Rajeev Masand
{{Short description|Indian film critic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rajeev Masand
| image = Rajeev Masand cropped.jpg
| caption = Masand in 2018
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|03|13}}{{Citation needed|date=January 2025|reason=BLP}}
| birth_place = Gangtok, Sikkim, India
| education = H.R. College of Commerce and Economics and Mumbai University
| occupation = Film critic, writer, media personality
| website = {{url|http://rajeevmasand.com/}}
| module = {{infobox YouTube personality
| embed = yes
| channels = [https://www.youtube.com/@rajmas Rajeev Masand]
| stats_update = 04 January 2025
| subscribers = 550 K
}}
}}
Rajeev Masand (born 13 March 1976){{Citation needed|date=January 2025|reason=BLP}} is an Indian film critic and journalist. He has worked for Noida based English language news channel CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN-IBN).{{cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/byline/rajeev-masand.html|title=Rajeev Masand|website=News18|access-date=12 October 2017}} He usually reviews Bollywood films and major Hollywood films released in India in his weekend show Now Showing. He has joined Dharma Productions as a talent manager.{{cite news |title=Karan Johar’s DCA chief Rajeev Masand admits entourage costs have ‘spiralled irrationally’, says introspection is required when makeup artists make more than writers |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/rajeev-masand-admits-entourage-costs-have-spiralled-irrationally-karan-johar-dharma-9944928/#:~:text=Rajeev%20Masand%20serves%20as%20the,project%20down%20with%20extra%20costs. |work=The Indian Express |date=15 April 2025 |language=en}}
Early life
Masand studied at H.R. College of Commerce and Economics and graduated from Mumbai University, Masand started reporting at the age of 16 at The Times of India newspaper. He later became assistant editor at The Indian Express.
[http://www.rajeevmasand.com/about/ Rajeev Masand] Retrieved 12 October 2017. In January 2003, he joined STAR News as a special correspondent and as the host of Masand Ki Pasand.{{cite web|url=http://www.uk.startv.com/starnews/pop_rajivmasand.htm|title=Rajeev Masand Introduction|publisher=STAR News|access-date=20 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921230738/http://www.uk.startv.com/starnews/pop_rajivmasand.htm|archive-date=21 September 2008|url-status=dead}} In 2005, Masand moved to CNN-IBN where he is currently{{Clarify|need date|date=February 2019}} the film critic and runs an ongoing video reviews series on the CNN-IBN website, Masand's Verdict.{{cite web|url=http://features.ibnlive.in.com/indepth/film-review-masand-verdict.html|title=Film Reviews: Masand's Verdict|publisher=IBNLive|access-date=20 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027094644/http://features.ibnlive.in.com/indepth/film-review-masand-verdict.html|archive-date=27 October 2008|url-status=dead}} He also became the host of CNN-IBN's entertainment series, To Catch a Star.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/dec/dec308.htm|title=CNN-IBN lines up various specials to bied adieu to 2006|publisher=Indian Television|date=30 December 2008|access-date=12 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k8/aug/aug185.php|title=CNN-IBN to launch third season of To Catch a Star|publisher=Indian Television|date=20 August 2008|access-date=12 October 2017}}
Career
Masand also has a popular YouTube channel, where he posts weekly his film reviews (filmed as CNN-News18's 'Now Showing' segments, which are also posted concurrently to their channel) and regular interviews with key figures in the entertainment industry (both Indian and occasionally International), mostly actors and directors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvapa0SZ7_vwks-OtvFBqDw|title=Rajeev Masand|website=YouTube}}
Additionally, he writes as an entertainment-industry columnist for several publications, such as Open Magazine, Firstpost, News18, The Quint and for his own website, Rajeevmasand.com.
Among other recognitions, Masand was thrice awarded ‘Best Entertainment Critic’ by the National Television (NT) Awards, in 2008, 2010 and 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://rajeevmasand.com/admin/about/|title=About « Rajeev Masand – movies that matter : from bollywood, hollywood and everywhere else}}
Criticism
Masand was called for questioning by Mumbai Police in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Masand has been accused by actress Kangana Ranaut of writing blind items (in which details are reported without identifying the people involved or revealing sources) to discredit Rajput.{{cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/bollywood/kangana-ranaut-lashes-out-at-bollywood-film-critic-rajeev-masand-1.72716428 |title=Kangana Ranaut lashes out at Bollywood film critic Rajeev Masand |work=Gulf News |date=21 July 2020 |access-date=28 August 2020 |author=Radhakrishnan, Manjusha}} Actor Manoj Bajpayee and filmmaker Apurva Asrani also called out Masand over his blind items on Rajput.{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/people/sushant-singh-rajput-suicide-film-critic-rajeev-masand-to-be-questioned-by-mumbai-police-over-alleged-blind-articles-2297235.html|title=Sushant Singh Rajput suicide: Film critic Rajeev Masand to be questioned by Mumbai Police over alleged blind articles|date= 21 July 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|rajeevmasand.com}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517125947/http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/author/224/rajeevmasand.html Blog at IBNLive]
- {{IMDb name|2594763}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masand, Rajeev}}
Category:Indian male television journalists
Category:Journalists from Uttar Pradesh
{{India-journalist-stub}}