August 2019

18 August 2019
ENTERTAINMENT
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
‘I NEVER BOTHERED
ABOUT NUMBERS’
Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari says she doesn’t want to change herself
and lose the purity she had as a director before she entered Bollywood
Nil Battey Sannata (2015),
Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and lined up
next is Panga with Kangana Ranaut
and Neena Gupta — the kind of filmography
that filmmaker Ashwiny
Iyer Tiwari has to her credit is surprising
for someone who says she
didn’t know anything about
Bollywood.
“I was in advertising,” she begins,
“and had closely worked with a TV
channel as well, which was partly in
films, too. I moved onto making
films because of the sheer instinct
that I wanted to tell stories on the
larger screen. I didn’t know ABC of
Bollywood.”
Though Ashwiny shares she knew
a lot of ad film directors, she adds,
“My closest brush with the industry
was when I had worked on Kaun
Banega Crorepati with Mr. Amitabh
Bachchan. Then came a show like
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, and Sakshi
(Tanwar) was my closest interaction.
It wasn’t like I was dealing with
actors day in and day out.”
In an industry where it is believed
that female actors are just beginning
to get their due in terms of on screen
roles, even female filmmakers have
the spotlight on them. How does she
relate to these evolving dynamics?’
“You see, there was Hrishikesh
Mukherjee, Sai Paranjpye — their
cinema was unadulterated, yet commercially
viable. I wanted to make
Diana Penty shines on
ramp at ICW 2019
New Delhi, Bollywood actress Diana Penty stole
the limelight at the FDCI India Couture Week (2019)
on Saturday as she walked the ramp for designer
Gaurav Gupta. The “Happy Bhag Jayegi” actress
was seen wearing a green-gray, sculpted mermaid
gown. With winged eyeliner, glossy makeup and a
french bun, the actress wore a diamond feathershaped
earrings cum ear cuff to complete her look. “I
have always loved being on the ramp. And with
Gaurav, it’s always special. I have been a fan of
Gaurav Gupta and have been wearing his creations
for a while now. I love his aesthetics, his finesse and
his sculpting which he is known for. He is a perfect
red carpet go-to,” Daina told IANS.
“But when I’m off the screen, I’m laid back and
love street style. Not at all a heels person, I will be
spotted in a sneaker, jeans and a shirt or something
easy-breezy at most of the time,” she said.
On work front, Daina will be seen making a special
appearance in “Khandaani Shafakhanaa”, scheduled
for release on August 2.
that [kind of cinema]. I never bothered
about box-office numbers, or
whether I will get screens or not…
that purity has to stay. If I lose out on
that and get entangled [in such
things]… I
don’t want to change myself.
Today [the limelight is on directors]
and we’re presenting ourselves out
there. Audience also looks up to you
as you evolve,” says Ashwiny, who
was recently in Delhi for HT Brand
Studio. Ashwiny’s first film was Nil
Battey.., starring Swara Bhasker, and
it dealt with a mother-daughter relationship.
We ask her if being a female director,
and having an unconventional
female protagonist in her debut film
made getting funding difficult? She
agrees, and elaborates, “I’d not deny
the story was very offbeat.
The characters were from a class
of society that we’re not used to seeing
on cinema. But, we’re still talking
about a relationship! Yes, we
had to struggle to get money to
make the film. I believed the story
must be told. After making that film,
we went to Aanand L Rai to present
the film. He was just opening his
production house then. He felt this
one film will be nice as their first
film to present. Bollywood itself is
welcoming. Writers from small
towns of the country are coming, up,
which is nice.”
Parineeti to use
fashion to
address issues
Mumbai, Actress Parineeti Chopra has close to 50
million people following her digitally. She is now set to
use her digital clout and stature as a fashion icon to raise
awareness on social issues.
On Tuesday, Parineeti shared a photo in which she is
seen sporting a denim outfit with a blue T-shirt that has
a heart shape print in the front in rainbow colours. It
says, “Love is Love”.
“Because…love is love #pride,” Parineeti captioned
the snapshot. According to a source, it was the beginning
of her social media campaign that will see her continue
to raise her voice on important issues that are close
to her heart. “Fashion has, is and will always make bold
statements on issues affecting society. I have always
strongly felt about equality and have always spoken
against stereotypes. Today, I was celebrating India’s
massive decision to decriminalise section 377,”
Parineeti said.
“I will continue raising my voice on important societal
issues through fashion because I feel, as celebrities,
we need to bring attention to important things that are
happening in and around us,” she added.