TAPSEE PANNU: MAKING HER MARK

Tapsee Pannu seems to be the new darling of the industry. Her powerful roles in women-oriented films Baby, Naam Shabana and Pink have not gone unnoticed. We are also growing used to seeing her on many ‘fashion forward’ lists for her sartorial choices. Equally, she is not afraid of speaking her mind.

“A feminist is not someone who asks for extra rights or reservation or an edge over the other gender,” she said recently. “It’s someone who works towards gender equality.”

This month women’s mag Savvy has called her the Most Powerful Woman of the Year. But she is not afraid to be “common woman”, she declared as she launched the new cartoon series of Rimanika Laxman, RK Laxman’s granddaughter, the creator of the iconic cartoon character Common Man. (Rimanika’s versions are called New Common Man and Common Woman).

Taapsee said she herself is a very proud common woman. Her family and friends outside the industry have kept her grounded and normal, she revealed. “Thanks to their support, I wasn’t afraid to fall. That’s why I kept on taking one risk after the other.”

Way to go, girl!

SANJAY DUTT’S GANESH SONG

News is that actor Sanjay Dutt is recording a Ganesh aarti for his upcoming film Bhoomi

He’s not exactly known for his singing, so director Omung Kumar revealed how the idea came about. “The opening short is a Ganesh aarti performed by Sanjay, and we all decided that it should be recorded in his voice.”

He added, “It isn’t about singing. Even if Sanjay just recites it passionately, that’s enough. His voice echoes in your mind. I believe people will play this aarti for many years to come. “

The actor himself revealed, “I am a bit nervous, but let’s see.”

He added, “We celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at my house. We worship him a lot, so I feel lucky that I have the chance to sing this song for him.”

Perhaps the troubled actor needs Ganesh’s blessings for his comeback film.

Who can forget Sanjay’s illustrious dad Sunil Dutt doing his own tribute to Bappa in that moving 1982 film Dard Ka Rishta. Hopefully Sanjay takes inspiration from there, and makes it just as memorable.

Bhoomi is a revenge drama centred around a father-daughter relationship. Aditi Rao Hydari plays Sanjay’s daughter.

The film releases on 22 September.

INDIAN AUDIENCE EQUATES RS 100 CR WITH CRICKETER’S CENTURY: MILAN LUTHRIA

Filmmaker Milan Luthria, who is looking forward to his upcoming offering Baadshaho, says he is against the “unnecessary” pressure of getting into the ‘Rs 100 crore club’.

Luthria, known for delivering films off the beaten track, like Kachche Dhaage, The Dirty Picture and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, admitted he wants good numbers at the box office, but in proportion to investment.

“I think our Indian audience have equated Rs 100 crore to a cricketer’s century. No matter how many times you score 99 runs, if you have not done 100s, you are not a successful player. It’s sad. Honestly, personally, I am dead against it.”

Luthria said “I made a film named Taxi Number 9211 in a budget of Rs 6 crore. That film went on to make Rs 25 crore at the box office. So, how come it is not called a successful film for producers?

My film The Dirty Picture was made in Rs 20 crore and we did business of Rs 90 crore. In both the cases, the films were liked by people and we got our money back. So, for a producer like me, these are successful films.”

Asked if doing a multi-starrer film is a bigger risk or advantage to cater a wider audience and make a potentially successful project, he said, “It makes the film more interesting to watch. If I have three celebrated actors in my film, it will grab more eyeballs - because they have their different fan followings and all of them will land up at the theatre.

Baadshaho, featuring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Ileana D’Cruz, Esha Gupta and Vidyut Jammwal, will release on 1 September.

Will Luthria make his century, or will he be happy with a good return-oninvestment?

NO ‘PARTITION’ FOR PAKISTAN

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha’s Partition: 1947 has been banned from releasing in Pakistan, reportedly over “misrepresentation” of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The director says it’s unfortunate. The film was released internationally as Viceroy’s House For the film, the British film director of Sikh origin, whose mother grew up in Rawalpindi, went back to trace her roots and document events that led to India’s Partition.

The film narrates the story of the trauma that people went through due to the division, and how it changed their lives. Featuring Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Huma Qureshi and Manish Dayal, the movie released in India on 18 August.

According to The Express Tribune, the Sindh Film Censor Board deemed it unsuitable, stating that “the political narrative contradicts the national interest of Pakistan”.

The Board’s secretary Abdul Razzaq Khuhawar added somewhat strangely, “It’s a historical film and nothing negative is shown against Pakistan. The main reason for banning it was the misrepresentation of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. We felt his character was not portrayed correctly and it felt strange. Although the character only appears in a few scenes as the film mostly revolves around Lord Mountbatten, the actor didn’t look like Jinnah at all. If you had seen it, you couldn’t tell it was Jinnah. Otherwise, there were no issues with the film.”

Indian Network Launches Us Tv Show

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a worldwide content company, has launched its first English language South Asian reality show, Made In America

The show is entirely produced and filmed in the US and marks the first time that a channel of Indian origin is producing content on a global scale for international audiences.

The show centres around six South Asian millennial women chosen from a nationwide search in the US, which drew in over 6,000 applicants.

Hosted by Nina Davuluri, the firstever Indian American woman to be crowned Miss America, the six women are mentored by Nina as they are pushed to their limits for over a period of 10 weeks in various types of training, while competing to win the coveted title of Made In America

Sameer Targe, CEO of ZEE TV Americas said, “We realised that there was a need in the marketplace to reach a younger South Asian audience who have a desire to be in the glamour world. Our show is a platform for them to be able to showcase their talents.”

(Sounds a bit like Australia’s own Bollywood Star. Let’s just hope the American winner doesn’t go AWOL like the Aussie winner.)

Each episode focuses on a specific challenge, and a winner is chosen.