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Prakash Jha’s stunning drama Mrityudand, starring Madhuri Dixit and Shabana Azmi, is the focus of Subhash K Jha’s This Day That Year feature series. We also hear from the director about the cast and what went into the making of the film that released in 1997.

Prakash Jha has never made a better film than Mrityudand. Set in the violent heartland of rural Bihar it featured sterling performances by Shabana Azmi, Madhuri Dixit and, surprisingly, Shilpa Shirodkar as a troika of powerful women fighting off brutal patriarchy in Bihar (though not one shot was filmed in Bihar).

To this day the film exudes the scent of directorial brilliances and exceptional performances. In Mrityudand, Madhuri gave her career’s best performance. It is to Madhuri what Mother India was to Nargis.

And to think Madhuri was not the first choice for Mrityudand! It was the very talented Pallavi Joshi (now...

Subhash K Jha turns the focus on Raj Kiran and talks with Mahesh Bhatt about his Arth hero.

Bhatt Saab, was Raj Kiran a casualty of depression?

Depression is not merely the absence of light; it is the crushing weight of darkness, where every breath feels like a battle against an unseen tide.I felt this truth viscerally when I met Raj Kiran in the psychiatric ward of Masina Hospital, Byculla, Mumbai. I had woken up that morning with an unnameable heaviness in my chest—a whisper of dread, the kind that cannot be explained, only obeyed. Something in me stirred with unease, and without thinking, I got into my car and drove to Masina Hospital.

What prompted you to do this?

I had heard that Raj had been admitted there, and though the world had already begun to forget him, I could not. I went not just as a...

When Shabana Azmi speaks of her legendary father, poet and lyricist, Kaifi Azmi, her entire being is bathed in sunshine. “My earliest memory of Abba (father Kaifi Azmi)… sitting on a writing table in his kurta-pyjama smoking incessantly and writing till the wee hours of the morning. As a child, I was convinced a poet was a euphemism for someone who didn’t have any work. Daddies were supposed to put on trousers, shirts, and ties and go out to work. In fact, when people would ask me what my father did, I said he was a businessman and quickly changed the topic. Oh, the follies of innocence!”

Shabana acknowledges not only her father’s all-pervasive charisma but also his sense of humour. “My father was a really gorgeous-looking man with a beautiful voice. People don’t know this, but he had a tremendous sense of humour. I remember once...

To celebrate the iconic actress’s birthday, Subhash K Jha lists the six films featuring Dimple Kapadia’s best performances. As a bonus, we hear from directors, actors, and more on what it is like to work with her reel and real!

Kaash (1987):

Mahesh Bhatt’s powerful drama about an estranged couple coming together for the sake of their dying son, had Dimple pulling out all stops. Says Mahesh Bhatt, “Dimple Kapadia is the most generous Indian actress I have worked with. Our journey began with an unusual film called Kaash, which dealt with the bitter truth of life, that ultimately, you have to part with all that you love. The story revolved around a separated husband and wife (played by Jackie Shroff and Dimple Kapadia) who come together to fulfill the last three wishes of their terminally ill child, and how their relationship evolves through this painful experience.

What is happening with the ambitious Raj Kumar Santoshi pseudo-historical Lahore 1947? More than one release date for Santoshi’s film , an adaptation of Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya O Jamyai Ni, has been announced.

The release date has been announced and withdrawn more than once. Aamir Khan who produces the film, told this writer that he wanted to release Lahore 1947 after Sitaare Zameen Par.

Now speaking exclusively to this writer Santoshi says, “I am planning to release my film in October or November this year. I’ve waited for almost twenty years to make this film. You could call it my dream project. What is meant to be is meant to be. I was destined to make it with Sunny (Deol). And he is perfect in his part. He brings an arresting fusion of the classic and contemporary to the screen. My past films with Sunny , Ghayal and Ghatak,...

In the period between 1982 and 1986, Shabana Azmi did some of her most potent work. These included Shekhar Kapoor’s Masoom, Gulzar’s Namkeen, B R Ishaara’s Log Kya Kahenge, Kalpana Lajmi’s Ek Pal and Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth.

These films changed the way we defined the Hindi film heroine and also brought a radical reform in the way the new Indian woman is perceived by society at large.

Cinematographer Pravin Bhatt’s first directorial venture Bhavna is a very special film in Shabana’s oeuvre. Playing strong, assertive characters who constantly challenged the predominance of patriarchy came naturally to Shabana. But Bhavna occupies a very special niche in Shabana’s glorious, unparalleled career. The story of a woman’s journey from a betrayed marriage to a murder convict, Bhavna deals with the protagonist’s journey with tempestuous velocity without losing out on the quality of grace and restrain.

When Shabana Azmi Was Humiliated By A Choreographer & She Left The Set Crying ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is known for her powerful performances and trailblazing career. However, she, too, had a vulnerable phase in the industry. The actress once recalled an incident where her choreographer humiliated her on the sets of Parvarish. She walked out of the set and even started crying while walking barefoot on the road. Keep scrolling for the deets.

Parvarish was a film by Manmohan Desai featuring an ensemble cast led by Shammi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Neetu Singh, and Shabana. Amjad Khan and Kader Khan played the villains in this movie. It was one of the highest-grossing films of that year and among Desai’s four hits of the year as well.

In a throwback interview with Adi Pocha [via Bollywood Shaadis], Shabana Azmi shared an incident from the sets of Parvarish when she...

Subhash K Jha revists Aparna Sen’s Sonata, which starred Shabana Azmi, Lillete Dubey, and Aparna Sen, that released in 2017. We also hear from the director and Shabana Azmi about the making of the film.

There is no sannata in Sonata. The three protagonists talk endlessly. This enchanting chamber piece is like a Beethoven symphony for the sexually impaired. Nothing really ‘happens’ in the 90-minute celluloid discourse on post-menopausal sexuality and other related topics on how to be a woman past her prime without guilt and the accompanying crimes.

Where are the Indian films that celebrate middle-aged women’s sexuality? Sonata is the psychological exploration of three unmarried women facing a mid-life crisis -Aruna Chaturvedi, Dolon Sen, and Subhadra Parekh, a professor, a banker, and a journalist. The 103-minute film revolves around the emotional ups and downs of these three friends, culminating in an event of global magnitude, confronted with...

What Did Farhan Akhtar Say About Javed Akhtar’s Wedding To Shabana Azmi? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Bollywood actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar once admitted feeling ‘angry and betrayed’ when his father, Javed Akhtar, married actress Shabana Azmi. Read on to know more.

The latest Prime Video docu-series, Angry Young Men, reflects on the professional and personal lives of popular Hindi cinema screenwriters in the 1970s, particularly Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan.

In the series, Farhan opened up about his emotional phase when Javed remarried actress Shabana Azmi. Farhan shared, “There was a phase when I was angry with him; I felt betrayed by him. There were all those normal emotions that I did go through as a child growing up. It took time to go back to normal with my dad. Shabana played a big part in creating that normalcy.”

Talking about the same, director Zoya Akhtar also shared that...

Renowned actress Shabana Azmi recently shared her thoughts on the success of her Netflix crime series, Dabba Cartel, attributing much of its impact to writer Shibani Akhtar. She revealed that her biggest hurdle was making sure her character was distinct from her famous role in Godmother (1999).

In a recent chat, Shabana expressed her appreciation for the fantastic reception of Dabba Cartel. She noted, “The key to its success is in the writing. The director had a clear vision, and I have to give a special shoutout to Shibani, who didn’t ask for any special treatment just because she’s Farhan’s wife.”

In Dabba Cartel, Shabana plays Sheilaben, the cunning leader of the drug cartel. Portraying such a subtle character, where silence conveys so much, required a delicate touch. She mentioned that this experience helped her refine her performance and incorporate a Gujarati dialect to add richness to the role.

Subhash K Jha revisits Gulzar’s Namkeen (1982) and as a bonus, he includes a conversation with the director who takes us inside the story, the actors and the music in this fascinating installment of This Day That Year.

Perhaps the timing was wrong. Or as Munnabhhai would say, ‘Isska to good luck hi kharaab tha.’ But Gulzar’s Namkeen and its dew-drop tenderness compounded by a compelling resilience of spirit, flowery in its fragility and steely in its strength, failed to evoke a favourable response at the boxoffice.

It came during the year when the Bachchan wave swept across the box office with Namak Halaal, Khuddar, and Shakti. It was also the year when two female-oriented films, Nikaah and Prem Rog, did exceedingly well. Namkeen tragically failed to form a trio of successful ladies’ pictures in 1982.

A pity!

Gulzar Saab loves the film, just as one favours the child who...

Shabana Azmi misses her mother the most during Eid. “It has never been the same without Mummy, who till her last days would organise the mehndi the night before a chudiwali (bangle seller) would make us wear bangles whilst those who could chheelo the pistas and badaam were put to work for sheer kurma the next day. Art director Bijon Das Gupta is the best at it.”

Father Kaifi Azmi would insist that the entire family wear new clothes during Eid. “It was the only day in the year that Abba would insist we wear new clothes. Farouque Shaikh and I had a standing competition that my house, Sheer Kurma, was better than his house ka, which neither of us ever conceded. I remember when I was shooting for Pyasi Ankhein, Waheeda Rehman gave me eidi and I was deeply touched. I will miss myself having a ball this Eid.

When Shashi Kapoor Took A Dig At Zeenat Aman And Shabana Azmi (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Today (March 18) marks the birth anniversary of yesteryear actor Shashi Kapoor. He was known for his charming screen presence and scintillating good looks. However, did you know that the late actor was also not the one to mince his words? Despite working closely with actresses like Zeenat Aman and Shabana Azmi, he had once taken an unmissable dig at them.

In a throwback interview with Filmfare in 1975, Shashi Kapoor was reminded of his comments on Zeenat Aman and Shabana Azmi. To this, the Deewar actor said that he often speaks without thinking whatever is on his mind. He went on to say, “I’ve told Zeenat that to her face. Yeah! I told her she’s a good-looking woman, but she can’t act for peanuts. So what’s the big fuss about?” For the unversed,...

Shabana Azmi’s Take On Dabba Cartel (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Shabana Azmi is one of India’s most celebrated actresses, known for her versatility across commercial and parallel cinema. With a career spanning over five decades, she has delivered powerful performances in films like Arth, Mandi, Masoom, and Fire. Her work has earned her multiple National Film Awards, and she remains a prominent figure in Indian cinema and theater.

Beyond her acting, Shabana comes from an illustrious family. She is the daughter of the legendary poet Kaifi Azmi and theater artist Shaukat Azmi. She has been married to celebrated lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar since 1984. Over the years, she has developed a strong bond with her stepchildren, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar and actor-producer Farhan Akhtar. Now, Shabana Azmi is set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming series Dabba Cartel, a crime thriller produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment. Interestingly, the...

Shabana Azmi reminisces with Subhash K Jha in this interview about the experience of making Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. (2007), which also featured the brilliant cast of Boman Irani, Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Kay Kay Menon, Raima Sen, Karan Khanna, Sandhya Mridul, Vikram Chatwal, Ameesha Patel, and Dia Mirza.

This was your first film for your son Farhan Akhtar’s production house?

I had a ball doing Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. My kids (Farhan and Zoya Akhtar) are involved with it. I’ve a very small part.

You had never been paired with Boman Irani before?

Boman plays this Christian Goanese guy. I play this Muslim woman. He plays a brash man. My character is more genteel. I love my look in this film. I kept telling the clothes designer Arjun Bhasin that after this film, he won’t be getting any more assignments. All of us are so atrociously dressed by design.

Subhash K Jha revisits 2007 and the zany film Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, which starred the brilliant cast of Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Kay Kay Menon, Raima Sen, Karan Khanna, Sandhya Mridul, Vikram Chatwal, Ameesha Patel, and Dia Mirza.

Reema Kagti’s debut film Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd has enough chutzpah to keep you purring at the blend of parody and pathos. Once you get into the narrative groove of these imperfectly matched couples riding into a hectic, hilarious honeymoon in Goa, you’re in for a minor treat. The six couples are joined at the hip and the lip by some commanding inflexions that bind the people in a tongue that’s easy to identify… provided you’ve ever been married. Even if you haven’t been on a honeymoon, get a load of these feisty honeymooners, feasting on the first flush of love, romance, sex,...

Subhash K Jha takes a look back at Ram Madhvani‘s drama Neerja starring Sonam Kapoor which released in 2016. We also have incredible quotes from Sonam, Shabana Azmi, and director Ram Madhvani about the making of this outstanding film, so be sure to read all the way to the end.

The biggest surprise of Neerja was not its heartrending recreation of a real-life tragedy. It was the fact that director Ram Madhvani got an actual performance from Sonam Kapoor.

Ten minutes into the film, when we see Neerja dancing to Rajesh Khanna’s ‘Bye bye miss goodnight’ from the film Premnagar, I wanted to believe in the reality about Neerja Bhanot that director Ram Madhvani and his ingenious writer Saiwyn Quadras has so diligently and faultlessly put across immortalizing the memory of the slain brave heart even while giving Indian cinema yet another example of its growing maturity.

Neerja is...

It is final and it is confirmed from the horse’s mouth. A while back, I connected with Shekhar Kapoor to ask him whether his daughter Kaveri is a part of Masoom 2, and Shekhar replied in the affirmative.

Shekhar Kapoor also revealed the stunning cast of his proposed sequel.

Masoom 2 will star the stalwarts from the original Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah, who will be getting together for the first time since the short film Rice Plate in 2007.

And that’s not all. Shekhar reveals that Manoj Bajpayee and Nithya Menen will also star in Masoom 2. For both the national award winners, this will be the first film with Shekhar Kapoor.

Shekhar proudly points out that Masoom 2 stars four National Award winners: Naseer, Shabana, Manoj, and Nithya.

This, we have to see.

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...

The year 1980 was crucial for Naseeruddin Shah. It was the year when two of his career’s most decisive films, Saeed Mirza’s Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai and Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh, were released within months of each other. While in Mirza’s film, the indomitable Naseer played a very angry member of a minority community, in Sparsh, he again played an extremely marginalized character from another minority community. The community of the blind. Unlike Albert Pinto, who was perpetually angry, Anirudh Parmar in Sparsh loses his cool only when reminded of his physical specialness.

Back then, blindness was known as a handicap. And Anirudh, steeped in righteous pride, won’t bear with the ‘h’ word. What makes Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh such a special film about a specially-abled character is Anirudh’s stubborn refusal to be slotted as a victim. So dogged is Anirudh in circumventing...

Shabana Azmi had the rare privilege of playing both wife and daughter to Soumitra Chatterjee. “But then he had the rarest privilege of doing fourteen films with Satyajit Ray. I was in a film group that was honoured at the prestigious George Pompidou Centre in Paris sometime in the 1980s and it was so incredible to watch the adulation showered on him by French fans. In Paris, they called out to him as Apu (from Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar) and Amal (from Ray’s Charulata) and rushed to get photographed with him. Soumitrada seemed to to take it all in his stride and said modestly, ‘It’s because Ray made these characters so memorable that I’m reaping the benefits.’ I was amazed at how lightly he wore his fame.”

Recalling her own experiences of collaborating with Soumitrada as a co-actor Shabana says, “I had the honour of working...

Picking the best Shyam Benegal movies is an embarrassment of riches. His body of work is unprecedented for Indian cinema. My delightful dilemma was not about which ones to choose but about the ones to abandon. He interrupted Hindi film’s archetypal romance, drama, and comedy strips. Shyam Babu (as he is fondly referred to) stubbornly defied the saleable account with social pragmatism. He also spearheaded the fractures that were commencing to surface in the society due to the chaotic socio-political environment of a young nation in 1974, the year he debuted. He triggered and became the colonizer of parallel cinema in India with his path-breaking debut feature, Ankur (1974). Mr. Benegal has won seven National Awards for Best Feature Film in Hindi throughout his career!

Self-admittedly, Shyam Benegal’s style of filmmaking is heavily inspired by the works of Satyajit Ray. And if you observe closely, you could also find impressionable,...

Shabana Azmi’s illustrious career began with her Christopher Columbus Shyam Benegal’s Ankur which kickstarted her romance with immortality.

Now when Benegal turns 90, Shabana turns emotional as she says, “I wish him a very long and healthy life. He changed the face of Hindi cinema and I am so fortunate to have started my career with him. If not for him, my career would have taken a completely different trajectory if I had not started with Ankur.

She fondly sees Shyam Babu as much more than a filmmaker. “He is my mentor and guru, albeit a reluctant one. But above all the other equations that I share with him, I consider him a dear dear friend. I don’t have enough words to describe what he means to me. I value the fact that he takes the trouble to call me when he has watched a performance of mine,...

Tabu is onto the next level of her career. In her first Hollywood project she is part of the incredibly revered Dune:Prophecy series.

Tabu’s former brother-in-law Vindoo Dara Singh is full of affection and respect. “She is an eternal superstar.I can’t wait to see her in Dune.”

Tabu’s aunt the formidable Shabana Azmi can hardly contain her pride at Tabu’s achievements. “It is not a small thing to be in the Dune franchise. The series is a global phenomenon. I believe Tabu has made quite an impact. I am so proud of her. She has lived life on her own terms and carved a unique place for herself in her long career. Few know that she has a whacky side to her, is a terrific mimic and can be great fun when she lets her hair down.”

Continues the affectionate Aunty, “Tabu is very special.

Last week, the indomitable Shabana Azmi has finished attending The Three Continents Festival (Festival des 3 Continents) at Nantes in France where she honoured for 50 years of acting.

The audience gave her a standing ovation.

“It was overwhelming, to say the least. I am an Indian actor, and my core audience is Asian. Of course, I know my films have gone beyond the Asian diaspora. But to know that it has gone so far, that my films are watched by so many, is a sobering experience. I can’t say I deserve so much praise,” says Shabana emotionally.

The formidable actress, considered the finest living Indian actress by many, has special words for the learned audience at Nantes. “They do their homework, ask the right questions. They are erudite and eager to know more about our cinema.”

She is now looking at the next level in her career. “I don’t know what it would be.

Shabana Azmi is in and out of cities these days. Shabana Azmi’s 50-year journey as an actor continues to be celebrated all over the world. Now it is at the Nantes Film Festival in France.

Sighs the formidable actress, “Nowadays I am living in suitcases. Itni travelling toh maine pehle kabhi nahin kee hai.”

Her work has consistently found favour in France where retrospectives of her films have featured at George Pompidou Centre, Cinematheque , and earlier at Nantes festival of three continents where Godmother was the opening night film in 1997. In 1989 At the Biennale of Human Rights in France she was chosen as one amongst sixteen women including Mother Teresa, Rigoberta Menchu , Albertina Sisulu , who were honoured by President Mitterand for her human rights work for slum dwellers and women’s rights activist and for using cinema as a medium of social change.

At the prestigious Nantes Film Festival,...

Shabana Azmi turns all gooey-eyed while talking about dear friend Aparna Sen. “I’m sorry this is going to sound hagiographic but that’s because you’ve caught me in this frame of mind ! She is my dearest dearest friend. I love and respect her. She is an extremely intelligent person and one can discuss any subject with her. She and I have formed a relationship over the years where I immediately fall into a daft mode in her presence and she scolds me like a school teacher!”

Shabana loves Aparna not only as a friend but also as a cineaste. “Her understanding of cinema is deep and I wish I could get her funds to make films without ever caring about budget constraints. It’s not that I adore all her films . I am honest with her about my appraisal of her films and she takes it in the...

Here are the highlights from Day 2 of Mami Mumbai Film Festival 2024:

Masterclass With Shabana Azmi

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, recently honored with the ‘Excellence in Cinema Award’ by Mami, participated in a masterclass moderated by the versatile Vidya Balan. It was an enriching experience to hear Shabana discuss her remarkable 50-year journey in cinema. Reflecting on the challenges of performing in theater, she recalled a particularly memorable instance where she had to translate an English play into Hindi at the last moment, due to a language barrier for the audience. She also revealed how she enjoyed working with Mahesh Bhatt on Arth which was made without a proper script in place.

Girls Will Be Girls

Richa Chaddha makes her debut as a producer with Shuchi Talati’s directorial venture Girls Will Be Girls, which was screened on the inaugural day of Mami’s South Asia Competition, attended by Richa and her husband,...

Iconic and one of the best actresses in Hindi films, Shabana Azmi, is celebrating 50 years of incredible, outstanding, brilliant and many more adjectives performances.

Shabana Azmi’s unparalleled triumphs do not impress her. “I don’t feel like The Shabana Azmi at all. It is very important to preserve a sense of normalcy, not to let all the recognition awards and milestones go to your ahead, which I’ve tried to throughout my life. I would kill myself if I behaved like The Shabana Azmi. Tell me, Subhash, did your most favourite Lataji ever behave like The Lata Mangeshkar?I am shocked at how quickly these fifty years have gone by. Mujhe toh pataa hi nahin chala waqt kab nikal gaya,” says the great Shabana Azmi about fifty years acting on stage and on screen.

“It is very therapeutic for me even now, after so many years to perform on stage and on screen.

Javed Akhtar & Shabana Azmi’s Combined Net Worth Might Surprise You! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi are a power couple worth crores. The lyricist-songwriter and the seasoned actress have now increased their combined net worth with a recent purchase adding another asset to their valuables with a rise of around 4 – 5% in the total value of their combined assets.

Javed Akhtar – Shabana Azmi Net Worth

The power couple enjoys a combined net worth of around 206 crore, and they have added another property worth 7 crore to their assets. The veteran screenwriter has purchased an apartment worth 7.76 crore in Mumbai’s upscale Juhu neighborhood.

Javed Akhtar’s Properties

This ready-to-move-in property is spread across 1199.42 square feet. The transaction, completed on July 2nd, included a stamp duty of Rs. 46.02 lakh and a registration fee of Rs. 30,000. The Sholay writer already owns the adjoining apartment that was bought for Rs 7 crore in...

When Shabana Azmi Was Jealous Of Rekha After Getting A Small Role In Mira Nair’s Film: “What Does She Have That I Don’t?” ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Shabana Azmi is a force to be reckoned with. The Actress, who has a celebrated career of decades, continues to charm and surprise her fans with her work and dedication. But while things may seem all rosy now, Azmi is opening up about a time when she fought with dear friend Mira Nair. And it was because she was jealous of Rekha. Shabana revealed that she was pissed when she got a minor role in Mira Nair’s film, and this is what she said to Mira Nair next.

Mira Nair is well-known for her acclaimed films, including 1996’s Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, which starred Rekha. The movie received international acclaim despite being banned in India. After playing a small...

When Kangana Ranaut Was Allegedly Warned By Shabana Azmi & Javed Akhtar, “Keep Quiet or Ruin Career” ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

For the past couple of days, the slap that was heard around the world has become a topic of hot debate. A Cisf constable slapped MP and Actor Kangana Ranaut, and people had a lot of opinions. While some people supported the constable, many condemned her behaviour. The list of people taking Kangana’s side also had some surprising names. Bollywood Veteran Shabana Azmi defended Kangana Ranaut against the constable but clarified that no love is lost there. However, the constable in question should not have taken matters violently. This was a surprise because Shabana Azmi, Kangana Ranaut, and Javed Akhtar have a history of feuds amongst everything. Did you know Kangana even alleged that Akhtar and Azmi had warned her to stay silent after the Hrithik Roshan breakup?

The saga...

The Holi bash that lyricist Javed Akhtar and his actress-activist wife Shabana Azmi threw at their Juhu home, Janki Kutir, last year had its own tragic after story when it turned out that actor-director Satish Kaushik’s last Instagram post before his unexpected death was a picture of his from the party.

The picture showed him, with Holi colours on his cheeks, posing with Javed Sahab, who had an arm wrapped around the shoulders of his guest.

This year, the party is happening again and Shabana, dressed in white with a multi-hued safa tied on her head, set the mood for it when she entered the venue doing a little dance. Later, Javed Sahab and Shabana posed for the paparazzi.

The early guests included the poet’s filmmaker-actor son Farhan Akhtar and his wife Shibani Dandekar; Dia Mirza, the actress who’s now better known for her espousal of green causes; and Jyothika Saravanan,...

Mumbai, Jan 9 (Ians) Veteran actress Shabana Azmi on Tuesday showered love on “betu”, actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar on his 50th birthday, and wished him happiness.

Farhan is the son of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, and younger brother of writer-director Zoya Akhtar.

Farhan’s parents got divorced in 1985. Javed tied the knot for the second time with actress Shabana Azmi.

Now, on the occasion of Farhan’s birthday, Shabana took to her Instagram handle, and shared a lovely family photo, wherein we can see the birthday boy sporting a black tee shirt, and denims.

The picture features Farhan’s wife Shibani Dandekar, parents Javed Akhtar, Honey Irani, Shabana, Zoya Akhtar, and Anusha Dandekar, along with some other friends and family members.

The photograph shows three cakes kept on the table, with everyone cheering for Farhan.

The post was captioned as: “Salgirah mubarak betu… Jeete raho khush raho bahut saara pyaar”.

Meanwhile,...

Bollywood Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, who recently appeared on the streaming chat show ‘Koffee With Karan’ along with her son, Saif Ali Khan, opened up about her cancer diagnosis.

During the episode, it was revealed that Sharmila was offered a supporting role in the Karan Johar directorial ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’. Show host KJo revealed that he earlier offered the role to Sharmila but it was eventually essayed by Shabana Azmi.

Sharmila said that she was concerned about her health at the time. Karan said that he regrets not being able to work with her on the film.

In the movie, Shabana plays the grandmother of Alia Bhatt’s titular character. KJo said: “I’d offered Sharmila ji the part played by Shabana ji, she was my very first choice. But because of health reasons at that time, she couldn’t say yes. It is a regret I have.

Mumbai, Dec 12 (Ians) The 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival Melbourne will open on August 15, 2024, and will feature the Indian Independence Day Celebrations (flag hoisting), Iffm Awards night, Iffm Dance Competition and Iffm Closing Night.

The upcoming edition of the film festival was announced by Victoria governor, Margaret Gardner AC, at an Iffm industry event held in Mumbai.

In attendance was Mitu Bhowmick Lange Am, Iffm Festival Director, along with various leading films makers, studio heads, stars and stakeholders of the Indian film industry.

The festival also announced a new festival initiative called Iffm Baari, which means ‘House’ in Bengali.

Iffm Baari will be an inclusive space for founders and leaders from diverse creative industries to engage with emerging creative voices especially from the south Asian communities.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi was also honoured with the Iffm Excellence Award.

The award was confirmed for the 2023 festival, but the actress...

Mumbai, Dec 12 (Ians) The 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival Melbourne will open on August 15, 2024, and will feature the Indian Independence Day Celebrations (flag hoisting), Iffm Awards night, Iffm Dance Competition and Iffm Closing Night.

The upcoming edition of the film festival was announced by Victoria governor, Margaret Gardner AC, at an Iffm industry event held in Mumbai.

In attendance was Mitu Bhowmick Lange Am, Iffm Festival Director, along with various leading films makers, studio heads, stars and stakeholders of the Indian film industry.

The festival also announced a new festival initiative called Iffm Baari, which means ‘House’ in Bengali.

Iffm Baari will be an inclusive space for founders and leaders from diverse creative industries to engage with emerging creative voices especially from the south Asian communities.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi was also honoured with the Iffm Excellence Award.

The award was confirmed for the 2023 festival, but the actress...

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has recounted an old story of the acclaimed screenwriter, poet and director Javed Akhtar from the latter’s early days. Detailing her husband’s struggles, she said that the composer arrived in Mumbai with 27 paisa in his pocket and only had a heart full of dreams and determination, which eventually saw him through and made him successful.

Taking to X, the ‘Masoom’ actress detailed Javed Akhtar’s earliest days as a young man who arrived in Mumbai back in the 1960s and wrote, “On October 4, 1964, a young man arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 naya paisa in his pocket and a heart full of dreams. And then Life happened.”

She added, “He slept at railway stations and footpaths, went without food for days, but his belief in himself was his constant companion. At one of his lowest ebbs he told himself, ‘Main yun hi marne ke...

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has recounted an old story of the acclaimed screenwriter, poet and director Javed Akhtar from the latter’s early days. Detailing her husband’s struggles, she said that the composer arrived in Mumbai with 27 paisa in his pocket and only had a heart full of dreams and determination, which eventually saw him through and made him successful.

Taking to X, the ‘Masoom’ actress detailed Javed Akhtar’s earliest days as a young man who arrived in Mumbai back in the 1960s and wrote, “On October 4, 1964, a young man arrived at Bombay Central Station with 27 naya paisa in his pocket and a heart full of dreams. And then Life happened.”

She added, “He slept at railway stations and footpaths, went without food for days, but his belief in himself was his constant companion. At one of his lowest ebbs he told himself, ‘Main yun hi marne ke...

Ghoomer co-stars Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan recently appeared on the IMDb exclusive segment “Ask Each Other Anything,” where they shared their candid experiences of being on set together.

Let’s find out what they revealed.

Saiyami Kher on Bachchan’s uncanny resemblance to director R Balki in the movie, “Your first day as Paddy, I almost felt like I was seeing Balki sir again because he was the inspiration behind the look. It felt very homely watching the two of you together.”

Kher reveals to Bachchan that her first day on set was overwhelming because of him, “I remember the day because you were talking to your father, Mr Amitabh Bachchan, and he very graciously and kindly spoke to me and wished me luck. Therefore I got even more nervous.”

On his first impression of Kher, Bachchan said, “I was very eager to see you as Anina because I...

New Delhi, Aug 19 (Ians) Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has expressed her desire to sit on the hot seat of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ someday, hosted by megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

In the special episode, the star cast of ‘Ghoomer’ — Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher and filmmaker R Balki, were present on the set of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 15′(Kbc).

During the episode, a tune of the bugle was played. Big B says responding to the sound: “badlaav ke iss daur me, desh ke sath sath Kbc me bhi ek badlaav ki pehel shuru ho chuki hai, jisme desh ki janta hamare studio audience se sawal karti hai.”

“Let’s see which citizen of India has asked the question today,” he said. The location in the video played on the screen shows of Maharashtra.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi appears on screen and says, “Adaab Amitabh ji. Itne saalon ke baad finally I am on Kbc.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi hoisted the Indian flag at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023. As the Tricolour fluttered against the Melbourne skyline, the shared emotions of patriotism and unity resonated strongly with attendees.

Commenting on the ceremony, Shabana said: “To be having this honour to hoist the Indian flag, the flag that I’m so proud of, the flag all of us present today are proud of in Melbourne is an honour I never believed I could have.”

“I would like to reiterate that we are here to celebrate Indian cinema in Melbourne, and I truly believe that art knows no boundaries and cinema can be an instrument for social change.”

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023 continues to be a significant platform for showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of Indian cinema on the global stage and the festival started on 11th august and will conclude on 20th august.

Every streaming platform these days, especially the Indian ones, has one genre that has been milked to death: the crime thriller or murder investigation. It has been presented in a million different ways. A lot of them are similar to each other, and only a few manage to stand out. In the span of a few months, Disney+ Hotstar has released three regional shows in the same genre, and each of them has left a mark of their own. Be it Shaitan, a Telugu language crime thriller about an ex-Naxal, or Kerala Crime Files, a Malayalam language murder investigation, the platform is acing so far at bringing some original content in this gritty genre. Adding to this list is Pavan Sadineni directed Dayaa, a Telugu-language web series that was released on the platform on August 4th, 2023.

Dayaa is the story of the eponymous protagonist, a partially deaf man who is...

Mumbai, Aug 1 (Ians) Actors Ali Fazal and Hussain Dalal-starrer ‘The Underbug’ will be premiering at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) 2023. The psychological horror film, directed by Shujaat Saudagar, will be having a special screening at the festival.

‘The Underbug’ made its world premiere at the illustrious Slamdance Film Festival where they won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film.

Ali said, “We are thrilled to have ‘The Underbug’ being showcased at the esteemed Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Our first outing with the film was a stellar success and it’s personally a film that is close to my heart.”

“It’s one heck of a trip and a genre I have never done before, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. The film is experimental in all the right ways and it’s thrilling that a whole new set of audiences at...

The leading actors of Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, have been on an epic promotional tour for the film across many Indian cities! The special events include chats and dance, but the stars also interacted with the fans, much to their delight, screams and dancing in the aisles! And we have some pictures and even some cool videos!

Manish Malhotra Bridal Couture Show

Before heading out for a multi-city tour, Alia and Ranveer walked the ramp as showstoppers for Manish Malhotra’s Bridal Couture Show 2023 at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. The event was live-streamed to thousands of fans, with hundreds of celebrities in attendance to see ‘Rocky’ and ‘Rani’ bring their A-game to the show.

Check out how absolutely gorgeous they are!

Dharma Productions/Media House Global

Dharma Productions/Media House Global

Dharma Productions/Media House Global

India’s International Movement...

National Award winning actor and Padma Shri awardee Manoj Bajpayee, who is known for ‘Satya’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Aligarh’ and several others, is currently in London holidaying with his family.

The actor shared pictures from his vacation on Wednesday and also said that he along with his family is walking at least 10 km a day.

The actor took to his Instagram and shared a photo dump with his wife Shabana, his daughter Ava Nayla enjoying their trip to the European country.

The actor in the caption wrote: “Seeing London through the eyes of a 12-year-old has been so much fun! I’ve been here many times, but this is my first time as a tourist. We’re walking a minimum of 10 km every day, mapping out every nook and corner. #FamilyVacation.”

Taking to the comments section, Apurva Asrani, who has edited Manoj’s ‘Satya’ and co-wrote ‘Aligarh’, wrote, “Beautiful. Kohinoor...

Mumbai, May 30 (Ians) Actor Prateik Babbar, who will be soon working with the veteran actress Shabana Azmi in their upcoming film, has shared that the actress, who worked with his mother in ‘Arth’, has always been very encouraging throughout his entire career.

The duo will be seen in Michelin Star chef, and filmmaker Vikas Khanna’s ‘Imaginary Rain’. Recently, during an interview, Shabana got emotional as she opened up on always looking forward to working with him.

She said, “Yes, we had a reading on Thursday. Prateik is a spitting image of his mother. The resemblance is eerie. I was swept back in time. I am looking forward to starting shooting with Prateik.”

Now speaking on the same, Prateik extended his heartfelt gratitude towards working with her. He shared, “It was inevitable. Shabana ma’am has always been very encouraging throughout my career. Bumping into each other I’ve often...

Veteran star Shabana Azmi has shown her support to the latest released film ‘The Kerala Story’ starring Adah Sharma as the movie is currently in a soup due to controversies. Shabana on Monday tweeted that those who want to ban the film are “as wrong as those who wanted to ban” the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ last year.

She tweeted: “Those who speak of banning #The Kerala Story are as wrong as those who wanted to ban Aamir Khan’s #Laal Singh Chaadha. Once a film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification, nobody has the right to become an extra constitutional authority.”

‘The Kerala Story’ got in trouble after the film’s trailer claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined Isis, the terrorist group. Last year, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ too faced troubles as a section of people on social media platforms...

After exploring a multitude of genres, renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has turned his hand to a romantic comedy with Working Title/Studiocanal production “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”

The film follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged (or “assisted”) marriage to a bride from Pakistan (Sajal Aly). As Zoe films Kaz’s journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a profoundly different approach to finding love.

Kapur says that it is the character of Zoe that drew him to the project and the...

With a last Cut by director Karan Johar, it’s a wrap for Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt! This highly, highly anticipated movie is set to release July 28th! Also featuring Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi, it is, we hear, a story brimming with love, family, and good vibes. Ranveer earlier said that Rarkpk is a quintessential Karan Johar movie that includes humour, romance, drama, songs, glamour, and family roots in a very quirky, zany, amazing film.

As he embarked in this film, the director revealed, “It’s time to go back to my favourite place, it’s time to create some eternal love stories from behind the lens. A very special story, truly immersed in the roots of love and family. It’s a love story, but no – it’s not your regular love story. Rocky and Rani are going to...