Kaali poster row: Canadian MP Chandra Arya says anti-Hindu, anti-India groups active

Bengaluru, July 6 (IANS): An Indiaborn parliamentarian from Canada, Chandra Arya said on Wednesday that anti-Hindu and anti-India forces have joined hands in Canada. The Canadian parliamentarian, who originally hails from Karnataka,

Chennai, July 4 (IANS): The team of director Mani Ratnam’s eagerly-awaited magnum opus, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ on Monday released the Mumbai, July 5: Playback singer Sona Mohapatra, who has crooned hit numbers such as ‘Bedardi Raja’, ‘Ambarsariya’ and ‘Rangabati’, has addressed a lengthy tweet to Parag Agrawal, CEO of the microblogging site, slamming the practice of not inviting women as headliners for cultural events at his alma mater IIT Bombay. In her tweet, Sona wrote, “Dear @paraga, Ur alma-mater has for decades, mostly never hosted women as headliners in their cultural festival. IITB alumni, even CEOs slammed me on fb for writing this letter.”

made these remarks in connection with an offensive poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai on Hindu goddess Kaali that has created outrage and condemnation throughout the country. “Painful to see Kaali poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai. Past few years, traditional anti-Hindu and anti-India groups in Canada have joined forces resulting in Hindu phobic articles in the media and attacks on our temples,” Chandra Arya stated on his social media handle. He also said that an apology from the Aga Khan Museum “is welcome and appreciated” in connection with the poster. The poster shows Hindu goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. The offensive poster has created outrage in India. Goddess Kaali is revered across India and represents the powerful spirit which finishes off evil. Chandra Arya, earlier made news by delivering Kannada speech in the Canada Parliament. The video had gone viral on social media recently. His gesture of love for the mother-tongue was appreciated and celebrated all over the country. Chandra Arya had written on Twitter, “I spoke my mother tongue (first language) Kannada in the Canadian parliament. This beautiful language has a long history and is spoken by about 50 million people. This is the first time Kannada is spoken in any parliament in the world outside of India.” Chandra Arya hails from the village Dwalalu in Sira taluk of Tumakuru district in Karnataka.

Vikram’s first look as Aditya Karikalan in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ out

first look of actor Vikram as Aditya Karikalan in the film. Taking to Twitter, Lyca Productions, the firm that is producing the film along with Mani Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, said: “Welcome the Chola Crown Prince! The Fierce Warrior. The Wild Tiger. Aditya Karikalan! #PS1” The film, the first part of which is set to hit screens on September 30 this year, will release in five languages - Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. The film is based on the classic Tamil novel Ponniyin Selvan by eminent writer Kalki. The brilliant story, that revolves around the early life of prince Arulmozhi Varman, who on went on to be known as the great Raja Chozhan, is one of a kind. The film, called by Mani Ratnam as his dream project, features a host of top stars including actors Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Jayaram, Parthiban, Lal, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prabhu and Prakash Raj. The project will be among the most expensive projects ever undertaken in the country. The film has the best in business handling each of its departments. A.R. Rahman is scoring the music for this film and cinematography is by Ravi Varman. National Award winning art director Thotta Tharani is in charge of production design while Mani Ratnam’s trusted editor Sreekar Prasad is handling its editing.

Wamiqa Gabbi says language, genre no longer matter in pan-India cinema

Mumbai, July 3: Language and genre are no longer restrictions, and actors across different regional industries are working together in Bollywood as one unit today. Popular actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who was seen in ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Mausam’, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ and other Bollywood movies, believes that this is a good and much-needed change in the industry. Wamiqa says: “I feel that prominent names of cinema have a fresh formula to win the pan-Indian audience. They have learnt that the divide between vernacular and national films can be obliterated.” “Not only regional stars are making their way to mainstream Bollywood but vice versa too. Today, actors from across regional industries are coming together with a single aim -- to make good content,” she adds. Wamiqa was last seen in the official Indian adaptation of the hit American anthology series, ‘Modern Love’, by the name of ‘Modern Love: Mumbai’. The show is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Raashi Khanna gifts plants to fans to reciprocate their love

Chennai, July 5 (IANS): Raashi Khanna, who enjoys a huge fan base in both Tamil and Telugu film industries, met some of her fans in person and gifted them plants. Posting a video of meeting her fans on Instagram, the actress wrote, “Everyone’s journey has its own highs and lows and I think an actor’s courage to face uncertainties and failures comes from a long line of supporters holding their fort. “Without even remotely knowing us, you know so much! It’s this silent language of love that pushed me out of my shell to meet and greet and thank you for your unconditional love and support. “Don’t even know what I did to deserve this but my heart is full of gratitude and love. Thank you so much!” On the work front, the actress is part of several upcoming films, including the Dhanushstarrer ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ and Karthi-starrer ‘Sardar’. In ‘Thiruchitrambalam’, Raashi plays a character named Anusha, who happens to be Dhanush’s high school friend in the film.

Varalakshmi plays ‘embodiment of courage’ Premakumari in ‘Iravin Nizhal’

Chennai, July 4: Actress Varalakshmi plays a character named Premakumari in director Parthiban’s upcoming film ‘Iravin Nizhal’, its makers announced on Monday. The unit tweeted a picture of Varalakshmi from the film’s Twitter handle and said, “Get ready to meet Varalakshmi Sarathkumar as Premakumari, also known as Rajamatha, who stands out as the embodiment of courage and boldness in ‘Iravin Nizhal’, the world’s first non-linear single shot film releasing on July 15.” Earlier, the unit had disclosed that actress Brigida would be playing a character called Chilakkama in the film, which has caught the attention of movie buffs for having been made without an editor. The unit is gearing up for the film’s release on July 15. Parthiban, in an interview with IANS, had said that they would be first screening the making video of the film, which will be for almost half-an-hour, to all audiences who come to watch the film. “After the making video is screened, there will be a short five to 10-minute break. After that, the actual screening will start and there will be no interval during the screening,” Parthiban had said.

‘Iravin Nizhal’ (which means ‘Shadow of the Night’) has music by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman and cinematography by Arthur A Wilson.

Sona Mohapatra draws Twitter CEO’s attention to sexism in his alma mater

Sona urged Agrawal to watch her film �Shut Up Sona’ to get a glimpse of what female artistes have to go through to get equal respect, representation, and remuneration. She added: “I hope U watch my film #ShutUpSona to see what our reality as female artists in the 21rst century is. Love & Light.” She also attached screenshots of her viral open letter on Facebook. The tweet serves as a reminder to what even the most successful women have to face when they come up against systemic sexism. ‘Shut Up Sona’ is streaming on Zee5 and Zee 5 Global.

Peter Brook, theatre genius who staged ‘The Mahabharata’, dies at 97

London, July 3 (IANS): Peter Brook, the British-born director who won Tonys and Emmys, and was conferred the Padma Shri last year, and is best known for his theatre work ranging from Broadway’s “Marat/Sade” and “Irma La Douce” to experimental productions such as “The Mahabarata”, has died, reports ‘Variety’. He was 97. Brook’s death was confirmed by his long-time publisher, and later the BBC, on Sunday. He died in Paris, where he has lived since the 1970s. The auteur is best known in India for his production of the French play “Le Mahabharata” (“The Mahabharata”), which was based on the Sanskrit epic, by Jean-Claude Carriere. The masterpiece was first staged in 1985 by Brook, who later translated it into English in 1987, in a quarry just outside Avignon in France. The play was nine hours long in performance (11 with intervals) and it toured the world for four years. For two years the show was performed both in French and in English. One of Brook’s final works, at 92 years old, was “The Prisoner”, which he wrote and staged in Paris as well as at the Edinburgh festival and London’s National Theatre. Just this year, he staged and directed “The Tempest Project” with Marie-Helane Estienne, his long-time collaborator, ‘Variety’ reports. Brook’s career spanned eight decades and included opera, plays, musicals, as well as film and TV productions. After decades of bringing an unorthodox approach to traditional works from the likes of Shakespeare and Puccini, he moved to Paris, where he became even more daring and experimental: In one piece, audiences watched a French theatre troupe perform in a language the actors had invented themselves, informs ‘Variety’. Brook was born in London and educated at Westminster and Magdalen College, Oxford. His first job as director was for a 1943 production of “Dr. Faustus” in London. From 1947 to 1950, he was director of productions at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Among his productions was Richard Strauss’ “Salome”, featuring sets by Salvador Dali. ‘Variety’ notes that Brook directed operas for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the Aix en Provence Festival. He also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1950 through 1970, and his stint included directing Paul Scofield in “King Lear”, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in “Titus Andronicus” and John Gielgud in “Measure for Measure”.

With Atal biopic in the works, here are the stars who’ve played PMs on screen

Mumbai, July 5 (IANS): After films based on the lives of Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi, late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will now be the subject of a biopic titled ‘Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon, Yeh Desh Rehna Chahiye - ATAL’. The makers have not announced who’ll get the lead role, but a host of Bollywood actors have essayed prime ministers on the big screen, with Rajit Kapur having the distinction of playing both Jawaharlal Nehru and Narendra Modi (and Mahatma Gandhi). Although Roshan Seth played Nehru in Richard Attenborough’s multiple Oscar-winning ‘Gandhi’ and UKIndian actress Sarita Choudhury has appeared as Indira Gandhi in Deepa Mehta’s ‘Midnight’s Children’, among Bollywood stars, Anupam Kher has played Manmohan Singh, Lara Datta surprised audiences with her Indira Gandhi act, and Vivek Oberoi has donned Prime Minister Modi’s persona on the big screen. Rajit Kapur, who appeared as Gandhi in Shyam Benegal’s ‘The Making of the Mahatma’, played Nehru in the Nikhil Advani web series ‘Rocket Boys’, a role also reprised, though briefly, by YouTuber Rahul Vohra in ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’. Kapur’s character in the Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, albeit not presented as Modi, is every bit like the Prime MInister. More recently, Mohan Agashe essays a similar unnamed role in the Army action thriller series ‘Avrodh 2’, which is set against the backdrop of demonetisation, presented by the makers as a fight against counterfeit currency notes pumped into India by Pakistan. But the Prime Minister has been the subject of a biopic, ‘PM Narendra Modi’, where Vivek Oberoi played him. The film, which was controversially timed with the 2019 general elections, was directed by the production designer-turned-filmmaker Omung Kumar, who has earlier helmed the biopics ‘Mary Kom’ and ‘Sarbjit’. The man Modi replaced -- Manmohan Singh -- was played by Anupam Kher to much acclaim in the biopic, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte. The film was based on a memoir of the same name by the former prime minister’s media adviser and senior journalist, Sanjaya Baru, who is played by Akshaye Khanna. The film attracted much interest because it featured the Germanborn actress Suzanne Bernert as

Sonia Gandhi. International Emmynominated ‘Made in Heaven’ actor Arjun Mathur played Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi was essayed by Ahana Kumra, who’s now seen in a negative role in ‘Avrodh 2’ Indira Gandhi has made the most appearances in popular cinema. Suchitra Sen’s character of Aarti Devi in Gulzar’s ‘Aandhi’, which was banned during the Emergency, was first allusion to the slain former prime minister. Lara Datta’s prosthetic transformation as Mrs G in the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Bell Bottom’ may have excited widespread positive comment, and she herself called it her most challenging role, but Indira Gandhi has also been played, creditably, by ‘Pyaar Mein Twist’ actress Kishori Shahane in Vivek Oberoi’s ‘PM Narendra Modi’ and Avantika Akerkar in Kabir Khan’s World Cup cricket drama, ‘83’. Akerkar has the distinction of playing Indira Gandhi twice. She reprised the role in Abhijit Panse’s Marathi and Hindi 2019 biopic, ‘Thackeray’, where Nawazuddin Siddiqui is cast as the lead character. Mrs G will be played next by ‘Dangal’ star Fatima Sana Shaikh in the upcoming film ‘Sam Bahadur’, which is based on the life of the Bangladesh War hero, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. The film is being directed by ‘Talvar’ filmmaker Meghna Gulzar and will star Vicky Kaushal in the titular role. Also, undeterred by the failure of her most recent film, ‘Dhaakad’, Kangana Ranaut will play Indira Gandhi in her second self-directed film, ‘Emergency’. The film will be Kangana’s second directorial after the 2019 release, ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’. The actress recently visited London to meet the Academy Award-winning make-up and prosthetics artist David Malinowaski to discuss the possibilities of her transformation as Mrs G. Vidya Balan, too, was toying with the idea of playing Indira Gandhi in a web series based on journalist Sagarika Ghose’s biography, ‘Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister’. The project, it is believed, has been deferred for the moment. Ironically, Indira Gandhi’s predecessor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, does not figure even in ‘The Tashkent Files’, although he is the central character in it!

Mrunal Thakur hails ‘Sita Ramam’ as debut of a lifetime

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS): Mrunal Thakur, who is all set to debut in the South with ‘Sita Ramam’, alongside Dulquer Salmaan, has called the film a debut of a lifetime. A few glimpses of the film’s song ‘Inthandham’ was recently released by the producers Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema. Mrunal shares why the upcoming film is a debut of a lifetime. Talking about her dream debut in South, Mrunal says: “It’s a wonderful opportunity because not all the actresses get a debut like this where you get to be a part of Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema where the director is Hanu Sir and each and every frame that he has set up looks like a painting. “Especially the exotic locations that we have shot in right from Kashmir to Gujarat to Hyderabad. There’s not a single location we have shot at that doesn’t look grand.” She added: “And our producer, Ashwini sir is a highly experienced and extremely humble man. It has been wonderful to know him and to be Vyjayanthi Movies’ heroine. It’s a great story, a nuanced character, and a debut of a lifetime. I’m honestly blessed and overwhelmed and I’m certain that people are going to fall in love with this character.” Set in 1965, the upcoming romance drama chronicles the magical tale of Ram and Sita. Presented by National Awardwinning Vyjayanthi Movies & produced by C. Aswani Dutt for Swapna Cinema, directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, with cinematography by P. S. Vinod, music by Vishal Chandrasekhar & choreography by Brinda Master, Sita Ramam stars Dulquer Salmaan, Rashmika Mandanna and Mrunal Thakur. The film hits the theaters on August 5 in Telugu, Tamil & Malayalam.

‘Shakuntalam’s producer updates on Dev Mohan’s first look in the epic saga

Hyderabad, July 10 (IANS): The first look poster for Dev Mohan’s epic love saga ‘Shakuntalam’ will be released soon. Producer Neelima Guna took to Instagram for a little interactive session, in which she stated that the ‘Shakuntalam’ crew has been waiting to reveal exciting details. The creators of the next mythological film will soon release an exclusive poster showing Dev Mohan, who plays Dushyanta, Shakuntala’s love interest, played by Samantha Ruth Prabhu. “Abhijinana Shakuntalam is Kalidasa’s most famous work, as a ballet, as a play, and in numerous other formats, this theme has been displayed,” Neelima Guna said, sharing further details on how Shakuntalam is being developed to amaze millennials. “We wanted to make it interesting to millennials, with interesting backdrops, beautiful canvas, and relatable emotions. It was a challenge by itself”, Neelima Guna conveyed. Shakuntalam, is based on Shakuntala and Dushyanta’s epic love story, which is an adaptation of the ‘Aadi Parva’ of the epic Mahabharata.

Rashmika Mandanna’s Bakrid poster from ‘Sita Ramam’ is out

Hyderabad, July 10 (IANS): On the occasion of Bakrid, the makers of ‘Sita Ramam’ shared a glimpse of Rashmika Mandanna, who plays Afreen. A poster featuring Rashmika Mandanna was released on Bakrid, as the makers wished everyone on the auspicious occasion. Dressed in a traditional Hijab, Rashmika depicts a typical teenager, gesturing ‘Salaam’ in the poster. Rashmika Mandanna plays an important role in Dulquer Salmaan- starrer Sita Ramam. Her character Afreen is a Muslim teenager who adds a crucial twist to the plot. According to the producers, the actress will not only add star power to the picture, but she will also demonstrate her acting abilities in the role. Sita Ramam will be released on August 5. The promotional material produced thus far has created a positive buzz about the film in the audience, helping Hanu Raghavapudi’ Mrunal Thakur is to be seen in another important role in Sita Ramam, which is said to be a classic romantic drama with a war in the backdrop.

From Haryanvi to Gujarati, ‘Meet’ has kept Ashi Singh on her toes

Mumbai, July 9: For Ashi Singh, her role in the show ‘Meet’ is posing many challenges to her, especially in terms of learning different dialects. Initially, she was seen speaking Haryanvi as Meet Hooda; after a oneyear leap, the actress has to adapt to the Gujarati dialect for the role of Manjari, who is a Garba dancer. Ashi said: “’Meet’ has been a great challenge for me ever since I signed up for it. First, to get into the character of Meet Hooda, I had to learn and get my Haryanvi accent right. And now I am working hard towards adapting to the correct Gujarati dialect to play the role of Manjari. “I believe that the show has kept me on my toes and has helped me grow as an actor at every step. Having said that, it has been a little difficult to get the Gujarati accent right! It is not as easy as it sounds, but the whole team of ‘Meet’ has been incredibly supportive.” Sharing how the entire team is helping her learn the language, she said, “They have been helping me pick up the right pronunciations for difficult words. I must also mention that this whole learning process has been fun for me, and I am giving my best to present the character as authentically as possible.” ‘Meet’ airs on Zee TV.