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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2019
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entertainment cinema news
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Sex Talkies: Bedroom issues hit the big screen
Bollywood Actor Ayushmann Khurrana. (Photo: IANS)
Filmmakers are adding humor to make such stories lighter for wider consumption
SUGANDHA RAWAL, NEW DELHI
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ollywood has aced the art of uncovering societal issues, and is now mastering the art of taking the audience between the sheets with its stories, being driven by stars like Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonakshi Sinha and Rajkummar Rao. What ties Vicky Donor, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Lust Stories, Khandaani Shafakhana or Rajkummar’s upcoming Made In China? It is the presence of sex — which is not used as a tool for titillation anymore, but woven into the storyline to take forward the plot. Sex is no longer a hush-hush
‘There is market for every film nowadays’
B’Town bid adieu to ‘Kaalia’ IANS, MUMBAI
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MUMBAI: Actor Tiger Shroff, who is gearing up for the release of War, is not worried that his upcoming action drama clashes with Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy at boxoffice on October 2. He said that nowadays there is a market for every kind of film, adding that he is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan and Chiranjeevi who spearhead the cast of that multilingual film. “I am big fan of both of them (Amitabh Bachchan and Choranjeevi). Nowadays, I feel that there is a market for every film so, I think every films should do good business, and I wish them all the best,” said Tiger, while interacting with the media at India’s biggest tricking championship organised by Fly Zone Fitness on Sunday in Mumbai. “War” is Yash Raj Films’ new biggie starring hrithik Rishan along with Tiger and Vaani Kapoor. “I am excited and nervous before the release of the film. Actually yesterday, I watched the film for the first time. It was a family screening so, my family, Hrithik (Roshan) sir’s family, (producer) Aditya (Chopra) sir’s family and (director) Siddharth (Anand) sir’s family watched the film together. I really had fun watching the film and I think it will be a treat for audience on October,” said Tiger. —IANS
subject, and that is one of the main reasons behind the increasing visibility of such subjects. “The Internet revolution and convergence has brought this revolution. Indians are now exposed to world cinema at the click of a button. It was never the case before. Before Internet, everything was controlled by the censor board, and because there was so much of hush-hush element around it, it was specifically used in films to promote them,” SMM Ausaja, a film historian, told IANS. “That’s why we had so many Bgrade movies, where people were assured of titillation. This can’t be the case now. You can’t use sex as an element to bring the audience
string of Bollywood celebrities such as Rishi Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Ajay Devgn have mourned the death of veteran actor Viju Khote, who passed away aged 78. Here’s what the celebrities had to say: Rishi Kapoor: RIP. Viju Khote. Dear friend over the years. Though much elder,we used to bike together along with sister Shobha Khote ji,when I was young. Passionate and well informed about American films. We will miss you” Viju kutte aahe?
Veteran actor Viju Khote.
Madhuri Dixit Nene: Sad to hear about the demise of #VijuKhote Ji. May his soul rest in peace. Ajay Devgn: Actors like Viju Khote were institutions by themselves. Their large body of work will always be remembered. I’m fortunate to
have worked with him on quite a few films. RIP Sir... My heartfelt condolences to the family. Anup Jalota: Saddened to hear about the demise of #VijuKhote Ji May his soul rest in peace. Rahul Dholakia: Had the honour of directing #VijuKhoteji in a commercial. He was a fantastic person and actor. Great sense of humor! #RIP Sir. Om Shanti Suniel Shetty: Will miss you Viju ji... Rest in peace #vijukhote #RIPVijukhote. Viju Khote, who played the role of Kaalia from Sholey, passed away owing to multiple organ failure at the age of 77.
into the theatre. You need to integrate it in the story, and it should seem natural,” he added. There was a time when Bollywood films were laced with provocative steps and suggestive lyrics, with actresses in skimpy clothes and extra focus on the cleavage, thighs or waist as an attempt to add oomph. Some resorted to showing the woman in a wet sari, or stretching a simple lip lock scene. Not to forget the visual metaphors denoting physical intimacy between hero and heroine — be it the brushing of flowers or dimming of lights. Bollywood’s affair with sex has evolved. It has become mature and meaningful.
Farhan hits boxing ring in ‘Toofan’ MUMBAI: Actor Farhan Akhtar took social media by storm when he posted the first look of his forthcoming film Toofan, directed by Farhan Akhtar Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. In the photo, he is seen standing in a boxing ring flaunting his biceps. He captioned it: “Toofan Uthega! First look! #TOOFAN releasing 2nd October 2020!” Farhan’s girlfriend Shibani Dandekar was all heart for him. —IANS
‘Bard Of Blood’ review: Bard to worse Film: Bard Of Blood; Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Shobhita Dhulipala, Vineet Kumar Singh; Direction: Ribhu Sengupta; Rating: * * (two stars)
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errorism is a terrible tragedy. Reducing terrorism to a formula-for-thrills situation is a worst tragedy. Lately we have seen many laments on global terrorism in the movies and on the OTT platform. Some like the recent The Family Man blended the personal and global crises in a palatable fusion. Bard Of Blood is, how do I put this politely, a mess. A self-important posturing piece on holier-thanthou patriotism filled with anxious
Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi. (Photo: IANS)
jingoism that reminded me of the bogus self-righteousness of the Sean Penn fiasco epic film “The Last Face” where goodlooking actors ran around in starched fatigues trying to save Africa.
Bard Of Blood is even more ambitious than Penn’s film. It wants to save the world when it can’t save even its own edified ambitions from sinking into a sanctimonious abyss. The actors are partly to blame.
While Hashmi tries to remain calm and grapples manfully with militancy and Shakespeare, his other two comrades in arms, played by Vineet Kumar Singh and Shobhita Dhulipala) run around with guns far more sophisticated than the series. The problem here is one of narrative cramps. The writing suffers from a sense of self-importance that the direction fails to justify. Not one incident in the plot is unpredictable. The script scoops up the HashmiDhulipala-Vineet Kumar trio and sets up a road to perdition that involves Pakistani terrorists with peculiar accents that need more urgent decoding than those cryptic messages from across the border that are supposed make or break Indian intelligence. — Subhash K. Jha
