Category: Bollywood

Film: ‘Pathaan’ (playing in theatres); Duration: 146 minutes; Director: Siddharth Anand; Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham and Dimple Kapadia.

IANS Rating: 3.5

Finally, the much-awaited Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Pathaan’ hit the theatres on Wednesday. And, expectedly all the pre-release exhilaration translates into high energy rush as the film presents the story of an Indian spy, who takes on the leader of a group of mercenaries who has nefarious plans to target his homeland, captivating the audience.

That the lead actor is the ‘Badshah’ of Bollywood gives the fans all the more reason to scream, dance and sing in the cinema halls. Serpentine queues for a 6 a.m. show is a rarity in India, at least for a Hindi film. In short, the film is an espionage thriller that is most likely to lead box office collections.

Pathaan (Shah Rukh) is an exiled RAW field operative who is assigned to take down his old nemesis, Jim (John Abraham), a former RAW agent turned rogue.

Jim leads ‘Outfit X’, a private terrorist organisation, which is planning to spread a deadly virus dubbed ‘Raktbeej’ across India. The virus, if unleashed, could be much deadlier than any other virus winessed by the mankind.

Right from the opening scene, the unusually fast-paced plot moves with RAW agents, spies, terrorists and a Pakistani Army officer scheming and plotting in different parts of the world.

Rattled by the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to the eratwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, by the Indian government, Pakistan has all the evil intentions and the wherewithal to infiltrate and annihilate the Indian territory. For this purpose, Jim, who has a past and had been double-crossed by Indians earlier, is hired.

And here comes yet another ex-ISI agent, Rubina Khan (Deepika Padukone), leaving many guessing as to who teams with whom.

Pathaan, a diehard patriot who had retired, is called back by his boss Nandini (Dimple Kapadia). Meanwhile, their supreme boss, Colonel Sunil Luthra (Ashutosh Rana), is left worried, still trying to figure out what move to adopt to save human lives with threat of destruction looming large.

With gun-toting agents spreading destruction all around, a svelte and sexy Rubina is seen displaying her charm in a bikini that had riled up the saffron outfits until a few weeks ago when the song ‘Besharam Rang’ was released on internet.

Of course, she is aware of the past and present danger and knows precisely whom to side with as more and more evil-intentioned men appear on the scene.

Amid such chaos, if there’s one ray of hope it’s obviously the presence of the most sought-after, most-loved, and fearless Pathaan. With James Bond-like intensity, Pathaan has supreme fight sequences to match.

Crammed with high octane action that is virtually frenziedly uninterrupted and relentless, there’s not a single moment that would make the viewers take a breather.

Shah Rukh, who needs a box office blockbuster badly, is perhaps the only actor who could have looked lethal with his six -packs and delivering lines in hushed tones that melts Padukone. His charm remains intact as he tries to briefly romance, while all along diving and jumping from mountains and rooftops in a bid to oust his enemies.

And it isn’t just his young looks, his energy is so infectious that many among the cinegoers whistled every time he scored a point over his opponent. Such is his impact and following!

Padukone too proves why she was the one chosen by Hollywood to don colourful bodysuits, leggings and catsuits. John Abraham too is a perfect foil to Khan’s ripping muscles and performs well. To match Khan’s young looks, he too manages to sport a dashing fresh youthful look.

The action scenes are at par with any Hollywood production, while the cinematography by Satchith Paulose captures some exquisite landscapes in Spain, Russia, Dubai, Italy and France.

Though there is not much scope for songs in such a narrative, Vishal-Shekhar numbers are extremely catchy. All those who are still worried about Bollywood’s no show for months, can decisively breathe easy with the satisfaction that given the right production, engaging script and mega stars at the helm, Hindi cinema should be back on track! (IANS)

YRF’s Pathaan has become a historic hit at the box office and director Siddharth Anand is definitely one of the biggest directors of this generation in India. The film-maker, who has been backed by Aditya Chopra, to direct two towering blockbusters WAR and now Pathaan from YRF’s Spy Universe, says he is feeling greatly overwhelmed after creating history at the box office.

Siddharth says, “Scripting history. Everyone wants it, but one cant plan it. It just happens. And when it does, it’s actually a very humbling experience. I’m feeling incredibly overwhelmed right now and inspired to get back on the film set and try and create something really special for audiences again. That’s my state of mind.“

With Pathaan, Siddharth Anand becomes the only Hindi film director to have two back to back 50 crore+ openers under his credit.

He says, “I’m hungrier than before to create more spectacles and immersive experiences like Pathaan. For me, yes numbers do matter. It is a validation of all the hard work but film-making is also a team game. So, I share this incredible moment with the entire cast and crew of Pathaan. Each one of us believed in a vision to create a never seen before theatrical experience that cuts across the length and breadth of the country and I’m glad we delivered on this promise.”

Pathaan has so far created 21 new records!

1. Highest Grossing Day In The History of Hindi Cinema, Set Consecutively On Day 1 & Day 2.

2. Only Hindi Film To Breach ₹ 55 Cr NBOC Barrier, Set on Day 1.

3. Only Hindi Film To Breach ₹ 70 Cr NBOC Barrier, Set on Day 2.

4. Fastest Hindi Film To Record ₹ 100 Cr NBOC, Set on Day 2.

5. Only Hindi Film To Breach ₹ 50 Cr NBOC Barrier On Two Consecutive Days, Set on Day 2.

6. Sets Circuit Record In Every Film Circuit of India, Set on Day 2.

7. Widest Hindi Release of All Time In India, Set on Day 1.

8. Highest Grossing Opening Day For A Hindi Film Post Covid 19 Pandemic, Set Consecutively on Day 1 & Day 2.

9. Highest Grossing First Day For A Non Holiday Release, Set on Day 1.

10. Highest Grossing Second Day In The History of Hindi Cinema, Set on Day 2.

11. YRF is The Only Film Studio In India To Breach ₹ 50 Cr NBOC Barrier With A Hindi Film, Set in Years 2018, 2019 & 2023.

12. YRF Has Recorded Collections In Excess of ₹ 50 Cr NBOC Four Times in The Last 4 Years.

13. 3rd YRF Film To Cross ₹ 50 Cr+ Net Box Office Collections On The 1st Day after “WAR” and “THUGS OF HINDOSTAN”.

14. 3rd YRF SPY UNIVERSE FILM To Set An Opening Day Record After “EK THA TIGER” & “WAR”.

15. Highest Grossing First Day & Second Day for Shah Rukh Khan.

17. Highest Grossing First Day & Second Day for Deepika Padukone.

18. Highest Grossing First Day & Second Day for John Abraham.

19. Highest Grossing First Day & Second Day for Siddharth Anand.

20. Highest grossing First Day & Second Day for Yash Raj Films.

21. Highest grossing First Day & Second Day for YRF Spy Universe Films.

Siddharth says, “With War and now Pathaan, we, the Hindi film industry have given films that have pan India appeal. I have always believed that cinema has no language. Cinema is about an emotion and if it connects with people, it can really go to dizzying heights and that’s what’s happening with Pathaan.”

Siddharth is happy that Indian cinema is flourishing and creating new benchmarks with landmark global hits. He says, “Today is a victory of Indian cinema because we are all Indians first. It is such an exciting phase for our country that films from across India are making records, breaking records and most importantly entertaining the people of our country globally!”

YRF’s Pathaan is a historic hit as it collected 113.6 crore gross on day 2, taking the total worldwide collection to an astronomical 219.6 crore gross! Pathaan has become a must watch theatrical entertainer which is being celebrated across the nation. Pathaan, is part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it.

Directed by National Award winner Hansel Mehta, the new thriller FARAAZ releases in North American theaters on February 3. Based on the real-life attack that ravaged a Dhaka cafe, the gripping film is a tense hostage drama that unfolds over one claustrophobic night.

The Great War of civilization cemented its polarization in the post 9/11 world. The horror was psychological as well as empirical in the way it defined the idea of survival and humanity in the upcoming decades.

Islam became a word with multiple connotations, an idea whose very existence manifested itself in war games, geo political reassessment and elections. While the Middle East suffered from modern colonialism, the subcontinent went through its own struggles. “Justice” started being meted out by mobs, kitchens were invaded by parochial attitudes and skull caps and beards became a marker of prejudice.

In this context, in a democratic, largely Islamic country, The month of Ramadan was bloodied by the worst terrorist attack Bangladesh had ever witnessed. Around 8pm, 5 boys entered an upscale restaurant opening fire, killing all a dozen hostages in a matter of a few minutes and taking everyone else hostage.

Mortified nationals were glued to their tv sets as the Holy Artisan bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka, was taken hostage along with 50 odd people. The horror unleashed by the terrorists was beyond brutal. And the irony of it all was that the terrorists shared the same faith as the majority of the country, but their approach was medieval to say the least.

The attackers, in their early 20’s, killed people who did not agree with them or who did not align with their religious beliefs. They were sure that they were on God’s mission and fate had chosen them to accomplish this holy war. The message that they wanted to send to the world was that Bangladesh was its new frontier that needed a lesson in Islam.

What followed was almost 12 hours of a harrowing experience where the hostages were surrounded by death, violence and a skewed idea of a religion that has espoused so many contradictions in the world. Security forces stuck in a quagmire, with emotions running high, the bureaucracy behind dealing with a situation of this magnitude and the prayers of multiple Bangladeshi and empathizers from across the globe hoping that the hostages somehow miraculously come out.

Through the film we see the people behind these staunch rhetorics with their own complexes and hidden agendas. Their shortcomings which guise themselves in the name of holy war and the innocent people who become unfortunate victims of religious extremism.

However, we are the stories we choose to tell the world. This is a story of resilience, resistance and rationality. It’s a story where humanity finds itself on the edge of a cliff, a slight push can make it plunge into divisive chaos, only to find its feet in the face of a grave caveat.

FARAAZ

Release Date: February 3

Director: Hansal Mehta

Cast: Zahan Kapoor, Aditya Rawal, Juhi Babbar Soni

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishnan Kumar, Anubhav Sinha, Sahil Saigal, Sakshi Bhatt, Mazahir Mandasaurwala

Film Updates: https://www.facebook.com/RelianceEnt/

Subtitled Trailer: https://youtu.be/aNvVwGAtnLg

What if Gandhi had survived? Director Rajkumar Santoshi (The Legend of Bhagat Singh) delivers the powerful new historical drama GANDHI GODSE – EK YUDH which releases in cinemas across North America on Thursday, January 26, for Republic Day. With new music from Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, the film revolves around the fictional world where Mahatma Gandhi survives the attack and later meets Nathuram Godse in prison, the conversation leads to a fiery debate between them.

Uprooted during partition thousands of Hindus & Sikhs, from Pakistan are refugees in Delhi. The Indian Government struggles to provide for them. Godse holds Gandhi responsible for the partition and misery of Hindus. He shoots Gandhi on 30th January 1948. But Gandhi is miraculously saved. He pardons Godse. Gandhi suggests congress leaders that congress party should be dissolved. But the suggestion gets rejected by the congress committee.

Gandhi breaks his ties with congress, he begins his Gram Swaraj Movement to inspire and organize villages towards self-reliance. Forest conservation, eradication of cast, and fair farming practices are on his agenda. Meanwhile, the system highlights Godse’s writing and manipulates public sentiment against Gandhi whose interference has created ruckus within the government. This leads to Gandhi’s arrest. Gandhi insists on serving his sentence with Godse. They have multiple debates and arguments, even confrontations on issues of Akhand Bharat & Hindutva, Muslims Appeasement & Partition, Geeta and Non-Violence. Through dialogue they both evolve and resolve their differences.

GANDHI GODSE – EK YUDH

Release Date: January 26

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Cast: Deepak Antani, Chinmay Mandlekar, Tanisha Santoshi

Producers: Manila Santoshi, Ram Santoshi

Music: A.R. Rahman

Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/RelianceEnt/

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFuDx-wSi7A

Distributor: Reliance Entertainment

Watch the new full trailer for GANDHI GODSE – EK YUDH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFuDx-wSi7A

Press Download – trailer video file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0yyg76xeo49rg5/GANDHI_GODSE_HI-en_INT_MP4_20230110.mp4?dl=0

Pathaan has become one of the most anticipated Hindi films to release worldwide in a long, long time. Touted as one of the biggest ever action spectacles that audiences will see in theatres, the visually spectacular Yash Raj Films’ action extravaganza, Pathaan, is part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it.

Director Siddharth Anand, in a video released by Yash Raj Films, talks about why Pathaan has become the most hyped film globally and how SRK’s return to the cinemas after 4 years has added to the humongous buzz that the film is carrying!

Sid says, “Directing SRK is a responsibility and it’s even more greater now because of the break that he had taken and that has created immense expectations and excitement with his audience. I am realising now, towards the end of the film into the release of the film, what and how large that fan base is. So yeah, that is an amazing feeling and it’s somewhere exciting because we know that we have hopefully made a film that they will be happy and proud of.”

About the electrifying SRK and Deepika pairing in Pathaan, Sid says, “Just the fact that SRK and DP have done so many films before and fortunately all of them have been really successful. It became a challenge to see how different can they look and so, our team really worked you know intricately to present them in a new way.”

SRK and Deepika are one of the biggest on-screen pairings in the history of Indian cinema given their epic blockbusters Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express and Happy New Year.

Sid says, “The fact that DP is looking different from her films and SRK is looking different from his films, automatically their pairing will look fresh. So that is the approach we took and it’s amazing, I think the audience is loving it.”

Watch the full video here : https://youtu.be/kgHhCKbF3X0

YRF’s adrenaline pumping film, Pathaan, is set to release on Jan 25, 2023 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. All the assets of the film that YRF has released so far have turned out to be super-hits right from the teaser, the two songs – Besharam Rang & Jhoome Jo Pathaan – and the recently dropped trailer that has caused an internet meltdown!

People of Indian origin across the globe are celebrating after Telugu movie RRR created history by winning a Golden Globe – a first for the country. Written and directed by SS Rajamouli, RRR, which stands for Rise, Roar, Revolt, is a historical fantasy that tells the rollicking story of two revolutionaries who fight against British rule in India – superstars Ram Charan and Jr NTR play the lead roles.

SS Rajamouli’s hit historical epic RRR was nominated in two categories at the 80th Golden Globes, considered an important precursor to the Oscars.  Composer MM Keeravani, along with singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj, has won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, for the track “Naatu Naatu,” which became an anthem of sorts for fans of director SS Rajamouli’s RRR. The historical epic has also been nominated in the Best Non-English Language Film category at the 80th Golden Globes.

Naatu Naatu, a four-and-a-half-minute stomper of a song, features Charan and Jr NTR, and has had thousands grooving to its beat. Their energetic moves have inspired viral trends on social media in India and globally.

The film’s catchy musical number, Naatu Naatu, was awarded best original song, beating heavyweights like Taylor Swift and Rihanna. The hit song was filmed in front of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky’s official residence in 2021.  Accepting the award, composer MM Keeravani said he was thrilled by the song’s success.

Back home, several Indians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their joy at the news. India’s Prime Minister Modi congratulated the team, saying the “prestigious honour has made every Indian very proud””.

Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman called the win a “paradigm shift”. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan wrote on Twitter that he “woke up and started dancing to Naatu Naatu” to celebrate the news.

One of India’s most expensive films, the dazzling action epic has been a huge box-office success – not just domestically but also in countries such as the US. Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain tweeted last week that watching the film felt like “such a party”.

A Hindi-language version of the film on Netflix was among the platform’s Top 10 most watched titles in the US for weeks when it released in May 2022. In December, BBC Culture film critics Nicholas Barber and Caryn James chose it as one of the 20 best films of the year, calling it a “crazily over-the-top action movie” with a powerful story.

The film’s music, ranging from romantic ballads to gleeful dance numbers and patriotic anthems, has also won fans.

Fans worldwide have gushed over the infectious dance steps that accompany the song’s chorus, where the actors shimmy and glide in a synchronised cowboy routine. The team behind the song spoke to BBC Telugu in January about the effort they put in.

Choreographer Prem Rakshit said that he composed nearly 95 dance steps for the song – with 30 different versions of the signature step in the chorus alone. It took about 19 months from the first discussion until the final, polished result emerged – a fun mish-mash of dance genres ranging from an old barn stomp to a bit of Gangnam Style gallop and traditional Bollywood moves.

The song was shot in front of the Mariinskyi Palace in Ukraine – a gorgeous sea-blue structure of baroque architecture – months before the war began. The film’s director Rajamouli said in an interview that “luckily, they gave us permission to shoot because the Ukrainian president [Mr Zelensky] was a television actor”.

The idea was to create a song which took “enjoyment and joy” to a new level, the song’s composer Keeravani told BBC Telugu.  “Rajamouli told me that he wanted a song in which both the actors compete with each other and dance.”

Keeravani then asked lyricist Chandrabose to pen the words. “I told him that you can write whatever you want but the song should create excitement and enthusiasm about the dance moves of the lead actors,” Keeravani said.

On Wednesday, fans could barely contain their happiness on Twitter as they celebrated the award.  “This is history in making for Indian cinema at global platform,” a user wrote. Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi Konidela, who is also Charan’s father, called it a “phenomenal, historic win” – a sentiment echoed by several others in the film industry and beyond.

RRR was also nominated in the Best Non-English Language Film category at the Golden Globes, but lost to Argentina, 1985. Considered an important precursor for the Oscars, the Globes are emerging from a major controversy that resulted in the industry largely blacklisting them for over a year. After fundamental changes were introduced behind-the-scenes, mostly in relation with diversity and transparency, the event is making a comeback to TV after an under-the-radar 2022 edition.

“Naatu Naatu,” a dance number featuring stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan, was competing against Taylor Swift’s “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing, “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, and “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, performed by Rihanna. A dance-off number in which the central characters, played by NTR Jr and Ram Charan, challenge British oppressors, “Naatu Naatu” became known for its elaborate choreography and musical storytelling.

India previously made its presence felt in the Best Original Score category over a decade ago, when AR Rahman won for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman was also nominated in the same category for Boyle’s follow-up, 127 Hours. V Shantaram’s Do Aankhen Barah Haath made history when it won the equivalent of the Best Non-English Language Film in 1957. Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi was won the Globe in the same category, even though it wasn’t a foreign production.

RRR became a cult phenomenon in the US after its Hindi language version debuted on Netflix earlier this year. After developing a devoted fanbase, it was re-released in theatres, culminating in a legendary sold-out screening at the iconic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The movie subsequently became an awards contender, picking up five nominations at the Critics Choice Awards in addition to its two nods at the Globes. It has been shortlisted in two categories at the Oscars, and in one category at the BAFTAs. Rajamouli recently won the prestigious New York Film Critics Circle award for Best Director, while RRR found spots on many American critics’ top 10 lists.

Team RRR makes a style statement with sarees, sherwanis and bandhgalas

As India bagging a Golden Globe for the number ‘Naatu Naatu’ has made headlines, the Indian attire sported by the ‘RRR’ family too grabbed eyeballs at the event.

‘RRR’ brought home the Golden Globe for Best Original Song in Motion Picture for the song ‘Naatu Naatu’, however, the film lost out the bigger share of the pie — that of the Best Motion Picture Non-English award to the Argentine film ‘Argentina, 1985’.

It was Ram Charan, his wife Upasana, M. M. Keeravaani, his wife Srivalli S. S. Rajamouli and his better half Rama Rajamouli, who unlike any other global star chose to flaunt the Indian wear at the ceremony.

Ram Charan looked every inch dapper in an all black Kurta paired with straight pants and sunglasses. His wife Upasana dolled up in a printed saree.

Rajamouli chose a black kurta, red dhoti pants and a crisp red dupatta while his wife Rama, a costume designer, opted for a green and orange Kanjeevaram saree.

Keeravaani seemed to join the gang with a black kurta and straight pants. His wife chose a bright yellow and orengish-red nine-yard wonder.

Jr. NTR looked every inch handsome as he opted for a black suit paired with a bow-tie and a white shirt.

‘RRR’ centres around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, their fictional friendship and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

The Pathaan row in India is seeing new heights of religious fanaticism as a seer in Ayodhya has now threatened that he would burn Bollywood’s Shah Rukh Khan alive if he ever met him. As per its definition, a seer is a person of supposed supernatural insight who sees visions of the future.

Mahant Paramhans Acharya of Tapasvi Chhavni, has said that he would even go to the extent of burning Shah Rukh Khan alive if he ever met him. Paramhans Acharya added that the saffron colour has been insulted in the ‘Besharam Rang’ song.

“People of our Sanatan Dharma are protesting continuously regarding this. Today we have burnt the poster of Shahrukh Khan. If I get to meet the film Jihadi Shah Rukh Khan, I will burn him alive,” the seer said.

Paramhans Acharya added that the saffron colour has been insulted in the Besharam Rang song. “People of our Sanatan Dharma are protesting continuously regarding this. Today we have burnt the poster of Shahrukh Khan. If I get to meet the film Jihadi Shah Rukh Khan, I will burn him alive,” the seer said.

Acharya did not stop at that. He went on to say that if ‘Pathaan’ film was released in theatres, he would set them on fire. He also appealed people to boycott ‘Pathaan’. Earlier, the priest of Hanuman Garhi, Mahant Raju Das, had also protested against the film. Politicians and right-wing supporters are protesting over saffron coloured outfits in the song ‘Besharam Rang’ in the film.

While the cast seems unfazed by the so-called controversy as the makers have announced a new song set for a December 22 release, fans and close peers of Khan and Deepika Padukone are rightfully worried.

Adding on, the Mumbai Police has received a written complaint, seeking registration of an FIR in connection with Padukone wearing a saffron bikini in the song Besharam Rang. A complaint has been filed on Saturday against the producer, director and lead actors of the film for deliberately using saffron color to hurt the religious sentiments of people and hurt the Hindu religion, an official of Sakinaka police station said.

Previously, Khan voiced his concerns about the emerging trend of negativity and trolling on social media at the inaugural ceremony of the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival, reported Times of India.

Without directly addressing the controversies related to Pathaan and Besharam Rang, Khan said, “I’m really proud of everyone standing in solidarity with me. The support proves that no matter what the world throws at us, we will always remain positive and alive.”

He then pointed out how the negativity on social platforms only leads to more destruction in real life. “Social media is often driven by a certain narrowness of view that limits human nature to its baser self. I read somewhere that negativity increases social media consumption, and thereby increases its commercial value as well. Such pursuits enclose the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive.”

Moving on, the Zero actor also stated that cinema is bound to be affected by the increasing pessimism online. He said, “The collective narrative of our times is shaped by social media and contrary to the belief, the spread of social media will affect the cinema negatively.”

Khan went on to defend cinema by dubbing it as a vehicle “for people of different colours, castes and religions to better understand each other.” He also urged people to pay more respect to films. “Cinema is the best place to sustain a counter-narrative that speaks to the larger nature of humankind,” he added.

Despite receiving requests for the film to be boycotted, Khan commended KIFF for ushering in a new era of optimism in the country and congratulated the people of Kolkata. “Through endeavours like KIFF, we are able build new platforms to break existing prejudices. Let’s come together and build a better world for our future generation through the medium of cinema,” he concluded.

India’s leading media and entertainment company, Eros Media World PLC and Arabia Pictures Group will together produce three full-length feature films, including an Arabic remake of a 2012 Bollywood blockbuster and two untitled Hindi language projects.

They plan to jointly produce three full length feature films, including the remake of a 2012 Bollywood Box Office super hit film and two untitled Hindi language projects. All three films will be conceived and developed in Saudi. The local remake film will go on the floor for production by mid of 2023, and the other two by the end of 2023.

“Saudi Arabia and India enjoy a strong relationship reflecting their centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties. Today, when Saudi Arabia is diversifying and inviting investments and expertise from all over the world, global media organizations like ErosMedia can participate and contribute to the Saudi government’s vision.”

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Abdulelah Alahmary, CEO of Arabia Pictures, says, “We’re very thrilled to collaborate with ErosMedia in bringing captivating, family-orientated stories to the MENA region. Our cultures share similar qualities, and we believe that our first film together, which is a remake will resonate with our audiences. We’re in the process of adapting the story with talented local Saudi writers. We will share the details on these projects soon.”

Commenting on the announcement, Pradeep Dwivedi, CEO, Eros Media World, says, “Saudi Arabia and India enjoy a strong relationship reflecting their centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties. Today, when Saudi Arabia is diversifying and inviting investments and expertise from all over the world, global media organizations like ErosMedia can participate and contribute to the Saudi government’s vision.” He adds, “In Arabia Pictures, we have found a perfect partner, and together we will recreate the magic of Bollywood in Saudi.”

Arabia Pictures is a content production and distribution outfit focusing on the MENA region. In August this year, ErosMedia and Arabia Pictures announced a strategic partnership to explore opportunities in film production, technology, and Web3 space.

The partnership is in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a strategic framework by the government to move away from Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil to diversify its economy and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, media, and tourism.

Eros Media World Plc, (“Eros”, the “Company”) (NYSE: EMWP) is a global media and entertainment company that acquires, co-produces and distributes films, digital content and music across multiple formats such as theatrical, television, OTT digital media streaming and emerging web 3.0 ecosystem to consumers around the world. The Company also owns the leading South Asian OTT platform Eros Now, which has rights to over 12,000 films across major Indian languages. For further information, please visit www.ErosMediaWorld.com.

Arabia Pictures group is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. We are focused on building ecosystems of content creation; all of our companies complement each other and contribute towards completing projects from talent development to major film production. We envision to create a “MediaTainment economy” by acting as the root base for innovative cloud and digital services aimed at content creators. Regionally we have major platforms, TVs, theatrical and talent. We are providing the best value for creativity utilizing technology through our existing channels.

The spectacle of ‘RRR’ in the West doesn’t seem to cease any time soon. Helmed by SS Rajamouli, the action-drama film nabbed two spots in the nomination list for the Golden Globe Awards 2023. The prestigious award show made the announcement via congratulatory posts to the nominees on its official Twitter handle. The nominations were covered in all major media in the U.S., and ‘RRR’ received good press in several countries, including Canada.

The movie, ‘RRR’ is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Ram Charan and Jr NTR played lead roles, respectively.

The full list of nominations released in U.S. media included ‘RRR’ in two categories – ‘Best Picture – Non-English Language’ and ‘Original Song – Motion Picture’.

Best foreign language film
“All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany)
“Argentina, 1985” (Argentina)
“Close” (Belgium)
“Decision to Leave” (South Korea)
“RRR” (India)
– – –
Best original song, motion picture
“Carolina,” Taylor Swift (“Where the Crawdads Sing”)
“Ciao Papa,” Guillermo del Toro and Roeban Katz (“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”)
“Hold My Hand,” Lady Gaga and BloodPop (“Top Gun: Maverick”)
“Lift Me Up,” Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”)
“Naatu Naatu,” Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj (“RRR”)

In the first category, it competes against the films ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, ‘Argentina, 1985’, ‘Close’ and ‘Decision to Leave’.

In the second category, the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Ram Charan-starrer will compete with ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ from ‘Carolina’, ‘Lift Me Up’ from ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, ‘Hold My Hand’ from ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Ciao Papa’ from ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’.

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt, who had played an integral role in ‘RRR’, took to her Instagram stories to share the news with lots of heart emojis.

The Jr. NTR-starrer has already bagged a number of awards in the West, including a Saturn Award and a New York Film Critics Circle award.

Meanwhile, the filmmakers have submitted the film to The Academy For the Oscars in main categories. They have asked for consideration in categories, including Best Picture (DVV Danayya), Best Director (SS Rajamouli), Best Actor (Jr NTR and Ram Charan), Best Supporting Actor (Ajay Devgn), Best Supporting Actress (Alia Bhatt) and more.

“#RRRForOscars. We are honoured that RRR’s overwhelming success represented Indian Cinema on the global stage by creating milestones at the worldwide box office and uniting film buffs across the world by transcending linguistic & cultural barriers. We’re grateful to each & every one who loved our film and cheered us over the past few months. You made this journey possible.We applied to The Academy for Oscars consideration in general category. We wish our RRR family the best and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for making this possible. Here’s to continuing to win hearts and entertain audiences worldwide,” a note read on the official Instagram page of RRR. The film collected over Rs 1,200 crore worldwide.

‘Went to 8 countries to shoot PATHAAN and its lavish action sequences,’ said Siddharth Anand explaining on how the team wanted to give audiences a visual spectacle like never before with Pathaan

Aditya Chopra and ace director Siddharth Anand are trying to make Pathaan India’s biggest ever action spectacle for audiences! The visually spectacular Yash Raj Films’ action extravaganza, Pathaan, is part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it. 

The adrenaline pumping visually extravagant film has been shot across 8 countries of the world to achieve a scale that has never been witnessed on the big screen. The team has shot in Spain, UAE, Turkey, Russia and Siberia, Italy, France, India and Afghanistan to present an outlandish action thriller that is truly an event film for Indians across the world!

Siddharth says, “Locations always play a huge role in my films and they became even more important for Pathaan as we intended to deliver an action spectacle for audiences that they have never seen before. To achieve that scale and variation in visuals we went to 8 countries to shoot the film and its lavish action sequences!”

He adds, “We were clear that every scene of Pathaan needs to be breath-taking and we meticulously went about planning to achieve this. I remember the pre-production of Pathaan took close to two years because we wanted to be absolutely sure that we are going to try and raise the bar of action spectacles in India.”

Siddharth adds, “We have shot in some of the most remote and most exquisite locations in the world that have helped us create a visual experience that is immersive and outlandish. I simply hope that audiences love our effort to create a cinematic milestone when Pathaan releases in theatres on Jan 25.” Pathaan is set to release on Jan 25, 2023 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Fresh off the success of the Bachchan Back To The Beginning festival, the not-for-profit organization Film Heritage Foundation has announced the unique fest titled Dilip Kumar—Hero Of Heroes to mark the centenary celebrations of film icon and Dadasaheb Phalke laureate Dilip Kumar. Real name Yusuf Khan, he is among the greatest legends of Hindi cinema.

Largely an actor, Dilip also dabbled in production (Gunga Jumna), direction (the incomplete Kalinga), screenwriting (Leader, Gunga Jumna, Bairaag), singing (Musafir, Karma) and also did Bengali cinema (Paari, Sagina Mahato).

Slated to be hosted on December 10 and 11 (his birth-date), the celebration will honor the icon through a bespoke showcase of his milestone films such as Aan (1952), Devdas (1955), Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Shakti (1982), covering over 30 cinema halls in over 20 cities across India.

Audiences in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Pune, Bareilly, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Raipur, Indore, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad will get a first-hand experience of witnessing the sheer magnetism and versatility of one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema on the big screen.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, filmmaker, archivist and director, Film Heritage Foundation, states, “Dilip Kumar is turning 100! What an incredible opportunity to bring back one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema on the big screen. He truly is the “Hero of Heroes”, as even today, he is an actor that the biggest stars look up to. Film Heritage Foundation could think of no better way to celebrate this milestone than a festival of his films in theatres. Even though some of these films were released 70 years ago, the power of Dilip Kumar’s performances, his craft as a method actor and his charisma make him ageless. I was so excited thinking of how many of his films I could curate to mark the occasion. How did one choose for an actor with such an outstanding body of work? Little did I know then that I would have the opposite problem. I was shocked and heartbroken to discover that many of his great films survived only in low-resolution formats that could not be projected on the big screen.”

The archivist adds, “Should the films of a towering persona, who had dominated cinema for so many years, be confined to a small computer screen or a phone in danger of being forgotten? I cobbled together these films with great difficulty, with many people asking why some of their favorite Dilip Kumar films were not included. How can one make them understand? I hope this will be a wake-up call to filmmakers and producers. Time is running out and that they should look into preserving their films before it is too late. I would like to thank PVR Cinemas, especially Ajay Bijli, for giving us a platform to celebrate Indian classic cinema on the big screen again.”

Dilip’s wife, Saira Banu, added, “I am so happy that Film Heritage Foundation is celebrating Dilip-sahab’s 100th birthday on December 11 this year. They could not have chosen a more apt title to commemorate India’s greatest actor. He was my favorite hero from the time I was 12 years old when I first saw him in Aan in Technicolor. It will be a joy to watch him back on the big screen, larger-than-life, like he has been in my life.”

Amitabh Bachchan stated, “As Dilip Kumar turns 100, I am so glad that we at Film Heritage Foundation are celebrating his legacy in theatres. I would urge every film lover and contemporary actor who has not watched Dilip Kumar not to miss the incredible opportunity of watching this giant back on the big screen. It will be a masterclass in acting. Even today I am learning every time I watch his films. Dilip Kumar was, and is, my idol.”

He goes on, “I am still to meet an actor who could match his faultless performance, his flawless diction and the commitment he brought to his craft. His every spoken word was poetry, and when he appeared on the screen, everything else was a blur. I had the privilege of sharing the screen with him just once in Shakti—an experience I cherish. I was deeply disturbed to hear that many of his films are not in a condition to be screened in cinemas. Film Heritage Foundation is working day and night to ensure that the work of legends like Dilip Kumar survives and is preserved and restored to be shown to new generations.”

Kamal Haasan also stated: “Yusuf- sahab set an international bar for Indian actors to follow. He was erudite, eloquent and excellent in his chosen field. Cinema can make people believe that those who have departed are still alive. In that context, to me Dilip Kumar ji is one of the world’s best actors. I’m grateful to Film Heritage Foundation for keeping this heritage alive.”

Film Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Mumbai, set up by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur in 2014. A member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) since 2015, Film Heritage Foundation is the only non-governmental organization in the country working in the field of film preservation. Amitabh Bachchan is their cause ambassador.

“Our core programs include the preservation and archiving of films and film-related memorabilia, training in film preservation and restoration, children’s workshops, digitization and restoration, oral history projects and publications,” said Shivendra.

Aditya Chopra and ace director Siddharth Anand is relentlessly working to make Pathaan India’s biggest action spectacle! The visually spectacular Yash Raj Films’ action extravaganza, Pathaan, is part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it. It has now come to light that Pathaan has a huge Tom Cruise connect that is going to blow the minds of every spectacle movie going audience in India!

Siddharth reveals, “When one sets out to make the spectacle action film of India with one of the all time biggest heroes of our country, Shah Rukh Khan, you need to have a champion team that is unified in the vision. Thankfully we got an A-team that came together to push the visual envelope with Pathaan and I was delighted to have someone like Casey O’Neill, who has extensively worked with Tom Cruise, to be by our side.”
Emmy award-nominated Casey, regarded as one of the best action directors in Hollywood, is the brain behind Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts in films like Jack Reacher, Mission Impossible series films, Top Gun : Maverick and has also worked with Marvel Studios and Steven Spielberg to name a few!

About Casey, Siddharth further adds, “He brings in a wealth of experience and he immediately bought into the idea of creating edge of the seat action for Pathaan that could match what he’s done back home in Hollywood. What Casey has created in Pathaan, is simply mind-boggling. You will have to see the film for that because we aren’t going to disclose any details from the film till it releases in theatres on 25 Jan.”

Casey is also a 7-time Screen Actors Guild awards nominee and 3-time Taurus World Stunt Awards Winner for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Captain America Winter Soldier and Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol. His skills have also earned him membership to the Academy of motion picture arts and sciences and membership to the elite Brand X Action Specialists.

Pathaan is set to release on Jan 25, 2023 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Bollywood isn’t really known for pulling off suspense thrillers, certainly not for sustaining the steam over a sequel. But, like Drishyam in 2015, Drishyam 2 lulls you with its modest settings, simple characters, human cops, and a family caught in events beyond its control, till it lands home its lesson a second time — it’s not important what’s before you; what is important is what you are seeing.

Seven years after the case related to Vijay Salgaonkar and his family was closed, a series of unexpected events bring a truth to light that threatens to change everything for the Salgaonkars. Can Vijay save his family this time?.

The Ajay Devgn-Akshaye Khanna-Tabu starrer in Drishyam 2, originally acted by Malayalam star, Mohan Lal, very deftly picks up from where the two main protagonists, both fierce parents, left off in Drishyam 1. Its execution is not as smooth as the last time though, say movie critiques.

So, when his case file in a murder case reopens in Goa police station, you can only expect this mystery to get more intriguing, interesting and exciting. A remake of Malayalam film by the same name that released in 2021, Drishyam 2 is a sequel to the 2015 crime thriller that left everyone guessing what really happened on October 2 and 3, a tale which all of us now remember by heart after listening to the members of Salgaonkar family some 100 times over during investigation. But the truth is yet to be uncovered.

From a 4th fail, middle-class cable operator who is obsessed with Bollywood films, Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) is now a theatre owner who wants to produce a film and even has the script ready. But what hasn’t changed in these seven years is his passion for films, storytelling and love for twisted plots.

Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film is riding on the plot of its prequel that generated a lot of buzz. There are ample references that one keeps hearing throughout in the sequel, which remind them of how good the first film was. Vijay Salgaonkar lives in Goa with his wife Nandini (Shriya Saran) and daughters Anju (Ishita Dutta) and Annu (Mrunal Jadhav).

After Nandini and Anju accidently kill a young boy, Sam, who happens to be Goa IG Meera Deshmukh’s (Tabu) son, Vijay is devising new ideas every day to guard his family and ends up saying a 100 lies to hide one. Drishyam ends with the case being closed and it being established that Sam is dead.

The sequel introduces us to a new IG in town, Tarun Ahlawat (Akhaye Khanna), who reopens this file and wants to find Sam’s body along with all other lose ends that would help him put Vijay behind bars. Does Drishyam 2 solve this puzzle? Will Vijay throw himself under the bus to save his family? Will his wife and daughters follow Vijay’s ideas and fool the police officers again?

The Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham starrer Pathaan’s teaser has set the internet ablaze as fans and audience cheered for the return of the king, SRK, on the big screen after almost four long years (Zero), apart from small cameos (Rocketry, Laal Singh Chaddha, Brahmastra), a film as narrator (The Zoya Factor) and movies as producer (Badla, Bard of Blood, Class of ’83)!

Shah Rukh Khan released the first teaser of his highly anticipated film “Pathaan”, giving his fans a surprise on his 57th birthday. The actor, who plays the titular spy in the upcoming Yash Raj Films (YRF) Production, shared the teaser on his official Twitter account. Fans have been wowed by SRK’s all-new action avatar in Yash Raj Films’ action spectacle, directed by Siddharth Anand.

The director reveals that the megastar has shown incredible dedication to prepare his body for the physically challenging action sequences designed for the film. Siddharth says, “Shah Rukh Khan has pushed his body to breaking-point for Pathaan. So, he deserves all the love that he is getting for Pathaan’s teaser and much more. I remember when I first met him on Pathaan, we discussed how physically challenging it will be for him, and he was game from the word ‘Go’ and it shows on screen.”

He adds, “He wanted the adrenalin rush and he wanted the audience to feel the same on screen through him. The way he built his body, the insane training that he has done to pull off the extremely dangerous stunts, the dangerous terrains and climatic conditions in which he has thrown his body and the commitment that he has shown to give India its biggest action spectacle is incredibly commendable.”

The director adds, “The way he has endured all the pain to pull off the action that we had designed is unbelievable. There is no one like Shah Rukh Khan and you have to wait to see the film to witness his intensity with which he has approached the film.”

On bollywoodhungama.com, the star has also revealed how he took fitness tips from Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff when gyms had shut down during the lockdown.

Shah Rukh is introduced as the battered, bloodied spy who proclaims he is alive (“Zinda hai”) when a man wonders if Pathaan was dead. It is a nice hat-tip to his industry friend and fellow Bollywood star Salman Khan, whose last film under YRF’s “Tiger” franchise was “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017).

Billed as a “high-octane spy thriller”, “Pathaan” is directed by Siddharth Anand of “War” and “Bang Bang” fame. The film also stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham.

The teaser also sees Deepika involved in stylish stunts and romancing Shah Rukh. John, who previously starred in YRF’s biker action hit “Dhoom”, locks horns with the superstar on a moving trailer truck.

The film also marks the fourth collaboration between Shah Rukh and Deepika, following her Bollywood debut “Om Shanti Om”, “Chennai Express”, and “Happy New Year”. John and Deepika are working once again with each other after “Desi Boyz” and “Race 2”.

Pathaan will release on Jan 25, 2023 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. It is produced by Aditya Chopra and features Salman Khan in a cameo as Tiger, the YRF franchise hero.

(ANI) Two megastars Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam are all set to join hands for a film, after 35 years! On the occasion of his birthday, Kamal Haasan took to social media to announce the news (Twitter @iKamalhaasan)

The movie ‘KH 234’ will be out in theaters in 2024. It is being produced by Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, R Mahendran, and Siva Ananth under their respective banners Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies.

A. R. Rehman will be composing the music for the film. Interestingly, this is the first time that the power trio is collaborating on a project. A.R. Rahman has been working with Mani Ratnam, however, the music maestro has not done a project with Kamal Haasan in a very long time.

Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan last worked 35 years ago in ‘Nayakan’. The film was released in 1987.

Talking about other projects, Kamal Haasan was last seen in the blockbuster movie ‘Vikram’ which did a worldwide business of over Rs 400 crore.

Helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, ‘Vikram’ featured Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and Fahadh Faasil in lead roles. Actors Chemban Vinod Jose, Kalidas Jayaram, Antony Varghese, Narain, and Arjun Das also star in the film in supporting roles.

He also resumed shooting his upcoming film ‘Indian 2’ in August this year.

The film’s shoot came to standstill in 2020 after a crane collapsed on the set during the shooting of the film near Chennai, leaving 3 dead and 10 injured.

‘Indian 2’, which is being bankrolled by Lyca Productions, also stars Siddharth, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Bobby Simhaa, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in key roles. The first part was released in 1996.

Talking about Mani Ratnam, he also delivered the magnum opus ‘PS1’, which collected more than Rs 300 crore worldwide. The film starred Vikram, Trisha Krishnan Karthik Sivakumar, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles.

Talking about the second part, the makers are all set to begin the post-production work of the film which was shot simultaneously with ‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’ unlike ‘Baahubali’ and ‘KGF’.

The film is all set to hit the theatres in the summer of 2023. The final release date of the film is still awaited.

Calling Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan the “greatest actor of our time”, Malayalam top star Mohanlal has said that the legendary actor’s dedication to work was an inspiration to people of all generations.

Calling Amitabh the “greatest actor of our time”, Mohanlal said that he had enriched Indian cinema and his presence continued to do so. His endearing personality coupled with compassionate behaviour, charitable actions and humble disposition are admirable qualities that stand out. His dedication to work is an inspiration for all generations. His baritone voice and the various characters that he has played have won for him the admiration and love of a whole nation,” the Malayalam star said.

Expressing his birthday wishes to Amitabh Bachchan, who celebrated his 80th birthday, Mohanlal, through a video clip which he posted on Twitter, said Amitabh Bachchan’s name “evokes a gamut of emotions in the whole country.”

Stating that he had been fortunate to work with the Shahenshah of Bollywood in two films, Mohanlal said that the honor of sharing screen space with Amitabh is one of the highlights of his career.
“A wonderful human being, he’s encouraging and patient with his co-stars,” Mohanal said and wished the legendary actor good health, happiness and many more years of continued service to Indian cinema.

It’s worth remembering, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had described the actor as one of the “greatest talents” of our time. Brown spoke glowingly of the Bollywood mega star as he presented him with the keys for a Mobile Diabetes Unit at a charity dinner.

“It is a pleasure to be here with Amitabh Bachchan. I talked to him just as we arrived. I was saying that I had 4 million viewers in a TV interview. I asked how many people will watch his next film and he said 500 million people. That shows the greatness of this man,” Brown said.

Amitabh Bachchan is a Bollywood actor who, in 1969, debuted in Saat Hindustani. His role in 1972’s Zanjeer made him an action movie star. In the 1980s, Bachchan held a seat in the Indian Parliament. In the 1990s, he started his own production company. He returned to acting in 1997, with Mrityudaata. In 2000, he began hosting the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan, best known as Amitabh Bachchan, was born in Allahabad, India on October 11, 1942. India was still a British colony at the time, and would not achieve independence until five years later. Bachchan’s father was the renowned Hindi poet Dr. Harivansh Rai. His mother, Teji Bachchan, was a Sikh socialite. He has one younger brother, named Ajitabh.

Bachchan went to Sherwood College boarding school before enrolling in Delhi University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. Once he graduated, he became a freight broker in Calcutta. After a few years in Calcutta, Bachchan was ready for a change. He decided to move to Bombay and take a stab at Bollywood show business. By this time, India had been independent for nearly two decades, and Hindi cinema was thriving.

Bachchan married movie actress Jaya Bhaduri in 1973. The couple have two children, a daughter and a son. Their daughter, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, is married to industrialist Nikhil Nanda, whose grandfather was the film director Raj Kapoor. Bachchan and Bhaduri’s son, Abhishek Bachchan, is also an actor and is married to actress Aishwarya Rai.

Superstar Kamal Haasan-fronted Tamil blockbuster Vikram is set to be screened at the 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the makers announced last week. The film will be screened at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) slated to take place from October 5-14.

Vikram is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil. Kalidas Jayaram, Narain and Chemban Vinod Jose had played supporting roles while Suriya makes a cameo appearance as Rolex.

‘Vikram’ will be screened under the Open Cinema category that recognises new and internationally acclaimed films that strike the perfect balance between popular and artistic cinema.

Produced by multi-faceted legend Kamal Haasan and R. Mahendran, ‘Vikram’ released on June 3 earlier this year and went on to become a box office phenomenon across the world and also the highest grossing Tamil film in the UK. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj masterfully created an immersive universe in the film. That coupled with a stellar star cast made ‘Vikram’ one of the most successful Indian movies of 2022.

“The response to Vikram all over the world has been extremely overwhelming. The Busan International Film Festival is another feather in the film’s cap and its selection is a win for the entire team. We are proud to have our film being screened along with some of the finest films across the globe and are grateful for all the love and adulation from the audiences,” said V. Narayanan, CEO Raaj Kamal Films International.

Filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan-I, which arrived in theatres on September 30, has earned Rs 200 crore in its worldwide gross box office collection so far.

‘Ponniyin Selvan’ is one of the highly anticipated Tamil films, and the first part of the film is available now in theatres across the globe. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the film boasts a strong cast across the industry, and the film’s story is an adaptation of Kalki Krishnamoorthy’s novel by the same name. 

Ponniyin Selvan, an adaptation of Kalki Krishnamoorthi’s novel by the same name, is set in the backdrop of the Chola dynasty. The first part of the historical drama features a stellar cast—Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Karthi, Jayaram, and Prakash Raj—among others. “Even before I thought of filmmaking as a career, this book looked like a film to me. It has all the elements that make for a wide spectacle,” Ratnam said in an interview recently.

Ratnam’s Madras Productions, one of the banners behind the movie, took to Twitter to share the latest box office figures. “Marching on and making history! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the audience who’ve been showering us with love. Catch #PS1 in theatres near you!” the production house wrote in the post.

The film opened to positive reviews from both critics and the audience. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the film’s release on streaming platforms. According to reports, the digital streaming rights for the film have been acquired and it is likely to hit the OTT platform after 50 days of theatrical run.

Also backed by Allirajah Subaskaran’s banner Lyca Productions, Ponniyin Selvan-I released in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

Bollywood Industry stakeholders are closely watching how the latest Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer Brahmastra performs, as the film’s box office prospects can break perceptions, birth new dreams. Films have been put on hold as the industry considers its options.

When was the last time a Hindi film arrived in theatres with the burden of an entire industry–its future, films, decisions and significance–riding on it? Brahmastra, actors Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt’s latest big scale fantasy epic, will land in cinemas this Friday with an unprecedented weight on its VFX heavy shoulders.

For a film which aims to dig deep into Indian mythology, showcasing several characters possessing all kinds of astras (supernatural weapons), the biggest power Brahmastra holds for Bollywood is the one which it was oblivious to all throughout its making: The Revival Astra.

“With the kind of advance booking it has picked up, the excitement that is suddenly around, Brahmastra is like oxygen to the industry,” filmmaker Milap Zaveri tells indianexpress.com.

When it was first announced in 2014, filmmaker Ayan Mukerji’s film–then tentatively titled Dragon– was a mammoth project, but never the kind whose box office prospects would be keenly awaited by trade critics, film studios, producers, directors and strangely, Twitter trolls.

Brahmastra, in every sense of movie business, is the biggest release for the Hindi film industry. The Ayan Mukerji directorial, backed by Dharma Productions, Starlight Pictures, and Prime Focus in association with Star Studios, is set to open in around 5000 screens in India and 3000 screens internationally.

There is a lot to prove, that Bollywood can succeed with the right film despite negativity, and a lot to remind its loyal ticket-buying audience, that the magic of movies is still full of wonder.

It is releasing in a year where only three Bollywood films have worked so far– Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Gangubai Kathiawadi and The Kashmir Files–while most have faced intense online negativity as part of the ‘Boycott Bollywood’ campaign.All eyes and hashtags are naturally on the film.

Film trade analyst Komal Nahta tells indianexpress.com that there is “immense pressure” on Brahmastra to put up numbers at the box office.”The situation is that people feel ‘Oh Bollywood films are not working’. Brahmastra is releasing certainly not in a happy climate. Films are not working because suddenly filmmakers seem to be getting it wrong, not because of any other reason.

“Once in 10-15 years, there comes a time when the audience demands a change, they don’t want any run of the mill story. When it happens, the industry is jolted, it doesn’t know what to do, where to go, what to make. In that sense, the pressure on the film is tremendous,” Nahta says.

Until the makers teased the chartbuster Kesariya days ahead of Ranbir and Alia’s wedding in April, there existed massive skepticism around Brahmastra due to numerous delays and reshoots, making people wonder if the film would ever see the light of the day. The Kesariya teaser, followed by Brahmastra trailer release in June, however, turned people hopeful.

Then Pritam’s rest of the soundtrack brought in excitement, which reached its crescendo last week when the makers started dropping mini visual units.

But when the team launched its second, special trailer to announce the opening of advance bookings on Saturday, the result, for many, was shocking. According to trade observer Himesh Mankad, Brahmastra managed to sell more than one lakh tickets within four days, with only 3D shows open to bookings.

To put the numbers in perspective, the advance booking count of Ranveer Singh’s cricket drama 83 was at 1.17 lakh tickets, while SS Rajamouli’s epic RRR was at 1.05 lakh and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was at 1.03 lakh. The film is now only behind KGF Chapter 2, which comfortably sits at top spot of ticket sales at 4.11 lakh.

“The excitement is insane. The advance booking is extraordinary, and it is competing with Sanju, Ranbir’s highest opener (Rs 34.75 cr). Post-pandemic, no film has registered these numbers except for KGF 2 which was a sequel to a successful, loved film. So what Brahmastra is witnessing, it is truly heartening,” Milap Zaveri says.

Eyes on you, Brahmastra

A table at a cafe in Mumbai’s Versova– dotted with boutique production companies, casting agents office and houses of several artistes of different hierarchies in Bollywood–is the centre of a raging debate. A group of writers and aspiring actors are predicting the opening day figures of Brahmastra and, in a tone dripping of worry, contemplating the future of films and their own career.

A source tells indianexpress.com that if Brahmastra works, it will empower artistes will get paid their worth. If it doesn’t, there will be a ripple effect, adding to the doomsday that the industry is already halfway through.

“There is a paucity of cash inflow in the industry, as a result of which budgets are getting slashed across- from writing, acting, shooting. Once this releases, it will compensate for all the negativity thrown at the industry and the narrative that none of the Hindi films are working.

“It is important for all of us to not just get work, but also to get the money we were negotiating. A film flopping means you earn less. That’s why there is a lot of anxiety and nervousness to see how this one fares” the source adds, explaining the trickle down effect.

According to multiple well-placed sources in the industry, the fate of more than a dozen films lies on how Brahmastra is received by the audience. Dreams can be brought to life or shelved this Friday.

“The situation is dire in the industry. With virtually nothing working, everything truly depends on Brahmastra. If the big films had worked, say Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj or even Ranbir Kapoor’s Shamshera, the pressure would have been normal.

“But not today. There are massive budget cuts across production houses, and everyone is just too scared to start anything risky. In fact, a dozen small to mid-sized films have paused their theatrical release to see how Brahmastra does. Otherwise, all will head to OTT,” an industry insider says.

There is also a slate of films whose production depend on Brahmastra. “Vicky’s big scale film The Immortal Ashwatthama was shelved due to the pandemic and the uncertainty of reviving the cost of production. But that can definitely change if Brahmastra clicks.

“And if the film does end up doing well, it will only empower other production houses to restart their high on VFX films. There are at least two-three films in the genre waiting in line to be green-lit. If big films find their way to production, it will obviously lead to smaller films for theatrical also getting that necessary push. It is a chain and Brahmastra is the start of it,” another source adds.

Filmmaker Milap Zaveri, who has mounted masala films like the Satyameva Jayate franchise and Marjaavaan, says everyone in Bollywood knows the significance of Brahmastra. Simply put, the filmmaker says, Brahmastra has “pumped life in an industry” for which the last few months and years “have been tough.”

An Adults Only Review of the movie

Holy Wound- that may sound like something related to the Holy Angel, Holy Family, or the tortured wounds of Jesus Christ. Sorry, you are misled when you hear about a recent controversial  Malayalam movie named like that. Still, it had already been screened in several film festivals, including Sahasrara International Film Festival, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, and Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival, and in an earlier interview with OTTplay.

Holy Wound is a unique movie depicting the story of two young Malayali village girls who have been in love since childhood. ‘Holy Wound’ is a 2022 Malayalam drama movie, written by Paul Wiclif., directed by Ashok R. Nath, produced by Sandeep R, and music by Ronnie Raphael, with Janaki Sudheer, Amrita Vinod, and Sabu Praudeen in the lead roles.

There are umpteen movies with the drama revolving around female homosexuality, but very low in Malayalam language. Of late  one to join this league is Holy Wound, an erotic silent movie. Obviously the story is about two gay women, one  gets married against her will and is subjected to sexual harassment, and another who is forced to become a nun.

Although love may not be the real reason for the revolving of the globe as such, ‘most adults’ lives are powerfully influenced  by their experiences in intimate relationships. It is  believed that the psychologically healthy adult must have the capacity for work to earn, and love to cherish life. The significance  of intimate relationships is no less significant for lesbians than heterosexuals. Taking granted the ‘new normal’ of accepting, the third category of the genre is still ‘not so normal’ to the common person, that too in a village where the people live in poor living conditions.

Having seen that most lesbians spend much of their adult lives in intimate love relationships, we are eager to turn to findings about the nature of lesbian relationships. Suppose the movie’s message is to encourage lesbians; sorry to say that all the frames whenever these girls meet show their sexual gratification. The heroin Kala has enough sex almost every day, in various positions Vatsyaayan had imagined; she still urges her lesbian girlfriend to stimulate her passions to an ecstatic stage. Maybe the Director thinks that her relationship with her male partner living together is always for his satisfaction only, and he needs it so often.

The movie convinces us that gender is not a barrier to intense love. Love is the indescribable passion of two minds. Holy Wound movie moves forward with the intense emotional moments when two girls who have been in pure love since childhood reunite years later. The film’s visuals are arranged so that its emotion is never lost through the green expression of such moments. Preparing moments based on the realism of lesbian romance will give the audience a whole new experience of emotional bliss and ecstasy. Good thing it is restricted for age+18 audience, and if it brings international recognitions, the Director can be proud of his efforts!

Set in the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, the story is about the life memories and desires of a 25-year-old girl Kala who finds her livelihood by fishing in the lake or collecting shells. Her cruel husband and a pervert continuously exploit her physically and mentally. She longs for real love and touches from a compassionate soul. She searches for Sherin, her teenage friend and one with whom she can share her emotions and feelings and share a very intimate physical relationship quite often.

The movie could have emphasized the concept that whether gay or lesbian, they can lead a happy life without the actual sex in its helms. Here the story fails and brings the negative message that these lesbian girls cannot live without their way of satisfying each other.

Of course, the end part of the movie, where a nun is lying naked in an open boat with her lesbian friend in the solitude of the lake, could hurt religious sentiments. The film is erotic and less touching on the lives of the original life system in a remote village. Preparing moments based on the realism of lesbian romance will give the audience a new experience of emotional scenes. It can be understood that Holy Wound drives home the message that homosexual relationship is not unnatural, and two partners belonging to the same sex can be in a relationship.

Though presenting a whole movie with all the sensors and emotional frames is weird, it may be beyond imagination that people started ignoring the efforts, emotions, and hard work that has delivered this masterpiece creation as a silent movie will attract meticulous attention. Nothing told, but everything revealed blatantly!

Hindi cinema of late seems to be in trouble as Bollywood’s big-ticket releases such as ‘Samrat Prithviraj’, ‘Shamshera’, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ and ‘Raksha Bandhan’ have failed to impress the audience.

Nevertheless, a motley bunch of films starring names such as Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon are lined up for release in the coming months.

However, the million-dollar question looming over the furrowed brows of distributors is: Will these movies ensure the return of ‘achche din’ for Bollywood?

The first big film, which is slated to hit the screens is Ayan Mukerji’s trilogy ‘Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva’ starring newly wed couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt along with Amitabh Bachchan and Nagarjuna. The film is scheduled to hit the theatres on September 9.

‘Brahmastra’ is a three-part film franchise and the beginning of India’s first original universe, the Astraverse. It is a new original cinematic universe inspired by deeply rooted concepts and tales in Indian mythology but set in the modern world.

During a conversation with IANS, Ayan had earlier said that with ‘Brahmastra’ he has put so much in the film for so long that he has a “very peaceful confidence when it comes to this film”.

Next in line is Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan-starrer ‘Vikram Vedha’, a neo-noir action thriller, which is a remake of a Tamil hit film helmed by Pushkar and Gayathri, who are also directing the Hindi remake. Set to release on September 30, the film tells the story of a tough police officer who sets out to track down a menacing gangster. It also features Radhika Apte in a prominent role.

On October 7, Amitabh Bachchan, Rashmika Mandanna and Neena Gupta’s movie ‘Goodbye’ will be hitting the theatres for release. The film is touted as a heart-warming story about family, life and relationships.

After giving three duds such as ‘Bachchhan Paandey’, ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ and ‘Raksha Bandhan’, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar will be seen coming on the big screen once again with ‘Ram Setu’, which will be locking horns with Ajay Devgn’s ‘Thank God’ at the box-office. Both movies have been booked for a Diwali release on October 24.

‘Ram Setu’ is an action-adventure drama that tells a story rooted in Indian cultural and historical heritage. ‘Thank God’, which also stars Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh, has a fantasy-based plotline which follows Sidharth’s untimely death.

Ajay, reportedly, is playing the role of the God of Death, ‘Yamraj’, in the movie. The comic plot of the movie is to be driven by the banter between Ajay and Sidharth.

Bollywood stars Ajay Devgn and Tabu are all set to bring the nail-biting mystery back on screen after 2015 movie ‘Drishyam’ with ‘Drishyam 2’, a remake of the Mohanlal-starrer by the same name. Actor Akshaye Khanna has also joined the team of the hit thriller.

‘Drishyam’ chronicled the story of a family man Vijay Salgaonkar, who leaves no stone unturned to protect his family after an unfortunate incident involving his elder daughter, brought them under the police’s scanner. The second instalment of the thriller is set to release on November 18.

The Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon-starrer ‘Bhediya’ is all set to light up the screen on November 25. The horror-comedy is directed by Amar Kaushik and written by Niren Bhatt, best known for penning the long-running TV show ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma’. ‘Bhediya’ is the third film in producer Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy universe after ‘Stree’ and ‘Roohi’ — both starring Rajkummar Rao in the lead.

Ayushmann’s film ‘An Action Hero’ is the first release in December. Touted as a slick actioner with a sprinkle of satirical humour, ‘An Action Hero’ follows the story of an artists journey from behind to in front of the camera.

After giving out a failure in May with ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’, Bollywood’s livewire actor Ranveer Singh returns to the silver screen with Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cirkus’.

Hitting the screens on Christmas, ‘Cirkus’, which is officially adapted from Shakespeare’s play ‘The Comedy of Errors’, will release on December 23. The big-budget film stars Ranveer, Pooja Hegde, Jaqueline Fernandez, Varun Sharma and many more popular faces from Bollywood.

Bringing the curtains down for 2022, will be superstar Salman Khan’s ‘Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali’, which is a family drama. The film, which also stars Pooja Hegde, Venkatesh, Shehnaaz Gill and Raghav Juyal among many other, will light up the screens on December 30. (IANS)

South star Vijay Sethupathi has achieved another milestone in his acting career as the actor was recently handed the Best Actor Award for his critically acclaimed Tamil drama, Maamanithan, at the Indo-French International Film Festival. The film, which also stars Gayathrie, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Guru Somasundaram and Shaji Chen in pivotal roles, won a gold medal at the Tokyo Film Awards which took place over a week ago.

The critically praised Tamil movie ‘Maamanithan’, directed by Seenu Ramasamy, earned the ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Picture’ awards at the Indo French International Film Festival. The awards were given to Actor Vijay Sethupathi and Producer Yuvan Shankar Raja respectively for their contributions to the movie. Renowned director Shankar had referred to the movie as a “realistic classic” when it received widespread acclaim shortly after its debut. Vijay Sethupathi’s outstanding performance in the movie, in Shankar’s words, deserved a National Award.

Taking to his Twitter handle on Wednesday, August 3, the film’s director and writer, Seenu Ramasamy wrote, “Congratulations @VijaySethuOffl For best Actor & @thisisysr For best picture #Maamanithan movie Thank you #INDOFRENCHINTERNATIONALFILMFESTIVAL #Maamanithan @ahatamil @ahavideoIN @YSRfilms @SGayathrie @gurusoms @shajichen @mynnasukumar @sreekar_prasad @onlynikil @Riyaz_Ctc”.

Earlier, Maamanithan also bagged the gold in the Best Asian Film category at the Tokyo Film Awards. While Mart Bira’s ‘Nomadic Doctor’ took the bronze, Takahiro Kawabe’s ‘Love Song at 5 pm’ won the silver medal.

Seenu Ramasamy shared the information on his Twitter handle and wrote, “Category ( Best Asian Film) Golden Winner Happy to share our #Maamanithan feature film Won Tokyo Film Awards 2022 Thanks to producer @thisisysr @ilaiyaraaja @VijaySethuOffl @SGayathrie @shajichen @sreekar_prasad @mynnasukumar @studio9_suresh @CtcMediaboy @onlynikil.”

Maamanithan revolves around a humble auto driver struggling to provide proper education to his children. As he tries to sell his land to get them into a private school, he gets cheated by a real estate businessman Madhavan. The film has been produced by veteran musician Yuvan Shankar Raja under his YSR Productions banner. It witnessed a theatrical release on June 24, 2022, after being delayed for five years.

On the professional front, Vijay Sethupathi is all set to share the screen space with Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif in Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming film Merry Christmas.

Film: Laal Singh Chaddha (Released in theatres). Duration: 2 hours 39 minutes.

Director: Advait Chandan. Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh and Naga Chaitanya.

IANS Rating: ***1/2

Aamir Khan’s stardom is an interesting phenomenon. The man takes his own sweet time to make films and when he completes and releases one, it draws the attention of an entire nation. His success ratio only adds to his massive credibility as the superstar who rarely fails, barring of course in few exceptions such ‘Mela’ and ‘Thugs of Hindostan’.

So, when the news of him putting together the remake of Tom Hanks’ 1994 classic ‘Forrest Gump’ came out, it set the domino effect that reached its culmination with the release of the film. It has made a huge noise, which its makers are looking to convert into theatre footfalls, which have proved to be rather slow and sometimes elusive for recent Bollywood releases.

Much like its original, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ tells the story of a simple man and how he sails through life with his goodwill and values. It opens with the song ‘Kahani’ (crooned by Mohan Kannan), played against a rural landscape as a bird’s feather glides through different locations before it lands at the titular character’s feet.

The film manages to hold audience to their seats, a rarity in the present crop of Bollywood films, which are failing to hold people’s attention. The script has been penned by actor Atul Kulkarni, who has worked with Aamir in ‘Rang De Basanti’, and is his dear friend. It has been crafted really well, except for the love track of the lead characters which drags the otherwise it down in parts and doesn’t come across as naturally woven into the story.

Kulkarni compensates with the rest of the story as the film moves swiftly through landmark events in India’s recent history, perfectly weaving them into the film’s storyline, from the end of the Emergency to India’s historic 1983 World Cup victory, Operation Blue Star and Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Mandal Commission, Ram Rath Yatra, 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, and the Kargil War. The narrative courses seamlessly through these tectonic events.

The film’s director Advait Chandan, who has been a long-time collaborator of Aamir in different capacities, has done justice to Kulkarni’s script. The combat scenes in Kargil have been neatly executed. Certain scenes, in fact, really make an impact and register well with the viewer.

The performance by the lead does disappoint a little. The signature brilliance of Aamir Khan seems to be missing in the dialogue-led scenes, but he puts his strengths to test with the scenes where there are no dialogues. He speaks with his face and eyes, and in these scenes, creates a hypnotic effect on the audience.

Mona Singh, last seen in an Aamir Khan-starrer in a bit role in ‘3 Idiots’, does a creditale job as his screen mother (a tall order, considering that the redoubtable Sally Field played the role in the Hollywood origininal). She’s outstanding as a stong single mother and farmer who drives a tractor through town, and firmly believes that her supposedly unequal son deserves every equal opportunity.

Kareena, as we have come to expect of her, is steller as the Monica Bedi-like gangster’s moll character and Aamir’s love interest, even though this track of the film is not too well-developed. She’s the perfect answer to the stripper-dopehead Jenny of ‘Forrest Gump’.

Tollywood’s Naga Chaitanya, who is known in the north of the Telugu-speaking states only for his high-profile divorce with Samantha Ruth Prabhu, effortlessly fits into Bubba’s role from ‘Forrest Gump’. Bubba becomes Bala, Aamir Kargil War partner who co-creates a ‘chaddi-banyan’ company with his comrade.

The production design doesn’t stand out as much as it should for a film that is set against contemporary history. Pritam’s music is good in parts. ‘Phir Na Aisi Raat Aayegi’ is perhaps the best song from the album. It’s a track that grows with time as Arijit Singh’s voice lends weight to it.

Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya seems to be a little lost in the film. Known for giving tinsel town some of the most iconic, sensible and quirky tracks, Amitabh was expected to give ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ an athemic track, but he seems to have taken a back seat.

‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ should strike a chord with audiences, who must watch it despite what the trolls say, and if it does, it will finally end the creative dry spell that the Hindi film industry is experiencing at present.

After seeing this film, one wants to say, like the Aamir character after having his favourite gol gappas, “Pet to bhar jaata hai, man nahin bharta (The stomach is full, but one wants more).” (IANS)

Film: Raksha Bandhan (Released in theatres). Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes.

Director: Aanand L. Rai. Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar and Seema Pahwa
IANS Rating: **

Everytime Akshay Kumar goes to Chandni Chowk on-screen, the audience repeats in their mind exactly what Paresh Rawal said in ‘Phir Hera Pheri’: “Mereko toh aisa dhak dhak horela hai (I can feel my heart beating in anxiety).”

Thirteen years after the debacle of ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, Akshay is back with yet another dud, ‘Raksha Bandhan’, whose coordinates are in the complex and congested streets of Chandni Chowk.

Akshay is reuniting with director Aanand L. Rai with this film after their last successful collaboration in ‘Atrangi Re’, where he was seen with Sara Ali Khan and Dhanush. ‘Atrangi Re’, though, was an OTT release. This time, the theatres will test the covalent bond between the actor and director as it clashes with the Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor-starrer ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’.

Rai moved away from his small-town settings that he is known for and has based the film in Delhi. It tells the story of a brother, who does everything in his capacity to marry off his four sisters, no matter how much the dowry amount, only to realise later that the practice has serious repercussions on the life of women.

Akshay’s character, who initially collects funds for the sisters’ marriages, understands the problem and invests the money in their education after an untoward incident and subsequent 60s-style Bollywood melodrama strikes the family. The actor, who comes up with roughly a film in each quarter, puts little to no effort although he plays the lead.

The audience has seen the same Akshay Kumar in ‘Bachchhan Paandey’, in ‘Samrat Prithviraj’, and in ‘Raksha Bandhan’. There’s no character when Akshay portrays one; there’s just Akshay Kumar. There’s a limit to what the audience can take and Akshay”s lacklustre attitude of late compels those at the receiving end to say, “Bacche ki jaan lega kya?” (Enough is enough).

Bhumi Pednekar, who plays Akshay’s love interest in the film, offers nothing new in terms of her performance, but to give credit where it is due, she does manage to salvage a few scenes with her work. The supporting cast, too, is mediocre with the notable exception of Seema Pahwa.

The script, screenplay and direction appear to be completely out of sync with what the film was meant to be in the head of the director. What works well are the production design and art direction. The earthy colour palette lends depth to the frames and adds aesthetic value to them.

Himesh Reshammiya’s music is a complete letdown; instances where he goes behind the mic only add insult to the injury. The songs and the situations around them seem to be forced and added just to attract the audience. They are of no value to the film’s narrative.

Overall, ‘Raksha Bandhan’ is a downer. It will be interesting to see if the audience likes the film. Or will they give Akshay Kumar a hat-trick of flops after ‘Bachchhan Paandey’ and ‘Samrat Prithviraj’. (IANS)

After enthralling music lovers globally with Kesariya that topped all musical charts for three weeks in a row, Sony Music drops yet another beautiful track ‘Deva Deva’ which is the second track from the album ‘Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva’.

Deva Deva’ pulsates with spirituality and a distinctly upbeat rhythm. Sung by Arijit Singh and Jonita Gandhi in Hindi, composed by Pritam Chakraborty, and penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya, the song encapsulates the magical moment in the film where Shiva, played by Ranbir Kapoor, finds the power within. The powerful lyrics of the song have a unique blend of love and devotion as Shiva, the protagonist discovers his majestic abilities of fire. The song is pivotal to Shiva’s character development in the film and does absolute justice to the concept of ‘Love, Light and Fire’.

Talking about his experience of the song, actor Ranbir Kapoor shared, “I thoroughly enjoyed the song, and could relate to it on so many levels personally. Pritam Da, Arijit, Amitabh, and Ayan have put in a lot of effort to create this masterpiece. The song makes one feel spiritually powerful with a rare ease, and I hope everyone feels and enjoys it as much as I did.”

Sharing his experience about the audio-visual brilliance of the song, director Ayan Mukerji shared, “I don’t think there could have been a better time to release the song than on Shravan Somvar. The auspicious occasion just syncs with the captivating melody of the song and the spiritual visuals of Ranbir’s character – Shiva, exploring his fire power. I’m so grateful for all the love we have received on Kesariya. And I just can’t wait to see how people will react to Deva Deva!”

Sharing his experience on composing the track, Pritam said, “Brahmāstra’s album has made me think aloud in terms of bringing in spiritual elements within a song. With ‘Deva Deva’, we have modernized the music, while keeping classical and devotional elements prominently. This spiritual song gives an otherworldly experience, and it was honestly enlightening to create it. I hope it’s a treat for everyone.”

Singer Arijit Singh says, “It has been an absolute pleasure to voice ‘Deva Deva’. The song emanates an impeccable, positive energy that will certainly resonate with everyone. I’m really excited about it.  I hope the audience enjoys it to the fullest.”

Produced by Star Studios, Dharma Productions, Prime Focus and Starlight Pictures the magnum opus BRAHMĀSTRA: PART ONE – SHIVA will release theatrically on September 9th, 2022, in 5 Indian languages – Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada with a stellar ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna Akkineni.

Song details for all the versions:

Hindi

Singers – Arijit Singh and Jonita Gandhi | Lyricist – Amitabh Bhattacharya

Hindi Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjAPDofGg28

Telugu

Singers – Sreerama Chandra and Jonita Gandhi | Lyricist – Chandrabose

Telugu Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWiZ4HYcFBs

Tamil

Singers – Sid Sriram and Jonita Gandhi | Lyricist – Madhan Karky

Tamil Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZba76mHdg4

Kannada

Singers – Sanjith Hegde and Jonita Gandhi | Lyricist – Hridaya Shivas

Kannada Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJzgGaRLsjs

(IANS) Director Sudha Kongara’s ‘Soorarai Pottru’, which was partly inspired by events from the life of Captain G.R. Gopinath, founder of India’s first budget airline, swept five National Awards, including those for Best Feature Film, Best Actor and Best Actress at the 68th National Film Awards. The awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday.

Malayalam actress and playback singer Aparna Balamurali, who played the female lead in the film, was named Best Actress, and Suriya, who played the male lead, share the Best Actor honour with Ajay Devgn for Om Raut’s ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’.

‘Tanhaji’ also took home the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

But it was the day of ‘Soorarai Pottru’. It fetched music director and actor G.V. Prakash the Best Background Music award. The award for Best Music Direction (Songs) went to Thaman for the Allu Arjun superhit Telugu film ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramlo’.

‘Soorarai Pottru’, which is now being remade in Hindi, also won the award for Best Screenplay for Shalini Usha Nair and Sudha Kongara.

Critically acclaimed Malayalam superhit film ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’ also scored handsomely at the awards, fetching the late Sachidanandan K.R. the Best Director Award.

The film also won awards for Best Action Direction and Best Female Playback Singer. Rajasekhar, Mafia Sasi and Supreme Sundar, who did the stunt direction for the film, will collect the action award. The Best Female Playback Singer award went to Nanchamma.

Biju Menon, who came up with a sterling performance in ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’, got the Best Supporting Actor award. The Best Supporting Actress went to Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli for her fine performance in Vasanth’s Tamil film ‘Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum’.

‘Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengallum’ put up a stellar show as well, winning Best Editing, which went to Sreekar Prasad. The film also won the award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil.

Sandhya Raju won the Award for Best Choreography for the Telugu film ‘Natyam’, which also took home the award for the Best Makeup Artist.

Director Sagar Puranik’s ‘Dollu’, produced by Wadeeyar Movies, got the Best Kannada Feature Film award. Jobin Jayan won the award for Best Location Sound Recordist under the Best Audiography Award for the same film.

The Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director went to Madonne Ashwin for the Tamil film ‘Mandela’.

“You are right; violence is not a solution.” The subject drops his gun. 

Immediately the message goes, “Subject is captured” – that is the climax of the story ANEK.

Anek is going to create a buzz all around the country for its unique theme, concept, and the conspicuous subject of juxtaposing the issues of the north eastern Indian states within the movie’s storyline. For so many decades, Northeast India has remained neglected and ignored by the mainland central government, which eventually caused an identity crisis for the North-easterners. 

The story portrays the plight of the people living in these seven northeastern states of India. It is a fact that we cannot deny. They are many years behind the rest of India. These seven states, or sisters, as they are called, have rich soil and natural resources but no outlets. The only major venue to sell their products may be in West Bengal. But seldom do the products reach theirs on time. They are stereotypically looked down upon by mainlanders as foreigners from neighboring countries like Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, China or even Myanmar, 

There are many subplots around the main event. Ayushman Khurana looks fabulous as an undercover cop Joshua, assigned to deal with the insurgents in this less explored hilly region. Aspiring and struggling boxer Aido, the role portrayed by gorgeous supermodel Andrea Kevichüsa is exceptionally fantastic and outstanding. Even the role performed by other cast deserves intense applauses from the heart.

The side stories revolving around the main story of intense fights and gun shots,  first the Ayushmaan’s character then his girlfriend’s journey, and her father’s ideology; also the Tiger Sangha, the Johnson group & local people, the Indian Government etc. From starting to end movie tries to focus on multiple aspects which actually resulted in undercooked fun. First of all, you lose the lead where the story wants to focus, the lead character is missing in half of the film, romance is on low profile and undeveloped, and many of the characters like J.D.Chakravarty’s had nothing to do with it. This movie is quite confusing but well-written dialogues and brings a good concept of Northeast Indian people and how and why they become rebellious where the Indian Government is responsible for not treating North Eastern Indian people equally.

Guys, this movie is realistic and intelligent writing where the script writer Anubhav Sinha is playing with audience and cast by showing negative character of everyone in the film except Aido ( Andrea Kavinchusa ) her performance was really authentic and outstanding a character of boxing girl who gets ill-treatment  by her coach and team members and she wants to play and win in boxing for India. Her father who is running a rebellious Johnson group against Indian government,  and Ayushman  Khurrana ( Joshua aka Aman ) an undercover agent of India to gather the information of NE Indian rebellion,  his performance was really brilliant and authentic. The performance by Manoj Pahwa as as boss of Indian army and defence was really intelligent and precise in the movie and performance by Kumud Mishra as defence counselor was really brilliant and outstanding and performance by every supporting cast was really authentic and distinctive, hats off to maker’s that they took NE people to make movie original.  Somehow the music and songs  are not really compelling to listen but shocking scenes are engaging and engrossing where screenplay was slow burn and cinematography was really good but not that impressive. The locations were realistic to shoot the movie.

At the end, Aido fulfills her promise and wins her boxing championship for India, confirming that India is our own for all Indians.

Thanks to filmmaker Anubhav Sinha for bringing this crucial issue to the forefront through mainstream cinema. I loved watching Ayushman Khurana’s performance; though the concept is sometimes confusing but intelligently written.

Indian director, SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ was declared the second-best film at the Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) Midseason Awards 2022.  This is the first time an Indian film has been nominated and awarded in the Best Picture category of a major Hollywood award list.

RRR was competing against Hollywood films like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘The Batman’, ‘Elvis’, and ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’.

Recently, RRR was also nominated in the Best Picture category of the Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards. It was in contention alongside Hollywood biggies like The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick.

The Awards were announced the other day and RRR was declared as the runner-up. Everything Everywhere All At Once remained the winner of the category.

Announcing the same, HCA’s official social media handle posted, “And the winner of the HCA Midseason Award for Best Picture goes to…Everything Everywhere All At Once. Runner up: RRR.”

This is indeed an incredible achievement by RRR. With his every film, Rajamouli is taking the Telugu cinema to next level. While Baahubali gave Tollywood nationwide recognition, RRR is now giving it international recognition.

RRR features Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead roles. Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, and Olivia Morris played the other key roles in the movie. 

For unversed, RRR became the first Indian film to get nominated at the coveted Hollywood Critics Association. Last week, the nominations list was announced and on Saturday, the winners were announced.

RRR became the second-highest-grossing movie at the Indian box office. RRR was the number 1 movie in the world during the weekend, ahead of Hollywood movies The Batman and The Lost City. The film has been garnering acclaim and praise from international celebrities and audiences ever since its streaming on OTT platform, Zee 5 and Netflix. 

The big-budget blockbuster hit cinemas on March 25, and recently completed 100 days of its theatrical release on July 2. The makers released a special poster to thank audiences and celebrate the occasion. The film’s official social media handles shared the poster and wrote, “RRRIDING HIGHHHH….. 100 Days of #RRRMovie!!”

Bleecker Street hosted a special screening of MR. MALCOLM’S LIST, on Wednesday, June 29, 2022,  and was attended by cast members, Freida Pinto, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Zawe Ashton, and Theo James, with director Emma Holly Jones, and writer Suzanne Allain also in attendance at the DGA New York Theater.

Additional guests included Huma Abedin, Frederick Anderson, Yigal Azrouel, Kellie Brown, Sofia Bryant, Cara Buono, Juana Burga, Yin Chang, Sidney DuPont,  Tony Goldwyn, Sabine Heller, Myha’la Herrold, Serge Ibaka, Pom Klementieff, Giza Lagarce, Padma Lakshmi, Jerome Lamaar, Sunita Mani, Isabella McCalla, Britne Oldford, Aqua Parios, Thania Peck, Titina Penzini, Tanner Reese, Alysia Reiner, Conrad Ricamore, Vlada Roslyakova, Valentina Sampio, Gay & Nan Talese, Moonlynn Tsai, Alicja Tubilewicz, and Jeffrey C. Williams.

Following the screening, Saks hosted a VIP reception with cast members and special guests at Le Chalet at L’Avenue at Saks. The space was decadently themed to the year 1818, including an outdoor terrace where guests could play a game of croquet and have their watercolor portrait done by a live illustrator. The event was part of Saks’ larger partnership with Bleecker Street to celebrate the premiere of Mr. Malcolm’s List, including digital marketing, a product array inspired by the film on saks.com and a window installation at Saks’ iconic New York flagship on display now through Wednesday, July 6. 

Directed by Emma Holly Jones; Written by Suzanne Allain; Starring Freida Pinto, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ashley Park, with Zawe Ashton, and Theo James.

When she fails to meet an item on his list of requirements for a bride, Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is jilted by London’s most eligible bachelor, Mr. Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù). Feeling humiliated and determined to exact revenge, she convinces her friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) to play the role of his ideal match. Soon, Mr. Malcolm wonders whether he’s found the perfect woman…or the perfect hoax. Also starring Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ashley Park, with Theo James.

Sanjay Dutt has delivered some of the most epic villains on-screen and he is back to give us a more evil, menacing, merciless, cold-hearted brute force of nature, Shuddh Singh in Shamshera. Sanjay plays Ranbir Kapoor’s nemesis in this action entertainer. As soon as the teaser and the trailer of Shamshera dropped, Sanjay started winning unanimous praise for his spine-chilling act!

The actor says, “I’m an actor and if I believe in a script or character, then I leave it to the director. His interpretation of Shuddh Singh, I can portray on the screen to the best of my abilities. Yes, I have my suggestions that I give which enhances the character even more. Shuddh Singh is funny and dangerous. Audience should love him!”
About visualising Shuddh Singh, director Karan Malhotra says, “I think what happens with me is, when I think of Sanjay sir to play a part in my film which I am doing, especially if it is a negative part, a good kind of madness grips me from inside. It’s just that automatically I start getting ideas of how to present him in the most menacing and the most unnerving way possible.”

Sanjay is collaborating with director Karan Malhotra again after Agneepath. Sanjay had given us a villain for the ages as Kancha Cheena in that film and he is hoping that audiences will shower him with similar love as Shuddh Singh in Shamshera.

Karan adds, “When Ekta Pathak Malhotra and I wrote the character of Shuddh Singh, the idea was for him to be a megalomaniac and how do we represent this trait of his, I thought that a name like Shuddh Singh would really hit the bulls eye with that. He is a man who is impure in character, ruthless and he’s a quirky demon which is phenomenal because he’s very entertaining. When you look at Shuddh Singh on screen, you should be unnerved. You should feel he is unpredictable!”

Sanjay and Ranbir were thrilled to know about the casting coup in Shamshera that pitted Sanjay against Ranbir because four years back (Ranbir’s last film), the young actor had played Sanju! So, Shamshera will be Sanju vs Sanju on screen which has become the biggest on-screen clash to watch out for!

About Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir says, “He is extremely spontaneous and I think he behaves like he is not working hard but he is working hard, he is constantly on set thinking about it. I believe that he does work hard though he gives the impression that he doesn’t care, but he cares a lot about work.”

The story of Shamshera is set in the fictitious city of Kaza, where a warrior tribe is imprisoned, enslaved and tortured by a ruthless authoritarian general Shuddh Singh. This is the story of a man who became a slave, a slave who became a leader and then a legend for his tribe. He relentlessly fights for his tribe’s freedom and dignity. His name is Shamshera.

The high-octane, adrenaline-pumping entertainer is set in the 1800s in the heartland of India. It has the big promise of a never seen before Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Shamshera in the film! Sanjay Dutt plays Ranbir’s arch-enemy in this huge casting coup and his showdown with Ranbir will be something to watch out for as they will ferociously go after each other with no mercy. Directed by Karan Malhotra, this action extravaganza has been produced by Aditya Chopra and is set to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 22, 2022.

Watch the making of Sanjay Dutt transforming into Shuddh Singh here:
https://youtu.be/rO3VmiKpRDM

Sanjay Dutt has delivered some of the most epic villains on-screen and he is back to give us a more evil, menacing, merciless, cold-hearted brute force of nature, Shuddh Singh in Shamshera. Sanjay plays Ranbir Kapoor’s nemesis in this action entertainer. As soon as the teaser and the trailer of Shamshera dropped, Sanjay started winning unanimous praise for his spine-chilling act!

The actor says, “I’m an actor and if I believe in a script or character, then I leave it to the director. His interpretation of Shuddh Singh, I can portray on the screen to the best of my abilities. Yes, I have my suggestions that I give which enhances the character even more. Shuddh Singh is funny and dangerous. Audience should love him!”
About visualising Shuddh Singh, director Karan Malhotra says, “I think what happens with me is, when I think of Sanjay sir to play a part in my film which I am doing, especially if it is a negative part, a good kind of madness grips me from inside. It’s just that automatically I start getting ideas of how to present him in the most menacing and the most unnerving way possible.”

Sanjay is collaborating with director Karan Malhotra again after Agneepath. Sanjay had given us a villain for the ages as Kancha Cheena in that film and he is hoping that audiences will shower him with similar love as Shuddh Singh in Shamshera.

Karan adds, “When Ekta Pathak Malhotra and I wrote the character of Shuddh Singh, the idea was for him to be a megalomaniac and how do we represent this trait of his, I thought that a name like Shuddh Singh would really hit the bulls eye with that. He is a man who is impure in character, ruthless and he’s a quirky demon which is phenomenal because he’s very entertaining. When you look at Shuddh Singh on screen, you should be unnerved. You should feel he is unpredictable!”

Sanjay and Ranbir were thrilled to know about the casting coup in Shamshera that pitted Sanjay against Ranbir because four years back (Ranbir’s last film), the young actor had played Sanju! So, Shamshera will be Sanju vs Sanju on screen which has become the biggest on-screen clash to watch out for!

About Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir says, “He is extremely spontaneous and I think he behaves like he is not working hard but he is working hard, he is constantly on set thinking about it. I believe that he does work hard though he gives the impression that he doesn’t care, but he cares a lot about work.”

The story of Shamshera is set in the fictitious city of Kaza, where a warrior tribe is imprisoned, enslaved and tortured by a ruthless authoritarian general Shuddh Singh. This is the story of a man who became a slave, a slave who became a leader and then a legend for his tribe. He relentlessly fights for his tribe’s freedom and dignity. His name is Shamshera.

The high-octane, adrenaline-pumping entertainer is set in the 1800s in the heartland of India. It has the big promise of a never seen before Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Shamshera in the film! Sanjay Dutt plays Ranbir’s arch-enemy in this huge casting coup and his showdown with Ranbir will be something to watch out for as they will ferociously go after each other with no mercy. Directed by Karan Malhotra, this action extravaganza has been produced by Aditya Chopra and is set to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 22, 2022.

Watch the making of Sanjay Dutt transforming into Shuddh Singh here:
https://youtu.be/rO3VmiKpRDM

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji is all geared up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Brahmastra’, which he stresses is not a superhero film but a fantasy version of the director trying to write his “modern version” of something from a myth.

‘Brahmastra: Part One: Shiva’ stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, and Nagarjuna Akkineni.

‘Brahmastra’ is a three-part film franchise and the beginning of India’s first original universe, the Astraverse. It is a new original cinematic universe inspired by deeply rooted concepts and tales in Indian mythology but set in the modern world.

Talking about if he is a superhero nerd and how he drew inspiration to make a film on such a big scale, Ayan in a conversation with IANS said: “I am not a superhero nerd. I love some of the superhero films like ‘Avengers’ and ‘Spiderman’… I am not the biggest superhero fan.

“I would like to say that I am more of a fantasy film fan. And I honestly think ‘Brahmastra’ is not a superhero film. It is not about a guy wearing a costume and necessarily saving people.”

The 38-year-old filmmaker, who has previously helmed films such as ‘Wake Up Sid!’ and ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, has bent towards fantasy.

“It (‘Brahmastra’) is just a fantasy epic story which has a lot of dramatic scope and in some way it is a fantasy version of me trying to write my modern version of something from myth. Like the scope that myth has but in a modern way.”

The director says he takes inspiration from “gods and goddesses” among many other things related to Indian culture.

“I am probably more affected by things from Indian roots by our gods and goddesses, by stories of Indian history, perhaps more than superheroes. It’s a combination of influences that have affected me in this film.” (IANS)

A.R. Rahman named ambassador of Indo-UK culture platform

The ‘Season of Culture’ intends to build on the British Council’s work in India and strengthen the partnership between India and the United Kingdom in the arts, English, and education.

The British Council’s ‘India-UK Together Season of Culture,’ which aims to encourage aspiring artists to interact, has named A.R. Rahman as its ambassador.

The ‘Season of Culture,’ which commemorates India’s 75th anniversary of independence, was officially opened by the British Deputy High Commissioner to India Jan Thomson and British Council Director (India) Barbara Wickham.

Samrat Prithviraj movie cast: Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Manav Vij, Sonu Sood, Manushi Chhillar, Sakshi Tanwar, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Lalit Tiwari Samrat Prithviraj movie director: Chandraprakash Dwivedi Samrat Prithviraj movie rating: 2 stars

The handsome king who galloped away with his bride, her knight in shining armour, has an ancient Indian context: Prithviraj Chauhan, the early 12th-century ruler of Ajmer, claimed Rajkumari Sanyogita as his own, after she lost her heart to him. Details of this love story are recorded in ‘Prithivaj Raso’, penned by Chand Bardai, said to be Prithviraj’s court poet. Not only was the fair princess rescued from the wrath of her father, the traitor Jaichand; the might of the Mughals was kept at bay till his last breath, so valorous was Prithviraj.

This is a beloved legend most Indians will remember vividly from their childhood. But there never has been a better time to make a movie out of it: muscular nationalism is at its peak, and at every turn, we are being reminded of the cruelties of the Mughal invaders, who ‘trampled upon our temples and turned them into mosques’. ‘Samrat Prithviraj’, in which Akshay Kumar plays the titular character, loses no time to tell us that he was the ‘last Hindu king’: after him came centuries of oppression which came to an end only after India attained independence in 1947.

What Chandraprakash Dwivedi has done is to soup up the legend so that it is in synch with the dominant national mood: Prithviraj is representative of a Bharat when it was pristine, pure, unpolluted. How did a director who has also made the astonishingly subversive ‘Mohalla Assi’ achieve this switcheroo? (Dwivedi has been on record to say that this is his passion project, and he has been trying to get it off the ground for a decade and more). Or is it just a question of being expedient?

Dwivedi is also a filmmaker who knows how to dramatise situations. The two-and-a-half hours run-time of ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ is all high-pitched drama, row upon row of costumery in place, massive scale filling up the screen. Mohammad Ghori (Manav Vij) is the chief antagonist, and while he is not shown to be as much of an out-and-out monster as Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji in ‘Padmavat’, he gets to narrow his eyes and hit a man when he is down, as befits those dastardly invaders.

The question is: given the kind of film it is, does it work? A Roman-arena like space, with a grievously wounded Prithviraj fighting off four-legged and two-legged beasts is a show-stopper which tops and tails the film: in between are few other effective moments, especially the one in which the ‘dilwala’ takes his ‘dulhaniya’ away.

Bottom of Form

But at no point is the plot or any character given significant breathing space, so intent is it upon glorifying its subject: Chand Bardai (Sonu Sood) has more ardour in his gaze than Prithviraj’s lady love (Manasi Chhillar, who comes off more contemporary than period, and leaves little impact). Sanjay Dutt’s Kaka Kanha whose undying faithfulness to Prithviraj is tested more than once, does double duty of a court jester and an affectionate uncle: how do you do a mainstream film without a comic figure? And then there is Ashutosh Rana as Jaichand, whose name has long been synonymous with being a traitor, and Sakshi Tanwar as his voluble wife, who carry their scenes, but are given softer treatment than they deserve, because, hey, we know who the real bad guys here are.

Not only does Prithviraj’s bravery makes him a combination of Bhishma and Bheem (in the words of the always-adoring Bardai), he is made into an early feminist, spouting inadvertently funny lines in support of women generally, and specifically his Sanyogita, whom he encourages to share his throne and listen to the people. Did anyone else feel a dissonance when these same sword-wielding ‘veeranganas’ jump to their death, committing ‘jauhar’? That leaves Akshay doing his thing: cleaving through ‘dushman fauj’ (enemy soldiers), twirling in the song-and-dance, fighting off the inexorable advance of the treacherous outsiders.

As befits its simplistic, shorn-of-nuance tone, the film is loud and lurid, lurching between dialogue-baazi and blandness, and staying determinedly faithful to its stated intent.

Akshay Kumar’s next is Yash Raj Films’ first historical film, Samrat Prithviraj, which is based on the life and valour of the fearless and mighty King Prithviraj Chauhan. He is essaying the role of the legendary warrior who fought valiantly to protect India from the merciless invader Muhammad of Ghor in this visual spectacle. Akshay dropped the second trailer of the film today and it had several easter eggs that revealed many unseen moments from the film for fans and audiences to discover!

Akshay says, “The second trailer, ‘Aakhri Hindu Samrat’ of Samrat Prithviraj is out and hopefully it will increase the audiences’ excitement to watch the film this Friday. This new trailer has new visuals from the film and reveals new moments that I absolutely love.”

He adds, “As we start the countdown to the release of this glorious retelling of Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan’s life, I’m hoping that everyone invested in watching our film will get something grand to see and discuss with this trailer. Samrat Prithviraj was one of our bravest kings who didn’t get his due and I feel this is a film that had to be made to salute his spirit and valour.”

Prithviraj has been directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who is best known for directing the television epic Chanakya and the critically acclaimed film Pinjar. The ethereally gorgeous Manushi Chhillar plays the role of King Prithviraj’s beloved Sanyogita and her launch is definitely one of the most awaited debuts of 2022. The film is set to release this Friday in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Catch the second trailer here : https://youtu.be/itram1MNi04

With the huge strength of cricket lovers, loud cheers, whistles & big applause, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’s fever took over the IPL finale as the movie trailer was unveiled. The wait is finally over! All the movie and cricket enthusiasts were treated to the biggest and most highly-anticipated trailer of the year – ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ featuring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh and Chaitanya Akkineni.

Touted to be one of the biggest releases of the year, the trailer of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ was launched with huge fanfare on television amidst the finale match in the biggest T20 Cricket Tournament that gave the cricket and movie buffs across the world an adrenaline rush. This is the first time ever that a film is going grand to this scale with its trailer launch on a world television platform and the sports world.

The impressive trailer of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ took the audience and especially fans of Aamir Khan on an emotional and spellbinding ride giving us a glimpse into the fascinating and innocent world of Laal Singh Chaddha. Get ready to watch the world through the childlike eyes of Laal Singh Chaddha. His slow-witted approach and childlike optimism are the driving force of the movie whereas his sweet bond with his mother and his fondness for his childhood love is the USP of the film.

Apart from that, the movie which has been shot at multiple picturesque locations, exhibits the Indian heritage in its tranquil form. Not to forget, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ also brings together the successful pair of Aamir and Kareena Kapoor Khan post the blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’. While their cute chemistry has impressed many, the trailer of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ has surely lit up our hearts and fuelled our souls. Mona Singh too looks in top Meanwhile, the songs from ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ have taken over the hearts and souls of fans. Both ‘Kahani’ and ‘Main Ki Karan?’ have become popular and most played songs in India today. The ardent fans of AK have lapped the music and lyrics of both the songs and now post the trailer launch, they can’t wait to watch ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ in action.

After the release of ‘Secret Superstar’, Aamir Khan and Advait Chandan have reunited for ‘Laal Singh Chadda’. Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kiran Rao, and Viacom18 Studios, ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Chaitanya Akkineni. The film releases in cinemas across North America on August 11.

Indian authorities have dropped a case against the son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan who was arrested during a raid on a cruise ship last year on suspicion of having drugs on him.

India’s main drug law enforcement agency, the Narcotics Control Board (NCB), said on Friday it was dropping the case against Aryan Khan, 24, and five others due to a lack of “sufficient evidence”, while pressing charges against 14 others.

Khan’s arrest had polarised broadcast and social media in the Bollywood-obsessed country, with some saying he was being targeted for being the son of a Muslim celebrity in mainly Hindu India.

A lawyer for Khan told Reuters his client’s detention, which followed the raid on the boat off Mumbai last October, were unjustified and that he had broken no law. Khan was released on bail on Oct. 28 after 26 days in detention.

“We are happy that (an NCB team) investigated the case in an objective manner and decided not to file a complaint against Aryan Khan for lack of sufficient evidence,” his lawyer Satish Maneshinde said. “God is Great.”

During the inauguration of the India pavilion at Cannes 2022 on Wednesday, Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman explained why we should tell stories about West and try to break the boundaries.

“I can’t say much because I’ve been in the industry for almost 40 years – ten years of playing outside as a musician and 30 years as a composer. I was a director for the sensory cinematic experience,” he said.

Rahman further shared that despite the fact we have our stories to tell, we must not restrict ourselves.

“Even though we have so many stories, we should tell stories about the West because we have a narrative about the West. We should be doing that.”

“The West does Gandhi, he (Shekhar Kapur) is the man who has done ‘Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen’. I am super inspired by him,” he added while hinting towards filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

On the reason for choosing English language for his film, he elaborated: “The reason why I did this in the English language and for an international audience was to see if it is possible to break those boundaries and set a new path. Even if we fail it’s fine. I am talking about Le Musk, the sensory cinematic experience in Cannes XR. I want to thank my whole team, and please do check it out and see how we can improve and celebrate it. God bless you all. Thank you so much.”

The Indian delegation led by I&B Minister Anurag Thakur was present for the inauguration of the Indian pavilion at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival in France.

Deepika Padukone is attending the festival as a jury member, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, R Madhavan, Shekhar Kapur and Tamannaah Bhatia are among the Indian celebrities attending the 75th edition of the film festival. (IANS)

Austin’s Premier South Asian Film Festival hosts its first in-person festival since the start of the pandemic, with films showcased in a hybrid format.

The Indie Meme Film Festival, Austin’s leading cinema event curating South Asian independent cinema, returns to movie theaters for the first time in two years. The festival, which was presented virtually in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, comes back in a hybrid format.

The festival will showcase nearly three dozen films from South Asian filmmakers, covering a variety of poignant topics. Each film tells a unique and diverse story of South Asian lives: a child’s struggle in remote India, an Iranian family seeking asylum in Europe, domestic abuse, alcoholism, mental health, patriarchy and colonialism.

Many of the films in this year’s festival focus on issues important to women, including sexuality, education and the family unit. Through it all, this year’s lineup is a testament to the importance of accepting people for who they are, and each story is told so that audiences of all backgrounds can relate.

In-person screenings will take place April 14-17 at Austin Film Society. Those wishing to watch the festival virtually will be able to stream films online April 22-24.

RK/RKAY is IMFF 2022’s centerpiece feature. The film tells the story of a filmmaker struggling to complete his latest creative endeavor. It stars veteran Indian actor-director Rajat Kapoor, who gained international acclaim as an abusive uncle in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. Kapoor will attend IMFF 2022 from India and participate in a Q&A after the film screening.

Other feature films at IMFF 2022 include Barah x Barah Rehana, Bangla, Hit The Road, A Night of Knowing Nothing, Midwives, Last Film Show, I Am Belmaya, Any Day Now, Moshari, Lunana, Receiver and Biriyaani.

The Bengali action thriller Rehana makes its U.S. premiere at IMFF 2022. Abdullah Mohammed Saad directs this film about a medical college professor whose life descends into chaos after she witnesses an incident involving one of her students.

Cinematographer Sunny Lahiri will headline a Q&A session after the screening of Barah x Barah, which chronicles the life of a photographer who captures images of the dead in Varanasi, one of India’s oldest cities.

The festival’s diverse Shorts Program features 16 films: Bambirak, Blind Date, Baahar, Mono No Aware, Sheer Qorma, Miniaturist of Junagadh, My Mother’s Girlfriend, Kanya, U For Usha, Testimony of Ana, Not Today, Wade, Chai, An Early Spring, A Coup, An Early Spring, Turning Point and Cycle.

Bahaar, a 14-minute short directed by Prakshi Malik, is a local project out of The University of Texas at Austin that was awarded grant from Austin Film Society. The film tells the story of a student dealing with disaster after being accepted into the boarding school of her dreams.

Making its North American premiere is A Coup, an 8-minute short from Pakistan. Areeba Naveed’s film narrates the story of a young girl who comes out, and a psychiatrist’s attempt to intervene.

Also coming to IMFF 2022 is the German-Afghan production Bambirak, winner of the Best International Fiction Award at 2021’s Sundance Film Festival. Bambirak is the story of a single dad and his daughter trying to establish their life in a new country. Tickets are $65 for Indie Meme members and $85 for non-members. The price is the same for in-person or virtual screenings. Sponsors for this year’s event include H-E-B, Waterloo Greenway, The Austin Chronicle and Austin Film Society.

Indie Meme was founded in 2013 and is Austin’s dedicated cinematic organization for South Asian films. The festival, which returns this year for its seventh annual event, was co-founded by two South Asian women, Alka Bhanot and Tripti Bhatnagar. The organization, in addition to hosting an annual film festival, puts on screenings in Austin and Dallas throughout the year. The complete lineup of films can be found at: https://www.indiememe.org/imff-2022.

Kashmir silk is more popularly known worldwide, than the name of Kashmiri Pandits so far. But the new sensitive movie “ The Kashmir Files”  exposes some of the historic events and the flight of Kashmir Pandits, to the present generation.

The Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus, (also known as “Kashmiri Pandits), is the migration, or the flight on a  large-scale, that caused their displacement from the Kashmir Valley in 1990, makes the story of Kashmir Files, worth seeing.

Even before its release, ‘The Kashmir Files’ was becoming a hit with tremendous pre-release hype. Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film tells the story of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. The film, released in theaters few days ago, is getting a good response from the audience.

Many of us would have watched some of the old movies on Hindu-Muslim Riots, with themes of Babri Masjid to Bombay Bombing like, Delhi-6 (2009), Bombay (1995)! Firaaq (2008)! Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001)! Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002). Surprisingly these commercial movies are aimed at both communities, and most of them turned blockbusters, taking advantage of the rivalry in their minds.

According to the Census from 1889 to 1941, Kashmiri Pandits, or Kashmiri Hindus, constituted between 4% and 6% of the population of the Kashmir valley. The rest of the population was Kashmiri Muslim. History says that by early 1990, the vast majority of Kashmiri Hindus fled the valley. “According to an estimate, approximately 100,000 of an estimated Kashmiri Pandit population of 140,000 left in the span of a few weeks in February–March 1990 alone”. Hindu-Muslim polarization in India over the years, in turn fueling the Hindu-Muslim chasm in the Valley. The issue of the Kashmiri Pandits return are an important side of the Kashmir File story.

Many reports show that, 1724 people have been killed by militants in Kashmir in the last three decades, more than 1,600 Muslims. According to Kapoor, Kashmiri Pandits make up about 5% of those killed by militants in Kashmir. The remaining 95 percent are from the Muslim community. The Pandits began leaving the valley on January 19, 1990. According to Human Rights Watch, more than 100,000 Pandits left the valley “with the encouragement and assistance of the government.”

With the Pandits evacuating, the government pressured the Pandits to leave the area, hoping for more comprehensive retaliation against Muslims. However, after the departure, various right-wing Hindu groups used Kashmiri Pandits as ‘victims’.

Accompanied by captured campaigns, the film reached the limelight. The film ‘highlights’ the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who suffered during the riots of the 90s. Many scenes of  people chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and other Hindu slogans outside cinema halls have already been widely circulated on social media. Meanwhile, the Kashmiri Pandit issue is being used by the Sangh Parivar as a tool to implement their oligarchy.

Shortly after its release, the film began making headlines. Many have described it as a true representation of the conflict in the Valley. The film depicts the plight of the Pandits in silver screen and seeks to demonize the Kashmiri Muslims. Following the release, the film has been widely used by the media and Sangh Parivar social media handles to spread anti-Muslim sentiment. While the film claims that 650 Kashmiri Pandits were killed after the riots of the 1990s.The Valley is keeping a criminal silence on the more than 1.5 million Kashmiri people who have been murdered over the decades

Director Vivek Agnihotri’s  courageous film is based on the experiences of individuals who were directly affected by the Kashmir riots. The length of the film is two hours and 50 minutes. The film is based on actual events and stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, Chinmayi Mandlekar, Puneet Issar, Prakash Belavadi, Atul Srivastava and Mrinal Kulkarni in the lead roles.

The film begins in 1990, when the riots in Kashmir escalated. After explaining the severity of the situation, the story goes to the present. The film begins with children playing cricket and ends in a tomb. There are also reactions that the hours in between made the film tense in the audience’s minds.

No doubt, the characters in the film, including Anupam Kher, were excellent, and it will be an excellent contribution to Indian cinema. Before its release, the film received rave reviews from both audiences as it represents bitter truth that shakes the viewers inside out. Unfortunately, that is why the film is getting negative reviews. The neutrals believe that a film based on such sensitive issues will further widen the divide in the Valley and India in general, hope it does not happen as such – “that makes the viewers numb and silent even in the  corridors of the theaters while exiting”.

When a Malayalam movie is widely publicized as a brilliant work of stylish screenplay, if people all over the world are compelled to watch it on curiosity, it’s worth critiquing. A decent movie review should be an unbiased original opinion without thinking about what mainstream media writes in bold letters.

Bheeshmaparvam was probably the most anticipated Malayalam movie; after the superhit pictures like BigB, Priest, and One, all flourished with the name of Super Star Mammootty. Now, after 15 years, Amal Neerad and Mammootty joined together, and the fans were, no doubt, expecting a hype with this picture. Even within five days of Its release, media started announcing that Mammootti’s Bheeshmaparvam broke the record collection of Mohanlal’s Lucifer.

It seems that Bheeshmaparvam was created to fit the age of Mammootty and within the limited resources and locations due to Covid restrictions.

The storyline runs with the ancestral flashback, and the introduction of characters itself is so confusing that the average viewer will struggle to find the relation between the characters.Follows a chaotic, tender aristocratic, but notorious ‘Anjootti family’ that is on a road trip across a rugged landscape and fussing over the patriarchal leadership of Michael, who is not even the eldest son in the family tree. Only the mysterious older brother is quiet but obeys Michael for the good of the big family. Amal Neerad has shown extensive expertise to mimic the old movie GodFather by all means. Anand’s high-tech camera and Vivek’s editing styles created a widescreen set up to accommodate the Megastar to entertain Malayalees indeed.

No doubt, Mammootti’s heroic looks with his screen presence made the character of Michael unique. However, since Bheeshmaparvam is not a one-man-show, sufficient space has been provided for the other prominent personalities of Saubin Shahir, Shine Tom Chacko, Fahraan Fasil, Sreenath Bhasi, Dileesh Pothen, paarvathi Mala, Lena, Nadia Moidu, AnasuyavBhardwaj,etc.

It is heart touching to see the legends, Nedumudi Venu and KPAC Lalitha, appearing in their old looks for the last time for Malayalis, who mourn for their recent passing away.

Michael’s patriarchal role is not acceptable to the younger generation in the story. That envisaged enough room for the Director to mix up religious hatreds and some other hidden agenda. Kochi- Mattancherry lobby has been attempting to precipitate hate against the Christian community, which may be a good plot for a giant movie; that is the commercial aspect of movie lobbies.

Just because Superstars like Mammootty or Mohanlal is in the leading role, there is a notion that the movie will be successful. Still, recently we have been proving wrong with the prevailing ideas. So I would like to highlight the solid negative side of the plot of the so-called Big Movie. It is not against Mammootty or other stars, who all did well in their roles. Let it be exposed that the story of this movie has its evil hidden agenda.

As mentioned earlier, a set of new-gen story writers and directors have been adopting a hidden formula cleverly. They are mocking the Christian beliefs and traditions. For example, the movie “Trance” depicted hatred on Christian retreats and healing ministries- nobody protested. In this movie, a specific community is highlighted as good people throughout, whereas others are evil mongers and roots of all evils. Is it a good message for a highly harmonious state like Kerala?.

Another issue is with the side story of Christian girls are frantically running after Muslim relatives, or they are being trapped. A group of Christian mothers is plotting together with a few of their brothers against their church to get the girl married to a Muslim boy.A priest from this Anjootti Family is characterized as the villain, a portion of the family supports Muslim counterparts, and Christians in the family are projected as drug addicts and evil brats.

The worst part of the story happens when Michael, the patriarch, induces to kill his own Christian brothers for the benefit of the Muslim counterparts in the same family. The real killer is manifested and acknowledged by the hero himself. Is it not the hidden ideology to elevate the qualities of one religion as the only good creed of people. On the other hand, the Christian group is the nasty one creating all the atrocities. Is it true?

Bheeshma in the Mahabharata had at least some moral qualities, who acquired his prowess and invincibility with humility. In this movie, truly we are misguided with its name. We don’t find any Hindutwa nor a real Bheeshma, but only the rough games between Christian and Muslim groups. But revenge, much like every taut minute of this thriller, is far too addictive to give up until the bitter end.

We find only the crafty and devious “Shakuni” in this movie as a Megastar. It would have been apt to name it “ShakuniParvam” instead of Bheeshmaparvam!

Shot on a smartphone, the film ‘Pondicherry’ is all about its beaches, natural beauty, French houses, people and culture of the city. Directed by Sachin Kundalkar, the film features Sai Tamhankar, Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Amruta Khanvilkar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Neena Kulkarni, Gaurav Ghatnekar and Tanmay Kulkarni. And the credit for making it unique with it’s photography goes to the DOP Milind Jog.

The launch of the trailer of the most awaited film ‘Pondicherry’ took place in Mumbai in Pondicherry Cafe.

Actress Amruta Khanvilkar, in the context of her role in the film, says: “The story attracted me the most and undoubtedly Sachin Kundalkar is one of the finest story tellers. I have thoroughly loved the depth of my character and the uniqueness of the film which is shot through a smartphone. In fact we shot with a limited crew which was a challenge for each one of us, but as said it’s all worth it in the end when the team has worked with all their heart.”

On the other hand actress Sai Tamhankar, expresses her happiness to be part of the movie. She talks about her character and what makes this movie different.

She adds: “I feel extremely blessed to bag such a brilliant film and this powerful character. Beauty of my character Nikita is ‘woman of few words & more of action’. Also, working with co-stars who are outstanding in portraying their roles, makes me even more inspired. It feels so good to bounce back with a fresh story line with one of my favourite filmmakers, Sachin Kundalkar.”

“I love the way he narrates his stories and the treatment Sachin gives and weaves his characters. The process of this film is something that has changed me in and out and for the better . It’s a film made on an Iphone (smartphone) with a crew of 15 people and an actor without (hair, makeup, assistant, chauffeur) any kind of assistance: truly a liberating experience!,” she shares.

Actor Vaibhav Tatwawadi shares why he took up the opportunity and what he liked most about this film. He says: “Coming up with a story based on the town of Pondicherry caught my attention at first. The stunning frames, brilliant direction and portrayal of the entire film are something new to be watched for viewers.”

Director Sachin Kundalkar gives insight into the idea behind the movie and appreciates Milind Jog for the way he shot the entire film.

He says: “This film brings different subjects altogether. The film may sound like a love triangle from the teaser, the theme of the same is way beyond that. Since this whole movie was shot on mobile, the obvious technical difference can be noticed. But, to maintain that balance and feel we shot it pretty carefully and came up with a great creation. It also showcases the brilliance of photographer Milind Jog. Many versatile actors have come together to make the film. This unique emotional story will surely appeal to the audience.”

Presented by Akshay Bardapurkar and Planet Marathi, a Vistas Media Capital Company, the film ‘Pondicherry’ is written and directed by Sachin Kundalkar and produced by Neil Patel from Moh Maya Films.

Talking about the film, Planet Marathi Head and Founder Akshay Bardapurkar says: “We love working with innovative stories and direction to entertain the audience. ‘Pondicherry’ is a result of the same brilliant experiment. A different subject and storyline people will get to see in this film. The subject of the same is entertaining as well as informative.” The film is all set to release on February 25 in theatres. (IANS)

Film: Anti-Indian (Playing in theatres). Duration: 123 minutes.

Director: Blue Sattai Maran. Cast: Blue Sattai Maran, Radha Ravi, Naren, Vazhakku En Muthuraman, Vijaya Mami and Jayaraj.

IANS Rating: ***

‘Anti-Indian’ stands as a testimony to Director ‘Blue Sattai’ Maran’s courage. Not many would have chosen to do what he has done — respond to a challenge thrown at him by those offended by his reviews and accept to make a film to show that it is not as difficult to make a meaningful film as it is made out to be.

Not just that. Maran’s courage is again evident from the sensitive subject he has chosen to deal with in his debut film. ‘Anti-Indian’ shows up unapologetically the manipulative games religious and political leaders play for their selfish gains.

The film starts off with a murder taking place in a constituency that is gearing up for a by-election. The murdered man is identified as Basha (Blue Sattai Maran) and we are told that while Basha’s late father is Ibrahim, his mother Saroja (Vijaya Mami) is a Hindu.

Interestingly, Saroja has now converted to Christianity and has changed her name to Lourdu Mary. The problem starts when Basha’s body is taken for burial.

His body is not permitted in the Muslim burial ground because he was not a practising Muslim. The Hindus refuse his body as it is that of a Muslim. As the body is taken from place to place, religious leaders of all hues, with their own agendas, begin to play manipulative games. Even as this continues, politicians who are looking to win the election, join in with their own deadly plans.

The film takes hard shots at everybody without holding back anything. From religious leaders of all denominations to political bosses, everybody’s agenda is exposed. The film’s biggest strength comes from its script and its dialogues, some of which really stand out.

For instance, there is this scene towards the end where a commoner says: “You had one body and you killed 13 people with it. Now, you have 13 bodies. One wonders what all you are going to do now.”

Technically, ‘Anti-Indian’ is below par. It has no entertainment value. Its visuals aren’t great. The only songs in the film are ‘gaana’ songs, which, after a point, become annoying.

Granted, the director is trying to showcase the exhaustion that even ‘gaana’ singers who are brought in to mourn experience because of the delay in burying the body. But for the viewers, it becomes a tad too much.

As a story, ‘Anti-Indian’ has a very pertinent point to make. But as an entertainer, it has almost nothing to offer.

If you are the sort who enjoys a story that is radically different from your regular kind of films and don’t mind sacrificing commercial elements for a strong message, then ‘Anti-Indian’ is likely to work for you.

But with all its flaws, one must still say that ‘Anti-Indian’ works for the simple reason that this is a brave new attempt into unchartered waters by a debut director.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has detained around 10 people after it raided a ‘rave party’ being held on a luxury passenger cruise ship travelling from Mumbai to Goa and has brought in Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, for questioning in connection with the case.

According to News 18, Shah Rukh’s son Aryan Khan was detained from the ship and is currently being questioned by the NCB at its Mumbai office. Reports say his phone has been seized and is being studied. NCB’s Sameer Wankhede told the media that Aryan Khan has not been arrested or booked under any charges, and that he has only been brought in for questioning. Visuals have emerged on social media where he can be seen at the NCB office, where the other eight people have also been taken.

An NCB team led by zonal director Sameer Wankhede went under the guise of regular passengers and the agency said 8-10 people who were consuming drugs have been held. The NCB officials claimed that a few days ago, they had received information about the rave party that was being organized on the passenger cruise ship which was to leave for Goa on Saturday evening.

The Narcotics Control Bureau on Saturday carried out a raid and busted a rave party on a cruise ship mid-sea off the Mumbai coast. At the time of going to the press, the raid was still underway and the NCB officials were in the process of registering a FIR under NDPS act. The sources in the department revealed that around 10 persons including the son of a Bollywood actor were detained for allegedly being part of the rave party.

The NCB officials claimed that a few days ago, they had received information about the rave party that was being organized in the passenger cruise ship which was to leave for Goa on Saturday evening. The NCB personnel accordingly booked tickets and boarded the cruise ship disguised as passengers. “As soon as the cruise left Mumbai coast and reached mid-sea, few passengers started consuming drugs after which the NCB officials then started their operation and caught them red handed,” said a source. Cocaine and other synthetics drugs have been found in their possession which were subsequently seized during the raid, said officials

The captain of the ship was instructed to take the cruise to the international cruise terminal at Ballard Pier in south Mumbai. Zonal director of NCB, Sameer Wankhede and his team took all the detainees along with their luggage to the NCB office in south Mumbai. While searches were still being carried out inside the passenger cruise ship. “The procedure of seizing drugs in the presence of eye witnesses is still going on,” said an official.

The detainees will be soon sent for medical examination to a nearby government hospital, said NCB officials as that will help them to ascertain whether they had consumed drugs. “The report will also act as a crucial piece of evidence,” said a source. Also heavy deployment of policemen from the Mumbai police force was witnessed in and around the terminal. It is also revealed that several people who had come to Mumbai from another state to travel in the ship were not allowed to board sighting a reason that their server was not working. Also it has come to light that the event organizers had overbooked due to which they refused entry to many people.