Month: September 2017

Bhumi Pednekar: “I Don’t Judge A Man Based On How Good He Is In Bed!”

BY IANS On

Bhumi Pednekar, whose recent release Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan is based on erectile dysfunction, says that it is ‘pointless’ to attach pride and ego of a man on his genital organ.

“Well, as a girl, I do not judge a man based on how good he is in bed because that performance has nothing to do with how good a human being he is. It is the society that has attached pride, ego, and stamina of a man on a genital organ… which is so stupid and pointless.”

She added: “From the beginning, a boy is told not to cry, not to be vulnerable… They are taught that ‘mard ko dard nahi hota’ (a man does not feel pain). So when they grow up, somewhere in the back of their mind, they start behaving as if their heart is built of stone. The genuine human compassion goes away and ruthlessness gets nurtured. I think now we are living in a progressive society to be open enough to talk about any sexual problem, without being judgemental.”

Her film is progressive and will start a debate around the issue, Bhumi said. “We are not saying that love is enough for a happy marriage, sex is also an important part of it. But when one of your partners is suffering from any sex-related problem, both should be open to talking and resolving the issue without making it a taboo, without hesitation. And supporting each other is possible only if they are bonded over love.”

Directed by R.S. Prasanna and produced by Aanand L Rai, the film released on Friday.

Kamal Haasan Discusses ‘South Indian Politics’ With Kerala CM

BY IANS On

Noted film actor Kamal Haasan and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met here on Friday and discussed, among other things, the political situation in Tamil Nadu.

Revealing this, Vijayan said in a Facebook post that they have known each other for long and they always meet whenever the actor visits Kerala.

“Today’s meeting was the first one after I became Chief Minister. Even though the visit was personal in nature, we discussed south Indian politics and also the overall political situation in Tamil Nadu,” he said.

The Marxist leader received the acclaimed actor, dressed in a black shirt and dhoti, at the car porch. Also present at the meeting were Vijayan’s wife Kamala and other family members.

Kamal Haasan has in recent times made comments critical of Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK party.

‘The Bionic Woman’ Actor Richard Anderson Dies At 91

BY IANS On

Actor Richard Anderson, who portrayed Oscar Goldman in the 1970s series The Six Million Dollar Man and its spinoff The Bionic Woman, has passed away. He was 91.

Anderson breathed his last on Thursday, reports variety.com.

Anderson, who was mentored by actor Cary Grant and received a career boost when he was cast in Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war classic Paths of Glory, died at his home in Beverly Hills, his publicist Jonathan Taylor announced.

He also portrayed a colonel in another notable war film, Seven Days in May.

His first wife was Carol Lee Ladd, the step-daughter of actor Alan Ladd. His second wife was Katharine Thalberg, the daughter of Oscar-winning actress Norma Shearer. Both marriages ended in divorce.

Anderson is survived by his daughters Ashley, Brooke and Deva.

 

Image Courtesy: NY Times

Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Begin Delhi Schedule for ‘Veere Di Wedding’

BY IANS On

Actresses Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan flew in to the capital for the shooting of the first schedule of Veere Di Wedding.

Sonam’s sister and film’s co-producer Rhea Kapoor says the team is excited to start the shoot here. “Delhi is a key location. The food, the fashion and everything it has to offer in terms of the lifestyle sector made it the ideal location to shoot Veere Di Wedding,” Rhea said in a statement. 

The film also stars Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania. Veere Di Wedding is a fun ride that explores the spirit of the modern Indian woman. The first schedule will be shot here and will extend for over a month. Talking about shooting in the capital, co-producer Ekta Kapoor added: “Delhi forms an essential part of the narrative of the film and as a city it adds to the vibe of Veere in a big way! Bebo, Sonam, Swara and Shikha are going to take Delhi by storm and all of that will translate beautifully onto the screen”.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh and written by Mehul Suri and Nidhi Mehra, Veere Di Wedding will have a 2018 release.

Puriyatha Puthir Release: Screenings Will Begin from Afternoon Shows, Says Director

BY Janani Karthik On

The morning shows of the Vijay Sethupathi starrer Puriyatha Puthir were cancelled. However, director Ranjith Jeyakodi says that the film will run from the afternoon shows. Ranjith told Silverscreen, “Morning shows were stalled due to some unavoidable issues. The film will run from the afternoon shows today.”

It was reported that the court had stalled the release, after a petition was filed that alleged that the producers had to settle payment to crew and staff who worked on the film. “Payment to workers issue was sorted lat night itself. We had other unavoidable issue at the time of the release this morning, and that also has now been sorted out. Afternoon shows will run as per plan,” Satish of JSK Films, told Silverscreen.

Meanwhile, a Vijay Sethupathi video which features him playing the guitar went viral on social media. The actor posted the video ahead of the film’s release. Vijay, who plays a musician in Puriyatha Puthir, attended piano and guitar classes for his role.

Here is the video:

 

Jiah Case: Lower Court to Proceed With Trial Against Sooraj Pancholi

BY Janani Karthik On

The Bombay High Court has ordered trial against actor Sooraj Pancholi, in the Jiah Khan case. The trial will now proceed in a lower court.

Ever since her death in 2013, Jiah Khan’s mother, Rabia Khan, has been claiming that Jiah was murdered by actor Sooraj Pancholi. Sooraj was accused of abetting the suicide of Jiah, his then girlfriend, and was arrested. He was later released after the High Court granted him bail. The case was transferred to the CBI by the High Court, on Rabia’s petition that police was not probing it properly. 

However, when the  CBI filed a charge sheet in the case, Rabia again petitioned the court seeking a Special Investigation Team to be setup to investigate the case as she was against the CBI’s concurrence with the Mumbai police that it was a case of suicide and not homicide.  

Now, a division bench of justices of the Bombay High Court heard another petition filed by Jiah’s mother Rabia Khan seeking appointment of advocate Dinesh Tiwari as special public prosecutor in the matter. Rabia Khan in a petition to the court, claimed that she did not want CBI’s counsel to conduct the trial on behalf of the prosecution as she disagrees with the CBI’s conclusion that Jiah had committed suicide. Following this, the Bombay High Court today has ordered a lower court to proceed with the trial against actor Sooraj Pancholi.

According to a report in NDTV, “The high court today posted Rabia Khan’s petition for hearing on September 11 but said, “We make it clear that proceedings in the trial court not stayed. The trial can go on against the accused person.”

Photo: Twitter

Rana Daggubati: “As an Actor, I am Glad to Experiment with Genres and Platforms”

BY IANS On

Actor Rana Daggubati, whose towering personality is hard to miss in the poster of his upcoming thriller digital series Social, says he is happy to work in a variety of genres and on different platforms. Digital streaming platform Viu on Friday released a poster featuring the debonair Rana, and asking whether social media is a boon or a bane.

Rana is also presenting the bilingual fiction thriller that is being shot in Hindi and Telugu simultaneously. Talking about it, the actor said in a statement: “This is my first digital fiction and I strongly feel that with Social we are offering some exciting yet relevant content to our viewers.”

“It is a story that will connect with the digital-first audience and as an actor I am glad to be experimenting with different genres and platforms. Today, social media is a big part of our lives and with this show we are portraying the need to be aware of the reality and consequences of our actions in the digital world.”

Produced by Whacked Out Media and Guru Films, and set in Hyderabad, the 13-episode series is a story about four diverse individuals who come together to solve the mystery of a missing girl.

The show, to be launched on September 8, is based on the theme of social media and hopes to make people aware of the reality of cyber crimes and how internet also becomes the saviour. Directed by Shashi Sudigala, the show will see the Baahubali star with Naveen Kasturia playing the protagonist.

Bollywood actor Priya Banerjee will be seen in the role of an aspiring actress in the show. Actors Aradhana Uppal, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan and Preeti Asrani will also essay crucial roles in the series.

Naveen, who essays the role of the brother of the girl who goes missing, said: “This show is carefully created for the digital medium ensuring a captivating storyline for the audience who are open to viewing differentiated content. Working with Rana and Priya has been very exciting as well. While shooting we keep improvising a lot and try to keep the process a bit more dynamic.” 

Priya is making her digital debut with the show, and she believes “digital platforms have a strong impact with their content on millennials”.

Prasoon Joshi As CBFC Chief: “My Role Is Not To Micromanage”

BY Janani Karthik On

The new Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief, Prasoon Joshi, have been talking about bringing in positive changes in the CBFC for sometime now.

In a recent interview to The Indian Express, Joshi talked about his role and the changes that he would be making in the board. He said, “Let’s not discredit the CBFC. The body and its officials work hard to fulfill their part of the work. The scope to do better is there in all spheres of all industries. As far as I can see, my role is not to micromanage but that of guiding sensibilities — to be more of a sensor according to changing times as well as not lose moorings in the velocity of change. Striking a fine balance is always a challenge worth attempting.”

While the demand for CBFC to function as a certification body and not as a ‘censor board’ has been growing within the film industry. He said, “There are views that content should be certified only and the audience should decide what is good and bad for them. I can understand that. But we can ensure that those not in an empowered state to decide are kept in mind. Say for example, children and some other vulnerable ends of our society. I believe in the power of informed choice. And for that to come into play it’s important that there are no gaps in audience awareness and information given to them about the kind of content being presented. Accountability and responsibility should be from all ends if we have to progress as a society.”

 

Akshay Kumar To Star In The Hindi Remake Of Ajith’s ‘Veeram’

BY Janani Karthik On

Akshay Kumar will play Ajith’s role in the Hindi remake of Veeram, which has been titled Land of Lungi (LOL). To be directed by Farhad of Sajid-Farhad duo, this film is bankrolled by Sajid Nadiadwala.

According to a report in DNA, Akshay will sport a lungi-clad look. Earlier, he had starred in the Hindi remake of Boss. Tamannaah, who played the female lead in the original, may land the same role, considering she has worked with Akshay earlier. Of late, he has done films that have social messages like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman. But LOL will be a complete entertainer.

After their debut film Entertainment, Sajid and Farhad parted ways. Before that they had written scripts for films, including Golmaal Returns, All The Best: Fun Begins, Housefull 2, Ready, Golmaal 3, Singham, Bol Bachchan, and Chashme Baddoor.

“Akshay is very comfortable with Farhad’s humour. As for Akshay and Sajid, this will be their ninth film together. They make a great team and are good friends, too. The original film had done good business, so, this seems like a safe bet,” a source told DNA.

Saif Ali Khan: There’s No One Better Than Salman Khan To Lead ‘Race 3’

BY IANS On

Saif Ali Khan approves of the decision to rope in Salman Khan as the lead of Race 3. At the trailer launch event of Chef, Saif said,

“Actually Ramesh had told me about this last year that he wants to make a new film in the franchise, ‘Race 3’, and wanted to take up a new cast. I love Rameshji and who better than Salman Khan for this. I wish them both very good luck. But I have not been approached.”

Meanwhile, Saif is excited about Chef, which is inspired by Jon Favreau’s eponymous film. The makers have made necessary changes to add an Indian touch to the story. The trailer of the film showcases love between family, specially between father and son.

Saif said that the film is about giving time to the important things in life, and that he’s trying hard to maintain a proper work – leisure balance in his life.  “In fact, the film is also about giving time to important things in life. While working, I would like to do 7 to 7 shifts if I can. That would be good, so that I can see him early in the morning and when I come home, I get to spend decent amount of time with Taimur. If we shoot 9-9 or if we have the wrong shifts, then sometimes we don’t get to see our kids at all.

“In the earlier days, filmmakers used to shoot in many shifts and we couldn’t see our parents for a long time. So I think we are all more conscious about it now and we balance things. I am still lucky I have some help at home. My wife and I try and balance it as much as we can, so one of us is always around. But I guess some people can’t do that and I feel bad for them. You have to support your children as well, so you have to work. But this balance is what it is all about and it is the most important thing in life.”

Chef, presented by T-Series, will release on October 6.

Bhumi Pednekar Interview: “I’m not an accidental actress”

BY Subha J Rao On

As children Bhumi Pednekar and her sister’s favourite pastime was flopping down on their mother’s bed and engaging in endless conversations. During one such chat, Bhumi told her mother she would become an actress.

“So, yes, I’m not an accidental actress. I meant to be here. The path I took was different, but I knew I would be here,” says the assured performer, whose latest Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (SMS) directed by RS Prasanna, released on September 1.

Having said that, Bhumi confesses she did not join YRF as assistant casting director in the hope of getting launched. “I would have otherwise been packed off to London to study. I wanted to enter the industry, and working with YRF meant being part of the fraternity. YRF is like my film school; I’ve done so many things there, and it taught me a lot.”

It is this confidence that saw Bhumi take up a role such as Sandhya in Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Jaya in Toilet Ek Prem Katha and Sugandha in SMS. Each of these roles has seen the Mumbai born and bred actress travel to the hinterland. How difficult was it to absorb influences of small-town India and make them her own? “Though I’ve been raised in a metropolis, I think I’ve picked up enough material for some more films set outside of it. I love to be around people, and strike a conversation with them. I people-watch, and you absorb so much,” says Bhumi.

Going by the promotion exercise for the film, Bhumi comes across as someone with a funny bone. “Oh yes. I believe humour stems from intelligence and wit, and I think I’m a fairly smart person. I don’t take myself too seriously and like joking around. I always tend to see the humour in any situation. It allows you to move on. It helps that I love discussing my imperfections and flaws,” she says.

It was one such face that she showed in her debut, piling on 27 kilograms. “Everyone wondered if I was unwell or depressed, because I was rapidly gaining weight. But, I saw myself through my family’s eyes — my parents have always told my sister and I that we are beautiful inside out, and in my mind, I look a certain way; that will never change. I realised how much I’d piled on only when I watched the movie on screen.”

Speaking about SMS, Bhumi said she never had to think much before committing to it. “It is about a couple dealing with a situation; it is a sensitive, unique love story. My character stands by the boy through everything, because she sees so many good traits in him.”

If she looks and feels real in the film, that’s because the writer of SMS Hitesh Kewalya rooted the Tamil original Kalyana Samayal Saadham in Hardwar and lent it the pizzazz of small-town India.

“As an actor, I believe in research. I do my homework before hitting the sets. But, these days, writers and directors come well prepared, even before the script reaches us.”

Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi’s careers have met at a sweet spot with SMS. “We are kindred souls and think similarly. We’ve become better friends now. We are both subtle, real actors. Of course, if a script comes along, I might take up an over-the-top role. I might not be comfortable in it, but I can pull it off,” says Bhumi.

Has she ever received a film that is in tune with the real Bhumi? “I did get offers, but my policy is this: The script is king. If wearing jeans and a tee will get me more work in a bad film, I prefer my salwar kamzees in a good film,” says Bhumi, whose next is with Abhishek Chaubey. “I want to do a nice mix of films. I grew up watching Smitha Patil, Shabana Azmi and the works of veterans such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya. So, yes to song and dance, but also to sensible content.”

How does Bhumi rate herself as an actor? “Very poorly, I’m extremely critical of myself. When I watch myself, I feel I would have done better. I’ll be happy if people tell me SMS is my best performance. That means, I’ve learnt something from the previous film.”

And no, all the adulation never permeates her personal space. “I continue to have the same non-filmi friends, and go back to a loving home. But, I do get upset when people comment on my behaviour, because, in my life, it is a direct comment on my family. And, my parents raised their daughters well.”

FEFSI Announces Yet Another Indefinite Strike

BY Vandhana On

The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) has announced an indefinite strike from September 1.

According to its chief, RK Selvamani, the decision was made with “utmost difficulty”. “We were forced to do this as Vishal and company had asked film students and other non-FEFSI technicians to apply for various positions with The Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC). When there is negotiation going on with us, this move was really surprising. After much thought and discussions, we’ve decided to hold the strike.”

This is the second such strike in the last few months. Last time around, Selvamani abandoned the strike at the request of actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Talks with the TFPC were initiated but were to no avail.

Selvamani says that the strike will affect at least a dozen films that are being shot in the state at present. “We realise that it will cause untold agony and loss of money to producers, but right now, we have no other choice. This is the only platform we can use to make sure our cause is known.”

Meanwhile, a source from the TFPC said that such tactics will not yield results for FEFSI. “They have again tried bullying methods. We will not respond to such threats.”

Selvamani says that the FEFSI plans to hold a rally in Valluvar Kottam, Chennai on September 5.

Sandeep Vanga Interview: “Arjun Reddy’s Script Was Making Producers Doze Off”

BY Vandhana On

Rarely has a Telugu movie transfixed its audience as much as Sandeep Vanga’s Arjun Reddy.

In the past few weeks, everybody from Ram Gopal Varma to Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been raving about it. With a deeply flawed, broken young man as its hero, Arjun Reddy is an exploration of what happens to the male psyche, especially the Indian male psyche, when it runs into heartbreak.

Drugs, violence, attempted rape – all show up as manifestations of a raging mind and a bruised heart that can find no solace. 

Sandeep, the film’s director, was perhaps influenced by Devdas. But he makes no mention of it during our conversation. Instead, he cites Selvaraghavan’s 7G Brindavan Colony, A Requiem For A Dream, and Tamasha as influences. All are films that, in essence, reflect some of the moods and emotions of Arjun Reddy.

***

“My film is basically a love story. Its about the relationship between a Telugu boy and a Tulu girl. It may sound like your routine Telugu film, but it is unconventional the way Hrudayam was unconventional.

“I grew up in Warangal, where Hrudayam – a movie in which the hero and heroine do not interact at all – ran for a good hundred days. So there’s a lot you can do within this format, irrespective of whether the one line is typical or not. I believe that I did a good job with this film, and  I think that counts.”

Sandeep’s film, with its ‘kissing’ posters and uncensored teaser, ran into roadblocks on its way to the theatres. In the film itself, Arjun walks around naked, tries to force himself on a neighbour, and is shown to have performed surgery while intoxicated.

Controversial, and yet Sandeep chose to show them onscreen. He says it was necessary.

“I think, right off the bat, we kind of knew that this film would provoke some intense reactions. So we were prepared somewhat. I had an idea, a vision almost, about how the lead would behave and interact in the film. I wanted to stay true to that. I did not want to compromise in any way whatsoever.”

Initially, Sharwanand was to play the lead. But that didn’t work out.

“We met several producers who were frankly baffled that I would use ‘such a film’ ‘such a script’ for my debut. ‘Why don’t you go to Bollywood,’ was the constant refrain. At one point, the only way this film could have launched was with an upcoming hero and a smaller budget. My father and brother pitched in, and so the onus was on me to deliver a good product.”

Arjun Reddy may have audiences in awe today, but at one point, just the script narration had a few producers dozing off. Sandeep laughs, “That wasn’t exactly a promising sign then.”

Arjun Reddy, as the title suggests, is focused on its hero.

An arrogant man prone to temper tantrums, Arjun is by no means a knight in shining armour. “He is a guy shaped by the society around him. So many millennials are confused. Their parents belong to a time when ‘listening to your parents’ was the best thing to do.

“Now, that is not the case. There’s liberation, rebellion and what not. It’s a a changing phase. And people like Arjun are a product of this time. People who cannot make sense of loss, or pain. Who struggle with it.”

Curiously enough, Sandeep faced very little trouble when it came to the censor board. “The CBFC heard me out, I must say. I explained the reason behind the kissing scenes, the drugs. They didn’t touch any of those scenes.

“I have to say, that really helped.”

Sandeep’s argument was that everything in the film was artistic expression. “There are so many films these days in which they zoom into a woman’s private areas, and try to titillate the audience. This is unforgivable, unpardonable.

“A kiss, on the other hand, is a natural expression of the feelings a man has for his woman. There’s just no way you can explain away the first. But the kiss, yeah, I can explain that to people.”

The hero’s sense of entitlement has rubbed some people the wrong way.

“And that I totally respect. There’s no way a character can be universally loved without being lame, one-dimensional even. So when there’s such a response, I am happy. Arjun is not a guy that everybody can love. He has flaws. He is not the best.

“But, he is a man who loves, loved and is in love. That’s it.”

Now that he has paid back his father and brother, and ‘not brought them to the streets,’ Sandeep wants to have a meeting with Jr NTR and Allu Arjun. “I have a good script waiting,” he says.

The fans are also waiting.

*****

Kangana Ranaut: “Hrithik Has Been Running & Hiding From Me!”

BY IANS On

Actress Kangana Ranaut, who got involved in a legal battle with Hrithik Roshan last year, says their fight is still not over as she deserves an apology from the actor and his father Rakesh Roshan.

Kangana opened up on the controversy once again on CNN-News18’s show Now Showing, according to a statement from the channel.

The actress says the senior Roshan had tried to fix a meeting between her and Hrithik. “I’m still waiting to meet him face-to-face and exchange two words on this and sort this out, but he’s been running and hiding from me,” Kangana said.

“He (Hrithik) and his father have made fools of themselves, they should apologise to me in public. Even if they don’t, I will clarify to the world what happened to the case. The case has not died down. They couldn’t prove anything,” she added.

Issues between the two began when Kangana hinted at Hrithik being her “ex-boyfriend” when she said in an interview that she failed to understand “why exes do silly things to get your attention”. The actress lodged a legal complaint against Hrithik for “misusing” the confidential emails and photographs of the time when they were together.

Hrithik later filed a complaint with the cyber crime cell, claiming an imposter had been emailing Kangana from a bogus email ID, pretending to be him.

“For me it’s important that he (Hrithik) claimed many things, but couldn’t prove anything. You can’t go about slapping notices on people. He had been preparing all this for two years. He used to send himself emails from my account because he had my password,” Kangana said.

“I stayed quiet till now because I needed time to understand what all they (Roshan family) were doing… Of course it was all lies, but I didn’t know what they would do next. I was scared. Look at what happened to the Malayalam actress because she went and complained to the actor’s wife. 

“They got her raped… Of course that was much after my case, but I was scared. So many things happen to women. The media would call me, or my sister and say, ‘You are not safe… You guys should move to a safe place or go in hiding’.”

Without naming anyone, Kangana said she used to get calls from people from the industry who told her, “You should apologise, they are powerful people.”

“He (Hrithik) and his father claimed they would expose me and shock the world, but they couldn’t prove anything. He (Hrithik) slapped a notice saying she caused great harm to my reputation because she called me a ‘silly ex’… I am the silly ex. But, he couldn’t prove it. So, he changed his stance and said… She’s right, she had an affair, but that wasn’t me, it was an imposter. But, he couldn’t prove that also,” Kangana said.

The show featuring the Queen actress will be aired later on Thursday.

Akshay Kumar In ‘Veeram’ Remake; Prasoon Joshi Says He’s A ‘Sensor’

BY Vandhana On

A quick look at everything making news in the world of Cinema today!

Sign On

Akshay Kumar will act in Land Of Lungi, the remake of Tamil film Veeram

Salman Khan will take over from Saif Ali Khan as the male lead of Race 3

Spotlight

Prasoon Joshi says that he wants to be more of a sensor than a censor. “As far as I can see, my role is not to micromanage but that of guiding sensibilities — to be more of a sensor according to changing times as well as not lose moorings in the velocity of change. Striking a fine balance is always a challenge worth attempting.”

Timeout

The FEFSI has called for yet another indefinite strike from September 1. Last time around RK Selvamani and co. decided to call off the strike at the behest of actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Talks were initiated with TFPC, but to no avail. Now, Selvamani says that he made the decision with ‘utmost difficulty’ and that they had no other choice. This strike is expected to hurt the progress of atleast a dozen films currently being shot across the state.

Let them eat cake!

Actors Ram Kapoor, Padma Lakshmi, Mumaith Khan will all turn a year older today!