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New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Megha Ramaswamy Interview: I am not interested in stories about men
At first glance, Shoby (Parvathy Thiruvothu) and Miriam (Rima Kallingal) seem to be having what looks like a mundane day, wearing their burqas with a heart pinned in the front, and speaking their mind in Mumbai where religious hatred is casually thrown at them every other day. This is, until they meet a young girl Lalanna (Nakshatra Indrajith), who shakes their core. Director Megha Ramaswamy presents this child, at the centre of Lalanna's Song (now out on Mubi), as someone who opens the protagonists' eyes through an unsettling tragedy. Megha believes that, along with her, every woman she has met is a Lalanna. "We all go through moments where we're pushed off the cliff by people. Some of us survive; some don't. The short Lalanna's Song is an homage to both—those who made it and those who didn't. But at its core, it's really about the women who were pushed off the cliff in the first place," she says. Megha, who wrote Bejoy Nambiar's Shaitan (2011) and made her directorial debut with the Netflix film What Are The Odds (2020), confesses that although she wanted to cast Rima and Parvathy from the get-go, she thought they wouldn't be interested in the film. "Geetu Mohandas, who I was collaborating with at the time, introduced me to them. She suggested, 'Why don't you reach out to them?' It just clicked," she reveals. For her, magic wasn't just in the film and its surrealistic themes, but also within the actors. "Trust me, when I saw them together, I became even more ambitious about my project. They instantly understood the importance of making space for all kinds of women. With actors like Rima and Parvathy, who are so instinctively intelligent, you don't need to sugarcoat characters for them," she adds. Shoby and Miriam are flawed, but strong women. They speak about men in passing and discuss sex and intimacy despite the stigma surrounding it. These were intentional choices for Megha, who shares that even though it is normal for all genders to have a conversation about it, she finds it interesting to explore the awkwardness men feel when women discuss this topic. "Honestly, if two men were writing a scene like this, they'd probably turn it into a rape scene, because that's how they often frame it. When men talk about sex in a populist, cinematic way, it often comes across as crude or crass. Women, on the other hand, can dignify their experiences—whether it's sex, violence, or the complexities of love in relationships," she says.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Delhi HC directs Centre to expedite guidelines on accessibility in OTT media
The Delhi High Court on Monday (May 19, 2025) directed the Centre to speed up the process of issuing guidelines for incorporating accessibility features on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms for persons with disabilities (PwDs). The court issued the order while hearing a plea that sought the inclusion of accessibility features—such as audio description, same-language captioning, and Indian Sign Language—on OTT platforms for individuals who are visually or hearing impaired. The court also ordered Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and film producers to ensure that accessibility features, such as audio description and same-language captioning, are incorporated into a set of specified films released on their platforms. This order would apply to films such as The Buckingham Murders, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Shaitan, and Article 370. Advocate Rahul Bajaj, appearing for the petitioner Mr. Akshat Baldwa, argued that although some films have now incorporated accessibility features, producers must ensure these features are included at the time of their release. Mr. Bajaj had earlier argued that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act places an obligation on the government to ensure that all content available in electronic media is in an accessible format. He said the principle of reasonable accommodation requires that necessary and appropriate modifications are made to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others. The court will hear the case again on July 17.
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘I've played their father, lover': Rajit Kapur on his three-decade-long career, relationship with co-stars, style, and more
It's no secret that Rajit Kapur is a master of his craft. Having spent over three decades in the entertainment industry, he is widely recognised for his rich and varied work across theatre, television, and cinema. From his iconic turn as the detective Byomkesh Bakshi in the acclaimed Doordarshan series, to his National Award-winning performance in The Making of the Mahatma, and impactful roles in Shaitan and Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kapur has consistently chosen substance over spectacle. As a founding member of Rage Productions alongside playwright Rahul da Cunha and fellow actor Shernaz Patel, Kapur has been instrumental in shaping contemporary Indian theatre. His latest outing – as a narrator in Aadyam Theatre's production Mumbai Star along with Srishti Shrivastava – marks yet another chapter in his commitment to pushing theatrical boundaries. In an interview with the veteran actor discusses the challenges of being a multi-faceted actor, his seamless transitions between the different performance mediums, his collaboration with Aadyam Theatre, and the invaluable lessons he learnt from a career dedicated to artistic exploration. Read the edited excerpts below: Rajit Kapur: One of the earliest challenges was starting our own production company – Rage Productions – that I run with Rahul da Cunha and Shernaz Patel. We were inspired by seniors performing classics, but wanted to do something contemporary, in our own voice. With that shared vision, we started the company with just Rs 14,000 in the bank. It sounds filmy, but that is how it began. Our first play was Tigers in the Congo, which dealt with AIDS, an important, topical subject. There were many challenges, but the idea was to keep going since we loved theatre. A post shared by Rajit Kapur (@rajitkapurofficial) Rajit Kapur: Aadyam launched a decade ago with Mr Birla's backing, something rare in theatre. Few people are willing to invest in this art form. Aadyam provided fledgling and established groups the chance to raise the bar with capital, production value, and creative freedom. Rage's The Siddhus of Upper Juhu was one of the five plays in Aadyam's first season, and it's still running, even after 10 years. Guess we are blessed with that particular show. For Mumbai Star, Devika, the producer, and Nadir, the director, are close friends, so there was already mutual trust and a certain comfort level. The show originally existed as a dance production that Devika took to Japan. It was reworked to include narrative elements, and that's where Srishti and I came in. We had to integrate storytelling without disrupting the rhythm of the dance – something 15 incredible dancers put their soul, life, and everything into this production. It's high energy and quite the adrenaline rush. Rajit Kapur: It's hard to explain, but I've got used to doing this balancing act. Recently, I spent a year and a half working on Sardar Patel: Game Changer for Doordarshan—my return to television after a long gap. I think I look for material that excites and challenges me, across mediums. If something makes me stretch my limits as an actor, and I can say, 'I don't think I've done this before, don't think this is very comfortable,' I would try it. That's what makes me do this so-called balancing act. Rajit Kapur: Lots of things. Discipline, for one. There's a certain sense of grounding, building step by step, brick by brick. The whole process of working on a play, the rehearsal, these are fulfilling. There's nothing to beat that. Every performance may differ, but the process becomes a part of you. Cinema is more fragmented. Collaboration doesn't always happen in the same way, but it's changing for the good. On stage, you're the driver. Mistakes are yours to navigate. But in cinema, you're part of a much larger mechanism—direction, cinematography, editing—all of which shape the final product. Rajit Kapur: COVID taught me a lot about slowing down and cherishing small things—walking on the beach, watching the sunrise. I've developed a deeper respect for nature, which automatically determines your day and lifestyle. So I think giving myself me-time, whether it just means quietly sitting and reading a book, has become more important. Rajit Kapur: On stage, there can be no one other than Shernaz Patel, because we've worked together for over 35 years. And when you build that kind of trust with and respect for each other, you can do anything together. Another person I've built that connection with, because we've done films together, is Rajeshwari Sachdev. In both cases, I've played their father, and I've played their lover. It's something you build over time, but I think the most essential thing is trust. Rajit Kapur: I've never really thought in terms of 'making it'. There was no fixed target or goal. I've always just wanted to do fulfilling work, projects that push me, energize me, and help me grow. So, there's no metre to judge that. I don't know whether that is successful or not, it has never played in my mind. I have never thought of 'I want to have this big mansion and that huge car.' I just want to do good work and have enough at my disposal to be able to travel. Rajit Kapur: Oh, there are so many. And believe me, even in our country. I still sometimes tell myself, 'My God, I haven't been to Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves and it's just an hour's flight away.' I want to go to Greece, to look at all those historical buildings and see what that has to offer, to Machu Picchu, to Cambodia, to the Kaziranga forest sanctuary, and to see the rhinos. The list keeps increasing. Rajit Kapur: Oh, it's totally me. And that's something right from college. I used to wear bright coloured trousers when I was in Sydney and people used to look at me as if I'd fallen from some other planet. I don't care about what anyone thinks. I create my style. I think it always catches eyeballs because there was a time where I was living in pyjamas and I would design them and create them myself. Not because I thought it was some style, but because I liked it and I thought they were just very comfortable. A post shared by Rajit Kapur (@rajitkapurofficial) Rajit Kapur: It's a very simple story, but the most incredible thing is that the 90 minutes of this play is infused with so much energy that you are going to go back feeling good about yourself. Rajit Kapur: There are no shortcuts. You have to build a solid foundation, whether it is through training, assisting, and doing courses. To play with yourself, to explore yourself, to open yourself out, you need to build it slowly. When your foundation is strong, nothing can shake you. And of course, that passion should be there because it's not going to be an easy path. And neither is it a '9 to 5' job where there is a structure. Swarupa is a Senior Sub Editor for the lifestyle desk at The Indian Express. With a passion for storytelling, she delves into the realms of art & culture, fitness, health, nutrition, psychology, and relationships, empowering her readers with valuable insights. ... Read More
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Still the same boy from 'Aaja Ve': Rajkummar Rao on his journey since Sona Mohapatra's 2006 song
Rajkummar Rao has fond memories of featuring in Sona Mohapatra 's "Aaja Ve" music video when he was a first-year FTII student. And though he has made a name for himself as a versatile star, the actor says he is still the same boy who was thrilled to be in front of the camera for the first time. The song, released in 2006 as part of Mohapatra's album "Sona", saw Rao making an appearance as a strict school master in a vibrant rural setting only to later shake a leg with his students and fellow villagers. "I'm still the same boy who was in that 'Aaja Ve' song... I made him up like a pansy school teacher. He's a school teacher but I thought kuch to alag karte hain," Rao, 40, told PTI in an interview. And it wasn't just him in the video. Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat, Rao's batchmates from Pune's Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), also appear as a barber and a sadhu, respectively. "(It) has almost all my batchmates. There's Jaideep and Vijay as well. There are a lot of people. The whole class was there because one of our seniors, Deepti, was shooting the video. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo "She said, 'Guys, we are making this video. Do you want to act in it?' All of us got excited because we were just first-year students. We were like. 'Yeah, sure!'" Rao recalled. The actor said it was pure fun to be working with his batchmates. "There were 20 of us in the class and it was just fun, just being with your classmates and shooting," he added. After graduating from FTII, Rao got his break in movies with Dibakar Banerjee's anthology movie "Love Sex Aur Dhokha" in 2010, followed by appearances in movies such as "Ragini MMS", "Shaitan", "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Talaash". People eventually took note of him with Hansal Mehta's 2012's "Shahid", which also won him a best actor National Award. Since then, the actor has built a storied filmography of critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful titles such as "Aligarh", "Bareilly Ki Barfi", "Trapped", "Newton", "Badhaai Do", and the "Stree" film franchise. Reflecting on his evolution as an artiste, Rao said he has naturally grown as a performer. "I've certainly matured because you also live those many years. There's certain maturity that comes with age and you have those many years of experience with you. As a person, nothing has changed. I'm not counting materialistic things because they don't matter," he said. The actor's next movie is romantic comedy " Bhool Chuk Maaf ", co-starring Wamiqa Gabbi. Set in Varanasi, the film features Rao as Ranjan, a man eagerly awaiting his wedding day with his girlfriend Titli (Gabbi). However, he finds himself stuck in a time loop, waking up every day on the morning of his haldi ceremony. "It's very well written, very funny. Also it's emotional where it has to be. It's a right mix of a good story with a lot of comedy and values," said the actor, adding that his favourite time-loop movie is Hollywood star Bill Murray's 1993 film "Groundhog Day". If he were stuck in a time loop where he could watch a movie on repeat, the actor said he would go for something lighthearted and comedic. "I think 'Jaane Bhi Do Na Yaaro' can be that one film," he added. Asked if he believes that in acting, giving multiple takes for a scene is akin to being stuck in a time loop, Rao said his endeavour is to do something new with every shot. "First of all, we are not someone who gives like 30 retakes. We also haven't worked with those makers who take 30 retakes. It's like two-three retakes sometimes. But then also, my process is that I can do something different in my second or third take, maybe try a new thing altogether. I try not to keep it monotonous. "Also, it's our job to treat it like it's the first take, even on a 30th take. The whole point is that this is happening for the first time, so it doesn't become a loop," he added. In some of his best roles, Rao has played the everyday man to perfection, highlighting their struggles as well as joy with authenticity. "I don't do anything consciously to portray it that way. But I take it with a lot of gratitude. It's a great feeling if people relate to my characters or to me or to my journey. They think that I'm one of their own, which is true. I am certainly one of them," he said, adding that he is also trying to break that image by doing varied kinds of movies. "I keep doing films like 'Srikanth' or 'Maalik'. I'm talking about the last two-three years, where I have played different personalities altogether. It is about a character, which is something that people would not expect in a way, that he would come do something like this. And I like doing that," he said. "Maalik", which will release in theatres in July, is Rao's first action movie. "It's a cool film. It's my foray into the action genre and (has) raw action. I had a lot of fun. I have seen most of the film and I think people will really like it. It's a very new me, people would not imagine me doing all this." "Bhool Chuk Maaf", directed by Karan Sharma and produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films , was set to be released in theatres on Friday. The film will now release directly on streaming service Prime Video on May 16 in light of "recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation", according to the makers. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . And don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Still the same boy from ‘Aaja Ve': Rajkummar Rao on his journey since Sona Mohapatra's 2006 song
New Delhi, Rajkummar Rao has fond memories of featuring in Sona Mohapatra's "Aaja Ve" music video when he was a first-year FTII student. And though he has made a name for himself as a versatile star, the actor says he is still the same boy who was thrilled to be in front of the camera for the first time. The song, released in 2006 as part of Mohapatra's album "Sona", saw Rao making an appearance as a strict school master in a vibrant rural setting only to later shake a leg with his students and fellow villagers. "I'm still the same boy who was in that 'Aaja Ve' song... I made him up like a pansy school teacher. He's a school teacher but I thought kuch to alag karte hain," Rao, 40, told PTI in an interview. And it wasn't just him in the video. Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat, Rao's batchmates from Pune's Film and Television Institute of India , also appear as a barber and a sadhu, respectively. " has almost all my batchmates. There's Jaideep and Vijay as well. There are a lot of people. The whole class was there because one of our seniors, Deepti, was shooting the video. "She said, 'Guys, we are making this video. Do you want to act in it?' All of us got excited because we were just first-year students. We were like. 'Yeah, sure!'" Rao recalled. The actor said it was pure fun to be working with his batchmates. "There were 20 of us in the class and it was just fun, just being with your classmates and shooting," he added. After graduating from FTII, Rao got his break in movies with Dibakar Banerjee's anthology movie "Love Sex Aur Dhokha" in 2010, followed by appearances in movies such as "Ragini MMS", "Shaitan", "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Talaash". People eventually took note of him with Hansal Mehta's 2012's "Shahid", which also won him a best actor National Award. Since then, the actor has built a storied filmography of critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful titles such as "Aligarh", "Bareilly Ki Barfi", "Trapped", "Newton", "Badhaai Do", and the "Stree" film franchise. Reflecting on his evolution as an artiste, Rao said he has naturally grown as a performer. "I've certainly matured because you also live those many years. There's certain maturity that comes with age and you have those many years of experience with you. As a person, nothing has changed. I'm not counting materialistic things because they don't matter," he said. The actor's next movie is romantic comedy "Bhool Chuk Maaf", co-starring Wamiqa Gabbi. Set in Varanasi, the film features Rao as Ranjan, a man eagerly awaiting his wedding day with his girlfriend Titli . However, he finds himself stuck in a time loop, waking up every day on the morning of his haldi ceremony. "It's very well written, very funny. Also it's emotional where it has to be. It's a right mix of a good story with a lot of comedy and values," said the actor, adding that his favourite time-loop movie is Hollywood star Bill Murray's 1993 film "Groundhog Day". If he were stuck in a time loop where he could watch a movie on repeat, the actor said he would go for something lighthearted and comedic. "I think 'Jaane Bhi Do Na Yaaro' can be that one film," he added. Asked if he believes that in acting, giving multiple takes for a scene is akin to being stuck in a time loop, Rao said his endeavour is to do something new with every shot. "First of all, we are not someone who gives like 30 retakes. We also haven't worked with those makers who take 30 retakes. It's like two-three retakes sometimes. But then also, my process is that I can do something different in my second or third take, maybe try a new thing altogether. I try not to keep it monotonous. "Also, it's our job to treat it like it's the first take, even on a 30th take. The whole point is that this is happening for the first time, so it doesn't become a loop," he added. In some of his best roles, Rao has played the everyday man to perfection, highlighting their struggles as well as joy with authenticity. "I don't do anything consciously to portray it that way. But I take it with a lot of gratitude. It's a great feeling if people relate to my characters or to me or to my journey. They think that I'm one of their own, which is true. I am certainly one of them," he said, adding that he is also trying to break that image by doing varied kinds of movies. "I keep doing films like 'Srikanth' or 'Maalik'. I'm talking about the last two-three years, where I have played different personalities altogether. It is about a character, which is something that people would not expect in a way, that he would come do something like this. And I like doing that," he said. "Maalik", which will release in theatres in July, is Rao's first action movie. "It's a cool film. It's my foray into the action genre and raw action. I had a lot of fun. I have seen most of the film and I think people will really like it. It's a very new me, people would not imagine me doing all this." "Bhool Chuk Maaf", directed by Karan Sharma and produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, was set to be released in theatres on Friday. The film will now release directly on streaming service Prime Video on May 16 in light of "recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation", according to the makers.
