Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Big Interview

  • Creative Minds Together With A Game Changer Brand

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    Four of India’s leading designers– JJ Valaya, Ashish Soni, Manish Arora and Suneet Varma have partnered with Amazon Fashion to launch a line of affordable clothing called RIVER. The brand is now available to buy on the e-commerce site. We caught up with the designers and Mayank Shivam, Director – Strategic Initiatives, Amazon Fashion India…

  • INTERVIEW: Rahul Dravid

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    By Sandip Sikdar  Batting legend Rahul Dravid has given a thumbs up to Ravi Shastri and said the current Indian cricket team director has done a terrific job in his role so far. According to latest media reports, Shastri will be announced as the new head coach after the conclusion of the team’s tour of…

  • INTERVIEW: Aamir Khan

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    The unprecedented global success of Indian entertainer “PK” rides high on the fact that over a sixth of its Rs.600 crore ($94 million)-plus earnings have come from China. Superstar Aamir Khan, the film’s lead actor, says it reflects the “historical” love of Chinese audience for Indian cinema as well as the emotional and cultural bonds…

  • INTERVIEW: Big B

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       By Radhika Bhirani Be it Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Richard Gere, Hollywood continues to cast its seasoned veterans in attractive roles. Is Bollywood doing enough? Amitabh Bachchan, who at 72 has impressed audiences with his essaying of the role of a cranky father in the highly acclaimed film “Piku”, says Indian…

  • INTERVIEW: Najma Heptulla

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        Congress-led opposition campaign of spreading fear among Indian minorities failed said Najma Heptulla…Sushil Kumar talks to India’s Minority Affairs Minister. Keep reading Asian Lite for news, views and entertainment Fear was spread ahead of the general elections last year that “minorities, especially Muslims, would be killed and mistreated if the BJP-led NDA comes…

  • INTERVIEW: Glenn McGrath

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    Aritra Chowdhury’s interview with Glenn McGrath in Britain’s leading Asian newspaper Asian Lite. Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath believes India’s flamboyant batsman and Test skipper Virat Kohli is the right person to lead the team and his aggressive approach both on and off the field is a positive sign as long as he is scoring…

  • INTERVIEW: Naina Lal Kidwai

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    By Aparajita Gupta   Women have broken through the glass ceiling not just in India’s financial services space, holding top positions in top banks, but have also made a significant mark in a host of other industries, says Naina Lal Kidwai, executive director of HSBC Asia Pacific. The editor of “30 Women in Power: Their Voices,…

  • INTERVIEW: Anurag Kashyap

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    Anurag Kashyap’s latest offering “Bombay Velvet” might have not received a great opening, but the filmmaker has no regrets making the period crime drama. According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma-starrer has collected Rs.10.30 crore since its release. “It’s time to close the book and move on. It’s been a…

  • INTERVIEW: Shane Watson

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    By Aritra Chowdhury  Rajasthan Royals’ all-rounder Shane Watson, who scored a classic century  to take his team to the IPL playoffs, has heaped praise on team mentor Rahul Dravid, saying the batting legend’s humility is something which all young cricketers need to observe and learn from. The 33-year-old Australian also lauded Royals’ teammates, Indian star…

  • INTERVIEW: Deepika Padukone

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    By Uma Ramasubramanian  Her act as a selfless daughter, who spends more time listening to her father’s constipation tales than on her professional or marital pursuits in “Piku”, has garnered an “overwhelming” response for actress Deepika Padukone. But the most heartening has been the response from people who have expressed a wish to “adopt” her.…

  • INTERVIEW: Markus Schulz

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    By Siddharth Jha   To many, it seems the electronic dance music (EDM) scene in India is emerging only now, but German-American music producer Markus Schulz, who has always found “inspiration” from this part of the world, says the country has not been far behind in the globally-trending musical genre. Having crafted progressive, trance and house…

  • INTERVIEW: Prakash Javadekar

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      Financial inclusion of the poor through bank accounts and pension for workers in the unorganized sector are among the biggest achievements of the Narendra Modi government in its first year in office, Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar has said. In an interview, Javadekar said the government has taken significant initiatives towards good governance,…

  • INTERVIEW: Imran Khan

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    Actor Imran Khan believes that to make marriage work, couples need to share responsibilities. “In India, it is taken that washing clothes, and things like this is a woman’s job, and not what men do, which is an unhealthy attitude… a thought process which is not conducive for a healthy relationship. “Both need to take…

  • INTERVIEW: Ranbir Kapoor

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    Filmmakers changing hero of Indian cinema….Ranbir Kapoor tells Radhika Bhirani A coming-of-age role in “Wake Up Sid”, a troubled musician in “Rockstar”, a deaf and mute prankster in “Barfi!” and an aggressive man of great ambitions in “Bombay Velvet” — clearly, Bollywood’s quintessential ‘heroism’ does not match actor Ranbir Kapoor’s sensibilities. He says it’s possible thanks…

  • INTERVIEW: Irrfan Khan

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    ‘My graduate degree didn’t pay in acting career,’ Irrfan Khan tells Nivedita Irrfan Khan, who has always chosen to tread the unbeaten path in Hindi filmdom, believes in “wholesome” education, but says his own graduation degree turned out to be “useless” for his career as an actor. Some of Bollywood’s leading actors have made it big…

  • INTERVIEW: Sarwat Gilani

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    By Sandeep Sharma  Sitting miles away in Karachi, the mention of India makes Pakistani actress Sarwat Gilani remember its ‘mitti ki khushboo’ (smell of the earth) which is endearing to her family till date. She is appreciative of how India has been welcoming artists from her country, and says “it’s a big deal”. The 32-year-old’s…

  • INTERVIEW: Vivek Murthy

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    By Arun Kumar    Son of Indian immigrant parents, Dr. Vivek Murthy says his rise to the position of “America’s Doctor” was improbable but he got where he was by standing on principle. “As I look around this arena, I am struck by a simple truth: by any reasonable measure, I shouldn’t be standing here,” he…

  • INTERVIEW:Rahul Ram

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    By Sugandha Rawal   After exploring different realms of music for about 25 years, Indo-rock fusion band Indian Ocean senses a refreshing wave of change with Bollywood embracing alternative music. Rahul Ram, the band’s bass guitarist and lead vocalist, points out that the world of Bollywood may seem to be calm from outside, but deep down,…

  • INTERVIEW: Preity Zinta

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    She prides herself in doing one film at a time and surviving in the Bollywood arena, but Preity Zinta’s subsequent involvement in Twenty20 cricket tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 affected her movie presence. Now, the dimpled beauty with brains is ready to be back with a bang in filmdom. A co-owner of IPL…

  • INTERVIEW: Timothy Everest

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    By Nivedita  He always perceived Indians have a taste for colour, but Welsh bespoke tailor Timothy Everest, who has styled the likes of Mick Jagger and has also created costumes for movies like “Mission Impossible” and “Skyfall”, says he is shocked to see that the majority of Indian suits for men are made in black,…

  • INTERVIEW: Vishal Bhardwaj

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    By Sandeep Sharma   His unabashed use of abuses and rustic lingo in his films has always added to the power of his cinema. National Award winning filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has reacted strongly to diktats on film content, saying that the Central Board of Film Certification is behaving like the Taliban and that the body should…

  • INTERVIEW: Sabyasachi Mukherjee

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    By Nivedita   Sabyasachi Mukherjee, whose sartorial creations, marked by traditional fabrics and techniques, have made him a globally recognised name in the world of design, believes that national clothing has the power to foster nationalism. He says the youths’ appreciation of Indian handloom calls for revival of the craft. “It’s a fragmented society and nothing…

  • Interview: John Madden

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    By Sugandha Rawal India’s vibrancy, rich culture and chaos of urban life turned out to be magnets for John Madden, who has shot two of his films –“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and its sequel — in the country. The English director says every frame in the nation is worth capturing. His film’s sequel, “The…

  • INTERVIEW: Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan

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    By Natalia Ningthoujam   Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, known for delivering hit Bollywood songs like “Mitwa” and “Yeh honsla”, believes that compact discs are getting phased out by the digital platform even as there is a spate of demand for music now. The singer with roots in classical music is ready with his third…

  • INTERVIEW: Nawazuddin

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    By Siddharth Jha  His powerful avant-garde roles in offbeat Indian films have set Nawazuddin Siddiqui apart from the true-blue heroes of Bollywood. And that is why the actor, a ‘hero’ in his own right, suggests that newcomers never let go of their “uniqueness”. Nawazuddin, who was last seen as a Machiavellian villain in Sriram Raghavan’s…

  • INTERVIEW: Amit Trivedi

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    By Sandeep Sharma   National Award winning musician Amit Trivedi, who has composed for films like “Dev D”, “Wake Up Sid”, “Udaan” and “Queen”, says technology has enabled composers to explore a wider range of sounds via computers, and the effort required has reduced to a considerable extent too. “Technology is widening scope for musicians every…

  • INTERVIEW:Dev Patel

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    By Sugandha Rawal  His brief visits to India for shooting his international movies help British actor of Indian descent Dev Patel connect to the “astounding” and “inspiring” country as well as revisit his cultural roots. “It is a wonderful way to get in touch with your culture and with your roots. I’m constantly astounded whenever…

  • INTERVIEW: Sachin Tendulkar

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    Cricket World Cup 2015 brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar Monday predicted that the 14-nation tournament will be even more competitive as it progresses after the first 10 days produced exciting and entertaining cricket. Talking on the sidelines of India-South Africa match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG Sunday, the former Indian batting superstar advised the sides…

  • INTERVIEW: Dhanush

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    By Nivedita  He’s that rare humble, grounded and modest talented actor who considers stardom “nothing more than a little extra attention than the normal crowd”. That’s Dhanush for you. “I think stardom is all about little extra attention than normal people. Among all the normal people, a few get some extra attention, and so, there…

  • INTERVIEW: Amish Tripathi

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    By Shilpa Raina  Controversies in India are given greater prominence than pressing issues like the oppression of women that need to be brought out in public, says best-selling author Amish Tripathi, who “approaches the subject with a heart” to avoid unnecessary trouble while writing on religion. “Please don’t misunderstand me… but I fear that we…

  • INTERVIEW: Shilpa Shetty

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    By Nivedita   Why should only women cook and do the laundry, asks actress-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty, who feels men should contribute equally to household chores to ease out a woman’s responsibilities. She also feels this give and take goes a long way into a happily ever after. Shilpa, who is married to businessman Raj Kundra, credits…

  • INTERVIEW: Sheila Dikshit

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    By Trina Joshi  BJP leaders admit the AAP is their main foe in Delhi, but three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit doesn’t feel that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is an alternative to the BJP or the Congress. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes all out campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi, Congress leader Dikshit…

  • INTERVIEW: Abir Chatterjee

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    By Sahana Ghosh Abir Chatterjee, who recently became the first actor to portray Bengali literature’s iconic sleuths, Satyajit Ray’s Feluda and Sharadindu Bandopadhyay’s Byomkesh Bakshi, in two major movie adaptations, had his work cut out. Much like the ace detectives’ eye for details, Chatterjee too had to capture the finer points of the classic characters…

  • INTERVIEW: Kailash Satyarthi

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    By Trina Joshi Terming child labour in India as a “serious” problem, the country’s newest Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has said the delay in enacting and enforcing a ban on all its forms is akin to “destroying childhood” as our “children cannot remain trapped in workplaces”. But in the same breath he sounded optimistic that…

  • INTERVIEW: Ritu Beri

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    By Prantick Majumder  Ritu Beri, often called India’s ‘Fashion Queen’, has completed 25 years in the fashion industry. The designer says her life has been a “fairytale” and beyond her dreams and now she is keen to write “inspirational books”. The designer, who was among the first Indians to storm the catwalks of Paris more…

  • INTERVIEW: Freida Pinto

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    By Sugandha Rawal    There is a recurring pattern in actress Freida Pinto’s films and that is the presence of strong female characters. The Hollywood-based Indian actress says it’s the first thing that she considers while choosing films. Be it “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Miral” or her upcoming film “Trishna” – all the films have seen her playing…

  • Priyanka Chopra: Everything I do is unique

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    At the peak of her career, Bollywood’s marquee actress Priyanka Chopra changed track to explore the world of music – only to emerge as a winner. And now she has ventured into film production. Describing her activities as “unique”, she said she doesn’t follow a path but creates her own. “I am not an ordinary…

  • Interview: Oz director Paul Cox

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    Frowning on Hollywood productions as “manipulative”, legendary Dutch-origin Australian filmmaker Paul Cox asserts he would watch “silly” and “innocent” Bollywood flicks rather than those made in “manipulative” Hollywood. Described as a humanist filmmaker, the Holland-born and Melbourne-settled Cox, is a “huge admirer” of India’s repertoire of independent movies but laments the absence of powerful storytelling…

  • Interview: Priyanka Chopra

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    Commenting on recent reports about her flat being used to run a sex racket, actress Priyanka Chopra says she had no clue about what was happening in her property as she doesn’t snoop around. “When we rent properties we don’t go and check what is happening in the bedroom. Hence I had no knowledge about…

  • Interview: Anupam Kher

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development mantra would work for Kashmir as it did in Gujarat, actor Anupam Kher said Monday. Kher – who is of Kashmiri ethnicity – addressed an election campaign rally of the newly-formed Jammu Kashmir Peoples Republican Party (JKPRP) here. He said Modi has visited Kashmir thrice after becoming prime minister which…

  • Interview: Zeenat Aman

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    Yesteryear’s glamorous actress Zeenat Aman, who turned 63 Nov 19, says she is ready to settle down again. “Of course I want to settle down with someone once again. Why wouldn’t I? You see, all these years I’ve single-mindedly focussed on my sons Azaan and Zahaan. Their well-being and happiness are all that mattered to…

  • Interview: Kalki Koechlin

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    Actress Kalki Koechlin, who has maintained a balance between art and commercial cinema, says she now wants to work with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. “I am a huge fan of Vishal and I want to work with him. His films are both commercial and offbeat. I think he is very talented,” said the actress. “I want…

  • Interview: Nawazuddin Siddiqui

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    Nawazuddin Siddiqui proved his mantle with critically acclaimed movies like “Miss Lovely” and “The Lunchbox” but the actor seems to have made a transition to commercial cinema with movies like “Kick”. However, he says the transition is a conscious decision to support his small films. “The decision to do commercial cinema this year was a…

  • Interview: Deepika Padukone

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    Highs and lows are part of everyone’s lives. For actress Deepika Padukone, it was no different. She says patience is the key to sail through the low phases. “As an actress, you have to go through both the phases. Today, I am doing well, but I have learnt a lot from my low phase when…

  • Interview: Ranveer Singh

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    Actor Ranveer Singh, who has a clean-shaven pete for “Bajirao Mastani”, says his co-star Deepika Padukone, also his rumoured ladylove, loved the look. Asked how Deepika reacted to his new look, Ranveer said: “Deepika loved the look. I had shown her my pictures in costume. She is very happy and excited about joining the shoot…

  • INTERVIEW: Shabana Azmi

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    Veteran Indian actress Shabana Azmi, who believes that art should be used as an instrument for social change, says that it is required to redefine the meaning of entertainment. When asked about her previous statement where she said that art should be used as an instrument for social change and does she feel that art…

  • INTERVIEW: Aparna Sen

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    By Sahana Ghosh  Her very first outing as an actress was under the guidance of master storyteller Satyajit Ray and now as one of India’s finest and critically-acclaimed filmmakers, Aparna Sen believes in absorbing and retaining Ray’s principles, but eventually doing “your own thing”. Be it “36, Chowringhee Lane”, her outstanding directorial debut, or “Mr.…

  • INTERVIEW: Agneya Singh

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      He’s young, creative and not afraid to take risks. Independent filmmaker Agneya Singh, whose debut work “M Cream”, a “socio-political commentary on contemporary India”, is doing the festival rounds, says cinema must, once again, be used to bring about a revolution in the country. “I think that we need to bring cinema back into…

  • INTERVIEW: King Khan

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    Shah Rukh Khan’s production banner Red Chillies Entertainments Pvt Ltd., which is reportedly targeting a 25 percent annual business growth, is set to roll out four to five films and the Bollywood superstar says he won’t act in them. “We want to make four-five films without me. As a producer I would like to concentrate…

  • INTERVIEW: Rekha @ 60

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      She describes herself as a “student of life” and believes in acting upon things. Bollywood’s ageless beauty Rekha, who turns 60 Friday, says she is still put through the practice of warding away the evil eye — a ritual that her mother exercised for her well being. “On my birthday, I remember my amma…