Fans have been eagerly waiting for the forthcoming film Gulmohar ever since streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar dropped its trailer a couple of weeks ago. The film stars veteran actress Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpayee in lead roles while Amol Palekar, Simran, Suraj Sharma, Kaveri Seth, and Utsavi Jha play supporting characters.
Helmed by Rahul Chittella, Gulmohar is a bittersweet tale of a family which revolves around Sharmila Tagore’s character who is the matriarch of the house and, triggered by some emotions, decides to sell the family house named Gulmohar to a builder.
Filmmaker Mira Nair, who is known for such films as The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Monsoon Wedding, saw the rough cuts of the film some time ago and seemed quite impressed with debutant director Rahul Chittella’s work.
Praising the film, she said, “The first time I saw Gulmohar in rough cut, what stayed with me was the rare thing; it evoked a feeling. It has a mood. It has a powerful sense of atmosphere and a feeling of people trying to find what makes life work, feeling the blows of life as they try to move forward. I loved the specificity with which it was written and conceived. Each character felt quite distinctive.”
Praising her protégé and producing partner Rahul Chittella, she added, “And yet what they were aspiring for in the world of Gulmohar was happiness. So why do we create walls between each other? Why do we cause our unhappiness? These are wise questions for a young filmmaker like Rahul; it was beautiful to see in Gulmohar. This evocation of wisdom and emotion and people in different ways, each striving for what could make them happy.”
Gulmohar is slated for release on 3rd March 2023 on Disney+ Hotstar.
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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