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Hollywood Films Round Up

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Green Book Press Held

(L to R) VIGGO MORTENSEN and MAHERSHALA ALI star in Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures’ “Green Book.” In his foray into powerfully dramatic work as a feature director, Peter Farrelly helms the film inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class and the 1962 Mason-Dixon line.

 

The Anil D. Ambani led Reliance Entertainment recently held the Press Show of festival darling & Oscar front runner GREEN BOOK. The film is releasing  pan India on 23rd Nov, 2018. 
 
 The American comedy drama GREEN BOOK is based on a true story of friendship & relationship between working class Italian–American bouncer who becomes a driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960’s American South. The film is not a biopic but is inspired by the true story about friendship between Dr. Donald Shirley, an erudite African–American pianist & his white chauffer Tony Lip.  
 
The film that had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in Sept, 2018 won over not just the audiences but also went on to win the People’s Choice Award. Directed by Peter Farrelly (of There is something about Mary, Dumb And Dumber, Shallow Hal, The Heartbreak Kid fame), the film al;so has Oscar nominated  Viggo Mortensen essaying the role of Tony Lip & Oscar winning Mahershala Ali essaying the role of Dr Shirley.
 

Goa Film Festival Round Up

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“It is a real honor for me to be in India to present my film at this prestigious festival” Julien Landais
 
As cine lovers await with bated breath for the official opening of 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), the international star cast & crew of the opening film of the festival name ‘The Aspern Papers’, made their presence felt at the press conference held last evening by IFFI.
 
From among the cast & crew of the film, Julien Landais (Director) was present with his actors Nicolas Hau, Barbara Meier & Lois Robbins. 
 
While addressing the media at the press conference, the Festival Director said, “We are thoroughly delighted to have the cast & the crew of The Aspern Papers among us. And what better way to start the 49th edition of IFFI than with a World Premiere! A premiere which speaks for itself, a premiere which will showcase the nuances of cinema, filmmaking, acting, creativity & the way forward. The film kick starts our whole journey for & days and it should be a journey which all of us will love to remember. It is a great honor & a privilege to have you here. I thank the cast & the crew of The Aspern Papers for coming to India, coming to Goa, coming to IFFI, and for giving us a great brand value in the international community. Namaskar, welcome to India”
 
Julien Landais, the Director of The Aspern Papers, said, “It is a real honor for me to be in India to present my film at this prestigious festival. My film is an adaptation of a famous novella by Henry James, which is set in Venice in late 19th century. I felt like it was the right subject for my 1st ever feature & fit in the incredible actors to embody these special characters. So I’m very happy to be here with my team.”
 
One of the actors of the film, Lois Robbins was also present at the press conference. She said, “I just want to say how thrilled I am to be here. It is my 1st time ever in India. It is a beautiful country; Goa is fantastic & thank you so much for having us all. Shooting The Aspern Papers was an experience I don’t think I will ever have again as an actor for so many reasons. Firstly, it was an extraordinary cast led by an exceptional director who had a beautiful vision for the film. Just the costumes alone, from the Dolce & Gabbana couture archives, were some of the most beautiful things I will ever wear in my life. It was quite exceptional to work with Jonathan (Rhys-Myers), Poppy (Delevingne), Nicolas (Hau), Barbara (Meier) & Morgane Polanski.”
 
Narrating her experience while shooting the film, Lois further said, “It was a lot of fun on the very 1st ever day of the shooting of the film. It was very hot in Venice. And I had on a very heavy cape, a hat & gloves and we were shooting in a gondola. For every take, I had to take my gloves on & off. The costume people couldn’t come inside the gondola with me. So for every take, Jonathan would get into the gondola and adjust the gloves & the cape for me. And I was swooning. He is quite handsome. That might have been my favorite day of shooting.”
 
The Aspern Papers tells a story of obsession, grandeur lost & dreams of Byronic adventures. The film is an adaptation of a famous novella by Henry James based on the letters Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Mary Shelley’s stepsister Claire Clairmont. The film stars Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (lead actor), Golden Globe-nominated actress Joely Richardson (lead actress), her mother – 6 time Oscar nominee & Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave, Julia Robins (actress), Morgane Polanski (actress), daughter of Roman Polanski & Nicolas Hau (actor).
 
The Aspern Papers is set in Venice in the late 19th century, it tells the story of an American editor determined to get his hands on the letters his icon, the Romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern, wrote to his beautiful lover & muse, Juliana Bordereau. Juliana lives in a Venetian palazzo with her niece Miss Tina, who she seems to control & Morton tries to manipulate. But when the ambitious adventurer trifles with Miss Tina’s affections she learns to see through his scheme.
The film was shot where Henry James actually wrote it, on original locales in Venice. James Ivory, an old India hand & a recent Academy Award winner is one of the Executive Producers of the film.
 
The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open with the World Premiere of ‘The Aspern Papers’ with international star cast. 
 
The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI Goa) begins on Tues, 20th Nov, 2018 & ends on Wed, 28th Nov, 2018, in Panaji, Goa.

Bollywood Buzz

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Anushka Sharma Unveils Her Wax Figurine
 
Anushka Sharma recently unveiled her own wax figurine. It was the 1st ever interactive wax figure at Madame Tussauds!
 
Anushka Sharma happens to be a global power brand & Madame Tussauds celebrated by unveiling her wax figure. Given her popularity across countries, the wax museum at Singapore unveiled the 1st ever interactive wax statue that wowed the visitors.
 
Anushka Sharma’s life-like figure holds a phone personally inviting visitors to snap a selfie with her, which can be digitally shared with friends & family. She will be the 1st ever wax statue in the Singapore museum with this feature.
Anushka Sharma’s figure joins other Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, et al in the IIFA Awards Experience where you can re-live the glamour of the Bollywood awards ceremony. Walk the green carpet, snap selfies & dance with your own back up dancers on the celluloid silver screen, or star on the cover of the IIFA Magazine & shine on stage where you receive your own award. Your time is now to take the spotlight.
 
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Bollywood Buzz – A Special Report

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Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone Finally Enter Into A Wedlock

Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone finally sealed the deal & got married in a traditional Chitrapur Saraswat style ceremony on 14th Nov, 2018. The Sindhi Anand Karaj ceremony took place on 15th Nov, 2018. The couple have been together since the year 2013 & finally announced their wedding in late Oct, 2018.

Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone tied the knot at Lake Como in Italy after dating for over 6 years.

They exchanged the rings post a Phool Muddi ceremony.

Singer Harshdeep Kaur performed on numbers like “Kala Sha Kala” at the sangeet.

Karan Johar took to Twitter to congratulate the happy couple. “Such a stunning gorgeous & beautiful couple! Nazar utar lo! Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh!! Badhai ho!!! Love you both!!! Here’s to a lifetime of love & joy!” he wrote.

So Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone are by now married after the traditional Chitrapur Saraswat style wedding at Lake Como, Italy. They solemnized their relationship after 6 years of dating each other. Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padokone had first met each other on the sets on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela.

The dress code for the ceremony for the guests was color white.

With the strict no photo policy at the VeerDeep Shaadi, fans may just have to rely on screenshots to satisfy their curiosity for a while. With the likes of drone interceptors in the sky & guests being made to wear special wrist bands & scan unique QR codes on their phones in order to gain entry, the security at the venue was tight. Deepika Padukone’s sister, Anisha Padukone changed her social media bio to reflect her status as the #Ladkiwale with a bride emoticon.

Shah Rukh Khan, Farah Khan & Sanjay Leela Bhansali reached the wedding venue by 9 am on the D – Day. They were amongst the few from the film fraternity who were a part of the official wedding. The guest list had mostly been restricted to family & close friends.

And the security arrangements were tight at the venue. From special wrist bands to patrolling boats to no mobile phone policy, every little detail had been taken care of. There were boats patrolling the area surrounding the wedding venue to decapitate any drone in the vicinity.

The couple had also requested singer Harshdeep Kaur to delete a photo that the singer had shared with her husband, by the lake, because they did not want any photos of the high profile wedding to surface online.

The mehendi ceremony which was held on Tues afternoon had both Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone donning Sabyasachi creations as the wedding party grooved to Harshdeep Kaur’s tunes. The designer himself was also present & the men also applied henna on their palms.

Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh wore similar rich shades of red & pink & the bride reportedly got misty-eyed more than once. The doting groom-to-be was by her side the whole time.

The couple was expected to have 2 wedding ceremonies. A Chitrapur Saraswat style wedding was slated to take place on the morning of 14thNov, 2018, since Deepika Padukone belongs to the Konkani speaking community originally from Karnataka. This was followed by a Sindhi style ceremony on 15th Nov, 2018, as Ranveer Singh naturally hails from a Sindhi Community.

For the Chitrapur Saraswat ceremony, Deepika Padukone was dressed in a traditional white & gold silk sari & wore a red lehenga on day 2. Ranveer Singh had donned a heavily embellished sherwani. The couple’s outfits were all a Sabyasachi Mukherji creations.

While most of them had speculated that the Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone’s wedding is taking place at Villa Del Balbianello, the venue was actually Casta Diva Resort & Spa located in Blevio village on the eastern side of the Lake Como.

The wet weather had indeed prompted the wedding planners to change the venue at the last minute.

The couple had officially exchanged rings post a Phool Muddi ceremony, while the couple had welcomed their guests personally at the entrance of the venue. Both the bride & the groom had worn western outfits. Deepika Padukone was in a white dress & Ranveer Singh in black. The engagement ceremony was followed by a formal sit – down dinner & the guests were also requested to not share any pictures on the social media platforms.

Day one of the wedding festivities had kicked off at Lake Como with the sangeet. Harshdeep Kaur & her band had set the mood just right with dance numbers like “Kala Sha Kala”, “Mehendi Hai Rachney Wali”, “Mehendi Ni Mehendi” & “Gur Naal Ishq Mitha”. Ranveer Singh had even taken to the floor to sing & dance to his Gunday number “Tune Maari Entriyaan”

If you were wondering what Ranveer Singh would be wearing on his big day, the clue perhaps lied in the Sabyasachi Mukherji bags that his stylist Nitasha Gaurav was spotted carrying on her way to Italy.

Deepika Padukone’s wedding ensemble was in a vibrant red with intricate thread work. Ranveer Singh, on the other hand, was seen in a gorgeous Kanjeevaram sherwani.

Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh’s wedding was the talk of the town & everyone had wanted to know every little detail of this celebrity wedding. But who do you think had made this dream wedding come true? Of course, a wedding planner & for Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh, the celebrity wedding planner was none other than Vandana Mohan, who had turned a fairy godmother. So who is Vandana Mohan? Well! She is a celebrity wedding planner in her own right

The wedding was captured for the posterity sake by the same crew that had filmed the wedding of Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma in Tuscany. Vishal Punjabi’s The Wedding Filmer. TWF had also shot the wedding sequence in Deepika Padukone’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

Ranveer Singh’s hair stylist Nitasha Gaurav had posted an update on the couple on the social media platforms.

They had asked the lucky guests to not bring their cell phones to the ceremony. Considering the fact that it will be a destination wedding, there will be fewer people & all the arrangements will be in place. While the 2, in all likelihood, will share pictures with their fans eventually, they hoped that this step will help them guard their privacy”

 Moreovrer 12 florists were specially flown in from Florence to decorate the wedding venue Villa Del Balbianello. The Lake Como resort where the guests were staying was about 45 minutes away from the wedding venue & the guests used the golf carts for transport within the location. With an outdoor floating pool, the location also boasted of an alfresco terrace overlooking the lake. Surrounded by the botanic park, the resort was spread across an area of about 26,000 sq meters. The location appeared to be the property of Lac De Come Hotels.

The groom-to-be then reportedly made a flamboyant entry on a seaplane with a seating capacity of 14 people. Chefs from Switzerland reportedly arrived at the venue. The wedding was reportedly held in the morning on 14th Nov, 2018 followed by a grand lunch.

Playback singer Harshdeep Kaur posted a photo of herself in a plane with a cryptic caption that read, “Off to a very special place for an even more special occasion. Arrivederci”.

The villa was closed for the public starting a day before the wedding day. The families were staying at a hotel 10 minutes from the venue because the venue itself didn’t have a boarding facility.”

“Since they are both from non-filmy families, they wanted a quiet wedding away from the prying eyes of the world.” The source went on to say that the Mumbai & above all the Bengaluru receptions are all set to be ritzy affairs, with the Mumbai reception to be held on 28th Nov, 2018 & the Bangalore reception yet to be finalized. The wedded couple had requested the guests not to get any gifts but donate instead to Deepika Padukone’s “Live Love Laugh Foundation”, which works towards raising awareness about the depression. “Both Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone are deeply committed to the cause & wanted to involve all their guests in the good deed.

Bollywood Buzz  

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Priyadarshan – Aniket – Bhagyashri Celebrated Diwali To Promote ‘Majhya Baikocha Priyakar’
 
Pradeep Sharma of Baba Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd, Deepak Ruia & Rajendra Goenka of Rajkala Movies & Dhaval Jayantilal Gada & Aksshay Jayantilal Gada of Pen India Ltd celebrated Diwali to promote their Marathi film Majhya Baikocha Priyakar at MRP Lounge in Andheri (W) Mumbai where the entire cast of the film was invited.
Everyone came dressed in their ethnic wear. 
 
Zee Music Marathi has released the audio. Priyadarshan Jadhav, Aniket Vishwasrao, Bhagyashri Mote, Priya Gamre, Vivek Kar, Swati Sharma, Suresh Pillai & Choreographer Sanjeev came to be a part of this event. Rajiv Ruia has written & directed this film. Swati Sharma sang her superhit song “Tu Haath Nako Lao from the film. The film is releasing on 23rd Nov, 2018 & is presented & distributed by Pen India Ltd.

Bollywood Buzz

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Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone Finally Tie the Knot
Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone sealed the deal & got married in a traditional Chitrapur Saraswat style ceremony today 14th Nov, 2018. The Sindhi Anand Karaj ceremony is all set to take place on 15thNov, 2018.  The couple have been together since the year 2013 & finally announced their wedding in the late Oct, 2018.
Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone tied the knot at Lake Como in Italy after dating for 6 years.
A Chitrapur Saraswat style wedding ceremony took place today on 14th Nov, 2018.
The Sindhi Anand Karaj ceremony is set to unfold on 15th Nov, 2018.
They exchanged rings post a Phool Muddi ceremony.
Singer Harshdeep Kaur performed on numbers like “Kala Sha Kala” at the sangeet.
Karan Johar took to Twitter to congratulate the happy couple. “Such a stunning gorgeous & beautiful couple!!!! Nazar utar lo! Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh!! Badhai ho!!! Love you both!!! Here’s to a lifetime of love & joy!” he wrote.

Film Festival Round Up

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International Film Festival Of India (IFFI) 2018 To Open With The World Premiere Of ‘The Aspern Papers’
The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open with the World Premiere of The Aspern Papers in the presence of the international star cast.
The whole cast will be present for its premiere at the film festival. Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (lead actor), Golden Globe nominated actress Joely Richardson (lead actress), Julia Robins (actress), Morgane Polanski  (actress) – daughter of Roman Polanski, Nicolas Hau (actor) Julien Landais (director) will be present at the screening.
The Aspern Papers tells a story of obsession, grandeur lost & dreams of Byronic adventures.
The Aspern Papers is the 1st ever feature from director Julien Landais & is adapted from the novella by Henry James, which is based on the letters of Percy Bys Shelley wrote to Mary Shelley’s stepsister Claire Clairmont. The film stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Joely Richardson & her mother, 6 time Oscar nominee & Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave.
The Aspern Papers stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in a lead role. The Irish actor is known for his roles in films such as Velvet Goldmine in the year 1998, Bend It Like Beckham in the year 2002, Match Point in the year 2005, Mission: Impossible III in the year 2006 & his television roles as Elvis Presley in the biographical miniseries Elvis in the year 2005, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for “Best Actor” – Miniseries or Television Film & as King Henry VIII in the historical drama The Tudors from the year 2007 to the year 2010.
The film’s lead actress Joely Richardson is an English actress, known for her role as Julia McNamara in the FX drama series Nip/Tuck from the year 2003 to the year 2010 for which she twice received Golden Globe nomination. She has also appeared in films such as 101 Dalmatians in the year 1996, Event Horizon in the year 1997, The Patriot in the year 2000, Return To Me in the year 2000, Anonymous in the year 2011, the Hollywood film adaptation The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in the year 2011 & the remake of Endless Love in the year 2014.
The film also stars Morgane Polanski – the daughter of French-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski & French actress Emmanuelle Seigner. Morgane Polanski made her acting debut in her father’s 2002 film The Pianist, which was nominated for Academy Award for “Best Picture”. She appeared in 2 more of his films, Oliver Twist in the year 2005 & The Ghost Writer in the year 2010, in which she had her 1st ever speaking role. In the year 2015, Polanski appeared in the British independent film Unhallowed Ground & began portraying Princess Gisla in the History Channel series Vikings.
The Aspern Papers set in Venice in the late 19th century, tells the story of an American editor determined to get his hands on the letters his icon, the Romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern, wrote to his beautiful lover & muse, Juliana Bordereau. Juliana lives in a Venetian palazzo with her niece Tina, who she seems to control & Morton tries to manipulate. But when the ambitious adventurer trifles with Tina’s affections she learns to see through his scheme.
The film was shot where Henry James actually wrote it, on original locales in Venice. James Ivory, an old India hand & a recent Academy Award winner is one of the Executive Producers on the film.
The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) begins on Tues, 20th Nov, 2018 & ends on Wed, 28thNov, 2018, in Panaji, Goa.
 

Bollywood Buzz

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Buddha & Buddha.Mov Steal The Show At Mami This Year
 
In the recently concluded MAMI festival, there were 2 brilliant films with a similar title – Buddha. One was Buddha.Mov directed by Kabir Mehta on the former well built Indian cricketer Budhadev In what is reminiscent of the recent Ranbir Kapoor acted Sanjay Dutt biopic, where Sanjay Dutt goes on record to tell that he had bedded some 200 & odd women. The documentary on Buddhadev informs the audience that he’s been to bed with 90 girls & what’s more, he keeps in touch with all of them. How? He’s set his phone to pop up every 5 names a day and then he sends each one of them a short message letting her know that he hasn’t forgotten her. In a series of long shots as he performs his daily exercise routine, the film makes a bold use of full frontal male nudity & uncensored locker-room talks; with outspoken cleverness is also a breath of fresh air amidst many social-themed films. The film has Buddhadev, the flamboyant cricketer authorizing unrestricted access into the most private aspects of his life to the filmmaker, lured by the chance of being the protagonist of the documentary film. The other film titled Buddha directed by Vinit Chandrasekharan talks about  how in the drought stricken eastern part of Maharashtra where close to 23000 farmers commit suicide since the year 2009 & the Christian missionaries decide to sell the land given to the Dalits in exchange for conversion to Christianity, a couple of decades ago. Father Benedict Deddario is entrusted with the task but his biggest roadblock is the poor local Dalit leader Vinya. Besides the land tussle, Benedict is shaken by Vinya’s resistance & unwillingness to convert to Christianity. Benedict will stop at nothing to not only sell the land but also get Vinya to convert, even if that means using Vinya’s power hungry wife against him.
 
Girija Oak’s Sweet & Sour Gesture 
 
The best way to peoples’ hearts is through their stomachs. Girija Oak, who is all set to play the role of Meghana Nikade on Sony TV’s upcoming show Ladies Special knows this only too well! The actress has recently started shooting for the show & decided to treat the entire cast & crew of the show with some Lemon Cakes. When asked about this sweet gesture, Girija said, “It’s such a pleasure to work with this amazing cast & crew every day. Everyone here is so hardworking & appreciative of each other. I brought along these lemon cakes for everyone from Pune’s famous bakery which is also famous for selling Shrewberry biscuits just because I wanted to make them happy.” Actors are known for throwing grand parties & events to show their gratitude, but there is something endearing about the sweetness of a lemon cake that made won Girija a lot of brownie points from her co-workers.
 
AGP World Is All Set To Present ‘Devdas’
 
AGP World, India’s leading theatre production house re-creates the tale of undying love Devdas. Originally written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the much applauded novella has been transformed into a 150 minute theatre play. This romantic saga directed by Saif Hyder Hasan stars renowned actors such as Gaurav Chopra, Manjari Fadnis, Sunil Palwal, Sukhada Khandkekar, Bhavna Pani,  Smita Jaykar et al. Set against the backdrop of historically rich & old Calcutta, this rendition takes us through the unsolved mysteries of what happened to Chandramukhi & Paro after Devdas. In deference to the magnificence of 19th century Calcutta, the décor has been recreated in a manner that will certainly skip a heartbeat. Eye catching visuals from the gas-lit busy streets of the era paired with the history of opulent Havelis in India are sure to delight you. The play also highlights classic & contemporary fusion dance pieces choreographed by Shampa Gopikrishna (daughter of acclaimed Kathak maestro Padmashri Gopi Krishna) & Bertwin Ravi D’Souza, contributing to the spectacular theatrical experience. Saif Hyder Hasan seems equally thrilled & came on record to talk about his excitement. Commenting on the same he says, “Truly it isn’t easy to narrate a journey that has been experienced by audiences for decades.” With utmost precision & commitment to deliver a performance of a lifetime, AGP has added another golden feather to their cap.
 
Aditi Gupta Says That The TRP System On TV Is Bogus! 
 
Aditi Gupta, who is seen in Ravindra Gautam’s Kaal Bhairav 2, is not a big fan of the TRP system. The actor says that somewhere it is this system which stops makers from trying out new things. “I think it is bogus. I don’t know how it works because no one knows how they calculate the numbers. It’s never been explained, so I don’t know how it is being done. But people still believe it & we go by it. I think because of the TRP system, I’ve seen that people are not trying to be more creative. People are not trying to evolve themselves because they think that if this thing is working, let it work as we are anyways getting the TRPs. I think TRPs are not required but if it won’t be there, I feel some shows here will be going on & on for years,” she says. Aditi loves being part of Kaal Bhairav 2 and is especially fond of the title. “I think it’s unique & interesting. It says a lot about the show & what it’s based on. But to know about the show, you will have to watch it. It sounds very strong as a topic, but doesn’t give out too much. I am playing the character of this girl Archana. She is a very outspoken person. She is today’s girl, who is very confident & talks a lot. She will go & talk to anybody. She will also go & talk to a watchman but with the same respect & love. She is in love with a boy who is from a very royal family, which she has no idea of. But his family is cursed, so she’s the one who will be trying to figure out what is the mystery all about. Apparently, in their family any boy can’t live more than 30 years of age. I really relate to my character. We are so similar. I don’t have to actually make up anything. I have to be as natural as possible. Being so alike just helps me with the character. The way she is talkative & her hand moments & all of that is so similar to the way I am in real life”. Aditi is sure that the show will be loved. “Everyone’s expectations is quite high, I think this genre has not been explored on TV as yet. I think it is a great show, I am not just saying that because I am doing it, but it is something which people like. It has a sense of mystery & also has a lot of amazing actors in it. So, I think it is a great combination and people would like to watch this kind of genre. I love working with producer-director Ravindra Gautam as well.
 
Hawan On The Sets Of ‘Ye Ristha Kya Kehlata Hai’!

Rajan Shahi is one producer-director who believes in the power of love & prayers. Rajan Shahi keeps having Hawan from time to time. On Dhanteras morning a hawan was organized with the presence of the cast & the crew. Rajan Shahi is one producer whose sets always have a cosmopolitan culture & all the festivals are celebrated.  The positive vibes are always in the air. 
 
A Surprise Birthday Bash For Smita Gondkar
 
Richa Ranawat, Pururava Rao & Parul Chawla threw a surprise birthday bash for Smita Gondkar. The birthday bash which was expected to be a grand affair turned out to be phenomenal. It was a flamboyantly splendid party with glitz, glamour, opulence & loads of love for the birthday girl reflecting from the entire preparations that were no less than perfect. A significant chunk of Bollywood, Television & Marathi industry was seen at the birthday celebrations. Some of the name from glamour arena were the biggest attraction at the birthday bash which included Sana Khan, Nehha Pendse, Tyagraj, Harshada Khanvilkar, Medha Manjrekar, Priya Darshan, Aniket Vishwas, DJ Shiezwood, Sneha Wagh, Gurmeet & Debina Chaudhary, Romanch, Resham Tipnis, Sushant Shelar, Aastad Kale, Amey Khopkar, Usha Nadkarni, Prashant Virender Sharma, Champak Jain, Rajesh Khera, Dr. Sharmila Nayak, Aziz Zee, Umesh Pherwani etc. The birthday girl, Smita Gondkar said “I am so overwhelmed with the surprise birthday bash by Parul, Richa & Puru Rava. Birthdays are always special. The day becomes further special when you spend the day with your friends & family.
 
Pratibhatai Patil, Ex-President Of India Releases Vidharbha Film Festival Booklet
 
It is for the 1st time ever in the history of Vidharbha District that an International Film Festival will be held in Amravati in the month of Jan, 2019. It is also for the 1st time ever in the history of India & probably in the world, that an Ex-President of that country released the booklet of an upcoming film festival. Hon’ble ex-president of India Pratibhatai Patil blessed the organizers of the film festival & released the booklet at an auspicious ceremony held in Amravati, attended by Nanak Bhai Ahuja, Khushi Shroff (Late Inder Kumar’s daughter). Pratibhatai Patil applauded the organizer Raju Kariya when he announced that it will be for the 1st time ever in the history of India that 15 Marathi films will be screened along with 5 regional films (Sindhi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani & Punjabi), screening web series, music Album & TV Serial. This unique feat has never been attempted even in the history of Entertainment anywhere by any film festival in the world. The Vidharbha International Film Festival is being conceived, designed, executed & organized by noted PRO Raju Kariya & Montu Singh. Raju Kariya is the 1st ever Publicist in Bollywood industry who has been felicitated by the President’s award for his achievements over the past 4 decades in Bollywood & have also been applauded globally & he is also listed in the Book of World Records. More than 50 Bollywood celebrities have confirmed their attendance at the 1st ever Vidharbha International Film Festival. Notable amongst them are Aruna Irani, Raj Babbar, Rohit Roy, Ravi Kishen, Gajendra Chauhan, Rahul Roy et al.  Amongst the other Bollywood celebrities, Dolly Bindra, Krishna Abhishekh, Gautam Rode, Shahwar Ali, Shahleen Bhanot, Shahbaz Khan, Nishant Singh Malkani, Sharad Malhotra, Siddharth Nigam, Arya Babbar, Anas Rasheed, Gurpreet Singh, Amit Pachauri,  Kartik jairam, Pankaj Berry, Manav Gohil, Krunal Singh, Pratham Kumar, Ankit Patidar, Rahul Chaudhary, Jeet Sony, Kunal Chauhan, Rahul Siddharth Sipani, Kiran Jhanjhani & Rahul Prakash Rai have confirmed their presence  at this event as its honored guests. During the booklet launch occasion, the ex-president of India Pratibhatai Patil announced her desire to grace the opening ceremony of this one of its kind film festival, subject to her keeping good health & if she finds time from her busy schedule.

Bollywood Buzz

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‘Sarkar’ Creates Diwali Fireworks & Becomes The Biggest Vijay Starrer Opening Film
 
The much-awaited & anticipated Sarkar which released on Diwali is already creating ripples. The festive release has made its mark by becoming the biggest Vijay starrer in Tamil opening film on BookMyShow. Sarkar’s popularity had gained momentum since the time advance bookings started. As compared to Vijay’s last super hit film Mersal, Sarkar’s advance booking multiplied over 2x on BookMyShow. The film has already crossed 1 million ticket sales milestone on BookMyShow. While Bengaluru, Chennai & Hyderabad have responded extremely well to the film, there has been a strong uptake for Sarkar in Tier II cities including Coimbatore, Salem, Trichy, Kochi & Trivandrum. Talking about Sarkar’s performance on BookMyShow, Ashish Saksena, COO-Cinemas, BookMyShow says, “Sarkar has been the talk of the town since its trailer was out. BookMyShow saw a phenomenal response for the advance booking & the opening days. We anticipate the coming weekends to add to the growing demand of the film & are elated to contribute to the success of Sarkar.”
 
The Trailer Of Shankar’s Magnum Opus ‘Robot 2.0’ Released
 
Director Shankar’s much-awaited film Robot 2.0 had a grand trailer launch at a theatre in Chennai. The lead actors Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar & Amy Jackson were present at the event. The film is touted to be India’s most expensive film ever. 2.0 is the sequel to Shankar’s 2010 blockbuster Robot. The trailer showcases Rajinikanth’s Chitti fighting against Akshay Kumar’s giant monster. The trailer is loaded with some mind-blowing action, brilliant VFX & some great performances by the actors. Apart from the main cast, director Shankar, Music Composer Allah Rakha Rahman & producer Subaskaran were also present at the launch. Rajinikanth says, “2.0 is a thriller, entertainer & has an international message – that the planet is not just for human beings but other creatures also.” He also praises Akshay Kumar for his dedication on the film and says, “Hats off to Akshay Kumar for his hard work. It is definitely worth it”. Akshay Kumar who marks his Tamil debut with 2.0 and plays an antagonist in the film spoke a few lines in Tamil at the function, says, “I got to learn lot of challenging things. Shankar is a scientist, not a director. I did my make up for 3 hours and took one hour to remove the makeup. I just saw myself on the screen, and it was unbelievable. I’m looking forward to seeing the film. I thank Shankar sir. It was worth” the pain.” The Hindi version of the film will be presented by Karan Johar. Robot 2.0, produced by Subaskaran & Lyca Productions, will release across India on 29th Nov,  2018 in 3D & 2D.
 
Adah Signs A Big Budget Period Film With Prabhu Dheva
 
Adah Sharma is currently on a career high right now. The actress who has  completed a London schedule for Commando 3 where she has done some crazy stunts & her Tamil debut with Prabhu Deva Charlie Chaplin 2 which is the No Entry sequel  has signed her next Telugu film Kalki for a whopping fee of 1 crore! Adah says, “The team was very keen on me for the role. After Heart Attack & Kshanam (which was remade in Hindi as Baaghi 2) I have a strong youth & family audience fan following. Even for events & appearances amongst the young actresses I am one of the top paid.  I have the ability to get into the skin of any role convincingly and so the producers were willing to pay me my price to have me as the leading lady.” The Dr Rajasekhar film is directed by Queen director Prasanth Varma & produced by C Kalyan. Adah will next be seen in Commando 3, Bypass Road, another Hindi film with a big banner to be announced soon, Charlie Chaplin 2 with Prabhu Deva, short film MOH, Soulmate & Hollywood film debut also soon, pictures of which went viral a month ago.
 
Sajid Nadiadwala’s Son Turns An Assitant Director On Housefull 4
 
Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala made his directorial debut with Kick in the year 2014 & and it looks like his elder son Subhan wants to follow in his footsteps. The youngster, is assisting director Sajid Khan on Housefull 4 (HF4). This fact came into light when Subhan uploaded picture of his with his father on the sets of Housefull 4.Subhan’s mother Warda Nadiadwala, who also happens to be my best friend who was once upon a time a cub journalist, commented, “Super proud of you man, keep it up AD.”  This is not his 1st ever step in Bollywood, as earlier, Subhan was an assistant director on Judwaa 2. During Judwaa 2 he was adored on the sets by Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan & Jacqueline Fernandez the most. Apparently, it’s during his vacations that the youngster helps out on the sets of his father’s production ventures.
 
Fox Star Studios & R. Balki To Make ‘Mission Mangal’ With Akshay Kumar
 
The synergy will see an array of distinct entertainers over 3 titles with Akshay Kumar in the lead, to be jointly produced by Fox Star Studios & Cape Of Good Films. The 1st ever film to come off this partnership will be India’s 1st ever space film, Mission Mangal, which is in collaboration with R Balki & the film will be directed by Jagan Shakti. The shoot for Mission Mangal commences in mid Nov, 2018.  Akshay Kumar said “I am delighted to find a new creative partner in Fox Star Studios and am looking forward to creating a collaboration that will deliver a meaningful & entertaining cinematic experience. With our combined energies we hope to create content that not only excites but also empowers.” 
 
Amol Parashar Roped In For ‘Dolly Kitty Aur Voh Chamakte Sitare’!
 
Riding high on the success of his latest web series, Home, Amol Parashar has an interesting line-up of projects. While he has already started shooting for the 2nd season of Tripling, the popular digital show with which he shot to fame, the talented & versatile actor has been roped in for yet another interesting project, Dolly Kitty Aur Voh Chamakte Sitare, a film produced by Ekta Kapoor & directed by Alankrita Shrivastava. Also featuring Bhumi Pednekar, the movie will see Amol acting opposite veteran actress Konkona Sen Sharma. Amol has had a fantastic run with all his digital shows & proved his acting prowess through a wide variety of characters. The makers felt that the pairing of Amol & Konkona will be a very fresh & interesting one. He is quite excited to be a part of Dolly Kitty Aur Voh Chamakte Sitare & has already started shooting for the movie. The young digital star is not new to celluloid silver screen having already been part of acclaimed films like Madhur Bhandarkar’s Traffic et al.
 
Suniel Shetty & Other Stars At 2nd Asiaspa India Fit & Fabulous Awards!

There were not as many stars on the sky that night as at the Westin Mumbai Garden City where the most awaited event of the year, asiaSpa India Fit & Fabulous Awards was held. The celebrities from Bollywood, glamour, fitness, sports & lifestyle came in full force & made the night a stunning spectacle. After the resounding success of Wellfest 2018 in Delhi, India’s leading luxury wellness & lifestyle magazine; asiaSpa India proudly brought together the unique festival of wellness to Mumbai. Curated by Parineeta Sethi, Chief Editor & Publisher of the magazine, the festival not only celebrates people who are already “fit & fabulous”, but also inspires others to achieve their wellness goals. asiaSpa was proud to be back in the city that’s home to Bollywood with the new edition of their Awards ceremony that spread out the green carpet to leading celebrities from all walks of life including Bollywood, glamour, fitness, sports & lifestyle. Over the years, asiaSpa’s signature wellness featured the best of the wellness & fitness industry! This year too, wellness icons & enterprises across varied categories across the country were recognized & felicitated. While Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Suniel Shetty, Sonakshi Sinha, Raveena Tandon, Gauahar Khan, Shraddha Salla & Harshvardhan Rane bagged the “Fit & Fabulous” award, the evening also witnessed celebrities including Karishma Tanna, Dia Mirza, Dino Morea, Nandita Mahtani, Harbhajan Singh, Geeta Basra, Karan Tacker, Lulia Vantur, Simone Khan, Elli Avram, Divya Khosla Kumar, Queenie Singh, Pooja Makhija, Terrence Lewis, Namrata Purohit, Yash Birla, Atul Kasbekar, Farah Khan Ali, Shivoham, Samir Purohit, Eefa Shrof, Alanna Panday, Deanne Panday, Sameer Nerukar, Nawaz Modi Singhania, Nikhil Kapur, Aarti Surendranath, Ksrija Surendranath, Anil Singh, Shweta Shetty, Samir Srivastav, Waluscha De Souza, Pria Kataaria Puri, Hema Hariramani, Malavika Mohanan & Sheeba Akashdeep who walked away with the prestigious “Fit & Fabulous” trophy back home. 

Hindi Film Review

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Thugs Of Hindostan
“Thugs Of Hindostan Is Like A Mirror Image Of Kranti & Totally Disappointing”
 
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya
Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Llyod Owen, Ronit Roy, Satyadev Kancharana, Ila Arun, Sharrrat Saxsena, Abdul Quadir Amin & Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub
Music: Ajay – Atul
Director Vijay Krishna Acharya, a screenplay writer cum director’s 1st ever outing was in the small screen arena. Then his 1st ever outing in the celluloid silver screen arena was with Tashan which of course proved to be a colossal disaster. In the interim phase he directed the “Dhoom” franchise which proved to be a moderate success to some extent but with his latest directorial offering Thugs Of Hindostan, Mr. Vijay Krishna Acharya has indeed driven a nail deep into his own directorial coffin.   
 
Now time to dig the grave of Aditya Chopra & Yash Raj Films latest Diwali offering Thugs Of Hindostan. So a Diwali release is an event in itself. And this year, Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan team up for the 1st ever time in the hugely awaited Thugs Of Hindostan. But of course it fails miserably.
 
So very disappointingly speaking Thugs Of Hindostan is the story of a group of rebels fighting the British. The year is 1795. The kingdom is ruled by a benevolent king (Ronit Roy). The evil Clive (Lloyd Owen) annexes the kingdom by treacherous means & even kills the king & the queen. The king’s guardian, Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan), escapes with the king’s daughter Zafira (Fatima Sana Shaikh). 11 years later, Khudabakash, Zafira & their gang are now considered as the most dangerous thugs. They have already wrecked a lot of havoc in the lives of the Britishers. With no other option in hand, Clive summons Firangi Malla (Aamir Khan) to trace the whereabouts of Khudabaksh. Firangi Malla is a devious character & it’s difficult to trust him. Betrayal is his 2nd nature by his own admitted confession.With the help of his friend Shanichar (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), Firangi Malla now devises a plan & enrolls into Khudabaksh’s army of thugs. What happens next forms the crux of the Thugs Of Hindostan’s story in a nutshell?
The story is formulaic oriented & utterly predictable. The writer could have done so much with the content but, sadly enough, he lets go of this golden opportunity. The screenwriting has some moments (especially in the 1st ever half), but the narrative loosens the grip as it progresses. Worse, too many cinematic liberties & a lifeless 2nd hour act as a roadblock. The dialogues are interesting, especially between the senior actors, but they are few & far between.
Vijay Krishna Acharya’s direction is shoddy. Frankly, speaking with such a poorly written material on hand, the director couldn’t have salvaged the show either. However, he does manage to make an impact in a few sequences, like Firangi Malla’s entry & sequences between Firangi Malla & Khudabaksh in the 1st ever hour are worth recalling. And then Khudabaksh’s entry would be greeted with seetis & taalis. Even Firangi Malla’s introduction is funny & keeps the interest going on. The interval point & prior to that, the confrontation & the action sequence involving the 2 actors is engaging.
Thugs Of Hindostan straight away reminds you of Manoj Kumar’s multi-starrer movie Kranti, released in the year 1981, almost 3 & a half decades ago, which remains a far more interesting & hugely entertaining movie made on the subject (a group of rebels fighting the Britishers) Besides Thugs Of Hindostan is also a mixed potpourri of many such films made in all language films. But Kranti at least boasted of memorable songs that hold tremendous recall value even to this date.
Not only this Ajay – Atul’s (of Marathi film Sairat fame) music is a total letdown. The supremely talented composers are not in form this time. Even the background score is jarring. Yet all said & done the cinematography is stunning, action sequences are well executed, production design is top notch. VFX should’ve been better, editing is uneven. The film could’ve done with a shorter run time.
Performance wise Aamir Khan plays to the gallery, but is letdown by writing. Also, at places, he tries too hard to be funny. Amitabh Bachchan delivers a powerful performance & towers above all. Fatima Sana Shaikh (of Dangal famre) fails to create the desired impact. Katrina Kaif is hardly there, barring 2 songs & a few sequences. Abdul Quadir Amin &Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub hams to the hilt. The 2 Britishers are caricaturish. Ila Arun is wasted. Ronit Roy is decent. Sharat Saxena gets no scope.
Tail Piece: On the whole, Thugs Of Hindostan has some engrossing moments in the 1st ever half, that’s about it. The post – interval portions are an absolute downer. The plot is formulaic, while the screenplay is riddled with cinematic liberties.
At the box-office turnstiles, Thugs Of Hindostan is bound to have a huge weekend thanks to the festive period coupled with the tremendous hype & the impressive star cast names involved. But once the initial euphoria settles down, it’ll be difficult for the film to sustain. This one is a golden opportunity lost, it’s like a king – sized disappointment!

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