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HDFC, ICICI, Axis Bank slap charges on cash transactions

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New Delhi: Banks including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank began charging a minimum amount of Rs 150 per transaction for cash deposits and withdrawals beyond four free transactions in a month.

The charges would apply to savings as well as salary accounts effective from today, leading private sector player HDFC Bank said in a circular. The bank would also cap the third party cash transactions at Rs 25,000 per day, while cash handling charges would be withdrawn effective today, the circular added.

The move was seen in some quarters as aimed at discouraging cash transactions and furthering the digital payment drive. For the basic no-frills accounts, maximum four cash withdrawals would continue to remain free and there would be no fees for cash deposits.

In case of ICICI Bank, the charges are same as they were before the demonetisation move announced on November 8, while there is an increase in such fees in case of some others.

According to details on ICICI Bank website, there will be no charge for first four transactions a month in home branch while Rs 5 per thousand rupees would be charged thereafter subject to a minimum of Rs 150 in the same month. The third party limit would be Rs 50,000 per day.

For non-home branches, ICICI Bank would not charge anything for first cash withdrawal of a calendar month and Rs 5 per thousand rupees thereafter subject to a minimum of Rs 150.

For anywhere cash deposit, ICICI Bank would charge Rs 5 per thousand rupees (subject to a minimum of 150) at branches, while deposit at Cash Acceptance Machine would be free of charge for first cash deposit of a calendar month and Rs 5 per thousand thereafter.

ATM intercharge charges have also been re-introduced. At Axis Bank, the first five transactions or Rs 10 lakhs of cash deposits or withdrawals would be free and charged at Rs 5 per thousand rupees or Rs 150, whichever is higher.

It could not be ascertained whether the public sector banks have also begun imposing such charges. When contacted, a senior official said there has been no directive from the government to the banks regarding levy of such charges.

(Agencies)

COLORS Khidkiyaan Theatre Festival 2017 Kicks Off

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Highlighting Indian theatre’s magnanimity, the COLORS Khidkiyaan Theatre Festival 2017 kicked off at Mumbai’s Sathaye College at Vile Parle (East) this week. Organized by Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company with Viacom18’s Hindi General Entertainment Channel COLORS & Hindi film channel Rishtey Cineplex as its partner. The festival brings together theatre professionals & the Bollywood fraternity to celebrate captivating theatrical par excellence.

The COLORS Khidkiyaan Theatre Festival 2017 opened to a welcome note by actor Ragini Khanna. The evening also witnessed a musical performance, Ballimaaraan by Piyush Mishra followed by a Shraddhanjali to the Late Shri Om Puri by veteran actor’s contemporaries along with Raj Nayak (CEO – Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18) and Mukesh Chhabra, and 2 theatre presentations of Smita Bharti’s play Jug Jug Jiyo featuring Dolly Ahluwalia, Ankita Bhargava, Meghna Malik & Amit Dolawat. The 1st – of – its – kind red carpet for theatre professionals witnessed the strong support of the industry with aficionados like Sidharth Malhotra, Imtiaz Ali, Naseeruddin Shah, Vikas Bahl, Nitesh Tiwari, Dia Mirza, Prachee Shah Pandya, Karuna Pandey, Suchitra Pillai & Dheeraj Dhoopar amongst others stepping out in support.

Commenting on the opening day, organizer Mukesh Chhabra averred, “We are very excited that our humble little festival is growing. I’m thankful to all our partners and my team, and hope to have a successful festival this year as well. We are looking forward to welcoming our guests and getting in the mood of watching some amazing plays.”

Speaking about COLORS’ association with this festival, Raj Nayak, CEO – Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18 averred, “Theatre is a form of expression which has, in a major way, contributed towards the development of Indian television and its entertainment avenues by providing artists & talents across. COLORS & Rishtey Cineplex have always strived to bring the choicest content options to its viewers, and with COLORS Khidkiyaan Theatre Festival 2017 we are furthering this vision by creating a window into a parallel entertainment universe. We would like to congratulate Mukesh Chhabra and his team for developing Khidkiyaan, an endeavour bringing Indian theatre to the forefront, and hope to strengthen this association in the years to come.”

The 5 day long festival, to be held between 1st Mar, 2017 to 5th Mar, 2017, will witness a mix of superlative theatre productions & workshops, panel discussions moderated by Anupama Chopra & The Viral Fever’s Arunabh Kumar, a Masterclass by Casting Director & Acting Coach Mukesh Chhabra, script – reading sessions and a short film corner by Humaara Movie, and a special tribute to celebrated theatre actor, Late Shri Om Puri featuring his fellow NSD alumni and other colleagues.

Some of the Celebrity Quotes present on this ocassion

Siddharth Malhotra – “Mukesh is a good acting coach, a great casting director and is profoundly involved in theatre so it’s really great to be a part of this.”

Imtiaz Ali – “I’m really happy that there is a festival which is a confluence of theatre & films. Especially for me, coming from theatre and going into films; it feels like home each time I come here. I’d like to encourage all the people who are aspiring actors or filmmakers to indulge themselves in theatre as it gives certain attributes and certain strengths that will always be beneficial in both theatre & films and in life in general.”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui – “I come to this festival every year because I started off with theatre and it feels so good that Mukesh is encouraging it.”

Yami Gautam – “I think it’s amazing! It’s an amazing platform for all the theatre lovers and not just them but even for people like us who aren’t in theatre. We get to experience it under 1 roof and to bring it together in such a way to celebrate it is amazing!”

Vikas Bahl- “I think it’s a great way to encourage theatre in the country. I’m so glad that people are here to support theatre because there is no better art form than theatre and the fact that it gives too much to the other industries is the next big thing that it does.”

Govt dumps Bengaluru steel flyover project, in a major victory to citizens’ protests

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Bengaluru: The controversial steel flyover project has been cancelled by the Congress government on Thursday, according to media reports.

Bengaluru Development Minister K J George said that the steel flyover not to be constructed.

The 6.9-km steel flyover was to connect Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal with an extension on Sankey Road up to LRDE complex.

The project was vehemently opposed by the civil society and commuters due its impact on greenery of the city. They argued that steel flyover is not required at the cost of 800-odd trees as the city is known for its trees.

Also, the opposition party leader BS Yeddyurappa had accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of taking Rs 150 crore as kickback for sanctioning the controversial steel flyover in Bengaluru.

(Agencies)

Jharkhand: 800 Muslim families speak out, return dowry in silent protest

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A meeting of Muslims in progress during anti-dowry campaign at Mahuadand in Latehar district, India, on Tuesday, February 28.(HT Photo/ Vishal Sharma)

A meeting of Muslims in progress during anti-dowry campaign at Mahuadand in Latehar district, India, on Tuesday, February 28.(HT Photo/ Vishal Sharma)

Palamu: For the past few decades, one of the major social evils among the Muslim families in Jharkhand’s Palamu district was the practice of dowry system. However, now a unique social transformation is sweeping the Muslim mohallas in the region thanks to a massive campaign led by clerics and community elders.

According to reports, hundreds of families in Palamu are returning the dowry they had taken during their sons’ weddings. Over the last one year, around 800 families came out in the open about accepting dowry and have subsequently returned the money. To date, over Rs 6 crore in cash has been returned to the brides’ families.

This process kicked off once Haji Mumtaz Ali, a native of Pokhari village in Latehar, launched a campaign against dowry in April last year. Following his footsteps, the community elders waged a war against dowry, an un-Islamic practice plaguing the lives of thousands of families, especially the poor.

The ‘maulvis’, too, resolved not to solemnise ‘nikah’ where any exchange of dowry was involved.

“The success of our campaign against dowry is astounding. So far, over 800 grooms’ families in Latehar and Palamu districts have returned Rs 6 crore in cash to the brides’ families. More importantly, the marriages are now being solemnised without any exchange of money,” said Ali, who was busy preparing for a massive community meeting at Daltonganj on March 7.

“The war against dowry will eat up poor families like cancer till it is completely wiped out. There are still a few families who are yet to give up the evil practice. Earlier, the Muslim community did not pay dowry, but of late, dowry has become a part of marriages, in the process badly hampering the sanctity of this sacred bond,” Ali said.

“We will also devise a strategy during the next meeting to tackle such families,” he said.

“I feel proud to declare that what I had done earlier was wrong. To make things correct, I am returning the money. I will never demand or offer dowry in future,” said Salim Ansari, who returned the dowry.

(Agencies)

ISIL video threatens China with ‘rivers of bloodshed’

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SITE Intelligence Group says footage from Uighur fighters in western Iraq warns China of upcoming attacks.

Chinese police take part in drills in Tacheng, in Xinjiang region, in 2016 [China Daily/via Reuters]

Chinese police take part in drills in Tacheng, in Xinjiang region, in 2016 [China Daily/via Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

ISIL fighters from China’s Uighur ethnic minority have vowed to return home and “shed blood like rivers” in what security experts said marked the first such threat against Chinese targets.

The threat came in a half-hour video released Monday by a division of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) featuring fighters from China’s Uighur minority, said the US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which analysed the footage.

China has for years blamed exiled Uighur “separatists” for a series of violent attacks in its western Xinjiang region – the Muslim Uighur homeland – and warned of the potential for them to link up with violent groups.

In the video, a Uighur fighter issued the threat against China just before executing an alleged informant.

“Oh, you Chinese who do not understand what people say. We are the soldiers of the Caliphate, and we will come to you to clarify to you with the tongues of our weapons, to shed blood like rivers and avenging the oppressed,” according to SITE’s translation.

The footage also showed fighters, including heavily armed children, giving speeches, praying, and killing other “informants”.

Many Muslim Uighurs complain of cultural and religious repression and discrimination by China.

Authorities have banned or strictly controlled the observance of certain Muslim practices, such as growing beards, wearing headscarves, and fasting during Ramadan, calling them symbols of “Islamic extremism”.

A US think-tank said in July that Chinese religious restrictions on Muslims may have driven more than 100 to join ISIL.

“When we see the government involved in a very heavy crackdown, it hasn’t really ever solved the problem, it hasn’t made it go away,” said Raffaello Pantucci, director of International Security Studies at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute.

“In some cases it has made it worse.”

The video appears to be ISIL’s “first direct threat” against China, Michael Clarke, an expert on Xinjiang at the National Security College of Australian National University, told AFP news agency.

“It is the first time that Uighur-speaking militants have claimed allegiance to IS,” he added.

The video showed China is now “very firmly a target of jihadist rhetoric”, Clarke said, marking a shift from years past when it rarely figured in statements by armed groups.

But Clarke said it also could indicate a possible split among Uighur fighters, as it includes a warning to those fighting with the al-Qaeda-aligned Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) in Syria.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday he had not seen the video but noted that “East Turkestan terrorist forces have been posing a severe threat to China’s security.”

He called for international cooperation “to combat such terrorist forces”.

Show of force

China maintains tight security in Xinjiang but a drumbeat of deadly unrest has continued. A knife attack last month left eight dead, including three attackers, police said.

The video was released on the same day China staged the latest in a series of mass rallies by armed police in Xinjiang meant to indicate Chinese resolve in crushing security threats.

More than 10,000 officers gathered Monday in the regional capital Urumqi – the fourth such show of force this year in Xinjiang.

In one violence-wracked corner of Xinjiang, authorities are offering rewards of up to $730,000 to those who expose attack plots or “kill, wound, or subdue” any assailants.

The ISIL video also featured images of Chinese riot police guarding mosques, patrolling Uighur markets, and arresting men in what appears to be western China. The Chinese flag is pictured engulfed in flames.

Clarke said the hints of a Uighur split could “intensify the threat to China” as it indicates Uighur fighters may be able to tap into the capabilities of both ISIL and al-Qaeda.

Overseas analysts have up to now expressed doubts about the strength of Uighur fighters, with some saying China exaggerates the threat to justify tough security.

NISHANTH TO MAKE HIS DEBUT

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NISHANTH TO MAKE HIS DEBUT

The noted villain of South Indian films Sathyaprakash (seen in Saikumar films in Kannada) was up in joy as his son Nishanth is introduced in the Kannada movie Manasu Mallige by Rockline Venkatesh & Zee TV. He came down for the audio release with his friends to watch the songs of his son Nishanth. He felt very happy for the gesture extended by Rockline Venkatesh. Nishanth on the other hand looked fit for the tender love story in Manasu Mallige. After the audio release, screening of songs & guests speeches actor Sathyaprakash honored producer Rockline Venkatesh, Zee TV’s Akash Chawla & director S Narayan with a shawl & Shirdi Saibaba idol at Sri Chamundeswari studio in Bengaluru.

2 FILMS ANNOUNCED ON DARSHAN’S BIRTHDAY

The box office Ustaad of Kannada cinema, challenging star Darshan celebrated his birthday on 16th Feb, 2017. While the release of his film Chakravarthy is not yet known. However 2 films were announced on Darshan’s birthday. They did not go on the floors on his birthday. From last year he stopped such practice. As Chakravarthy, his 48th film is counting days for release, the 49th film of Darshan is titled as Tharak. Meanwhile Tharak is the rechristened name of Ajaramara Kannada film hero Ranavir. Successful director in Kannada cinema Milana Prakash (Milana was one year screened Kannada film starring Puneeth Rajakumar & Parvathi) is commencing shooting from 1st Mar, 2017. Prakash close to Dr Rajakumar family made debut in Khushi in 2003. He directed Rishi, Shree, Vamshi, Gokula, Siddartha & Milana has been an all time hit film. What is the 50th film of Darshan is the issue cropped in the minds of fans. It is not Sarvantharyami announced earlier. It is Tamil remake of Ajith starring Veeram in the direction of Tarun Kishor Sudhir, son of popular villain Sudhir. Tarun’s debut movie Chowka is receiving good results on the Box – Office turnstiles. Tamil super star Ajith’s Veeram was released in 2014.

SUMAN & GOWDA MAKE THEIR DEBUT

In a film that focuses on a simple philosophy Arishadwargas, director Srinivas is paired with 2 heroines Nikila Suman & Kavitha Gowda. As of now the dialogues in the trailer for Nikila has made a big talk for using such words. I am from conservative family and the need for such dialogue was director prerogative says Nikila a stage artist in her debut film Srinivasa Kalyana. Although she has tough role the inner senses are soft. She is from a conservative family and such dialogues are not her cup of tea. She has delivered it because it is for her role Radha. A multi talented & multi tasking personality Srini cleverly added “Devranege Devru Cinema Alla” as caption and that worked out. Later a trailer long ago did not fetch him much publicity. A song Gap Gapalli….and another dialogue oriented trailer brought good mileage for the film. On whether such dialogues will be part of the film or it was just to get curiosity for the film, Srini keeps quiet. He says watching cinema would answer the doubts.

VICKY MAKES A COMEBACK

Vicky Varun a talented team member of director Dhuniya Soori who suddenly turned hero from Kenda Sampige 100 days run successful film is back after a small hibernation. From the writing & direction department to acting, Vicky signed his next film for director of Alemaari, Dove And Darling Santhu. Apparently Vicky with good looks & physique, proving his ability as actor in Kenda Sampige has rejected nearly 30 scripts that came to him. This subject of director Santhu is about a boy from city returning to village. Vicky suits this role precisely says Santhu. After getting a good beginning from Kenda Sampige it was my intention to wait for a good subject for 2nd journey. Now the time has come he says. In short & sweet Santhu explained the story for me. I am convinced that my next move is right says Vicky.

DIVYA MAKES HER DEBUT ON THE BIG SCREEN

Small Screen is the stepping stone for most of the actors on Big Screen. For Divya of Huliraya Kannada cinema the offer was waiting for her. It is journey from Shivamogga based to Mangaluru and stopover in Bengaluru for Divya. She completed her studies in Mangaluru and was in Bengaluru when the offer from Chitte Hejje of well known director Vinu Balanja came. She started off as a sister and later went on with Sapthapadi, Ambaari, Om Shakthi Om Shanthi. She is now female lead in Huliraya that stars debutant Balu Nagendra in Aravind Kaushik’s direction. Divya does not care for emotions and moves ahead with bold nature in her debut film Huliraya. Remembering her experience of shoot in a deep forest says it was a thrilling experience. There is a lot of difference in shooting from TV to cinema she says. She has got good support from family members to continue in this mass media.

GANESH IN ORANGE, ZOOM TEAM FILM

A Kannada film title launch at the famous temple of Shirdi Sai Saba in Shirdi is for the 1st time ever. The title of new Kannada film Orange was announced after a ritual at the Shirdi Temple recently. Ganesh & his wife Shilpa were present with director Prashanth Raj, producer Naveen, Mugul Nage producer Rachana, Syed Salaam and others. This has nothing to do with Ram Charan’s 2010 film Orange Telugu film. Prashanth clarifies that the subject is totally different and Zoom team is working in this film. The title launch of the film Orange coincided with the marriage anniversary celebration day of Golden Star Ganesh & Shilpa. With an orange in the hand, the film title was launched with a few guests on this occasion. It is Nimma Cinema banner film. Off late vegetables & fruits names are kept for the titles in Kannada cinema.

MOHANLAL TO DO A FILM WITH NIVIN PAULY!!!

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MOHANLAL TO DO A FILM WITH NIVIN PAULY!!!

Mohanlal & Nivin Pauly, it seems, have been approached to play the lead roles in an upcoming project. It is heard that the movie will be produced by K K Rajagopal, who had earlier associated with Mohanlal for the 2010 release Shikkar. However, there is no official announcement on the project yet. Earlier on, Nivin Pauly was indeed approached to play an important role in Mohanlal’s movie Geethanjali, but the actor had turned down the offer due to date clashes. As both the stars are undisputed kings of the Box – Office turnstiles down south if the movie materializes it will be a SURE hit on the Box – Office turnstiles.

DULQUER SALMAAN’S NEW LOOK LEAKED!!!

Dulquer Salmaan who is basking in the success of his latest release Jomonte Suviseshangal has recently joined the sets of Soubin Sahir’s debut directorial Parava, in which the actor is playing a cameo role. Interestingly, the actor sports a never seen before avatar for the film. His new look leaked online and has gone viral in no time. In the pictures, the actor is spotted with no moustache, but with a thick beard in his latest get -up. The actor will be seen in the role of a native of Mattancherry in this film. Parava marks to be 2nd time association of Dulquer Salman & Soubin Sahir after blockbusters Charlie & Kali. Parava mainly features Shane Nigam, Zain Sainuddeen & Arjun Ashokan in & pivotal roles. The shoot of the film is currently progressing in Mattancherry, Kochi.

MANJU REPLACES VIDYA

After Vidya Balan opted out of Aami, the biopic of poet & writer Madhavi Kutty, many actresses’ names have been coming up including Parvathy & Tabu. And now, it looks like the long wait has come to an end to find the women who have the facial features of Aami. Director Kamal has confirmed that actress Manju Warrier will be playing the most challenging role of Aami in the movie. To get into the character of a middle – aged Madhavi Kutty, Manju Warrier will be gaining a few kilos too. Apart from Manju Warrier, the film also has Murali Gopy, Anoop Menon & Prithviraj in important roles. The movie’s shoot will begin on 20th Mar, 2017 at Ottapalam.

PRITHVIRAJ MAKES A HUMBLE REQUEST!!!

Prithviraj’s horror thriller, Ezra hit the big screens this week and has opened to positive responses. Ezra has been raved about for its unusual plot & spine chilling narrative style! However, few sections of the social media are engaged in finding weird pleasure by revealing the plot & suspense of the movie. Reportedly, few netizens are disclosing the suspense element of the movie through What’s app & Facebook posts. Reacting to this, Prithviraj made a humble request to audiences to stop doing this low minded act. The actor took to his official social media page to put forward his request – “A big thank you and a humble request! There are numerous forwards floating around FB, WhatsApp and other platforms revealing the plot and the suspense of #EZRA. I fail to understand the motivation behind this want to spoil the experience for people yet to watch the movie. As an actor proud to have taken a step to try something truly different in Malayalam, I would be greatly obliged if this is stopped and discouraged. And THANK YOU…….for presenting EZRA with one among the biggest ever openings for a film in Kerala and for all the support and appreciation. Cheers!” wrote Prithviraj.

THE GREAT FATHER TEASER OUT

After a long wait, the 1st ever teaser of Mammootty’s most awaited movie The Great father is out! The teaser was screened along with Prithviraj’s Ezra, which hit the big screens this week. The 20 seconds long video gives a glimpse about Mammootty’s character David Ninan, who is also a smoker, in the Haneef Adeni directorial. The intriguing teaser hit the cyber space exactly at 11.11 am and has already created waves on social media. “#TheGreatFather intro teaser..YouTube release at 11:11 am! Also catch David on the big screen with #EZRA! #Mammukka #M_Swag [sic],” wrote Prithviraj, who has co – produced The Great Father, on his social media page. The Great Father marks to be the reunion of Mammootty & Sneha after 6 years. The actress essays the role Michelle David, wife of Megastar’s character in the movie. Child artiste Anikha stars as the couple’s daughter Sara David. The movie also has Kollywood star Arya in a significant role. Bankrolled by August Cinema, co – owned by Prithviraj, Arya, Santhosh Sivan & Shaji Natesan, The Great Father is expected to hit the screens in Mar, 2017. Stay tuned!!!

FAHADH & VINAYAKAN ARE CLASSMATES!!!

Fahadh Faasil who was last seen in Maheshinte Prathikaaram, is all busy with director Rafi’s upcoming movie, Role Model. The movie will have actor Vinayakan, in the role of Fahadh’s class mate. As Vinayakan has garnered a huge fan base in Kerala with his power packed performance (PPP) in Kamattipaadam, expectations from the movie are sky high. Touted to be a campus movie, Role Model has Namitha Pramod in the female lead. The comedy entertainer marks the 1st time ever association of Fahadh, Namitha & Vinayakan. Coming from a power packed combination of actors, we can expect something BIG!. The comedy entertainer emphasizes on how friendships play an important role in shaping a person in the different phases of his life. The movie also stars Vinay Forrt, Sharafudheen, Seetha and many others in significant roles.

VANANGAMUDI COMMENCED IN CHENNAI

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VANANGAMUDI COMMENCED IN CHENNAI

Arvind Swamy’s cop thriller Vanangamudi has commenced with an auspicious Pooja event in Chennai. To be directed by Selva, who earlier made Pudhayal (1997) with Arvind Swamy, Vanangamudi has Ritika Singh, Nandita Swetha, Chandini, Thambi Ramaiah & Harish Uttaman in important roles. Daniel Balaji was initially approached to play the baddie in the film but the actor has now opted out due to unavailability of dates. Magic Box Ganesh is producing Vanangamudi and Imman has been roped in to compose music. The shoot of the film will be happening in Kodaikanal, Tuticorin & Chennai. Besides Vanangamudi, Arvind Swamy also has Sathuranga Vettai 2 & Naragasooran with Karthick Naren.

CHIYAAN STARTS SHOOTING FOR HIS NEW FILM

Chiyaan Vikram has commenced shooting for his new film with director Vijay Chander of Vaalu fame. “1st day shoot of 2nd film. #vjchander#DOPsukumar#chiyaan54″, wrote Vikram on his official Instagram page. To be produced by Silverline Film Factory, the yet untitled film also has Tamannaah as Vikram’s pair. The entire film will be shot in North Chennai backdrop. Sukumar of Mynaa fame is cranking the film, where Vikram is said to be playing a local gangster & Tamannaah plays a homely girl. Vikram is also planning to simultaneously shoot for both Dhruva Natchathiram & Vijay Chander film as both characters demand the similar bearded look.

STR’S NEW LOOK UNVEILED

A glimpse of STR’s aged look for the Ashwin Thatha’s character in Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan was unveiled by the makers recently. STR’s hairstyle & mannerisms remind us of Superstar Rajinikanth, which has been lapped up by his ardent fans & movie buffs alike. In an earlier interaction, Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan director Adhik Ravichandran has revealed Ashwin Thatha’s character will be energetic that despite his aged look, STR will be seen performing risky action sequences. Produced by Michael Rayappan of Global Infotainment, the film also has 2 heroines — Shriya Saran & Tamannaah Bhatia. Besides Michael & Ashwin, STR will also be seen in 1 more look for which the actor will be reducing nearly 15 kilos. Curently, STR who was paid a bomb to be the music director for Santhanam’s new film has completed composing 5 songs and is busy with recordings.

MANJIMA TO ROMANCE VISHNU

Vishnu Vishal is on a roll, his Kathanayagan is getting ready for release and he is also busy shooting for his yet – untitled action thriller with Mundasupatti director Ram, where Amala Paul plays the actor’s romantic interest. Vishnu Vishal has also started his 3rd production venture with debutante director Chella, a former associate of Ezhil & Regina Cassandra has been roped in to play the female lead. The actor has also signed a new film with Eshaan Productions, who earlier produced Meen Kuzhambum Mannpaanaiyum. Kathanayagan’s director Muruganandham will be helming the new project of Eshaan Productions. The latest update is that Manjima Mohan is officially on board for the film, Vishnu Vishal tweeted “Happy to share screen space with the happening @mohan_manjima for ESHAN PRODUCTIONS @dusshyanth film directed by Muruganandham (kathanayagan)”

KARTHI: ‘KAATRU VELIYIDAI’ WILL BE A CLASSIC LOVE STORY

In his recent media interaction, Karthi revealed that his upcoming film Kaatru Veliyidai will be a classic love story like Alaipayuthey. “Even before the shoot, Mani sir clearly told me, ‘I don’t want a boy, I want a man’. “Kaatru Veliyidai deals with human relationships, it’s a love story between a fighter pilot & a doctor”, said Karthi. The actor also clarified that the film will not have any terrorism backdrop as reported by a section of the media. Ravivarman of Vettaiyadu Vilayadu fame is the DOP of Kaatru Veliyidai and major portions were canned in Kashmir. Already, the Azhagiyey single number composed by A R Rahman received positive reviews & the Vaan song was also out on Valentine’s Day. The film will be distributed by Sri Thenandal Films on 7th Apr, 2017.

YAMAN GETS A RELEASE DATE!!!

In their previous interactions, Lyca Productions & Vijay Antony have confirmed that their political action entertainer Yaman will be releasing for Sivarathiri weekend. Now, as the film has been censored with a clean “U” certificate, the makers have confirmed that Yaman will be hitting the screens on 24th Feb, 2017. In Yaman, Vijay Antony will be seen playing a dual role, Miya George plays an actress & Prashanth’s dad Thiagarajan essays the role of a selfish politician. Jeeva Shankar, who directed Vijay Antony’s 1st hit film Naan has helmed the film, which also has Charlie, Marimuthu & Sangili Murugan in pivotal roles. Yaman’s Telugu version will also be simultaneously releasing along with the Tamil version on 24th Feb, 2017.

MANISHA TIES THE KNOT WITN A BUSINESSMAN!!!

Manisha Yadav made her debut in Balaji Shakthivel’s critically acclaimed film Vazhakku En 18 / 9, the actress later acted in many films including Suseenthiran’s Aadhalal Kaadhal Seiveer, GV Prakash Kumar’s Trisha Ilana Nayanthara & she has also appeared as the glam Soppana Sundari in Venkat Prabhu’s Chennai 28 II innings. The actress has recently got married to her longtime boyfriend, a Bengaluru based businessman at a private event in Bangalore. Posting pics from the wedding, Manisha tweeted “Thanks to family friends, well – wishers who stood by us rock solid in our 7 year relationship turning into a beautiful wedding. I thank the media also for respecting this as a private affair between families. Thank every director / actor for their blessings & fans for their love”.

SHRUTI TO STAR IN & AS SANGAMITHRA

Of late Shruti Haasan has officially signed on the dotted line to play the female lead in Sundar C’s big budget Sangamithra. Apart from the massive budget & promising technical team, Shruti is said to be super impressed with her character and believes that it’s a great chance to put forward her acting skills she will also undergo aggressive training in martial arts & horse riding to make her role better. Director Sundar C is planning to shoot the Tamil & the Telugu versions with Arya, Jayam Ravi & Shruti but the Hindi version will have a different cast. To be produced by Sri Thenandal Films, A R Rahman will be composing the music for the film & Sudeep Chatterjee of Bajirao Mastani fame will be cranking the camera.

AMY SHOOTS FOR LAST SCEDULE OF 2.O

The last schedule of maverick director Shankar’s magnum opus 2.o is progressing at a brisk pace in the outskirts of Chennai city. “Great shoot with #Shankar for Robot 2.0. Only a few more days left to shoot with the #2point0 Team. Next stop Mumbai”, updated the film’s heroine Amy Jackson on her Instagram page. Superstar Rajinikanth plays the lead role in 2.o & Bollywood’s Khiladi Akshay Kumar playing the deadly baddie. The film also has Sudhanshu Pandey & Adil Hussain essaying the other important roles. The 1st look teaser of 2.o will be unveiled on 14th Apr, 2017 and the film will be releasing in Tamil, Telugu & Hindi for this Diwali. Produced by Lyca, A R Rahman is composing the music for the film & Nirav Shah is handling the cinematography department.

NAREN CONFIRMS SWAMY FOR NARAGA SOORAN

Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru director Karthick Naren approached Arvind Swamy for his upcoming gangster film Naraga Sooran. Recently, Arvind Swamy stated that discussions are on but nothing has been finalized. Now Karthick Naren has took to his Facebook page to confirm the buzz. “Tried my level best to keep this under the wraps. Yes, met Arvind Swamy sir before couple of weeks & we discussed about a script called Naragasooran. He is really excited about the script & as a director I’m very keen to work with him. The discussion is in its early stages. will update once the project goes on paper. Hoping for the best “, wrote Karthick. a leading Kollywood director will be bankrolling the film.

JAYAM WRAPS UP VANAMAGAN

The shoot of Jayam Ravi’s forest based action adventure film Vanamagan is wrapped up & the team held a cake cutting ceremony. Vijay is directing Vanamagan, which also has Sayyeshaa as Ravi’s romantic interest while Varun, Thambi Ramaiah & Sam Paul will also be seen playing pivotal roles. Produced by Vijay’s Think Big Studios, Harris Jayaraj is scoring the music for the film & Thiru has cranked the camera. As Ravi has completed Vanamagan, he will now be resuming 45 days shoot of his space thriller Tik Tik Tik with Shakti Rajan. A large set has been erected at EVP city & the film’s director Shakti Rajan is planning to shoot there for 45 days. Nivetha Pethuraj of Oru Naal Koothu fame plays the female lead in Tik Tik Tik and interestingly, Ravi’s son Aarav will also be making his acting debut in the film. Produced by Hitesh Jhabak & Nemichand Jhabak, Imman has been roped in to compose music for Tik Tik Tik.
Tamizha Adhi In conversation!!!
The band “Hiphop Tamizha” was formed by both Adhi & Jeeva. However, the former only appears in the media & film related events while the latter has his own reasons to stay away from the limelight. “When Jeeva & I started composing independent songs, we were skeptical about the initial reactions from our middle class families. We even thought that they would scold & wallop us for doing something, which is completely irrelevant to what we studied. So we created a generic yet catchy name “Hiphop Tamizha”. Averred Adhi, who is from Coimbatore. When asked Adhi on why his partner Jeeva doesn’t show up at film events, he says “During Aambala audio launch, Vishal compelled Jeeva and his face turned pink that he struggled to speak in front of the huge crowd”. “Jeeva always tells me that if music assistants & many other people, who are helping us to create music does not like to appear in front of the public, why bother him? Jeeva is someone who is outspoken that once he told Sundar C that the “lemon” comedy in Aranmanai was mokkai. As Sundar sir loves Jeeva, he was able to take it but just imagine what would happen if he shares similar thoughts to the media. In one of the interviews, a reporter asked Jeeva to choose his favorite music composer in Kollywood, he listed out people but told him that he doesn’t feel like choosing 1 music composer. Guess Jeeva himself knows that his frank talk might create controversies and stayed out of the limelight. But all my directors love Jeeva, they would have long conversations with him, they love his honesty”.

DHANUSH BACK ON THE SETS!!!

Dhanush, who was busy shooting for VIP2 has now donned the director’s cap & resumed Power Paandi. “Power paandi last 5 days shoot 🙂 #dd1 #directormode #april142017release”, posted the actor on his Twitter page. Touted to be a heart – warming film on the lives of stunt artists, Rajkiran plays the lead role in Power Paandi. The film also has an ensemble cast of actors including Prasanna, Chaya Singh, Delhi Ganesh, Robo Shankar & Vidyu Raman. Dhanush plays the younger version of Rajkiran in the film while Gautham Menon & Madonna Sebastian will be seen in special cameos. Produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films, Velraj is cranking the camera for the film & Sean Roldan is taking care of the songs & the background score. After Power Paandi, Dhanush is expected to join the sets of Vetri Maaran’s Vada Chennai in Mar, 2017.

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLANS VIKRAM’S NEXT!!!

Though Thaman is extremely talented, lady luck is not very kind to him in Tamil cinema. He is yet to compose for big hero projects so far. But in Telugu, he is a big music director with many hits in his kitty. Currently, Thaman is busy with the composition of Chiyaan Vikram’s new film with Vaalu director Vijay Chander. Talking about the film Thaman says “It will be a very interesting project from Vijay Chander. Apart from Vikram, Tamannaah has also got a powerful character”. Regarding the songs & BGM, the composer says “We are planning for a mass symphony kind of BGM for the film in Bulgaria. I’ve already delivered the 1st song”. The shoot of the yet untitled film is progressing at a brisk pace in Chennai. Thaman has also recently met Ilayathalapathy Vijay and the duo will be soon joining hands for a film.

DATE FIXED FOR 1ST TEASER

Top league heroine Nayanthara’s 1st release of the year will be Dora the fantasy horror flick directed by Dass Ramasamy. The teaser of Dora will be released on 17th Feb, 2017 and it is expected to be a treat for horror movie buffs & fans of Nayanthara. Apart from the lead character Pavalakodi, played by Nayan, the film also stars Harish Uthaman, Thambi Ramaiah and many others. Thambi Ramaiah plays Nayan’ father in the film. Dora has been produced by Nemichand Jhabak & Presented by V. Hitesh Jhabak. Sarkunam Cinemas has made the film on behalf of Nemichand Jhabak. Vivek – Mervin duo has rendered the music score for this film.

SURIYA & HARI TO DELIVER 2 MORE FILMS

The Combo of actor Suriya & director Hari have delivered there 5th film Si3 as a huge success. The 3rd part of the blockbuster Singam series has been doing great business at all centers across the globe & the worldwide collections so far has crossed Rs.77 crores as per trade sources. Suriya commands a tremendous market in Telugu speaking states of Andhra & Telangana. Si3 has been simultaneously released as Yamudu in Telugu and the film has taken a big opening as expected. Recently the success party of Yamudu was held in Hyderabad. Speaking in the event director Hari has confirmed that he will be teaming up with Suriya again for not just 1 but 2 films. 1 will be of course Singam 4 and the other 1 will be a fresh film out of the franchise. Hari & Suriya have so far worked together in Aaru, Vel, Singam, Singam 2 & Si3 and all the films are super hits.

5 HEROES FOR JAI & ANJALI

The pair that is making news currently in Kollywood, Jai & Anjali are the leads in Balloon directed by Sinish. The film has music by Yuvan Shankar Raja & produced by Dileep Subbarayan, Kandhaswamy Nandakumar & T. N. Arunbalaji. The Balloon team has announced that 5 leading Kollywood heroes will reveal 4 1st look posters & a prelude to a teaser. The names of the A Listers have not been revealed yet but the unveiling has started from 15th Feb, 2017 and will go on till 19th Feb, 2017.

96 FILM LAUNCH DATE & TIME

Vijay Sethupathi & Trisha will be pairing up for the 1st time for a film titled as 96. This film will be directed by Prem Kumar, the cinematographer of Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kanom. While the talks about this exciting projects has been doing rounds for long, the film was officially launched through a Project Launch Announcement at around 7 pm on Valentine’s Day. The film will be bankrolled by S. Nandagopal of Madras Enterprises banner. Govinda Menon will be rendering the musical score.

NAGA CHAITANYA TO MAKE TAMIL DEBUT

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Naga Chaitanya

NAGA CHAITANYA TO MAKE TAMIL DEBUT

Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya will be teaming up with director Karthick Naren for his upcoming Tamil horror thriller Naragasooran, thereby marking his debut in the Tamil film industry. Naga Chaitanya is said to be on board. It’s going to be a dual hero subject and the team is in talks with Arvind Swami too. Karthick had met Arvind recently but they are yet to officially announce anything. Although Chaitanya made a special appearance in Gautham Vasudev Menon’s 2010 Tamil romantic drama Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya, this project will feature him in a full – length role. The team is yet to take a call on whether they can make it as a Tamil – Telugu bilingual or not. The regular shooting is likely to commence in mid – Jun, 2017.

BALAKRISHNA CAUGHT IN A DILEMMA

Nandamuri Balakrishna is yet to take a call on his next film. Balakrishna thought of doing Raithu with Krishna Vamsi, but that project is put on hold for the moment. Khaidi No. 150 dealing with the same theme of the struggles of farmers seems to be the reason for putting Raithu on hold. Balakrishna has decided to do movies with different themes post Gautamiputra Satakarni and that is the reason why he is taking time for his next film. He is yet to find a right script that is good enough to follow up GPSK. Directors like Sriwass & Vinayak have reportedly approached NBK, but he is not in a mood to take up a masala potboiler at this point. Mass masala movies have always been great fodder for Balakrishna and it will get extremely tough for him to find scripts if he stays away from doing commercial films. Interestingly, new age directors are still not approaching the veteran star in spite of being aware of Balakrishna’s willingness to do content driven films.

CHIRANJEEVI TO LAUNCH “UYYALAVADA”

Megastar Chiranjeevi is all set to launch his next movie in the month of Apr, 2017 with much fanfare. Since he has cancelled the success celebrations of Khaidi No 150, fans are disappointed. To please them, he said he would hold the launch of his next movie in a big way. Although director Surender Reddy is still penning the final touches to the script of Uyyalavada Narasimha Reddy”, the megastar has reportedly to decide to launch the movie in Apr, 2017 only. His plan is to release the movie for Sankranthi 2018. So, the regular shoot should commence from May, 2017 itself to meet the deadline. The movie will also be made with a whopping Rs 80 Cr budget. Surender Reddy is trying to rope in a big Bollywood cinematographer. Graphical team of Magadheera will be working on the movie.

LOCATION TROUBLE FOR RAM CHARAN

Ram Charan & director Sukumar’s period love drama was launched with much fanfare last month. Samantha was also selected as the main heroine in the last minute replacing Anupama Parameswaran. The movie was to commence its regular shoot from 15th Feb, 2017. But still it has not started. Perhaps director Sukumar is finding hard to get a right locale for the movie. He wants to shoot major part of the movie in lush green village atmosphere. Pollachi in Tamilnadu has been chosen but the director later felt that the locales of Pollachi are not virgin. They have been explored in many movies. So, he is now exploring some villages in Karnataka & Kerala. The location not only should be lush with greenery but it should also be ideal for shoot for Ram Charan without any trouble. 70% of the movie will be shot here. So, once the right locale is fixed, Ram Charan will be joining the shoot. The team is hoping to select 1 locale by end of this month and begin the movie from Mar, 2017.

ILEANA DOES THE “MACARENA” DANCE

Ileana D’Cruz recently stated that she couldn’t find a “corny” photograph for Valentine’s Day and instead ended up doing the “Macarena” dance with her best friend. Ileana shared a black & white video of herself along with her friend on Instagram. The 2 friends can be seen sporting unicorn onsies. “I tried to find a corny photo of me holding a heart up or something, but I didn’t have any so I decided on this video instead, of my bestie and I dancing to the “Macarena” in onesies, of course. She’s gonna kill me after she sees this Happy Valentine’s Day to you!” Ileana captioned the video. On the work front, Ileana will be seen in Anees Bazmee’s upcoming film Mubarakan. The film also stars Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor & Athiya Shetty. The film is all set to hit the screens on 28th Jul, 2017.

NAGARJUNA TO ENACT THE ROLE OF A MENTALIST

After playing an ardent devotee of Lord Balaji in his Telugu release Om Namo Venkatesaya, Akkineni Nagarjuna will be playing a mentalist in horror – thriller Raju Gari Gadhi 2. It seems his character has been designed in such a way that it will be a treat for his fans. He enacts the role of a mentalist. He will be seen riding a fancy bike in the film. He will be in a very different avatar and, contrary to rumors, he is not playing an extended cameo. Being directed by Ohmkar, the film is a sequel to his own 2015 sleeper hit Raju Gari Gadhi. The sequel also stars Seerat Kapoor, Samantha Ruth Prabhu & Shakalaka Shankar. That apart Samantha & Nagarjuna are not paired together. They’re not playing a couple. Also, Samantha is not playing the ghost…….She will be seen in a very emotional role. Nagarjuna will commence shooting in Mar, 2017. The film is being produced by PVP Cinema & has music by S. S. Thaman.

NENU LOCAL JOINS 1 MILLION DOLLARS CLUB

Nenu Local has finally joined the club of 1 million dollars movies. The movie got bookings of $45k through mobile ticket offers. The film already grossed $960k by end of 2nd Mon. So, it has now officially joined the club of Telugu movies that grossed more than 1 million dollars at USA Box –Office turnstiles. Nani starrer was released on 3rd Feb, 2017 and took about $750 opening weekend gross but it has slowed down its run later. And now finally has touched the 1 million dollars mark. This is 3rd movie for Nani to have achieved this mark. Rajamouli directed Eega was his 1st ever 1 million dollars movie. Maruthi’s Bhale Bhale Magadivoy is his biggest hit till date as the movie grossed about $1.4 million. So, the distributors of Nenu Local have now entered into a break – even zone.

VIJAY ANTONY CREATING RIPPLES

Vijay Antony of Bichagadu fame is all set to entertain us as Yaman for this Shivaratri. Telugu version trailer of this film has been receiving good response on YouTube. The trailer has clocked over 5 lakh views in 3 days. This is no mean feat for a low budget Tamil dubbed film. Yaman is a political thriller directed by Jeeva Shankar who previously made Nakili with Vijay Antony. Although Vijay Antony’s last film Bethaludu didn’t live up to the expectations, buyers are now hoping that he would recreate the magic of Bichagadu as Yaman. Trailer of Yaman is very interesting and definitely creates curiosity around it. Vijay Antony is known for picking interesting scripts and switching genres. He looks massy & powerful in the attire of a politician. Mia George played the female lead in this film and the rest of the star cast mostly consists of debutante actors. Vijay Antony also is the music composer for this film.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE FOR PAWAN’S STAR POWER

Katamarayudu is red hot in the Tollywood trade at the moment. Business circles didn’t show much interest in the movie until the teaser was out. But everything has changed in the span of 30 seconds as the teaser turned out to be an instant hit on the internet. Clocking over 7.2 Million views, Katamarayudu is the most liked Telugu film teaser on the video sharing website, YouTube. The look & the feel of the film is superb in the teaser that buyers are betting huge on Katamarayudu now. The distribution rights of this film are selling like hot cake everywhere. Nizam rights were bought by Nithin & Asian Films for a whopping Rs. 20 crore & Ceded rights were bagged for Rs. 12 crore. Uttarandhra region was sold for Rs. 8.3 crore & Guntur rights for Rs. 6.5 crore. East & West Godavari districts distribution rights were bagged for 5.5 crore & 4.85 crore respectively. Overseas deal is likely to be closed for Rs. 12 crore out of which Rs. 2 crore is refundable. So Katamarayudu should make around Rs. 85 crore from the theatricals to be a successful venture. Who would have guessed that the remake of a Tamil film that was already dubbed in Telugu will create such a sensation in the Tollywood market? It is sheer power of the power star!

AMY JACKSON’S PHONE HACKED

Amy Jackson, currently filming her scenes in Rajinikanth’s 2.0, recently discovered that personal pictures taken on her phone had made their way online. The photos, which were of her & a friend and were taken in London recently, are believed to have been accessed at a mobile store in Mumbai airport where Amy took her phone to be checked and where it was allegedly hacked. Amy recently said that she will go to the cops once she flies out of Chennai. She was shocked when this happened. She feels that this isn’t a trivial matter and has to be taken up seriously. She avers, “I will register a complaint with the cybercrime cell in London and ensure the hackers are taken to task. Cyber safety is the need of the hour,” Amy, whose hometown is London, realised her phone had been hacked when pictures auto – saved in her iCloud account were published online. “It was on 7th Feb, 2017 when 2 pictures with her best friend having dinner appeared online that she realised her phone was hacked. She went to the service centre because she wasn’t able to log in.

ADAH’S IDEA OF A PERFECT MATCH!!!

Adah Sharma recently stated that her Mr. Right would be a food gourmet & an animal lover, but most of all, a person who remains happy & spreads happiness. “With time, my requirement of a perfect match has changed. Now I realise that I like those people who are happy & not insecure. I enjoy the company of someone who loves animals, likes my bad jokes, likes food & loves to work. Basically, I like those people who stay & keep others happy & don’t crib,” Adah averred. On Valentine’s Day, she has no specific plans. “All the people who are in my life are the ones I love. I love being with them all the time. So I was with my family & friends.” “I live my life with love & passion. Whatever I do, I do it with full of love, even If it is just dressing up for an occasion,” she said. Adah, who will be seen next in the film Commando 2, concluded by averring: “As actors, we make these movies for the audience. Therefore, we are waiting to see the audience response. I feel so special when I read the comments of the audience because people who have not even met us, they shower us with so much love.”

PRABHAS’ 150 CR MOVIE LAUNCHED

The much – awaited #Prabhas19, the new film of Prabhas was launched in the simplest way possible. Without any hungama, the team held its pooja ceremony early morning recently. Prabhas, director Sujeeth, producers Vamsi, Pramod and few of the team’s friends attended the launch. The film will be made with a whopping Rs 150 Crore budget. Madhie, the trusted cinematographer of UV Creations who worked for Run Raja Run, and Mirchi, will be handling the camera. Kenny Beats, who worked for Hollywood movie Transformers, will be filming biggest ever action episode in Tollywood’s history with estimated budget of Rs 25 Cr. The entire action sequence will be shot in Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Prabhas will be presented in a never – before – seen avatar. Director Sujeeth said he would promise all the fans of Prabhas anna that they would get the best entertainment.

NITHIN BAGS PK’S RIGHTS

Pawan Kalyan’s diehard fan & actor Nithin has bagged the Nizam distribution rights of Katamarayudu. Nithin made it official that Asian Movies & Shreshth Movies will be distributing Katamarayudu across Telangana state. “THRILLED to announce that Asian films n sreshth movies wil b distributing POWERSTAR’S KAATAMARAYUDU for Nizam area,” tweeted Nithin. This news is exciting for Pawan Kalyan fans as Nithin previously distributed Attarintiki Daredi for Nizam that went on to become an industry hit. Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan is co – producing a movie with Nithin in the lead role. Looks like the bonding between Pawan & Nithin is growing stronger by the day. Katamarayudu is slated for 29th Mar, 2017 release. The film’s teaser has clocked nearly 7 Million views on YouTube in 1 week!!!

VENKATESH’S GURU FOR SUMMER

Victory Venkatesh has played many versatile characters over the years but for the 1st time ever, he is going to be seen in a sports drama. The movie is Guru and Venkatesh will be seen in the role of a hard hitting boxing coach. The film has completed its shoot & post – production. Guru has been directed by the National Award winning Sudha Kongara, who has worked with the maestro Mani Ratnam for 7 years, before taking up direction herself. The movie is a gritty & realistic sports drama with strong emotions. Ritika Singh & Mumtaz Sorcar will be sharing the screen with Venkatesh in this movie. Ritika Singh is a real life mixed martial arts expert who represented India at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games. She has recently won a National Award as well as a Filmfare Award for Best Debut for the movie Irudhu Suttru. Mumtaz Sorcar is the daughter of the legendary magician, P. C. Sorkar. A special lyrical video from the film titled “Aye Sakkanodu” will be released on 17th Feb, 2017. The audio album of the film will be released in the 1st week of Mar, 2017. Guru is aiming for a summer release and the exact release date will be announced soon. Sashikant of Y Not Studios is producing the movie & Santosh Narayanan is composing the music.

MAHESH GEARING UP FOR A MONTH LONG SHOOT

Mahesh Babu & his team will be leaving for Diu, the Union Territory & Mumbai for the filming of final action sequences from next week. As the summer season is slowly setting in, Mahesh will have to sweat out more for this movie in these locales where humidity is high. Murugadoss is said to have planned a month long grueling schedule. Murugadoss & cameraman Santosh Sivan have planned to shoot key action episodes – shoot out between terrorists & Counter Terrorist Squad – in Mumbai & Diu. Mahesh Babu is playing the role of an intelligence officer who works in the wing of Counter Terrorism. Once this lengthy episode gets done, only 2 songs will be remained to shoot in Hyderabad. Mahesh Babu is now taking enough rest before heading for this new schedule.

ALLU ARJUN GOES FOR BOLLYWOOD MUSIC DIRECTOR

Recently, Pritam (A & R Venture Jam 8) bagged Ravi Teja – starrer Touch Chesi Choodu. The same music director & his talent pool are now all set to compose for the film of no less a star than Allu Arjun!!! Bunny’s next with writer – turned – director Vakkantham Vamsi reportedly has Pritam on board. After working with the likes of S S Thaman & Devi Sri Prasad, it’s interesting that the Stylish Star has gone for the Bollywood talent. In recent times, Pritam was associated with such names as Dangal, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Dilwale & Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. In 2013, Pritam had won the Filmfare award for Barfi and most recently, for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Gautam Gambhir bats for DU student, Sehwag plays defensive

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gambir_du-kaur

New Delhi: Cricketer Gautam Gambhir Wednesday came out in support of DU student Gurmehar Kaur, who is in the eye of a storm over free speech, even as Virender Sehwag defended himself after facing a backlash for ridiculing her.

Taking a strong stand, Gambhir asserted that mocking or “ganging up” on Kaur, a martyr’s daughter, for her views on the “horrors of war” was “despicable”. Freedom of expression is absolute and equal for all, he tweeted.

Gambhir’s views are in stark contrast to former cricketer Sehwag’s opinion on the issue. Incidentally, the duo opened innings for Team India for a long time.

Kaur has been subjected to intense trolling on the social media over her stance against RSS-backed students outfit ABVP and a video campaign advocating peace between India and Pakistan.

In a series of tweets, Sehwag defended himself, claiming that his social media post in reply to Kaur was an “attempt to be facetious” rather than one to bully anyone over their opinion, adding that agreement or disagreement was not even a factor.

“She has a right to express her views and anyone who threatens her with violence or rape is the lowest form of life. Everyone has a right to express their views without being bullied or threatened. Gurmehar Kaur or the Phogat sisters,” Sehwag tweeted.

Gambhir, in his statement, said he has utmost respect for the Indian Army, however, the recent events have left him with a sense of disappointment.

“We live in a free country where everyone is entitled to their opinion. If a daughter who lost her father puts up posts about the horrors of war with the intention of achieving peace she has all the right to.

“It is not an opportunity for everyone to show how patriotic they are and gang up on her to mock her. She is entitled to her opinion just as every other citizen is.

Everyone may or may not agree with it but mocking her for it is despicable,” Gambhir said.

Kaur, a student of Lady Shri Ram College, affiliated to Delhi University, is the daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh who was killed in a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on August 6, 1999, four days after Pakistani troops withdrew from Kargil.

(PTI)

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