The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, the schedule of only first 20 matches has been released due to state elections.
Ahead of the league, former Team India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin feels that it will be a big season for Mumbai Indians` (MI) stalwart Rohit Sharma. He also said that the right-handed batsman is physically in good shape and appears to be fit
“I personally think this is going to be a season where Rohit will really take it on. He does not need to play cricket for the whole season. He is getting enough breaks. His mind is fresh. He is physically in a good space. He looks really fit. And I think this could well be a season where Rohit Sharma is going to bring back his T20 batting in the IPL,” he said.
The former cricketer also said that the IPL 2026 could be a season for Rohit to restore the IPL batsman in him.
“Let us not forget, Rohit Sharma, the IPL batsman, has not been quite present in the last few years. But this could be a great opportunity for him to really restore that. And I, personally, think he can go on to enjoy his season and do some incredible things for Mumbai Indians this season,” said Ashwin.
Mumbai Indians (MI) will kick off their season from March 29 by playing a clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
IPL 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians: Full Squads
Today, Sameera Reddy has emerged as a voice of self-acceptance, winning admiration for her unfiltered take on personal struggles – from post-pregnancy weight gain and postpartum challenges to her battle with anxiety. Now, the actor has revealed that she was bullied during her growing-up years due to a stammering issue, adding that it took her years of therapy to rebuild her confidence.
Sameera Reddy has been a part of many Bollywood films such as No Entry, Race and De Dana Dan.
Sameera Reddy on stammering issue
In a candid conversation with Hindustan Times, Sameera opened up about the struggles she faced growing up, and reflected on how negative labels like ‘buddhu’ or ‘weak’ can deeply impact a child’s self-worth and confidence.
“I’ve seen this up close. I grew up with a stammer and was bullied for it. It took years of therapy to build confidence, and even today, if I stammer and someone reacts, it still affects me. That’s how deeply childhood labels can stay with you,” Sameera tells us.
“Labels, even casual ones, can quietly define a child’s self-belief. Hearing that they are ‘slow’ or ‘weak’ repeatedly can create internalised doubt, making children less likely to try or take risks academically and socially. When a child is repeatedly called ‘weak’ or ‘buddhu’, they can start believing it. That belief slowly shapes how they see themselves, and they may stop trying altogether. That’s how a label becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” adds the actor, who recently joined a P&G Shiksha event in Hyderabad to mark a milestone of reaching 1 crore underserved children across India.
Talking about her kids, Sameera confesses, “I tell my children to talk to me, to understand that a struggle in one area does not define who they are, and never to put someone else down in return. When children receive encouragement, guidance, and opportunities to learn at their own pace, confidence and resilience naturally grow. Parents, educators, and peers all play a role in replacing judgment with support, ensuring children see challenges as part of learning rather than a reflection of their abilities”.
On breaking the perfect parent stereotype
Sameera, who has carved a niche with her popular Messy Mama content on social media, is a hands-on mother to two children: a son and a daughter. The actor believes in breaking away from the myth of the “perfect parent”, choosing instead to focus on listening to her kids.
“When you look around today, there’s a lot of pressure on parents to constantly do more. It almost feels like FOMO, one child is doing pickleball, another is learning piano and violin, someone else is in multiple classes, and it becomes a very competitive space,” she mentions.
Sameera continues, “In all of this, I always tell parents what I personally try to follow: listen to your child. Understand who they are and what works for them. What may be great for one child may not necessarily be right for another. For example, what suits my son may not be the best fit for my six-year-old daughter. Being involved and proactive is important, but constant comparison and trying to keep up can become overwhelming. It’s essential to focus on what’s truly right for your child, not societal pressure or appearances.”
Sameera tied the knot with Akshai Varde, an entrepreneur, on January 21, 2014, in a traditional Maharashtrian ceremony. The couple is parents to two children–son Hans and daughter Nyra. Sameera and Akshai welcomed Hans in 2015 and Nyra in 2019. She has featured in projects such as No Entry, Race, and De Dana Dan. Sameera was seen in Tezz in 2012.
Amid the box office success of ‘Project Hail Mary,’ Andy Weir and Drew Goddard are talking about working together again on another sci‑fi project, signalling the start of what could become a lasting creative partnership. Their collaboration began with ‘The Martian’ and has since deepened around ‘Project Hail Mary’, earning them a reputation for blending rigorous science with emotional, human-centred storytelling.
A partnership built on trust
Both Weir and Goddard have spoken about how much they enjoy each other’s company and working style. In interviews around ‘Project Hail Mary’, Goddard noted that they share a genuine fondness for one another and that their collaboration felt “fruitful” from the start. Weir has echoed that saying it was reassuring to hand his work over to someone who had already proven he could adapt his dense, science‑heavy novels into big‑screen hits. According to the interview with Collider, Drew Goddard has said he loves working with Weir because “there’s a real mutual respect and a real joy in the process.” Weir has echoed that, describing their collaboration as something he “looks forward to” rather than fearing, despite the pressures of adapting his own books.
Why do they want to do more
Goddard has admitted he was nervous about following up ‘The Martian’, especially after the months of waiting Weir and the filmmakers endured just to secure his availability for ‘Project Hail Mary’. But that nervousness ultimately fuelled both men’s desire to keep the partnership alive; in recent interviews, they’ve made it clear that if the right project and timing align, they’d happily team up again. Goddard has admitted he was initially daunted by the scope of ‘Project Hail Mary’. “My initial reaction was, ‘Oh no, I have no idea how we’re going to turn this into a film,’” he told The Verge. “I was really anxious. I didn’t want to disappoint Andy.”
Staying true to the spirit
What makes their partnership special is how they balance fidelity to Weir’s books with the demands of cinema. Weir has said, “We believed that if we found it engaging, the audience would too. Our experience with The Martian instilled in us the confidence to trust our viewers.”Both stress that they aim to keep the core spirit and science intact, even when endings or scenes need streamlining for the screen. As Weir has said, he trusts Goddard enough to let him reshape certain elements, as long as the emotional truth of the story remains. In another interview published with Script magazine, Goddard said ‘The Martian’ is about people rallying to save somebody. ‘Hail Mary’ is about finding hope through compassion and empathy,”
Mohsin Naqvi and Gary Kirsten (Image credit: Agencies)
NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi on Monday responded to allegations made by former head coach Gary Kirsten, who claimed there was significant “interference” during his short stint with Pakistan cricket.Naqvi, speaking at a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, was asked about Kirsten’s remarks. He said he had ‘limited engagement’ with Kirsten during his tenure as coach.
Watch
Hardik Pandya & Kieron Pollard Address MI Fans in Aamchi Mumbai
“I didn’t have many interactions with Gary Kirsten, so it would be better if those people who were co-ordinating things with him and involved regularly with him responded in detail to his allegations,” Naqvi told reporters.Kirsten’s tenure as Pakistan head coach lasted just six months. The South African great was appointed in April 2024 on a two-year contract but resigned in October 2024.What are Kirsten’s claims?In an interview with talkSPORT, Kirsten opened up about the challenges he faced during his time with the Pakistan team.“The thing that surprised me more than anything was the level of interference. I don’t think I have ever seen it at that level before. Did it surprise me? I don’t know, but it was significant,” Kirsten said while speaking to talkSPORT Cricket.Kirsten explained that such an environment made it extremely difficult for a coach to implement plans.“It is quite difficult for a coach to come and formulate a way that you can work with the players when there is just this constant noise from the outside. It was tough, just this constant noise from the outside and a lot of punitive actions around poor performance and stuff like that,” he added.“As a coach, you are the lowest hanging fruit when the team isn’t going well, so let us get rid of the coach or let us put a restriction on the coach because that is the easiest thing to do when the teams are performing and that is kind of counterproductive in my view,” Kirsten said.
Washington: A few months before his arrest by the National Investigation Agency in Kolkata for allegedly training ethnic militias in Myanmar, Matthew Aaron VanDyke was urging one of his colleagues to visit that country. The Kachin and Chin people were “really serious about Christianity” and fighting a “mostly Buddhist military junta,” VanDyke said in a text message. Pastor Dr William Devlin, an associate who has been in touch with the self-styled American freedom fighter, told HT that he knew VanDyke was in Myanmar and was “not surprised” by the news of his arrest.
Indian agencies are now focusing on identifying those who may have assisted US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and Ukrainian nationals (ANI video grab)
“I knew he was there (Myanmar). I wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing. He just said he was training people in Myanmar,” said Devlin, who has known VanDyke for a decade and traveled with him to Ukraine.
VanDyke and his Sons of Liberty International (SOLI) have spent much of the last decade deployed to warzones, training Assyrian Christian communities in Iraq to resist ISIS, and working with Ukrainian civil defense units to respond to Russia’s invasion of their country. During that time, VanDyke has built a public image that is partly humanitarian, partly crusading revolutionary.
HT spoke to VanDyke’s colleagues like Pastor Devlin and scholars who have studied SOLI to better understand the organization and the man behind it.
After graduating from Georgetown University, the training ground for America’s foreign policy and intelligence elite, VanDyke spent years traveling to West Asia and North Africa as a documentary filmmaker, an occupation that gave him easy access to countries in the region. That changed in 2011 when the then-31-year-old faced popular protests and mass uprisings against autocratic regimes in the Middle East, known as the Arab Spring. With no military experience, VanDyke signed up to join Libya’s armed rebel groups fighting to bring down strongman Muammar Gaddafi, who had ruled the country for more than 40 years.
VanDyke wrote in 2012 about his reasons for joining, “My ideological belief in freedom and democracy built over years in the region, combined with my strong friendships in Libya, compels me to take up arms as a freedom fighter. Had it not been for my friends I would not have gone.”
However, soon after signing up as a rebel fighter, VanDyke was captured by Libyan government forces and spent nearly six months as a prisoner of war before escaping from Abu Salim prison in August 2011. VanDyke later said, his time in prison also strengthened his Christian faith. A few months later, Gaddafi fell from power and VanDyke boarded a flight back to the United States.
But VanDyke’s capture and subsequent escape to Libya gave him something very valuable: a public profile. This was further enhanced by “Point and Shoot,” an award-winning documentary released in 2014 that tells the story of Libya and the tumultuous months that led to the fall of a regime through VanDyke’s eyes.
Soon, VanDyke became a familiar face on television news, invited as an expert on international security and conflicts in West Asia, at a time when the US entered a new conflict in the region to prevent the rise of ISIS. In 2014, VanDyke announced that he was leaving his career as a filmmaker to raise a “Christian army” in Iraq that would push back against ISIS, which was at the time making stunning military gains in Iraq and Syria. That was the beginning of SOLI, which recruited former US military personnel to train Assyrian Christian communities to resist ISIS attacks. Yet SOLI insists it is not a mercenary group.
“Groups like SOLI are unusual organizations that sit somewhere between classic humanitarian NGOs and private military companies. They present themselves as non-profit “combat charities”; they raise money from donors, then use it to provide military training and advice to local forces they see as victims of aggression (for example, Assyrian Christian militias confronting ISIS in Iraq), while working for paying state clients. Instead of,” says Pavol Kosnak, a researcher at the Slovak Academy of Sciences who studied and interviewed SOLI. VanDyke in Iraq.
Unlike major private military contractors, SOLI has been registered as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization since January 2015. According to returns filed by SOLI with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the group says it receives all of its income through contributions and grants.
In Iraq, SOLI trained more than 300 personnel for the Nineveh Protection Unit (NPU), a small local militia composed of Assyrian Christians who were recruited to oppose ISIS at the height of its power in 2014. According to Kosnak, VanDyke and SOLI provided training equipment, protective gear, body armor, walkie-talkies, and other military support to the NPU and another militia, the Ninveh Protection Force (NPF).
However, SOLI raised significant controversy during its time in Iraq.
The group never clarified whether it had received the relevant permission from the US State Department to train foreign militia groups, which it was legally required to do. VanDyke told the American media outlet Mother Jones that the State Department had approved his activities in Iraq, a statement that was later denied by American diplomats in Iraq. Several former US military trainers recruited by VanDyke left the job due to concerns that they were working illegally in Iraq.
The State Department did not respond to HT’s query on whether SOLI had received permission to train foreign military groups.
Despite these controversies, VanDyke and SOLI have continued to operate. VanDyke’s following continues to grow, with his public social media profiles boasting nearly 1 million followers across various platforms. Meanwhile, SOLI claims to have been active in raising funds to oust the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela in 2018. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, VanDyke and SOLI deployed to Ukraine with a team of 10-12 trainers and initially provided military training to civil defense forces, including the use of “non-lethal equipment,” according to the group’s website. Now, SOLI says it is helping the Ukrainian Defense Forces develop prototypes of battlefield technology to aid their fight against Russia.
Pastor Devlin says the founders of SOLI, now in Indian custody, are driven by a desire to fight for the underprivileged.
“His motivation has always been to serve the underprivileged as he did in Libya, Iraq, Kurdistan and as he was doing in Myanmar. He wanted to work with those fighting for freedom against oppressive harsh governments.”
But it’s also clear that VanDyke and those who are funding SOLI are motivated by a desire to support Christian minority populations globally.
“A lot of our supporters are people who care about Christian persecution and what’s happening to people of their faith,” VanDyke said in a 2016 documentary.
Myanmar has drawn the attention of Christian advocacy groups in the United States as the country continues to suffer a brutal civil war, Devlin says. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has alleged that Myanmar military authorities have destroyed churches, taken forced labor from Christians and taken over areas in Chin and Kachin states, where many of Myanmar’s Christians live.
“Myanmar and the issue of the persecuted Christian minorities there is always in focus for all of us volunteers, who are sometimes made up not only of NGOs and civil society organizations. We also have people from the US government on the phone and people from the State Department,” says Devlin.
Despite SOLI’s diverse work globally, it is unclear whether the organization has the necessary resources. Documents filed by SOLI with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service show that the group has struggled with inconsistent fundraising. For example, while the group received about $250,000 from donors in 2017 and 2022, that number dropped to about $62,000 in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available. Furthermore, group expenses often exceed donor contributions.
In 2024, SOLI expenses were more than $104,000, leaving the organization with a deficit of more than $40,000. The same was true in 2023, when spending exceeded donor contributions by nearly $118,000. VanDyke often said he had very little money, Devlin recalls.
Nothing can be said with certainty about VanDyke’s relations with the US government. His arrest in Kolkata last week led to some speculation that Indian officials were concerned about the possibility of spying in India’s northeast and Myanmar. Kosnak says he is not aware of SOLI’s relationship with the US government.
“In Iraq, I found no evidence that SOLI was a branch of the US government or military. They operated in a gray zone: US officials knew about them, but there was no sign of official sponsorship or command.
Their resources or access also did not indicate such support – they often struggled in areas that one would imagine a sanctioned US operation would not have, such as gaining access to local Kurdish officials, getting materials through Erbil airport, funding, etc. That said, many things can change in 10 years, especially if US foreign policy has seen serious changes over the years,” Kosnak told HT.
Nevertheless, VanDyke claimed that he was in contact with American diplomats. In a 2016 documentary, VanDyke is filmed arriving in Washington DC for the express purpose of meeting diplomats at the US State Department.
Kosnack’s study of SOLI operations in Iraq also found that SOLI members accompanied Assyrian delegations to meetings with State Department officials on several occasions.
In response to HT’s questions about VanDyke’s arrest, a State Department spokesperson said Washington is aware of the situation, but would not comment further due to privacy concerns.
In the absence of concrete facts, concerns, controversy, and questions about VanDyke and SOLI’s activities in Myanmar have only increased.
Israeli settlers have been filmed vandalising a boys’ school in Huwara, spray-painting racist graffiti and raising an Israeli flag on the roof. The attack comes as settler violence intensifies across the occupied West Bank with homes and cars set on fire, leaving at least nine Palestinians injured.
After his comments on actress Janhvi Kapoor’s exit from his talent agency started doing the rounds, filmmaker Karan Johar has made a measured appeal against the growing trend of clickbait headlines, urging media platforms to stay mindful of context while quoting interviews.
Karan Johar talks about clickbait culture
Karan took to his Instagram stories section, where he urged platforms to stay mindful of context while quoting interviews. Stressing that artists willingly participate in conversations and podcasts, he pointed out that lifting a single line out of context can distort intent and discourage open dialogue.
“I want to politely speak of Click bait headlines…. Lots of us give interviews and podcasts and we are happy to do so… but to take a line from an interview and quote it out of context is just click bait and makes one vary of speaking at all…” Karan, who did not divulge much about the context of the post, wrote.
Calling it a “humble request,” the filmmaker emphasised the need to present statements with integrity rather than twisting them into something sensational.
“This is a humble request to NOT quote a line that twists the relevance of the statement made with integrity as opposed to sounding personal, offensive or sensational,” he concluded the post.
Karan`s post comes amid his comment on celebrities leaving talent agencies and joining other agencies.
What Karan Johar said about Janhvi`s exit from his talent agency
Janhvi Kapoor recently exited Dharma Cornerstone Artist Company (DCAA), led by Karan Johar, and joined Collective Artists Network, spotlighting the growing trend of actors frequently switching talent agencies.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Johar said today’s actors operate in an atmosphere shaped by social media, technology, and constant public scrutiny, which fuels anxiety and a need for rapid validation. Unlike earlier generations, young stars face daily judgment that can be mentally exhausting. While he may not always agree with their career choices, Johar said he understands the pressures they face.
He added that the intense spotlight also makes him unsure about encouraging his own children to join films. According to Johar, even industry insiders begin their journeys under heavy perception bias, making the profession emotionally demanding.
Despite frequent talent movement, Johar emphasized that talent management remains a strong and profitable vertical for Dharma. He described the industry as a space of “constant moving parts,” where artists regularly shift agencies seeking fresh starts, and some even return. Expressing empathy for younger celebrities, Johar urged those in the public eye to seek therapy and counselling, stressing the need for external emotional support beyond family and friends.
Cristiano Ronaldo has eased concerns over his fitness ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after sharing a positive injury update on social media. The Portugal captain posted a picture of himself training and working through recovery, signalling that his return may not be far away.
Ronaldo was left out of Portugal’s squad for the upcoming March friendlies against Mexico and the United States after picking up a hamstring injury while playing for Al Nassr in late February. Speaking during the squad announcement, head coach Roberto Martinez explained that the decision to rest Ronaldo was precautionary, aimed at avoiding any long-term setback:
The update from Ronaldo, showing him actively working on his recovery, has provided reassurance to fans amid growing concerns over his availability.
Portugal are set to face Mexico on March 28 at the Azteca Stadium before taking on the United States in Atlanta on March 31. The coaching staff have opted to manage workloads carefully, with Bernardo Silva also among the notable absentees, as the focus remains on long-term fitness rather than short-term fixtures.
Ronaldo is expected to recover within the next few weeks, which should allow him to return well in time for the World Cup, set to begin in June. Portugal will open their campaign on June 17 in Houston as they target a strong run in the tournament.
WILL RONALDO BE FIT FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026?
Despite initial concerns, all indications suggest Ronaldo will be fit in time for the World Cup. The injury has been described as manageable, and the decision to rest him for the friendlies is part of a broader strategy to ensure he is fully ready for the tournament.
At 41, Ronaldo continues to push for history as he eyes a record sixth World Cup appearance. Having achieved almost everything in the game, the elusive World Cup title remains the one major trophy missing from his collection.
NEW DELHI: Finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced fresh amendments to the Companies Act, which seeks to decriminalise several procedural defaults, provide flexibility in buyback of shares and recognise new instruments for executive compensation.The bill, which has been referred to a joint Parliamentary committee for examination, provides for allowing restricted stock units and stock appreciation rights, in addition to Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs), with approval of shareholders. Stock appreciation rights can help employees get cash equivalents in case stock prices rise.Govt has also proposed setting up special benches of the National Company Law Tribunal to deal with cases under the Companies Act and the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. Further, simplification of procedures relating to mergers and amalgamations through rationalisation of approval thresholds for fast-track mergers has been suggested.On buybacks, the rules are proposed to be changed once Parliament approves the amendments to the law to allow certain companies, especially those that are debt free, to make up to two offers within a year, with the second one to be undertaken six months after the closure of the first buyback.There are several provisions of the Limited Liability Partnership Act, relating to procedural lapses that are sought to be decriminalised. Similarly in the case of the Companies Act, some of the offences related to issue of prospectus, buyback, AGM, minor violations on maintenance of accounts, certain offences of directors, among others are also proposed to be decriminalised.Relaxation for small companies from some CSR requirements is part of the amendments moved by FM. The net profit criteria is sought to be raised to Rs 10 crore and the number of days for transferring the unspent CSR funds to a separate account is being increased from 30 days to 90 days.Revised eligibility threshold for the constitution of CSR committees by companies has also been proposed. The bill has clarified that compromise or arrangements under the Companies Act will not be permitted where liquidation has begun under IBC.“From an audit and assurance standpoint, the amendments mark a clear shift toward stronger regulatory oversight, driven by enhanced powers of NFRA, including wider disciplinary mechanisms and more streamlined inquiry and penalty processes,” said Amit Maheshwari, managing partner at consulting firm AKM Global.
As AI chatbots increasingly take over the reins of everyday life, it may only be a matter of time before they begin dictating our love lives and relationships as well — if they haven’t already. The Korean romantic comedy Love Phobia explores a near-future Korean society that may be beholden to AI-driven dating apps, where technology begins to replace human connections.
Yeonwoo and Kim Hyun Jin
Momoland’s Yeonwoo plays Yun Bia, the cold genius creator of the AI app “IT’S You”, which serves as an AI romantic partner for lovelorn city dwellers. As she develops and creates perfect viral reality romances, it has a direct bearing on the life of romance novelist Han Sun Ho (Kim Hyun Jin), who is not only suffering from writer’s block but also finds his own girlfriend hooked to the app.
Even as several K dramas explore themes of love and dating in an AI-driven world — the recent one being Blackpink Jisoo’s Boyfriend on Demand — Kim Hyun Jin says it was the novelty of the theme that drew him to the project.
“The fact that this drama brought together the globally advancing technology of AI — something that’s been developing rapidly over the past few years — with a love story. There have been plenty of dramas and films dealing with AI as a subject, not just ours, but I don’t think I’d seen one quite like ours that used love as its central theme alongside it.”
Playing love’s creator
Talking about his character, described as “the idol of the romance world”, Hyun Jin says, “He is a novelist but he’s a character who captivates people more through his appearance than his writing. I tried to genuinely understand the emotions behind my lines — his dislike of that side of himself, and yet his inability to let go of his novelist’s instincts.”
For Yeonwoo, it was the human touch within the AI driven premise that drew her to the story. “What first caught my attention was the subject of ‘AI’ — something that’s becoming more familiar to many people, yet still feels somewhat unfamiliar at the same time. Within that striking premise, I was drawn to the layered story: Bia’s dark past, her journey toward love, and the friendship that needs to be worked through. I felt a distinct kind of appeal in all of that.”
Though the actor adds the role came with its own challenges. “The CG filming was the biggest challenge. It was my first time with that kind of shoot, and it wasn’t easy having to rely on imagination when I couldn’t quite picture how the final result would look. But the process itself was new and exciting in its own way. Bia’s emotions resonated with me in many ways overall, but there were clearly parts of her that differed from me, so I remember working hard to understand and empathize with the character more deeply.”
A hungry actor discovering new roles
Yeonwoo, formerly a member of the K pop girl group Momoland, has made a smooth transition into acting. Receiving strong acclaim for her recent performances in Dog Knows Everything and The Tale of Lady Ok, she says she is still exploring and discovering herself as an actor.
“I think I’m still at a stage where it’s less about me choosing projects and more about gaining experience one by one through the opportunities that come my way. So I think what’s stronger in me right now is this feeling of not wanting to let any opportunity that comes to me slip by. With that mindset, I try to approach every project with gratitude.”
She says her process remains fairly intuitive. “I think when I sense a moment that makes my heart ache a little for the character, I become more absorbed. When I start to understand the wounds and pain that person carries, I grow more curious about what comes next and find myself naturally drawn in. On the other hand, I’m also easily pulled toward a character who just makes me feel good when I think about them. Those emotional entry points feel like what matters most,” she said.
Describing herself as a “hungry actor”, she adds, “I’ve experienced various genres, but honestly, there’s so much I still want to try. Every time I watch a new drama, I find myself thinking, ‘I want to do a project like that,’ or ‘I’d love to play a role like that’ — my mind keeps changing. Lately I’ve been drawn to something like the genre of 〈Lady Dua〉, and I’d also love to take on something like a romance film, which is a genre I love. I don’t want to set limits for myself — I want to experience as many different roles as possible.”
Having been in the public eye since her musical debut in 2016, Yeonwoo says she has also redefined her understanding of success. “In the past, I think I was very tied to the idea of ‘success’ — I had a strong sense that I needed to achieve something and prove it. But now, I’ve come to think that being able to feel satisfied with yourself and love who you are might be the greater kind of success. I’m finding that the process of recognizing and accepting yourself is what truly matters,” she said.
Why romcoms still excite Kim Hyun Jin
Kim Hyun Jin, known for his performances in Cheer Up and Crushology 101, has also seen his popularity grow with his recent turn as a hacker investigator in the hit series Idol I. Known for portraying emotional depth with ease on screen, he says his acting process remains simple.
“I think understanding the character’s backstory and personality has to come first, above all else.” However, he admits he has a favourite genre. “I still love romantic comedies. I want to keep getting better at them. So perhaps because of that, doing romantic comedies is still when I feel the most excited. That said, I’m not avoiding other genres either!”
Bonding over Bollywood
As Korean dramas continue to grow in popularity across India, both actors reveal their fondness for Indian cinema. Kim Hyun Jin names Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots as a favourite, while Yeonwoo points to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black. Both say they would welcome the chance to collaborate with Bollywood.
“The Indian film Black comes to mind — I watched it when I was young. I think Indian films offer a lot of visual joy through their vibrant music and performances, but Black left a deep impression on me as a film that delivers a different kind of profound emotion. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to take on a project that holds a wide range of feelings and stories,” says Yeonwoo.
Hyun Jin adds, “I actually watched it at school and have seen it several more times since. I’d love to explore not just that genre but various others as well, and if the opportunity arises, I’d love to meet Indian audiences.”
As K dramas continue to make audiences around the world fall in love with romance again, Yeonwoo says that in real life she is drawn to a simple and comfortable kind of love.
“Above all, I think I value a relationship where both people feel at ease with each other. I think I tend to like that kind of atmosphere in romance dramas too. A connection that’s realistic and naturally blossoms feels more genuinely exciting to me.”
Love Phobia is streaming exclusively on Channel K in India.
