Apr 132018
 

With just one week to go for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, fans are already beside themselves with anticipation to see what Thanos does to their beloved superheroes. Of course, Marvel is doing what it does best, teasing us endlessly with teasers and TV spots and I don’t think I can take it anymore. 

2018 has already begun as a remarkable year for Marvel fans, with the makers promising to roll out one spectacular movie after another, and soon it will be time to witness the biggest superhero crossover in history.

MensXP's Exclusive Interview With 'Black Widow' Scarlett Johansson About 'Avengers: Infinity War'

Iron Man and Star-Lord, Black Widow and Okoye, these are just a few names among the many, which we never imagined to see on the same screen. But I guess, the end of the world changes things.

Anyway, we were losing our minds in the process of waiting to see the Avengers in action again, and when we couldn’t take it anymore, we decided to take matters into our own hands and reach out to a crucial member of the team.

MensXP's Exclusive Interview With 'Black Widow' Scarlett Johansson About 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Marvel

Badass, fierce, smart, sexy, lethal, intelligent (we can go on forever with the adjectives). Black Widow is a character who has struck a chord with both male and female fans alike, not just because she can kill you with her looks (literally), but because she is a deadly weapon, minus any superpowers, with an array of skills that make her one of a kind.

Scarlett Johansson, aka Natasha Romanoff, better known as Black Widow is literally the best spy/assassin/superhero there is, and when we got a chance to speak to her about the fate of the Avengers in ‘Infinity War’, it sure was an illuminating chat.

MensXP's Exclusive Interview With 'Black Widow' Scarlett Johansson About 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Marvel

Where Do We Find Your Character At The Start Of ‘Infinity War’?

Black Widow: It’s hard to say because there is a two-year period between ‘Civil War’ and the start of ‘Infinity War’. There’s a lot to explore there, but certainly, I built a backstory for my own character that really finds her in a place where she is more determined than ever to be as strategic as possible and to keep everything under control as much as she possibly can. She’s kind of gone rogue. She and Cap are trying to monitor and take care of as much as they possibly can without having the structure that they had in the safety of the Avengers. They’re operating their own team so to speak. It’s kind of rough when we first find them. I imagine that Natasha is a little bit hardened from what she’s experienced and what she’s had to go through.

Where Are Steve Rogers And Natasha Heading In Their Friendship?

Black Widow: I think Steve and Natasha have a very fluid communication between them (smiles). They’ve obviously been on hundreds of missions together, in life or death situations. They operate very much like teammates. It’s a kind of unspoken communication that they have at this point.

Tell Us About The Stellar Cast & How Do You Feel At This Point?

Black Widow: It’s been really exciting to get to work with some of the actors from different franchises that I have just admired. I guess you would say we are sort of an extended family. And then, of course, there are new characters that are also being introduced to the family. That part of it is wonderful because certainly what Marvel has really championed for, I think, is hiring actors who are unexpected, are dedicated and are fresh. They advocate for new, and that part of it is so exciting. Of course, it’s bittersweet for me because I look around and see the cast and crew that have really become very close friends of mine and like a movie family, and I know that perhaps this could be the last time that all of us are together in this kind of way. It’s a bittersweet feeling, but I’m really proud of the work that we’ve done. And I’m proud of what we’ve built. I really feel like I’ve taken this character as far as I can go within this context, and I’m proud of that.

MensXP's Exclusive Interview With 'Black Widow' Scarlett Johansson About 'Avengers: Infinity War'© Marvel

Let’s Talk About Coming Face-To-Face With Thanos

Black Widow: The Avengers talk about him so much before they see him that we’re sort of fighting this faceless evil, so when they finally see him I think it’s just the likes of something that Natasha could not even possibly imagine. These are the highest stakes that the Avengers have ever faced, and with that, she is willing to give it everything she has.

Ten Years, That’s A Long Time, What Does It Mean To You?

Black Widow: It’s been an incredible opportunity for me to be able to continue to come back to a character that I love so much and be able to peel back the layers, so to speak, of a character that I think in many ways kind of reflects myself and reflects my own growth and my own challenges. I really feel it’s been an incredible gift as an actor to be able to have that experience.

Apr 132018
 

Priyanka Chopra recently paid two visits to her homeland, India a few days back. The first time when she came was for about 2 weeks and her recent visit was for merely 16 hours for attending an event in Mumbai. Now she is back in Ireland to resume her shooting for the third season of her American TV show ‘Quantico’. While her Bollywood projects still pose a question in the media’s and the fans’ minds, it was recently reported that she will be a part of Salman Khan starrer ‘Bharat’ which is being headlined by Ali Abbas Zafar.

However, as per latest reports in a media portal, PeeCee will apparently not be roped in for ‘Bharat’ because of Salman Khan. Conjectures suggest that years ago Salman Khan had reportedly vowed to never collaborate with Priyanka. The reason behind this speculation is still a mystery. Though she is extremely close to Arpita and Alvira and always makes it a point to catch up with Salman’s sisters when she is in town.

A source close to the ‘Race 3’ actor revealed that no matter how hard Priyanka tries to mend ways with Salman, it is still not going to change his mind. Emphasising that Priyanka being a part of ‘Bharat’ is a rumour, the source said that they are being floated by someone’s publicity machinery in the hope that they would influence the choice of leading lady in the film. Since the film is out an out a Salman movie, the makers are looking to cast a new face opposite him.

Apr 132018
 

At a recent award function, actress Kareena Kapoor Khan was seen joking with Akshay Kumar, wherein, she joked about her 1-year old son, Taimur being a threat to the actor. In the video, which has now gone viral, she is seen saying, “Akshay (actor Akshay Kumar), Taimur is a threat to you, I am telling you.”

Kareena Kapoor was also seen saying the actor, who was sitting in the audience, about how Taimur would undoubtedly beat him at the Box Office if their films ever released together. “Even in your fan following, he can surpass you. It’s an open challenge,” told the 37-year-old actress to Akshay Kumar.

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena’s son Taimur is very popular. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that he enjoys as much popularity as his celebrity parents. Talking about the limelight he gets, momma Kareena says that it is “scary”. She also said that when the time comes, she would like Taimur to get a chance to prove himself.

The little toddler has several dedicated fan clubs to his name. They religiously keep sharing pictures of the munchkin’s visit to the play school, poolside garden or just chilling in his balcony’s swing.

Kareena Kapoor Khan talks about Taimur Ali Khan being the centre of the nation's attraction. She even joked by challenging Akshay….. Hahahhahaha #kareena #kareenakapoor

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan Fc (@kareenakapoorupdates) on Apr 11, 2018 at 4:25am PDT

In an interview with mid-day, Kareena spoke about how scary it gets to deal with so much attention around Taimur Ali Khan. She said, “Frankly, I am paranoid. So much attention on him is scary. The more I think of it, the more I want to put a kaala teeka on him. I don’t want him to leave the house. But that’s me going overboard. I control my feelings only so that my son can grow up like a regular kid. He deserves to have that chance sans any pressure.”

Saif [Ali Khan, husband] and I discuss that our baby is bringing a smile to everyone’s face. We see it in a positive light and move on,” she reasons. Well aware of her own, and now, her son’s soaring popularity, she quips, “People around are unsure whether they should address me as a superstar or the mother of the country’s youngest superstar.”

Apr 132018
 

The National Film Award winners reacted with surprise and elation as their name was announced today but it came as a bitter-sweet moment for the family members of Sridevi, who was named the best actress posthumously for her role in “Mom”. The 54-year-old actress featured in the film alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna. Her cameo appearance in Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma starrer Zero will be her last performance on the celluloid. Sridevi’s producer-husband Boney Kapoor became emotional to know about her win at the 65th National Film Awards.

“Thank you. I just wish she was here today to see this,” Boney told PTI when reached out for a reaction. Her daughters Janhvi and Khushi, thanked the government of India, jury members and fans for celebrating her achievements. “We are overjoyed to know that the jury has conferred the best actor award to Sridevi for her performance in Mom. It’s a very special moment for all of us. She was always a perfectionist and it showed in all the 300 plus films she did. She was not just a super actor but a super wife and a super mom. It’s time to celebrate her life and her achievements. She is not with us today but her legacy will always live on.”

The actor died in February this year at the age of 54. Mom was her 300th film. “It was not because of the relationship we shared but because she was the most deserving candidate for her portrayal in Mom,” said Shekhar Kapur, this year’s feature film jury head. He had worked with Sridevi in 1987 film Mr India.

Her Mom co-star, Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui, told PTI, “I am not surprised, she deserved more. She deserves each and every award of the world. From a child actor till her last film. I am happy that she got a send off at the state level. But I am saddened that she got the award when she is not here today.”

Actor Divya Dutta, who was named the best supporting actress for her role in Irada said it was great to finally win the award as people always believed that she was a winner. “I just heard about it is it true? It is my first national award. Everyone has been thinking I am a national award winning actress and today it has finally come true,” Divya told PTI.

“National awards tell you that there are films that need to be seen. This will pave the way for viewing such films. I had shot for this film after my mother died so I was in a very disturbed state of mind, I gave it my all,” she added.

Pankaj Tripathi, who received a special mention at the National Awards for his role in the Newton, said it was a moment of celebration for him. “I am absolutely delighted. I had no idea I was even in the running. It feels amazing to know that the whole country thought my role in Newton was one of my best and to win the Special Mention Award at the highest film awards in India is just exhilarating. My director and co-actors made it so easy for me to act in this film,” he said.

Actor Taapsee Pannu, who had a special appearance in “Ghazi” said it was “ecstatic” that the film had won the best Telugu film award. The team of Newton, which bagged the award for the best Hindi film, said they are overjoyed with the honour.

“It’s a huge achievement for all of us. Newton is such a unique and special film. It’s a film that has been made with purity and honesty,” lead actor Rajkummar Rao, who is already a National award winner, said.

“It is a big thing, it is a very proud moment for me. I would like to thank Akshay Kumar, the director and the producer. For me, this is like an Oscar award. Akshay is very happy for me,” Ganesh Acharya, who won the best choreographer award for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, told PTI.

Director of the best Marathi film winner Kaccha Limbu, Prasad Oak, told PTI, “This award is very very special as I have got it for my debut film. It is a dream come true. It is an achievement for the entire team.”

Apr 132018
 

Alia Bhatt has both baffled and amazed her fans with the fantastic trailer of her upcoming thriller ‘Raazi’, where she plays the role of a Kashmiri spy called Sehmat. The movie is actually inspired by a real-life story, which makes it all the more exciting.

However, she managed to play this role with conviction thanks to her intense dedication in order to get into the skin of the character.

While playing a glamorous role usually requires an actor to do nothing more than looking good and convincing on screen with some slick dance skills to boot, portraying a raw character like that of Sehmat requires a whole different kind of effort. And Alia has brought that with her in spades for ‘Raazi’.  

Playing a spy meant that Alia had to learn how to fight and skilfully disarm men in real life and also knowing how the Morse code works. This newly released behind-the-scenes video gives a glimpse of how she managed to nail this entire look and justify the script.

The actor even learned how to drive for the role, even though she has never driven in her life. The movie is the story of a Kashmiri woman who marries into a Pakistani family and spies for India. The movie also stars Soni Razdan and Vicky Kaushal and is going to hit screens on May 11th.

Apr 132018
 

The 65th National Film Awards have been announced with Bollywood film ‘Newton’ emerging as the Best Hindi Film and music maestro AR Rahman emerging as the biggest winner. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur headed the jury of the film awards which recognises talents across cinema in all languages. Late actress Sridevi was conferred with the Best Actress Award posthumously for her last film ‘Mom’ while the Best Actor Award went to Riddhi Sen for ‘Nagarkirtan’.

AR Rahman won the National Award for Best Music Direction for ‘Kaatru Veliyidai’ and for the Background Music for the film ‘Mom’. This makes him the only composer to win six National Awards.

Actor Pankaj Tripathi received a special mention at the 65th National Film Awards for his performance in the film ‘Newton’. Late actor Vinod Khanna was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his immense contribution to Indian cinema.

‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ too got the attention it deserved and won the Best Special Effects and Best Action Direction besides the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

Following is the list of winners:

Best Actress: Sridevi for ‘Mom’
Best Actor: Riddhi Sen for ‘Nagar Kirtan’
Best Director: Jayaraj for ‘Bhayanakam’
Best Film: Village Rockstars (Assamese)
Best Action Direction: ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’
Best Choreography: Ganesh Acharya for ‘Gori Tu Latth Maar’ from the film ‘Toilet Ek Prem Katha’
Best Special Effects: ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’
Special Jury Award: Nagar Kirtan (Bengali)
Best Lyrics: Muthurathinam
Best Music Direction: AR Rahman for ‘Katru Veliyidayi’
Best Make-up Artist: Ram Rajak for ‘Nagar Kirtan’
Best Costume: Gobinda Mandal for ‘Nagar Kirtan’
Best Production Design: Santosh Rajan ‘Take Off’
Best Editing: Rima Das for ‘Village Rockstar’
Best Sound Design: ‘Walking With The Wind’
Best Audiography (Location Sound): Mallika Das, Village Rockstar
Best Location Sound Recording: Mallika Das for ‘Village Rockstar’
Best Screenplay Original: Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum
Best Screenplay Adapted: Bhayanakam
Best Cinematography: Bhayanakam
Best Female Playback Singer: Sashaa Tirupati for ‘Kaatru Veliyidayi’
Best Male Playback Singer: K.J Yesudas for the song ‘Poy Maranja Kalam’ from ‘Viswasapoorvam Mansoor’
Best Child Artist: Anita Das for ‘Village Rockstar’
Best Children’s Film: ‘Mhorkya’
Best Film on Environmental Conservation: ‘Irada’
Best Direction: Jayaraj for ‘Bhayanakam’
Best Feature Film on National Integration: Dhappa (Marathi)
Best Debut Film of a Director: ‘Sinjar’
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’

Best Regional Films Special Mention:

Marathi – Mhorkya
Malayalam – Take Off

Best Regional Films:

Hindi – Newton
Ladakh – Walking With The Wind
Lakshadweep – Sinjar
Tulu – Paddayi
Marathi – Kachcha Limboo
Malayalam – Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum
Kannada – Hebbettu Ramakka
Bengali – Mayurakshi
Assamese – Ishu
Telugu – Ghazi
Gujarati – Dhh
Odiya – Hello Arsi

Apr 132018
 

Katrina Kaif and Varun Dhawan’s collaboration has been creating immense buzz ever since it was officially announced by the makers. The untitled project will be headlined by none other than Remo D’Souza, hence it was obvious that the story would be around dancing. This much-ambitious dance-based project will be reaching a new high as Remo is reportedly contemplating making it in 4-D.

During an interaction with a daily, Remo revealed how he and his team are trying to explore the 4D and IMAX space as well for their next venture. He is still learning the technology and hopes that he gets it right to use it in an appropriate way.

If we go back in time a little, we learn that Remo’s last dance-based film ‘ABCD 2’ explored the 3D space and received immense praises for the visual excellence that the movie delivered. Remo revealed that while making the film in 3D was quite laborious, however, the risk paid off as the format enhanced the movie and made it visually more appealing.

Remo is quite aware that using the latest format for his next will be much more demanding. There are a lot of elements involved, more attention to camera angles, mark of the actors has to be paid. Remo emphasises how they don’t want to compromise on the story because of the technology, so they are still toying with the idea.

Currently busy with the shoot of ‘Race 3’, after wrapping up his schedule, Remo plans to head to Los Angeles to understand the technique of 4D better.

Apr 132018
 

We live in a world where a Dharma Productions movie or one by Rajshri Productions will pull people to the theatres like a magnet, but have you ever stopped to think what actually makes a movie worthy of a National Award? It’s the hard work of the team and offcourse, a great script. Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Newton’ has won the national award for the best film and it is deserving in every way.

Pankaj Tripathi, who played a pivotal role in the movie, got a special mention for his stellar acting.

Special mention award for actor Pankaj Tripathi for the movie Newton: Shekhar Kapur, chairman of the central panel of the 65th National Film Awards, in Delhi pic.twitter.com/V6ichCvaBk

— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2018

The movie talks about elections being held in a Naxal-controlled environment. Pankaj played the character of Aatma Singh, who is a Central Reserve Police Force officer in the movie. The film was also sent as an entry for Oscars but lost the race to other movies. This win has united the internet unanimously about ‘Newton’ getting what it deserved.

Congratulation @RajkummarRao to won #nationalfilmfareaward for best movie #Newton

— mohd junaid (@mohdjunaid1962S) April 13, 2018

#Newton deserved the #BestHindiFilm award at #65thNationalAwards. Bollywood should make more movies like this!

— Sonal K (@sonalkhandelwal) April 13, 2018

Congratulations to the entire team of #newton for delivering such movies. Special thanks to @RajkummarRao for he chose to come in bollywood and made us experience some of the best cinema I’ve ever seen. Wayyy to goo mannn!! Keep up the stupendous work.

— Tanmay Tarun (@metanmay26) April 13, 2018

Besides ‘Newton’, the late Sridevi won the award for Best Actress for her performance in ‘Mom’, Riddhi Sen won the Best Actor award for ‘Nagarkirtan’.  The 65th National Awards concluded today. 

Apr 132018
 

When you have names like Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter and Rihanna all rolled into one mega movie, you don’t even need to doubt the awesomeness that lies in store for you. The trailer for ‘Ocean’s 8’ is finally here and sweet Lord, the stellar cast is enough to bring you down to your knees. 

The first trailer of the movie had left many with their mouths watering for more, and now the second trailer has left everyone quivering with excitement for what’s to come. With just a few weeks away from its release, the latest trailer shows us the main plot of the story and it is a promising one.

The video establishes the iconic Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, yeah she is the incarcerated and estranged sister of Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and introduces us to her gang of bad girls.

Img(c) Warner Bros

And what are they up to? No, no. It is not yet another casino or some rich dude they want to rip off but they plan on robbing the freaking Met Gala! Clearly, these ladies don’t think like mere, mortal thieves. However, it is their elaborate planning and preparation to pull of the heist which is such a roller coaster to witness. 

You have Blanchett, who is totally impressed by Debbie’s determination. Her plan is risky, almost impossible but she makes anything sound like a walk in the park. There is a lot on the plate and each and every team member has a particular set of skills, which will help them in pulling this off.

And the biggest highlight is Rihanna, who plays the character “9 Ball”. To know more about what she is up to, you have got to watch the trailer for yourself!

Img(c) Warner Bros

You also have Hathaway stepping in, and man, are we glad to see her back on the big screen. However, she is gonna ditch her trademark sweet smile and replace it with a diabolical smirk, as she plays the diamond-loving socialite, who seems to NOT be part of the eight. It is still a mystery and we need to wait for it. 

Sandra Bullock has never disappointed us so far, and we are sure she does not plan to break her legendary streak of powerhouse performances. ‘Ocean’s 8’ looks like a treat that just can’t be missed and we are on tenterhooks to see how the gang of evil geniuses pull off the biggest heist we have ever seen. 

Check out the amazing trailer now:

‘Ocean’s 8’ will hit the screens near us on June 8th.

 

 

Apr 132018
 

You seem to have an online store and have big plans. You got a snazzy online store, you have started promoting it and business is coming in. Times are good. Congratulations!

By the way, who is maintaining your website? Anyone?

Ecommerce - Online Store Maintenance Specialists - Dallas, Texas, USA

Ecommerce – Online Store Maintenance Specialists – Chandler, AZ, USA

After hosting an online store, it is important to maintain it. Updating different segments on the store is an effective way of making your site look new to shoppers. Sites that are poorly maintained look outdated and untidy to customers, and therefore reduce their selling potential. Online store maintenance has to be part of your ecommerce strategy yet many merchants ignore it – quote often to the detriment of their business.

Benefits of Online Store Maintenance:

Online Store Maintenance

Online Store Maintenance Specialists – Chandler, AZ, USA

Site Security:

Regular updates of themes and plugins fight security attacks from hackers, scammers, viruses and many other nefarious entities. When you do routine maintenance of your store, you will be aware of possible threats and dangers, and take preventative measures beforehand.

A single breach can cause theft of confidential customer data, that in turn creates legal issues and also customers lose confidence in the business.

SEO maintenance:

Store maintenance should also include periodic SEO revitalization. Maintaining SEO through regular updates is necessary to maintain your ranking in search engines. Through regular maintenance, research new keywords and add them to your search term lists to improve internet accessibility. And don’t forget to adjust your SEO for voice based searches.

Online Store Maintenance

Online Store Maintenance – Ecommerce Specialists – Chandler, AZ, USA

Regular maintenance should also include your social media sites, their integration with the website and making sure current content is posted regularly on the social properties of the company.

Increased Site Functionalities and User Friendliness:

Online shoppers are taking a risk when they go shopping and if for any reason they don’t feel secure, or they don’t see the information that they need or the shopping cart is too complicated, they abandon the site and go elsewhere. Abandoned shopping carts is a big issue for online merchants and one way of minimizing abandoned carts is to constantly monitor your online store and ensure that everything is working.

Some small business owners wonder why they need to maintain their store when it was working just fine 6 months ago. The reason is that the underlying software changes, the plugins change, the operating system changes and there are new security threats. If you don’t update regularly, soon you will have some sections of the webstore that no longer function. You may not know and be losing sales.

Upload Products to Marketplaces like Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, Google Shopping etc:

The more people see your products, the better your chances of making a sale. That is why savvy merchants list their products on marketplaces like Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, Google Shopping etc. However; unless you just have a handful of products, it becomes very difficult to manage and synchronize inventory across all these marketplaces. If you don’t, you may end up cancelling orders and that lowers your ratings. A good ecommerce specialist will help you use services like UploadMyProducts.com to upload inventory in bulk and synchronize across multiple marketplaces.

Room To Add New Opportunities:

You should have an ongoing relationship with a webmaster so you can add new functions and features as new opportunities arise. When you have an ongoing relationship, the web master has a vested interest in the company’s success and will be more than eager to explore new opportunities.

Who can help you with online Store Maintenance?

We can. At interloperInc.com, we specialize in small business online stores and can help you with routine maintenance, enhancements, SEO and CRM. Let’s talk.

Online Store Maintenance Specialists

Online Store Maintenance – Ecommerce Specialists. Chandler, AZ, USA