Mrunal Thakur says ‘Toofaan’ role made her strong, confident

Actress Mrunal Thakur is overjoyed to work with the National Award-winning filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra in the upcoming boxing drama “Toofaan”, starring Farhan Akhtar. She says playing Ananya in the film has made her strong and confident.

Having a conversation about working with Mehra, whose “Rang De Basanti” earned him a National Film Award as well as a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, and who also made “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” among other films, Mrunal is overwhelmed.

“I think this is one of the most Toofani moments I am having. It’s my fourth film and I got a chance to work with Rakeysh sir,” Mrunal told an interview.

“I think all the other actresses are going to be jealous and I feel lucky,” the actress quipped, adding the film was an “overwhelming process”.

She added: “I have learned a lot. Ananya (her character) has made Mrunal so strong and confident, and as a human also I feel I am that catalyst when it comes to my family.”

“Toofaan” is the story of a boxer played by Farhan Akhtar, who pushes his limits and works hard to win. The film is slated to release on Amazon Prime Video on July 16.

Mumbai building where actor Suniel Shetty lives sealed

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed several floors of a posh building in south Mumbai where Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty lives with his family due to rising Covid-19 cases reported from there, civic officials said here on Monday.

The 30-storied building with 120 flats is Prithvi Apartments, on Altamount Road, where many new Covid-19 cases have been detected in the past few days, where some of the affected floors have been sealed.

As per BMC’s Covid-19 protocols, if there are more than five active cases in any particular building, it is eligible for sealing to prevent further spread of the contagion.

However, the fitness-buff Shetty and his family are currently out of town and are not affected by the BMC D Ward action.

Nevertheless, he took to social media and commented: “Locked in or locked out Bolo Bolo tell tell.”

Along with Prithvi Apartments, the civic body has affixed the seal on at least 9 other posh buildings in the south Mumbai’s affluent Malabar Hill and surroundings for growing number of Covid-19 cases.

According to the BMC, in the second wave, a majority of the cases have been reported from residential buildings or skyscrapers as compared with the crowded slum areas.

Shooting of Naga Shaurya’s “Lakshya” climax begins

The team of actor Naga Shaurya’s upcoming Telugu sports film “Lakshya” started shooting a crucial climax scene here on Saturday. The actor took to Instagram to share a video from the sets.

“Lakshya” is said to be India’s first film based on the sport of ancient archery.

“It all started two years back and today we have come to Denouement. The journey has been incredible one,” Shaurya captioned his post.

According to sources close to the production, a crucial climax sequence is currently being shot in Hyderabad. Alongside Naga Shaurya, Jagapathi Babu and few other actors are participating in the shoot.

Directed by Dheerendra Santhossh Jagarlapudi, “Lakshya” is Shaurya’s 20th film and also stars actress Ketki Sharma. Ace actor Jagapathi Babu will be seen playing a crucial role in the film.

Presented by Sonali Narang, the film is produced by Narayana Das K. Narang, Puskur Ram Mohan Rao and Sharrath Marar.

‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ turns 6: Cast celebrates milestone hit

The team of “Baahubali” took to social media on Saturday to celebrate the blockbuster franchise, as the first film of the series, “Baahubali: The Beginning”, completed six years of release. Lead actors Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia posted on Instagram to mark the occasion.

Prabhas, who played dual roles as the protagonists in the two parts, posted a still of the multi lingual film that broke several records.

Along with the image on Instagram Stories, he wrote: “6 years of Baahubali”.

Rana Daggubati, who played the antagonist Bhallaldeva, also posted an image of his character on Instagram Stories and wrote the same caption.

Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia reposted Prabhas’s post.

“Baahubali” released in two parts. The first, “Baahubali: The Beginning” released in 2015 on July 10 and its sequel “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” released on April 28, 2017.

When Samantha’s mom turned photographer for her

Southern star Samantha Akkineni on Friday treated her fans with a picture taken by her “mommy dearest” on social media.

Samantha posted the picture on Instagram showing her sporting a casual look. She wears wearing a black shirt and flaunts flawless skin sans make-up.

The actress captioned the image, which currently has 1.4 million likes on the photo-sharing website: “(click emoji) by MOMMY Dearest.”

Samantha recently made her digital debut with Manoj Bajpayee starrer “The Family Man 2”. She portrays the antagonist Raji, a Sri Lankan Tamil terrorist, on the show.

She will next be seen in “Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal” and “Shaakuntalam”.

Kareena Kapoor launches her book “Pregnancy Bible”

Kareena Kapoor Khan took to social media on Friday to announce the launch of her book “Pregnancy Bible”.

She posted a video from her kitchen asking: “What’s been baking?” She then pulled out a copy of her book from the microwave, and announced: “This is what’s been baking.”

Recalling her journey as an author, the actress wrote on her Instagram page: “This has been quite the journey… both my pregnancies and writing my Pregnancy Bible. There were good days and bad days; some days I was raring to go to work and others where I struggled to get out of bed. This book is a very personal account of what I experienced both physically and emotionally through both my pregnancies.”

Kareena had announced conceiving her book “Pregnancy Bible” on Taimur’s birthday in 2020.

“In many ways, this book is like my third child… from conception to its birth today. Published by @juggernaut.in and the amazing @chikisarkar, I’m proud to share that my Pregnancy Bible is vetted and approved by FOGSI, India’s official body of gynecologists and obstetricians, along with the help of several expert voices like @rujuta.diwekar, Dr. Sonali Gupta, and Dr. Prabha Chandra of NIMHANS. I’m both excited and nervous to share this with you. The pre-order link is in my bio,” Kareena had written.

“Pregnancy Bible” is now available online.

On the work front, Kareena’s upcoming film is “Laal Singh Chaddha” in the lead role opposite Aamir Khan.

Katrina Launches Colour Correcting Primer Kay Beauty

“Every girl wants a perfect canvas for her make-up. A primer done right is the first step to a flawless and radiant complexion. A great primer that can colour correct, and camouflage all blemishes means fewer layers of make-up and fresh, natural-looking skin. It’s so simple to use, even if you are on the go, and what’s more, it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave any streaks. I love the gentle #kare ingredients that keep my skin hydrated every time I use it,” says actress Katrina Kaif as she launches the new colour correcting primer range for her beauty line, Kay Beauty.

Infused with light-diffusing technology, the Primer launches in five variants to address different skin concerns using the colour wheel to help you make the right choice. Green neutralizes redness and hides blemishes; Purple counteracts dullness and brightens skin; Yellow combats broken capillaries and hides age spots. The two variants of Peach and Orange suit a wide spectrum of Indian skin tones, from light to medium and dark, as they cancel out dark spots, veins and under-eye circles.

The water-based formula ensures high hydration, acts as a filter to the skin and doesn’t budge even after an entire day of wear, owing to its transfer proof and smudge proof promise. The 100 per cent silicone free primer is suitable for all skin types, and has a lightweight, absorbent, non-greasy formula that allows your makeup to breathe, doesn’t clog your pores or cause breakouts, providing an even and luminous finish.

Reena Chhabra, CEO, Nykaa Brands, “In the last few years, make-up has witnessed a more professional approach with a special focus on correcting and contouring products. Consumers are evolving in their make-up routines, and they want to get each step right. We have launched a colour correcting primer that not only helps cover blemishes, but also addresses the diversity of Indian skin tones, from light to medium, tan and deep, to ensure that everyone finds their perfect match. It’s a great addition to anyone’s make-up routine, be it a beginner or a professional, as this can be a game changer in achieving the perfectly set base, especially when we’re all going to be wearing face masks for a while.”

Sanya Malhotra to star with Rajkummar Rao in Hindi remake of ‘Hit’

Actress Sanya Malhotra has been roped in to star alongside actor Rajkummar Rao in the Hindi remake of the Telugu blockbuster “Hit”.

Sanya said: “I have watched ‘Hit’ and I really liked the concept of the film. When the film was offered to me, I immediately said yes. It is a very interesting and intriguing story that deserves a mass audience. I am looking forward to this one and excited to work with Raj.”

“HIT — Homicide Intervention Team”, tells the story of a cop who is on the trail of a missing woman.

The original released in 2020 and was jointly produced by South star Nani and Prashanti Tipirneni. The film features Vishwak Sen and Ruhani Sharma in the lead roles.

The film tells the story of Vikram, a police officer grappling with a personal tragedy while investigating a missing girl named Preethi.

The Sailesh Kolanu directorial is currently in pre-production and will go on floors soon.

Amitabh Bachchan shares picture with ‘new companion’

Amitabh Bachchan has shared a picture cuddling a puppy, whom he tagged as his “new companion on set”.

Bachchan posted a picture on Instagram, where he is seen holding the puppy in his arms.

“My new companion on set.. cozy and comfortable in my arms.. wanted so much to bring her home.. but,” he wrote as caption.

The veteran actor did not share what he was shooting for or what the puppy was doing on the set. Just a few days back, the thespian was shooting with a dog, whom he lovingly called his “co-star”.

The actor currently has “Brahmastra”, “Chehre”, “Jhund”, “MayDay”, “Goodbye” and a remake of the Hollywood film “The Intern” coming up, besides an untitled film with Prabhas and Deepika Padukone.

Shweta Tripathi: Fortunate to have work when industry is struggling

Actress Shweta Tripathi feels fortunate and grateful to have work at a time when the industry is struggling owing to the pandemic.

Shweta has been shooting throughout in locations such as Benaras and Manali when many states were going into lockdown due to the second wave of Covid-19. She also managed to successfully wrap up the shoot of her upcoming series “Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein” before all shooting was halted.

“My hands are full but I feel extremely fortunate to have work when the industry is struggling so much due to the pandemic. During lockdown I’ve been watching such great content from across the world that now I am really hungry to perform,” she said.

She currently is busy with “The Gone Game 2” and “Escaype Live”, for which she has to be away from home for two months.

The actress added: “Even though I’m going away from family and friends for two months, I’m happy doing so. I’m excited to go back to work and shoot for not just one but two fantastic back-to-back shows.”