The long wait to watch Fardeen Khan back on screen is almost over. The actor, who has entertained audiences with films like 'No Entry' and 'Heyy Babyy', is returning to acting after almost 12-13 years. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut web series 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar' marks Fardeen's first acting project post his break. In a recent interview with ANI, Fardeen opened up about his comeback, saying he feels like a "newcomer". "I am quite excited but extremely nervous as well. A lot has changed in these 12 years...The level of films has changed. The way people consume cinema has changed... Today, there's completely a new generation so I feel like a newcomer. I feel fortunate that I got a chance to work with good people with this 'Heeramandi' show. I have two more pictures that will be released this year... I am really thankful to the audience have trusted me," he said. He last appeared on the big screen in Dulha Mil Gaya. The actor had gone on a sabbatical, being completely off movies and even social media. In his comeback project, he will be seen essaying the role of Wali Mohammed. At the trailer launch of the show in the national capital recently, Fardeen said that his onscreen character is a "true romantic." He added, "For Wali Mohammad, he didn't allow the power, ambition, status and wealth to corrupt his heart. He kept his heart intact and for him, love was the focus of his life. He was a true romantic. I got a thing or two from him." He also shared how Bhansali allows actors to "bring depth to the roles." Fardeen added, "For me, this was something I have never done and it was the perfect role for me. At the age I am, to come back to the screen, you come with a certain amount of life experience, and wisdom and you know you can you can contribute to the layers that Sanjay writes into all his characters. His characters are very intricate and very complex. There's nobody like him who writes characters. He goes across the spectrum and emotions, and he has this intuitive understanding of it. It's daunting to work with him, but at the same time, when you see it all together, it just all makes sense. I'm extremely grateful for this chance and so happy to be here." Starring a talented ensemble cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman, 'Heeramandi' is set to be out on May 1 on Netflix. Set against the backdrop of the Indian freedom struggle of the 1940s, the project promises to be an epic saga of love, power, revenge, and freedom. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 April,2024 07:28 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIVeteran Bollywood actor Govinda, who joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena in March, shared a photo with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Instagram. Govinda was seen wearing a pink jacket with a white kurta and pajama as he stood alongside Shah. The actor wrote in the caption, “It was an honor meeting our honorable Minister of Home Affairs of India, respected Amit Shah ji, personally.” Govinda has acted in over 120 films since his debut in 1986. In 2004, he successfully contested the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket, defeating veteran BJP leader Ram Naik. However, he later resigned from the Congress party. In an earlier interview, Govinda said that the clean aura of Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena inspired him to join that party, adding that the country has made significant progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to ANI, Govinda said, "The clean aura (of Shiv Sena) inspired me. We have seen the same level of progress here (in Maharashtra) in the last 2 years, as we have seen in the country in the last 10 years. We will focus on the beautification of the state and the growth of art and culture." Welcoming his entry into the party, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that "Govinda's administrative experience earlier will prove useful to the party". On the film front, Govinda was last seen in 'Rangeela Raja' released in 2019. The comedy film was directed by Sikander Bharti and written and produced by Pahlaj Nihalani. The film courted controversy after the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) suggestion to make 20-odd cuts. Nihalani challenged the decision by filing a plea with the Bombay High Court. He claimed that the cuts suggested for his film were illogical and meaningless. "There is no vulgarity, no double meaning dialogues. Still, I've been asked to delete a massive number of dialogues and scenes," he said. With 'Rangeela Raja', Nihalani reunited with Govinda after 25 years. They have earlier worked together in films like 'Ilzaam', 'Shola Aur Shabnam' and 'Aankhen'. The film also featured Shakti Kapoor, Digangana Suryavanshi, Mishika Chourasia, and Anupama Agnihotri. (With inputs from ANI)
25 April,2024 07:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Ayushmann Khurrana is all set to attend the prestigious TIME100 Gala event in New York. Ayushmann has been honoured twice by TIME Magazine. In 2023, he was honoured with the TIME100 Impact Award. He was the only Indian to be chosen for the award. In 2020, he was chosen as one of the magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. The actor will be seen in the company of pop star Dua Lipa at the TIME100 Gala. The event is expected to also have legendary and iconic personalities like Sofia Coppola (film director and screenwriter), Elliot Page (actor and film producer), Kylie Minogue (singer-songwriter and actress), Max Verstappen (F1 driver), Michael J Fox (Movie Actor), Taraji P Henson (American actress), Tory Burch (designer) among others. Talking about Ayushmann Khurrana's work front, he has established himself as a successful actor with his debut film, 'Vicky Donor'. Apart from acting, he has also earned a lot of fame in the music world and has given several hits, including 'Pani Da Rang', and 'Saadi Gali Aaja', among others. Now, the ace artist is taking his music to a global audience. The 'Dream Girl' actor has recently signed a global record deal with Warner Music India.'Akh Da Taara' marks his first collaboration with Warner Music India.Khurrana was last seen in 'Dream Girl 2,' alongside Ananya Panday, Annu Kapoor, and Abhishek Banerjee, a film that resonated well with audiences. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 April,2024 07:05 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIBollywood actress Shilpa Shetty jetted off with her family for a vacation on Thursday. She was spotted at the Mumbai airport with her son Viaan, daughter Samish, and mother Sunanda Shetty. The 90s diva was seen wearing a white shirt with light blue denims. However, she refused to pose for the paparazzi. When a cameraman asked if she was upset with them, she replied, “Main naraz nahi hoon, late ho rahi hoon.” (I am not upset, I am getting late). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) A couple of days back, Shilpa and her husband Raj Kundra were in the news after the latter's properties valued at Rs 97.79 crore were attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. ED attached the flats in Mumbai and Pune. In response to these developments, the counsel representing the couple said, "We shall follow the due process of law and take necessary steps as prescribed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to protect the liberty and property of my clients." According to the ED, Raj Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from the mastermind of the scam, Amit Bhardwaj, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. These Bitcoins were sourced from proceeds of crime collected from investors. Despite the deal not materializing, Kundra is allegedly still in possession of these Bitcoins, valued at over Rs. 150 crore. Shilpa Shetty began her career with the 1993 thriller 'Baazigar' alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. She reached the pinnacle of her popularity with iconic songs like ‘Chura Ke Dil Mera’ ('Main Khiladi Tu Anari', 1994) and ‘Main Aayi Hoon UP Bihar Lootne’ ('Shool', 1999). Her fame soared with films like ‘Big Brother’, ‘Life... In A Metro’, and 'Phir Milenge'. She tied the knot with businessman Raj Kundra on November 22, 2009. In May 2012, the two became parents to a son Viaan. And in February 2020 the couple welcomed Samisha, who was born via surrogacy. Meanwhile, on the work front, Shilpa was recently seen in Rohit Shetty's OTT debut 'Indian Police Force', which also stars Sidharth Malhotra and Vivek Oberoi. The series is streaming on the OTT platform Amazon Prime. She will next be seen in 'KD-The Devil' as Satyavati alongside V Ravichandran, and Sanjay Dutt. The pan-India multilingual will be released in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. (With inputs from Agencies)
25 April,2024 06:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentLara Dutta, a Bollywood actor and former Miss Universe, opened up about dealing with online trolls. She talked about facing hurtful comments about her age and body and how she deals with such negativity. How Lara Dutta deals with trolls who body shame her Despite having a considerable Instagram following of 1.3 million, Lara Dutta doesn't see it as huge. She mentioned that posting less on Instagram has helped her not pay much attention to trolls. She said, “I am there but I am there as much as I want to be. If I am going to be hungry for followers and for comments and for things like that, then I also have to be ready to take everything that comes along with it. So my social media feed is really things that to me are special, that I really do want to share with people that are genuinely following me. So, I don’t have a massive following but the ones that are there are authentically genuine people that want to be there. And if there are those kinds of people, they are not there to pull you down.” When questioned about how she handles harsh comments, Lara Dutta responded, “I think I am blessed. I don’t deal with a lot of trolls or nasty comments or things like that. I mean, Of course, people will have…it’s their right to have an opinion, you know, and they will say something to you. A lot of people say, ‘arrey buddhi ho gayi (She has become old)’, ‘arrey moti ho gayi (She is now fat).’ Is it really going to make a difference in my life? It doesn’t. I also know that there are anonymous people behind handles. I don’t know what someone like that is going through in their life. So, I can’t be judgemental about someone else either. It’s fine.” About Lara Dutta Lara Dutta is married to tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, and they have a 12-year-old daughter named Saira. In terms of her career, her web series "Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond" just premiered today on JioCinema. Additionally, she's lined up for multi-starrers like "Welcome To The Jungle" and Nitesh Tiwari’s "Ramayana".
25 April,2024 05:34 PM IST | MumbaiBollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz, who is back at the movies with the film ‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ alongside Pratik Gandhi, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Vidya Balan, has now revealed that she is married to US-based Michael Dolan. Ileana welcomed her first child, baby boy Koa Phoenix Dolan on August 1, 2023. Ileana has been a part of movies like ‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’, ‘Main Tera Hero’, ‘Rustom’, ‘Raid’, and ‘The Big Bull’ to name a few. While Ileana has remained tight-lipped about her relationship, in an interview with India Today the actress confirmed her marriage with Michael. She said, “Married life is going beautifully. It’s really hard to say what I love about him the most. I'll have to really think because I feel like every time I come up with an answer, there's something else that, you know, trumps that the next day." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ileana D'Cruz (@ileana_official) Ileana also revealed that Michael has been with her in the good and bad times as her constant support. "He's seen me through my worst times, my absolute worst times. He has seen me through some of my best times as well. He's just been constant from day one. He has been this constant support of love, and he's just been consistent. Weirdly, it is exactly like the dialogue from Do Aur Do Pyaar, he shows up every day,” she added. Earlier, reports suggested that Ileana was dating Katrina Kaif's brother Sebastian Laurent Michel. The duo's relationship rumours surfaced after the two were spotted vacationing with Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif in the Maldives. Ileana was previously in a relationship with photographer Andrew Kneebone. 'Do Aur Do Pyaar' is an emotional rollercoaster with witty dialogues and a web of relationships. Directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta and presented by Applause Entertainment and Ellipsis Entertainment, it was released on April 19. Before this, Ileana D’Cruz starred in 'Tera Kya Hoga Lovely' opposite Randeep Hooda, released on Women's Day, March 8. The movie, directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, also features Varun Sharma and Karan Kundrra in crucial roles. The film revolves around the issue of obsession with fair skin, portraying Ileana as a dark-complexioned girl facing challenges in marriage. (With inputs from Agencies)
25 April,2024 05:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVidya Balan, the actor famous for her elegant saree choices, has always stayed true to her style, even as fashion trends come and go. Surprisingly, despite her deep appreciation for traditional Indian attire, Vidya confessed that she only has 25 sarees in her collection, which might be less than expected. Vidya Balan reveals she only has 25 sarees in her collection During a conversation on the YouTube channel Unfiltered by Samdish, Vidya Balan was questioned about the extent of her wardrobe. She responded, indicating that it's not as expansive as people might assume. “It’s not at all huge as compared to most other women, and definitely other actors. But I am a minimalist, I have to say that. I don’t possess too many things,” she said, and added, “Everyone keeps asking me how many sarees do I have because I wear a lot of sarees. I have 25 sarees.” The host was surprised by the small number of sarees Vidya owns, and in response, she mentioned that she often gives away her sarees because she doesn't often get the chance to wear them more than once, “I keep giving away sarees. Because what will I do holding on to them? I don’t get a chance to repeat my sarees so the one I have kept are ones that have some sort of emotional meaning to me,” she said. What else was said during the interview? In the same interview Vidya Balan said that she would not like to talk about politics. Elaborating on her reason for the same, she said, "Politics se bohot darr lagta hai, phir humko ban-van kardege toh… It hasn’t happened with me, thankfully, but now actors have are wary about talking about politics because you don’t know who will get offended. Especially around the release of a film, it is the work of 200 people at stake, so I just say keep me away from politics." When asked if she has seen this fear of talking about politics right from the beginning of her career, she said that it was not the case earlier. "This has been happening because of social media, people take offense over everything. They give their input even on matters they don’t know much about. So it’s best to zip your mouth and keep working,” she added.
25 April,2024 04:51 PM IST | MumbaiLately, there's been a big talk on social media about how movies and filmmakers should act responsibly. Karan Johar, who's always been outspoken about filmmaking, recently talked about how important it is to be sensitive when making movies. As the director of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, he emphasized that one film alone can't transform society. Karan Johar speaks out against 'harmful films' Karan Johar recently joined the 9th National Leadership Conclave by AIMA (All India Management Association) in Delhi. During his speech, he acknowledged that movies do influence society gradually, which means filmmakers carry a big responsibility for what they put out there. But he also pointed out that a single film can't completely reshape society. Karan Johar explained, "What we project and what we say , we have to consider it with some amount of sensitivity because people take the spoken word very seriously. Of course, no one can change the fabric of society with one feature film. It is not possible. It takes a lot of work and a lot of cinema if you want to drive home a point today. I believe so many films that talk about women empowerment are finally hitting home today. Nothing happens overnight." He also spoke out on the issue of 'harmful films' in today's society. He mentioned, "There have been films that continue to be harmful, but I hope those filmmakers realize with time how important the platform they have is, how important their voices are." This follows Karan Johar's public praise of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's movie 'Animal,' which has been criticized for promoting toxic masculinity and being misogynistic. What did Karan Johar say about 'Animal'? At the mega pan-Indian roundtable 2023 by Galatta Plus, Karan Johar explained what made him like 'Animal' and also revealed that he had tears in his eyes during the climax. "I loved Animal for its front-footed, absolutely conviction-based narrative storytelling, breaking grammar, breaking myths, breaking everything that you think conforms to mainstream cinema. Suddenly you have an interval block where the hero is getting bashed up and everyone's singing a song... I am like, 'Where have you seen a sequence like this?' It's genius. The end, where the two men are going for each other and they play that song... I had tears in my eyes, but there was only blood. So I was like something is wrong with me or something is wrong with him, but something put together is very right about this film. This is not an average thinking mind. This is a mind of someone who is so distinct, so individualistic that I was blown away. I saw the film twice, first to see as an audience member and second to study it. I think the success, and acceptance of Animal is game-changing. The conviction is something that I want to have.”
25 April,2024 03:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Shriya Pilgaonkar, who is set to return with her role as journalist Radha Bhargava in Season 2 of the streaming series 'The Broken News’, recently opened up on the headlines about herself when she was reported to be the adopted child of her famous parents Sachin and Supriya. In an interview with India Today, Shriya said, “There was a random article that said I was adopted. No, I’m not adopted. There was news going around out of nowhere that my parents had adopted me and that’s absolutely untrue." "This is not even something that I need to justify because I’m not going to flash my birth certificate on Instagram to prove my point. But yes, this was absolutely amusing as it’s not true, but other than that, no other scandals have been reported about me,” she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shriya Pilgaonkar (@shriya.pilgaonkar) Coming to 'The Broken News’, Shriya said that the series stresses the fact that news consumption cannot be a one-way traffic. The ones who are consuming the news also have to be aware of AI and should verify news from their end as well. The actress told IANS: “This season explores different themes in the world of news reporting that are so relevant. One of them is fake news and how easy it is for sensationalised stories to spread faster than actual truth and facts. Given the recent alarming incidents of the Deepfakes, it raises concerns about misinformation and trust in the media.” “Today, we can’t afford to blindly believe everything we read on social media without fact-checking from multiple sources because of how common fake news has become. Our series addresses the fact that the onus also lies on people consuming news to make sure that they discern fact from fiction,” she added. Returning after a gap of two years, the new season will see the fight for ideologies between the two broadcast news channels, ‘Josh 24x7’ and ‘Awaz Bharti’ scale new heights. The show, which is based on the BBC Studios format ‘Press’, is directed by Vinay and written by Sambit Mishra. It also stars Sonali Bendre and Jaideep Ahlawat. 'The Broken News 2' will air on ZEE5 on May 3. (With inputs from IANS)
25 April,2024 03:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentArijit Singh Birthday 2024: He has made a lot of popular songs that have reached the top of the charts over the years. As Arijit Singh celebrates his birthday, it's only fitting to honour his contribution to the world of music by listing some of his best songs that you should definitely include in your playlist. From romantic ballads to upbeat tracks, Arijit Singh has a diverse range of songs that cater to every mood and occasion. So, take a look at his impressive discography and prepare to be swept away by his melodious tunes. 'O Maahi' The song "O Maahi" from the movie Dunki, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu, became an instant hit as the quintessential love song for couples. Sung by Arijit Singh, it is undoubtedly one of his finest compositions. This romantic melody beautifully captures the emotions when someone special becomes your world. 'Tere Pyaar Mein' In Arijit Singh's collection of songs, "Tere Pyaar Mein" is a lively romantic tune that'll get you moving. Featuring Shraddha Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor in scenic Spain, this track is a catchy and upbeat hit. 'Tum Kya Mile' Moving on to our next song, "Tum Kya Mile," featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in the movie "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani." This song, sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, captures the magic of love and its ability to transform. With enchanting lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, it's sure to win you over as a fan of Arijit's voice. 'Kesariya' From the movie Brahmastra, this is one of Arijit Singh's top Hindi tracks that really clicked with young listeners. The chemistry between Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor in the music video takes the song to a whole new level, making it super catchy and hard to get out of your head. It quickly became a favorite among fans, with many playing it on repeat online, making it one of the biggest hits of 2022. 'Channa Mereya' From the movie 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', this song beautifully expresses the anguish of one-sided love. Arijit Singh's moving voice, paired with Pritam's melodious tune, created a hauntingly beautiful song that touched the hearts of many. Some say Arjit Singh has raised a generation of music lovers and who can disagree? The singer has truly etched a place in all our hearts with his soulful and melodious voice.
25 April,2024 03:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFrom a TV sensation to a Bollywood diva, Mrunal Thakur has seen unprecedented growth in a decade of her acting career. The actress is best known for her TV show – ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ – as well as her acting chops in films such as ‘Super 30’, ‘Batla House’, ‘Ghost Stories’, ‘Jersey’, and ‘Sita Ramam’, which has developed a massive fan following across the globe. Mrunal, who has maintained a low profile on her dating life recently opened up on freezing eggs to embrace motherhood on her terms. Reflecting on actor Mona Singh’s statement on the subject, Mrunal told Humans of Bombay, “Relationships, I know it’s tough, but that’s why you need the right partner who would understand what the nature of your job is. Freezing the eggs, yes, I’m also considering that.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mrunal Thakur (@mrunalthakur) Mrunal recently shared a picture on Instagram of herself in tears. Speaking on showing her vulnerable side, she said, “There were days where I didn’t want to wake up, I didn’t want to get out of my bed, but I did. Not for others, but for myself. I’m feeling low one day, two days, three days, weeks, months, but nobody’s going to care except your family. So I feel like it’s so important to remind ourselves that if there are bad days, there will be good days. So that was just like a proof, there are days, and it’s absolutely normal for you to feel not okay.” The actress, who has been subjected to trolling for having a curvy physique, said, “I’m going to change that beauty standard by flaunting my curves. Earlier I was so afraid of wearing anything body-hugging. But now, I’m like, ‘Body-hugging? Bring it on. And crop tops? Bring it on. Why do we need Kardashians to set the beauty standards? Every Indian woman walking on the streets, they’re so curvaceous, they’re so beautiful.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mrunal Thakur (@mrunalthakur) Meanwhile, Mrunal was recently seen in 'The Family Star' which also starred actor Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role. Directed by Parasuram Petla, 'Family Star' marked the first collaboration between Vijay Deverakonda and Mrunal Thakur. Produced by Dil Raju, this multilingual release (Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi) was released in theatres on April 5, 2024. Her recent release also includes the romantic film 'Hi Nanna,' starring south actor Nani in the lead roles. Mrunal Thakur will next be seen in the film titled 'Pooja Meri Jaan' helmed by Navjot Gulati and Vipasha Arvind with Huma Qureshi and Vijay Raaz in key roles. (With inputs from ANI)
25 April,2024 02:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
