Latest news with #TheNewIndianExpress'
Indian Express
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Divya Dutta recalls barging into Sonu Nigam's room, crying during moments of emotional vulnerability: ‘One doesn't forget such things'
Are celebrity friendships truly real? Or are they all simply faking their attachment to or affection for each other to make headlines or for personal gain? From the expansive world of music to Hollywood, Bollywood and beyond, fans and observers have long had this doubt. Although it's impossible to provide a blanket answer to this question — and yes, publicity stunts are quite common — there certainly have also been friendships that transcend the boundaries of the flashy world. Although they are probably far and few, they do exist, and renowned actor Divya Dutta's recent social media post for her 'bestie', legendary playback singer Sonu Nigam, stands as a testament to this. Sharing on Instagram a video comprising pictures of them over the years, Divya, on the occasion of the singer's birthday on July 30, had opened up about how their bond has 'stood the test of time'. Recalling Sonu's warm gestures, including being there for her whenever she's in an emotionally vulnerable state, she described him as her 'constant', underscoring their deep camaraderie. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Divya Dutta elaborated on their relationship and how her friends, in general, keep her anchored. 'I began with him. I still remember those beautiful times when I would barge into his room while he was doing his makeup for shows, saying, 'You continue with your work; I'm going to sit here and cry.' He would be like, 'Okay, sit and cry.' One doesn't forget such things,' she recalled. Sharing how he's been there for her and has always had her back, Divya said, 'I now love speaking on stage, but there was a time when it used to make me very nervous. He taught me how to interact with the audience.' She continued, 'In life, I think you're all about friends. They keep you sailing, especially when you're working (in such a field) and are away from your families for long periods. Even otherwise, it's your friends who keep you aligned with yourself, grounded, make fun of you, and tell you who you are. Particularly when you enter this make-believe world, chances are that you could get swayed by all the love and attention. It's your friends who keep you anchored by making you realise what you actually are, saying, 'Listen, you're this. So, shut up and sit down.' That's very important.' Renowned for her work in Bollywood and Punjabi cinema, Divya Dutta recently made her Telugu debut in a key role in Mayasabha, the political drama streaming series created by Deva Katta. Anandu Suresh is a Deputy Copy Editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
New Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
India has an important role in the global order, BRICS a powerful voice of Global South: Russian expert Panova
In a conversation with The New Indian Express' Amisha Mohan, the head of the BRICS Expert Council for Russia and W20 Sherpa Victoria Panova discussed the role of BRICS in maintaining unity among its diverse members amid geopolitical tensions, the challenges in achieving gender equality across G20 nations, and more. Excerpts: India successfully chaired the G20 summit in 2023. How do you think that defined India's readiness to take on a leadership role and shape the future of international cooperation? India's successful chairmanship of the 2023 G20 Summit highlighted that it's ready to assume a more prominent role in shaping global challenges such as climate change, global health and digital transformation. It has an important role in the global order. The summit's theme, 'One Earth, One Family, One Future', also highlighted India's vision of inclusive global growth. India has both the expertise and interest to promote international cooperation in areas such as renewable energy, digital governance and trade reforms. Geopolitical tensions are on the rise and shifting alliances are the new norm. How do you see BRICS maintaining unity among its diverse members while advocating for a multipolar world order? Though there are diverse political systems, BRICS maintains unity through its shared commitment to sovereignty, mutual respect and a multipolar world order. In the face of global tensions and shifting alliances, BRICS emphasizes dialogue and consensus. Diverse voices within the bloc have always acted as a catalyst in fostering inclusive solutions. This is an era of multilateralism and new dynamics and BRICS is a cooperative platform. As a W20 Sherpa, what do you think are the biggest challenges in achieving gender equality across G20 nations? The biggest hurdles in achieving gender equality in G20 nations are persistent gender stereotypes, unequal economic opportunities, underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and the burden of unpaid care work. There is lack of transparency in the implementation of policies that protect women's labour rights. Addressing these issues requires coordinated efforts across governments, inclusive policy-making and a shift in societal mindsets. If we look at Russia, during the times of the Soviet Union, we introduced bills for legal equality, so by law, it is provided that men and women are equal, by opportunities, by possibilities. But of course, different countries have different starting points. That's why in 2015, Women-20 was launched by the Turkish Presidency and was supported by the Russian Federation's Sherpa Svetlana Lukash. Similarly, a multifaceted approach by different countries has been instrumental in initiating action on women's issues. Groups within the G20, such as W20 and G20 Empower, often propose policy recommendations on women's issues like leadership, equal pay, etc. Moreover, the G20 is implementing tools like the G20 Empower KPI Dashboard to track progress on gender equality metrics and gain insights into measurable outcomes. So, we hope we are coming closer to create an inclusive environment.
