Nidhi Hiranandani: The young trailblazer of Bollywood production

Producer Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani of Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP is all set to bring the inspiring tale of Srikanth Bolla in association with Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. Titled Srikanth - Aa Raha Hai Sabki Aankhein Kholne, the film stars Rajkummar Rao and Alaya F in lead roles. This is the second film that Nidhi is producing after Saand Ki Aankh.
Being a young producer, Nidhi has emerged as a trailblazer in the entertainment arena. Nidhi who aspired to be a director started her journey being an Assistant Director on Rang De Basanti, later she even worked on the production side of TV shows. Nidhi shares the first time she fell in love with film production was during the making of Rang De Basanti, she says, "During Rang De Basanti, I felt the producer has a lot of power (at least that’s how I saw it) and I genuinely felt that for me the journey to become a producer would be easier than being a director. I have an eye for talent so I felt I could hack production and I really had the confidence I could do it. It took me a long time but here I am."
As a producer, Nidhi's vision with Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP is to make great cinema so that the banner can become a household and dependable name for the audience to spend their money. She even wishes to do social commentary in a light-hearted way with some films through the production house.

Gave wings to fly: Celebrities talk about their mothers on Mother’s Day

It’s Mother’s Day on May 12. Moms make our lives better, and we should appreciate them every day for all they do, not just on Mother's Day. This day is all about celebrating moms—the women who gave birth to us, our first teacher, and our forever guardian. We spoke to a few celebrities and asked them about the best advice they had received from their mothers, and here’s what they had to say:
Saanand Verma
Nothing is better than your mom. She is like a goddess. Har jagah bhagwaan nahi ja sakte, isliye bhagwaan ne maa banai (God couldn’t be everywhere, and that’s why he made mothers), which is true. My mom is my god. I have named my bungalow after my mom, and my house's name is Veena Bhawan. I love my mom, and today, whatever I am, it’s all because of her blessings. Whenever I meet her or leave the house, I always touch her feet. Even when I go to sleep, I touch her feet. She always takes care of me more than anything. Those who have a mom are really lucky. My mom has always advised me to do good work, never think ill of anyone, and always be happy.
Aadesh Chaudhary
I am very close to my mom. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I talk to her. One piece of advice that my mom has always given me is not to hurt anyone or cheat them. Also, if someone comes to your home, always serve them food and be humble and nice.
Varsha Hegde
Mother's Day holds special significance for me because, at the young age of 19, I became a mother while still a teenager myself. My own mother played a pivotal role in my life. She introduced me to dancing. Despite many financial constraints, she never discouraged me. Instead, she gave me wings to fly at a very young age. She is the creator who shaped me into the woman I am today, capable of being a mother myself. Whichever life I get, I aspire to be a woman so that I can experience motherhood, and I will always cherish her as my mother.
Gauravv Mukesh
There are many good things she has taught and still teaches me. Once she told me, ‘Life is like a book. Just like you start a new story or new plot on a new page, life is also about new things that you should learn and understand. Every book has its own value, just like our lives. Make your life like a book, so whoever reads it will appreciate you and get to learn. Your character should be so nice that people remember you like a good book.’
Anupama Solanki
A mother will always be a mother; there's nobody like her in the universe. A mother is akin to a god, and this is a universal truth. Since God cannot directly appear in front of us, he made mothers to always be with us. I always follow my mother’s advice, and I have learned hard work and purity from her. A mother cannot be described in a single word because she encompasses the universe, and just as we cannot fully describe the earth, we cannot fully describe her.
Vaishali Made
As a mother, I believe that experiencing motherhood is a beautiful journey. Transitioning from being a daughter to becoming someone's mother is incredibly special. Every daughter embarks on a new chapter in life, distinct from her past experiences. After becoming a mom, the love, responsibility, and dedication to fulfilling all duties while occasionally forgetting oneself, encapsulate the essence of motherhood.
Poonam Shende
The best advice I received from my mother is that no matter what life throws at you, you have to keep smiling and working towards your goals with 100 percent effort. As a school teacher, she instilled in us the values of punctuality, discipline, and a never-give-up attitude. Since childhood, we have witnessed how perfectly a woman can balance her professional and personal lives while also prioritizing her own well-being, especially in terms of health.
Manjari Mishra
My bond with my mother has always been, and will forever remain, very special. A mother is someone without whom life wouldn’t be possible. It's not just about giving birth; she is the person with whom our first bond is created. She is our first teacher. Today, whenever I return home, the first person I call out to is my mom. The biggest lesson I learned from my mom is strength. Since childhood, I have seen her tackle and conquer any difficult situation. Also, whenever I face any trouble in my life, my first thought is of my mom and how she dealt with everything; it's then that I can't stop. There are so many things that we learn from our mom.
Gulfam Khan Hussain
I lost my mom at a very young age; I was in my 20s and didn't anticipate the impact it would have, not only on me but on our entire family. She was the anchor that held our ship steady. If our father was the North Star, she was the Moon that illuminated our souls—and coincidentally, her name was Chand, too. I cherish countless 'moments' with my mother. In her subtle way, she guided us (and continues to do so). She taught me that nothing is wasted; every experience is either a victory or a lesson. She never engaged in gossip, believing that others' lives were not our concern. She valued actions over words. Not a day passes without thoughts of my parents. They were the best thing to happen to everyone around them. If I could, I would travel back in time to express my boundless love to her and capture countless memories with her on camera.

Ace producer Binaiferr Kohli speaks on Mother's Day

Ace producer Binaiferr Kohli, who is producing shows like Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain! and Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, along with her husband( Sanjay Kohli), under their banner Edit II, says her mother was a businesswoman and a housewife, and encouraged her to follow her dreams.
Speaking on the occasion of Mother’s Day, which will be celebrated on May 12, she said, “My mother, Nargis, would go to charitable institutions and knew how to make bags and crochet. She was always at the forefront of anything nice, taking an interest in her hobbies. If she saw her children excelling in something, she would encourage us to pursue it. She was the right combination of sweet, warm, and strong.” Speaking of her shows, she shared that the majority of their audience is made up of mothers who enjoy watching light-hearted comedy and have a good laugh. She added, “Like in our show, Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain! Tewari ji’s mother, is always supportive of her daughter-in-law, Angoori, and they share a lovely mother-daughter bond rather than a typical mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.”
She further said, “In Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, while the mother and daughter-in-law may have their disagreements, they stand up for each other when someone troubles them.” A message to your audience? “‘Maa Ke Charno Me Jaanat Hoti Hai,’ and I truly believe that. We must value our mothers and always appreciate them for all they do. My father was like my mother in many ways, and my mother was like a father too. They have done so much for us, and we can never fully repay them. My mother-in-law Manju Kohli has also been a wonderful mother figure to me. She is always caring, loving, and she is like a third child to me,” Binaiferr ended.

No one forces girls to earn, but boys always get to hear about: Deepali Pansare

Deepali Pansare, who is known for shows like Neer Bhare Tere Naina Devi, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, Dil Toh Happy Hai Ji, and Chikoo Ki Mummy durr Kei, Jhanak to name a few, feels that though it is expected out of a man, since the time he was a boy, to earn for his family, the same doesn’t apply for girls. She feels that boys grow up watching their father take care of the needs of their families, and that is ingrained in them.
“When middle-class boys enter adulthood, they have already seen their father working, providing for their families, and sacrificing their needs. It’s their conditioning from childhood, so knowingly or unknowingly, they are ready to protect and provide for their family. And that suppresses their desire to enjoy their lives too,” she said.
“No one forces girls to earn, but boys always get to hear about job, career, business, or financial issues. So knowingly or unknowingly, parents put pressure on the boy child,” she added.Deepali also feels that men sometimes get so busy catering to the needs of others that they forget about themselves. “Men who always worry about the future or taking care of family forget to live their own lives,” she ended.

Social media and digital love have made things so much faster, but also temporary: Anuraadha Tewari

Writer-director Anuraadha Tewari feels that people are not ready to physically invest in a relationship and rather prefer keeping it digital or on social media. But she believes that it might be temporary, and unless someone really takes time out to build a relationship, they won’t be able to build one.She believes that pressures of any kind, professional or otherwise, have nothing to do with making time. She called them excuses, and said, “I mean, there are people who head very large organizations or even nations and still find time for their families while others cannot find time to reply to a text despite having very little to do. So to my mind, it's not pressure of any kind but a larger variety of choices as well as personal freedom that has led to less time for love.”
“Social media and digital love have made things so much faster but also temporary. Hence, people find it too expensive to invest too much time in a relationship, unless it is really worth their while. But how will it be worth your while unless you have invested in it? This is a risk that fewer people are willing to take. Hence, the conundrum,” she added.
She also shared that sustaining love and marriage is always a task. She believes people either didn't realize it or spent their entire lifetimes only handling it. She said, “Because to keep syncing between two individuals and their families can never be easy! But yes, we are living in an era where individuality has begun to take center stage. However, it is still not individuality in its real sense. We have just understood how to turn the lens on ourselves. Both literally and figuratively. But the stage is still that of selfishness, where there is a lot more, I, me, myself."
"It's still a state of childishness where individuality is used as an excuse for being self-centered. This is bound to affect love and marriage. True individuality, on the other hand, would mean truly arriving at your own voice, your own being. That will automatically make you self-assured and selfless. Which in turn is a great ground for sharing, love, and marriage,” she added.