India's Darasing Khurana appointed as Commonwealth Year of Youth Champion

After winning the title of Mister India International 2017, Darasing Khurana went on to make his name as a successful model in showbiz, working with the top-most brands and designers. In 2023, he started his acting journey with the Punjabi film Bai Ji Kuttange, co-starring Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu. He also made his South debut with the Malayalam film Bandra recently and is now gearing up for his Hindi film debut with Kaagaz 2.Other than the ramp and screen too, the actor has been leading by example ever since he entered the industry. He has been a guiding force for the youth and recognising his work, Darasing has been appointed as the Commonwealth Year Of Youth Champion 2024, becoming the first Asian and the 2nd person overall to hold the title along with Prince Edward of the UK.
The actor was officially appointed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. Talking about the artist's work, the dignitary wrote in his appointment letter, "With your exceptional commitment to youth development and empowerment, the Commonwealth is confident that your voice will resonate with young people across borders and inspire positive change. Your dedication to this cause aligns perfectly with the values of the Commonwealth and we believe that your influential voice and advocacy will greatly contribute to the success of our endeavours during the Year of Youth."
The honour came as a sweet surprise for Darasing as well. He informs, “After my meeting with the Secretary General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, I thought that I was being considered to be appointed more like an Ambassador for Commonwealth India, but I had no idea that it would be the 'Year of Youth Champion' out of all the 56 member countries.” But now that he is appointed, he is quite excited to take on the role.
Under this new title, Darasing will play a vital role as a high-profile spokesperson, advocate, and a person of influence. He will be instrumental in guiding and inspiring meaningful action to promote youth development and empowerment across the Commonwealth. The actor will collaborate closely with key stakeholders, participate in significant events, and contribute to policy discussions that shape the future of youth in the Commonwealth member countries.
Darasing is looking forward to working with the Secretary General the most. He says, “The most important prospect behind this association is the vision of Secretary General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland. I had the privilege of sharing a stage with her recently at an event, post which we spent 2 days sharing ideas, experiences and vision boards. During the process, I realised how focused the Secretary General was. Her vision is to change the world for the better and I certainly want to be playing a part in bringing that change.”
Darasing is the brand ambassador of DATRI, world’s second largest blood stem cell donors’ registry. He also founded the Pause.Breathe.Talk Foundation to provide affordable mental health care to people. The actor also serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and now, he has another title to his name. Even with so much work that he is undertaking, Darasing doesn't feel overwhelmed or nervous. He insists, “When you love what you do, no matter how much you have on your plate, you never feel it's too much. I love all that I do, so I am very happy and take it as a privilege to incorporate my duties as Commonwealth Year of Youth Champion in my existing schedule.”

Celebrities react to Poonam Pandey faking death; She’s played with people’s emotions, they say

Actress Poonam Pandey faked her death recently in an effort to spread awareness about cervical cancer. The news of her death spread like wild fire, as she lay low for a day. She appeared on social media the next day to talk about cervical cancer. Celebrities say that while the message has been crystal clear, the method surely wasn’t ideal.
Gurpreet Singh:
The news of Poonam Pandey's staged death as a publicity gimmick is both unfortunate and concerning. While raising awareness about cervical cancer is a noble cause, using false information, especially related to someone's death, is ethically questionable and undermines the seriousness of the issue. Misusing social media for such campaigns is indeed a misuse of the platform. While creating awareness is crucial, the means to achieve it should be transparent and respectful. The incident raises valid concerns about the credibility of news in the age of social media. It emphasises the need for responsible sharing and fact-checking to ensure the public can trust the information they receive. Staging one's death for publicity can be seen as a drastic and insensitive measure. While intentions to highlight an important cause are understood, resorting to such extreme tactics may overshadow the genuine concerns surrounding the issue at hand.
Yashashri Masurkar:
Poonam’s actions definitely should be condemned, it’s like playing with people’s emotions. When I heard the news, I was in shock and I am not even a fan. This has happened in the past, death news surfaces when people are sick or recovering from a disease which is again wrong but this particular one was in a bad taste.
Sheeba Akashdeep:
I thought this kind of stunt was in very poor taste. Some people were genuinely very badly affected by the ‘C’ word. To use it shallowly for a campaign, even if it is to create awareness, is not a nice thing. Awareness could have been created with posts with celebrities. No celebrity would have said no to create an awareness campaign for something that is important to women. So, this was a new kind of a low, and for families whose loved ones are going through it or have gone through it. It was very insensitive and not called for. And also in some way, the media also needs to pull up their socks and be a little vigilant and more careful when they report news. They need to get their fact-checked before just making things viral online.
Deepika Motwani:
What she has done is very distasteful. It's disgraceful to the cervical cancer patients and the families who have lost their loved ones to cervical cancer. The worse part is that there is probably a ‘team’, who has supported this idea and played along without any responsibility. There are better ways to send a message and show concern.
Rinku Dhawan:
I don't think it's right to use the term ‘stunt’ when promoting cervical cancer awareness. It's not funny because many people are struggling with this in their lives. It sends the wrong message, and I believe it diminishes the hope that keeps us going. Whether it's a publicity stunt or a promotion gimmick, the approach is not great. If it's meant to raise awareness, it should be done with sensitivity. It's not a good feeling, and it's not a joke or an appropriate way to promote something. We should be more considerate, acknowledging that some people are dealing with serious health issues. It's like telling them they're going to die, which is harsh. Having witnessed the challenges faced by those dealing with cancer, I don't appreciate this approach. It seems like a poor thought, not just a publicity stunt or a funny way to grab attention. Going to such lengths is just too low.
Monika Singh:
From the beginning, I had a feeling that Poonam Pandey was faking it. I won't say she's right or wrong because everyone has their own perspective. What might be right for some could be wrong for others. For me, it's not about whether she's right or wrong; it's more about the method she chose to spread awareness. It might not be the right approach, but let's look at the positive side – before this incident, many people, including myself, didn't know much about cervical cancer. Now, more people are aware, and some are even considering the vaccine. Sure, her actions may have hurt sensitive individuals, but we shouldn't be overly sensitive to the point of missing the bigger picture. People knew she might be faking it, but why are they investing so much energy in it? Some are exceptionally sensitive, and others might have personal reasons, but they should understand that if Poonam Pandey did this, what harm or benefit has it caused her? It's not for publicity; she already has fame. The real gain is that people are now aware of this disease and are thinking about it. Now, people are questioning those who claim they didn't know about it, saying it's spreading on social media. In my view, it might be wrong or right, I don't know. Still, the outcome is not harmful; it has brought attention to the existence of such diseases. Social media and the media often twist things, and it's unclear if someone had a hidden agenda. Nevertheless, it hasn't caused any real harm; in fact, it has raised awareness about a disease many were unaware of.
Aadesh Chaudhary:
Yes, this isn't the right way to handle things. It seems like a publicity stunt, and that's why such actions often lead to a bad reputation. When individuals engage in such activities, it reflects poorly on the entire community or industry. I don't appreciate it, and it's not a good approach. There's a story about a village where someone used to shout, "The lion is coming!" Initially, people thought he was making everyone fool, but when a real lion came, no one took him seriously. It's a similar situation – if such incidents continue, people won't know what's true or false in the news. This kind of behavior is not good for anyone.

Sony LIV unveils trailer of the much-awaited show Maharani 3

Pareeksha ki tayyari hai jaari, Phir aa rahi hai #Maharani! Maharani 3, is produced by Naren Kumar and Dimple Kharbanda, created by Subhash Kapoor, and directed by Saurabh Bhave. The gripping storyline, penned by Subhash Kapoor and Nandan Singh, features an outstanding cast including Huma Qureshi, Amit Sial, Vineet Kumar, Pramod Pathak, Kani Kusruti, Anuja Sathe, Sushil Pandey, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, and Sohum Shah in pivotal roles.

Maharani 3 streaming from 7th March only on Sony LIV!

Ssudeep Sahir dons the producer’s hat, makes content for Africa

While he has already extrablished his prowess in the Hindi acting world, actor Ssudeep Sahir is now testing international waters too! The actor who is known for his roles in Woh Apna Sa, Tera Yaar Hoon Main, Ayushmaan, has started a production house with his wife, and the two are creating content for an OTT channel in Africa.
Ssudeep, who was last seen in the show Tera Yaar Hoon Main, says, “It’s not that I have disappeared after that, I’ve just been really busy with things other than acting. My wife, Anantica and I have formed a production company called Trinity. We have been developing content under this banner. In fact, we have already begun our first project and have, hence, been occupied with that since last year. It is an international project and is already half way through, it’s for an OTT platform in Africa.”
Talking about the process of production, he says, “Anantica had already done a project with the platform earlier, this time we were approached to create content for them. We worked together and created something beautiful, which got commissioned instantly. I’ve been writing concepts on and off but Anantica has been very instrumental in bringing out the writer and creator in me. Being a writer herself, she always used to tell me that I’ve got the knack of writing and I should do something about it.
I have loved every bit of creating the characters, the story, the screenplay etc. It’s a beautiful journey and it’s a different feeling to see your characters coming to life. Having said that, once an actor is always an actor, acting is my first love but creating concepts is fantastic too. Our first show is predominantly a young love story based in Kenya.”
Meanwhile, coming back to his acting projects, Ssudeep has something particular in mind. “I would love to play the anti hero. I’d like to play something that I haven’t done before, something that challenges me and forces me to think before I enter the set. My last show was fantastic that way, I loved the character but I want to push the envelope further now and I’m patiently waiting.
It’s a great time to be part of the industry right now. There are so many platforms and so many opportunities for everyone. I feel if you’re talented, no one can stop you now,” he says.

Anuj Kohli on being part of Dahej Daasi: My character embodies a profoundly negative persona

Negative, toxic, and intriguing…this is how actor Anuj Kohli describes his role in the show Dahej Dassi. The show that air's on Nazara TV has been produced by Do Dooni 4 Films’ Ravindra Gautam and Raghuvir Shekhawat.Talking about the title and his character on the show, he says, “This is a title that adds to your intrigue. The title stands out remarkably, instantly grabbing attention, which is paramount in our industry. My character embodies a profoundly negative persona, a quintessential example of toxicity. Drawing from my past experiences of portraying antagonists, it felt like a familiar journey. However, the show's writing is refreshingly innovative, allowing me to explore new dimensions of artistic expression,” he says.
He adds, “In terms of personal connection, I'm quite the opposite of my character, making the premise somewhat foreign to me. Yet, that contrast enriches the experience of playing this role. The concept, vibe, and setting appealed to me from the outset, challenging me to do justice to the character and the show. As for the attire, it exudes a rich Rajasthani essence, elevating the entire experience.” Ask him how he prepared for the show, and he says, “Preparation is an ongoing process for us, and coming from a theatrical background, I've drawn extensively from that arsenal to breathe life into this character.”
Meanwhile, the actor says that the realism portrayed in the show will help people connect to the storyline. “Undoubtedly, relatability is key in television. Realistic content tends to strike a chord with audiences, drawing them deeper into our narrative. Almost every Indian family has its share of discord, which I believe audiences will relate to through the havoc caused by my character. I've endeavoured to portray the character naturally, considering my physique and other aspects, which I hope will resonate with viewers,” he says.
Talking about working with the creators of the show, Ravindra Gautam and Raghuvir Shekhawat, he says, “They're absolute gems to work with—highly professional yet treating us actors like friends. This dynamism fosters a sense of freedom for artists, allowing us to perform at our best.”
He adds, “I envision the show soaring to the top. Its unique concept—materializing a human into the form of a Dahej Daasi—and its rich Rajasthani cultural portrayal are highly appealing. I believe audiences will thoroughly enjoy this unexplored narrative terrain.”