Indus Chronicles

Nikkhil Advani began his career as an assistant director before making a smashing directorial debut with Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003). After helming several significant films, he switched gears and carved a niche for himself in the OTT space with shows like Mumbai Diaries, Freedom at Midnight and the recently released The Revolutionaries. He has also produced acclaimed shows such as The Empire, Rocket Boys and Adhura, along with films like Airlift (2016) and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), further adding to his impressive body of work. In a recent interview, Nikkhil opened up like never before about his family migrating from Sindh during the Partition and also spoke about how younger generations are reacting to his films.

After Kal Ho Naa Ho, Nikkhil Advani’s next directorial was Salaam-E-Ishq (2007), followed by Chandni Chowk To China (2009). The latter, starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, didn’t receive a favourable response from the audience at the time. However, Nikkhil revealed that Gen Z viewers have since appreciated the film, with many even asking him to make a sequel to Chandni Chowk To China.

Nikkhil Advani told Mumbai Mirror, “The people asking me for a Chandni Chowk sequel today were four years old when it was released (laughs). They didn’t care about narrative structure; they just saw Akshay Kumar [who plays a chef in the film] fighting a giant potato and somehow it worked for them.”

In the same interview, the acclaimed filmmaker revealed that in the summer of 1947, just before the Partition, his great-grandfather flew with his whole family from Sindh to Mumbai, before the former became a part of Pakistan.

Nikkhil Advani also revealed that during the journey, his grandfather carried a heavy money belt strapped around his waist. The money was not his savings. According to the article, “He worked for Habib Bank, which was shifting its headquarters to Karachi at Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s behest”. Hence, he was entrusted to deliver the cash to its Bombay branch. And his grandfather "handed over every rupee".

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Lyricist Sameer had a conversation with Komal Nahta and spoke about the banners and filmmakers he particularly enjoyed working with over the years. Sameer said, “I had a wonderful time working with Yash Chopra and his production house. I haven’t done a lot of work with them; I wrote songs for Aaina (1993), Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dhoom (2004), Dhoom 2 (2006) and Dhoom 3 (2013). Unke yahaan kaam karne ka mazaa hai kyunki bahut sensibility ke saath kaam hota hai. While working with them, you’d feel like you are a part of their family. They understand cinema, the craft, lyrics, poetry, etc.”

Sameer continued, “I wrote 3 films for B R Chopra – Kal Ki Awaz (1992), Baghban (2003) and Baabul (2006). I can’t tell you the contribution of Chopra saab during Baghban. I had a good time working with Karan Johar. I only did two films with him – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). Lekin jo kaam karne ki samajh uss aadmi mein hai, khaas kar music ko leke, it's praiseworthy.”

Sameer revealed, “At one point, Jatin-Lalit almost quit Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. They were pressurized by the presence so many stars of different generations. I told them, ‘Yeh film aap log mat chodo. Bas Karan ko follow karo’. That’s what I did. The song ‘Say Shava Shava’ was difficult as it had so many actors – Amit ji bhi hai, Jaya ji bhi hai, Shah Rukh bhi hai, Rani bhi hai, Kajol bhi hai. But that man (Karan Johar) narrates so minutely that it became very easy. Mujhe pata bhi nahin chala maine Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham ke gaane kab likh diye!”

Sameer then started, “The first song of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which was released, was, ‘Tum Paas Aaye, Yun Muskuraaye’. David Dhawan heard the song. He called and told me, ‘Bada ganda gaana likha hai tune, yaar. Meri picture mein aisa gaana likhna mat’ (laughs)! I asked him, ‘Teri picture ka gaana hai? Tu kyun pareshan ho raha hai? Jaane de na’. He said, ‘Meri film ke gaane bhi release hue hain. Uss film ke music ko khatam nahin kar diya toh tu mujhe bata’!”

The film David Dhawan mentioned was Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998) and Sameer wrote the songs for it as well. Sameer added, “Both films (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan) were released on the same day and the songs of both the movies were blockbusters.”

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Lyricist Sameer had a conversation with Komal Nahta, during which he went down memory lane and shared several anecdotes related to prominent films and stars. He also spoke about the importance of music in cinema.

Sameer said, “A film can become a hit even without a song. For example, a film like Kanoon (1960) did work. But viewers will go to watch such films once. Film ki repeat value gaana hota tha. Once you see the film and know it story, toh aap baar baar kya wohi dekhne jaoge? During Aashiqui (1990), I witnessed viewers entering the theatre to see the song. Once the song would end, they would go out, have tea and then come back again to catch the next song. They had calculated the gap between the two songs and would enter the theatre accordingly! Imagine the importance of music. Also, in the 90s, we gave maximum hits with newcomers. Phool Aur Kaante (1991) was Ajay Devgn’s first film. Kya music tha uss film ka.”

He then spoke about music director Nadeem Saifi of Nadeem-Shravan fame, “Nadeem saw Ajay Devgn and told director Kuku Kohli, ‘Isko mat leke aana. Mujhe depression ho jaayega. How will we be inspired to write songs? Tumko yehi ek actor mila tha.’ But when he saw him in the film, he congratulated him. He accepted that (he made a mistake). I don’t know if Kuku ever told Ajay about this episode!”

Sameer continued, “That’s how Nadeem is. He would not mince words. Ramesh Sippy offered a film to us, Zamaana Deewana (1995; starring Shah Rukh Khan and Raveena Tandon). We did the film eventually. Ramesh ji narrated the film to us for 2 ½ hours and then asked him, ‘Nadeem bhai, kaisa laga?’. Any other person would hesitate, especially when sitting in front of such a big director. But Nadeem told him, ‘Aisi wahiyaad kahani maine nahin suni’ (laughs)!”

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Hema Malini recently opened up about changing trends of stardom and also touched upon being dignified while ageing gracefully. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, she said, “Today there is too much exposure. We were never exposed like this. Now, before stepping out of the house, an actor has to think about what to wear, what bag to carry, how to walk, because somebody is photographing you from every angle. You go to the airport and people immediately click photographs with their mobile phones. Even if you’re not dressed properly, nobody cares. The picture is everywhere.”

She also remarked, “Youngsters today want quick fame. For publicity, they are ready to do anything. We never had to do all that. We worked for 60 or 70 days on a film and then waited to see the result on screen. I always knew I had done my best. Whether the film became a hit or not was a different matter.”

We are living in times of cosmetic procedures are fairly common. Hema Malini endorsed the idea but with terms and conditions.

She remarked, “Ageing gracefully is very important because you have to maintain yourself. If there is something genuinely necessary for your appearance, one can definitely try it. As long as you are in the public eye, you have to be presentable. That’s all. But don’t overdo anything.”

She then added, “Even if you wear something simple, be dignified. Women should dress up nicely. They don’t have to expose too much. Nowadays, young girls expose so much. Being a woman and being a mother, I don’t like it. It really hurts.”

Two weeks before this interview, Hema Malini, in a rare instance, revealed why she had declined Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), admitting that she was uncomfortable with the bold portrayal of the female lead.

She revealed, “After Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968), I always wanted to work with Raj Kapoor saab again. After some years, he wanted me to do Satyam Shivam Sundaram. But he himself told me, ‘I know you won’t do it.’ I told him that I would love to work under his direction, but I wouldn’t be able to do this film.”

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Katrina Kaif has opened up about her evolving skincare journey, revealing how post-pregnancy changes made her routine more careful and intentional. Her comments to The Hollywood Reporter arrive at a time when the actress has faced extensive trolling over her recent post-pregnancy appearance, making her beauty insights particularly resonant for fans navigating similar concerns.

Katrina explained that her skin’s needs changed significantly after becoming a mother. “Post-pregnancy, my skin became even more sensitive, so it was a really tricky time because I had to understand what products were working for me. I found myself looking for products that felt soothing, calming and restorative,” she said.

This phase led her to prioritize barrier health in her regimen. Speaking about her own range of products, Kaif added, “It reinforced my belief that focusing on your barrier support and repair is so important, as it’s our skin’s first line of defence to environmental stressors.”

Reflecting on how her approach to beauty has evolved over the years, Katrina noted a shift from external stereotypes to internal well-being. “It’s changed a lot. When I started out early through my modelling and acting career, there were a lot of stereotypes about what the beauty standards were. Now for me, looking my best is really about feeling my best, and that comes from taking care of myself as a whole,” she stated.

She listed several non-negotiables that influence how her skin behaves: “A healthy diet, keeping the inflammation in your body under control, staying active, meditation, a phone-free daily hour of your morning and getting natural light first thing in the morning. It all makes a huge difference to how I feel, and ultimately how my skin behaves. I think when you feel healthy, that confidence naturally reflects on the outside.”

Katrina also emphasized the importance of being responsive to her skin’s changing needs. “I’ve learnt to be adaptable and responsive to what my skin needs at a particular phase or time. Stress, inflammation and environment all play a big factor. Sensitive skin can behave very differently from one day to the next,” she said.

At present, her focus is on hydration and resilience. “Right now, in this phase, I’m focusing on deep cellular hydration, supporting and strengthening my skin barrier and keeping it calm and resilient. Even makeup application is hugely improved when the skin is cared for,” Katrina added.

With her candid breakdown, the actress offers a blueprint that goes beyond products—centring on barrier care, lifestyle balance and self-trust in a phase of life that many women find confusing and highly scrutinized.

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Lyricist Sameer Anjaan recently revisited a difficult chapter from the early stages of his career during an appearance on Komal Nahta’s Game Changers: The Music Series. The lyricist recalled an incident involving a music director, who he chose not to name, and revealed how the encounter became a moment of self-doubt before eventually motivating him to continue pursuing songwriting.

Sameer, son of veteran songwriter Anjaan, recalled that the incident took place before he met music director Usha Khanna. He said the unnamed music director was a good acquaintance of his father. After listening to several of Sameer’s songs, the music director reportedly questioned his decision to pursue songwriting.

Sharing details of the interaction, Sameer said, "There was an incident before I visited Usha Khanna. I will not disclose the name of the music director, but he was a good acquaintance of my father.” He further recalled, “I showed him a few of my songs. After listening to 15–20 songs attentively, he said, 'You have a good education, you had a job, and you are the son of such a good ‘Shayar’; why would you ruin his reputation? I can give you in writing that you will never become a songwriter. Don’t waste your time here. If you need money, I will give it to you; go back to Banaras.' In anger, he threw my music diary from the third floor,” he shared.

The incident left Sameer questioning his abilities as a songwriter, particularly because the criticism had come from someone who knew his father. However, he said he remembered a line from his father’s work, which gave him the motivation to continue.

He went on to add, “While I was going down to retrieve it, I had so many questions in my mind. This music director was a friend of my father. He had listened to my songs for 45 minutes to an hour, and if his reaction was like this, was there a problem with my skills? Then I remembered a line from my father’s work: 'Jag abhi jeeta nahi hai, tu abhi haara nahi hai. Faisla hone se pehle haar mat swikaar karna.' I found new motivation in those words. I picked up my diary and went straight to Santa Cruz, to Usha Khanna’s house in Khar Road."

Sameer Anjaan is among the prolific lyricists in Indian cinema and holds a Guinness World Record for writing the highest number of film songs. His appearance on Game Changers: The Music Series offered a glimpse into the struggles that preceded his established career.

This version keeps the focus on the incident and Sameer’s recollection, while avoiding unverified conclusions about the unnamed music director or adding details beyond the supplied material.

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Sara Ali Khan is in New York for Fashion Week, where she is set to attend the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2027 runway show. Ahead of the showcase, the actor spoke to Lifestyle Asia India about her approach to fashion, the pieces currently inspiring her, and how she likes to spend her time in the Big Apple.

For Sara, personal style is less about following a fixed set of fashion rules and more about letting individuality take the lead. When asked about a fashion rule she has stopped following, she shared a simple philosophy: “Impress other people, express yourself is my new one.”

She also believes that an outfit should complement the person wearing it rather than become the focus of attention. “Just don't let the outfit wear you, be yourself in whatever you wear and then your personality will come through is what I think,” Sara said. Sara Ali Khan’s current fashion moodboard While Sara has experimented with vibrant and colourful looks over the years, her current fashion moodboard is taking a more understated direction. The actor said she has been enjoying minimal silhouettes and a more restrained colour palette. “Minimalistic, monotones, I'm enjoying that. I've done so much like colourful shock and awe in my life that it's kind of nice to do some basics,” she said.

Her current preference also reflects her broader approach to fashion. Rather than building her wardrobe around every new trend, Sara said she prefers dressing in a way that feels comfortable and authentic. “I don't never really follow trends, I think just be yourself and be comfortable in your own skin has been what I do,” she said. From fashion staples to everyday favourites When it comes to the pieces she is most drawn to, Sara has a soft spot for practical wardrobe staples. Asked about her biggest fashion weakness between shoes, bags, jewellery and jackets, she picked two. “Well, I love winter jackets and I like tote bags, so it's between the two depending on where I'm going,” she said.

For the one fashion piece she believes everyone should own, Sara chose a classic from the brand she is set to watch on the runway. “I think a Tommy Hilfiger cable net,” she said, referring to the label's cable-knit style. What would be on Sara’s fashion soundtrack? Fashion and music often go hand in hand, and Sara took a personal route when asked what song would accompany her outfit for the evening. “My outfit tonight, I don't know something like reminds me, maybe my Columbia school anthem,” she said.

The answer is also a nod to her connection with New York. Sara studied at Columbia University and has previously spoken about her time in the city. Sara Ali Khan’s Perfect New York Day For Sara, a day off in New York is not necessarily about ticking off tourist attractions. Her ideal day involves a mix of exercise, food and plenty of walking. “Barry's Boot Camp, Whole Foods, Mamo, walking, more walking, some desserts, some more Mamo, then you're too tired for Barry's Boot Camp,” she said.

Having lived in the city, Sara also finds that some of the most quintessentially New York experiences are the everyday ones. Asked about the most New York thing she has done on this trip, she said, “I've lived here, so I don't know like what the most New York thing is, like take a subway, talk to a stranger, eat a pizza on the road, just these things.”

From keeping her fashion moodboard minimal to choosing comfort and individuality over trends, Sara’s approach to style appears to be rooted in making fashion work for her rather than the other way around. And as she heads to the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2027 showcase, her current fashion philosophy seems to be less about making a statement for others and more about expressing herself.

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