No acting plans for Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt's kids

Los Angeles: Actress Angelina Jolie has said that her children have no plans to become actors.


Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and kids
The "Maleficent" star has revealed her six children -- Maddox, 14, Pax, 12, Zahara, 10, Shiloh, nine, and seven-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, who she has with husband Brad Pitt -- have no intention to follow in their parents' footsteps.
Recalling the time she brought them into work with her to make panda sounds for animation movie "Kung Fu Panda 3", Jolie told etonline.com: "They were kind of shy. They don't really want to be actors, but I didn't want them to miss the opportunity."
"They came in, and they had a lot of fun with it," she added.
Meanwhile, the "Salt" actress had shared that her children think she's a bit "weird".
"They think I'm weird. Well, alright, they might. Maddox talks to me sometimes about writing as if he doesn't think I'm terrible at it and Vivienne is just happy I'm a tiger in a panda movie," she said.
"But, ah, she's just a little one - she's all sweet. I mean, there are moments when I can be cool, but they like to mess with me. They like to make fun of me. I'm just little mommy," Jolie added.

Kate Hudson, Nick Jonas fuel dating rumours

Los Angeles: Singer Nick Jonas and actress Kate Hudson have fuelled dating rumours as they were spotted having a great time together in California.


Kate Hudson (Pic/Santa Banta) and Nick Jonas (Pic/AFP)
Joined by some friends, Jonas and Hudson were seen visiting a Starbucks outlet in Mammoth Lakes, California on Monday.
The "Bride Wars" actress looked delighted as she was all smiles while seemingly performing some dance moves, reports tmz.com.
"Kate was dancing around and laughing. She was very giddy and in great spirits. They were laughing a lot and (were) very flirty. Nick picked up the tab for everybody's coffee," an insider said.
Another source claimed that Hudson's sense of humour managed to make Jonas singer laugh.
"She makes him laugh. They have fun together," said the source.
The duo first sparked romance rumours back in September 2015, when they were photographed having a trip together to Disney World in Orlando.

Keri Russell is reportedly pregnant

New York: Actress Keri Russell is reportedly expecting her first with actor Mathew Rhys.

The duo have been romantically linked after co-starring on FX's series "The Americans".

An insider told usweekly.com that Russell is "more than four months along" and that "it's so exciting" for both Russell and Rhys.

After news of her pregnancy broke, the 39-year-old actress stepped out here on Wednesday.

She was seen wearing an oversized tan coat that concealed her supposed blooming baby bump.

She is already mother to eight-year-old son River and three-year-old daughter Willa.

In December 2013, her publicist had confirmed that she had split from her husband Shane Deary.

Spike Lee documentary to centre on Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall'

Los Angeles: King of Pop Michael Jackson's 1979 album 'Off The Wall' will be released with Spike Lee's documentary.


Michael Jackson.
Titled "Michael Journey's Journey From Motown to Off The Wall," the film is set to make its world premiere on January 24 at Sundance Film Festival, reported USA Today.
The documentary will then air on Showtime February 5 and following that it will "be broadcast in territories around the world."
Jackson's estate and Sony Legacy Recordings are planning to release a package of the documentary and the original album in CD/DVD and CD/Blu Ray editions on February 26.

'Fast and Furious 8' may be filmed in Cuba

Los Angeles: The eighth film in the "Fast and Furious" franchise may shoot in Cuba.


Vin Diesel in 'Fast and Furious 8'.
Multiple sources say that F. Gary Gray, the director of "Fast and Furious 8", recently returned from a scouting trip which included the previously embargoed nation, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
In addition, the sources explain that the production has moved forward with the paperwork to shoot there.
"Universal Pictures is currently in the process seeking approval from the United States and Cuban governments to explore shooting a portion of the next installment of the 'Fast & Furious' series in Cuba," read a statement from the studio.
If it is approved, the street-racing movie will be the first Hollywood film to shoot on the island since the embargo in the 1960s.
Vin Diesel will return as the lead actor in the movie.
He will be joined by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson, with Jason Statham and Kurt Russell expected to return.
"Fast and Furious 8" will be released in North America on April 14, 2017.

Sylvester Stallone will not play 'Rambo' again

Los Angeles: Action star Sylvester Stallone said he will not be reprising his role as the iconic military war hero 'Rambo' again.


Sylvester Stallone.
Despite saying for years that he was working on a script for the fifth installment of the film, the 69-year-old actor said he was happy where 2008's 'Rambo IV' left the character, reported Variety.
"The heart's willing, but the body says, 'Stay home!'It's like fighters that go back for one last round and get clobbered. Leave it to someone else. As an action film, I was very satisfied that it dealt with the Burmese situation.
"...It was so brutal, which civil war is, I was shocked they even gave me an R-rating. I didn't want to compromise. I said, 'This is probably going to be the last decent film of this genre that I'm going to do as a solo act.' When that was accomplished, I never felt the same willingness to do it again," Stallone, who first played the iconic character in 1982, said.
The actor is also not involved in the 'Rambo' TV series, which is in development at Fox and focuses on the character's son.
"I don't want to cast aspersions. But it's delicate to try to replace a character with his son. I've seen the son of Flicka, the son of Tarzan, the son of King Kong, the son of Godzilla. It's a very difficult premise," she said.

Vin Diesel chokes up while singing for Paul Walker

Washington: It was an emotional night in the People's choice Award event for Vin Diesel.


Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.
The 'Fast and Furious' star's voice got chocked while accepting two awards for 'Furious 7' 'favourite movie' and 'favourite action movie', reports People magazine.
Diesel recollected the memories of his friend and co-star Paul Walker, who died in a 2013 car crash while shooting for the movie.
The 48-year-old star said how difficult it was to film the movie after Walker's demise. Fighting back tears, Diesel told the audience he was not expecting to be hit with such a wave of feeling as he stepped onstage.

Footage from One Direction's shelved music video leaked

London: A footage of British boy band One Direction's shelved music video for their single 'Infinity' has leaked online.


British boy band One Direction
In the brief video clip, the band members are seen performing in what looks like a parking lot while the song plays in the background, reports aceshowbiz.com.
Behind them is a massive white backdrop featuring their faces drawn among other images seemingly created by fans.
Written by Julian Bunetta, John Ryan and Jamie Scott, "Infinity" was first released in September last year as a countdown single preceding the release of One Direction's fifth studio effort.
Because of that reason, some fans expressed their disappointment on Twitter after it was announced that the song would be the group's next official single.

Christina Hendricks joins 'Bad Santa 2' cast

Los Angeles: Christina Hendricks has been roped in by the makers of 'Bad Santa 2' to play Diane, the head of a charity organisation.


Christina Hendricks
The sequel to the 2003 dark comedy sees the return of Tony Cox and Brett Kelly reprising their roles, reported Entertainment Weekly.
Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates as will be seen as Soke's mom in the movie.
'Mean Girls' helmer Mark Waters is directing the project from Johnny Rosenthal's script.

Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose in talks to join Vin Diesel for 'XXX 3'

Los Angeles: Actress Nina Dobrev and Ruby rose are in negotiations to join action star Vin Diesel in the third installment of 'XXX' franchise.


Nina Dobrev and Vin Diesel.
Titled 'XXX: The Return of Xander Cage', the film also stars Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who will start shooting from February.
Samuel L Jackson is attached to the film that heads to a production start later this month, said The Hollywood Reporter.
The movie will be shot in Toronto and the Philippines. DJ Caruso is directing from the script by F Scott Frazier.
Joe Roth is producing the movie with his new partner Jeff Kirschenbaum as well as Diesel and his producing partner, Samantha Vincent.
The original film starred Diesel as an extreme sports athlete recruited to be a spy and use his unique skill set to stop a global terrorist.

HBO near to close deal for 'Game of Thrones' seasons 7, 8

Los Angeles: Premium cable and satellite television network HBO is in final talks to sign the deal for another two-season renewal of their popular fantasy drama 'Game of Thrones'.


Game of Thrones.
HBO programming president Michael Lombardo made the revelations to a set of reporters during Television Critics Association's winter press tour, said The Hollywood Reporter.
The renewal would be for seasons seven and eight. It will be the second time that the fantasy drama, based on the books by George RR Martin, has scored the dual order.
In 2014, the network renewed the Emmy-winning drama for seasons five and six.
The news came after HBO announced an April 24 premiere date for sixth season of the series.
A formal announcement is expected to come soon.

Irina Shayk gives 'hot-bod' treat on 30th birthday

Washington D.C: Irina Shayk recently gave a birthday treat to her fans by flaunting her hot bikini body.
The supermodel, who turned 30 recently, took to her Instagram and shared a photo of herself rocking an extremely tiny red bikini while hanging out at home. Posing in front of her bathroom mirror, she flaunted her slim figure and model pout, reports E! Online.

 

A photo posted by irinashayk (@irinashayk) onJan 7, 2016 at 4:04am PST

Irina Shayk captioned the picture, '2016 lets go.'
Irina Shayk also shared an animated photo of herself with a birthday crown earlier and told her fans, 'I guess the best age just reached me. Who would think I'd be here at my 30's in this place.. So grateful for everything, and the amazing people who helped over the years! Thank u all for the gifts and Bday wishes..'

Emma Stone to be the next Cruella in '101 Dalmatians'

Washington: Guess who is the next Cruella de Vil in Disney's upcoming origins flick '101 Dalmatians' none other than Emma Stone.

Emma Stone.  The Oscar-nominated star is in early negations for the role with the team, reports Us magazine.
The live-action spin-off of the classic 1961 animated film is currently being written by Kelly Marcel, the writer for 'Fifty Shades of Grey'. No director has been finalised yet.
Stone would be the second actress to play Cruella in a live-action Disney film. Glenn Close last portrayed the Dalmatian-stealing madwoman, who was originally voiced by Betty Lou Gerson.

'Daddy's Home' - Movie Review

'Daddy's Home'
U/A; Comedy
Director: Sean Anders
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, Alessandra Ambrosio, Paul Scheer
Rating: 

'Daddy's Home' poster. Pic/Santa Banta
It's meant to be a laugh riot but what it ends up being is just, barely amusing. Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell team up once again, in this attempt to bring the house down but 'Daddy's Home' doesn't quite get the mechanics right and the jaded set-ups just about pile up the misery.
A timid radio executive Brad(Will Ferrell) working for a several times divorced and remarried (Thomas Haden Church), manager of 'The Panda', a smooth-jazz radio station, strives to be the world's best stepfather, but his efforts are thwarted when his wife Sarah's (Linda Cordellini) freeloading ex-husband Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) comes back into the picture.
Familiarity and predictability jade the set-up. Ferrell is the soft-core, wimpy, easy-on-the-tears, square married to a woman whose ex-husband and biological father of her two children is more of a handy doer, with a coveted body type and responsibility issues. Trouble brews when the Ex decides to pay his former family a visit, prompted of course by Brad's sense of fair-play. But all's not fair when two grown-up men compete for the affections of a woman and her offspring.
Juvenile antics, delinquent behavior by adults and sub-plots that veer away from the main thread add to the listlessness of this product. While Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell are pretty much on the up, in terms of comic timing, there's very little for them to do other than aggressive posturing.
A few laughs can be had on that but after a point it all gets tiresome and boring. The Boss (Thomas Haden Church) gets the best lines and the handyman (Hannibal Buress) a contractor hired and then fired by Brad, ekes out a few too. The childish antics of the grown-ups get to you after a point. And it's really not funny anymore thereafter!

'Our Brand is Crisis' - Movie Review

'Our Brand is Crisis' fails to work as a convincing political satire as the pranks devised as a show of aggressive competitiveness appear childish and the performances lack dramatic heft

'Our Brand is Crisis'

A; Comedy-drama

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Zoe Kazan, Scoot McNairy, Joaquim de Almeida, Ann Dowd

Director: David Gordon Green

Rating: 
This film aims to expose the chicanery involved in political branding. It's inspired by Rachel Boynton's 2005 documentary of the same name, which was based on events that occurred during the real-life 2002 Bolivian election when the James Carville's DC-based consulting firm was brought in to manage one of the campaigns for presidency. Director David Gordon Green of 'Pineapple Express' and 'Joe' fame, helms this political satire that ends up highlighting silly, childish pranks instead of getting deeper into the political quagmire for a more fulfilling experience. Peter Straughan's screenplay doesn't allow for any deeper insight other than the facile and obvious one. Presidential election campaigns have featured in many a Hollywood movie so this one doesn't have anything new to expose other than the place it is situated in and the local culture thereof.


The country may be Bolivia but the strategies and tactics are not new to the Americas. As far as the Indian audience is concerned, but for the recent elections in India where the Prime Ministerial candidate chose a presidential campaign, we've not been exposed to this form of campaigning. So it's still a novel experience for the Indian audience so-to-speak.
Former President Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida) has seen considerable vane in his popularity given that the opposition candidates are far more charming, natural orators and have a better bond with the weaker sections of the country. So whether he is good or bad is inconsequential. All that matters is whether he can bring in the votes to garner him victory. Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock) has been hired to set his image right and shift the tide in his favor. The opponent has an equally reliable consultant in Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton). Both teams are willing to get down and dirty and the bad history between Bodine and Candy only adds more spice to the face-off between the two main rivals.
'Our Brand is Crisis' basically attempts a cross between 'Primary Colors' and 'Z' but doesn't distinguish itself in the process. The satire doesn't quite work, the pranks devised as a show of aggressive competitiveness appear childish, there's a little too much of talk going on ( most of it extremely boring) and the performances lack dramatic heft. The attempt to leave the audience with a tinge of compassion for the lead character also appears contrived and is in experience quite unfulfilling. At the end of it all we as an audience are left quite dissatisfied. What started off as promising ends up as indistinct.

Ridley Scott in talks to direct 'The Prisoner' movie

Los Angeles: Director Ridley Scott is in talks to direct 'The Prisoner', the big-screen version of 1968 British television series of the same name.
Ridley Scott
Several A-list writers have had a shot at penning the drafts of the script over the years, including Christopher McQuarrie ('The Usual Suspects'). The most recent version was by William Monahan ('The Departed').
Universal and Scott are now looking for a new scriptwriter to come on board the project, which has been in the works at Universal for several years now, reports aceshowbiz.com.
The movie adaptation is being produced by Scott Stuber and Dylan Clark of Bluegrass Films. 'Interstellar' director Christopher Nolan also circled the film at one point.
While Scott is prepping the 'Prometheus' sequel, he is in the midst of Oscar campaign of 'The Martian', which is up for Best Picture in the Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes.

Navneet Kaur Dhillon always considered herself a 'born actress'

Former Miss India Navneet Kaur Dhillon, who makes her debut with the romantic film "Loveshhuda', says that she was a "born actress".

When asked if beauty alone was enough to pull someone through in the industry, Navneet said: "Talent is necessary because acting is a totally different field as compared to beauty pageants or ramp walks. They are two different lines so talent is needed but I always thought I was a born actress and my father is aware about this fact."

The actress was present at the trailer launch of "Loveshhuda' on Wednesday.

The film directed by Vaibhav Mishra depicts the story about love and friendship. It will release on February 5.

She is paired opposite Girish Kumar in the film, who'll be seen after his debut "Ramaiya Vastavaiya".

Navneet says that "he is very supportive and hardworking".

No need to starve to stay in shape, says Claudia Ciesla

Actress Claudia Ciesla, who is seen flaunting a bikini body in her next film "Kya Kool Hain Hum 3", says she never starves to stay fit.

"I have always believed in being healthy and to be fit, you don't need to starve. My fitness mantra is start eating healthy, then you will stop craving about unhealthy food," Claudia told IANS.

"Introduce nuts and fruits to your diet instead of samosas and start exercising. Starving should not be allowed. That's the worst thing to do," she added.

The professional and fit actress is also a certified nutritionist and says that she wanted to educate herself and hence applied for certification.

"When it comes to being fit, I wanted to educate myself more on this so I decided to take up a course. So, yes now I am a certified nutritionist," she said.

Dheere dheere...' crosses 100-mn-mark on YouTube

"Dheere dheere se meri zindagi", a romantic single recreated and sung by rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh and featuring actors Hrithik Roshan and Sonam Kapoor, has crossed the 100-million-mark on video-sharing site YouTube.

The video was published on September 1 from the official T-Series channel on the online platform. It is a recreated version of the popular song "Dheere dheere" from 1990 film "Aashiqui".

"We are super excited about 'Dheere dheere...' having reached 100 million views. It's the first time ever that a Hindi single song has reached this number which no Bollywood song also has been able to achieve," T-Series head Bhushan Kumar said in a statement.

"We at T-Series have pioneered many new trends in music from the inception and I am happy that once again, we have created a whole new market for music in India," he added.

Hrithik and Sonam's sizzling chemistry in the video is one reason why people are loving the song, which is also quite catchy in itself.

Priyanka wins 'Favourite Actress' at People's Choice Awards 2016

Bollywood actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra made India proud yet again by winning a People's Choice Award for her international debut as FBI agent Alex Parish in American TV thriller series "Quantico". She is said to be the first South Asian actress to win the honour.

Priyanka was named the Favourite Actress in a New TV series at the gala on Wednesday night.

Ecstatic with the victory, she said: "I'd like to thank everyone who voted for 'Quantico'. It is my first year in the US, and to come to another country and actually get this kind of acceptance is I guess what America is all about.

"So, thank you for accepting me, thank you to my mom, my manager, the cast and crew, the writer, ABC...everyone. I'm really overwhelmed."

The 33-year-old star was given the trophy by Hollywood action star Vin Diesel, who also gave a touching tribute to his late "Fast and Furious" co-star Paul Walker by singing the song "See you again" during the course of the show.

"Furious 7", Walker's last film before he passed away in November 2013 in a car accident, was named the Favourite Movie and the Favourite Action Movie at People's Choice Awards 2016.

Other Hollywood celebrities who received awards at the ceremony held here at the Microsoft Theater were Ellen DeGeneres, Sandra Bullock, Chris Hemsworth, Johnny Depp and Meghan Trainor.

Hosted by Jane Lynch, the gala honoured the best in movies, TV and music, on the basis of public voting.

Melissa McCarthy, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres were some of the other winners.

While McCarthy won the Favourite Comedic Movie Actress and Favourite Comedic TV Actress awards, DeGeneres took home the trophies for Favourite Daytime TV Host and Favourite Humanitarian.



The Favourite Female Artist and Favourite Pop artist awards were given to Swift.

In the movies section, Channing Tatum was chosen as the Favourite Movie Actor, while Bullock was announced as the Favourite Movie Actress. The Favourite Action Movie Actor award was taken by Chris Hemsworth and Shailene Woodley was honoured as the Favourite Action Movie Actress award.

Other winners included the Favourite Comedic Movie award to "Pitch Perfect 2", Favourite Comedic Movie Actor to Kevin Hart, Favourite Dramatic Movie to "The Martian", Favourite Dramatic Movie Actor to Johnny Depp, Favourite Dramatic Movie Actress to Dakota Johnson, Favourite Family Movie to "Minons" and Favorite Thriller Movie to "Taken 3".

On the small screen, the Favourite TV Show award was given to "The Big Bang Theory", which was even named the Favourite Network TV Comedy trophy.

The awards for Favourite Dramatic TV Actor and Actress were given to Taylor Kinney and Ellen Pompeo.

"Homeland", which featured Bollywood actress Nimrat Kaur, won the Favourite Premium Cable TV Show.

Other winners in the television category included Jim Parsons as Favourite Comedic TV Actor, "Grey's Anatomy" as Favourite Network TV Drama, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" as Favourite Cable TV Comedy, "Pretty Little Liars" as Favourite Cable TV Drama, Kevin Hart and Sasha Alexander as Favourite Cable TV Actor and Actress, Dwayne Johnson and Kristen Bell as Favourite Premium Cable TV Actor and Actress among others.

Meanwhile, in music categories, singer Ed Sheeran was given the award for Favourite Male Artist, American girl group Fifth Harmony was chosen as Favourite Group and singer Shawn Mendes was given the Favourite Breakout Artist award.

The Favourite Male and Female Country Artist awards went to Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood.

Singers Nicki Mnaj and Meghan Trainor were given the awards for Favourite Hip-Hop Artist and Favourite Album respectively. And Justin Bieber's hit single "What do you mean?" was announced as this year's Favourite Single.

Madonna was announced as the Favourite Music Icon.

Amongst other popular categories, Britney Spears was named as Favourite Social Media Celebrity; the Favourite Social Media Star award was taken by Matt Bellassai; Candy Crush Saga was picked as the Favourite Mobile Game, Super Smash Bros was named as Favourite Video Game and Connor Franta called the Favourite YouTube Star.

Apart from that, the People's Choice Awards 2016 also featured some power-packed performances by Jane Lynch, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Jason Derulo, Jordan Smith and David Foster.

Kat talks about the 'conflicts' in a relationship

At an event for her next film, 'Fitoor', Katrina Kaif spoke about the difficulties of being in love. "It depends who you are in love with. In love, the opposition either comes from an outside force or comes from the person you are in love with."

"Every relationship and every love story has its own conflict and has different conflicts. Sometimes it can be the conflict of the third party, or conflict of uncertainty, or conflict of being afraid of commitment, it can be so many conflicts. So it all depends upon who you are in love with," she said. Now Katrina Kaif is certainly dropping a big hint.

Richa under bad weather

Richa was sent back from one of her dubbing sessions due to bad health. The actress who recently visited her home in Delhi is back to Mumbai again. After getting back to Mumbai she kick-started the new year with work and ​i​n spite of her bad health she went for one of her dubbing sessions.

However she was sent back home as the diva was under the weather and it was quite obvious with her change in voice. The makers expressed concern and did not want her to continue dubbing in such condition, as a result they sent her back.

We hope the actress gets well soon and is back in action!

Alia's 'Samjhawan Unplugged' crosses 50-mn-mark on YouTube

Actress Alia Bhatt's popular single "Samjhawan Unplugged", a melodious rendition of singers Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal's "Samjhawan" from 2014 romantic-comedy "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" has crossed the 50-million-mark on YouTube.

Sung by Alia, the song was posted on the video-sharing site in July 2014.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who produced the Shashank Khaitan directorial, took to Twitter on Thursday to share the news with his fans.

"50 million for #samjhawanunplugged! You go girl @aliaa08," he tweeted.

The video of the song features Alia singing on stage while in-between various scenes from the film are shown.

"Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" also starred Ashutosh Rana and Siddharth Shukla, among others.

Hor Nach from Mastizaade is the dance anthem of the year!

The second song from the upcoming film Mastizaade 'Hor Nach' was released yesterday. A fun party number, the video features the Mastizaades Tusshar Kapoor, Vir Das and the sizzling Sunny Leone in a twin avatar as the sexy Lily and Laila grooving to the desi beats choreographed by Mudassar Khan.

Touted to be the next 'Babydoll', 'Hor Nach' has been composed by Meet Bros Anjjan and sung by Meet Bros and Ritu Pathak. The lyrics to this funky number have been penned by Kumaar.

Mastizaade is directed by Milap Milan Zaveri. The film is set to release on January 29, 2016

Review: 'Wazir' is intelligently crafted cine spectacle

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Aditi Rao Hydari, Neil Nitin Mukesh

Director: Bejoy Nambiar

Rating: ***

"Wazir" from Vidhu Vinod Chopra's stable and directed by Bejoy Nambiar is a dramatic thriller that is artistically crafted with a gripping screenplay and brilliant performances by its ace star cast.

An original story by Chopra, it is intelligently and emotionally confronting. It is a revenge story where the strategies in the game of chess are cleverly used as an allegory and keep you riveted to the screen till the end.

The screenplay co-written by Abhijat Joshi and Chopra is interestingly layered and unfurls the mystery at the opportune moment, making it an intensely intriguing film.

It is a tale of the bonding between two disparate individuals, Pandit Omkarnath Dhar, an effervescent old man with a zest for life and chess, and Anti-Terrorism Squad Officer Danish Ali, in their common grief.



Every character is well-etched and designed to interlock the plot effectively.

Amitabh Bachchan as Pandit Omkarnath Dhar, once again in a new avatar, delivers a power-packed performance with a broad spectrum of emotions ranging from an inconsolable father who has lost his daughter, to a happy-go-lucky chess player who introduces Danish Ali, to the game of chess with, "Hamara dushman hai waqt, saat baithkar shatranj khelenge to kat jayega", meaning - our enemy is time, if we sit together and play chess, we will be able to kill time.

Farhan Akhtar in an equally dynamic role as an ATS officer and forlorn father, renders a sincere and credible portrayal. His anguish and frustrations as the emotionally drained husband and father, come across strongly on screen.

Aditi Rao Hydari as Ruhana, Danish's wife, merely contributes to the glamour quotient and fails to impress as an actor.



Manav Kaul as the politician Yazaad Qureshi also known as Badshah, although in a fairly predictable role, is convincing and brilliant.

In miniscule roles are Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham and Seema Pahwa and the two child actors, one playing Danish and Ruhana's daughter Noorie, and the other Yazaad Qureshi's daughter Ruhi. The two young girls, however, are well-cast and strike an emotional chord.



In an otherwise serious themed film, the dialogues are perhaps intentionally ebullient and often arouse chuckles, with a view to making the tenor of the film light. The late-night scene, when Panditji introduces Danish to a unique chess session saying, "Vodka peene ke baad, Pandit, mahapandit ban jata hai" is one such instance.

The songs are efficiently used to propel the narration, forward, especially, "Tere bin", and "Ya maula". And the background score punctuates the narration, aptly, making the entire viewing experience exalting.

Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese captures the visuals perfectly, whether it is the action sequences or emotional turmoil. The frames are pure visual delight. What adds to the aesthetics of the frames, is the lighting, which is deliberate. It succeeds in creating the fitting effect, albeit dramatic.

What keeps you immersed to this film, is the captivating story, tight plot and powerful performances. "Wazir" is a must-watch.

Review: 'Chauranga' - Not glossing over the truths

Cast: Sanjay Suri, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Soham Maitra

Director: Bikas Ranjan Mishra

Rating: **

"Chauranga" is the story of young Dalit boy Santu and his aspirations to become educated and improve his life. Instead, he only gets to look after a pig all day, because of the rigid caste system prevalent in his village.

Writer-director Bikas Ranjan Mishra has picked up a pertinent issue of caste system and through his film depicts how in their daily lives Dalits are suppressed, meted out unfair treatment and have no right to better their lives.

Soham Maitra as Santu effortlessly delivers a power-packed performance as the rebel Dalit boy. Whether it is at the futility of his love for the Zamindar's daughter or the fact that trains do not stop in his village as it is too insignificant a place, Santu's angst and frustration are palpable.



Supporting him adeptly is Riddhi Sen, as his older brother Bajrangi, who too is a natural in front of the camera and expresses himself proficiently as an actor.

Tannistha Chatterjee as Dhaniya, the duo's mother, carries off her character of a Dalit woman with the right amount of attitude and subservience. She obviously understands that bowing down to the Zamindar is the best option and constantly urges her sons to do so.

Sanjay Suri, sadly, as the upper caste Zamindar, in a secret liaison with the Dalit woman Dhaniya, offers nothing to his role, delivering a flat and insipid performance.

Dhritiman Chatterjee renders a strong portrayal as the blind priest who exudes power.

Performances apart, "Chauranga", laced with a powerful message, is delivered in a somewhat convoluted manner, through a haphazard screenplay.

Although the characters of the two brothers are well-etched, there are too many scattered, incomplete incidents in the film, trying to forcefully drive home the message of the frustrations of the Dalits and their ignominy at the hands of the upper caste, giving the film the feel of a documentary on Dalits. The drama quotient is missing. The use of metaphors further lends an aura of unwarranted pretense.



Ramanuj Dutta's cinematography is good in parts. While the village scenes and ethos are beautifully captured, the camera movement at times is shaky and unsteady, making it look a tad amateurish. Also, the constant usage of uncalled-for close-ups and mid-shots, mars the viewing experience.

The title of the film, "Chauranga", which means four colours, does not justify itself properly. Equally limp is the film in its ability to deliver a strong message. The slow pace and lack of high octane action, leaves it looking like a slice of the Dalit life.

The sound handled by Arun Nambiar and Tanmay Das is brilliant and probably the highlight of the film.

The film fails to leave an impact on the viewers.

Amrita to make TV debut with Deepti Naval

Bollywood actress Amrita Rao, who has films like "Vivah", "Ishq Vishk" and "Main Hoon Na" to her credit, has been signed up for her debut onto the small screen with veteran actress Deepti Naval.

Set against the backdrop of the music industry, the show will be a finite series, produced by Nivedita Basu, read a statement.

Deepti is said to portray the older version of Amrita in &TV's upcoming show "Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai".

"Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai" will be shot across real locations.

Prakash Jha annoyed with Censor

Filmmaker Prakash Jha says the cuts demanded by the censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani in his upcoming Priyanka Chopra-starrer 'Jai Gangaajal', including the removal of word 'saala', are not justified.

Jha said the cuts suggested will ruin the texture of the movie and he has moved to the tribunal against the decision of the censor board's revising committee.

"What can I say? He wanted to give 'A' certificate. When I asked why, he said, 'There are many abusive words in your movie. There is word 'saala'. He wanted us to remove the word and certain scenes but I don't think it is an abuse. It is used regularly by people. It is important to the texture of the movie," Jha told PTI.

"There is nothing explicit in the movie. My films deal with social issues and making those changes will be an injustice to my film."

The director said he had first gone to the examining committee but the members there had a difference of opinion then he moved to the revising committee, which was presided by Nihalani himself.



Jha said Nihalani could have discussed and a solution could have been found but instead he handed over many cuts to him.

"He has suggested 11 cuts and told me to beep the word 'saala'. If I begin to do that then I have to beep it in 50 places."

Nihalani, however, told PTI that Jha was not telling the whole truth.

"I can't talk about each and every movie that comes for certification. Prakash Jha had come to us and we had agreed to give him 'A' certificate without any cuts but he wanted an U/A certificate.

We did not agree to it. He is not telling the entire truth," he said.

Kat, Sid starrer 'Baar Baar Dekho' to release on September 9

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra starrer 'Baar Baar Dekho' will hit the screens on September 9.

Directed by debutante filmmaker Nitya Mehra, the movie is co-produced by Karan Johar and Excel Entertainment.

"Our first co-prod with @karanjohar #BaarBaarDekho releases on 09/09/2016 @FarOutAkhtar @S1dharthM @nitya_mehra @DharmaMovies @excelmovies," Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment tweeted.

The movie, which was earlier titled "Kal Jisne Dekha," is a light-hearted, unique love story and will reportedly track 30 years of a couple's life till they reach the age of 60.

Nitya, who assisted Farhan Akhtar in films like "Lakshya" and "Don", has also directed a few episodes of first season of TV series "24", starring Anil Kapoor in the lead role.

Ritesh not satisfied with Censor

Producer Ritesh Sidhwani says that the current guidelines of the censor board are outdated since cinema has evolved and hence needs changes.

Recently, veteran directors Shyam Benegal, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and ad expert Piyush Pandey were appointed to a panel to handle the revamp of the board as well the Cinematography Act and Sidhwani said that even he was invited by these members of the committee from the producer's guild association for a particular initiative recently.

"It's basically a process of dialogue and interaction. I'm sure we'll come with a solution. These kind of hurdles happen. There were rules which were in place, maybe they're old and redundant and which needs to be changed because cinema is evolving. I think the problem is that the guidelines were written 25-30 years ago and the person sitting on the board is following these guidelines," said Sidhwani at a screening of the film, "Wazir".

Central Board of Film Certification head Pahlaj Nihalani, who is in the line of fire for his suggestions to filmmakers regarding cuts and beeps, had also cited these "guidelines' while cutting the duration of the kissing scenes in James Bond's "Spectre".

Nihalani recently got slammed by "Jai Gangaajal" director Prakash Jha for suggesting cuts such as beeping the word "saala" which Jha felt would ruin the texture of the film.

Is 'Saala Khadoos' leading lady getting some special treatment?

Actor R. Madhavan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani have planned a special event to introduce Ritika Singh - the female lead of the forthcoming film "Saala Khadoos".

"Ritika is a real life boxer and hence, Rajkumar Hirani and R. Madhavan have planned a special event for a launch. This would be a unique event as a sport personality is getting a Bollywood launch," a spokesperson of the film said in a statement.

Ritika, a national-level kick boxer, has also learnt mixed martial arts.

"Saala Khadoos", co-produced by Rajkumar Hirani Films and Tricolour Films in association with UTV Motion Pictures, revolves around Madhavan, who is relentlessly pushing his protege Ritika to overcome obstacles and achieve her goals.

The Sudha Kongara-directorial is set to release on January 29.

Kamya to mark her return

After playing villainous avatars on the small screen, actress Kamya Punjabi will be seen in horror TV show "Darr Sabko Lagta Hai".

Kamya will be seen in "The Price" episode of the show, which is hosted by Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu.

She will be seen playing a mother who offers a ride to her neighbours, but drives recklessly causing an accident. When she gains consciousness, she comes face to face with the mother and daughter to whom she gave a ride.

"This is my first ever horror project. I like the fact that it is not gore in the name of horror and there are no weird creatures that make you laugh instead of scaring you. The story I am doing is very interesting," Kamya said in a statement.

Kamya has previously appeared in shows like "Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki", "Banoo Main Teri Dulhann", "Naaginn - Waadon Ki Agniparikshaa" and "Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak?".

"Darr Sabko Lagta Hai", which is aired on &TV, is a mini-series that consists of 26 episodes and showcases real life stories.

Sunny Deol to host 'Savdhaan India'

Actor-filmmaker Sunny Deol will be seen hosting a special episode of the popular crime show "Savdhaan India", which will shine the spotlight on the growing number of rape cases in the country.

In the special episode, Sunny, who is awaiting the release of "Ghayal Once Again", will take a stand and raise his voice to fight against the issue of rapes.

"The actor was privileged to be part of the show once again. He was seen telling people around that this show discloses eye-opening stories that are prevailing in our country and aims to aware masses and fight against these crimes. He said that I am happy to be hosting this show yet again," said a source from the set.

The particular episode, which will be aired on Life OK on January 15, will focus on a girl, who is drugged and raped in a train by a group of boys who pretend to rescue her.

Anupam marks 6 million Twitter fans

Veteran actor Anupam Kher is surely one of those celebs who have a huge fan base following on the social media, as he has amassed six million followers on Twitter.

Expressing his gratitude to his fans, the 60-year-old actor tweeted, "HAPPY to reach 6 Million Friends, Fans, Critics, Admirers, Advisers & Followers. THANK YOU for being part of my Journey. Love you All.:)"

Earlier, the actor had amassed five million followers on Twitter and thanked them for their love and support.

Anupam, who has won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role five times, is known internationally for flicks 'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002), 'Bride' and 'Prejudice' (2004), 'Speedy Singhs' (2011).

Shabana Azmi 'recovering from bronchitis'

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who has been missing the promotions of 'Chalk N Duster' due to "severe bronchitis", is now recovering.

Shabana, who stars in the Jayant Gilatar-directorial alongside Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta, Richa Chadha and Zarina Wahab, among others, took to Twitter on Thursday to update her fans about her health status.

"Finally recovering from severe bronchitis. Joined promotions of #ChalkNDuster releasing January 15. Juhi, Divya, Richa, Zarina and me. Women power," she tweeted.

The film, based on the commercialisation of the eduction system in the country, also features Rishi Kapoor, Girish Karnad and Sameer Soni.

Harman Baweja to take break from action

Actor Harman Baweja, who was last seen in an action avatar in "Dishkiyaaoon" is taking a break from the action genre to focus on two comedies he has in his kitty.

"'Jugaadu' is one where I'm playing a typical 'Dilli wala ladka' and there is another film which is untitled but that's going to be a home production. That's a romantic comedy while 'Jugaadu' is a social comedy," said Harman about his upcoming projects after launching a health supplement here.

"So basically doing comedy, no action. I've had enough injuries because of football, I'm going to take a break from action and try something different for a change," he added.

Will he return to action post these two comedies? He said: "I do little work anyways, I take my time. So let me finish these two films and then we'll decide what I'm doing next."

Harman had showcased his bulky and toned physique for his last outing "Dishkiyaaoon" where he indulged in some heavy action sequences, but looked visibly overweight at the event. His picture on the product bottle is of a well-built man. So he claims that he's going to consume the product to get lean and better than what he is on the picture so that he can start shooting for "Jugaadu" in two months.

About the reason for the weight gain, he said: "I was playing football with my friends about four months back... I had a very bad injury so I had to take bed rest for three months."

"So in the last month and a half is when I've started stepping out and have started jogging now little bit. So another two months to the road to recovery... Injuries keep on happening. I'm able to dance and do other activities," he added.

Harman has also given his voice for his father Harry Baweja's animation venture "Chaar Sahibzaade" in 2014.

Is Aditi satisfied with her Bollywood score card?

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari, who has shared screen space with megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar in "Wazir", says she's glad that even though she doesn't have a Bollywood background and is an "outsider" in the Hindi film industry, she is "working with really good people".

Aditi had, in an earlier interview, said that she felt like an "outsider" in the industry.

Asked if having done films like "Delhi-6", "Yeh Saali Zindagi", "Khoobsurat" and now "Wazir", has changed her views, Aditi said here: "When I say I'm an outsider, I mean that my family is not from the industry... There are so many people who struggle to get into the industry and being that outsider, I am working with really good people."

The 29-year-old actress plays Farhan's wife Ruhana in Bejoy Nambiar-directed "Wazir".



Aditi says she doesn't know "how the industry works", so she "learns something new every day" and "looks at it as positive thing".

"Sometimes it makes you weak, sometimes it makes you excited but mostly it's magic, because I feel privileged every day," she added.

The "Boss" actress said she loves "being an actor".

"I love being a drama queen in front of the camera. I really enjoy it."

Kat desperate to be with Hrithik?

Actress Katrina Kaif neither denied nor confirmed if she'll be opposite Shah Rukh Khan in "Don 3" or Hrithik Roshan in Kabir Khan's film but only said she "prays" that films are "happening with her".

Asked if she was part of "Don 3", she said: "That's incredible if that's true. This is all good news to me."

To queries if she will be seen in Kabir Khan's next project with Hrithik, to be produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, she laughingly said: "These are both amazing films, I pray that they're happening and that they're happening with me."

Katrina was speaking to reporters at a radio station where she came as part of promotions for "Fitoor". She has previously worked with "Don" Shah Rukh in Yash Chopra's "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" and has worked with Hrithik in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara".

There were initially reports which claimed that Priyanka Chopra, who was part of the earlier two films, would be dropped from the "Don" franchise. But Farhan had claimed in November last year that except for Shah Rukh reprising the character, nothing had been finalized, not even the script.



Katrina and Kabir have given hits like "New York" and "Ek Tha Tiger" and she had worked in his last film "Phantom" opposite Saif Ali Khan. Her chemistry with Hrithik has been appreciated always as seen in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" and "Bang Bang".

About a recent report stating that she spent two hours on "Sultan" sets convincing superstar Salman Khan to cast her, she denied it. "Nothing of that sort happened. Actually we were dubbing for 'Fitoor' and Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' had his shooting going on there. And I haven't gone on anyone's set."

Katrina's next release after "Fitoor" will be "Baar Baar Dekho" opposite Sidharth Malhotra in September.

Aamir welcomes security cover has been stripped?

Actor-producer Aamir Khan on Friday welcomed the Mumbai Police's reported move to cut security for him as news emerged that a security review had been done for Bollywood personalities.

"I completely endorse the move by Mumbai Police to reduce the security around me," Aamir posted on Facebook.

"The police personnel can be put to better use in securing the city. If and when the Mumbai Police feel the need to increase my security, they will. I trust them completely," Aamir added.

His comments followed reported moves by police to slash security for top rated stars for him and his colleague Shah Rukh Khan.

A police spokesperson, while confirming the routine exercise of annual security audit on threat perceptions to various personalities, added that no actor's security has been downgraded or increased.

When contacted, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said he was not aware of the development.



Shah Rukh and Aamir, both 50, will be entitled to two armed constables in two shifts, down from the earlier round-the-clock security by four armed constables and an escort vehicle.

The two had been provided 24x7 security after controversies following their comments on "intolerance" increased threat perceptions to their lives, another official said.

Besides the Khans, police provides security to around 40 Bollywood personalities including directors Rajkumar Hirani, Farah Khan, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, brothers Ali and Karim Morani, and Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt and actor Akshay Kumar.

Security cover is also accorded to icons like Lata Mangeshkar, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan among some others.

Kishwar Merchant finds her elimination as unfair

Hours after walking out of the Bigg Boss Season 9 with Rs.15 lakh, Kishwar Merchant termed her elimination as an "unfair task" and "forceful".

Kishwar, who was in a neck-to-neck battle with Prince Narula in the Ticket to Finale task, gave it up in its last leg and walked out of the house with a good sum of money.

"It was totally an unfair task. Either of us had to go home despite being the strong contenders. Of course, I got the money, but I would not have felt this bad had I been eliminated through a normal procedure," she told IANS.

"...this was forceful. It was a very difficult decision for me to take."

"We both were strong... But I know Prince has a huge fan following. So, if we had gone to the finale, his winning probability was five percent more than me," Kishwar said.

What do Ranveer and Big B have in common?

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan late on Friday shared the Best Actor award (male) with Ranveer Singh at the Screen Awards 2016 here.

While Big B was honoured for his role in "Piku", Ranveer was adjudged the best actor for his spectacular work in "Bajirao Mastani".

The award for the Best Actor in female category went to the flamboyant Deepika Padukone for her stunning performance in "Piku".

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor was conferred with the Life Time Achievement award.



Meanwhile, the award for the popular choice in male and female categories went to Shah Rukh khan, for "Dilwale", and Deepika for "Bajirao Mastani" respectively.

Versatile actor Irrfan Khan bagged the Jury Choice Best Actor (Male) and Kalki Koechlin won the Jury Choice Best Actor (Female).

The red carpet of the gala event witnessed the presence Amitabh Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Subhash Ghai, Shabana Azmi and Rishi Kapoor among others.

Tolerance or Intolerance? SRK, Aamir's Security cover slashed

Mumbai Police has downgraded security cover for superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan and scrapped it for some others following an audit on threat perceptions, an official said on Friday.

Described as "routine", the annual review of threat perceptions has concluded that some film celebrities did not warrant the kind of security cover accorded to them.

Accordingly, Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan will now be entitled to two armed constables in two shifts, reduced from the earlier round-the-clock security by four armed constables and an escort vehicle.

The two had been provided 24x7 security after controversies following their comments on "intolerance" and increased threat perceptions to their lives, the official said.

Until now, police provided security to around 40 personalities including director Rajkumar Hirani, Farah Khan, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ali Morani and Karim Morani. These have been totally withdrawn.

Besides the two Khans, security cover will continue for singer Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, actors Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, directors Mahesh Bhatt and his brother Mukesh Bhatt and a few others.

Sonnalli Seygall's Love For Priyanka

While Priyanka Chopra has really made India proud yet again by winning the People's Choice Award, there's Sonnalli Seygall amongst others who can't help falling in love with her. Being a former Miss India herself, Sonnalli admits that Prka is not only her favorite actress but also her favourite Miss India, till date.

Sonnalli genuinely admires the senior actor and leaves no chance to express her love for Priyanka. In a recent interview too, when Sonnalli was asked about the hottest actress in Bollywood, in a split second she replied of how much she loved Priyanka Chopra. She said, "I just love that woman and everything about her. The best thing about her that she is forever driven."


Priyanka was of course flooded with messages and tweets by her fans and admirers congratulating her on the milestone achievement of winning the Pople's Choice Award. Sonnalli too, was one of them.

She tweeted, "N she wins the #PeoplesChoiceAwards Am more n more in love with this woman..powerhouse! More power n light to u @priyankachopra #proudindian" (sic)

Priyanka as well, being her gracious self replied to Sonnalli's tweet. "Thanku so much @SonnalliSeygall much love baby" (sic.)

Life offers more if you're intelligent, says Nimrat

Actress Nimrat Kaur believes that life has a lot more to offer if you are intelligent and aware.

In a chat with designer Pria Kataaria Puri on the show "Born Stylish", Nimrat spoke about her career and the importance of awareness in life, read a statement.

"It's more important to be intelligent because you'll know how to make yourself look and feel beautiful. Life has a lot more to offer if you are intelligent and aware," said the actress of "The Lunchbox" fame.

She also shared that she "didn't know the vocabulary of being an actor when I first came to Mumbai".

The episode of "Born Stylish" with Nimrat Kaur will be aired on Saturday on Colors Infinity and Vh1.