In 2022, upon the release of “Gangubai Kathiawadi,” Anurag Kashyap a close friend and collaborator of director Vasan Bala noted that Alia Bhatt is the new Bacchan. Bala, who we all know is fascinated by pop culture and how it shapes the narrative of the present, past, and future of cinema itself, must have taken the comment quite literally. With “Jigra,” his third directorial venture (fourth if you consider the unreleased “Peddlers“) Bala has a bigger budget and even greater star power in his kitty.

The usually dependable Alia Bhatt stars as Satya, an orphan who had made herself into such a rock-solid young woman that her meditative gaze can get any shit done. Early on in her life, she witnessed the tragic suicide of her father when she and her younger sibling Ankur (later played by Vedang Raina) returned from school one day. It’s obvious that ever since that day,...

Netflix India is set to delve into another gripping true story. Peepingmoon.com has exclusively learned that the streaming giant is developing a web series based on “Operation Safed Sagar,” a crucial mission carried out by the Indian Air Force (Iaf) during the 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan.

Renowned director Oni Sen, known for his work on the popular web series “Asur,” has been chosen to helm this project. The series will be produced by Sanjay Routray, Sarita Patil, and Dikssha Jyoti Routray under the Matchbox Shots banner. The show will depict the Iaf’s historic 47-day operation, executed in collaboration with the Indian Army’s ground forces, aimed at dislodging Pakistani troops from Indian positions along the Line of Control. This operation, launched on May 26, 1999, involved precision airstrikes using fighter planes, attack helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles to clear high-altitude enemy positions.

Operation Safed Sagar was a landmark in military aviation history,...

Bollywood actor Vedang Raina, who made his debut with the streaming film ‘The Archies’ last year, recently shared insights into his unexpected journey into the world of Bollywood. The actor, who initially ventured into modelling during his college days, never imagined a career in the performing art of acting and the film industry.

However, the lad is glad that he landed up on a film set.

Talking about his experience, Vedang shared, “It was all too new for me. It wasn’t my childhood dream to come into films. It was during college that I came into modelling. I used to sing and play the guitar. Eventually, I landed into auditioning. I had no expectations because I never expected to be in this position so whatever is happening is a bonus.”

He also spoke about working with the children of the Bollywood fraternity as he said, “For me, it was...

Binge-watched ”Maharani Season 3”… The progression of Rani Bharti, portrayed brilliantly by Huma Qureshi, is, in my opinion, the most crucial wheel of this powerful drama. From a vulnerable housewife to a resilient political leader, Rani’s journey captivates and resonates deeply.

Talking of Huma Qureshi, it’s a hattrick for her, after her incredible act in ”Tarla”, ”Monica O My Darling”, and now, ”Maharani S3”. Getting author-backed roles is no cakewalk, but to carry off those characters with aplomb deserves immense praise.

In ”Maharani Season 3”, Huma Qureshi embodies Rani Bharti with such conviction that every scene feels authentic and compelling. Her portrayal reflects the complexities of a woman thrust into the tumultuous world of politics, navigating power struggles and betrayals with courage and resilience.

Binge-watched #Maharani Season 3… The progression of #RaniBharti [portrayed brilliantly by #HumaQureshi] is, in my opinion, the most crucial wheel of this powerful drama… Talking of #HumaQureshi, it’s a hattrick for her,...

Actress Huma Qureshi, who is getting a lot of positive response to the recently released third season of her hit streaming show ‘Maharani’, has shed light on different layers of her titular character in the show.

In the third season, Huma’s lead character of Rani Bharti, who was framed and sentenced to jail term following the killing of her husband, makes a comeback as she takes her political opponents head-on after an attempt is made to take her kids’ lives.

The actress recently spoke with Ians about her changing trajectory of her character in the new season, her past association with filmmaker Vasan Bala on the streaming movie ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and what makes ‘Maharani’ a compelling watch.

Talking about her character in the show, the actress told Ians: “Rani Bharti is a character who keeps the cards close to her heart. She is aware of the conspiracies...

Mumbai, March 7 (Ians) Actress Huma Qureshi, whose latest streaming series ‘Maharani 3’ dropped on Thursday, has penned a letter to her 16-year-old self ahead of the International Women’s Day.

On Thursday, the actress, who essays the lead role of Rani Bharati in the series, took to her Instagram and shared the letter addressed to her younger self.

She wrote, “Thank you for that day when you marched into your principal’s office in Class 11. You were terrified but your love for the stage burnt brighter than your fear. You had to tell them of your choice: Performing Arts over Academics, Humanities over Science. Your first fight against doubt. The start of your journey in defying expectations. They told you you are stubborn! That your dreams were wrong! You must be like the others — okay with being put in a box and taking the ‘safe and sensible’ route.”

She thanked her...

The upcoming Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina-starrer film ‘Jigra’ wrapped up its shoot on Thursday evening. Alia took to her Instagram and shared the update with her 83 million followers.

Sharing an array of pictures with her co-actor, the ‘Gully Boy’ actress wrote in the caption, “‘Jigra’ oh, abki teri baari ho @vedangraina. And that’s a film wrap on #Jigra @vasanbala @swapsagram. See you soon. 27th September 2024 at a cinema near you (sic).”

The film has been directed by Vasan Bala, who is known for films like ‘Monica O My Darling’ and ‘Peddlers’.

Alia has worked in the film in dual capacity, as ‘Jigra’ is produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Alia’s own production house Eternal Sunshine.

The film is set to release on September 27, 2024.

Alia bhatt wraps up 'jigra' with vedang raina...

Producer Kewal Garg, who is currently awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Merry Christmas’, has been bringing tectonic shifts in the landscape of Bollywood.

The businessman and producer, associated with Matchbox Pictures Pvt Ltd, started his journey in Bollywood with the film ‘Main Krishna Hun’ starring Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan. He then solidified his position with the landslide critical and commercial success of ‘Andhadhun’. The Netflix movie ‘Monica, O My Darling’ furthered his vision to bring path-breaking stories to the fore.

Hailing from Punjab, Kewal Garg is committed to offering cinematic brilliance. He emphasises the significance of meticulous planning.

He said: “Making a film involves a lot of planning. The most important task is to build a good team that can understand your vision and the director’s vision.”

Crediting his success to hard work, destiny and pure intentions, the producer has maintained a perfect balance in his personal and professional life.

Netflix India emerged as a big winner at the Filmfare Ott Awards 2023 last evening, bagging 26 awards and reaffirming its position as a leading platform for quality content. Its diverse slate of series and films garnered widespread acclaim, with many of its productions being recognized for their compelling storytelling, stellar performances, and exceptional direction.

The series winner list includes “Best Series” for Scoop, “Best Series Critics” for Trial By Fire, “Best Director Critics” for Randeep Jha (Kohrra), “Best Actor Series” for Suvinder Vicky (Kohrra) and Rajshri Deshpande (Trial By Fire), “Best Actor Series Critics” for Karishma Tanna (Scoop), “Best Supporting Actor” for Barun Sobti (Kohrra) and Tillotama Shome (Delhi Crime S2).

The films’ winner list has “Best Film Critics” for Konkona Sen Sharma (Lust Stories) And Vasan Bala (Monica O My Darling), “Best Actor Film Critics” for Rajkummar Rao (Monica O My Darling) and Sanya Malhotra (Kathal), “Best Actor- Web Original...

Netflix India emerged as a big winner at the Filmfare Ott Awards 2023 last evening, bagging 26 awards and reaffirming its position as a leading platform for quality content. Its diverse slate of series and films garnered widespread acclaim, with many of its productions being recognized for their compelling storytelling, stellar performances, and exceptional direction.

The series winner list includes “Best Series” for Scoop, “Best Series Critics” for Trial By Fire, “Best Director Critics” for Randeep Jha (Kohrra), “Best Actor Series” for Suvinder Vicky (Kohrra) and Rajshri Deshpande (Trial By Fire), “Best Actor Series Critics” for Karishma Tanna (Scoop), “Best Supporting Actor” for Barun Sobti (Kohrra) and Tillotama Shome (Delhi Crime S2).

The films’ winner list has “Best Film Critics” for Konkona Sen Sharma (Lust Stories) And Vasan Bala (Monica O My Darling), “Best Actor Film Critics” for Rajkummar Rao (Monica O My Darling) and Sanya Malhotra (Kathal), “Best Actor- Web Original...

Actor Aditya Nanda, who recently made his debut with ‘Dono’, is currently busy shooting for his next film ‘Jigra’ which also stars Bollywood star Alia Bhatt.

It’s also revealed that Adityawas signed for ‘Jigra’ even before the release of his debut film ‘Dono’. The film, which was announced in September this year, is being helmed by Vasan Bala, who is known for ‘Monica, O My Darling’.

A source close: “Yes, Aditya was roped in for the film before the release of his debut film itself. It’s his first-ever Dharma film. He is playing one of the pivotal roles and currently, he is shooting for the film in full swing.‘Jigra’ is already underway in full power and the schedule is expected to last until February 2024.”

The film is directed by Vasan Bala and will be released in cinemas on September 27, 2024. The film is produced by Karan Johar’s...

Actor Aditya Nanda, who recently made his debut with ‘Dono’, is currently busy shooting for his next film ‘Jigra’ which also stars Bollywood star Alia Bhatt.

It’s also revealed that Adityawas signed for ‘Jigra’ even before the release of his debut film ‘Dono’. The film, which was announced in September this year, is being helmed by Vasan Bala, who is known for ‘Monica, O My Darling’.

A source close: “Yes, Aditya was roped in for the film before the release of his debut film itself. It’s his first-ever Dharma film. He is playing one of the pivotal roles and currently, he is shooting for the film in full swing.‘Jigra’ is already underway in full power and the schedule is expected to last until February 2024.”

The film is directed by Vasan Bala and will be released in cinemas on September 27, 2024. The film is produced by Karan Johar’s...

Actress Huma Qureshi, who is known for films such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and her streaming series ‘Maharani’, has turned author with her debut fantasy novel, ‘Zeba: An Accidental Superhero’.

The actress weaves a tale that combines magic, wonder, and intense passion in the book. It is a story of heroism, transformation, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity.

Talking about her novel, Huma said: “I’ve learned that accepting who you are, with all your quirks and uniqueness, is the most empowering journey one can embark on. We live in a world that needs diversity, and every individual’s story is a piece of that beautiful mosaic.”

The actress further mentioned: “Stories of fierce women are not just the need of the hour, they are the timeless tales that inspire generations, reminding us that strength and resilience know no boundaries. We...

Actress Huma Qureshi, who is known for films such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and her streaming series ‘Maharani’, has turned author with her debut fantasy novel, ‘Zeba: An Accidental Superhero’.

The actress weaves a tale that combines magic, wonder, and intense passion in the book. It is a story of heroism, transformation, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity.

Talking about her novel, Huma said: “I’ve learned that accepting who you are, with all your quirks and uniqueness, is the most empowering journey one can embark on. We live in a world that needs diversity, and every individual’s story is a piece of that beautiful mosaic.”

The actress further mentioned: “Stories of fierce women are not just the need of the hour, they are the timeless tales that inspire generations, reminding us that strength and resilience know no boundaries. We...

New Delhi, Aug 18 (Ians) Reliance Jio on Friday announced the launch of Jio prepaid plans with a bundled Netflix subscription.

A Netflix subscription is already available on select Jio Postpaid and Jio Fiber plans, but this is the first time that a Netflix subscription will be available on a prepaid plan, the company said.

A Netflix mobile-only plan will come bundled with Jio’s Rs 1,099 plan, whereas a Rs 1,499 plan will give subscribers access to Netflix Basic. Both plans have a validity of 84 days.

With this launch, over 400 million Jio prepaid customers will get the option of availing a Netflix subscription through a Jio Prepaid bundled plan.

“The launch of Netflix bundles with our prepaid plan is yet another step to demonstrate our resolve. Our partnership with global partners like Netflix has grown in strength and together we are creating use cases for the rest of the world to follow,...

Actor Sikandar Kher, who is known for ‘Aarya’, ‘Monica O my Darling’ and ‘Tooth Pari’, is gearing up to make a mark on the international canvas with two exciting projects. First in line is the Indian counterpart of ‘Citadel’ in which he will star alongside Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The series is helmed by the acclaimed duo Raj and Dk. The second international project for Sikandar Kher is ‘The Monkey Man’ which marks the directorial debut of Dev Patel.

Speaking of this, Sikandar said, “I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for the opportunities that have come my way in recent times. The love and appreciation I’ve received from audiences for my work in ‘Monica O my Darling’, ‘Tooth Pari’ and ‘Aarya’ have been truly overwhelming. These have each been amazing journeys to take on and so have ‘The Monkey Man’ and ‘Citadel’.

“Now, stepping into the international...

Rajkummar Rao is going to appear on the upcoming episode of Shehnaaz Gill’s talk show Desi Vibes with Shehnaaz Gill. A few months ago, Shehnaaz launched her own chat show Desi Vibes with Shehnaaz Gill on her YouTube channel.

The first guest on her chat show was none other than popular Bollywood star Rajkummar Rao. He had appeared on her show to promote his film, Monica, O My Darling. Now, Rajkummar is geared up for another engaging chat with Shehnaaz, as he returns to her show.

The actor will be promoting his upcoming show, Guns & Gulaabs. Recently, Shehnaaz teased her fans with few fun pictures of her fun conversation with Rajkummar ahead of the release of the full episode.

Along with those pictures, she shared a long heartfelt note on Ig. In the photos Shehnaaz Gill looked pretty in an orange traditional attire while Rajkummar Rao was seen in a printed co-ords set.

After a stellar response to ‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’, the series is set to make a comeback with its new season, the teaser of which was unveiled on Friday. The teaser begins with the voice-over of Manoj Bajpayee as it harps back to the earlier season which told the story of Indian stock market scam of 1992 which amounted to Rs 5000 crore.

For the second season, the story will follow the Rs 30,000 crore scam pulled off by fruit seller Abdul Karim Telgi. Telgi was a convicted Indian counterfeiter, who started his counterfeiting career by making fake passports.

He then started a business to export manpower to Saudi Arabia and opened a company. For the same, he used to create several fake documents that would facilitate labourers’ smooth passage at the airport even if their passport had an emigration check required stamp or other issues that could raise red flags for immigration officials.

A cinematic masterpiece that defies age and inspires women of all stages in life to find their ‘something’, actress Huma Qureshi starrer ‘Tarla’ is a remarkable journey from an ordinary housewife to a visionary. The biopic based on the life of late celebrity chef and cookbook author, Tarla Dalal, has received positive reviews, and the audience has praised the storytelling.

Huma, who starred in and as Tarla, has revealed the ‘best compliment’ that she has received for her performance in the movie.

“The best compliment I have received was from Tarla Dalal’s daughter- Renu Dalal. Renu told me that ‘Oh my god you really remind me of my mother’. That was a very overwhelming thought for a daughter to say that, really means everything. And the love of course keeps coming from the fans,” Huma said.

Huma said she is happy, and excited to get so much love for the film.

Melbourne, July 13 (Ians) The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) has announced the nominations for its 14th edition, which includes titles such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Kantara’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Bhediya’, among many others.

This year, the festival welcomes a new addition to its jury panel, the Oscar-winning Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford, known for directing films such as ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and ‘The Contract’.

The Iffm advisory committee after meticulous consideration of hundreds of films and series from across Indian cinema, have finalised the nominations of films and series which have been released between June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

Leading the pack in the film categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress, are notable productions such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Monica O My Darling’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and ‘Kantara’.

In the Ott category, series such as ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Jubilee’, and ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ have garnered the highest number of nominations. The winners of the prestigious...

Sikandar Kher has unveiled an exciting sneak peek of his upcoming spy thriller series, ‘Citadel’, by sharing a captivating first look image featuring himself and co-star Varun Dhawan. The duo is currently shooting for the highly anticipated international series created by the Russo brothers, with the talented Raj and Dk at the helm of directing the series which is part of the Citadel universe.

After an impressive streak of successes with projects such as Aarya with Sushmita Sen, Vasan Baal’s Monica O My Darling, and most recently Tooth Pari, Sikandar Kher continues to make waves in the industry. With his involvement in Citadel, a global series, Kher solidifies his position as an actor with an envious filmography.

Reports recently surfaced about the extensive stunt and action training workshops undertaken by Varun Dhawan and Sikandar Kher for their roles in Citadel. The dedication and commitment shown by both actors in...

Actor Sikandar Kher, who is best known for his roles in ‘Sooryavanshi’, ‘Aarya’ and ‘Monica, O My Darling’, took to his Instagram account to wish his mother, actress Kirron Kher a happy birthday.

For the special occasion, the actor wrote: “To a lean mean fighting machine.. here’s wishing you good health and everything your heart desires.. I love you the most in the world .. Happy birthday #KirronKher #Birthday #Maa.”

Sikander Kher was most recently seen in the Netflix romantic thriller series ‘Tooth Pari: When Love Bites’. Currently, the actor has two films in production, ‘Dukaan’ and the American film ‘Monkey Man’.

The actor is currently in Serbia, shooting for the upcoming Indian spin off to the American spy thriller web series ‘Citadel’ which stars Samantha Prabhu and Varun Dhawan in lead roles.

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Abu Dhabi, May 27 (Ians) Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Alia Bhatt-starrer ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ bagged three technical awards at the Iifa Rock night, which marked the beginning of the three-day 23rd edition of the International Indian Film Academy and Awards (Iifa) at Yas Island on Friday night.

The awards the film got were for Cinematography (Sudeep Chatterjee), Screenplay (Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Utkarshini Vashishtha), and Dialogue (Utkarshini Vashishtha and Prakash Kapadia).

‘Gangubai…’ was followed by Anees Bazmee’s horror comedy, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, featuring Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani, which won two awards — Choreography for Title Track (Bosco Caesar) and Sound Design (Mandar Kulkarni).

Ajay Devgn’s crime thriller ‘Drishyam 2’ received one award — Editing (Sandeep Francis) — as did Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt’s action adventure, ‘Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva’; Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Vikram Vedha’; and ‘Monica O My Darling’, starring Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi and Radhika Apte,...

Actor Sikandar Kher, who left a mark with his delectable performance in ‘Monica, O My Darling’, is currently shooting for season 3 of his streaming show ‘Aarya’ in which he essays the role of Daulat.

The actor recently took to his Instagram to share a picture from the sets of the show in which he can be seen with the lead of the show – actress and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, who essays the titular role in ‘Aarya 3’.

He captioned the picture, “Daulat always there to serve you, protect and lean on walls. Aarya 3, Dugga Dugga and Thank you (sic)”.

The crew and cast recently resumed shooting in Mumbai of the series after wrapping up the schedule in Rajasthan. Sikandar has found immense love for the show helmed by Ram Madhvani and since the release of the show has become one of the most impressive actors in the Ott space.

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Mumbai, April 19 (Ians) Actor Sikandar Kher, who received a lot of appreciation for his work in the streaming film ‘Monica, O My Darling’, will soon be seen in the upcoming streaming series ‘Tooth Pari: When Love Bites’, in which he plays an alcoholic cop. For his part in the series, the actor put on 15 Kgs.

He shared that it was the director’s idea to have this character on the heavier side as he consumes a lot of alcohol.

Talking about the same, Sikandar said: “In the series I play the role of a cop in Kolkata, so I am wearing a white uniform, not the khaki ones. But Pritam (director) wanted the cop to look heavy, weight wise, because he is an alcoholic and has a certain mood.”

‘Tooth Pari: When Love Bites’, which also stars Revathi, Tillotama Shome, Adil Hussain, Tanya Mankitala and Shantanu Maheshwari, is about a...

Mumbai, April 17 (Ians) ‘Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!’ actress Radhika Apte spoke about how the show ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’ pushed her limits as an actor and gave her creative freedom to experiment as an artist. She said that the show is all about giving a new dimension to a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship, which has not been thought of before.

She said: “Action has fascinated me ever since my first film ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’, wherein I tried my hand at the genre. It is an exhilarating experience to feel the adrenaline rush that comes with action and the world that Homi Adajania has created with ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’ really excites me.”

Radhika, who is known for ‘Raat akeli Hai’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’, and an American film ‘A Call To Spy’, further shared that she enjoyed playing an unapologetic and audacious character on screen.

She added: “You know,...

‘Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!’ actress Radhika Apte, who is seen playing Durga, a housewife and an undercover agent in the spy comedy ‘Mrs Undercover’, said she fell in love with her character the minute she heard the script. Radhika said that now-a-days, women-led films are getting more eyeballs from the viewers.

She said: “I think the premise of the film was really exciting for me. We live in a country where there is a lot of patriarchy and so many women slog days and nights to keep their families happy, and yet go unnoticed so I think it did resonate with me and what I like about Durga is her innocence, her naivety, her clumsiness and even her journey of discovering herself. I think that was really good.”

Radhika, who is known for ‘Raat Akeli Hai’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’, and an American film, ‘A Call To Spy’, said...

The International Indian Film Academy and Awards (Iifa) has announced its technical winners from 2022. There are total nine categories of technical awards which include cinematography, screenplay, dialogue, choreography, sound design, editing, special effects (visuals), background score and sound design.

Of these, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ leads the pack as it bagged 3 awards – Best Cinematography was won by Dop Sudeep Chatterjee, Best Screenplay went to Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Utkarshini Vashishtha, and Best Dialogues was conferred upon Utkarshini Vashishtha and Prakash Kapadia.

The Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani-starrer horror comedy, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ won Best Choreography for title track by choreographer duo, Bosco-Caesar, and Best Sound Design by Mandar Kulkarni.

Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn’s crime thriller ‘Drishyam 2’ won the award for Best Editing by Sandeep Francis. Similarly, the Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer action adventure, ‘Brahmastra: Part One-Shiva’ took home the trophy for another post-production...

Mumbai, Feb 7 (Ians) Writer-lyricist-actor-comedian Varun Grover, who is known for his works in films such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Masaan’, ‘Newton’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’, has turned director with the film ‘All India Rank’, which recently had its world premiere at The International Film Festival Of Rotterdam (IFFR).

Varun shared that the film is semi-autobiographical and his idea behind the film was to capture joy, confusion, love, doubt, hope and cynicism that comes at the age of 17 and the constant tussle between ambition and mediocrity.

Talking about his directorial debut as a feature film director, Varun said: “We all struggle when we are 17. The hormonal desires called love, the constant swinging between ‘ambition’ and ‘mediocrity’, the generational trauma of parents – all create a minor-key horror-comedy around us. With ‘All India Rank’, I want to capture exactly that phase of our lives, the phase of joy and confusion,...

Mumbai, Jan 26 (Ians) As the movie ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ completes its 10 years, lyricist, musician, and stand-up comedian, Varun Grover shared how he convinced director Anurag Kashyap to give him a chance to write the songs for the film.

He said: “I don’t know if Anurag remembers, but I have written the lyrics of a song for one of his films ‘That Girl in Yellow Boots’. Only four lines of the song were played in the background of the film, and only those who know about the song could notice it.”

“After that film, I asked Anurag if he was planning on his next film as my wish to write for his movie was still unfulfilled. So, he mentioned that his upcoming film won’t have any songs and falls more into a mafia and action genre.”

Varun further said the film might have one or two folk songs in...

As the movie ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ completes its 10 years, lyricist, musician, and stand-up comedian, Varun Grover shared how he convinced director Anurag Kashyap to give him a chance to write the songs for the film.

He said: “I don’t know if Anurag remembers, but I have written the lyrics of a song for one of his films ‘That Girl in Yellow Boots’. Only four lines of the song were played in the background of the film, and only those who know about the song could notice it.”

“After that film, I asked Anurag if he was planning on his next film as my wish to write for his movie was still unfulfilled. So, he mentioned that his upcoming film won’t have any songs and falls more into a mafia and action genre.”

Varun further said the film might have one or two folk songs in Bhojpuri dialect but...

Filmmaker Vasan Bala, who earlier tasted success with his streaming film ‘Monica O My Darling’, is back with another Ott release, this time a docu-series centering the pulp film industry of India titled ‘Cinema Marte Dum Tak’.

The director revealed that actress Richa Chadha used to organise screenings of pulp films along with her then roommate. Vasan shared his earliest memory of watching a pulp film which was on VHS.

He said, “My earliest memory of watching a pulp movie is on VHS. Ramsay films would be lot in demand back in the day but, when the VHS were not available, the vendors would give VHS of Hari Ram Singh films, Vinod Talwar films which had similar actor but one could figure out that they were a little different in terms of making and the structure of the film.”

Then came the revelation, as he shared, “When we grew up,...

After swaying the audience with his streaming film ‘Monica O My Darling’, filmmaker Vasan Bala is back on the streaming medium, this time with an unscripted series, ‘Cinema Marte Dum Tak’. The trailer of the series was unveiled on Tuesday and takes the viewers back to the 90s, giving them a glimpse into the fascinating, flourishing and undocumented world of Hindi pulp movies, which boasted of a loyal and strong fan-following across the country.

The six-episode reality docu-series will walk the viewers through the independent ecosystem of the 90s Pulp Cinema industry by presenting behind the scenes with four exceptionally passionate directors of that era – J Neelam, Vinod Talwar, Dilip Gulati and Kishan Shah – as they come back for their swan songs, to make a film using the similar budgets and themes from 30 years ago.

Talking about his upcoming venture, the show creator Vasan Bala said: “Cinema Marte Dum Tak’ is extremely special to me.

Actor Sikandar Kher, who swayed the audience with his work in the streaming film ‘Monica O My Darling’, is back on the sets of his popular Ott show ‘Aarya’ which sees former Miss Universe and actress Sushmita Sen essaying the titular role.

As he recently began shooting for season 3, the actor shared a video giving a glimpse that his character of Daulat is soon going to be back on the big screen. He also shared that sweet welcome note from the director of the show, Ram Madhvani and his team.

The note quoted Al Pacino’s Tony Montana from ‘Scarface’, “The eyes, chico. They never lie.” The quote refers to the subtle but very impactful acting prowess that Sikandar has brought to the table with his eyes in the previous two seasons essaying the complex role of Daulat in the show.

The actor says, “Its great to being back the...

As 2022 makes way for the new dawn, Ott platforms are gearing up to present a slew of exciting web shows. 2023 will be the year of many anticipated Ott releases, including a chunk of the 40-title slate announced by Prime Video back in April 2022.

Let us dig out what’s happening on the web series landscape in the coming year.

‘Farzi’: The Vijay Sethupathi and Shahid Kapoor-starrer webseries ‘Farzi’ is a fast-paced edgy thriller created by director duo Raj and Dk. Earlier, Shahid’s first look from the series was shared by the makers in which he can be seen sporting a rugged look and sitting in a chair while he is busy painting something.

The first look was described as: “An artist who gets pulled into the murky high stakes of a con job and a fiery task force officer on the mission to rid the country of his menaces in a fast-paced,...

The biggest celebration of Indian cinema, the International Indian Film Academy and Awards (Iifa), returns with its 23rd edition to Abu Dhabi, on February 9th, 10th and 11th, 2023. As the countdown to the biggest celebration of Indian Cinema worldwide draws near, International Indian Film Academy (Iifa) Awards announces its 12 Popular Category nominations

Rounding out the 12 Popular award Categories are Best Picture | Direction | Performance in a Leading Role (Female)| Performance in a Leading Role (Male) | Performance in a Supporting Role (Female) | Performance in a Supporting Role (Male) | Music Direction| Best Story (Original) | Best Story (Adapted) | Lyrics | Playback Singer (Female) | Playback Singer (Male). Global Voting goes Live on Tuesday, 27th December 2022 and is open to everyone on https://gvote2023.iifa.com/

The top picks for the ‘Best Picture’ category are Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Darlings, Drishyam 2, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Vikram Vedha

Nominations for the ‘Direction’ category are Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, Darlings,...

Jaipur Pink Panthers, which is owned by Abhishek Bachchan, has clinched the trophy for Season 9 of the Pro Kabaddi League. As his team brought home the trophy, the actor took to his Instagram to share pictures from the match.

Jaipur Pink Panthers won the league again 9 years after its debut. Sharing his pictures with his team, the management and his family, Abhishek wrote: “So proud of this team. They have quietly worked towards this cup. Despite criticism, they kept believing and working. Everybody wrote them off … But they had confidence in themselves. That’s the way to do it.”

He added: “It’s taken us 9 years to win this cup again. And I’m so happy with this team. Teamwork, hard work and silent determination. … The @jaipur_pinkpanthers way.”

Soon after he shared the post, his industry friends flooded the comment section. Ranveer Singh wrote, “Great win … Fantastic to watch ! Congrats!

Shehnaaz Gill is back with another music video with Mc Square. The song titled Ghani Syaani is finally out now.

Shehnaaz is looking drop dead gorgeous in this music video along with her sizzling chemistry with Mc Square. She looked sultry in her golden outfit with desert in the background. The song is shot in a desert giving all royal vibes.

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Apart from songs, Shehnaaz has been busy with her chat show. She recently launched her new chat show, Desi Vibes with Shehnaaz Gill. Her first guest was RajKummar Rao, who promoted his movie Monica, O My Darling on the show.

She is also set to make her Bollywood debut with Salman Khan’s film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.

Check out Shehnaaz Gill and Mc Square’s sizzle chemistry in this sensuous song in Ghani Syaani...

Filmmaker-producer Anand Gandhi, who is known for his films like ‘Ship of Theseus’, ‘An Insignificant Man’ and ‘Tumbbad’, has said that the Kannada sensation movie ‘Kantara’ celebrates toxic masculinity and narrow-mindedness.

Both the films share quite a few things in common such as both are rooted in folk tales, have been breakout hits that nobody really expected and present a story from particular regions of the states of Maharashtra (‘Tumbbad’) and Karnataka (‘Kantara’). But despite these similarities, Anand feels that the two films are largely different in their tone and the message that they wish to convey.

Taking to his Twitter handle on Saturday, Anand, who served as the creative producer on ‘Tumbbad’, wrote, “‘Kantara’ is nothing like ‘Tumbbad’. My idea behind ‘Tumbbad’ was to use the horror as an allegory of toxic masculinity and parochialism. ‘Kantara’ is a celebration of these (sic).”

However, the comment made by Gandhi has stirred a debate on Twitter.

Rajkummar Rao, who is currently basking in the success of his recently released streaming movie ‘Monica, O My Darling’, recently recollected an incident where the mother of slain lawyer Shahid Azmi gave him a pen as a token of respect and was told by her that the actor reminded of her son.

It is a very special film for him. The 2013 film ‘Shahid’, which marked the start of a long association between Rajkummar and director Hansal Mehta, is a biopic based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010.

Walking down the memory lane, the actor said, “I remember when Shahid’s mother came to meet us during the initial days of the shoot, and she just kept looking at me because I reminded her of ‘Shahid’, her son, and then she asked for a pen, and she gave me a pen. She...

Industry executives, producers and screenwriters got into the details of adapting literary material into film scripts at a Film Bazaar Knowledge Series discussion this week.

India has experienced growing use of books as source material in recent years, driven in part by streaming, which Sidharth Jain, founder of specialist adaptation company Story Ink. called “an inflection point.” But the Indian industry is still relatively new to the process and Jain said that development capital remains “a pain point.”

“As an industry, we are still learning to write a script and still learning to write in the correct format. But we will pick it up fast,” said producer Sunitha Tati. She cited the example of the recent Tamil-language hit “Ponniyin Selvan: I” (“The Son of Ponni”), based on a book. “Director Mani Ratnam knew how to take a most beloved novel to screen in probably the most appropriate way.”

“Netflix has...

Actress Huma Qureshi has had a professionally fulfilling year so far with diverse roles at her disposal. While she portrayed a female Chief Minister in ‘Maharani 2’, ‘Double Xl’ saw her playing a plus-size woman smashing stereotypes.

She raised the mercury with her sultry portrayal of the titular character in the recently released streaming movie ‘Monica, O My Darling’. The actress is quite naturally over the moon given her slate of 2022, and this is because she now purely goes by her gut feeling on what project to give her nod to.

Talking about how the year has been for her, the actress said: “It’s been a great year. At some point in my career, I stopped taking advice from people on what projects to pick up and went with my gut instinct. What speaks to me is what I agree to do. And the love and the success helps in...

It is after a long time that jazz wizardry is unleashed as a binding element and the mode of continuity and soul of R D Burman would be mightily pleased that one of his iconic songs is now the title of a film.

Monica O My Darling is a film that unleashes the prowess of Huma Qureshi as an actor par excellence who can carry a film on her shoulders with panache. As a follow up of Maharani-2, Huma Qureshi has underlined the seamless manner in which she can slip into roles of characters and make a success out of it.

Mounted on the platform of a noir film, Monica O My Darling is a fast-paced thriller which has the potential to captivate the audience and keep them riveted till the end of the movie. While Raj Kumar Rao is the main hero, the film rides more on the...

Monica, O My Darling(Netflix)

Directed by Vasan Bala

Somewhere in the acquisitive amoral chaos of Vasan Bala’s twisted kingdom, Rajkummar Rao and Huma Qureshi, playing two of the most shamelessly self-serving jerks in recent cinematic history, are down on the floor, wrestling with an Usha Uthup pretender singing ‘Loving You So Much I Want To Kill You.’

Yes, physically wrestling, until one of them is almost dead.

It is a deliciously demonic moment defining the gender-proof nature of human greed. When you are so money-minded that your conscience has gone for a call of nature, then be prepared to battle it out man-to-man, even if you are a woman.

Alas, such delightfully epiphanic moments are hard to come by in Vasant Bala’s first directorial deep-dive since Mard Ko Dard Nahin into the bowels of eccentricity. Playing a dude who doesn’t feel any physical pain no matter...

After debuting at Cannes with his debut feature “Peddlers” and Toronto with his sophomore film “The Man Who Feels No Pain,” director Vasan Bala’s third feature “Monica, O My Darling” is one of the marquee titles of the year for Netflix India.

The film is produced by Matchbox Shots (“Andhadhun”) for Netflix.

Prior to “Monica, O My Darling,” Bala directed episodes of Netflix series “Ray” and was one of the writers on cricket epic “’83.” “Andhadhun” writer Yogesh Chandekar adapted “Monica, O My Darling” from the novel “Burutasu No Shinzou” (“Brutus’ Heart”) by Higashino Keigo, whose “The Devotion of Suspect X” is also getting a Netflix adaptation by Sujoy Ghosh (“Kahaani”).

The neo-noir film follows a slick robotics expert, who becomes embroiled in a series of murders during an affair with fellow employee, the titular Monica. Radhika Apte (“Raat Akeli Hai”) plays the police officer in charge of investigating the case.

Actress Radhika Apte nailed it with her comic one-liners as a corrupt cop in the film ‘Monica O My Darling’. However, it was not easy for her and was “quite nervous” as she was doing something like this.

Talking about crisp comedy coming naturally to her, Radhika in a conversation with Ians said: “This is the first time I have done something like this. I was quite nervous about it but. Vasan had confidence.”

The actress has several exchanged with actor Rajkummar Rao, with whom she says was “excited” to work with.

“I was very excited to work with Rajkummar and whatever we did was a product that I really enjoyed it. I love watching comedies. Hope I get to do more now.”

Funnily, Radhika has even mouthed a funny viral meme “Kya karun main itni sundar hun” in the film during a dialogue exchange with Rajkummar.

How does she...

Actress Radhika Apte is back to Netflix with her upcoming streaming movie ‘Monica O My Darling’. What’s novel in that – one may ask. Well, it’s her character of a ‘corrupt cop’ that she is essaying for the first time.

While she played a cop in Netflix original ‘Sacred Games’, there the moral compass of her character was intact but in ‘Monica O My Darling’, it’s pretty unpredictably messed up to say the least.

Elaborating on the same, she said, “This character was very out of my comfort zone, I’ve never done comedy before and it was very interesting to play the corrupt cop, quite unashamed and unabashed about her values in life, could be probably most opposite of whatever I am. That was very interesting, it was out of my comfort zone but Vasan had faith (sic).”

The film also stars Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi in prominent roles.

‘Monica, O My Darling’ actors Rajkummar Rao and Huma Qureshi opened up about the recently released music album of the film composed by Achint Thakkar along with Mikey McCleary and penned by Achint and Varun Grover.

Talking about the original soundtrack (Ost), Huma said that Achint’s music and lyrics compliment the story of the film, “Monica, O My Darling is a special film for me. The movie is a light-hearted comedy and each song in the album will hook you to its tunes. Achint is super talented and has done a fantastic job with all the tracks.”

Rajkummar is over the moon with the kind of response that his streaming film’s trailer has garnered, “I am overwhelmed by the response to the trailer. It is a gripping entertainer and also has tracks for all your moods, and I hope the audience will love the film and its catchy music.

Netflix has set the date for its second annual free virtual fan convention Tudum, plotting out five “global” events in 24 hours for Sept. 24.

The 2022 Tudum will offer the streamer’s fans an “exciting day of exclusive news, never-before-seen footage, trailers, and first looks, as well as interviews with Netflix’s biggest stars and creators,” per Netflix. “The free virtual event is a celebration of Netflix fandom and is dedicated to sharing the scoop on over 120 fan-favorite shows, films, specials and games from across the globe.”

Per Netflix:

At 11:00 am Kst (7:00 pm Pt September 23), Tudum kicks off with an exciting show out of Korea.At 11:00 am Ist, fans will be treated to a fun look at what’s ahead from India.At 10 am Pt, Tudum kicks off as a two-part show with Part 1 out of the United States and Europe, and Part 2 at 11:30 am Pt out of Latin America,...

Kapil Sharma, who is all set to launch the new season of his popular reality TV series ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, has shared a picture of him posing with Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi. In the picture both can be seen standing back to back, with hands gestured as if they are ready to pull the trigger.

Kapil has asked his fans to make the guesses about his next project where they are coming together.

His caption reads: “Any guesses which project me n @iamhumaq r doing together ? first ten winners will get a chance to come n watch #thekapilsharmashow live will like the correct answers #tkss”.

Few fans have commented that it is a spy movie or Ott show while some are calling it his next music video.

On the work front, Kapil will be seen next playing the role of food delivery boy in ‘Zwigato’ and his another project...