From TV to films, actor Mrunal Thakur talks about her journey and the spark that let her scale new heights in acting. Excerpts… Nothing can stop Mrunal Thakur to push herself beyond limits. From the small screen to Bollywood, she has come a long way and proved her mettle in every role with finesse. Ahead of Jersey’s release, the actress shared that it was her love for the camera that persuaded her to deliver her best. “A camera is the only thing that remains stagnant in the life of an actor. So, irrespective of the medium, I perform to the best of my abilities. I thank all filmmakers who have broken the stereotypes and chose a TV actor instead of a film actor to do a movie,” she says. Before making her debut in Bollywood, Mrunal has worked in several TV advertisements and as a lead in a popular soap opera. Comparing her differences between both the mediums, the actor shared, “My journey from TV to the film industry has been incredible. A TV show runs for a long time of time whereas a film has a life. It is within the limited scenes, you have to do a lot of hard work. I was hungry to perform a good character. I take pride in getting opportunities from the filmmakers of the industry.” In Jersey, Mrunal will play ‘Vidya’, a Telegu girl who loves her husband. The film releases on 22 April.

"It is our earnest desire to lift the arm wrestling leagues from the ground level and get it the same respect that other sports receive in India," the actor shared. From cricket to kabaddi and basketball to badminton, sports has caught frenzy among several Indian actors. In 2021, actor Parvin Dabas and his wife Preeti Jhangiani showed love for arm wrestling. Together they started Pro Panja League. Since then, Parvin has been determined to support and elevate arm wrestling as a sport across India. The Khosla Ka Ghosla actor's agenda was recognised recently at the Haryana State Arm Wrestling Championships, where he was honoured as the chief guest. Talking about his mission, Parvin says, “The Pro Panja League has collaborated with the Indian Arm Wrestling Federation who have been conducting amateur arm wrestling competitions for years now. It is our earnest desire to lift the arm wrestling leagues from the ground level and get it the same respect that other sports receive in India." The maiden event of Pro Panja League took place in 2021 at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi. Since then, the couple is working at the grass-root level to promote and support arm wrestling. The Pro Panja League will play in Gwalior on April 8 and 9. Earlier this year in March, the league supported the Delhi Arm Wrestling Championship 2021-2022, where Preeti was the chief guest.

Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur were in Delhi to promote their upcoming film ‘Jersey’ in Delhi. The actors shared an insight on their roles, their experiences of shooting in Chandigarh and debunked the rumours surrounding the film. The first time actor Shahid Kapoor saw Jersey’s Telegu version, he fell in love with the film to the extent that he wanted the North Indian audiences to watch it. Calling its story 'the hero of the film', Shahid said, “Audience will see themselves in the roles that we have shown on screen.” Rumour had it that the film is based on Raman Lamba’s life. The Jab We Met actor refuted the claims. He said, “Jersey is a fictional film. It has nothing to do with the late cricketer’s story. It is a very emotional film that revolves around a married couple ‘Arjun and Vidya’ and their son ‘Kittu’.” In the film, Shahid portrays the role of a cricketer and a father whose son pushes him to achieve his dreams. Mrunal plays the character of ‘Vidya’, a Telugu girl who loves her husband. Jersey is a Hindi remake of the 2019 Telugu movie of the same name. The movie is based on a failed 36-year-old cricketer who returns back to the game for the sake of his child. Shahid pointed out that playing Arjun wasn’t easy. He had to work a lot on his skills. “Arjun is like those people who does not show his emotions easily. So I had to feel really strongly about him. Since I play a cricketer, I practiced cricket for eight months — five months before the pandemic and three months after the COVID-19 wave was over,” he said. Despite being born in a Punjabi, speaking Punjabi was not a cakewalk for Shahid. He worked a lot on his speaking skills. “I had to work a lot so that my tone and dialect to make it look natural. My dad (Pankaj Kapur) is well-versed in Punjabi. I observed him a lot on the set. I often asked people on the set to speak to him in Punjabi so that I could work on my pronunciation skills,” he clarifies. Mrunal also spoke about her on-screen role and her learnings from the film. She said, “I loved Vidya as she is a practical girl. She has strong family values and refuses to compromise with the situation. She takes care of the family, despite all odds. My biggest learning from the film was that it’s important for us to live life king sized instead of having longevity.” Despite being a remake, several changes have been made to the remake. Shahid explains that this was done to allow audiences to enjoy the film and build a better connect. “The world that we have created in this film is completely different from the one that you will see in the Telugu version. The film is based in Chandigarh in the 1990,” he clarifies. Jersey also stars Pankaj Kapoor. After a long wait of more than three months, the Gowtam Tinnanuri’s directed film will release on April 14 in cinemas.

Abhishek Bachchan, Yami Gautam and Nimrat Kaur deliver an outstanding performance. But the film’s badly-written story and poor execution falls short of tickling a funny bone. Name: Dasvi Director: Tushar Jalota Rating: 2.5/5 Platform: Netflix Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. We know it but ever imagined if a politician realises it while sitting in the confines of the jail? That’s Dasvi for you. The story begins with the arrest of Ganga Ram Chaudhary (Abhishek Bachchan), the chief minister (CM) of Hamit Pradesh (a fictional state). This forces Ganga Ram to appoint his wife Bimla Devi (Nimrat Kaur), as the interim chief minister. Bimla, who once managed their home and cattle and was too scared to speak in his presence, starts enjoying the newly-found authority and power as a CM. So much so, that the idea of leaving the CM’s chair disturbs her. Inside the jail, Ganga Ram’s life isn’t easy. The lazy politician locks head with an honest jail superintendent Jyoti Deswal (Yami Gautam) for being too illiterate (eighth pass) to run the country. Aggravated by the superintendent’s remarks and to avoid the allocated work given to him in jail, Ganga Ram decides to take Class 10 exams (without appearing for the ninth standard). As he opens his heart to books, his mind also opens and he is able to see the mistakes made in the history. As a concept, Tushar Jalota deserves a pat on his back for giving a spotlight to the power of education. But the plot loses its grip somewhere in the middle. The first half looks stretched. At one point, you would want an early interval. Even humour doesn’t give respite from the extended first half. The second half is somewhat better. The story justifies the Ganga Ram’s learnings in the jail. It is the rush to conclude the film that spoils the film. Editing certainly needed a fix. Showing Ganga Ram’s sudden change of heart as a student when he dreamt of getting back his kursi also looks unrealistic. In terms of acting, everyone has delivered their role to perfection. Abhishek Bachchan has left no stone unturned to get into the shoes of a jatt. His Haryanavi accent is spot on and doesn’t look forced. His look with a turban and a wooden stick in his hand also suffices his character. Nimrat Kaur has made a comeback to the films. With Bimla Devi, she has proved that she can adapt to any role effortlessly (she plays a negative character). Yami Gautam as a brave and fearless soldier has also added another star in the list of characters she has showcased in the last few films. As a fierce officer who has a heart of gold, she shines. But her dedication to teach Ganga Ram looked unrealistic. The director should have dedicated more time in building the trust between Ganga Ram and Jyoti's friendship. Her sudden intent to teach Ganga Ram looks surreal to her character who was responsible for the entire jail. Writers Suresh Nair and Ritesh Shah could have developed Ganga Ram and Jyoti's friendship to justify the latter's change of heart. Overall Dasvi could have been made into a great film had the characters have also grown with the story. Giving it a release on Netflix is a respite for the movie lovers.

The web series is set in rural India and revolves around a son avenging his father’s death. Ram Gopal Verma says that it is not a crime thriller but is about thrilling crimes that can create an adrenaline rush. Looks like streaming platforms has caught frenzy among everyone in the film industry and the latest one to foray in this medium is Ram Gopal Verma. The producer has announced his first web series, ‘Dhahanam’ on MX Player. The story revolves around a son avenging his father’s death. Set against the backdrop of revenge, bloodshed and oppression, the seven-part series stars Isha Koppikar, Abhishek Duhan, Naina Ganguly, Ashwatkanth Sharma, Parvathy Arun, Sayaji Shinde, Abhilash Chaudhary and Pradeep Rawat in pivotal roles. Talking about the show, producer Ram Gopal Varma said, “Dhahanam tells not a story of just revenge, but the story of a circle of revenge. It is not a crime thriller but about thrilling crimes that are designed to create an adrenaline pumping exhilaration. With this show, we have not gone one extra mile, but went many miles with intense method actors living in their roles to do justice to the story’s violent demands. Our entire team eagerly waiting to see the audiences’ reaction.” Set in rural India, the show features the murder of Sri Ramulu, a communist worker. His son, Hari, is a rebel operating from the forest in a guerrilla war with the landlords and is enraged by the news of his father’s death. He takes it upon himself to hunt down the culprit behind the murder of his father, which leads to an intense conflict-ridden war between the most influential people in the village. Originally made in Telugu, it is also dubbed in Hindi and Tamil. Dhahanam will start streaming from April 14.

Actor Sanjay Dutt revealed that he has no intention to retire from the industry. He hopes to work till his last breath as he loves acting. The year 2020 was difficult for actor Sanjay Dutt. It was not just the pandemic, but the actor was also diagnosed with lung cancer while shooting KGF: Chapter 2. But he came out with flying colours and successfully defeated the disease. Since then, there’s no looking back for this heartthrob. When asked what motivated to resume to work, he said, “I am an actor and I love what I do. I will keep active till my last breath and would love to do films. I love the characters that I play and the body of work that I have done. I feel proud to be a part of the Indian film industry.” Sanjay will play Adheera in KGF: Chapter 2. He said that it was the larger-than-life character and the look that urged him to play Adheera. “Adheera is a great character. When I heard about my character, mei hil gaya. I have seen KGF Part 1 and Yash’s role. I was thrilled that the heroism that I showcased in the 90s has come back. I loved the character and look that has been given to Adheera. I am lucky to play a negative character,” he shared. As part of his wardrobe, Sanjay has don a heavy armour. But despite its weight, he said, he was extremely comfortable to shoot the scenes. “I don't know if it weighed 25 kgs or 2 kgs, but the armour was heavy. We had to shoot in the harsh sun and dust. So it was sweaty and had leather. Yet, it wasn’t difficult to wear the armour because I loved what I do,” he added. KGF: Chapter 2 is directed by Prashanth Neel. Besides Sanjay, the film stars Yash, Raveena Tandon, Srinidhi Shetty and Prakash Raj. The second instalment of the two-part series will release on April 14 in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

After a long wait of four years, KGF: Chapter 2 will see a nationwide release on April 14. We spoke to Yash who was in New Delhi to promote the film. Excerpts… 1. How is reel-life ‘Rocky’ similar to real-life Yash? I think Rocky believes in a vision. He’s struggled in his childhood. I think all of us face difficulties in life, irrespective of the profession that we pursue. I relate to these qualities and Rocky’s positive attitude, strong conviction and his belief in achieving his goals. But in some ways, Rocky is completely different from Yash. Rocky is arrogant. I am confident instead of being arrogant in real life. 2. Do you think with Pan-India films, the lines between Bollywood and South Indian cinema are blurring? I don’t think that there is anything called Hindi cinema and South, North, east and west cinema. I feel its Indian cinema only. Most of the times when we say something in the regional language, people in the other parts of the country also notice the word/phrase. They mention those words. Since we are in a digital era, everything travels really soon. It’s important for us to realise that there’s nothing called South Indian film industry and Bollywood. If people are watching and accepting films across India, it means that its one industry. It’s high time that we understand it is one industry and stop classifying it into categories. 3. Is there a film that you would love to do? I like larger than life roles and entertainment movies. I would love to be a part of a paisa-vasool film. 4. How has life changed after KGF? With KGF, I have started talking in Hindi. Since it’s a pan-India film, we are speaking and learning in different languages. Those things have changed but in my head, everything else is the same.

It’s a John Abraham show with high-pounding action sequences and remarkable VFX. But the film keeps logic at a bay. Name: Attack: Part One Director: Lakshya Raj Anand Rating: 2/5 India has never attempted to create a Hollywood-style film. Most of the films made so far are usually high on action. But Lakshya Raj Anand's Attack: Part One not just gives an adrenaline rush but has utilised VFX to the best of the abilities. It, in fact, gives Bollywood a hope that the Indian cinema too can stand out in this aspect. But there isn't anything more to the film besides the action and the use of VFX. Attack: Part One is extremely predicable. One can understand the plot within minutes. Don’t expect any thrill as the story unfolds because the director hasn’t delivered something out of the ordinary in storytelling. The story revolves around a heartbroken Indian Army soldier, Arjun Shergil (John Abraham), who loses his girlfriend (Jacqueline Fernandez) to a terror attack and also gets paralysed (below the waist) in it. While succumbing to his new life, a defence ministry official (Prakash Raj) approaches Arjun to get a chip, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), inserted in the nape of his neck. Arjun agrees and Dr. Saba (Rakul Preet Singh), the creator of the super soldier, inserts the chip. This transforms an already-fit but wheelchair-bound Arjun into a super-fit soldier who can walk, run and kill goons alone. The film's direction is spot on and the editing is crisp. But one cannot ignore the several points that have been overlooked while filming the scenes. The film shows an attack on the Parliament of India as the core subject. For starters, if this would have been true, the entire Delhi-NCR would be on a high alert. On the contrary, you will see cars roaming freely on the roads. Also, the lack of men in uniform at the site of the attack makes us question the seriousness of the attack. Another scene also shows Arjun single-handed knocking off terrorists. Also, despite outnumbering Arjun in numbers (people and weapons), the terrorists miss at firing bullets and ignore his presence on occasions when they can clearly see him. At one point, it would feel as if you are playing a game of PubG. However, not everything is flawed. In terms of its running time, the film delivers fairly. The first half of the movie is entertaining. The director hasn’t wasted time in building the story. Thankfully, John isn’t showing only his muscles, lifting cars, crushing villains’ heads, throwing bikes and rhyming sentences. His chemistry with Jacqueline looks great and he has excelled emotional scenes to perfection. It’s the second half that becomes painful to watch. Lakshya hasn’t done enough to justify the climax (it is an anti-climax). Rakul has not done justice to her role. Among the supporting cast, Ratna Pathak Shah has done a great job as Arjun’s mother. Rajit Kapur as a next biggie after the Prime Minister has also proved his mettle. However, Prakash Raj and Kiran Kumar (as army chief) have not been utilised to their potential. Overall, Attack: Part One could have been a great movie had the director spent some time in fixing the flaws. If you are thinking of watching it, don’t think logically. Just enjoy the action sequences, VFX and the chemistry between John and Jacqueline.

Indian Revival Group celebrated the rich multi-cultural heritage of India. The showcase featured traditional dance from Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and other Indian cities. They say: dance like no one is watching. But when 25 dancers from across India presented a showcase at the Meghdoot Open Art Theatre, Mandi House, the audience got the taste of India's rich cultural diversity. The performances were a part of Sangeet Kala Akademi’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of India Festival ‘Kaleidoscope’. The dancers presented India’s traditional dance forms, including the ones under folk, martial and tribal dance. Papiha Desai, Choreographer, Indian Revival Group, revealed the details about the production. She said, “This is one of our most popular productions called ‘The wonder that is India’. We have brought classical dance forms along with folk, martial and tribal dance. We are doing Manipuri, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Garbha raas, Bhangra and Kalbeliya." Besides this, there is also a martial dance form 'Mayurbhanj Chhau' from Odisha and a tribal dance from Chhattisgarh. "The tribal dance from Chhattisgarh involves people from the Gaur Maria tribe. It is a bison horn dance where the performers wear real bison horns as headgears,” she adds. Indian Revival Group has been preserving, propagating and informing the younger generation about India’s rich cultural diversity. “Many youngsters are unfamiliar about India being a cultural superpower. Through the performances, we are trying to uphold the legacy that we have got from our ancestors,” she shares. Papiha too was a part of the production. She opened the event with a mesmerising showcase as an Odissi dancer. Sharing details about her act, she said, “My performance emerged from the temples of Odisha. The dance is based on the carvings and sculptures of the temples in Odisha. I have taken inspiration from the Sun Temple in Konark, the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneshwar and the Jaganath Temple in Puri.” Her performance featured Mahari dance, which was once performed by devadasis, and Gotipua dance, an acrobatic dance, that is performed by young boys (who are yet to attain puberty). This is not the first time that Indian Revival Group has brought forth such a showcase. For more than seven decades, the organisation has contributed to promote culture and traditional values in India. “Ours is an old civilisation. We have a plethora of dance and music forms. Since India was ruled by several communities, our indigenous dance forms were not given enough patronage as they got during the bygone times. After the Britishers left, several gurus have tried to restructure the dance basis what they saw in the sculptures that were available to them. We too are trying to revive these dance forms before they fade away just like that era,” she says. Kaleidoscope is organised to commemorate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, a year-long celebration of 75 years of Indian Independence. Sangeet Kala Akademi is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture.

A health talk was recently organised in Delhi to debunk myths around health and exercise. Experts present on the occasion emphasised upon the benefits of home-cooked meals, deep sleep and mental health in improving gut health. Read on to know more about it… Did you know that the secret to lose weight lies in your kitchen? Fret not, we aren’t making this up. Fitness expert Sumaya Dalmia revealed this secret at a health talk being organised in New Delhi. She said, “If you want to lose weight, its 90% in the kitchen and 10% in the gym. The gym just puts you in a certain amount of calorie deficit but that’s marginal. Weight loss comes from your gut and digestion.” The pandemic was harsh on people. Many people complained of weight gain and dependence on junk food to find happiness in the times of turmoil. Seema Jindal, Owner, Nourish Organics, said that weight gain during the pandemic happened due to work-from-home. “Since parents and children were both at home, people’s dependency on food and gadgets increased. Though gadgets are a way of life but it’s very important to do stretching and lift weights. Some people find happiness in food. But one way to remain happy is through exercises. Exercise produces serotonin (happy hormone). If you are happy exercising then you would not reach out for unhealthy food to find happiness,” she said. The younger generation, on the contrary, relooked at their physical health during the lockdown. Many people resorted to online fitness sessions while working from home. Yoga, meditation, cross training, tabata and Zumba became increasingly popular and slid as part of people’s daily routine. This became evident even on Instagram when training at home became the new normal. It was around this time, several myths started making rounds too. Among them was what to exercise, how much to exercise and if overexercising is good for the body. Sumaya cleared the air around extensive exercising. She said that ‘less is more’ and quality plays an important role over quantity. “Exercising makes a you healthy. When you train, you build muscle and increase your metabolism. But dedicating three hours a day is not ideal. I instead recommend to spend four to six hours a week in doing different forms of exercises,” she asserts. Another myth that remains unanswered involves strength training in women. Sumaya clarifies that both boys and girls should also focus on strength training. “Strength training helps in building muscles. Muscles improve metabolism and speed up body’s capacity to lose weight,” she said. She also insisted on the importance of understanding one’s body before taking up an exercise. “Following someone else’s shoes while exercising is not a good idea. People tend to follow what their friends are doing or what they see on social media pages. However, every person requires a different workout. People who look at others often end up doing a wrong exercise that may be lethal to their body,” she said. Also, exercise alone is not enough do the magic of weight loss. Eating healthy is also essential. Seema shared, “Immunity is more about a holistic realm of things, i.e., how you feel, sleep and about your gut health. If you feel sad or depressed, have a life coach. I have tried vipassana or yoga to stay mentally fit. Sleep is also important. It helps your skin to glow and hair to grow. Everyone needs different amount of sleep. It’s not 10 hours a day, but at least six hours is essential for all. It is important to know that over exercising disturbs sleep,” she said.