I love when people ‘stalk’ me: Priyanka Chopra

Actress Priyanka Chopra says she doesnt mind being stalked on social media.

Priyanka will be seen as a guest judge on the upcoming talent-based show "India's Next Superstars", which will feature filmmakers Rohit Shetty and Karan Johar.

One contestant told Priyanka that she was her biggest inspiration and she regularly stalked her on Instagram.

Priyanka responded: "I'm impressed that you know so much about me. I love when people stalk me on Instagram as I, myself, check how many people have checked my stories and posts."

"India's Next Superstars" will be soon aired on Star Plus.

Mewar royal questions CBFC over clearance to Padmavati

A senior member of the erstwhile Mewar royal family, Mahendra Singh, has questioned the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for endorsing Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati claiming the film "misrepresents" revered heroic characters and may cause "social unrest".

In a letter to Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and Minister of State Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the Mewar royal alleged that CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi had not considered all factors and "this public deception" suggested incompetence and complicity.

"The movie is likely to cause social unrest and such hurried certification and continuing misrepresentation can only bring disrepute to the CBFC," Mahendra Singh wrote.

Accusing CBFC chief Joshi of misrepresenting facts, Mahendra Singh alleged that two panels seemed to have been invited for a special screening but the film was "clandestinely" shown to only one.

"The impression being given is that the panelists who saw the movie were in agreement over its release with the reported modifications. However, two members of the panel have gone on record to state that they were not in agreement to the release," read the letter.

It is clear that the invitation to both panels was just a sham and the names of the panelists who viewed the film are now being used to add credibility, Mahendra Singh said.

He added that the claims of historical authenticity were dropped and the movie was declared to be fictional, drawing inspiration from Malik Mohammad Jayasi's poem Padmavat.

Mahendra Singh claimed that the period drama was not even an accurate adaptation of Jayasi's poem.

"The movie thereby misrepresents not only our culture but also this poem! It may be noted all communities had made their contribution at that time and we Rajputs need no certificate from the film or Mr Joshi, especially at the cost of misrepresenting our culture and denigrating that of others," the letter says.

Significantly, Mahendra Singh's son Vishvaraj Singh had written to CBFC chairman Joshi seeking some clarifications after he received an invitation to be on a panel to review the film. Mahendra Singh also raised questions at to why the CBFC had not answered the issues raise by his son.

Last week, the CBFC decided to give Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati a UA certificate and suggested the director change the film's title to Padmavat.

Never wanted to make a biopic: R Balki on Padman

R Balki says he never wanted to make a biopic but he decided to go ahead with Padman as it gave him a chance to address an important issue like menstruation through the fascinating life story of Arunachalam Muruganantham.

The director is best known for his films such as Cheeni Kum, Paa, Shamitabh and Ki and Ka.

Padman, featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead, is a fictionalised account of Tamil Nadu-based Muruganantham, who created affordable sanitary napkins for the women of his village.

"I never wanted to do a biopic. I wanted to do my own fictional stories but this subject was great. This guy's life is fascinating. Where will you get to do a mass mainstream film on a subject like sanitary pads? I felt it was a fantastic opportunity, that's why I took it up," Balki told PTI.

"We wrote it for Akshay, he is a star but you have to write things keeping in mind the character as well. We had to make sure the sensitive issue should not be lost (in making it entertaining)."

The director said he took liberties in the portrayal of the character but did not alter the essence.

"I have to do justice to his (Muruganantham) life. On screen, his life should be even better than what it was in real life. I have taken very few liberties and Muruganantham knows about it."

Padman was always the title for Balki as that is how he started writing the story.

"This film is not based on Twinkle Khanna's book, that is a separate story. There are two different fictional takes on Muruganantham's life. I just called it Padman as that is how I started writing the story."

Also featuring Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, the biographical comedy-drama is set for release on January 26.

with inputs from agencies