Bollywood Film Fame Canada Magazine - March 2021 Issue by Bollywood Film Fame Canada

BOLLYWOODFILMFAME.COM

MARCH 2021 ONLINE

LIFE IS BEYOND ACTING

A CONVERSATION WITH TEAM

‘TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS’ TARANVEER SINGH

RUSLAAN MUMTAZ 20

JHATALEKA ANMOL THAKERIA DHILLON

A JOURNEY THROUGH CHARACTERS WITH

ARJUN BIJLANI

Years of partnership

VINAY RADHIKA

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SEEKER”

Lakshmi

MANCHU

As March hits in Canada, we think back to a year ago when all of us were shocked as we went into a lockdown and the world paused. A year later, I think about how far we have come as a magazine and the work we have shifted to digitally. The most important part about all of this is how we learned and grew, and how we quickly adapted to our newest set of circumstances. And isn't that what artists do all the time? Going from project to project, different mediums, and making sure they remain versatile - that's what gives them versatility. And our cover story is that versatile human. Lakshmi Manchu talks to us about her journey in Telugu films, starting her own YouTube channel, and building a support network within the industry. Arjun Bijlani explores his long journey through the memorable characters he has played. Vinay and Radhika speak to us about their twenty year old partnership. Ruslaan Mumtaz talks about starting out with Mera Pehla Pehla Pyar and now, years later, Namaste Wahala. In contrast, we speak to those who seemingly are starting a new journey now. We speak about characters with the Tuesdays & Fridays team. We speak to creating new age music through old Punjabi folk songs with Rashmeet Kaur and Deep Kalsi. And the start of careers with Asheema Vardaan, Nayan Shukla, Sayani Dutta, and Razik Mujawar. With all these conversations, we reflect. We pause. And while we keep going, we remember where we came from. Until Next Time,

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SEEKER”

Lakshmi

ON THE COVER Lakshmi Manchu Photographer: @Nehal_Kaza Outfit: architanarayanamofficial Earrings: @the_jewel_factor HMU: @sachindakoji Coordinator: @makeupbykamaljeet Styled by @6shweta

MANCHU

LIFE IS BEYOND ACTING

A JOURNEY THROUGH CHARACTERS WITH

ARJUN BIJLANI RASHMEET & DEEP

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RUSLAAN MUMTAZ

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‘TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS’

COVER STORY

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SEEKER”

Lakshmi MANCHU Interview by Armin S. Photography by Nehal Kaza

akshmi Manchu has always been that woman who does more. Her career path is one that cannot be mimicked. She has worked in Telugu cinema, American television, theatre, and more. As a mother, she knows the importance of doing more as a person, and that has inspired her beautiful YouTube channel, “Chitti Chilakamma”. She knows good stories are important – so she is also a producer, writer, and director. But of course, se continues to be on screen as well as part of Netflix’s first Telugu Original Anthology, “Pitta Kathalu” as Swaroopakka. How does she do so much? I think part of the reason why is because she is a seeker.

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COVER STORY

In my chat with Lakshmi, she talks about being a seeker: “I’ve always been a seeker. That’s the tattoo I have on my back – “What you seek is seeking you” which is a quote by Rumi. I always want to know why I’m here, how much deeper can I go, what is my purpose? For me, growing up, my ultimate dream was to be an actor. That was a big no-no because of the family I was coming from, being in the part of India I come from. I became an actor? I thought now what? I’m working with Oscar award-winning actor. Now what? I’m in Hollywood. Now what? So, when you keep seeking, the answers come to you." But when you are a seeker, and you are trying to be kind, a lot can happen around you as well. Not everyone will be kind back. That’s a theme we explore together. Lakshmi says, “yes, just because you are nice, does not mean that people around you will be good. No. I’ve always been a seeker so I’ve been thrown around quite a bit. In 2019, it was a year of shock in which I was cheated out of a lot of money with a family friend that we knew since we were kids. We never got papers and when we lawyered up, I still remember he just said, “I don’t need to do anything”. It took me a long time to get over that. I wanted to call that person out and I could have destroyed that person had I brought it to light. And then I realized that I would just end up making that person famous all over the world, so why talk about that person because he wasn’t worth it?

“I REALIZED THAT I LIKE SAVING PEOPLE”

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So how do you come out of something like that and not lose faith and trust? Lakshmi goes on to state, “I had to really sit down and look at myself really hard. I had to figure out why I was attracted to this person and I realized that I like saving people. So, I find these underdogs. I like to fix them. While fixing them, I end up losing myself. So 2020 was a year of healing for me. Now I can look back at what happened and not break down and that’s a big win for me. I realized that when you go in that loop, you have to come to that place again for the learning to happen. Now, it is just about being softer, kinder and nicer.

COVER STORY

And managing emotions is such a huge part of it. That brings me to her YouTube channel and one of the videos that really resonated with me about managing children’s emotions. When a child gets emotional, we often reprimand and ridicule them, yet when we feel a certain way, we are able to express ourselves however we wish. I ask her about the need of her YouTube channel, involving her child, and why it is the need of the hour. Lakshmi starts off by thanking me for acknowledging the work she does – “I could have gone to any channel with it but I decided to do it on YouTube and I decided to do it in Telugu. Only the second season has English subtitles. I wanted it to be only Telugu. You know, I was communicating with my child even before she could start talking through Sign Language. But we come from different upbringings. Our bonding is very different now with our kids. But our kids don’t know their mother tongue. In the cities, all the kids seem to speak in American English, which is all fantastic, but kids are forgetting their roots. Even I fell in love with India only after I went to America. I didn’t know there was Gujurati food and Rajasthani food. I came from South India – there was Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam for me. Even being bilingual, I didn’t know much about my country even then. There is no taking away the West from our kids. But we do need to root them in our culture. We start talking about how to connect better with our children and Lakshmi elaborates: “You can start connecting with your child from before they are born. And parents love the channel and the work we are doing on the channel – they’ll say, “Oh, I love the way you dress, but I also love what you are doing with this channel.” Thankfully, my daughter is over-enthusiastic to be in front of the channel. I work with a very amazing child development teacher/expert, Sowmya Sri Vanga. She has been guiding me throughout so why not put it out there? My ultimate goal is to bring about conscious parenting and approach parenting with love, and not

fear. It blew out of proportion and now they want me to do it all the time.” And what about consciousness and developing support within the industry you are in? Lakshmi candidly talks about the lack of support in the industry and that “…[v]ery few people give you that support to be honest. For women, it is a very short period of time on the shelf life. You are trying to be a part of every movie that is coming out. I mean, I hate saying this, but you are easily replaceable. If I’m not there, then the movie should not happen. That’s the actor that you should be. I’m my own competition. There is no one like me. There is no one like you. But that also comes from understanding yourself. That’s when you can see the bigger picture.”

“MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BRING ABOUT CONSCIOUS PARENTING”

She does give the Telugu industry huge props in the way in which there is a clear friendliness and ease amongst her and the counterparts: She says, “in the Telugu industry, we really do come together and we are all such good friends. I can have a party and have so many people from the industry there. I have had times when I have taken another actor’s name for a story that I have heard. I think more people should do that. I have introduced new writers and directors in the industry. That’s how you take care of each other. That’s how things come your way. I want the light to shine from all places – so that everyone’s success comes to me too. I wish more people looked at life like that, and not just their career.” We end off our conversation talking about the powerful character she plays in her latest, the Netflix Telugu anthology: “My director kept saying to me to take myself out of the character because I kept thinking about how my character was so narcissistic. On the other hand, I am empathetic. I had quite a few people though to draw the narcissism from (grins). But that’s the beauty of doing these roles – you become different people. That’s how you learn. And I hope to continue learning.”

INTERVIEW

Years of partnership

VINAY RADHIKA By Armin S.

ou don’t need their last names when you say Vinay and Radhika together. Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao have a partnership that spans over two decades. Over those two decades, they’ve given us some of the biggest songs like “Kaanta Laga”, “Vaaste” and “Lut Gaye”, Sanam Teri Kasam completed five years, and they’ve been involved in some huge features. The partnership is amicable and it is quite rare to see a partnership last so long in an industry that is rife with constant controversies and disputes. I sit down with both of them over video to explore their partnership, and boy, did I laugh and have tons of fun.You can totally tell why these two have been able to churn out project after project, with such success.

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INTERVIEW

HOW DID THIS PARTNERSHIP START?

Vinay: I’m a little older than Radhika. I was into filmmaking a couple of years before her and I used to make these ad films. I was always running short of good writing. One day, I met Radhika and she’s a fab writer. We got on a project with one shot and the client approved it. The film went onto be a hit.

AND HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?

Radhika: Have we evolved? I want to ask Vinay if we have evolved. I don’t think we have evolved (laughs). I don’t think there has been any change from the first script I wrote for Vinay and still I am throwing tantrums and refusing to work and he’s still cajoling me to be a little bit more hard working than I am (laughs)… Jokes apart, there is no real evolution. When I met him, I was barely 19, just turning 20. I have literally grown up with Vinay around and he’s been my best friend. We hit it off the first time we met. We liked the same things, and we really don’t know how the twenty years together have passed. We haven’t evolved in that sense – we haven’t had any rough edges to smooth out. As far as the rest is concerned, the evolution is that and made me a little bit more practical about money, savings…but apart from that, we are excited about music and work as we were before. We work long hours, we never know how the day begins and how it ends. He has been my best friend forever. I can take him anywhere in the world and take him shopping for five hours and he doesn’t complain. I know his daughters well, and I know his wife very well. I go shopping for them and we are all so happy together. So we are happy there has been no evolution (laughs)!

IN TWENTY YEARS, WITH THE KINDS OF PROJECTS AND MUSIC VIDEOS AND FILMS, I IMAGINE THERE HAVE BEEN DISAGREEMENTS IN TERMS OF CREATIVE DIFFERENCES. WITH YOUR OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS, HOW DO YOU RESOLVE DISAGREEMENTS?

Vinay: In our case, the majority of time, we seem to always be fine. The songs, the artists, the music I like, she likes. I think the only difference is that I don’t like the food she eats (laughs)! Otherwise, cinematically, we like the same stuff. Two decades of partnership and over 150 songs and four feature films, we couldn’t have done it if we don’t have the basic foundation of working together. I just don’t how time flew by. Even after all we did, we wanted to do something different. Radhika said we must do something for indie music and we felt like we would try to make that space better. How do we have over a billion in population and we still don’t have an established Ghazal singer like Jagjit Singh or someone like Falguni Pathak in present day? How do we not have that? She told me that we should get back to indie

music for a couple of years and let go feature films for a little bit. And it all worked out! Radhika: You’re not giving Armin an answer! Vinay: Armin, you know, there is only one boss!

EVERY MAN SAYS THAT AND SOMETHING ELSE IS ALWAYS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES, I FEEL (LAUGHS).

Radhika: You are right! (laughs) 100 percent right. We have very small disagreements. We just disagreed in that he is a multi-tasker and I am not a multi-tasker. I think that’s the only time we really disagree. He can do ten jobs very efficiently. I am that little tortoise, just wanting to handle one thing at a time. So if we are on one thought and then he switches, I get very frazzled. I am stuck in that one lane and then I get frustrated. Really and truly, that’s the only time we disagree. He is gentle and he waits for me to calm down, while I scream a little bit. There is no ego which is the important part. We also instinctively know when the other person’s idea is better. We are called Siamese twins by Salman, you know.

RADHIKA, YOU’VE SAID THAT YOU’VE CALMED DOWN OVER THE YEARS. WHAT HAVE THE TWO OF YOU LEARNED FROM EACH OTHER?

Radhika: You want to hear me say nice things about you first, Vinay? Vinay: Please go ahead (chuckles). Radhika: What I have learnt from Vinay is to become more calm because I can be very volatile. He has like zen-like calm through everything. This is the one thing I have taken home – to not speak in anger, to not message anyone in anger. That the person who is screaming the loudest in the room is the weakest in the room. These are the things that have really helped me. Also, no matter how nasty a person opposite to you, you cannot shut down. In the creative business, some people are very kind, but some people are also very cutting when they don’t like your idea. And if I get the slightest inkling that the person is going to reject our idea, then I shut off completely and become disinterested. Vinay, instead, will always try to convince the other person of our idea. He is not frazzled by disinterest or rudeness. I’ve bettered myself a little bit for sure. Vinay: Armin, thanks a ton. We should do this interview a little bit more often because I never knew all this. This is quite the confession box. Thank you for making this happen. I’m a man of few words, in terms of telling you about Radhika. I already called her my boss. Having said that, I always tell everybody. Even Salman Khan says this. Radhika is this little packet, but she’s a genius. All of our beautiful initial thoughts are all hers. They all come from her pure mind.

FEATURE

I’m wat the

I ne som thin or w lime cho I do my Act My the

DO PE

LIFE IS BEYOND ACTING

RUSLAAN MUMTAZ Interview by Armin S. Photography by Abhishek Pundir

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hen I got chatting with Ruslaan Mumtaz, I had a very quick flashback to being a teenager and watching MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar as Ruslaan’s debut film. His journey has brought with it some memorable work, including work on television, the web world, and a short film. Talking about his journey as an actor, as a person, and how Namasta Wahala made him realize just how big Bollywood was.

[Th sing fem Now pan I’m Ear tion So artis told let’s mys bec Life

I’ve I’m seri pro whe not on f now

FEATURE

N NETFLIX

so excited to be on Netflix because it’s something I’ve been tching for a long, long time now and now I’ll be watching myself on platform.

OT TAKING FAME SERIOUSLY

ever took my fame or my success seriously. I still don’t. There are me people who love to be famous or in the limelight. That is someng that has never been a driving force for me. I have never acted worked in this profession to be famous. I don’t necessarily like the elight. I used to shy away from it. But as an actor, there is no oice. You have to do it sometimes. I would love a life where I work, o my films, and I go back home with a good paycheque and I live life. ting, work, films, or anything that I work on is actually not my life. life is beyond all of that and that is how I have always been. That’s one thing that has constantly been the same.

OING THINGS FOR ERCEPTION-BUILDING

he time of 2007 with the first release] was a fun time also for a gle guy to have a nice, romantic film out there. There was lots of male attention. I remember enjoying that phase of my life now. w, things are so different. I also understand myself a lot more. The ndemic also changed a lot about me in terms of thought process. in a much clearer space now. rlier, we did a lot of things for the world, perception, percepn-building. Like, we did things based on how an actor should be. I went on set, when I was shooting, I had a spot boy, a make up st, a driver. During the lockdown, I got a television show and I was d that none of the actors are getting staff assigned. I said, “okay, s see how this all works out.” So I showed up on set, driving self, no spot boy, and I realized that I didn’t need anybody ever cause I was low-maintenance and I knew exactly what I needed. e was just so smooth you know.

SHOOTING IN NIGERIA

VOLUTION AS A PERSON

WHY BOLLYWOOD IS A GLOBAL HIT

e just evolved as a person. I’m just happy being in the space I’m in. really enjoying myself and I really do not take anything too iously. Earlier, whatever I did, I always used to think, what can this oject or this film do for me? I’ve stopped that. I’ve reached a space ere I’ve done this film, it’s on Netflix, it’s your choice to watch it or watch it, there are a hundred things to watch…Life will just move for me and the audience as well. I think I’m just in a different space w.

“THE PANDEMIC ALSO CHANGED A LOT ABOUT ME IN TERMS OF THOUGHT PROCESS.”

A total out-of-the-world experience for me. I had been to Africa but I was on a safari so I’ve really not been in a city, interacted with the people there. Interacting with tour guides and interacting with actors, technicians who are in the same field as you are two totally different worlds. I even took up the film for that experience as well. Somebody tells you that you get to work with a different crew, different set of people – so I took it up for that experience because there is always something you bring back home, right? Something that you learn. There is so much energy with artists and actors all over the world. Bollywood is also so big. I’m so glad that I’m a Bollywood actor because everywhere you go, you tell them you are from Bollywood, they are like “oh! Shah Rukh Khan!”

Here, in Namaste Wahala, the actor who is playing the girl’s father, RMD (Richard Mofe-Damijo), when I was offered the film, I was told that RMD was a part of the film and he is the Amitabh Bachchan here. So I did a little bit of research and whatever I could get online was limited. When I got to the airport, they asked me why I was here, and I told them I was doing a film, and RMD was in it – they’re like, “Oh, RMD is in your movie.” I would get that reaction. So I was throwing that wherever I went (laughs). By the time I met him, I realized he is somebody big. I told him it was an honour to meet him. And he said the honour is mine, because I love Bollywood, and I love your cinema. He told me his favourite actor is Amitabh Bachchan and he asked me if I had met him. I told him that yes, I had met him many times and I know him well personally. He then started doing a scene from Khuda Gawah! That’s the power of Bollywood and the Indian film industry all over the world. Then, I started feeling the pressure to perform because these guys are used to Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan and I’m nowhere in that league. I had to prove that all Indian actors are that good. In a sense, I was out there representing my country as an actor and I wanted them to think that all Indian actors are fabulous.

FEATURE

A Conversation with Team

‘Tuesdays & Fridays‘

ACTOR

DIRECTOR

TARANVEER SINGH

ACTOR

JHATALEKA

aranveer Singh’s directorial debut is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali production. With his first film being the first film of the lead pair as well, Anmol Thakeria Dhillon and Jhataleka, there was much excitement as the film hit theatres. With the film soon being released digitally as well, we thought we would share some snippets of our conversation with Taranveer, Anmol, and Jhataleka.

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ANMOL THAKERIA DHILLON

FEATURE

Landing an SLB Production

Exploring Characters

JHATALEKA: I don’t think I was ever expecting to land a debut under Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s banner. I was just happy giving the audition. A few months later, when I got the call, I was taken aback. It took me a while to process that information. There are times now, even, that I have to punch myself to remind myself that this has happened for real.

JHATALEKA: The one thing I really appreciate about Sia is that she is family-oriented and she is a giver while being independent. The thing I dislike, which is similar to who I am as a person and I wish I could change this about myself, is that she likes to keep everything under her control.

ANMOL: For me, like any other aspiring, the name Sanjay Leela Bhansali is larger than life. You are just so awestruck by his films. He is literally on every actor’s dream bucket list in terms of a name in a film. When we met him, he just put us right at ease. But honestly, it was unexpected, but that’s what made it even sweeter.

Why Romance works TARANVEER: Honestly, I grew up watching beautiful romantic films. I wanted to own a pigeon because of Maine Pyar Kiya. I won’t tell you whether that actually happened or not. In the 90s and 2000s, like Hum Tum, and Salaam Namaste, those were my go to films. I wanted to make that kind of film, with my take on them. Eventually, I just wanted the film to talk about deeper things without being preachy. So there is a sugar pill surrounding the characters. I think the two characters were train wrecks waiting to happen if they hadn’t met each other. Romantic films colour our idea of what love and romance should be. And then we are hit with real life. You can go from being a hopeless romantic to a reluctant romantic – the villain in your story is yourself and the baggage you have been carrying for a number of years.

The Journey of ‘Tuesdays & Fridays’

ANMOL: What I like about the character is that even though he may be a commitment-phobe, you will never call him a douchebag. Even if he is breaking up with a girl, you don’t hate him. Even his flaws are coated with caramel and sugar. He is genuinely a nice guy. What I dislike is that he doesn’t always go with his heart. He keeps his emotions far from him. He is scared of love and relationships.

Inspiration behind the Characters TARANVEER: Sia is an entertainment lawyer. My lawyer, who is going to kill me for saying this, who was, at the time, my friend, not my lawyer at the time. I met her and I was like you take care of these actors and their contracts? What if Shahid Kapoor, one of your clients, wanted to date you. She said, well, I could because it is not against the law but I don’t know if I would. From there, I was like, but what if she did? That’s where the germ of Sia’s character came in. But Sia as a character is primarily me. I would sometimes be told by a writer friend reviewing a draft or Jhatalekha would ask me, but would Sia do this and I would say, “well, I would do this” and they would say, “well, yeah, but this is Sia, not you.” (laughs). Whereas Anmol’s character, I think I wrote him as a guy that anyone should be able to fall in love with. The script is designed to make people fall in love with this guy until a major hitch happens.

JHATALEKA: I think for me, this has been a very special journey. It is a lot more than just a film – whether it be my relationship with Taran as a director or what it came to be eventually. We started off as two actors and a director. Once the shoot started, and we were sharing this first film as a huge milestone together, we just took everything so personally. Every single day on shoot, we have looked out for each other. It became a lot more personal than professional. That was possible as well because both Anmol and Taran are two very warm people. ANMOL: How sweet are you. My first meeting with Taran was actually quite strange. I had broken my knee playing soccer. I was walking on crutches and going to meet this director. You have this long hair, and massive beard, and you can’t walk and you are going to go meet this director (chuckles). When I met him, he was just so welcoming and so warm. He was just like, “…so when can you walk again?” (laughs). I’m so grateful that he envisioned me to still pull off this look and work. Eventually, when we started shooting, I was good to go.

INTERVIEW

NAYAN SHUKLA MAKING HER MARK By Armin S.

ou saw her as Masaba Gupta’s assistant in Masaba Masaba. She was also seen in Tuesdays and Fridays. Nayan Shukla says she always wanted to be in front of the camera. After her two acting ventures, she feels things are a little more defined now. Nayan has also done theatre for about six years and is known for her discipline and punctuality but also her way of taking it one day at a time. I speak to Nayan about her zest for life, waking up at 5 am, and the wonderfully powerful women in the industry today.

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INTERVIEW

I LOVE THAT THERE IS AN ENERGY WHICH IS LIKE A “LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS” AND “LET’S EXPERIMENT” ABOUT YOU AND THAT COULD BE PART AND PARCEL OF YOUR PERSONALITY OR SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE WORKED AT THROUGH THE YEARS. WHERE DOES YOUR ZEST FOR LIFE COME FROM?

I’ve been this person ever since I’ve known myself. I’m known as the happy child in my house, which is what my mom often calls me. I was one of the those kids that if you gave me something, I would be content and just be in my own la-la-land for some time. I do think the way you said I come across as this person who takes life as it comes, I am that person. I have goals in my head but every single day, I’ve played it by the ear.

THIS IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE WE STARTED OFF RECORD TALKING ABOUT WAKING UP AT 5 AM, SO I’M NOT SAYING PLAYING IT BY THE EAR AND BEING A MORNING PERSON IS AN OXYMORON, BUT THEY SEEM LIKE TWO SEPARATE PEOPLE WOULD BE DOING THAT. WHERE DOES THE CONFIDENCE COME FROM TO PLAY IT BY THE EAR?

I don’t think you need a certain sense of confidence really to play it by the ear. When I told you I wake up at 5 in the morning, I’m just somebody who likes to develop and really practice great habits. I saw the kind of changes that happened in my life. I do give myself breaks from waking up at 5 am. But 25 days of the month, I try to wake up at 5. But once my day starts, that’s when I play it by the ear. Obviously, if I have a commitment or something, I will be here. Mostly though, life is about creating the maximum amount of value from the situation I’m in.

HAVING SAID THAT ABOUT THE ATTITUDE YOU HAVE, WHICH IS GREAT, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A DRIVE INSIDE TO MAKE IT IN THE INDUSTRY?

I completely agree with you. Without the drive, how can I do it anyway? I read this line – “hustle nahi karoge, tho haasil kaise karoge?” (if you don’t hustle, how will you get what you want?). There is a lot of drive. But the Bollywood industry, with the little experience I’ve had so far as a newcomer, is really about the fact that so many of us initially do not even know who to get in touch with. And the grit to hear the “no” more so than the “yes” works better if you’re like me, who likes to play it by the ear.

“I’m just somebody who likes to develop and really practice great habits.” LET’S TALK ABOUT MASABA MASABA. IT’S ONE OF THE FEW SERIES I BINGE-WATCHED AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SERIES I WATCHED. TELL ME ABOUT WHAT MASABA MASABA WHAT MEANT FOR YOU.

I think Masaba Masaba was the turning point in my life because it was my first project that released. We were all in the middle of a pandemic and the pandemic had affected each person so differently. When the series came out, I was bowled over because I had these people messaging me from another part of the world that they loved my work. I had such well-known people from the industry writing to me, like Vidya Balan, said “you were so easy on the eyes…so effortless.” And it just felt so good. Because last year, I think I reached a point where I was like, I don’t know what’s happening and what will happen. In the middle of that chaos, such great news flew in for me. I couldn’t be more grateful and thankful.

ALSO, IS IT ABOUT TIME THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF WOMEN AND THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN POWERFUL WOMEN WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY FOR YEARS – MASABA GUPTA, NEENA GUPTA, ASHVINI YARDI…THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE POWER THAT WOMEN HAVE. WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU WHEN YOU SEE SUCH POWERFUL WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE INDUSTRY?

I think I’m somebody who likes to pick up great qualities from people. When I looked at Neena Gupta ji and Ashvini Yardi, for that matter, I was just really impressed with the sheer grit that they had and with the persistence that they worked with. I’m sure they had seen far more rejections and challenges. Despite those challenges and setbacks, these women are doing phenomenal jobs and not giving up. That’s something that makes me want to stay here. I would like to be that girl – that despite X, Y, Z, look at what a great job she has done. Everyone likes those stories and I would love to be a part of a story like that.

INTERVIEW

hen you hear the voice quality of Rashmeet Kaur, you are taken back to the roots of Punjabi folk songs, but with a modern twist. That modern twist of course, comes part and parcel, from Deep Kalsi, who himself is a great singer. When the two got together to recreate “Bajre Da Sitta”, a classic Punjabi folk ceremonial song, the popularity of which dates back to the 1940s. Performed by the uber cool Kalamkaar discoveries singer-songwriter Rashmeet Kaur and singer, songwriter, producer Deep Kalsi, with hip hop heavyweight Ikka cooking up an intoxicating rap storm, the glitzy rendition serves as a picture-perfect dance-floor offering for the wedding season! The track was released by Sony Music India and launched a few weeks ago across all major streaming platforms. I got chatting with Rashmeet and Deep about the rise of Punjabi music in mainstream entertainment, keeping the Punjabi folk music alive and accessible, and what it’s like to work together.

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INTERVIEW CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF THE LOVE “BAJRE DA SITTA” IS RECEIVING. BEING PUNJABIS YOURSELF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK HAS HAPPENED IS THAT PUNJABI MUSIC HAS BECOME MAINSTREAM, WHICH IS BOTH A BLESSING AND A CURSE. BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, PUNJABI CULTURE IS REACHING MORE PEOPLE, BUT IN THE PROCESS, SOMETIMES, THE TRUE PUNJABI SPIRIT IS NOT CAPTURED WHEN THE LANGUAGE IS NOT SPOKEN CORRECTLY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PUNJABI MUSIC BECOMING MORE MAINSTREAM?

DEEP: I think it is a good thing. Not everyone understands Punjabi but everyone is grooving to Punjabi music. Every single Bollywood movie, everyone wants a Punjabi song in there. I think it’s good for us. RASHMEET: See, the way we are making it, is that we are recreating our Punjabi folk songs. I think it is a bit misleading though when in a song, the Punjabi is incorrect, or using some Punjabi words just to make it Punjabi. Then again, I think Punjabiyan dha koi muqabla hai nahi (There is no competition for Punjabis). Wherever Punjabis go, there is high energy and that’s what we are like as a community. Regardless of the community getting married, whether Gujurati/Punjabi, whoever, Punjabi music is ever-present at the weddings. I think it’s fine though – everyone has the freedom to make music the way they want to. Punjabi music is growing and it is everywhere now so that’s the best part about it.

WHAT PUNJABI ARTISTS DID YOU GROW UP LISTENING TO?

RASHMEET: I still listen to a lot of Punjabi music. For me, I have just been re-creating so much of the older Punjabi folk songs and writing new songs based on that everyday. Most are Punjabi, although there is some Hindi and some English as well. My favourites are definitely a lot of the folk singers including Gurdas Maan saab (sir), Surinder Kaur ji, Chamkila… DEEP: Asa Singh Mastana… RASHMEET: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. There are so many singers out there, especially from back in the day. We can learn so much and recreate so much music. It’s our responsibility as Punjabis to maintain our culture and keep bringing our treasure, which is already there, to the audience. We will keep recreating Punjabi folk songs. DEEP: All of the names that Rashmeet mentioned. Honestly, I grew up listening to them and learning from them. I learnt words from the songs – I used to write the words down and then go ask my dadiji (Paternal grandmother) to ask

her the meaning of the words. I used to ask her what the words meant in Punjabi.

WHEN YOU LISTEN TO PUNJABI FOLK SONGS, IT IS LIKE BEING TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER WORLD. IS THERE EVER ANY APPREHENSION OF TOUCHING A CLASSIC?

DEEP: As such, we didn’t really think that we could make a mistake. If we thought that way, maybe we would not have been able to make the song. I had an old school hip hop beat, and that’s the beat that Rashmeet sang the hook on, so that’s where we got the vibe from and we made the song. RASHMEET: He sent me the beat and see, we have recreated a lot of Punjabi folk songs before. Like “Ik Meri” – that we made a bit more electronic. I have also done “Enna Akhiyanch” which is also by Surinder Kaur ji. I’ve done “Challa” as well. The more you explore the beauty of the folk songs, and people are getting to know the beauty, they realize how rich they are. Giving it a new flavour and maintaining the essence of it though, was very important to us. Deep asked me to make my voice slightly “nasal-y” to sound more like Surinder Kaur ji, and then we switched to the rap part and the rhythmic melody, which can connect with the young and the old. The more you recreate the song, you then elongate the life of the song – now people will listen to our version of “Bajre da sitta” right? They know it is already Surinder Kaur ji’s – but it’s our flavour on it. The acceptance is out there, just like they accepted “Ik Meri” – I think that’s a positive sign.

IT’S TRUE. IT’S MADE THE YOUNGER GENERATION UNDERSTAND THEIR FOLK SONGS TOO. I KNOW NOW MY YOUNG NIECES WILL KNOW “BAJRE DA SITTA”.

RASHMEET: It’s true! We get tagged in videos every day in which even babies are singing “Bajre da sitta” and they don’t even know what it means (laughs). It’s so cute. It will stay in their heads and it will stay in their memory now. It’s lovely! What is it like to work together creatively? DEEP: We have a vibe that matches from the beginning, so yeah, that’s why we can always make songs together and so many of them. RASHMEET: It’s so much fun you know. When two artists meet, they have to be on the same frequency. Even if one is like, no, this is my idea, the other one has to entertain it and give some space to the idea so the idea can build. Our chemistry is very nice and I’m thankful and grateful. We always listen to each other’s ideas. Together, we make songs very fast – saadi speed baut tez ya. Can you imagine – we completed “Bajre da sitta” in less than two hours. That’s the vibe.

FEATURE

ASHEEMA VARDAAN AS DEVIKA IN DEV DD – A CONVERSATION By Armin S.

ctress Asheema Vardaan, who is best known for playing Devika in ALTBalaji series Dev DD and playing schizophrenic villian in Abhay 2 on ZEE 5 directed by Ken Ghosh, returns again as Devika in Dev DD Season 2. Armin S. sits down to have a conversation with her about the start of her acting journey, being limitless as her name means, and more.

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FEATURE

THE START

I’m very lucky. I never wanted to be an actor. Coming from a small city, we never thought about settling down in Bombay and entering this industry was a big dream for us. We didn’t even think we could do it. I did my degree in Journalism & Mass Communication and post that, I thought I would get a job and by 25 or 26, I’d be married and have kids. Post my graduation, I was looking for jobs, and my dad came into my room. He is a theatre artist himself. All of a sudden, he said to me, “Asheema, I think you should go down to Bombay” and you should try your luck in this field. I was like, “Dad, look at me, I’m not that tall, not glamourous, I have no back up, I have no idea how the industry works, and I have never been to Bombay before.” He told me he would support me and he wanted me to try my luck for a year. I started my journey in January 2016 and in six months only, I got Dev DD Season 1, and since then, there has been no looking back.

“It’s high time men and women are treated equally.”

MY PARENTS

When you see a typical Bollywood film, you always see the mom as being the one who thinks their kids are the best, their sons are the most handsome, and they are very emotional. In my house, it is very different. My mother is more like a father and my father is more like a mother, in terms of an emotional tangent. Also, my dad always wanted to be an actor. He never got the opportunity because my paternal grandfather was a villager, he did not have money. My father directed plays and he was part of a theatre group – I think he wanted to be an actor and so he passed that on to me. I’m so lucky I listened because I have a habit of saying no – especially to my dad!

ACTING BECOMING A PASSION

In 2017, we had shot the entire season 1 Dev DD. We got such great feedback. I got so many compliments and so much love. I was like, “dude, I can do it.” People were saying it didn’t seem like it was my first project. That was huge for me. That’s when I realized I liked it and I was enjoying it. The attention you get as an actor is something else. You’re on set and you are shooting – hair and make up, you are pampered by production – but that is all vanity. But then, slowly and gradually, I got myself into the craft and how things work. So, it was around 2017 that I understood that this is what I wanted to do.

IN LOW TIMES…

My mother is the strongest in the family. She is always there to support all of us. There was a time that Season 1 had come out and people were talking about me but I was not getting any good work. I felt bad and I was low. I ended up calling up my mom, and I was explaining my frustration to her about the shelf life of a female actor and limited roles for women over 30, which has changed a bit with the OTT platform…now age is just a number in terms of a good story but only on OTT. I wanted to be a film actor so I was questioning how long this would go and then she said, “God is testing your patience and seeing whether you are worth it or not and you should show Him and prove to Him that you deserve all the success that is coming your way.” That really pushed me.

EVOLVING

I wasn’t as open minded before becoming an actor - as I am now. Even with the script of this show, Dev DD, I saw all these flaws in the character and she’s a rebel. I was like, “no, this is not possible.” The character had so much of an impact on me and my thinking that I am more evolved as a person. My eyes are open. It’s okay for a girl to go out and hook up with someone. If a guy does the same thing, he’s living his life but a woman doing that is called a slut.

INTERVIEW

Sayani DUTTA on

The Wife

Interview by Armin S.

ayani Dutta is all set for her upcoming film ‘The Wife’. She will be seen opposite Gurmeet Chaudhary in this horror film, which also marks her debut in Bollywood. Sayani has done several films in the Bengali language and is all set to make her debut in a Hindi language film. I speak to her about changing industries, starting over, and the apprehensions surrounding acting in a horror film.

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“BREATHING IS INTEGRAL TO ACTING IN A HORROR FILM”

INTERVIEW THE WIFE IS YOUR FIRST HINDI FILM AFTER BEING A PART OF THE BENGALI INDUSTRY FOR SO LONG. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS ALSO A BIT OF AN AUDITION PROCESS. WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE?

So, the audition process was totally new for me. When I was working for the Bengali film industry, I did not know that these auditions exist and that this process exists for the work you do here. I met a lot of casting directors and I met more and more people which led to many auditions. This was important because this was a completely new industry for me. I went door to door with my CV and portfolio. 2018 was the first year I did that. I explained to people who I was and the films I had done in Calcutta. I didn’t even know that this portfolio thing doesn’t exist here. Mostly, it is about auditions and then it is about the portfolio.

NO PORTFOLIO, REALLY?

Yeah, I still remember (chuckles) going to this director with a CD – not a pen drive – a CD! The director told me that this won’t work here – you have to give an audition! He’s the one who actually explained the audition process. I went for many auditions and I actually got rejected at all of them mostly (laughs)! Then, I started getting selected but something or another would happen and things were not panning out. Finally, I got a call, one fine day in the morning, I got a call from Zee Studios and that’s how the journey started.

IS IT ODD BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK YOU DID IN CALCUTTA, AND THEN YOU COME SOMEWHERE ELSE AND YOU HAVE TO START OVER? IS IT HUMBLING IN A SENSE?

You know, when you are alone in a city, you go Class 1, 2, 3. For me, my journey was exactly like that when I landed here in Mumbai because in Calcutta, people know me. I’ve already worked. I have proved myself. Here, nobody gives a damn about whoever you are. If this is the process, I was like, okay, let me start with this process. Earlier, I used to go for auditions for the sake of going for auditions. But now, when I go for auditions, I’m well prepared. I know exactly, if this is my look, I need to be prepared properly. I’m now in Class 5 (laughs).

THE WIFE IS INTERESTING – I DON’T THINK THE HINDI FILM INDUSTRY GETS HORROR RIGHT ALWAYS BUT THERE ARE HIGH HOPES ATTACHED TO THE WIFE. WAS THERE ANY APPREHENSION OF DOING THE HORROR GENRE, GIVEN THE UNPREDICTABLE FATE OF SUCH GENRE FILMS?

There were a few doubts because I love horror films, my family loves horror films but being a part of one is very different. I have a habit of looking things up on Google. On horror films, I used to Google many things – what I figured was that when do a horror film, it is very difficult to act. A horror film is not about your dialogues or how you are throwing your dialogues. It is about your eyes, expressions, and how you are breathing. Now, when I bagged the film and I started going for my workshops, I was told as well – forget about your lines, your dialogues, don’t even think of it. Think that you are in a jungle and it is dark, and you are lost. That’s how you have to act. I was told from day one that if your eyes are right and your breathing is right, you will be fine. That was where my doubt was coming from because I was thinking about too many things before about being in front of the camera. The morning schedule was very tough and I couldn’t figure

out what to do. Then, I thought about my sir and what he told me to do – to forget about my lines. Show your expressions through your eyes and breathe right. Otherwise, I think I was sorted but you’ll have to talk to my director (laughs).

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU STARTED FILMING PRE-PANDEMIC, NOW WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC BUT EVERYTHING HAS STARTED OPENING UP IN INDIA AND SHOOTING RESUMED SOME TIME AGO. HOW HAS THE LAST YEAR SHAPED YOU?

Whenever an actor does a film, especially for me, I am wired a certain way. So if I know I have an interview tomorrow, I will keep thinking about it. When The Wife was offered to me, which is a Hindi language film and I am used to doing Bengali cinema, I kept thinking about my diction. I kept thinking about my sir and wanted to follow what he said to me. I was scared but what am I scared of? Performance? Could be. Expressions? Maybe. Two or three things were bothering me but on the third day, I think I had a different “me” because I became more confident. I’ve actually become a much more confident person than who I was seven months ago. I was confident but now the ratio is from 8 to 9, I think.

INTERVIEW

THE PANDEMIC AND FILMS:

A Producer’s Perspective with

ANAND PANDIT By Armin S.

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INTERVIEW

AS A PRODUCER OF TWO BIG FILMS, HOW HAVE YOU ADAPTED YOUR APPROACH GIVEN THE CURRENT PANDEMIC?

The title says it all, doesn’t it? With theatres being closed for so long and the rise of films being released on OTT platforms, I speak to veteran Producer Anand Pandit about the pandemic and films – and the adaptation of the film industry to these challenging times.

The industry is a resilient entity and has survived despite being hit hard by various factors over the decades. Be it piracy, the advent of cable and satellite TV, the proliferation of OTT platforms or the current pandemic. We adapt every time and the show goes on because thousands of livelihoods are dependent on the industry's well-being. As far as I am concerned, hopefully now that both ‘Chehre’ and ‘The Big Bull’ have reached the finishing line despite the delays imposed by COVID-19, they should be released this year. Last year, I was less concerned about the fate of these projects and more about daily wage workers, spot boys and the invisibl , unsung people who keep the industry functioning. It was critical to take care of them so as an industry, we did just that. We went back to the approach with renewed determination, made safety protocols watertight and finished the film. Now that things are coming back to a semblance of normalcy, hopefully theatres will enjoy the buzz they once did. We don’t need to compete at this point but to work together as an industry to get past this unprecedented time.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED ARTISTS AND CREW MEMBERS CURRENTLY?

Any crisis impacts the economically and socially vulnerable amongst us, the most. There was also huge job loss last year because many single screen halls shut down and the multiplexes had to remain shut. Creatively speaking of course, it was tough too for artists at every level because sources of income and work streams dried up. Things are improving thankfully and hopefully, they will continue to improve.

OTT VS. THEATRE WILL ALWAYS BE A CONVERSATION HOW DO YOU THINK OTT PLATFORMS WILL IMPACT THEATRE ATTENDANCE?

I have said repeatedly that both big screen cinema and OTT platforms can co-exist and must respect each other rather than indulge in toxic competitiveness. During the harshest phase of the pandemic induced lockdown, OTT platforms helped the producers by streaming films that were ready for release. And the industry also enriched the OTT space with its content so both need each other and will have to find a way to entertain the audiences without undermining each other. OTT is a diverse, varied content ecosystem and the big screen is an unmatched experience that cannot be replaced. So both serve the audience in different ways. Audience attendance is low now but many big releases are hitting the theatres this year and we will see bigger numbers though we still have to mind safety protocols. Once the pandemic is dealt with, theatres will do brisk business once again.

WILL THE POPULARITY OF OTT AFFECT THE ABILITY OF “SMALLER” FILMS TO MAKE IT TO THE THEATRES?

Why should films be called “small” or “big?” There are only two types of films - good and bad. We have seen films like “The Lunchbox” making money worldwide and some big budget films failing spectacularly. I guess, as long as a producer is able to bring a film to the audience and make a profit, the “where” and the “how” doesn't really matter. But yes, certain films are made for the big screen and that is where the audience will go to enjoy them.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR FILMS AS A PRODUCER ULTIMATELY?

My hope for the entire industry is that we get through this pandemic and go back to the old normal, make films for a global audience and create cinema that is the envy of the world.

INTERVIEW

THE MUSICAL JOURNEY OF

RAZIK MUJAWAR By Armin S.

inger, songwriter, and composer, I had the pleasure of speaking to Razik on Instagram and hearing him sing live. He is a force to reckon with and has amassed a solid fan base on social media because of his sheer talent. We caught up with him again so you could get to know him better too.

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INTERVIEW

“Family support is very important for any budding artist”

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A SINGER TODAY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, REALITY SHOWS AND A PLETHORA OF COMPETITION?

To be honest, there are a lot of singers out there and a lot of competition comes with that. I enjoy doing music. It’s what I have always done and now that I have a decent audience on social media, it feels even more amazing because you know once you put out something there are going to be a lot of people listening to it. My whole journey until now has been on social media. I have never been on any reality show and my whole aim was to build my audience on my social handles like YouTube and Instagram. So I’m happy I’m seeing some good numbers now and those platforms have helped me a lot so it feels good.

WHO HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS GROWING UP AND TODAY?

My biggest supporters are definitely my parents, my brother and my friends. Family support is very important for any budding artist & we have heard stories of some talented people working 9 to 5 and when asked "why didn’t you do what you’re good at?”, they say "the family doesn’t support me". I feel blessed to have such parents and a brother who believe in me and support me in whatever I do. They support me but also criticize me when they need to.

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU COULD SING?

When I won my first inter-collegiate competition in which I sang the song "Mera Mann Kehne Laga”. It was a national level competition. My father was very proud and since then, I took singing a bit seriously.

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED?

Growing up, when I stepped into music, I had been following my idol Ed Sheeran. It was back in 2015 when I found him and started following his music. I saw how hard he worked to achieve what he has now. I believe if you do not work for what you want you will never get it. I’m from a middle class family and there are various issues at home too. I say to myself that "one day, I will solve everything" and I want to give the best life to my parents and loved ones. Looking at them and Ed Sheeran motivates me.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS?

I have been planning an EP album in the coming days and a lot of other projects but I promise you that there will be a lot more music coming from my end.

FEATURE

FEMALES

AT THE FOREFRONT O HISTORICAL BACKGROUND During the late 1960s, the Green Revolution swept across India and the state most hit with this so called revolution was Punjab. Punjab was always known as the state with the most fertile land; the land of five rivers which produced the ripest food. Professor Vandana Shiva’s book, The Violence of Green Revolution (1989) speaks to the impact of the Green Revolution on the “bread basket of India”. Her research shows that after WWII, corporations who were providing chemicals for warfare, wanted to continue to line their pockets with profits. Since the war was now over, they only alternative they could find was under the guise of an agricultural revolution naming it the Green Revolution. Although the motto of the Green Revolution was “increasing the bread basket of India”, this was a lie. The Green Revolution forced farmers to abandon the traditional farming methods and use genetically engineered seeds and chemical fertilizers. According to Vandana Shiva, professor and environmental activist, “[f]armers were refused loans to send their daughters to college if they did not participate in the use of genetically engineered seeds and chemical fertilizers.” Originally, our native varieties of seeds produced extremely long strands of grain which were dual-purpose. The straw gave food for the animals and the grain gave food to the humans. But when you apply chemicals to these products, they lodge if there is too much wind or rain. So, to fix this problem what did corporations do? They changed the plant to adapt to the chemical fertilizers rather than adapt the farming techniques to the native seeds. These new seeds began to produce dwarf varieties, which required 10 times more water to produce the same amount of grain. Since the new seeds were producing dwarf varieties that meant more had to be grown. This is where the water crisis for farming began, which the farmers were blamed for. They were fined for using too much water or were not given enough water as it was now being controlled by the state. The genetically engineered seeds and fertilizers were very expensive, which has led to farmer’s debt. Not only did the Green Revolution increase farmer debt and farmer suicide but further marginalized female farmers and labourers.

FEATURE

FARMING By Niva Sandhu

THE ROLE OF FEMALE FARMERS

Did you know that 80% of farm work is done by women but 83% of land is owned by men? Landownership has been passed down to sons generationally despite the hard work done by daughters as well. Women in farming areas play a major role in managing natural resources. Historically, women have always had a close relationship with nature and gathering fuel, fodder and food. Academic articles that have written about ancient civilizations have informed us about women’s role in agriculture and the prominent role they play in it. Women have created innovations in agriculture and the methods they have used are sustainable and lasting. In Vandana Shiva’s book, Women and the Gendered Politics of Food (2009), she talks about the erosion of women’s agricultural knowledge and expertise. For over five thousand years, farmers have produced, stored and replanted their own seeds, year after year. However, it was the women who were knowledge holders of agricultural biodiversity and perennialism. Women have been at the forefront of building soil fertility and seed preservation through their work in food and grain storage. Women were knowledge holders of over 2,000 varieties of rice, thousands of varieties of grain and hundreds of varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Female farmers of India were known as “seed keepers” - they have carefully maintained the genetic base of food production. After speaking to a group of elderly female farming women I was informed that before the Green Revolution, many women held knowledge around various medicinal herbs. They used their expertise on how to use them for different health ailments. They carried and passed down sacred knowledge around nature for every aspect of life; may it be a stomachache, to pregnancy symptoms, post-natal care or old age problems. However, over decades their expertise has been erased and destroyed by profit making corporations who have forced farmers to change their way of farming.

FURTHER MARGINALIZATION OF FEMALE FARMERS The use of chemical fertilizers affected women disproportionately since they make up 80% of the farm work. These fertilizers make women sick to their stomach who are expected to go home and take care of household duties. According to the Journal of Human Ecology, over the years, the use of chemical pesticides has greatly impacted women’s reproductive health. There has been a rise in infertility, miscarriages, and developmental issues in infants and children. The cow manure women use for cooking no longer has the flammability it had before. The chemically laced crops animals now eat does not produce manure fueled with fuel. This makes it harder for women to cook food and feed their family. Instead, they must now look for more expensive ways to cook their food. Regardless, however, women continue to be at the forefront of farming. Their love for their land and nature is clearly shown with the female representation we see at the farmers’ protest near the four Delhi borders. They have been fighting at the front lines, managing the kitchens for cooking and food distribution. Moreover, in the absence of men back home, they are managing their farms and households. They are also managing 100 protest sites in Punjab to keep the momentum going. On International Women’s Day this year, after reading about the marginalization women face and the back breaking work that they do to feed their nation; honour and salute a woman who inspires you!

References: 10th Agricultural Census 2015-2016 Vandana Shiva Interview BBC Shiva, Vandana. (2009). Women and the Gendered Politics of Food. Vol. 37, No. 2, Global Gender Justice.