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.
Opened up about facing online trolling over her appearance.
Addressed bizarre “buffalo-plasty” claims made by online “experts”.
Stressed the importance of transparency as a “cautionary tale” for young fans.
You could tell she meant it. Sat across from Kajol and Twinkle Khanna, Janhvi Kapoor wasn’t just repeating polished PR lines. She was thinking on her feet, talking fast about the weirdest rumour she’d seen lately. “Some self-proclaimed doctors were like, ‘Let’s do a review of everything this person has done to their face’,” she recalled on Two Much With Kajol & Twinkle. “And they had my picture come up. They said things like some ‘buffalo plasty’ or something. I don’t even know what that is.”
Janhvi Kapoor reflects on late mother Sridevi’s guidance on cosmetic choices Getty Images
How did Sridevi guide Janhvi’s choices?
In an industry obsessed with image, Kapoor says her approach to any cosmetic procedures was measured and anything but reckless. She credits her late mother, the legendary Sridevi, with providing a crucial moral compass. “I think I have been very intelligent, conservative and proper about what I have done,” she stated. “Of course, I had the guidance of my mum.”
It’s a rare admission in a business where such topics are often met with flat denials. For Kapoor, it’s about context. Her mother’s guidance was less about endorsement and more about instilling a sense of caution and self-worth, a voice in her ear warning against doing anything for the wrong reasons.
Janhvi Kapoor speaks on plastic surgery admits Sridevi’s guidance shaped her choicesGetty Images
Why is Janhvi Kapoor being an ‘open book’ now?
The actress positioned her honesty as a necessary counter to the toxic culture online. She’s worried about the impact on young, impressionable fans who see edited photos and speculative videos every day. “I don’t want to perpetuate the idea of perfection among young girls,” she explained. “I’m a big believer of ‘you do you’. Do whatever makes you happy.”
It’s hard not to see her point.
But that freedom, she argues, must be rid of judgement. Her decision to talk openly acts as a “cautionary tale.” The core of her message is starkly practical. “If a young girl sees a video like this and decides ‘mujhe bhi ye buffalo-plasty karna hai’ and something goes wrong, that would be the worst thing ever,” she said.
Kapoor dismissed the trolls with a blunt answer: “The value I bring is beyond just how I look,” she said. Then came the mic drop moment. “And I look banging.” You could almost hear the collective nod from hosts Kajol and Twinkle. It was a declaration of self-possession. The work, the talent, the person, it all exists separately from the online noise. Her final piece of advice was simpler: “Live and let live.” The episode is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Family calls the report an “eyewash”, vows legal action
Rhea Chakraborty was cleared of abetment and financial charges
Lawyer says key evidence missing from closure report
Case returns to Patna court in December
The storm around the Sushant Singh Rajput death case refuses to quiet down. Days after India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the country’s top investigative agency filed a closure report giving Rhea Chakraborty a clean chit, the late actor’s family hit back, calling the document “flimsy” and “incomplete”. Their lawyer, Varun Singh, said the family would file a protest petition, mentioning the investigation “fails to tell the truth”.
Legal battle reignites as Sushant Singh Rajput family rejects Rhea Chakraborty clearance Getty Images/Instagram/rhea_chakraborty
What did the CBI conclude?
Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his home in Bandra on June 14, 2020. The CBI said it was suicide. The report says there is no evidence that Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik or anyone else forced or threatened him. It also says there was no sign of any money misuse or fraud.
When Rhea left Sushant’s home on 8 June, she reportedly took only her Apple laptop and a watch he had gifted her. “No property was dishonestly taken out of his possession,” the report notes. CBI officials even cited that Rajput had referred to Rhea as “family” in earlier conversations, a detail now fuelling new rounds of debate online.
Rajput’s family argues the agency’s closure report leaves too many blanks. Their lawyer told reporters that crucial files, including phone records, witness statements, and medical documents were missing.
“This is nothing but eyewash,” he said, questioning why the CBI hadn’t submitted all supporting material to court. “If they truly wanted transparency, they’d have placed every document on record.” For them, the issue isn’t only justice for Sushant Singh Rajput. It’s about faith in the system that once promised to deliver it.
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