As Yash Raj Films clocks 50 years of excellence and supremacy, the scion of the empire Aditya Chopra and his intellectual team has come together to thresh out a string of commemorative projects including a grand bio-pic on the founding father of the banner Yash Chopra.
Though not much detail is known of the bio-pic as yet I have reason to believe Aditya Chopra is very seriously looking into the project, as he and all likeminded fans of Yash Chopra believe the filmmaker’s saga of self-motivated success is exemplary. And who better qualified to play Yash Chopra than Shah Rukh Khan? Though the casting is yet to be finalized SRK seems the perfect fit, being the favourite actor of father Yash and son Aditya Chopra.
Other commemorative projects to mark 50 years of Yash Raj include new film projects that will launch new talent. Aditya Chopra has always been at the forefront of new-talent endeavours. Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra are among Chopra’s recent discoveries.
“We will be seeing a lot more new acting talent emerge from Yash Raj Films in the near future,” a source close to Yash Raj reveals.
Rakul Preet Singh who was summoned for interrogation by the Narcotics Control Bureau in Mumbai has returned to Hyderabad to resume work on Krish Jagarlamudi untitled Telugu quickie featuring Rakul with Vaisshnav Tej.
A source from the location in the Vikarabad Forest reports that the unit is not the least rattled by Rakul’s newly-found controversial image. “Krish Sir and everyone in the crew is going about their work as normal. There’s no talk of the ‘d’ word (drugs) on the set at all.”
The source describes Rakul as a “brave girl”. “She is under tremendous stress. But she brings none of it on the sets. In fact she jokes around the most,” says the source.
Apparently, director Krish who will complete this quickie and then return to the Pawan Kalyan film which he was shooting before the lockdown, will sign Rakul for another film very shortly. “This drug scandal won’t affect Rakul’s career,” says a source close to Krish.
If there’s one thing we know for sure about Jennifer Winget is that she is a straight-up animal lover who has a pet doggo, Breezer. Being one of the most active celebrities on Instagram about her love for animals, it is only fitting that she shares the cutest pictures to celebrate Breezer’s birthday. Currently, Jennifer Winget is vacationing in Goa with her friends for a much-needed getaway.
Posting multiple pictures to wish the ‘best good boy’ in her life, Jennifer Winget shared a few candid yet heartwarming pictures with Breezer to mark his big day. Taking to her Instagram, she shared the pictures leaving all her fans in awe of the duo. Dressed in a white and blue coloured striped gown, Jennifer Winget surely knows how to elevate her fashion game even in casuals.
BTS WEEK on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is getting better with each passing day. The world's biggest group, that hails from Seoul, South Korea, has been putting up some eye-grabbing performances all the way from their home for the viewers around the world. On their third day on the late-night talk show, BTS played fun games, sat down for a discussion with Jimmy Fallon, and gave a power-packed performance on 'Black Swan'.
Starting with a fun game and showcasing their competitive side, BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook played the game of Dance Your Feelings where all of them competed with Jimmy. Didn't it remind the fans of RUN! BTS variety show where all the members are always participating in games?
This was followed by a sit-down conversation with the host about their record-breaking success of their single 'Dynamite', their fans, high school memories, and the upcoming 'BE(Deluxe Edition)' album. Speaking of 'Dynamite' going No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Suga said, "We couldn't believe our eyes looking at the chart. It felt like a dream." The members echoed the same sentiments as all of them were in sync to say, 'Is this real?'
When Jimmy reminded Suga that his dream of going to the Grammys had come true, Jimmy further asked what it would mean to have a nomination. RM said, "GRAMMYs are truly the most honorable music awards that evaluate an artist's musical prominence and audience. So we all grew up watching the GRAMMY awards and we especially remember 2009, when T.I., Jay-Z, M.I.A performed. We saw all of them, then perform a presentation of a song of their own. Performing at GRAMMYs it is like our main goal and also a dream that naturally grew within us. Winning a GRAMMY in such difficult times could give great hopes and dreams to many people, including our ARMY!"
"What I really do love about you guys, from working with you and seeing your work, you have a great work ethic, you really are professional, but you're also very funny. You have a great sense of humor. Please don't ever lose that," Jimmy Fallon spoke about how BTS members have not lost their honesty and humour even after becoming such huge stars.
Furthermore, the seven members talked about how their high school experiences were and their responses were quite hilarious.
Lastly, BTS took the center stage all the way from Seoul to perform 'Black Swan' from their record-breaking studio album 'Map Of The Soul: 7'. The grandeur and the magnum opus set was absolutely ethereal as the septet showcased their modern contemporary performance in all-black outfits. The lyrics go, "If this can no longer resonate / No longer make my heart vibrate / Then like this maybe how / I die my first death / But what if that moment's right now / Right now." All in all, BTS flaunted their super tight choreography, incredible synchronization, and more importantly how good they are during their live performances.
Yash Chopra is an enigma, an icon in the Indian film industry. The hailed film-maker has given audiences blockbuster films and was hugely lauded for his progressive style of cinema. His body of work includes cult classics like Daag, Deewar, Lamhe, Silsila, Chandni, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai, Veer-Zaara, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, to name a few. For those who knew and worked with Yash Chopra, the man behind the legend was equally fascinating.
Mahen Vakil became the first employee of Yash Raj Films when the iconic film-maker started his production house, 50 years back. Mahen’s journey with YRF and Yash ji saw him being promoted to become the Executive Producer of YRF. He unravels the icon, who he says promoted an atmosphere of equality at YRF and on the film sets, a culture that YRF firmly stands by even today under the leadership of Yash ji’s son Aditya Chopra.
Mahen says, “He never compromised on his work! When he would explain any scene to the artist, he would get so involved that you would wish Yash ji would rather perform it himself. His briefing to the actors was so clear and in such great detail that you would get the best performance out from them. Love stories these days are far different than what Yash Chopra used to make. His love stories are simply unparalleled.”
Mahen adds, “His films used to be very expensive because he believed in high technology and did not believe in compromising. What was made in 1965, even today if you look back, his set designs, costumes, etc are unmatchable. For him, the process to making a film was extremely pure. As employees, we were empowered to do what we want to because he trusted us to deliver for him. He left no stone unturned to achieve the scale, to make the film he wanted to make.”
Talking about how Yash Chopra was on the sets, Mahen reveals, “Yashji was full of life! He would consider everyone equal! He used to be there on set 1.5 hours prior to the shift time and would stand with folded hands near the gate and notice what time everyone was entering! It didn’t look nice to enter after the boss has entered, so we would all make it a point to reach earlier. Would you ever see such an atmosphere on today’s set?”
For Mahen, his most favourite Yash Chopra movie is Lamhe, which released in 1991. The incredible film starred Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in lead roles and was about the power of life-changing love. “My personal favourite, any day, is Lamhe! It didn’t work as much because it was ahead of its time and it was not so easily acceptable then but it is a cult film now! Yashji made the movie so wonderfully. He made it with all his heart!” he says.
For someone, who touched the dizzying heights of success, Yash ji was an extremely people’s person. He says, “He was a man with a kind heart! One could hurt him very easily and he was very close to his staff and that created a healthy environment. That’s the reason his staff worked for him for several years.”
One of the advantages of having direct OTT releases was that the films would be free of censorship. Hence, expletives and intimate scenes were shown freely without haphazard cuts. But now with Khaali Peeli releasing not just online but also in drive-in cinemas in Bengaluru and Gurugram, getting the censor certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) became mandatory for the makers. And unfortunately, the Ishaan Khatter-Ananya Panday starrer has faced several cuts, a few of them being laughable.
As per the cut list, the ‘sensuous and explicit’ visuals in the song 'Tehas Nehas' have been removed. Two scenes of Choksi Seth (Swananad Kirkire) staring lecherously at Pooja (Ananya Panday) have been removed and also the vulgar-induced dialogues in these sequences. Other dialogues to have been snipped from the final cuts are ‘Saale nalla hai tu. Fattu hai’, ‘Dus saal tak virgin raha; hold karke baitha tha’, ‘virgin bhramachari’ and ‘harami’. ‘Tichya Aaila’, meanwhile, was muted. In some dialogues, so-called objectionable terms were replaced. ‘Maa ki aankh’ was replaced with ‘bhains ki aankh’, ‘maa ki’ was replaced with ‘bhains ki’, ‘item’ with ‘ladki’ and ‘r****i’ was replaced with ‘aunty’. The CBFC also told the makers to insert a disclaimer in the beginning stating that all those associated with the film are against the exploitation and objectification of children and women. Lastly, anti-smoking ad was added at the beginning of the second half and the font size of anti-smoking tickers was increased.
After all these changes were made, Khaali Peeli was passed by the CBFC with a U/A certificate on September 22. The total length of the film is 119 minutes. A source close to the project says that the makers would be releasing the censored version on the OTT platform Zee Plex as well.
Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much - this maxim perhaps best describes the Bellbottom journey from start to finish. A schedule that began as an impossibility has culminated into a storybook ending that has put the Hindi film industry right on the global map.
"It's teamwork and I am grateful to each and every member of the cast and crew from the spot dadas to the light dadas to the technicians to the make-up dadas to my lovely heroines Vaani, Lara, Huma, my director Ranjit and to Vashuji and the production team who believed in our audacious plan. The new normal has made us realise a different way of working that none of us could have imagined. I hope this encourages film industries globally to do what they do best and start entertaining audiences again. I hope our shoot during the pandemic reassures others that keeping all safety in mind it’s time to get things moving again.” says Akshay Kumar as the film completed its start-to-finish schedule making it the first film in the world to do so.
The film finds itself in the company of a handful of international, mega-budget films that got back on the floors during the pandemic such as Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible 7 and Jurassic Park: Dominion, managing to shoot in an unprecedented environment. In the process, Bellbottom has become the first of these films to complete shooting the entire film.
For Pooja Entertainment, 'Bellbottom' has been the most challenging production in recent times. For the producers it meant managing a stringent health protocol for a massive 200-plus Indian contingent and a 24×7 production crew ensuring the production proceeded seamlessly. The film’s shoot not only got the artists back on the sets but also industry professionals involved in the process of filmmaking. BellBottom resuming shoot has set a precedent for the global film industry and been a step forward in normalising the current working situation in Bollywood.
“We are immensely grateful to the entire unit for trusting us to keep them safe. We feel blessed that we had the right energy on the sets at all times which is honestly the reason why everything came together so beautifully,” adds Jackky Bhagnani
Vaani Kapoor says, "This was easily among the smoothest productions that I have been a part of. I was concerned about how it was going to play out, given the fear and health concerns but I must thank and congratulate Pooja Entertainment for the fantastic planning and the attention to detail. I hope this gives encouragement and confidence to other people back home to shoot.”
Producer Deepshikha Deshmukh has only sentiment to share - gratitude. "I am really grateful that we could complete the shoot. The health and safety of every one were of utmost importance and we ensured that everything was in order. It was an extremely humbling and grateful experience when all the dadas from various departments would come up to you and thank you for bringing them back to work. This couldn't have been possible without Akshay sir and Dad. All credit goes to them."
For the captain of the ship, director Ranjit M Tewari, Bellbottom has been an experience he would like to savor a little longer. “I’ve been blessed with a great cast and crew! Akshay sir, Vashuji, Vaani, Lara, Jackky, and every technician has worked tirelessly to support the film. It was great teamwork.”
Pooja Entertainment presents in association with Emmay Entertainment Bellbottom Produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh, Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani, and Nikkhil Advani. 'Bellbottom' written by Aseem Arrora & Parveez Shaikh is set to release on 2nd April 2021.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan, who has been quarantined at his home in Bandra along with his family, made his way to Dubai to watch the match No. 12 between his team Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.
The fans were excited to see the actor for the first time in a while. The actor was wearing a KKR T-shirt along with a purple beanie and a mask. He was joined by Gauri Khan and Aryan Khan.
“I think we can confirm that. You will see King Khan coming into the Dubai Stadium and I think that will serve as some additional motivation for the players. It is wonderful to have him, he has been itching to get out here and come and be part of the game,” KKR CEO Venky Mysore said during Facebook Live on Wednesday.
On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan is yet to announce his next project but rumours are rife that he has signed Rajkumar Hirani's next, Siddharth Anand's Pathan and Atlee's entertainer.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the business has to restart for Bollywood. BellBottom starring Akshay Kumar and Vaani Kapoor is the first film to have gone on floors and they have perfectly shot an outdoor shooting schedule in Scotland. Vaani, who wraps her shooting for the entertainer, credits her production house, Pooja Entertainment, for an incredible effort in making the shoot a really safe and fun experience.
Vaani says, “Shooting for BellBottom was a really fun and good experience. Despite the ongoing challenges with the ongoing pandemic the team managed to have a really smooth and safe shooting experience while filming with a large crew for which they deserve all the credit.”
The entire team followed all safety precautions and ensured they created the perfect bio-bubble. Vaani says, “We were made to feel safe on the sets because of their commitment to safety and hygiene. I was a bit jittery when I boarded the flight, however, Pooja Entertainment and their team gave me the confidence to keep shooting.”
Vaani is having a hectic year as she is set to immediately start shooting for her next opposite Ayushmann Khurrana. It is a progressive love story being directed by Abhishek Kapoor. She says, “I’m looking forward to shooting with Ayushmann for this progressive love story that is being directed by Abhishek Kapoor. I couldn’t feel more grateful that my industry is slowly bouncing back.”
Actor Zendaya is currently in talks to star in an upcoming biopic to play the iconic singer Ronnie Spector. The news comes in after the 24-year-old actress became the youngest recipient to win Emmys in Best Actress in the drama category for her performance in HBO series, Euphoria.
According to Deadline, "Deals have just closed for Spector’s life rights and for Be My Baby, the memoir she wrote with Vince Waldron. Early conversations are happening with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury to write the script. The film will be produced by Marc Platt, Adam Siegel, Mark Itkin, Tom Shelly, and Zendaya. Jonathan Greenfield and Spector will be the exec producers."
On the work front, Zendaya will next star in multi-starrer Dune. She has Netflix project Malcolm & Marie as well with John David Washington.
Actor Joey King has found her next project. The actor is returning to the streaming giant Netflix to star in and executive produce the movie based on Scott Westerfeld’s bestseller, Uglies. McG will be directing the film.
According to Deadline, "The story is set in a world in which a compulsory operation at 16 wipes out physical differences and makes everyone pretty by conforming to an ideal standard of beauty. Sources say King long has been a fan of the series and brought the series to Netflix –called them, got them to read the script and the book, and then King got Netflix to option it."
Along with Joey King, Jamie King and Scott Westerfield will serve as executive producers.
Joey King will next star in the third and final installment of The Kissing Booth. The actress has signed Bullet Train and will star alongside Brad Pitt.
Actor Zac Efron is set for his next project. Joining the Jason Blum and Universal's next production, the actor will star in Stephen King's Firestarter reboot.
According to Deadline, "Keith Thomas (The Vigil) is directing the latest iteration that is being adapted by writer Scott Teems (Halloween Kills, Rectify), who will also executive produce. Jason Blum and Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman are producing. Martha De Laurentiis, who was an associate producer on the 1984 adaptation will executive produce"
Firestarter, the 1984 movie based on Stephen King's 1980 novel, followed the story of a young girl who develops pyrokinesis and the secret government agency known as the Shop which seeks to control her.
Zac Efron can currently be seen in docu-series Down to Earth on Netflix. He has also produced the series. The actor has also signed the remake of Three Men and a Baby for Disney+.
It is known that Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmmi Bomb is set to hit the streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar on November 9, 2020. The fans are excited to see the actor in a new avatar as he essays the role of a transgender. While India gets to watch the film on OTT, Akshay Kumar fans living in Australia, New Zealand, and UAE will get to experience the film.
Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmmi Bomb to release in Australia, New Zealand, and UAE on 9th November. It is the same day the film is hitting the streaming service Disney+ Hostar. With theaters closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the makers have opted to release the movie, this Diwali directly on the OTT platform.
Directed by Raghava Lawrence, who had directed and starred in the original movie, will also see Akshay and Kiara Advani collaborate again post Good Newwz.
Disney+ Hotstar VIP presents, Laxmmi Bomb, produced by A Cape of Good Films, Tusshar Entertainment House and Shabinaa Entertainment.
Setting foot into the film world again with an upcoming movie, actor Karanvir Bohra is all set to begin shooting his upcoming venture called Kutubminar! The actor who is currently shooting in Dehradun for the film with the entire cast and crew, kicked off the shoot's mahurat with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand inaugurating the ritual!
With quite a diverse star cast including actors like Minisha Lamba, Sanjay Mishra, and Tridha Choudhary alongside Karanvir in the film, this is going to be his second film release post-Hume Tumse Pyar Kitna in 2019, and this one definitely seems to be one which is unique, out of the box and one which will keep the viewers entertained throughout!
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been impressing the viewers with his eye-grabbing performances for a long time. He has also been honored with various prestigious accolades for his cinematic accomplishments. He has given his fans a variety of phenomenal performances and inspired them with his exceptional journey. A performer par excellence, he is known to portray any role with finesse. A rather interesting incident occurred on the sets of Serious Men that shall forever stay as one of the most precious memories for the talented actor.
Director Sudhir Mishra told the crew to get Nawaz on the sets without realizing that he was already standing amidst them! Nawaz quickly stepped forward and gave a fantastic take in the first go itself! Sudhir Mishra praised the actor’s astute acting skills by stating that even though he is a part of the commoners, he stands out distinctly because of his craft and expertise. Nawazuddin Siddiqui mentions, "Sudhir sir is like a Guru to me, who I was waiting to work with for 20 years. His excellence and willingness to deliver content basis his vision is one of the qualities I truly appreciate. My experience of working with him has been the best. One day while we were shooting for Serious Men, he made a remark that he often feels in spite of me being a part of the crowd, I never fail to stand out. I feel that this is one of the best compliments I have received throughout my career and I will cherish it for a lifetime."
Over the years, the Serious Men actor has not only garnered appreciation from his fans but also from the critically acclaimed directors and producers of the entertainment industry, one of them being, ace director Sudhir Mishra. Nawaz has been entertaining the viewers with a variety of roles ranging from Manjhi to Manto or from Thackeray to Jatil Yadav in Raat Akeli Hain. He has delivered the characters gracefully and with ease. On the work front, we will soon see Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a different character in Serious Men.
Back in 2018, Priyanka Chopra was busy promoting the final season of her American crime drama, Quantico. During the same time, the actress made an announcement that she was also working on her own memoir. Titled 'Unfinished', the memoir was to be a collection of personal essays, stories, and observations.
In the last few days, Priyanka Chopra has been sharing a series of videos focusing on her childhood days, growing up in Bareilly, becoming Miss India, entering the film industry, moving to Hollywood and so on. She titled all these posts, “#unfinished.”
The memoir will be published by Penguin Random House India. The book will be published simultaneously in the US by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House US, and in the UK by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK.
“Unfinished is finished! Just about sent in the final manuscript! Wheee! Cannot wait to share it with you all. Every word in my memoir comes from a place of introspection and reflection into my life. #ComingSoon #unfinished,” she had written on Twitter in August.
On the work front, Priyanka Chopra has inked a two-year multimillion first-look TV deal with Amazon Studios. She has two Netflix productions in the pipeline - We Can Be Heroes and The White Tiger. She is also working on a wedding comedy with Mindy Kaling and biopic on Ma Anand Sheela. Besides these projects, she will star in Keanu Reeves' The Matrix 4.
Actor Salman Khan is getting back to work and focusing on various projects. It is being reported that the actor will be backing a non-fiction web series that will focus on the local games in India.
According to a daily, Salman Khan’s production house is working on several kinds of projects including a multi-episode series focusing on games. The plan is to put the spotlight on the sports stars who don’t get enough coverage and are even forgotten since the main focus has been cricket.
The series will not only focus on Kabbadi and Hockey but also lesser highlighted sports like mountain biking and kayaking. The research is currently working on the project and the makers plan to roll by mid-2021. Salman Khan and his team are yet to confirm this news.
Meanwhile, Salman Khan is set to resume shooting of Radhe – Your Most Wanted Bhai from October 2. He is also set to begin hosting Bigg Boss 14 from October 3.
Actors Kunal Kemmu and Soha Ali Khan celebrated the third birthday of their daughter Inaaya Naumi on September 29. On this special occasion, Kareena Kapoor Khan took to her Instagram to wish her niece with a cute picture of Inaaya reading a book with Taimur.
“Happy birthday our beautiful Innaya,” she captioned the photo.
A few days ago, Kunal had shared an adorable photo with Inaaya on Daughter’s Day. “When the world fits in your arms and you can embrace the life in it..the only relationship that’s cemented for life the moment it starts is that of a parent and their child. To every parent and to every daughter. #happydaughtersday,” he captioned the post.
Mirzapur season 2 is by far the most awaited thing of 2020. Ever since the season release date was announced, the fans have lost their calm. Amazon Prime Video dropped a new poster for season 2 today and the excitement meter is alarming.
Amazon Prime Video took to their social media to share, “They're back, but from this point, there's no looking back. ✊ #Mirzapur2 @yehhaimirzapur @excelmovies@alifazal9 @battatawada@faroutakhtar @ritesh_sid#PuneetKrishna @gurmmeetsingh@mihirbd @vineetkrishna01”
The new poster highlights Golu and Guddu, characters of Shweta Tripathi and Ali Fazal ready to take on the battlefield. Fans can binge-watch Season 1 for free now before season 2 takes the road on 23rd October 2020. The show Mirzapur is a gangster drama where Kaleen Bhaiyya, the Kind of Mirzapur goes against the Pandit Brothers, Guddu and Bablu.
The show features Pankaj Tripathi, Vikrant Massey, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Duggal and Kulbhushan Kharbandha in the lead. The actress Shweta Tripathi also took to her social media and has put out the all new poster of Mirzapur 2. In Season 2 actors like Vijay Varma, Priyanshu Painyuli, Isha Talwar, Amit Sial, Anjum Sharma will be joining the cast.
Mirzapur Season 2 will premiere on October 23 on Amazon Prime Video. Mirzapur has been Directed by Gurmmeet Singh & Mihir Desai, created by Puneet Krishna and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani & Farhan Akhtar under the banner Excel Entertainment. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their banner Excel Media & Entertainment.
