I feel blessed to be marrying Saurabh, the man I love: Zara Barring

Actor Zara Barring, who will soon be tying the knot with actor Saurabh Pandey, is ecstatic at being able to spend her life with the one she loves. Zara says that their relationship has had its share of upheavals and she is thrilled that they have finally made it. “I feel very blessed to be getting married to the man I love. It's definitely a very beautiful feeling. I feel ours has been a relationship that has been through its fair share of ups and downs. We passed many challenges along the way and took the time to fully know one another...And naturally, marriage would be the next step to take,” she says. The two will tie the knot on November 28. The engagement and mehendi ceremonies will take place on November 26 and 27, respectively.

Although they come from different religious backgrounds, Zara says that this has never made a difference in their relationship, and never will. “Religion, to me, comes secondary. I believe what matters more are the core values a person has been raised with. Once two people are in love...who cares about religion?” she says, adding, “Love is obviously the glue that binds us together...if we weren't in love we would not have made it this far. It's very important to show your significant other that you value them through your actions and I think Saurabh and I do that quite a bit. I see us leading a happy, blissful, and beautiful life together... working hard and traveling the world.”

As for her family, they too love Saurabh. “Saurabh is absolutely adored by entire family but I feel he is closest to my father. They share a very strong bond of love and mutual respect and it's heartwarming to see that,” she says.

Meanwhile, since both Zara and Saurabh are part of the same industry, Zara says that this makes it easier for them to understand each other’s work. “We both understand the late nights and early mornings and everything else that comes with the job,” she says.

Ask her if she is experiencing any marriage jitters, and she says, “Oh yes! definitely but Saurabh's family has taken me in so warmly that it doesn't even feel like I'm actually taking the plunge. I'm very lucky to have such loving and understanding in-laws.”

The couple are yet to finalise their honeymoon plans. “We are so caught up with the wedding planning we haven't had time to zero in on a honeymoon destination yet!” 

And, who is her ideal couple, who she looks up to for marriage advise? “I always look at my parents for inspiration. And they're definitely the ideal couple for me.  They have stuck together through thick and thin. My mother has taught me that life don't always be a bed of roses but love and respect for one another will definitely make the journey more pleasurable...always respect one another...that is the key!” she says.

Cosmetic treatments have made careers of innumerable people in the glamour world: Dr. Monica Kapoor

To create a niche in the glamour world, one needs to look admirable if not drop dead gorgeous. In order to appear flawless onscreen and meet up to the expectation of fans, Celebrities take solace in cosmetic treatments/surgery.  From the leading ladies of the film industry to the villains, there is hardly any name left in the industry who did not try these surgical experiments. 

Dr. Monica Kapoor, a well-known cosmetic and aesthetic physician, calls it a boon to the glamour world. “Cosmetic treatments have made careers of innumerable people in the glamour as well as the beauty industry. If one is not really happy about certain part of their body, which makes them uncomfortable, cosmetic treatments is all time suitable option that can be taken into consideration. From reshaping the nose to giving a pout to your flat lips, Cosmetic treatment / surgery is capable of every kind of miracles that you may wish for.”  

But sometimes these treatments have some risk of   Failure if not done by well qualified and experienced doctor. “One needs to remember that cosmetic surgery/treatment is the need for which you have to decide for yourself. I would never suggest to give heed to the opinions of random people. A wrong decision might lead you into a situation where you might regret endlessly.” 

Innumerable failures in the cosmetic surgery have been observed in Bollywood itself. Anushka Sharma, tampering her natural looks to Ayesha Takia opting for a liposuction, a lot of the cases ended up being a troll on the social media. 

However on the other hand, Gauhar Khan, Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra took a wise decision when their post-surgery look left everyone stunned and amazed, thereby giving a greater lift to their career. 

Well, the game is all about understanding the flaws and making the right call.

Consul General of Canada Jordan Reeves talks about Meditation Park at IFFI 2017

Canada has partnered with the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be the ‘Country Focus’ for the 48thedition of the Festival. 

The Press Conference related to the Canadian movie Meditation Park was attended by the Consul General of Canada Jordan Reeves, and the cast and crew of the film including producer Stephen Hegyes, director Mina Shum, and actors Cheng Pei Pei, Tzi Ma and Don McKellar. Besides talking about Meditation Park, the panelists spoke about the India - Canada collaboration and dealing with a movie budget model in countries as well as the stereotypes Asians often face. 

Jordan says, “One of the things that really impressed the Canadians was the encouragement, the warm welcome and the hospitality. Some of the discussions we've had this week have been very exciting. Canada had a couple of things that we wanted accomplished here. First was to provide a platform for Canadian films, artists and filmmakers and the other was to increase collaboration between our two main industries.” 

Director Mina Shum adds, “The inspiration for the film, the character in many ways comes from the idea that we live in a world where citizens feel completely powerless. We can't do anything about the environment or the corporation. So I wanted to create a character that was powerless within a family structure.” 

About Asians battling stereotypes in the film business, Tzi Ma said, "We have challenged and fought against the portrayals of who we are. We also want to be participatory in terms of the shaping, the image and the way the world sees us. I think it is changing slowly. Within the parameters of Hollywood, we as actors need to take a more proactive position into what they see and what we see."

Angad Bedi starts training in ‘Akhada’

Angad Bedi who anticipates the release of Tiger Zinda Hai the has already started working on his next project with Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Pannu's which is a sports drama and is based on the story of the real-life Indian Hockey skipper Sandeep Singh and is being directed by Shaad Ali. The movie has already created a lot of buzz since its announcement leaving curiosity amongst the audience. 

The entire cast in the past few weeks has gone through several intense sessions of gruelling training to become Hockey players who can excel onscreen and the first schedule of the film is currently underway in Punjab. Angad a no stranger to the land has spent a lot of time in the state of Punjab and has been well versed in things it’s famous for. The actor is spending extensive time in parts of Punjab, and who loves to keep fit has taken upon training in Akhadas - the desi version of a modern-day gym. Akhadas has always fascinated Angad and he has been spending his fitness routines learning these traditional ways to keep fit. He’s been training rigorously and at the same time, he is maintaining his diet. The actor is working very hard for his role. 

When asked he said, "At 17 only, I started training in the gym. The gym was more like desi style where for the first time I learned weightlifting and bodybuilding exercises. The gym here is not a fancy one, but it’s completely like an Akhada. The equipment is desi but all the types of equipment are there. It’s great to be in a situation where you train in a complete old style environment. We are getting personally trained by Sandeep and Bikramjeet, we are also getting trained with the main exercises required for hockey in the same gym. It’s different but it is something new to learn and I am enjoying every bit of it.

My childhood dream was to become an actor: Hitanshu Jinsi

Actor Hitanshu Jinsi, who plays the role of Vaayu Dev in Siddharth Kumar Tewary- Mahakaali – Anth hi Aarambh Hai, has been enjoying his stint in the show. The actor says that he always wanted to be seen on screen and is living his dream. “It was my childhood dream to become an actor. So I started doing theatre at an early age. I loved doing theatre and wanted to do it for life. But after doing it for six long years, I realised that I must make a living as well while following my dream and I shifted to Mumbai. I was supposed to stay at a friend’s house for one month but when I reached Bandra railway station, my friend switched off his mobile. The address he gave me was incorrect. I am fond of beaches, so I went to Juhu beach with my bags at 4 o.clock in the morning. This was my first test and I am glad that I passed it with a big smile. Somehow I managed to survive and started giving auditions for television. After continuous rejections, one day got a call from Swastik and I started my journey in the TV industry,” he says. 

The actor adds, “It’s never easy to manage your career in today's cutthroat competitions. I sacrificed a government job, left my mother alone in Jammu, to achieve my dreams.” 

Ask him how it felt for being on camera and how things have changed now, and he says, “I was full of excitement, positive and little nervous as well. I am very dedicated towards my craft. I get lost at work and it's easy then to cope up. I hardly sleep for 5 hrs, when I am shooting. I enjoy this life.” 

Physical appearances are a big part of being an actor and Hitanshu agrees with this. “Looking good on screen is very important. If you look good, you are going to attract more people to watch you. But remember, along with the packing, the product must be good as well,” he says, adding, “Proper grooming and maintaining a professional appearance are important to gain not just a positive impression but also respect at the workplace. With trends rotating and fading in and out of fashion, the industry is ever-changing, and as a part of that industry, you need to be prepared for that constant change.” 

Hitanshu says that being on screen also leads to your fans trying to follow your every move. “The most interesting aspect of being an actor is you get infinite love from known as well as unknown people. With fame, comes responsibility as you are an idol for many people. You should lead your fans in the right direction,” he says.