Showbiz Round Up

By: Shaheen Raaj

T-Series Presents “Tera Shehar” Sung By Mohammed Kalam  

After amassing over 72 million views on YouTube with their last single “Zindagi Di Paudi”, T-Series in association with Manoj Muntashir Entertainment & R-Chills Music has released their latest single “Tera Shehar”. Incidentally the videos of the both singles have been shot in the picturesque locations of Armenia. “Tera Shehart” traces the path of love & sacrifice and is based on the concept of ‘If you love someone set them free & if they come back to you, they’re yours.’ The lyrics & the soulful notes of the song communicate the pain of love & loss & the sacrifice that goes along with love & how true love always wins at the end. The music video stars Yaariyan actor Himansh Kohli & the lovely Pia Bajpiee. The heart touching song has already been released on YouTube officially.  Lyricist Manoj Muntashir had been looking to launch his own production house since quite some time & “Tera Shehar” is the perfect venture to begin with. Launching the new, but extremely talented 22 year old singer, Mohammed Kalam, was quite a journey for the wordsmith as he frequently meets a lot of new singers. However, the pain & the rawness in Mohammed Kalam’s voice appealed not only to Manoj Muntashir but also to the young & promising melody maker of our times, Amaal Mallik, who is the composer of the song. The debutante singer Mohammed Kalam  spoke about his big break. He said, “I don’t think I could have got a better launch into this industry. I’m so grateful to everybody who believed in me & my talent. I hope the audience can connect with the song & the underlying emotions beneath it. My journey has just begun & I cannot wait to see where it takes me.” Actor Himansh Kohli adds, “A lot of people would be able to connect with “Tera Shehar”. Not because they have gone through a breakup or because they may have had some issues but because there is pain in the song & the pain is a universal feeling. Voh pain sabki life mein, kahin na kahin, kisi na kisi form mein hoti hai.” The video was shot in the beautiful country of Armenia in a span of 4 days. It is directed by Shabby Singh & produced by Vishal Sadhariya of R-Chills Music. “Tera Shehar” is presented by T-Series & Manoj Muntashir Entertainment in association with R-Chills Music is out now.

India SME Conclave & Awards Organised By Tefla

India SME Conclave & CEO Awards were recently organised by Tefla’s under the patronage of BIA & it was a stellar success as it attracted some of the top reputed names in our participation list from companies such as Reliance Big Entertainment, Kotak Mahindra Bank,  Mercedes-Benz India, Axis bank, Angel Broking, Yourstory, Bank of India & many more. We also attracted a few Government bodies such as SIDBI, SEBI & policymakers from the Government of Maharastra. Some of the VIPs who attended the event were: Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, Mayor of Mumbai, Shweta Shalini, Advisor to Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Rajesh Kshirsagar, Executive Chairman,  State Planning Commission, Government of Maharashtra, Dr. Anil Bonde, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Government  of Maharashtra, Mohit Bharatiya, KBJ Group & Politician at BJP, Amit Bhagwan Wadhwani, Co-Founder, SECCPL, Dr. Pawan Agrawal from Mumbai Dabbawala, R K Das, Country Head, SIDBI, Ajay Thakur, Head SME, BSE, Actress Perizaad Zorabian, Chief Marketing Officer, Zorabian Chicken & many more. The event also awarded some top SMEs for their valuable contribution like India SME of the Year – Marquee Developer 2019, Himanshu Kanakia, Managing Director, Kanakia Spaces Reality Pvt Ltd. India SME Award for Technology & Innovation 2019, Tejas Goenka, Managing Director, Tally Solutions, Young Entrepreneur (SME) of the Year Siddharth De, Vice-President, Hindustan Motor Mfg. Co, India SME Award for Idea Innovation Dr. Evan Luthra, Founder, StartupStudio, Social Entrepreneur of the Year & Brand Ambassador of India SME Conclave Mohit Bharatiya, CEO, KBJ Group. For Outstanding Contribution towards Healthcare: Dr. A. Velumani, Founder & CEO, Thyrocare Technologies Limited, CEO Award for Top Equity Broker of the Year 2019 Axis Securities Ltd, CEO Award for Most Consistent Portfolio Manager of the Country 2019 Narnolia Financial Advisors Limited, CEO Award for Digital First Organization of the year 2019 Angel Broking Pvt Ltd, CEO Award for Best Marketing Campaign of the year 2019 Angel Broking Pvt Ltd, CEO Award for Fastest Growing Diversified Group Abans Securities Pvt Ltd. There was a fashion show by Sparsh by Seema Kalavadia & Richa Singh. TV actor Dheeraj Dhoopar was the show stopper for the show. Singer Parul Mishra performed live on various songs in this grand event.

SASMIRA Celebrated Annual Fashion Show – Enchanté 2019 Organised By Tefla

SASMIRA, in its continuous endeavor to promote design literate human resource pool in today’s competitive market; organized Enchanté 2019 recently at Renaissance Hotel, Powai. The show was organised by Aseem Singh, Director – Tefla’s which is a renowned event management group based in Mumbai. The central theme of the Fashion Collection 2019 was “Wanderlust” & the students had designed their collections picking up inspirations from the various places that they had visited or lust to visit. They had internalized this lust of wandering into beautifully crafted designs. How these places – their exotic landscapes, diverse climate, awe-inspiring structures & distinct cultures had inspired them to conceive an idea that pushes them to weave designs on the looms of their creativity is the essence of their collection. Their collections are nostalgic, neoteric & futuristic in their conception. Professional models including Sucheta Sharma & Candice Pinto walked the ramp for designers. Vaishali S, Sunipa S, Amit Ranjan, Tasneem Merchant (Fashion Designer), Meher Castelino (Author) came specially to judge the fashion show. Singer Shahzad Ali performed live for all the students & the guest of Sasmira. The students had designed Indian; Indo-Western & Western wear & fashion accessories collections. These collections had a wide variety of colours & fabrics, Director.

Bollywood Celebs & Stars Attend 1st Ever Celeb M Awards

Jignesh Bhuta, Yogesh Popat, Karishma Thaker & Jignesh Shah of Celeb M completed one year of their company in the events & the casting arena. They kept the party with the felicitation of Bolywood stars at the Sahara Star Hotel, Mumbai. Mahira Sharma & Kainaat Arora performed on this grand event. Arun Sharma of LR Active Oil received all the guest & the Bollywood celebs like Pankaj Berry, Raju Shrivastava, Jasleen Matharu, Faisu, Jannat Zubair, DJ Ramji Gulati, Meet Brothers, Preety Pinky, JD Majethia, Shaheed Mallya, Vikalp Mehta who all came to receive the award in different categories. Sunil Pal, VIP, Ekta Jain & Yogesh Lakhani of Bright Outdoor came specially to attend the grand event.

Music Composer Siddharth Kasyap’s “Ishq Ki Mitti” Presented Sk Music Works

Siddharth Kasyap of SK Music Works knows how to hit the right note. Known for churning out several hits in the past he brings his 24^thoriginal song named as “Ishq Ki Mitti” The launch of “Ishq Ki Mitti” saw the presence of Nakul Mehta, Jankee Parekh, Eijaz Khan, Shibani Kashyap, Sara Khan, Zulfi Sayyed, Aarti Nagpal, Rakesh Paul, Rehan Shah, Sandhya Shetty, Dj Sheizwood, Kanwalpreet Singh, Shanthipriya, Prashant Virender Sharma, Madhushree, Madhuri Pandey, Sheela Tiruchi, Sandhya Shetty, Nivedita Basu, Rajesh Khera, Hansa Singh, Shakuir shaikh, Asif Merchant, Alex O Neil etc. “Ishq Ki Mitti” a sufiyana contemporary love story of undying love will warm the cockles of your heart. In today’s fast paced world when music is created in rush, “Ishq Ki Mitti” bears testament to the fact that good songs will find their way into the hearts of the audience. This heart melting song is touted to be the ‘love anthem of the year’. Serene, sublime & majestic is synonym to “Ishq Ki Mitti”. It is not just a romantic song, it’s an experience which can be seen & cherished by most. Melodious, heavenly & powerful – these are the words that perfectly sum up this Sufi love ballad, “Ishq Ki Mitti”. Conceived & composed by Siddharth Kasyap, this song has vocals of Raja Hassan who is also a renowned Bollywood singer & lyrics has been penned down by Ibrahim Ashq who also has several Bollywood songs to his kitty. The majestic high that the song takes one to, is enhanced by a gifted & senior sitar player Ravi Chari. The song features popular faces of Vikas Verma, Naman Shaw & Apeksha Porwal. Vikas Verma was seen in several movies, Naman Shaw is a popular TV soap artist & Apeksha Porwal has been one of the top contestants of Miss India pageant. This video has been directed by Aziz Zee who has directed the recent horror flick 1978 Night Out & has copious music videos to his credentials as a director.

Cine Buzz

By: Shaheen Raaj

Kangana Ranaut On The ‘Judgmentall Hai Kya’ Title Change

Just recently actress Kangana Ranaut expressed her opinion on the change in title for her upcoming film Judgmental Hai Kya?, which was earlier called Mental Hai Kya, is a result of nepotism & power play in the Hindi film industry. Commenting on the movie’s title change, Kangana Ranaut said, “I think whenever it is anything to do with Kangana Ranaut, people have a problem with it. Since I am an outsider, even if I breathe, people have a problem. But we outsiders also have learnt to make our way without creating a problem. Even one of Salman Khan’s film which was a remake of a south Indian film, was named Mental. There was no problem then, but now we are told that very recently, the word “mental” is banned, so we did not have that much choice. But we truly believe that we have made a good film. Our film has got a U/A certificate. We have faith in our intentions. A small change of the title will not make much difference.” The Mental Hai Kya title drew the ire of the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) which complained to the censor board that the usage of the word “mental” trivialized mental health issues. The title was later changed. Directed by Prakash Kovelamudi, the film also features Rajkummar Rao, Brijendra Kala, Jimmy Sheirgill & Amyra Dastur. It is releasing on 26^th Jul, 2019.

Tiger Shroff Finally Breaks His Silence

Tiger Shroff was last seen in the Punit Malhotra directorial movie named Student Of The Year 2. While rumors of Tiger Shroff & actress Disha Patani dating each other have been old news, the 2 have never confirmed the same. Smartly evading the question every time the duo continues to go on their regular Sunday lunch dates at a popular restaurant in Bandra, Mumbai. However, when Karan Johar cornered Tiger Shroff on his chat show, where Tiger Shroff wascaccompanied by his father JackieShoff, the Student Of The Year 2 actor had no option but to break his silence on the matter. When the host Karan Johar mentioned Tiger Shroff & Disha Patani’s regular lunch dates where the actor is seen carrying the lady’s bag, Tiger Shroff indeed remained nonchalant & even responded, “Holding the bag for her makes me look really nice.” As Karan Johar next plunged straight to the point & quizzed Tiger Shroff about his relationship with Disha Patani, the action hero simply said, “I am great friends with her. I love her company & we are keeping it at that.” When Karan Johar probed further, he clarified, “We both have very similar interests. I don’t have very many friends in the industry & she is one of the few people whom I get along with.” That sort of shut the host right there as he then moved on to chatting about Tiger Shroff’s bond with director Puneet Malhotra & his co-stars Ananya Panday & even Tara Sutaria from Student Of The Year 2. We must say actors seemed to have learned up how to keep their guard up on this filmmaker’s chat show which has witnessed celebrities making some really controversial statements in the past. Well, all said & done, we still wish that Tiger Shroff & Disha Paani do get together some day if they are seriously not dating. And if they are, surely there’s no harm in disclosing their relationship to fans as they will only be showered with more love. Meanwhile, on the work front, Tiger Shroff will next be seen in the 3^rd installment of Baaghi lined up. Tiger Shroff is also reuniting with Shraddha Kapoor for Baaghi 3 & fans are eager to watch them on the silver screen yet again.

Bhagyashree’s Husband Himalaya Dassani Arrested 

At least more than 15 people have been arrested in the recent gambling matter in Mumbai. During the investigation, the Maine Pyar Kiya actress Bhagyashree’s husband Himalaya Dassani’s name popped up & the raids were conducted last month at a high rise building behind infinity mall near Andheri (W) Mumbai. In another shocking event, it has come to the fore that actress Bhagyashree’s husband Himalay Dassani has been arrested by Amboli police, Mumbai. While not a lot of information is out, the arrest of Himalay Dassani who was into construction business took place recently for his alleged involvement in a gambling racket. As more than 15 people have been arrested in the matter. During the investigation, Bhagyashree’s husband Himalaya Dassani’s name popped up & the raids were conducted last month at a high rise building behind infinity mall Andheri (W) Mumbai. Bhagyashree is a popular name & is known for her role in Rajshri Production’s film, Maine Pyaar Kiya opposite Salman Khan. Post the success of the film, Bhagyashree quit Bollywood & got married in 1990 to Himalaya Dassani. The couple has 2 children namely Abhimanyu Dassani & Avantika Dassani. In fact, Abhimanyu Dassani had recently made his debut with Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota alongside Radhika Madan. The film went on to receive rave reviews for his performance.

TV Queen Ekta Kapoor To Launch A New Drama 

The small screen serial named Daayan is expected to be plugged off air from 14^th Jul, 2019 & above all the TV Queen Ekta Kapoor is coming up with a new TV drama that will star Bepanah Pyaar actor Aparna Dixit. &TV’s Daayan is soon going to wrap up. The supernatural drama will end after running for 100 episodes. The &TV channel has decided to bring another bi-weekly drama to replace the show. So TV doyenne Ekta Kapoor is introducing a new show on the tube. The series is titled Aa Dekhe Zara. As the name suggests the show is going to be a mystery drama. The show will revolve around a cop who will solve a different murder case every week. The small screen actress Aparna Dixit has been roped in to play the protagonist. Aparna Dixit will play a female cop in Aa Dekhe Zara, who will be juggling with her own problems while solving the case. Her character, Sukanya is going to be a strong-headed lady who won’t entertain anyone’s antics. Incidentally speaking Aparna Dixit has been a part of several shows produced by Balaji Telefilms. The actress was a part of Ekta Kapoor’s iconic show Pavitra Rishta, where she played the character of Maansi. Her 1^st ever show as a female lead was with the same boot camp, titled Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hai. She then went on to do Kalash and was last seen in a cameo in Bepanah Pyaar. While Daayan is expected to go off air from 14^th Jul, 2019, Aa Dekhe Zara is scheduled to go on air post mid-Jul, 2019.

TV Actor Vivek Dahiya Will Not Host The Pre-Launch Episode Of Nach Baliye Season 9

The premiere episode of Nach Baliye Season 9 has been shot already. We will see Raveena Tandon, Ahmed Khan & probably director Ali Abbas Zafar of Bharat & Tiger franchise fame as the 3 main judges of the show. It was recently confirmed that Nach Baliye Season 8 winners Divyanka Tripathi & Vivek Dahiya came aboard to host the pre-launch episode of this dance reality show’s season. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Vivek Dahiya had to opt out of this opportunity as the actor had to be hospitalized as soon as he returned to Mumbai from his Macau vacation. Considering that Vivek Dahiya is still undergoing treatment at the hospital, there is no way he could make it to the sets of Nach Baliye 9 & shoot. Vivek Dahiya & Divyanka Tripathi had just returned from Macau & from the very next day, Vivek Dahiya has been down with a fever. The fever wasn’t going down & with severe stomach pain, Vivek Dahiya was rushed to the hospital recently & he has been diagnosed with an intestinal infection & liver abyss. Soon after Divyanka Tripathi, the Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress confirmed the news & added, “Yes Vivek has been extremely unwell. I have been shuffling between the shoot & the hospital & luckily speaking my family is also going to be in town soon to help us out. He is still recuperating & has been asked to stay on bed rest for a few days even post getting discharged.” Meanwhile, the premiere episode of Nach Baliye Season 9 has already been shot. We will see Raveena Tandon, Ahmed Khan & director Ali Abbas Zafar as the 3 judges of the show. Salman Khan, who is producing Nach Baliye this year, may be seen in quite a few episodes as well.

Film Review

Kabir Singh

“Kabir Singh Is A Well Made Love Saga”

Banner: Cine1 Studios & T-Series

Producer: Mura Khetani. Ashwin Varde, Bushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar

Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Star Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Arjan Bajwa, Suresh Oberoi, Adil Hussain, Nikita Dutta, Soham Majumdar, Kamini Kaushal, Anurag Arora, Suparna Marwah, Dolly Mattoo, Kunal Thakur, Swati Seth, Anusha Sampath, Vinay Sharma as Kalyan, Amit Sharma, Parakh Madan, Mitansh Lulla, Gagandeep Singh, Teena Singh, Rajat Aroraa, Ankush Deshmukh, Ramakant Dayma, Danish, Anagha Joshi, Meneka Kurup Arora, Geetika, Harsh A. Singh, Vanita Kharat, Aanchal Chauhan, Urvashi Panchal, Siya Mahajan, Abhay Raj Singh & Vipul Deshpande

Music: Mithun, Amaal Malik, Vishal Mishra, Sachet-Parampara, Akhil Sachdeva & Harshvardhan Rameshwar  

One of the most loved love stories of Bollywood is of course Devdas. It has been remade several times & a decade later, Anurag Kashyap gave a different touch to the tale through Dev D in the year 2009. All the interpretations have been liked as there’s a charm in the story of a man who goes on a self-destructive path when he fails to get the girl he loves. 2 years ago, Sandeep Reddy Vanga made a Telugu film named Arjun Reddy, which had a kind of a deja vu of Devdas. Yet, it stood out due to the treatment, execution & performances. Arjun Reddy became a cult success & now its Hindi remake Kabir Sigh has hit the theaters.

So the scripted scenario of Kabir Singh reveals that it is the story of a heartbroken man on the path of self-destruction. Kabir Singh (Shahid Kapoor) is a top ranked medical student from a Delhi medical school. He is hot tempered & once during a football match, he gets into physical altercation with a rival college student named Amit (Amit Sharma). The college Dean (Adil Hussain) asks him to tender an apology or else he’ll be fired. Kabir chooses the 2^nd option as he’s of the opinion that he did no wrong. But in no time Kabir Singh changes his mind after he sees the 1^st year student Preeti (Kiara Advani). Luck favors on him as Preeti’s family is a family friend of Kabir Singh’s & he’s asked to take care of her. Kabir Singh is much feared on campus & he starts to give her personal lessons. Preeti enjoys this attention & soon they begin a romantic relationship. After their course ends, they move back to their respective residences in Mumbai. Kabir Singh’s brother Karan Singh (Arjan Bajwa) is getting married & Kabir Singh goes to Preeti’s house to pick her up. Things turn awry here as Preeti’s father spots the lovebirds cosying up to each other. In a sudden turn of events, Preeti is compelled to get married to one Jatinder & Kabir Singh is unable to stop this union. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s (Who had also directed the Telugu original Arjun Reddy) story is top-notch & very entertaining. The entire premise & most of the script is the same as Arjun Reddy. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s screenplay does justice to the premise. The biggest plus is that it’s quite fresh. Despite the Devdas hangover, it stands out & looks like a story of the present day. The film showcases a vast journey of the protagonist & it’s stitched together very well. Siddharth & Garima’s dialogues are quite impactful & even suit the temper of the protagonist. The funny & the medically inspired 1 liner’s are indeed quite witty & funny.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s direction is quite impressive & he recreates the same magic that he managed to create even in Arjun Reddy. For a director who’s so new, Sandeep Reddy Vanga helms this venture like a pro. One can feel the pain that Kabir Singh goes through & despite his immoral acts & addiction; one’s heart goes out to him. To manage to achieve this feat is no cakewalk.

Kabir Singh has a bit of a philosophical beginning & it’s so confusing. The film gets on track as the flashback scenes commences. One of the high points of the 1^st ever half is when Kabir Singh assaults the rival college player & even rationalizes his behavior in front of the Dean. The scenes where he orders Preeti to join him for private lessons seem a bit unsettling but it gets better once you find out that Preeti is willingly joining him & that she enjoys his company. Then again the film goes on a high during the intense Holi sequence. The tension continues in the entire pre-interval & even after the intermission portions. Post interval the film gets a bit dragging. But it keeps one engaged as Kabir Singh turns into an alcoholic but a fantastic surgeon & even gets into a sort of fling with Jiya Sharma (Nikita Dutta). The in house court sequence is very intriguing. The climax is partly predictable but the turn of events will surely surprise one & all. The film ends on a lovely note.

The Songs are mostly relegated in the background. “Bekhayali”is the best of the lot & very well placed in the film. “Kaise Hua”is well shot & the instrumental part of the song is like one of the film’s themes. “Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage” “Pehla Pyaar”& “Tera Ban Jaunga”are sweet. “Mere Sohneya”is uplifting. Harshvardhan Rameshwar’s background score is subtle & even absent in a few scenes. But the central theme of the film is exhilarating & even adds to the excitement.

Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran’s cinematography is superlative. The madness is very well captured. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design is quite rich. Payal Saluja & Ankita Patel’s costumes are realistic yet appealing. Afzal Usman Khan’s action is quite real & exremely gory. Aarif Sheikh’s editing is a bit abrupt at certain places.

Shahid Kapoor, no doubt, owns the film. It won’t be wrong to say this is his most accomplished work. He had a tall order to accomplish since he is stepping into the shoes of the Telugu actor Vijay Deverekonda & that too in a role that made him an overnight craze. Yet, Shahid Kapoor comes out with flying colors. He has boyish looks & still, when he enters the rival college & bashes a student in front of other 100’s of the in-house students & they don’t even object, it seems totally convincing. His alcoholic phase is quite digestible too. Kiara Advani doesn’t have much dialogues & even her screen time is limited in the 2^nd half. However she fits the part & even adds a lot with her fine performance. Her breakdown sequence is exceptional. Nikita Dutta is very sweet in the supporting role. Arjan Bajwa as Kabir Sing’s brother & Suresh Oberoi as Kabir Singh’s father are decent. Soham Majumdar as Shiva has a very crucial part & is very entertaining. Audiences would surely love him. Adil Hussain is passable. Vanita Kharat as Kabir Singh’s maid raises the laughs in both her scenes. Amit Sharma is a bit over the top but that suits his character. The actors playing Shruti, Jatinder, Keerti are also fine.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Kabir Singh is a well-made love saga which has tremendous appeal for the youth. The deadly cocktail of the adult theme & even the lovemaking scenes, the hit music, the taut script & the bravura performances would surely bring the audiences in hordes to the cinemas halls.

At the box office turnstiles Arjun Reddy is a sure shot win. Period!!!

 Showbiz Round Up By: Shaheen Raaj Bollywood Celebs Shoot For ‘Khalli Balli’ Bolliywod celebs like Madhoo, Kainaat Arora, Rajniesh Duggal, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaj, Ekta Jain, Yasmeen Khan et al recently shot for the film titled Khalli Balli. Kamal Kishor Mishra of One Entertainment Film Productions & Prachi Movies along with writer & Director Manoj Sharma had kept the shoot of their horror comedy film named Khalli Balli at O 2 Villa, Madh Island where important scenes was picturised. Madhoo Shah, of Roza fame was very excited as her introduction scene was picturised. Madhoo is shooting in a Hindi film after almost 8 years. Thaty apart Madhoo Shah, Rajniesh Duggal, Kainaat Arora, Rohan Mehra, Vijay Raaj, Rajpal Yadav, Hemant Pandey, Yasmeen Khan & Ekta Jain interacted with the media while shooting. Kainaat Arora is playing the main lead in this film opposite Rajniesh Duggal. Yasmeen Khan & Rajpal Yadav are enacting the role role of a caretaker of the Bunglow. TV actor Rohan Mehra also plays a key role in the film. 

“I hope in time, when I look back and people look at it, they will say, ‘I think he deserves an honour for the work he has done,” said Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan was speaking on Arbaaz Khan’s show Pinch 
MUMBAI: 

Actor Saif Ali Khan, who was felicitated with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award in 2010, says he wanted to return it. On Arbaaz Khan’s chat show Pinch, Saif was taken through some mean tweets about him.

One of them read: “This two bit thug who bought a Padma Shri, named his son Taimur and beat up some people in a restaurant. How the hell did he get a role in Sacred Games? He can hardly act.”

Reacting to it, Saif said: “Two bit thug, I’m not… Bought a Padma Shri is also not possible. It is beyond me to bribe the Indian government. You will have to ask more senior people. But I thought I don’t want to accept it. There are so many senior actors in the industry who deserved it even more than me, and had not gotten one…and it was very embarassing. And of course, there are some people who have it, I feel deserve it less than me also.”

Saif said he changed his mind after a conversation with his father, the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

“I wanted to give it back. I didn’t want to accept it. My father said to me, ‘I don’t think you are in a position to refuse the Indian government.’ So I said ‘okay’ and I very happily took it.

“I look at it in a way that I hope in time…cause I’m not done yet and I’m enjoying acting, I’m doing fairly well, I’m happy with what’s happening… I hope in time, when I look back and people look at it, they will say, ‘Okay, I think he deserves an honour for the work he has done,” he added.

During Pinch, Saif also had a witty reply to a troll who questioned him about being a “nawab”.

A troll had questioned him on “being a nawab and still clinging on to rotten ‘hukumat‘”.

After reading it, Saif quipped: “I have never been interested in being a nawab. I prefer eating kebabs.”

Known for his wit and humour, Saif even hit back at a troll, who questioned him for turning up at actress Sonam Kapoor’s wedding in a simple white kurta pajama.

“It was her wedding, not mine,” responded Saif.

“Student Of The Year 2 Is An Entertaining & An Enjoyable Fare”
Banner: Dharma Production & Fox Star Studio
Producers: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apporva Mehta & Fox Star Studios
Director: Punit Malhotra
Star Cast: Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Tara Sutaria, Aditya Seal, Samir Soni, Gul Panag, Abhishek Bajaj, Manoj Pahwa, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Rajesh Kumar, Manasi Joshi Roy, Chetan Pandit, Samreen Kaur, Manjot Singh, Sahil Anand, Daljeet Singh, Harsh Beniwal & Rajveer Siungh & above all Alia Bhatt & Will Smith  
Music: Vishal – Shekhar & Salim – Sulaiman

Some of the most popular films on OTT platforms at present are those that are set in schools or colleges. These are usually light-hearted films dealing with love & other school based aspects. Not just on streaming platforms, even in cinemas, this genre has never gone out of fashion & Hollywood regularly churns out such films. But when it comes to Bollywood, one can hardly recall a handful of such films. The only memorable movies one can recollect in the last 10 to 12 years are Jaane Tu Ya Na Jaane Na in the year2008, 3 Idiots in the year 2009 & Fukrey in the 2013. Student Of The year 2 hence is an important film in this regard. Its 1^st ever part, released in the year 2012, was a runaway success & had established 3 new actors namely Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt & Siddharth Malhotra. Now, Karan Johar has released Student Of The Year 2 & this time he has cast 2 new girls namely Ananya Panday & Tara Sutaria, along with the popular actor Tiger Shroff. However, it’s Punit Malhotra who’s wearing the director’s cap for the sequel.

The scripted scenario of Student Of The Year 2 opens its frame with the story of triumph, love & also making a comeback. Rohan (Tiger Shroff) & Mridula (Tara Sutaria) study together in Pishori Chamanlal college. Both are in love & there comes a time when Mridula changes her college & gets an admission in the prestigious St Teresa College. Rohan too wants to get admitted in this institution but knowing that the fees there are too costly, he abandons the plan. He still tries his luck & seeks admission under the sports quota. As luck would have it, his admission is approved. Rohan reaches there & realizes that Mridula has changed. For starters, she now calls herself Mia. She also gets a bit detached with Rohan. However, in no time Rohan wins her heart & they both again become a couple.

Meanwhile, Rohan is introduced to the Teresa’s stud & star athlete, Manav Mehra (Aditya Seal). They quickly become friends but Manav Mehra’s sister Shreya (Ananya Panday) detests him. She always tries her best to put Rohan in a spot. At the time of the dance competition of the college, Rohan & Mia team up while Manav & Shreya jointly participate. For both the girls, winning the competition is very crucial.  Mia wants to attain popularity & she realizes that this dance competition will be a step in that direction. Shreya, meanwhile, wants to escape the clutches of her tyrannical father Mr Randhawa (Chetan Pandit) & also her over-achiever brother Manav & get enrolled in a dance school in London. During the competition, Manav & Shreya win while Rohan & Mia get defeated as Mia loses her grip. So Mia is devastated & when Rohan goes to console her, he finds Mia & Manav cosying up to each other. An angry Rohan punches Manav. This action leads to Rohan’s expulsion from St Teresa. Manav, still cross over getting hit by Rohan, gangs up & beats up Rohan black & blue. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.
Arshad Syed’s story, with additional inputs by Paulomi Dutta, is nothing new & novel. However, it’s written keeping in the mind the genre. Arshad Syed’s screenplay however is praiseworthy as it’s peppered with some entertaining, dramatic & even moving moments. The beginning however is a bit haphazard. Arshad Syed’s dialogues are witty & some one-liners raise guffaws.

Punit Malhotra’s direction is appropriate. He understands the space in which the film is set & does justice to the plot in hand. He had a tall order to reach considering that the 1^st ever part was very well helmed by Karan Johar. In that regard, he comes quite close & that’s quite a feat. Despite the unreal world, Punit Malhotra puts his earnest effort in making it seem convincing. At a few places, he does falter though, story-wise. Shreya’s turn around in the 2^nd half is difficult to digest. Also, a twist in the 1st ever half revolving around Mia is surely a shocker but might raise questions.
Student Of The Year 2 doesn’t have a great opening as such. The beginning portions don’t really engross viewers. It’s only when Rohan gets admission in St Teresa that the film picks up. The stark contrast between Pishori & St Teresa is well depicted. Also, the issues Rohan faces while adjusting in the new environment & the way he upgrades his wardrobe to fit in is very relatable. The scene at Jeffrey’s is funny but the scene to watch out for in the 1^st ever half is when Mr Randhawa slaps Shreya. It takes the film to another level as viewers realize Shreya’s life isn’t as lovely as it seems to be. Another sequence that comes close is the intermission point is quite impactful. The 2^nd half gets better as Rohan changes gear & also his life dream. A few sequences stand out here like Shreya celebrating her birthday alone, Rohan, Shreya & Mia arguing in the café & the fight in the college stadium. The climax keeps viewers on the edge & though predictable, it makes for a fine watch.
Vishal-Shekhar’s music is not that great. The 1^st ever part had very memorable songs while in this part, songs are below-par. “The Jawaani Song” is the best of the lot & even most entertaining. “The Hook Up Song”,appears in the end credit, is okay. “Main Bhi Nahin Soya”is moving, more so because of the visuals. “Fakira” & “Jat Ludhiyane Da” are also alright. “Mumbai Dilli Di Kudiyaan” is not a part of the film. On the other hand Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is energetic & dramatic. 
Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is rich & gives the film a brilliant look. Choreography is visually appealing by all 3 of them namely Remo D’Souza (“The Jawaani Song”), Adil Shaikh (“Fakira” & “Jat Ludhiyane Da”) & Farah Khan (“The Hook Up Song”). Sumayya Shaikh’s production design is superior in terms of visuals & ups the film’s richness. Manish Malhotra & Nikita Jaisinghani’s costumes are also a treat to the eyes. Though they might seem a bit too over the top, especially the costumes worn by Ananya Panday & Tara Sutaria, it will be liked by the target audience & might soon even set a new trend in fashion. Sham Kaushal’s action defies logic & laws of gravity at places but in a film of this zone, it actually works well. Ritesh Soni’s editing is praiseworthy. The film is nearly 145 minutes long but doesn’t seem lengthy.

Performance wise Tiger Shroff is completely in his element & as always, does a great job. His screen presence is electrifying & though he is perceived as a killing machine, it’s still believable when he’s the one getting bashed up by the baddies & he doesn’t even fight back. However, when he does make a comeback, it’s seen to be believed! In fact, the praise should also be showered on director Punit Malhotra for using Tiger Shroff’s action potential to the fullest & also seamlessly making it a part of the film’s narrative! Ananya Panday is a complete star & she proves it. She looks very convincing as a spoilt rich brat. Her change of heart might seem unconvincing but once that happens, she impresses even more, acting-wise. Her’s is in fact the most moving character in the film & she wins everyone’s hearts! Tara Sutaria too puts her best foot forward. Her screen presence too is something to watch out for. Sadly, she gets a bit sidelined in the 2^nd half but she surely gets noticed & is all set for a bright future in Bollywood! Aditya Seal is well casted & he is terrific as the baddie. Watch out for the scenes where he’s silently observing & without saying a word, he conveys a lot! Harsh Beniwal as Puggi is quite entertaining & raises laughs. Ayesha Raza Mishra as Principal Singh & Manoj Pahwa as Coach Mahipal are a bit over the top but it was as per the requirement of the character. Samir Soni as Principal Gujral tries to be funny but fails. Gul Panag as Coach Kuljeet shines in a small role. Chetan Pandit is alright. Rajesh Kumar as Rohan’s astrologer uncle is hilarious in his entry scene. Manasi Joshi Roy as Roshan’s aunt is unrecognizable & doesn’t have much to do. Samreen Kaur as Mia’s mother is there for just 1 scene which is also needless. Rajveer Singh as Security guard Lahiri Singh does gets noticed. Will Smith is seen for a few seconds while Alia Bhatt adds to the glamour quotient in the end credit song.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Student Of The Year 2 is an entertaining & an enjoyable fare which will strike a chord in the audience’s hearts.
At the box office, it has the potential to do an excellent business!

‘PM Narendra Modi’ has now got a new release date. The Vivek Oberoi starrer will now be releasing on 24th May- a day after the results of Lok Sabha Polls 2019 are declared. 

The film has been courting controversy ever since the first trailer of the film came out. The makers had initially planned to release the film on 12th April- a day after the first phase of elections began. But certain members of the Congress Party raised an objection and filed petitions in Bombay and Delhi High Court to stall the release of the film. They even appealed to the Election Commission to intervene. 

While the courts gave the film a clean chit, EC stayed the release of the film stating that the contents film flouted the model code of conduct. A special committee was created to watch the film and submit a report to the Supreme Court. The committee too stated that the film could not be released during the election season and would be released only after the elections. 

The Election Commission said that any material which disturbs a level playing field should not be allowed.

Producer Sandip Ssingh said, “As a responsible citizen, we respect the law of the country. After a lot of discussions and given the curiosity and excitement about the film, we have decided to release the film immediately after the Lok Sabha Election results. We will now release our film on 24th May.”

Since the election end on 19th May, Ssingh said it will “only have 4 days promotions before its release”.

“I hope now nobody will have any problem with the film and we are hoping for a smooth release,” he added.

The film has actor Vivek Anand Oberoi playing Modi.

Other cast members include Boman Irani, Manoj Joshi, Prashant Narayanan, Zarina Wahab, Barkha Sengupta, Anjan Shrivastav, Yatin Karyekar, Ramakant Dayma, Akshat R Saluja, Jimesh Patel and Darshan Kumaar.

Directed by Omung Kumar B, and co-produced by Ssingh, Suresh Oberoi and Anand Pandit, the film will traverse the journey of Modi from his humble beginnings to becoming the Prime Minister of India. 

Agencies

It’s now second behind the Baahubali sequel

By Akhil Arora | Updated: 29 April 2019 11:58 ISTShare on FacebookTweetShareEmailRedditComment

• Endgame grossed $26.7 million in India on opening weekend
• It did so despite being in much fewer screens
• Looks set to beat Hollywood’s record in India set by Infinity War

On its way to a record-setting $1.2 billion opening weekend at the worldwide box office, Avengers: Endgame grossed an estimated $26.7 million (about Rs. 186.45 crores) in India, which makes it the second biggest opening weekend after Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in 2017. Endgame — released in India in Hindi, English, Tamil, and Telugu — has achieved a bigger opening weekend than any Bollywood film in history, besting last year’s Sanju, despite being released in fewer screens: 2,845 as opposed to over 4,000. That’s because it reportedly has a much higher average theatre occupancy.

The $26.7 million opening weekend for Avengers: Endgame marks a 67 percent improvement on its predecessor, Avengers: Infinity War, which grossed $18.19 million (Rs. 120.9 crores) in the first three days. The numbers will settle once we have actuals Monday afternoon. As of what’s confirmed for now, Endgame grossed Rs. 63.21 crores (about $9 million) on Friday and Rs. 61.19 crores (about $8.76 million) on Saturday, for a two-day total of Rs. 124.40 crores (about $17.8 million). That would suggest the highly-awaited Marvel movie brought in about Rs. 62.15 crores (about $8.9 million) on Sunday.

Avengers: Endgame is looking to break the weekend record set by its predecessor Avengers: Infinity WarBy Reuters |

HIGHLIGHTS

• Avengers: Endgame concludes first phase of Marvel cinematic universe
• The latest Marvel film is projected for record-breaking opening weekend
• It broke Thursday night record of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Marvel superhero spectacle Avengers: Endgame hauled in a record $60 million (roughly Rs. 419 crores) at U.S. and Canadian box offices on Thursday night, and distributor Walt Disney Co “cautiously” predicted an unprecedented $300 million (roughly Rs. 2,095 crores) weekend debut.

That would smash the current opening-weekend domestic record of $258 million (roughly Rs. 1,800 crores), set a year ago by predecessor Avengers: Infinity War.

“As we are looking at levels of presales and grosses not seen before, we are cautiously projecting a three-day in the $300 (million) range,” Disney said in an e-mail on Friday afternoon.

Kalank

“Kalank Is Indeed A Visual Spectacle That Lacks The Soul”

Banner: Fox Star Studio, Dharma Productions & Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment

Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala & Apoorva Mehta

Director: Abhishek Varman

Star Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Maadhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha, Kunal Khemu, Kiara Advani, Hiten Tejwani, Kirti Sanon, Pavail Gulat & Achint Kaur

Music: Pritam, Sanchit & Ankit Balhara

At one time, the multi-starrers were indeed in vogue but of late, such films barely come out of Bollywood. A few franchises like Golmaal & Housefull have kept this tradition alive. Even Dhamaal can be counted here & its recent installment Total Dhamaal was one of the biggest multi-starrers in a long time as Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor & Madhuri Dixit got added to the star cast. Kalank goes one step ahead as it stars 6 actors, all of whom are big & prominent names in their own right.

The scripted Scenario of Kalank is the story of lovers not destined to be together. The year is 1945. Satya Chaudhry (Sonakshi Sinha), wife of Dev Chaudhary (Aditya Roy Kapur) is diagnosed with cancer & she is told that she has just a year or maximum 2 years to live. Realizing that Dev Chaudhary will be shattered after her demise, she decides to find a 2^ndwife for him. Her search takes her to Rajputana, Rajasthan where Roop (Alia Bhatt) resides. The families of Roop & Satya Chaudhary go back a long way. Roop at 1^st rejects Satya Chaudhary’s offer but upon knowing her medical condition, she agrees. However, she has a condition, that Dev Chaudhary will have to marry her at 1^st & only then she’ll move into the house of the Chaudhry’s. Satya Chaudhary, Dev Chaudhary & Dev Chaudhary’s father Balraj Chaudhary (Sanjay Dutt) agree. So Dev Chaudhary & Roop get married & Dev Chaudhary makes it clear to Roop that this will be a marriage of convenience only. After marriage, Roop moves to Husnabad near Lahore where the Chaudhary’s reside. At 1^st Roop feels lonely but then she gets curious by the voice of Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit). She decides to learn music under her tutelage. Satya Chaudhary & others at 1^st are aghast on hearing this decision since Bahaar Begum runs a brothel & that too in the infamous part of the city called Heera Mandi. But Roop protests & then the Chaudhary’s give in. Bahaar Begum meanwhile is impressed by Roop & decides to teach her singing. At Heera Mandi, Roop bumps into the flirtatious Zafar (Varun Dhawan). Both of them get attracted to each other. Zafar is a blacksmith & works for Abdul (Kunal Kemmu) who has a communal mindset. He’s also against Dev Chaudhary’s newspaper named Daily Times that promotes the idea of 1 nation theory, rejects the notion of Partition & recommends industrialization even at the cost of job loss of the blacksmiths. Bahaar Begum senses that Roop is getting attracted to Zafar & she gets horrified. After all, she knows that Zafar has ulterior motives behind romancing Roop & it can lead to the disastrous consequences. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Shibani Bathija’s story is poor & silly and totally rests on a wafer thin plot. Except for Roop & Zafar’s track, all other parts of the story are not well fleshed out & are full of loopholes. Abhishek Varman’s screenplay doesn’t do much to salvage the situation either. Instead of wrapping up the scenes quickly, he lets them go on & on. And again, he doesn’t do much to hide the glaring glitches. Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are quite good at places. But in some scenes, it’s too filmy & might even induce unintentional laughter.

Abhishek Varman’s direction is not at all up to the mark. He was quite in control in his directorial debut, 2 States which was released in the year 2014. But in case of Kalank, he makes a mess. Anyways he couldn’t have done much when the script itself is flawed. The only plusses are that the climax is engaging & he is able to handle the visual grandeur of the film very well.

Kalank has a surprising commencement since the trademark & the famous title card of Dharma Productions is not displayed in its usual style! The 3 production houses associated with the film are quickly mentioned & the film begins. Again, here the principle cast is depicted quite smartly, without showing their faces. This might make everyone believe that one is about to see a film laced with a superlative script & execution. In no time, it becomes evident that it’s not going to be the case. The biggest problem with the film is that most of the developments are not convincing. In the beginning itself, audience will be bewildered as to why Satya Chaudhary went to Rajputana of all the places to search for a bride. Roop in fact reminds Satya Chaudhary that her family had helped her own family at one point but no details are ever given. It is also quite laughable that Zafar had never seen the face of Dev Chaudhary ever despite the fact that he had so much poison against the Chaudhary’s & also that Dev Chaudhary is a prominent figure of the town. The entire track of the blacksmith’s revolting against the industrialization process & also for a separate nation also seems superficial. Why was Abdul so insecure about what gets published in Dev Chaudhary’s newspaper? Agreed that Dev Chaudhary’s daily newspaper must be having a wide readership. But it can’t be the only newspaper in circulation? He could have taken the help of other newspapers to spread his agenda. The film moreover is too long & some scenes could have been done away with. The bull fight sequence, for instance, serves no purpose & was just added to appeal to the masses. On the positive side, a few sequences are well directed. The intermission point, though predictable, makes for a nice watch. The sequence of Bahaar Begum, Balraj Chaudhary & Zafar in the 2^nd half is quite dramatic. Also, the climax & the madness at the railway station will keep the viewers engrossed.

Pritam’s music could have been much better. “Ghar More Pardesiya” leaves impact followed by “Tabaah Ho Gaye”. The title track is relegated to the background. “First Class” is catchy & “Rajvaadi Odhni” is okay, but they come almost back to back. “Aira Gaira” is forcefully added. Sanchit Balhara & Ankit Balhara’s background score is dramatic & adds to the effect.

Binod Pradhan’s cinematography is captivating & has the big screen appeal. Amrita Mahal Nakai’s production design is surreal & though it might remind one of Sanjay Leela Bhansali films, it is praiseworthy. The Heera Mandi set & especially the brothel of Bahaar Begum is stunning. Manish Malhotra & Maxima Basu Golani’s costumes are appealing but don’t seem authentic in terms of the era & the economic condition of some characters. Sham Kaushal’s action is fine & not too violent. Remo Dsouza, Bosco-Caesar & Saroj Khan’s choreography is praise worthy. Fluiidmask Studios & NY VFXWaala’s VFX is good overall but quite bad at certain places, especially in the bull fight sequence. Shweta Venkat Mathew’s editing is very disappointing as the film is quite lengthy at 168 minutes.

Performance wise it is indeed Varun Dhawan & Alia Bhatt who save the film from becoming an ultimate disaster. Varun Dhawan is as always at his best & gives his 100% to the role. He also contributes to the laughter quotient. In the climax however, he is terrific. Alia Bhatt also puts her best foot forward & just like Varun Dhawan, even she is let down by the poor writing. She arguably has the maximum screen time out of all the 6 actors & makes great use of it. Aditya Roy Kapur seems monotonous but this is how his character is. His dialogue delivery is quite good & in the scene with Varun Dhawan, he does quite well. Sonakshi Sinha is sincere but her role will remind one of her act in the 2^nd half of Lootera which was released in the year 2013. Madhuri Dixit looks stunning & gives a decent performance. Sanjay Dutt, credited as special appearance, is okay. Kunal Kemmu as Abdul plays the villainous role with panache. Achint Kaur as Saroj, Hiten Tejwani as Ahmed & Pavail Gulati as Aditya; the journalist interviewing Roop are fine. Kiara Advani is royally wasted. Kriti Sanon looks glamorous in the item song.

On the whole, Kalank is a visual spectacle that lacks soul & falters big time on account of its writing, length as well as music.

At the box office turnstiles, the film will suffer due to negative word of mouth publicity & therefore the collections will drop after the initial euphoria subsides. Period!!!!!