Poonam Pandey cancels Maldives shoot; says unity, respect for nation should come first
Mumbai– Actress and model Poonam Pandey has decided to cancel her upcoming shoot in the Maldives after anti-India barbs by ministers of the Island country.
In light of disrespectful remarks made by three Deputy Ministers in the Maldivian cabinet regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep, the actress took a principled stand by prioritising national respect over monetary gains.
These ministers implied that the visit aimed to promote Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
Expressing her unwavering support, she posted on ‘X’, “It is essential to uphold the dignity of our country and its leaders. I stand firmly with the decision to suspend those who have shown disrespect towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our unity and respect for our nation should always come first.”
Sonu Sood: ‘Fateh’ is tribute to cybercrime victims
Mumbai– Actor Sonu Sood, who has stepped into the role of a director for the upcoming movie ‘Fateh’, has called it a tribute to the youths who have been a victim of cybercrime on various levels.
Based on real-life incidents, the film aims to entertain while also shedding light on cyber threats in the digital age and how it can be averted with simple security measures.
On Tuesday, Sonu took to social media, and shared behind-the-scenes pictures from the shoot of the movie.
It was captioned as: “Fateh has been special and a personal film to me. It is a tribute to the youth who have been a victim of cyber crime on various levels. Get Ready.”
Sonu has dedicated significant efforts to the project, venturing into unique shooting locations and collaborating with the esteemed Hollywood stunt coordinator, Lee Whittaker.
‘Fateh’ is co-produced by Zee Studios and Sonu’s production company, Shakti Sagar Productions.
The film also stars Jacqueline Fernandez.
Kangana has ‘script ready’ for film on Bilkis Bano, reveals OTT platforms refused to support
Mumbai– Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has said that she has a script ready for a film based on Bilkis Bano case, but could not make it due to lack of support from digital platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video, among others.
The Supreme Court on Monday invalidated the Gujarat government’s decision to release the 11 convicts, who raped five-months pregnant Bilkis Bano and killed her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
A user on X asked Kangana about making a film on Bilkis Bano.
The user had asked: “Dear Kangana ma’am, your passion for women empowerment is so encouraging! Would you be interested in telling the story of Bilkis Bano with a powerful movie? Will you…. Will you do it for Bilkis Bano, feminism or at least humanity?”
She shared that she wanted to make such a film for a long time but lack of support has been the reason for her to not being able to make the film.
Replying to the user, she wrote: “I want to make that story, I have the script ready, researched and worked on it for three years. But Netflix, Prime Video and other studios wrote back to me that they have clear guidelines they don’t do so-called politically motivated films.”
“JioCinema said we don’t work with Kangana because she supports BJP and Zee is going through a merger. What are my options?”
On the work front, she will next be seen in ‘Emergency’, in which she is playing the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Inspired by ‘Heeramandi’ role, Richa advocates for preservation of classical dance in Indian cinema
Mumbai– Bollywood actress Richa Chadha has expressed her concern about the lack of awareness and representation of Kathak, a classical dance style, in the film industry, especially in comparison to the prominence of Bharat Natyam among actresses from the South.
As a trained Kathak dancer, Richa has been dedicated to the art form since her childhood.
Richa shared: “Classical dance is not just a form of artistic expression; it’s a representation of our rich cultural heritage. While actresses from the South often shine in Bharatanatyam, I am sometimes shocked to see the limited recognition that Kathak receives in our film industry. Kathak holds a special place in my heart, and my journey as a dancer has been a parallel pursuit alongside my acting career.”
“It’s crucial for us to celebrate and preserve these classical dance forms to ensure they continue to enrich our cinematic landscape. I feel as many female actors should learn. Kathak is deeply expressive and even is often used as a medium to use facial expressions to communicate without speaking literal words, something we as actors often learn to do,” she added.
Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, ‘Heeramandi’ brings his majestic signature flair to stories of love and betrayal in the lives of courtesans in pre-independence India.
It also stars Manisha Koirala, Sonakhi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sanjeeda Sheikh.
Shabana Azmi wishes ‘betu’ Farhan Akhtar on 50th b’day; drops pic with Javed, Honey Irani
Mumbai– Veteran actress Shabana Azmi on Tuesday showered love on “betu”, actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar on his 50th birthday, and wished him happiness.
Farhan is the son of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, and younger brother of writer-director Zoya Akhtar.
Farhan’s parents got divorced in 1985. Javed tied the knot for the second time with actress Shabana Azmi.
Now, on the occasion of Farhan’s birthday, Shabana took to her Instagram handle, and shared a lovely family photo, wherein we can see the birthday boy sporting a black tee shirt, and denims.
The picture features Farhan’s wife Shibani Dandekar, parents Javed Akhtar, Honey Irani, Shabana, Zoya Akhtar, and Anusha Dandekar, along with some other friends and family members.
The photograph shows three cakes kept on the table, with everyone cheering for Farhan.
The post was captioned as: “Salgirah mubarak betu… Jeete raho khush raho bahut saara pyaar”.
Meanwhile, Farhan’s next directorial project is ‘Don 3’. (IANS)
