Leader of local political party disrupts shoot of Mumbai Saga; director Sanjay Gupta tweets about the incident
Director Sanjay Gupta is currently shooting for his upcoming film Mumbai Saga starring John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi in the lead. The director who was shooting outside the city limits of Mumbai took to Twitter and narrated how the shoot of the film was disrupted. According to his tweet, Gupta was shooting just outside Mumbai with around 450 junior artistes and a crew of over 250 people.
Sanjay Gupta said that the disruptor was the leader of a local political party. He wrote, “In the 80’s & early 90’s when we shot outside city limits invariably the local Dada, Bhai or goon would land up, disrupt shoot & demand his share. Same thing happened today on location of #MumbaiSaga only this time the goon was a political leader with cronies from his party.”
In the 80's & early 90's when we shot outside city limits invariably the local Dada, Bhai or goon would land up, disrupt shoot & demand his share. Same thing happened today on location of #MumbaiSaga only this time the goon was a political leader with cronies from his party. 1/1
— Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) November 4, 2019
Gupta said that the politician demanded a photo op with the stars and cash payment for his permission. “We refused to give in to his ridiculous demands which included that he should break the coconut before we start shooting, photo op with the stars & eventually cash payment for his ‘permission’. We refused & a few hours later the local cops arrived to shut us down,” he further wrote.
We refused to give in to his ridiculous demands which included that he should break the coconut before we start shooting, photo op with the stars & eventually cash payment for his 'permission'. We refused & a few hours later the local cops arrived to shut us down. 2/1
— Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) November 4, 2019
However, the crew had finished shooting the main scene by then. So, they packed up and left the place. “Fortunately for us we had finished filming the main scene. We had around 450 Jr Artists & a crew of 250 plus. Can you imagine the loss we would have to face had we not finished in time? We packed up, cut our losses & left. Don’t think I’ll ever shoot in that place again. Sad!” Sanjay Gupta concludes.
3/1 Fortunately for us we had finished filming the main scene. We had around 450 Jr Artists & a crew of 250 plus. Can you imagine the loss we would have to face had we not finished in time? We packed up, cut our losses & left. Don't think I'll ever shoot in that place again. Sad!
— Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) November 4, 2019
Mumbai Saga, having 1980s and 90s as the backdrop, is said to revolve around the underworld, mill owners, and police of those times. Produced by T-Series and White Feather Films, the movie will take us through the journey of Bombay turning into Mumbai, and is slated to release on June 19, 2020.
Madras High Court issues notice to director of Kangana Ranaut starrer Thalaivi and two others including Gautam Menon
Nearly three years after the demise of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, there are almost five biopics in the making on the life of the legendary actor-politician. Recently, directors Gautam Vasudev Menon and AL Vijay announced that a web series and a feature film are in the works respectively.
However, the makers seem to have a hit a roadblock as Jayalalithaa’s niece, Deepa Jayakumar, filed a plea seeking that the directors should get the consent of the family as the film portrays the private life of Jayalalithaa.
As per reports, after hearing the pleas, Madras High Court sent a notice to director Gautam Menon who is directing a web series on the politician’s life starring Ramya Krishnan. A notice has also been sent to director AL Vijay who is directing a film titled Thalaivi (starring Kangana Ranaut) in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Also, director Vishnuvardhan who is in the process to shoot a biopic of Jayalalithaa is also requested to respond to the notice.
On the other hand, when the project Thalaivi was announced this year, director AL Vijay and the producer of the film had issued a statement saying that they have received a NOC from Deepak, nephew of late Jayalalithaa and brother of Deepa Jayakumar.
Director Priyadarshini is also helming a film on J Jayalalithaa which features Nithya Menon playing the titular role. It is unclear whether Priyadarshini has been issued a notice or not.
Exclusive: Alia Bhatt turns to Hollywood after Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan!
Alia Bhatt is on a high. She has signed some good films which include Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 and her debut in Telugu film industry with SS Rajamouli’s RRR. In interviews earlier this year, the actress had informed that eventually Hollywood would be her next destination soon but we have come to know that the actress is already in the posh locale of Beverly Hills at Los Angeles scouting for an international celebrity manager. Alia is entering Hollywood at a relatively younger age than Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Recently, Huma Qureshi too made a Hollywood foray with Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead.
A trade source says, “Alia’s entry into Hollywood seems sooner than later. It’s all very hush-hush at the moment, though she has been spotted at Beverly Hill restaurants in Los Angeles on social media posts. While it seems that the actress is holidaying in LA with her best friend Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, apparently, Alia is there in search of an international celebrity agent. Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu had signed Simone Sheffield, while Priyanka Chopra has Anjula Acharia. From Aishwarya, Bipasha, Priyanka and Deepika Padukone – all have had celebrity managers or agents in Hollywood, who are based in Los Angeles, as one needs people there to keep the stars updated on international castings and auditions. Alia is also an accomplished singer like Priyanka so that is an added bonus if she is required to cut a single or an album.”
According to the source, “It will be a couple of weeks before SLB’s Gangubai Kathiawadi goes on floor and as Alia had time on her hand, she flew down with Vivek Kamath of Matrix, to look for an international agent in Hollywood. Matrix handles Alia’s work in India and is one of India’s leading celebrity management firms and apparently, Vivek is in LA negotiating with the agents on Alia’s behalf.”
The source adds that like Priyanka and Deepika, Alia too will find a balance between Hollywood and Bollywood movies. “Alia is very young and it is the right age to explore the international movie scene now. Indian actors are getting a variety of roles today. She is also extremely talented who has an exciting bouquet of Indian films so she is sure to flourish in both the film industries. Alia shot for another schedule of Sadak 2 before she left for LA. She will return to shoot for Bhansali’s movie now mid-November once the sets are up in Film City in Mumbai.”
Ahead of the release of Bala, Ayushmann Khurrana visits the famous ghats of Varanasi
Ayushmann Khurrana, who is currently ruling the hearts of everyone with his spectacular performances, is all geared up for his upcoming film, Bala. The film also stars Bhumi Pednekar and Yami Gautam in pivotal roles. Directed by Amar Kaushik, the story of the film revolves around Ayushmann’s character who is facing premature balding and the rest is followed by a twist of humour to it.
The actor is currently on a promotional spree and was in Varanasi on Monday. The actor had a good time as he visited the famous ghats there. He started off with a jamming session with the students of Banaras Hindu University. Ayushmann, along with the students jammed on Bala’s recently released track, ‘Pyaar Toh Tha’ on the ghat. He was even gifted a portrait of Bala made by the students of the university. Post this, a special Ganga aarti was done in the name of Ayushmann on the ghat.
Ayushmann even took a boat ride and he visited some famous ghats like Dashashwamedh ghat , Assi Ghat, Chet Sigh Ghat, Rajendraprasad Ghat, Ahilyabai Ghat, and Raj Ghat. Not only this, Ayushmann even enjoyed scrumptious and famous delicacies of Banaras on the boat.
Bala, produced by Jio Studios & Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films Production, is all set to hit the theatres on November 8.
Parineeti Chopra to live in a sports stadium for 15 days for Saina Nehwal biopic
For Parineeti Chopra, Saina is definitely an incredibly special film given the level of commitment that she is showing for the filming process. Before the shoot began, she trained in badminton for more than four months. She also met the sporting icon Saina Nehwal at her home to take notes and perfect her acting in the biopic. Now, Parineeti will be staying for over 15 days in a sporting complex to film Saina. The reason: she wanted to shoot and practice at the same time and wanted to cut down on travel time. The actress is living in a basic room and only has access to the venue’s amenities.
“We took a strategic call to stay at this sports complex because I could get to train and shoot at the same location. It was important for me to better my game while shooting for the film because I want to perfect myself before shooting the portions where I have to play like Saina. I would have wasted at least 4-5 hours in the to and fro from my house to the location and it just didn’t make sense to lose out on such precious time which I could use to only better my game. I also feel like I am shooting an outdoor schedule, cut off from everyone! I’m thankful to the entire production team and my director for allowing me to stay on location and making it super comfortable for me. I am getting the best sleep here in this basic but most comfortable accommodation. I will be staying here for about two weeks,” tells Parineeti.
Parineeti Chopra is staying at the Ramsheth Thakur International Sports Complex. There is a special cook who has travelled with her so that Parineeti could get the super healthy meals that’s part of her currently regimented diet.
Anil Kapoor had initially rejected 1942: A Love Story; had suggested Aamir Khan and Bobby Deol for the role
1942: A Love Story is one of the highlights of actor Anil Kapoor’s career. The film that was released in 1994 is still remembered for its romantic songs composed by RD Burman. However, Anil Kapoor recently revealed that he had initially rejected the Vidhu Vinod Chopra directorial.
In a recent interaction with a news agency, Anil Kapoor talks about why he had reservations against doing the film. The actor said that 1942: A Love Story was the only love story he has done and he was very uncomfortable initially. He refused the film and told the makers that he will not be able to do such a role.
Anil Kapoor said that he did not find himself romantic and had even suggested Aamir Khan and Bobby Deol for the role. However, today the actor feels good that he did the film. Anil Kapoor had to lose weight, cut his hair, trim his moustache, and work on his costume to create the character.
Anil Kapoor feels that now when he sees the film, he cannot imagine anybody else doing that role. The film is till date remembered for its beautiful songs which included, ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Lagaa’, ‘Kuch Na Kaho’ and ‘Rim Jhim’.
Anil Kapoor will next be seen in the film Pagalpanti directed by Anees Bazmee. Anil and Anees have collaborated in several projects in the past including Welcome, Welcome Back, Mubarakan and No Entry among others. Pagalpanti also features John Abraham, Ileana D’Cruz, Arshad Warsi, Pulkit Samrat, Kriti Kharbanda, Urvashi Rautela, and Saurabh Shukla.
Tara Sutaria talks about her rumoured boyfriend Aadar Jain
Actress Tara Sutaria made her acting debut in Bollywood with the film Student Of the Year 2 which released earlier this year. The actress is currently gearing up for the release of her upcoming film Marjaavaan in which she will be seen opposite Sidharth Malhotra.
While the actor has been linked up with co-star Sidharth Malhotra for a long time, now there are reports of the actress dating actor Aadar Jain. Recently, while talking to a tabloid, Tara said that she and Aadar enjoy going out and spending time with each other. She also said that Aadar is special to her and both of them are foodies. The two met for the first time during the Diwali of 2018 and have a lot of mutual friends.
Talking about link-up rumours, Tara Sutaria said that such rumours started even before SOTY 2 happened. However, the actress now understands that it comes with the job, so she takes it with a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile, Tara Sutaria will be seen playing a mute character in Marjaavaan which also stars Riteish Deshmukh. She said that she connects with Zoya more than Mia (he character in SOTY 2). The actor will also be seen in the Hindi remake of the Telugu film RX100. Tara will be heading for Mussoorie on November 15, to shoot for the film. The film also features Ahan Shetty, who will be making his acting debut.
Sony Entertainment to get rid of Anu Malik?
Following the deep outrage expressed by several women in the entertainment industry Sony Entertainment is apparently reconsidering its decision to reinstate Anu Malik as a judge on the music contest Indian Idol. The backlash dates back to last year when after a slew of MeToo allegation Anu Malik stepped down from his judge’s role on Indian Idol.
Singers Sona Mahapatra and Shweta Pandit were among the women who spoke out against Malik’s conduct. When recently Malik was reinstated aggrieved women, whose number has now amplified to include voices like Neha Bhasin, spoke out strongly against Sony Entertainment’s decision to reinstate Malik.
Shaken by the uproar Sony is apparently re-thinking their decision. A source from Indian Idol reveals, “Anu Malik may be shown the door in the next few weeks. They thought the backlash against him had quietly died down. They never anticipated this new rising roar of protest against his return to the show.”
Neil Nitin Mukesh fractures his thumb while shooting Bypass Road
Bypass Road has been the most physically exhausting film of Neil Nitin Mukesh’s career. “Both emotionally and physically, this film and character was a killer. I play a character confined to a wheelchair throughout the film. It wasn’t easy. I had to learn how to manoeuvre the wheelchair. And since it was a manual wheelchair my thumb got stuck in the wheel and it broke,” shudders Neil.
That was not deal Neil desired to crack. That wasn’t the end of his ordeal. “Worst was waiting for me. For a long stretch of shooting I had to crawl on the floor using only my hands, as I play a character whose legs are not usable. It was the most exhausting thing I’ve done in my life. But it’s all been worth it. Bypass Road has turned out exactly the way my brother Naman (who directs the film) and visualized it. It is original and it keeps audiences guessing till the end,” says Neil confidently.
Neil says the film is shot in India because the script demanded it. “My very kind producer Madan Paliwal wanted to shoot in London because we were promised subsidies. But that wasn’t what I visualized for my plot. I wanted to shoot it in Mumbai and explore the Mumbaikars’ relationship with Alibaug as the getaway place for the rich and propertied, much in the same way as New Jersey is for New Yorkers.”
Arjun Kapoor and Nikkhil Advani’s film finds its leading lady in Rakul Preet Singh
We were among the first ones to tell you that Arjun Kapoor and producer Nikkhil Advani were joining hands for a film. While we’re yet to lay our hands on an official announcement, we hear that the film in question will be helmed by debutant Kaashvi Nair, the daughter of filmmaker K Shashilal Nair who has directed films such as One 2 Ka 4, Kroadh.
Now, the latest buzz is that the makers have found their leading lady in Rakul Preet Singh. We hear it’s a cross-border film with plenty of coming-of-age elements and has already rolled. Although it’s her first feature directorial, Kaashvi’s association with Nikkhil’s Emmay Entertainment is nearly a decade old. At the same time, Nikkhil’s friendship with Arjun Kapoor dates back to the Kal Ho Naa Ho days where the actor worked as an assistant director.
Arjun, meanwhile, has also shot for Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, and is now awaiting the release of Panipat. He is also on board for the Hindi remake of Comali, which is being produced by his father Boney Kapoor.
IFFI 2019: Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth to attend opening ceremony in Goa
This year, the International Film Festival of India, Goa (IFFI) will see the presence of two megastars of Indian cinema – Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. The actors will be attending the opening ceremony of the 50th edition of the film festival on November 20.
It was recently announced that Rajinikanth will be conferred with the Icon of Golden Jubilee Award 2019 by the Government of India at IFFI 2019. On November 1, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar made the announcement on Twitter and wrote, “In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, during the past several decades, I am happy to announce that the award for the ICON OF GOLDEN JUBILEE OF IFFI 2019 is being conferred on cine star Shri S Rajnikant. IFFIGoa50.”
Rajinikanth tweeted, “I thank the government of India for this prestigious honour bestowed upon me on the golden jubilee of the International film festival of India, #IFFI2019.”
IFFI 2019 will commence on November 20 and conclude on November 28.
After Veere Di Wedding, Nikhil Dwivedi to produce a female superhero trilogy Nagin
After producing an all-female film Veere Di Wedding, producer Nikhil Dwivedi is set to introduce a female superhero. The super-hero franchise is called Nagin and will be based on a best-selling book and folklore.
This three-part film series will be spread across continents and will be a modern take on ‘Ichchadhari Nagin’ (shape-shifting serpent) who has special superhero powers. Nikhil is in the process of finalizing an actress for the project, which is touted to be India’s first superhero film with a female lead.
Nikhil Dwivedi’s next production venture is Salman Khan starrer Dabangg 3, which he is producing alongside Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan. Directed by Prabhu Dheva, the cop drama also features Sonakshi Sinha, Kichcha Sudeep and Saiee Manjrekar. The movie is set to hit the screens on December 20.
Baaghi 3: Vijay Varma joins Tiger Shroff in Serbia
The Baaghi 3 team gets bigger. Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor are heading to Serbia for a long shooting schedule for their action film. The film already stars Riteish Deshmukh, Ankita Lokhande and Satish Kaushik. And now, the team gets bigger with Gully Boy actor Vijay Varma joining him.
Heading to Serbia on November 8, the cast plans to film major portions during the schedule. With that being said, Vijay Varma has a pivotal role who helps Tiger Shroff’s character in a sticky situation. He has already shot with Tiger and Shraddha in Mumbai. He revealed that they will be in Serbia for over a month. The kids in his family are excited about this since they are big Tiger Shroff fans. He is looking forward to working with him.
Baaghi 3, directed by Ahmed Khan, is set to release on March 6, 2020.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s manager undergoes skin grafting surgery; condition stable
At the Bachchan’s Diwali bash this year, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s manager Archana Sadanand’s lehenga caught fire from a diya leading to burn injuries. As per reports, Archana underwent skin grafting on her right leg a day or two ago and is currently in ICU but is in a stable condition.
A major mishap was averted as Aishwarya and SRK rushed to her rescue and doused the fire in the nick of time. Ever since the mishap, several reports have been doing the rounds. According to reports that were widely circulated on the day after Diwali, Aishwarya’s publicist was rescued from the accident by none other than Shah Rukh Khan who rushed to the lady’s rescue and doused the fire.
However, later there were reports that said that Shah Rukh Khan was not present when the incident happened and that it was Aishwarya Rai who came to the rescue of her manager. As per reports, a very prominent guest at the Bachchan bash who was a first-hand witness to what transpired says Shah Rukh was nowhere in the picture. “Archana Sadanand (Aishwarya’s publicist) was walking down the stairs when her dupatta caught fire in a diya. In no time at all her clothes were aflame. Everyone was too stunned to do anything. It was Aishwarya who rushed and tore away the burning portion of Archana’s dupatta,” said the eyewitness.
Pati Patni Aur Woh trailer launch: “We were extremely conscious of the fact that we do not end up making it into a sexist comment,” says Bhumi Pednekar
The trailer of the upcoming film Pati Patni aur Woh starring Bhumi Pednekar, Ananya Panday and Kartik Aaryan released on Monday. At the launch, Bhumi Pednekar said that the film does not intend to make a sexist statement on the subject of marriage.
When Bhumi was asked if she was skeptical about the story being reduced to a sexist comment on adultery, she said, “When I read the script, all the doubt that I had simply vanished. This film has lots of fun but, at the same time, it is not frivolous. The story is very empowering to both genders. Nobody is black or white in the story, just as in real life. I think that the maker made sure that this does not turn into a sexist, baseless film.”
She further said, “I do not think, anyone who is part of this film, including us actors, belongs to that school. We were extremely conscious of the fact that we do not end up making it into a sexist comment. The moment I read the script I felt it was so beautiful. This is a subject that could have gone wrong easily. But they (the makers) have been sensitive and careful. I have to say it is a big achievement.”
Meanwhile, the director, Mudassir Aziz said, “I have always put women at the forefront in all my films, and this film is no different. Once the film releases, the audience will realize that he (the ‘pati’ or husband) is the situation and these two women (‘patni and ‘woh’ — or, the wife and the lover) are driving the situation home.
The film is slated to hit the theatre on December 6.
T-Series MixTape Punjabi Season 2: Neeti Mohan & Sukh E kickstart the season with their electrifying performance
T-Series Mixtape Punjabi Season 2 gets off to an energetic start with Neeti Mohan and Sukh E’s electrifying performance. Presented by Amazon Prime Music and produced by T-Series Chairman and Managing Director Bhushan Kumar, the two-month musical extravaganza will put on display 24 artists who will add a unique twist to the mix of two hugely popular Punjabi songs.
In the first episode, Neeti with her feminine grace and Sukh E with his ‘Punjab da puttar’ attitude will blow you away with their powerful, high voltage rendition of ‘Nikle Currant’ and ‘Wah Wai Wahh’. The livewire performers have left no stone unturned to ensure that they do justice to the inaugural episode of T-Series MixTape Punjabi Season 2, available first on Amazon Prime Music.
The first episode serves as an embodiment of the razzmatazz that you are going to witness in the next 10 episodes. Radhika and Vinay Sapru, the series directors offer, “This episode captures what we had set out to do with T-Series MixTape Punjabi Season 2. It truly depicts the energy, the play of sound and light and the complete extravaganza with the artists. You can see the crowd enjoying the whole rendition and whatever the artists express. It truly comes out in the first episode.”
Says Neeti, “I have been part of MixTape for the last two seasons but that was in Hindi. This time I wanted to be an integral part of T-Series MixTape Punjabi Season 2. I am singing and performing in Punjabi for the first time for MixTape and I am so excited about it. I loved performing both the tracks and singing them with Sukh E was such a memorable experience. I think Punjabi music is becoming my favourite genre already.”
Sukh E informs, “’Nikle Currant’, although sung by Jassie Gill, was a song I was associated with as a music producer. ‘Wah Wai Wahh’ was a song that I had sung with Neha Kakkar a few months ago. So when I got this opportunity to be part of these two songs for T-Series MixTape Punjabi Season 2, I was determined ‘yeh to mujhe karna hi karna hai’. I was getting to show my skills as a live performer and I was very excited to be part of it.”
Laughing at the memory, Sukh E adds, “After, the first take, they found it difficult to see me jumping around and dancing so much. I was asked to go easy on the dancing bit. So, I had to control myself and I have never controlled myself while performing but, for a change, it was nice.”
Neeti and Sukh E’s high-energy, juxtaposition of the two songs will instinctively set you grooving. Adds, Radhika and Vinay, “Each and every instrument whether it be the tumbi, guitar, dhol or the synth comes out so clear and correct in this episode that it truly is a great beginning to a great season that we are looking forward to and hoping that we hit it big at the word go.”
“My doctor was scared because after he announced to me that I had multiple myeloma, I didn’t react,” says Lisa Ray as she opens up about her battle with cancer
Actor-turned-author Lisa Ray recently attended an event in Delhi where she spoke about her battle with cancer and how she reacted to the news of the diagnosis. She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009 and was declared cancer-free, after a stem cell transplant.
Speaking at the event, she opened about her cancer diagnosis. She said, “My doctor was scared because after he announced to me that I had multiple myeloma, I didn’t react. Even though he said it was incurable and fatal. In my mind, I was thinking that my body has been trying to give me signals for months, and I was ignoring them. Then I got this strongest possible message. Intuitively, I knew something was wrong. But I didn’t have the courage to do anything, because I was trained to ignore what my body was telling me.”
She went on to add, “In our profession, you can’t go home when you’re sick. You pop medicines and get on with work. In addition, I hadn’t really dealt with the trauma of the accident I was in. What do we do when we don’t want to face something? We keep busy. I did that. Until finally I had to stop, listen to my body, heal and make changes. In a strange way, I realised it was a time of reckoning. I knew it wasn’t the end of me, I knew I wasn’t going to die, but I also knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”
Meanwhile, Lisa came out with her autobiography ‘Close To The Bone’ this year. It talks about her career as an actor and a model, struggles with cancer, her victory and much more. Lisa is married to management consultant Jason Dehni. The two welcomed twin daughters Soleil and Sufi via surrogacy in 2018.
