned, where female actors were often reduced to just a pretty face. After getting multiple offers to play shallow roles and asked to wear bikini in films, Sandhya received a surprising call from Yash Raj Films, offering her a key role in their film Saathiya. Speaking about that moment, she said, 'I got a call saying that Yash Raj Films is trying to call me. I thought somebody is pranking me because I was a TV actor and I had not worked for three months during that time.' Recalling her first meeting with Yash Chopra, Sandhya shared, 'I met Yash ji himself and I was like why is he meeting me?' Talking about Yash Chopra's reaction, she said, 'Chopra told me, 'Bache I love you. I love your work. I don't leave a scene of your TV show, Koshish. My wife wants to meet you. Also, she loves you, we love you.' He was lovely. He told me, 'Beta, ye picture kar le (Do this film). This film will do well.' Initially, Sandhya refused the offer and told him, 'Mereko pictures nahin karni hai' (I don't want to do films) 'because I don't understand Bollywood.' She added, 'I said this to the king of Bollywood.' Despite the refusal, Yash Chopra's reaction was the most heartwarming. According to Sandhya, he said, 'You are a truthful person. We are not like that. Hum achhe se rahenge, hum bade pyaar se tereko rakhenge (Don't worry we are not like those people, we will keep you nicely).' She recalled how Chopra insisted she meet the director of the film and once again requested her to join the project. After meeting Saathiya's director, Shaad Ali, Sandhya realised she shared an old connection with him, which made her feel more inclined to accept the role. However, upon watching the Tamil version of Saathiya, she found her role underwhelming. 'I came to Shaad and told him role 'it is boring'. Yash Chopra then told me, 'You do this role according to you. You will breathe life into this role, and that's why I am bringing you in.' He was too encouraging.'
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Ghaziabad: Two women among four arrested for trafficking newborns to childless couples
Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Thursday arrested four people, including two women, for their alleged involvement in a child trafficking racket that supplied infant or newborn children to childless couples, the police officials said. The police also recovered pictures of several other infants and minors along with pricing details,messages and voice chats from suspect Sandhya's phone. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo) The arrests came in connection with the case involving the kidnapping of a one-year-old boy who was picked up by two unidentified men outside his house in Loni on August 4. The accused are identified as Naved Ansari (19), a Loni resident; Afsar Ali (28) and Shaista Waseem (35) from Shamli and Sandhya Chauhan (37) from Muzaffarnagar. The officials said that Shaista had contacted Afsar to arrange a one-year-old boy for a woman, identified as Ranjana (single name), who is a nurse at a private hospital in Moradabad. Later, Afsar roped in Naved and allegedly kidnapped the boy from his house around 4.30pm on August 4 and fled on a bike. Fearing action from the boy's family, the duo abandoned the boy at the house of a local woman and fled. 'With the help of CCTV footage, the boy was traced and the four suspects were and Afsar were promised ₹25,000 each to deliver the child to Shaista, who would then send the boy to Sandhya in Muzaffarnagar. Sandhya had sent a picture of the boy to eight of her contacts, and one of these are a nurse in Moradabad,' said Siddharth Gautam, ACP of Loni circle. Officials said Sandhya allegedly shared the boy's picture with her contacts in Delhi, Bijnor, Moradabad, Roorkee, and Amroha, among others. The officials said that Sandhya confessed that the nurse opted to get the kidnapped boy after she fixed a deal with a childless couple for ₹2.5 lakh. The police also recovered pictures of several other infants and minors along with pricing details,messages and voice chats from Sandhya's phone. Officials said that Sandhya runs a marriage bureau in Muzaffarnagar and is in contact with couples who are childless for years. 'Sandhya also told us that the nurse in Moradabad had also provided an infant boy to a childless couple in Dehradun last year. The nurse is absconding, and is the fifth suspect in the case. The evidence of dealings, voice chats, and pictures of several newborns has been recovered from Sandhya's mobile. These were shared between her selected contacts. She also said that the price and demand for a supply of infant boys having fair colour is high. With the revelation, it appears that it is a larger network,' the ACP added. The matter will now be handed over to the human-trafficking unit of the Ghaziabad police. Naved and Afsar were arrested from the Nishant Colony area and Shaista and Sandhya from near Khadkhadi railway station in Loni. An FIR was registered under BNS section 143(4) (trafficking of a child) at Tronica City police station on August 4.
Hans India
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Mahesh Babu Cutouts Steal the Show at Athadu Re-Release
The trend of re-releasing blockbuster films is growing in Tollywood. As part of this, fans of superstar Mahesh Babu are getting a special treat. His iconic film Athadu is all set to return to theatres once again. On the occasion of Mahesh Babu's birthday, Athadu will be re-released on August 9 in selected theatres. At Viswanath and Sandhya 35mm theatres in Hyderabad, fans have already put up giant cutouts of Mahesh Babu to celebrate the event. Originally released in 2005, Athadu remains one of Mahesh Babu's biggest hits. With fans excited for the re-release, this event is turning into a festival for Mahesh Babu supporters.
Hans India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Sandhya Puchalapalli bags CNBC-TV18 award
Kadapa: Sandhya Puchalapalli, founder of Aarti for Girls, has been honoured with the prestigious ‚Future Female Icon' award by CNBC-TV18 as part of its Future. Female. Forward – The Women's Collective Season 3, held in Bengaluru recently. Sandhya, as she is affectionately known, was recognised for her transformative work in empowering abandoned and vulnerable girls and promoting women's education and livelihood in Andhra Pradesh. Her journey began in 1991 when she took in an abandoned child, which later led to the founding of Aarti for Girls a grassroots movement that has impacted thousands of lives.
