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Param Sundari; Anupam Kher with Robert De Niro
Actors who don’t act
Randeep Hooda’s acting debut in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding (2001) may have seemed like a dream start, but one remark left a lasting impact. Speaking to Mayank Shekhar, mid-day’s Entertainment Editor, Randeep, in the latest episode of Sit with Hitlist, recalled a moment from the 58th Venice Film Festival in 2001, where the film won the prestigious Golden Lion award. However, the celebratory evening took a different turn for Randeep. He felt he didn’t know how to act. The actor shared, “We were dancing and drinking, and I sat down next to this American distributor. He told me, ‘You were one of the few who were not acting in the movie.’ I took that very badly.” Embarrassed, he didn’t tell anyone at the time as he didn’t realise it was a compliment. He revealed how he then went to Naseeruddin Shah for guidance, and told him that he wanted to work in theatre. “I went to Naseer Bhai and told him ‘I want to do plays.’” The experience sparked a shift in his career. “I made it a point not to expose myself as an actor who doesn’t act,” he said. The two actors have since shared the screen in John Day (2013) and the theatre stage.
Friends show up to cheer
(From left) Robert De Niro and Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher’s latest film Tanvi The Great premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival 2025, with none other than Hollywood legend Robert De Niro in attendance. Overwhelmed, Anupam took to Instagram, calling it “the highlight of my entire career.” He further worte, “World’s best actor attends the premiere, I am still in shock. But then I also say na ‘Kuch bhi ho sakta hai!’” The two actors share a long-standing bond, having first worked together on Silver Linings Playbook (2012), and reunited at Cannes in 2021. Anupam shared that he had discussed the film with De Niro during that Cannes meeting, where the actor’s warmth “touched me deeply”.
Making way for Ajay?
Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor in Param Sundari; (right) Ajay Devgn
Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra’s Param Sundari has reportedly been delayed, giving Ajay Devgn’s Son of Sardaar 2 a solo theatrical release on July 25. While murmurs of a postponement had been doing the rounds, producer Dinesh Vijan seems to have taken a final call, choosing to shift Tushar Jalota’s directorial project to a later date to avoid the clash. Trade sources say that Param Sundari clashing with Ajay’s high-octane sequel could have hurt its box office potential. A late August release is now being considered for Janhvi and Sidharth’s film. Meanwhile, Son of Sardaar 2, directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, will open alongside Hollywood’s The Fantastic Four: The First Steps.
When Farhan got the climax of Fire changed
(From left) Shabana Azmi, Deepa Mehta, and Nandita Das; (right) Farhan Akhtar
Shabana Azmi recently reunited with filmmaker Deepa Mehta and co-star Nandita Das to celebrate 25 years of Fire (2001). Taking to Instagram, Shabana revealed that her step-son, actor-director, Farhan Akhtar, suggested that the film’s climax be changed. She wrote, “Few know that it had a different ending. It was young Farhan Akhtar who advised that the ending should be changed to what is finally kept.” Another interesting detail involved the film’s language. Shabana shared, “Also it was originally to be shot in Hindi but the dialogue didn’t ring true. So literally two days before the shooting, Deepa Mehta decided to keep the original English greatly approved by producerBobby Bedi. Thank god the actors were bilingual and could rise to the challenge!”
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