Musical success led to Bollywood innings: Jassi Gill

28/01/2020
Known for belting out foot-tapping Punjabi hits like "Nikle currant", "Attt Karti" and "Lamborghini" (which features in the Bollywood film "Jai Mummy Di"), singer-actor Jassi Gill has attributed his entry into Bollywood to his flourishing music career. "I have started everything with my music career. Through music video, I was offered my first Punjabi film. My first Bollywood film, too, was offered because of my music video. Everything started with my music career and I am enjoying this journe...

Signed ‘Radhe’ for story and my character: Disha Patani

28/01/2020
Disha Patani is set to star opposite Salman Khan in "Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai" and the actor says she is looking forward to the project which marks their second collaboration after "Bharat". Disha said Salman offered her the film and she decided to do it as it also gave her an opportunity to work with filmmaker-choreographer Prabhu Dheva. "Salman sir just asked me if I would like to do the film. I said yes. There is a reason why I chose to do the film, besides the fact that it had Salman ...

Amitabh Bachchan still doing Shantaram?

28/01/2020
Gregory David Roberts’ bestselling-novel Shantaram about an Australian fugitive making a new life for himself in the slums of Mumbai, has finally been acquired as a 10-part series by Apple Inc. The popular Charlie Hunnam plays the title character, who has an epic cultural adventure in Mumbai while hiding from the law. The novel, based on the author’s own life, was first offered to Mira Nair almost 20 years ago as a feature film with Johnny Depp as a producer. Joel Edgerton was to play the lea...

Winning us each time with different characters, playing a policeman is now on Hrithik Roshan’s bucket list!

28/01/2020
Hrithik Roshan has always given us some memorable characters and many memorable films. From acing certain challenging roles like Kaabil to being the best when it comes to action with his most recent release WAR, the character of a policeman is what amuses the actor and he wants to play it on screen- something we would love to see is on his bucket list! Recently at an event in the city, Hrithik addressing the gathering shared, "In my entire life, I have essayed all kinds of roles. However, I ha...

Padma Shri honour for Bollywood heavyweights

28/01/2020
You really didn’t expect Deepika Padukone to be conferred with a Padma award, did you? Not after her JNU visit for sure. This Republic Day, the Government in all its time-tested wisdom has decided to honour a self-consciously motley crew from the Indian entertainment industry with Padma Shris. So there are the three K’s, Kangana Ranaut and Karan Johar (who can’t stand each other) and Ekta Kapoor whose television serials with titles beginning with the letter ‘K’ not-so-subtly redefined t...

New Netflix special is my humble love letter to India: Vir Das

28/01/2020
Three years on the road and two Netflix stand-up specials later, actor-comic Vir Das is paying homage to India through his next project, which he says is a "love letter" to his country. "Vir Das: For India" follows Das' previous Netflix specials "A Broad Understanding" (2017) and "Losing It" (2018). But unlike these two, the new stand-up is shot in India and is all about the country. The actor said he has been touring the US for long and felt it was about time he did something for his Indian ...

Novelty inspires me: Ayushmann Khurrana

26/01/2020
Known for portraying ordinary men - often flawed and insecure - with almost no one character being similar to the other, Ayushmann Khuranna says novelty of any kind inspires him. "Novelty inspires me, any kind, any shape or form. It could be the first attempt in Hindi cinema. That inspires me. "Any person living a mundane life, 9 to 5, and still motivated to live, that inspires me, because as an artist you have a very vibrant life. You live a different character each day," Khurrana said durin...

Kiara Advani says she never looked at Kabir Singh as a hero in any manner

26/01/2020
Last year’s blockbuster, Kabir Singh surely changed the course of her career. Since then, Kiara Advani has been on a roll with several big-ticket films and another major hit (Good Newwz; 2019) under her belt. But even now, the actor gets questioned about the Shahid Kapoor-starrer and her ‘submissive, weak’ character in it even as a section of people felt that the film endorsed toxic masculinity. Kiara, on her part, is clear that she “didn’t look at him (Kabir) as a hero in any manner”. “He w...

Tabu’s a professional

26/01/2020
The Jawaani Janemaan actress continues to be timely and prepared for all her engagements. A young 14-year-old named Tabu was cast as Dev Anand’s daughter in Hum Naujawan (1985), and immediately the actress had become a name to remember. Her acting chops and her professionalism are both revered in the industry, and she continues to bring her A-game to everything. The actress’ most recent display of professionalism was on the set of the Kapil Sharma Show, which she was slated to appear on to pr...

Republic Day is a day to celebrate our nation: Shama Sikander

26/01/2020
Actress Shama Sikander is looking forward to celebrating Republic Day on January 26. She says our biggest strength is our unity in diversity and that has to be preserved at any cost. "I would like to wish the entire nation a Happy Republic Day. This day is extremely important as it stands for unity in India. I would urge everyone to participate in this and be a part of a flag hoisting ceremony. Indian needs to know about their glorious past. We are a very young country and we have to empower...

Needed to express myself: Sona Mohapatra

26/01/2020
Sona Mohapatra's offering, Shut Up Sona, is set for its international première at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The 2019 documentary chronicles her journey to becoming an artiste in Bollywood, her love for the country, and how she emerged as the face of the #MeToo movement. Deepti Gupta's directorial venture sheds light on her uncomfortable relationship with her country. The singer-actor tells mid-day that the international event will be special for her for more reasons than one...

Silence is golden: Saif Ali Khan

26/01/2020
There is an alarming new formula for pseudo-historical potboilers on Hindi cinema: The brave indomitable Hindu warrior versus the evil Islamic invader. The latest film to use this trope is Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, in which Saif Ali Khan plays the aggressor. However, the actor finds that history is being distorted by using such tactics. “It bothers me as an Indian or a human being. Maybe I’d be more careful next time. I don’t think this is history. I am aware of what history was. I don’t ...

I am awestruck by the grandeur of the sets: Bhagyashree

26/01/2020
Actress Bhagyashree, who joined the sets of Prabhas’ upcoming film on Wednesday in Hyderabad, couldn’t stop raving about the grandeur of the sets constructed by the National award winning production designer, Ravinder Reddy. “Believe me, it’s like heaven on earth! I’m sure the audience will experience the opulence while watching the film,” she gushes. The actress, who’s playing Prabhas’ mother in the film, says there’s a lot more to her role. “There’s a wow factor that surrounds the role,...

I was becoming complacent and unhappy: Richa Chadha

25/01/2020
Richa Chadha says she has always strived to do roles that challenge her as an actor but there was a time in her career when she felt uninspired. The actor decided to take time off work to reflect on what was important for her as an artiste. "There was time when I felt bored as an actor. In the middle, I took six months off, I tried to write, learn music, travel, sketch. It was a time when I would go on sets and the director would say, 'You are a good actress, you will do it'. I was hungry to ...

Janhvi Kapoor satisfying our cravings for red-velvet cake in a saree!

25/01/2020
Like mother like daughter, just like Sridevi Ji her daughter Janhvi Kapoor carries a saree as gracefully. Be it any color or style Janhvi can carry it all. She raises the bars of hotness with every look of hers and in her recent pre-red carpet shoot she is breathtaking in a Manish Malhotra's design posed along with her father Boney Kapoor. Janhvi Kapoor looked drop-dead gorgeous in scarlet red saree that she wore to Umang 2020. The saree was so elegantly draped to make the actress look volup...

Eesha Rebba to debut in Hindi

25/01/2020
Actress Eesha Rebba is reportedly paired opposite Sonam Kapoor’s brother, Harshvardhan Kapoor. Now, this is big news! Amidst constant criticism that Telugu actresses do not get enough opportunities in Tollywood, actress Eesha Rebba has pulled off something worth discussing. The Raagala 24 Gantallo star has been cast as the leading lady in a yet-untitled Hindi film, starring Harshvardhan Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor’s brother. Screenwriter and actor Raj Singh Chaudhary, who won the National Award for...

Working with Kangana Ranaut was interesting: Jassie Gill

25/01/2020
Jasdeep Singh Gill aka Jassie Gill is a force to be reckoned with both in the musical field and on the celluloid. Having worked in a few Punjabi films such as Mr and Mrs 420 and Sargi among others, Jassi made his Bollywood film debut in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. And now with his second Bollywood outing Panga, Jassi has been raking in a lot of recognition, especially for playing a pivotal role of Kangana Ranaut’s husband in the film. Talking about his experience of working with Kangana, Jassi ...

No Panga for Remo D’souza

25/01/2020
This Republic Day, while Varun Dhawan clashes with Shradha Kapoor on the dance floor in Street Dancer 3D and Kangana Ranaut clashes with kabaddi players in the akhada in Panga, the two parent films are poised for a face-off at the box office. However, the Street Dancer 3D director Remo D’souza sees no conflict of interest with the other film. Remo met Kangana on the dance reality show Dance India Dance, that he judges, when she came as a guest. The two met warmly and shared positive vibes. “I...

Health is number one on my priority list: Soha Ali Khan

25/01/2020
Soha Ali Khan says taking care of health is number one on her priority list. "There is a saying that health is wealth, so health comes number one my priority list. If you don't feel good and if you don't take your health seriously then it's very difficult to be happy, to be productive and to enjoy your life. I feel staying healthy is important for your career, family or anything especially to women. We (women) know how important it is," said Soha, at a product launch of the haircare brand Sys...

The Humble Turban Hero

25/01/2020
The Good looking actor considers himself lucky to be the first Sikh to be playing lead roles in Hindi films. Diljit Dosanjh may already be a household name in Punjabi cinema, but the actor is carving a niche in Bollywood too. Despite his immense stardom, which means roles being written especially for him by the biggest of production houses in the industry, the man himself remains quiet and exceptionally humble. He also hasn’t forgotten his roots, hoping to do at least one Punjabi film a year. ...

I want to make landmark films: Kangana Ranaut

24/01/2020
Kangana Ranaut is currently gearing up for the release of Panga. The Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari directorial is the story of a mother who decides to make a comeback as a Kabbadi player at the age of 32. But that’s not all, the actor has also been devoting a lot of time to her production house Manikarnika Films. During a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, Kangana opened up about the plans she has for her production house, and what kind of films she will be making. Kangana Ranaut said, “I will onl...

‘Panga’ made me realise we never think about our mothers’ dreams: Jassie Gill

24/01/2020
Punjabi actor-singer Jassie Gill says the society has never cared about the dreams of mothers and his latest "Panga" made him realise how he never knew what his mother wanted to do in life. The 31-year-old actor stars opposite Kangana Ranaut in the Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari-directed film which follows the life of a forgotten kabaddi champion who returns to pursue her dreams. "When I heard the story, I realised that my mother was also doing the routine work day in and out, without complaining. We nev...

Salman has liked the idea of my next film: Sooraj Barjatya

24/01/2020
Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya on Tuesday revealed that he is already penning his next film and his frequent collaborator, superstar Salman Khan, has liked the idea. The 54-year-old actor and the filmmaker, who started their Bollywood journeys together with 1989’s Maine Pyaar Kiya, last worked together in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). “I am writing it. In a year or two, I will be done. I have discussed the idea with Salman and he has liked it. It is in my space family, drama and emotions,” Barjatya ...

You spent your entire life in frustration: Anupam Kher

24/01/2020
Slamming veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah who called him a "clown" and a "sychophant", Anupam Kher on Wednesday said his "A Wednesday" co star had spent his entire life in frustration despite a successful career. The statement came against the backdrop of Shah's interview with an online news portal in which he had called Kher a sycophant and a clown. Kher took to Twitter and shared a video of him where he launches a scathing attack against the veteran actor, whom he said had criticised other act...

Shabana Azmi to be discharged soon, Javed Akhtar says ‘No serious harm was done’

24/01/2020
Shabana Azmi is recovering fast and can be discharged from the Kokilabehn Dhirubhai Ambani hospital soon. A report in Bollywood Hungama has quoted Javed Akhtar as saying, “There is good news. All tests and medical reports including the MRI are positive. No serious harm was done. We we can all breathe a sigh of relief.” Shabana was injured when her car Tata Safari Storme hit the rear-end of a truck on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday. Her driver, Kamlesh Kamath, has been booked for rash d...

Jackie Shroff to team up with son Tiger in ‘Baaghi 3’

24/01/2020
Actor Tiger Shroff is set to share the screen with his father and veteran actor Jackie Shroff for the first time in "Baaghi 3", the makers announced. In the third installment of action-drama, directed by Ahmed Khan, Jackie will play the on-screen father of Tiger and his co-star Riteish Deshmukh's characters. In a cameo appearance, the 62-year-old actor will essay the role of a police inspector in "Baaghi 3", producer Sajid Nadiadwala said. "Everyone has been waiting to see Tiger team up with ...

I am not meant to be a director but might write someday: Kajol

23/01/2020
With Tanhaji, for the first time, you have acted in a period movie. It was quite surreal for me. It took me a really long time to wear the costume, accessories and get ready for the camera. There was a specialist for draping the Nauvari sari on me while Mickey Contractor did my make-up. Once we got the look, it really felt different. The sets were so beautiful that you got the feeling that you were transported to another era. Since this is produced by your co-actor and husband Ajay Devgn, how ...

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is about embracing LGBTQ community: Ayushmann Khurrana

23/01/2020
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says his next Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is a homage to the LGBTQ community and it is an important film for India. A follow-up to the actor’s 2017 hit Shubh Mangal Savdhaan, the film stars Ayushmann and Jitendra Kumar as a homosexual couple trying to win over each other’s family. Ayushmann said the movie, directed by Hitesh Kewalya, is an effort to bring the LGBTQ community into the mainstream. “The love of the people of India for the trailer of ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Sa...

Soni Razdan seeks probe on Afzal Guru’s hanging: ‘This is why the death penalty is not to be used lightly’

23/01/2020
Senior Bollywood actor Soni Razdan on Tuesday demanded a probe into why the 2001 Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru was made a “scapegoat” and hanged in 2013, despite raising questions against a senior police officer. Razdan’s tweet said: “This is a travesty of justice. Who is going to bring back a man from the dead if he is innocent? This is why death penalty is not to be used lightly.” The 64-year old, who is part German and part-Kashmiri Pandit and is the mother of top Bollywood sta...

Want to make film on Chandra gupta Maurya: Kangana Ranaut

23/01/2020
Actor Kangana Ranaut has expressed her desire to make a movie on Chandragupta, the shepherd- turned-emperor who founded the Maurya dynasty, noting that the film industry has "not done enough justice to our history". The national award winner was here to take part in a programme organised by the publishers of a leading Hindi daily where she performed a jig to the tunes of Bhojpuri songs along with actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan before the duo participated in a question and answer session. ...

You have to laud the courage of a girl like Deepika: Naseeruddin Shah

23/01/2020
Lauding the courage of actor Deepika Padukone for standing with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University who were attacked inside the campus, Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah said ‘these people have more courage and less to lose.’ Speaking to The Wire on the contentious Citizenship (Amend-ment) Act and the silence of big actors on the issue, Shah said, “It’s understandable why the established figures of the industry don’t speak up. However, one wonders how much do they have to lose? Will it...

I was like ‘did I work hard’ or ‘why do I deserve this kind of appreciation’: Alia Bhatt

23/01/2020
It’s a rare feat of sorts. Since her debut in 2012 [with Student of The Year], Alia Bhatt hasn’t witnessed too many professional [box-office] setbacks. But 2019 was an aberration. So, on one hand, she got rave reviews for her outing in Gully Boy, she also starred in Kalank that didn’t draw audiences. And the actor readily admits the “disappointment” part that came along with the failure. “Anyone who goes on a journey that you have a lot of expectations from is going to feel a certain kind of d...

Women aligning with women is the biggest reason our voices are being heard: Priyanka

23/01/2020
Global icon Priyanka Chopra recently sat down for a chat at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The actor discussed the role of women in a changing world, eradicating extreme poverty and the importance of technology. “Growing up in a country like India, you see wealth and poverty live together in such a symbiotic way…seeing that you become desensitised to it,” began Priyanka. The actor added that as she started becoming a familiar public figure, she “understood the power of influence” and the n...

Priyadarshan: Impossible to survive in Bollywood without focusing on entertainment

22/01/2020
Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan, who returns to Hindi cinema after seven years with Hungama 2, says he kept away from Bollywood as he felt there was not much scope for experimentation. In the last seven years, Priyadarshan has directed Geethaanjali, Oppam & Aamayum Muyalum in Malayalam and Tamil films Nimir and Sometimes. Bollywood’s affinity to mass entertainers can be creatively stifling, the director said. “I take cinema in South seriously. I don’t put seriousness in Bollywood movies. Becau...

Depression like any other illness & treatable: Deepika Padukone

22/01/2020
Actor Deepika Padukone on Monday said people must understand depression and anxiety are like any other illness and can be treated and her own experience has encouraged her to work for this cause. "My love and hate relationship with this has taught me a lot and I want to tell everyone suffering from this that you are not alone," she said while recalling her own struggle with depression and mental illness. "One trillion dollars is the estimated impact of depression and mental illness on the w...

She’s not fond of horror movies, but she still wants to do one: Kriti Sanon

22/01/2020
Kriti Sanon, who has worked in genres across drama, romance, comedy and historical, says she wants to explore herself as an actor. "Everybody likes different kind of films here (in the country). If I want to cater to all kinds of audience and also explore myself as an actor in different genres, it is because that's more fun. Otherwise you get stuck and it gets monotonous," Kriti told IANS. She says she wants to try out every genre possible. "(I want to work with) all genres and characters, an...

Saif Ali Khan has not studied India’s ancient history properly: Ram Kadam

22/01/2020
After Saif Ali Khan said that no concept of 'India' existed before the Imperial rule, BJP MLA Ram Kadam said that Khan has not studied India's ancient history properly. "Saif Ali Khan is a good actor, but I think he has studied history only from the point when the Britishers came to India. If he would have studied ancient history he would have known that India's tradition is 1000 years old," Kadam told ANI. Further alleging that Saif Ali Khan is heaping praises for the Britishers, the BJP lead...

Only family entertainers for me: Ayushmann Khurrana

22/01/2020
After delivering seven hits in a row, Ayushmann Khurrana is set to release his next Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, which he calls as a total family entertainer with a very important message. Ayushmann will be seen playing the role of a gay man and he says the film will thoroughly entertain audiences. “As an entertainer, I would love to reach out and entertain as many people as possible. I choose films where the entire family can go and watch them together in a theatre. There is no greater joy as...

Working with Kangana Ranaut was interesting: Jassie Gill

22/01/2020
Jasdeep Singh Gill aka Jassie Gill is a force to be reckoned with both in the musical field and on the celluloid. Having worked in a few Punjabi films such as Mr and Mrs 420 and Sargi among others, Jassi made his Bollywood film debut in Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. And now with his second Bollywood outing Panga, Jassi has been raking in a lot of recognition, especially for playing a pivotal role of Kangana Ranaut’s husband in the film. Talking about his experience of working with Kangana, Jassi de...

This time I experienced a new sense of euphoria: Mahesh Babu

22/01/2020
The superstardom of Mahesh Babu has reached another level as his recent release has become a roaring success in the box office. Marking the Sankranti release, Mahesh Babu has delivered one of his best performances. The actor's Army look had made a lot of chatter for which he received a lot of appreciation. Talking about the whopping box office success of Sarileru Nikkevvaru, Mahesh Babu shared, "My most memorable Sankranti till date. this time I experienced a new sense of euphoria. For four yea...