Known for helming such successful films as Take Off (2017) and Malik (2021), Malayalam filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan is ready to set his foot in Bollywood with a thriller, titled Phantom Hospital. The film is based on an unprecedented investigation into the Indian healthcare system.
Producer Priti Shahani, who earlier bankrolled such critically and commercially successful films as Talvar (2015), Raazi (2018), and Badhaai Ho (2018), will produce Phantom Hospital. She will bankroll the film under her newly launched production house, Tusk Tale Films.
The screenplay of Phantom Hospital has been written by Narayanan and Akash Mohimen. The 39-year-old filmmaker said that he is thrilled about making his first Hindi film. “I was instantly drawn to the story inspired from true incidents in the Healthcare sector of India. It gives me immense pleasure to associate with Priti Shahani, who has delivered quality content, and Josy Joseph, whose meticulous research has added great layers to the story. “My films have received so much love from the Hindi audiences that I am truly looking forward to directing my first Hindi feature,” Narayanan said in a statement.
Shahani said her aim is to champion stories that are reflective of the current times and will resonate with the audiences. “I am excited to partner with Mahesh Narayanan, whose stories have travelled to a nationwide audience and is truly a visionary filmmaker and India’s finest Investigative journalist Josy Joseph. “Together we aim to make an entertaining film that uncovers one of the most shocking scandals in our country. All of us have been victims of it unknowingly, and through this film, we hope to wake up the audience to a new reality,” Shahani added.
Joseph, Founder of Confluence Media, said he is confident that Phantom Hospital will turn out to be a path-breaking movie. “The strange thing about India is that its real stories are far more dramatic than any that a writer can imagine, but those have not been harnessed enough for visual storytelling. I am confident that Phantom Hospital will be a path-breaking movie that will showcase Mahesh’s mastery over the craft and Priti’s capability to see through challenging projects,” he said.
Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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