Ravi Kumar who is a journalist & owner of Bollywood Trade Magazine Film & TV Trade Preview invited the guests from all the walks of life to receive the 1st ever NRI Achievers Awards & the Paramount Achievers Award 2017.

The NRI Indians got the NRI Achievers Awards & the Indians got the Paramount Achievers Award. Zeenat Aman, Gulshan Grover, Rakesh Bedi et al came especially to give away the awards to the winners. Singer Madhushree came to wish the winners all the best.

Ekta Jain bagged the “Best Media Consultant” award. Pramod Gore of Atharva Movies bagged the “Best Marathi Film” award for his film Reti based on social issue of Sand mafia.

Yogen Shah bagged the “Best Photographer” award. Satish Soni bagged the “Best Gujarati Paper” award for Sandesh. Absolute India bagged the “Best Daily Entertainment Paper” award & Rajesh Sharma of Laughing Colors got the Best Facebook Page” award.

Aman Verma anchored the award show with Anie Sheikh.

Blake Lively Sported 200 Carats Worth Jewellery

Blake Lively wore almost 200 carats of jewelry at the 2017 Met Gala red carpet. She was dressed in gold, embellished Versace gown with a blue – feathered train, which completed her look with over USD 3.5 million of jewelry.

Kevin Feige Wants Captain Marvel To Be Relatable

Marvel Studios boss, Kevin Feige, said it is important for Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel to be a relatable heroine. Kevin Feige avers that the varied powers of the character, who can fly, shoot energy bursts and is incredibly strong, could overshadow the plot in the upcoming standalone movie and it is necessary that the superhero & her alter ego Carol Danvers are multilayered & interesting.

Jeremy Renner Cast As Doc Holliday

Avengers star Jeremy Renner has been signed on to play Doc Holliday in a new biopic about the legendary gunslinger. The film will be based on 2 books about Holliday “Doc” Epitaph: A Novel Of The O.K. Corral” written by Mary Doria Russell. Jeremy Renner & Don Handfield’s The Combine production house will produce the film along with Palmstar’s Kevin Frakes.

Blake Lively Makes Ryan Reynolds More Empathetic Person”

Ryan Reynolds credits his wife Blake Lively for making him a better person. Ryan, Reynolds who married Lively in 2012 and have daughters James, 2 & 7 month old Ines together, gushed about his partner in a message posted on an Instagram account at Met Gala.

Javier Bardem Opines That Johnny Depp Is A Gentleman

Javier Bardem opined that during his time on the sets of the upcoming film, he got close to Johnny Depp. “With Johnny you can tell there is a very sensitive person there, a man who cares about people.”

Elizabeth Hurley Takes Elephant Ride

Elizabeth Hurley, who is currently filming Phoenix Wilder: The Great Elephant Adventure in South Africa, took a break from her shooting schedule to take an elephant ride. Elizabeth Hurley shared a photograph of her enjoying the ride over social media last week.

Sacha Baron Cohen To Enact The Role Of Philip Green

Sacha Baron Cohenwill is all set to enact the role of a former British Home Stores owner
Philip Green in a new comedy. Titled Greed, the film is a satirical take on the world of the super – rich & the lavish lifestyles of the elite & perma – tanned billionaire businessmen who invests money into offshore tax havens. He will go through a complete physical transformation for the role.

Zac Efron Loves Steve McQueen & Micheal Jackson

Zac Efron looks upto Steve McQueen & King of Pop Michael Jackson for fashion inspiration. The Baywatch actor found Micheal Jackson “crazily stylish”. “Steve McQueen, he’s my number one (style icon), he’s just classic & cool and never tries too hard. But on the other hand, I also love Michael Jackson. He was so crazily stylish, have you seen his clothes on stage? Unbelievable,” Zac Efron averred.

Dwayne Johnson Unveils The Story Idea

Dwayne Johnson, who is filming for Brad Peyton’s directorial venture Rampage, has revealed the movie’s details. The filming of Rampage has been underway since last week in Atlanta. Dwayne Johnson shared some details about the upcoming film adaptation of the classic arcade game on his Instagram account recently.

Grant Gustin Is Now Engaged!!!

The Fastest man on Earth is now engaged to his girlfriend L A Thoma. The Flash star
Grant Gustin took to Instagram and shared the news of his engagement to his longtime girlfriend LA Thoma, with a photo.

Cate Blanchett Thinks That Andrew Upton Likes Her Wear A Pair Of Spectacles

Cate Blanchett thinks that her husband playwright Andrew Upton likes her look when she wears a pair of spectacles. She also added that Andrew Upton really prefers her more in a studious look, “My husband likes it best when I wear a cardigan, a tweed skirt and a pair of spectacles.”

Orlando Bloom Reveals Son Flynn Bloom’s Reason

Orlando Bloom averred that he made a “conscious decision” to take a step back from his work when he got divorced from supermodel Miranda Kerr. Orlando Bloom has made a few appearances on the big screen in the past few years. He also avers that he took time out to provide his son Flynn Bloom with stability when he & Miranda Kerr separated in the year 2013.

Emma Watson Would Love To Do A Sequel

Riding high on the success with Beauty And The Beast, Emma Watson believes that the sequel to Disney’s live – action movie could become a reality. While talking to Access
Hollywood she revealed that she is not only open to return for the sequel, but has an idea of where she sees Belle in the future.

Pierce Brosnan Was Frustrated

Pierce Brosnan avers that he was frustrated that his James Bond films wasn’t “gritty & real”. He portrayed the spy’s role in 4 films -Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough & Die Another Day. In a recent interview he stated that he wished the Bond films plots weren’t so outlandish.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Nina Agdal Spotted Kissing

Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted kissing model & his girlfriend Nina Agdal. They were spotted locking lips on the sides of the
Hudson River in downtown Manhattan on recently. “It was a really sweet moment,” said one onlooker, also adding that, “Nina put her arms around his neck and kissed him”.

Chris Pratt Opines That His Son Likes Spider -Man Not Star – Lord

Chris Pratt averred that his son Jack Pratt likes Spider – Man over his superhero avatar as Star – Lord. Chris Pratt features as Star -Lord in Guardians Of The Galaxy. He also averred that is not sure if his son thinks his fantasy film is cool.

Paris Libby To Be A Part Of Justin Bieber’s India tour

Stylist Paris Libby, who is known to have a clientele ranging from Liam Hemsworth to Jeremey Renner, Vin Diesel & Robin Thicke, will be joining model Neelam Gill & Elarica Johnson as part of the international entourage attending Justin Bieber Purpose Tour.

Robert De Niro Makes A Snapchat Debut

Oscar – winner Robert De Niro just could not stay away from the crazy photo sharing app snapchat & its puppy filters! He was introduced to the social medium by filmmaker Alex Berry. Who helped him to learn fun features & filters with the varied looks, including the puppy filter, the voice changers, the sunglasses & even the flower crown filter.

Anne Hathaway Pens An Emotional Tribute For Jonathan Demme

Oscar – winner Anne Hathaway has paid an emotional tribute to the Late filmmaker
Jonathan Demme by calling him her “favourite rebel angel”. Jonathan Demme, who directed films like The Silence Of The Lambs & Philadelphia’, died here from esophageal cancer at the age of 73 on 3rd May, 2017.

Jude Law To Meet J K Rowling

Jude Law averred that he wants to meet author J K Rowling to discuss his role as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them 2. He has been cast as the younger version of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the sequel to the “Harry Potter” spin – off.

Johnny Depp Went Off The Caribbean For Disneyland

This is the day Disneylanders will always remember as the day they almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow! Disneyland’s Pirates Of The Caribbean had a ride an inspired a global phenomenon & launched a highly popular film series and now, before US release of the 5th installment in the franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance at the place where it all began.

Nicolas Cage Breaks His Ankle

Nicolas Cage has broken his ankle while shooting for heist movie #211. He was filming the project in Bulgaria. It is still unclear how the accident happened, but he was transferred to a hospital near the sets before heading back to Los Angeles for treatment. Nicholas Cage hopes to return to the sets in about 2 weeks.

Joe Johnston To Direct Chronicles Of Narnia Sequel The Silver Chair

Filmmaker Joe Johnston has been roped in to direct Narnia: The Silver Chair, a revival of C S Lewis’ Chronicles Of Narnia series. Life Of Pi scribe David Magee has adapted the script. TriStar Pictures will partner with Mark Gordon Company, the C S Lewis Company & Entertainment One on the project with Mark Gordon, Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham, Vincent Sieber & Melvin Adams producing the movie.

Brie Larson Reveals That Her Famous Friends Saved Her Life

Brie Larson stated that her celebrity friends like Jennifer Lawrence & Emma Stone helped her sail through the tough times. She also averred that she felt lonely during the press tour of her critically acclaimed film Room and that was the time when her fellow actresses stood beside her.

Master Alfaaz Gurubhai, son of Gurubhai Thakkar & Dr. Khooshi Gurubhai who is just 13 years old got his name in India Book of Records. He is the youngest professional photographer in India.

He has shot loads of cover pics for Perfect Woman Magazine. He also shot with Femina Miss India Zoya Afroz for magazine cover at the event where he was handed over with a medal, certificate & a trophy by Dr. Sandeep Singh from India Book of Records.

Mukhtar Ready For Release

GDM Production’s Mukhtar is now ready for release. The credits of the. Film are produced by Anurag Pandey, Hemant Tiwari. & Vikas Pratap Singh, directed by Anand Singh (A. K.), written by Jitendra Yadav, screenplay & dialogues by Manoj Panday, music by Chhote Baba, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Pyarelal Yadav Kaviji, Ashok Sinha & Mritunjay Yadav, cinematography by Devendra Tiwari, choreography by Ashok – Mayank, action by Bazi, art by Ashok Vishwakarma, editing by Dharam Soni & executive produced by Akhilesh Rai. The film stars debutant Jitendra Yadav, Raviraj Dipu, Baleshwar Singh, Santosh Shrivastava, C. P. Bhatt, Anjali Banarji, Mahi Khan, Pragya Tiwari, Rashmi Sharma, Sunita Pandey & Sanjay Pandey.

The final mixing of soundtracks of Producer Sushila Bhatia & Status Air Vision’s Sawariya Mohe Rang De is in progress at Studio DG9 and the film’s 1st digital print will be out soon. The film will be submitted to the censors shortly and is being readied for early release. Credits: Editor & Director: Dilip Gulati, Writer & Lyricist: Paras Jaiswal, Music: Dheeraj Sen, Dances: Pappu Khanna, Action: Mohd. Bhai, Executive Producer: Satyen Bhatia, Co – Producer: Himmat Bhatia & Costumes: Neepa Bhatia. Cast: Rani Chatterji, Avinash Shahi, Anita Sehgal, Nisaar Khan, Brijesh Tripathi, Ramzan Shah, Geeta Rustogi, Poonam Chopra et al.

Bairi Bhail Sajanwa Hamaar Passed With An “A” Certificate

Producer Mahendra Sureka & Kapishwar Films’ Bhairi Bhail Sajanwa Hamaar has been passed by the censors with an “A” certificate (only for Adults). The film is all set for release soon. Credits: Writer -Director – Editor: Dilip Gulati, Music: D. Sushant, Lyrics: Ashok Nirala, Camera: Ashok Narayan, Dances: Ashwin Thakker & Action: Darshan Singh Mahal. Cast: Gunjan Pant, Avinash Shahi, Sapna Sappu, Irfan Khan, Ramesh Goyal, Mahesh Raaj & Jayshri T.

Milaan Abhi Aadha Adhura Ba To Roll

Natrang Entertainment & Ayesha Alisaba’s Milaan Abhi Aadha Adhura Ba in association with Filmeniya Film Factory is going on the floors in Bihar & Jharkhand. The credits of the film are produced by Ajitabh Tiwari, co – produced by Dr. A. K. Verma, story – screenplay – dialogues – direction by Mohammed Habib, music by Himanshu Kumar Deepak, lyrics by Satyanarayan Shahabadi, action by Santosh Sawan, editing by Satyaprakash Shukla, choreography by Pritam Adhikari & Raghwendra. The film stars Sagar Singh (Shintu), Bhavana Singh, Mithun Yadav, Shilpa Nag, Pankaj Yadav, Jyoti Mishra, Shreya Sharma, Anuj Prasad, Anand Kumar, Sanjay Dutta & above all Ajitabh Tiwari.

Nainwa Ke Baan Releasing Soon

Sweta Pictures’ Nainwa Ke Baan is all set for release in UP, Delhi & Uttarakhand through R. K. Film Distributers very soon. The film which has been shot extensively in Lucknow locales has been passed by the censors for universal exhibition. The credits of the film are written – produced – directed by Lalit Kumar Arya, lyrics by Laxman Shahabadi, music by Amresh Shahabadi (the film has 7 songs), choreography by Kanu Mukherji, audio on R. S. Audio (Radheshyam) & cinematography by Tapan Basu. The film stars Maansi Pandey, Manoj Malhotra, Sanjay Pandey, Maya Yadav, Anup Upadhyay, Vikas Anand along with Poonam Dube.

Dulha Chor Gets A U/A Certificate

Kanti Film Production & Uma Film Production’ Dulha Chor gets a U/A certificate from Censor Board in mumbai this week. The credits of the film are producer by N K Jha Shyam ji & Mahesh Mishra, directed by Virendra Paswan, music by Suresh Anand, lyrics by Abhiraj Jha & cinematography by. Sanjay Singh. The film stars. Kumar Ghanshyam, Kalpana Shah, Pratibha Pandey, Arun Singh, Phool Singh, Aruna Singh, Vijay Jha, Aruna Giri, Dinesh Ray, Awadhesh Singh, Umakant Rai, Pramod Goswami, Kanhaiya Mishra, Nilesh Jha, Manorama Mishra, Vandana Jha, Khushi, Ragini, Pakaj Kamti, Babloo, Munni Lal, Dhananjay Chaudhary, Master Ayush Jha.

Dagabaaz Grand Muhurt Held

The grand muhurt of Shivang Films
Dagabaaz was held this week in Trinity recording studio. The credits of the film are producer by Anusuya Dubey & Sushila Atul Dubey Pandey, written & directed by Pradeep Sharma, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Santosh Puri & Pintu Giri, music by Damodar Raao & cinematography by Pradeep Sharma. The film stars Manoj R. Pandey, Gaurav Jha, Anjali Banerjee, Baleshwar Singh, Sanjay Pandey, Ram Mishra, Gopal Rai, Priya Tiwari, C. P. Bhatt, Abhay Rai, Harish Happy, Shamshad, Aman & Sunil Datt Pandey.

Dahsat Applied For Censor

Prem Entertainment’s Dahsat has been applied for Censor in Mumbai this week. The credits of the film are co – producer: Tripti Entertainment, directed by Sanjay Sriivastava, written by Rakesh Tripathi, music by Chhote Baba & Damodar Raao, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Ashok Sinha & Azad Singh, cinematography by D. K. Sharma, choreography by Mayank – Ashok & Santosh Kumar, action by Baji & editing by Ajay Chauhan. The film stars Satyendra Kumar Singh, Priyanka Pandit, Satyendra Giri, Eenu Shree, Sanjay Pandey, Baleshwar Singh, Ram Mishra, Dharmendra Singh, Santosh Shrivasatav, C. P. Bhatt, Sanjay Verma, Sahil Shaikh, Nazar Abbas, Prerna Shushma, Shekhar, Vikki Babuaa & Sanju Rajnikant.

Jitab Hum Pyar Ki Bazi To Release Soon

Rudrakshh Films Presents Lakshmi Entertainment Production’s Jitab Hum Pyar Ki Bazi will be released soon in Bihar & Jharkhand. The credits of the film are produced by Sitaram Chourasiya & Nilesh Sakhiya, directed by Pardeep R. Sharma, music by Ashok Sinha, action by Heera Yadav, choreography by Murti & cinematography by Hemant K. Ashthana. The film stars Anand. Dev Mishra, Archana Singh, Abhilasha, Ritu Pandey, Saahil Sheikh, Sanjay Verma, Heera Yadav, Madhuri Pandey, Vinay Shirivastva, Rose Laskar, Sanjana Silk, Ravin, Jitu Shukla, Amar Betab et al.

Jiyab Na Tohre Bina Electronic Rights Given To Bihari Wood

Amit Jemni Presents Anushka Entertainment’s Jiyab Na Tohre Bina’s electronic rights were recently sold to Bihari Wood. The credits of the film are produced by Farida Sheikh, directed by Sanjay Shrivastav, written by Ramesh Tiwari, cinematography by Qamar Khan, music by Baba Jagirdar, lyrics by Vinay Bihari & Ramesh Tiwari, choreography by Nikky Batra, action by Firoz A. Khan & art by Chetan. The film stars Avinash Shahi, Ashtha, Deepak Bhatia, Sahil Shaikh, Sanjay Verma, Madhuri Pandey, Farida Shaikh, Seema Singh & Uttam Jha.

Bhail Tohra Se Pyar HAIL – I Love You Ready For Release

Mitwa Production House’s Bhail Tohra Se Pyar HAIL – I Love You is ready for release. The credits of the film are produced by Dharmendra Maurya, directed by Shad Kumar, co – produced by Ram Ashish Chauhan & Asharaf Ali, written & lyrics by Babloo, music by Mangesh Raul & Pal Kanpuri, cinematography by Gaurang Saha & editing by Govind Dubey. The film stars Vinay Anand, Gunjan Pant, Rajeev Dinkar, Simran, Samarth Chaturvedi, Anand Mohan, Pankaj Vishwakarma, Dev Malhotra, Mehnaz Shroff, Shravani Goswami, Abhilasha Prasad, Kanchan Awasthi. Manju Sinha, Seema Singh, Rakesh Mishra, Murli Lalwani, Bal Govind Banjara, Baby Farha, Baby Fariya, Farhan, Shabnam, Ashfiya et al.

Ye Hamaar Jaan Tohra Me Basela Pran 1st Look Out

The 1st look of Raise India & Jay Hind Production in association with Chaudhary Cine Vision Presents Ye Hamaar Jaan Tohra Me Basela Pran is out now. The credits of the film are produced by Bhart Bhushan Kumar, directed by Amit Kumar Verma, written by Pappu Pritam, co – produced by Manish Kumar, Vijay Kumar Soni & Chandan Chaudhari, music by Chhote Baba, lyrics by. Kanhiya Prasad Shrivastav, Santosh Puri, Bibhakar Panday, Munna Dubey, Premsagar Singh & Vinay Nirmal Singh, cinematography by Shiva Chaudhary, choreography by Kanu Mukherjee, action by Pradip Khadka & art by Awadhesh Rai. The film stars Priyanka Pandit, Ritesh Panday, Anand Mohan, Brijesh Tripathi, Bandani Mishra, Ratnesh Baranwal, Pramod Gupta, Chandan Chaudhari & Prem Dubey.

Beta Ho Ke Ta Aishan Mixing Complete

Swastik Entertainer & Aar Ke Aar Films And Music Presents Beta Ho Ke Ta Aishan’s mixing has been competed this week in a Mumbai’s Studio. The credits of the film are written & produced by Ravindra Kumar Ravi, music & directed by Chandrama Chandra Shahi. The film stars Kuldip Kumar, Varsha Ritu, Swati Singh, Sanjay Panday, Umesh Singh, Tarun Dhaya, Avinash, Padam Singh et al.

HARD POWDER INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS ALMOST SOLD

Upcoming action thriller Hard Powder, starring Liam Neeson, has sold almost all international rights, with US under negotiation, European film – TV group
Studiocanal stated recently said. The sale of the Rocky Mountains set movie to 9 of the dozen biggest markets for international productions marks the 1st ever to independent distributors for a big title at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Hard Powder, which is fully financed & sold by Studiocanal, will be distributed directly by the company in its 4 home territories: UK, France, Germany & Australia – New Zealand. The other major licensing deals comprise of. Italy (Eagle), Spain (A Contracorriente Films), Latin America (Leda Films), China (Bona Films) & Scandinavia (Svensk). Other territories sold include Benelux (The Searchers), Poland (Monolith), Eastern Europe (Freeman), Greece (Spentzos), Middle East (Salim Ramia), South Africa (Times Media), Indonesia (PT Amero) & Singapore (Shaw). Japan is in final talks. A number of other territories are still in negotiation, but Anna Marsh, Studiocanal’s head of international film sales, is confident that, apart from North America, Hard Powder will be sold out soon after the European Film Market. Hard Powder stars Neeson as a snowplow driver and pillar of his Colorado community whose life is up -ended by his son’s killing at the hands of a powerful local drug lord. The film is written by Frank Baldwin, directed by Hans Petter Moland & produced by Pulp Fiction’s Michael Shamberg. It is due to go into production next month, shooting at varied locales in Canada. Although the script was sent to buyers just a week before the Berlinale, international sales were boosted by Neeson & Shamberg’s visit to the EFM.

STALIN PROVES A HOT TITLE

On top of selling to IFC Films for North America rights, Armando Iannucci’s The Death Of Stalin has pre – sold to several other territories at EFM, where Gaumont is shopping the pic. Gaumont has inked pre -sales for Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Poland (Kinoswiat), Greece & Romania (Odeon), Israel (Lev films), former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Baltics (Latvian Theatrical Distribution). Previous sales were closed with Madman in Australia & Concorde in Germany. Gaumont is in negotiations to close deals for UK, Latin America, Hungary, CIS & Portugal. The sale to IFC Films followed a bidding war that involved several distributors, including A24 & The Orchard, according to insiders. Adapted from the French graphic novel by Fabien Nury & Thierry Robin, The Death Of Stalin is a comic look at how Joseph Stalin’s stroke in 1953 threw USSR into chaos and inspired a mad power grab among his top advisers. Iannucci, who earned critical acclaim for In The Loop, Veep & The Thick Of It, wrote the screenplay of The Death Of Stalin with David Schneider & Ian Martin with additional material by Peter Fellows. The picture was produced by Main Journey, Yann Zenou & Laurent Zeitoun’s Montreal based banner & Quad Films, the Paris based outfit ran by Nicolas Duval – Adassovsky, Zenou & Zeitoun. The cast includes Jason Isaacs, Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Michael Palin & Jeffrey Tambor.

SHUDDER ACQUIRES SLASHER MOVIE LAKE BLOOM

Shudder, the AMC Networks backed genre
streaming service, has picked up exclusive US, Canada & UK rights to the Finnish slasher film Lake Bodom in advance of its premiere at SXSW. Fabien Westerhoff’s Film Constellation is handling worldwide sales in Berlin. Wrter / Director Taneli Mustonen’s film, inspired by real – life events, follows 4 teenagers on a pilgrimage to Lake Bodom, the site of a brutal killing of a group of teenagers in 1960s, where they quickly find themselves repeating history. The film, nominated for 3 Finnish Film Awards including “Best Film”, will be available to stream exclusively on Shudder starting May, 2017. Aurelie de Troyer, VP, global acquisitions, averred: “Lake Bodom perfectly complements the service’s wide – ranging slate of exclusive content, as we continue to grow the variety of thrilling, suspenseful & horror film & TV content available to Shudder subscribers.” Don Films’ Aleksi Hyvarinen, Lake Bodom’s producer & co -writer, averred: “We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Lake Bodom to a wider audience with Shudder following its successful festival run.” Shudder debuted its 1st ever exclusive premiere in Oct, 2016 with the supernatural miniseries Beyond The Walls. Recent & upcoming exclusives include Sadako vs. Kayako, Dearest Sister, Blind Sun, Always Shine & Prevenge.

FILM MOVEMENT ACQUIRES AMNESIA

New York based distributor Film Movement has secured North American rights to Amnesia, the latest film from Barbet Schroeder. The announcement was made at Berlin Film Festival. Film Movement will open Amnesia theatrically at the Cinema Village in New York before a VOD bow on 21st Jul, 2017 and then a home – video release. Film stars Marthe Keller & Max Riemelt. Film played in 2015 Cannes. “Barbet Schroeder is a master of character studies,” averred Film Movement’s president Michael E. Rosenberg. “And Amnesia is no exception.” Film Movement’s recent acquisitions take in Andrzej Wajda’s Afterimage, Koji Fukada’s Harmonium & Jan Hrebejk’s The Teacher. Amnesia is sold by Les Films du Losange, the company Schroeder established in Paris in 1963.

SODA PICTURES MAKES ITS MOVE

Soda Pictures has acquired UK rights to action thriller Your Move from Premiere Entertainment Group, it announced recently. The film, which marks the directorial debut of singer – turned – actor Luke Goss, is currently in post production. Also starring Goss, alongside Robert Davi & Patricia De Leon, it tells the story of a man who must go to extreme lengths to discover what happened to his kidnapped wife & daughter. Soda intends to launch the film to coincide with the reunion concert tour of Bros, the 1980s’ pop band Luke performed in with his brother Matt. The reunion was originally intended as a one – off concert at London’s O2 Arena on 19th Aug, 2016, marking the anniversary of the band’s last concert in 1989. However, when that show sold out within a minute of going on sale the tour was expanded to include 6 further dates at the O2 and at other venues around UK in Aug, 2016. “We saw an excellent opportunity to distribute Your Move in UK in concert with Luke’s UK arena tour this summer,” averred Ed Fletcher, managing director of Soda Pictures. Premiere Entertainment Group, which is handling international sales, has secured deals for the film in many other markets including VSC for Canada, DBS Star for China, F. I. P. for France, Notorios for Italy, Aya Pro for Japan, California Filmes for Latin America, Flins y Piniculas for Spain, Moby Dick for South Korea, Pictureworks for India, Major Kantana for Thailand, Olin Arts for Turkey, Eagle for Middle East & Daro for Eastern Europe / Africa.

WARNER BROS RESTRUCTURES UK TV OPERATION

Warner Bros. is restructuring & consolidating its UK television development & production operations by bringing together its 5 UK production companies with London based Warner Bros International Television Production. The announcement, made recently by president of Warner Bros Worldwide Television Distribution Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, will see CEOs of UK production outfits Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Ricochet, Yalli & Renegade report directly to Ronald Goes, executive vice – president of Warner Bros Worldwide Television Distribution. Schlesinger stated the move would offer the individual companies better access to the resources of the global production & distribution operations unit already based in London. It will see the companies work more closely with creative & business executives across the global group, designed to offer a more integrated strategic focus and greater ability for the companies to grow & broaden their local audiences while also creating more local versions of their shows around the globe. “With this restructure, we can better empower the experienced & the talented executives of our production companies here in UK to do what they do best – develop & produce great programming & franchises,” concluded Schlesinger. Wall to Wall produces celebrity genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? for BBC. Twenty Twenty produces reality dating show First Dates for Channel 4.
LA LA LAND BAGS TOP PRIZE

Damien Chazelle’s La La Land dominated the 70th British Academy Film Awards recently, claiming 5 prizes including “Best Film”, “Best Director” & “Best Leading Actress” for Emma Stone. The triumph maintained the musical’s momentum through this year’s awards season ahead of the Oscars on 26th Feb, 2017. “I think film, when at its best, reveals there is more that ties us together than tears us apart,” averred producer Jordan Horowitz. Fellow producer Fred Berger praised UK industry for “challenging us and setting the bar.” Stone also averred, “The film was “one of the greatest working experiences of my life” and went on to thank BAFTA for bringing the industry together to “celebrate the positive gift of creativity, how it can transcend borders and make people feel a little less alone.” Composer Justin Hurwitz scored La La Land’s 1st ever award of the night for “Best Original music. Linus Sandgren also won the BAFTA for the film as “Best Cinematographer”. Casey Affleck claimed the “Best Actor” award for his performance in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By The Sea,” which also won Lonergan the BAFTA for “Best Original Screenplay”. “This is an honor I’ll never forget,” averred Casey Affleck. “The reason I act is when I was a young kid my mom took me to Al – Anon meetings for children of alcoholics. It was therapy but it was acting and acting has sort of been that for me ever since.” BAFTA chair Jane Lush took the stage ahead of the ceremony’s official start, hitting the 1st of many political notes of the evening as she commented on diversity issues within the industry.

NAZI THEMED THRILLER SS – GB INVADES EUROPE

BBC Worldwide has pre – sold thriller SS -GB, which receives its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this week, across Europe. The counter factual series, set in a Nazi – occupied Britain post – World War II, stars Sam Riley & Kate Bosworth. It has been licensed to Germany (RTL), Croatia (Pickbox), Sweden (SVT), Greece (Cosmote), Israel (HOT / Cellcom), Iceland (RUV) & Poland (Showmax). SS-GB, a Sid Gentle Films production, will appear on BBC First Channels in Africa, Australia, Benelux & Middle East, as well as UKTV in New Zealand. The series was adapted from Len Deighton’s 1978 novel by screenwriters Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, whose credits include Skyfall & Spectre. In the series, Hitler’s Germany has defeated Britain and the population of 1940s Britain struggles to adjust to life under German occupation.

MILLENNIM FILMS IN SALES TALKS

Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films / Nu Image may be in sale talks with Chinese financier Recon group, according to reports. Bloomberg News recently reported 2 unnamed sources close to Recon suggesting that Recon might attempt to buy Los Angeles based producer & sales agent Millennium. Bloomberg’s sources stated that Recon might use Shenzhen – listed subsidiary Recon Wenyuan Cable. Recon is headed by Chinese businessman Tony Xia (aka Xia Jiantong.) In 2016 Recon bought control of the English soccer club Aston Villa in a deal reported to have been worth $101 million. Millennium, which has previously produced The Expendables action franchise movies, is known to have been in talks with several Chinese firms over the past year. Sources in China have put the asking price north of $300 million. The company has regularly turned to China for movie finance. Parts of The Expendables franchise were financed in association with China’s Le Vision Pictures, part of the LeEco cluster of companies. Earlier this week in Berlin, it was announced that Chinese distributor & financier Hishow had come on board 2 of Millennium’s current movies, Hunter Killer & Escobar. Recon bought Aston Villa from American businessman Randy Lerner. The relationship, if any, between between Randy Lerner & Avi Lerner is currently unclear. Aston Villa reported that Recon is a “privately owned holding company that owns the controlling interest in 5 publicly listed companies on Hong Kong & Chinese stock exchanges.”

HISHOW SNARES HUNTER KILLER & ESCOBAR
China’s Hishow Entertainment has boarded a pair of upcoming movies from Nu Image /Millennium Films: Hunter Killer & Escobar. The deal is one of the biggest completed so far at the European Film Market, alongside the Berlin Film Festival, and also one of the biggest by a Chinese indie in recent months. The Chinese distributor – investor has paid more than $10 million to buy into 2 films. In both cases it is co – financing the movies and acquiring distribution rights for China. Nu Image / Millennium produces the Expendables series, which also has Chinese co – producers. Directed by Donovan Marsh, Hunter Killer features Gerard Butler as an untested American captain who teams with Navy Seals for a mission to rescue the Russian president. Butler has significant name – recognition in China after the success there of London Has Fallen. Gary Oldman & Billy Bob Thornton also star in the action thriller, which was previously set up at Relativity but shifted after the company’s financial meltdown. Escobar, starring Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem & Peter Sarsgaard, is a fact based drama about a female journalist who strikes up a relationship with the notorious Colombian drug lord. Fernando Leon de Aranoa directs; Bardem shares the production credits.

XXX: XANDER CAGE DRIVES TO $60 MILLION

Released last week, Vin Diesel starring action movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage sped off to a blistering start at the Chinese box office turnstiles and never needed to look in the rear – view mirror. In 3 days of release it grossed $60.2 million, according to data from local tracking service Ent Group. Paramount reported the figure at an estimated $61.9 million. With an opening $20.6 million on Fri, followed by $23.2 million on Sat, it had driven past the North American total of $41.6 million inside 2 days. On Sun it enjoyed a further $16.4 million. The film played a total of some 85,000 screenings per day, more than double the 2nd placed picture, Kung Fu Yoga. Within the film’s 3 day haul, IMAX screens amassed $6 million, the 2nd biggest Feb, 2017 opening in China behind the recent The Monkey King 2. IMAX reports that 8 of the film’s top 10 locations were IMAX theaters. (Prior to this weekend, xXx: Xander Cage had an international score of $114 million and a global total of $156 million.) A long way behind in 2nd place, Jackie Chan starring holdover Kung Fu Yoga earned $15.6 million. That propelled its total to $217 million after 16 days on release, including the Chinese New Year holiday period. Cook Up A Storm, a comedy action romance starring Hong Kong’s Nicholas Tse, started with over 51,000 screenings on its opening Fri, but the number of outlets were sliced back to 42,000 by Sun as its scored slipped. In its 3 opening it managed $12.2 million.

NETFLIX FINDS LOEV IN INDIA

Worldwide rights to Sudhanshu Saria’s critically acclaimed debut feature film, LOEV, has been acquired exclusively by Netflix Inc. Starring Shiv Pandit, Dhruv Ganesh & Siddharth Menon in principal roles, the film follows 3 friends on a weekend road trip as they struggle to define the boundaries between love & friendship. Written & directed by Saria, the film was jointly produced by Arfi Lamba & Katharina Suckale through their company Bombay Berlin Film Productions & Saria’s Four Line Films.
“The only reason I was even able to write this film was because I was sure it wouldn’t get made. So to find ourselves on the cusp of this kind of a prestigious, worldwide release is surreal!” Saria said. The film has played at more than 50 film festivals around the world including SXSW, Jeonju, BFI Flare,
Frameline & Hong Kong. Arfi Lamba averred, “We listen to scripts all day long and when something this honest, relevant & emotional comes along, you jump and that’s what we did. It’s just a pure win for me. Our audience truly is everywhere & Netflix makes it possible for us to reach them all, in 22
languages, with the push of a single button.” The film will be released worldwide on 1st May, 2017.

THUMBS UP FOR ‘DEAR MAYA’ TRAILER

Rahul Mittra, Filmmaker & CEO, Wave Cinemas hosted a gathering to unveil the trailer of their forthcoming release
DEAR MAYA. Producers Shobhna Yadav & Sandeep Leyzell were seen in upbeat mood with director Sunaina Bhatnagar. Imtiaz Ali who was there to support the team, happily introduced all the members & unveiled the trailer. Manisha Koirala who came accompanied by her mother spoke about the film and were seen catching up with the team especially young actors Shreya Chaudhry & Rohit Saraf who were visibly excited about their maiden film. Also, present were lyricist Irshad Kamil & composer Anupam Roy. DEAR MAYA is slated to release on 2nd Jun, 2017

FATIMA SANA SHAIKH JOINS ‘THUGS OF HINDOSTAN’ WITH AMITABH & AAMIR

Fatima Sana Shaikh, who made an impressive debut with DANGAL, joins the star – studded cast of Yash Raj Films’ forthcoming mega project THUGS OF HINDOSTAN. Cobv-starring Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan, writer – director Vijay Krishna Acharya will be directing the film. This is the 2nd time Vijay Krishna Acharya (Victor) will be directing Aamir Khan after the blockbuster DHOOM 3. THUGS OF HINDOSTAN unites Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan on screen for the 1st time ever and promises to be a larger than life, grand cinematic experience.
Writer – director Vijay Krishna Acharya averred, “The role of the girl is pivotal to the film so it was crucial for us to find the perfect fit. Through a rigorous round of auditions & action workshops, we found in Fatima Sana Shaikh a truly dedicated actor and a gifted performer of action. We are very happy to have found the perfect girl for our film. “The film began shooting on 1st Jun, 2017. Watch out for more details on the film in this space and keep counting the time till its release date of Diwali 2018.

AN AMERICA FILM FOR SALONY LUTHRA !!!!!

Assistant director of MUNNA BHAI MBBS and many other Hindi films, Vibha Gulati went on to Hollywood and make films like THE WAITING ROOM, THE INTERPRETER & a few more short films. Vibha has announced her next American film FORBIDDEN with Salony Luthra playing the lead. Salony Luthra is a popular face in the South Indian film industry. Vibha Gulati was looking for someone who acts well as an Indian born in America and also perform some action sequences. “I was confident with all the other required elements for the role but wanted to get the American accent right. For that, I researched & spent 3 weeks in US.”​ FORBIDDEN is about a girl who goes by her heart & pays a heavy price for it. It is based on a true story and when I read it, it shocked me. This time via Skype when I was in Budapest for an international project. Once again, the makers felt that my body language suited the character but were not convinced by my accent. They offered me the role on the condition that I had to develop an accent in a stipulated time”, avers Salony.​

ANNU KAPOOR IN MADHUR BHANDARKAR’S INTERNATIONAL FILM FOR BRICS

Remember Annu Kapoor playing an old man in his very 1st film EK RUKA HUA FAISLA? The versatile actor is all set to collaborate with National Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for an international film titled MUMBAI MIST that is a story about a beautiful bond between an old man & an orphan kid. The film will be part of “The Magnificent Five—Directors Collaboration Project for the BRICS Film Festival” where Madhr Bhandarkar is representing India, alongside globally – feted storytellers, Brazilian Walter Salles (THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES fame), Chinese director – screenwriter Jia Zhangke, Russian storyteller Aleksey Fedorchenko & South African filmmaker Jahmil XT Qubeka.All 5 filmmakers will make 18 -minute shorts on the theme, “Where Has The Time Gone?. Chinese director Jia Zhangke will work as executive producer to put all 5 short films on the same theme, together to make a feature film that will be premiered in China this 21st Jun, 2017, while it will see theatrical release in China in Sept, 2017 followed by other countries. Madhur Bhandarkar will attend the China premiere & starts shooting for the film in a few days in Mumbai.

MILIND SOMAN BACKS ONTHERUN – A NATURAL HEALTH FOOD START UP

The health food brand Ontherun announced their association with India’s ultra endurance athlete & fitness evangelist, Milind Soman over a brunch soiree in Mumbai. The affiliation will bring on the table a power packed combination of Milind’s nutrition insights & the brand’s core purpose of creating products that are natural & healthy and taste great! Hosted by Shilpa Phadke, Founder & Director, Stayfit Enterprize Pvt Ltd & Milind Soman, the event brought out interesting health food facts by both the health conscious enthusiasts on the forefront. Shilpa shared her experience on why she felt that creation of Ontherun was the need of the hour, Milind elaborated on how the product has been his choice of the food while on his long runs and other events. Milind Soman shared, “I have never taken any supplements or have ever succumbed to any fad diets. I do make changes to my eating regime depending on my activity & my schedule; however, I always keep it simple and most importantly natural. I believe in its core ideology, it is something I live by. Working with Ontherun, gives me an opportunity to communicate with my followers & demystify the complexity around health food”.

ARVIND BABBAL TO MAKE FILMS AFTER MAKING 25 TV SERIALS

What strikes you as different in Arvind Babbal the versatile maker of TV serials like MAHAKUMB & SARASWATICHANDRA is that he is equally comfortable in making all types of television shows from historical, sci – fi, thriller, romance & drama based on relationships. Aravind Babbal has till date made as many as 25 TV serials, each belonging to a different genre. Aravind confesses that he had left directing SARASWATICHANDRA after directing 76 episodes for producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali when yet another production house took over the reins of making the serial and the subject went for a toss. Not only did Zarina Screwala ask him to make a film for UTV when he was directing CHHOTI MAA for them but also Sanjay Leela Bhansali had asked him to try his hand at making a film when he was making SARASWATICHANDRA for his production house. Aravind Babbal adds, “Kavita Barjatya also asked me to make a film for their home production but I just bade my time. I feel that the time is right now for me to make my foray into films.” Right now, Arvind Babbal is busy completing 2 scripts which he will direct into films in the next 2 years.

YRF & ABU DHABI COLLABORATE ON THE BIGGEST SHOOT OF ‘TIGER ZINDA HAI’

Yash Raj Films will shoot TIGER ZINDA HAI for 65 days in Abu Dhabi and this longest Hindi film will be filming in Abu Dhabi. TIGER ZINDA HAI is a sequel to the blockbuster film EK THA TIGER will be directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. TIGER ZINDA HAI starring Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif has commenced filming in Emirate on 4th May, 2017. Over 150 workers will be on site for a total of 100 days to create the film’s main set, many of whom helped to build the Star Wars set in Abu Dhabi in 2013. The production will also film at several other locales around Abu Dhabi before moving onto the set. A crew of 300 is expected to work on the production, with Abu Dhabi based freelancers working alongside crew members from India, US & UK. The UAE military is providing military equipment, including choppers during the shoot. Ali Abbas Zafar averred, “A film like TIGER ZINDA HAI requires a certain scale,
which we found in Abu Dhabi.” Salman Khan averred, “TIGER ZINDA HAI is a film of sizeable scale & context.” Katrina Kaif averred, “TIGER ZINDA HAI shifts to different locales across the globe, and Abu
Dhabi fits in perfectly with our story.”

TARZAN FAME HEMANT BIRJE’S DAUGHTER SONIA IN COMEDY DRAMA ‘HELLO DARLING’

Sonia Birje, daughter of the Tarzan fame, actor Hemant Birje joins the cast of the Hindi comedy play “Hello Darling” and will rub shoulders with seasoned actors like Vindu Dara Singh, Sheeba, Payal Goga Kapoor & Shaad Randhawa. Sonia Birje, who looks like some neo – noir femme fatale en route to her next kill is vigorously rehearsing for her role of a gorgeous beauty with all the actors for the play, revolving around the relationship of a husband & wife. It is produced & directed by Yogesh Sanghvi on a script by Mir Munir. “Hello Darling” defines the sensitiveness in the relation of a couple of not being a tyrant and at the same time not to betray. Earlier she has done modeling and also featured in a film down South. Unfortunately, her debut Hindi film could not see the light of the day. Sonia, who is
playing the role of Lalsa averred, “Theatre is always helpful for an actor as it enhances the acting prowess. Unlike a film, here there is no chance of a re – take. I have signed a film which will roll in Jun, 2017. I want to play all kinds of good roles, including art films too and like to be known as a
versatile actor”.

EKTA KAPOOR – KAREENA KAPOOR – SONAM KAPOOR – RHEA KAPOOR COME TOGETHER FOR ‘VEERE DI WEDDING’

Refuting to all the rumours, Ekta Kapoor has taken to social media to announce her excitement about coming together with Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor & Rhea Kapoor for VEERE DI WEDDING. Balaji
Motion Pictures is on board to produce one of the most – awaited films, “VEERE DI WEDDING starring the gorgeous Kareena Kapoor Khan & Sonam Kapoor. Going against the typical announcement, the producer
couldn’t hold back from taking charge and gleaming with pride on her newest film and decided to put this up on her Instagram even before the official announcement was made by Ruchikaa Kapoor, Business Head of Balaji motion pictures.

SUMAN NEGI RISES LIKE A PHOENIX

Joining the bandwagon of model – turned -actresses in Bollywood, is Suman Negi, who has won the title of “Miss Meerut”. Suman Negi plays the lead in the romantic, suspense drama titled as BEIMAAN AASHIQ.
The film is directed by Sandeep Kumar for producer Kiran Kumar Titoriya. The film’s post – production is underway and is scheduled to release in Jun, 2017. Suman Negi completed her BA in Meerut. During her
studies itself she participated in varied modeling shows and also won the title of “Miss Meerut”. During that period she got a chance to act in a Mollywood film titled as DHAKAD CHORA which was super hit. One such film titled as KISMAT EK ANOKHA MODH was screened at Cannes Film Festival. Suman Negi averrd, “I am playing a character named Riya. She is intelligent, dashing & bold who is ready to face all kinds of problem at any given stages.” Many also said that she will step into their shoes once
this film hits the silver screen.” Kabir Khan, Anurag Tomar, Sachin Chobe, Bhupendar Titoriya, Ramandeep Kaur, Nishant Dilip Jain etc are also in its star cast. Sameer Sen has provided the musical score rendered by Babul Supriyo, Sadhana Sargam, Tisa Nigam, Udit Narayan etc.

DIVYA DUTTA IS ON A SIGNING SPREE

Being one of the very few actresses that do not stick to one image that works for them on – screen, Divya Dutta has paved her way into the industry like the strong woman that she is. She plays around with characters and refuses to stick to one stereotypical image of an actress. Ever since the success of her
book “Me And Ma” , Divya has been on a signing spree and has signed not 1 or 2 but 8 films that are a mixture of commercial & artsy films. She will be seen working with Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddique & Arunoday Singh. She is also extremely happy to work with director Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra. Divya will soon be seen in BABUMOSHAI BANDOOKBAAZ with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and has begun shooting for RAITA with Irrfan Khan & director Abhinay Deo.

ZEENAT AMAN SINGS FOR NIKHIL KAMATH’S TUNE

Zeenat Aman sung a foot tapping number for music composer Nikhil Kamath for the upcoming web series LOVE LIFE & SCREW UPS soon to be released by Aum Web Studio. The song ”Yeh Hai Joaana” is a foot tapping retro number which also has dialogues by Zeenat Aman. She was so impressed with the composition after she heard the scratch that she herself agreed to sing the song and be a part of the song penned by VImal Kashyap. The song has a fun element and will bring the house down with its retro
beat. Zeenat Aman also praised Nikhil Kamath’s title song ”I’ll be with you when you’re happy” which is the title song of LOVE LIFE & SCREW UPS. Directed by Kapil Kaustubh Sharma & produced by Yuvraaj
Parashar the web series has already garnered over a miilion hits on you tube and is the most awaited web series to come.

ANUSHKA SHARMA TO STAR IN ‘PARI’

Anushka Sharma will now star in PARI, the next co – production of her banner Clean Slate Films with KriArj Entertainment, this being their 1st from the many, they plan to do together. Bengali star Parambrata Chatterjee will co – star in the film. Clean Slate Films has promoted & empowered new talent behind the camera to make qualitative cinema. Taking that forward, PARI will be directed by debutant, Prosit Roy. The film goes on the floors in Jun, 2017. KriArj Entertainment has had a superb beginning with RUSTOM, now doing another with Akshay Kumar in TOILET EK PREMKATHA. They have surged ahead to have an enviable line up of upcoming films like John Abraham starrer, Vishal Bhardwaj’s production. Anushka averred, “At Clean Slate Films, we get to work with new talent on newer ideas & innovative concepts. PARI is a great script and I have complete faith in Prosit’s vision as well as this collaboration with KriArj Entertainment.” Parambrata Chatterjee added, “I was impressed with the script & team of PARI, and loved the idea of working with Anushka Sharma. This film holds great promise and I look forward to its shoot soon.” PARI will go on the floors in Jun, 2017.

Suriya Adds 1 Million

Suriya, who has wide popularity in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana as well, now has 2 Million followers on Twitter. He is amongst the most followed South Indian film stars. The versatile actor has got a large chunk of female admirers, thanks to his looks. Ever since Ghajini, he has become a household name in the Telugu States. On Facebook, he has got about 1.8 Million followers. It was only in Jun, 2015 that he debuted on Twitter. And he reached the 1 Million mark in Jul last. Suriya now commands almost double the number of followers on Twitter compared to Kamal Haasan & Vijay. On the other hand, he is at least 2 Million followers away from reaching the numbers of Superstar Rajinikanth, who has 3.83 Million followers. His fans love his charity & welfare works, which he does also by leveraging his massive reach on social media.

Shruti Haasan Turns Vegan

Shruti Haasan like her Western counterparts, has also turned vegan. Shruti Haasan avers, “It’s still an ongoing process. I haven’t eaten beef or pork for years. I choose not to eat them for environmental & practical reasons.” She adds, “I’m not comfortable eating chicken because of the way poultry farms are maintained. It’s a health related decision. Also, only God knows what the milk that we buy contains. So, it seemed like a good option to avoid it. Having said that, I don’t know what’s there in our vegetables either. One can only hope to make a healthier choice.”

Rajnikanth To Meet His Fans

Rajinikanth is planning to meet his fans from 15th May, 2017 for a photo shoot session. Fans from 15 districts including Karur, Dindigul, Trichy, Kanyakumari & Tanjore will be participating in the 5 days photo shoot with Rajinikanth. Earlier Rajinikanth had canceled the photo shoot as fans wanted individual photo – op and expressed their disappointment over the group pic idea suggested by the organizers. After completing the photo shoot, Rajinikanth will be commencing his new film with director Pa Ranjith on 28th May, 2017 in Chennai. To be produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films, Santhosh Narayanan has been roped in to compose music for this new Rajinikanth -Ranjith film.

Dhanush Wraps Up Vada Chennai

Dhanush wrapped up the 2nd schedule of Vada Chennai, and left for Brazil for the shoot of his Hollywood film. “For the past few days, the shoot of Vada Chennai was happening in a large slum set with Dhanush & Aishwarya Rajesh in Chennai. Directed by Vetri Maaran, Vada Chennai has Samuthirakani, Kishore & Andrea Jeremiah in important roles. Previously, Dhanush had announced that he would be commencing his Hollywood film in Mumbai on 14th May, 2017 but now, it looks there is a change in the schedule as the actor leftl abroad for almost 3 months. Based on the novel “The Extraordinary Journey Of A Fakir Who Got Trapped In An Ikea Cupboard”, Dhanush will be seen playing a storyteller, who falls in love with a woman in Paris and gets accidentally deported to Africa as a refugee.

Vanamagan Release Postponed To 23rd Jun 2017

Jayam Ravi’s Vanamagan has been pushed to 23rd Jun, 2017 due to Tamil Film Producers Council’s strike demanding State & Central Governments to increase the ticket price and curb piracy. In an official statement issued by Vanamagan director Vijay, he mentioned “Though we are fully ready for the scheduled release of the film on 19th May, 2017, Tamil Film Producer’s Council President Thiru Vishal has advised us not to release the film, as the Tamil film Industry is planning for a shutdown of new films release & shooting from 30th May, 2017 which will leave hardly 11 days for the film theaters. Even our distributors have cautioned us against releasing the film without this clarity on the proposed strike. We are left with no option other than postponing the film’s release to 23rd Jun, 2017.” Touted to be a romantic action entertainer set against the forest backdrop, Sayyeshaa Saigal plays Ravi’s pair in the film, which also has Prakash Raj & Thambi Ramaiah in pivotal roles. Harris Jayaraj has composed the background score & songs of Vanamagan & National Award winning cinematographer Tirru is in charge for visuals.

Nagma Meets Rajinikanth

Yesteryear leading actress & All India Mahila Congress General Secretary Nagma has recently met her Baasha co – star Rajinikanth at his Poes Garden residence in Chennai. Calling it a friendly meet, Nagma tweeted “In conversation with my favorite #co – star and friend #Rajnikant from Baasha met him today was so nice to catch up wth him in various issues”. Addressing the media on her meet with Rajinikanth, Nagma averred, “I wish Rajinikanth enters politics and I’m sure he will be successful in it. But to be clear, I didn’t meet him for political reasons, it was a friendly discussion”. Of late, political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi are trying their best to convince him to gain his support.

Ajith Or Pawan Kalyan Or Vijay Or Allu Arjun?

Baahubali 2 has proved beyond any doubt that South Indian cinema has a huge reception around the globe if the content is original & culture based. Director Mani Ratnam actually was the one who tried to make Kalki’s celebrated novel “Ponniyin Selvan” a few years back with Vijay & Mahesh Babu as Vanthiyathevan & Aditya Karikalan. However the project was shelved due to non – viability. Here we have published a poll as to which South Indian combo would do justice to the immortal characters of Ponniyin Selvan. Whether it would be Ajith or Pawan Kalyan, Vijay or Allu Arjun, Vikram or Mahesh Babu, Suriya or Prabhas.

Trisha’s Response To Charmee’s Marriage Proposal

Trisha recently celebrated her birthday and wishes kept pouring from all quarters of the Indian film industry proving how popular she is amongst her contemporaries. Popular Telugu actress Charmee Kaur in her wish also posted a marriage proposal to Trisha and here is her fun filled reply to the same. Charmee has asked Trisha that she is hoping for a favorable reply to her marriage proposal at least this year. And Trisha too has replied that she has already agreed 1st time ever. Interesting fun talk between the 2 buddies.

Karthick Subbaraj May Direct Prabhu Deva Instead Of Dhanush?

Its been almost a year & a half since the announcement came that Iraivi director Karthick Subbaraj would be directing a new film with Dhanush in the lead to be produced by Sri Thenandal Films. However there is uncertainty over whether the Dhanush -Karthick Subbaraj project will begin anytime soon considering the tight schedule the busy actor has with Vada Chenna and his Hollywood film that begins mid – May, 2017. But now it seems that Karthick Subbaraj has decided to direct another film with Prabhu Deva in the lead which will begin in the last week of this month. It is however unclear whether Prabhu Deva has replaced Dhanush or if it is an entirely new project.

Pooja Held For Vijay’s Statue

Kollywood is not new when it comes to treating actors & actresses like demigods. During the early 90’s the fans of actress Khushboo had a statue erected and they almost worshipped it. Joining the bandwagon is our Ilayathalapathy Vijay, a video grab of fans doing Pooja to the actor’s statue has gone viral. The fans are seen chanting Vijay’s name including reciting as Bhairava Vijay (happens to be the actors previous movie). The video shows fans reciting in a style similar to how Iyyapa devotees embark on a sacred journey, they are seen chanting “kadavule Vijay, anbe Vijay, amudhe Vijay, et al” . It’s unsure if the actor has actually seen the footage for comment.

Jiiva’s Next To Be Completed In Just 1 Month!!!!!

Michael Rayappan’s Global Infotainment banner which has produced super hit films Nadodigal, Eetti & Miruthan is currently producing Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan which is the 1st ever 3ple role film of Silambarasan. Now the banner has started another project and this has been titled as Kee. The film stars Jiiva & Nikki Galrani in lead roles. Kee is being directed by debutante Kaleesh, who has worked as an assistant director with Selvaraghavan. The supporting cast of the film includes Anaika Soti, RJ Balaji, Padma Surya, Rajendra Prasad, Suhasini, Mano Bala & Meera Krishnan. Vishal Chandrasekar is providing the musical score. Anish Tarun Kumar is the cinematographer. Nagooran is taking care of editing. Baba Basker is choreographing dance steps while art direction is by Ashok. The shooting of Kee commenced on 21st Apr, 2017, and the entire shooting will be wrapped up within 20th May, 2017.The entire shooting will be wrapped up in a single schedule.

Court’s Reply To Kamal Haasan’s Request

A few weeks ago, the district Magistrate Court in Valliyoor of Tirunelveli district had ordered actor Kamal haasan to to be present on 5th May, 2017 for the hearing of a case filed against him for his alleged comments against the great Indian epic Mahabharatha. On Wed, he filed a petition in the Madurai bench of Madras High Court to be released from the case and also exempt him from appearing in person to any Court in relation to this case. Today, the Madurai Bench which took up Kamal Haasan’s petition has exempted him from appearing in Valliyoor Court and also stayed the hearing of the case against the actor. This will be a great relief for the actor who has recently undergone quite a few personal loses and is also busy with the post – production of his mega budget film Viswaroopam 2.

Vivegam’s Teaser Coming Much Earlier

The teaser of Thala Ajith’s much awaited Vivegam was earlier announced to be launched on 18th May, 2017 raising the expectations of the fans. Now comes the news from director Siruthai Siva that the teaser will be out a week earlier. The shooting of the film in Bulgaria is also expected to complete in a weeks time and Thala & the team are expected to return in time for the event.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Marriage Forces Star Walkout

Young director Karthick Naren made a huge splash with his Dhuruvangal 16 which has been lauded by celebrities of South Indian cinema. His follow up movie Naragasooran has 4 central characters belonging to the 4 states of the South. Accordingly, Arvind Swamy from Tamil & Naga Chaitanya from Telugu signed on to play the leads in Naragasooran. Only within a couple of days Shirya Saran & Indrajith Sukumaran were added to the cast. However in an unexpected twist, Naga Chaitanya has reportedly walked out of the project citing dates issues which some sections interpret as his impending marriage to Samantha Ruth Prabhu soon.

Vikram’s Dual Roles For Saamy 2

Hari is gearing up to direct the sequel to his 2003 blockbuster movie Saamy with Vikram reprising his role of the kickass deputy commissioner Aaru Saamy. Trisha and music director Harris Jayaraj already signed the project to be produced by Shibu Thameens. Latest developments on this front is that Keerthy Suresh has been signed on to play another heroine. Vikram is playing dual roles in Saamy 2, one as the deputy commissioner Aaru Saamy and the other as a modern younger cop. It is said that the sequel will involve all modern gadgetry and edge of the seat thriller elements.

Karthika Nair Becomes Devasena

Popular Bollywood director Goldie Behl is helming a historical series titled Arambh written by Maghadheera, Naan E & Baahubali creator Vijayendhra Prasad. The series is produced with a huge budget. Karthika Nair of Ko & Purambokku Enum Podhuvudamai fame is playing the central character of queen Devasena in Arambh. The lanky actress is undergoing vigorous training for the role including horse riding, sword fighting & elephant manning.

Reason For Nayanthara’s All Of A Sudden Portugal Visit

Nayanthara is definitely the top most amongst the heroines of Tamil cinema. She is currently acting in many films and she plays the solo lead in most of her upcoming projects. At the same time she is also acting with Sivakarthikeyan in the multi – starrer Velaikkaran directed by Mohan Raja. Amidst this busy schedule, Nayan has just landed in Portugal. The reason behind her sudden visit to the European nation, is that Nayan has been signed up to play the female lead in Telugu film Balam with Gopichand. The film has been in the making for quite a long time. Recently the makers completed all the portions and they were waiting for Nayanthara to shoot a couple of duet songs. To fulfill her commitment, Nayan has taken a leaf out of her busy schedule in Tamil and went to Portugal for the song shooting of Balam.

The most coveted & distinguished award of
the country, Filmfare is back, with the 64th
edition of Jio Filmfare Awards South 2017, to
recognize the best of films in South that hit
the celluloid silver screen last year.
Renowned actor, Dhanush along with
Filmfare Editor, Jitesh Pillai, marked Filmfare’s 64th year of commemorating &
acknowledging the South film fraternity by lighting the ceremonial lamp at Reliance
Digital store at Kilpauk Chennai.

The main ceremony of the 64th edition of JioFilmfare Awards South 2017 is slated to take place on 17th Jun, 2017 at HICC Novotel in
Hyderabad and promises to be a grand
affair.

The film fraternity in the South has entertained the audiences for more than a decade, and has marked their presence in the hearts of the audiences from across the globe. The spell – binding music, striking visuals & exceptional treasure of hidden talents, are some of the defining features that the South film industry boasts of. Legendary artistes like Rajnikanth the biggest asset to the film fraternity as well as actors such as Kamal Hassan, Dhanush, Prabhas, Ram Charan, Rana Daggubati et al, have time & again featured in Hindi films as well. Filmfare has provided these ace actors a platform to reach out to a greater set of audiences, thereby helping them to further showcase their exceptional skill set.

Commenting on the announcement of JIO
Filmfare awards South 2017, a spokesperson from JIO averred, “We are
happy to present the JIO Filmfare Awards
South 2017. Presented by Jio, the Filmfare
Awards South 2017 will honor the cinematic excellence from southern India and Jio will
help to showcase this in a variety of digital
ways. Jio is bringing transformational
changes in the Indian digital services space
to enable a Digital Life for 1.2 billion Indians
and this association is consistent with Jio’s
mission to celebrate the diversity & richness of Indian cinema.”

Commenting on JIO Filmfare’s 64th edition
of their South awards, Editor Jitesh Pillai
avered, “The South industry has changed
the way we perceive Indian cinema at a
global level. From the striking visuals to the extraordinary & gripping stories, the South
industry has played an imperative part in
taking Indian cinema a notch higher. The
Filmfare awards are a small step towards
acknowledging the fraternity for their
remarkable contribution over the years.”

Dhanush who graced the o ccasion by
lighting the ceremonial lamp, averred,
“Filmfare is prestigious. It encourages talent
to give off their best. I am fortunate to have
won Filmfare awards trophy in the past. We
look forward for Filmfare Awards every year even though we don’t win. Our relationship
with Filmfare &Jitesh Pillai is special. I wish
all the very best for this year’s Filmfare
Awards”

PRODUCER MUSHTAQ NADIADWALA SOON TO MAKE A FILM ON TAJAMUL ISLAM

Producer Mushtaq Nadiadwala is all set to make a biopic on the country’s youngest kickboxing World Champion, Tajamul Islam. The 8 years old had scripted history at the World Kickboxing Championship in Italy in Nov last year. The producer has acquired sole rights of her inspirational story. The script of the prospective film on her life is a work in progress under the banner of MAN Films. “This movie will inspire the youth who wish to aspire for excellence, but are bound & constrained by their circumstances. Specifically, it will aim to break gender stereotyping and bring to light the greatness that girls are destined for,” Mushtaq said. Tajamul, one of 5 siblings born to Ghulam Mohammad Lone — a driver in Bandipora district of Kashmir — is currently preparing for the upcoming World Championship to be held in Argentina.”It is a moment of tremendous pride for me as a father.” says Tajamul’s father. The producer says, “People will have a much larger appreciation for the lives & the talent that resides in Kashmir and opportunities will further open up leading to the establishment of better infrastructure & provision of state of the art facilities for them.”. Mushtaq is the brother of producer Firoz Nadiadwala & cousin of filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala.

KUSHAN NANDY IS ALL PRAISES FOR NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI!

After being part of several blockbusters including KICK, BADLAPUR, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN & RAEES, Nawazuddin Siddiqui will next be seen in filmmaker Kushan Nandy’s BABUMOSHAI BANDOOKBAAZ produced by Kiran Shyam Shroff & Ashmith Kunder under the banner, Movies By The Mob. While the gripping drama will see Nawazuddin play an action hero, director Kushan seems to be too impressed with the versatile actor’s performance. “You will see Nawaz’s astonishing range in this film. He is a fabulous actor, but in this film, he is a true blue hero. His character is endearing and has a lot of fun. But when he is brutal, he is extremely so,” informs Kushan. “Nawaz indulges in action for survival and also for love, friendship, rivalry & payback. The action consists mostly of hand – to – hand combat and Nawaz has had a few accidents while shooting those scenes. For the pre -climax scene of the film, we were shooting in a really narrow lane which had a very steep slope. It was barely 3 feet wide and there were a number of junior artists and the crew of the film present. The shot required Nawaz to run down the slope and slam open a door and barge into a house. And Nawaz insisted on keeping the door actually locked from inside. He put his entire force on the door and broke the lock and gave a brilliant shot. He cut his hand and severely injured his shoulder. The shot is retained in the film,” he adds. Produced by Kiran Shyam
Shroff & Ashmith Kunder, directed by Kushan Nandy and written by Ghalib Asad Bhopali, BABUMOSHAI BANDOOKBAAZ, also featuring Divya Dutta, debutant actress Bidita Bag, Murli Sharma, Jatin Goswami, Shraddha Das, Anil George, Jeetu Shivhare & Bhagwan Tiwari is scheduled to release this summer.

KATRINA KAIF TO GO THROUGH COMBAT TRAINING FOR ‘TIGER ZINDA HAI’!

While Katrina Kaif is no stranger to strenuous workout regimes and has even undergone major training and action workshops for her films before, the star will soon train extensively in combat training for her role in TIGER ZINDA HAI. Though Katrina has already trained in a few forms of action albeit the basics for EK THA TIGER and PHANTOM before, she will be performing her own stunts for TIGER ZINDA HAI for which she returns to training in hand to hand combat and other fight forms. The star who is currently shooting for a huge musical song for JAGGA JASOOS, will start her training by the 20th of this month, as she will be performing some hi – octane action.

R MADHAVAN PREPS UP FOR A BIOPIC!

R Madhavan has his hands full with multiple projects varied in genres this year. Post his critically – acclaimed movie SAALA KHADOOS, the versatile actor has signed 7 films – from Hindi to Tamil, web series and particularly a biopic, which he is very excited about.“I have been working on this for the past 4 years, and now, I can proudly say that things are being finalised. It’s an extraordinary story of an unsung hero and it deserves to be told. It will go on the floors this year, but let me tell you that the biopic is not on any sportsperson or an actor’s life,” Madhavan informs. The talented actor is gearing up to play a pilot in Sanjay Puran Singh’s CHANDA MAMA DOOR KE. Interestingly, Madhavan has played an air force pilot twice in, RANG DE BASANTI. (2006) and in the TV show, SEA HAWKS. “It is too early to talk about my role in the film. I play a pilot, and this is one of those films I am extremely excited about. Also, it’s good to work with Sushant (Singh Rajput) and Nawazuddin (Siddiqui), as they’re both extremely talented,” he adds.

SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA’S RECIPES NOW ON RESTAURANT MENUS!

Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who over the years has come to be synonymous with health & fitness, recently launched her new health & wellness venture, the “Shilpa Shetty Wellness Series”. The gorgeous star features in the fitness & cookery videos on the Youtube channel, sharing her inside secrets on living a healthy lifestyle – Sources now reveal that owning to the popularity of the channel and the recipes featured on it, a Bangalore based restaurant has approached Shilpa to curate a special section on the menu named after her. When contacted confirmed Shilpa, “I am happy people are following my channel and dishes like the jeera chicken & payasam are finding a place on restaurant menus. Guiding people through a healthy lifestyle is something I am passionate about.”

SUNEEL DARSHAN WRAPS UP ‘EK HASEENA THI EK DEEWANA THA’ SHOOT!

The shooting of film-maker Suneel Darshan’s forthcoming musical mystery, EK HASEENA THI EK DEEWANA TH has been recently completed and the movie’s post-production is underway. Having delved in various genres from family entertainers to action, Suneel Darshan’s EK HASEENA THI EK DEEWANA THA features his son Shiv Darshan,
introducing sensational new find Natasha Fernandes & Upen Patel in leading roles. The movie went on floors last year in Nov with an outdoor schedule and wrapped up in India recently. Produced & directed by Suneel Darshan, EK HASEENA THI EK DEEWANA THA, a Shree Krishna International Presentation starring Shiv Darshan, introducing Natasha Fernandez, Upen Patel, Lalitmohan Tiwari, Soni Kaur & Rumi Khan and music by Nadeem, is releasing this year.

SALMAN KHAN LAUNCHES THE LATEST HIT

Om Books International along with Taj Lands End, Mumbai launched the book “Asha Parekh: The Hit Girl”, An Autobiography with Khalid Mohamed recently. It was launched by Chief Guest Salman Khan, who has written the foreword to the book. Present on the occasion were 2 of Asha Parekh’s closest friend from the industry –Waheeda Rehman & Helen, and some of her finest co – actors & heroes — Dharmendra, Jeetendra. Amongst those present to grace the occasion were Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Jackie Shroff, Aruna Irani along with Anandji (Kalyanji – Anandji) & Pyarelalji(Laxmikant – Pyarelal). An interesting discussion on the book with Chief Guest Salman Khan, co – authors Asha Parekh & Khalid Mohamed, and Publisher, Ajay Mago, was moderated by Dipa Chaudhuri, Chief Editor, Om Books International.

SACHIIN JOSHI ACQUIRES VIJAY MALLYA’S KINGFISHER VILLA

Businessman & actor Sachiin Joshi has bought & acquired Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Villa for the amount of Rupees 73 crores. Sachin who currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of JMJ group of
companies, also owns many other businesses ranging from fitness centres to real estate to health spas. Sachiin Joshi’s spokesperson has confirmed the same.
“Since last 2 days there have been speculations about the ownership of iconic Kingfisher Villa in Goa. We would like to set the record straight Mr. Sachiin Joshi has officially taken the possession of Kingfisher Villa. Although he yet has to take a
call on the details about the reconstructing & renaming his newly acquired property. Team Viikings will keep the media updated on the further progress. “Sachiin Joshi also owns Viking Media & Entertainment and has starred in Bollywood films including AAZAAN, MUMBAI MIRROR & JACKPOT. Sachiin
has also produced JAZBAA & VEERAPPAN. Viiking Ventures is also the proud owner of Planet Hollywood & Beatles Hotel, XXX energy drink, Kings Beer, Playboy clubs, Playboy Beer Garden, Big Brother
foundation (NGO), CCL Telugu warriors team & Paani mineral water.

HRITHIK ROSHAN BECOMES BRAND AMBASSADOR OF GLOBAL MEET – UP APP HAPPN

happn, the French meet – up app, has just announced its partnership with Hrithik Roshan. happn created the very wst 100% mobile meet – up experience to offer a facilitator and help its users to interact
with those that already share a part of their world. happn simply provides the answer to a universal desire: how can we find that handsome stranger again, the one we didn’t dare approach? Because it seemed inappropriate, impolite or wasn’t the right time. The app gives users a 2nd chance, the chance to discover, to find a person that caught their eyes. Why not actually meeting and getting to know them? Great people are around you. In showing you who’s been in the same place at the same time as you,
happn acts as a tool to provide people with 2nd chances at missed connections. happn was co – founded by Didier Rappaport, also Chief Executive Officer of the company, and Antony Cohen. The app was 1st launched in Feb, 2014 in Paris. Today the app operates worldwide mainly across 40 major cities –
including London, New York City, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, Sydney, Moscow & Mumbai and has amassed 28 million users. In 2016, happn has grown at a pace of 2 million new users each month.

BIPASHA BASU TO OPEN SELF DEFENSE CENTERS!

Bipasha Basu is all set to establish a self defense academy for women next year, which will include lessons in kickboxing, Krav Maga and other forms of combat training. The actress plans to open it in 3 key centers namely Mumbai, Delhi and her hometown Kolkata. The academy will primarily cater to young girls in the 13 to 30 age group but will also allow special enrollments by men & women in the older age group with decent fitness levels as well as martial arts enthusiasts. Talking about the initiative
says Bipasha, “Crime in India is escalating at an alarming rate and I believe self defense is the need of the hour. We are designing a week – long crash course initially, and will then turn it into a full – fledged one, spanning a month or more”. Bipasha is currently in the process of zeroing in on certified trainers for the academy.

ALTBALAJI LAUNCHES THE TRAILER OF NIMRAT KAUR’S ‘THE TEST CASE’!

The inspirational trailer of Ekta Kapoor & ALTBalaji’s 1st ever digital show, THE TEST CASE featuring Nimrat Kaur, Juhi Chawla, Atul Kulkarni & Rahul Dev has been launched recently. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Ekta Kapoor’s THE TEST CASE’ will see Nimrat Kaur prepping to be the Indian Army’s 1st
ever woman test case in a combat role. THE TEST CASE chronicles the lives of 8 officers who enter Special Forces training course and explores the themes of loyalty, team work & courage synonymous with the armed forces.
The series also showcases the hardships & immense training that these brave young
people willingly undergo in order to serve & protect their country.

RAHUL DEV TO PLAY SUBEDAR KIRPAL BHATTI IN ALT BALAJI’S ‘THE TEST CASE’!

Known for his negative portrayals in several memorable films including Bollywood & South, actor Rahul Dev will be seen playing an influential character in his 1st ever digital show, ALTBalaji’s THE TEST CASE. The talented actor will be seen playing Subedar Kirpal Bhatti in the show, directed by Nagesh
Kukunoor. Being the quintessential master of the academy, Kirpal Bhatti is unforgiving, relentless, merciless & downright sadistic when it comes to training. He has served in army for over 2 decades and has an old school thought process. Rahul Dev says, “I truly believe the digital medium is more
influential than any other currently… coming from a uniformed background I can relate to the army … I am glad to add this experience to my repertoire of work. An interesting ensemble of actors, a strong female protagonist all helmed by a talented director & producers who genuinely want to made a
difference make my decision easy … I sincerely hope that I can bring out the essence of “Kripal Bhatti”, make it believable & not unidimensional …”Ekta Kapoor’s, THE TEST CASE also featuring
Nimrat Kaur & Atul Kulkarni will be streaming soon on ALTBalaji.

NO PAKISTANI BAND TO PROMOTE B’WOOD ALBUM

A 4 – city tour of India by Pakistani music band Fuzon has been cancelled after the members werevunable to procure security. The 3 – member pop rock band, which has lent music to Raveena Tandon’s Maatr, was to arrive in the country in the 2nd week of Apr, 2017 for song promotions. “Security is the primary issue. Team also advised the makers. Relations between the countries would be further affected if right – wing elements caused harm to Fuzon or their property during performance. Now makers want to launch song on a digital platform ”Initially, Maatr makers had decided against including any songs in the gritty thriller, but during editing, producer Anjum Rizvi realized Fuzon’s music would give the movie heft. Anjum Rizvi says, “The recording was done in their studio in Pakistan. Momina felt Rahat
Fateh Ali Khan’s voice would be perfect for the song “Zindagi Ae Zindagi”, which is an emotional track mapping Raveena’s journey as a mother in the film. It is a deep song that people will connect to. ”They recorded the song at Rahat’s home in Lahore. I believe art & culture should remain independent of politics. I feel ordinary citizens of both countries want peace, no one wants these tensions & threat
of war, Art & culture should be independent of politics’ Anjum signs off.

SONALI BENDRE TO COME UP WITH HER BOOK TOO

Sonali Bendre invited at the Dehradun literature festival to give a talk on her book. She will be going on the 19th of Apr, 2017. Dehradun is an educational hub with a lot of good looks like Doon, Welham’s, and
so on. The festival has a lot of educationists, teachers & parents in attendance. Karan johar is also part of it. Says Sonali Bendre “I’m really excited to be a part of the Dehradun Community Literature Festival
…it’s a great platform to connect with people who share the same passion. The
Modern Gurukul has been so well received not just in English but also in Hindi, Marathi & Gujarati and I look forward to discussing the book festival.

SALMAN KHAN IS LORD HANUMAN’S VOICE IN ANIMATION FLICK ‘HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR’

On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, the motion poster of the animation film, HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR, is released. Interestingly, Salman Khan has lent his voice to the grown – up Hanuman in the film, which has been written & directed by Ruchi Narain. Scheduled to release on 19th May, 2017, the film narrates the story of young Hanuman. It begins at a point much before he meets Lord Ram — a time when he was oblivious of
his strength, mettle & purpose in life. Ruchi says, “It was while working out the release calendar that we realized that our 1st ever look launch was coinciding with Hanuman Jayanti. With this kind of blessing, we’re sure this summer will be truly damdaar .”