Actor Angad Hasija’s popular show Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai is currently on air in Indonesia. The actor, who rose to fame with the same show in India, says that the show changed his life. “Bidaai has been a lucky show for everyone. It is also a number show in Turkey, Albania and Bulgaria. Bidaai changed my career completely; it made me successful. People work in so many shows and go through so many difficult phases to make a mark, but I never had to face such problems. It has been almost 5 years since Bidaai went off-air in India, but people are still crazy for the show. I still attend events as a part of Bidaai,” says Angad.
Angad is excited to be in Indonesia currently. “Here, people are crazy about India. All my friends, who have been here, told me a lot about the country and now I am finally here, so obviously, I am excited. I heard that the fans are very supportive. I know that I am going to learn something different and new,” he says.
Indian actors are often given fat pay cheques for their work in Indonesia. Ask him if this is a motivation for him as well, and he says, “It is true that they pay good money and somewhere everyone feels that their efforts should get good money, that they deserve better. And people in Indonesia are crazy about Indian actors; they love our shows, so the money will obviously be generous as well.”
The actor played a mentally challenged man in Bidaai and says that it was tough. “My character Alekh was a Schizophrenic. Initially, I had a problem, but I really worked hard to build the character. And now, my efforts are being paid off. I got a lot of fan-following and people still praise me for my acting,” he says.
Angad also met Rani Rajesh Jagtiani of PT Spectrum Films and says that it was a pleasure. “I had heard a lot about her. When I met her, I felt very comfortable. She knows how difficult it can be to settle in a new place, so she makes sure that you are at home. She also talks very nicely. And most importantly, she is a nice person,” he adds. Rani Rajesh is famous for acquiring Indian programs and with the telecast of Mahabharat in Indonesia the trend of Indian actors being called to Indonesia started.
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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