When August commenced, exhibitors were gearing up for an eventful month. Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha and Akshay Kumar’s Raksha Bandhan were expected to do roaring business. Sadly, both films failed to entice viewers. The exhibition sector was still hopeful as Vijay Deverakonda’s Liger promised to be a fun, massy entertainer. However, the word of mouth was horrible. Though it held on the weekends, it crashed on Monday.

These three films were expected to dominate a chunk of the screens in multiplexes. Due to their underperformance, the theatres had no option but to reduce the number of shows. Meanwhile, other films like Anurag Kashyap’s thriller Dobaaraa, the Hollywood film Nope etc too failed to attract audiences. As a result, several theatres have decided to partially shut down screens. Many have reduced shows already.

A source from the exhibition sector said, “When most films are not performing, it becomes difficult to keep so many screens operational. Sadly, many theatres can’t shut down screens as they have got the ad revenues for the week. So this week, they have reduced the number of shows per screen. From Friday, September 2, some multiplexes will close down some screens for the week.”

Akshaye Rathi, a film exhibitor and distributor, explained, “There are two ways to stay in the green. One is to increase the income and the other is to reduce the expenses. While movies aren’t doing well and big-ticket movies aren’t coming up till the release of Brahmastra on September 9, a lot of exhibitors are finding different ways to go through such lean patches by minimizing expenses. That could be by shutting operations entirely. Though salaries have to be paid, at least the operational costs are reduced significantly. Meanwhile, some reduce the number of shows. Rather than running the show with zilch occupancy that doesn’t even allow you to break even on the cost of running that show, it’s better to run a reduced number of shows.”

Mumbai’s G7 multiplexes, popularly known as Gaiety-Galaxy, have already shut down one theatre, albeit temporarily. It consists of a nearly 1000-seater Gaiety and approx. 800-seater Galaxy. For nearly a week, Galaxy has been kept shut as besides Liger, there is no other film that could fill such a big auditorium.

When contacted, Manoj Desai, executive director, G7 multiplex and Maratha Mandir Cinema, thundered, “Kya karein? Koi picture hi nahi hai. Even next week, there’s no film. I’ll have to see what to do and whether I should keep both Gaiety and Galaxy shut till September 9.”

Kiritbhai T Vaghasia, who runs The Friday Cinema in Surat, told Bollywood Hungama, “Next week, there’s only one major release, a Gujarati film named Hey Kem Chho London. There’s no Hindi film releasing on September 2. We are thinking of discontinuing morning shows. Our shows will start at 11:00 am or 12 noon. There’s no point in having morning shows since the turnout would be zero. Or if only 1 or 2 tickets are booked, we have to refund the money. At times, the patrons get angry and demand that we start the show. To avoid such uncomfortable situations, it’s better to not schedule any show before 11:00 am.”

Kiritbhai also added, “Had Liger carried good reports, it would have had a clean run for two weeks. We, the exhibitors, would also have breathed easy.”

However, Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis India, said, “Ups and downs are very common and it's happening across the globe. Running a cinema hall means incurring a fixed cost. The manpower is fixed and so is your rental. The only thing you save is electricity. But the electricity cost is such that it’s not feasible to play a show if less than 10 tickets are sold. However, we always have more than ten patrons in each show. So, we don’t believe in cancelling shows. We believe in continuing exhibiting content.”

Puneet Gupta, AVP - Corporate Communications, Inox Leisure Limited, in agreement, stated, “We don’t (cancel or shut down screens). We have enough content.”

High hopes from Brahmastra

There’s no big Hindi film releasing on Friday, September 2. What will keep the theatres going is the sleeper hit Karthikeya 2, which will be the dominating film in its fourth week. The other holdover releases that should do well are the Marathi film Daagdi Chaawl 2, the Gujarati film Fakt Mahilao Maate and the Hollywood film, Top Gun: Maverick. The extended version of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Hindi dubbed version of Dulquer Salmaan-Mrunal Thakur’s Telugu film, Sita Ramam, and the re-release of Hollywood classic ET (in IMAX only) will also get a release in cinemas and exhibitors are hoping it’ll find few takers. But will it be enough to bring in the desired profits remains to be seen.

Hence, all eyes are on Brahmastra, which will be released next week. Akshaye Rathi said, “Brahmastra hopefully will get people back in the cinemas in big numbers. There’s also Vikram Vedha on September 30.” Devang Sampat opined, “Starting with Brahmastra, the line-up looks quite strong.”

G7 has often played big films in both Gaiety and Galaxy. When asked if he’ll follow the same trend for Brahmastra, Manoj Desai retorted, “Nahi. Ek theatre mein chal jaaye, bahut badi baat hai!”

Also Read: BREAKING: Brahmastra’s advance booking commences in the USA; shows to start from 5:00 pm onwards on Thursday, September 8

The year 2022 may probably be one of the best years for Kartik Aaryan. The actor managed to garner record-breaking success with the horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 featuring him in the role of Rooh Baba and it also starred Kiara Advani and Tabu in lead roles. Considering the kind of success the film tasted, it has been made into a popular franchise with makers even claiming that a third installment might be on the cards. However, before that, we now hear that the popular movie has been turned into comics and has been titled Rooh Baba Ki Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Kartik Aaryan took to Instagram to share this good news with his fans where he announced the return of the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 character. He also shared a poster of the comic book collection which featured the Rooh Baba caricature along with the popular ghost of Manjulika. Dedicating the comic book series to his children fans, Kartik wrote in his caption, “Rooh Baba aur unki kahaniyan ab aa gayi hai comics ki Bhool Bhulaiyaa mein ???????? This one is for all my lil fans ❤️❤️#RoohBabaKiBhoolBhulaiyaa ????@diamondcomicsindia @tseries.official @cine1studios. Watch out for more - https://www.diamondcomicsindia.in”

 

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Speaking of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the film was a sequel to the 2007 film starring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, and Shiney Ahuja. However, the sequel was a standalone film. While Vidya played Manjulika in the prequel, the 2022 film featured Tabu as Manjulika. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 also featured Amar Upadhyay, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Rajpal Yadav among others. Directed by Anees Bazmee, the film was produced by Bhushan Kumar and Murad Khetani. It released on May 20, 2022, and is currently available on the streaming platform, Netflix.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: “My upcoming film Shehzada would break Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’s record,” says Kartik Aaryan

Hit music composer and singer Himesh Reshammiya, has taken fans by surprise again with his latest track ‘Ganpati Gajaanann’ on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. The song is the first single from his third label named Himesh Reshammiya Devotional.

Interestingly the song has been composed by Reshammiya’s father the legendary Vipin Reshammiya and Himesh has done the vocals for it. This is the first time the father-son duo has collaborated and this is the most interesting fact about the single or we can call it an album as more songs are set to release.

The song has been written by Shudharkar Sharma and composed by Vipin Reshammiya with Himesh Reshammiya on the vocals.

Former boxing champ Mike Tyson walked away with a staggering Rs. 20-25 crores for his inane cameo appearance in Liger. Enterprising filmmaker Puri Jagannadh thought he had hit a jackpot when he got Mike Tyson for Liger.

Tyson who? No I am just kidding, mimicking Mr Tyson who in a recent podcast claimed he had no recollection of doing a ‘Bollywood’ film called Liger. Everyone who saw the film seconds Mr Tyson’s sentiment. Everyone who saw the film would like to forget the brackish taste it leaves in the mouth.

But the question to be asked is, how did he get into Liger in the first place? What box office sense does that make? Whose idea was it?

A bit of probing reveals that Karan Johar who co-produced the Hindi version of Liger was totally opposed to the idea of inviting Tyson. Vijay Deverakonda too was not kicked by the idea. It was entirely Puri’s idea.

“Puri had a thing about working with Tyson. Otherwise today’s audience knows nothing about Tyson. He was fixated on the idea of anyhow getting Tyson into the film, no matter what the cost,” a source close to the project reveals.

Also Read: Mike Tyson completes dubbing for Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday starrer Liger directed by Puri Jagannadh

Anupam Kher, who recently featured in films like The Kashmir Files and Karthikeya 2, came in support of head of Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra after filmmaker Anurag Kashyap blamed him for the failure of their recent releases. The filmmaker had commented on how the director-producer sits in an office and keeps directing his employees on every small matter. Coming to his defense, Anupam maintained that it was not easy to build and maintain an empire like YRF films.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, as the veteran actor was seen promoting Karthikeya 2 with the star cast, Anupam Kher said, “I am very, very proud of Aditya Chopra. Yash ji’s family is like my own family. To have built an empire like Yash Raj Films is not an easy thing. It’s easy for people to make comments. I don’t again want to pass judgement on what he has said. He is not the ultimate authority on human behaviour.”

His comment comes after Anurag Kashyap spoke about the recent string of flops given by Yash Raj Films. Their last 3 releases which featured superstars like Ranveer Singh in Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Akshay Kumar in Samrat Prithviraj, and Ranbir Kapoor - Sanjay Dutt in Shamshera turned out to be box office disasters. Addressing the issue, the filmmaker had told Galatta Plus, “You have one person sitting in a cave, who doesn’t know the world outside, dictating how everybody should be making their films and telling them what to do. If Aditya Chopra has hired a bunch of people, he needs to empower them and not dictate them, not control the casting, not control everything. Sit in your office, hire good people if you trust them, and let them make their film - which is the mistake he makes! He doesn’t let them be.”

Anupam Kher has been a part of some of the biggest YRF films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Darr, Lamhe, among others.

Also Read: Anurag Kashyap reveals RRR should be picked for Oscars and not The Kashmir Files; filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri reacts

Hollywood actor Daniel Radcliffe’s Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story, which is set to make its world premiere at TIFF, leading the Midnight Madness program’s 10-film lineup, has unveiled the first trailer of the upcoming movie.

In the first trailer, the love affair between Daniel Radcliffe's Weirld Al Yankovic and Evan Rachel Wood's Madonna is highlighted. The logline reads, the upcoming film "explores every facet of Yankovic's life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like 'Eat It' and 'Like a Surgeon' to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar will open with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, with Daniel Radcliffe playing the prolific musician. Eric Appel directs the biopic for The Roku Channel that also stars Evan Rachel Wood and will have a world premiere September 8 at TIFF at the Royal Alexandra Theater.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is coming to the Roku Channel on November 4. India release date is yet to be announced.

ALSO READ: Daniel Radcliffe starrer Weird: The Al Yankovic Story to open Midnight Madness at Toronto International Film Festival 2022

The industry and moviegoers have been eagerly looking forward to the release of Brahmastra. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, this superhero saga has generated tremendous excitement thanks to the casting of real-life couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, the super-hit song ‘Kesariya’, VFX and mythological connection. As a result, the trade expects it to emerge as the biggest Bollywood opener of 2022.

Yesterday, that is, on August 29, the advance booking of Brahmastra was thrown open in the USA. A video was posted by 20th Century Studios’ YouTube Channel which showed Ranbir Kapoor announcing it. As expected, fans went into overdrive on social media over this development.

Bollywood Hungama scanned the popular ticketing website Fandango and found out that the ticket sales of Brahmastra have commenced in more than 200 theatres across the country for both Hindi and Telugu versions. The film has got a sufficient number of shows in the IMAX screens as well. Besides, the tickets for the 3D shows are also being sold.

What’s also interesting is that while Brahmastra will be released on September 9, in the USA, the shows will start from 5:00 pm onwards on Thursday, September 8. The industry expects these paid previews to get a good response, considering the excitement. In fact, this has also raised hopes that even in India, Dharma Productions and Star Studios might hold paid previews from the evening of September 8. A clearer picture regarding this will emerge in a few days.

Sources in the exhibition sector, meanwhile, have told Bollywood Hungama that in India, the advance booking is expected to commence on Friday, September 2. The ticket sales in other overseas territories will also start at around the same time.

Brahmastra also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy and is directed by Ayan Mukerji. It is the first part of a trilogy and the makers have revealed that they hope to make many more films belonging to the AstraVerse.

Also Read: Brahmastra: Alia Bhatt reveals that she is proud to say that she went to IIT; sings ‘Kesariya’ live for the audience

Anushka Sharma, for her next titled Chakda Xpress, which is inspired by the life and times of women cricket’s all-time greatest fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, is currently training in Leeds, UK, to prepare herself thoroughly before she shoots the intensive cricket portions of the film! While she is busy training, the actress unveiled the first look glimpse of the upcoming movie on Netflix's Films Day on Monday.

In the first teaser, she is donning short hair, and you see glimpses of her training in cricket, seated in the locker room, sharing laughs with the team, and more. In the video, director Prosit Roy says it is a story about “small town Chakda all the way to the World Cup finals”.

Sharing the video, Anushka wrote, “Here’s a glimpse into the Chakda ‘Xpress journey with our earnest director @prositroy ???? #ChakdaXpress #ComingSoon #ChakdaXpressOnNetflix #HarDinFilmyOnNetflix."

The logline reads, "Sometimes the hardest thing a girl has to do is to allow herself to dream. But if she gives herself that permission then nothing and no one can stop her from becoming what she wants. Ask Jhulan Goswami. Who, against all odds, rose above misogyny, politics and a million discriminations, to become the highest wicket taker in the history of women’s cricket. And an inspiration to an entire generation of sportswomen."

Starring Anushka Sharma, Renuka Shahane, Anshul Chauhan, Koushik Sen, Mahesh Thakur, Chakda Xpress is written by Abhishek Banerjee, produced by Karnesh Ssharma and directed by Prosit Roy.

ALSO READ: Anushka Sharma to undergo cricket training in Leeds in England for intense portions for Chakda Xpress

Even before a teaser has been released by the makers, Ram Setu seems to have landed in trouble. Starring Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nushrratt Bharuccha in the lead roles, the film arrives in theatres in Diwali. Before that, the makers of the team have received legal notice sent by Subramanian Swamy.

Subramanian Swamy took to Twitter and wrote, "Mumbai cinema [or is it sin-e-ma] wallas have a bad habit of falsifying and misappropriation. Hence to teach them Intellectual Property Rights, I have through Satya Sabharwal Adv issued Legal Notice to Cine Actor Akshay Kumar (Bhatia) and 8 others for distorting Ram Setu saga."

The Supreme Court adjourned the plea on Monday which was filed by Subramanian Swamy. As per Live Law India, the plea "seeking directions to the Centre for declaring Ram Setu as a national heritage monument. The issue of declaring Ram Setu as a National Heritage monument was raised by Dr Swamy, in his plea filed in 2007 against Sethusamudram Ship Channel project for protection of Ram Setu. Under the Sethusamudram project, an 83-km-long deep water channel was to be created, linking Mannar with Palk Strait, by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals which constitute the mythological Sethu."

As per a report in ANI, advocate Satya Sabarwal, who sent the legal notice on behalf of Swamy, said, "My client in 2007, has successfully argued before the Supreme Court for the preservation and protection of the Rama Setu and had opposed the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project of the Government of India which envisaged rupturing the Rama Setu [held to be sacred by Hindus], on August 31, 2007, the Supreme Court was pleased to pass stay Order against any plan to demolish or damage the Rama Setu. This was on the grounds that faith and worship is a constitutional imperative."

The notice further read, "It has come to my Client's knowledge that, a Movie namely Ram Setu has been filmed and is set to be released on August 24. That Court proceedings are an integral part of saving the Ram Setu being demolished by previous Governments and if the same is being picturized in the Addressee's film, then my Client has contributed in the film vide the Court proceedings initiated and my Client is bound to be recognized for the same with correct picturization of original facts and the Original Petitioner's name used anywhere in the film."

Directed by Abhishek Sharma and creatively produced by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi (Prithviraj Chauhan), the film is an action-adventure drama that brings forward a story deeply rooted in Indian cultural and historical heritage. The film carries a power-packed star cast led by superstar Akshay Kumar and features Jacqueline Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha.

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar starrer Cuttputlli acquired by Disney+ Hotstar for Rs. 125 crores

Earlier this year, Sohail Khan and Seema Sajdeh announced their separation after 24 years of marriage. The couple, who are also parents to two sons, eloped way back in 1998 to tie the knot with each other. In 2022, the two of them were seen together at the family court where they filed for official separation. Seema Sajdeh, who was known as Seema Khan and even featured with that name in the first season of The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, dropped the surname ‘Khan’ and is currently going with her maiden name Seema Sajdeh. The celebrity, who has maintained silence on her divorce from the actor-producer, finally spoke about it in recent reports where she asserted that she has removed all the negativity from her life.

Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Seema Sajdeh said, “The thing is if I were to wallow and it’s a deep dark hole that you can quickly spiral into. So I choose to be on the other side. For me, this is what keeps me going. So even for the kids, for the family members, my brother or my sister. It’s not nice to see your sister wallowing or your daughter… Then you’re constantly stressed about that person." She went on to add, “So it’s for them to see that I am looking at my life completely from the positive angle. I’ve let go of any negativity I might have. I think I have reached a point where I don’t care anymore. As long as, these people know who I am, this is my family, my parents and my kids and my siblings.”

Seema Sajdeh and Sohail Khan are parents to Nirvaan and Yohan Khan. Seema is a fashion designer by profession and she recently wrapped up the second season of the much-talked about The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. The show features her alongside other ‘Bollywood Wives’ which include Bhavana Panday, wife of actor Chunky Panday, Maheep Kapoor, wife of actor Sanjay Kapoor, and former actress Neelam Kothari who is married to actor Samir Soni.

Diljit Dosanjh has emerged as one of the biggest stars in Punjabi cinema. Even in Bollywood, he has carved a niche after doing films like Udta Punjab (2016), Phillauri (2017), Good Newwz (2019) etc. The actor will now be seen in Jogi. Directed by Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) director Ali Abbas Zafar, it is all set to be out on Netflix on September 16.

Today, Netflix held a star-studded event called 'Netflix Films Day' wherein they announced they talked about their upcoming films in the presence of its actors and director. The trailer of Jogi was presented exclusively here to the members of the media by Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Hemanshu Mehra and actress Amyra Dastur. Bollywood Hungama was present and got a sneak peek of the intense trailer.

From the trailer, it has come to light that Diljit Dosanjh will be seen without turban in a major part of the film. Jogi is based on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Diljit's character is shown to be removing his turban and cutting his hair with a heavy heart to hide his Sikh identity.

This is probably the first time that Diljit Dosanjh will be seen without his turban in a film. In fact, in a 2018 interview, Diljit had stated, "My most favourite directors from Bollywood have offered me films which I cannot do because they want me to do it without turban and that’s not possible. Turban is my identity, it’s my emotion."

However, Diljit Dosanjh, who made his presence felt at the event through a video call while in London, said that Jogi is an important film for him and it tells an important story from our pages of history. Hence, it is understandable why the actor decided to change his rule.

Earlier this month, a similar sequence was seen in Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha as well. It showed Mona Singh's character cutting off her son's hair so that he can be saved from the violent rioters in 1984.

Also Read: Jogi Teaser: Diljit Dosanjh fights for his family and brotherhood during 1984 riots in Ali Abbas Zafar’s next

John Abraham, who was last seen in Ek Villain Returns, is all set to collaborate with the other ‘villain’ Riteish Deshmukh for a forthcoming film. The said film is expected to be a comedy, directed by Housefull director Sajid Khan. The leading ladies for the film will be Nora Fatehi and popular reality show contestant turned actress Shehnaaz Gill. To be produced by Bhushan Kumar and Amar Butala, the film has been titled 100%.

Confirming the same, a source close to the production house said, “Producers Bhushan Kumar and Amar Butala join hands for a family entertainer titled 100% starring John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh, Nora Fatehi, and Shehnaaz Gill. The Sajid Khan film is set against the backdrop of the big fat Indian wedding and the crazy world of spies. It promises to be a joy ride full of comedy, action, and chaos.”

 

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100% is expected to go on floors early next, in the first half of 2023 and the makers are expecting to release the film by Diwali 2023.

Nora Fatehi is currently the judge of the celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Riteish Deshmukh was last seen as the public prosecutor in the Amazon mini-TV show, comedy courtroom drama Case Toh Banta Hai. The actor will also make his directorial debut with the Marathi film Ved this year. On the other hand, John Abraham is gearing up for his next Tehran. Speaking of Shehnaaz Gill, she will be seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan with Salman Khan and Pooja Hegde.

Also Read: John Abraham drops his slick avatar in first motion poster, says, ‘I’ll let my action do all the talking’ 

Disney+ Hotstar’s Koffee With Karan Season 7 is hosting some of the best stars from Bollywood. From Sara Ali Khan to Ananya Pandey to Sidharth Malhotra, stars are not shying away from naming who resides in their heart. In the season 7 episode, the couch brings together two stars who started as debutants together but have now carved a niche name in the hearts of viewers. This week, the original Heropanti couple Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon will grace the couch. The duo makes viewers’ hearts hopscotch with their confessions and answering to never-before-heard conjectures. During the episode, the actress had an interesting revelation to make about the Alia Bhatt starrer Student Of The Year.

Host Karan Johar has revealed several unknown facts about Student of The Year on Koffee With Karan Season 7. From scenes that never made it to the film to the show’s iconic host and the film’s director Karan Johar revealing his doubts about the film, in the latest episode, we learn how the film had decided on the fate of yet another star, Kriti Sanon. The actress revealed that the first film she ever auditioned for was the Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan starrer Student Of The Year.

“This was right when I had started modeling. It was my career’s very first film audition,” Kriti said. While the revelation made KJo go ‘oops!’, she recalled the experience adding, “I was asked to dance to ‘Bahara’ (I Hate Luv Storys) and some scenes from Wake Up Sid (starring Ranbir Kapoor and Konkana Sen Sharma). I was horrible back then,” said the star.

 

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She also mentioned that she was ill-prepared for the film and that she held no hard feelings toward the film’s lead, Alia Bhatt.

Koffee with Karan Season 7 will stream on Disney+ Hotstar and features some new and interesting segments this time along with the all-time favourite Rapid Fire round where the stars compete it out for the very special ‘Koffee Hamper’. For fans in the U.S., Koffee with Karan Season 7 will stream exclusively on Hulu.

Also Read: Koffee With Karan 7: Shahid Kapoor opens up about marrying Mira Rajput when she was 20: ‘She needed to be cared for with kid gloves’

At a time when senior superstars, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar who should know better, are brazenly selling cancer (a.k.a gutka, paan masala) to the nation, Bollywood’s youngest superstar Kartik Aaryan has resolutely said no to a tempting offer to endorse Paan Masala.

When I double-checked this news with a prominent ad guru, he confirmed it saying, “That’s right. That boy Kartik Aaryan has said no to around Rs. 8-9 crore offer to endorse paan masala. Kartik seems to have principles, a rare commodity in today’s actors who suffer from the gift of the ‘grab’. Saying no to such big money is not easy. But Kartik is conscious of his responsibility as a youth icon.”

Former chairperson of the censor board and producer Pahlaj Nihalani also endorses Kartik Aayan’s decision not to endorse harmful products. “Paan masala is killing people. Being encouraged to take gutka and paan masala by Bollywood role models is definitely damaging to the nation’s health.”

Akshay Kumar has a very clean image. He is seen as a hero of the masses. Then why is he promoting a brand of paan masala? Others like Govinda and even Pierce Brosnan are known to have promoted paan masala.

Shockingly Pahlaj Nihalani reveals that the broadcasting of alcohol and paan masala ads is illegal and unconstitutional. “Law forbids the CBFC from granting certification to paan masala and alcohol ads. Therefore, the ads for these products being broadcast are illegal. Actors who are part of such ads should know they’re participating in an illegal activity.”

Also Read: Kartik Aaryan starrer Satyaprem Ki Katha will restructure the actor’s image

Recently, Karan Johar confirmed that his next with Tiger Shroff, titled Screw Dheela has been delayed by a year. Bollywood Hungama did a bit of investigation and discovered that there are multiple reasons for the film to be kept on hold and one of the key reasons is financials not falling in place.

According to our sources, Tiger Shroff had done the paperwork for Screw Dheela for a sum of Rs. 35 crores, and once the film landed itself in the market for sale, it couldn't find any respectable buyers at the asking price. "In today's world, actors charging such big bucks makes a film financially unviable. Profit sharing is the way to go," revealed a source. "When Karan went to Tiger to express his concern, the actor didn't agree to lower the price. Karan was keen to get Tiger on board for a sum around the Rs. 20 crore mark, but Tiger and his team stuck to Rs. 35 crores. Their idea was - one failure can't impact his positioning to this extent," the source told Bollywood Hungama.

"The budget of Screw Dheela was falling in the range of Rs. 140 crores, and that was without taking into account the print and publicity costs. Hence, after all the attempts to salvage the scenario, Dharma Productions finally decided to shelve the film for the time being. If the market improves, the film will start next year," the source concluded.

Screw Dheela was directed by Shashank Khaitan with Rashmika Mandanna as the actress.

Also Read: SCOOP: Tiger Shroff-starrer Screw Dheela put on the backburner due to high budget, unpredictable box office scenario, and average response to the announcement video

Earlier this weekend, Sony Entertainment Television’s ongoing comedy reality show, India’s Laughter Champion came to a befitting end. The ‘Laughter Ka Grand Finale’, which was hosted on August 27, saw the Top 5 finalists - Nitesh Shetty from Mumbai, Jayvijay Sachan from Mumbai, Vighnesh Pande from Mumbai, Himanshu Bawandar from Ujjain, and Rajat Sood from Delhi perform one last time in front of the judges, Archana Puran Singh, and Shekhar Suman. Making the evening even more special were the cast of Liger – Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Pandey who were promoting their film and present at the finale was also a special guest, that is Sunil Grover in the guise of Rinku Bhabhi.

As the country waited in anticipation to know who from amongst the Top 5 finalists will be declared the winner, Rajat Sood from Delhi was awarded the coveted trophy of India’s Laughter Champion. While Nitesh Shetty from Mumbai was declared as the first runner-up, owing to the tough fight between Jayvijay Sachan and Vighnesh Pande, the two were declared as the second runners-up in a tie.

Winner Rajat was awarded a cheque of Rs. 25 lakhs. Speaking about the win, Rajat said, “I was overwhelmed when the celebrations began, and my name was announced. For a few minutes, I had to absorb the fact that I had won. I had planned this moment in my head multiple times but, the reality left me awestruck. It was also a milestone moment as I was performing in front of my parents for the first time in life. They had only previously seen my content online and they would not really bring it up with me or discuss it with me. Their presence was a blessing. Some decisions that come instinctively to you are signals from the universe, which tell us that good things are about to happen. My father is very happy and I could see that pride in his eyes. I am now open to opportunities and shows that will come my way. Now I have to work even harder, and I have a fire inside me to do better. I will try to read more and equip myself to become a better artist.

Judge of India’s Laughter Champion, Shekhar Suman said, “It was a well-deserved win! Rajat fought very hard, and it was a very tough competition. I think Rajat had a very distinct flavour of his own and he comes across as a very endearing guy. He is a millennial, far too young, but he has the wisdom of a 40–50-year-old. He is extremely charming and spontaneous. So, when you watch him with his stage presence, with his spontaneity, his content, his timing, ease, confidence, all of that is a sure-fire recipe for a winner. “

On the other hand, the other judge of India’s Laughter Champion, Archana Puran Singh shared, “Rajat Sood captured our attention with every passing episode. From the very beginning, I knew there was something special about him that got us to notice him and when he started performing more and more, he started standing out even more. He has a “lover boy” image and with the way he uses the essence of poetry in his comedy, I thought he was the perfect candidate to win the show. I saw his journey closely, and I was so hopeful. His finale act was brilliant. The consistency of his performances, his pleasant appearance, his presence on stage, his haazir-jawaabi, his witty responses, and his very chocolate boy look - all go to make him a winner.”

‘Comedy’ is a word that is known universally but, with Rajat Sood infusing ‘poetry’ in his comedy acts, he aptly earned the title of ‘Pomedy.’

Also Read: Gurpreet Ghuggi hilariously imitates Shilpa Shetty on India’s Laughter Champion | Abhimanyu | Shirley

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anand Ahuja welcomed their first child on August 20 and several celebrities took to social media to congratulate the couple on this news. Along with an emotional note about welcoming their baby, the couple also shared a unique piece of artwork. Now, explaining the reason behind the same, Sonam revealed on social media that it is created by the famous Rithika Merchant and explained that the reason behind sketching an eagle and deer represents the universal concept of a union between the Sky Father and the Earth Mother.

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja took to Instagram to share another picture from the creation of the artwork along with a long note that described the painting and its meaning. Expressing her gratitude towards artist Rithika Merchant, Sonam wrote, “For this momentous occasion in our life @anandahuja and I wanted @rithikamerchant to create a special art piece to announce the birth of our baby boy. And we couldn’t be more ecstatic with it. In this Art piece Rithika refers to the universal concepts of a union between the Sky Father and the gentle, attentive and watchful Earth Mother, represented here by the Eagle and the Deer respectively.”

She went on to further add, “Eagles or hawks are associated with fatherhood and otherworldly creation (the overarching concept of the Dyeus Pita/Sky Father). Deer are associated with motherhood. They are gentle, attentive and watchful creatures. They are always on guard and can move, adapt, and survive even in the most challenging conditions.”

 

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“Ever since the early Neolithic, when the earth was much colder and reindeer more widespread, the female reindeer was venerated by northern people. She was the “life-giving mother”, the leader of the herds upon which they depended for survival, and they followed the reindeer migrations for milk, food, clothing and shelter. She was a revered spiritual figure associated with fertility, motherhood, regeneration and the rebirth of the sun,” she concluded.

The photos were originally shared by Rithika Merchant on her Instagram page where she had captioned it saying, “Specially commissioned for Sonam and Anand on this special occasion, Rithika Merchant refers to the universal concepts of a union between the Sky Father and gentle, attentive and watchful Earth Mother, represented in this work tiltled “Nova” by the Eagle and the Deer respectively. Congratulations to @sonamkapoor and @anandahuja on their new arrival!” Sonam too responded to it by expressing how much she loved the art work. She commented, “I love this so much I can’t tell you. It represents all my emotions.”

Expressing their happiness over the news, the Kapoor family has been celebrating the arrival of Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anand Ahuja’s baby throughout the week. Anand and grandfather Anil Kapoor distributed sweets to the media whereas Rhea Kapoor planned a grand welcome for Sonam and the newborn Baby Kapoor-Ahuja when the actress returned home from the hospital.

Also Read: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and her newborn get the grandest welcome from Rhea Kapoor; shares videos on Instagram

Nawazuddin Siddiqui took the audience by a surprise with his first look from his forthcoming film Haddi. Dressed as a woman in the poster, the actor will be seen in the role of a transgender in this movie. The film is said to be a revenge drama directed by Akshat Ajay Sharma.

Speaking about the choice of this unique role, Nawazuddin Siddiqui said, “It’s just been a couple of days. We have started the shoot of Haddi, I will be portraying two roles in the film - I play a woman and a transgender. These are two separate parts, it’s a double role! Akshat had this script and wanted to make the film for almost four years. Akshat has worked as a second unit director in AK VS AK and Sacred Games. I have known him since the time he has worked with Anurag Kashyap. Now, we are finally making this venture possible.”

He shared, “Outfit, hair, make-up, yeh sab toh theek hai... that’s not my concern. There are experts to look into it and they know their job. My concern is to get the internal thought process right. What do women think? What do they want? An actor’s job is to get into the head of the character he plays. Your perception, outlook towards life as a woman is bound to be different and that is the most difficult part about Haddi for me. Ek aurat ke nazariyese duniya dekhni hogi. The film is not about costumes and gestures. The process is more internal and deep and my main concern is I need to bring that out to the audience.”

He also revealed, “I have worked with many renowned female directors and that helped a great deal. I realized that women look at the world differently. They are far more compassionate and they see beauty in everything. For most men, it’s often about power and control. That also reflects in our relationships. The female gaze is compassionate and sensational. I am deeply trying to understand that point of action.”

The actor takes close to three hours daily to get his female look on point, hair, make-up and outfit. He shared, “If I am playing a female character, I need to think like a woman and that’s my test as an actor.” On this note, the actor added, “My daughter was very upset when she saw me dressed as a woman. But of course, she now knows that it’s for a role and she understands that.”

He also says that he has huge respect for actresses who do this on a daily basis. “It takes me three hours to get ready. Now I know why an actress may take longer than her male counterpart to get out of her vanity van. It’s absolutely justified. Itna saara taam jhaam hota hai! Hair, make-up, kapde, nails... pura sansar leke chalna padta hai. Now He knows why an actress may take longer than her male counterpart to get out of her vanity van. It’s absolutely justified. I will have more patience now”.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Nawaz has an interesting lineup of films which includes Tiku Weds Sheru, Noorani Chehra, and Adbhut among others.

Also Read: Nawazuddin Siddiqui opens up on his transgender role; says, “I play a double role of a transgender character, and a male character”

The recently released multi-starrer Taanav is a web series that touches upon the sensitive topic of Kashmir and its conflicts. The show is an Indian adaptation of the popular Israeli series Fauda which revolves around the country’s defense forces, their struggles, and their impact on the citizens. Its Indian version Taanav is set against the backdrop of Kashmir with actors like Arbaaz Khan and Waluscha De Sousa playing pivotal roles in this Sudhir Mishra directorial.

Speaking about her character in the series, Waluscha De Sousa revealed that she plays the role of a Kashmiri Muslim named Zainaab.  Needless to say, it was a unique role for her and the actress also discussed taking up such a different role. “Taanav is very very special to me. It is a series where I got the opportunity to play a character so far removed from who I am entirely. I portray a Kashmiri Muslim woman and speak in Kashmiri as well – it is a dialect that I had to learn from scratch. I am so grateful for this opportunity and this character that was given to me by Sudhir Sir and Applause Production. It is a role very few would imagine me playing. This is perhaps the most fulfilling character I have played till date.”

However, Waluscha De Sousa did not reveal many details about her character since the series is an adaptation.

Speaking of Taanav, the series will premiere on SonyLIV. It is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Applause Productions. Created by Avi Issacharoff & Lior Raz and Distributed by Yes Studios, the show is helmed by Sudhir Mishra and Sachin Mamta Krishn. The show features an ensemble cast of Manav Vij, Sumit Kaul, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Zarina Wahab, Ekta Kaul, Danish Hussain, Satyadeep Mishra, Sukhmani Sadana, Sahiba Bali, Amit Gaur, Arslan Goni, Rockey Raina, M.K. Raina, Sheen Dass, Aryaman Seth, amongst others.

Also Read: Teaser of Arbaaz Khan starrer Tanaav unveiled; will premiere on Sony LIV

Just a day ago, Hrithik Roshan expressed his fandom for The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power, the popular series that will premiere on Netflix next month. Now the Vikram Vedha actor once again is making news, as one of his videos from a recent event has gone viral. Hrithik recently attended an event related to Cult Fitness in association with his brand HRX and during the event, the actor touched the feet of one of his fans. His gesture seems to have garnered ample attention as fans can’t stop hailing him for his humility.

Hrithik Roshan recently attended a Cult fitness event in collaboration with his home brand HRX. The actor was seen interacting with the fans and also presented award certificates and goodies to winners. He also screened the teaser of his upcoming film Vikram Vedha and what followed was a huge round of applause from the audience. During the prize distribution event, however, one of the fans who came on stage greeted the Kaabil actor by touching his feet. Hrithik responded to him in the same manner, by repeating the action. When Hrithik was touching his fan’s feet, the audience started cheering out loud, appreciating him for the humble gesture.

 

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Meanwhile, the video also received a massive response on social media. “Most humble superstar,” commented on the fans whereas another one commented on how his movies should not be boycotted saying, “Bhai Hrithik ke liye koi boycott nhi karega. (Brother, no one will Boycott Hrithik) He is very good actor n most he is very humble no attitude at all...” Another one dropped a comment saying, “Legend For A Reason”.

On the work front, Hrithik’s next release Vikram Vedha is a remake of the Tamil movie by the same name. The film is slated to release on September 30 with Hrithik Roshan playing the role of a gangster. There are also reports stating that the actor will start work on Krrish 4 very soon along with his father Rakesh Roshan.

Also Read:  Hrithik Roshan can’t wait to binge The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power; shares video about it on Instagram

Priyanka Chopra has been enjoying some quality time as a mother and the actress has also been posting about the same on social media. The actress is also quite popular on social media and often shares private moments with family and friends, giving a glimpse of her life to her followers. Now, the latest video shared by her features her daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas as the actress is making her groove to the Bollywood song, ‘Sasural Genda Phool’.

While Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas have not yet revealed the face of their daughter, the actress has been sharing posts of her and her daughter quite often. The recent video, shared by PC on Instagram, features Malti Marie Chopra Jonas wearing an adorable frock with a matching hair band. The mother-daughter duo seems to be enjoying some Bollywood music time with the song 'Sasural Genda Phool' from the 2009 movie Delhi 6 featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Speaking about her weekend time with her little angel, PC captioned the video by saying, “Saturday mornings be like… ???? ????????”

Needless to say, her video also garnered a lot of attention from her B-town friends who couldn’t stop adoring the beauty of her little daughter. Her co-star and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, actresses Dia Mirza and Huma Qureshi, Sports star Sania Mirza, filmmaker and former Netflix CEO Srishti Behl, and many others dropped heart emojis on the video. “Cutest post on internet today,” said one of the fans whereas another one commented, “Cuteness overload”.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, who tied the knot in December 2018, announced the arrival of their first child via surrogacy in May this year. On the work front, Priyanka is gearing for the big-budget space sci-fi drama Citadel which also stars Richard Madden and it will premiere on Amazon Prime. The actress also has films like It’s All Coming Back To Me and Jee Le Zara in the pipeline.

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra smiles as she shares photos of baby Malti Marie Chopra Jonas playing with her: ”Love like no other’

Ajay Devgn and Tabu will be coming together for the ninth time with the action drama Bholaa. The film, which is also directed by the Shivaay actor, was in the final leg of its shoot schedule. And now the actress has taken to social media to announce the wrap of the same. She shared a joint post with her Drishyam co-star and also gave us a sneak peek into her look from the film.

Readers would be aware that Tabu and Ajay Devgn are childhood friends and the two of them have played many interesting roles. It is being said that Bholaa will feature the actress in the role of a cop whereas Ajay will be seen in the role of a prisoner. In the recent joint post with her co-star, the actress shared a photo of their looks from the film where she is seen in a suited formal attire whereas Ajay is seen wearing a black shirt with a ghamcha. Along with that, she also added a caption saying, “Look!! We finished our 9th film together! #wewrap #bholaa @ajaydevgn @adffilms.”

 

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Speaking of Bholaa, the film marks the fourth directorial of Ajay Devgn after U, Me, Aur Hum, Shivaay, and the latest Runway 34 that hit the big screens in 2022. It is a remake of the Tamil film Kaithi that originally featured Karthi along with Narain, Arjun Das among others and was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. As for Bholaa, the film is expected to hit the theatres on March 30, 2023.

On the other hand, Ajay Devgn and Tabu, who have acted in many films including Golmaal Again and De De Pyaar De, recently also shot for Drishyam 2 together. While they featured as a suspect and cop in the prequel, they will reprise their roles in the second part too, as the film is a continuation of the previous plotline.

Also Read: Tabu sustains injury on sets of Bholaa in Hyderabad

Right amid his shoot schedule, Amitabh Bachchan took to social media to reveal that he has tested COVID positive and that he has quarantined himself from any association with the public. His announcement came in earlier this week, after which, many fans expressed concern over his health. However, the superstar recently took to his blog, where he assured his fans that he is recouping well but along with the update, the actor also mentioned how he doesn’t work with a team, who does all his chores for him. He mentioned that he has been doing all the household chores by himself as he has quarantined himself and is even responding to phone calls and emails personally.

Amitabh Bachchan started his blog saying, “So the entire day is filled with time and timeless memories of the past and the present and a few thoughts for the future .. a process which never is given any consideration in the hectic schedules that we follow .. Most of the time an entire team is set aside by individuals facing such encumbrances .. but choosing a team is a work of art - an artwork that requires another team .. ! issues then are endless and it has been noticed , at least by your Blogmaestra that self help is beyond all teamwork .. By the time you start preparing the briefing or educating the team, you might as well just get up and do it yourself .. it is the most satisfying and efficient working of all workings ..”

“They that have worked with you for long notice and learn your movements habits and likes dislikes as any other .. but the self knows better than any other .. so .. Rather than waste time and energy on disciplining a fresh entrant in his or her training, it may be perhaps prudent to educate the self ..  and no where is this more prominent and in execution than the times of ‘isolation’ for the dread of the ViD 19 , or to be more precise , its prevailing variant ..,” said yet another excerpt from the blog.

“Suddenly the exercise of making your own bed, cleaning your bath and toilet , wiping the floor, switching on the required plugs and switches , making your own snack and drink ( tea and the coffee ) , folding and setting up the cupboard with your clothing , responding personally to calls and mobile responses , drafting your own letters .. and submitting yourself to the medication prescription by the doctors without the assist of a nursing staff .. ALL .. is what life in these times is made of ..,” the actor wrote.

“And it is the most enjoyable and satisfying experience of them all.. The diminishing on the reliance of your staff  .. and more importantly the realisation, as I have submitted many times before, what your staff go through during an entire day .. gaining thereby the respect that should be theirs .. So .. to get back to the illness .. the feel of the ‘feelings’ is in its stable state .. which in present circumstances is the best that one can do , or should .. One could say , and is often tempted to also, to announce betterment or even more , and find that the very next day your statement being overtaken by quite the opposite .. best then to be in reserve .. in restraint .. in quiet appreciation for those that send wishes, grant them the gratitude they deserve .. and breathe !” he concluded.

Also Read: Kaun Banega Crorepati 14: Amitabh Bachchan says, ‘Bhaisaab, Kameez toh pehen Lijiye’ to a contestant stripping after his win

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Rhea Kapoor have always been quite close to each other. The latter also visited Sonam in London during her pregnancy days and stayed with her sister during her second trimester. And now that the actress welcomed an adorable baby boy, their homecoming was planned in the grandest way possible by the Kapoor girl. Rhea also took to social media to share videos of the grand welcome she planned for Baby Kapoor-Ahuja.

Sonam Kapoor returned home, a day ago, after her delivery. Her husband Anand Ahuja and father Anil Kapoor expressed their happiness by distributing sweets to the media, and sister Rhea Kapoor showed her happiness by planning the grandest welcome for the new mother and her little boy. The child's maasi planned a special welcome for her sister and her nephew. Their house was decorated with beige-golden balloons and banners that read, ‘Welcome Baby Kapoor Ahuja’. Videos of the special décor were also shared on her Instagram story.

 

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Earlier this week, Rhea Kapoor took to Instagram to share a series of photos after she visited her sister Sonam Kapoor and met Baby Kapoor-Ahuja for the first time along with her mother Sunita Kapoor. The producer-designer also wrote about how she got emotional during her visit and also shared a photo of her getting teary-eyed and emotional. She posted the photos saying, “Rhea masi is not ok. The cuteness is too much. The moment is unreal. I love you @sonamkapoor the bravest mommy and @anandahuja the most loving dad. Special mention new nani @kapoor.sunita #mynephew???? #everydayphenomenal”

Readers would be aware that Sonam Kapoor Ahuja spent most of her pregnancy days in London. She returned to Mumbai to spend time with her family during her final trimester. The actress, who was last seen in The Zoya Factor, shared an Instagram post along with husband Anand Ahuja announcing the arrival of their baby with a post on social media that read, “On 20.08.2022, we welcomed our beautiful baby boy with bowed heads and open hearts. Thank you to all of the doctors, nurses, friends and family who have supported us on this journey. It’s only the beginning, but we know our lives are forever changed. Sonam & Anand.”

Also Read: Rhea Kapoor breaks down in tears upon meeting Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s baby boy; see first photos of ‘maasi’ and ‘nani’ Sunita Kapoor with the newborn