October Is An Offbeat & A Sensitive Movie

Banner: Rising Sun Films

Producer: Ronnie Lahiri & Sheel Kumar

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Star Cast: Varun Dhawan, Banita Sandhu, Gitanjali Rao, Sahil Vedoliyaa, Prashant Singh, Prateek Kapur, Ashish Ghosh

Music: Shantanu Moitra

Almost every other film made in Bollywood is a love story or has some element of romance. Hence, it is a genre that has been extremely beaten to death. Making a film on love that is novel & unconventional can be quite a difficult task and even a calculated risk, since the audiences might not accept something that they are not habituated too. Yet, Shoojit Sircar has taken the risk with October, which promises to be a “Jara Hatke” love story. Moreover, Varun Dhawan, who has not had a flop film in his career and known for his massy films, features in this film in the lead role.

The scripted scenario of Shoojit Sircar directed movie October reveals that it is the story of an unconventional bond shared by 2 people in an extraordinary circumstance. Danish Walia aka Dan (Varun Dhawan) works in a 5 star hotel in Delhi. But he is arrogant to the core and often argues with his seniors. Shiuli (Banita Sandhu) also works there and both are friends but aren’t that close.

On the eve of New Year, the hotel staffers decide to have their own little party at the rooftop of the hotel, situated on the 3rd floor. Shiuli attempts to sit on the parapet and she slips & falls down on the ground. She is immediately hospitalized and slips into a coma. Shiuli’s colleagues including Dan, pays her a visit and in a few days, they move on.

But Dan is unable to do so and a few weeks later, he learns from his colleague that Shiuli’s last sentence before slipping was ‘Where is Dan?’. As soon as Dan comes to know about this information, he gets even more obsessed. He regularly starts paying Shiuli a visit at the hospital and even gets introduced to her mother, Professor Vidya Nair (Gitanjali Rao) and her siblings. Shiuli’s uncle meanwhile makes it clear to Vidya that there’s not much hope when it comes to improvement in Shiuli’s health and that she should pull the plug. But Dan motivates Vidya not to do so.

Shoojit Sircar’s direction too is a bit shaky. It’s surprising to see such a film made by a prolific director having abrupt cuts, sudden fade out etc. A few sequences might be difficult for viewers to comprehend. For instance, the scene where Dan informs Shiuli where he was on that fateful night. The slow pace moreover tests the viewer’s patience. Thankfully, in the 2nd half, when the film becomes a bit simple, the film has lovely scenes. But overall, a very miniscule section of audience is going to give the film thumbs up!

Juhi Chaturvedi’s story rests on a wafer thin plot and is too arthouse. Her screenplay is not quite engaging as well as it moves at a slow pace. The movie is devoid of love story & romance however there are moments which indicate that it is a love story.

One has certain expectations from her since she’s written some very interesting films like Vicky Donor (2012), Madras Café (2013) & Piku (2015), all also directed by Shoojit Sircar. But her work in October is a far cry from her previous films. Also one gets a déjà vu of the character of Anand bhai in Munnabhai MBBS (2003) and the recent much loved Hollywood film The Big Sick. But again, October is nowhere close to both these movies. Even with the screenplay, she struggles. Juhi Chaturvedi’s dialogues however are quite interesting.

The opening sequence of October is beautiful. The opening credits are surprising as Banita Sandhu is mentioned followed by Geetanjali Rao and only then Varun Dhawan’s name appears on the screen! The workings of a 5 star hotel are very nicely depicted and Dan’s entry is quite simple but gives an idea about his bizarre traits.

The sequence where Shiuli falls from the rooftop is presented in a very matter – of – fact way, sans any drama. In a way, it adds a lot to the impact. But sadly from here on, there’s hardly any movement in the story. Even in the 2nd half, not much happens but few moments are nice & touching. The climax is very emotional but these are too little and appear too late in the day.

Shoojit Sircar manages to extract some fine performances. Varun Dhawan is the soul of October and is the glue who keeps the film tied together. He gets to play a very different character that is positive but also has certain annoying habits. But Varun ensures that in the long run, Dan doesn’t turn out to be an irritating person. The audience hoots for him as he struggles to heal Shiuli and this aspect would surely be loved by the viewers. Debutante Banita Sandhu makes a very promising debut and gets to play a very difficult character. One might argue that she doesn’t have much to do. But even in the scenes where she’s merely lying on the bed, the expressions that she gives are praiseworthy. Gitanjali Rao gives a very nuanced & credible performance. She brings out the trauma faced by a mother and the only earning member of the family who’s suddenly faced with the biggest challenge of her life. Sahil Vedoliyaa (Manjeet) is decent while Prateek Kapur’s (Asthana) performance works big time due to his impeccable dialogue delivery. Ashish Ghosh (Dr. Ghosh) is endearing. The actors playing Manjeet’s girlfriend, Dan’s mother, Shiuli’s siblings, Shiuli’s uncle and the nurse also do a fine job.

October surprisingly is a songless film with only “Manwaa” played in the end credits. October Theme also is featured and has a nice, emotional feel to it. Same goes for Shantanu Moitra’s background score.

Avik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography is excellent and captures the empty Delhi streets, the ICU, the cold Delhi weather, the flowers lying on the ground & the beauty of Manali perfectly. Mansi Dhruv Mehta’s production design is 1st rate. Veera Kapur’s costumes are real but at the same time appealing.
Chandrashekhar Prajapati’s editing is good but a bit rough at places.

Tail Piece: On the whole, October is an offbeat & a sensitive film which rests on a wafer thin plot and also suffers from a slow pace. The movie is sure to win critical acclaim for Varun Dhawan’s outstanding performance but has hardly anything for the masses.
At the Box – Office turnstiles, the movie will appeal to a niche section of the multiplex going audiences.

The most talked about show Family Time With Kapil Sharma had marked Kapil Sharma’s comeback on the small screen after a hiatus of 6 months after the entertainment channel temporarily suspended The Kapil Sharma Show due to the comedian’s deteriorating health and apparently to improve its rating game.

But trouble seems to be far from over for Kapil Sharma. Sony TV has reportedly decided to shut down even the actor – comedian Kapil Sharma’s comeback show Family Time With Kapil Sharma after he shocked everyone by posting a series of abusive tweets on last Friday.

Family Time With Kapil Sharma had marked Kapil Sharma’s comeback on Television almost after 6 months after the entertainment channel had temporarily suspended The Kapil Sharma Show due to the comedian’s deteriorating health and apparently to improve its rating game.

However, it now looks like the network is unhappy with Kapil Sharma cancelling the shoots of his show over & and over again. According to the latest report, the channel has decided to “keep the show on hold for now.”

“We did not have a bank of episodes to air as the show had just begun. Also, his health issues or personal issues has been deviating his attention & focus from his work. At least the whole month of Apr, 2018, we aren’t shooting. We will figure out the rest once he feels better,” a source close to the current show informed.

That apart Kapil Sharma went on an ugly & full – blown abusive rant on Twitter on 6th Apr, 2018, defending Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s conviction in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. The tweets were later deleted from his account. It was then revealed that his account was hacked. Kapil, however, later admitted that he himself had written that string of tweets laden with expletives.

Shilpa Shetty Kundra recently graced the launch of Luxury Bespoke Couture Label Āroka by Shweta & Karan. Shilpa Shetty – Kundra recently inaugurated the 1st ever flagship store of designer Shweta Agarwal & Karan Ahuja, Āroka in Bandra, Mumbai.

The designer duo of Shweta Agarwal & Karan Ahuja launched their debut Couture Collection, at the hands of the most gorgeous actress Shipa Shetty Kundra, featuring cocktail gowns, bridal trousseau & fusion Indian ensembles.

The launch of the store was graced by some of India’s finest stylists, haute socialites & fashion connoisseurs like Tanishaa Mukerjee, Nisha Jamwal, Suchitra Pillai, Anupama Verma, Zeba Kohli, Aarti Surendranath, Reshma Merchant, Nisha Harale, Elena Fernandes, Lubna Adams, Vahbiz Mehta, Sharmila Puri, Kiran Datwani, Rupali Golecha, Palak Sheth, Kavita Lakhani, Aparna Badlani, Azmina Rahimtoola, Deepti Gujral, Candice Pinto, Rikee Chatterjee, Sony Kaur, Krithika Babu & above all Shaheen Abbas and of course many more. The event was hosted by Umesh Jivnani.

Rasleela, the collection celebrates the poetic grace of Nathdwara. The traditional intricate art of pichwai paintings inspired by the idyllic episodes of krishna leela, lotus ponds, muster of peacocks, et al. was the source of inspiration for the dynamic designer duo Shweta Agarwal & Karan Ahuja.

The collection boasts of Neutral nudes & ivories which are blended with romantic palette of millennial pink, Misty mauve, duck egg blues & Blush pinks. Fluid placements of the motifs on the classic silhouettes will be perfect for the summer festivities & above all destination weddings.

Traditional delicate embellishment techniques like parsi gara work, marori gota & dabka work are revisited to narrate this poetic symphony on rich luminous hand spun textiles.

It’s time to celebrate the outset of this fragrant new season and witness spring bloom with the newest couture destination Āroka by Shweta Agarwal & Karan Ahuja.

One of the finalists for the forthcoming Mrs. India UK pageant, Urvashi Salaria Chawla represents Indian married women in UK.

Urvashi Salaria Chawla from Delhi, India is a finalist for “Colors TV UK presents Mrs. India UK 2018 organized by BrandWok”. Mrs. India UK is a unique pioneer pageant in United Kingdom for British Indians & Asian married women residing in United Kingdom.

Urvashi Salaria Chawla is a successful entrepreneur in the makeup industry who owns a beauty studio in India and is an esteemed Asian Bridal Makeup Artist in London.

Academically she’s a journalism graduate, worked in the aviation industry, a beauty blogger and now she’s representing married Asian women residing in UK in such a massive platform. She has been married and residing in London for 4 years. She is an environmentalist by nature who believes in spreading awareness about climate change. She has been doing a lot of plantation drives and also has been closely associated with volunteering in environmental activities like WWF Earth Hour campaign.

Urvashi Salaria Chawla believes in expressing the notion of “beauty with a purpose”. She will be competing with 30 other multi – talented finalists.

Mrs. India UK aims to encourage, empower women & provide opportunities to married women. It ensures learning, development, building confidence & strengthening the bond between diversified cultures of Indians abroad.

Urvashi Salaria Chawla and all the other contestants of Mrs. India UK have been going through intensive training with various mentors. They’ve had sessions for fitness, catwalk, acting, photo shoot and much more during this journey.

Urvashi Salaria Chawla avers, “Our mentors have been super helpful & supportive throughout our journey focusing on individual attention. Not just that, they’ve been mentoring us through online sessions too.”

Urvashi Salaria Chawla recently won the subtitle of Mrs. Glamorous at Mrs. India UK 2018. The finale of this beauty pageant is to be held on 15th Apr, 2018 at Hilton Tower Bridge, London.

The National Film Awards announced in Delhi on Friday posthumously awarded two icons of Indian cinema – Sridevi for Best Actress for her performance in MOM, the revenge thriller that was her swan song; Vinod Khanna, who died last year, will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke award, India’s highest film honour.

The best actor recognition went to Riddhi Sen for the Bengali film “Nagarkirtan”. “Newton” was named the best Hindi film while S S Rajamauli’s “Baahubali: The Conclusion” was the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. Khanna died on April 27 last year at the age of 70 after a fight with cancer. Sridevi passed away at the age of 54 on February 25 this year, shocking the country.

Sridevi, whose filmography spanned across 50 years and in 300 films in languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, was recognised for her role of an angry mother seeking justice for her daughter in rape revenge drama, “Mom”. Her death, at the age of 54 in February this year, had shocked the country.

Ravi Kishan recently launched a web series with cricket as the backdrop. It will feature on BIG Originals and will unfold over a period of 2 months.

BIG FM, India’s one of the largest radio networks, is adding to the high energy quotient of the cricket enthusiasts with the launch of Duck Se Dude.

The slice of life web series with cricket as the backdrop will showcase the story of a young & naïve boy transforming into being mature & confident through his journey of pursuing cricket.

Renowned actor Ravi Kishan who has come on board as the narrator launched the web series along with the cast at an event held recently.

The launch was preceded by an exciting friendly cricket match with the cast & the audience present.

The cast comprises of actors Inaam Ghazi as the lead character Manjeet, Ekta Sharma as the mother, Harsh Singh as the father, Mehek Mehra as the sister, Prithvi Rai as Manjeet’s love interest & Ashwini Koul as the troublemaker.

They introduced themselves & their characters to the audience present and announced 15th Apr, 2018 as the launch date of the web series. The director of the web series Rajiv Raj & the cast then moved on to the pitch and joined actor Ravi Kishan to play the match.

Speaking during the launch, Ravi Kishan said, “When I started my career in Mumbai, people said, ‘Tumse na ho paega’, you are a desi boy. But here I am today, standing amidst all of you. I am a self – made man. Duck Se Dude is one such story and a nice concept. It is not just a web series by BIG FM, it is a story of many amongst us. I am also a part of this story as I can relate with it. It is the 1st ever audio & visual web series built around a good thought. I congratulate the director for doing such a great job.”

Duck Se Dude is the story of an introvert boy (Manjeet) trying really hard to fit in. He doesn’t have any friends and neither has he mustered the courage to speak to the girl he loves. He has grown up observing his non -existence until he decides to seek help from an RJ (radio jockey) who hosts a popular late – night show. The RJ offers Manjeet a simple solution for all his problems, cricket, which transforms him from being a duck to a dude. Duck Se Dude includes interesting & fun characters who depict a certain quirk or trait which adds to the overall appeal of the show.

Ekta Jain, Shri Rajput & Sheetal Mahatre visited the Silver Beach, Juhu to meet the sea lifeguards. Ekta Jain, Shree Rajput along with Sheetal Mahatre & Ex – Corporator, Ex – President Mumbai Mahila Congress visited the Silver Beach Juhu recently to meet the Sea Guardians lifeguards.

Sea Guardian Lifeguard was started in the year 2007 with 22 members, all are sea & pool swimmers & lifeguards. Sea Guardian managed the entire coast which is 4.5 km from Juhu & Versova beach.

Sunil Kanojia (President Sea Guardian Life Guard) said, “When we stop people to throwing wastage, sometimes some literate persons start argument with us, at least they should know how to clean the beach or how to cooperate with the life guards.”

Aditya Kumar (Volunteer Life Guard) said, “At least the Youth should understand the value of such a beautiful beach, even by law there is a crime to smoke & drinking alcohol in Public Places, So one shouldn’t do this on the beach area.”

Ekta Jain said, “I thank Sea guardian lifeguard for their amazing work. I want to appeal people not to litter around on beaches.”

Sheetal Mahatre said, “We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment .It’s high time we realize that we cannot live without Mother Earth but Mother Earth can live without humans beings.”

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan says he has “tears of gratitude” for the overwhelming love and support his fans and loved ones showered on him during and after the trial in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case.

“Tears of gratitude. To all my loved ones who are with me and never lost hope. Thank you for being there with all the love and support. God bless,” Salman tweeted on Monday.

The 52-year-old actor is out on bail after a Jodhpur court convicted him for killing two blackbucks near Kankani village in city while shooting “Hum Saath Saath Hain”. His co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam were co-accused, but they were acquitted, and Salman was sentenced to five years in prison.

Salman spent two days in Jodhpur Central Jail, after which he was out on bail on April 7, much to the delight of his fans and family members and the dismay of the Bishnoi community and animal rights activists. He cannot leave the country without the court’s permission.

The superstar came back to Mumbai to a hero’s welcome as fans crowded outside his Galaxy Apartments home here, distributing sweets and bursting crackers to celebrate his homecoming. Salman was overwhelmed with the love and had even appeared at the balcony to wave at his fans and acknowledge their unending support.

Salman is likely to return to shoot “Race 3” soon.

Earlier on Monday, his sister Arpita Khan Sharma had posted an emotional note.

“My strength, my weakness, my pride, my joy, my life, my world. God’s child. God bless all the people that can’t handle you or your success, I wish only positivity and happiness for you.

“May all the jealousy and negativity fade away. I pray you shine even brighter than you are and blind everyone with your success and good deeds. Love you Bhai,” she wrote.

Bollywood celebrities Attended 3rd Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Nobel Awards

Just recently Bollywood celebrities like Rimi Sen, Sudesh Bhosle, Manisha Kelkar, Ekta Jain, Tanisha Singh, Ashnoor Kaur et al attended the 3rd Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Nobel Awards at Sea Princess, Juhu – Mumbai. Sunny Shah, Founder of International Human Rights Council had organized the 3rd edition of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Nobel Award at Sea Princess Hotel, Juhu – Mumbai.

The award ceremony was kicked off with a debate regarding Human Rights. The most prestigious Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Nobel Awards were handed over to lawyers, doctors, architectures, actors from big celluloid silver screen & small screen, fashion, retail & even journalist from print media & electronic media.

The International Human Rights Council has more than 34,000 members from all over India who look after social all the social work.

Besides other dignitaries the celebrities who attended the Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Nobel Awards were actresses like Rimi Sen, Manisha Kelkar, Tanisha Singh, singer Sudesh Bhosle, Yogesh Lakhani of Bright Outdoor, Ekta Jain of Dwapar Promoters Aditya Kumar of Telly Chaska, Shikha Dhariwal of News 18, Unmesh Gujarathi Editor of Dabang Duniya, Dr. Khooshi Gurubhai Thakkar Editor of Perfect Women and many more came to receive their respective awards.

That apart Sunny Shah also celebrated his birthday on this occasion.

POSTER OF HINDI FILM ‘3 DEV’ UNVEILED

Karan Singh Grover, Ravi Dubey & Kunaal Roy Kapoor will play Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma & Lord Shiva respectively in 3 Dev releasing on 11th May 2018. The film also stars Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Raima Sen, Poonam Kaur, Priya Banerjee & Prosenojit. The tagline for the film reads, “Undercover Bhagwan”. Perhaps Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu & Lord Shiva will take human forms for a tour of the Earth. The film is directed by Ankoosh Bhatt who also made films like Bhindi Bazaar & Mumbai Mirror. Ankoosh Bhatt said, “The film is a realistic comedy, which deals with ‘why God is required in our lives’. It goes on to ask what the identity of God is, and if he is synonymous with hope & belief. Today, people only remember God in times of need. Bumbada plays the film’s sutradhar.” The poster was unveiled on Twitter by Varun Dhawan. The film is produced by Chintan Rana. Sajid Wajid has given the music for the film.

AUSHIM KHETARPAL’S DAUGHTER AARTI KHETARPAL MAKES HER DEBUT IN FILMS

From star children like Janhvi Kapoor (daughter of Late Sridevi) & Sara Ali Khan (daughter of Saif Ali Khan) to television divas such as Ankita Lokhande & Mouni Roy, there are many fresh faces that are going to begin their Bollywood innings this year. Joining the list who are all set to make their Bollywood foray is Aarti Khetarpal, daughter of well -known actor – filmmaker Aushim Khetarpal & Hindi religious film Shirdi Saibaba fame. Since last 3 years, Aarti Khetarpal is very much in this celluloid world; especially on television. Aarti featured as an actress in television serials like Shirdi Saibaba & Air Lines. She anchored shows like Go Digital on NDTV. Apart from anchoring many other shows & acting in music videos, she has also hosted live musical shows of great singers like Mika Singh, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan amongst others. Adding to her kitty, she has modeled in more than 35 ad commercials along with Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan etc. A resident of New Delhi, Aarti Khetarpal makes her film debut in her home production. The untitled film is made by her father Aushim Khetarpal where she plays a meaty role in this challenging corporate world. Apart from acting, she has also rendered a romantic song in the film too.

JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ & ROHAN GANDOTRA ARE THE NEW BRAND FACES FOR M BAAZAR

M Baazar, Eastern India’s leading fashion retail store chain has recently signed up with the Fashion Diva, Jacqueline Fernandez as their latest Brand Ambassador. A former Miss Srilanka, Jacqueline is ecstatic about her association with M Baazar. “When they showed me their collection, I just fell in love with what I saw. So, I just couldn’t say no when they requested me to be associated with their Brand.” Rohan Gandotra has been paired with Jacqueline in this hi – fashion campaign. Rohan is a young charming TV Star, who has the next door boy charm & amazing cool attitude. He is popular across top brands for many successful ad campaigns. M Baazar campaign has been shot by fashion photographer Abhay Singh. The styling of this super glamorous shoot is done by Tanya Ghavri. The campaign travels through all the festivities of the year in super chic western wear casuals & formals as well as traditional Indian wear for both ladies &m men’s wear. Today, M Baazar has a presence of 50 stores across 7 Indian states and boasts of a range of menswear, ladies wear, kids wear & accessories catering to today’s fashion trendy Generation.

“THE STRANGER TRILOGY” TO BE ADAPTED INTO A ROMANTIC THRILLER SERIES

Penguin has acquired the rights of Novoneel Chakraborty’s novella The Stranger Trilogy, a bestseller known for its edgy, gripping & engaging plot. Partnering with Goldie Behl, this 3 season show will bring the romantic thriller series to life. The show will revolve around the fictional love story of a lady & her pursuer. This will be a coming – of – age drama where we’ll see the protagonist transform from a sheltered, spoilt brat to a strong & independent woman. Goldie Behl is now all set to make his grand entry into the web space with “The Stranger Trilogy”. Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment says “Pocket content & web series are most enjoyed by the viewers of today. “The Stranger Trilogy” are extremely enthralling novels and by collaborating with Goldie Behl & Novoneel Chakraborty for this show, we aim to provide the audiences with 3 exciting seasons of the trilogy’’. “As the digital medium is where the audiences are today, we hope to tap their interest and create a binge worthy show” says Goldie Behl. The show is yet to be titled and casting of the series is currently underway with the shoot looking to begin in Apr, 2018. The series will be shot extensively across varied locales in Mumbai.

IT TOOK 7 HOURS FOR AMITABH & RISHI TO GET INTO ‘102 NOT OUT’ LOOK

‘102 Not Out’ will see Amitabh Bachchan & Rishi Kapoor sharing screen space after a gap of 27 years. Bachchan plays Rishi Kapoor’s father. A lot of prosthetics & make up was used to make them look like their character’s age. Director Umesh Shukla states that it would take his ageing protagonists a staggering 7 hours for make – up every day, followed by 6 hours of shooting. He says, “Initially, I thought they would get irritated with the long – winded process but the make – up actually helped them emote and complemented their characters really well. Both Amitabh sir & Rishi ji would walk onto the sets at 5 am with a different kind of energy and we would commence shooting after lunch and go on till 6 pm. At times, the shoot extended to 9 pm. While Bachchan’s dentures were manageable, Kapoor’s bald cap was a cause of concern. Rishi ji, who plays a 70 year old character, would feel extremely hot in it. Whenever he removed it, and I am not exaggerating, it looked like he was sweating by the glass. He had to wear that cap for at least 12 hours every day,” he revealed. The film has been written by Saumya Joshi & directed by Umesh Shukla.

SONAM KAPOOR TO MEET ANUJA CHAUHAN, AS PART OF PREPARATION FOR ‘THE ZOYA FACTOR’!

Sonam Kapoor will soon step into the shoes of Zoya Solanki, the much loved character from Anuja Chauhan’s novella “The Zoya Factor” to be adapted for the big celluloid silver screen. The story revolves around Zoya Singh Solanki who meets the Indian Cricket Team through her job as an executive in an advertising agency and ends up becoming a lucky charm for the team at the Cricket World Cup. Since Chauhan’s novels have been described as tailor made for screen adaptations, Sonam who is a voracious reader herself, will soon meet the author to better understand her character. Sonam wants to well prepare for her role in the film, a rom – com that touches upon superstition & luck. She is keen on understanding the story & her character in detail from Anuja Chauhan. Since Chauhan has penned the book, Sonam thought it best to meet her and discuss the book as part of her prep. Sonam says, “I’ve read the book and absolutely loved it. Anuja Chauhan has lived with the character & the book for so long and knows it better than anyone else. I look forward to meeting her soon to discuss Zoya before we start shooting for the film”

ZEE STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL TAKES ‘BEYOND THE CLOUDS’ BEYOND BORDERS!

Zee Studios International is all set to take the film beyond borders! Iranian auteur Majid Majidi’s 1st ever India set feature Beyond The Clouds. The film will see a 34 territory release including a wide release in Iran as well as over 70 screens in the GCC region including Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain & Qatar, focussing on Indian as well as local audiences. Beyond The Clouds, introduces us to Ishaan Khatter & Malavika Mohanan. The film is produced by Zee Studios & Namah Pictures. The film narrates a heart – warming tale of a brother & sister, and how they find happiness in separation & turbulent times. The film celebrates the triumph & adoration of life against a Mumbai backdrop. Vibha Chopra, Head – Zee Studios International (Film Marketing, Distribution & Acquisition) says, “The popularity of Indian cinema, Hindi as well as other regional films, is rising at rapid pace. Majid Majidi’s films are those that are awaited by Indians as well as non – diaspora audiences worldwide. And that is why the different approach to the film. Content is what is key, around the globe. We have tapped 34 territories in the 1st ever phase of release for the film and are looking to go wider in phase 2.”

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SONAL CHAUHAN’S ROLE IN ‘PALTAN’!

With an arresting screen presence in her Bollywood debut, Jannat, Sonal Chauhan instantly became one of the most loved girls – next – door and there has been no looking back ever since. Set to make a stir yet again, the gorgeous actress recently went de -glam in order to essay the role of a Rajput girl in J P Dutta’s Paltan. A natural beauty, Sonal often posts pictures of herself in little to no makeup over her social media handles, so facing the camera sans makeup was easy. Dutta was looking for someone with a certain vulnerability, poise & strength that would suit the role of a Rajput girl in the film. The veteran filmmaker’s search ended, as Sonal fit the bill perfectly on all accounts and also interestingly happens to be a Rajput in real life! Says Sonal, “I have admired J P sir’s films. It is an honor to be part of this huge project. I am so glad that J P sir deemed me as the right choice for the role. I can’t wait to know how it’s received by the audiences. I got a chance to say my thanks to the Indian army through this film and for that I am overwhelmed beyond words.”

KANIKA KAPOOR TO TURN SHOWSTOPPER AT THE DUBAI FASHION LEAGUE!

Versatility is the name of the game for singer Kanika Kapoor, who not just captivates with her vocal abilities but also tweaks regular things for a surprisingly alluring result, when it comes to her personal sense of style. A regular at the Milan & Paris Fashion Weeks, Kanika has always been praised for her strong fashion game & continues to remain one of the most looked up fashion icons in the country today. It’s no surprise then that the singer will turn showstopper for Pakistani designer at the Dubai Fashion League, a 3 day fashion extravaganza that celebrates the best sartorial names from Asia & United Arab Emirates (UAE). No stranger to the ramp, Kanika Kapoor has taken to it, for designers like Alberta Ferretti and wowed in their ensembles. Kanika is also a regular at Milan Fashion Week and owns a clothing label named, House of Chikankari, a luxury ethnic wear brand, which gained a commendable number of patrons across India in a short span of time. At her international trips, the singer cum style icon can be seen brushing shoulders with the fashion aficionados, designers & entrepreneurs of the world. Says Kanika, “Fashion has been one of my many loves and this gives me a chance to revisit it”.

WHEN 2 CINEMA STALWARTS MET!

Anil Kapoor who is currently shooting for his next film Race 3, recently met his Mission Impossible 3 co – star Tom Cruise while shooting in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital. Anil Kapoor & Tom Cruise have known each other for several years now and have kept in touch ever since they worked together in Mission Impossible 3 (MI 3). Soon as they found out that they were both in the same city, they moved their incredibly packed schedules around to make time to meet each other. The 2 powerhouses spent an entire day together catching up on their professional & personal journeys since the last time they saw each other. Tom & Anil spent hours talking about their films, families, food & fitness. It wasn’t surprising that a large part of their conversation revolved around fitness, since they’re both passionate about it, and Tom even said that he was happy to see Anil looking fitter than ever. They spoke at length about the stunts in the new “Mission Impossible” (MI) franchise film as Anil has often expressed his admiration for Tom’s work ethics, specifically the fact that Tom performs all of his own stunts, regardless of how dangerous & demanding they are. Tom commended him on his infectious energy & enthusiasm, even in the face of 4 upcoming releases.

​NEW YORK BASED SCHOOL TO MAKE DOCUMENTARY ON RAVEENA TANDON’S SINGLE MOTHERHOOD!

Raveena Tandon was the 1st ever to do away with the stigma of single parenthood as she adopted 2 daughters in 1995. And 2 decades after that, the super mommy has been approached by a New York based school called “Film Connection” to narrate the story of motherhood in a documentary based on her life, which shall outline the journey of raising up 2 daughters by herself. Always the one to be ahead of times, Tandon says, “Back then, the wave of feminism hadn’t hit India as strongly as it has today. Female infanticide was on the rise. No one wanted to adopt daughters.” Raveena, who apparently adopted the girls from a distant cousin encountering financial troubles, says, “The moment I set my eyes on my girls, my life has been a joyride ever since.” When asked about the challenges of raising 2 children, the ravishing beauty said that the teen years were a rough patch but they have been her best friends ever after. Raveena added, “Unfortunately, people say nasty things to you when you take such a step, even if your intentions are pure. I faced a lot of flak from people, who said that the move would ruin my career. However, it turned out to be for the better. My life would have never been as blissful without them as it is today.”

‘MAASSAB’ IS AN ODE TO EDUCATION

Maassab Produced by Purushottam Studios & directed by award winning director & South Star Aditya Om & starring Shiva Suryavanshi & Sheetal Singh is on a roll getting selected at prestigious film festivals all over India. Maassab has also got critical appreciation from Cannes directors fortnight curator Benjamin Illios. The film is all about to start its international film festival circuit journey and is expected to release at the start of next year in India. Maassab is a unique film which deals with the state of primary education in rural India, where the concept of Mass education did not exist for centuries as education was only for the privileged. Many reformers, thinkers & teachers went about correcting this wrong and with democracy the speed of educating the masses grew manifold and so did the number of schools both private & Government. Private enterprise treated education like a business, provided better facilities but charged exorbitantly too making education elitist and deprived the poor. Government schools lack quality teachers and have poor infrastructure & rampant corruption. Our protagonist is one such reformer who believes that education is like a universal treasure on which everyone has equal right and sets about to do whatever he can in his individual capacity to spread quality education even in smaller villages to make every underdog a winner.

BANITA SANDHU SAYS, “SHOOJIT SIR DID NOT HOLD ANY WORKSHOPS FOR THE FILM OCTOBER”

October has created a buzz all over the country with its mesmerizing trailer. The leads of October, Varun Dhawan & Banita Sandhu shared their experiences on the unique working style of their director Shoojit Sircar. When asked about the prepping up process for their characters, debutant Banita Sandhu said, “Shoojit Sir wanted raw emotions, hence there were no workshops held for us. This helped us to explore ourselves and bring out our emotions in the most natural manner. I could not have asked for a better debut than October. Having worked with him in an ad film before, Shoojit Sir is par excellence.” Varun Dhawan adds, “Shoojit Sircar is a genius! His style of working has not only made me grow as an actor but also changed me personally as a human being. My brief was simple as I had to play myself onscreen”. Produced by Ronnie Lahiri & Sheel Kumar, October stars Varun Dhawan & Banita Sandhu.