Monika Rawal
Monika Rawal writes on Bollywood and television, for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement, HT City.
Articles by Monika Rawal
Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi movie review: A slice-of-life tale that is relatable, well performed
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 03, 2021 07:57 PM IST
Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi movie review: Seema Pahwa brings the warmth of a middle class Lucknow family in her directorial debut. Starring acting greats such as Naseeruddin Shah and Supriya Pathak, the film is a easily digested slice-of-life treat.
Kiara Advani: 2020 has been a year of risks and many learnings
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON DEC 26, 2020 08:20 PM IST
With three film releases — Guilty and Laxmii on the web and Indoo Ki Jawani in theatres, actor Kiara Advani had quite a fulfilling year. Shooting for her next, Jug Jygg Jeeyo, she is glad to be ending the otherwise rough year on a good note.
B Praak: I’m nothing without my team and Akshay Kumar paaji
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON DEC 23, 2020 12:16 PM IST
Singer-composer B Praak feels grateful for he got to work with actor Akshay Kumar in Teri Mitti and since then, they have collaborated on multiple projects including a single Filhall, whose sequel will release in February next year.
HT City Exclusive | Kiara Advani: I’m shooting for a new film on Diwali, so couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate the festival
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON NOV 13, 2020 01:22 PM IST
Even amid the pandemic, Laxmii actor Kiara Advani says Diwali will be a similar affair. Since she would be in Chandigarh for shoot, she’ll be celebrating the festival with her film cast and crew, and virtually with her family.
Laxmii movie review: Akshay Kumar is intense, but he can’t salvage a soulless film
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON NOV 10, 2020 07:28 AM IST
Laxmii movie review: Despite Akshay Kumar’s dependably strong performance, Raghava Lawrence’s remake is neither particularly funny nor very scary. It’s passable, and somewhat problematic entertainment.
Akshay Kumar is ruling start up endorsements with ventures like Fau-G, GOQii, PagarBook, CarDekho
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON NOV 01, 2020 03:26 PM IST
Be it working with debut directors and new female co-stars, or supporting multiple startup ventures, actor Akshay Kumar doesn’t ‘fear committing to newcomers’.
Kiara Advani: As an actor, I just want my films to reach as many people as possible
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON OCT 31, 2020 09:44 PM IST
Excited for her next, Laxmii, releasing on an OTT platform, the actor says a film like that would have been an experience to watch in theatres and the community viewing aspect would surely be missed, but she’s happy that people would finally get to watch the film in the comfort of their homes.
Covid-19: Cinemas to roll out the red carpet with hit reruns
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON OCT 15, 2020 03:49 AM IST
With safety of their patrons, while ensuring compliance of all SoPs , still remaining their prime concern, the management of various cinemas across the state have another, probably bigger, headache — what content to run on their big screens, as no fresh titles had been released ever since the pandemic started.
Akshay Kumar: OTT or theatre, I’m completely on board with whatever Sooryavanshi makers would decide, and the cinema business isn’t going anywhere
By Monika Rawal Kukreja, New Delhi
UPDATED ON SEP 30, 2020 02:26 PM IST
While actor Akshay Kumar, whose Laxmmi Bomb is set to release digitally, agrees that OTT is a great alternative platform in the current situation, he asserts that nothing can beat the experience of watching a film on the big screen.
EXCLUSIVE: Akshay Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb NOT being pulled out of OTT platform, to release as scheduled
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON SEP 07, 2020 01:40 PM IST
Rubbishing ‘baseless’ reports that Akshay Kumar’s film Laxmmi Bomb will wait for a theatrical release, sources inform HT that it’s very much releasing on the OTT platform, Disney Hotstar.
Akshay Kumar: My age doesn’t concern me, it affects others
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON NOV 07, 2020 12:18 PM IST
Actor Akshay Kumar says that either via popularity, opportunities, hard work, and sometimes, age, if you’re lucky enough to reach that far, every actor has a shelf life.
Taapsee Pannu: People on social media are being brainwashed into hating, I call these trolls my closeted well-wishers
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON AUG 31, 2020 12:17 AM IST
Actor Taapsee Pannu talks about the burning debates Bollywood is grappling with, social media toxicity and her in famous ‘befitting replies’ on Twitter that trigger the troll army who, she says, don’t realise they’re actually benefiting her.
EXCLUSIVE | Sonakshi Sinha: What are you abusing me for? Being an actor or being born to a particular set of parents?
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON AUG 15, 2020 11:57 PM IST
Stating that the anger against star kids is misdirected, actor Sonakshi Sinha — who’s spearheading the anti cyber bullying initiative AbBas — asserts that just because actors aren’t being vocal about it doesn’t mean they don’t want justice for late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Akshay Kumar to contribute Rs 1 crore each to Bihar and Assam CM Relief Fund to help them in flood situation
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON AUG 13, 2020 07:49 PM IST
Actor Akshay Kumar is known for contributing to different states whenever a natural calamity strikes and this time, he has come forward to help people during Bihar and Assam floods.
Sushant Singh Rajput death case: 10 big questions before the CBI
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON AUG 06, 2020 11:20 PM IST
As various theories abound, the Central Bureau of Investigation, who has filed charges against six people including actor Rhea Chakraborty in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case, will have its task cut out.
Sushant’s death embroiled in a web of theories
By Monika Rawal Kukreja and Rishabh Suri | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON AUG 03, 2020 12:31 AM IST
Almost 50 days later, the police are still investigating what exactly prompted Rajput to commit suicide, which remains a mystery.
EXCLUSIVE | Taapsee Pannu hits back at Kangana Ranaut’s accusations: I refuse to be bitter and take advantage of someone’s death for personal vendetta
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON JUL 20, 2020 12:27 PM IST
Actor Taapsee Pannu, in an exclusive interview, replies to each and every accusation Kangana Ranaut’s has levelled against her, in a recent TV interview. She called Pannu a ‘B-grade actor, a needy outsider and her existence, a proof of nepotism’.
Raveena Tandon: Yes, there are people in the film industry, who do plan your failure
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON JUL 06, 2020 11:59 PM IST
Angered by constant rumour-mongering around Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, actor Raveena Tandon says this is now becoming a witch-hunt and a mob lynch that’s wrong and needs to stop now, as it’s doing disservice to the late actor.
Abhay Deol calls out Bollywood’s lobby culture, award functions: I’m sorry it took someone’s death to wake everybody up
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON JUN 24, 2020 07:17 PM IST
Actor Abhay Deol calls Bollywood “an extremely competitive space where people are highly insecure”. And he agrees that biases and practices like nepotism and lobbying can take a toll on person’s mental health.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s death puts nepotism in spotlight again; industry divided on the debate
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON JUN 17, 2020 12:54 AM IST
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death invokes strong emotions. Debates abound on Bollywood nepotism versus outsiders.
Sushant Singh Rajput had so many plans, he wanted to do so much: Chhichhore director Nitesh Tiwari
By Monika Rawal Kukreja
UPDATED ON JUN 14, 2020 07:30 PM IST
Sushant Singh Rajput’s character in Chhichhore shares his entire college life with son to make him understand that no matter how bad things get, suicide is not an option. Nitesh Tiwari remembers the actor and his friend.
TikTok in India: To ban or not to ban? The debate heats up after sexually violent videos draw flak
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON MAY 21, 2020 10:33 AM IST
Violent and repulsive videos, which recently surfaced on the video-sharing platform, have outragednetizens who want action against the Chinese app.
HT City Spotlight: Taking care of the elderly amid Covid-19 crisis
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON MAY 22, 2020 06:54 PM IST
In conversation with a senior medical practitioner in two sessions, watch actors Nushrat Bharucha and Vivek Oberoi raising concerns about taking care of the elderly in the family amid the pandemic.
Randeep Hooda says at Irrfan’s funeral, nobody could really hug each other: That’s the new normal we’ll soon have to get used to
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
PUBLISHED ON MAY 07, 2020 11:42 AM IST
Actor Randeep Hooda talks about how to make the most of this lockdown, adds that he’s not someone who’s interested in letting know what he’s doing or eating or how he is working out inside his house.
Gautam Gambhir on lockdown: I don’t want a single picture of me distributing rations, I hate it
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON MAY 05, 2020 11:58 AM IST
MP and former cricketer, Gautam Gambhir is strictly against the idea of making charity for a cause look like any sort of marketing propaganda. With a lot of time to spend with his family amid this extended lockdown, he’s ensuring he fulfils all his duties towards his constituency.
One of Indian cinema’s greats takes his final bow
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON APR 30, 2020 01:34 AM IST
The 53-year-old actor was on Tuesday admitted to the intensive care unit at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital where he was under observation for colon infection.
Bollywood stares at dry summer
By Monika Rawal Kukreja, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON MAR 31, 2020 12:37 AM IST
PM Narendra Modi applauds Akshay Kumar for Rs 25 cr donation, calls it a ‘great gesture’
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON MAR 30, 2020 09:38 AM IST
Akshay Kumar has contributed Rs 25 crore to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s PM-Cares fund and says this is from his mother to his motherland.
Akshay Kumar donates Rs 25 cr to PM’s coronavirus relief fund: ‘This is from my mother to Bharat maa’, he exclusively tells HT
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON MAR 28, 2020 06:42 PM IST
Akshay Kumar has vowed to contribute Rs 25 crore to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coronavirus relief fund.
Bollywood looking at Rs 1300 crore losses due to Covid-19 lockdown, films expected to ‘eat each other’s business’
By Monika Rawal Kukreja | Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON MAR 31, 2020 09:53 AM IST
With big films such as Radhe, Sooryavanshi and 83 postponed, Bollywood is staring at losses of Rs 1300 crore because of the coronavirus lockdown.