Never wanted to struggle to survive as actor:
Actor Gajraj Rao, who plays a pivotal role in Badhaai Ho, says though acting is his first love, he never wanted to put a burden of survival on his passion as a performer.
“Honestly speaking, I never wanted to struggle for my survival as an actor. I struggled to bag a good role in a good film. I always wanted to be a part of a story that is worth telling, and work along with good talent that offers me a learning experience,” Gajraj said.
After finishing his formal education in acting from the National School Of Drama, Gajraj worked in the fields of copywriting and dialogue writing, as also in an export-import company, before becoming an advertising professional. “I do not want to tell my family that they have to live in poverty because I am struggling as a creative person. At the same time, I do not want to act in a film where my role has nothing new to offer. So in the last 25 years, I found my way to bag a substantial role in films in a much sustainable manner,” he added.
Starting his career in 1994 with the film Bandit Queen.
I still work with my heart: Jackie Shroff
He has a career spanning over four decades in Bollywood and has done over 200 films. Jackie Shroff, who has over five movies waiting to release now, says he still works with his heart.
He made his acting debut in 1982 with Dev Anand’s Swami Dada and went on to give hits like Hero, Yudh, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Tridev, Parinda, Saudagar, Khalnayak, 1942: A Love Story and Rangeela. He was recently seen in JP Dutta’s Paltan.
He said: “Nothing has changed. I still work with my heart. Some people take me in the films thinking it will change their life or film. Sometimes I look at the banner, sometimes at the script and sometimes at the director. But emotions is something I am associated with.” Jackie who has also done movies in different languages like Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bhojpuri and Gujarati says that his work is my break. “It takes me to different parts of the world and I get to meet different people," the 61-year-old actor says and aspires to remain healthy, and reciprocate the “love and affection to all the people who have made me who I am.”
‘Be wary of unsubstantiated allegation’
Celebrity photographer and film producer Atul Kasbekar has denied an anonymous allegation that he and Cheat India director Soumik Sen are “sleazebags who harass women with their powerplay”. In a statement on Twitter, Ellipsis Entertainment which Kasbekar co-owns, reacted on the allegation based on an anonymous tweet from a newly-created ID on the micro-blogging platform.
The statement, signed by Kasbekar, Tanuj Garg, Shanti Sivaram, Swati Iyer and Piya Sawhney, reads: “We have no received any complaint of inappropriate behaviour by director Soumik Sen from any female member in our unit of 'Cheat India' during the shooting.”
They pointed out that the banner has produced films like Neerja and Tumhari Sulu, renowned for their female protagonists which have been beacons for women empowerment. “While we support the #MeToo movement in India, we urge for people to be wary of unsubstantiated allegations, particularly anonymous ones, which could be mischievously made with ulterior motives. We also hope that these do not dilute the credibility of the ongoing movement,” Kasbekar said.
