Karan Johar has got a special invite

Of late, he has had a packed schedule owing to film direction, multiple production ventures, TV shows (judging as well as hosting) and an upcoming biography among other things.

Amidst all of it, film-maker Karan Johar has got a special invite - to attend the prestigious World Economic Forum annual meeting this year.

"The global event will take place in Davos Klosters, Switzerland, from January 17 to 20. At the same event, Karan has been invited as a 'cultural leader', an honour which is a first for a Bollywood personality.This year, the theme of the event is 'Responsive and Responsible Leadership', and Karan has been sent an invitation for the same. Karan is likely to leave for Switzerland early next week," says an insider.

Till date, Indian personalities such as Amitabh Bachchan, AR Rahman and Mallika Sarabhai have been invited to Davos and all of them, co-incidentally, were bestowed with the Crystal Award.

Karan says, "I am honoured to be invited as one of the cultural leaders on this prolific platform. Representing my country and reflecting my ethos and the sentiments of my land on a global level is always exhilarating and empowering. Also, it's a solid meeting ground of minds and personalities, which I am looking forward to engulf and experience fully."

इस हफ्ते हॉलीवुड से अ मॉन्स्टर कॉल्स

द ऑर्फनेज फिल्म से मशहूर डायरेक्टर जुआन अंटोनिओ बायोन की अ मॉन्स्टर कॉल्स ६ जनवरी को भारत में रिलीज़ हो रही है।  यह फिल्म १२ साल के कोनोर (लेविस मैकडॉगल) की है, जो अपनी माँ (फ़ेलिसिटी जोंस) की बीमारी से जूझ रहा है।  वह अपने सहपाठियों को भयभीत करने के लिए राक्षसों के विलक्षण संसार में चला जाता है।  पैट्रिक नेस के इसी नाम के उपन्यास पर आधारित इस फंतासी ड्रामा फिल्म में लिएम नीसॉन ने राक्षस का किरदार किया है।  यह फिल्म लिमिटेड रिलीज़ में अमेरिका और यूनाइटेड किंगडम में रिलीज़ हो चुकी है।  इस फिल्म में टॉबी केब्बेल और सिगौरनी वीवर जैसे माहिर कलाकार भी हैं।  अ मॉन्स्टर कॉल्स के निर्माण में ४३ मिलियन डॉलर खर्च हुए थे।  यह फिल्म अब तक ३० मिलियन डॉलर का कलेक्शन कर चुकी है।

हॉलीवुड में अंडरवर्ल्ड

जहाँ हिंदुस्तान में मॉन्स्टर कॉल्स आयेगी, वहीँ हॉलीवुड बॉक्स ऑफिस पर अंडरवर्ल्ड का आतंक फैला होगा। हॉलीवुड में इस साल की पहली रिलीज़ फिल्म अंडरवर्ल्ड: ब्लड वार्स होगी। यह फिल्म भारत में दिसम्बर में रिलीज़ हो चुकी है। केट बेकिंसले की अंडरवर्ल्ड सीरीज की इस पांचवी फिल्म में केट वैम्पायर सेलेन के किरदार में ज़बरदस्त एक्शन अवतार में नज़र आयेंगी। इस साइंस एक्शन फिल्म की निर्देशक एना जे फोरेस्टर्स हैं। यह उनकी डेब्यू फिल्म है। पहली अंडरवर्ल्ड सीरीज की फिल्म २००३ में रिलीज़ हुई थी। पहली चार फिल्मों के निर्माण में १७७ मिलियन डॉलर खर्च हुए थे। इन फिल्मों ने ४५८ मिलियन डॉलर का बिज़नस किया है। इस फिल्म के अलावा दो ड्रामा फ़िल्में बेल्जियम की फिल्म द अर्डेंस और ब्रिटिश फ्रेंच फिल्म आई, डेनियल ब्लेक तथा एक्शन कॉमेडी रेलरोड टाइगर्स भी रिलीज़ होंगी। यह दोनों फ़िल्में फिल्म फेस्टिवल में सराही गई हैं तथा ऑस्कर की दावेदार मानी जा रही थी।  रेलरोड टाइगर्स चीन की ठेठ मसाला एक्शन फिल्म है।  जैकी चैन की मुख्य भूमिका वाली इस फिल्म में रेलरोड वर्कर जैकी चैन गरीबों के लिए खाना लेने के लिए जापानियों का विरोध करने के लिए स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों का नेतृत्व करता है।

 

Manoj Bajpayee to spend New Year’s with family in Singapore

Talented actor Manoj Bajpayee had a busy and eventful year of 2016. From receiving several international and national recognition for his outstanding performance in ‘Aligarh’,  to delivering fine performances in critical acclaimed films Budhia Singh: Born to Run, Traffic and Saat Uchakkey, this year has given Manoj many reasons to celebrate.  Amidst his busy shooting schedules, the fine actor has managed to remove some time for his family and will be flying off to Singapore to ring in the New Year.

The two times national award winner, Manoj is known to be a family man and had always mentioned the importance of family in his life.  According to source close to Manoj reveals, this year the versatile actor was nominated/awarded at many esteemed film festivals like Asia Pacific Film Festival in Brisbane (Australia), Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF), 7th Jagran Film Festival and many more. His film 'Aligarh' was also screened in festivals like Busan International Film Festival, South Asian Film Festival of Paris, Dallas/Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF) to name a few.  It was an eventful year for Manoj which kept him busy throughout therefore he thought New Year’s would be a much deserving break for him and his family.

Confirming about his New Year plans, Manoj Bajpayee said, “Yes I will spend my new years in Singapore with my family. It’s a beautiful place and what better than bringing in the forthcoming year with your close people! I am highly satisfied with the way 2016 has gone and I am really looking forward for the coming year to be even more fun filled and fruitful.”

At work front, Manoj Bajpyee will be seen in Ram Gopal Verma’s Sarkar 3 with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Tabrez Noorani’s Love Sonia,  Dipesh Jain’s In the Shadow, Neeraj Pandey's Missing and many more interesting projects which are going to be announced soon.

In the scenic beauty of Mauritius, will Maya finally win over Arjun on Sony Entertainment Television’s Beyhadh?

Maya’s obsession for Arjun combined with Saanjh’s efforts to intensify her relationship with him has made Beyhadh one of the most entertaining romantic thriller on Indian Television.

Story so far, we have seen Maya going out of her way to confess her love for Arjun. Her obsession towards Arjun has crossed all boundaries! Right from trying to sabotage Saanjh’s relationship with Arjun to ensuring alone time with him – she is doing everything that is in her control to woo him. On the other hand, Saanjh is determined to turning her friendship with Arjun into love!

As the story progresses, we see that Maya and Arjun’s work commitments take them to the beautiful island city of Mauritius. The spectacular locales of Mauritius and pristine clear beaches offer viewers a breath taking visual treat that’s never experienced before on the small screen. The trip to the serene island nation gives Maya the liberty to spend some alone time with Arjun sans Saanjh. The drama and romance that unfolds in the splendid island will be at its peak as the duo spend time together. The breath taking isolated island, the impressive underwater sequence, will add on to the visual delight for viewers.

Amidst all this, Saanjh decides to follow Arjun to Mauritius. She also decides to come clean about her feelings towards Arjun.

Torn between his childhood friend - Saanjh and the one who is obsessed with him - Maya, what will Arjun do next?

A MONSTER CALL RELEASES ON 6TH JANUARY

A visually spectacular drama from acclaimed director Juan Antonio Bayona of The Impossible & The Orphanage reputation,  A Focus Features presentation,  A Monster Calls is based on the award-winning novel. 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) attempts to deal with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness and the bullying of his classmates by escaping into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales that explore courage, loss, and faith.

·             Director - Juan Antonio Bayona 

·             Writers - Patrick Ness, based on his novel A Monster Calls 

·             Actors - Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver 

·             Genre - Fantasy, Drama 

·             Run Time - 1 hour 48 minutes 

·             Release Date – 6th January 2017 

 12-year-old Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall) is about to escape into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales. He is dealing with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness, which has necessitated Conor’s spending time with his less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His daily existence at his U.K. school is one of academic disinterest and bullying by classmates. As Conor’s father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away in the U.S., the boy yearns for guidance. 

He unexpectedly summons a most unlikely ally, who bursts forth with terrifying grandeur from an ancient towering yew tree and the powerful earth below it: a 40-foot-high colossus of a creature (portrayed in performance-capture and voiceover by Liam Neeson) who appears at Conor’s bedroom window @12:07 one night – and at that time on nights thereafter. The Monster has stories to tell, and he insists that Conor hear them and powerfully visualize them. Conor’s fear gives way to feistiness and then to looking within; for, The Monster demands that once the tales are told it will be time for Conor to tell his own story in return. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth.