Latest news with #WeTheWomen
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rashmika Mandanna says she will date a man like Ranbir Kapoor's Ranvijay, believes ‘love can change people'; fans say, ‘Not your duty to fix'
Actor Rashmika Mandanna recently said that she would date a man like Ranbir Kapoor's Ranvijay from Animal. This, however, has not gone down well with many. While some questioned her choice, others expressed their disappointment in her opinion. On Barkha Dutt's We The Women, Rashmika shared that she believes love can change anyone and she would have changed someone like Ranjvijay in real life. She said, 'I truly believe that if you love someone and someone loves you, the changes will happen.' When Barkha asked, 'Do you actually think that you can change people? You know that's a young and romantic idea?' The actress explained, 'I said that because, for example, when you grow up with a partner or someone from a younger age, you are still forming a personality. You are still figuring out what you like and what you do not like. And when you grow up together…' She added, 'When you remember your best friend or your partner being a certain way maybe a decade earlier, suddenly to the person who they are today—you're just like, 'Do you remember how it was? And do you realise how much we have changed together?' Maybe I am just talking about those miracle partners or situations.' ALSO READ | Netflix ghosted Anurag Kashyap after he submitted a 900-page handwritten script for a series: 'They don't have the courage to produce good projects, they panic' A clip of her interview was shared on Reddit, which attracted a lot of responses. A user wrote, 'What world is she living in? Only to defend her mere character you can't sit there and make such statements. Women are not RESPONSIBLE to fix anyone. You CAN NOT fix anyone. All these years we're only trying to unlearn all the crap that's been taught and that we've seen only for some stupid ass celebrity to be a pick me? Do better maam and get out of that bubble.' Another comment read, 'Can't believe that it's 2025 and she still believes in 'fixing people', praying for you Rashmika.' Other comments read: 'It not your duty to 'fix' someone who's abusive. Applies to both men and women.' 'Looks like she literally played herself in Animal. Someone who broke her engagement after being complimented for her pelvis by a guy who she called brother her whole life.' 'Not surprised. She is an outright conservative girl and there are many in society who date the bad boys. Because the mother DNA is strong with them – they see their husbands as their offspring and are prepared to bear with his tantrums in the hope that they change. They are conditioned to do so by the patriarchal customs and society and you can very well see this reflected in the films too. Where a woman who knows that a guy is wrong will go to any lengths to defend him and then has a fantasy that they will control or change him. This trait is societal projection of certain kind of women. Rashmika is exactly that kind.' Rashmika Mandanna is rumoured to be dating actor Vijay Deverakonda.
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘We broke the so-called glass ceiling…I am paid more than the male actor': Smriti Irani on pay parity while shooting Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi; how to ask for it
After more than two decades, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi is set to return, and so is Smriti Irani in her iconic role as Tulsi Virani. But while fans celebrate the nostalgia, Irani's return also reignites a vital conversation around gender, power, and pay parity in the entertainment industry. Appearing alongside Karan Johar on We The Women, Irani candidly reflected on the challenges of being a female lead in television during an era where financial equity was rarely discussed, let alone demanded. 'Today, in the so-called woke generation that you speak of, there is a huge conversation around pay parity,' Irani began, acknowledging the shifts in discourse. 'That was the time when we broke the so-called glass ceiling, where the female protagonist unabashedly said that I'm paid more than the male actor.' However, this wasn't the case from day one. 'I was not paid more than the male protagonist when I had signed the contract,' she clarified, recalling the initial imbalance. But what changed? 'I was successful in bridging pay parity after I created a space over time with the support of my producer,' Irani said, attributing much of this shift to her collaboration with trailblazing television producer Ekta Kapoor. Irani strongly believes that Kapoor's penchant for disruption played a key role in changing the rules. 'If this is to happen again in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi's return, I believe given Ekta Kapoor's inclination of pushing the envelope, she would do it again,' she said confidently. The question of equal pay is no longer only about numbers; it's about narratives. According to Sridhar Laxman, executive coach and founder of Lucid Minds Coaching, 'In coaching conversations, I hear it repeatedly. 'She got the promotion, but not the pay.' 'I was told to be patient, that recognition will come.' These aren't outliers. They are patterns.' Laxman, who has conducted over 5,000 executive coaching sessions in 14 years, observes that pay gaps are often rooted as much in internalised beliefs as in external systems. 'Stories that say: 'Don't rock the boat. Wait your turn. Be grateful to be here.' But here's the truth: silence is expensive,' he says. He points out that not negotiating, even once, can result in substantial financial and professional costs over a 30-year career. To change this, Laxman offers five practical strategies: Ultimately, as Laxman puts it, 'This isn't just about what you earn but what you believe you're worth and the legacy that belief leaves behind.'
NDTV
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Smriti Irani Returns To Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Reboot, First Look As Tulsi Out
New Delhi: Smriti Irani is all set to return to the television screens with the much-awaited reboot of the iconic television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. What's Happening Ahead of the premiere, the first look of Smriti Irani as Tulsi Virwani is out. The first-look shows Smriti dressed in maroon saree adorned with golden butis and a rich zari border. The look is completed with her signature big red bindi, traditional temple jewelry layered with black-beaded mangalsutra, and stacked bangles, an ode to early-2000s TV fashion. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi originally aired from 2000 to 2008 and held the number one spot on television for seven consecutive years. Smriti Irani On Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Delay Smriti Irani, who played the central role in the original, spoke about the project during a conversation with Barkha Dutt and Karan Johar on an episode of We The Women. "If you look at the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi journey in totality, the most well-kept secret about it was I had a contract to do it again in 2014, and I walked away from it because I had to serve in the Indian Parliament as a cabinet minister. The set was ready, but there was a phone call from the Prime Minister's office that you have to take an oath," she said. She also spoke about an opportunity she had turned down at the time. "I remember Rishi Kapoor telling me to leave now because to serve your country is a greater service than just doing a movie or doing television," Irani added. Background Meanwhile, Amar Upadhyay, who returns as Mihir Virani, confirmed that the premiere of the show has been delayed. A source quoted by Hindustan Times said the delay was due to changes being made to the set. Speaking about the delay, Upadhyay said, "Yes, it's true. The set had to be reworked. Apparently, the colour combination on the screen wasn't translating the way it should. Ektaa knows exactly what she wants, she's a perfectionist. And this is Kyunki. It's not just another show. It's a legacy and she wants to do everything what's best for the show."
Khaleej Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Khaleej Times' ‘We the Women' conference returns to Dubai for third edition
The secret is out: there has never been a better time to be a woman of ambition. Especially in the UAE, which believes in helping women realise their dreams. With a number of aspirants flocking to the country for the chance to make their business ideas come to fruition and homegrown and innovative plans in the works, this is the perfect moment for the Khaleej Times' event We The Women, which will return for its third edition to Dubai's Address Skyview on October 29, 2025. The one-day conference — which brings together women from the entrepreneurial field to talk about their experiences, their challenges and tips to overcome obstacles — will be helmed by Emmy-nominated journalist Barkha Dutt in association with KT Events. The series celebrates the achievements of women from across the board — from policymakers and politicians to influencers and business leaders — who offer real-time practical advice, anecdotes, and solutions to challenges that women in the workplace face on a daily basis. In the past, We The Women 's stage in the UAE has hosted luminaries such as first Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja, paralympian Jessica Smith, podcaster Tracy Harmoush, influencer Noor Stars, Emirati athlete Hana Nabulsi, founder of Cinema Akil Butheina Kazim, Dubai Economy and Tourism's Suhaila Ghubash, among others. At the helm of the event is the renowned Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, who has been at the forefront of the dialogue on women's empowerment in India. She is an Emmy-nominated journalist and Washington Post columnist, and the curator of the We The Women conference, having established it as a leading women-centric conference in India. Reflecting on the meet in UAE, Dutt said, 'This conference brings together women from all spheres of life and stages of growth — offering opportunities for them to connect, network, and gain solutions to problems they didn't even know existed sometimes. We aim to educate, empower, and bring to the surface issues that impact real women in the real world on an everyday basis. Together, we can find a solution, a way forward.' 'Being at the top often comes at the price of loneliness,' Dutt has said before, adding that in her experience, 'at every stage, you have to fight at least four or five times harder, and when you get success, there will be people who will try to punish you for your ambition, professionalism and competence. Sometimes, you get noticed easily because you are a woman doing a job that's associated with a man. But sometimes because they notice you more, they also judge you more. But here, with this conference, we work towards making our own tribe, our little support system that can help us weather any storm.'
NDTV
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Ekta Kapoor Refutes Smriti Irani's Claims About Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 Delay, Deletes Post Later
Days after TV star and BJP leader Smriti Irani said there was a set in place to shoot the part two of her superhit serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi back in 2014, show's producer Ekta Kapoor on Thursday rejected the actor's claims in a social media post, which she deleted hours later. Ekta Kapoor, who is also Smriti Irani's close friend, in an Instagram Story said, no Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi was planned in 2014. What Happened During a recent conversation with Barkha Dutt and Karan Johar on an episode of We The Women, Smriti Irani said she "walked away" from the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi in 2014. While there was a contract and the set was also ready, Smriti Irani said she didn't take up the project as she received a call from the Prime Minister's Office to take an oath as a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi-led government. She later served as the Union Minister for Human Resource Development from 2014 to 2016. "If you look at the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi journey in totality, the most well-kept secret about it was I had a contract to do it again in 2014, and I walked away from it because I had to serve in the Indian Parliament as a cabinet minister. The set was ready, but there was a phone call from the Prime Minister's office saying that you have to take an oath," she said. Smriti Irani also spoke about an opportunity she had turned down at the time. "I remember Rishi Kapoor telling me to leave now because to serve your country is a greater service than just doing a movie or doing television," Irani added. On Thursday, Ekta Kapoor -- who backed Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi under her banner Balaji Telefilms -- on her Instagram Story shared a screenshot from Smriti Irani's conversation in the We The Women episode, bearing the text "I Refused Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi In 2014". Screenshot of Ekta Kapoor's now-deleted Instagram Story The producer captioned her post as, "When????!! 2014 no Kyunki was planned! Unless there was a set I and the channel ain't know about (sic)" This post no longer appears on Ekta Kapoor's Instagram Story. In A Nutshell Smriti Irani recently said she refused to star in the reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi back in 2014 as she received a call from the Prime Minister's Office to take an oath as a cabinet minister. Days later, the show's producer and her friend Ekta Kapoor questioned her claims in an Instagram Story, saying the follow-up show wasn't planned at the time. The producer later deleted the post from her Instagram Story. Both Smriti Irani, who starred the main protagonist Tulsi Virani in the show, and Ekta Kapoor's comments come in the run-up to the shooting of the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi revival. Amar Upadhyay, who will reprise his role of Tulsi's husband Mihir Virani in the new series, recently revealed that the show's premiere has been postponed.
