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Shreya Ghoshal on debuting with Devdas

​Shreya Ghoshal got her big singing break at the age of 16 when Sanjay Leela Bhansali spotted her on a reality show and roped her in to be the voice of Aishwarya Rai in ‘Devdas’. Twenty years down, the ace singer is still trying to wrap her head around it. In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Shreya took a trip down memory lane as she recalled her memories of meeting her mentor; spoke about how she deals with her low phase, what makes her stand apart and more. Excerpts…You started your journey in the film industry with Sanjay Leela Bhansali when you became the voice of Paro in Devdas. It also fetched you a National Award for ‘Bairi Piya’. Bagging such a big honour at such a tender age for your first project— what was going on in your mind at that time?I don’t think I grasped any of it. I was just going with the flow. I was both excited and nervous. I was 16 when I recorded for ‘Devdas’. It was an unfamiliar territory for me, as I was surrounded by musical maestros and music industry bigwigs. I had to sing for a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie, and that too for Aishwarya Rai. The studio used to be full of people. It was not like how it is now, where we go into the studio and there is just one person sitting at the console. I went to the old school of music production. I got to witness it and be a part of it. Every recording was like an audition.

It was nerve-wracking, but at the same time, it was a master class for me. I learnt a lot in the two years that went into the making of ‘Devdas’. I came out as a slightly more mature artist. I didn’t understand that my journey had already begun. I thought after this, I would go back to school and finish my degree. But that didn’t happen. ‘Devdas’ set the ball rolling for me, and I started getting one job after the other. Now, when I look back, I am surprised that I have completed 20 years in this industry. However, I still feel like the nervous little girl I was when I started. It looks like not much has changed!

How was your first impression of Sanjay Leela Bhansali? Has anything changed over the years?He has the same passion and the same energy. I don’t think he has ever had a blank moment in his life. There are times when we just want to chill and not think about anything else. I don’t think this man is capable of not being creative. He is always at his peak. I have told him so many times that I want to get into his mind just to know how it works. He is able to create such intricate, detailed work in cinema, and the same amount of depth is in his music as well. It is very rare to find a person who can express art in so many different mediums. This is incredible. He is always trying to get the best out of the artists he works with. He is someone who loves with all his heart and gets angry with all his heart. And all this is for the passion he has for cinema and music. I take inspiration from him. Complacency aane se pehle life mein ek baar Bhansali sir se milna zaroori hai. Once you meet him, you will realise you have not even scratched the upper level. There is so much to life and so much yet to be done.

You are one singer who has always managed to bring out rich emotions through her songs. What is that one thing that makes you stand apart?I don’t consciously put forth an effort or even think in that direction. I think what has stayed constant is my love for music. It doesn’t matter if I am singing for films or not. Even when I am not recording, I am sitting on my piano or with my tanpura at home. The sense of fulfilment that I get from music keeps me going. It probably shows in my work, and that’s why maybe people like what I do.

Ever since your debut, you have always managed to stay relevant and at the top. Have you also gone through a low phase? How did you deal with it?I am a very level-headed person, and I feel my background and my family are my core strengths in life. They keep me grounded and centered. Apart from my music, none of the things that I do matter to me. I genuinely love to live a simple life. I live by a simple philosophy: Be good, do good to others. Never harm anyone. It is very easy to lead a simple life and be at peace. I think that keeps me practical and relevant.

Sometimes people go on ego trips. They feel they have done so much in life that they have the power to say what’s right and what’s wrong. You need to listen to what people want. You must respect the audience who helped shape you into the person you are today. If you have that kind of humility and understanding of the balance, you are sorted. It keeps me going. Music is evolving, but human nature is not going to change. People are still all about good music, sur, taal, and soul. That will never go away. That, I believe, is what relevance is all about. Being human means being relevant.

In an exclusive talk with ETimes, Shreya reminisced about her encounter with her mentor; shared her techniques for handling her bad days, and what sets her apart from others.

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‘Jawan’ to mint Rs 70 crore on opening day

 

​With a 5 am show in Kolkata, a 6 am one in Jaipur and tickets flying off the proverbial shelf, Bollywood theatrical releases — most recent being “Gadar 2” and “OMG 2″ — are raking it in.Mumbai-based trade expert Komal Nahta agreed with Biji’s estimate.”The situation is crazy across single-screen theatres and multiplexes both. It is difficult to predict the business. It will at least do Rs 70 crore on day one (in India),” Nahta told PTI.In Delhi, the film releases ahead of the G20 Summit on September 9-10 with several heads of state, including US President Joe Biden, set to attend the event. While the city will remain open during the weekend, restrictions will be imposed on a small part of the NDMC area.Bijli said he is not worried about the theatrical business taking a hit in central Delhi because of G20 restrictions. It would mean four PVR theatres — PVR Plaza, Rivoli, Odeon and ECX Chanakyapuri — shut during the summit.”They are single screen theatres with a total capacity of about 2,000 seats so that really wouldn’t have much of an impact because the loss for that will be compensated by the fact that Delhi has a four-day weekend,” he said.About 30-35 per cent of the film’s business will come from the South, which again is bigger than the numbers made by “Pathaan”, added Bijli.The buzz around “Jawan” is also high in south India as a majority of the cast and crew hail from the region, said Chennai-based trade analyst Ramesh Bala.”The advance booking is looking good all over India, certainly so in the South as well. There are early morning shows in the south. It is a big release here for all the states combined because the cast and crew are from the South.”So the buzz is more. Looking at the advance booking response for the film, I think on day one, the film should do Rs 20 to 25 crore from the South market, and overall, it should do Rs 70 to 75 crore across India. If the movie is reasonably good, then the lifetime business of the movie will be Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 crore,” Bala told PTI.It’s not just in the South.Theatre chain Miraj Cinema, which has 182 plus screens across India, said it has already sold 28,000 tickets.”Due to overwhelming public demand, we’ve broken new ground by adding a 5 am show for a Hindi film in Kolkata, a first in our cinema’s history. Jaipur will experience the earliest screening at 6.05 am in Hindi, setting a record for the city,” Amit Sharma, MD of Miraj Entertainment Ltd, said in a statement.Senior distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal, said many theatres in Rajasthan will also hold early morning shows of “Jawan” due to the unprecedented response.”After almost 30 years in Rajasthan, we are having 6 am shows for ‘Jawan’. In the past, this happened with Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Hum’,” Bansal, director of Jaipur’s three-screen multiplex Entertainment Paradise, told PTI.In Mumbai, Gaiety-Galaxy, a prominent single-screen theatre, about 90 per cent of its seats are sold out.”Almost 80 to 90 per cent booking is done so far; by Thursday it will be houseful. We are happy with the golden run of movies in theatres, especially in single-screen theatres. I think because of ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Gadar 2’, the business in single screen has revived. The industry has bounced back in a big way. With ‘Jawan’ things are looking positive,” Manoj Desai, executive director of Gaiety, Galaxy and Maratha Mandir Cinema, told PTI.As screens open up for advance bookings in various cities, the Tamil and Telugu versions of the film are also seeing enthusiastic support although the Hindi version is naturally taking the lead, Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow, said in a statement.”What is interesting to note is that the Hindi language version of the film has seen maximum interest from markets in South and East India such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai amongst others,” he added.According to Bijli, 2023, particularly the months of July-August, have been great for the exhibition sector with the back-to-back successes of both Hollywood and Hindi movies such as “Mission Impossible 7”, “Oppenheimer”, “Gadar 2”, “OMG 2” and “Dream Girl 2″.”Movie going (experience) has come back. ‘Jawan’ has a lot going for itself. The film has Shah Rukh Khan, who has delivered ‘Pathaan’, a Rs 525 crore movie,” he said.That film releases on Janmashtami, when many people celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, and a weekend follows one day later is expected to boost sales.Rajkot-based distributor Ajay Bagdai said the advance booking for “Jawan” looks promising as Gujarat will have a holiday weekend due to Janmashtami.”At my theatre in Rajkot, we have 1,100 seats and so far we have sold about 750 tickets, only for September 7. On the first day, the pan-India business should be at least around Rs 50 to 60 crore,” Bagdai added. 

Shah Rukh Khan’s next movie “Jawan” is expected to outperform the opening day grossing of “Pathaan” from earlier in the year. It is projected that Jawan should reach nearly 70 crore in earnings on its premiere day at the theaters.

 

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Salman Khan warns against fake casting agents

 

Shah Rukh Khanfor an action packed spy drama, titled ‘Tiger vsPathaan’. 

In a recent post on social media, Salman Khan cautioned his followers to beware of phony individuals, vowing to give innocent persons roles in his movies. The actor released a declaration on behalf of his studio as well. Soon, audiences will be able to witness Salman Khan’s performance in ‘Tiger 3’, the movie also featuring Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi.

 

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Aamir enjoys Wimbledon 2023 finals with kids

 

Aamir Khan was spotted at the Wimbledon 2023 finals in London with his children, Junaid, Azad and Ira, where they enjoyed the match together. Popular Bollywood celebrities such as Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Nick Jonas also attended the event.

 

Aamir Khan and his kids, Junaid, Azad, and Ira, could be seen at the 2023 Wimbledon finals in London together, savoring the match. Celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Nick Jonas who are superstars in Bollywood were at the occasion.

 

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With Katrina, it is always a ‘Merry Christmas’

 

CELEB LOOKS

Nature’s girl

Katrina is known to be a huge nature lover and here she is seen sitting pretty amidst flora and fauna

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Mornings like these

We think the diva looks flawless even when she wakes up in the morning. Don’t you agree?

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Festive fervour

The actor, who looks as gorgeous in Indian wear as Western, strikes a pose in this pastel salwar kameez

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Girl next door

Sultry diva or girl next door? Katrina, who recently turned 40, aces many avatars with elan

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Click happy

The actor posted this pic thanking her insta family that now boasts of 74 million people!

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Glam girl

Katrina, who carries off the glamorous look with panache, looks stunning in this shimmering golden dress

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Floral fantasy

Katrina shows you why a good floral pant suit is a must in your wardrobe

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Rock and roll

This zig zag chic dress with thigh high slits on either side is perfect for the summers

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Cozy corner

Katrina looks so radiant and fresh in this pic as her eyes do all the talking. Don’t miss her luscious locks!

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Green brigade

The actor poses in a green swimsuit atop a yacht and does she not look mesmerising?

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Next: Bollywood star kids making their debut in 2023

 

 

There’s always a reason to celebrate when Katrina Kaif is around, making it a joyful Christmas season!

 

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Prasoon Joshi to watch ‘OMG 2’ today

 

​AfterCBFCwas slammed recently for passing Om Raut’s ‘Adipurush’ with zero cuts, Amit Rai’s ‘OMG 2’ was referred to the Revisting Committee by the Examining Committee, ahead of its release.Prasoon Joshi, Chairperson of CBFC will reportedly be watching the film today. According to reports, usually the Chief Executive Officer of the CBFC, Ravinder Bhakar, awards the certificate.His signature is seen on almost all the censor certificates. However, in the case of ‘OMG 2’,Prasoon Joshihimself will go through the film and make a decision accordingly, the report inBollywoodHungama stated.

The report added that he has decided to spearhead the Revisting Committee as the CBFC wants to be fully sure that ‘OMG 2’ doesn’t have any scene or dialogue that can cause a problem.

Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan starrer received a huge backlash from the audience for its dialogues and scenes. The film received mixed reviews from the audience and the critics alike.

Meanwhile, ‘OMG 2’ stars <a href=”https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/akshay-kumar” class=”” data-ga=”Click-Hyperlink

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