Have you heard? Loving the challenge

Vidya Balan

National Award-winning actor Vidya Balan believes that women are way ahead of time in today's world. Speaking at an ongoing film festival, Balan addressed the subject of the portrayal of women in Indian cinema. "We all need to shed the stereotypes regarding women that are ingrained in our society. Women are way ahead of time in today's world. All the exceptional characters played by female actors in Indian films in the past and their desire to do more pushed us to reach a stage where we are telling women-oriented stories in movies now. [Taking up] unconventional roles and being yourself while playing those characters is crucial. I love the idea of getting out of my comfort zone for each film that I do, and that requires a lot of hard work, which is liberating for me," she said.

Coming up

Pankaj Tripathi announced that his upcoming movie Main Atal Hoon, based on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's life, will be released in theatres on January 19. The National Award-winning actor shared the news on Instagram and unveiled a new poster of the movie. "Heart of gold, man of steel. A versatile poet and visionary behind New India. Witness the story of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in cinemas on January 19, 2024," Tripathi wrote of the film that has been directed by Ravi Jadhav, who has also co-written it with Rishi Virmani.

The dark side of Punjab

The trailer for the upcoming series, Chamak, has been unveiled and follows the story of a young aspiring rapper, Kaala, who returns to Punjab from Canada to uncover the events that led to the death of singer Taara Singh. The trailer, which makes a reference to the plot device of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Dunki, shows Kaala pulling off a reverse Dunki to reach India and trace the murderers of Taara, who was shot dead in the midst of a packed performance. The musical thriller features 28 songs, and stars Paramvir Singh Cheema, Manoj Pahwa, Mohit Malik, and Isha Talwar. Gippy Grewal makes a special appearance.

Taking a dig at Shah Rukh

He may have been the voice of Shah Rukh Khan in several desi offerings, but Abhijeet Bhattacharya appears to hold grudges against the actor. In an interview, he revealed, "There is ego, and then there is self-respect. Shah Rukh Khan is a self-made person, the self-respect that he has, I have the same. We don't have an ego, we have self-respect," he said, and subsequently addressed their fallout in 2009. "Shah Rukh is a very commercial person. He will sideline any person for his success and career, and will use them," he claimed.

We have a date!

Ananya Panday, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Adarsh Gourav-starrer coming-of-digital-age story Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is all set for an OTT release, the team announced. A celebration of unadulterated friendship, it follows three friends as they navigate life in the world of social media. Set in Mumbai, it has been directed by Arjun Varain Singh. Talking about it, producers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti said: "The film holds a special place in our hearts. The process of writing and collaborating on this story with Arjun was exciting. It's a coming-of-digital-age film that will hopefully resonate with the younger generations." It will release on Netflix on December 26.

Setting standards

Amid a round of promotions for Tiger 3, Katrina Kaif reflected on the fame she has achieved in Bollywood. Asked what she looks forward to at this stage of her career, she said, "You see ups and downs as an actor. And you need to know how to ride that [wave]. You need to have perseverance to perform and deliver in each film, no matter what the outcome is. My desire is to make sure I do not fall into my own trap of repeating myself or trying to maintain any image because I have done something before. That is where my future lies." Kaif, who expressed gratitude for the love she had received over the years, has reprised her role of Zoya in the recently released third edition of the franchise that is fronted by Salman Khan.

Rohit Bal admitted

Fashion designer Rohit Bal is in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Gurugram's Medanta Hospital, and is undergoing treatment for cardiac issues. The doctors treating him said he was in a critical condition. Bal, a trendsetter in Indian fashion with designs that challenged established norms, is under the supervision of a team led by cardiologist Praveen Chandra at the hospital. "He is in a critical condition. He was admitted a few days ago. He came with a heart condition that is getting stabilised but he also has an infection that is creating the trouble," Dr Chandra said.

Success down south

Nupur Sanon, who shared screen space with Ravi Teja in the Telugu film, Tiger Nageshwar Rao, is gradually understanding how she can contribute to the evolving Indian cinema landscape. "Global films are breaking barriers, with Indian stories gaining recognition at the Oscars and Emmys. In my third film, venturing into Telugu cinema has been a valuable experience in fostering growth and learning. It allowed me to understand a different demographic, and contribute to the evolving Indian cinema landscape," she said. Sanon added, "Despite cultural differences, emotions connect us, and stars now play a vital role in reaching diverse audiences nationwide, making films a universal language. Doing a pan-India film and moving away from the typical Hindi film heroine role is a game-changer. It brings diversity to my work and mirrors the changing narrative where actors go beyond stereotypes," says the actor, who is Kriti Sanon's sister.