Malayalam superstar Mammootty on Monday joined the cast of the forthcoming Telugu film Agent. Mounted on a huge scale, the spy-thriller stars Akhil Akkineni in the lead role.
Directed by Surender Reddy, the upcoming film is produced by AK Entertainments and Surender 2 Cinema.
The official Twitter account of AK Entertainments shared a poster featuring the 70-year-old actor, who reportedly plays a military officer in the film.
“A stalwart of Indian cinema who paved his own path with discipline and dedication. Megastar Mammootty joins the shoot of Agent. Can't wait to witness the magic on sets," the tweet read.
— (@)
Agent, first announced in 2020, kick-started its production last year.
Mammootty can be currently seen in his latest release, a Malayalam action thriller Bheeshma Parvam (2021). The film has been doing phenomenal business ever since entering cinemas on March 3, 2021. It has broken several box office records within a week of its theatrical release.
The cast and crew of Agent congratulated the actor on the huge success of Bheeshma Parvam with a sweet gesture and shared a heart-warming clip of it on social media. The short clip began with the actor getting out of his car, after which he was felicitated with a bouquet of red roses. He was then presented with a cake, on which one could see Mammootty's character from Bheeshma Parvam. The cake read, “Bheeshma Parvam success”.
Apart from Agent, the actor will also be seen in Puzhu and Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, which will be directed by Jallikattu helmer Lijo Jose Pellissery.
Agent has music by Hip Hop Thamizha, cinematography by Ragul Herian Dharuman, editing by Naveen Nooli, and art direction by Avinash Kolla.
Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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