According to fresh media reports, actress Nora Fatehi has been roped in to play a pivotal part in the upcoming Hindi film Bhuj: The Pride of India. Earlier Parineeti Chopra was cast to play the same role. However, she had to walk out of the project because of some other commitments. After Parineeti Chopra bowed out of the project, rumours about her replacement started doing the rounds.
Now, it seems that Nora Fatehi has been finalized for the film and the actress has even started preparing for her role of a spy in the movie. However, there has been no official confirmation from the makers. A source close to the development told a publication, “She came on board recently and has started attending workshops for her role with the director, also focusing on getting the body language of a spy right. She will start shooting after January 12, as part of the war drama’s 15-day last schedule.”
Bhuj: The Pride of India is a war action film based on a real-life incident. Set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, it revolves around the life of IAF Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik, who reconstructed the IAF airbase with the help of 300 local women. Superstar Ajay Devgn is playing the titular role of Karnik in the movie. In addition to him, the film also features Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Rana Daggubati, Ammy Virk and Pranitha Subhash on its star cast.
Popular South Indian actress Pranitha Subhash will be making her Bollywood debut with the film. Interestingly, her another Hindi movie, Hungama 2, is also scheduled to release on 14 August, 2020 when Bhuj: The Pride of India arrives in cinemas.
Bhuj: The Pride of India is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Divya Khosla Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Ginny Khanuja and directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya.
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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