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.
Survey of more than 12,000 UK women finds heavier, longer periods linked to long Covid
Symptom severity rises and falls across the menstrual cycle, worsening during periods
Tests reveal inflammation in womb lining and hormonal changes, but no damage to ovaries
Iron deficiency risk may exacerbate fatigue, dizziness and other common long Covid symptoms
Study highlights link between long Covid and menstrual changes
Women with long Covid are more likely to experience longer and heavier periods, putting them at increased risk of iron deficiency, researchers have found. The findings come from a UK survey of more than 12,000 women, which also showed that the severity of long Covid symptoms fluctuated across the menstrual cycle and often worsened during menstruation.
Findings from UK survey
Between March and May 2021, 12,187 women completed an online survey. Of these, more than 1,000 had long Covid, over 1,700 had recovered from the virus, and 9,400 had never tested positive. The study revealed that women with long Covid reported heavier and longer periods, as well as more frequent bleeding between cycles, compared with other groups.
A follow-up survey with 54 women showed that symptoms worsened in the two days before and during menstruation, pointing to a strong link between hormonal changes and long Covid severity.
Biological markers and test results
Researchers also analysed blood samples from 10 women with long Covid. These tests showed excessive inflammation in the womb lining and elevated levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone, both of which may drive heavier menstrual bleeding. Importantly, there was no evidence that long Covid damaged ovary function.
Risks of iron deficiency
Heavier periods increase the risk of iron deficiency, which is already common among women of child-bearing age. Symptoms of iron deficiency — such as fatigue, shortness of breath and dizziness — overlap with common long Covid complaints, leaving women particularly vulnerable.
Dr Jacqueline Maybin of the University of Edinburgh, who led the work, said the findings could pave the way for more tailored treatments for women. “Our hope is that this will allow us to develop really specific treatments for women with long Covid who are suffering with menstrual disturbance. It may also lead to female-specific treatments for long Covid itself.”
Global and national impact of long Covid
An estimated 400 million people worldwide are living with or recovering from long Covid. In England alone, nearly 2 million people self-report as having symptoms lasting more than four weeks after infection. More than 200 symptoms have been recorded, with the most common including fatigue, brain fog, breathing difficulties, digestive problems, headaches and changes to smell and taste.
Expert views on treatment potential
Dr Viki Male, a reproductive immunology specialist at Imperial College London, said the findings support a biological explanation for the link. “Inflammation in the uterus is associated with heavy menstrual bleeding, so this could be the link between long Covid and prolonged or heavy periods,” she explained. She added that anti-inflammatory drugs already used to treat heavy periods may also be effective for women experiencing this symptom as part of long Covid.
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The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations
Research for the World Curry Festival uncovered evidence of a curry house in Bradford in 1942.
Cafe Nasim, later called The Bengal Restaurant, is thought to be the city’s first.
The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.
Festival events will include theatre, lectures, and a street food market.
Historic discovery in Bradford’s food heritage
Bradford’s claim as the curry capital of Britain has gained new historical depth. Organisers of the World Curry Festival have uncovered evidence that the city’s first curry house opened in 1942.
Documents revealed that Cafe Nasim, later renamed The Bengal Restaurant, once stood on the site of the current Kashmir Restaurant on Morley Street. Researcher David Pendleton identified an advert for the cafe in the Yorkshire Observer dated December 1942, describing it as “Bradford’s First Indian Restaurant”.
Festival organisers confirm findings
Festival founder Zulfi Karim said the discovery ended long-standing debate over which was Bradford’s first curry house. For years, different establishments had laid claim to the title, including restaurants from the 1950s and the Sweet Centre in 1964.
“This was during the Second World War, so it’s hard to imagine what ingredients they had access to with rationing,” Mr Karim said. “Even the current owner of Kashmir Restaurant thought it only went back to the 1950s.”
Bangladeshi roots of curry in Britain
Mr Karim highlighted the role of Bangladeshi immigrants in establishing Britain’s curry houses, noting that many early arrivals to the UK were former Navy workers. “That’s 80 years plus now since we’ve had a curry house in Bradford and that’s a huge story,” he added.
World Curry Festival 2025
The festival, first launched in Leeds in 2008, is being held in Bradford this year as part of the City of Culture 2025 celebrations. Running from 15–29 September, it will feature a mix of food, culture and performance.
Highlights include:
Theatre of Curry: A staged reading of Balti Kings (1999) by Sudha Bhuchar and Shaheen Khan, with curry served during the interval.
Supper club experiences.
Talks by Dr Amir Khan on nutrition and preserving authentic recipes.
Preserving the future of curry
Mr Karim stressed the importance of supporting the industry, which faces challenges due to a shortage of new talent.
“We need to keep it local, keep it authentic, and encourage people to enjoy it but also learn to cook at home,” he said.
Finding romance today feels like trying to align stars in a night sky that refuses to stay still
When was the last time you stumbled into a conversation that made your heart skip? Or exchanged a sweet beginning to a love story - organically, without the buffer of screens, swipes, or curated profiles? In 2025, those moments feel rarer, swallowed up by the quickening pace of life.
We are living faster than ever before. Cities hum with noise and neon, people race between commitments, and ambition seems to be the rhythm we all march to. In the process, the simple art of connection - eye contact, lingering conversations, the gentle patience of getting to know someone - feels like it is slipping through our fingers.
Whether you’re single, searching, or settled, the landscape is shifting. Some turn to apps for convenience; others look for love in cafés, gyms, workplaces or community spaces. But the challenge remains the same: how do we connect deeply in a world designed to move at lightning speed?
We’ve become fluent in productivity, in chasing careers, in cultivating polished identities. Yet are we forgetting how to be fluent in intimacy? When was the last time you sat across from someone and truly listened - without checking your phone, without planning the next step, without treating time like a currency to be spent?
It’s a strange paradox: we have more access to people than ever before, yet many feel more isolated. Fun is always available - dinners, drinks, nights out, fleeting encounters - but fulfilment is harder to grasp. Are we mistaking access for intimacy? Are we human, or are we slowly adapting into versions of ourselves stripped of those raw, humanistic qualities - vulnerability, patience, tenderness - that once defined love?
Perhaps we’ve grown comfortable with the fast exit. It’s easier to ghost than to explain. Easier to keep moving than to pause. But what does that cost us? What do we lose when romance becomes a checkbox on an already overstuffed to-do list?
The truth is - the heart doesn’t move at the pace of technology or ambition. It moves slowly, awkwardly, with a rhythm that resists acceleration. Maybe that’s the point. Love has always lived in the messy spaces - hesitant pauses, nervous laughter, words spoken without rehearsal.
So the real question for 2025 is not “Have we gone too far?” but “Can we afford to slow down?” Can we still allow ourselves the sweetness of beginnings - the chance encounters, the unplanned moments, the quiet courage to be open?
Because in the end, connection is not about speed or access—it’s about presence. In a world that won’t stop moving, choosing to be present might be the bravest act of love we have left.
Instagram & TikTok: @Bombae.mix
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Researchers from the UK and US analysed data from American households between 2004 and 2019
Hotter days linked to greater intake of sugary drinks and frozen desserts
Lower-income households most affected, research finds
Climate change could worsen health risks linked to sugar consumption
Study based on 15 years of US household food purchasing data
Sugary consumption rising with heat
People are more likely to consume sugary drinks and ice cream on warmer days, particularly in lower-income households, according to new research. The study warns that climate change could intensify this trend, adding to health risks as global temperatures continue to rise.
Sugar consumption is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and has surged worldwide in recent decades. The findings, published in Nature Climate Change, suggest that rising heat could be nudging more people towards high-sugar products such as soda, juice and ice cream.
Climate link to diet
Researchers from the UK and US analysed data from American households between 2004 and 2019 and compared purchases with local weather conditions. They found that for every additional degree Celsius within the range of 12–30°C, people consumed an extra 0.7 grams of sugar per day on average.
Those with lower incomes or less education were the most affected, according to the study. Under worst-case climate scenarios, disadvantaged groups could be consuming up to five additional grams of sugar daily by the end of the century, lead author Pan He of Cardiff University told AFP.
Beyond recommended limits
The American Heart Association recommends a maximum daily intake of 36 grams of added sugar for men and 24 grams for women. However, most Americans already consume two to three times these amounts. A single can of soda contains about 40 grams of sugar.
The study showed that the increase in sugar consumption levelled off once temperatures rose above 30°C. Co-author Duo Chan of the University of Southampton suggested this may be because people had already altered their diets by that point. He warned this could be “even worse news”, as it showed dietary changes were occurring even at lower, not extreme, temperatures.
Substituting frozen treats
The research also indicated a drop in purchases of baked goods on hotter days, likely because consumers were substituting them with ice cream or other frozen desserts.
Health concerns
Unhealthy diets are among the four main risk factors for diseases that account for more than 70 per cent of deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. The authors concluded that climate change, by shaping dietary choices, could further worsen public health outcomes.
RESTAURATEUR and writer Camellia Panjabi puts the spotlight on vegetables in her new book, as she said they were never given the status of a “hero” in the way fish, chicken or prawns are.
Panjabi’s Vegetables: The Indian Way features more than 120 recipes, with notes on nutrition, Ayurvedic insights and cooking methods that support digestion.
She told Eastern Eye, “Most families and chefs regularly cook only 15 to 20 types of dishes. Many vegetables in shops are ignored, because people don’t know how to cook them.
“This book gives readers confidence by providing recipes, explanations, and photographs for 30 vegetables. It also shows how they can be prepared in different ways and with different cuisines — not just Indian.”
Panjabi is part of the family that runs Amaya, Chutney Mary’s, Veerswamy and Masala Zone restaurants. She is also the best-selling author of 50 Great Curries, which sold more than two million copies.
She previously worked for Taj Hotels in India, where she was involved in creating menus for various restaurants among other projects. These menus featured Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian and French cuisines.
When she eventually moved on after three decades, Panjabi realised that vegetables were almost always relegated to the end of a menu as side dishes.
In every cuisine the pattern was the same: starters and mains were prioritised ahead of sides — potatoes, cauliflower, or something similar.
“Yet, on the plate, two-thirds of the food is usually vegetables, while on the menu they only make up about five per cent,” Panjabi said.
Vegetarian meals often relied on mixing several items together — such as in a thali, stir-fries, or paneer combined with three or four vegetables.
A single vegetable was rarely celebrated on its own.
Panjabi listed around 30 varieties used in Indian food, including raw fruits such as banana and jackfruit.This sparked the idea for a book in which each vegetable would have its own section. “If someone has a cabbage, they should be able to look up different ways to cook it so that it becomes the main dish rather than just a side,” she said.
The recipes could be colourful, classical, traditional or inspired by street food.
With Indian dishes, people across the country are now, for the first time, experiencing cuisines from other regions, she said. Her book has 30 chapters on 30 vegetables, each with its own story, origin, and details of fibre content, calories, vitamins and whether it is acidic or alkaline.
Mumbai-born Panjabi, a Cambridge educated economist, is widely credited with shaping Indian fine dining on the global stage. She played a key role in launching Bombay Brasserie in London and later oversaw renowned restaurants including Veeraswamy and Chutney Mary. She was the first female board director of a public company in India, while serving as marketing director of the Taj Group. Now in her eighties, Panjabi said, “In most Indian restaurants in the UK, the vegetarian options are limited to dishes like gobi aloo, saag paneer, chole, and baingan bharta. There is so much more to discover.
“Western readers will see for the first time that they can cook vegetables the Indian way without necessarily making an Indian meal. They could have grilled fish or roast chicken alongside Indianstyle vegetables. That is the breakthrough — it is not limited to cuisine.
Panjabi said writing the book took two decades. “I thought it would take three or four years, but the process of discovery was so enjoyable that it kept extending,” she said. Only when Covid forced her to stay at home did she put it all together.
The result is a 350-page hardback with more than 120 colour photographs. Half the book is devoted to cooking fats, while the rest covers vegetables, lentils and millets. She described it as “almost like a food encyclopaedia,” weaving Ayurvedic wisdom with modern nutritional science.
“Much more research still needs to be done on the nutrition of vegetables,” she said, pointing out that the subject remains under-researched.
Everyday ingredients also find space in the book. She tackles myths aro-und protein deficiency in vegetarian diets, noting that Indians solved this long ago. Rice and dal, when eaten together, provide all nine essential amino acids needed for complete protein. “Dal-chawal has sustained Indian health for centuries,” she said.
Her experience in restaurants influenced her writing. Panjabi travelled across India, visiting research institutions including the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, and consulted scientists studying oils and vegetables.
She said, “When I was young, I felt that Indian food had not received its due recognition globally. My mother always explained the health reasons behind what she cooked, and I realised there must be a huge body of knowledge worth documenting.
“I feel I have only touched the tip of the iceberg (with this book). My hope is that this book will inspire other practitioners and people with influence in Indian food to join this journey.”
Vegetables: The Indian Way was published by Penguin Books