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I was only 24 when I met Manmohan Desai. Just eight years later, this man who was full of joie de vivre was gone.

How? The suddenness of this happy-go-lucky man’s death drove all of us movie buffs up the wall. To me Manji, still seems like the least likely candidate for self annihilation.

Though his aching back was against the wall, literally, he held forth on man movies and life with an infectious zest. His comments on offbeat films and filmmakers had me in splits. His films were kitsch art, though catch him admitting to anything arty about his works! His cinematic world encompassed a utopia where high melodrama resolved itself magically. To his abiding exasperation critics insisted on searching for logic in his films.

The maverick moviemaker said to me, “Do they realize how much brains and money are needed to make my kind of films? I really enjoy what I’m doing.

In this very special birthday feature noted director Sanjay Leela Bhansali reminiscences and shares fascinating thoughts and insight on the films he grew up watching. You do not want to miss this!

1. Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960): “The way Ritwick Ghatak used Rabindra Sangeet and the level of performance he got out of the leading lady Supriya Chowdhary act remain etched in my mind. Ritwick was so ahead of his times. He himself never knew why he was taking a shot in a particular way. Years later, someone like me, watching the film, discovered the emotional content, which was so potent that it survived all the ravages of time. Ritwick Ghatak understood the power of sound and image.”

2. Mirch Masala (1985): “For the sheer power of the folk tale. The folk tale is told in such vibrant colours. The use of colour red and the tribute to woman power. And at...

Subhash K Jha revists Nutan’s career and shines the light on her finest film in this special feature.

Bimal Roy made many moving movies marked as masterpieces for milleniums. Bandini remains just that bit more special than Devdas or Madhumati. Why? Just…

Nutan had almost given up films after marriage. But like Yash Chopra, who made Raakhee an offer which she couldn’t resist (Kabhi Kabhie), Bimal Roy tempted the titanic actress — and would Kate Winslet please mover over? — out of married bliss to play what the director promised would be the role of Nutan’s lifetime.

Nutan’s tempestuous performance as Kalyani embedded her name in gold in the hall of fame. Along with Nargis in Mother India, Meena Kumari in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, and Shabana Azmi in Arth, Nutan in Bandini is the most arresting character written for a mainstream Hindi heroine of the pre-70s era.

Milan Luthria who made his directorial debut on 19 February, 1999 with Kachche Dhaage revealed a music sense as evolved as his father, the great Raj Khosla. Raj Khosla’s film of the same name Kachche Dhaage in 1973 had Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s smash-hit songs ‘Hai hai ek ladka mujhko khat likhta hai’, ‘Kachche dhaage ke saath jisse bandh diya jaye’, ‘Mere bachpan tu jaa’, kZara se agar bewafa hum na hote’ and kJa re ja oh diwane’, all sung by Lataji.

26 years later, in Milan Luthria’s Kachche Dhaage, Lataji sang for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for the first and last time. The song, ‘Oopar Khuda Aasman Neeche’ was originally sung by Nusrat Saab himself as an independent song.

Milan wanted the song in his debut film, and he wanted Lataji to sing it. Lataji was nearly 70 when she sang the impossibly high notes of the sublime number. It was recorded on 15 August...

Once I asked the inimitable unforgettable Dev Anand what his birthday wish was… His response was typical Da: “I don’t make wishes. I make them come true. I go with exactly what I want to do. It’s an ongoing process. As long as I feel creative and as long as I feel there are some people who want to watch my films I’ll continue to make them. If I’m not as enthusiastic about my new film then I’ve no business making it. The very fact that I’ve picked up the responsibility of directing another film proves I’ve the energy for it. The day I don’t, I won’t make any more films. My audience, my fans are my source of energy. I need my fans’ good wishes gives me my energy?”

And how does he define Dev Anand? Without a thought he replied,...

Pankaj Udhas earned his first accolade as a singer when he was 11 years old. He sang the patriotic song ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ at a public event in his hometown Rajkot when the Sino-Indian War was raging in 1962, and he so impressed a member of the audience that he gifted the young singer what was then a princely sum of Rs 51.

Udhas, who passed into eternity on Monday, February 26, at the age of 72, however, had not planned to become a singer. He was training to play the tabla at the Sangeet Natya Academy in Rajkot, where he had been enrolled along with his brothers by his father, Keshubhai Udhas, a government official who had learnt to play the dilruba from Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

Seeing his father play his favourite dilruba in his spare time inspired Udhas to pursue music seriously. His elder brothers, Manhar and Nirmal Udhas, also...

There are a number of stories about how Gulzar, who has been awarded the 58th Jnanpith Award along with Sanskrit scholar Jagatguru Rambhadracharya, became one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated lyricists after being better known in his years as a struggler after Partition in Mumbai for his expertise in re-painting cars mauled in crashes.

The one that seems most credible, however, has come from him. Despite his skill with car colours, Gulzar’s first love was the written word and he was a regular at the Progressive Writers Association (Pwa), which was then a creative hub of just about every Titan in Hindi and Urdu literature.

It was at Pwa meetings that the undiscovered poet struck up a friendship with lyricist Shailendra, who introduced him to Bimal Roy, who, in turn, told him that he was wasting his time and talent at a car workshop.

Roy drafted Gulzar, till...

Actress Pranutan, who made her acting debut with ‘Notebook’ revealed the story behind her name and its connection with her grandmother, legendary actress Nutan. Pranutan appeared on the special episode of singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 14’, ‘Celebrating Nutan Ji’. Ace actor Mohnish Bahl, was accompanied by his wife, Ekta Sohini, and daughters, Pranutan and Krishaa.

During the episode, Pranutan shared how her grandfather Rajnish Bahl wanted to name her after the ‘Nagina’ star Nutan.

She said: “My grandfather named me; he wanted to name me after his late wife, ‘Nutan.’ However, at the request of my dad, who couldn’t bring himself to call me Nutan out of respect for his mom, I was named Pranutan, which means a new life.”

The episode saw Nagpur’s Utkarsh Wankhede’s marvelous performance of the songs ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ and the title track from the film ‘Tere Ghar Ke Saamne’.

On the work front,...

Mohnish Bahl took a stroll down the memory lane and recalled his mother Nutan shooting for the track ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ at the iconic Qutub Minar. Mohnish appeared on the singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 14’s special episode ‘Celebrating Nutan Ji’. He was accompanied by his wife, Ekta Sohini, and daughters, Pranutan and Krishaa.

The episode saw Nagpur’s Utkarsh Wankhede’s marvelous performance of the songs ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ and the title track from the film ‘Tere Ghar Ke Saamne’.

Reminiscing about the legendary actress and his mom Nutan, the ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ fame actor shared an anecdote of the filming of the song ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’, sung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1963 movie ‘Tere Ghar Ke Samne’, starring Dev Anand and Nutan in the lead.

He said: “I remember that Mom shared an incident where a large crowd blocked Qutub Minar from all sides,...

Mumbai, Jan 18 (Ians) Actress Pranutan Bahl, granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan, is set to star in her maiden Hollywood feature ‘Coco & Nut’, opposite American actor-filmmaker Rahsaan Noor.

Billed as a “spirit-lifting romance”, the charming love story is directed by Rahsaan Noor.

“Feeling worthless, an ambitious young woman (Pranutan) fighting to save her marriage gets a pick-me-up from her know-it-all college sweetheart (Rahsaan),” the official logline of ‘Coco & Nut’ reads.

Production for the film will be in English and Hindi and will take place entirely in Chicago from June to July this year, with a diverse cast and crew drawn from both the United States and India.

After films like Salman Khan backed ‘Notebook’ (2019) and comedy drama Helmet (2022), the upcoming film marks Pranutan’s International debut.

“I’ve always wanted to do a romantic drama,” Pranutan expressed.

“‘Coco & Nut’ is a beautiful story in which my character, Nut, journeys through a transformative phase in her life.

In a remarkable leap into the international film scene, Pranutan Bahl, the granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan, is poised to make her Hollywood debut. The talented actress is set to star in the upcoming film titled ‘Coco & Nut’ alongside American actor-filmmaker Rahsaan Noor, marking a significant milestone in her career.

A Stellar Debut: Pranutan Bahl in ‘Coco & Nut’

Pranutan Bahl, whose lineage in the film industry is deeply rooted, is stepping onto the global stage with ‘Coco & Nut.’ The film, directed by Rahsaan Noor, showcases his directorial prowess following the success of the critically acclaimed ‘Bengali Beauty’ in 2018.

Production Details and Cultural Fusion

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Chicago, ‘Coco & Nut’ is slated for production from June to July this year. The film, primarily in English with sprinklings of Hindi dialogues, boasts a diverse cast and crew hailing from both the United States and India. This cultural fusion promises a unique cinematic experience,...

Actor Meezaan Jaffrey, who will be seen as a guest on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2023’, grooves on his father Javed Jaffrey’s track ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’. The song is from the 1985 legal drama film ‘Meri Jung’ directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Nutan, Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, A K Hangal, Iftekhar, Khushbu and Parikshit Sahni. This was Javed Jaffrey’s debut film.

The song ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’ is originally sung by Kishore Kumar, Javed Jaffrey, and S. Janaki.

‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ features Himesh Reshammiya, Neeti Mohan, and Anu Malik as judges, and Aditya Narayan as the host. Now, every week the top 11 contestants are giving their best to impress the judges and the audience to win the singer of the week title.

While the show’s refreshing format and introduction of fresh talent have created a stir among the audience,...

Actor Meezaan Jaffrey, who will be seen as a guest on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2023’, grooves on his father Javed Jaffrey’s track ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’. The song is from the 1985 legal drama film ‘Meri Jung’ directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Nutan, Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, A K Hangal, Iftekhar, Khushbu and Parikshit Sahni. This was Javed Jaffrey’s debut film.

The song ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’ is originally sung by Kishore Kumar, Javed Jaffrey, and S. Janaki.

‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ features Himesh Reshammiya, Neeti Mohan, and Anu Malik as judges, and Aditya Narayan as the host. Now, every week the top 11 contestants are giving their best to impress the judges and the audience to win the singer of the week title.

While the show’s refreshing format and introduction of fresh talent have created a stir among the audience,...

Three-fourth of his 88-year-long life was spent in acting and of these, six and a half decades, over half, had Dev Anand playing the lead (romantic) role, even as his peers and even several of his leading ladies had moved on or out. In the process, Dev Anand ended up being paired against at least three generations of heroines, if not four, as he transitioned from his early days where his female co-lead was the bigger star to a time when most actresses were keen on working with him as he sauntered from success to success with that charming demeanour and the winning smile.

While most of his early heroines, say, Kamla Kotnis, who was cast against him in his debut “Hum Ek Hai” (1946), Kamini Kaushal, the heroine of his first hit “Ziddi” (1948), Khursheed Bano or Nimmi or Shakila will only be familiar to hardcore film buffs or movie historians,...

Three-fourth of his 88-year-long life was spent in acting and of these, six and a half decades, over half, had Dev Anand playing the lead (romantic) role, even as his peers and even several of his leading ladies had moved on or out. In the process, Dev Anand ended up being paired against at least three generations of heroines, if not four, as he transitioned from his early days where his female co-lead was the bigger star to a time when most actresses were keen on working with him as he sauntered from success to success with that charming demeanour and the winning smile.

While most of his early heroines, say, Kamla Kotnis, who was cast against him in his debut “Hum Ek Hai” (1946), Kamini Kaushal, the heroine of his first hit “Ziddi” (1948), Khursheed Bano or Nimmi or Shakila will only be familiar to hardcore film buffs or movie historians,...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

New Delhi, Sep 3 (Ians) Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee fondly remembered the late Nutan, and shared an invaluable life lesson she gleaned from the iconic actress, saying the latter was the source of unparalleled inspiration.

Moushumi graced the stage of the dance reality show ‘India’s Best Dancer 3’ as the special guest.

The ‘Dance Ka Triple Dhamaal’ special episode promise a fusion of remarkable talents, as two contestants unite with a choreographer to stun one and all with captivating performances.

One of the standout moments of the episode unfolds during host Jay Bhanushali’s engaging session with Moushumi.

Speaking of her profound admiration for Nutan, Moushumi shared: “Nutan Ji, as a guru devi and a source of unparalleled inspiration, possessed an extraordinary aura. Beyond her impeccable make-up, she embodied the essence of a true artist.”

“From her era-defining roles alongside Kishor Kumar ji to her timeless performance in ‘Saraswati Chandra,’ she was a complete actress.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday shared a throwback picture of former Prime Minister of India and her father Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. The picture in question was clicked by veteran Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who had good relations with Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.

Taking to Instagram, Priyanka shared a photo along with a montage video of her father, with a backdrop song of ‘jeena isi ka naam hain’ from the 1959 film ‘Anari’. It was sung by Mukesh. The film starred Raj Kapoor and Nutan.

In the caption, Priyanka quoted the lines of the song: “Kisi ki muskuraahaton pe ho nisaar, kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar, kisi ke vaaste ho tere dil me pyaar, jeena isi ka naam hain.”

“These lines always reminds me of you. Whenever I listen to this song my eyes are filled with tears. Photo credit- @amitabhbachchan Ji,” added Priyanka.

New Delhi, Aug 8 (Ians) Veteran actress Saira Banu’s new social media post has grabbed everyone’s heart reminiscing the priceless bond that late actor Dilip Kumar and Director Subhash Ghai shared, and how they continued to work together for the film ‘Karma’.

Ever since her debut on Instagram, Saira has been seen sharing beautiful memories of Dilip Kumar. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Saira shared a delightful incident of the first interaction between Dilip Kumar and Subhash Ghai.

She shared a throwback coloured happy picture of the two, stating: “Sahib’s artistic union with Subhash Ghai not only resulted in cinematic triumphs but also solidified their close bond, reflecting the impact of their creative journey together.”

Saira also opened up on the 1986 action thriller film ‘Karma’, which has marked 37 years on Tuesday.

“During the 80s, along with a well-known film distributor, Rn Mandre, Subhash Ji had flown to Bangalore...

She breathed her last at a private hospital here this evening, said Bollywood sources.

Sulochana – as she was popular in the film industry – was noted for wide ranging roles, from lead roles supporting characters to a motherly figure, and endeared herself to the viewers for over six decades.

Some of her memorable early performances as the lead heroine were in Marathi films like "Sasurvas", "Vahinichya Bangdya", "Meeth Bhakar", "Sangtye Aika" and "Dhakti Jau" and many more.

Born on July 30, 1928 at Khadaklat village of Belagavi (now in Karnataka), she made her film debut in 1946.

Among her top Bollywood films was in the Bimal Roy classic, "Bandini" (1963), which is remembered even today.

Other Hindi films in which she acted include "Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai", "Duniya", "Amir Garib", "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Kati Patang", "Mere Jeevan Saathi", "Pyar Mohabbat", "Duniya", "Johny Mera Naam", "Warrant", "Joshila", "Doli", "Prem Nagar", "Aakraman", "Bhola Bhala", "Tyaag", "Aashiq...

Mumbai, May 4 (Ians) Sixty years after Dharmendra played Nutan’s unrequited lover in Bimal Roy’s last feature film, ‘Bandini’ (1963), his grandson, Karan Deol, is all set to marry the pioneering director’s great grand-daughter and fashion designer, Drisha Roy.

Drisha, explains a source close to the family, is the grand-daughter of Bimal Roy’s daughter, Rinki Bhattacharya, who was married to filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya (‘Teesri Kasam’ and ‘Aavishkar’).

Karan’s wife-to-be’s mother, Chimoo B. Acharya, who moved to Dubai in 1998, is a former advertising executive and promoter of one of the Middle East’s top event management companies. Drisha chose to drop the surname Acharya and adopt that of her illustrious great-grandfather.

The impending marriage therefore is being billed as a marriage of two film dynasties. Karan Deol is the newbie actor-son of Bollywood actor-director and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol and his wife Lynda (aka Pooja). Drisha is...

Mumbai, May 3 (Ians) It has been over three decades to Anil Kapoor’s iconic dialogue ‘jhakaas’ as his film ‘Yudh’ has clocked 38 years in Hindi cinema.

Anil took to Twitter, where he shared a slew of stills from the film, which marked the directorial debut of producer Gulshan Rai’s son Rajiv Rai in 1985.

He wrote: “38 Years of #Yudh and 38 years since #Jhakassss came into our lives and never left! ?? I always remember #Yudh very fondly for so many reasons! Working with the producer Gulshan Rai and his son Rajiv was a pleasure, Tina Munim was a fabulous costar and Jackie was, as always, a blast!”

Anil shared that he also loved working with Nutan because “she was always so warm and caring, she reminded me of my own mother.”

“Plus, who can forget a dream chance to dance with the one and only Hemaji! Yudh really was a gift...

As the singing reality show, ‘Indian Idol 13’ reaches its finale, contestants Debosmita Roy and Shivam Singh celebrated 110 years of feature films in India which started with the silent movie ‘Raja Harishchandra’ in 1913. They performed the iconic song ‘Main Ban Ki Chidiya Banke’ from the 1936 classic film ‘Achhut Kannya’ featuring Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.

‘Achhut Kannya’ was a story that highlighted an important issue of untouchability practiced in the country at that time and it was among the initial successful films of that era. It was directed by Bavarian filmmaker Franz Osten and is considered to be a reformist project. Later, in 1953, director Amiya Chakrabarty made the film ‘Patita’ starring Dev Anand and Usha Kiran on the same theme and it was followed by Bimal Roy’s ‘Sujata’ featuring Nutan which was released in 1959.

Their performance grabbed the eyeballs of the judges as well as celebrity guests including choreographer Geeta Kapur...

Actors Hetal Puniwala and Soni Singh have joined the cast of ‘Saavi Ki Savaari’ in the roles of Rishikesh and Laali, respectively, which promises to add more spice to the show.

The show revolves around Saavi, an optimistic young woman who defies gender norms and societal expectations by pursuing a male-dominated profession of driving an autorickshaw in Ujjain to support her family. Samridhii Shukla brilliantly portrays the character of Saavi, while Farman Haider plays Nityam, the businessman who falls in love with her.

As the story progresses, Saavi and Nityam navigate through the challenges of their married life. However, their relationship faces a new hurdle as Saavi uncovers Raksham’s true identity and manages to stop his shraadh pooja (funeral rite), leading to Nityam’s decision to divorce her.

The upcoming episodes promise to be even more dramatic as Saavi demands her rightful share of the property, while new characters Rishikesh and Laali,...

Hyderabad, Jan 27 (Ians) Veteran actress Jamuna passed away here on Friday after a brief illness. She was 86.

She breathed her last at her residence, family sources said.

Jamuna, who acted in about 200 movies in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi, is survived by a son and a daughter.

She was born at Hampi in Karnataka on August 30, 1936, but her parents Nippani Srinivasa Rao and Kowsalya Devi moved to Andhra Pradesh. She received her primary education at Duggirala in Guntur district and was a stage artist in her school days.

Jamuna, whose real name was Jana Bai, made her acting debut at the age of 16 with Puttillu (1953) directed by Garikapari Rajarao.

It was L. V. Prasad’s Missamma (1955) which gave her recognition. She had played a supporting character in the film with the lead roles played by N. T. Rama Rao, Savitri and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. In a career spanning four decades,...

Bollywood actress Kajol talked about late veteran actress Nutan and how she inspired her in life.

She also revealed that the ‘Sujata’ actress was also an amazing singer and she used to play harmonium at home.

Kajol started her acting career in 1992 with the movie ‘Bekhudi’ though she rose to fame with ‘Baazigar’. Later she did movies such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Dilwale’ and now the actress is all set for her next which is Revathi’s directorial ‘Salaam Venky’.

She said while talking about Nutan: “I was too little when Nutan maasi(aunt) was a superstar, and when I grew up, I watched her in the role of a mother in most of the films. She was also a very brilliant and talented singer and used to perform for us on her Harmonium.”

The 48-year-old actress appeared on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re...

By Quaid Najmi

As he turns 80 on October 11, the living legend Amitabh Bachchan – Bollywood’s biggest superstar in its 110-years’ history – can look back with satisfaction at his long career on the silver screen, where he became a icon along with a galaxy of leading ladies.

It was in 1969 – when man landed on the moon – that Bachchan took his first small step with “Saat Hindustani”, which ultimately proved to be a gigantic leap for his megastar-dom.

But he stood out in his maiden film – in the crowd of six other actors jostling for screen space in the pacey thriller themed on the Goa Liberation – with the sole female revolutionary – Shahnaz Vahanvati (daughter of the comedian Agha), gunning to free the west Indian territory from Portuguese clutches.

Subsequently, Bachchan notched a record of sorts, working with six generations of new, established, senior or junior heroines ranging from Mala Sinha and Nutan...

As he turns 80 on October 11, the living legend Amitabh Bachchan – Bollywood’s biggest superstar in its 110-years’ history – can look back with satisfaction at his long career on the silver screen, where he became a icon along with a galaxy of leading ladies.

It was in 1969 – when man landed on the moon – that Bachchan took his first small step with “Saat Hindustani”, which ultimately proved to be a gigantic leap for his megastar-dom.

But he stood out in his maiden film – in the crowd of six other actors jostling for screen space in the pacey thriller themed on the Goa Liberation – with the sole female revolutionary – Shahnaz Vahanvati (daughter of the comedian Agha), gunning to free the west Indian territory from Portuguese clutches.

Subsequently, Bachchan notched a record of sorts, working with six generations of new, established, senior or junior heroines ranging from Mala Sinha and Nutan to Rani Mukherjee and Jiah Khan,...

Dev Anand And World Tourism Day

Had he been alive on the eve of the World Tourism Day (celebrated on 27th September every year), Dev Anand would have taken the fans of cinema to a retrospective of his films and show cased to the world, how through his films he contributed to creating inquisitiveness and excitement for a country. His films shot on foreign locales kindled the element of wanderlust which otherwise is laid buried deep inside the heart, burdened by the day-to-day existence. Dev Anand indeed was the man who single-handedly was instrumental in kindling the latent urge among the Indians to travel to the different nooks and corners of the world as also to different nooks and corners of the countryside through the cinematic oeuvre that he left behind when he left the mortal world.

With the launch of Navketan Films, his own production house Dev Anand took...

By numbers, her work in the Hindi film industry seems quite scanty — at 33 films in around a decade and a half. But the statistics fail to reveal that, save around five, all were box-office hits, and some of them broke new ground, making her one of the most popular and successful actresses of all times — and a fashion icon too.

Though she struck gold right from her debut as female lead, and went on to become an “in demand” actress for everything, from frothy romances to tear-jerkers, Sadhana is most remembered for her trademark hairstyle — the famous “Sadhana cut” of fringes or short bangs (itself inspired by the elfin and charming Audrey Hepburn) — and pioneering form-fitting kurtas and churidar pyjamas.

But in her comparatively limited outings, Sadhana, who was born on this day in 1941, showcased her acting prowess. She could essay roles of a rich heiress to a village belle...

Actress Pranutan Bahl revealed her look in upcoming music video "Kaise hum bataye" on Thursday. The actress confesses jokingly complaining to her team about the fact that she had a lot of crying to do in the video.

Pranutan is Mohnish Bahl's daughter and late legend Nutan's grand-daughter, and she made her Bollywood debut in the 2019 film "Notebook". This is her first music video.

"There's a lot of crying in the song, so I used to tease my team saying that, you are making me cry a lot," she says.

About the track sung by Nikhita Gandhi, Pranutan says: "'Kaise hum bataye' is an ode to everyone who loves deeply, selflessly. The song has been shot in the serene city of Chandigarh. The entire crew has worked really hard on this one, adhering to the safety norms."

Captioning the first look on her Instagram account, the actress wrote:...

The silver screen was the term that described the cinema experience in the dark of a cinema hall. The two people who conceived and executed this magic were the writer and the director. A writer dream't up a story and its background, as in where it all happened, and the director executed those dreams of the writer. But, the one who really made it possible for the two was the art director.

The art director created a location, and the ambience the writer imagined, in a studio set measuring just a few hundred square meters. However huge it may be, the art director made you believe that what you were watching on screen was taking place in Shimla or on the Hooghly River in Bengal or a palatial bungalow of a rich man, or even a cruise liner or a warship! The breed called art directors could get into the writer's mind.

New Delhi, Dec 18 (Ians) Aparshakti Khurana started his Bollywood journey in 2016 with the Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal. After interesting roles over the past four years, he is now gearing up for his solo release as a hero, the comedy film Helmet opposite Nutan's grand-daughter Pranutan.

The actor is happy the way his career is shaping up. He says feels amazing when he looks back at his journey and shares that he had no idea that god has this in store for him

Before his debut in Bollywood, Aparshakti, who is the brother of actor Ayushmann Khurrana, was a successful radio jockey in New Delhi. After his shift to Bollywood with Dangal in 2016, he was seen in hit films such as Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Stree, Lukka Chuppi and Street Dancer 3D.

Talking about his journey in Hindi cinema from being a radio jockey to an actor, Aparshakti told Ians: "It...

Mumbai, Dec 8 (Ians) Actress Tannaz Irani, who recently shared that she has tested Covid-19 positive, says she is totally exhausted with a headache, but is trying to smile through the ordeal.

The actress took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a funny video of her lip-syncing to "Tumhi mere mandir" from the Sunil Dutt and Nutan-classic "Khandan". As she lip-syncs, her husband Bhakhtyar smiles at her.

"Trying to bring a smile on everyone's face. Hope this works! @bhakhtyar my perfect comedy partner. #timepass Tuesday. A video from some months ago!," she captioned it.

Sharing her health update, she wrote: "Right now I'm in bed totally exhausted with a headache. But this made me smile. So I thought of sharing."

On Sunday, she had announced that she had contracted coronavirus. "Positive me Tested orona Positive today. I'm praying that I hope I don't infect anyone. @bhakhtyar thank you for being...

Actor Aparshakti Khurana says he utilized the lockdown days to write and compose songs.

"We had so much time during lockdown. I can only write and compose when I have my guitar around me, and luckily I hadn't left my guitar in the studio. It was with me. I managed to pen some songs. A few compositions were also done by me. A couple of them were collaborations. Let's see which single gets shortlisted by the music label and we will cut a video soon, " he said.

Aparshakti wants one of his songs to be used in a film.

"All the songs are mostly singles, except one song I'm planning to give for film. That's the song closest to my heart. I would love to do a music single on that song, but I think it fits the situation of the film very well," he added.

Aparshakti, who has been...

One of the finest poets of 20th century Urdu literature, Majrooh Sultanpuri was born on this day 101 years ago. His contribution to the Hindi film industry as a lyricist is also phenomenal, so much so that any writing or research work on the Bollywood music scene would be incomplete without his mention.

Born Asrar ul Hassan Khan on October 1, 1919 in Sultanpur, currently in Uttar Pradesh. Sultanpuri has penned countless memorable songs in his career spanning six decades, and has collaborated with talented musicians spanning generations, from Sachin Dev Burman to Rahul Dev Burman to Jatin-Lalit. He has been honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award among numerous other recognitions.

It is impossible to sum up such a genius' oeuvre in a list of a few songs. Ians takes a look into some of Majrooh's popular songs that you may want to hum while you think of the great creative artiste.

Singer Lata Mangeshkar, dubbed Nightingale of India, turns 90 on Sept. 28 and in honor of the woman who made the Guinness Book of World Records for 25,000 songs recorded we at Variety chose 25 of our favorite tunes from Bollywood. There were many more we could choose, including duets with Hemant Kumar or Mohammed Rafi but we didn’t want the list to become too unwieldy. Mangeshkar started singing professionally at age 14 and Bollywood actresses from the 1940s to 2000s have lip synced to her on screen. Acting legend Dilip Kumar once said of her: “The way the fragrance of a flower has no color, a flowing spring or cool breezes belong to no country, the smile of an innocent child has no religion, similarly Lata Mangekshar’s voice is a miracle of nature’s creativity.”

Laru Lappa Lara Lappa

“Ek Thi Ladki (1949)

The Punjabi duet is the most famous part of “Ek...

Nutan Singh, sister-in-law of Sushant Singh Rajput has rejected claims by his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty that the late actor shared a strained relationship with his family.

Nutan Singh, a Lok Janshakti Party (Ljp) Mlc and wife of Sushant's cousin, Bjp Mla Niraj Kumar Singh Bablu, took to her unverified Twitter account on Tuesday to reject Rhea's claims without taking names.

"Parivaar par jo arop lagaye ja rahe hain, mai uska khandan karti hoon. Parivaar se Sushant Ji ka rishta bohut achha tha, kisi tarah ka koi manmutav nahi tha. (I reject the allegations levelled against the family. Sushant shared a very good relationship with his family. There was no bad blood)," Nutan Singh tweeted on Tuesday along with a photograph of herself and her husband Niraj Kumar with Sushant, clicked in a temple.

In a separate tweet, Nutan posted a photo of the three along with Sushant's father Kk Singh.

Above: Some runner-up favorites. For titles and artists see below.If you follow me on Instagram you have quite likely also come across Posterphilia, a movie poster-centric feed curated by poster connoisseur Jahan Singh Bakshi. Jahan is kind of my counterpart on the other side of the globe: an art director and film marketing strategist from Mumbai who writes a column about movie posters—also called Posterphilia—for the Indian cinephile website Film Companion. Jahan has exquisite taste, so his feed is always full of great design (quite often we find ourselves posting the same new posters), but what I find especially interesting about Posterphilia is Jahan’s knowledge of Indian cinema and access to Indian posters. To crystallize his expertise I asked Jahan if he would come up with his Top 10 favorite Indian posters of all time, a challenge he readily accepted though he decided to restrict himself to Bollywood posters.

Budding actress Tara Sutaria plays a deaf-mute girl in her second release of the year "Marjaavaan", and she says her generation of actresses are missing out on the nuanced expressions of yesteryear's heroines such as Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Nutan.

Since she does not have any dialogue in her upcoming film, Tara says she had to fall back on expressions and sign language to bring alive her character.

Also Read:?Sidharth Malhotra gets nostalgic

"I always find Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Nutan fascinating. Their screen presence, beauty, eyes, and expressions are on a different level. Their subtle expressions would speak a thousand words silently. I think our generation misses out on their adaa and nazaaqat. I hope we can bring back those things," Tara told Ians.

She feels changing audience taste and overall westernisation has triggered off such change.

"Maybe, we are westernised, and the audience has changed, so we do not require such nuances.

Kalank

Starring Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha

Directed by Abhishek Varman

After I finished watching this long winding but ultimately satisfying tale of unfulfilled love, the incandescent Alia Bhatt asked me if I enjoyed the film.

No, I didn’t enjoy Kalank. But I still liked it. Liked it a lot. For its inner and outer beauty. Kalank is gorgeous, no, make that drop-dead gorgeous. Every frame is worked out to an eye-catching detail exuding a kind arrested aestheticism that implies a penchant for opulence and majesty that has no parallel in real life.

And certainly not in 1946 when the film’s tumultuous romance unravels (not as seamlessly as one would imagine). The sets and the imaginative use of religious symbols in the songs are breathtaking. And put Alia Bhatt in a gondola sailing through this universe caught in the cusp of never-land,...

Notebook movie review is here. Released today, Notebook is produced by Salman Khan and it introduces Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl to Bollywood. Directed by national award winner Nitin Kakkar (Filmstan), Notebook is the Indian adaptation of the 2014 picturesquely poetic Thai romance drama Teacher's Diary (Khit Thueng Witthaya) by Khit Thueng Witthaya. The movie is in news as Salman Khan is presenting a love story and launching two fresh faces. Is the love able to blossom??find out in Notebook movie review.

Immediate reaction when the end credits of Notebook roll

Notebook is a love story that is made for those who believe in the divine power of love, a love story that challenges the typical romantic comedy motif of boy meets girl, fall in love only to break up and get back together at the end. Notebook is an experience that is refreshingly poetic, charmingly heartwarming, intriguingly soul stirring...

Salman Khan?s production venture Notebook will introduce the world to two new faces, Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl. ?Pranutan is the daughter of actor Mohnish Bahl and granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan. The makers of the film have released a behind-the-scene video in which Pranutan talks about her journey of Notebook.?

The makers tweeted, ?From reel to real, know the journey of @pranutanbahl aka Firdaus, in the making of #Notebook http://bit.ly/Notebook-Chapter6 ? @BeingSalmanKhan @iamzahero @nitinrkakkar @Cine1Studios @muradkhetani @ashwinvarde @VishalMMishra @TSeries @ItsBhushanKumar

(Also read:?Get ready to go on a beautiful journey as Safar from Notebook)

In the video, Pranutan reveals, ?Salman sir called up my dad and said that there?s this role and she has to audition for it and dad was like ?yeah great?. So, I remember I heard the story the next day and I was bowled over. I wanted to do the...

Actress Pranutan who is marking her debut with Salman Khan?s Notebook receives the sweetest message from Kajol and Tanuja.?The actress, who is living her dream as she embarks on her Bollywood journey with Notebook, has received an endearing message from Kajol and Tanuja, who are her family members.?

Hailing from a lineage of versatile performers, Pranutan is Nutan and Tanuja's granddaughter, Monish Bahl's daughter, and Kajol's niece.Pranutan who is making her first appearance on screen, received the cutest message from Tanuja expressing her happiness for Pranutan's Bollywood debut and love for the trailer. The veteran actress complimented the debutante for her stellar performance and advised her to continue to focus on work, then nothing can pull her down. Pranutan who calls veteran actress Tanuja as Tanu maa was amazed to hear such a positive and energetic response.

Not only this, Kajol took to instagram, and wished her luck saying,...

Salman Khan has a few songs to his credit and now one more song has been added to that list and it is brilliant. The superstar has lent his voice for a song titled Main Taare from his upcoming production, Notebook. The film will see the launch of two new actors in Bollywood – Pranutan Bahl and Zaheer Iqbal. While Zaheer is Salman’s friend’s son, Pranutan is the granddaughter of late actor Nutan and the daughter of actor Mohnish Bahl.

Written by Manoj Muntashir, Main Taare has been composed by Vishal Mishra.

When brainstorming for a singer to sing the romantic song Main Taare for the film, the Notebook team thought that Salman Khan would be the perfect fit and we have to say they were right!

Set to release on March 29th, the Salman Khan produced Notebook was directed by Nitin Kakkar.

It tells the story of an...

On March 14th 2019, we reach a milestone for Bollywood cinema: the talkies. Alam Ara released March 14, 1931 bringing the revolution of sound and thus music. The release occurred at the Majestic Cinema in Mumbai and was so popular the police had to be called to control the crowds. With the film having been lost to the sands of time it’s impossible to know who actually wrote the album, but we do know that Wazir Mohammed Khan was the first playback singer. Things have not changed since, as the soundtrack of any film has a profound effect on the careers of the actors in the film, on how the film itself does and on the legacy of those who took part in it. After all, a song in a Bollywood movie is not simply music directors, instrumentalists and playback singers, it’s the cameraman, the location people, the set designers and...

Actress Pranutan Bahl who is all set to mark her Bollywood debut with Salman Khan's Notebook visited Kashmir for the first time during the shoot of her debut film.

Granddaughter of veteran actress Nutan, the debutante is a lawyer by profession. The actress who visited Kashmir for the first time during the shoot is smitten by the beauty of the place.

Pranutan who belongs from an educational background, her first working tour to Kashmir with the crew filled her with the positive aura and energy that the place has. Pranutan was enthralled to witness the heaven like view of Kashmir, she visited the place even before she started her shoot.

Talking about Kashmir the actress says, "I was bowled over not just by the beauty of the place, but also by the people who are extremely caring and hospitable. In October we did a workshop for 10 days with kids...

Sonchiriya

Starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpai, Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana, Ranvir Shorey

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey

Some of our actors are so inured in brilliance we’ve ceased to notice their power. Ranvir Shorey is one of them. He just blends into the bleeding colours of brilliancy in this exceptional film set in the dark desperate world of dacoits in the confounding ravines of the Chambal valley.

By singling out Shorey’s brilliance I don’t mean to undermine the other performers, most of whom are so skillfully effective, they seem to have been born in the hungering shadows of their ever-renewable excellence.

But then the point here is not the brilliance. It is how the rites of accomplished filmmaking are applied to a solid narration that are on your mark and all set to go even before we are fully able to grasp the wide spectrum of characters on the run.

After gauging the interests of the audience with the trailer, the makers of Notebook are now set to unveil the first track from the film titled Nai Lagda.?

Marking the debut of Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan, Notebook offers refreshing chemistry with the soulful track.?

Nai Lagda is a love ballad which is set to prove a track that lingers in your mind with its melodious tune.

Taking the audience back in time to 2007's Kashmir, the trailer intrigued everyone with the unusual and unconventional love story posing the question- Can you fall in love with someone you never met?

The trailer received a heartwarming response from not just the audience and critics but also the film fraternity. Embracing the debutants with open arms, Bollywood offered a heartwarming welcome to the two actors who have embarked on their journey.

Earlier, the posters revealed a pivotal part of the film showcasing the...