Being the 1st ever horror release of the year, 1921 is reigning the box office turnstiles and has received a lot of applaud from the audiences not only in India but other parts of the world as well. 1921 started off its box office turnstiles journey on a good note and has earned a total of Rs. 8.07 crores in India and is expected to see a rise in the numbers in the coming week. The film has also earned great admiration in Pakistan and has broken a record by accumulating a total sum of Rs. 1.3 crores within the 1st ever four days of its release. It is a big deal to see an Indian horror flick to do so well and have such high earnings at the Pakistani box office turnstiles. The movie released on 12th Jan, 2018 and is stable at the box office turnstiles.

SHWETA BASU PRASAD TO WORK ALONGSIDE NASEERUDDIN SHAH & MITHUN CHAKRABORTY IN ‘THE TASHKENT FILES’

Shweta Basu Prasad, who was last seen essaying the role of a simple, down – to – earth housewife in Badrinath Ki Dulhania, is all set to be a part of the upcoming thriller, The Tashkent Files. She will be portraying the role of a ferocious scribe who helps in investigating the case. Shweta stated, “The best part about being an actor is the fact that one can live so many lives in one. I enjoy portraying different characters, whether it was the twin role in Makdee, a doting sister using sign language to communicate in Iqbal, Urmila in Badrinath Ki Dulhania or a warrior princess in my TV show Chandra Nandini. Raagini Phule in The Tashkent Files is different from anything I have ever done so far. She is a rookie journalist who with the story of the film gets serious and more invested in the mystery of Lal Bahadur Shastriji’s death. For me, Raagini has many shades that I can discover as an actor. I am really excited and looking forward to it.”Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the gripping thriller also stars Naseeruddin Shah & Mithun Chakraborty. The film revolves around the mysterious death of the 2nd Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri.

GUJARATI FILM ‘DHAAD’ STARRING KAY KAY MENON TO RELEASE AFTER 17 YEARS PORTRAYS POWERFUL WOMEN CHARACTERS

After a successful release of the film Dhaad in Gujarat, the cast & the crew is all set to release it in Mumbai too. From Jayant Khatri Film Foundation, one of India’s leading theatre production houses & award winning director Aditi Desai (Kasturba, Akoopar, Agnikanya & Samudra Manthan), comes an exciting new theatre production, Dhaad. The film, shot before the 2001 earthquakes in Gujarat. Director of the movie Paresh Naik said that when 2001 earthquake struck, the film had almost been shot. The movie had funding problems, which is the major reason why it took 17 years (2000 – 2017) for the film to see the light of the day. The cast & the crew of the film had almost given up before Shemaroo stepped in to save the film. He also stressed on the fact that like Maharashtra government, Gujarat government also needs to adopt similar measures in order to promote cinema & theatre and must prioritise Gujarati cinemas. The movie is set in the dangerous desert sands of Kutch region, where women are considered as child bearing machines, Dhaad tells the epic story of the unapologetic & eccentric anti – hero, Ghelo, and the 3 incredibly strong willed women whose fate have betrayed. The story takes the audience on an intriguing & thought provoking journey, alongside the passion & aggression of the robbers in this barren land. The film is based on a short story located in the interior rural landscape of Kutch, on the western borders of Gujarat, India. Paresh Naik also announced the arrival of his forthcoming movie projects called Samudi & Dharaar.

SUNIEL SHETTY ATTENDS THE TOSS CEREMONY OF THE ANCHOR PREMIER LEAGUE, A CRICKET TOURNAMENT

Trumpets of excitement & enthusiasm blew as Suniel Shetty tossed the coin to mark the commencement of a thrilling cricket match in the Anchor Premier League organised by Sportobuddy. The ceremony took place at the Western Railway Cricket Ground in Lower Parel in the esteemed presence of Dhananjay Rawal, the Creative Head of Sportobuddy and the captains of the contending teams, Great White Tuskers & Fierce Mustangs.. Suniel Shetty, a Mumbai Heroes player in the Celebrity Cricket League has a deep seated love for cricket and hence, made his presence felt at the exciting match – up.“As a fitness lover, I always promote a healthy way of life. With corporate’s like Sportobuddy entering the sports sector, it won’t just help people attain & maintain an active & fit lifestyle but also encourage people to pursue their passion for sports, exults Suniel Shetty.

ALL IS WELL BETWEEN IHANA DHILLON & URVASHI RAUTELA

Ihana Dhillon, who is making her Bollywood debut with upcoming film Hate Story 4, has denied rumours about catfights due to constant comparisons between her & Urvashi Rautela. The actress quips, “Honestly speaking, I don’t think I can do catfights. It is not possible. Also there is no comparison as our characters are totally different. I am playing a corporate girl and she is playing a supermodel, so you can’t compare them. Both the characters are totally different. I got along with Urvashi very well, we enjoyed working together. In fact, all the actors were like a family on the sets.”Talking about Hate Story 4, she adds, “It’s based on a real life incident. The film is not a love triangle, it is a revenge story. This is a thriller movie, like the previous parts, but this part is different as the story is based on a true incident. It’s the reason why I agreed to work on the film.”Directed by Vishal Pandya, the film will release on 9th Mar, 2018. It will also feature Gulshan Grover & Karan Wahi
NUSHRAT BHARUCHA BONDS WITH CHILDREN ON THE SETS OF ‘SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY’
Nushrat Bharucha who is all set to play a perfect bride in the film Sonu ke Titu ki Sweety is not just an idol bride but is an idol friend for the kids. Since her character works with an NGO for children in the film, a lot of the filming was done with children. The children took a fond liking for her as she would play games, bring them treats and spend time chatting in between shots. They just did not want to leave her post pack up too. While wrapping up the film, the children got teary eyed as they had come to get very close to Nushrat. https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif

SHAHID IS ON A ROLL

Shahid Kapoor has become one of the most sought after actor in the last couple of years. In 2016 he walked away with the accolades and several awards for his performance as the drugged out rapper Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab. Shahid’s career is flying high and high. Recently, a presswallah caught a sneak preview of Padmaavat (the journo saw the rushes when the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial was called Padmavati) and came back saying that Shahid’s Maharawal Ratan Singh act is perfect. The actor awaits the release of his magnum opus with Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh, Shahid’s next is Shree Narayan Singh’s Batti Gul Meter Chalu, opposite Shraddha Kapoor. He is also in talks with Imtiaz Ali for his next and, of course, there’s another surprise announcement on the anvil with another top production house.

KARAN JOHAR HAS BEEN INVITED AS A CULTURAL LEADER TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF) IN DAVOS, SWITZERLAND

This year, Karan will be participating in a session titled “The Weaponization of Culture” on 23rd Jan, 2018 alongside names such as Alice Bah Kuhnke, the Swedish Minister of Culture & Democracy, and Arlie Russell Hochschild, a professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. The session will be moderated by television anchor, Ali Velshi.Karan Johar was invited last year as well where he was in a one on one session with Pakistani activist & filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid – Chinoy…Karan Johar says, “It’s an honor to be invited as cultural leader to Davos at the WEF. Davos is a spectacular meeting ground for some of the most prolific men & women from across the globe. It’s inspiring & motivating to be amongst them.”This year, the WEF’s opening plenary will be delivered by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on 23rd Jan, 2018. US president Donald Trump will deliver a keynote address before the close of the meeting on 26th Jan, 2018.

RASHMI SHARMA ANNOUNCES HER NEW VENTURE WITH AKB48 TO CREATE MUM48

On Tuesday night, Rashmi Sharma had 2 new announcements to make to the media fraternity and her friends from the industry which left everyone in the state of curiosity. She has launched a new media company named Rashmi Raj Media Pvt. Ltd and also announced its 1st collaboration with AKB48 called MUM48. AKB48 are a Japanese idol girl group from Tokyo and have sister groups in China, Japan, Indonesia and have now shown interest in India. This gave rise to MUM48. MUM48 is going to be an opportunity to explore talents for any girl aged between 12 to 30. She had invited all her lead female star casts from the television industry to showcase the empowerment of girl power. The event was graced by the presence of Jayati Bhatia, Kamya Punjabi, Dipika Kakar, Devoleena Bhattacharya, Helly Shah, Tanya Sharma, Tejaswi Wayangankar, Rubina Dilaik, and many more.

R BALKI ALL PRAISES FOR AKSHAY KUMAR

Akshay Kumar has reinvented himself and as an actor in the last few years. We have seen a different side of his. Along with action & comedy, he has been exploring a variety of genres, delivering some gritty & memorable performances. And we are not saying this it’s Writer – director R Balki who is all praises for Akshay’s performance in his next, Padman, “is one of the finest by an Indian actor”.Revealing how the superstar effortlessly slipped into the character of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the inventor of a low – cost sanitary pad making machine on whom the movie is based, the filmmaker says, “Arunachalam is a simple man, and Akshay, too, is an unassuming, no – fuss person. So, I thought that he was naturally right for the role. He has imbibed Arunachalam’s simplicity so well that it is wonderful to watch him on screen.” Elaborating on the actor’s restrained performance, Balki says, “It’s not about saying a lot; Arunachalam is the kind of man who just smiles & insists that he hasn’t done much, and that takes a lot of character. Akshay understood him perfectly and essayed the part beautifully.” One of the highlights of the film, which also stars Sonam Kapoor & Radhika Apte, is its climax. Akshay performed the 10 minute dialogue heavy scene with a 3 camera setup in just one take. Balki recalls, “We thought we’d divide the shots because the scene was heavy on emotions & expressions, but Akshay got it right it in the 1st ever take.” Summing up, Balki says, “Akshay doesn’t intellectualise acting. He does his homework quietly, understands his character and portrays it in his own way. Everyone knows him as a star, but in Padman, his performance is extremely nuanced; it’s one of the finest by an Indian actor.” Padman, produced by Mrs Funnybones Movies, SPE Films India, Kriarj Entertainment, Cape of Good Films & Hope Productions, and released worldwide by SPE Films India, releases on 25th Jan, 2018.

SAREGAMA’S YOODLEE TO COME UP WITH ONIR’S NEXT ‘KUCHH BHEEGE ALFAAZ’

Saregama’s Yoodlee Productions are back with their 2nd movie titled Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz which is a love story in the age of social media. The film has been directed by Onir who has directed award winning films like My Brother Nikhil & I Am. The movie marks the debut of model Zain Khan Durrani & National Award winning actress Geetanjali Thapa in the lead. The teaser of Kuch Bheege Alfaaz is now out as a precursor to the trailer. The teaser starts with a Shayari being recited by the film’s lead character RJ Alfaaz. With the evergreen melody “Pehla Nasha” playing in the background, the film sets up the love story perfectly with a warm sense of nostalgia. Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz is an interesting take on modern day love, where 2 strangers remain hidden behind digital screens, sparking off an unlikely romance. The film is scheduled for a release this Valentine Weekend on 16th Feb, 2016. India’s oldest music label Saregama had ventured into movie production under their banner Yoodlee Films, which churns out films high on content and driven by a philosophy of “fearless filmmaking”. After the hugely critically acclaimed 1st ever film from the banner, Ajji, that released last year, their 2nd film is Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz directed by the ace filmmaker Onir, director of award winning films like My Brother Nikhil & I AM. The film is a modern day love story in the age of social media, as seen through 2 primary characters, RJ Alfaaz, played by debutant actor Zain Khan Durrani & meme artist – Archana, played by Geetanjali Thapa. In a world of pings, likes, tweets, shares & comments, 2 strangers connect over a miss dial & Whatsapp their way into each other’s hearts, safely hidden behind digital screens. But will the emojis translate to emotions when they reveal their truth to one another, forms the crux of the story. The film is scheduled for a release this Valentine Weekend on 16th Feb, 2018.

ROHIT SHETTY RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR “A DIRECTOR WITH A DIFFERENCE” AT THE SOCIETY ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2018

The Society Achievers Awards held on 14th Jan, 2018 is an occasion where the people who matter congregate at a grand venue to raise a toast to some powerhouses of talent amidst the industry. Ever since Rohit Shetty stepped into the film industry, he has rewritten the entire game of film making. With one blockbuster after another, Rohit has made his mark as the king of family entertainers. Not to mention, the huge fan base he has created, thanks to the amazing films he churns out. The film makers was felicitated with the award for “A Director with a Difference.”

EMRAAN HASHMI STARRER ‘CAPTAIN NAWAB’ PRODUCERS ODDBALL MOTION PICTURES RECEIVES 250 CRORES INVESTMENT FROM CHANDA GROUP FOR FILMS & DIGITAL CONTENT

ODDBALL Motion Pictures, a leading film & media production company founded by filmmaker Nitin Upadhyaya announced their association with Chanda Group on Mon wherein the latter will be funding a seed capital of upto 250 Crores for the feature films & original digital video content that will be exclusively developed & produced by ODDBall Motion Pictures. This path breaking deal will help the upcoming Production house develop feature films, long form & short form content across genres, and over time, a platform of their own. Speaking on the association, Chanda group’s managing director, Rahul Chanda said, “Indian Film & Media sector is one of the fastest growing market and in a country which has an exceptional appetite for information & content, it is about time that this sector is explored as a serious business avenue. This association with ODDBall Motion Pictures will help us to power forward in the Industry. They are passionate and developing some great content.”.This unique collaboration will bring in ₹250 crore in the Industry and leverage Nitin Upadhyaya’s rich experience in filmmaking. Under his leadership, ODDBall Motion Pictures produced Behen Hogi Teri starring Rajkummar Rao & Shruti Hasan in 2017 and has a great line up of films in 2018. This year they would be producing 7 films including the much awaited Emraan Hashmi starrer Captain Nawab. Their slate contains 3 Hindi & 2 Marathi films to be released next year. Apart from these ODDBall has some exceptional stories to tell in their pipeline next year, details of which will be shared soon in a press conference in Mumbai. Chanda group will be exclusively investing in ODDBall Motion Pictures for 5 years, for their developments in the Media & Entertainment Industry. Their 1st ever release will be Gulshan Devaiah, Sagarika Ghatge & Kunal Roy Kapur starrer bilingual thriller Haadsa.

TAARAK MEHTA KA OOLTAH CHASHMAH IS TAKEN AS “CASE STUDY” FOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATION
Success story of daily comedy show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is a well known and well received fact. Now this unique trendsetter show is taken on as a case study by Dr Darshan Trivedi, assistant Professor with MICA Institute (formerly known as Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad). It is the 1st time ever that a Television show has been taken as a case study by any MBA college. MICA offers a wide range of academic programmes including 3 residential programs: the Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications (PGDM – C), Crafting Creative Communication (CCC) & Fellow Programme in Management – Communications (FPM – C). “It’s been a moment of pride for us. To be taken as a case study means that you are not just a success story but you are discussed in the marketing circles for your strategies, planning, content & content marketing. To remain successful constantly, we have shed a lot of sweat and tears & blood. It is not easy to sustain at the top and compete with the mainstream shows. Specially during the era of Saas Bahu sagas. In our show neither do women shed tears nor are they conniving kitchen politics. They are progressive & happy women who are inspiration to children and support to their husbands. Like Guajarati samaj, Neela Telefilms has also ensured the sanctity of women in its shows,” says the creator & producer of the show Asit Kumarr Modi. After its initial launch on SAB TV and after initial few episodes, came the track of a Ghost in Gokuldham Society and the TRP graph shot upwards. Since then the show has turned into channel driver and has constantly maintained #1 position in comedy shows and amongst top 10 across all shows in all the channels.

DECODING POOJA CHOPRA’S FITNESS MANTRA

Recently, we saw Pooja Chopra turn ninja while she was promoting her upcoming film Aiyaary at Jaisalmer BSF camp. The actress was asked to do the drills designed for the jawans. She hopped up on a rope and climbed like a professional. It made all of us wonder what keeps this actress so fit. The actress was caught cycling in the city yesterday on the back road in Andheri. Pooja love to cycle in the day light and also spends hours in the gym. Well, now we know what to do to get that fit bod! #Thurdaymotivation!

PADMAAVAT TO RELEASE WORLDWIDE ON 25TH JAN 2018 IN IMAX 3D IN HINDI, TAMIL & TELUGU

Viacom18 Motion Pictures announced 25th Jan, 2018 as the worldwide release date of Padmaavat. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Padmaavat is the 1st ever Indian film that will have a global IMAX 3D release. It has been cleared for release by the CBFC with a U/A release certificate post the incorporation of only 5 modifications. Starring Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh & Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, the film will also be released in Tamil & Telugu, in addition to Hindi. Based on 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s epic poem Padmavat, the movie faced resistance from its early stages due to a misinformation campaign & rumour mongering. Despite these challenges, the film that showcases the valor of Rani Padmavati, Maharawal Ratan Singh and the famed Rajput ethos of honor, bravery & sacrifice, has managed to overcome all odds; aided by the support of well – wishers from across the film fraternity, the government authorities & the society at large. Sanjay Leela Bhansali said, “Padmaavat is a dream come true for me. I have always been fascinated by the stories of honor, valor & vigor of our great Rajput warriors that have been captured so beautifully in our literature and this movie is my homage to those glorious stories. I would also like to thank the entire film fraternity for supporting Viacom18 & Bhansali Productions through the entire production & pre – release phase and hope they like the film they so supported.”

RAKUL PREET SINGH TO STAR OPPOSITE AJAY DEVGN IN HIS UNTITLED NEXT!

Former Miss India Rakul Preet Singh, who stars in Aiyaary opposite Sidharth Malhotra, will next be seen romancing Ajay Devgn in Luv Ranjan’s contemporary rom – com. The film is scheduled to go on the floors soon and she will be seen playing a feisty & super confident urban girl. The yet untitled film will mark the debut of renowned editor Akiv Ali as a director. Akiv has previously edited some amazing movies such as Agneepath, Gangster, Life in a Metro, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Barfi and many more. This rom – com also stars Tabu. The movie is produced by T -Series’ Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar & Luv Films’ Luv Ranjan & Ankur Garg and will be a festive treat for the audience as it will be releasing on Dussehra, 19th Oct, 2018.

Krishna Bhatt shares her experience on directing her father, Vikram Bhatt

Director Vikram Bhatt, who is recently busy promoting his movie 1921, is also awaiting the release of his daughter Krishna Bhatt’s web series Untouchables where Vikram, has also acted in the series himself. Vikram Bhatt is all set to launch his own OTT platform and this web series titled Untouchables will be featured on this new platform. Krishna Bhatt who has assisted her father in films like 1920, Mr X, Haunted & Dangerous Ishhq will debut as a director from his web series. Krishna Bhatt said, “Working with my father is always a learning experience. Only after I started direction did I fully appreciate the powerhouse of knowledge & talent he is. I always look at my dad after every shot and wonder what he thinks of it. I thought working with him would be unnerving but it ended up being the most enriching & fun experience.” She received various inputs from her father while shooting for the series. “He’s an excellent actor and blew my mind with his performance. He had suggestions from time to time which I happily incorporated because it would be silly to turn away from 35 years of experience. I cannot wait to work with him again.” ‘Untouchables’ is a crime thriller courtroom drama which revolves around a medical student who’s an escort who lands up facing a murder rap when her wealthy client is killed.

BOMAN IRANI IN TOTAL DHAMAAL FRANCHISE

In a traditional mahurat ceremony, Total Dhamaal, featuring franchise regulars Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaffery, Riteish Deshmukh & Ashish Chowdhury and new addition to the film Ajay Devgn, Boman Irani, Anil Kapoor & Madhuri Dixit went on the floors recently with an early morning pooja. Boman Irani, who is a part of this franchise has not been part of a traditional Mahurat in a very long time and was very happy & excited at the same time. The film schedule will go on till the end, the opening sequence will be filmed after which we move out of the city to shoot from Feb, 2018 to April. “Boman Irani has known producer – director Indra Kumar & co – producer Ashok Thakeria since his early days and the duo had offered him 3 – 4 films in the past which he couldn’t do because of prior commitments.”There was a clash of dates this time too but they worked things out and now I’m finally on board. Except for Madhuri I’ve worked with all my co – actors before. With Ajay I did Tezz in 2012 but we didn’t have any scenes together,” he added.

‘PARESHAAN PARINDA’ IS A LOVE STORY WITH GANGSTER INVOLVEMENT IN MANY SHADES”- DR. RACHEL SINGH

The upcoming Hindi movie Pareshaan Parinda – Ek bechara had its trailer launch recently in Mumbai. The film is starring Meeraj Shah, Sakshi Singh, Pankaj Kumar, Avtar Singh Bhullar, King B Chouhan, KP Sandhu, Pallavi Sharma, Sadia Nabila, Ricky Sapuran Singh, Dave Sidhu, Sahil Sood, Sammy Gill & Naz Gill. The cast & the crew present at the event was the director Devesh Pratap Singh along with Producer & writer Dr. Rachel Singh. The actors Pankaj Kumar & Avtar Singh Bhullar were present at the event, making the event very splendid. The film is about 2 strangers who unknowingly ran into each other one night and when they got up next day, they were quite shocked. Neither of them can remember the previous night events and cannot recollect how they got there in the first place. The boy (Neel) is an average middle class IT professional and working in Sydney and the girl (Mini) belongs to a gangster family of Sydney. She is the daughter of a crime boss. Little did he know this was a fatal mistake getting involved with the underworld? He takes some decision and with that some consequences come and in one night his life changes. The director Devesh Pratap Singh quoted “Pareshaan Parinda is a youth centric film, as they are the driving force of this generation. The audience will connect to the story and will get glued to their seat. Pareshan Parinda is an engaging but fresh concept of youth, how they deal with their day to day situations, circumstances and how they sort it out in their own way. By this film, the perspective towards youth will definitely change. The film is entirely shot at various locations of Sydney & Singapore. The film is set to release on 16th Feb, 2018.

The talented actress & supermodel Urvashi Rautela can easily be called one of the most sizzling & loving celebrity in Bollywood. She is a perfect combination of beauty with brains with a golden heart which believes in spreading love.

Urvashi Rautela is one of those few celebrities who is using her star power in the right way by not only entertaining the audiences via her films but at the same time contributing towards the society in need. Acknowledging her for this kind hearted nature, recently the Uttarakhand Government honored the actress with the prestigious award of Uttarakhand Maharatana for her immense efforts & involvement in helping her hometown prosper.

Urvashi Rautela & her family recently attended a function at their home grounds in Uttarakhand where the actress was awarded with this special award. Amidst her busy professional schedule, the actress managed to remove time for this event as she is extremely close to her birth place and was overwhelmed with the acknowledgment shown towards her efforts.

Urvashi Rautela who hails from Kotdwara in Uttarakhand had just lately donated food & basic amenities to Uttarakhand when they were hit with the dreadful floods in 2017. Through her foundation – Urvashi Rautela Foundation she has helped in every way possible. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal who presented this special award to Urvashi Rautela, also went ahead in expressing that Urvashi Rautela was the extremely worth enough for this award, she is a global icon and has won many international achievements thereby making a name of her hometown Uttarakhand and inspiring many with her deeds.

Expressing her thoughts on receiving the award, the stunning actress averred, “I am a daughter of Uttarakhand, and so the feeling to get this Uttarakhand’s Maharatna award is extremely special. What a fabulous Jan, 2018 to begin my year with.”

On the work front, Urvashi Rautela will soon be seen in Hate Story 4 where she is going to be the hero of the film and will have an interesting character to look out for. The movie is expected to hit the screens on 9th Mar, 2018. It is directed by Vishal Pandya & produced by Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar.

Shraddha Kapoor recently inaugurated The Wedding Junction Show & also walked on the ramp for well – known fashion designer Anita Dongre at Hotel Sofitel, Bandra – Mumbai.

Shraddha Kapoor came in pink dress for inauguration of The Wedding Junction Show at Sofitel Hotel, Bandra – Mumbai. The organizers believe in delivering quality more than quantity for their exhibitors. They believe that an Exhibition is successful only if the participants get the right kind of visibility, meet the right buyers & go back with a good return on investment from the expo.

Besides there was a exclusive fashion show organized only for brand association with top designer & stylist from the country. Bindani started the show at Ball room. Then Shraddha Kapoor was the show stopper for designer Anita Dongre.

One of the biggest hits of 2017 down south was undoubtedly Arjun Reddy. Starring Vijay Devarakonda and Shalini Pandey, the film received critical acclaim for its unusual, bold plot, and Vijay Devarakonda was hugely praised for his unbridled, rebellious act. The film was about a medical student who faced trouble owing to his anger management issues. The film also explored the “complex love issue” amongst the youth, thus becoming quite the relatable movie amongst the youngsters. Arjun Reddy went on to fare phenomenally at the Box – Office turnstiles thereby earning Rs 51 crores. It’s no wonder the film is being remade in other languages too. In Tamil, the film is being called Varma and will star Chiyaan Vikram’s son, Dhruv. The movie also happens to mark his debut in cinema. Apart from Tamil, talks of a Hindi remake have been doing the rounds for quite some time. The makers have reportedly finalized on Arjun Kapoor but no official announcement has been made regarding the same. Besides Arjun Kapoor the other Bollywoodian actors like Shaheed Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan, are also in the contender’s race who could possibly be cast as Arjun Reddy.

Sidhu R Pillai Found Dead In Goa

Well – known Malayalam actor Sidhu R Pillai, who shot to fame with his debut film Second Show was found dead at a beach in Goa on Mon 15th Jan, 2017. Although there’s no official confirmation on this story but according to a report in southern website manoramaonline, the 27 year old actor drowned to death and his body was found much later in the day. It was his mother who eventually identified his body. Sidhu’s last rites took place at their residence in Thrissur. Sidhu had made his debut opposite Dulquer Salman in Second Show; following which he went on to do several short films. He’s the son of prominent Malayalam cinema producer PKR Pillai, who at least has about 16 films to his credit, and had produced some of the biggest hits of Malayalam film including the Mohanlal starrers Chithram, Vandanam & Amrutham Gamaya. Sidhu was believed to have reached Goa on 12th Jan, 2018.

Us Actress Valerie Enters Sandalwood

Director Janardhan has recently roped in Valerie, a US citizen, for his latest film on Indians abroad. A new film titled Nee Illada Mele has cast a foreign actress in a lead role. Valerie, a US citizen, will now try her luck in Sandalwood and establish her acting career. The film which is directed by Janardhan and has created huge expectations amongst the audiences is now ready to hit the celluloid silver screen. Valerie avers, “I have done a couple of short movies in the United States but I haven’t done a feature films. So, Nee Illada Mele will be the first ever feature film in my career and I am happy to be in the industry. I was only aware of Bollywood industry but once I got a chance to work with the team, I started learning more about this country and its culture.” Besides directing the film, Janardhan also plays a lead role in it. The team claims that this will be the best musical hit for Sandalwood.

Chamak To Show Its Magic In Telugu

The last Kannada release of 2017, Chamak, is turning out to be a big winner in the New Year too. The Ganesh and Rashmika Mandanna starrer is all set to be remade in Telugu with Nani in the lead. Rashmika Mandana will reprise her role in the Telugu version also. The film was written and directed by Suni. The success of the film in Kannada prompted producer TR Chandrashekar to remake it in Telugu. “It has a universal story and appeals to everyone. It is the youthful nature of the film that is the reason for its success. There were feelers about the film from other languages. I thought it fit to remake the film myself. Nani was the perfect choice in Telugu,” Chandrashekar averred. Meanwhile, the film was released in US & Canada this weekend at multiple centers. At the home market in Karnataka, the film is considered a hit having increased its presence in single – screen theaters.

Parvathy Files A Complaint

A man was recently arrested following a police complaint by award winning actor Parvathy, who alleged that she was abused and viciously trolled on social media platform for terming as “misogynistic” some dialogues in a film starring top actor Mammootty. The man identified as Printo from Vadakkancherry was arrested and charged under non – bailable sections of the Information Technology Act, police stated. He would be produced before the court here later, they said, adding that more arrests would be made in the case. The Qarib Qarib Singlle actor Parvathy was trolled and abused on varied online platforms after she claimed that the dialogues in the film were “misogynistic”. She had also submitted the screenshots of the trolling along with the complaint she had lodged. At an open forum organized on the sidelines of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) recently, she voiced her opinion against glorifying misogyny on screen and expressed concern about the absence of women’s perspective in cinema.

Ashika Ranganath Finds It Difficult To Manage Films And Studies

Kannada film industry has witnessed many local actresses achieve great success. A new name that can be added to list is Ashika Ranganath. Ashika made her debut with Crazy Boy and is now waiting for the release of her new film Raju Kannada Medium starring Gurunandan in the lead role. This will be Ashika’s third film after Crazy Boy & Mugulu Nage. “Raju Kannada Medium was signed before Mugulu Nage but, for some reason, it got delayed. The film is releasing after a gap of two years since its completion. Ashika says she is excited to see herself play a Class 9 school girl from a small village in Malnad. This character is really opposite to who I am in my real life. I am very talkative and not so traditional. The character’s name Vidya and she is totally filled with tradition. She is silent and she will not mingle with anyone,” Asika told.

The Milk Abhisheka Craze

There was a case in a Bengaluru court against Tamil actor Rajinikanth for allowing his fans to wash his cutouts with milk. Local Kannada stars are also not immune to the “milk abhisheka” of their cutouts by fans. The issue generates heated debates whenever the film of a big star is released. Director R Chandru is taking this fan craze to the next level. He has promised a tanker load of milk for the Late star Rajkumar’s cutout later this month. R Chandru’s Kanaka is releasing on 26th Jan, 2018, to coincide with the martyrdom of Sangolli Rayanna. Lead actor Duniya Vijay’s character in the film is a fan of the Late icon Rajkumar. Theatres screening the film will therefore have cutouts of Rajkumar as well. R Chandru avers that he will come up with “the tallest ever” cutout of Rajkumar on Kempegowda Road. “Befittingly” he is hiring a milk tanker to celebrate it with. The event is scheduled for 23rd Jan, 2018, two days before the film’s release when the cutout will be put up. “It will be a befitting celebration of Rajkumar. It is our way of showing love for Rajkumar,” he averred. Fans at the event will be served biryani, Chandru adds. Chandru says that the film is inspired from an auto driver who in real life was a fan of Rajkumar and tried to live by his ideals. After listening to his story on an auto ride, Chandru wrote the story of the film based on it.

Suriya’s Thaanaa Serndha Koottam Beats Vikram’s Sketch

The Chennai Box – Office results for the Pongal week are finally out! Suriya’s film, Thaanaa Serndha Koottam has taken on the numero uno position! It has managed to even beat Chiyaan Vikram’s Sketch that took the number 2 spot in the Top 5. The other 3 spots were taken over by Gulaebhagavali, Pawan Kalyan’s Agnyaathavaasi and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Jai Simha. Interestingly the last two in the top five were Telugu films. Suriya’s film based on Akshay Kumar’s special 26 more or less opened to positive reviews on the day of its release, Except for a few hiccups here and there, the movie won over the audiences. This movie brought together Vignesh Shivn, Suriya and Keerthy Suresh for the first time. It also marked Suriya and Keerthy Suresh’s debut as a pair. Even before the film’s release, the movie had managed to create a huge buzz online. Each of its posters went viral. and the music composed by Anirudh Ravichander ruled the charts.

Rajinikanth Impressed By The Trailer

After Suriya launched the trailer of pilot film Chennai Engira Madras Pilot, Rajinikanth has also appreciated the makers. Suriya had congratulated the team and praised the efforts undertook by the team and supported it by releasing the trailer on his Twitter page. Rajinikanth watched the trailer at his home and praised the concept and the making style of the pilot film. He was surprised to know that this is not a real feature film trailer. It’s a trial attempt to make it big as a feature film by pitching the idea to renowned good stars & big production house. He appreciated the hard work of the entire team and spoke with them for quite some time to understand their work. In fact Rajinikanth wished that this story should soon turn in to a big film with big stars in it and he was totally impressed with the idea of the undercover investigative journalist stating it as new and a fresh subject. Rajinikanth also congratulated director – cinematographer Aravind Kumar and also wished him to direct his full – fledged feature film soon. Veteran producer Kalaippuli S Thanu and lyricist Madhan Karky also appreciated the idea of making a sample film as an excellent move to pitch stories for production houses & stars. Chennai Engira Madras has been shot extensively in unseen live locales of North Chennai. The pilot film is inspired by actual events about underworld crimes & journalism.

Mahesh Babu And Ranveer Singh Shot For An Ad

The bygone year has been the year of interesting collabs, Karan Johar and Baahubali, Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh and Tamannaah Bhatia, Karan Johar and Rohit Shetty and so many more! Now there is another collab between two unlikely yet promising stars, One is a Superstar in Tollywood namely Mahesh Babu, he’s called the prince and has delivered some of the biggest hits and the other is a Bollywood star namely Ranveer Singh who has never ceased to surprise everyone, whether it is his talent or his fashion sense. Mahesh Babu’s wife Namrata has recently shared a pic on the social media platform of the two actors dressed in racing outfits with a brand name printed on it. From the looks of it, they have collaborated for an ad. Both the stars have recently shot for a commercial for a soft drink which was previously endorsed by Salman Khan. Mahesh Babu’s charming smile and Ranveer Singh’s infectious energy combined sure makes one lethal combination.

South Indian Actors’ Class Of 80’s Had A Two – Day Reunion

One annual event that has most film buffs from South India waiting eagerly is the Class of 80’s reunion. The group pictures of the actors from that generation have always caught the fancy of people. Last year, they had kept it mellow and not released pictures of their get – together after J Jayalalitha’s demise. But this year, the group enjoyed a two – day break. “Usually, we plan much in advance, but this time, we were all caught up with work and it was a last – minute rushed thing, with no time for rehearsals. Malyalam actor Rajkumar helped out in organizing the theme this year. We connected over video calls and emails, and ensured that we didn’t miss out on our two – day friendship fest,” averred Suhasini Manirathnam. This time, Sumalatha Ambareesh was the sole representative from Karnataka at the event. “It was a fun gathering. We got to chill for two days. I love singing retro songs and Bhanuchander and I perform every year. We sang “Bhool Gaya Sab Kuch” from Julie. Since Mohanlal could not make it, his magic show was missed. There is also an energetic dance performance every year from Lissy, Khushbu, Suhasini and team, which we look forward to. Revathy’s performance to “Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh” was also memorable,” said Sumalatha Ambareesh.

Vada Chennai Is Not Just A Gangster Film

Maverick director Vetrimaaran who is known for his immense research for script is currently busy with the shoot of Vada Chennai with his Aadukalam and Polladhavan hero Dhanush. In a recent event, the National Award winning director said that Vada Chennai is not just a gangster film. Vetrimaaran said that Vada Chennai is a societal film deals with thirty five years of village and its people. The major portions of the film were shot in a large prison set and recently the team canned Dhanush’s teenage sequences. Vada Chennai boasts a long list of actors including Samuthirakani, Daniel Balaji, Kishore, Andrea, Aishwarya Rajesh, Karunas, Subramaniam Siva, Cheenu Mohan and Daniel Annie Pope. Vetrimaaran also added that he is planning the film as trilogy but the 2nd & 3rd part will be based on the reception of the 1st part.

Zee Kannada, the leading General Entertainment Channel in Karnataka, takes – off on a high note with the beginning of the year to celebrate the auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti in rural Karnataka.

With much enthusiasm, Zee Kannada Kutumba will spend an entire day in a village, going back to the roots to honour the Sankranti festivities with the families of Mangala, a village close to Mandaya, Karnataka.

So tune in on 14th Jan, 2018 to witness the day long celebrations, as Zee Kannada’s favourite jodis to get together to entertain the channel’s viewers from across the world on this auspicious day.

Celebrity jodis from Zee Kannada namely, Jodihakki, Subbalakshmi Samsara, Yaare Nee Mohini, Vidya Vinayaka, Nagini & Brahmagantu, would spend their entire day participating in varied cultural programmes & traditional games for the community, adding to the celebrations of the state festival.

Arva, more famously known as Gowdru of Shreeman Shrimati & Apartment Gowdru from Dance Karnataka Dance Family War Season 2, along with Nayana from Comedy Kiladigalu Season 1, will host the action-packed day, providing ultimate entertainment to the people of Mandaya.

As part of the joyous celebrations of Sankranti, Zee Kannada adds to the entertainment by hosting a preeminent traditional event across villages of Hassan, Chamarajanagara, Shivamogga & Tumkur. Villagers from these towns would be invited to give tribute & participate with much enthusiasm by decorating their cows in the most innovative manner, and an award for the most contemporary design would be given in appreciation of their efforts.

The aim of the event is to acknowledge the cattle for all its offerings on this very day. Celebrating the event in the presence of the favourite Serial stars & Zee Kannada channel, would make it a day to never forget!

Commenting on the occasion, Raghavendra Hunsur, Business Head – Zee Kannada averred, “At Zee Kannada, we believe it is vital for each person to stay connected to their roots & celebrate their culture. Keeping this in mind, we have decided to go to the rural parts of Karnataka to celebrate this auspicious day at a place that allows us to celebrate Sankranti in its true essence. We, from Zee Kannada, wish everybody a prosperous Makar Sankranti.”

Tiger Zinda Hai happens to be the 2nd Yashraj Films (YRF) film to go past 300 crore mark, most by any production house. Director Ali Abbas Zafar now has two 300 crores films under his belt, the maximum by any filmmaker.

Salman Khan’s mega action entertainer has been on a rampage at the Box – Office. The high octane blockbuster has collected a total of mammoth 309.16 Cr crores nett after its 3rd weekend.

This massive feat by Tiger Zinda Hai has indeed ensured that it made 4 new significant records. 1st, it’s the 3rd Salman Khan film to hit 300 crores namely Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Sultan & now Tiger Zinda Hai, the most by any actor. 2nd, it’s the 2nd Yashraj Films (YRF) Production to make this feat, Sultan was the 1st one, the maximum by any production House. 3rd, director Ali Abbas Zafar has 2 films in the 300 crores club, the maximum by any filmmaker to date. His 1st one being Sultan also starring Salman, 4th, this is the gorgeous Katrina Kaif’s biggest blockbuster till this date.

Commenting on the success of the film, Abbas Ali Jaffar avers, “I am deeply thankful & overwhelmed to get this kind of love from the audiences & critics alike. I’m glad we have made a film that is entertaining everyone, across all age groups & across the country. The success of the film goes to show that the message in our film, humanity above anything else has resonated with everyone. This incredible success gives me the strength & inspiration to write powerful & entertaining stories that evoke a universal emotion.”

Tiger Zinda Hai is also the highest grossing Hindi film of 2017. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Yashraj Films (YRF’s) Tiger Zinda Hai has been riding on incredibly positive audiences reviews and it had also shattered several Box – Office records within the 1st week of its release.

From the Biggest Ever Non Holiday Opening day record by a Bollywood film, to the Biggest Ever single day collection of 45.53 crore nett on Day 3, to the Highest Ever 3-day weekend, to the Biggest Ever 4-day extended Holiday weekend – Tiger Zinda Hai has set huge new benchmarks for the industry to chase.