SHRADDHA KAPOOR IS THE NEW BRAND AMBASSADOR

Baggit has signed up Shraddha Kapoor as its new brand ambassador for the years 2018 & even 2019. The association with Shraddha Kapoor, a popular youth icon, reflects Baggit’s drive towards staying on point with the expectations of today’s young millennials and yet retaining relevance with its existing customer base. Shraddha is known for her sense of style & her trendsetting looks, much sought-after by today’s Gen Next. Baggit’s latest collection has been put together by Nina Lekhi, MD & Chief Design Curator, Baggit and mirrors the vibrant personality and joie-de-vivre of its new brand ambassador.

VARUN DHAWAN INJURED ON THE SETS OF ‘KALANK’

Varun Dhawan who is currently shooting for Abhishek Varman’s Kalank injured his arm while shooting for an action sequence choreographed by Shyam Kaushal. The scene was an intense brawl sequence where Varun had to lift & throw a door at a co-actor. The lift was ill-timed, and he ended up injuring his arm badly. The team rushed to his aid and he was given immediate medical attention on the sets. It is learnt that Varun Dhawan won’t be taking a break as the team is planning to wrap up the schedule before the monsoon. The actor was on the sets later in the day to kick off the next song sequence for the film. Kalank has a stellar ensemble cast which also includes Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanjay Dutt & Kunal Khemu. This film directed by Abhishek Varman & produced by Fox Star Studios, Dharma Productions & Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment is slated to release on 19th Apr, 2019.

SANJAY DUTT GOES THE EXTRA MILE

Sanjay Dutt may have had a long tryst with life but the man with the golden heart has definitely turned over a new leaf and the proof lies in his earnestness! After shooting amidst harsh weather conditions in the beautiful locales of Kyrgyzstan for 30 days, the actor reported a day early in Mumbai to ensure all the preparation associated with his upcoming production, Prasthaanam are taken care of. Sanjay was supposed to arrive in Mumbai a day later. Instead, he took the 4.30 am flight from Kyrgyzstan and waited at Dubai airport in transit for 4 hours, on arrival he headed straight to his office in Mumbai. Prasthaanam will go on the floors in Jun, 2014 and in spite of being tired after a long month of shooting, he only left the office after he ensured all aspects of pre-production are looked into and completed. In Sanjay Dutt is venturing into production after a 7 year hiatus! Produced by Sanjay Dutt’s Productions, Prasthaanam based on the Telugu film of the same name was an instant hit with the audience. Bringing together the hit pair of Manisha Koirala and Sanjay Dutt after a 10 year gap, Prasthaanam is the most anticipated movie to watch out for. Extensively shot in Lucknow, the film also stars Ali Fazal & Amyra Dastur.

ZEEL’S NEW ENGLISH MOVIE CHANNEL &FLIX LAUNCHED

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) is all set to take a gigantic leap forth in the English entertainment category with the launch of a new movie channel namely &flix. It will be the ultimate destination for the latest & the most-awaited Hollywood movies offering one hit premiere every week for the entire year along with an exceptional library of films across genres. The SD & HD channel went live across all leading DTH & digital cable platforms recently with the premiere of the recent megahit Spider-Man: Homecoming. With the brand proposition of ‘Leap Forth’, ZEEL’s latest offering aims to create a whole new world of extraordinary experiences through the world of movies. Keeping in mind their ever-evolving desire to break out of the orbit of sameness and take a quantum leap, &flix has created a remarkable roster of 52 hit premieres and over 400 great movies that show not just what is, but what could be.

VINEET KUMAR SINGH SIGNED FOR ‘ADAR’

After garnering immense appreciation & standing ovation for his last release Mukkabaaz, Vineet Kumar Singh will next be seen in Adhar which will be produced by National Award winning Newton filmmaker Manish Mundra. Titled Adhar, it will be directed by another National Award winner, Bengali filmmaker Suman Ghosh, whose 2006 film Podokkhep featuring Nandita Das & Soumitra Chatterjee had won in the “Best Feature Film” in Bengali category. Confirming the news, Vineet Kumar Singh shares, “Manish sir praised my performance in Mukkabaaz and said that I reminded him of a young Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) in one of my interviews. It’s a huge compliment for me and I love the films he has produced, right from Ankhon Dekhi to Newton. Taking a cue from the film’s title Adhar, there are 2 aspects to it, one: it means base and the other is the Aadhar card and we are exploring both these aspects amongst many other things that are happening in our society. We will start shooting in Dec, 2018 or Jan, 2019 at the Bengal-Bihar border and in Jharkhand. I will start prepping closer to the shooting date,”

VIKRAM BHATT’S WEBSERIES ‘MAAYA 2’ LAUNCHED
Television sensation Leena Jumani along with Priyal Gor is all set to lit fire on the digital platform with their webseries Maaya 2 which is produced by ace filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and is directed by Vikram Bhatt’s daughter Krishna Bhatt. The makers of Maaya 2 recently launched the promos of the webseries amidst media. The show will highlight the complexities of being the person belonging to the LGBT community. Leena & Priyal, who play lesbian lovers in the series, have gone extremely bold for the series. The show premiered recently on Jio Cinema & VB on the web.

SHAHID KAPOOR CALLS OFF HIS VACATION FOR WORK COMMITMENTS

Shahid Kapoor is known to manage both his professional & personal life very well. The actor had planned to go on a vacation with his wife Mira Rajput & daughter Misha Kapoor in Jun, 2018. However, since the last schedule of his upcoming film Batti Gul Meter Chalu directed by Shree Narayan Singh resumes shoot in Jun, 2018, Shahid has decided to call off the vacation. With the shoot, Shahid will also start his preparation for the Arjun Reddy remake which includes workshops with behavioral experts. Shahid had decided to spend quality time with Mira & Misha (daughter) in Jun, 2018 before he begins training for Arjun Reddy. But now that the Batti Gul Meter Chalu schedule is likely to run into Jun, 2018, he has called off the trip. He wants to ensure that his commitment to this film doesn’t spill over to that of Arjun Reddy, the shoot of which is lined up for Jul, 2018. In fact Shahid will juggle between the shoot of Batti Gul Meter Chalu and prep workshops of Arjun Reddy. Shahid will be filming Batti Gul Meter Chalu in the mornings. His evenings will be dedicated to MMA training for Sandeep Vanga’s film. He needs to beef up for the remake. Besides undergoing dietary changes, he will alter his fitness regimen to include weight training. Batti Gul Meter Chalu also stars Shraddha Kapoor & Yami Gautam.

SONAL CHAUHAN ROPED IN FOR MAHESH MANJREKAR’S NEXT UNTITLED FILM!

Sonal Chauhan, who is eagerly awaiting the release of her forthcoming war drama, Paltan, has been officially signed by director Mahesh Manjrekar for his next untitled movie. While Vidyut Jamwal & Shruti Haasan also features in the underworld gangster drama, there had been ample speculations around the other actress to be cast in the film. The makers are happy to announce Sonal as the new addition to the movie, sharing the screen space alongside Vidyut & Shruti for the 1st time ever. Sonal plays a very interesting role in the film justifying to the movie’s script. It’s something which she has not portrayed on the screen before. The movie is an underworld gangster drama with the angle of Devdas, Paro & Chandramukhi. While Shruti will be seen playing Paro, Sonal will portray the role of Chandramukhi in the movie.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA VISITS THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE CAMPS!

It was only last year that UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra visited Jordan to meet with Syrian families, whose lives have been greatly affected by the conflict in the area. The international star recently landed in Dhaka, Bangladesh after attending the royal wedding in London to visit the Rohingya Refugee camps. Since 25th Aug, 2017, extreme violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, has driven an estimated 693,000 Rohingya refugees across the border into Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The people & the Government of Bangladesh welcomed them with resounding generosity and opened borders. As part of an initiative by UNICEF , Priyanka makes a 4 day field visit to the Rohingya Refugee Camps as part of the Child Alert campaign. As part of a series highlighting the challenges faced by children in current crisis situations, this UNICEF Child Alert focuses on the situation of Rohingya refugee children and their families now suffering harsh conditions in camps in southern Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar. The global icon is living out of her suitcase as she flew to London from New York to attend her friend Meghan Markle’s wedding to British Royal Prince Harry. She immediately flew out the next day to Bangladesh to visit the Rohingya Refugee camps, where she will spend the next 4 days interacting with the families there.
VINDU DARA SINGH IS ECSTATIC ABOUT HIS COMEDY DRAMA ‘GOLMAAL – THE PLAY’

The Hindi comedy drama Golmaal – The Play has been the talk of the town since its premiere in Rang Sharda, Bandra (West), Mumbai. The 2nd show staged on 26th May, 2018 at the same venue received thunderous response. The play is being geared for numerous performances not only pan India like Surat, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Vadodara but also abroad like Dubai & America. B-town celebrities like Bhagyashree, Sonu Nigam, Johnny Lever, Archana Puran Singh and her husband Parmeet Sethi, Avtar Gill and many others turning up in large numbers to attend the fun-filled drama. Golmaal – The Play is a satire on the existing education system including its functioning & policies and the trouble the parents undertake running from pillar to post. The popular film & television actor Vindu Dara Singh dons’ the producer’s cap with the production of this play. Vindu Dara Singh features in the cast along with film actress Sheeba, Rajesh Puri, Payal Goga Kapoor, Lakhbir Lahiri, Surleen Kaur & Akashdeep. The popular Punjab famed duo Lakbhir Lahiri & Lucky Hans are the directors of this hilarious play which is of 2 hours’ duration.

Mokshita Raghav

An Upcoming Model With Aspirational Dreams For Bollywood

Amongst all the entrants on the Bollywood firmament Mokshita Raghav looks very promising indeed. Having seen 22 summers of life Mokshita Raghav stands 5ft & 7 inches tall with requisite stastics of 34 28 36. Besides Mokshita Raghav is well versed in Hindi & English languagues which is an added advantage which in the long run will surely help her to carve a niche for herself as a famed actress of Tinsel Town.

As far as her work related experience is concerned till date, present herewith is a sneak peak. Mokshita Raghav has been a ramp model ever since she was hell bent in garnering the limelight.

So far so good as Mokshita Raghav, to earn name & fame as a model, has already participated in Kingfisher Pune style week & Kingfisher Goa Style week.

That apart she has also done print shoots for varied products like Monte Carlo Jeans, A1 Women’s T – Shirt, Rok Energy Drinks, Varied Jewelry and also for jewelry products in Calicut, for women’s Gowns Clothing Brand, Women’s Cotton Night Wear, Delhi based tiles brand, a TVC with Hansika Motwani for Chennai Jewels, Valentine Brand et al.

That apart Mokshita Raghav has also done a music videos titled “Ghatt Pakad” & “My Roll”.

And last but not the least Mokshita Raghav has been a 2nd rank as Miss Yuva Next in the year 2013, one of the top 10 Mr & Miss Body Perfect India in the year 2013, she has also been the winner in the beauty pageant of Miss Ambassador of Yuthenia in the year 2014, one of the top 10 in Miss India Elite, she also took part in Gladrags Mega Nodel Hunt contest in the year 2016 & Mokshita Raghav has also been the “Face Of Beauty International in the year 2016.

In conclusion Mokhshia Raghav avers, “My next stop over destination is indeed Bollywood. Wherein I wish to work in the best of production banners, topmost producers & directors and last but certainly not the least I am really hoping to work in the best films of Bollywood but of course with the best of actors especially all the Khan’s and all the Kumar’s and also the latest and all the upcoming heroes in both the commercial & artistic movies.

Phamous

“Phamous Is Nothing But Boredom Of The 1st Order”

Banner: Raj Khatri Filmz & Om Reels
Producers: Raj Khatri, Amitabh Chandra, Sumeet Jawdekar & Nivedita Kothare
Director: Karan Lalit Bhtani
Star Cast: Jimmy Shergil, Shreya Sharan, Kay Kay Menon, Pankaj tripathi, Jackie Shroff, Mahie Gill, Brijendra Kala & Jameel Khan
Music: Krsna Solo, Sandeep Goswami, Surya Vishwakarma & Akash Prajapati

Debutante director Karan Lalit Butani has been a film critic since the last one and a half decade and has been reviewing films. He also writes on music, art & culture, and other human interest stories and yet in his directorial debut in Phamous he has come up with a beaten to death shoddy revenge drama which in itself is an insult to today’s advanced audiences intelligence. Stay away as Phamous is nothing but 2 hours of “sheer” torture.

The scripted scenario of Phamous opens with Shambhu (Jackie Shroff), Kadak Singh (Kay Kay Menon), Ram Vijay (Pankaj Tripathi) & Radhe (Jimmy Sheirgill), who belong to a hamlet which abounds in power-hungry, unscrupulous & depraved men who get away with murder. In 1 such ill-fated incident Shambhu’s daughter is being forcibly taken away by Ram Vijay & Shambhu opens fire to prevent him from kidnapping his daughter, but lands up in prison for accidentally shooting his daughter dead. Some years later, Radhe who was a kid when the incident took place, grows up & dreams of having his own clout in the area. He respects Kadak Singh, who along with Ram Vijay has dubious plans of becoming an MP or an MLA respectively. But when Ram Vijay sets his lecherous eyes on Radhe’s wife Lalli (Shriya Saran), Radhe has to make a choice: should he protect his honor and teach a lesson to Vijay, or continue to play up to Kadak Singh for further personal gains?

From there on, the story ends up either in the culmination of power game or becomes a beaten to death revenge drama. It doesn’t disappoint you for it becomes both as Shambhu gets freed from jail and a young Radhe’s blood boils when his wife gets kidnapped by Vijay. Together they lust for Vijay’s blood. But For all those who have grown up in the ’60s & ’70s, the typical Bollywood films with a daku (dacoit) in the central role were aplenty. And so one has seen the usual moustachioed burly hero who would time & again roar loudly but only if he saw anything going wrong. Yet unmistakably, he had a heart of gold, and was projected as the noble Indian Robinhood.

Yet in the present, when slice-of-life themes rule, such films will rarely find acceptance unless they are mounted on a large scale, or cut the mumbo jumbo and tell a tale with much gusto & a grand fanfare. Therefore, amongst the present lot of directors, there’s a rare Paan Singh Tomar or a Bandit Queen that have won our hearts for their honest portrayal of bandits of the hinterland.

Director Karan Lalit Bhutani’s Phamous (note the “Ph” that the title of the film uses as a Hindi alphabet) is set in the badlands of the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh with a power struggle between its 4 principal characters forming the crux of its story. Narratively, the film feels both underdeveloped & overwrought, its script guessable and its climax in the rocky countryside most idiotic. Everything looks like a frantic effort to put together drama in the midst of gangsters, pistols, revenge & and mayhem with good actors delivering lines they don’t find convincing. The result is a sadly muddled finale that instead of skillfully capturing a sense of real life for characters caught in a difficult situations, takes the route of violence.

Performance wise Jackie Shroff, it seems, doesn’t really know what the storyline is and tries to fit in hesitatingly. Kay Kay Menon looks desperate enough to hog all the limelight and tries to mouth all his lines menacingly. Whereas Jimmy Sheirgill struggles on to stay young alternating his looks between young & middle-aged in an ill-fitting wig. His role doesn’t give him enough possibility to perform, and it is his poorly written role that he has to struggle with the most. If there’s one actor who takes his character seriously it is Pankaj Tripathi who, even in the silliest of scenes, outshines whosoever & whatsoever is in the frame, and emerges the most engaging character on the celluloid silver screen.

Tail Piece: Give it a miss! But watch it for the 5 and a half scenes of Pankaj Tripathi, if you must!

At the Box-Office turnstiles Phamous stands no chance of winning the race. And will not be famous. Period!!!

Simbu’s Pair Revealed

The final leg of shooting of Mani Ratnam’s multistarrer Chekka Chivantha Vaanam is underway and the latest star to come on board is model Dayana Erappa who was a Miss India finalist as well. Dayana in a recent interview has stated that she is making her acting debut in this film. In Chekka Chivantha Vaanam Jyothika plays Arvind Swamy’s pair, Aishwarya Rajesh is Arun Vijay’s & Aditi Rao Hydari, Vijay Sethupathi’s leading ladies.

Santosh To Make Clean Films

Director Santhosh P.Jayakumar has given 2 back to back adult comedy entertainers that were super hits. Hara Hara Mahadevaki & Iruttu Arayil Murattu Kuthu hit the bull’s eye in satisfying the target audiences that is youngsters. Now the director has come up with a clean film suitable for all sections of audiences. His 3rd film Ghajinikanth starring Arya Sayyesha has been certified with a clean U. The director has earlier claimed that Ghajinikanth will definitely get a U corticate and the film has lived up to that promise.

‘Tamil Padam 2’ Teaser Out

Director CS Amudhan’s Tamil Padam 2 was a laugh riot. The spoof comedy made everybody’s funny bones tickle & the expectations for the next instalment was only ever high. Much to the happiness of fans, the director is once again bringing the 2nd part with Shiva in the lead role. Now, here’s the hot update on the film’s teaser release. Yes, the makers of the film Y Not Studios have announced that the official teaser of the film is out. And as funny as they can get the caption read “International Cop. . .on the way”. The director also has confirmed the news on his social page. Apart from Disha in the lead role, the film also stars Disha Pandey, Ishwarya Menon, Sathish, Santhana Bharathi, Manobala and a host of others as well. Kannan has composed the music for the film.

Sarath Kumar Wants Rajini Arrested

Rajinikanth visited Tuticorin recently in the light of the Sterlite protests & gave monetary help as well. He also further said that there was an infiltration of anti-social elements in the protests and that they should be identified, and action must be taken upon the same. Further on returning back to Chennai while talking to reporters, he had said that protests for everything will only make Tamil Nadu akin to a graveyard. Meanwhile Sarathkumar belonging to the All India Makkal Samathuva Katchi has stated that Rajini has degraded the protests of the people and how it was possible for a man to not protest against such issues. Furthermore Sarathkumar also asked Rajini to submit the list of anti-social elements that he spoke of in the protests failing which he must be arrested for treason to the state, which would be under National Security Act.

RGV’s Technical Sense Is Great
“Ram Gopal Varma’s sense of editing, using the sound and playing with the background score is phenomenal,” Nagarjuna averred recently, interacting with the media. “When Shiva was released, it was hailed as a great mono track. In the age of digital sounds, you can imagine how great the experience of ‘Ocer’ is going to be. The kind of shots that RGV is known for, it’s important to get the sound right. In ‘Ocer’, when someone is kicked, the kick can be felt literally,” Nag noted with a trace of pride. “No matter how well we do a film, satisfaction is there only if the audiences accept it,” Nag said. RGV described himself as a wild horse in terms of his profession. “But on Twitter, I am a wild monkey,” he joked. “This film will give 100% new experience to the audiences. We chose ‘Ocer’ as the title because both the hero & the villain are ocers. A title like Shivaji would have been vague,” RGV said.

Swetha Basu Prasad Is Looking Her Best Now
Swetha Basu Prasad is perhaps in her best phase, looks wise, these days. She was spotted recently in Hyderabad at the premiere show of Amazon Prime’s GangStars, a multi-genre drama directed by Ajay Bhuyan. In the web series, Swetha plays actress Aishwarya. Swetyha Basu Prasad’s Kottha Bangaru Lokam girl turned many heads when she was spotted in her lean & mean avatar. Her beautiful smile is intact and she is looking all the more condent than ever in the past. Ride, Kasko, Kalaivar King & Intelligent Idiots are some of her films post KBL. She was more recently seen in the Hindi-language romantic comedy Badrinath Ki Dulhania. Should everything go well, GangStars may well be a comeback assignment for her.
Dayana Joins Mani Ratnam’s Film Shoot
The final leg of the shooting of Mani Ratnam’s multi-starrer Nawaab (Chekka Chivantha Vaanam) in Tamil is underway and the latest star to come on board is model Dayana Erappa, a former Miss India finalist. This much-awaited film is her debut. A tall beauty, Dayana is said to have been paired up with Simbu in this film. As of now, no official confirmation is there regarding her role. The film also stars Jyothika, Arvind Swamy, Aishwarya Rajesh, Arun Vijay, Aditi Rao Hydari & Vijay Sethupathi.
‘Tej, I Love You’ Gets Audio Date
A Karunakaran’s Tej, I Love You, starring Sai Dharam Tej & Anupama Parameswaran’, will hit the screens on 29th Jun, 2018. Producer KS Rama Rao says, “It was 35 years ago that I started making films under Creative Commercials. I have made these films as per my taste, interest & love for cinema. I am an ordinary audience. I have produced 44 films till date. Some of them are dubbed ones. “Tej” is my 45th movie. I have received the encouragement & support of media over the years. It’s a family entertainer. Karunakaran garu has always been special since the days of Toli Prema. He has got a fan following of his own. Many big stars want to work with him. “Tej” is my 2nd film with him, the 1st one being Vasu. Besides good performances, it has many other highlights. Gopi Sunder has given very good tunes.”
Moothon Finally Completes Shooting
The actress-turned-filmmaker Geetu Mohandas movie titled Moothon has finally completed its shooting. It has started its work in May and actor Nivin Pauly is playing the lead role in the movie. The movie has been shot in different locales like Mumbai, Kerala & Lakshadweep. Moothon is the story of a man called Mullakoya from Lakshadweep. The movie is centred on his journey to find his brother. Moothon is actually an island slang for elder brother.
‘Late Marriage’ Shooting Begins!
K. S. Satheesh’s directorial venture titled Late Marriage began at Thachottukavu in Thiruvananthapuram. Biju Sopanam is playing the lead role in the movie. Actress Neha Saxena plays an important role in the movie. The film is produced by Dr. N. P. Saji Kumar Earlier, Biju played the character of Suneesh in the movie Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri, directed by Jean Markose.
Anupama Doing Suhasini’s Role In Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu
The talented actress in small screen Anupama Gowda is taking up a big task in a feature film. She had acted in Aa Karala Rathri of director Dayal Padmanabhan. She caught attention at Big Boss 5 competition. She was noticed prior to that for her Akka TV serial. A good performer today Anupama Gowda is doing the role of what Suhasini Manirathnam had done in K Balachander Kannada cinema Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu. The title of this film is used once again and the character of Anupama Gowda is 21st century Suhasini Manirathnam role. It is in this film Dr Kamal Haasan played the role of A bus conductor.
Vanilla Girl Swathi Konde Makes A Debut
The sweet & and serene looking Swathi Konde made her entry into Kannada cinema as a heroine from 1st Jun, 2018 as a main heroine. She was seen in a small role in Beautiful Manasugalu. The beautiful mindset of director Jayathirtha has selected the co-actor in her film as main heroine opposite handsome looking Avinash for Vanilla. In Beautiful Manasugalu Swathi Konde got attention for her role. She asks her father character in the film to stop corruption.The same girl Swathi is heroine in ‘Vanilla’ and in a fortnight’s time another film of her Kattu Kathe is also releasing. In 3 weeks it is 2 releases for Swathi Konde. She has signed another film Bharani as a heroine.

Senior Film Journalist Chaitanya Padukone Injured

Minutes later, following the wrap-up of Dus Ka Dum Sony TV press-conference on Mon night, addressed by actor-host Salman Khan, senior film journalist Chaitanya Padukone had a nasty accidental fall from the reality-show elevated stage-sets into a freak vacant space at Film City, Mumbai. With a deep bleeding gash-wound on his right knee, Chaitanya was administered first-aid and later rushed by fellow film journalist Bharati Dubey, to a nearby hospital, where he was required to undergo multiple surgical stitches & medical treatment. Currently he is discharged and gradually recovering. Incidentally, Chaitanya happens to personally know Salman even before the mega-star-actor made his acting debut with the movie Biwi Ho Toh Aisi (1988).

Sikander Kher Bags A Role

John Abraham’s next film, the Robbie Grewal directed espionage-thriller Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW) which is set in the 1970’s.The duo is set to kick off the film’s 1st schedule in Gujarat on 10th Jun, 2018. Sikander Kher, who was last seen as the terrorist Haroon Sherchand in the Anil Kapoor-starrer Hindi version of the TV show 24. In the film, Sikander plays John’s nemesis and the 2 actors will feature in several rounds of “war of words”. After wrapping up his portions as the baddie of Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Milan Talkies in Lucknow, Sikander is now prepping to play the villain once again, this time inspired by a real-life man-on-a-mission with shades of grey. “I am undergoing readings & workshops,” Sikander says, while writer-director Robbie adds, “There will be several sequences where John & Sikander are pitted against each other. During the readings I’ve noticed that the timing is going to be crucial. Sikander makes a great nemesis.” The film will be shot in a start-to-finish, 3 month schedule, which involves 60 days of rigorous shooting. “We begin in Gujarat; filming continues through Jammu & Kashmir, Nepal, and the schedule ends with some portions being filmed in Mumbai.

‘YE TAQAT HAI ISHQ KI’ Mahurat Held

The muhurat of RSK Film Prodution & Kadambari Films Yeh Taqat Hai Ishq Ki was held recently. The credits of the film are directed by Uday Mohite, produced by Dilip kumar (J.D.) & Rehan Suleman Khan, camera by Mousin Shaikh, casting by Mahmood shah, music by Janak Thakur, The film stars Rehan Khan, Tina Sharma, Tinu Sharma, Kishor Bachhav, Meenaz Ansari, Rohit Kumar, Rocky Raj et al.

Madhuri has reinvented herself

The 1994 blockbuster movie Hum Aapke Hain Koun made actress Renuka Shahane popular across the nation. Recently the actress, shared a screen space with Madhuri Dixit in Marathi film Bucket List, and she is all praise for Madhuri. Renuka said, “Madhuri has reinvented herself, each time with dignity & grace.” Renuka believes that the 2 actresses’ lives & personalities are similar in several ways. “She has 2 boys, and so do I. There are so many issues that have affected the 2 of us. But we are both very level-headed,” she said. The actress, who’s 2009 Marathi directorial venture Rita received much critical acclaim, is considering making a Hindi film in the future. “I think in Marathi & English. Speaking in Hindi is something that I do when I am acting, or when I am at my in-laws’ house. Having said that, there is a subject that I have written about in Hindi. Maybe I will make a film about it because it’s a nice subject. I am not sure yet, but it’s on my bucket list,” she concluded.

‘Adharvad’ Song Recording Mahurat Held

A song recording muhurat was held for Hinglajmata’s Adharvad. The credits of the film are produced by Rajkumar Hanchate, co-produced by Kalappa Ahankar Pujari, directed by Suresh Jhade Bhavsaar, singer’s Suresh Bhoshle, Alka Yagnik, Vaisali Mhade, Pe Ganesh & Swapnil Bandodkar, lyrics by Prathmesh Dhonge.

Surendra Pal Makes A Marathi Film Debut

Having achieved tremendous popularity with his role of Dronacharya in TV series Mahabharat, by B. R. Chopra about 3 decades ago, Surendra Pal is all set to be a part of a Marathi film. Previously the actor has worked in Hindi serials like Chanakya, Shaktiman, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev and has also been a part of many Hindi films. Now, he is all set to make his debut in Marathi, through Shivdarshan Sable’s film Lagi Toh Chhagi, which will be released all over Maharashtra on 8th Jun, 2018.

‘Mumbai Pune Mumbai 3’ To Hit The Silver Screen Soon

A movie close to every Punekar & Mumbaikar is probably this one. That’s correct, it is Mumbai Pune Mumbai movie series. The movie that has already seen its 2nd part 2 years ago, is all set to bring the 3rd part. 8 years ago, the film Mumbai Pune Mumbai was released that saw a huge success, not only amongst the Marathi audiences, but also at the international level. The success saw a repeat with its sequel Mumbai Pune Mumbai 2, released 2 years back. And this is not the end! Director of the film Satish Rajwade has announced the release of its next sequel Mumbai Pune Mumbai 3. The trend of having sequels has been prolonged in the Hindi industry, but this would be the 1st time ever when a Marathi movie is to release a 3rd sequel of a movie. The popular duo Swwapnil Joshi & Mukta Barve from the series were much liked by the audiences and they joined together for the announcement of the 3rd part of the cinema. After the overwhelming response from the 1st 2 parts, the movie is said to release in Sept, 2018. Pallavi Rajwade has penned the story of Mumbai Pune Mumbai 3, Screenplay & dialogues are written by Ashwini Shende & Pallavi Rajwade. The director also shared his excitement by telling that it’s now setting a trend of one of its kind love story with the movie. People are more curious about the lives of Gautam & Gauri and related themselves with the happenings in the lives of the couple.

Sagarika Ghatge Boots Up

More than a decade after Sagarika Ghatge made her presence felt in the role of a hockey player in Chak De! India, Sagarika has confirmed doing another sports based film. Only this time, the stick has given way to football studs. The actress will soon begin shooting for Monsoon Football, a film directed by Paathshala director Milind Ukey. The film will also mark her comeback in the Marathi industry (her 1st & only Marathi film, Premachi Goshta, released in 2013).

Teaser Of Ziprya Is Out

Based on a novella by famous Marathi writer Arun Sadhu, the book is now being made into a movie named Ziprya and the teaser of the film is out. Directed by Jedar Vaidya & presented by Ashwini Ranjit Darekar, the film is based in the backdrop of Mumbai. The story talks about the children on railway station or outside that are seen polishing boots. At the age of going to school, they work, earn & make their ends meet but have dreams larger than life, but a sudden episode takes a turn in their lives. The teaser shows the empathetic picture of these youngsters but isn’t that of an emotional film. The film has already bagged 3 prestigious awards at the Maharashtra State Awards even before its commercial release. The movie will see Chinmay Kambli, Prathamesh Parab, Saksham Kulkarni, Amruta Subhash, Aman Attar, Devansh Deshmukh, Nachiket Purnapatre in prominent roles. With a lot of novels being converted into movies, it would be an interesting watch for the audiences to see how this novella worked out as a film. The movie all set to release on 22nd Jun, 2018 across the state.

Film ; Director: Pa.Ranjith; Cast: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar, Pankaj Tripathi and Anjali Patil; Rating: ***

Pa. Rajani’s “Kaala”, showcased in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, is a captivating socio-drama. It is a family-friendly tale with all the trappings of a South Indian fare. It is a superhero film of a different variety.

The film begins on a weak, unimpressive note that represents comic book graphics, but soon, it builds the momentum that is expected of a Rajinikanth film. It is a pot-boiler packed with Rajinikanth antics, albeit in diminishing proportion.

Nevertheless, it would appeal not only to his ardent fans and skeptical viewers but also to every “urban-poor” living in the slums of the city.

A fiction, set in Dharavi — Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai — the film cheerfully exposes the anguish of the “urban-poor” migrants living in the slums of the city.

It is their struggle against the land grabbers who are trying to exploit them in the garb of government schemes and city redevelopment.

The film is uncomfortable but convincing, illuminating the inconvenient sides of the development.

Haridada (Nana Patekar), a goon who has been elevated to the post of a Union Minister, along with his cronies is hell-bent on usurping Dharavi. With the help of his supporter Vishubhai (Sampath Raj) he tries to evacuate the people from there. How, Karikaalan (Rajinikanth) aka Kaala, a migrant from Tirunelveli, becomes a spike in Haridada’s plans, forms the crux of the tale.

The narrative keeps you hooked – wondering how far Kaala will go or how he will get out of his troubles.

The plot has its graph chalked to perfection, despite major edit jump-cuts. There is never a moment that drags. The dialogues are peppy with the right amount of humour, emotions and melodrama.

With age, Rajinikanth has mellowed, he plays his age and perfectly portrays the comical aspects of a petty gangster with all pride but no substance.

His action scenes definitely seem laboured. But fortunately for him since the director focused his energies on the tale and not on him, he was spared the embarrassment of performance.

Nana Patekar as the uncompromising and ambitious Haridada stands tall as he matches Rajinikanth in stature and demeanour. But then, this is not his story about his bumpy quest for more power and money.

Huma Qureshi as Zarina, the head of an NGO interested in uplifting the slum, Easwari Rao as Kaala’s wife Selvi, Anjali Patil as Charumati aka Toofani as an aggressive resident of the area and the girlfriend of Kaala’s son Lenin, are earnest.

The trio balance the gender scale with each one of them having their moments of on-screen glory.

Mounted with grand production values, the set showcasing Dharavi appears to be a synthetic and antiseptic place.

It is difficult to identify with it, minus the squalor.

The music that accompanies the action sequences is loud and adrenaline inducing. The songs, especially the rap numbers along with the hip-hop dance, mesh well into the narrative.

Overall, the film with the title which is used as a double entendre, is entertaining as a realistic guide to the dirty side of slum redevelopment.