Farhan Akhtar – Page 2

Farhan Akhtar on Padmavati, IFFI row: There's lack of unity in film fraternity

Nov 152017

‘Unfortunately, we also have to blame ourselves. We should not just be pointing fingers,’ said Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar while addressing the controversy surrounding ‘Padmavati’ and retraction of two regional movies from IFFI. Apart from Marathi film ‘Nude’ and Malayalam movie ‘S Durga’ being dropped by the centre from the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum-opus has still been facing protests from certain sections.

Farhan Akhtar

The 43-year-old, while speaking on the sidelines of a book launch event, addressed these issues and stressed upon the lack of unity in the film fraternity. “Everyone gets scared when it’s there film on the line. It is a small industry… There are not that many people. If they don’t come together to create an environment where they themselves can function in, the way they want to, nobody else is going to do it for them,” he said.

The ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ star further said that audiences should not be treated as children. “This is not just about those two films or just about ‘Padmavati’. This has happened in the past with many films. I am totally against anything being banned. I genuinely believe we should stop treating our audiences as children. We should allow them to grow.’

‘We should allow them to be exposed to different kinds of ideas to counter cultures, to counter thinking. It’s very important for the development of any nation that there are viewpoints which are not always in agreement with the majority.’ The actor-director strongly opposed any kind of threat or violence.

‘In cinema there’s no such law that if a film is made you have to go and see it! You have the freedom to boycott the film. You can tell people to boycott the film. But you don’t have the freedom to threaten somebody with grievous bodily harm or break somebody’s theatre or cause damage in any way,’ he concluded.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Ali Fazal: Every actor can aspire to play this part

Celebrities

Oct 252017

His first actioner has already seen Ali Fazal train with different guns. Mirzapur, which is being produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidwani, features the actor as a local don. Fazal’s Munna rules over the fictional town of Mirzapur, which is set in the desi heartland. The Karan Anshuman-directed show marks Fazal’s return to the digital platform after he won accolades for Bang Baaja Baarat. In an interview with mid-day, Fazal talk about returning to a platform that “bridges the world” and finding inspiration in his close one for the part.

Ali Fazal

Tell us about the show.
I guess you can call it a concoction of Narcos and The Godfather. It has a rural setting and explores what goes on in the underbelly of the Hindi heartland.

You perform a fair share of action in the show. What prompted you to take it up?
I’ve never performed action sequences of such intensity. In fact, when I’m in character, I can hardly recognise myself. The role is one that any artiste would aspire to play. I’ve tried to imbibe the qualities of a man that I’ve looked up to all my life for this outing. However, the role is only loosely based on him. We’ve already commenced filming for it in Benaras.

How have you prepared to get into character?
I need to have a grasp over the local dialects of Uttar Pradesh. The dialect changes from Bihar, Allahabad and Lucknow, and the nuances are different. I haven’t mastered it yet, but have learnt enough to do justice to my part. Also, I learnt how to shoot with different guns.

Your web show, Bang Baaja Baraat, was among the first to gain popularity online. Do you think it paved the way for other actors?
It did. And look at where the Internet has taken it now! The web world is bursting with great and unique content. The world is getting smaller, the stage, bigger. I can’t wait to bridge it all. So, I am happy to spearhead this show.

Has your approach to your craft changed after you acted with Judi Dench in your last film, Victoria & Abdul?
She taught me compassion and gratitude. If Judi still likes to call herself a working actor [at 85], then it’s time to revisit how we view our job. Every day is a new day, and one full day. Life is more than just, worrying about paying s**t off.

Also view: Remember Rahul Roy? Here’s what past ‘Bigg Boss’ winners are doing now

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Nikkhil Advani: I was asked to create a scandal to promote 'Lucknow Central'

Celebrities

Oct 162017

Bollywood filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who recently produced Farhan Akhtar starrer ‘Lucknow Central’, says the marketing team asked him to create a scandal involving Farhan to promote the film. The producer, who was present at a panel discussion along with two young producers at the 19th Jio MAMI With Star, said this when he was asked if marketing creates pressure during film promotion or if marketing overpowers creativity.

Nikkhil said: “I got a call from the marketing person saying Kangana’s scandal is going on, tell Farhan to do a scandal. This is an actual conversation! “Farhan has to have a scandal, otherwise our buzz won’t go up. I said ‘but what scandal?’ and they were like ‘do any scandal but we need it’.” He added: “I don’t understand it at all. How can I approach Farhan and say ‘hey let’s do a scandal, otherwise no one will watch our film’.”

The panel discussion was also attended by Vikramaditya Motwane and Prerna Arora

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Woman are more harassed, but not all the time, says Farhan Akhtar

Celebrities

Oct 142017

Actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar believes that it is the woman, who is more harassed than the man, but it is not true all the time. Answering a query on this at a media interaction here, he said: “I don’t think that would be true from existing records or information out there on public domain. I do believe that more often than not, it is the woman, who is harassed but it doesn’t mean all the time.”

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan, the brand ambassador for Linen Club, was present on Friday at the inauguration of their exclusive brand outlet here. About his personal style mantra, he said: “I think the important thing is to be yourself, to have an individual style quotient. You don’t need to necessary follow what other people are doing.

“It is about being comfortable, it is about being yourself. I think that is most important to me as far as personal style mantra is concerned.” On celebrity looks, Farhan, asked which celebrities’ style statement does he love and if he is conscious about his looks in public, said: “I love my own style statement, and I don’t really have an airport look.

“But of course, if you are going somewhere like a red carpet event so you dress accordingly. It’s not forced on you but you have to respect where it is that you are going. Within that, you still have the opportunity to still do your own thing. That’s where our individuality plays an important role.” Farhan was last seen in “Lucknow Central”, directed by Ranjit Tiwari, along with Diana Penty and in a special appearance in “Daddy” with Arjun Rampal.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Hrithik Roshan parties with Farhan Akhtar after 'don't support me' post

Celebrities

Oct 122017

Hrithik Roshan recently gave a tell-all interview to a popular news channel and a host, where he explained his side of the story in the big Kangana Ranaut vs Hrithik Roshan fight. Hrithik, denied being involved with the actress and has sought help of the police force to help him sort out his mess. He also feels that his silence was being misconstrued as his weakness and that he has now decided to speak up. Soon, after this interview aired, Bollywood celebs decided to show their solidarity for Hrithik and decided to stand by him. Not just actors, but even actresses posted their thoughts about the Kangana-Hrithik fight, but it was obvious that their views were partisan.

Hrithik, however gave another statement asking his friends to not take sides. The most vocal support that he received from the fraternity came from Farhan Akhtar, who is known to voice his opinion on ‘women oriented’ issues. However, all seems to be forgotten as Hrithik was seen partying with Farhan Akhtar, Farah Khan, Tabu and few other friends from the industry. Filmmaker Karan Johar was also spotted at the soiree and he shared a pic with Hrithik on his Instagram page.

Seems like all is fine now that the industry has decided to back Hrithik and cheer him up from his personal woes. The past few years have been tough on Hrithik due to personal and professional issues. His film ‘Mohenjo Daro’ bombed badly at the box-office and his wife of 17 years, Sussanne Khan decided to separate from him.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Hrithik-Kangana Spat: Farhan Akhtar Pens A Moving Post Urging People Not To Take Sides

Celebrities

Oct 092017

The spat between Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan seems to be getting messier with each passing day, leaving Bollywood and their fans perplexed about what’s going to happen next. Controversies are pouring in with each new development and the nation is visibly divided between who is right and who is wrong.

What started as a candid mention about a ‘silly ex’ during one of her interviews has become a matter of grave importance and it will be a lie if we say that we are not interested in knowing how the upcoming events will unfold. Almost everyone is curious to know who is telling the truth, and while Kangana has been vocal about her side of the story since the beginning, it is only now that Hrithik has spoken up about the issue. He finally broke his silence on Thursday, revealing certain details that we weren’t aware about.

Ever since this controversy played out in full public view, fans have been taking sides of their respective celebrities and in all honesty most of the views were emotion-driven. Not many focused on the facts or details that were revealed throughout. Even most celebrities chose to stay away from this discussion. Also there is no denying that from the beginning of this controversy, people have conveniently charged guns towards Hrithik, making him the bad guy without any strong evidence. Not that we are trying to demean Kangana but at least, let’s not jump to any conclusions before the issue is sorted out. And that’s exactly what actor Farhan Akhtar too appealed to his fans in a moving Facebook post about the whole issue.

Farhan Akhtar Speaks Up About Hrithik-Kangana Controversy © film kraft

Without naming the two parties, Hrithik’s ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ co-star expressed his concern over how some sections of media have “consciously or unconsciously, pushed one side of the narrative WITHOUT having or presenting any evidence to back the claims being made by the woman. They’ve accepted her story at face value.” He even raised the issue of discrimination against the other party.

Farhan Akhtar Speaks Up About Hrithik-Kangana Controversy © Facebook

He further states that “Although it is true that in most cases it is a woman that has been wronged, there is a difference between ‘most’ and ‘all’.” He also points out the various details that most of us either forgot to notice or didn’t care about while taking a stand on behalf of our favourite celebrities. He even urges people to not take sides since no one knows what the truth is. This is what he posted on facebook.

Other celebs too commended Farhan’s words and shared similar thoughts.

Beautifully written Farhan….it’s important…it’s true! https://t.co/zoY4VKahfw

— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) 8 October 2017

Well written and very fair Farhan. I concur. https://t.co/NXBUAiLq3O

— Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) October 8, 2017

Powerful thought https://t.co/rlXj3Qg5Mv

— Yami Gautam (@yamigautam) October 8, 2017

In fact, actress Yami Gautam too took to Facebook to share her thoughts about the entire controversy, which is only worsening with each day. She even urges people to not make it a gender war.

Did You Know Aamir Khan And Saif Ali Khan Weren't Farhan Akhtar's Original Choice For ‘Dil Chahta Hai'?

Celebrities

Sep 162017

‘Dil Chahta Hai’ is one of those films that changed the way we look at and think about films. It not only became a cult flick but was appreciated and loved by everyone. The film gave us friendship goals and also taught us a lot about life. Still, when we remember DCH, it makes us all nostalgic and brings a smile on our faces.

Starring Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Saif Ali Khan, the film revolved around the lives of three friends and its complexities, giving it all a realistic feel. Well, one of the reasons many youngsters could connect to the film was because the story of Akash, Siddharth, and Sameer was so damn relatable. A lot of us have gone through what those characters went through.

Dil Chahta Hai (c) Giphy

But have you ever thought about how ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ turned out if some other actors were cast in place of Saif Ali Khan and Aamir Khan?

Not many know this fact, but Farhan Khan had a very different cast in mind than what we saw on-screen. I am sure the thought of seeing someone else as Akash and Sameer already makes us cringe!

Just Recently, Farhan appeared on Neha Dhupia’s podcast show “No Filter Neha” and revealed a lot about our all-time favourite film. And seriously, we thank god that some of his first choices never made it onscreen.

Farhan revealed that not Aamir Khan but Akshaye Khanna was always his first choice for the film.

“Akshaye Khanna was always the first choice. He was the first guy I ever met for that film. And I actually met him at that time because I wanted to cast him in the role that Aamir eventually played. So I spoke to him for the role that was Aakash,” Farhan disclosed.

Did you know that the actor-director had an entirely different star cast in mind for the film, something that we can’t even think of.

Dil Chahta Hai (c) Giphy

“I wanted him (Akshaye Khanna) to play Aakash. I wanted Hrithik as Sameer and I wanted Abhishek as Sid. That was my ideal casting.”

Looks like even the gods weren’t in favour of Farhan’s dream cast. Well, aren’t we just glad that things turned out differently?

10 Bollywood Celebs Who Transformed Their Bodies To Fit Their Roles

Celebrities

Sep 042017

We compiled a list of all the Bollywood celebrities’ transformations you need to know about for the extra push you need to reach your fitness goals. The celebrities have also shared their secret tricks like, did you know that Sidharth Malhotra actually follows a diet according to his blood type? *Mind blown*

1. Arjun Kapoor

Bollywood Celebs Who Transformed Their Bodies To Fit Their Roles © Instagram – Arjun Kapoor

To fit in the Bollywood industry Arjun Kapoor had to shed around 52 kilos. The actor still claims that maintaining his weight is a struggle. His secret tool was 20 minutes of a hardcore CrossFit regime.

2. Sonam Kapoor

It is hard to imagine Sonam Kapoor as a chubby teen but check out this picture for proof.

Bollywood Celebs Who Transformed Their Bodies To Fit Their Roles © YouTube- Bollywood Backstage

She prepared herself in every aspect for her debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Saawariya’. She didn’t only adopt weight training in her regime but also included extreme Kathak training. This resulted in her losing 30 kilos.

3. Hrithik Roshan

Bollywood Celebs Who Transformed Their Bodies To Fit Their Roles © YouTube – Top 10

It is hard to recall Mr. Roshan without his famous abs and super drool-worthy, we mean toned, body. He has always maintained his bod but for his role as Ethan Mascarenhas in the movie ‘Guzaarish’ he had to gain weight. “I ate loads of fried stuff such as samosas, batata vada after 15 years and put on weight. I got a 36 inch waist for the first time in my life,” said Hrithik to ‘India Today’. He lost all the extra weight immediately for his superhero duties as Krish.

4. Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt was never fat, to begin with, but to fit (pun intended) in the role of a college diva in ‘Student Of The Year’, she lost 16 kilos. She lost all this weight in three months with extensive weight training along with Kathak and Ballet classes.

5. Kareena Kapoor

This transformation sure shocked the entire Bollywood and introduced us to the concept of size-zero figure. One of the biggest reasons being that Kareena Kapoor was infamously always the chubby actress. Her tools for the transformation shocked people more; balanced diet and power yoga. She still endorses staying healthy if not skinny.

6. Parineeti Chopra

Go watch Dishoom guys!! @varundvn killing it with the amazing @thejohnabraham and @jacquelinef143 !! #dishoom #jaanemanaah

A post shared by Parineeti Chopra (@parineetichopra) on Jul 30, 2016 at 1:53am PDT

This photo broke the internet as Parineeti perfectly managed to hide from the Paparazzi during her extreme transformation. She didn’t merely emerge out as a skinnier person but also as a better human. She played a part in a lot of social causes after her return. The biggest struggle for her was to quit junk food. The reason why we love her is that she is an open book and does not mind sharing even her deepest insecurities.

BEFORE .. All my life, I have struggled with how I look, how I feel, and how people looked at me. I was constantly made fun of, but the person I was, I generously laughed with them. Today, many people ask me what triggered the weight loss, did I give in to the “bollywood pressure”? To that I say – thank god I became an actor and had that pressure! I am able to achieve what I couldn’t achieve otherwise. I feel more confident, I feel at peace, and I feel proud! Girls and women meet me all around the world, at airports, events, on the street; they hold my hand, hug me, and tell me their struggles and how I changed their lives. They show me their wallpapers, their wallets, and its all pictures of me!! They look at those pictures and want to make that change in their own lives. They look at my Built That Way campaign and have stuck it to their walls. I have seen women tear up and tell me I changed their life. Post delivery weight, teenage obesity, they are fighting it, and I am their inspiration. As an actor, There is no bigger achievement for me. I am glad to be a part of your life in this way. So thank you everyone. Thank You for making me feel loved. Like I always say – if I could do it. So can you. And I am always there for all of you …. Lots of love….

A post shared by Parineeti Chopra (@parineetichopra) on Apr 30, 2016 at 10:51pm PDT

7. Sonakshi Sinha

Sonakshi Sinha was a chubby youngster and had to slim down to act opposite Salman Khan in ‘Dabangg’ since she weighed 90 kilos. She credits cardio, swimming, yoga and a proper diet for her transformation.

Row, row, row your boat… gently down the week! ðŸ‘ŠðŸ?¼ #mondaymotivation #sonaisfit #gymtime

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) on Aug 20, 2017 at 11:02pm PDT

8. Adnan Sami

@iHrithik what about this transformation.. =D 🙂 #Adnansami.. pic.twitter.com/SeglmOQRoT

— MD. Mashrur Pial (@MashrurPial) July 31, 2014

It wasn’t as much an option for this famous Bollywood singer as was a serious warning by doctors. The final push was when his father gave him an ultimatum to prioritize his health above all. He took a break and dedicated an entire year to getting healthier. He lost 156 kilos and we are happy to know that he feels healthier now.

9. Farhan Akhtar

We couldn’t have imagined Farhan Akhtar playing the role of an athlete. It was anything but easy, his training included 6 hours intensive weight training and obviously, he paid utmost attention to jogging and perfecting his run. For this one especially, we won’t give you the weight comparison of before and after because it was never the goal of the team who worked with Farhan to train him. When the training was completed, he was left with 5% body fat. If that isn’t goals we honestly don’t know what is.

10. Aamir Khan

How could the article be complete without the shape-shifter himself? Aamir Khan lost 22 kilos for ‘Dangal’. This isn’t the first time he had a complete body transformation. In 2008, he built the body of a Greek god for his role in ‘Ghajini’. The next year he worked to look like an engineer for ‘3 Idiots’.

Farhan Akhtar tests his vocal cords!

Celebrities

Aug 252017

Farhan Akhtar tests his vocal cords along with a contestant on a reality show. Wonder who won?

Trending Video

Watch video: Mandana Karimi hides her private parts with Snapchat filter

Download the new mid-day android app to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go https://goo.gl/8Xlcvr

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty promote 'Lucknow Central' at mid-day

Celebrities

Aug 102017

Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty

Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty visit the mid-day office to promote their upcoming release ‘Lucknow Central’.

Trending Video

Watch video: Baahubali actress slaps actor for alleged groping

Download the new mid-day android app to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go https://goo.gl/8Xlcvr

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Older Entries Newer Entries