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Richa Chadha opens up on her character of a sex worker in audio show ‘Baby Doll’

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Bollywood actress Richa Chadha shares her experience of working in the audio show, ‘Baby Doll’ opposite Jaideep Ahlawat. The story revolves around a sex worker, Baby (Richa), her pain and revenge.

Richa says: “I play a character called Baby whose actual name is Babita Rani, and she is somebody who probably got trafficked when she was a child, and has been in this sort of trade against her will. She’s a commercial sex worker so she’s been in this trade for a while and she’s not happy.

“But she learned to live with her reality. And there’s still an assemblance of like, niceness and morality in her, even though she’s in one of the most looked down upon professions and as a character also.”

While talking about the USP of this audio show, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ actress shares: “I think the USP of the show will definitely be the story and the characters. The directors work very hard on creating this show. And I think that it’s got a cliffhanger approach across the whole 14-15 episodes.

“Even in the end it is kind of like, it ends on a note where you wonder whether there’ll be a season two or if this is the end of this character, and it’s kind of like the story of the underdog.”

On sharing about the challenges of narration and preparation for it, she says: “We did a lot of readings Ato get the character right because you know, this is how I normally talk and sound but when we have to do this like a hinterland Hindi character then it has to be real. She has to have a little crassness or little bit of course language also, she’s a sex worker. We have used words which typically you will not hear on camera or on radio. We’ve said words, and we’ve done things which typically you don’t get to see in a podcast or even on camera.”

You’ve played different roles. How you found this different from previous ones, she adds: “I’ve played a sex worker before, never for a podcast. It is very different in terms of this character’s throwing caution to the wind kind of attitude is what makes her a winner in my book. And that’s what will make the show on Audible also something that you can relate to you where you will feel funny, like after a few episodes that you are rooting for this character, even though you know, she doesn’t really fit the moral compass of most of the audience.”

The actress calls her overall experience of working in the podcast fulfilling, as she comments: “My experience of working on this was really quite incredible. We had good producers, both from Audible and the people who are handling it on their behalf from sound and vision. This is an original story. It’s really about, like the hinterland, and I really hope that people can, like enjoy it for what it is. It’s one of those pulpy novels, but now narrated through the voice of the female lead. And I think that’s what makes it really interesting.”

Richa, after debuting in a small role in the comedy film ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’, got a breakthrough with a supporting role in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

How she looks at her journey in the entertainment industry, the actress replies: “I feel like I’m just like, at the first quarter of my journey, to be honest. I’ve seen everything change so rapidly in the last 10 years since I’ve been active. And I think that it’s only going to get better. For true artists to actors, it’s a good time. And now that I’m entering into production and writing, it’s a very fulfilling phase because you can use more than just your face and your body, you know, you can see things in the world with the work you put out.”

About her upcoming projects, she reveals: “There’s ‘Fukrey 3’, which is a hugely successful franchise, which is what we’re currently shooting for. There are basically three films. I wish I could announce them right now but I can’t. I mean, I’m shooting one in July one after that, there’s one film on mental health and then there’s a crossover film in the UK. These are the confirmed projects. There’s of course S2 ‘A Great Indian Murder’ and things like that. So it’s going to be a full full full year.”

Like many celebs, she is keen on doing reality shows, the actress says: “What kind of reality show if it’s a reality show where you know like these two people go on highways and eat local street food Yeah, I’m game for that. But the reality show consists of me being in like captivity, like a house with other people and forcibly fighting with them or being locked up somewhere, that never, ever, ever!”

Written by Pravesh Bhardwaj, the audio show ‘Baby Doll’ is available on Audible.

Bollywood

Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: ‘All hail the king of the MET’

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Mumbai, May 6: Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.

Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: All hail the king of the MET

Mumbai, Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.

Wearing a sharp ensemble by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Shah Rukh looked dapper in a floor-sweeping black trench coat layered over an unbuttoned shirt. He completed chunky jewellery including eye-popping diamond-studded pendants emblazoned with “K”.

To add to the drama, he carried a walking stick with a tiger-top, which was completely in sync with this year’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”.

Karan took to his Instagram, where he shared a video of Shah Rukh walking out in style. The filmmaker captioned it: “All hail the king of the MET!!! The internet just broke into a gazillion hearts!!! Bhai you rule.”

He then shared a picture of Shah Rukh originally posted by the star’s manager Pooja Dadlani and wrote: “The King” along with the song “Here Comes The Hotstepper” playing in the background.

As per reports, Shah Rukh posed, smiled, waved and even treated fans with his signature pose.

The 2025 theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” is inspired by Monica L Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, published in 2009. The fashion gala for the first time has put the spotlight on menswear.

The Met Gala is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan. The Met Gala is popularly regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.

Attendees are given the opportunity to express themselves through fashion, often producing elaborate and highly publicized outfits inspired by the evening’s theme and broader cultural context.

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filmy crime

Actor, Producer Charged By Mumbai Cops After Row Over ‘Sex Positions’ Clip

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Mumbai: The producer and host of the reality show ‘House Arrest’ on the ‘ULLU’ streaming app have been charged under sections related to the indecent representation of women after a clip in which contestants were made to depict ‘sex positions’ went viral. 

The clip shows the programme’s host Ajaz Khan, who is a former ‘Bigg Boss’ contestant, putting pressure on contestants, including women, to act out intimate situations. Mr Khan also asks the participants some vulgar questions, persisting with his line of inquiry despite the participants being visibly uncomfortable. 

Based on a complaint by an activist from the right-wing group Bajrang Dal, the police in Mumbai’s Amboli on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr Khan and the producer of ‘House Arrest’, Rajkumar Pandey. 

The FIR has been registered under sections related to obscene acts in public places and others under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. 

The case was registered on a day that the show was taken off the app and the National Commission of Women took note of the controversy and summoned Mr Khan and the CEO of the Ullu app, Vibhu Agarwal.

“NCW takes suo motu cognisance of obscene content on Ullu App’s show House Arrest. Viral clips show women being coerced into intimate acts on camera. NCW slams the platform for promoting vulgarity and violating consent. CEO and host summoned on May 9,” the commission said in a post on X. 

On Thursday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had objected to the clip and wondered why apps that stream such obscene content have not been banned. 

“I have raised this in the standing committee that apps such as this, namely, Ullu App and Alt Balaji have managed to escape the ban by I&B ministry on apps for obscene content. I am still awaiting their reply,” Ms Chaturvedi, who is a Rajya Sabha MP and member of the Standing Committee on Communications and IT, wrote on X. 

“On March 14, 2024, the I&B Ministry had blocked 18 OTT platforms, which were found to be streaming obscene and pornographic content. The apps blocked by the government were primarily platforms distributing explicit material. The following 18 apps were banned… Surprisingly 2 of the biggest apps were kept out- Ullu and Alt Balaji, will I&B tell the country why they were left out from this ban,” she said in another post, sharing the names of the 18 apps. 

The clip also caught the attention of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who shared a post complaining of obscenity “being served” through shows like ‘House Arrest’.

Mr Dubey, who is the chairman of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, tagged the handle of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and wrote, “This will not do @MIB_India. Our committee will take action on this.”

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Bollywood

Maharashtra Day: Sonali Kulkarni opens about her Konkan hiking trail achievement

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Mumbai, May 1: Actress Sonali Kulkarni, who has been appointed as a brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission, is celebrating Maharashtra Day on Thursday.

The actress is deeply in love with the state, which accounts for the highest GSDP in the country.

She revealed that she has completed the Konkan trail on foot taking inspiration from her father, who is an avid hiker.

The actress works across Marathi and Hindi cinema, and has been given the honour alongside music composer Shankar Mahadevan.

Speaking on the occasion of Maharashtra Day, the actress told Media, “May 1 holds a special place in my heart. It marks both Maharashtra Day and International Labour Day. I deeply value every individual who contributes through their work, whether it’s a makeup artist, someone from the production team, or support staff. I respect and appreciate the effort and time each person puts in. I consider myself a worker too, both at home and in my field. I’m not shy of doing any kind of work, and I take pride in every person who brings their labour and talent to the table.”

The actress called Maharashtra, a diverse land of artists and sportspersons, as she said, “In our national pledge, we say ‘sampanna aur vividhta se bhara desh’ and Maharashtra reflects that beautifully. We have exceptional writers, sportspersons, actors, and artists in the Marathi industry. Our language is rich and musical; it carries a unique rhythm, a ‘naad’ of its own. I speak fairly good Marathi and deeply love our traditions and cultural landscape. Maharashtra is a treasure trove of art and heritage. It’s my dream to take my family to all the forts I’ve visited.”

She further mentioned, “My father, an avid hiker, has explored every fort in the state. We’ve completed the entire Konkan walking path. My mother, a Warkari, once walked from Anandi to Pandharpur — a tradition I dream of following someday. I love our music, our deities, and our folk culture. I feel truly blessed — by default — to be born in Maharashtra.”

Sonali was feted as the brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission with greetings from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik and Ashish Shelar.

“It makes me feel very proud. Shankar Mahadevan ji and I will be the faces for this initiative. In the Ramayana, there was a small squirrel who helped Ram and his army to build the bridge to Lanka. She was tiny but did her bit. I feel equally responsible and powerful to be the messenger of the government for the public. As an actor, I believe it is my duty to support and contribute positively to the efforts of the government wherever I can,” she added.

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