Tremendous times for Indian cinema: Nikkhil Advani (Movie Snippets)

Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani has heaped praise over "Neerja" and "Aligarh" for being rooted to reality, saying that such tough content is taking Indian cinema in the right direction.

Advani, who has helmed films like "Katti Batti" and "Hero" and backed films like "Airlift", took to Twitter to praise both the films.

"Tremendous times for Indian Cinema! #Neerja tomm #Aligarh on 26th. Kudos to both studios for backing tough content. @ErosNow @foxstarhindi," Advani posted.

If we talk about the films, "Neerja" and "Aligarh" present different sides of the society, where one shows how a young girl sacrificed her life to save others, "Aligarh" pans the camera on the prevailing stigma over homosexuality in the country.

"Neerja" is a biopic featuring Sonam Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot, a Pan Am chief purser who was gunned down by terrorists when a flight in Karachi was hijacked in 1986. She saved a number of lives but lost her own. It released on Friday.

And "Aligarh" is the story of a professor (Manoj Bajpayee), who got fired for his sexual views and a young journalist (Rajkummar Rao) who tells his story to the world. The Hansal Mehta-directorial is releasing on February 26.

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Subhash Ghai goes gaga over 'Neerja'

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has showered words of appreciation for Shabana Azmi and Sonam Kapoor for infusing life to their characters in "Neerja", saying that he loved the duo for getting the right emotional quotient to their onscreen mother-daughter relationship.

"Neerja", is a biopic featuring Sonam as Neerja Bhanot, a Pan Am chief purser who was gunned down by terrorists when a flight in Karachi was hijacked in 1986. She saved a number of lives but lost her own. And Shabana is seen essaying role of her mother in the film, which released on Friday.

Ghai, whose repertoire is studded with films like "Karz", "Ram Lakhan", "Khalnayak" and "Pardes", is in awe with their performances.

"My strong recommendation to go and watch super film 'Neerja' -- especially for daughter mother emotions played @AzmiShabana and @sonamakapoor bravo," Ghai tweeted.

Directed by Ram Madhvani, "Neerja" also marks debut of singer Shekhar Ravjiani as an actor.

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Parineeti Chopra's Down Under sojourn

Parineeti Chopra is in holiday mode, as the actress has took off to explore Great Barrier Reef in Australia. And she is super-charged up to dive into the new experience.

Great Barrier Reef is a coral reef in Queensland, Australia.

"Super excited about my first holiday to the Great Barrier Reef! Tell me what I can see and do there! #excited #holiday," Parineeti tweeted.

On the professional front, the actress is all set to return to the silver screen after two years as Bindu in upcoming film "Meri Pyari Bindu".

She will star opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the Yash Raj Films' (YRF) next project, which will be produced by Maneesh Sharma and directed by debutant Akshay Roy.

Parineeti will also lend her vocals to a song "Maana ki hum yaar nahin..." in the film.