Page 911 - Entertainment Culture
Salman Khan inspired Anil Sharma's son to act
Superstar Salman Khan might not have launched director Anil Sharma's son Utkarsh Sharma in Bollywood, but the youngster says that while being on the set of the Salman-starrer "Veer: An Epic Love Story of a Warrior", he witnessed "this magical thing" that helped him take up acting as a career.
Hema Malini, Esha Deol set to catwalk for 'Cakewalk'
Mother-daughter duo Hema Malini and Esha Deol Takhtani will walk the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2018 to promote the latter's forthcoming movie "Cakewalk". They will be showstoppers for designer Sanjukta Duttas latest collection 'Abor'.
Dino Morea excited to take Pet Fed to Bengaluru
Actor Dino Morea is happy that Pet Fed, a pet festival, will debut in Bengaluru this year, and says it will be a fun experience for all.
Vajpayee called me Rasraj, says Pandit Jasraj
The late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a connoisseur of poetry and music, was a fan of the 88-year-old Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj and called him 'Rasraj' (King of Rasas). Pandit Jasraj disclosed this during the launch of his authorised biography, "Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj" in the US recently, author Sunita Budhiraja said. "Pandit Jasraj told the audience that it was Atal ji who first called him Rasraj. That was the upadhi (title) that Pandit Jasraj loves most," she told PTI. Budhiraja said Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, noted Indian classical musician and 'Santoor' player told her that among all the honours and titles Pandit Jasraj has received , 'Rasraj' is the one he likes the most. "Atal ji lives through through the music of Pandit Jasraj and the title of my book," she said. While at the AIIMS, Vajpayee listened to old film music and poetry on the AIR FM Gold radio station, she said. The 534-page book has incidents and anecdotes from Pandit Jasraj's life, from his ...
Jason Bourne TV spinoff to become series
Television show "Treadstone", which is set in the Jason Bourne universe, will now be made into a series.
Don't want to limit myself to only women-oriented films: Kajol
Women-oriented films are gaining momentum in Bollywood but Kajol says it would be restrictive as an actor to limit herself to just one genre. "There are lots of films coming your way that are being written with a female central character in mind. It also has to do with whether you want to do that kind of film or not. I don't want to do only that kind of film. I want to do everything," she told PTI in an interview. "There is very little good content being written. I think it is the fact that there are not many good scripts that are coming to you. But generally there is not much good writing happening per se," she added. After her last outing "Dilwale" in 2015, Kajol is excited about her forthcoming release "Helicopter Eela", in which she plays the role of a single mother. The Pradeep Sarkar directed film addresses the issue of parenting and generation gap but Kajol says the film also talks about "who we are as women". Being a mother, Kajol said, there were times when she missed out ...
Abir Chatterjee has matured incredibly: Srijit Mukherji (Movie Snippets)
Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji says Abir Chatterjee, whom he is working with in "Shah Jahan Regency", says the actor has matured incredibly since the last time they worked together in "Jaatishwar".
Hollywood pays tribute to Aretha Franklin
From singers to actors to leaders, Hollywood celebrities from all segments condoled the demise of the legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who died at 76 after battling serious health conditions.
Katrina heads to Malta for 'Bharat'
Bollywood star Katrina Kaif has kick-started her 'Bharat' journey as the actress headed to Malta for shooting today.While the film went on floors earlier last month, the 35-year-old begins her first schedule now. The 'Dhoom 3' star will join Salman Khan, who started shooting for his second schedule of the film in the European island country last week.The actress posted an Instagram story announcing her departure for Malta.After Priyanka Chopra walked out of the film, Katrina was roped in to play the lead, opposite the 'Dabangg' star. The film also stars Tabu and Disha Patani in pivotal roles.'Bharat' is set to have a character-driven story spanning across many periods and will be shot across exotic locations in Malta and Abu Dhabi, besides Punjab and Delhi in India.Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, the flick is slated to hit theatres on June 5, next year.
Afghan rock band struggles to hit right note in Iran
The band gathers in a small carpentry shop on the outskirts of Iran's capital, with sawdust still in the air but the buzzing of the jigsaws now exchanged for the soft feedback of an amplifier. A drummer strikes his snare four times and Hakim Ebrahimi opens with the first dreamy notes of "Afghanistan," the sound of their Metallica-inspired rock ballad filling the air. The four rockers that make up the band, known as Arikayn, are Afghan refugees, and their struggles mirror those of millions of other Afghans who have fled to Iran during decades of war. They once had to sneak through a Taliban checkpoint to pay a gig in their home country, and they face discrimination in Iran, but they say that hasn't stopped them from playing the music they love. "This is very hard for all of us, but when we play a song, we become the person that we want to be," bassist Mohammad Rezai said. Iran is home to one of the world's largest and most-protracted refugee crises. More than 3 million Afghans, ...
I do have my downtime to keep a balance: Ranveer Singh (IANS Interview)
His infectious energy is something people take inspiration from and his quirkiness makes him one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood. However, Ranveer Singh makes sure to switch off from the world and unwind as his day gets over to take a break from his fast-paced life.
'Laila Majnu' liberated me from vanity, says actor Avinash Tiwary
Actor Avinash Tiwary, who is playing the protagonist of "Laila Majnu", presented by prolific filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, says looking deglamourised in his first ever big film did not bother him as the essence of his character is to celebrate eternal love which goes beyond physicality.
Our society is proving sicker by the day: Richa Chadha on #MeToo
As the #MeToo tide continues to cause waves across the global entertainment industry, Bollywood actress Richa Chadha says the world of cinema is still in a privileged position, especially at a time when newspapers are highlighting children facing sexual abuse in shelter homes and society is becoming "sicker every day".
Rosamund Pike refused to strip for Bond film audition
Actor Rosamund Pike has revealed she refused to strip during an audition for a James Bond film, but still secured the part. The 39-year-old Oscar-nominated actor made her Hollywood debut as Miranda Frost opposite Pierce Brosnan's Bond in 2002's "Die Another Day," and was just 21 when she auditioned for the role. Pike was asked by producers to strip to her underwear during casting, something that she flatly refused to do. It was a reaction the filmmakers admired, giving her the part on the spot. "My first audition was for a Bond film and I remember them saying I was to drop my dress and appear in my underwear," the actor told Amazon's Audible Sessions this week. "On the day, I don't know how I got the resolve and strength of mind, but I just thought 'if they're going to see me in my underwear, they better give me the job'. So, I thought, 'There's no way I'm going to take off a dress in the audition for this tape to be sent around Los Angeles and to be judged on that'." She said she was
Prateik to embrace drag culture at fashion gala
Actor Prateik Babbar will be seen embracing the drag culture for Chola The Label at the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week's Winter-Festive edition. He says it is an attempt by to normalise topics that are usually not discussed in the mainstream.
JLo's 'Shades of Blue' to have a tragic finale?
The series finale of Jennifer Lopez starrter 'Shades of Blue' is finally here! The actor-singer has dropped a few hints about how her character Detective Harlee Santo's story will end in the finale which will be aired on 19 August.It appears that the show will come to an emotional and tragic end. After playing the role of a detective who straddles the lines of personal morals and professional ethics, Lopez said she has very mixed feelings about sending Harlee off with blood on her hands after three seasons, reported Entertainment Weekly.The 'Ice Age' actor said, "It's bittersweet, because it was such a hard role and such a demanding project for me. It took up so much of my time. And in that sense, I knew we were ready to move to the next chapter." Lopez added that she fell in love with the cast, characters, and the story, and also loved playing Harlee's character.She also said that the detective's character helped her grow and become independent in many ways.NBC recently announced ...
Of Hindu gods, mythology, and spirituality (IANS Books This Weekned)
Enter the mythical world of Maha Vishnu and get swept up in a fast-paced and suspenseful narrative; flick through the second part of the "Blue Lotus Trilogy", which pays homage to India's magnificent mythological heritage and takes the reader on a journey into the heart of human passions; connect with some of the deeper concepts in the Gita; and get into the realm of the nothingness of profound and lasting peace.
Small town people find happiness in small things: Shraddha Kapoor
Actress Shraddha Kapoor, who visited the Madhya Pradesh town of Chanderi while filming for the movie "Stree", says the vibe of the place was heart-warming as she felt that people in small towns don't run after materialistic things.
Scarlett Johansson is the highest paid actress with USD 40.5 million: Forbes
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has become the best-paid actress in the world, according to Forbes magazine. Johansson, 33, made USD 40.5 million in pre-tax earnings from June 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, quadrupling her income from the previous year. She played Black Widow in this year's hit Marvel movie "Avengers: Infinity War" and will return to the role in the 2019 installment from Walt Disney Co's Marvel Studios. Johansson beat out Angelina Jolie, who ranked second with USD 28 million thanks mainly to her upfront pay for "Maleficent 2". Jennifer Aniston came in third with USD 19.5 million, making the bulk of her profits from Emirates airlines, Smartwater, and Aveeno promotions, Forbes reports. Jennifer Lawrence, 28, was fourth on the list with continued earnings from her role in the "X-Men" series and an endorsement contract with fashion brand Christian Dior. Her USD 18 million income was USD 6 million less than the prior year. Reese Witherspoon, 42, is at number five with USD ...
Elton John pays tribute to Aretha Franklin
Mourning his friend Aretha Franklin's demise, music maestro Sir Elton John paid a long tribute to the 'Queen of Soul' on Social Media.Describing Franklin's passing away as a "blow" for her fans, John tweeted, "The loss of Aretha Franklin is a blow for everybody who loves real music: Music from the heart, the soul and the Church. Her voice was unique, her piano playing underrated - she was one of my favourite pianists."He also added that he was fortune enough to witness her last performance, "I was fortunate enough to spend time with her and witness her last performance - a benefit for @ejaf at St John The Divine Cathedral. She was obviously unwell,and I wasn't sure she could perform. But Aretha did and she raised the roof.""The whole world will miss her but will always rejoice in her remarkable legacy. The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen. #RIPArethaFranklin... Elton xx," he concluded.Franklin's last public appearance was at Elton John's AIDS Foundation event in New York last ...