Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Interview

  • ‘Digitizing theatre helps reach new audiences’

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    Film and theater actor and director, Makarand Deshpande, feels that digitizing theatre helps reach new audiences and helps archive it as well. ‘Sir Sir Sarla’, a play written and directed by Deshpande, will be launched online by Zee Theatre. After winning audiences nationwide since its premiere in 2001, the play is now set for its…

  • ‘Moving Back To Traditional Food Is Great’

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    Chef Sanjeev Kapoor says he has a dream of making Indian food the number one preferred cuisine in the world; but it’s not only a dream, but he’s also working towards it…Sanjeev Kapoor speaks with Puja Gupta. “I’ve tried so many different types of cuisine and curated various international and local dishes. But I’d still…

  • ‘Art Flourishes Anywhere With The Beauty In It’

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    Actor Rasika Dugal, who has recently narrated ‘Uncovidable’ (Hindi) – a pandemic-inspired humorous account by a woman who is told to stay put for 21 days in a nationwide lock-down, finds audio work to be a space free of people’s impression of an actor’s physicality …Rasika speaks with Siddhi Jain.Excerpts from her interview: What do…

  • Ananya Enjoys New Lessons

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    Young actress Ananya Panday says she enjoys learning and wants to be a student for life. Ananya made her debut with “Student Of The Year 2” in 2019, and went on to star in “Pati Patni Aur Woh” and “Khaali Peeli”. Talking about her journey as an actor so far, Ananya shared: “Every experience has…

  • Indian Cuisines Under Covid Transformation

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    Owing to the pandemic, food consumption has become a cautious habit and people are highly conscious of what they are eating and where it is coming from. “It has given us an opportunity to explore ways to keep food simple, nutritious and how it can be transported safely from one place to the other with…

  • Abish Explains How A Hybrid Space Emerged

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    One of the most recognised faces of Indian comedy, and the mind behind talk show ‘Son of Abish’, Abish Mathew says that COVID-19 forced a lot of creators to go completely digital and it will be difficult for the comedy industry to come back to the live space…Abish speaks with Siddhi Jain. “Just like a…

  • ‘Artist Needs To Look Forward’

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    There was a time when she could not afford a studio, and had to move in with her mother. But there was never a time when she made marketable art.… Nalini Malani speaks with Sukant Deepak. “However, as an artist I never look back at my past. It is important to look forward, as an…

  • Saina Targets To Improve Fitness

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    Saina Nehwal is currently concerned with maintaining fitness for competitions and tournaments next year and not thinking about the long road ahead of her to ensure a fourth appearance at the Olympic Games. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist is currently ranked 22nd in the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) Race to Tokyo rankings and needs…

  • Skewed Representation Of Women To Be Critiqued

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    ‘Four More Shots Please’ actress Sayani Gupta feels that portrayal of women in the Hindi mainstream cinema is moving in the right direction, thanks to more women storytellers coming to the forefront and bringing with them a “female gaze” that counters a “male gaze” prevalent for the longest time…Sayani speaks with Siddhi Jain.Sayani, 34, is…

  • MSD Enters The World Of Entertainment

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    Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his wife Sakshi plan to score in a very different game than cricket. They are foraying into OTT space with a web series….Sakshi Dhoni speaks with Simran Sethi. Sakshi and MSD launched their banner Dhoni Entertainment in 2019 with the documentary “Roar Of The Lion”. Now, they are…

  • ‘Animation Is Simply fun’

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    With demand for Indian animated content growing among global audiences, especially with children who are a significant consumer group for animations like cartoon shows, a home-grown animation brand Cosmos Maya, the creator of popular children’s show ‘Motu Patlu’, shares that it is an exciting time to be in the animation business. Anish Mehta, the CEO…

  • Fusion Of Flavours

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    Columnist and Restaurant Reviewer Riccha Grrover in an exclusive review of  NoriTacos from brand Sugoi JPN and in conversation with the entrepreneur of award-winning food concept Felipe Preece for Asian Lite International.  Initially based out of a small dark kitchen under a railway arch in Bethnal Green, and catering to a local pub via a…

  • ‘I Believe In My Classic Elegant Style’

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    Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone says fashion for her is being able to effortlessly blend what is in trend with her individual authentic style. In an interview with us, Deepika, who has been roped in as the brand ambassador of ethnic brand Melange by Lifestyle, shares more about her fashion preferences, her style and more? Excerpts:…

  • ‘MoM’ To Celebrate Skills Of Youth

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    Lisa Heydlauff came from the UK two decades ago to find out how children go to school in India. While she found her answer in quick time, she also realised that children, especially from indigent homes needed to be shown the entrepreneurial path to have any chance at cracking the future. This led Heydlauff to…

  • ‘Comfortable Yet Pacy’: Nikitin On OTT

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    ‘Chennai Express’ (2013) actor Nikitin Dheer recently made his web debut with the well-received crime drama series ‘Raktanchal’, which has crossed 100 million views. Sharing his thoughts on the popular medium of OTT (over-the-top) platforms, the actor finds that it is somewhere between films and television – which makes it “comfortable yet pacy”. Inspired by…

  • Samira Considers Creativity Beyond Gender

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    Music director, composer and singer-songwriter Samira Koppikar feel that creativity is beyond gender. “Patriarchy does exist in various industries. Yes, I have had strange experiences like when my vocals for a feature film song were dropped last minute as a male music composer duo got to know that I’m not just a singer but also…

  • Sarita’s Manthras To Defeat Lethargy

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    Padma Shri recipient Sarita Joshi is a celebrated stage, television and film actress. The veteran of Gujarati theatre and Marathi theatre and Marathi cinema, believes that “Hard work, honesty and punctuality, these three things which should always be maintained in life, because lethargy is something that will not work, and always remember that time is…

  • Bishnoi Hopes To Win IPL

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    After guiding India to the finals of the U-19 World Cup, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi is now all geared up to play for Kings XI Punjab in his debut IPL season during the tournament slated to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With just days left before the start of the 13th…

  • ‘Performing Arts Never Die’

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    ‘Masaan’ actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma says that performing arts will always exist. “I know we aren’t labelled as essential services but no matter what you do, you will always need entertainment,” she told in our interview. Shweta, 35, has acted in “Timeloss”, a digital play produced by Akvarious Productions which premiered with Front & Centre,…

  • Guneet’s Note For Aspiring Filmmakers

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    Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga says she never planned for any award and accolade. They are always a bonus and a sense of validation in the journey, she says. But it is of utmost importance to be persistent and show up, believes Guneet, who won an Academy Award her short film ‘Period. End of Sentence’.…

  • Ravinder Wants To Change The Cliché

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    Popular romance author Ravinder Singh, who has written bestselling novels like ‘I Too Had a Love Story,’ ‘Can Love Happen Twice?’ and edited anthologies like ‘Love Stories That Touched My Heart’, feels that Indians have a never-ending appetite for love stories. In a freewheeling chat with us ahead of the launch of a crowdsourced anthology…

  • Janhvi In and As Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Biopic Done Right

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    Columnist Riccha Grrover in an exclusive interview for Asian Lite International with Bollywood Actress extraordinaire Janhvi Kapoor about her recent pathbreaking film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl which is a biopic Inspired by the true story of Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena- India’s first woman combat aviator who went all guns blazing into the heart of the war zone in…

  • Grylls Into the Wild

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    British adventurer and host of the popular adventure show “Into the Wild”, Bear Grylls first came to India when he was just 18. Since then he has made various visits to India and travelled all through the mountains in Northern India. Over the years, he says much has changed over the years, but the warmth…

  • Art Exposes The Self

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    ‘Sajna Aa Bhi Ja’ and ‘Zinda Hoon Main’ singer Shibani Kashyap says that it’s imperative to learn at least one form of performing art, while growing up or whenever. “It’s not a matter of age, but you must learn something so it can give you self-expression as an individual, as a human being,” she told…

  • Mira Reveals Shahid’s Most Favourite Dish

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    Mira Kapoor might have her heart and soul in Mumbai where she resides with her husband actor Shahid Kapoor, but the Delhi girl still loves her Dilli street food. The celebrity mother admits with time she has become more mindful about her food choices for herself and her family. In a candid chat with IANSlife,…

  • Avni Doshi’s Journey To ‘Burnt Sugar’

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    Its been a “long and difficult” journey spread over seven years and eight drafts, says author Avni Doshi, whose novel “Burnt Sugar”, about a torturous mother-daughter relationship, has been longlisted for the 50,000 pounds Booker Prize 2020 along with 12 others, admitting she was moved to “tears” when receiving the news and has thanked the…

  • Samant Thrilled To Debut In Bollywood

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    Designer Samant Chauhan marks his debut in designing costumes for Bollywood with Tigmanshu Dhulias film ‘Yaara’ which features Vidyut Jammwal. The designer says he always wanted to do something different, besides working for his label and that this project was a much-needed break he was always hoping for. In an interview with us, Chauhan speaks…

  • INTERVIEW: Kuldip Nayar

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    By Prashant Sood  India is unlikely to see the imposition of another Emergency due to changes made in the Constitution and people being more vigilant, veteran journalist and political commentator Kuldip Nayar has said, noting that the Congress should have learnt the lesson of not pursuing dynastic politics from the period that saw a curb…

  • INTERVIEW:Murali Vijay

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      India Test opener Murali Vijay believes good rapport off the field with teammate and opening partner Shikhar Dhawan helps them perform better on the field. “It’s said that for openers, it’s important to be good friends off the field in order to succeed as a pair on it. And it is absolutely true. Shikhar…

  • 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: Amitav Ghosh

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    Hailed as one of the most accomplished Indian writers, Amitav Ghosh was recently nominated for the Man Booker International Prize. In ‘Flood of Fire’ I feel like I have conquered a mountain, Mr Ghosh told Preetha Nair. Flood of Fire, the last in the Ibis trilogy, where history and fiction interweave and span the years leading…

  • No saffronisation: Mahesh Sharma

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    By Preetha Nair   The controversial changes at the helm of the National Museum and Lalit Kala Akademi are the government’s attempt to bring in new talent and there is no attempt at “saffronisation”, Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma has assserted. “We took the decision to change the heads of institutions in the interest…

  • 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,…

  • Odiya cinema looks south: Mohapatra

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    By Jatindra Dash  National Award-winning director Sabyasachi Mohapatra feels the regional aspect of the Indian entertainment industry is losing its sheen for want of support from the government. As a result, he says, regional filmmakers, like from Odisha, are treading the remake path. Mohapatra received the National Film Award from President Pranab Mukherjee for “Aadim…

  • 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: Mark Ronson

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    By Sugandha Rawal The trend of music singles is leading to the plummeting popularity of albums across the globe but Grammy Award winning English musician, DJ, and record producer Mark Ronson, who likes Indian classical music, says albums are still a “great form of art”. “I think today people are careless about albums and they…

  • INTERVIEW: Jackie Chan

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    Asian cinematic icon Jackie Chan, whose latest actioner “Dragon Blade” hits Indian screens on Friday, says he may come down to the country to shoot his new film “Kungfu Yoga”, the first project under a India-China co-production agreement signed during President Xi Jinping’s visit here last September. When Chan last visited India in 2013, he…