entertainment

May 242018
 

Preity Zinta will rekindle your nostalgia bud with this black-and-white photo of hers with Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji and Arjun Rampal

Keeping the tradition of Throwback Thursday alive, Preity Zinta shared a photo from the 90s, which screams nostalgia. The photo features Preity Zinta with Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji with Arjun Rampal and Shah Rukh Khan with Priyanka Chopra. While it was easier to recognise everyone, one person, who doesn’t look like an inch closer to what he is now, is Arjun Rampal.

Preity Zinta took to her Instagram account to share the photo and captioned it as, “Those were the days when there was no social media and we all liked each other ! Today we like each other’s comments but hardly have time to hang out like this (sic)!”

Preity has worked in films like Dil Se, Veer Zara, Kal Ho Na Ho and many other films with Shah Rukh Khan. With Saif, she has shared screen space in films Kya Kehna, Salaam Namaste. Talking of Arjun Rampal, she has worked in the film Dil Hai Tumhaara. Rani Mukerji and Preity sizzled in the film Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, and their song, Piya piya o piya piya went on to become a chartbuster. They have also worked together in Veer Zara with Shah Rukh.

After tying the knot with Gene Goodenough, she hasn’t been seen on the big screen. However, vacationing in California and Indian Premier League (IPL) has kept the dimpled-beauty occupied.

Also Read: Preity Zinta’s Dil Se Photo With Shah Rukh Khan Will Take You Down Memory Lane

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May 242018
 

It’s Farah Khan’s husband, Shirish Kunder’s birthday, and the filmmaker has a beautiful wish for him

Ace choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan has an adorable birthday wish for ‘above average’ husband Shirish Kunder, who turned 45 on Thursday, May 24. Taking to social media, Farah wished her husband in the most adorable manner. “Happy birthday to an above average husband, but the Best Dad my kids could have!! @shirishkunder .. ur a rare one(sic)!”

Well, knowing 53-year-old’s wit, one doesn’t expect a normal birthday wish from her.

Shirish Kunder is a filmmaker and has also worked as an editor in over several films. He met Farah on the sets of her film Main Hoon Na. Kunder’s directorial debut was with Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta’s film Jaan-E-Mann (2006). Before stepping into the world of glitz and glamour, Shirish worked as an electronic engineer with a reputed phone company for four years.

Apart from this, he is also known for his humour; the art of punching it hard without getting hurt. Here are a few quotes from him that just prove the above-said statement.

“Idiots are always enthusiastic about everything because no matter what life experiences they’ve gone through, they’ve learnt nothing, and can still foresee nothing.”

“Lowering your standards won’t make your battles easier. You will only be fighting with dirtier people.”

“Forgive people. Or just move on to other people. There are enough people in this world.”

“Isn’t it logical that those who believe only in certain religions and castes should focus on running closed groups instead of an entire nation that will have people from all religions and castes?”

Farah Khan and Shirish have been married for 14 years now. They tied the knot in 2004 and have triplets Czar, Anya, and Diva Kunder.

View Photos: Shirish Kunder’s wittiest quotes that prove he is a bundle of humour without being mean

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May 242018
 

Before his debut in Tere Mere Sapne (1996), Chandrachur Singh used to teach music at Doon School in Dehradun

Chandrachur Singh
Chandrachur Singh

The ’90s actor Chandrachur Singh has resurfaced yet again with Yadvi — The Dignified Princess, which is now set to release in the US. The Maachis (1996) and Josh (2000) actor has also rendered a track, Rangreza, in New York-based Jyoti Singh’s directorial venture. 

Not many know that Chandrachur is a trained classical singer. Before his debut in Tere Mere Sapne (1996), he used to teach music at Doon School in Dehradun.

He breezed into Bollywood in 1996 with two successful films – ‘Maachis’ and ‘Tere Mere Sapne’. He proved his versatility by playing a militant in off-beat serious drama ‘Maachis’, about militancy in Punjab, and an NRI who falls in love with a desi girl in romantic comedy ‘Tere Mere Sapne’. Later in ‘Josh’ and ‘Kya Kehna’ he was seen romancing Aishwarya Rai and Preeti Zinta respectively.

After 2001 release ‘Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa’ Chandrachur Singh suffered health problems and has been out of action.

Also View Gallery: Forgotten Bollywood heroes and how they look now

Forgotten Bollywood heroes and how they look now

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May 242018
 

Tongues have been wagging that Rishi Kapoor’s tweet could be an affirmation that there is something going on between son Ranbir and Alia Bhatt

Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Kapoor

A lot is being said about Rishi Kapoor’s tweet about the Bhatts, which he posted last evening. Twitter deciphered from the veteran’s tweet that it is a ‘confirmation’ of Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s rumoured relationship. Tongues have been wagging that it could be an affirmation that there is something going on between son Ranbir and Miss Bhatt. 

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt

The veteran actor wrote, “Have worked with most of the talented Bhatt family (and relatives). Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt, Robin Bhatt, Purnima ji, Soni Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt, Emraan Hashmi, Alia Bhatt. Thank you all (sic).” Rishi is shooting for Jeethu Joseph’s film with Emraan Hashmi (Alia Bhatt’s cousin), but fans are convinced that Rishi just dropped a big hint. 

“So now you are confirming you are ready to see Alia Bhatt as Alia Kapoor,” a user replied to Rishi Kapoor’s tweet, while another said, “Oh, Ranbir + Alia, confirm.”

Ranbir Kapoor has admitted that he has a boy crush on Alia Bhatt at a recent event in New Delhi. RK candidly confessed that he is fond of his Brahmastra co-actor. Karan Johar, who was also present said, “Awww.”

Whether they are together or not, time will tell.

Also Read: Did you know Chandrachur Singh is a trained classical singer?

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May 242018
 

Mumbai police’s social media handle borrowed the viral line ‘Our Business’ to spread the message of cyber security

Daisy Shah
Daisy Shah

Daisy Shah’s zany dialogue, ‘Our business is our business, none of your business,’ in the trailer of Race 3, is still sending netizens into a tizzy. Yesterday, Mumbai police’s social media handle borrowed the viral line to spread the message of cyber security.

The tweet read, “Mind your own data to make sure that no one else takes advantage of it to beat you in the race of safety (sic).” The accompanying photo of the actor was captioned, “When someone asks for your personal details online say, “My data is my data, none of your data (sic).”

Mind your own data to make sure that no one else takes advantage of it to beat you in the #RaceOfSafety pic.twitter.com/WJ4ADZEl1a

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice)
May 23, 2018

This is one meme that Daisy Shah was happy about. She replied, “Too good.” Cops have a sense of humour too!

🤣😂🤣ðŸ‘ðŸ»ðŸ‘🻠#toogood https://t.co/Hl24XxQAd2

— Daisy Shah (@ShahDaisy25)
May 23, 2018

The other day, Jacqueline Fernandez too took to Instagram, where Daisy posed in the picture, with a caption that read ‘Our Being Human is our Being Human. None of your being human’

Daisy you are such a sport!

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May 242018
 

The audiences, Denzongpa believes, are more diverse now and want to see characters from real life

Danny Denzongpa
Danny Denzongpa

He has the restless soul of a nomad and calls himself aloof but Danny Denzongpa, the unlikely star of India’s glamour industry, finds a sense of belonging not just in his serene homeland Sikkim but also in bustling Bollywood. With one foot in Sikkim, where he runs a successful brewery, and another in Bollywood, Danny has been a Hindi film regular since 1971, averaging a film a year even now when he is 70. 

Danny Denzongpa, who is getting ready for the release of ‘Bioscopewala’ where he plays the title role, says the key to a rich and fulfilling life lies in staying aloof from the “filmy” aspect of the industry. “I’m like an alien in the film industry. I have come from a far off place, Sikkim. Despite being in the industry, I have never been a ‘filmy’ kind of person. I have been aloof. I just do my job,” Danny told PTI in a phone interview. 

The iconic villain of many a film who went on to play a variety of roles shares a deep connect with his birthplace in Sikkim and loves to spend time on his farmhouse when he is not shooting a film. “Monotony is something that disturbs me. I try to diversify by painting, carving, singing and writing. That keeps one alive. I never plan things. Whenever I have felt like I should stop acting, I have done that. That could be the reason I survived for so long,” he said.

Danny believes his birthplace and his upbringing have a lot to do with his ease of being, and keeping him detached from the trappings of glamour. Born in West Sikkim’s Yuksom village, Danny describes his home state as a magical place full of hills, forest and meadows. “My village is the last village after which there is no house only a forest, which leads to a beautiful meadow, perfect for longs walks. I have named my brewery after Yuksom and my Mumbai home is named after the meadow, Dzongri.”

The actor says he is still surprised by his journey in films from one of the remotest places in India but it has helped him keep things in perspective. “I remember, it used to take two days of walking to catch a bus to my school hostel. We would either travel on foot or on horseback in those days. I have seen all that. I tell my son that when I came to Mumbai from the Pune Film Institute, I had Rs 1,500 in my pocket and if today, I lost everything, my shoes would still cost more than the money I came with. I credit my parents and teachers for my upbringing and Buddhism. People call it a religion today but it is really a philosophy. I try to find peace in my work. I never rush into things.”

A still from Bioscopewala, featuring Danny Denzongpa in the lead
A still from Bioscopewala, featuring Danny Denzongpa in the lead

The actor says he is surprised that people embraced him despite his different looks, language and religion. “When I came here, my face was different, my language and my religion were different but they accepted me. I have played Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha’s brother. I myself was not convinced in the beginning when producers came with these roles. I would tell them ‘How can I look like their brother? Don’t cast me, your film will not work’.”

The actor, still known for his portrayal as a sadistic husband in “Dhund” and the cruel Kancha Cheena from “Agneepath”, says his sensibilities are more aligned towards realistic cinema. That’s what attracted him to “Bioscopewala”, an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s classic short story “Kabuliwala”. The film, directed by Deb Medhekar, releases this Friday.

He believes the beautiful portrayal of the loneliness of the migrant and his bond with a little girl in Kolkata city, who reminds him of his daughter in Afghanistan, is behind the timelessness of the story. “Though there are changes from the original story, the soul of the story is intact and that’s what attracted me to this film. They have changed the time period and have set it in the early ’80s and I have become a bioscopewala instead of the dry fruit seller that Tagore wrote about,” says the actor.

Danny says he only accepts roles that interest him now. “In the industry, people know everyone’s temperament and I believe in being honest rather than keeping people waiting. If I don’t like the script, I tell them, ‘I’m so sorry, the script is not good’. If I know the person, I tell them, ‘Yaar, please don’t make it’.”

Besides acting, Denzongpa also directed the 1980 film “Phir Wahi Raat”. If the mood dictates, he says he might just find himself behind the camera again. The space for the larger than life villain has shrunk with realism making an entry into the commercial arena. “The cinema of ’70s and ’80s was about action and revenge. For a script like that, you needed a strong villain and a strong hero. When we started, it was the era of romantic and family films but with the rise of Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan), came the phase of action films, which lasted for almost three decades and then it changed again in ’90s with Salman and Shah Rukh as romantic heroes.”

The audiences, Danny believes, are more diverse now and want to see characters from real life. “What used to worry me and still does is that our quality is still not great. We are the largest film industry in the world and make over 1,200 films but there should be at least one film that earns name and fame globally. This is still not happening. But the time is right for that to happen.”

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May 232018
 

Afghan embassy was told that as long as the film did not hurt political sentiments, a viewing could be arranged

Danny Denzonga
Danny Denzonga

Yesterday, Bioscopewala director Deb Medhekar was surprised to receive a call from the Afghan embassy in New Delhi. As mid- day had reported, the filmmaker is keen to showcase the Danny Denzonga-starrer in Afghanistan as it is based on Rabindranath Tagore’s classic tale, Kabuliwala. He was told that as long as the film did not hurt political sentiments, a viewing could be arranged. Kabuliwala will now actually get a chance to go home.

Medhekar’s interest in the country stems from the plot of his film, based on Rabindranath Tagore’s classic tale, Kabuliwala. The short’s adaptation, featuring Danny Denzongpa and Geetanjali Thapa, revolves around a dry fruit seller from Kabul, who comes to India to sell his wares. He befriends a young girl, who reminds him of his daughter living in Kabul.

In his letter written to Dr Shaida Abdali, Afghanistan ambassador to India, Medhekar has urged for the facilitation of a screening in the country. While he is uncertain of getting permission for a theatrical release, he is hopeful his film will screen in schools, colleges or other public platforms.

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May 232018
 

Aamir Khan, who has clocked 30 years in the film industry, finds Ranbir Kapoor a good actor and he is confident he must have done well in Sanju

Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan says he was offered to play the role of late Sunil Dutt in Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, the upcoming biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, but he refused it only because he wanted to essay the title character. Aamir interacted with the media on Wednesday. Asked if he was offered to play the role of Sunil Dutt, he said, “He (Hirani) approached me with the script and I loved it. He wanted me to play Dutt saab’s role. It is a fantastic role and the story is largely on the father-son relationship. But Sanju’s role is unbelievable.”

“So as an actor, I told Raju that Sanjay Dutt‘s role is so wonderful that it won my heart. So in this film I can’t do any other role but Sanjay Dutt’s, which of course I cannot do because Ranbir (Kapoor) is playing it. So, do not offer me anything.” Aamir Khan, who has clocked 30 years in the film industry, finds Ranbir Kapoor a good actor and he is confident he must have done well in the film.

“I cannot wait to watch the film now,” said Aamir, who has worked closely with Hirani in films like 3 Idiots and PK. In real life, Aamir shared a strong bond with Sunil Dutt. Reminiscing some fond memories of the late actor, he said, “He always sent me telegrams in those days to wish me on Diwali, Eid, birthday… If my film did well, he sent me a congratulations note.”

What was his favourite memory of Sunil Dutt? Aamir said, “During the riots of 1993, the Hindi film industry took a delegation to the then Chief Minister to stop the riots. Around 40 people went to the CM’s office. After that, we decided that since no immediate action had been taken, we will sit under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Mantralaya. All 40 of us came and sat under the statue and we decided until the violence stops, we won’t move from there.”

“For the night, we decided to continue it rotationally. So on the first time, Dutt Saab, Yash Chopra, Johnny Walker, I and one of the film producers, we all sat down together at night under the Gandhi statue. We spent the whole night there… Of course, the next day people came and by the evening the CM took some action. But for me, it was a memorable night where I was listening to the stories of their journey from Dutt saab and Johnny Walker. I remember that night very clearly. He was a very strong, dignified and gentle person.”

Aamir confirmed he was producing the slain Indian music mogul Gulshan Kumar’s biopic with Bhushan Kumar.

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Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from agencies

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May 232018
 

Raveena Tandon’s works to be featured in exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery

One of Tandon's pictures that will be displayed at the exhibition. Inset: Raveena Tandon
One of Tandon’s pictures that will be displayed at the exhibition. Inset: Raveena Tandon

After facing the arc lights for decades, Raveena Tandon has now gone behind the camera. The actor, who has been dabbling in wildlife photography for some time, is showcasing her maiden collection at an exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda, tomorrow.

Says the actor, “The pictures have been taken at different forests in India, which include the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand and the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. My children [Rasha and Ranbir] love visiting wildlife sanctuaries, these are images that have been taken during our travels.”

Raveena Tandon is among the 78 chosen photographers who will be displaying their works at the show, H2Photo. The proceeds from the sales will go towards installing solar pump sets at sanctuaries to revive depleting watering holes. “I am the only amateur among so many professionals,” says Tandon, who is currently honing her skill under the tutelage of her photographer friends, Avinash Gowariker and Pavitr Saith.

A vociferous animal activist, Tandon’s interest in wildlife photography stems from her love for them. “It is amazing to see them in the natural habitat,” says the actor, who hopes to have a solo exhibition of her clicks soon.

View gallery: Did you know? Raveena Tandon and Sholay’s Sambha are related!

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May 232018
 

Rasika Dugal talks about spending time with cops to slip into the role of one, in her upcoming web show, Delhi Police

Rasika Dugal
Rasika Dugal

Apart from her next big screen venture, Nandita Das’ Manto, Rasika Dugal is also awaiting the release of her upcoming web offering, tentatively titled Delhi Police, which will see her slip into the role of an IPS officer for the first time.

Talking about the eight-part crime drama series, based on high profile criminal cases, Dugal says, “I play an IPS officer who has only recently completed a year-long training in Delhi. So, I met several IPS officers as part of preparation. I spent time with them to understand the processes underway in police stations, how they train for a parade or simply hang out. It is easy to relate to people once they start talking. Stories about their training and desire to do something for people and the country made for many long conversations.” The actor also took time to understand the different official ranks in the system, and those that are specific to the Delhi Police. “There were so many details about the uniform itself, and about the different ways in which they salute each other.”

Shot from January to April earlier this year, the show was helmed by Canadian director Richie Mehta, and has been produced by Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe Pictures. Rasika Dugal admits she’s known Mehta for a while after having met him at a film festival in 2013. “We bumped into each other later when he was on a recce for this project. I was shooting for another venture at the same location. He tells me that it occurred to him then that I would fit the part.” The show, also featuring Shefali Shah, Adil Hussain and Rajesh Tailang is based on investigations of the cases in concern.

Also read: Rasika Dugal goes sans make-up for Manto

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