Late Lekh Tandon’s last directorial venture Phir Usi Mod Par One based on the controversial issue of Triple Talak got exhibited at Berlin Film Festival in English language titled Back To Square One. The screening witnessed a jam packed theatre with 120 film experts giving a standing ovation to avant garde movie. At the Cocktail Reception to follow at Waldorf Astoria; critics & filmgoers unanimously heaped generous praise on the film applauding its bold subject, performances, music, singing and of course the direction. The Phir Ussi Mod Par team at Berlin comprised of Kanika Bajpai, Trinetra Bajpai, Anil Tipnis & Suresh Singh Bishnoi. After Lekh Tandon’s sad demise, his close friends Trinetra Bajpai & Kanika Bajpai have taken the onus of releasing the film on themselves. Mr. Bajpai has also given music to the film & his wife Kanika has sung a song and played an important role in the film.

PULKIT & KRITI SHARE AN AMAZING CHEMISTRY OFF SCREEN AS WELL!

The lead actors of Veerey Ki Wedding, Pulkit Samrat (Veerey) & Kriti Kharbanda (Geet) have already given a glimpse of their sizzling on screen chemistry to the audiences after the launch of the trailer recently. The duo shares an undeniably amazing equation not only on screen but off screen as well. They will be seen opposite each other for the 1st time ever in Veerey Ki Wedding. The actors at 1st bonded on their common love for food on the sets. Being true blue Punjabis, the actors share a passion for food and are always found sharing a bite of scrumptious snacks during breaks & in between shots as well! Looks like Pulkit has left his earlier love interest Yami Gautam behind and latched on to Kriti and they complement each other very well on & off screen as well. Both Kriti & Pulkit say that they signed the movie just because the other was being cast opposite them and have also said that they will surely be excited to work with each other in the future as well.

‘BHOOTWALI LOVE STORY’ IS A FILM WITH A DIFFERENCE

At a time when Bollywood is churning out films on a wide variety of out of the box content, Passion World Entertainment is now readying a fantasy called Bhootwali Love Story which is a blend of reality & fantasy. The title itself reveals that the content will comprise of novelty in an extra ordinary manner. Sarika Vinod Tambe & Gajendra Shrivastav have produced the romantic horror story directed by Shantanu Anand Tambe about how a beautiful ghost is able to convey her love to her beloved through a thief who strays into a house, through a series of humorous incidents. The film stars Kanchan Awasthi, Suhas Ruke, Tushar Acharya, Laxman Davbhatt, Preetam Bhandari etc. Satish Pujari of Audio Lab is the co -producer of the film.

KAY KAY MENON TO PLAY FOOTBALL TEAM MANAGER IN ‘PENALTY’!

Kay Kay Menon is all set to spring a huge surprise on the audiences, especially his fans with his next offering, Penalty, a sports based film in which he is playing a football team manager. The makers have recently launched the poster. Interestingly, the actor has always had an inclination towards sports and his passion for the same got him hooked on to the film. Kay Kay was extremely excited from the 1st ever narration of Penalty, and with football being the baseline of the film, the actor was game for the movie. From shoot at 5 in the morning to 16 hour shifts, Penalty saw a sea of hard work & patience. Menon also did a special football training to get himself prepared for the film. Nilesh Sakhiya presents Penalty, a film by Shubham Singh, produced by Nilesh Sakhiya, Ritu Shrivastva, Aditya Shrivastva, Ravi Singh, Annu K . Besides Kay Kay Menon, the movie features Shashank Arora, Manjot Singh, Lukram Simle, Shrishti Jain. Music & background score by Siddhant Madhav. Releasing on 30th Mar, 2018, Penalty revolves around the lives of a football coach Parth and her student Lukram. The story conveys the social message against racial discrimination prevailing internally in the states of India.

TRAILER LAUNCH OF ‘INDIAN NEVER AGAIN NIRBHAYA’

The trailer of a film based on the true event of Delhi bus gang rape & murder named Indian Never again Nirbhaya produced by Bidisha Adhikary & Kanchan Adhikary & directed by Payal Kashyap & K Adhikary was launched recently. The film stars Riecha Sharma, Bidisha Adhikary, Dinesh K Mehta, Ravi Kumar, Raju Kher, Shailendra Srivastava, Raju Shrestha, Anil Yadav, Gopal K. Singh, Pappu Polister, K. Adhikary, Kamaal Malik & Gehna Vasisth. Producer K Adhikary says, “Films based on such incident highlights the issue that now in 21st century also girls are not treated the way they should be. As the film is based on true event it was very difficult to change anything. At the time of shooting it was really hard for us to shoot some of the scenes; everyone was remembering the time when it was actually happening to that girl.” Manoj Nandwana of (JVEL) is the distributor & marketing consultant for India for release of the movie, which is all set for 20th Apr, 2018.

UTKARSH SHARMA TO MAKE HIS DEBUT IN ANIL SHARMA’s ‘GENIUS’

Remember the child who played Sunny Deol’s son in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha? Utkarsh Sharma, son of Director & Producer Anil Sharma gears up to make his debut in Anil Sharma’s next film Genius on 24th Aug, 2018. Genius is very fast – paced & high – tech action on a huge scale, with a healthy dose of romance with handfuls of thrills & pinches of drama. Genius will be a new, exciting & saucy mix, but put together very tastefully and served with style. K. C. Sharma & Kamal Mukut presents Anil Sharma Productions & Soham RockStar Entertainment’s high – tech Action love story based Musical film Genius is all set to release in all over. Utkarsh Sharma Jeetey of Gadar fame and new find Ishita are leading cast of the film. The other cast includes Mithun Chakraborty, Ayesha Jhulka & Nawazuddin Shiddqui. Genius is produced by Deepak Mukut, written, Produced & Directed by Anil Sharma, screenplay & dialogues by Anil Sharma, Sunil Sirvaiya, Amjad Ali, music by Himesh Reshammiya & lyrics by Manoj Muntashir.

‘WHEN OBAMA LOVED OSAMA’ IS A COMPLETE LAUGH RIOT DEAL

Yet again, comedy – love story is in line to crack up the audiences with its barrage of fresh comedy. The audiences will again be entertained with a funny title When Obama loved Osama. No, we are not kidding… That’s what the movie is called. The upcoming movie When Obama loved Osama will be helmed by Sudhish Kumar Sharma What you get to see in the movie will leave you in splits! Yes. The maker of Hum Hain Teen Khurafaati released in the year 2014 are back with their latest movie When Obama loved Osama, and it would be a comic – drama, replete with relatable humor & sidesplitting one – liners. The movie is being produced under the banner of Shape Entertainment. The music is by Kashi Richard & Rishabh Sambhav Jain. The movie promises to give rib – tickling comedy to its viewers and is expected to hit the Box – Office turnstiles in May, 2018. Produced by Jaivindra Singh Bhati & Chaman Gupta & directed by Sudhish Kumar Sharma, the film stars Mousam Sharma, Swati Bakshi, Rahul Avana, Amrita Acharya, Mohit Baghel, Vikas Giri, Kimti Anand, Mushtaq Khan, Manoj Bakshi, Lilliput Faruqui, Heena Panchal, Hemant Pandey & Himani Shivpuri.

BHOJPURI FILM ‘DAMRU’ REVOLVES AROUND A LIFE OF A DEVOTEE WHO HAS A GREAT FAITH IN LORD SHIVA

A soft – hearted follower of Lord Shiva, who has a firm belief in God and he has faith in relationship with God. His devotion & belief force God to come on earth for the sake of him & humanity. Pradeep K Sharma has produced the film Damru under his banner Baba Motion Pictures. It has been written & directed by Rajnish Mishra. Khesari Lal Yadav & Yashika Kapoor from Punjab play the lead in the film. Pradeep K Sharma had made 2 Hindi films Direct Ishq & 1.13.7 is now making his name in Bhojpuri & Marathi film. His 1st ever Bhojpuri film Damru is making waves on IMDB page .The film is giving tough competition to Hindi film Baaghi 2 ,Hate Story IV & even Hichki and will release on 5th Apr, 2018.

SHALEEN BHANOT’S ‘PASSAGE TO HOLLYWOOD’

Shaleen Bhanot trains with the best of Hollywood to learn & unlearn acting. Michelle Danner who has trained the best actors of Hollywood like James Franco, Seth MacFarlane, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, Zooey Deschanel, Gerard Butler, Chris Rock, Chris Martin, Penelope Cruz, Michael Pena, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate Del Castillo and many others now trains Shaleen Bhanot for his debut Hollywood venture. Shaleen Bhanot who has spent over 1 decade in the industry in TV shows such as Suryaputra Karn, Sher – E – Punjab: Maharaja Ranjit Singh says, “Training under her is like going to a Gurukul. She has trained some of the best actors in Hollywood today & having her train me is an honor also she is a lovely human being.”

JENNIFER WINGET LAUNCHES EFFICIENT INSURANCE BROKERS – MOBILE APP

Spearheaded by founder Parthiv Group of “Efficient Insurance Brokers” by Rakesh Rathi is one of the fastest growing Insurance Broker in the Country. Since Jul, 2017 they are now present in about 7 States & 9 Cities across India. The launch of their “Insure Efficient” Mobile APP was by Jennifer Winget at Eskay Resort, Borivali West in the presence of Deepshikha Nagpal & Rohit Verma. Efficient is a Trademark Registered Insurance Broker and is the fastest growing broking company in the country with a team of 100+ employees across the country and is further planning to make its presence in felt 9 more locales in a span of 12 months with the creation of more than 200+ employment. Mentor Director Rakesh Rathi says “The formation of Parthiv Group in 2015 was with a view to making simplified Insurance model & creating employment in the industry. “Team Efficient help clients determine their exposures, Structure their Insurance Programs; Negotiate Rates, Terms & Conditions; Place Their Risks with one or more insurance companies; Ensure Prompt & Equitable Settlement of Insurance Claims whenever the insurable events occur. In addition, they provide multiple services alongside the insurance value chain.

ARJUN KAPOOR & PARINNETI CHOPRA REUNITE FOR ‘NAMASTE ENGLAND’

Pen Movies & Reliance Entertainment, in association with Blockbuster Movie Entertainers, have announced the release date of their upcoming film on 7th Dec, 2018. The makers have released 2 posters of the film with this announcement. Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s Namaste England is a young & refreshing story that traces the journey of 2 individuals Jasmeet & Param. It tracks their love story across the landscapes of India & Europe. Starting from Punjab and moving to Ludhiana, Amritsar, Dhaka and all the way to Paris followed by Brussels and finally to London. It’s a fun quintessential Bollywood love story film starring Arjun Kapoor & Parineeti Chopra. Produced & directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film is presented by Pen Movies & Reliance Entertainment, in association with Blockbuster Movie Entertainers. Namaste England has already gone on the floors with this announcement and is scheduled to hit the theatres on 7th Dec, 2018.

ILEANA DCRUZ TALKS ABOUT HER CHARACTER IN ‘RAID’

Ileana Dcruz will be seen playing the role of Ajay Devgn’s wife in Raj Kumar Gupta’s directorial venture, Raid. Set in 1981 Lucknow, Raid is based on one of the biggest income tax heists that changed the course of history! From her debut in rom com Barfi or showcasing her comic timing in Mubarakaan, the actress has always attempted to play a varied choice of characters. Ileana says “Even though the film is about the raid with Ajay (Devgn) as an income tax officer, I do have a pivotal role. I admit, in terms of footage, it’s not large, but it’s an interesting part of the film. My character is not a demure biwi from the 80’s, she is sensible, speaks her mind & is quite the force behind him. There’s no plan as of now, but I’d love to work with Ajay again because he’s been doing a lot of content driven films and is a nice, positive person to hang out with. On the sets, he was always chatting with his daughter (Nysa) or son (Yug) and since I was invariably listening in, I now feel I know his whole family.” Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak & Abhishek Pathak, Raid is directed by Raj Kumar Gupta. The film releases on 16th Mar, 2018.

‘PARESHAAN PARINDA’ WILL NOW RELEASE ON 23RD MAR 2018

Due to circumstance beyond their control, the release of Pareshaan Parinda is postponed to 23rd Mar, 2018. Made under the banner of Dreamz Productions, Pareshaan Parinda – ek bechara stars Meeraj Shah, Sakshi Singh, Pankaj Kumar, Avtar Singh Bhullar, King B Chouhan, K P Sandhu, Pallavi Sharma, Sadia Nabila, Ricky Sapuran Singh, Dave Sidhu, Sahil Sood, Sammy Gill & Naz Gill. Pareshaan Parinda has been artistically captured by cinematographer of the film Gilbert Rae in Sydney & Singapore. The film has melodious songs given by Johny Seth, Tapeshwar Kalia & Ravinder Bhinder. The sound design is done by Asif Chandwani & the background score by Dev Chauhan. Dr. Rachel Singh is not just the producer of the film but also story – concept, writer, screenplay, production designer & art director. The director is Devesh Pratap Singh. The entire film is shot in varied locales of Sydney (Australia) & Singapore.

Hollywood actors namely Brad Pitt & Leonardo DiCaprio are now on board and joined the cast of director Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Manson movie. The above film’s title has been revealed as Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Quentin Torantino describes the project as “a story that takes place in Los Angeles in the year 1969, at the height of a hippy Hollywood. Leonardo DiCaprio will enact the character of Rick Dalton, a former star of a Western TV series, while Brad Pitt will portray the role of his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth.

Brant Daugherty Engaged

Brant Daugherty is not lying about the fact that he’s getting hitched indeed!!! The Pretty Little Liars alum popped the question to his girlfriend, Kimberly Hidalgo, and she happily said yes. The excited couple announced the special news on the social media platform after the overseas proposal earlier in the month. The Fifty Shades Freed star and his off screen leading lady lady first popped up together on the social media platform in the month of Oct, 2016 and have been posing together ever since. The jet setting pair has even celebrated a variety of occasions together as a pair, including their first ever anniversary last Oct.

Derick Dillard Attacks

Derick Dillard is at it again. Just when you thought that the Duggar family’s resident blowhard had learned his lesson about bullying the most vulnerable segments of our population, he goes and hits a new low. As you’ve no doubt heard by now, a shool shooting in Parkland, Florid had claimed seventeen lives last month. In the wake of the tragedy, several students have made it their mission to take on the NRA & the politicians that they feel are responsible for America’s ludicrously permissive policies on assault weapons. Shockingly, these courageous teens have been met with a brutal backlash, with several reporting that they’ve received death threats from angry weapons fetishists. And then Jill Duggar’s husband joined the effort to try & discredit the grieving teens, “This has gotten a little ridiculous; at least 2 networks are now using kids to push their liberal agendas,” Derick Dilliard tweeted.

Ensa Cosby Passes Away

Bill Cosby’s daughter Ensa Cosby recently passed away. She was 44. Later on The entire Cosby family had thanked many people for their prayers for their beloved & beautiful Ensa Cosby, who recently died after suffering from a renal disease. Ensa Cosby had expired on Fri 23rd Feb, 2018 in Massachusetts. Ensa Cosby had once worked alongside her father Bill Cosby in the past; she had appeared on “The Cosby Show” in the year 1989 as a girl at a party. The season 6th episode Ensa Cosby appeared in was entitled, “I’m ‘In’ with the ‘In’ Crowd.” Ensa Cosby had been a big supporter of her dad over the years, standing up for him amidst all his legal battles. Ensa Cosby’s death comes 2 decades after the death of her brother Ennis Cosby, who was killed in Los Angeles in the year 1997.

Heather Locklear Arrested

Heather Locklear was recently arrested following an alleged dispute at her home. Incidentally speaking Heather Locklear was booked on one count of felony domestic battery & three counts of battery for allegedly attacking the three responding Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies, according to the police. In fact the Police was summoned to Heather Locklear’s home in California recently, regarding a domestic incident between Heather Locklear & her boyfriend. Heather Locklear was taken into custody after the deputies found evidence to support the claim that Heather Locklear had indeed battered her boyfriend, causing him grave injury in the process.

Jennifer Lawrence Rubbishes The Rumors

Jennifer Lawrence was widely blamed recently by her fans for Chris Pratt’s split from wife Anna Faris. But Jennifer Lawrence rubbishes the rumors that she was ever in a relationship with her Passengers co – star Chris Pratt. In a recent interview, Jennifer Lawrence also talked about the weirdest rumors that she had ever heard about herself. She also commented on the speculation about her love life. There were rumors in 2016 that Chris Pratt & Jennifer Lawrence had got into a relationship filming their sci – fi film Passengers.

Jill Duggar Slammed

Jill Duggar is in hot water yet again. Although at this point, she’s probably used to the temperature, as it seems to be where she spends most of her time. As Derrick Dilliard was recently fired by TLC after harassing a fellow network star on Twitter. Derick Dilliard did not appear in Monday’s Counting On Season Premiere, and many fans took note of the fact that Jill Duggar was also absent from the episode. So it appears that Jill Duggar is either sitting this one out, or she was axed alongside her husband. Either way, if she had hoped the scrutiny of her personal life would diminish now that she’s stepped away from the spotlight, she’s got another thing coming. The latest mini – scandal has to do with a comment that Jill had posted on her sister Joy – Anna’s Instagram page.

Lewis Gilbert Passes Away

British producer and director Lewis Gilbert, best known for his films like Alfie & even the James Bond films like The Spy Who Loved Me & Moonraker, has recently passed away. He was 97. The news of his death was instantly shared by the James Bond franchise producers namely Michael G Wilson & Barabara Broccoli. A little flashback on Lewis Gilbert is that he had directed the 1967’s James Bond movie namely You Only Live Twice starring Sean Connery, and again the film The Spy Who Loved Me in the year 1977 & Moonraker in the year 1979, both starring Roger Moore. Lewis Gilbert, who was born into the family of music hall performers, had begun his career as a child actor. In the year 1939, he had worked as an assistant on Alfred Hitchcock’s Jamaica Inn. Lewis Gilbert was also known for directing Educating Rita & Alfie. For Alfie, Lewis Gilbert had received an Oscar nomination for “Best director”. Alfie was also instrumental in actor Michael Caine’s rise to fame. On Twitter, a number of celebrities, including directors Edgar Wright & Peyton Reed, paid their tributes to the Late Lewis Gilbert.

Stephen Fry Undergoes An Operation

Actor & comedian Stephen Fry has recently undergone an operation to treat prostrate cancer. Stephen Fry, who stepped down last month as BAFTA film awards presenter, shared details about his illness on Twitter. For the last 2 months he was in the throes of a rather unwelcome & unexpected adventure. In fact he has not even been able to talk about it till now. Incidentally speaking Stephen Fry describes cancer as an “aggressive little bugger” but he also believed that an early detection saved his life for good.

Kevin Smith Survives An Attack

Kevin Smith has recently revealed that he had almost died of a massive heart attack after being rushed to a hospital. Kevin Smith shared the news on Twitter from his hospital bed in California that after the 1st ever show recently. He indeed had a massive heart attack. In fact the doctor who had saved his life had told him told me he had 100% blockage of his LAD artery (aka “the Widow – Maker”). And if he hadn’t cancelled the show to go to the hospital, he would’ve died that night. But for now, “I’m still above ground!” he tweeted. Kevin Smith said that he had even cancelled a stand up gig in Glendale, California, after falling ill.

Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Luv Ranjan & Ankur Garg
Director: Luv Ranjan
Star Cast: Kartik Aryan, Sunny Singh, Nushrat Bharucha, Alok Nath, Ishita Raj Sharma, Sonalli Sehgal, Deepika Amin, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Virendra Saxsena, Pawan Chopra, Preetam Jaiswal et al
Music: Rochak Kohli, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Amaal Malik, Zack Knight, Saurabh – Vaibhav, Guru Randhawa, Rajat Nagpal & Hitesh – Sonik

Director Luv Ranjan shot to fame with a surprise hit, Pyaar Ka Punchnama, in the year 2011 and the highlight of the film was the bromance between the 3 new but attractive male leads namely Kartik Aaryan, Divyendu Sharma & Raayo S. Bakhirta. The film’s success was based on the fact that it was light, youthful & played on the fun stereotypes about women & dating. Now, the filmmaker is back with yet another film with his favourites namely Kartik Aaryan, Sunny Singh & Nushrat Bharucha. Yes, and it is love triangle but with a twist. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS) is a clash between Romance Vs Bromance. The undercurrent here though is the same: Is the dosti between men more precious than a romantic liaison with a woman?

The movie revolves around Titu (Sunny Singh) who is a hapless victim of romance. A perpetual lovesick puppy, he falls in love way too easily and gets his heart broken at the drop of his hat. Sonu (Kartik Aaryan), his street – smart, suave pal is his savior. He literally saves him from bad company, relationships and is kind of obsessed with him… in an endearing sort of a way. Sonu advises Titu to stay away from Sweety (Nushrat Bharucha). Titu does not pay any heed to Sonu’s advice but in turn tells him that his motherly instincts are making him say so! This sentence sort of summarises the extent to which these guys are close!!!

So, the film mounts on as Titu falls deeper in love with the seemingly flawless Sweety who tries her best to woo him. Sonu remains skeptical, waiting for a chance to find something against her that he can use. She too realises his true designs & declares a full – blown war against Sonu. The suspense of the film is who wins? Dosti or Pyaar or do these plots take a totally different trajectory? The makers successfully hook us on with the cat & the mouse game between his hero & the “villain”.

Well, there is no denying that the target audiences for these movies are young college going kids. The film caters to them and does a good job with its dialogues and the plot to keep the viewer constantly hooked. The dialogues with punches written by Rahul Mody along with director Luv Ranjan are young & funny. There are many cusswords used with beeps in it, which add to the overall fun. Along with Kartik Aryan, Alok Nath’s punch lines are very funny too.

Director Luv Ranjan holds the film in place & keeps us engaged throughout with surprise twists and the Tom & Jerry like chemistry between Sonu & Sweety. No, the ending is nothing like you’d ever expect and would take you by surprise. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS) will surely keep you on the edge of the seat.

There are certain scenes which stand out & deserve a mention. The scene where Sweety is introduced for a rishta with Titu, Sonu keeps getting anxious at the prospect of his friend ending up with her are noteworthy. Another sequence which is interesting is when Titu’s ex – Pihu (played by the electric Ishita Raj) shows up in the story. Sonu’s funny segment with servant Babu, who is appointed by Sweety, will make you laugh hard.

Talking about the performances, Kartik Aryan’s screen presence is top class. His evil grin & devilish charm will make you fall in love with him. Sunny Singh is a total eye candy and delivers as a shy, romantic fellow. He is natural & believable as Titu. Nushrat Bharucha commands your attention and her moments with Kartik Aaryan are pure fire. Their chemistry is sizzling and they totally look good together. She holds on to her character and delivers a solid performance. Special mention to Alok Nath who plays a quirky patriarch Ghasitaram. He is refreshingly good as a whiskey + kebab loving grandfather and adds a much needed zing to the plot. Ishita Raj as Titu’s ex – Pihu does her role fantastically well.

The writing by Rahul Mody & Luv Ranjan is fiery and does not slip one bit. The film keeps you on the edge from start to end, guessing what’s coming next.

The music of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is already hit after music director Hitesh – Sonik revamped some of the chartbusters like “Dil Chori” & “Bom Diggy Diggy”. Hitesh Sonik’s background score goes really well with the overall appeal of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS).

As for visuals, the film looks very good as cameraman Sudhir K Chaudhary does a fine job of making every frame look pretty & colorful. Editor Akiv Ali keeps the movie tight & crisp. Vicky Sidana gets the casting spot on.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety entertains as well as packs a solid punch. It is witty & sharp both in terms of drama & execution.

At the box office, it will be lapped up by its target audiences, the youth, who will take an instant liking towards the film. Strongly recommended.

Banner: Wiz Films Company
Producer: Vashu Baghnani, Jacky Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh, Andre Timmins, Viraf Sarkari & Sabbas Joseph
Director: Chakri Toletti
Star Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Sonakshi Sinha, Ritiesh Deshmukh, Lara Dutta, Rana Daggubati, Sushant Singh Rajput, Karan Johar, Aditya Roy Kapur, Disha Patani, Tapsee Pannu, Kriti Sanon, Shahid Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, Priety Zinta, Neha Dhupia, Suniel Shetty, Boman Irani, Mohit Sinha & above all Katrina Kaif & Salman Khan
Music: Sajid – Wajid, Meet Bros & Shamir Tandon

Welcome To New York, directed by Chakri Toleti & produced by Vashu Bhagnani’s Puja Films releases this week along with Luv Ranjan’s Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. Welcome To New York stars Sonakshi Sinha, Diljit Dosanjh & Karan Johar in pivotal roles and has an entire entourage of Bollywood A – listers making cameos as it is based against the backdrop of IIFA Awards. The film is meant to be a satire on the Hindi film industry & the 2 leads Diljit Dosanjh & Sonakshi play underdogs who make it big in Bollywood, despite coming from a humble background.

The movie is about a sloppy recovery agent Teji (Diljit Dosanjh) who dreams of being an actor & a “dhinchaak designer” Jinal (Sonakshi Sinha) who wants to escape from her dreary life. They win a
contest and are selected to showcase their talent at the IIFA Awards by Sophie (Lara Dutta) who is a part of the organizing team spear headed by Gary (Boman Irani). Sophie purposely selects the “two losers” Teji & Jinal in order to settle scores with Gary, who refuses her partnership in the company.

The entire film is supposed to be a comedy of errors with both Teji & Jinal winning Bollywood fraternity’s hearts with their genuine talent. What it turns out to be is a whole lot of different story. In between all this is the main celebrity host of the show Karan Johar, who has his own set of issues with the organizer Gary. But at the same time, Karan is also under threat of being kidnapped by his lookalike New York based gangster Arjun (Karan Johar) who wants to punish him for making romantic films. Riteish Deshmukh, who is the co – host of the show, uses this situation to his own selfish benefit. In between all this chaos behind the scene, IIFA awards take place in New York.

Karan Johar, in his double role as Karan (the director & head honcho of Dharma Productions) & Arjun (the gangster) manages to keep the movie engaging. There is a lot of self – referencing & self deprecative humor (be it about his sexual orientation or his movies) which does makes you laugh at quite a few places. Diljit Dosanjh as the goofy Teji Singh is adorable. His comic timing is impeccable. Sonakshi Sinha is lost throughout the film and is not very convincing. Even a dream sequence with Salman Khan does nothing to the character that is weak. Boman Irani as the stressed out, snarky stooge managing the event looks solely disoriented as he flits listlessly around from frame to frame. Lara Dutta tries to save the film as she does her part in whatever little scope she has been offered. Salman Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapur & Riteish Deshmukh’s cameos look forced & out of sync.
The 1st ever half of the film manages to keep one engaged because the writers Dheeraj Rattan & Sara Bodinar create some interest in the lead characters after they land in New York and there is a certain curiosity about who Karan’s doppelganger is and why he wants to harm the Dharma Productions’ head honcho so badly.

Director Chakri Toleti’s comedy of errors goes wrong especially in the 2nd half because the whole plot of the film goes out of the window, due to the lack of a proper script.

Editor Ritesh Soni has kept the film at 2 hours & 5 minutes instead of making it even more long & exhaustive. The film’s music is forgettable except for the last dance number “Pant Mai Gun”. Cinematographers Neha Parti Matiyani & Santosh Thundiyil do an average job.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Welcome To New York comes across as a blatant endorsement of IIFA Awards with a handful of funny gags thrown in here & there. The impeccable comic timing of Diljit Dosanjh & Karan Johar’s funny take on himself & the industry act as the saving grace. You can safely skip this Movie.

At the Box – Office turnstiles, the movie will have a very limited scope.

After the success of “Dulhania” series, Varun Dhawan, Shashank Khaitan & Karan Johar are collaborating yet again for Varun Dhawan’s 1st ever war film Rannbhoomi. In fact Varun Dhawan, Shashank Khaitan & Karan Johar are coming with their 3rd film together as a team! After the mega success of the “Dulhania” series, Shashank Khaitan & Varun Dhawan have taken a giant leap and are beginning the journey of spectacle & extravaganza. Genre moves from Romance to Action – Drama. But it’s not just an epic tale, it indulges in emotions & opulence in equal measure. Interestingly, this is Varun Dhawan’s 1st ever war film. At heart a love story, in essence a revenge drama but to sum it up, it promises to be a mega cinematic experience. The team is vastly excited to introduce to you Rannbhoomi, slated for a DIWALI 2020 release. Talking about their collaboration, producer Karan Johar said, “Rannbhoomi is Shashank’s colossal & ambitious imagination to attempt a hat – trick with Varun Dhawan & Dharma Productions. Shashank Khaitan & Varun Dhawan make an epic blend of creative & commercial extravaganza and that is exactly what Dharma Productions’ vision for the coming few projects is. Very excited to bring them together again for this Diwali 2020 epic tale.”

ROHIT SHETTY PICTUREZ TO VENTURE INTO ANIMATION SERIES WITH ‘LITTLE SINGHAM’

Rohit Shetty Picturez, Reliance Animation & Discovery Kids, will be launching a new animation series called Little Singham inspired by the Ajay Devgn franchise Singham. Little Singham, an original kid’s content series in India will be aired in 4 languages namely English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu. Targeted at kids belonging to the age group of 5 – 11 years, the intro line of Little Singham is – “Police ki wardi, Sher ka Damm, Naam hai mera – Little Singham!” The animated show will make its debut on television in Apr, 2018 on the completely revamped Discovery Kids channel. This is probably one of the largest deals in the animation industry with the 1st ever season to go on air with 156 episodes & 5 tele features. Rohit Shetty said, “Singham was hugely loved by the kids and a show like this will not only take the franchise ahead but will also become a source of entertainment for the kids & the audiences who loved Singham so dearly.” Shibasish Sarkar, Reliance Entertainment said “Little Singham will set a completely new benchmark for animation in India. With Rohit Shetty also mentoring the animated series, we are confident of taking the Singham franchise to newer heights.”

NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN’S HIT “KHAIR MANGA” RECREATED FOR AJAY DEVGN – ILEANA DCRUZ STARRER ‘RAID’

After the recreation of the romantic ballad “Sanu Ek Pal Chain”, the makers of Raid have now recreated another chart topping melody of the Late singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Titled “Khair Manga”, the track has been recreated in parts by lyricist Manoj Muntashir & sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s singer – nephew, Rahat Fateh ali Khan. “The song has been picturised on Ajay Devgn, who plays an upright & no – nonsense income tax officer & Ileana D’Cruz, who will be seen in the role of his supportive & brave wife. The song offers a glimpse into the on – screen couple’s life & the love, care & warmth they share in the film”, said director Rajkumar Gupta. Gulshan Kumar & T – Series present, A Panorama Studios Production, Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak & Abhishek Pathak, Raid is directed by Raj Kumar Gupta. The film releases on 16th Mar, 2018.

VIDEO EDITING APP – HYPSTAR ROPES IN SONAKSHI SINHA TO ENDORSE & KICK-START QUIZ BROADCASTING SHOW

Video editing platform – Hypstar has roped in Sonakshi Sinha to endorse the platform and be one of their 1st ever quizzers. Hypstar is a 15 second original short video community incubated by the Bytedance, China’s tech giant, with leading AI technologies. It enables users to record fun & memorable moments in their daily lives easily & share them with people all over the world while meeting fun people in Hypstar. Sonakshi Sinha says, “This innovation in the social media space is a great tool for me to connect with my fans & audiences. Video platforms are always more personalized, a gateway to stay connected with fans & followers. Hypstar happens to be my latest & my most favorite discovery”. With Short form videos having taken the digital world by storm, creating a video featuring oneself has diluted the lines between reality & virtuality. Hypstar, has launched a unique campaign for its subscribers whereby they can interact with their favorite celebrities and stand an opportunity of earning money through participation. The subscribers can undertake this quiz and stand to earn rewards with increasing stakes at every level. Through this quiz more than 2000 people stand a chance to win more than 10,000 dollar’s prize.

MALAYALAM DIRECTOR, JEETHU JOSEPH, TO MAKE HIS BOLLYWOOD DEBUT WITH A GAME CHANGING HORROR THRILLER

AZURE Entertainment & Viacom18 Motion Pictures has announced a collaboration to produce Jeethu Joseph’s Hindi film debut. Jeethu Joseph, best known for Mohanlal starrer, Drishyam, is all set to make his big Bollywood debut. The yet untitled film is being presented by Viacom18 Motion Pictures & produced by Sunir Kheterpal for AZURE Entertainment. Promising to change the face of horror thrillers in the country, the film shall combine interesting dynamics of a crime mystery thriller with elements of horror and shall have the audiences at the edge of their seats. The makers have managed to pull off an interesting casting coup with Rishi Kapoor & Emraan Hashmi, who has been synonymous with the horror – thriller genre Announcing his Bollywood debut, Jeethu Joseph commented, “Directing a Hindi feature film has been on the anvil for quite some time and I have been waiting for the right story. This crime mystery thriller with elements of horror has excited me tremendously and we have got perfect casting for the 2 protagonists in the Film. I am looking forward to start the Film at the earliest.” Says Emraan Hashmi,” Ajit Andhare, COO – Viacom18 Motion Pictures said, “Ever since we produced Drishaym, a Hindi remake of Jeethu Joseph’s original masterpiece, we have been looking for a subject to make with Jeethu Joseph in Hindi.”

VARUN DHAWAN’S ‘RANNBHOOMI’ TO RELEASE IN DIWALI 2020

Producer & director Karan Johar has chosen Shashank Khaitan to helm Rannbhoomi with Varun Dhawan. This is the 3rd time that the trio will work together on a project. Previously, they delivered 2 films in the “Dulhania series” namely Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania & Badrinath Ki Dulhania, enchanted the audiences. This time, Shashank Khaitan will switch to genres & focus on creating an action – drama loaded with emotions & opulence in equal measure. A love story at heart, this Diwali 2020 release will have an element of revenge at the core of the narrative. The makers aim to turn this project into a cinematic experience worthy of a mega festive release. Karan Johar, confirmed the news sitting miles away in Berlin, “Rannbhoomi is Shashank Kaitan’s colossal & ambitious imagination to attempt a hat – trick with Varun Dhawan. Shashank Khaitan & Varun Dhawan make an epic blend of creative & commercial extravaganza, which is Dharma Productions’ vision for the next few projects.”

EROS INTERNATIONAL ACQUIRES FILM RIGHTS TO BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ASHWIN SANGHI’S “THE KRISHNA KEY”
Eros International has acquired the rights to adapt the best – selling Indian author Ashwin Sanghi’s anthropological thriller “The Krishna Key” into a theatrical film & original series for their digital over – the – top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform, Eros Now. The thriller set across timelines with its captivating plot, merging the mythological with the contemporary released in 2012. The book follows a history professor who must prove his innocence against a murder charge. “The Krishna Key”, the 3rd novella by Ashwin Sanghi, tries to unfold the secrets of the Mahabharata and establish Krishna as a historical character rather than a mythical character. The plot is dramatic & provocative, enthralling with its twists & turns creating a seamless opportunity to creatively showcase it in the world cinema. Ashwin Sanghi says, “Eros Now has an incredible team that is exceedingly capable of adapting this action – packed thriller into a very interesting story for cinema. ” Ashwin Sanghi ranks amongst India’s highest selling English fiction authors. Popularly hailed as the Indian Dan Brown for “The Rozabal Line” & “The Krishna Key”, both of which were critically acclaimed. He has written several other bestsellers including “Chanakya’s Chant”, “The Sialkot Saga” & “Keepers Of The Kalachakra”. In 2010, he won Vodafone – Crossword Popular Choice Award for “Chanakya’s Chant”.

VARUN DHAWAN’S ‘OCTOBER” A GIFT TO HIS FANS

Shoojit Sircar & Varun Dhawan have given a sweet & striking gift to the legions of their fans: Introducing them to the world of October with a special video launched digitally. Shoojit Sircar’s unique take on love will make you wonder about the beautiful journey of life & relationships. The film reportedly sees Varun Dhawan surpass all his previous performances & milestones he has set so far along with the young talent Banita Sandhu who is making her acting debut in the film. Produced by Ronnie Lahiri & Sheel Kumar, October stars Varun Dhawan & Banita Sandhu. A Rising Sun Films Production, directed by Shoojit Sircar the film is all set to release on 13th Apr, 2018.

‘THE TASHKENT FILES’ DIRECTOR VIVEK AGNIHOTRI URGES PEOPLE TO SHARE DETAILS ON THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF SHASTRI

In a 1st of its kind, director Vivek Agnihotri has released a video in which he is urging the audiences to share details about the mysterious death of Lal Bahadur Shastri for his upcoming film titled The Tashkent Files. The video begins with Vivek Agnihotri talking about how the seeds were sown for making a film on the mysterious death of India’s 2nd Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. The director is later seen asking people to share anecdotes, stories, paper clippings or any details they know of or possess related to his death. To top it all, any sort of valuable contribution from people will be given its due credit in the film. ‘The Tashkent Files’ stars Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi & Shweta Basu Prasad.

NARGIS FAKHRI TO STAR IN HER FIRST EVER HORROR FLICK, ‘AMAVAS’

Starring along Sachiin Joshi the 1st ever horror film Amaavas has gone on the floors in London with a start to finish schedule. The shooting schedule is of about 35 days long. Directed by Bhushan Patel who earlier directed Ragini MMS 2, Alone & 1920 Evil Returns & Produced by Viiking Media & Entertainment in association with Simply West UK & Thoth Ventures, the film will release later this year.

Amy Schumer recently tied the knot with none other than a Chef named Chris Fischer. The couple were married outside a rented house in Malibu that overlooks the ocean. It seems it was a very chill wedding. It was thrown together at the last minute. Most of the guest found out that the wedding was happening on this week from a text message sent out by Amy Schumer. It was like, “Hey, this is happening. If you can make it, great. If not, no worries.’ People were in & out all night. It was a gorgeous day. Everyone was having a good time.” The guest list included Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Aniston, Larry David, David Spade, Judd Apatow and many, many more.

Jessa Duggar & Ben Seewald Slammed For Putting Kids In Danger

It’s been a full year since Counting On stars Jessa Duggar & Ben Seewald welcomed their 2nd child.The couple has been subjected to a non – stop torrent of criticism ever since the birth of Henry Wilberforce. The major part of the problem was that Jessa & Ben are members of the famous nay infamous Duggar clan. That alone means that their every move is likely to be dissected in search of potential controversies. But part of the issue does stem from Jessa & Ben making some questionable decisions as parents. When fans criticize Jessa’s messy home, that’s a case in which their just zeroing in on minor details. That’s just target practice so that they’ll be ready to take aim when real Duggar controversies take place. When folks are worried that Jessa’s not properly homeschooling her kids, however, that might come from a place of genuine concern.

Oprah Winfrey Says That Reese Witherspoon Showed PTSD Signs

Oprah Winfrey recently stated that Reese Witherspoon showed signs of PTSD following the mention of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. Oprah Winfrey further stated that Reese Witherspoon displayed signs of PTSD after sexual assault allegations emerged against disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein. In fact Oprah Winfrey told Salma Hayek during her “Super Soul Sunday Conversation” special that Reese Witherspoon became very upset at the mention of Harvey Weinstein when the story broke out in Oct, 2017. Oprah Winfrey said that she was on the sets with the actress for the upcoming movie Wrinkle in Time when Reese Witherspoon revealed that she had not been able to sleep following the bombshell Accusations against Harvey Weinstein.

Why Hollywood Won’t Cast Taylor Lautner Anymore

Taylor Lautner was poised to be the next big thing when The Twilight Saga was at its peak…and then he just wasn’t. What went wrong? Taylor Lautner’s Twilight co – stars Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson was clever with their careers. While still attached to the franchise, they both starred in other films, like Adventure land (2009) & Water For Elephants (2011). As a result, the duo had an easier time transitioning to other roles post – Twilight. Taylor Lautner, however, had only a bit part in Valentine’s Day (2010) to tide him over until the franchise was over.

Kylie Jenner Is Secretive About Her Pregnancy

Kylie Jenner has lived her entire life in the spotlight — and now that she’s pregnant, no one knows where on Earth she is or why she’s hiding. An insider reveals, “She’s very happy about the pregnancy but she doesn’t want to share this with the world … Her not being out is strictly her own personal preference. She wants to keep this one aspect of her life private.” Kylie Jenner is reportedly well aware that she’s not out of the woods in terms of her privacy and the privacy of her baby’s daddy, rapper Travis Scott. A source revealed, “They know it’s going to be frenzy when they do come out.”

Angelina Jolie Makes A Revelation

These are the things that strained Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt’s relationship. It’s been the subject of so many endless rumors since they split up last year: What caused Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s marriage to fail? Recently Angelina Jolie candidly opened up about all the things she & Brad Pitt faced together, the ways their marriage became strained and how they tried to fix it. “Over the span of that decade, I did lose my mother,” she said. “I did have my mastectomy, and I did then have an ovarian cancer scare and have that surgery as well and other things of course that happened in life that you go through.” So basically, things fell apart because of, well, life. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s very real. Angelina Jolie also admitted that working with Pitt on their critically panned 2015 film By the Sea was kind of a last -ditch attempt to fix things.

Justin Bieber Gives His Mom A Foot Massage

Justin Bieber was recently spotted massaging his mom, Pattie Mallette’s, broken foot, while on vacation with her in the Maldives, and many fans seem grossed out by it. Justin Bieber may not be a doctor, but he sure was acting like one while on vacation in the Maldives with his mom, Pattie Mallette on 22nd Jan, 2012. Pattie has been stuck in a wheelchair the last couple of days, as she unfortunately broke her foot during their mother -son vacation. And now, it looks like Justin has been trying to comfort her… starting with a foot massage. Pattie took to Instagram on Jan. 22, where she posted a “story” video of Justin giving her a massage. “You’re not a doctor, don’t touch it!” she joked with a caption. Then she pretended he responded back by saying, “I care! Ouch.” And then she asked her followers if she should trust Justin or not, LOL!

Demi Lovato Wants To Date Rihanna

It seems Hollywood’s hottest couple is now Demi Lovato and Rihanna? That would be the case if the “Cool for the Summer” singer had her pick. In an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Demi Lovato made her Hollywood crushes very clear through a game of “Who’d You Rather” (and one crush in particular). More than Harry Styles, Zac Efron, Milo Ventimiglia, Drake, Rita Ora, Chance The Rapper and Kristen Stewart (who also makes a strong showing), Demi Lovato insists the “Kiss it Better” singer is who’d she get with, given the chance. And Demi Lovato and Rihanna already have a bit of a history together, at least as far as social media is concerned. In 2011, they exchanged some serious adoration, with Rihanna posting “Demi Lovato goes so hard!!! She gangsta,” before Demi replied “thank you!! Only cause I learn from the best!! Aka YOU!”

Jessica Miller Arrested For Assault

Jessica Miller is the sister of Jenelle Evans’ husband, David Eason. She’s never appeared on Teen Mom 2, and it seems she has little face – to-face contact with Jenelle. Still, in the world of TM2 obsessives, Jessica is something of an icon, thanks to her stunning ability to match Ms. Evans in terms of violent insanity. Jenelle & Jessica’s feuds are the stuff of legend, often spilling from one social media platform to another, as each attempts to publicly throw shade without the other one knowing. It’s a thrilling game of cat and mouse, in which both the cat and the mouse accuse one another of being meth addicts. Jessica accuses Jenelle of doing drugs while pregnant. Jenelle accuses Jessica of driving while high and getting fired for stealing prescription painkillers from work.

Leaking Of J – Law’s Nude Photos

Jennifer Lawrence and many other celebs’ phones were targeted by hackers after an iCloud leak, leading to personal, nude photos being leaked online to an online bulletin board and quickly going viral. J – Law’s rep called it a “flagrant violation of privacy” and added that “the authorities have been contacted and will prosecute anyone who posts the stolen photos of Jennifer Lawrence”. And Jennifer isn’t the only star to have been hacked – a list of the stars allegedly affected has appeared online, and contains more than 100 names, including Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Kaley Cuoco, Rihanna, Lea Michele and Selena Gomez.

Banner: R V Creations
Producer & Director: Raghuvardhan
Cast: Shishir Shastry, Lekha Chandra, Sujoy R Hegde, Narayanaswamy, Kempegowda, Srinivasa Gowdru, Girish Jaththi, Bengaluru Nagesh, Shantha Acharya, Diamond Rajanna, Dr. Somashekhar, Ramanna et al.
Music: Manju Charan

Director Raghuvardhan makes his directorial comeback almost after a decade with his latest directorial outing namely Mr. LLB. In his 1st ever directorial outing Raghuvardhan had ended up working with big Kannada stars in films like Thimmaraya, Gunvantha & Bhadri Kannada.

Mr. LLB happens to be the story of a Land Lord Bhadra (Shishir Shastry), Swara (Lekha Chandra) & Bhadra’s friend Rahul (Sujoy R Hegde). The trio of Bhadra, Swara & Rahul get involved in the varied exploits of their village including the widely canvassed Gram Panchayat elections. And in the process lots of comedy situations arise and soon enough Bhadra falls in love with Swara and before the love story could culminate in a “Happy Ending”, Rahul is all set to enter into an arranged marriage with Swara. Then how this comic & action oriented romantic climax is sorted out forms the crux of Mr. LLB.

Director Raghuvardhan has dished out a decent mass entertainer with all the commercial toppings intact. But sadly enough the title Mr. LLB is totally misleading as LLB stands for Land Lord Bhadra, the protagonist Bhadra. Music by Manju Charan is notably melodious especially the numbers “Chandani” with a mix of Hindi & Kannada lyrics, and Ninna Yedege”. The camerawork by Suresh Babu is eye pleasing and captures the locales of Chikkamagaluru, Madikeri, Muddur & Baba Buddhanagri beautifully.

Performance wise both Shishir Shastry as well as Sujoy R Hegde have made their respective transition from the small screen to the big celluloid silver screen perfectly. In fact Shishir Shastry has given a good account of himself in the entire comic, action as well as the romantic scenes. While Sujoy R Hegde is picture perfect in his semi – serious role. But the same cannot be said about Lekha Chandra who is not exactly up to the mark in spite of having done a couple of films with big Kannada stars earlier. She seriously needs to polish her dormant acting skills.

All said & done Mr. LLB has a decent chance of success at the Box – Office turnstiles.