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by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement As the midyear sun casts its warm glow upon us, we find ourselves caught in a whirlwind of moments, events, and experiences that shape our lives. For actor extraordinaire Purab Kohli, these last six months have been a whirlwind, an exhilarating rollercoaster of creativity and exploration that has left him both exhilarated and eager for more. As we settle in for a candid chat with the versatile actor, we delve into his recent adventures, cinematic escapades, wanderlust, and thoughts on life, work, and style. "It's gone by really fast. It's been quite a busy first half of the year," Kohli begins with a boyish grin, his eyes sparkling with the energy that has propelled him through a bustling six months. "I've been in three films back to back," he continues, recounting his dynamic journey since March. The actor's journey unfolded like a tapestry, with each thread representing a different cinematic endeavour. "Putul," he mentions a film that swept him into its narrative embrace throughout March and April. Followed by "Let There Be Love," a project that captivated him throughout May and June. And then there was "Ahutti," a venture that spanned from June to July, inviting him into another realm of storytelling. And then, the much-needed interlude - a holiday that rejuvenated his spirit and encapsulated the essence of family. "That brings us to seven months of the year, more than half the year. And raring to go for the next five months, looking forward to the next five months," Kohli asserts, his enthusiasm palpable. Speaking of cinematic ventures, Kohli's eyes light up as he delves into the intriguing world of "Blind." "It was a film released on Jio Cinema last month," he begins, recounting his role in the narrative alongside Sonam Kapoor. The film's chilling premise casts him as an evil, serial-killing driver, a role that contrasts starkly with his pleasant demeanour. The journey of filming "Blind" was marked by challenges, notably the lockdown restrictions and the winter cold of Glasgow, where the shooting took place. "A lot of the shooting of Blind was done in the dark at night," Kohli shares, his voice tinged with reminiscence of the intense experience. "When you see the film, you'll realise it was freezing conditions." But amidst the challenges, camaraderie blossomed among the small crew, creating an atmosphere of creativity and connection that kept spirits high. As the conversation steers toward his love for travel, Kohli's eyes light up like a child's Christmas morning. "Yes, of course, I love to travel. Who doesn't love to travel?" he exclaims. But the seasoned traveller has found himself favouring road and train journeys overflights, citing the exhausting ordeal of airports. "I wish someone could come up with an easier experience of airports," he muses, echoing a sentiment shared by many. For Kohli, travel is an avenue for self-discovery, a means to unearth uncharted facets of oneself. "I love seeing new places. I love discovering new parts about myself in these new places," he declares, an explorer at heart. A seasoned globetrotter, Kohli eagerly unveils the top contenders on his bucket list. Having recently ticked off Norway and Scandinavia from the list, he now sets his sights on South America, with Brazil, in particular, capturing his imagination. "Brazil is the next one to check off," he shares, his eyes glittering with the anticipation of new horizons. Peering into the future, Kohli opens up about upcoming releases and his plans for the months ahead. With a handful of releases on the horizon, he takes a step back to embrace family and recharge before diving back into cinema. Speaking of his journey in the industry, Kohli acknowledges the ebb and flow that characterises any creative endeavour. "The industry is always welcoming to anyone who has a reasonable success rate," he reflects. "But yes, to me, it has been very welcoming. It's been very open and loving for the last 25 years." A topic that couldn't be overlooked is Kohli's signature salt-and-pepper look, which he wears with authority and pride. "The salt-and-pepper look gives me some age," he chuckles, reflecting on the visual impact of his facial hair. He shares style advice and underscores the importance of comfort and authenticity in one's appearance. "Any style starts from knowing what makes you feel comfortable and wearing that proud," he advises, reminding us that confidence is the heart of true style. As our conversation with Purab Kohli draws to a close, we're left with a glimpse into the life of a man who thrives on exploration, creativity, and authenticity. His journey through the cinematic landscape mirrors the path of life itself - one marked by challenges, camaraderie, and a ceaseless pursuit of new horizons. And just as he leaves his mark on the silver screen, his insights into travel, style, and self-discovery leave an indelible impression on our hearts and minds. SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

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by Naisargi Devdher Raveena Mehta, The Rising Phoenix 17 September 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement The beautiful and incredulous singer, Raveena Mehta talks about her journey of becoming a singer and the path of good mental health that can lead one there. This story comes from the very depth of Raveena Mehta's journey as an artist, especially with the Pandemic hitting the world hard. Speaking of which, she mentions, "When the pandemic hit, I lived in my home studio. I have a home set up where I record a lot of my music. I decided to get into a routine to make a cover everyday and worked on composing. This led me to release around 7 songs in 2020 which was a great feeling. It has been incredible to see the way India has digitized over the last two years, an immense amount of technological progress." Speaking of success, it's one of the most beautiful feelings in the entire world; when reality strikes an artist! It just glows over the body and the mind, when the artist makes it big in the industry. However, Raveena does not recollect any such moment where she realized she was going big, but continues to say, "I don't think there was ever such a moment where I realised I was going big, but when I was approached to demo with 'Casanova Acoustic', that felt pretty great! Reality striking was never a daunting thing, reality is also what you make of it and depends on how you are viewing your cup, hopefully always half full. I also believe maintaining a small inner circle is one of the most important things to remain grounded and level headed in a whirlwind of an industry." Raveena is not only successful nationally but recognised for her talent all over the globe, at film festivals and red carpets. Raveena exclaims gratefully, "For artists, it is always incredible to be able to see your work being recognised globally. I find it endearing when my Hindi songs are appreciated in Cannes. When I was there for the Film festival, it felt brilliant to know the music that comes from India is so sought after." Singing soulfully has always reached to the most interior bosom of a being and in doing so, Raveena Mehta has attained incredulous levels of success! "I define success with deriving happiness. I tend to keep myself and my headspace quite process oriented and so I find happiness in smaller, process driven moments. Of course, when I release a song and I can see that people appreciate the music, that most definitely also makes me feel successful. Success for me means earning respect and focusing on my happiness." When the appreciation of fans and people hits, the gaze is difficult to handle. The expectations, the build ups or the love is tedious and risky to respond to! Raveena truly respects all her listeners and fans, understanding that respecting them would earn her respect! "I truly respect all my listeners and fans. I feel blessed to know that people out there listen to and appreciate my music. I try to meet their expectations with my music. I truly feel like as an artist, you have to strike a balance between the things that want to be heard from you and the things you wish to create, remaining authentic and yourself. There’s a happy medium in there somewhere." When the audience speculate rumours, or show disrespect towards the art and the song, many artists feel undervalued. Everyone is entitled to their own tastes and opinions. To this day, in the world, the fear of a song being perceived incorrectly, is tremendous and has the capacity of wrecking one's mental health. Raveena, reflects on both, the expectations of people as well as one's mental health. "In my opinion, music is art and ultimately art is subjective and open to interpretation. To that point, I feel it becomes imperative to try to detach yourself from the work to an extent; so you can allow the work to grow and evolve wholeheartedly. I personally don't think I have ever felt too worried about a song being misinterpreted or misunderstood." Raveena also talks about how one's mental peace is key while working in a creative field. Creating can only be brought forward with a clear mind and peaceful environment. "Mental health is everything. I believe strongly in preserving one's mental sanctity, constantly focusing on self betterment and doing the things that make you the best version of yourself. These are definitely deliberate efforts and as for me, singing and drawing is therapeutic and it definitely helps me remain in touch with myself." Having said that, a lot of discipline is required from one's team as well. Every form of art, including a well produced album requires a strong and disciplined team. Raveena also comments on the same saying, "One annoying trait for me is tardiness, I generally find it annoying especially if it is concerning work for example in the form of a meeting. But hey, I also recognise that Mumbai traffic is also very hectic." Hectic schedules and a demanding creative field, on several instances, can also lead to mind blocks. Raveena adds, "If I ever have a mind block while i’m working, I tend to take some time for myself; I either go for a walk or do something that brings me a lot of peace. I try to disassociate any kind of pressure that is possibly creating a wall between my thoughts and inspiration." This global icon reinforced the importance of being true to herself while retaining the soul of her music and the integrity of her sound. However while acknowledging all of it, she remarked on a very beautiful note, "I find that sometimes in chasing trends, it is very easy to lose the soul of the music. In today's age with reels, tiktok and instant gratification which is equally as important to generating viewership, this can also be a double edged sword. While a lot of today's artists consider trends, it is also important to consider and retain the soul and integrity of your sound." While a lot of today's artists consider trends, it is also important to consider and retain the soul and integrity of your sound. #raveenamehta #singer #TujhseMilneKiAas #coverstory SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Multifaceted Himanee Bhatia Not Only Proves To Be An Advocate For The Law But Also For Mental Health 24 January 2023 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement While pursuing her passion for acting, in a freewheel chat with Aparajita Jaiswal, Himanee Bhatia shares her journey about building her career from scratch , from working as a lawyer seeking justice to writing and now being a beloved actress. Her fans are eagerly awaiting her latest releases, wanting to see more of the beloved actress on screen, including but not limited to a webshow for Zee5, two Punjabi music videos , one to be shot in London and one in Japan and a Hindi film for a leading OTT platform and for a south film which is still untitled. An ambitious young woman with much to bring to the world, Himanee Bhatia talks about her fashion mantra, "As cliche as I sound, but really just be yourself. As they say, fashion may come and go but style is eternal. Discover what represents your personality rather than copying what someone wore at a party. See what represents you." Adding to that, Himanee talks about her own fashion style, "I constantly change my fashion choices. One day you'll see me wearing a princessy frilly dress, one day a leather jumpsuit that represents the adventurous side of me and sometimes just a plain white lakhnavi kurta with jeans and no make up- which represents the innocence and simple side of me. It really just depends on my mood." In a race to the death for the spotlight in a trying and difficult industry such as acting, one needs to be patient and have the courage to follow their dreams. What most of us lose out on while looking at the glamorous outlay of Bollywood, Tollywood or Hollywood is the struggle behind the screen for each and every aspiring actor. The key to success is not only perseverance and talent but also the patience to try again after getting rejected multiple times. Himanee Bhatia talks about the struggle of making it as an actress and offers her two cents. "I would like to advise all the girls, that firstly be proud of yourself. It takes courage to follow a path not everyone takes as when you do, you know you have immense competition, you may feel like a drop in the vast ocean, fingers will be raised at you by society, friends may leave you when you struggle and there will be thousands of people who will tell you that your dream is impossible. So be proud that you actually have the guts to take the risk to follow your dreams. "Having said that, I would encourage the girls to believe in their dream and work extremely hard. It is not a cake walk, you will get many rejections unless you're lucky and get a call back right away. But for most of us, we need to understand to be patient, to keep trying, to work on your skills and craft, to take care of yourself, to regularly give auditions and put yourself out there, to train in theatre and to work on yourself and identify what makes you different from the rest. Be unique, rather than falling for the rat race and never, ever compare yourself with others as everyone has a different journey. I would also advise that you need to be extremely disciplined in all aspects. Discipline and hardwork is what will actually make you talented, rather than relying on 'luck'." The multifaceted writer is also an incredible writer, dipping her toe into all genres of writing including poetry. "I write poetry, in both English and Hindi, and each and every poem of mine stands for everything I believe in; love, friendship, questioning society, health, hard work, success and talks about struggle, heartbreak, rising, falling and different experiences we face in life," says Himanee Bhatia. "People inspire me to write. When I see how everyone has a deeper layer to them than what meets the eye, I just feel writing is a beautiful way to see the soul of another human being. I aim to heal through my writing. I also believe in writing comedy, love, friendship and so much more, because a book often helps us escape a darker reality we live in to a happier place." The darker reality of today is the unaccepted and needed cure of therapy. Therapy for mental health issues amongst men and women in today's climate is a must and yet we are extremely judgemental and uninformed about the need of mental health therapy. Himanee Bhatia brings to life this very argued conversation. "Therapy should be accepted as much as going to any other doctor for a case of mild cold or cough. When someone has a fever, we never ask them, 'What led you to have a fever?' or 'Just get over it. Just smile.' Then why do we question this in the case of mental health? As a society we need to understand mental health is as important as physical health and the change begins at home. I urge all parents to recognise the signs and even for children who may see signs in their parents. Teachers need to educate and spread awareness about mental health not just for students but also for their parents. I feel even offices and other workplaces need more awareness for mental health. Therapy is essential for people who need it, and it is time we raise more awareness and stop asking people to 'Just get over it' and for that, change begins at home." As a former lawyer, Himanee Bhatia talks about what inspires her about the law and with our country trying to climb up from the cracks, what is the most heartbreaking thing about our legal system according to her. "I feel the need for justice is what made me do law. Law is for someone who believes in the concept of thinking, rather than just following the rules. Our country is doing our best, however I feel we can do much more. For starters , there are over 5 crore pending cases in India. We need to ensure everyone has a right to justice and speeden up the process, rather than delaying it and making the common man spend years of their life in courts. We all know we have a long way to go for stricter laws for violence against women and children. Every day you read of a case of domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse and so much more against women. Most of the cases are not even reported because as a society we still have a tendency to blame the victim. When a woman goes to report a case of rape, she is made to answer all sorts of derogatory questions which make her relive her trauma and is ridiculed at each step. We still read cases where a woman is chopped alive by her own lover, burnt to death for not giving dowry, rape which also involves marital rape and torture, both mental and physical. A country that cannot protect its women and children has indeed a very long way to go. We also need much, much, much stricter laws for abuse of any kind against children." The passionate actress adds to her thoughts on our law enforcement by also talking about animal abuse. "I wish there would be stricter laws for violence and abuse against animals. Day in and day out we hear of animal abuse and the punishment for some cases is as low as a fine of Rs 50. Only in cases of extreme abuse, is their imprisonment which is also bailable. I also feel we need to take strict action against acid attacks. For starters, even though sale of over the counter acid is banned in India, it is still extremely accessible and we need extremely strict laws to ban this." The actress passionately goes on to add, "the uniform civil code should be applicable in our country, rather than multiple laws applicable depending on different communities. Last but not the least, the men and others that are falsely blamed for false cases of dowry ,rape, etc by a woman or any gender should also be dealt with strictly as laws misused by women are detrimental to the women who actually seek justice." SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Adah Sharma, Sweetheart Since 1920 10 November 2021 Advertisement Advertisement The first person that comes to our mind when we think of the words 'fun', 'spontaneous' and 'multifaceted talent' is Adah Sharma. We had the opportunity to sit down and chat with the outgoing and busy actor, who has many movies in various languages in her kitty. Adah exudes maior 'Girl-next door' energy in her latest interview with Aparajita Jaiswal as they discussed about completing a century in the industry, internet's sensation and beloved Radha Sharma, thoughts on fashion, OTT platforms and more. How and when exactly did you realize your passion for acting? What is the best part about being an actor? Throughout my schooling I truly enjoyed acting. I had taken part in theater and plays every now and then. I always wanted to experiment and try and be something else every other day. Whatever I was wanting to become, I was very serious about it. started practicing acrobatics because I wanted to join the circus, you won't believe me. I was so dedicated and serious about it. I graduated from a Kathak course because I wanted to become a dancer. When I wanted to become an actor, once again, I was very serious about it and if I put it quite plainly, all the skills I learnt along the way have come in handy in my acting career. I can only answer it based on my opinion, to me, it is absolutely the fact that I am allowed to be different people and personalities on-screen. Everybody adores the content you and Radha give us. What do you think of Radha's popularity Everyone adores Radha because she is the star-kid Radha Sharma. She is the first stuffed pillow to have her own Instagram. I am glad people are accepting and giving Radha the attention she deserves, however, it is not because of me. People admire her solely due to her talent and multiple expressions. (laughs) You have recently completed more than a decade since your entry in the industry. How has your experience been so far and how has the industry evolved so far? How would you describe your acting? I have actually completed a century in the industry! I have this hashtag that says #HundredYearsofAdahSharma because I started with the movie 1920 and we are currently in 2021.which makes it a hundred years. So it is safe to say I have been in the field longer than most veteran actors. I don't think I have aged for someone working since 1920 (laughs) it has to be the curious case of Adah. As for how I would describe my acting; I feel very fortunate to have bagged 1920 because I was able to prove that I can perform since our debut movie really makes a huge statement. Media and audience have been very kind and welcoming to me and so was my audience. I am very grateful for all the love and support people have given throughout these years, it really makes me feel very comfortable and more crazy I guess (haha). You have a very strong fashion game. Who would you consider as your style and fashion icon? For me, fashion is something that should be fun. When you start taking it too seriously it gets stressful and then there's no fun. Fashion is a part of my life and a part of me that I truly enjoy. If I am a part of a movie then I like sticking to the essence of the character based on how the character is written. On the other hand, I enjoy experimenting and trying out something | haven't done before in the case of fashion or magazine shoots. I also feel that what attracts my attention to someone else's style is when they have an inherent style of their own. One should be able to pick a style/hair style and make it their own, it would make it fun for themselves and make them look confident. I would say rather than strictly sticking to copying 'trends' one should have and play around with fashion. I would even say, don't be afraid of making mistakes, make mistakes in fashion because what might be a faux pas today might be in vogue tomorrow and vice versa. So you do you and have fun with fashion. Tell us about the toughest part of your work? And why do you think it is tough for you? The toughest part has to be, realizing that I am able to live my dream every single day. I enjoy every part of what I am doing, be it wearing amazing clothes or being a new character. Well, posing for selfies while savoring Bhel Puri….. life is tough! (haha, serious sarcasm intended). If anything you would be asked to change about your work, what would be that one thing? I consider myself at a very good phase in my career. I am being considered for really fun roles so right now I really do not wish to change anything. I am purely grateful for where I stand now. Now that OTT platforms are gaining traction among actors, what do you feel and do you see it as an opportunity to display your work? I have had an unremarkable OTT presence. I've previously been a part of a short-film Tinday, Moh which was released on OTT platforms. I played a bipolar character in Chuha Billi and a role in another OTT release entitled Holiday. I saw that my presence in Holiday drove more attention than most movies I have been a part of did. So, I make it a point to choose series, films or short stories that entertain, because when it is entertaining the medium of release doesn't matter because people would take efforts to watch it. So far as the content is good, people are hardly impacted by the medium. Whether they watch it on their phones or in multiplexes doesn't matter as long as they are enjoying the content. Once again, since I am very experimental and fun with work I want to try it all. Why does your Instagram Bio say "Actor/crow/Cow"? Yes, because when no one is watching I can turn into them. PS: but only when no one is watching. You made your singing debut in Tamil. How did you prepare yourself for singing, that too in an unfamiliar language? I have taken Piano and Carnatic music classes since a very young age So singing came pretty much easily and naturally. Though I enjoy singing and dancing. I really believe that acting is my first love. I would like to dance and sing as well. but WITH the acting. You have worked in different regional industries as well. How has that experience been? How different is it from working in mainstream Bollywood? If there's anything the pandemic has taught us, it is that if the content is good, everybody is going to watch it irrespective of the language and medium. From my experience. realized that it lies in the vision of the director as well. I have made a mark in the South Indian industry. My movies are also dubbed in Malayalam. I've been a part of Punjabi music videos. I see myself working in other regional movies as well. I am a part of an international action film which I am quite excited about. I am excited to try out all Indian languages and I would give foreign languages a chance as well. How do you prepare yourself for a role? What attracts you to a role now? It depends from role to role. Each role has its individual preparation needed. For instance, for my role in Commando, I was expected to speak Hindi with a Telugu tone to it, so I had an accent coach train me and for action movies I train accordingly. As for my South Indian movies, I like to read and reread and go well prepared to set since it is an unknown language. I like to read for my roles beforehand and go to set well prepared. It can be really stressful to receive lines on set. What attracts me to a role is something I haven't done before. What is next for you? Anything you can talk about? Any new movies in the talks? I have finished two Telugu films, one of which is a Girl action movie and the other movie is a sweet love story directed by Telugu actor Nani's sister Deepthi. It is produced by Nani as well. There is Commando 4 where I reprise my role as Bhavna Reddy once again. She is funnier and there's more action. I will also be seen in 'Aisa Waisa Pyaar' where I play the role opposite a dog named Happy. It is a lovestory between a dog and a cynical bitch. I really enjoyed playing it. There is Holiday 2 too. slated for release. There are few more in the works, but I am keeping fingers crossed for everything to work out. If you see yourself working with a celebrity, who would it be? I do not hold dreams because if I do that and it isn't fulfilled then I am bound to be re-born similar to Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om and become an actor once again and fulfill it in that incarnation. I just hope amazing filmmakers wake-up someday and say I wish Adah would sign our films. That's my dream! You recently played the role of a transgender person in "Pati, Patni aur Panga'. How challenging was it to you and what measures did you take to prepare for the role? 'Pati ,Patni aur Panga' is a very sweet love story and I hold it very dear to me. I was attracted to the role and the film because as human beings we tend to jump into conclusions and to make hasty judgements without knowing the entire story. So, it is a film that taught us not to be judgmental, which is a very earnest thought. Could we ever get a chance to see you working in Hollywood? Does that interest you? Like I mentioned earlier, one may never know. I am open with my options and wish to try and pursue acting in different roles and in different languages as long as the role, core, content and message of the film/series/short film are meaningful and something I haven't tried before. “JUST HOPE AMAZING FILMMAKERS WAKE-UP SOMEDAY AND SAY I WISH ADAH WOULD SIGN OUR FILMS. THAT'S MY DREAM!” SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Ritabhari Chakraborty talks about her adopted school, The Ideal School for the deaf 24 September 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement The beautiful, smart and accomplished actress, Ritabhari Chakraborty, talks to Editor-in-chief, Aparajita Jaiswal in a freewheel chat about her latest film Fatafati, which is centred around body positivity. The actress excitedly exclaims that the film is in her mother tongue, Bengali. With the shooting wrapped up, the film is due to release in merely a few days, creating much anticipation in the minds of Ritabhari's adoring fans. The film is about a plus sized or rather a double XL model's journey and how she breaks the norms of “fashion” that we believe in; that women should have a certain kind of a body to be in fashion. The film talks about how girls should not measure their happiness and health by the stereotypical body shown in films. Ritabhari excitedly says, "this is the project that I'm currently looking forward to the most and want everybody to also look forward to with me." With an industry that is so unbelievably hard to make a mark in, each artist faces the trouble of understanding and bearing with the process. Ritabhari gives her perspective on the matter. "I think anyone who's starting off in the industry, in the film industry, the first thing you should know is acting. A lot of people think if you look good, if you're pretty, if you have a certain presence, that that's enough to become an actor. Trust me, that's absolutely not true! The first thing you need to know is how to act, second is you need to know that there are going to be days when you have no work and you have to be okay with it when you see your other friends, your colleagues people of your profession who are getting jobs when you're not as much patience is the key. You have to know in advance that there will be days when you just have to be patient and believe in yourself. "Thirdly, you have to carve your own path of whatever success means to you, whatever you are meant to do as an actor because every actor is different. Every personality is different. If you're aspiring to be Katrina Kaif, you cannot be Katrina Kaif because she is her. If you're aspiring to be Alia Bhatt, but you cannot be Alia because she is her. You have to aspire to be something that's original. That's the only way you can be seen and heard by people, because when they already have an Alia Bhatt who is so incredible, why would they want another one?," Ritabhari says correctly. Ritabhari played a woman priest in the film Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti, a film that focused on menstruation and how when are not impure. "I think I get personally attached to all my roles. My last super hit film, Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti, where I've played a women priest, broke so many norms as it spoke about menstruation and how women are not impure. The film broke such taboos, giving so many women the platform to become women priests. This is something that will always be very close to my heart, so I think I'm very attached to my character Shabari." Ritabhari talks about the challenges one might face in the industry, one of them being comparing yourself with others, their successes and their journey. "I think when everyone is doing so much that you tend to compare yourself and your journey to other people, and I really feel like that can be a real heartbreaker and a real problem in your way because your journey has to be yours. If you keep comparing yourself, you'll never be happy and you'll never be grateful for the work you are getting. Ritabhari is a riveting book enthusiast. Her inspiration spans from Indian and Loiuse Hay to Shonda Rhimes’ book “The year of yes" to Shonda Rhimes as a producer, writer and Oprah Winfrey but especially her mother. As an actress, she looks up to Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra amongst many more. "Deepika Padukone is such a huge inspiration. Priyanka Chopra, the more you say, you still turn up short. Women in the business are surviving through this patriarchal and hard business. I get inspired by women every single day." Ritabhari Chakraborty adopted the Ideal school for the deaf when she was merely 16. She expresses how it has been a life changing journey as it keeps her grounded. Ritabhari strongly feels her purpose is more than being an actor and she feels proud to be the mother of 84 children. "When I was a kid, I realized that I can technically change the lives of these children and took it up and I'm so glad I did. This is one thing I'll always be proud of. More than how grateful they should be or they are of me, I am more grateful to be their parent, their foster guardian because being their foster guardian means that I get to make changes in the lives of all these kids. I get to see them grow up and become something of their own. And they're so alienated in the society deaf children are as they have the toughest time adjusting to the world and to people, everyone else. They made me one of their own and that makes my heart melts. I celebrate everything with them, all festivals, my birthday, all of it. This is a blessing; God blessed me in the biggest way possible." Ritabhari Chakraborty comments on body positivity and says one need not fret about their body type whether it is healthy or skinny. We should be proud of our bodies as its god given and hereditary as well. As she works for a school for the deaf, she realises just how important it is to have everything functioning just right. It is a miracle that we have bodies that breathe for us and function correctly. Looking at movie stars, magazine covers and celebrities makes us think that that is how we should look. She believes it is important to break that mentality. Additionally, Ritabhari sends her love to all her fans, "Thank you so much for loving me. Thank you so much for being part of my journey and the life I lead, what I do, my achievements, my failures, all of which I put in front of you and you get to see. One of the reasons I do not shy away from anything, whether it be posting about my health conditions or mental health issues on social media and talking about it openly in interviews is because I want you to know I’m a human. I'm flawed just like you and I'm perfect and amazing just like you. So if I can inspire even a small margin of people, women especially, to be themselves, work hard and achieve their dreams, I think that would mean a lot to me." Women in the business are surviving through this patriarchal and hard business. I get inspired by women every single day. SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Barkha Singh’s candid candour makes the way to an eye-catching interview 6 April 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement Barkha Singh , an actor, and content creator, digs up some fewer known facts and details about her journey with interviewer Kavya Gupta. The conversation gets more exciting as Barkha discusses her YouTube Channel, her growth as an actor and a content creator, her experience shooting with Sushmita Sen and much more! Barkha Singh started her career in acting in 2015 in an MTV show. She claims that her Instagram and YouTube Content Creation were “by-products” of her acting experience. “Because of the MTV show, my Instagram handle suddenly started, skyrocketing. I was growing 20k-30k every day on Instagram. Before this, I didn’t even know content creation is a “scene” and people can do all this. I think very few people like Ashish in India had started it. Adding to this, Barkha gives us details about her inspiration to start her YouTube channel, “Because my followers started growing, the people managing me at that time, they made me realise like that since I travel so much and anyways shooting travel content, I can just upload it in one place on the YouTube channel and I was very much against starting a YouTube channel thinking I won’t be able do all of it (auditions, shooting, Instagram and YouTube and they were like, shut up and do it. As I started uploading more and more content, many tourists and boards of different countries started reaching out to me to create content on my YouTube channel. After that, I got great views you know so that’s when I decided this was the best way to make my love for travel sustainable.” When asked what she looks for in a new project before signing yes to it, Barkha reveals that other than the standard considerations regarding production and platform, the storyline and character offered to her plays an extremely important role. Barkha has had the opportunity to work alongside Sushmita Sen and claims and claims she had a wonderful experience. While contributing to wildlife and nature are some of her alternate interests, Barkha digs deeper by expressing the challenges one faces in the show industry. “I think, at least for me the most challenging part is showing restraint. A lot of people say it’s very important to select the right project. So, that is most challenging because as an actor you’re tempted to do every project that comes your way . Having the ability to pick and choose your projects is something that I feel is very challenging because every character requires a different dialect and a whole lot of work. I never bring up long hours, travel, staying away or not having weekends as challenges because all of that comes as part and parcel of being an actor. However, I think having to choose between projects and having gauze which one is good for you is most challenging thing according to me.” An eye catcher in this interview is the revelation of some of Barkha’s cherished and note-worthy accomplishments such as being a 12th board exam merit list holder and topping Maharashtra, raising awareness, and educating people for animal welfare, having the courage to make a shift into the web space and maintaining a healthy body lifestyle in terms of meditation, yoga and a fitness regime. Concluding the interview, Barkha also told us about some of her future goals and projects “One project that has already been announced by Jio Studios is The Great Wedding of Munnes which will release later this year. I am very excited about it. The entire look of the character I am playing is very interesting. It is like nothing anyone has ever seen me before in.” Booming with positive energy and quirkiness, Barkha Singh ends the interview with a heart-warming message for her fans- “YOLO. Everyone should really believe in living in the present moment. There is no point in spending time over-thinking. If you want to do something, do it now, don’t waste time procrastinating. If you feel like doing something, trust your gut and go for it!” SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Anushka Sharma Where The Conversation Took Turns Like The Everest’s Terrain With Sahil Salathia 27 January 2023 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement In a very interesting conversation with Mr. Sahil Salathia, we learnt far too much about how he perceives things outside the realm of acting and while he’s on set. Nevertheless, these conversations took turns like that of Everest(Pun Intended) and we loved him in that series! Movies aren’t all that Sahil Salathia is about. He also has his hands dipped in fashion and is quite a groundbreaking idol indeed. When asked about how he seeks to break the fashion stereotypes for the men as a fashion icon himself, he said, “Firstly, thank you for addressing me as a fashion icon: I’m humbled! Considering the boundaries that lie in fashion, they are far too many for men and women to tackle. One shouldn’t have a lot of seriousness around these boundaries. You wanna wear colour, wear colour, you wanna wear black nail paint, do that. Life is art, hence, be artistic and break these so-called boundaries! The key is to not take yourself so seriously!” The key indeed is to not take ourselves so seriously, after all! Fashion is art you wear and Sahil has made it look beyond surreal. Elucidating upon how it was like to work for the series, “Everest”, he fondly recalls, “I got a Lines Gold Award for the best debut and it was an incredible experience. We shot for a year in Dokriani glacier, and shot for a year and a half in total, considering the kind of a perfectionist that Ashutosh sir is. We really put in the work on this series, and Target and Everest are both available on Hotstar is indeed worth all the admiration! Ashutosh sir is a sheer gentleman, and I got to learn so much from the young cast and the fantastic actors that were a part of this series.” While there is so much that the actor has already got himself into, we couldn’t help but seek a glimpse of the upcoming projects he is set for in the future. He tells us all about them and how! “I’ve done two very very interesting parts in two very very very interesting web series. I can’t talk too much about it, but one is produced by Nikhil Advani and the other is produced by Viacom. I’d let them come up with more announcements, but I’ve finished filming and it was a bliss indeed!” Talking about the roles that he has particularly loved during his current tenure in the industry, he fondly recalls, “I can’t really pick a role that is closest to my heart, but I particularly loved my role as “Arjun Sabharwal”, the mountaineer from Everest, because it was my first and it was with Ashutosh, who is literally a legend. There are two more very interesting roles I’ve done which you’ll get to see soon.” As a groundbreaker in fashion and an actor whose skills speak for himself, we sought more of him than just acting. We wanted to know all about his viewpoint towards therapy for mental health issues amongst men and women in today's age and climate. He says, “Mental health is one of the pressing issues in today’s times. Considering how rapidly dynamic our lifestyles are, it’s imperative to understand the sheer importance of how mental health impacts us. Since I’m not a professional, I’d recommend one should seek help when one deems fit. Mental health is the most intrinsic part of our being and should not be ignored. Personally, I love to meditate, go to the gym and help release my endorphins through doing things that I absolutely enjoy!” As we furthered onto the topics of feminism and women empowerment, he stated, “Women empowerment is something we should all be very passionate about, since it’s not just for women, but also for the men. Considering how much we have suppressed women in the past, one ought to stand up for their rights in today’s scenario to make amends for the past. Feminism is about the rights that women rightfully deserve. It is about equality and being fair and I think everybody should believe in that.” As an actor who believes that the odds to be ever in his favour, he has an advice for everyone who seeks to get into this industry: “My advice would be to stay disciplined, stay balanced and manifest while you put in the effort. You get luckier when you work harder. Ask yourself one very important question, “Are you passionate about art or do you just wish to be famous?” Ultimately, this is what you should ask yourself before you plan to get into the industry. It’s the art that ultimately takes you places.” Art is something that is exuded through your passion for something, and the art of movies is to be known and perfected than be swooned over for the fancies that surround it. Nobody does it better than Sahil Salathia indeed. SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by JoNa Sandeepa Dhar: On Being Versatile and Learning from Mistakes 11 December 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement Sandeepa Dhar from Kashmir made her debut into Bollywood with the movie Isi Life Mein in 2010, from then it has been an upward journey for her. She has starred in multiple hit movies and critically acclaimed web series such as Abhay and Mai: A Mother’s Rage. Dhar has been nominated for the Filmfare Best Debut Actress, Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer – female and the Stardust Award for Superstar of Tomorrow – Female. She opens up to us about the challenges she faced in the industry, her learning experiences in the shooting spots, her co-stars and her philosophy when it comes to life and work. The Pandemic has taught her not to plan things far ahead, she’s more conscious of the changes in the Bollywood industry and is ready to take one step at a time. She’s not in a hurry to the top. It is the process that appeals to her. “ Personal growth as an actor and as an individual is the most important for me. I think that's where I see myself going, I see myself evolving, changing, getting better and better with time.” Sandeepa Dhar is working on a new project, meanwhile she spoke to us about working on the sets of Kaagaz with the legendary actors Salman Khan, Pankaj Tripathi and Director Satish Kaushik. She shares a special relationship with Salman Khan, as she had already worked with him; and Tripathi according to her, is ‘an amazing and smashing human being.’ She quoted an incident where Kaushik came to her with a song and told her that it was about women empowerment, and that he would never shoot an item song or show women in a poor light. ‘It was reassuring and refreshing to see him talk like that,’ she said. “It was a wonderful experience working on Kaagaz, I'm extremely lucky that I get to work with such an amazing set of creative minds who've been in the industry for a really long time, who are so experienced, and at the top of the game. Ihope I get to work with them over and over again. Fingers crossed.” When asked about her experience so far in Bollywood, Dhar said that it is like a rollercoaster ride, having it’s ups and downs. She is extremely grateful to have worked in diverse roles, with multiple stars and franchises like Netflix and Hotstar. She is also ready to fight for and hope for more bigger, stronger roles and recognition. Looking forward to many more exciting opportunities, Dhar remains optimistic. “ …I feel like I'm also very grateful, because I have got an opportunity to work with some amazing set of people from Salman to Sajid Nadiadwala to Tiger to Kriti and Rajshri. Even with the web, I have gotten the opportunity to work with some brilliantly talented people; platforms from Netflix to Hotstar, the best in the game. I think it's been an interesting journey and I'm only very excited to see where it goes henceforth. Because I don't know myself where it leads me to, I don’t know how much I'm going to grow and evolve. No matter what, I'm really, really looking forward to the opportunities that I get henceforth and to the choices that I make ahead.” Working with Atul Mongia for the web series Mai has been a dream come true for Sandeepa Dhar. The series was produced by Clean Slate Filmz owned by Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma. It was a critical and commercial success, and it impacted her personally and professionally as well says Dhar. She goes on to talk about her views on personal development and how she focuses on being a better person and artist, never comparing herself to anyone but herself. She strongly believe in personal growth, and looks forward to being a better version of her self both on and off screen. ‘People who compare their lives to others’ are quite narrow minded, as everyone’s journey is different,’ she adds. “. I feel like anyway, with the kind of lifestyles that we all have, we all need to look inward and work on our own selves, that's the only way that we can keep a straight head in this crazy world. Because, social media and people can play with your head and I think at this point, the only thing that can save you is your own self and knowing who you are and working on it. I think for me that is what is the most important.” For a final question, we asked her about the obstacles she has faced and her journey so far. She replied that being an outsider had been her first obstacle; she knew no one in the industry and had to work hard to land roles, to reach the relevant people. Since she had no one to guide her during her earlier days, everything was of ‘trial and error,’ method for her. She had to learn from her mistakes, sometimes she erred three four times, before learning her lesson. She also spoke about the ‘perception’ that people have about actors, which stereotypes them and thereby denying them of certain roles. This fight against people’s perception of her is a constant battle she says. “In this industry, the stereotyping is immense to an extent it’s quite ridiculous in a way because isn't it stupid that as an actor, you're putting people in boxes, according to the way they look. But as an actor, I should mould myself physically and emotionally as per the character. That is my job, right? I'm supposed to play a different character irrespective of what I look like, but the industry forces you to only play roles, which kind of suffice to what you look like physically. So, if I am, for example, fair and modern and good looking then, according to them, I would only fit in roles wherein the character is rich and from an affluent family or speaks English. I am honestly quite fed up with people thinking like that. I think there is that obstacle that I'm constantly fighting hence, if you look at my filmography, I'm always playing roles wherein the character is quite the opposite of what I am in person.” We ended the interview with a positive vibe, with Sandeepa Dhar asking the audience and readers to look forward to her movies and series, not because she is in them but because they’re worth watching. We are indeed looking forward to your next project Sandeepa Dhar! Wishing you all luck and success! SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Anuj Gosalia Talks About Creating Terribly Tiny Tales 31 August 2020 Advertisement Advertisement In a freewheel chat with Aparajita Jaiswal, Anuj Gosalia shares the story of creating, Terribly Tiny Tales, a globally celebrated platform with the worlds finest micro- fiction writers and how they reached their current stature. In this age of dwindling attention spans, their brand specialty is brevity, catching more people’s attention. With stories under 2000 characters, they are quick to read, accessible to more individuals and very hard to forget. Theirs is a global micro-fiction platform created by the brilliant mind of Anuj Gosalia. Terribly Tiny Tales is a special brand for the finest micro-fiction writers and reaching over 20 million people every week. Their stories advance and reach newer heights, influencing and touching more souls every day. They have opened us up to a whole new world full of stories. There’s a story for every reader, every emotion, serving fresh, daily. Back in 2012, Anuj realized that nobody engaged in blogs as much as they did in social media. “Over time as readership fell, I thought of what more can a writer do other than write books and blogs, where is the place for expression and if people are even interested in reading anymore. These were my questions. I recognized that people’s attention span reduced drastically. The more engaged writings were shorter, snappier and easier to consume and this led to the birth of Terribly Tiny Tales or more commonly known as TTT. I realized that the reason why people were not reading was not only because of social media but also because these platforms allow for a different kind of content to exist,” Anuj explains. “We started writing content that was shorter than 140 characters which was very new especially on Facebook and Instagram.” Although now a lot of pages are doing it, back in 2012 it was a new and unique concept brought to life by Terribly Tiny Tales. A typical day at terribly tiny tales starts with requiring all teams, the product team, content team, design team, trying to work at new angles to give its audience newer and fresh content. Their versatility reaches new heights every day as they take on interesting and unique projects. “What else can we do? I think that’s the big question. How can we build a larger brand of TTT,” says Anuj. Their primary focus being that they connect more and more with their audience, Anuj says, “we want to build something that people do not forget in a day or a week but remme…” Currently TTT is doing a project with Cadbury Dairy Milk which is a very recent addition to their work. They have collaborated to create films with Cadbury. So far they have three episodes out on their YouTube channel. TTT also has an app that’s a very engaged community. “We want to make that bigger so that is one of my key focus areas,” says Anuj. Every platform takes time to build and monetize, communities are built slowly and so did TTT. In 2015 TTT essentially had enough followers to be called a community. “We approached brands and told them we have 300 thousand people who love stories so can we tell your stories through TTT? That’s when we decided to put all our eggs in one basket and we started and expand from there.” TTT is not only on Instagram but also Facebook and twitter. They also have their very own YouTube channel and an app that engages over 20 million people in a week! The app lets people write stories and publish their work on their own. It is now TTT’s very own twitter! People can also publish their books on the app. It is nothing like you have seen before. It is dedicated to creators and readers. “The aim for the future is to tell more emotional stories. What we sometimes lose out on in bite sized fiction is that some stories deserve time and attention. We want to tell more stories that are deeper, more immersive and interactive. The future is where the story and you are very intimately connected.” Every child grows up reading Enid Blyton and few special books that inspire the paths we live and breathe. “I loved Enid Blyton like most children. I grew up reading Enid blyton books. The Famous five was of course my favorite,” the founder exclaimed. “I loved Agatha Christie and her characters. I was especially drawn to the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. It is such a funny and amazing book. Took me a while to read Arundhati Roy but it was an incredible read. The God of Small Things is such an amazing book and as it was my first it makes it a little more special. I have grown to love Sally Rooney’s writing. These writers continue to remain my favorite.” “Empty summer afternoons during my childhood were my portal into the world of books. when you read vigorously at that age you also start to imagine worlds. Just like any other child, I too started imagining my own worlds. My interest in writing woke when I was in 5th or 6th grade but I took writing a little more seriously when I was in college. Although I liked writing it was still not full time as I did not study writing. I did not want to pursue writing at that point but I really started enjoying and loving writing in college. I did not imagine building career in writing but I liked the fact that I could think better with writing.” We all want to bring change into the world and make a difference. We all want to chase our dreams. Anuj Gosalia dreamed of moving people with his work and his company. “I want to passionately tell stories that outlive most other stories and people. I want to enable such beautiful, memorable and meaningful writing that really moves people. There are so many things happening that we rarely pause and admire something meaningful that really moved us. Very few things make you get out of your moment and reflect something rare that you experienced and go back to think about it.” No one remembers consuming a meme after a week. There is a time and a context to a meme after which it loses meaning but some works of art and writing live with us forever. My passion is that TTT becomes a platform that allows this timeless memorable expression.” “One thing I would change about the writing world is people thinking writing is easy. Typing out a few sentences does not make everyone a writer.” The meaning of the word Success is different for all of us. Anuj believes that success should mean we are having fun with what we do and not worry about Monday mornings. “What is also important to me is how many people are moved by the stories we tell.” TTT has had such an impact on readers worldwide; children, college students and adults alike. They do such an amazing job of affecting our mornings with a new story that puts our lives into a whole new perspective. “We hope that our stories come from a good place and are doing good to people,” Anuj says. Determining a good piece of writing always is somewhat relatable and moves people. “We had a metric called relatability graph and surprise and now I have an intuition around what is good piece of writing for our platform” A lot Classic literature and supposed all time favorite literature is not very accessible to the laymen. Not every book needs to live up to the complexity and benchmark set up by these books to be recognized as a good read per most millennial writers. Anuj Gosalia has a very similar point of view on this subject. “I definitely value craft but do the stories have to be complex and does the writing have to be complicated? You appreciate writing when you know enough time and attention has been spent to the craft and detail by the creator.” The writer and founder talks about what his other fancies he likes to indulge in apart from work. “I love working out. Very recently post lockdown I was introduced to cooking. The little time I spent cooking, I have really grown to enjoy it. I think these two things give me a break from work.” “What I would tell the younger minds is that keep writing. There is no shortcut as I am learning it the hard way too. It’s like a muscle; the lesser you use it, the rustier it gets. There is no substitute in the work of writing. You might get great ideas but how you turn those ideas transform on paper is important.” #TaraTaraKhandelwalBooksBooksandbeyondBoundWritersReadersAuthorsLiterary #tttpublishing #Founder #TTT #150characters #tttpassion #Life #Instagram #Coverstory #Writing #AnujGosalia SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Naisargi Devdher Suhani Shah Celebrating 25 years in Mentalism 2 September 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement Even before understanding what fame and glamour is, a child understood what magic is! It was 26 years ago, that a 6 year old Suhani saw a ‘magic show’ and dreamt of becoming a magician. This marks her 25th year performing mentalism, as she still carries the charm and innocence that 7 year old Suhani did. Talking of it, there is a lot of glamour, a factor of ‘wow’, self-love and over confidence associated with the career transition. To which, she elaborately explains, “As a child, I kept talking of magic and fortunately, my parents honestly were extremely considerate about it. You know, my father spent 6 months looking for a tutor and basically putting across magic as my educational development, because somewhere my inclination towards magic was visible. And that was the age when I didn’t even understand what glamour or for a fact even fame is! So when my first show was grandly put about, the then Chief Minister attended it. That was exactly how my career began. So for me on a personal level, fame has been a part of my career, so has glamour, it existed then, it persists now, so never does overconfidence seem to be very much an issue to say.” Putting it simply, she brought about the point of growing up with talent. Queerly, to think of, does a child always begin with imagining that she would be a part of a mega industry rather than just performing for herself? That anticipation of where she’s being lead to marks a crazy confusion in the life of an artist. “To be completely honest, yes, I did think that the talent is leading me to some place grand. I could foresee my career with magic, art and what not around. However, I truly did never expect this transition, you know! I did never know I would be assimilated with a streaming, or filming culture. That for me has not just given me a new hypo graph to live up to but also, something I truly wanted to do. Having youthful energy, I wrote books over mentalism and magic, I had art shows to perform but none of it made me as satisfied as being a part of this industry makes me. That is the exact meaning for transition and unknowingly yet beautiful, I get pushed and mingled in the industry.” When the transition of career happens to be natural, there are a lot of changes one needs to adapt to. There was a demand for the talent I held, but it was never a career that I would want to perform. Thus till the pandemic hit, I really didn’t think of it. However, when the pandemic hit, the work stopped, I was barred from home and that was exactly when I began with YouTube streaming and making videos. So the transition was never sudden, it just happened slowly. I had to adapt, accept and identify that I was away from the stage, I had screens to connect with people to, and performing live had a very different sense. That adaption was actually challenging because it brought me to a stage where I had to recognise my career scope and recognize what exactly was to be done. You know, I didn’t go to school, I didn’t go to college, I was just working all the while, and now I was here where I had to sit and just do nothing. That was more challenging for me. So I remember, starting off with an online show, ‘Magic being performed online’, that somewhat pulled me through the pandemic dilemma. While streaming on YouTube was the exact game changer I was looking for because looking back, I was having fun doing it. Little did I know that it was the beginning of a novel spectrum of my career!” All this while, Suhani mentioned the Pandemic to be a revolution in all senses However, through all of this happening, there is a high doubt of where art forms are leading to when it comes to India, because there's a lot to do with glamour here as well. “A bit contrary to what you said, India is filled with art forms with diverse roots. It’s not even similar, there is a difference in totality. And truly, in my understanding, we are always attracted to glamour. You see a beautiful rose, its glamour, desire of living in a house I glamour, and that will always be appreciated but here it’s more about how you understand art to be. Because art is also glamorous, art also is beautiful and that goes hand in hand. The window to the world during the pandemic was their phones. People were seeing direction, cinematography and all of it came from art. And whatever the screens passed on to people was art. People eventually started valuing art, realising that when nothing works, and its art that they can rely on.” Mentioning the importance of art and growing up with it, there is a lot of superstitious association with magic. Dealing with which stands out from any coaching. “Since childhood, I was looked at as a ‘DEVI’, saying I can heal everything possible. Earlier, people confused me with a musician and there I had to sort out the exact meaning of a magician, after which, a lot of people came to me asking me to heal their illnesses or asking me solve their problems. This was exactly what shifted me away from any sort of superstitious association since childhood. I give ted talks speaking against superstitions. Hence I always say, ‘I CANNOT READ MINDS, I CAN CREATE AN ILLUSION OF READING MIND’.” Just adding illusions cannot definitely define it as magic. However, according to Suhani, Guzaarish is a movie that utilises pieces of magical elements. That’s exactly where she leaves you with… Wonder how to deal with magic, because every potential of yours is magic if you know how to use it!! It begins when Glamour meets Art #CinematographicMyst #ArtGrows #NotCharmingMinds #MagicOnRise #childhooddreams #Acculturation #Pamdemicsmashes #coverstory SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aparajita Jaiswal Picture Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost – Alankrita Anup Sahai’s Journey 25 January 2023 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement The first Indian to win 7 titles at the Miss Earth pageant held in the Philippines, Alankrita Anup Sahai, gets candid with us and gives us a glimpse of her life journey. We asked her about the responsibilities which surely came along with the 7 titles of Miss Earth to which she said, “ Yes it did come with a lot of responsibility and hard work. Well, diamonds are made under pressure so, I somehow worked well with it and didn’t succumb to the pressure. I had to represent my country, which in itself is the biggest dream that came true and which surely filled me with a lot of pride. A lot of eyes were on me at that time. The pressure was undeniably a lot but I enjoyed every bit of it and turned any dark and dull moment into a humorous one. Presence of mind and being able to have fun, played a very important role in winning the same.” She tells us that acting was never a goal or a dream. However, in school days dancing and dramatics were her best friends and she was always participating in all the cultural activities. Inherently, all of it was a part of her but what she really wanted to become was an IAS officer but the universe had other plans and conspired for her. We asked her about her involvement in all the social work she does and how it personally affected her to which she said, “It has made me and my spectrum of understanding human psychology grow. It’s helped me serve the people who in return made my heart kinder and made me more aware that I should be grateful for what I have. They have taught me never to give up on hope and always strive to help or make someone smile even if takes an ocean or just a drop. Everyone should know that they really matter. I am an empath so I can feel things even more intensely now.” “Joyful, eventful, beautiful, hurtful and extremely delightful” – are the words she describes her journey with. The journey encapsulated a variety of experiences that made her what she is today. She says, “ The city of Mumbai took me in its arms and embraced me. She never let me go and never gave up on me. She gave me wings and I flew and built a life, a name that I would continue to work towards. I will enjoy this journey of a lifetime.” Looking back at her journey, she feels immense gratitude and hopes to be a better version of herself everyday. “My journey has been blissfully easy and difficult yet smooth, filled with joy and tears. An Amalgamation of emotions ! Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.” For the obvious delight of her fans we asked her about her upcoming projects and she told us that her two films, ‘Tippsy’ and ‘Dead girls don’t talk’ are slated to release next year. Her upcoming Amazon series, songs and projects are all there in the pipeline. We asked her to share her mantra with the young girls who aspire to be the pageant queens, to which she said, “ Be true to who you are. Be confident and wear your smile like it’s worth a billion dollars. Do not ever succumb to bullies or bully anyone either. You may be heavily influenced by the world outside and Instagram could make you conscious but the world that’s inside of you is far more beautiful. You have to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually aligned and strong to be in any industry and face the challenges the world will throw at you. The will to rise with grace is the most important part of this journey. Avoid being with people who gossip because great minds talk about visions not people. In the end, attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect and mirror what you admire. Life is a journey that has to have its own path but have a little fun along the way and don’t get extremely serious. Your mental health is the top goal, it’s your temple so don’t pollute it. I believe the recipe to finding yourself is to be able to be creative and co-exist with like minded people who see the good and bad in you and show you the light even when you don’t see it . In school we are taught a lesson and then given a test but in life we are given a test from which we learn our lessons . So I believe the only way forward in life is to keep evolving and being your authentic self.” For her story of competing in the Miss Earth, she says that her friends, family and colleagues had played a major role. They pushed her forward and inspired her to follow her calling. “ It was an accidental, universally conspired entry which resulted in the most monumental event of my life. This event is the most special thing for me as it changed my life forever.” “ Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect and mirror what you admire.” SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement