Tag: Bollywood

This year at IIFA, it was Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut, who were the show stoppers and walked away with most prestigious awards. But we hear that hosting of Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor was the highlight of the entire event.

One of the top moments of the IIFA night was when Ranveer Singh came down one knee to propose to Deepika Padukone at centre stage in front of huge crowd. Well, it was quite an amusing sight for the audience to see Ranveer and Deepika  on stage getting all lovey dovey. When Ranveer was done reciting poems and shayaris for Deepika, a fan from the crowd yelled,” I love you, Deepika”. To this, Ranveer gave a quick reply,” Watch it bro!” Awww, what more could define their love?

That’s not it, Ranveer and Deepika even sported a matching wardrobe. While Ranveer made a grand entry to IIFA green carpet, dressed in red ensemble, hugging and kissing Shahid Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone made a rather graceful entry wearing a stunning red and black sari, posing elegantly for pictures. Seems like red is the colour of Ranveer and Deepika’s love.

It was quite evident in IIFA 2015 that Ranveer’s spontaneity and Deepika’s graceful elegance complement each other really well.

Waiting to watch the event when aired to witness all these lovely moments.

Salman Khan recently announced on Twitter that Varun Dhawan has replaced him in Karan Johar’s much-awaited production venture Shhuddhi. Must say many were surprised hearing this piece of information. Later, the Dharma head honcho himself declared that VD and Alia Bhatt would be seen in his film Shhuddhi which will be directed by Karan Malhotra.

And now its the ABCD 2 actor who has finally spoken about KJo’s dream project. During a recent interview, the good looking actor was asked if replacing Salman Khan in Shhuddhi is the biggest challenge he has ever faced and here’s what he said: ” I think so much has been said about the film and so much has been spoken about the film already that I don’t want to add fuel to the fire. I think Karan Malhotra and Karan Johar have a certain vision. I think Shhuddhi is a story that if told correctly will change a lot of things just in terms of story telling and what’s the film about. So I don’t want to say anything. Let Karan direct me and lets see what happens. We still have to work, its a long way away. In Badlapur, a played a 40 year old man, so for me that was a very big challenge considering how old I am and to be able to play a character of that age in general.”

The actor further added, “I think Shhuddhi has been made into something really big by the media because they are keenly anticipating it which they should, I guess. And I am lucky because of that. I have never had a film being spoken so much about. So there is pressure obviously about that. But there is no fun without pressure and I love challenges.”

Going by Varun’s reply, it seems he is all set  to take on the challenge and perform his best. We too wish him All the Best for his project.

Buzz is that the  film’s director Remo D’Souza has been approached by the board with regards to the usage of a line that is derogatory to Indians.

Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor’s ABCD 2 is all set to hit our screens on June 19.Good news for the team, is that it has been cleared by the Censor Board Of Film Certification and been given a ‘U’ certificate. The board however did have its share of problems with Remo regarding a line used in the film, which was derogatory to the Indian audience. Reports suggest that the board has asked the director to remove the line ‘All Indians are beggars’ as it could be offend the Indian audience.

The line has been chopped off from the film and the rest of the scenes are untouched. A source from the Censor Board, while talking to an entertainment portal revealed,” We were mesmerized by Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudheva’s dancing. The film is clean healthy family fare. And we all felt there was no reason to not give the film a ‘U’ certification. However one line had to go. It referred to Indians in a derogatory manner. Censor guidelines specify that no utterances insulting any nationality or community must be allowed.”

Well if “All is Well” then we are all set to watch the dancing newbies together. Wish Ramzan day will be lucky for the director.

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has organised a special screening of his daughter Zoya Akhtar’s forthcoming film Dil Dhadakne Do for Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Tuesday (June 2) evening.

“Javed sahab has kept a special screening of Dil Dhadakne Dofor Arun Jaitley,” Ritesh Sidhwani, who co-owns the film’s production banner Excel Entertainment with Javed’s son Farhan, said in a statement.

The film, which stars Farhan, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma and Shefali Shah in key roles, is about a dysfunctional Punjabi family and how they discover love and friendship during a cruise across the Mediterranean.

The actors are on an extensive multi-city tour in places like Kolkata, Indore, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bangalore to promote the highly anticipated film. Dil Dhadakne Do will hit the screens on June 5.

Acontest titled ‘Kaun Banega Poonam Ka Hero’, organised to find a lead actor to be paired with Poonam Pandey in Helen, attracted over 25,000 people, says the film’s producer Suresh Nakum.

“The kind of response that has come for the contest of ‘Kaun Banega Poonam Ka Hero’ has been nothing less than mighty pleasing for the team. In fact, I have never seen such kind of a response for any Bollywood movie before the film goes on the floors.” He said that “over 25,000 followers of Poonam Pandey have uploaded videos and audio clips to try and play the male lead”.

The hunt required the contestants to make a two-minute audition video, during which they were free to enact a movie scene or dialogue of their choice to the best of their ability. Poonam herself invited the candidates through a video in which she says she is looking for a male lead to star opposite her.

Sunny Leone, on May 28, 2015, gave her statement to the police on the indecency case that was registered by a housewife against her. The actress was quoted by a source in a report as saying that, “The objectionable video clips circulating here belong to when I was working in the adult film industry in the US. I have distanced myself from any such roles after becoming a part of the Indian film fraternity. I feel it would be improper to haunt me with the past when I am trying to move ahead in life.” The actress recorded her statement in the presence of DCP Manere and investigation officer, Jagdish Sawant, in English for over an hour, also disclosing her personal details, stated the report.

An FIR was registered against actress Sunny Leone, Google CEO and a Bollywood magazine in Ajmer on May 24, for allegedly spreading obscenity, as informed by the police authorities. Arinjay Jain had subscribed to a Bollywood magazine through S K R Sharma. The entertainment journal contained obscene photographs of Leone, SHO Ajmer Kotawali police station Jitendra Gangwani said. Jain said he followed a website link given in the magazine and found more obscene contents and pictures of the actress on internet, following which he registered the FIR with police.A case has been registered under section 292 (sale of obscene book) of IPC, relevant sections of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act and the IT act, Gangwani said.

STORY: Tanu and Manu’s marriage collapses. What happens when Manu meets Tanu’s lookalike Kusum – and when Tanu returns?

[quote_box_right]CAST: Kangana Ranuat, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Deepak Dobriyal
DIRECTION: Aanand L. Rai
GENRE: Romantic Comedy
DURATION: 2 hours[/quote_box_right]
REVIEW: Straight away,  Tanu Weds Manu Returns is a total delight that keeps you laughing, sighing, cheering – and guessing throughout. After a stormy romance, Tanu (Kangana) married Manu (Madhavan) four years ago. But in London, the sparks between them die.

STORY: Frustrated with lack of job opportunities back home in Punjab, former judo champion Jeet (Barkha Madan) in the hope of a better future decides to go to Canada, where her brother moved to, few years ago. With no money at her disposal to travel legally, she seeks help of a local trafficker, who tricks her into smuggling.

REVIEW: Surkhaab highlights the plight of immigrants, rural Indians and the circumstances that drives them to risk their lives to make a living abroad.Handled with great maturity, the Indo-Canadian film touches a chord for its authentic execution. The characters are real and so are their problems. Also, unlike most films, where the protagonist could have easily been portrayed as the victim, this film is an exception. Jeet is feisty and smart. Though not exposed to other culture or people, she holds her nerve and plucks up courage to fight for herself and her family keeping her dignity intact.

Sanjay Talreja needs to be applauded for making his characters look believable, except for a villain’s sidekick, who seems too good to be a crook. Otherwise, you can relate to the characters, their woes and can imagine what they must be going through. The thought of what could happen if you were stuck in a similar situation as Jeet is bound to cross your mind and that speaks volumes about the film’s impact.

Credit must also go to Barkha Madan for doing complete justice to her role. From being sensitive and vulnerable to brave and powerful, she defines her character beautifully. Other actors are equally competent.

Like Memento, the film unveils itself layer by layer (scenes shuttle between past and present) keeping the suspense element high. Had the second half been stronger, this would have been one of the most hard-hitting films on immigrants. Sadly, the thriller element overshadows drama and somewhere it dampens the pace and the plot.

Nonetheless, Surkhaab is extremely relevant and a poignant tale of survival that deserves to be seen.

Essel Vision Productions Ltd, (the content engine of Zee Entertainment Enterprises ZEEL), Sanjay Gupta’s White Feather Films and actor- producer Sachiin Joshi’s Viking Entertainment unveiled the first look of the most anticipated film of the year ‘Jazbaa’. After creating a stir at the recent Cannes Film Festival, the team reveled the looks of two formidable protagonists Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Irrfan Khan.

Jazbaa slated to hit theatres on Friday, 9th October 2015, also includes Shabana Azmi, Jackie Shroff, Abhimanyu Singh, Atul Kulkarni and Chandan Roy Sanyal.

 ZEEL has designed an innovative promotional campaign for the release of the film which will surely set new trends in the industry. Helmed by the maverick director Sanjay Gupta, Jazbaa is written by Kamlesh Pandey and Robin Bhatt, cinematography by Sameer Arya, editing by Bunty Nagi and Resul Pookutty spearheads the sound designing. Jazbaa is by far one of the most sought after films from distributors and exhibitors all across the globe.

 

Bollywood stars are catching up with Dubsmash. The latest to join the club is Dabangg girl Sonakshi Sinha.

The actress recently posted a video of her enacting a scene from her father’s movie Mere Apne.She tagged the picture with the caption, “Found one of dads dialogues this is too cool!!!!!

A #dubsmash a day , keeps the boredom away …And you entertained ??

The actress, who made a roaring debut in Tamil films opposite superstar Rajinikanth last year in Lingaa, is now working with AR Murugadoss in Akira. The film is said to be heroine-centric and would see Sonakshi do a lot of action sequences. The film also has Raai Laxmi and Anurag Kashyap in pivotal roles. This is her second outing with Murugadoss after Holiday, where she starred opposite Akshay Kumar.

Bollywood celebrities have loved National Award winner Kangana Ranaut’s performance in Tanu Weds Manu Returns and can’t stop raving about her. At a special screening of the film organised here on Tuesday, a number of celebrities including filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj, Farah Khan and Gauri Shinde, came to watch it.

They not only heaped praises for Kangana’s endearing act in the film, but also praised the “great and well-directed film”. For them, Kangana and Tanu Weds Manu Returns are a winner this year. “It’s a fantastic film. It’s a great story and very well-directed. You just watch it. It’s a great film,” Hirani said here. Kashyap, whose Bombay Velvet failed to elicit a response he may have desired, said “Tanu Weds Manu Returns is an outstanding film. The sequel is so much better than the prequel.” Talking about Kangana’s twin character Datto, he said “it is one of the finest characters I have ever seen”. “All performances were very good. I never laughed so much. This film will make you go ‘mad’,” Kashyap added.

STORY: Johnny Balraj fixes big deals in 1960s Bombay – but what happens when Johnny becomes a thorn for the city’s smoothest powers?

REVIEW: It’s 1969 in a Bombay of Prohibition but no inhibition, with money in the sea breeze, land sharks cutting deals and gangsters carving up competition. Ambitious Johnny Balraj (Ranbir), dreaming of becoming a big shot, is used by ruthless magnate Kaizaad Khambata (Karan) to fix business and settle scores. Johnny adores jazz singer Rosie (Anushka) and with buddy Chiman (Satyadeep), manages Kaizaad’s Bombay Velvet nightclub where Rosie performs.

What happens when Rosie turns out to be a pawn of Jimmy Mistry (Manish), Khambata’s foe? And when the Mayor of Bombay (Siddharth) decides Johnny’s getting in his way?

Bombay Velvet is one of the most stylish-looking Hindi films, its glowing cinematography and sharp detailing presenting a heady, greedy city, full of nightmares and dreams. Its performances create an eye-catching vintage world – where Ranbir Kapoor smashes it as a Raj Kapoor-like Johnny Balraj. Ranbir’s melting eyes and goofy grin stay with you, as does his supple energy and suddenly steely jaw. Anushka impresses as Rosie, her wide-eyed, brittle sadness evoking Audrey Hepburn, wandering through Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Karan Johar is fun as wicked Khambata, giggling at Johnny’s English, responding to a union leader quoting ‘siddhant’ with a carelessly stylish “Who’s he?”, asking Johnny deadpan, “Rosie mein aisa kya dekha jo mujhmein nahin?” Kay Kay has a cool cop cameo while Vivaan Shah’s likeable as jolly chauffeur Tony.

The drama’s further enhanced by fabulous sound design, gorgeous jazz layered pulsatingly onto scenes of violence and love.

But Bombay Velvet has rough edges too. The film is so intensely stylized, it misses emotional pull. Certain sequences – like Johnny’s prize-fighting – feel stretched. At times, the editing simply races, without letting you feel anything, from Khambata’s jeers to Rosie’s tears, deeply enough.

The plot also wobbles between love story, crime saga, urban legend and corruption drama. Between lovers’ fights, gun-battles and newspaper wars, you’re thinking The. Godfather, Casablanca, Chicago – but you want to feel Bombay Velvet more.

Its cinematography and performances, particularly Ranbir’s edgy ‘big shot’, merit an extra half-star. But while Bombay Velvet is stylish, this fabric could have been smoother.

Dressed impeccably in her couture gowns, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan cuts a perfect picture at the Cannes Film Festival year after year. But unlike earlier, in tow, this time, is her three-year-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan who has been attracting her share of clicks too, as she accompanies her celebrity mother around town — something Ash has mixed feelings about.

Talking to us from the festival, Ash says, “I used to initially wonder what she must be making of the media around her. What she must be thinking every time we walked out of an airport or got surrounded by the media. But this is normal for her. She is born to believe that this is life. However, the mother in me will always be protective about her. Whenever we’re surrounded by paparazzi, I get extra protective to ensure that she isn’t affected by the ruckus around — it is a natural instinct that’ll always be there. But it is certainly interesting to see how, as she grows up, her perception of things will evolve.”

Coming back to Cannes, the film festival holds a special place in her heart for reasons more than one. “Aaradhya completed six months here. Also, my mother’s birthday is in the same month, and I am invariably here to celebrate it. It does have a personal mother-daughter connection,” she says.

This time around, Ash is in Cannes to promote her film Jazbaa. The first look of the film was unveiled at the festival. But the actress isn’t too happy about it being touted as her comeback film. “I had signed Mani Ratnam’s film last year, but that did not get made for technical reasons. Meanwhile, Jazbaa happened and it became the first. I wanted Mani Ratnam’s film to be the first because it is based on a very strong subject. I spoke to him recently and he said that he plans to revisit it.”

Meanwhile, after years of playing hide and seek with Karan Johar, Ash has finally agreed to work in his upcoming film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. “I would have said yes to Karan all along, but my schedule never permitted me. Since I have just gotten back to working in films, I have the time to prepare a schedule. Since the time I joined the industry, I have always juggled four films on an average, which is why I never could accommodate Karan’s film,” she tells us, explaining why she couldn’t be part of blockbusters Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Dostana — all of which were first offered to her.

STORY: Piku’s father Bhaskor’s obsessed with his health. Piku indulges Bhaskor’s wishes, including a road trip to Calcutta – but what does attractive Rana’s driving set in motion?

REVIEW: Straight up, Piku is delightful, a cinematic rasgulla, dipped in the sweet, dark rum of life. Architect Piku Banerjee (Deepika) is only child to 70-year-old Bhaskor (Amitabh) who obsesses about his health -including creating commotion around his stomach’s motion. Piku’s torn between tenderness for her elderly dad and frustration at being stuck in a rut. Suddenly, Bhaskor wants to visit Calcutta – but insists on travelling from Delhi via road. What happens when intriguing Rana (Irrfan) drives them?

Piku’s performances are superb, topped by one of Amitabh Bachchan’s best acts. Amitabh is mesmerizing as Bhaskor, a man who delights in being “brutal and honest”, but whose eyes are soft as marshmallows when he looks at his daughter.

Bubbling with life, pouring with over-protectiveness, Amitabh runs away with the film, travelling with a
‘commode chair’, stating Indian men want wives only “to sarve food in the day, sex in the night”, interrogating Rana, “Drinking? Driving? Sipping? Taar pore, dhadaam?”, telling his bubbly sister-in-law Chobi
(Moushumi, lovely and bright), “Tumko like na karne ka, mere paas hai, hai, reason hai.” From Angry Young Man to eccentric old gent, Piku is another milestone in this amazing actor’s journey.

Alongside, Irrfan’s Rana has a wide-eyed, raised-eyebrow sexiness, but also sensitive balance between being annoyed and intrigued by Piku – and her mad dad. Deepika presents an evolved, polished performance, utterly believable as Piku uptight with pursed lips, whose life expands from reading her dad’s BP – to reading Rana’s eyes.

Piku’s story is stunning. It beautifully explores the most basic bond of life – a parent, a child, a beginning and an end. It looks shyly at love. It smiles tenderly at Bengali flavours, at fish fry and digestion pills, but also at universal stories, of irritating relatives and domestics who look after us until we die.

The direction’s brilliant. Deft, yet deep, Shoojit Sircar presents characters so ordinary, they’re wonderful, people and places intimately intertwined, an aunt pickled in resentment, boats almost painted on a sheet-like Ganga.

With passion, there’s precision too, the editing fish-bone sharp, detailing, down to Bhaskor’s monkey cap, perfect. Some moments evoke Ang Lee’s terrific ‘Eat Drink Man Woman’. Others evoke your and my life. Together, Piku makes you shake with laughter. It also makes your heart cry.

Katrina Kaif made a picture perfect debut on the French Riviera in a black and-white Michelle Smith ensemble. The sheer white draped skirt and the panelled blouse, picked by her stylist Anaita Adajania Shroff, were the perfect foil for the blue marina which stretched beyond Kat’s hotel balcony.

Her tresses fell to her shoulders, the auburn tinge becoming. When prodded on the colour, a friend of the actress pointed out that it was part of the look of her upcoming film Fitoor which is currently under production.

The film is an adaptation of the Charles Dicknes’ novel, ‘Great Expectations’, and the actress plays Firdauz, an Indianised Estella. Katrina will be at the Cannes film festival for two days. And there will plenty of opportunities for the paparazzi to click her because both nights she will be walking the redcarpet. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a regular at Cannes, and Sonam Kapoor, will also be walking the red carpet and

it will be interesting to see which of these fashionistas steal the thunder (No pun intended). At a media event, the Bollywood beauty pointed out that she was not at Cannes to set a trend. She insisted that she wanted to be herself and enjoy the experience.

“She flies back to India on the night of May 15 but she’s promised herself that before returning she’ll catch a couple of world cinema titles,” added the friend.

ActressAnushkaSharma has shared a throwback photograph of herself along with her father Col. Ajay Kumar Sharma. The 27-year-old actress took to photo-sharing websiteInstagramto share the image with her fans and followers.

The NH10 actress, then a toddler, sported a red frock along with her hair all pleated standing next to her father, donning an Indian Army uniform. Anushkacaptioned the image, which she shared on Wednesday: “#ThrowbackTimelittle miss with papa”.

The actress will next be seen inAnuragKashyap’sforthcoming film Bombay Velvet. The film is a romantic thriller, set against the backdrop of the1960sBombay. The film hasRanbirKapoorplaying the role of the angry, young lover JohnnyBalrajandAnushka, essaying the role of the singer RosieNoronha. It also stars KaranJoharas a villain.

Deepika Padukone, who will soon be seen in Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha as well as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, said in a chat that she is excited about Hollywood films. Deepika, who missed the opportunity of featuring in the recent instalment of Fast And Furious, said that she is open to Hollywood offers in the future. According to a report on Pinkvilla.com, the actor was quoted as saying that Hollywood films did excite her and that it’s fascinating to set foot in a world that is completely different. She further added that the kind of films that they make is different and that it would be like starting all over again like she began her Bollywood career seven years ago. She agreed that it would be challenging indeed, but that she wouldn’t mind it.

REVIEW: Gabbar is back – and so is Akshay Kumar, with a big-screen bang. Professor Aditya (Akshay) has a secret life as vigilante Gabbar who terrorizes government officials. Gabbar and his gang kidnap tehsildars, collectors and cops, hanging the most corrupt in public. As the police search frantically for this rebel with a cause, Gabbar decides corrupt builder Patil (Suman) ko bhi sazaa milegi, barabar milegi – does Gabbar succeed?

Legend says Amjad Khan as Sholay’s dreaded iconic villain Gabbar Singh was so explosive, cassettes featuring just Gabbar’s dialogues sold for years. Gabbar Is Back picks up that high-voltage pulse, remixing it cleverly with the biggest concern of contemporary times – corruption. This Gabbar also terrorizes – but only targets the corrupt. For aam citizens, Gabbar’s an inspiring figure – one who makes you cheer for the ‘bad’ guy.

Akshay Kumar has a blast playing Gabbar who, with dark, wavy hair and bristly beard, has never looked hotter. With twinkling eyes and deadpan face, Akshay delivers dynamite dialogues – ‘Naam se villain, kaam se hero’, flawless bone-breaking action, redefining PWD (‘power-wala danda’), switching from loose-limbed vulnerability to jaw-clenched intensity in a flash.

The story powers him with its novel concept (a moral universe where Gabbar is hero and Thakur, a smug cop, snapping at bright constable Sadhuram, played by straight-faced Sunil Grover) and contrasts. Doctors pretending to treat a dead man, nervous officials returning bribes via money orders, tickle you with dark comedy. But you wince as Aditya hears mocking ‘apologies’ by babus, bribed to pass a faulty building that collapses – with many lives.

With gritty reality, Gabbar has glamour too – Shruti charms with her soft, pretty appeal while a cameo by Kareena adds sheen but doesn’t divert. The second half’s blood pressure doesn’t fully match the first (Patil’s insistent ‘I am a brand!’ gets repetitive while CBI officer Pahwa looks clueless without Sadhuram’s ‘axellent’ work) – but the climax pushes up the adrenaline again.

While the music’s pleasantly seamless, the editing is razor-sharp, evoking Manmohan Desai, rushing you from one entertaining scene to the next, without time to figure things out – but just enough to feel.

Now, Gabbar Is Back – and you’ll feel his return rocks.

She is known for her hot and glamorous avatar on-screen but Indian actress Sunny Leone says she does not mind audience to laughed at her if the role demands.

Sunny, 33, will be next seen in adult comedy “Kuch Kuch Locha Hai” and she said the genre comes natural to her.

“Something that people don’t know is that when I worked in the US, I was a part of a comedy group. There used to be acts, stand up comedies and in between we used to do comedy skits and comedy games.”

“So, I have a little bit of training. I wouldn’t say I am the funniest person ever but I have a good sense of humour. I am not afraid of tripping over myself or making fool of myself on camera so there is no embarrassment on-screen. I am usually up for anything,” Sunny told reporters here.

The “Ragini MMS 2” actress is aware that she is typecast as a sex symbol in her films, given her adult star background but Sunny is not keen of getting caged into an image.

“I don’t know about breaking or recreating any image. My fans have been seeing me from a long time… Things change with time. This year you are going to see me in very different films. But there are a couple of movies which are not that glamorous,” she said.

“Kuch Kuch Locha Hai” also stars Ram Kapoor, Evelyn Sharma. While praising her co-stars, Sunny said the film has given her great friends, who made her shooting experiences memorable.

Two men based in Vancouver have filed civil claims against celebrity Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar, alleging that they had been sexual harassed and spiritually controlled by him.

The cases were filed before the British Columbia Supreme Court on Wednesday by 33-year-old Vancouver television cameraman, and a 40-year-old IT services provider, seeking damages from Davar. Davar, in his filings in the same court, has denied all the allegations. In counter filings, his lawyers stated that the allegations were “simply not true and have been made with the intention of ruining Mr Davar’s character, reputation and affiliated organisations” and the “false accusations” were also “solely to take advantage of Mr Davar’s celebrity.”

Both men had joined Davar’s dance troupe in India and later moved to Canada and were also part of a Vancouver-headquartered group, VRRP Spiritual Learning, that Davar is alleged to be the current leader of.

In his case, the IT professional claimed he had joined Davar’s dance classes while in his late teens. He alleged he had been chosen for the core company and after that, for “over a period of several months”, Davar began a “grooming process to manipulate” him “into sexual submission.” In 2003, after completing his Commerce degree in Mumbai, the IT professional was asked to go to Toronto to teach in Davar’s dance school. Subsequently, he was moved to Vancouver for the same purpose. The cameraman, meanwhile, claimed he joined the dance classes when he was 16.

Both were were initiated into VRRP Spiritual Learning, founded by Khorshed Bhavnagri, who claimed to receive spirit messages from her sons and that they were relaying instructions via auto-writing to her and her associates, including Davar. The accusers claim Davar succeeded Bhavnagri as leader of the group upon her death in 2007.

After the IT professional moved to Vancouver, the suit alleges, Davar became more “controlling” than he had been in India, “using his position as a leader” of the spiritual group to “influence all aspects” of his life. That included breaking up his relationship with his girlfriend. He left the group in 2008, claiming that one “final sexual incident” had been the “last straw.”

The cameraman’s suit claims that Davar’s sexual advances began after he became a dance performer in the group. In his claim of sexual harassment, he alleges that Davar told him he “was selfish and his soul could not progress spiritually fast enough because he would not submit further” to him. Subsequently, he married his girlfriend and moved to Vancouver and was part of the VRRP group. After his marriage, the cameraman claimed he was “pressured” to have a child even as he was “starting to accept he was a gay man.” After Bhavnagri’s death, he assisted Davar in running VRRP. Between 2008 and 2010, sexual contact between the two increased. The complainant also alleged that Davar exercised “influence” over his girlfriend during the couple’s separation and divorce proceedings. In September 2010, the lawsuit stated, his responsibilities were “taken away”.

The cameraman alleged that as a result of Davar’s “sexual exploitation and/or sexual assaults”, he had ‘suffered psychological injury and damage.”

In an interview to Canadian public broadcaster CBC, which broke the story of the case, he alleged “He (Davar) was just publicly humiliating me…because I wasn’t giving him what he wanted…which was reciprocating to sexual acts.” He also stated he came forward as he wished to “protect his son from the potential ongoing danger of sexual abuse.”

In his response filed with the court, Davar’s lawyers said, “At all material times, Mr Davar performed his role as a teacher, employer and perceived spiritual advisor in a professional and appropriate manner” and that “at no time” did he “misuse or abuse his position in the dance company and/or perceived position in the spiritual group.” Davar’s dance school has operations in Canada and was also featured in the cultural programme that preceded the recent community reception for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Toronto, an event that also featured Canadian PM Stephen Harper.

MUMBAI (TIP): A Bollywood celebrity actor Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail by a Mumbai Court, today, May 6 in a 13 year old case of hit and run driving incident in Mumbai in which a homeless man was killed while four others were run over.

[quote_right] Khan found guilty, sentenced to jail for five years [/quote_right]

However, the actor will not be sent to jail.  Within hours of  sentencing, Salman’s lawyer Harish Salve obtained from Mumbai High Court, an interim bail order which gives him reprieve for two days, until May 8, when the Court will hear the actor’s petition for confirmation of bail. It is believed that given the many avenues available in the Indian legal system, Salman is unlikely to be spending time in jail.

Salman Khan was charged with culpable homicide. The court found the actor guilty of all counts of charges which included drunken driving, driving without valid license, running away from the scene of the incident and causing death of a man, besides causing injuries to four others.

Khan had said his driver was behind the wheel, but Judge D.W. Deshpande found him guilty on the charge of culpable homicide.

“You were driving the car; you were under the influence of alcohol,” he told the actor as soon as the court proceedings began.

The case has gripped Bollywood and India for 13 years, since 2002.

Late on the night of 28 September 2002, Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser hit the American Express bakery in the Bandra area of Mumbai, authorities say.

The vehicle ran over five people sleeping on the street, killing 38-year-old Noor Ullah Khan and seriously injuring three others. Another person received minor injuries.

The prosecution alleged that Khan had been driving the car while drunk. Giving evidence in March., Khan had denied he was drunk or that he was driving the vehicle.

But many witnesses disagreed.

A constable attached to Khan’s security detail said in a statement to the police that the “drunk” actor had lost control of the car. The policeman died in 2007 of tuberculosis.

In April, Khan’s driver told the court that he had crashed the car after a tire burst but the court did not accept that version.

[quote_center]Timeline of the case[/quote_center]

September 2002: Salman Khan’s car runs over five people sleeping on a Mumbai street, killing a homeless man and injuring four others

October 2002: Khan charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder – arrested but granted bail

May 2003: Court rejects his plea to drop culpable homicide charge

June 2003: Bombay high court drops culpable homicide charge; actor is then tried for rash and negligent driving

October 2007: Prime witness, a constable who served in his security detail, dies

March 2015: Khan tells the court he was not drunk and his driver was behind the wheel

May 6, 2015: Khan found guilty, sentenced to jail for five years

May 6, 2015: Mumbai High Court grants interim bail to Khan for two days, until May 8