Have you heard? Crowded ID weekend

Reports of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule vacating the Independence Day weekend have got filmmakers re-planning their releases. Recently, the makers of Khel Khel Mein announced that the Akshay Kumar-starrer will now release on August 15

Reports of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule vacating the Independence Day weekend have got filmmakers re-planning their releases. Recently, the makers of Khel Khel Mein announced that the Akshay Kumar-starrer will now release on August 15. Initially slated to arrive on August 9, director Mudassar Aziz’s rom-com will now face off with filmmaker Nikkhil Advani and John Abraham’s action thriller Vedaa. Now, producer Dinesh Vijan has decided to jump into the fray with his horror comedy Stree 2. Earlier scheduled to open on August 30, the Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer will now vie for the box office pie with Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa. While the two films arriving simultaneously have attracted audiences, their response to this three-way clash. It’s not for nothing that they say, ‘Three’s a crowd!’ 

Sue you! 

Threats against Raveena Tandon continue to loom. In a video posted earlier this month, a social media user, claiming to be a freelance journalist, accused the actor of being drunk and assaulting a senior citizen. While the Mumbai Police clarified that the allegations were baseless, Raveena has decided to press defamation charges for the false accusations. On her behalf, lawyer Sana Raees Khan sent a defamation notice to the accuser, stating, “This dissemination of false news appears to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish Raveena’s reputation. The intent behind spreading these falsehoods seems to be rooted in extortion and a desire to gain cheap publicity at the expense of the actor’s dignity. We are taking all the necessary legal steps to address this issue.” Meanwhile, a human rights organisation has invited Raveena to Delhi on August 31 to honour her efforts in protecting her driver when faced with a violence-threatening mob. 

Jibraan is Big B-struck

As Jibraan Khan gears up for the release of Ishq Vishk Rebound, he recalls his days as an assistant director on Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmāstra: Part One—Shiva. The experience was a dream come true, as the fantasy adventure gave him the opportunity to work with Amitabh Bachchan, who played a pivotal role in it. “I had to ask him to record a voice note for a special scene and had his number, but I didn’t have the guts to call him,” Jibraan reminisces, adding that it was finally Bachchan who called him. The young actor reportedly shared, “When Amitabh Bachchan [introduced himself], I was shocked for five seconds. I couldn’t believe it. It was an awe-struck moment for me that the great Amitabh Bachchan knows my name and recognises me.” Now no one an deny that!

Managing release dates

Last week, NTR Junior’s Devara Part 1 advanced its release from October 10 to September 27. On the other hand, Alia Bhatt’s Jigra was moved from September 27 to October 11. The two actors have previously worked together on SS Rajamouli’s RRR (2022). Interestingly, Karan Johar is involved with both movies. On one hand, the filmmaker is distributing actor-friend NTR Jr’s action drama with Anil Thadani in the Hindi territories. On the other hand, he is producing Jigra with his protégé Alia. Devara, helmed by Koratala Siva, also marks the Telugu debut of KJo’s other favourite, Janhvi Kapoor, and stars buddy Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist. 

Writing in progress

Earlier this year, we heard that director-duo Abbas-Mustan were contemplating a sequel to their 2002 hit, Humraaz. Starring Bobby Deol, Akshaye Khanna, and Ameesha Patel, the thriller also featured some chartbusters, which cinegoers lapped up as much as the plot twists and turns. Ameesha, who recently met the director duo, reportedly said, “They not only believe in cracking the script, but also taking it a few notches higher. The [makers] are fine-tuning the screenplay and will make the announcement when they are ready.” She also enthused that after the stupendous success of Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2: The Katha Continues, director Anil Sharma is keen on taking the franchise ahead with a new narrative. 

Rainy dilemma

The reports of Sonakshi Sinha’s upcoming wedding with Zaheer Iqbal have taken the producer of their film, Tu Hai Meri Kiran, by surprise. Sarvesh Goel, who is backing the film, revealed that the two actors wanted to wrap up the film fast. However, the rains threw a spanner in their plans.  While only a few days’ of shoot is left, there is no update on the duo’s  combined dates.

Joining the legal drama 

Vivan Bhatena is the newest addition to the cast of the series Raisinghani vs Raisinghani. He plays the role of Ishaan Talvar, a legal whizz known to win the toughest cases with unmatched flair. His introduction to the narrative will see more twists and turns in the legal drama, also starring Jennifer Winget, Karan Wahi, and Reem Sheikh. Admitting that he couldn’t resist the offer, considering his relationship with the cast and creators, Vivan says, “The storyline and Ishaan’s character intrigued me. To capture the nuances of playing an alcoholic character, a specific kind of performance was required.” He points out that, as an actor, he feels each medium, be it television, film, or OTT, demands a slightly different approach, specifically for the type of audience they cater to. “I’ve tried to keep the character real and relatable. So, I’m excited for the audience to witness my work, and I hope they find it enjoyable,” he adds.

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