Category: Entertainment

After the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards and the SAG Awards, everyone was anxiously waiting for Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, the Oscars, the nominations of which were announced early morning Jan. 23.

To the delight of many fans, “The Big Sick,” starring Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Anupam Kher, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, The Big Sick has found a spot in one of the prime categories of the award ceremony.

The comedy has been nominated for the ‘Best Original Screenplay’ award at the Oscar. Nanjiani starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his writer-wife, Emily V. Gordon. The story of the film, which was born out of the creative duo’s personal experiences, touched the hearts of critics as well as audiences. Loosely based on the real-life romance between Nanjiani and Gordon, it follows an interracial couple who must deal with cultural differences after Emily (played by Kazan) becomes ill.

A friend of him, Wright had predicted last year that Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon would be nominated for Best Original Screenplay for their film The Big Sick. If his prediction turned out to be right, Nanjiani would have to eat a heaping plate of a food he hates, brussels sprouts. That’s why, soon after the nominations were announced, Nanjiani found himself staring down at a pile of roasted sprouts and a glass of champagne.

“I’ve never been happier to lose a bet and eat a bowl of something I dislike,” Nanjiani tweeted before clarifying that he still didn’t care for brussels sprouts, despite the positive connotation they’re now associated with. So, bad news for parents of picky eaters. Getting your kid an Oscar won’t make them suddenly like the veggies they hate. “I can confidently say this was my last bowl of brussels sprouts ever,” Nanjiani added.

But Wright clearly wasn’t done with the Silicon Valley star yet. “But what if you win? What then?” the director tweeted. “I have it. If you win, you have to eat an Oscar made of sprouts.” So far, Nanjiani hasn’t agreed to this latest bargain, but since it’s been publicly posted on Twitter it’s basically legally binding. We eagerly await photographic evidence of this monstrosity.

“The Big Sick” will compete against original screenplays for “Lady Bird,” “Get Out,” “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” The announcement, in a first, combined live presentations from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, with pre-taped category introductions, which were featured in the first half of the announcement. The Oscar awards will be handed out on ABC on March 4.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who has shot a film titled “God, Sex and Truth” with American porn star Mia Malkova, says a woman’s body is beautiful and monumental to capture.

“I truly believe that there’s no location on earth which is more beautiful and more monumental than a woman’s body,” Varma tweeted alongside a snapshot from “God, Sex and Truth,” focussing on Malkova’s bare abdomen.

The film was shot with Malkova in Europe. Its trailer was launched on Jan. 16, and the full film will be launched on India’s Republic Day, Jan. 26. The filmmaker said the video is about a “revolutionary sexual philosophy” as professed by Malkova and encapsulated by him. “It’s about telling the truth behind sex as intended by God,” he added.

In a detailed note issued on Jan. 16, Varma said: “It will have explicit nude imagery which will showcase each and every part of Mia Malkova’s beautiful naked body in a never before seen magnifique.”

“The camera will literally worship not only every square inch of her extraordinary body, but it also captures her every thought in the process of projecting it in almost a spiritual context within her deeply felt and also inbuilt sexual emotions,’ Verma says. “She also speaks graphically, and shockingly hard sexual words and that’s because the whole point of this endeavor is to enhance and elevate whatever people conventionally look down upon.”

In an old interview he had said that, “I begin my day by watching porn for 15 minutes followed by a documentary or a film. It gives me an instant high which lasts all day.” Therefore, he believes that sex is a form of power and Mia Malkova’s physical and emotional beauty will make GST look beautiful.

Mia Malkova also agreed to the fact that she and RGV share common beliefs as far as sex is concerned. “God, Sex and Truth attempts to bring sex out into the open instead of hiding it under the bed sheets. Power has been given its due place in the manner of action films but sex has always been relegated to films meant only for instant gratification. GST attempts to show a woman and her sexuality in an unimaginably beautiful form.”

“”Indian film maker Ram Gopal Varma shot a video with me in Europe titled ‘God, Sex and Truth’. I will be the second adult star after Sunny Leone to be shot by an Indian feature film maker,” she had tweeted. She also thanked the “Sarkar” helmer and said that it was an “exhilarating experience” for her.

“Thank you Ram Gopal Varma for shooting ‘God, Sex and Truth’ with me. It’s been an exhilarating experience to see myself through your vision,” she wrote along with a photograph of herself sitting nude in front of Varma, who is seen explaining her a scene from the video.

Varma replied to Mia’s tweet saying: “Hey Mia it was such an elevating and thought provoking experience to film ‘God, Sex and Truth’.” The video captures her every thought in the process of projecting it in almost a spiritual context within her deeply felt and also inbuilt sexual emotions.,” he said.

Acclaimed actress Vidya Balan will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi onscreen in a project based on journalist-author Sagarika Ghose book “Indira: Indias Most Powerful Prime Minister.”

“I am happy to have acquired the rights to Sagarika Ghose’s ‘Indira…’ because I have always wanted to play Indira Gandhi. I haven’t decided yet whether it should be a film or a web series, but that will take a while anyway,” Vidya Balan, a National Award winner, said in a statement on Jan. 9. Ghose, elated about signing the contract, wrote: “Most excited to see ‘Indira’ on-screen!” She also called Balan an “ace.”

The book, published by Juggernaut Books, is a no-holds-barred biographical portrait that looks for answers to lingering issues: from why Indira Gandhi revoked the Emergency to her son Sanjay’s curious grip over her; and from her bad marriage and love affairs to her dangerous religious politics.

“Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister” was pitched by the publishers to the film and screen community at the Word to Screen Market 2017, organized by the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

PAD MAN releases in North American theaters on January 26

Even real-life super heroes need best friends – as the newly released song from PAD MAN – ‘HU BA HU’- featuring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor shows! It takes more than one man to start a Sanitary Pad revolution, and ‘HU BA HU’ celebrates the people who come into your life and help you achieve shared dreams, as Sonam Kapoor’s character Pari does as she helps Akshay Kumar (Lakshmikant) bring his invention across the country.

 ‘HU BA HU’ shows the journey of the two as they traverse India, touching the lives of thousands of women. From meeting individual women to talking at schools and engaging with villagers, the song charts the pair as they grow from two people making a difference from the back of an Ox and Cart to recruiting their own pad women to gaining international recognition at the UN in New York.

The song also shows the growing bond between the pair, as they become closer as they achieve their shared dream. Akshay Kumar took to social media to eloquently explain his relationship with his friend and wife saying: his wife Gayatri (played by Radhika Apte) is the reason behind his success as Pad Man but Pari (played by Sonam Kapoor) is the strength behind him.

Pad Man is a fictionalized account of Padmashri Arunachalam Muruganatham, the man who revolutionized the manufacture of the low cost sanitary napkin in India. Lakshmi is a newly married, humble welder from a rural village in the heart of India. Lakshmi’s incredible journey starts when he is shocked to discover that his wife uses an unhygienic cloth during her periods. Unable to afford a branded pad, he decides to make a sanitary pad himself. After several attempts, his irate wife refuses to be a part of his experiments. Lakshmi’s love and concern for his wife, his determination to make the pad, leads him into situations that cause so much shock and embarrassment that it compels his wife to leave him and his village to banish him.

 Lakshmi doesn’t give up. His simplicity of thought, his resilience, his focus and his complete disregard for convention finally leads him to his destiny. A machine that can make a pad! The revolution that follows…from spreading menstrual hygiene, to empowering women, to starting mini cooperatives, to a vision of making India a 100% Pad using country, to accolades, to international glory and to a final resolution of his personal life, makes the rest of the feature “PAD MAN”. His journey to make India a 100% pad using country goes on…even today.

Akshay Kumar takes a ride with his PAD MAN co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte and the three reveal their confessions in these fun new videos. PAD MAN hits North American theaters later this month on January 26.

The full movie soundtrack is now available including all the melodious songs from the motion picture. Check out the audio jukebox here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ztBgtzbW0E

 https://www.dropbox.com/sh/seqok8s9jimby54/AACo_R5n_QfinOvN-Xcjiu8Ha?dl=0

Watch the brand new video for “Hu Ba Hu” which includes scenes filmed in New York City:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f95uCixtik4

Pad Man Confessions 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7IokXJSGo

Pad Man Confessions 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLIBF4Y0HvU

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K9ujx8vO_A

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

(New York, NY – December 7, 2017) This weekend, Indian megastar SHAH RUKH KHAN will host the first-ever collaboration between TED Talks and a major Indian network, Star India, which will premiere on the online digital platform, Hotstar, before it hits television. Called TED Talks India Nayi Soch, the seven-episode series will showcase some of the best innovators and thinkers of Indian origin debuting their TED Talks in a language other than English (Hindi). Tune in to the world premiere, available starting Sunday, December 10th from 7:30 a.m. ET onwards at www.us.hotstar.com. ;

Host Shah Rukh Khan raves: “It is a huge honor to host this show. When two giants like Star India and TED come together, we are  sure to fire up a billion imaginations. Bringing the power of ideas to people’s living rooms across India and reaching out to, especially, the youth of our country is something that’s really exciting. I want our youth to be inspired to think of new ideas…simple and unique ideas that pack a punch. Ideas that can change lives!” Another genre of original, cutting-edge programming that is exclusive to Hotsar is the CinePlay. In this era of constant innovation, Cineplay is a novel attempt at storytelling by combining the grammar of theatre and power of cinema. It is an innovation that presents timeless theatrical dramas as digitally-immersive experiences and is especially calibrated for all screen sizes.

CinePlays are not just live recordings of a play. Sets are created especially for each production, and much like a film, a CinePlay is shot over a span of several days. With an elaborate camera, light and production set up, CinePlays weave elements of cinema into stories from theatre to create a whole new experience for Hotstar audiences.

Some of the most popular CinePlays on Hotstar include: Dance Like a Man, Between the Lines, Bombay Talkies, Typecaste and Adhe Adhure, starring the finest theatre actors of the generation like Nandita Das, Saurabh Shukla, Lillete Dubey and Darshan Jariwala.

And Hotstar’s exclusive content does not end there…it ranges from riveting documentaries to incredible lifestyle and travel shows: On Twist of Taste, join Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna on culinary journeys across India and America that will inspire new experiments in the kitchen!

Style & the City is a travel show that marries fashion with street style. Indian designers Rocky S, Rina Dhaka & Ashish Soni will create ensembles for their celebrity clients. The show is hosted by Shibani Dandekar.

Design HQ: Join interior designer Ashiesh Shah as he decodes “how to design your own space” with the likes of Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Roy Kapoor and others. Hrithik shares how he uses quotes as art across his house and how he is extremely methodical when it comes to picking furniture, color and even art.

As Hollywood begins to embrace diversity and move away from offering stereotypical roles, a few Asian actors are having breakout career moments. And now as the award season nears, it’s bringing cheer for some.

Indian American actor Aziz Ansari and Pakistani American actor Kumail Nanjiani have scored nominations for the 23rd annual Critics’ Choice Awards. For both these actors, being the contenders for this prestigious award, which some say is a barometer for predicting the Oscars, is the best way to cap a pretty successful 2017.

Ansari, who has in the past got the critics’ nod for his Netflix comedy series, “Master of None,” is back in the race owing to the second season of the series, which was lapped by the fans. He has been nominated in the ‘Best Actor in a Comedy Series’ category for his role in the Netflix drama.

Nanjiani, a critically acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, recently starred in and co-wrote “The Big Sick” with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. The film, a romantic comedy story, which was released by Amazon Studios/Lionsgate, wowed critics and audiences alike. Nanjiani, also known for his co-starring role as Dinesh in the award-winning HBO comedy series, “Silicon Valley,” has collected multiple nominations, for his work on both “The Big Sick” and “Silicon Valley.”

He is eligible for both film and television honors this year. Nanjiani is up for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ alongside wife Emily V. Gordon, and ‘Best Actor in a Comedy’ for “The Big Sick,” as well as ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series’ for “Silicon Valley.” “The Big Sick” is also contending for the ‘Best Picture’ and the ‘Best Comedy’ awards.

CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” which stars Indian American actor Kunal Nayyar, is competing for the ‘Best Comedy Series’ award.

Netflix leads the television honors with 20 nominations, followed by HBO with 15, FX with 13, and ABC with 12.

The Critics’ Choice Awards are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement.  The BFCA is the largest film critics’ organization in the U.S. and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics.  BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences.

The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala to be held Jan. 11, 2018 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The awards show will air on The CW Network and will be broadcast live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

India’s Oscar entry “Newton” won two awards at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane last week, with Rajkummar Rao winning the best actor and Mayank Tewari and Amit V. Masurkar claiming the best screenplay honor. Manipuri movie “Lady of the Lake” won a special mention.

Ecstatic over the win, Rajkummar Rao tweeted: “Won the best actor award at the most prestigious APSA 2017. Thank you Maa. Thank you team ‘Newton.’ Don’t stop chasing your dreams because they really do come true.”

He also posted a photograph in which the actor is seen kissing the trophy. The winners’ names were being updated on the event’s Twitter handle, which also gave a glimpse into Rao’s acceptance speech.

“Let’s keep doing this beautiful work, let’s keep making these wonderful stories. Here’s to cinema,” Rao said and thanked his late mother for blessing “Newton,” read a post on the official APSA Twitter page.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and actor Manoj Bajpayee congratulated the movie’s team. “Congratulations my darling Rajkummar Rao and amazing talents Mayank Tewari, Amit Masurkar. A win at the APSA is a huge achievement and should make India super proud,” tweeted Hansal Mehta, who has worked with Rajkummar Rao multiple times.

“Newton” is India’s official entry for the foreign language film category at the Academy Awards 2018. Produced by Drishyam Films and directed by Masurkar, the movie revolves around a young government clerk who is sent on election duty to a Maoist-controlled town and how the ideological struggle puts him in an awkward situation.

As for “Lady of the Lake,” directed by Haobam Paban Kumar, the APSA awarded it “a special mention for the Cultural Diversity Award under the patronage of Unesco.” The award represents the shared common goals of APSA and Unesco, to promote diversity of cultural expression and raise awareness of the value of culture at local, national and international levels.

Shehnad Jalal stood a chance in APSA’s achievement in the cinematography category for “Lady of the Lake,” but lost it to a Russian movie.

Indian director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was nominated in the achievement in directing category for his Malayalam movie “S Durga,” which is in the news for being excluded from the Indian Panorama section of the ongoing 48th International Film Festival in Goa.

According to variety.com, Warwick Thornton’s Australian movie “Sweet Country” was named best film while Russia’s Andrey Zvyagintsev was named best director for “Loveless.”

Superstar Akshay Kumar is a new kind of hero in the first must-see film of 2018, PADMAN, releasing in North American cinemas on January 26^th, 2018. The brand new poster has premiered for this important new film from writer/director R. Balki which also stars Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, and is produced by Twinkle Khanna.

PADMAN is inspired by the life of Indian entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine and brought cost-effective female hygiene to India’s rural poor.

 The 69^th Republic Day celebrations in the country will also see the release of the unconventional film Padman that is based on the real life story of Arunachalam Muruganatham.Padman traces the struggle of a man who makes his mission to find affordable and hygienic alternatives for sanitary pads for women in his village thereby helping the improvement of sanitation facilities especially for women during menstruation.

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: Pratibha Jairath (Bollywood Sargam) and Altaf Bukhari (A. B. Entertainment) organized an astounding Diwali Party on the evening of Nov 3rd at Ashyana Banquets in Downers Grove with an attendance of close to 500 people dressed in vibrant and stunning outfits. The venue was buzzing with excitement as people started to walk in half hour before the party time.

The best part of this event was that it was not merely a musical extravaganza and variety show but it included people from different religions, states, and communities of India to once again show unity in our diverse India. After all, the festivals are about celebration and bringing out the good spirit, friendships and alliances.

 Pratibha Jairath, the host and organizer of the event opened the evening with welcoming guests and presenting a prayer and Diwali Badhai in a creative style. For Lamp lighting, she started out by first inviting Mr. Sunil Shah from New York Life to say a few words followed by Mr. Anil Loomba (Home Mortgage Solutions), Dr. Anuja Gupta (project Veranda), Sponsor Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Co-organizer Mr. Altaf Bukhari. Shen then proceeded further and invited her consistent supporters and well known generous personalities like Mr. Brij Sharma (IEM President and UPA BOARD), Dr. Surinder Jain of Ashyana and Mr. Om Dhingra (UPA and HTC BOARD)..

The musical segment began by Pratibha Jairath who started with Diwali segment of Piya Tose continuing with both classical and new numbers such as Thode Badmash from Sanwariya and other hits like Channa Mereya. Within 15 minutes, the dance floor was full with energetic folks ready to rock.

Anil Sharma, a well-known established singer with a powerful voice mesmerized folks with Kishore kumar classics such as Neele Neele Amber, Dil kya kare and Arjit Singh’s hits like suno na sangemarmar.

Raju Bankapur, another well-known multi-talented singer kept folks on dance floor with lots of new and Bollywood hits such as Bacnha ae haseeno. His rendition of Badan pe sitare brought Sunil Ji and friends on dance floor.

Raju Bankapur’s flute numbers and Anil Sharma’s Mahobbat barsa and some unique numbers were applauded by all. The slide show of excerpts from films matching with song being performed was a great touch, thanks to Mr. Virender Kothari. Ms Jairath thanked her several friends for showing awesome support by bringing different circles and special mention to decoration and reception team starting with Vandana Bankapur and Asha Mehta.

Pratibha Jairath’s Qwali item with her friends became the talk of the town. It was a mix of few Qwaalies. It is such things that made this party a multi-dimensional variety show. Hitesh Masters’ Saregama Orchestra team with talented duos Kafi Khan and Richard Christian added ‘Char Chand’ to this musical Diwali party. The Ashiyana banquet food was sumptuous and appreciated by all.

Anil Loomba commented ‘Pratibha how do you bring people from different walks of life?’ She said “It is not me, the total credit goes to my friends that bring tables after tables, generous sponsors, a number of associations such as FIA, UPA and A.B entertainment of Altaf Bukhari and so many other alliances.

Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor shine in the new video for the song Ek Dil Ek Jaan, an epic love ballad between a brave king and a courageous queen, from the year’s most anticipated film PADMAVATI. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, this special motion picture event will be released in North America in 3D on December 1.

Set in 1303 AD medieval India, Padmavati is the story of honour, valour and obsession. Queen Padmavati is known for her exceptional beauty and is the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh and pride of the Kingdom of Chittor, a prosperous kingdom in the north west of India. The legend of her beauty reaches the reigning sultan of Hindustan – Allaudin Khilji. The sultan who is a tyrant, is fixated with wanting anything that is of exceptional beauty for himself.

He lays siege on the impregnable fortress of Chittorgarh. After a gruelling 6 months, He returns back to Delhi empty handed. He becomes obsessed and now wants to capture Chittor and its Queen at any cost. He returns back with a bigger army and raging fury. He attacks Chittor with brutal force and a bloody and fearsome battle takes places between the righteous Maharawal Ratan Singh defending his kingdom and the honour of his queen and Sultan Allaudin Khilji. Khilji manages to breach the fortress but in vain as the Queen chooses to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect her dignity.

Grosses Worldwide Box Office of Rs. 203 crore (US$ 31.2 million) in Week 1

Mumbai, October 27, 2017: Smashing several box office records, Golmaal Again, has now achieved yet another distinction, grossing worldwide box office collections of Rs. 203 crore (US$ 31.2 million) in the first week of release. The movie now enters Week 2 of release, poised to become the highest grossing Bollywood film of the year 2017.

The Producer and Director of the film, Rohit Shetty, said, “We waited more than 7 years for the right subject to take the Golmaal franchise forward. What we have achieved is very exciting and humbling, all thanks to the love showered upon us by fans across the globe.”

Shibasish Sarkar, COO, Reliance Entertainment commented, “Golmaal Again has been an incredible journey for all of us. Our friend and partner, Rohit Shetty and his team, have outperformed every benchmark, and we are delighted with their unprecedented success.”

Golmaal Again, the fourth part in the Golmaal series released worldwide this Diwali on October 20. The ensemble cast includes Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu and Tabu.  The film is presented by Reliance Entertainment in association with Manglmurti films and Rohit Shetty Picturez.

Reliance Group, led by Anil D. Ambani, is among India’s major business houses, with a leadership position in telecommunications, power, infrastructure, financial services, and media and entertainment. The Group has over 250 million customers, serving 1 in every 5 Indians and has over 8 million shareholders, amongst the largest in the world.

Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Group and is engaged in the creation and distribution of content across film, television, digital and gaming platforms. Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered since 2009 with iconic film producer and director, Steven Spielberg, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios, and thereafter, Amblin Partners.

This relationship has produced several highly successful films such as The Help, War Horse, Lincoln, The Hundred Foot Journey, The Girl on the Train, Office Christmas Party and A Dog’s Purpose. Reliance Entertainment is releasing “Thank You For Your Service” in November, 2017 and also Steven Spielberg directed “The Post” starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep on January 12th, 2018.

Chicago IL: The Raas Garba Dancers, Clapped hands and Performed 6 steps around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of the Goddess Shakti.  The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community. There were over 2,000 people who enjoyed the evening. Prapti Mehta and her troupe did a great job of holding the energy in the room. The food was exemplary. The greatest compliment that we received was that clients insisted that we have this event again next year – Prapti Mehta & Rocking Group.

Hemant Shah, Prajesh Patel, Parthiv Patel, Dr. Manish Pandya, Dr. Ashish Patel, & Kashyap V. Trivedi. Organized ‘Incredible Raas Garba Ramzat’ on evening of Navratri Celebration in Excellent Elegance with International Artist Prapti Mehta, Along with very Talented Chirag Bhatt, accompanied by Stunning Band emceed by Santosh Gor & Jayesh Patel on Saturday, October 7, 2017, 6:30 pm at Concord Plaza Banquets, 401 Lake St, Northlake IL, 60164. The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community. Every Individual that participated with passion & enthusiasm, the Team work was reflects and Felt by the Audience. The Venue was a Full House with over 2000 people! From the keyboard artist to the Garba Dancers including the Entire Team, full Enjoyment, Passion, and Enthusiasm was echoed.

“Gujarati’s, who are core participants of this festivity, have Garba & Dandia in their heart”.

There were   incredible   participants   of   all   ages of men and women   of   about   2000+   people, enjoying and celebrating the memorable evening. Many in the audience, especially ladies of all ages   wore   very   Colorful   and   Stunning   Traditional   Dresses  for   this   special   occasion   with appropriately matching ornaments and extravagant hairstyles. Navaratri Garba is very special as it honors Shakti in very rhythmic ways.  “We all love the whole atmosphere of colors, the clothes and of course, the music and then there is always the fun of dressing traditionally”. Western dresses are replaced by Lengha-Choli, matching jewelry and foot wear. The sponsors of this event organized the event to show appreciation for their clientele and the Community.

Prapti Mehta and the Team began the evening by offering a prayer. The start of the Raas was with very famous Tran Tali Garba by Prapti Mehta and Chirag Bhatt. The evening was followed by mesmerizing rhythmic conventional Garba music with equally passionate and high energetic performance by the audience of traditional swirling dance around Mataji’s heavenly symbolic presence turned in to shrine adorn with flowers and decorations. The event concluded in wee hours of morning highlighted by devotional Arti of Mataji.

Garba, as usual, members adorned beautiful and traditional attire for Chaniya-Choli and Kurta-pajama. The whirling dancers, clapping hands, distinct sound of wooden ‘Dandia’ striking together, toe tapping music and people wearing vibrant colorful clothes marked the Navratri celebration at the Garba & Dandiya Raas dances held all over Chicagoland. This is part of the worship of Durga Mata who symbolizes the victory of God over Evil. Navratri celebration marks a festival of nine nights during which Hindus worship goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, the goddesses of health, prosperity and knowledge, respectively.

“Newton,” a Hindi film set against the backdrop of elections in the world’s largest democracy, has been announced as India’s official entry for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ at the 2018 Oscars. The film’s team said that it’s an encouragement for filmmakers who are willing to take risks.

The Amit Masurkar movie, starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav and Anjali Patil, tells the story of polling officer Newton Kumar, who is bent on conducting free and fair elections in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh.

“Newton” was chosen from among 26 titles from different languages by a 14-member jury appointed by the Film Federation of India (FFI). “It was a unanimous decision. Titles like ‘Dangal’ and ‘Mukti Bhavan’ were part of the list,” Supran Sen, secretary general of FFI, said.

“Newton,” released on Sept.21, revolves around a young government clerk who is sent on election duty to a Maoist-controlled town and how the ideological struggle puts him in an awkward situation. It was shot in the interiors of Chhattisgarh.

Masurkar feels honored that a story rooted in the country’s political system was chosen. So far, “Mother India,” “Salaam Bombay!” and “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India” are the only Indian films that made it to the top five in the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honor.

Acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi, who features in “Newton,” believes this choice would encourage the entire film fraternity to support good content cinema and filmmakers. “It’s something to be proud of as we have a thousand number of films coming out each year and out of that number, our film gets an entry. The entry is making us feel proud, so the win (if it happens) will have an amazing impact on the entire film fraternity,” said Tripathi. “‘Newton’ is a film which will reflect real India and it is not at all a biased project.”

“There is a feeling of unbounded happiness,” said Tripathi. “I was cooking when I got the news. We are all still absorbing the overwhelming high praise from the critics and now this. It is a victory for talent and for independent cinema.”

Sunil Lulla, managing director of Eros International Media Ltd, tweeted: “It gives us immense pleasure to announce that our film #Newton is selected as India’s official entry to Oscars 2018! We at Eros are extremely proud, Newton is totally deserving of this huge honour. We will continue to back good cinema as always”.

Director Masurkar said it was a double celebration for the team. “We are really happy. The fact that the film is releasing today doubles the happiness. We hope that people will now really head to the cinema halls to watch the film,” he told the media. The next edition of the Oscar is scheduled for March 4, 2018 in Los Angeles.

Once every year or so in the past few decades the world has been exposed to a phenomenon that affects millions of people for the better in India and around the world, often with long-lasting impact. That phenomenon is the arrival of an Aamir Khan film, Forbes magazine reporteed.

Since 1973, when he made his screen debut as an 8-year-old in a minor role in the first Bollywood masala film, his uncle Nasir Hussain’s Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Aamir Khan has been delighting audiences with his natural charisma and his talent for creating empathetic characters in memorable, often award-winning performances.

If he were just a skilled artist, Aamir Khan would be a noteworthy actor. But it’s his enormous popularity and his business acumen that set him apart from just about every actor currently working anywhere in the world. Khan doesn’t just act, he also directs and produces under his Aamir Khan Productions banner. With the first film he produced, the superb Victorian era sports drama Lagaan, Khan proved he can simultaneously produce and star in commercially successful films that are also award-worthy. Lagaan was nominated for a foreign-language Academy Award, marking only the third time an Indian movie received that honor (Salaam Bombay was nominated in 1988, and Mother India was in 1957).

It’s in his capacity as an actor-producer that “Comet Khan” will once again circle back around from the movie star galaxy to bring his next film to his fans across the globe. This year his movie is the aspirational coming-of-age drama Secret Superstar, about a small town teenaged girl (played by his vibrant Dangal co-star Zaira Wasim) who uses the Internet to become a singing sensation. And given Khan’s extraordinary commercial track record, especially over the past decade, it’s perfectly reasonable to anticipate that the new picture, which opens at Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) on October 19th, will be a contender for membership in the rarefied 1,000 Crore Club.

For any other Indian movie star—yes, even Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan—the suggestion of a ₹1,000 crore target would be an outlandish one. But considering that Aamir Khan has set new box office records with almost every new feature film he’s released since 2008, and that his popularity is practically unrivaled in China, the world’s second-biggest movie market, Secret Superstar’s chances look pretty good.

Since 2008 nearly every one of Khan’s new pictures has been a blockbuster hit, and most have broken new ground in box office history. In 2008 Ghajini became the first Indian movie to reach ₹100 crore in worldwide grosses. The next year saw his film 3 Idiots become the highest grossing Indian movie ever with ₹395 crore, a record that stood for four years until his movie Dhoom 3 established the next all-time record with ₹585 crore. And so it went with his 2014 release PK, and with his 2016 film Dangal, the highest-grossing picture in the annals of Indian box office history.

To be sure, Secret Superstar will face a few important challenges. For one thing the movie isn’t about Khan’s character; he plays a supporting role as the movie’s over-the-top villain. For another, the movie will open day-and-date against another hotly anticipated Indian blockbuster, Ajay Devgn’s Golmaa! Again. And thirdly, Secret Superstar hasn’t yet been approved for release in China. It’s hard to imagine that not happening, but if it doesn’t then the movie’s chances of 1,000 crore glory become much slimmer.

On the plus side, Khan has expressed supreme confidence about his new movie’s prospects, predicting it will be “much bigger than ‘Dangal’. While both are about the empowerment of the girl child, I feel it [Secret Superstar] is a much bigger film,” he says.

If Secret Superstar doesn’t become the third movie to join the 1,000 Crore Club—after Dangal and the SS Rajamouli-directed epic Baahubali: The Conclusion—Khan will get his next shot at glory soon, when his action-adventure movie Thugs of Hindostan releases a year from now at Diwali, 2018.

In 2014, the Berklee Indian Ensemble, a Boston, Massachusetts- based group comprised of students and faculty of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, paid tribute to Grammy and Academy award-winning composer A.R. Rahman at Symphony Hall in Boston. On the occasion, Rahman also received an honorary doctorate from the college.

Berklee faculty and students paid tribute to the living legend, who joined them on select pieces in a concert celebrating his music and life. The repertoire for the concert spanned Rahman’s illustrious discography of over 25 years.

The college is now releasing all the 16 pieces presented at the concert featuring 109 performers from 32 countries representing The Berklee Indian Ensemble, The Berklee World String Ensemble, and Boston University’s Indian American dance troupe, BU Bhangra. Special guests included Carnatic guitar exponent and Berklee alum Prasanna, as well as Indian bass prodigy Mohini Day. On Sept. 1, the first video, Rahman’s “Bombay Theme,” was released. Additional videos from the concert will be released on the first of every month.

“The concert repertoire represented every single year of Mr. Rahman’s astounding body of work. Rearrangements and reinterpretations of his compositions made it a fresh perspective on Mr. Rahman’s music which, for many Indians, has been the soundtrack of their lives,” said Annette Philip, artistic director of Berklee India Exchange, and the producer of the concert.

The show, according to the Berklee College of Music, sold out five weeks in advance, and recorded close to 60,000 hits on the concert window live stream the night of the show. Since then, Berklee Indian Ensemble and Berklee India Exchange supporters globally have been clamoring for videos of the concert, claimed the college.

“The concert was a monumental event that raised $250,000 that created a full tuition scholarship model in A.R. Rahman’s name to support talented musicians from India to have an opportunity to follow their dreams to attend Berklee in the U.S.,” said Clint Valladares, co-producer of the event, and managing director of Berklee India Exchange.

Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among the top 10 highest paid actors in the world in a list compiled by Forbes that has been topped by “Transformers” actor Mark Wahlberg.

Shah Rukh Khan is at the eighth spot on the list with earnings of 38 million dollars, followed by Salman on the ninth position with 37 million dollars. Akshay is completing the top 10 with 35.5 million dollar earnings.

Wahlberg is Hollywood’s highest-paid leading man, earning USD 68 million in the scoring period. Forbes said the Boston native recorded his highest-ever payday thanks to soaring fees for movies such as “Transformers: The Last Knight” and the forthcoming “Daddy’s Home 2.”

Wahlberg replaced last year’s top-ranked star, Dwayne Johnson who comes in at the second spot with 65 million dollar earnings.

On the third spot is “The Fate of the Furious” star Vin Diesel with USD 54.5 million earnings.

Rounding out the top five is Adam Sandler at the number four position with 50.5 million dollars and Jackie Chan at number five with USD 49 million dollars. Sandler returns to the list courtesy the lucrative deal with Netflix that allows him to produce his movies for the platform.

The world’s 20 highest-paid actors tallied a combined USD 720 million between June 2016 and June 2017, before fees and taxes. A quarter of this year’s list hail from outside the US, including the three stars from Bollywood. Forbes said this year, newcomers comprise one fifth of the list, including Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo.

Hollywood’s highest-paid actors continue to out-earn their female counterparts, Forbes said adding that the top 10 actors banked a cumulative USD 488.5 million –nearly three times the USD 172.5 million combined total of the ten top-earning women. While only three actresses made more than USD 20 million in 12 months, 16 actors broached the mark, it said.

Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri has been nomintated on the panel of celebrity judges for the final night of the Miss America Competition on Sept. 10. “I understand all too well the emotions of stepping on to the Miss America stage. I’m honored to be able to help shape the legacy of the Miss America Organization over the next year,” Davuluri said in a statement.

Davuluri, 28, was the first Indian American and South Asian to win the Miss America beauty pagent and she is also the host and producer of the new weekly reality show, “Made In America,” which premiered on ZeeTV Americas in North America, earlier this month.

The Miss America Organization, dick clark productions and ABC have announced that the former Miss America Nina Davuluri will join ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett, author, actress and model Molly Sims, multi-platinum recording artist and actress Jordin Sparks and PEOPLE Editor in Chief Jess Cagle as the esteemed panel of celebrity judges for the final night of “The 2018 Miss America Competition.” The live broadcast will air from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 (9:00 – 11:00p.m. ET/PT) on the ABC Television Network.

The judges panel will evaluate the contestants’ performances in Lifestyle and Fitness, Evening Wear, Talent, Interview and On-Stage questions during “The 2018 Miss America Competition.”  The evening will showcase the intellect, grace and exceptional talent of 51 accomplished women representing their home states (and District of Columbia) as they compete for the coveted title of Miss America. The seventh judge’s name for the final night of “The 2018 Miss America Competition” will be revealed closer to the competition.

Nina Davuluri is an acclaimed host, speaker and ardent advocate. Currently, she is the host & producer of the new weekly reality show, “Made In America,” which made its series premiere August 2017 on ZeeTV Americas in North America. The premise of the show is to empower young women to discover more about themselves through a series of challenges as they embark on a new journey to fulfill their dreams in America.

Nina first gained international acclaim by becoming the first Indian American and South Asian Miss America 2014; through her experiences, she realized how much of a need there was in the marketplace for this type of content to be created for young South Asian millennials. Since serving as Miss America 2014, Nina has logged approximately 500,000 miles traveling across the world to address an array of audiences on her platform: “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency.”

As part of her consciousness-raising efforts on behalf of diversity, Nina also launched a social media campaign, #CirclesOfUnity, to encourage constructive and civil dialogue on diversity issues. Through her social media channels, Nina asks people to share “representative thoughts and stories about their experiences on how we as a nation can advance cultural awareness.”

In addition to her personal platform, Nina also partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education promoting women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related fields. Nina’s work in advocacy became apparent when she was first recognized by President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. In April of 2014, she was invited to collaborate with the First Lady on her campaign, “Let’s Move.”

She then went on to help launch “Act to Change,” an anti-bullying campaign led by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In July of 2015, Nina was invited to be a speaker at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya during President Obama’s historic first visit. She was honored to be the youngest speaker on the main stage sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur & trailblazer in the field of diversity.

Voting is still open to the public for the “America’s Choice” contestant. The public can vote at missamerica.org/voteand facebook.com/missamerica and are permitted one vote per day, per user. Voting will close Tuesday, September 5^th at 9:00pm ET and the chosen contestant will be announced during the live broadcast of “The 2018 Miss America Competition” with the Top 15. The remaining contestants in the Top 15 are selected by the Miss America Preliminary Judges Panel.  It is possible for America’s Choice to also be among the judges selection.

Director Alankrita Shrivastava’s film “Lipstick Under My Burkha” is set to release in the US on September 15. The film, starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, explores women’s sexuality.

Sharma took to Twitter to share the news, writing, “So pleased that ‘Lipstick…’ will release in the US!! Please watch.” The film had won several prizes, including the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Oxfam Award for the best film on gender equality at the Mumbai Film Festival.

After a long fight with Censor Board, Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah starrer Lipstick Under My Burkha has finally got a release date. The Prakash Jha production was released in India on July 28.

The film, which explores women’s sexuality, won the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Oxfam Award for the Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival.

The 18th edition of IIFA Awards ensured the city of New York was in step with Bollywood with a rousing IIFA Stomp in Times Square on July 13th. In a free to attend event for the public, the iconic Times Square was transformed into a buzzing blend of music, dance and fashion with Myntra presents IIFA Stomp.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania star Varun Dhawan was the centre of attention as he showcased his dancing skills at IIFA Stomp alongside DJ Amann Nagpal, Electronica icon B.R.E.E.D, DJ Nasha, who raised the excitement with their rousing music. This was followed by a fashion show where Myntra presented its collection with show-stoppers Dia Mirza and Taapsee Pannu. Leading ladies Shilpa Shetty, Neha Dhupia and Disha Patani were show-stoppers for Shane and Falguni Peacock collection presented by NEXA. Huma Qureshi took the stage.

A huge crowd cheered loudly in Times Square when actor Varun Dhawan entered the stage to perform on his hit song “Badri Ki Dulhania” from his recent film Badrinath Ki Dulhania after the audience requested he do so. Dhawan also danced to other hit songs, including “Kala Chashma” and Guru Randhawa’s “Suit Suit Karda” encouraging somes fans to sing and dance along with him.

Prior to that, the crowd, who gathered from 5 p.m. to almost 11 p.m., were seen grooving to the beats of DJ Amann Nagpal, Electronica icon B.R.E.E.D and DJ Nasha, while enjoying fashion shows put up by Shane and Falguni Peacock and Sonaakshi Raaj, along with a 10-minute performance by multi-instrumentalist Karsh Kale as Myntra announced the launch of its Mogo logo and presenting its collection with Bollywood actresses Dia Mirza and Taapsee Pannu as their showstoppers. The event at Times Square was titled ‘Stomp’, a prelude to the IIFA New York, scheduled at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, July 15-16.

Bollywood actresses Shilpa Shetty, Neha Dhupia and Disha Patani also stunned everyone with their grace and beauty as they were showstoppers for Shane and Falguni Peacock’s black, white and rustic collection, while Huma Qureshi was the showstopper for designer Sonaakshi Raaj who was presenting the Gitanjali Jewelry collection.

More enthusiasm was spread amongst the crowd as special appearances were made by the Bad Man of Bollywood Gulshan Grover and Shahid Kapoor who came on the insistence of Varun Dhawan and Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who appeared on stage and conducted a fitness contest.

Earlier, a press conference at the Sheraton Times Square saw Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon make an appearance. Actors Anupam Kher, Jacky Bhagnani and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, along with singer Armaan Malik also made an appearance.

IIFA New York got off to a wet start on July 14^th night, with rain marring a musical tribute to celebrate maestro A R Rahman’s 25 years in the industry, but ended on a strong note on Saturday July 15^th with some 20,000 plus fans gathered at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to watch the Awards show.

The music played on, and the excitement levels increased as he kept belting one hit track after another with a string of singers like Hariharan, Kailash Kher, Jonita Gandhi and Mohit Chauhan joining him on stage. Rahman’s performance at the MetLife Stadium came just days after some fans walked out of his concert at London’s Wembley Stadium for the lack of Hindi songs.Bombay. A.R. Rahman received an award for completing 25 years in the industry.

Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Sushant Singh Rajput, Saif Ali Khan walked the IIFA Rocks (a music event) green carpet in their finest without being intimidated by rain. Salman and Shahid also shared the weather update on Twitter and said that the show must go on despite rain.

Salman Khan, who performed on the awards night on July 15, tweeted: “It’s raining in New York, loving the weather. If it does rain tomorrow it will be awesome dancing in the rain at IIFA.” Shahid Kapoor, who was nominated in Best Actor category for Udta Punjab, said: “#iifa rocks. Rain can’t stop the party. (sic)”

On Friday night, hosts Manish Paul and Riteish Deshmukh entertained a crowd of around 10,000 at MetLife Stadium. The ceremonial ‘Green’ Carpet was canceled because of the inclement weather. The show opened up with a musical tribute to Salman Khan by Kamaal Khan who sang some of his latest hits, including “Naach Meri Jaan” from Tubelight and “Jag Ghoomeya” from Sultan.

Punjabi actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh opened up his act on his hit number “Do You Know” continuing on with another recent hit “Move Your Lakk” from Noor, ending with “Ikk Kudi” from Udta Punjab.

Paul and Deshmukh also performed an act on Bahubali versus Laxman from Tubelight and lightened up the mood as they promoted Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha with a special toilet act.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil took home four technical awards, including Background Score, Best Engineer, Cinematography and Costume Designing and Pink won three awards in the technical category including Best Dialogue, Best Screenplay and Editing.

The Best Action and Sound Mixing awards were given to Sultan; Adil Shaikh received the award for Best Choreography for the song Kar Gayi Chull from Kapoor & Sons; Mirzya took home the award for Best Sound Design, Fan took home the awards for Best Makeup and Special Effects Visual and Neerja won the award for Best Production Design. The Myntra Style Icon Award was given to Alia Bhatt.

Jonita Gandhi opened up A.R. Rahman’s concert, the most awaited performance of the evening, with the song “Choti Si Asha” from Roja after which Rahman himself sang “Enna Sona” from OK Jaanu. Gandhi then again relaxed the audience while she performed with Haricharan Seshadri and Kailash Kher sang “Mangal Mangal” from Mangal Pandey in his devotional voice. Seshadri and Kher then continued on with “Yun Hi Chala” from Swades.

Aditi Rao Hydari came next to mesmerize the audience with her sweet and soothing voice. Gandhi and Seshadri again came to sing the hit number from last year’s “Agar Tum Saath Ho” from Tamasha after which Hariharan embraced the stage with his classic “Tu Hi Re” from

He continued with “Nahin Saamne” from Taal and “Aye Hairathe” and “Tere Bina” from Guru where he was joined by Gandhi yet again; Benny Dayal along with Neeti Mohan sang “Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gayi” from Ghajini and they continued on with “Tu Meri Dost Hai” from Yuvraaj after which Mika Singh came on stage to sing “Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai” from Tamasha.

Taapsee Pannu won the award for Woman of the Year and all performances included background dancers from Arya Dance Academy, who had been promoting the IIFA for the past four months. Actress Alia Bhatt received an award for Best Actress for Udta Punjab.

Other songs that were sung included “Maiyya Maiyya” from Guru, “Tanha Tanha” and “Yaayi Re” from Rangeela and “Sachin.” The show ended with Rahman’s super hit chart buster song “Humma Humma” sung by all artists present including Mohit Chauhan and Javed Ali, who sang a number of their songs composed by Rahman.

Complete List of IIFA Award 2017 Winners:

Best Film: Neerja
Best Actor in a Leading Role Female: Alia Bhatt; Udta Punjab
Best Actor in a Leading Role Male: Shahid Kapoor; Udta Punjab
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Female: Shabana Azmi; Neerja
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Male: Anupam Kher; M.S. Dhoni
Best Debut Female: Disha Patani; M.S. Dhoni
Best Debut Male: Diljit Dosanjh; Udta Punjab
Best Performance in a Comic Role: Varun Dhawan; Dishoom
Best Performance in a Negative Role: Jim Sarbh; Neerja
Best Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury; Pink
Best Story: Ayesha Devitre Dhillon and Shakun Batra; Kapoor & Sons
Best Playback Singer Female: Kanika Kapoor; Da Da Dasse – Udta Punjab, Tulsi Kumar; Soch Na Sake – Airlift
Best Playback Singer Male: Amit Mishra; Bulleya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Music Director: Pritam; Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Best Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya; Channa Mereya – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
Woman of the Year: Taapsee Pannu

Aziz Ansari, the popular Indian American actor, has been nominated for the Television Critics Association Award in the ‘Individual Achievement in Comedy’ category, courtesy his Emmy-winning series, “Master of None.”

The Indian American comedian/actor, was nominated by the Television critics across the country. Aziz, who co-created and stars on the Netflix show, was nominated last year in the same category, but Rachel Bloom walked away with the award.

This year, Ansari is pitted against Pamela Adlon of “Better Things,” Kristen Bell of “The Good Place,” Donald Glover of “Atlanta,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus of “Veep,” Issa Rae of “Insecure,” and Phoebe Waller-Bridge of “Fleabag.”

“Master of None,” which recently wrapped up its second season, has also won a nomination in the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Comedy’ category, alongside FX’s “Atlanta,” ABC’s “black-ish,” Amazon’s “Fleabag,” NBC’s “The Good Place,” and “HBO’s “Veep.”

More than 200 professional TV critics and journalists from the United States and Canada form the TCA. The 2017 TCA Awards recognize outstanding television programming in the 2016-2017 season, honoring actors, producers and programs in a variety of categories, including news and information, youth, reality, drama and comedy.

This year’s nominations are spread across three broadcast networks —ABC, CBS and NBC — as well as PBS, 10 cable networks, and internet-streaming services Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. For the second consecutive year, HBO is in the lead with 12 nominations; FX has 11; Netflix has 10; NBC has seven; Hulu has four; ABC and PBS have three each; Amazon, Disney and Showtime each have two; and A&E, AMC, BBC America, CBS, CNN, ESPN, and TBS finish with one each.

The nominations are remarkable — not because they represent a shift in the way Hollywood is doing business, per se, but because the TV shows and networks that have made an effort to champion diversity in their programming and hiring practices are reaping the rewards in the form of quality shows, which are subsequently being recognized by critics and viewers. It’s the circle of Peak TV.

“This was truly a landmark season for diversity in television, and the TCA nominations reflect this. Our members have chosen a variety of series that celebrate and represent a wide spectrum of performances,” said TCA President Amber Dowling in a statement. “With so many great programs—both new and returning—it was a real challenge for our members to whittle these nominees down. We’re excited to see which programs and performers make the cut as voting now gets underway to determine the TV standouts of the 2016-17 season. The 33rd annual TCA Awards will be announced Aug. 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Leading stars from the Indian film industry, such as Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Aishwarya Rai are among a record 774 people from 57 countries invited to join a group that chooses the annual Oscars as the Academy Awards seek to diversify its predominantly white male membership.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, Irrfan Khan, “Monsoon Wedding” costume designer Arjun Bhasin, writer Sooni Taraporevala and documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan are among other invitees from India. Filmmakers Goutam Ghose and Buddhadeb Dasgupta are also on the list. Indian-origin visual effects director Mohit Kallianpur, behind animated films like “Frozen” and “Tangled,” is also on the list.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced last week that it had invited 774 new members, including Justin Timberlake, Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot and Amy Poehler. It’s the second consecutive year that the organization that gives out the Oscars has broken its own record after it invited 638 last year.

A number of other high-profile actors made the cut, including Riz Ahmed, Priyanka Chopra, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Donald Glover, Dwayne Johnson, Leslie Jones, Channing Tatum, Kristen Stewart and Shailene Woodley.

The Academy has endeavored in recent years to increase diversity among its exclusive ranks, clearly exhibited by this year’s list. The new class, whose members originate from 57 countries, is 39 percent female and 30 percent people of color. This number bumps the overall female membership level to 28 percent, from last year’s 27. People of color will now make up 13 percent of the Academy’s members, versus the previous 11 percent. This effort follows the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2015 and 2016, when all 20 acting nominees were white.

The diversity extends to age as well. At 95, Betty White is the oldest of those invited. (No, she wasn’t already a member.) Elle Fanning, 19, is the youngest. Invited directors include David Ayer (“Suicide Squad”), Garth Davis (“Lion”), Tom Ford (“Nocturnal Animals”), Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) and Jordan Peele (“Get Out”).

A full list of invited members – in various branches, from acting to design to visual effects – is available on the Academy’s website. According to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website, the 2017 invitees come from 57 countries, with the list comprising 39 percent female and 30 percent people of color.

“We’re proud to invite our newest class to the Academy. The entire motion picture community is what we make of it,” Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President, said in a statement. “It’s up to all of us to ensure that new faces and voices are seen and heard, and to take a shot on the next generation the way someone took a shot on each of us.”

The Teen Choice Awards 2017 has anounced the first group of nominations for the upcoming ceremony. Among the nominees are Deepika Padukone, Hasan Minhaj, Lilly Singh who will be vying for the coveted honor as the event allows teens at home to vote on the year’s best movies, music, fashion, comedy, and digital content.

This year, Dwayne Johnson has the distinction of being nominated in three separate categories for three different films, including Choice Action Movie Actor for The Fate of the Furious, Choice Fantasy Movie Actor for Moana, and Choice Comedy Movie Actor for Baywatch.

Hailee Steinfeld also scored three nominations for Choice Female Artist, Choice Song, and Choice Drama Movie Actress for The Edge of Seventeen. Emma Watson also nabbed nominations in separate categories for two different movies with nods for Beauty and the Beast (Choice Fantasy Movie Actress) and The Circle (Choice Drama Movie Actress). Meanwhile, the entire cast of “Pretty Little Liars” – Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Sasha Pieterse, Shay Mitchell and Troian Bellisario – are competing against each other for Choice Drama TV Actress.

This year’s host and presenters have yet to be announced, but Gossip Cop will update as more details about the show are revealed, including the next wave of nominees. The 2017 Teen Choice Awards will air Sunday, August 13 on Fox. See the first wave of nominees below!

“I’ve always dreamt of owning a decorative surfboard!” Hasan Minhaj confessed on Twitter June 20. A subtle hint for his devout fans who can help the Indian American comedian achieve this dream of his. You would ask, how? Well, the nominations for the 2017 Teen Choice Awards – whose winners take home a full-size surfboard as their trophy –  have arrived and fans can vote for their favorite stars. Minhaj, a special correspondent on Comedy Central’s popular late-night news satirical show, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” is currently riding high on the success of his autobiographical show on Netflix, “Homecoming King.”

Deepika Padukone, who made her Hollywood debut in Vin Diesel’s “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” as Serena Unger, is competing with “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” co-actors Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose, “Wonder Woman’s” Gal Gadot, Kaya Scodelario, of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” fame, and Michelle Rodriguez from “The Fate of the Furious.”

Another interesting piece of news for Padukone’s fans is that she will be part of the fourth installment of the “xXx franchise,” as confirmed recently by director D.J. Caruso. This year’s top teen icons in television, music, film, sports, comedy and digital will be celebrated when the choicest, star-studded two-hour event airs live Aug.13.

At a glittering ceremony in Mumbai on June 11, Ruchi Narula, 41, from Patiala, Punjab, was crowned Mrs. Universe Eurasia 2017. At the same pageant, Priyanka Pol was named Mrs. Universe North West Asia 2017, Himani Deswal was named Mrs. Universe East Asia 2017, while Anjali Rajput was crowned Mrs. Universe Asia Queen 2017.

Among the guests present on the occasion were Shibani Kashyap, Preeti Soni, Brinda Pareekh, Akanksha Nimonkar, Kuwar Amar, Rakesh Sabharwal, Alina Mughal, Paulson Thomas, Mukesh Sharma, Keshav, Sonal Lamba, Sonal Handa, Diljaan Wadia, D J Sherwood and Sohail Khan.

The pageant was organized by Tushar Dhaliwal, managing director of Viscera Events and Models Management; and Archana Tomar, director of Archana Tomar Creation and managing director of Tomar group.

Indian movie superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have all landed places among the top 100 in FORBES’ 2017 list of the world’s highest-paid entertainers. The Celebrity 100 measures earnings from June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017, before taxes and management fees. All three have appeared on the list in past years as well.

According to the newly published rankings, the Indian actors’ respective rankings are:

The Forbes list of the ‘World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities of 2017’ has been topped by American rapper and entrepreneur Sean Combs, known by his more famous stage name ‘Diddy,’ with earnings of $130 million.

SRK, 51, ranks 65th on the list, with earnings of $38 million, and is tied with singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. “King Khan continues to bank big from starring roles in Bollywood movies. He also cashes in on endorsement deals for dozens of brands most Americans have likely never heard of,” Forbes said.

Salman is on the 71st spot with $37 million in earnings, tied with English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Forbes said Salman continues to produce and star in films, which earn well at the box office. Akshay, 49, is ranked 80th on the list with earnings of $35.5 million, tied with musician Bon Jovi.  “Kumar, a king of the Bollywood box office for over a quarter of a century, mints millions through both starring and ensemble roles,” Forbes said.

American musicians Diddy and Beyoncé topped the list with respective earnings of $130 million and $105 million. British author J.K. Rowling ranked third with $95 million in income.

Chinese actor Jackie Chan was the highest paid Asian celebrity, ranking No. 39 with $49 million in earnings last year. Nearly all of the top 50 on the celebrity list were North Americans or Brits, with only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (No. 5), Argentina’s Lionel Messi (No. 14), Switzerland’s Roger Federer (No. 23) and Chan cracking the top ranks of the predominantly native English-speaking celebrity elite.

Shah Rukh Khan’s ranking represented a jump of 21 places over last year, when he ranked No. 76 on the list with $33 million in pay. Akshay Kumar popped up 14 spots from last year’s No. 94 ranking and $33 million in income.

In 2015 Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan were the highest ranking Indians at No. 71 and No. 72, with $33.5 million each in earnings. Akshay Kumar was close behind at No. 76, with $32.5 million, and cricket star Mahendra Singh Dhoni landed at No. 82, with $31 million. Next year’s list looks to be the first time that Bollywood star Aamir Khan will join the ranks of the Celebrity 100. With his film Dangal now ensconced as the highest-grossing Indian movie in history, his profit-sharing from that film alone should exceed $40 million, which would likely place him first among Indian celebrities on the 2018 list.

Forbes said together, the world’s 100 highest-paid celebrities banked a cumulative $5.15 billion during the June 2016 to June 2017 scoring period.

Padmalaya Nanda from Odisha, India was bestowed with three titles at the 2017 Little Miss Universe  pageant held at the port city of Batumi in Georgia. She is the first Indian girl to win the honor in the spectacular finale.

The little diva also became the youngest girl to win the titles of ‘Little Miss Universe Grand Prix’, ‘Little Miss Universe Internet 2017’ and ‘Little Miss Actress’. Meanwhile, Miss Dayna Alimbayeva of Kazakhstan stole the Little Miss Universe 2017 crown.

Padmalaya Nanda stood first in the talent round and Royal Anthro Party she exhibited Indian culture by performing Sambalpuri Dance of Odisha. She will now be participating in Little Miss World 2017 that will take place in September in Greece.

The 12-year-old girl bagged the prestigious Golden Crown Little Miss Universe Internet 2017, Little Miss Universe Grand Prix and Little Miss Actress (popularly known Best Talent of the world) at the international beauty contest.

Although, she could not be crowned as the Little Miss Universe 2017, her achievement in three categories at the beauty competition in Georgia brought laurel for India. She is now eying for the crown at Little Miss World 2017 scheduled in Greece. Miss Dayna Alimbayeva of Kazakhstan won the Little Miss Universe 2017 title.

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has announced that this year’s IIFA Festival and Awards Weekend will be held 14-15 July 2017 at the MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The IIFA Awards – also known as the “Bollywood Oscars” – is an international event bringing the biggest Bollywood celebrities together with fans and media in a different country each year. It has all the celebrity and pageantry of Hollywood’s Oscars ceremony, but with a decidedly Bollywood film flavor.

The IIFA Voting is already in motion where members of the Indian film industry cast their votes for nominees in the category of the Popular Awards. The IIFA Voting Weekend marks the advent of the IIFA celebrations each year.

With its “One People, One World” vision, IIFA is bringing the most awaited global event of the year to New York City this year. In an official press conference held on Thursday, June 1, at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, actors Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt expressed their excitement of performing for the IIFAs in the city.

Alia Bhatt said that she is “really, really thrilled” to perform at the IIFAs this year as she “has been trying to be a part of the IIFA journey but somehow it has not happened but I’m really glad that the year it has happened I have two nominations and it’s in New York.”

Bhatt also exclaimed that she can’t wait to come here and perform for the people; she has been dancing in her sleep. Kaif pointed out that it’s been about five or six years since she’s performed at IIFA. “I think they always have the most amazing set up, the most amazing stages and this particular stadium that we are going to be in, is one of the best in the world.” Kaif said.

She added that she is excited as New York is her favorite city as her sister used to study here and she had also come last year with Bhatt for the Dream Team Tour and will get to celebrate her birthday in the city as well.

“I’m really excited and looking forward to perform at the IIFA Awards this year. It is such a great platform that not only showcases the celebration of cinema globally, but also it’s a great opportunity for us to reach out to our fans worldwide,” said Kaif.

Salman Khan has “done about five or six IIFAs till now”, he said. “I’m not bored of it yet and I don’t think I’m ever going to get bored of it,” he said.

Viraf Sarkari, Director of Wizcraft International, the producers and creators of the IIFA movement, called it the greatest global Indian media event as it is the most highly anticipated event each year. MetLife Stadium, which seats 40,000, will be the biggest venue that IIFA has ever been to.

“For the first time in the Big Apple, IIFA will be a truly memorable experience for the audience with a mix of music, dance, culture and cinema. Capturing the very best of India with the use of world class production and a lineup of some of the most sought after Bollywood celebrities, IIFA promises to be a great show at the spectacular MetLife Stadium,” said Sarkari. “We are grateful for all the support and cannot wait for fans to see the Bollywood extravaganza come to life in July,” he added.

Other than Khan, Kaif and Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon will also be performing at the main event. Supporting these stars will be dancers from Arya Dance Academy, based in the US. Arya will also be hosting a dance competition called the IIFA Dance Off, in which two winners will be selected to perform on the stage. To enter the competition, visit bollyshake.com. The main event will be hosted by Karan Johar.

Commenting on the occasion, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio explained, “We are thrilled to welcome IIFA to New York! Our city is home to both a thriving film industry and a dynamic, growing Indian American community. This is an event that will contribute enormously to both the cultural and economic life of our city. We welcome the artists and fans of Indian cinema, and encourage everyone to experience the rich cultural life across the five boroughs while celebrating these groundbreaking films.”

Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra recently made it to Maxim’s list of the Top 100 Hot women from around the globe for the year 2017. Though the list didn’t reveal the position of India’s desi girls still the fans of the two actors were left excited. Now a day after the list was released, it has been revealed that Deepika has beaten Priyanka in the race of being hot and sensuous and has become the Hottest Woman Of The Year. The list also includes names such as Hailey Baldwin, Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Dakota Johnson, Kendall Jenner and more.

After releasing the list, the International Men’s Magazine, MAXIM ran a poll survey across its global audience base to arrive at the woman who topped the list. As the poll results came, Deepika emerged as the clear winner. Sharing the result of the survey, MAXIM tweeted a video with the caption, “Over a million votes later, here’s a little sneak peek at our No. 1 on the #MaximHot100! Stick around for more 😉 #MaximIndia #DPForMaxim.”

According to Maxim, these Indian actresses are “beautiful and bold women who use their platforms—whether Instagram or celebrity megaphone—to define and express themselves.” The list features actresses, athletes, musicians, and models, yes, but also brand builders, entrepreneurs, and voices of a generation, adds the magazine.
The magazine describes Chopra as a former Miss World “who was already a huge star in her native India before she set her sights on the States. Now, with television series ‘Quantico’ and the ‘Baywatch’ movie behind her, she’s out to conquer the world.”

Padukone, who topped the magazine’s India edition, is described as the “Bollywood transplant, who made her debut stateside earlier this year in ‘xXx: The Return of Xander Cage,’ alongside Vin Diesel.” The description goes on to add that she ranks number 10 on Forbes’ 2016 list of the world’s highest paid actresses. Padukone also sizzles on the cover of the latest issue of Maxim India.

Supermodel Hailey Baldwin takes the numero uno position on the list, also appearing on the coveted cover of the international issue. The list includes other famous names like Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Alexandra Daddario, Cara Delevingne, Chrissy Teigen, Adriana Lima, Emma Watson, and Dakota Johnson.

The highest grossing film ever in the history of Indian cinema is now set to make its television debut as an animated series. Riding high on the success of the Baahubali franchise, India’s leading entertainment channel COLORS announced the acquisition of the broadcast satellite rights to the animated series spin-off called, Baahubali: The Lost Legends. The animated series which features all new original stories of the magnum opus from acclaimed filmmaker

S.S. Rajamouli, Graphic India and Arka Mediaworks is slated for a television launch on Colors soon.
Commenting on the procurement of the rights, Raj Nayak, COO – Viacom18 said, “Baahubali has proved to be a landmark film in the history of Indian cinema. Its success is nothing short of a case study for the Indian filmmakers. We at Colors pride ourselves for knowing the pulse of our viewers. Going by the ripples that this masterpiece has generated nationwide, we thought this was the right time to bring to our television audiences the folklores of

‘Baahubali’ which have been captured stunningly in this animated series.”
He further added, “Graphic India’s show has tremendous appeal amongst the viewers as it cuts across age groups and stands out in the cluttered environment. Baahubali with its storyline and characters has created an entire ecosystem that can translate beyond the silver screen and make for excellent content in other mediums. The animated version is just an attempt towards that direction and we’re sure it will mesmerize the TV viewers.”
Baahubali: The Lost Legends has been created by S.S. Rajamouli, Sharad Devarajan and Arka Mediaworks, who are the producers, along with series lead writer, Ashwin Pande and Jeevan J. Kang, Graphic’s EVP Creative and the lead character designer for the new animated series.

On this partnership said celebrated Director, S. S. Rajamouli, “The reach of television as a medium in India is extraordinary, and we’re thrilled to partner with Raj Nayak and COLORS to bring the untold stories of the Mahishmati Kingdom to the television audiences. Our creation of the series with Graphic India and Sharad Devarajan was formed on the idea that we could launch an animated series that would go beyond just kids. With the COLORS’ distribution platform, we will be able to bring Baahubali – The Lost Legends to the millions of people in India from ages eight to eighty.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Shobu Yarlagadda, CEO, Arka Mediaworks, said, “We are delighted that Colors is collaborating with Arka Mediaworks and Graphic India to bring the Baahubali animated series to television. The paradigm shift that Baahubali has brought into the entertainment industry is truly inspiring for all of us, and now with ‘Baahubali: The Lost Legends’ fans of the film can continue to live the journey of Baahubali, Bhallaladeva and all their other favorite characters.”

Said, Sharad Devarajan – Co-Founder & CEO, Graphic India, “The epic storytelling and groundbreaking visuals that S. S. Rajamouli created has captivated millions, and the future of Indian cinema shall now always be defined as ‘before Baahubali’ and ‘after Baahubali’. We are honored to work with Raj Nayak and the amazing team at Colors to bring these new stories of Baahubali to television audiences across the country.”

Filled with intrigue, betrayal, war, action and adventure, the animated series will take audiences on new adventures beyond the film, as we learn for the first time the events that shaped Baahubali from a young prince into a legendary hero and reveal hidden secrets from the world of Baahubali for its millions of fans. ‘Baahubali: The Lost Legends’ was initially launched digitally on Amazon Prime Video and will soon be released through television on Colors.

Hollywood film “The Black Prince”, featuring singer-poet Satinder Sartaaj and veteran actress Shabana Azmi, was awarded the Special Jury Remi Award at the 50th annual Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival. The event’s Gold Remi was also awarded to the film’s Natalie O’Connor for achievement in Art Direction, said a statement.

The film is a historic biopic on the poignant life story of the last king of Punjab – Maharajah Duleep Singh and is set for international release on July 21. Sartaaj, who marks his acting debut with the film, essays the role of Maharajah Duleep Singh while Shabana portrays Rani Jindan, the exiled King’s mother.

The film also features Jason Flemyng, Amanda Root, Keith Duffy, David Essex OBE, Canadian actor Rup Magon and Sophie Stevens.

Produced by Brillstein Entertainment, “The Black Prince” is a period drama written and directed by Hollywood filmmaker Kavi Raz and filmed widely across the Britain and India.

It carefully captures the tragic, yet fascinating true story and legacy of Maharajah Duleep Singh, providing a visual narrative of one of India’s most noble kings, and his fragile relationship with, Queen Victoria, who was Godmother to his children.

Northwestern University’s dance team Anubhav won the 2017 championship title at the Legends Bollywood Dance Championship held in Los Angeles, California, on April 15, marking the group’s third win in a national championship in the last four years.

In addition to taking first overall, Anubhav was also recognized for best choreography, best costumes and best male lead, reported The Daily Northwestern. Ushasi Naha, a team captain of Anubhav, said she was excited to see the group’s hard work pay off. “We have had a pretty successful season, so we’re really happy about that, but Nationals is always a whole new ballgame,” the Weinberg senior said. “We really didn’t have any kind of expectations, so winning was truly a dream.”

Before advancing to the championship, teams compete at various regional competitions which draw applicants from hundreds of teams across the country. The top 10 teams then advance to the final championship, said graduate student Hetal Patel, creative director and founding member of Anubhav.

Anubhav previously won a different national championship, Bollywood America, last year and in 2014. During the fall, the team of about 25 dancers practices four times per week for two hours. In the winter — the main competition season — the group dedicates six days a week to practice, Naha said, reported The Daily Northwestern.

“The weeks leading up to a competition we expect a lot from the team,” she said. “We put in everything we’ve got to get the show as well as it (can) be.”

Each year, the team creates a seven to eight minute story that encompasses a variety of dances and songs, Naha said. This performance is then repeated at the various regional competitions and national championship, she said.

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan was honored at the 60th San Francisco Internationalo Film Festival on April 14 at the Castro Theater. “King” Khan as he is known to his millions of fans, was cheered lustily after the receiving the award. The Festival had a special onstage tribute – stepped out looking dapper in a black suit amidst the inevitable pop of flashbulbs, and cheering fans, a sight that was hard for onlookers to fathom. Later on, he participated in a conversation onstage with Brett Ratner following a screening of his 2010 hit “My Name Is Khan.”

“It is a great honor to welcome one of the world’s most recognized film personalities,” said SFFILM’s executive director Noah Cowan. “Above Shah Rukh Khan’s fame as an actor is a man known for his pervasive curiosity about the world around him, about technology, about our collective future. Khan is among the most engaging figures in any field and this night, in conversation with Hollywood wizard Brett Ratner, will be among the most memorable of this year’s festival events.”

The scale of Khan’s popularity was clearly reflected when braving a chilly evening, hundreds of young Indian American fans in party attire queued up outside the theater here, some for more than five hours, to be a part of an intimate conversation with the actor, producer, and humanitarian exploring his unique balance between commercially-minded cinema and artistic values, which was moderated by famed Hollywood director and producer Brett Ratner.

Khan said that he was “humbled” to be honored with the likes of John Ridley and Ethan Hawke, which somehow reminded him that what he was doing was not as simple as he would like to believe, and that it does touch people’s lives.

“I feel wonderful being here. I was just telling my team that it makes me feel at home because so many people from Southeast Asia and South Asia come down and make you feel as if you are home. So thank you everyone who is standing outside. I would like to come see everyone before I leave,” Khan told India-West. And he did, where once again the fans went into a frenzy trying to get close to their idol, take selfies, present bouquets as the actor made a round to shake his fans’ hands before leaving the venue.

“I long to not blush when you say such nice things about me but this makes me feel extremely special, and I thank the San Francisco Film Festival, Noah, Josh, and everyone who has got me here, all of you who are here and everyone who is standing outside,” Khan was quoted to have told the m3edia. “I have kept it very simple for 25 years. From the outside, it might seem complicated that I do special stuff but I do ordinary stuff. I tell my children this again and again that the only thing I do different from other fathers is that I wear makeup in the morning. I just get up and go do a job and I hope like everybody else I get right again this time. I have been fortunate that more often than not I have got it right. That’s the only strength. I hope I make a film, lots of people like it in whatever context, and smile a lot when they watch it.”

Accomplished actor and singer Priyanka Chopra has added another feather to her cap: she is now the second most beautiful person in the world, edging past Angelina Jolie, Emma Stone, Michelle Obama and Gigi Hadid among others, according to a poll run by website Buzznet. Beyonce was voted  the most beautiful women in the world.

The 34-year-old Quantico actress beat the likes of Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson, Michelle Obama and secured the second place. Topping the charts was the Queen Bee, Beyonce.

After receiving the ‘title’ of being the ‘2nd Most Beautiful Woman of 2017’, Priyanka Chopra took to Twitter to express her gratitude and also praised Beyonce for being the undisputed number one. The Indian American actress took to Twitter and expressed her gratitude, “Thank u @BUZZNET and all who voted. @Beyonce is my number 1 too!!”

Model and Victoria’s Secret angel Taylor Hill is at number three followed by Watson, Dakota Johnson and Hillary Clinton at fourth, fifth and sixth position respectively. Jolie is on eighth number, while this year’s Oscar winner Emma Stone is at number 12. Supermodel Gigi Hadid is on 13 position and the former first lady is on number 21.

From being called Hollywood’s most bankable badass by Marie Claire, to being among the top paid television actors, Chopra has made her mark in Hollywood. A regular guest on large night talk shows, and gaining recognition in the mainstream as Alex Parish in “Quantico,” Chopra is now gearing up for her film “Baywatch”, starring Seth Gordon, Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, scheduled to release on May 26.

Recently, the actress took her fans by surprise by flaunting her new talent. She took to her Instagram and shared a picture, her painting. She captioned the snap, “Sunday shenanigans.. thank u @jazmasri @mdesante for the lesson!! #paintingisfun.” In the picture, Chopra is seen holding a palette and painting her imagination on a canvas.

Chopra ranks among the top paid television actors in the world by Forbes Magazine, and Priyanka Chopra has been making a global impact with her series Quantico which just got renewed for a third season.

Priyanka Chopra will also be making her much awaited Hollywood debut in Baywatch which has been directed by Seth Gordon, starring Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach and Jon Bass.

The unerring sense of calm is palpable when she slides her fingers on the strings of her sitar. Music composer and sitar player Anoushka Shankar serenaded music lovers with Indian classical compositions at The Town Hall in New Jersey on April 5.

This reverential love towards the process of music-making is visible as she performs to the track that is part of her recently-released album, ‘Home,’ a pure Indian classical album which showcases the meditative and virtuosic qualities of the Indian rang.

Dressed in a white lehenga, Shankar looked as pure and divine as the music she played for nearly two hours. Accompanied by classical Indian instruments like the tanpura, tabla, shehnaai and the mridagangam, the six-time Grammy nominated musician demonstrated her command over the sitar, an instrument she learned at a young age from her father.

The fact that the album had won the sitar virtuoso her fifth Grammy nomination not only goes to show her extraordinary prowess, but also makes it clear that the music Pandit Ravi Shankar exposed the world to, rests safely in the hands of his talented daughter Anoushka Shankar.

Shankar, the daughter of sitar master Pandit Ravi Shankar and one of his most dedicated students, performed music and started the evening with Raag Jogeshwari, a melodious and straightforward raag, created by Pandit Ravi Shankar, followed by Anoushka Shankar’s very own yet to release composition “Jannat” based on her father’s Raag Janasammohini.

Post break, the 35-year-old performed an extended “Pancham Se Gara,” the last track and one of the well known pieces from her first album “Anourag”, released in 2000. This piece draws its substance from the famous Gara raga that was widely used in many classical indian pieces.

Constantly interacting with her fellow musicians and flashing her signature smile, Shankar kept the tempo up, as each musician performed a solo piece in the last act, followed by a tabla and mridamgam jugalbandi which got many in the audience tapping their feet and clapping their hands to the beat of the music.

The context of home means a lot to people these days, especially in today’s political and social scenario, Shankar said, speaking about her album “Home” on which the show was based. You know you always have a home to go back to, and that’s what sometimes makes you go away from it, she said, referring to her musical experiments as well as her classical background which she keeps coming back to. “I tried to stay connected with my roots while trying to grow into new music,” she said. “I hadn’t made a classical record in a while, so I felt a deep desire to do that but I knew I’d continue to explore and experiment.”

Shankar was accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on tabla, Pirashanna Thevarajah on mridangam, Sanjeev Shankar on shehnaai, Ravichandra Kulur on the flute and Harsha Vishwanathan and Kenjo Ota on the tanpura.

At 35, Anoushka Shankar has become a successful musician in her own right. She has been playing the sitar from childhood and has her own style which has developed into a musical program encompassing the classical Indian traditions of the instrument but with clear and innovative adaptations creating a very distinctive offering.

Shankar has been recognized as the youngest and first female recipient of a British House of Commons Shield and named an “Asian Hero” by Time magazine. She resides in London with her husband playwright Joe Wright and their two sons Zubin Shankar Wright, 5, and Mohan Shankar Wright, 2.

“I have always tried to approach music from a personal level as much as possible. I don’t believe that you can make music from a form of pressure. From the spirit point of view, music has to come from the heart and only because you are passionate about it. If I stay connected to the fact that I play music because I love it… everything else falls in place,” the young prodigy says.

Indian-origin British director Gurinder Chadha has been honored with the 2017 Sikh Jewel Award for her immense contribution to British cinema. Chadha, whose films include “Bhaji on the Beach,” “Bend It Like Beckham” and “Bride and Prejudice,” received the award from Michael Fallon, U.K. Defense Secretary, at the Vaisakhi dinner organized by the British Sikh Association at the Lancaster Hotel here March 23.

The high commissioner of India to the U.K., Y. K. Sinha, who was the guest of honor, was also present on the dais. Chadha’s latest film, “Viceroy’s House” tells the true story of the final five months of British rule in India and coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Independence of India and the founding of Pakistan.

Upon receiving the award, Chadha said, “Some people use religion to divide – that is the theme of my film – and also the atrocities inflicted on us. It is a fair film.” Jasminder Singh, OBE, chairman and founder of Edwardian Hotels, writer, broadcaster and communications consultant Jagjeet Singh Sohal, and Khalsa Aid, founded in 1999, also received the Sikh Jewel Awards.

In his address, Sinha said, “We were really touched when we saw the films screened on the occasion depicting the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, mostly Sikhs and Gurkhas in the two world wars, winning more laurels than others.”

“Sacrifices made by Sikhs are always remembered in India. The Government of India and the people of India gratefully acknowledge the contributions made by Sikhs,” added Sinha.

Fallon said he would be visiting India next month and will “utilize the opportunity to have greater defense cooperation between Britain and India.”

“Sadly, the contribution of over a million Indian soldiers in each great war is not taught in British schools and if it were, there would be a better understanding about our shared history,” said Dr. Rami Ranger, CBE, chairman of the British Sikh Association.

He urged the defense secretary to convey “our request to the education secretary that the contribution of Commonwealth countries in preserving our freedom is taught in schools, especially in the wake of Brexit when we will need to revisit and renew our tried and tested bond of friendship with these allies.”

Ranger also asked Member of Parliament Virendra Sharma and Councilor Julien Bell, leader of the Ealing Council to grant the association the opportunity to erect a “befitting memorial in Southall to pay tribute to a community for its supreme sacrifices for our freedom.”

The British Sikh Association also signed the Armed Forces Covenant alongside Fallon, to formally recognize the strong ties between the Sikh community and the armed forces.

There’s probably no one more excited for the 2017 film adaptation of “Baywatch” than Priyanka Chopra. “I loved ‘Baywatch’ so much growing up,” said the 34-year-old actress in Marie Claire’s April 2017 issue. “It was the quintessential American Dream. All those beautiful people in bathing suits, running slo-mo on the beach in Malibu — amazing!”

Global superstar Priyanka Chopra rocked Las Vegas at this year’s CinemaCon appearing with her co-stars at a special presentation for their upcoming summer comedy BAYWATCH. Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and other stars from the Paramount Pictures film joined Chopra at Caesars Palace to promote the highly anticipated motion picture which hits theaters on May 26 over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Chopra will be appearing in the upcoming film adaptation opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Zac Efron, Charlotte McKinney and Kelly Rohrbach. Former “Baywatch” stars David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson will also appear in the lifeguard-centric film.

“I’m not someone who looks for love,” she told the beauty magazine. “I don’t believe in making it happen. My life has been shaped by so many serendipitous moments so far, I feel like, ‘Why screw with a good thing?’”

And while Chopra has achieved her American Dream by appearing in “Baywatch,” she still hasn’t achieved her ultimate dream yet: having children and lots of them. “As many as I can,” confirmed Chopra. “I love kids. Love, love kids. I prefer their company to the company of adults, actually.”

Rolling Meadows, IL – iCAN finale night was a dazzling affair as the crème-de-la-crème of Chicagoland added to the glamour quotient and made it a memorable evening on March 18th 2017, The event started with red carpet welcome for all the iCAN nominees. The evening celebrated the achievements of real community heroes with much fanfare and spirit. The show saw some of the most prolific personalities from Chicago’s Indian American Political, Social, Business and Entertainment community walk in along with 200 Plus Award nominees. Amidst fabulous performances, entertainment and glamour, iCAN honored the contributions of these community heroes by giving away its 1st iCAN Trophies to the most deserving social workers, community leaders, and performers across various categories.

With about 700 nominations in various categories and over 100,000 votes, the event had all the trappings of the world famous Academy Awards. The electrifying performance of 150 artists was an icing on the cake.  The presence of the 40 generous sponsors was a great morale booster for all those who were associated with the conceptualization and execution of the whole event.

Neeta Bhushan, Hon’ble Consul General of India in Chicago, who was the Chief Guest at the event, had great appreciation for the high profile event which, she said, reminded her of the Oscars!!!!   “It’s a moment of great pride to bring the community leaders from different walks of life under one roof and to recognize their spectacular services to the community in a grand function”, she said.

The event, which was a star-studded affair, had all the looks of the world famous Academy Awards. The evening had it all from the Red carpet to the interviews of the top listed nominees, with a special social hour to interact with gorgeous people all around surrounded by yummy appetizers to start and then the show began! Many nominees were heard saying that they felt like a STAR! Jassi Parmar and Mohan Rawat, the very versatile and highly talented EMCEE’s, made the evening a memorable experience for the audience.

The awards ceremony started with presenting Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Bharat Barai-Panna, who is a very eminent Indian Community Leader and recipient of President award.  Dr. Deepak Kant Vyas, Chairman  & CEO of Redberri Corporation was awarded with Special Jury Award. Harold D’Souza was awarded with iCAN Humanitarian Services Award. Pride of Community Award was awarded to Sonal Rawal. The winner of the Best Community Promoter Award was presented to Dr. Uma Katiki. The awards night continued with Best Restaurant Award – and the winner for the award was Cuisine of India- Rahul Sehgal. Best Chef award was awarded to Chef Raghu Singh from India House.  Community Health and Fitness award was awarded to Vidya Nahar.  iCAN Friend of India was Mayor Bill McLeod from Hoffman Estates, He said he is very proud and humbled to receive this award on behalf of the people of Hoffman Estates.

Lifetime Achievement Award 2 for Outstanding Humanitarian Service was presented to Satnam Singh Aulakh.  iCAN Jury Award 2 was awarded to Ami Patel. Best Entrepreneur Female was awarded to Dr. Anuja Gupta, Fashion Icon Female was awarded to Aishwarya Sharma. iCAN Jury Award 2 for Outstanding Community Service was presented to Hemangini Shastri, iCAN Youth Achiever Award was awarded to Saloni and Savani Nagarkar sisters that teach kids about coding. Youth Icon Award was won by Suhanee Patel.  Student of the Year Award winner was Nipun Dubey iCAN Jury Award 3, Young Achiever award was presented to Roni Akurati.

Best Singer Male was Mandeep Singh Saini, Best Singer Female was Nipa Shah, Best Volunteer award winner was Rajeev Bharel, and Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Senior Service was Haribhai Patel. Best Dancer Female was Kajol Topiwala, Best Choreographer was Sweta Bhagwakar, Best Entrepreneur Male was Rahul Wahi, Best Innovator was Anil Oroskar. Lifetime Achievement Award 4 for Outstanding Community Service was Jayantilal Thakkar. Best Performing Artist was awarded to Ashley Singh, Most Emerging Personality winner was Natasha Trikha. Fashion Icon Male was Syed Hussaini. Most Humble Person was Swapna Pula. Social Media King winner was Noman Khan, Social Media Queen was Farah Khan, Best wife Biwi No 1 winner was Farhana Bukhari, Best Couple Jodi No 1 winner was Puneet and Sim Sabarwal. Best Show Promoter Group was SAHIL and LA TAN, Best Dance Group/ Academy was Kalashree Dance Academy. Best Community Leader was awarded to Moon Khan. Best Community Organization was  Blind Foundation for India. iCAN Jury Award for Best Community volunteer Organization was Sant Nirankari Mission, Chicago.

The iCAN Awards Night was launched in association with Star Plus & Life OK, 2 of the leading TV channels along with 40+ local sponsors. The event felicitated people from the Chicagoland’s Indian Community, who have done a remarkable job in their field and have served as an inspiration to others. A total of 38 awards were presented in the field of dance, music, community, health, performing arts et al. The event was lit with vibrant performers, a total of 108 to be exact. “I have been to a lot of community events, but have never witnessed an award show of this magnitude”, opined the audience unanimously.

Graphic India, Arka Mediaworks and acclaimed filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, announced the release of, “Baahubali: Battle Of The Bold,” an exclusive new digital comic available for FREE this week, only on the Graphic Pop app available in Google Play for all Android devices.

The Graphic Pop app is currently being featured on Google Play and available at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.graphicpop.reader.asia&hl=en

“Graphic India has been the leading force in original comics and animation for India. I am thrilled to be working with them to finally bring our fans this untold story of Baahubali which will reveal new insights about the characters from the film in a story about an epic tournament that shaped Prince Baahubali’s life early on,” said acclaimed filmmaker and Baahubali creator, S.S. Rajamouli.

Baahubali : Battle Of The Bold, takes place years before the events of the film, this never before seen story showcases a younger Baahubali and Bhallaladeva taking part in an epic and deadly tournament of champions, competing against fearsome warriors from around the world. At stake is the honor of Sivagami and the kingdom of Mahishmati. The price for failure? Death! The comic book adventure is an essential new piece to the Baahubali story and a must read for all fans of the film.

“Baahubali has redefined Indian cinema and created a world that transcends the movie screen and can embrace its fans with experiences across comics, animation and games,” added Graphic India Co-Founder & CEO, Sharad Devarajan. “As a gift to all the fans of the film, this new Baahubali adventure is available for free to everyone this week through the Graphic POP app on Google Play.”

“We are excited to continue to expand our partnership with Graphic India to release this new Baahubali digital comic experience.” Commented Shobu Yarlagadda, CEO of Arka Mediaworks, “The quality of this first Baahubali graphic novel captures the high visual art and storytelling that we are sure will appeal to both the fans of the film as well as to comic book readers across the country.”

In addition to the new comics, Graphic and Arka are also working on a larger animated series event, entitled, “Baahubali: The Lost Legends,” which is in production and was recently announced in partnership with Amazon Prime Video.

As India’s leading comic creator, the Graphic POP! app also features numerous other Graphic India comics available for FREE including, CHAKRA THE INVINCIBLE; 18 DAYS; DEVI, SHADOW TIGER, MYTHS OF INDIA, THE MIGHTY YETI and many more, with new FREE comics added every week, available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

“Baahubali”, India’s most expensive film, is Arka’s most ambitious project till date. A two-part film, Part I – “Baahubali: The Beginning” released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam simultaneously in 5000 plus screens world-wide and collecting over Rs 600 crores at the Box Office.

Grammy Award winner and global pop sensation Justin Bieber will make his way to India with his Purpose World Tour in May this year, media reports here say. The 22-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter will perform hits like “Where Are Ace Now”, “Boyfriend”, “Love Yourself”, “Company”, “As Long As You Love Me”, “What Do You Mean?”, “Baby” and “Purpose”, at the DY Patil Stadium here on May 10.

“Justin Bieber is the biggest artiste of our time and attracts a universal fan base across all ages. This tour is one of the most successful in the world at the moment and will further enhance India’s current cultural repertoire,” Arjun Jain, Director, White Fox India, the sole promoters of the tour, said in a statement.

The organizers are working towards making it one of the biggest live music act witnessed in recent times in India. “Justin Bieber will be bringing an extraordinarily epic show propelled by state of the art production and of a magnitude that the country has not witnessed in recent times. There are few artistes who warrant such a dedicated fan base as Justin Bieber,” Jain said.

“He enjoys over 80 per cent dedicated fan following in India and we envisage one of the biggest live events of the year,” Jain added. The negotiations for bringing the Purpose Tour to India were on for six months.

“We are expecting a full house on May 10… This tour will place India on the global map and open up avenues for other artistes of the similar stature who may want to consider India as part of their touring roster,” Jain said. Bieber’s latest jaunt is in support of his fourth album “Purpose”, wherein he has experimented with more exploratory electronic sounds.

The Indian dance performance collective The Kathak Ensemble & Friends returns to New York this spring in an all new Indian-influenced contemporary dance work speaking to the universal repression of women. Based on the eight groundbreaking (Pakistani) Urdu poems first published in 1990, WE SINFUL WOMEN will premiere at Danspace Project, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, 131 East 10th Street, Thursday, March 2 through Saturday March 4 at 8pm, with an artist Q/A following the performance on Friday, March 3.

Created by Kathak Ensemble & Friends Artistic Director Janaki Patrik, the work will feature six female dancers and original commissioned music by two-time Canadian Grammy winner and composer Kiran Ahluwalia.

In WE SINFUL WOMEN, Janaki Patrik seeks to give voice, through melody and movement, to the words of the female Urdu poets Ishrat Aafreen, Kishwar Naheed, Zehra Nigah and Fahmida Riaz. Protesting the suffocating repression in their physical and emotional lives, these poets courageously wrote with both confrontational anger and ecstatic lyricism.

Combining classical and modern genres from far and wide have become a norm among artists in the greater New York City area and beyond. Schooled in Indian music, these artists combine not just Eastern and Western music, but also the traditional and modern music from different countries including in Africa and Latin America.

According to Ms. Patrik, “I was first introduced to WE SINFUL WOMEN while at Columbia University studying Indic languages, and the poems resonated. I tried to create a work not about the polish and speed of classical Kathak, but about women’s fierce assertion of their selfhood. Each poem projects it’s own distinct mood – humorous, sad, ironic, romantic, tongue-in-cheek, triumphant. Musical accompaniment is similarly unique for each poem: COUNTERCLOCKWISE starts with the sound of a tape rewinding; JURAT is sung in the intimate style developed in a 19th Century mehfil (gathering); IMAGE/Reflection is structured like a question-answer straight out of North Indian classical music.

“This is not classical Indian dance. And the poets do not consider their texts “feminist” poetry either. Instead the dance, poetry and music join in expressing what it is to be a woman – her tender feelings, her pride, her resistance to efforts to destroy her selfhood, her sadness at consistent denigration by those in power – whether political or religious – who made it impossible for her to worship, love, create and even live with an open heart,” she said.

According to composer Kiran Ahluwalia, “for each poem I listened to Janaki’s ideas of the type of movement that it suggested to her, the images that she associated with it, and the mood that it elicited for her.  This is a daring project and it is challenging to put such politically charged text to dance and even to music – but Janaki has unique ideas for the poems and her vision inspired me in composing the melodies and rhythms.”

First published in 1990 in Lahore, Pakistan, and in 1991 in London, the poetry collection WE SINFUL WOMEN (edited by Rukhsana Ahmad) gave a glimpse of the situation in which women had few rights, and their dance and poetry were considered blasphemous. The production embodies the outrage and tenderness encapsulated in the concentrated language of poetry and dance.

KATHAK has its roots in North Indian village storytelling.  It’s vocabulary of gestures and facial expressions are perfectly suited to representing the emotions and situations in these poems. This March 2-4, her dance troupe, Kathak Ensemble & Friends, presents “We Sinful Women” at Danspace Project, St. Mark’s Church in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

(Dallas, Texas – February 10, 2017) Now in its third year, the Dallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), taking place from March 3rd to 5th at the Perot Museum (downtown Dallas) and AMC Village on the Parkway 9 (Addison), will showcase 19 shorts, documentaries and feature films, over a three-day-period.

The closing night film will be the North American premiere of Ananth Mahadevan’s Marathi biopic “Doctor Rakhmabai,” starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, the queen of independent cinema, in the title role. It is the story of India’s first practicing lady doctor, social rebel and medical pioneer who paved the way for a fight against gender discrimination. “Not only will this be our closing night film, it will also nicely round out the women’s programming at our festival,” said founder and director, Jitin Hingorani.

The entire festival schedule is as follows: Friday, March 3rd – Opening Night Screening, Red Carpet & VIP Reception at Perot Museum (downtown Dallas) from 6 p.m. to midnight.

On Saturday, March 4th – Shorts, Documentaries, Centerpiece Programming at AMC Village on the Parkway 9 (Addison) from 11 a.m. to midnight: And, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Youth Programming; “India in a Day” (documentary) will be followed by winning videos of Parish School’s  “One Minute Smartphone Video” contest & scholarships.

“The highlights of our programming this year are a focus on Marathi regional cinema with one short and two feature films in that language,” said Ambica Dev, the festival’s artistic director. “You’ll also notice themes of Indo-Pak (Hindu/Muslim) programming sprinkled throughout, given that 2017 is the 70th anniversary of India and Pakistan’s independence. Finally, we are proud to say that almost one-third of our films have a child as the central or prominent character.”

Actors, Directors & Producers in attendance at the festival include Satish Kaushik – actor/producer/writer/director; Viveck Vaswani – actor/producer/writer; Tannishtha Chatterjee – actor; Sayani Gupta – actor; Rupak Ginn- actor; Mehreen Jabbar – director; Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy – director; Mian Adnan Ahmed – director; and Sami Khan – director.
JINGO Media, a Dallas and NYC-based, public relations and events management company, produces the annual festival of South Asian independent cinema in North Texas. The third iteration of the festival boasts 19 curated shorts, documentaries and feature films (over a three-day period), which will focus on issues affecting South Asians and explore the lives and stories of the Diaspora working and living in the United States.

“All-access” festival passes, which provide admission to all of the films, networking events and after parties, are currently available for the early-bird price of $150 before February 15th, after which the price increases to $175. Trailers, synopses and ticketing information are all available on the festival’s web site, www.dfwsaff.com. ;

The film earned nominations for Best Motion Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography

January 24, 2017 – New York, NY – The Weinstein Company’s (TWC) film LION was nominated for six Academy Awards^® this morning by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the following categories: Best Motion Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Dev Patel, Best Supporting Actress for Nicole Kidman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will hand out their awards at the 89^th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 26^th, 2017.

LION marks the 26^th Best Picture nomination for legendary film producer Harvey Weinstein, and has been hailed as this year’s crowd pleasing awards contender. The six nominations for the studio, across major categories, put them back in the awards race.

TWC plans to expand the film on February 3^rd in the hopes of benefiting from the historical boost in box office typically associated with an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

Dev Patel made history today with his Best Supporting Actor nomination, a first for the actor, and the third ever for any actor of Indian decent. Patel, who plays the adult Saroo, is currently back in India filming his next project, HOTEL MUMBAI, for TWC.

Patel commented: “Ok, so I just received a call to say that I’ve been nominated for an Academy Award…To be totally honest, the news hasn’t made its way into my brain yet, but I’m looking at these beautiful smiling faces around me… Faces of the ones I love. And I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. What makes this moment so much more poignant is that I’m in India right now. This enthralling country holds such a deep place in my heart, and it is where Saroo’s journey was born. This film would be nothing without Garth Davis. Without his love, commitment and vision this “Lion” wouldn’t have been able to roar. To that extent I want to share this incredible feeling with Luke, Grieg, Jenny Kent, Iain, Angie, Emile, Sunny, Nicole, David, Rooney, Divian, Priyanka, the Brierley family as well as the Weinstein Co. team. Lion reaffirms the message that love is not dictated by the color of your skin, not by race, gender, sexuality, social status, or origin. It is a message I am proud to be spreading during these uncertain times. This will forever be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.”

Nicole Kidman, who received her fourth Academy Award nomination this morning, commented: “I want to tha

…

As part of the Republic Day 2017 event, an intensely contested Antakshari event resulted in four teams consisting of Surili Iyers, Burmaniacs, Lets Nacho With Cheese and Atom Bomb competing in the finals. Congratulations to Namita Deshpande and Parag Singh of Atom Bomb, who won the competition.

This was the first time competitive Antakshari was conducted at this scale in the New England region. Kudos to the IAGB team lead by Aditi Taylor to create and execute a wonderful event. It was professionally done.

Grand Finale Teams are: Team Atom Bomb – Namita Deshpande and Parag Singh – Winner; Team Burmaniacs – Anish Desai and Krishna Desai – 1st Runner Up; Team Let’s Nacho With Cheese – Santosh Rao and Yogitha Parayil Team – 2nd Runner Up; and, Team Surile Iyers – Vidya Iyer and Prakash Iyer – 3rd Runner Up.

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra made India proud yet again when she was chosen as the Favourite Dramatic TV Actress over American actresses Ellen Pompeo, Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis at the People’s Choice Awards 2017.

It is Priyanka’s second People’s Choice Award as she bagged her first one in the Favourite Actress in a New TV series category last year for “Quantico”, in which she plays Alex Parrish. The role has given her unprecedented popularity in the US as it even paved the way for her to become a star presenter at the Oscars and Golden Globes ceremonies.

Looking subtle and elegant in a peach tube dress with minimal make-up for the gala, Priyanka was overwhelmed when her name was announced as the winner in the Favourite Dramatic TV Actress category here on Wednesday night.

After winning, the 34-year-old former Miss World, who was recently injured on the set of “Quantico”, said: “Every single woman that was nominated with me today… All of these incredible actresses were the reason that I joined television.

“They were the reason that I wanted to be the actor that I am here today, receiving this award, and being in the same category as them is just so overwhelming.” The actress also thanked the entire cast and crew of “Quantico”, her first Hollywood project.

“I am really psyched. Can I do a little wiggle? I am sorry it’s the concussion talking… This (award) means the world to me,” added the actress, whose “Baywatch” co-star Dwayne Johnson cheered for her.

The People’s Choice Awards, held at the Microsoft Theater and hosted by actor-comedian Joel McHale, celebrated the best and the brightest in music, film, television and social media.

Singer Britney Spears and 2016 3D computer-animated film “Finding Dory” emerged as the big winners at the gala, where popular Indo-Canadian online personality Lilly Singh also won an honor.

The Los Angeles red carpet premiere for xXx: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE was held on January 19 with stars Deepika Padukone, Vin Diesel and other cast members and celebrity guests attending. The film is now playing in theaters across North America.

The New York Asian Women’s Center is a leader in providing innovative and award-winning multilingual and culturally responsive services to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual violence and elder abuse. For 35 years, it has helped Asian women and their children rise above trauma and build a path to healing through counseling, safe and confidential emergency housing, immigration and legal services, economic empowerment programs and so much more.

NYAWC representatives will make major announcements about the organization’s remodeled brand, expanded advocacy efforts and a virtual reality short film, produced by Facebook and Oculus, which will have its public premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, this month. They will also announce the opening of a brand new community office in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where they will be providing their innovative services to more women, children and families in need.

One-on-one interviews, photo opportunities and video clips will be provided upon request at this invitation-only press conference. Media RSVP is mandatory. You must present valid photo ID to building security.

New York Asian Women’s Center (NYAWC) Media luncheon featuring Larry Lee (Executive Director), Karen Elizaga (Board Chair), Benjamin Ross (Film Director), Queen V (Indie Rock Artist) and Brittany (South Asian survivor of sexual violence and subject of short film) is planned for Tuesday, January 24, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kirkland & Ellis Law Firm, 601 Lexington Avenue, 50th floor (between 53rd and 54th Streets in Manhattan).

The 3rd annual DFW South Asian Film Festival (SAFF) will have a new home in Addison, Texas, starting in 2017. The third installment of curated, award-winning shorts, documentaries and feature films from the South Asian region (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives and Bhutan) will premiere in North Texas from March 3 to 5, 2017. The opening night feature film will be screened on Friday, March 3 at the Hoglund Foundation Theater of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by a VIP cocktail reception at the Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall (3rd floor of the Perot Museum) in downtown Dallas. The rest of the line-up will be showcased at the AMC Village on Parkway 9 in Addison on March 4 and 5, incorporating panel discussions with attending filmmakers, after-parties and networking events.

“The Town of Addison is honored to welcome the 3rd annual DFW South Asian Film Festival,” said Addison Mayor Todd Meier. “Addison has a vibrant arts community, and this event will help expand our profile to reach film enthusiasts from all over North Texas.”

JINGO Media, a Dallas and NYC-based, public relations and events management company, produces the annual festival of South Asian independent cinema in North Texas. The third iteration of the festival boasts 15 curated shorts, documentaries and feature films (over a three-day period), which will focus on issues affecting South Asians and explore the lives and stories of the Diaspora working and living in the United States.

“In our third year, we are establishing ourselves as a colorful thread in the fabric of North Texas,” said festival founder and director Jitin Hingorani. “Based on the trends of the past two years, we anticipate about a quarter of our festival audience will be non South-Asians, which means that the Texas mainstream population is slowly, but surely, embracing South Asian independent cinema.”

In addition to the opening night, centerpiece and closing night films, the festival will also showcase thought-provoking, edgy shorts and docs, along with women’s programming, men’s programming, LGBT programming and family programming. “All-access” festival passes, which provide admission to all of the films, networking events and after parties, are currently available on www.dfwsaff.comfor the early-bird price of $150 before February 1, after which the price increases to $175. Individual screenings are $15 per person, but due to sold-out shows, limited tickets will be available at the theater. The entire festival line-up will be unveiled on the festival’s web site in early February.

Aziz Ansari says he loves shooting in New York City. There’s the free food, there are the strange passersby who aren’t afraid of a little exposure, and there are the moments when revered indie directors might just happen to be in your neighborhood. The “Master of None” star was speaking at the Gotham

Awards on Nov. 28, where he received the “Made In New York” prize.
Ansari, who also won an Emmy alongside co-creator Alan Yang for their Netflix series, expressed his love for New York City-based production during his acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, CBS News reported.

“You guys know how boring it is to shoot somewhere and have zero chance of ruining a take because someone is urinating? Or someone is yelling, ‘Aziz!’ in the middle of a long one-ner?” he told the audience.

When Ansari and Yang first talked about creating “Master of None” years ago, Ansari recalled they were in Los Angeles shooting for “Parks and Recreation,” and were talking about the television show they both wanted to do together. “We only wanted to do 10 episodes – no more – and I wanted to shoot the show in New York,” the 33-year-old said.

“I really do feel like I was made in New York,” Ansari said. “If I did not move here, I would not have this career that I have, that I love and that excites me every day, and I really do feel like I owe it all to the city of New York. He moved to New York in 2000 to go to school at NYU. “Without New York, I would probably be living in South Carolina,” he said.

Ansari began his career performing stand-up comedy in New York City during mid-2000 while attending New York University. In 2007, he created and starred in the MTV sketch comedy show “Human Giant”, which ran for two seasons. He has also acted in feature films, including “Funny People”, “I Love You Man”, “Observe and Report” and “30 Minutes or Less”.

In addition to his acting work, Ansari has continued to work as a stand-up comedian. He released his debut CD/DVD, entitled “Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening” in January 2010 on Comedy Central Records. In 2010 and 2011, he performed his “Dangerously Delicious” tour. He completed his third major tour of new material, “Buried Alive” in the summer of 2013. His fourth major comedy special, “Live at Madison Garden” was released on Netflix in 2015. His first book, “Modern Romance: An Investigation, was released in June 2015.

A coming of age story of a shy student who uses a family trip to an old Anglo-Indian town as an escape from his failed semester will open the 13th annual edition of the South Asian International Film Festival, Nov. 30. The five-day festival, to be held at the East Village Cinemas in lower Manhattan will screen a select combination of full-length films, shorts, and documentaries in a variety of genres.

Set in 1979, Konkona Sen Sharma’s directorial feature “A Death in the Gunj”, starring an ensemble cast of Vikrant Massey, Tillotama Shome, Om Puri, Tanuja, Gulshan Devaiah, Kalki Koechlin, Jim Sarbh, and Ranvir Shorey, tells the story of Shyamal Chatterjee (Massey). At the outset, his family trip to McCluskiegunj has the makings of a perfect family holiday, but something is amiss. In the week that follows, Shyamal’s quiet unraveling is overlooked by the family revelers, until the holiday ends with an implosion.

Described as the largest film premiere destination for South Asian filmmakers in the United States, SAIFF was founded in New York City due to the lack of support for many emerging filmmakers and the overall underrepresentation of Indian cinema in a capital that is recognized by the world as the birthplace of independent filmmaking, according to the festival website. The festival is committed to exhibiting films from South Asia (i.e India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal) and within the Indian diaspora.

“Shor se Shuruaat”, an omnibus feature of mentored short films around the central theme of noise will close the festival, Dec. 4. It includes seven films from seven different directors, conveying seven different stories on the same theme. From freedom of speech getting stifled, to someone experiencing noise for the first time, to a dysfunctional world where one lives within the constraints of what is acceptable sound, to the cynical noise of this commercialized world, to the deafening silence of a death row inmate and his need for sound, to the unique relationship of people who see and hear too much, to finally the destructive noise of social media and the redemption it provides, all films tell the story of people who want to get out.

The short films have been mentored by stalwarts like Mira Nair, Shyam Benegal, Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar, Nagesh Kukunoor, Sriram Raghavan and Homi Adajania. Other films to be screened include “With You For You Always”, directed by Azad Alam (HBO Short Film Competition); “Maroon”, directed by Pulkit (Feature Competition); “Lens”, directed by Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan (Spectrum); “Riff Raff”, by Pakistani director Ahmed Arif (HBO Short Film Competition); “Mantra,” directed by Nocholas Kharkongor (Feature Competition); “Veham” by Hassan Amin of Pakistan (HBO Short Film Competition); “Autohead” by Rohit Mittal (Feature Competition); “Chidiya” by Mehran Amrohi (Specturm); “Sherry” by Altamash Jaleel ( HBO Short Film Competition); “The Tiger Hunter”, an American comedy film, written and directed by Lena Khan (Feature Competition); “Chutney” by Jyothi Kapur Das (HBO Short Film Competition); “Relevations” by Vijay Jayapal (Feature Competition); “The Last Music Store” by Megha Ramaswamy (Specturm); and “Dobaara” by Bejoy Nambiar (Spectrum).

Pakistani film “Gardaab” (Whirlpool) by Harune Massey is the festival’s centerpiece film. Set in Karachi, the film is an intimate portrait of a city torn by violence.
It’s a story of the city’s inhabitants as they navigate through this violence, fighting to preserve their humanity. A gritty fast paced thriller, the film is also a tale of an unlikely romance that blossoms amidst this chaos.

A most interesting pop-oriented album that transports the listener into the deepest and darkest regions of the time after sundown” is how music critic Dick Metcalf describes Ameet Kamath’s new Indie-Pop album “Into the Night.” Metcalf raves that Kamath’s vocals are “infused with the kind of energy that guides the listener into the spaces he sings about.”

This is India-born, New York City-raised and Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Kamath’s second album. In it, he weaves stories of the night with his evocative interpretation of the pop genre. The sound is reflective of an artist born in one world and shaped by another.

All 13 songs invite the listener to the nocturnal world with themes of love, loneliness and heartbreak, before metamorphosing into an upbeat promise of dance and dreams. Kamath, an American citizen and native of India, embraced Western pop and jazz music long before he earned his U.S. passport. Many of his songs redefine the Indian Diaspora, with artistic expression straddling both cultures.

As a young boy growing up in Mumbai, Kamath sang church hymns and anthems at his Jesuit grade school. He was deeply influenced by The Beatles, Culture Club, ABBA and Queen, and treasured his music collection, which included bootleg recordings of American Top 40 and Britain’s Top of the Pops.

He came to New York City as a techie with a self-described “nice-Indian-boy haircut” in 1995. With the money from his first paycheck, he hired a voice coach and, subsequently, gained his performance moxie by busking in city parks and singing in nightclubs, most notably Marion’s Continental in the NoHo neighborhood. The rest is a modern American story.

“I am not your traditional Indian import. I sought out a life in America in order to express myself; that’s the promise America always had for me,” said Kamath, 42, whose debut album, “Greasy Rails,” was self-produced in 2010 after moving from New York City to San Francisco. His debut effort earned him laudable reviews, along with the critical acclaim of his peers and the musical maestros he had worked and sang with over the years.

“In my music, I’m telling stories so that the listeners can understand life as I do – constantly negotiating spaces, first as an American immigrant in the 21st century and now as an artist,” said Kamath. “I am not a starving artist, but I am starving to express myself,” he said, laughing.

Kamath will perform at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, at The Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. CD release party to follow the performance.

New York’s Museum of the Moving Image and the India Center Foundation are starting a festival to show regional-language films from the Indian sub-continent.

Running Dec.8-11, India Kaleidoscope will show eight films, of which one is a classic and the rest are premieres at the Sumner Redstone Theater in Astoria, Queens. Kicking off with “India in a Day,” a doc initiated by Google and put together by Richie Mehta, the fest will show “Loktak Lairembee” (Lady of the Lake), directed by Haobam Paban Kumar in Manipuri language; Marathi-language “Lathe Joshe,” directed by Mangesh Joshi; “The Violin Player,” helmed in Hindi by Bauddhayan Mukherji; the Tamil “Sila Samayangalil” (Sometimes), helmed by Priyadarshan; Girish Kasaravalli’s classic “Ghatashraddha” (The Ritual) in Kannada; his daughter Ananya Kasaravalli’s “Harikatha Prasanga” (Chronicles of Hari), also in Kannada; and the Bengali “Tope” (The Bait, pictured) by Buddhadeb Dasgupta.

“Consistent with our mission to offer a platform for barrier-breaking and emerging work from the subcontinent, the films featured in India Kaleidoscope film festival are eye opening studies from all corners of India,” said Priya Giri Desai, a founding director of the India Center Foundation.

“The India Center Foundation is proud to present many of these new voices for the very first time in North America. The festival represents the kind of work we hope to continue: quality collaborations that result in exposure to new sights and sounds to inspire our audience.”

“India Kaleidoscope is an auspicious start to MoMI’s collaboration with the India Center Foundation,” said the museum’s chief curator, David Schwartz. “This dynamic partnership is proven by the quality of the Festival lineup and the participation of so many emerging and established film directors.”

“We are thrilled to turn the spotlight on Indian regional cinema, showcasing its diversity and richness,” added Christina Marouda, festival organizer and MoMI’s director of development.

The organizers said quoting producers that the footage came from all over India, from Rajasthan to Kerala, to the far reaching Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The resulting film offers a remarkable insight into the lives, loves, fears and hopes of people living in India today.

“Consistent with our mission to offer a platform for barrier-breaking and emerging work from the subcontinent, the films featured in India Kaleidoscope film festival are eye opening studies from all corners of India,” said Priya Giri Desai, a founding director of ICF.

Priyanka Chopra has added another feature to her cap, by joining media mogul Oprah Winfrey and pop star Jennifer Lopez in Variety magazine’s ‘Power of Women Impact’ List. According to the magazine, Priyanka describes the success of her Television show Qauntico to the “amalgamation of a very fast-moving plot and at the same time you have relationships, music, plot and everything you want.”

The magazine detailed Priyanka’s recent projects like The Jungle Book, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani and Quantico Season 2. Priyanka also told Variety that she is planning a hiatus from the TV show next year as she is still figuring out which project to pick next. “My schedule is so tight,” said Priyanka.

Hollywood stars on the list are Margot Robbie, Amy Poehler, Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson and Bad Moms Team which includes Suzanne Todd, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Annie Mumolo. .”

Priyanka Chopra is currently shooting for Quantico Season 2. She has also produced a Marathi film, Ventilator. The actress, who was last seen in Jai Gangajal this year is yet to announce her next Bollywood project.From being honored as one of Hollywood’s royalty, the 34-year-old actress, who is cementing her position in the West, one step at a time, is adding another honor to her growing list of achievements.

Variety released its ‘Power of Women L.A. Impact Report,’ and Chopra has made a spot for herself alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as media mogul Oprah Winfrey, Deborah Barak, president of business operations, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Studios and CBS News; pop star Jennifer Lopez and Francie Calfo, president of Imagine Television.

Beyond her spy series, Variety describes that Chopra, in the past year, has voiced Kaa in Disney’s “Jungle Book” and also top lined the Bollywood hit, “Bajirao Mastani,” for director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and added that she also wrapped production on the upcoming “Baywatch” movie in April. Chopra expressed her desire to keep her career busy in both Hollywood and Bollywood. “I don’t know if I have enough time,” she said.

The list features some of America’s most powerful and reputed names and includes actors, businesswomen, directors and women from various other professional backgrounds. Biggies like Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Naketha Mattocks (Vice President, Original Movies, Disney Channel) and Deborah Barak (President, Business Operations, CBS Entertainment, CBS Television Studios and CBS News) also feature on this list.

From being honoured as one of Hollywood’s royalty, to being on the cover of Time Magazine, Priyanka has left no stone unturned in placing India firmly on the global front. And now, yet another feather has been added to the actress’ hat.

Texas rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome the Bollywood power couple, Ajay Devgn and Kajol who were on their tour in the United States to promote Devgn’s upcoming action thriller “Shivaay”. 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 duo made a quick stop in Dallas on the way to Chicago and San Fransisco from New York with an intimate affair at the W Hotel & Residencies, Dallas, Texas on the 23rd September 2016 hosted by Dr. Bharat and Smita Sangani.

‘Shivaay’ is a family drama about a mountaineer who lives in his world but also turns into a destroyer, when it comes to his family. The trailer of the film is very intriguing and has already broken all records. It shows Ajay doing stunts on the snow-clad mountains with intense fight scenes. At the same time, highly romantic and emotional side can also be seen.

The conference unveiled the second song from the movie titled ‘Darkhast’ and everything about the icy song; from music to lyrics, from cinematography to Ajay and Erika’s chemistry completely melted our hearts. Erika Kaar, a Polish actress, who made her Bollywood debut with the action-thriller, is currently the talk of the town and we just couldn’t get our eyes off her during the entire song as she has done a marvelous job. Talking about the music, Kajol describes the title song, as “one of the best songs with outstandingly written lyrics that makes it easier for everyone to understand what it means to be Shivaay”.

During the conference, Ajay talks about the connection of his character whose name is Shivaay to Lord Shiva. He states, “As Lord Shiva is almost human and got all the imperfections, can be fooled, is detrimental, is a destroyer. Similarly, Shivaay also has all elements of the imperfections that is channelized in the right way and becomes a superhero in extraordinary situations”.

When asked about the cast of the film, Ajay responded, “Since the script demanded actors from all over the world and lots of characters are not supposed to be Indian, I took 6-8 months to cast characters from US, UK, Portland and Germany and it is a performance oriented film so I took time and got lucky to find actors who are amazing”. While, the entire team did an outstanding job getting the film together; the couple talks about the physical challenges that they had concerning the weather conditions, wherein they had to shoot in -25 degrees. Kajol supported Ajay throughout and appreciated the way he directed, produced and acted at the same time, which was the biggest challenge of all.

When asked if Kajol would ever direct a film, she responded, “I love being the captain of my family and wouldn’t want to be a director ever.” They have not left any stone unturned to promote the film and we are already excited to see the much-anticipated role of Ajay in this intense film.

Jitin Hingorani, JINGO Media, DFW South Asian Film Festival and O¹Harani Luxe Experiences made the entire press conference a bhuge success. The film is set to release this Diwali, and fans of the Indian Cinema all over the United States are looking forward to the perfect combo of drama, thriller and romance.

The classical, ever green Bollywood movie, ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ is planned to be made a Broadway-style musical. The show will not only be made on a grand scale like the film, but will also feature eight songs from the film to be performed as part of the narrative!

1.Asif’s 1960 extravaganza “Mughal-E-Azam,” starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, which was the most expensive film made at the time, is still considered one of the greatest Indian motion pictures ever and remains one of the biggest hits of all time, and is now going to be a musical play.

Acclaimed director Feroz Abbas Khan, known for his award-winning film “Gandhi, My Father” and successful plays like “Tumhari Amrita,” “Salesman Ramlal” and “Mahatma Vs Gandhi,” will soon helm “Mughal-E-Azam,” a Broadway-style musical play, which will be a tribute to the original film and is being produced on a grand scale.

It will be performed at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai daily from Oct. 21 until Nov. 1, followed by a staging at the end of November for another two weeks into December at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi.

The musical play will not only be made on a grand scale, but will also feature eight songs from the film to be performed as part of the narrative. Naushad had scored music while the lyrics were by Shakeel Badayuni. Needless to say, this project will be a grand musical theatrical production witnessed in India and is expected to set a new benchmark for Indian theater.

“The title ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ is apt, because the film was inspired by a play named ‘Anarkali,’ which K. Asif saw and from which he borrowed passages. It’s a dramatic father-son story with the nation at stake. In its writing skills and mounting, it was close to perfection with great dialogues and emotional story-telling, complemented by eye-catching visuals and a terrific score,” said Feroz Khan:

The musical has another connection with the original cult classic — it will be co-produced by none other than Shapoorji Pallonji, the 150-year-old business conglomerate that had funded Asif’s “Mughal-E-Azam” with a budget of $3 million in 1960, making it the most expensive film made at the time.

Shah Rukh Khan’s “Fan” and Salman Khan’s “Sultan” will be screened at the Busan International Film Festival, which will also serve to kick start the campaign for the theatrical release of both these films, which are Yash Raj Films’ productions, in South Korea.

Director Maneesh Sharma’s “Fan” will be screened in the ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ section, while director Ali Abbas Zafar’s blockbuster “Sultan” will be screened in the ‘Open Cinema’ section at Busan, read a statement from the banner. The 21st edition of the prestigious festival will begin Oct. 6.