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British star Banita Sandhu aiming to build on the success of debut film October

British actor Banita Sandhu, who made her debut with October, says she does not want to limit herself to a particular genre.

The 20-year-old actor says she enjoys commercial cinema and she wants to be associated with good content.


"I don't want to box myself into anything. I have done October and I am super happy. I want to be versatile and work with different creative people. If it is a massy film, great or if it is going to be independent film with first time director, that also will be great. I just want to be creatively passionate about the project.

"... We all have grown up watching (commercial cinema) and there is a reason they do well. But at the same time, I am so much driven creatively to push the envelope and boundaries and creating new content," Banita said.

The actor received appreciation for her performance as Shiuli, a hotel trainee who goes into coma after a freak accident. The film also starred Varun Dhawan.

"I am indebted to Shoojit Sircar (director) for trusting me with this role. It was a life changing role for me. It looked easy on screen but it wasn't. We all worked as a team to pull it off. The response we got is incredible. I feel blessed and grateful to be part of the project," she says.

After shooting the film, Banita returned to the UK to film Diljit Dosanjh's music video Jind Mahi.

The actor says Diljit approached her team for the song and she was excited to work with him.

"I am a Punjabi and my family like Diljit. They are more excited about this music video. I am a huge fan of Diljit and Udta Punjab is one of my favourite films. It was an enjoyable shoot," she says.

On films, Banita says she is yet to zero in on her next project.

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Laura Dern steps into one of television’s biggest dramas

Just days after Helena Bonham Carter made an abrupt exit from The White Lotus, HBO has moved quickly by bringing in a familiar face for creator Mike White. Laura Dern has officially joined the fourth season of the Emmy-winning series, which is already filming in southern France. While Bonham Carter’s departure sparked curiosity about what happened behind the scenes, Dern’s arrival shifts the focus back to the show itself and adds another major name to one of television’s most closely watched franchises.

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Dern’s casting stands out because this is not her first collaboration with White. The pair first worked together on Year of the Dog before reuniting for HBO’s Enlightened, which they co-created and which earned Dern a Golden Globe. That history makes her casting feel less like a quick fix following Bonham Carter’s departure and more like White turning to a long-time creative partner he trusts. Dern also brings considerable star power, having won an Academy Award for Marriage Story and starred in projects such as Jurassic Park, Wild and Big Little Lies.

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