Latest news with #Roja
India.com
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Hema Malini's cousin and actress who is also connected with Juhi Chawla through.., her name is...
Meet Hema Malini's cousin and actress who is also connected with Juhi Chawla through.., her name is... In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, having connections and relations in the industry holds utmost importance. From opening more doors to garnering more spotlight, ties in this industry can help in many ways. One such similar tale is of a Bollywood actress who garnered a lot of love and attention from her iconic role in 1992. She recently spoke about her relationship with a legendary actress who brought her dignity and respect in this rather harsh industry. The people in the picture are none other than Roja Star Madhoo and her cousin, also celebrated actress Hema Malini. Who is Madhoo? Madhoo is famously known for her role in Mani Ratnam's Roja. She was born on 26 March 1969 as Madhubala Malini in Chennai (then Madras), Tamil Nadu. She ventured into the film industry in the year 1991 with her film Phool Aur Kaante. While she delivered some good films in her career, like Phool Aur Kaante Yeshwant, Pehchaan, Diljale, it was Mani Ratnam's Roja that rose her to fame. How is Madhoo related to Hema Malini and Juhi Chawla? Recently, in an interview, Madhoo revealed that, being Hema Malini's cousin, she earned respect and access in an otherwise challenging industry. Madhoo was born in an artistic family. Her cousin, also known as the dream girl of Bollywood, was a reigning queen of Hindi cinema and a symbol of grace and discipline. 'I am Hema ji's cousin, and Juhi ji, my sister-in-law, is married to my husband's cousin. We are a family of actors. But Juhi ji came into my life much later as a family member, only after I got married. And when I got married, I had kind of left the industry. So her being in the family, emotionally, or mentally, or physically, did not affect me. But I, coming from Hema ji's family, had an impact and only a good impact. The thing is, coming from the home of an artist of Hema ji's stature gave me a lot of dignity.' She said. How Madhoo's Ties With Hema Malini Helped Her? Madhoo also revealed that her association with Hema Malini didn't translate into garnering stardom or a superhit film, but it did help her get an identity and attention. 'So I carried that kind of dignity, some kind of respect. It did not give me a movie, it did not give me a hit, it did not give me appreciation, even, but it gave me access and respect. If I went to somebody's office, I was treated with respect. So that much respect I got because I came from Hema ji's home.' She said. Madhoo also shared how some budding actresses have to go through unpleasant experiences because they have no ties in this industry, but she was lucky since her father was a producer and her cousin was Hema Malini. 'Many girls have difficult experiences while starting out, but I was spared. My father was a producer, and I was Hema ji's cousin — so people treated me with respect.' She said. Madhoo on Typecasting Earlier in an interview, she felt limited by the typecasting of heroines in the '90s. We had a few romantic scenes, some songs, but very few meaningful roles. Toward the end, I felt I wanted to do more, but the opportunities weren't coming.' Madhoo's Personal Life, Her Work Now, and More After marrying film producer Amit Kapoor in 1999, Madhoo stepped away from films. Juhi Chawla, another leading actress, became her relative through marriage, but Madhoo emphasised that Juhi entered her life after her film career had slowed down. Madhoo had also appeared in TV shows like Aarambh and Kumkum Bhagya. She also portrayed the role of Komolika's mother in Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2. She also had her stint in OTT series like Damaged 3 and Aadha Ishq. Madhoo last appeared in the Telugu action film Eagle (2024) opposite Ravi Teja.
India.com
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is this Indian actress who rejected working in Amitabh Bachchan's big-budget film, said ‘Bollywood is better than…'; is Hema Malini's…, her name is…
Actress Madhoo made a big name with several hit films like Phool Aur Kaante and Roja. However, in 1999, the actress married Anand Shah and left the industry. She made a comeback after 12 years and is now quite active in films. In an interview with Lehren Retro, Madhoo spoke openly about her break from films. Who is Hema Malini's niece, Madhoo? Madhoo talks about her break from films, she recalled working with all the A-listers in Bollywood and says, 'By 1997, I started feeling dissatisfied. I felt I wasn't doing a good job, and I was no longer excited about my work. After working with authentic, realistic directors down South, it felt weird to work with directors who would put up boards saying we were somewhere else, and cheat in the movies. As an artiste, I became unhappy going to sets. The thing I once wanted the most, being on a film set, started bothering me.' When Madhoo rejected Amitabh Bachchan's big-budget film Recalling turning down a film with Amitabh Bachchan for her wedding, Madhoo said, 'I call myself a child of destiny. What people call expression today, I experienced it then. Whenever I have felt something strongly, it has come true for me. When I realised I didn't want to work in films, love came into my life. I got married and I completely moved away from acting. Once I gave in to greed, I got a big film with Amitabh Bachchan, which eventually went to Soundarya. My wedding date was fixed, and I told my secretary that I didn't want to do it. She asked me to think again, but I was firm.' Let us tell you that this film starring Amitabh Bachchan and Soundarya was released in 1999, named Sooryavansham. In this film, Big B himself played a double role along with Jayasudha, Rachna Banerjee, Anupam Kher, and Kader Khan. This film failed at the box office, but later it won the hearts of the people.
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Madhoo says she rejected Amitabh Bachchan's film, was not happy with work in Bollywood: ‘After working in South…'
Actor Madhoo rose to fame with several hit films like Phool Aur Kaante and Roja. However, in 1999, the actor married Anand Shah and left the industry. She made her comeback after 12 years and is now quite active in films. In an interview with Lehren Retro, Madhoo opened up about her break from films. Madhoo recalls giving up on Amitabh Bachchan's film for marriage. Madhoo recalled working with all the A-listers in Bollywood and said, 'By 1997, I had started feeling discontent. I thought I was not doing good work, and I wasn't excited about my work anymore. After working with authentic, realistic directors in the South, it felt odd to return to work with directors who would put a board and show that we are somewhere else, and cheat in films. As an artiste, I became sad going to sets. The thing I had once desired most, being on a film set, started to irritate me.' She recalled rejecting a film with Amitabh Bachchan for her marriage and said, 'I call myself destiny's child. What people today refer to as manifestation, I experienced back then. Every time I've strongly felt something, it has come true for me. Just when I realized I didn't want to continue with films, love entered my life. I got married, and I walked away from acting completely. I was tempted once, I got a big film with Amitabh Bachchan, the one that eventually went to Soundarya. My wedding date was fixed, and I told my secretary I didn't want to do it. He asked me to reconsider, but I was firm.' The film, which was released in 1999, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Soundarya, was Sooryavansham. The film starred Big B in a dual role alongside Jayasudha, Rachna Banerjee, Anupam Kher and Kader Khan. It bombed at the box office, but later gained a cult following. Madhoo's recent and upcoming films Madhoo was recently seen in Kannappa. The devotional film, directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role alongside Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, and Kaushal Manda in key roles. The film also features star-studded cameos by Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, and Prabhas. Madhoo will next be seen in the movie Chinna Chinna Aasai. The romantic drama is written and directed by Varsha Vasudev and is produced by Abhijit Babuji under the Babuji Productions banner. The film also stars actor Indrans, and the release date is yet to be announced.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Madhoo reacts to why she turned down a film with Amitabh Bachchan and moved to South India: 'It felt odd to return to projects that lacked sincerity'
Madhoo was one of the leading names in Hindi cinema during the early 1990s, but she gradually faded from Bollywood, giving more importance to South Indian films. Her sudden absence from Hindi cinema raised many eyebrows, and some even questioned why she had turned down major films, including those starring . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Madhoo has now finally responded to her decision to step away from Hindi cinema. Madhoo about leaving Bollywood behind Grateful to Juhi Chawla for introducing me to organic farming: Madhoo Shah In a recent interview with Lehren Retro, the Roja actress admitted that by the late 1990s, she had begun to feel increasingly disconnected from the kind of work she was being offered in Bollywood. 'By 1997, I had started feeling discontented. I wasn't excited about my work anymore. After working with authentic, passionate directors in the South, it felt odd to return to projects that lacked that sincerity. I began sulking before going to sets. The thing I had once desired most — being on a film set — started to irritate me,' she shared. Madhoo about getting married to Anand Shah Madhoo met her future husband, businessman Anand Shah, around the time she was considering leaving the film industry. 'Just when I realised I didn't want to continue with films, love entered my life. I got married, and I walked away from acting completely,' she said. She turned down 'Sooryavansham' with Amitabh Bachchan during that period, and the film later featured as the female lead. Her marriage had been fixed at the time, and she asked her manager to drop the project. Madhoo's Kannappa She was last seen in 'Kannappa', directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh. The film starred Manchu, Mohanlal, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, , and Preity Mukhundhan in key roles.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ram Gopal Varma reveals he does not like Mani Ratnam's films: 'He didn't listen to one idea of mine and doesn't like my films'
Filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma are some of the well-known filmmakers in the South, and the duo have also made their mark in Bollywood. In a recent interview, Ram Gopal revealed that he does not like Mani Ratnam's movies, and the 'Ponniyin Selvan' director also does not like Ram Gopal's films. He also shared that there is no chance of them collaborating in the future. Ram Gopal Varma and Mani Ratnam do not like each other's movies In a candid conversation on the MPower podcast, Ram Gopal said, 'I'm not really a fan of Nayakan. Actually, Mani doesn't like any of my films. I don't like Mani's films. That's like our relationship,' he stated. Actor Kamal Haasan Loses Cool Over Sword Gift Stunt at MNM Meet Amid Language Row Fallout Varma shared that Kamal Haasan 's performance in Nayakan stood out, but the film as a whole didn't resonate with him. The filmmaker added that it might have happened due to his keen knowledge about Kamal's character in the movie, Varadarajan Mudaliar. Ram had already explored a lot about Varadarajan, the Mumbai underworld don, on his own. Ram Gopal Varma about creative differences with Mani Ratnam Varma credits the late veteran filmmaker K. Balachander as a source of cinematic inspiration. Balachander, who also produced Ratnam's Roja, left a lasting impression on Varma's approach to storytelling and editing. 'In fact, recently, I was watching a Tamil/Telugu film of his, I don't remember. I was surprised to see how similar my cuts are. Obviously, because I learnt from him,' Varma noted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Varma and Mani Ratnam worked together on Gaayam and Thiruda Thiruda as co-writers. In 1998, they teamed up as co-producers on 'Dil Se'. 'We like each other as people. I think we both wanted to make our own films. He didn't listen to one idea of mine, and I didn't listen to one idea of his. So we made our own films,' Varma shared. He further noted that they are both very song-minded people with a unique way of filmmaking. Ram was certain about the impracticality of 'two strong-minded creative people collaborating'. Mani Ratnam's Thug Life Mani Ratnam's recent release Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan, struggled to leave a mark at the box office and among critics and fans alike.
