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You are here: Home / Archives for Shaheen Raaj

Cine Buzz

August 14, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Priyanka Chopra Shooting Again For A Bollywood’a Untitled Film

Yes! Priyanka Chopra is back in Bollywood after finishing her Hollywood Assignments. The untitled film starring Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar & Zaira Wasim in the lead roles has begun its 1st ever schedule in Mumbai. The film, based on an incredibly moving true life story, is to be helmed by National Award winning filmmaker Shonali Bose and will be filmed across Mumbai, Delhi, London & Andamans. The dialogues are by National Award winning writer Juhi Chaturvedi & music will be scored by Pritam. For Ronnie & Sid, this is their 6th time working with Priyanka Chopra after collaborating on landmark films including Fashion, Kaminey & Barfi. Priyanka will be back on screen with Farhan, 3 years after they were seen together in Dil Dhadakne Do.

Late Om Puri Slashed Fees For His Last Film, ‘Lashtam Pashtam’

The Late Om Puri will always be remembered as one of the finest actors we ever had. His prolific body of work crossed borders and appealed to audiences not just in India but also internationally. Before his untimely death, in a fateful coincidence, he was working on Lashtam Pashtam, a film that celebrates the warmth of brotherhood & friendship beyond borders. Director Manav Bhalla said, “I wanted to make Lashtam Pashtam in the true spirit of freedom of human relationships, and a bond of brotherhood against all odds. There were budgetary concerns. But since I had written the film keeping the Late Om Puri ji in mind, I wanted him to hear it. When he did, he loved the script so much that he immediately decided to cut his fees. Lashtam Pashtam highlights the values that Om ji held very dear, as a human being & as an actor, universal peace & harmony. I will forever cherish having worked with Om ji on (probably) his last film & my 1st ever.”

Singer Ankit Tiwari Lend His Voice For Shiivam Tiwari In ‘22days’

Ankit Tiwari was the voice behind the ever popular romantic number “Sun raha na tu” from Aashiqui 2. Apart from being a singer, Ankit Tiwari is also a composer and has scored the music for his songs. Some of his other notable hit songs also include “Teri galiyan” from Ek Villain which he composed too. This year, he will be crooning again for Shiivam Tiwari in 22 Days. Ankit Tiwari lent his beautiful voice for Shiivam Tiwari & a song penned by Sagar Lahori music by Parivesh Singh. 22 days starring Rahul Dev & Shiivam Tiwari is a Romantic suspense drama. The film produced by Mauritius based business man Adhir Gunness, the 1st ever Mauritian Producer to produce a Bollywood Movie, under the banner of Quatre Bornes Films Producton. Actor – Director Shivam Tiwari said he is very thankful to producer Adhir, who kept faith in him, to make such a beautiful romantic suspense drama movie, Shivam also thanked his actors specially Rahul Dev, Hemant Pandey, Kritika Mishra, Sophia Singh, Kirti Chaudhary, Rajkumar Kanojia & and Rashmi Ray etc, who cooperated. The film is a story of business man Vishal who faces competition with Omtino Industry, while in race where Vishal is leading, Jenny enters in his married life. How Vishal faces all situation is to be seen on screen.

Rajkummar Rao’s Fear Of Bats!

Dinesh Vijan’s horror comedy, Stree, has explored the simple, yet beautiful city of Chanderi which has never been seen before in Bollywood. The film encapsulates the raw beauty of the city. As the concept of the film goes, the makers also identified a few places less visited even by the locals of Chanderi which roused fear in some of the cast members! During an intense sequence in the film, the makers had to take Rajkummar into a real cave. During its’ shoot, Rajkummar had to walk in with a fire torch into the cave. The actor, all set to give another good shot walked in as his character, however, he stood shocked in his track when he heard loud chirps and a colony of bats flew out from around him. The actor came out of the cave with very high heart beats and made sure that the next time he had to go inside a few team members entered before him in the cave and stay there till he arrives. While it was a scary experience for Rajkummar Rao, the team had a great laugh seeing the expression on the actor’s face. The horror comedy has been directed by Amar Kaushik and is all set to release on 31st Aug, 2018.

Dharmendra & Shatrughan Sinha Reunite For ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se’!

Earlier seen sharing the screen space in movies like Dost, Blackmail & Teesri Aankh, amongst others will now be seen together after 2 decades in Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se! Last week the 2 veteran actors shot their scenes and the duo admitted that this made them feel nostalgic. The 2 of them are like family & Dharmendra considers Shatrughan as his younger brother. Even though Dharmendra is staying hush about the details of the scenes that they shot together, he revealed that Shatrughan Sinha will be seen essaying the role of a judge while Dharmendra plays a lawyer. Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se is produced by Sunny Deol, Kamayani Punia Sharma, Aarushi Malhotra, Jayantilal Gada & Navaniat brought his own vibe, making the characters more real. The film is all set to release on 31st Aug, 2018.

Shahid Kapoor & Kiara Advani Recreated Yo Yo Honey Singh’s Song

Shahid Kapoor, who is gearing up for the release of his next film Batti Gul Meter Chalu, is also busy burning the dance floor in Mumbai studios to feature in the video of a Shingle, being produced by T-Series’ Bhushan Kumar. A recreated version of Urvashi, the chartbuster from the Prabhudheva-Nagma starrer 1994’s Tamil film Kadhalan, the Bhushan Kumar-produced song also features Kiara Advani. Recreated, written & sung by Yo Yo Honey Singh, the video is currently being shot by director Gifty in Mumbai. “We’ve changed the lyrics, but the hook line remains the same. We are shooting on a club set in Film City. We also filmed in a parking lot to give the video an underground kind of a feel,” informs choreographer Sanjay Shetty. Even Kiara is a fab dancer.” “I know the pressure one goes through when a classic song is recreated. There will be comparisons. This could be my ode to Prabhu sir,” says the actress, adding that she has grown up listening to the original “Urvashi” number. Says Bhushan Kumar, “Yo Yo Honey Singh has recreated this version and we are rekindling the onscreen magic with Shahid Kapoor & Kiara Advani as per the tastes of today’s young generation who will have a have blast dancing to this song when it releases.”

Sushant Singh Rajput “Loves His Dreams”

Sushant Singh Rajput is all set to live his dreams. He has recently been seen focusing on accomplishing his wish list which he refers to as ‘Loving your Dream” list. One out of the 150 dreams, which he has his mind set on is Cricket, the passion which he further developed while shooting the blockbuster MS Dhoni: The Untold Story. Sushant, in the latest video posted on his Instagram account, is seen playing cricket with his left hand. While Sushant can already pull a spectacular “helicopter” shot with his right hand, he is now training himself physically to play with his left hand. Sushant, a polymath, has taken extra efforts to physically train himself to become ambidextrous, the ability to use both the hands equally well. The interesting session had Kushal Zaveri, Sushant’s old friend & former co-star of the hit show Pavitra Rishta, playing the “bowler”. While Kushal seemed to have accompanied Sushant to Jamshedpur where he is currently shooting for Kizie Aur Manny, we are yet to find out whether this is just a friendly evening ball-play or is there a possibility of the 2 of them coming together for some new project?

Sameer Kochar All For Sachin Tendulkar!

His name is synonymous with Indian Premier League (IPL) for almost a decade. Having hosted varied shows during the popular cricket league, Samir Kochhar has certainly carved a niche for himself as one of the most talented & entertaining hosts of the small screen arena. With a rich baritone & a suave personality, Samir has become a household name and he is highly recognized & admired by television audiences. Samir, who is a great admirer of Sachin Tendulkar, was surprised to learn that the shoot of his upcoming Tamil film, Adho Andha Paravai Pola with Amala Paul in Chennai was clashing with a brand launch event of the cricket legend in Goa. A source says, “Samir had already committed to host an event for Sachin in Goa but since the date of his Tamil movie clashed with it, he requested the makers if they could allow him a day off & shoot the action sequence a day later. Much to his surprise, the makers fulfilled Samir’s request for the shift in the shoot schedule.” Having hosted several cricket-based shows and worked closely with the cricket icon, Samir is well aware of his numerous achievements and didn’t want to miss out on the event.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui Encourages Farming!

Nawazuddin Siddiqui may have reached exponential heights as one of the finest actors in the country today, however, the star continues to remain grounded to his roots. Nawaz who hails from a small town (Budhana) and has a background in agriculture is scouting for a plot in Kasara. The actor in his small way hopes to pursue farming and also educate local farmers about the advancements in agricultural technology and other methods for a better harvest. Nawazuddin’s brother Shamas Siddiqui says, “Of late, it has become difficult for Nawaz bhai to travel all the way to our village, owing to his hectic schedule. We wanted to buy a plot close to Mumbai so that he can drive down to Kasara whenever he has the time. We have finalized a few plots that are close to the river, and will seal the deal by this week.” Adding that, “Last year, we had implemented new irrigation techniques in Budhana, which helped the farmers there tremendously. Similarly, Nawaz bhai & I want to create awareness here too.”

Namah Pictures To Collaborate With Pa. Ranjith For A Mega Period Film!

Post the worldwide critical acclaim of their movie, Beyond The Clouds, directed by Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, the new-age producer duo Shareen Mantri Kedia & Kishor Arora of Namah Pictures is all set to collaborate with yet another popular filmmaker, Pa. Ranjith for his Hindi directorial debut. Having given 2 back to back blockbuster hits Kabali in the year 2016 & Kaala in the year 2018 with superstar Rajinikanth, Pa. Ranjith is one of the most sought after & talented directors of the Tamil cinema. “Shareen & Kishor of Namah Pictures liked Pa. Ranjith’s work and are excited to collaborate with him for their upcoming project. The subject that they are working on is a period film based on a true story which will go on the floors next year.” Namah Pictures has recently produced Karenjit Kaur, a biopic on the life of Sunny Leone. Besides Kabali & Kaala, Pa. Ranjith has also directed popular films including Attakathi in the 2012 & Madras in the year 2014.

Kritika Kamra Shoots For 18 Hours For A Garba Number!

Having played memorable characters in popular television shows including Kitni Mohabbat Hai & Kuch Toh Log Kahenge amongst others, Kritika Kamra is certainly a household name. The talented actress is now all set to spring a huge surprise on the audiences, especially her fans with her debut Bollywood film, an untitled romantic comedy, helmed by Nitin Kakkar (of Filmistaan fame). The gorgeous actress has recently shot an energetic dance number for the movie in Gujarat. “The movie features a high-on-energy dance number which Kritika had recently shot in Gujarat. It’s a traditional folk dance of Gujarat – garba & since the song is a lavish dance number involving authentic garba movements, Kritika shot for 18 hours constantly at a stretch.” “Before Kritika shot for the actual song, she rehearsed almost a week to get the dance steps right so that it appears convincing & relatable. Kritika nailed the dance number much to the satisfaction of the makers,” the source adds.

Kajol Launches The Trailer Of ‘Helicopter Eela’ On Her Birthday!

The much awaited trailer of Pradeep Sarkar’s next – Helicopter Eela is out and has created immense anticipation amongst the audience. The film stars Kajol in the lead role, along with the National award winning actor – Riddhi Sen who plays Kajol’s son. The film is a beautiful story of the relationship shared between a mother & a son. The film also stars Neha Dhupia & Tota Roy Chowdhary. Present at the event were Kajol, Riddhi Sen, Neha Dhupia, Director Pradeep Sarkar & Producers Ajay Devgn, Jayantilal Gada (Pen) & Aksshay Jayantilal Gada. Riddhi Sen, who plays Kajol’s son in the film surprised her with a birthday cake at the event! Ajay Devgn & Jayantilal Gada (Pen) presents, co-produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak, Vikrant Sharma, Reshmaa Kadakia, Kushal Kantilal Gada, Neeraj Gala & produced by Ajay Devgn, Dhaval Jayantilal Gada, Aksshay Jayantilal Gada, Helicopter Eela is all set to release on 7th Sept, 2018.

Vkaao Breaks Theatrical Release Stereotypes In Indian Film Industry With Theatre On Demand

With the evolution of the Indian cinema, the industry has also seen the rise of many stories & storytellers. And many times not all these stories reach the audiences through a traditional theatrical release. This is what BookMyShow & PVR Pictures backed Vkaao is now changing. Vkaao’s model allows film-makers to create a specific film release plan that ensures focused marketing efforts & better planning of marketing budgets. The platform also allows a long tail theatrical revenue model through which a film stays in the Vkaao library so that one can keep creating incremental shows. This is in sheer contrast with a traditional theatrical release where the shows are made available before any guarantee of box office turnstiles collection is established. VKAAO allows film-makers to be very precise in planning their shows depending on probability of meeting advance thresholds. The reason to ditch the traditional Friday release & choosing a Mon is to control the minimum guarantee required for the movie to be screened. The whole idea is to ensure that the movie is screened in the theatres in the 1st ever week, and if the movie has enough potential, it can be continued traditionally throughout the week from the 2nd week onwards.

Yash Raj Film’s Blockbuster ‘Sultan’ All Set To Release In China On 31st Aug 2018

Salman Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer Sultan, the homegrown story of an underdog that wins against all odds, broke box office turnstiles records and won over audiences in India. Now the powerful wrestling drama is all set to get a wide release across China on 31st Aug, 2018. Yash Raj Films collaborates with leading distribution company E Stars China to screen Sultan in over 11,000 screens, targeting around 40,000 shows a day. The film will release with the same title, Sultan. Produced by Yash Raj Films & directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Sultan’s story resonates universally. It will get a Chinese subtitled release. Ali Abbas Zafar says, “Every time a film releases and newer set of audiences see it, you get a different perspective altogether. China is a fast growing market for Indian Cinema. I’m really excited and looking forward to people’s reaction to Sultan in China.”

Deepshikha Nagpal Turns Singer Under Music Batonship Of Dj Sheizwood

The launch of Deepshikha Nagpal’s debut song “Kya Hua Tera Wada” saw the presence of Niki Aneja, Rashmi Desai, Meets Bros, Mukul Dev, Aakriti Nagpal, Lizaa Malik, Prashant Virendra Sharma, Dr. Sharmila Nayak, Mohamed Morani, Saru Maini, Payal Goga Kapoor, Kanchan Adhikari, Candy Brar, Captain Avinash Singh (owner of HOP), Smita Gondkar, Sameer, Anup Jalota, Manmeet Singh (Meet Bros), Shivrani Somaia, Simran Ahuja, Kawaljeet Singh, Sheeba, Mishti Mukherjee etc. In an industry that doesn’t promise a long sojourn, Deepshikha Nagpal has reigned both big & small screen for many years. Deepshikha Nagpal is now all set to add another dimension to her career with her singing debut with the song “Kya Hua Tera Wada” by DJ Sheizwood

Producer Irshad Khan Found ‘Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan’ Funny & Interesting

The trend of cinema changes with the time and now the films based on true events are in trend progressively. Blackk Stone Entertainment is proud enough to present their upcoming Hindi movie, Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan in Mumbai. The movie is a comedy encounter drama inspired by a true event. The founder of Gulabi Gang, Sampat Pal was the special guest for the launch. Director Rajiv S Ruia, producer Irshad Khan, Reshma Khan, Zakir Husain, Pradeep K. Sharma, Dinesh Kumar, Sakshi Pradhan, Agni Pawar, Subrat Dutta, Shakil Azami, Rajnish Duggal, Hemant Pandey, Swati Sharma Rashid Khan, Rahul Mishra were present at the event. With the launch of the film, director Rajiv S Ruia’s birthday was also celebrated. Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan stars Rajpal Yadav, Mangesh Desai, Sakshi Pradhan, Agni Pawar, Sampat Pal, Zakir Hussain & Vikram Singh. With this movie, Gulabi Gang founder, Sampat Pal is making a debut in Bollywood. The movie has an intriguing title Jaako Raakhe Saaiyan. Producer Irshad Khan says “as soon as he got the script, I found it quite funny & interesting as inspired by true events”.

Yashpal Sharma Wore The Same Costume For 20 Days For ‘Kareem Mohammad’

Yashpal Sharma works hard to get into the skin of his roles with effortless ease. For the sake of attaining perfection in his role in the latest film Kareem Mohammad, Yashpal did something unbelievable. For 20 days, he wore the same costume even when he used to sleep at nights after the shooting was over and did not even bother to wash his costume till the film was complete. Director Pawan Kumar Sharma’s Kareem Mohammad is slated for release on 24th Aug, 2016. The film which drives home the message that terrorism is deplorable has already made the rounds of varied international film fest and won many awards besides garnering a lot of appreciation. The film produced by Ravindra Rajawat is being presented by Anhad Studios. Jeetendra Gupta has edited the film, while Balkrishna Sharma has composed the music & Prakash Jha has edited it. Besides Yashpal Sharma & Harshit Rajawat, the film also has Alka Ameen, Rajesh Rais, Ravi Jandhu, Sunil Jogi essaying key roles.

Suniel Shetty & His Sena Went On A Live Interaction About Fitness Across 43 Cities

Mission Fit India, India’s 120 day fitness fest, organized the country’s biggest live interaction session on fitness, Jio Fitness Hour. Veteran Bollywood actor & face of the campaign, Suniel Shetty, along with his team of experts were a part of the session. Mission Fit India was conceptualized by Fever FM & FTC in partnership with Patanjali & MY FM is the programme partners. “I am enthralled to be a part of #MissionFitIndia and their mission to spread fitness across a nation as big as ours. The Jio Fitness Hour session was truly an amazing experience for my team & I. To be able to connect with so many people & motivate them to become fitter & healthier was a great experience. This monumental session was the 1st time ever anyone did such a thing in the fitness industry.” Suniel Shetty said. The Mission Fit India team selected 20-25 people from each city through a competition conducted via digital, radio & print media which includes a few buddies as well for Mission Fit India’s next phase.

Satish Kaushik & Amar Upadhyay Release The Music & Trailer Of ‘Bhaagte Raho’

Producer Sunil Tiwari of Sakshi Creations along with Co-Producer Rikhab Jain invited the cast & the guest at the launch of the music & the trailer of their comedy movie Bhaagte Raho at Sunny Super Sound, Juhu. Satish Kaushik, Amar Upadhyay, Manish Chirawala & well-known Astrologer Pandit Pawan Kaushik came for the event. TV actress Riya Deepsi of Porus serial & Abhay Raichand of Savdhan India are debuting with Bhaagte Raho. Sunil Pal, Gopi Bhalla enjoyed the media response of the trailer & the music. Other cast of the film are Rajpal Yadav, Dinesh Hingoo, Shekhar Shukla, Nitish Chaubay, Sanjiv Soni, Ali, Sunny, Aadesh, Badrish Chhabra, Bhupendra and others. The film is written & directed by Praful D. S. Tiwari.

Veteran Filmmaker Yeshant Pethkar’s Grandson Sumeet Kant Kaul Makes His Debut

Sumeet Kant Kaul, an accomplished theatre artiste from Delhi; also the maternal grandson of Yeshwant Pethkar, the pioneer Producer-Director of Indian cinema who gave break to legendary actors, Dev Anand & Pran in Aghe Bado & Apradh and also directed Madhubala, Geeta Bali etc, makes his debut as the antagonist in a film called Pakhi, based on child trafficking. “Every 8 minutes a child is being kidnapped. Every one hour, a child is being trafficked in our country. The child could be yours or mine. This issue disturbed my mind & heart,” says Sumeet Kant Kaul. The film sees Sumeet play a negative character of a Don of the flesh trade who snatches children to drown them in the quicksand of prostitution & child marriage. It has been a challenging role for the young man. “I began to live the character of Bali and as a method actor I used to imagine this character being equivalent to 100 Ravans. Bali believed that Dark Forces were protecting him and he used to think that he was invisible.” Sumeet Kant Kaul seeks his inspiration from Amitabh Bachchan, Anthony Hopkins & Ranveer Singh and attributes his histrionics to the fact that he began his career as an Assistant Director, learning the ropes of filmmaking as much as facing the camera.

Filed Under: Film

Hindi Film Review

August 10, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Mulk

By: Husna Rizwan & Shaheen Raaj

Mulk Is A Well – Made Movie – A Must Watch For Every Indian

Banner: Soham Rockstar Entertainment & Benaras Media Works
Producer: Deepak Mukut & Anubhav Sinha
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Star Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Tapsee Pannu, Ashotosh Rana, Pateik Smit Babbar, Rajat Kapoor, Manoj Pahwa, Neena Gupta, Prachi Shah – Pandya, Vartika Singh, Indraneil Sen Gupta, Ashrut Jain Kumud Mishra, Sumit Kaul Atul Tiwari, Anil Rastogi, Vinay Ghoshal, Ehsaan Khan, Ehsannur Rehman Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Udayveer Singh Yadav, Manoj Dutt, Paromita Chatterjee & Abdul Quadir
Music: Prasad Sashta & Mangesh Dhakda

Soham Rockstar Entertainment & Benaras Mediaworks’ Mulk also produced & directed by Anubhav Sinha is the story of a Muslim family living in Lucknow and, through that family, the story of how prejudices can make life hell for Muslims in India is showcased.

The scripted scenario of Mulk opens with Murad Ali Mohammed (Rishi Kapoor), a respected lawyer who lives in Lucknow with his wife, Tabassum (Neena Gupta), younger brother, Bilal Mohammed (Manoj Pahwa), sister – in – law, ‘Chhoti’ Tabassum (Prachee Shah – Paandya), nephew, Shahid Mohammed (Prateik Smit Babbar) & niece, Aayat Mohammed (Vartika Singh). Murad Ali Mohammed’s son, Aftab Mohammed (Indraneil Sengupta) & his Hindu lawyer – wife, Aarti Mohammed (Taapsee Pannu), lives abroad. Aarti Mohammed has now come visiting the family, deciding to stay away from her husband Aftab Mohammed, who wants their child, as yet unborn and not even conceived, to follow the religion of Islam, something which the progressive Aarti Mohammed feels, does not even merit discussion. The level-headed Aarti Mohammed continues to give her in-laws the same respect & love despite the tension with her husband. Ditto for the in-laws. And then to the shock of the entire family, Shahid Mohammed is named as one amongst the 3 terrorists who’ve caused bomb blasts in Allahabad, resulting in deaths of innocent people. Nobody in the family even had the inkling that Shahid Mohammed had, right under their nose, become a jihadi, having been initiated into terrorism by Mehfooz Alam (Sumit Kaul). Anti-terrorist squad inspector Danish Javed (Rajat Kapoor) shoots Shahid Mohammed on sight and the dead body is brought to Lucknow. Shahid Mohammed’s respectable family is so distraught at the thought that one amongst them had become a terrorist that it refuses to accept the corpse. Soon enough, Shahid Mohammed’s father, Bilal Mohammed (Manoj Pahwa), is taken by the police for interrogation. After a grueling session of questioning, the police arrest him. In court, the public prosecutor Santosh Anand (Ashutosh Rana) tries to prove that Bilal Mohammed was aware of his son Shahid Mohammed’s terrorist activities and was himself involved in them. Murad Ali Mohammed defends his brother Bilal Mohammed in court but before he knows it, he too is accused by the public prosecutor of terrorism. Shaken & dejected at the prejudice against Muslims, the old Murad Ali Mohammed asks his daughter – in – law Aarti Mohammed to become Bilal Mohammed’s lawyer in court.
Anubhav Sinha has written a nice & thought-provoking story about a Muslim family which is looked down upon as a family of terrorists because of one black sheep in the family. While being relevant & topical, the story also tackles the larger issue of prejudice against members of the minority community in India. His screenplay is very engaging in the 1st ever half. The 2nd half is mostly devoted to the courtroom drama. In the courtroom drama, while trying to extrapolate the story of the Mohammed family to the story of Muslims in India in general, Anubhav Sinha does lose his grip in parts but he gets in control in the climax again. Had the courtroom drama far more fire & many claptrap moments, the impact would’ve been greater. In trying to take the macro view, the screenplay somewhere is unable to do justice to the pain & the sufferings of the Mohammed family. Nevertheless, the drama does keep the viewers engaged. However, it would appeal mainly to the class audience because it becomes a drama of a macro issue after some time. Had Anubhav Sinha not left his grip on the state of the Mohammed family & milked the emotions in that space, the film would have become a fare for the masses & family audiences too. Also, the courtroom drama looks a bit simplistic and often one-sided, when public prosecutor Santosh Anand argues, it’s just his viewpoint and, likewise, when Aarti Mohammed argues, it’s just her version. The audience would’ve enjoyed the courtroom drama far more had there been at least 7 to 10 clap worthy scenes of one-upmanship in the court arguments. The judgment pronounced by the judge (Kumud Mishra) is superbly worded, entertaining, yet so weighty. Anubhav Sinha’s dialogues are excellent.
Anubhav Sinha’s direction is good. He has handled the subject with sen­sitivity. Prasad Sashta & Anurag Saikia’s music & Shakeel Azmi’s lyrics are appealing. Mangesh Dhakde’s background music is very impactful. Ewan Mulligan’s cinematography captures the sombre mood of the drama with elan. Nikhil Kovale’s sets are realistic. Riyaz – Habib’s action & stunt scenes are good, but Ballu Saluja’s editing is certainly not up to to the mark sharp. The editing could have been crisper to keep the viewers engaged.
Performance wise Rishi Kapoor is extraordinaire, as always. He lives the character of Murad Ali Mohammed who feels so helpless & marginalized because of his religion. His nuanced performance is worthy of high praise. Taapsee Pannu delivers a mature act and superbly understated performance as Aarti Mohammed. Ashutosh Rana is splendid as a public prosecutor Santosh Anand. His antics in the court are enjoyable. Rajat Kapoor delivers a decent performance as Danish Javed. Kumud Mishra is absolutely delightful as the judge. Manoj Pahwa delivers a fantastic performance as Bilal. His scene in the jail with his elder brother Murad Ali Mohammed will make the weak – hearted cry. Prateik Smit Babbar is good as Shahid Mohammed. Neena Gupta shines in the role of Murad Ali Mohammed’s wife, Tabassum. Prach­ee Shah Paandya is effective as Bilal Mohammed’s wife, ‘Chhoti’ Tabassum. Vartika Singh makes her presence felt in the role of Aayat. Sumit Kaul leaves a mark as Mehfooz Alam. Ashrut Jain is good as Rashid. Indraneil Sengupta is alright in a “brief” role as Aftab Mohammed. Atul Tiwari, as Murad Ali Mohammed’s close Hindu friend, is very effective. Anil Rastogi, Vinay Ghoshal, Ehsaan Khan, Ehsannur Rehman Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Udayveer Singh Yadav, Manoj Dutt, Paromita Chatterjee and the rest lend good support.
Tail Piece: On the whole, Mulk is a purposeful entertainer and has the potential to do fair business but its dull start & the dual oppositions of Fanney Khan & Karwaan this week will tell on its business. The critical acclaim it wins will be far more rewarding than the box – office turnstiles revenues.

At the box – office turnstiles collections should definitely pick up by positive word of mouth publicity.

Filed Under: Film

Hindi Film Review

August 9, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Karwaan

Karwaan Is A Decent Film With Memorable Performances By Irrfan Khan & Dulquer Salmaan

Banner: RSVP Movies & Ishka Films
Producer: Prithi Rathi Gupta & Ronnie Screwala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Star Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Parkar & Irrfan Khan along with Kriti Kharbanda, Amala Akkineni, Akash Khurana, Donna Munshi, Beena, Nambiar & Habib Azmi
Music: Prateek Khuhad, Anurag Saikia, Slow Cheetah & Imaad Shah

Road trip films have their own charm and some of the most memorable films in the West belong to this genre. Even Bollywood has excelled in this genre with films like Piku in the year 2015, Qarib Qarib Singlle in the year 2017, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in the year 2011, Highway in the year 2014, Jab We Met in the year 2007, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in the year 2013 et al. Irrfan Khan, surprisingly, has appeared in 2 such films in recent times, namely, Piku & Qarib Qarib Singlle. And now he’s all set to complete his travel trilogy with Karwaan, which is also the Bollywood debut of the Malyalam actor & star Dulquer Salmaan and the 1st ever leading role for the most talked about internet sensation & Marathi actor Mithila Palkar.

The scripted scenario of Karwaan showcases the story of 3 diametrically opposite individuals on a journey together. Avinash Rajpurohit (Dulquer Salmaan) works in an IT company in Bengaluru and is frustrated with his job. One day he gets a call that his father Prakash Rajpurohit (Akash Khurana) has left for his heavenly abode in a bus accident while he was on his way to Gangotri. The travel company arranges for his father’s mortal remains to be sent to Avinash in Bengaluru. Avinash had a troubled relationship with his father as the latter compelled him to give up his dreams of becoming a photographer. As a result, he’s not quite affected with his demise. Avinash asks his friend Shaukat (Irrfan Khan), who runs a garage, to provide him with a van so that he can carry the mortal remains from the airport to the crematorium. Avinash picks up the body and reaches the crematorium, where he realizes that he is given the mortal remains of a woman (Beena). The woman turns out to be a victim who also died in the same bus accident and her family resides in Kochi, who in a terrible mix up, were provided with Prakash’s mortal remains. Avinash hence decides to take advantage of the long weekend and take the woman’s mortal remains to Kochi and exchange it with his father’s. Shaukat also joins in. On the way, the dead woman’s daughter Tahira (Amala Akkineni) makes an SOS call to Avinash and requests him if he can pick up her daughter Tanya (Mithila Palkar) who studies in Ooty and is incommunicado. Shaukat has reservations with this idea but Avinash doesn’t listen. He reaches Ooty, picks up Tanya and then they head to Kochi. Unknown to them, a group of small – time goons are also following the trio. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Bejoy Nambiar’s story is promising and could have made for a great script. But Akarsh Khurana & Adhir Bhat’s screenplay fails to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. The film moves at a snail’s pace and many developments don’t happen organically. Also, the entire track of Avinash’s father forcing him to give up photography is something that’s been done to death in our films, most notable & recent example being Tamasha in the year 2015. Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are funny & witty, yet worded simply. The ones mouthed by Irrfan Khan stand out.

Akarsh Khurana’s direction is weak and he also lets go of the opportunity of turning a somewhat flawed script into a good film with his execution. One doesn’t feel much for the characters due to the way the narrative pans out. Except for the part where Shaukat speaks about his father, no other scene moves the viewers, not even the monologue of Tahira & Avinash. Also, the predictability sets in since one knows that the road trip films usually ends with the characters getting transformed ultimately. Hence, despite the scene of Avinash in the end with his boss being a good one, it doesn’t make the desired impact as the audiences already see it coming.

Karwaan begins well and the frustration of being a part of a profession that doesn’t suit Avinash is well depicted in the initial scenes. One expects things to get better once the road trip begins. And it does get better but not to a great extent. The film drags & a lot of humor & situations seems forced. The character of Tanya is half – baked & the writers should have etched this part in a better way. The intermission point is funny & again, the hopes rise for a better 2nd half. Alas, that doesn’t happen and the film remains flat in the last hour as well. Even the climax lacks a solid punch. In fact, the Indian audiences might have a strong reservations in the manner in which Tahira & Tanya organize a feast, play cricket & make merry as if nothing untoward has happened in their lives, just hours after the funeral. On the positive side, the film has some funny moments that succeed in raising the laughs. The best part in this regard is the track of the shehnai wallah (Habib Azmi). It’s sure to bring the house down!

Music goes well with the narrative but isn’t something that would have a long shelf life. “Chota Sa Fasana” is the best of the lot and is like a theme of the film. “Heartquake” comes next and works due to its quirky lyrics & situation. “Sansein” is also fair and the rest are forgettable. Anurag Saikia’s background score is good but could have been a bit more subtle. Avinash Arun’s cinematography is breathtaking & captures the locales so well that one feels that one is actually a part of the “Karwaan”. The lensman had earlier shown his magic in Masaan in the year 2015 & Drishyam in the year 2015 & also directed the acclaimed Marathi film Killa in the year 2015 and he ensures that he keeps his credibility intact. Tiya Tejpal’s production design is passable. 3 locales, the house of Rumana, Tahira & Nambiars, all seemed to be shot at one locale. Ajay Sharma’s editing is too slow and could have been slick. Also, the manner in which the flashback of Prakash Rajpurohit would suddenly pop up seemed unconvincing. Jaya Taurani’s costumes are fine.

Performance wise Irrfan Khan delivers a very decent performance & also contributes to the laughter quotient, but only at places. Almost all his dialogues are worded to create an effect & the endeavor fails. Compare this with Irrfan’s previous travel films, Qarib Qarib Singlle & Piku, where the humor flowed organically. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen here. But he surely dominates the film and gives the most memorable performance out of all actors. Dulquer Salmaan makes a really confident debut. He understands his part well and one must watch out how he carefully ensures that he doesn’t go overboard. This aspect would surely be loved by the Hindi audiences. Mithila Palkar is strictly average. Her character lacked depth and even performance wise; she could have brought out varied shades which would have enhanced the impact. Alas, her performance looks a bit monotonous. Amala Akkineni, south actor Nagaarjuna’s wife and former Bollywood actress, is genuine. Akash Khurana is good as the autocratic father. Kriti Kharbanda as Rumana is quite lovely in the special appearance, but again, her track fails to add much to the film. Donna Munshi as Tasneem has a striking face and does very well. Habib Azmi gives a fine performance, as a shehnai wallah. Beena is alright. The actors playing the cargo office staffer, Avinash’s boss, Rumana’s husband, new employee at Avinash’s office & Nambiar are very good.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Karwaan is a good opportunity gone waste. Irrfan Khan is the biggest draw of this film but the audiences might be dejected to not see him in his full glory.

At the Box – Office turnstiles, the film is going to struggle a lot to stay afloat. Period!

Filed Under: Film, Uncategorized

Bangalore Buzz

August 9, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Bridgestone India Joins Hands With FICCI FLO

Bridgestone India announced a new partnership with FICCI FLO Pune to introduce initiatives focused on Women’s Empowerment. The initiatives will provide opportunities for financial independence to the women of Pune.

One of the key priority areas of Bridgestone’s global CSR commitment of “Our Way To Serve”, “People” and from which the need to contribute towards the cause of women empowerment stems. Another reason for Bridgestone to emphasize on this issue is to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 of “Achieving Gender Equality & Empowering Women & Girls”. The partnership between Bridgestone India & FICCI FLO is an extension of the same compassion & will with which Bridgestone has carried out varied other CSR initiatives. Additionally, Bridgestone is also partnering with on-going Government initiatives for skill development & gender equality.
Bridgestone India & FICCI FLO Pune, lay special emphasis on woman empowerment as well as increasing employment & encouraging entrepreneurship. These 3 themes are also the core of FICCI FLO’s upcoming events.
Under this partnership, Bridgestone India will provide funds amounting to 40 Lacs INR to FICCI FLO Pune. These funds would be exclusively utilized for women-centric initiatives providing 2 wheeler driving lessons, soft skills as well as self-defense training, enabling these women to be employed as delivery personnel. The support also extends to some Nursing Assistant & Dental Assistant training programs. One of the major events planned under the partnership is the “Pune Flo Half Marathon” to be held on 28th Oct 2018 at Magarpatta city, Pune.

Chairperson of FICCI FLO Pune Chapter, Mrs. Sangeeta Lalwani said “We are delighted to be associated with Bridgestone India, known to be one of the best in the Tyre Industry. FICCI FLO has been working for women welfare for over 3 decades. We have done substantial work towards the PAN India, however, we still have a long way ahead, in terms of gender equality & financial independence for women. We are happy to be moving towards the right direction with the right partner such as Bridgestone, who with their resources & market reach, has the potential to amplify this important message across India and draw attention to this cause.”

Mr. Parag Satpute, Managing Director, Bridgestone India said, “The cause of Women Empowerment goes beyond spreading awareness & providing opportunities for women. It focuses on gender equality & rethinking conventional norms. I believe this thought will not only help women individually but also have a broader impact as more & more women will be able to attain financial independence. This year we are proud to join hands with the largest women entrepreneurial organization in Asia with over 6000 + women Pan India, FICCI FLO and hope to make a meaningful impact to the lives of the women of Maharashtra.”

Filed Under: Business & Technology

Bangalore Buzz

August 8, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

LG Launches G7+Thinq In India – #Livenow

LG Electronics India recently announced the launch of the latest premium Smartphone the LG G7+ThinQ in India. The LG G7+ThinQ is the perfect Smartphone for people who love to live in each moment.

Being an amalgamation of unique features like 1000nit Super Bright FullVisionTM display, IP68 for dust & water resistance, BoomBoxSpeakers & Dual 16+16 MP AI (Artificial Intelligence) Camera, LG G7+ThinQ is set to redefine the Smartphone experience of the consumers by helping them live the important moments like a true companion.

Powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform, the LG G7+ThinQ offers 6GB of RAM & 128 GB of internal storage to run even the most demanding tasks & apps with ease.

The all-new LG G7+ThinQ comes deeply integrated with Artificial Intelligence that has a dedicated button which triggers AI tools like Google Assistant & Google Lens. With Super Far-Field Voice Recognition & highly sensitive microphone, it can recognize voice commands from up to five meters. LG has also added new features that make photography on the LG G7ThinQ even more enjoyable than ever. By using either the standard or AI-enabled Super Wide Camera, it gives the shutterbugs even more creative options to live the moment.
The LG G7+ThinQ sports a new design aesthetic in G-series. Carrying on the heritage of LG’s focus on great Smartphone sound, the LG G7+ThinQ is equipped with DTS:X & Hi-Fi Quad DAC for incredibly rich sound especially when paired with high-impedance earphones. Sporting a new design aesthetic for G series, the LG G7+ThinQ is rated IP68 & MLT-STD 810 for durability. With a more polished look & unique features, it gives the users the freedom to Live Now!
LG G7+ThinQ will be only available on Flipkart at INR 39,990 starting 10th Aug 2018.

The LG G7+ThinQ has been upgraded with Dual 16MP+16MP lenses on the back in both standard & Super Wide Angle configurations and with an 8MP camera on the front for higher resolution photos with more details. LG’s signature wide angle camera now captures even more beautiful landscapes with less edge distortion and selfies are clearer and look more natural compared with previous LG phones.

AI CAM now offers 19 shooting modes, up from 8, for even more intelligence-optimized shots. And users can improve their photos further by choosing among 3 other effect options if the one recommended by AI CAM doesn’t suit their tastes.

Low light photography on LG G7+ThinQ is taken to a whole new level with the new Super Bright Camera with images that are up to 4 times brighter typical of photos shot in dim light. Through the combination of pixel binning & software processing, the AI algorithm adjusts the camera settings automatically when shooting in low light.

LG has also added new features that make photography on LG G7+ThinQ even more enjoyable than ever. Live Photo mode records one second before & after the shutter is pressed for snippets of unexpected moments or expressions that would normally be missed. Sticker’s uses face recognition to generate fun 2D & 3D overlays such as sunglasses & headbands that can be viewed directly on the display.

New to G series, Portrait mode generates professional looking shots with out-of-focus backgrounds. This bokeh effect can be generated using either the standard or Super Wide Angle lens, giving shutterbugs even more creative options.

LG G7+ThinQ will be one of the 1st ever devices to get upcoming Google Lens features. Google Lens is a new way to search using latest in AI & computer vision. Available inside Google Assistant & Google Photos, it can deliver more information on objects such as landmarks, plants, animals, books as well as identifying text. Visit websites, add a business card to contacts, add events to the calendar or look up an item on a restaurant menu, all right from Google Lens. More details on Google Lens will be revealed at Google I/O.

Located just below the volume is a button that launches the phone’s AI functions. A single tap of this button will launch the Google Assistant while 2 quick taps will launch Google Lens, a 1st ever on any phone. Users can also hold down the button to start talking to Google Assistant.

With Super Far-Field Voice Recognition (SFFVR) & smartphone’s highly sensitive microphone, the Google Assistant can recognize voice commands from up to 5 meters away. SFFVR is able to separate commands from background noise, making LG G7+ThinQ a great alternative to a home AI speaker even when TV is on. LG customer commands for the Google Assistant have been increased in the LG G7+ThinQ so users can get even more stuff done with their voice alone.

The 1st ever thing customers will notice about LG G7+ThinQ will likely be the new 15.49cm QHD+ (3120 x 1440) display sporting a 19.5:9 FullVisionTM screen ratio & a bottom bezel which is almost 50% slimmer than LG G6. Powered by LG’s new LCD technology, Super Bright Display, LG G7+ThinQ can be viewed easily even under direct sunlight with brightness up to an industry-leading 1,000 nit, displaying 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.

And depending on the type of content, the display can be set to 6 different viewing modes: Auto, Eco, Cinema, Sports, Game & expert. In Auto mode, the phone automatically analyzes the content of games or photos & optimizes display & power consumption. The user can fine tune the image even further by adjusting the screen temperature & RGB levels individually.

The smartphone’s New 2nd Screen gives users flexible options when it comes to setting up the display to fit their tastes & style. The display can be fully expanded for a bezel-less look or it can be set to a more traditional style where the notification bar is completely blacked out. Users can even change the notification bar to another color for a more personal effect.

Continuing LG’s commitment to deliver an unrivaled audio experience on its smartphones, the LG G7+ThinQ offers premium audio innovations that remain unmatched in the industry. Available for the 1st time ever in LG G7+ThinQ, Boombox Speaker utilizes the internal space of LG G7+ThinQ as a resonance chamber to deliver double the bass of conventional smartphones for powerful “boombox” sound without the need for external speakers. When placed on a solid surface or box, the smartphone utilizes its resonance chamber as a woofer to amplify the bass effect even more.

The LG G7+ThinQ is also the 1st ever smartphone to offer DTS:X to deliver virtual 3D sound for all content, up to 7.1 channel audio with earphones. Carrying on the heritage of LG’s focus on great smartphone sound, the LG G7+ThinQ is equipped with a Hi-Fi Quad DAC for incredibly rich sound especially when paired with high-impedance earphones.

Filed Under: Business & Technology

Cine Buzz

August 8, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Dulquer Salmaan Gets Candid Talking About Irrfan Khan & His Film ‘Karwaan’

Malayalam superstar Dulquer Samaan made his Bollywood debut with Karwaan released last Fri. The actor essays the role of Avinash who lands up in a most uncomfortable situation surrounded by 2 eccentric characters; Irrfan Khan & Mithila Palkar. Talking about his chemistry with Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan averred, “Irrfan sir is unbelievably versatile. He adapts & lives the character completely. The way to think, perceive & react at any scene gets adjusted in a flick of time flawlessly. There was so much to learn from him that everyday Mithila Parker & I used to rehearse our scenes rigorously thinking of how Irrfan sir would do.” Talking at length, Dulquer opened up stating, “I remember when Akarsh Khurana approached me for the film and told me that I was to share screen space with Irrfan sir, I couldn’t believe my ears. I literally took the script to re-check & validate his words.” Produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Directed by Akarsh Khurana starring Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan & Mithila Palkar, Kaarwaan was released on Fri, 3rd Aug, 2018.

Shahid Kapoor Starrer ‘Arjun Reddy’ Telugu Remake To Launched

The remake of Telugu hit movie Arjun Reddy starring Shahid Kapoor was launched recently and will go on the floors soon and is all set to be released on 21st Jun, 2019. The movie is directed by Sandeep Vanga & produced by Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Krishan Kumar & Ashwin Varde.

‘Stree’ All Set To Take Your Breath Away On 31st Aug 2018

Dinesh Vijan is all set to give a rarely made genre of Horror Comedy with his next film Stree. The film which is made on a true phenomenon had its grand trailer launch recently along with the entire star cast of the film which includes Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana & Abhishek Banerjee. Also, present at the event were director Amar Kaushik, producers Dinesh Vijan, Raj & DK & music composer Sachin-Jigar. The trailer received an outstanding response for the funny yet horror elements which were showcased. Shraddha Kapoor & Rajkummar Rao also taught a few journalists ways of being safe from Stree & draping special Chanderi saree on them. The day was special for Dinesh Vijan who also celebrated his birthday along with the cast & the crew. Stree, a horror comedy has been directed by Amar Kaushik & is all set to release on 31stAug, 2018.

Kangana Ranaut Is The Brand Ambassador For Platinum Corp

Platinum Corp an established award-winning realty brand from the city, known for delivering contemporary & yet affordable high tech homes, announced the exclusive launch of its premium lifestyle housing project named “Platinum Vogue”. Kangana Ranaut who has been named a brand ambassador of the project, unveiled the project at a glittering function followed by a fashion show held at the city’s prominent hotel. Self-made, independent &, strong Kangana Ranaut also represents the perfect lifestyle of a fashionista & the enjoyment of all the benefits “Platinum Vogue” has to offer. Kangana Ranaut averred, “It is my pleasure to be associated with Platinum Corp. as their Brand Ambassador! They have been pioneers in smart & affordable housing projects. I understand the importance of owning a house in Mumbai and I am happy that “Platinum Corp’ is fulfilling the dreams for many. “Platinum Vogue” is a very promising project with all the modern amenities & high design anyone could ask for. The launch event was anchored by actor emcee Mona Singh, while the performances of stand-up comic Nitin Mirani & choreographer Sandeep Soparkar enthralled the audiences. The star attraction of the launch event “Vogue fashion show” by ace designer Asif Merchant was followed by the appearance of Kangana Ranaut.

Evelyn Sharma Unveils “Millionaires Club”

Country Club is known to build everlasting family clubbing, holiday, fitness & leisure entertainment industry benchmarks. At the launch of the new the Millionaire Membership with actress Evelyn Sharma along with CMD Country Club Y Rajeev Reddy. It’s a historic milestone for Country Club. With this new launch they look forward to extend their reach & help grow the country club family. Y. Rajeev Reddy averred, “The Millionaire Membership comes as a boon to many people who want to spend quality time with their families & enjoy all the varied facilities offered by Country club”. Y Rajeev Reddy also said that starting from one club in Hyderabad with 400 members in 1989 to 4 Lacs Members today, Country Club today is spread over 50 locales spanning across India, Asia & Middle East, putting Country Club in the global map. Evelyn Sharma speaking on the occasion averred, “I was always astonished about the brand Country Club, one brand more than 50 properties across India & Middle East & over 4 lakh families is something unheard of. This is my 1st association with them & looking forward to be a part of their success stories in future too.”

MS Dhonil Bats For Road Safety

MS Dhoni, walks onto a new field, as Brand ambassador of “Gulf Oil” to create awareness about road safety which today causes major fatalities due to basic flouting of regulations. In day-to-day life, the major reason people break traffic rules is to reach their destination faster. The campaign showcases how Gulf Pride 4T Plus resolves this tension of reaching the destination faster by providing instant pick-up that helps one stay always ahead. This campaign with M S Dhoni is all set to be aired on multidisciplinary channels including online, all the GEC, news, music channels & extending to movie halls activations.The narrative of the campaign is simple, yet tasteful. It’s light-hearted, yet highly engaging. It’s conversational, yet potent in messaging. The ad highlights the quirky yet annoying road habits that riders often indulge in to reach their destinations faster. MS Dhoni plays the role of the “ideal rider” who is calm & composed on the road, much like his persona on the pitch. With his road etiquette, he is bound to influence young & passionate riders. The campaign is aimed at enhancing brand familiarity leading to strong brand affinity for Gulf Pride 4T plus amongst bikers, and to educate the prospective buyers on the benefits.

Vikram Bhatt Turns Brand Ambassador

Vikram Bhatt who is synonymous with making thrillers & horror movies, is all set to add one more feather to his cap! He recently became the brand ambassador for an astrology app, Astrobuddy, which is founded by Bhupesh Sharma with a vision to make genuine astrology available to every household on the globe in its truest & most logical form. Astrobuddy is a brand of Nyassa AstroCorp and is a content & service provider for Astrology powering digital & voice astrology products globally. With over 30 million customers they understand diverse audiences sets & content consumption preferences. The app is world’s 1st ever Astrology application that facilitates live text chat for the users to seek advice from AstroBuddies. AstroBuddy is a unique service where focus is more on counseling & scientific analysis of birth charts. No religious overtures or age old superstitions are involved in this service. Very soon the live voice service will also be launched for customers in USA, Canada & UK. The objective of setting up AstroBuddy is to dispel the way astrology has been misinterpreted & showcased over & over again. “We work on people’s strengths & potential, with the objective of turning their fears into smiles,” says Bhupesh Sharma.

Vinay Anand Bags The “Most Versatile Actor” Award

Dishum International Bhojpuri Film Awards (IBFA) 2017 created history last year by being the 1st ever regional entertainment show held in London on 30th Jul, 2017. This year, it spread the power of Bhojpuri culture in Malaysia at the 2nd Dishum IBFA Awards 2018. Adding a touch of Bollywood charm & to grace the occasion present were Kumar Sanu, Dino Morea. Krishna Abhishek, Ragini Khanna, Payal Rohatgi. Apart from them, the Dishum channel owner Vishal Gurnani, producer Abhay Sinha, Durga Prasad, Ramesh Nayyar, Partha Dey, COO, Dishum Broadcasting Pvt Ltd & Aparna Shah, Founder Director, Dishum Broadcasting Pvt Ltd. Vinay Anand got the “most versatile actor award’. The prestigious awards were given away in front of a packed audiences consisting of Manoj Tiwari, Pawan Singh, Nirahua, Ravi Kishan, Krushna Abhishek as well as popular Bhojpuri celebrities including Amprapali Dubey, Madhu Sharma, Akanksha Awasthi, Sambhavna Seth, Rashmi Desai, Payal Rohatgi, who rocked the stage in a glitzy event held in Kuala Lumpur on 21st Jul, 2018.

Mrunal Thakur On Working With Tabrez Noorani & More In ’Love Sonia’

Mrunal Thakur turned a year older on 1st Aug, 2018 and on this wonderful occasion, she got talking about Love Sonia and more. She is playing a phenomenal role in Love Sonia, directed by Tabrez Noorani. The film that is based on child trafficking reunited Tabrez Noorani who is also the Indian producer of Slumdog Millionaire with reel life Latika, Freida Pinto, while simultaneously featuring Hollywood actress, Demi Moore. Mrunal Thakur took the role of Sonia, a young girl from a small Indian village, after a year-long search of a good film that really connected to her. Mrunal Thakur recollects, “Demi Moore shared stories of working with an organization called Thorn (that works towards curbing circulation of child sexual abuse material and stands up to traffickers. I went to Sonagachi, the red light area in Kolkata, and lived there for a couple of days, studying the body language of the girls there.” Inspired by true events, Love Sonia is the shocking story of a young Indian village girl whose life is tumultuously & irrevocably changed when she gets entrapped in the global sex trade while trying to save the one person she is closest to, her sister. The film has been shot in Jaipur, Mumbai, Hong Kong & Los Angeles, and will be released in India this Sept. The film has a cast comprising of Hollywood as well as Bollywood actors, including Freida Pinto, Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao, Richa Chadha, Anupam Kher, Adil Hussain, Sai Tamhankar, Sunny Parwar, Demi Moore, Mark Duplass & Riya Sisodiya.

Vidyut Jammwal Brings Global Recognition To “Kalaripayattu”

Looper, a highly coveted platform in US has recently released a list of top martial artists across the globe and Vidyut Jammwal is the only Indian to have made it to this prestigious list. Speaking on the achievement, Vidyut Jammwal averred, “This is indeed an honor. Recognition like this inspires me to work harder and this moment makes me feel like a proud Indian”. Vidyuit Jammwal whose dream has been to bring “Kalaripayattu” to the world seems to be succeeding and has given Indians another reason to celebrate. Vidyut Jammwal has recently finished shooting for his upcoming family adventure film, Junglee, with renowned film maker Chuck Russell (director of The Mask, Scorpion King & The Eraser). Chuck Russell appreciated Vidyut Jammwal saying, “It’s great to see Vidyut Jammwal being noted as the rising star in action films across the world. He has a rare combination of cinematic charm & killer moves that will make him unstoppable after this film. What really distinguishes Vidyut Jammwal is his deep knowledge of the martial art “Kalaripayattu” and his understanding of its philosophy to not only protect & fight, but also use it to heal. I had the pleasure of creating his role in Junglee to play his style of action supporting a positive message. I can’t wait for audiences to see it on the big screen.” Speaking about the appreciation he received from Chuck Russell, Vidyut Jammwal adds, “Chuck Russel’s kind words are like an icing on the cake. Working with him on Junglee was like a dream come true. He pushed me to extract one of my best performances so far.” Other martial artists in the list include Ilram Choi, Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, Lateef Crowder, Wu Jing & Johnny Nguyen.

Akshay Kumar Launches “Peeping Moon”

Akshay Kumar launched Clapping Hands Private Limited’s new website in Marathi namely Peeping Moon.com. With actor-writer Swanand Kirkire, Akshay Kumar visited the Mumbai office of Marathi Website. Peeping Moon.com. Over a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast of Poha, Batata Vada, Sheera, Missal Pav & Piyush drink, Akshay Kumar did his 1stever Marathi web interview with Swanand. Marathi. Peeping Moon.com, a subsidiary of Bollywood’s popular & fast growing digital platform Marathi. Peeping Moon.com, will exclusively cover content of Marathi cinema, TV & theatre including film reviews, stories, gossip, interviews, previews, on-the-sets & behind-the-scenes news, film awards shows, et al. in video & written format. Peeping Moon.com was started in Sept, 2017 by Mark Manuel & Nishant A Bhuse. “After the start of our Bollywood website in English & Hindi a year ago at the back of our minds we always intended to start a Marathi entertainment website seeing how Marathi cinema was growing and leading Bollywood actors were getting involved in it.” Akshay Kumar added, “For Bollywood news, there are several online entertainment sites, but for a person like me who admires Marathi cinema, drama & TV, there is now also Marathi. Peeping Moon.com. I congratulate the team.”

Nandita Das Heads The Jury For The 2018 Edition Of Unesco-Madanjeet Singh Prize

Nandita Das – actor, director & social advocate, along with Professor Nadia Bernoussi, celebrated academic & legal expert from Morocco, and Abdoulaye Konaté, prominent artist & cultural voice in Mali, comprised the Jury for the 2018 edition of UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize. This prize awards a hundred thousand US dollars to individuals, institutions, other entities & non-Governmental organizations that have made exceptional contributions & demonstrated leadership in the promotion of tolerance & non-violence. Nandita Das was unanimously elected President of the jury by her fellow jurors. Says Nandita Das, “As I am in the midst of a gruelling schedule, working towards the India release of Manto and its participation in international film festivals, to suddenly get this invite to participate in a meaningful initiative was truly rejuvenating. I have always enjoyed the deliberation process. The last time was in 2016 for BBC World in London. They had asked me to be on a similar jury for a programme called Outlook Inspirations. Having been caught up with Manto, it was actually refreshing and brought back a certain sense of hope. Having said that, it was not an easy process. To take out time from a hectic schedule, to review profiles of the candidates from all over the world that were nominated, and then deliberate extensively in order to arrive at a consensus during the meeting in Paris”.

Hollywood Actress Tammy Barataia Was Saved From Drowning In The Ganges

Recently, Hollywood actress Tammy Bartaia survived a fatal accident in Varanasi. The team of The Legend Of Peacock had come to shoot for the film under the direction of Atul Garg. One of the important scenes of the movie was to be shot in the Ganges River. The Director & the cameraman were shooting well for this scene, but then suddenly Atul Garg saw Tammy Barataia drowning in the river. Atul avers, “My assistant immediately jumped into the river to save her from this life threatening incident.” Atul Garg has confirmed the incident related to Tammy Barataia. The Legend Of Peacock is Atul Garg’s 1st ever Hollywood movie. The movie, being made in Hinglish, is to be shot in many countries including India. In Varanasi, 45% of the shooting has been done. Besides India, the film will also be shot in US & Turkey. The shooting of The Legend Of Peacock in Varanasi has been done on ghats like Asshi Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat. Apart from Hollywood actors like Tammy Bartaia, Tim Bruce, Brent, Bollywood actors like Asima Sharma, Manish Wadhwa, Abbas Khan will also be seen in the movie.

Bhushan Kumar To Join Hands With Ajay Devgn

Bhushan Kumar the music baron turned film producer of T-Series is all set to now produce a much-awaited costume drama, Taanaji along with Ajay Devgn. Both Bhushan Kumar & Ajay Devgn have had a very successful association in the past, Raid being their recent blockbuster. Bhushan Kumar had recently flown to London to meet Ajay Devgn for a discussion over Taanaji, which will mark Bhushan Kumar’s 1st ever venture into costume drama. The film is all set to go on the floors by the end of Sept, 2018, after Ajay Devgn finishes the shoot of Akiv Ali’s next which is being produced by Bhushan Kumar & Luv Ranjan & Indra Kumar’s Total Dhamaal. The movie Taanaji will showcase the life of this unsung warrior of glorious Indian history, who fought for his People, his soil & his King Chhatrapati Shivaji. The film will be directed by Om Raut, who has to his credit Lokmanya Ek Yugpurush (2015), the Marathi biopic on Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

‘Girl In The City’ Will Give People A Lot Of Courage

Bindass Originals Channel’s Girl In The City – Chapter 3, has been receiving all the love & the accolades from the fans. The show has already crossed the esteemed 10 million views mark on social media, within just a couple of weeks into the show. The lead actress Mithila Palkar is extremely happy that the show has entered its 3rd season as she has been associated with the show since its inception. Says Mithila Parkar, who is also seen in the film Kaarwaan with Dulqar Salmaan & Irrfan Khan, “Girl In The City is a very relatable show and we all are relatable characters. Meera, represents all of those who have moved from the smallest towns to a bigger city to achieve their dreams and the struggle is real. The show will give people a lot of courage and they will feel there are more people like Meera and like themselves. It will give them hope.” While her on-screen character is fashion designer, Mithila Parkar wishes if she adopted her traits, she would have a better sense of fashion as she prefers to wear pajamas’ always. Girl In the City – Chapter 3 also features Rajat Barmecha & Swati Vatssa in pivotal roles.

Sonu Sood Champions The Cause Of Drug Free Punjab

Besides being a talented actor, Sonu Sood is well-known for his philanthropic work & his association with several charitable causes over the years. Not many know that the large-hearted actor has been tirelessly working for the serious cause of drug abuse since more than a year now in his hometown, Punjab. In fact, Sonu Sood recently met Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and appreciated the state Government’s efforts towards eradicating drugs from the state. A source informs, “Sonu Sood has been effortlessly working for the anti-drug campaign in Punjab with the help of several top Government officials & cops. During his free time, the actor visits Punjab to assist the people working on the campaign thereby helping them to create awareness around the drug abuse. Sonu Sood will be personally meeting drug addicts and make them realize the hazardous effects of drug consumption & advocate them to maintain a disciplined & a healthy lifestyle.”

Annup Sonii Opts Out Of ‘Son Chiriya’

Annup Sonii has for long been anchoring the reality-based television show, Crime Patrol on television, and because of his busy schedule, he couldn’t take up any other project because of the hectic shooting schedule, including Abhishek Chaubey’s Son Chiriya featuring Sushant Singh Rajput & Bhumi Pednekar. “Yes I lost out on it as they wanted a certain look from me, but my show, which required me to be clean-shaven, They needed me to grow a beard of 30 days, which wasn’t possible,” informs Annup Soni. So, after his contract with the show ended, Annup Soni decided to get back to cinema. “I want to send across this message to everyone in the industry, that I am available for films! 8 years is a long gap, and I lost touch with many filmmakers. I couldn’t forge relationships with the new ones. My last film was in 2008 named Yeh Hausla, directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, and it never released. I did 2-3 films after that, but then I got this show,” he says. Annup will soon start shooting for Prasthaanam, starring Sanjay Dutt. “The film is about relationships. Me, Sanjay and more characters are part of one family, and my character goes through some kind of incident, which changes the whole story,” he adds.

‘Manto’ To Be Screened At The Toronto International Film Festival 2018

Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) is considered one of the greatest writers born, with his literature being well ahead of its time. Bringing alive the legacy of the man and his turbulent yet inspirational story on the silver screen is Nandita Das’ directorial venture, Manto. The film has now been selected for a screening at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival 2018 (TIFF) scheduled from 6th Sept, 2018 to 16th Sept, 2018. Ajit Andhare – COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures averred, “Saadat Hasan Manto’s life & work on celluloid is a dream we have nurtured with Nandita Das for a while now. Nandita Das shares, “I have been to TIFF as an actor many a time, right from my 1st ever film, Fire, in 1996. The last time I was there for the world premiere of Firaaq in 2008. So, it has been 10 long years! I am so looking forward to being back, and that too with Manto. TIFF attracts a very engaged & enthusiastic audience, both international & diaspora of the Subcontinent. Portraying the fearless writer Manto is the versatile actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui while Rasika Dugal plays his ever-supportive wife; Safia. The film also features Rishi Kapoor, Javed Akhtar, Ranvir Shorey, Paresh Rawal, Gurdas Mann, Divya Dutta et al. Manto is produced by Filmstoc & co-produced by Shamas Nawab Siddiqui & Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Magic If Films.

Sonal Chauhan Gears Up To Prepare For Mahesh Manjrekar’s Next

Sonal Chauhan, who is eagerly awaiting the release of her forthcoming war drama, Paltan, has been officially signed by director Mahesh Manjrekar for his next untitled movie, also featuring Vidyut Jamwal & Shruti Haasan. Interestingly, Sonal Chauhan who plays the role of Chandramukhi in the underworld gangster drama will be seen performing several scenes which will be high on drama. Accordingly, preparing for the same, the talented actress has started rehearsing with a theatre group featuring senior artists to prep for her intense scenes that she would be shooting soon. It’s learnt that Sonal Chauhan has to perform several intense, high-on drama scenes in the film and she has been rehearsing with several theatre actors to get the right expressions & nuances for her character.

Nupur Sanon – A Brand’s Favorite!

Nupur Sanon recently collaborated with her sister Kriti Sanon to shoot for their 1st ever commercial of a popular hair oil brand. Interestingly, Nupur Sanon has been hugely appreciated for her vivacious look & cute chemistry with sister Kriti Sanon in the commercial. She looks bubbly & very confident for her 1st ever acting debut and has a great screen presence too. Such has been the craze & the popularity of the commercial that Nupur Sanon has been recently approached for not 1 but 4 major brand shoots to endorse their products along with Kriti Sanon. Yes, you read it right! A source says, “Nupur Sanon, who is gearing up to make her mark as an actor in Bollywood, is known for beautiful looks & a major social media following is becoming quite popular amongst the fashion critics with her recent appearances.”

Filed Under: Film

Cine Buzz

August 4, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Rajat Barmecha Identifies With His On-Screen Character Of Kartik

Rajat Barmecha who rose to fame with Anurag Kashyap’s movie Udaan is also popular for playing Kartik in Bindass Originals’ series Girl In The City. While most of the actors don’t identify with their fiction characters Rajat has a different version altogether. The actor shares, “There are many similarities between Rajat & Kartik. Over the period of time the writer of our show has understood Rajat so well that she has merged both the real & the reel together and there is hardly any difference. Except, Kartik cooks and I don’t. The best thing about my character Kartik is that – he lives in the moment and does not take life seriously. He is always having fun and that’s how exactly I am in real life. The way we rehearse and do a scene together is very organic. I have always been an organic actor but with them I have learnt to have fun while working.” The 2 episodes of the 3rd season of Girl In The City series is released on all Bindass platforms and has been receiving a lot of love from the audience.

Rajkumar Hirani Praises Marathi Film ‘Chumbak’

Noted director Rajkumar Hirani lauded the Marathi film Chumbak by saying it is a heartwarming film with great acting talent showcased by Swanand Kirkire and matured direction by Sandeep Modi. After watching a special show of the film organized specially for Hirani on Tues, he said, “Saw the heartwarming Marathi film Chumbak. Swanand Kirkire is not only a great lyricist but has also proved to be a great actor in this film. Saurabh Bhave has penned a sweet story with matured direction by Sandeep Modi. Newcomers Sahil Jadhav & Sangram Desai have done commendable job as actors. I also salute to Naren Kumar & Akshay Kumar for the production & presentation of the film.” Hirani latter tweeted in the praises of the film. Marathi film industry has been abuzz ever since Akshay Kumar had resorted to social media to announce in pure Marathi about his decision to present his 1st ever film, Chumbak, produced by Aruna Bhatia, Naren Kumar & Cape Of Good films and directed by Sandeep Modi, which will hit the screens across Maharashtra on 27th Jul, 2018. Noted lyricist, singer & actor Swanand Kirkire, who is acting in a Marathi film for the 1st time ever is also seen in a lead role for the 1st time ever. Sangram Desai & Sahil Jadhav are the youngsters in significant roles in the film along with Kirkire. The film has been directed by National Award winner Sandeep Modi. Swanand says “I had assumed that the team wanted to meet me for its music, but I was taken aback once I realized they wanted me to act, that too in a leading role, that too in one of the toughest ones I have ever heard! But listening to the script and the faith the team had, we dived into it all including me, Sandeep, Saurabh & Naren”.”Building on the part of a mentally slow naive man with our own personal observations of people around us and extensive research with doctors & counsels working in this area, we all built this part together brick by brick, with the love & dignity we wanted to bring to it”, says director Sandeep Modi.

Gulshan Kumar Biopic To Release On Christmas

T-Series & Aamir Khan Productions join hands for the most awaited biopic on India’s Music Mogul, Gulshan Kumar. Bhushan Kumar & his family are quite excited for the film based on his dad and is thrilled to be working with Aamir Khan. The film is slated to release on Christmas 2019. Written & directed by Subhash Kapoor, the shooting of the biographical film will start early 2019. Being close to his father, Bhushan Kumar always wanted an opportunity to tell his story. They hope it would be able to do justice to the legacy which has been an inspiration to the family.
Urvashi Rautela Goes To New York
Urvashi Rautela has always graced films with her personality like Hate Story 4 which can be seen in her dance numbers like “Saara Zamana” from Kaabil as well. She has mastered 13 dance forms and is currently working on polishing her acting skills. The actress says, “Having a glamorous personality or having good dancing skills is not enough in this field. I don’t have good acting abilities. I am an actor first, rest will find its way and in order to do so, I think joining an institute to enhance my acting persona will do no harm.” Looks like the wise girl has realised that if you have to survive in films as an actress too, you have got to learn acting too!

Rajkummar Rao Learns Tailoring For Stree!

Rajkummar Rao is known to be a method actor and always goes out of his way to get into the nuances of his character. For his upcoming film Stree, the actor learnt a brand new skill and have aced it. The actor underwent a month long training for becoming a tailor. He learnt stitching of varied kind of woman outfits from a blouse to a shirt. For Rajkummar’s character in the film, being a tailor was an important connect to the story line. Talking about his new learning the actor points out that the job seems easy but required a lot of prep. Rajkummar shares “Once you sit on that chair, the coordination & reflexes are something else. You can cheat with a body double but I wanted to do everything and bought myself a sewing machine and hired a tailor in Mumbai to teach me how to sew. I also had a tailor guiding me on the sets in Chanderi.” Rajkummar Rao was very keen to adapt to the Chanderi dialect. He underwent continuous training for about a month and also had a dialect coach on the sets who made sure that Rajkummar Rao sounded like a resident of Chanderi. He even made sure to have a chat with the locals there to understand how they communicate on a daily basis. The actor further adds, “I took a couple of weeks off from other projects to prep for Stree. We finished the shoot in one go. The horror-comedy genre while unexplored in our country has a huge audience.” Dinesh Vijan presents Stree, a Maddock Films production in association with D2r films & Jio Studios. The horror comedy has been directed by Amar Kaushik and is all set to release on 31st Aug, 2018.

Pakhi Brings A New Take On Child Trafficking

After the massive success of the short film, Pihu, National Award winning writer-director Sachin Gupta is back with a feature film, Pakhi which is all set to release this Aug. The film’s music was launched recently and received great reviews from all across the world. On the occasion, Sumit Kant Kaul, Anamika Shukla, the lead actors in the film with director Sachin Gupta, singer Prateeksha Srivastava & Music Composer Shivang Mathur were present in the presence of the media fraternity. The film Pakhi is the story of a 10 year old girl who is about to get married and is trapped in the world of web trafficking. While the subject of prostitution & child trafficking stays a matter of concern, the film aims to address what goes on behind the cruel business which sees the highest violations of agency, freedom & esteem. For instance, the pre-puberty treatments that the women are subjected to for the flesh trade to flourish. Pakhi is based on true events and is all set to rejig the cinematic perspectives with a plot which explores the depth of societal distress and the value of human lives. Pakhi, a social crime drama discusses the dark world of child trafficking which is plaguing our society at large with a completely fresh perspective. Set in the times of a natural conflict for existence, it explores & exposes the dark realities behind the world of human trafficking. With estimated 27 million adults & 13 million children around the world who are victims of human trafficking, Pakhi becomes a subject that records the highest violations and yet a subject, so obviously talked about. With the refreshing plot of conflict, survival & triumph over the circumstances, Pakhi is all set to bring the society close to a mirror they cannot escape without introspecting. Sachin Gupta, a National award “Natya Bhushan” winning Indian film-maker & writer has directed Pakhi with his vision of meaningful & societal retrospective cinema. Sachin is known for his work in the field of theatre, having 14 original plays & 4 screenplays to his credit. He made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Paranthe Wali Gali in the year 2014 which he produced under his production banner, Chilsag Pictures, a production house he established in 2012.

Kartik Aaryan Is Mufti’s 1st Ever Brand Ambassador

On completing 2 decades, men’s fashion brand Mufti appoints rising star Kartik Aaryan as its 1st ever brand ambassador. Kartik has gained worldwide popularity through his recent artistic & commercial successes Pyaar Ka Panchnama 2 & Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. The brand Mufti was launched in 1998 by Kamal Khushlani with one driving ambition, to provide an alternative dressing solution that didn’t conform to the uniform codes of mainstream fashion.

Deepika Padukone To Join Madame Tussauds Delhi
Deepika Padukone will be joining the world’s biggest superstars at Madame Tussauds with a wax Figure set for attractions in London & Delhi. The actress who is known as much for her beauty as she is known for her performing talent has stunned the nation ever since her inception in showbiz. The 1st ever figure will launch in London early 2019, while the Delhi figure will follow a few months later to draw more attention to the tourists & the fans of the actress. Her striking figures, which will be created by world renowned artists, will allow fans to pose, interact &experience glamour like never before. The team of Madame Tussauds expert artists met Deepika Padukone in London for the all-important sitting for her figures, where they took over 200 specific measurements, photographs to create an authentic likeness. Deepika Padukone said, “I am so delighted. The sitting with the team of experts was a special experience and I look forward to the
incredible figure at the attraction.”

Chitrangada Singh Shares The Most Sensational Chemistry With Sanjay Dutt

The 3rd instalment of Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster franchise brings a very fresh chemistry on-screen this time. The gorgeous Chitrangada Singh is shown playing the role of Sanjay Dutt’s love interest in the film. The intimate scenes between them are shot very aesthetically and very well display their complicated love story. With anticipations running high, all eyes are eager to watch director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s & Producer Rahul Mittra’s famous action-drama-thriller once again. In an exclusive interview, Chitrangada Singh, opened up about her on-screen chemistry with Sanjay Dutt saying that, “Our chemistry in the film is unusual, there’s a lot of innocence in the love which my character carries for Sanjay in the entire film. There is a lot of pain that flows along in our journey. But that is how unrequited love really is.” Producer Rahul Mittra says, “What Sanju & Chitrangda share between them on screen is extremely appalling. The love interest goes to a new level in certain scenes and is very intimate.” The true essence of unrequited love is what has been tried to deliver through the characters of Chitraganda Singh & Sanjay Dutt and what makes it all the more special is the pairing of both of them for the very 1st time on-screen. Most stories depict a very beautiful & a happy love story but this one is going to take the audience on a ride to pain & love at a whole new scale. Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 directed presented by Raju Chadha, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia & produced by Rahul Mittra & Tigmanshu Dhulia was released on 27th Jul, 2018.

Filed Under: Film

Hindi Film Review

August 2, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Dhadak Is A Simple Tale Told In A Beautiful Way

Banner: Dharma Productions & Zee Studios
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar & Apoorva Mehta
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Star Cast: Ishaan Khattar, Janhvi Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Ankit Bisht, Shridhar Watsar, Kshitij Kumar, Aishwarya Narkar, Aditya Kumar, Kharaj Mukherjee, Godaan Kumar, Shalini Kapoor, Vishwanath Chatterjee, Hempushpak Arora, Jahnavi Dave, Ishika Gagneja, Balaji Gauri, Manish Singh & Mustakeem
Music: John Stewart Eduri & Ajay – Atul

When Marathi film’s director Nagraj Manjule had presented his 2016 Marathi film Sairat to the audiences, it had left them deeply impacted. But at the same time, they were thoroughly entertained too! The film became a craze in Maharashtra State and also got noticed pan-India. Shashank Khaitan, who has proved his worth with films like Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania in the year 2014 & Badrinath Ki Dulhania in the year 2017 decided to take up the task of remaking this flick in Hindi. titled Dhadak, the film is also significant as it marks the long-awaited debut of the late Sridevi’s elder daughter Janhvi Kapoor. Falling in love in India comes with its share of major problems. This is especially true when the lovers belong to diverse castes or religions or regions. Honor killing is still prevalent in many parts of India and so many cases have been reported and talked about so openly in media that it doesn’t even shock us anymore. Dhadak manages to turn out as entertaining as or even better than the Marathi original Sairat.

Dhadak is the story of 2 young souls who fall in love against the restrictions of caste hierarchy. Madhukar Bagla (Ishaan Khatter) belongs to a lower caste in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He’s smitten by Parthvi Singh (Janhvi Kapoor), the daughter of the high-caste politician Ratan Singh (Ashutosh Rana). Parthvi has an intimidating personality but that doesn’t stop Madhukar from making her known that he has feelings for her. Parthvi gets impressed by Madhukar’s bravado and love blossoms between them. Trouble arises when at the birthday celebration of Parthvi’s brother Godaan Kumar (Roop Kumar), Ratan Singh catches Parthvi & Madhukar together. Madhukar & his friends Shridhar Watsar (Purshottam) & Gokul (Ankit Bisht) are taken into police custody while Parthvi is grounded at home. Parthvi however reaches the police station and manages to free Madhukar & his friends. Madhukar & Parthvi escape to Kolkata where they try to start their life afresh.

Dhadak is adapted from Sairat written & directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule. Shashank Khaitan’s story is on the same lines as the Marathi blockbuster Sairat with minor tweaks. Shashank Khaitan’s screenplay is very effective. One of the best things about the screenplay is that it’s shorter than Sairat. However the impact is more or less the same. In the 2nd half, the film gets a bit slow but then it was necessary to show the hardships. Shashank Khaitan’s direction complements the script well. He keeps the film very rooted and also tells a very relatable story. In some sequences, he takes the film on another level. For instance, the scene where Madhukar & Parthvi have a showdown on the streets of Kolkata is very well handled. Also he shines in the climax. Shashank Khaitan’s dialogues are simple & funny and even acidic as required.

Though Dhadak is an official remake of Sairat, one should not expect the former to be a scene by scene reworked version of the latter. As a result, there are quite a few changes. Hence even those who have seen Sairat will be in for a surprise. The film begins on a nice note with the food eating competition sequence turning out to be quite interesting. The manner in which Madhukar & Parthvi’s love story develops will surely put a smile on the faces of the viewers. 2 of the sequences stand out here, Madhukar meeting Parthvi at her mansion at night and Madhukar singing an English song for Parthvi. The film goes on a high as soon as Ratan Singh learns about their romance.

Post interval, the film switches tracks as the lovers realize that love is not a bed of roses. But the best is reserved for the finale. It’s a shocker to say the least!

Ajay-Atul’s music is melodious. The title song has a soothing feeling. “Zingaat” is already a rage. “Pehli Baar” is soulful and well shot. “Vaara Re’’ is neatly relegated to the background. John Stewart Eduri’s background score is brilliant and enhances the impact. Vishnu Rao’s cinematography is one of the best things about the film. The locales of Udaipur have been captured like never before. Shashank Tere’s production design is convincing as well as appealing. Monisha R Baldawa’s editing is slick. Manish Malhotra, Natascha Charak & Nikita Mohanty’s costumes are impressive.

Performance wise Ishaan Khatter had already proved his worth with the English Beyond The Clouds directed by Majid Majidi, in which Ishaan khatter had made his debut, and with Dhadak, he proves that he’s definitely here to stay. He’s very confident & looks so endearing in scenes where he’s head over heels in love, especially in the song “‘Pehli Baar”. In the emotional & dramatic scenes, he’s equally efficient. Janhvi Kapoor also does extremely well & exudes a lot of confidence. She handles this difficult role with so much ease and that’s a feat for a newcomer. Definitely, a star is born! Ashutosh Rana is a natural when it comes to negative roles and this one is no different. Shridhar Watsar is extremely hilarious & contributes a lot to the humor quotient. He’s going to be loved by the youth & even single screen audiences. Ankit Bisht is fair but gets overshadowed by the presence of Ishaan Khatter & Shridhar Wtsar. Godaan Kumar is good in the villainous role and leaves a mark in the scene when he’s asked to apologize to the college professor. Aditya Kumar as Devilal gets a limited scope. Ishika Ganeja as Ambika looks lovely and gets noticed. Govind Pandey as Bhagwandas is decent as Madhukar’s father. Shalini Kapoor as Ashadevi & Aishwariya Avinash as Gayatri are fair as the mothers of Parthvi & Madhukar respectively. Manish Verma as Arvind Mama is passable while Kharaj Mukherjee as Sachin Bhowmick is very adorable and would be loved. Shubhadevi Harshal Choksey as Promila Bhowmick looks beautiful and is confident. Balaji Gauri as Sulekhaji Goenka makes a mark in a cameo. Vishwanath Chatterjee as Inspector Shekhawat looks convincing.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Dhadak is a simple tale told in a beautiful way. Despite being a remake of an iconic film, it manages to stand up on its own feet and entertain the audiences thoroughly.

At the box office, the youth is going to savor this flick big time which will ensure its commercial success.

Filed Under: Film

Cine Buzz

August 2, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

“Jalebi” – A Musically Oriented Romantic Film

Vishesh Films promises a memorable musical romantic film with “Jalebi”, in cinemas on 12th Oct, 2018. Vishesh Films’ next film Jalebi – The Everlasting Taste Of Love directed by debutant director Pushpdeep Bhardwaj and with lead cast debutant Varun Mitra, Rhea Chakraborty & Digangana Suryavanshi will tug at your heart-strings in cinemas on 12th Oct, 2018. The movies 1st imagery was released via an intriguing motion poster. From the looks of it, the production house is ready to bring yet another unique love story. The motion poster has surely got us thinking about its tag line – Once they had a love story, everyone has one! This musical love story has celebrated composers & singers like Jeet Ganguly, Tanishk Bagchi, Arijit Singh, K K, Shreya Ghoshal, Shilpa Rao, Jubin Nautiyal and others to its credit. Jalebi – The everlasting taste Of love”, is presented by Vishesh Films in association with Mahesh Bhatt & produced by Mukesh Bhatt.

Roop Kumar Rathod Launches Music Album “Taa-Dhaa”

First time ever Sandip Mahavir & Taufiq Qureshi comes up with something very different in the field of Dance, Music, & Rythm. “Taal Se” is a treat to everyone as it brings Sandip Mahavir & Taufiq Qureshi together and also a gorgeous, vibrant danseues Mugddha Mane. The song “Taa-Dhaa” Launched by Veteran Singer Roop Kumar Rathod, his Wife Sonali Rathod & Actor Azaz Khan. The event took place at Zee Preview studio fun Republic. For all Hindi music fans, check-out the latest Hindi song “Taa-Dhaa” on Zee Music sung by Vijay Prakash, Sandip Mahavir & Taufiq Qureshi. The song is produced & directed by Sandip Mahavir. Lyrics & music of the song have been given by Taufiq Qureshi. The message in this song is for the whole world to be in the positive beat of life. This video is visually absolutely different as it has both the classical & the western fusion of music & dance.

Shraddha Kapoor’s Instagram Posts disappears

Just recently one saw Shraddha Kapoor sharing some of the best moments of her family vacation on Instagram but something has gone wrong with her social media account. All the Instagram posts of the actress have disappeared all of a sudden and replaced by a very weird warning. Her social media has only 3 images which reads “Mard Ko Dard Hoga” that has put all in a quiz of what is this all about! All her fans & followers have started reacting to this sudden change and have been suggesting that her account has been hacked since even her profile picture has disappeared. The biggest question is how has this happened and what does “Mard Ko Dard Hoga” means? Will Shraddha step up & answer?

Lashtam Pashtam Is A Story Of Friendship & Brotherhood

For a while now, social media has been abuzz with a folksy, funny, colloquial sounding tongue twister Lashtam Pashtam. It was seen & heard on the ride home in the metro, on Facebook, on Instagram, on radio and even in the streets. We had all heard & seen it, but none of us knew what it meant. So here it is…Lashtam Pashtam – A Story Of Friendship & Brotherhood Beyond Borders – is a film that will release on 10th Aug, 2018. Directed by debutant Manav Bhalla, the film stars the late Om Puri, Tisca Chopra, Dolly Ahluwalia, Ishita Dutta, Feryna Wazheir, Vibhav Roy & Samar Vermani. Om Puri will always be remembered as one the best actors we ever had. His prolific body of work crossed borders and appealed to audiences not just in India but also internationally. Before his untimely death, in a fateful coincidence, he was working on Lashtam Pashtam, a film that celebrates the warmth of brotherhood & friendship beyond borders. According to Producer & Director Manav Bhalla, “Lashtam Pashtam is a film that celebrates universal brotherhood. While it has an India-Pakistan context, its essence can be true for any friendship that transcends the limitations of political borders drawn between any of us, anywhere. We were blessed to have a fantastic ensemble cast led by the legendary Om Puri ji who gave his 100% to the film and believed in its theme of friendship beyond borders. The film highlights the values that Om ji held very dear – as a human being & as an actor – universal peace & harmony and is aptly set to release on this Independence Day Weekend. I will forever cherish having worked with Om ji on (probably) his last film & my first.”

Sushant Singh Rajput Turns A Sketch Artist For His Next!

Sushant Singh Rajput’s love for creating art is not a new hobby, he is an art aficionado. As much as he can sway his fans with his acting skills, his Midas touch cannot be ignored when he is holding the pencil. His art evokes a depth. Sushant’s latest post portrays his love for physics, through creating a reincarnation of a combination of the famous paintings The Scream, Starry Night. Persistence of Memory. Off lately, he has been indulging in sketching while shooting for Kizie Aur Manny.

Filed Under: Film

NOSTALGIA AN EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO MOHAMMED RAFI ON HIS 38th DEATH ANNIVERSARY

August 1, 2018 by Shaheen Raaj

Image result for AN EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO MOHAMMED RAFI ON HIS 38th DEATH ANNIVERSARY

{4th December 1924 – 31st July 1980}

‘Woh jab yaad aaye, bahut yaad aaye’. Yes indeed and this year 31st Jul, 2018 heralded the 38nd death anniversary of Mohammed Rafi, Rafi Sahab for one and all, who incidentally was born on 4th Dec, 1924. So by now it’s 3 decades down the unforgettable golden memory lane, time and again reminiscent of his everlasting crooning glory tinged with incidents and anecdotes galore, since his soul had departed for the heavenly abode on 31st Jul, 1980 and more so when it is the case of an eminent and a legendary singing personality like him. Not to forget that he was truly known as “Aawaz Ki Duniya Ka Shahenshah” a phrase which was coined by none other than Ameen Sayani, India’s first ever Radio Jockey, on Radio Ceylon during his most popular broadcasting days of the “Binaca Geetmala” series.

THE BEGINNING

Since his early childhood, Rafi Sahab had an undyingly passionate penchant for singing. But his strictest disciplinarian and a bit orthodox father was dead against his choice. Yet, later on, it was his uncle who on realizing his ardent desire started imparting the most essential vocal as well as instrumental musical training to him. Once the training session ended his uncle personally introduced him to Feroz Nizami the then managing director of Radio Lahore. The groundwork was laid and soon enough after a brief stint out here the millions “Chahita Fankaar” {beloved singer} got his first ever playback singing break in a made in Lahore Punjabi film titled Gul Baloch. And the year was 1944.

JOURNEY FROM LAHORE TO BOMBAY

The year was the same, 1944. Gul Baloch numbers had hit the roof in the chart bursting track record on Radio Lahore. Rafi Sahab had then confidently packed up his bag, baggage and his Radio Lahore job and landed up straight in the “Jadunagri of Bambai ki filmi duniya” as it was more popularly known then. No doubt the Lahore success had preceded him and he instantly got his first ever Hindi film playback singing break in a film titled Pehle Aap with no other competitive new or old crooner then to pose a serious threat of the “Lucknowi” tradition of “Pehle aap, pehle aap”. The next thing one knew was that he had shot into instant limelight, his very first starry brush with stardom was with the memorable number Yahan Badla Wafaa Ka from a runaway hit film titled Jugnu. And then the rest as they say was a melodious history written in golden words in the annals of the history of Indian Cinema in general and Hindi Cinema in particular.

TURNING POINT ANECDOTE

Camp business in the entire filmic arena was prevalent even then. So in spite of gaining instant recognition with Jugnu Rafi Sahab had to wait for his time to enter the big time musical league. And soon enough such an opportunity did come his way. In his heydays his major breakthrough was courtesy a strange incident that had insinuated his foray into the musical giant Naushad Sahab’s music room at Mehboob Studio. It so happened that during the recording of Babul, another eminent singer Talat Mehmood had ended up infuriating him by daring to smoke in his presence. And due to the stringent contract system Talat Mehmood did end up singing all the songs of Babul much to his chagrin. But of course Naushad Sahab had vowed that he would never repeat Talat Mehmood in any of his film. So when he scored the music for his next film Baiju Bawra it was Rafi Sahab who got a laid out on a platter golden opportunity to sing all its songs including the very symbolic, heart touching and scintillatingly naughty number Maan Mera Ehsaan Arre Nadaan Ke Maine Tuhse Kiya Hai Pyaar from Mehboob Khan’s film Aan.

HIS UNIQUE STYLE HIS FORTE

In this regard it was the then Rafi Sahab’s arch rival the Late Kishore Kumar, who in spite of being a versatile and prolific crooner in his own right had to borrow his playback for one of his own acting role in a film titled Raagini, who had gone on record speaking volumes about his vocal virtuosity, It sounds unbelievable yet true that all of a sudden Mohammed Rafi’s volcanic talent had emerged like a “Towering Inferno” on the Hindi based Indian musical scene from the 50’s phase onwards. His main forte was his stylish slurring, his mast murki’s, the feel and the tease in his voice in Toto with his excellent ability to mould his voice differently to match all the actor’s voices of their times. Then, of course, his perfect knowledge and understanding of every nuances pertaining to Urdu words in league with the Persian poetry too. While the added bonanza was his unmatched, unparalleled and flawless diction which he often used to infuse with an immeasurable yearning to bring out the exuberant light heartedness in his extremely popular Shammi Kapoor style of songs.

HIS CAPTIVATINGLY INTOXICATING NUMBERS

To attempt the chronological enlisting of Rafi Sahab’s endless number of hit songs would be strictly unfair as millions, billions, trillions and zillions of his fans hum them all over and all the time even to this day! Yet there is no one on par with him as far as the crooning of the captivatingly intoxicated numbers were concerned, like Choo Lene Do Naazook Hoton Ko, Chalkaye Jaam Aaiye Aapki Aankhon Ke Naam, Maine Pi Sharab Tumne Kya Piya, Yeh Duniya Usiki, Jo Unki Tamanna Hai, Mujhe Duniya Walon Sharabi Na Samjo, Mujhko Yaaro Maaf Karna Main Nashemain Hoon et al.

HIS HEARTWRENCHINGLY SAD NUMBERS

No doubt the ever smiling Rafi Sahab was equally versatile while crooning the pathos ridden melancholic numbers, like Yeh Duniya Yeh Mehfil, Babul Ki Duaen Leti Jaa, Mile Na Phool To Katon Se Dosti Karli, Aaj Purani Rahon Se Koi Mujhe Aawaz Na De, Yaad Na Jaaye Beete Dino Ki, Hum Ne Wafaa Na Sikhi et al.

HIS LIVELY & PEPPY NUMBERS

Indeed how can one forget his lively, peppy and outstandingly foot tapping numbers, like Tareef Karoon Kya Uski Jisne Tumhe Banaya, Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue, Jiya Ho Jiya Ho Jiya Kuch Bol Do, Jaan Pehchaan Hai, Na Rootho, Rootho Na Rootho Meri Jaan, Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe….Yahoooooo, Uff Yu Maa, Uff O Khuda et al.

HIS EVERGREEN ROMANTIC NUMBERS

In this arena he was aptly titled as the “King of Romance” by Indian Cinema historians like the late Firoze Rangoonwalaa, the Late Bunny Reuben, Rajiv Vijaykar, Ritu Nanda et al albeit in their musical references making a special mention of Rafi Sahab and his evergreen romantic numbers, like Nisultana Re, Chehre Pe Giri Zulfein, Baharaon Phool Barsao, Teri Pyaari Pyaari Soorat Ko, Yeh Mera Prem Patr Padkar, Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri Mohabbat Ki Kasam, Bekhudi Mein Sanam Uth Gaye Jo Kadam, Aankhon Hi Ankhon Mein Ishara Ho Gaya et al. Well! The list is never ending and even reams and reams and endless reams of paper-mâché would be in suffice to enlist them all.

IN CONCLUSION

And then finally the voice that had enthralled and entertained the global music lovers was silenced forever on 31st Jul, 1980. Yet his diehard fans all over feel, “Mohammed Rafi Sahab is not lost, only his physical presence is missing, but his heart, his soul and his voice still belongs to all of us.” Yes his was the most recorded voice of the bygone era and even now not a single day passes by without a Rafi number being aired on either Radio or Television. Indeed Rafi Sahab, who did face a declining lean phase, a slow and steady easing out phase in between, still remained the unchallenged musical supremo from the year 1960 to the year 1969. Besides he never gave up his riyaz, never compromised and never ever changed his outlook. While as per his son Shahid Rafi, “There can never be another Mohammed Rafi. Yes clones are galore including me in the earlier phase but Mohammed Rafi was Mohammed Rafi. By the way Baba has sung thousands or rather unlimited, uncountable songs in Hindi as well as varied other languages but till his last days his favorite personal choice were only two songs, like Ek Haseen Shaam Ko Dil Mera Kho Gaya Pehle Apna Hua Kartha Tha Ab Kisika Ho Gaya and Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya, Har Fikr Ko Dhuaen Mei Udata Chala Gaya. Which he did! Indeed!”

THE GRAND FINALE SALUTE

Comes from his contemporary colleague Mohammed Aziz aka Munna Aziz’s song, which he croons in all his globetrotting and Indian musical concerts galore till this date which will keep on reverberating everlastingly thereby refreshing his memory till “Qayamat” {eternity}, Na Insaan Tujhsa Tere Baad Aaya, Na Fankaar Aisa Tere Baad Aaya, Mohammed Rafi Tu Bahut Yaad Aaya.Aameen!

Filed Under: Film

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