Rajesh Khanna's Death Anniversary: Remembering India's first superstar with his most memorable films
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Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Javed Akhtar reveals Jaya Bachchan trusted Amitabh Bachchan despite 11 flops before his breakthrough in Zanjeer: 'She had great respect for his talent...'
Before Amitabh Bachchan's breakthrough with Zanjeer, Jaya Bachchan recognized his potential, even amidst his early career struggles. Javed Akhtar recalls her unwavering belief in his talent, along with Hrishikesh Mukherjee's continued support. Akhtar was certain that Amitabh was the only actor who could embody the character of Vijay in Zanjeer. Before Zanjeer changed everything, Amitabh Bachchan was struggling with back-to-back flops. But as Javed Akhtar recently shared, Jaya Bachchan had unwavering belief in his talent—even before they were married—proving she saw the superstar in him long before the world did. Early Recognition Despite Box Office Failures Amitabh Bachchan began his film career with Saat Hindustani in 1969 but gained early recognition through a supporting role in Anand alongside Rajesh Khanna . Despite landing lead roles afterward, his initial films failed at the box office. In a recent interview with Hook Global, the veteran writer shared that a few people saw Amitabh's potential early on—describing him as a "volcano, waiting to erupt." Among them was Jaya Bachchan (then Bhaduri), who, though not yet married to him, deeply respected his talent. Faith From Those Who Saw His Potential Javed recalled that even before she became his wife, Jaya Bachchan recognised Amitabh Bachchan's immense talent and held deep respect for his work. He added that filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee also believed in him and continued to cast him despite his early flops. Akhtar noted that even in poorly written or executed films, Amitabh's performances stood out. He described him as a "volcano, waiting to erupt," and said that those who observed him closely had complete confidence that he was a major star in the making—just waiting for the right opportunity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo Why Javed Akhtar Knew Amitabh Was 'Vijay' The iconic writer duo Salim-Javed penned the script of Zanjeer, but Javed Akhtar revealed it was he who was fully convinced that Amitabh Bachchan was the perfect fit for the role of 'Vijay'. At the time, Amitabh was out of work, yet Javed—despite barely knowing him—was certain no one else could do justice to the character. Recalling their interaction, Javed shared that he called Amitabh to narrate the script, and the actor, having no work then, readily agreed. After hearing the story, Amitabh asked if Javed really believed he could pull off the role. To that, Javed replied with full conviction, 'Nobody in this country can play it better than you.'
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Echoes of Experience: Anurag Anand on crafting meaning through mediums
Visual artist Anurag Anand will showcase his solo exhibition 'Echoes' by Gallery Silver Scapes, at Bikaner House, Delhi. The exhibition will run from August 13th to 18th, 2025. Sixty pieces, ranging from acrylic on canvas to watercolor and charcoal, will be displayed. Anand blends abstraction and realism to convey his musings on nature, humanity and man-made structures. Anurag Anand, a renowned visual artist, bestselling author, and accomplished corporate professional known for his masterful blend of color, emotion, and narrative, is coming up with his solo exhibition, 'Echoes,' by Gallery Silver Scapes, from 13th–18th August 2025, at LTC, Bikaner House, Delhi, where he will be showcasing 60 pieces crafted in mediums ranging from acrylic on canvas to watercolor, charcoal, and oil on paper. In an exclusive conversation with ETimes Lifestyle, he talks about his exhibition and how he stays authentic in such diverse creative and professional spaces. "Echoes" brings together abstraction and realism in such a powerful way. What was the emotional or conceptual spark behind this new series? The exhibition, Echoes, comprises artworks that rely on manmade structures and their interplay with nature and humanity to convey my musings, ideas and emotions. The grey space between realism and abstraction allows me the freedom to convey what I wish to and keep the potential interpretations within bounds. So, while the abstraction lets a viewer's experiences and persona determine what the artworks say to them, the realism acts as a guardrail to prevent complete distortion of the intended message. As someone who moves seamlessly between words and visuals, how does your writing influence your painting—and vice versa? I have always viewed writing and art as significant mediums of expression. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo When I am crafting a story, as part of my characterization process, I visualize my principal characters in their natural habitat. Their dwellings, the neighborhoods they come from, intuitively tells me how they think, behave and are likely to respond to a particular situation. This practice helped me discover a unique language, and it is this language of structures that you can see in this series of artworks as well. Many of your works feel deeply personal yet universally relatable. How do you channel personal experiences into such accessible narratives on canvas? As individuals, our world view is a compendium of our personal experiences. When an artist approaches their practice with honesty and sincerity, shades of this world view, and by extension their experiences, inadvertently show up in their creations. And it is this very honesty of approach that lends a universal appeal to the works. The absence of superficiality and guise makes such creations more real for those who engage with them. The artist in me feels truly humbled by your observation that my works feel personal and yet are relatable. This is a balance that I shall continue to strive for in every creation of mine. With "Echoes" spanning mediums from acrylic and oil to watercolor and charcoal, how do you choose which medium best conveys a particular emotion or theme? The message chooses the composition, and the composition chooses the medium. My process starts with what I wish to convey, and I spend a considerable amount of time mulling over the numerous ways in which the intended message can be visually depicted. Once the image of the end output has formed in my head, the choice of medium becomes a lot easier. For mediums like oil and acrylic which can deliver similar outputs, the choice is more pragmatic. Since oil colours take a lot longer to dry, I use acrylics when working with stringent deadlines. From writing novels to art exhibitions and corporate boardrooms—how do you stay authentic in such diverse creative and professional spaces? Authenticity is natural, deception is not. Presenting a different face during each appearance depending on what the audience expects might be a shortcut to garnering louder applause, but it doesn't come naturally to me. I find it a lot easier to take my one true self along wherever I go. Be it my creative engagements or my workplace, I let my value system be the guide for my actions. This might not make me the most popular person in the room, but it is deeply satisfying, nevertheless. Images Courtesy: Anurag Anand
Pink Villa
20-07-2025
- Pink Villa
DNA Movie Review: Atharvaa Murali, Nimisha Sajayan starrer is a thrilling and intense concept, troubled with outdated narration
DNA, starring Atharvaa Murali and Nimisha Vijayan in the leading roles, hit the big screens on June 20, 2025. Following a month of release, the film is now available to stream on the OTT platform JioHotstar. If you plan to watch the movie on the streaming platform, here's our Pinkvilla review for you to check out. The Plot DNA is an action thriller film that features the story of Anand and Divya. The former is distraught in his life after his girlfriend died, which leads him to turn to alcohol. As he is spiraling downward, his father views him as irresponsible and even causes Anand to humiliate himself in front of his brother's prospective in-laws. Eventually, Ananda is placed in a de-addiction center, and after his discharge, his marriage is arranged with Divya, a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Despite learning about her condition, Anand accepts her into his life, and they lead a happy marriage. However, after she gives birth to a baby boy, Divya is convinced that it is not her child and that someone has replaced her child. While everyone else refuses to believe her, even doctors label it as postpartum psychosis, Anand trusts his wife. How he and Divya manage to find the truth forms the entire movie. The Good The most significant positive aspect about DNA is the fact that the main characters are extremely well-knit. Neither the male nor the female protagonists of the movie are perfect, and the writing that went into defining them with such flaws is what makes them a watchable pair. Starting off as if it's an emotional drama, it slowly evolves into a thriller with an interesting concept. In addition to the layers of characters that unfold with each act, Atharvaa and Nimisha deserve praise for their balanced performances. Their subtlety and nuances are what made the movie strike a chord. Regarding the technical aspects, the cinematography by Parthiban is to be praised for its striking visuals. Moreover, with multiple musicians crafting the tracks, the background score by Ghibran has to be called perfect for this intense tale. The Bad: The negative factors of the film are its outdated screenplay and poor execution. The film holds together well with its concept and premise, making one feel compelled to watch it from start to finish. However, the place where it fails is maintaining consistency in its progression. A film that is so tightly knit does not seem to stand out due to the high volume of clichés it contains. While a few instances here and there would have been fine, the movie is marred by predictability, which causes it to lose the audience's attention. The Performances: As mentioned earlier, DNA holds quite a prominent role as a film due to the leading actors. Both Atharvaa and Nimisha make the best of these complex characters, bringing out engaging moments. While both of them were great, Balaji Sakthivel and Ramsh Thilak need to be mentioned as well for the standout moments. Moreover, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also does a great job. Watch the trailer here: The Verdict DNA is an intense action thriller that undoubtedly stands out as a fresh experience from Tamil cinema in 2025. While there are moments that become a letdown while watching, it remains a fulfilling watch with powerful performances.
