The Visionary Man Behind the Brands of Perfect Group of Companies Sam Thakkar, The Group CEO,is the visionary behind the multi-million dollar Perfect Group of companies. Born in a modest home in Baroda (Gujrat), India; he moved to the Americas for higher studies. He completed his Bachelor of Science in MIS & Accounting from The University Of Texas of Dallas in 2006. He then handled senior positions for various fortune 500 companies in Finance, Taxation, Information Technology and contributed to their growth and success before moving to his family business. From the very beginning, Sam has been a problem solver without of the box ideas. Even with business-like tax planning, he had many futuristic ideas that involved media to grow the business that no other tax firm had ever imagined to use. He recognized the potential of growth in his father’s small Tax Business firm and in 2009 he left his job to focus completely to grow this business; studying, reading and learning simultaneously. Creative marketing ideas of referrals doubled and tripled the business in just a couple of years. He was involved in Mergers and Acquisitions as the Director of Perfect Tax. He soon realized that creating money was more important than saving in the long run. With his brother, he added another feather to his cap and the Perfect group of companies took shape and Thakkar Developers was born. The company worked in Captive Risk Planning, Real Estate Development, Event Management and eventually the government approved ‘EB5 Visa program’ gave the company a huge leap. Many stakeholders showed their interest in participating. Now it is a Billion Dollar Company. The media presence that was instrumental in growing the Perfect Group of Companies was another potential business that Sam recognized. He bought the 15 years old media brand FunAsia in 2017. He has invested immensely to make it the #1 media company in North America. Once again with collaborations with other community-centric brands like Radio Azad, Masti Times, Desi Plaza, he has diversified his offering to the growing South Asian Diaspora in the DFW Metroplex. Investing in the state-of-the-art technology and moving to a TV radio with his FAN (FunAsia Next) vision, he has given a face-lift to the brand in just 2 years. Presence on the print medium with DesiPages a Mailer & coupon Magazine reaching 40,000 households and the digital presence through Funasia.net and Facebook. FunAsia Events offers exclusive events to this diaspora giving the brand 360-degree visibility never seen before. Also, his partnership with Radio Mirchi the number #1 Radio company in India gives the brand its presence in different cities in the entire USA and now international presence of FunAsia in UAE a step to make FunAsia the #1 South-Asian Media platform outside of India. With acquiring the Venetian Theatre in Carrolton and Regal Theatres in Irving. Fun Movie Grill now has altogether three locations with 27 screens offering Bollywood, Hollywood, Pakistani, Nepali, and regional movie content with Dine-in and homestyle-recliner seating facility, offering a complete fun, food, and entertainment package. Fun Pizza Kitchen is yet another diversification to offer fusion Indian Pizzas alongside Funasia Banquets and FunAsia Catering services. There are many more such propositions that his vison reaches like Video on Demand, Virtual Reality Gaming, etc. which are in the pipeline. As Steve Job said ‘If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision Pulls you’. There is no stopping this family man and entrepreneur Sam Thakkar. He is the visionary and he has his ever supporting wife Vaishali Thakkar- CEO Perfect Tax & CMO FunAsia who has the leadership to translate vision into reality. Vision with action is here to change the world. This power couple in making wonders to their business and in the process bringing change, growing their teams, creating jobs and happiness around.
Sam is from the IT Background and he is an exceptional admirer of Technology. His and my dream was to make FunAsia the leader in Media, by introducing every new technology which could enhance the quality of sound when listening to the radio. We wanted to give the radio a visual representation. A state-of-the-art studio with the latest technology, great experience for the RJ’s when they presented their shows and then the output; all was important to us. Sam has a vision in technology and Kamijee is a perfect knowledgeable guy to implement those. He has been with us from the time we bought FunAsia. I work very closely on number of things with Kamijee to make sure all tasks are accomplished and design the deadlines. He also helps in training the RJ’s. Kamijee is very energetic and a positive guy to work with and his hard work always shows. Now we show off our studio to everyone who comes to our office. It is a matter of pride. We have our FAN (FunAsia Next) launched successfully which is here to change the face of the media worldwide. Proud of our Team!
October is a very exuberant time. Festivities begin in full swing in India. It is the time of Navratri, the night that celebrates the mother goddess or Shakti in all her manifestations including Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The festival culminates with Dussehra, the victory of good over evil, on the tenth day. Similarly, in South India Bathukamma is a flower festival that is devoted to Goddess Maha Gauri, an incarnation of Goddess Durga that’s considered to be the life-giver and goddess of womanhood. Women have shown their determination and strength time and again. Today, they are strong and independent. I would love to call October – Celebrating the Woman Month.
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PRIYANKA AYUSHMANN
She may be the biggest Indian name in Hollywood right now but her journey to the massive success wasn’t all a cakewalk. In an interview, Priyanka talked about how much unpleasantness and yelling she had to deal with at the beginning of her career. “I didn’t know anything or anyone. I was yelled at by directors, I was thrown into movies, I was thrown out of movies,” she said. Priyanka said that what helped her get through the tough days were the wise words of her father, late Dr. Ashok Chopra. “‘The more you talk, the less you will listen and the less you will learn’...I taught myself confidence. I learned it’s what you do after failure that makes you a success,” she added. Priyanka made her acting debut after she won the Miss World crown in 2000. She made her debut with Andaaz opposite Akshay Kumar and with Lara Dutta, who won the Miss Universe crown in the same year.
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YAMI GAUTAM
Ayushmann has mostly played the boynext-door in his films. Does he see himself playing a full-blown action hero in the future? “You know I was in Roadies (laughs). In fact, during my theatre days, I only did negative characters. I have not explored that side on the celluloid till now. I am really excited about it, so I am looking for a good script. But I am not in a hurry to do that,” he said. “I feel that the eagerness to change yourself with every film is slightly myopic. The first priority is to have a good script. You will get ample opportunities in the future to showcase your other side. I waited for films such as AndhaDhun and Article 15 for seven years. I have been offered films in dark space but I did not take them up because I was not happy with the script. The idea is to get successful films and in that realm, you can change your character whenever you get an opportunity,” the actor signed off.
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Actress Yami Gautam, who will next be seen in Bala, feels the Hrishikesh Mukherjee genre of films are making a comeback as the movies now are high on content and humor. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films from the 70s and 80s were a big hit. As someone who has herself been a big fan of his movies like Chupke Chupke and Golmaal, Yami is surprised to note that the genre could be making an unlikely comeback in 2019 in a revamped manner. “Because the content space is so vast, one can see different kinds of films working these days. It’s a good thing that no film comes with a guarantee of working perfectly. I do see great promise in the stories of regular people from regular lives. There’s a certain amount of magic and charm in them if told with wit,” Yami said. The actress, who has starred in films like Uri: The Surgical Strike and Kaabil, also said that the regular people as heroes can make people identify with these characters. “Relatability is a virtue in stories in this day and age. I am constantly looking for more movies in the genre, which are a slice of life films essentially but hinged on an interesting concept and premise. I feel the Hrishikesh Mukherjee genre of films are making a comeback. They are changing in design, narrative, and telling but at its core, they are of similar vein,” she added. Directed by Amar Kaushik, Bala revolves around a prematurely balding man, which is being essayed by Ayushmann Khurrana. Yami will be seen playing a model from a small town for the first time on screen.
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D evoted to the Details. darlinghomes.com | 469.252.2255 All information (including, but not limited to prices, views, availability, incentives, floor plans, site plans, features, standards and options, assessments and fees, planned amenities, programs, conceptual artists’ renderings and community development plans) deemed reliable as of publication date but not guaranteed and remains subject to change daily or delay without notice. Floor plans and elevations are an artist’s conception and are not intended to show specific detailing. As-Built Condition will control. Price(s) shown may not reflect lot premiums, upgrades and options. Photos are for illustration only and do not necessarily represent a specific community. All homes subject to prior sale. Maps and plans are not to scale and all dimensions are approximate. Not an offer in any state where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. Please see a Community Sales Manager for details and visit www.darlinghomes.com for additional disclaimers. Š May 2019. Darling Homes of Texas, LLC. All rights reserved.
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ALA Manisha Koirala is excited about her upcoming film, ‘Prassthanam’, which also stars Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff and Ali Fazal, among others. Ahead of the movie’s release, she talked about various matters, including the book she wrote on her life. When asked how she mustered the courage to confess her flaws and mistakes, the actress said, “Firstly, when you are impacted with cancer, you have faced the other side. So, the point from where I was looking, I knew that I couldn’t bullshit or lie to my readers. I couldn’t make up things either. Ultimately, facing death is the real truth of life. And I think that being so close to death, gave me courage. Secondly, for my own sake, it was important to be honest. Maybe, cancer does that to you. When you face something so brutal and real, it makes you see life in a different way. We all are human beings and we all are flawed, and in the book, I was not trying to project myself as a perfect person, or someone who has all the answers. I don’t. If you ask me if there was fear in expressing myself so openly, yes, there was. There were times when I could see that I was stressing about it, and I wasn’t sure about how people would respond to all that there was in it. I went through swings of doubt and fear, wondering…will people accept it? Will they start judging me again? Will people mock me or taunt me? But I am so glad that I stuck to my gut feeling, and eventually, believed in what I was doing.”
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Tiger Shroff will be ready to go on floors with his desi Rambo avatar in March next year. The film is an out-and-out action extravaganza reinventing Sylvester Stallone’s iconic John Rambo for Bollywood buffs, and has been generating a buzz ever since director Siddharth Anand announced his decision to make the film. “Rambo is a global icon. When we launched the film at Cannes, we realised the magnanimity of the character. When we spoke to journalists from across the world, they were all very enthused and keen to know what we will do with it because it’s a much-loved character,” told the director, around the time when the Rambo remake’s poster was unveiled at Cannes in 2017. The original Hollywood series starring Stallone is about John Rambo, a troubled Vietnam War veteran and former US Army Special Forces soldier. “India doesn’t have that history, so obviously there had to be a major adaptation in the sense of character, story and setting. That’s why the project has taken two years. We have taken the mythology of Rambo forward and that’s what we are playing on, more than remaking it,” Anand said.
Actor Vicky Kaushal, whose father is the well-known action director Sham Kaushal, has said that he is proud to be a technician’s son. “Today, I am here to give my claps, respect and love to all the beautiful technicians who are the real heroes behind the camera. They help us (actors) to become stars and they help us to reach the audience. I am myself a technician’s sons and I am proud to be a technician’s son so, I have the utmost respect for them,” said Vicky. He recently won a National Award as Best Actor for his role in ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike”, besides numerous other popular awards in a short span of time. How does it feel to be recognised at awards shows? “I feel I have a long way to go but it makes me happy when people validate my work and acknowledge my efforts with awards. Last year has been really beautiful for me,” he replied. Vicky Kaushal next will be seen in Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Sardar Udham Singh’, Karan Johar’s ‘Takht’ and Bhanu Pratap Singh’s ‘Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship’.
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Financial Planning for Newly Married Couples Most youngsters prefer to ignore or postpone the boring discussions around tax and finance. But this conversation is important to all. Remember, even billionaires are spending an adequate amount of time every year, planning their financials Let’s discuss the importance of financial and tax planning especially for newly married couples given the changing financial scenario with unforeseen Vaishali Thakkar expenses. 1.Talk openly about finances:It is essential for CEO Perfect Tax couples to set aside a peaceful time to sit and & Finance discuss each others’ financial status, including any outstanding debts, and create a five-year financial plan with earnings and expenditure goals for the future. 2.Execute the plan:If there are 2 earning members of the family, it is essential to assign priorities, discuss savings and make equal contributions towards the family expenses to prevent any misunderstandings in the future. 3.Trust and Transparency:Keep your earnings and spending transparent and visible to both so that you both are on the same page. However, this should not prevent you from having a personal space i.e., pocket money to pamper oneself now and then. 4.Start Planning Early:It is essential to tweak your plan on an ongoing basis to ensure no last minute surprises pop-up. Planning early makes your life much easier and gives you enough time and money to achieve your travel goals. 5.Never ignore tax planning:Tax Planning is the most essential part of your financial planning. It is necessary for the couple to sit down and plan their taxes, be consistent and regular with tax filing and prevent any IRS penalties. Remember that what you save from avoiding tax payments is nothing when compared to the penalties, attorney fee and legal charges that follow. You don’t have to go through all this on your own!! Perfect Tax and Finance is always ready for you and will help you address all your tax-related questions. Call us on 469-213-1519 or email us at info@perfecttax.com.
INDIVIDUAL TAX DEADLINE 15 OCT 2019
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SONAKSHI SINHA
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Actress Bhumi Pednekar, who plays one of the oldest sharpshooters in the world in the upcoming film, ‘Saand Ki Aankh’, finds the sport an interesting one. ‘Saand Ki Aankh’ is inspired by Chandro Tomar and Prakashi Tomar, who are amongst the oldest sharpshooters in India. “Sharpshooting is a very interesting sport and playing the role of Chandro Tomar has taught me so much about the game. I interacted with so many people living in that village of Meerut and got to know how passionate everyone seems to be about sharpshooting,” Bhumi said in a statement. “They work so hard to ace this sport that gives me goosebumps. The excitement for the sport is growing and I hope that more interesting sportsmen come up for this,” she added. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the film also stars Prakash Jha and Taapsee Pannu.
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Actress Sonakshi Sinha said that she feels great post the success of ‘Mission Mangal’ and added, “For me at least, success has been long overdue.” “[Even] if few of my films haven’t done well, people haven’t stopped offering me films,” she further said. Sonakshi added that she’s been busiest over the past few years and has four releases this year.
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Shraddha Kapoor on SAAHO & CHHICHHORE’S sucess Shraddha Kapoor is currently enjoying the success of her two big back-to-back hits ‘Saaho’ and ‘Chhichhore’ and both are released within a week’s gap. In Saaho she has co-starred with Prabhas, and in ‘Chhichhore’ with Sushant Singh Rajput, both the films are roaring at the box office.
Talking about ‘Chhichhore’s’ success she mentioned that she enjoyed playing the character of both the age groups. “Nitesh sir is an incredible director and the way he brought the Mayas — younger and older — on-screen with sensitivity and love, I could connect with the emotions that she was feeling, the story and During an interview, she shared her journey of the film. It came from excitement and said, “I am on top- the heart” of-the-world — both my films have been received so well and loved by Elaborating further about the the audiences. Saaho is my biggest film being appreciated by the grosser till date. I am cherishing audiences she averred, “It’s every bit of it. I am super grateful amazing that audiences, through and happy about both doing well”. word-of-mouth, are the deciders of what content and film they like to watch. They are the ones who have the final say. I am grateful that they went and saw the film in such large numbers, and enjoyed it.” Meanwhile, Shraddha is gearing up for her next release ‘Street Dancer 3D’ where she will be seen starring opposite Varun Dhawan after ‘ABCD 2’. The dance film also features Nora Fatehi in a pivotal role. Helmed by Remo D’souza the film is slated to release next year in January.
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Thrilled about the appreciation the film and Ayushmann has received for Dream Girl, the actor explained how he is over the moon by all the love and reception he has seen for his films. The actor said, “It has been a fantastic weekend for Dream Girl and I’m thrilled with the response and love. The era of good content in here and audiences want to see the most disruptive, different content in every genre. I’m glad that people are connecting with the kind of cinema that I’m doing and it only motivates me to be more brave with my film choices.” Known to offer some of the quirkiest themes in films, Ayushmann has once again done it with Dream Girl. Further delving into details of how he is exceptionally happy with the way Dream Girl has turned out to be, Khurrana added, “For me, Dream Girl is a film that shows audiences what a clean family comedy should be. It is a solid entertainer that people can bring their entire family to the theatres. It is a paisa vasool movie in its truest sense. An actor like me always wants to entertain audiences in the best way possible and Dream Girl gave me the opportunity to make people laugh this time after making them ponder and spark a debate with Article 15 earlier this year.”
ayushmann khuranna
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BOLLYWOOD BONANAZA DesiPages
Actor Vicky Kaushal said winning the National Award is a beautiful feeling, one which is both humbling and a reminder for him to keep doing good work. Vicky shared the best actor National Award for his performance in ‘Uri- The Surgical Strike’ along with Ayushmann Khurrana for ‘Andhadhun’. When asked about his win, Vicky said, “It’s a beautiful feeling. I would have never thought that in my four years of career, I will be honored with something like this. But it also brings a huge responsibility. That one should keep working like this and keep doing good work and that one shouldn’t be complacent and that don’t take it for granted. But it’s a huge honor, I think the biggest honor in the country and it really means a lot to me.” Actor-politician Sunny Deol returns to direction after two decades to launch son Karan in ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ and, describing the experience as an emotional journey, he said,“The takeaway from the shooting experience is basically the bonding and the family which we became -- the bonding that we had with the whole crew. The difficulties everyone faced without even saying ‘uff’,” Sunny told a news agency. “Bringing this whole experience on the celluloid”, he added, was also part of that takeaway. Set in Himachal Pradesh, the film narrates a love story that strives to understand the emotion and essence of a first-time romance, with all its innocence, doubts and the complexities. The film has been extensively shot in various locales of Himachal Pradesh. Talking about the project, Karan said: “Through the whole experience from start to finish, we became one family. In these past two years, we made so many fond memories from doing my own crazy stunts to living in a tent to exploring the Himachal belt like never before. It was wonderful.” To this, Sahher added: “I have such good memories. It has been a very emotional journey.”
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Jackie Shroff on War
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he gorgeous Ananya Panday made her debut in Bollywood this year and has already signed her third film. She began her journey in the entertainment industry with Student of the Year 2, alongside Bollywood hunk Tiger Shroff and the talented Tara Sutaria. Directed by Punit Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta, the film follows a love triangle between 3 college students named Shreya, Rohan and Mia. In her second film, Ananya will be seen sharing the screen with Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan and the beautiful Bhumi Pednekar. The romantic comedy titled Pati Patni Aur Woh is a remake of the 1978 film with the same name. It is being directed by Mudassar Aziz and produced by Bhushan Kumar and is slated to hit theatres on 6th December. The film follows the story of Chintu Tyagi, played by Kartik, who is married to his ‘Patni’ Bhumi. However, things take a turn when ‘Woh’ Ananya walks into his life. In a recent interview, Ananya opened up about working in a love triangle story again and shared, “I’ve been swamped shooting for the remake of the 1978 classic Pati, Patni Aur Woh in Lucknow with Kartik Aaryan and Bhumi Pednekar. The two characters Bhumi and I play are feisty. They don’t give in easily. It’s so refreshing to play such a strong role.”
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ackie got nostalgic mentioning how Tiger’s association with Hrithik goes back a long time to the early 90s when he was shooting for “King Uncle”, directed by Hrithik’s dad Rakesh Roshan. “I was shooting for ‘King Uncle’ in Goa back then, and Hrithik baba used to assist his father in direction. Those days, Tiger was four or five years old, and Hrithik used to play with him. He (Hrithik) used to take care of Tiger and would explain film’s dialogues to me. I feel fortunate that my kid is working with such a huge star. Tiger idolises Hrithik as his Guru, and now he is working with him in the same film. God has been kind,” said Jackie. Asked if he gives professional tips to Tiger before shooting of a film, Jackie said: “What kind of tips? We don’t talk with each other about giving tips. He will get whatever is written in his destiny.” However, Jackie is excited.”If your child has given an exam and if the result is around the corner then, obviously you feel excited,” he reasoned. Apart from Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, “War” features Vaani Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Dipannita Sharma and Anupriya Goenka in key roles. The film is directed by Siddharth Anand
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Goddess Lakshmi personifies wealth, prosperity and abundance. In many households, the purse strings continue to be tightly in control of the male counterparts with the women having no say. There are many women who have no control and no choice over their finances or no access to their wealth. Irrespective of whether homemakers or earners, women need more financial awareness. May every Lata or Leela have more freedom over their family finances and more power in making financial decisions. Family prosperity flows when the Lakshmi of the household is honored and respected. There is no better time than Navratri to embrace the divine feminine both within us and around us. Hindu mythology is rich with legends describing the multi-dimensional forms of the Goddess which embody Shakti, the divine feminine energy. Although we “worship” Shakti in all her glory, there are still many hurdles to the mindset of recognizing that every one of us has the seeds of the divine spirit within. The ugly weeds of discrimination, bias and stereotyping have found its way into the beautiful garden of our minds, marring its true beauty and stifling its growth. These 9 days of Navratri are a great time to look within and purify our minds, so the divine truth can be illuminated. Goddess Durga embodies fearlessness and strength, demonstrating that you can win a battle no matter how strong your opponent is if you are righteous and true to your convictions. Let’s hope and pray this Navratri that we have no Sita or Savitri who is suffering in silence from any form of oppression or subjugation whether at home or in the workplace. The same Mangal sutra that symbolizes a bond can become a noose of bondage. The same freedom that comes from working and being independent, can become a chain of control. When there is no joy, freedom or respect whether at home or in the workplace, may we get the strength from Goddess Durga to break the chains that bind us. When injustices are cleared and victory of right over wrong reigns supreme, the true self can emerge strong and confident, without barriers or fear of society. DesiPages DesiPages
Goddess Saraswati embodies knowledge, arts, music and divine wisdom. The mindset of the superiority of science over art should be relinquished. May every Mona or Manju have the freedom and support to pursue careers and hobbies of their personal choices, regardless of stereotypes. Learning comes from within and when combined with passion, excellence flows naturally. Every woman embodies the goddess within. We are more than our faces or figures, the color of skin or the thickness of hair. This Navratri, let’s pray that no Kali or Kavita is handed a tube of fairness cream to look more beautiful because true beauty blossoms from within. Only when we love , honor and respect the infinite spirit within us, as well as love , honor and respect the truth of another, beyond physical appearances or societal statures, can the true divine spirit within us rise and shine in all its glory. Honoring the feminine is by no means a rejection of the masculine, but an appreciation for an equal partnership of the two. Neither force is superior nor inferior but an equal. Being an equal partner at work also starts with the dinner table at home. The union of Shiva and Shakti as equal halves of the same whole is the true divine partnership. When Shiva and Shakti come together as One, the collective energy is the most powerful and potent in the cosmos! Namaste and the Goddess in me salutes the divine in you! DFW || October October 2019 2019 VOL VOL99|| 36 DFW 36
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PRIYANKA CHOPRA THE SKY IS PINK TIFF PREMIERE Priyanka Chopra is going places with her work. The 37-year-old actress’s upcoming Bollywood film The Sky Is Pink was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). And our very own Desi Girl is quite humbled by the experience. Priyanka Chopra was joined by Farhan Akhtar, Shonali Bose, Rohan Saraf, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Ronnie Screwvala for the screening. Shonali Bose, who has directed Priyanka Chopra for The Sky Is Pink, said that working with her was a “fantastic” experience. It is after three years that Priyanka Chopra is returning to Bollywood with The Sky Is Pink. And the actress is overwhelmed with the response
drama about a couple, played by Priyanka and Farhan Akhtar, narrated by their daughter (Zahira Wasim) who suffers from a terminal illness. It seems that the aspect of the film surrounding the illness also touched audiences. One of the film’s positive reviews was from a doctor who claimed that the film reminded him why he chose to work in medicine. Others even called the film a tearjerker. It was later revealed that even the Chaudhary family, who the film is based on were present at the screening.
that the film got at TIFF. After being screened at the TIFF on Saturday, the film received The film is set to release on October a standing ovation lasting four 11, theatrically. minutes. The Sky Is Pink is a romantic
Shraddha on negative reviews for ‘Saaho’
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Talking about working with big directors, actress Sara Ali Khan said that she’s not in a position to choose her roles yet, rather she is the one being chosen for them. The actress further said that there needs to be a “strong reason” for her to do a film. “Versatility excites me... I love performing, feeling the emotions,” she added.
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Shraddha Kapoor said,”I was shocked, while the reviews were negative, the audiences were loving the film. Then I told myself that just wait and watch what happens. So one end you have these two differences and the film is ultimately doing wel, it’s been my highest grosser till date. So it’s like I mean, how do you know what’s going to connect with the audiences?,” said Shraddha. At the end of the day, it is the box office numbers that decide the fate of a film and Shraddha Kapoor is happy that the audiences are loving the film. “I feel like the ultimate people, the ones who give the result is the audience. At the end of the day, they are the ones who buy a ticket and go watch your film and they are the bosses. So if they love the film then who can question anything?,” said Shraddha.
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Dr. Indra Veer Singh popularly known to his friends and colleagues as IV , is the Chief of Medicine at the THR Harris Methodist Hospital who was elected by the staff and won the Physician of the year award at the same hospital in 2013. He started his journey from the Armed Forces Medical College (a very prestigious medical school in Pune, India) in the summer of 1983. This not only molded a young blood with a desire to excel and serve the humanity into a young inquisitive physician, but also helped grow into a better human being with compassion for humanity, he says. After graduating he joined the Indian Army in 1987 which he is very proud of. He also had the privilege of seeing some action very close, as part of Indian Peace Keeping Force in jungles of Sri Lanka. As part of the medical team he organized free medical camps for the local population. Then after a year he still found himself doing free medical camps in villages of Punjab as part of Army’s drive to win hearts. He migrated to the USA in 1996, to join his family in California and to pursue his dreams of being a better trained physician. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine at Springfield, Illinois followed by an year of being Chief Resident and Clinical Instructor, in 2002 he moved to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to pursue fellowship in Critical Care Medicine. After moving to Fort Worth in 2004 he
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joined the THR Harris Methodist Hospital. He then partnered with Texas Pulmonary and Critical Care consultants and was associated with them till December 2017, after which he started his independent practice. He says he usually has a very busy day as most physicians do. It starts as early as 7 am and goes on sometimes till 10 pm. The nature of his work is very challenging and comes with uninterrupted high adrenaline rush, but at the same time is very gratifying. Typically, he and his team start with patients in the ICU and have discussions not only involving the extent and aggressiveness of care but also about limiting care and withdrawing care. Frequently, the families are also included in the discussions, as majority of patients are not in a state to discuss matters relating to their care. Majority of patients are on some form of life support including ventilators, continuous hemodialysis and even at times ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator or heart-lung bypass machine). These patients are very sick, and emergent situations arise anytime of the day without any notice. He and his team always have to be mentally and emotionally prepared while on call. “As a team leader, I always try to make the environment light and bring laughter into the lives of patients, their families and staff as well. I make small jokes about myself or our work culture or our ignorance about so many disease process” says Dr.IV. In his off hours he loves to spend time with family. His eyes light up when he shares that when his sons were kids in school, he and his wife would be on the side lines of their soccer games, shouting till they lost their voices. Now, being empty nesters, they spend time traveling to different places or simply watching a Bollywood movie. He also loves photography and has been actively involved with the Irving Gurdwara. Though he is not a very religious person, he confesses. The nature of his job does not allow him much free time to volunteer in the community, but he does hope that someday he will slow down and have more time. For now, he is addicted to medicine. His message to the young kids in the community who want to take up medicine is to get into it only if they have love for this profession and are passionate to care for the sick. This profession demands a lot and at the same time gives back a lot more. One should not take this path for money or because of parent pressures. Only then one can enjoy this noble profession and flourish in life. Funasia is very proud to bring Dr. Indra Veer Singh as the Person In Focus from our community and wishes him luck in all his future endeavors. Administrative Activities July 2016-Present : Board Member, North TX Speciality physicians.Fort Worth based independent association Jan 2017-Till Present:Vice Chief, Dept of General Internal Medicine and Family Medicine at THR Harris Methodist, Fort Worth, TX Jan 2017-Till Present:Chairman, Internal Medicine/Family Practice Quality Review Comittee
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