Sonu Nigam Launches The Book Of Literarian Basant Chaudhary

Mumbai recently witnessed the launch & the unveiling of eminent poet & lyricist Basant Chaudhary’s book of poetry titled Chaahaton Ke Saaye Mein – In The Shadow Of Desires. Sonu Nigam along with award winning lyricist Sameer with much fanfare unveiled the book Chhahaton ke saaye Mein which is a collection of more than 100 Poems, Nazms & Ghazals with the underlying theme of love. Also present were stalwart Hindi poet Vishnu Khare & lyricists Hasan Kamal & Sameer, making the literary event abuzz with their presence. Later, the soulful rendering of the title poem, sung by Sonu Nigam enthralled the audiences. The song is composed by Rinkoo Sushant -Shankar. Vishwas Kini & Suelen feature in the video directed by Prathamesh Patil.

Shamita Shetty Gifts Herself A Luxury Car!

Shamita Shetty, who has an interesting line up of projects including an international movie, The Tenant & action – adventure reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi, has recently gifted herself a luxurious car. It is Shamita’s way of pampering herself since she wanted to buy a high – end Sports version since a long time. She already had a car in her mind, BMW 630i GT and her super cool car was recently delivered to her place.

Trailer Of ‘Satyameva Jayate Released’

The trailer of Satyameva Jayate starring John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Aisha Sharma & Amruta Khanvilkar was released at an event in Mumbai. Along with the star cast of the film also present were producers Bhushan Kumar & Nikkhil Advani & Milap Milan Zaveri (Directors). The film revolves around a police officer who fights against corruption. The film is high on action & drama. Satyameva Jayate produced by T – Series & Emmay Entertainment is slated to release of 15th Aug, 2018.

Prachi Tehlan To Star With Mammootty

Unlike those actresses who end up being a 1 hit wonder, Prachi Tehlan carved a niche for herself in the industry. With an unexpected entry in entertainment industry, Prachi turned every hurdle into an opportunity and left behind almost every leading lady of the Indian television including Divyanka Tripathi & Deepika Singh. She is counted amongst those actresses who left a mark in the Indian television & Punjabi film industry, and now is all geared up to sizzle the Malayalam film screen alongside Mammootty. Project titled as Mamankam, the movie is one of the most expensive film ever made in the Malayalam industry. After bringing laurels for the nation in the game of Netball & Basketball, Tehlan stepped in the television industry through her role of Aarzoo in the Star Plus show Diya Aur Baati Hum. Later, Prachi was shortlisted for another prime time show Ikyawann in the first go but ended up getting finalized only after a period of 1 year. There have not been many actresses who could match Tehlan’s pace in stepping up the ladder of success just in the matter of 2 years of her journey in this industry. Indeed she proved her worth.

Hindi Version Of The Hit Song “Zingaat” Released

The peppy dance number ‘Zingat’ from 2016 Marathi hit Sairat was an instant hit amongst the masses & the entire nation was swinging to its beats. Now, the song has been reprised in Dhadak starring Janhvi & Ishaan which is a Hindi adaption of Sairat. The reprised song is composed by Ajay – Atul who also composed the songs of the Marathi hit. For the Hindi version, Amitabh Bhattacharya has been roped in as the lyricist. Dhadak’s “Zingaat” has been choreographed by Farah Khan. Dhadak directed by Shashank Khaitan, is produced by Zee Studios & Dharma Productions. The film is slated to release on 20th Jul, 2018.

Kriti Sanon On How To Up Your Ms.Taken Style!

Kriti Sanon who made a foray into the field of designing a year ago by launching her label Ms.Taken in collaboration with Anjana Reddy’s USPL was recently spotted at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, shooting for her brand the diva, recently crowned the “Style Icon Of The Year at IIFA 2018 Bangkok, is said to have upped the style quotient of her line Ms.Taken. Western wear brand Ms.Taken targets the bold & the carefree woman of today and is known for its fun & quirky designs. If the sneak peek into the new Autumn – Winter collection from Ms.Taken is anything to go by, then we know for sure that the line is going to be both cheeky & stylish.

Bhagyashree & Aman Verma Shot For A Commercial

Bhagyashree shot for a commercial for Balaji Construction Company (BCC) with Aman Verma along with child actor Vivaan Jain & Anjali. The commercial is directed by Prabhakar Shukla. The Commercikal has the belief of “Homes For Everyone” & “realize the dream of home buyers”

Aalim Hakim Blessed With A Baby Boy!

Celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim who styles some of the biggest actors in B – Town like Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn & wife Shano Hanspal Hakim were blessed with a baby boy on 27th Jun, 2018. What’s interesting is that 2 years ago on the same day, the duo became parents for the 1st time ever and were blessed with a boy. Both the mother & the child are doing fine. The parents have named their newborn Star. Wishes have been pouring in from Aalim’s friends from the industry and the stylist couldn’t be happier on the arrival of his new born.

Sanju Is An Entertaining Saga That Blends Emotions, Humor & Drama

Banner: Rajkumar Hirani Films & Vinod Chopra Films

Producer: Rajkumar Hirani & Vinod Chopra

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Starcast: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Dia Mirza, Jim Sarbh, Anushka Sharma, Vicky Kaushal

Music: A. R. Rahman, Rohan Rohan, Vikram Montrose, Sanjay Wandrekar & Atul Raninga

Sure enough the blockbuster director Rajkumar Hirani needs no special introduction. And his latest offering Sanju promises to be different and shows the highs as well as lows & dark periods of actor Sanjay Dutt. That it’s directed by Rajkumar Hirani, who has a cent per cent track record and features popular actor Ranbir Kapoor, has added to the excitement considerably.

Biopics are quite in vogue in Bollywood and in recent times, many of them have even tasted massive commercial success. But often, these biopics are criticized as they become quite hagiographic and tend to glorify the person in question. In such a scenario, Sanju lives up to its hype and turns out to be a yet another feather in Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial cap. Actually speaking Sanju is the biopic of the most controversial actor Sanjay Dutt, in the history of Bollywood, and some of the dramatic & the most significant episodes of his life.

Sanjay Dutt (Ranbir Kapoor) is the son of the famous actor Sunil Dutt (Paresh Rawal) & yesteryear actress Nargis (Manisha Koirala). He is about to get launched in a film by his father titled Rocky. Upset with his father, he tries drugs for the 1st time ever courtesy his friend Zubin Mistry (Jim Sarbh). At this point, he finds out that Nargis is suffering from cancer and has few days to live. She is taken to New York for treatment. Sanju is unable to control his drug habit even when his mother is struggling for life. While in New York, he befriends Kamlesh Kapasi (Vicky Kaushal) and they both form a wonderful bond. Sadly due to his drug addiction, his relationship with his girlfriend Ruby (Sonam Kapoor) gets affected and ends on a dismal note. Nargis dies just 3 days before the release of Rocky. An overwhelmed Sanju agrees to go for rehab in USA. Once he overcomes this addiction, he gets into a bigger problem. He gets arrested for illegal possession of arms. He’s also accused of aiding the terrorists in carrying out the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in the year 1993. How Sanjay Dutt fights this dreadful charge forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Director Rajkumar Hirani & Abhijat Joshi’s story is interesting but one can sense that they have tried to play safe. But they have balanced it out by not glorifying Sanjay Dutt and showing his bad & dark side too. Also, it’s impressive how Rajkumar & Abhijat haven’t focused on his film career and have focused on his personal life & turmoil’s. Rajkumar Hirani & Abhijat Joshi’s screenplay is terrific and despite the minuses, can be used as a guide on how to write films. With so much happening in the film, the writers ensure that the narrative doesn’t go all over the place. Everything is neatly put together. For instance, when the sequence where the Dutt’s are returning back to India, Nargis’ remarks about Ruby. This is done organically & neatly links to the next sequence which is related to Ruby. Rajkumar Hirani & Abhijat Joshi’s dialogues as always are entertaining, sharp & massy. Few dialogues related to sex will bring the house down in single screens and in the hinterland. A section of the audience however would also be put off by such jokes & dark humor at places.

Rajkumar Hirani’s direction as expected is highly effective. This is no easy film to make but he executes & presents the plot in a simple & crisp manner. His magic comes to the fore in several sequences and is bound to leave the viewers smiling & even teary eyed. However, the climax could have been better & more powerful.

The biggest strength of Sanju is that the film never drops. The screenplay is riveting and keeps you hooked, even if you might not agree with the goings on. And that’s a feat for a film which is 160 minutes long. The back & forth narrative works very well and keeps viewers intrigued. The 1st ever half is excellent and boasts of some fine emotional, funny & dramatic sequences. The intermission point comes as a bolt from the blue. The madness continues in the 2nd half but the plot gets a bit shaky here. The film goes on a high in the 1st half but the same doesn’t happen in the 2nd half. The film should have ended with a punch or on a rocking note, as it has happened in the previous Rajkumar Hirani films. However, the film leaves a strong emotional impact overall, which works very well.

Songs are not that great but work well in the film. “Kar Har Maidaan Fateh” is the best of the lot. “Main Badhiya Tu Bhi Badhiya” is very well picturised & imagined. “Ruby Ruby” (by A R Rahman) is relegated to the background. Sanjay Wandrekar & Atul Raninga’s background score is much better & exhilarating. S Ravivarman’s cinematography is splendid and has captured some of the locales beautifully. In fact, he impresses right from the 1st shot itself, a bird’s eye view of Bandra. Shashank Tere’s production design is appealing & rich. Eka Lakhani’s costumes are authentic. Vikram Gaikwad’s make-up design, Clover Wootton’s prosthetics & VFX by NY VFXWaala deserves the highest praise for making Ranbir look like Sanjay Dutt through the ages. Rajkumar Hirani’s editing is crisp.

Performance wise it is Ranbir Kapoor who owns the film, in fact he is the life & soul of the film and delivers a terrific & power packed performance. Nowhere does his performance seem like a caricature and he gives his best shot in ensuring that he looks & behaves like Sanjay Dutt. Watch out for him in the emotional sequences, particularly when his mother passes away and he confesses to his father that he needs to get better. Also he’ll leave viewers moist eyed in the scene where he fails to read his speech to his father and later the inevitable happens. Sanju surely ranks as one of the most or arguably the most accomplished performance by this young actor and is bound to win him accolades, admiration & awards galore! Paresh Rawal is also quite impressive and plays the important part of Sunil Dutt with perfection. Sanju, in fact, is a father-son story and he compliments Ranbir very well in taking some scenes to greater heights. Vicky Kaushal is the surprise package of the film. Right from his entry, he makes a mark and brings the house down at several places. Also, he’s rocking in the emotional sequences like when he meets Ruby or when he tells Sunil Dutt that they need to help Sanjay Dutt. Even in the 2nd half, watch out for him when he meets Sanjay Dutt in the hospital and in the pre-climax when he listens to the radio. Manisha Koirala has a supporting part but is an important pillar in the film and charms with her performance. Anushka Sharma (as Winnie Dias) delivers a splendid performance. Again, her screen time is limited. Jim Sarbh makes an impact with his role. Sonam Kapoor (as Ruby) is decent in the cameo. Boman Irani (as Homi) contributes to the fun quotient. Sayaji Shinde (as Bandu Dada) looks every inch a gangster. Dia Mirza (as Maanayata Dutt) gets overpowered. Aditi Seiya (as Priya Dutt) looks quite like Priya but doesn’t have much to do in the film. Karishma Tanna (as Pinky) is quite sizzling and makes a mark, despite being there for just a scene. Mahesh Manjrekar (himself), Piyush Mishra (D Tripathi), Ashwin Mushran (security officer), Bharat Dabholkar (lawyer) & Aanjjan Srivastav (minister) are good.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Sanju is an entertaining saga that blends emotions, humor & drama in adequate doses. It is powerful, engaging, emotional as well as compelling. The combination of Rajkumar Hirani & Ranbir Kapoor works like a dream. At the box-office turnstiles, despite not being a “typical Rajkumar Hirani family entertainer’, Sanju will score tremendously and emerge as a Monstrous Hit! Don’t miss it!

Pakistani singing sensation Ali Zafar made a promising acting debut in India with the Bollywood film “Tere Bin Laden” in 2010. He went on to show his acting skills in Indian films, including some backed by the popular banner Yash Raj Films (YRF). Now he hopes that “Teefa In Trouble” — his maiden film in Pakistani cinema — crosses boundaries and makes a mark in India.

Ali is actor, producer, singer and writer of the romantic action comedy film, which will hit the screens in about 25 countries on July 20.

Is India, with whom Pakistan shares a bitter-sweet relationship, part of the list?

“Hopefully. It is on the cards. If everything goes well, then yes,” Lahore-based Ali told IANS in a telephonic interview.

“We have made the effort, given our best. It is all about giving respect and getting respect back. It is a film, it is entertainment. I hope that it gets screened over there (in India) and makes a mark and more stuff like this should happen. My job is to try. I don’t think about the negative side at all,” he added.

Only a handful of Pakistani films like “Khuda Kay Liye” and singing superstar Atif Aslam-starrer “Bol” got to enter the Indian market. Asked if Ali would like that to change, he said: “As an artiste, I feel that our work should be heard and viewed by as many people as possible in the world. I think we want that there should be peace… peace, having a cordial relationship and love are what we all want to prevail.”

The music of the film is available in India though, thanks to Junglee Music.

He has also joined hands with YRF for the international theatrical distribution of his home production.

“We feel honoured and proud that a banner like YRF is distributing my first home production.

“I have worked with Yashji (late filmmaker Yash Chopra) and the production house. The most important language spoken there is the language of love which is why the love story in our film, the way we have have shot it…even ‘Chan ve’, which is a love song… you will find a lot of Yash Chopra and YRF vibe in them,” said Ali, who worked with the banner for films like “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan” and “Kill Dil”.

Any more YRF films in pipeline? “Let’s see. Right now, it’s just ‘Teefa In Trouble’.”

The forthcoming film is a family affair with his wife Ayesha Fazli co-producing and brother Danyal Zafar co-writing with him.

“We shot the entire film like a family. Even the director, Ahsan Rahim, is a close friend and like a mentor. As a producer, it was my job to make everyone feel at home and work like a family. There is message in the film also — it’s about the journey more than the destination. The process needs to be really enjoyable,” said the “Sun re sajania” hitmaker.

“Our objective was to make a film that is first of its kind… that has its unique identity and flavour. It can be watched with family again and again.”