After garnering great reviews for her riveting performance in Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi (2020), which premiered on Amazon Prime Video in absence of theatrical releases, Vidya Balan will next be seen in Sherni, a film which explores the man-animal conflict.
The National Film Award-winning actress had started shooting for the film on March 4. However, the makers had to stall the shoot after a couple of weeks as shooting activities came to a grinding halt due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Now, the news is coming in that the team is set to resume production in Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. Balan is expected to begin shooting towards the end of the month. An entertainment magazine reports that all necessary measures of safety will be in place, on the sets.
“A team of five to six members, who will serve as Covid-19 watchdogs, will be present on set every day to ensure that the crew is following all safety norms. Besides the government’s guidelines, the health experts will lay down additional Covid risk-management protocol. These experts are part of a professional agency that has monitored several ad shoots over the past few months. Even as they aim to achieve a zero-incident shoot, the makers have created isolation centers for asymptomatic people, on the recommendation of the experts,” a source close to the development informs the magazine.
Vidya Balan is playing the role of a forest official in Sherni, who joins hands with other officers and forest guards to chalk out a solution to the man-animal conflict that has plagued the forests. The additional cast of the film includes Vijay Raaz, Sharat Saxena, and Ila Arun.
Amit Masurkar, who last directed critically-acclaimed film Newton (2017), is helming Sherni. The project is being produced by Bhushan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, and Amit Masurkar.
Keep visiting this space for more updates.
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.