Ali Zafar sang his 1st qawwali last week in Pakistan during a biggest award show (15th Lux Style Awards). The qawwali he sang, was for a great tribute to Amjad Sabri. Ali crooned the qawwali so well that a Punjabi film maker approached him to sing a qawwali for his next Punjabi film. Ali is willing to croon qawwali for the Punjabi film and that’s why he is learning Punjabi. Lyrics for the Punjabi qawwali will be provided by the film makers but the tune, rhythm & composition part will be done by Ali Zafar only. Ali is a big fan of Punjabi qawwalis. He has been listening to them since his childhood so its not going to be tough for him to sing it in Punjabi. Singing is Ali’s passion and hewants his each song to be very much appropriate & perfect so he is
practicing Punjabi language and the accents. Ali will appear in Punjabi film during crooning the qawwali. He will be seen singing qawwali on a special occasion in the film. He has to speak a few dialogues in Punjabi in the qawwali so, he is practicing Punjabi.
MODI KA GAON EDITING IN PROGRESS
Swarnim Global Services Pvt Ltd’s upcoming film Modi Ka Gaon’s editing is in progress from this week till month end of Aug, 2016. Modi Ka Gaon is a film by CA Suresh Jha who has also written and produced the film under his own home production banner. Modi Ka Gaon is actually based on the real and true life of our Indian villagers which has constantly been organised so well day by day by the Narendra Modi Government. Modi Ka Gaon focusses more on the real situations of the backward villages of the State of Bihar an also stresses on the fact that if the political leaders and people’s representatives worked a little harder and properly the things will improve a lot better. The credits of Modi Ka Gaon includes screenplay and dialogues by Akhand Pratap Chauhan and music and lyrics by Manojanand Chaudhary (an NRI music composer from New Zealand). Modi Ka Gaon stars debutant actors Chandramani Mishra, Rohit Raj, Phulkant Shah and above all two debutant child artistes namely Master Sarvagya and Baby Swarnim. Modi Ka Gaon is expected to be released in the month of Nov, 2016.
SHILPA SHETTY TO TAKE TO TV WITH A QUICK TV SERIES LIKE ANIL KAPOOR’S ’24’
Shilpa Shetty has been roped – in by an upcoming dance reality show by a Mumbai based production house. After this engagement of Shilpa with the TV, a renowned production firm in Mumbai has approached Shilpa Shetty for a quick series of 22 episodes. Shilpa is running busy with her brand endorsements, her entrepreneurial ventures & fitness related ventures so she is yet to see in to the script & the concept. Shilpa might work in a quick TV series of 20 – 22 episodes. The concept is based on real life incidents – inspirational stories. The show’s concept is like that of Anil Kapoor’s 24. Shilpa Shetty ’s stint on TV started in 2008, when she hosted BIGG BOSS 2. Over the years, she has also judged a few dance – based reality shows. It is based on real – life incidents and will feature inspirational stories. “She has been busy with her brand endorsements & entrepreneurial ventures and fitness – related projects,” says a source. When contacted, Shilpa says that while she doesn’t mind taking on a show with limited episodes, long -running daily soaps are a no – no. “Though I admire the dedication of TV actors (in such shows), I don’t have the time for daily soaps. TV needs a lot of time & energy,” she says.
NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI IN NEXT GEN FILMS ‘MUNNA MICHAEL!
Nawazuddin Siddiqui joins hands with Tiger Shroff, director Sabbir Khan & producer Viki Rajani for MUNNA MICHAEL. The actor has been cast in an important role in the film. Rumored to play a character with shades of grey but with a twist, the actor, in his new avatar, will come to audiences as a major surprise. This will also be the 1st time that Nawazuddin Siddiqui will share screen space with Tiger Shroff. Nawazuddin said, “I am happy to be working with Sabbir Khan who has already given 2 big hits at the box office. MUNNA MICHAEL is a wonderful script and I am looking forward to be shooting for it soon” Says Sabbir Khan, “I have always been a huge fan of Nawaz’s body of work and was looking for an opportunity to work with him. The character in the film is extremely complex & layered and I am happy to be working with Nawaz. Adds producer Viki Rajani, “This particular role is tailor – made for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He has a pivotal role in the film and the scenes with Tiger and him are going to be a major treat for audiences”. The romantic musical is all set to go on floors this Sept, 2016 and marks the coming together of director Sabbir Khan & Tiger Shroff after 2 consecutive hits
‘SULTAN’ STARRER AMIT SADH TO ROMANCE BEAUTY EVELYN SHARMA IN HIS NEXT FILM!
Amit Sadh is riding high on the success of his latest film, Salman Khan’s SULTAN. Through recently leaked pictures we know that Amit Sadh who was 1st seen in KAI PO CHE will now be seen in his next film opposite YEH JAWANI HAI DIWANI starlet Evelyn Sharma. The film, which is meant to be a fun ride, explores the spirit of the modern couple. After winning heart with films like MAIN TERA HERO & YAARIYAN, Evelyn is yet again all set to shine in a comic role. It’s a relationship drama. And Evelyn is very excited as she is playing a very cute & bubbly character, just like herself. She has been shooting for it for about a year and finally it’s coming to an end. The Indo – German actress, who has earned her stripes by proving herself in every film she has done looks promising for her upcoming film. Amit Sadh who is known for being an outstanding actor takes every chance to learn more. He recently returned from his acting course in Los Angeles and besides starring opposite Evelyn will be seen in AKIRA alongside Sonakshi Sinha and in YAARA with Irrfan Khan & Shruti Haasan.
VIVEK OBEROI TO FOLLOW LIQUID DIET FOR RAM GOPAL VARMA’S ‘RAI’!
Vivek Oberoi has been prepping up for his role of former underworld don Muthappa Rai in his forthcoming gangster drama, RAI, directed by Ram Gopal Varma & produced by C R Manohar. The versatile actor, who prepares for every film role with utmost detail to look his part, will be undergoing major transformation for RAI. Vivek, who will start shooting the film soon, will have to lose 18 kgs to look younger for the initial sequences of the film. Accordingly, Vivek has started following a liquid diet for almost a month. A source says, “Vivek’s dietician has asked him to drink a lot of hot water, juices & herbal liquids post which he will start weight training and also a mix of cardio & yoga. ”Vivek says, “As an actor, we need to transform ourselves physically for certain roles. For me, losing or gaining weight is not important, but the right process has to be followed, so that it doesn’t affect me in the long run.”
EROS NOW ANNOUNCES SALUTE SIACHEN, NINE CELEBRITIES FIRST-EVER EXPEDITION TO SIACHEN GLACIER
Siachen Glacier, the world’s 2nd longest glacier has come to represent the resilience & fortitude of the Indian Army. It all started in Apr, 1981 when the Indian Army made history by traversing the uncharted Siachen, also known as the 3rd Pole. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of this daring expedition, Eros Now, the leading OTT platform of Eros International Plc, has announced a ground breaking initiative, Salute Siachen, India’s 1st -ever celebrity expedition to the Siachen Glacier. The unique expedition will see 9 celebrity adventurers from different walks of life, retrace & relive that journey. The 20 – day expedition flagged off on Independence Day from Leh, and will culminate at Kumar Post, named after Colonel Narinder “Bull” Kumar, PVSM, KC, AVSM, MacGregor Medal, IMF Gold Medal, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, FRGS. Bull Kumar planted the Indian flag on the Siachen Glacier in 1981 and became the 1st person to scale the uncharted Siachen from its freezing snout to its icy source. India’s celebrities have come together to take this arduous journey to salute the courage of our soldiers who man the posts there in conditions of extreme adversity. Arjun Rampal, Arunoday Singh, cricketer Rudra Pratap Singh & hockey player Yuvraj Walmiki, TV’s Rannvijay Singha, Namrata Gujaran, Hasan Zaidi & Sonnalli Seygall have undergone rigorous training and prepping for the expedition which will begin with a 5 day acclimatization trek to Stok Kangri base camp near Leh.
PRASHANTT GUPTHA IS MAKING BOLLYWOOD PROUD IN THE US
Prashantt Guptha, who was last seen in, touted to be this year’s one of the best films, Neerja in a pivotal role of an Indian origin American citizen martyr, has great guns going since the release of the film. The actor who has carved his own path in Bollywood for his varied yet striking roles in his career so far, has been invited to the United States of America to represent India not for 1 but 2 prestigious events. Prashantt said, “I was invited as a Grand Marshall, along with Bobby Deol, for the India Day Parade in Long Island, New York. It was a major moment of pride as I myself came to Mumbai from Long Island, and they calling me back was such an honour. The whole experience was unforgettable & overwhelming as I got to meet some fans, I never knew I had. Furthermore, I have been appointed (2nd time in a row) to represent India as the Ambassador of a very unique film festival in San Francisco this Aug. Things are in the upswing post NEERJA. I have completed IRADA with Naseeruddin Shah & Arshad Warsi, and a war film with Prosenjit Chatterjee. IRADA will release this Fall and the war film is in post -production”, added Prashantt to enlighten about his upcoming projects. He was also seen in films like 6-5=2, ISAAQ, IDENTITY CARD & KAALO.
SHAHID MALLYA LENDS HIS VOICE FOR HINDI FILM ‘JACQUELINE I AM COMING’
Popular singer Shahid Mallya has recently sung “Shikwa Na Shikayat” for an upcoming Hindi film JACQUELINE I AM COMING. The song is composed by Sukumar Dutta. Infact this song has been the Muhurat song for the film which was recorded in the studios of T – Series. Shahid Mallya said, “I am very happy to sing a beautiful song like this. I hope people will like the song which has loads of emotions & feelings. Apart from the song, the subject of the film is extremely interesting.” Director Pinku Dubey added, “JACQUELINE I AM COMING is a matured love story and I am sure that everyone will relate to the true love shown in the film. It’s an old age love story which has been very few in Indian Cinema.” Writer -Director Pinku Dubey & Producer Manish Giri were present at the occasion. This film is a sweet love story which will surely touch everyone’s hearts. The film will begin to shoot in Madhya Pradesh soon.
GLOBAL PUNJABI ASSN INSTITUTION OF PADMASHREE MAHENDRA KAPOOR AWARDS & SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
Ruhan Mahendra Kapoor took centrestage alongside Raaman Khuranaa, President – Global Punjabi Association, Annu Kapoor, Johnny Lever, Vijayta Pandit, Amrit Mann, Dilraj Kaur etc at The Global Punjabi Association’s celebration of the spirit of Independence in loving memory of Padmashree Mahendra Kapoor. The day also marked the 2nd year of the Padmashree Mahendra Kapoor Awards. Says Ruhan Kapoor, “It is the 69th Independence of India celebrations in dad’s memory. I will miss dad and we have done thousands of shows together. I miss him every time I perform alone but he is with me through his immortal songs.” Ruhan sang “Hai Preet Yahan Kei Reet Sada”, “Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Vaada Karo”, “Neele Gagan Ke Tale”, “Lakhon Hai Dilwale”, “Mere Desh Ki Dharti”, Mahendra Kapoor’s Punjabi song medley, and duets like “Tere Sang Pyaar Nahi Todna” etc. Says Raaman Khuranaa, “This is a dual celebration as we are giving away Mahendra Kapoor Awards to many deserving Indians. The Global Punjabi Association has been doing a great service in bringing the people of Punjabi origin together to do good work”.
AKSHAY KUMAR BREAKS HIS OWN RECORD WITH ‘RUSTOM’
With Rustom, Akshay Kumar has once again re – instated his position as the most bankable star in Bollywood. The film, which released on 12th Aug, 2016, made an opening collection of Rs 14.11 crore; it crossed the 1st – day collections of his 1st hit of the year – AIRLIFT which made Rs. 12.35 crore. Interestingly, what’s common to both films is that they are based on a well – documented true events – one, based against the backdrop of the Kuwaiti invasion by Iraq, and the other, a crime of passion famously known as the Nanavati murder case. And as is the case with most of the Khiladi Kumar’s films, which grows stronger by word – of -mouth, the number of screens for RUSTOM, which opened in 2100 screens on Thurs, rose by another 200 screens by Fri; the screen count has now gone up to 2300. If that’s not enough, the film has seen a jump in collections from Sat onwards. RUSTOM is based on the murder that rocked the nation in 1959, which involved a naval officer killing his wife’s paramour. The incident took place in Mumbai, then Bombay. Produced by Vipul K Rawal & directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Ileana D’Cruz, Arjan Bajwa & Esha Gupta.
PREETI PINKY GETS INTO DANDIYA MOOD THIS OCT WITH ALIVE KRAFT
Alive Kraft added another feather to their hat by launching Alive Kraft Meera’s Navratri 2016 with the Dandiya queens of Mumbai – Preeti & Pinky in Mumbai. Celebrating its glorious 5 years in the event industry, they announced the maha dandiya utsav happening in Oct, 2016. Along with the popular sisters and Indian Idol fame Vishal Kothari will also be seen for the very 1st time. The launch party was a success with varied celebrities present to give their blessings to Chetan Gaur (Organiser) & Preeti Pinky. Like Manmeet Singh, Karishma Modi, Shravan Kumar, Geeta Kapoor, Kushal Punjabi, Salil Acharya, Vishal Singh, Sharib Toshi, Naveen Prabhakar, Balraj Sayal, Raja Hasan, Rajiv Khenchi, Pankaj Vishnu, Prachi, Abu Malik, Kishan Pandya etc. Preeti said it will be little different this year than previous years, 35 live musicians with great fusion music… best of Gujarati folks it will be a treat to all the dandiya dancers. Organisers Vipul Shah, Shiv Shetty, Jasmin Bhai Shah, Jignesh Bhuta also were present. Chetan Gaur addressed the media with enthusiasm.
BOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS IN GEORGIA
Hollywood & Bollywood representatives have paid a special visit to Georgia, a new eastern European filming destination, in search of a new exotic destination to shoot. With Bollywood film makers keen on exploring newer filming locales, Georgia turns out to be the next filming hotspot for Bollywood. Recently many Bollywood film representatives visited Georgia to explore new filming locales, existing infrastructure, meet local production service companies and hear all the benefits that the Government of Georgia has on offer. The visit of Ketevan Bochorishvili, Vice Minister of Economy & Sustainable Development of Georgia to India in Apr, 2016, meeting representatives of over 25 filmmaking houses and acquaintaning them with the efficient cash rebate system that Georgia offers filmmakers significantly increased interest towards Georgia. 2 Bollywood movies have already been filmed in Georgia, which involved about 500 local and foreign actors. Abbas & Mustan spent 65 days in Georgia shooting scenes for the film MACHINE, slated for release on 17th Feb, 2017. French European Indian Organization President Satish Reddy said, “I am glad to enjoy extraordinary hospitality from the representatives of Georgian Government and look forward to working with them soon.” Aashish Singh of Yash Raj Films is amazed with the Georgian state – run programme and will soon start working on filming in Georgia, Malvika Khatri from Disney, Vikesh Bhutani from Excel Entertainment & CEO of Producers Guild of India Kulmeet Makkar are impressed with what Georgia has to offer as a filming destination.