Amit Sadh: Don’t give any person the courage to call you an ‘outsider’

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Amit Sadh: Don’t give any person the courage to call you an ‘outsider’

Amit Sadh is an actor who has made it in Bollywood with no filmi bloodline or industry connections, but he is not ready to call himself an “outsider”.

“I don’t consider myself as an outsider. I am and insider and I stay inside the secure borders of India. Every person is an insider. Don’t give any person the strength or courage to make you feel like in outsider or call you an outsider,” Amit Sadh told IANS.

“I want to mention one more thing. People who are elder in age or in position, and understands more, it is their responsibility to never make those people who are in a lower position and not powerful enough to feel like outsiders. I just hope as long as I am in this industry, I can stop this outsider-insider debate. Instead, we should devote more time for debating on topics that are important and necessary,” added the actor.

Amit began as a television actor in 2002 and later forayed into Bollywood with the film “Phoonk 2” in 2010. He has worked in films like “Kai Po Che”, “Guddu Rangeela”, “Sultan”, “Running Shaadi”, “Raag Desh”, “Gold”, and “Super 30”.

Asked how he has evolved as an actor in all these years, he replied: “I don’t know how much I have evolved because evolution is something that you should see in somebody’s work and you should talk about it. It will look very silly if I talk about my own evolution. Hope people sees that in my work and my behaviour. All I can say is that I am happy that I survived. I am just happy that I am here. I am grateful to all those who gave me work. I am grateful to all of you for allowing me to stay here,” added the actor.

Right now, Amit is gearing up for the second season of the crime-thriller web series “Breathe”, titled “Breathe: Into The Shadows”. In the Amazon Prime Videos series, Amit is set to reprise his role as Inspector Kabir Sawant from the first season.

What new challenges await Inspector Kabir Sawant this time? “Unfortunately I can’t say much because it is a thriller. But I can definitely say that it is bigger, wider and has a new dimension,” shared Amit, adding: “A lot of great actors have come in this season. The new season has been quite challenging for us. But all of us in every department — be it writing, technical, production, DOP or acting — everybody has given their best. We are very excited and happy the trailer has done phenomenally well.”

“Breathe: Into The Shadows” begins streaming from July 10.

Hina Khan: TV actors don’t get a fair chance in Bollywood

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Hina Khan: TV actors don’t get a fair chance in Bollywood

From starring in the TV show “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai” for eight years to foray into Bollywood and the digital space, actress Hina Khan has carved a space in the entertainment industry. She feels it is not easy for a TV star to make it big in films.

“What we lack is equality. Nepotism exists everywhere and it does exist in our industry, too. If you are a star and you want to launch your kid, it’s absolutely okay. But, it is not fair when you don’t give an equal chance to outsiders. TV actors hardly make it big in Bollywood, just because we don’t get a fair chance. At least, give us a chance to prove ourselves,” Hina told IANS.

“Sushant Singh Rajput’s journey inspired me a lot. I look up to him for so many things. He made a place for himself in Indian cinema with his hard work. We outsiders do not have godfathers, what we want is a little bit of respect and recognition. So, a proper balance should prevail,” she said.

She also recalled how big Indian designers looked down upon her when she was about to make her debut at the Cannes Film Festival a year ago.

“I don’t know why people in India look down upon TV actors. I remember how international designers helped me instead of Indian designers, during my Cannes debut. In the West, TV actors are treated with dignity, but it is the opposite here. Many people here do not want to work with us. I don’t understand the reason behind it. Are we beneath them or are they insecure of our talent? I hope things change in our industry as soon as possible,” Hina emphasised.

She says it is high time to appreciate talented artistes irrespective of their medium.

“Discrimination on the basis of medium should be stopped. An actor is an actor. It does not matter whether he or she works in a daily soap or a film or a digital show. If he or she is talented, then that particular person should be appreciated and should be given a chance to prove her/his skills,” Hina concluded.

On the work front, Hina was recently seen in the digital film “Unlock”, currently streaming on Zee5.

Varun Dhawan gets 30mn Instagram followers

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Varun Dhawan gets 30mn Instagram followers

Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan has garnered 30 million followers on Instagram. The actor made the announcement sharing a fan-made video on the photo-video sharing platform.

“30 MILLION #varuniacs… Thank u for believing in me Keep moving on the beat. Thank u @stevenroythomas for this edit,” he posted with the video.

Over the years, Varun has used social media to connect with his fans, sharing tidbits about his professional as well as personal life. During the lockdown amid the COVID outbreak, the actor used the platform to send positive vibes and spread awareness about the deadly virus.

On the film front, Varun was last seen in the dance movie “Street Dancer 3D” this year. His next film is “Coolie No 1” is directed by his father, filmmaker David Dhawan.

“Coolie No 1” is a remake of the Govinda-Karisma Kapoor original the director made in 1995. In the remake, Varun and Sara Ali Khan reprise the lead roles. The film was originally slated to hit theatres in May but got pushed due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Brad Pitt boards ‘Bullet Train’

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Brad Pitt boards ‘Bullet Train’

Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt will be leading David Leitchs upcoming assassin action thriller “Bullet Train”.

Based on the popular Japanese book “Maria Beetle” by Kotaro Isaka, “Bullet Train” is about a group of hitmen and assassins with conflicting motives on a train in Tokyo, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The project is being tonally described as “Speed”, the Keanu Reeves-starter set on a bus, meets “Non-Stop”, the Liam Neeson thriller set on a plane.

According to sources, Pitt will be essaying the role of American hitman named Ladybug.

The script is being written by Zak Olkewicz with Leitch overseeing revisions.

The project is a contained thriller, which means it can be shot on a contained set — falling in sync with the health restrictions in the COVID era. The studio plans to shoot the movie later this year.

Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, who originally developed the project, is producing alongside Leitch and Kelly McCormick as well as Kat Samick.

Pitt recently picked up an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for his role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”.

‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay’: Karan Patel steps in as Mr Bajaj

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‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay’: Karan Patel steps in as Mr Bajaj

Actor Karan Patel was all suited up on his first day of shoot for the show “Kasautii Zindagii Kay”.

He has joined the hit show as Mr. Bajaj. The actor started shooting early morning on Tuesday here, dressed in a blue suit.

According to a source, the sequence focused on his return to India from abroad. The episode also has him calling up Prerna, asking where she is.

“Playing Mr. Bajaj is something I am looking forward to. The look of Rishab Bajaj was something I wanted to nail at the word go hence, we (creatives and I) took a while to work on it before we got him on screen for all to see,” said Karan.

“I am really happy with the way I look. I am sure my audiences will love it too, at least that’s what I am hoping for,” he added.

Joining the show is special for him because he was a part of the original “Kasautii Zindagii Kay”, which aired from 2001 to 2008. In the original, Ronit Roy became popular as Mr. Bajaj.

Deepika calls hubby Ranveer centre of her universe

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Deepika calls hubby Ranveer centre of her universe

In her latest Instagram post, Deepika Padukone has turned on the mush factor for hubby Ranveer Singh, who turned 35 on Monday.

Deepika posted a black and white picture where the couple is seen making a champagne toast. Along with the picture, she left a love note.

“The light of my life. The center of my universe. I wish you good health and peace of mind in abundance. As for the rest, I’ll tell you in person! I Love You! #happybirthday,” Deepika wrote the image, which currently has a whopping 2.5 million likes on the photo-sharing website.

Deepika and Ranveer started dating while filming “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela” in 2012. The two were later seen sharing screen space in “Bajirao Mastani” and “Padmaavat”.

The couple tied the knot in 2018 at the picturesque Lake Como in Italy.

Ranveer and Deepika will next be seen in Kabir Khan’s “83”, where he plays the former Indian captain Kapil Dev and she is Kapil’s wife Romi.

Anindita Bose opens up on working in web series ‘Mafia’

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Anindita Bose opens up on working in web series ‘Mafia’

Bengali actress Anindita Bose, who plays a pivotal in the upcoming web series “Mafia”, says a big reason why she was enthused to take up the show is that she has loved playing the game Mafia since she was a college kid.

“I have been playing Mafia since my college days. So, it holds a sense of nostalgia, takes me to those happy days. When the story was narrated to me by (creators) Rohan Ghose) and Arista (Sen), it really intrigued me. That apart, this is the first time I have got a chance to be part of a physiological thriller,” Anindita told IANS.

About the show, she lets on: “It is a mystery drama that turns into a physiological thriller, and it involves six friends. As the story of each character is unveiled, another game begins.”

“Mafia” also features Namit Das, Tanmay Dhanania, Isha M. Saha, and Madhurima Roy in pivotal roles.

Is it tough for an actor to stand out amid an ensemble cast? “Standing out or being overshadowing is never my point of concentration. I prefer to be part of the process in the group. For instance, ‘Mafia’ is a show about six friends. My character Neha has to be part of the group, the sync between all the characters has to be there not only in the script but also in my performance. So the idea was never to outshine my co-actors,” she replied.

She added: “What was challenging for me, though, was the fact that Neha is quite transparent in the beginning. She is the most black-and-white character among the others, who are all quite grey. For the audience, grey is sexy! For a performer, making such a character engaging is a challenge! That kept me on my toes.”

The show streams on Zee5 on July 10, and is directed by Birsa Dasgupta.

Over 150 international films at Mumbai Queer Film festival

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Over 150 international films at Mumbai Queer Film festival

The 11th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is going virtual this year due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The festival is coming up with a full slate of 157 films from 42 countries.

Tipped as South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, it is the first Indian film festival to come up with a slate of new programs for this year.

The slate of films includes 30 films from India, as well as films from countries like Belarus, Iran, Iceland, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Tunisia, etc.

“We are extremely delighted to launch the registration for the KASHISH 2020 Virtual with a full slate of films as well as panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As, etc, almost replicating the ground event. Only this year not only Mumbaikars but people across India and the world can participate in the festival and enjoy amazing LGBTQIA+ films, discussions and performances!”, said Sridhar Rangayan, festival director.

“We are thrilled by almost 95 percent of the filmmakers whose films were selected to screen at the ground festival, agreeing to screen with us at our online festival. We are overwhelmed by the response from the filmmakers, and we are really glad to reach their films out to the world. This speaks a lot about their trust and support towards the festival”, said Saagar Gupta, Director, Programming.

The registrations to attend the festival is now open and details can be viewed at the festival website http://mumbaiqueerfest.com/attend/ along with information about the film line-up. There are early-bird full-festival passes at a modest price in India and outside India. The early-bird offer will be open for a week.

Paul Weller does not want to go back to normal life

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Paul Weller does not want to go back to normal life

Veteran singer Paul Weller is loving his lockdown life.

In an interview with The Times magazine, Weller spoke about his life amid the COVID pandemic, and why he does not want life to go back to “normal”, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“Hasn’t that be nice? Haven’t you noticed all the things you don’t really need and don’t really miss? I love clothes, which is no surprise to anyone, and I thought I’d be tearing my hair out with not being allowed to go shopping. Instead, I’ve been thinking, ‘I’ve got enough clothes, so I’ll do with the ones I have. If nothing else the last few months have given us time to assess and reflect on what’s really important. We’ve seen new working methods spent more time with our families, see how nature can repair itself without us being around. I kind of hope we don’t go back to normal,” said Weller.

He also urged people to maintain a balance in their lives.

“I was in America in January and just seeing the size of the people, man . . . they’re slowly killing themselves. It made me sad, to be honest with you. They are being marketed to eat more, supersize everything, have as much Coca-Cola as they can. It is like the systematic destruction of your own people. Excess doesn’t make us happy. Poverty doesn’t make us happy either, but there has to be a middle ground. Look at how much waste there is in the West. Now is the time to make the changes,” the 62-year-old singer concluded.

Arjun Kanungo: Nobody is interested in making original music for a film

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Arjun Kanungo: Nobody is interested in making original music for a film

Singer Arjun Kanungo, who is known for belting out hits like “Khoon Choos Le”, “La la la” and “Baaki baatein peene baad”, says what is lacking in Hindi cinema is the focus on musical artistes.

“I think what’s lacking is focus on musical artists. Everything is focused on actors and scripts. I have done a few films in my life and I can tell you that nobody is truly interested in making original music for a film. It’s always in the confines of the script,” Kanungo told IANS.

He added: “While that is a good thing and a bad thing, we should have more films which work the other way around, more around the artists that are making the music, and I think that will happen soon.”

The singer feels the lockdown has helped bring back creativity.

“You are going to find a lot of scripts next year with a lot of original music because the one thing that the lockdown has done is it has shown us where we were lacking in creativity and I think that it is going to change,” he said.

Kanungo says he has been “super productive” amid the lockdown and has penned 12 tracks.

“It’s amazing how self-sufficient I have become in lockdown. The thing is the lockdown makes you more focused. I didn’t have anything else to do right now so I have been super productive, and I have written around 12 tracks that I am dying to release now. I am ready for 2021,” Arjun told IANS.

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