These guys exude the zeal to take on the world

Seeing MS Dhoni's boys almost snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against a rejuvenated West Indian side in the first T20 International at Florida was no doubt a pleasant experience. Yes, Dhoni, the finisher may have failed to hit the wining run, but let's not forget that in the 20-over format, chasing such a mammoth total of 245 isn't child's play.

Quite expectedly, experts didn't mine words while castigating Captain Cool and even foreseeing his retirement from international cricket advising him to pass on the mantle to Test skipper Virat Kohli. But amid, the volley of salvos directed at Dhoni, one misses the silver lining emanating from the courageous loss.

Team India is here to stay. Team India has it in it to tear apart any bowling attack in all the formats of the game. Team India shows the zeal not to give up, come what may. Looking back, there's hardly an instance when India braved all odds to come so close to victory chasing such a humongous total. Before the Florida encounter, India's highest total chasing was 211 with a target of 207 against Sri Lanka at Mohali in 2009.

But things have changed and thanks to the increasing number of T20 games played all over the world, there's a lot of aggression that players display, be it in bowling or batting. A Chris Gayle scores tons at ease. Kohli makes it a habit of notching up high scores. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Fa duPlessis and AB de Villiers are superstars in the shortest version of the game. In this context, India's rise in T20s augurs well for the future of the game in the country. These boys do not crumble under pressure and dare to take the game right down to the wire irrespective of the opponents.

India's run chase against the Caribbeans is also a proof of the results the Indian Premier League (IPL) yield.
Written off as just a more-than-a month circus by the conservative critics, IPL has won more brickbats than bouquets. But it's the IPL that brought into the limelight a KL Rahul, earlier ruled out from the T20 format for being a strokeless genius. Rahul's century and his partnerships with Rohit and MS in the first T20 last Saturday cement his place in the side for the time being at the expense of the inconsistent Shikhar Dhawan.

Talking about Captain Cool and his captaincy, it would be unfair on our part to write his cricketing obituary in the wake of India's series loss to West Indies. Little can a captain do when his bowlers and the best in business are hammered and slaughtered by two young batsmen. It was one bad day for the bowlers in the park from both sides. But, it's the Indian bowlers who bounced back in the second match dismissing their opponents for 143. Unfortunately the rain Gods played foul and the match was abandoned handing India a series defeat.

On the leadership front in the modified versions of the game, one sees nothing wrong at this point of time though Kohli is breathing around MS's neck. The current ODI and T20 skipper hasn't lost any of his qualities, both as a leader and a player. Beyond bowling and batting, it's the never-say-die spirit of the Men in Blue on the field that captures one's fancy.

These young guns are raring to go and led by a senior pro with an impeccable record, we are on course. On the Test front, Kohli has emerged as the ideal successor to MS leading his side to victory in the Test series against the Windies. And with a veteran like Anil Kumble playing the role of a mentor and coach, both Kohli and Dhoni are laying the foundation for a successful journey for Indian cricket.

 So, let's wind up on a positive note. Team India has arrived after a process of transition. The likes of Gavaskars, Gangulys and Tendulkars would be cherishing the emergence of a young side ready to take on the world.

When Riteish and team surprised the Banjo director

Ravi Jadhav who directs Banjo wasn't expecting what he witnessed while picturising the dance number Raada Raada for the film. The dance track features Riteish Deshmukh and his group of banjo players along with Nargis Fakhri. Before Ravi okayed the last shot, he was surprised by an impromptu act by the cast on stage.

Interestingly, once the sequence was over, Riteish, his team and Nargis hugged one another on stage, which was not part of the act. Ravi later got to know that the impromptu group hug was born out of sheer enthusiasm and happiness. Since the act came out naturally and went well with the song’s ending, Ravi decided not to delete the scene.

Banjo releases on September 23.

Tagore's international biopic set to roll from next month

The team of Argentine director Pablo Cesar's international biopic on Rabindranath Tagore, Thinking of Him held a press meet in Kolkata on Monday, August 30.

Present were the cast Victor Banerjee, Raima Sen, director Cesar and co-producer Suraj Kumar. The film deals with Tagore and the impact of renowned Argentine journalist and author Victoria Ocampo on the former's life. It's a joint production between Johnsons - Suraj Films International, India and Caesar Production, Argentina.

The film will also be made in Spanish and Bengali and will be shot in West Bengal, Argentina and France. Unlike regular movies, this film will be shoot on 35mm and the Kodak Company is exclusively manufacturing the film reels for the same. Shooting begins in September.

Banerjee essays the role of Tagore and is joined by an ensemble cast of Indian and international actors like Raima, Eleonora Wexner, Major Bikramjeet Kanwarpal and Hector Bordoni. The crew has been chosen from various Latin American countries and includes Carlos Isman (DOP), Jerenimo Toubes (writer) and others.

Shah Rukh's Darr set to make a comeback in a new avatar

Y-Films, the youth films wing of Yash Raj Films, is coming up with a reboot of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Darr as a five-part mini series titled Darr 2.0. The teaser of the film is already out.

Darr 2.0 will have the characters of Rahul, Kiran and Sunil from the original, but in an entirely new milieu, weaved in a modern, original tale of obsession and fear in the age of cyber stalking and digital crimes. The series talks of online privacy invasion and social media harassment that can take a dangerous and disturbing turn, if unchecked.

Darr directed by the Late Yash Chopra, also the founder of Yash Raj Films released in 1993 and also starred Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla among others. The film dealt with Rahul's (SRK) obsession with his college mate Kiran played by Juhi Chawla.

The fifth original Y-Films series, Darr 2.0, is directed by Vikas Chandra, a Sundance Screenwriters Lab Fellow and Associate Creative Producer on YRF’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshy and produced by Ashish Patil, Head of Y-Films. It has a story by Nikhil Taneja, with screenplay and dialogues written by Shubham Yogi and Taneja. The cast will be announced soon. The five-part series will be out soon on the Y-Films channel.

Here's the link to the teaser: https://youtu.be/V1aP9a8-yKg

Personal diary: A glimpse of the brighter side of a country called Pakistan

To start off, I owe a lot to Harsh Mander and his article for Scroll.in titled #SeditionThis: Why I believe Pakistanis are the most gracious people in the world. A wonderful piece of writing that puts all doubts to rest. He's the inspiration behind this piece. 

Yours truly may not have travelled to Pakistan, but he has always had a soft corner for its peoples. If it's cricket on one hand, it's the picturesque locales of the country that have always made him inquisitive to explore the country. And let's not forget the likes of Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Shahid Afridi, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Fawad Khan and Saba Qamar, big names from across the border this writer has always admired.

On a personal front, my personal experiences with Pakistan and Pakistanis as a whole have been cherishing enough. If my Karachi-based friend Umar Wahidi comes across as a person who never gives up on logic, during my days as a scribe, whenever I had to dial a Pakistani number, I never hesitated. And every time I spoke to one from across the border, I felt as if I was conversing with an Indian.

Be it Humaima Malik or Akram or Afridi, the co-operation from these big shots from Pakistan will always remain embedded in my heart. Never did it strike to me that they hailed from a nation, which had so many scores to settle with India.

Talk of Akram, I forced him to give me an exclusive despite the fact that he was running against time. But he was as charming as ever. On the treadmill, he told me that he was actually listening to Hindi numbers while shedding some calories. And Afridi (he may not remember), said, "You are from Hindustan Times (the newspaper I was working with)? Yes, I know you have an appointment with me. Go ahead."  

On the contrary, as a journalist, I was kept waiting by a Bengali superstar who said he had no time because his work came first. Similarly, a versatile Bollywood actor, in Kolkata to shoot for a film directed by a filmmaker who has left for his heavenly abode, tested my patience and finally gave in.


Anyways, am I getting too personal? Yes, I am. To come back, Pakistan has never disappointed me personally. Yet, cross border terrorism disturbs me. Biased Pakistani media coverage at the behest of the political and military establishments out there is contradictory to what an average Pakistani feels.

I would second Kannada actress Ramya who says Pakistan is not hell as opposed to Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar's statement. She faces sedition charges and I dread facing the same after this article goes online. But, being a true patriot and an Indian and living in a democracy that allows freedom of speech (Yes even keeping Kanhaiya Kumar in mind), I would suggest that it's time to bring the civil society into action and it's only then can we expect some respite. 

Far-fetched? May be, but that's a way out or else, even the all-party delegation's visit led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to the valley will yield no result. Talk to all stakeholders in Kashmir, but also take into confidence the ordinary Kashmiris. And when you talk to Pakistan, spare a thought for those ordinary citizens of the country who refuse to charge a penny if an Indian buys anything from them.  

To wind up, I am in love with that section of Pakistan, which doesn't spew venom at my country and which is sick and tired of the protracted enmity with India. But I am certainly not friendly with those elements who survive on anti-India plank. Similarly, looking within, people with vested interests from my own country do not make their way into my good books. Beyond politics and diplomacy, there's something called humanity. And I bet be it Karachi or Lahore or Islamabad or New Delhi or Mumbai or Kolkata or Chennai, there are still some human beings left who think beyond political vendetta.  

If I am booked on sedition charges, I am up for it, as I have spoken my heart out.

Allah Hafiz!!   
Also check https://digantaguha.blogspot.in/2016/05/beyond-guns.html 

Check out the latest poster of 31st October

The trailer of director Shivaji Lotan Patil's 31st October, will be launched on August 31. Meanwhile the producers have unveiled the latest poster of the film featuring Soha Ali Khan.

The film  based on the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, traces the real-life story of Sikh family and its struggle amid inclement circumstances during the riots. The film also stars Vir Das.

Emraan Hashmi's son turns showstopper

Actor Emraan Hashmi's son Ayaan not only walked the ramp, but was also the showstopper for Hamleys, styled by Diesel at the Lakme India Fashion Week today. Ayaan was joined by his father on stage.

The two graced the ramp in colour- coordinated outfits with cheers from the audience. Says Emraan, "It was great walking the ramp at Lakme with Ayaan. The vibe in the room was electrifying. It was great fun."

When Kartik faced crazy female fans

The actor who shot to fame with the film Pyaar Ka Punchnama didn't gauge his popularity before he landed in Pune for a Janmashtami celebration recently. Kartik Aaryan was on stage before some 30,000 people.

As he was delivering some of his famous monologues, some female fans tried to pull his jeans down. According to a source, "A group of girls tried to pull Kartik's pants down. The actor however, clicked pictures with the group." One of the girls was carrying a mangalsutra and even managed to get on the stage to show her love for Kartik.

That's what you call brush with sudden stardom.

Ranveer-Rohit wins Big B's heart

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is never short of words when it comes to appreciating good work. And the latest to enter his good books are director Rohit Shetty and actor Ranveer Singh. 

Bachchan tweeted, "RanveerSingh and #Rohit Shetty .. how the heck did you do all this !!?? this #RanveerRohitShettyHitJodi," lauding the actor-director duo on their ad film Ranveer Ching Returns. The film is closing in on  9 million views on the web in about 9 days of its launch.

And Bachchan continues, “Stupendous,” including responding to people saying, “I am thinking how the 2 of them made this ad??” Ranveer reciprocates tweeting, "Kya batayen Sir paapi pet kya-kya karata hai insaan se!"

The film features actress Tamannah Bhatia alongside Ranveer.

R Madhavan's Saala Khadoos takes TRPs to a new height

The R Madhavan-starrer Saala Khadoos may not have performed as expected at the box-office, but the bilingual (Hindi and Tamil) that premiered on TV on the same day (August 15) notched up high TRPs.

The Tamil version is titled Irrudhi Suttru. A film revolving around the plight of boxing in the country, is also an inspiring tale amid the pathetic performances of our athletes at the Rio Olympics.

"Kaun kehta hai Hindustanio mein dam nahi? Sports mein se politics hatakar dekho… gali gali mein champions milenge," is still a craze. Saala Khadoos is directed by Sudha Kongara also stars Ritika Singh, Mumtaz Sorcar, Zakir Hussain and others.

PC: Google

When Soha went shopping in Chandigarh

Actress Soha​​ Ali Khan whose next 31st October releases soon shopped extensively in Chandigarh to get clothes that would suit her character. ​Based on the anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the film has Soha playing an average Punjabi girl, a mother of two of the '80s. Soha was keen to have clothes in the movie worn by average Punjabi girls.

She wanted a very authentic ​Punjabi look for which she herself along with her stylish went shopping on the streets of Chandigarh's Sectors 17 and 22 where everything ​was easily available​. From her dupattas to jootisto whatever was required she purchased everything from there. She later said that this was actually going to help her understand the role much better.

"It was a very new experience for me, going on the streets of Punjab and buying little little things for myself which not only added to the Punjabi taste to my attire, but also impacted my personality for my role as a Sikhni, I wanted to get completely absorbed in my character and I felt it was good to take those little initiatives, moreover the people of Punjab were highly sweet and encouraging," says Soha.

31st October directed by Shivaji Lotan Patil also stars Vir Das among others. The film hits the theatres on October 7.

An international biopic on Tagore

Time and again Rabindranath Tagore has been captured on screen, be it him or his works. Now Argentine filmmaker takes one step ahead by being the first director to make an English biopic on the Nobel laureate.

An Indo-Argentine production, Thinking of Him is director Pablo Cesar's tribute to Tagore and stars Victor Banerjee as Tagore and Raima Sen in the lead. Backed by the Argentine government which is investing in movie, Thinking of Him will also be made in Spanish and Bengali apart from English. The film will be shot in West Bengal, Argentina, and France.

Shooting begins in Shantiniketan, where Tagore spent a large chunk of his life, from September 5. 

Dear PM, fly to Islamabad and expose Sharif's Pakistan

Will he or won't he? That's the question running in diplomatic circles in both India and Pakistan. The ever-ebullient Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister is still undecided on whether he will attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit to be held in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on November 9 and 10. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already sent an invitation to heads of all the member states including India.

Admitted, Modi is in a fix in the wake of Pakistan's escalation of the age-old anti-India stance aggravated further 'courtesy' the unrest in the Kashmir valley post the death of Burhan Wani, hailed as a martyr by Islamabad. The cold treatment meted out to Modi's cabinet colleague Rajnath Singh during the latter's visit to Islamabad is a case in point.

But will boycotting the SAARC summit serve India's purpose? Honestly speaking, Modi should take the flight to Pakistan. Amid the uproar in the valley both India and Pakistan are hell bent on internationalising the Kashmir issue. If Pakistan seeks support from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and even the European Union (EU) on Kashmir, New Delhi too isn't lagging behind. When Modi talks of Balochistan, PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan, he means business. Though Modi's concern for Balochistan will be under the scanner, he has taken the battle right into the enemy's camp.

Though SAARC has got nothing to do with bilateral acrimony, Modi would do well to take on Pakistan on the latter's soil following in the footsteps of his Home Minister, Singh. If Singh were decent enough, Modi should take one step ahead.

Pakistan's moral support to Kashmiris' struggle for independence is a given, but there's more to it. Islamabad's monetary and military support to perpetrators of terror in the valley has already cost hundreds of lives. Sharif has entrusted 22 parliamentarians with the responsibility to expose 'Indian atrocity in Kashmir' globally.

If, Sharif can take the lead, Modi should not give him the edge. Knowing Modi's prowess over words, he has it in him to dispel any ambiguity on New Delhi's approach towards Kashmir and expose Islamabad's nefarious tendencies to incite trouble in the valley.

With USA in company, Modi's diplomatic acumen will be tested vis-a-vis Kashmir. Instead of campaigning for his party in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa (states going into polls next year), Modi should take it upon himself to send a strong message to Pakistan that it better stay away from India's internal matters or else, there's enough in our bag to marginalise our estranged brother.

And the Indian PM couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than the 19th SAARC Summit to throw pertinent questions at Pakistan which the latter may find difficult to counter. Our neighbours are leaving no stones unturned to capitalise on Kashmir to isolate India, but with the latter having developed new friends who earlier had a soft corner for Pakistan, Modi stays on a stronger turf.

Enough is enough, let's be practical. Kashmir is on the boil and Pakistan is only adding fuel to it. So, let's talk about cross-border terrorism and convince the Pakistani establishment that by acquiescing to the all-powerful Army, it's drawing its own nemesis. Yet, Modi should also have an answer to the logic behind raising the issue of Balochistan.

Fingers crossed!

Ranveer Ching Returns premieres on Sony tomorrow

Rohit Shetty's Ranveer Ching Returns will have its World Satellite Premiere on August 28 after Kapil Sharma's show at 10.20 pm on Sony Entertainment Television. This is the first time a channel is promoting a commercial's premiere. Apart from India, it will also be telecast all over USA, Canada , Middle east and East and North Africa.

Starring Ranveer Singh and Tamanaah Bhatia, the ad film has already garnered seven million views online in just six days. The film's title song has been composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with lyrics by Gulzar and the dialogues of the film have been penned by Milap Zaveri. 

Bebo all set for Veera Di Wedding

Kareena Kapoor Khan puts all rumours to rest as she soon begins preparation for Veere Di Wedding in September. The actress who will shoot a portion of the film in October, will attend a workshop with co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar before the film goes on floors.

Says a source, "Kareena recently completed shooting for a hair-dressing chain campaign and will also shoot two magazine covers before starting her workshop for Veere Di Wedding. In September she begins prepping for the film and will attend readings and dialogue delivery sessions with Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar."

 

Veera Di Wedding is produced by Ekta Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor and is directed by Shashanka Ghosh who has earlier directed Sonam in Khoobsurat.

Meet Akshay Kumar, the Mr. Dependable of Bollywood

Cricket being a religion in India, Sachin Tendulkar is God! Beyond India, the world worships Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Rogerer Federer and others. They are megastars who have redefined stardom.

In Bollywood, whenever we talk about super-stardom the names of Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan strike us. On the 22-yards, we have Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Tendulkar who face no competition.

But to talk of cricket, we have had consistent performers like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, GR Viswanath, Mohinder Amarnath and Sourav Ganguly who have stood up to challenges and made us smile. Yet, Tendulkar is hailed as invincible.

Coming to Bollywood, we have Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar whose films may not have minted multi-crores at the box-office, yet they smell success within the smallest of parameters. The success of Rustom with Akshay in the lead lends credence to the fact that apart from mega-bucks from MEGASTARS who at most have two releases in a year, the industry has to look to SUPERSTARS who won't think big, yet rake in the moolah.

And this is where Akki is a force to reckon with. The guy from Delhi has come a long way. From his debut Saugandh (1991) to Rustom (2016), Akshay has flourished in leaps and bounds marching ahead of his contemporaries barring the Khans. There was a time in the '90s when Akshay was not considered to be an A-Grade star. But thanks to the Khiladi series, Mohra and the twist to his career courtesy his comic timing in films like Hera Pheri and others, the actor reinvented himself.

If in Namastey London, Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love, Waqt: The Race Against Time and Dhadkan, he showed his emotional side, films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, Welcome, De Dana Dan, the Housefull series and Desi Boyz made him tickle the funny bone.

Talk of versatility, Aan, Andaaz, Aitraaz and others saw him in serious avatars as well. Even in Yash Chopra's Dil To Pagal Hai where he played a cameo, Akki won hearts especially in the climax with Karisma Kapoor. From being an action star to begin his career with, Akshay has evolved as an actor over the years and his latest films like Special 26, Gabbar is Back, Airlift and Rustom bear testimony to it. Meanwhile, he flirts with the likes of Rowdy Rathore, Housefull and others that only add variety to his kitty.

Akki's films may not be earning as much as a Salman Khan film would, but, he provides stability to the industry much like what Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman did to Indian cricket.

Choose films pragmatically so that the producers make profits and it's the percentage of profits that matters to Akshay. And it is this strategy that has three of his films making it to the Rs 100-crore mark in 2016.  Akki is ranked third after Salman and Shah Rukh in terms of the number of films making a minimum of Rs 100 crore at the domestic box-office in the history of Bollywood.

Forbes lists Akshay as the 10th highest paid actor in the world ahead of even Salman and Bachchan. He lags behind only Shah Rukh who is ranked 8th despite delivering mediocre box-office products.

This only proves that Akshay is highly bankable and with due respect, is looked upon as somebody who will set the cash registers ringing in the absence of the MEGASTARS. He may not be Bollywood's Tendulkar, but he is the one who personifies consistency and you may not be wrong to bracket him alongside Dravid and Laxman.

Call him Very Very Special or Mr. Dependable, Akshay has redefined stardom in his own way. And kudos to him.

Film on anti-Sikh riots gets a release date

Writer-producer Harry Sachdeva’s political thriller 31st October starring Vir Das and Soha Ali Khan is slated to release on October 7 after having cleared by the Censor Board.

Directed by National award winning filmmaker Shivaji Lotan Patil, the film is based on the true story ​of a Sikh family's struggle for survival in the wake of the anti-Sikh riots in 1984. The film has already been praised at various international film festivals.

Say Sachdeva and co-producer Anand Prakash,“We are ​proud to bring this subject on the big screen and we are​ glad that after crossing all hurdles." The director adds, “It was a great opportunity for me to direct this subject. It’s the first film ever on the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and it’s a film for the world audience.”

Veeram set to open the inaugural BRICS Film Festival

The Kunal Kapoor-starrer Veeram will open the the first-ever BRICS Film Festival to be held at the Siri Fort Auditorium between September 2 and 6 this year.

The BRICS Film Festival will be followed by the 8th BRICS Summit which will take place in Goa on October 15 and 16. BRICS includes countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

A spectacular, larger than life magnum opus period drama set in the 13th century Kerala, Jayaraj Nair's Veeram resuscitates the real life character made famous through folklore literature and songs. The film spans the journey of Chandu (Kunal), a Kalaripayattu warrior who meets a tragic end as an outcome of betrayal.

Says Kunal, "I'm very excited that we are premiering at the first BRICS Film Festival. We've put a lot of effort into making this film and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts to it."

Talking about his film opening the festival, six times National Award winning director Jayaraj says, "I am happy and proud in presenting the first screening of my latest movie Veeram, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth especially in this quadri-centennial of the great writer. The BRICS honour makes Veeram proud of Shakespeare, Kalari, Kunal and the team members."

Veeram will be releasing later this year and has been shot in three different languages - Hindi, English and Malayalam with plans to further dub it in Tamil and Telugu.

It's a wrap for Tom Dick Harry Returns

Actors Sharman Joshi, Jimmy Shergill, Aftab Shivdasani, Pooja Chopra, Nazia Hussian and Sana Khan who were busy shooting for Dipak Tijori's Tom Dick Harry Returns have wrapped up their schedule.

A wrap up party was held to celebrate the occasion which was also attended by producers Surendra Bhatia and Narsingh Rajput and the editor of the film Ballu Saluja.

Tijori returns behind the camera after nine years. Tom Dick Harry Returns is the sequel to Tom Dick and Harry that released in 2006.  The sequel revolves around three men — one blind, one deaf and one mute. Quite obviously, the plot line this time around will be new. Even the main star cast sees some changes. While Jimmy Sheirgill (Harry) is being retained, we have Sharman Joshi and Aftab Shivdasani, joining him. Pooja Chopra (Miss India World, 2009), Nazia Hussain and Sana Khan play their love interests.
The 2006 film had Dino Morea and Anuj Sawhney in the lead along with Celina Jaitley and Kim Sharma.

A peek into the sets of Krishnadasi

Shravan Reddy and Sana Sheikh who have been mesmerising us with their on screen portrayal of Aryan and  Aradhya in  the serial  Krishnadasi were recently spotted discussing a scene right out the location. This little act captured shows how the two actors are engrossed in the job they do. 

They seem to discuss their scenes before giving the shots and which indeed makes them more effective. This is the reason we have loved their performance throughout the show. 

The Gujarat revolution, a young guy faces a powerful duo

Hardik Patel must have been caught unawares! Having spent quite a number of days in jail, he was given bail by the Gujarat High Court on the condition that he didn't turn up in his home state Gujarat for six months and Mehsana for nine months.

But the damage has already been done. Two of his close associates Chirag Patel and Ketan Patel have spilled the beans by alleging Hardik with having amassed wealth in the name of a revolution under the banner of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).

For a guy in his twenties, Hardik showed the audacity to take on an indifferent attitude of the Gujarat government towards giving reservations to his community in jobs in a state that was earlier helmed by the current Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi.

Hardik became a household name and TV channels stalked him for discussions on serious issues related to Gujarat. Fast forward a bit, the same person faces the threat of extinction thanks to two of his trusted lieutenants-turned-foes.

Hardik must be a worried man as he tries to look at ways to come out of this mess. But deep down, as he finishes his dinner to hit the bed in Udaipur, where he currently stays, Hardik must be reconciling to the fact that political maturity prevails over zeal, even if the ones banking on the latter are sincere and committed enough.

The Patidars under the leadership of Hardik burst on to the scene when they raised certain relevant points that hit the headlines. Anandiben Patel, the then Gujarat CM tried to mollify the Patidars by declaring a 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker castes in the unreserved category. However, this was overruled by the Gujarat High Court. An effort to calm down the protesters turned out to be a damp squib.

Anandiben had to take the exit route and Amit Shah, the BJP president used his office to anoint Vijay Rupani to the post at the expense of a Patel, which didn't go down well with the community in the party and the state. Perhaps, the battle-lines were drawn then and the decision to stop the rot was taken in New Delhi and the repercussions can be felt now.

It's too early to comment, but at the same time, one may not be a fool to ignore the might of the Modi-Shah combo to oppress a voice of dissent challenging its position. And this time by using its expertise to sideline a young man who had the guts to revolt against a government that's remote-controlled by the duo.

BJP may afford lose Uttar Pradesh or Punjab, but if at all it loses Gujarat, the home state of the two most powerful leaders in the country, then internal squabbles would only have an adverse impact on a party that dreams of decimating anyone throwing his hat in the ring. Those voices that have not been heard before will come out of the grave. With memories of a big jolt in Bihar and Delhi still haunting, a defeat in Gujarat will for sure be a hard pill to swallow.

One may be taking it a bit too far, but behind-the-door machinations to engineer a split in PAAS shouldn't be brushed aside.

Worth a thought!

Is it the Rana of Mewar look on Instagram?

Of late Shahid Kapur has been working hard on the looks and the character of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmavati. As per sources, Shahid plays the Rana of Mewar, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh. The actor recently posted a picture on his Instagram revealing a new look.

The question is whether, Shahid deliberately disclosed his Padmavati look or not.

Evelyn walks out of Bhaiyyaji Superhitt

Actress Evelyn Sharma is no longer part of Preity Zinta's upcoming production Bhaiyyaji Superhitt starring Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, Shreyas Talpade along with Zinta herself. Evelyn was cast opposite Talpade, but the actress had to opt out because she couldn't give bulk dates for the film.

The film was announced in November, 2011, but was constantly being shelved due to various reasons before hitting the floors in June this year.

Says Evelyn, "Since the production demands a certain amount of days more than what I expected it to be, I'm unable to allocate those additional days due to prior commitments. However it's a great project and an amazing team, I would have loved to continue being a part of it had my schedule permitted."

Jammu & Kashmir: Enough of politics, time for some healing touch

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram didn't win too many fans when he said during an interview to Karan Thapar on India Today TV, “We look at Kashmir as an issue of land, but it's a problem of people instead. Let the people of Kashmir frame their laws within the ambit of the Constitution. We have to assure that we will respect identity, history, culture, religion.”

And he continued to be candid on Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) when he pointed out, “I am afraid the way out of the crisis cannot be found by the present government. The Congress, National Conference and, if willing, the PDP must come together to find a solution: firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu & Kashmir.”

To our surprise the Congress party decided not to side with what Chidambaram said writing it off as a personal view. A section of opposition parties in J&K led by National Conference leader Omar Abdullah calls on Congress VP, Rahul Gandhi to conceive constructive steps towards addressing the Kashmir problem. Abdullah's stance is that Kashmir is not a law and order problem, but a political one. See, politics is everywhere.

What is Chidambaram's fault? He spoke his mind and heart if we can say so. But did Abdullah or any one from Chidambaram's own party pay heed to the point the former Union Minister raised?

Talk of Pakistan, it will never set aside the Kashmir issue because that means the establishment antagonises the all-powerful Army which needs Kashmir to launch a tirade against India. On the Indian front, cutting across political lines, it's all about overlooking the truth and encashing Kashmir to personify pseudo patriotism.

There lies the real truth. Both India and Pakistan need J&K because that will only add to the vote banks of various political parties on both sides.

Okay fine! But when more than 60 people are killed post the death of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani, it's the kins of the deceased who shed tears and not the lawmakers in India and Pakistan. A lecturer in Kashmir is killed and hardly is anybody  bothered.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh wants young Kashmiris to pick books, pens and computers instead of stones. Well thought, but how much security is his government providing to Kashmiris in and outside the state? A Kashmiri scholar is attacked in Barakatullah University in Bhopal. And Singh has no answer. Similarly, some Kashmiri students allege that they were attacked by locals in Jodhpur’s Vyas Institute of Higher Education.

Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's Prime Minister might say Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of the United Nations, but at the same time, one of his political foes, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Allama Tahirul Qadri alleges that it's India which is keeping Sharif in power. “India is still fighting to keep the Sharifs in power. If the Sharifs deny this, then I will reveal the names of the countries that helped them come into power,” he was quoted by The Express Tribune.


What Qadri's bombshell indicates is that it's all about politics. Despite the turmoil in Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasn't been able to take time off to visit the disturbed valley. Instead, he uses India's Independence Day to show his solidarity with the sufferers of the so-called Pakistani mayhem.

Coming to Abdullah, what exactly did his party do to propagate peace in the Kashmir valley? He has no answer. But when a Kashmiri businessman this writer has known for years says, "Do you know how we are treated?" he raises a pertinent point. The businessman even goes to the extent of spilling the beans on the corrupt electoral system in the valley. "Elections are manipulated," he says.

And, it's not just on the Indian side. Even Sharif's PML (N) is facing allegations of wrongdoings to come to power in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Forget the plebiscite that the United Nations (UN) wants both India and Pakistan to hold, unless and until, both the countries stop playing political games over Kashmir, more innocent lives will leave for their 'heavenly' abode.

Coming back to what Chidambaram said, it's not about the region, but its people. Please stop playing politics Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif. Kashmiris want to breathe fresh air and let's not deprive them of their due.

But things are changing. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda stresses the importance of talks involving protesters and even separatists to find a way out of the unrest in the valley. Hooda has set the ball rolling and it's left to New Delhi to take it forward.

Coming to Islamabad, there has not been a single initiative from the Army or the political establishment to shed acrimony and think positive barring the foreign ministry asking India to talk on Kashmir. But with infiltration at the behest of Pakistan rampant, how committed is Pakistan? It is yet to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) to curb terrorism. Instead, it sees an Indian hand in the Quetta attack. The practice of blame game should be kicked out. Hope, Pakistan too understands the gravity of the situation.

As a human being, this writer's heart reaches out to his brothers and sisters, residents of heaven that saw films like Kashmir Ki Kali, Silsila, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and many others being shot in the backdrop of picturesque surroundings.

The so-called patriotic Indians would pounce upon this writer for being too vocal. But forget the patriotic side, there's something called humanity, and it's this humane side which is worried about the abject torture that Kashmiris on both sides of the border are facing.

When we see the Syrian boy Omran's picture going viral, we shudder, but explore a bit, there are several Osmans thanks to the rigid attitude of India and Pakistan, who do not even garner attention and most of them die a silent death.

Time to think! Time to think! 

For Sidhu Paaji, the political future looks uncertain

A former Indian cricketer, then reticent opened up once he was at the commentary box. Those who have played with Navjot Singh Sidhu would vouch that the latter hardly spoke during his playing days.

But after calling it a day, Sidhu has never minced words. His one-liners are legendary and the shayaris make for an interesting listen every time he is on television. But with due respect, the ex-Indian opening batsman hasn't read the political pulse too well. Had it been so, he wouldn't have found himself hunting for a platform to relaunch his career on.

So, will he or won't he? Having quit the Rajya Sabha as a representative of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sidhu also a former Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar seems to be unsure of his political future. The bargaining with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hasn't reaped him any benefit as the former's convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal refuses to make the Sardar the party's CM face in the Punjab assembly elections due next year. Don't blame Kejriwal. He can't afford to antagonise his loyal lieutenants by backing an outsider and that also from a party he just can't tolerate.

It's all about being 'politically bang-on' and Sidhu finds himself staring at political darkness at this point of time. This reminds us of the 1996 tour to England, when Sidhu decided to catch the next flight back home midway because of differences with the then Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin. The Lion of Patiala did make a comeback into the Indian team only to play his last international match in 1999.The reason is simple: He had by then made more foes than well-wishers both in and outside the team.

Talk about his political career, Sidhu wasn't the happiest man on earth when he was asked to make way for Arun Jaitley for the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency in 2014, which the current Finance Minister lost. Hurt and humiliated, Sidhu preferred to focus on his TV career instead of trying to strengthen his position in BJP. As luck would have it, the 'injustice' done to him was made up by the party when he made it to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket. But all hell broke loose, when he resigned, apparently because BJP was reluctant to entrust him with bigger responsibilities (read leading the party's campaign in the Punjab elections).

It's well-known that Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal of Shiromoni Akalai Dal (SAD), with which BJP is in alliance in the north-Indian state doesn't hold Sidhu in high esteem. Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, also a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly doesn't share an excellent rapport with the Badal family.

If he were deprived by BJP, AAP too doesn't want to take the risk of going into the Punjab elections with Sidhu in the forefront. Despite being an international celebrity, it's political immaturity and on top of it lack of charisma which go against the cricketer-turned-politician. BJP wouldn't commit a blunder by over hyping Sidhu that would earn the party the wrath of Badal. Similarly, AAP isn't unaware of the fact that Sidhu is a political novice vis-a-vis Amarinder Singh of Congress and Badal of SAD-BJP.

Under the current circumstances, Sidhu needs to introspect and meticulously plan his next course of action. The blunders as a cricketer have cost his career dear, but on a political field, he has to understand that he can't trust even his own shadow. More importantly, it's imperative that he has a clear-cut assessment of his political acumen.  Both his wife and he are keeping options open it seems. Mrs. Sidhu despite standing by her husband, took part in BJP's Tiranga Yatra. However, BJP's doors are almost closed on the former Indian cricketer, if media reports are to be taken seriously. So, what does Sidhu do now?  

Walking down the track and hitting it over the top was never a tough ask for Sidhu. But political juggernauts pose a different challenge to him. There's no doubt, he has over estimated his political prowess. And in the process, he has rubbed too many political heavyweights the wrong way. The earlier he understands it, the better it is for him.

Indian sports beyond cricket: Aim bigger to scale greater heights

Today morning, yours truly was having a discussion with his students over the discriminatory treatment that non-cricketers get in India. As a teacher, the writer was impressed at the varied views that came up. Needless to say, he was pleasantly surprised. Freshers, they might be, but there was no dearth of enthusiasm when it came to voicing their opinions.

So, PV Sindhu has created history for being the first Indian woman to win a silver at the Olympics. Wrestler Sakshi Malik too has had her name written on walls marked for legends by winning a bronze, a first for an Indian woman wrestler in the Olympics. In the coming days, there will be felicitations galore for both. Monetary rewards (Sakshi has already gained some), interviews, endorsement offers and the common eulogising on the streets are waiting to welcome the two medal winners once they are back.

But, delve deep: A country that boasts 125 crore people still is content with a bronze. A silver is a bonus and if at all a gold comes our way, we cut loose. Compare this to USA, China, Russia and Great Britain, their athletes talk of gold and not just a medal at any international sporting event. 

At the time of writing this article, India is placed 62nd in the list of medal winners even behind Jamaica, Colombia, Ukraine, Serbia, Belarus, Argentina, Chinese Taipei, Ethiopia and Georgia to mention a few. A country like Azerbaijan has more in its kitty than India. Oh come on, even Venezuela that is fighting an acute food crisis is ahead of India.

Our sports minister Vijay Goel revels in taking selfies with some members of the Indian contingent. He hardly has any concrete solution to a menace called "abysmal performance.' Trust me, even a Sindhu will be lost in oblivion, if we don't focus on the road ahead. The likes of Karnam Malleswari, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Mary Kom, Gagan Narang, Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra and Sushil Kumar who have earned the country laurels in previous Olympics are nowhere to be seen.

Some like Kom and Kumar didn't even qualify for Rio. But what we have done with Kom seems 'laudable.' A film has been made on her and she is even a Rajya Sabha MP. And Rathore by the way is a union minister in the current regime. Well, we have honoured our sporting heroes in our own way.

The problem with Indian sports other than cricket is lack of vision. The government still thinks a hundred times before investing in wrestling, badminton, athletics and even hockey. Forget, the government, what exactly is the role of the media? When it comes to Olympics, a glimmer of hope to bag a bronze, and the media goes crazy. Olympics over, if you have won a medal, the brief celebration and it's back to the 22-yards. It's back to Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, MS Dhoni and the other megastars who are part of a game called cricket.

Spare a thought for Sakshi Malik who has fought gender discrimination to flutter the tri-colour atop in Rio. Accepted that she is going to be financially better placed post her triumph, but what next? Will she set a trend and pave way for a couple of more Sakshis to step in and aim at a gold in 2020? There's no comprehensive policy in sports in India, so what do you expect?

It may be disheartening, but thanks to our mindset, beyond felicitations, we will hardly look at the larger picture. Sindhu makes it to the finals and her senior Saina who won an Olympic bronze in London (2012) is advised to hang up her boots on Twitter. Come on, we Indians love to run our heroes down.

Don't blame the Koms, Kumars and Dutts. Even they are not oblivious to the fact that a place in the top three in the Olympics will assure them of a stable future because even a bronze is worth a million in India.

Just one gold since 2008 thanks to Bindra and seven bronze medals and three silvers are all what we have till 2016. And a country like Kazakhastan has won 17 medals in one Olympic event (2016).

The article doesn't intend to undermine the efforts of Sakshi and Sindhu. But what it tries to point fingers at is the psyche of an Indian mind that's elated at being number four or three and just refuses to raise the bar.

To wind up on a positive note, let's hope and pray that Sindhu and Sakshi lead from the front and inspire many more Sindhus and Sakshis to emerge and eye a gold and not just a silver or a bronze.

Leave it to the government to aim higher or else, don't castigate our successful cricketers for being darlings of the nation.

It's Emraan and Sunny for an item song

Just imagine this sequence: Bollywood's serial kisser Emraan Hasmi and the hot and sexy Sunny Leone together on screen. They for sure will rise the level of adrenaline. And yes, thanks to filmmaker Milan Luthria, the two will feature in an item song for the former's Baadshaho. The song will be shot in Mumbai and Rajasthan and Emraan is all excited.

Says the actor, “Sunny has had a great track record with songs. The song is good. And with the way Milan and the choreographer have conceptualised it, I am sure it will be a winner.” Baadshaho also stars Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'Cruz, Vidyut Jammwal and Esha Gupta.

Pic courtesy: Google

Aankhen 2 set to hit the floors next month

The announcement of producer Gaurang Doshi's Aankhen-2 had Amitabh Bachchan taking the center stage and launch the sequel. The first installment of Aankhen directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah released in 2002 and was a huge success at the box-office. Aankhen 2 will be directed by Anees Bazmee.

The set at Film City, Mumbai took the form of a casino. The programme saw live performances by Bachchan, Arshad Warsi, Meet Brothers and Bollywood debutante Regina Cassandra all choreographed by Ganesh Acharya. The movie also stars Anil Kapoor, Arjun Rampal,and Ileana D'Cruz. It hits the floors this September and is slated to release next year.

Aankhen (2002) starred apart from Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Rampal, Paresh Rawal, Sushmita Sen and others.

Rio Olympics for India: Triumph of the underdogs

How many of you were aware of Sakshi Malik till she got India a bronze in the Rio Olympics? One bets, the majority would answer in the negative and the minority would answer in the affirmative.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (21) has long been over shadowed by Saina Nehwal also from Hyderabad. But the irony is that Sindhu has already given India the biggest glory at the Olympics in badminton before she faces the Spaniard Carolina Marin in the race to the gold.

Even if Sindhu concedes defeat to Marin, she will have walked the path to history for being the most successful woman badminton player for India at the Olympics. Sindhu is already part of history for being the first Indian woman to win a sliver medal at least (even if she loses in the finals).

There's one common thread between the Rohtak girl Malik and Hyderabad born Sindhu. Before the start of the Olympics, nobody thought that these two ladies would uphold the prestige of the country at a time when the biggies had disappointed. Sakshi was not even the first priority to take the flight to Rio.

Time to recall: As the Indian contingent prepared to leave for Rio, the media went ga-ga over the likes of Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Dipa Karmakar, Abhinav Bindra and the men's hockey side to win medals for us.

Fast forward and none of the above-mentioned stars figures in the list of medal-holders. It's the underdogs or the neglected ones who have brought glory to the country ignoring the indifferent treatment meted out to them.

That's India for your kind information. We worship people who do us proud and in the process turn our backs on the rest. Little do we realise that representing the country on the Olympic platform requires a lot of gumption.

The Rio Olympics for India should go down in history as the one that had the underdogs romping home when the megastars failed to make it. As proud Indians, let's pray that Sindhu bags a gold today. Even if she doesn't, she has made a mark and proved a point- perseverance pays off even if you are less glamorous.

All the best Sindhu!

Rakhi bonding for Ek Tha Hero stars

There are instances of actors extending their bonhomie beyond the sets. And the latest addition to the list are Amita Pathak Sachar and Ayush Khedekar who star in Ek Tha Hero directed by Yogesh Pagare. Amita and Ayush who play siblings in the film continue with their bonding in real life too.

Since last year, Amita has been tying Rakhi to Ayush and she has followed the tradition this year too. Amita debuted with Haal-e-dil in 2008 and later starred in Aakrosh, Bittoo Boss and Taur Mittran Di. Ayush shot to fame with the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire.  

Ek Tha Hero is a story about a charming village boy who through his journey wins several hearts and becomes a true hero.

Happy Bhag Jayegi team at the Attari border

Diana Penty recently visited Attari border in Amritsar to promote her upcoming film Happy Bhag Jayegi on the eve of India’s Independence Day.

The actress interacted with the jawaans at the border and also clicked selfies with them. Diana was also spotted running with the Indian flag during the film’s promotion.

Joining the actress were her co-stars Abhay Deol, Jimmy Shergill and Ali Fazal along with producers Krishika Lulla, Anand L Rai and director Mudassar Aziz.

The film releases on August 19.

Are we really an independent nation? Give it a thought

I am told India is celebrating her Independence Day today! It's 70th! Forgive me for the ignorance. As a patriot, I should have kept in my mind that it's August 15 today. But in the true sense of the term, I doubt whether we are a free country or not.

As somebody who is addicted to news, every time I try to keep myself abreast of what's happening all around the world, I bump into news pieces that perturb me. If Dalits are tortured for cow-skinning, minorities bear the brunt of their status, women are brutally treated, education scams in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh hit the headlines, law makers are either embroiled in corruption cases or make news for their foul tongues: And we are independent. The Censor Board till a while ago passed strictures that curbed the freedom of creative personalities.

As a resident of Kolkata, The City of Joy, I am warned against being too vocal because my stance might land me in trouble. The reason is simple: Autocracy still prevails and electoral support makes parties take to dictatorial means to assert their authority.

Now what should I do? As a friend suggested, "Stay silent! Get your job done and don't have an opinion on everything under The Sun." My friend is bang on. That's what I should do. But when a kin says, "Brother, could you pick me up? It's 9 pm and I am scared," I lament the fact that we are a free nation. She's a lady.

I get irritated, when a women at work place are victimised and thrown out of their jobs because they have dignity and follow principles. Just because they refuse to dance to the whims and fancies of their superiors, they are denigrated.

Is this what our freedom fighters envisaged? Perhaps not. But this is what we face every day. The author is part of the privileged lot. He's lucky he hasn't had to face the harshest of ordeals.

But what about those who die an untimely death or are pushed into facing atrocities that they don't deserve?
I would prefer hanging up right here.

Just give it a thought: Are we really independent?

Riteish takes to herbal cigarettes for Banjo

A non-smoker in real life, Riteish Deshmukh, who plays a street musician in his forthcoming musical drama, Banjo, had a couple of scenes where he had to smoke. And guess what he did. The actor used herbal cigarettes to lend credibility to the sequences.

Confirms Riteish, “To make my character look more believable, I was supposed to smoke in a few scenes, as that was integral to the script. Thankfully, I had to smoke herbal cigarettes and not the actual ones that are harmful.”

Banjo, produced by Eros International and directed by Ravi Jadhav stars Riteish with Nargis Fakhri. The film releases on September 23.

Sultan almost catches up with PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan in terms of gross earnings

The Salman Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer Sultan has become the third highest grosser in Bollywood with a worldwide gross of Rs 585 crore. It's also the most successful movie of Yash Raj Films. Ahead of Sultan are PK (Rs 792 crore) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (Rs 626 crore).

If we look at Indian cinema, Sultan ranks fourth as of now in terms of gross earnings after PK, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Baahubali (Rs 600 crore).

In terms of gross, Sultan has earned Rs 421 crore in India and Rs 164 crore abroad. With the film still running to packed houses, some more records could be broken in the days to come.

Sultan director interacts with students of Whistling Woods International

Yash Raj Films' Sultan is already a blockbuster and to decode the success of the film, director Ali Abbas Zafar had an interactive session with the students of Whistling Woods International (WWI) in Mumbai on Tuesday. The film was screened before the chat session. Zafar was also felicitated by eminent filmmaker and Founder and Chairman of WWI, Subhash Ghai.

The students floored Zafar with questions. On the lead actor of the film Salman Khan, Zafar said, “There are certain roles which are meant to be done by certain actors. A role only becomes iconic if you cast it well.” Zafar also pointed out that while writing the script, he wanted to create a character that everyone could identify with. And the take-off point for the movie was when he found that character, which embodied the very meaning of life.

While addressing the students, Zafar spoke of the importance of team dynamics while making a film. He told the students that filmmaking is a team sport and every one involved should follow the same vision. According to him, the most important equations which need to be taken care of are the ones between the director and the actor, and the director and his cameraman.

Happy Oye, the Punjabi track from Happy Bhag Jayegi launched

After Gabru Ready To Mingle Hai and Aashiq Tera, it's time for Happy Oye. We are talking about the latest Punjabi number from the film Happy Bhag Jayegi that has been launched.

Composed by Sohail Sen and crooned by Harshdeep Kaur and Shahid Mallya the song underscores the characterial traits of Happy played by Diana Penty. 

Directed by Mudassar Aziz and produced by Krishika Lulla and Aanand L Rai, Happy Bhag Jayegi also starring Abhay Deol, Ali Fazal and Jimmy Shergill will release on August 19.

Rohit and Ranveer come together globally

It was not not disclosed before. The whole cast and crew were committed to sign non-disclosure agreements, mobile phones, cameras being off-limits. So when the news broke of Rohit Shetty signing Ranveer Singh, it made news.

The poster and trailer of RANVEER CHING RETURNS showcases huge sets and set pieces and all the ingredients of a blockbuster. And it takes Rohit and Ranveer to territories they have never explored before. Set in a dystopian future, the film is apparently an Indo-Chinese collaboration and will release in multiple languages with dubs even in several South languages.

Rohit Shetty says, "Hey Guys! Here's a small sneak peak to our upcoming madness." The film set to go worldwide on August 19 also stars Tamannaah. It will be followed by a digital launch and then the World Satellite premiere where apparently the Sony Television Network has already picked up exclusive rights for an undisclosed figure.

Some pictures from the Pink trailer launch

Here are some snaps from the trailer launch of the film Pink that was held yesterday in Mumbai. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Angad Bedi, Taapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari among others. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and produced by Shoojit Sircar of Piku fame, Pink releases on September 16. 

Sultan is now a member of the Rs 300 crore club

Yash Raj Films’ Sultan is minting money as it enters the Rs 300 crore club in India. The Salman Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer with dealing with the love story between two wrestlers and how Sultan's attitude towards life undergoes a huge transformation is breaking records after records.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Aditya Chopra the film has connected with audiences worldwide and continues its victorious march at the box office!

Here are some of the box-office glories the film has achieved: 

• Crossed Rs 300 crore Net Box Office Collections and Rs 420 crore Gross Box Office Collections in the Domestic Market.
• Crossed Rs 164 crore Gross Box Office Collections in the International Market.
• Crossed Rs 584 crore Gross Box Office Collections in the Domestic and International Markets.

 After just 35 days of its release Sultan is now the third Highest Grossing Movie in the history of Indian Cinema! In the days ahead, Yash Raj Films will continue to entertain audiences by marketing and distributing the movie in a phased manner across various traditional and non-traditional markets for Hindi movies.