Bhaag Mikha has changed Farhan Akhtar's life

August 5, 2013

Bhaag_MikhaFarhan Akhtar has earlier said, "When I take up a film, I always think of the effect it will have on my children when they see the film years later." 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' will certainly qualify as a film that he can be proud of. As the film nears the 100-crore mark and continues to get the love from the audience and the tax-free special status given to it by several state governments, we spoke to Farhan urf Milkha about how the film has changed his life. Excerpts:

How has the success of the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag impacted your life?

It has given me a lot of confidence to look out for things that will be challenging to do. It also makes a lot of writers and filmmakers not think of me as just an urban metro-centric guy and I am being offered different roles breaking the mould I was slotted in so far. When you make a film, you can never plan success, but can only hope for the best.

The moment you plan it, the design will destroy it. But when it surpasses what you had planned, you feel so small in comparison. It's a great reassurance to be true to your instinct. To me, the philosophy of Milkhaji is true that genuinely if you work hard, the results can be outstanding. We remember him as he worked harder than anyone else at that time. I feel really happy and grateful for the acceptance, given what has gone into the film and the love it has got in return.

Has the response to this film been different than your earlier films Zingadi Na Milegi Dobara or Dil Chahta Hai?

There is something about this movie that has resonated and touched people's hearts for me, more than ever before. I was talking to my dad the other day that never before on any film that I have made or directed or acted in, has a film appealed to a cross-section of society like this has. From the moment I leave home, from the guy who checks your ID at the airport to the lady who checks you in to the guy who gives you the coffee at the lounge to the guy who is tearing the boarding pass at the boarding gate to the man in the suit sitting next to you in the flight to the driver who picks you up at the airport, says nice things about the film. And that is because it is a human story that has touched every strata of society. I felt really good post the release of the film on Monday, when I got a phone call from Shah Rukh (known to be Farhan's close friend) who said, 'I just called to say apni picture hit ho gayee.' I was so touched.

From being a complete vagabond at 17 to putting in the effort required to play Milkha, have you surprised yourself?I remember so clearly as a kid, my biggest problem in life was I used to never follow up on anything. I would get excited about doing something, but the fad would fade off within 2-3 weeks. The guy in Lakshya had a lot of me in it. While it has not happened overnight, I have come a full circle in this film. It was really tough, but the commitment to play Milkha revealed the extent to which you had to dig deep, no matter what happens to do the role.

It's a game changer for setting standards of hard work that an actor can put into a role.

While in the industry we compete for the outside world, within the fraternity, I find it extremely inspirational when I see good work as you want to do something even better. It's amazing if my work will inspire others.

Did you get stuck with your will power during this journey?

Fortunately, I was constantly motivated by the right people. Apart from my personal training team, Yograj Singhji's presence was really positively reassuring. While he was an actor in the film, he is also a cricket coach in real life, he pushes and nurtures you. It's an amazing combination of pampering and torturing. It makes you give everything for that person.

Your first dream was to be an actor. Somewhere in this journey, you also became a writer, director and singer. What will you do next?

Currently, I am so enjoying this experience of playing these different parts and as long as I am enjoying it, I will continue to do it for sure. I am currently looking out to do a film as an actor for my company Excel Entertainment and starting my live concerts. In any case, I am not a great one to make plans for the future.

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News Network
June 19,2020

New Delhi, Jun 19: After the recent sudden demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, actor Kangana Ranaut who went public slamming nepotism in the Hindi film industry, has now revealed that she faced similar struggles like that of Sushant.

In a new statement, the "Queen" actor alleged that she was asked to apologise to Hrithik Roshan's family in order to survive. Both Kangana and Hrithik had been in the public spotlight in the year 2016 over their alleged former relationship and legal battle.

The 'Queen' actor said: "Once Javed Akhtar had called me to his house and told me that Rakesh Roshan and his family are very big people. If you don't apologise to them, you will have nowhere to go. They will put you in jail, and eventually, the only path would be that of destruction...you will commit suicide. These were his words. Why did he think if I don't apologise to you will have nowhere to go. They will put you in jail, and eventually, the only path would be that of destruction...you will commit suicide. These were his words. Why did he think if I don't apologise to Hrithik Roshan, I would have to commit suicide? He shouted and yelled at me. I was shaking in his house,"

She further continued, "Were there people calling Sushant? Were there people putting such thoughts into his mind? I have no idea, but obviously, he was in a similar situation. In his interviews, he had said that nepotism cannot co-exist with talent because they don't allow the right talent to come up. I can relate to it, and hence I am raising questions. I want to know who played the catalyst in this situation?"

Kangana adds, "I know Sushant had a big fallout with Aditya Chopra also. When I refused Sultan, he had threatened he would never work with me. Ever since our industry ganged up on me. I remember so many times feeling really lonely and feeling what will happen to me..."

The 'Manikarnika' star also revealed that all this not only happened to her professionally but personally as well it hampered her relationships. "They are very insecure about things. Despite what they did to me, there was a guy who wanted to get married to me. But he distanced himself, they made sure he ran away. With no surety about my career, my love-life completely has gone awry, with six court-cases against me, they're still trying to put me in jail."

Kangana also talked about herself: "I'm a different person; I'm very expressive. I went out there, and I just vented it out. Sushant was not a person like that at all. He just bottled it up. Media too has played a considerable part in this--the kind of monster image that was given to him. Everybody who knew him closely agrees that he was a soft and emotional person. I think that after a point it really got to him. I can understand it because even I have been portrayed as a witch and as a stalker."

Sharing that the bullying and outbursts had a psychological impact on her life situations, Kangana says, "I remember initially when people used to come to my home, I felt so embarrassed to even offer them water. Forget having a relationship or going on a date post the disaster of a relationship I had. I can only imagine that even during Manikarnika what they did to me."

Talking about the 'Kai Po Che' star, she added, "But perhaps he was just not able to vent. In fact, all these constant jibes on these petty show that he should be killed and which rated him as the least efficient... his films have done more business than your Gully Boy. People like Salman Khan said who Sushant Singh Rajput? It was after M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, everybody knew who Sushant was. We need to stop these."

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News Network
April 8,2020

Los Angeles, Apr 8: American folk legend John Prine has passed away due to the coronavirus complications. He was 73.

Prine, whose coronavirus diagnosis was revealed on March 17, died on Tuesday, his publicist told Variety.

His wife and manager, Fiona, had on April 3 posted on Twitter that Prine was severely ill after being admitted into intensive care unit of a hospital.

In a career spanning over half a century, Prine churned out heartfelt and unforgettable songs like Angel From Montgomery, Sweet Revenge and In Spite of Ourselves .

He was regarded as one of the greatest by many of his peers including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler and many other music legends.

Born on October 10, 1946 in Maywood, Illinois, the singer-songwritter emerged on the Chicago folk scene in the late 1960s, when he was discovered by country star Kris Kristofferson.

He is still remembered for his 1971 anti-war track Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore , which came at the height of the Vietnam War and is still relevant to many till date.

In recent years, he had taken a step back from music but came back in 2018 with the album The Tree of Forgiveness . It was his first LP in 13 years.

Prine was a winner of two Grammy award for best contemporary folk albums -- The Missing Years (1991) and Fair & Square (2005). He was an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and also bestowed with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The news of his demise sent shockwaves across the music industry, with stars like Bruce Springsteen, Kacey Musgraves, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler and others paying their tributes to the legend.

Over here on E Street, we are crushed by the loss of John Prine. John and I were "New Dylans" together in the early 70s and he was never anything but the lovliest guy in the world. A true national treasure and a songwriter for the ages. We send our love and prayers to his family, Springsteen wrote in a post on Twitter.

While Musgraves posted, Heartbroken.

Raitt, who recorded Angel from Montgomery in the 1970s, said he is feeling crushed after learning about Prine's demise.

Words can't even come close. I'm crushed by the loss of my dear friend, John. My heart and love go out to Fiona and all the family. For all of us whose hearts are breaking, we will keep singing his songs and holding him near, he wrote.

Midler shared a news link about Prine, saying, He's gone.

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News Network
March 28,2020

Chennai, Mar 28: Chennai City Corporation personnel stuck a home quarantine sticker at the office of actor-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam office on Saturday, leading to speculation that the matinee star was quarantined for the coronavirus.

While there was speculation if Kamal Haasan was quarantined, the Greater Chennai Corporation said their staffers pasted the sticker on the premises because actress Gautami Tadimalli "returned from Dubai recently and her passport has this address (Eldams Road in upscale Alwarpet)."

The present residence of the actress was not known immediately.

The sticker read, "We are in home quarantine to safeguard ourselves and Chennai from the coronavirus." It was removed soon, an official said, declining to elaborate.

Kamal Haasan clarified in a statement that he was not quarantined.

"Based on the notice stuck outside my house, news has been spread saying that I have been quarantined. But most of you already know that I have not been living there for the past few years and the Makkal Needhi Maiam party office has been functioning from there," he said.

Further, the actor said, the news that he has been quarantined "is not true."

As a precautionary measure, he has been maintaining social distancing, he said.

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