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.
After more than a decade, iconic rock band Guns N’ Roses is heading back to India. They’ll perform live at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse on May 17, 2025. This will be their first show in the country since 2012, and fans have been waiting a long time for this.
Tickets for the Mumbai concert go on sale starting March 19. There’s an early pre-sale window for select cardholders on March 17, so if you’re keen, mark those dates. Given the buzz, tickets are expected to sell fast.
The band’s core lineup which includes Axl Rose on vocals and piano, Slash on lead guitar, and Duff McKagan on bass will take the stage to perform some of their biggest hits. Expect timeless anthems like Welcome to the Jungle, Sweet Child o’ Mine, November Rain, and more. Fans can also look forward to tracks from across their discography, from their historic 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction to later releases like Madagascar.
This Mumbai gig is part of Guns N’ Roses’ 2025 world tour, which includes stops in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Along the way, they’ll be joined by various guest acts, including members of Public Enemy, Rival Sons, and even Sex Pistols legends at different venues. While these guests aren’t confirmed for India yet, the energy around the tour is definitely high.
Guns N’ Roses holds a legendary status in rock history. Appetite for Destruction still stands as the best-selling debut album in U.S. history, and their Not in This Lifetime tour (2016-2019) became one of the highest-grossing concert tours ever. Even now, they continue to pull in millions of listeners, almost over 24 million monthly streams on Spotify alone.
Anil Makhija from BookMyShow Live, who’s bringing them to India, called it a proud moment. “Their music brought people together and defined a generation,” he said.
For Indian rock fans, May 17 promises to be a truly unforgettable night.
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.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.