Urvashi Rautela’s spy thriller ‘Dil Hai Gray’ debuts at Toronto fest
Toronto– Director Susi Ganesan’s second Hindi film ‘Dil Hai Gray’, which was the choice of the National Film Development Corporation (NDFC) for the Toronto International Film Festival, premiered here with a special screening, with the director and lead actress Urvashi Rautela present in the audience.
Set in three cities in Uttar Pradesh, ‘Dil Hai Gray’ is a sort of spy thriller-cum-family drama, highlighting the intrusion of technology and social media such as facebook and Instagram into our lives to the extent that anyone can peek into our privacy.
With Vineet Kumar Singh and Akshay Oberoi in male roles, the film’s plot revolves around a spymaster who has been tasked with tapping phones of big guns for corruption.
Ironically, while spying on others, the spymaster himself becomes the victim of a ruthless, super smart computer geek who intrudes into his private life.
The modus operandi of this evil computer geek, played by Akshay Oberoi, is to break into people’s computers, befriend women and then blackmail and disgrace them.
As the spymaster fights for his family honour, the sex-crazy computer geek always stays a step ahead of the spymaster as he wreaks emotional and social havoc on the latter’s family.
This evenly paced film, frame after frame, tries to portray the reality of modern life – that there is no privacy in today’s social-media driven life.
In her post-screening speech, Urvashi said it was a dream come true for her to have her film screened at the world’s premier film festival. She said she jumped at the opportunity to do this film as she liked its new genre.
Nehha Pendse recalls working with Sunny Deol in ‘Pyaar Koi Khel Nahi’
Mumbai– Actress Nehha Pendse, who is known for her versatile performances in both television and film, recalled her journey as a child artiste, and expressed her admiration for actor Sunny Deol.
Nehha is set to make her return in the new episodes of ‘May I Come in Madam’, as Madam Sanjana. She shared insights into her remarkable journey as a child artiste, and the changing landscape for young talent in the entertainment industry.
Reminiscing about her early days in the entertainment world, the actress said: “I began my acting career as a child artiste with a television serial on DD channel, and made my big-screen debut alongside the legendary Sunny Deol in ‘Pyaar Koi Khel Nahi’.”
“My parents had always held a deep appreciation for art and entertainment, and that’s where it all began. During that era, child artistes were relatively limited, as many perceived it as taboo to involve children in the entertainment industry,” said Nehha.
She said: “However, I believe destiny had its role to play, and everything fell into place, allowing me to be part of numerous wonderful projects as a child artiste.”
Speaking further, Nehha expressed gratitude for the enriching experiences she had while working with various artistes.
She particularly highlighted her admiration for Sunny Deol, with whom she shared the screen in her early career.
“Sunny Deol is one of my favourites among the many talented artistes I’ve worked with. He is a remarkably soft-spoken and respectable man. Despite his commanding presence, he remained humble and grounded, especially toward the people he collaborated with,” Nehha said.
“His dedication to his craft is truly commendable, and it’s something I deeply cherish about him,” she added.
The story of the show amusingly follows a man (Sajan) played by Sandeep Anand caught between his suspicious wife Kashmira played by Sapna Sikarwar and attractive boss Sanjana played by Nehha highlighting Sajan’s humorous dilemma as he manages his feelings for his Boss and his Wife.
‘May I Come In Madam’ will air from September 26 on Star Bharat.
Manushi Chhillar to ‘IGT’ contestant: ‘Your behavior and conduct will reflect on your country’
Mumbai– Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, who is all set to grace the stage of ‘India’s Got Talent’ season 10, shared valuable advice with the contestant of the show on how to represent India on an international platform.
The upcoming episode will celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with Vicky Kaushal and Manushi, who will be promoting their film ‘The Great Indian Family’.
Spreading the festive cheer with much galore, the contestants will put forth some awe-inspiring performances with their unique talents. With extraordinary contortionist skills, Anuska Chatterjee from Kolkata will leave everyone awestruck with her performance to the soul-stirring song ‘Bada Pachtaoge’.
Manushi gave Anuska valuable advice: “When we enter competitions, we focus on what we need to prepare and how to present ourselves. But when the competition goes to an international level, you are representing your country.”
“When I went to the Miss World competition after Miss India, people didn’t call me by my name but as Miss India. My roommate was from Indonesia or Miss Indonesia, and perhaps not everyone remembered names because there were 120 countries with complicated contestant names. They call you by your country name, and the way you behave is how they remember it as that person’s qualities,” she said.
She further said: “So, my advice to you when you go on an international stage is to always remember that you are representing the entire country. Your behavior and conduct will reflect on your country, so always keep that in mind. Whether you win or lose, remember that you’re there to win everybody’s heart as an Indian representative.”
Left speechless with Anuska’s flexibility, Manushi praised her and said: “I had Anatomy as a subject in the first year when we studied joints, and as I watched you perform, those thoughts were running in my mind.”
“Your performance reminded me of an incident when I was travelling after winning Miss World. I asked Miss Julia Morley, the chairperson, about her opinion on the Indian contestants who come every year. She said that Indian girls have a unique focus and dedication that is always on another level, and it stands out; I can see that in you as well. So, all the best, and I truly wish you make us even prouder,” added Manushi.
Vicky and Manushi, along with all the talented contestants, will also be seen performing to the song ‘Kanhaiya Twitter Pe Aaja’, from their film.
‘India’s Got Talent’ airs on Sony.
When Pulkit Samrat shot ‘Fukrey 3’ in Delhi heat: ‘I trained myself to keep up the energy’
Mumbai– Actor Pulkit Samrat, who is all geared up for the upcoming release ‘Fukrey 3’ opened up about his shooting experiences, and shared the difficulties the team had faced while working in the extreme heat of Delhi’s summers.
‘Fukrey 3’ is a comedy film directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under the banner of Excel Entertainment. The film is the third installment of the ‘Fukrey’ franchise, after Fukrey (2013) and Fukrey Returns (2017). It stars an ensemble cast of Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Richa Chadha and Pankaj Tripathi.
Pulkit, who plays the character of Hunny shared: “Delhi has a special place in the hearts of the ‘Fukrey’ family, and the city’s energy is infectious. However, Delhi’s heat can be unforgiving, but having been a Delhi boy, I kinda knew what we were getting into.”
“I trained myself accordingly to stay fit and keep up the energy levels. Of Course, we had a fantastic team on board, and we supported each other throughout. When you’re sweating buckets, having a supportive cast and crew makes all the difference,” he added.
The film is scheduled to release on September 28.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Pulkit was recently seen as Sarfaraz Khan in the web series ‘Made in Heaven’. He also had a cameo in 2022 supernatural comedy film ‘Phone Bhoot’, starring Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khattar, and Siddhant Chaturvedi and Jackie Shroff.
He next has ‘Suswagatam Khushmadeed’ in the pipeline.
Akshay Kumar pays tribute to Jaswant Gill on Engineer’s Day
Mumbai– Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Mission Raniganj’, has paid a tribute to Jaswant Singh Gill, an unsung hero in Indian history, celebrating Engineer’s Day.
Taking to Instagram, the actor expressed his excitement at portraying Gill as he shared an image of the latter, and wrote: “Happy #Engineers Day. I could never even imagine myself studying hard to be an engineer.”
“But then I got an opportunity to play a brave, intelligent engineer like Jaswant Singh Gill ji in #MissionRaniganj. माँ बाप की इच्छा पूरी हो गई (My parents wish has been fulfilled). #RealHero,” he added.
The post was accompanied by a real life black and white image of a young Jaswant Gill from 1961, standing proudly outside ISM college, where he pursued Mining Engineering.
Jaswant Gill was the leading engineer during the 1989 Raniganj Coalfield collapse in West Bengal, which led to over 65 miners being trapped inside a mine, after using explosives to blast open the walls, trapping them inside.
Six miners died inside the mines when the walls caved in, while 65 miners were able to reach the mining elevator, which had become increasingly unsteady due to rising water levels.
Gill, who was supervising the operation alongside 2,000 other engineers designed a massive capsule which was put in via a crane, and was able to safely get the miners out.
Jaswant Gill’s story is both inspiring and heroic, as his bravery, intelligence and dedication made him a true hero in every sense, who is sadly unsung in Indian history.
Akshay Kumar has been paying tribute to several heroes of Indian history in his projects lately, be it the Sikh Regiment in ‘Kesari’, or the great Rajput king and legendary hero Prithviraj Chauhan in ‘Prithviraj’.
Engineer’s Day is held to celebrate the brilliance and dedication of engineers across the world, who work tirelessly to shape our world in many different ways, through their creativity, imagination and scientific knowledge and intellect.
‘Mission Raniganj’ also stars Parineeti Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt and Omkar Das Manikpuri.
The film also marks director Tinu Suresh Desai’s next thriller after ‘Rustom’, which won him massive critical and commercial acclaim.
Produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh and Ajay Kapoor, ‘Mission Raniganj’ will be released in theaters on October 6, 2023.
Huma Qureshi turns author with debut novel ‘Zeba: An Accidental Superhero’
Mumbai– 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 need these stories to remind ourselves that we, too, can be the heroes of our own lives. This novel is deeply personal and it puts out there the rawest, most unfiltered version of me.”
Huma’s journey is an intriguing one as an outsider in Indian cinema. Her journey from Delhi to the pinnacle of the film industry is a source of inspiration for many outsiders hoping to live their big Bollywood dream.
The book will hit the stands this year in December.
The actress also shared the news with her followers on her Instagram as she shared a picture of herself with the book cover.
Huma wrote in the caption: “Finally the cat is out of the bag !! Super excited to share the announcement of my debut novel : ‘Zeba – An Accidental Superhero’. Been working on this for the past 2 years and everyone around me knows how much this means to me. Book out in Dec 2023”. (IANS)
