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.
Actor Babil Khan, known for being open about his mental health and struggles as a newcomer in Bollywood, recently found himself at the centre of online speculation after an emotional video of him went viral. In the clip, Babil was seen expressing frustration about the film industry, describing it as “rude” and “fake,” while naming fellow actors like Ananya Panday, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Arjun Kapoor. Many assumed the comments were aimed at criticising these individuals, but Babil has now returned to clarify what really happened.
After the video spread on Reddit and sparked backlash, Babil briefly deactivated his Instagram. He soon returned, explaining that his words had been taken out of context. Far from attacking his peers, he said he was actually appreciating them for staying grounded and contributing positively to the industry.
“I don’t have the energy to explain myself again and again,” he wrote, “but I owed it to the people I admire—actors like Ananya, Shanaya, Siddhant, Raghav, Arjun, Adarsh, and Arijit.” He added that the video came from a place of emotional exhaustion and a deep desire for the film industry to be more authentic and kind.
Ananya Panday showed her support publicly, and Siddhant Chaturvedi reposted a clip of Babil saying, “Mujhe itihaas likhna hai, kitaab nahi”—meaning, “I want to create history, not just write about it.”
Official statement from Babil Khan's familyInstagram Screengrab
Babil’s family also released a statement urging people not to twist his words. “He was simply highlighting the few people he truly respects in the business. Like anyone, Babil is allowed to have bad days.”
The video also revealed Babil’s sense of isolation, with him stating in a past interview that he has no real friends in the industry and prefers solitude. Experts say that being in a high-pressure, often performative environment without emotional safety can take a toll, especially on sensitive, creative minds.
Babil Khan's story Instagram Screengrab
Amid this storm, Babil shared a touching scene of his late father, Irrfan Khan, crying in a film, likely reflecting how deeply he misses him during this difficult time.
Ultimately, this wasn’t about drama. It was about a young actor trying to find his footing in a space that often feels cold and speaking up for those who are trying to bring warmth back.
Perry's onstage quip about "Englishmen" felt like a deliberate signal.
Those yacht photos are, frankly, undeniable.
It started with a Montreal dinner most people missed.
Both are out of long-term relationships.
Well, she’s as good as confirmed it, hasn’t she? Katy Perry just tossed a verbal grenade into her London concert, and the pieces all point to Justin Trudeau. That line about Englishmen? You do not say that by accident. It lands just days after those, let's face it, pretty steamy pictures of them surfaced on her boat. This Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau thing is suddenly feeling very real, shifting from rumours to a full-blown celebrity romance.
Katy Perry’s stage moment sparks worldwide fan theories about a secret romance Getty Images
So what did she actually say?
Mid-show at the O2, looking out at the crowd, she hits them with this: "London, England, you’re like this on a Monday night?... No wonder I fall for Englishmen all the time."
Pause.
Then came the kicker: "...but not anymore." The place erupts. It was too specific, too perfectly timed. And then, almost as if scripted, some fan proposes to her. Her comeback was: "I wish you’d asked me 48 hours ago." What is that, if not a nod to a new, serious someone?
Let’s talk about the yacht. The Daily Mail got those shots and, while grainy, the story they tell is crystal clear. The photos were taken off the coast of Santa Barbara, on her 78-foot Caravelle. He is pulling her in, kissing her cheek. His hand was on her backside in another frame. This follows that low-key Montreal dinner in July that almost flew under the radar.
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Where does this leave everyone?
Right, let us look at the context. Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom only finalised their split recently, with the co-parenting news coming out in July. Justin Trudeau’s marriage to Sophie Grégoire also ended last year. Both are prominent figures with busy lives who have only just become single. Sources are already saying he has been "persistent," flying to see her on tour breaks. It has the feel of something that is accelerating fast. And Perry, with that London comment, seems ready to let it.
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