Dhadak Is A Simple Tale Told In A Beautiful Way

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Jalebi” – A Musically Oriented Romantic Film

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

Roop Kumar Rathod Launches Music Album “Taa-Dhaa”

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

Shraddha Kapoor’s Instagram Posts disappears

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

Lashtam Pashtam Is A Story Of Friendship & Brotherhood

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

Sushant Singh Rajput Turns A Sketch Artist For His Next!

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

Hindi Academy Delhi has given its highest “Shalaka Samman” for 2017-18 to lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar.

The award was given to him at a function here which was chaired by Academy vice chairman Vishnu Khare and inaugurated by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The award includes a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh.

Awards were also given for notable contribution in the fields of literature, social service, culture and journalism.

Superstar Aamir Khan says he takes a higher cut in films’ profits because he risks his time on projects. But he does so only after the cost of each film is recovered in every aspect.

The actor-producer gave out the information on the inaugural day of the fifth Indian Screenwriters Conference here on Wednesday.

During an interactive session on the topic ‘Writers VS Producers: Can they never be allies?’, Aamir was asked: “There is a worrying trend that now the star has started taking about 80 per cent of the film, not profit but actually as his fees. Even though he is letting his fees go, it ultimately comes to the actor taking away 80 per cent. In 20 per cent how are we going to make a successful film?”

The actor replied: “My first rupee comes to me when the film’s cost is recovered in every aspect, after the producer’s and everybody else’s money is recovered. That’s the model I work with, and certainly, I take a higher cut in the percentage because I am risking my time on that, and I think producers are happy with that too.”

Explaining the model, he shared: “The model that I work on is that, say a film costs Rs 100 crore to make. It consists of everything – cast, crew, production cost, post-production cost and everything comes in that. I don’t take any money in that. I take nothing.

“So, when the film releases, I get zero money. And as it starts earning money, that money goes into P and A (Promotions and Advertising), which is over and above Rs 100 crore. Say P and A is Rs 25 crore, it then goes into recovering that.

“Once P and A is recovered, the producer has recovered his money, and everybody has got their fees…then I go into the percentage of profits. This way, there is no way that the producer can lose any money. And if for some reason, the film has not recovered the money, that it didn’t do well, then I don’t get any money,” he said.

Being part of some of the iconic films like “Dangal”, “PK”, “3 Idiots” and “Lagaan”, Aamir believes that the script plays an important role in the success of a film.

“I think the script is the foundation (of a film) and I make sure that once I love the story and the film is in the making, people who are investing money should not be in loss. I don’t allow the producer to shoulder the responsibility alone,” he said.

He believes that sharing the responsibility of making the film commercially successful also secures his career and builds trust with the producers and financiers of films.

“I think this is the best business model for film and our business because in most of my films, if producer is not losing money, it is but obvious that he will sign me for the next film. That is why I always ensure that if I am signed in a film, there is no loss,” he said.

Citing the example of the 2001 film “Lagaan”, Aamir said: “Since that film was one of the expensive films of that time and was breaking a lot of rules of mainstream Indian cinema and that is why I felt the importance of taking the responsibility.

“That apart, I know when I come on board, producers and financiers do not question me on the subject I chose for a film because they trust me, they have faith in me. That is why I want to ensure the profit.”

{4th December 1924 – 31st July 1980}

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

THE BEGINNING

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

JOURNEY FROM LAHORE TO BOMBAY

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

TURNING POINT ANECDOTE

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

HIS UNIQUE STYLE HIS FORTE

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

HIS CAPTIVATINGLY INTOXICATING NUMBERS

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

HIS HEARTWRENCHINGLY SAD NUMBERS

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

HIS LIVELY & PEPPY NUMBERS

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

HIS EVERGREEN ROMANTIC NUMBERS

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

IN CONCLUSION

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

THE GRAND FINALE SALUTE

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

American actor Theo Rossi, popular for playing the bad guy with scalp tattoos in “Sons of Anarchy” and supervillain Hernan “Shades” Alvarez in Marvel’s “Luke Cage”, says he has always been attracted to faults as they are “very human”. He is also interested in playing Batman as he is one of the superheroes who has a “lot of baggage”.

Asked if playing a bad character comes naturally to him, Rossi told IANS in a telephonic interview from Austin, Texas: “I wish I could say no, but yes it does. It’s always easier to play a bad character or a villain you might say because usually they have way more depth. You learn a lot more about them. There is a lot more history.”

“Whereas in the case of heroes, you usually don’t really learn so much about them. They are just the heroes…just the good guys…we all have issues and we all have things that are wrong. It depends on what level. I have always been attracted to faults because faults are very human.”

But he feels “really lucky because if you look at my three biggest projects – ‘Sons of Anarchy’, ‘Luke Cage’ and ‘Lowriders’, the characters that I have played are being loved in the end by the fans so even though they are portrayed as the bad guys, they are actually the most liked characters in the project”.

Elaborating more, Rossi said: “Juice was the most loved character on ‘Sons of Anarchy’. People love Shades. They feel for him. Then Ghost in ‘Lowriders’. They understand him and feel bad for him.”

“So even though they might be the bad guys in theory, they are actually the good guys that people like. I have been very fortunate that I don’t get to play just straight black and white guys. I play kind of the ones that are questionable. That’s the best kind of character to play.”

What about playing a superhero?

“Yeah. I mean only if he had a lot of like depth and maybe one like the Punisher or Batman…the ones that have a lot of baggage with them. They are kind of dark to begin with. I think those are the best heroes,” said Rossi.

He is playing a supervillain in a Marvel show but wants to play DC Comics’ superhero!

“You know when I grew up, there was no such thing as difference (between the two comics). We just read them all. So I treat them all the same,” said the actor of “Lowriders”, which will soon air on Sony PIX in India.

Meanwhile, Rossi is excited about “Vault”.

“One of my films is coming out…’Vault’. It’s my first movie where I kind of carry the project. It is a really special movie to me. It is based on a true story. My company is involved in producing that. It is set in 1972. It’s something that my company is involved in..in a small role producing and I am also starring in. That I am really excited for.

“We have another film coming out called ‘Ghost of War’ by the director (Eric Bress) of ‘The Butterfly Effect’ and ‘Final Destination’. I am really enjoying the moment of everybody really loving ‘Luke Cage’ season 2,” he said.

Anuradha Paudwal To Be Honored At The House Of Commons

Mother Teresa Award-winner Padmashri Anuradha Paudwal, recently added another feather in her overcrowded cap as she was honored at UK Houses of Parliament for not just her outstanding contribution to music, but for her charitable initiatives as well. The function was held by Members of Parliament from the lndo-British All Party Parliamentary Group, Houses of Parliament. Also in attendance were Politicians & Journalists from Asian Radio, TV & print media, together with leading representatives of Indian Music Industry in UK. Anuradha Paudwal, who has to her credit, over 1500 songs in several Indian languages over a period of 4 & half decades is humility personified when asked about her feelings, “Awards & acknowledgments matter to an artist. It is the love of the people that goads us to grow at every stage. It is touching to know your efforts have reached the corners of the world”! Currently, besides her world tour, where she has traveled to UK & Australia thus far, and traveling to Sri Lanka & United States of America. Anuradha Paudwal is working on a major devotional project.

Shemaroo Entertainment Rebrands With A New Logo

Shemaroo Entertainment has been a household name for more than 5 decades now. It was not just a medium through which movies reached Indian households… it was the very reason why countless Indian families enjoyed a lifetime of unforgettable moments together. Hiren Gada, CEO & Atul Maru Joint MD, Shemaroo Entertainment along with Kunal Jeswani, CEO – Ogilvy India showcased a new brand identity to the world. Shemaroo has always provided its viewers with refreshing & engaging content. But the needs of the fast-paced modern generation are different from what they used to be. The new logo combines the needs of a digitized age with the nation’s culture of vivacity to give rise to a fresh brand identity.

Sunny Deol starrer Bhaiaji Superhit To Hit The Theaters On 19th Oct 2018!

Bhaiaji Superhit also stars Preity G Zinta, Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade & Ameesha Patel. Bhaiaji Superhit starring Sunny Deol, Preity G Zinta, Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade, Ameesha Patel, Sanjay Mishra, Brijendra Kala, Jaydeep Alahwat, Mukul Dev, Pankaj Tripathi & Pankaj Jha will be releasing on 19th Oct 2018. The action comedy directed by Neeraj Pathak will see Sunny Deol playing a double role for the 1st time ever. Bhaiaji Superhit comes across as very funny, hilarious, colorful and larger than life yet an emotional film. It showcases the coming together of 2 vastly different worlds of Bollywood & UP’s underworld. Presented by Hanwant Khatri & Lalit Kiri, produced by Chirag Mahendra Dhariwal & directed by Neeraj Pathak, Bhaiaji Superhitt will hit the theatres on 19th Oct, 2018.

The Makers Of ‘Sonchiriya’ Have Released The First Look Poster Of The Film!

Sonchiriya produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP in association with MacGuffin Pictures, Directed by Abhishek Chaubey starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey & Ashutosh Rana. The film is slated to release on 8th Feb, 2019.

Springfit Unveiled New Lookbook Catalogue With Glamorous Sophie Choudhry

Sophie Chowdhry unveiled Springfit’s 2018 mattress collection & lookbook, at the 7th annual edition of the HGH Trade Show in Mumbai. Springfit has associated with the all-rounder celebrity for the grand launch of its all-new lookbook & new mattress collection. Sophie has shared her personal experience using Springfit mattress with viewers visitors & media at the Springfit booth and discuss the benefits of quality sleep. She also talked about how 6 hours of complete sleep helps her stay fit, active & energetic, despite a hectic schedule that keeps her on her feet all day. Besides the exhibition at HGH India, Springfit is also educating consumers on sleep-related topics through social media posts, emails & online chat available through the website. Springfit mattresses are available in all sizes & thicknesses, while customizable mattresses are also available. According to S. K. Malhotra, Sales Director at Springfit, this is pure because of commitment to quality, affordability & prompt service.

Nandita Das To Speak At The Prestigious “Les Napoleons” In France

Nandita Das’s film, Manto, is a liberal voice in these divided & turbulent times, hence it comes as no surprise that the filmmaker was invited recently to a special edition on “Truth” by ‘’Les Napoleons’’ in Arles, France. An innovative communication network, “Les Napoleons” gathers players of the communications industries, culture, architecture and other fields to discuss & debate crucial issues. Given that Manto wrote about the truths that no one dared to talk about, the film continues to remain relevant to our times and who better than filmmaker Nandita Das to discuss the subject at such a prestigious platform to initiate a dialogue & participation on the importance & relevance of truth in art & cinema. The actor-director is participating in 2 sessions.

J P Dutta Signs A 3 Film Deal With Harshvardhan Rane!

Harshvardhan Rane, who is eagerly anticipating the release of his forthcoming war drama, J P Dutta’s Paltan, feels blessed to have got the opportunity to work with the veteran filmmaker. Having closely worked with all the actors on Paltan, the veteran filmmaker is highly impressed by their talent, hard work & dedication, especially Harshvardhan. Taking their association to the next level post Paltan, the handsome hunk & filmmaker will be joining hands for not one but 3 films. The veteran filmmaker has offered Harshvardhan a 3 film deal under his banner.

No Body-Double For Sonu Sood For ‘Manikarnika’!

After playing a historical role in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodhaa Akbar, Sonu is excited playing yet another one in highly-anticipated movie, Manikarnika, also featuring Kangana Ranaut. Being a historical drama, Sonu is quite excited to be part of it since it gives him the opportunity to do lot of action & sword-fighting sequences. Sonu is known for his chiseled physique and he is always in his best shape. The talented actor, who maintains a healthy & disciplined life, likes performing action scenes on his own. He has done the same for most of his films, including his Indo-Chinese production, Kung-Fu Yoga. Since the actor will be seen performing heavy-weight sword fights & hand-to-hand combat besides death-defying stunts, the makers suggested him to opt for a body double. Interestingly, Sonu has pulled off dangerous action stunts while shooting for the film in Mumbai & Hyderabad, much to the surprise of the makers & his co-stars.

Kubbra Sait To Play A Transgender In ‘Sacred Games’!

Kubbra Sait, who made her Bollywood debut with Salman Khan’s Ready in 2011, followed by Jodi Breakers in 2012, & Sultan in 2016 amongst others, will next be seen in Sacred Games alongside Saif Ali Khan & Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actor-anchor who has the penchant for portraying challenging characters will be seen playing a transgender in the highly anticipated web series, Sacred Games. Ever since the trailer of the web series has been unveiled, Kubbra has received praises galore for her character and her striking unique look, attempted by very few actresses before. Kubbra was highly appreciated for her performance in her last web series Going Viral with Kunal Roy Kapoor. Interestingly, since it was a challenging character, Kubbra had worked rigorously to make it look & sound relatable and also understood the gestures & mannerisms to pull it off with great conviction. The actress had to spend hours for the makeup session for what she believes is one of the toughest roles to execute. Kubbra’s forthcoming projects include Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy alongside Ranveer Singh & ALTBalaji’s web series, A Family.

Akshay Kumar Unveils The Trailer Of His Film Chumbak

Unveiling the trailer of his latest Marathi film Chumbak in Mumbai as a presenter, Akshay Kumar confessed that he is a big fan of Marathi films and said that he had no hesitation to accept that content oriented films are no longer being made in Hindi of late. “I am not looking at profits as a presenter of Chumbak. Films which are being produced in Marathi of late have the kind of real characters that are incredible. If I wanted, I could have made a film like Rowdy Rathore 2 and made 3 times more than what Rowdy Rathod but I opted to make a film like Padman because I wanted to highlight the problems that women face in their day to day life. People have been asking me whether I would act in Marathi films besides producing them. I had acted in a Marathi film called Adhikar for director Mahesh Tilekar a decade ago and produced 2 films. If I am able to get the right script with an out of the box content, I will be ready to not only produce films in Marathi but also act in them. I liked Riteish Deshmukh’s films Balak Palak as well as Lai Bhaari. I had even toyed with the idea of making a biopic on the late actor Dada Kondke but since the script did not turn out to my satisfaction, I decided not to go ahead with the project.”

Anil Kapoor Effortlessly Slips Into 4 Interesting Avatars In Fanney Khan

Anil Kapoor aces 4 different looks with ease!  Anil Kapoor’s journey in Indian film industry has been nothing short of inspiring. His illustrious career spanning 3 & a half decade has been lined up with several iconic characters & films, as the star constantly improves his game and reinvents himself with every passing year. The superstar has metamorphosed several memorable characters with great élan sporting captivating looks. Having been associated with the Race franchise for over a decade, it came as no surprise that the actor walked away with rave reviews for his stupendous performance sporting the suave & the stylish look, well complimented by white beard in Race 3. While he effortlessly slips into the garb of a common man in Fanney Khan sporting a look as real & convincing as it can get, in fact he is all set to surprise the audience, especially his fans, yet again by playing the matured character of a father in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga.

A Wrap For Jeetu Joseph’s Film ‘Body’s Shoot!

The shooting schedule of Jeethu Joseph’s movie Body starring Emraan Hashmi, Rishi Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala & Vedhika has concluded. The team recently wrapped after they shot 45 days of the schedule in parts of Mumbai & Mauritius. Body is a directorial debut of Jeethu Joseph who directed renowned Malayam film Drishyam & is Produced by Sunir Kheterpal for Azure Entertainment & Viacom motion pictures. The post production of the film begins in Aug, 2018 & the music has been sold to T-Series.

The Shoot For The Season Of ‘The Trip In Pondicherry’ Kickstarted

After the resounding success of the ever season of The Trip In Pondicherry – Season 2 kicks off 1 & half years later we last saw the girls. This season the travel destination for the Trip is – the French colonized Pondicherry. The show is all set to launch in Sept, 2018 and the lead cast Amyra Dastur, Mallika Dua, Sapna Pabbi, Shweta Tripathi are all set to embark on a beautiful trip of drama, twists & turns, self-discovery & a generous dose of romance.

Prabhas – The ‘Darling’ Of The Masses Post Bahubali

Prabhas the handsome hunk and above all the heartthrob of millions of fans of Telugu cinema is finally in the starry spotlight thanks to SS Rajamouli, the creator of the most famous franchise Bahubali. But things were not so rosy for Prabhas when he had started off in his career, even though he happened to be the son of Telugu filmmaker Uppalpati Raju and the nephew of legendary Telugu actor turned politician Krishnam Raju. So this shy & sweet boy Prabhas had to struggle hard initially to get his first ever break with a Telugu film called Eshwar. And then he was involved in seventeen other clichéd films bordering on the romantic theme of “Boy Meets Girl” before landing up roles in Bahubali: The Beginning & Bahubali: The Conclusion and the rest, as they say, is an adventurous history of Prabhas. So after being a part of Telugu Cinema for one and a half decade, Prabhas is now busy wrapping up Saaho along with his co-stars Shraddha Kapoor & Neil Nitin Mukesh.

*To begin with telling us how was life before & after the phase of being involved with the “Bahubali” franchise almost for half a decade?

*Honestly speaking after getting involved with the “Bahubali” franchise for more than half a decade, my filmy career almost did a volte-face. Earlier I did almost seventeen Telugu films with the same clichéd themes of a “Hero meets the Heroine”, “Hero encounters the Villain”, “Hero fights with the Villain” and eventually, but never before a good fight, “Hero wins over the Heroine’. There was nothing to look forward to, the same old routine. One of these films I had done with SS Rajamouli too. And it was all thanks to him that I got rid of this routine cycle of my filmic career. So I have almost 5 years to SS Rajamouli for his epic creation the “Bahubali” franchise and life after this is beyond imagination. So much so that I don’t have words to describe my joy. I could not achieve so much even after doing seventeen Telugu films that I have achieved with just 2 films of SS Rajamouli. Needless to say that I learned a lot. I gained a lot of enriching experience too. Another good thing that happened to me after passing through the “Bahubali” phase was that I happened to be the first ever Telugu actor to have his wax figure installed at Madam Tussad’s Museum.

*In the wake of the grand success of the “Bahubali” franchise you have signed only one Telugu film Saaho? How come?

*Yes! After doing the epic franchise of “Bahubali” I could have easily signed on the dotted line of every film that was offered to me. Yes I was also offered half a dozen other films on the lines of Bahubali. But I put my foot down and refused all the offers. No sir I cannot afford to waste another half a decade on another epic film like Babhubali.

*But what made you choose Saaho was it the lure of working with a Bollywood heroine like Shraddha Kapoor and also a chance to connect with the Bollywood film industry?

*After Bahubali it was only Saaho’s script that had caught my fancy. As said before I had already refused dozens of offers. In fact Saaho literally lived up to my criterion of selecting a good script. But then there was no other temptation. Shraddha Kapoor was signed on much later that is before the film went on the floors.

*But I am sure you are interested in connecting with the Bollywood film industry sooner or later?

*Yes! I am very keen to do Bollywood movies for sure but once again only if I like the script. It must offer me something concrete to literally sink my teeth into it. Then comes the other aspects like a good producer and his good banner, a good director and to be very frank I am not really fussy about my co-star. I may even go ahead and act opposite a rank newcomer. Maybe before Bahubali I would not have gone to such length of picking & choosing. Like my other contemporary South Indian actors and even my senior South Indian actors even I have the desire to make it big in Bollywood. So let’s see which way the wind blows.

*But you also made a fleeting appearance in a Bollywood movie in actor – director Prabhudheva’s Action Jackson? What say?

*That’s it! Action Jackson was just that a fleeting appearance. I did it just for my good friend Prabhudheva.

*So what is Saaho all about?

*Saaho is a trilingual film that is being made in Hindi-Tamil-Telugu. It is an out an out commercial film with each and every actor having a well-defined role which has been narrated from Shraddha Kapoor’s character’s point of view, no it is not totally a female oriented film. But every character is very important they are just not fleeting in & out of the movie. It is a UV Creations movie being produced by V Vamshi Krishna Reddy & Pramod Uppalapati. Besides it is being directed by Sujeeth. Surprisingly many other Bollywood actors also feature in Saaho besides Shraddha Kapoor and the main antagonist Neil Nitin Mukesh. The other Bollywood actors are Jackie Shroff, Chunky Pandey, Mandira Bedi, Evelyn Sharma, Aditya Shrivastav of CID fame, Mahesh Manjrekar, Murli Sharma, Rudranil Ghosh & the late Narendra Jha in supporting roles. Saaho has been shot in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dubai – especially in Burj Khalifa, Abu Dhabi & Romania. I don’t think it will be fair to reveal anything more.

*How was Shraddha Kapoor as a co-star?

*Shraddha Kapoor is the main highlight of Saaho. She has literally put her heart & soul in her debut Telugu movie Saaho. I totally enjoyed working with her and our pair looks very good & fresh on the screen. She was not only fun to work with but our on screen chemistry too is something really good to watch out for. She is very professional, extremely dedicated and yes even a big & starry Bahubali actor like me learnt a lot from her. Next time I would really like to work with Shradhha Kapoor in a proper Bollywood movie.

*Do you remember any of the routine Telugu movies that you had ended up doing before Bahubali happened to you?

*Those films were not routine some of them were really well made but of course they could have been made even better. So even if it was the run of the mill films I have no regrets in doing them. Some of the films that I really remember are Varsham, Chatrapathi, Chakram, Billa, Darling, Mr. Perfect and how can I forget Mirchi for which I had bagged the Nandi award as a “Best Actor”.

*What is the real reason for delay in doing a Bollywood movie?

*You see when Bahubali was dubbed in Hindi it was the small screen actor Sharad Kelkar who had ended up dubbing for me. So now I am trying my best to learn Hindi with its perfect nuances. And as and when I do a Hindi film, a typical Bollywoodian movie I would like to do it’s dubbing all by myself. I still have the hangover of a South Indian accent whenever I try to speak or converse with someone in Hindi.

*So what next after Saaho?

*My next movie after Saaho will be a small budget movie bordering totally on a love story and to be filmed entirely in Europe. It is all set to go on the floors next month.

*One last question with the option of skipping it if you want? So what would you like to say about the rumors linking you with your Bahubali co-star Anushka Shetty?

*First of all I take all the rumors & gossip in my stride being a part & parcel of my profession. No I will not deny that we both are very good friends as of now or till now. You can also call us family friends but don’t try to read anything more into it at least not more than what is necessary. Yes! I am even aware of the marriage rumors circulating about us. But I believe in accepting such rumors with a pinch of salt. Period!!!

TDP MP Galla Jayadev, who initiated the debate on the no-trust motion in the Lok Sabha on Friday, mentioned Telugu blockbuster “Bharat Ane Nenu” of his brother-in-law and popular actor Mahesh Babu.

The industrialist-politician kicked off the debate with the mention of the movie to stress the point before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government that “promises should be kept”.

“The latest Telugu blockbuster ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’ which means ‘I Bharat’ is a story about a young NRI who returns to India after his father, who is a Chief Minister, dies suddenly.

“Bharat enters politics reluctantly and becomes a young, dynamic and beloved Chief Minister,” said the Guntur MP.

“The recurring theme in this movie is about trust and his mother’s advice Bharat keeps recalling. A promise is a promise. If a man makes a promise and does not keep it, he does not have the right to call himself a man.

“It was a blockbuster because the general mood of people reflects well in this film. People are tired of empty assurances and unfulfilled commitments,” he said.

Jayadev, whose family owns Amara Raja Group, is the son-in-law of veteran Telugu actor Krishna, father of Mahesh Babu.

One of the wealthiest MPs, Jayadev had declared assets of Rs 683 crore during 2014 elections.

His mention of Mahesh Babu’s movie triggered varied reaction on social media. Some remarked that he is trying to promote his brother-in-law’s movie while others commented that this goes on to show how politics and films are deeply intertwined, especially in Andhra Pradesh.