ShowBiz

Mumbai, Oct 4 (IANS) Actor Zayn Ibad Khan, who will be soon seen in the upcoming season of the romantic thriller 'Aashiqana', has shared that its second season will showcase how his character Yash reacts when his uniform is taken away from him. The trailer of the show was unveiled on Tuesday.

Talking about the new character developments, Zayn said in a statement: "In Season 1, we saw Yash in a powerful role as a celebrated cop, but in Season 2, we will see him in a completely new avatar. It explores his strengths and weaknesses when his uniform is taken away from him. I am very excited for this season because it takes a very unconventional tone with his marriage and chemistry with Chikki entering a new dimension."

Taking off from Season 1's cliff-hanging finale, where Yash and Chikki reluctantly enter into marriage, their love continues to grow as they help each other out of respect and history. Yash, as a suspended cop, enters a new phase of life where he must clear his tainted name. As marriage, family and duties take over, past traumas continue to haunt both Yash and Chikki.

Actress Khushi Dubey, who portrays the character of Chikki, shared: "You know that feeling when your dreams do come true? I have been overwhelmed by the love and appreciation the show has received so far. In a way, it feels like, along with Chikki, I am also getting to live my dream in real life as the show rolls out a new season on Disney+ Hotstar."

The show features an ensemble cast of Geeta Tyagi, Vipul Deshpandey, Geeta Bisht, Anshul Singh, Anshu Srivastava, Inderjeet Modi, Manohar Teli, Harshita Shukla, Sneha Chauhan, Palash Prajapati, Pankaj Singh, Maira D. Mehra, Rati Pandey, Anurag Vyas and Siddhant Karnick, Niyati Fatnani, Rekha Dubey, Karanvir Bohra, Aamir Khan, Dipali Sharma, Amit Gupta and Muzaffer Khan.

Season 2 of 'Aashiqana' will be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from October 10.

--IANS
aa/kvd

Chennai, Oct 4 (IANS) Malayalam superstar Mammootty's much-awaited Malayalam film, 'Rorschach', is all set to release on October 7 this year, the makers have announced. Touted to be one of the most intriguing projects of the year, the film, directed by Nisam Basheer, is an action-thriller that has been produced by Mammootty under the banner of Mammootty Kampany.

Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer films is to distribute the movie in Kerala while Truth Global Films has grabbed its overseas rights.

Belived to be extreme thriller with a layered plot, the movie will have Mammootty playing the role of Luke Anthony, a man with a mysterious past and looking to exact some sort of revenge.

Fans are eager to watch Mammooty in the spine-chilling avatar as he gears up to deal with his 'prey'. Rorschach is Nisam Basheer's second directorial venture after the Asif Ali-led romantic drama, 'Kettyolaanu Ente Malakha'.

Apart from Mammootty, the cast includes Sharafudheen, Jagadish, Grace Antony, Bindu Panicker, Sanju Sivaram, Kottayam Nazeer, Babu Anoor and Mani Shornur.

Sameer Abdul, who had penned movies like 'Adventures of Omanakkuttan', 'Iblis', has penned the script for 'Rorschach' as well. Nimish Ravi and Kiran Das have served as cinematographer and editor, respectively. Music for the film is by Midhun Mukundan.

--IANS
mani/kvd

Chennai, Oct 4 (IANS) Post its global box-office juggernaut, superstar Kamal Haasan's 'Vikram' is all set to have another international recognition under its belt.

The film will be screened at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) slated to take place from October 5-14.

'Vikram' will be screened under the Open Cinema category that recognises new and internationally acclaimed films that strike the perfect balance between popular and artistic cinema.

Produced by multi-faceted legend Kamal Haasan and R. Mahendran, 'Vikram' released on June 3 earlier this year and went on to become a box office phenomenon across the world and also the highest grossing Tamil film in the UK. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj masterfully created an immersive universe in the film. That coupled with a stellar star cast made 'Vikram' one of the most successful Indian movies of 2022.

"The response to Vikram all over the world has been extremely overwhelming. The Busan International Film Festival is another feather in the film's cap and its selection is a win for the entire team. We are proud to have our film being screened along with some of the finest films across the globe and are grateful for all the love and adulation from the audiences," said V. Narayanan, CEO Raaj Kamal Films International.

--IANS
mani/uk

Mumbai, Oct 4 (IANS) Television star Tejasswi Prakash, who is in a relationship with her former 'Bigg Boss' co-contestant Karan Kundrra, has a hilarious reaction to the question of marriage and also shared some "serious" advice for other girls on the subject.

The two have been facing questions about when they are getting married. Instead of dodging, Tejasswi had a funny response to such questions.

Tejasswi took to Instagram on Monday to share her rendition of a meme, where she lip-synced to the lyrics: "Mujhe nahi pata hai, mujhe nahi pooch na (I don't know, don't ask me).

In the clip, she wrote: "Paps: shaadi kab hogi" at the top, hinting that her reaction is to the paparazzi constantly asking her when she and Karan are getting married.

For the caption, she wrote: "But on a serious note, it's always better to be sure than sorry. This is especially for all the girls out there. Take all the time you need to be sure."

The actress is currently working in 'Naagin 6', where she plays the lead role.

--IANS
dc/kvd

Los Angeles, Oct 4 (IANS) Actress Taissa Farmiga, who played the role of sister Irene in the 2018 horror movie 'Nun', is all set to return in the second installment of the film titled 'The Nun 2'.

Farmiga will star alongside Storm Reid, who was recently announced to join the New Line franchise. The original 'Nun' movie, which followed Farmiga's Sister Irene as she fought alongside Demian Bichir's Father Burke to fend off the possession of the demon nun Valek in 1952 Romania, debuted in 2018 and earned $366 million worldwide on the way to becoming the top grossing in the franchise to date, reports Variety.

The film was a spinoff of 2016's 'The Conjuring 2', which starred Farmiga's older sister Vera, who has fronted three 'Conjuring' films, turning the horror franchise into a bit of a family affair.

'The Nun 2' will be directed by Michael Chaves, who helmed the seventh and most recent entry, 2021's 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It'.

Akela Cooper wrote the screenplay with current revisions by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing.

James Wan and Peter Safran also continue their run on 'The Conjuring' films, producing the new movie under their respective banners Atomic Monster and The Safran Company, like they've done the previous seven installments. Judson Scott will oversee the production for Atomic Monster with Michael Clear and Gary Dauberman executive producing.

'The Nun 2' is set for release on September 8, 2023.

--IANS
dc/kvd

Los Angeles, Oct 4 (IANS) Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo are "doing great" amid their cheating scandal.

The 34-year-old model is expecting her third child with her Maroon 5 star husband, and although he had recently been accused of messaging other women in a flirtatious manner, she still turned up to support him at The Event fundraiser hosted by Shaquille O'Neal Foundation, where he played a 40-minute set, reports aceshowbiz.com.

A source told JustJared, "Behati was there and things are clearly great between her and Adam, she watched from a stool to the side of the stage and he sang directly to her at one point. When 'Girls Like You' came on, Behati was bouncing around with her friends. She was visible to the audience and smiling and laughing. Everything is all good there."

The comments come just days after it was claimed that Behati is "upset" following accusations that he has been "flirtatious" with several other women, the pair are reported "happily married" even though she has been stunned by his actions.

A source said, "Behati is upset but she does believe him that there was no physical affair. They have been together this entire time. She feels they are happily married and is shocked to find out what was going on behind her back."

The "Payphone" hitmaker has so far been accused of sending flirtatious text messages to four women and, although one of them accused him of having a physical affair with her, the insider went on to explain that while there are "no excuses" for his behaviour, Levine is "upset" that his family have been "hurt".

The insider said, "There are no excuses for his inappropriate behaviour but he says it was nothing physical. He's disappointed in himself and upset that he has hurt his family like this. It's a wake-up call and has made him realize that he has a lot to work on."

--IANS
dc/dpb

By Sukant Deepak
New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) "I have always trusted my gut. There is no system or rule that I follow, be it for theatre or cinema. The key is to focus completely on the character and work at hand. The process may be different for each project, and that is where the challenge lies. You find a new process for each project," actor Rajit Kapur tells IANS.


Recently seen opposite Neena Gupta in Pushan Kripalani's film 'Threshold' on Hotstar, the actor, known for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in 'The Making of the Mahatma' for which he won the National Award for Best Actor, and 'Byomkesh Bakshi' aired on Doordarshan, made his film debut with 'Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda' (1992) directed by Shyam Benegal.

Talking about his experience in 'Threshold', Kapur says, "I have known Pushan for a very long time and he always comes up with extraordinary stuff. There's a different kind of synergy working with someone who you already have a basic trust with. It always helps to push yourself more."

Lamenting that crime thrillers and whodunit have taken over OTT platforms, the actor says that they are easy to write and any content that is more engaging or difficult to pen is also difficult to execute.

"So, either we are not willing to put that effort or not in the mood to pay for that effort. They do not want to do either of these things -- as a result, the charm of OTT, the midway between TV and film is beginning to go away. And it is going the television way."

Kapur, who is active on the Mumbai theatre scene, says that things have become tough lately and it is now difficult to do regular shows. Adding that the per unit cost of hiring everything has doubled, he asserts, "People are still not going all out to the theatre. And it is a problem. Even the corporates are also facing their own issues and everyone is struggling to come back on their feet."

While during the pandemic-induced lockdowns, he did dabble in digital performances, the actor maintains, "It just cannot replace the magic of live at all. We attempted it as there was time on our hands, it was something new to learn. But frankly, it is not something I would like to do."

Unlike many theatre persons, Kapur does not believe that there is a dearth of young playwrights in the country. He feels the problem is that no one is willing to give them a chance.

"They want to learn, but who is ready to pay and allow them to showcase their work? The auditoriums are finding it difficult to survive, and so are the producers. Even people like us who have been doing theatre for the past three decades are finding it tough to stay afloat."

When it comes to independent cinema, Kapur feels the absence of state support has made things tough for young filmmakers.

"Of course, one could raise money through crowd-funding but it is very tough to sell a film today. There are so many films that are just waiting to be sold off/distributed or screened. Supply is in huge excess. Who is going to buy them?" concludes Kapur, who will be devoting the next three months to theatre and will be starting on a film post-January 15.

(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)

--IANS
sukant/khz/

Ayodhya, Oct 4 (IANS) An artist playing the role of 'Ravan' in a Ramlila function in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district died on stage of cardiac arrest.

This comes a day after a 50-year-old man playing the role of 'Hanuman' died during his performance in 'Lanka Dahan' episode of Ramlila in Fatehpur district.

The 60-year-old artist, Patiram, was enacting the role of 'Ravan' during the episode of 'Sita Haran' in Aihar village of Ayodhya when he clutched his chest due to pain.

Before anybody could react, he collapsed on stage.

The staging of Ramlila was immediately stopped and Patiram was rushed to a nearby hospital by the members of the Ramlila committee but the doctors declared him 'brought dead'.

Doctors confirmed cardiac arrest to be the cause of his death.

Village Head, Puneet Kumar Sahu said that Patiram had been playing the role of Ravan for many years.

He is survived by wife Devmati, two sons and two daughters, one of whom is married.

In a similar incident earlier, Ram Swaroop ,50, who was playing the role of Hanuman, died after suffering a cardiac arrest during his performance in Salempur village of Fatehpur district. The video of the incident also went viral on social media.

--IANS
amita/khz/

Chennai, Oct 3 (IANS) Actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, who has relocated to Hyderabad, has congratulated her dad Sarathkumar, who plays the role of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar in director Mani Ratnam's just released magnum opus 'Ponniyin Selvan 1', saying that he was "just uber cool" in the film.

Taking to Twitter, Varalaxmi wrote: "What a film... Kudos to the entire star cast! Simply outstanding. Daddy Sarath Kumar, you were just uber cool. Subtle yet strong!"

The actress also praised the performances of Trisha and Jayam Ravi who play the roles of Kundavai and Arun Mozhi Varman respectively in the film.

She said: "Trisha and Jayam Ravi -- so proud of you both. You played your roles with so much elegance and strength. Maniratnam sir has made us all so proud."

The film, which released on Friday, has been garnering great reviews and is doing exceptionally well at the box office.

The film, which is based on the literary classic 'Ponniyin Selvan' by eminent writer Kalki, has grossed over Rs 200 crore worldwide in a span of just three days.

--IANS
mani/kvd

By Olivia Sarkar
New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANSlife) The second half of September has brought a good mix of genres, ranging from horror fantasies to teen dramas to long-awaited biopics. We've compiled a list of new shows and films to round out your October binge-watching marathon.


Do Revenge
Drea, a popular girl, has the perfect high school life until her boyfriend ruins it by leaking her sex tape to the entire school, and now she wants vengeance! When she meets Eleanor, an exchange student who is haunted by a rumour spread by one of her classmates, the two form a team to take down their respective nemesis. They even joke about murdering their tormentors, but will they go so far? You'll have to watch to find out what this crazy teen revenge drama is all about.

Jogi
When two Sikh men assassinated Indira Gandhi, public sentiment toward the entire Sikh community shifted overnight, and people became hostile toward them. Jogi, a Diljit Dosanjh-starrer set during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, tells the story of a Sikh man determined to save his family, friends, and fellow members from a massacre that killed thousands of Sikhs.

Blonde
The much-anticipated biopic follows the rise to fame and tragic demise of one of the world's most famous people, Marilyn Monroe. We're excited to see Ana de Armas transform into the iconic star on screen after she received a 14-minute standing ovation for her performance at the Venice Film Festival.

The Good Doctor Season 5
If you're a fan of the hit medical drama and haven't seen the most recent season yet, there's no need to wait any longer. Dr. Shaun is available on Netflix. And here's how The Good Doctor Season 5's plot synopsis reads: "Shaun and Lea make a major life decision and are pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of support from their hospital friends."

Hush Hush
In the upcoming crime drama, Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulkha, Soha Ali Khan Pataudi, Kritika Kamra, Shahna Goswami, and Karishma Tanna star. "Hush Hush revolves around a group of women whose picture-perfect lives unravel when an unexpected event brings to light secrets from their past and threatens everything they hold dear." The story "explores the storm that brews behind the seemingly quiet façade of these women's privileged lives, knitted in a web of lies, deceit, and fighting patriarchy," according to the synopsis.

Hocus Pocus 2
If you grew up in the 1990s, we're sure you've been waiting for this one. After nearly 30 years, your favourite trio of witches has returned to spook you. In Hocus Pocus 2, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker reprise their roles as the Sanders sisters. What is the plot? Three teenagers bring the Sanderson Sisters back from the dead to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from destroying the entire town.

Plan A Plan B
Tamannaah Bhatia works as a matchmaker and believes that marriage is for everyone except herself. Riteish Deshmukh is a successful divorce attorney who harbours a dark secret. Will they fall in love when they meet?

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

--IANS
ianslife/tb