New Delhi”Furious 7″ and “Victoria & Abdul” gave Ali Fazal a thrust into the world of international cinema. The actor, who had first starred in American TV series “Bollywood Hero” in 2009, says he wants to be a part of the diversity wave that is now taking Hollywood by storm.

“Furious 7” saw him in a bit role, but the British drama “Victoria & Abdul” saw him play the lead one with veteran actor Judi Dench. What next?

“I can’t talk about what is exactly next, but there are two projects that I am on board for. One is a biopic, a true story again,” Ali told IANS, adding that “Victoria & Abdul” has not just opened up doors for him internationally, but in India too.

“It’s weird how that works, but we have always looked up to Hollywood, so one person goes and suddenly they… Anyway,” the actor, stopping abruptly only to add: “I am very hopeful. I am very happy with the decisions I have made.”

“I have given up some big network TV shows very recently because even if it is Hollywood, it has to be the right stuff. As an Indian going there, you’re always scared of getting stereotyped. I have seen that happen before,” he said during a recent chat in Melbourne during a film festival.

He believes the castings are opening up now.

“The diversity is happening in Hollywood and I want to be a part of it. It’s a really exciting time for everybody, not just actors,” added Ali, who is optimistic about the kind of content the web series space has brought along.

He will himself be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s original series, the gritty drama “Mirzapur”.

“It’s not Amazon’s answer to (Netflix’s) ‘Sacred Games’… It has to be the answer…The people will decide,” Ali said of the show, which he feels will stand out due to its outstanding cast and gripping story.

There’s Pankaj Tripathi, Shweta Tripathi, Vikrant Massey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Rasika Dugal among others.

“It’s a plethora of great actors and at the same time it’s good writing. It was such layered writing, and to give some Hollywood films as references to give an idea, it’s a mix of ‘Narcos’ and ‘Godfather’ in the Indian context,” said Ali, whose most recent screen appearances were in “Fukrey Returns” and “Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi”.

His upcoming slate of Bollywood films include the Hindi remake of the Telugu “Prasthaanam” and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s “Milan Talkies” — both set in Uttar Pradesh.

In the former, a father-son story set against a political backdrop, Ali plays son to Sanjay Dutt. In the latter, he will be seen as an ambitious filmmaker.

Filmmaking is also something that is on Ali’s mind.

He is penning a short film, which he calls an ode to his inspiration — the multifaceted Guru Dutt — and will direct it too.

As an actor today, Ali says one needs to be diverse in talent.

“I am not just acting, I am also writing, I am also going the direction way… If nothing, then I am able to put my own stuff out there because I can… I don’t have to depend on others.

What about going the production way?

“Why not? That’s the end game. Earlier, actors used to be on this pedestal that ‘bas wohi hain (that they are just actors)… I love acting and I will never leave that, but I want that rush to create something, and be a director.”

(IANS)

Robert Boyd Holbrook an American actor & fashion model, has appeared in films such as Milk, Out The Furnace,, Run All Night, A Walk Among The Tombstones & Gone Girl. He also starred as DEA Agent Steve Murphy in Netflix series
Narcos. Besides Hatfifields & McCoys as “Cap” Hatfield, and in the year 2017, he had portrayed a villain’s role named Donald Pierce in Logan. Incidentally speaking Boyd Holbrook was discovered while he was working as a part – time carpentar for Jenny Wiley Theatre in Kentucky. Later on he signed with Elite Models, whereas he has also worked for other agencies such as Wilhelmina Models. Boyd Holbrook has been a model for such designers & labels as Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier, Hugo Boss, Bill Blass, Calvien Klien, Moschino, Marc Jacobs, DSquared et al. Boyd Holbrook has been steadily building an impressive career, working in drama & action on screens big & small. In his latest released movie The Predator, he enacts the role of a troubled military man, Quinn McKenna, looking to protect his family from an otherworldly threat.

*To set the ball rolling in your court, tell us what role are you enacting in your just released movie The Predator?

*In my latest released movie The Predator I am enacting the role of a character named Quinn McKenna, he is an ex – Special Force. He’s basically doing contract work. Probably not a lot really to live for in the sense that he is very detached from his son. He is also estranged from his wife. He is kind of a rogue. He is living from paycheck to paycheck; if you got a job in South America and you need somebody, he is your guy. We find him in Mexico and he has got these objects on him after a mercenary job has gone wrong. He has found all this Predator gear, these gauntlets & this de – cloaking things. He needs to get them back home because no one is going to believe him. He sends them to his son, but then he gets arrested & sent to a military psych ward for some evaluation, partly because the Government is trying to keep the Predators under wraps. He is aware of them, but there’s a cover – up. He has to team up with these guys who in some ways have been kind of rejected and are all suffering from some form of PTSD. They call themselves “the Loonies” and they’re a throwback to the team from the 1987 movie.

*And how does another character namely Jacob Tremblay’s Rory becomes a part of the story of The Predator?

*Rory happens to be Quinn McKenna’s son and they don’t have a close relationship, mainly because Quinn Mckenna doesn’t know how to connect with him or relate to him. I think that audiences will relate to the challenges they deal with as it speaks to some very human issues.

*Now tell us how did you land the role of Quinn McKenna in the movie The Predator?

*Initially I had met director Shane Black & we sat down for a lengthy discussion. I read out the script and I talked to him a little bit about it. And then we just kept a long conversation going on. So that’s basically how it worked out.

*So how was it working with director Shane Black as a director?

*I found him to be pretty brilliant. He has a ways to hinge a scene that, whatever the subject matter, he finds these comedic beats. You have to be on your toes with him, really on your toes.

*Was he also collaborative with the entire cast of The Predator? Besides did you all of you get to pitch ideas?

*Oh, absolutely… the 1st ever day on the sets, we rehearsed a scene before lunch. Everyone was spit – balling ideas, coming up with lines, you know. We broke for lunch, and afterwards, Shane Black just asked us to sit with him. He had turned our spit – balling ideas into a 2 page scripted scenes to shoot right then & there.

*By the way did the entire cast of The Predator bond well?

*Yeah. I think in general, actors are pretty playful & empathetic people, so no one was a diva by any means on this one. You couldn’t have cast the film better because of the way it was shot. Augusto Aguilera plays Nettles, & he’s brilliant. Alfie (Allen) did something great with his character. Keegan’s (Michael Key) had all this experience with sketch comedy & knows what works & what doesn’t. And then you have Thomas Jane, who’s doing one of the most incredible character.

*In amongst all the CG movies, there are a lot of practical sets & locales. Did that help you as an actor?

*Yeah, it really did. We were actually working in a real space. It’s so much better than reacting to something that is an X on a wall or something like that.

*By any chance did you watch the original Predator?

*I think the 1st ever Predator had came out when I was just 6 years old, and I probably watched it when I was just about 10 years old or may be 12 years old. I thought it was terrifying. Yeah, it’s pretty terrifying. I think it was also just one of the great thrillers like Bloodsport, Rambo & all those sorts of macho films of that time.

*Lastly tell us what exactly was the vision of director Shane Black for The Predator and did he succeed in putting across on the celluloid silver screen?

*I think The Predator sees writer / director Shane Black returning to a world he may have 1st experienced way back in the year 1987 as an actor. In this new film, The Predator I think he has expanded & explored the story of the alien hunters & the human beings that must face the threat. With the Government attempting to cover up the extent of Predator incursions on Earth, a rag – tag group of military veterans must figure out what is going on and how to save the world, or at least themselves, as the battle spreads from the depths of the outer space to the once – safe suburbia. That’s all I can say as of now.

New Delhi Superstar Dharmendra, who has often shared screen space with his children and actors Sunny and Bobby, says that “poor” star sons often face a lot of criticism from people.

The octogenarian Bollywood veteran has backed his sons’ films like “Betaab”, “Ghayal” and “Barsaat” as a producer. He has even acted with them in movies such as “Apne”, “Yamla Pagla Deewana” and most recently “Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se”, which released last month.

Asked about the pros and cons of working with his children, Dharmendra told IANS here: “If the subject is good, then everything is good. You can make out the chemistry between us. They are good and loving kids. They listen to me. I also listen to them. There is no complex. It’s so easy to work with each other.

“Otherwise, we can’t tell other artistes to do ‘this’ or they can’t tell me to do ‘this’. It’s a very delicate matter. We discuss and work together.”

He can’t point out the negative things about joining forces with his family, but he feels that star sons are often compared to their famous parents.

“It’s negative for them. People make it little difficult while comparing star sons. People often compare and say so and so is star son. They face some problems for sure because of that. People say ‘he is not like his father’. They have to face so much of criticism… poor star sons,” said the “Chupke Chupke” actor.

Like him, Sunny is set to launch his son Karan Deol in the upcoming film “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”. Will Dharmendra also act in it?

“No, I am not there. Sunny did it himself. They should come up themselves. If we get a good story, then we will work together also,” he said.

In the ’70s and ’80s, the veteran actor starred opposite his wife Hema Malini in various films including “Sholay”, “Seeta aur Geeta”, “The Burning Train” and “Razia Sultan”. They even teamed up for their daughter Esha Deol’s film “Tell Me O Kkhuda” in 2011.

Asked about working with them again, he said: “To be frank, we are not getting good scripts. If you don’t get a good script and one or two films don’t work, then it becomes boring. We had made ‘Tell Me O Kkhuda’. The script wasn’t good, so maza nai aya (didn’t have fun).”

Be it with his family members or others, he will continue acting as long as he can.

“I don’t want to retire. I love the camera. She is my beloved. It’s (acting) not my profession. She is my beloved. Sometimes, she leaves me and I catch her and vice-versa. I never left her. Time is the witness,” said Dharmendra.

The Padma Bhushan recipient has also been honoured with lifetime achievement awards at Filmfare, Sansui Viewers’ Choice Movie Awards, Zee Cine Awards, International Indian Film Academy Awards and Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) International Film Festival for his contribution to Hindi cinema.

But even lifetime achievement awards can’t put an end to his over five-decade long career.

“There are so many people who love me. They are awards only,” said the actor, who is fondly known as He-Man or Garam Dharam.

(IANS)

Actor Ronit Roy will be seen featuring in the upcoming film “Thugs Of Hindostan”. He says he is honoured to be a small part of the film.

“Wow! I am so honoured to be a small part of this magnum opus,” Ronit tweeted on Monday morning.

The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh. It is slated to hit the screens on November 8.

This will be the second time Ronit will be seen working with Amitabh. The two have previously worked in the film “Sarkar 3”.

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, who directed Katrina and Aamir in “Dhoom: 3”. “Thugs Of Hindostan” is an adaptation of the 1839 novel “Confessions of a Thug”.

(IANS)

Shahid Kapoor’s Gift To Tehri

Shahid Kapoor recently shot for his next film Batti Gul Meter Chalu directed by Shree Narayan Singh in Tehri, Uttarakhand. While shooting they stayed at a hotel with bare necessities & no luxuries, instead of a 5 star hotel. Shahid Kapoor being a fitness freak had set up his gym at the hotel they stayed. As this small hotel had no fitness facilities, he set up his own gym on the premises. His instructor had taken a lot of expensive equipment from Mumbai and set them up in a room. A day before they packed up, the hotel guys requested Shahid Kapoor to leave his gym equipment behind for them and other guests & he agreed instantly knowing his gift would help the establishment.” Batti Gul Meter Chalu also stars Shraddha Kapoor, Yami Gautam & Divyendu Sharma. The film produced by T-Series & Kriti Pictures is slated to release on 21st Sept, 2018.

Jacqueline Fernandez Signed Opposite Kartik Aaryan For The Hindi Remake Of Kannada Movie ‘Kirik Party’

Producer Ajay Kapoor of Kyta Productions recently joined hands with Gen-X sensation Kartik Aaryan, for the Hindi remake of Kannada blockbuster Kirik Party. All eyes were on the coming of age, romantic film, especially since the original went on to become one of the highest grossing Kannada films of all time, running in cinemas for an impressive 150 days. Directed by National Award winner Abhishek Jain of Wrong Side Raju & Bey Yaar fame, the makers have now cast Jacqueline Fernandez as the female lead opposite Kartik Aaryan. Confirming the news producer Ajay Kapoor says, “We are excited to have Jacqueline Fernandez on board. She is someone the youth relates to & has amazing screen presence. This is the 1st time ever Jacqueline Fernandez & Kartik Aryan have been cast together and we are confident audiences will enjoy watching this fresh pairing”. Says Jacqueline Fernandez, “I’m excited to work with Ajay Kapoor and be part of this film. It’s a great script with blockbuster music & I look forward to working with Kartik Aaryan & Abhishek Jain for the 1st time ever. This role is really special”. The untitled film will be produced by Dheeraj Wadhawan, Ajay Kapoor of Kyta Productions & Vrithika Laykar and goes on the floors this Oct.

Shahid Kapoor & Shraddha Kapoor Take Garhwali Lessons For ‘Batti Gul Meter Chalu’

The Shahid Kapoor-Shraddha Kapoor starrer, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, directed by Shree Narayan Singh, who has earlier helmed Toilet — Ek Prem Katha, is a social drama that talks about the issue of electricity overbilling & corrupt power corporations. With the film being inspired by real events, Shree Narayan Singh & writers Garima & Siddharth did extensive research to do justice to the story. Since it is set in Uttarakhand, the dialogues are laced with Garhwali, one of the dialects of the state. In a bid to retain authenticity, not only was the film shot in Tehri, but every actor was made to take lessons in the language. Apart from Shahid Kapoor & Shraddha Kapoor, the movie also stars Yami Gautam & Divyendu Sharma in pivotal roles. The director says, “Maintaining the commercial aspect without compromising on authenticity was one of our biggest challenges. Be it the actors, producers, writers… everyone had the right mindset.” Producer Bhushan Kumar adds, “As people who are in the business of telling stories, it is important for filmmakers to be true to the world in which they place their characters. While the film is essentially in Hindi, key colloquial phrases & words have been used to give it an authentic touch. I am sure it will be appreciated.” Batti Gul Meter Chalu releases on 21st Sept, 2018.

Sandeep Singh & Tamil Director Elan To Remake Tamil Hit ‘Pyaar Prema Kaadhal’ In Hindi

Producer Sandeep Singh & South director Elan have joined hands to bring the runaway Tamil hit Pyaar Prema Kaadhal to Bollywood as part of their recent collaboration. Producer Sandeep Singh says, “At the age of 27, Elan is a creative genius. We are also making another film, which will be a Tamil-Hindi romcom-fantasy. The Tamil title for the film is ‘Punnagai Arasan’ (King of Smiles). We are here to produce a lot of films together and will also be launching newcomers in terms of directors & actors. “The romcom bilingual directorial is scheduled to be shot over a timeframe of 60 days in Leh-Ladakh & Himachal Pradesh. Our crew will be drawn from both Tamil & Hindi film industries. The male lead will be drawn from Tamil cinema and will be paired with a Bollywood actress. It will have 6 romantic songs for which we have the music director Yuvan Shankar Raja. The remake of the Tamil hit Pyaar Prema Kaadhal is scheduled to go on the floors next year. Says Director Elan, “When I showed the film to Sandeep, he loved it and that’s when we decided to collaborate. Since we both are young, It’s a long way for us to go. Both the films will roll one after the other.”

Director Imtiaz Ali To Make A Film On The Eternal Love Story Of Radha Krishna

On the auspicious occasion of the festival of Janmashtami, Anil D. Ambani owned Reliance Entertainment & director Imtiaz Ali’s Window Seat Films, LLP, announced that they will be producing a film on the eternal love story of Radha & Krishna; an epic that has travelled down generations & folklore transcending the boundaries of culture, geography & tradition. To be written & directed by Imtiaz Ali, this film is one of his long cherished projects; a love story very close to his heart that he has always wanted to explore on the big screen. The research on the film is currently underway. Imtiaz Ali has received wide appreciation & acclaim from audiences & critics alike, in addition to blockbuster success at box office turnstiles. Imtiaz Ali said, “I have always been fascinated by the eternal love story of Radha & Krishna. In all of Indian folklore I know of no other story, which is so intensely personal and yet has such an epic scale.” While this epic will be one of Imtiaz Ali’s upcoming directorial ventures, it is not the one that he will be directing next due to the extensive research & pre-production that is required for a project of this scale.”

Love Sonia Actresses Worked Closely With Victims Of Human Trafficking

Director Tabrez Noorani’s Love Sonia which explores the world of human trafficking is next to perfect in its description! Tabrez Noorani conducted workshops for his actors to help them get into the skin of their characters authentically. He even made sure that Mrunal Thakur & Riya Sisodiya meet a few victims of sex trafficking. Says Mrunal Thakur, “It was extremely sad to hear stories about how these girls ended up in the flesh trade. They were initially shy but eventually opened up & shared incidents that shook me and were difficult to get out of my head.” Mrunal Thakur & Riya Sisodia shot many of their scenes in the presence of the victims. Tabrez Noorani gave them only situations to act out without dialogues so they could improvise with the girls. Tabrez Noorani said, “From day one, I wanted this film to be authentic. Whenever I could have them meet people we were portraying in the film, I did that. The more research the better, and the actors all embraced this process.” The film stars Freida Pinto, Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao, Richa Chadha, Anupam Kher, Adil Hussain, Sai Tamhankar, Sunny Parwar, Demi Moore, Mark Duplass, Tabrez Noorani is introducing Mrunal Thakur as well as Riya Sisodiya. Love Sonia produced by Tamasha Talkies, David Womark & Tabrez Noorani is slated to release on 14th Sept, 2018.

‘Manto’ To Open The 2nd Edition Of Singapore South Asian International Film Fest 2018

The 2nd edition of Singapore South Asian International Film Fest 2018 (Sg.SAIFF) will open with actor-director Nandita Das’ Manto which stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role as Sadat Hassan Manto and follows the most tumultuous years & times in the life of the famed writer & of the 2 countries he inhabits – India & Pakistan. The fest held from 5th Oct, 2018 to 14th Oct, 2018 in Singapore will commence with an opening ceremony on 5th Oct, 2018 at Carnival Cinema & close on 13th Oct, 2018 at Resorts World Sentosa will also include the awards ceremony. The film stars Rasika Duggal, Rajshri Deshpande, Rishi Kapoor & Paresh Rawal. The screening at SGSAIFF 2018 marks the film’s South East Asian premiere & will be attended by Nandita Das, whose film Manto will open the 2nd edition of Singapore South Asian Film Fest said, “Manto was very much a South Asian writer. Last year, SGSAIFF screened a film I acted in, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai as the opening film, which is yet to be released.” The SGSAIFF 2018 lineup represents a diverse mix of feature films, short films & docu drama, which include films from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Nepal & Afghanistan.

Prerna Arora Launches Studio 5 Elements!

Producers Arjun N Kapoor, Om Prakash Bhatt, Kashish Khan & Virendra Arora, represented by daughter Prernaa Arora, have launched “Studio 5 Elements”. After producing successful & socially relevant films like Rustom, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Padman & Pari, producers Arjun N Kapoor & Prernaa Arora of KriArj Entertainment join hands with Om Prakash Bhatt of Purple Bull Entertainment & Mumbai based producer & investor Kashish Khan for “Studio 5 Elements”. The studio will be involved in production, acquisitions, distribution & also cater to digital platform. Says Arjun N Kapoor, “Studio 5 Elements is collaboration between likeminded people.” Says Prernaa Arora, “Arjun & I are happy to collaborate with Prakash Bhatt & Kashish Khan, both of whom are 1st generation entrepreneurs who have a deep understanding of cinema & who believe in strong content & resource management at the core. ”Apart from unveiling the logo, the studio announced their interesting line-up of films starting with the Big B & SJ Surya starrer The Tall Man directed by T Tamilvaanan, 3 films with Ahmed Khan & Shaira Khan’s production house Paperdoll Entertainment, Ganit & Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyu Kaala with director Prem Soni & official remake of the 1964 classic Woh Kaun Thi with director Kanishk Varma.

Crime Patrol’s Annup Sonii Completes 2 Decades In Bollywood

His sensational crime-based show Crime Patrol made actor Annup Sonii a household name. The versatile actor also proved his mettle as an actor on the big screen by portraying several memorable characters in popular films. Having completed 2 decades of glorious years in the industry, Annup Soni recollects, “It has been a wonderful journey. God has been kind & I’m grateful to my fans for showering upon their love & support. The learning is that one should just focus on work, give your 100% & be patient. And, I sincerely believe that if you choose to learn from each experience, then you will have nothing to regret. For someone who was a complete outsider, it has been pretty good. But as they say, the day you get satisfied, you stop growing. So, I am still looking for more milestones,” Annup Soni adds. Annup Soni who is also actively involved in theatre, informs, “My friends from National School of Drama (New Delhi) are an important part of my life. Mumbai, too, has given me great friends. God has been kind, whether it’s work, friends or family.”

Reverberation Films Pvt. Ltd. Announces A Film School

Reverberation Films Pvt. Ltd is grateful to announce their film school in the heart of India, New Delhi. The name of the school is also inspired by the production house’s name “Revmovies Acting Studio”. Muskurahtein & 10 Nahi 40 are produced under the banner of Reverberation Films Pvt. Ltd. The founder of Reverberation Films Pvt. Ltd is J. S. Randhawa, who is a radiologist & a filmmaker. After being in the medical industry for more than 2 decades, J S Randhawa ventured into films & in the year 2015, he launched his production company, Reverberation Films Pvt. Ltd. The school will provide courses in acting & direction. This will be the 1st ever acting school in New Delhi by a Bollywood film production house. The school is equipped with skilled faculty members of Bollywood like Birbalji, Sham Mashalkar, Manmauji & Dr. J S Randhawa. On the announcement of the film school Dr Randhawa feels that teaching is an art & innovations in teaching can make a huge difference to the outcome & produce great artists in a much shorter time period.

Savita Bhabhi Aka Tandoori Bhabhi Characters To Don A Hijab For Pakistan, Bangladesh & UAE Versions

The popular internet cartoon series Savita Bhabhi is all set to live again as a web series & will not be restricted to viewers in US & UK markets only & will be available to viewers in all Islamic countries including Pakistan, UAE, et al. Maneesh Singh announced that Savita Bhabhi who has been re-christened Tandoori Bhabhi will live again in the form of a web series. To comply with local broadcasting laws there will be different versions or individual edits for US, UK, UAE as well as for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka markets so that the show does not invite censorship from individual countries. For example, in Pakistan, Savita Bhabhi could be seen wearing a hijab or even a burkha to customize the costumes to local semi-urban & rural audiences, a toned down version when compared to the western markets. The geographical locales will determine which version or edit, the user gets to see, Maneesh Singh said, “Neha Shah will now play the red hot Tandoori Bhabhi. There will be a sprinkling of some “inspirational scenes” from the internationally famous comic character Savita Bhabhi as well. Maneesh Singh revealed that this time the character draws more inspiration from Gulfam Kali, rather than Angoori Bhabhi.

T-Series Joins Hands With BR Studios

They worked together to deliver the 2014 hit Bhoothnath Returns, a political satire directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Bhushan Kumar of T-Series has once again come together to work with The Chopra Family on more movies in the coming days. BR Studios, helmed by Renu Chopra & her sons Juno & Abhay enjoyed critical & commercial success last year with their films Bareilly Ki Barfi & Ittefaq. With the vigor to create great content BR Studios has developed 2 films that they will collaborate with T-Series on. Mudassar Aziz of Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi fame will direct a film under this renewed collaboration. There is another film that T-Series & BR Studios are committed to working on together, the script of which is being currently developed which is a family entertainer on the lines of Bareilly Ki Barfi. Also on the cards is the 3rd installment of the successful Bhootnath franchise. Bhushan Kumar of T-Series says, “We had a great synergy with BR Studios when we worked on Bhoothnath Returns a few years ago. Creatively, it was a very satisfying collaboration to work in this film starring Amitji.”

Poster Of ‘Namaste England’ Released

The makers of Namaste England have released a poster of the film, the trailer of which was released on 6th Sept, 2018. The film stars Arjun Kapoor & Parineeti Chopra in lead roles. Produced & directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film is presented by Pen Movies & Reliance Entertainment, in association with Blockbuster Movie Entertainers. Namaste England will hit the theatres on 19th Oct, 2019.

Alia Bhatt Launches The Poster Of ‘Yours Truly’

Hindi language romance drama Yours Truly directed by National Award winner Sanjoy Nag to have its World Premiere at the upcoming Busan International Film Fest from 4th Oct, 2018 to 13th Oct, 2018, Asia’s biggest film fest. The film is selected in A window on Asian Cinema category. The film stars Soni Razdan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aahana Kumra & Mahesh Bhatt in a special appearance. The film is produced by Shiladitya Bora (Platoon One Films)

Sharman Joshi’s Next Film Is ‘Kaashi In Search Of Ganga’

Dhiraj Kumar’s debut Bollywood venture movie Kaashi In Search Of Ganga starring Sharman Joshi & Aishwarya Devan in the lead is all set to release on 26th Oct, this year. The film is produced by Insite India, Directed by Dhiraj Kumar & written by Manish Kishore.

Priyadarshni Academy Global Award 2018 To Anushka Sharma

Priyadarshni Academy’s 34th Anniversary Global Awards, a prestigious function, will take place on 19th Sept, 2018 in Mumbai. The awards will be presented to varied achievers from different genres for their services to the upliftment of mankind in multifarious ways. Awardees will be felicitated by leading political personalities. Priyadarshni Academy is a premier non-profit, socio-cultural & educational organization. Real Estate tycoon, Niranjan Hiranandani, is the Chairman. Priyadarshni Academy is the brain child of Businessman & Humanitarian Nanik Rupani. Priyadarshni Academy has a top notch list of awardees, a total of 8 awards will be presented this year. They will be felicitated by big wigs such as Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Shipping; Road Transport &Highways; Water Resources; River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry & Civil Aviation & Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways & Coal. Amongst the few Awardees of 2018 are Anushka Sharma – Smita Patil Memorial Award for “Best Actress”, Ronnie Screwvala (Founder Director, Swades Foundation) – Priyadarshni Academy Global Award for outstanding contribution to Innovative Entertainment & Community Development & Amitabh Kant (CEO, NITI Aayog, New Delhi; NITI is a government institution for catalyzing economic development) -Priyadarshni Academy Global Award for outstanding contribution to Transforming India

Saie Tamhankar Reveals Her Digital Debut With ZEE5

Popular actress Saie Tamhankar has been up to something special. In a never seen before avatar, Saie Tamhankar has collaborated with ZEE5 for an upcoming special show for her fans, this time on an OTT platform – ZEE5! She will be seen featuring in a web show for the 1st time ever, it’s her digital debut. Saie Tamhankar shared, “ZEE5 & I have something extremely exciting coming up. This will be the 1st time ever I will be shooting for a digital platform. This will be very different from what my fans have seen me do in the past and the team that I am working with is fantastic. All I can say is that this show will give you a chance to know me better.” ZEE5 has recently launched a super hit Marathi web series called Liftman with Bhau Kadam & now with Saie, they are looking at strengthening their bucket of Marathi content. Saie has started shooting for ZEE5 web show.
‘Little Things’ To Premiere On 5th Oct, 2018 Worldwide On Netflix

If you love “love” & need your regular fix of Netflix romance, there is more in store for you with a brand new season of Little Things all set to premiere worldwide on 5th Oct, 2018. Little Things is a realistic, relatable & heartwarming story of a young, modern day relationship that promises to give you all the feels! Join Kavya (Mithila Palkar) & Dhruv (Dhruv Sehgal), a young unmarried couple, as they navigate the complicated world of relationships, careers & aspirations in the fast-paced city of Mumbai, while always cherishing the little things that make life worth living. The series celebrates the sweet & sour moments of life & their new-age relationship. Created & written by Dhruv Sehgal, Little Things is directed by Ruchir Arun.

Sumeet Vyas To Play Himself In Kunaal Roy Kapur’s Web Series ‘Side Hero’!

Sumeet Vyas, who became a household name after the success of his latest release, Veere Di Wedding, is all set to spring a huge surprise on the audience & his fans with his next offering. The talented actor who is currently busy scripting Season 2 of ‘The Viral Fever’s popular series Tripling & also doing recee of the same will be seen playing an interesting role in his forthcoming web series, Side Hero. As interesting as the title, the web show will see Sumeet Vyas sharing screen space with Kunaal Roy Kapur for the 1st time ever. Interestingly, Sumeet Vyas is quite excited about the show as he will be seen playing himself, much to the surprise of the audiences & his fans. Also, it is something he has never attempted before in the web series space. The talented actor is currently busy scripting Season 2 of The Viral Fever’s popular series Tripling & also doing recee of the same. He will be traveling to 5 cities shooting for the show. Sumeet Vyas says, “The script is quite amazing and something not attempted in the web series space. Also, the good thing is that I do not have to prep for my character since I play myself in the series. I’m sure the audiences will definitely like it.”

Prem R Soni Reveals The Teaser Poster Of His Next Movie ‘Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyun Kaala’

Prem R Soni, known for helming Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna starring Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor & Sohail Khan, revealed the teaser poster of his next film Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyun Kaala on the auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami recently. The teaser poster of the film, which revolves around a Krishna Bhakta who comes to the country where guests are treated as gods & women are treated as goddesses to seek answers & raise questions, features the silhouettes of a man & a woman against the backdrop of an ancient temple with the “Geeta Saar” printed on it. The poster of the film is quite intriguing and has made everyone curious about the cast of the film, which will be revealed in the official poster on a later date. Prem R Soni revealed, “Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyun Kala is the story of Julia Bien, a Polish girl who is a Krishna Bhakta from childhood. Though Julia has a tough childhood, she finds solace in the teachings of The Bhagvad Geeta & wishes to visit Mathura to see the ISKCON temple there. Julia finds friends & also meets Babul Chaubey, the man she loves. In India, Julia adopts a daughter & decides to make a life here. However, things do not go as smoothly as planned & Julia & Babul end up starting a nationwide movement with the help of the teachings of The Bhagvad Geeta & shine the light of Krishna Consciousness upon the darkness of human nature.” Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyun Kaala’ is slated to release in May, 2019.

Toronto Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher wonders why great films on India are being made only by foreigners.

In Toronto for the premiere of Australian director Anthony Maras’ debut feature film “Hotel Mumbai” based on the September 2008 terror attacks, Kher said: “This is fascinating that the film ‘Gandhi’ was also made by a foreigner. Now this (‘Hotel Mumbai’) film has also been made by a foreigner. Thank you, Anthony, for making this movie. This film is a tribute to everybody who has lost a dear one anywhere in the world.”

Without naming the person, Kher said: “Somebody had made a film on it (Mumbai terror attacks), but it was atrocious. That person wanted to cash in on the tragedy.”

But Anthony’s “Hotel Mumbai” “humanises'” the tragedy that Mumbai went through 10 years ago, the actor added.

“The Taj Palace Hotel is not just another hotel. It is an icon and its owner — the Tatas — are a respectable name not just in India but also around the world,” he said.

At the press conference, Kher revealed that “Hotel Mumbai” is the 501st film of his career.

As he was congratulated by the cast, the veteran actor said even his mother asked him for the first time as to how he did so many films.

“‘Hotel Mumbai’ is my 501st film. My mother, who is 85, asked me ‘How did I do it?'” said Kher.

The movie premiered at the on-going Toronto International Film Festival on September 7.

(IANS)

Mumbai  Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming film “The Dark Side of Life: Mumbai City” said that we are lacking in generating awareness about mental illness in our country.

Mahesh Bhatt was interacting with media at the trailer launch of “The Dark Side of Life: Mumbai City” along with his co-actors Nikhil Ratnaparakhi, Allisha Khan, director Tariq Khan and producer Rajesh Pardasani on Monday in Mumbai.

The film addresses many sensitive issues like loneliness, communal harmony and mental health that exist in our society.

Talking about growing cases of suicides in the society, Bhatt said, “It’s a form of mental illness and it can be treated. When you suffer with diabetes then, you have to take insulin shots.

“Similarly, when you are prone towards depression then you need to consult a doctor who can treat you through medication but, I think in our country, we are lacking in generating awareness about mental illness. Almost in every household people are suffering from depression.”

Citing the example of his own daughter Shaheen Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt said, “My daughter Shaheen, Alia’s elder sister, she, at the age of 16 discovered finally that she is suffering from clinical depression. In October, she is launching her own memoir in which she has talked about the kind of struggle she has gone through in that phase.

“She also came to a point of attempting a suicide at the age of 12-13 so, this is the truth of my own house. Jiah Khan once came to us asking for work but that time somehow, we were not able to work with her, but later when she committed suicide and we visited her house it felt really bad.”

Talking about immense pressure of surviving in the film industry, Bhatt said, “It’s a high stress business that’s why not many can do it and that’s why you have people who are prone to substance abuse, mood swings and you have tendency to gravitate towards depression because you are dependent continuously on audience reaction.

“When we release the trailer of a film, we fear that whether audience will clap or not for the trailer and for that, you need to have guts to sustain in this industry and that’s why there are very few people who have survived in this industry for long time.”

[IANS]

New Delhi Kalki Koechlin doesn’t follow any set rules or plans to reach where she wants to in the years to come as she believes in improvising and trying something new with different mediums. For her, staying relevant is more important as she feels a journey is more about the process than the final product.

“In the beginning, I was very stubborn and always wanted to be just an actor. I was told by a lot of people to try my hand at writing or directing, but I always thought I am an actor and this is what I want to do. But today, I feel all these roles are so interlinked.

“Many times I write, rewrite scenes with my director or with my co-actor, and we collaborate on a piece and I realise the roles are so interchangeable,” Kalki told IANS in an email when asked that her journey as an actor.

Does she want youngsters to take this as an inspiration from her?

“It is enough if I can be relevant. It is more about me keeping up with youngsters than influencing youngsters. So I just want to stay relevant, really,” she said.

The National Award-winning actress made her Bollywood debut with Anurag Kashyap’s “Dev.D” and went on to do some unconventional roles in films like “That Girl in Yellow Boots”, “Margarita with a Straw” and “Waiting”.

She is now a part of one of the stories of wine-maker Chandon’s The Party Starter 2.0 campaign, that will launch in October.

The brand has taken a digital leap with the launch of the next edition of The Party Starter(tm) 2.0 campaign — The Party Starter Stories. The series salutes people across various genres who have made a difference in their respective fields by delving deep into each achiever’s personal and professional journey, and educating the viewer on how Chandon is the perfect partner for every “party” moment.

Does Kalki consider herself as a game-changer?

“It’s a lot of pressure to keep changing the game. I also think we have to take these things with a pinch of salt because the minute you try to make a change or try to make something viral, it doesn’t work. It’s because of its authenticity that it stands out. You are therefore not here to change the game but to create,” said the actress.

She feels that it’s a label that other people put on you.

“I consider myself as a human being with lots of ups and downs and learning from a lot of failures before I can succeed. Rehearsing is a process which is very important to get a final product. For me, it is about the process more than the final product,” said Kalki.

Since the campaign celebrates those who have made a difference in their respective fields, how does Kalki see her journey in Bollywood as different from that of other actresses in the industry?

“It is for other people to judge. I don’t think I have had any set way or plan that I want to reach here or there in the next two to three years. I improvise a lot and try something new every couple of years. I have worked on a documentary, ‘Azmaish’, on a podcast — ‘My Indian Life’. I do theatre and am also working on poetry.

“I feel like there is no limit on how you create and always finding a different medium to put the point across.”

(IANS)

I hate to say this, but I saw it coming. Film Producer Madhu Varma Mantena had been in pain for a while. A week before he told me he has something important to tell me.

Then came the announcement that he and his wife of three years, Masaba Gupta, are bringing their marriage to an end. The announcement came on social media. This is where lives and relationships are made and unmade these days. Long live the sanctity of privacy.

Prior to Madhu, it was another friend, Arjun Rampal, who quit his marriage by “mutual consent”. Arjun told me he and his wife — married for 20 years — had parted “as friends”.

This, I find hard to believe. The effort to make a ruptured, amputated marriage look like a clean split is plainly an eyewash. Filmland marriages want to look squeaky-clean when they break up. But they are like messy murders. You can’t wash away the blood no matter how hard you try.

Hrithik Roshan and his former wife go on vacations with their children even after their marriage ended. It’s just not real. If they wanted to go on family vacations, why break the marriage? And if they did decide to mutually break the marriage, why the show of togetherness with pictures going up on social media even before the vacation has started?

I am pretty sure Madhu won’t go on post-marriage vacations with Masaba. He isn’t the media-friendly type and will refrain from indulging in ironic acts of simulated intimacy in a dead relationship.

Madhu has been gifted in what he has done. He has been involved in production and distribution of films in Hindi, Telugu and Bengali. In 2008, he co-produced “Ghajini”, the year’s highest-grossing Indian film. Since then he has produced “Rakht Charitra” in three languages, a political thriller “Rann” and the Bengali film “Autograph”, which did well.

Madhu co-founded Phantom Films with Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane, which brought out successes such as “Lootera”, “Queen”, “Hasee Toh Phasee” and “Bombay Velvet”. Madhu’s next film, “Super 30” — on the IIT success story — is awaited.

I have to admit, though, that Madhu has been singularly unlucky in love. He was in a very comfortable relationship with actress-author Nandana Sen for nearly eight years.

Madhu, Nandana and I had dinner once in Mumbai where they just couldn’t keep their eyes and hands off one another. When that relationship ended, Madhu, who always gets into relationships thinking they are for keeps, was determined to find love again. He got into another relationship with an author which ended as suddenly as it had begun.

Masaba seemed to be for keeps. Madhu just couldn’t get enough of her. Smothering your partner with love could create serious space problems. It did for Madhu’s marriage. He is now single and not quite ready to mingle. There is a lot of pain in the parting.

Madhu never wanted the marriage to end. But the show business saps you. Only the thick-skinned survive. Star-wives who have successfully managed to forge a life of their own, away from their star-husbands’ shadows have succeeded in keeping their marriages going. You think they don’t know about their husbands’ furtive flings?

Madhu’s marriage with Masaba was a fairytale coming together of two people. It soured because they never found a middle-ground between his targets as a producer and her goals as a dress designer.

Now as things stand, barring one, every one of the partners at Phantom — Anurag, Vikas and Madhu — has a broken marriage behind him.

If I was the fourth partner at Phantom, I’d seriously think about breaking away from the business, before another — a graver — break happens. But then you never know: Vikramaditya may turn out to be an outlier.

The first ‘Namaste in Namaste London came ten years back. It was an honest sweet gentle film about a NRI London-bred girl Katrina Kaif’s attempts to adjust in marriage to a Punjabi rustic man Akshay Kumar who adores her to death. Director Vipul Shah wanted to make the sequel with the same pair but things didnt work out.

Shah’s long-standing association with Akshay Kumar ended abruptly. It is a setback that he doesn’t talk about at all.

It took the producer-director ten years to direct another film.

He is happy with the way “Namaste England” has shaped up. Looking at the trailer, so are we. It seems to take us into a quaint universe where the dramatic complexities are created by cultural rather than emotional conflict between the lead pair.

This time it is Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, who made their joint debut in Habib Faisal’s “Ishaqzaade” violent brutal interpretation of Romeo and Juliet rooted in the fiercely internecine caste and communal system. This time in “Namaste England” there is little opposition or tension in their relationship from the outside.

Says Vipul, “I wanted to make a gentle romantic film where the conflicts are very basic, very relatable. I think I’ve succeeded in doing that.”

Vipul took ill recently and had to be hospitalized. But the film didn’t suffer on account of his health. “I had finished all my work on the film when I took ill.So there has been no setback due to my health.We are ready to release on 19 October.”

The trailer shows Parineeti’s Jasmeet fleeing to London to escape the stifling patriarchal bastion of Punjab. Arjun Kapoor playing the devoted duty-bound husband follows her to London to bring her back. But the lady has other plans.

While reveling in the rites of a traditional rural Punjabi family the film seems to suggest that the female population of rural India desperately needs to find its voice. A supportive spouse helps. This is not the first time that Arjun Kapoor plays a caring empathetic husband willing to relinquish the traditional role in a marriage to let his spouse take the lead. But this is the first time that Arjun plays a husband with a hygiene problem.

On two occasions in the trailer he is heard talking about his lack care for basic hygiene. Maybe it’s just joke. Then again maybe it’s not. Either way we don’t want kids telling their mothers, “Why should we brush our teeth when Arjun Uncle doesn’t.”

(IANS)