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.
Neha Kakkar’s recent concert in Melbourne took an unexpected turn when the singer arrived nearly three hours late, leaving fans frustrated. While she attempted to make amends by apologising on stage, a section of the audience remained unimpressed, leading to a tense and emotional moment.
The Bollywood singer, known for hits like Kala Chashma and Aankh Maarey, took the stage much later than the scheduled time, prompting many in the crowd to react negatively. Some concertgoers booed as she addressed the delay, while others openly voiced their disappointment. One audience member shouted, “Go back! Rest in your hotel,” while another sarcastically remarked, “This isn’t Indian Idol.”
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A video circulating on social media captures Neha visibly distressed as she addresses the crowd. Fighting back tears, she apologised, saying, “I hate it. I have never made anyone wait in my life. I’m so sorry!” She tried to reassure the audience by promising an entertaining performance, but the tension lingered.
Despite her efforts to turn the night around, many fans remained upset, especially as the performance reportedly lasted less than an hour. One attendee wrote on social media, “Came on stage at 10 PM for a 7:30 show, then cried and left in less than an hour. What a waste of money.”
The incident quickly sparked debate online. While some defended Neha, calling her apology genuine, others accused her of unprofessionalism. A social media user commented, “Three hours late? This is unacceptable,” while another wrote, “She should refund the tickets.”
Amid the backlash, Neha has chosen to focus on staying positive. She later posted a picture on Instagram, enjoying lunch with her pet dog, captioning it, “Positivitea.”
Neha Kakkar enjoys lunch with her pet dog amid backlash, shares 'Positivitea' post on InstagramInstagram Screengrab/NehaKakkar
Artists arriving late to concerts is not uncommon, but such delays often lead to backlash, especially when fans have paid high prices for tickets. While Neha’s emotional response may have resonated with some, the incident has raised questions about accountability in live performances. Whether it was due to unforeseen circumstances or poor time management, the controversy has overshadowed what was meant to be a beautiful night of music and entertainment.
Everyone is saying it: Diane Keaton is gone. They will list her Oscars and her famous films. Honestly, the real Diane Keaton? She was a wild mash-up of quirks and charm; totally stubborn, totally magnetic, just all over the map in the best way. Off camera, she basically wrote the handbook on being unapologetically yourself. No filter, no apologies. And honestly? She could make you laugh until you forgot what was bothering you. Very few people could do that. That is something special.
Diane Keaton never followed the rules and that’s why Hollywood will miss her forever Getty Images
Remembering the parts of her that stuck with us
1. Annie Hall — the role that reshaped comedy
Not just a funny film. Annie Hall changed how women in comedies could be messy, smart, and real. Her Oscar felt like validation for everyone who had ever been both awkward and brilliant in the same breath.
2. The nudity clause she would not touch
Even as an unknown in the Broadway cast of Hair, she had a line. They offered extra cash to do the famous nude scene. She turned it down. Principle over pay, right from the start.
3. The Christmas single nobody saw coming
3.At 78, she released a song. First Christmas. Not for a movie. Not a joke. Just a sudden, late-life urge to put a song out into the world.
4. The wardrobe — menswear that became signature
Keaton made ties and waistcoats a kind of armour. She was photographed in hats and wide trousers for decades. Style was not a costume for her; it was character. People still imitate that look, and that is saying something.
5. Comedy with bite — First Wives Club and more
She could be gentle one moment and sharp the next. In The First Wives Club, she carried the ensemble effortlessly, landing jokes while letting you feel the heartbreak beneath. Friends who worked with her spoke about her warmth and how raw she stayed about life.
6. A filmmaker and photographer, not just an actor
She directed, she photographed doors and empty shops, she wrote. She loved the weird corners of life. That curiosity kept her working and kept her interesting.
7. Motherhood, chosen late and chosen fiercely
She adopted Dexter and Duke and spoke about motherhood being humbling. She was not pressured by conventional timelines. She made her own map.
8. The last practical act
Months before she died, she listed her Los Angeles home. A quiet, practical move. No drama. It feels now like a final piece of business, a woman tidying her own affairs with clear-eyed calm.
9. The sudden end — close circle, private last months
Friends say her health declined suddenly and privately in recent months. She kept a small circle towards the end and was funny right up until the end, a friend told reporters.
10. Tributes that say it plain — “trail of fairy dust”
Stars poured out words: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Ben Stiller, Jane Fonda, all struck by how singular she was. They kept mentioning the same thing: original, kind, funny, utterly herself.
Diane Keaton’s legacy in film comedy and fashion left a mark no one else could touchGetty Images
So, that is the list.
We will watch her films again, of course. We will notice the hats, laugh at the delivery, and be surprised by the sudden stab of feeling in a small, silent scene. But more than that, there is a tiny, stubborn thing she did: she made permission. Permission to be odd, to age, to keep making mistakes and still stand centre screen. That is the part of her that outlives the headlines. That is the stuff that does not fade when the credits roll.
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