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.
• Hrithik Roshan praises Jr NTR’s precision, calling him a “one-take final-take star” at the War 2 pre-release event. • Jr NTR returns the compliment, calling Hrithik “India’s best dancer” and recalling being awed by Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. • Directed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 releases on 14 August and features Kiara Advani in a pivotal role. • The film is part of Yash Raj Films’ Spy Universe and will clash with Rajinikanth’s Coolie at the box office.
Hyderabad turned into a hub of excitement on Sunday, 10 August, as the makers of War 2 hosted their only pre-release event just days before the film’s release. Fans, especially those of Jr NTR, packed the venue to witness his first public appearance with co-star Hrithik Roshan ahead of his Bollywood debut.
Taking the stage, Hrithik showered praise on the RRR star, calling him a “one-take final-take” performer. “Tarak, I have not just observed you, I have learnt from you,” Hrithik said. “We have had very similar journeys for 25 years, and I think Tarak sees a little bit of himself in me too. It is true when they say he is a one-take final-take star.”
Hrithik Roshan calls Jr NTR a one-take final-take star at War 2 Hyderabad event Instagram/yrf
The Krrish actor went on to reveal the biggest takeaway from working with Jr NTR , giving 100% to every shot. “Not 99.99%, not 99.999%, but 100%. He will not even check the monitor because he knows he has given everything. I will carry this lesson into my future films. Tarak, thank you for teaching me that,” he said.
Hrithik Roshan praises Jr NTR’s precision and dedication in War 2 Instagram Screengrab/telugufilmnagar
Jr NTR calls Hrithik Roshan ‘India’s best dancer’
The admiration was mutual. Jr NTR recalled watching Hrithik’s debut film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in a Hyderabad theatre and being stunned by his dance moves. “Since then, I have been a huge fan of Hrithik sir. Everyone says I am a good dancer, but I truly believe Hrithik sir is India’s best dancer,” the Telugu superstar said.
He also expressed confidence that Telugu audiences would embrace Hrithik as warmly as Hindi audiences would welcome him. “Each and every fan of mine will take you to their hearts. Your responsibility is ours,” Jr NTR assured.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 continues Yash Raj Films’ expanding Spy Universe, following Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), War (2019), Pathaan (2023), and Tiger 3 (2023). Hrithik reprises his role as RAW agent Kabir Dhaliwal, while Jr NTR plays the primary antagonist. Kiara Advani joins the cast as an army officer and Kabir’s love interest.
The film is set for a major release on 14 August, coinciding with the Independence Day holiday weekend. Early box office tracking from Sacnilk suggests strong anticipation, with pre-sales already crossing £193,000 (₹2.09 crore) domestically.
Adding to the buzz is the fact that War 2 will open alongside Rajinikanth’s Coolie, creating one of the biggest box office clashes of the year. Trade experts expect both films to draw massive crowds over the holiday weekend, with audiences split between the two megastar-led projects.
Given its star power, high-octane action sequences, and its place within the YRF Spy Universe, War 2 is already being positioned as a major crowd-puller in both the Hindi and Telugu markets. The Hyderabad event’s energetic atmosphere only reinforced the anticipation surrounding the film.
Erivo returns to the BBC dance show in a new role.
She will advise contestants during Movie Week.
The professional dancers are doing a Wicked performance.
She previously served as a guest judge.
The move ties in with her new film release.
Strictly Come Dancing has called in Cynthia Erivo for special duties. The award-winning performer will act as a guest mentor when the show holds its Movie Week. This marks a fresh job for Erivo on the programme after she previously served as a judge. She is expected to guide the celebrities through their big screen themed routines.
Strictly Come Dancing brings back Cynthia Erivo to guide celebrities in Wicked-inspired Movie Week performances Getty Images
What does a guest mentor do?
This is a new position created for the series. Erivo will visit the couples during their practice sessions. She will give them tips on how to sell a performance. Her job is to help them look more like film stars on the dance floor. When the live show happens, she will also join the judging panel to watch the results.
Cynthia Erivo takes over mentoring on Strictly Come Dancing to boost celebrities for high-stakes Movie Week Getty Images
Why choose Cynthia Erivo?
She knows her way around the Strictly ballroom. Producers brought her in to cover for judges before. People still talk about how she spoke to Rose Ayling-Ellis using sign language. That moment showed she understands how to connect with performers. She also has a new Wicked film in cinemas right now, which makes the timing work well.
Yes, the professional dancers have prepared something special. They will perform to As Long As You're Mine from the musical. Erivo sings that song in the movie version. The number will likely feature costumes and sets from the production. It should serve as a major moment during the broadcast.
The Movie Week episode airs this Saturday evening on BBC One. The competition is starting to get serious now. Some couples are already struggling to impress the judges. Having Erivo there might give someone the boost they need to avoid elimination this weekend.
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Lahore-based alt-jazz band fuses South Asian classical, jazz, and hip-hop.
Sarangi virtuoso Zohaib brings centuries-old tradition into modern grooves.
UK debut at Union Chapel won over South Asian diaspora audiences.
Barbican show promises richer textures, extended improvisation, and cinematic moments.
Collaboration with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh bridges generations and heritage.
Let's get one thing straight: you can't pin Jaubi's sound down. It's a mash-up, sure: Hindustani classical rhythms, the freefall of jazz, hip-hop's grounding beat. But for them, it's never about genre. It's all gut feeling. Speaking exclusively to Eastern Eye ahead of their Barbican show on 3 October, the Lahore-based band opened up about their philosophy, their roots, and why improvisation feels like a conversation, not a performance.
Why “whatever” is more than a name, it’s their musical philosophy
It all starts with the name: Jaubi. It's Urdu for "whatever." Or "whoever."
"It's a philosophy," they say. "It means that when we sit down to create, we're not thinking, this has to be jazz, or this needs to sound like traditional South Asian classical music. We're just expressing what feels true in that moment." In an industry that feeds on neat boxes, that's not just a name; it's a rebellion.
This philosophy manifests in a sound that connects cosmic dots. It's the yearning of John Coltrane crashing into the beat science of J Dilla and the narrative flow of Nas. At its heart is the soulful cry of the sarangi, played by Zohaib, a seventh-generation carrier of that rare lineage.
So how do you honour centuries of tradition while plugging it into a modern context?
"We're conscious of honouring the tradition," they explain. The goal isn't forced modernisation. "The goal isn't to modernise the sarangi, but to create a dialogue between past and present, showing it can exist alongside a bassline or drum loop without losing its soul. In that way, the tradition is protected by being kept alive and relevant, not locked away."
Jaubi brings centuries-old sarangi to modern beats
The intimate, human centre of Nafs at Peace
This dialogue is captured perfectly on their album Nafs at Peace. The album cover, a photo of Ali Riaz Baqar's mother praying, is its intimate, human centre. The title track sonically maps an inner journey. "It begins sparse and unsettled—loose rhythms, open spaces, almost like a mind in turmoil... By the end, everything locks together in harmony. It's not triumphant, but a calm and quiet resolution."
This raw, honest sound wasn't lab-grown. Their seminal session with UK jazz figure Tenderlonious and pianist Marek Pędziwiatr was a one-day, improvised gamble.
Jaubi: the band proving South Asian music can break every rule
"We weren't sure how these worlds would meet: Marek's piano, Tenderlonious' sax, our tabla, guitar, and sarangi." The initial anxiety was palpable. But then, the first notes. A response. An instinctive conversation began. "About halfway through the day, we hit a deep groove, a moment where everyone locked in and that's when we knew it was working. From there, the sessions flowed effortlessly."
For Jaubi, the path of a song is never pre-destined. "The melody always leads for us and everything else builds around it," they say of their writing process. "When I write, I usually start with a melodic idea... From there, the vibe naturally takes shape. We never force it into a category but we just follow where the melody wants to go."
Lahore’s sound goes global with Jaubi’s improvisation
Finding a sense of pride in heritage
This 'whatever' philosophy is resonating powerfully far from home. Nobody knew how their UK debut at Union Chapel would go over. But the reaction? It cracked the place open. "The response was overwhelming, particularly from the South Asian diaspora. Many people came up after the show saying it felt like hearing the sounds of their childhood reimagined in a new way." One conversation crystallised their mission: "Someone who said they'd never seen the sarangi on a stage like that before. They felt proud and emotional, like their heritage was being celebrated rather than just preserved."
Now, they're preparing for the Barbican. "We are expanding the live setup with richer textures, more percussion, deeper bass, and space for extended improvisation. It will feel bigger and more immersive, almost cinematic at times." The moment they want to etch into memory? "If there is one moment I hope people carry with them, it is A Sound Heart. When we play it live, there is a point where everything aligns, and you can feel the whole room breathing with the music."
Sharing the bill with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Amrit Kaur is a lesson in itself. "Playing alongside them feels like being part of a living tradition… What we take away most is their sense of presence. They do not rush, they let the music breathe. It reminds us to listen closely and to focus on expression rather than complexity."
Jaubi: redefining South Asian music, one note at a time
Looking to the future
This entire journey is rooted in Lahore, a city they describe as "alive with sound right now," pointing to a vibrant underground scene and artists like Maanu, Natasha Noorani, and the Mekaal Hasan Band.
Looking ahead, the legacy they want, true to their name is about opening doors. "In the next decade, we hope Jaubi's legacy is about possibility." It always comes back to doors left unlocked. A way for traditions to breathe new air, for jazz maps to include Lahore, and for some kid somewhere to think, "I can do that too."
Their final word on it? "We want younger musicians to feel free to experiment, whether they pick up a centuries-old instrument or make beats on a laptop. If our journey inspires even a few people to take risks and create something honest, then we have done our job."
Catch them on 3 October at the Barbican. Listen for the point where it all clicks into place. It's the sound of "whatever" finding its perfect, unforgettable voice.
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His status not only as a cinematic icon but also as a successful entrepreneur
Shah Rukh Khan’s net worth reaches approximately £1.04 billion, marking his entry into the billionaire club.
Tops the Hurun India Rich List for Bollywood stars.
Wealth primarily driven by Red Chillies Entertainment and IPL franchise ownership.
Global real estate holdings and luxury lifestyle complement his business ventures.
From actor to billionaire
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has officially joined the billionaire club for the first time, according to the Hurun India Rich List 2025. With a net worth of approximately £1.04 billion, Khan now holds the top spot among Bollywood actors, cementing his status not only as a cinematic icon but also as a successful entrepreneur.
Khan’s journey from modest beginnings in Delhi to international superstardom is well documented, but it is his business acumen that has pushed him into billionaire territory. Over the years, he has leveraged his fame into multiple ventures, spanning production, sports, and luxury lifestyle investments, making him a notable figure in both the entertainment and business worlds.
Red Chillies Entertainment: The backbone of wealth
A significant portion of Khan’s fortune stems from Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company he co-founded in 2002. The company has produced numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films while expanding into visual effects, animation, and digital media. Today, Red Chillies employs over 500 people and is considered one of India’s leading production houses.
“The company was always about creating quality cinema while embracing technology,” industry insiders say. “Khan’s vision and persistence have made it a business as well as a creative hub.”
Sports ventures and global assets
Khan’s wealth is also supplemented by his ownership of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League, which has become one of the league’s most successful and valuable franchises. The team’s success has provided both financial gains and a strong cultural presence.
In addition to cinema and sports, Khan owns luxury properties around the world. His Mumbai residence, Mannat, is valued at approximately £16.7 million. He also owns homes in London, Beverly Hills, Dubai, and a farmhouse in Alibaug. His luxury car collection includes a Bugatti Veyron (£1 million), Rolls-Royce Phantom (£790,000), and Bentley Continental GT (£273,000). These assets reflect his global lifestyle while complementing his business portfolio.
Bollywood’s wealth landscape
The Hurun India Rich List 2025 shows a growing trend of actors transforming their fame into substantial financial empires. Following Khan are Juhi Chawla and family (£649 million), primarily from Knight Riders Sports; Hrithik Roshan (£180 million), through his fitness brand HRX; Karan Johar (£156 million) of Dharma Productions; and Amitabh Bachchan and family (£136 million) from various investments.
A personal perspective
Despite his immense wealth, Khan remains grounded. Close collaborators note that his happiness is derived from family and the joy of creating stories that connect with people, rather than from material possessions. His rise to billionaire status underscores how creativity, perseverance, and business acumen can intersect, inspiring both aspiring actors and entrepreneurs alike.
Shah Rukh Khan’s inclusion in the billionaire club marks a landmark in his illustrious career, illustrating the evolution of a film star into a global business icon, while highlighting the potential for success beyond the silver screen.
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Tilly Norwood, a fictional actress, introduced by London-based studio Particle6
SAG-AFTRA slams debut of AI-generated “performer” at Zurich film conference
Union says replacing human actors with synthetic characters threatens livelihoods
Tilly Norwood, a fictional actress, introduced by London-based studio Particle6
Talent agents reportedly showing interest, but industry experts remain sceptical
Backlash over synthetic debut
The debut of a computer-generated “actress” called Tilly Norwood has sparked strong criticism from Hollywood’s performers’ union, SAG-AFTRA, which has condemned the replacement of real actors with digital stand-ins.
Norwood was unveiled at a film industry conference in Zurich over the weekend, appearing in a short parody video about an AI-generated television show. Created by London-based studio Particle6, the character was presented as a fresh-faced, twenty-something newcomer with a British accent, brown hair, and her own social media profile.
Dutch actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, who founded Particle6, told attendees the project was beginning to attract interest from talent agencies and that an industry deal was likely within months.
Union pushes back
SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 160,000 actors, recording artists, and performers, swiftly issued a statement rejecting the move.
“Creativity is, and should remain, human-centred,” the union said. “The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.”
Officials also noted that Norwood’s creation relied on training data built from the work of countless actors who were neither asked for permission nor compensated.
“To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor,” the statement added.
A digital star in waiting?
Particle6 has produced a series of synthetic characters, with Norwood pushed as the breakout figure. In one social media post, the character declared: “I may be AI generated, but I’m feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what’s coming next!”
Van der Velden defended the project, calling Norwood a “creative work” rather than a replacement for humans. “Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity,” she wrote on Instagram.
In a more provocative remark earlier this year, Van der Velden suggested her ambition was for Norwood to become “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.”
Industry scepticism
Not all industry observers are convinced. Yves Bergquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California’s Entertainment Technology Center, dismissed the excitement as exaggerated.
“There is a lot of understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced,” he said. “But judging from my daily interactions with Hollywood executives, there is zero interest from serious people in developing entirely synthetic characters. Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person.”
A wider debate
The controversy comes just months after performers and writers raised concerns about the impact of automation on jobs during contract negotiations with studios and streaming services. While computer-generated imagery has long played a role in film-making, the idea of synthetic performers crossing into mainstream storytelling has fuelled fears over the erosion of creative labour.
For SAG-AFTRA, the launch of Tilly Norwood is not simply a publicity stunt but a warning of how easily digital experiments can shift into questions about rights, recognition, and the value of human artistry.
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Formulaic Hindi films lose ground as Telugu cinema delivers spectacle and authenticity that resonate with UK desi audiences
Telugu blockbusters like RRR and Pushpa are drawing UK crowds.
Bollywood flops have pushed audiences to look elsewhere.
British Asians connect with stronger, rooted Telugu heroes.
Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG smashed overseas records.
More UK cinemas now screen Telugu films to meet demand.
The queue for a new Bollywood film was quiet. But around the corner, snaking down the street in a British city, a different queue was buzzing. It was not for a Hollywood blockbuster. The chatter was not in Hindi. It was in Telugu, English, and regional British Asian dialects, all waiting for a Pawan Kalyan film. This scene is becoming the new normal.
Formulaic Hindi films lose ground as Telugu cinema delivers spectacle and authenticity that resonate with UK desi audiences AI generated
When the default setting broke
For years, Bollywood was the default. It was the comforting, familiar voice of 'home' for millions in the diaspora. The formulas started to feel tired. We'd grown up watching those Bollywood stars, trusting them to deliver. But something broke, and suddenly, they couldn't get people through the door. When films like Laal Singh Chaddha and Bachchhan Paandey arrived, they just failed to connect. It felt like we were being shown a plastic-wrapped India, scrubbed clean for an international crowd we no longer recognised. That old thread that tied us to them? It snapped. And in the quiet that followed, you could hear something else roaring to life.
Formulaic Hindi films lose ground as Telugu cinema delivers spectacle and authenticity that resonate with UK desi audiences AI generated
The pan-Indian quake
The rise of Telugu cinema in the UK is not an accident. It started with movies that spoke the language of sheer scale fluently. Baahubali wasn't just a movie. It was a proper legend, the kind that felt ancient and massive. It proved, without a doubt, that a story spun in India could stand tall on any screen in the world. You could feel the rumble in your seat. Then you had RRR and Pushpa crash in. They took that energy, the spectacle, and turned it into something you could chant along to. They weren't apologising for what they were, and this was the undiluted escapism fans were starving for. This was what they called "maximum entertainment," and it was a gut punch of fun.
For British Asian audiences, many with roots in smaller towns and villages, this felt more authentic than Bollywood’s increasingly urban, Western-facing stories. It was a sensibility that translated perfectly, speaking a visual language of spectacle that needed no translation.
Telugu films, by contrast, doubled down on identifiable emotion and a kind of unapologetic heroism. Their protagonists are often loud, rooted, and purposeful; they fight, they sing, they love on camera without irony.
But the shift goes deeper than just spectacle. It is about the kind of hero you want to see on screen. For a long time, mainstream British Asian representation often came with a side of comedy. The culture was sometimes the punchline: the accented parents, the generational clashes played for laughs. It was a representation that could feel limiting.
There is also a practical reason: a bigger, better diasporic infrastructure. Telugu speakers are numerous in the UK and beyond; distributors and cinemas have responded. Once theatres start screening Telugu films regularly, community momentum builds.
If there is a risk, it is twofold: Tollywood must be careful not to trade complexity for bravado, and Bollywood must decide whether to listen. For British Asians, cinema is a resource, a way to rehearse belonging.
He is almost a phenomenon in Telugu cinema. His influence doesn't end there. He's the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, a leader who talks about Hindu culture with a fighter's intensity. When you combine that with a fanbase whose loyalty feels less like admiration and more like a fundamental belief, you get a force that's hard to ignore. The release of They Call Him OG proved it. Tickets for the world's second-largest IMAX screen, all the way in Melbourne, vanished in two flat minutes. Across international markets, the film was running circles around Bollywood's biggest offerings.
So, you sit back and look at all that, and the question just forms itself: Why does this resonate so powerfully?
For a younger British Asian generation navigating dual identities, Kalyan represents an unapologetic cultural confidence. He is not diluted. He is not a stereotype. He is power and agency wrapped in a star’s persona. He offers an "oppositional gaze," a direct challenge to the narratives where their identity was the source of conflict, not strength, and choosing him is maybe a way of reclaiming a narrative.
Pawan Kalyan’s OG breaks overseas records with sold-out shows days before release Instagram/ogmovieofficial
The end of passive viewing?
This is not just about swapping one industry for another. It is a sign of a community maturing, of knowing what it wants to see reflected in the stories it consumes. They are no longer passive recipients of whatever cinema is handed down to them. They are active choosers. They are voting with their tickets for stories that feel epic, heroes that feel powerful, and a cultural voice that does not ask for permission to be loud, proud, and entirely itself.