B

Prabhudeva’s upcoming directorial, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, starring Salman Khan, has set a precedent by becoming the first film to adopt the new hybrid model of release amid the second wave of the pandemic. Sharing his excitement about the simultaneous release of his film in theatres and on the OTT space via a pay per view system, the choreographer-director says, “This is the first time that most of us are experiencing new format of content consumption as a part of the new normal. It is going to be experimental to have this film have a hybrid release. We all are adapting to what comes our way.” During the first lockdown last year, the shoot of Radhe had to be stalled and could only resume in October, 2020. Ask him if the long break affected the continuity of the process of filmmaking and he says, “The shoot for only two songs and some work was left, 98% of the film was done before lockdown. When we resumed again, we knew what we wanted to shoot. So, we wrapped up everything as soon as we got the chance to shoot...”

The film marks his third collaboration with Khan after Wanted (2009) and Dabangg 3 (2019). Prabhudeva reckons that he has seen Khan transform and evolve over the years. “His persona as a star has only evolved with time. He also understands the pulse of the audiences really well. With so many years of experience in the industry, he has mastered it and so, as a superstar, he knows what people want and he does that,” he ends.

Scan the code to read how students are sharing reels and videos to encourage vaccination. eing a busy celebrity and a hands-on mother to three children is certainly not a child’s play, pun intended. Actor Sunny Leone has so far been able to juggle all, and add to that the current pandemic times.

On the occasion of Mother’s Day today, we ask the 39-year-old about how she is dealing with the crisis. The actor reveals that she consciously chose to tell her three kids – Nisha (5), Asher and Noah (twins, 3) about what is unfolding. “We have explained what the virus is to our children – that we can get very sick and nobody in our house is supposed to get this virus. We have known a few people who have caught the virus and do you remember how sick they’ve got and they had to stay in and how scary it was. I feel it’s better and easier to tell the truth to our children that shielding them from the reality. We have been fortunate enough so far,” Leone says.

Until shoots were stopped, the actor had been venturing out and working. She has a web show and film lined up next, apart from a reality show which she shot for in Kerala. She continues to be there as of now. Being a mother, Leone confesses, is all about a new experience every day, despite work keeping her occupied. “Every single day is different. If I’m there in the morning, yes I’ll have to work in the evenings and day time. I come back home early for them, and take certain days off during the week so we definitely get quality time together,” she shares.

While the day is certainly marked to celebrate all the mothers, Leone says her children are too young for her to celebrate it like a holiday. Looking after them even more carefully in the pandemic takes precedence. “This feeling of ‘oh I should get something, feel something different on the day’ will come later on. As of now, the day doesn’t mean I get a day off. My children are still very young and need attending to. I remember growing up, my mother would have a day off and nice things would happen. They happen with me too. But my children still need to be fed, taken care of... That responsibility is still there. Maybe later as they grow older, I can get them to start pampering me! But right now, it’s mommy pampering them,” the actor laughs.