'Grateful that people still accept me with open arms'

Agencies
February 5, 2019

Mumbai, Feb 5: Juhi Chawla says she is grateful that even after three decades in the film industry, the audience looks forward to watching her films.

The actor, who was one of Bollywood's reigning stars in the '90s, believes her dedication and loyalty to the craft is key to her relevance in Bollywood.

"People still accept me with open arms and I love the fact that the makers have a role for me. I am totally grateful for all this. I don't want to question it or analyse anything.

"Acting is all I know. I don't know what I would be doing other than this. I am a good worker with a happy attitude and will be on the sets whenever there is a good opportunity," Juhi told PTI in an interview.

The former Miss India catapulted to stardom with films in the romance and comedy space like "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak", "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke", "Darr", "Daraar", "Ishq" and "Yes Boss", among others.

The actor said she was initially unsure of her path but found her way over the years.

"When I started I did not know where I was headed, I did not know what my strengths were. As I started working more, I realised that when there is a fun sequence, I enjoy it a bit more. It comes easier to me," she said.

"Today I have goodwill, name and recognition that has come through my work. That pushes me to scout for another good opportunity. I have always been excited to work with a good director who has a good story to tell," she added.

Juhi also experimented with her choices - most notable being her work in films "3 Deewarein", "Jhankaar Beats", "My Brother Nikhil," and "I Am".

"I tried very hard to do something different but the offers were not as good. I tried doing different stuff. I did films like 'Arjun Pandit' and 'Daraar'. I had put my heart and soul into it but strangely those films did not work at the box office. I was happy doing stuff that was funny and happy," she said.

The actor also lamented that her turn as a corrupt politician in "Gulaab Gang" with Madhuri Dixit did not do any wonders at the ticket counter.

"When I was approached to play an out-and-out villain in 'Gulaab Gang', I felt the makers had lost their mind as it was a role that people would not identify with me. Eventually, I was convinced and I had a great time doing it. But then nobody approached me for villain roles again," she said.

Juhi also praised the new crop of actors, who she believes are brave with their choices.

"They are unbelievable. Today, the young girls are very brave. Alia Bhatt doing films like 'Udta Punjab' and 'Raazi'. She is stepping out of her comfort zone.

"Priyanka Chopra played a non-glamorous part of a specially-abled person in 'Barfi'. For an actor, it is a brave move. Those realisations have come now. I was scared to take on a villain role a few years ago in 'Gulaab Gang'," she said.

Chawla's last release was "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", which reunites her with frequent collaborator Anil Kapoor.

Also featuring Sonam Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, the film released on February 1.

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News Network
May 1,2020

May 1: Rubbishing reports of hospitalisation, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Thursday said he was "fine" and at home observing the nationwide lockdown.

Shah, 69, in a Facebook post, thanked people for their concern and reassured them about his health.

"I thank all those enquiring after my health and reassure them I am fine," he said.

"I'm at home and observing the lockdown. Please don't believe any rumours," he added.

"A Wednesday" actor's younger son Vivaan Shah also dismissed rumours about his father's health.

"He's alright. These are just rumours," Vivaan said.

Reports about Shah's health started surfacing on social media as the industry was coming to terms with the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor.

Rishi Kapoor, aged 67, died on Thursday in a hospital here after a two year-long battle with lukaemia, while Irrfan, 54, passed away on Wednesday due to neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer.

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News Network
July 14,2020

Los Angeles, Jul 14: US officials on Monday found the body of "Glee" actress Naya Rivera in the Californian lake where she drowned last week during a boat trip with her four-year-old son.

Rivera's body was retrieved and an initial examination found no evidence of foul play or suicide, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told a press conference.

"We are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera," said Ayub, pointing to the location, appearance, clothing and condition of the body.

Her body was being taken to a medical examiner's office for a full autopsy and confirmation of her identity from dental records, though no other missing persons have been reported at Lake Piru, he added.

Rivera, 33, is believed to have accidentally drowned after renting the boat with her young son at the camping and recreational hotspot around an hour's drive northwest of Los Angeles.

She vanished on Wednesday afternoon, and a massive search involving divers, patrol boats and helicopters was launched after her sleeping son was spotted drifting alone in a boat on the lake.

The son later told investigators that Rivera had helped him into the boat before "he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water," said the sheriff.

Ayub pointed to the lake's strong currents as a possible cause of a fatal accident.

"The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting -- it was unanchored -- and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself," he said.

The lake has been closed to the public since Wednesday, with around 100 personnel, including the US Coast Guard and rescuers from neighboring counties, joining the search.

Search teams used footage from video messaging calls Rivera made from the boat before her disappearance, as well as interviews with her son, to scour portions of the lake bed for her remains over six days, with no success.

"We believe she was concealed within some of the shrubbery on the floor bed of the lake" before eventually floating to the surface due to natural decomposition, said Ayyub.

With less than one foot (30 centimeters) of visibility underwater in daylight, the recovery operation was a "complex search effort" even with use of sonar equipment, he said.

Rivera was best known for her role as high school cheerleader Santana Lopez in "Glee."

She starred for six seasons in the wildly popular musical television series set in a US high school that ended in 2015.

The "Glee" cast has been struck by tragedy before.

Actor Mark Salling took his own life in 2018, weeks before being sentenced for possession of child pornography.

Canadian castmate Cory Monteith died in July 2013 of an overdose of drugs and alcohol.

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News Network
March 4,2020

New Delhi, Mar 4: Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who is all set to make her acting debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj, says she's has always been interested in history.

"While growing up, I was really interested in history, the tales of grand kingdoms and larger than life historical heroes. I had always been fascinated with the story of Prithviraj and Sanyogita and life came to a full circle for me when I was offered this film," Manushi said.

Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, Prithviraj is based on the life and heroism of the king Prithviraj Chauhan. It stars Akshay in the title role while Manushi plays Sanyogita, the love of his life.

For Manushi, being offered Prithviraj by Aditya Chopra was a sweet coincidence. She reveals, 'While growing up, I was really interested in history, the tales of grand kingdoms and larger than life historical heroes.'

The glamourous girl, who has been voted the most desirable woman in the recent past, reveals that she is 'blessed' to be playing the role of the gorgeous Rajput princess.

'When I was given the narration of the film, I had a smile on my face thinking that I’m listening to a story that I had been most interested about reading in school. Prithviraj and Sanyogita is a fascinating story and a beautiful chapter in the history of India and I’m blessed and fortunate to have got the opportunity to bring Princess Sanyogita’s story to life,' she says.

Manushi’s Bollywood debut is being directed by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi who directed the biggest television epic 'Chanakya', based on the life and times of the most influential political strategist of India, and the multiple award-winning Pinjar.

'Prithviraj' will release worldwide in Diwali 2020.

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