Not too long ago, it was announced that the 90s stars Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol, Mithun Chakraborty will be coming together for a film together, which has been titled Baap. While the trio is known for their share of action films, veteran actor Mithun too has been a part of many of these commercial masala maar-daad entertainers. While the four stars coming together had created ample buzz, adding more to the anticipation, the makers unveiled a special behind-the-scenes (BTS) video of the kind of stunts and action we can expect from this quintessential Bollywood film.

Giving the feel of 90s potboilers, the recently released BTS video from Baap features the adrenaline pumping stunts by Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, and Jackie Shroff. The actors have been a part of many such typical Bollywood action entertainers in the past. While Sunny was known for his performances in action films like Ghatak and Ghayal, Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff too have done a fair share of such films. Reviving their action avatars, the recent video featured them doing some power packed punches and even showcased bits and pieces of high Bollywood drama you will get to witness in the film. Taking to their Instagram, the video was posted with a caption that read, “Parde par yeh kare kamaal, aur parde ke peeche? Khud hi dekh lo..?? Full-on dhamaal, bawaal aur masti bemisaal. ?? Here’s your sneak peek into the sets of this #BaapOfAllFilm.

 

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Earlier this month, the makers had also shared character posters of the four stars wherein they also unveiled their reel-life names in the film. While Sanjay Dutt will be seen in the role of Ballu, Mithun Chakraborty is named as Yeda Bhagat. Sunny Deol will reprise his name as Arjun whereas Jackie Shroff is Jaikishan. Interestingly, Sunny Deol also featured in a film titled Arjun, in which he played the titular role.

 

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Coming to the film, Baap will be directed by Vivek Chauhan and will be produced by Ahmed Khan and Shaira Ahmed Khan in association with Zee Studios.

Also Read: Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt and Mithun Chakraborty come together for an action entertainer and it feels like the 90s all over again

Producer Firoz Nadiadwala’s ambitious feature-film based on the Mahabharat will get its screenplay from the film Mahabharat that his father A. G. Nadiadwala had produced in 1965.

Confirming this, Firoz says, “Writing the Mahabharat for the screen has always been the biggest problem. This is why so few films on the Mahabharat have been attempted. I have my father’s film on the Mahabharat with the most brilliant and comprehensive script based on the sacred saga. When the best possible treatment of the Mahabharat epic is right under my nose, why should I look anywhere else?”

Produced by A G Nadiadwala in 1965, the Mahabharat starred Abhi Bhattacharya as Lord Krishna, Padmini (from Raj Kapoor’s Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai and Mera Naam Joker) as Draupadi, Pradeep Kumar as Arjuna and Dara Singh as Bhim.

The film directed by Babubhai Mistry was a hit.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: “My father’s production Taj Mahal was the first film in which POP (Plaster Of Paris) was used for constructing a set! People would come on the sets just to see what is POP” – Firoz Nadiadwala

After deleting her controversial ‘Galwan tweet,’ actress Richa Chadha has now offered an apology for hurting the sentiments of the Indian Army and their followers in the country. In a Twitter statement, she said, “Even though it can never be my intention in the least, if the 3 words which have been dragged into a controversy have offended or hurt anyone, I apologize and also say that it would sadden me if even unintentionally my words have triggered this feeling in my brothers in the Fauj, of which my own Nanaji has been an illustrious part. As a Lt. Col, he took a bullet in the leg in the Indo-China war, in 1960s. It’s in my blood.”

She added, “A whole family is affected when their son is martyred or even injured while saving the nation which is made up of people like us and I personally know how it feels. It is an emotive issue for me.”

@BediSaveena pic.twitter.com/EYHeS75AjS

— RichaChadha (@RichaChadha) November 24, 2022

It all began when Northern Army Commander Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi said that if given orders by the government of India, the Indian Army is capable of taking back Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Richa quote tweeted the news and wrote, “Galwan says hi,” as an indirect reference of the disputed Galwan territory between India and China.

Richa instantly got embroiled in a controversy after she started getting trolled on social media from the political class and netizens.

Also read: Richa Chadha reviews Aamir Khan starrer Laal Singh Chaddha; says, “film delicately navigates so many seminal moments of our past”

After bringing us cinematic gems like Parinda, 1942: A Love Story, Mission Kashmir, the Munnabhai franchise, 3 Idiots, and PK, producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra is directing and producing 12th Fail, adapted from Anurag Pathak’s bestselling novel of the same name that will feature Vikrant Massey.

The film is inspired by the real-life story of IPS Officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and IRS Officer Shraddha Joshi. But 12th Fail isn’t a biography as much as it is a portrait of the power of one - how one man or one woman with integrity can create seismic change. 

12th Fail is the first film to be shot in Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi, the location that has seen the birth of generations of bureaucrats. Talking about the film, VVC says, “If an honest person is in a position of power, the world can truly change. I have seen that with countless IAS and IPS officers I have come across in the process of writing this film. ’12th Fail’ is a tribute to all of them. If this film can inspire even 10 more officers to strive for honesty, 10 more students to strive for excellence… I will believe I have succeeded.” 

The upcoming film is headlined by Vikrant Massey. 

Sharing his piece of mind, Vikrant said, “It’s the tragedy of our times that honesty and sincerity are a rarity. This film is a dedication to all the students who dream, and to all the honest officers who are the backbone of our country and constitution. Working with VVC is a dream come true and a huge challenge since he’s such a thorough director.” 

VVC has wrapped the first schedule of 12th Fail in Chambal, Agra, and is currently filming the second schedule in Delhi. The film is scheduled for a 2023 summer release.

Also Read: Vikrant Massey marries longtime girlfriend Sheetal Thakur; registers marriage on Valentine’s Day

Actress Richa Chadha has been embroiled in a social media controversy following her ‘Galwan tweet’, which now stands deleted. It all started with the Northern Army Commander Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi stating that the Indian Army is ready to take back Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) if given orders by the government of India.

Quote tweeting this news, Richa wrote, “Galwan says hi.” This was her cheeky mention of the controversial territory of Galwan with which India has dispute with China. Her Tweet instantly sparked controversy as she started getting trolled for allegedly mocking the Indian Army.

Reacting strongly to the tweet, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa replied to the now deleted tweet and wrote, “Disgraceful Tweet. Should be withdrawn at the earliest. Insulting our armed forces is not justified.”

Disgraceful Tweet. Should be withdrawn at the earliest. Insulting our armed forces is not justified. https://t.co/eetOjHrDor

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) November 23, 2022

Film producer and social activist Ashoke Pandit has urged the Mumbai police to file an FIR against Richa. He tweeted, “I appeal to @CPMumbaiPolice @MumbaiPolice to file an F.I.R against actress #RichaChadha for mocking & abusing our security forces. She has been a regular offender of spreading hate towards nationalist forces.”

I appeal to @CPMumbaiPolice @MumbaiPolice to file an F.I.R against actress #RichaChadha for mocking & abusing our security forces .
She has been a regular offender of spreading hate towards nationalist forces. @mieknathshinde @Dev_Fadnavis

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) November 24, 2022

Similarly, a large number of social media users also came up with posts against Richa and continue to do so.

#RichaChadha's head is full of something else, not brain????????????

Making fun of the #IndianArmy is not tolerable????#Galwan #GalwanValley #BoycottBollywood #UrbanNaxals pic.twitter.com/wd3MJooafn

— Anveshka Das (@AnveshkaD) November 24, 2022

#RichaChadha

Our Indian Army Our Pride ❤️❤️❤️
Huge respect ???????? #BoycottBollywood idiots who never miss a chance to insult Indian Army pic.twitter.com/NEibqlO8wn

— Pragya Thakur (@PragyaT69) November 24, 2022

Shameless @Richachadha mocks our brave Jawans

These #UrbanNaxals are worst kind of creatures

Set new low everyday #RichaChadha pic.twitter.com/EoSS8R8sb9

— Ramesh Solanki???????? (@Rajput_Ramesh) November 24, 2022

Also read: Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have been legally married since 2020; spokesperson clarifies

Kartik Aaryan seems to have kicked off his new year on a great note. With him garnering several accolades for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the actor has been having a successful year. Celebrating his new innings in Bollywood, the actor rang in his 32nd birthday in ‘Shehzada’ style which was indeed a star studded affair. The bash included celebrities like Vaani Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ananya Panday, Manish Malhotra, Alaya F, Disha Patani, among others and the photos from the bash were shared by the stars on their respective social media.

Kartik Aaryan hosted a white themed birthday bash and many celebrities from Vaani Kapoor to Manish Malhotra shared photos on Instagram. Vaani Kapoor shared a photo of her with casting director Mukesh Chabbra and Ayushmann Khurrana and added a quirky caption referring to the actor and the birthday boy’s films saying, “Yeh shehzada ki birthday party main yeh action hero befikre ho Kar ghoom Raha hai.” On the other hand, Manish Malhotra tagged Kartik along with Ananya Panday and Vaani Kapoor saying, “With the handsome birthday boy and the gorgeous girls”. The star of the day, Kartik also reposted a photo with the team of his next Satyaprem Ki Katha, which also stars Kiara Advani, saying, ‘And it’s a schedule wrap’.

Talking further about his special day, the actor kicked off his celebrations with private family moments with his parents. The actor posted a series of photo from his cake cutting ceremony with his mother, father, sister, and his dog Katori saying, “In every birth I would like to be born as your koki?? Thank you for the sweet birthday surprise mummy- papa, Katori n Kiki”

 

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Besides that, the actor also gave a special treat to his fans by releasing the first look teaser of his upcoming film Shehzada. The film, directed by Rohit Dhawan, is a remake of the Allu Arjun, Pooja Hegde starrer Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. Also starring Kriti Sanon as his leading lady, the action entertainer is expected to release in February 10, 2023.

 

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Also Read: Kartik Aaryan rings in 32nd birthday with Alaya F, Ananya Panday, Sharvari Wagh and other stars: Here’s best dressed stars from his party

The news that superstar Akshay Kumar will be portraying the pivotal role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mahesh Manjrekar’s Marathi extravaganza, Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat (Seven Marathas charged with passion) has created quite a stir in the industry. Akshay, who speaks Marathi without any accent, has said that this is a dream-come-true role for him, and he will give everything to it—in his words, “Jitna mera dam hai laga doonga.” The film is also being designed as the first Marathi pan-Indian (the “in” term nowadays!) movie ever!

Akshay has already acted in a crucial special appearance in Aadhaar two decades back as the hero’s friend who brings his bride to the marriage venue, and has later produced 72 Miles—Ek Pravaas and Chumbak, films that were also critically acclaimed.

But today, acting in or even producing Marathi films has become a matter of pride for our stars, aside from the fact that most producers and even some directors and composers are now experimenting—usually profitably!—with forays into Marathi movies. And why is that?

Mumbai is the epicenter of the Hindi film industry and the karmabhoomi for every major star. Add friendships within the fraternity and we know why many Hindi film stars, some of whom even have Marathi as their mother-tongues, forayed into occasional acting in Marathi films, like Nutan (Paradh), Tanuja (Pitruroon), Nana Patekar (Natasamrat and more) and Padmini Kolhapure (Mai, Pravaas). However, the difference is that, in recent times, with Marathi movies at an all-time high, today’s Marathi-speaking stars like Madhuri Dixit Nene, Riteish Deshmukh and Shreyas Talpade have a greater involvement and so are also producing movies in their mother-tongue.

Home productions
Riteish had produced (and acted in) the 2014 Lai Bhaari, a blockbuster. It had Salman Khan in a lovable cameo as Bhau. Encouraged, Riteish is now turning director with Ved (Madness) that has Salman, who has always professed his love for Marathi (literally his mother-tongue as she is a Maharashtrian) cinema in an extended cameo. The superstar has already ‘remade’ Mulshi Pattern as Antim—The Final Truth (sadly with wrong changes that undid the remake!) and had plans in the past to remake two more blockbusters, Shikshanaachya Aaicha Gho and Mee Shivajiraje Bhosle Boltoy.

Shreyas Talpade even produced Sanai Choughade and the super-hit Poshter Boyz and starred in them. He even turned director with the Hindi remake of the latter film with Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, which unlike the Marathi film, flopped.

Madhuri Dixit Nene’s production, the offbeat 15 August, premiered on Netflix, though she did not act in the film. She is now also producing the hilarious take on superstition, Panchak, which was delayed by the lockdown. As an actress, she has starred in Bucket List (2018), a feel-good drama that grossed six times its production budget.

Mee Marathi!
Superstar Ajay Devgn’s liking for Marathi is by no means restricted to his half-Maharashtrian wife Kajol, or to his mega-hit co-production, Tanhaji—The Unsung Warrior. He produced the applauded as well as successful Marathi film, Vitti Dandu in 2014 and then Aapla Manus (in which he also made a cameo) in 2018. These films not only explored issues like Indian independence and the care of the aged but also were deeply rooted in family relationships. On record, Ajay has always expressed his love for everything Marathi.

A man who owes everything to Mumbai city, Amitabh Bachchan has done a lot in return for the home cinema of this region. The Maharashtrians have revered him both as actor and singer, and one return gesture from the legend is his rendition of four devotional non-film numbers, ‘Pasaydaan’, ‘Sukhkarta Dukhharta’, ‘Shishu la nivedan’ and ‘Tuljapurla jau chala’.

More significantly, he produced the acclaimed 2009 Marathi film, Vihir, an offbeat drama of two staunch friends, which was sent to multiple festivals including Berlin and Busan. And in 2020, his full-fledged Marathi debut, AB Aani CD was released, again a message film on family relationships. Amitabh also spoke Marathi in the film.

Way back in 1994, when his make-up man, Deepak Sawant, had made his debut as a producer with Akka and wanted him to introduce the film, Amitabh insisted on appearing in a song, and so the theme devotional number, ‘Tu Jagati Adhipati’ was reshot with Jaya Bachchan and him. Famed Marathi singer Ravindra Sathe thus bagged the honour of giving the actor playback—incidentally the fourth Maharashtrian singer to lend his voice for Amitabh after Laxmikant, Suresh Wadkar and Sudesh Bhosle!

Priyanka Chopra’s Marathi ‘Pebbles’
Among the millennium stars, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who also speaks Marathi creditably well, not only made her debut as a producer with the 2016 Ventilator but also acted in a small but key role in it as herself. The film was a smash-hit, remade later in at least four more languages and also into a play, and marked a dynamic debut for her production company, Purple Pebble Pictures.

The film made a record Rs. 25 crore from a Rs. 3.5 crore production budget and won multiple awards for itself and its various team members. The awards list was top-lined by three National awards—for Best Direction, Editing and Sound Mixing.

Priyanka has so far produced over 10 films in India, only one of which was in Hindi, and of these, three more (Kaay Re Rascalaa, Firebrand and Paani) have been in Marathi. The last film also won another National award—for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation.

Special appearances and more
Hrithik Roshan made a truly special cameo in the family drama, Hrudayantar (2017). Made up as his famous character, Krrish, he meets a sick child who is his great fan. The role was splendidly conceived to pack an emotional wallop without a single line being uttered either by Hrithik or the tot.

Ranbir Kapoor too made a cameo as himself in Madhuri’s Bucket List itself. Perhaps, it was a reciprocal gesture to Madhuri for her cameo in his 2013 Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. And John Abraham produced the 2018 thriller Savita Damodar Paranjpe based on the famous play of the same name.

The 1981 Sundara Satarkar saw Rajesh Khanna and Mehmood in guest roles. In 1982, Fatakdi (Firecracker) had the chartbuster song, ‘Kutha kutha jaayaacha honeymoon laa (Where all do we go on our honeymoon?)’ and this naughty dance was filmed on Rekha. Veteran actors Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra and Suresh Oberoi made forays into Shirdi Sai Baba, whose year of release is unknown.

Ventilator had already seen Boman Irani as a doctor. Anupam Kher too impeccably performed in Kashala Udyachi Baat (2012), while Naseeruddin Shah was a dacoit in Deool a year earlier—his Marathi diction too was notable.

And beginning with veterans R.D. Burman and Laxmikant (a Maharashtrian)-Pyarelal and Bappi Lahiri, even Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Vishal-Shekhar and Salim-Sulaiman have done films in Marathi. The filmmakers’ and technicians’ list is quite long, and all we can conclude is that Marathi cinema is now in greater demand as a viable option than ever before. And they all love Marathi cinema.

Also Read: Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk roped in for Khel Kheil Mein: Reports

Last night, reports had it that Indian actor Vikram Gokhale, who is known for his works in Hindi and Marathi cinema, was expected to be critical and soon rumours of him passing away started surfacing. However, today, his wife and daughter have spoken to the media clarifying about the rumours. While the Gokhale family has asserted that Vikram Gokhale has been admitted and is in a critical condition, they revealed that he has been put on life support system but has not passed away.

His wife Vrushali Gokhale spoke to Times of India saying, “He slipped into coma yesterday afternoon and post that, he has not responded to touch. He is on ventilator. Doctors will decide tomorrow morning what to do, depending on whether he’s improving, sinking or still not responding.” Furthermore, his family also confirmed the news and elaborated on his health condition to Indian Express.com adding, “He was doing ok a few days ago, won’t say that he was fine as he has multiple health issues. He has been at the hospital for the last few days and was recovering too, but from yesterday he’s critical. We are waiting for the doctors to tell us the way forward, hopefully tomorrow they will tell us more and tell us what needs to be done. But he is critical, and that’s all I can say.”

Vrushali Gokhale also revealed that the actor was admitted to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital on November 5. He has been hospitalized since then. While he did suffer issues with his heart and kidney, his wife mentioned that the actor’s condition worsened after he had a multi organ failure.

Not too long ago, reports had it that Arjun Kapoor will be reuniting with his Sardar Ka Grandson co-star Rakul Preet Singh and The Lady Killer co-star Bhumi Pednekar for yet another project. While the actors remained silent about it, Arjun recently took to social media to confirm about his next with the ladies duo. Although rumours had it that the film was titled Meri Patni Ka Remake, the actor revealed that they are yet to finalize on the same.

Arjun Kapoor, who is quite active on Instagram, was recently seen attending the Filmfare Middle East Achievers Award in Dubai and even shared a fun video with co-stars Ayushmann Khurrana and bestie Ranveer Singh. And it was in his recent post that the actor revealed that he has been shooting with Bhumi Pednekar and Rakul Preet Singh for his next. In the said post, he also mentioned that they have completed more than half of the shoot schedule of the film as well as revealed to his fans and followers that an announcement about the title will be made soon. Going the poetic way, he captioned this photo of him with his leading ladies saying, “Picture aadhi se zyaada done hai, Director Saab too much fun hai, Humari jodiyan tan tana tan tan hai, Title jald hi batane waale humare producer no 1 hai #TitleKyaHaiYaar ?? @rakulpreet @bhumipednekar #MudassarAziz @jackkybhagnani @deepshikhadeshmukh @vashubhagnani @pooja_ent.”

 

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As mentioned in the post, this untitled venture will be produced Jackky Bhagnani and the rest of the team of Pooja Entertainment. Coming to his other projects, Arjun Kapoor, who was last seen on the big screen in Ek Villain Returns, is gearing up for the release of Kuttey. The film featuring stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu and Konkana Sen Sharma is an unconventional film that marks the directorial debut of Vishal Bhardwaj’s son Aasmaan Bhardwaj. The film, which was expected to release this month, has been pushed to January 13, 2023.

Also Read: Arjun Kapoor to begin shooting for the next schedule of his next film in Rishikesh and Delhi

As per latest reports, an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor and Ammy Virk has been roped in for filmmaker Mudassar Aziz’s next titled Khel Kheil Mein. The film is said to be produced by Ashwin Varde and the head honcho of T-Series Bhushan Kumar.

It is also reported that the film will be an out-and-out comedy. Mudassar is known for helming comic entertainers like Happy Bhaag Jayegi, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi and Pati Patni Aur Woh. He was also the producer of Sonakshi Sinha and Huma Qureshi’s recently-released Double XL.

This will be the first time that Akshay will be directed by Aziz. It will be the actor’s fourth association with Taapsee after Baby, Naam Shabana and Mission Mangal.

Ammy Virk is a star in Punjabi cinema not just for his acting but also singing. He has appeared in Bollywood movies like Bhuj: The Pride Of India and 83.

Reports also state that Khel Kheil Mein will go on floors in the first quarter of 2023.

Also read: Akshay Kumar urges Bollywood to learn from Hollywood; suggests making multi-cast films

Well-known names from the mainstream Bollywood industry, including Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai, Luv Ranjan, Mahaveer Jain and Ananya Birla, will be coming together to have a discussion at the ongoing 53^rd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

The group of filmmakers and producers would be discussing ways to benefit youngsters wanting to enter the industry. “This powerhouse of a panel is to discuss ways to carve out a path into the growing film industry for newcomers. The idea is that the biggest names in the industry right now shall impart their knowledge and share their ways to empower the film industry,” said an official statement from the organizers.

The statement added, “This noble initiative is in hopes that the change will bring some good and fresh content in (the) industry since the panelists are seasoned film industry specialists and have years of experiences that they are willing to share and empower the upcoming generation.”

This year’s IFFI started on 20^th November and will be on till 28^th November.

Mahaveer Jain was one of the producers for Sooraj Barjatya’s latest release Uunchai, which starred Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Parineeti Chopra, Neena Gupta and Danny Denzongpa. Kabir Khan’s last outing 83 got a lot of critical acclaim.

Also read: Kartik Aaryan to train with LA based team for Kabir Khan and Sajid Nadiadwala’s action film

Social media can be a cruel place but at times, it also contributes to the laughter in our lives. Several people saw Abbas-Mustan’s Ajnabee (2001), starring Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Bipasha Basu, over the years but it took one netizen to bring into people’s notice about a funny bit in the film. Dalip Tahil, who played Kareena’s father, laughed a bit too much in all his scenes. A compilation made on his dialogues and laughter was too funny and it was no wonder that it went viral.

When Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to Dalip Tahil, we asked him if he had seen this funny video. He replied, “I have. It’s very good. I am very happy that it went viral. I am very grateful to the person who’s an editor at heart. Maybe he should join the movies and become an editor!”

Just want to be happy as dalip tahil pic.twitter.com/I1dMqrdmAH

— R̊I̊O̊️ (@Rizwankhaan345) March 12, 2021

Didn’t he realize he was laughing too much while doing those scenes in the film? To which, Dalip answered, “I don’t even remember. At that time, I probably did what the director told me to do. Now, when I look at it after 20 years, it does seem a little bizarre! Anyway, I am not concerned about it. It (the viral video) has probably come and gone.”

Dalip Tahil continued, “This is still harmless. But I have been reading over a period of time that I have done a rape scene with Jaya Prada. It says that I got carried away, and then she slapped me. It keeps coming on my Google alert. Let me clarify that I have never shared screen space with Jaya Prada ji. I was keen to do so but never got the chance. No such scene ever happened. I have no animosity against the person writing it. I'd like this person to show me this scene. Now on social media, people are creating situations that probably never existed in the first place. Imagine, such a scene never happened and it’s being reported!”

The Ravishing beauty Ayeesha S Aiman has been portrayed of making the right choices for her new projects which came her way. Super glam Ayeesha has been beaming her way through, to enter as the most promising artist acclaimed by the peers of the Industry. The spotlight of Indian Cinema is on the new entrant, the Aeronautical Engineer turned Glam Miss India Ayeesha S Aiman; she is ready making her acting debut with the movie India Lockdown set for a direct to digital release on ZEE5 on December 2 directed by National award-winning director Madhur Bhandarkar.

[caption id="attachment_1500679" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Ayeesha S Aiman, Former Miss India International is all set to raise the hotness bar with India Lockdown[/caption]

Cinema in India has a long history of building products and she is the one in making. The Ravishing beauty Ayeesha S Aiman has been portrayed of making the right choices for her new projects, which came her way (waited for the right ones to be precise). As our sources approached Ayeesha to know more about her journey “I am very excited to be a part of Bollywood Industry. The Three Mantras I believe in to be an actor which determines the success is “Patience, Perseverance, Persistence” …. The Three “Ps”

She further added, “I have chosen to do this film not by the length of the character but the story which every citizen across the world will relate to this film as COVID brought us together and made us stronger”.

India Lockdown is inspired by true events. It will depict four parallel stories and the repercussions of the pandemic on the people of India and across the world.

India Lockdown is jointly produced by Jayantilal Gada (Pen studio), PJ Motion pictures and Bhandarkar entertainment. India lockdown has all ready created a buzz and Movie will have its world premier at IIFI Goa on 21^st.

Well, she has the ability to raise the temperature with her appearance. Ayeesha uses Instagram very often to post pretty and beautiful pictures, so would say her social handle is at its peak and best where one can witness her. However, the profound influence of her work in the industry would be worthwhile.

Also Read: Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown to premiere at the 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa

Readers would be aware that stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Salman Khan, enjoy a massive fan following and their birthdays are a very special day to fans as they find unique ways to celebrate it. This year SRK had a massive turnout at his residence on his special day and Amitabh had special tributes in theatres, playing his 70s films as a special dedication. According to actor Suniel Shetty, it is rare to witness that kind of stardom for today’s generation. In an interview, the actor revealed that fans are aware of the star’s presence everywhere and they have sort of become saturated to see them almost at every venue.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Suniel Shetty said, “They are everywhere. Airport se nikalte huye dikh rahe hai, gym se nikalte huye dikh rahe hai, restaurant me dikh rahe hai, kisike party mein dikh rahe hai, kutte ko walk pe le ke jate huye dikh rahe hain (You can see them getting out of airports, out of their gyms, out of restaurants, attending parties, while taking their pet for a walk). When you start watching something too much, you get tired. That is exactly I think what is happening.”

He also went on to add about how their wealthy lifestyle alienates them from the audience as they don’t find them relatable. He revealed that audiences have a certain image of their hero and consider them to be their messiah who will bring about a change. But their photos of plush restaurants, classy food, and luxurious vacations are not something they want to see or relate to.

“We celebrate things which others in the world cannot afford. The audiences have started to alienate themselves. Sushi ke photo daal raha hu, Maldives me swimming trunk me photo daal raha hu, Maybach chalate huye daal raha hu. Audiences ko lag raha hai yeh hain kaun? (Posting photos of sushi, swimming trunks from my Maldives vacation, or riding a Maybach – these photos makes audiences question them). For them, ‘my hero’ is someone who will achieve something big and will bring a change. And it isn’t happening,” he concluded.

Suniel Shetty recently featured as the dreaded landlord-gangster in the MX Player show Dharavi Bank which also features Vivek Oberoi as an honest cop.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: “A top critic was after my blood. He used to RIDICULE me very often. He used to call me WOODEN and insist that I should go back to my restaurant business” – Suniel Shetty

Ever since her childhood, Suhana Khan has been in news because of the superstardom of her father Shah Rukh Khan. Now, the star kid is all set to enter Bollywood and was recently seen interacting with the fraternity during the multiple Diwali bashes. Amidst her busy schedule, the young girl has always ensured that she cheered for her friends and loved ones on social media by dropping posts and comments about their achievements. Recently she was seen doing the same for her cousin Alia Chhiba.

In the past, Suhana Khan has dropped comments and showcased her love for her besties Ananya Panday and Shanaya Kapoor, whenever they announced or talked about a new project or even a photoshoot. Recently, the star kid reposted the photoshoot of her cousin Alia Chhiba and dropped a heart-eye emoji, showering her love on her sister.

For the unversed, Alia is the daughter of Gauri Khan’s brother Vikrant Chhiba. Coming to the photoshoot, she recently posed for designer Amit Aggarwal in a metallic ruffle dress from his latest couture collection Pedesis.

 

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Meanwhile, on the work front, Suhana Khan is all set to make her big Bollywood debut with Zoya Akhtar’s version of The Archies. Inspired by the comics, the Indian version will feature Suhana in the role of Veronica. Besides her, the film will also mark the debut of Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson and Shweta Bachchan’s son Agastya Nanda as well as Boney Kapoor and Sridevi’s youngest daughter Khushi Kapoor. The two of them are expected to play the role of Archies and Betty respectively. The show also features Aditi Dot, Yuvraj Menda, Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, among others and is slated to release on Netflix in 2023.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan speaks about raising three kids; says his parents would be proud of how he has raised Aryan, Suhana and AbRam

The buzz in Hyderabad is that Sonakshi Sinha is coming to town. The actress, currently busy wrapping up her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, is all set to make her debut in Telugu cinema in a film starring Nandamuri Balakrishnan.

Nandamuri, age 60, has been seen in over a hundred films for the last forty years. While the film that he plans to launch in December will be directed by Anil Ravipudi.

Interestingly the first film that Sonakshi Sinha was ever offered was a Tamil film opposite Kamal Haasan in Hey Ram.

Also Read: Sonakshi Sinha channels inner diva in a glamourous black shimmer dress and crop jacket for Double XL promotions

Sajid Khan and Wajid Khan, popularly known as Sajid-Wajid, have given Bollywood some of its biggest chartbusters. However, since 2020, Sajid Khan has been composing music solely after his brother passed away due to health complications post COVID-19. Today, on the occasion of Sajid’s birthday, he visited the sacred destination of Mecca where he reminisced about the memories of his brother and also prayed on his behalf.

Sajid Khan took to Instagram to share the details of his recent visit to Mecca. Posting this selfie, he shared a heartfelt note remember his late brother Wajid Khan saying, “Just finished my 2 umrah n wajids 2 umrah mashallah feeling blessed n it’s my birthday today so love u guys?? #mecca #madinah #kaabahsharif #prayers #umrah #saudiarabia #hajj #instagram #instalove #muslim #family #mybrother #blessed”.

Followed by his post, many comments started pouring in. while some of his industry friends like Preity Zinta, Warda Nadiadwala, Mudassar Khan, Waluschaa De Sousa, singer Purva Mantri, among others wished Khan on his birthday, some others appreciated his gesture of dedicating the post to his brother. Recalling his brother, Sajid, himself commented saying, “I hope my brother wajid must be feeling happy abt todays prayers.. always in my heart wajid.”

 

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One of the fans appreciated Sajid’s gesture saying, “Happy Birthday Brother. Wajid Bhai is watching u from heaven, that u r celebrating life . Kabhi kisi ko muqammal jahan nahi milta... but still we accept our destiny, we pray , and say Thank you Allah”. Yet another fan commented, “May Allah accept all your prayers and give Sajid a place in Jannat-ul-firdous. Ameen.”

For the unversed, Sajid-Wajid acquired fame by composing music for films like Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, Hello Brother, and Tumko Na Bhool Payenge, among others. Their best works include films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Partner, Wanted, Dabangg, Rowdy Rathore, Housefull 2, among others. The musical duo last composed music together in 2019 for films like Dabangg 3.

Also Read: Composer Sajid Khan adopts his late brother Wajid’s name as his surname

Known for his intense performance in Drishyam 2, Ajay Devgn is currently enjoying the rave reviews he is garnering for his recent release. While that one too is a remake of a South suspense thriller franchise, the next one featuring the actor will also be another remake of a popular Tamil film. Fans of the star, who were eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of him in his next titled Bholaa, are in for a surprise, as they were thrilled to see the actor return to his intense avatar in the teaser.

The teaser starts with an orphanage where a little girl is asked to be ready, as one of her relatives is expected to visit her. Followed by the scene, the teaser shifts to prison, where jail inmates introduce Ajay Devgn as an intense and powerful man, whose identity is unknown. But all these prisoners know is that the guy can turn people into ashes. Sharing the teaser on his Instagram, Ajay posted the tagline of the film as caption which read, “Kaun hai woh... jisko pata hai, woh khud laapata hai #BholaaTeaserOutNow #BholaaIn3D”

 

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By now, readers would be aware that Bholaa is a remake of the Karthi starrer Kaithi which released in 2019. The film was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and it is expected to the first film in the LCU gangster universe. During the promotions of PS 1 in Mumbai, Karthi had opened up about how he is excited to watch Ajay reprising his role onscreen. He was quoted in a report to PTI saying, “I'm looking forward to seeing what will be the take that he's going to give. I'm sure he'll have some changes to it, creatively, and he will explore it more. So I'm very eager to watch Bholaa."

Bholaa also stars Tabu in a pivotal role and marks the fourth directorial of Ajay Devgn. The film is expected to release on March 30, 2023.

Also Read: Bholaa: Ajay Devgn reveals teaser of the film will release tomorrow; announces that it will be in 3D with this motion poster

In spite of your growing stardom, you refuse to hike your price during these times when actors with multiple flops insist on charming the sun moon and stars.
I cannot talk on behalf of others, but I personally believe that with the rapidly changing tastes and choices of the audiences today, nothing is predictable and we as actors need to stand by our producers at such a time so we can all together enjoy the success of a film that takes combined effort of the team. By doing so, even the filmmakers have more liberty to make larger than life cinema, or spend good amounts on content quality and be cautious with budgets that can be reduced if we actors stand by them.

Would you say Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was a game-changer for you?
At a time when nothing seemed to be working in the movie theatres …it was really scary for us all… so at that time to have this sort of a box-office success is a game-changer for everyone in the team. Right from the makers to us actors, all our efforts paid off, and how!

How has it changed your life and career?
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has been a game-changer for me personally: the way masses have reacted to it is something else. I am also really amazed to see how the kids specially have reacted to it. I feel they have given immense love to BB2 and Rooh Baba. A film’s success multiplies the love amidst the audiences for an actor and that’s the biggest takeaway post this film.

Did the quality of films offered to you change after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2?
Yes, it has also brought a lot of interesting scripts and film offers my way especially from directors that I always wished to work with because they got the chance to see my potential. But that also comes with its own set of responsibilities and my focus is to keep delivering on that, for my audiences.

How do you choose your scripts? What is the basic criteria?
Choosing a script is always a tough decision, I really pay attention to a few things. Firstly, is it something that excites me, is the script interesting enough to keep me hooked to the end and secondly, is it something I, as an audience member would want to watch with my family or friends or even alone. These are the questions I ask myself before accepting a film. And I'm always looking to do something new, or even a script that gives me a chance to do something new in my journey as an actor and to keep surprising my audiences.

You have quite a slate of projects coming up?
Yes, from Freddy to Satyaprem Ki Katha, from Shehzada to Aashiqui 3 to Kabir (Khan) Sir's next, all these films have such varied concepts but all these scripts had their soul in its writing and have some wonderful characters that excite me and satisfy my hunger as an actor.

You are very comfortable with fan attention. How do you manage to keep calm when they crowd you?
I’ve always yearned for the masses love. An actor is only worth anything and everything when he has the love of the fans with them and I am so glad that I have been lucky enough to have the most loyal, supportive and loving of fans ever since the time of Pyaar Ka Punchnama. With time, their love has only multiplied.

But fans can be demanding?
You know, when I get crowded or surrounded by them at a theatre or any event, I can see myself in them, I used to be one of them myself, so I know how earnest they are. I just love my fans and ‘fanception’ is a word that truly captures my love and emotion for them and I will keep striving harder to keep proving myself worthy of their love.

When you look back on your days of struggle do you feel grateful, angry or both?
Of course, I am grateful. Struggle can be hard, difficult or smooth. But it is the period as a whole that defines your future and makes you who you are. I faced a lot of difficulties back in my days of looking out for work and I am extremely grateful for that because your struggle teaches you more than any success can and mine has taught me to be patient, to never give up and put in the best effort into your work relentlessly and success will automatically come as a by-product of this dedication whose main goals is to keep going, and keep entertaining.

Also Read:Kartik Aaryan opens up on experimenting with a different genre with Freddy; says, “Very excited to try out different genres”

We all love animated films that have incredible, heart-warming stories to tell. But how different is it to tell such stories through animation than creating live-action films? And what are the possible challenges faced by the team behind those films? In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Technical Director Norman Joseph, who helped behind-the-scene in Disney’s upcoming animated feature Strange World, gave us an insight on the many technical decisions that go into making an animated film.

Firstly, when we asked what does a technical director do, in layman’s lingo, Norman answered, “The technical director is basically responsible to help on all the technical aspects of the production or the show. We basically take care of the pipeline – by pipeline I mean all the tools that the artists are using to animate or to light or to create the assets or create the characters, all these tools – we are responsible for making sure that the artists can use them and looking at ways to make them better.”

“We also look at the overall picture of the show and seeing that okay, these are the difficulties or priorities that the show needs to build and how can we make that easy,” he added. “So, it's basically like the tool sets are required for the artists to work but the show also tells us what is needed so we can build what tool sets are needed to get the show done. [We are] in a sense responsible for the technology that is used on the show and building the technology and the pipeline that's used on the show.

Speaking of how different a totally animated film is compared to a live-action one, Norman explained, “For animated [films], everything that you see on the screen, you have to build from scratch. So, like even the grass or the ground, everything has to be built from scratch and that is one big difference. Also, animation gives you the capability of creating the look what you like. The person controls the entire look of the show because we create everything.”

Further into the conversation, Norman went on to elaborate on the many technical aspects one has to bear in mind while making an animated film. “There are a lot [of aspects],” he shared. “We have to create the characters first so for that we need multiple technologies to build those characters – build the body, build the hair, animate the hair, animate the body that goes into rigging. After you have that, you start animating. Then there is camera work and then there's crowds where you have background characters, and then there's effects.”

He continued, “They do basically everything that is moving in the scene that is not characters, so the leaves, any fireworks or things like that, any smoke so then. It's like how you basically create a smoke simulation, that's technology. We use some third party softwares as well to do that but it's basically how we fit these third party softwares into our pipeline.” Norman then went on to explain how important it is to have an experienced team of professionals who can work around with the third-party technologies.

He then added, “I don't know if I can pinpoint one specific technology but it's basically like you’re learning how to build a pipeline of how providing data for one department to another while also creating tools for the artists to build the information for that particular department.” Talking about how they help in animating a scene, Norman shared, “We build the tools so that the animators can actually animate the character so they have a rig to help animate. There's a rig team as well that builds the rig, the rig for the character.”

“If you imagine a puppet, it has wires hanging up to it so that's the rig for the puppet,” he added. “So, the same thing for us when we build a character, we have to build a rig so we can move the hands and legs and things like that.?” Next, Normon also elaborated on the major technical pitfalls that come their way. “If there's something very different character that needs to be animated for example Splat in Strange World, it's different than normal so it takes a little extra effort to build a rig for that one.”

He continued, “And not just when you build a rig also understand how will this character create emotion in the scene, how will it convey emotion in the scene. We speak but we also have a lot of body language which we just take for granted. How would a character, that doesn't look normal to us and doesn't look the same as we do, convey this emotion. So, it is not just technical, it's also about how do we convey this emotion to our viewers.”

“It depends on the movie. So, every movie has a difficult task. Every movie had its technology challenges like Frozen 2 had challenges with water as well.” Speaking of Strange World, Norman shared the major challenges they faced were with the character of Splat and other objects in the film’s environment. “Splat was an amazing challenge that we got to work for and the environment was amazing challenge that we created as well.”

Meanwhile, Disney’s Strange World introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob Splat, a three-legged dog Legend and a slew of other ravenous creatures. The voice cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade; Dennis Quaid as Jaeger; Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan; Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade and Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal. The Film is helmed by Don Hall and co-director/writer Qui Nguyen and produced by Roy Conli.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ action-packed adventure Strange World will arrive in theaters on November 25 in India.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Strange World animator Chatrasal Singh talks about how to bring stories to life via animation

In the past few years, actress Kriti Sanon has managed to make a name for herself with her performances on the big screen. Apart from her films, the actress is popular among fans for being the face of a number of brands. Among them, she is also the face of Breezer Vivid Shuffle. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, Sanon opened up about what music means to her and her love and fondness for hip hop.

Could you tell us about your experience with BREEZER Vivid Shuffle and its evolution into India’s premier hip-hop festival?

India’s hip-hop scene has grown exponentially in the past decade with new renditions of music, art and dance emerging every day. This is the third time in a row that I have associated with BREEZER Vivid Shuffle – and what a journey it has been to witness the festival grow bigger and better every year. This year was especially exciting as I went on the ground for the first time ever, and it was wonderful to be a part of this Hip hop movement that BREEZER Vivid Shuffle is supporting across the country.

What do you have to say about the current scenario of Indian hip-hop? How has it grown over the years and how has it inspired your style?

For me, Hip hop is more than just music – it is a way of self-expression and that is what makes it so special for me. Whether it is through lyrics, music or street fashion, Hip hop is helping young talent express themselves. Today, the Hip hop wave is truly taking over all parts of the country, and with festivals like BREEZER Vivid Shuffle celebrating this culture, up-and-coming artists are getting the platform they deserve to showcase their talents and expand their community.

Personally, I love listening to Hip hop and discovering new talent – which is also why I keep coming back to BREEZER Vivid Shuffle every year. I absolutely love streetwear, and love it for the comfort, aesthetic and spunk it adds to any look — Hoodies with quirky prints are my absolute favourite, which is why they have become a staple fashion choice for my daily wardrobe wherever I go.

Apart from being a form of art, how do you define dance? Please, give us a peek into your personal journey and training as a dancer.

If you really think about it, dance is not all that different from acting. It is about using your body, expressions and movement to capture an emotion and taking the audience on that journey with you. And like any other form of art, it requires discipline and practice, which is something that I swear by. Over the years, I have learnt that it is important to keep at it, keep practising and work towards perfecting your skill. Today, it always feels great when I get compliments for my dance performances like ‘Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe’, then ‘Param Sundri’, and now ‘Thumkeshwari’ — it makes me proud of the challenges I have overcome through the hard work I have put into my art.

One message you would like to give to aspiring hip-hop artists?

I think the Hip hop artist community in India is great at what they do, and with support from platforms like BREEZER Vivid Shuffle, there is no doubt that this wave is only going to get stronger in the coming years. But this journey comes with challenges unique to every individual, which is what makes it thrilling but also difficult. This is why I always tell young artists who are just starting to not be deterred by challenges and instead use these experiences to improve their art and come out stronger, both as an artist and as resilient people. No one is superhuman and we all face failures and hurdles, but it is how we respond to them that defines how far we get in our journeys. So, young artists of India — Keep focusing on your music, discovering new opportunities to network, and showcase your art. It will always be worth it.

What was this year’s festival like?

This was a big year for BREEZER Vivid Shuffle, which finally went on-ground for the first time and brought the #BeatsOfTheStreets to well, literally, the streets of Mumbai. With adrenaline-pumping performances by some of the most sensational hip hop talents in India like Wicked Sunny, DJ Proof, Dino James, Pavan, Agsy, and Krsna as well as rap superstar Raftaar, it was exciting to discover new artists, groove to some fun tunes and vibe with the audience on-ground. Apart from the music, BVS transported audiences to the world of hip hop by encouraging them to show off their moves at open rap cyphers, update their drip at the street-style souk, and enjoy delicious food, all under one roof.

Also Read: Kriti Sanon makes a powerful statement in blue pantsuit as she promotes her film Bhediya in Dubai

One of Kartik Aaryan’s upcoming movies titled Freddy was recently announced by Disney+ Hotstar. The film will be streamed on their platform from December 2, and it will see him paired opposite Alaya F.

The actress, who is starring alongside Kartik for the first time, is quite impressed with his ways of working. “Working with Kartik was not only a wonderful experience overall, but I think I also learned a lot from him,” said Alaya in an official statement. “He has such energy and enthusiasm for the films he does. He’s so driven and so hard working that it sets a high benchmark. Seeing him work and working with him validated my core belief that if you’re obsessed with your work and if you consistently work hard, nothing can stop you from achieving everything you want and more.”

Throwing light on the film’s plot, an official statement from the makers said, “Kartik Aaryan's most awaited Freddy is about the journey of Dr. Freddy Ginwala, a shy, lonely and socially awkward person who loves playing with his miniature planes and the only friend he has is his pet turtle Hardy. Filled with unusual twists, turns and chaos of emotions, Freddy will keep the audiences at the edge of their seats.”

Kartik was last seen earlier this year in Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. The film, which also starred Kiara Advani and Tabu, is one of the few superhits to have come from 2022. The actor has an interesting line-up of films in the form of Shehzada, Satyaprem Ki Prem Katha and Aashiqui 3.

Also read: Kartik Aaryan paying the phone bill before receiving Superstar Of The Year award is every middle-class person ever!