KAJOL’S PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED WITH A NEW DREAM ROLE.
IT IS extra special when a film starring Kajol is released because the massively popular A list star is very selective about the projects she chooses to do.
That is why there is great excitement about her return to the big screen in hotly-anticipated film Helicopter Eela, which revolves around a devoted mother who makes sacrifices for her son and comes to a crossroads in her life when he grows up.
As someone who made parenthood a priority over films, Kajol related to the comedy-drama
and immersed herself into the film produced by her husband Ajay Devgn.
Eastern Eye caught up with Kajol to talk about Helicopter Eela, motherhood, charity
work and her biggest hero.
Motherhood is supposed to be stressful, but you are getting more gorgeous as you are growing older. What is your secret?
(Laughs) The secret is that I am a mum. I better be on my A-game at all times, because if I am not I am sure my children will take absolute advantage of it. But honestly speaking, if we are talking about Helicopter Eela, it is about a woman who has a coming-of-age moment when she realises that being a mom is just not the only thing in her life and she has to find out who she is and where she lost her identity. That is what Helicopter Eela is about.
I think as you grow older and your children grow up, a little bit every mother realises that there has to be something more.
What do you mean?
There have to be more job descriptions added to your name besides mother, daughter and, you know, wife. There has to be more to that to make up who you are and your entire identity.
You are the pickiest A-list actress in the industry. What did this film have for you to say yes?
The movie was so relatable and the script was really good. It was a superb idea and most important what I loved about the movie is that it had so much humour in it. I liked that the film is not so much slapstick humour as it is situational comedy. It is a funny situation for people to be in. I also loved the relationship between the mother and the son. I could see it being something everyone could identify with.
How many parallels are there between you and the character?
There are plenty. Not as much as Helicopter Eela, but definitely up to a certain extent. I think every mother is possessive and obsessive about her children. Mothers believe that ‘my children are the best looking, smartest, coolest and if you say one word against them you better watch out as I will be tearing you apart’. So I think every mother has an Eela inside her and yes, she is a little more obvious than I would be, probably. A little more obsessive than I would be, but I think she is very relatable.
Everyone sees you as a big star, but you are also a technically-gifted actress. Has your approach changed over the years?
Thank you so much for asking me that, Asjad, because it has changed. I was never a very technical actor. It actually changed in a very weird way during the movie We Are Family, where I realised the time has come to change as actors; we can’t be stylised any more. We have to be actors and don’t have a choice in the matter. We have to unlearn everything we thought before or could manage earlier or get away with.
I realised you can’t escape that today and have to relearn a different form and method, which is a lot more natural.
You helped bring girl power into Hindi cinema, so you must be happy that films like Helicopter Eela are getting made today?
I am very happy about it and thankful to the audiences more than anything for changing their minds and opening up their ideologies to accept different kinds of films. We now have various female-driven films doing well and lots of other subjects. It is not only about a hero, a villain, a romantic angle and the action any more.
We have murder mysteries, thrillers, horror and many more, which have done well in their particular genre. Suddenly, so many people are willing to sit and pay a particular amount to see this film, which is a necessary aspect for all of these movies to be made. I don’t know whether anyone understands that part about it or accepts the economics of filmmaking.
You are brilliant when you do comedy and are doing it again with Helicopter Eela, but do you find it easy as a genre?
I don’t. I remember Johnny (Lever) bhai telling me this a long time ago that ‘it is much easier to make someone cry on screen than it is to make them laugh’. I never understood it completely till I realised that it is bang on true.
It is just so difficult to make people laugh. There are some superb actors who can make you do both. They are people who you cry for and ones you laugh with. That is something I aim towards and who I want to be.
Most girls, when they are younger, don’t want to be like their mothers, but turn into them eventually. When did you turn into your mother?
It started a long time ago. I idolised my mother (actress Tanuja). I thought she was a rock star and still is. She is absolutely amazing. If I have to say anyone has super powers then it is my mother because she brought me up. (Laughs).
I am grateful that eventually I will become like her. I hope that I can achieve everything she has through her life.
What quality do you have that is the most similar to your legendary mother Tanuja?
My mother and I are both honest in our work. We both have the same work ethic. We also have the same attitude towards work and life.
Do you think mothers are under pressure to be the bad cop disciplinarian, while fathers play the good cop. Is that the case with you?
I am definitely the bad cop, there are no two ways about it. Recently I think my husband has decided to share that bad cop responsibility with me a little bit.
Generally we have our roles to play – that I am the bad cop and he is the good one, but nowadays, sometimes it is the other way around, which I am really enjoying. (Laughs). I have to say that I am getting more brownie points now than I was earlier.
The other really motherly thing you have done that I admire is your charity work with children. Tell me how important is that to you?
Thank you so much for saying that. Social responsibility is something that I feel should be taught in school, which is not, and we as adults come into it much later in life.
You need to grow up to a point to accept the fact that you should have a social responsibility. That is something my mother taught us from the time we were kids, where we used to go around our entire building and collect money for charities like Save The Children.
Tell us more about that?
So, every six months we would be sent to flats in our building to collect money for charities. As kids our mother taught us this and also did this on her own. She sponsored children and their education. We learned from her example.
That is something I hope my children learn from me. That is something I wish we were taught on a broader basis. It shouldn’t be selective and you know, niche. It should be something that is inculcated into our children with subjects like science, maths and geography.
The expectations we have of you are higher than other leading ladies in the industry, does that put pressure on you?
(Laughs). Not at all. I am gonna beat them hollow.
Do you have any dream role that you haven’t played yet?
Honestly there isn’t, because I don’t think that it helps when you dream of a particular kind of character to play. If I found that mind-blowing character and had a crap script I would be thoroughly disappointed and wouldn’t know what to do with it.
I hope, pray and dream about fantastic scripts coming to me that I know I can transform and make amazing characters out of.
Apart from being a mother, you are a great actress and also a powerful role model. What advice would you give young girls starting out on their respective journeys in life?
One advice I would give, which I see so rampant in society, is that please don’t identify yourself by your size, gender, colour or race.
Each human being is unique, wonderful and is impossible to replace.
At a time when the world feels chaotic and heavy, Disney Pixar’s Elio arrives with a message that couldn’t be more relevant: kids matter, and they’re stronger than they realise.
The animated film, which had its star-studded premiere in Los Angeles this week, follows an 11-year-old boy who accidentally becomes Earth’s ambassador in outer space. Directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, Elio is Pixar’s first feature with a Mexican-Dominican lead, voiced by Yonas Kibreab. His character’s journey from an outsider on Earth to a confident connector among aliens mirrors what many young people feel today: lost, overlooked, and searching for belonging.
Elio’s release comes as immigration protests sweep through Los Angeles and the Latino community finds itself under pressure. For co-director Sharafian, the film taps into a very current feeling of hopelessness.
“At the start, Elio sees the world in a bleak way, and a lot of us feel that,” she said on the red carpet. “But through space and friendship, he sees Earth a bit differently by the end. That shift, that spark of hope, is what we want to pass on.”
Zoe Saldaña, who plays Elio’s aunt, added that the film encourages children to express vulnerability and parents to respond with understanding rather than control. “A child knows who they are. Our job as adults is to love them unconditionally as they figure it out,” she said.
Yonas Kibreab and Jameela Jamil attend the World Premiere of Disney and Pixar's "Elio" Getty Images
Jameela Jamil: ‘The world feels broken, but kids can fix it’
British actress and activist Jameela Jamil, who voices Ambassador Questa in the film, didn’t hold back when describing the film’s importance.
“We need hope, because the world is a dumpster fire right now,” she said. “Young people are constantly told they have no power. But this film reminds them that they do.”
Jameela Jamil attends the Los Angeles premiere of Disney Pixar’s ElioGetty Images
She added that Elio speaks to kids directly, urging them not to wait for fame or influence to make a difference. “You don’t need to be a politician or a celebrity to change things. Just care, and act.”
Elio opens in UK and Indian cinemas on 20 June, in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
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Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023.
NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.
The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.
This marks a shift in Apple’s export strategy from India, which earlier supplied iPhones to several destinations including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Britain. Now, India-made devices are being directed almost exclusively to the US market.
Between March and May, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 3.2 billion US dollars (around 2.35 billion pounds) from India, with most shipments heading to the United States. In May 2025 alone, shipments were valued at nearly 1 billion dollars (around 735 million pounds), the second-highest monthly figure after the record 1.3 billion dollars (around 955 million pounds) in March.
Apple declined to comment, and Foxconn did not respond to a Reuters request for a statement.
Tariff pressure
US president Donald Trump on Wednesday said China would face 55 per cent tariffs under a plan agreed in principle by both countries, subject to final approval. India, like many US trading partners, faces a baseline 10 per cent tariff and is negotiating to avoid a 26 per cent “reciprocal” levy that Trump announced and then paused in April.
In May, Trump criticised Apple’s increased production in India. “We are not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well, we want you to build here,” he said, recalling a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
In the first five months of 2025, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 4.4 billion dollars (around 3.23 billion pounds) to the US from India. This already exceeds the 3.7 billion dollars (around 2.72 billion pounds) shipped in the whole of 2024.
Export push
Apple has been accelerating its iPhone shipments from India to reduce dependence on China amid rising tariffs. In March, the company chartered aircraft to move iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e models worth roughly 2 billion dollars (around 1.47 billion pounds) to the US.
Apple has also urged Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance time at Chennai airport, a key hub for iPhone exports in Tamil Nadu, from 30 hours to six hours, Reuters has reported.
“We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25 per cent to 30 per cent of global iPhone shipments in 2025, as compared to 18 per cent in 2024,” said Prachir Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research.
Tata’s role
Tata Electronics, another Apple iPhone supplier in India, shipped nearly 86 per cent of its iPhones to the US during March and April, the customs data showed. Data for May was not available.
The Tata Group company began exporting iPhones in July 2024. During 2024, 52 per cent of its shipments went to the US, according to the data. Tata declined to comment.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has promoted India as a smartphone manufacturing hub. However, high import duties on mobile phone components continue to make domestic production more expensive than in many other countries.
Apple has historically sold over 60 million iPhones annually in the US, with approximately 80 per cent made in China.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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The new trio cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron step into a world where childhood and fame rarely mix well
As HBO prepares to bring Harry Potter back to screens with a new television adaptation, excitement is high around the casting of Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. But amid the buzz, a quiet voice of caution has emerged. Chris Watson, father of original Hermione actress Emma Watson, is urging parents and the industry to tread carefully when it comes to child stardom.
Chris Watson is not speaking as a critic or industry insider but as someone who watched his daughter grow up inside a global franchise. Emma was nine when she landed the role of Hermione Granger, and what followed was a decade of public attention that reshaped her life. Her father remembers the shift vividly. “Her homework would go back to school on motorbikes,” he once said, pointing to the surreal logistics fame forced on them.
Emma, who has since spoken openly about the emotional toll of growing up famous, has described feeling “terrified” and “inadequate,” and even envying her peers for being able to do ordinary things, like knowing their favourite colour or forming friendships without public scrutiny. It’s this experience that Chris is drawing from when he warns: “As a parent, you have to be scared.”
Fame at a young age comes with a price
The context this time is different. The casting process for the HBO reboot reportedly involved sifting through 30,000 applicants. The new trio are young and relatively unknown, just like their predecessors were in 2001. But the digital world they’re entering now is far more invasive. Every post, photo, or comment is dissected in real time, exposing young actors to criticism, trolling, and unwanted attention, far beyond the limited press tours of 2001.
Chris Watson, Emma’s father, and other insiders warn of the emotional toll facing today’s young starsGetty Images
Emma’s journey: Blueprint and cautionary tale
Emma Watson was nine when she won the part of Hermione. Almost overnight, their whole family life bent around filming schedules. Chris Watson deliberately downplayed Hollywood’s glamour at home. He “doesn’t actually watch films” to prevent Emma from believing the character defined her. He insisted Warner Bros. respect her schoolwork and spare time. Yet the pressure still mounted.
Emma later admitted she struggled with guilt in therapy and suffered “vertigo” from constant public attention. At 18, invasive paparazzi shots were published within hours of her birthday, while her co-stars faced parallel battles. Daniel Radcliffe used alcohol to cope, arriving on set "still drunk" and "dead behind the eyes," while Rupert Grint felt reduced: "I felt like I only knew how to do one thing: play Ron."
From online hate to AI threats, the rebooted Wizarding World may be more dangerous than magicalGetty Images
2025’s more perilous journey
The AI Boggart- Generative AI and deepfakes now make non-consensual, manipulated images or videos a real threat. These digital illusions can damage reputations and cause emotional harm in ways the original cast never encountered.
The Rowling Snare- With J.K. Rowling as executive producer, her polarising views on transgender rights hover over the series. Despite assurances they won’t influence the storyline, the new actors will be drawn into cultural debates and pressured to take sides.
Although he never offered a bullet-point plan, his comments cut straight to the heart of what matters:
"As a parent, you have to be scared" “While there are many upsides, nothing is perfect and you have to recognise there are going to be downsides you could not have imagined.” His frank admission underlines the need to stay vigilant and prepared for unexpected challenges.
Keep home life sacred “It certainly helped that I don’t actually watch films... the studio and everybody else knew that this was not Emma’s whole life, and that she had homework to do, she played a little bit of cricket as well.” Here, Watson shows how he maintained normal routines including school, family time and sports to prevent Emma’s identity from merging with Hermione Granger.
Reach out and share hard-won experience “If they want to talk to someone who’s been through this… I would be more than happy.” By offering mentorship to the new parents, Chris emphasises that open communication and shared support are vital tools in safeguarding young actors.
Unlike the early 2000s, today’s child stars face nonstop scrutiny, digital dangers and cultural controversyGetty Images
Alumni perspectives: Lessons from child stars past
Several former young actors have shared insights that accentuate Chris Watson’s warnings. Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) recalls feeling “adored and trapped” when the cameras stopped but expectations didn’t. Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker) describes how relentless attention led to severe anxiety. Their stories make it clear that the hardest effects often come once filming wraps up.
Behind the excitement of the reboot lies a harsh reality many child stars never escapeGetty Images
The ethical dilemma: Joy versus risk
Prospect Magazine asks whether it is ethical to place children in an environment rife with digital threats and guaranteed controversy. Can the magic of Hogwarts justify this gamble? HBO’s Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod praise the trio’s “wonderful” talent, and Rowling herself endorses them. But raw talent alone offers no protection.
Hollywood’s history with child stars reads grimly: Judy Garland fed amphetamines, Macaulay Culkin abused, Star Wars' Jake Lloyd broken by bullying. Can this cycle end? Chris Watson offers more than warnings; he’s extending mentorship to the parents.
Hogwarts is calling but fame’s dangers are louder for Harry Potter’s new trioGetty Images
Real magic: Protecting childhood
The return of Harry Potter also raises broader questions about corporate priorities. With J.K. Rowling returning as executive producer, a figure who now carries both creative authority and controversy, the series enters a more complex media landscape. Will the focus stay on the storytelling, or will the new stars be caught in wider debates?
For now, Dominic, Arabella, and Alastair are at the start of a journey that will define their adolescence. Whether that journey is empowering or overwhelming will depend not just on their talent, but on how well they’re protected behind the scenes. Chris Watson’s voice may not be the loudest in the room, but it carries weight, built on lived experience, and a simple truth: children in the spotlight still deserve a childhood.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.
The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.
Heavy rain and strong winds forecast
According to the forecast, some locations within the amber zone could see between 30mm and 50mm of rainfall, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 40–50mph. There is a heightened risk of frequent lightning and intense downpours, leading to flash floods and dangerous driving conditions.
The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north NorfolkGetty Images
The Met Office said fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. People are advised to remain indoors during the worst of the weather and avoid unnecessary travel. Where travel is essential, extreme caution is urged.
Public urged to prepare
Residents in affected areas are being encouraged to check on vulnerable neighbours, especially those who may require assistance with food or medication. The Met Office recommends staying updated with local forecasts, charging electronic devices in advance, and securing outdoor furniture or loose items.
Yellow warnings cover wider region
Alongside the amber alert, several yellow thunderstorm warnings have also been issued:
South-west England and Wales: 14:00–23:59 on Friday
Eastern and south-eastern England: 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday
Wales, western and northern England, and Scotland: 00:00–18:00 on Saturday
Heavy rain and thunderstorm warningBBC
Although yellow warnings indicate a lower risk than amber, the severity of thunderstorms could still be high in isolated areas. The warning for Saturday covers more of the UK as the storm system moves westward.
Heatwave peaks before storms arrive
The weather alert comes as Friday could become the hottest day of 2025 so far, with temperatures possibly hitting 30°C around the Norwich area. This would surpass the previous high of 29.3°C recorded at Kew, London, on 1 May.
Elsewhere across East Anglia and south-east England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high twenties, which is about 7–10°C above the seasonal average.
Cooler weekend ahead
With rising humidity and atmospheric instability, the thunderstorms are expected to mark the end of the hot spell. Saturday will bring cooler conditions, with temperatures dropping to the low to mid-twenties in the east and the high teens across other parts of the UK.
The Met Office continues to monitor the situation and has advised the public to follow the latest forecasts and travel updates.
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Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020
THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.
Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.
However, an NCA investigation showed Shergill’s crime group imported around 250kg of cocaine with a street value of £20 million between February 26 and April 24, 2020. The gang used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in order to arrange the drugs deals.
Shergill and his accomplices are “directly responsible for the horrendous consequences Class A drugs (banned) have among our communities,” said Rick Mackenzie, NCA operations manager. “Proceeds of crime proceedings have been started and all identified assets owned by the defendants have been frozen and are currently under restraint. The NCA will work with our partners at the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] to ensure that any money made from their drug enterprise is recovered.”
Shergill arranged premises for class A drugs to be delivered to in the UK using the EncroChat handle “orderlyswarmer”, the investigation found. He would liaise with contacts in the Netherlands over impending deliveries, before his group distributed them around the country.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020. He initially denied smuggling class A drugs, but eventually admitted the offence.
On September 20 last year, Shergill was jailed at Birmingham crown court. The news can now be reported after the last member of his gang, 43-year-old Jagdeep Singh, was jailed for the same offences last week.
Singh was an electrician by trade, and was tasked with taking receipt of drug deliveries and acting as a warehouseman. At the time of his arrest in April 2020, he was in possession of 30kg of high-purity cocaine.
He has now been sentenced to six years and eight months behind bars.
Three other gang members were also sentenced last September – Khurram Mohammed, 37, jailed for 14 years and four months was Shergill’s second-in-command and a trusted worker.
Shakfat Ali, 38, who travelled around the UK on behalf of the group and is believed to have delivered drugs, was jailed for 16 years and nine months; while Mohammed Sajad, 44, a trusted member of the group, was jailed for 16 years.