An Open Letter to an aspiring entrant into the Entertainment Industry

Dear you,

Who fathoms the significance in being a part of anything that lets you express, you who respects the advent of new ideas and ideologies, you who intends to become something that you yourself would like and not us – because there lies an amount of peace in giving priority to self over others.

Do you also understand the concept of time and the monotony that lies in its endlessness? With every ticking minute, you have to strive harder because it is easy for none.

If you understand the struggle, then can you help clear the misconceptions in the minds of the rest? – It isn’t the easy way out after you’ve tried your hand at everything else possible.

The ones who leech off the industry because they had no other way out, can you understand that this isn’t a joke, after all?

No one is fit to judge if you’re good or bad because their tastes and generic interests are different. But to participate in something that matches your tastes will help you succeed.

And therefore, it makes complete sense to have the deepest of interests and through that to know what you like and dislike, to be able to look at things through your eyes.

Making a living out of a dream is the sign of success in itself, yet making a living isn’t the only thing important. Believing in something that you have no knowledge of, is cheating yourself. Some are in this for the love of it, while there are some just for the sake notoriety.
Notoriety not because they intend to dent the industry’s name but because they haven’t fully comprehended their own priorities.

Before stepping into this myriad of options, for this industry has many to offer, know that the industry is already oversaturated and for you to be taken seriously you have to show those in power that ‘You’re not here to saturate it more than it already is’. Unfortunately, ones who have risen to fame, have only been able to, because of two things:

They either backdoor'ed their way into this or they really are worth something. Once you know what you are in it for, you’ll automatically understand the difference between the two.

Nothing has been concealed from the world or the audiences, and therefore, everybody knows that sometimes you might be taken for granted, sometimes you might even end up being taken advantage of – but to know what’s good and bad, you see it is again seeping down to the only thing that you need to be good at – Know what you’re in it for.

There’s always going to be a certain amount of competition chasing you and that is healthy. However, the competition gets many, if you fear it you lose, if you chase and surpass it way ahead you lose. Let competition not get the better of you but let it help you know what’s around you, better.


Written by Smita Ganguli
Aspiring cyber journalist but too damn opinionated.

5 new comers who redefined the level of acting in Bollywood

More than thousand Bollywood movies are released every year. We see someone or the other entering and exiting this ever-growing industry. Surviving in such an industry, where options are unlimited, is tough. To keep the producers interested, it is important to be talented. No one wants to cast someone who comes with uncertainty. Be it a star kid or a commoner, it is important to live up to the expectations of the creative heads and the audience. It’s either go big or go home.

In the last few years, we have seen number of people trying their luck in the industry. Some, however, stood out in ways more than one. Their acting and dedication truly won million of hearts and we can’t help but watch their performance over and over. With the A-listers to compete with, these newbies have certainly made an unforgettable place for themselves in the industry.

1. Alia Bhatt

No one could have guessed that this young girl who came from a famous Bollywood family would redefine the acting level in the industry. Her first film, despite directed by Karan Johar, did not get her any fame or appreciation. She was, simply, a mannequin in the movie and her role certainly wasn’t appealing.

But with her second film, Highway, she showcased her talent and everyone went gaga over performance and portrayal of the character. Alia’s recent film, Udta Punjab, is a hard to miss as well. With 2 States, Kapoor and Sons, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and Shandar in her list, this twenty-three years old girl has proved that she is here to stay. She has turned out to be a complete entertainer who can fit in any given role. Be it a bubbly, easy going chic or a struggling yet strong woman, Alia Bhatt can do it all.



2. Ranveer Singh

His struggle-free entry in Bollywood surely raised a lot of eyebrows but he proved his worth and let his work do the talking. With Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, Ranveer Singh made his Bollywood debut and he has been everyone’s favourite ever since. With quirky personality and endless talent, he is slowly becoming everyone’s favourite in the industry and has worked with well-known directors.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has cast him in two movies which were a resounding success. In a short span of time, Singh has given outstanding performance in Band Baaja Baaraat, Ramleela, Bajirao Mastani, Lootera and so on. He has surely secured a place for himself in the ever-growing industry and is working hard to maintain the said position.



3. Raj Kumar Yadav

He made his film debut with an unconventional flick like Love, Sex Aur Dhoka. His choice of films has been different for sure. With movies like City Lights, Ragini MMS 2, Aligarh, Kai Po Che, he has proved that looks don’t matter. He left everyone speechless with his brilliant performance in Shahid for which he got National Award.

He has been a part of commercial films like Queen, Dolly ki Doli and Humaari Adhuri Kahani as well. Apart from that, Rajkumar Yadav acted in Gangs of Wasseypur and has also shared screen space with Amir Khan in Talaash. Suffice to say, he has emerged as a trustworthy actor who has fulfilled the expectations of the audience who are looking for out of the box things.



4. Huma Qureshi

She is beautiful but that’s not the only quality she possesses. Huma Qureshi is becoming everyone’s favourite and the sole credit for this goes to her choice of unconventional roles. She has played various characters and none of them happens to be a part of your typical, girl-next-door flicks. Her debut movie was Gangs of Wasseypur, followed by Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana and Ek Thi Dayan. Thanks to her out-of-the-box choices, she won a lot of awards and nominations.

This year, She will make her Malayalam debut with Uday Ananthan's White opposite Mammootty, and English debut with Gurinder Chadha's Viceroy's Hous. Along with that, she will play the leading role in Zahhak, a remake of the Hollywood film Oculus, which will be directed by Prawaal Raman, along with her brother Saqib Saleem. She has proved that actresses are more than pretty faces by taking up roles in movies like Dedh Ishqiya, D-Day, etc.


5. Richa Chadda

The bold roles and bolder dialogues define Richa’s Bollywood career. She has made her presence felt by being a part of critically acclaimed movies like Masaan and Gangs of Wasseypur. The former won around sixteen awards and the latter gained a lot of popularity as well. Along with that, her role in Fukrey definitely caught everyone’s attention.

She has been a part of the Mexican-American anthology film, Words with Gods, as well. Along with that, her role in Sarabjit gained a lot of appreciation. Her upcoming film, again, goes against all the conventional norms as the movie, Cabaret, may or may not be inspired by Helen’s life. Chadda has undergone lot training for this role.

Written by Priyanka Chauhan

A bibliophile and an aspiring writer who lives with a  dream to travel the world.