Diana Penty says she was dropped from Rockstar after workshops, later bagged Cocktail
"After 2–3 weeks he said, 'Look, I can see you have come a long way and I've seen a lot of improvement, but I still don't feel you are ready to play the character in 'Rockstar'. Maybe, it is too soon for you," reminisced Diana. She added that the shooting was about to begin in a month or so, and even she felt that she wasn't ready. "I was kind of relieved because I didn't feel confident. So I went back to New York and continued with my modelling," she shared.advertisementA year later, Diana received a call for 'Cocktail' and got to know the script of the film was written by Imtiaz. Interestingly, it was Imtiaz who suggested 'Cocktail' director Dinesh Vijan that she would be perfect for the role of Meera. She also remembered receiving a confirmation call just 24 hours after her audition. 'Cocktail' went on to become the biggest film of Diana Penty's career. The film, a love triangle featuring Diana, Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan, was a massive box office hit and garnered critical acclaim.
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NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Saiyaara, And The Taming Of The Tortured-Male-Rockstar
In Mohit Suri's Saiyaara, a bitter boy meets a guarded girl. He is hurting, and she is hurt. He, a singer, uses music to convey wounds, and she, a writer, uses words to cover injury. He seeks fame, and she wants solitude. As star-crossed as it comes, they are destined for a kind of love that consumes both but heals one; headed for a ruined romance where one survives and the other thrives. Such stories have a precedent, comprising mostly a man at the centre - talented but obscure, wanting love but chasing heartbreak. The ache baptises him as an artist. Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) is a telling instance. Snubbed by the woman he loves, the man uses shards of his heart to make music, and earns success. This is such a trope that when the protagonist in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar (2011) wishes to be a singer, he is prescribed heartbreak. Although Ali designs him as a reluctant rockstar willing to forsake everything for love, his hero eventually gains everything his heart desired at the cost of his heart. This archetype of a tortured male artist is not a novelty in Hindi films. Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957), about a poet awaiting validation from a hostile world till he rejects all, is an early example. There are more, including Suri's own rendition of A Star Is Born in Aashiqui 2 (2013). Ali's Tamasha (2015) has a storyteller bleeding through the mundanity of life. In Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab (2016), a biting take on Punjab's opium problem, the sole artist in the story is drug-addled. If narratives confirm broken men as a prerequisite for artistry, they also carve specific roles for women to shoulder: the breaker or the healer. She propels the man to triumph or holds his hand through the turbulence of his making. Either way, she plays a part in someone else's journey and occupies limited space even as the succour demanded of her is boundless. She imprints the art, but the artist remains a man. With Saiyaara, Suri updates the stereotypes. Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) is a volatile singer. Life has been unfair to him, and he, in turn, has little patience for fairness. His father is an alcoholic, and his band members, wealthier and better connected, get more recognition in the press. Always seething, he is introduced as beating up a journalist for favouritism. Standing on the other side of the scuffle is Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a girl so sensitive that she will probably crumble if pushed. Sparks fly. This World Is A Tragedy One would assume this is the story, that he is broken enough to be healed. But Krish, being a Mohit Suri hero, is scripted for graver tragedies. And thus it begins: Krish and Vaani gravitate towards each other. She pieces him together, and the colour of his t-shirts becomes lighter with his heart; a faint smile hovers over his lips. Everything fits: he is a narcissist, and she is devotional; she wishes for his success, and he wishes to be successful. Then disaster strikes, one primed to elevate Krish, but which will first crush him: Vaani is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. So far, so Rockstar. On a trope-y level, the condition makes sense; as a metaphor, it works even better. Afflicted by a disorder that destroys memory, Vaani's fading into oblivion literalises the dispensable function women play in such narratives. But Suri flips the script. He uses the segue of sickness to craft a subversive coming-of-age story where gender roles are defined but not followed. An Intervention The swap happens gently, almost against the wishes of the leads. Till Saiyaara is predictable, the characters act derivative. Till the story is imitative, the ticks feel the same. Krish smokes like Kabir Singh, is called "animal" for his flying temper, and falls in love with the eagerness of Imtiaz Ali's heroes. Ditto for Vaani, who is content being a bystander to Krish's success. Yet, whenever they seek to assume these roles, Saiyaara uses the context of tragedy and intervenes. Moments before Krish's big concert, Vaani assures to be a cheerleader only to be disoriented; after Krish readies to go for his band's first concert tour, he runs back, an image that keeps repeating, from the airport to be next to her. Aneet Padda as Vaani in Saiyaara These deflections, slight on the surface, rework archaic optics. They allow the girl to bypass conventions and extract an Aditya Chopra hero, prone to seeing the divine in the person he loves, from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's universe of God-complexed protagonists. Saiyaara features a pliant female character whose path to healing assumes agency to be the central story, and a male artist willing to partake in it as the healer. The Real Protagonist Suri's filmmaking responds to this. Vaani might be lurking in the background, restricted to mostly reaction shots, but she is the protagonist. The camera is earlier established as her point of view; when she faints, the screen crumbles, and keeps finding her even when the stage is set for Krish. His big moments - a tour in India, a concert in London - keep getting interrupted by her condition. As if she is on the journey and he is playing catch-up. This thought gets reinforced when his acts, hitherto selfish, start being imbued with the care of service. He desires to flourish not for his sake but so that she can spot him from afar. Saiyaara, too, holds out, framing Krish as a rockstar, after teasing with the visual, only when the image pines with the purpose of finding her. So keen is he that grief of her absence, deployed by his predecessors as a license to be a man-child, is wielded by him to be tender, in preparation for a visit. Such selflessness is atypical of an artist but typical of a lover. Perhaps this explains the allure of Saiyaara. Suri's film tempts with the familiar tale of a misunderstood singer to crack open as a tale of two star-crossed lovers who, altering destiny, head for a remedial romance. Both survive because the other survives. The artistry - she writes, he sings - becomes a means. Songs billow from broken hearts but not as a memento of a finished story, but as an accessory to keep sustaining it. Who knew the tortured male artist is just a simp in disguise? (Ishita Sengupta is an independent film critic and culture writer from India. Her writing is informed by gender and pop culture and has appeared in The Indian Express, Hyperallergic, New Lines Magazine, etc.)
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Get to know... Aadhya Anand
Currently I am: Soaking in the monsoon magic from my balcony Aadhya Anand says her most starstruck moment was meeting Alia Bhatt. High point in life: My first big premiere night. Low point in life: Long shoots. I always miss home. On my playlist: Kabira, from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani; Tum Hi Ho Bandhu, from Cocktail; songs by The Weeknd. One thing I would never buy: Crocs, and wear them with no socks. Today I'm craving: Pani puri, as always. Last thing I ordered online: Organisers to compartmentalise my makeup and accessories. App I check before bed: Instagram. Guilty! My favourite subject in school: English Literature and Business Studies. I'd swipe right on: Compassion and a sense of humour. My secret skill: I have a knack for creating stunning mood boards. A magic tool I wish I had: A teleportation device to beat Mumbai traffic. My favourite Sunday memory: Family brunch with everyone at the table. My most star-struck moment: Meeting Alia Bhatt, who's an absolute sweetheart. My favourite bad habit: Hitting snooze at least three times in the morning. My mum has given up. If I could travel back or forward in time, I'd…: I'd rather stay where I am right now. The best thing about fame: Being able to inspire young dreamers. The worst thing about fame: You're judged about everything, all the time. From HT Brunch, July 26, 2025 Follow us on
News18
13 hours ago
- News18
Ahaan Panday Channels His Inner Ranbir Kapoor, Sings Channa Mereya
Ahaan Panday has become the talk of the town with his debut movie, Saiyaara. Ahaan Panday, cousin of actress Ananya Panday and nephew of veteran actor Chunky Panday, has been making waves with his debut movie Saiyaara. The film's success has sparked intense curiosity among netizens, who are now digging up more information about the rising star. As a result, several old videos featuring Ahaan have gone viral on social media, giving fans a glimpse into his life before stardom. Now, a video of Ahaan has surfaced on social media, which proves that he is a true Ranbir Kapoor fan. In the clip that a fan shared on his X handle, the Saiyaara star can be seen recreating Ranbir Kapoor's charm by performing and singing some of his hit tracks. Among others, Ahaan can be seen singing Channa Mereya, Dilliwaali Girlfriend, Bachna Ae Haseeno. He is also seen recreating Ranbir Kapoor's iconic dialogue from the 2011 movie, Rockstar. Watch the video here: Knew #AhaanPanday was destined for greatness when I found out he was a fan of #RanbirKapoor — RKᵃ (@seeuatthemovie) July 21, 2025 Talking about Ahaan Panday's debut movie Saiyaara, it revolves around Krish Kapoor, an aspiring singer, and Vaani Batra, a budding journalist. As their love blossoms, they find themselves up against numerous odds. Set to a soundtrack that's already winning hearts, the film blends romance, ambition, and emotional drama. The film has been getting positive reviews from critics and the audience. It has earned over Rs 150 crores at the box office as of now. It is worth noting that the film followed nearly a 'no promotion strategy'. Mohit Suri's directorial stars fresh faces – Ahaan and Aneet. They made no public appearances before the film's release, had no collaborations with influencers, were low-key on their respective social media handles, and spoke to none of the media houses. Previously, in an interview with Just Too Filmy, Mohit Suri shared that the silent marketing was a strategic call taken in consultation with producer Akshaye Widhani and YRF head Aditya Chopra. 'Until the two actors don't have anything behind them to talk about, the conversation will be filled with questions like 'Who is the prankster on set?' or 'How is it working with Mohit Suri?' It's all redundant stuff," he said. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
