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You are here: Home / Archives for Culture & Society

Brad Pitt At His Frankest Best

September 15, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

Hollywood Hunk Brad Pitt happens to be an actor & producer known as much for his versatility as he is for his handsome face. Golden Globe – winner Brad Pitt’s most widely recognized role may be Tyler Durden in Fight Club (1999). However, his portrayals of Billy Beane in Moneyball (2011), and Rusty Ryan in the remake of Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and its sequels, also loom large in his filmography. A little info about the hunky dude will not be out of place at this juncture. Brad Pitt was born as William Bradley Pitt on 18th Dec, 1963, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and was raised in Springfield, Missouri. He is the son of Jane Etta, a school counselor, and William Alvin Pitt, a truck company manager. He has a younger brother, Douglas (Doug) Pitt, and a younger sister, Julie Neal Pitt. At Kickapoo High School, Brad Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student government & school musicals. He attended the University of Missouri, where he majored in journalism with a focus on advertising. He occasionally acted in fraternity shows. He left college 2 credits short of graduating to move to California. Before he became successful at acting, Brad Pitt had supported himself by driving strippers in limos, moving refrigerators & also dressing up as a giant chicken while working for “el Pollo Loco”.

Brad Pitt’s earliest credited roles were in the small screen arena. And the rest, as they say, is history. In this candid interview session Brad Pitt talks about his divorce with his better half Angelina Jolie, quitting drinking & thereby becoming a better man.

*So to begin with how did acting come out of you?

*Well, I think every people act out at some time or the other. In fact when I was a kid, I was certainly drawn to stories, beyond the stories that we were living & knew stories with different points of view. And I found those stories in film, especially. Different cultures & lives so foreign to mine? I think & that was one of the draws that propelled me into films. But of course I didn’t know how to articulate stories. I’m certainly not a good orator, sitting here telling a story, but I felt that I could foster them in films. Comedian Jerry Lee Lewis, was certainly my idol, my inspiration.

*The best actors blur into their characters, but given how well the world knows you, it seems you have a much harder time blurring these days?

*I have so much attached to this facade.

*But then, in War Machine, you find the little gesture that makes the Glen McMahon character ours. Like the way he runs, which is hilarious.

*The run to me was important because it was about the delusion of your own grandeur, not knowing what you really look like. All pencil legs, you know. Not being able to connect reality to this facade of grandeur.

The other equally distinctive characteristic is Glen’s McMahon’s voice. Where did it come from? You know, it’s a little bit of a cliché, but I just enjoyed it too much: There’s, you know, of course, Patton in it. But I could not get Sterling Hayden out of my mind. I’m just fascinated with Sterling Hayden, off – camera, between films, and I couldn’t escape that. There’s even a little bit of Chris Farley in mannerisms. And then Kiefer Sutherland in Monsters vs. Aliens, you know, doing the cartoon voice. It just wouldn’t go anywhere else; it kept coming back there.

*Have you ever felt the need to be more political?

*I can help in other ways. I can help by getting movies out with certain messages. I’ve got to be moved by something, I can’t fake it. I grew up with that Ozarkian mistrust of politics to begin with, so I just do better building a house for someone in New Orleans or getting certain movies to the screen that might not get made otherwise.

*You’re good at playing that kind of character, the one that doesn’t have a truly accurate vision of himself.

*It makes me laugh. Any of my foibles are born from my own hubris. Always, always. Anytime. I famously step in shit, at least for me it seems pretty epic. I often wind up with a smelly foot in my mouth. I often say the wrong thing, often in the wrong place & time. Often! In my own private Idaho, it’s funny as shit. I don’t have that gift. I’m better speaking in some other art form. I’m trying to get better. I’m really trying to get better.

*You’ve played characters in pain. What is pain, emotional & physical?

*Yeah, I’m kind of done playing those. I think it was more pain tourism. It was still avoidance in some way. I’ve never heard anyone laugh bigger than an African mother who’s lost 9 family members. What is that? I just got R & B for the 1st time. R & B comes from great pain, but it’s a celebration. To me, it’s embracing what’s left. It’s that African woman being able to laugh much more boisterously than I’ve ever been able to.

*Do you think if the past 6 months hadn’t happened you’d be in this place eventually? That it would have caught up with you?

*I think it would have come knocking, no matter what. People call it a midlife crisis, but this isn’t the same! No, this isn’t that. I interpret a midlife crisis as a fear of growing old & fear of dying, you know, going out & buying a Lamborghini. Actually, they’ve been looking pretty good to me lately!

*There might be a few Lamborghinis in your future too!

*I do have a Ford GT. I do remember a few spots along the road where I’ve become absolutely tired of myself. And this is a big one. These moments have always been a huge generator for change. And I’m quite grateful for it. But for me, personally, I can’t remember a day since I got out of college when I wasn’t boozing or had a spliff, or something. And you realize that a lot of it is, um, cigarettes, you know, pacifiers. And I’m running from feelings. I’m really, really happy to be done with all of that. I mean I stopped everything except boozing when I started my family. But even this last year, you know, things I wasn’t dealing with. I was boozing too much. It’s just become a problem. And I’m really happy it’s been half a year now, which is bittersweet, but I’ve got my feelings in my fingertips again. I think that’s part of the human challenge: You either deny them all of your life or you answer them & evolve.

*Was it hard to stop smoking pot?

*No. Back in my stoner days, I wanted to smoke a joint with Jack & Snoop & Willie. You know, when you’re a stoner, you get these really stupid ideas. Well, I don’t want to indict the others, but I haven’t made it to Willie yet.

*How about alcohol, you don’t miss it?

*I mean, we have a winery. I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground. I had to step away for a minute. And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good.

*So how do you just drop it like that?

*Don’t want to live that way anymore.

*What do you replace it with?

*Cranberry juice & fizzy water! I’ve got the cleanest urinary tract in all of LA, I guarantee you! But the terrible thing is I tend to run things into the ground. That’s why I’ve got to make something so calamitous. I’ve got to run it off a cliff.

*All that bad stuff: Do you use it to tell your story?

*It just keeps knocking. I’m 53 and I’m just getting into it. These are things I thought I was managing very well. I remember literally having this thought a year, a year & a half ago; someone was going through some scandal. Something crossed my path that was a big scandal, and I went, “Thank God I’m never going to have to be a part of one of those again.” I live my life, I have my family, I do my thing, I don’t do anything illegal, I don’t cross anyone’s path. What’s the David Foster Wallace quote? Truth will set you free, but not until it’s done with you first.

*When you go dark, do you retreat, disconnect?

*I don’t know how to answer that. I certainly shield. Shield, shield, shield. Mask, escape. Now I think: That’s just me.

*if you had a slideshow of all your worst moments as a human, you wouldn’t want anyone to see that slideshow. The way you’ve had to live for years, that slideshow has been public.

*But so little of it is accurate, and I avoid so much of it. I just let it go. It’s always been a long run game for me. As far as out there, I hope my intentions & work will speak for themselves. But, yes, at the same time, it is a drag to have certain things drug out in public & misconstrued. I worry about it more for my kids, being subjected to it, and their friends getting ideas from it. And of course it’s not done with any kind of delicacy or insight, it’s done to sell. And so you know the most sensational sells, and that’s what they’ll be subjected to, and that pains me. I worry more in my current situation about the slideshow my kids have. I want to make sure it’s well – balanced.

*How do you make sense of the past six months and keep going?

*Family first. People on their deathbeds don’t talk about what they obtained or were awarded. They talk about their loved ones or their regrets, that seems to be the menu. I say that as someone who’s let the work take me away. Kids are so delicate. They absorb everything. They need to have their hand held and things explained. They need to be listened to. When I get in that busy work mode, I’m just not hearing them out. I want to be better at that.

*Do you know, specifically, logistically when you have the kids?

*Yeah. We’re working at that now. It must be much harder when visitation is uncertain,
It was all that for a while. I was really on my back and chained to a system when Child Services was called. And you know, after that, we’ve been able to work together to sort this out. We’re both,me & Angelina doing our best. I heard one lawyer say, “No one wins in court, it’s just a matter of who gets hurt worse.” And it seems to be true, you spend a year just focused on building a case to prove your point and why you’re right and why they’re wrong, and it’s just an investment in vitriolic hatred. I just refuse. And fortunately my partner in this agrees. It’s just very, very jarring for the kids, to suddenly have their family ripped apart.

*How do you tell your kids?

*Well, there’s a lot to tell them because there’s understanding the future, there’s understanding the immediate moment and why we’re at this point, and then it brings up a lot of issues from the past that we haven’t talked about. So our focus is that everyone comes out stronger & better people, there is no other outcome. I know I’m just in the middle of this thing now, not at the beginning or at the end, just smack – dab in the middle. And I don’t want to dodge any of it.”

*And the fact that you guys are pointing toward that, that clearly doesn’t always happen. If you ended up in court, it would be a spectacular nightmare.

*Spectacular. I see it everywhere. Such animosity and bitterly dedicating years to destroying each of them and needs vindication by destruction, and just wasting years on that hatred. I don’t want to live that way.

*What in the recent past has given you immense joy? Can you feel that right now?

*It’s an elusive thing. It’s been a more painful phase than normal, just certain things have come up, but I see joy out of the window, and I can see the silhouette of palms and an expression on one of my kids’ faces, a parting smile, or finding some, you know, moment of bliss with the clay. You know, it’s everywhere, it’s got to be found. It’s the laughter of the African mother in my experience, it’s got to come from the blues, to get R & B. That’ll be in my book.

*Are you going to write a book?

*No! I find writing too arduous.

*So is there an urge to try to…?

*The first urge is to cling on.

*Then?

*And then you’ve got a cliché: “If you love someone, set them free.” Now I know what it means, by feeling it. It means to love without ownership. It means expecting nothing in return. But it sounds good written. It sounds good when Sting sings it. It doesn’t mean fuck – all to me until, you know, until you can embody it. Until you live it. That’s why I never understood growing up with Christianity, don’t do this, don’t do that, it’s all about do’s & don’ts, more don’ts than do’s and I was like how the fuck do you know who you are and what works for you if you don’t find out where the edge is, where’s your line? You’ve got to step over it to know where it is.

*After all this, do you feel constrained as an actor in some ways?

*No, I don’t really think of myself much as an actor anymore. It takes up so little of my year & my focus. Film feels like a cheap pass for me, as a way to get at those hard feelings. It doesn’t work anymore, especially being a dad.

*On the pie chart, what is acting?

*Acting would be a very small slice.

*Do you see yourself as having been successful?

*I wish I could just change my name. Come out as a new person? Like P. Diddy. I can be Puffy now or, what is Snoop? Lion? I just felt like Brad was a misnomer, and now I just feel like fucking Brad.

*What other name would you have put on yourself?

*Nothing. When outside success comes, the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is when there’s a personal discovery in it. But when I find it repetitious or painfully boring, it’s absolute death to me.

*When is acting still exciting?

*I would say more in comedic stuff, where you’re taking gambles. I can turn out the hits over & over and I am just, my favorite movie is the worst, performing film of anything I’ve done, The Assassination Of Jesse James. If I believe something is worthy, then I know it will be worthy in time to come. And there are times I get really cynical, you know. I spend a lot of time on design and even this sculpture folly I’m on, I have days when, it all ends up in the dirt anyways: What’s the point? So I go through that cycle, too, you know? What’s the point?

*So what’s on the agenda later?

*I’m anxious to get to the studio. I think it was Picasso who talked about the moment of looking at the subject, and paint hitting canvas, and that is where art happens. For me I’m having a moment of getting to feel emotion at my fingertips. But to get that emotion to clay, I just haven’t cracked the surface. And I don’t know what’s coming. Right now I know the manual labor is good for me, getting to know the expansiveness & limitations of the materials. I’ve got to start from the bottom, I’ve got to sweep my floor, I’ve got to wrap up my shit at night, you know?

Filed Under: Film

Rashmika Mandanna Is Not Romancing Allu Arjun

September 14, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

It was reported in a section of media recently that Kirrik Party fame Rashmika Mandanna is making her debut in Telugu cinema with Allu Arjun’s Naa Peru Surya – Naa Illu India. However, the reports turned out false as the makers of Naa Peru Surya – Naa Illu India are yet to finalize the female lead. Director Vakkantam Vamsy wants to have one of the leading actresses in his debut film. Female lead character in the film is a very strong one that demands an experienced actress. Therefore, he is considering big names for the heroine’s character. Naa Peru Surya – Naa Illu India will start rolling shortly and aim for a release in the summer of 2018. Bunny (Allu Arjun) took a short break from shootings and enjoyed a holiday abroad with his family. He recently joined the shoot of Naa Peru Surya – Naa Illu India.

Rajnikanth States That If God Willing He Will Enter Politics

Rajinikanth had recently stated that he has no political aspirations but will consider taking the path if it’s God’s will. He also said that if he enters politics, he will be truthful and won’t entertain people who want to make money. “God decides what we have to do in life. Right now, he wants me to be an actor and I’m fulfilling my responsibility. If God willing, I will enter politics soon. If I enter, I will be very truthful and will not entertain people who are in this to make money. I won’t work with such people,” Rajinikanth told his fans at a greet – & – meet recently. The 66 – year – old star also described his brief stint in politics 2 decades ago as a “political accident”. In 1996, during Tamil Nadu assembly election campaign, Rajinikanth denounced J. Jayalalithaa & her politics. His strong remarks caused her defeat. “I did a mistake by supporting a political alliance 21 years ago. It was a political accident. Since then, politicians have misused my name on several occasions. But I have to clarify, I’m not joining any party,” he added. Addressing a large gathering of his fans, Rajinikanth requested them to refrain from smoking & drinking. “Take care of your family & children. Don’t waste your life by smoking & drinking. Drinking & smoking not only affects your health but also your decision making ability. I have been affected enough so please take my advice seriously,” he added.

Ilayathalapathy Vijay’s Plans Changed Because Of Political Changes

As soon as Sri Thenandal Films announced Vijay 61 aka Thalapathy 61 director Atlee and his team flew to the United States and toured the country to fix varied locales for shooting the portions involving Vijay & Kajol Agarwal in the film. However, now the team of Vijay 61 is shooting in Europe and this change in plans was due to the new Donald Trump administration, which has heavily raised shooting location charges and also is putting restrictions on other country people. Anyways, fans are in for a visual treat as the sprawling European locales are as much pleasing to the eyes and even more than the one in the States. The A. R. Rahman musical has an ensemble cast comprising of Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen, Kajal Agarwal, Vadivelu, Kovai Sarala, Sathyaraj, S. J. Surya & Sathyan.

S. S. Thaman To Enter Bollywood With A Biggie!!!!!

After making his entry into Tamil cinema as an actor with director Shankar’s Boys in 2004, S. S. Thaman has now evolved as a much sought after music director in Tollywood as well as Kollywood. Now Thaman is all set to enter India’s biggest film industry aka Bollywood. The Vaalu music director has officially confirmed on his Twitter page that his Bollywood debut will be with Golmaal 4 directed by Rohith Shetty with Ajay Devgn & Parineeti Chopra in lead roles.

Multiple Looks For Prabhu Deva & Hansika

Choreographer turned actor Prabhu Deva & Hansika will be seen sporting multiple looks in their upcoming black comedy film Gulebakavali. Prabhu Deva’s character name is Badri & Hansika’s character’s name is Viji in the film. Sources say that the film will begin from where the original Gulebakavali (1955) ended and there is a special flashback portion to connect both the stories. Directed by newcomer Kalyan, the film also has multiple sets worth Rs 2cr. Produced by K J R Studios, Gulebakavali also has yesteryear actress Revathy in an important role. Vivek – Mervin duo is composing the music for the film & Anand Kumar is taking care of the cinematography. A grand set replicating the world famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon has been erected for the intro song of Prabhu Deva in Gulebakavali. When director Kalyan suggested the idea of designing a set replicating Babylon Gardens, production designer Kathir improvised it by designing a miniature with two hanging cars. Sources say that the set work is completed with the help of more than 500 hundred workers in a 10 acre land situated on the outskirts of Chennai city. Telugu cinema’s leading choreographer Johnny discussed with Prabhu Deva for the song conceptualization and they have done rehearsals in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru & Mumbai for more than 10 days. Several models from Mumbai will also be dancing with Prabhu Deva in this peppy song composed by Vivek – Mervin.

Silambarasan Quits Social Media

STR has announced that he will no longer be a part of the social media world. The actor says that there is so much negativity in the internet so he prefers to stay out of it and in his final message, he has asked his fans to spread positivity. “In spite of negativism, positivity was my forte but today’s social media !!! Negativity is too dominating, and I’m scared to be a part. Social media was necessary as a celebrity, but I prefer to follow my heart. So before I depart, just wanna say. Always choose love”, posted STR on his official Twitter page. On the film front, STR is working on an English film for which Gautham Menon is penning the dialogues, Yuvan is in charge for music & Santhosh Sivan will be cranking the camera.

Rajinikanth & Vijay Attend Vishal’s Sister’s Wedding Reception

Leading actors, producers, technicians & political bigwigs recently attended the wedding reception of Nadigar Sangam General Secretary & Tamil Film Producers’ Council’s President Vishal’s sister Aishwarya & Ummi Kritsh recently. Instead of giving away Thamboolam (wedding return gift) to the guests, Vishal & family donated 1 lakh rupees to Cancer Institute (WIA). Following are some of the notable celebrities, who attended the wedding reception…Superstar Rajinikanth, Thalapathy Vijay, Sivakumar, Karthi, Hansika, Prabhu Deva, Arun Vijay, Rajkiran, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Vairamuthu, S R Prabhu, R B Choudary, Archana Kalpathi, Hari, Ponram, Suseenthiran, Pandiraj et al. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy sent his best wishes through a letter & a slew of politicians including Jayakumar, Thirumavalavan, Vaiko, Krishnaswamy, G K Vasan & Ponnaiyan have also attended the event.

Nagarjuna Akkineni Under Massive Pressure

Nagarjuna Akkineni these days is under massive pressure to give a successful film to his younger son Akhil Akkineni. He is so invested into the film that he has put everything aside and giving 100% to the film Hello. The title of the film also is conceived by Nagarjuna Akkineni. The veteran superstar says that there is so much at stake for Hello. Nagarjuna Akkineni also stated that Hello is a complicated project involving a wide range of locations & huge amount of money. Nagarjuna Akkineni usually doesn’t like to spend a lot on the production, but he is spending so much on Hello. Nagarjuna Akkineni says that the budget is justified though. In Nagarjuna Akkineni’s words it is evident that he is looking forward to see Akhil Akkineni succeed more than anything else. He is also not under the pressure of making arrangements for Naga Chaitanya’s marriage. “It will be a very private event and I am only a guest. Wedding reception is going to be as per my will,” Nagarjuna Akkineni said. Nagarjuna Akkineni is planning a massive promotional campaign for Hello that is gearing up for release on 22nd Dec, 2017.

Tamannah To Cut Her Remuneration Drastically!!!

Tamannah has given hints that she is ready to cut down her remuneration drastically to get offers in Tollywood. At this moment, no Telugu film is on her hands People say she is very particular about her remuneration. To earn some quick money, she did 3 item songs too. But now she has taken the decision of slashing her salary as she urgently needs a movie or two in Tollywood. Tamannah has been making calls to her friends in Tollywood for new offers but her efforts are in vain. After Oopiri, she didn’t get any other Telugu movie. Currently, she is settled in Mumbai.

A Rift Between Balayya & Nag Is Still On!!!

At the TSR – TV9 awards ceremony in Vizag, Nagarjuna Akkineni said, “There are rumors that Balayya & I are not on the best of terms and that there is a rift between us. This is absolutely false! There is no problem at all,” said Nagarjuna Akkineni & Balayya also immediately put his hand over Nag’s shoulder in a friendly manner. Nevertheless, there are a few takers for Nag’s explanation! When Akkineni Nageswara Rao passed away, Balayya did not turn up to pay his last respects but sent his wife instead. And at the marriage of Balakrishna’s 2nd daughter, none from the Akkineni family was in attendance. Therefore, it was nice of Nag to attempt to scotch reports of differences between Balayya & himself. Maybe, they’ve patched up or decided to. But a rift did indeed exist between them although the exact reason for it is not known.

Filed Under: Film

THE 1ST EVER POWERBRAND AWARD WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

September 13, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

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.

Filed Under: Film

Baadshaho is and out an commercial potboilar

September 11, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

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.

Filed Under: Film

Channa Mereya Unplugged – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil | PJArmy cover

September 7, 2017 by Nasheman

Song by Perrin Joseph

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Filed Under: Film

Worldwide Box – Office Turnstiles Weekend

September 7, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

DUNKIRK’ WINS WEEKEND AS VALERIAN CRUMBLES

Dunkirk comfortably won a middling weekend at the China Box – Office turnstiles. In 2nd place was new release Japanese film Gintama. The Christopher Nolan directed Dunkirk enjoyed a wide release with over 85,000 screenings per day. But suffered from an opening that was delayed several weeks after its North American & international outings, complicated story telling & a subject that is little known to Chinese audiences. It grossed $30.2 million in 3 days, according to data from Ent Group. Fully $5.7 million of that was achieved from 436 IMAX screens. IMAX reported that as Christopher Nolan’s best opening in China. Gintama, a live action adaptation of a Japanese cartoon that is well – known in China, debuted in 2nd place. With some 50,000 screenings per day, the largest ever release pattern for a Japanese movie, Gintama enjoyed its highest place on Sat, but was actually 3rd to the enduring Wolf Warriors II on both Fri & Sun. Wolf Warriors II, extends its all time Box – Office turntiles record with every ticket sold. In its 7th week on release, it added $8.76 million. That extended its unprecedented haul to $849 million. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, which won its opening weekend, tumbled to 4th place in its 2nd frame. That was a steep 78% drop. After 10 days it stands on $58.3 million, making China by far & away from the film’s biggest territory. The global total for Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets stood at $202 million after the weekend, according to ComScore. Color Of The Game, a Hong Kong & Chinese crime actioner, took 5th place with $3.55 million in 4 days after its Thurs release. But its performance was weak and lost the ground on both Sat & Sun. Cars 3 had a quiet Fri, but accelerated slightly on Sat & Sun for 6th place. It took $2.83 million for the weekend and stands on a 10 day cumulative of $19.4 million.

CHINA FORECASTERS AGAIN TURN BOLD

Chinese authorities have once again begun forecasting that China will be the world’s largest Box – Office turnstiles territory by 2020. Such grandiose forecasts of world dominance ceased in mid 2016 when China’s Box – Office turnstile abruptly slowed down. But the renewed confidence appears to be another side effect of the recent Wolf Warrior II smash hit. China’s Box – Office turnstile sales will reach $8.36 million (RMB55 billion) in 2017 & the Chinese film market is expected to be the world’s largest by 2020, said the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film & Television (SAPPRFT), as reported by state media. The forecast for the current year implies a return to 20% growth. 2 further years of 20% growth would suggest a total of $12 billion by 2020. The Motion Picture Association reported North American theatrical takings as $11.4 billion in 2016. The record breaking RMB5.5 billion score for Wolf Warriors II fell almost entirely within Aug, 2017. It was released on 27th Jul, 2017, giving a huge boost to that month & reinvigorating figures for the 1st 8 months of this year. Jul, 2017 delivered Box – Office turnstiles of $2.48 billion (RMB16.3 billion) according to data from Ent Group, propelled by the stratospheric performance of Wolf Warriors II. That put the total for the 1st 8 months of the year at $6 billion (RMB39.6 billion), an increase of 16% for the year to date.

SEKIGAHARA WINS 2ND WEEKEND

Sekigahara, Masato Harada’s samurai epic about the single most important battle in Japanese history, won its 2nd weekend at the Japanese Box – Office turnstiles. Co -distributed by Toho & Asmik Ace, the film topped the 2nd Sept, 2017 & 3rd Sept, 2017 frame with $2.5 million from 214,000 admissions, while boosting its cumulative total to $10 million. In 2nd was Despicable Me 3. Distributed by Toho – Towa, the film made $1.49 million, driving its Box – Office turnstiles total to $60 million in its 7th week on release. Meanwhile, Warner’s Wonder Woman recorded a slightly higher USD1.51 million on a slightly lower 113,000 admissions, giving it 3rd place on the admissions based local chart.

HITMAN’S BODYGUARD WINS WEEKEND

2 foreign new releases scored top 3 places on a quiet weekend at South Korean Box -Office turnstile. Opening on Thurs, The Hitman’s Bodyguard debuted on top. The American action comedy earned $5.64 million from 777,000 admissions over 4 days, accounting for 31% of the total weekend Box – Office turntiles. Opening on the same day, Luc Besson’s Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets took 3rd place. It earned $2.62 million from 370,000 admissions between Thurs & Sun. Local action drama Midnight Runners climbed to 2nd place from the previous week’s 3rd, despite a week on week drop of 44%. The Lotte Entertainment release earned $2.1 million between Fri & Sun for a total of $37.4 million after 4 weekends. Korean trio, Showbox’s A Taxi Driver, Warner Bros Korea’s V.I.P. & Next Entertainment World’s The Mimic took the 3 following places. A Taxi Driver, the year’s biggest film so far, added $1.75 million & extended its total to $82.6 million after 5 weekends. Crime drama V.I.P. earned $1.01 million for a total of $9.31 million after 2 weekends. Family horror, Mimic earned $554,500 for a 3 week total of $9 million.

Filed Under: Film

Sony Axes Controversial Show Pehredaar Piya Ki

September 7, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

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.

Filed Under: Film

Dalapathi Back In The News

September 6, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

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.

Photo credit: Filmibeat

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.

Filed Under: Film

Miss India Elegant pageant contest to be held in Bangalore in September, 2017

September 5, 2017 by Nasheman

Miss India Elegant, a national level pageant contest will be held in Bangalore in September 2017. 21 contestants will be selected from different part of India for FINALE of Miss INDIA Elegant, and Indin traditional costume will be used in the contest.

Titles awarded in pageant.

Miss india elegant 2017 Beautiful Smile
Miss india elegant 2017 Beautiful Eyes
Miss india elegant 2017 Beautiful Hair
Miss india elegant 2017 Body Beautiful
Miss india elegant 2017 catwalk
Miss india elegant 2017 Charming Face
Miss india elegant 2017 Talented
Miss india elegant 2017 photogenic
Miss india elegant 2017 Fashion icon
Miss india elegant National glamour

Zone titles winners

Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 SOUTH INDIA
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 EAST INDIA
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 NORTH INDIA
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 WEST INDIA
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 CENTRAL india
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 Karnataka

Main winners Miss INDIA elegant 2017
2nd Runner up
1st Runner up
WINNER

Costumes used in pageant
INDIAN TRADITIONAL Costumes

KARNATAKA AUDITIONS IN 2ND WEEK OF SEPTEMBER
Eligibility Criteria
Age .minimum 18 yrs maximum 27 yrs
Height . 5.3 ft and above
Indian born
Unmarried.

Interested in participating in pageant
Miss INDIA Elegant 2017 can APPLY ONLINE. www.zincindiia.in
Or they can send profile/ Biodata/photos by Email. missindiaelegant@gmail.com
Or Whatsapp. 8277113411
Event is powered by:
TRINCO PROPERTIES Bangalore
Event by. Z Films Events Bangalore

Filed Under: Culture & Society

Viu Releases Poster Of Its Upcoming Thriller Social

September 4, 2017 by Shaheen Raaj

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.”

Filed Under: Film

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