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Shah Rukh Khan moves out of Mannat for renovation, vendors around iconic bungalow struggle
Several vendors have spoken about the sudden slump. In a video circulating online, an ice-cream seller shared, “It’s made a big difference. Shah Rukh doesn’t stay here anymore, and once people found out, they stopped coming.” Another vendor added that earlier, people would stick around for hours. Now, if tourists find out SRK isn’t home, they simply turn their taxis around and leave.
The absence of fans hasn’t just hurt emotions; it has hit pocketbooks too. One vendor summed it up by saying, “When Shah Rukh is there, Mannat is special. Without him, it’s nothing.”
The iconic Mannat, once buzzing with SRK fans daily, now sees a sharp drop in visitorsGetty Images
Mannat, being a heritage property, needs special permissions for any construction. Shah Rukh’s team reportedly got court approval for certain extensions, which delayed the renovation start. Meanwhile, at their temporary address, Shah Rukh has leased four floors from producer Vashu Bhagnani’s family-owned building, Puja Casa. The deal was signed with Bhagnani’s children, actor Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh. Reports suggest SRK is paying around £22,600 (₹24 lakh) a month for the lease.
While Shah Rukh gears up for his next big project, King, alongside daughter Suhana Khan, the area around Mannat has lost its once-electric buzz. For the vendors who built their livelihoods around the star’s aura, it’s going to be a long wait until Mannat lights up again.
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Pushpa Iimpossible star Indraxi Kanjilal’s rise: From Kolkata to TV stardom
What first connected you to acting?
Watching daily soaps with my mother and grandmother. I was around four or five when I started mimicking scenes at home. Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif were big inspirations. I did not know acting could be a career back then, but I always dreamed of becoming independent by the age of 18.
How do you reflect on your acting journey so far?
When I was younger, I did a lot of advertisement shoots and waited for the right opportunity. During my 12th board exams, I got the chance to work on Pushpa Impossible. I knew it was a great opportunity, so I held on to it. I used to fly to Mumbai for shoots and return the same night to Kolkata for my exams. Since TV shows pay after a few months and I was not earning yet, my dad supported me financially.
What has the experience of working on Pushpa Impossible been like?
It is rare for an actor to land a role from their very first audition without going through struggles. This was my first ever audition, which I gave from Kolkata, and I was selected. I came to Mumbai, and when I first arrived, I was very raw – I did not even know what a two-shot or a single shot was. Over time, I learnt all the technical aspects. Earlier, I would get very nervous when the camera rolled, but now I feel confident. I want to keep learning and growing.
Indraxi Kanjilal shines as Pushpa Impossible breakout star—from Kolkata dreams to Sony SAB fame
What has been your most memorable moment on the show?
The days when I have big emotional scenes are memorable. But the most unforgettable day was my very first one on set. I had lived in Kolkata for 18 years and was new to Mumbai, and was surrounded by experienced actors. I was nervous, but everyone was so warm and welcoming.
Why do you think this drama is popular?
I believe it is the realism of the show that resonates with people. Even our directors encourage us to believe in the scenes rather than simply ‘act’ them. They always say, ‘Do not treat this like a shoot – believe that it is really happening’. I think the audience can feel that honesty.
How do you stay motivated as an actor when working on a long-running show?
I always try to stay motivated and positive. As actors, we meet so many people and portray a wide range of emotions, and I actually enjoy having a busy schedule. In our field, being busy is a blessing – it means you are in demand. That busyness keeps me going, and honestly, I want to stay busy for the rest of my life.
Do you have a dream role?
Yes, I would love to play a strong, intense character with dark feminine energy – something powerful and bold.
If you could master something impossible, what would it be?
If I had to choose something ‘impossible’, it would be the art of staying happy all the time. Although, honestly, I think always being happy might become boring. Life needs both light and dark moments. But if I want something, I will do everything I can to make it happen.
What do you enjoy watching the most?
2000s rom-coms. I love Mark Ruffalo’s films. I also enjoy movies like Legally Blonde and Mean Girls.
What inspires you as an actress?
The desire to keep improving and the hope that one day I will achieve something truly great that makes my family proud.
Actor Aziz Ansari, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by a woman with whom he went on a date last year, has responded to the claims saying the two engaged in "sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual".
The 34-year-old actor's statement comes after a 23-year-old Brooklyn-based photographer recounted a date with him that she called "the worst night of my life" in an interview with Babe.net.
"In September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date.
"We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indications was completely consensual," Ansari said in a statement given to People magazine.
The Master of None actor further said a text by the woman, named as 'Grace' in the article, said that she felt uneasy with how things transpired the night before and responded to her privately as he was "concerned" about her.
"The next day, I got a text from her saying that although 'it may have seemed okay,' upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem okay to me, so when I heard that it was not the case for her, I was surprised and concerned. I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said," he said.
Ansari, who became the first man of Asian descent to win Golden Globe recently for his performance in the Netflix show, added he supported the movement that has given women a chance to speak up about the injustice they have been subjected to till date.
"I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is necessary and long overdue," he said.
In the interview, the woman vividly described how she exchanged numbers with Ansari at the 2017 Emmy Awards after- party and went on a date with him on a bar on the banks of the Hudson river, which escalated quickly to a sexual encounter at his apartment.
The woman said she voiced her hesitation explicitly during their encounter.
She said she "used verbal and non-verbal cues to indicate how uncomfortable and distressed she was". The woman added that her reticence to engage in the act was "ignored" by the actor.
Grace alleged Ansari called her a cab when she wanted to leave and texted her the next day.
She shared a screenshot of the alleged conversation, in which she said, "Last night might've been fun for you, but it wasn't for me. You ignored clear non-verbal cues; you kept going with advances."
To this the actor allegedly replied, "I'm so sad to hear this. All I can say is, it would never be my intention to make you or anyone feel the way you described. Clearly, I misread things in the moment and I'm truly sorry."
Grace said she decided to come forward with the incident after she saw Ansari wearing a Time's Up pin at the Golden Globe Awards last week, where he won best comedy actor in a TV series.
"It took a really long time for me to validate this as sexual assault. I was debating if this was an awkward sexual experience or sexual assault. And that's why I confronted so many of my friends and listened to what they had to say, because I wanted validation that it was actually bad," she said in the interview.