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Subhash K Jha revisits Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf in this cool feature. As a bonus, we hear from star Priyanka Chopra about the making of the dark film that released in 2011.

How do we make sense of a woman who’s an incorrigible potentially-loathsome serial spouse-killer who, when challenged about her weird passion for changing husbands by divine decree rather than the law of the land, turns around and says, “This heart of mine, it’s to blame.” Wicked laughter follows. And dammit, we are amused!

How the flock–and I do mean the flock of fumigated husbands–does one make head or ‘tale’ of such a woman? Well, the first thing a director with a canny sense and sensibility does is sign Priyanka Chopra to play the wretchedly unfulfilled, genetically incomplete woman, a living, throbbing warning against the institution of marriage! Priyanka, not for the first time, proved...

Vidhu

Vinod Choora’s period drama Eklavya was released 18 years ago, and Subhash K Jha revisits the film that featured an all-star cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Sheirgill and Boman Irani.

How do we define the plot of Eklavya? It partly borrows the dark, undefinable pathos of Shakespeare’s tragedy and partly reverts to the palatial pathos of the Mughal Empire, where patricide frequently collided with complex Oedipal equations. Eklavya takes us into a territory totally unexplored and designed to create an ethos of infinite resonances.

Eklavya is a film of many virtues. Screenwriters Abhijat Joshi and Chopra aim for a sense of heightened tragedy that underlines the cinema of Kurosawa and the music of Mozart. The quality of the sound design (Biswajit Chatterjee), background score (Shantanu Moitra), and cinematography (N. Natarajan Subramaniam) elevates the bizarre tale...

Triptii Dimri Aashiqui 3 Exit (Photo Credit – Twitter/Instagram)

It was reported that Triptii Dimri would no longer be a part of Aashiqui 3, starring Kartik Aaryan. Rumours began to spread on social media. People said Triptii was removed from the film because she had become “too exposed.” They said the role required the female lead to have “purity in demeanour.” It was also suggested that her bold image in Animal made it hard for her to fit in Aashiqui 3.

Director Anurag Basu denied these rumours. He spoke to Hindustan Times and said, “Image was not the reason. I am the last person to judge an actor based on the other characters they have played on screen. Aashiqui was not even the story anymore… I don’t know the source of these stories which came out.”

Anurag explained further, “The most important thing is dates. Triptii is shooting for a film with Vishal Bhardwaj.

Saif Ali Khan Once Fled A Film’s Set Topless (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Saif Ali Khan has experienced several things while shooting for films, and he once fled a film’s set without clothes. The actor is one of the most versatile performers in the industry and recently left the fandom in a frenzy when an intruder stabbed him in his house during a conflict. Scroll below for more.

This throwback incident took place during the shoot of Omkara. It was by Vishal Bhardhwaj featuring Saif, Ajay Devgn, and Vivek Oberoi alongside Kareena Kapoor and Konkona Sen. The movie was based on William Shakespeare’s Othello. It earned loads of accolades and honors. Saif was highly praised for his antagonistic role, Langda Tyagi, and it was like a turning point in his career as it changed his image from a chocolate boy to a gritty persona.

Omkara was shot in Allahabad,...

From Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean trilogy Maqbool (based on Hamlet), Omkara (Othello) and Haider (Hamlet), Maqbool is the rawest, most honest and untarnished adaptation.

Maqbool transports us to a threshold of pain and redemption hitherto unknown to Hindi cinema. Because this is Shakespeare’s Macbeth trans-located to Mumbai’s underworld, and because Bhardwaj has selected a dream cast to portray his nightmarish world of crime and retribution, Maqbool takes its emotional content beyond any other film from the genre.

The writing on the wall is so clear, coherent, and redemptive that even Shakespeare would smile indulgently at the artistic liberties Bhardwaj has taken with the original text. Maqbool opens a whole new universe of passion- play, unexplored in the original text. Bhardwaj reveals the politics of lust and passion with a sure-handedness seldom witnessed in Hindi cinema.

Hence, the King from Shakespeare becomes a doddering, paunchy underworld kingpin, Abbaji (Pankaj Kapoor...

Akshay Kumar Rejected Maqbool, Making Way For Irrfan’s Glorious Debut! (Photo Credit – Instagram/YouTube)

It was in the year 2003, on the same day, that Bollywood witnessed one of its brightest stars finally arrive. It was the day when Indian Cinema celebrated Irrfan in his full glory, and one might thank Akshay Kumar for making this happen, the very moment he rejected Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool!

The adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the tragedy film starred the Paan Singh Tomar actor along with Tabu in the lead along with Pankaj Kapur. The Dark Love Story was his debut film as a lead, but he was not the first choice for the role!

Akshay Kumar’s Miyan Maqbool

Maqbool was earlier titled Miyan Maqbool, and Vishal Bhardwaj approached Akshay Kumar to play the lead. However, the Sky Force actor rejected the film, citing a weak climax since he felt that the...

Shahid Kapoor On Randeep Hooda (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Shahid Kapoor is one of the most prominent actors in Bollywood and is currently gearing up for the release of his next movie, Deva. Busy in the promotions, he shared an interesting anecdote about his early days in the industry. During a social media live session, he admitted that Randeep Hooda once intimidated him when they attended acting workshops together. Shahid and Randeep trained under veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, but the Deva actor recalled being in awe and slightly fearful of his senior colleague.

However, their dynamic transformed over time, and today, the two actors share a great friendship. The duo is set to appear together for the first time in Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming action thriller, Arjun Ustara.

Shahid Kapoor reveals Randeep Hooda was very senior to him during acting workshops

During a recent live session, Shahid Kapoor fondly reminisced about...

Saif Ali Khan Once Admitted That He Regretted Doing A Daring Bottom Exposing Scene in Omkara( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Saif Ali Khan is one of those actors who flawlessly plays different kinds of roles in movies, from a charming hero to a gritty negative character. He might have had regrets about his career for not choosing certain films, and he might have opened up about them, but he once openly regretted turning down Vishal Bhardwaj for a nak*d scene in Omkara. Keep scrolling for the deets.

Omkara is one of the finest Hindi movies in history. It was adapted from William Shakespeare’s Othello and features an ensemble cast of Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Saif, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi, and Bipasha Basu in lead roles. It has won numerous accolades, including three National Film Awards. Saif’s career got a remarkable boost for his exceptional performance as Langda Tyagi,...

A special screening was held on January 15th to celebrate Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya. The director along with composer Vishal Bhardwaj, Aditya Kashyap as well as Manoj Bajpayee and Urmila Matondkar among others came together to celebrate both its release 27 years ago and that it once again is playing on the big screen.

After the screening, Ram Gopal Varma spoke with Subhash K Jha in an open and reflective conversation to share his experience of seeing the film once again.

What was the experience like?

By the time Satya was rolling to an end, while watching it two days back for the first time after more than twenty-five years, I started choking and tears were rolling down my cheeks and I didn’t even care if anyone would see. The tears came from somewhere deep inside me not just for the film, but it was for everything that had...

Ram Gopal Varma’s drama Satya, which starred J. D. Chakravarthy, Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Paresh Rawal, Aditya Srivastava

And Saurabh Shukla is back in theatres again after 27 years. Talking with Subhash K Jha, Manoj Bajpayee revisits Satya.

Manoj, how was the special screening of Satya last night?

It was a great screening actually, an amazing interaction when the entire press was there and also so many assistant directors and so many production people, some of the actors, Urmila and Chakravarti, Makrand Deshpande, all of us…Anurag Kashyap made it, Vishal Bhardwaj and yes, of course Ram Gopal Varma.

To be meeting them all together after so many years!

It was great meeting first of all everyone after such a long time. It really seemed to me as if there was no time lost, there was never a gap coming back together and really talking about all those things that...

Sara Ali Khan Once Thought Amrita Singh Ran An Adult Film Site (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Sara Ali Khan is among the most talented actors of the present generation. She is the daughter of renowned celebrities Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh. From childhood, she was exposed to the films made by her parents, which once led her to believe that Amrita ran an adult film site. But what made us think that way? Scroll below for the deets.

Sara started her acting career with Kedarnath in 2018 with Sushant Singh Rajput opposite her. She then appeared alongside Ranveer Singh in Rohit Shetty’s Simmba. The actress has appeared in different kinds of films, including a sensitive role in Atrangi Re. Not all of her films were successful at the box office, but she has been open to experimental roles and takes the risk. Meanwhile, her parents were married from 1991 to 2004, and she has a younger brother,...

Shraddha Kapoor Calls Hrithik Jaanu (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Bollywood diva Shraddha Kapoor, enjoying the success of horror-comedy Stree 2, once chose Hritik Roshan as the ‘hottest jaanu’ of Bollywood over Aditya Roy Kapoor. Read on.

Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapoor have collaborated on Aashiqui 2 and Ok Jaanu. Fans have always loved their on-screen chemistry. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama during her film promotion, Shraddha was asked, “Apart from Ark, who could be the hottest jaanu of Bollywood?” The Stree 2 actress responded by naming Hritik Roshan. Hrithik Roshan is called the Greek God of Hindi cinema due to his looks and charming personality.

Directed by Shaad Ali, Ok Jaanu is a romantic drama movie released in 2017. However, the film didn’t do well at the box office, but their fans couldn’t get over their chemistry in the movie.

Trending Shahid Kapoor To Team Up With Triptii Dimri...

Kriti Sanon Attends Kabir Bahia’s Family Wedding (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Rumors about Kriti Sanon’s relationship with Kabir Bahia have been swirling for quite some time now. Though the actress has never confirmed dating the businessman, she recently appeared at her rumored boyfriend’s family wedding.

Kriti accompanied Kabir to Dubai to be with him during the special occasion when one of his relatives got married. Photos of the actress from the event are now doing the rounds on social media, hinting that Kriti and Kabir are pretty serious about each other.

Kriti Sanon Joins Kabir Bahia at His Family Wedding in Dubai

Spotted Kriti and Kabir Bahia in Kabir Bahia’s brother’s story of a family wedding. Wedding bells in 2025?

Kriti Sanon and Kabir Bahia’s Relationship Rumors

Kriti and Kabir sparked relationship rumors when they celebrated Christmas and New Year together last year, along with Sakshi and Ms Dhoni.

Aamir Khan Productions on Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) not winning Academy Awards ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

While Indians are of course, disappointed about Laapataa Ladies’ disqualification, we still feel proud of the amazing entry made by Aamir Khan Productions. They are immensely grateful for the incredible support and belief that they have received throughout this inspiring journey.

Aamir Khan Productions, Jio Studios and Kindling Productions exclaimed, “We extend our gratitude to the Academy members and the Ffi jury for considering our film. To be included in this prestigious process alongside some of the finest films from across the world is an honor in itself. Our heartfelt thanks to all the audiences around the world who have expressed their love and support for our film.”

They also went above and beyond to congratulate the teams of all the top 15 shortlisted films and wish them the very best in the next stages of the awards.

Mukesh Khanna Responds To Sonakshi’s Criticism ( Photo Credit – YouTube; Instagram )

Sonakshi Sinha recently took the internet by storm when she openly called out Mukesh Khanna. She lashed out at the Shaktimaan actor for questioning her upbringing after she had failed to answer a question about Ramayana in an earlier season of Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Mukesh Khanna has now responded to Sonakshi’s comments, saying he had no malicious intentions. The actor added that he wanted to highlight how the young generation’s knowledge is limited to technology.

Mukesh Khanna Reacts After Sonakshi Sinha Lashes Out at Him on Instagram

Mukesh Khanna reacted to Sonakshi Sinha’s social media outrage in an interview with News9. The actor said he knew what he was doing when he took the actress’ name, but he was not trying to malign her image.

Trending Shahid Kapoor To Team Up With Triptii Dimri For Vishal Bhardwaj’s Next!

Shahid Kapoor And Triptii Dimri Team Up ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

As the two team up for a film, prepare to witness the never-before-seen chemistry between Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri! Master filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is helming the action thriller.

Tentatively titled Arjun Ustara, the film will revolve around a gangster based in the 1990s. The makers have revealed when the project will go on the floors and announced its release date.

Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri to Star in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Arjun Ustara

Sajid Nadiadwala is bankrolling the film is bankrolling the film. The cast will begin shooting for the project on January 6th, 2025, and the movie will hit the screens on December 5th, 2025. Besides Shahid and Triptii, it also stars Nana Patekar and Randeep Hooda in pivotal roles.

Trending Salman Khan Joins Forces With Atlee For A6: Mega Project Gets Its Lead Star Confirmed

Despite Breakup With Aditya Roy Kapur,...

Bobby Bedi, one of India’s most successful film producers, unveiled a powerful multinational production slate ranging from dance documentary to soaring fantasy.

Speaking at a private event on the sidelines of the International Film Festival of India, in Goa, Bedi introduced “Mudras,” the journey of a Spanish dancer who travels to India in the 1980s and finds her form and identity in a blend of Flamenco, Bharat Natyam and Kathakali. More than 20 years later, the woman’s daughter makes a similar journey but emerges with very different results.

Currently in post-production the feature documentary produced is by Bedi and Anna Saura through Bedi’s Contentflow Studios, with Bedi and Maria Salgado co-directing. Bedi described the film as “a story of two ladies, two countries two cultures and two generations, exploring dance, exploring themselves and discovering themselves.”

The company is in pre-production on “Bandit Queen MP,” a title that builds...

Streaming Success

Netflix leads the pack with two nominations as India’s streaming platforms gear up for the Best Web Series Award at the 55th International Film Festival of India (Iffi). The category, which returns for its sophomore year, has witnessed a robust 40% increase in submissions across 10 major streaming platforms.

Netflix’s dual contenders include “Kota Factory,” Saurabh Khanna’s examination of India’s pressure-cooker academic coaching culture, and “Kala Pani,” a survival drama from creators Sameer Saxena and Amit Golani set against the backdrop of the Andaman Islands.

Prime Video enters the race with Vikramaditya Motwane’s “Jubilee,” a period piece chronicling the golden age of Indian cinema, while ZEE5 brings Muthukumar’s “Ayali,” a contemporary drama exploring women’s lives in traditional society. Rounding out the nominations is SonyLIV‘s “Lampan,” Nipun Dharmadhikari’s rural coming-of-age narrative.

Muscle Man

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala has slated actioner “Baaghi 4” for a Sept.

Kareena Kinema

PVR Inox, India’s largest cinema exhibitor, is launching a film festival celebrating Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan‘s 25-year career. The week-long event will run from Sept. 20-27 across 30 cinemas in 15 Indian cities. The festival coincides with the release of Kapoor Khan’s latest film, “The Buckingham Murders,” directed by Hansal Mehta.

The retrospective will feature a selection of Kapoor Khan’s films, including Santosh Sivan’s “Asoka,” Sudhir Mishra’s “Chameli,” Imtiaz Ali’s “Jab We Met,” Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” and Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Omkara.”

“The last two decades have been exhilarating and seem like yesterday. It feels fantastic to be a part of an industry that I love dearly and an industry that has given so much to me,” Kapoor Khan said. “It is exciting to think that through the film festival people of all generations will get to experience these amazing films,...

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is set to reunite with Shahid Kapoor for a new film produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, marking another exciting collaboration between the director and actor duo known for their previous successful films like Kaminey and Haider. The project will also feature Triptii Dimri, who will be working with Shahid for the first time. Expressing his excitement, Shahid took to Instagram Stories, writing, “Super pumped for this one. Can’t wait to begin.”

Sajid Nadiadwala also shared his enthusiasm on social media, stating, “I’m thrilled to join forces with the genius director Vishal Bhardwaj and the phenomenal Shahid Kapoor! Delighted to welcome the incredibly gifted Triptii Dimri to the Nge Family!” Fans on social media have already expressed their excitement, with many eager to see the outcome of this powerhouse collaboration.

Shahid Kapoor was last seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024) alongside Kriti Sanon, where he...

Back in the day, crime dramas usually used to have corrupt cops. And even if the protagonist was a member of any law enforcement authority, they used to punch up instead of down. In case you’ve forgotten due to the Singham franchise’s recent trashy entries, the first one was actually about catching a corrupt politician, not doing the bidding of one. While movies like Ugly, Raman Raghav 2.0, Paan Singh Tomar, and Sonchiriya tried to show the real face of the law, films like Talaash, Mardaani (and its sequel), Raees, Dabangg (the entire trilogy), Murder Mubarak, Rautu ka Raaz, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, Delhi Crime, and even the highly revered Article 15 kept portraying the police as the bastion of justice and righteousness. That said, slowly but steadily, directors and writers are starting to realize again that maybe celebrating the khaki uniform isn’t a good idea because it has some real-life consequences.

Bollywood actors are no strangers to taking on challenging and transformative roles, often going to great lengths to embody their characters fully. One of the most striking transformations an actor can undergo is adopting a bald look, whether by shaving their heads or using prosthetics. Here’s a list of seven Bollywood celebrities who embraced the bald look for their roles:

Ranveer Singh in Bajirao Mastani:

Ranveer Singh is known for his dedication to his craft, and he took it to another level with his role in Bajirao Mastani. To play the legendary Maratha warrior Peshwa Bajirao, Ranveer shaved his head and donned traditional attire, perfectly embodying the regal and intense character.

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A post shared by @bajirao__mastani

Shahid Kapoor in Haider:

In Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Shahid Kapoor went bald to portray the emotionally tormented protagonist in Haider.

Netflix India has unveiled the highly anticipated trailer for its upcoming mini-series, “Ic 814: The Kandahar Hijack,” slated for release on August 29. The series delves into the harrowing 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight Ic 814, bringing to life one of the most traumatic events in India’s recent history.

The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast featuring veteran actors such as Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapur, and Patralekhaa. This project also marks the Ott debut of acclaimed director Anubhav Sinha, known for his impactful dramas like Mulk, Thappad, Article 15, and Bheed. Produced under his banner, Benaras Media Works, the series promises to be a gripping retelling of the events that unfolded during the hijacking..

The trailer offers a tense and immersive experience, capturing the extreme fear and uncertainty faced by the 188 passengers aboard the ill-fated flight. It opens with the sudden takeover of the aircraft by militants,...

Shahid Kapoor recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of his iconic film “Kaminey” by sharing a montage video featuring memorable snippets from the movie on Instagram. The film, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and released in 2009, showcased Shahid in dual roles as the twins Charlie and Guddu. Shahid’s Instagram post, captioned “Fifteen years of Kaminey!”, sparked a wave of nostalgia among fans and fellow actors, with many praising his performance and calling the film a classic.

“Kaminey” was a significant film in Shahid Kapoor’s career, as it allowed him to display his range as an actor, portraying two very different characters with distinct speech impediments one with a lisp and the other with a stutter. The film, set against the gritty backdrop of the Mumbai underworld, was lauded for its unique storytelling, strong performances, and an unforgettable soundtrack composed by Vishal Bhardwaj with lyrics by Gulzar. Songs like “Dhan Te...

Anubhav Sinha is set to make his streaming debut with “Ic 814: The Kandahar Hijack,” a thrilling series based on the real-life hijacking of an Indian aircraft in 1999 by five Pakistani militants. The series will premiere on Netflix India on August 29 and boasts an ensemble cast.

The teaser opens with Indian passengers preparing for takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, heading to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Vijay Varma, portraying pilot Sharan Dev, instructs the passengers to sit back and relax. Suddenly, five masked militants hijack the plane, putting the pilot at gunpoint and assaulting the air hostess, plunging everyone into terror.

Priyanka Chopra reacts on Citadel: Honey Bunny teaser says, “Vd and Samantha are incredible”

The stakes are high as the teaser emphasizes that the hijack is not just a crisis for the passengers but a matter of national security. Indian government officials, played by Pankaj Kapur,...

After seven years of failed attempts to bring Siddharth Anand and Rohit Dhawan’s Rambo remake to life, the project has been shelved due to financial constraints and the waning box office appeal of its lead actor, Tiger Shroff. Despite Siddharth Anand’s interest in repackaging the project, Rohit Dhawan has chosen to move on.

The director of *Desi Boyz* spent four years on the Rambo adaptation, but it never progressed beyond pre-production. According to Peepingmoon.com, Dhawan is now teaming up with Sajid Nadiadwala for a new project. This marks a return to Nadiadwala’s banner for Dhawan, who previously collaborated with him on the 2016 film *Dishoom* starring John Abraham and Varun Dhawan.

Dhawan’s new venture is a two-hero action comedy, though it is not a sequel to *Dishoom*. Instead, it is described as being in the vein of the popular 1997 comedy *Deewana Mastana*, which starred Govinda and Anil Kapoor.

All You Need To Know About Shraddha Kapoor’s Beau Rahul Mody(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Shraddha Kapoor is in love, and she made it official on social media recently! For the past several days, Shraddha has been rumored to be dating Rahul Mody, which made everyone curious about her beau. He is also associated with the film industry and stays behind the camera. Scroll below to get the deets.

The daughter of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor, Shraddha is one of the most popular actresses in the Hindi film industry. She made her debut with Teen Patti. She got her first leading role in 2011’s Luv Ka The End and gained immense fame with Aashiqui 2. In 2014, Shraddha was featured in Vishal Bhardwaj’s movie Haider, starring Shahid Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon, Tabu, and Irrfan Khan. The actress has a broad social media reach, including her 90 million followers on Instagram. She...

Filmmaker Anurag Basu has been occupied over the past few months wrapping up the shooting of his eagerly anticipated anthology, ‘Metro… In Dino’. The film features Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Kay Kay Menon in pivotal roles.

According to the reports in Pinkvilla, Anurag Basu is gearing up to start work on his next feature film, an original romantic saga starring Triptii Dimri and Kartik Aaryan, as the shoot for ‘Metro… In Dino’ will be wrapped up in two weeks.

Sources close to the development have stated that Anurag Basu will begin shooting his next film, which stars Triptii Dimri and Kartik Aaryan, in August 2024. Bhushan Kumar will produce the movie under his production banner, T Series. The source shared, “There is a change in place. Basu is teaming up with Kartik and Triptii on an original romantic film and not...

Kartik Aaryan, known for his charismatic presence on screen, is set to add another feather to his cap with an upcoming romantic comedy under the banner of Junglee Pictures. The actor, who already boasts an impressive lineup of projects, including Kabir Khan’s Chandu Champion and Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, is expanding his repertoire with the potential addition of “Jasmine.”

Exclusive details obtained by PeepingMoon journalist Rahul Raut reveal that Kartik Aaryan is in advanced discussions with Junglee Pictures for the lead role in “Jasmine,” a charming love story set in a small town. While the actor has given his nod to the project, formalities are still being ironed out. This collaboration marks Aaryan’s first venture with Junglee Pictures, a production house renowned for its content-driven and entertaining films like “Talwar,” “Raazi,” and “Badhaai Ho.”

Adding to the intrigue is the choice of director for “Jasmine.” Randeep Jha,...

Oscar-, BAFTA-, Golden Globe- and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman, veteran producer Bobby Bedi and the Technicolor Group have unveiled a film project based on Middle Eastern wit Mulla Nasruddin at the Cannes Film Festival.

Also known as Nasreddin Hodja, Nasruddin was a 13th century folklore character from what is now Turkey, known for his pithy wit and humorous wisdom. Stories about him appear in the Islamic folklore of the Middle East, the Balkans and China and the character is enormously popular in India as well. The International Nasreddin Hodja festival is celebrated every year in Turkey.

Bedi’s credits include some of the landmark titles of Indian cinema, including Shekhar Kapur’s international breakthrough film “Bandit Queen” (1994), Deepa Mehta’s controversial “Fire” (1996), Rani Mukerji-starring relationship drama “Saathiya” (2002), Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Macbeth” adaptation “Maqbool” (2003), Stanley Tong’s Jackie Chan starrer “The Myth” (2005) and Gurvinder Singh’s Rotterdam title “Crescent Night” (2002).

Frequent collaborators,...

Mami Select: Filmed on iPhone is an initiative undertaken by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami) to make short films shot on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The five filmmakers chosen for this virtuous deed were Prateek Vats, Saurav Rai, Faraz Ali, Archana Atul Phadke, and Saumyananda Sahi. These filmmakers were mentored by veteran filmmakers like Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane and Rohan Sippy. The five short films are tales of individuals who deal with the challenging lives of the marginalized, the vulnerable, the impoverished, the alienated, and the troubled. From the confines of a garment factory to the narrow alleys of a daily market in a rural town to the snow-clad locales of Kashmir to the dunes of Rajasthan to the bustling metropolis, they present vivid characters whose individual problems are no less vital and compelling. Small errors snowball into unintended and unimaginable consequences. As a result, the principal characters...

Arti Singh’s Sangeet Videos, Deepak Parambol-Aparna Das’ Wedding, Sobhita-Naga Vacay Pics – Top Entertainment News April 24, 2024. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Here’s a roundup of today’s trending entertainment news. Dance legends Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor have reunited on a dance reality show. Celebrity weddings are making headlines with Arti Singh’s dance floor performance and Aparna Das’s wedding ceremony. Kapil Sharma throws some playful jabs at Aamir Khan.

On the streaming front, Vijay Deverakonda’s movie “The Family Star” is now available on Prime Video. Rumours are swirling around Sobhita Dhulipala and Naga Chaitanya’s vacation pictures. Vicky Kaushal’s look from his upcoming movie has leaked online. Cricket star David Warner is a fan of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa. Vishal Bhardwaj has shared mixed feelings about his film “Animal.”

1. Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor Reunite on Dance Deewane, Recreate Iconic “Dance of Envy”

Fans were...

Vishal Bhardwaj Reacts to Animal Movie ( Photo Credit – Facebook; IMDb )

Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ was released in December 2023. The movie, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, also stars Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, and Tripti Dimri. The movie received mixed reviews from the critics and did wonders at the box office. However, there have been polarising opinions ever since the film was released. Some bashed the movie for its violence, while some loved it for the entertainment factor, performances, and music. Now, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has shared his views on the Ranbir starrer.

The movie focuses on a toxic father-son relationship, played by Anil and Ranbir. As you know, along with a part of the movie-going audience, several celebs also bashed Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s movie. Javed Akhtar openly criticised Animal several times earlier. Even Konkona Sensharma isn’t a fan of the Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna starrer. However,...

BAFTA Circles Calendar

The British Academy has confirmed the date of the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, which will now be held on Sunday February. 16.

As per recent scheduling arrangements, the awards — arguably the biggest film awards outside the U.S. — takes place two weeks before the Oscars on March 2, 2025. Regular film festival attendees may note that the BAFTA awards will, once again, be held during the Berlinale, set to run February 13-23, with there likely to be a spike in industry professionals flying back to London on the morning of Feb. 16.

The full timeline and eligibility details for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards will be announced in due course. Voting will take place over three rounds: longlisting, nominations and winners, by the academy’s global voting film membership which comprises more than 7,800 industry creatives.

The 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, which saw “Oppenheimer” dominate with wins for best film, director and actor, were watched...

Filmmaker-music composer Vishal Bhardwaj, who is known for ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’, ‘Kaminey’ and others, released his new track titled ‘Main Ghana Andhera Hoon’ on Tuesday. He has tuned his song to the poetry of Bashir Badr.

Vishal, who admitted to being a die-hard Bashir Badr fan since his youth, composed this song when he was in college.

The song captures the raw emotions that touch the hearts of the listeners. It is a timeless romantic ghazal which portrays the emotions of a lover who is lost in the darkness of love.

It talks about the feeling of being consumed by the intensity of love, where the lover is willing to do anything to be with their beloved.

The visuals of the song cover a range of landscapes and tell the story of a heart fully consumed by the bittersweet feeling of love.

The song keeps the orchestrations minimal and lets the...

The B2B meetings at Mumbai’s annual Frames media conference have now bloomed into the full-fledged Global Content Market under the guidance of veteran producer Bobby Bedi.

Bedi’s credits include some of the landmark titles of Indian cinema, including Shekhar Kapur’s international breakthrough film “Bandit Queen” (1994), Deepa Mehta’s controversial “Fire” (1996), Rani Mukerji-starring relationship drama “Saathiya” (2002), Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Macbeth” adaptation “Maqbool” (2003), Stanley Tong’s Jackie Chan starrer “The Myth” (2005) and Gurvinder Singh’s Rotterdam title “Crescent Night” (2002).

The market, which was buzzing from the get go, boasted a significant international presence from the U.K., Korea, Turkey, Spain, Germany and Saudi Arabia, besides a sizeable Indian contingent. Bedi said that the word ‘Asian’ suggests mainly content from the Far East and the Frames market plugs the gap for South Asian and Middle Eastern content. Differentiating the market from the Indian government’s Film Bazaar in Goa,...

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...

The enigmatic greys of a Kashmir winter in ‘Haider’, the many tones of black in ‘Maqbool’ with such visual poetry where each note stands out, Vishal Bhardwaj’s cinema has never shouted ‘independent’ but subtly stood out from the movies of his time.

Not hyper-realistic in its treatment, it is Bhardwaj’s visual poetry that makes the thematic essence pull in reality at its most profound.

“What you call visual poetry in my films emerges from the deep-rooted love for poetry that never leaves me,” Bhardwaj told Ians. “Therefore, there is always an effort to lend a certain rhythm and deeper meaning to everything that happens in front of the camera.”

Together with Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Tigmanshu Dhulia, Bhardwaj has been instrumental in ushering in a new era in Indian cinema after the almost traumatic 80s when Hindi cinema hit its lowest. He believes, though, that the independent...

Actor Shahid Kapoor has shared how the song ‘Dhan Te Nan’ helped him prepare for his role as ‘Guddu’ in the film ‘Kaminey’, saying it gave him an understanding of what he had to do in the movie. Shahid and Kriti Sanon appeared on the singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 14’ to promote their movie ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’.

Among the many performances in the show, it was Anjana Padmanabhan who shone bright and once again impressed everyone by singing ‘Gulaboo’, ‘Thumkeshwari’, and ‘Dhan Te Nan’ from the movies ‘Shaandar’, ‘Bhediya’ and ‘Kaminey’, respectively.

Shahid was left amazed by Anjana’s performance and said: “You’re so good; you’re a powerhouse performer. And what you did with your voice today is unbelievable. You’re very special. Don’t forget that you’re outstanding!”

While listening to Anjana’s rendition of ‘Dhan Te Nan’, Shahid shared that this track...

Actress Kriti Sanon, who appeared on ‘Indian Idol 14’, lauded the performance of contestant Adya Mishra for her soulful rendition of the tracks ‘Ik Kuddi’, and ‘Raat Ke Dhai Baje’, comparing her voice to singer Rekha Bhardwaj.

The singing reality show welcomed Shahid Kapoor and Kriti, who promoted their upcoming movie ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’.

In this special episode titled ‘Dhamaakedar 8’, contestant Adya Mishra from Faridabad mesmerised everyone by singing ‘Ik Kuddi’ from the movie ‘Udta Punjab’, and ‘Raat Ke Dhai Baje’ from the movie ‘Kaminey’.

Amazed by Adya’s performance, Kriti said: “Adya, the texture of your voice is so lovely. You can sing softly and at the same time, there is pain and pizazz in it.”

“When you were singing the first song, I mentioned to Vishal Dadlani sir that your voice is very similar to that of Rekha Bharadwaj ma’am. I enjoyed your performance,” added Kriti.

Born and raised in Byculla, Bombay, daughter of a cop who used to be responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s security bandobast, and adopted for life by Calcutta, Usha Uthup is the voice and spirit of the Swinging Sixties that the eastern metropolis was synonymous with till the Bangladesh War and the red shadow of Naxalism changed it forever.

Now, honoured with the Padma Bhushan, along with her ‘Disco Dancer’ star Mithun Chakraborty, 12 years after she was conferred the Padma Shri, Usha Uthup (formerly Iyer), the Queen of Indian Pop famous for her husky voice, boundless energy, distinctive red bindi and tastefully selected Kanjivarams, sang herself into popular imagination with two anthemic numbers of Hindi cinema’s disco era — Hari Om Hari and Aha Nache Nache.

Not formally trained in music, Uthup got her first singing break in a nightclub in Madras before she moved to Trincas, the Mecca of Park...

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, who is known for ‘Sacred Games’, ‘Race’, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’, and others, was hospitalised at a Mumbai hospital on Monday where he underwent a tricep surgery for an old injury.

The injury got triggered while performing an action sequence for his latest movie. He is now well on his way to making a speedy recovery.

Saif, who was busy with the shoot of ‘Devara’, underwent minor knee and trice surgery at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. The minor surgery was pending for a while. After the surgery, the actor is currently recuperating.

Talking about his surgery, Saif said in a statement: “This injury and the surgery that followed is a part of the wear and tear of what we do. I am very happy to be in such amazing surgical hands and thank all well wishers for their love and concern.”

This is not the first...

2023 was a standout year for Bollywood films, offering a diverse range of genres and themes to cater to all viewers. Bollywood movies are gaining popularity among Western audiences due to their ability to tackle social issues while providing entertainment. Each film discussed in the article brings something unique and valuable to the table, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

2023 was a standout year for Bollywood films with a broad range of genres and themes represented in the field, and many that rose to the top as the best of the year. From movies on grand scales with sweeping set pieces and enormous dance numbers, to smaller family dramas with a quieter tone, each movie brings something unique and valuable to the viewer. As with many successful Bollywood films, popular actors provide familiar faces in these films along with newcomers just making their name in the film scene.

In recent years,...

Bollywood actress Tabu, who will be soon seen in the upcoming movie ‘The Crew’, has shared a picture from her party. She called choreographer Farah Khan, the saviour of ‘Andheri social life’.

The actress took to her Instagram on Monday and shared a picture from a cosy house party. She wrote in the caption: “The saviour of the Andheri social life always @farahkhankunder Clicking the best pictures Suitable @ishaankhatter. Love is @iamhumaq. Savage Sikander @sikandarkher Nora ka noor @norafatehi.”

Tabu is currently soaking the colours of the holiday season as a few days ago, she took to the Stories section of her Instagram and wondered how soon 2023 went by. She wrote in her Instagram Story: “How quickly this year went by.” She also asked fans, How many people are saying this? Hands up.”

Meanwhile, the actress was last seen in the streaming movie ‘Khufiya’ in which she essayed th role...

Ajay Devgn’s Savage Digs On Koffee With Karan Season 8! ( Photo Credit – DisneyPlus Hotstar / YouTube )

The teaser of Koffee With Karan Season 8 Episode 9 is out, and it’s going to be another dhamakedaar watch! Continuing the saga of unique pairings, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty will grace the couch this Thursday. And the Singham actor is leaving us in splits with his digs. Scroll below for his brutally honest confessions on Ranveer Singh and his wife, Kajol.

One thing that we absolutely love about Kajol and Ajay is their honest nature. They’re probably the most rare couple in Bollywood who don’t mince with their words. Their appearance on the Kwk couch in 2018 was a laughter riot. This season, Kajol appeared with Rani Mukerji. On the other hand, Ajay, as mentioned above, was invited with his Singham director Rohit Shetty.

If you haven’t already seen the Koffee With Karan Season 8, Episode 9 teaser,...

Dawood Ibrahim Poisoned & In Critical Condition, Media Reports Claim He Passed Away On Sunday(Photo Credit –Twitter)

Notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is a most wanted criminal and is reportedly living in Pakistan. But there have been several reports claiming that he has passed away due to alleged poisoning. It has taken social media by storm, confusing people about the entire fiasco. What is the truth behind it? Scroll below to know the deets.

Dawood was reportedly the mastermind behind the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Several people lost their and countless were injured. Quite a few films have been made loosely based on the life of the infamous don. When the pandemic hit the world, there were reports which claimed that Dawood had passed away, but the words were dismissed.

According to a DNA report, Dawood Ibrahim has been poisoned and is in critical condition at a hospital in Karachi,...

When Shabana Azmi Called Naseeruddin Shah & Om Puri ‘Badshakal Insaan’ After Seeing Their Photo (Picture Credit: Facebook & IMDb)

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is one such actress of Bollywood who never shies away from voicing her opinion about anything happening. Time and again, she has made headlines for speaking her mind. In today’s throwback story, we will tell you about the time when two prolific actors, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, revealed a comment they received from Shabana Azmi on their photograph. Scroll down to know about it.

The two actors once appeared on Anupam Kher’s chat show, The Anupam Kher Show, where they opened up about being called ‘badshakal’ (ugly) by Azmi. The legendary actors have made an undefeatable contribution to the Hindi film industry. After starting their careers with different kinds of films, they became the iconic stars of the industry.

During their appearance on The Anupam Kher Show,...

When Rishi Kapoor Wrote About Father Raj Kapoor’s ‘Involvement With Vyjayanthimala’ & His Love For ‘Booze, Leading Ladies’ & Other Things (Picture Credit: IMDb)

Legendary actor Raj Kapoor, often referred to as ‘The Greatest Showman Of Indian Cinema,’ has always been one of the most celebrated artists of all time. After rising to fame at a very young age, he made an insuperable contribution to the Hindi film industry. Apart from being in the news for his impeccable work in the industry, he also made headlines for his alleged affairs with his co-star. His son and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, in his autobiography, Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, wrote about the same in detail.

In today’s throwback story, we will tell you about the time when Bobby actor wrote about his father’s colorful life and opened up about his love for cinema, booze, and leading ladies. Shedding some light on his personal life,...

Vishal Bhardwaj Reveals Giving Up His Rs 30 Lakh Fees To Make Irrfan Khan & Tabu’s Maqbool (Picture Credit: Facebook & IMDb)

Vishal Bhardwaj is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of Hindi cinema, who has given his fans some masterpiece movies like Omkara, Haider, 7 Khoon Maaf, and others. His latest work, Khufiya, starring Tabu in the lead, is streaming on Netflix. The prolific filmmaker recently sat down for an interview where he spoke about many things, including the films he was about to quit and others he couldn’t make with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Speaking about Irrfan Khan and Tabu starrer Maqbool, the filmmaker revealed that to shoot the film at a particular haveli – he had his eyes on – he gave up on his fees. He revealed that he was getting paid Rs 30 lakh for directing, writing, editing, and composing music. However, due to budget constraints,...

Suniel Shetty Says He’s Hurt 100 Times When Kl Rahul Was Trolled For World Cup Loss (Picture Credit: Instagram)

This year, Indians were heartbroken when Team India lost the Icc World Cup 2023 against Australia on November 19 in Ahmedabad, India. Following the defeat, the cricketers, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Kl Rahul, and others, received massive criticism and were subjected to trolls. Now, in a recent interview, Kl Rahul’s father-in-law and Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty opened up about the same and revealed he was hurt when he saw him getting trolled and targeted for his fielding during the match.

Rahul married Athiya Shetty on January 23, 2023, after being together for over 3-4 years. Since then, the duo has been taking the web by storm with the adorable photos they often share on social media. After getting trolled for various reasons, Sr. Shetty says he gets hurt 100 times seeing his kids trending...