The White Tiger actor Adarsh Gourav, Chaitanya Tamhane's The Disciple bag nominations at Independent Spirit Awards

The award season nominations have begun! Netflix's The White Tiger actor Adarsh Gourav, the breakout star of 2021, has been nominated for Best Male Lead at the 36th annual Independent Spirit Awards. Filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane's The Disciple has been nominated in the Best International Feature category.

Laverne Cox, Barry Jenkins, and Olivia Wilde announced the nominations on Tuesday, January 26. The 36th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards will air on April 22, three days before the Oscars.

The White Tiger is a story about Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) who narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, he jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing — a servant — so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realizes the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master. Based on the New York Times bestseller and 2008 Man Booker Prize-winning novel.

The Disciple, written and directed by Chaitanya Tamhane and produced by Vivek Gomber of Zoo Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., screened at the 58th New York Film Festival as part of the prestigious Main Slate.

ALSO READ: Priyanka Chopra – Rajkummar Rao step back for co-star Adarsh Gourav

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s next is a crime thriller

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is shooting in the nights in London for his new project Sangeen in spite of the city going into another lockdown. “It’s tough. But you know what they say? The show must go on. We’re working in a Covid bubble, and following all the guidelines. I am here in London for a month,” informs Nawaz.

The actor says he can’t reveal much about the film or his role. “It is a thriller. I play the protagonist of the film. Beyond that I am not allowed to say anything.”

The director Jaideep Chopra had made a thriller titled Maazi in 2013. The interesting aspect of Sangeen is that Nawazuddin plays a completely positive character, no shades of grey at all for a change.

Says Nawaz, “I have played quite a lot of positive characters in Manto, Ghoomketu, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, etc. It is just that my dark portrayals have left a deeper impact. During the lockdown I’ve been watching films from all over the world. Every film, every performance has something to teach me. There are so many different platforms for acting from the stage to street plays to cinema.”

Also Read: Nawazuddin Siddiqui flies to London for his next project, Sangeen

SCOOP: Kartik Aaryan teams up with Shah Rukh Khan for his next to be directed by Ajay Bahl

Just a couple of days back, Bollywood Hungama exclusively revealed that Kartik Aaryan is on the lookout for a quick 30 to 40 day film as the shoots of his under production films – Dostana 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 – have been delayed further due to the on-going pandemic. And we have now an additional update on the same as the actor seems to have locked his next film. It’s said to be an unusual love story produced by Shah Rukh Khan under his banner, Red Chillies Entertainment and will be directed by Ajay Bahl.

“Kartik has been in talks with Shah Rukh Khan’s banner for this Ajay Bahl directed film for a while now and finally, everything has fallen in place and the actor is all set to start shooting for the film within the next 2 months,” a source close to the development told Bollywood Hungama. Interestingly, the film is in complete different space from Ajay’s last film, Section 375, which was an intense drama set against the backdrop of sexual harassment.

“Though this one too has an underlying social message, it’s essentially a rom com. The casting is currently underway and the female lead as also the rest of the members will be locked soon,” the source further added. Kartik Aaryan recently wrapped up shooting for Ram Madhavani’s Dhamaka in a record span of just 11 days. The movie, which is the remake of a Korean film, The Terror Live, is gearing up for a direct to digital premiere on Netflix. It’s currently in the post production stage.

Also Read: SCOOP: Kartik Aaryan on the look out for a quick 30-day film as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 & Dostana shoot delayed!

Khushi Kapoor is off to acting school in New York; to be launched in Bollywood in 2022

Late actress Sridevi and film producer Boney Kapoor’s youngest born Khushi Kapoor is off to the Lee Starsberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York for one semester’s course.

Sources say Khushi Kapoor will be launched in Hindi cinema only after she returns from her acting course in the US.

“Khushi Kapoor will be launched in 2022. Boney has already got offers from several major producers including Karan Johar to launch Khushi. But, he’s in no hurry. And neither is Khushi. The entire family feels an acting course is the right thing to do. Sridevi always wanted her daughters to attend a good acting school, since she never got any formal training,” says the source.

Late actress Sridevi and film producer Boney Kapoor’s youngest born Khushi Kapoor is off to the Lee Starsberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York for one semester’s course.

Sources say Khushi Kapoor will be launched in Hindi cinema only after she returns from her acting course in the US.

“Khushi Kapoor will be launched in 2022. Boney has already got offers from several major producers including Karan Johar to launch Khushi. But, he’s in no hurry. And neither is Khushi. The entire family feels an acting course is the right thing to do. Sridevi always wanted her daughters to attend a good acting school, since she never got any formal training,” says the source.

ALSO READ: 4 beauty trends that are going to be huge in 2021 featuring Khushi Kapoor, Tara Sutaria, Janhvi Kapoor

SCOOP: The Inside story of the Coolie No. 1 Battle between Rumi Jaffrey and Farhad Samji

Rumi Jaffrey, the original writer of Coolie No. 1 is apparently furious with the changes made in the screenplay of the remake. A source from the crew informed Bollywood Hungama that Rumi was completely not in favour of the changes made by additional dialogue writer Farhad Samji.

Says the source, “Rumi and David go back a long long way. In fact, David’s sons Rohit and Varun Dhawan call him ‘Uncle’ and Rumi has cuddled them both in his lap when they were kids. Rumi has written a majority of David’s hits. When David asked Rumi to write the remake of their 1995 hit Coolie No. 1, Rumi was totally against the idea. He felt what worked in 1995 won’t work now. But David was adamant. He told Rumi not to worry and do it for Varun’s sake.”

Apparently the problems started when Farhad Samji was brought in to do the dialogues. Adds the source, “Rumi was told Farhad was in touch with today’s generation. He would bring in the contemporary feel. But as the film progressed there were many changes that Rumi was horrified about. The biggest of them being the change in Kader Khan’s character. Kader Saab’s Hoshiyar Chand was a highlight in the original Coolie No. 1. When Rumi was told Hoshiyar Chand was now Jeffrey Rozario (played by Paresh Rawal) he was horrified. He asked David why the Hindu character in the original was converted into a Christian and if he was a Catholic now, why was the Pundit, played by Javed Jaffrey coming to Rozario with a rishta for his daughter?”

Apparently it made no sense to Rumi. But David was supremely confident in letting his son Rohit Dhawan and Farhad Samji “modernize” Coolie No. 1.

“Nothing made sense to Rumi anymore. Rumi wanted the song ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ - which has a deep Mumbaiyya flavor - to be shot on the streets of Mumbai the way it was shot with Govinda and Karisma Kapoor. David with the advice of his sons and Farhad Samji, preferred to shoot the new version of the ‘Mirchi’ song in a studio,” informs the source.

Bollywood Hungama tried to speak with Rumi Jaffrey for his version of the story. But he refused to speak. “My association with David Dhawan goes back to Shola Aur Shabnam in 1993. We practically grew up together in the film industry. Rohit and Varun are like my own sons”

Also Read: How much would have Coolie No. 1 earned at the box office? Trade gives its verdict

Vidyut Jammwal starrer Sanak is a remake of Denzel Washington's John Q

Actor Vidyut Jammwal and filmmaker Vipul Shah are once again coming together for the action-packed film. This time, it is titled Sanak and the first posters were unveiled on Republic Day 2021. The teaser poster released by the makers looks intriguing, showing an isolated hospital bed with bloodstains all over it and a gun, mysterious in all its ways. As it turns out, it is a remake of a Hollywood flick.

According to the reports, Sanak is an official Hindi remake of the 2002 Denzel Washington film, John Q. The film has gone on the floor in Mumbai and the makers plan to wrap up the film by March 2021. The film promises to be an action-thriller.

John Q, directed by Nick Cassavetes, is a story of John Q Archibald who lives with his wife Denise and 9-year-old son Michael. When Michael needs an emergency heart transplant which can't be afforded due to their financial issues, John vows to do anything to keep his son alive. He takes a hospital emergency room hostage when he finds out that his insurance won't cover his son's heart transplant.

Starring Vidyut Jammwal, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Neha Dhupia, and Bengali actress Rukmini Maitra who is making her Bollywood debut feature in pivotal roles. Presented by Zee Studios in association with Sunshine Pictures, Sanak is a Vipul Amrutlal Shah production, directed by Kanishk Verma.

ALSO READ: Vidyut Jammwal gears up for action packed Sanak in new posters

Jacqueline Fernandez to star alongside Cara Delevingne, Eva Longoria, Marcia Gay Harden and others in Women’s Stories

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez is heading to the West. The Sri-Lankan beauty has been the leading lady in many Bollywood films. Now, she is setting her eyes on Hollywood. She will star alongside Cara Delevingne, Eva Longoria, Marcia Gay Harden, Leonor Varela, Margherita Bua among others in the upcoming anthology feature, Women's Stories. The actress will be part of the film called Sharing A Ride which will be directed by Leena Yadav. It will feature Jacqueline Fernandez and transgender model Anjali Lama.

Divided into four segments - the first one is titled Unspoken and will be directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi. It stars Italian actress Margherita Buy who is the seven-time David di Donatello award-winner. The second one will be called Lagonegro and directed by Lucia Puenzo. It features Eva Longoria. The third segment is titled Elbows Deep and will be directed by Twilight filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke. It stars model and actress Delevingne, Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden, and Jasmine Luv.

According to Deadline, "The film will be comprised of six segments directed by female directors from different parts of the world, shot in Italy, India and the U.S. They will range in genre from drama to comedy, docu-drama to animation. Cast will be all female."

Andrea Iervolino, President and founder of Iervolino Entertainment, said in a statement to Deadline, “It gives me tremendous pride to collaborate with such an astounding ensemble and to help deliver a message larger than the film itself. It’s important for us that this be done on a global scale, which is why we’re shooting, very carefully and safely, in Italy, India, and the US.”

Iervolino Entertainment and non-profit production company We Do It Together are producing along with Chiara Tilesi, Andrea Iervolino, Lucas Akoskin, and Monika Bacardi. Carol Polakoff serves as Executive Producer.

ALSO READ: Jacqueline Fernandez expresses her happiness on working with Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar

Indian Women Rising picks Student Academy Award winner and Oscar contender Bittu as it's inaugural project

Trio Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga and Tahira Kashyap Khurrana recently announced their endeavour - a cinema collective named Indian Women Rising in an effort to promote and accentuate Indian female content creators across the globe. As their first project, the initiative has chosen to support the internationally acclaimed short film Bittu where the collective will put its muscle to aid the film's campaign at the Oscars run.

Directed by Karishma Dev Dube, a past Dean’s fellow from NYU, the unreleased Bittu has bagged the honour of the 47th 'Student Academy Award' and is now set to run the race for the Oscar for Short Film Category.

Inspired by the infamous school poisoning of 2013, Bittu explores the close friendship between two school girls on this seemingly normal day at school. Set in the picturesque locations against the backdrop of Himalayas, Bittu follows the story of an eight-year-old who must take matters into her own hands when her community fails to protect its most vulnerable.

Backing the film as its first project under the initiative of Indian Women Rising, Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga and Tahira Kashyap Khurrana have pledged to empower this story presented by a strong team of women comprising of Karishma Dev Dube as the director, Shreya Dev Dube as the cinematographer and Mary Evangelista as the producer.

Indian Women Rising, a cinema collective is determined to discover, nurture and shine spotlight on Indian female talent in cinema across the globe, pushing the film's journey to expand its scope of marketing, sales and distribution.

Talking about the selection of Bittu, Indian Women Rising in a joint statement shared, Bittu is a simple yet an incredibly impactful story. We resonated with the story presented by female creators, with Karishma Dev Dube, Shreya Dube and Mary Evangelista coming together as a team. With 'Indian Women Rising', our is aim to be able to provide the necessary thrust to potential stories in order to achieve higher goals, Bittu seemed the ideal choice for our first project with its refined story and immaculate presentation and we plan to shine spotlight at the film as it joins the run for Oscars in Best Live Action Short category."

Director Karishma Dev Dube shares, "Bittu stems from certain aspects of my life in boarding school in Dehradun- my most formative friendships in and sometimes my difficult relationship with authority. At its core however, the film is a re-imagination of the infamous 2013 school poisoning in Bihar, through the eyes of Bittu, a fierce and brilliantly foul-mouthed eight year old girl. The film is less about why and how the poisoning happened, instead it attempts to bring to life an otherwise forgotten community in the foothills of the Himalayas. We’ve had an incredible journey with Bittu, we were honored with the Student Academy Award last year and continue to explore new worlds with our proud partnership with IWR- an initiative much needed in India."

Presented by Indian Women Rising, a cinema collective, Bittu is a short film that won the Student's Oscar (Silver medal). The film screened at several prestigious film festivals including the BFI London Film Festival, Telluride, Palm Springs Shortfest & Dharmshala Film Festival to name just a few.

At Hollyshorts Film Festival, the director Karishma Dev Dube won the best director award.

Now backed by the trio at IWR, Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga and Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Bittu is competing for the Best Live Action Short Film award at the 2021 Oscars.

“Unethical,” says producer Boney Kapoor reacting to Rajamouli’s release date of RRR

At a time when the movie-theatre business is struggling for survival it comes as shock to know that S S Rajamouli has chosen October 13, 2021 as his release date for RRR. This is the same date that Boney Kapoor had announced for his production Maidaan six months ago.

Even more shockingly, both the films feature Ajay Devgn in the cast. Apparently, Ajay told Rajamouli to speak to Boney before announcing the RRR release date.

An informed source tells me, “Ajay is aware that his prestigious bio-pic Maidaan on football legend Syed Abdul Rahim was due in the Dussehra week this year. He very specifically told Rajamouli to speak to Boney Kapoor before announcing his release date. But Rajamouli went ahead without consulting Boney.”

And now Boney is very very upset.

“Of course I am upset! This is most unethical. I announced my release date for Maidaan six months ago. At a time when we should all be coming together to save the movie industry, he (Rajamouli) has gone and done this,” says Boney angrily.

Would this clash of two big Devgn starrers be avoided? Post the Covid crisis the last thing we need is a box office battle on one Friday when there are so many barren Fridays staring in the film industry’s anxious face.

Also Read: SS Rajamouli’s RRR starring Jr NTR and Ram Charan gets a release date

Amol Parashar to essay the role of Bhagat Singh in Vicky Kaushal starrer Sardar Udham Singh

Shoojit Sircar's upcoming film titled Sardar Udham Singh is one among the highly anticipated films of Bollywood. With Vicky Kaushal in the lead, the film narrates the story of a revolutionary freedom fighter who assassinated British officer Michael O'Dwyer in London to avenge the 1919 Jallianwalala Bagh massacre .

While not much is known about the remaining cast of the film, it has been revealed that actor Amol Parashar who is popular for his act in the TVF show Tripling will be seen playing the role of legendary Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Previously, Amol has been seen in films like Rocket Singh:Salesman of the Year and Dolly Kitty Aur Woh.

Reportedly, Shoojit wants to show Bhagat Singh in a more realistic manner- as a sharp and intelligent young man who has a lightness to him at the same time. For the role, Amol had multiple conversations with the director and also read a lot of literature on the great freedom fighter including the ones written by Bhagat Singh himself.

ALSO READ: Amol Parashar on Hrithik Roshan’s reaction, “It feels good to see someone taking out 2 seconds of their life to acknowledge you and your work”

Vipul Shah makes his digital debut with a medical thriller titled Human; Shefali Shah and Kirti Kulhari to star

Filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah has ventured into the web space with a new medical thriller show titled Human. He says the show is not about Covid but highlights medical trials that have taken place across the world for decades now. The show stars Shefali Shah and Kirti Kulhari and is directed by Shah and Mozez Singh.

"This project was in the works for almost three and a half years now, and back then we didn't know about the virus and the vaccine. It took us a long to write because we have tried to simplify the process of human trials of vaccines in a way that the audience understands. Today, everyone is aware of what drug trials mean," said Shah.

One wonders if the show is set against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent journey of finding the vaccine and Vipul clarifies that it’s not set in today’s time. “It’s not about coronavirus, but about medical trials that take place across the world for decades now. This touches a topic that’s very big for humanity and the problems with drug trial is not a recent phenomenon. It’s a very important subject for the society,” he avers.

Having come from a theatre background, Vipul made his debut as a director in 2002 with the thriller, Aankhen featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, and Paresh Rawal. Since then, he has made family dramas and romcoms. And with Human, he gets back to the thriller space.

The filmmaker said that the show touches on a topic that's big for humanity and the problems with drug trials are not a recent phenomenon. "It’s my dream project,” he beams, and adds, I used to do this kind of stuff in theatre, and with Human, I am connected back to the roots. It's a first for me on the webspace and it's completely opposite of what I have in 20 years of my Hindi film career," the filmmaker said.

"It's an interesting combo to play these author-backed roles. It's a new space for both Shefali and Kirti, and you haven't seen them do something like this before," said Shah, about the characters in the series.

He adds that the show has helped him to connect with his roots all over again. The show went on the floors in Mumbai on January 21, and the filmmaker is gearing up to call it a wrap within a month. Mozez Singh, who is one of the many writers on board the show, is also co-directing Human with Vipul, and production is done by Sunshine. It’s gearing up for a digital premiere this summer.

ALSO READ: Shefali Shah reveals on being typecast in the industry after playing Akshay Kumar’s mother when she was 28-30 years old in Waqt

Vidyut Jammwal and Rukmini Maitra to star in action-thriller Sanak

Actor Vidyut Jammwal will next be seen in the action thriller titled Sanak opposite popular Bengali actress Rukmini Maitra. Directed by Kanishk Varma, the film is produced by Vipul Amritlal Shah and Zee Studios.

Announcing the film, the makers also shared the first look poster of the film. The poster sees a blood covered hospital bed and with a gun lying over it placed in a dimly lit room. The title of the film reads- Sanak- Hope under siege. 

Sharing the first look poster, Vidyut wrote, "Brace yourself, something big is coming tomorrow!"

Brace yourself, something big is coming tomorrow! ????
Ab Sankegi! #ComingSoon????#Sanak
Stay tuned!#VipulAmrutlalShah @RukminiMaitra @IamRoySanyal @kanishk_v @sunshinepicture @Aashin_A_Shah @ZeeStudios_ @ZEE5India @zeecinema @ZeeplexOfficial @ZeeMusicCompany pic.twitter.com/DBq9pnbK2r

— Vidyut Jammwal (@VidyutJammwal) January 25, 2021

This film will mark Vidyut Jammwal and Vipul Shah's fifth collaboration. Reportedly, Sanak will go on floors later this year and will be shot on a big scale at some exotic locations. Meanwhile, Vidyut will wrap the shooting of Khuda Haafiz sequel before getting started with Sanak.

ALSO READ: Is Vidyut Jammwal not interested in promoting The Power? Producer Vijay Galani BREAKS silence

Price re-negotiation for Yash’s KGF 2; Excel Entertainment acquires Hindi rights for a bomb

In 2018 when Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar of Excel Entertainment bought the Hindi rights of the Kannada hit KGF (Kolar Gold Fields) little did they know that the film will turn out to be a virtual gold field.

Sources say, the film made more than what the producers invested into this supposedly regional film. At that time Excel had paid a pittance for the Hindi rights. That is not the so with the sequel which is ready for release. According to sources the Hindi rights of KGF 2 have been sold to Excel for a whopping sum.

According to a source very close to the project, “When KGF was made we were not even thinking of a Hindi version. It was done at the last minute and sold to Excel for peanuts. Now things are very different. The investment for the sequel is at least 7 times more than the original. Of course Excel has had to pay a lot more this time. Isn’t that fair?”

Yup.

ALSO READ: Karnataka’s Anti-Tobacco Cell and Health Department ask actor Yash to delete smoking scenes from KGF 2 teaser and film

How Lal Krishna Advani helped a struggling Vidhu Vinod Chopra in late 70s is sure to MELT your heart!

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s career got a new lease of life with the blockbuster success of Munna Bhai films. But even prior to that, the veteran director-producer had created a niche for himself and earned accolades like no other. He has vowed everyone in the film world from his first venture itself. The first student film that he made as a student of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Murder At Monkey Hill, went on to win the Best Short Experimental Film at the 24th National Film Awards in 1976. This victory is common knowledge but many are not aware of the hilarious episode that occurred when Vidhu Vinod Chopra went to collect his prize on stage. It also led to the beginning of his glorious friendship with senior politician, Lal Krishna Advani. Vidhu Vinod Chopra has narrated this incident in the book ‘Unscripted’ penned by Abhijat Joshi, which has been released today.

In this book, the filmmaker narrates that he was told that he'd receive prize money of Rs. 4000 when he'll collect his National Award. When his name was called, he went on the stage and was greeted by the then President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and L K Advani, the then Minister for Information and Broadcasting. The president gave him a gold medallion and a brown envelope. Vidhu, obviously, expected that the latter will have bank notes amounting to Rs. 4000. Instead, it consisted of a postal bond which can be encashed in seven years.

Any other person would have got off the stage first and then tried to seek redress. But Vidhu Vinod Chopra being the way that he is, he decided to confront Mr Advani directly at that very moment. He asked why he isn't being given the cash that he was promised. Advani, at first, tried to explain that this bond will get him money later in life but when he realized that Vidhu wants cash immediately, he told him to meet him tomorrow.

Vidhu however argued that if he gets off the stage, he doesn't know if he'll be able to meet the minister the next day. Meanwhile, President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy too got involved. Vidhu explained the situation to him. An irritated Lal Krishna Advani once again assured him that he'll give him the money the next day. When Vidhi was still not convinced, the President then convinced Vidhu and told him that Mr Advani won't back off.

The next day, as asked by Lal Krishna Advani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra met him at Shastri Bhawan. Advani was furious and scolded him for his misbehaviour. He also said that he wants to complain about him to his father. Vidhu gave his father's phone number to him and also asked him whether he had his breakfast. When Advani nodded, Vidhu said that he hasn't because he doesn't have the money. He also said that he had borrowed Rs. 1200 from his friends, hoping that with the Rs. 4000 that he'd get at the National Awards ceremony, he'd be able to return the loaned amount.

At this, Lal Krishna Advani’s heart melted. He immediately ordered eggs and paratha for the filmmaker and also gave him Rs. 4000 on the spot. And that’s not all. Lal Krishna Advani helped him even in future. Knowing that Vidhu Vinod Chopra is not financially well off, he made him a member of the FTII Governing Council, though he was just a student of the institute. As part of this council, he used to be paid Rs. 880 for the airfare for attending the meetings. Vidhu, however, used to travel by train in the third-class compartment and save the rest of the money for himself.

Then just days before the 51st Academy Awards on April 9, 1979, Vidhu Vinod Chopra learnt that his short documentary An Encounter With Faces has secured a nomination. The filmmaker didn’t have money to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles and moreover, didn’t even hold a passport. With no other option, he approached Lal Krishna Advani. As expected, the benevolent minister got a passport arranged for him in just two hours, without police verification. He also gave him an economy-class Air India ticket and $60 for three days' stay, courtesy the Government of India.

Their association continued and it exists even today. Last year, during a special screening of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s directorial film, Shikara (2020), one of the guests was none other than Lal Krishna Advani. He was one of the first people to see the film and loved it so much that he couldn’t control his tears. A video of Vidhu Vinod Chopra greeting an emotional L K Advani was even released by the film’s team on social media.

Shri L K Advani at the special screening of #Shikara We are so humbled and grateful for your blessings and your appreciation for the film Sir. @foxstarhindi @rahulpandita pic.twitter.com/oUeymMayhc

— Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films (@VVCFilms) February 7, 2020

Vicky Kaushal starrer Uri: The Surgical Strike to re-release in cinemas on Republic Day

On the occasion of the 72nd Republic Day tomorrow, the Hindi film Uri: The Surgical Strike starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead will be re-released in theatres. The film directed by Aditya Dhar was first released in January, 2019.

Uri is a dramatized account of the retaliation to the 2016 Uri attack following Vicky's character Major Vihaan Singh Shergill of the Indian Army who plays the leading role in the events. Produced by Ronnie Screwvala, the film stars Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Yami Gauatm, Mohit Raina and Kirti Kulhari. The film also won four National Awards including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Audiography and Best Background score.

Theatres across India were allowed to re-open in mid-October last year with 50% capacity. While Bollywood is yet to release their major films in theatres, the exhibitors and theatre owners are trying to get people back to the cinema halls. Richa Chadha's Madam Chief Minister was the latest film to hit the theaters on January 22.

ALSO READ: Indian Army Day 2021: Vicky Kaushal salutes the brave men of the army as he recalls being at an altitude of 16000 ft in Tawang

The Kapil Sharma Show to go off-air in February? Here’s what we know

The Kapil Sharma Show is one of the most-watched shows with the celebrities coming in and a new set of stints prepared for episodes freshly. The show first aired in 2018 and even though there have been a few changes in the star cast of the show, host Kapil Sharma, Sumona Chakravarti, Kiku Sharda, and a few others have been constants. Knowing that the lockdown had a massive impact on most of the businesses, it looks like The Kapil Sharma Show has also taken a hit.

There are reports of The Kapil Sharma Show going off-air mid-February because of the lack of promotions of films and live audiences. The makers have decided to pull the plug on the show and are hoping to bounce back once things are normal. Quashing all the rumours of a revamp, the makers are skeptical of the future of the show for now. With multiple celebrities gracing the show, the show will be truly missed by the viewers.

The show currently stars Kiku Sharda, Bharti Singh, Krushna Abhishek among others and with Kapil Sharma’s wife Ginni expecting her second baby, it’s fitting that he takes a break from work.

Also Read: Kapil Sharma reveals why he ran away during his marriage ceremony

BLACKPINK's Rosé to debut her solo track during the group's online concert The Show

Popular K-pop female group BLACKPINK will kick off their New Year with the much anticipated online concert, The Show. The members - Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa  - are set to give some thrilling performances. As the fans, called BLINKS, are eagerly awaiting the big day, there's more surprise in store for them.

On January 25, YG Entertainment, the parent company of the group, officially made some revelations for her solo track that will be unveiled during The Show. “Rosé completed all filming for her solo album title track’s music video in mid-January. As the production budget for the video was unprecedented, the music video is a large-scale production, and we are currently doing our utmost in the final stages to ensure a high-quality release,” the statement read, via Soompi.

The company also stated that they will also announce the details of the solo debut album of Rosé soon. While details of the song are kept under wraps, the singer herself wanted to showcase her new track to the fans and requested the company for the same. Teasing about the track, the agency said that it is a sweet track capturing her soulful vocals.

BLACKPINK’s online concert The Show will be streamed live on January 31 at 2pm KST.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by BLΛƆKPIИK (@blackpinkofficial)

After much anticipation, BLACKPINK released their highly awaited debut album titled 'The Album' on October 2 along with the music video for the lead track 'Lovesick Girls'.  The album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard 200.

The group also debuted its documentary on October 14, 2020. Proving that music knows no borders or language barriers, BLACKPINK: LIGHT UP THE SKY offered a personal look at the four members from their years as trainees to their current global success as the most popular K-pop girl group of all time.

ALSO READ: BTS, EXO and BLACKPINK are most mentioned K-pop artists on Twitter India in 2020

THEATRICAL release of Tuesdays And Fridays release confirmed for February 19; D Company might also arrive on the same day

The blockbuster box office performance of the Tamil flick, Master, starring Vijay, has proved it once and for all that audiences are more than willing to come to cinemas for big, exciting films. Yet, the producers of bigger Bollywood films are still maintaining the wait-and-watch policy and hoping for the situation to improve even more. As a result, the upcoming month of February is also expected to be devoid of not just biggies but also mid-sized films.

As per trade, as of now, a handful of films have been scheduled for release in the second month of 2021. A source reveals, “January 29 will see the release of Warner Bros’ psychological thriller The Little Things, starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto. Then, on February 5, Vineet Kumar Singh’s realistic drama Aadhar would release. The same day, the exciting Hollywood flick Monster Hunter, by Sony Pictures, would also hit the big screen. It’ll have a wide release in original English and dubbed versions.”

The source then adds, “Warner Bros is then releasing Tom And Jerry on February 19. The same day, two more films are going to be released. T-Series and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production Tuesdays And Fridays would arrive in cinemas. Lastly, Ram Gopal Varma’s gangster drama D Company is also planning to clash at the box office on February 19 with these two films.”

Tuesdays And Fridays, directed by Taranveer Singh, marks the debut of Poonam Dhillon’s son Anmol Dhillon and former Miss India international (2014), Jhataleka Malhotra. Zoa Morani, Reem Sheikh, Ibraheem Choudhry, Niki Walia, Parmeet Sethi and others are also a part of this film, which is reported to be a love story with a dose of action. It was majorly shot in Mumbai and London in 2018.

On the other hand, D Company is directed by Ram Gopal Varma that traces the rise of underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim. It is expected to be a multi-series project. The poster and trailer of this actioner were released yesterday, that is, on January 23.

The trade source signs off by saying, “A few more small films might also release, especially on February 12 or February 26. Both these slots are unoccupied as of now.”

ALSO Read: FWICE bans Ram Gopal Varma for failing to pay Rs 1.25 crore in salaries to workers

Kabir Singh producer Murad Khetani beats Karan Johar; pays approx. 6 crores for Master rights

Ever since the success of Kabir Singh, producer Murad Khetani has been on the lookout to buy some great original scripts. After Namak Halal, Khetani has now officially bagged the remake rights of the recent blockbuster Master. The Vijay and Vijay Setupathi starrer gatecrashed box office records and despite a 50% occupancy restriction, managed to rake in huge moolah at the box office.

Interestingly, we hear that several producers had lined up to bag the remake rights to the original. A source tells us, "Karan Johar was also trying to get the rights to make Master in Hindi. He was trying really hard but when Murad got a hang of it, he quietly raised his price and bagged the deal."

The same source shares that a whopping amount was quoted from Cine 1 Studios. "Murad is keen on making several remakes in the next few years. There's Thadam, then there's Namak Halal and now, Master. He paid over Rs. 6 crore just for the rights. He had earlier paid around Rs. 4-5 crore for Arjun Reddy's official rights, but the moment he heard KJo is also at the other end, he raised his amount and got it. The team is now putting it all together and reworking the script for the Hindi audience. Casting will happen only once the scripting is done."

Also Read: SCOOP - Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions in talks with Adani Group to sell 30% stake?

IT’S OFFICIAL! Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal are now man and wife

Actor Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal were to tie the knot today at Alibaug. The couple’s idea of a sunset wedding took place at The Mansion House with their closest friends and family members in attendance. The couple had planned the Republic Day’s long weekend for the festivities to take place and the details were revealed close to a week prior. Even though there wasn’t an official announcement from their end, the news spread like wildfire.

As the day comes to an end, Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal have been pronounced as man and wife. The couple got married according to the Hindu rituals and the news has been confirmed by sources. As per reports, the nuptials were supposed to begin at 4 pm but it was delayed till 6 pm since the Haldi ceremony had begun late. The actor arrived on a quad bike on the songs 'Hiriye Sehra Baandh Ke', 'Zingaat' among others. The cameras are not allowed inside but the couple has finally tied the knot at the Mansion House in Alibaug.

Although the pictures are awaited, the fans are ecstatic for the heartthrob and his wife. With Manish Malhotra, Karan Johar, Kunal Kohli, and more in attendance, there are a few surprise guests expected to attend the ceremony.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

ALSO READ:  Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal wedding includes a quad bike entry, COVID-19 tests and phone stickers