Farhan Akhtar marks 4 years of marital bliss with the woman ‘who makes everything feel better’

Mumbai, May 2 (IANS) Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar describes Amitabh Bachchan’s performance as one of his finest in “Piku” and said that he could see the megastar enjoy playing the role of the endearing Bhaskor Banerjee in the film.

Did he expect the performances to have such a lasting impact?

“Yeah, for me, it is really one of the finest performances of Mr. Bachchan. I mean, he just gave everything to the film. And while we were shooting it, I could see it because he was enjoying it so much. Every reading, every scene, every moment, he was taking so much time and joy to do it. He will not leave the set, he will be just there.”

“And some days he will come and do the shots again. No, he just wanted to give his best because he was enjoying it so much. I saw in his eyes, in his behavior, how he was enjoying.”

Shoojit highlighted the cine icon’s brilliance in capturing everyday nuances, bringing authenticity and charm to his character through small, natural moments.

He added: “He would pick up those moments, those small moments with the house help. He was just having a blast there. Telling the neighbor, just being angry at a neighbor who comments. He was just enjoying all that. So, the small things, the way he sits down, the way he eats his food, the way he talks in the dining hall, that is the real joy that is brought in. Absolutely mesmerized by his performance.”

“Piku” revolves around an architect named Piku and her ageing but nagging father Bhaskor Banerjee, who come close via a road trip to Kolkata despite their disparate ideologies and fights over trivial issues.

The comedy drama, which is set to clock 10 years since its release, stars Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan along with Moushumi Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta and Raghubir Yadav.

through Piku, which is slated to re-release on May 9, emphasises the emotional and moral responsibility of adult children to care for their aging parents, highlighting the challenges of balancing personal life with caregiving.

Asked how he feels the story of Piku holds relevance today, especially considering the growing number of young adults balancing their personal lives with caring for aging parents, Shoojit told IANS: “Yeah, caregiving is a very important issue now in our topic. So, parental caregiving is a crisis also at this moment in this modern family structure, which is going on in the society. So this film speaks volume about that, where you still, you can’t just abandon your elders and parents.”

“Piku takes that charge also. Piku says, I mean, you know, I cannot just, I’ll have to keep them alive. I mean, if they are not, if we don’t take care, they won’t be alive anymore. So to keep them alive, I will have to be there, and also when parents grow old, there is a very clear message there in the film that when they get old, they can’t live on their own.”

He added: “You will have to be with them so that they can pass through, you know. So that’s very important and relevant also in today’s time. So, I think Piku, as a very progressive girl from a progressive family, is quite clear about that, which I think is very important to take away from Piku.”

–IANS

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Los Angeles, May 4 (IANS) Gigi Hadid has finally gone Instagram official with her beau Bradley Cooper. The supermodel recently shared a series of photos from her 30th birthday party on Instagram, and among them was a photo of Hadid kissing Cooper, her boyfriend of one year.

In the snapshot, Hadid and the actor, 50, could be seen smooching in front of her giant, three-tier chocolate birthday cake, reports ‘People’ magazine.

The model, who wore a white top and had her hair slicked back in a bun, cupped Cooper’s face in her hands as they kissed.

“I feel so lucky to be 30”, she captioned her post. “I feel so lucky for every high and low – for all the lessons and gifts both have brought me. To get to feel it all! I’m so lucky to be a mom, friend, partner, sister, daughter, colleague to some of the most unbelievable humans!!”

“So lucky for the support and encouragement from all of YOU around the world, every day and on my birthday last week”, she continued. “I had the best time celebrating, and it’s a blessing to feel so loved!! I am grateful and honored to take on a new decade”.

As per ‘People’, Hadid and Cooper were first linked in early October 2023, when they were spotted dining together at Via Carota in New York City’s West Village, and have seemingly grown closer ever since.

Last month, Hadid made some rare comments about her romance with the ‘Maestro’ actor in an interview with Vogue, describing their relationship as a “very romantic and happy dynamic”, though she did admit that it has come with challenges, given the couple’s fame.

“To find someone that is in a place in their life where they know what they want and deserve and you both do work separately to come together and be the best partner that you can be. I just feel really lucky”, she said.

Hadid added, “I respect him so much as a creative, and I feel that he gives so much to me: encouragement and, just, belief”.

A source told ‘People’ in January that an engagement “would be a big step” for the pair, but they’re perfectly content as they are. They also spend time with each other’s families, as do their kids, the insider said.

“Neither are looking to rush anything, but that’s not to say they’re not very happy together”, the source said, adding, “Gigi has a free spirit personality and she brings out a fun side of Bradley”.

Also in January, a source told ‘People’ that the couple’s respective children have met — and even “spend time together”.

Cooper shares daughter Lea De Seine, 8, with model Irina Shayk. The pair began dating in 2015 and broke up four years later. Hadid shares her daughter Khai, 4, with One Direction alum Zayn Malik. The duo split in October 2021 after nearly six years of dating.

–IANS

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