SUPER SUPPORTING STAR APARSHAKTI KHURANA IS LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS FIRST MOVIE AS A LEAD
by MOHNISH SINGH
AFTER making a winning debut in record-breaking film Dangal (2016), talented actor Aparshakti Khurana has continued winning hearts with stand-out supporting roles in such successful films as Stree (2018), Luka Chuppi (2019) and Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019).
After playing the best friend or trusted confidant of the leading man, the 32-year-old actor himself is graduating to much bigger parts, including a leading role in forthcoming film Helmet. The multi-talented star is balancing a flourishing film career with TV and radio.
So Eastern Eye had a lot to speak about to Aparshakti Khurana, including lockdown, returning to work and his forthcoming film.
How is life after being under siege at home amid the pandemic?
Life is fine, touch wood, and I am trying to get back to normal. We have started shooting, but of course, it is not full-blown and there are fewer people. You have to take so many precautions. It does get a little hectic at times. But everyone is trying to put everything together in the smoothest way possible, so we can come back to life at the earliest.
Have you started transitioning back to work after lockdown?
I have totally started transitioning back to work from a film set to a television commercial set. For the longest time, I was working from home. But now there is a mix of working from home as well as working from the set. I am just trying to juggle the two and keep myself as active as possible.
How will the post-lockdown version of Aparshakti Khurana be?
Well, the post-lockdown version of Aparshakti Khurana will be as jumpy and as up-tempo as I have always been. Even during lockdown, I was totally up-tempo inside the house, trying to keep myself very busy with all the brand collaborations, digital collaborations and Instagram lives. I collaborated with YouTubers on a lockdown song and came up with my own lockdown track. There are many things I have done during lockdown. I had so many narrations on Zoom video calls and many acting workshops. So, yeah, I think I’ll be the same guy post-lockdown as well.
What is the most important lesson the pandemic has taught you?
Lockdown has taught me discipline and how important it is to have a nice healthy sleep cycle. Because of the erratic work timings, actors can never have a disciplined sleep cycle. But over these six-seven months, I have been waking up at 6:30 in the morning and sleeping at 11 pm. So, I have had a very disciplined sleep cycle. I have been waking up early, and it has made my system very healthy. It has made my body very healthy. A lot of actors are joyful about shooting activities starting, but many are sceptical about venturing out as the coronavirus scare is still there.
What do you have to say?
I have mixed feelings, to be honest. Of course, I am very happy that work has started, but in your heart of hearts, you do get a little sceptical about the fact that, are we ready to go out in the middle of a pandemic and perform? I just hope that all those shoots that have started do not backfire. We all can hope for the best and, you know, carry on with life with all the precautions. Let’s put our best foot forward in the safest way possible.
How do you see Bollywood during or post Covid-19 era?
I think Bollywood, during or post any era, has always been this mad, fun place where you get to do so many things. Bollywood is an amazing place because it is the only one where everybody is treated equally. People from all religions are a part of it, on and off the camera. And it is amazing to be on a film set and work together to create magic on screen. I think the kind of paradigm shift that we have had in filmmaking, from hereon we are really going to move upwards and onwards. I don’t think there is going to be any difference during or post Covid in the way we see Bollywood or in the way we perceive Bollywood. It is going to be a hell of a place where you can make your dreams come true.
Your film Helmet is ready for release. What route is it taking to reach the audience, digital or theatrical?
Yes, Helmet is all set to release. I think we will finish post-production work in a month or two. We are not yet sure about whether it is going to be an OTT release or a theatrical one, because there are a couple of things to be done and decisions to be made. So, let’s see what works best for the film. I think, at the end of the day, people just want to watch good content. It doesn’t really matter whether it is on OTT or in theatres. I am really looking forward to the first solo film of mine. I hope everything falls into place. I hope the love and warmth that people have given me in supporting categories, they give me the same amount of love and respect in this one as well.
Will it be a little disheartening for you if the makers decided to release it on any digital platform, because this is the first film you are fronting the cast?
Not at all. I won’t be disheartened at all. As I said, it does not really matter whether it releases on any OTT platform or in theatres. I know it is a special film for me. I have shown a lot of patience to see this day in my life, but the safety of people is a lot more important. Even if I have to do this journey again to catch hold of a nice, big theatrical, I am ready to do that. I think it is more important to work on each day of the year than to think about the fact that when, where and what your film is doing. It is important to work honestly. After that, things are not in your hands. And when things are not in your hands, you should not really bother about them.
Please tell us a little bit about the film and its premise?
So, Helmet is a film on condoms. Basically, the backdrop of the film is condoms. Otherwise, it is a fun and funny world where a family can sit together and get entertained. I would not want to say that, but this is an awkward comedy. When we talk about condoms, yes, they say it gets awkward. But sometimes, even in real life, you like awkward moments. You have fun with them. You laugh at them. So, our situations are no different in the film where there is a certain kind of awkwardness. There is an awkward beat and that is where the humour comes from. At the end of the film, there is a little message also. I hope people connect to it. May God bless us and the film!
There are talks that actors will have to take pay cuts as Bollywood is staring at a monumental loss of revenue. What is your take on that?
Well, I signed something during the Covid and there was no pay cut as such to say. I think I have got the amount I deserved. I have not come across any news where actors are not getting paid as much as they were getting earlier. But just in case if there is a situation like that then, of course, there is no way I would not respect that decision of the producers. As I keep saying so many times that I just want to work each day of the year. It is not about revenue generating beyond a point.
Eli Lilly had announced a steep price rise of up to 170% for Mounjaro.
A new discount deal with UK suppliers will limit the increase for patients.
Pharmacies will still apply a mark-up, but consumer costs are expected to rise less than initially feared.
NHS pricing remains unaffected due to separate arrangements.
Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro, easing fears of a sharp rise in costs for UK patients. The new arrangement means that, from September, pharmacies and private services will face smaller wholesale increases than first expected, limiting the impact on consumers.
Why the price rise was announced
Earlier this month, Eli Lilly said it would raise Mounjaro’s list price by as much as 170%, which could have pushed the highest monthly dose from £122 to £330. The company argued that UK pricing needed to align more closely with higher costs in Europe and the United States.
Discount deal for UK suppliers
The revised agreement will see the top-dose price set at £247.50 for suppliers. While pharmacies and private providers will still add their own margins, the increase for patients is now likely to remain under 50% for higher doses, and even lower for smaller doses.
Eli Lilly confirmed:
“We are working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients when the change is effective on 1 September.”
Impact on consumers
Around 1.5 million people in the UK are currently on weight-loss drugs, with more than half using Mounjaro. Most of these patients—around 90%—pay privately through online services or high street pharmacies.
Prices vary between providers, depending on the level of lifestyle and dietary support offered alongside the injections.
Olivier Picard of the National Pharmacy Association said:
“This rebate will mitigate some of the impact of the increase, but patients should still anticipate seeing a rise in prices from 1 September.”
NHS pricing unchanged
The deal does not affect the NHS, which has secured its own heavily-discounted price for patients prescribed the weekly injection.
Mounjaro works by helping patients feel fuller for longer, reducing food intake and supporting weight loss of up to 20% of body weight.
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The Department of Health said the rollout would reduce missed days at nursery and school, cut time parents take off work, and save the NHS about £15 million a year. (Representational image: iStock)
CHILDREN in England will be offered a free chickenpox vaccine for the first time from January 2026, the government has announced.
GP practices will give eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule. Around half a million children each year are expected to be protected.
The Department of Health said the rollout would reduce missed days at nursery and school, cut time parents take off work, and save the NHS about £15 million a year. Research estimates chickenpox in childhood leads to £24 million in lost income and productivity annually.
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said: “We’re giving parents the power to protect their children from chickenpox and its serious complications, while keeping them in nursery or the classroom where they belong and preventing parents from scrambling for childcare or having to miss work. This vaccine puts children’s health first and gives working families the support they deserve. As part of our Plan for Change, we want to give every child the best possible start in life, and this rollout will help to do exactly that.”
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Most parents probably consider chickenpox to be a common and mild illness, but for some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox can be very serious, leading to hospital admission and tragically, while rare, it can be fatal. It is excellent news that from next January we will be introducing a vaccine to protect against chickenpox into the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme – helping prevent what is for most a nasty illness and for those who develop severe symptoms, it could be a life saver.”
Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England, said: “This is a hugely positive moment for families as the NHS gets ready to roll out a vaccine to protect children against chickenpox for the first time, adding to the arsenal of other routine jabs that safeguard against serious illness.”
The eligibility criteria will be set out in clinical guidance, and parents will be contacted by their GP surgery if their child is eligible.
WHEN broadcaster and journalist Naga Munchetty began speaking openly about her experiences with adenomyosis and debilitating menstrual pain, the response was overwhelming.
Emails and messages poured in from women who had endured years of dismissal, silence and shame when it came to their health. That outpouring became the driving force behind her new book, It’s Probably Nothing, which calls for women to be heard and to advocate for themselves in a medical system that has too often ignored them.
“For so long, so many women haven’t been listened to by the world of medicine,” Munchetty said. “I knew this from my own experience of not being given adequate pain relief, or waiting years for a diagnosis. My motivation was to help women and people who love women to advocate better for women’s health.”
The book blends Munchetty’s personal journey with the voices of other women who have faced similar struggles, alongside expert insights from medical professionals. Its purpose, she said, is clear: to empower people to fight for their health.
“We need to be unafraid of saying how we have been weakened by our symptoms,” the BBC presenter said.
“Too often, we try to keep afloat, keep our head above water, but we don’t want to seem weak. That needs to change.”
Munchetty’s candour is striking. She describes the shame of being told her excruciating periods were “just normal,” leaving her to feel weak and whiny for struggling.
“You might as well have told me people have heart attacks while I’m having a heart attack,” she said. “Debilitating pain is serious — it may not be lifelimiting, but it is life-impacting.”
Her determination to challenge that culture led to her giving evidence in parliament, contributing to what became a Women and Equalities Committee report, published in December 2024.
The report made headlines for its stark conclusion: medical misogyny exists.
For Munchetty, seeing that phrase in black and white was transformative. “It was almost self-affirming,” she said. “We now know it’s there, so we can challenge it. Women can say: I know my body, I know there’s not enough research, and I am entitled to push for answers.”
The parliamentary report went further than acknowledgement. It called for ring-fenced funding for women’s health hubs, better training for GPs, and greater investment in research into reproductive conditions like adenomyosis and endometriosis.
It highlighted how symptoms are routinely dismissed as “normal,” delaying diagnosis and disrupting women’s careers, education and daily lives. Munchetty wrote in her book — referencing the report — that medical misogyny is not about blaming individual doctors, but about challenging a system built on insufficient research into women’s bodies.
“It gives women the language and the confidence to not just be heard, but to insist on being taken seriously,” she wrote.
Her book also tackles the additional barriers faced by women from minority communities, who may be discouraged by stigma or embarrassment from speaking about menstruation or menopause. To them, Munchetty has a clear message: “You are so much more valuable than you realise. If you don’t prioritise your health, you are lessening your ability to hold up everyone around you.”
Those featured in the book are friends, colleagues, charities and everyday women who contributed their stories, many for the first time. “I was surprised at how many friends are in that book with such powerful experiences,” Munchetty said.
“It told me all the more that we’re not speaking about it, and that it is sadly so very common.”
At a launch event for the book, contributors, family and experts filled the room with what Munchetty describes as an “electric and inspiring atmosphere.”
She said, “It was full of joy, of women who felt safe to speak up and be heard. This is not a whiny book — it’s a positive book. People felt they were part of making things better, part of this women’s health revolution.”
For Munchetty, writing the book was exhausting, but transformative, she said.
“I never thought I’d be an author. I’m a journalist. But this is journalism — facilitating people’s stories to be told powerfully and truthfully. People trusted me, and I’m proud of that.”
And Munchetty’s aim is for the book to be a tool for change: arming women with the language, confidence and strategies to advocate for their health.
“It’s not easy to admit you need help, and it’s not instinctive for women to prioritise themselves,” she said. “But this book will help you do that. It’s the silent friend who has your back and gives you strength.”
It’s Probably Nothing - Critical Conversations on the Women’s Health Crisis is now available in all good bookshops
The Shree Kunj Bihari Vrindavan (UK) Temple has officially launched its project to establish a grand home for Shree Banke Bihari in London.
The inaugural event, held in Harrow from 4 pm, featured devotional chants, the Deep Pragtya ceremony, and a presentation outlining the temple’s vision. Speaking at the gathering, Shalini Bhargava described the planned temple as “a spiritual home promoting bhakti, unity and seva for generations to come.”
Several dignitaries were honoured at the ceremony, including Cllr Anjana Patel, Mayor of Harrow; Anuradha Pandey, Hindi and Cultural Attaché at the High Commission of India; Kamakshi Jani of the Royal Navy; Councillors Janet Mote, Nitin Parikh and Mina Parmar; Krishnaben Pujara, Chairperson of ALL UK; and Truptiben Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain.
Organisers said the launch marks the beginning of a new spiritual and cultural hub for London’s Hindu community, offering a centre for devotion, learning and community service.
Martin Dickie has announced his departure from BrewDog and the alcohol industry.
He co-founded the Ellon-based brewer with James Watt in 2007.
Dickie cited family time and personal reasons for his exit.
His departure follows recent bar closures as part of a company restructuring.
BrewDog confirmed no further leadership changes will follow.
BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie has announced he is leaving the Scottish brewer and the wider alcohol industry for “personal reasons.” Dickie, who founded the Ellon-based business with James Watt in 2007, said he wanted to spend more time with his family after more than two decades in brewing and distilling.
Early beginnings
Dickie and Watt launched BrewDog at the age of 24, starting from a garage in Fraserburgh and selling hand-filled bottles from a van at local markets. The company grew rapidly to become one of the UK’s best-known craft brewers.
Leadership changes
James Watt stepped down as chief executive last year after 17 years in the role, moving into a non-executive position as “captain and co-founder.” Dickie’s exit marks another major shift in the company’s founding leadership.
Dickie’s statement
“Leaving BrewDog isn’t easy, but I’m ready to spend less time travelling and spend some more time at home with my young family,” Dickie said. He added: “It has been an honour to have worked with incredible, like-minded colleagues who live in a world of flavour and experimentation. In James Taylor and Lauren Carrol, BrewDog is in very strong hands and I will always remain a massive fan.”
Company response
BrewDog chief executive James Taylor praised Dickie’s contribution, highlighting his focus on product quality, workplace safety, sustainable supplier relationships, and new product development. “Martin’s contributions to BrewDog have been immeasurable,” Taylor said. “His creativity, passion, and relentless drive have shaped our company over the years and inspired countless others in the industry.”
Recent challenges
The announcement comes a month after BrewDog closed ten of its bars, including its flagship Aberdeen Gallowgate site and a Dundee outlet, citing commercial unviability. The company stressed that Dickie’s departure will not result in further leadership changes.