Akshay-Sara-Dhanush starrer ‘Atrangi Re’ in theatres on August 6

Aanand L. Rai’s Atrangi Re has been locked for theatrical release on August 6. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush, and Nimrat Kaur in lead roles.

This is the first time Akshay, Sara, and Nimrat are working with Rai, while the filmmaker has worked with Dhanush earlier in the 2013 film Raanjhanaa.

Atrangi Re went on floors in March 2020, in Varanasi. The team resumed shoot in October post lockdown in Madurai, followed by schedules in Delhi and Agra. Shooting started with Dhanush and Sara, while Akshay Kumar joined the unit in Agra.

The film is written by Himanshu Sharma and the music is by Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman. The lyrics are penned by Irshad Kamil.

‘Neerja’ turns 5: Ram Madhvani gets nostalgic, Sonam posts about courage

The Sonam Kapoor-starrer Neerja turned five on Friday, and the film’s director Ram Madhvani says the much-applauded effort was possible only with the support they received from Neerja Bhanot’s family.

The film stars Sonam as late Ashok Chakra recipient air-hostess Neerja Bhanot, who died while protecting the lives of passengers on a Pan Am Flight that was hijacked by terrorists during a Karachi stopover on September 5, 1986. Neerja was two days shy of her 23rd birthday.

“The most special part was when Neerja’s mother whom we affectionately called Dadi came for the shoot and blessed us by saying, ‘Jeetey raho khush raho’,” recalled Madhvani while speaking to IANS.

“It is because of what Neerja did and her family’s support that this film is special in the hearts of all of us,” he added.

The film won the award for Best Feature Film in Hindi at the 62nd National Awards with a special mention for Sonam Kapoor.

Earlier in the day, Sonam posted a note on Instagram remembering the film and its subject. “Fear gave her courage,” she wrote.

The film features Shekhar Ravijiani, Shabana Azmi, and Yogendra Tiku in pivotal roles.

Neeti Mohan: Can’t describe in words what a beautiful journey pregnancy is

Singer Neeti Mohan is expecting her first child with her husband, actor Nihaar Pandya. On Thursday, she posted to reveal how privileged she feels to be blessed with motherhood.

Neeti posted a picture on Instagram and wrote: “Can’t describe in words what a beautiful journey pregnancy is!!! It’s a miracle that there is life growing inside of you. A small heart beating and tiny little feet kicking from time to time. And now that the baby can hear from the womb I love singing all the more.”

“This connection and creation are unique and so attuned to Mother Nature. Only when you experience you know what a privilege it is to prepare for motherhood. For now, I am filled with excitement and gratitude. My Love to all the Mammas and mommies -to be out there,” she added.

Neeti and Nihaar announced the news that they are expecting a child on February 15 through an Instagram post on the occasion of their second wedding anniversary.

Pranati Rai Prakash to play negative role in Ekta Kapoor’s series ‘Blackwoods’

Actress Pranati Rai Prakash has been roped in to play a negative role in Ekta Kapoor’s upcoming web series Blackwoods.

“I’ll be playing a negative shade for the first time. She’s spicy, fiery, dramatic, and spoilt. That’s how I can define my next character. I’m very excited to take on another journey,” said Pranati, who is known for her roles in the TV show Mannphodganj Ki Binny and the film Family Of Thakurganj.

According to the sources, Nakul Sahdev, Kanika Kapur, Vidushi Mehra will be also seen alongside Pranati Rai Prakash in Blackwoods.

The shoot of the show is expected to start in March. Blackwoods will be directed by Abhijit Das and produced by Ekta Kapoor.

Dia Mirza’s wedding ceremony used ‘completely biodegradable’ material

Actress Dia Mirza on Thursday shared that her recent wedding ceremony was conducted using completely biodegradable and natural material.

“The garden where I have spent every morning for the past 19 years was an absolutely magical setting and the most intimate and perfect space for our simple and soulful ceremony! We are so proud to have been able to organize a completely sustainable ceremony without plastics or any waste. The materials used for the minimal decor we went for were completely biodegradable and natural,” she wrote on Instagram, along with a picture from the ceremony, being held in her garden and conducted by priestess Sheela Atta.

Dia then spoke about the “highest point” of her wedding to businessman Vaibhav Rekhi.

She wrote: “The highest point for us was the Vedic ceremony conducted by a woman priest! I had never seen a woman performing a wedding ceremony until I attended my childhood friend Ananya’s wedding a few years ago.”

She added: “Ananya’s wedding gift to Vaibhav and me was to bring Sheela Atta who is her aunt and also a priestess, to perform the ceremony for us. She also painstakingly went through several hours of training to imbibe the essence of the scriptures so that she could assist Sheela Atta and translate the shlokas! It was such a privilege and a joy to be married this way! We do hope with all our heart that many more couples make this choice.”

“For it is a woman’s soul that contains love, wonder, benediction, magical energy, tenderness and deep empathy for all that lives. It is time for women to own their own agency, their divinity, their power and to redefine what is old and birth what is new. As Charles Bukowski said, “there is no lie in their fire.” So what can be more uplifting and empowering than to see the sacred fire within a woman’s heart and soul taking centre stage at a wedding? I am still overwhelmed by the magic of this one moment,” she wrote.

“Also, we said NO to ‘Kanyadaan’ and ‘Bidaai’ change begins with choice doesn’t it?” she added.

Sunny Leone’s mantra: Poise is important even when you are falling down

Bollywood actress Sunny Leone has shared some words of wisdom along with a clip she shared on social media.

On Thursday, Sunny posted a slow-mo video on Instagram. In the clip, Sunny is seen dressed in a mustard jumpsuit and is posing for the camera as she slowly falls into the pool.

She wrote alongside the picture: “Poise is important even when you are falling down.”

Currently Sunny is in Kerala shooting for MTV’s youth-based reality show Splittsvilla.

Last month, she kickstarted the first schedule of her first fictional web show Anamika in the city. The series is billed as a ‘gun-fu’ action thriller directed by Vikram Bhatt.

Ram Pothineni Coming with Director N Lingusamy: #RAPO19

After the success of the RED movie, Ram Pothineni is coming up with Tamil Director N. Lingusamy, officially announced today.

Ram Pothineni upcoming film tentatively titled RAPO19. Ram Pothineni on Thursday took social media to announce his movie #RAPO19.

Twitting on social media, Ram Pothineni wrote, “I’ve waited a long time for this! #RAPO19 – a Telugu-Tamil Bi-lingual with one of my fav @dirlingusamy sir.Looking forward to working with the passionate Srinivasaa Chitturi garu. @SS_ScreensLove..#RAPO (sic.)”.

Sanya Malhotra strikes a sunkissed pose in bikini

Bollywood actress Sanya Malhotra flaunts a perfectly toned frame in a brown bikini on social media.

Sanya posted a string of pictures from her vacation in the Maldives on Instagram on Thursday, posing on a pool deck in a brown bikini paired and a straw hat. In one picture, she soaks in the sun, and in another, she poses on a ladder.

She captioned the image with a sun emoji.

Sanya currently has “Meenakshi Sundareshwar”, “Love Hostel” and “Pagglait” in her kitty.

Shraddha Kapoor: During lockdown, I understood the value of ‘shunya’

Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor describes the lockdown phase of last year as one of her crucial phases for self-realization. It was a period when she could learn to unlearn and redefine the value of zero, the spiritual meaning of shunya, she says.

“I think every time we start a film, we start from zero, from ‘shunya’. Lockdown was a time for me to understand the value of several things, including self-love, the family, and my emotional and spiritual health. I also think that it made me more independent, and things like the power of yoga to develop a focussed mind so that I can choose to be a part of any project — film or entrepreneurial venture — more fearlessly,” Shraddha told IANS.

“As an actress, being a part of show business, we have to look in a certain way and that changes also with every film that we do, every character I play. Recently I invested in a beverage project in which I really do not have to count my calories while having my favorite drinks. In a way, during the lockdown, I have understood and redefined the value of ‘shunya’, and now I know the brand of product or even the brand of cinema I would like to associate myself with. It is a learning that has happened through last year,” she added.

Shraddha has been around in Bollywood for around a decade, and she has faced success, failure, praise, and criticism. Her debut film “Teen Patti” fared below expectation, her third film “Aashiqui 2” was a musical superhit, followed by “Ek Villain”. She has tried dance and action in various films including “ABCD 2”, “Baaghi”, “Street Dancer 3D”, and “Saaho”.

What has her decade in Bollywood taught her? “Firstly, whenever I get a new film, I received it with a lot of gratitude because a producer is investing money to make the film and making me part of that journey. As an actress, I always put my 100 percent, but the result is certainly not in our hands. It is in the hands of the audience. Interestingly, the result plays a part in my next opportunity, because it is the nature of the business of cinema. I have learned to look at things from a broader perspective,” she summed up.

The actress finished a portion of the shoot for director Luv Ranjan’s untitled film co-starring Ranbir Kapoor in Delhi last month and is gearing up for her next schedule.

Madhuri Dixit: As you innovate, you get various dance forms

Bollywood veteran Madhuri Dixit Nene is fascinated by the currently popular K-pop dance style.

“It is a dance form because there is choreography. There is the movement of the body, so it is a dance form. The youngsters are hooked on it and any kind of dancing is dancing for me,” Madhuri told IANS.

“There are so many dances coming in that we are getting to see. Something like freestyle dancing, somebody did experimental dancing. So, it’s their interpretation of dancing and as you innovate in dance I think we will get to see various dance forms. It is always fascinating to see that,” she added.

Madhuri started dancing at the age of three and is a trained classical dancer who has learned Kathak. The actress, who is fondly called the Dhak Dhak Girl of Bollywood for her moves, shot to superstardom with her numerous blockbusters in the eighties and the nineties, most of which had superhit dance numbers.

Her popular dances that continue to regale fans even today include Ek do teen (Tezaab), Dhak dhak (Beta), Mera piya ghar aaya (Yaraana), Chane ke khet (Anjaam), Humko aajkal hai (Sailaab), Maar daala (Devdas), Key sera sera (Pukar) and Choli ke peeche (Khalnayak).

The actress will soon be seen judging the dance-based reality show Dance Deewane 3.