Vijay Devarakonda Going Places

Post the biggest blockbuster hits of the season Pellichoopulu & Arjun Reddy, young star Vijay Devarakonda has become the most sought after actor in India. Backed by these unprecedented successes & incredible performances, Vijay Devarakonda is now going places as film makers across India are sending him the feelers. The Gen X star has not only signed a bunch of films in Telugu with major production houses like UV, GA, Mythri, Vyjayanthi but there is also an exciting line up from Kollywood & Bollywood too. Mani Ratnam and Vijay Devarakonda besides Gautham Menon and Vijay Devarakonda will be collaborating soon. They are discussing on the scripts and can find a way forward soon. On the other hand Yash Raj Films has reportedly asked Vijay Devarakonda & Sandeep Reddy Vanga to remake Arjun Reddy in Hindi and a three film contract is in the final signing stage. Even, director Bejoy Nambiar of Mr. Bachan fame arranged a special screening of his latest film Solo starring Dulquer Salmaan for a possible remake with Vijay Devarakonda. That apart Ram Gopal Verma (RGV) too has already pitched a script for Vijay Devarakonda and they were seen frequently catching up in Mumbai.

Dhruva Sarja Rs. 6 Crores Remuneration

The young action prince with hat trick crown Dhruva Sarja is in the news again, this time on the remuneration aspect. It was recently reported that the remuneration of Dhruva Sarja after Bharjari’s success is Rs. 6 crores. He has three consecutive wins earning more than Rs. 100 crores. Dhruva Sarja did not complaint on it but took it positively in his professional life. He avers, “For me this rumor spread is advantage and now I would feel why not reach to that remuneration” he explained discussing on the remuneration aspect. Apparently the film Bharjari is now a Rs. 50 crores club cinema in a span of 50 days and is another major booster in the career of Dhruva Sarja. It adds to his intention of reaching Rs. 6 crores remunerations, in fact Dhruva Sarja admits that his remuneration is not even half of the budget of the film Bharjari. “I am at the reach of this rumor yet for me the story, the team & the budget of the movie is more important” avers Dhruva Sarja.

Six Million Followers For Dhanush

Dhanush hits 6 million followers on Twitter and it’s indeed a grand welcome for the first ever look poster of his Hollywood film The Extraordinary Journey OfThe Fakir. Touted to be a comedy action adventure, the film is an adaptation of the best selling Romain Puértolas’ novella “The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir Who Got Trapped In An Ikea Wardrobe”, which has been translated into 35 languages. Directed by Ken Scott, The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir also has Barkhad Abdi of Captain Phillips fame, Berenice Bejo, Abel Jafri & Erin Moriarty. The film is doing extraordinary pre – release business in varied markets across the globe and Sony Pictures is said to be the front runner for the key territories. The film is all about a timing youngster, who decides to go on a voyage to find his dad.

Darshan Award Controversy Clarified

The trio of Manjunath Karma, Sujith & Kiran Baratur from United Kingdom Karnataka Chamber, arrived to Bengaluru to clarify the doubt & the prestige of the unit they have started to promote Kannada culture & heritage. The rumor in the air that Darshan was given an award was not proportionate to the Global Diversity Award made the trio from UK to reach Bengaluru & clarify on the honor done to the challenging star Darshan. The Global Diversity award is constituted by British Parliament member Veerendra Sharma & Karnataka Business Chamber proposed the name of the challenging star Darshan as Manjunath Karma a hotelier in UK is a long time friend. On assessing Darshan’s image it was Veerendra Sharma in his individual capacity who arranged for the honor inside the House of Commons. There is no doubt about it avers Manjunath Karma. On the level of the award he says that the Global Diversity award is set up by Keith Waz a British Parliament member. As Veerendra Sharma who represents Punjab discussed with the Karnataka Business of Chamber the similar kind of award with new title was applied for registration. That is none other than “Global Integrity Award”. The first ever presentation of this award was bestowed on Darshan from South India. The patent for this is at the process of finalization but after the approval letter to go ahead, this award was given to Kannada actor Darshan. There was a binding that nothing should be disclosed till the award’s evening is completed. The D page has not created any confusion. We wanted to reach Bengaluru and give further details stated Manager to Darshan Mallikarjun. Any Kannadiga getting this honor is a pride moment felt the four sitting on the dais.

Vishal Contributes Rs 10 Lakhs For Harvard Tamil Chair

Vishal has donated RS 10 lakhs to create a Sangam Tamil chair at the reputed Harvard University. Already, Suriya, Kamal Haasan & GV Prakash have voiced out for this noble cause initiated by cardiologist Vijay Janakiraman & oncologist S. T. Sambandam, US based Tamil enthusiasts. The Tamil Nadu Government has also announced RS 10 crores to establish the Tamil chair at the university and Tamil people across the globe are also contributing to this attempt because still, they need 23 crores to achieve the 40 crores target. In his statement, Vishal averred, “Languages like Ukrainian & Celtic are spoken only by three crores and 1.5 crores of people across the globe but they have chairs at the Harvard University. Tamil, one of the oldest languages in the world, which is being spoken by more than 8 crores of people should also have a chair at the Harvard University.”

Rs 2 Lakhs Robbery At Chiru’s House

A complaint has been lodged against one of the workers in megastar Chiranjeevi’s house named Chinnayya. The culprit is said to have robbed Rs 2 lakhs. While no one doubts the robbery per se, there are doubts about the money involved. Also instead of dealing with Chinnayya in their own style, reporting him in the police station surprised one and all. Rupees 2 lakhs is a big amount, but for someone like Chiranjeevi, it is peanuts, so why then did they complaint against Chinnayya is the big question. In the past, when NTR Sr was in power, money stored in film cans kept vanishing. At the time, a person was arrested. However, later, nothing came out about the matter. This time too, the servant could have been beaten up or sent away, but Chiru’s family chose to put him in jail. One version is to do what they want to do with him, a police complaint is necessary and a complaint has been lodged to this end. There have been instances where film people are taken and ransom is demanded, there are also stories of forcing them to write their properties on their name. Besides it is also rumored that a bigger amount and a bigger story is involved in this matter too.

Gautham Menon Plans To Release Dhruva Natchathiram As A Three Part Franchise

Director Gautham Menon is currently busy with Chiyaan Vikram’s spy action thriller Dhruva Natchathiram and the director’s long delayed Enai Noki Paayum Thotta with Dhanush also has 15 days shoot left. Both Dhruva Natchathiram and Enai Nokki Paayum Thotta will be releasing within three weeks gap. Gautham Menon is also said to be planning to release Dhruva Natchathiram as a three part franchise. After completing these two films, Gautham Menon is also planning for a multi – starrer film with four leading actors from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam & Kannada. Anushka Shetty & Puneeth Rajkumar will also be seen playing a pivotal role in the multi – starrer film. Meanwhile, Gautham Menon is also likely to direct Arun Vijay’s twenty fifth film for which the actor recently went to Paris to physically train himself. But it’s unclear whether Arun Vijay’s twenty fifth film and the multi – starrer are the same film or different projects.

Anupama Parameshwaran Gets It Right

The luckiest heroine in Tollywood seems to be Anupama Parameshwaran. As she is getting everything right in her stint in Telugu film industry. Her decision to dub the dialogues in Telugu has also paid off. Not many know that she has dubbed her voice in the recently released movie Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi. One must say that her Telugu diction & her dialogue delivery are pitch perfect. She is being appreciated by all. Anupama Parmeshwaran who hails from Kerala is just four films old in Telugu Cinema. Yet, she has mastered the Telugu language. She has now decided not to use a dubbing artiste for Telugu dialogues hence forth. She will be dubbing her voice in all the forthcoming movies. Anupama Parmeshwaran has tasted hits with A Aa, Premam & Shatamanam Bhavati. Although Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi didn’t receive encouraging reviews, she won the accolades even from the hardcore critics.

Amala Paul Lands Herself In Trouble

It has become a practice for affluent people to buy luxury cars and register it in Pondicherry or any other union territories to evade huge tax. But when you are a celebrity and under public eye, there is no escape from the Income Tax department’s radar. Amala Paul had recently purchased a Mercedes S Class, which is worth more than Rs 1. 20 cr. To pay a lesser tax, Amala Paul under the advice of people close to her, registered it in the name of an engineering student from Pondicherry and the poor guy has no clue about it. After registering the car in Pondicherry, Amala Paul evaded nearly 20 lakhs tax and drove down to Kochi and started flaunting it. If someone has a car registered in another state but plying in Kerala for more than one year, they have to change the registration number and pay 20% of the total value of the car as tax to the local Government. Amala Paul is yet to react on this allegations spreading about this in the varied media houses.

Athulya Ravi Apologizes

Athulya Ravi is a popular name on Facebook and Twitter. Athulya Ravi had made her debut with Kaadhal Kan Kattuthe, which wasn’t a big hit at the Box – Office turnstiles but the reviews highlighted the performance of the actress and she enjoys a good fan following for her homely appearance in the film. But the teaser of Athulya Ravi’s upcoming film Yemali has shocked her fans beyond imagination, as they didn’t expect the actress to opt for such extreme glamour and smoking scenes in her second outing. Athulya Ravi has now reacted on her social networking page and profusely apologized to all her fans for her role in the film. Athulya Ravi avers that the scenes shown in the teaser will not be featured in the film but it sounds ridiculous because no director would accept to chop off the scenes which are getting good mileage on YouTube. The actress also thanked a few people for supporting her by sending positive vibes and Athulya Ravi finally avers that she only tried to justify her character in the film.

Anu Emanuel Wants To Settle Down

Some heroines come to Telugu film industry from other film industries and settle here and some heroines get their break in Telugu film industry and later take off to other film industries. Anu Emanuel belongs to the first category. She says that Telugu films are her first ever priority. She also acted in Tamil film industry. But if things work out, Anu Emanuel avers that she plans to maker her money in Tollywood. “I will remain in Tollywood. I hope to get good offers. Right now, I have a car & a flat. But I want to buy a bigger flat. I am getting more offers here. So, I will settle down in Tollywood,” avers Anu Emanuel. On her Tamil film debut, Anu Emanuel avers that she did it for the high remuneration offered. However, Anu Emanuel quickly adds that she will not repeat the mistake. Right now, her Tamil film Tupaarivaalan is being released as Detective in Telugu.

Double Shock For Lavanya Tripathi

Lavanya Tripathi got a rude shock from the makers of 100% Kadhal, a remake of Telugu hit 100% Love. Recently Lavanya Tripathi has been replaced by Arjun Reddy fame Shalini Pandey in this Tamil film. The reasons for replacing Lavanya Tripathi with Shalini Pandey are unknown. However, the producers of 100% Kadhal have lodged a complaint against Lavanya Tripathi for not being available for them despite making an agreement. They have reportedly stated that they lost so much money because of Lavanya Tripathi’s exit and are demanding for a compensation of Rs. 3 crores. Lavanya Tripathi who has been receiving a lot of flak for her underwhelming performance in the recently released Vunnadi Okate Zindagi got another jolt because of this dispute. Anupama Parameswaran totally outclassed Lavanya Tripathi in Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi (VOZ) in each & every aspect. She has pinned a lot of hopes on the film to give her an image makeover, but she turned out to be one of the weakest links in the film. Now she is into a legal soup even before she has recovered from the Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi (VOZ) mishap.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu Feels That Her Husband Is Hot

It has been almost a month that Naga Chaitanya & Samantha Ruth Prabhu got married. And there is no denying the fact that the lovey dovey couple are still in the honeymoon mode. Apparently, to celebrate the first ever month of their wedding, Naga Chaitanya gave a special party for his wife Samantha Ruth Prabhu. And it was she who disclosed this to the whole world after calling her husband hot. Well, it was at no fancy place, but Naga Chaitanya actually cooked Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s favourite dishes for her. Apparently, he made truffle pasta for her. And last week, Samantha Ruth Prabhu had turned chef and cooked fish for Chai. Well, these sweet nothings continue to keep them in the news and make the couple drool – worthy giving all couples relationship goals. However, there is still no word about the reception. Though there was a reception recently in Chennai, it was restricted to the Daggubati family. So, it remains to be seen if Naga Chaitanya throws the much talked about reception for the politicians and the Southern filmland biggies.

Sayyeshaa On Board For Karthi And Pandiraj’s Next Movie

Sayyeshaa Saigal of Vanamagan fame has been roped in to play the prominent female lead in actor Karthi’s next with director Pandiraj. To be produced by Suriya’s 2D Entertainment, the film will also have two more heroines. Sayyeshaa Saigal is currently busy with the shoot of Vijay Sethupathi’s comedy action film Junga in Paris and she is expected to join the sets of Karthi & Pandiraj’s film by the end of this month. Imman is likely to compose the music for thios Karthi and Pandiraj’s film but the rest of the cast and the crew will be confirmed soon. Once Karthi completes the promotions of Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, he will start shooting for this as yet untitled film in full swing.

Nivin Pauly & director Rosshan Andrrews are teaming up for the 2nd time. Reportedly, the upcoming movie is a survival thriller based on true events. Scripted by Unni R, the movie will be shot extensively at sea. “We had discussed the subject some time ago. However, nothing is confirmed yet. We are yet to discuss further,” said Unni R in an interview to a popular newspaper. Rosshan Andrrews & Nivin Pauly is currently busy shooting for Kayamkulam Kochunni.

Mohanlal’s Most Awaited Project Dropped?

A day after director Priyadarshan announced that he will be doing an epic film on the 16th century naval chieftain Kunjali Marakkar with Mohanlal in the lead role, Cinematographer Santosh Sivan officially confirmed about his upcoming Mammootty starrer Kunjali Marakkar IV, by unveiling its 1st look poster. Now the latest update is Priyadarshan would be dropping the Mohanlal project. Apparently, the director had quoted saying that he feels there is no need for 2 movies about Kunjali Marakkar in Malayalam Cinema. The director is yet to officially open up on the same.

Dileep’s Ramaleela Enters 55 Crore Club

Ramaleela, the recently released Dileep movie, has already emerged as one of the biggest Box – Office turnstiles success of the season. As per the latest update, Ramaleela is continuing its dream run at the Kerala Box – Office turnstile and has reached the 55 Crore club, the highest grosser in Dileep’s entire acting career. The makers of the film have also come up with a new poster of the film announcing the same. “A time for gratitude & more gratitude… With utmost satisfaction & delight we announce that Ramaleela overcoming every obstacle & hurdle has entered the “55 Crore Club”. I thank God Almighty for giving me the opportunity & ability to carry out this venture. Thanks to all of you who have contributed to our success. Sincere thanks to Tomichayan, Dileepettan, Sachiettan & Noble. This would never have happened without you. Owe this success especially to Dileepettan. Thank you….,” wrote Arun Gopy, the director of the movie. Ramaleela, which is nearing its 50 days of run in the theatres, is bankrolled by the Pulimurugan maker, Tomichan Mulakuppadam under his home banner Mulakuppadam Films. Ramaleela was released on 28th Sept, 2017 and it features Dileep & Prayaga Martin in the lead roles along with Mukesh, Salim Kumar, Siddique, Vijayaraghavan, Suresh Krishna, Renji Panicker & Kalabhavan Shajohn in pivotal characters. With Ramaleela crossing the 50 Crore mark, Dileep has now 2 movies in the 50 Crore club. The actor’s 2015 release Two Countries, directed by Shafi was the 1st ever film to join the club.

Shruti Menon Gets Hitched

Actress & anchor Shruti Menon of Kismath fame got married to a Mumbai based businessman Sahil Timpadia. A video of the couple’s marriage function has surfaced online and audiences are already going gaga over the lovely pair. The couple had been dating for quite a long time and it’s in Mar, this year that they got engaged in Kashmir. Apart from anchoring popular TV shows such as Comedy Stars, Shruti Menon has acted in several films such as Mulla, Apoorva Ragam, Kadha Thudarunnu, Electra and many others. Her role in the critically acclaimed movie Kismath is a notable one.

Mammootty’s New Movie Title Welcomes Trolls!!!

Megastar Mammootty has signed a new project with yet another young director Khalid Rahman, who has already made a mark in Malayalam Cinema with his debut movie Anuraga Karikkin Vellam. According to the reports that have come in, this upcoming Mammootty starrer has been titled Unda. The quirky title has already created curiosity amongst the social media users. While one section of the audiences is celebrating the news, trollers are having a gala time making fun of the title in every possible way. Popular filmmaker Anwar Rasheed will be producing this Mammootty starrer under his own banner Anwar Rasheed Entertainment. An official word from the team is awaited though. Meanwhile, Mammootty is waiting for the release of Ajai Vasudev’s directorial Masterpiece, Shamdat’s Streetlights & Ram’s Tamil – Malayalam bilingual Peranbu.

Prithviraj’s Upcoming Movie To Be Made On A Big Canvas

Prithviraj has just completed the shooting of Vimaanam directed by Pradeep M Nair. As the movie is gearing up for a release next month, Prithviraj took to his Facebook handle to announce his 2nd project with the Vimanam director. Titled Meter Gauge 1904 the movie will explore the 1st ever meter gauge railway service of the erstwhile state of Travancore and will see Prithviraj essay the role of an engineer who was involved in the project’s implementation. The movie is a historic fiction and will have fictional characters as well as those who existed in real life. Meter Gauge 1904 will be made on a big canvas and have a man vs wild feel to it. “It’s a dream that Pradeep & I share. And as always..we are dreaming big. Don’t ask me when..coz there are humongous amounts of research & prep that something like this demands..and definitely don’t ask me how much..coz the last thing we want this film to be known by..is it’s budget,” wrote Prithviraj. Apart from this, Prithviraj has Detroit Crossing, Ranam & My Story that are in the final stages of production along with Anjali Menon’s ucpoming directorial movie.

An editing of The Great India Movie’s Kabristan Ki Ajeeb Dastaan is currently in progress at J. S. Studio, Andheri (W), Mumbai. The film is being written & produced by Suresh Patel, directed by Sushil Kumar. music by S. P. Sen & Anuj Tiwari & cinematography by Babloo Khan. The film Mallika Bachchan, Suresh Patel, Deepak Chauhan, Sapna Sonkar, Sudha Patel, Rahul Chauhan, Anand Gaur, Pushpa Sharma, Anita, Gyanmati, Ramji Yadav, Rajendra Gaur & Viraj R.

Namaste Bihar Shooting Complete

A 30 day’s shooting schedule of Omkar Film & Television Production’s Namaste Bihar has been completed at Munger, Rajgir & different locales of Bihar recently. With this, the entire shooting has been completed. The film is being produced & concept by Rajan Kumar, directed by Laxman Sinha. It has screenplay by Nehal Ahmed, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Satish Sinha & Santosh Puri, music by Aman Shlok, choreography by Gaurav Kaushik, art by Govind Sahani, cinematography by Anil Vaghela & co – produced by Advocate Kalpana Waskar & Laxman Prasad Singh. The film stars debutante Bhumika Kalita, Rajan Kumar, Manoj Sinha, Monika Kanti, Devyank Das, Jeetendra Singh, Sohail Rana, Pramod Nirala, Rajesh Kushwaha, Harsh Kumar, Preetam Adhikari & Ex – Chief Minister of Bihar Satish Prasad Singh.

D K – An Untouch Love Story All Songs Recorded

All the songs of Om Tapeshwariye Films’ D K – An Untouch Love Story has been recorded at Zeal Recording Studio, Goregaon (W), Mumbai recently, under the baton of music director Arvind R. Naik. The song has been rendered by Rehan Khan, Dhanshree Pawar, Nandini Saroj & Monika Vaghmare. The film is being produced by Lalan Lal Manohar Ram, directed by Devendra Kapoor from his own screenplay, lyrics by J. P. Mastana, dialogues by Pramod Mishra, choreography by Govind Anand, editing by Guddu Zafery, cinematography by Unni Nair, production controlling by Shiv Pujan, production managing by Amit Jaiswal & music arrangement by Anil Gaonkar. The start to finish shooting is going on 12th November at Vangani in Maharashtra. The film stars Kamal Yadav, Alankar Shrivastav, Mamta Shastri, Satish Sharma, Lakhan Bhardwaj et al.

The young action prince with hat trick crown Dhruva Sarja is in news on remuneration aspect. In the media it was reported that the remuneration of Dhruva Sarja after Bharjari’s success is Rs.6 crores. He has 3 consecutive wins earning more than Rs.100 crores. Dhruva Sarja did not complaint on it but took it positively in his professional life. He avers, “For me this rumor spread is advantage and now I would feel why not reach to that remuneration” he explained discussing on remuneration aspect. Apparently the sources says the film Bharjari is Rs.50 crore club cinema in a span of 50 days is another major booster in the career of Dhruva Sarja. It adds to his intention of reaching Rs.6 crore remunerations, Dhruva Sarja admits that his remuneration is not even half of the budget of the film Bharjari. “I am at the reach of this rumor yet for me the story, team & budget of the movie is important” avers Dhruva Sarja.

Shivanna Meets Home Minister

Century star Dr Shivarajakumar has taken a new move to meet the increasing traffic problems of outer ring road Nagavara surroundings of Manyatha Tech Park. Shivanna recently met the Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy and explained the traffic hazard faced by lakhs of people. The meeting of Shivanna & Home minister Ramalinga Reddy was held at Vidhana Soudha. The home minister has promised to convene a traffic police meeting to avoid the present hassles in traffic movement. Reacting to the appeal made by Dr Shivarajakumar, Home minister stated that when Manyatha Tech Park business establishments were at the beginning stage there will be 30000 employees in that boundary was given in writing. Now the people coming & going to this Manyatha Tech Park has increased to 1.50 lakhs. Such a massive increase in movement is obviously difficult to the residents living around that area to reach city & return home. However after consulting with Bengaluru Development Minister a solution would be worked out he said. Representing the residents of his locality Dr Shiv held a protest sometime back. He has submitted a memorandum now.

Aishwarya Sindogi Back

The heroine of Sapnoki Raani Aishwarya Sindogi with Srujan Lokesh who later shifted to sister role in Shivajinagara of Dhuniya Vijay in Simhadri, Jackson, Mummy and a song number in Bhujanga with Prajwal Devaraj are in to her account. She is now in Samyuktha 2 as one of the 2 heroines. Audio CD of the film was released in a packed auditorium on Sat night. Cinema was not her dream till an offer came when she was studying PUC. Dance & fashion show was her favorite field. From Samyktha 2 a good progress for cinema profession is her expectations. Director Abhiram has stitched a good story & Dr. Manjunath has lent everything for good output of the film. Good days are ahead is the strong confidence of actress Aishwarya Sindogi.

Dibakar bannerjee, known for perfectionism, worked relentlessly for 2 days to crack Arjun Kapoor’s Cop Look in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar.

Arjun plays a Haryanvi cop in YRF’s forthcoming entertainer Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and his look had the internet buzzing when it was launched recently. Cracking this look, authentic yet distinctive, took a fair bit of time & effort on the part of both the director Dibakar Banerjee & Arjun Kapoor.

Arjun Kapoor disclosed, “I was literally put on house arrest by Dibakar Bannerjee before the look test. I had to grow my full beard so that we could try out various looks before Dibakar froze on what he exactly wants. It took us 48 hours to finalise the look of the Haryanvi cop.” He adds, laughing, “Now, that Dibakar Bannerjee has locked the look, I can finally step out of my house and have a social life before I head to an intensive shooting schedule of the film next week.”

Arjun also adds, “Dibakar Bannerjee’s world is as real as it comes. So we had to crack the policeman look convincingly and still give him a distinctive persona. We spent 2 days to make me look like a police constable who has trained & worked the beat.”

Yash Raj Film’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar co -stars Parineeti Chopra and is all set to release on 3rd Aug, 2018.

After almost 5 decades Basu Bhttacharya’s Teesri Kasam, Phanishwar Nath Renu’s creation, Panchlait hits the celluloid silver screen pan India on 17th Nov, 2017. Phanishwar Nath Renu’s heart – warming stories have always created curiosity amongst the filmmakers yet it remains vastly unexplored with the last release being Teesri Kasam, helmed by Basu Bhattacharya.

Panchlait is the story of a kerosene lamp (which uses paraffin and a hand pump which is used to pressurize, in order to light it up), which plays an integral part in a villagers life and possessing one is a mark of honour. The film revolves around a specific village community, Mahato Tola and acquiring the coveted Panchlait after much ado and chain of incidents leading up to it. The story line is hinged on multiple & layered social interactions and an ethereal romance brewing between the lead characters.

The film is helmed by Prem Modi, his 2nd directorial outing after Arjun a Bengali feature film (2013) written (based on a novel) by Samaresh Mazumder, starring Sabhyasachi Chakraborty, Dipanker Dey, Manoj Mitra, Churni Ganguly et al. Prem Modi has worked with stalwarts like Aparna Sen, Tapan Sinha, Anjun Dutt, Gul Bahar Singh, Shyaman & Jalan, Indranil Goswami amongst others. He has worked on multiple documentaries, internationally recognised & award winning projects. Prem Modi has also worked with powerhouse actors such as Naseeruddin Shah, Irrfan Khan, Amrish Puri, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rituparna Sengupta, Rajit Kapoor, Victor Banerjee, Kay kay Menon, Jimmy Shergil & Sandhya Mridul.

Talking about the release of the film, Prem Modi Stated, “I always had Phanishwar Nath Renu’s stories in mind for my next venture. The simplicity in his stories is irresistible and growing up in Bengal I believe I have acquired a literary bent of mind. Besides I wanted to go Pan India and Hindi had to be my medium of communication this time. The storyline of Panchlait is straight from the Hindi heartland which is the better part of our country and I’m sure audiences around the country will relate to it. It is a tough job to adapt a story like this, since it is popular amongst the Hindi scholars, in fact this story is there in school syllabi. Also, it was extremely important to preserve the same regional flavour & philosophy upon which Panishwar Nath Renu’s stories are based upon. Then I discussed it with my friend Rakesh Kumar Tripathi, who is an excellent writer, my friend & also an associate in this film, thus this project became the dream project for both of us. We were working on this project from the past 8 years, and eventually the story was culminated into an excellent script by Rakesh Kumar Tripathi keeping the core elements intact. From the day we conceived this project to now he is there, in fact the whole cast & crew gave their 100%, making this dream project of mine & Rakesh a reality.”

The ensemble cast of Panchlait boasts of power house performers, NSD graduates & theatre artists such as Yashpal Sharma, Rajesh Sharma, Ravi Jhankal, Brijendra Kala, Lalit Parimoo, Pranay Narrayan, Iqbal Sultan, Malini Sengupta, Kalpana Jha with Amitosh Nagpal (Films – Dabangg, Aarakshan, Rangrez & Red) (RED was not a film, it was a TV series) & Anuradha (a trained classical dancer and acted in films like Days of Tafree, Life Biriyani). Alongside a stellar star cast the film also lists veteran crew members), in the lead.

Talking about the release of the film actor Yashpal Sharma averred, “Panchlait is the kind of cinema that happens once in a while and I’m glad to be a part of the project. The biggest draw for this film is that it is a Paneshwar Nath Renu’s story and we have made the film in its purest form. Keeping everything realistic. I’m waiting for the release now”.

Panchlait hits cinemas around the country on 17th Nov, 2o17.

by Faizan Rizwan & Shaheen Raaj

In an effort to recognize astounding achievers with disabilities for the 16thconsecutive year, CavinKare & Ability Foundation jointly invite nominations for the CavinKare Ability Awards 2018, from across the country. The award aims to recognize & honor people with disabilities for their path – breaking achievements & salute the spirit of individuals who have fought against odds to scale extraordinary heights.

Ever since its inception in the year 2003, the CavinKare Ability Awards have honored over 60 recipients and brought to the limelight their exemplary achievements. Over the years, the awards have come to be recognized as a much sought after recognition by themselves.

These come under two prestigious categories –Eminence & Mastery.

CAVINKARE ABILITY Award for Eminence: This is a single award given to just 1 person with disability, saluting the exemplary achievement of the person, who has not only overcome great odds but has also contributed significantly to society by initiating an organization of his / her own. The award carries a citation, a trophy & a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs.

CAVINKARE ABILITY Mastery Awards: These are 3 awards given to 3 individuals with disabilities from across the country, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement in any field of their choice, be it arts, film, medicine, science & technology, adventure, human rights, sports or more. The awards carry a citation, a trophy & a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh each.

The last date for receipt of nominations is 8th Nov, 2017. A person can be nominated for any 1 category only. Any Indian national with disability (as per the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995) who has done exceptional work in his / her chosen field is eligible to apply. The nominations go through a process of short – listing through interviews & site visits, to be selected by a discerning jury who then decides on the recipients. For more information & to send in your nominations, please log on to www.cavinkare.com or www. abilityfoundation.org or call +91 8939675544.

CavinKare Pvt. Ltd: CavinKare is a diversified FMCG major with the business interest in personal care, professional care, dairy, snacks, foods, beverages & salons. The brand portfolio consists of Shampoos (Chik, Meera, Karthika & Nyle), Hair Wash Powders (Meera & Karthika), Coconut Oil (Meera), Fairness creams (Fairever), Deodorant & Talc (Spinz), Pickles & Snacks (Ruchi, Chinni’s & Garden), Hair Colors (Indica), Retail Salon Products (Raaga Professional), Beverages (Maa), Dairy (Cavin’s) & Beauty Salons (Green Trends & Limelite). Most of the brands are clear winners in their respective product categories. A dedicated R&D center equipped with latest equipment & technologies constantly supports the divisions in their endeavor. Today, with a turnover of over Rs. 1500 crore, CavinKare has achieved significant milestones & a competitive edge with a sound understanding of mass marketing dynamics and has established a firm foothold in the national market. CavinKare’s success is based on it being firmly grounded in its corporate mission “We shall achieve growth by continuously offering unique products & services that would give customers utmost satisfaction and thereby be a role model”.

Ability Foundation: Ability Foundation is a national cross – disability organization established in 1995, which strives for inclusion, empowerment & rights of persons with disabilities. Headquartered in Chennai, Ability Foundation is involved in a wide range of activities that include publishing, media, education, employment & employment related training, advocacy, law & public policy & human rights. Over the years, Ability Foundation has organized several events & also initiated numerous programmes, all of which aim at dispelling stereotypes & changing public perceptions about disabled persons. The Foundation works towards an inclusive society & equal opportunities and a level playing field for all persons with disabilities, stressing on the need for the right opportunities at the right time & an open mind, sans bias.

Drishyam Play recently launched its latest song “Main Banjar”, a haunting composition by Santosh Jagdale featuring the soulful vocals of Mohan Kannan & thought – provoking lyrics by Mukta Bhatt. “Main Banjar” also features in Drishyam Films’ next Kadvi Hawa, directed by Padmashree Nila Madhab Panda of “I Am Kalam fame.” Drishyam Play is an initiative designed to curate & promote fresh music from different parts of our country, beautifully fused with soulful lyrics & earthy vocals.

Drishyam Play, the latest initiative of Drishyam Films that curates & promotes fresh music from different parts of our country, launched its latest song “Main Banjar” on their YouTube channel recently. The song will be featured in Drishyam Films’ upcoming film, Kadvi Hawa.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Padmashree Nila Madhab Panda (of I am Kalam fame), Kadvi Hawa deals with the issue of climate change and stars Sanjay Mishra, Ranvir Shorey & Tillotama Shome in lead roles.

“Main Banjar”, composed by Santosh Jagdale is a haunting ballad which features the soulful vocals of Mohan Kannan & some thought – provoking lyrics by Mukta Bhatt.

The talented Mohan Kannan who has lent his melodious vocals to “Main Banjar” averred, “I’m very proud to be a part of this intense song written brilliantly by Mukta Bhatt & composed wonderfully by Santosh Jagdale. At a time when most songs & films are made on love & romance, it’s great to have a topic like climate change and its repercussions forming the basis for the creative expressions.”

Here are more details on the song: Music by Santosh Jagdale, lyrics by Mukta Bhatt, sung by Mohan Kanan, oud & Bazouki by Tapas Roy, live Rhythms & Percussions arranged & conducted by: Dipesh Varma & strings section written & conducted by Jitendra Thakur.
Drishyam Play was launched in Sept, 2017 with the inspirational song “Khidki” composed by Amit Trivedi & sung by Mohan Kannan.

Drishyam Play envisions being a unique launch pad for promising musicians, composers, writers & vocalists to establish themselves in a highly competitive music industry.

The project is also an effort to bring back some elements and the old world charm of all the genres like Sufi, Folk, Ghazal, Thumris. Drishyam Play will be an indigenous process to select & curate tracks that will eventually become an integral part of the movies produced by Drishyam Films.

The day started with the screening of Deepak Rauniyar’s White Sun, the Oscar Nominated film from Nepal. The other screenings of the day included Pushpendra Singh’s Ashwatthama, Ektara Collective’s Turup, Rahul Jain’s Machines & Iram Haq’s What Will People Say which drew in audiences in large numbers.

Actor & director Konkona Sen Sharma presented a screening of her acclaimed feature. A Death In The Gunj and in the Q & A that followed, she enthusiastically responded to the audiences questions.

Noted actor Adil Hussain conducted a Masterclass session. Titled The Freewheelin’ Adil Hussain, the session saw the actor speaking about his process & journey as an actor.

A Panel discussion titled Charting Troubled Waters saw noted filmmakers from 5 different countries speak about what independent filmmaking stands for in their respective countries. Moderated by noted film writer & critic Aseem Chhabra, the panel included filmmakers Yaniv Berman (Land Of The Little People, Israel), Lijo Jose Pellissery (Angamaly Diaries, India), Mano Khalil (The Swallow, Switzerland) & Yoshinori Sato (Her Mother, Japan).

A discussion on Women In Cinema was also conducted which included celebrated women filmmakers & actors including Konkona Sen Sharma (A Death In The Gunj), Ritu Sarin (When Hari Got Married) founder & director of DIFF), Sayani Gupta (The Hungry), Rasika Duggal (The School Bag), Bornila Chatterjee (The Hungry), Ekavali Khanna (What Will People Say), Maheen Mirza (Turup) & Rinchin (Turup). The discussion touched on a diverse range of topics such as equal pay for women and bridging the gap between mainstream & independent cinema.

Actor & Director Konkona Sen Sharma who was extremely delighted to be at the festival averred, “It is my 1st time at Dharamshala and it was magical. I love Tibetian food, the mountains & the independent cinema and I am so excited to be here.”

Winding up the day, founder – director Ritu Sarin averrerd, “It has been an exceptionally beautiful day. Today we had an amazing session with Adil Hussain where he spoke about his practice & his process as an actor. Everyone is enjoying being at the festival. Ashwatthama was highly appreciated and so was Turup. The documentaries Machines & Cameraperson were also screened. And the audiences really had a tough time deciding what to watch.”

This year’s line – up also included 2 award winning documentaries, Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson (USA, 2016), Rahul Jain’s Machines (India, 2016) which screened at 10 international film festivals & bagged the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Cinematography at 2017’s Sundance Film Festival.

DIFF 2017 also featured the Indian premiere of Out of This World (USA), a newly restored version of journalist & writer Lowell Thomas’ fascinating account of his travels to Tibet in 1949 (originally released in 1954).

This year’s feature films include Dain Said’s Interchange (Malaysia, 2016), Yaniv Berman’s Land of The Little People (Israel, 2016), Dechen Roder’s Honeygiver Among the Dogs (Bhutan, 2016), Yoshinori Sato’s Her Mother (Japan), Mano Khalil’s The Swallow (Switzerland),KarmaTakapa’s Ralang Roadwhich premiered at this year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival (an Indian film to be selected at the fest after 13 years) & Deepak Rauniyar’s Oscar entry from Nepal, White Sun which premiered at 73rd Venice Film Festival & bagged Interfilm Award & new voices / new visions grand jury prize at the Palm Springs festival.

DIFF continues its tradition of showcasing experimental films by presenting the South Asia premieres of 3 features by well – known artists & filmmakers: Amar Kanwar’s Such a Morning (India), and Naeem Mohaiemen’s Tripoli Cancelled (Bangladesh), both of which premiered this year at Documenta 14 & Singapore filmmaker Tan Pin Pin’s In Time to Come, which had its world premiere at Visions Du Reel and was in competition at Hot Docs & Sheffield Doc Fest.

This year’s shorts selection was curated by filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni, whilst Children’s Film Programme was curated by children’s media specialist Monica Wahi.

DIFF is presented by White Crane Arts & Media, a trust founded by veteran filmmakers Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam to promote contemporary cinema, art & independent media practices in the Himalayan regions of India.

This year’s festival was once again supported by its long – term partners, Thyssen – Bornemisza Art Contemporary, and the Government of Himachal Pradesh through its departments of Tourism, & Language, Arts & Culture.

The 1st edition of DIFF was held in 2012. Since then, it has become established as one of India’s leading independent film festivals. DIFF’s cutting – edge & eclectic programming, which includes many India premieres, and its policy of inviting as many directors as possible, has made it one of the “go – to” events in any cinephile’s calendar. At DIFF 2016, 100’s of cinema enthusiasts from across India & the world converged to watch films & discuss the state of modern cinema, whilst some of India’s best -known film critics & journalists were on hand to cover the event.