Hyderabad (TIP)- The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 kicked off on a star-studded note as Bollywood celebrities Vidya Balan and Kartik Aaryan graced the opening match between the Telugu Titans and the Bengaluru Bulls. The actors’ presence to promote their upcoming movie ‘Bhool Bhulaiya 3’ added glamour to the already electrifying atmosphere at the GMCB Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. Kartik Aaryan, talking about his childhood, shared, “I used to play gali kabaddi’ as a kid but not on a professional level the way it is being played here at the Pro Kabaddi League. It is a lot of fun to watch.”
Vidya Balan, the First Shero of our time, expressed her excitement for the season, saying, “I have enjoyed watching kabaddi. Today we met Pawan (Sehrawat) and Pardeep (Narwal) who are fantastic players. Good luck to the teams for the first match. Pawan is a high-flyer and Pardeep is a record-breaker so I wish them luck for the season.”
The opening night promises thrilling action, featuring star raiders Pawan and Pardeep, followed by a clash between U Mumba’s Sunil Kumar – the most expensive Indian defender in PKL history at INR 1.015 Crores – and Dabang Delhi K.C.’s attacking powerhouse, Naveen Kumar. PKL 11 made history even before the first whistle, with eight players crossing the INR 1 crore mark in the auction. The league is set to unfold across three cities, starting in Hyderabad, then moving to Noida, and concluding in Pune.
With its blend of celebrity glamor, record-breaking player valuations, and a focus on fan experiences, PKL 11 is set to take over the sporting excitement as the season rolls into the households for the next three months.
For all updates on the Pro Kabaddi league, log on to www.prokabaddi.com, download the Official Pro Kabaddi app or follow @prokabaddi on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X.
The Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar from October 18.
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Tag: VIDYA BALAN
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Bollywood Stars Vidya Balan, Kartik Aaryan attend grand opening of Pro Kabaddi League Season 11
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Vidya Balan shares ‘mantra’ for successful marriage
Vidya Balan, who is gearing up for her upcoming film Do Aur Do Pyaar with Pratik Gandhi, recently revealed the mantra to her successful marriage. The Parineeta actress spoke about the importance of open communication in relationships. “I believe every couple has their own unique mantra, but in my opinion, if we openly communicate with each other about everything, it can be very helpful,” the actress said.
Discussing her relationship with her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vidya Balan shared, “Siddharth and I discuss everything, if someone feels bad or gets angry, or if there’s love, we express it honestly to each other, which is very important. Sharing everything is crucial for a couple. And spending a lot of time together, especially enjoying biryani together, is very important.”
Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapur got married in Mumbai on December 14, 2012, following a few years of courtship.
Do Aur Do Pyaar directed by award-winning ad filmmaker Shirsha Guha Thakurta, marks her feature debut and is scheduled to hit the theatres on April 19.
Vidya Balan’s bad romance
Vidya said that the ‘boy’ cheated on her and how she came to know about it. “I have been cheated on. The first boy I dated cheated on me and I have to tell you he was just an a**. I remember we had just broken up and I bumped into him in college on Valentine’s Day and he turned around and said that ‘I am just going to meet my ex-girlfriend for a date.’ And I was like what? He literally crushed me that day but I have done better than that in life for myself,” she said.
Vidya is now married to film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur. She is also rumoured to have previously dated actor Shahid Kapoor. -
Neeyat has eerie resemblance to Knives Out
The trailer of Neeyat, a murder mystery starring Vidya Balan as a detective, was released on Thursday. Directed by Anu Menon, the classic whodunit seems like straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. And from recent memory, it reminds one of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out (2019).A ri ch man invites his entire family for his birthday dinner at an isolated, old mansion. But by the end of the night, he’s found dead. The detective investigating the case claims it’s a murder, instead of the suspected suicide. She discovers how every member of the family is a suspect with a valid motive. But who’s really the killer?
Replace Daniel Craig with Vidya Balan, the late Christopher Plummer with Ram Kapoor, and the Knives Out ensemble with the rest of the cast here. There’s also a late entrant here, like Chris Evans in Knives Out. The only key Knives Out character missing, at least in the trailer, is the caretaker played by Ana de Armas. And unlike Knives Out, the patriarch of the family is not found dead in the house, but is allegedly thrown off a cliff near his mansion.
Neeyat isn’t the first time Vidya will be seen as a detective. She played a desi detective in Bobby Jasoos (2014), set in Hyderabad, which failed at the box office. But we’ve often seen Vidya investigate on screen in different avatars, from Sujoy Ghosh’s 2012 cult film Kahaani, Ribhu Dasgupta’s Te3n (2014), or most recently, Amit V Masurkar’s 2021 forest thriller Sherni.
Neeyat will mark Vidya Balan’s long-awaited return to the cinemas after four years. Her last theatrical release was Jagan Shakti’s 2019 sci-fi ensemble Mission Mangal. Her last solo theatrical outing, however, was Suresh Triveni’s 2017 blockbuster Tumhari Sulu. -
Vidya Balan begins shooting for ‘Neeyat’ in UK
Vidya Balan, who was recently seen in Amazon Prime Video’s Jalsa, has begun shooting for her next film. Titled Neeyat, the murder mystery will be directed by Anu Menon. Today, May 10, Vidya shared a picture from the sets of Neeyat with Anu and Vikram Malhotra. Vidya Balan, who has earlier worked with Anu Menon in Shakuntala Devi, will be seen in her next film, Neeyat. Sharing a picture with Anu and Vikra Malhotra on Instagram, Vidya wrote, “Excited to begin shooting one of the most engaging scripts I have read in the recent times, with some of my favourite people – @directormenon & @ivikramix All I can say is expect the unexpected #Neeyat, Filming Begins (sic).” Anu Menon announced Neeyat on April 29 and also revealed the names of the cast members.
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Vidya Balan says ‘people are shameless with types of roles they offer’
Vidya Balan is one of the most promising actresses in Bollywood. Time and again, she had proved her acting prowess in movies such as Sherni, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, and others. She is currently basking in the success of her latest flick Jalsa. The movie also features Shefali Shah in a key role. The movie is directed by Suresh Triveni and garnered lots of appreciation for its storyline and the performance of the cast. Recently, in an interview with Indian Express, Vidya opened up on the kind of roles she has been offered even after performing as the lead lady in movies. While talking to the news portal, Vidya said that people are shameless and they come to her with anything. She said, “Not at all. People are quite shameless and will come to you with everything. Sometimes I go, ‘bhaisaab but aap mere paas kyu aaye ho (Brother, why have you come to me)? Hero ka role de rahe ho (Will you give me the hero’s role)? They just have no qualms and want to take a chance.” She then added that she is not saying that she will only play the most important role in a film. “I need something that I can dig my teeth into,” Vidya concluded. She also spoke about starting her career in the industry at the age of 26 and said that she feels fortunate about it and the kind of work she has gotten to do. She also added that she is proud of her work irrespective of the fact if it worked out or not.
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Vidya Balan on why she decided not to work with husband Siddharth Roy Kapur
Bollywood actors Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah, who will soon be seen together in the upcoming film Jalsa, spoke about not collaborating with their producer husbands in a recent interview. Vidya, who is married to producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, said that they decided to never work together again after their 2013 film Ghanchakkar. The Sherni actor told Film Companion that after Ghanchakkar did not do well, they were both low and that’s when Vidya decided that one of them has to be the pillar if the other one is going through a lull. She also added that in terms of monetary compensation, she will compare what a co-actor is getting paid in comparison. “I’ll start comparing how much he is paying another actor vs how much he is paying me. If he is paying another actor more, I’ll hate it. I want to be the most valued in his eyes,” she said. Vidya also added that it takes a lot of hard work to get to the position that they have reached and she does not want it to get diluted because someone might say that her achievements happened because of her husband. “I also think that I don’t want anyone to reduce my achievements to saying this happened for you because of your husband because one has worked very hard to get here and as much as I love him, I don’t want that to happen for either of us. It’s very reductive in a lot of ways. People say na aapka toh production house hai na and I say mere pati ka hai, mera nahi hai, fark hai. (People say you have a production house, and I say it’s not mine, it is my husband’s, there is a difference) They don’t understand it,” she said.Source: The Indian Express
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‘Every woman is a Sherni’, says Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan, who is currently basking in praise after the release of her action-thriller movie Sherni, says she thinks every woman is a lioness in real life, much like the character she played in the film.
“Every woman is a Sherni. A few of them are bold and badass; while others are introverted just like Vidya Vincent, but does that make them inferior? I think they have the ability to do the right tasks in the right ways— even if that makes her liable for punishment,” says Vidya in a conversation with ANI.
The actor essays the character of Vidya Vincent- an upright forest officer, who powers through the brutal beasts of social barriers set by the patriarchal society and the lackadaisical attitudes within her department.
“Vincent gets a transfer in the movie but she continues to work with honesty! So, I think every woman is a Sherni,” says Vidya Balan on the fictional story which is about the journey of a forest officer who strives for balance in a world of man-animal conflict. Source: ANI
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Indian American filmmaker Ram Devineni’s “Priya’s Mask” launched in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam
NEW YORK (TIP): Online versions of “Priya’s Mask”, featuring India’s first female comic book superhero created by Indian American documentary filmmaker, and technologist Ram Devineni, have been launched in three South Indian languages —Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.
In the latest edition of the series, Priya, a symbol of strength and a force for change for girls around the world, tackles the fear and disinformation surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic that has challenged the health and well-being of the world.
South Indian language versions of the series were launched by the US Consulate General in Chennai with support from South Indian social media influencers, according to a media release from the mission.
Written by Shubhra Prakash, Devineni, founder of US-based media house Rattapallax, created the series with support from the North India Office (NIO) of the US Embassy New Delhi.
Released as an augmented reality comic book, the installment is paired with an animated short film featuring the voices of feminist leaders from the US and India, including Rosanna Arquette, Vidya Balan, Mrunal Thakur, and Sairah Kabir. “This comic book is another example of the deep talents of Americans and Indians working together to confront global health challenges,” US Consulate General Chennai’s spokesperson Cori Bickel said.
“Ram Devineni has created a comic book, now available for parents, teachers, and children to read in Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages, that tells the story of Priya’s mission to stop the spread of COVID-19 disinformation, while acknowledging the isolation and fear that children can face.”
Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam language versions of “Priya’s Mask” are available for free download at Priya’s Mask — Priya’s Shakti.
In Priya’s Mask, Indian superhero Priya joins hands with Jiya, the ‘Burka Avenger’, a popular character from a Pakistani cartoon show, as the two go about fighting the pandemic and the fake news “infodemic” surrounding it.
Devineni launched the “modern-day feminist superhero” in Dec. 2014, two years after the brutal gang rape of a young woman on a bus in Delhi, to focus attention on the problem of gender and sexual violence in India.
The series has subsequently been named a “gender equality champion” by UN Women.
In Priya’s Mask, she arrives riding the flying tigress Sahas (Hindi for courage), to battle “an invisible monster – a deadly virus unlike any we’ve seen before”.
Set against the rustic backdrop of Jodhpur, India, Priya befriends 8-year-old Meena to show her the importance of frontline healthcare workers and instill the power of courage and compassion during this difficult time.
Along with Sahas, Priya explains the importance of wearing a mask and working together to help end the pandemic around the world.
She also partners with Jiya, the Burka Avenger, who’s fighting to protect her city Chutneyville against a villainous assault by Baba Kaboom, who plans to take it over by not wearing a mask and spreading the virus. But, in the process, he himself catches Covid and needs help from Priya and Jiya.
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BEGUM JAAN – Movie Review
STORY On the eve of Independence, the chairman of the Border Commission, Sir Cyril Radcliffe decides to divide India and Pakistan into equitable halves. What the administration doesn’t account for is the line running through the middle of Begum Jaan’s(Vidya Balan) brothel situated plonk on the border; with one half falling in India and the other in Pakistan.
REVIEW It’s a good period and story to revisit because even 70-years after Partition, anything around it still piques interest. Then again, here the narrative deals less with the horror of the divide and serves more as an ode to the spiritedness of Begum; widowed in her childhood and sold to a brothel. Also, Mukherji is revisiting his Bengali film Rajkahini(2015).
Coming back to our protagonist – kings, administrators and commoners are hooked onto the pleasures provided by her girls, so Begum with her guile manages to rule. Till, Radcliffe draws the Lakshman-Rekha. Vidya invests fully in Begum and her dialogue-baazi (a lot of which is raunchy) will get ceetis. However, the writer-director’s interest level in everything else, falters. A sense of deja-vu pervades as one watches a prostitute staring sightlessly at the celling when “entertaining” a customer; or when sex-workers get sentimental over a child, “because all of them are mothers first and whores later.” Surely these women needed to be fleshed out with more finesse.
Begum’s spunk is infectious though. She resembles a Bengal tigress whether she is defending her body or boundaries. However, trying to retell her virtues through various historical avatars in animation, is far too indulgent. Also conversations between officials of the INC and Muslim League, or for that matter between other cardboard cutouts, is superficial. The cinematographer’s effort to capture the Indo-Pak divide with close-ups in half frames, seems amiss.
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VIDYA BALAN: BEGUM JAAN RULES THE SPACE SHE LIVES IN
As Vidya Balan starrer ‘Begum Jaan’ is all set to hit the screens this Friday, the actress sat down for a tete-a-tete with Bombay Times where she talked about her powerful character and more.
Speaking about her fiery act as Begum Jaan in the Srijit Mukherji film, the quintessential actress is all praises for the strong. She says, “Begum Jaan rules the space she lives in. When we asked ourselves why she would not set up her kotha somewhere else, we realized that each one of us is trying to establish our roots somewhere or the other.”
‘Begum Jaan’ is a story of survival set against the backdrop of the Partition. A Hindi adaptation of Mukerji’s critically acclaimed Bengali movie ‘Rajkahini’, the film shows the grit and gumption of a group of sex workers as they fight for their home.