Ace filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who brought out the acting prowess of Alia Bhatt to the big screen with the 2014 film ‘Highway’, recalled creating a safe space on set after a crew member created trouble. Imtiaz was speaking at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa during which he opened up on maintaining decorum on a movie set. A ‘Highway’ crew member tried to get near Alia Bhatt Imtiaz Ali shared that ‘Highway’ was filmed in a village which meant the cast and crew did not have access to vanity vans or other amenities that they usually would. He revealed firing a crew member who tried to get near Alia while she changed or used the loo in the open. "Alia had to change or go for nature’s call in unusual places. One crew member tried to be around her during that time, and I immediately sent him back. This happened thrice in my career, but not anymore. Times have changed drastically. Actresses are really safe on sets now. The film industry in Bombay is remarkable for the way it treats its women. With 200 people working in a unit, it is a very safe space for them,” said Imtiaz. Imtiaz Ali on casting Alia Bhatt for ‘Highway’ Imtiaz met Alia at the screening of 'Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana' (2012) albeit he had not seen her debut film ‘Student of the Year’. During an episode of Mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, he shared, “I started talking to her and I realized that there's some warmth in her. Emotional quotient was very high and I was very drawn to talk to her and she was talking very nicely. I started to talk to her about deeper things about things like home, society, and sh*t like that just to draw her out into that kind and I started to hear her true voice.” “I always wanted to cast a slightly elder, like a woman of at least 30. I didn't want to cast a more mature woman who's had experiences of the type that she was going to talk about in the film. I didn't want a young person in the film, but after meeting her, I realized that what I was looking for was the emotional depth, which this little girl has,” he added.
22 November,2024 10:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Sheeba Sabir, who made her Bollywood comeback with Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt-starrer ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ is hogging the limelight, courtesy of her seven adorable Shih Tzus. That being said, she gets candid in an interview with Mid-day.com about initially being approached for a liplock with veteran superstar Dharmendra in the Karan Johar directorial, and why it did not materialise. Sheeba Sabir’s cameo in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ Sheeba Sabir returned to the movies with ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ which featured her in a cameo and included her iconic song ‘Aaja Meri Gaadi Me Baith Ja’. Speaking of her resuming work after staying away from the limelight for two decades, she says, “Rocky Rani… was kind of dipping my feet in the water situation. My kids are well settled now so I thought it was the time to work. I had begun sending feelers out that I would Like to do something. People like Karan Johar have a great knowledge of cinema. So it's not as if he is like one of those new executives who will say, ‘Sheeba? Who Sheeba? What has she done?’ You meet those also. He knew exactly who I was and what was my body of work.” Sheeba Sabir was to do a liplock with Dharmendra Those who have watched ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ are aware of Dharmendra confusing Sheeba’s character for Shabana Azmi as Jamini Chatterjee while dancing at a club and plants a peck on her cheek. Sheeba reveals that originally the scene was to have a liplock which did not happen. “I heard the whole sequence, thought about it, discussed it with Akashdeep (husband). So we both were like it's a funny thing, it's nothing serious. It's not some sleazy passion. But it was my good luck that it didn’t happen because already the peck became such a big issue. I was like, ‘Yikes, we are still not ready are we? But I thought it all was very cute.” Sheeba Sabir reunited with Alia Bhatt in ‘Jigra’. Going forward, she asserts that after always wanting to be the main lead, she has realised that it is better to be a very tiny part of a huge film rather than be a part of a big project that will never see the light of day. “Of course, it would be the icing on the cake If I got great parts but I am not going to hold my breath,” she concludes.
22 November,2024 08:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Oshin FernandesVeteran Bollywood actor Nana Patekar had once called his “Vanvaas” director Anil Sharma a “rubbish man”. In a recent podcast, Nana shared some anecdotes about Anil. During the conversation, Nana Patekar jokingly called Anil Sharma ‘a rubbish man’. When Nana Patekar was asked why everyone was afraid of working with him, the actor replied, “Anil Sharma is a rubbish man, after the first 'Gadar' became a hit, he kept telling me every day this is the story, this is that story, but he never came." “Vanvaas”, which also stars Utkarsh Sharma, is a family drama that explores the bond between a father and son and is anticipated to be a gripping story that combines dramatic intensity. The film is directed and produced by “Gadar” fame Anil Sharma. Last month, Nana said that his journey in “Vanvaas” has been memorable and called the film one of his best films till date. Nana took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and shared a poster from the upcoming film. In the poster, the veteran actor is seen sitting all suited up on a ghat. He captioned it: “"#Vanvaas ki puri journey mere liye bahot hi yaadgaar rahi. Yeh aaj tak ki meri best filmon mein se ek hai.” It was on October 12, when filmmaker Anil Sharma announced his next titled “Vanvaas”, which he taggeds as “Kalyug Ka Ramayana”. In August, Anil spoke to IANS about “Vanvaas”, which he said is “emotions ka ‘Gadar’." “Vanvaas” backed by Zee Studios and directed by Anil Sharma have previously collaborated for films like Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and Gadar 2 that went onto become blockbusters and are now the team is gearing up to surprise the audience with their third film Vanvaas. Written, produced and directed by Anil Sharma, Vanvaas will be released in theaters on December 20, 2024. A Zee Studios Worldwide Release starring Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma and Simratt Kaur in the lead. 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
22 November,2024 08:28 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSEntertainment websites are often filled with tales of Kavita Krishnamurti’s musical journey commencing from her schooling days, however, the veteran singer appears to chronicle her experiences as vividly as though they occurred only yesterday. She recalls how a chance interaction with Hemant Kumar opened doors for her in the industry after he introduced her to Manna Dey, and the impact that being the dubbing artiste for Lata Mangeshkar had on her life. Her conversations are peppered with names of veteran musicians, as well as those who, despite being skilled, were unable to find a place in the limelight. If one taught her appropriate methods to breathe while rendering a song, another enabled her to understand the importance of learning musical notes. Krishnamurti (R) was a dubbing artiste for Lata Mangeshkar At a city concert tomorrow, Krishnamurti is set to encapsulate these experiences into a set that promises to take music aficionados on a memorable journey. In this conversation, she discusses what’s in store for fans, and why she is certain her best work is yet to come. Edited excerpts from the interview: When you have to encapsulate your life experiences into a musical event, how do you go about doing it?First, it’s important to choose the most important songs to sing. Some part of the performance will be a tribute to all the great people I have worked with. I will subsequently [render] songs belonging to the time when I sang for Subhash Ghai and K Viswanath. I have videos of people, including music directors and actors, who have spoken about me and the songs we have worked on. There will also be details on how I got to sing popular songs like Hawa hawai, and work with different composers like AR Rahman. The tribute section will celebrate those senior singers I have worked with and will narrate those stories about them that are relevant to my life. Finally, the show will include some of my popular songs from across the decades. The singer (C) often worked with composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal Your work has been pivotal to the lives of people across generations, with your most recent song being in last week’s release, The Sabarmati Report. How do you perceive this longevity? I have grown up listening to the greatest artistes. I grew up listening to Lata ji, Asha ji [Bhosle], Manna da [Dey], and Kishore da [Kumar]. So, the standards that were set when it came to music were very high. I have always felt scared of falling short. I’m only weighed down [by pressure] when people praise the way I had rendered an old song. I wonder if I will be able to sing it on stage in the same way that I did 30 years ago. I keep telling myself, I have a few more years to sing, and I cannot allow myself to think that the best is over. I am also motivated by my husband, who, even at this age, after having performed for 70 years on stage, and at top concerts, sits at night to practice and says, ‘I’m not getting this note right.’ I feel I am listening to impeccable music, but he thinks he needs to do better. Looking back at the last 54 years, which moments do you believe were most instrumental in shaping you as an artiste?Singing with Hemant da [Kumar] was a big learning experience. He made me sing with Lata ji, and that was an eye-opener. Seeing her stand next to me and sing with perfection was unbelievable. After she would finish singing, I’d hear her voice and understand her approach. Another legend from whom I learnt was Manna Dey, who would reduce me to tears in each of his concerts because his music could transport me to heaven. He lived the life of a great artiste—he was dedicated to music till the age of 94, when he passed away. He was also a family man. He was attached to his wife, and I saw perfection in their relationship. He’d tell me, ‘Keep your feet on the ground, because when you go up, you also have to come down. Remember to keep track of your own money, go to the market, and buy your own stuff.’ [He] lived the life of a common person. Then, singing for Laxmikant-Pyarelal was also a defining experience, as was dubbing for Lata ji. I’d sing the song with the full orchestra, and then [after she would record it], notice how she sang it. I learnt so much about what great singing truly is.
22 November,2024 07:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia LullaIf movies are fated, All We Imagine as Light definitely was for Kani Kusruti. This, even before director Payal Kapadia had penned the story. Kusruti shares that the director, then a student at the Film & Television Institute of India, had reached out to her right after developing the idea. “Payal said she was thinking of me while developing the protagonist. She had liked my work in a short film. I just wanted to be a part of her film,” she smiles. In the Cannes Grand Prix-winning movie, Kusruti plays a nurse, Prabha, who develops an unlikely friendship with another nurse, Anu. She reveals that Kapadia had first chosen her for the role of Anu. “Then years passed [without the film going on floors]. Since I had aged, I thought the chance was gone. Then Payal asked me if I wanted to audition for Prabha.” While she jumped at the idea, there was a longer wait for Kusruti. Her first audition, held two years ago, didn’t quite go well, and Kapadia began auditioning other Malayali actors. The actor laughs that at one point, many actors she knew in Kerala were screen-testing for the film. What’s more, she not only encouraged Divya Prabha to audition for the role of Anu, but also requested Kapadia if she could audition again. Lady luck smiled on her this time. Kusruti recounts, “After the second audition, when Payal asked me whether I’d like to be part of the film, I was in tears.” All We Imagine as Light, which released today, is centred on three women’s friendship and their relationship with the city of Mumbai. Kusruti says the city is aspirational for people of Kerala. “When I was living here, a friend from Kerala visited me. She looked outside my beach-facing house and said, ‘Lovers, lovers everywhere. This is heaven.’ We discussed how you can just go out and sit. In Kerala, even that is difficult.”
22 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaIn 2023, as Alia Bhatt lent her support to the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALTEFF), she had promised to use her voice to tell stories about the environment. The actor-producer stood true to her word as she backed Poacher, which explored the issue of ivory poaching in India. This year, Bhatt is continuing her association with the festival as the goodwill ambassador. Not just that, International Emmy-winning filmmaker and Poacher director Richie Mehta will serve as the brand ambassador for the 2024 edition of ALTEFF, which kicks off today. Bhatt, who wants to back stories about environmental conservation through her banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions, said, “This festival is special, it’s a celebration of films that showcase nature’s resilience and reminds us how beautiful it is to protect our planet. It is an opportunity for us to see the real impact of environmental change through powerful storytelling.” This year, ALTEFF—which focuses on films that shed light on critical environmental issues—will screen the American documentary, Demon Mineral, and Crying Glacier. Festival director Kunal Khanna expressed his joy about Bhatt’s continued association, stating, “With Alia and Richie Mehta as our ambassadors, ALTEFF is positioned to amplify the voices of filmmakers who seek to use film and storytelling to drive environmental action.”
22 November,2024 07:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuHave some fun Aamir Khan appeared to be in his element while speaking at an event Set for new work Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu and Farhan Akhtar pose for lensmen at the trailer launch of their film Just in Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra; Jacqueliene Fernandez; Kartik Aaryan
22 November,2024 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamVillain again Since the Baahubali franchise, Rana Daggubati can’t seem to shake off the persona of the antagonist. While he enjoys the space, he has been eager to try something new. And the break couldn’t have come any sooner. Rana will lend his voice to Ice Elf Barca in the second season of the anime series, Solo Leveling on Crunchyroll. “I’m excited for Indian anime fans to see Barca come alive in a way that truly resonates with them. It was fascinating how the tone, emotion, and even his attitude could shift subtly depending on the language. This is a unique, thrilling journey into the anime world,” shares Rana. Timing matters Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, which sees him playing Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, is eyeing a mid-February 2025 release. The release is meant to coincide with Shivaji Jayanti on February 19. Based on Shivaji Sawant’s novel Chhava, the historical epic explores Sambhaji Maharaj’s legacy as a Maratha warrior. Earlier reports suggested release dates in December or January, but aligning it with Shivaji Jayanti ensures cultural resonance, making February 14 or 21 the likely dates. Directed by Laxman Utekar and with music composed by AR Rahman, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Akshaye Khanna, and Divya Dutta.
22 November,2024 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamActor Kartik Aaryan has delivered the biggest hit of his career with the Diwali release 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'. The film has been making waves at the box office despite a clash with the Rohit Shetty directorial Singham Again that stars Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor with Salman Khan in a special role. Despite the clash, Kartik has been able to achieve a box office milestone in his career with the release of this film. The film which crossed Rs 100 crore in just three days, has crossed the 200 cr mark at the end of the second weekend. This marks Kartik Aaryan's first Rs 200 cr at the box office. Aaryan was over the moon with this achievement and took to Instagram to share his happiness. Sharing a poster that reveals that the film collected Rs 216 cr after 10 days at the box office, the actor wrote, "Rooh Baba Tomar Forever !! Its 11/11 and dreams do come true, First double century of my career ..Your love has bought me this far. Thank you for this Bday Gift in advance". Aaryan will be turning 34 on November 22. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again box office report Trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to social media to share detailed analysis of the film's box office performance. "200 NOT OUT... #BhoolBhulaiyaa3 hits DOUBLE CENTURY...⭐️ First film in the #BhoolBhulaiyaa series to go 200 paar.⭐️ #KartikAaryan and director #AneesBazmee's first film to surpass the ₹ 200 cr mark. The Weekend 2 numbers - particularly on Saturday and Sunday - strongly indicate that #BB3 will comfortably cross the ₹ 250 cr mark. #BhoolBhulaiyaa3 [Week 2] Fri 12.40 cr, Sat 17.40 cr, Sun 18.10 cr. Total: ₹ 216.76 cr.#India biz | Nett BOC | #Boxoffice #BhoolBhulaiyaa3 biz at a glance…⭐️ Week 1: ₹ 168.86 cr⭐️ Weekend 2: ₹ 47.90 cr⭐️ Total: ₹ 216.76 cr". On the other hand, Singham Again also crossed Rs 200 crore at the box office after its second weekend. Adarsh wrote, "200 NOT OUT... #SinghamAgain scores double century, posting healthy numbers in Weekend 2... Strong results in mass circuits *beyond #Maharashtra* could have pushed the total even higher. All eyes will now be on the weekday holds from Monday to Thursday. #SinghamAgain [Week 2] Fri 10.15 cr, Sat 13.75 cr, Sun 14.80 cr. Total: ₹ 225.30 cr.#India biz | Nett BOC | #Boxoffice #SinghamAgain biz at a glance… Week 1: ₹ 186.60 cr Weekend 2: ₹ 38.70 cr Total: ₹ 225.30 cr#India biz | Nett BOC | #Boxoffice".
21 November,2024 09:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actor Salman Khan is undoubtedly one of the biggest superstars who rules the hearts of the audience. While the superstar enjoys a massive fan base across the nation, he credits his life and success to his father, the legendary writer Salim Khan. The father-son duo shares a wonderful bond, which is often evident on screen. Recently, the superstar expressed his love and life journey with his father in the documentary Angry Young Men. Once again, he showcased his affection with an adorable picture. Salman Khan took to his social media and shared a picture with his father, Salim Khan, as he sat on his first bike, a Triumph Tiger. He further wrote in the caption: "Dad's 1st bike, Triumph Tiger 100,1956" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) About the Triumph Tiger 100 bike The Tiger 100 (T100) was a standard motorcycle first made by the British motorcycle company Triumph in 1939. Production ceased when the Triumph factory was destroyed by German bombing in 1940 during World War 2, but recommenced in 1946. Several variants were manufactured until 1973.The lighter and more powerful Tiger 100 was developed as a sports enthusiasts' machine, and as with previous models the "100" referred to its claimed maximum speed in miles per hour (mph). Salman Khan's upcoming work The superstar was recently seen making a cameo appearance in the film Singham Again where he donned the uniform of Chulbul Pandey from the famed Dabangg franchise. Singham Again has been directed by Rohit Shetty and also stars Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone. Salman will be next seen in ‘Sikandar’ in which he has been paired opposite ‘Pushpa’ star Rashmika Mandanna. The film is directed by AR Murugadoss, who is known for films like ‘Ghajini’ and 'Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty'. It is being produced by Sajid Nadiadwala of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, and marks the reunion of Salman with Sajid after 'Kick' which was released in 2014. The makers of the film have booked its release for Eid 2025, the festival which is reserved for releases of Salman Khan.
21 November,2024 08:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentKartik Aaryan scored his biggest box office success with his latest film 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'. The success of the film gave him his first Rs 200 crore film as well. He joined the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' universe with its second part which was released in 2022 right after the pandemic. The film was a smash hit at the box office and audiences wholeheartedly welcomed Kartik as Rooh baba despite an initial reluctance of him replacing Akshay Kumar. The actor who has now become a bankable box office favourite has two franchise films in his kitty- Anurag Basu's Aashiqui 3 and Pati Patni Aur Woh 2. While one will see Kartik as the new face, the other will see him return to the franchise. Kartik's blockbuster sequel bond Kartik Aaryan's claim to fame was also with the success of the 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' franchise directed by Luv Ranjan. The films made him popular among the youth and also earned him the title of the monologue boy. Both films, had him play the role of a man who is tired of dealing with his girlfriend and his frustration coming out as a monologue explaining relationship problems. Kartik's fourth film with Luv Ranjan, 'Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety' marked his first film crossing Rs 100 crore at the box office. While the film was not part of the Pyaar Ka Punchnama franchise, the cast and the plot's similarity to the series helped in getting the audience come to the theatre. In 2019, he starred in the film 'Pati Patni Aur Woh' which also starred Bhumi Pednekar and Ananya Panday. In the film he played a corporate man married to a woman in an arranged setup. The film narrates his story as he develops a relationship with a woman he meets at work and is quite different from his wife. The film had a decent run at the box office and is currently in works for a sequel titled 'Pati Patni Aur Woh 2'. But his real success with a franchise film came with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 in 2022 directed by Anees Bazmee. Looking at the reception towards the film, the makers announced a part 3 and the film shattered several box office records despite a clash with Singham Again. Kartik is the next face of Aashiqui 3, a successful romantic franchise that earlier featured Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor. The third part in the franchise will be helmed by Anurag Basu. The sequel misses Kartik was also the face of Imtiaz Ali's famed Love Aaj Kal that was released in 2020. While the film was not being promoted as the sequel to the film of the same name starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, its essence was the same. The film also starred Sara Ali Khan narrated the story of love in today's time (2020). However, the film failed to impress the audience and proved to be a disaster. On the other hand, Kartik was also announced as the new entrant in the Hera Pheri universe. Back then it was reported that he would be replacing Akshay Kumar's character of Raju. However, a massive social media outrage ensued by fans of the franchise who demanded Akshay return to the franchise. Listening to the audience, the makers got Akshay on board replacing Kartik.
21 November,2024 07:07 PM IST | Mumbai | Athulya NambiarADVERTISEMENT
