Month: September 2017

Priyanka Chopra: My Role In ‘Quantico’ Was Not Written For An Indian Girl

BY IANS On

 Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, who is pursuing an active career in American showbiz, says she was once asked not to join a project’s cast because of her ethnic looks, but when the chance to work in the US came her way, she saw it as an opportunity to pave the way for others like her.

“When the opportunity came my way, I saw it as an opportunity to break the ceiling for actors that look like me… Once I was asked not to be a part of a cast because I was too ethnic… I didn’t realize how hard it was until I came to North America,” Priyanka said here on Wednesday evening.

The former beauty queen, a #ShareHerJourney ambassador, was the guest at the TIFF Soiree organised by Toronto International Film Festival. She was in conversation with festival artistic director Cameron Bailey, and spoke about her career as a Bollywood icon, before foraying into Hollywood with TV series Quantico and film Baywatch, and her involvement with philanthropic works as Unicef Goodwill ambassor.

Snippets from the conversation were put out by the official Twitter handle of TIFF.

“My role in Quantico was not written for an Indian girl,” she said, also adding: “I’ve had people take away films from me because I might not have agreed with them.”

TIFF Soiree is an annual fundraiser that kicks off the festival, which is now in its 42nd year. The proceeds from the event will go towards Share Her Journey, TIFF’s new campaign to increase participation, skills and opportunities for women behind and in front of the camera.

“It’s not easy – when you come into entertainment being a woman. You’ve got to pull your socks up for a fight,” Priyanka told Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on the red carpet.

“No one’s going to hand it out to you, whether it’s credit, whether it’s parts, whether it is the ability to make movies,” she said, pointing to Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, the first female director for a studio superhero movie.

“You can understand how hard and few and far between these opportunities are. But it’s got to take people like us to stand out there, dig our heels in and say we’re not going to stand for it anymore,” said the National Award winning actress, who even took home the People’s Choice Award in 2016 for her role in Quantico.

Rana Daggubati: My Web Series, ‘Social’, Is About Darker Side Of Social Media

BY IANS On

Actor Rana Daggubati, who plays the lead in upcoming web series Social which was launched on Thursday, believes the digital medium allows a creator to tell his story the way he desires.

Social, produced by video-on-demand platform Viu, is a Hindi-Telugu bilingual thriller that will shine the spotlight on the impact of social media in people’s lives.

Directed by Shashi Sudigala, the show goes on air on Friday. It also stars Naveen Kasturia, Priya Banerjee, Aradhana Uppal, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan and Preeti Asrani.

On signing the project, Rana told IANS: “Every story has a place where it deserves to be told. Not all stories are meant for the big screen.”

“Working on this show has helped me understand the medium better. It made me realise that it gives one the freedom to say a story the way he wants and write without restrictions,” he said.

Asked why he chose to venture into the digital space, Rana said it caters to different audiences.

“When I started acting, there were around 2,500 theatres in Andhra Pradesh (before bifurcation) but today the number has come down. Audiences have become busier and they want to invest their time and money on different mediums. I want to engage those people who want content on their phones,” he said.

Rana, who plays a powerful businessman in the show, is interested in exploring more opportunities in this medium.

Talking about the show, Rana said: “It’s about the darker side of social media. It’s a different world altogether.”

He clarified that the show doesn’t set out to prove social media is bad.

“Social media is just a platform. What some people decide to do with it results in something good or bad. The show is embedded with a message which I’m sure audiences will understand when they watch,” Rana added.

This is Rana’s second outing with Viu, with which he has already worked on the chat show No 1 Yaari.

Weekend Watch: ‘Daddy’, ‘Kathanayagan’, ‘Neruppuda’, And ‘One Heart’

BY Sanjana Chakraborty On

Another week down, and fewer releases again this Friday, compared to last week. This week is somewhat of a potpourri containing a biopic, a comedy, a drama-thriller, and a documentary to look forward to. From Arjun Rampal playing a dreaded gangster to Vikram Prabhu playing yet another role where he’s too dedicated to his profession — here’s this week’s weekend watch:

Daddy

Daddy

Arjun Rampal’s upcoming Hindi film, Daddy, sees him play a Godfather-esque don. Based on a true story, Rampal plays Mumbai-based politician and former gangster, Arun Gawli. Set in ’80s Mumbai, Daddy is a crime-thriller that will focus on the Mumbai underworld and Gawli’s stint as a don in Mumbai’s Dagdi Chawl. Gawli and his brother Kishor entered the underworld in the 1970s when they joined the “Byculla Company”, a criminal gang led by Rama Naik and Babu Reshim, operating in central Mumbai areas of Byculla, Parel and Saat Rasta.

In 1988, after Rama Naik was killed in a police encounter, Gawli took over the gang and began operating it from his residence. This also led to a massive war between Dawood’s D-Company gang and Gawli’s gang that lasted from 1988 until the mid 1990s.

Arjun Rampal, in a recent interview, clarified that the film “is not an image-building exercise and steers clear of glorifying anything that is undesirable.” There will be more to the Hindi film as it shifts from one perspective to another, with the story spanning 40 years. The film is directed by Ashim Ahluwalia, and also stars Aishwarya Rajesh.

Kathanayagan

Silverscreen.in Copyrighted Photos

Directed by Muruganantham, and co-starring Catherine Tresa, Vishnu’s latest production is about the friendly sparring between the hero and his prospective father-in-law, a real-life hero, who also happens to be his neighbour. He seeks a groom similar to himself for his daughter, while the hero has been raised to run away from any trouble. But at some stage in the movie, he transforms himself into a hero.

In an exclusive interview with Silverscreen, Vishnu Vishal spoke of how important the film is since he’s also the producer for this. “It is the next step of what I attempted with Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran. Till then, I never knew I could be a ‘hero’; I was happy playing characters. But, this one sees me go beyond the character, and take the story forward; a kathanayagan (hero) in the true sense,” he said.

The film’s music is by Sean Roldan and also stars Soori in his usual comedy role.

Neruppuda

Silverscreen.in Copyrighted Photos

Vikram Prabhu, Nikki Galrani, Varun, Rajendran, and others star in this thriller-drama directed by B Ashok Kumar. The music is by Sean Roldan and has ace cinematographer RD Rajasekhar wielding the camera.

The title of the film is inspired from the popular song from Rajinikanth’s Kabali (2016), and also because Vikram plays a firefighter and a huge Rajinikanth fan in the film.

The film also marks Vikram’s foray into producing films, through his banner ‘First Artist’.

One Heart – The AR Rahman Concert Film

One Heart

One Heart, a documentary, chronicles the Indian musician’s 2015 concert tour across 14 cities in North America. The 90-minute film will feature segments of performances by him and his musicians and singers, talking about their feelings and journey thus far. The other artistes include singers Jonita Gandhi and Haricharan, and singer/drummer Ranjit Barot.

Having recently completed 25 years in the industry, the Oscar-winning music composer recently told PTI News about how things were when he began composing. “I have always got a mixed response. When Roja came in, people said I will not sustain more than three months. Then Bombay came, people said what is this? Then Rockstar, Slumdog Millionaire, Mom happened. I accept it all. Internally, I try to be honest with my work and I always do this,” he said.

The proceeds from the movie will go to Rahman’s One Heart foundation to help old musicians and their families.

Kareena Kapoor On Nepotism: “Doesn’t It Exist In Every Possible Field?”

BY Sanjana Chakraborty On

Debate on nepotism in Bollywood is refusing to die down. Kareena Kapoor Khan, in an exclusive interview with Filmfare magazine, believes it’s nothing to be surprised about considering it exists everywhere else.

Giving examples to substantiate her point, Kareena mentions how in business families or politics, the child tends to take over.

“In business families, the son takes over the business. A politician’s son takes over his place. These are not considered nepotism but in the industry it makes for a nice read. Also, not many star kids have achieved what their parents have. So I don’t understand why people are going on about it. Basically, the industry is a ruthless place. It’s about talent and survival of the fittest. Otherwise, a lot of star kids would’ve been No. 1 stars in our country,” she says. 

She further adds that this debate is just overrated, since it’s “hard work and talent” that takes one far. Like Kangana Ranaut, she says. “If there’s Alia Bhatt, there’s also Kangana. It’s not only about star kids,” she adds.

The nepotism debate that began when Kangana Ranaut appeared on Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee With Karan, has had several members of the film industry giving their two cents. From calling it out to denying that it exists, the last one to be more vocal about it was Kareena’s husband, Saif Ali Khan, who called it “eugenics” and even compared star kids to “race horses”. In his open letter published by DNA India, Khan wrote: 

“We take a derby winner, mate him with the right mate and see if we can create another grand national winner. So, in that sense, this is the relationship between genetics and star kids. Hope that’s clear?”

Read: Hoard Of Star Kids Set To Make Their On-Screen Debut: Did Anyone Say Nepotism?

‘Call For Fun’ To Release on October 6, Alongside ‘Chef’, ‘Julie 2’

BY IANS On

Call For Fun, which promises to show how “love gets phonier and funnier”, is set for a box office clash with Saif Ali Khan-starrer Chef, suspense-thriller Aksar 2, ensemble cast film Tu Hai Mera Sunday and adult  film Julie 2 on October 6.

Going by the trailer of Call For Fun— that was unveiled on Thursday — the forthcoming film seems to be high on fun, laughter and phone sex talk.

Its over two-minute trailer opens with a group of youngsters dialling a number inspired by the measurement of a woman with an ideal figure. The woman on the other end talks about taking a shower in a sensual way. Soon, they realise that they can earn big by “talking dirty”. Things seem to go fine as their client list gets longer until a don enters. 

Produced by Filmquest, Call For Fun is scripted, directed and co-produced by theatre veteran Janak Toprani. It will launch nine newcomers including a villain this year. 

The new cast includes Zaan Khan, Shubhangi Mehrotra, Charu Asopa, Prashant Kanaujia, Aashish Gade, Priyanka Arya, Swagata Naik Prasad Shikhare and Linesh Fanse.

“The cast members are people whom we have carefully picked over a period of one year depending on the characters they had to portray,” Toprani said in a statement.

“They physically fit the characters perfectly as I believe that right casting wins 50 per cent of the battle.”

Its lead actor Zaan Khan of MTV Splitsvilla fame said: “The film is a roller coaster ride that is a total paisa vasool masala entertainer loaded with humour. It also talks about an issue that is pertinent to today’s youth whose lives revolve around the cell phone.”

“We have thousands of friends on Facebook and are on so many WhatsApp groups, yet today we find more and more people prone to loneliness and depression. The content is totally original and relatable.”

Call For Fun also features theatre funnyman Bharat Dabholkar and Parmeet Sethi in supporting roles. 

‘Kanchana 3’ To Have Three Heroines In Lead Roles

BY Janani Karthik On

Ragava Lawrence’s Kanchana 3, part of the Muni franchise, will go on floors as soon as the FEFSI strike is called off. The pre-production work is underway and the shoot will begin in Chennai after the standoff is resolved. The film will have three heroines in the lead roles.

A source told Silverscreen, “The team is currently looking for a leading heroine and two new faces. Vedhika and other leading actresses have been approached and the team will zero in on one in a couple of days. Auditions are going on for new faces for the other two female leads.”

Lawrence had earlier told Silverscreen that Muni 4 will have a female actor in the lead role. “It may not be a hero, and I am considering a lead female star. I am also  retaining those who are relevant like Kovai Sarala madam who played my mother, Devadarshini, Manobala, and Sreeman in the fourth part as well. Just like Kanchana which addressed transgender issues, in the fourth part, I have taken a different social issue,” he said.

‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ Trailer: Dan Stevens Brings Charles Dickens To Life

The Man Who Invented Christmas is an upcoming film based on a book of the same name, written by Les Standiford. It is directed by Bharat Nalluri, and stars Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Mirian Margolyes, Morfydd Clark, Jonathan Pryce, and others. The film is produced by Parallel Films and Rhombus Media, and will release ahead of Christmas, November 2017. 

A trailer was recently released which shows a young Charles Dickens, whose last three books failed to take off, struggling to write the next big story. He wants to self publish the book which will eventually become A Christmas Carol, featuring the great Mr. Scrooge, and the Ghosts of Christmas Spirit. 

We don’t see much in the trailer which is cut perhaps to pull us into the festive spirit five months before the season. However, glimpses show the writer trying to bring his greatest creation into life. We are sort of told the romantic notion of a writer fighting against odds — having to earn money while making art, battling an indifferent literary establishment even as attempting to engage readers, and having to fight his own internal doubts. 

What we don’t see much is the actual writer. Charles Dickens as played by Dan Stevens, is merely the puppet manipulated by his own creation, Scrooge, played by Christopher Plummer. Perhaps we will see more of the writer, and more of the writing, when the film comes out. 

Bharat Nalluri, a British-Indian filmmaker, is famous for creating the BBC series Hustle, and for directing Spooks. 

 

Image: Bleeker Street

‘Khamosh, Adalat Jaari Hain’: 50-Year-Old Play On Women’s Right To Choice Still Finds Relevance

BY Sohini Chakravorty On

My body, my choice – this affirmation forms the core of pro-choice arguments and women’s right to bodily autonomy. The rhetoric of body politics have shaped the debate around patriarchy, morality and masculinity, thereby forming an integral part in establishing gender parity. Gloria Steinem had said:

The definition of patriarchy is to be able to control reproduction, and that means you have to control women’s bodies.

A woman’s sexuality, her choice to have a child, her getting pigeonholed into roles, and her moral character are discussed, judged, questioned, imposed and politicised by the society.

Hidden among the sans-bahu drivel is the cine-play Khamosh, Adalat Jaari Hain on Hotstar. Written by Vijay Tendulkar in 1963 (Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe) the play is relevant even now. It begins with a rather insouciant Leena Benare (played by Nandita Das) chattering about this and that with mild-mannered Samant (Abhay Mahajan), who is in awe of Benare’s vivacity. The story revolves around a motley theatre group who come to a village to stage a courtroom drama. Benare might be playful, but she is also a woman with a dark past. But who doesn’t have one?

Enter Sukhatme (Saurabh Shukla), the not-so successful lawyer and part-time theatre artiste, sullen Ponkshe (Swanand Kirkire), Karnik (Rajeev Siddhartha), who is labelled to be the advocate of modern theatre, and patrons of the group, Mr and Mrs Kashikar (played by Yusuf Hussain and Pravina Bhagwat Deshpande). Right at the beginning, Benare conveys that the childless couple have adopted a boy, Rokde (Ajitesh Gupta), who is treated “more like a servant than a son.”

A YouTube screen grab of the cineplay.

Between harmless banter, a mock trial is set up to teach debutant Samant the courtroom procedures and it is unanimously agreed upon that the topic should be socially relevant – a woman’s right to abort a child or, as the men vociferously explain or mansplain, a woman’s primary role is that of a mother and it is not just criminal, but sinful to kill a baby, (technically, a foetus). Benare’s attempt to voice her opinion gets drowned in a room full of men and a subservient wife.

A fun exercise soon turns into a series of vicious concocted tales set to malign a woman or rather a woman’s character. How easy it is to put a woman’s character on trial. The veracity of the story is irrelevant as men conveniently think it is their right to judge a woman’s character, her actions, her choices, her way of life.

What was Benare doing in a much-married Professor Damle’s office so late in the evening? There were sounds of a woman crying, probably Benare was pleading something. How can a 30-something woman still be unmarried, has she no moral fabric? While Benare stands in mute horror, she is accused of having an illicit relationship with married men, which was how she became pregnant. A carefree, confident woman is reduced to begging to shield the remaining shreds of her private life. It does not matter what Benare thinks, what her version is, or what the truth is- since it is labelled a mock exercise, the fun must continue even when the “accused” beseeches to be left alone.

One by one, they stand in the witness box and build a narrative, tearing apart Benare’s life. Her illicit relationship with Damle, her coaxing Ponkshe and Rokde to marry her to keep her illegitimate child, her having a relationship with her maternal uncle at the age of 15 (no, nobody asks her whether it was sexual abuse) – what begins as a tutorial on courtroom procedures, soon takes the form of a kangaroo court where the judge stands in the witness box to declare that it is because of Benare’s brazen conduct and her bastard child that she will soon be fired from her job of a school teacher. The mock trial remains a frivolous exercise for others, just another way of whiling away time, while Benare is hung out to dry.

Strong performances by all theatre actors bolster the play. Shukla as the persistent lawyer who manages to turn the narrative against Benare gives a top-notch performance. Das, whose film appearances have become rarer, is a treat to watch. Her transformation from someone who is cheerful, optimistic to a woman torn asunder by societal judgement and voyeurism is quite cathartic. Das’ monologue about bodily autonomy and why women should not be apologetic about their sexual desires and needs, and that their personal life is nobody’s business, is poignant and reaches out to the scores of women who have been put on trial. 

Khamosh, Adalat Jaari Hain will open to theatres soon. The cineplay is available on Hotstar. 

Rishi Kapoor: “One Must Learn Perseverance From Randeep Hooda”

BY IANS On

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor has praised actor Randeep Hooda’s dedication towards his work and says the perseverance of looking and playing a certain character should be learnt from him. 

Randeep had earlier shared a photograph of himself along with Rishi, where he described the 65-year-old as the “real rockstar”.  To that, Rishi replied: “Thank you Randeep. One must learn perseverance to look and play a character from you. Keep it up! You are inspiring!”

Randeep has always gone an extra mile for his roles – be it the title character of Sarabjit or his upcoming film Battle of Saragarhi. The film is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. and is based on the Battle of Saragarhi that took place in 1897 between the British Indian Army and Afghan Orakzai tribesmen, in the North-West Frontier Province.

Oprah Winfrey, Alec Baldwin to Present Emmy Awards

BY IANS On

Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Alec Baldwin, apart from “The Big Sick” actor Kumail Nanjiani are among those who will present trophies at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 17, the Television Academy has announced.

The first round of presenters were announced on Wednesday. Winfrey, who is nominated for her work as executive producer of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, will take the stage, as will Emmy nominees Alec Baldwin of Saturday Night Live and Match Game; and Big Little Lies stars Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, reports variety.com.

Riz Ahmed of The Night Of, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross of Black-ish, and Allison Janney of Mom are in the list too. Other presenters include TV stars Jason Bateman, Jessica Biel, Edie Falco, Anna Faris, Rashida Jones, Debra Messing, Lea Michele, Shemar Moore, Jim Parsons, and Adam Scott.

This year’s Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Stephen Colbert will serve as host. It will be simulcast live in India on Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD on September 18. 

Kerala Police Summons Nadir Shah In Malayalam Actress Abduction Case

BY IANS On

After a marathon 13-hour questioning in June, actor-director Nadir Shah has been asked to re-appear before the probe team in the Malayalam actress’ kidnapping case, a Kerala Police officer said on Thursday.

Shah is currently admitted to a hospital but once dischargedout, he would have to present himself before the police. He has moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which will come up before the court on Friday.

The abduction took place in February, when the actress was on her way from Thrissur to Kochi. 

She was taken around in her vehicle forcefully for about two hours before being dumped near actor-director Lal’s home, from where the police was informed.

Two of the key accused — Pulsar Suni and his accomplice involved in the actual abduction — were arrested a week later.

The Kerla Police team while probing the conspiracy angle asked Shah and actor Dileep to appear before them.

On June 29, after a marathon 13-hour questioning, the two were let off but Dileep after another round of questioning was arrested on July 10.

Dileep has been languishing in a sub jail near here, with three bail pleas rejected.

 

 

Kamal Haasan On Gauri Lankesh’s Murder: “Silencing A Voice With A Gun Is The Worst Way To Win A Debate”

BY IANS On

Kamal Haasan on Thursday condemned the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, saying silencing a voice with a gun is no solution to a debate. Kamal, who last week hinted at forming a political party but made it clear he won’t ally with the “saffron” – the Hindu Right, tweeted:

Lankesh was gunned down at her Bengaluru home on Tuesday night by unidentified assailants. 

Her killing led to wide spread protests and condemnation. Even Bollywood celebrities like Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar and Shekhar Kapur vehemently criticised the attack.

However, some on Twitter, apparently right-wing supporters, said the Kannada journalist “deserved” what she got.

Lankesh was on Wednesday given a state funeral by the Karnataka government. 

TFPC President Says Production Must Carry On, FEFSI Strike Cannot be Permitted

Vishal, the president of the Tamil Nadu Film Producers’ Council (TFPC), has said that the FEFSI strike, and halt in production, will not be permitted. 

Maalai Malar reports on the story. Vishal said, “Producers have invested their money in these films. The problem begins because FEFSI has called for a strike and production is stopped. We cannot permit a stop in shooting. We are in discussions to find a solution to the strike, and will hopefully arrive at it in two days time.”

Vishal also said that producers are forcing actors to take a pay cut, however, this situation came about because producers gave inflated salaries to actors without adequately measuring their market pull and abilities. He added that these days, film revenues, ticket prices, and box-office collections are allowing filmmakers to determine an actor’s true worth, and producers will need to fix their budget based on that.

Meanwhile, Silverscreen reported that FEFSI has made its demands clear, and that the ball is in the TFPC’s court. 

Hoard Of Star Kids Set To Make Their On-Screen Debut: Did Anyone Say Nepotism?

BY Sanjana Chakraborty On

While the debate on nepotism rages on, a hoard of star kids are ready to make their debut soon. So, next time when someone tries to peddle nepotism with eugenics and what not, give them aa well-deserved eye roll.  

via GIPHY

Interestingly, while one Kapoor boy, Aadar Jain, made his debut recently with Qaidi Band, a film that is being recognised as flop despite being bankrolled by Yash Raj Studio, a lot is on the table. Especially considering how YRS have decided to drop projects with newcomers and work with someone established like Akshay Kumar.

Either way, star kids choosing a similar profession like their predecessors come as no surprise. Right from catching a glimpse of them as little children through tabloid photographs to them becoming the millennial’s Instagram icons — here’s a quick look at the star kids with good genes or, as Saif Ali Khan would say, “eugenics”.

Karan Deol

via Twitter

Son of Bollywood strong-man Sunny Deol and Pooja Deol, and grandson of Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’ Dharmendra, will soon make his acting debut in a film titled Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, directed by Sunny himself. The film’s title is inspired from the old Bollywood hit song “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” from the Dharmendra film Blackmail. A romantic drama produced by Vijyata Films, the entertainment company owned by the Deol family, Zee Studios will also pitch in for this star kid’s debut.

Sara Ali Khan

via India Today

Daughter of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, Sara Ali Khan’s debut was inevitable. With “eugenics” that make her appear better than the others (her father’s words, not ours), Sara shares an acting interest thanks to her grandmother, Sharmila Tagore, her parents, and even her aunt.

There was a lot of debate of whether she would act in Karan Johar’s film or make her debut in Hrithik Roshan’s film. But it’s finally official that her debut would be with Sushant Singh Rajput in Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath, a love story set in Kedarnath. The film’s shooting began on September 5 in Uttarakhand.

Pranav Mohanlal

Pranav Mohanlal
via: onlookersmedia.in

Pranav Mohanlal, son of veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal, is all set to make his acting debut with Jeethu Joseph’s next film. Titled Aadhi, the film is a suspense thriller but little is known about Pranav’s role specifically. 

Incidentally, Pranav isn’t new to acting. He made his acting debut at the age of 12 in Onnaman, which starred his father, Mohanlal. He played Mohanlal’s character as a child in the movie. He then went on to win the Kerala State Award for Best Child Artist for Punarjani. As an adult, he went on to become Jeethu Joseph’s assistant on Papanasam and Life of Josutty. 

Jhanvi Kapoor

via IB Times

Much like Sara Ali Khan, Jhanvi Kapoor, daughter of Boney and Sridevi Kapoor, was rumoured to be making her debut in a number of films. But reportedly, she will be seen in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year 2 — a film that saw two star kids, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan, make their debut in the first installment. 

Jhanvi is also being considered for the remake of Marathi film Sairat.

Kalyani Priyadarshan 

via Onmanorama

Daughter of filmmaker Priyadarshan and actress Lissy, Kalyani will be making her acting debut in 24 director Vikram Kumar’s film starring another star kid Akhil Akkineni in the lead. The film is still in its pre-production stage, with rest of the cast and crew yet to be confirmed. A romantic-action film, the film does not mark Kalyani’s debut in cinema though. She earlier worked as an assistant director in the Vikram-Nayanthara film Iru Mugan last year.

Rajinikanth Starrer 2.0 Teaser Will Be Out In November

BY Janani Karthik On

Rajinikanth’s fans will finally get to a glimpse of the actor in action in the teaser of 2.o which will be out in November. A trailer will follow in December. Before that the audio of the film, which has music scored by AR Rahman, will be released in Dubai.

Raju Mahalingam, creative head of Lyca productions, took to Twitter to announce  the latest updates of the film. He tweeted:

 

Shankar unveiled the making video of 2.o on Vinayaka Chathurthi. The video showed lavish set work, meticulous shoot plans, grand fight sequences, and an array of robots. 

 

The first schedule of the film commenced in December 2015 and the shoot was wrapped up a few months ago. The film involves a lot of CG work and is currently in the post-production phase.

 

 

‘Logan Lucky’ Review: A Lumbering Tale With Slack Comedy

BY IANS On

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Brian Gleeson, Jack Quaid, Hilary Swank, Daniel Craig and Jesse White.

A goofy heist film, Logan Lucky is similar yet a far resemblance from director Steven Soderbergh’s repertoire of films. He has delivered an array of memorable films like Ocean’s Eleven, Sex, Lies and Videotape, Erin Brockovich and many more.

This one is a loose and lumbering tale of a ridiculously amusing gang of losers in West Virginia who hit the jackpot by robbing an auto raceway in North Carolina, of its few million dollar bills.

The plot centres on Jimmy Logan, a former football player and a devoted father who gets sacked from his construction job because his limp constitutes a potentially troublesome “pre-existing condition”.

His sibling, Clyde, who lost an arm in Iraq, works as a bartender and reminds him that he along with his family members are cursed with bad luck. To prove him wrong Jimmy, ropes him into his plans to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

So with the help of his siblings, including his sister Mellie (Riley Keough) – a hairdresser – and a few hardened criminals, Jimmy draws up a plan that involves sneaking people out of prison, blowing things up with gummy bears and secret allies within the establishment.

The plot, set in a quirky environment with offbeat elements, employs an off-kilter narrative that’s rife with bizarre digressions. These digressions are evident at the various plot-points, and they do not help the narrative much by way of momentum here. The absurd denouement is unsatisfactory and the film’s Waterloo.

But the persistently affable atmosphere along with the appealing performances including the comic timings of its cast, is what keeps you engaged.

Channing Tatum as Jimmy Logan is charming. His performance is mostly reserved, but the few moments of real emotion are potent enough to give the film an emotional undercurrent.

Adam Driver as his younger brother Clyde, is equally charismatic. His reserved sincerity is perhaps intended as an underplayed contrast and his character is not stretched as a gloomy eccentric. In reality, it just means that he does not get to shine as brilliantly as his co-stars.

Daniel Craig with blonde hair is amusing in a jump-suit as the incarcerated safe cracker Joe Bang, who digs hard boiled eggs despite his high cholesterol levels. He is flawless as he tempers aggression with rough, old-school charm.

The trio are well-supported by Brian Gleeson and Jack Quaid – who ham it up amusingly as idiotic attendants, MacFarlane as the heavily accented millionaire, Hilary Swank as Sarah Grayson – the special agent who is investigating the heist, Katie Holmes as Jimmy’s ex-wife Bobbie Jo, Katherine Waterson as Jimmy’s schoolmate – Sylvia Harrison who now works in a mobile clinic. But unfortunately in miniscule roles, they are all wasted.

Overall, sans the thrilling factor, this hard boiled heist comedy, is unconvincing and difficult to digest.

 

Feature Image: YouTube

Suriya To His Fans: Your Applause Motivated Me, Thumbs Down Helped Me To Learn

BY IANS On

 Acto Suriya  penned an emotional letter to his fans for being an honest support system in his 20-year-long cinematic journey, which he says has been about trying to push the envelope.

Suriya, who made his acting debut with 1997 Tamil film Nerukku Ner, directed by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam, tweeted the post on Wednesday night.

 

 

In his illustrious career, Suriya has starred in memorable films like Nanda, Pitharmagan, Mounam Pesiyidhe, Kaakha Kaakha, Ghajini, Varanam Aayiram, Singam and 24.

His lone Hindi film is Ram Gopal Varma’s Rakht Charitra.

Suriya turned producer with Tamil children’s film Pasanga 2 and also bankrolled his wife Jyotika’s comeback Tamil film 36 Vayadhinile.

 

 

Rashmika Madanna Is The Female Lead In Vijay Devarakonda’s Next

BY Janani Karthik On

Vijay Devarakonda, who is currently basking under the success of Arjun Reddy, will start working on his next film, which will be directed by Parasuram. Kannada actress Rashmika Madanna of Kirik Party fame has been signed on to play the female lead, which is yet another romantic outing for Vijay.

The excited actress took to Twitter:

 

This  project is being bankrolled by Bunny Vaas and presented by Allu Arvind. Earlier, actress Lavanya Tripathi, who is promoting her film, Yuddham Sharanam, with Naga Chaitanya, was roped in as the female lead. Reportedly, she opted out of the film due to date issues and then Rashmika was approached for the role.

Model-turned-actress, Rashmika is engaged to actor Rakshit Shetty, with whom she shared screen space with in Kirik Party.

Photo: Filmbeat

Manjima Mohan In Talks For Malayalam Remake Of ‘Queen’

BY Janani Karthik On

While Kajal Aggarwal has been signed on for Tamil remake of Queen and Tamannaah for the Telugu version and Parul Yadav for Kannada, the  female lead for the Malayalam remake is yet to be finalised. Reportedly, Manjima Mohan has been approached to play Kangana Ranaut’s role.

A source close to the actress told Silverscreen, “Manjima is in talks for the project but nothing is confirmed.” Manjima has wrapped up the shoot of Ippadai Vellum, directed by Gaurav, starring Udayanidhi Stalin.

While the Tamil and Kannada remakes will be directed by Ramesh Arvind, Neelakanta will direct the Telugu one.

All the South Indian remakes of Queen is being bankrolled by Mediente. Ever since the announcement of remake of Queen was made a couple of years ago, the project has undergone a lot of changes in terms of its cast, crew and the production house.

Earlier, actress Revathy was supposed to direct Tamil and Malayalam versions, but she opted out citing, ‘production issues’.  First Amala Paul was considered for the Malayalam remake but she didn’t take up the film.

 

Emmy 2017: Long Way For Gender Parity, Behind-The-Scenes Roles Still Lack Women, Says Study

BY Silverscreen India Staff On

A new study by the Women’s Media Center has found that there was no overall change in the percentage of women nominated in the 89 non-acting categories for Emmy this year. According to a report in Variety, the combined key categories of writing, directing, editing, and producing has seen just one percentage rise.

Through a statement, Julie Burton, president of WMC, said that women still lag behind men in getting influential behind-the-scenes roles such as producing, direction, editing and writing. Interestingly enough, there are 18 non-acting categories with no female nominees, a troubling sign according to Burton.

“While the slight uptick in some categories is encouraging, women still are nowhere near parity and men continue their dominance. Executives must do better in addressing the disparity of women behind the camera,” she said. 

A number of female producers who also got nominated for projects they starred in, including Reese Witherspoon for Big Little Lies, Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon for Feud, Oprah Winfrey for The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks, means that there is a two percent increase in the number of women nominated in the producing category.

The new category — Music Supervision — added some women to the mix while comic actor Samantha Bee was nominated in late-night comedy (usually a male domain) with nods for Full Frontal With Samantha Bee. 

These low numbers are unacceptable to Burton and the WMC as they do not take into account or represent “the tremendous talent, experience, and impact of female writers, producers, editors, and directors.” 

Will Smith Shares First Photo With ‘Aladdin’ Cast

BY IANS On

Will Smith shared a photo with his Aladdin cast recently. Smith, who plays genie in the film, posted the photo on his Facebook page. The filming has begun with Guy Ritchie at the helm of things, according to a report in Variety. 

The photograph shows Smith and co-stars Mena Massoud, who will play Aladdin, Naomi Scott, who will essay Princess Jasmine, and Marwan Kenzari who will play Jafar.

“I’m over here gettin’ my Genie on,” Smith wrote.

Smith takes over the role of the Genie from the late actor Robin Williams, who voiced the role in the 1992 animated film. 

Other cast members in the movie include Navid Negahban (Homeland) as the Sultan; Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (Into The Woods) as Prince Anders, a potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (Homeland) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.

Ritchie is directing from a screenplay by John August based on the animated film Aladdin and stories from One Thousand and One Nights.

 

Image Courtesy: Facebook

Film With Ranveer Singh Is Not A Remake Of Jr NTR’s ‘Temper’, Says Rohit Shetty

BY Sanjana Chakraborty On

Rohit Shetty, who recently bought the rights of Telugu actor Junior NTR’s 2015 film Temper, clarified that while he did buy the rights, the film he’s making will not be a remake with Ranveer Singh in the lead. Speaking to The Indian Express, Shetty said:

“We have bought the rights of Temper but our film is not exactly a remake. We wanted to take four-five scenes from Temper but we thought it’s better to buy the rights. It’s what we did with Singham. Our film was different from the original Singham except for a few scenes. Here also, we have written our own film taking the exact idea.”

The Golmaal director, who said he’s unfazed by comparisons, has confirmed that the shooting will take place in May next year. However, Kajal Aggarwal isn’t a part of the film as he is yet to finalise on a heroine. 

Ranveer, meanwhile, is working with Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period film Padmavati. The film was slated for a November release but has been postponed. 

Temper, an action film written by Vakkantham Vamsi and directed by Puri Jagannadh, had Junior NTR and Kajal Aggarwal in the lead roles. The film was made on a budget of Rs 35 crore and was considered a commercial success, making Rs 74.3 crore in the box-office.

Vijay Sethupathi To Produce Director Gokul’s ‘Junga’

BY Sanjana Chakraborty On

Vijay Sethupathi, who will collaborate with his Idharkkuthaane Aasai Pattai Balakumara director Gokul, will be producing their next film Junga with a whopping Rs 20 crores budget. Sethupathi, who recently turned producer, was on board as producer soon after he was narrated the script.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Gokul said, “When Junga’s script got ready, I narrated the story. After a few minutes of silence, he said he would himself produce the flick since the budget crossed more than Rs 20 crores. Sethupathi knows that the project involves a huge sum and didn’t want to put other producers under the knife. He said he’d come forward to produce it, so that the film becomes his responsibility.”

The film will have Sethupathi play a gangster and he will be paired opposite Vanamagan actress Sayyeshha Saigal. Gokul even reveals that the film will mostly take place in France, with the other parts of the shooting taking place in Chennai, Tuticorin, and Ramanathapuram. 

FEFSI Strike: Deadlock Continues, Union Says Ball Is In TFPC’s Court

BY Janani Karthik On

The Tamil film industry has come to a standstill ever since the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) called for an indefinite strike last Friday. The standoff which is likely to continue for two more days, has affected the work of over 40 films.

FEFSI is clear on their stand and demand, it is up to the Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC) now, says Swaminathan, treasurer of FEFSI.

“FEFSI had made all its demand very clear in the meeting that was held last Sunday. They (TFPC) asked for time to discuss with the other council members and get back to us. They were supposed to hold a meeting but that didn’t happen yesterday. It may happen today and after their meeting, depending on their decision, we will take a call on the strike,” he told Silverscreen. 

“We are waiting for an agreement book to be ready which will take a couple of more days. It is the agreement that FEFSI and TFPC have been maintaining for all these years. With a few minor changes, TFPC has agreed to submit the agreement. Unless that is signed and we receive it, we can’t call off the strike,” said Angamuthu Shanmugam, general secretary.

On Wednesday, there was a FEFSI general body meeting, in which they decided to remove the technician union permanently from FEFSI. The technician union was temporarily removed earlier as they only instigated the strike by stalling shootings and not informing FEFSI about the issue. Now, they have been permanently removed from the FEFSI umbrella.

Meanwhile, Vishal in an interview to Dhina Thanthi, said, “Producers are investing a lot of money in a shoot. We cannot permit FEFSI to carry out an indefinite strike. Talks are on and the issue will be sorted out in a couple of days.”

FEFSI led by president RK Selvamani has been fighting for better pay for the union members. Many have commented that instead of reducing the daily wages of the workers why can’t the actors take a pay cut. Vishal said, “Only producers keep on increasing the actor’s salary without knowing their actual market value. We have to bring a transparent ticketing system and the collection records from the theatres so that an actor’s worth in the market can be ascertained and the producers can fix their salary based on this.”

Selvamani told the media on Monday that though the talks are heading in the positive direction, they are determined not to call off the strike this time unless their demands are met.

One of FEFSI’s major demands is TFPC should agree to work only with FEFSI workers. But the council’s only policy was that they won’t work with FEFSI workers alone. 

Farhan Akhtar Believes Stories Rooted In Indian Ethos Are Finally Getting Their Due

BY IANS On

Farhan Akhtar, who is looking forward to the release of his next movie Lucknow Central – about a music band of prisoners – feels the Indian audience has evolved from fantasy films to stories which are about real issues and are inspired from their surroundings.

Having made his directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai in 2001, Farhan has spent a long time in the film industry dabbling in direction, production, writing, acting and even singing.

Talking about the evolution of story telling in Indian cinema over the years, Farhan said in a statement: “I believe things in the film industry… the stories that are presented, what the audience likes to see, follow a cyclic format which even has an evolution. And it’s a good thing that our audience, writers, and producers want to talk about our people, they want us to talk about our issues. A few years ago, it was the age of NRIs, love stories were very popular. Everyone was eager to witness the presentation of romance and the world of fantasies was blooming. Maybe the audience is now bored of fantasies to some extent and they want to learn about themselves now, share our issues with each other.”

Lucknow Central also features Diana Penty, Gippy Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Inaamulhaq, Ronit Roy and Ravi Kissen. It is directed by Ranjit Tiwari.

Farhan, son of veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, has himself directed movies like Lakshya, Don: The Chase Begins and Don 2, as well as featured in movies like Rock On!!, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do.

He believes in the present times, when content driven cinema is ruling the roost, a lot of stories rooted in the Indian ethos are seeing the light of the day.

“The evolution of story telling or any industry is a gradual process and doesn’t take place overnight. I think at this moment, the film industry has started feeling that there is a scarcity of ideas, so people will enter in the film industry from (different) places. There was a time when a lot of people entered the industry from Delhi… Actors, directors and writers, so a lot of film over the stretch of two to three years were based in Delhi, some three or four years ago. At a given time, almost 15 films were being shot in Delhi,” he said.

Now, he believes, there’s a good amount of writers coming in, pitching better story ideas.

“People are now bored with stories from Delhi, and they are looking to other places. This is what is following… writers are coming in from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan. So when they come, they get in their stories which are influenced by what they have seen, their social environment and now all that is presented in the stories,” he added.