The Enormously Talented Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub Plays A Muslim Wrongly Accused Of Terrorism In Sameer. In A Frank Interview With Subhash K Jha Ayyub Speaks on What It Means To Be A Muslim In India Today.
In your new film Sameer you play a Muslim engineer student wrongly accused of terrorism. How did you react to the part when it was offered to you?
I think it was more about what the film was trying to say rather than only my character. But still, I felt a bit of reluctance as people start looking at your name and thereafter your religion, when you do a character in a political film. But then I thought if I am clear in my head and heart about why I am doing a role,then I should not care.
A lot of Indian Muslims feel gagged cornered and pushed in the current political scenario of the country. Do you feel they are justified in their apprehensions?
I think the overall scenario is definitely disturbing in many ways. The whole game of ‘Shakti pradarshan’ from all the segments is a serious issue. So the polarity being engineered by vested interests is making everyone a bit apprehensive.
In your new film Sameer the ATS is shown to randomly pick up suspects of terror activities and torture them. Would you say this is an accurate portrait of the situation?
We have seen many cases where innocent people have been wrongly suspected of terrorism and then after many years of trial they are proven not guilty.But by then their lives are destroyed. Our film Sameer focuses on this issue.
As a thinking empowered Indian Muslim , how isolated or assimilated do you feel to mainstream India given today’s political scenario?
As you yourself say, I am an empowered and now even a privileged Muslim, so it’s really easy for me to flow through the disturbing and chaotic events around me. But I’ve to confess that even I am targeted sometimes on my views just because I have a NAME.And I don’t mean just the Islamic name. But also a name that’s reasonably known.
Our film industry has always been known to be extremely secular and non-discriminatory. Do you feel that to be true even now ?
I think that is something I am really proud of. I’ve never felt discriminated against in my place of work.
Your brilliance as an actor has been repeatedly proven in film after film. Why are you seen playing the hero’s best friend rather than the hero?
(laughs) I would we should ask this question to the producers and directors. I am playing the lead in Sameer.So maybe I am now finally being promoted.
Kangana Ranaut recently sparked off a debate on nepotism in Bollywood. Would you agree with her that it’s very tough for an outsider to make it in Bollywood?
Yes, I guess only a blind person can say that there is no nepotism. But it’s still not a hopeless situation. But yes , if you’re an outsider you have to really prove yourself and that too in much harder circumstances. Though we can definitely see a fast and positive change to it.
So far how has you experience in Bollywood been? Does it anger you when you have to play second fiddle to actors with not half your talent?
I had a rollercoaster ride, it was great fun. I am very patient person, so I know things will change for good.
Tell me about your plans in the near future?
I do not plan anything in my life ,if I do I will stop enjoying it. I am shooting for Thugs Of Hindostan with Bachchan Saab and AamirKhan, and Aanand Rai’s next with Shah Rukh. Right now my focus is on Sameer .As we know it’s a political thriller with a bold statement, which motivated me to sign this film. There are very few people who have the courage to take a stand on a political issue in these vulnerable times.

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Why On Earth Is Sushmita Sen Smoking A Cigar In Aarya’s First Look?

Season 3 of Aarya is being shot as you read this, and naturally Sushmita Sen is super-kicked about it, so kicked that she has put out a video where she is seen in the best Lady Boss version of herself.
Alarmingly, she is seen puffing away at a cigar, to complete her Badass Lady Boss image.
There was a time when women smoking cigarettes in Hindi cinema signaled vampishness. If a female actor was shown smoking it meant she had evil designs over the hero, and life in general.
Sushmita being Sushmita, a cigarette won’t do. A cigar it is, to go with her formidable image. The last Bollywood actor I saw smoking a cigar on screen was Premnath in the 1970s. Back then so many people didn’t die of cancer by smoking.
These are different far more dangerous and deadly times.
Sushmita is an iconic actor.She needs to be more careful about the image she projects . Smoking a cigar doesn’t enhance a woman’s(or a man’s) muscle power. Nor does it make her look cool.
About shooting for the third season of Aarya Sushmita says, “Aarya is synonymous with my name. I have lived as Aarya for two whole seasons and the love received by the audiences has only encouraged me to do more. Walking on the sets of Aarya Season 3 makes me feel at home and gives me a sense of empowerment. I’m grateful to the entire team at Disney+ Hotstar, Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine India for the vision of creating Aarya and taking it to newer heights with every season.”
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Shah Rukh, Deepika, John Will Meet The Media On Monday At 4 pm(But There’s A Catch)

Pathaan has effectually discredited the efficacy of media interactions to promote a film. The film’s lead actors Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham did not conduct any press or portal interviews to promote the film.
And yet Pathaan is a blockbuster.
This weekend the Pathaan producer Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films took a call on behalf of the Pathaan team to do one media meet at the Taj Land’s End in Mumbai on Monday January 30 at 4 pm.
The three principal actors and director Siddharth Malhotra will address the media.
But here’s the catch: the media will not be allowed to ask any questions. There will be no Q& A s or one-on-one interactions.This basically means that the Pathaan team will have an opportunity to say what it wants to the media. But the media will have no say.
Make what you will of this one-way traffic.
A source close to Yash Raj informs me that this is the pattern regarding the media that Yash Raj will follow for future releases: no press meets no promotional engagements.
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Fake Projects of Pathaan Director Being Planted In Media

Siddharth Anand Denies Considering Any Project With Deepak Mukut
A word of caution to those marketing and publicity wizkids who think it’s okay to plant fake stories on (fake) projects with the Pathaan director.
It is not.
Such baseless announcements are meant only to raise the equity of the producers with whom Siddharth Anand’s name is linked. One such producer whose name has cropped up after the spectacular success of Pathaan is Deepak Mukut.
There were reports everywhere that Siddharth Anand’s next would be with Mukut.
Turned out to be a false rumour.
A source in the know informs, “Siddharth now has to complete Fighter starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone for Yash Raj.Then he is committed to direct the sequel to War 2 for Yash Raj films. They will then start work on the next film in the Pathaan franchise. There is no scope or room for any outside projects for Siddharth Anand. So every announcement that you read of a new film to be directed by Siddharth Anand for an outside producer is likely to be a hundred percent fake.”
When I asked Siddharth Anand about the supposed project with producer Deepak Mukut he promptly replied, “NOT AT ALL.”
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Pink Director’s Next Featuring Yami As A Crime Reporter To Stream From February 16

Anniruddha Roy Chowdhury whose Pink featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu was one of the most important films of 2016, is all set to release his next Hindi film.
Entitled Lost, Anniruddha’s film , based on true events, will see Yami Gautam Dhar(that’s what the actress calls herself after her marriage) as a crime journalist. LOST is an emotional social thriller that represents a higher quest, a search for lost values of empathy and integrity.
Inspired by true events, Lost is a story of a bright young woman crime reporter in her relentless search for the truth behind the sudden disappearance of a young theatre activist.

Lost
Says Aniruddha “The shoot of LOST has been an incredible journey. I have been eager for the release of our hard-worked venture. The film is a realistic highlight of media in a social context and I am sure that it will give the audience a compelling watch. I am curious about its release and see the responses it shall get. I hope they will welcome it with open hearts.”
Yami Gautam Dhar who plays the lead of the crime reporter says, “I can’t be happier and more proud of the film’s selection for the opening night at CSAFF. I feel like its one that the people will connect to and will be the one that you cannot miss, especially in the current age and time. I have loved playing this role because it was such a special experience, it allowed me to explore so many layers of emotions as an actor and the entire team has worked really hard on it. I genuinely cannot wait for the film’s release, especially to see the reactions of the audience to it.”
The crime investigation drama boasts a stellar cast. Along with Yami, the film will feature Pankaj Kapur, Rahul Khanna, and an ensemble of younger talent, including Neil Bhoopalam, Pia Bajpai, and Tushar Pandey, in pivotal roles.
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