Actor and Singer Ayushmann Khurrana is gearing up for his new film ‘Meri Pyari Bindu’s release. The trailer for the movie had been released online. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Parineeti Chopra the film ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’s trailer showcases the melodious era of the 60s and the emerging India of the 80s in a unique blend.
The movie is scheduled to hit the screens on May 12, 2017. Produced by Maneesh Sharma for Yashraj Films, the movie is directed by Akshay Roy.
By Monica Arora
The majestic colonnades and pillared glory of Lutyen’s Delhi oozes its charisma in Connaught Place, an open market place situated in the heart of central Delhi. Designed by British architects of the bygone Raj, every shop, structure, restaurant and cinema hall narrate a story, convey a tale or whisper an anecdote each time one happens to visit the area.
Amidst the upcoming brands, which are replacing the erstwhile traditional stores, stood the Regal Cinema, whose last show was open to the public on 30 March 2017. The iconic cinema hall, which was established way back in 1932, was flanked by the Shivaji Stadium and the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, both relatively recent constructions. And therein lay its magic!
The fact that a single screen theatre stood the test of time for decades and kept on lighting up a million dreams of cinegoerswithin its cosy, womb-like interiors is what rakes up all the nostalgia.
Popularly known for showcasing most of Raj Kapoor’s movies, the original showman of Indian cinema, the shutting down of Regal is perhaps an ode to the end of an era…an era when movie stars were worshipped like gods and goddesses and public frenzy knew no bounds at the premiere of a new Bollywood release, which invariably saw the stars personally attending the first show at landmark theatres.
Regal being one of those in the capital city of New Delhi thrived and prospered with each new release bringing more and more crowds to watch their favourite movies on the silver screen.
And, who can forget the thrill of watching a new Hindi film amidst the chawwani-throwing crowds and the whistling fans who would even end up performing a jig right at their seats if a superhit song played on the screen. Certainly, that experience can never be replicated or recreated with the closure of most single screen halls giving way to swankier multiplexes with latest digital technology and modern amenities.
With no online booking facilities available till even a few years back, zealous fans would line up right from Connaught Circus where Regal is situated upto the Outer Circle to ensure a First Day First Show ticket of a much-awaited movie. Hell! There were much fewer releases back then and Raj Kapoor comprising one-third of the holy Bollwood trinity of Dev Anand-DilipKumar-Raj Kapoor, was the Charlie Chaplin and messiah of the masses. Therefore, it was indeed a befitting tribute to the great showman that the swansong or the last two shows of Regal were two of his superhits: Mera Naam Joker and Sangam.
It is no secret that over the last decade or so, the cinema hall had started losing much of its former charm owing to lack of upgraded technology and poor maintenance and upkeep. But relatively lower ticket prices as compared to multiplexes kept the proverbial fire burning for its owners. Till it was time to finally call it a day.
Following in the footsteps of its other neighbours in the vicinity, Odeon, Rivoli and Plaza, all of which have already been transformed into PVR Odeon, PVR Rivoliand PVR Plaza, the final tickets have been printed and sold for the last shows at Regal; the final coffees at the Espresso machine have already been sipped, the last of the popcorns have been savoured…until it reopens in its new multiplex avatar!
For those who have had a chance to witness the delight and excitement of the milling crowds in a single-screen theatre at some point in their lives, they can understand that such an atmosphere can never ever be created within the sanitized precincts of a freezing multiplex theatre with lesser seats, more screens and a perpetually Arctic temperature zone, no matter the weather outside.
The black and white mosaic flooring, the huge, whirring fans lining the sides of the theatre walls and the old-fashioned Eveready torches which the ushers used to indicate the seat at Regal Cinema will just end up as memories of the good, old days.
The huge posters adorning the lobby area and the stately marble staircase leading to the rear, upper stalls and balcony will all be a part of this brilliant legacy and tradition that is breathing its last with curtains for most single-screen theatres all around the country.
But as time and tide stand still for no one, similarly, the old always gives way to the new…jeena isi ka naam hai!
By Bhumika Rawat
Hollywood is a place known for high end fashion and new fashion trends. The latest hot new trend in town is ‘the vagina dress’. The vagina dress is a risqué fashion trend adopted by the bold and beautiful in the Tinsel Town.
Wearing a Vagina Dress requires a lot of courage to wear and attitude. The vagina dress showcases the intimate tan line of the celebrities. More appropriately called the double slit dress even fails to cover the crotch area of those wearing the vagina dress.
Celebrities found wearing a vagina dress include Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Nina Agdal, Ciara and Giulia Salemi. No Bollywood actress has been spotted wearing a vagina dress till date.
By Meetali Kutty
Title: Naam Shabana
Director: Shivam Nair
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee
Genre: Thriller, Action
This film aims to be a spin-off of the popular film Baby, but fails to match up to the expectations of the audience. While Baby was a taut film with a gripping narrative and well paced scenes, Naam Shabana lags in parts, with a slow first half and a rushed ending that feels unsatisfying.
This film is centred around Shabana, played by the wonderful Tapsee Pannu, and the tragedy that shaped her life and made her join the espionage service in search for retribution. Tapsee plays her character with zeal, and is equally stunning during her action scenes or when showcasing raw emotion. The interesting part of the film is it is helmed by a strong woman lead (although overshadowed in the credits by Akshay Kumar in a guest role!)
Shabana is a girl who enjoys martial arts and being with her family. She is pursued by a young man who she inevitably falls for but who she loses under tragic circumstances. This tragedy allows Manoj Bajpayee, the leader of a shadowy organization, to recruit her and help her get revenge on those who wronged her.
Akshay Kumar’s cameo role seems tacked on, but is sure to be a crowd pleaser as the theatre erupted into applause when he arrived. There are plenty of plotholes in the film such as why they would choose a rank newcomer to the system to chase one of their most sought after criminal masterminds, or how a complex medical procedure seems as simplistic as a dental visit. There are lighter moments in the film that serve well to break up the tension, but overall the plot lacks the intricacies of the far superior Baby.
Tapsee Pannu is the shining star of this venture, and manages to breathe life into the material. The item numbers seem forced, and are surely placed there for some appeal to the masses, which in my mind seems to be a wrong step. The directing is up to par, but the movie is let down by the script, which could have used more fine tuning, and lacks tension. Manoj Bajpayee is also good in his role, and fits into the universe of the film smoothly, while Akshay Kumar’s performance feels a little flat. The cinematography of the film is also vibrant and adds some depth to this lackluster fare.
This film could certainly have taken a few tips from Baby!
Verdict: **
Actor Shraddha Kapoor has shared the latest picture of her upcoming film, Haseena- The Queen of Mumbai. The film, which is based on Haseena Parkar, the late sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, will show Shraddha in a fearless and bold avatar, which has never been seen before. The photo from Haseena: The Queen of Mumbai has been released right after Half Girlfriend’s motion poster, which shows Shraddha in same monotonous look getting drenched in a rain.
Her look in the picture is extremely fearless and bold, and you instantly forget all her the girl next door roles. Shraddha’s role will showcase the life of Haseena from the age of 17 to 40. And if there is one thing that Shraddha regrets about her role, it is the chance of not having met Haseena herself who passed away in 2014. Earlier, she spoke about how she hopes to be convincing with this film and character.
Shraddha shared the picture on her Instagram account with her brother Sidhant who is playing the role of the don Dawood Ibraheim
By Deepti D.
Just the other day I switched on the TV and saw ‘Mera Naam Joker’ playing and it suddenly struck how my parents used to tell me about this unique movie which had 2 intervals which was something very different for those days… imagine going and buying popcorns twice, just because ‘picture abhi baaki thi’. And then came ‘Jodha Akbar’ in the recent times which was also a 4-hour long movie but thankfully no 2 intervals, so yes people sat and sat. But it led me to think that in this day and age of fast moving life and social media, do people actually have time to sit for such long movies and still not get bored…
It seemed that some whiz kid in the entertainment industry actually read my intelligent and curious mind which led to the popularity of a new kind of movies… it was the invention of cinema which was short, crisp, to the point and interesting, keeping the audience’s attention intact. Yes, we are talking about the WEB SERIES/ SHORT MOVIES which have gained immense popularity on You Tube and one does not need to book tickets and go to a theatre to watch them, you can simply log on from anywhere on Planet Earth and just enjoy these ‘different’ movies lasting not more than 20 to 30 minutes. The best part about these ‘movies’ are that the directors and actors are experimenting with fresh ideas and bold concepts and hence the outcome is very refreshing and unique
1-MAAYA
Vikram Bhatt always tries to experiment whether it is in his films or this new erotic Web Series called ‘MAAYA’. This word always has some mystery to it and so does this series which deals on the bold issue of sexuality. Starring TV actress Shama Sikander, Maaya deals around a housewife whose sexual desires are repressed. Too bold, well wait and watch it where the leading lady pleads a stranger to tie and spank her while fulfilling her ‘needs’. Sounds like the desi version of ’50 Shades of Grey’, we thought so but Mr Bhatt instead it’s not 50 but ‘100 volatile shades of Grey ‘. The cherry on the top is Shama who is oozing sexiness and is not at all wary in doing bold and raw sex scenes. Am sure the traction of ‘Maaya’ is soon going to increase after this ‘very sexy’ description.
2- PEANUT BUTTER
‘Are you unmarried, alone in the city and pregnant??’ Haww, how could you do this, you are a disgrace to the society…what will people say….
Haven’t we heard it umpteen number of times, so, that is why this 20-minute movie called ‘Peanut Butter’ has been made to change your perspective on abortion and single parenting. Starring Gauhar Khan who plays a single working woman who accidently gets pregnant and who encounters a stranger who finally changes her views on single parenthood. So, who is the stranger… voila it’s her own subconscious child after 18 years. The film is a coming of age movie and revolutionizes the concept that you don’t need a man to raise a kid… if you are willing, successful and strong, you as a woman can do it alone too. And why ‘Peanut Butter’ because the mum and her would be adult ‘child’ loves it immensely!!
3-THE WHITE SHIRT
Do all love stories have a happy ending? Ironically no, and mostly all of them suffer from some flaw or the other. The White Shirt is one such 20-minute movie which explores the high and lows in a relationship. With Kunal Kapoor and Kritika Kamra in lead roles, this movie is all about moving on and leaving the past behind when relationships don’t work due to the main issue of infidelity and cheating. The main ‘protagonist’ is the white shirt and how is that… well… we won’t disclose it go and watch it on You Tube…
4-TRIPLING
How does doing a ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ sounds? Yes, I know it sounds perfectly fun, but instead of friends, take it with your siblings and you would thank me later for the experience. TVF’s Tripling is one such web series which forays into this domain where siblings all having their own set of issues and problems undertake a road trip to take a break from everything and in turn end up discovering themselves and their own blood. Yes, ismein emotion hain, drama hain, humour and realism bhi hain and one can relate to the characters shown. So, all you brother and sisters, let’s take a road trip what say?
5-TWISTED
So, all set to experience an adult web series… yes, we are talking about another thriller adult series by Vikram Bhatt which has a captivating tag line… ‘Warning! Do not trust them! Nia Sharma, the 3rd Sexiest Asian lady is playing the main lead and shares a sizzling chemistry with newcomer Namit Khanna. The plot of twisted is based on murder where a man and a woman are having an affair and the man’s wife is found dead. The man says that his girlfriend is the one who killed his wife and the woman is confident that the husband himself killed his wife. Intriguing indeed and with few racy sexy scenes, this one is a seller.
Gone are those days when Indian Cinema and TV industry thrived on the same old formula of poor boy-rich girl romance or for that matter the saas-bahu sagas. Now with these short movies and web series gaining popularity… it won’t be long when the entire story would be said in just 140 words… sounds interesting, doesn’t it…any takers!!!
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput is on a roll these days. After the success of ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’ Sushant has signed films like Raabta, Drive and Chanda Mama Door Ke. He has now signed yet another interesting film and its title is Romeo Akbar Walter. No, it is not a coincidence that the film’s acronym will read RAW — Research and Analysis Wing, India’s elite intelligence agency. All signs say that Sushant will play a spy in the film, who, of course, will also be a hero.
The film’s first poster also says, “Our Hero? Their Spy?” The movie, to be directed by Robby Grewal, will release in 2018. While the story of the film is a closely guarded secret, it is reportedly set in 1971 and based on true events. The poster looks decidedly edgy and its tagline, ”our hero, their spy”, is telling. Can it be about double agents or about agents embedded deep inside the enemy territory? Sushant is adept at playing a man playing hide-and-seek between the two sides as Byomkesh Bakshy showed.
Robby Grewal has earlier directed Samay: When Time Strikes, MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar and Aloo Chaat. The film is produced by Dheeraj Wadhawan, Ajay Kapoor, and Bunty Walia. The rest of the cast has not been disclosed till now. From playing an astronaut in Chada Mama Door Ke to a spy in Romeo Akbar Walter, it seems Sushant has made variety his strong point!
