Have you heard? Vicky nahin, toh Tiger hi sahi

Vicky Kaushal and Tiger Shroff

Even though Rohit Shetty's production house stated that they will make an official announcement on the star cast of Singham Again, his upcoming cop actioner continues to make news. Tiger Shroff is said to be joining the filmmaker's cop universe with the Ajay Devgn-starrer Singham Again. Reportedly, he has a special role along with Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh, who will reprise their characters Veer Sooryavanshi and Sangram Bhalerao aka Simmba. Tiger will join Singham, Sooryavanshi and Simmba for an action-packed schedule in Mauritius this October, when Rohit kicks off his next big-ticket entertainer. Sources claim Tiger has been roped in to play the role that Vicky Kaushal was to essay initially. Chalo, badiya hai!

Twice as nice

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is set to kick off its highly-anticipated annual event on August 11. This year, Shabana Azmi will hoist the national flag on the morning of August 12, in commemoration of the Independence Day weekend in India. The veteran actor said, "IFFM has consistently showcased the incredible diversity and creativity of Indian cinema, and it is heartwarming to be part of such a prestigious event that brings our cinema to global audiences. This platform is even more special given our film Ghoomer, directed by R Balki, is making its world premiere at the festival. To be given an opportunity to hoist our national tricolour in the presence of the amazing Indian community who live in Australia, is truly an experience I am excited to be part of."

Sara books her office

Call it the influence of good friend Janhvi Kapoor, but it appears that Sara Ali Khan has realised the potential of real-estate investments. A couple of weeks ago, the Atrangi Re actor was photographed visiting an under-construction site in Santacruz West with her mother Amrita Singh. We now hear that Sara has finalised on a plush office space in Andheri West. Keeping in mind the easy accessibility to production studios and media offices, the actor apparently closed the deal for over R9 crore in the state-of-the-art commercial complex, Lotus Signature. With the last leg of construction work in progress, the premises are expected to be operational in another couple of months. Following the success of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Sara will be seen in Karan Johar's Aye Watan Mere Watan, Dinesh Vijan's Murder Mubarak and Anurag Basu's Metro In Dino.

Voice that!

Even as he is gearing up for the sequel of Taaza Khabar, Bhuvan Bam has lent his voice to the lead character of an international animated series. Details about the show, which is slated to stream later this year, are being kept under wraps. A source shares, "Bhuvan has been spending time at the recording studio for the last the few week. He worked with his voice coach ahead of recording. He is known for embodying different roles and characters right from his YouTube days."

Prepping for the bigger picture

After Binodiini - Ekti Natir Upakhyan, the Bengali biopic based on theatre legend Binodini Dasi, Rukmini Maitra and director Ramkamal Mukherjee are teaming up again for Draupadi. Produced by Bengal superstar Dev Adhikari and Prateek Chakravorty, the film is based on Pratibha Ray's award-winning Odiya novel, Yajnaseni. "It's an honour to be a part of Mahabharata, a subject that is so close to every Indian. This will definitely be one of my most challenging roles after Binodini," said Rukmini. Ramkamal added, "I am overwhelmed to reunite with Rukmini. I know we both will have to work hard on this film."

The enduring appeal of Ritu Kumar

Model Lakshmi Rana in the couturier's creation; (right) Ritu Kumar with showstopper Aditi Rao Hydari

The OG Ritu Kumar makes a return to couture week after a decade. For all of us and our mothers who have followed her design idiom - and the paisley motif - for the last couple of decades, it's a story that writes itself.

Kumar with her gorgeous silver-fox streaks framing her face and her legacy too, showcased a collection titled, The OG, at the ongoing FDCI Hyundai India Couture Week in New Delhi on July 26. The collection, which also marked her first major showcase after Reliance Brands Limited acquired a 52 per cent stake in the brand, was designed by her younger son, Amrish. And he created a perfect combination of setting and intervention by focusing on Kumar's archival patterns and shapes, particularly the Kalabattu embroidery from Lucknow. A modern nostalgia with a calm, clear voice of Kumar's greatest hits like kasab (zardozi), dabka gold threadwork and kashidakari (embroidery from Kashmir) was reimagined for today's moods and likes - and without inducing the anxiety of a retrospective. "We have all grown up knowing Ritu Kumar as the OG. She is a revivalist, she is passionate about indigenous crafts, textiles, and karigari…" actor Aditi Rao Hydari, who was the star attraction, said about Kumar in a video byte.

A lot has changed since Kumar - who earned the moniker of the first "barefoot doctor" of Indian fashion (the moniker was created as she was the one of the first designers to work in the field with artisans) - started working toward creating a careful dialogue between textiles and fashion. India's heritage crafts have seen a slow and steady revival, and created relevance in global cultural discourse, with younger designers reasserting the value of the handmade over the machine-made. The OG collection with its multiple layers and viewpoints, and ending with a standing ovation for fashion's grand matriarch, once again made you aware of the enduring appeal of Ritu Kumar.