Advertising is the best way to communicate to the customers. It helps inform them about the brands available in the market and the variety of products useful to them. One can operate in isolation and see no results, but once they understand the strength of advertising, they can see a small business convert into a large enterprise. Again, the right advertisement platform that will help the business to sustain in market in front of competitors is very important. It depends on where most of the consumers are available, what are they hearing, seeing, reading, observing and hence the platform to advertise must be chosen carefully. In today’s world the digital media is not only global but because of the internet and smart phones, it is easy to access. Again, entertainment is very important and gone are the days of forcibly pushing it. Today advertising is a very artistic combination of radio, digital media and TV to make a positive impact to your business.
It is the last month of 2019. Amidst all the thanksgiving, Christmas and gift exchanging times we must take a moment to reflect on the passing year.We get excited about the new year resolutions but let go of them slowly as the year passes. It is a good practice to go over the resolution, we made in January of 2019, and where we stand today. We will be surprised that whatever we wrote down, we did work on them. I have always seen that when our goals and dreams are written, they do happen and if we are consistent, they come true. So form the habit of writing down your goals and dreams, and the habit of reviewing them at the end of the year. You will be amazed by the results. It is ok if we have not achieved most of them to completion, even a small beginning is a good beginning. The fact that we have a special dream in itself is special. Adieu to 2019 and Welcome 2020.
Lee Abdi has been with Perfect Tax since 2014 and has served under different capacities and roles over the years. As a sales manager he sets goals on the numbers and all the inbound and outbound calls required. He sets an efficient reporting system and makes sure the leads are converted into potential long-term clients. He is very enthusiastic and always ready to take charge. He effectively works with the team and helps the company bring in money. It has been my pleasure working with Lee. If I have a direction that our company needs for future growth, he makes sure that happens. We appreciate and value Lee’s work and are looking forward to a successful 2020 year.
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BOLLYWOOD talkies B
ALIA
ack in 2013, Farhan Akhtar had surprised everyone with his performance in the sports biopic, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The actor transformed his body to play the role of the legendary Indian athlete, Milkha Singh. Now, Farhan is once again stepping into the shoes of a sportsman. He will be playing a boxer in Mehra’s film, Toofan, and is doing rigorous workouts to transform into his character. Interestingly, he feels that prepping for the upcoming film is proving to be
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orking with maverick filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been on Alia Bhatt’s bucket list. She was presented with the opportunity to play the lead in SLB’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, wherein she will play the titular role. And to portray her character perfectly, Alia will start learning a new language. According to a news portal, Alia’s character of Gangubai will see her speak Kathiawadi, a language spoken by the Kathis in Saurashtra and she will soon start learning the new lingo. In the past, Alia has learned Tamil for her role in ‘2 States’ and tried to speak Urdu for her role in ‘Raazi’. Earlier, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was in talks with Priyanka Chopra to play the lead in ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ and it was then titled ‘Heera Mandi’. Eventually, it was Alia Bhatt who bagged the film. ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is based on a chapter from Husain Zaidi’s novel ‘Mafia Queens Of Mumbai’. The film will reportedly hit the screens in September 2020. Apart from this, Alia will also be seen in superhero drama ‘Bhrahmastra’ with rumored boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor. The actress has also been shooting with her father Mahesh Bhatt for ‘Sadak 2’, which is scheduled to hit the screens in July 2020.
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FARHAN tougher than it was for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The multifaceted actor says, “Getting the character of a runner right was challenging physically, as there were a lot of races. However, when it comes to running, I had some prior practice, as I used to represent my school in athletics. A part of my fitness regime has included running, too. So it wasn’t something I felt I had to learn.” He further elaborates, “But boxing is something I have never done in my life. It is very demanding, and is not only about fitness, but also your endurance. When you run, after a certain point, you are on auto-pilot. But, with boxing, you have to think about what the other person is thinking. It is a tougher sport and has a tougher discipline.”
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-town’s glamorous diva Kareena Kapoor Khan who has time and again stunned us with her impeccable performances and fashion sense. Many thought that post-marriage or childbirth the actress won’t remain the same style icon. She never let go off her charm and stood out like a queen. However, the actress also has a different insight to give as far as personal insecurities are concerned. While talking to Filmfare recently, when Bebo was asked if marriage and childbirth came with insecurities related to work she said, “No. But there was pressure not to get married because it’s feared that actresses after marriage don’t work. Their careers are over. And after a baby more so. People told me that my career was practically over. But for me, that didn’t matter. I’ve done so much work since. Also, I balance my time with family. I’m particular about that time and about being around. It’s a side of me that I can’t run away from. It’s something that I want. Work is there for sure. But, my family base has always been strong.” Meanwhile, on the professional front, Kareena will next be seen in ‘Good Newwz’ along with Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani, and Diljit Dosanjh and in Laal Singh Chaddha with Aamir Khan.
KAREENA
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ROSENTHAL & WADAS C R I M I N A L L AW
Vanita Budhrani Parker Criminal Defense Attorney
• 1st generation Indian American • Former Dallas County Prosecutor • Misdemeanors to Capital Murder Cases • Specialize in Representing Clients with Mental Illness
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bollywood news this
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TARA
Tara Sutaria made her big Bollywood debut earlier this year under the able guidance of Karan Johar in Student Of The Year 2. In an interview, she revealed how her journey has been so far - how she’s battled against a few odds to reach where she is. She also explained why it’s difficult for an outsider like her to fit in at Bollywood parties. Tara Sutaria gets candid about braving criticism right from an early age. “When you perform and you are young, a lot of people don’t take that very kindly. They want to criticize you in a certain way which is very detrimental to your growth. I have been performing since I was 3-4 so that’s quite a few years of being a professional. In that way, some occasions have been annoying where people have said things like, ‘Why did she choose to do this?’ But I met Karan and then SOTY 2 happened and my outlook changed.” Tara reveals, “People do say hurtful things every now and then. Some people called me anorexic when I did SOTY 2. A little while later, I put on 2-3 kilos and they were like she’s put on weight. That’s something I have come to terms with it. It used to bother me a lot in the beginning.”
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AAMIR After starring in 2018 Thugs of Hindostan, Aamir Khan is set to come back to the big screen in 2020 with Laal Singh Chaddha. The film will also star Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead role. Aamir started shooting for Laal Singh Chaddha in November. The film is the Hindi remake of Hollywood star Tom Hanks’s 1994 Hollywood film Forrest Gump. In the original film, Hanks plays the role of a slow-witted guy who falls in love with his childhood best friend and ends up marrying her. Hank’s character in the film witnesses several defining historical events in the 20th century United States.He is also a long-distance runner in the film. It is reported that Aamir will lose 20 kgs for Laal Singh Chaddha. Kareena, who will play Aamir’s love interest in the film, went through a look test for it. Aamir’s last film Thugs of Hindostan bombed at the box office and Laal Singh Chaddha seems to be a perfect choice for Aamir to redeem himself.
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Bhumi Pednekar said the makers of ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ were conscious about not making the upcoming feature into a ‘sexist, baseless’ film. Directed by Mudassar Aziz, the film is a remake of the 1978 film of the same name and also stars Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday. The original featured the trio of Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha, and Ranjeeta Kaur. Bhumi said every doubt she had regarding the take on gender dynamics in the film was ‘flushed out’ when she read the script. “It’s a situational comedy but it’s not frivolous. It’s empowering to both the genders. There’s nobody who is blackand-white in real life too. I think the makers have been conscious to make sure they do not turn this into a sexist, baseless film,” Bhumi told reporters. The actor said ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ is not a film that makes light of sexism. “I think everybody who’s part of this film, be it Bhushan sir, Juno or Mudassar sir, belong to that school of thought. This could go wrong so easily but they have been sensitive and careful. It’s a big achievement,” she added. Bhumi said it was exciting for her to play Vedika Tripathi in the film as it was a character she had never done before. “I have not seen myself like that on the big screen before. In my head and real life, I’m always like that but the audiences have not seen me like this. It was a completely new avatar for me. “For me, Vedika is somebody who’s always full of oomph. She knows who she is and is a confident and strong woman. She knows she has a certain effect on the opposite gender,” she added.
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After creating a storm in the film industry with his last film Kabir Singh, Shahid Kapoor has begun preparations for his next film. Shahid will play the role of a cricketer in the Hindi remake of Telugu film Jersey. The film will be directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, who was also the director of the Telugu version of the film. The original film starred Nani. Shahid’s Kabir Singh was also a remake of a Telugu film - Arjun Reddy. After the massive success of Kabir Singh, Shahid Kapoor gave a lot of thought to his next project and then signed the remake of Jersey. Jersey is an entirely different film from Kabir Singh. It is the story of Arjun, a late bloomer in cricket, who feels the urge to prove himself to the world and his son. But, his age (36 in the film) poses a huge challenge. The sports drama is an emotional roller-coaster.
shahid kapoor
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BOLLYWOOD BONANAZA DesiPages
Ananya Panday is amused both her debut Student of The Year 2 and upcoming Pati Patni Aur Woh, feature love triangles. The actor made her debut with SOTY 2 earlier this year and will be now seen in Pati Patni Aur Woh, featuring Kartik Aryan and Bhumi Pednekar. When asked about the love angle similarity between the two films, Ananya told reporters, “I think I attract love triangles. Every film I am doing is love-triangle.” Directed by Mudassar Aziz, Pati Patni Aur Woh is a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. Ananya said she had watched the original film after signing the remake and had liked it. “I like watching Hindi films. I also liked the songs in the (original) film. I think in our film, we are looking more glamorous. Our film is a modern take and that’s why the audience will be able to relate to our characters much more,” she added. Kartik Aryan said content has always been the king in films and no movie can find acceptance in the absence of a story. Kartik has been on a roll with back-to-back hits like ‘Lukka Chuppi’ and ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’. Asked if films like ‘Saand Ki Aankh’ have proved content is king, Kartik said, “It has always been (content is the king). Whether it’s relatability factor, content or even if it’s fiction. Unless there’s content, it won’t find acceptance. It’s the same with ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ or even ‘Saand ki Aankh’, which I really liked...” Directed by Mudassar Aziz, the film is a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. It also stars Bhumi Pednekar and Ananya Panday. The original film featured Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha, and Ranjeeta Kaur. “When I was offered ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’, I decided I wouldn’t watch the original because I wanted to work a certain way in the film. If we were bringing a modern take and a certain newness, I didn’t want any influence of the original in my subconscious,” he added.
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Budget planning for the upcoming Holiday season
The holiday season is almost here. Fun times are ahead with family and friends, that also brings a lot of expenditure! Here are some smart tips to effectively plan your budget for the holidays and can tell you how to avoid spending too much. Decide how much you can spend: Thanksgiving is around the corner, by Vaishali Thakkar now you know how much you can afford. CEO Perfect Tax Consider all expenses, savings and cash & Finance requirements for the start of next year. Keep it realistic. Avoid reckless spending. Avoid spending too much on self-indulgence: Thanksgiving or Christmas discount offers is a very hard pass for anyone but be careful on spending. Before you buy anything, ask yourself if you really need it. Make a gift list and stick to it: This might sound so trivial right now, but is definitely a life saver. Decide in advance the people you want to buy gifts for and what would you like to get them. Set a maximum amount of expenditure and easily decide on the gifts. Do not stress on buying expensive gifts for your family and friends. The idea is to share love and joy, not to win the “Most Expensive Gift Competition”. Buy your gifts well in advance: Once you have a gift list ready, you can start hunting for the perfect gifts well in advance. Buying gifts online in bulk is also a great way to keep your expenses within the budget. If you want to give personalized gifts, you can look for affordable options online. The benefit of starting early is that you have enough time to find the best deal. Also, you won’t end up buying any random expensive gift in the end, just a day before Christmas.
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STARS REVEAL Sidharth Malhotra
Mrunal Thakur
Did you know that Student Of The Year would not have been Sidharth Malhotra’s first film? In fact, he would have made his Bollywood debut much earlier with a different film that never took off. Sidharth Malhotra is happy with his latest film Marjaavaan. It has worked with the masses and even recorded a double-digit figure. The actor has finally got what he wanted. The actor, who doesn’t hail from a film family, talks about his entire journey - how he decided to move to Mumbai after being offered a film and what happened when the film never took off. He revealed how difficult it was for him to settle in the new city and fight through the financial troubles he had. He said, “For someone who doesn’t have a home in Mumbai, the city, in its initial months, can be slightly harsh. When it comes to the simplest things- even renting a house, there are issues. There’s so much competition with jobs, plus it’s an expensive city. There would be days when I didn’t have enough money to pay for two things to eat. So I would order just one.” Sidharth Malhotra is possibly one of those Gen-Y stars who got launched by a big banner but didn’t have any links in the industry. He says, “I was called to Mumbai by this production house who auditioned me in Delhi through my modeling agency. They promised me this film and they were supposed to train me for it. But unfortunately, that film never took off. I was prepping for it for about 6-8 months. In the initial few days, I stayed in their office and I was staying there when there was office going on. I was sleeping on the sofa for the first few days. But that film never took off and I had to give that place up. Then the real struggle started again. You are finding people to stay with, you can’t afford rent.”
Actress Mrunal Thakur, who wooed the audience with her performances in movies like ‘Super 30’ and ‘Batla House’, will now be seen as the female lead in Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Jersey’. ‘Jersey’ is a Hindi remake of the Telugu hit of the same name. The Hindi version will be directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, who also helmed the original movie. Excited about sharing screen space with Shahid, Mrunal said, “I’m super excited to play the lead opposite Shahid in ‘Jersey’. When I saw the original film I was bowled over by its passionate emotional journey. “It felt like I had lived a full lifetime of experiences in those two-plus hours. So deep was the affect of the film on me that I couldn’t get it out of my heart the whole night so I immediately watched it again the next day, I can’t wait for Hindi audiences to experience a similar impact!” Looking at the original version, Mrunal’s character will be the anchor to Shahid’s, who goes on an emotional journey against all odds to play cricket for the country in his mid 30’s, when it’s time for most people to retire from competitive sports. On casting Mrunal, Gowtam said, “After Shahid came on board, I only had Mrunal on my mind for the lead opposite him, I loved her performance and confidence in ‘Super 30’ opposite Hrithik Roshan and felt she’s perfectly fit for the part in Jersey and will do full justice to the role.” Produced by Allu Aravind, Aman Gill, Dil Raju, the film is releasing in August 2020. them, nurture them and let them shine.”
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DABANGG series OVerVieW Before you watch Dabangg 3, lets take a recap of Dabangg and Dabangg 2 despises him as an outcast. Makkhi invites Chulbul to his marriage with Nirmala. Chulbul convinces Rajjo’s father to marry her. Rajjo’s father commits suicide, as he knows that his daughter will not marry anyone while he is alive. Chulbul takes Rajjo to Makkhi’s exuberant wedding. Realizing that Makkhi has stolen his money to finance the wedding, Chulbul marries Rajjo in an impromptu ceremony. Nirmala’s father feels disgraced and cancels his daughter’s wedding.
Dabangg (2010) Chulbul Pandey, a young boy, lives with his younger half-brother, Makkhanchand “Makkhi” Pandey, stepfather Prajapati Pandey and mother, Naina Devi in Laalgunj, Uttar Pradesh. He has a troubled relationship with his stepfather and Makkhi. After 21 years, Chulbul becomes a policeman. Chulbul, calls himself “Robin Hood” Pandey. Makkhi is in love with Nirmala, whose father Masterji opposes the relationship. Chulbul falls in love with a girl named Rajjo, who he meets during a police encounter.
Makkhi beats up one of the workers in his factory due to a small mishap. The worker goes to the police station with his mother to file a complaint. Chulbul beats up Makkhi in public to disgrace him. Chedi takes advantage of the situation and takes Makkhi along with his father to the police station. Makkhi’s father resolves the situation by accepting an apology from Chulbul. Chulbul meets Dayal Babu, a local political leader, who also dislikes Chedi. With his help, Chulbul adulterates the breweries of Chedi and wrongly frames him for it.
A corrupt political leader named Chedi Singh meets Chulbul and both quickly become enemies. Makkhi asks his father to arrange his marriage with Nirmala. His father refuses because he needs money to repay the loans he took to make his factory, and he believes that he can acquire money through his son marrying a rich girl. In desperate need of money, Makkhi steals from Chulbul’s cupboard and gives the stolen cash to Nirmala’s father, hoping that he will permit Makkhi to marry Nirmala. Meanwhile, Chulbul meets Rajjo and proposes marriage, which she rejects, as she has to take care of her father, Haria—a drunkard.
To take revenge, Chedi burns Makkhi’s factory. Makkhi’s father suffers a heart attack due to shock and is hospitalised. Makkhi goes to Chedi seek help from him, without knowing that it was Chedi, who burnt his factory. Chedi agrees to finance his father’s treatment if he delivers a crate of mangoes to Dayal Babu’s house. Unknown to Makkhi, there is a bomb inside the crate, which explodes after he leaves, killing Dayal Babu. Chedi gives Makkhi a task to kill Chulbul. Makkhi accepts and confesses it to Chulbul. He reveals to Chulbul that Chedi made him plant the bomb unknowingly. Chulbul forgives him and reconciles with his half brother. Makkhi then reveals to Chulbul that it was Chedi, who killed their mother. Enraged, Chulbul suffocates Chedi to death. Later, Chulbul gets Makkhi married to Nirmala in the presence of her father, while Rajjo reveals that she is pregnant.
Chulbul comes home to find his mother dead. He goes to his stepfather to make peace, as he is the only family left. His stepfather refuses and
The story carries on — Inspector Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan)— in charge of a local police
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station in Kanpur and resides there with his wife Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha), brother Makkhi (Arbaaz Khan) and stepfather (Vinod Khanna). A boy gets kidnapped from a school, therefore, Chulbul deals with the problem. In Kanpur, an assassin murders a witness who is about to testify against a dreaded don. Chulbul tracks the assassin down, killing him at a coffeehouse. The don is Bachcha (Prakash Raj), a struggling politician. After several public altercations, Bachcha’s brother Genda (Deepak Dobriyal) convinces him to get rid of Pandey, threatening Chulbul’s stepfather to kill his entire family if Chulbul keeps on interfering in Bachcha’s criminal activities. Genda harasses a girl, arriving at her wedding to kidnap her. Chulbul arrives at the wedding and asks Genda to leave. Genda refuses to comply and continues to insult Chulbul. Chulbul breaks his neck, leading to his death. In the meantime his wife becomes pregnant, Pandey being advised by everybody to leave Bachcha alone for the sake of his family’s safety. Bachcha, promising to avenge his brother’s death, decides to do so before the election. He meets Rajjo and Makkhi whilst they are exiting from a temple where Makkhi is shot by Bachcha and Rajjo is pushed off the temple stairs. However, both of them survive with Rajjo having a miscarriage and a head injury. Chulbul is enraged at the loss of his first child. He enters Bachcha’s location and kills all of his men. He tries to arrest Bachcha, but when Bachcha tries to tease him, he kills him instantly by grabbing a gun and shooting him with 2 bullets in the chest. Later, Chulbul and Rajjo have their first child, a baby boy. DesiPages
Dabangg 3 (2019) Dabangg 3 is the third installment in the Dabangg franchise. This year, Salman Khan will once again reprise his role as Chulbul Pandey. The film is a sequel to the 2012 film Dabangg 2. The movie stars Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, and Sudeep in lead roles. The audience will be taken on a flashback, revealing just why Chulbul Pandey became the ‘Dabangg’ cop that we see today. Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter Saiee Manjrekar, who joins the cast of Dabangg 3 as Khushi, is young Chulbul Pandey’s love interest in the film. While both are seen very much in love, all hell breaks loose when Kichha Sudeep, the antagonist, takes it upon himself to separate the two lovebirds. Though it isn’t very clear, it seems that Khushi is murdered, leaving their love unfulfilled. Years later, Kichha Sudeep, now a more powerful goon, makes a comeback into the area where inspector Chulbul Pandey is in charge, and therefore, into his life. The combat between the antagonist and the protagonist in the climax, is, therefore, a personal one, and Chulbul informs you that he will leave no stone unturned to make him suffer. Watch it in a theater near you for more action.
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SARA ALI KHAN VIEWERS WANT ACTORS TO ROMANCE DAUGHTERS OF THEIR HEROINES
Sara opened up about pay disparity in Bollywood, struggling with the pressure of looking a certain way, older heroes romancing young heroines and more. When asked why heroes have a longer shelf life in the industry, she said, “The audience wants older heroes to romance daughters of the heroines they used to work with. It is not fair to blame the heroes alone. When the viewers say that they don’t want to see the hero for the 96th time, maybe they won’t do such roles,” she said. The actor also said that though gender stereotypes and discrimination do exist in the industry we shouldn’t just blame the filmmakers. “I guess that because of the way I have grown up I am not a victim. I also recognize the fact that our society can have a regressive view of women. It starts
with mothers preferring sons to daughters. Change must begin in the family,” Sara added. She also stated that equal opportunity and pay are bigger issues that need immediate attention. “However, you can’t compare the two roles as they are never the same. I am
While Salman Khan is all set to impress one and all with ‘Dabangg 3’, all eyes are on debutant Saiee Manjrekar who will be seen playing a pivotal role in the movie. The star kid is already quite popular on Instagram where she commands a huge fan following. Daughter of popular Bollywood and Marathi actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar, Saiee is all set to make her big Bollywood debut in the Salman Khan starrer. Directed by Prabhudheva, the film also stars South superstar Sudeep in the role of an antagonist. Sonakshi Sinha will also be seen playing her iconic character of Chulbul Pandey’s wife Rajjo in the third part of the ‘Dabangg’ franchise. The trailer and songs of the movie have already garnered much appreciation from the audience and critics alike. The film is one of the most awaited films of the year. ‘Dabangg 3’ is slated to hit the theatres on December 20, 2019.
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a newcomer and I am not paid as much as Ranveer Singh or Varun Dhawan. Our roles cannot be compared. Maybe if I deliver punches or do stunts I will be paid more,” she said. Sara also spoke about dealing with body-shaming. In a society that is obsessed with skin color and “perfect” body types, the best way to tackle racism and body-shaming is to shield yourself from negativity, says Sara. “I weighed around 96 kgs. There is pressure to look a certain way. It can affect your confidence when people are rude. A practical way is to not worry about what others say about you. Let people talk. You can change yourself and shield yourself from negativity. The world will not change,” she said.
After delivering back to back hits like ‘Super 30’ and ‘Kaabil’ Hrithik Roshan who is known for his dancing prowess feels that there is no need to flaunt your moves when it comes to certain movies which are content-heavy just because one is known for dancing and the script does not call for it. From giving us all the timeless hook steps to delivering phenomenal performances, the actor who has been the ultimate dance icon to generations of the audience did not have him in a well-choreographed, groovy dance in his last two films. Sharing his thoughts on the same, he said, “See, our films are also evolving. And when you look at movies through that filter then you won’t expect an actor, who is known for dancing to dance just because he knows how to, especially in films like Super 30 or Kaabil.”
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GATEWAY TO 2020
As we wind down over the holidays and get ready for 2020, this is also the time to reflect on the past year and learn from our life experiences. However, 2020 is a milestone that marks not only the beginning of a new year but also a new decade in life. 10 years of our lives are significant and looking back, for most it would have been a mix of colorful and joyous moments along with some dark and gray times. After all the myriad of colors and moments, is what makes the tapestry of life beautiful. But with every experience whether positive or negative, there comes an underlying lesson. Learning and growing from that lesson is the key to continue to move forward in the journey to the next decade Life is an odyssey of self-discovery. We are all travelers in the wilderness of the earth. As you prepare for the road ahead, look back on your journey in the last 10 years of traveling, and identify:
MADHURI’S MUSINGS The Bridge: A bridge is a gateway that helped you to cross over a tough time. The view from the bridge is the best when you can see the horizon of the future, the surrounding landscape and also be cognizant of the past. What was the bridge that helped you move ahead? Reflections of the past Identify 2 joyful light-filled memories that stand out in the last decade. Experience and relive those moments. Joy is multiplied when relived and the experience is elevated. Identify 2 dark experiences and events in the last decade; but most critically what was the lesson learned or blessing received from those experiences? Identify 2 people who have exited your life in the last decade. What did you learn from that experience? Identify 2 people who entered your life in the last 10 years who you are thankful for. Continue to cherish your time together and the experiences created. Every human experience shapes who we are and adds a unique facet to our lives. As Lord Tennyson stated in his poem Ulysses, “I am a part of all that I have met”. Celebrate the good times but also learn from the dark moments. In the journey of life, we meet fellow passengers on the same path, some with more experience and many just starting out. Lean in and help each other to move ahead. Some travelers are temporary and may take a different route and some may be on the same journey. Treasure the moment and times together.
The Stop Signs: What were the moments in your life you had to take a break, a brief pause for reflection and rejuvenation before switching gears? Most importantly as you journey into 2020 and the The Tunnel: Sometimes there is no escape from the next decade, continue to nourish your spirit and tunnel of darkness. A difficult period that had to be passion for life, “to strive, to seek, to find and never encountered and lived through but the promise of to yield”. Always enjoy the journey at all times, with light at the end of the tunnel was the light of hope the vision in sight, with your conscience and intuition that helped in passing the tunnel phase. Look back as your internal GPS. There will be new routes, pretty paths, broken bridges... a road not taken that on that tunnel and the light that kept you going. beckons, a new mountain peak to climb. The Cross-Roads: These are times in life when we had the dilemma of making choices between Keep moving ahead to new experiences and different paths and options. Which road did you destinations. Ultimately the journey is the destination… choose and why?
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YAMI GAUTAM Actress Yami Gautam said in an interview that she has realized that the ability to say ‘no’ is very important in Bollywood. “If you don’t believe in something don’t do it,” she added. “I’d never go back and disrespect my certain professional choices because, at that point for me, they mattered,” Yami further said.
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Actor Bhumi Pednekar has said that although the industry is changing, she has faced prejudice multiple times in the past. The actor, whose most recent film is the box office hit Bala, added that she was once paid just 5% of what a male costar with a similar number of hits got. She told, “In the early years, it used to be a huge problem. I’m not going to compare my pay to somebody who has been in the industry for so many years. I can’t be someone who’s not able to attract a large audience but expects a crazy pay. There has to be a logic behind it. I have been in a situation where I was paid 5% of what my male actor got, even though we had the same number of hits and our career graphs have been similar.” She added, “Things have changed tremendously. There’s this wave of films that’s led by female characters and it’s empowering to be a part of these.” The actor’s brownface appearance in Bala received a lot of online flak. But Bhumi had a response to that as well. She said, “Everyone has faced bullying. I have been fat-shamed since I was a kid. I was always a chubby kid. Everything is a problem. If you’re too short, it’s a problem. If you’re too tall, it’s a problem. Hairy, not hairy, fair, dark, - everything is an issue.”
Kriti Sanon: After working in Panipat, I realized I love action Kriti Sanon has had a busy year and she continues to keep at it. The trailer of Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat was recently released. The actress, who plays Sadashivrau Bhau’s wife Parvatibai, is extremely excited about emulating a powerful Maratha woman, who also stepped on to the war ground with her husband against Ahmad Shah Abdali. Kriti is currently shooting Laxman Utekar’s Mimi in Rajasthan, told us, “It’s my first ever proper historical drama. Housefull4 had a period angle but that was in a funny zone. This is as serious as it gets and it’s from Ashu sir’s stable. The scale, naturally, is high. It gives me goose-flesh that the character I play, which is Parvatibai, existed once upon a time. I hope I have done justice to her. The way Ashu sir creates everything is beyond brilliant. You get transported into another time zone automatically as you step on to
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the set.” Kriti is a Punjabi girl from Delhi. For her to play a Maratha warrior’s wife must have been a task. Talking about it, she told, “I’d never really spoken Marathi before this. Speaking in Marathi was a lot of fun. I am good at picking up pronunciations and dialects. So, I felt at ease learning the language. In fact, Laxman sir is a Maharashtrian and while I’m shooting Mimi with him, I end up speaking in Marathi at times. Here, I’m told to come back to the Rajasthani style. On a serious note, I can’t wait to know what people think of Panipat. It’s an extremely important chapter in our history that changed a lot for this land. Though I am not a history buff, the details that Ashu sir shared with us just blew me away.” Talking about her action scenes in the film, which are also a part of the trailer, Kriti told, “This is the first time I got a chance to do some action scenes. It’s not a lot of action but there is a bit of it. I found like a warrior’s wife, clad in a nauvari sari atop a horse. Honestly, I had fun doing it and I didn’t know I would enjoy it so much. After Panipat, I have realized that I love action and I enjoy doing it. It makes you feel powerful. In real life, I have not even slapped a person. And in the film, I was with a sword in my hands. We shot my action scenes over two days and those two days were among the best days of the entire shooting schedule in the film. I didn’t realize when the days went by.”
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CHARMI RAMCHANDANI Pushing her limits and Now empowering women Charmi Ramchandani did not know at the time when she was growing up in Abu Dhabi, that the gym and workouts she loved because of her dad who would push her to always be in shape, would one day become her passion, strength, and a full-time career. In her single days, she was always into fitness which was also her outlet to a hectic life. In her heart, she wanted to be a personal trainer but had no experience or training to become one. When she turned 40 and was looking at avenues for getting back to work, she started to train her friends here in Dallas for the love of it. She soon discovered that she was good at it. She found that she had a knack for coaching. Charmi observed that most South Asian women feared training with weights. She took it up as a personal goal to help and persuade women to overcome this fear. She would go to the privacy of their homes with weights and make them feel confident about weight training. She soon added the important nutrition component to this. Gradually more women got drawn into her program and benefit from it. The more she got involved in her passion, the more determined she became to empower many women like her. She publicly and impulsively announced that she would compete in a fitness competition in 2019. She was leaning toward either powerlifting or physique competition. However, she was not aware of the kind of prep either of these required.
Apart from work to build muscle, and; dropping body fat percentage for transformation; which in itself was not easy, she was also unaware of the time required, cost, nutrition that any of these competitions entailed. On top of that, South-Asians are hardly seen competing in this field. She would be one of the few. The competition was very subjective and difficult. She participated in the bikini division under the umbrella of bodybuilding. She went through intensive training. Her body, curves, and muscles had to look a particular way. She had to train to pose and in 10 seconds the judges would make their decision oblivious of what history the candidate had. Of course, many times she felt like quitting. At 44 she was competing with 20-year old’s and this was indeed very uncomfortable. But, the little voice inside her pushed her out of her comfort zone as she was pushing her friends and now many of her clients. She wanted to do it for her daughter and her son. The teenagers are so conscious about how they look and are concerned with superficial things. She wanted to set an example and leave a legacy that if one sets their mind to achieve something they sure can. Quitting was not an option. She says she felt most proud that she not only faced the challenge confidently but also did not come last. After beating the last contestant, she stood on the stage head high, feeling very honored. Since the competition, she is even more determined to help women globally, especially the South Asian women who do not give much importance to their own physical and nutritional health until the doctor has mandated fitness. In spite, of being the center of the family, their own importance takes a back seat to that of the whole family. Charmi says ‘Health is an investment and not an expense’. There are many myths in our community that one needs to overcome like women become bulky if they lift. They do not as they don’t have the hormones. Moreover, Indian genetic and food we have grown up eating is hard to shred just by cardio. Weight training wakes up muscles, circulates blood and strengthens joints so that even at age 50-60 one has energy. Exercise, especially weight training releases the “happy” hormone, dopamine, which can help a person deal with challenges. Funasia DesiPages is proud of Charmi Ramchandani, a powerful woman who has the courage not only to follow her own dreams, overcome her inhibitions, but is in the process of empowering many women in our community. We wish her a lot of success in her future endeavors.
Written and Interviewed by: Navneeta Khemka
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