The 1st ever Powerbrand- Bollywood Film Journalists & Film makers Award, organized by Planman Media, was a resounding success held at Hotel Novotel, Juhu, Mumbai on 11th Sept, 2017. Guest of honor & hall of fame Power couple Rishi Kapoor & Neetu Singh were the cynosure of everyone present there. Director Rakesh Omprakash Mehra too was present to support the very genuine & the very transparent award voted by the film journalists, who primarily comprised of the voting jury members. Arindam Chaudhuri, the man behind Planman Media thanked the voting jury profusely for their integrity their courage in voting in a very transparent manner.

Besides the winners who came to collect the awards, the other celebrities present were Divya Dutta, Manjari Fadnis, Indrani Haldar, Daboo Ratnani, singers Shweta Pandit, Shaan, Neeraj Shridhar, Ankit Tiwari. Planman Media’s Arindam Chaudhuri, Rajita Chaudhuri & Arundhati played the perfect host to the Bollywood guests, and the power packed corporate & brand managers present. Her Excellency, Dr. Najma Heptulla (Governor of Manipur) was the Chief Guest.

Planman Media Arindam Chaudhuri, averred, “I hope one day Aamir Khan takes back his vow of not attending any awards functions and makes his 1st appearance here due to its completely transparent nature. What makes these awards special is the fact that not just the winners, but the associate winners will also be felicitated. After all movie making is a tedious process and if you are the 2nd best out of hundreds of films released every year, you surely are no less than the winner itself.”

Besides the other unique aspect of the award was to honor the outstanding Journalist as well as the Critics who have contributed immensely in the Bollywood Ecosystem. Celebrated Journalist & Trade analysts like Meena Iyer, Ram Kamal Mukherjee & Taran Adarsh were awarded for their contribution to the film industry.

On the occasion of the launch of the awards, a coffee table book, Bollywood’s 70 Most Iconic Power Brands, written by Arindam Chaudhari & Rajita Chaudhuri was also launched. The book that celebrates 70 years of Indian Independence, takes a peak into the most powerful icons of Bollywood. The book is one of the greatest tributes to the Most Powerful Living Icons of Bollywood …The Power Brands of Bollywood.. A grand research driven design marvel that showcases the 70 Most Powerful Living Icons of Bollywood through a 2 – page tribute to each of them. “Bollywoods 70 Iconic Power Brands” features 20 each of the most powerful male & female actors, 20 of the most powerful producers, directors & distributors and 10 of the most powerful musicians!!! One of the 20 most iconic & powerful film makers of Bollywood is also featured in the book.

The 1st Power Brands – Bollywood Film Journalists & Film Makers Awards, organized by Planman Media, began with a mission & vision to recognize excellence & honor the finest in cinematic achievements, with high integrity & transparency and become the true voice of creative filmmaking in Bollywood.

Recent surveys have proved that viewers are being dismissive of the plethora of popular awards being dished out, which have been “contaminated” with star power, and have wandered away from celebrating true talent, to become a mainstream big publicity party.

After winning 4 National Award Winning films Do Dooni Chaar, The Last Lear, Dosar & Faltu… and the cult classic Mithya, Planman group brings one of the most pioneering efforts to change the awards landscape in Bollywood with the Power Brand – Bollywood Awards. The awards would like to question the status quo and stand out distinctively from the “over crowded” awards scenario, and represent the true voice of those who really matter, by being a fair award through the 1st of its kind open ballot voting. It is akin to an “Honesty Oscars” where the voting jury will consist primarily of Critics / Reviewers, important Journalists, directors & producers who are one in the spirit of transparency & accountability. Planman Media would like the spirit of the award to grow organically every year.

This 1st ever kind of open Ballot completely transparent award in Bollywood had the votes of the “Honorary” jury displayed online in a transparent manner each against their names. It’s a celebration of the spirited pioneers representing the landscape of good cinema, who bring a unique vision to filmmaking. It requires courage in an industry where relationships are supposed to be important, to come out transparently and give your votes through an open ballot mechanism.

The emphasis will also be on emerging helmers, and the awards’ will represent a more consistent view of diversity, an important platform for emerging independent voices & celebrate masterfully written movies, Independent spirit of the directors & the actors. Power Brand Bollywood Award will also be given as an honorary version of the prize to legends who have made important contributions to the Bollywood film industry.

Producer: Bhushan – Krishan Kumar – Milan Lutharia
Director: Milan Lutharia
Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Vidhyut Jamwal, Sharad Kel, Priyanshu Chatterji, Ileana D’Cruz, Esha Gupta, Sanjai Mishra & Denzil Smith
Music: Tanishk Bagchi, Ankit Tiwari & John Stewart Eduri

Usually, catastrophes and tragic incidents give rise to loads of films, be it World Wars, 1992 Mumbai riots, 2002 Gujarat riots, East & West Germany feud, 9/11 etc. But surprisingly, very few films have dealt with the Emergency, considered as a dark period in post Independence era. Before Indu Sarkar that released in July this year, the last film that touched upon this era released 12 years ago, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aaisi. Baadshaho isn’t a political film but does throw light on the horrors of that era. But more or less, the film is an action adventure with inspiration from real life stories.

The scripted scenario of Baadshaho reveals that it is a story of a group of thugs trying to loot a truck full of princely royal treasure. The year is 1975. Emergency has been declared and the Government targets the royal families of Rajasthan, alleging that they have not declared their wealth after the privy purses were abolished in 1971. Gitanjali (Ileana D’Cruz), a royal princess, is arrested. Her palace gets looted and all the treasures are seized by the Government to be taken away to Delhi. Gitanjali wants to stop this legalized plunder of her wealth and she asks her lover Bhawani Singh (Ajay Devgn) for help. Bhawani Singh recruits a team of badasses just like himself, the flirtatious Daliya (Emraan Hashmi), the alcoholic but flawless locksmith Guruji (Sanjay Mishra) & the sexy loyalist of Gitanjali namely Sanjana (Esha Gupta). The mission is to stop & loot the truck carrying Gitanjali’s treasures under the orders of Major Seher Singh (Vidyut Jammwal). They have 96 hours the distance is 600 kms of open desert. How the badasses manage to succeed in their mission forms the rest of the story.

Baadshaho begins on a great note. The opening party sequence might not seem that significant but its relevance is revealed in the later portion of the film. Hence, one shouldn’t miss the opening at any cost. The badasses are introduced in style soon after the plot is established. The heist takes place only minutes before the intermission. But till then, the film manages to engage with its dialogues, drama & direction. 2 scenes really stand out at this point, the chase sequence between Dalia & Seher and how the badasses plan to steal the Gold from the truck. The latter sequence is something to watch out for and its unique execution will surely surprise you. The intermission point is a blast and the twist in the tale unveiled at this point takes the film to another level. Post interval too the madness continues. Dalia barging into the police station with the armored truck is bound to be loved. However, the film ends on a confusing & an abrupt note. The finale fight goes for a toss, there’s too much of smoke in the visuals and it becomes difficult to comprehend what’s exactly happening.

Songs don’t have a role to play in the film. 2 songs out of 3 are relegated to background; “Mere Rashke Qamar” & “Hoshiyar Rehna”, both are foot-tapping. “Piya More” is quite exciting & well shot. John Stewart Eduri’s background score is a big highlight of the film. It adds to the excitement. Sunita Radia’s cinematography is 1st rate. The barren Rajasthan land is well shot. Payal Saluja’s costumes are noteworthy, especially the ones worn by Ileana D’Cruz. Shashank Tere & Saini S Johary’s production design is authentic & quite meticulous. Aarif Sheikh’s editing is passable while Ramazan Bulut, Javed & Aejaz’s action is good.
Rajat Aroraa’s story is interesting. Rajat Aroraa’s screenplay is effective in the 1st half but stumbles heavily in the 2nd half. Rajat Aroraa’s dialogues however are top class & maintain the entertainment quotient in the film. Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, The Dirty Picture, Kick, Gabbar Is Back & now Baadshaho, Rajat truly takes films on a high with his one – liners! Milan Luthria’s direction is simple and he manages to keep the proceedings free of complications. He understands that this is a massy flick and should have a pan – India appeal. In that regard, he scores. But just like the script, the direction too falters towards the end

Performance wise Ajay Devgn delivers a 1st rate performance. His character doesn’t fear death and is ready to take up any challenge. Ajay plays the part very well & looks totally convincing. Emraan Hashmi is quite cool and it’s a pleasure to see him playing such a massy, “chichora” role that got him recognition in Bollywood in the 1st place. But one wished his funny side was exhibited more in the 2nd half. Ileana D’Cruz looks every inch a Queen in distress. She carries herself very well & dominates a chunk of the 1st half with ease. Esha Gupta is confident but sadly, doesn’t have much to do. Her character in fact isn’t well established, who is she & where has she come from? Maybe, if her character was sexier or more glamorous, it would have been better. Vidyut Jammwal gives his best shot but gets overshadowed in the presence of so many performers. Sanjay Mishra arguably gives the best performance out of all the actors. The actor plays his part & mouths his dialogues with style & panache. Sunny Leone is as usual smoking hot. Priyanshu Chatterjee as Sanjeev plays yet another version of Sanjay Gandhi after Neil Nitin Mukesh in Indu Sarkar and just like the latter, he is wasted as well. Denzil Smith (Rudra Pratap Singh) & Sharad Kelkar (Durjan Singh) are decent.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Baadshaho is a nice package of great dialogues, amazing visuals, efficient direction, superlative performances, exciting action & tension filled drama. At the Box – Office tyurnstiles, the film is bound to grow over the weekend and has also benefited on weekdays due to the post – Eid celebrations. If you are a fan of thriller, action & masala movies, you shouldn’t miss this one.

Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has finally pulled the plug on its controversial show Pehredaar Piya Ki with effect from 28th Aug, 2017. The channel will instead work on developing interest in its upcoming shows.

Asianet News Network Acquires Tamil News Website

Rajeev Chandrasekhar promoted Asianet News Network (ANN) has acquired Tamil digital news platform, Newsfast. With this acquisition, the group’s digital news media reach spans all the 4 Southern languages & English. ANN owns & operates 2 news channels, Asianet News in Malayalam & Suvarna News in Kannada. It also runs a Kannada newspaper, Kannada Prabha.

Nikhil Kumar is CNN International’s New Delhi Bureau Chief

CNN International recently announced Nikhil Kumar as the New Delhi bureau chief. Based in country’s capital, Nikhil Kumar will be responsible for the strategic planning of the network’s multi – platform news coverage from India and the region. Nikhil Kumar, who graduated with honors in philosophy from University College London, will take up his new role in Sept, 2017.

Colors To Launch 2 Fiction Shows

Colors is all set to launch a romantic love story, Tu Aashiqui & a suspense drama, Ishq Mein Mar Jawan. The time & date of launch has not been announced yet. Tu Aashiqui is a teenage love story based on the film Aashiqui. It is the story of a middle – class girl named Pankti Sharma who falls in love with a musician named Ahaan Dhanrajgir. Pankti’s mother tries to separate them by getting Pankti married to a rich guy.

YouTube Refreshes Logo

Google owned video platform YouTube has refreshed its logo for the 1st time ever since its launch 12 years ago, and has upgraded its mobile & desktop apps with a slew of new features. The YouTube name has a bold font in black while the red colour on the “Tube” part has been shifted to the new play button icon on the left – hand side.

A + E Networks Asia Launches History In Vietnam

A + E Networks has announced the launch of History In Vietnam adding to its global footprint with over 120 million households across Asia. The global factual entertainment destination, which offers series & specials, will broadcast the History branded 24 hour channel in high definition & fully subtitled in Vietnamese on MobiTV.

Sony To Air 2nd Season

Hindi GEC Sony Entertainment Television (SET) will air the 2nd season of its popular show Super Dancer from 10th Sept, 2017 The show, to be telecast every Sat & Sun at 8 pm, will have Shilpa Shetty, Geeta Kapoor & Anurag Basu on the panel of judges. It will be hosted by Rithvik Dhanjani & Paritosh Tripathi. The 2nd edition of Super Dancer has got on board Patanjali Powervita as presenting sponsor. It will be co – powered by Quick Heal.

Star Plus All Set To Air Lip Sing Battle

Hindi GEC Star Plus is all set to air the Indian version of popular American non – fiction show Lip Sync Battle from 16th Sept, 2017. The show will telecast at 9 pm, every Sat -Sun. Star Plus has named the show Lip Sing Battle. It will feature Farah Khan & Ali Asgar as the show runners. The international format which is popular in US & UK territories features celebrities battling out with each other in lip sync battle.

Colors Bangla To Air Bindass Dance

Colors Bangla is bringing back the 2nd Season of Bindass Dance. The show is all set to premiere from 2 Sept, 2017 every Sat & Sun at 9 pm.

DSport Bags Broadcast Rights

DSport, the sports TV channel from Discovery, has acquired exclusive broadcast rights of famous Mexican pro – wrestling series Lucha Undergorund. DSport will broadcast all the 3 seasons of Lucha Underground, 98 episodes across 3 seasons, every Fri at 8 pm, starting 1st Sept, 2017.

Delhi HC To Wait For Madras HC judgment

The Delhi High Court will wait for the Madras High Court’s verdict before it adjudicates on the petitions filed by Tata Sky & Bharti Telemedia relating to TRAI’s tariff order, interconnection & quality of service (QoS) regulations. The implementation of the tariff order, interconnection & QoS regulations will be on hold till then, the Delhi HC said. The case was heard by a 2 judge bench.

Cartoon Network Enterprises Launches Retro Merchandise collection

Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing & merchandising arm of Turner International India, is all set to bring back the golden age of cartoons with Cartoon Network Retro merchandise. The merchandise range will have iconic characters like Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls & Dexter that have stood the test of time.

BTVI Showcases Editorial Strength

English news channel Business Television India (BTVI) has unveiled a new brand campaign focused on the benefit that the channel brings to the viewers through anchor expertise. This campaign focuses on the editorial assets of the channel. The brand campaign will focus on the channel’s editorial expertise by introducing every anchor in their respective proficiency.

Life OK HD To Continue As Star Bharat HD

Star India is not discontinuing the high -definition (HD) version of its 2nd Hindi GEC Life OK, which has been rebranded as Star Bharat HD. Thus, Star Bharat will have both the standard definition (SD) & the HD version. Star Bharat, which was earlier known as Life OK, will continue to remain a pay channel. Besides being available on pay direct – to – home (DTH) & cable TV platforms, Star Bharat has also beern launched on DD’s free DTH platform Freedish.

ESPNcricinfo Launches Ad Campaign

Cricket portal ESPNcricinfo has unveiled its new campaign “Cricket’s Biggest Fan Club On Earth”, which reiterates ESPNcricinfo’s industry leadership and is part of its strategy to reinforce the strong bond it shares with cricket fans in India. Through the new campaign, ESPNcricinfo wishes to acknowledge its growing tribe of fans and empower them to raise their game. Owing to its fan – first philosophy, ESPNcricinfo has become home to the largest fan base of cricket in the world and has been able to establish a strong goodwill & trust with its constantly growing follower base.

BBC Worldwide India Elevates 2 Personnel

BBC Worldwide India has made 2 personnel changes in its production business. In addition to her creative head position, Soniya Kulkarni has been tasked with the job of business development. In her newly minted role of creative & business head, productions, India, she will lead the charge in winning new business while continuing to oversee the productions & creative teams.

Red FM Ropes In Viacom18’s Ranjit Phatak

FM radio operator Red FM has appointed Ranjit Phatak as the national programming head. Ranjit Phatak, who was leading the creative & strategic vision of MTV programming at Viacom18, will now lead the programming for Red FM network based out of Mumbai.

CBS To Acquire Australia’s Network Ten

US media conglomerate CBS has agreed to acquire Network Ten, one of the 3 major commercial broadcast networks in Australia. This transaction adds Network Ten to CBS Corporation’s global content & distribution portfolios. In addition to core linear channel Ten, the deal includes digital terrestrial television channel (DTT) Eleven, in which CBS already owns a 33% stake, the DTT channel ONE & Network Ten’s rapidly growing digital platform, TenPlay.

Sky & HBO Advance Production Partnership

US cable network HBO & UK pay TV service provider Sky have announced their 1st ever investment as part of their co – production deal, taking a minority stake & seats on the board of Bad Wolf, the production company launched by award winning producers Jane Tranter & Julie Gardner. The deal will see Bad Wolf formalize their role to supply drama for the recently announced co -production partnership between Sky & HBO, which is aimed at funding large scale dramas for the international television market.

WWE Inks TV Deal

Sports entertainment brand WWE & Flow 1, a Caribbean channel for local, regional & global content, have announced a multi -year agreement to televise WWE’s flagship programmes Raw & SmackDown live beginning today. Flow 1 will now be the exclusive English language home of WWE in the Caribbean.

TDSAT Refuses To Grant Injunction

The Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has refused to grant an injunction against Star on a petition filed by direct – to – home (DTH) operators Dish TV & Videocon d2h. Dish TV & Videocon d2h had moved the tribunal against Star India’s decision to launch its re – branded Hindi GEC Star Bharat, which was earlier known as Life OK, on DD’s free DTH platform Freedish.

Colors Grabs Top Spot

Hindi GEC Colors has grabbed the top position from Star Plus in the urban Hindi -speaking market (HSM), according to BARC data for Week 33. Colors registered 41.48 crore weekly impressions, a growth of 5.24% compared to the previous week. Although Star Plus witnessed a growth of 2.67%, the channel slipped to the 2nd spot with 40.99 crore weekly impressions.

Sun TV Network To Shut Kannada News Channel

In a shocking move, Sun TV Network has decided to shut down its Kannada news channel Udaya News, with effect from 24th Oct, 2017 due to mounting losses. As a result of the closure, 73 employees will lose their jobs. Sun TV Network made this revelation in a letter to Karnataka’s social welfare & department of labor secretary dated 24th Aug, 2017.

Dangal Airing Propels Zee Cinema To #2

The airing of Aamir Khan starrer Dangal propelled Zee Cinema to the 2nd spot, according to BARC data for Week 33 in the urban + rural Hindi speaking market (HSM). Zee Cinema jumped 2 spots to take away the 2nd position from Rishtey Cineplex in the week ended 18th Aug, 2017. Star Gold entered the top 5 while Star Utsav Movies exited the table.

NDTV 24×7 Moves Up To #4

TV 24×7 moved up the ladder to the 4th position in Week 33, BARC data showed. The channel, which was #5 the previous week, pushed CNN – News18 to the 5th spot.

Star Movies Tops The English Movie Chart

Star Movies topped the English movie chart with 3.34 million impressions in Week 33, according to BARC India data. The channel witnessed 8.56% growth. MNX (earlier Movies Now 2), which had led the chart last week, slipped to the 3rd spot with 2.62 million impressions. Sony Pix climbed to the 2nd spot with 2.89 million impressions, whereas Movies Now & HBO maintained their 4th & 5th ranks with 2.53 million & 2.37 million impressions, respectively.

Sony Gets 11 Sponsors On Board

Sony Entertainment Television, which has started airing the 9th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) from 28th Aug, 2017 has roped in 11 sponsors for the game show. SET has already locked in 3 sponsors for the show, Reliance Jio as the presenting sponsor, & Vivo & Ching’s Secret as co – sponsors. The other sponsors include Datsun, Raymond, Axis Bank, Akash Tutorial, Big Bazaar & Quick Heal. This year, the season will consist of around 30 – 35 episodes & the telecast starts at 9 pm, every Mon – Fri.

The Jan, 2014 started Kannada film at Kote Venkataramana temple starring lovely star Prem Kumar & charming beauty Kriti Karbanda is back in the news. Kriti Karbanda’s busy schedule when the original schedule received jolt made the team of DRV films to wait. Kriti Karbanda was busy in Mumbai with a few Hindi films. As of now she is taking part in the shooting of her long lapsed Kannada film. A hot song was shot on Kriti Kharbanda & Prem Kumar recently for Dalapathi. As a matter of fact she performs the girl next door role in Dalapathi. DRV Films Dalapathi in the production of Fairoz Khan & Naveen in the direction of Prashanthraj is both class & mass. It has 2 different shades. There are 5 songs scored by Charan – Adhipathi played by Sharat Lohitashva as villain “l am Dalapathi protector of love” says Premkumar. There is some style change in the 2 characters. M S Ramesh has penned the dialogues.

Uppi Relieved As The Land Is Legal

The real star & super star of Kannada Cinema Upendra facing legal hurdles for his Ruppi Resort of 17 acres & 10 Gunta is completely relieved as the court has passed a verdict that everything is legally formed. The single bench judge order was questioned by the state Government in this case. The 2 benches justice S K Mukerjee & Justice Dinesh Kumar upheld the single bench order. Upendra had bought the land in 2005 at Tavarekere Hobli Survey No.13/1 & 14 – it was an agricultural land. As the income of Upendra is more than Rs.2 lakh the purchase is illegal was the objection raised. This order was questioned by Upendra in High Court according to the Karnataka Land revenue Act 79 A abd 79B. The single bench judge passed an order that the land purchased by Upendra is within the framework of the laws of the land.

Arya Makes His Debut In Kannada Cinema

The popular Tamil actor & producer Arya with over 12 years of stint in Tamil Movies now comes to Kannada Cinema for the 1st time. He is playing a crucial role in Raja Ratha that is in the direction of super hit Kannada film Rangitaranga director Anoop Bhandari. Anoop Bhandari’s brother Nirup Bhandari is the protagonist in the film. Recently Parthibhan acted in a Kannada film Daada Is Back, prior to that Shiva Karthikeyan appeared in a song in Vajrakaya of Dr Shivarajakumar. In this song even Telugu actor Ravi Teja also made a brief presence. Tamil super star Dhanush delivered a song for Vajrakaya in the direction of Harsha for music of Arjun Janya. The role of Arya in Kannada Cinemma has been announced at the last schedule shooting of the film. As of now the role of Arya is kept in secret. Avanthika Shetty is the female lead. The film Rajaratha has story, screenplay, direction & music by Anoop Bhandari. Ajay Reddy, Anju Vallab, Vishnu Dakappagari, Satish Shastri are the producers of this film.

Sudeep & Priya To Live Together

The family court divorce case of Kichcha Sudeep & Priya has been withdrawn. The difference of opinion between the 2 has been sorted out. Kichcha Sudeep’s lawyer Babu submitted the signed papers of Sudeep & Priya to the Family Court. And the court has accepted it. In the year 2015 a divorce case was filed in family court. In 2001 they got married and were blessed with a girl child Sanvi. Crazy star V Ravichandran had done his on screen work for Kichcha Sudeep in real life too. As brother & father in Manikya & Hebbuli Kannada films V Ravichandran extended the right advice to Kichcha Sudeep in his personal life. The good advice from senior actor V Ravichandran was respected by Kichcha Sudeep. In the eyes of people Kichcha Sudeep has a solid position today and reversing his decision & living with his wife Priya & daughter Sanvi is welcomed by his fans.

Mohanlal To Make His Small Screen Debut

Mollywood’s superstar Mohanlal is all set to make his official small screen debut. The actor will be hosting an upcoming show named Lalsalam, to be aired on Amrita TV. Mohanlal recently revealed the logo of the TV programme through a special video, which was posted on his official Facebook page. With the official announcement from the complete actor himself, fans have already started going gaga over the show. Meanwhile, Mohanlal is prepping up for his Onam release Velipadinte Pusthakam, directed by Lal Jose. The actor is also gearing up for the shoot of his big budget fantasy thriller Odiyan, the directorial debut of ad film – maker Shrikumar Menon, who will also be helming Mollywood’s most prestigious project Randamoozham, which will start rolling next year.

Priyamani Ties The Knot With Mustafa Raj

Priyamani who has been engaged for a longtime to Mustafa Raj finally tied the knot with Mustafa Raj. The couple got married on 23rd Aug, 2017 in Bangalore. The wedding was a low – key affair with invitations extended only to close family circles & friends, just like her engagement ceremony.Priyamani met Mustafa Raj, a Mumbai based businessman, during an IPL match. Cupid struck & love blossomed between them and the couple soon got engaged on 27th May, 2017 last year in a private ceremony. Having worked in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam & Hindi movies, Priyamani has been honored with varied awards in her long career spanning well over a decade. She has won several awards including the National Film Award for “Best Actress” (2006) for the Tamil movie Paruthiveeran.

Dulquer Salmaan & Rana Daggubati Show Their Camaraderie

Dulquer Salmaan who is known for his close friendship with Rana Daggubati, recently unveiled the trailer of Malayalam dubbed version of Nene Raju Nene Mantri, titled Raja Kireedam through his social media pages. “Privileged to present to you my buddy @RanaDaggubati ‘s next release #RajaKireedom !! Here is the trailer ! Enjoy !! (sic)” posted Dulquer Salmaaan. Also starring Kajal Aggarwal, Catherine Tresa, Navdeep & Ashutosh Rana, Raja Kireedom is gearing up for simultaneous release in Tamil, Hindi & Malayalam in Sept, 2017. While Rana Daggubati branched out his fanbase across the nation with Baahubali, Mollywood’s heartthrob Dulquer Salmaan is gearing up to win the heart of Telugu fans with his debut movie Mahanati.

Dileep Denied Bail

Arrested Malayalam hero Dileep has been denied bail by the Kerala High Court on 29th Aug, 2017. Dileep will continue to be in Aluva sub jail. Dileep was arrested in connection with the case in which a prominent Mollywood actress was molested. The prosecution alleged that Dileep is a King Liar (incidentally the title of one of his films) and has definite links with the key accused Pulsar Suni. The High Court had denied bail earlier too to the actor. The High Court judgment has reportedly mentioned that there are evidences against Dileep. The actor has been in jail for 50 days now.

Nivin Pauly Names His Baby Girl

Nivin Pauly & his wife Rinna welcomed their 2nd baby recently. The proud father has now named his little angel, Rose Treesa Nivin Pauly. The photos from the baptism function have gone viral on social media. However, the baby’s face is not revealed in the pics. Celebrities including Kunchacko Boban & Suraj Venjaramoodu were present at the ceremony. Nivin Pauly & Rinna married in 2010 & also have a son, Daveed Pauly who is 5 years old now. On the work front, Nivin is awaiting the release of Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela directed by Althaf.

Varun Tej’s Career Is Not Looking So Bright

The career of Varun Tej is looking not so bright. He does have a couple of movies on hand and is getting good remuneration as well. Yet, he has no blockbuster in his career. Kanche was the sole success. After delivering huge dud with Mister, he will now be testing his luck at the Box – Office turnstiles again with Sekhar Kammula’s Fidaa. Sekhar Kammula has also gone out of form with his last 2 movies. He needs to prove his mettle again with Fidaa. The teaser of Fidda is not at all interesting. On Sat, he also launched another movie in the direction of a newcomer. This film too is not hot project as far as the distributors are concerned. So his prospects for a blockbuster are looking bleak at this moment. The lanky tall hero is a handsome guy and he looked quite promising when he made his debut. But he has not been able to deliver a blockbuster.

As the launch date of Rana Daggubati’s social media thriller comes closer, fans can rejoice the release of the new poster of Social. Raising a lot of expectations, Viu has released the poster featuring the debonair Rana Daggubati illustrating the question whether social media is a boon or a bane. The captivating poster inspires the narrative of how a single click in the digital world can change a life.

Produced by Whacked Out Media & Guru Films, set in Hyderabad, the 13 episode series is a story about 4 diverse individuals who come together to solve the mystery of a missing girl. The show is based on the theme of social media and hopes to make people aware of the reality of cyber crimes and how internet also becomes the savior. Opening many layers of mystery & thrill, the much awaited series is slated to launch on 8th Sept, 2017.

Directed by Shashi Sudigala, the 13 episode original series will see Rana Daggubati of Baahubali fame along with digital phenomenon Naveen Kasturia, who will be playing the protagonist. Bollywood actor Priya Banerjee will be seen in the role of an aspiring actress in the show. Actors Aradhana Uppal, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan & Preeti Asrani will also essay crucial roles in the series.

Presented by Rana Daggubati, this bilingual fiction digital series is being shot in Hindi & Telugu simultaneously. Speaking about the show, the ace actor says, “This is my 1st ever digital fiction and I strongly feel that with Social we are offering some exciting yet relevant content to our viewers. It is a story that will connect with the digital – 1st audience and as an actor I am glad to be experimenting with different genres & platforms. Today, social media is a big part of our lives and with this show we are portraying the need to be aware of the reality & consequences of our actions in the digital world.”

Naveen Kasturia, who essays the role of the brother of the girl who goes missing, said, “Social is a riveting show that explores the prevalence of social media & cyber crimes. This show is carefully created for the digital medium ensuring a captivating storyline for the audiences who are open to viewing differentiated content, working with Rana Daggubati & Priya Asrani has been very exciting as well. While shooting we kept improvising a lot & tried to keep the process a bit more dynamic.”
Speaking on the show, Bengali beauty Priya Banerjee says, “Digital platforms have a strong impact with their content on millennia’s & I am excited to make my debut with Social. I am playing an aspiring actress who knows what she wants in life and has what one needs to make it into the limelight. I really liked the script as it brings together experimental content portraying the many aspects of social media with a fascinating viewing experience.”

The family court divorce case of Kichcha Sudeep & Priya has been withdrawn. The difference of opinion between the 2 has been sorted out. Kichcha Sudeep’s lawyer Babu submitted the signed papers of Sudeep & Priya to the Family Court. And the court has accepted it. In the year 2015 a divorce case was filed in family court. In 2001 they got married and were blessed with a girl child Sanvi. Crazy star V Ravichandran had done his on screen work for Kichcha Sudeep in real life too. As brother & father in Manikya & Hebbuli Kannada films V Ravichandran extended the right advice to Kichcha Sudeep in his personal life. The good advice from senior actor V Ravichandran was respected by Kichcha Sudeep. In the eyes of people Kichcha Sudeep has a solid position today and reversing his decision & living with his wife Priya & daughter Sanvi is welcomed by his fans.

Kumari Aishwarya To Share Screen Space With Priyanka

The cute & the sweet little daughter of star couple Upendra & Priyanka namely Kumari Aishwarya is all set to share the celluloid silve screen space with mother Priyanka in Howra Bridge under the direction of Mummy…Save Me super hit film director Lohith. This bilingual film is being made in Kannada & Tamil languages. Aishwarya Upendra got many offers her cute looks in the past. But the star couple did not agree for it. This film Howrah Bridge all set for shooting in West Bengal, has a few days of call sheet for Aishwarya Upendra and she will be with her mother Priyanka Upendra, so the nod was given for her debut on screen.

Puneeth Anjaniputra Is Back

The “Raajakumar” of Kannada cinema power star Puneeth Rajakumar’s latest in the production stage Anjaniputhra in the direction of ace dance director & director A Harsha has completed a schedule in Scotland. Songs featuring Puneeth Rajakumar & Rashmika Mandanna were captured. A few days of shoot at Rajasthan was also held for this film. According to A Harsha 80% of shooting has been completed and in 25 days shoot the film moves to post production. It is a remake of Poojai Tamil film. Ramyakrishna is back to Kannada Cinema with a strong name after Baahubali. Sadhu Kokila, Chikkanna, Mukesh Rishi, Ravishanker and others are in the cast. Top actress Haripriya has stepped in for a song in this film with Puneeth Rajakumar, MN Kumar a big name in the industry in all 3 sectors of production, distribution & exhibition is producing this film. Ravi Basrur’s music & Swamy’s cinematography are part of the main technical team.

So Who Will Direct Mammootty!!!

A biopic on the legendary Naval chief of the erstwhile Zamorin of Calicut, Kunjali Marakkar, has been announced some years back. Mammootty has been decided to play Kunjali Marakkar and it was earlier heard that Amal Neerad will be the director. But in a recent interview, Amal Neerad has made it clear that he is not directing the movie. One of the prominent names rumored to be directing Kunjali Marakkar is ace cinematographer Santosh Sivan. He has directed Ananthabhadram & Urumi in Malayalam. However, there has been no official announcements on this news as yet. Writer T P Rajeevan, who wrote Paleri Manikyam is said to be busy penning the script.

Dileep Denied Bail

Arrested Malayalam hero Dileep has been denied bail by the Kerala High Court on 29th Aug, 20179. Dileep will continue to be in Aluva sub jail. Dileep was arrested in connection with the case in which a prominent Mollywood actress was molested. The prosecution alleged that Dileep is a King Liar (incidentally the title of one of his films) and has definite links with the key accused Pulsar Suni. The High Court had denied bail earlier too to the actor. The High Court judgment has reportedly mentioned that there are evidences against Dileep. The actor has been in jail for 50 days now.

Nivin Pauly Names His Baby Girl

Nivin Pauly & his wife Rinna welcomed their 2nd baby on 25th May this year. The proud father has now named his little angel, Rose Treesa Nivin Pauly. The photos from the baptism function have gone viral on social media. However, the baby’s face is not revealed in the pics. Celebrities including Kunchacko Boban & Suraj Venjaramoodu were present at the ceremony. Nivin Pauly & Rinna married in 2010 & also have a son, Daveed Pauly who is 5 years old now. On the work front, Nivin is awaiting the release of Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela directed by Althaf.

Mohanlal’s Odiyan’s Release Date Locked!!!

Mohanlal’s Odiyan has already created a lot of expectations with the motion poster that went viral last month.The shooting of the movie directed by V A Shrikumar Menon, has started rolling in Varanasi recently, as the title character Odiyan Manickan was in Banaras for 15 years before he returned to Thenkurissi, a village in Kerala. The Odiyan team has also locked the release date, as 30th Mar, 2018. As the film is touted to have brilliant action scenes as well as extensive special effects, the team has opted for a delay in the release date. In the movie, Mohanlal plays the last surviving member of a tribal community called Odiyan in Kerala. Mohanlal will be seen in the role of Manikyan, a man who is mastered in Odividya and will be featured in the age of 30 to 65 in multiple looks. As the character demands tremendous flexibility & agility, Mohanlal will be shedding close to 15 kilos, to attain the movie’s 1st look avatar. Odiyan will have Manju Warrier in the female lead along with Prakash Raj & Sathyaraj in important roles. While art director Prasanth Madhav will also be recreating Thenkurissi village for the shooting, renowned fight master Peter Hein will be choreographing the action sequences. Previously, Peter Hein has choreographed action sequences for Mohanlal in the blockbuster film Pulimurugan and he has also worked in upcoming film Villain.

It’s A Wrap Up For Punyalan Private Limited

As audiences are eagerly awaiting the sequel to Jayasurya – Ranjith Sankar’s Punyalan Agarbathis titled Punyalan Private Limited, the director shared a happy news with the fans. Ranjith Sankar recently posted that the team has wrapped up the shoot of the film, and is expected to release on 17th Nov, 2017. “Every film is a result of team work..But this one was truly special. A superb team worked like magic to can probably my most demanding script !!! An experience I will cherish for the reinforcement that such results can be possible if a group of talented people come together passionately believing in it. Even the nature, the system & the fortune stands by you then!!! Excited to see this on screen. Hope it entertains you all!! On 17th Nov, 2017,” wrote Ranjith Sankar. Punyalan Agarbathis, the 2013 release is a socio -political satire, about a Thrissur based young entrepreneur Joy Thakkolkaran, who tries hard to succeed in his business of incense sticks. Punyalan Private Limited will be a continuation of the 1st part and will start from where Punyalan Agarbathis ended. The movie’s female lead will be played by Pretham fame Shruthi Ramachandran. The actress will be playing the character, wife of Joy Thakkolkkaran (Jayasurya). Surprisingly Nyla Usha, who played the female lead in the prequel, will not be part of the film this time. Shruthi will be playing a prominent role and will not reprise Nyla’s role in the film. The new project will also be produced by Jayasurya & Ranjith Sankar under the banner of Dreams N Beyond.

Vinay Forrt’s Next Movie Is Nonsense

Flitting from one project to the other, actor Vinay Forrt is all busy post the grand success of Premam. The versatile actor has signed yet another new project. Vinay took to his Facebook wall to announce his next titled Nonsense directed by debutante M C Jithin. The actor plays a prominent character in the movie which will start rolling on 1st Sept, 2017. He writes, “It is with great joy that I share this news of my very next project. Titled NONSENSE, this film marks the directorial debut of M C Jithin whom I believe to be a very talented director in the making. Under the production of our very own Johnny Sagarika, a brilliant entrepreneur & a fellow film enthusiast and to point out that we have an amazing team of young & passionate people working on & off screen. I play a prominent character in this film and the screenplay is what got me excited to be a part of it and even more exciting is that the shoot has already started. I have great expectations on this film and I hope I have all your love & support as you have in the past. Thank you.”

SEKIGAHARA WINS WEEKEND

Sekigahara, the Masato Harada directed epic about the battle that in 1,600 changed the course of Japanese history, debuted atop the Japanese Box – Office turnstiles for 26th Aug, 2017 & 27th Aug, 2017 weekend. Bowing on 360 screens with Toho & Asmik Ace co – distributing, the film earned $3.6 million on 312,000 admissions. Starring Koji Yakusho & Junichi Okada as opposing generals in the battle, Sekigahara is expected to finish with some $30 million. 2nd highest ranking among new chart entries, at #2 in earnings, was Warner’s new release; Wonder Woman opened on 596 screens, & claimed 2nd spot by earnings, with $2.4 million on 182,000 admissions. In 3 days it took $3.4 million, drawing the sort of young female fans who seldom show at Hollywood comic book films. Holding onto the #2 slot in terms of admissions, the preferred chart system in Japan, was Despicable Me 3. It recorded $2.1 million on 188,000 admissions. Now in its 6th week, with Toho – Towa distributing, the film has a cumulative total of $57 million, a record for an Illumination film in Japan.

KOREA
V.I.P. WINS WEEKEND

Warner Bros.’ 3rd Korean language production, V.I.P. debuted on top of the South Korean Box – Office turnstiles. The Park Hoon – jung movie opened on Wed & earned $6.87 million from 940,000 admissions over 5 days. Starring Jang Dong – Gun, the crime drama involves the son of a high ranking North Korean official who is suspected of committing serial murders & agents that chase after him. Previous winner, A Taxi Driver slipped to 2nd, earning $3.87 million between Fri & Sun. The Showbox movie has earned a total of $80.1 million from 11.4 million admissions since its 2nd Aug, 2017 release. That makes A Taxi Driver the 11th biggest release of all time in South Korea, beating Haeundae, The Host & King And The Clown. The top 2 films accounted for 46% of the total weekend Box – Office turnstiles record. 2 other Korean releases, Lotte Entertainment’s Midnight Runners & Next Entertainment World’s horror The Mimic took 3rd & 4th place, respectively. Midnight Runners earned $3.77 million between Fri & Sun for a total of $34.1 million after 3 weekends. Mimic earned $1.75 million between Fri & Sun for a total of $7.95 million after 2 weekends. Dropping 71%, War ForThe Planet Of The Apes slipped to 5th. The Fox release earned $1.51 million between Fri & Sun to extend its total to $14.3 million after 2 weekends.

“VALERIAN” WINS QUIET WEEKEND

The return of Western movies to Chinese cinemas after a month of absence was an anticlimax. The top 10 films earned a combined $76.7 million, making it only the 20th best weekend of the year to date. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets became the film to finally depose Wolf Warriors II after an unprecedented run Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets opened as the top film with a creditable $28.8 million, according to data from Ent Group. That total was earned on close to 80,000 screenings per day. And it included $3 million from 431 IMAX screens. Prior to this weekend, Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets had a $132 million global cumulative total. So the additional Chinese score will give it some comfort. But it may not last long. Next weekend, Dunkirk will enjoy a wide opening and take all its IMAX theaters. Wolf Warriors II, in its 5th week on release was 2nd over the weekend with $15.8 million. That extended its all -time China Box – Office turnstiles record to $810 million. After the end of the blackout period in which revenue – sharing releases of new Hollywood films are not permitted, the weekend saw 2 more. Disney’s Cars 3 drove in for a $10.6 million weekend, earned from a 4th place score on Fri, and an improvement to 3rd on Sat & Sun. It played on around 42,000 screenings per day. Baby Driver, edited by the censors, was initially given 67,000 screenings, but that total was trimmed by 10,000 screenings on each of the following days, and its score slipstreamed. It finished the weekend with $9.93 million.

This is a tribute to Celluloid Silver Screen’s evergreen actress Saira Banu whose 77th birth anniversary fell on 23rd Aug, 2017. Saira Banu was also known as Saira Bano. She was one of the most popular Indian Hindi film actresses and the wife of the evergreen actor Dilip Kumar. She had acted in many Bollywood films between 1961 & 1988.

Saira Banu was born in India to actress Naseem Banu & film producer Mian Ehsan – ul – Haq, who produced the film Phool in Mumbai & the film Wadah in Pakistan. Her maternal grandmother was the courtesan Chamiyan Bai, also known as Shamshad Begum of Delhi (not to be confused with the famous playback singer of yesteryear Shamshad Begum who was from Amritsar, Punjab). Her niece is former actress Shaheen Banu who is the daughter of her brother Sultan.

Saira Banu spent a significant part of her childhood in London, and went to a finishing school. Her maternal grandmother was from Hasanpur (Uttar Pradesh). Her paternal grandfather, Muhammad Suleman, was an architect who served as the Chief Engineer of New Delhi and was later involved in the construction of Jinnah’s Mazaar in Karachi. Her paternal grandmother, Khatoon Begum, was from Old Delhi’s Mohalla Churiwalan and a daughter of the scholar Khan Bahadur Maulvi Abdul Ahad (1849 – 1920). Her paternal grand – aunt, Khadeeja Begum, was married to the Shah Imam of Jama Masjid in Delhi, Ahmed Bukhari.

Saira Banu was 16 years old in 1960, the year she made her debut in Hindi films. She said in a programme that she had basic talent and little dancing experience. Her peers all were classically trained: which was why she wasn’t put in the top league. Saira started taking Kathak & Bharatnatyam lessons with success and trained herself professionally. Soon she became a dancer and her films flaunted more of her dance.

Saira Banu made her acting debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in the year 1961 in Junglee for which she earned her debut Filmfare nomination as “Best Actress”. The famous song from this movie “Yaahoo!!!!! Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe” sung by Mohammed Rafi was a big success. Junglee was written by Agha jani Kashmiri, who also coached her in Urdu dialogue delivery, given his background in Urdu literature & poetry from Lucknow. Junglee also instantly made her a successful actress throughout the 1960’s as well as early 1970’s.

Saira Banu’s image was that of a romantic heroine for love stories in the 1960’s till 1967. She did one more film opposite Shammi Kapoor named Bluff Master directed by Manmmohan Desai. Some of her successful romantic films included Jhuk Gaya Aasman & Aayi Milan Ki Bela’ with Rajendra Kumar & April Fool with Biswajeet & 5 films with actor Joy Mukherjee namely Aao Pyar Karen, Saaz Aur Awaaz, Door Ki Awaz, Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai & Shagird. She did a double role in the film Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai.

Saira Banu’s 1st film to release after her marriage in 1966, was Aman opposite Rajendra Kumar and she continued to act as the lead heroine till the year 1977. But it is said that the turning point of her career was the comedy & love story Padosan in 1968 opposite Sunil Dutt, which brought her to the top league of the successful actresses and thereafter she started receiving more offers.

Her films with Navin Nischol were very successful like Victoria 203 & Paise Ki Gudiya. In an interview she quoted that she regretted missing the chance of working with Rajersh Khanna. She quoted “I was supposed to work with him in Choti Bahu (1971) but I could not because I was ill. I shot with him for 2 days and found that he was very charming, humble & a shy person”. She did earn 3 additional Filmfare nominations as Best Actress for Shagird (1967), for Diwana (1968) & for Sagina (1974).

Saira Banu’s valiant attempts to establish a reputation as an actress after Sagina & Bairaag (all 3 with Dilip Kumar) & films like Hrishikesh Mukherji’s Chaitali met with limited success although each of them were critically acclaimed. Her only film to be successful at the Box – Office turnstiles opposite her husband was Gopi. She also had stable pairing with Dharmendra which included Jwar Bata, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Resham Koi Dori, Pocket Maar, International Crook & Chaitali.

She also did Pyaar Mohabat with Dev Anand & films with Manoj Kumar, namely Shaadi, Poorab Aur Paschim & Balidaan. She established herself as a versatile actress, post her marriage, with her performances in Padosan, Victoria 203, Jhuk Gaya Aasman, Sagina, Chaitali and with each of them belonging to different genres. She was paired with Vinod Khanna in Aarop wherein the song “Naino Mein Darpan Hai” became a chartbuster in 1974. Her pairing with Sunil Dutt continued to be good at the Box – Office turnstiles with films like Nehle Pe Dehla being successful in 1976. The song “Sawan Ka Mahina Aagaya” became very popular in 1976. However, with films like Daaman Aur Aag, Mounto, Zameer, Koi Jeeta Koi Haara becoming disasters and with some of her films being kept on hold for release like Faisla, Mera Vachan Geeta Ki Kasam, Aarambh, she decided not to sign any more films.

Hence in 1976, Saira chose to end her film career. Subsequently she weathered a storm in her marriage in 1980, when her husband married a girl named Asma, which was quickly resolved. She then appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya (1984) wherein the song “Teri Meri Zindagi” became very popular. Her last film Faisla where she was cast opposite Vinod Mehra which was completed in 1976 but released in 1988.

Saira Banu married actor Dilip Kumar in 1966. Saira Banu was the 3rd highest paid actress in Hindi Cinema from 1963 – 1969 & the 4th highest paid actress from 1971 to 1976.

Actress Shaheen is her niece. She is Saira Banu’s brother Sultan Ahmed’s daughter.
Saira Banu’s husband Dilip Kumar revealed in his 2014 memoir “Dilip Kumar: The Substance And The Shadow” that she became pregnant in 1972 with their son, but at that time she developed high blood pressure in her 8th month of pregnancy and the doctors couldn’t save the baby, which had unfortunately been strangulated by the umbilical cord. After that, they never had children, believing that it was God’s will.

Saira Banu’s some memorable films were Junglee (1961), Shaadi (1962), Bluff Master (1963), Door Ki Aawaaz (1964), Aao Pyaar Karein (1964), Aayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), April Fool (1964), Saaz Aur Awaaz (1966), Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai (1966), Pyaar Mohabbat (1966), Shagird (1967), Diwana (1967), Aman (1967), Padosan (1968), Jhuk Gaya Aasmaan (1968), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Gopi (1970), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Victoria No 203 (1972), International Crook (1973), Resham Ki Dori (1973), Jwar bhata (1973), Sagina (1974), Pocket Maar (1974), Zameer (1974), Paise Ki Gudiya (1974), Saazish (1975), Chaitali (1975), Hera Pheri (1976), Bairaag (1976), Nehle Pe Dehla (1976), Kala Aadmi (1978), Duniya (1984) & Last but not the least Faisla (1988).