Raveena Tandon has become an iconic figure in the Hindi film industry. She has really come a long way since did a film with Salman Khan and many other Bollywood heroes. And now in her comeback film Maatr she once again enacts the role of mother who avenges the rape & murder of her daughter. Raveena Tandon has stayed away from the arc lights & grease paint for years barring a fleeting appearance in the 2015 movie Bombay Velvet as a jazz singer. And now she has once again donned the grease paint to face the arc lights as she is readied herself for a full – fledged return to the movies in Maatr which is incidentally directed by Ashtar Sayed.

You have stayed away from the film industry for a long time then how come you agreed to do Maatr?

Actually speaking I have known Anjum Rizvi, the producer, since he produced the film A Wednesday, which my husband (distributor Anil Thadani) had released. Producer Anjum Rizvi had approached me earlier as well with a script, which did not work out. But when he narrated the script of Maatr, I was blown away. The film captures a mother’s deepest worries. It is a scary world out there and we are always thinking about how to protect our kids. Schools, playgrounds et al they could be threatened anywhere. The script left me shaken, and I knew this was a film I just had to do.

But what is so different about Maatr that attracted you so much?

First of all I would like to say that a film can give you poetic justice that the justice system cannot. And this is where Maatr comes in. In Maatr I felt that my role of a mother who avenges her daughter’s rape & murder offered me full scope to sharpen up my extraordinnaire talent which was lying in a dormant stage for a long, long time. And at the same time the film will definately shake up our judicial system.

But in the movie Maatr you as a wronged mother resort to violence after the system fails you in the movie. Do you endorse this sort of vigilantism?

Frankly speaking Maatr film is ultimately a fictionalised account of an incident that keeps on happening in society. But It could be someone’s reality. So Maatr is a movie about a common man’s frustration with the law & order & justice system. If you follow the news, you still see there is no dip in the crime rates. Such people are not scared of the law anymore and are quite blatant about what they do. Earlier, you could say this sort of crime would only happen in rural areas. You could go on in your lives thinking that this happens to other people. Not just Nirbhaya, look at what happened to that actress in Kerala. If a woman of privilege & prominence can be assaulted by men she knew & trusted who are evidently so brazen, what can you say to assure a regular woman with no support system?

But it is also true that only a film can give you a sense of relief, poetic justice & gratification, which our justice system cannot? Is that why the film has an urban, middle – class setting?

Precisely. You are absolutely correct and moreover We live privileged lives. We live in our own bubbles. I have myself raised 3 daughters. 2 were adopted. I know what it feels like when a sex assault happens close to home. Unfortunately, when it happens to someone we know, we are in a state of shock. But it lasts only for a few days. As Nirbhaya’s mother had said at a programme where we had invited her, the outrage lasts for a few days. Questions will be asked about what you were doing at that place at that time. Then we have political leaders who say things like, “Ladke hain, badmashiyan toh karenge” (boys will be boys). Instead of shaming the victims, you need to shame the criminals.

One of Your film Daman also dealt with the issue of sexual violence & marital rape. What has changed since, both with the audience and the film industry?

You see the thing that has really chanbged is our audiences who have naturally become a lot more aware these days. More cases are being reported, and our cinema reflects this change. More & more films are being made with female protagonists in stories about sexual violence, consent and other gender issues. It is a welcome trend that sends out a positive and strong message to our society. Besides I hope such films come at least twice in every 6 months. Filmmakers are doing a wonderful job of integrating the cause with the purpose of commercial cinema. So even if a film like Maatr is not a huge commercial success, the message it carries needs to be heard.

You were also a sex symbol at one time. How do you feel about your body of work being re – evaluated through the prism of feminism?

Honestly speaking I face it all the time. It is one thing to fight for your rights. But it’s another thing to subject everything to excessive scrutiny and look for a subtext when there may not be any. In Daman, I took on the avatar of Durga to deal with a demonic character. The image is often used by filmmakers to depict a strong female character and celebrate a feminine power. In Maatr, when I speak of incoming your inner Ram, activists & journalists find it objectionable. They ask, why does a woman need a man to protect her? I find such criticism to be excessive.

You turned down more offers than your fair share of films over your career. What influences your choice of projects today?

I have always had a sense of security & contentment. I have never been ambitious. People tell me that I am a very grounded person. Even at the peak of my professional graph, I believed in reality – that films cannot be my entire life but only a part of it.

I wanted to experience everything – being a daughter, mother, sister, daughter – in – law et al. I wanted to enjoy my children. I am okay with doing any film I like, even play Ranbir Kapoor’s grandmother in the next few years. I played checkers with my career, and I still got good work whenever I wanted to.

But seriously speaking all said & done my children’s childhood will not come back. Films will keep happening. I came from a stable home, my parents did not get divorced. All that gave me a strong set of principles by which I lived. I set down the rules for myself & lived by my decisions without any regret. In fact the real truth is that I have been thrown out of many films too, that too because of insecure co – actors who had problems with me working with their boyfriends. But I have never been insecure. I never belonged to any camp and neither did I have a godfather backing me. I am enjoying this phase of my life, doing reality television & endorsements. It is something I had not foreseen. But here I am. Maybe I will take a break again? Who knows?

Why did you cancels the films promotion on on one particular TV show?

To tell you the truth I was not aware of the controversy surrounding a particular TV show as I was in New York and in the middle of a snow storm. Our film Maatr deals with a very strong message about zero tolerance to any form of violence or abuse against women – the film’s producers & actors too felt that until allegations against the producer and the channel are proved wrong, we will refrain from promoting the film or any of the actors appearing on the said show.”

You Broke down while dubbing for Maatr?

Some portions of the film are so stark real & brutal I had a tough time watching myself on screen. I couldn’t immediately dub my lines while watching what we’ve shot. It is so real & disturbing. I had to stop, gather my strength & return back to my dubbing portions.”

You had earlier done a film on marital rape namely Kalpana Lajmi’s Daman? What say?

This is a topic I feel very strongly about. I’ve 3 daughters and I always worry about their safety. And why just daughters? Are sons safe anymore? Is anyone safe any longer?” Hai koi jawab in sabka kisike paas?

Rambha Lands Herself In A Soup

Rambha’s brother Vasu’s wife Pallavi had filed a case in 2014 that her husband & sister – in – law are harassing her for dowry. The Hyderabad Court had issued a summon for Rambha to appear in court, but it could not be served on her as she was residing in Canada at that time. Meanwhile Ramba, herself is estranged from her husband and has returned to India with her two kids and has approached the Chennai Court to seek monthly maintenance from him. Rambha had gone to Hyderabad & the cops coming to know about it handed the summon to her and the court has directed her to appear for hearing in her sister – in – law’s harassment case.

Bairava Witnesses An important Post Release Change

Ilayathalapathy Vijay’s Bairavaa released on a huge scale on 12th Jan, 2017 and the film has had a tremendous 1st day opening collections across Tamil Nadu and other parts of the world. However the film has evoked mixed reviews from critics & audiences. The film’s original running length is above two hours & 40 minutes and this has lead to the general feeling that the film is too lengthy. Heeding to this response feedback, the makers of the film have decided to trim the length by cutting 7 minutes of the film from 14th January 2017. The trimmed version is expected to be screened and that may increase the positive feeling about the film.

Trisha Expresses Her Gratitude To Simbu

Trisha recently became the victim of harsh attack by miscreants claiming to be Jallikattu supporters on recently. A group of men claiming to be pro – Jallikattu activists tried to lay siege to the shooting spot of Garjanai which has Trisha playing the lead role. Later the actor was safely taken back with the timely intervention of a police personnel. The shooting was also eventually called off.
Meanwhile Trisha was also severely abused & harassed in social media by miscreants.
Trisha has now lambasted the attackers for abusing a woman & her family in the name of upholding Tamil culture. “Disrespecting a woman & her family is Tamil culture? You should be ashamed to call yourself a Tamilian or even speak about Tamil culture.” The petite actor asked in her Tweet.

Vijay Stuns North Indian Stuntmen

Ilayathalapathy Vijay’s grand 60th film Bairavaa has hit the celluloid silver. screens this week. And the film’s director Bharathan in his exclusively detailed interview sounds modest in tone but his words exude confidence that the film has come out really well in all aspects and it will be a win – win for all stakeholders. It is not secret that Vijay has mastered the art of performing stunt sequences and he is a superior action hero amongst the current lot. In this film too he has performed all the risky stunt sequences without using any dupe artistes. In fact Bharathan reveals an interesting fact about Vijay’s flabbergasting performance in a particular risky fight scene.

Sawariya Mohe Rang De Towards 1st Copy

The final mixing of soundtracks of Producer Sushila Bhatia & Status Air Vision’s Sawariya Mohe Rang De is in progress at Studio DG9 and the film’s 1st digital print will be out soon. The film will be submitted to the censors shortly and is being readied for early release. Credits: Editor & Director: Dilip Gulati, Writer & Lyricist: Paras Jaiswal, Music: Dheeraj Sen, Dances: Pappu Khanna, Action: Mohd. Bhai, Executive Producer: Satyen Bhatia, Co – Producer: Himmat Bhatia & Costumes: Neepa Bhatia. Cast: Rani Chatterji, Avinash Shahi, Anita Sehgal, Nisaar Khan, Brijesh Tripathi, Ramzan Shah, Geeta Rustogi, Poonam Chopra et al.

Bairi Bhail Sajanwa Hamaar Passed With An “A” Certificate

Producer Mahendra Sureka & Kapishwar Films’ Bhairi Bhail Sajanwa Hamaar has been passed by the censors with an “A” certificate (only for Adults). The film is all set for release soon. Credits: Writer -Director – Editor: Dilip Gulati, Music: D. Sushant, Lyrics: Ashok Nirala, Camera: Ashok Narayan, Dances: Ashwin Thakker & Action: Darshan Singh Mahal. Cast: Gunjan Pant, Avinash Shahi, Sapna Sappu, Irfan Khan, Ramesh Goyal, Mahesh Raaj & Jayshri T.

Milaan Abhi Aadha Adhura Ba To Roll

Natrang Entertainment & Ayesha Alisaba’s Milaan Abhi Aadha Adhura Ba in association with Filmeniya Film Factory is going on the floors in Bihar & Jharkhand. The credits of the film are produced by Ajitabh Tiwari, co – produced by Dr. A. K. Verma, story – screenplay – dialogues – direction by Mohammed Habib, music by Himanshu Kumar Deepak, lyrics by Satyanarayan Shahabadi, action by Santosh Sawan, editing by Satyaprakash Shukla, choreography by Pritam Adhikari & Raghwendra. The film stars Sagar Singh (Shintu), Bhavana Singh, Mithun Yadav, Shilpa Nag, Pankaj Yadav, Jyoti Mishra, Shreya Sharma, Anuj Prasad, Anand Kumar, Sanjay Dutta & above all Ajitabh Tiwari.

Nainwa Ke Baan Releasing Soon

Sweta Pictures’ Nainwa Ke Baan is all set for release in UP, Delhi & Uttarakhand through R. K. Film Distributers very soon. The film which has been shot extensively in Lucknow locales has been passed by the censors for universal exhibition. The credits of the film are written – produced – directed by Lalit Kumar Arya, lyrics by Laxman Shahabadi, music by Amresh Shahabadi (the film has 7 songs), choreography by Kanu Mukherji, audio on R. S. Audio (Radheshyam) & cinematography by Tapan Basu. The film stars Maansi Pandey, Manoj Malhotra, Sanjay Pandey, Maya Yadav, Anup Upadhyay, Vikas Anand along with Poonam Dube.

Dulha Chor Gets A U/A Certificate

Kanti Film Production & Uma Film Production’ Dulha Chor gets a U/A certificate from Censor Board in mumbai this week. The credits of the film are producer by N K Jha Shyam ji & Mahesh Mishra, directed by Virendra Paswan, music by Suresh Anand, lyrics by Abhiraj Jha & cinematography by. Sanjay Singh. The film stars. Kumar Ghanshyam, Kalpana Shah, Pratibha Pandey, Arun Singh, Phool Singh, Aruna Singh, Vijay Jha, Aruna Giri, Dinesh Ray, Awadhesh Singh, Umakant Rai, Pramod Goswami, Kanhaiya Mishra, Nilesh Jha, Manorama Mishra, Vandana Jha, Khushi, Ragini, Pakaj Kamti, Babloo, Munni Lal, Dhananjay Chaudhary, Master Ayush Jha.

Dagabaaz Grand Muhurt Held

The grand muhurt of Shivang Films
Dagabaaz was held this week in Trinity recording studio. The credits of the film are producer by Anusuya Dubey & Sushila Atul Dubey Pandey, written & directed by Pradeep Sharma, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Santosh Puri & Pintu Giri, music by Damodar Raao & cinematography by Pradeep Sharma. The film stars Manoj R. Pandey, Gaurav Jha, Anjali Banerjee, Baleshwar Singh, Sanjay Pandey, Ram Mishra, Gopal Rai, Priya Tiwari, C. P. Bhatt, Abhay Rai, Harish Happy, Shamshad, Aman & Sunil Datt Pandey.

Dahsat Applied For Censor

Prem Entertainment’s Dahsat has been applied for Censor in Mumbai this week. The credits of the film are co – producer: Tripti Entertainment, directed by Sanjay Sriivastava, written by Rakesh Tripathi, music by Chhote Baba & Damodar Raao, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Ashok Sinha & Azad Singh, cinematography by D. K. Sharma, choreography by Mayank – Ashok & Santosh Kumar, action by Baji & editing by Ajay Chauhan. The film stars Satyendra Kumar Singh, Priyanka Pandit, Satyendra Giri, Eenu Shree, Sanjay Pandey, Baleshwar Singh, Ram Mishra, Dharmendra Singh, Santosh Shrivasatav, C. P. Bhatt, Sanjay Verma, Sahil Shaikh, Nazar Abbas, Prerna Shushma, Shekhar, Vikki Babuaa & Sanju Rajnikant.

Jitab Hum Pyar Ki Bazi To Release Soon

Rudrakshh Films Presents Lakshmi Entertainment Production’s Jitab Hum Pyar Ki Bazi will be released soon in Bihar & Jharkhand. The credits of the film are produced by Sitaram Chourasiya & Nilesh Sakhiya, directed by Pardeep R. Sharma, music by Ashok Sinha, action by Heera Yadav, choreography by Murti & cinematography by Hemant K. Ashthana. The film stars Anand. Dev Mishra, Archana Singh, Abhilasha, Ritu Pandey, Saahil Sheikh, Sanjay Verma, Heera Yadav, Madhuri Pandey, Vinay Shirivastva, Rose Laskar, Sanjana Silk, Ravin, Jitu Shukla, Amar Betab et al.

Mukhtar Ready For Release

GDM Production’s Mukhtar is now ready for release. The credits of the. Film are produced by Anurag Pandey, Hemant Tiwari. & Vikas Pratap Singh, directed by Anand Singh (A. K.), written by Jitendra Yadav, screenplay & dialogues by Manoj Panday, music by Chhote Baba, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Pyarelal Yadav Kaviji, Ashok Sinha & Mritunjay Yadav, cinematography by Devendra Tiwari, choreography by Ashok – Mayank, action by Bazi, art by Ashok Vishwakarma, editing by Dharam Soni & executive produced by Akhilesh Rai. The film stars debutant Jitendra Yadav, Raviraj Dipu, Baleshwar Singh, Santosh Shrivastava, C. P. Bhatt, Anjali Banarji, Mahi Khan, Pragya Tiwari, Rashmi Sharma, Sunita Pandey & Sanjay Pandey.

Jiyab Na Tohre Bina Electronic Rights Given To Bihari Wood

Amit Jemni Presents Anushka Entertainment’s Jiyab Na Tohre Bina’s electronic rights were recently sold to Bihari Wood. The credits of the film are produced by Farida Sheikh, directed by Sanjay Shrivastav, written by Ramesh Tiwari, cinematography by Qamar Khan, music by Baba Jagirdar, lyrics by Vinay Bihari & Ramesh Tiwari, choreography by Nikky Batra, action by Firoz A. Khan & art by Chetan. The film stars Avinash Shahi, Ashtha, Deepak Bhatia, Sahil Shaikh, Sanjay Verma, Madhuri Pandey, Farida Shaikh, Seema Singh & Uttam Jha.

Bhail Tohra Se Pyar HAIL – I Love You Ready For Release

Mitwa Production House’s Bhail Tohra Se Pyar HAIL – I Love You is ready for release. The credits of the film are produced by Dharmendra Maurya, directed by Shad Kumar, co – produced by Ram Ashish Chauhan & Asharaf Ali, written & lyrics by Babloo, music by Mangesh Raul & Pal Kanpuri, cinematography by Gaurang Saha & editing by Govind Dubey. The film stars Vinay Anand, Gunjan Pant, Rajeev Dinkar, Simran, Samarth Chaturvedi, Anand Mohan, Pankaj Vishwakarma, Dev Malhotra, Mehnaz Shroff, Shravani Goswami, Abhilasha Prasad, Kanchan Awasthi. Manju Sinha, Seema Singh, Rakesh Mishra, Murli Lalwani, Bal Govind Banjara, Baby Farha, Baby Fariya, Farhan, Shabnam, Ashfiya et al.

Ye Hamaar Jaan Tohra Me Basela Pran 1st Look Out

The 1st look of Raise India & Jay Hind Production in association with Chaudhary Cine Vision Presents Ye Hamaar Jaan Tohra Me Basela Pran is out now. The credits of the film are produced by Bhart Bhushan Kumar, directed by Amit Kumar Verma, written by Pappu Pritam, co – produced by Manish Kumar, Vijay Kumar Soni & Chandan Chaudhari, music by Chhote Baba, lyrics by. Kanhiya Prasad Shrivastav, Santosh Puri, Bibhakar Panday, Munna Dubey, Premsagar Singh & Vinay Nirmal Singh, cinematography by Shiva Chaudhary, choreography by Kanu Mukherjee, action by Pradip Khadka & art by Awadhesh Rai. The film stars Priyanka Pandit, Ritesh Panday, Anand Mohan, Brijesh Tripathi, Bandani Mishra, Ratnesh Baranwal, Pramod Gupta, Chandan Chaudhari & Prem Dubey.

Beta Ho Ke Ta Aishan Mixing Complete

Swastik Entertainer & Aar Ke Aar Films And Music Presents Beta Ho Ke Ta Aishan’s mixing has been competed this week in a Mumbai’s Studio. The credits of the film are written & produced by Ravindra Kumar Ravi, music & directed by Chandrama Chandra Shahi. The film stars Kuldip Kumar, Varsha Ritu, Swati Singh, Sanjay Panday, Umesh Singh, Tarun Dhaya, Avinash, Padam Singh et al.

Brad Pitt Keen To Strengthen His Bond With Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt reportedly wants to stregthen his relationship with Angelina Jolie for the sake of their 6 children. According to a source, Brad Pitt is trying to figure out what’s best for their children – Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10 & twins Knox & Vivienne, 8 – so they can have a normal life.

Leonardo DiCaprio Spotted In Caribbean For Nina Agdal’s Birthday

Leonardo DiCaprio is all set to celebrate model & girlfriend Nina Agdals 25th birthday in the Caribbean region. She turned a year older on 26th Mar 2017. According to sources, Leonardo DiCaprio & Nina Agdal along with a few of her friends boarded a private plane at Teterboro Airport on Fri. “He just hitched a ride, but it’s not his plane,” a source said.

Pierce Brosnan Ate Rat By Mistake

Pierce Brosnan averred that he mistakenly ate rat while shooting for a film in Nigeria. The 63 – year – old actor further avers that he thought he had been offered beef and was left feeling ill after eating the rodent skin.

Kate Del Castillo Wants To Make El Chapo film

Kate Del Castillo averred that she still wants to tell drug kingpin El Chapo’s life story so that all her drama from the past 2 years counts for something. The jailed crime lord, real name Joaquin Guzman, contacted Kate before he escaped from prison in 2015 and asked her to mastermind a biopic.

Chelsee Healey Showcases Her Baby Scan

Chelsee Healey has recenrtly shared the scan picture of her unborn baby and averred that the kid has got lips like father. The 28 -year – old Hollyoaks actress is expecting her 1st ever baby with boyfriend Jack Malloy but she couldn’t wait to see what the little boy or girl will look like. Healey revealed that she had undergone a 4D scan to see what her 1st ever – born will look like.

Kate Hudson Smooches. New Beau For 10 Minutes In Public

Kate Hudson tecently confirmed her romance with guitarist Danny Fujikawa after they were spotted smooching each other here. The couple’s lip – lock session lasted 10 minutes as they were spotted hanging out together. The source further shared that Fujikawa whispered “sweet nothings” into Hudson’s ear as the pair enjoyed their extended embrace on the streets.

Younger Generation Understands Kurt Russel Better

Kurt Russel recently averred that the youger. generation understands him & his work more than actors who are his age do. The 66 – year – old Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 star opens up about the characters he has played in the past and how the youth understands what he was going for.

Scarlett Johansson Feels Uncomfortable Talking About Wage issues

Scarlett Johansson feels “icky” talking personally about the gender pay gap in Hollywood. The Ghost In The Shell star is one of the highest grossing actresses in the industry. “There’s something icky about me having that conversation unless it applies to a greater whole,” Johansson averred.

Bella Thorne Goes Topless In A Marilyn Monroe – Inspired Shot

Bella Thorne posed topless for a sizzling photo shoot inspired by Hollywood icon
Marilyn Monroe. The 19 – year – old star shared the photo on Instagram sporting a platinum bob while peering over her shoulder with a seductive glance.

Amber Heard Opens Up About Coming Out As Bisexual

Amber Heard recently averred that coming out publicly about her sexuality during the initial years of her career was not easy. “Well, I always say in response when I hear someone comment about me coming out, I think it’s funny because I was never in. In part because I was very stubborn, I guess, and also in part because I just didn’t feel it was wrong,” She concluded.

Keira Knightley thought Pirates Of The Caribbean Would Be A Disaster

Keira Knightley once thought that her blockbuster film Pirates Of The Caribbean would be a disaster. Love Actually director Richard Curtis has revealed that Knightley, who featured in the 2003 romantic comedy, was not sure about the success of the Johnny Depp – starrer.

Chris Evans Desires To Be A Daddy Someday

Chris Evans recently averred that he would love to become a father in future as he himself grew up in a big family. The 35 – year – old, best known for his portrayal of superhero Captain America in films by Marvel Cinematic Universe, is currently not dating anybody.

Amanda Seyfried Gives Birth To A Baby Girl

Newlyweds Amanda Seyfried & Thomas Sadoski have welcomed their 1st ever child. A representative for the John Wick actor has confirmed that the 31 – year – old Mean Girls actress gave birth to a baby girl. However, the name of their child is yet to be announced.

Hugh Grant Dances To Drake’s song In Red Nose Day Actually

Hugh Grant, whose dance in Love Actually is one of the most memorable scenes from the movie, has once again showed his moves in the short film Red Nose Day Actually. The film, which aired on Fri, showed Hugh Grant, who portrays British Prime Minister, dance to Drake’s “Hotline Bling”.

Leighton Meester Feels Proud Of Both Family & Career

Leighton Meester recently averred that she is “very proud” of her family as well as the way her career has shaped up. The Making History actress doesn’t talk about her daughter Arlo, 19 months, or husband Adam Brody very much because she would rather focus on her work without people’s perceptions getting in the way.

Kristen Bell Avers That Being A Good Person Is The Quickest Way To Feel Beautiful

Kristen Bell thinks that being a good person is the “quickest & easiest” way to feel beautiful about yourself. The Frozen star believes beauty comes from within and feels self – esteem is the most important part when it comes to feeling good about yourself.

Emma Thompson Once Turned Down A Date With Donald Trump

Emma Thompson has recently revealed that Donald Trump once called her for a date but she did not take his offer to stay at the Trump Towers seriously. Looking back, Thompson, who has often criticised US President, joked that she probably made a wrong decision.

Ben Affleck Visits Disneyland With Children

Ben Affleck recently took his children to Disneyland and spent a fun – filled day with them. The 44 – yea – old actor was spotted enjoying the rides with his kids and also interacted with fans. “The kids love spending time with their dad and vice versa,” a friend of the actor said.

Amy Schumer Makes Her Exit From The Barbie Movie

Amy Schumer has left the film Barbie over a scheduling conflict. “Sadly, I’m no longer able to commit to Barbie due to the scheduling conflicts. The film has so much promise, and Sony & Mattel have been great partners. I’m bummed, but look forward to seeing Barbie on the big screen,” Schumer averred.

Jennifer Lopez Wants Women To Have “meaty roles” In Films

Singer – actress Jennifer Lopez recently averred that it’s “still challenging” for women to have a “meaty role” in movies. The 47 – year – old star, who played the role of a singer Selena Quintanilla – Perez in Selena, considers herself lucky enough to be able to have landed the role. “Selena was a meaty role, but it was few & far between, especially for Latinos to have a role like that. I think it’s still challenging for women, especially being Latina. Thinking about Selena 20 decades ago and to have a role like that, I was very lucky,” Lopez concluded.

Tom Hiddleston Enjoyed Indulging In A New Genre

Tom Hiddleston says for him The Adventure Of Kong: Skull Island was a chance to indulge in a genre he previously hasn’t explored with great breadth. “As it was pitched to me, it was a big adventure film that was quite old – fashioned, but with a very fresh context,” he says.

Schwarzenegger Denies Rumours

Arnold Schwarzenegger was reportedly considering a run for US senate by replacing Democratic Senate Dianne Feinstein in 2018. But the former California republican Governor denied all the rumors by making a statement on the social media platforms.

Brianna Is “cooler” In Deadpool 2

Brianna Hildebrand thinks her Deadpool character Negasonic Teenage Warhead will be “cooler” in the movie’s 2018 sequel. Hildebrand avers, “I’ve not yet actually read the script, but I do think she (the character) will be a lot cooler, based on the wardrobe ideas & stuff.

Owen Finds It Difficult To Keep His Style Quiet

Clive Owen finds it “difficult” to wear outfits that are “too loud” or “too colorful” and will often choose to wear monochrome ensembles as often as he can, and will often try to “tone” down his outfits if he thinks it is too “outrageous”. In fact he finds it difficult to keep his style quiet.

Black Lips Joins Rooney Mara In “Song To Song”

Director Terrence Malick’s “Song To Song” will feature garage rock band Black Lips from Atlanta, Georgia. The rockers will star as Rooney Mara’s band in the film. The Lion actress actually went on stage with a guitar to perform with the group when they were shooting the movie at Austin City Limits in 2012.

Cameron States That Avatar Sequel Is Not Happening In 2018

Director James Cameron said that Avatar sequels are put on hold again. The 62 – year – old filmmaker said doing the sequels are not an easy task as he is working on 4 films instead of just 1. “Well, 2018 is not happening. We haven’t announced a firm release date,” Cameron told.

Duff Plans Ghostbusters Themed Party For Son

Hilary Duff is all set to throw a Ghostbusters themed party for her son’s birthday. The 29 -year – old Younger star has revealed that she is planning a backyard party for her only child Luca – who she has with her former partner Mike Comrie – when he turns on 20th Mar, 2017.

Collins Was Forced To Stay Thin

Dame Joan Collins reveals that she was fed diet pills as a youngster trying to make it in Hollywood. In an interview, Joan, 83, recalls how she took little green diet pills – which curb appetite – because she was “too fat”.

Larson Defends Her Reaction To Affleck’s Oscar Win

Brie Larson has defended her muted reaction to Casey Afflecks “Best Actor” win at the 89th Academy Awards last month. Larson handed Affleck the trophy on stage and her body language caught the attention of many, as she didn’t clap while the crowd gave the Manchester By The Sea star a standing ovation.

Mendes’ Fitness Routine & Diet

Eva Mendes works out 5 days a week when she wants to get in shape for the summer or for a star – studded event. The 43 – year -old, who has daughters Esmeralda, 2 & 10 -month – old Amada with her partner Ryan Gosling, has ditched her 45 – minute steady cardio sessions for interval training & will work out almost every day in preparation for an event or for the warmer months, although she will reduce her fitness regime down to 3 days during her off – season period.

Winfrey Loses Over 20 kg

Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey says she has lost over 20 kg, and is loving it. The 65 – year – old joined a weight losing programme called Weight Watchers in 2015.

Washington To Adapt A Novel Into A Film

Kerry Washington along with Warner Bros will be producing the big – screen adaptation of Brit Bennett’s debut novel ‘The Mothers’.

Jolie “jealous” Of Clooney

Angelina Jolie is reportedly “filled with envy” and jealous of actor – filmmaker George Clooney’s wife Amal Clooney. According to a source, Jolie & Amal were barely speaking to each other for about 6 months because of Jolie’s jealousy over the successful human rights lawyer.

Kerry Joins The Cast Of Cars 3

Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion & Lea DeLaria have joined the cast of the upcoming 3D computer – animated comedy. -drama film Cars 3. The 3 stars will join Owen Wilson, who will reprise his role as world champion racer Lightning McQueen, who is blindsided by a new generation of racers & is struggling to get back on track.

Krasinski To Direct His Better Half Blunt

John Krasinski has teamed up with his wife Emily Blunt for his next directorial project. The ’13 Hours’ star will write, direct, and star in ‘A Quiet Place’ alongside the ‘Sicario’ actress.

Rossum Boards Neeson’s Revenge Thriller

Emmy Rossum has joined Liam Neeson in the Hollywood remake of the hit Norwegian thriller In Order Of Disappearance. The Taken star, 64, will step into Stellan Skarsgard’s role in the 2014 original, which followed a mild – mannered snow plow driver seeking vengeance on his son’s drug dealing killers, inadvertently sparking a turf war between local gangs.

Collins State That She Faces The Same Insecurities

Model & actress Lily Collins says she faces the same insecurities as all the other women Of her age. The 27 – year – old actress says that despite her burgeoning career & enviable wealth, she still struggles with her fears & self – doubt.

Affleck Reveals That He Has Completed His Treatment

Ben Affleck has revealed that he recently completed his term at a rehabilitation centre for his alcohol addiction. The 44 – year – old actor took to Facebook to announce that he was undergoing a treatment for the same and that it was the 1st step to recovery.

Angelina Jolie Enjoys Private Tours

She may have had a busy day in London, but UN Special Envoy Angelina Jolie managed to go on a royal trip with her son Maddox. Not long after the 41 – year – old actress & human rights activist delivered a speech on women’s rights at the London School of Economics, she & her teenage boy visited the Buckingham Palace, where they were given a private tour.

Kaluuya Responds To Jackson’s Criticism

Get Out star Daniel Kaluuyahas responded to criticism by lSamuel L Jackson over the casting of black British actors in roles about US race relations, saying that he resented having “to prove that I’m black”.

Delevingne Pens Her 1st Ever Novella

Cara Delevingne has penned down her 1st ever novella titled “Mirror Mirror”. The 24 -year – old model said that she will release the “twisty coming – of – age” story in Oct this year. The blonde beauty announced the news on social media platform with a picture of her leaning up against a mirror holding the final manuscript.

Hill Debuts Slimmer Body

Jonah Hill appeared slimmer than ever as he was spotted stepping out from a gym here. The 33 – year – old star was photographed flashing his toned torso in a navy T – Shirt after his workout session. It looked like Hill dropped a large amount of weight when he was seen making his way through a parking lot in the T – Shirt that he paired with black basketball shorts.

‘CHICKEN BIRYANI’ MAKES IT TO THE DADA SAHEB PHALKE FILM FESTIVAL 2017

A short film titled CHICKEN BIRYANI, dedicated to the Indian Army has made it to the nomination list of Dada Saheb Phalke in the short film category, alongside other international films. This is what the ecstatic Gavie Chahal who played the lead in the film has to say, “I’m glad to know about the official selection of our film at Dada Saheb Phalke Awards 2017. Many congratulations to the team and specially our Director and writer Mr. Lom Harsh for this achievement” “Feeling immense pleasure & joy for CHICKEN BIRYANI selection. What else a Director can expect and that too out of his very first project.” said the rising director Lom Harsh. CHICKEN BIRYANI is a precursor to the upcoming movie YEH HAI INDIA, which also stars Gavie, and has been directed by LomHarsh.

ALIA BHATT HAS MADE IT TO THE FORBES UNDER 30 ASIA LIST

After sifting through thousands of nominations and then convening the best panel of judges ever – from Kaifu Lee & Jean Liu to Jimmy Choo & Sonny Bill Williams, STUDENT OF THE YEAR Alia Bhatt has made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list – Class of 2017. It is official now.

SABA QAMAR LEARNS THE DELHI DIALECT FOR ‘HINDI MEDIUM’

Saba Qamar who will soon be seen opposite Irrfan Khan in HINDI MEDIUM did everything to convince the audience she’s a Delhi girl. She took special lessons to learn the Delhi dialect for her role in the film. There was a coach present with her all the time on set. She even used her free time to perfect the accent & pronunciation of words. Also, Saba went street shopping in the most famous Delhi streets & visited social places where most youngsters go to hangout to observe them and try & get a hang of their body language, attitude & behavior. Saba says, “It wasn’t easy for me to learn the dialect, simply because I usually speak in a typical Urdu lehja, like aap, hum, and tum. Also, the way Delhi girls are so bold & confident in themselves was a really nice thing to see. I enjoyed playing a North Indian girl in HINDI MEDIUM. HINDI MEDIUM is produced by Dinesh Vijan & Bhushan Kumar.
HINDI MEDIUM is a slice of life comedy based in the heartland of our country. The film is all set to release on 12th May, 2017.

IRRFAN KHAN TURNS PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE SETS OF ‘HINDI MEDIUM’

Irrfan Khan who will soon be seen in Saket Chaudhary’s HINDI MEDIUM is on a photography spree. Recently, Irrfan Khan flew down to Georgia with co – star Saba Qamar to shoot for their promotional songs. Both Irrfan & Saba were blown away by the beauty of Georgia and posed for a lot of pictures. Irrfan turned photographer by reason of the untouched beauty of the locales of Georgia and captured the allure of every location. Not only did he click the scenery, he also made Saba his muse for certain pictures and made her pose every now & then.

JOHN ABRAHAM CHOOSES 1998’S POKHRAN NUKE TEST AS SUBJECT FOR HIS NEXT

After the riveting success of VICKY DONOR & MADRAS CAFE, John Abraham is all set to don the producer’s hat again with a film, based on the nuclear test conducted at Pokhran in 1998. Produced under his banner JA Entertainment & RUSTOM makers KriArj Entertainment, the untitled film will also star John in the lead role. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the script has been co – written by Saiwyn Quadros & Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh, who were part of the NEERJA team. Says John Abraham, “I have never been in a hurry to produce films and have been searching for subjects that are engaging and stories that resonate with the current socio – political & economic mood of the country. This film fits in perfectly with my pursuit, and I am also happy to start my association with Prernaa & Arjun.“ “This story is about the resilience & gumption shown by our national agencies to achieve such a significant goal. This will be our tribute to those men & women who selflessly serve the country without expecting any accolades in return. The film, will go on floors soon and is scheduled to release on 8th Dec, 2017, says Abhishek Sharma.

VIVEK OBEROI TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY IN SERBIA!

Vivek Oberoi who is currently stationed in Belgrade, Serbian capital for the shooting of his upcoming Tamil film, VIVEGAM, since last week, will be spending time with his dearest family members who will be leaving for the exotic destination this weekend. During his 5 – day break, Vivek’s family will join him in Serbia to spend some time with him since the actor will be busy with BANK CHOR movie promotions once he is back in Mumbai. The actor – philanthropist will explore Serbia during their stay together by visiting scenic & historic locations including the Roman Well and the old & new palaces – Star Dvor & Novi Dvor and indulge in local delicacies including Baklava & Ajvar.

HARSHVARDHAN KAPOOR GOES SHORT FOR ‘BHAVESH JOSHI’ !

Harshvardhan Kapoor who is fast becoming quite the style icon, like his sister Sonam Kapoor recently chopped his long hair for the next schedule of BHAVESH JOSHI. Harsh, who had grown quite fond of his long tresses, had to cut them off after painstakingly looking after them , for Vikramaditya Motwane’s vigilante drama. And while most would be relieved about going short in the summer, not to mention the look trending over social media with his fans raving, the actor reiterates that he never follows trends. Says Harsh, “I am not really into trends. I don’t go looking for them. I really liked the long hair. The look was quite unique & different. I don’t think about it so much though. The haircut is for my role in the upcoming film. I go with my directors’ vision.”

DIANA PENTY HAS BEEN FEATURED IN THE LATEST TELEVISION COMMERCIAL OF MAKEMY TRIP

Diana Penty has been featured in the latest television ccommercial of MakeMy Trip alongside the other 2 brand ambassadors Ranveer Singh & Alia Bhatt. The gorgeous & talented actress who came together with Ranveer & Alia for the 1st time ever in the commercial for a leading online travel company has received humongous response on the social media, with her fans complimenting about her glamorous avatar and the fun chemistry with Ranveer & Alia. Interestingly, considering their cool chemistry, Diana’s fans have also expressed their desire to see her in a movie along with Ranveer & Alia.

THE SECRET BEHIND ADITI RAO HYDARI’S FLAWLESS SKIN IS HER BEAUTY REGIME

Aditi Rao Hydari who is constantly plagued with questions on the secret behind her luminous & flawless skin, reveals that a simple childhood regime can be completely credited for it. Says Aditi, “Mom would have a lady come in every week and apply an ubtan with gram flour, milk, oil & turmeric on my skin. I owe my healthy skin to that regime as a child. I don’t do that often, but the skin regime & nutrition you follow as a kid is something that stands by you — at least that’s what I’ve seen! “ Apart from following her mother’s beauty routine, the actress also drinks a lot of coconut water throughout the day to retain the suppleness of her skin and keep herself hydrated.

“GOLMAAL” KEEPS ITS DATE WITH DIWALI

“GOLMAAL”, now in its 4th part is one of Bollywood most successful franchises and has a huge demand with audiences across segments, especially children. Naturally, Rohit has been inundated with messages from the distribution & exhibition circles on whether the film was keeping its date with the festival of lights again. The 4th instalment has Ajay being joined by Parineeti Chopra, Tabu, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade & Kunal Kemmu — there has been a palpable excitement in the trade and the audience about the film. Part 2 & 3, i.e. GOLMAAL RETURNS & GOLMAAL 3 were both Diwali releases and they rocked the box – office. When Rohit mounted the film on the floors this March, he knew he was going to keep his date with Diwali. ’’There has been constant speculation on whether it made sense for GOLMAAL AGAiN to clash with the Rajinikanth – Akshay Kumar starrer 2:0. The box – office window is becoming over -crowded because Aamir Khan has decided to push his next home – production Secret Superstar to Oct, 2017. However, the people, who are associated with “GOLMAAL”, were the 1st to announce that they were coming and in their minds, they never did doubt whether they would stake their claim to the festival weekend or not.

CHUNKY PANDEY IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL TOURIST GUIDE IN ‘HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR’

Chunky Pandey has become the quintessential tourist guide, ever since his portrayal of Akhri Pasta in a Bollywood comedy. “Lanka could easily be the New York of the yore, given the fact that it is the city of gold, I believed that itself called for a tourist guide. And who better, you tell me? You see Chunky and you think he will be so good at being a tourist guide. Believe me, it might be on my subconscious cause I couldn’t think of anyone other than him to play the tourist guide in our film,” confessed Ruchi who has directed the animation film HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR. When asked about his character, “Chunky himself described his character as soft, after all he is a half – half… if you know what we mean! Half Srilankan & half Indian, what were you thinking?” teased Ruchi who had us in splits discussing the method in madness, that is HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR! The Damdaar
trailer of India’s superhero, Hanuman will be released on 18th Apr, 2017. R.A.T films are all set to release HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR on 19th May, 2017.

FIRST LOOK POSTER OF ‘UDANCHHOO’ LAUNCHED

Vipin Parashar’s UDANCHHOO features an exciting star cast comprising of Prem Chopra, Ashutosh Rana, Rajnish Duggal, Anil George, Bijendra Kala, Prashant along with Bruna Abdullah and newcomer Saisha Sehgal. Produced by Ravinder Singh, UDANCHHOO will tickle your funny bone. The film is a con comedy, set in the city of Mumbai & Delhi. UDANCHHOO essentially highlights corruption & black money. The venture is a thrilling ride that tells the story of a spiritual guru, a businessman and his spoilt daughter, a money launderer and a young man who is suspected to carry out the biggest heist in history! Bollywood has seen many con comedy films before such as BUNTY AUR BABLI, BLUFFMASTER & KHOSLA KA GHOSLA et al, that have clicked commercially. UDANCHHOO promises to be a step ahead with its impeccable comic timing & satirical set up. Interestingly, this is the 1st time ever that Ashutosh & Prem, who have mostly played negative roles, will be seen attempting comedy, alongside Rajnish, who is also trying out this genre for the 1st time ever. UDANCHHOO is a film that the public can relate to with utmost ease as it covers the topic of demonetization as well as the bane of black money. What’s interesting is that this venture was made 2 years ago, much before Modi came up with his master stroke!

JAVED AKHTAR AS VALMIKI IN HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR

HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR’S Valmiki might just be the hot attraction for it is none other than Javed Akhtar the master – story teller playing Valmiki, the narrator.“The era in which the story is set, it had to have someone who would be narrating the story, there wasn’t much written & documented then. People travelled around telling stories and passed it on. We believed it would be a nice build up alongside. Given Ramayana is written by Valmiki it made sense to have Valmiki as the narrator. And once we decided to have a narrator, it had to be Javed Akhtar for he is the best,” shared Ruchi Narain who makes her animation debut with directing HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR, also written by her. “There is a joke in the industry that even if the script is not that great, if the narrator is good the film sells. And there hasn’t been a better narrator than Javed Akhtar so we were thrilled when he agreed to be a part of the film,” added Narain. Under the production of R.A.T. films, HANUMAN DA DAMDAAR is slated to release on the 19th of May, 2017.

‘MUJHE BHI DUNIYA DEKHNI HAIN’ ALL SET FOR RELEASE ON 16TH JUN 2017

Genuine Entertainment Corps’ MUJHE BHI DUNIYA DEKHNI HAIN will be releasing on 16th Jun, 2017 all over. The film is written & directed by Satyaprakash Mangtani. DoP: Rajan Lyallpuri. Cast: Avinash, Mrunalini, Manoj Anand, Komal Dhillon, Baby Muskaan, Shailesh Pitambare, Jayshri T, Viju Khote & Mukesh Khanna.

DEANA UPPAL IS LEADING LADY OF PUNJABI FILM ‘HARD KAUR’

Miss India UK actress, Deana was spotted in Patiala where she is shooting her movie HARD KAUR, directed by Ajit Rampal. Deana is playing the role of Sirat a simple Punjabi village girl, and how every day she has to deal with harassment of men and how she handles the situations. HARD KAUR is the 1st Punjabi female oriented Punjabi movie. Alongside Deana, as the main lead instead of the norm of having a male lead, there is award winner veteran actress Nirmal Rishi. Deana Uppal said, ” I am enjoying playing the role of Sirat as I feel I have connected with her situations. She is a simple girl but the people around her have bad intentions. The movie shows how 5 different Kaur’s deal with the situations differently”. HARD KAUR will play a role in encouraging the women of Punjab for standing tall for their rights, always. The film stars Nirmal Rishi, Aman Grewal, Raj Ninjer, Tanvir Singh, Swati Bakshi & Neet Kaur.

Colors Infinity Brings New Seasons

Colors Infinity is all set to premiere the latest seasons of 2 of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of recent times. After the gripping season finale, the channel is all set to showcase Season 3 of Better Call Saul along with the latest Season of Fargo, adding to the library of Instant Premieres.
The 2nd season of Better Call Saul allowed fans into a new world of complexity by deepening one of the shows pivotal relationships. Colors Infinity lawyers up this Apr to showcase Season 3, as it kicks off with Jimmy & Kim dealing with Chuck & the fallout of their Mesa Verde scheme. The all new season is set to premiere within 12 hours of its US premiere.

Keshet Asia establishes office In India

Keshet Asia, the Hong Kong – based subsidiary of Keshet International (KI), has expanded its footprint in India with 2 major hires & establishing an office in Mumbai.
Arpit Agarwal will lead the Indian operation on the ground as director, India & SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) reporting to Gary Pudney, head of Asia. Mihir Karlekar joins Arpit Agarwal as the senior sales manager, India & SAARC.
Together, they will seek to increase the volume of KI’s scripted & non – scripted formats being adapted for the Indian audiences, and uncover local IP for international distribution. They will also co -develop with Indian creators and begin to lay the foundations for an eventual local production business.

Arre Appoints Viacom18’s Jaideep Singh As Director

Entertainment business veteran & former Viacom18 Integrated Network Solutions head, Jaideep Singh has been roped in by Arré as a director on its management team. Jaideep Singh will guide the platform’s monetisation drive / strategy, launch Arré’s music vertical & contribute his experience towards expanding other content verticals as well. He will be working closely with founders B. Saikumar, Ajay Chacko & Ray C as Arré expands its content footprint as India’s fastest growing original content brand on digital. Arré has built a distinct voice by its unique take on culture & society using stories, doodles & audio besides video. It is one of the country’s fastest growing digital brands on social media besides being widely distributed across a range of domestic & international platforms like SonyLIV, YuppTV, Vodafone Play, Ola Prime Play, TF1 Xtra (OTT Network in France) et al. in addition to its own website & apps on IOS & Android.

Fox Asia Appoints Mike Rich as EVP

Fox Networks Group (FNG) Asia has named media the industry veteran Mike Rich as the executive vice president, advertising sales & content partnerships for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The company also announced that Simeon Dawes, who has been keen to focus full – time on his other business interest, will leave the group by the end of Apr, 2017. In this enhanced role, Mike Rich will lead teams across the region to identify new revenue streams for FNG Asia and its content partners, and to further strengthen FNG’s position as a leader in advertising innovation. He will report to Fox Network Groups Asia president Zubin Gandevia.
Rich has more than 25 years of media & marketing experience in agency & client roles, and he brings to FNG Asia a keen understanding of the content & media industry across the US, Europe & Asia. He most recently served as Global President of Publicis Media’s Content Ventures division. Prior to that, he was CEO of GroupM Asia’s content business. Rich has also consulted for a multitude of major rights owners.

Zindagi All Set To Introduce Season 2

After the successful 1st ever season of Kuzey Guney, the channel is all set to introduce Kuzey Guney – Season 2 by popular demand. The 1st ever season of the Turkish show aired on Zindagi, the Premium Hindi Entertainment Channel has resonated well and won the hearts of the audiences. Kuzey Guney – the story of 2 radically opposite brothers had a huge fan following and was admired by fans for its engaging story. The previous season of the show ended with Ferhat plotting against Kuzey and later, killing his best friend Ali. The death game played by Ferhat affects Kuzey, Cemre & Zeynep so much that they are still reeling from its consequence. Shattered & broken by the incident, Kuzey sets out on a mission to seek revenge for the death of his friend. To safeguard his loved ones, he moves away from them.

Shakti Bags 5 Awards

Colors celebrated the 5th Colors Golden Petal Awards in a star – studded event. As the entire Colors family came together to toast the best performers, the power was put in the hands of the viewers to select their all – round favorites. The show on a transgender’s struggle for her identity, Shakti…..Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii bagged 5 awards at the 5th Colors Golden Petal Awards. Viewers will get a chance to witness the magnificence of the 5th Colors Golden Petal Awards on Colors Channel on 29th Apr. 2017.

Subhash Chandra Hails GST

Essel Group chairman & Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Subhash Chandra has welcomed the GST Bill while addressing the Upper House of the Parliament for the 1st time ever. Dr. Subhash Chandra is an independent RS member from Haryana. ZEE, as a brand today, has achieved a global recognition, reaching over a billion viewers in 171 countries. A compilation of his tweets on GST:Today, I gave my maiden speech in Rajya Sabha and participated in the GST Bill debate. I congratulate the Government, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji & FM Shri @arunjaitley ji for bringing this historic GST bill. Since independence we’ve been hearing from almost everyone that we need to work for welfare of common man & uplift the poor class, he said.

DD Ad Budget Crosses Rs 33 million

Doordarshan has released an additional Rs 216,000 for advertising & publicity taking the total revised estimate to Rs 33.796 million, just as the financial year 2016 -2017 coming to a close. In an order of 30th Mar, 2017, DD Directorate General approved the release of Rs 38.8 million for 71 units against a total demand of over Rs 57.6 million. Intially allocated Rs 47.58 million for the year for advertising & publicity, the field unit had surrendered a sum of Rs 14 million earlier. However, the additional sum was given to meet exigency expenses. The amount was given against the non – plan & Internal & Extra – budgetary Resources of Prasar Bharati. Earlier, stressing that revenue generation is not the main objective of Prasar Bharati, the Parliament was told that the pubcaster is generating its revenue through Internal Extra Budgetary Resources (IEBR) to meet its operating expenses.

DD Agriculture Programmes Get Additional Budget

Just before the financial year 2016 – 2017 came to a close, the Central Production Centre of Doordarshan has been allocated an additional sum of Rs 1.9 million in a modified budget for production of agriculture programmes. The CPC, which produces programmes for DD Kisan apart from DD National, had given a budget of Rs 5.2 million at the beginning of the year. Thus, the total budget for 2016 – 2017 has risen to Rs 7.1 million. The directive was given by the Directorate General of DD after a letter was received in this connection on 28th Mar, 2017. The additional allocation has been given under Broadcasting Mode under the scheme “Mass Media Support to Agriculture Extension” assisted by other Ministries.
Earlier, in Dec, 2016, Doordarshan News & 30 regional news units (RNU) were allocated an additional Rs 100.8 million for the current year, taking the total allocation to about Rs 474 million for expenses that include payment to stringers & to the news agencies — United News of India & Press Trust of India.

&TV Ropes In Suniel Shetty

Known for its distinctive reality formats like The Voice India, So You Think You Can Dance, India Poochega Sabse Shaana Kaun & Killer Karaoke, &TV is all set out to launch a one – of – its – kind reality series – India’s Asli Champion…..Hai Dum!!! Produced by Colosceum Media Pvt Ltd, the show is slated to premiere soon on &TV. The show is the ultimate test of physical & mental endurance where contestants from different walks of life will compete for the glorious title of being India’s Asli Champion. The channel has roped in India’s iconic action hero Suniel Shetty to take on the mantle as a host for the series!!! India’s Asli Champion….. Hai Dum!!! will see contestants performing tasks designed to judge not just their physical fitness but also their grit & determination.