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Mira Nair meets Tabu, Radhika Apte and Richa Chadha for her next

Prodigious filmmaker Mira Nair is gearing up to begin work on her next project. Based on the popular novel A Suitable Boy by renowned Indian author Vikram Seth, the project will be an eight-part series jointly bankrolled by BBB and Netflix. It is being adapted by Emmy-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies.

The latest update on the much-anticipated project is that Nair visited Mumbai last week in relation to the casting of her series. She met popular actresses Tabu, Radhika Apte, Richa Chadha and Shefali Shah. And if everything falls into place, some of these actresses might bag a role in the series. Interestingly, Nair has already directed Tabu in the 2006 film The Namesake.


According to a source, "Mira met Radhika, Richa and some actresses from regional cinema. They were casual meetings and not auditions per se. Mira is quite instinctive and can gauge easily if a certain actor fits the bill. She also had a chat with Tabu about the project. The author has been specific in his sketch of Lata Mehra — her character is shown as the right mix of rebellious and subservient. As per the original text, it is mentioned that she is of dusky complexion. Mira wants to stay honest to the source material as much as possible”.

To be shot in India in the last quarter of the year, the series will feature an entirely non-white cast.

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Chetan Bhagat

Chetan Bhagat says some Bollywood actors cannot enjoy a meal unless photographers spot them

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Author Chetan Bhagat says the obsession with fame is harming Bollywood actors' mental health

Highlights:

  • Bhagat says some stars can’t enjoy meals if not photographed.
  • Author calls Bollywood a “drug house of fame.”
  • He left movies to focus on writing and moved to Dubai.
  • Sees industry as insecure, with friendships mostly transactional.
  • Believes creating stories gives him more satisfaction than films.

Chetan Bhagat says fame in Bollywood can take a serious toll on mental health. The bestselling author, whose novels like 3 Idiots and Kai Po Che! became major films, explained that many actors and directors struggle when their work doesn’t succeed. “There are actors who, when going to a restaurant, if they aren’t recognised, don’t enjoy the meal. They wonder, ‘No one came to click photos?’ Can you imagine what a sick life that is?” he said.

Bhagat added that the pressure of attention and constant public scrutiny can worsen insecurity. He recalled seeing stars fade over time, their mental health affected by the highs and lows of fame.

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