Actress Esha Deol has come out in support of South Indian accents amid discussions around actors being trolled for their Hindi diction.

The ‘Dhoom girl’, in an exclusive conversation with media, said that such linguistic nuances add to an artist’s individuality rather than take away from their performance.

The actress, who is the daughter of veteran actors Hema Malini and Dharmendra, said she herself sounds like her mother who is a South Indian while delivering dialogues, particularly in Hindi.

She stated that she believes that an actor’s distinctive way of speaking is part of their identity.

“I sound a lot like my mother when I am saying my dialogue, especially in Hindi. But that’s me, and the person who’s taken me on board to play a particular character knows that. So I think it sounds really sweet and cute. I enjoy hearing people with a little accent,” Esha said.

She also cited the late legendary actress Sridevi, her mother Hema Malini and actress Urmila Matondkar as examples of performers whose accents became part of their distinctive screen identities.

Speaking about Sridevi, whom she affectionately referred to as “Shri aunty”, Esha said she admired the way the actress spoke and recalled being a huge fan of Urmila Matondkar, whose accent she also found appealing.

“Like Sri aunty used to have her little accent, my mother, and even Urmila. I am a huge fan of Urmila, and I loved her little accent that would come. But that’s what makes them stand out. That’s the uniqueness, I think, every actor,” she said.

Esha’s observations also bring to mind Hema Malini’s distinctive Hindi dialogue delivery, including her characteristic way of saying “nahi”, which became a recognisable part of her screen persona.

Sridevi, too, was widely recognised for her distinctive Hindi diction, influenced by her South Indian linguistic background. Despite facing challenges with the language early in her Hindi film career, she went on to become one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated stars.

Esha’s comments come amid renewed conversations around the trolling of South Indian actors for their accents. The actress’s remarks underline the importance of recognising linguistic diversity as a natural part of India’s cultural landscape, rather than expecting every performer to sound identical.

Talking about Esha Deol, the actress is returning to the screen with the action-crime drama Pratap, marking her return to Hindi film projects after a prolonged gap.

The debate around South Indian accents in Hindi cinema has resurfaced recently, with actress Rashmika Mandanna talking about facing online trolling and criticism over her Hindi diction and accent.

The actress, who made her mark in Kannada and Telugu cinema before becoming popular in Bollywood, and has spoken about embracing her South Indian identity rather than feeling apologetic about how she speaks.

Lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar, actress Madhoo have come out in support of the actress.

Bollywood actor Imran Khan secured interim relief from the Bombay High Court on Tuesday as the court stayed the implementation of a ‘Leave India’ notice issued against him by the Centre.

A division bench of the High Court, hearing Khan’s petition challenging the notice, directed that no coercive action be taken against him until the next hearing.

The court also stayed the operation of the impugned notice, which had required the actor to leave India by October 28.

During the hearing, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), appearing for the Centre, sought time and requested that the matter be adjourned until next week.

The ASG also gave a verbal assurance to the court that no punitive action would be initiated against Khan in the meantime.

Taking note of the submissions, the court scheduled the next hearing for November 2 at 3 p.m. and granted interim protection to the actor by keeping the notice in abeyance until then.

The controversy stems from a notice issued to Khan following his participation in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Authorities alleged that Khan violated provisions of the Foreigners Act by taking part in a political demonstration despite not being an Indian citizen.

Khan, however, challenged the action before the High Court, arguing that the order was arbitrary and violated principles of natural justice. In his petition, he contended that he was given only 14 days to leave the country without any prior inquiry, show-cause notice, or opportunity to present his case.

The petition further stated that the protest was held at a location that was not designated as a restricted area and that Khan had not breached any barricades or violated any law during the demonstration.

According to his plea, he was in the process of leaving the venue when he was suddenly surrounded by members of the media and subsequently detained.

The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), in its order, accused Khan of violating the Foreigners Act by participating in the protest despite holding Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status rather than Indian citizenship.

Singer Qazi Touqeer has recalled his early days with singer Arijit Singh, sharing memories of their friendship that began on the reality show ‘Fame Gurukul’ in 2005.

During a conversation in the ‘Bigg Boss 20’ house, Qazi, who is participating in the show, spoke about his bond with Arijit.

He recalled how they shared a room after being selected for the singing reality show 20 years ago. The two were teenagers at the time, beginning their journeys in the music industry, long before Arijit went on to become one of India’s most celebrated playback singers.

He also promised Gullu that he would get him front seats of Arijit Singh’s concert after Bigg Boss season 20 gets over.

Qazi and Arijit Singh’s friendship recently came into the spotlight after the latter publicly cheered for Qazi following his entry into the ‘Bigg Boss 20’ house. Taking to his private X account, Arijit had written, “I will have to watch Bigg Boss for the first time because apna rockstar Qazi hai udhar.”

Qazi has also spoken warmly about Arijit on earlier occasions. During a recent visit to Arijit’s hometown in West Bengal, Qazi shared glimpses of their reunion, with the two seen riding a scooter, meeting locals and playing cricket.

Recalling their journey from ‘Fame Gurukul’ to the present, Qazi said they were teenagers when they first met and remained teenagers at heart even in 2026. He described Arijit as someone driven by pure passion, adding that he had no insecurity or jealousy and was genuine in his approach to life and music.

Qazi and Arijit participated in ‘Fame Gurukul’ in 2005. Qazi won the competition alongside Ruprekha Banerjee, while Arijit finished sixth.