Double excitement, double action and double entertainment in ALTBalaji's Apharan 2 trailer

After leaving the audiences on a cliff-hanger with the astounding global success of Apharan season 1 on ALTBalaji, the streaming platform is back with yet another sizzling, action-packed season of the thriller drama, Apharan 2. ALTBalaji dropped the trailer of the much-loved series on Thursday, 19th May and it promises a livewire season. A mix of quirky humour, big-ticket action sequences and foot-thumping music, Apharan 2 is all set to revive the success of its first season.

 

Mounted on an epic scale, Apharan 2 has Arunoday Singh, aka Rudra Shrivastava, travelling from the ghats of Haridwar to the icy locales of Serbia to accomplish a super-secret mission that will leave the viewers wanting for more. The trailer also features Nidhi Singh as Ranjana Srivastava who plays Rudra's wife battling drug addiction. Also featuring in the trailer is Snehil Dixit Mehra as Gillauri. Again, a mysterious yet entertaining character wins us over with her funny punches! 

 

Saanand Verma as Satyanarayan Dubey Ranjana's ex-lover also provides comic relief as he joins forces with Rudra in Serbia.

 

Besides the gripping narrative, whistle-worthy dialogues, and breath-taking performances, the show has also been hugely appreciated for its music, with a 'retro' feel that ups the excitement level. Featuring popular songs from the 70s, the show's creators have tried to uplift every scene and dialogue graph, making it an exciting watch. If you don't believe us, dialogues such as "Khudko jiss 'Deewar' ka Amitabh Bachchan samajhte aaye hai, aaj pata laga, ki saala hum toh uske Shashi Kapoor bhi nahi hai." and "Aap aadmi bohot ache ho, par gaali kam diya kijiye!" will get you up to speed on the roller-coaster ride.

 

Talking about playing Ranjana, Nidhi Singh said, "My character Ranjana finds herself in a world of trouble this season, and her husband Rudra will move heaven and earth to help her. Be it complex plot twists, exciting characters, or a foot-thumping soundtrack, the makers have outdone themselves this time. The show takes off from the very first episode itself! I am thankful to Ektaa for casting me again in the second season of this brilliant show. Viewers are in for a treat with this second season."

 

Talking about her role, Snehil Dixit Mehra aka Gillauri, said, "From being a creative director in the first season to essaying such a fun, quirky yet important role in the second season, this has been an absolute joyride for me. Playing Gillauri was a lot of fun! My character is very irreverent and funny adds to the show's entertainment. Besides, the twists and turns in the show this season will take the viewers by absolute surprise. I can't wait for ALTBalaji viewers to embark on this binge-worthy journey of action, drama and adventure. Also, I would like to thank Ektaa R Kapoor for trusting in me. She was the one who made this possible."

 

The second instalment of the super successful Web series Apharan has double the threat, double the edge, and double the risk. Is baar sabka katega, dobara as Rudra reaches Serbia to kidnap Bir Bahadur Singh (BBS), a dangerous criminal which has never been seen before in the OTT space. Menacing and ruthless, Rudra seems to have found his biggest challenge in life as he faces Bir Bahadur Singh. To find out what happens in Serbia, who is bbs and why Rudra is being kidnapping?

 

Produced by Ding entertainment, directed by Santosh Singh. The trailer for Apharan 2 makes clear that ALTBalaji viewers can expect something exceptional.

 

Watch all the action unfold in the thriller drama Apharan 2 streaming from 24th May on ALTBalaji.

Paloma to debut in a lead role for Rajshri’s next!

Rajshri Productions announces the debut of Paloma in a lead role for their upcoming film opposite Rajveer Deol. The film will be iconic filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya’s son – Avnish S. Barjatya’s directorial debut. The film, currently untitled, will be Rajshri’s 59th film production and will go on floors in July 2022, in Mumbai.

 

Paloma, daughter of the evergreen Poonam Dhillon and eminent producer Ashok Thakeria, joins the cast of the film - a coming-of-age love story, that explores modern relationships set against the backdrop of a lavish destination wedding.

 

“Paloma is a powerful performer and has tremendous screen presence,” says Avnish. “She is the perfect fit for my character. Her immense work ethic and enthusiasm makes it so exciting to be working with her everyday. Paloma and Rajveer share a great chemistry together on screen and play off each other really well. They have both seamlessly blended into their roles.” The casting of Rajveer and Paloma is a beautiful throwback to the pair of Sunny Deol and Poonam Dhillon in many classic films.

 

The film is Avnish’s take on millennial relationships and their complexities and simplicities. Rajshri is known to launch newcomers. In its 75 years of legacy, Rajshri has given successful breaks to many known stars today. With Rajveer and Paloma starring in Avnish’s film, this legacy will be taken forward.

“I wanted to become an actor because of how movies made me feel! There was never a plan B…” Cover girl Kiara Advani talks about life, movies, and relationships in Femina’s May 2022 issue

 

A stellar talent who has slowly but steadily climbed the ladder to stardom in the last eight years, Kiara Advani’s journey is what dreams are made of. In its May 2022 issue, Femina presents the journey of this woman of substance who is currently the poster girl of the Hindi film industry. All set to appear on screens on May 20, 2022, with her latest movie Bhool Bhulaiya 2 alongside Kartik Aaryan, the busy actor made time for an exclusive chat on her journey so far, her early memories of watching movies that shaped her acting dreams, her tumultuous entry into Bollywood, and how the rough patches in her career have only made her stronger.

 

 

 

Kiara reveals that she was an out-and-out movie buff as a child. “Growing up, watching movies was my favourite thing to do,” she told Femina. “Every time I watched a movie, it transported me to a different place. It made me feel good. It felt aspirational… This was something I loved and that brought me a lot of joy. I wanted to become an actor because of how movies made me feel! There was never a plan B or an alternative career path.”

 

 

 

Kiara is a firm believer that love is at the epicentre of all things good.  “I love to be in love, I feel like the world is a happier place when people are in love,” she enthuses. “A relationship is between two people; it is not a community project…” The freewheeling but intimate chat is full of such gems and revelations and makes for imperative reading.

 

 

 

Deepak Lamba, CEO of WorldWide Media Ltd, said, “Femina is all about the never-settle attitude and Kiara certainly subscribes to that school of thought. With her hard work and astute project selection, in a very short time, she has carved her own identity in the fiercely connected Indian film Industry. We are delighted to have one of the most promising faces in the Indian Entertainment industry, Kiara Advani, on the cover of Femina Magazine for our May issue."

 

 

 

Ambika Muttoo, Editor-in-Chief of Femina, said, “Kiara Advani is the kind of talent that Femina appreciates and lauds. It's her strong willpower, calm demeanour, and positive approach that never let rough patches create boundaries around her. Her choice of films, which led to a diverse range of performances makes her a potent package. Kiara Advani's existence reiterates an important message to all women that the world is their biggest playground and that anyone can achieve great heights if they aim for it”

 

 

 

Grab the latest issue of Femina - on stands and online now - to read about Kiara Advani’s journey into the world of movies, her team being her biggest cheerleaders and pillars of support, an insight into her previous roles, and her take on love.

American Actress Emily Shah makes her Bollywood Debut opposite Abhay Deol with Jungle Cry

Having studied acting at Lee Strasberg and being part of the global industry on the technical side under the wings of thespians like Clint Eastwood, has grounded Emily Shah’s understanding and love of the silver screen uniquely…

 

 

 

American actress Emily Shah is all set for her Bollywood debut, opposite Abhay Deol, in the film Jungle Cry, scheduled to release in India and subcontinent this June on Lionsgate Play, while the film will get a theatrical release overseas (the UK, US and UAE) on 20th May, 2022. The attractive and graceful actress plays the role of a Rugby physiotherapist in the film, based on true events, that tells the story of 12 underprivileged tribal orphans from Odisha, who play sports barefoot, and yet, go on to win the prestigious Rugby World Cup in England! Emily's first international film was Fortune Defies Death, directed by Jennifer Hulum. Interestingly, Emily has assisted Clint Eastwood on Jersey Boys and later went on to assist in other blockbusters such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Monster Trucks, and Fast & Furious 7.

 

 

 

Chicago-born, New Jersey-raised Emily’s early exposure to movies has had an interesting effect—she has developed a love for both production as well as acting. And that explains her interesting choice for acting and being the Executive Producer in Jungle Cry. What’s remarkable is when Emily read the script as an Executive Producer, she noticed a lack of strong female roles, so she had the role of ‘Roshni Thakkar’ written in which she ultimately decided to take on.

 

 

 

Elaborating on the film, Emily, who speaks Hindi and Gujarati fluently, says, “Jungle Cry is a heartfelt story that displays the determination and heart of underprivileged tribal children, who rise to the occasion under extreme circumstances. I play the sports physiotherapist Roshni and I chose the name as she brings light to the film. I had Roshni written in as an effervescent character who uplifts the story and supports the children’s journey and growth with compassion.” Emily prepared for the role by not only researching Rugby extensively but also shadowing rugby physiotherapist Purvi Desai to better understand what the job entails. Emily further imparts, “I was mindful of the first film I chose as a Bollywood actress as it’s one thing to act and another to act in such an impactful story. That’s what drove me to be a part of Jungle Cry. It’s a story that needed to be told and I wanted to be a part of it in every way possible.”

 

 

 

Directed by Sagar Ballary, and featuring Abhay Deol, Atul Kumar, Stewart Wright, and Julian Lewis Jones, Jungle Cry also has interesting cameos by renowned Rugby names such as referee Nigel Owens, Wales and British Lions fly half Phil Bennett, and Colin Charvis, former captain of Wales. While she loves the entire team, Emily has glowing praise for Abhay Deol. “Abhay is incredible to work with - I know acting is all about reacting and, hence, the most realistic acting is when you’re present with your scene partner/s and react to what they’re saying and doing. Every single take that Abhay and I performed was different because of our varying emotions, actions, and reactions. We hardly rehearsed so each take was authentic and unique. He also gave me elements to work with, which is a first for me. Shooting for Jungle Cry made me realise why he is such a respected talent.”

 

 

 

Having assisted Clint Eastwood, Emily considers that as one of her most incredible life experiences: “Mr. Eastwood taught me something unforgettable. He never says ‘action’ on-set because while working on his western films whenever he yelled the word, the horses would go crazy. So, he says, ‘If that happens to a horse, imagine what happens to the human mind.’” Therefore, during an emotional scene on the sets of Jungle Cry, Emily “...asked Sagar if we could try the Eastwood way and he immediately agreed; I believe it helped draw my best performance in the scene.”

 

 

 

 

Emily wears her heart on her sleeve and has represented the UN for the World Polio Eradication Initiative in India and, among other charities, is also an Autism Awareness Ambassador for UNICEF. Add to that the fact that despite having spent 13 years studying at Lee Strasberg she insists she’s not a method actor and you know she is a cut apart from the rest. So, when she says “I think everyone charts their own path and I have no regrets about making my Bollywood debut with a non-commercial film as it shows my acting abilities; I can always cross over to masala films, and I hope to dance in them soon,” all you want to say is “we will be waiting!”

SHERDIL: THE PILIBHIT SAGA

 

T-Series and Reliance Entertainment joined hands with Match Cut Productions in making this dark humour laced satire titled, ‘Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga’. The film is inspired by true events.

 

 

 

 

Writer & Director of this film, Srijit Mukherji, has brought forth an insightful story about the adverse effects of urbanization, man-animal conflict and poverty leading to a bizarre practice in a village that resides on the edge of a forest.

 

 

 

 

Srijit Mukherji, winner of multiple National Awards, has directed critically acclaimed films like Autograph (2010), Jaatishwar (2014), Chotushkone (2015), Rajkahini (2015), Ek Je Chilo Raja (2019) in the Bengali language among others. ‘Sherdil – The Pilibhit Saga’ will be his second Hindi film after the 2017 period drama, Begum Jaan.

 

 

 

 

Not only has Srijit’s films won acclaim at Indian Film Festivals, but have also travelled to prominent International film festivals like Palm Springs International Film Festival in California, Abu Dhabi International Film Festival, MIAAC Film Festival in New York, Glasgow International Film Festival, London Indian Film Festival among others.

 

 

 

 

This being Srijit Mukherji’s dream project, he says, “I am glad to re-unite with Reliance Entertainment to make ‘Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga’. I got inspired by the real incident of tragic practises in villages bordering the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and I knew I had to capture it in my next. It takes great courage to sacrifice one’s life to save the family and my film revolves around this heroism with a focus on man & nature conflict. This subject is really close to my heart and I hope it will ignite the same emotions with the audiences regarding various social issues in our society.”

 

 

 

 

‘Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga’ is presented by Gulshan Kumar, T-Series Film and Reliance Entertainment, produced by Bhushan Kumar and Reliance Entertainment and production by Match Cut Productions Private Limited. The film stars Pankaj Tripathi, Neeraj Kabi, and Sayani Gupta and is directed by Srijit Mukherji.

 

 

 

 

The film will hit the big screens on 24th June, 2022.