Neetu Kapoor is celebrating her 66th birthday today and has received the cutest wishes from her daughter-in-law Alia Bhatt and niece Kareena Kapoor. Neetu Kapoor is currently celebrating her special day with her daughter in the Swiss mountains. Alia Bhatt, while wishing her MIL, called her a pillar of strength. While sharing a picture of Neetu Kapoor with her mother Soni Razdan, Alia wrote, "Happy birthday, Mom! My pillar of strength, peace, and all things fashion. Love you to the moon and back (yellow heart emojis).” Soon after Alia shared the lovely wish, Neetu Kapoor reacted saying, "Love you too (with heart emoji)." Neetu Kapoor's nieces, Bollywood's Bebo and Lolo, also wished their cutest aunty. Bebo, while sharing a black-and-white picture of Neetu Kapoor, wrote, "Happy Birthday to the most fit and inspiring Neetu Aunty.” Karisma, on the other hand, wrote, “Happy Birthday to our Neetu Aunty.” Neetu Kapoor is currently with Riddhima, celebrating her birthday in Switzerland. Kapoor's daughter has shared inside pictures from the birthday celebration. Riddhima has shared a video where we can see Neetu smiling ear to ear as she is all set to cut her birthday cake. While wishing her mom, she said, “Just us girls enjoying our bubbly. Love and only love. Happy birthday, my mommykins.” While wishing Neetu Kapoor on her special day, Sonali Bendre also shared a beautiful wish, writing, “Happy birthday, Neetu. Hope your day is full of everything that makes you happy (star emoji).” “Happy birthday, Neetu ma’am. A star as gorgeous as always. We love you,” said her 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo' co-star Maniesh Paul. Soni Razdan shared, “Happy birthday, dearest Neetu. Wishing you lots of joy and lots of love.” Neetu Kapoor is one of the most loved veteran actresses in the industry. She did around 70-80 movies between the ages of 5 and 21. In 1980, she married Rishi Kapoor. The couple has done several films together, including Amar Akbar Anthony, Kabhi Kabhie, Khel Khel Mein, and more. Later, she left the industry. Neetu made her big comeback last year with Jug Jugg Jeeyo opposite Anil Kapoor.
08 July,2024 05:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai recorded heavy rainfall on Monday morning, leading to traffic jams and waterlogging. Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) were affected as well as disruption of suburban train services brought the maximum city to a halt. Amid all the chaos a very Mumbaikar solution to the same was the closing down of Andheri subway due to waterlogging. Reacting to the same, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took to X and shared, “I have lived in Mumbai for 30 years. Everything sarkari fails but this subway never fails to flood. It’s so stubborn that despite every government’s promises to solve it, it doesn’t yield. Citizens suffer, they die, but who are they anyway… but mere statistics?” I have lived in Mumbai for 30 years. Everything sarkari fails but this subway never fails to flood. It’s so stubborn that despite every government’s promises to solve it, it doesn’t yield.Citizens suffer, they die, but who are they anyway… but mere statistics? https://t.co/dMQe0ne5A4 — Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) July 8, 2024 Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation in the state. He also directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert. In a message on social media platform X, CM Shinde said that life has been disrupted in Mumbai due to heavy rains, saying, "There is a traffic jam on the roads, and the traffic on the railway line has also been affected. The work of removing water from the track is going on by the railway administration and efforts are on to restore the traffic soon." "I have directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert. Citizens should go out only if necessary. I am also appealing to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Police Administration, and Emergency Services to cooperate," CM Shinde added in his post. Vivek is known for films like ‘The Kashmir Files' and ‘The Tashkent Files’. Earlier, he directed ‘The Vaccine War’ featuring Anupam Kher, Nana Patekar, Sapthami Gowda, and Pallavi Joshi. It was based on the efforts of Indian scientists in creating the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine during the global health crisis triggered by the pandemic. On the work front, Agnihotri is busy with the research process for his upcoming political film 'The Delhi Files.’ Vivek travelled from Kerala to Kolkata to Delhi, covering vast distances to gather comprehensive information for his film. He claims to have read over 100 books and more than 200 articles related to the historical events that form the backbone of his film. He and his team also travelled across 20 states for research, studying over 7000 research pages and more than 1000 archives. (With inputs from Agencies)
08 July,2024 02:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVeteran star Saira Banu remembered her late husband and legendary actor Dilip Kumar on his death anniversary. He left for his heavenly abode on July 7, 2021. The 'tragedy king' of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar was known for his unrivalled acting abilities. His acting was larger than life and he was indeed a method actor. Saira Banu wrote a long letter addressing the late actor. She recalled how they walked together "hand in hand". She also posted a series of photos as well as an anecdote about their relationship. atOptions = { 'key' : 'd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 90, 'width' : 728, 'params' : {} }; In her long post, she mentioned that Dilip Kumar used to call her 'sleeping pill' as after marriage he was able to sleep well. She wrote, "You see, Sahib was the greatest actor of all time. He had absolutely everything at his disposal, yet not many people know that he suffered from severe insomnia. Before our marriage, even after taking pills, he would remain awake until dawn. However, once we got married and became indispensable to each other, he started sleeping just in time. He even gave me a cute nickname, endearingly saying, "Saira, you are my sleeping pill, you are my pillow." To this day, I burst into laughter remembering the charm with which he would say it." Recalling another memorable incident, the 'Junglee' actor added, "There was another memorable incident when he wrote me a note. He had a deep appreciation for music and would often have a whole Darbar set up in our home, witnessing the magic created by the artists. Sahib, ever so efficiently, would often sneak away from the Darbar to get some sleep. On one such evening, despite managing to sneak away, he found himself unable to sleep without me. So, he penned a note saying, "Feeling sleepy, what do you suggest, Aunty? ...Yours 100%"." Saira Banu shared further that Dilip Kumar has a good relationship with the first Prime Minister of the country, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other eminent personalities from different fields. "Sahib has been the best of friends to the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Sahab, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sahab, Narsimha Rao Sahab, alongside the leading lawyers, economists, and Industrialists etc. He has been a die-hard supporter of sportsmen. He played Football and Cricket with great ease. In fact he would have wanted to be a Sportsman of national level rather than what destiny had in store for him," she added. She continued, "I am expressing my Love by writing this note to thank all of his admirers and fans, well-wishers, dearest friends and family who take the trouble of sending us lovely messages on occasions. It makes me happy that they all remember our important dates and pray for his well-being in the hereafter for Dilip Sahib is an inspiration for Six generations of actors as also for the coming generations." The 'Shagird' actor called Dilip Kumar a "fun-loving person", as he used to call her "Aunty" in a light-hearted way. "He was a fun-loving person, always calling me 'Aunty' and laughing. Yet, beneath the jests, laughter, and those heartfelt notes, there lay pure love." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu) She concluded with, "Dilip Sahib is forever....May Allah keep him in his love and blessings...Aameen!" Born on December 11, 1922, Dilip Kumar started his acting career with the 1944 movie 'Jwar Bhata' (1944). Later, he was seen in 'Jugnu', 'Andaz', 'Aan', 'Daag', Azaad', 'Madhumati', 'Devdas', 'Kohinoor', 'Mughal-E-Azam', 'Gunga Jumna' and 'Naya Daur', among others. He passed away on 7 July 2021. On the work front, Saira Banu made her acting debut in 1961 with 'Junglee' opposite Shammi Kapoor for which she received Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination. She received three more Best Actress nominations for 'Shagird' (1967), 'Diwana' (1967) and 'Sagina' (1974). Banu went on to work in a number of movies including 'Bluff Master' (1963), 'Ayee Milan Ki Bela' (1964), 'Jhuk Gaya Aasman' (1968), 'Padosan' (1968), 'Victoria No. 203' (1972), 'Hera Pheri' (1976) and 'Bairaag' (1976). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 July,2024 01:02 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIBollywood actress Ananya Panday’s cousin sister Alanna Panday and husband Ivor McCray welcomed their baby boy. The couple took over Instagram on Monday morning and announced the arrival of their little one with an adorable video. In the clip, the new parents and their son can be seen dressed in blue. They added a caption that read, "Our little angel is here." Ananya was the happiest maasi (mother’s sister) as she expressed her excitement. She reposted the video on her Instagram Story. Sharing her happiness, the 'Gehraiyaan' actress welcomed her nephew with a note that read, "My beautiful baby boy nephew is here." Earlier Ananya had shared her desire to cut the baby’s umbilical cord, to which her sister replied that she’d faint just by the sight of it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alanna Panday (@alannapanday) Earlier in March, the couple hosted a grand baby shower, where the who's who of Bollywood marked their presence. Alanna Panday and Ivor McCray, who got married in Mumbai last year, announced that they are expecting their first baby in February. Actors Bipasha Basu and Jibraan Khan also extended congratulatory messages to the influencer. For those unversed, Alanna is the daughter of Chikki and Deanne Panday. Meanwhile, on the work front, Ananya Panday has some exciting projects lined up. She'll be starring in the TV series 'Call Me Bae' with Varun Dhawan and Vir Das. The show follows a billionaire fashionista disowned by her family after a scandal and her journey to independence.Earlier in May, makers took to their Instagram account to share a fresh poster of the series announcing that it will begin streaming on September 6. With Ananya Panday leading the cast as Bella Bae Chowdhary, the series also features actors Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur. Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment and boasting Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra as Executive Producers, the series stars Ananya Panday in her OTT debut. She is also gearing up for her upcoming ventures, 'Control' and 'The Untold Story of C Sankaran Nair.' Ananya was last seen on OTT in 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan' for which she got a lot of accolades. It saw her alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav. (With inputs from ANI)
08 July,2024 12:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFilmmaker and Dharma honcho Karan Johar welcomed son Yash and daughter Roohi via surrogacy in February 2017. He named Yash after his deceased father Yash Johar, while Roohi is an anagram of his mother's name Hiroo. In a recent interaction with Faye D’Souza, Karan opened up on unintentionally ‘fat-shaming’ his 7-year-old son while on a holiday and how sorry he felt for the same. Karan said, “It breaks my heart when I see my son consuming sugar and putting on weight... I am so paranoid about it. I don’t want to say it to him because this is the age I want him to enjoy life. I want him to be happy and carefree because he is a happy child. But I can see the genetic... I can’t call it a flaw, I get it from my mom and I know he’s getting it from me." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) He added, “I encourage him to play sports, play football, play cricket, do all the things that I didn’t do, and then I think to myself, 'I shouldn’t be this kind of parent. This is not who I wanted to be. I want my child to be his own person of his own choice. I find myself really struggling not to say insensitive things to my own children.” While on a holiday, Karan recalled telling his son, "Yash, you’ve put on weight,” following which he felt sorry about the same and shared, "I went into my room and said, ‘Why did you do this?’ Then I went outside, hugged him, and said, ‘I’m really sorry, please eat what you want’.” On his 52nd birthday in May, Karan announced his next directorial venture. Karan Johar's return to directing has been highly anticipated, especially after the success of his 2023 film, 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'. Starring Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, the film was a major box office hit and featured veteran actors Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi, and Jaya Bachchan. Meanwhile, Karan is basking in the success of ‘Kill’ which has him as one of the producers. Led by Lakshya and supported by Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala, ‘Kill’ has garnered praise for its performances, especially in the film's adrenaline-pumping action sequences set against the backdrop of a tense train journey. Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, the film was released in India on July 5, 2024.
08 July,2024 09:50 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNeetu Kapoor was the first guest on Kapil Sharma's Netflix show 'The Great Indian Kapil Show.' This was the first time she appeared on any show with her daughter Riddhima Sahani and son Ranbir Kapoor. The episode was a total nostalgia trip and a laughter riot. On Neetu Kapoor’s birthday today, let’s revisit the cute revelations she made about her adorable children Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Sahani We often see Ranbir Kapoor and think of him as a cute and calm human being. There is no denying the fact that he doesn’t look notorious. But did you know that Ranbir was a total ‘mastikhor’ in his childhood? Yes, you heard it right. During her appearance on the show, Neetu Kapoor revealed, “Ranbir was very naughty. We used to get complaints every day. They used to tell us, 'Please come, he is not studying; he is playing with cats and dogs.' If you brought a toy home, he wouldn’t play with it; he would break it to see how it functions.” But her two children are totally different as grown-ups. They don’t speak loudly and respect money and people. This is not us praising Riddhima and Ranbir; it's their mom Neetu who shared on the show, “Both my children are very cool. Riddhima is also very calm. They have never spoken loudly to anyone. My children have very good values, which Rishi Ji gave them. Value of time, respecting people, respecting money. He was very strict, and my children would watch and learn. I think these same values will be inculcated in Raha as well.” Neetu Kapoor is one of those emotional moms. For her, it is those little things that are important. Did you know Neetu Kapoor cried when Ranbir put his first paycheck at her feet? During his time on the couch, Ranbir shared, “My first paycheck was ₹250, which I got while assisting on 'Prem Granth.' Like a good boy, I went to my mother's room and put it at her feet. She looked at it and started crying. It was one of those filmy moments that I performed.” On the work front, Neetu Kapoor was seen in 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo.' Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor recently starred in 'Animal' and is now preparing for Nitesh Tiwari’s 'Ramayana.' As for Riddhima Sahani, she will soon be making her Bollywood debut.
08 July,2024 09:40 AM IST | MumbaiActors Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh have taken a pledge to donate their organs. Now, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation has expressed gratitude to them for this noble act. Earlier Riteish took to his Instagram handle to share a video in which they talked about their pledge of donating an organ about which they had been thinking for quite a long time and said that there can be no "greater gift to someone than 'The Gift Of Life'" "There is no greater gift to someone than 'The Gift Of Life'. @geneliad & me have pledged to donate our organs. We urge you all to join this great cause and be part of 'The Life AfterLife', " wrote 'Masti' actor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd) "Aaj 1st July ko hum ye kehna chahte hain aur aapko ye batana chaahte hain ki hum dono ne ek pledge liya hai.. (Today, on July 1 we want to tell you about something that we have pledged), we have decided to donate our organs," said Riteish Deshmukh in the video. "Yes, we pledge have pledged to donate our organs and for us there's no better gift than the gift of life," added Genelia. Now, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has taken to their official handle of X to express gratitude to the ace actors. The caption along with the video reads, "Thanks to Riteish Deshmukh & Genelia, the Bollywood star couple for pledging to donate their organs during the ongoing organ donation month of July. Their gesture will motivate others also to connect with the noble cause.#organdonation #Bollywood #savelives" Thanks to Riteish Deshmukh & Genelia, the Bollywood star couple for pledging to donate their organs during the ongoing organ donation month of July. Their gesture will motivate others also to connect with the noble cause.#organdonation #Bollywood #savelives pic.twitter.com/lJ1Yiyaj1o — NOTTO (@NottoIndia) July 6, 2024 Meanwhile, on the work front, Riteish Deshmukh is all set to be seen along with Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem in the film 'Kakuda'. On Tuesday, the makers unveiled the trailer of the film and it looks promising. 'Kakuda' follows the story of Sunny played by Saqib Saleem, a less-educated guy who is in love with Indira portrayed by Sonakshi Sinha. Determined to be together, they marry and move to the village of Ratodi only to be cursed by 'Kakuda'. On their wedding night, Sunny fails to open the smaller door for Kakuda at 7:15 pm sharp, inviting Kakuda, a wicked ghost who punishes the man of the house by inflicting a hump on their back that grows until their demise on the thirteenth day. With Sunny's life hanging by a thread, Indira seeks help from Victor, an eccentric ghost hunter played by Riteish Deshmukh. Together, they embark on a freakishly hilarious yet spooky journey to solve the mystery of Kakuda, and uncover the shocking truth about the ghost's identity, motives, and the village's haunting curse that has lasted for decades. Excited about the film, Riteish said earlier, "I'm thrilled to be a part of the quirky and eccentric world of 'Kakuda'. Playing the role of Victor, an unconventional ghost hunter, allowed me to tap into a side of my acting abilities that I hadn't fully explored before. This character is unlike any other I've portrayed, and that's what makes it so exciting. Blending horror and comedy is a delicate balance, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such talented co-stars like Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem. 'Kakuda' takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, leaving you both laughing and scared." Saqib Saleem mentioned, "While theatrical releases have their charm, OTT platforms offer an incredible opportunity to connect with more masses. The film's quirky and intriguing storyline about solving the mystery of a ferocious ghost and a cursed village's haunting ritual is what initially drew me in. Of course, the chance to work with talented actors like Sonakshi Sinha & Riteish Deshmukh was another major reason I said yes. We had an absolute blast on set, and I'm confident our comedic chemistry will leave viewers in stitches. I can't wait for everyone to experience the spine-chilling laughter that 'Kakuda' promises to deliver." 'Kakuda', which is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, will be out on ZEE5 on July 12. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 July,2024 09:31 AM IST | Mumbai | ANISouth Korean actor Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee, who has worked in films 'Train to Busan', 'Derailed', 'The Outlaws', 'The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos' and MCU’s 'Eternals' will be reportedly seen as the villain in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's next film 'Spirit' starring Prabhas. Buzz is that the makers plan to release this as a pan-Asian movie and Korean is an inclusion given the culture's mass popularity across the globe through K-pop and K-drama. Ma has done about 50 films across 15 years in showbiz. Over his career, the 53-year-old star has carved out a presence in the South Korean movie industry as a lovable action character who is powerful and tough but friendly and warm-hearted. He was also the first ethnically Korean actor to take a lead role in a Marvel superhero film with his role as Gilgamesh in 'Eternals'. South Korean Soo-hyun, known as Claudia Kim, played a supporting role as a geneticist in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015). Coming to 'Spirit', the upcoming project will be produced by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series and Bhadrakali pictures. Sharing the news, Prabhas earlier said, "This is my 25th film and there is no better way to celebrate it. Spirit has a great feel in the story and it'll be a special film for my fans too. Working with Bhushan Kumar has always been easy and comforting and he is one of the best producers we have, who I share a great rapport with. Sandeep is a dream director for all and now with Spirit, I have got the chance to associate with such a powerhouse of talent. It's an amazing storyline and I can't wait to start working on SPIRIT as my fans are eagerly waiting to see me in this avatar for a very long time." Sandeep also expressed his happiness. "Announcing the 25th film with India's biggest superstar will be the biggest news for his fans throughout the world. Working with Prabhas Garu will be a great level of excitement and I'm sure the excitement will be doubled once I start to shoot. Everything is big about this announcement because Bhushanji is the biggest producer in the country today who is also a very friendly and understanding producer, he is like a brother too. I'm very happy and comfortable associating with T-Series & my brother Pranay Reddy Vanga of Bhadrakali pictures for the third time," he said. (With inputs from Agencies)
08 July,2024 09:13 AM IST | MumbaiStarting her career as a child artiste, Neetu Kapoor transitioned into playing lead roles and became a popular actress known for her cheerful and relatable persona. While she was often seen in girl-next-door roles, Neetu also showcased her acting range when allowed to play more substantial characters beyond just being the cute arm candy. On her 65th birthday, we revisit her time on the popular chat show 'Koffee With Karan'. Neetu appeared on the show alongside Zeenat Aman. She talked about late actor Rishi Kapoor's relationship with his children Ranbir and Riddhima. Neetu recalled the time she spent with her late husband in New York when he was receiving treatment for cancer. She said, "So Karan for me, I don't like to remember the sad part. I like to remember the good part of our relationship and of our time in New York. So New York was really sad, but we had the best year, I had the best year of my life." She also revealed how the 'Karz' actor would rarely be casual and friendly with his kids but that changed in the final days. "Because you know Chintu Ji (Rishi Kapoor) is a very loving person. He had a lot of love in him. But there was something he never really showed his love. He always kept his distance and bullying people, not show his love. Especially with me and my children, he was like a big thing. Respect and all and with that he lost out on a lot with his children. He was never a friend to them," she said. She added, "But that year, he opened up. He showed love, went towards me also he was so lovely. We had the best time." Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30 in the year 2020 at the age of 67. He was suffering from leukemia. He was in New York for a considerable amount of time for his treatment. Neetu was there for him as a rock-solid partner through thick and thin. Rishi and Neetu got married on January 22, 1980, and share two children, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and superstar Ranbir Kapoor. Back in the 70s and 80s, the couple starred in several hits together, like 'Amar Akbar Anthony', 'Khel Khel Mein', 'Rafoo Chakkar', 'Kabhi Kabhie', 'Besharam' and many more, and inspired generations with both their on-screen and off-screen romance. (With inputs from ANI)
08 July,2024 09:13 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentReleased yesterday, to coincide with his birthday, Ishq hai is the fourth single from Kailash Kher’s album that the singer says is an extension of the work he has been doing in the industry since he stepped into it. Stating that he believes it is his calling to serve people with music, Kher tells mid-day, “Since I was born, the almighty decided I would create a name in this industry. We released the first [edition] of my album, Kailasa, in 2006, and when we spoke to people about what it implies, they were impressed. Kailasa means divinity. We added spirituality to romantic music as well. Having grown up in an ashram in Rishikesh, in the company of saints, I was never exposed to film music. So, when I entered the industry with the idea of showcasing my music, I introduced a fresh take [to Bollywood music]. Our successive five albums were hits,” says Kher, adding that the latest album also attempts to make spiritual music mainstream. The boom of streaming platforms may have music aficionados questioning the need for an album when singles can be easily accessed, but, Kher says, the demand for a cohesive musical piece will always continue to be there. “If you notice, the past two songs from this album, Dil jaani and Mera dil hai, are also rooted in spirituality. No matter how much the world changes, there will always be a demand for music that touches the soul. After food, art is of utmost importance for people. After the stomach has been satiated, the heart needs to be satiated, and that happens with knowledge and art. We created this album because our fans had been asking us to make more music.” Asserting that his music is an extension of his lifestyle, Kher says his food is “as pure as the kind you can offer to God”. “Even though I belong to this generation, I am drawn to [Indian practices] dating thousands of years ago. The food I eat is grown by me. Even the curd I consume is made from the milk I get from my gaushala in Lonavala. Even though I have created both film and non-film music, I am known in my concerts for the latter. The reason I received the Padma Shri title in the short tenure of 12 years is because I could bring spiritual music to the mainstream, and change the course of the creation of romantic music,” says the singer, who is set to head to the USA on tour in September. Kher believes the Indian music space has seen a significant evolution, a major chunk of which has been brought about by the south Indian film fraternity. “I believe that the energy of the places where the bigger Indian temples are situated is the most prominent. The power of the south Indian temples has enabled movies from this part of the country to reach the Oscars. In the past, there was another film that reached the Oscars; one that showed Indians jumping into a pile of shit. Think about how much that damaged our reputation. But, films like RRR [2022], which also make a reference to Lord Ram, are the ones that shone on [international turf]. I have never seen God’s music being played in movies. But, in films like Baahubali, such music was celebrated. These films also promote a good message. It isn’t like those that run for 20 years but have a shallow [message to propagate].” In the pipeline for him is his book launch. Kher’s coffee table book, he says, will shed light on interesting anecdotes related to the lyrics of his songs. “It will describe how our popular tracks were made, and how our experiences influenced our work.”
08 July,2024 07:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia LullaTaking a film, which demanded the last four years of your life, to the audiences can be satisfying as well as nerve-wracking. For Nag Ashwin, it’s exhilarating. His sci-fi actioner, Kalki 2898 AD, made over Rs 400 crore in the domestic market within a week of its release. “It’s satisfying to see people enjoy and write congratulatory messages that usually start with ‘Thank you for making this film,’” he grins. Creating a futuristic world must have been a challenge, coupled with the pressure of doing justice to the all-star cast. But Ashwin says his actors—Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas and Deepika Padukone—made his job easier. They brought not only their talent to the project, but also their professionalism and acuity, leaving no room for insecurity or fears about limited screen time. “We call them legends and superstars because they have judgment about a film, they are secure about their purpose in the story, and how their role would expand or be limited in this part. Discussions about who has more screen time probably come [into play] when the actors are upcoming, younger or less secure.” Nag Ashwin Among Kalki 2898 AD’s most-talked about aspects is Padukone’s character SUM-80 aka Sumathi, the mother of Kalki. The promos gave the impression that she had a small role. The director, however, was always clear that Sumathi was the most important character. “We had to hide a bit of her story. But in a way, the film is all about her. She is the story, the film’s most important character. We’ll definitely see a lot more of her in the second part.” Padukone was pregnant when she shot for the movie’s climax. Naturally then, her comfort was Ashwin’s top priority. “We were very careful, making sure she was comfortable with every shot. I’m happy that in a way, Deepika’s baby made its screen debut,” he smiles. The movie’s smashing success has shown that contrary to popular notion, sci-fi films have takers in India. If Ashwin has one tip to give, it is that the genre doesn’t matter, the story does. “Get your story right first. The setting and VFX are secondary. If you have a great story and even if a few VFX shots fall short, it’s fine.” As he looks forward to working on the second part, he is mindful of the criticism that the first edition is receiving regarding its slow pace in the first-half. “We’ve shot for probably 20 days of the second part. With Kalki, there were so many characters to be introduced. So, we took our time. But I’m listening to the feedback and trying to make sure that we make a much better [second part].”
08 July,2024 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaADVERTISEMENT
