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.
It’s looking more and more likely that Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón could be behind the camera for the next James Bond movie. During a recent talk at the Paris Cinéma Club, Cuarón mentioned that he's in talks with Amazon and MGM about a project that he’s interested in handling “in his own way.” While he didn’t say the words “James Bond,” the hints were strong enough to spark serious buzz.
Amazon is wasting no time. After securing the rights to the Bond franchise in a major £800 million (₹8,400 crore) deal, the studio is keen to relaunch 007 with fresh energy. The producers, including David Heyman (Cuarón’s collaborator on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and Amy Pascal, are reportedly assembling a new creative team. Writers are already on board, and a director is the next big piece.
Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón, known for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and GravityGetty Images
Cuarón’s name has been circulating for weeks. Industry insiders had already tipped him as a top contender, especially given his track record with big-budget action and intimate storytelling. Gravity, Children of Men, and Roma speak for themselves.
Interestingly, this isn’t Cuarón’s first connection with Bond. Years ago, he turned down an offer when he found out action sequences would be handled by a separate unit. It didn’t sit right with him. “It felt very weird,” he said in a past interview. A conversation with Joel Coen helped him realise that not every film is meant to be made, and some are just meant to be watched.
But the landscape has changed. With Amazon at the helm, there's a chance the production process might evolve, giving directors like Cuarón more creative control. That, perhaps, is why he’s now reconsidering.
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There's still no word on who will step into Bond’s shoes next, but with Cuarón potentially in the director’s chair, the franchise could be heading into an exciting new chapter, something more grounded, more personal, and likely more daring.
For now, it’s all talk. But if this deal goes through, Bond 26 could mark the start of a new era, one shaped by a filmmaker who doesn’t just direct blockbusters but almost redefines them.
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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