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‘I’m taking Hindi classes’: Anya Chalotra on her British-Indian heritage

The actress currently plays Yennefer in Netflix’s The Witcher.

‘I’m taking Hindi classes’: Anya Chalotra on her British-Indian heritage

The Witcher, one of the biggest fantasy series ever produced, returned for its third series last week. Netflix premiered its first five episodes on June 29, with episodes six through eight slated to release on July 27.

The Witcher boasts an impressive cast, including Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, a character that leaves behind a neglected childhood to become the most formidable sorceress ever trained at the magical academy of Aretuza.


The 26-year-old was born to an Indian father and an English mother and is extremely proud of her dual heritage.

In one of her recent interviews, Chalotra opened up about visiting India in 2019 and meeting his paternal relatives in the Indian state of Punjab.

“It completely got me,” the actress told the publication. “It was very special to go with my dad. He got to show me Pathankot, where so many of my aunties and cousins still live. They’ve been keeping up-to-date with our lives and we stay abreast of theirs. Even though we had never met, we became so close so soon. It was everything I had expected Indian culture to be—where your cousins are actually like your siblings.”

Chalotra aims to keep nourishing her roots in India and has, in fact, started taking Hindi classes to improve her command of the language. “I’m taking Hindi classes! I kid you not, I grew up on Bollywood. It was a way for my dad to show me his culture. There was a song from every cult movie—Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., Kal Ho Naa Ho, Main Hoon Na, Veer-Zaara—that I learned and performed for my family at some point.”

Stay tuned to this space for more updates!

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Vijay fans pack airports as they rush to Malaysia for 'Jana Nayagan' audio launch

The event, dubbed "Thalapathy Thiruvizha," will feature a tribute concert celebrating Vijay's career

Instagram / kvn.productions

Vijay fans pack airports as they rush to Malaysia for 'Jana Nayagan' audio launch

Highlights

  • Flight prices from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur surge by up to 40pc as one lakh fans expected for December 27 event.
  • Malaysian authorities ban political merchandise and speeches following tragic stampede at recent TVK rally that killed 41.
  • Ten-hour tribute concert with Anirudh Ravichander and over 30 performers to celebrate Vijay's three-decade cinema career.

Airports across Chennai and Kuala Lumpur are witnessing unprecedented crowds as thousands of Vijay fans travel to Malaysia for the grand audio launch of his purported final film, Jana Nayagan, scheduled for December (27) at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Videos and photos circulating on social media show packed terminals with fans filling flights bound for Kuala Lumpur. The senior manager operations at Divo Movies in Chennai described the surge as "completely unplanned," noting that flights to the Malaysian capital are "exclusively filled with Thalapathy Vijay fans."

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