BACK TO SCHOOL: Sonam Kapoor is putting her heart and soul into the role of a Delhi college-goer in Tanu Weds Manu maker Aanand L. Rai’s Raanjhana. The actress is currently training with theatre groups in the capital to slip into the shoes of a student at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Though Sonam has played the role of a Delhi girl before, in Rakeysh Mehra’s Delhi-6, she is going the nukkad natak (street play) route to shed her Juhu girl image. Anil Kapoor’s darling daughter has parked herself in Delhi to train with Bahroop Arts Group and IPTA, both in-house theatre groups at JNU, and is going the extra mile because she is “super excited” at being paired opposite Kolaveri di man Dhanush, who makes his Bolly debut with Raanjhana. The film goes on the floors in early July and will release in 2013.

HELLO INDIA! On her maiden trip to India, Oprah Winfrey was captivated by the country’s culture and heritage. The talk show host, actress and producer captures her experience in a two-part series titled Oprah’s Next Chapter, to air on Discovery Channel on July 20 and 21 at 8pm. The programme will simulcast on TLC. Other than her visit to the Bachchans or the party hosted by Parmeshwar and Adi Godrej, the show follows her to less publicised destinations. Upon arrival in Mumbai, she accompanies Australian author Gregory David Roberts of bestselling novel Shantaram fame, to the Colaba slums and meets a family of five which lives, eats, cooks and sleeps in a 10-foot-by-10-foot room. She also visits an upper-middle-class family which has four generations living happily under one roof. In the second episode, Oprah travels to the Taj Mahal (in picture), Jaipur and Vrindavan. “In Oprah’s Next Chapter, she transitions to a new phase in her life. The audience will see her embrace Indian culture through in-depth conversations with people from different walks of life,” says Rahul Johri, senior vice-president & general manager — South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.