By Jilawatan

The Azmi household has been buzzing with activity ever since the family started receiving threatening and extortion calls from an unidentified person.

Over the last 4-5 days, actress Ayesha Takia’s husband, Farhan Azmi has been frequenting the police station to lodge the complain and follow up with the developments.

By Jilawatan

Shilpa Shetty was first choice for Nagesh Kukunoor’s next. Here’s how the film went to his rakhi sister Ayesha Takia

While it is known that Nagesh Kukunoor’s untitled next will feature Ayesha Takia, what isn’t as known is that the film was offered to Shilpa Shetty and that she was also supposed to co-produce the film.

HiTLIST was the first to report last January that Shilpa Shetty had signed Kukunoor on.

The actress had inked a deal with the director to helm a film for her production house S2 Global Productions. He was also one of the few B-Town folk who attended Shilpa’s wedding reception.

During the course of pre production, the two had a fallout over creative differences and eventually parted ways.

A source from the industry reveals, “The problem started when Shilpa insisted on having a big actor cast opposite her, while Nagesh wanted a lesser known face for the role.

Also it was a co-production, but the actress kept promoting herself as the sole producer, and credited Kukunoor as a director.

This didn’t go down well Nagesh who then decided to end the deal and approached another producer and also roped in his favourite actress, his rakhi sister Ayesha to play the lead role instead.”

The film being shot in Ooty will be Takia’s first since taking a B-Town breather following her marriage to restaurateur Farhan Azmi.

While the actress and the director remained unavailable for comment, Shilpa’s spokesperson says, “This is not true at all.

The project didn’t work out because of commercial viability. Hence, we dropped it and parted amicably.”

By Jilawatan

Post marriage, this beautiful lady was just seen with Salman Khan in WANTED. Ayesha’s fans are waiting to see her sizzle up the screen once again. But she is busy spending some quality time with her husband Farhan Azmi.

During this break, Ayesha had colored her hair to golden brown and was seen flaunting her locks wherever she could. But now this actress will have to change her hair color back to black. This order has been given by director Nagesh Kukunoor, as Ayesha has signed his next movie.

This will be Ayesha’s first movie after WANTED, that can also be considered as her comeback because she has been away from films since her marriage. She is super excited to work with her favorite filmmaker and has no qualms in changing her hair color for his movie.

Ayesha received tons of compliments for her brown hair and she is eagerly waiting to see how people respond when she changes the hue to black again. Hope the comments Ayesha would receive make her happy!

By Jilawatan

Another one who is feeling wanted at the moment is Ayesha Takia. After she settled down into wedded bliss with hubby Farhan Azmi, she didn’t want the film industry to think she has quit acting. So she could forever be heard stressing that she was open to substantial film offers. Now isn’t that a bit ambitious considering such offers were few and far between even when she was at the best of her career. Clearly dearth of offers must have made Ayesha feel a bit unwanted. But then out of the blue I hear, Ayesha came across a script that completely blew her away.
A writer had written the actress-oriented film only keeping Ayesha in mind as she and I were told. And it was exactly the kind of script Ayesha saw herself doing at this point in time. The only hitch was that the writer was finding it difficult to find producers to back the project. That’s when her hubby Farhan stepped in, and from what I was told, he spoke to a few friends who were considering stepping into movie business. That was all the push that was needed and the film is ready to roll with Ayesha back in front of the arc lights.

By Jilawatan

Ayesha Takia Azmi took a lazy vacation to Goa with hubby Farhan Azmi and her family during Navratri.

Ayesha’s family is currently constructing a property in the state. The actress had been planning a family trip for a long time but somehow, the entire family couldn’t be together as they were steeped with work.

However, one month of planning made sure that the entire family finally got together. Ayesha played a perfect daughter making sure everything was in place for their refreshing trip.

By Jilawatan

Bollywood’s cutie Ayesha Takia is now trying her hand at different ventures this time, given that her acting career is not going great guns. She is not only all set to launch her designer label called ‘AYESHA’, she is also setting up her own coffee chain shops across the nation and for this new venture, the actress is spending quite some time traveling and doing all the ground work.

Talking about her new business Ayesha says, “I have decided to open my own chain of coffee shops across the nation. While doing films remains my core passion, I will still love to try out a few new things in life. Opening coffee shops is just one of the ideas that has got me completely absorbed at the moment.”

On the personal front too, Ayesha is having a passionate time with hubby Farhan Azmi. Where Ayesha takes keen interest in Farhan’s hotel business, Azmi, too, stands by her side in her new ventures.

By Jilawatan

After her decision to try her hand at fashion designing, actress Ayesha Takia is up for yet another venture now.

According to our sources, Ayesha is setting up her own coffee chain shops across the nation. For this the actress is spending quite some time travelling and doing all the ground work. And standing by her is her hubby Farhan Azmi, who is kicked about Ayesha’s new idea.

CHECK OUT: Ayesha Takia Azmi to romance Yuvraj Anant in Revathy’s next

Talking about her new business Ayesha says, “I have decided to open my own chain of coffee shops across the nation. While doing films remains my core passion, I will still love to try out a few new things in life. Opening coffee shops is just one of the ideas that has got me completely absorbed at the moment.”

For the moment Ayesha is taking it easy on the film front. Her major interest currently is to see her cuppa idea take the nation by storm.

By Jilawatan

All those who insisted that Paathshala would be the last time one saw Ayesha Takia (left) on screen, post her marriage to restaurateur Farhan Azmi, can now be silenced. The actress’ mother, Farida, confirms that Ayesha, who had asserted in an interview to HT in April, that she was open to doing one or two meaningful movies a year, should be back in the studio “very soon, may be in a month or two” for Revathy’s next film. Ayesha was paired oposite Salman Khan in Wanted.

Revathi’s film in question is not Aap Ke Liye Hum, toplining Jaya Bachchan, Raveena Tandon and Ayesha that the actor-director has been juggling with. After a major schedule was cancelled for the third time, following Revathy’s emergency knee surgery after a particularly nasty fall, that project has been temporarily shelved.

But Ayesha who was reported to be miffed after her dates went waste repeatedly, has given the nod to another script. “Ayesha was approached by Revathy a month ago for another film and she will be doing it,” says Farida.
Her co-star in the film is said to be Kunal Khemu. The actor’s business manager admits that Revathy did give Kunal an exciting one-line narration for the same film. “Kunal is waiting to read the final script before he takes a call. Revathy was supposed to get back to us by May end but we haven’t heard from her yet,” informs Abbas.

By Jilawatan

Although the restaurant opens at 7 pm, the staff at Koyla, Andheri, put on their starched uniforms an hour in advance and go about their daily chores. Arrangements are made to grill kebabs, which is the restaurant’s specialty. There is a general movement of pots and pans while we wait for the owners Farhan Azmi and Ayesha Takia to arrive. As soon as they do, Takia greets us with a warm smile. And Azmi—who owns the Colaba outlet of Koyla and both the branches of Café Basilico in Colaba and Bandra—makes it clear that this one’s a franchise outlet run by his family friend Hasan Gaffar and he is only a stake holder.

Nevertheless, Takia, whose Bollywood career has taken a backseat after their marriage last year, and Azmi are very particular about this outlet, which opened a week ago. And that’s precisely the reason they took as many as 10-years to open the second outlet of Koyla in the city. “Before we start an outlet, we wanted to be sure that the other person involved is on the same wavelength and respects the brand as much as we do,” says Azmi. Takia, who is accompanied by her mom, seconds the thought. “Farhan is very picky about who he wants to do business with. And he wanted the new Koyla on a terrace just like the original one.”

By Jilawatan

Ayesha Takia has triumphed over the cult of celebrity. The eager girl-next-door, at what could’ve been the height of her career, post her glam role in Prabhudeva’s Wanted (2008) pulled a Houdini on Bollywood.
After getting married at 23 to long-time beau and South Bombay restauteur, Farhan Azmi, Takia took a break from cinema. As eager fans get ready to welcome back the young bride with her Friday release, Paathshaala, we caught up with her to find out about her new identity. There’s hospitality and fashion in her kitty. Movies have taken a backseat for now, as she unwinds in the glow of the setting sun on the terrace of Farhan Azmi’s Colaba lounge, Koyla.
Your movie Paathshaala is releasing this week. Is this your comeback?
I shot this movie much before I got married. It’s a fantastic script made by my good friends, Ahmed and Shaira Khan. It’s also a very relevant script because it touches topics like peer pressure and basic educational pressure. Kids today have unnecessary ambitions and are committing suicide due to reality shows. I did the movie because of these issues. But as far as my comeback is concerned, I never quit Bollywood in the first place!
But you disappeared at the height of your career after Wanted released?
You know lot of people told me that I was marrying Farhan at a bad time. Wanted was about to release and it did become the biggest hit of my career. But I am a person who follows her gut instinct. I just knew I was ready to marry Farhan and I knew it would change things. But I also didn’t want to do the glam roles anymore. I took a break and it put things in order. Now I am open to doing only one or two meaningful movies a year.
Do you have any more movies lined up?
Well, I do have Aap Ke Liye Hai Hum, directed by Revathy with Jaya Bachchan. Unfortunately, it’s stalled for the moment. But like I said, I’m open to meaningful cinema. I don’t want to stand in the back of a scene and look pretty. I want to act.
Who are your role models?
My family. I am a complete family person. Farhan and my mother Farida, are just some of the people who have impacted my life in a major way. They are with me all the time and life without them is non-existent. I learn from people in my proximity. If I see someone who is emotional, I want to imbibe that. Because I have been criticised for being too practical and unemotional.
Movies aside, what else are you dabbling in?
I’m glad you asked. I am so happy I took this break from movies. Farhan and I are working on so many projects. We have become business partners and are currently designing this boutique hotel in Goa called Basilico House. We’re just taking the Basilico brand further. I have been involved in the designing of the hotel and I have all these ideas about the hospitality of the hotel. We are also setting up chic coffee shops across Mumbai called Chai Coffee and the first one will open up in Andheri in the next six months. I have been sitting in boardroom meetings and breaking my head over interiors and design decisions. It’s very exciting.
How did you get interested in business vis-à-vis something creative like acting?
I think actors should keep their minds vigilant and open all the time. You should use the opportunities from the name you’ve created to do many other things, besides acting. Heroes have a longer shelf life than actresses do. At the end of the day, actresses make less money and have a smaller share of the limelight. I always knew I wanted to do things other than acting. With Farhan, it just seemed natural.

How do you feel about the school of thought that post marriage, an actress doesn’t get work?
I think in this day and age, if someone thinks they can get away with this excuse, they are fooling themselves. Maybe choices get limited, but those limits are self-imposed. Personally, I discovered fashion and hospitality.
So is fashion also something on your mind?
Well, I am also doing this fashion line with my mother, Farida. I still don’t have a name for it. But I am willing to build a brand that will bring unique apparel and accessories to people. The idea is expression and novelty.
Do you feel you have transitioned from an actor to a businesswoman?
I think I am ready for the change. Ever since I was a little girl, all I have wanted to do was act. Movies happened and life was set. After I got married, my eyes opened and I found myself translating the same passion into the hotel line. I truly feel that I’ve grown up, which is why I want to do movies that I am aiming for.
Any unfulfilled dreams left?
I want to take brand Ayesha forward, and yes, the sky is the limit.