According to the grapevine, Tapasya and Veer of Uttaran, whose real life marriage hit the rough patch are planning to reuinte

While Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne have headed for a divorce, looks like TV couple Nandish Sandhu and Rashami Desai, who also have been living separately due to some trouble in their marital life, might reconcile very soon. Yes, in an interview with a leading daily, Sandhu said that he and Rashami want to sort everything out and stay happily ever after like a normal couple. There have been problems in my marriage and we are working towards a positive outcome. In the last few months, we consciously chose to stay away from talking about our personal life because I feel the more we talk about it, the more people seem to be interfering in it. Tell me, which couple does not go through problems? We don’t have anything to hide from the public. We are trying to mend bridges and like any other normal couple, we also want to solve things and live happily ever after. I just want people to show some respect for our privacy so that we can amicably solve this troubled situation in our lives,” Nandish said.

For those of you who don’t know, Nandish and Rashami met on the sets of Uttaran and fell in love while they were shooting for the show. Later, the duo took their relationship to the next level as they tied the knot on February 12, 2011. However, in the first half of 2012, news came in about some trouble brewing in their marriage. The couple decided to go part ways and have been living separately ever since then. It was also speculated that they both might head for a divorce as well.

If you will remember, Nandish who isn’t seen in Uttaran anymore visited Rashami on the sets of the show very recently. The duo were were spotted having lunch together and looked happy. And considering Nandish’s recent statement, looks like they might get back together sooner than ever. Fingers crossed.

Watch the cast of the popular Star Plus show entertaining the crew of the daily soap

It’s not all work and no play on the sets of Diya Aur Baati Hum. We recently found a YouTube video of Kanika Maheshwari, who plays Meenakshi Rathi on the daily soap, dancing to the song Galat baat hai from the movie Main Tera Hero.

However, what caught our eye is Kanika is flirtatiously grooving with her father-in-law, Arun Lokhande. Besides Kanika, Rashmi Pitre – who plays Chaturi was also seen shaking her booty with Babasa. While Deepika Singh (Sandhya) and Anas Rashid (Suraj) were missing in action – Neelu Vaghela (Bhabo) was seen in the background enjoying the whole dance sequence.

The crew of Diya Aur Baati Hum seemed to have had a hearty laugh over the antics of the cast. This impromptu session surely made us roll on the floor laughing. Watch the video and tell us what you think BollywoodLifers.

After much deliberation and several auditions, Nautanki Films has decided to not replace Gunjan Utreja

Ever since the news about Gunjan Utreja quitting the show has broke, the makers of Madhubala Ek Ishq Ek Junoon have been scavenging for a new baddie in tellyland. In fact, Krip Suri who is currently doing Sadda Haq on Channel V and Hasan Zaidi of Hum Ne Li Hai Shapath fame were even shortlisted for the role.

However, we now hear that Abhinav Shukla is not replacing Gunjan, instead, the producer is planning to kill Abhay in the forthcoming episodes and introduce an entirely new track.

Well here’s the other news for the fans of Madhubala… With Abhay’s death, Raj Kumar (Vivian DSena) will regain his memory and start falling in love with Madhu (Drashti Dhami). The future track will focus on their budding romance. Guess the makers are desperately trying to revive the dropping numbers of the show. Let’s hope the new track is able to do just that… What do you think BollywoodLifers?

Sushant and Ankita might not have been able to spend some quality time with each other due to their busy schedules in the recent past. But the couple, it seems have finally got a chance

Not so long ago, TV couple Ritwik Dhanjani and Asha Negi, who met and fell in love on the sets of Pavitra Rishta were painting the town red as they were enjoying their vacation in Australia. The duo was clearly oozing love for each other, which was quite evident from the pictures of their romantic getaway. And now we hear that another couple, who also fell in love on the sets of Pavitra Rishta are spending some quality time in Goa. Yes, Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande, who are in a live-in relationship have taken a break from their choc-a-bloc schedules and have headed to the land of beaches, we hear.

Sushant, who as you will know has made it big in Bollywood was keeping really busy as he was shooting for his upcoming film Detective Byomkesh Bakshi, which is being directed by Dibakar Banerjee. Ankita on the other hand was occupied with Pavitra Rishta. However, the lovebirds have taken some time off to chill on the beaches of Goa.

Recently, the media circuit was abuzz with reports stating that there is some trouble brewing in their relationship. However, looking at these pictures, it seems that those were just rumours and nothing else. The Shuddh Desi Romance actor and Ms Lokhande are very much in love with each other.

Chalo badhiya hai. After all everyone deserves a break, hai na?

The makers of Citylights have decided to debut the new number from the film on Colors’ Beintehaa

Arijit Singh’s new number Muskurane from the forthcoming movie Citylights will make its debut on popular TV show Beintehaa. The widespread impact of the medium has persuaded film production banner Vishesh Films to take the TV route to launch the song.

“This is a unique initiative wherein we will be releasing the first single from Citylights – Muskurane – on TV show Beintehaa before we release it on any music channel,” Sanujeet Bhujabal, marketing director, Sony Music India, said in a statement.

“Arijit’s mellifluous voice enhances the song and is in line with the story of the serial. We believe Muskurane will be an instant hit with the listeners and the viewers,” he added.

Beintehaa, aired on Colors, features the story of two similar and headstrong people Zain and Aaliya who, in spite of being married, are yet to profess their love for each other.

The song Muskurane, will build further on the chemistry shared by telly couple. The track has lyrics by Jeet Ganguly.

Directed by the National award-winning director Hansal Mehta, Shahid is creating quite a buzz with its concept and music as well as for the fact that it features Rajkummar Rao.

Producer Mahesh Bhatt believes: ”Music plays an integral part of our movie and especially this beautiful ballad Muskurane has a very different feel to it which will definitely connect big time to the listeners.”

The song will debut on the show Friday 9 p.m.

The cast and crew of the Colors’ show were in for a surprise when the Punjabi actor made a sudden appearance on the sets

Knowing one of the biggest legends of the Punjabi film industry follows their show religiously was the best compliment the cast and crew of Bani Ishq Da Kalma ever earned.

Gurdas Maan, who has been promoting his upcoming movie Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar played a cameo in Bani Ishq Da Kalma. The Punjabi actor revealed to the entire crew that he and his family are very fond of the daily soap. And to prove it, Gurdas Maan narrated the full story of the serial.

Apparently, Maan danced and sang along with the entire cast until midnight. The legend conversed with the leads of the show – Bani (Shefali Sharma), Parmeet (Gaurav Chaudhary), Rajji (Neha Bagga) and Sohum (Advik Mahajan) and told them to do exactly what made them happy to achieve what they never believed possible.

Do not forget to watch this special episode on May 2, at 10:30 pm only on Colors

The Shakti Mills gang rape incident had shook the entire nation in August 2013

For quite sometime now, Crime Patrol has been airing stories inspired by real happenings. This time around, host Anup Soni is planning to throw some light on the Shakti Mills gang rape that shook Mumbai in August 2013. During broad daylight, a young photojournalist along with her colleague were out an assignment. The colleague was assaulted and then the young photojournalist was raped by five  men. The girl decided to stand up again all odds and with support from her family and friends, the girl reported the incident and the rapists were caught. Within eight months, the court awarded death sentences to three of her attackers and life term for the fourth convict.

While talking to a leading daily, Anup Soni said, “We have been always known as pioneers in depicting the brutal cases in the society. It is important to throw light on such critical and heinous issues with the aim of coming together to bring about a change in our society and rectifying the loopholes. The purpose is not to get into details of the case but to identify and change the limitations that exist in our society. It is talking about remedies, cures and precautions without exaggerating the rape case.”‎

A little more than a year ago, Crime Patrol was all set to telecast the Delhi gang rape case but unfortunately on the telecast day, an advisory from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the dramatic reconstruction of the unfortunate incident should not be telecast on any channel. Well, we just hope that this time around, the same thing does not happen at the last moment.

As soon as the news about Mad In India going off-air broke out, we asked you if Grover should make a comeback on CNWK. Well, here are the results

As you will already know Sunil Grover’s Mad In India is going off-air very soon. And Grover might not be wanting to back to Kapil Sharma’s most loved show, Comedy Nights with Kapil, but looks like his fans want him to resurrect his beloved creation Gutthi.

We recently asked you if Grover should make a comeback to CNWK. And you have given your verdict. We received a total of 888 votes out of which 726 votes say that Kapil and Sunil should unite yet again. While the remaining 162 votes say that CNWK is better and still funnier without Gutthi.

Well, we don’t think Kapil would mind having Sunil back on his show considering in one of the interviews, Mr Sharma clearly said he would welcome Sunil back if he wants to return. But the point is will Chutki turn into Gutthi again? Well, if Sunil is reading this, he will know what his fans desire.

We just hope that Grover realises his mistake and leaving his ego behind makes a comeback on Comedy Nights with Kapil.

The actor has been doing small roles in films and has also been applauded a lot for his portrayal of the iconic Bhishma Pitamah on TV

Actor Arav Chaudhary, who has been part of big-budget Bollywood films like Dhoom and Lakshya, has received appreciation for his portrayal of Bhishma Pitamah in Mahabharat and he says he is enjoying working on the small screen. “It is a good transition for me. But as an actor whatever is offered to me, as long as I am convinced about it, I will do it… whether it is TV or cinema, lead or supporting. It doesn’t really matter. Times have changed, cinema has changed so has TV. I am really enjoying my small screen stint,” Arav told in an interview.

Mahabharat, produced by Swastik Productions, has been airing on Star Plus since September last year. The former Mr India has played the younger as well as the older Bhishma on the show and has been praised by critics and loved by the audience for the way he has enacted the part with conviction.

However, he says his TV stardom will not stop him to take up small roles in Bollywood films. “Yeah why not. It will depend on the filmmaker, role. As a creative person it does not bother me where you slot me as long as I have something really good to show and given the freedom to perform my way,” he said.

Arav has also starred in films like Right yaaa Wrong, The Perfect Husband, Family, No Smoking, The Deadly Disciple and 88 Antop Hill. The actor says he is aware how film trade functions and that his current success will not guarantee a lead role in a Bollywood movie. “There is no denying the fact that there is a star system and the hero is paid an astronomical amount of money. How trade functions is very different from how the audiences perceive you. They are genuine… if you are talented and do a good job they will like you. “The film industry does not function like that. They say they believe in talent. But it really functions on commerce. It won’t change. If I am aware of that then I know how everybody is going to perceive me,” he said.

Arav is looking forward to the release of his Kannada-language film Ajith in which he plays the main villain. The film is set to hit theatres on May 9.

He is happy with the response his show has generated and has no fear of being compared to Nitish Bharadwaj

After playing Vishnu/Krishna in two TV shows, Saurabh Raj Jain has taken on the role of the flute-playing God for the third time in Mahabharat, but the actor says he has no qualms about doing it. The 32-year-old actor feels playing the same role in three TV shows will not limit his acting opportunities in future and has no fear about getting stereotyped. “No, it won’t stereotype me. It used to happen 20 years ago but not anymore definitely. Previously there was only one channel and one serial, hence the stereotyping… there are so many channels today. You have the liberty,” Saurabh told.

The actor has previously played Vishnu in Jai Shri Krishna and Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev and he says all the three projects were different. “My character in Mahabharat is a different project from the previous two. After Jai Shri Krishna, Nikhil Sinha, who was the cinematographer of the show went on and directed Mahadev and asked me to be a part of it… I just couldn’t say no,” said Saurabh, who has also starred in non mythological shows like Remix, Parichay and Uttaran.

Mahabharat, produced by Swastik Productions, has been airing on Star Plus since September last year. The show, which comes almost 20 years after BR Chopra’s super hit magnum opus based on the Hindu epic, has been able to strike the right chord with audience. Saurabh says he does not fear about being compared to actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who portrayed Lord Krishna in Chopra’s version. “I have a different perspective to it. The times were different 20 years ago. We have much more technology in terms of computer graphics. In terms of script as well as characters. In our Mahabharat they have made an effort to tell the story in a different manner. I am not competing with anyone here. I only focus on the portraying my character to my best. I have to do good,” he said.

Mahabharat also stars Shaheer Sheikh as Arjun, Pooja Sharma as Draupadi, Aham Sharma as Karna and Arav Chowdhary as Bhishma. The sets of the show is spread over 10 acres of land in Umargaon in Valsad, Gujarat. “We all are like a family here since we are away from our homes. It feels like we almost live here. Some of us even have flats in Umargaon. We are currently shooting the sequence in which the war is about to begin and Krishna is making one last attempt to stop the war,” Saurabh said.

The Ek Hasina Thi actor says she will never participate in reality shows

Popular TV actor Simone Singh is not eager to feature in reality shows, but is open to doing a dance reality show. “I will not participate in a reality show. Dance shows look like a lot of fun, so that might be a possibility in the future,” Simone told. Simone had stopped doing fiction series on television when everything went from weekly to daily. “There was a period when I was being asked to shoot 28 days a month. Now things are more organised with daily shows and it is possible to have a work-life balance,” she said.

Simone, better known as Heena (the role she reprised earlier on television), has made a comeback on TV after several years with daily soap Ek Hasina Thi. She feels there have been positive changes in terms of content on the small screen. “There is much more opulence and greater focus on set design and production value. There is more attention paid to costumes and the look of the character than before. Also, there is a greater variety of content on TV. Today there are lot of different shows like thriller, comedy, dance and music, horror etc. This is good news for the audience,” Simone said.

She did not miss doing fiction series on television. “I hosted talk shows on English language channels and enjoyed those…they have a different audience and viewership. I am enjoying being back on a drama series now,” the actor said. In the thriller-drama show Ek Hasina Thi, Simone is seen playing the role of a Kolkata-based powerful businesswoman and a mother.

Set in Kolkata, Ek Hasina Thi chronicles the story of a woman named Durga (played by Sanjeeda Sheikh) seeking justice when society and law fail and situations lead to clash between Durga and Sakshi (played by Simone). Simone, known for playing the girl-next-door roles, is playing a negative character for the first time. She feels glad to have got a chance to play it now on screen. “The part of Sakshi Goenka was narrated to me as a strong, powerful, author-backed character with shades of grey and that was a draw for me as I’d never played a role like this on TV before,” Simone said. “Sakshi Goenka has a dark side to her but is also a complex, nuanced personality. She is not one dimensional in any way and I wanted to imbue her character with humanity and charm,” she said. Considering that actors doing TV get typecast, Simone is not apprehensive playing a negative role. “This never occurred to me at the time I accepted the part. The way I see it, I have had the opportunity to play diverse characters so far, simply by being judicious in my choice of roles, so I don’t have any worries on this count,” she said.

The show is being aired on Star Plus channel since April 14 and Simone is getting a good response from the audience, family and friends. “I have been getting appreciative calls and messages from friends and colleagues. People I haven’t seen for years have gotten in touch to say they have loved my performance. Audience feedback has also been positive for our show,” she said.

The Son Of Sardaar actor is in jail, then how will he be a part of the show? Read on to find out…

Sanjay Dutt has been in jail for a long time now and he still has to serve more than half of his jail sentence, but he is all set to feature in a talk show. If we recall Dutt is facing a sentence for his part in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. So what is this show all about and how will Dutt be a part of it considering he is in jail? We wonder…

Grapevine has it that Sanjay Dutt’s wife Maanayata is leaving no stone unturned and planning for a talk show featuring her husband. A leading daily informs that the show will throw light on crime-related issues and will share the Agneepath actor’s real life experiences, but he will not be hosting the show. On the contrary, the show will be a weekly one which will have various guests take part in it and talk about crime related issues. The leading daily also informs that the Policegiri actor will only be able to perform once he gets released. Rumours are afloat that the show will be named Dutt The Way. The show will be produced by Sanjay Dutt Productions and the production house has already registered the title under their banner.

If we recall Sanjay had previously hosted Bigg Boss along with Salman Khan, so TV won’t be new to him. But we will have to wait till Sanju baba is out of jail to watch how his second innings on TV goes. Keep watching this space for more information about the show.

Well atleast thats how the singer-turned-actor feels about himself. Read on to know why…

Mika Singh has been one of the foremost singers of the present generation but he now considers himself not a celebrity anymore. We wonder what happened…

If we recall Mika had recently swapped lives with a chaiwala on the show Mission Sapne, but little did he know that just a small TV shoot could change his life completely. A source close to the shoot of the show informed a leading daily, “Hearing the chaiwala’s heartwarming story, Mika was moved to tears especially when he realized that Lakhendra Paswan’s hardships could potentially hurt his grandson’s education and ability to turn the family’s fortunes.” In order to raise Lakhendra’s family’s fortunes Mika decided to sell piping hot tea to excited bystanders in the bitter cold of Delhi. It was only in the evening that Mika went to the studio after selling tea for the full day to eager Delhiites.

But when he reached the studio for the shoot in the evening he was a completely changed and transformed man. Mika admitted to having been humbled by the whole experience. He also informed the audience that the day spent selling tea was an eye-opener for him as he came to understand how difficult it is to earn a livelihood for a street chaiwala. He informed others that he was feeling nothing like a celebrity and he wanted to be more hard working like Lakhendra. Mika was very moved when he heard some more stories of hardships from Lakhendra. He was left in tears by Lakhendra’s sad story of life. He therefore decided to vouch for Lakhendra’s grandson’s education and promised to pay every expense needed for his studies.

Now that is what people call a life changing experience. We are still awaiting to see the show on TV and once we see Mission Sapne, maybe we all will also have a new awakening in our lives. Hai na peeps?

The wild card entrant couldn’t survive for long on the fifth instalment of the Indian version of Fear Factor

Ajaz Khan bids adieu to Khatron Ke Khiladi 5 Darr Ka Blockbuster this weekend. He entered the show as a wild card entrant and from the start itself people had an unknown dislike for him. On his elimination Ajaz Khan said, “Gauahar Khan and Kushal Tandon had already bitched about me to the others before I joined the show. People had a set notion about me prior to my joining and because of that it was difficult for me to survive on the show. There was a lot of politics in the show.”

Before Ajaz Khan, the eliminated contestants were Pooja Gaur, Rochelle Maria Rao, Mugdha Godse, Dayanand Shetty, Geeta Tandon and Gauahar Khan. Ajaz Khan was last seen on TV in Big Boss 7 and then he was seen playing the role of the strong cop in Ya Rab. We wish him all the very best for his future endeavours and hope that he keeps entertaining us in every possible manner.

After Pooja Gaur, Rochelle Maria Rao, Mugdha Godse, Dayanand Shetty, Geeta Tandon and Gauhar Khan, the latest to exit the fifth installment of the Indian version of Fear Factor is Ajaz Khan

Ajaz Khan is the latest contestant to be out of the adventure thrilling reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 5 Darr Ka Blockbuster (KKK). He had entered the show as a wild card entry and couldn’t survive for too long. We caught up with the Ya Rab actor and he opened up about the problems he faced on the show, his rappot with other contestants and many other things. Excerpts from the interview:

How was your experience on the show?

It was good but there was a lot of politics in the show. Even before I went to South Africa, Gauhar Khan and Kushal Tandon had bitched about me to the other contestants, therefore, once I was there people used to look at me with an eye of contempt. It was slowly that they started to get to know me when they started talking to me properly and thereby rubbishing such preset mentality.

Do you think that was because of your proposal to Gauhar in the Bigg Boss 7 house?

I had used Bigg Boss 7 as a platform to showcase myself and thereby increase my foothold in the film industry, something which I was able to attain. Gauhar is a very sweet girl and she is a very dear friend of mine. Thats all that is to the story. Even she knows it that there is nothing more in my heart than good friendship and she values it as much as I do. But Kushal, I don’t know why is not that friendly.

How was KKK different than Bigg Boss?

They both were completely different reality shows. In Bigg Boss even if you didn’t like someone you had to sit in front of that person for the full day. Here in KKK once your stunt is over you are free to go back to your hotel and chill out and therefore you don’t have to face people whom you don’t want to talk to.

So you did make some friends out there over the period of time?

Yeah Karanvir Bohra and Teejay Sidhu became really good friends with me.

The task in which you got out, was it the most difficult task?

No. The most difficult task was the one in which I had to be in shorts and then lie down on ice for about eight minutes. Outside the weather was freezing cold and I was in shorts, plus I had to be on ice. It was the toghest task I did. But I am very happy that I did the task with aplomb. You must have had seen Gauhar and the others give up so early, but I didn’t.

Who do you think is the strongest contestant in KKK?

Gurmeet Choudhary and Salman Yusuff Khan are the strongest contenders but Rajneesh Duggal will win the show. (Laughs)

…and why do you say they are the strong contenders if Rajneesh won the show?

Everyone knows Rajneesh won the show. It’s out all over on internet. During the time I was there in the show, I saw Gurmeet and Salman perform fantastically and therefore I feel they are the strongest contenders.

Who do you think is the weakest contender?

The one who has won the show. I really don’t know how he won the show. (Laughs)

After the elimination from the show did you see the township in South Africa a lot?

Yes. I travelled a lot after I got eliminated. I wanted to explore the new place, which I had hardly ever seen. It’s a wonderful country and I loved every bit of it.

Were your family and friends relieved that you were back home safe and sound?

Yeah they were very worried, especially my mom. She was relieved when I came back and now that she is seeing the show, she keeps on asking me bewildered as to how I performed such daring stunts.

How are you balancing work between south films and Bollywood?

I have my own fan base. People like me for what I am and that is not restricted just to South films or to Bollywood. I have started to get a lot of work post Bigg Boss and KKK. I want to work with new directors and new producers, because all these supposed big directors and producer were someday newcomers only. Some actor stood by them and therefore they are big names today. I also want to work with such newcomers and have a good rapport with them for life. I have some good projects in hand, will keep you’ll posted as and when time comes.

Ms Leone, who raised the temperatures during her stint in Bigg Boss 5 is all set to scorch the small screen yet again as she hosts the upcoming season of popular dating reality show MTV Splitsvilla

Sunny Leone is all set to make the mercury levels go high in MTV Splitsvilla 7. The makers of the popular dating reality show have released the first look poster in which we see the former porn star posing with her co-host Nikhil Chinappa. Wearing a slit skirt and revealing her toned legs, the Ragini MMS 2 actor surely raises temperatures in the picture. The king’s crown, vintage clock and the treasure box indeed add a lot of drama to the image, but since you have Ms Leone in the frame, you surely don’t want to look anywhere else. So if this poster is making you go all crazy, you absolutely wouldn’t want to miss the show under any circumstances.

For those of you who don’t know, the previous edition (season 6) of MTV Splitsvilla was hosted by Sherlyn Chopra. However, to up the sex quotient, the makers decided to rope in the sexy Sunny Leone. Will it be a fruitful decision or will it fall flat like the previous season? Well, considering Sunny Leone’s sexy presence in Jism 2 and Ragini MMS 2, wethinks that the television sets will be on fire once MTV Splitsvilla 7 goes on-air.

We are sure like us even you can’t wait to see Sunny Leone scorch the small screen, hai na? Anyway, take a look at the first look poster of MTV Splitsvilla 7 here and tell us how do you like it.

From what we hear, KSG and Jennifer are in talks with a channel about a new show, which will feature the popular duo in lead roles

If the recent reports are anything to go by then popular real life couple, Karan Singh Grover and Jennifer Winget might soon pair up onscreen for a brand new show on Star Plus. Don’t adjust your eyes. You read that right.

Grover and Winget, who triggered a craze of sorts with their sizzling chemistry in Dill Mill Gaye will recreate the same magic. Reportedly their new show is loosely based on popular American sitcoms F.R.I.E.N.D.S and Sex And The City, and will be modified to suit the Indian audiences’ taste. Now we really don’t know if that will work. That’s because how much ever you modify any American show for the Indian masses, it just completely falls flat. And we have innumerable examples to prove that. But since this new show features TV’s power couple in lead roles, you never know.

Anyway we also hear this new show might replace prime time soap Saraswatichandra, which also features KSG’s wife in the lead opposite Gautam Rode.

If you will remember, gossip mills were recently churning out rumours about some trouble in Karan and Jennifer’s married life. We had heard that the former Qubool Hai actor and Jennifer were heading for a divorce after two years of marriage. However, the Saraswatichandra actor came out in open and denied all such reports. “Logo ka kaam hai kehna…unhe kehne do (Let people say whatever they want). For the record, Karan and I are happily married. I think these reports are just part of my job as an actor. I don’t need to clarify things till the time I, Karan, our families and friends know what the truth is. All I can say to such people who write baseless stories is ‘Grow Up’,” Jennifer was quoted by a daily.

Ah, well. We are sure like us even you are excited to see this hubby-wifey sizzle the screen with their romance, hai na?

This model-turned-actor shed his sexy six pack abs to bulk up for his role in Star Plus’ Mahabharat

Arpit Ranka’s bulked up mean avatar is a stark contrast to his image as the Gladrags winner in 2006. The actor  who is seen as Duryodhan in mythological TV drama series Mahabharat had to lose his six pack abs in order to play this role. He said in an interview, “I was very lean as I was a model. I thought that my lean frame would not make my character convincing and people would not take him seriously as he is a royal and warrior after all. So, I lost my six packs.”

The actor, who has starred in several Tamil and Telegu films, made his small screen debut with the Swastik Productions’ magnum opus. “I have been in this field for the past ten years. I have done films down south. I was not keen to do a TV show but when I was offered Mahabharat I just could not say no,” he said.

“And more so because such larger-than-life characters stay with you. People start to recognise you as the character. I was confused initially but now I feel if I had said no then it would have been my biggest regret. It is a very big deal to do Mahabharat,” said the 2006 Gladrags winner.

Mahabharat has been airing on Star Plus since September last year. The show, which comes almost 20 years after BR Chopra’s super hit series based on the Hindu epic, has been able to strike the right chord with audience.

Arpit has been getting a lot of appreciation for playing Duryodhan and said the reason he can portray the character so well is because he relates to him in many ways.

“People have liked me on the show and it is my biggest achievement. I can relate to the character. I also have a lot of ego and if I set my mind on to something I do it no matter what, just like Duryodhan. I feel like I am living the character,” he said.

When asked about the transition from modelling to acting, Arpit said, “Acting is tough but I always wanted to be an actor. So I put in my best. Also, the show doing good is a great boost for all of us to perform better.”

Mahabharat also stars Shaheer Sheikh as Arjun, Pooja Sharma as Draupadi, Aham Sharma as Karna and Arav Chowdhary as Bhishma. The sets of the show is spread over 10 acres of land in Umargaon in Valsad, Gujarat.

The couple is on a mission to get Mir Khan arrested for stealing Barkat as a kid and keeping her away from the Abdullahs for so many years

Zain (Harshad Arora) and Aaliya (Preetika Rao) are keen to get Mir Khan punished for his deeds. The Abdullahs believe that they have Barkat (Dimple Jhangiani) with them, but the truth of the matter is that she is not the real daughter of Usmaan (Naved Aslam) and Suraiyya Abdullah (Suchitra Pillai). Then who is she?

In the upcoming episodes, Barkat will go to meet Mir Khan under the pretext of going to the Dargah to pray for Usmaan Abdullah’s health. It will then be revealed that she is not the real Barkat, in fact she is Mir Khan’s daughter, Bobby. Unfortunately for her, Aaliya and Zain will reach Mir Khan’s house with the cops at the same time to get him arrested. When they reach there, they will see Barkat and ask her what she is doing there. A flabbergasted Bobby will cover up saying she that has come there to give Mir Khan a piece of her mind. Mir Khan will try to appeal to Aaliya, but she will get him arrested. Bobby will then hire someone to get Mir Khan out on bail, who will leave her a voice message on the phone. Accidentally, Aaliya will take the phone and hear the conversation. Will this confirm Aaliya’s doubts about Barkat’s true identity? Well the answer is yes.

What remains to be seen is why Bobby is pretending to be Barkat and where is Zain’s real sister? Keep watching this space for more updates…

The former porn star is all set to scorch the silver screen as she hosts the upcoming season of MTV Splitsvilla

The seventh season of dating-based reality TV show MTV Splitsvilla is set to get spicier with Sunny Leone as one of its hosts. The Ragini MMS 2 actor assures the show will be worth the audience’s attention.

Sunny, an Indo-Canadian adult film actress, who has paved her way into Bollywood via TV, films and item numbers, is hosting the show for the first time. She is naturally excited. “MTV is an iconic youth brand. I was always fascinated by the edgy content, the cool shows and always wanted to be a part of it. After moving to India, I got the opportunity to watch Splitsvilla and enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s great that I now get to be a part of it,” Sunny said in a statement.

“I’m absolutely excited about working on the show and I know it’s going to be a treat for me and my fans alike,” she added.

Sunny will co-anchor the show with Nikhil Chinapa, who is upbeat about the new season. Talking about some of the new twists in Splitsvilla, he said: “This year, we’re changing things around to raise the stakes and the excitement around the show. MTV has put together not just a fantastic new cast, but also has made some very interesting changes to the format.”

The last season of the show was hosted by Sherlyn Chopra.