On Raksha Bandhan, Saira Banu posted a heartfelt note, describing the love that Lata Mangeshkar had for her husband, Dilip Kumar
Saira Banu; Late Dilip Kuma with Lata Mangeshkar
On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, veteran actor Saira Banu posted a heartfelt note, describing the love that Lata Mangeshkar had for her husband, Dilip Kumar. Taking to Instagram, she posted several pictures of the two in their old age, and wrote: “The Kohinoor of Indian cinema, Dilip Sahib, and the nightingale of the music industry, Lata Mangeshkar held a connection beyond the dazzle of their stupendous stardom. They shared the bond of a brother and sister. This legendary two-some found it comfortable to travel from their homes to their work spots in local trains. It was during this travelling time that they shared their thoughts, and experiences, and sought each other’s advice. On one such journey, Sahib guided Lataji on how much the heart of Urdu lies in its flawless pronunciation. Lataji, an obedient sister in every sense, worked upon his advice and sought an Urdu tutor’s assistance. Since then, the world bore witness to her flawless pronunciation in her songs. Despite being busy with work, travel, or any personal commitments, they both would find a way to meet on Raksha Bandhan and Lataji would tie the sacred Rakhi on Sahib’s hand.”
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New work
Vikrant Massey is set to collaborate with debutant director Niranjan Iyengar on a film based on the life of renowned author Ruskin Bond. Bond’s first novel, The Room on the Roof, was published in 1956 and received the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1957. Bond has authored more than 500 short stories, essays, and novels, including 69 books for children. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. He lives with his adopted family in Landour, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. Massey will also be seen in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s project, 12th Fail, which sees him in the lead role.
Border 2 on the cards
Following the success of Gadar 2, Sunny Deol said that he is looking for an interesting story to revive Border. During a conversation with a podcast host, Deol confirmed that discussions to create the second edition of Border were underway in 2015. However, given that his films “didn’t work” at the time, he says filmmakers were unwilling to make the movie. While stating that he was looking for a good story for the sequel, he said directors were now willing to create the film. The original film was written, produced, and directed by JP Dutta, and also starred Suniel Shetty.
Some songs
Responding to questions on what she believes was the lowest point of her career, singer Neeti Mohan said, “It was when I was the voice of the film Bombay Velvet. These songs never [got] heard. They were interestingly recorded, and there are so many exciting stories behind each song. I wished it was heard on radio, so that more and more people could connect to that album.” Made on a budget of almost R120 crore, the film managed to rake in only R43.06 crore worldwide. Mohan sang six jazz tracks in it.
Fighting crime, again
Sushant Singh, who is set to return as the host of the new season of Savdhaan India, said that the team plans to explore a fresh perspective when dealing with the world of crime, and delve into the psyche of wrongdoers. “The crime stories we see in the media can send shivers down your spine. What were once isolated incidents have unfortunately become frequent occurrences in our society. It’s crucial to curb these trends and increase awareness. I’m excited to be a part of the upcoming season. I continue to receive messages from people who highlight the valuable lessons they’ve learned from our show,” said the actor.
On the global stage
Fashion designer Gaurav Gupta says creating three strikingly glamorous looks for pop diva Beyonce for her ongoing world tour was an opportunity to put forth India’s traditional designs that beautifully encapsulate the “aura and magnanimity” of the singer. Beyonce has been on a concert tour since May in support of her seventh studio album Renaissance. During her gigs in Georgia and North Carolina, the music icon wore three outfits created by Gupta. “We were so glad to be able to integrate the cultural appreciation of India’s traditional design with our brand philosophy. For the third look, it was
all about the ’70s disco era that has become synonymous with the creative direction of the tour,” the couturier said.
Love again
Has Rhea Chakraborty found love again? She is reportedly dating Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of the stock trading platform, Zerodha. Kamath, who was earlier dating former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, has started following the actor on Instagram after unfollowing Chhillar. In 2021, Chakraborty was said to be dating Bunty Sajdeh. She was also in a relationship with the late actor, Sushant Singh Rajput.
Allu Arjun eyes Hollywood
With the popularity of SS Rajamouli’s Oscar-winning film RRR bringing global attention to Indian cinema, actor Allu Arjun says he has his eyes trained on Hollywood. The actor, who frontlined the film, Pushpa: The Rise, said that this phenomenon has opened the doors for Indian cinema to go international. In an interview with the international website, Variety, Arjun spoke about his Hollywood plans, sharing: “It has opened the doors and the minds of people that there is something beyond our regular traditional markets that we need to go explore and our reach as much as possible. It’s time for all Indian actors to think globally, because India is going to be a global superpower. All businesses in India will flourish and so will the Indian film industry.” Arjun said that as part of this expansion, he has already planned to sign up with a Hollywood agent. Recently, Alia Bhatt featured in the international production, Heart of Stone.