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Tag: Bollywood

  • Deepika Padukone charged an unheard of amount for ‘Jawan’

    Deepika Padukone charged an unheard of amount for ‘Jawan’

    Shah Rukh Khan’s action thriller ‘Jawan’ has received rave reviews from social media users and critics alike. A special appearance by his close friend and long time collaborator Deepika Padukone was singled out for praise as one of the best scenes in the film.

    The ‘Pathaan’ actress shocked social media when she revealed to Indian magazine The Week that she had charged Rs0 for her cameo and gave a special reason why she refused to take any amount for the appearances she made in films like ’83’ and ‘Cirkus’:

    “I wanted to be a part of 83 because I wanted it to be an ode to women who stand behind their husbands’ glory. I watched my mother do it. This was my homage to wives who make sacrifices to support their husbands’ careers. Other than that, any special appearance for Shah Rukh Khan, I am there. Same with Rohit Shetty.”

    The actress, who garnered applause for her stellar performance alongside King Khan for her first film ‘Om Shanti Om’ (for which hadn’t charged a single penny either!) said the duo call themselves each others’ lucky charms.

     “We are each other’s lucky charm. But honestly, we are beyond luck. We have a sense of ownership over each other,” the actress gushed about the Bollywood Badshah.

    “I am one of the few people he is vulnerable with. There is so much trust and respect, and I think that luck is just the cherry on the top.”

  • AR Rahman apologises after Chennai concert stampede

    AR Rahman apologises after Chennai concert stampede

    Oscar winning music composer AR Rahman has addressed the controversial Marakuma Nenjam concert held in Chennai on September 10 where numerous fans reported cases of harassment, molestation and suffocation due to poor management, leading to a stampede. Speaking with The Hindu, the ‘Dil Se’ composer apologised and said he was “deeply disturbed” by the reports. The maestro said he would refund all the tickets, asking people to reach out to him through email to elaborate on other problems at the concert.

    “It was a tsunami of people and love that we were unable to handle. As a composer, my job was to give a terrific show, and I thought everything else would be taken care of. I was just thinking that it shouldn’t rain, and was happily performing inside, without any idea of what was happening outside. Our intentions were good, but I think the response was beyond our expectations. We are collecting the data now, and we will surprise fans with something soon.”

    The singer elaborated on the events of the evening and what had gone wrong:

     “The organisers (ACTC events) had put together about 46,000 chairs in the venue. In some sections, everybody sat on one side and didn’t move to the other side. Seeing this, the policemen on duty assumed that the venue was full and closed it. By this time, the show had already started inside.”

    Indian publication The Quint spoke with several women about the harassment and poor management they had witnessed at AR Rahman’s concert, describing how several children were crying after being separated from their parents and ambulances that couldn’t reach those who had fainted.

    A 22-year-old lawyer said she was groped multiple times for half an hour while trying to find the exit along with her mother.

    “I lost count of the number of times I got groped yesterday. After a while, I gave up and didn’t try to defend myself. I tried pushing them, punching them, but they kept touching me. So I had no choice but to stand still.”

    A 45-year-old corporate professional brought along her 10-year-old to the concert, said, “At one point I started crying in panic because of the stampede while collecting tags.”

  • ‘It’s disturbing that a film like The Kashmir Files is so popular’: Naseeruddin Shah

    ‘It’s disturbing that a film like The Kashmir Files is so popular’: Naseeruddin Shah

    Bollywood’s venerated thespian Naseeruddin Shah has spoken out against the rising popularity of propaganda films like ‘The Kerala Story’ and ‘The Kashmir Files’, both of which revolve around Islamophobic content. The former centers around the debunked claim that thousands of women in the state of Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and then recruited into ISIS. ‘The Kashmir Files’, a film about the mass evacuation of Hindus from Indian-occupied Kashmir, was slammed by critics for distorting facts.

    “Now the more jingoist you are, the more popular you become, because this is what has been ruling this country. It’s not enough to love your country but beat drums about it and you have to create imaginary enemies,” the veteran actor said while speaking to Free Press Journal.

    Shah said that filmmakers behind ‘The Kerala Story’ or ‘The Kashmir Files’ don’t realise that what they’re doing is harmful.

    “In fact, films like Kerala Story and Gadar 2, I haven’t seen them, but I know what they are about. It’s disturbing that films like Kashmir Files are so massively popular whereas movies made by Sudhir Mishra, Anubhav Sinha and Hansal Mehta, who are trying to portray the truth of their times, don’t get seen.”

    The ‘Masoom’ actor described the current environment “frightening” considering how filmmakers today are resorting to making movies on baseless accusations that trample down other communities:

    “It’s hard to resort to abstraction and capture life as it is. So regressive is a pretty mild word for what’s going on. It’s frightening when filmmakers are being coopted into making films which praise all the wrong things and run down other communities for no reason at all. It’s a dangerous trend.”

    The actor had previously written an open letter about the accusations of love-jihad on his 41-year-long marriage to Hindu wife Ratna Pathak, saying that he and his family were supportive of his wife’s decision to remain a Hindu.

    “As it happened, the subject of my wife Ratna converting to Islam was brought up just once by my mother and that as enquiry, to which, on receiving a reply in the negative, she concurred with a ‘Haan, mazhab kaise badla jaa sakta hai.’ Whether this statement of a woman weaned exclusively on a diet of the Quran makes more sense than the hate-filled rhetoric of ‘Hindus and Muslims cannot live together’, I will leave to the judgement of the reader.”

    READ MORE: Naseeruddin Shah opens up about ‘love jihad’ accusations on marriage to Ratna Pathak

  • Sharmila Tagore: not your typical saas and here’s proof from Kareena Kapoor

    Sharmila Tagore: not your typical saas and here’s proof from Kareena Kapoor

    Sharmila Tagore should share a page from her book on how to be an uplifting and generous saas to your newly wedded daughter-in-law, and maybe more women would want to get married.

    Kareena Kapoor was a guest on Express Ada where she spoke about her decision to marry actor Saif Ali Khan at the peak of her career. She opened up about people telling her she would be destroying her career.

    “Everyone was like, if you get married your career might be over and it would take a beating,” reports The Indian Express. “I was madly in love and I thought it is fine. If producers and directors would be like my career is over because I got married, then I think it’s maybe their loss. It’s a weird thing. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘Okay, let’s see what happens.’ And I just did it.”

    The ‘K3G’ actress especially gave credit to her mother-in-law veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, whom she gushed about for giving her a lot of confidence when she needed it.

    “My mother-in-law also gave me a lot of confidence because she did amazing movies like Daag, Waqt and such beautiful films that she did after Saif was born. So she was like, ‘Don’t fall for the fact that producers won’t (cast you).’ She was like, ‘Challenge yourself, challenge them, and it will happen.’ And I was confident about it. I was just always worried about balancing my life in terms of how I would balance marriage. I was most concerned about that because I was like, ‘I do want to work’.”

    Kareena remained confident that she hadn’t given up her career, and was happy to witness how several other actors like Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt have gotten married at the peak of their careers, continuing to work afterwards.

    “I think it’s given a lot of girls confidence. Everybody started following suit and being a lot more confident. People earlier would not even talk about their relationships openly. There was a time when nobody wanted to be linked with anyone or the sight of having a relationship for a Bollywood actress was like, no.”

    Kareena also gave credit to Saif’s “relaxed” state of mind, emphasizing that he didn’t have any issues with the actress wanting to work after her marriage, crediting his upbringing in a family, “where women have always been at the forefront, be it his grandmother, his mother or his sisters.”

  • ‘Shah Rukh Khan was the first person to console me after Dilip died’: Saira Banu

    ‘Shah Rukh Khan was the first person to console me after Dilip died’: Saira Banu

    Yesteryear leading lady Saira Banu shared a heart warming story about Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan on her Instagram page. The actress revealed that the superstar was the first to console her after the death of her husband, legendary actor Dilip Kumar in . The thespian and Banu had been married for 54 years when the thespian died at the age of 98 years.

    In a detailed account, she wrote on Instgram page, that she first met the ‘Pathaan’ actor at an event where he appeared shy and reticent, resembling Dilip’s personality.

    When he bowed before Saira and asked for her blessings, the actress realised his hair resembled her husband’s.

    “Since that day, whenever Shahrukh and I met, he graciously lowered his head, allowing me to offer him my blessings. Interestingly, on one occasion, I forgot to run my hand through his hair, and immediately after, Shahrukh lowered his head, saying, “Aaj Aapne Mere Baalon Par Hath Nahin Phera”, and without hesitation, I lovingly ran my fingers through his hair, completing our familiar ritual.”

    Saira wrote about thf Bollywood Badshah being especially considerate when Dilip Kumar passed away.

    “In that moment,’ writes the ‘Junglee’ actress. “His affection for the ‘Kohinoor of Hindustan,’ Dilip Sahib, shone brightly as he was among the very first to offer his comforting presence in the face of adversity.”

    Saira also reflected how Shah Rukh’s respect and affection for her late husband shined when he came to their house to get the ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ poster signed by him, and which he has kept in his private theatre.

    Read her complete caption here

  • Madhuri Dixit was fired from a film for refusing to do this scene

    Madhuri Dixit was fired from a film for refusing to do this scene

    Bollywood queen Madhuri Dixit can pretty much call herself a legend with a storied career and dominance over the box office. But even an A-lister like Madhuri is not immune to sexist demands by film makers.

    Veteran director Tinnu Anand, who directed Madhuri Dixit in Shanakht (1989), has revealed how the actress was fired after she refused to take off her blouse for a scene. Tinnu told Radio Nasha that he had discussed the scene with Madhuri prior to the shot, and she had consented to doing it. This was the first shot of the film in which Amitabh Bachchan was suppose to be captured by villains, which is when Madhuri’s character comes out and says “Why are you attacking a man in chains when a woman is in front of you?”

    “I had narrated the entire sequence to Madhuri,” said the director. “And I told her that you have to remove your blouse and for the first time, we should see you in your bra. And I am not going to hide anything behind a haystack or anything. Because you are offering yourself to help a man who is trying to help you. So it is a very important situation and I want to shoot it on the first day. She said okay.”

    Tinnu recalled that on the first day of the shoot, everything was ready but Madhuri backed out from doing the scene. When the director went to visit her, the ‘Devdas’ actress said she had some reservations about the scene.

    “I said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to do this scene.’ She said, ‘No, I don’t want to.’ I said, ‘Okay, pack up, say goodbye to the film. I’ll cancel my shoot.”

    Afterwards, Madhuri’s secretary called up Anand and reassured him that the actress was willing to do the role. Madhuri came back five days later and completed the scene. However, afterwards the two didn’t work together on any film.

  • 75 crores on opening day: Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’ makes history

    75 crores on opening day: Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’ makes history

    The King is back

    Shah Rukh Khan has made Bollywood history with his film ‘Jawan’ making around INR 75 crores on the opening day, the highest amount earned by any Hindi film. Box office pundits compared the opening with the actor’s previous film ‘Pathaan’ which made INR 55 crores on its first day.

    Directed by Atlee, ‘Jawan’ also stars Deepika Padukone, Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi. The movie centers around a jailer Azaad (played by SRK) who guards the women’s prison in Mumbai, then gathers an army to hijack the Mumbai Metro in order to demand negotiations from the government.

    Since the movie’s release on Thursday, celebrations have broken out across India as hardcore fans of the superstar have flocked to theatres to watch ‘Jawan’. Viral clips on social media show fans dancing in theatres with the hashtag #JawanDay.

  • Ranking our favourite Deepika-Shah Rukh Khan movies in accordance of sizzling chemistry

    Ranking our favourite Deepika-Shah Rukh Khan movies in accordance of sizzling chemistry

    Every one can agree that Shah Rukh Khan’s best on-screen partner is Kajol, but we have to admit that another actress has time and time again proven that she can match the Bollywood superstar’s charisma and sensuality. Deepika Padukone has once more proved her star power with ‘Jawan’ releasing in theatres across India, and fans can’t get enough of the three-times Filmfare Award winning actress for the way she commands the screen, even in a 20 minute cameo.

    So we’d like to make a case: Kajol has the wittiness and feisty attitude to balance Shah Rukh’s intensity but it is Deepika whose domineering presence, poise and sultriness makes her the ideal on-screen partner for Shah Rukh.

    Deepika and Shah Rukh first won hearts back in 2007 with ‘Om Shanti Om’, then continued to dominate the box office, proving that the chemistry between the two is powerful enough to blow us over. In celebration of ‘Jawan’, the duo’s fifth partnership, we rank our favourite films:

    1 Om Shanti Om (2005)

    Deepika set the standard for everyone to come in an iconic entry scene. Even eighteen years later, fans remain in awe of the moment where Shanti (played by Deepika) arrives at her premier in a glittering pink saari and Om (played by SRK) watches her in admiration from the sidelines. Since then, the film has become a cult favourite for fans of one of the best tragic romances Bollywood has ever producer. We recommend every non-Bollywood fan to check out the film to understand why the SRK-Deepika partnership leads to box-office hits.

    2 Pathaan (2023)

    ‘Pathaan’ demonstrated how the duo’s powerful chemistry worked for different genres. The two start off as enemies working on opposing sides with Deepika playing Pakistani doctor and ISI agent Rubina Mohsin, who is being chased across the continent by Indian agent Pathaan (played by SRK), and then both come together to take down a former RAW agent who is trying to unleash a virus across the country. The film was praised for Deepika’s flawless action sequences, as well as electrifying chemistry with the Bollywood Badshah.

    3 Chennai Express (2013)

    The hilarious duo once more delivered a rom-com that surpassed expectations, proving that the Shah Rukh- Deepika partnership is one that will make history. In this film, Shah Rukh plays a 40-year-old bachelor who travels to Goa to spread his grandfather’s ashes. On board the Chennai Express, he meets Meenalochni (played by Padukone), a woman running away from a forced marriage.

    4 Billu Babar

    Deepika had a small cameo in the song ‘Love Mera Hit Hit’ but the chemistry in this solo scene was off the charts. Fans have praised the song as a game changer, and if you don’t believe it, then watch it for yourself.

  • Saira Banu shares endearing throwback to when she asked for Dilip Kumar’s hand in marriage

    Saira Banu shares endearing throwback to when she asked for Dilip Kumar’s hand in marriage

    Bollywood legend Saira Banu joined Instagram on July 7, where she has since shared some memories of her relationship with the late icon Dilip Kumar, who passed away in 2021 after a prolonged illness. The veteran actor, who starred in films like ‘Padosan’, ‘Junglee’ and ‘Shaadi’, shared a wholesome story, one in which she proposed to her thespian husband.

    In a lengthy caption on her Instagram account, the actress said that during the shoot of ‘Shagird’, she approached the late director Nazir Hussain and cheekily requested him to ask Dilip Sahab to work with her, or marry Saira.

     “I turned to Nazir Sahab and with a mischievous smile on my face asked him for a favour! ‘You are working with Dilip Sahab, Oh! you are so lucky enough to be working with Dilip Sahab, please request him that Saira is dying to work with him and if he doesn’t do this then ask him to marry me!’.”

    Nazir Hussain was at first dumb struck, Bano wrote, but then began laughing. He later travelled to Madras to relay Saira’s request to the late icon.

    “Dilip Sahab,” wrote the ‘Padosan’ actress.”I am told gracefully smiled and acknowledged my cheeky message, to probably cover his embarrassment—-although I think you could have knocked him down with a feather!”

    When the shoot for the song ‘Kanha’ was finished, Dillip visited her mother and grandmother and asked them for her hand in marriage.

    Read her complete account here:

  • #Jawanday trends on Twitter as Shah Rukh Khan’s film releases in theatres across India

    #Jawanday trends on Twitter as Shah Rukh Khan’s film releases in theatres across India

    Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t joking around when he said “I don’t release my film on festivals. The day my film is released is a festival.”

    Fans around the world are celebrating #JawanDay as the action thriller was released across cinemas all over India. Numerous videos on social media show audiences rushing to the theatre to watch ‘Jawan’, several holding festivals outside cinemas to rejoice King Khan’s undefeated run as the Badshah of Bollywood.

    Videos on social media show fans praising the film and the performance of the ‘Pathan’ actor.

    We think the government should declare public holidays the day Shah Rukh films are released because holy moly, the amount of people dancing in theatres is something we’ve never witnessed before.

    https://twitter.com/imran666111/status/1699669899390697795?s=20

    Film critics are also joining in on the celebration, terming the film another hit by the Bollywood Badshah. The Hindustan Times called Jawan a “massy, meaningful actioner” which doesn’t conform to any set templates or tropes, “that makes for an engaging and entertaining watch”. Their critic also praised SRK’s performance, from his heroic entry scene to his fights and even dance performance.

    The Indian Express called Jawan “an all-time blockbuster” that provides an action packed drama for cinephiles. Pinkvilla gave the film 4 stars, writing praises about SRK’s performance and called it “a performance that would be remembered for a long time.”

     “From the display of his heroism and machoism to the emotional sequences, action blocks and the hard-hitting dramatic monologues – He does everything that one expects of a Hindi Film Hero.”