The Indian Panorama

Tag: Bollywood

  • Raveena barred from promoting her film ‘Maatr’?

    Raveena barred from promoting her film ‘Maatr’?

    Raveena Tandon has been requested by Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) not to promote her upcoming film ‘Maatr’, as the film’s producer Anjum Rizvi is yet to get his dues for a past project – the remake of Sai Paranjpye’s ‘Katha’.

    The 2016 film starred Manish Paul, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Sharmila Mandre and was directed by Khalid Mohamed.

    Joint secretary of CINTAA Amit Behl had said that previously, a non-cooperation notice had been issued by CINTAA against Anjum, who had then promised to clear off the dues as soon as his next film kicked off.

  • SAREGAMA MUSIC CARDS – The perfect gift for your loved ones

    SAREGAMA MUSIC CARDS – The perfect gift for your loved ones

    There are soulful lyrics that console you during a heartbreak, beautiful voices that describe your love for someone special. Songs that lift you up or bring you down with a particular memory or a moment in time. Music is eternal and this is why it is the perfect gift for friends, family and employees.

    Saregama India has been working on innovative ideas to make Indian music easily accessible to the Indian American audience. In itslatest offering to the Indian American community, Saregama India – India’s largest owner of timeless collection of music, launchedSaregama Music Cards in March, 2017 in its US market. Each music card comes with 200 HD songs pre-loaded on a 4GB USB memory card, making it convenient to use on TVs, laptops, computers, car music systems and any other USB port.

    The music cards are currently available on Amazon.com and will soon be available at an Indian grocery store near you.

    Saregama hasover 20 different types of music cards in Bollywood, Sufi, &Classical among other categories. Legendary singers like Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar are the usual favourite artistes that feature in these music cards. Given Saregama’s extensive repertoire of regional languages, music cards are also available with Tamil songs by Ilayaraja& T.M Soundarajan, Malayalam songs by Yesudas, and Rabindra Sangeet in Bengali.

    Announcing the launch, Vikram Mehra, Managing Director, Saregama has said, “With CDs slowly dying as a form factor, music lovers were finding extremely difficult to get their favourite music in high quality. Music cards are the perfect choice for personal listening and gifting”

    Available on ww.saregama.com/musiccardand www.amazon.com 200 HD quality songs: $14.99

    About Saregama India: Formerly known as The Gramophone Company of India Ltd, Saregama owns the largest music archives in India, one of the biggest in the world. The ownership of nearly 50 per cent of all the music ever recorded in India also makes Saregama the most authoritative repository of the country’s musical heritage. Saregama has now expanded into other branches of entertainment – it is involved in publishing, television software and digital content. It also runs studio facilities in Dum Dum, Kolkata making it one of the best end-to-end entertainment houses in the country. (Press Release)

  • ‘Best of Bollywood’ coming to U.S. movie theaters

    ‘Best of Bollywood’ coming to U.S. movie theaters

    NEW YORK (TIP): ‘Best of Bollywood’ is coming to U.S. movie theaters beginning in July. The initiative is taken by Fathom Events who are planning to screen at least two Bollywood films this year and as many as six next year as part of what it’s touting as the first-ever Bollywood classic film series presented in North American cinemas. The event will kick off with the 2002 romantic drama “Devdas” and include titles from prominent Indian film studios Eros International and Yash Raj Films.

    “Devdas,” from Eros International, stars Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Fathom will also show Yash Raj Films’ “Veer-Zaara,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukerji, as a part of this year’s series.

    The Bollywood series will be shown at several hundred sites for one night and include exclusive bonus content.

     

  • RICHA CHADHA ON LOVE LIFE: I WON’T MIND DATING AN ACTOR NOW

    RICHA CHADHA ON LOVE LIFE: I WON’T MIND DATING AN ACTOR NOW

    Richa Chadha has been quite adamant about not getting into a relationship with someone from the industry, but she seems to think otherwise now.

    The 30-year-old says that she won’t mind dating an actor. “I used to feel that way, but now, I have changed my mind. I?have matured with time. I realise that people are people, no matter where they are from,” says Richa.

    Unlike many actors who are comfortable being in relationship with someone from the same profession, Richa however, feels that things are more difficult when one is dating an actor. “It comes with its own set of problems. There will always be professional rivalry. There is a lot of temptation (in the industry),” she says.

    Richa also says that it largely depends on the person you fall for. “If you meet the right person, and fall in love, you can’t deny it. If someone is perfect for me, I’ll be with him no matter where he is from. But I have to feel that way for him. I won’t date a vaguish businessman. I?need to fall in love with the person,” she adds. Ask her if she has found the right one and she laughs, “I’m interested in some people. Let’s see where it goes. I was so busy with work, but now that I’m going on a break, I’ll finally have some time to concentrate on my love life.”

    As far as her career is concerned, Richa has been on the lookout for interesting projects. “I’ve read three scripts and liked two of them. I’ve to say no to the third one and decide what else to do,” says Richa who would be seen in Cabaret and the sequel to 2013 film Fukey.

  • PHILLAURI MOVIE REVIEW

    PHILLAURI MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY

    Kanan accidentally marries a ghost, Shashi, while conducting pre-wedding rituals to get rid of bad luck. But as luck would have it, Shashi sticks around and turns into his agony aunt.

    REVIEW

    Nothing is scarier than falling in love and having the ghosts of your memories together haunt you. But Kanan (Suraj Sharma) is experiencing a haunting of a more specific kind. He isn’t bothered by memories of a former lover, but by an actual ghost-in-love from another era.

    Kanan marries a tree to ward off back luck before his wedding, and the tree turns out to be the resting place of Shashi (Anushka Sharma), who lived and loved there almost a hundred years ago. As a result of this marriage, Shashi is bound to Kanan, who must figure out a way to take care of the unfinished business that’s causing her to linger around.

    Conceptually, Phillauri is a winner and that much was evident from the trailer. The idea is superbly original, culturally on point and has great potential. The problem is, you only get what you see in the trailer. Nothing more (and thankfully nothing less). The hilarious, exciting one-line plot develops into a two-and-a-half hour film that is full of romantic-movie tropes.

    The invisibility of the ghost can only get so many laughs; the narrative shifts between Shashi’s past and Kanan’s present seem abrupt; the soulful songs are easy on the ears but strain your eyes by adding to the runtime, and most importantly, Shashi’s story (the emotional core of the film) is largely formulaic.

    The actors sweep in and carry the film, though. With his body language and voice modulation, Suraj Sharma nails the confused-aimless millennial and lightens the mood. Mehreen Pirzada’s helpless and hopelessly-in-love Anu is endearing. Diljit Dosanjh brings his trademark goodness to a rather bland role. And as the translucent ghost (kudos to the VFX team), Anushka delivers a solid performance with a weird mix of sadness and humour.

  • Never thought of singing: Parineeti

    Never thought of singing: Parineeti

    She has had a rollicking career since her Bollywood debut, Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl. Now, Parineeti a is set to add another dimension to her career with her singing debut with the song, ‘Maana ke hum yaar nahi’, in her next film, Meri Pyaari Bindu. Herein, she talks about singing, working in Golmaal Again and more. Honestly, it was nerve-wracking. I am always singing. I have even sung on stage before but singing on the mic is on another level. Now, I understand why playback singers are geniuses because for that, you require talent. Thankfully, I think I performed okay for the first song. Every one – including Sachin-Jigar, Maneesh Sharma (producer), Akshay (Roy), Kausar (Munir) and, most importantly, my parents – were happy.

  • I’m not thinking about marriage or planning as of now: Alia Bhatt

    I’m not thinking about marriage or planning as of now: Alia Bhatt

    She is clearly riding high on the success of her latest hit, Badrinath Ki Dulhania (BKD) making over Rs 100 crore at the box office. As Alia Bhatt prepares to start work on a new lot of films, the actor says she isn’t “looking at only acting.” Here, the 24-year-old talks about career, life, marriage and more.

    Technically speaking, it’s a new year but my last release was in November (last year) itself. Although I started promoting BKD two months before, in February, on a personal level, it was almost as if things were in continuation. But somewhere, it has also hit me that it (new film) is probably my only release this year, which is why I made sure that it gets a lot of attraction. So, I did all that I could to push the film throughout the country. That’s the only way it could have reached the interiors of the country.

    I do want to settle down early (in life) because I have an advantage of having started off (in career) very early. That way (getting married), I can get done with it and continue (in my career). Also, I don’t want to settle down too late in life because that also has its own issues. But honestly, I’m not thinking about it or planning as of now.

    Earlier, we used to say that an actresses’ shelf life lasts only until she gets married. But I don’t think that’s true anymore. That has completely changed, especially with the way Bebo (Kareena Kapoor Khan) has gone about her marriage and even her pregnancy. Even after getting married, she did really well in a few tough films. And now, although she delivered (a baby) a few months back, she is readying to get back to shooting. I think that’s the way it should be for an actor. You shouldn’t stop acting just because you settle down, and I also don’t plan to go that way.

  • New York Indian Film Festival Announces Dates & Films

    New York Indian Film Festival Announces Dates & Films

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): America’s premier film festival representing the Indian subcontinent, New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), kicks off its 17th anniversary season on Sunday, April 30th, with Alankrita Shrivastava’s women’s empowerment film LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in the Financial District. The film premiered at the Tokyo and Mumbai Film Festivals, where it won the Spirit of Asia Prize and the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality. In January, India’s Central Board of Film Certification refused to certify the film because it claimed the story was too “lady-oriented,” so the film is currently banned in India. The red carpet reception for the New York premiere of the film will be followed by a gala benefit dinner, open to the general public.

    The festival’s centerpiece film is the New York premiere of Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla’s critically-acclaimed documentary about India’s Aam Aadmi Party activist Arvind Kejriwal called AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN. After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2016, the film has traveled to multiple festivals around the world, including London, Busan and Mumbai, and makes a stop at NYIFF in May.

    The festival will close its programming on Sunday, May 7th, with the North American premiere of Milind Dhaimade’s YOU ARE MY SUNDAY, an uplifting, and slice-of-life comedy about five close friends who struggle to find a place to play soccer in Mumbai every Sunday. The closing night screening will take place at Mason Hall on the Baruch College campus (17 Lexington Avenue at 23rd Street), and it will also be preceded by a red carpet reception for media interviews and followed by the NYIFF 2017 Award Ceremony and gala closing night party.

    NYIFF’S SIDEBAR PROGRAMMING: Sibling Filmmakers: DeepaMehta & Dilip Mehta present their respective New York Premieres of ANATOMY OFVIOLENCE and MOSTLY SUNNY on Saturday, May 6th. Both films’ world premieres took place at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2016.

    OM PURI TRIBUTE: A DEATH IN THE GUNJ, directed by Konkona Sen Sharma, pays tribute to the late Om Puri, one of India’s most versatile character actors who starred in more than 147 films during his illustrious career; he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India in 1990. NYIFF Screening on Monday, May 1st.

    PRIYANKA PRODUCES: VENTILATOR and SARVAAN, produced by actor Priyanka Chopra- NYIFF Screenings on Thursday, May 4th.

    MOBILE BOLLYWOOD: One Minute Cell Phone Films (NYU Tisch Cinema Studies students)

    SHOOT A SHORT FILM: Workshop by National Award-Winning Filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni – May 5th & 6th Industry Panels (May 4th).

  • I’VE REPRESENTED GHOST COMMUNITY WELL: ANUSHKA

    I’VE REPRESENTED GHOST COMMUNITY WELL: ANUSHKA

    Actress Anushka Sharma, who will be essaying the role of a ghost bride in her second production ‘Phillauri’, says she does believe in ghosts.

    During media interaction to promote her upcoming flick, the ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ star revealed, “I believe ghosts exist and I have felt it too.”

    The 28-year-old then described her experience of becoming one and said, “It was fun to play a non-living character. Normally we play characters which are in the flesh and its boring to portray a living character in each film. You should keep doing a different thing. I think I’ve represented the ghost community well by presenting their feelings in front of all of you.”

    Anushka ventured into production with 2015 thriller ‘NH-10’ and is now gearing up for her banner’s next project starring Diljit Dosanjh.

    When asked as to what she enjoys the most, the actress replied, “I enjoy being both, an actor and producer. I have realized that with more responsibilities, I tend to perform better. It’s because I get to collaborate on a film from scratch, from the beginning of it. This is creatively an extremely satisfying experience.”

    “For example right now when I am working on Imtiaz Ali’s film, I just act and that’s it. But when it’s your film, there is even more involvement which I really enjoy,” added the ‘PK’ star. Source: ANI

  • Commando 2: The Black Money Trail – MOVIE REVIEW

    Commando 2: The Black Money Trail – MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY: The Home Minister of India (Shefali Shah) assigns a four member special unit, comprising a dedicated police officer (Freddy Daruwala), ex-commando turned encounter specialist (Vidyut Jammwal), corrupt cop obsessed with brands (Adah Sharma) and a hacker to undertake a covert operation. The team must travel to Malaysia to bring in Vicky Chadda, a notorious black money launderer. Soon this challenging mission turns into a dangerous game of deceit. ?

    CAST: Vidyut Jammwal, Adah Sharma, Esha Gupta,
    Freddy Daruwala, Shefali Shah
    DIRECTION: Deven Bhojani
    GENRE: Action
    DURATION: 2 hours 3 minutes

    REVIEW: Vidyut Jammwal is a solid action star and his stunts are the only reason you manage to sit through this never-ending tale of ‘catch-Vicky Chadda-if-you-can’. The opening scene is spectacular. Sadly, the cat and mouse game between the cops and the criminal is not one bit exciting as the story pretends to be more intelligent than it is.

    Every move is far-fetched and preposterous. Why would the cops, who accidentally witness Chadda’s confrontation with their co-member Karan (Jammwal) just stand there staring at the two blatantly, knowing they could get killed! All your doubts about this chase are left unanswered like the bizarre instance mentioned above. The Home Minister comes across like a jobless person, who has nothing else to do in the world, except for making inane phone calls to these undercover agents.

    Director Deven Bhojani tries too hard to evoke intrigue but the absurd script leaves no room for thrill. The multiple illogical twists leave you frustrated and in no mood to connect the dots and decode the mystery. Also, the director seems to be a diehard fan of Mission Impossible series and American superhero films as various scenes remind you of the original versions.

    Barring Esha Gupta’s ravishing looks and permanent smirk, nothing quite stands out in the film. None of the lead actors are able to show a single expression. Ada Sharma’s attempt at speaking comic Hyderabadi Hindi (or at least that’s we thought it was) fails to amuse.

    The blaring ‘Commando commando’ background during the action scenes is strikingly outdated. Overstretched and uninspiring, this film is reminiscent of a poor man’s Abbas Mustan film. Even decent action cannot salvage this dreary supposed crime thriller.

  • FEEL LIBERATED TO CARRY FILM ON MY SHOULDER: SONAKSHI

    FEEL LIBERATED TO CARRY FILM ON MY SHOULDER: SONAKSHI

    Actress Sonakshi Sinha says featuring in movies as a main lead is a ‘liberating’ experience. The actress starred in ‘Akira’ last year and is gearing up for the release of ‘Noor’. Both the films feature her as the main lead and Sonakshi is really excited. “I don’t (know) if it’s easy or difficult but with ‘Akira’ and ‘Noor’, I feel very liberated that I don’t have to depend on anybody else to carry this film. Honestly, the team that I have is such a solid support to me I don’t need anybody else,” Sonakshi said.

    “Once you get this addiction that you can do it, you are strong, you’re independent, you are moving ahead with the team, it’s just the best feeling in the world. I am really happy to be able to carry this film on my shoulders along with the team,” she adds.

    The 29-year-old actress was speaking at the trailer launch of ‘Noor’. Directed by Sunhil Sippy, the film is based on Pakistani author Saba Imtiaz’s novel ‘Karachi, You’re Killing Me!’

    The film follows journalist-writer Noor’s misadventures and love life as she navigates her way through Mumbai. The star feels the film industry is going through a good phase when it comes to having strong female centric roles.

  • ALIA TO TAKE HOLIDAY AFTER #BADRINATHKIDULHANIA

    ALIA TO TAKE HOLIDAY AFTER #BADRINATHKIDULHANIA

    Alia Bhatt has revealed that after the release of Shashank Khaitan’s ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’, she has a couple of months’ break before she starts prep for ‘Dragon’, Ayan Mukerji’s superhero fantasy-adventure with Ranbir Kapoor, and plans to use the free time to travel. Mirror has now learnt that the 23-year-old actress has planned a trip to Los Angeles with bestie Akansha Ranjan.

    “Akansha’s extended family lives in LA and she keeps flying there often. This time Alia has decided to accompany her and spend around a week touring the City of Angels,” informs a source, adding that the vacation will happen only after the release of ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’.

    Last September, Alia had jetted to Spain to surprise Akansha on her birthday. A family outing with dad Mahesh, mom Soni Razdan and sister Shaheen in Maldives followed in December.

    Alia had revealed that she’d planned to do a film but now she’s glad for the break. “Once I’m back on set, I’ll be nervous and raw again. Also, I find myself getting repetitive in small ways. Maybe I’m imagining or over-thinking but I plan to make good use of this time off,” she said.

  • RANI MUKERJI CONFIRMS COMEBACK WITH #HICHKI

    RANI MUKERJI CONFIRMS COMEBACK WITH #HICHKI

    She took everyone by storm with her power-packed performance as the policewoman in ‘Mardaani’, and then took time off for motherhood. Now, actress Rani Mukerji is returning to the big screen with ‘Hichki‘, which she says is built on a positive response.

    HICHKI

    To be directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Maneesh Sharma under the Yash Raj Films banner, ‘Hichki’ will see Rani in a positive and inspiring story about a woman who turns her biggest weakness into her biggest strength.

    Talking about it, Rani said in a statement, “I was looking for a script that would challenge and excite me, and ‘Hichki’ came my way.”

    “Each of us has a weakness that pulls us back. It could be a disability or any condition but if we just look at it as simply a hiccup, we can emerge as a winner. It won’t come in the way of achieving our dreams. ‘Hichki’ is built on this positive premise and I decided to take it up,” added the actress, who is married to YRF head honcho Aditya Chopra and has a daughter named Adira with him.

    ‘Hichki’ will be Sharma’s third film as a producer with YRF after ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ and the forthcoming ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’.

    Malhotra, who has earlier directed ‘We Are Family’, will be making his first film with YRF.

    – IANS

  • Mona_Darling MOVIE REVIEW

    Mona_Darling MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY: A Facebook friend request from a missing girl is linked to sudden deaths in this college campus. The police are befuddled by it and the missing girl’s best friend tries to get to the bottom of this with help from her geeky pal.

    REVIEW: Set in contemporary ‘cyber world’, Mona_Darling is among the new breed of movies that tries to bank on the popularity of social media and the huge part it plays in our lives. However, it fails to be anything more than a stereotype of similar movies that have been around the subject, both in Bollywood and Hollywood.

    Set in a hostel campus, Mona_Darling starts the exercise in stereotyping from the word go, as a bunch of drunk college students ham up about a friend request they get on social media from the college hottie, Mona (Suzanna Mukherjee). The guys, who look like they need a good bath, are chewed up and the police are called to investigate the mysterious deaths. A parallel investigation is undertaken by Mona’s best friend Sarah (Divya Menon) who ropes in the socially awkward, stereotypical, fruit-munching geek named Wiki (Anshuman Jha). College Dean Chaturvedi (Sanjay Suri) too helps in the search as more as more deaths occur. However, when Mona herself is found dead and the friend request still don’t cease, the story goes into horror territory as it tries to keep you guessing whether it’s a ghost or human who has done the deed. More stereotypes occur in the form of MMS scandals, creepy librarians and so on.

    As far as thrillers are concerned, some essential elements are a tight story, an unexpected twist and a couple of nice frights. In this one, all three are missing. There are only about four or five good, hearty frights and the first half is painfully slow in establishing the mystery. The only reason to watch the second half is to know who is killing everyone; a ghost, the internet or are you merely being taken on a ride. A saving grace is the twist, which is so weak that one can spot it fairly early in the second half and just wait to be proven right. Its conclusion is decent, but until then almost two, unentertaining hours have elapsed. Shot stylishly, this movie is high on style and low on substance.

    The only effort that Anshuman Jha, who was acclaimed for his role in Love Sex Aur Dhokha does, is to look young and recite gibberish medical terms. Suzanna Mukherjee shows promise and has a decent screen presence while Divya Menon too is convincing as the troubled friend.

  • ILEANA D’CRUZ DOES THE ‘MACARENA’ DANCE WITH FRIEND

    ILEANA D’CRUZ DOES THE ‘MACARENA’ DANCE WITH FRIEND

    Actress Ileana D’Cruz says she couldn’t find a ‘corny’ photograph for Valentine’s Day and instead ended up doing the ‘Macarena’ dance with her best friend. Ileana shared a black and white video of herself along with her friend on Instagram on Tuesday.

    The two can be seen sporting unicorn onsies. “I tried to find a corny photo of me holding a heart up or something, but I didn’t have any so I decided on this video instead, of my bestie and I dancing to the ‘Macarena’ in onesies, of course. She’s gonna kill me after she sees this Happy Valentine’s Day to you!” Ileana captioned the video.

    On the work front, Ileana will be seen in Anees Bazmee’s upcoming film ‘Mubarakan’. The film also stars Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor and Athiya Shetty.

    The film is set to hit the screens on July 28.

  • Jolly LLB 2 – MOVIE REVIEW

    Jolly LLB 2 – MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY: Jagdishwar Mishra aka Jolly (Akshay) starts out as a prominent lawyer’s sidekick in Kanpur. Driven by ambition, he hoodwinks a pregnant widow, Hina Siddique (Sayani Gupta) on the lookout for justice. He lands the murder case of her husband, but when she realises he is a fraud, she kills herself. Leaving Jolly with guilt on his conscience and an unresolved case in his hands. Now, he wants justice more than ever.

    REVIEW: On the face of it, apna Jolly is a novice indulging in petty crimes because he knows the loopholes in the law. At home, he is the hen-pecked husband of lush, Pushpa Panday (Huma) who loves whisky, Gucci dresses and her chubby son in that order. But these are just asides and not the main premise of courtroom drama, which in many ways follows the template of the 2013 prequel, Jolly LLB.

    Writer-director Subhash Kapoor who has studied India’s burgeoning legal system of `I-will-see-you-in-court’, definitely knows as much about the Indian Penal Code as most legal sharks because of his deep study of the subject. While the last instalment dealt with a hit-n-run case, this one deals with the case of mistaken identity of a J & K terrorist. The plot has enough laugh-out-loud situations and emotional outbursts to keep you invested especially in the razor-sharp first half. The film also provides the right dose of action inside and outside the courtroom. With cops playing villains and terrorists changing religions, legal greenhorn Jolly finds himself dodging bullets in Kanpur, Lucknow and Manali(doubling up for Kashmir.)

    Post interval though, the film hits a pause button at times. The maker tries to pack in too much legal diatribe between Jolly and his adversary, the topnotch, Pramod Mathur(Annu Kapoor), in Judge Tripathy’s (Saurabh Shukla, delightful as always) Lucknow courtroom. Their weighty arguments do educate and entertain to some degree. But there are portions that seem contrived.

    Akshay changes shades from crooked to straight, like a chameleon. In top-form, he puts up a perfect display of a street-smart lawyer who hasn’t read legal tomes but who has instead picked up tips from courtroom corridors to become Jolly LLB. Huma and Annu are also compelling enough. It is the fine display of histrionics by all these refined actors, which makes the movie, worth seeing.

  • KAREENA KAPOOR: I WANT PEOPLE TO ACCEPT ME IN EVERY PHASE

    KAREENA KAPOOR: I WANT PEOPLE TO ACCEPT ME IN EVERY PHASE

    Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has revealed that though she was wary about her post pregnancy look, she wants her fans to accept her in all phases.

    “I did not know what’s in store for me post pregnancy. I did not know what this phase would be like. I am lot more energetic, happy and content. I work I am multitasking I enjoy everyday,” Kareena said during a ‘Facebook chat’ last evening with celebrity dietitian Rujuta Diwekar.

    “Everything has been changing around in the nine months and it takes time to get back (in shape). I remember telling Rujuta that let’s get back to ‘Tashan’ diet (referring to her ‘size zero’ look) and she told me we can’t do it and we need to do it in progression,” the 36-year-old star said.

    Actresses are often under scanner for their weight gain post pregnancy and Kareena too was talked about on the social media and called overweight post delivery of her son in December last year.

    “How can somebody say I am overweight? We are monitored always. I want people to accept me in every phase,” she said.

    According to Rujuta, Kareena’s diet has been sustainable and she is glowing and looking good.

    “I have heard one should not have dairy products but Rujuta thinks otherwise. I have been having a glass full of milk, yogurt. I have bajra roti with ghee, jaggery, rice twice a day -morning and night or khichdi. It’s about eating right kind of food and in right proportion, quantity.”

    Beside following the diet, Kareena said she walks, which according to her is the best form of an exercise.

    “I do walk. At my house if I sit with my son in my arms he cries and so I walk around the house. He wants me to walk. He is keeping me on my toes. He is preparing me for the future, for the days to come,” she said.

  • KANGANA RANAUT OPENS UP ON HER HOLLYWOOD PLANS

    KANGANA RANAUT OPENS UP ON HER HOLLYWOOD PLANS

    At a time when a number of Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor have packed their bags and headed to Hollywood for film projects, one can only wonder if feisty star Kangana Ranaut also has similar plans in mind.

    In a recent interview with a daily, the actress put forth her views about Hollywood endeavours. Kangana deemed it “stupid” to head to the West at a time when their theatre business is crashing. In her opinion, entertainment in Asia is on a strong ground – much like what Hollywood was about 15 years ago. Stating that it is a good time for movies in Bollywood, the ‘Rangoon’ star made it clear that she won’t “fall prey” to the Hollywood bait. Kangana also added that she won’t offer herself “on a platter to another industry”.

  • ILEANA D’CRUZ REVEALS ‘TRAUMATIC’ EVE-TEASING EXPERIENCE

    ILEANA D’CRUZ REVEALS ‘TRAUMATIC’ EVE-TEASING EXPERIENCE

    In a shocking revelation by actress Ileana D’Cruz, she admitted to have been eve-teased and harassed, describing the experience as ‘traumatic’.

    Sharing the link of an post that read, “I’m Leaking My Ex’s Dirty Messages and Voice Notes Because He’s Left Me No Choice”, she tweeted, “Absolutely despicable piece of c**p! So proud of this girl who exposed this s***e!Whoever you are lady mad respect”.

    Ileana then used the micro-blogging site to talk about her experience. “I’ve been a victim of eve-teasing and harassment and it’s traumatic. I’m lucky I have beautiful parents who gave me strength when I needed it,” she posted. Many actors and tinsel town crowd has come out in the open and have shared their experiences of abuse.

    Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap had also shared the same article which is about an anonymous girl troubled by her former boyfriend.

  • ZEE ALWAN & ZEE AFLAM Launched

    ZEE ALWAN & ZEE AFLAM Launched

    On January 19th, 2017 ZEE TV Americas held a press conference/community event in New Jersey for the launch of 2 New Networks – ZEE ALWAN & ZEE AFLAM targeting the Arab audiences in the USA. ZEE ALWAN is An Indian Drama & Entertainment Channel and ZEE AFLAM is A Bollywood Channel packaged in Arabic for the Arab community.

    Currently there are over 500,000 Arab households in the United States representing a 91%increase since 1990 and the top cities with highest Arab-American population are New Jersey/New York, Detroit and Los Angeles. Also, Dish & Sling have the biggest base of Arabic subscribers and the biggest library of Arabic programming in the United States.

    Amit Goenka, CEO, International Broadcast Business said “In our constant endeavor to expand our business beyond the core South Asians – launch of Arabic channels in USA in the Arabic base pack is another step in that direction. Bollywood enjoys unparalleled popularity among Arab audiences across the world and this ethnicity has been one of the fastest growing segments in USA”.

    Sameer Targe, CEO of Zee TV Americas spoke about the growing interest of Bollywood & Indian content among Arabs and the launch of Zee ALWAN and Zee AFLAM is our first step to cater to the masses and bridge the language gap. He also thanked the Arab community and Dish Network for being part of the event.

    Amira Nour, Product Manager of ZEE Channels in USA shared her vision to see Zee Alwan & Zee Aflam transforming the face of Arabic entertainment and revolutionizing the Arabic viewership. Nour promised to continue her efforts in promoting Zee and catering to audience taste. In conclusion, Nour thanked the audience for their participation and urged them to stay engaged in shaping the future of Zee Alwan & Zee Aflam channels.

    Event was highlighted by the wonderful performances of prominent Eastern Folk and Oriental Dancing, as well as the traditional Saidi Dance performed by Yasser Darwish – an Egyptian Folklorist. The audience appreciated the performances with great applause. The glittering night continued on with a traditional Middle Eastern dinner and the guests were all given ZEE Alwan and ZEE Aflam imprinted Flask gift sets to commemorate the event. Both channels are available on Dish & Sling. ZEE Alwan on Channel no. 660 and ZEE Aflam on Channel no. 661.

    (Press Release)

  • FROM WILL SMITH TO CHRIS HEMSWORTH: IT WAS A STARRY 2016 FOR INDIA

    FROM WILL SMITH TO CHRIS HEMSWORTH: IT WAS A STARRY 2016 FOR INDIA

    Every year a slew of Hollywood celebs visit India, and rarely do they return disappointed. Last year, superstars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom, among others, were here and shared how the country charmed them. This year, too, a host of celebrities visited, be it for films, social work, networking or leisure. Here’s a round up:

    Will Smith: The actor was here in August for a dinner hosted by actor Akshay Kumar at his Mumbai house. “It was an intimate dinner,” Akki had told us. Actors Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shraddha Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, and filmmakers Karan Johar and Rohit Dhawan also attended, and posted photos on social media.

    CHRIS HEMSWORTH: The adventure enthusiast along with wife, actor Elsa Pataky, took part in a Spanish adventure programme in February, climbing a 18,000 ft mountain, Chantang, in Ladakh. The happy couple also posted pictures from their stay in India. This included a photo of Chris posing with a cow.

    IAN MCKELLEN: The British actor was here as part of a global programme to celebrate Shakespeare’s works and his influence on culture, education and society, coinciding with his 400th death anniversary in May. The 77-year-old Lord of The Rings actor — who came out of the closet in 1988 — spoke on homosexuality, slamming India’s hypocritical stance. “It is appalling and ironical that India would use a colonial law to oppress its homosexuals. India needs to grow up. India needs to realise that it doesn’t need to follow British laws any more,” he had said.

    ELLEN PAGE: The Juno star visited in May to shoot her show, Gaycation, which explores the lives of the LGBT community in various countries. She also caught up with Apurva Asrani, scriptwriter of Bollywood film, Aligarh, that touched upon the subject of homosexuality, and celebrated his dog’s birthday.

    “Ellen and her best friend Ian Daniels came home to chat with me about Aligarh and the state of LGBTQ rights in India. I am also one of the guests on the show that she’s shooting.She was extremely moved by our film and thought that Aligarh was relevant to the US audience, too. She came out (of the closet)?in 2014 and I came out in 2015. It was great chatting with her as we are united by the same cause,” Apurva had told us then.

    JASON ISAACS: The Harry Potter actor shot for the film, Mumbai Hotel, based on 26/11 terror attacks in October. In Mumbai, he also met foster families to understand if India safeguards children’s interests. “I’m passionate about children’s rights and protection… trying to find a way to give them the childhood they deserve. There are more home-based foster groups than orphanages there. In India, I see that is yet to happen, but also the magnitude of problem is much larger,” he was quoted as saying.

  • DEEPIKA NERVOUS YET EXCITED ABOUT HOLLYWOOD DEBUT

    DEEPIKA NERVOUS YET EXCITED ABOUT HOLLYWOOD DEBUT

    Actress Deepika Padukone says she is nervous and excited about her Hollywood debut ‘xXx – Return of Xander Cage’ that stars Vin Diesel.

    “I am really excited. This is my Hollywood debut. I am very nervous, but I am also very excited. And today is the beginning to that journey. Hopefully, we will be coming to India soon.” Deepika said on January 1 before leaving for abroad to kick-start the film’s promotion.

    “In terms of promotion, first we will head to Mexico. As far as the release is concerned, we will first release the movie in India. While shooting the film, I discussed this with my unit… that it would be great to first release it in India and I am happy that it is finally happening.” she added.

    After her Hollywood debut later this month, Deepika will be known for being more than a Bollywood actress. Talking about it, she said, “I think I’d like to be known as a good person and a good actor. But I also feel very proud that I get to represent my country, especially in this kind of action franchise of the film.”

    “I am really excited. I am also very sure we will enjoy this film because of its content. There is a lot of action, adventure in the film, which we have not seen in Indian films before. So, I can’t wait to bring this movie to India and show it to everyone.”

    “xXx: Return of Xander Cage”, helmed by D.J. Caruso, also stars Donnie Yen and Samuel L. Jackson.

    Source: IANS

  • Makers of Rustom team up with Anushka Sharma

    Makers of Rustom team up with Anushka Sharma

    Looks like 2017 is going to be the year of joint ventures in Bollywood. After producing Rustom and the upcoming ‘Toilet — Ek Prem Katha’, KriArj Entertainment has announced a tie-up with Clean Slate Films, the production banner owned by Anushka Sharma and her brother Karnesh. Their first film together will go on floors this year.

    Karnesh says, “We are happy about this association. Both production houses share a common vision — to provide strong content to discerning cinema viewers.” Following the success of their maiden production ‘NH10’, Karnesh and Anushka are also ready to release their next, ‘Phillauri‘.

    Arjun N Kapoor, the co-founder of KriArj Entertainment along with Virender Arora, adds, “There couldn’t be a more fitting partnership. Clean Slate Films has shown consistency in providing quality content. We look forward to a long-term collaboration.” Source: TOI

  • KATRINA KAIF SEEKS CAREER ADVICE FROM SALMAN KHAN?

    KATRINA KAIF SEEKS CAREER ADVICE FROM SALMAN KHAN?

    After seeing a dip in her career with two duds – ‘Fitoor’ and ‘Baar Baar Dekho’ – last year, Katrina Kaif is now ready to get back in the game. And she has the perfect mentor too – none other than her ex-boyfriend Salman Khan.

    Reports suggest that Kat and Salman have started meeting for the workshops of ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’. She is seeking Sallu’s help in selecting the right films, as currently, there’s no one better than him at making great choices when it comes to films. The man with the Midas touch has recently finished the shoot of ‘Tubelight’ with ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ hit-maker Kabir Khan. Katrina, who shares a special relation with Kabir, even dropped in on the sets of ‘Tubelight’ and the trio ended up having a good time at the wrap-up party. Katrina has not signed any other project after giving the nod to the ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ sequel. Her film with Fawad Khan has been put on hold after the recent ban on Pakistani artistes in Bollywood. She is holidaying in London with her family, but she wants to sign a few strong projects once she’s back. Let’s see how well Salman’s advice works out for her.

    Source: TOI

  • Horse-riding is therapeutic, says Jacqueline

    Horse-riding is therapeutic, says Jacqueline

    Jacqueline Fernandez has often been seen riding a horse at a popular club in Southern Mumbai. But against popular perception, it’s not for a movie.

    The actress has been indulging in the activity purely as a hobby that helps her rejuvenate post work. “I love horse-riding. I used to do it when we lived in Bahrain. After I moved to Sri Lanka and subsequently to Mumbai, I couldn’t pursue it much. Over the last few months, I’ve been making time to visit a club and practice it,” says Jacqueline, adding, “Whenever I am in Mumbai, and I have the time, I wake up at 5 am, and I’m atop a horse at 6 am. I spend a couple of hours; it’s therapeutic. It’s a hobby I’ve cultivated outside of work. Everything we learn cannot be work-related, right? And look at the brighter side, I’ll be prepared if a role comes by where I need to horse ride.”

    The actress headed home for Christmas celebrations and has now joined her gang of girls in Geneva to kick off 2017 in style. Once she returns to the bay, she will start the concluding schedule of her action adventure with Sidharth Malhotra.

    Source: TOI