A WHITEWASH TO BRIDGE THE GAP

What the world needs right now is that the gaps in this world be bridged, says actress Priyanka Chopra, who has teamed up with Wiz Khalifa, Adwoa Aboah and Maria Borges for an ad film titled Bridging the Gap

“The most important (gap) for me is empowering women,” the Baywatch hottie said. “Women need to be given an opportunity to stand on their feet and do the best they can for themselves.”

Bridging the Gap, a one-minute film, features a bunch of celebs including Priyanka swaying to the music of that old favourite Sunny by Boney M. Created for American clothing brand Gap, the film is described as ‘celebrating American optimism’ and ‘individuality’. It does this by celebrating the different faces of America by - um - putting them in white… sorry, “by showing each in an iconic Gap white T-shirt.”

RAHUL KHANNA: ON FRAGRANCE MEN WEAR Bollywood actor Rahul Khanna, who has been roped in as the brand ambassador for a deodorant firm, feels that men are judged often on the fragrance they wear. Really!!

“How you smell can be as important as how you look and a man is often judged by the fragrance he wears. I’m happy to be associated with ENVY who’s bringing a new range of international fragrances to the Indian Man,” Rahul said in a statement.

ANUPAM KHER: MASTER OF REINVENTION

Anupam Kher looks every bit of Manmohan Singh in the first look of a film adaptation of Sanjaya Baru’s controversial book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh, in which the veteran actor essays the former Indian Prime Minister.

The recently released black and white poster shows the side profile of Anupam, dressed as Manmohan Singh - complete with a white beard and turban. The focus of the poster is, however, more on the silhouette of a woman - presumably Congress President Sonia Gandhistanding in the corridors of Parliament House.

The deliberate placement of the silhouette near Anupam’s ear portrays the numerous layers that were perhaps behind the persona and the role of Singh, who was criticised for rarely being verbal and taking actions on his own.

Directed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the memoir by Sanjaya Baru is expected to hit the screens in December 2018, just ahead of the next general election in 2019.

Meanwhile, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani has said the film makers will need to obtain no-objection certificates (NOC) from the former Prime Minister himself as well as Congress President Sonia Gandhi for film certification.

Nihalani has warned that the film’s makers would have to abide by the guideline regarding all films based on real-life characters.

NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI: TO SHAKE A LEG

The only way to find out if the Manjhi actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui can really dance will be in Munna Michael Nawazuddin will be seen in Munna Michael with Tiger Shroff, who is known for his skills at dancing.

At the trailer launch of Munna Michael, Nawazuddin said he cannot dance as well as other young heroes of Bollywood, but he can try to match up with them.

“I won’t be able to play a dancing hero. But yes, I would love to play a hero in any film. I think Tiger and our whole team helped me to dance a little bit in the film. I think somehow I manage just five per cent of Tiger’s level,” says Siddiqui.

Asked about his experience of working with Nawazuddin, Tiger said: “I think with every character, Nawaz bhai’s body language changes, and that is a sign of a good actor.

“I learnt a lot from him as an actor during the shooting of the film.”

The action dance movie’s female lead

Nidhhi Agerwal who is making her debut said “I am very lucky to be a part of this film where I got a chance to work with Nawaz sir. He is a very down-to-earth person and patient on set.

Munna Michael is slated for release on July 21.

VIJENDER SINGH AND RITEISH DESHMUKH: THROWING RAP PUNCHES

Boxing star Vijender Singh has joined forces with actor Riteish Deshmukh for a rap battle in a special appearance for a song in Bank Chor

The track, composed by Shameer Tandon and penned by lyricist Varun Likhate, is titled BC Rap Knockout: Mumbai vs Delhi, and dwells on the Mumbai versus Delhi argument.

Vijender has traded rap punches on the song, delivered to the voice of underground desi rapper Pardhaan, while Riteish’s voice is rendered by the original Mumbai gully rapper, Naezy.

Talking about the experience, Vijender said: “It was great fun for me to go head-to-head with Riteish on this song because of the ‘epic rap battle’ format. I am used to throwing punches in the ring, so this was like a musical bout, where I was throwing barbs at Riteish.

The inimitable Riteish said: “If there’s one thing I’ve actually loved about doing Bank Chor, it is that I play a Marathi Manoos in it, who is an out-and-out Mumbaikar. This song is special to me for the same reason — I got to represent

Caption Contest

my city, the city of dreams, Mumbai.” Bank Chor, directed by Bumpy and produced by Ashish Patil, will release on June 16.

MAMTA KULKARNI:

Absconding

Exactly a year after she was named an accused in the Rs 2,000 crore ephedrine drugs haul case, a special court declared former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni and her husband Vicky Goswami “proclaimed offenders”.

“It is pronounced and declared that the accused Vicky Goswami and Mamta Kulkarni are the proclaimed offenders. The Special Court has issued warrants under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code, against the two prime accused - who are believed to be in Kenya’s Mombasa city - in the case which has another eight accused and four absconders.

The recent development came nine months after Kulkarni, 45, denied all police allegations against her and claimed she was “innocent” and a “Yogini” (ascetic), in a recorded statement from Kenya.

Police said that Kulkarni’s name was included in the FIR after the DEA provided evidences of involvement of Moroccan and Colombian drug mafia in the case and how the Goswami-Kulkarni couple attended certain drug smuggling meetings in January-April last year.

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The police have nabbed a total of 10 accused in the case, besides probing another seven wanted accused. Kulkarni’s alleged involvement in the racket was confirmed by some of the accused in the case.

WORTH A WATCH? YOU DECIDE!

Director Alankrita Shrivastava is all guns blazing with her latest offering Lipstick Under My Burkha

The movie, which has done its fair share of festival rounds, was caught in a mess with the Censor Board for being laced with sexual scenes and abusive words.

The film has finally received a certificate for release following Film Certification Appellate Tribunal’s directive.

“We have fought so hard to be allowed to screen this film legally in theatres, it deserves the best release,” Shrivastava said.

“Films by women, about women and through women’s eyes need to be made and watched. Why should women’s stories of love, sex, secrets and rebellion not be screened and watched widely? Let’s claim our right to watch ‘ladyoriented’ films,” she added.

Produced by Prakash Jha, the film features actors like Konkona Sensharma and Ratna Pathak Shah, and tells the story of four small town women in search of a little freedom.

What T Weety Bird Told Us This Week

Match the following tweets to the stars that made them.

SRK, Priyanka Chopra, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar

A perfect New York afternoon with these lovely ladies Nicole Kidman, Kate Mara, Kendall Jenner and Keri Russell.

To reinvent yourself as an actor is to challenge yourself. Looking forward to portraying Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister.

Something to think about... 50 percent of the rape cases in India can go down if we build TOILETS!

As overplayed as the pun is, I still can’t resist writing…“Hav u ever seen a better pair of perfect fitting genes?”

What’s the chitchat between PRIYANKA C HOPRA and W IZ K HALIFA?

Send in your responses to win@indianlink.com.au and win a ticket to a new Hindi film

Last Issue Caption Contest Winning Entry

What’s the chitchat between A ISHWARYA and RIHANNA?

Aish to herself: Oh wow, Rihannaaaa!

Rihanna to herself: Someone tell me who this is again…?

Rajinder Singh

M T C OLAH NSW

Rajinder wins a ticket to Baahubali 2