Nidhhi Agerwal learns Tamil for new project

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Nidhhi Agerwal learns Tamil for new project

Actress Nidhhi Agerwal, who is a popular name in Telugu cinema, is learning Tamil for her new project.

Nidhhi has been taking online classes for the past six months, to improve her linguistic skills in the Tamil language.

“I am happy I decided to learn Tamil. It has helped me quite a bit while shooting for this film. It is easier to remember my lines now and I’m able to communicate with people better. I am getting better at the language, and soon I will speak Tamil fluently,” declared Nidhhi, who enrolled herself for an acting course at New York Film Academy during the lockdown.

Nidhhi is known for Telugu films such as “Savyasachi”, “Mr. Majnu” and “iSmart Shankar”. She made her debut opposite Tiger Shroff in the 2017 Bollywood release, “Munna Michael”.

Deepika’s manager Karishma untraceable after NCB summons: Officials

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Deepika’s manager Karishma untraceable after NCB summons: Officials

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash, who is being probed by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug-related case in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been “untraceable” after she was summoned by the NCB for questioning, officials said on Monday.

An NCB source said that as Prakash failed to appear before the NCB or reply to the summons, the agency has now handed over the summons to her mother and owners/colleagues of Kwaan talent agency.

“It is true that Prakash has gone untraceable after being summoned for questioning,” an NCB official related to the probe told IANS.

The official said that she was asked to appear before the NCB on October 27.

The official, however, said that it was not verified if the employees of Kwan Talent Management have been summoned for questioning.

The fresh summons were issued after the NCB recovered 1.7 gm of charas and some bottles of CBD oil from her premises last month.

Earlier Deepika and Prakash appeared before the NCB for questioning once.

Besides Deepika, the NCB has also questioned Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in connection with a drugs-related case to Sushant’s death.

The NCB has also seized the phones of these three actors and sent them to the forensic department.

The drug law enforcement agency had registered a case on the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after some alleged chats discussing drugs came to the fore in August.

Sushant was found dead in his flat on June 14. Besides NCB, the CBI and ED are probing separate cases in connection with the death of the late actor.

Deepika’s manager Karishma Prakash untraceable after NCB summons: Officials

TB Team
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Deepika’s manager Karishma Prakash untraceable after NCB summons: Officials

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash, who is being probed by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug-related case in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been “untraceable” after she was summoned by the NCB for questioning, officials said on Monday.

“It is true that Prakash has gone untraceable after being summoned for questioning,” an NCB official related to the probe told IANS.

The official said that she was asked to appear before the NCB on October 27.

The official, however, said that it is not verified if the employees of Kwan Talent Management have been summoned for questioning.

The fresh summons was issued after the NCB recovered 1.7 gm of charas and some bottles of CBD oil from her premises last month.

Earlier Deepika and Prakash appeared before the NCB for questioning once.

Besides Deepika, the NCB has also questioned Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in connection with a drug-related case to Sushant’s death.

The NCB has also seized the phones of these three actors and sent them to the forensic department.

The drug law enforcement agency had registered a case on the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after some alleged chats discussing drugs came to the fore in August.

Sushant was found dead in his flat on June 14. Besides NCB, the CBI and ED are probing separate cases in connection with the death of the late actor.

SRK more exciting than Tom Cruise: Morgan on King Khan’s 55th B’day

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SRK more exciting than Tom Cruise: Morgan on King Khan’s 55th B’day

Kolkata Knight Riders team members on Monday extended wishes to their franchise owner and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan on his 55th birthday.

In a video uploaded on KKR’s social media handles, KKR players shared memories of their first meeting with Shah Rukh, favorite SRK dance moves, and also their wishes for the iconic actor.

“I remember once going to Bali and there were just two things which the auto driver told us — So, you are from India, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Veer-Zaara. That’s how famous he is,” said wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik.

“It was a special moment. He (SRK) was so humble and cool. He was standing beside me and gave me a hug. I am a tough guy but I was blushing,” said Andre Russell while recalling his first meeting with the Bollywood superstar.

“Everybody described him as the Tom Cruise of India. He is actually more exciting than Tom Cruise,” said KKR captain Eoin Morgan.

“Hazaar saal jiyo,” said Kuldeep Yadav while hoping for more blockbusters from Shah Rukh.

“Have a great day,” said Lockie Ferguson.

“You still look like you are 21. So, enjoy this and upcoming birthdays as well,” said Pat Cummins.

“Keep being yourself. Keep being this amazing human being,” said Russell while doing the famous “Chammak Challo” dance step.

Shah Rukh has been keenly watching the performance of his team during the ongoing Indian Premier League being played in the United Arab Emirates.

KKR is currently placed at the fourth spot in the table, with 14 points from 14 matches, and is still in contention for the playoffs.

Tahir Raj Bhasin: Can’t wait to get started on ‘Looop Lapeta’

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Tahir Raj Bhasin: Can’t wait to get started on ‘Looop Lapeta’

Bollywood actor Tahir Raj Bhasin says he cannot wait to shoot for his upcoming project, Loop Lapeta because the film has what he describes as an incredible script. He adds that he lived with the story.

“I can’t wait to get started on the Loop Laporta. It’s an incredible script and I’ve lived with the story as drafts have improved through the lockdown. I can see it being challenging and super fun to do. It is also very different from anything that I’ve explored before which only doubles the excitement!” Tahir said.

The film also stars Taapsee Pannu. He says having Taapsee as a co-actor will be brilliant.

“A lead pair in acting is a bit like a dance duet. The performance works if both dancers do. To have Taapsee is going to be brilliant and I hope the audience sees this chemistry. She has incredibly charming energy and she is an outstanding, instinctive actor,” he said.

Tahir is excited about the industry restarting itself after over six months of total shut down due to the pandemic.

“The lockdown was a time to pause and reassess for everyone. Projects have had time for rewrites and improvements. People appreciate being at work and around friends more. It has changed our attitudes toward health and safety. To be back in the ring and a part of one of the first few projects to kickstart is a great feeling. It is simultaneously invigorating and a responsibility to set a sustainable work template,” he added.

Koena Mitra alleges Twitter is shadow banning her for her opinions

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Koena Mitra alleges Twitter is shadow banning her for her opinions

Actress Koena Mitra has a serious allegation against the microblogging platform Twitter. She claims Twitter is shadow banning her account and suspending her followers drastically.

“Many of my followers call me and message me on WhatsApp complaining that their accounts are being suspended or banned for no reason and they don’t get to see my tweets on their timeline,” claimed Koena to IANS.

Offering a possible explanation, the actress added: “Actors should be politically correct but when it comes to voicing my opinion on something I tend to choose sides at times, even on political topics. When I see riots or chaos or a debate, instead of being diplomatic I choose sides when I feel like. I think they don’t like it.”

Koena also shared the figures by how much she claims her follower count has reduced over the past couple of years.

“All of a sudden I have lost 300 followers overnight, I have lost almost 2 lakh followers in just 10 days over time. I used to have around 755K followers in 2018 which dropped to 2 lakh-something. They don’t let my follower count cross 2,60,000 or 2,80,000. The moment it crosses this figure, it gets reduced to 2,60,000. This has happened with me many times not just once. I have lost over five and a half lakh followers since 2018,” she informed.

Koena, who is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official account on Twitter, feels, voicing her opinions on political topics irks the Twitter management, which tries to lower her reach on the platform.

Asked if the actress has raised a complaint with the Twitter customer service team, she replied: “I have spoken to Twitter directors and employees and have exchanged emails. But they have tried to avoid the whole thing by beating around the bush saying your followers have stopped following you. But that is not true, because I have spoken to several followers of mine. Also, some of them have been extremely rude and arrogant in their behavior with me.”

The actress also pointed at the recent fake social media follower scam that was being probed by Mumbai Police. She said: “My followers are genuine. So many celebrities allegedly pay to buy fake followers. How come Twitter does not remove their followers? Because they get money out of it? They lack principles and ethics. It is a simple business.”

With Koena admitting that she tends to take sides when it comes to voicing an opinion on political topics, and being followed by the Prime Minister and several politicians on Twitter, the obvious question that comes to the mind is does the actress plan to join politics actively anytime soon?

“I haven’t thought about it honestly. Right now I have no plan of joining politics. I don’t know what I am going to do in 2021. I have certain work commitments right now. I have a short film which I was supposed to shoot in April, it got delayed due to the pandemic. Let’s see if we can roll in December,” the actress concluded.

Chelsea Handler recalls the time she was ghosted by NY Governor

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Chelsea Handler recalls the time she was ghosted by NY Governor

Comedian Chelsea Handler has opened about the time she was ghosted by New York governor Andrew Cuomo after they made plans to go on a date.

Handler made the revelation on a talk show “The View” when she was asked about what happened between her and the politician.

“I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date, and he did say yes. Then, I never heard from him,” she replied.

She then requested the show’s host and her co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro, to do a “follow up” with Cuomo when he stops by on the show on the next episode, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“I do want you to follow up on something for me, ladies if you don’t mind,” she quipped.

Handler described Cuomo as a “big, Italian hunk” who showed “real leadership” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“He’s like, ‘Wear a mask’. I’m like, ‘I’ll wear a mask. I’ll put a mask on every part of my body! I wanna flatten your curve, and you can flatten my curve’!” she said.

Handler has been open about her soft spot for the politician.

Earlier this year, when Cuomo shared a “reminder” on Instagram for “younger people” to wear masks, Handler dropped a flirty comment which read: “Reminder: I want you to govern me.”

Current India U-16 batch can qualify for U-17 FIFA WC, says Vikram Singh

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Current India U-16 batch can qualify for U-17 FIFA WC, says Vikram Singh

Former India U-16 team captain Vikram Partap Singh believes that the current batch under head coach Bibiano Fernandes is better than his own batch that was 90 minutes away from direct qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup two years ago.

“I have seen the current U-16 team and I believe that they are better than us and if they keep performing the way they have been, then they can qualify for the (U-17) World Cup,” Vikram said in a chat with AIFF TV.

“There is so much work being done on the youth level. I feel that our U-16 teams will keep qualifying for the AFC Championships every time, and hopefully, we could play a World Cup very soon. The current batch has such good control over the ball, it is just amazing to watch them,” Vikram, who had led the India side to the quarterfinals of the AFC U-16 Championships 2018 in Malaysia, added.

Reflecting on his formative years in football, Vikram said the fact that India was hosting the U-17 World Cup in 2017 motivated him to work hard to make his way up the ranks.

“It was always a dream to represent India in a World Cup. So when I heard that India will be hosting the U-17 World Cup, I was really excited,” the youngster said.

“I used to train with Amarjit (India’s captain at the FIFA U-17 World Cup) in Chandigarh and I got really motivated when I saw that he was selected for the World Cup squad,” he added.

Vikram went on to be selected for the India U-16s later on and led the team that progressed past the likes of Indonesia, Iran, and Vietnam from the group stage to the quarterfinals, where they faced the Korea Republic.

Om Puri honoured at India International Film Festival of Boston

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Om Puri honoured at India International Film Festival of Boston

Late actor Om Puri was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB 2020).

The Best Feature Film Award went to the Malayalam film “Kaanthi”, which narrates the story of a blind tribal girl and her mother’s attempts to get treatment for the girl. The film showcased the love between the mother and daughter as well as bureaucratic woes.

The Best Actor (male) in a feature film award went to Victor Bannerjee for his portrayal of a priest in “Josef: Born In Grace”. The Best Actor (Female) award was given to Shylaja Ambu who played the part of the tribal mother in “Kaanthi”.

The Best Short Film award went to the Iranian film “Better Than Neil Armstrong”, while “Baitullah” was adjudged Best Film With A Social Cause.

The three-day event included personalities like Luke Mendes, Brahmanand Singh, Sushant Singh, Danish Renzu, Tanuja Chandra, Saleel Shriniwas Kulkarni, Mikhail Musale, and Swanand Kirkire. Several topics like drug use, the mafia, Bollywood as judged by the media, and the future of Indian cinema in the Covid era, were discussed.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was accorded to the late Om Puri and received by his wife Nandita Puri. Another highlight of the festival was a conversation with chef Vikas Khanna, recipient of the “Pride of India Award”.

The film festival, based in Boston, USA, was held virtually this year, from October 16 to 18.

“I was very nervous at the start but then eventually we felt comfortable. It was very different and sometimes difficult, doing a virtual film festival, but it was a new way to learn,” said IIFFB founder and festival director Razia Mashkoor.

Talking about the festival, judge Rohit Chandra said: “Although our annual film festival is typically in person, the virtual format allowed us to organize several Zoom panels, bringing together Bollywood icons and film lovers alike to debate salient film-related topics. The virtual format also allowed the viewer to enjoy IIFFB’s film selections from the comfort of their own homes.”

To this, another judge Suraja Menon Roy Chowdhury shared: “The breadth of creativity displayed, as well as the topics showcased in the submissions, was impressive. With film entries from 11 countries, we were able to glimpse different cultures as well as appreciate the talent present in both independent and commercial cinema globally. This was truly an International Film Festival!”

The dates for the next edition of the film festival were also announced. Next year, the festival is scheduled to be held from September 24 to 26.

Shraddha on being cast in ‘Nagin’ film: It is an absolute delight

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Shraddha on being cast in ‘Nagin’ film: It is an absolute delight

Shraddha Kapoor says it is her absolute delight to star as the shape-shifting serpent protagonist in the film version of Nagin.

The actress has been signed for a three-film franchise based on the popular tale-series Nagin, to be directed by Vishal Furia and produced by Nikhil Dwivedi.

“It’s an absolute delight for me to play a Nagin on screen. I have grown up watching, admiring, and idolizing Sridevi ma’am’s ‘Nagina’ and ‘Nigahen’, and always wanted to play a similar role rooted in Indian traditional folklore. It’s like playing an iconic character, which has always been so fascinating for the audience,” said Shraddha.

Essentially a love story, the makers plan to have spectacular Visual FX. The date of the release is yet to be finalized.

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