Faced with a huge backlash, actor Akshay Kumar on Thursday announced that he is stepping down as the brand ambassador of a tobacco company with whom he had recently signed a contract. The actor in a lengthy social media posting in the early hours today apologised for hurting the sentiments of people. "I am sorry. I would like to apologise to you, all my fans and well-wishers. Your reaction over the past few days has deeply affected me. While I have not and will not endorse tobacco, I respect the outpouring of your feelings in light of my association with Vimal Elaichi. With all humility, I step back. I have decided to contribute the entire endorsement fee towards a worthy cause," Akshay Kumar wrote on Instagram.
Courtesy: Mid-Day.com
It’s not something I want to remember. Nor is it something that I can forget,†begins Malaika Arora, making it evident that though she has physically recovered from the accident, its emotional trauma lingers on. On April 2, the actor-model, returning from a fashion show in Pune, met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Arora, who had suffered a deep gash on her forehead, was rushed to a hospital in Navi Mumbai where she was administered stitches, and discharged a day later.
Over two weeks on, she has resumed work, but admits that the incident has left a deep impact. “Physically, I am recovering, but mentally, I feel that it doesn’t go away completely. Sometimes, if I am watching a movie that depicts an accident or shows blood, I get flashes that send shivers down my spine. I have to go through the process, and will eventually be able to move past it.â€
Courtesy: Mid-Day.com
Ayushmann, who completes a decade in Bollywood, says his pursuit of brave stories made him a fearless artist. Ayushmann Khurrana has created a sub-genre of his own with films that highlight social issues in an entertaining manner — from Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan (2017) to Badhaai Ho (2018), from Bala (2019) to Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021). If one looks back, his debut film Vicky Donor, which released in April 2012 and removed the stigma around sperm donation, perfectly reflected his brand of cinema. As the actor completes a decade in Bollywood today, he is exhilarated by his journey. Khurrana says, “For someone with no connection, no inroads in the Hindi film industry, I am grateful that I found quality mentors who believed in me and guided me to where I’m today. Vicky Donor became my calling card to the industry about the movies that I would like to back.†He is grateful to the makers for “trusting a rookie†like him with the social comedy. “[Today] brings back a deluge of fond memories, reminds me of my days of struggle, exasperation, determination, small joys and big successes.â€
Courtesy: Mid-Day.com
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