Category: Entertainment

Priyanka Chopra, who is the highest paid actress in India, will be honored at the second annual InStyle Awards in October. Priyanka now joins InStyle’s other honorees including Hollywood star Nicole Kidman and designer Tom Ford.

The InStyle Awards honours actors, actresses and artistes whose style defines the red carpet, as well as the industry’s top image-makers. Hosted by the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Laura Brown, the intimate dinner will take place for the second year at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.

InStyle will profile the winners within its annual Hollywood’s 50 Best Dressed list (November issue), which spotlights the symbiotic relationship between the runway and the red carpet. Priyanka Chopra, who made heads turn on the red carpet at the 68th Emmy Awards with her scarlet ensemble, says she “felt princessy” at the event where she emerged as the “the twirling dancing emoji”.

The actress, who was a part of Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, talked about her experience at the award ceremony. Priyanka came to the show to promote the upcoming second season of American drama series Quantico and impending Hollywood debut via Baywatch, reports hollywoodlife.com. The second season of Quantico will air in India on Star World and Star World HD from September 26.

By Jitin Jingorani

New York City, Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco residents will roll out the red carpet THIS WEEK to welcome Bollywood power couple, Ajay Devgn and Kajol, who will be in the U.S. to promote Devgn’s upcoming action thriller “Shivaay.” This is Devgn’s second directorial venture, and he has also produced and acted in the film, the trailer of which has already surpassed more than 25 million views on YouTube and social media, combined (click on the movie poster below to watch the trailer).

“I am thrilled by the overwhelming response to the trailer of my film by worldwide audiences,” said Devgn. “I have not been to the States in more than a decade, so I am really looking forward to reconnecting with our American fans and sharing a film that is near and dear to my heart. I could not be more pleased that my wife Kajol will be by my side throughout this journey.”

Produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms, Pen India Limited and NH Studioz, “Shivaay” will be distributed overseas by Reliance Entertainment. The press and public tours are presented by Reliance Entertainment and powered by Wells Fargo, Prria Haider Productions, Dembi Productions, Sahil, Desi Junction, Cine Grand and DFW South Asian Film Festival. The film will release worldwide on Friday, October 28, 2016 (Diwali Weekend).

President Obama Nominates Diane Gujarati to Serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama has nominated Diane Gujarati to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. “I am pleased to nominate Diane Gujarati to serve on the United States District Court bench,” said President Obama. “I am confident she will serve the American people with distinction.”

Diane Gujarati, 47, of New York City, is among several Indian-Americans President Obama has nominated to judgeships during his administration. She will have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate which has several past nominations of President Obama on hold.

Diane Gujarati has been Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York since 2012, and she has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division since 1999.  Prior to her tenure as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, from 2008 to 2012, she served as Deputy Chief and then Chief of the White Plains Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  From 2006 to 2008, she was Deputy Chief of the Appeals Unit in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office, Gujarati was an associate in the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP from 1996 to 1999. She began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable John M. Walker, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1995 to 1996.

Gujarati received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1995 and her B.A. summa cum laude from Barnard College of Columbia University in 1990.  She is the daughter of Ruth Pincus Gujarati of Scarsdale, N.Y., and Damodar Gujarati of Tarrytown, N.Y. Her father serves as professor of economics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and is best known for writing the textbook, Basic Econometrics, which has been published in 5 editions over 21 years and is translated into several languages. Her mother taught social studies at Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx.  Gujarati married Charles Frederic Chesnut, an IT professional, in October 2000, and the couple was featured in the New York Times.

Fourteen-year-old Neel Sethi of Disney’s “The Jungle Book” fame will be one of the main draws at the 29th annual Deepavali Festival at the South Street Seaport in New York City on October 2. Sethi will meet and interact with audiences at the children’s area. Vidya Vox, an Indian-born American singer who has 53 million YouTube viewers, will perform live alongside Shankar Tucker and Jomy George at the event which will start from 12 noon and end at 7 P.M., culminating in a spectacular display of live fireworks.

Organized by the Association of Indians in America, N.Y. Chapter, the annual festival, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people from the region, while showcasing Indian culture in the heart of New York City.

The annual event will be a full day extravaganza celebrating tradition, culture and oneness, with numerous food and clothing vendors, corporate booths, children’s area, health kiosk, performances and activities for the whole family.

The highly sought after inter-collegiate dance competition, Naach Inferno enters its 3rd year this year as it showcases dances fusing both East and West cultures. Presented by Life OK and Star Plus, the competition will be telecasted globally. Arya International will make sure the audience learns some Bollywood dance moves and participates in open dance floor. Numerous local performing arts schools and academies will also showcase their talents on stages throughout the day.

This year, Deepavali also marks the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. To mark the occasion there will be a special tribute to Gandhi along with an essay and drawing competition for the youth to showcase the importance and meaning of peace.

The event culminates with a VIP Hour which has in the past been attended by the governor and mayor of New York among others. This year, support from sponsors such as CheapOAir.com, Qatar Airways, Toyota, New York Life, MoneyGram, Kotak Mahindra, New York Life, HAB Bank, Navika Capital, Star Plus, Sony Entertainment, Jus Punjabi, TV Asia, amongst many others have helped made this event possible. For more information, please find AIA-NY on Facebook or visit its website at www.theaiany.org

East West School of Dance and Ananda Ashram are presenting a special glamorous and unique variety of  Indian Dances on Friday, September 16th 2016 at  the Blue Sky Center, Ananda Ashram, 13 Sapphire Road, Monroe, NY.

Produced by, NADAM, which was founded in the year 1997 by Nandini K Mehta & K Murali Mohan – the well-known Kathak exponents of Bangalore. Since its inception, it has witnessed a rise in its popularity in leaps and bounds. The academy works to showcase India’s Classical Dance & Music Forms and helps preserve them as living traditions. Our annual music & dance showcase, “Kala-Nadam”, is one of the leading events on Bangalore’s Cultural Calendar, featuring amazing national & international talent since 16 years consecutively.

Nadam also holds a Classical Dance Festival for children below 13 called “Chinna Kala-Nadam”, since the year 2009.The academy imparts training in the fields of Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Classical Music to aspiring students. The students are given intensive training to become professional dancers. Apart from training, the company has its own performing unit specializing in Classical and different Folk- forms of India. Nadam ensemble has performed extensively in many prestigious festivals in India, USA, Canada, France, Switzerland and the Middle-East.

Nadam ensemble toured the USA & Canada with a troupe of 10 dancers and gave successful performances in different cities in September- October, 2012 winning rave reviews from connoisseurs and the press.

Nandini Mehta an established danseuse proficient in the fields Kathak and Bharatanatyam, Nandini received her initial training in Bharatanatyam under renowned gurus Smt. Chandrabhaga Devi and Prof. US Krishna Rao, Guru Smt. Narmada, Guru Smt. Bhanumati. Her passion for dance attracted her to train in Kathak.

She had the good fortune to come under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Maya Rao and Smt. Chitra Venugopal of NATYA Institute of Kathak and Choreography (NIKC) Bangalore. She pursued her training in Kathak from Maulik Shah and Ishira Parikh, Ahmedabad. Nandini holds a degree in Choreography from NIKC, Bangalore.

Nandini has also received formal training in Karnatic music from her mother Smt. Manorama Mehta. She is well versed with the various folk forms of India. Dance has taken Nandini to perform extensively in India, US, France, Switzerland, Middle East etc.

She is the recipient of the central government fellowship in Kathak for the years 2000-2002. She is an A grade artist of Doordarshan and is a soft skill trainer and a French lecturer in various colleges in Bangalore. She is the founder director of NADAM an academy of dance and music based in Bangalore. She imparts training in Kathak to aspiring students from India and abroad.

Nandini was awarded the title-“KALA ARATHI RATNA”, by the Arathi School of India Dance-Phoenix, USA in September 2006. She recently received the title-“GUNA NIDHI”, in commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the magazine-“GunaGrahi” for her contribution to Kathak. She is also a recipient of the titles “Natyasri”, “Swar Kala-Gaurav”.

Murali an established Kathak exponent has created ripples in the art circles. Devotion, dedication and innovation being his first nature, winning encomiums and accolades from the audiences and the press have become a way of life. The dancer – an epitome of grace, creativity and authenticity, incessantly portray elegance and élan in every performance. He is a senior disciple of Guru Shri Dharmashi Shah, Padmashree Guru Kumudini Lakhia, and Pt. Arjun Mishra. Murali’s grace, vivacity and versatility in dance have beckoned him to perform at prestigious dance festivals globally. Being a natural dancer, it is a real treat to watch him perform be it pure nritta (pure Dance technique) or abhinaya (nritta). Fast and precise pirouettes and intricate footwork are the hallmark of his dance.

Murali has to his credit a Bachelor’s degree in music and Visharad in Kathak from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai, and is also well-versed in the Folk-Forms of India. He is a recipient of the central government scholarship in Kathak awarded by department of culture New Delhi for the year 2000 – 2002. He is a graded artist of Doordarshan – the national network channel of India, and performed for the National Network. He has performed at most of the Major festivals in India viz, the Uday Shankar Festival, Nishagandhi Festival, Konark Festival, Vasantotsav, Kinkini Festival, to name a few. Murali has been awarded the title-“GUNA NIDHI”, “Nrutya Nipuna” and received the Uday Shankar award for his contribution to Dance. He has been touring the US since the year 1999 for conducting workshops and rendering performances.

Murali also has had the opportunity of working with big wigs like Shobhana, Anuradha Sriram, Vikram Ghosh, Selva Ganesh, Malathi Iyengar of Rangoli Foundation USA, Lata Pada- Sampradya Canada, Sujatha Venkatesh- Omkara.

Indian American television director-editor Kabir Kabir has won an Emmy Award, a prestigious honor in the category of Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. He was awarded at the 68th Creative Arts Emmys held Sept. 10-11 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old is an American television director and editor best known as the creator of The Tool Page, the oldest website dedicated to the band Tool.

Kabir is the son of Salman Akhtar, and nephew of Shabana Azmi’s husband, and lyricist Javed Akhtar. He is the first cousin of filmmakers Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar too. This was the third time Kabir got an Emmy nomination. The first one happened in 2012 for Outstanding Picture Editing For Short-Form Segments And Variety Specials. He had directed a segment of the 84th Academy Awards, starring host Billy Crystal and Melissa McCarthy which was well-received. The second nomination came the very next year for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series for an episode of the American sitcom Arrested Development. However, he finally managed to walk with the trophy this year. Kabir had also worked on British comedy series Mumbai Calling. He had edited the pilot episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend titled “Josh Just Happens to Live Here!” which aired in October 2015.

Kabir Akhtar has shown his editing-directing finesse working on episodic comedies, commercials, documentaries, short films, trailers, reality, and multi-camera shows, including “Arrested Development,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” “New Girl” and Comedy Central shows such as “The Daily Show.”

Based in Los Angeles, Akhtar is a Philadelphia native, holding an M.F.A. in Motion Picture Production from the University of Miami and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.

By Rohi Pandya

Winner of over 30 awards from film festivals around the world, the critically acclaimed motion picture 1000 RUPEE NOTE opens theatrically on September 23 in New York. Directed by Shrihari Sathe, the Maharashtra-set film about a widow who comes across a small fortune won both the Special Jury Award (Silver Peacock) and Centenary Award for Best Film at the International Film Festival of India. It also swept the Maharashtra State Film Awards winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Special Mention), and Best Supporting Actor. International critics have raved about 1000 RUPEE NOTE with the Times of India remarking “the director has struck gold with his first film!”

Budhi, a widow, lives in a small village in Maharashtra, India. Her only son, a young farmer, has committed suicide. Though poor and left alone in the world, she leads a cheerful life. She is particularly fond of her neighbor, young Sudama with whom she shares the small pleasures of life. A local politician gives her a few 1000 rupee notes at an election rally. She and Sudama go shopping to the nearby market with her newfound wealth, but fate has other plans for them.

Shrihari Sathe is a New York and Mumbai-based independent filmmaker and producer.  Sathe produced Eliza Hittman’s It Felt Like Love which world premiered at 2013 Sundance Film Festival and 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam to great reviews. He is a 2015 Independent Spirit Award nominee and is a 2013 Sundance Institute Creative Producing Fellow.  Sathe’s latest production Elisabeth Subrin’s A Woman, A Part world premiered at 2016 IFF Rotterdam. He recently finished post-production on Ed Blythe’s Man With Van (2011 Film Independent Producers Lab). Sathe teaches at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America, Indian Motion Picture Producers Association and Film Writers Association – India. Directed by Shrihari Sathe, casts include: Usha Naik, Sandeep Pathak, Shrikant Yadav, Ganesh Yadav, and Pooja Najak. 1000 Rupee Note – Official Trailer is available at: https://youtu.be/3VBedDCBkC8

By Gitesh Pandya 

 The long awaited MIRZYA title track has made its world premiere. CINESTAAN Film Company and ROMP Pictures proudly present Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s – MIRZYA, a film inspired by the legendary ‘Mirza Sahiban’, a tragic tale of star-crossed lovers. Accompanied by heightened drama and action packed sequences, the film plays out in two parallel worlds – the legendry folklore and modern day in Rajasthan, India.

 As the lovers grapple with forces that seek to keep them apart in both avatars, they discover that a moment of true love together is worth sacrificing lifetimes apart. The film introduces Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher, along with Anuj Chaudhary, all of whom make a dramatic entry into the world of cinema in this untold love story of estranged soulmates. Along with them are the screen masters, Om Puri, Art Malik, K. K. Raina and supported by Anjali Patil.

The timeless epic is brought to life by the director of Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6 & Bhaag Milka Bhaag, in his inimitable vision, in the words of famed poet and lyricist Gulzar. The musical craft of Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Polish director of photography Pawel Dyllus, and National Award winning editor P.S Bharathi. All of whom come together to create a cinematic masterpiece that is unrivaled in Indian Cinema.

 Songs are credited to Daler Mehendi, Sain Zahoor, Akhtar Chinnal & Nooran Sisters, while Chorus was provided by, The Salvation Singers, Nikita Deshpande & Sapna Pathak. MIRZYA Releases Worldwide on October 7th 2016

Indo-Canadian director-scriptwriter Deepa Mehta will officially inaugurate the fifth annual Washington D.C. South Asian Film Festival 2016 here. The three-day annual film festival, which will kick off with a red carpet reception and gala Sept. 9, will screen movies and documentaries from South Asian countries.
Bengali filmmaker Suman Ghosh’s romantic movie “Mi Amor,” starring Parambrata Chatterjee and Raima Sen, is the opening feature film of the fest. “Mi Amor” is the story of two Indians, who are in their 30s and live in Miami. The staleness and loneliness of their diaspora life in the U.S. makes them embark on an unusual romantic journey in an effort to spice up their life together.

As a tribute to the late ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, the festival will screen the documentary “Kaagaz ki Kashti,” which is also the closing film. The Kalki Koechlin- and Naseeruddin Shah-starrer “Waiting,” and Juhi Chawla’s “Chalk n Duster” are among the other films to be screened at the event.

Other eminent attendees of the film festival are director Jeffrey Brown, actress Seema Biswas, actor Rajit Kapur, Rati Agnihotri, Palomi Ghosh, Pakistani actress Amna Ilyas and Pakistani director Harune Massey.

Manoj Bajpai said, “My experience at DCSAFF was enriching. Meeting creative people in a different country and celebrating cinema is something that has always been my passion. DCSAFF is filled with many passionate and devoted volunteers, who are the key to success of any creative venture.”

Aparna Sen, another talented actor commented, “It was wonderful being at the 4th DCSAFF this year! There was an interesting collection of films that I enjoyed viewing. I felt honored and happy that my film SAARI RAAT was sold out for the first show and was grateful to the organizers for arranging a second screening. I was struck by the enthusiasm of the audiences who crowded into the theatres, took part actively in the Q&A sessions after the screenings and attended seminars and workshops with an enthusiasm that warmed my heart.”

Actress, writer, and director Mindy Kaling, made famous on the small screen by her series about a raunchy Indian-American physician in search of love, is now looking to enter the big screen.
Not satisfied to rest on her laurels with ‘The Mindy Project’ Kaling revealed at a press conference Aug. 5, at Hulu’s Television Critics Association meeting, that she had finished writing a feature length script for the big screen, etcanada.com reported. She will play a small part in the movie which will be set in New York City, and it may be related in some way or form indirectly to the news world, she hinted.

Kaling, 37, whose offbeat manner both on and off screen has endeared her to a loyal fan following, said she does not have a name for the movie. “I’m bad at naming things — that’s why my show is called ‘The Mindy Project,’” she quipped.

It is not a romantic comedy as most of those who follow her would assume, and that she said, surprised her as well.

Born Vera Chokalingam, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Kaling was a long-time script writer for the hit TV series ‘The Office’ where she was the only female writer on staff at the age of 24. She appeared as Kelly Kapoor in some of the episodes. Her first solo venture, The Mindy Project, ran on Fox for 3 seasons from 2012 to 2015. When Fox cancelled the contract, Kaling took the series to Hulu, where it has run since 2015.

Kaling has authored two books, ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out With Me? (And Other Concerns)’ which featured on the New York Times Best Sellers list, and ‘Why Not Me?’. She was the voice of Disgust in Pixar’s award-winning animated movie, Inside Out. She made her feature film debut in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

“I always thought the first thing I’d do [for the big screen] was a romantic comedy and what I realized was we write that so much on [‘The Mindy Project’] that I kind of decided that, you know what, I’m going to save that stuff for the show and this is about something completely different,” she is quoted saying in the news report. “It’s inspired by movies I love, like ‘Broadcast News’,” she said, but added, “It’s not in the news world.”

Ajay Devgn’s second directorial venture, “Shivaay,” is the story of an ordinary man in an extraordinary circumstance. Young, cool, contemporary, dexterous, swift and foolish, Shivaay is a Himalayan mountaineer who is an innocent everyman and, yet, is capable of TRANSFORMING into a mean DESTROYER when he needs to PROTECT his family.

Shivaay sports a snake and Trishul tatoo, dresses in a cool grunge style and sports a “calm before the storm” demeanor. His abundant held energy can pre-empt nature, and his observation skills are as developed as his brawn. Thus, his anger can be channelized for a larger common good.

Shivaay lives by the leitmotif that destiny is pre-written. He is satisfied in his isolated world and is not very ambitious. He believes that: “Joh ek baar Shivaay ban jaaye use aur kuch banne ki kya zaroorat hai” (translation: once a man becomes a “Shivaay,” he does not need to become anything else).

An avid, risk-savvy mountaineer and hiking trainer, he is leading a simple peaceful life in the lap of the Himalayas, until one fine day he is pushed to leave his comfort zone to protect his family.
Challenged at every step, he must now use all his faculties to defeat evil. When faced with a large mass of faceless villains spread all over the world and pushed against nihilism, Shivaay eventually becomes a DESTROYER.

In pre-production for more than two years, the film “Shivaay” has employed an unprecedented and invincible team from five different countries to execute action sequences in extreme locations that have never been seen before in Bollywood.

What makes it even more special is that every action sequence in the film is led by emotion; the film is a large-scale adventure action caper with strong emotions. A German action team, a mix of Polish, British, Bulgarian and Indian specialists and actors creates the film’s international look.

The 400-strong crew had to go beyond their comfort zone to create something new and shoot in minus 19 degree Celsius conditions. The visuals of the film are on a grand Hollywood scale. The production house, ADFFilms, had the task of coordinating with a global crew that spoke several languages including Hindi, English, Polish, Bulgarian and German.

Mira Nair’s biographical drama film, “The Queen of Katwe,” the long-awaited biopic of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi, is among the films chosen to be featured in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Konkona Sen Sharma’s directorial debut “A Death in the Gunj,” is another film by an Indian-origin director at the premiere Film Fest to be held from September 8th to 18th.

The Festival also marks the world premiere of several films by and featuring Indians, preseting a diverse and exciting lineup of films that includes the Dev Patel starrer “Lion,” “The Headhunter’s Calling” featuring Anupam Kher, and “Barry” by New York-based Indian American filmmaker Vikram Gandhi.
Oscar-nominated Indo-Canadian screenwriter, director, and producer Deepa Mehta’s drama, “Anatomy of Violence,” based on the 2012 heinous gang rape of a young medical student in New Delhi, will also make its world debut at the prestigious festival in the “Masters” category. The film, part of the Canadian lineup, will mark Mehta’s return to the festival after her crime drama, “Beeba Boys,” saw its world premiere last year.

The Canadian contingent also includes Indo-Canadian photojournalist Dilip Mehta’s documentary “Mostly Sunny,” which tracks the life trajectory of adult actress-turned-Bollywood starlet Sunny Leone.

Prolific actor Anupam Kher, 61, will be seen playing an Indian American pediatric oncologist in “The Headhunter’s Calling,” which stars Gerard Butler, Alison Brie and William Dafoe. It is written by Bill Dubuque, who earlier penned the Oscar-nominated movie “The Judge” and “The Accountant.” In the film, a ruthless corporate headhunter (Gerard Butler) battles his rival for control of their job placement company, until a family tragedy brings his personal and professional lives into conflict.

The last time Kher, known for international films such as “Bend It Like Beckham” (2002), “Bride and Prejudice” (2004) and “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012), attended the TIFF was in 2012 for the premiere of “Silver Linings Playbook,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.

Dev Patel, Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman star in Garth Davis’ “Lion,” a true story of Saroo Brierley, who was adopted by an Australian couple after being separated from his parents in India at the age of five, and who then located his family using Google Earth 25 years later. Also seen in the film will be actorsNawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Deepti Naval.

With “A Death in the Gunj,” award-winning actor Konkona Sen Sharma makes her feature debut as a writer-director. This coming-of-age story about a shy young Indian student who quietly and fatefully unravels during a family road trip stars Vikrant Massey, Ranvir Shorey, Kalki Koechlin, Gulshan Devaiah, Tillotama Shome, Jim Sarbh, Tanuja Mukherjee, Om Puri and Arya Sharma.

In Mira Nair’s “The Queen of Katwe,” a young girl from rural Uganda discovers a passion for chess, and sets out to pursue her dream of becoming an international champion. This film based on the life of Uganda’s chess champion, Phiona Mutesi, stars Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”) and David Oyelowo (“Selma”).

Set in 1981, Vikram Gandhi’s 104-minute-long film, “Barry,” follows a young Barack Obama during a “crucial year” in the life of the future American president. All the above films, which will be featured in TIFF’s “Special Presentations” category, will see their world premiere at the ten-day-long festival.

900 million Android smartphones affected by security flaw in Qualcomm processors: Report
Over 900 million Android devices are affected by ‘high-risk’Quadrooter flaw warns security company Check Point software technologies. Found in devices runningQualcomm processors, QuadRooter includes four vulnerabilities, any of which can be used by hackers to take control of any smartphone. “If exploited, QuadRooter vulnerabilities can give attackers complete control of devices and unrestricted access to sensitive personal and enterprise data on them. Access could also provide an attacker with capabilities such as keylogging, GPS tracking, and recording video and audio,” says Check Point in a blog post.

Hackers can trigger any of these four vulnerabilities using a malicious app. “Such an app would require no special permissions to take advantage of these vulnerabilities, alleviating any suspicion users may have when installing,” adds the post.

The blog notes that QuadRooter affects smartphone drivers which control communication between the various chipset components. Since the vulnerable drivers are pre-installed on devices at manufacturing level, it can only be fixed if the OEMs or carriers issue a software patch.

Check Point recommends users to download and install the latest Android updates as soon as they become available, avoid side-loading apk files, read app permission requests carefully while installing apps and more.

Some of the latest smartphones that are vulnerable to the QuadRooter are Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge , OnePlus 3, Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, LG G4, LG G5 , LG V10, OnePlus One, OnePlus 2, OnePlus 3 and more.

Earlier this year (in May), it was found that several million Android smartphonesrunning on Qualcomm processors are exposed to a glitch that can be exploited by hackers to gain access to the device. Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.

Known as Superwoman on her YouTube channel IISuperwomanII, which has earned over 9 million subscribers, Indo-Canadian YouTube sensation Lilly Singh, who, after making TIME’s list of the 30 Most Influential People on the Internet, has won two coveted prizes within the web/digital category: “Choice Web Star: Female” and “Choice Web Star: Comedy” during the Teen Choice Awards 2016 held July 31 in Inglewood, CA.

Singh, who performs stand-up comedy, raps, hosts events, acts, and has appeared as a motivational speaker, was in Italy and did not attend the awards ceremony, Instagrammed the speech she says she would have given. “I’ll start by saying that I’m so incredibly proud to be a part of this amazing moment in time when people are making real changes in the world by using the Internet,” she wrote. Singh added: “I’m beyond proud to be a part of #TeamInternet and if you still have doubts about our validity, please exit 2001. We are not just numbers and views, we are creators who own businesses and are here to stay.”

The confident vlogger is garnering so much love from fans, and acknowledging that TIME noted that she is rapidly becoming “one of the biggest stars on YouTube, both on and off-screen,” adding that as her “alter ego Superwoman, she is equal parts funny and motivational.”

Most people believe her sincerity and raw honesty shines through her videos and probably that’s what draws fans to her. She has amassed more than 8 million global subscribers and over 1.1 billion total views.

Earlier this year, Singh, who goes by the moniker “Superwoman,” made the Forbes’ Top-10 list of Top-Earning YouTube Stars. In September 2015, the digital creator also won “Best First-Person Series,” beating out four other video stars at VH1’s “5th Annual Streamy Awards” in Los Angeles.

“When I was younger, I always wanted to be someone in the entertainment industry. In my eighth grade slideshow, when everyone was like “show us what you want to be,” everyone [said] doctor, lawyer, [but] mine literally said rapper. I wanted to be a musician, I wanted to be a superstar, I wanted to be on stage, I wanted to perform, I wanted to be in movies. But as you grow up, those dreams kind of fade away and you’re hit with reality and you’re like, oh, not everyone can be Lil’ Bow Wow? Fine,” says Lilly Singh.

From creating a lipstick shade to headlining a world tour, which was subsequently made into a documentary, Singh is constantly venturing into different territories. And now she is adding book author to her glittering resume. The book, “How To Be a Bawse: A Guide To Conquering Life,” will hit stores in March 2017. “Bawse” means “someone who doesn’t just survive but conquers life, really exudes confidence, gets hurt efficiently, hustles hard and just makes stuff happen,” Singh told Jimmy Fallon, during her recent appearance on his show, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Singh wants her “creative process is a bit manic at times, to be honest. I wake up Monday and Thursday stressed because I don’t have a video. I usually — with the exception of maybe a handful of videos — wake up, write the video, shoot the video, edit the video, release the video all in the same day. I literally walk around my house thinking, “OK, what happened in my day?” Because the number one thing I want my videos to be is relatable. That is a priority above the coloring, production, angle and whatever. Half of my videos are out of focus! (laughs) I know this, but I want them to watch my video and think, “This happened to me and I can relate to this.” I’ll rack my brain thinking about what happened to me [and] can I make this into a story? If I really can’t think of something, honestly, I’ll ask my fans because they’re the ones who watch it and know best.

“I want my channel to be a place people go even if they don’t care about Lilly. I don’t want them to have to know about Lilly or care about me as a person to enjoy my content. After a long day at work, I want someone to come home, turn on my video and think, “Oh my god, how girls get ready? This is hilarious, I love this, I’m forgetting about all my problems.”

After winning millions of hearts in India, this dusky, leggy model-turned-actor, Deepika Padukone, made her way to Hollywood. Without much hullabaloo or over-hyped publicity, Padukone silently won a meaty action role in the upcoming film “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.”

Padukone was in the news recently for becoming the most highly paid actress ever in Bollywood. On Aug. 3, the prestigious Vanity Fair magazine placed her among 11 top brass actors to look out for. Calling them the ‘Hollywood’s Next Gen,’ the article goes on to describe the chosen ones with the following blurb, “They may be fresh on the scene, but the latest batch of Hollywood up-and-comers has a retro edge clearly on display in this time-traveling style portfolio.”

Padukone is photographed wearing a red pantsuit with a fur jacket, stepping out of her car with a short interview description.  Followed by a vintage behind-the-scenes video featuring other young actors such as Elizabeth Debicki from “The Great Gatsby,” Lily Collins who played Snow White in “Mirror Mirror,” and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough, who was seen in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The video titled, “Beyond the Red Carpet,” shows actors talking about their personal style.

Deepika Padukone apparently has become the first heroine whose paycheck will cross a billion (Rs. 10 crore) — the film being Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmavati.” Having given a tentative nod after a narration two months back, she got the final narration a few days ago — and the proposal of Rs. 11 crore plus taxes from Bhansali Jun. 13 works out to over Rs. 12 crore.

The nearest remuneration to this among heroines that we have heard of is Kareena Kapoor getting paid Rs. 7 crore for “Golmaal 3” in 2010. Heroes like Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan are reportedly getting Rs. 50 crore for their new films, which is the minimum packet Salman Khan will make from the 50 percent profits clause for “Sultan!”

Vanity Fair’s list includes young actors like Elizabeth Debicki from The Great Gatsby, Lily Collins who played Snow White In Mirror Mirror, Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keogh, who was seen in films like Mad Max: Fury Road. Speaking about her personal style and fashion choices, Deepika Padukone was quoted by the NDTV as saying, “It’s always comfort over anything else. You need to feel complete, you need to feel like you are wearing the clothes and the clothes aren’t wearing you. If I had a choice between a gown and a sari, I’d wear a sari,” she adds.

BAZODEE – a new style Bollywood musical with a distinctly Caribbean island flavor – releases in theaters nationwide this Friday, August 5. Legendary actor Kabir Bedi stars in this hotly anticipated film delivering a very different kind of role.

Anita Ponchouri (Natalie Perera), the dutiful Indian daughter of a deep-in-debt businessman (Kabir Bedi) is about to marry a wealthy Londoner (Staz Nair) when a chance encounter with local Trinidadian singer, Lee de Leon (Soca music star Machel Montano) sets things askew. In search of a muse, de Leon agrees to perform at the engagement party. Unable to deny their mutual attraction, and with the excitement of Carnival approaching, Anita must now choose between the answer to her family’s financial prayers and the possibility of real love.

Set on the vivid, colorful islands of Trinidad & Tobago and pulsing with the sensuous dance rhythms of soca music, BAZODEE is a new style Bollywood musical with a distinctly Caribbean island flavor.

This description sounds straight from a Bollywood potboiler, right? Except that it’s not. This is the premise of “Bazodee,” a soca (a genre of Caribbean music)-infused Bollywood-style international film starring acclaimed Indian actor Kabir Bedi, British actress Natalie Perera, Indian-Russian actor Staz Nair, and Trinidadian soca singer-record producer-songwriter Machel Montano. This global star cast was directed by American filmmaker Todd Kessler (“Bloodline”).

“This is a story about people of the Indian diaspora,” Bedi, who plays businessman Ram Panchouri, told India-West. “It was also a coming together of the West Indian world and the Indian world.”

This grand visual narrative with a distinctly Caribbean island flavor, which unfolds on the vivid, colorful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago, saw its international premiere in New York at the PlayStation Theatre, Times Square, July 27.

“Bazodee,” a Trinidadian slang, which translates to a state of dizziness or confusion – often used with regards to love or infatuation — will remind people of India and all things Indian, said the actor who starred in the 1983 James Bond film, “Octopussy.”

“There is so much Indianess in the film that people are really going to enjoy it because you can relate to these people, these families, the music, the crazy things that happen when people fall in love,” he told India-West.

This light-hearted take on love, Bedi said, will make an emotional connect and resonate with the Indian diaspora. “It’s a family entertainer and reflecting the experience of Indian families living abroad,” he explained. “That’s what attracted me to it, and also it gave me the opportunity to play a much lighter role than I normally play, a much more playful performance. I hope people are going to enjoy it.”

The film, which showcases the unique and distinct cultural identity of the island of Trinidad and Tobago, is also loaded with sequences reflecting the cultural similarities between the island nation and India. This intersection of music and culture, Bedi said, made the whole filming experience extra special.

“There is this thing that they serve which looks like ‘chhole bhature’ to us but it’s something called ‘doubles’ out there,” he said. “There is Bollywood music everywhere you go. You’ll get the sense of the Indians of the diaspora, which is what our viewers are.”

The prolific actor, who has worked in theater, movies and television spanning three continents and in several languages, is also awaiting the release of the Ashutosh Gowariker-directed epic adventure-romance film, “Mohenjo Daro.” The film, set in the ancient city of Mohenjo Daro, Sindh Pakistan, in the era of the Indus Valley civilization that dates back to 2600 BC, and which stars Hrithik Roshan in the lead role, casts him in a pivotal role. Bedi, who plays Maham, a despot who rules Mohenjo Daro using uninhibited force and violence, is making quite an impression on the audiences in the trailer of the film.

“I have a very powerful and strong role in the movie,” Bedi said. “It’s a great film. I want people to see ‘Bazodee’ and then see ‘Mohenjo Daro.’ I want two weekends from them. Each will be a very different experience and entertaining experience.”

Bedi, last seen in a cameo in the Shahrukh Khan starrer “Dilwale,” told India-West that theater in Canada and films in Italy have kept him busy all this while, adding that he will be seen in an Italian film, the details of which he could not reveal at the moment.

Talking about his role in “Mohenjo Daro,” Bedi said, “It’s the first big role that I am doing in a while. And I really saved myself for that. I got a lot of smaller offers that I wasn’t interested in. But this was a role I could really get my teeth into. I am very happy with the role and the film.”

Since 1982, Bedi has been a voting member of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which decides each year’s Oscar nominees and winners. He is also the recipient of the highest ranking civilian honor by the Italian Republic and was bestowed the title of “Cavaliere” (Knight) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

“All these things give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that you have achieved certain benchmarks, but the best is yet to come, I always say,” Bedi told India-West. “And hopefully you’ll see some of that in August.”

“Bazodee” hits theaters in the U.S. Aug. 5 and “Mohenjo Daro” releases Aug. 12.

Kabir Bedi sat down to discuss his latest movie role in BAZODEE in this exclusive new interview:

Tell us about your character Ram Panchouri in BAZODEE and his storyline.

Basically Ram is a guy who is an NRI like a lot of people, and he is living in the West Indies and his daughter is getting married to the son of an equally nice industrial family from England that is very well-to-do. But the truth is that I am deeply in debt so when my daughter decides to do things I wouldn’t want her to it really complicates life a lot. So it’s really the story of a man fighting for survival but yet dealing with his daughter’s heart going in a different way. It’s a film of fun, it’s Calypso, it’s Soca music, it’s the glory of the West Indies setting and of course Machel Montano’s incredible music that takes it to another level. It’s a fun film to see for the family.

How was this character different from many of the other characters you’ve played in your extensive career?

It’s a lot different! It’s a lighter side of me, it’s a far more playful side of me. I mean I’ve played an Asian pirate, and in the James Bond film Octopussy I fought Roger Moore throughout the film, I’ve played Shah Jahan on stage and on screen, so those are serious characters. This is a much more pop role. Interestingly different!

What was it like filming in Trinidad & Tobago? Any specific things you enjoyed there?

I just loved the feeling of Trinidad & Tobago and the warmth of the people. There’s also the spectacular Maracas Beach out there where you have big shark sandwiches which are just incredible! And there is such a great music tradition there too so it’s a lovely place to be and to film and to meet people and get to know another country. It’s a country worth knowing! And Tobago reminds me of Goa from 30 or 40 years ago, really peaceful and beautiful beaches. Pigeon Point Beach was extremely beautiful to see there too.

What are some of the themes in BAZODEE that those in the Indian diaspora would be able to relate to?

It’s our story! It’s a story of people like us. And therefore if you want your stories to be told you must see and support them and go out and see them. That’s part of the process. I think it’s a film people will enjoy in the diaspora because it’s about them.

What are some of your favorite places in the U.S to visit?

I stayed in Los Angeles for 15 years in the 1970s and 80s and I certainly have a deep and abiding love for L.A. It was a wonderful place for me because when I did the series The Bold and the Beautiful, I got to know the cast and got to know all the subcultures there and the fans that surround that. You have the sea, you have the mountains, wide roads for driving, smooth cars to drive, it’s a creative community, I had an enormously productive time in L.A. And of course San Francisco too. I adore San Francisco, so much beauty. Boston is where my sister is and I love going to the Northeast. New York I enjoy too. Houston, Orlando, Miami, a lot of special places for me there!

HOUSTON – On Thursday, 21st July, 2016 Houston saw some hard core fans of Thalaiva queued outside the theaters for the screening of Superstar Rajnikanth’s new release KABALI. It has been a while since the viewers have seen the Superstar appearing in a don avatar and the dazzling teaser had created an impression all across the globe. The first day first show in Houston began with a huge celebration organized by Houston Desi Friends & US Desi Gals – two major social media WhatsApp groups in Houston & Radio Hungama, first Telugu radio in Houston.

Houston Desi Friends group with 3000 members on WhatsApp and Facebook is a brain child of Kishore Ramaraju who brought all the Indians in Houston to a common platform. This non-profit group conducts seminars on immigration, finance, digital marketing, college education on a monthly basis. US Desi Gals is a WhatsApp based group founded by Kavitha Vijay with an intention of sharing info, deals, events in and around Houston amongst the Indian women community & help in empowering them.

The event witnessed hundreds of audiences who had come for watching the movie. The event was sponsored by Deep Foods, Cinegalaxy Inc & Fun Asia, Carmike Theatres, Radio Hungama, Hot Breads Houston, United Real Estates, Pepon Inc., TV9 & NTV. The program had fun filled games and contests wherein the Thalaiva fans created a buzz and won Kabali T-shirts and gift hampers from Deep Foods. The eye stealer of the show was the dance performance by US DESI GALS dance team to the tunes of famous Rajini songs. The dance was choreographed in a short notice of time & performed by a group of US DESI GALS members who are not professional dancers but had a passion for dancing. Thalaiva fans also tapped their feet to the tunes of “Neruppu da” along with the dance team. Sridhar Dadi, owner of Radio Hungama enthralled the whole crowd with his wit . The show ended with the cake cutting ceremony by the sponsors and an open flash mob.

Aziz Ansari made history last week as he became the first ever Indian-American actor to land a lead comedy-acting Emmy nomination for his series “Master of None”.  Ansari is also just the fifth person of South Asian descent to be nominated in an acting category.

“I am very happy but it is a very specific accomplishment,” Ansari told USA Today after the nominations were announced on Thursday, July 14.  Ansari, who is also nominated for writing and directing “Master of None”, co-created the Netflix comedy with Alan Yang.

The 33-year-old actor plays Dev, an actor trying to make it in New York. “Master of None”, which is up for best comedy, crystallized diversity challenges in Hollywood in the show’s fourth episode, titled “Indians” on TV.

“I think every minority actor runs into that. You hear people say things like, ‘Oh, they already got the black guy.’ Or, ‘Oh, they already got their Asian lady.’ It kind of feels like, to minority actors that I’ve spoken with, once they have one (minority actor cast) they’re like, OK, we’ve placated the ‘diversity issue.’ That was coming from a real place,” Ansari said.

Casual racism has also been also addressed in the show.  “If you’re a minority, you’re experiencing all sorts of casual racism all the time. And at a certain point, you just get numb to a lot of it, and you’re like, whatever.”  Ansari said he he and Yang are currently busy writing season 2 of “Master of None”, which will debut on Netflix next April.

After more than a decade on the standup comedy scene, and six years on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” the actor took a leap in 2015 by creating “Master of None,” a deeply personal and biting comedy in which Ansari plays a 30-ish actor much like Ansari, albeit with much less success.

On his role in the play and how he got to do the show, he said, “I think they just really believed in me and Alan and the ideas we had for the show. We had a certain, for a lack of a better word, vision for what we wanted to do. We were really specific, and they just really trusted us and believed in us, and let us do what we want. They let us play.”

“It was crazy because it had a reach far beyond what I expected,” he was reported to have told in a CNN interview. “So many people have come up to me, from so many different backgrounds. There’s never been a South Asian person nominated in a leading role? I didn’t know that. That’s crazy.”

New York, NY: The largest India Day Parade in the world, held in the city of New York will have Bollywood star, Abishek Bachchan as the chief guest/grand marshal.  The milestone event celebrated to mark the India Independence Day, organized by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), an umbrella organization of the NY, NJ, CT (Tri-State), will be on Sunday Augus 21st, starting at 12:00 pm.

It was announced here during a traditional Curtain Raiser event at the Indian Consulate in Manhattan on Friday July 8th. This officially jump starts the campaign for the 2016 India Day Parade that FIA has been organizing since past 35 years. “The honor will be  given to Abhishek Bachaan” announced President of FIA, Anand Patel. Patel. Abhishekh Bachhan has created a prestine place in Bollywood for himself with superhits such as Guru, Sarkaar and Dhoom. Patel said, HH Yog Rishi Ramdev Baba will be at the parade as well.

The parade will start from 39th street & Madison Ave intersection and the fun fair and cultural programs will be on 26th St. and Madison Ave from 12:00pm to 6:00pm.

Opening the curtain raiser, Anand Patel, a veteran businessman with holdings in franchise retail and real estate in the tristate area, expressed his gratitude to CGI-NY for being the co-host and for continuous support of over a decade long tradition of holding the curtain raiser the India Day Parade curtain raiser at the ‘New India House’.  He also paid tribute to men and women who gave all to see the motherland become a free nation on Aug. 15th 1947. Concluding he commended his team for jump starting the preparation for a unifying theme of ‘Bringing the World Together’ and working tirelessly for grand success of the parade.

The event was started by lighting the traditional lamp by Hon. Ambassador Riva Das CGI-NY, Grand sponsors as well as the FIA’s Board of Trustees & Past Presidents which included Chairman Ramesh Patel, Yash Paul Soi, H R Shah of TV Asia, Chandrakant Trivedi, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Dipak Patel, Bipin Patel, Albert Jasani, Executive Vice President Andy Bhatia among other dignitaries.

Patel then invited the Chairman of FIA, Ramesh Patel, a well known community leader and activist since past 50 years.  Patel emphasized the fact that FIA along with the celebrations of Indian Independence & Republic day is also at the forefront in addressing and fighting for burning community issues like immigration, domestic injustice, discrimination, bias and hate crimes etc. Ambassador Das opened her statement by giving high marks to the FIA’s efforts for their social activities as well putting together remarkable events. Ambassador expressed her excitement to be part of the festivities she will experience for the first time. She commended the efforts put together by the FIA day in and day out to put together an event like such epic magnitude.

Pujya Ramdev baba has promoted healthy living and social reforms thru his yoga platform and with his healthy natural herbal supplements. AV presentations from the attending dignitaries and celeb was introduced for attendees to view which was followed by a dance presentation performed on a compilation of Rabindranath Tagore poems by Beena Menan’s group of Kalashri Dance Academy.

The curtain raiser also honored CKGS, Indian Govt. Visa OCI and Passport Processing company’s Vice President and Country Manager Mr. Kiran Nambiar with a memento Plaque for his sincere efforts and alignment with successfully implementing a host of visa camps primarily with FIA, Indian Embassy and other community organizations as well as respective CGIs across the USA that saw over 6000 of diaspora members assisted at their doorsteps with the visa camp program called ‘Consulate at your door steps’.  Kiran Nambiar is moving on July end and is going to be based in Canada concluding his CKGS US tenure. (Photo of Kiran Nambiar attached for use).

The ceremony was concluded with Immediate Past President Ankur Vaidya addressing a vote of thanks and providing a raffle giveaway of 4 gold coins which was done to raise funds for the Darjeeling Sanitation Project which FIA has been working for the past 2 years.

Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, “Slumdog Millionaire” star Freida Pinto and director Deepa Mehta are among the Indian-origin film personalities invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be part of its new class of members. Apart from Tagore, Pinto and Mehta, British filmmaker of Indian origin Asif Kapadia — who bagged the Best Documentary Feature Oscar for “Amy”, based on the life of late singer Amy Winehouse — also features in this year’s class of new members.

In an effort to be more inclusive, diverse and stop the criticism that the Academy is largely white and male membership, The Academy, has for the first time history, invited a record 683 new members — 46 per cent female and 41 per cent persons of color. The list has celebrities aged as young as 24 and as old as 91.

The diversity push at the Academy comes in response to the #OscarsSoWhite uproar that took place earlier this year, when all-white acting nominees put a microscope on the Academy’s largely white and male membership.

A two-time National Award winner and a Padma Bhushan awardee, Tagore began her career as an actress in Satyajit Ray’s 1959 Bengali film “Apur Sansar” (“The World of Apu”) and acted in several films in Hindi cinema. She also served as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) from 2004 to 2011. In 2005 Tagore was chosen as an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She was also one of the International Competition’s Jury Members at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Freida Pinto rose to prominence through the 2008 British drama film “Slumdog Millionaire”, which won eight Academy Awards in 2009. She has appeared in several American and British productions, often playing supporting roles. Pinto also appeared in the 2011 science fiction film “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”.

A noted Indo-Canadian director and screenwriter, Deepa Mehta began her career with the controversial film “Fire” in 1996, later working on her trilogy of the elements: “Fire”, “Earth”, and “Water”. Mehta was born in India and has a degree in philosophy from the University of Delhi. After immigrating to Canada in 1973, she embarked on her professional cinematic career as a scriptwriter for children’s films. She made her debut as a director and producer with “Sam & Me” in 1991.

“We are proud to welcome these new members to the Academy, and know they view this as an opportunity and not just an invitation, a mission and not just a membership,” Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement.  Isaacs also encouraged Hollywood and the larger creative community to “open its doors wider, and create opportunities for anyone interested in working in this incredible and storied industry”.

Maura Moynihan, daughter of former New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, has been in love with India since 1973 when she first moved from New York to New Delhi with her father who served there as the United States Ambassador.

By her own admission, she fell “passionately in love with India” the very moment she landed in New Delhi in 1973, and studied Indian art, music, dance and philosophy during her stay in the country where she studied in high school in New Delhi.

Over the years she has maintained her enduring interest in India as also her love for the brush and easel with which she has created many paintings inspired by Indian mythology and gods and goddesses.

Last week, Moynihan opened some of that artistic treasure-trove before public eyes in Kapoor Galleries in Manhattan. “I’ve done shows in India, Nepal, Washington, and I wanted to exhibit in New York. This is my first New York show after many years, and I am thrilled to be represented by Kapoor Galleries. Feels like home!,” Moynihan said in response to a question.

On view at the galley are 30 paintings which include her current as well as earlier work from the 1970s. The exhibition that opened June 23 will run through July3 at the gallery.

At the opening reception for the exhibition she gave a brief talk where she spoke about how India influenced her art and life, with the Kapoor’s unique collection of classical statuary as the source of inspiration for her watercolors.

“I draw my inspiration from India. The themes, the mythology, Indian art imparts wonder – Adbhuta, ignites transmission, educates, dazzles, enchants. Thailand is a Vedic civilization where the seeds of India mingled with the fertile lands of Southeast Asia; everywhere I follow seeds of India that fertilized Buddhism and Hindu Mythology into Asia’s rich and varied soils,’ according to her.

She told this correspondent that one of the great gifts India has given to the world is Buddhism. The Bengali master Atisha, she noted, brought the worship of Tara to Tibet in the 10th century A.D. As Buddhism died in India, it flourished in Tibet and the Tibetan refugees brought Buddhism back to life in India. “I have made pilgrimages to Bodh Gaya and Sarnath with the Dalai Lama.

Today these sacred seats are filled with international pilgrims like myself,’ To a question she said that the theme of this show is Goddess Tara, the Protector with the 21 Taras she painted in 2016.
“It was the Kapoor’s idea to mix my contemporary work with their collection of classical Indian art pieces. There is also work from the early 1970’s I have never shown before, and I attach an oil painting of Lodi Gardens I did in 1997. I used to go there in high school to read Urdu poetry,” she said.

Moynihan, who speaks Hindi, Urdu, Tibetan and French, is a best-selling author of two works of fiction, “Yoga Hotel” and “Covergirl”. She was a consultant to the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City.

“In 2013 I made a vow to paint the 21 Taras. I studied the iconography and legends of the 21 Taras and painted each Tara according to the Indian texts from the Gupta period, then added my own style, as I use watercolors,” she said.

Moynihan’s paintings are displayed alongside the Kapoor’s unique collection of Indian and Tibetan statuary to show the continuation of tradition.
Among the guests present at the event included Gautam Patwa and Swati Patel-Joseph who bought a White Tara, Dicky Peltso, her Tibetan sister, and Japanese film director Masako Tsumura.

The Consulate of India, New York in association with “Salon De Virtuosi”, presented the annual ‘East Meets West’ concert at the Consulate’s Ballroom on the evening of June 17, 2016. Charlotte White, founder of “Salon de Virtuosi”, an organization aimed to support emerging artists by providing them performance opportunities, speaking on the annual presentation in the Consulate admired India’s culture and traditions and mentioned about her long standing relations with India extending to over seven decades.

Representing the West in the concert was the Aeolus String Quartet, the Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Julliard School. They have won numerous prizes and competitions and are known for their “smoothly meshed technique with a sense of spontaneity and discover”.

The East was represented by Pt. Barun Kumar Pal, recognized Hansaveena artist from India whose music incorporates the blend of Veena, Sitar and Sarod and the brilliant DibyarkaChatterjee, a young and promising Tablaplayer. Both Pt. Barun Kumar Pal and DibyarkaChatterjee mesmerized the audience with their Ragas. The musical evening concluded with aesthetically pleasing fusion of Eastern and Western music filling the atmosphere with unity of sound and it received standing ovation from the audience.

The official trailer of one of the most anticipated 2016 releases, “Mirzya,” has been unleashed on social media June 23. Adapted from the tragic mythical love story from Punjab “Mirza-Sahiban” and scripted by Gulzar, the film is close to director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra’s heart. A definite visual delight, the move opens with a beautiful expanse of mountains and valleys of Ladakh, leading to glorious desserts of Rajasthan. The colors and cinematography are flawlessly done by Pawel Dyllus.

Starring fresh-faced newcomers Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher with a new villain in town — model-turned-actor Anuj Choudhary — in the main roles, the story is a clear case of reincarnation and lovers that transcend time and spaces.

The proud family of Kapoors posted on their social media pages the link to the trailer. Starting with papa Anil Kapoor to sister Sonam Kapoor, everyone seems extremely excited and pleased with the end result. Watch the NEW full theatrical trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo9HkpIPt2k

Priyanka Chopra has been nominated for a Teen Choice Award for her role in the show. The 33-year-old actress bagged the final nomination in the Choice TV Breakout Star category. Chopra has been garnering praise for her portrayal of FBI trainee Alex Parrish in “Quantico” ever since the American TV series came out in September last year.

An elated Chopra took to Twitter to express her delight. So fun!Thank you #TeenChoice for the#ChoiceTvBreakOutStar nomination for #Quantico Excited, grateful @TeenChoiceFOX http://twitter.com/TeamPriyanka/status/741651965537587202 …

Chopra, who came into the limelight in the West playing the lead role in the popular American TV series “Quantico,” has also graced one of the six cover pages of the magazine. On Chopra, who was awarded the Padma Shri this year, actor Dwayne Johnson said she is a “star rising higher” and lauded her “drive, ambition, self-respect, and she knows there s no substitute for hard work.” Priyanka Chopra has been featured in TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list this year.

The Bajirao Mastani actress has made it to the final nomination in the category ‘Choice TV Breakout Star.’ Chopra recently won the Favourite Actress title in a New TV series award forQuantico at the People’s Choice Awards 2016.

The star-studded affair, which celebrates the year’s achievements in the field of music, film, television, sports, fashion, comedy and video games, will be held on July 31 in Los Angeles.

Chicago IL: Mujeeb Ahmed from Masti Entertainment, Babu Varma, Waseem Tahir, and Arya Sounds presented Comedy Show of the Year by the versatile comedian, internationally renowned award winner and actor Johnny Lever on June 4 at Copernicus Theater, Chicago, IL. The high profile event was attended by hundreds of fans from different walks of life.

Self-taught Johnny Lever began his career back in 1984. He developed a passion for mimicry and stand-up comedy, inspired by watching comedians like the unforgettable legendary icon Johnny Walker, the remarkable Kishore Kumar and the well-known Mehmood saab in films and through mimicry artists like, Dinesh Hingoo and Nerella Venumadhav on stage, it was from here he decided to become a Mimicry Artist.

His success and talent grew gradually Johnny was then offered films instantly. Starring in more than 400 Bollywood movies with let’s say, every star under the horizon ever since! His fans took to him instantly on screen which led him to achieve success upon success, resulting in many nominations for famed Filmfare Awards in The Best Comedian Category bringing it home the price twice.

His “Michael Jackson” act was the not-to-be-missed quotient of the show. His act was not limited to mere mimicry, but was a wholesome package” of entertainment. He sang and danced.. Enacted real-life situations. Mocked anything and everything under the sun. And most importantly, his wholesome presentation in the hall made fans laugh their hearts out.

The Johnny Lever’s mesmerizing performances and heart touching philosophy has always left his audience in a trance. His acumen has always excelled awarding him today’s numero uno hot spot. His talent and performance was duplicated in his daughter Jamie Lever who also performed on the stage with him, rewarding the audience with double dose of the entertainment and pleasure.

The entertainment was augmented by performer Gurav Sharma who helped transition between these two colossal father and daughter personality. Sharma is an Indian Television Actor, born in Chandigarh, India who has worked in many daily soaps. He has played some challenging roles in serials like Phulwa, Mahima Shanidev Ki, Naadaaniyaan – Teen Nadaanon Ki Kahaani and Sasural Simar Ka. He was last seen in Life OK’s popular series Dream Girl and Star Plus’ show Diya Aur Baati Hum.

The crowd enjoyed hearty laugh to the wittiest jokes to end the day. The evening performance by trio proved what Charles Dickens had said that “There is nothing in the world as irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”

Joy TV Network, the first Indian-owned broadcasting station in the Southeastern United States, announces its operation in Atlanta. This broadcast, anchored at Channel # 21, is a FREE TV network available to all residents in the coverage area. Apart from the HD television channels, Joy TV will also be airing a number of 24×7 radio channels in various Asian languages. There will be a free app available for download, which will enable live/recorded telecast of the programs.

Apart from English and Spanish channels, Joy TV will have multiple channels in various Asian languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Unlike other Asian Channels, which are available only by live-streaming through internet, these channels will be available free-on-air.

Joy Television Network has a state-of-the-art recording studio and equipment. The programs are slated to go live in March 2016. It will have facilities for recording local/national news, cultural events, health, sports, test kitchen, spotlight on young entrepreneurs, and educational/informational programs. Major local news and events will be broadcast live, while other events from around the US will also share prime airtime.

Initially the programs of Joy TV are scheduled to cover nearly 5 million viewers while efforts are on to broadcast through cable carriers to telecast these programs to a wider audience. Joy TV is open to partnering with producers to develop programs for open/targeted audiences. It is also possible for interested parties to lease air-time from Joy TV’s channels. Joy TV welcomes inquiries from media corporations and public relations organizations about leasing an entire TV channel to broadcast their own programs.

Mr. P. I. Joy, the Chairman of Joy TV Network, said “There is a huge market out there that is waiting to tap into the demand for Asian and Hispanic culture and programs. Also, we cannot express ourselves effectively as a community, unless we are represented by a strong media. I am certain our US Pan Asian American community’s voice will now be heard, even in the capital and overseas.”

For more information about leasing on the TV and Radio broadcasting on Joy TV Network, please contact

1. P I Joy at pi@joytvn.com(Chairman) / +1 (678) 283 3636
2. Johnson Punchakonam at fr@joytvn.com
3. Harish Iyer at harish@joytvn.com

(New York, NY – June 9, 2016) After numerous sold-out screenings at mainstream and South Asian film festivals around the world and multiple audience and jury awards under its belt, Parched, writer, director, producer Leena Yadav’s dramatic tale of four ordinary women courageously standing up to the repression and misogyny in their parched Gujarat village, will have its U.S. theatrical release, via Wolfe Releasing, in New York, Los Angeles, San Jose and Fremont on Friday, June 17, 2016, for a one-week run.

“This story is my reaction to a misogynistic society that treats women as objects of sex, where their greatest role is to serve men,” said Yadav about her impetus for making the film. “Giving my women characters a voice that observes, absorbs and reacts was what drove me to write this drama about ordinary women who are driven to extraordinary ends.”

Produced by renowned Indian actor, director and producer Ajay Devgn and shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter (Titanic), the film had its world premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF’s Artistic Director Cameron Bailey raved: “With a bold visual confidence, Yadav combines the stark realism of hostile desert landscapes with a Bollywood palette, vibrant tones that celebrate the unleashing of the women’s repressed sensuality and dreams…transforming her characters’ struggles into a stirring portrayal of liberation.”

After TIFF, the film continued its global cinematic journey through the Stockholm Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Camerimage in Poland, Miami International Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, Festival International de Films de Fribourg, Festival 2 Valenciennes, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, New York Indian Film Festival and Festival Cinema 5 Continents. In the pipeline after its U.S. theatrical release, Parchedtravels to the Edinburgh International Film Festival, London Indian Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Film Victoria Australia.

Starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla, Lehar Khan and Adil Hussain, Parched has received rave reviews by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Variety, Indiewire and The Hollywood Reporter, just to name a few. The film’s top honors include the Stockholm Impact Award for “Headstrong Filmmakers,” Best of the Fest at Palm Springs International Film Festival, Best Feature Film (Audience Award) at Festival 2 Valenciennes and Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and Best Film (Young Jury) at the Festival Cinema 5 Continents.

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who is throwing surprises one after another in her international journey, has now featured in a video with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Cristiano Ronaldo. What’s more, the song is by Enrique Iglesias.

The song, titled ‘Don’t you need somebody’, has been primarily sung by ‘Hero’ singer Iglesias, with bits of it crooned by R City, Serayah and Shaggy.

Priyanka, a former Miss World title holder, is pleasantly not in a a blink-and-you-miss appearance. Instead, she features in a number of frames as she is seen grooving to and lip-syncing to the number.

The video also features international celebrities like Akon, Mila Jovovich, Ryan Seacrest, Mesut Özil, Lopez and Ronaldo among others. Released on YouTube on Friday, last week, the video has Priyanka in a hair up-do and a beige-hued jumpsuit. Her wine-coloured lipstick stands out.

Priyanka’s journey on foreign shores first began when she released her English single ‘In my city’. She launched two more tracks before landing a lead role in American TV show Quantico, and now she has even shot for the Baywatch movie with Dwayne Johnson.

Now back in India to fulfill her professional commitments, the actress launched her maiden production, “Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi,” on June 10. This busy-bee actress summed up her life with the below photo, captioned: “Always in transit.. Lost in motion.. #nomadheart #noreasontostop #nobodyclock #keepexploring.”

Mallika Sherawat, the 39-year-old actress has been gaining plaudits for her fashion choices at the ongoing 69th Cannes Film Festival. On May 19, Mallika Sherawat once again shined in a gorgeous pink ombré gown with lace detailing by ace designer Alexis Mabille for her appearance at the UNICEF dinner.

The actress, whose film “Time Raiders” was screened at the film fest, shared a coy photo of herself on Twitter with details about her dress, hair and makeup.

Once she arrived at the dinner, Sherawat’s sweet tooth emerged. The svelte actress posted a photo of herself posing next to a tower of delectable desserts. his is not the first time that Sherawat has attended the Cannes Film Festival. The actress made headlines in 2014 for the pale, pleated Pucci dress that she wore to the amfAR Gala.

At this year’s amfAR Gala, Sherawat  managed to click a selfie with one her favorite actors, Mads Mikkelsen, known for his role as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the American TV series “Hannibal.”

Two-time Academy Award^® winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken bring their acclaimed documentary SONG OF LAHORE to U.S. audiences this Friday, May 20 with a release that includes theaters in New York and Los Angeles plus national availability on DVD, VOD and Digital HD at the same time.

Song of Lahore, the latest feature-length documentary from filmmakers Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness – 2015 Academy Award winner for Best Short Documentary) and Andy Schocken (The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner), follows the members of Pakistan’s Sachal Jazz Ensemble, a group of master musicians who find international recognition after decades of opposition from dictators and religious extremists. The ancient city of Lahore was once the center of Pakistan’s thriving film-music recording industry, but that came to an end in the late 1970s under the Islamist rule of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Under the conservative regime, instrumental music was repressed, and entire families of musicians lost their livelihood.  Music came to be seen as a dishonorable profession, and they found themselves quietly continuing the centuries-old practice of passing down ancient musical traditions from one generation to the next behind closed doors.

As government opposition to music eased in the 1990s and 2000s, businessman Izzat Majeed founded the Sachal Studios Orchestra.  He encouraged the group to combine classical Pakistani instruments and techniques with the American jazz he had fallen in love with in the 1950s. Their innovative versions of jazz standards, most notably Dave Brubeck’s iconic “Take Five,” made the orchestra a surprise Internet phenomenon, earning international acclaim and an invitation to perform at Lincoln Center with jazz great Wynton Marsalis and his band. Obaid-Chinoy and Schocken follow the ensemble on an inspiring journey as they struggle to adapt to the unfamiliar strictures of Western music and restore Pakistan’s venerable musical traditions.

The co-directors sat down for this exclusive interview to discuss their new film which features the music of The Sachal Ensemble of Pakistan and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and examines the lives and the cultural heritage of Pakistan’s classical musicians as they prepare for a concert in New York City. Interview with SONG OF LAHORE co-directors SHARMEEN OBAID-CHINOY and ANDY SCHOCKEN:

Q: Was music ever banned in Pakistan? 

A: Music was never banned outright, but when General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq took power in 1977 he put in place restrictions on broadcasting non-religious music and dancing. Nightclubs and alcohol were banned, and Zia took steps to shut down the Pakistani film industry, a source of employment for many musicians. At the same time, a more hardline interpretation of Islam became ascendant. As a result, non-religious classical music declined dramatically and musicians lost their former standing culturally, economically and socially. However, even in this oppressive environment, a nascent pop industry grew as a form of protest against Zia’s conservative policies.

Q: After Zia’s reign ended, why did traditional musicians like the members of the Sachal Ensemble still struggle to find work?

A: After Benazir Bhutto took power in 1988, official opposition to non-religious music was overturned. And starting in 1999, under Pervez Musharraf, steps were taken to rebuild the music and film industries. Music grew in popularity, concerts were once again common, and shows on television and radio flourished. However, much of the music that became popular at this time was Western-oriented rock and pop. Opportunities for classical musicians were rare, so many traditional artists had to leave the profession and find work elsewhere.

Q: What are the threats faced by musicians in Pakistan today?

A: After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the U.S. military engagement in the region, the situation changed again. The Taliban banned instrumental music and dancing in Afghanistan, and as their influence later crossed into Pakistan, similar efforts were made in areas under their control or sympathetic to their strain of Islam. When fundamentalist religious parties came to power in the Khyber-Paktunkhwa region of Pakistan, they banned public concerts, hundreds of music shops were burned, and a number of musicians and dancers were killed. Many musicians fled the region.

Q: What is the situation like for musicians in Lahore?

A: The situation in Pakistan differs widely from region to region. Lahore experiences limited influence from the Taliban, though hundreds have been killed in terrorist attacks there in recent years. There have been some efforts by outsiders to spread anti-music messages in the city, and there have been some personal attacks on musicians. There are fundamentalist agitators who rally opposition to musicians, claiming that music is sinful. As described in the film, the son of guitarist Asad Ali was attacked and had his keyboard smashed. In 2008 bombs were set off at Lahore’s Alhamra Cultural Center during a musical performance by folk musician Arieb Azhar. Because of security concerns it is rare for concerts to be held publicly. Instead, performances are typically held in private hotels or venues with security guards.

Q: Why does flutist Baqir Abbas speak of having to hide the fact that he and his brother are musicians?

A: In many strata of Pakistani society, instrumental musicians are not seen as respectable. Despite the long tradition of music in Islamic society, conservative Muslims consider instrumental music to be obscene. Musicians are often referred to in derogatory terms, and musical families often hide the fact that they’re musicians, so as not to invite opposition or dishonor. Hence, in the film, we see Baqir Abbas playing the flute with his brother in a soundproof room, so as to not bring dishonor to the family.

SONG OF LAHORE

Release date: May 20 (select theaters, DVD, VOD, Digital HD)

Directors: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy & Andy Schocken

Music: The Sachal Jazz Ensemble and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Rating: PG

Runtime: 82 minutes

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reMlqvb_WAA

Official Site: www.songoflahoremovie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/songoflahore

Twitter: https://twitter.com/songoflahore

Bollywood star Celina Jaitly, who speaks on behalf of LGBT people in India and all over the world, was honored with the Harvey Milk Foundation’s Lilla Watson Global Champion Medal at the gala co-presented by the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park on May 13th.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized with this medal from the Harvey Milk Foundation,” said Jaitly. “In spite of the huge strides being made in the U.S. and in many other countries, far too many LGBT people still suffer rejection, harassment and discrimination. In 76 countries – including, my own, India – the law treats gay people as criminals, reinforcing stigma and leaving people vulnerable to blackmail and imprisonment. The work we are doing through the United Nations Free & Equal global campaign is raising awareness and challenging prejudice. It’s a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with LGBT friends and allies around the world and demand equal rights, respect and recognition. I like to think that Harvey Milk himself would have heartily approved.”

Jaitly, who is an official Champion of the United Nations Free & Equal Campaign, was honored for her advocacy and support for the LGBT rights movement in India. A former Miss India winner and Miss Universe runner-up, she is one of the most visible advocates against the criminalization of same-sex relationships in the world’s largest democracy.

Jaitly wrote recently: “In spite of the huge strides being made in the U.S. and in many other countries, far too many LGBT people still suffer rejection, harassment and discrimination. In 76 countries – including, my own, India – the law treats gay people as criminals, reinforcing stigma and leaving people vulnerable to blackmail and imprisonment. The work we are doing through the United Nations Free & Equal global campaign is raising awareness and challenging prejudice. It’s a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with LGBT friends and allies around the world and demand equal rights, respect and recognition. I like to think that Harvey Milk himself would have heartily approved.”

“Celina Jaitly is one in a million — a huge Bollywood star and a leading light in the global movement for LGBT equality,” Charles Radcliffe, chief, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement. “A stalwart ally of the LGBT community in India for more than a decade, she is, today, playing a central role in UN efforts to fight homophobia and transphobia, globally.”

“Celina Jaitly is an incredible champion of human rights, not just in India, but globally, through her unwavering support of the UN Free & Equal Campaign,” added Stuart Milk, co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation and a global human rights advocate. “She is guided by passion, committed to hard work, aided by grace, and the belief that our shared journey is enriched, and not weakened, by our diversity. We are honored that she is traveling halfway across the globe to join us.”

Mallika Sherawat, a 39-year-old actress from India has been featured in the United Nations’ short video “Impossible Choices,” released on April 28. Sherawat joins a group of celebrities like Daniel Craig, Forest Whitaker, Alfre Woodard, Yara Shahidi and Rosario Dawson, promoting the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, to be held from May 23-24. The Summit is a call to action by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to reduce human loss and suffering from crises by setting an agenda to make humanitarian action fit for the challenges the world currently faces and will face in the future.

Impossible choices are being made every single day by the more than 125 million people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance around the globe. To spark action ahead of the first-ever World Humanitarian summit, the United Nations (UN) has launched a global, interactive digital experience that aims to inspire commitment to meaningful change in the name of humanity. The digital challenge at ImpossibleChoices.org features a three-minute, online journey based on real experiences people in crises often face. At the end of the online experience, users can share results across their respective social platforms and call upon global leadership to attend the Summit, and take bold action.

Touching on the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development, the celebrities say in the video: “Our global leaders will be asked to make commitments to end the crisis, to put humanity first. Let us commit to end hunger for those in need, to empower youth impacted by conflict, to ensure displaced children still receive an education, to resolve conflict through dialogue and reconciliation rather than violence and revenge, to eliminate the threat of mines and explosive hazards, and to make sure no parent or child has to make an impossible choice.”

Sherawat, along with actress Catarina Furtado, hip hop artist Big Sean, Princess Haya bint al Hussein, Dawson and Craig, go on to jointly say in the video, “If we actually want to make things better, then the choice is clear: We urge our global leaders to show up and take bold action.”

“Arguably one of the most powerful tools at our disposal today is social media — it can give a voice to the voiceless, create instant awareness and drive change in ways never before seen around the world,” said Stephen O’Brien, UN Humanitarian Chief. “With Impossible Choices, we are calling upon the digitally-connected to help create a movement towards showing world leaders that the world is looking to them to make bold decisions and act for the good of humanity.”

In an effort to ensure the campaign maintains the most authentic possible voice, the UN has also appointed 20 Champions for Humanity, a group of influential individuals — from CEOs to photographers, philanthropists to entertainers — to kick-off the Impossible Choices campaign and gather support from within their networks.

The video ends with a plea to petition world leaders to attend the Summit. “Millions are counting on us. Go to ImpossibleChoices.org to tell your leaders to be there and put humanity first,” the celebs urge. For more information about the World Humanitarian Summit, please visit: www.worldhumanitariansummit.org.

New York –April 12, 2016 – The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) has announced the full lineup for its 16th year of celebrating independent, art house, alternate, and diaspora films from/about/connected to the Indian subcontinent (May 7 – May 14). Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience, the festival will feature 40 screenings (35 narrative, 5 documentary) –all seen for the first time in New York City. In addition, the festival will also feature five programs of short films.

The festival highlights various cinemas of India’s different regions. All the films are subtitled in English and some of the languages this year include Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, Assamese, Haryanavi and Urdu.  This year’s festival will feature a couple of sidebars –NFDC restored first films of filmmakers and a three-generations sidebar, films of Bimal Roy, Basu Bhattacharya and Aditya Bhattacharya.

The festival’s film lineup includes 2016 National Award winners A FAR AFTERNOON, BIRDS WITH LARGE WINGS and THE RIVER OF FABLES (KOTHANODI). THE RIVER OF FABLES is an Assamese language feature film written and directed by Bhaskar Hazarika and stars Seema Biswas and Adil Hussain. The story of the film is based on folktales from Assam, India.

“We are thrilled to be able to share these films with the New York audience,” states Aseem Chhabra, NYIFF festival director. “Three of the feature films are National Award winners. And out of the nearly 40 shorts we are showing this year, there are two National Award winners: FAMOUS IN AHMEDABAD and DAARVATHA.”

Straight from the Sundance Film Festival, BRAHMAN NAMAN is a true Indian teenage comedy. It is funny, touching and will be universal in its appeal. It is about the exhilaration and confusion of being 17 – the pleasure of being in a gang, breaking the rules, acting big, falling in love – coming of age.

From the Tamil films, CRIME IN PUNISHMENT is the latest film from NYIFF alum and 2015 NYIFF award winner M. Manikandan.  FOR THE LOVE OF A MAN is a documentary film that explores the popularity of the Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth.

GOOD OL’ BOY is the feel-good, coming-of-age story of Smith, a 10-year-old boy from India growing up in Small Town, America in 1979.  This Diaspora film features actors Samrat Chakrabarti (Midnight’s Children, The Waiting City) and Poorna Jagannathan (Delhi Belly, Nirbhaya). Bengali master, Soumitra Chatterjee starrer PEACE HAVEN is the story of three septuagenarian friends who embark on a journey to build their very own mortuary.

Multiple award winner and fresh from the international film festival circuit PARCHED is a story about women set in the heart of parched rural landscape of Gujarat, India. It traces the bittersweet tale of four ordinary women Rani, Lajjo, Bijli and Janaki. We see them unapologetically talk about men, sex and life as they struggle with their individual boundaries to face their demons and stage their own personal wars.

In an era when Bollywood music ruled the Indian households and when Ghazal as a genre was limited to only the connoisseurs, Jagjit Singh made Ghazals a necessity of every music lover’s collection.  KAAGAZ KI KASHTI traces the life journey of a down-to-earth, small-town boy, who made it big by breaking through the norms and the Ghazal scenario, by texturing   traditional Ghazal singing with western instrumentation and making it simple and hummable, enticing new listeners into becoming Ghazal fans.

“The 2016 festival features a wide array of films from all over the South Asian diaspora,” states IAAC founder Aroon Shivdasani. This year our films reflect the reality of India, dealing both with LGBT issues that have surfaced in the supreme court and on the streets, as well as strong feminist films dealing with female infanticide, child marriage, domestic abuse, trafficking and several other key issues that affect women in a world that still leans towards chauvinism.”

Tickets can be purchased at the festival’s website: Full line up Schedule with films synopsis: URL: http://www.iaac.us/NYIFF2016/schedule.htm

Chicago IL: Starz Entertainment, SAHIL, and LA TAN presented the legendary and highly  acclaimed Bollywood singers, Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, on April 8th, 2016, from 8:30 PM onwards, at Sears Center Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estate, IL. A band of twenty fine musicians, who were flown in from India, added great value to the musical extravaganza. The Emcee Ravi Raj Kandle, integrated various graphics on the fly with live camera feed of the concert to the venue’s two 15 ft x28 ft media screens.

It was a night of high-voltage entertainment, glitz, and glamour, all rolled into. The red carpet entrance and stunning stage set added to the high impact making ambience of the venue. The vibrant concert proved to be a treat for music lovers of all ages in Chicago. They were clapping, singing, dancing, and enjoying throughout the concert.

Kumar Sanu kick started the scintillating evening with a number of chartbusters which included: “Dheeray dheeray se merizindagi main aana”, “Do dil mil rahe haimagar chupke chupke”, “Yeh kaali kaali aankhe, ye gore goregaal”, etc. After a huge round of applause, he moved on to such saccharine-sweet romantic compositions  as “Bas ek sanamchahiye ashique ke liye”, “Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga”, etc.

Alka Yagnik, who is called the nightingale of India, set the stage on fire by giving a power- packed rendition of her all-time hits, including “Tum pas aaye yun muskuraye tum ne na jane kyssapne dikhai”, “Akele hai to kya gham hai”, “Lal dupatta urgaya teri hawa ke jhoke se”,”Tum aai to aaya yaad gali mai aajchand nikla”,”Tip tip barsa pani pani mai aag lagai”,” Bole churiya bole kangna”, “Ek, do, teen, char, panch, che, sath, aath, nau, das giara, bara, tera”. She garnered huge admiration of the audience for her electrifying performance. Jassi Parmar and Vinita Gulabani, who are well-known in the music circuits in Chicago, gave in to the spell of the musical evening, and danced energetically to the fast tunes of quite a few of Alka Yagnik’s renditions.

Finally, the highly sought-after moment arrived which every single person sitting in the Auditorium was eagerly waiting for, that is, the rare opportunity to enjoy the duets of Kumar Sanuand Alka Yagnik. Both of them rendered the everlasting melodies and immortal rock songs from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’sand mesmerized the audience. As expected, they created magic with their timeless songs and took the listeners down memory lane. Some of the evergreen classics that they sang included:“Tere mare milan ki ye raina”, “Chura ke dil mera goriyachali”, “Zara tasweer say tu nikal ke samme aa merimahbooba”. “Tumhe dekha to ye jana sanam pyar hota haideewana sanam”, “Sarki jo sarke woh dheera dheera”, “Meradil bhi kitna pagal hai ke pyar tum hi se kerta hai”, and many more.

The audience was literally blown away with the dazzling display of the musical talent of Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik and their gifted versatility as natural performers. Two popular singers from Chicago, Chetan Laxman Rana and Anuradha Gosh, also enthralled the audience by singing select solos and duets.

Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik expressed their heart-felt gratitude for the love they received from the people of Chicago and promised to come back again for another live concert. “Our concerts are being organized in several cities across the USA

“Our commitment to entertain music lovers will continue unabated. Many more high-profile events, aimed at bringing qualitatively-rich entertainment, are in the pipeline such as Dream Team on August 19, 2016 at Sears Center Arena”, said Bhavesh Patel and Babubhai Patel from SAHIL, Nick Patel and Mayur from LA TAN, Savi Singh from Starz Entertainment, and Dr. Manish Pandya of AV Masti Inc unanimously.

New York, NY: The Man Who Knew Infinity, a new movie depicting the improbable true story of a unique genius, Srinavasa Ramanujan, whose pivotal theories propelled him from obscurity into a world in the midst of war, and how he fought tirelessly to show the world the genius of his mind, will be shown during the New York Indian Film Festival planned for next month here in the New York City.

The New York Indian Film Festival was the first festival in the United States devoted to Indian films and has grown to be the largest and most influential, helping to set up several other Indian Film festivals in the US. Claus Mueller speaks with the New York Film Festival Executive Director Aroon Shivdasani on the progress story and the problems encountered.

There will be a post-screening discussion with Director Matt Brown, Executive Producer Annie Pressman, Executive Producer Swati Bhise, Lead Actor Devika Bhise, Nobel Laureate Manjul Bhargava immediately following the screening. The screening of this film has been made possible by Executive Producer Swati Bhise.

Colonial India, 1913. Srinavasa Ramanujan (Dev Patel) is a 25-year-old shipping clerk and self-taught genius, who failed out of college due to his near-obsessive, solitary study of mathematics. Determined to pursue his passion despite rejection and derision from his peers, Ramanujan writes a letter to G. H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons), an eminent British mathematics professor at Trinity College, Cambridge. Hardy recognizes the originality and brilliance of Ramanujan’s raw talent and despite the skepticism of his colleagues, undertakes bringing him to Cambridge so that his theories can be explored.

Ramanujan leaves his family, his community, and his beloved young bride, Janaki (Devika Bhisé), to travel across the world to England. There, he finds understanding and a deep connection with his sophisticated and eccentric mentor(Jeremy Irons). Under Hardy’s guidance, Ramanujan’s work evolves in ways that will revolutionize mathematics and transform how scientists explain the world. Hardy fights tirelessly to get Ramanujan the recognition and respect that he deserves but in reality he is as much an outcast in the traditional culture of Cambridge as he was among his peers in India. But Ramanujan fights illness and intense homesickness to formally prove his theorems so that his work will finally be seen and believed by a mathematical establishment that is not prepared for his unconventional methods.
As other specialty or niche festivals, the NYIFF has a unique programming profile devoted to features, documentaries and shorts made in the Indian Diaspora, or by Indian independent film makers. Its goal is to foster an understanding of India and its culture and to contribute to improving US Indian relations. The festival is attracting a growing number of Americans. Individuals of Indian ancestry account for 60%of the audience. That group encompasses about 700.000 persons in the tristate area.  53 films were screened in 2015, and this year’s edition will show 79 films and added two more screening days.

Aroon Shivdasani, the festival’s driving spirit and its executive director, says, “We started this film festival in 2001 because we wanted to showcase Indian Independent and Diaspora films in the US -something that had not been done before. Less than two decades ago, nobody knew about real Indian Cinema in North America. We are the oldest Indian film festival in the US – older than any of the other Indian film festivals that have now cropped up all over the country, like those in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, and many others. We started as an Indian Diaspora film festival screening films made by Indians living all over the world – outside India.”

Celebrating its 16th anniversary from May 7-14, 2016, the New York Indian Film Festival was the first festival in the United States devoted to Indian films and has grown to be the largest and most influential, helping to set up several other Indian Film festivals in the US. It is part of a comprehensive program in the arts offered by the New York based Indo-American Arts Council.

BY Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Nik Joshi of Shy Entertainment and Manish Pandya of AV Masti Inc, with National Promoters Prria Haider and PurooKaul, presented a high-voltage musical concert with Bollywood’s music composers and singers, Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani, and songstress Neeti Mohan, as the star attraction on Sunday-March 27th, 2016, at Copernicus Theater, 5216 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630. The high profile event was attended by over 2,000 music lovers from different walks of life.

The Bollywood dynamic duo, Vishal-Shekhar, with several big hit under their belt, captured the hearts of the young generation by singing the most contemporary and popular songs, which included “Bachna ai haseeno”, Ek mai aur ek tu”, “Aa milja haste haste salaam namaste”, “Meri umar ke nowjawano”, etc. The audience was literally blown away with their gifted versatility as natural performers. They garnered huge admiration of the audience for their electrifying performance.

This was followed by a wave of soulful and most haunting melodies of the yesteryears by Vishal and Shehkar, which included “Lag ja gale ke phir a haseen raat ho na ho”, “Choudween ka chand ho ya aaftab ho”, “Pyar huwa ikraar hua hai”, “Mera juta hai japani”, “Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar”, “Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko”, “Roop tera mastana pyar mera deewane”, etc. These all time hits not only uplifted the mood of the audience but also ignited the air with the magic of intense romance.

Neeti Mohan did a fabulous job by rendering the hit tracks of Bollywood and made the evening an occasion to remember forever.  She sang such chartbusters as “Jeeya jeeya re”, “ban ke titli ura hai kai door”, Tu hogai one to two”, etc. After a huge round of applause, she moved on to such saccharine-sweet romantic composition as “Jata kaha hai deewane sab kuch yaha hai sanam”, “Sapna jaha dastak na de”, “Manwa lage lage re”, “Har kisi ko nahi milta yaha pyar zindagi main”, “Agi bari bersi khatak gaya se”. etc.

Vishal and Neeti stole the thunder by singing- “Tang Tang”. Vishal picked up his guitar and played it while singing the song and mesmerized the audience. Visha, Shekhar, and Neeti established a live contact with the audience. They took selfies and shook hands with as many members of the audience as possible.

The glittering lights and thundering sound system provided foot-tapping experience to the audience. The magic of the electrifying music, both the timeless classics and the contemporary hits, was so powerful that many members of the audience, irrespective of age and gender, danced endlessly matching the beats of the captivating songs. The sizzling evening started with a tremendous opening performance by a team of dancers from Shingari’s School of Rhythm showcasing various themes of Indian dance forms. The event concluded with a standing ovation by the audience for Vishal, Shekhar, and Neeti. The event Emcee was none other than the gorgeous Ms. India-America, Priya Patel, who added great value to the event by her professional compeering.

Nalini Malani from India was among the three artists honored by The Asia Society as artists, art collectors, art dealers, and members of the Hong Kong business community packed the Conrad Hotel at the kick off Art Basel Hong Kong, a week of major art events in the city. Cai Guo-Qiang and Yoshitomo Nara, were the other two artists to be honored, as Asia Society Vice President for Global Arts & Cultural Programs Boon Hui Tan put it, “touching our souls.”

The artists — giants in contemporary Asian art — were named “Asia Arts Game Changers” at Asia Society’s 2016 Asia Arts Awards for their transformative‎ work in the field. All three artists have been showcased, often early in their careers, by Asia Society. Nara, whose fanciful — and sometimes unsettling — illustrations of children were recognized for being “the mirror image of ourselves,” has had major shows at Asia Society Museum in New York (Nobody’s Fool, 2010) and at Asia Society Hong Kong (Life is Only One: Yoshitomo Nara, 2015).

Malani, a “champion of the marginalized,” had her work shown at Asia Society Museum in New York as a part of Traditions/Tensions: Contemporary Art in Asia (1996) and in the one-person exhibition Transgressions(2014). Cai Guo-Qiang’s solo exhibition An Explosion Event: Light Show Over Central Park‎ was on view at Asia Society Museum, New York, in 2003. His work was also featured in the Society’s groundbreaking 1998 exhibition Inside Out: New Chinese Art.

Guests at the Hong Kong event, which included Asia Society’s global board of trustees, also bid on works of contemporary Asian art, donated by the artists themselves to benefit Asia Society’s work. A standout was the painting Noble’s Virtue by Chinese icon Pan Gongkai, who was also on hand for the event.

‎“Artists often feel isolated and uncertain,” said Ca‎i, who thanked Asia Society for its long-time support and inspiration, and said the honor “will encourage me to be more courageous in my work.”

Beyond the celebration of today’s contemporary stars, the evening’s main theme was Asia Society’s role as a standard bearer for new artists. Said Cai, “Wherever Asia Society goes, Asia follows.”

(Los Angeles, CA – March 18, 2016) After 22 sold-out screenings at mainstream and South Asian film festivals around North America in 2015 and multiple audience and jury awards under its belt, the smart, witty, coming-of-age comedy feature, “Miss India America,” will have a special, red-carpet screening, followed by a Q&A with the cast/team, in Los Angeles on March 24th. The limited theatrical release will take place at theaters in Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Jose starting on Friday, March 25th, for a one-week run. Following the theatrical release, the movie will be available on the following broadband platforms starting Tuesday, April 5th: Amazon, GooglePlay, iTunes, Vimeo, Vudu, Xfinity and Sling.

The brainchild of husband/wife creative team Ravi Kapoor (director/co-writer) and Meera Simhan (actor/co-writer), the cross-cultural comedy is set against the backdrop of the Indian beauty pageant world in Los Angeles. Inspired by Simhan’s one-woman-show of the same title, “Miss India America” stars Texas native Tiya Sircar (The Internship, 17 Again, Vampire Diaries) andHannah Simone (of Fox television series New Girl fame), along with a supporting cast of talented actors, including Kosha Patel, Satya Bhabha, Cas Anwar, Rizwan Manji, Anjali Bhimani and Bernard White. Produced byMegha Kadakia and Saurabh Kikani and distributed by MarVista Entertainment, the feature film “establishes an authentic tone that pays respect to Indian cultural norms, while poking gentle fun at these traditions,” raves The Hollywood Reporter.

New York, NY: Pia Padukone’s new book, “The Fasces of Strangers” will have a launch event planned for March 30@7pm at the Barnes and Noble on Upper West Side at 2289 Broadway (Between 82/83 Streets) in New York City.

The highly acclaimed author of Where Earth Meets Water, Pia Padukone returns with an arresting exploration of family and culture. When native New Yorker Nicholas Grand applies for an international student exchange program, he thinks it’s an opportunity to broaden his horizons and meet some interesting people. He never imagines that a single year would have repercussions that would follow him throughout his lifetime.

Nicholas is sent to Estonia, where he meets shy, sensitive Paavo, his beautiful sister, Mari, and their gruff father, Leo—a family grappling with the challenges of life in a small country struggling to assert its post-Soviet identity. Nicholas sets off on an unforgettable journey through a foreign landscape that ultimately teaches him that some bonds can never be broken.

Bridging two uniquely captivating cities, The Faces of Strangers traces the intertwined lives of two seemingly symmetrical families from extraordinarily different worlds. This compelling odyssey through friendship and self-discovery illuminates the universality of how deeply we are defined by our connections with others.

Growing up in New York City has its privileges, which certainly helped shape Pia’s life. Her future in writing was cemented early, at age 12 when she won the Barnard College Young Women’s Writing Award – long before she was eligible to enter (at age 18).

Pia derives much literary inspiration from the world around her – witnessing interactions while running in Central Park, overhearing delicious snippets of gossip in waiting rooms, as well as those ever-engaging exchanges on the subway. All these combined with her fascination with her parents’ past lives in India before they settled in New York were the impetus behind Where Earth Meets Water.

During her years in London, Pia wrote for Star News and the London desk of the Associated Press, covering many high-profile stories including the protests against the Iraq War. She wrote press kits and position papers for a Member of Parliament representing Birmingham. Pia and her husband Rohit maintain a reading and eating blog, Two Admirable Pleasures, which combines their two loves: the written word and the recipes that are inspired by them.

Pia is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School and the London School of Economics. She entered the professional writing world as a copywriter in pharmaceutical advertising. Pia was a finalist for Seventeen Magazine’s fiction writing award and more recently a winner of the Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest.

Indian American model and television personality Padma Lakshmi has written a revealing autobiography, which includes intimate details of her failed marriage to celebrated author Salman Rushdie. Laxmi, 45, one of the judges on the television show “Top Chef,” chronicles details of her relationship with the Mumbai-born Booker Prize-winning author in her memoir “Love, Loss and What We Ate.” “I just wanted my own identity. I was making the transition out of one stage of my life and into another. But in order to do that, it required that I wasn’t everywhere that he (Rushdie) needed me to be,” she told People magazine.

“Love, Loss And What We Ate,” a memoir by Padma Lakshmi, who became a celebrity in her own right since she divorced Rushdie in 2007 after a three-year marriage, was quoted in the media saying the memoir started off as a book about health and healthy eating using her own life as an example, instead ended up as a reflection on “love and heartbreak” – spanning her tumultuous affair and marriage to Rushdie, the painful break up, to finding love again with billionaire Teddy Forstmann, who died three years ago.

A vivid memoir of food and family, survival and triumph, Love, Loss, and What We Ate traces the arc of Padma Lakshmi’s unlikely path from an immigrant childhood to a complicated life in front of the camera. Long before Padma Lakshmi ever stepped onto a television set, she learned that how we eat is an extension of how we love, how we comfort, how we forge a sense of home—and how we taste the world as we navigate our way through it. Shuttling between continents as a child, she lived a life of dislocation that would become habit as an adult, never quite at home in the world. And yet, through all her travels, her favorite food remained the simple rice she first ate sitting on the cool floor of her grandmother’s kitchen in South India.

Poignant and surprising, Love, Loss, and What We Ate is Lakshmi’s extraordinary account of her journey from that humble kitchen, ruled by ferocious and unforgettable women, to the judges’ table of Top Chef and beyond. It chronicles the fierce devotion of the remarkable people who shaped her along the way, from her headstrong mother who flouted conservative Indian convention to make a life in New York, to her Brahmin grandfather—a brilliant engineer with an irrepressible sweet tooth—to the man seemingly wrong for her in every way who proved to be her truest ally. A memoir rich with sensual prose and punctuated with evocative recipes, it is alive with the scents, tastes, and textures of a life that spans complex geographies both internal and external.

The memoir also details her relationship and bitter split with venture capitalist Adam Dell, who is the father of her daughter that she conceived when she was still with Forstmann. All this, of course, is not very new as the tabloids over the years had several exposes on the three-way relationship. What’s new, steamy and dark in the memoir is all about the author of “The Moor’s Last Sigh” and “The Satanic Verses.”

The Indian-American model and the host of the popular Top Chef was 28 when she started an affair with the married 51-year-old writer. A report in the Daily News said “the pair first met in 1999 at a party. On their first real date — Rushdie initially wooed her by phone since she lived in Los Angeles — the pair fell into bed.” The report quotes her memoir saying, “at 3 a.m., I woke with a start. I’m naked in a married man’s bed.”

The two married after Rushdie divorced his third wife. While their early years were full of passion (Lakshmi, reportedly, alludes to great sex and great food) things began to sour as she focused on her career, a report in the People magazine said. “I just wanted my own identity,” the report quotes her saying. “I was making the transition out of one stage of my life and into another. But in order to do that, it required that I wasn’t everywhere that he (Rushdie) needed me to be.”

Gleaning from the reports, their relationship strained at two levels – professional and personal. Lakshmi bitches about how Rushdie had to be consoled each year when he didn’t win a Nobel Prize, even as she describes how disappointed she was at his disinterest in her career and success.

At the personal level, things had deteriorated when Lakshmi could not keep up with Rushdie’s sexual demands because of a condition that was much later diagnosed as endometriosis, which caused chronic pain. “It’s not that I didn’t want to be there for him, but something was very deeply wrong … And I didn’t understand it. And that caused a whole lot of misunderstanding,” Lakshmi says in her memoir.mAccording to the Telegraph, Lakshmi accuses Rushdie of describing her as “a bad investment” after she refused his sexual advances, and paints him as a cold and heartless husband.

The last straw was when after one five-hour surgery, Lakshmi returns home “with stitches in four major organs and stents in both kidneys. Rushdie left the next day for a trip.” “The show must go on, after all,” he apparently told Lakshmi, on his way out the door. Next time she stepped out of the house, Lakshmi went to see a divorce lawyer. She writes about how at first their marriage was blissful, and Rushdie used to make breakfast for her every morning. But the book then goes on to paint a portrait of a demanding husband in need of constant attention. Lakshmi claims Rushdie was insensitive to a medical condition. Lakshmi later divorced Rushdie in 2007 and went on to become involved with Ted Forstmann, the billionaire chief executive of sports and artist management company IMG, who died in 2011 at age 71. She has a six-year-old daughter with venture capitalist Adam Dell.

New York-based Rushdie, 68, has not responded to his ex-wife’s claims so far. Shortly after his marriage to Lakshmi ended, Rushdie had said, “It’s strange, given that I’ve been married four times, but I actually don’t think marriage is necessary.” “Girls like it, especially if they’ve never been married before. It’s the dress. Girls want a wedding; they don’t want a marriage. If only you could have weddings without marriages,” Rushdie had said. Love, Loss, and What We Ate is an intimate and unexpected story of food and family—both the ones we are born to and the ones we create—and their enduring legacies.

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has confirmed that she has given up her ‘Miss’ tag by marrying her American beau Gene Goodenough. The dimpled beauty made the announcement on her official social media pages, just days after news of her secret wedding in Los Angeles surfaced.

“I was holding on the ‘Miss Tag’ rather seriously till now, until I met someone ‘Goodenough’ to give it up for. So now I join the Married Club folks. “Thank you all for your good wishes and for all your love. Love you all. Ting! Let the Goodenough jokes begin,” Preity wrote.

Last year, there were reports that she will be marrying Goodenough in January, and then around Valentine’s Day. But back then, she had declined the reports, saying that she is fed up with all the speculation about her personal life.

But the virtual world went into a tizzy earlier this week over news of the “Kal Ho Naa Ho” actress’ wedding as veteran actor Kabir Bedi congratulated her.

Preity’s close friends, fashion designer and stylist Surily Goel and Sussanne Khan were also reportedly a part of the celebrations. Online memes surrounding Preity and her husband began in no time once the news of their wedding news spread.

A user posted: “Finally #PreityZinta married a Goodenough Gene!”, while another shared: “Actress Preity Zinta gets married to Gene Goodenough – so will she now have the epic name, Preity Goodenough?”. But as one can make out from her latest social media post, Preity has taken them all in the right stride.

Bollywood actress Nimrat Kaur will soon be jetting off to Vancouver, Canada, to shoot for India American filmmaker Manoj Night Shyamalan’s TV series, “Wayward Pines,” and hopes to have a lot “fun” with the show’s foreign cast.

The actress, who garnered applause for her role as a Pakistani ISI agent on Showtime’s political thriller series, “Homeland,” will be adding a mysterious twist to “Wayward Pines” as an architect. She said details of her role in the psychological thriller will be unraveled gradually.

“I’m playing the part of a girl called Rebecca, who’s an architect and it’s very mysterious, and you know like cards that unfold episode after episode and towards the end of the season, you realize who she really is and what her role is in the world they live in,” Kaur said in a statement.

She said the team will start filming very soon. “I will be joining them soon in three-four days at most. It should be fun. We will be filming in Vancouver and maybe little bit in Los Angeles, so I am going to be stationed out there.”

The “Airlift” actress will be paired with actor Jason Patric in the series, which is based on the “Wayward Pines’” novels by Blake Crouch and developed for television by Chad Hodge. The first season of the series is currently being aired on FX in India.

The series stars Matt Dillon as Ethan Burke, a U.S. Secret Service agent investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents in the mysterious small town of Wayward Pines, Idaho.

All praise for her co-stars Jason Patric and Djimon Hounsou, Kaur is already in prep mode for her part – and that too via Skype! “I actually Skyped with M. Night Shyamalan about a week ago and we had a really lovely chat about what season two is going to be about. He wanted me to watch it and then kind of discuss my character little better in depth but I have not come along to doing that yet.

“He is super excited about the season two and he’s like we are moving up a notch with how we are presenting the season two.” Kaur’s body of work might not be very elaborate, but her credibility shines through her work in films such as “Airlift” and “The Lunchbox.” And now with “Wayward Pines,” the actress is eager to explore a new arena.

“Well I am super excited because this is a genre that I have never worked in before and also found this premise very exciting.”

“I have to say that I haven’t watched the first season yet. I have had my hands full so haven’t gotten down to watching it, but I have heard incredible things about it. I have heard that it’s really cool and it had people hooked right up till the end,” she said.

Though not winning any wards, India was represented at the annual Oscar  by Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra who is on an upward trajectory in Hollywood with her lead role as a rookie FBI agent in the series, Quantico. She appeared on the red carpet in a languorous, body hugging, shoulder less white embroidered dress with a trail, created by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad and featured in his Spring-Summer 2016 collection.

Actress Priyanka Chopra, who chose a Lebanese designer’s pristine white ensemble for her Academy Awards appearance, says she wanted to turn up at the gala in a pretty, feminine and a “very classic” gown. The “Quantico” star was one of the presenters at the 88th Academy Awards — which took place here on Sunday — where she looked stunning in a structured cage bustier mermaid dress in white silk tulle adorned with 3D shimmering climbing flowers. The dress was a creation by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.

“I can’t be told what to wear. So, when I told Sophia I was like… It has to be a moment… the outfit. That I definitely want. It’s one of the biggest red carpets in the world. It’s super long so, I want to be comfortable for sure. And something that lasts the whole evening…you know it’s not ripping,” she told eonline.com. Comparing the Hollywood awards to Bollywood, she said “It’s similar– like Bollywood. It’s just giganomous. It doesn’t end.” During the awards, the camera rested several times over Chopra as it panned the crowd at the Dolby Theater.

British-Indian director Asif Kapadia, won the Oscar in the Best Feature Documentary “Amy” about jazz singing sensation Amy Winehouse who suffered from drug addiction and died from accidental alcohol poisoning in 2011. Thanking sponsors and supporters while accepting the Oscar, Kapadia lashed out at critics including Winehouse’s family. “Really, this film is all about Amy. This is all about showing the world who she really was, not her tabloid persona — the lovely girl, the unbelievable soul, funny, intelligent, witty, someone special, someone who needed looking after,” Kapadia said. Winehouse’s father Mitch Winehouse called it “a negative, spiteful and misleading portrayal.”

Pakistani documentary film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy won her second Oscar for Short Documentary, this time for The Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, dealing with honor killing in Pakistan. Chinoy, who splits home between Canada and Pakistan, was called the “Pride of Pakistan,” by that country’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. And U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who was in Pakistan when the film won the award praised the documentary for changing the language around honor killing. “This is what happens when determined women get together,” Chinoy said accepting the award, adding, “This week the Pakistani prime minister has said that he will change the law on honour killing after watching this film. That is the power of film.”

She later told CBC News that living in Canada and Pakistan and going back and forth had taught her “that you need to strive to make Pakistan a better place,” and indicated her life was at risk when making the film.

Keralite Sajan Skaria, a character supervisor worked on the animated film, “Inside Out” which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. A graduate in computer science from the National Institute of Technology Kozhikode, Skaria is with the famed Pixar Animation Studio, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Company, and was present at the 88th Academy Awards, Indo Asian News Service reported.

Mindy Kaling, Indian-American comedian and creator of the popular series The Mindy Project, did the voice-over for one of the characters of “Inside Out.” Kaling walked the red carpet looking stunning in a black tight-fitting long gown by Elizabeth Kennedy, with a bright navy blue trail much like a Cinderella ball gown. Funny as usual, Kaling joked about the time it took her to dress for the event. “I’m very low-maintenance. No, actually, I’ve been doing this for 72 hours,” said the off-beat actress who is universally loved by fans for her candid portrayal of Hollywood behind the camera.

British-Indian actor Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 1 and 2, was a presenter; Another British-Indian actor famous for his role in My Beautiful Launderette and Gandhi, who appeared in Indian films like Shatranj ke Khiladi, was among those remembered in the “In Memorium” reel for those who lost their lives in 2015.

New York: Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) has planned to organize its annual Spring Festival Celebrations on March 26 at Hotel Hilton, Huntington, NY. In his address to the community leaders at the kick-off meeting held recently, Naveen C Shah said, “RANA has proven that we can celebrate all our festivals on one common platform. We want to continue this practice this year by organizing the Spring Festivals Celebration.”

The 2016 Spring Festival Celebration includes a Fashion Show event showcasing the attire of different states from India by top fashion designers, a segment on Wedding Day Attire by community members and cultural performances. This will be followed by a Kavi Sammelan featuring renowned poets and satirists from India, emceed by Shailesh Lodha. Over 1000 people are expected to attend the event.

“We expect people from all communities – Rajasthanis, Gujaratis, Punjabis and all other Indian communities to attend the day’s events and partake of the celebrations. RANA aims at bringing about harmony and celebrating the festivals of India jointly with other communities to foster the spirit of brotherhood and comradeship,” said Shah.

RANA has previously successfully organized Rajasthan Mahotsav – Festival of Festivals 2015 under the leadership of President Naveen C Shah, which saw participation from over 3000 attendees, complete with a grand parade featuring elephants, horses and camels to various dance & musical performances showcasing the variety and depth of Indian culture.

The Deepavali celebrations in November 2015 was another monumental sensation with over 600 people packing the Grand Ballroom at the Long Island Marriott and were entertained by the sensational music trio from India – Dhwani.

Tickets cost only $75 each and include lunch, afternoon tea & snacks, dinner and entrance to the fashion show, cultural entertainment, kavi sammelan & exhibitions area. For more information, visit website www.ranausa.org

Long Island, NY: Anu Jain was the only Indian American artist, who had showcased two of her paintings, “Freedom-the Beauty of Life” in oil on canvas and the other, “Jesus” at the Fine Art and Photography Exhibition on March 2nd at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive Legislative Building in Mineola, New York. The contest was part of the National Women’s Heritage Month celebrations organized by Comptroller George Maragos, Nassau County on Long Island, NY.

Anu’s creations at the exhibition got accolades and recognition from not only fellow artists and organizers but from a large number of guests from Indian-American community, which included community leaders, prominent businessmen and leading media personalities.

As part of The exhibition’s title “Truth & Beauty” was inspired, probably, by the famous English poet John Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn’ wherein the poet says: ‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty, —that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

Fifty-five distinguished female artists and photographers participated. The paintings at the Exhibition were done in both water color and oil and included portraits and landscape. Anu Jain, as other artists, took in a stride the challenge of entering the world of art in a large format that expressed the feminine spirit- a moment in the life of a woman- Past, Present and Future – with one dominant figure as the main focus.

Many of the pieces of artwork presented depicted a global outlook on women’s issues and concern in a realistic style while others were Semi-abstract and symbolic, inviting the viewers to add their own interpretation.

The panel of judges included professors of art from finest local universities as well as renowned award winning artists and photographers. The invited judges included Robert Carter, Notable Artist; Emi Gomez, LIU Post Department of Art Professor; Kellyann Monaghan, Adelphi Professor; Gabriel Marques, Notable Artist; Catherine White, Renown Artist; and Xio Xiomaro, Notable International Photographer. The curators included Carla Hall D’Ambra and Minna Dun. The event was attended by over 200 guests, including Dilip Chauhan, Director, South East and Asian Affairs in the office of Nassau County Comptroller.

Asif Kapadia, an Indo-British director, is all set to capture the life trajectory of popular icon, the Argentinian soccer player Diego Maradona. Kapadia won an Oscar last month for chronicling Amy Winehouse’s life journey, and scoring an Oscar for it,

The feature documentary, “Maradona,” will look closely into the sportsman’s wildly celebrated time at Italian club Napoli, with the help of hundreds of hours of never-before-seen footage taken from his personal archive, according to a report in Hollywood Reporter. Speaking about the project, Kapadia said he had long been a fan of Maradona, and had wanted to make a film about the man even before he started the documentary, “Senna.”

“I was taken by his character, his genius, honesty, passion, humor and vulnerability,” the report quoted him as saying. “I was fascinated by his journey, wherever he went there were moments of incredible brilliance and drama, he was a leader, taking his teams to the very top, but also many lows in his career. He was always the little guy fighting against the system, against the wealthy, the powerful and he was willing to do anything, to use all of his cunning and intelligence to win.”

After “Amy” and “Senna,” Kapadia is reteaming with James Gay-Rees and Chris King on the film whose global sales rights have been picked up by British sales and distribution company Altitude. Joining them as a producer is Paul Martin (“Ronaldo”). Alongside “Maradona,” Kapadia and his team are also prepping a documentary on the British rock group Oasis.

The Cinequest Film Festival 2016, which will run from March 1- March 13 in San Jose, Calif., will present a line-up of Indian cinema, offering three examples of the current state of Indian film art. The films that will be showcased are: Director Selvamani Selvaraj’s debut film “Nila”; first-time director Atul Taishete’s “Vartak Nagar-A Story of Four Crows”; and “The Last Smile.”

“Nila,”which will see its North American premiere at the festival, deftly explores the murky realm of deceptive desire and the damaging consequences resulting from a passionate, but misguided pursuit of love, according to a press release.

“Vartak Nagar-A Story of Four Crows,” starring actor Jimmy Shergil, merges an emotionally stirring coming-of-age tale with real life drama. The premise of the film is: In 1982, the innocence of four boyhood friends is abruptly shattered during the Bombay Mill Strike and the encompassing violence imperils their lives. But through the combined forces of brotherhood, love, and the resilience of the human spirit, the boys not only survive, they thrive, according to the release.

“The Last Smile” is described as a film where an Indian American father suddenly loses his son under mysterious circumstances and simply wants to know what happened. But his pursuit of the truth plunges him into the corrupt and shady underworld of the unregulated dietary supplements business, a thriving $37 billion industry, the release said. Inspired by a true story, this drama exposes the greed-driven practices that prey on human vanity, gullibility, and the American obsession with the “quick fix.” Both “Vartak Nagar-A Story of Four Crows” and “The Last Smile” will have their world premiere at the festival.

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra is out to put India on the global map again. She is on board to play the villain in the upcoming “Baywatch” movie, based on the hugely popular 1990s TV series, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson announced via an online video.

“She’s one of the biggest stars in the world… the beautiful Priyanka Chopra, welcome to ‘Baywatch’,” Johnson said in a video posted on Instagram. He is seen in the frame with the former beauty queen against seaside and excitement seems to be at its peak.

Priyanka, who has found international popularity after playing the lead role in American show “Quantico”, shared on social media: “And it’s time to tell you all officially! Baywatch it is! Being bad is what I do best!!! You better watch out!”

Her debut film in Bollywood, “Aitraaz”, in fact featured her in a negative role. In “Baywatch”, she will be seen essaying Victoria Leeds, said a report by people.com.

In an Instagram post to welcome Priyanka, Johnson wrote: “She’s one of the biggest stars in the world. Insanely talented, relentlessly smokin’ and extremely dangerous – perfect for ‘Baywatch’. Welcome Priyanka Chopra to our bad a** and incredibly dysfunctional family.”

One of the most watched TV shows globally, “Baywatch”, was about the Los Angeles county lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles, California. It starred David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson among others. Priyanka will begin shooting for the movie version of the show with its cast and crew next week.

Messages congratulating the actress, who was named to receive the Padma Shri honour from the Indian government last month, poured in from her friends in Bollywood. “Dostana” director Tarun Mansukhani, who made Priyanka act in a golden swimsuit for a scene in Miami, wrote to her: “You’re the only one who can make a red swimsuit sexier than a gold one!!! Way to go Priyanka Chopra!!!”

A new trip to India from the London-based travel company Wild Frontiers is inspired by the Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling’s famous collection of stories. The trip is in commemoration of a new adaptation of the 1967 Walt Disney Pictures animated film based on the stories and opening in theaters on April 15. Called the Jungle Book Tour, the 12-day itinerary takes travelers to Tadoba and Kanha National Parks, two of India’s most famous tiger reserves, where they take part in twice-daily game drives in search of tigers, leopards and other wildlife, and Satpura National Park for walking safaris. These rich landscapes, according to the Wild Frontiers founder Jonny Bealby, gave Mr. Kipling the inspiration for the characters in his stories such as the “man cub” Mowgli, the fearsome tiger Shere Khan and Toomai of the elephants. The itinerary also includes a stop in Bhopal to see the renowned Bhimbetka cave paintings. The tour includes most meals, accommodations, transfers, entrance fees to parks and guided excursions. The cost is $4,250 a person. Departure is Oct. 18.

Actress Sunny Leone’s message to youngsters who have not smoked till now and are thinking about it is to avoid picking up the cigarette. “For the youngsters out there, if you haven’t started smoking yet or are thinking about it, don’t pick up that first cigarette. It’s not worth it in the long run, and it’s not cool. If you want to try, just think twice before trying it,” said Leone at the launch of a special anti-smoking advertisement featuring her and “Tanu Weds Manu” actor Deepak Dobriyal.

“Smoking is bad for your health. This is something very close to my heart; my father passed away from cancer from smoking cigarettes,” she said. “I want people to stop smoking, and live a happier, healthier life. Unfortunately, you can’t force anybody, but you can tell people not to smoke around them. Maybe if the government, restaurant owners say that they don’t want smoke inside their buildings, then that would be the first step,” she added.

The informative advertisement titled “No Smoking #11minutes,” which also stars actor Alok Nath, has been directed by “Hawaizaada” director Vibhu Puri. The concept revolves around Dobriyal’s character, who is on his deathbed, and his near and dear ones trying to identify and fulfill his last wish of meeting up with Leone’s character, which creates a humorous climax.

About her own experiences of smoking, Leone mentioned about her first time: “It was gross, disgusting. It never has been for me, and it’ll continue to be that way.”

She also said, “I’ve been lucky; my co-stars that smoke cigarettes always are very respectful and say, ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ I tell them it’s fine if they go a bit far. I personally don’t like second-hand smoke; it is as deadly as smoking a cigarette.” The “#11minutes” refers to the amount of life which apparently gets cut down with each cigarette.

Bollywood star Preity Zinta’s wedding to American beau Gene Goodenough, is planned to be held this month, there is some news that the couple will actually tie the knot in Los Angeles in spring (March-April) with only close friends and family flying down. Goodenough is a financial analyst and met Zinta during one of her U.S. trips.

According to media reports, the white wedding will, however, be followed by a proper and ostentatious Rajput wedding in Mumbai. This grand celebration will have the film industry in attendance, as Zinta has developed a lot of goodwill in the industry. The bubbly and forthright actress, who has always stood up for her convictions and principles, has barely been seen in the millennium’s second decade because of her other priorities.

She was last seen in her home production “Ishqk in Paris” in 2013, followed by a cameo in “Happy Ending.” Though closest to Salman Khan among the ruling stars, Zinta has worked with every A-lister and a lot of heroines, and is on great terms with all of them as well as top filmmakers.

Zinta is said to auction off her wedding pictures for charities that she supports, including for educating children and for old-age homes. Zinta and Goodenough want to help society even with this happy occasion in their lives. While this move is a first among Indian stars, Hollywood couples like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin have reportedly done it before overseas.