Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
Amazon’s reboot of the James Bond franchise is in early stages, with Dune director Denis Villeneuve attached.
Insiders claim Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson are top contenders for the new 007.
The studio is reportedly seeking a British actor under 30; no official casting decisions made yet.
Next Bond film is unlikely to release before 2028 due to scheduling and production timelines.
The race for the next James Bond is heating up, and three familiar faces are at the top of the list.
As Amazon gears up to relaunch the James Bond franchise, Variety reports that actors Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson are front-runners to play the iconic spy. The studio is reportedly focused on casting someone under 30, a significant shift from previous 007s, signalling a new direction for the long-running series.
Daniel Craig poses as James BondGetty Images
Denis Villeneuve to direct Bond reboot under Amazon MGM
With Dune and Arrival filmmaker Denis Villeneuve confirmed as director, the 26th James Bond film is set to begin a new chapter under the Amazon MGM banner. Villeneuve’s appointment is a major creative change, especially since producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson recently handed over creative control to Amazon following a £1 billion (₹10,400 crore) deal.
While no actor has signed on, Variety notes that the new Bond is unlikely to appear in cinemas before 2028. Villeneuve is still working on Dune: Messiah, which is expected in 2026, pushing the Bond production further down the line.
James Bond casting shortlist revealed with Tom Holland Jacob Elordi and Harris Dickinson in leadGetty Images
Tom Holland, Elordi and Dickinson emerge as possible 007s
Tom Holland, known for playing Spider-Man, had earlier pitched a “young Bond” origin story to Sony, though it never materialised. Harris Dickinson, praised for Triangle of Sadness and his Cannes-featured directorial debut Urchin, has expressed interest, calling it a role “you’d be a fool to not entertain.”
Meanwhile, Jacob Elordi, the only non-British contender, has seen a meteoric rise with Euphoria and Priscilla. Despite his Australian roots, producers are reportedly open to casting him, following precedent set by George Lazenby.
Is this the youngest James Bond yet as Tom Holland Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi lead casting rumoursGetty Images
All three actors have packed schedules, and no official talks have taken place. Still, the buzz suggests that Amazon is keen to reinvent 007 for a younger generation, with Villeneuve at the helm and a fresh face in the tux.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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