Ashutosh Gowariker is excited about his upcoming project Panipat, a re – presentation of 3rd Battle of Panipat. The movie stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Kapoor & Kriti Sanon in the lead roles and is tentatively scheduled to go on floors by mid – 2018. Ashutosh said, “I shared screen space with Sanjay Dutt in Naam (1986), which was a memorable co – acting experience. What impresses me most about Arjun, apart from his fine performances, is his dynamism. He has played double roles twice (Aurangzeb, 2013 & Mubarakan, 2017), and has portrayed an action hero as well as a lover boy”. Ashutosh is excited to have Kriti Sanon on board. He added, “I needed someone who is beautiful & a good performer. The eclectic combination of these 3 is a 1st ever for me.” The action – packed period drama, is produced by Sunita Gowariker & Rohit Shelatkar’s company; Vision World, and is slated to release on 6th Dec, 2019. However, Gowariker’s last directorial venture, Mohenjo Daro (2016), did not do well on the Box – Office turnstiles, producer Rohit Shelatkar is certain that the filmmaker is perfect to wheel Panipat. “Ashutosh has a tremendous track record. Lagaan (2001), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) & Swades (2004) are my favourites. I am confident that he will represent the subject in the best cinematic form”.

The 2018 edition of Power Brands – Bollywood Film Journalist’s Awards, organized by Planman Motion Pictures & Daily Indian Media, was held at Hotel Orchid recently. Started with the clear ambition of being the Oscars of India this is India’s only film awards decided on the basis of Open Ballot Voting. Arindam Chaudhuri, the man behind Planman, thanked the voting jury profusely for their integrity & courage for exercising their ballot in a very transparent manner. 22 of the most prominent film critics decided who deserved the trophies for Hindi cinema 2017. Apart from being Open Ballot & highly credible due to voting being restricted only to film critics, the award also is unique as it honours not just the winner but the associate winner as well. The “Best Actress” award winner Vidya Balan as well as the “Best Actor” award winner Rajkumar Rao were present. In the supporting actor category female Seema Pahwa & Meher Vij took the honours. Marcin Laskawic came all the way from Poland to take his “Best Cinematography” trophy for Tiger Zinda Hai. Also taking away special Power Brands Awards for furthering the cause of cinema were Raveena Tandon & Anil Thadani, Kay Kay Menon who bagged Trendsetter Award, Anu Kapoor, Sonali Kulkarni & Sachin Khedekar who bagged Power Brands Outstanding Contribution to Marathi Cinema, Ram Kamal Mukherjee who won autobiographer of the year, Komal Nahata, the power brand “Best Trade Analyst” for the year 2018, Mayank Shekhar the film critic of the year & Subi Samuel won Photographer of the year. The life time achievement award was given to Moushumi Chatterjee.

‘HOUSEFULL 4′ WAS NEVER IN THE PIPELINE FOR SONAKSHI SINHA

Sonakshi Sinha surely has many films in the pipeline and every now and then we keep hearing speculations about her signing some film. And one such recent rumour was that the actress is doing Housefull 4. However, none of this is the true. Sonakshi will be shooting for Dabangg 3 around the same time as Housefull 4 goes on floor. In fact, the actress does not have dates for Housefull 4, as she will be shooting for the 3rd part of the successful franchise Dabangg.

BOBBY DEOL IS BUSY!

Bobby Deol this year has been really busy shooting for films and shuttling between Yamla Pagla Deewana – Phir Se and the 3rd instalment of the Race franchise. While his home production has Sunny and him playing brothers & papa Dharmendra as a charming, flirtatious lawyer renting out rooms from the duo, Race 3 which also features Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Saqib Salem & Daisy Shah, is more about song, dance & maardhaad. Bobby Deol has also signed Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 4 which stars Akshay Kumar & Riteish Deshmukhin the zany comedy. Housefull 4 revolves around the theme of reincarnation and is a laugh riot. After the success of the 1st ever Houseful films, the makers are keen to take the film to the next level and believe Bobby fits in perfectly.”Bobby who is currently filming Race 3 in Abu Dhabi confirmed the news, saying, “I am really looking forward to collaborating with both the Sajids. I’ve always wanted to work with Sajid Nadiadwala and finally it’s happening. Akshay and I share a great rapport and it will be fun working with him again. Housefull 4 is a big franchise and I can’t wait for the film to start.”.

SALMAN KHAN IS THE NEW FACE OF APPY FIZZ

Parle Agro has appointed Salman Khan as the new face of its brand Appy Fizz. Salman will feature in the new campaign for Appy Fizz. Salman’s stylish, macho & energnetic attitude is a seamless fit for Appy Fizz’s bold & edgy persona and shall help drive far reaching impact & recall for the brand. Associating with Salman Khan is a part of Appy Fizz’s strategic large scale marketing investments, aiming to further strengthen the brands connect with millions of consumers across India.. Nadia Chauhan, Joint MD and CMO, Parle Agro said, “With this collaboration, we want to further build the brand through aggressive marketing initiatives. Salman Khan’s magnetic personality seamlessly reflects the brand’s identity, and we aim to make this brand a household name.” Salman Khan said, ‘’With the exciting new campaign, I am positive the fans & the brand’s consumers will Feel the Fizz!” Salman Khan is the newest addition to the existing list of A – listers as the face of a Parle Agro brand with Alia Bhatt as the brand ambassador for Frooti and its variants & Tollywood Allu Arjun for Frooti in South India.

RAM GOPAL VARMA TO DIRECT A BIOPIC ON ‘SRIDEVI’?

After Sridevi’s untimely & sudden demise, director Ram Gopal Varma, who had worked with her in many movies like Great Robbery, Govinda Govinda, Hairaan, Kshana Kshanam , is now planning to make a film on Sridevi’s life. The director has not yet officially announced the news, but lyricist Sirasri who is a follower of Varma told a Telugu TV channel that Varma will officially announce the biopic once the story is locked. Few days back, Ram Gopal Varma has written an open letter to Sridevi’s fans too. “I know her life from the time I met her. I saw with my own eyes how her life was like a bird in the sky till her father’s death and then became like a bird in a cage due to her overprotective mother. In those days actors used to be only paid in mostly black money and due to fear of tax raids her father used to trust friends and relatives and every one of them betrayed her the moment her father died. Coupled with this the ignorant mother made many wrong investments in litigated properties and all those mistakes combined made her almost penny less by the time Boney came into her life.”

KANGANA RANAUT’S THRILLER FILM TITLED ‘MENTAL HAI KYA’

Kangana Ranaut is busy shooting for her movie Manikarnika: The queen of Jhansi, an epic biographical film based on the life of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, in which she is playing the title role of Rani Laxmibai. Kangana Ranaut will be seen next in a psychological thriller directed by the son of the veteran director K Raghavendra Rao Prakash Kovelamudi opposite Rajkummar Rao. Prakash Kovelamudi is all set to make his Bollywood debut with the film. Kangana & Rajkumar Rao were last seen sharing the screen space together in Queen and now they will be again seen together in Mental Hai Kya written by Kanika. The story talks about mental health, but also has light heartedness to it and it revolves around a woman who could be a murderer or a mentally ill person. It’s a fast-paced thriller revolving around the two protagonists. Set in London & Mumbai, it is expected to roll in Mar, 2018. Raj recently heard the script and immediately came on board. Rajkumar Rao will start shooting for the movie after wrapping up his upcoming film Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar. The film goes on floors this month with their 1st ever schedule beginning in Mumbai before the cast & the crew gear up for London.

LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS INVITES ANUPAM KHER FOR A KEYNOTE SPEECH

Anupam Kher’s incredible body of work as an actor, includes over 500 feature films worldwide. The actor is also a highly sought after motivational speaker. He was invited to speak in London at the India Forum (LIF) 2018, hosted by the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) on 3rd Mar, 2018.Previously known as the Economic Forum for India at LSE (EFIL), which is a 1st ever of its kind conference in UK involving keynote speeches & panel discussions on major issues facing contemporary India across a variety of fields. The conference serves as a platform for students & professionals alike, to hear from and engage with inspiring leaders. Kher flew to London this week, where he addressed the students at the Old Theatre at LSE .Says Anupam Kher, “By sharing my life experiences, I hope to motivate them to achieve their dreams, become successful individuals and most importantly responsible human beings. The youth are the future of the country and live in times of tough competition where certain failure is inevitable. The Power of Failure gave me the strength to succeed and it is our responsibility to help our youth realize this to be able to live life to its fullest.”

SUNNY DEOL TO SHOOT WITH ALANKRITA SAHAI FOR AN AD FILM
Alankrita Sahai seems to be on a roll as very rarely do you see a debutant landing an add for herself just at the release of her film (Love per square feet by Ronnie Screwvala). A source revealed, It was love per square feet that got the makers to lock Alankrita as the commercial needed a girl with girl next door look who is cute and has some spark and charisma. As Alankrita just fits the bill perfectly she was signed for the ad.On touching base with Alankrita she stated,” It’s overwhelming to have got to share space with Sunny sir and we have just had a great time shooting the commercial. He is very down to earth and sophisticated.. Loved shooting with him.”
RAVEENA TANDON‘S CASE OF LOST AND FOUND!

Raveena Tandon’s faith in humanity was reaffirmed after her recent experience with an auto – rickshaw rider. The actress’s friend, Purnima Lamchhan was paying her visit at her residence in Bandra. She hadn’t even realised that she had forgotten her phone in the auto – rickshaw she had boarded. When the auto -rickshaw rider found the phone in the backseat, he rode all the way to Tandon’s bungalow in Bandra to hand the phone. Touched by his honesty, the gorgeous actress clicked selfies with him and wrote a post dedicated to him on her Twitter handle. She wrote, “This honest man, came back to return Purnima Lamchhan’s phone of his own accord even without us realizing she had left her phone in his autorickshaw! This reinstalls my faith in people. All is not lost!”

ANUPAM KHER FULFILLS HIS MOTHER’S WISH!

Amongst all the laurels & accolades Anupam Kher has earned, his new house in Shimla stands as one of his most special achievements. As he owns this house in the scenic locales of Shimla, the actor fulfils his mother, Dulari Kher’s ardent wish. Kher, who hails from Shimla had nursed the same wish for a long time as well. Interestingly, he has named his new abode, Kherwadi. The celebrated actor was so overwhelmed at this milestone that he took to his Twitter handle and wrote, “Mom is the happiest person in the world in her in new home. It was her dream to own a house here. We are performing the puja. We have decided to call the house KHERWADI. Dulari Rocks .I love you – I am at rest with you – I have come HOME. Dulari’s has a home in Shimla – KHERWADI.”

VIVEK OBEROI HAS A HEART OF GOLD

An online poll called Bubble Digital Awards has named Vivek Oberoi as of one of its nominees. The award is a recognition for celebrities’ pursuing noble causes and by the looks of the update on the poll’s online page, the versatile actor is on the lead. Known for his generosity & philanthropic work, Vivek has been championing humanitarian & charitable causes including rebuilding a tsunami struck village, serving as the World Health Organisation’s anti – tobacco spokesperson, working closely with cancer relief organizations, reserving 21 flats for the kin of martyred Indian soldiers & also supporting acid attack survivors. With a contribution like this, it is hardly a surprise that Vivek is currently topping the poll.

GURMEET CHOUDHARY CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY WITH KIDS OF SMILE FOUNDATION!
Gurmeet Choudhary, who is known to have a heart of gold, celebrated his birthday with the kids of Smile Foundation Mumbai on the 22nd Feb, 2018. The talented actor has previously worked closely with a number of humanitarian causes and had recently associated with the NGO that works towards providing underprivileged kids with education & good health in order to bring in his birthday with them. Gurmeet was seen having a fun time with the kids, while singing & dancing with them. He also ate food with them and probed into what their careers & future prospects would be.
RAVI KISHAN TO MAKE HIS DIGITAL DEBUT WITH ALTBALAJI’S CRIME BASED WEB SERIES
ALTBalaji is India’s largest OTT platform for original & exclusive shows. Since its launch in Apr, 2017, ALTBalaji has more than 15 million mobile downloads. The ad free, subscription based platform is available in over 90 countries and offers original content in varied Indian regional languages, making it India’s largest repository for original & exclusive digital content. 2018 has started on a high note for ALTBalaji with big announcements such as Habib Faisal and big back to back hits like The Test Case & Haq Se. With many more engaging & interesting #ALTBalajiOriginals in the pipeline, the digital platform has announced its next collaboration – The platform has signed up Ravi Kishan for its next crime based digital show tentatively titled The Family. ALTBalaji had recently announced Vivek Oberoi in the project and now this news comes in that Ravi Kishan who is making his digital debut with ALTBalaji will be seen playing a pivotal role in the show. Ravi said “I am very excited to debut in a web series and what better association than ALTBalaji. The concept is different and not explored much. This is also the 1st ever time that I am collaborating with Ekta Kapoor and I am very excited about it.”

NEHA DHUPIA TAKES A DIG AT KARAN JOHAR ON VH1 INSIDE ACCESS

In the recent episode of Vh1 Inside Access, Neha Dhupia is on fire being as witty & fun as she is. The host, Malini Agarwal turned the tables when she made Neha play the “Scary Spice” game which the former makes her guests play on BFFs with Vogue. To make things juicer, Malini asked Neha to name the guest “who talks too much”. Known to be quite a talkative person herself, Neha instead named Karan Johar. She also further added by mentioning that Karan is quite particular about his camera profiles. Constantly being compared to Karan for her chat show hosting skills, was this a subtle dig at Kjo?

ASHIM AHLUWALIA’S ‘PALACE OF HORRORS’ TO HAVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW) FESTIVAL

Ashim Ahluwalia’s short segment, Palace Of Horrors, is part of the International horror anthology, The Field Guide To Evil and will have its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) festival soon. The film stars Niharika Singh (Miss Lovely), Mark O’Gleby, Henry Throop & Robin Das Palace Of horrors, shot in luminous black & white, unfolds over the summer of 1913 in Bengal. The Field Guide to Evil is produced by Alamo Drafthouse, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos (Before Midnight, The Lobster), Keith & Jess Calder (Anomalies, Blair Witch) & Legion M etc. The film features dark folk tales with creepy stories of possession, curses, love, lust & envy. The horror anthology of dark folk tales brings together 8 of today’s talented genre filmmakers from Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Poland, Turkey and United States. They are Ashim Ahluwalia, India (Miss Lovely, Daddy) Peter Strickland, Hungary (The Duke Of Burgundy) Calvin Reeder, United States (The Rambler) Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala, Austria (Goodnight Mommy) Katrin Gebbe, Germany (Nothing Bad Can Happen) Can Evrenol, Turkey (Baskin) Agnieszka Smoczynska, Poland (The Lure) Yannis Veslemes, Greece. Ashim Ahluwalia says, “It’s quite an honor to be the 1st ever Indian filmmaker to have a world premiere at SXSW. It’s a horror film, inspired by dark folk tales from around the world,” he says

RUMMYPASSION.COM JOINS HANDS WITH AMY JACKSON AS BRAND AMBASSADOR

British model & Bollywood actress Amy Jackson has joined hands with Rummy Passion, India’s most loved & fastest growing online rummy portal as its 1st ever brand ambassador. The development comes close on the heels of Rummy Passion striking a strategic deal with Stride Gaming, a London Stock Exchange listed company. Amy has also acted in a number of Kollywood movies. Amy Jackson said,” It is indeed a matter of pride for me to tie – up with and be the 1st ever brand ambassador of Rummy Passion, an online rummy brand that has garnered immense popularity in a short period of time to become India’s most loved rummy destination. Having availed myself of the marvelous services of the site, I realized that Rummy is a skill based game, and an out of the box approach to enhance our mental prowess. While I am fond of swimming & dancing that involve physical activity and are great exercises for the body, I have come to discover that this traditional card game exercises our brain & memory. I perceive that the uniqueness of the game lies in the fact that it works in a subtle manner and induces positive changes in our life. Moreover, it gives me a superb adrenaline rush and is a source of great entertainment. Especially now that I am a part of the Indian film industry, I revel in playing this card game which has always been customary here.”

Banner: Panorama Studios & T – Series
Producers: Abishek Pathak, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar
Director: Raj Kumar Gupta
Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D’Cruz, Saanand Verma, Khanwilkar, Sheeba Chadha, Devas Dixit, Pravin Sisodia, Saurabh Shukla, Gayatri Iyer, Uday Veer Singh, Amit Bimrot, Amit Sial, Mukesh Singh, Akshay, Pushpa Joshi et al
Music: Amit Trivedi & Tanisk Bagchi

Of late Bollywood actors like Akshay Kumar & Ajay Devgn have started doing a yeoman’s service by working & promoting meaningful & issue based films. As Akshay Kumar has done in his last outing Toilet – Ek Prem Katha & now Ajay Devgn is doing with his this week’s outing Raid.

That apart director Raj Kumar Gupta is known for making critically acclaimed movies like Aamir & No One Killed Jessica. And now he is back with Raid starring Ajay Devgn.

Raid as the title itself suggests is totally self-explanatory. So the scripted scenario of Raid revolves around the no-nonsense, honest – to – the – core Income Tax officer, Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn), and his quest to raid all the top notch businessmen, henchmen & politicians of the country defaulting on the Income Tax.

Rameshwar Singh Aka Tauji (Saurabh Shukla), a typical greasy politician is his nemesis. Together, they begin a cat & a mouse chase kind of game which results in amazing twists & turns as the film progresses, keeping masses at the edge of their seats, waiting for more. Amay Pathak’s target is to recover a whooping amount of Rs. 420 crores which Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji has hidden away in his “white house”. As the film progresses, Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji mounts pressure on Amay Pathak to withdraw the raid but despite all this, Amay Pathak carries out the procedure.

Director Raj Kumar Gupta mounts the film well and has made sure that the audience’s attention is not diverted from the main topic: Raid. And it actually works in his favor. He arrests our attention with all the twists in the film, especially the sequence prior to interval which can only be described as top notch. Also, he has made sure that the movie culminates beautifully towards the climax, keeping us on the edge of our seats for most of the time. This has to be his best work till date. The only hiccup is that the romance between Ajay Devgn & Illeana D’Cruz is strictly okay and the songs create slight restlessness & deviation from the main plot.

A special mention must be made of Ritesh Shah, who has written the screenplay, story & also the dialogues of Raid. The dialogue baazi is sure to be greeted with whistles & claps. While all dialogues are brilliant, one sequence is especially stellar. Somewhere in the film, Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji is having dinner at the table. He rounds the people sitting with him one by one and then asks wryly, “Vibhishan Kaun Hai?”. In a dramatic style, the identity of this said Vibhishan is revealed in the end, shocking your senses.

Talking about the editing, Bodhaditya Banerjee has done a decent job keeping the thriller crisp. Its total runtime is 2 hrs 8 mins.

DOP Alphonse Roy is good as his camera moves smoothly, taking us head on through this gritty narrative. RP Yadav’s action is pretty neat and whatever little scope there is for Ajay Devgn to show his expertise in the department, he does it with panache.

Ajay Devgn’s choice of films deserves appreciation. He maintains a sleek balance between commercial & content-driven films with the proficiency of a seasoned performer. While he has films like Golmaal in his kitty, he also does Drishyam & a Raid and impresses us just as effortlessly.

Performance wise both Ajay Devgn & Saurabh Shukla shine through their characters. They are impactful and totally keep you hooked. Every time they appear on screen, sparks fly and you end up feeling the tension. Ajay Devgn looks strong & powerful playing the role of an honest IT officer who is not scared of anyone. He impresses every time he delivers a punch line and emotes so much through his eyes. Saurabh Shukla as the corrupt politician is equally good and gives Ajay Devgn a tough fight on screen. Ileana D’cruz, as Ajay Devgn’s wife, gives depth to his character. Pushpa Joshi, who plays Saurabh Shukla’s mother, has a key role in the whole film. Every time she appears on screen, her wry sense of humor releases tension and provides a good break from all the intensity.

While the leads have done justice to their characters, supporting actors, Amit Sial, Amit Bimrot & Gayathri, who play Ajay Devgn’s colleagues, give an honest performance. Saurabh Shukla’s family members played by Ravi Khanwilkar, Sheeba Chadha, Devas Dixit, Pravin Sisodia, amongst others stay true to their on-screen roles of flawed relatives of a corrupt politician.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Raid is a realistic, hard-hitting & entertaining thriller that keeps you hooked right till the end. A film that is sure to win accolades as well as positive word of mouth. This twisty tale is definitely a must watch movie this weekend.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has the ‘Most Followed Account’ and cricket star Virat Kohli has got the ‘Most Engaged Account’ on Instagram, according to the Instagram Awards which have been announced for the first time in India.

Kohli has 19.8 million followers as on Monday. His account generated the biggest number of engagements when all likes and comments from the content that he shared in 2017 — except ‘Story’ views and video views — were aggregated.

The list, which acknowledges photo-sharing platform Instagram’s most engaging community members, also recognises Emerging Account and 20 Million Milestones.

In the Most Followed Account category, Priyanka Chopra trailed behind Deepika’s 22.4 million followers with a count of 22 million, and Alia Bhatt rounded up the top three with 20.8 million followers.

Deepika said in a statement: “Staying connected with my fans and loved ones is extremely important to me. I value the love, support and connection I share with them and I hope I continue to remain true and authentic.”

Actor Ishaan Khatter, who will be seen in “Dhadak”, has been named for India’s ‘Emerging Account’ for growing his fanbase on Instagram significantly throughout 2017.

For Ishaan, Instagram is his most loved social media platform.

“It’s a non-stop source for inspiration from people and personalities all over the world. I find it especially enjoyable because it’s about connecting through pictures and videos. On a more personal note it’s almost like a time machine for your memories and a way to immortalise your favourite moments.

“It’s lovely connecting with others through this medium and I look forward to being inspired and hopefully inspiring more people in the future, too,” he said.

Alia also got a ‘milestone plaque’ with Shraddha Kapoor in recognition for building a community of 20 million followers.

(IANS)

In a pair of ripped denims, a tucked-in bright round neck t-shirt, hair tied in a simple and neat ponytail and a pair of white sneakers, Rani Mukerji looks far from turning 40.

As she enters a new decade of life on Wednesday, the actress, who is coming back to the big screen after a hiatus of four years with “Hichki”, says she hopes to do more movies and wants to cherish the foundation years of her two-year-old daughter Adira with husband and filmmaker Aditya Chopra.

“I want to treat my 40 as my 20. And I want to do a lot of work… More and more movies. I want to enjoy bringing up Adira. It is going to be the most important years of her life, so I think it’s going to be a really really nice decade,” Rani told IANS while she was here to promote “Hichki”.

The movie, directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra, is about Naina Mathur, who has a nervous system disorder, Tourette Syndrome, that forces an individual to make involuntary repetitive movements or sounds. The film’s narrative focuses on turning disadvantages into opportunities.

In a way, it takes forward Rani’s knack for taking up roles which let the story take forefront over her stardom.

“Because for me, the story is that connect… Stories that are human, which have a strong emotional connect or the stories that connect with me or resonate with me as a person. I give more precedence to that.

“For me, it is important that the audience connects with the story or storyline, and when they connect with it, they connect with me and the character as well,” she said.

In the past decade, Rani’s filmography is mostly laced by projects like “Dil Bole Hadippa!”, “No One Killed Jessica”, “Aiyyaa” and “Mardaani”, where the woman carries the most weight of the film on her shoulders — a rare but gradually visible shift in Indian cinema.

Does she find it empowering?

“It’s scary,” she said, laughing, and then explained: “Because you have the whole film on your shoulders and it’s quite a heavyweight… But empowering, yes, as for me, it’s not important about the gender issues here that it’s a male protagonist or female protagonist. I think it’s about the story. It’s about how well can you carry forward the story, how well you are able to carry the story on your shoulders.

“That’s what is more important. Whether a male protagonist plays the role or I am playing my role as a female, it’s secondary.”

The fact that “Hichki” is actually based on the true story of a man named Brad Cohen — an American motivational speaker and educator — proves Rani’s point.

She hopes the movie resonates with the audience.

“Please pray ‘Hichki’ is a hit because only that will give me more incentive and empowerment to probably come back and do more films,” said the actress, who felt “great” about facing the camera after taking a break for marriage and motherhood.

Now she wants to face the camera more often.

“I was so consumed with motherhood that I thought I might just say ‘Hichki’ and that’s it. But I think I was born to be an actor and it is just something I love doing.”

Rani started her Bollywood career in 1997 with “Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat”. She then did a mix of emotional, comedy and romantic films, but those which stood out include “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, “Hadh Kar Di Aapne”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…”, “Saathiya”, “Chalte Chalte”, “Yuva”, “Hum Tum”, “Black”, “Bunty Aur Babli”, “Paheli” and “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”.

Is there a sense of change in the kind of scripts she wants to pursue now?

“Not really, because I have always looked for special roles and special scripts that bring a change in my life emotionally. It will continue to be so because I have always connected to stories which have a deep and strong emotional connect and I think I will always be connected to those kind of scripts.”

Rani said she is still not comfortable about her daughter Adira being away from her.

“But I guess I have to do what I have to do. But I am looking forward to spend time with her after all this settles down.”

As a family, it’s quite interesting how they manage to be reclusive about their lives at a time when celebrities’ lives are all out there for all to see and know about.

“I think it’s very simple. It’s the way you want to lead your life and you have to be comfortable with that. You cannot waiver both ways. If it’s a no, it’s a no,” Rani explained.

So, it’s a No?

“Yeah,” she set the record straight.

Haider Star Narendra Jha Left For His Heavenly Abode

Actor Narendra Jha passed away on Wed morning (13th Mar, 2018) following a cardiac arrest. He was 55 years old.

According to reports, it was the 3rd heart attack Narendra Jha had over the years.

Born on 2nd Sept in Bihar’s Madhubani area, Narendra Jha was a noted Bollywood as well as small – screen actor.

He was seen playing vital roles in Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil, Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees & above all Shaheed Kapoor’s Haider.

Saddened by his demise, filmmaker & Social activist Ashoke Pandit tweeted, “It’s really shocking to hear about the sad demise of our friend #NarendraJha who was a brilliant actor & a great human being. Will miss U. #RIP.”

Banner: T – Series
Producers: Bhushan Kumar & Krishna Kumar
Director: Vishal Pandya
Star Cast: Vivaan Bhatena, Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Ihana Dhillon, Shaad Randhawa, Tia Bajpai, Mohit Chhabra, James Abbey, Rita Siddiqui, Gulshan Grover et al
Music: Tanishq Bagchi, Mithun, Arko Provo Mukherjee, Tony Kakkar, Baman, Sunny Bawra & Inder Bawra

Hate Story has been a very successful franchise, with Hate Story 3 in the year 2015 doing huge business at the Box – Office turnstiles. Hate Story 4 also manages to entertain like the previous parts, but of course it does falter like the recent adult flicks.

The scripted scenario of Hate Story 4 recounts the story of a girl who causes a rift between 2 brothers. Tasha (Urvashi Rautela) comes to London to become famous but is unable to find success. Luck favours her when she meets Rajveer (Karan Wahi), a photographer who is also a womanizer. He is floored by Tasha’s glamorous appeal and recommends her to his brother Aryan (Vivan Bhatena) & his girlfriend cum business partner Rishma (Ihana Dhillon), both of whom are looking for a fresh face for their upcoming cosmetic brand.

Tasha is signed on and she becomes famous. Both Aryan & Rajveer start lusting after Tasha and try to get close to her. Meanwhile their father Vikram Khurana (Gulshan Grover) is running for London Mayoral elections and he has cautioned the brothers not to do anything untoward which would jeopardize his chances of victory.

However, things begin to go wrong as Tasha gets involved with both Rajveer & Aryan. A mysterious blackmailer also emerges who has photographic evidence of all the wrongdoings, including a murder. What happens next forms the crux of the rest of the film.

Hate Story 4 begins with the intriguing opening credits and is quite nicely done. The 1st ever sequence is unexpected as the film begins midway and then the narrative goes in a flashback mode. Some of the recent erotic films failed as they didn’t have adequate dosage of sex that the promos promised.

Hate Story 4 thankfully is an exception. The film has enough steamy scenes & thrill to give the target audiences its money’s worth that they spent on heavy ticket rates in Multiplex cinemas. Also despite the numerous twists & turns, the narrative is very simple. Moreover, Hindi subtitles have been displayed during all the English dialogues. These efforts show that the makers want to ensure that audiences in B centres & even C centers including the front benchers are able to fully enjoy the film.

Albeit Sammeer Arora’s story is a bit weak and has far too many twists & turns and also turns around after a point. But Sammeer Arora & Vishal Pandya’s screenplay is simplistic & totally effective, though it fails to neatly camouflage some of the flaws in the plot.

Milap Milan Zaveri’s dialogues are appealing & massy. But it’s not fair to have punchlines in practically every sentence. Vishal Pandya’s direction is decent. He ensures that the film remains a complete commercial masala fare.

The music of Hate Story 4 is well woven with the narrative. Aashiq Banaya Aapne is the best of the lot. Boond Boond Mein, Badnaamiyan & Tum Mere Ho comes next and all these songs are laden with intimate scenes. Mohabbat Nasha Hai is sadly wasted. Sunny Bawra & Inder Bawra’s background score is quite exhilarating and adds to the drama & thrills. Sunita Radia’s cinematography is neat and the film has been shot in some beautiful places & houses of England. Manish More’s editing is slick while Neesha Sharma & Shyamli Arrora’s costumes are quite glamorous, especially the ones donned by the girls.

Performance wise Urvashi Rautela has the oomph factor for sure and it comes to the fore very well. She is decent and nicely manages to ooze evilness & vulnerability. Karan Wahi looks dashing enough and does a fine job. Vivan Bhatena has a slightly lengthier role and performs as per his character’s requirement. Ihana Dhillon also has her share of sizzling scenes but her screen time is limited and is okay. While Gulshan Grover delivers quite an entertaining performance. Tia Bajpai as Bhavna & Shaad Randhawa as Ashwin Chaudhary are very good albeit in special appearances. And last but not the least Mohit Chhabra as Ron & Rita Siddiqui as Monica are good.

Tail piece: On the whole, Hate Story 4 has its fair share of intimacy & thrills, which has been the primary reason for the success of the series.
At the Box – Office turnstiles it will prove to be a safe bet for the makers considering its investment & returns.

Karan Wahi & Vivan Bhatena who play brothers in the revenge thriller HATE STORY IV had fun on the sets. Both play grey characters in the film and share a friendly vibe and bonded over food, fitness & sports. Vivan Bhatena said, “Karan is like a younger brother to me and we had workout sessions together. During an action sequence we really got involved in the whole fight sequence and accidently ended up doing a fall which left us quite shaken as Karan got hurt and I was concerned about him as it’s his 1st ever action film but then pain paid off as the sequence looks brilliant. The best time we had was when we went together to watch the England Germany game at Wembley because this was a dream come true for both of us. Karan Wahi said, “The climax scene was a fight sequence between me & Vivan and it was very intense. I was scared that it would be a tough one because his hand is heavier than a 10 kg dumble. Our love for cars & fitness tops the list.” Hate Story IV, directed by Vishal Pandya, stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhatena, Ihana Dhillon & Gulshan Grover in the lead role releases on 9th Mar, 2018.

FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS NEMANJA VIDIC & GARRY MONK JOIN RANVEER SINGH AT PREMIER SKILLS

Premier Skills, the referee & coach development programme run by the Premier League & the British Council, received a surprise visit from former Manchester United player Nemanja Vidic, former Swansea FC player & manager Garry Monk & official ambassador for the Premier League in India Ranveer Singh recently. The 3 attended a special event to showcase the Premier Skills programme, which sees Premier League Club coaches provide face to face training & education materials to participants who will then be able to use & share their newly acquired skills to develop & coordinate projects in their own schools & communities. Premier Skills is delivered in India in partnership with the SAI, AIFF & ISL and a number of other sport NGOs including the OSCAR foundation & Magic Bus. Nemanja Vidic said: “Premier Skills is really important as the more qualified coaches there are training the young players, which will all lead to more of fun opportunities for football in India.” Alan Gemmell OBE, Director of the British Council in India said: “This year marks the 70th anniversary of the British Council in India and we have been inspired every day of those 70 years by the young people we have met.”

RAHUL SHARMA LOSES 20 KILOS FOR HIS DEBUT HINDI THRILLER FILM ‘X RAY – THE INNER IMAGE’

Rahul Sharma has broken many barriers to make his way in the Hindi film industry and is a classic example of a great transformation by having lost as many as 20 Kilos! Hailing from Muzzarpur, Bihar, Rahul had to deal with many backlashes for his looks. Despite taking formal training in acting from Vidur Chaturvedi’s acting academy, in his initial auditions, Rahul faced rejections not for his acting mettle but for being overweight & dark but finally landed himself his debut film X-Ray – The Inner Image. “I went for auditions where people were more interested in my looks than my talent. I did work hard to make this far. I refined my acting skills even more, got some back camera training as well and all this while losing 20 Kilos! The journey was tough, I went through severe diets & workout to get this body and I am glad it worked for me,” exclaims Rahul who is tremendously inspired by actors like Varun Dhawan & Tiger Shroff! Starting off with music videos and having done many fashion shows, Rahul is very excited about his debut project. “It’s a thriller directed by Rajiv S Ruia,” divulges Rahul very cautiously. Well, Rahul Sharma sure looks the promising star of 2019! Atta boy!

‘HAMNE GANDHI KO MAAR DIYA’ RELEASED

Naeem Siddique, who is a true Gandhian follower, has decided to do something big this 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He has made a film, Hamne Gandhi ko Maar Diya, which revolves around 2 complete opposite ideologies, about 2 strangers who met in a train journey in the panorama of 28th Jan, 1948, 2 days before the death of Gandhiji and events happening during the 2 days journey, have different impacts on these 2 individuals & reactions to the events forces to think who is right & who is wrong. When they reach their destination, they get to know that Gandhiji was assassinated & events happened after that becomes reflection of the 2 different ideologies. Today again such ideologies are expanding and in such times, this story once again becomes ideal to provoke thoughts of the followers of such ideologies. The film written & directed by Naeem A Siddiqui, stars Jatin Goswami, Pratima Kazmi, Sameeksha Bhatnagar & Subrat Dutta.

‘THE PAST’ ADDS TO THE LIST OF HORROR FILMS OF 2018

Horror Thriller The Past starring Yuvraaj Parashar & Vedita Pratap Singh is all set for release on 27th Apr, 2018. The year of 2018 will see horror films like Anushka Sharma’s Pari, Shraddha Kapoor’s Stree, Javed Jaffri’s Lupt etc. There are a bunch of regional horror films scheduled for later this year, including Kanchana 3 (Tamil) & Karu (Telugu). While the Indian horror movie scene has been heating up with the success of Vikram Bhatt’s 1921 & Tamil – Telugu horror thriller Bhagaamathie, Video streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video & Viu have already gotten into the horror game with shows like Shaitan Haveli & Gehraiyan. “We shot the movie in Virar, which has been the stomping ground for a number of horror films. The horror genre is often seen as the black sheep of Bollywood and seen as cheap movies with little artistic value,” said Yuvraj. Vedita Pratap Singh said; “The audiences will love the twists & edge of the seat thrill.” “We have tried to venture into a zone which is not attempted before. We hope to bring together horror aficionados, and those of us who just wonder what makes us humans tick. If you are not scared in the night after the film, then you actually didn’t see the film.” says the debutante director Gagan Puri. ‌

AUSHIM KHETARPAL HONORED WITH “RAJASTHAN INTEGRATION AWARD”

Indian Federation of “Working Journalists – Rajasthan” in Rajasthan honored actor – producer Aushim Khetarpal of Shirdi Saibaba fame with “Rajasthan Integration Award” for his new film Baba Ramsaa Peer in Jaipur. On the occasion, cabinet minister of Rajasthan, Shri Prabhu Lal Saini, who is also the minister of agriculture & animal husbandry, Ms. Suman Sharma – chairperson of the Rajasthan State Commission for Women, MP of Jaipur Ramcharan Bohra, Upendra Singh Rathore – State President of ‘Indian Federation of Working Journalists with many senior journalists & correspondents made their presence felt. Sant Baba Ramsaa Peer of Rajasthan had miraculous powers & devoted his life for the upliftment of dalits, downtrodden & poor people of the society. Aushim Khetarpal essays the role of Baba Ramsaa Peer. Gracy Singh is seen in the female lead. Aushim Khetarpal said, “These days we do not give much time & attention to the generation next. Thus there is a lack of values on culture & civilization. We filmmakers should make such kind of films which will educate the younger generation”.

‘NANAK SHAH FAKIR’ TO RELEASE ON 13TH APR 2018

Ringing in the harvest festival of Baisakhi this year will be an inspirational film based on the life & works of Guru Nanak Sahib titled, Nanak Shah Fakir. Produced by Harinder Sikka, the film will be released on 13th Apr, 2018 & distributed domestically by Viacom18 Motion Pictures. Nanak Shah Fakir has been widely appreciated across prestigious International Film Festivals like Cannes, Sikh Film Festival in Toronto & Sikhlens Film Festival in California for its poignant portrayal of the life & teachings of the revered founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was born in 1469 A.D. The songs in the film have been rendered by musical maestros Padma Vibhushan Pt Jasraj & Padma Shri Bhai Nirmal Singh and composed by the legendary music director Uttam Singh. A. R. Rahman, Resul Pookutty & Gulzar, contributed to music, sound & lyrics. The film’s original score has been composed by the highly celebrated composer Tuomas Kantelinen. Its songs include 1 song sung by Grammy Award winning group “White Sun” and its famous singer Gurujas Khalsa of Los Angeles. Harinder Sikka, Producer said, “Nanak Shah Fakir is not just an epic film about the amazing journey of Guru Nanak Dev Ji but calling to a better way of life that we want the audiences to experience. The film is a representation of Guruji’s teachings that hold great relevance even today.

‘A TAJ MAHAL LOVE STORY’ ANNOUNCED DURING JUSTIN TRUDEAU’S VISIT

Justin Trudeau announces the 1st ever official Indo -Canadian co – production titled A Taj Mahal Love Story. The official Canadian announcement was quoted as saying, “True Space Films (Toronto) & Ekaa Films (Delhi) have signed an agreement to co – produce A Taj Mahal Love Story, a film with a strong woman empowerment narrative will be shot in India with editing & post production completed in Toronto”. While Madhureeta Anand has written & directed A Taj Mahal Love Story, True Space Films belongs to Anu Vittal , a Canada based producer. “The script has been described as path breaking because it has a strong woman – centric theme with a unique screenplay that is quirky & strong at the same time. Madhureeta Anand has directed 2 feature films, written 5 feature films, directed many documentary films & series, spanning an array of genres. Madhureeta says, “I spent 3 years researching & writing this script. The collaboration with Canada will make this a truly international film. In today’s world with shrinking Box – Office turnstiles numbers worldwide, it is imperative that we expand the scope of our films & their audiences. Why limit our films to just Indian audiences?”

ALI FAZAL FEELS ELATED AFTER HAVING MET SAMUEL L JACKSON & BRITNEY SPEARS!

Ali Fazal is currently in LA working on the prep for his next Hollywood unannounced venture and alongside he is also been attending an array of work meetings. Ali has since then been in news on several occasions for his varied developments in the west. Attending the annual Hollywood Beauty Awards, an annual forum where the best in talent of the hair, beauty & design talent is awarded, Ali was also elected as an award presenter. At the ceremony Ali was elated to have met, his icons like Britney Spears & Samuel L Jackson. In fact he even earned praises from the man himself, Samuel L Jackson who was all praises for Ali’s role in Victoria And Abdul. Ali said, “It was surreal. We were all on the same tables, dining at the award show. I mean, fact is, Britney has been an icon during the largest part of my childhood. Samuel L Jackson & I share the same team, and so this meeting was pending for a while. I am just a huge fan. And he loved my performance from my film Victoria And Abdul. Something’s are just best experienced I guess. I told him I hope I meet him on a set next time, working together.” Ali presented the 2018 new beauty awards to new comers Kirstin Maldonado & Olivia Holt. And the finale award for Timeless beauty to Jane Seymour, aka Bond girl.

AMITABH BACHCHAN & RISHI KAPOR BACK IN UMESH SHUKLA’S ‘102 NOT OUT’

Amitabh Bachchan & Rishi Kapoor will be back onscreen after 27 years. Sony Pictures International Productions, India has boarded filmmaker Umesh Shukla’s ageless comedy 102 Not Out, in which they appear as father & son for the very 1st time ever. The slice of life comedy is slated to release worldwide on 4th May, 2018. The film is based on playwright Saumya Joshi’s well – known Gujarati play by the same name and has been adapted into a feature by him. Amitabh Bachchan, who plays the role of 102 year old man living life to the fullest, said, “Teaming up with Chintu ji after so many years after so many successful historic films, has been the greatest joy during 102 Not Out, a novel story, competent direction & a most qualified crew, has made the experience even greater. I know the country loves the younger, fresh and vibrant new generation – as must it should deservedly, but who ever said the “oldies” are not capable to do similar.” Rishi Kapoor, who plays 75 year old son of Bachchan in the film, added, “Being in 102 Not Out brought back a lot of fond memories & fun I have shared with Amitji during my younger days”.

SHAHID KAPOOR WRAPS THE SHOOT OF ‘BATTI GUL METER CHALU’ A DAY PRIOR TO BE WITH FAMILY

Shahid Kapoor finished the shoot a day before the schedule, the unit assumed he would head to Mumbai, in time for the Padmaavat success bash but much to everyone’s surprise, he flew off to Delhi to join wife Mira & daughter Misha, who have been staying there for almost a week. It was planned weeks in advance that Shahid would celebrate his birthday on 25th Feb, 2018 by attending a satsang in Beas, with his family. But when he was invited for the Padmaavat party earlier this week, everyone assumed he would attend the bash and head out to Beas the next morning. “This is the reason why Shahid wasn’t able to attend the bash that saw the entire team including Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh & Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It was just a case of bad timing. Shahid isn’t one to compromise on his family time. He wanted a no – frills birthday with his close ones around him and that’s why he headed to the satsang by the Radha Soami sect. He flew off to Amritsar and stayed in Beas for a few days, before resuming his shoot.

GIRIJA OAK GODBOLE IS MAKING HER DEBUT IN SHORT FILM ‘QUARTER’

After having made her debut in Hindi films with Aamir Khan’s much acclaimed film Tare Zameen Par and also making her presence felt as an actress in Marathi films as well as theater besides being a prominent part of several ad films, Girija Oak Godbole has now acted in a short film called Quarter for the 1st time ever in her career. The film has been made in Marathi as well as English. The short film has been produced by Namrata Bandivadekar & directed by Navjyot Bandivadekar. Girija Oak Godbole says “I was always yearning to get an opportunity to act in a short film. Through Quarter, my wish has been fulfilled, though I have earlier portrayed a wide variety of roles through varied characters in films. My role in Quarter is very different as an actress.” Navjyot Bandivadekar exults. “Having got an actress par excellence like Girija Oak Godbole to say yes to acting in our film and portray the difficult role that she has done which is different in our film is by itself a major success for us & our film. The fact that she liked the story & her character goaded her to agree to be part of our project.”