Latest news with #DilMaangeMore
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anant Mahadevan opens up about battling anxiety, sabotage and emotional burnout: ‘There was a concerted effort to destroy Dil Maange More, Shahid Kapoor and me'
In an industry that thrives on validation and pliability, filmmaker and screenwriter Anant Mahadevan has survived, with scars and lessons. Speaking to ETimes, the veteran revealed how emotional burnout and anxiety crept into his life not because of creative failure, but due to deliberate sabotage. 'I was deliberately sidelined by those who hated my drive' 'Anxiety, criticism, et al. tend to cripple one, even as the efforts are directed at raising the bar and being true to the craft,' he said. 'Being deliberately sidelined was, for a long period, demoralizing — but then I realised this was being done by those who probably hated my drive to create what they wanted. By those who hated that I wasn't dependent on sucking up to them — be it the media or makers whose egos were punctured. ' 'This industry psyches creative minds, belittles their products' Having worked across genres and languages, Mahadevan shared that surviving in showbiz requires not just talent, but tremendous emotional resilience. 'It is important not to feel ostracised by power-wielding showbiz names and to stick to one's convictions with a clear focus,' he said. 'This industry tends to psyche studious, creative minds and belittle their products. Initially, you are hit by depression, but then you must have the energy to see through them. Reinforcing faith in oneself and being confident in one's potential shields your mind from damage.' 'There was a concerted effort to destroy Dil Maange More , Shahid and me' The filmmaker, who helmed the 2004 romantic drama Dil Maange More starring Shahid Kapoor , Ayesha Takia, Soha Ali Khan and Tulip Joshi, revealed how he faced pushback that felt almost personal. 'When I made Dil Maange More, there was a concerted effort to destroy me, the film, and Shahid Kapoor,' he said. Years later, the pattern seemed to repeat itself. 'When The Storyteller became critically acclaimed and an audience favourite, there were certain segments of the media and filmmakers who gave it the royal ignore. One critic came all the way to the Kerala Film Festival to run down the film and even reposted her review when the film was released. But now they have all become blatantly obvious in their prejudice. Though delayed, I have overcome such targeted attacks and steadied myself to carry on regardless. ' Sanjay Suri, Aahana Kumra, Abir Chatterjee and Anant Mahadevan clicked in Juhu 'No amount of despair is worth it — they only gloat in their ego cocoons' Looking back at the mental and emotional cost of being an independent voice in a tightly-knit industry, Mahadevan believes survival is an art that must be honed. 'The years of such rigmarole have taught me to be a survivor — that no amount of stress and despair is worth it. It only makes those who snub you gloat in their ego cocoons.' And his advice to young creatives is both battle-tested and brutally honest. 'So, master your craft and pride yourself on your abilities, rather than fall prey to man-made anxieties and blackmail.'
India Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
When Saif Ali Khan told Sharmila Tagore he doesn't want her, recalls Soha Ali Khan
Actor Soha Ali Khan recently opened up on her and brother Saif Ali Khan's childhood while Sharmila Tagore was working full-time in films. She recalled how Saif would get upset with Sharmila when she would not see him for in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, spoke about how her mother's absence in childhood due to work affected her said, "Sometimes, my mother didn't see my brother for weeks. And then, she would rush home to do bedtime with him, and he would be like, 'I don't need you. I don't want you right now' because he was also upset." The actor further said, "So he is fine with Didi, and then you are like, 'What did I rush home for?' And then you are so stressed about that time that you end up being short with your children, so it's a lot.""I am very sympathetic to mothers, new mothers, trying to find their feet, what they need. I think raising a child is an incredibly challenging, incredibly rewarding thing to do," Soha is the youngest daughter of late Indian cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran actor Sharmila Tagore. She also has an elder sister, Saba Ali Khan, while Saif is the eldest among the married actor Kunal Khemu in 2015. The couple welcomed their daughter Inaaya Naumi Khemmu in made her film debut with the Bengali film 'Iti Srikanta' (2004). The same year, her first Bollywood film 'Dil Maange More' opposite Shahid Kapoor was also is best known for her roles in films like 'Anatarmahal' (2005), 'Rang De Basanti' (2006) and 'Ahista Ahista' (2006).The actor was last seen in Prime Video's horror-drama 'Chhorii 2' (2025). The film also featured Nushrratt Bharuccha, Gashmeer Mahajani and Saurabh Goyal in key roles.- EndsMust Watch
