Star Movies celebrates this Friendship Day with a Bouquet of Unusual but True Friendships.

Friendship is all about being there and staying through thick & thin. It is a bond that may not require you to be present in person but have your back. Star Movies celebrates this friendship day with a bouquet of extraordinary friendship tales all day, to give a glimpse of various emotions and languages every BFF has. Being on the forefront and leading in the space, the channel has constantly evolved with the changing times. Star movies shall showcase an array of unusual friendships through some of the biggest blockbuster movies like The Toy Story 3, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Marvel’s Avengers Age of Ultron. The celebration brings together mind-boggling performances from legends like Samuel L Jackson, Chris Pratt, Tom Hanks, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and many more.

Best friends are expected to have the most unusual relationships that abuse each other and fight a lot but at the same time can take a bullet for each other like Ryan Reynolds in The Hitman’s Bodyguard. Movie friendships have become classic and lived on to tell the tale of their friendship, like Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Star Movies’ friendship day movies highlight the special bond our heroes share with each other as well as the audience worldwide. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy considered as the outlaw in Marvel films was a surprising hit that caught the entire Marvel Fan universe by storm at a time when mainline superheroes were making a huge name for themselves. The celebration will also see one of the most successful movies in the Toy Story Franchise. Toy Story 3 earned over 1 billion worldwide and is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.

Star Movies has given the audience something to cherish with every movie and they don’t showcase stories, but they encourage the audience to create memories with their stories which is exactly what they are doing this friendship day.

This friendship day tune into Star Movies with a friend 11 AM onwards to celebrate the day with that one person you love the most.

Kapil Sharma और टीम की आवाज़ में Angry Birds Movie 2 का हिंदी ट्रेलर

‘LG K-POP INDIA CONTEST 2019’ celebrated Grand Finale

If we were to call ‘LG K-Pop India contest 2019’as a one stop place of talent, it wouldn’t be wrong. With over 1952 talented teams participating from across the country, the competition has reached its final stage. Determination and passion for singing and dance were clearly seen at the grand finale today at Talkatora Stadium. ’Lokalz Crew from Delhi and Harini Nittala from Hyderabad bagged the winning title and shall now head to compete at the international stage, Changwon K-Pop World Festival 2019 later this year.

The K-pop contest, initiated in the year 2012, has become a festival of dance and music for Indian K-pop fans. A total of 3475 participants and 1952 teams have participated in this year LG K-POP INDIA CONTEST 2019. The preliminary regional rounds were held in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Patna, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Pune, Dehradun, Imphal, Itanagar, and Guntur from 2nd June till 7th July, 2019.

Celebrating its 8th edition in India, the grand finale was organized by Korean Cultural Center India and LG in association. An evening of remarkable moments coupled with some jaw-dropping performances, the finale was judged by professionals in K-pop Industry, such as Jenny Zha, Head of Global strategic content initiatives at Namas-K, Joy Kim Young Shil, General Manager at MMO, a subsidiary of CJ ENM, representing IN2IT and Junhong Kim, CEO and main cameraman of Zanybros. The competition saw spectacular live performances by the popular band, IN2IT along with Alexa. The band of 7 boys debuted in 2017 had come to India earlier in April this year and danced to the rhythm of peppy bollywood music.

Commenting on this occasion, Ki Wan Kim, MD- LG Electronics India said, “Hearty congratulations to the winners and a big thank you to all the participants for putting their heart and soul to this contest. We would also like to extend gratitude to our partner Korean Cultural center for giving us the opportunity to be a part of a contest of this magnitude. This partnership truly exemplifies our philosophy of caring for our consumers and giving them the right platform to showcase their talent. We wish all the best to the winners for their performance at Seoul.” 

H.E. Shin Bong-Kil, Korean Ambassador, “I am moved that this kind of passion for K-Pop continues to live in this country and I hope this K-Pop wave will expand to all the regions of India and this will make a big breakthrough in Korea and India relationship.” 

Post winning the competition, Lokalz Crew from Delhi said “We are very excited & delighted to win this competition. It has been an amazing platform to showcase our talent; we want to thank Korean Cultural Centre & LG Electronics India to organize 2019 LG K-POP INDIA CONTEST".

About K-pop

K-POP, also known as Korean Poprefers a pop music from South Korea, covering mostly dance-pop, pop ballad, electronic, rock, hip-hop, R&B, etc. The popularity of the genre has globally increased for the last few decades through K-pop artists called ‘Idols’. The world- most popular K-pop Band is BTS(Bangtan Boys), who is the fist Korean group winning 4 Billboard Music Awards, including ‘Top Group Awards’ in 2019. Their documentary film released in India had more than 23,000 audience in theatre. India recognized K-Pop through Psy’s Gangnam Style in 2012 for the first time, but now the interest for K-Pop and Korean culture of young generation gets more intense despite of language gap through internet.

About LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd                 

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, HVAC, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry. LGEIL's manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture LED TV’s, air conditioners, commercial air conditioning systems, washing machines, refrigerators, and monitors.

Mahabharat Ka Aarambh on &TV’s Paramavatar Shri Krishna

&TV launched its magnum opus, Paramavatar, Shri Krishna, two years ago taking viewers through the fascinating chronicles of Gokul Ke Nandlal. The spirited and mischievous makhan chor captured hearts across the nation to become one of the most beloved character on television. Paramavatar Shri Krishna is now set to take a 20-year leap. Presenting for the very first time on Indian television, the Mahabharat from Krishna’s perspective. The leap will trace Lord Krishna’s many teachings and important lessons during the epic tale of Mahabharata; exhibiting his pivotal role in the battle of Kurukshetra - one of the greatest wars in the history of mankind. Produced by Peninsula Pictures, the show will take a leap on 30th July and will air every Monday - Friday at 8.30 pm only on &TV.

Post the leap, Paramavatar Shri Krishna will present the teachings and life lessons of Lord Krishna through five important chapters depicting the philosophical discourse and explaining the impermanence of life. Commencing from Lord Krishna’s encounter with the unbeatable and evil Jarasandh, the story will then traverse through the crucial points of Lakhshagreh, Draupadi Swayambar, Paanch Pati Drama, Nar aur Narayan ki Katha, and Indraprastha while also exploring the backstory of all the incidents that led to the epic battle.

Speaking about the next phase of the storyline, Alind Srivastava and Nissar Parvej on behalf of Peninsula Pictures said "It is a well-known fact that Krishna has been the core to the epic story of Mahabharata. Many of his battles and his philosophical teachings are illustrated and presented as a discourse of the Bhagvat Gita. Krishna took birth at the end of Dwapara Yuga to cleanse the earth of adharma. He vanquished many evil forces and the 18-day war of Mahabharata was almost like a climax of sorts in Krishna's life. The Mahabharata has never been seen from Krishna's perspective, it has been always told as the story of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Depicting this epic tale from Krishna's perspective gives us a unique opportunity to explain the reasons and philosophy behind the incidents of the Mahabharata.”

Lord Krishna’s role will be essayed by popular television actor Ssudeep Sahir who is all set to make his debut in mythology. Talking about his role, actor Ssudeep Sahir said “Mythology as a genre has always had a captive audience. The timeless tales of Krishna connect with the audiences across all age groups and his teachings hold relevance even today.  Each one of us have grown up listening to it. I am a strong devotee and follower of Lord Krishna’s teachings and when I got this opportunity to portray the Lord himself, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It has been a wonderful experience shooting with the team and I am eagerly looking forward to my audience response to my portrayal of such a supreme personality on screen.”

The epic and timeless tale of the Mahabharat is all set to unfold once again as &TV’s Paramavatar Shri Krishna takes a 20-year leap starting 30th July 2019, every Monday to Friday at 8:30 PM

filkThe Sky Is Pink’ selected for a worldwide premiere at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival

‘The Sky Is Pink’, directed by Shonali Bose, has been selected for the 44th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film will have its world premiere as part of the Gala Presentation at TIFF. Previous films that have held Gala presentation slots include Warner Bros. box-office hit ’A Star is Born’ and Universal Studios Academy Award-winning ‘Green Book’. 

Starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim, the film will premiere at TIFF on September 13th. TIFF is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in the world. Only 20 films get selected for the Gala Presentation from around the world each year. ‘The Sky Is Pink’ has the distinct honour of being the only film selected from all of Asia. The film is produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films, in association with Ivanhoe Pictures and Purple Pebble Pictures.

Director Shonali Bose shared, "The Sky Is Pink is a deeply personal and an incredibly special film for me. At its core, this is an extraordinary story of what it means to be a family. I am honored that the film will premiere at TIFF – my third film to premiere at TIFF and I cannot wait.” 

Producer Ronnie Screwvala, whose film 'Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota' garnered immense acclaim at TIFF 2018 shared, "It is great to be back especially after the love we received last year. The Sky Is Pink is a story for audiences across the globe. We take great pride in presenting our film at TIFF and look forward to sharing this film with everyone." 

Talking about the world premiere at the Festival, Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “I am thrilled that our first production at Roy Kapur Films has been selected to have its worldwide premiere at TIFF. From the moment that Shonali shared this incredible story with us, we knew that it had the potential to resonate with audiences around the world.”

Ivanhoe Pictures Co-CEO John Penotti and Head of Production for India Kilian Kerwin stated, “We are incredibly happy to share this news. At Ivanhoe, we believe in supporting stories that have the ability to touch people worldwide, and 'The Sky Is Pink' is a true example of such impactful storytelling. We are delighted to be backing such an extraordinary film and showcasing it at TIFF.”

National Award winning actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas who essays the lead role along with actor Farhan Akhtar, and whose Purple Pebble Pictures is co-producing the film stated, “The Sky Is Pink is a story that I connected with from the minute I heard it and in Shonali’s hands, it’s been crafted into a moving, beautiful film that will renew our faith in love and life.  It’s what led me to not only take on the challenging role of Aditi Chaudhary but also to co-produce it with Ronnie and Siddharth.  I am so proud of this film and am honoured that the film’s world premiere will take place at the Gala Presentation at TIFF 2019.  I’m looking forward to being back at TIFF once again to showcase our a small package of love to the world."

Produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films in association with Ivanhoe Pictures and Purple Pebble Pictures, 'The Sky Is Pink' is the incredible love story of a couple – Aditi and Niren Chaudhary - spanning 25 years, told through the lens of their spunky teenage daughter – Aisha Chaudhary, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The film is slated to release worldwide on 11th October 2019. 

The Toronto International Film Festival is being held from September 5 till September 15 2019.

Aayush Sharma balances work & family

After returning from an all boys trip in Amsterdam, the actor is gearing up for his next project Kwatha. But on the flip side the young actor is missing his wife Arpita Khan & son Ahil as they are on a vacation in the US. Aayush unfortunately, couldn't join them this time as he's prepping up for Kwatha which includes hardcore training sessions and diction classes. The film is in the pre-production stage. Despite being busy, the actor is taking time out once a day to catch up with his family via Face time. That's really sweet of you Aayush, as you perfectly know to balance the best of both worlds.

Sagarika Ghatge overcomes her bike-riding fears on the sets of ALTBalaji’s BOSS

Learning how to drive either a bike or a car is always a challenging experience. With actors required to undergo a lot of preparation to ace their character, we witnessed Sagarika Ghatge of Chak De India fame put her best foot forward on the sets of ALTBalaji’s upcoming web series BOSS: Baap of Special Services. She managed to learn how to drive a bike!

Despite falling a number of times from the bike, Sagarika, who portrays a tough cop, Sakshi Ranjan, from the special crime branch finally gave a perfect shot much to the shock of the entire cast and crew. Sagarika looked mesmerizing while riding a bike along with the lead man Karan Singh Grover sitting behind her. While the scene was packed with thrill and a host of adrenaline, it sure saw the duo put in a lot of effort to ace such an action-filled scene for the series.

Speaking about her experience of bike riding, Sagarika shares, “It was my very first experience of riding a bike onscreen. I did train for it but in the actual scene, I had to ride a very heavy bike, which was really tough for me. Also, we were shooting in deep valleys and on a bumpy road in Shimla which made it more difficult for me. Despite all these circumstances I really enjoyed riding the bike. Doing something for the first time is always fun and memorable.” She further adds, “I fell down from the bike on the very first day of the shoot. In the first scene, I fell down almost 5-6 times and it was really funny that Karan, who was sitting behind me, actually saved himself. All of this happened in the spur-of-the-moment. But finally I gave the perfect shot.”

With a host of twists and turns, this is one roller-coaster ride that you absolutely do not want to miss. 'BOSS - Baap of Special Services' is a mystery thriller that unravels the story of Sudhir Kohli an undercover Cop who is a specialist in solving homicide cases or cases where criminals often go undetected. The wait finally seems to be over as the chase for BOSS is going to begin soon ! The series also stars celebrated faces such as Karan Singh Grover, Gaurav Gera, Ayaz Khan.

Catch BOSS: Baap of Special Services as it streams exclusively on the ALTBalaji app this August 2.

Esha Gupta celebrates 100th week of Dadar Beach clean up

Actress Esha Gupta has always been vocal about protecting the environment and supporting such causes.

The talented actress, who often puts out messages on environment safety on social media, will be participating in the 100th week celebration of Dadar beach clean up.

The initiative has been taken by an NGO, which has been relentlessly working towards cleaning the Dadar beach from the last 99 weeks. They have managed to remove  200 ton of plastic so far.

Esha participated in a clean up drive of the beach, where she along with many volunteers, cleaned the beach, sending out a message to other citizens to be responsible about having a clean environment.

Talking about the same, the versatile star, who was recently seen in the film One Day alongside Anupam Kher says, “I think if we want to have a tomorrow, we need to start today, right now. As humans, just believing that earth is the only planet that can sustain life shows how egoistic we are. The only legacy we should want to leave behind is earth, as its suppose to be”

Not the one to be just preachy, a while back, Esha had also taken up a clean up drive of a beach in Bandra.

Watch how Shah Rukh Khan brought to life Disney's The Lion King in Hindi with this special behind the scenes video

After having conquered hearts with ‘The Jungle Book’ in 2016, Disney is all set to present its legendary franchise and crown jewel - the live-action version of ‘The Lion King’ – with ground-breaking technology that re-imagines the greatest story ever told. With rave reviews across the country and world, the Hindi dubbed version is especially getting tremendous love and support from fans everywhere!

With a star-studded voice cast such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aryan Khan as Mufasa and Simba, along with Ashish Vidyarthi, Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra and Asrani rounding up the coterie for the character of Scar, Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu respectively, Disney has spared no stone unturned to bring to life one of the biggest family entertainers onscreen, desi style!

Critics who have seen the Hindi version have largely agreed that the film is filled with beautiful, stunning visuals giving the feel of watching real animals in action, with a good versus evil story that reminds of a power packed Bollywood entertainer:  Action, Drama, Heroism, Revenge, Romance and foot tapping music all in one.

THE 'NIKAMMA' DUO ARRIVE WITH A BANG

We had already broken the news few weeks ago about Sony Pictures International Productions and ace director Sabbir Khan coming together for an action entertainer. Well, we have now come to know that the film will be titled NIKAMMA.

What’s more exciting is that with NIKAMMA, the audiences will be introduced to the fresh pairing of Abhimanyu Dassani, son of actress Bhagyashree and singer and social media sensation, Shirley Setia.

A cracker of an entertainer, NIKAMMA is in line with Sabbir’s big action entertainers - Heropanti and Baaghi and promises action, comedy and romance with a strong emotional core.

The film maker who introduced Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon- country’s top stars today, says- "I am always going to try and introduce new talent to the industry and I am excited to present Abhimanyu and Shirley. They are a breath of fresh air and remind me of the zest that Tiger and Kriti had in their debuts."

Abhimanyu Dassani says, "The belief that Sabbir sir and Sony Pictures have showed in me is exhilarating plus this genre brings a whole set of challenges that are very exciting."

Excited about her debut film, Shirley says," I couldn't have asked for a better launch and I am glad that my first foray into Bollywood is a prestigious association with an international studio and Sabbir Sir, who has successfully launched such exciting talent in the industry."

Vivek Krishnani, Managing Director, Sony Pictures Entertainment, India, " NIKAMMA is part of Sony’s larger plans where the studio is sharply focused on introducing new talent to the industry on the back of strong content and talented film makers as it mounts an impressive slate for 2020. We are glad to associate with Sabbir who has such a successful track record of creating big scale entertainers. “

The makers have already wrapped the first schedule of the film, and according to our sources a song and few scenes have been shot on a huge scale.

NIKAMMA is jointly produced by Sony Pictures International Productions and Sabbir Khan Films and is scheduled to release in the summer of 2020!

Lakshmi Manchu to host a reality show in Thailand

Lakshmi Manchu is ready to kickstart the shoot for her upcoming reality show as a host in Thailand.

The soon to be launched reality show will be featuring celebrity contestants who will be divided into teams. As reports suggest the entire show will be shot in Bangkok and Pattaya. It will start from 21st July 2019 for around 10 days. It’s a rare show on Telugu television and popular actors are been chosen accordingly.

Sharing her excitement Lakshmi Manchu said, "This a very unique and adventurous show. I'm super excited to host it in Thailand. I'm looking forward to meeting all the contestants and start shooting for the show." 

Previously Lakshmi had judged shows like Aata juniors and hosted show Maharani last year. Being a working mother she loves to scoop some time from her schedule and travel and enjoy with her daughter Nirvana Manchu.

Amyra cuts fee for a good cause.

Amyra Dastur who’s known for her love and avid activism for helping animals, is now the newest addition as brand ambassador for a prominent animal food brand that is also endorsed by Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani and Pooja Hedge.

We’ve known actors and actresses to take a pay cut when it comes to working with their favourite directors or trying to bag a film and brand but this Parsi starlet has decided to go the philanthropic way to help the cats in and around her area.

Amyra who has four releases this year, the first being the highly controversial “Judgementall Hai Kya” starring Kangana Ranaut & Rajkumar Rao, has cut her brand fee by 20% on the condition that the brand provides enough cat food to feed the 15-20 street cats in and around her building compound until the end of their professional association.

A source close to the actress states that Amyra’s reason behind signing with the brand rested upon this clause alone being fixed and agreed to in her contract. When we asked the starlet about the charitable act she said, “My love for animals stems from my mother who took care and rescued all our dogs and cats that I’ve had the pleasure of living with through my life. It gives me more satisfaction and joy to tie up with brands that can help me help my furry friends. India isn’t an animal friendly country when it comes to our street animals and I plan on doing everything in my power to help these street animals in any way that I can. Hopefully, this will push my contemporaries and inspire others to do the very same.”

Well, we wish Amyra all the very best and also hope to see more celebrities following in her footsteps

Tik-Tok helped actress Debattama Saha to land her role in Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein

Sony Entertainment Television’s latest show Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein is a show that cannot be called any less than one of its kind. Love-story of Yogi, a hearing-impaired boy is a fresh concept brought to the viewers by SET.  If you ask the stars, how they got discovered in the industry, there will be many unique stories to tell. Similarly, actor Debattama Saha playing the character of Pari in Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein has a story about how she was discovered, which is quite unique.

Debattama Saha who is amused to work on Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein said, “My career started as a Bengali actress. I have worked in many Bengali serials before for over a year and a half. Recently, with the trend of Tik-Tok started everyone's got a way to explore themselves as actors and performers. Even though the videos were just for fun they blew up on the app. The response to my videos was overwhelming.”  The actress turned Tik-Tok fame added, “I was discovered by the Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein team because of the Tik-Tok popularity. I am very fortunate that the team found me on Tik-Tok and that lead to the role of Pari.”

The Tik-Tok fame praised the show by saying, “I feel very grateful for being a part of a show that is as progressive as Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein. The show would raise awareness about sign language and help the hearing-impaired people. To understand the gestures and hand-sign language even we too are taking workshops, which is helping us perform better in the show and also is evolving me as an actor. Looking forward to doing some great work.”

Ullu Launches #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood’s Trailer

Ullu, a popular streaming platform, recently launched its latest offering, #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood, showcasing the tale of an unspoken, unrequited love, and its truth behind the shiny façade luring millions worldwide!

#MeToo Wolf of Bollywood is presented by Ullu, helmed by Producer-Filmmaker-Entrepreneur Vibhu Agarwal, in association with Falguni Shah’s Dreamzz Images Studio and is directed by Deepak Pandey.

A moment that would eventually storm the whole nation, #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood revolves around the protagonist Karan Mathur’s life where he feels the guilt of the sad demise of an unknown starlet named Suvarna Pashte AKA Sana, who kills herself trying to tell Karan about her sexual harassment. His marriage to Avantika Sharma and her family of city’s influential socialites, shatters as he takes it upon himself to avenge Sana’s suicide. However, the big question remains that why would a calculative, sharp investment banker risk his personal and professional life, for a girl who was merely a part of his friends’ group. From a shady producer’s office, where girls perform a striptease show with music for a film role, the series forwards to workshops where astounding physical abuse in art’s name tends to be usual in the realm of theatre. Followed by glamorous parties where there is no dearth of drugs and alcohol, Karan Mathur navigates through it all, determined to catch the wrong-doer risking being caught and jailed, or worse, ending up getting killed by Sana’s perpetrators.

Ullu’s #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood has a stellar cast of Vivan Bhathena of Dangal and Judwaa 2 fame, versatile actor Amit Behl of Lakshya and Shivaay fame, Ridheema Tiwari known for her stint in Do Dil Ek Jaan and Sasural Genda Phool, actor-dancer Ana Ilmi, actor-model Aanaya Bhaanndari, Miss Asia Bikini Gehana Vasisth, Sikander Kharbanda of Kasautii Zindagii Kay fame, veteran Marathi actor Savita Malpekar, Splitsvilla participant Isha Anand Sharma of Kundali Bhagya fame. Besides Vibhu Agarwal, the entire star-cast made their presence felt at the launch.

“After the tremendous response to Halala and Panchali, we are back with #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood. People of today’s era are smart. They have begun to grasp the aspects of content as they try to relate to it. Ullu’s scripts are made in accordance to modern thought processes and the way today’s people interact,” averred Vibhu Agarwal, the man behind the Ullu App.

“People, from small villages and towns, come to the city to try their luck in Bollywood. But, they never reach Bollywood. What #MeToo Wolf of Bollywood portrays is how people are taken advantage of in Bollywood. The show is aptly titled. Vibhuji and I were clear from the very start that we want to empower women. And personally, I stand for and by the #MeToo movement. For me, it is a very important movement and so is this project," added Vivan Bhathena who portrays the protagonist.

Ullu allows its customers to watch a wide variety of web-series, movies and exclusive Ullu shows. Be it drama, horror, suspense, thriller or comedy, Ullu has it all! Allowing the users to access great original and syndicated content, round the clock and wherever they may be located, Ullu’s exclusive content library comprises of original web-series and features, short films, multi-lingual content, songs et al. Letting its users to download their video content to experience on-the-go without an internet connection, the Ullu application is available on iOS on the App Store and Android on the Google Play Store.

Samson Mukesh’s voice in the latest music video, ‘Kareeb Kareeb’

Samson Mukesh’s voice in the latest music video, ‘Kareeb Kareeb’ was held in the presence of the music composer and lyricist of the album, Jiban Krishna Sarkar hitting the right chord with his new romantic album.

To tune-in to the musical evening, The King of comedy, Johnny Lever was seen making his special appearance as the chief guest. His comical nuances took the complete vibe all together to a new level. Ehsaan Qureshi, Arvind Kumar, Neelu Vaghela, Sudesh Bhosale, Pakhhi Hegde, Dilip Sen and many more joined him. Azhar Khan, Greeva Kansara and Raj Survade are the featured star-casts in the Music video.

The overall crowd along with the media journalists experienced the groovy vibe throughout the musical launch of ‘Kareeb Kareeb’ where people were seen humming along with the music and enjoying themselves.

The album is produced and sung by Samson Mukesh, directed by Amaan Khan (Raju). Music & Lyrics by Jiban Krishna Sarkar, Choreographed by Shabana Khan, Edited by Sajjal Ray, DOP by Hitesh Beldar, Line Produced by K R Krishnan & Veer Mahender Teotia .The music album is released under the label of Ultra music by Darshan Chhotani.

ALTBalaji Ropes in a Fresh Face Naghma Rizwan for its Upcoming Period Drama ‘It Happened in Calcutta’

ALTBalaji, one of India’s leading homegrown video streaming platform not only 

churns out unique content but also gives a launch pad to many aspiring talents across the board. With there being no compromise in quality, the platform leaves no stone unturned to give audiences the best of the scripts, content and commendable performances by their actors. It was a worthy wait for the makers as they auditioned around 300 females for the lead of their upcoming show ‘It Happened in Calcutta’. The hunt finally ended with Naghma Rizwan, a model, bagging the much-coveted role and will now be seen making her debut opposite the dashing Karan Kundrra in this love saga set in the 60s and 70s of Calcutta. With Indian TV czarina, Ekta Kapoor herself picking up the best face for the role, the series is sure to bring in a breath of fresh air.

All set to make her acting debut, an elated Naghma quipped, “It feels really great that the universe has presented me with such a wonderful opportunity. The whole 60s & 70s vibe, Calcutta and of course getting to play this strong and beautiful character Kusum, seems really magical and I feel really connected to all. I am sure Ekta Kapoor must have seen something in me beyond my exterior beauty and also my potential as an actor and for that, I’m truly grateful to her. If someone sees that spark in you, you got to keep the fire burning. My mother always said I’m a blessed child and now I truly feel it.”

Naghma will be portraying the role of Kusum, a strong-minded girl, who comes to Calcutta Medical College to fulfil her dream. Speaking about her role, she added, “Getting into the skin of the character is going to be exciting. She is like a vast sea to me, chaotic yet calm, strong yet vulnerable. The deeper you dive into her story, the more she is going to surprise you with all the beauty she beholds, just like the sea. To play a character who goes through all kinds of feelings with that intensity is an honor for any actor and I’m all prepared to make them feel proud of their decision for selecting me to be Kusum.”

The story, set in the year 1960s in the ‘City of Joy- Calcutta’, revolves around a young girl who aspires to become an esteemed doctor in the city. She gets into Calcutta Medical College to fulfil her dream, where she comes across a flamboyant, cocky, arrogant and devastatingly handsome boy and falls in love with him. But there is more than meets the eye. What follows is a series of events that further adds to the twist in the tale. The new and interesting saga of love with ALTBalaji’s ‘It Happened in Calcutta’ promises to be a tale that’s sure going to keep you hooked to your screens.

It’s a WAR between Hrithik and Tiger!

It’s official! The title of the much-anticipated action entertainer that pits two of the biggest action superstars of our generation, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, in a massive showdown against each other has been aptly titled WAR. The biggest action entertainer of the year will see both these incredible action stars push their bodies to the limit to pull off never-seen-before, death-defying action stunts that will keep you on the edge of your seats. YRF again innovated in marketing as it simply dropped the much-awaited teaser without any pre-promotion for maximum surprise and impact. Click to see the teaser here: https://youtu.be/XkHV7ROmIVA

War is set to be a visual spectacle for quintessential action cinema lovers as they would witness Hrithik and Tiger pull off jaw-dropping sequences as they try to beat each other. Director Siddharth Anand says, “When you bring two of the biggest and the best action superstars of India in one film and pit them against each other, you need a title that justifies the promise of a massive showdown. Hrithik and Tiger will be seen going at each other ferociously and mercilessly and audiences will want to see who outwits whom in this incredible fight. WAR is the only title that could have delivered on this big promise and justifies the level of an action spectacle that the film is trying to present to audiences globally.”

Produced by Yash Raj Films, the high-octane film that also stars Vaani Kapoor opposite Hrithik Roshan, is set to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on the big National Holiday of Gandhi Jayanti, October 2.

La Trobe to honour Shah Rukh Khan with An Honorary Doctorate

Global icon, multi-award winning actor, producer and women’s equality advocate, Shah Rukh Khan, will be awarded La Trobe University’s highest accolade during his visit to Australia for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

La Trobe is the first Australian University to award Mr Khan with an Honorary Doctor of Letters (honoris causa), in recognition of his efforts to support underprivileged children, his unwavering dedication to the fight for women’s empowerment through MEER Foundation and his unparalleled achievements in the Indian entertainment industry.

Meer Foundation is a philanthropic foundation named after Shah Rukh Khan’s father Meer Taj Mohammed Khan which aims to effect change at ground level and works to build a world that empowers women. One of the key focus areas under women empowerment has been to support the cause of acid attack survivors. The Foundation provides support to women victims of acid attacks and major burn injuries through a 360-degree approach that helps them with their medical treatment, legal aid, vocational training as well as rehabilitation and livelihood support. The foundation’s efforts are not limited to helping acid attack victims alone. It has sponsored treatment and surgeries for women and children at several hospitals across the country.

Mr Khan said having his humanitarian endeavours recognised for the first time in Australia was a great honour, “I’m proud to be conferred with a great University like La Trobe which has a long-standing relationship with Indian culture and impressive track record in advocating for women’s equality. I feel truly privileged to receive this Honorary Doctorate and I would like to sincerely thank La Trobe for choosing to recognise my achievements in such a humbling way.”

La Trobe will present Mr Khan with his Honorary Doctorate ‪on Friday 9th August at its Melbourne campus in Bundoora.

Times Music Naam Ada Likhna video launched

Times Music have launched Varun Sood and Divya Agarwal’s new video ‘Naam Ada Likhna’ at Sin City Rooftop Resto & Lounge Andheri (W), Mumbai yesterday. The song is sung by Madhubanti Bagchi and Shreyas Puranik. The event was graced by Vikas Gupta, Sahil Anand, Chetna Pande, Krissann Barretto, Sunil Pal, Faisal Khan, Rohit Suchanti and many more.

Times Music exclusive release 'Naam Ada Likhna' is a recreation of Shantanu Moitra's song of the same name, from the movie 'Yahaan'. Originally sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Shaan, the track first released in 2005. The music for the new rendition has been re-produced by Harshit Chauhan and is voiced by Madhubanti Bagchi and Shreyas Puranik.

The music video features the supremely gorgeous Divya Agarwal, and the very handsome Varun Sood. This adorable couple is placed in the picturesque locations of Ladakh and the entire video is a vision to watch. Lyrics written by Gulzaar Sahab come to life as the video explores deeper meaning of love and togetherness.

Character designer Preetisheel Singh's new office showcases fantasy with eye-catching murals

Once upon a time, Mumbai used to be famous for poster art and murals. Even today, we look at Mario Mirinda's paintings at Cafe Mondegar in Colaba and gaze in delight. In recent times, the Mahatama Gandhi mural at Churchgate Station is also looked upon with awe. But from the last few years, not many have explored this art... at least, not in the suburbs.

But that's just changed this week, with National Award-winning makeup, hair and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh and her partner-husband Mark D'souza at their company Da Makeup Lab, having set up their new office in Versova with a huge floral mask mural on its two-storied building wall. It's the biggest mural on the building, with a face emerging from a large, vivid and burlesque flower. 

Mark D'souza, business head of Da Makeup Lab explains, "At our company, what we do is transform an actor into a character. The murals depicts that. Here, the art is the flower, and the face is what emerges from this art." 

The ruling queen of prosthetics, Preetisheel Singh, who has designed the looks for Bollywood's topline actors in films like Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, Andhadhun, Mom, Mulk, 102 Not Out, Thackeray and many others, is about to begin 'Preetisheel's School of Character Design' at this place soon. "We intend to let the calm of our surroundings in Versova inspire the imagination of our students when we roll with the school in September,” says Mark.

Made by Delhi artist Amrai Dua, the murals are quite a sight for passerbys. So catchy are they, that they can give any eclectic Hollywood studio a run for its money. Apart from the humungous floral mask mural on the front, the second mural is of a fantasy-based devilish creature. The third has three masks, all emoting differently. A portion of the wall has a mural of Preetisheel doing what she knows best, transforming someone with a brush in her hand. 

“Prosthetic is quite new to Bollywood. But we have got rave reviews for our work in the last few years. So our aim is to let filmmakers know that drastic transformation of characters are also possible in India. And the artworks are trying to convey that. One of the murals -- the creature -- is our way of telling people we can do world-class fantasy-based transformations, so the industry should start thinking about it,” says Mark.

Jassi Gill wraps his shoot for Panga

Actor and singer Jassi Gill has finished his shoot schedule for Ashwini Iyer Tiwari's upcoming film Panga. The versatile actor gave a heartfelt message on the video.

The actor, who started shooting for the film almost a year back, stars in the lead opposite actress Kangana Ranaut. He has worked hard to fit for the role and learnt kabaddi from state level players.

On the last day of the sets, Jassi says, "Today is the last day when Ashwiny ma'am had to tolerate me. Thank you so much ma'am. Had a great time working with you and I am going to miss everyone."

While Ashwini Iyer, the director of Panga, pens down an emotional quote, ‘’Our sunshine wrapped #panga today. The rays of his beautiful energy on set and off set will continue for long. Thank-you for being the ‘Spreading Joy’ human on set.Jassie Gill you are a bright hope in reel and real sense. Thank-you for being a part of Panga and owning your character straight from the heart. ,"

Now that they have wrapped up and hearing this heartful message we are excited to see Jassi in the lead.

Cosmos-Maya’s ViR: The Robot Boy and Alexa – The new Artificially Intelligent best friends

With the new Amazon Echo Show, young viewers can now watch their favorite ViR: The Robot Boy episodes using nothing but their voice.

Cosmos-Maya has been a frontrunner in shaping industry trends. It’s recent skill for Amazon Alexa is indicative of its 360-degree-presence approach. Young viewers can use brand new ViR: The Robot Boy skill for Alexa to watch episodes of the show on Amazon’s range of Echo devices with a screen. The interactive skill makes it fun for users by integrating a simple quiz with each episode. Just say “Alexa, Open Vir the Robot Boy” to start enjoying.

ViR: The Robot Boy, an eponymous sci-fi show chronicling the exploits of the Artificially Intelligent humanoid, is one of the most successful Indian shows and has been on air for the past 6 years on Disney’s Hungama TV. The show has garnered more than 4 billion views on Cosmos-Maya’s YouTube platform, WowKidz and is also available for viewing on Netflix and Zee5. It has been syndicated to more than 50 countries worldwide.

Speaking on the development, Anish Mehta, CEO Cosmos-Maya said, “We are thrilled to launch the Alexa skill. Cosmos-Maya’s ethos of providing best in class entertainment to audiences seamlessly, matches that of Amazon Echo. Alexa and ViR will be the young users’ new best friends. They will interact with the users, entertain them and keep them engaged with enthralling narratives and storytelling.”

Dilip R.S., Country Manager for Alexa Skills, Amazon India said, “Many customers have shared that their kids love engaging with Alexa. ViR: The Robot Boy is one of the most successful Indian shows and we are happy to have its presence on the Echo Show.”

Sonu Sood to be seen in Kannada's magnum opus 'Kurukshetra'

Sonu Sood has proved his mettle as an actor not just in Bollywood but also south industry. Having been part of various blockbusters down south, the versatile actor will be next seen in his next, Kurukshetra, touted as most expensive Kannada film!

The fitness freak who remains one of the most sought after actors in different language industries is eagerly awaiting the release of his forthcoming Kannada film, Kurukshetra.

Directed by Naganna, the movie is based on the poem Gadhayuddha by poet Ranna, is said to be the most expensive Kannada film ever made and will release in five different languages. He will be playing the pivotal role of Arjun in the movie. He will also be sharing the screen space with top Kannada stars including Darshan and late actor Ambareesh. The big-budget action film will featuring grand war sequences which are also shot in 3D by the leading action director.

Sonu, who recently attended the mega music release of the film, says, “Kurukshetra is very special. It’s one of the biggest films that I have done. I am playing Arjun in the film which will be dubbed in other languages as well. So I’m sure when people will see the film, they will be spellbound by the kind of grandeur and the way the director has shot it.”

Arko Pravo Mukherjee talks on how royalty rights for artists in India need to be put in place

After presenting soulful melodies like, “Nazm Nazm” (Bareilly ki Barfi), “Tere Sang Yaara”(Rustom), and “Teri Mitti” (Kesari), prolific singer/composer/lyricist - Arko Pravo Mukherjee made his podcast debut in a recent episode of 9XM SoundcastE, an IVM Podcasts show. Hosted by Eva Bhatt, the episode went into the depths of the singer’s musical journey and his experiences. Amidst discussing the current scenario of the music industry in India, Arko mentions his disappointment towards the infrastructure of collecting royalties in India. He explained this further saying, “We don’t have the infrastructure of collecting royalties in India, that is the problem, because for a composer, say where I am now in India, suppose I’m Arko in Germany, same position, same age, same number songs, I would be making a huge amount of money in royalties which Indian composers don’t make and that is why they think that maybe we have to do more shows. Though, performing artists and composing music have nothing to do with each other.”