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Mumbai, Jan 7 (IANS) Actress Kangana Ranaut, who will be next seen in the upcoming movie ‘Emergency’, has reacted to the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) mandate of removing certain portions from the film.

The actress spoke with IANS, and shared that as a director, she would have liked the film with the original narrative. However, she said that she accepts the decision of CBFC.

Kangana told IANS, “I would have liked that the full version would have come. But with the cuts, there is no issue, because it's not like the film was made to mock someone. It's not like that. It's fine. They completely removed some episodes of history. And the fact that it doesn't impact my film, in a way, it is a testimony of that, that it doesn't matter”.

She further mentioned, “The story is very much intact. The message of the film is very much intact, which is patriotism. So I don't think it has affected the larger narrative. But if they had shot it, there must have been a reason for it”.

The film, set during the period of Emergency in the 1970s imposed by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film promises to offer a gripping exploration of one of the most spoken about chapters in Indian democracy.

The film has been written, directed, and headlined by Kangana Ranaut, and it marks her second directorial after ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’.

The film features a powerful ensemble cast, including Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and the late Satish Kaushik. Each actor plays a pivotal role in bringing the nuanced political and personal dynamics of the era to the screen.

Produced by Zee Studios, Manikarnika Films and Renu Pitti, ‘Emergency’ has its music composed by Sanchit Balhara and G.V. Prakash Kumar, with dialogues and screenplay crafted by Ritesh Shah. The film is set to release on January 17.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 7 (IANS) Actor Sivakarthikeyan has now disclosed that actor Jayam Ravi plays the antagonist in National Award-winning director Sudha Kongara's upcoming film, in which he plays the lead.

The actor also went on to say that he was very happy when he learnt that actor Jayam Ravi had said ‘yes’ to the character.

During the course of a video interview to a publication, Sivakarthikeyan said, "We have started shooting for the film. The promo shoot happened two days ago and we are continuing to shoot. It is a period drama which will be on a big scale. In fact, it will be on a bigger scale."

The actor also went on to give details of the other cast members of the film.

He said, "Sreeleela is there. Atharvaa is there. G V Prakash is doing the music and Ravi K Chandran sir is doing the camera."

The actor then excitedly went on to add, "The exciting part is Jayam Ravi sir is doing the antagonist’s character. It is a very, very strong character and I was very happy when he said 'yes' to it. That is because I have seen his films when I was in college. That is also the time when he got into films and he is senior to me (in the industry). I have enjoyed so many films of his and the thought that I am going to act with him and fight each other is really exciting."

Talking about director Sudha Kongara's working style, Sivakarthikeyan said, "Sudha ma'am is very meticulous. She prepares everything. So, we don't have to ask any questions. She is always on high energy.”

Stating that he was looking forward to resume shooting with director Sudha Kongara, the actor said, ”We are shooting at many locations and it is quite a tough film also for the entire team."

Sivakarthikeyan, during the course of the interview, also disclosed that his film with A R Murugadoss was 90 per cent complete and that the remaining 10 per cent would be completed once the director returned from shooting Salman Khan’s film.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 7 (IANS) Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon, who was recently seen in the streaming movie ‘Do Patti’, seems to be stuck in 2024.

On Tuesday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared throwback pictures from 2024 in which she can be seen having a gala time.

She wrote in the caption, “Still lingering somewhere in December 2024”.

Earlier, the actress enjoyed a musical evening with her rumoured boyfriend Kabir Bahia, and the former Indian cricket team skipper M. S. Dhoni as the group listened to a live performance of the Mohammed Rafi classic ‘Kya Hua Tera Vaada’.

The rumoured couple was also seen celebrating Christmas together. Kabir had shared a picture from the Christmas celebrations which also featured Dhoni and his wife Sakshi along with their daughter.

Kabir is the son of Kuljinder Bahia, the owner of a UK-based leading travel agency, and is the Managing Director at Worldwide Aviation and Tourism. He studied at the Regent's University London where he specialised in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services.

Kabir is reportedly very close to MS Dhoni and his wife Sakshi, and is often seen partying with them, He has often been spotted with the likes of Hardik Pandya and few other sporting and Bollywood celebrities.

Prior to this, Kriti and Kabir were spotted at the Mumbai airport. However, the two refrained from posing together for the shutterbugs. Pictures shared by the paparazzi show Kabir at the airport followed by Kriti. Kriti went for a solo photo-op for the shutterbugs instead. Interestingly, the two twinned in black outfits as they jetted off to an undisclosed location.

Last year, Kriti bought a 2000 sq ft plot of land in the celebrity capital of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Alibaug. The land is situated in a prime location, and is less than 20 minutes away from Mandwa jetty. Kriti, who has been increasing her real estate portfolio, purchased the plot at Sol De Alibaug, which is India’s first signature land development and embodies exquisite design, lush green surroundings, and top-notch amenities.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Jan 7 (IANS) The 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival will be organised from March 1-8 with the theme ‘Garden of Peace for All’, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Monday.

He was addressing a press conference at Krishna, the Chief Minister’s official residence, after a meeting of the organising committee for the international film festival.

Last year, the film festival was based on the theme of ‘Social Justice’. This year, more than 60 countries will participate, with 200 films to be screened across 13 screens.

The screening will take place on 11 screens at Orion Mall, one screen at Suchitra Film Society, and one at Dr Ambareesh Auditorium in Chamarajpet.

In addition, over 400 films, including Kannada and other languages, will be showcased, offering the people of Bengaluru and Karnataka an opportunity to experience global cultures. The Chief Minister claimed it as a golden opportunity for cinema enthusiasts.

The festival, which started in 2006, has now reached its 16th edition. While last year's festival had a budget of Rs 7 crore, this year's budget has been increased to Rs 9 crore, the CM said.

The festival will be inaugurated on March 1, with a closing ceremony on March 8. The committee will decide on the brand ambassador for the festival.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the event, and the Governor will attend the closing ceremony.

The festival is scheduled to begin on March 1 to accommodate pre-budget discussions, the Chief Minister explained.

Responding to concerns about the closure of cinema theatres, the Chief Minister highlighted the government's support for the film industry.

He stated that this year’s festival, themed ‘Garden of Peace for All’, aims to promote Kannada cinema. The government has implemented several initiatives to encourage Kannada films, including setting up a selection committee to review films for financial assistance.

The government has already approved 110 acres of land in Mysuru for the construction of a Film City. This project will be implemented under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model, the Chief Minister announced.

When asked if he would watch films during the festival, the Chief Minister replied that if time permits, he would make an effort to watch films with artistic merit.

Responding to a question about nominations for Legislative Council (MLC) members, the Chief Minister stated that the party leadership would make the decision. Candidates from various fields, including cinema, literature, and social work, will be considered, he said.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 7 (IANS) Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan, who was last seen in the period film 'Ae Watan Mere Watan', visited Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Srisailam.

On Monday, the actress took to her Instagram and shared an array of pictures of herself at the temple.

She wrote in the caption, "First Monday of the year for Sara. Jai Bholenath."

Earlier, Sara celebrated six years of the release of her debut movie 'Kedarnath', as she took to her Instagram, and shared a video featuring a collection of clips of the movie and its BTS. She wrote in the caption, "6 years of Kedarnath. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday and sometimes it feels like a lifetime away… Jai Bholenath. Thank you for making me me. And thank you for giving me a lifetime of memories."

'Kedarnath' marked Sara's debut in Bollywood, and starred her opposite the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The disaster film is based on the 2013 flash floods in Uttarakhand and tells an inter-faith love story between a wealthy Hindu Brahmin girl whose family owns a lodge and shops near the historic Kedarnath Temple in the Uttarakhand mountains and a Muslim boy who is a 'pithoo' (porter) working in the same vicinity.

The film was written and directed by Abhishek Kapoor, who is known for 'Rock On!!' and 'Kai Po Che!'.

While Sara went on to struggle at the box-office after the success of 'Kedarnath', SSR went on to do the critically acclaimed 'Sonchiriya', the box-office hit and the National Award-winning movie 'Chhichhore', and the streaming disaster 'Drive' before he was found dead in his house in Mumbai during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, on the work front, the actress will be next seen in the upcoming movie 'Skyforce'.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 7 (IANS) Actor Kalaiyarasan, who plays a pivotal role in the upcoming Tamil film 'Madraskaaran', has announced that he will be extremely choosey henceforth and not do many character roles.

Participating in a question-answer session at an event organised to promote the film 'Madraskaaran', featuring actor Shane Nigam in the lead, Kalaiyarasan, while replying to a question on why he was repeatedly doing villain characters, said, "I will not do many character roles after this. The reason is I feel that it is not very healthy here. I am ready to do character roles because it is the characters that I have done so far that are putting food on my table. I will not forget that."

"It is true that characters are important. But if you were to take an industry like Malayalam, some actors there make multi-starrer films (They do it here also but on a very small scale). In Malayalam, actors would have played a small role in a big film. They would have also done negative roles but then, there will also be films in which they play the hero.

"Here, if you do a negative role, you will repeatedly be called for negative roles. Assume that there is a normal film and that anyone can act in it as a hero. Even in such films, they keep casting me as a secondary hero. They continue to keep us in the second category. That is disturbing. I don't feel that is healthy. Therefore, after this, I am going to be extremely choosy and pick only those characters that are really significant or else I will do only lead roles," he said.

In 'Madraskaaran', which releases on January 10, Kalaiyarasan plays the role of a guy from Pudukottai. The film, apart from Shane Nigam and Kalaiyarasan, also features Niharika Konidela, Aishwarya Dutta, Karunas, Pandiarajan and Super Subbarayan, among others.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 5 (IANS) Actor Shahid Kapoor has described his upcoming project, "Deva," as the most challenging film of his career.

The actor shared that this film pushes him in ways he's never experienced before. Shahid also revealed that the film delves deep into the duality of a single character.

Speaking about his character, Shahid shared, “The madness of Mumbai’s Deva reflects the madness of Mumbai itself. The character’s name is Dev, but there’s also an ‘A’ in it, which makes him Deva. All of us have two sides within us—a Deva and an Asur. This film explores the duality of one character. Mumbai is quite similar—it has beauty, but it also has an edge. That contrast is what gives Mumbai its unique charm.”

He added, “This is a film for the people. We’ve made it with the audience in mind, revolving around their lives and experiences. It’s a story that will resonate with everyone.”

“For years, people have been telling me to make a massy film, a film that connects with the masses. This is that next step in my journey—a character crafted for the people. This has been one of the most challenging films for me as an actor, incredibly challenging on so many levels. But I don’t want to reveal too much. Watch it on January 31, and you’ll see that there’s a Deva in all of us. This is a heartfelt, beautiful film, and I can promise that audiences will truly enjoy watching it,” he further said.

The highly anticipated teaser of Deva, produced by Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films, was unveiled on Sunday. The teaser, which is devoid of dialogue, showcased Shahid’s signature swagger while highlighting his impressive skills in action and dance sequences.

Directed by Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews, "Deva" is set to release on January 31.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 5 (IANS) Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan recently took to social media to announce that his son Aryan Khan's fashion label, D'YAVOL, will be dropping its new X-3 collection on January 12.

Sharing this exciting update, the actor posted a video on his X handle promoting his son's brand and wrote, “A new masterpiece. X3. Dropping on 12th January only on http://dyavolx.com.”

Founded by Aryan Khan, Bunty Singh, and Leti Blagoeva, the high-end streetwear brand D'YAVOL made its global debut at New York Fashion Week in September 2024. The event, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York, offered attendees a sneak peek at the brand's upcoming X-3 capsule collection.

Speaking about the collection, Aryan Khan explained that it embodies the essence of experimentation, while remaining true to the brand's commitment to excellence in materials and tailoring.

Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan, a proud father, has been actively supporting Aryan in his entrepreneurial journey by promoting the D’YAVOL brand.

Meanwhile, the ‘Raees’ actor made headlines recently after jetting off to an undisclosed location to celebrate the New Year, following his return to Mumbai with his family after ringing in the holiday in Alibaug.

On the professional front, Shah Rukh Khan was most recently seen in Rajkumar Hirani's “Dunki,” a comedy-drama inspired by the controversial illegal immigration method known as "donkey flight." The film also features Taapsee Pannu, Boman Irani, and Vicky Kaushal.

The ‘Dilwale’ actor will next be seen in King alongside his daughter, Suhana Khan. The highly anticipated action thriller will be directed by Sujoy Ghosh. King will mark Suhana Khan’s theatrical debut, following her role in Zoya Akhtar's coming-of-age period drama The Archies, which premiered on Netflix in 2023.

Additionally, this project reunites Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Sujoy Ghosh, who previously collaborated on the 2021 thriller “Bob Biswas.”

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 5 (IANS) Actor Rishabh Chadha, who recently appeared in the show “Swipe Crime,” opened up about how the digital era has transformed the world of dating.

Chadha highlighted the prominence of dating apps in modern relationships, acknowledging both their convenience and potential pitfalls.

Speaking about the aptness of the title, Rishabh stated, “The name Swipe Crime is powerful and immediately sets the tone for what’s coming—drama, crime, and thrill. I was excited to dive into this spine-chilling journey.”

He added, “Dating apps are part of life across demographics. They’ve become the new matchmaking space, but it’s not always smooth sailing. Things can spiral downhill in this digital world. Swipe Crime captures this duality brilliantly. This series is both entertaining and an eye-opener. It’s a mirror to our times.”

Rishabh plays the role of Vidhan Shastri, a small-town boy from Ratlam with big ambitions. Talking about his character, he shared, “Vidhan is focused and practical, but beneath his composed surface, there’s a storm brewing. He’s earnest, loyal, and deeply connected to his family and friends. Audiences will relate to his desire to achieve great things while navigating challenges and making mistakes, just like any college student.”

Produced by Harsh Mainra, Jyoti Chauhan, and Prashant Shinde under Versatile Motion Pictures, the series explores the thrilling yet alarming world of social media and dating apps.

The story follows a group of college students who inadvertently find themselves caught in a dangerous web of fraud and blackmail. As they become victims of several online scams, they must work together to uncover the truth and confront the growing crisis before it’s too late.

“Swipe Crime” also sheds light on the pervasive threat of cybercrime, illustrating how it devastates lives across the nation. With such incidents becoming increasingly common, the show serves as a crucial reminder of the dangers lurking in the digital world.

The intense and suspenseful series made its debut on Amazon MX Player on December 20.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 5 (IANS) An old video featuring Amitabh Bachchan has resurfaced on social media, where the actor humorously made a playful remark about actress Bipasha Basu.

The behind-the-scenes footage is from Simi Garewal’s renowned chat show, “Rendezvous with Simi Garewal,” and shows Bachchan alongside his family members—son Abhishek, daughter Shweta, and wife Jaya Bachchan.

This particular segment dates back to the filming of the 2004 thriller “Aetbaar,” in which Amitabh starred alongside John Abraham and Bipasha Basu. At the time, John and Bipasha were reportedly in a relationship, and Big B played the role of Bipasha's father in the movie.

In the viral footage, the ‘Sholay’ actor humorously recounted an incident from the set when John had contracted conjunctivitis.

While sharing this story with Simi, she teasingly warned the team to avoid touching anything Amitabh had touched, fearing they might catch the infection. Without missing a beat, Bachchan responded, saying, "Maine toh kiya hi nahi kuch" ("I didn’t do anything"). He then added with a playful smile, "Sari touching toh Bipasha karti hai, main thode na karta hun” ("It’s Bipasha who does all the touching, not me").

Last year, Simi Garewal shared this throwback video on her Instagram handle with the caption, "What's a little gossip among friends?! Rendezvous gems."

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Amitabh was most recently seen in the film “Vettaiyan,” where he shared the screen with Rajinikanth, Fahadh Faasil, and Rana Daggubati. Directed by T. J. Gnanavel and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah's Lyca Productions, the action thriller centers around Rajinikanth as Athiyan, a seasoned police officer who unintentionally shoots and kills an innocent person during an encounter.

The ‘Piku’ actor will next be seen in Deepika Padukone’s upcoming film “The Intern” and also has the second part of “Kalki 2898 AD” in the lineup.

--IANS

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