Bhoomika Meena:The rising star who believes in the power of training

"As an actor, I feel we all have to do riaz for our body, mind, and soul by training ourself in various forms”, says Dukaan's actress Bhoomika Meena as she sheds light on her various training sessions.When any actor steps into the glamour world, they surely need to undergo numerous trainings and one such actress who has blown away the audience with her performance for her debut film Dukaan is actress Bhoomika Meena but did you know before making her debut in Bollywood, actress Bhoomika honed her craft through dedicated training and hard work. 
From a very young age Bhoomika found home on the stage as a performer.She is a trained dancer, who has done Visharad in Kathak from Bhatkhande Sangeet Mahavidyalay. Her training didn’t stop there, as she continued theatre after school and college and learned the nuances of acting through her experience in professional theater in Delhi, particularly with Akshara theatre. “I believe that kathak and theatre have laid a strong foundation for me as a performer “ she said.
When Bhoomika decided to move to Mumbai to pursue her acting career, she was determined to give her all to the craft. Understanding the importance of learning from the best, she has trained under the guidance of institutes such as The AdiShakti Laboratory for Theatre arts and research, The Artist Collective by Atul Mongia & The Lee Strasberg theatre and film institute . Atul Mongia, ha also trained Bollywood actors like Anushka Sharma, Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh. Bhoomika also learned acting from other esteemed teachers like Prasanna sir ( NSD), Nitin Goel sir, Rupesh Tillu sir & Happy Ranjit Sir.
But Bhoomika's dedication to her craft doesn't end with her formal training. She believes in the importance of daily practice and ritual. Bhoomika says, "As an actor, I feel we all have to do riaz for our body, mind, and soul, My daily ritual includes Kriya yoga, a rigorous physical fitness routine that somedays includes gym workouts, Kalaripayattu training and mixed martial arts. For voice training there is Shankhnaad and classical music and I have gotten back to kathak again which helps with grace, expressions, bhaav etc. And for acting, I practice scenework with The Artist Collective by Atul Mongia sir, scenework is a very wholesome ecosystem where I get to apply all that I’ve learnt, make mistakes, get an honest feedback and evolve, I love it! “She also says, "I feel it is very important for an actor to train themselves very well before presenting themselves on screen," she emphasizes.
Her hard work and dedication have already started to pay off. Bhoomika made her Bollywood debut with the film Dukaan, where she amazed the audience with her performance and presence. With her commitment to constant improvement and her dedication to her craft, Bhoomika Meena is set to become one of the finest actors in the industry, proving that preparation and hard work truly do pay off.

Sajid Nadiadwala brings back Abhishek Bachchan in Housefull 5

Sajid Nadiadwala is bringing another exciting announcement of Abhishek Bachchan joining back the star-studded cast for Housefull 5. Scheduled to start filming in the UK from August 2024, this installment promises to be an uproarious adventure. With Abhishek Bachchan's stellar comedic timing adding to the mix, fans can anticipate even more laughter and entertainment.Sajid Nadiadwala expresses his delight, stating, "I am thrilled to bring back Abhishek to the Housefull franchise. His dedication, comic time, and sincerity will only elevate our film."
Abhishek shares, "Housefull is one of my favorite comedy franchises and coming back feels like returning home. It's always been a great pleasure to work with Sajid Nadiadwala. I am looking forward to having mad fun on the sets with my fellow actors Akshay and Ritesh. I’m also so excited to collaborate again with my dear friend Tarun Mansukhani. I’m really looking forward to working with him again after Dostana. This is going to be a lot of fun”.
Housefull 5 directed by Tarun Mansukhani is touted to be one of the challenging films from a logistics lense as it will be completely shot in a cruise with a star-studded lineup, including Akshay Kumar, Ritesh Deshmukh, and now Abhishek Bachchan.Set to be the first Hindi Cinema franchise with a fifth installment, Housefull 5 aims to raise the bar with its trademark hilarity and camaraderie between the stars. The movie is slated to release on June 6, 2025.

Actress Anupama Solanki shares concerns over Gurucharan Singh's disappearance

As the search for former "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah" actor Gurucharan Singh, also known as Sodhi, continues, the entertainment industry remains gripped with concern and uncertainty. Amidst the growing worries, actress Anupama Solanki who has been part of popular shows like Dayan, Vighnaharta Ganesha, Nath Krishna aur Gauri ki Kahani, Bindiya Sarkar, shared her thoughts on Singh's disappearance.Expressing her concerns, Anupama remarked, "It's deeply troubling to hear about Gurucharan Singh's disappearance. He's a respected figure in the industry and has brought smiles to millions of faces through his portrayal of Sodhi."
While she did not personally know Singh, she emphasized the gravity of his absence, highlighting the responsibility that comes with being a public figure. "As artists, we have a responsibility towards our audience. Gurucharan Singh has been an idol for many, and his sudden disappearance is not just concerning but also raises questions about the challenges individuals face behind the scenes."
Reflecting on the speculation surrounding Singh's disappearance, Anupama dismissed any notion of it being a publicity stunt. "This is not a publicity stunt. Gurucharan Singh is already a renowned name in the industry, and such actions are not characteristic of him. We must approach this situation with empathy and understanding, recognizing that personal struggles can affect anyone, regardless of their public image."
The actress concluded by urging everyone to prioritize empathy and support for those in need, emphasizing the importance of considering the well-being of public figures like Gurucharan Singh. "Let's not jump to conclusions but instead focus on supporting each other during difficult times. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gurucharan Singh and his loved ones, and we hope for his safe return soon."

Somy Ali: My real career began in 2007 when I initiated 'No More Tears'

We all have ambitions and dreams, and our effort is drawn towards fulfilling them. While some take time to identify what they want to pursue, there are others who know it at a very young age. Actor turned humanitarian Somy Ali, who now runs her NGO, No More Tears, talks about how and when she realised her true calling.
“I began dreaming of what I was truly passionate about at a very young age. Majority of that thought process stemmed from the environment I was brought up in as well as the poverty I witnessed as a child growing up in Pakistan. I would always wonder and couldn't comprehend why my parents and I lived in a 28 bedroom 3-storey house, while there were countless children, women and men sleeping on the pavement. I must have been seven years old at the time when I sneaked four young Afghani refugee girls into our home and hid them in my cupboard in my room for a few days and would secretly feed them, let them live there and even played with them with my toys. They couldn't have been more than six or seven years old themselves. It was when my father found out and told them that they had to leave, I was so angry with him even though he sat me down as I cried profusely explaining to my dad that they were my new friends and they didn't have a house to sleep in. But my father did not listen and tried to shove some rationale into my little brain of a spoiled and extremely stubborn child. I could not understand and was in total defiance of my dad's decision to have them leave,” she recalls.
Somy, however, made sure that her father gave them money and bags full of my toys. “Sometimes I wonder what must have become of them as they got older and if they made it through the harshness that comes with living a life on the streets. This is when I truly believe my true calling in life was born, the minute I began questioning anything and everything that did not make sense nor seem fair to me or if anyone else was treated unjustifiably,” she adds.Even though serving humanity and those in need was what she always wanted to do, coming to Mumbai to meet her heartthrob was also something she cherished as a teenager. Hence, she did take the leap of faith before leaving everything behind and moving back to the US.
“Well, my career in India was a fantastic fluke given I didn't go there to act in movies and neither did I have the slightest interest in doing so. My real career began in 2007 when I initiated No More Tears with a mission to rescue and empower victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. I ended working with all the police departments and the FBI to rescue several sex/labour trafficking victims brought to the US from India under the guise of marriage or a promise of a job which did not actually exist. These young girls and even boys were sold to traffickers and then there were many women who were brought here from South Asia and the Middle East through arranged or love marriages who ended up being verbally and physically abused. Given I was extremely privy to that kind of setting growing up and myself having lived in a domestic violence relationship for almost nine years during my time in India, I used that knowledge to help these victims get out of those situations and empower them,” she says.