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Mumbai, Oct 20 (PTI) Veteran actor Asrani will always be remembered for portraying the dictatorial jailer in "Sholay" as it was a role he was born to play, says director Ramesh Sippy. Condoling the death of the actor on Monday at the age of 84, the "Sholay" director said Asrani seemed "absolutely fine" when they recently met. "It (demise) feels sudden... He did a lot of work but this, stands out. I will long long remember him. It's a role he was born to play. But saying all this on a day like this doesn't feel good. It feels maybe that's the best way to remember him," Sippy told PTI in an interview. Asrani's character in the movie, which turned 50 this August, was modelled after Charlie Chaplin in "The Great Dictator". "Sholay" was penned by writer duo Salim Khan and Javed Akthar. Sippy said he first worked with Asrani in "Seeta Aur Geeta" and he was impressed with the way the actor performed his scene. "Then 'Sholay' came up and this part was written by Salim-Javed and they discussed it with me. We all thought Asrani would be the right person. We called him, discussed it with him. He was very happy to come and do this role. He was part of the creation of that character," Sippy recalled. The filmmaker praised Asrani for playing the character of the jailor in the most "natural" way. "He played it naturally; it was like he was born to play the role. Hitler is the most popular person, about whom books are written, stories have been told, the whole world's attention was on him because of the way he conducted himself, the killings that took place. "But a comic look at it (Hitler) was (great idea)... He worked so well that people till today remember it. This character will never be forgotten," the 78-year-old director said. Sippy said the character was beautifully written by Salim-Javed and he and Asrani managed to strike the perfect note during the shoot. "Salim-Javed had a way with words and this became a catch line, and it got caught on very well because of the caricature that he was. Hitler is a German character but instead of 'Angreezo ke', you can't say 'German'. We didn't know how many people will understand it. It was improvised and the shape in which it came out seemed to be the right form," he said. "The way the four of us managed to bring out the character, then actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra ji in it, all together, it made the whole sequence unforgettable. The character is loud because the comedy is loud," he added.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal was on Wednesday re-elected as president while Upkar Singh Virk became the new secretary of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), at its governing body meeting here. The election was overseen by returning officer Kamini Lau, a retired district judge. Also Read | Is Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube Channel Banned in India? Here's The Answer!. Govind Sharma of Maharashtra Kho Kho Association was elected as the treasurer of the new regime. Virk of Punjab Kho Kho Association served as the joint secretary in the last governing body while Sharma was an ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Guru Dutt lives on only in the memories of those who knew him personally or professionally, his own voice "completely absent", says his biographer Yasser Usman describing the actor-director as a "chronic introvert". As reams get written about the legendary filmmaker, who would have been 100 on Wednesday, Usman says he remains an enigma despite so many books and documentaries analysing his life and works. Usman, the author of the 2021 "Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story", said he researched various archives, magazines and newspapers of Guru Dutt's time but couldn't find a s ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) YouTuber Samay Raina appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in Delhi on Tuesday, months after he was summoned in connection with allegedly offensive and sexist content aired during his show "India's Got Latent", officials said. Raina was also among the five social media influencers who appeared before the Supreme Court in a case seeking action against them for ridiculing persons suffering from disabilities. Raina submitted his statement in response to the allegations to NCW officials. Officials said further steps will be considered after reviewing his ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to France, the European Union (EU), and Belgium from June 8 to 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release on Sunday. The visit marks a significant step in further strengthening India's strategic partnerships with Europe. The EAM will first travel to Paris and Marseille, France, where he will hold bilateral discussions with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean Noel Barrot. Also Read | Indian Citizen Dies in UAE: Civil Engineer Issac Paul ...Read More >
Ludhiana, Jun 8 (PTI) Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Sunday asserted that his party will win the Ludhiana West assembly bypoll, scheduled to be held on june 19, with a "record margin". "Congress practically has no competition here", he claimed. Warring, who is also the Ludhiana MP, said that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was badly mistaken that the Congress would allow it to abuse power and misuse the official machinery for the elections. "First of all, we will not let any misuse of the official machinery and second, in case any official is found to be misusing ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Actor Vikrant Massey says he is nervous about playing the role of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in an upcoming biopic, tentatively titled "White". The "12th Fail" star said it is a tragedy that people don't know his contribution towards peace and the film will focus on that chapter in his life. "To play Gurudev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is a daunting task. I'm very nervous, and that chapter in his life is so phenomenal, but it's also a tragedy that a lot of people don't know about his contributions, not just to the art of living but through philanthropy. "His peace m ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana joins names such as Kamal Haasan, Ariana Grande, and Jeremy Strong at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. Ayushmann along with names such as Kamal Haasan Naomi Ackie, Gillian Anderson, Branford Marsalis, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer and Jason Momoa are among 534 individuals who were invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on June 26. "We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy," said Ac ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 1 (PTI) Actor Rajkummar Rao on Tuesday said he was looking for an opportunity to step out of the box and he found it in "Maalik" where he essays the role of a gangster. Set against the gritty backdrop of 1980s Allahabad, the action thriller is a hard-hitting tale of ambition, power, and survival that explores the price of rising in a world ruled by guns, greed, and loyalty. It is directed by filmmaker Pulkit of "Bhakshak" fame. "There are very few instances when an actor gets the opportunity to break an image, and I'm always looking for such roles, like I did with 'Srikanth'. "A ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Guru Dutt lives on only in the memories of those who knew him personally or professionally, his own voice "completely absent", says his biographer Yasser Usman describing the actor-director as a "chronic introvert". As reams get written about the legendary filmmaker, who would have been 100 on Wednesday, Usman says he remains an enigma despite so many books and documentaries analysing his life and works. Also Read | 'Baaghi 4': Tiger Shroff Calls It a Wrap for A Harsha's Action Thriller, Actor Shows Off His Toned Abs From Final Day of Shoot (View Pics). Usman, the aut ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) Veteran actor-producer Dheeraj Kumar, known for starring in Manoj Kumar's "Roti Kapda Aur Makaan" and producing hit television shows "Om Namah Shivay" and "Adalat", has passed away at a hospital here, a family friend said on Tuesday. He was 79. Kumar was suffering from acute pneumonia and was admitted to an intensive care unit of the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. "He passed away this morning at 11:00 am due to pneumonia at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He was unwell and was admitted to the hospital on Saturday as he was having fever, cold and cough. He was ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 16 (ANI): Following the tragic road accident in the Muwani area of Pithoragarh district on Tuesday that claimed eight lives, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the state government would provide Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. This would be in addition to the ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which would be given to the next of kin of the deceased. Also Read | Weather Forecast Today, July 16: Check ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 4: Dreams do come true, says filmmaker RS Prasanna who went from being a cheerleader for Aamir Khan as the accepted an award for "Taare Zameen Par" in 2007 to finally directing him in its sequel "Sitaare Zameen Par". Prasanna, known for "Kalyana Samayal Saadham" in Tamil and its Hindi remake "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", was still in film school in 2007 when he watched "Taare Zameen Par". "I remember bawling my eyes out while watching 'Taare Zameen Par' with my friends, and my then-girlfriend, now wife. When Aamir sir won the Best Debut Director award at the Gollapudi Srinivas Award, ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan praised his son Abhishek Bachchan, who is completing 25 years in the film industry this month and said he is worthy of admiration. Abhishek made his debut in 2000, alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan in "Refugee". Directed by J P Dutta, the film featured him in the role of a nameless Indian Muslim, who helps illegal refugees cross the border between India and Pakistan in the Great Rann of Kutch. It released on June 30, 2000. Amitabh responded to a fan edit on X handle featuring glimpses of Abhishek's characters. The veteran actor wrote, "I ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Cinema veteran Naseeruddin Shah on Monday defended Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh amid backlash over Pakistani actor Hania Aamir's role in "Sardaar Ji 3", saying casting is not the actor-musician's responsibility. The row began last week after Dosanjh shared the trailer of "Sardaar Ji 3", which made its debut in overseas territories on June 27 and skipped release in India. Many social media users have called for a ban on Dosanjh, while trade unions like the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) and the Federation of Western lndia Cine Employees (FWICE) have critici ...Read More >
Patna, Jul 2 (PTI) The BJP's Bihar unit on Wednesday passed a resolution criticising the "appeasement politics" of the Mahagathbandhan helmed by Lalu Prasad's RJD, which has been opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Act that came into force in April. At the state executive meeting here, held in the presence of Defence Minister and former national president Rajnath Singh, the party passed a two-page political resolution, besides a 'Vijay Sankalp Prastav' that declared "Lalu (Prasad) and his allies cannot defeat us" in Assembly polls due later this year. The political resolution, which dwelt at lengt ...Read More >
Kochi, Jul 9 (PTI) The makers of 'Janaki vs State of Kerala', starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi, informed the Kerala High Court on Wednesday that they are willing to change the film's title to "V Janaki" or "Janaki V", as suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The statement was made during a hearing on a plea filed by the producers challenging the CBFC's objection to the original title "Janaki", which had delayed the film's clearance. Also Read | Pappu Yadav, Kanhaiya Kumar 'Not Allowed' to Board Rahul Gandhi-Tejashwi Yadav's Chariot During 'Bihar Bandh' Protests in P ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 17 (PTI) Filmmaker Priyadarshan has officially announced "Haiwaan", his upcoming film that reunites actors Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The "Hera Pheri" director recently posted a picture of the two actors watching India vs England test match at Lord's Cricket Stadium in London on Instagram. Also Read | 'He Sees Love the Way Few Do': Aneet Padda Pens Emotional Tribute to Director Mohit Suri Ahead of 'Saiyaara' Release (View Post). "'Haiwaan'- my next film with @akshaykumar and Saif Ali Khan at Lord's," he wrote in the caption on Tuesday. The details of the plot have been kep ...Read More >
Simar Kaur shares her experience recording Laal Pari for Housefull 5, guided by Honey Singh and Alfaaz. She highlights her vocals and the song's energy ahead of its June 6 release. Mumbai, June 4 (IANS) Singer Simar Kaur opened up about her experience working on the song 'Laal Pari' from the film 'Housefull 5.' She revealed how artists Honey Singh and Alfaaz played a significant role in helping her get into the perfect zone to bring the track to life with energy and emotion. Speaking about the ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) Actors Pankaj Tripathi and Aditi Rao Hydari will be featuring together in an upcoming film, titled "Parivarik ManuRanjan". Filled with laughter, love, chaos and music, the family entertainer is about a "perfectly mismatched duo", the makers said in a statement. It is backed by Vinod Bhanushali of Bhanushali Studios Limited and Himanshu Mehra. Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar's serves as the creative producer through his banner AAZ Films. "Parivarik ManuRanjan" will be directed by Varun V Sharma, who served as a writer on Zafar's 2019 movie "Bharat", starring Salman Khan and Kat ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 29 (PTI) Filmmaker S J Suryah is set to step into the director's shoes after 10 years with his upcoming film "Killer". Suryah is well-known for helming projects such as "Kushi" (2000), "Anbe Aaruyire" (2005) and "New" (2004), all of which had emerged as box office hits. Also Read | Oscar Winner Marion Cotillard, Guillaume Canet Announce Separation After 18 Years, Asks Public to Respect Their Privacy. Calling the film his "dream project", the 56-year-old director announced the news with a post on his X handle on Friday. "Hi folks , Ur Director S.J.Suryah is bk with His Dream ...Read More >
New Delhi: On this day in 2024, India defeated South Africa by 7 runs and lifted the T20 World Cup title at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. India posted a 177-run target for the Proteas in 20 overs after opting to bat first. Virat Kohli smashed 76 runs off 59 balls with the help of six boundaries and two maximums. Axar Patel also batted brilliantly and scored 47 runs off 31 balls, hitting four maximums and one boundary in his sensational knock. Chasing the target of 177 runs, Bumrah provided India their first breakthrough when he removed Reeza Hendricks in the second over of the run-chase, ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 7 (PTI) Guru Dutt's legacy is not of awards but of silence, the kind that lingers on after the screen fades to black, says Mahesh Bhatt about the legendary filmmaker who "let beauty crumble into truth". Dutt, regarded as amongst the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema with films such as "Pyaasa", "Kaagaz Ke Phool" and "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam", would have been 100 on July 9. He was found dead, possibly from a cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol, in 1964 when he was just 39. "He took the aching mess of human life, and turned it into poetry that could pierce even silence. Those o ...Read More >
Mumbai: Actor Vikrant Massey says he is nervous about playing the role of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in an upcoming biopic, tentatively titled "White". The "12th Fail" star said it is a tragedy that people don't know his contribution towards peace and the film will focus on that chapter in his life. "To play Gurudev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is a daunting task. I'm very nervous, and that chapter in his life is so phenomenal, but it's also a tragedy that a lot of people don't know about his contributions, not just to the art of living but through philanthropy. "His peace methods, how h ...Read More >
Chennai, July 17: The 17th season of the immensely popular television game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' will premiere on August 11 this year and will seek to champion the dreams of commoners and their 'Can Do' Attitude, its creators announced on Thursday. Sony Entertainment Television on Thursday unveiled the new campaign for Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) Season 17, highlighting the spirit of today's India. Titled 'Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahaan Akad Hai', the campaign puts the spotlight firmly on how knowledge is empowering India, fuelling common man's ambitions, instilling confidence, and driving a ...Read More >
Imphal, June 7 (UNI) Three militants were nabbed in separate incidents during the last 24 hours in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Manipur Police arrested a militant from Moidangpok Awang Leikai from Khumbong Bazar under Imphal West District, they said. Security forces arrested a militant from the Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area under Kakching district. Security forces apprehended a militant from Wangoo Samushang in Bishnupur district and elected members from Kumbi area. In an operation, one M16 rifle, one bolt-action rifle, three pull-mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars, and fiv ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday debunked all allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about rigging and match-fixing in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. In his articles titled 'Those Rejected by the People Deny the Mandate', published in the same three newspapers where Gandhi's write-ups appeared, CM Fadnavis advised the Congress MP to "accept defeat, introspect on where you went wrong, why your connect with the people is lacking, and what needs to be done." He taunted Gandhi, saying that the latter was preparing excuses for "defeats ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 29 (PTI) Filmmaker S J Suryah is set to step into the director's shoes after 10 years with his upcoming film "Killer". Suryah is well-known for helming projects such as "Kushi" (2000), "Anbe Aaruyire" (2005) and "New" (2004), all of which had emerged as box office hits. Calling the film his "dream project", the 56-year-old director announced the news with a post on his X handle on Friday. "Hi folks , Ur Director S.J.Suryah is bk with His Dream project titled, Yah U know it #KILLER feeling blessed and happy to collaborate with the most prestigious @GokulamMovies Gokulam Gopal ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Cinema veteran Naseeruddin Shah on Monday defended Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh amid backlash over Pakistani actor Hania Aamir's role in "Sardaar Ji 3", saying casting is not the actor-musician's responsibility. The row began last week after Dosanjh shared the trailer of "Sardaar Ji 3", which made its debut in overseas territories on June 27 and skipped release in India. Also Read | 'Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan': Vikrant Massey Opens Up on Choosing Quality Over Quantity in Films, Says Deep Preparation Matters More Than Just Shooting Days. Many social media users have call ...Read More >