Bhappida's new Hollywood connection

Bhappi Lahiri has his sights set on Hollywood with the upcoming Hollywood musical film Moana. Lahiri is now back with Shona. Following the tremendous success of Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar’s reprisal of Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai and the Hindi localised version of Bare Necessities featuring Vishal Dadlani, Disney is all set to localise its forthcoming film Moana and has collaborated with Lahiri to voice the dialogues and sing for the character of Tamatoa, a giant crab with a fondness for shiny treasures found which he hoards.

Speaking of this collaboration, Lahiri said, “My family and I have been big fans of Disney. From its characters to its music, it has always been iconic. It’s a great pleasure to associate with Moana. I am always looking forward to doing new things. This is the first time I am dubbing for an animated character and I had lot of fun doing that. The character that I play is very similar to my own personality. I am hoping that people will enjoy this avatar of mine and shower their love on me like they have always done. It’s truly a ‘golden’ memory.”

Moana stars Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. The film releases in India on December 2.

Abhay joins Instagram

Talented actor Abhay Deol has finally joined Instagram and has shared a painting of his

Additional shows for Mughal-E-Azam, The Play

The Broadway-style musical play adaption of K Asif's film Mughal- E- Azam which premiered at the NCPA (National Centre For Performing Arts) on October 21 seems to have become an instant hit with one and all. The play directed by Feroz Abbas Khan has opened to near unanimous acclaim and it is quite clear now that the makers have a winner on their hands. So much so that the public demand for the play prompted the makers to have additional shows of the musical extravaganza on Monday and Tuesday considering the fact that all the shows are going housefull and tickets are selling like hot cakes.

The play will have an extra show on Monday, October 31 at 4 pm and on Tuesday, November 1. It will be performed at the NCPA – Mumbai, till first week of November for a limited engagement of two weeks.

Chiranjeevi all set for his comeback venture after nine years

Here's the brand new poster of Chiranjeevi-starrer Khiladi No.150. The film also stars Kajal Aggarwal and is directed by VV Vinayak. It's produced by Chiranjeevi's son Ram Charan Teja. The film releases on January 13, 2017.

When Georgia floored Gurmeet

Actor Gurmeet Choudhary was pleasantly surprised by the sweet gesture of his fans when he was shooting for his forthcoming thriller, Wajah Tum Ho, in the exotic locales of Georgia recently. Knowing that the suave actor was shooting at the outskirts of Georgia, his fans thronged in huge numbers to catch a glimpse of their favourite actor.

Kriti spotted at London

Kriti Kharbanda, who made her debut with Vikram Bhatt’s successful horror franchise Raaz Reboot, is currently in London shooting for her next project, Atithii Iin London, directed by Ashwini Dhir. For the first time, the actress will be seen sharing the screens pace with Kartik Aaryan along with veteran actors including Paresh Rawal and Tanvi Azmi. Interestingly, we stumbled upon few on-location pictures featuring Kriti spending some quality time on the sets.

Chiranjeevi now in an item song

Southern Megastar Chiranjeevi recently shot a special song for his career's 150th film, Khaidi No 150 that is directed by VV Vinayak. The film is produced by Ram Charan, under his home production Konidela Production Company. The song composed and penned by music director Devi Sri Prasad features Chiranjeevi and Lakshmi Rai. It has been choreographed by actor-director Raghava Lawrence, who specially incorporated some of the superstar's signature moves into the choreography.

...Huma and her passion for sports

What makes actress Huma Qureshi's journey in Bollywood commendable is that she managed to make a mark despite not hailing from a filmi lineage or having a godfather to make the journey smoother.

Even when it comes to the field of sports, she has pledged her support to the IGCL - Indian Gramin Cricket League, a platform that aims to identify and focus on hidden athletic talent germinating in the corners of the country and bring to the fore, regardless of strata.

Huma reworked her schedule so as to attend the closing ceremony of the league in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The IGCL was started by the government to promote, support and encourage cricket in rural areas. While Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt attended the opening ceremony, Huma was invited as the special guest for the closing ceremony.

An open letter to Karan Johar from a Bollywood fan

Hi, this is Rajesh Malhotra and am a big fan of Bollywood. Here's an open letter to filmmaker Karan Johar on his tiffs with political parties before the releases of some of his films.

Controversy’s Child: Karan Johar’s Run-Ins With political parties’ every-time before release
The political roadblocks for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil just got sorted as Raj Thackeray of the MNS announced that they will not stop the release of the film. Of course, Karan Johar agreed to accept the clauses that were pushed to him even as he tried hard to get a smooth release. Interestingly, this is not the first time he has had a run-in with MNS and Shiv Sena. Over the last few years, the filmmaker has had multiple instances when he had to work extra hard to ensure that his film got a glitch-free release.
Here I list out some of the films where he had to deal with either the MNS or the Shiv Sena. And as it may be apparent, in each case the films raked up considerable publicity.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Right after the Uri attacks on September 18, 2016, there was widespread protest against Indian filmmakers employing Pakistani talent for the films. Soon enough MNS noticed that Karan Johar’s latest film has Fawad Khan as one of the primary leads. This was followed by threats that they would not allow the film to release. Karan Johar finally had to toe the line of MNS as pleaded that his film be allowed a peaceful release because there were over 300 Indians who had worked on it apart from the Pakistani actor. He will be paying Rs 5 crore from the profits of the film towards Uri attack martyrs and also putting a slate in the opening credits as a mark of respect for the Indian army and the martyrs. MNS has now withdrawn the threats.

My Name Is Khan
Weeks before the release of My Name Is Khan, Shah Rukh Khan rubbed the Shiv Sena the wrong way when he made a remark in favour of Pakistani cricketers playing in the IPL. The political party, which was then headed by Bal Thackeray took out the ire on the soon to release film, calling for a ban against SRK. Karan Johar had to make a few calls before the film managed to release with police providing protection to theaters screening the film.

Wake up Sid
The protagonist of the Ayan Mukerji film used the Bombay instead of Mumbai and Shiv Sena took offense. They demanded the film not be allowed a release unless Karan Johar apologized and also redub the word as Mumbai.

Kurbaan
This time it was not any word or comment that created the stir. Instead, it was Kareena Kapoor's bareback on the posters. The poster got a lot of attention, including some that was completed unwanted. Shiv Sena objected to bareback on grounds of obscenity. Things were in headlines for some time before it cooled down and the film released. The film sunk without a trace, quickly putting all controversy to rest.

AIB Roast
We could not have forgotten AIB’s roast. While people who watched it had their share of laughs, the Shiv Sena was not pleased. There were FIRs against Karan Johar and everyone else involved in the show. This only helped the video break the internet faster. AIB soon took off the video from YouTube and the controversy died out slowly. The fate of those FIRs remains unknown.

Rajesh Malhotra can be reached at malhotrarajesh23@gmail.com

Bips all set for her third fitness initiative

Bipasha Basu (above with hubby Karan Singh Grover) epitomises fitness and practises what she preaches. After two successful fitness DVDs she will soon start work on another exciting fitness initiative. Meanwhile, the actress has spruced up her personal routine and the results have everyone raving! Bipasha has been making stunning public appearances with everyone asking her the reason behind her all new look.

The actress credits her new physique to a combination of weight training and high intensity cardio but reveals she still hasn't reached her ideal fitness goals. Says Bipasha,"Wherever I am going, everyone is loving my new look — be it an event or a salon or a gym. My current routine is focused on heavy weight training and cardio with high resistance. I don’t have one particular routine ever.I am trying to diet, which is tough for me. However, it’s on hold till Diwali (October 30). Post Diwali, it will begin again. Nothing happens overnight.To achieve anything, discipline and patience is required. All good things take some time.”

The second trailer of Shivaay hits the web

It's just four days to go before Shivaay hits the silver screen, and superstar Ajay Devgn has released the second trailer of Shivaay. After watching the first trailer, there was huge anticipation about the the action sequences and breathtaking locations. Well, the second trailer is distinctly different, high on emotion and drama and highlights the beautiful father- daughter relationship as seen in the song Raatein released earlier.
This trailer has shown every emotion, the pain, the fear and the length any father would go to save his daughter from every threat. Viewers can also get a sneak peek into Sayyeshaa's character as she joins Ajay in a rescue mission for his daughter.

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsV4GiuwEsg

Dhruva's work is in full swing

The shooting of actor Ram Charan's most-awaited film, Dhruva, which stars Rakul Preet as the female lead is on at a brisk pace. Produced by Geeta Arts co-produced by Allu Aravind and NV Prasad, the film has completed its talkie portions.

With great production values and impressive technical aspects, the film is nearing completion except for two songs. The introduction song of the film will be shot in the first week of November. Meanwhile, the team has already begun post-production work so as to be able to complete the film on schedule and release in December. Audio release details will be announced very soon.

The recent teaser which reached the audience on occasion of Dussehra has left not just mega fans but also the regular audience hooked to check out the film. If the first look had generated a buzz, the teaser did manage a storm of sorts as evident from the record number of views. The film is directed by Surender Reddy.

All about friendship, Kahaani 2 and Dear Zindagi won't clash

Director Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani 2-Durga Rani Singh will hit the theatres on December 2 as against November 25. While the movie starring Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal, was scheduled to release on the November 25, producer Jayantilal Gada of Pen India decided to shift the date of release of Kahaani 2 in order to avoid a clash at the box office with Mahesh Bhatt, a filmmaker he has shared a close association with over the years.

It was recently announced that the Shah Rukh Khan-Alia Bhatt starrer Dear Zindagi will release on November 25 and producers Gada and Bhatt had a conversation to avoid the clash. The makers of Kahaani 2 then decided to postpone the release date.

Says Bhatt, "I have known Jayantilal Gada for several years now and we are like family. Both Kahaani 2 and Dear Zindagi are unique films and deserve a solo release. And it will also help both films in the long run."

Gada says, "Bhatt Saab is associated with us for our leading TV shows; Udann and Naamkarann but more importantly Alia and he are like family to us. There can never be any competition within families, hence I have decided to release my film on December 2."

The one that personifies style, meet Shahid Kapur

abof launches India’s first athleisure fashion brand, SKULT, exclusively on its portal. This brand is in partnership with actor Shahid Kapur, who has built an iconic reputation through his movies. Shahid says, “SKULT is about free styling. SKULT is about fashion and functionality. It is about being yourself wherever you are. It's about apparel that's an extension of your body. That allows you to express yourself with no restrictions or rules. Sometimes clothes that are cool feel too restricting. This line sets you free. Own style. Don't let style restrict you.”

Marathi lessons for Ajay from Kajol

Actor-director Ajay Devgn is ready for his upcoming movie Shivaay set to release this Diwali on October 28. Recently Ajay and his better-half Kajol were on the sets of a Marathi show Chala Hawa Yeu Dya on Zee Marathi to promote Shivaay.

Kajol tried to lighten up her hubby’s mood by teaching him Marathi. Just a few minutes before the shoot, Kajol went Live on her Facebook page so that all her fans could watch her pulling her husband's leg. She taught him the lines, “Chala Hawa Yeu Dya” and Ajay sportingly repeated the words. But the funny guy that he is, he got back at Kajol by saying “Aata Maazi Satakli” and they went to the shooting floor. The episode airs next week.

The Skyfall connection in Tum Bin 2

Tum Bin 2, promises something that fans can watch out for. The quintessential romantic sequence that needed the best location threw a challenge at makers to create a perfect romantic aura. Director Anubhav Sinha while doing the recce, drove for several hours from Glasgow to Glencoe in search of a suitable spot in Scotland. Coincidentally, he chose the same spot that was used to film a dramatic sequence for the film Skyfall starring Daniel Craig and Judi Dench. The scene in Tum Bin 2 features Aditya Seal (in pic). The sequence was shot on a bright sunny day with clear skies unlike the one with dreary sky in Skyfall. The popular road is now called the Skyfall road.

Anubhav recollects, it was one of the most memorable experiences of the entire shoot schedule. Tum Bin 2 releases on November 18.

King Khan bares his heart out, check

In his fifties, Shah Rukh Khan still essays the eternal romantic on celluloid. The actor who is in Budapest shooting with Anushka Sharma for Imtiaz Ali's The Ring did a photo shoot with ace photographer Dabboo Ratnani.

The superstar has many younger actors zeroing in on his Crown. SRK has been experimenting with newer directors like Gauri Shinde and younger co-stars like Alia Bhatt in Hello Zindagi. So what still keeps the fire in the belly? How does he cope with the competition? How does he remain fit and looking good? And most importantly, what are his principles in life? In a freewheeling interview, SRK says it all.

Here are the links to the interview:  https://we.tl/WQsOOM6EQF
https://www.sendspace.com/file/gxs28a

Sonam: The diva gets acknowledgement

 Actress Sonam Kapoor wins the ET Panache Trendsetting Cool Award, 2016

The makers of 31st October take to social media for justice

The upcoming Bollywood film 31st October based on a Sikh family’s struggle for survival during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has been facing problems ever since it hit the floors and just a few days before the release, the makers are yet to heave a sigh of relief.

Not only is the film facing challenges in courts (a PIL seeking ban on the film was recently filed at the Delhi High Court), but it now seems that a scene, which ostensibly hints at the involvement of senior Congress leaders in the riots, has been leaked, causing much opposition to the film from various quarters.
Now, frustrated with such obstacles in the path of the film’s release, the makers have launched a social media campaign with the hashtag #IStandWith31stOctober, through which they will garner public support on social media. A solidarity candle light march led by the film's leading lady Soha Ali Khan will be held on Friday, October 14 in New Delhi. It will start from Rakabanj Gurudwara and conclude at the India Gate.

A source said, “The scene has been deliberately leaked by someone to create more hassles for our film days before its release and we are contemplating filing of a police complaint in this regard. Social media is a very powerful tool in today’s age and we hope to seek ample support from the youth of this country, who wish to know about the darkest chapter in the history of this country.”

Writer-producer Harry Sachdeva says, “We have been facing issues since the time we have started shooting the film and this is not completely unexpected, however the leak does imply that the people who oppose the film can stoop to any low. But we don't want to bow down to such threats and we are going to the public for support. We have started a movement called #IStandWith31stOctober and with growing support each day we will grow stronger and preserve our basic right to creativity and expression. My focus will not get disturbed, I was very clear when I started making the film and my vision is still the same, this subject is a must to be brought to the world and cinema is the appropriate medium. I am having opposition , but I am also receiving a lot of support and appreciation from across the globe, hence the film will be released on October 21 worldwide."

Produced by Sachdeva and Magical Dreams Productions Pvt Ltd, co-produced by Anand Prakash, directed by National award winner Shivaji Lotan Patil, 31st October stars Vir Das and Soha in the lead.

One more feather in her cap

Actress Urvashi Rautela graces the cover of the October edition of the L'OFFICIEL magazine

Sonam and her inspirations

Actress Sonam Kapoor will soon be honoured by ET Panache with the Trendsetter Award for the year 2016. The actress who won critical acclaims for her nuanced performance in Neerja is on a roll. Apart from being a front runner this award season, she has also been a game-changer on social media and also launched her very own app.

Sonam owes her rise to inspiring stories of her mother Sunita Kapoor, painter Amrita Sher-Gil, actress Meryl Streep, Late Air Hostess Neerja Bhanot and freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. Says Sonam, "I like people who have passion. Amrita Sher-Gil came to India in search of her own voice. Sarojini Naidu and Neerja Bhanot were the best versions of themselves and that’s what I aspire to be. I just read Meryl Streep’s autobiography. She lives her life with dignity. Diane Keaton, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson are all incredible. I like funny girls, so one trendsetter is Tina Fey."

Tendulkar attends Mirzya's special screening

(From left) Anjali Tendulkar, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Sachin Tendulkar and Saiyami Kher at a special screening of Mirzya in Mumbai. Also present were former Indian cricketers like Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar. Mirzya directed by Mehra stars Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami in the lead.

Ajay takes on Ravan during Dussehra

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn (second from left) at a Dussehra festival in Delhi. To his right is Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

Befikre's trailer creates ripples online

The trailer of Aditya Chopra's Befikre has broken all online records for any Hindi film with 10 million views in just 24 hours! This magical number of 10 million is especially significant, despite the trailer being launched at an odd hour of midnight India time. Apart from this, the trailer has also some more achievements to its credit. Check below:

#BefikreIndia was a trending topic in India for more than 13 hours on Twitter.

Apart from India, the trailer also trended in Paris, Australia, Germany etc.

Trailer subtitles available in the following 5 foreign languages: (Arabic/French/German/Spanish/English).

Trailer text translation in 11 foreign/ regional languages: (Arabic/French/German/Spanish/Hindi/Marathi/Punjabi/Gujarati/Bengali/Tamil/Telugu).

Amitabh Bachchan, the underrated eternal lover in films has his birthday today

Dear Sir, It's your birthday today. I am not going to get into how old you are, but I would rather dwell upon a facet to your on-screen image that people don't talk about. 'The Angry Young Man," is something that is synonymous with Amitabh Bachchan. Yes,in Zanzeer, Deewaar, Don, Kaala Patthar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, and so on, in the seventies, you personified the frustration of the youth and the anger associated with it.

But for me, your on-screen persona as a romantic hero is symbolic. Because, seeing your films and the romantic characters you have enacted, it's been inspiring. Let me start with Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Bemisal (1982) where you sacrifice your emotions for your best friend. Remember the number Ek roz main tadapkar where you try to seduce a woman who has ruined the life of your twin brother? You know you are not in love with her, but then family loyalty matters and you play tricks to take revenge. And the expression on your face filled with anger during the song is unparalleled. And that scene in the film when you are in jail (taking the blame for a crime committed by your best friend), where you appeal to Kavita (Raakhee) that once you are out of jail you want to hear a kid calling, Maa, maa," and those words are etched in my heart. Who says you are just the Angry Young Man? Your critics must watch that scene to learn what it takes to live with pain.

In Mukherjee's Abhimaan (1973), we find you in a romantic avatar. In the same director's Mili (1975), you go out of your way to save the life of the woman you love. And the number Aaye tum yaad where you recall your past with a glass of beer cannot be replicated. And just your performance on screen is electrifying. And what about Yash Chopra's Kabhi Kabhi (1976), when circumstances coerce you into marrying a girl you never loved? In Prakash Mehra's Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), you make your way to a brothel to find solace in a courtesan because the only woman you have ever loved loves somebody else---- Dil toh hai dil ka aitbaar sung by Lata Mangeshkar and picturised on Raakhee, Vinod Khanna and you, has you misinterpreting Kaamna's (Raakhee) feelings towards you. In Mehra's Sharaabi (1984), how can we forget the song Log kehete hain main sharabbi hoon when you express your frustration and the aftermath of leading a lonely life.

In Ramesh Behl's Kasme Vaade (1978), perhaps the first movie I ever watched in a theatre, the song Kasme vaade nibhayenge is one one of my most favourite numbers. In Yash Chopra's Silsila (1981), you once again like in Kabhi Kabhi, marry somebody you never felt inclined towards. You feel the pain, go back to your lover Chandni (Rekha) but eventually, you are back to your wife Shobha (Jaya Bachchan). Neela aasman and Dekha ek khwab composed by Shiv-Hari from the film still play in the heat of a die-hard romantic. There are too many examples, but to cut it short, the era of romance in Indian films cannot ignore you.

Time and again your angry image has over powered your romantic one, but songs like Jidhaar dekhoon (Mahaan), Tum saath ho jab apne (Kaalia), Pardesia (Mr. Natwarlal), Teri meri dosti pyaar mein badal gayee (Dostana),  Kab ke bichde (Laawaris) and many others still are a hit. And Sir, Rim jhim gire saawan and Tum ho mere dil ki dhadkan are my personal favourites.

Unfortunately, the lover in you in films has never got its due whereas stars like Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Rajendra Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and even Salman Khan personify ultimate love on screen. It's not your fault Sir, but you emerged at a time when the likes of Salim-Javed capitalised on your looks and the turning point of the Indian society when the anger in youth was a phenomenon. 

Yet, it's to your credit, that you experimented as a lover even in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black (2005), Ram Gopal Verma's Nishabd (2007) and R Balki's Cheeni Kum (2007) at a time when you were past your prime as the leading man. Let me tell you, even at this age, film-buffs throng the theatres to see your films. This is a fact that even your friend-turned-foe-turned-friend Shatrughan Sinha can't refute.

Being a commoner, I have no idea, how history will remember you. There could be too many tags, but for me, Amitabh Bachchan, the eternal lover in films has no replacement because as a die-hard romantic you have excelled. Sir, thank your directors, music composers and singers who have been pivots in building your romantic avatar.

Happy Birthday Big B and I will always cherish the inspirational acts of yours in romantic movies. Because you have made an impact on me.

When Ranveer stripteased in Befikre

Aditya Chopra’s Befikre, is in the news for its historic, unique trailer launch at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Now, the buzz is that the trailer of the film with Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor in the lead promises some surprises. One surprise is a bold striptease act by Ranveer in the trailer. This isn’t an accidental, slip up written into the script; instead it’s a bold strut in bare minimum, flaming red underpants by the flamboyant superstar! The leading lady Vaani also has a tease in store for you.

 

For Farah, charity comes first

Choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan recently donated her remuneration for hosting a special screening of the film Motu Patlu: King of Kings to the animal welfare organisation World for All (WFA). When the fee of her participation was discussed, Farah immediately requested the organisers to donate the said amount to WFA. While she has never been a conventional animal lover, she had a major change of heart when her daughter Anya adopted the puppies Gulab and Jamun from WFA.

Farah who believes that animal welfare organisations benefit from these funds, will now be inviting her close friends with their children, her children's school friends with their mothers for the screening, which will be held at a mini-theatre in Juhu, Mumbai

Says Taronesh Bulsara, founder, WFA, “Farah has been supporting us for a couple of years. She, along with her three children, attends our annual adop-a-thon every year in November. They have been a very strong support system for us and even on their birthday parties, the triplets had an outdoor puppy play pen where children has a great time. Farah has helped with publicity, donation and adoption. I am extremely thankful to her for her support.”

When Madhavan bumped into a legend

Actor R Madhavan is an avid golfer, but never did he dream that the game would facilitate a meeting with his idol former cricketer Kapil Dev. The Bollywood/Southern star bumped into the cricketing legend during a golf match in Pune recently. Madhavan had his fan boy moment when the legend posed for a picture with him  

The meeting of two Annas in the capital

Social activist Anna Hazare (left) with director and actor Shashank Udapurkar who plays Anna in his biopic of the same name. The duo met at a promotional event in New Delhi. The film releases on October 14

Harshvardhan wins appreciation from the industry

Bollywood star Anil Kapoor's son Harshvardhan Kapoor is making all the right noises. Harsh will make his  debut with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya, as opposed to the regular song and dance fare and from the looks of it - his intuitive decision is paying off !

Mirzya which releases on October 7 has already been watched by some from Bollywood. While Amitabh Bachchan was all praise for Harshvardhan and even shared some words of wisdom with him post the screening, Shah Rukh Khan too expressed keen interest to watch the film owing to all the wonderful things being said about the actor.

Several names from the film industry also took to a popular micro-blogging site to encourage the young actor. Here are some views: 

Kangana Ranaut: "Harsh Kapoor has so much depth in his eyes, rare wisdom which is beyond his years."

Shabana Azmi: "Hung over from the sheer beauty of #Mirzya. Film made with passion stunning visuals outstanding music n dream debuts 4 the leads."

Huma Qureshi:  "Such a special actor@HarshKapoor... All your hard work shines thru my friend! #Mirzya a cinematic experience."

Suniel Shetty: "@HarshKapoor  u have taken debut performances levels higher Harsh! New benchmark set... #Mirzya."

Author Shobhaa De even took a dig at Ranbir Kapoor while praising Harshvardhan. She tweeted, "Harshvardhan K must be congratulated for picking an unconventional debut film. His role is understated and he doesn't have to drop the towel!"

Celebs grace the premiere of Mira Nair's film

After rave reviews globally and critical acclaim, Mira Nair's Queen Of Katwe is all set to release this Friday. A special screening of the film was held for the film fraternity in Mumbai recently. Seen appreciating the film were filmmaker Rahul Dholakia (middle)), actress Nandita Das (top) and cinematographer Baba Azmi (above) among others

Post protests, the release of 31st October postponed

After struggling with the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for over four months, writer-producer Harry Sachdeva was all set to release his poignant thriller, 31st October, starring Vir Das and Soha Ali Khan on October 7, 2016 and just when the promotional activities of the film were in full swing, the release of the human drama met a roadblock again by few political parties and particular communities strongly objecting to the film’s release. A Delhi-based close aide of the Congress party has also filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) against the film, demanding a ban on its release. Amidst all the chaos and protest, producer Harry Sachdeva can now breathe a sigh of relief, as the movie will now be released on October, 21.

The movie has also managed to get a solo release status for itself. The movie is based on the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Sachdeva says, “It's been a tough journey ever since I started working on this subject but I didn't give up then and will not give up now. From the censor to now getting threats and opposes I am strong that I will make this film come to the big screen and people who don't want this subject to come out cannot stop the world to know the reality of 1984."

WWI's Celebrate Cinema'16 is a grand success

It was a treat for all the film lovers along with students of Whistling Woods International (WWI) to attend workshops, screenings and panel discussions amidst the festivity, as they participated in the biggest celebration hosted in the field of Indian Cinema, Celebrate Cinema 2016, by the ultimate showman, Subhash Ghai, at his dream institute. Participants learned the basics of movie making and allied arts in the world of cinema, media and digital media through various workshops held over two action-packed days.

In the lush green campus of WWI with existing YouTube Space and SONY Media Technology Centre, the participants experienced state-of-the-art infrastructure, technologies and facilities. They learned the tricks of various aspects of filmmaking and media studies under the guidance of experienced faculties and industry guests, starting from the inauguration ceremony on September 29, 2016 to the closing ceremony on October 1, 2016. WWI campus offered several amazing workshops, exhibits, screenings, celebrity-studded panel discussions and masterclasses at Celebrate Cinema 2016. Amazing street plays and short films made by students at Whistling Woods International on various subjects including journey of cinema and social causes like 'Drug Abuse' were showcased at the festival.

The purpose of Celebrate Cinema as an annual property of WWI is to invite students from all sections of society to learn, participate in activities and win awards and scholarships and motivate them in opting media courses as a mainstream career option. During the course of the event, Meghna Ghai Puri, President, WWI also awarded scholarships to two under-privileged students.

Over 70 experts including celebrities from Indian Cinema and Media industry participated in Celebrate Cinema 2016. Celebrities and prominent personalities who visited the campus included names like directors  Vishal Bhardwaj, Anand L Rai, Abhishek Chaubey, Satish Kaushik, actors Boman Irani, Ritesh Deshmukh , Mahima Chaudhry, Swara Bhaskar, Shreyas Talpade, Gulshan Grover, Jim Sarbh and Shashank Arora and writer Sudip Sharma interacted with the students.

The highlights of the fifth edition of Celebrate Cinema included the inaugural session where students under various societies of WWI, under the mentorship of Ghai Senior displayed their talent to the audience and media. WWI Society for Social Causes screened three short films on Drug Abuse, which received thundering applauds. The film Udta Punjab, a film on drug abuse was screened followed by a masterclass with director Abhishek Chaubey and writer Sudeep Sharma. The session was moderated by Ghai Senior  along with special invitees, Dr. Eldered Tellis heading the NGO Sankalp Foundation Trust along with a victim who revealed how he indulged into drugs and was later rehabilitated after nine years.

Other highlights included three street plays by WWI Drama Society for two days in the campus for visiting students and aspirants. WWI Singers and Poet’s Society staged a musical show at the inaugural ceremony supported by WWI School of Music students. WWI 5th Veda team screened a short documentary on Indian Cinema collated by the team of students. Music director Anu Malik shared the secret of his National award winning song Yeh Moh Moh Ke Dhaage during his interaction with the students. WWI School of Music student, Vaishnavi, surprised the audience with her performance of a song written and sung in Japanese. Ghai screened his short film on communal harmony made in 1993 with stars kids Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Tiger Shroff along with their fathers.

Meghna and her team were the perfect hosts, who received 4000 participants from various NGOs and colleges. Rahul Puri, Head of Academics and Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Vice President, organised over 40 workshops, masterclasses, screenings and panel discussions on each and every subject related to media and film industry by 70 experts from the industry and faculty members of WWI.

At the closing ceremony Ghai moderated an open panel discussion on Director-Actor relationship with panelists Mahima Chaudhry, Shreyas Talpade, Gulshan Grover and Satish Kaushik. Ghai Senior at the end thanked the media and guests for being part of the festival.

The teaser of the latest from the Pirates of the Caribbean series out

The teaser of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man Tell No Tales starring Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom is out. The film's slated to release in May, 2017.

Here's the link bit.ly/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales-Teaser

Ranveer's romance with the squash racket

Actor Ranveer Singh was present to give away the awards to the winners of the Otters International JSW ISC 2016 held in Mumbai between September 29 and October 2. The Bollywood star also had a go in the court to test his skills

Befikre's trailer launch to be held at the Eiffel Tower

Ask any die-hard romantic about his or her favourite city, the answer would be Paris. For years, romance and Paris go synonymous. And talk of Eiffel Tower in the city, it is the most iconic location in Paris. For the first time ever, the Eiffel Tower, a monument that had 7 million people flocking to it every year, will host a unique event i.e. the trailer launch of a film.

The trailer of Aditya Chopra's Befikre produced by Yash Raj Films and starring Ranveer Singh and Vani Kapoor will be held at the venue on October 10. Ranveer and Vaani will turn up in style for this first of its kind evening, saluting a mint fresh, celebratory and youthful love story. Befikre captures the Parisian spirit of freedom and impulsive living. In this evening, befittingly, cinema will have captured it’s own special moment in history and create an evergreen memory. Set to release on December 9, the countdown to this Befikre romance begins with this first of its kind trailer launch.

Congress! Where is it now?

"Does the Congress Party exist?" comes a query from an educated Bengali middle-class man in his twenties. As I look for answers to quench his thirst, I end up on a disappointing note. Well, there's one Sonia Gandhi who still flouts her power as the president of the age-old party and then there's one Rahul Gandhi, her son, who promises to turn things around.

For Rahul, there's a one-point-agenda i.e to castigate India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at every step. Short of logic but not short of rhetorics, he is on a mission to corner our PM be it on the latter's bonhomie with industrialists or his nonchalance towards farmers. For a change, the Gandhi family scion has some good things to say about Modi over the surgical strikes across the LoC on September 29. Well, Rahul has no other choice because if he vilifies the Gujarati strongman now, he himself will end up as an anti-Indian.

But, let's not put the blame solely on Rahul Baba. His own party men are so busy playing politics over the Modi government's aggressive attitude towards Pakistan. Take it: "This kind of strikes have taken place earlier also. The only difference is this chest-thumping and media sort of going overboard. This never happened before because the earlier Prime Minister thought these issues are best left to be dealt with by the security forces,” said a senior Congress member by the name of Digvijaya Singh as quoted by IANS.

At a time, when the Congress party has almost been decimated all over the country (the Arunachal Pradesh fiasco, losing its bastions in West Bengal and the party-run-government in Karnataka facing a heavy weather over the Cauvery dispute), a party that has given PMs like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh to the country, is in a state of shambles.

Lack of vision and leadership will only cut it a sorry figure in national politics. Be it in Uttar Pradesh or Punjab, two states going to the polls next year, Congress hasn't made too many inroads into the voters' minds despite the 27 Saal, Up Behaal campaign looking at the UP polls. Its Chief Ministerial (CM) candidate in UP, also a former Delhi CM, Sheila Dixit is unlikely to garner the upper-caste and Brahmin votes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has its eyes set on them.

In Punjab, the party's Chief Ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh is facing the heat as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent summons to his son Raninder Singh for gross violations of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). With former cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu floating his own outfit breaking away from BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trying to gain some ground, Congress might not find itself on a benign track in the Land of Five Rivers.

The biggest mistake that the Congress party has done is that it has tried to politicise an issue of grave concern related to the security of the country. By going overboard over its lack of ecstasy on surgical strikes during the reign of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in New Delhi, the party sends the wrong message across. Rahul Gandhi may praise Modi on the retaliation post Uri, but some of the senior leaders of the former's party have only spoiled the party by taking jibes at the Union Government at a time when the whole country should speak in one voice.

The problem with Congress is that it still is paranoid to look beyond the Gandhi family. As if, it's just one family that personifies leadership. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has blamed Congress for compromising on national security by putting defence spendings on the back burner since Independence. Yes scams after scams have jolted the image of the party over the years. But what is the party looking at now?

With no constructive criticism to challenge the BJP-led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Congress is busy zeroing in on digging loopholes from the grave to malign the central government not with any success though. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor would be a worried man as being the man in charge of steering the party to a position of reverence in UP and Punjab, juvenile actions on the part of Congress leaders is only queering the pitch for the party.

Too much of confusion as the party isn't sure of when Priyanka Gandhi will step in to boost up the sagging morale of the ordinary UP Congress supporter. Similarly, in Punjab, there's a lot to be done. In West Bengal, the state party chief, Adhir Chowdhury is facing the flak for failing to tackle defection to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

In other states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Assam, Odisha, Haryana and some others, Congress hardly is a force to reckon with. Even in Haryana, allegations of extra favours given to some businessmen by the previous Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda is giving goose bumps to a grass root Congress loyalist.

Utter frustration for staying out of power is throwing the party into oblivion. Hence, we have to deal with archaic statements that have little relevance in the current context emanating from some Congress leaders.

Forget leadership, Congress lacks a well-thought-out strategy to earn back the people's confidence. And don't blame its opponents if they have a big laugh over Congress' misery.

Lot to ponder over, Soniaji and Rahulji! The going will get tougher in the days to come.

At 79, Anna Hazare is keen on joining back the Army to fight Pakistan

In the wake of growing animosity between India and Pakistan, social activist Anna Hazare has expressed his willingness to join back the Army and teach Pakistan a lesson. Mind you, he's 'only' 79. "Agar Pakistan nahi manta hai aur zarurat padi toh main seema pe jake ladunga (If Pakistan doesn't listen and if need be I'll go and fight at the border)," said Hazare on a show to promote his biopic Anna that releases on October 14.

Incidentally, Hazare was drafted into the Indian Army in April 1960 (pic on top), where he first worked as an army truck driver and was later attested as a soldier. During the Indo-Pakistan War in 1965, Hazare was posted at the border in the Khem Karan sector (Punjab) and was part of the Battle of Asal Uttar that was fought between the two countries between September 8 and 10 in 1965. He was the sole survivor of an enemy attack.

Though, his wish to fight Pakistan on the battle field is unlikely to come true, but the very spirit at this age should set an example for the youth of the country. Anna directed by Shashank Udapurkar stars apart from the director, Tanishaa Mukherji, Rajit Kapoor, Sharat Saxena and Govind Namdeo.

Behind the stumps, Indian cricket is in a pair of safe hands

Eden Gardens, October 1, 2016: Wriddhiman Saha scores an unbeaten 54 against New Zealand at a time when his team was under pressure.

Nagpur, 2010: Saha's stumps are tumbled by a South African bowling legend called Dale Steyn in his debut innings and eyebrows are raised. Yes, the Siliguri guy is lucky to have earned his Test cap because Rohit Sharma is injured. And mind you, Saha doesn't even keep wickets on his debut because the prestigious place behind the stumps is occupied by the Indian captain MS Dhoni.  In the second innings of the Test, Saha stands his ground scoring a fighting 36 off 101 balls giving ample support to his skipper, Dhoni.

In the presence of Dhoni, Saha had to prolong his wait to make his entry into the Indian team. Despite his heroics with the bat in the shorter versions of the game (IPL final in 2014 among many), he was never taken seriously at the international level. Despite experts showering praises on him and his skills behind the stumps, Saha had to cool his heels on the sidelines. An out-of-the-blue retirement of Dhoni from the five-day-format in Australia in 2014, and the selection committee didn't have to look beyond the Bengal wicket-keeper to replace a legend. Even when Dhoni was at his peak, many experts felt that the best wicket-keeper in India was Saha and not the legend.

Since then, Saha has not only earned the confidence of his skipper Virat Kohli, he has also given us reasons enough to repose our faith in him not just as a wicket-keeper, but also as a batsman down the order who can be looked to under crisis. The world of cricket has seen legendary figures excelling behind the stumps as well as with the bat: Syed Kirmani, Alan Knott, Wasim Bari, Rodney Marsh, Bob Taylor, Kumar Sangakkara, Moin Khan, MS Dhoni, Adam Gilchrist, to name a few. These guys were not only dependable as wicket-keepers but also contributed with the willow as well. And going by Saha's career graph so far, it is a given that he is slowly and steadily embarking on a successful journey as a cricketer.

His 60 against Sri Lanka at Galle (2015), 56 against Sri Lanka at Colombo (2015), 104 against West Indies at Gros Islet (2016) and the unbeaten 54 against New Zealand on his home ground, Kolkata only bear testimony to the fact that here's a wicket-keeper who means business with the bat as well.

Before the emergence of Dhoni, if India had one stable pair of hands behind the stumps and a dependable batsman in the middle-order in both Tests and ODIs, post the Kiran More era, it was Nayan Mongia. In between, India has experimented with wicket-keepers like Syed Saba Karim, Vijay Yadav, Samir Dighe, Deep Dasgupta (also from Bengal), Vijay Dahiya, Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Karthik, MSK Prasad and probably some others (names not worth remembering), but none could cement his place be it in any format of the game. Even Rahul  Dravid was entrusted with the responsibility of handling business behind the stumps in ODIs. But the guy from Ranchi changed it all and ruled Indian cricket as a Test cricketer till 2014 and continues to make an impact in the One-day Internationals and T20s.

But Saha courtesy Dhoni's retirement from Tests, has had a chance to prove his worth as a reliable wicket-keeper-batsman. And he hasn't let this opportunity go wasted. With an impressive record both as a wicket-keeper and a batsman, the cool and sober guy from Bengal can actually aim at replacing Dhoni in the truncated versions of the game as well once the latter calls it a day. And there's hardly any competition apart from Naman Ojha. Even in the modified versions, Saha is not to be ignored keeping in mind his deceptive aggression as a batsman that can take any world-class bowler by surprise.

Though it's too early to say that Dhoni isn't missed in Test matches, what we can harp on is that Saha is here to stay and despite being 31, he at least has five-six years of cricket left in him. Dedication and commitment personify him and let's put our money on him.

As a Bengali this writer may sound biased, but this piece is from an earnest observer of the game and not a proud Bengali.