Shelly Chopra, who managed to get father-daughter duo of Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor for her directorial debut "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", says their off-screen chemistry played an important part during the film's making.
The director says she is fortunate they agreed to feature in the project together, their first on-screen collaboration, as she believes they were perfect for the film.
"Being a father and daughter as they are, it was a perfect combination for me and fortunately they agreed on the script. It's their first film together.
"They are both professionals and great actors. Somewhere it helps if you are father and daughter in real life. It definitely helped the film," Chopra told PTI.
The film also features Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla.
Chopra said, "Raj has an amazing role. He is an awesome actor. Juhi too is amazing in the film. They have done something totally different this time."
Without divulging much about the film, which its trailer suggests is a commentary ..

Fortunate to have Anil and Sonam as father-daughter in my film: Shelly Chopra

PTI Automatic

After watching her enact a scene during the screen test for "1942: A Love Story", director Vidhu Vinod Chopra dismissed Manisha Koirala as a "terrible actress" but in no mood to give up, she requested him for a second chance the next day and the rest is history.
A gritty Manisha came the next day and after her performance, Chopra remained silent for long, as if in a daze.
And then he said the words that were music to Manisha's ears: "If this is the heart and soul that you promise to put into each scene of my movie, I will sign you up instead of Madhuri Dixit. Manisha, yesterday, you were at zero. You are at a hundred today."
Manisha recalls this episode in her memoir "Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life".
"I remember my screen test for '1942: A Love Story'. Veteran filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra had called me to do a scene. But to my disappointment, at the end of it he remarked: 'Manisha, you were shit. You're a terrible actress.'
"This was not acceptable to me. The warrior woman ...

When Manisha Koirala almost got rejected for '1942: A Love Story'!

Hailee Steinfeld's bond with autobot Bumblebee is the highlight of the film but the actor says she found it hard to emote in front of the camera with her absent co-star.
All Steinfeld had was a "tennis ball and a stick" to respond to while enacting her scenes as Charlie Watson, a headstrong misfit teenager who eventually befriends the alien robot, B-127 and later renames him as Bumblebee.
Bumblebee was created through the help of visual effects.
"It was a very strange experience, unlike anything I've ever done- making a film where it feels like 90 per cent of it is with something that is not physically there. And the weirdest part was that it wasn't like I was in front of a green screen and had nothing around me.
"I was in the real world with nothing to talk to. I haven't really decided which might be harder or weirder but it was an interesting thing. Travis (Knight, the director) really got me through, helping me just really painting the picture in every moment," she said in an ...

Shooting for 'Bumblebee' tested my imagination, says Hailee Steinfeld

Ranveer Singh had a great 2018 both personally and professionally but the actor says he navigates through all the "blessings" by staying away from his own hype.
The actor's flamboyant persona, his marriage with fellow actor Deepika Padukone and back-to-back hits in "Padmaavat" and "Simmba" kept him in the headlines throughout last year and Ranveer is aware how it can affect a person's outlook.
"When this happens around you, there are two possibilities - you either believe it or you are simply aware of it. While I am aware of it, I don't start believing in my own hype. My experiences have shaped me to be the kind of person I am," he says.
The actor says he keeps himself grounded by constantly reminding himself of his struggle period.
"I had a proper struggle period of three and half years, so today when opportunities come my way, I value them tremendously. I never lose sight because I have a vivid memory of the times when I had none of this," he told PTI.
Film industry is one of most ..

I don't believe in my own hype: Ranveer Singh

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are set to welcome their fourth child, via surrogate.
People magazine has confirmed the news.
The couple's third child, daughter Chicago turns one this month, was also born through surrogacy.
Citing multiple sources, Us Weekly claimed the fourth child is a boy, who is due in "very early May".
Kardashian, 38, has been vocal about expanding her family and her difficulties in past pregnancies.
The couple are also parents to eldest daughter North, five-and-a-half years and son Saint, three.
The reality TV star and West, 41, are yet to comment on the news.

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West expecting fourth child

In his inimitable style, popular comic Hasan Minhaj has responded to Netflix's decision of dropping an episode from his special "Patriot Act" in Saudi Arabia, saying the move has piqued the interest of the viewer.
The episode of the show, which premiered in October 2018, featured a segment criticising the country's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's alleged involvement in Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.
Minhaj, an American-born Muslim, named the Crown Prince in Khashoggi's killing and was also critical of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.
The comic took to Twitter Wednesday to comment on Netflix complying with the country's demands.
"Clearly, the best way to stop people from watching something is to ban it, make it trend online, and then leave it up on YouTube," he wrote.
Minhaj, 33, also urged his followers to donate to Yemen, where air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition have come under intense scrutiny since Khashoggi was slain, through the International .

Hasan Minhaj responds to Netflix pulling out 'Patriot Act' episode in Saudi Arabia

Bob Einstein, the veteran comedy writer and performer known for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," ''Curb Your Enthusiasm" and his spoof daredevil character Super Dave Osborne, has died, according to his brother, filmmaker Albert Brooks. Einstein was 76.
Einstein will be "missed forever," Brooks said in a post Wednesday on his verified Twitter account.
"R.I.P. My dear brother Bob Einstein. A great brother, father and husband. A brilliantly funny man," tweeted Brooks, 71.
Details of Einstein's death were not immediately available.
Representatives for him and Brooks did not immediately respond to calls or emails.
Einstein was scheduled to be part of the 10th season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" but his health barred him from filming, HBO said.
On the comedy, Einstein played annoying pal Marty Funkhouser to Larry David's equally off-putting character. In a statement, David said he'd never seen an actor enjoy a role more than Einstein did playing Marty.
"It was an amazing, unforgettable ...

Bob Einstein of Super Dave and "Curb" fame dies at 76

Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan, who died on New Year's Eve, will be buried Wednesday at a cemetery in Canada, his son Sarfaraz said.
Khan died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Canada. He was 81.
"The last rites will be performed here in Canada as we have our entire family here. He (Khan) is going to be buried at approximately 2:30 pm as per Canadian time at Meadowvale cemetery," Sarfaraz told PTI.
Khan was reportedly suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease that causes loss of balance, difficulty in walking and dementia.
Born in Kabul, Khan's family migrated to Mumbai when he was a year old.
Khan went on to write dialogues for over 250 films, including some of the biggest blockbusters of the '70s and '80s such as "Dharam Veer", "Ganga Jamuna Saraswati", "Coolie", "Desh Premee", "Suhaag", "Parvarish", "Amar Akbar Anthony", "Sharaabi", "Lawaaris" and "Muqaddar Ka Sikandar".
He was equally prolific as an actor after making his screen debut in 1973 .

Kader Khan to be buried in a Canadian cemetery

She is turning 60 this year and still doesn't have a single wrinkle.
Blonde or brunette, slender or curvy, black or white, princess or president, Barbie is a forever favourite for young girls, even if she has caused controversy over the years.
The iconic doll has evolved to keep up with the times - check out her Twitter feed.
And despite fierce competition in the toy industry, 58 million Barbies are sold each year in more than 150 countries.
"In an industry where success today is three to five years, 60 years is a huge deal!" said Nathan Baynard, director of global brand marketing for Barbie.
Around the world, Barbie is as universally known as Coca-Cola or McDonald's, Baynard said during a recent visit to Mattel's design studio in El Segundo, a suburb of Los Angeles.
In all, more than one billion Barbie dolls have been sold since she made her debut at the American Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959.
She was invented by Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, who was inspired by her 

Barbie will soon be 60 - and is still going strong

Months after his announcement that he would be "distancing" himself from politics, Kanye West on Wednesday welcomed the New Year with his first series of tweets reaffirming support for US President Donald Trump.
The 41-year-old rapper, who faced flak over his endorsement of Trump a while ago, took to Twitter to make his political inclination in 2019, wherein he name dropped the POTUS and made a reference to a future presidential election with "2024"
West has previously discussed his intentions to run for president in the next term.
"Trump all day... Just so in 2019 you know where I stand... They will not program me... Blacks are 90 per cent Democrats... That sounds like control to me... Love everyone...
"We will change the world.  God is on my side. I am a Christian. I am a tax payer. I am myself. God is with us," the rapper, who has changed his name to 'Ye', tweeted.
He also wrote reconciliatory posts, dropping words such as "Free thought" and "Love everyone... Start the year ...

'Trump all day', '2024': Kanye West goes political in New Year's first tweets

French actor Vincent Cassel and his wife, model Tina Kunakey are pregnant with their first child.
The couple made the announcement Tuesday on Instagram.
Cassel, 52, shared a short clip from a beach in Bahia, Brazil in which he could be seen holding and kissing Kunakey's growing baby bump.
"Bonne annee Feliz ano novo Happy new year #tellementdechance #danslavieriennestdu #lifeismagicneverforget #goal," he captioned the video, which translates to "Happy New Year" in French and Portuguese.
The model, 21, also shared a smiling photo of herself on the beach.
Kunakey posed in the nude holding a straw hat strategically while showing off her pregnant belly.
"HAPPIEST NEW YEAR EVER #andifyoudontknownowyouknow," she wrote alongside photo.
The news comes four months after the couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in France.
Cassel is already a father to daughters Deva, 15, and and Leonie, 9 whom he shares with Italian actor Monica Bellucci.

Vincent Cassel, Tina Kunakey expecting first child

Netflix confirmed Tuesday that it removed an episode of a satirical comedy show that criticises Saudi Arabia, after officials in the kingdom reportedly complained.
The move raises new questions about the limits of free online expression.
In the episode of "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj," the American-born Muslim lashed Saudi Arabia after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
He specifically criticised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and was also critical of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.
"We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and removed this episode only in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request -- and to comply with local law," a Netflix spokeswoman said in a statement.
British newspaper the Financial Times said Netflix's action came after the kingdom's Communications and Information Technology Commission said the episode violated the cybercrime law.
In December, the US Senate approved two 

Netflix drops satire episode critical of Saudi Arabia

Filmmaker David Dhawan Tuesday remembered veteran writer-actor Kader Khan as the "king of writing emotions" and a performer who believed in improvisation.
Khan and Dhawan delivered some of the biggest hits of '90s and early 2000s including "Shola aur Shabnam", "Hero No 1", "Coolie No 1", "Aunty No 1", "Haseena Maan Jayegi" and "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi" among numerous others.
"He has done such a great work. He was a fine writer and an actor as well. He played his innings very well. I have enjoyed working with him. He was so talented," Dhawan told PTI.
Khan passed away Monday evening after prolonged illness in Toronto, Canada, where he was hospitalised. He was 81.
Recalling his first meeting with Khan during the making of "Bol Radha Bol" in 1992, the director said the actor-writer was a professional par excellence.
"I remember going and meeting him first in 1992 during 'Bol Radha Bol' and he was such a big star then. When he used to hear the story and discuss scenes he was so professional .

David Dhawan remembers 'king of writing emotions' Kader Khan

Celebrated filmmaker Mrinal Sen, the last of the triumvirate of directing icons, Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, was cremated here on Tuesday in the presence of eminent film personalities.
Sen's funeral took place after the arrival of his son Kunal from Chicago on Tuesday early morning.
His mortal remains were moved from Peace World mortuary to Keoratala crematorium. The procession was a low key affair as desired by the filmmaker, his son, who addressed him as 'bondhu' (friend), said.
"Bondhu (Sen) had often told me there should not be any hype surrounding his death. He had asked me to see wreaths don't pile up on his body and it is not kept in any of the state-run cultural complexes like 'Nandan' or 'Rabindra Sadan'. He had said that he hated such things," Kunal said.
Actor-director Anjan Dutt, who was introduced in movies by Sen with "Chaalchitra" in 1981, actor Ranjit Mallick, who made a debut in Bengali cinema with Sen's "Interview", Ray's son, director Sandi Ray, Sen's favourite  

Legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen cremated

Kader Khan, the rare Bollywood artiste who straddled the twin worlds of writing and acting with equal prowess, died in Toronto after prolonged illness on the last day of the year, his son said. He was 81.
Khan, who left an indelible imprint on commercial cinema of the 1980s and 1990s, slipped into a coma on Monday in a Toronto hospital. He is survived by his sons Sarfaraz and Shahnawaz.
"My dad has left us. He passed away on December 31 at 6 pm as per Canadian time due to prolonged illness. He slipped into coma in the afternoon. He was in the hospital for 16-17 weeks," Sarfaraz told PTI.
The last rites of the veteran actor, who was a civil engineering professor before going on to act in more than 300 films and writing over 250, will be held in Canada.
"We have our entire family here and we live here so we are doing it. We are thankful to everyone for their blessings and prayers," he said.
News of the death of the actor-screenwriter, known for writing blockbuster hits such as "Amar ...

'Writer No 1', actor Kader Khan dies in Toronto; Bollywood mourns

TV host Andy Cohen is expecting a baby boy through  surrogacy.
The host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" revealed on CNN's live New Year's Eve show on Monday evening that he is expecting a little one.
"This is the biggest year for me. It's a boy. It's a boy," Cohen told co-host Anderson Cooper.
"It's a boy and I got to tell you something, I cannot wait to meet this boy," he added.
The baby is expected to be born early this year.
Cohen said, growing up, he could not picture having a family as a gay man.
"I just never thought it would be possible as a gay man to grow up and have a family. And here we are in 2018, almost (2019), and anything's possible. And I'm so grateful to a wonderful surrogate that I'm working with," he said.
On the December 20 episode of "WWHL", Cohen announced he is going to become a father.

Andy Cohen to become father

Politicians in Maharashtra Tuesday  remembered Bollywood actor-writer Kader Khan as a "cinematic  legend" who made lakhs of people laugh through his silver  screen performances and dialogues.
Khan, 81, who was best known for penning some of the  most powerful dialogues and comic timing as an actor, died on  December 31 due to prolonged illness in Canada.
Maharashtra Culture Minister Vinod Tawde said an "era  of brilliance" in Indian cinema has come to end with the  passing away of Khan. "My condolences are with his family and  loved ones," he said.
Former chief minister and state Congress unit  president Ashok Chavan said he was deeply saddened by Khan's  demise.
"My heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in  peace," he said.
Maharashtra Congress twitted: "Kader Khan will be  remembered for being the reason behind limitless laughter  through his brilliant comedy".
Mumbai Congress leaders have also condoled Khan's  demise.
"We are saddened by the passing away of veteran  actor-writer 

Maha politicos hail Kader Khan as cinematic legend, brilliant

Announcing his formal entry into politics, critically-acclaimed actor Prakash Raj on Tuesday said he will contest as an independent candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The National Award-winning actor made the declaration in a tweet.
"Happy New Year to everyone. A new beginning... more responsibility.. with your support I will be contesting in the coming parliament elections as an independent candidate.
"Details of the constituency soon. Ab ki baar Janatha ki Sarkar in parliament too...," the Bengaluru-born Raj said on Twitter.
The actor has been vocal about his views on the current BJP-led government at the Centre. He has also been one of those seeking justice for his friend and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her residence in September 2017.
Raj earlier claimed that Bollywood filmmakers stopped offering him roles as he has been critical of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
The actor is the latest celebrity to join politics from south after ...

Prakash Raj announces entry into politics, will contest 2019 LS elections

More than 300 films on, Kader Khan was always more than the sum of his roles, the consummate multi-hyphenated Bollywood artiste for those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s on a staple diet of commercial films that either featured him or were penned by him.
Engineer-scriptwriter-actor-dialogue writer, Khan, who died in Toronto at the age of 81 before he could see the dawn of a New Year, was all these and more.
Khan was that rare film personality who was equally important on screen and off screen with about 300 roles as an actor and writing credits in over 250 films.
Before he slipped into the skin of his characters on screen -- playing the buffoon, controlling father and villain in a range of films good and bad -- Khan took his first tentative steps in Bollywood as a back-end writer giving shape to storylines.
The Kabul-born Pathan started his career as a professor of civil engineering before being pulled into the world of showbiz as a writer.
Khan was famously spotted by screen ...

Kader Khan: Massy actor-writer who engineered commercial cinema's biggest hits

Actor Kevin Spacey will have to attend his arraignment on sexual assault charges in Nantucket, Massachusetts, a judge decided Monday.
According to People magazine, in papers filed with the court last week, attorneys for Spacey had asked a Massachusetts judge to waive the Oscar winner's mandatory appearance at the January 7, 2019 proceeding.
"Presence will amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with this case," an affidavit from Spacey noted.
The actor indicated his lawyers would enter not guilty pleas on his behalf at the arraignment.
In the supporting documents his attorneys claimed that if Spacey attended the hearing, it would "only serve to heighten prejudicial media interest in the case and will increase the risk of contamination of the pool of jurors available for the trial".
Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Michael Giardino had opposed Spacey's request.
The 59-year-old actor has been charged with felony indecent assault and battery for his ...

Kevin Spacey must attend arraignment in sexual assault case, says judge

Hollywood star Emily Blunt will be receiving the Creative Impact in Acting Award at Palm Springs Film Festival on January 4.
According to Variety, the award celebrates Blunt's year in film between her supporting role in "A Quiet Place" and her starring role in Disney's "Mary Poppins Returns".
The actor has received SAG nominations for both roles and a Golden Globe nomination for "Mary Poppins Returns".
Previous recipients of this award have included Daniel Kaluuya, Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg, and Steve Carell.
Variety will also honour Ryan Coogler with the creative impact in directing award.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held January 3-14.

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