#swanand kirkire the man that you are

[liveindiatimes]

Ghoomketu movie review: Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s creaky comedy shows signs of age - bollywood

https://www.liveindiatimes.com/ghoomketu-movie-review-nawazuddin-siddiquis-creaky-comedy-shows-signs-of-age-bollywood/

Ghoomketu Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap, Ila Arun, Raghubir Yadav, Swanand Kirkire Director: Pushpendra Nath Mishra

“Writing comedy is a serious business,” Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s whimsically named hero Ghoomketu tells us in the eponymous film. “Audience should laugh too.”

The trouble with Ghoomketu is it never uses its own sage advice. It spells out the obvious, and then goes and underlines it. After a while, it just feels like you are in the middle of an exposition dump and the walls are closing in. As you drown in that needless and relentless information, you just wish that the director would have remembered that as a paying audience of Hindi films, you knew all this all along. No comedy – the delicate thing that it is – could have survived this.

Watch the trailer for Ghoomketu here:

  But perhaps I get ahead of myself. Ghoomketu is essentially the story of a wannabe film writer from a small village in Uttar Pradesh who wants to write for Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan one day. Aided by his bua (Ila Arun) and unhappy with his plus-size new bride, he runs away from home. Armed with just a book on writing for cinema and a terrible hairstyle, he lands in the city of dreams. Now he could have been chewed up and spat out by Mumbai, but this is not an Anurag Kashyap film, he only has a cameo in it.

Instead, Ghoomketu directly meets a smarmy producer who agrees to listen to his scripts. From there on, Ghoomketu becomes a film-within-a-film as Nawazuddin’s protagonist starts working on scripts of a family drama, a horror film and a romance based on his own life experiences. This is when the film, which was muddling along in its own clueless way, starts resembling a three truck pile-up on a state highway.

A spoof relies on parody to ridicule the familiar. Ghoomketu harps on the familiar and has little to offer when it comes to comedy. In its stead, you get a hackneyed plot and tired dialogues. All the tired old tropes come out for airing – a railway platform scene in romance, a scantily clad woman in a horror film, and – the low-hanging fruit – an item number. In fact, the woman in item number gyrates so wildly, I am pretty sure she would have pulled a muscle or five. The fact that I cannot remember even one moment or smart dialogue from this entire segment demonstrates its sloppy quality.

As Ghoomketu attempts to become the next Salim-Javed, his worried father (Raghubir Yadav) and uncle (Swanand Kirkire) use their connections to set the police after him. Corrupt Inspector Badlani (Anurag Kashyap) is tasked with bringing the errant man home and his whole cameo is designed to evoke laughs. But few things work as per design in this film.

To be fair to director Pushpendra Nath Mishra (who gave us the delectable Taj Mahal 1989), few films can survive the pressures of staying in the cans for almost half a decade. Finished sometime in 2014, Ghoomketu could not get a release for the last few years. You can see it has been duct-taped and made pretty, but the cracks do show. The beautification effort involves more star cameos than you can count — Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Chitrangada Singh and Nikkhil Advani (from back when he used to be Nikhil Advani appear) in the film besides Kashyap.

The film belongs to its cast who are all seen putting in the extra effort. Nawazuddin is the right fit as Ghoomketu, a man who is clearly throwing beyond his weight. It is a refreshing change to see Ila Arun and the actor is a hoot as the doting aunt. You only wish that a terrible subplot about her nuclear burps was not added to the film. The only reason it is there is because someone thought loud burps are hilariously funny.

Raghubir Yadav as the short-tempered father gives the film some of its fun moments. It is yet another winning performance by the man who played ‘pradhan pati’ with so much candour in Panchayat recently. Swanand Kirkire ably supports the duo as their younger brother.

The film’s climax is perhaps its best 10 minutes. Earlier in the film, a precocious child advises the hero that a film is as good as its climax, no one cares what is in the middle. In a rare moment when Ghoomketu decides to practise what it preached, the film’s climax is better than the rest of it. Does the end justify the middle? The answer is no but as a reviewer, you like to run with whatever silver lining you can get.

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[rbbox]

ZEE5 announced its next film Ghoomketu which is set to release on 22nd May. An aspiring writer’s 101 retreats into the life of the protagonist, Ghoomketu is played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The movie is a comedy-drama from the viewpoint of an inexperienced writer struggling to make it big in the film industry in Mumbai. On his quest to come up with a great story, he is inspired by day to day mundane life activities. Will his ambition and determination exceed his talents? Or will a corrupt cop, who is on a mission to find Ghoomketu, put a brake on his 30-day escapade?

Directed by Pushpendra Nath Misra and produced by Phantom Films and Sony Pictures Networks (SPN), this film will be exclusively releasing on ZEE5.

The quirk and humour in the movie are exaggerated with dramatic linguistic annotations. The film is set in a wickedly playful backdrop and will be great for the entire family to watch together. The film also has ace director Anurag Kashyap as a cop and the talented Ila Arun as Ghoomketu’s Aunt, in lead roles along with Raghubir Yadav, Swanand Kirkire, Ragini Khanna and others. The film will also see special cameos from Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Chitrangada Singh, Lauren Gottlieb and filmmaker Nikhil Advani.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui shares, “Ghoomketu is a quirky, never-seen-before character and I thoroughly enjoyed playing him. Anurag, who is generally behind the camera, will be seen sharing screen space with us and it was a great experience to work with him as an actor. ‘Ghoomketu’ has a phenomenal storyline which will definitely entertain the audience. During this time of the lockdown, I am glad that a humorous film that the entire family can watch is being streamed on ZEE5.”

Actor Anurag Kashyap shares, “Every film is a labour of love and I saw the conviction in the director of Ghoomketu and hence decided to do something which is my least favourite thing to do, which is act. The film is funny and heartwarming.”

Film Director Pushpendra Nath Misra adds, “Wherever we go, we are never far away from our roots. Ghoomketu, as the name suggests, is a story of the ‘journey to the beginning’. This a film where the protagonist - a writer- draws inspiration from the idiosyncrasies of his own family members. This was a dream project with a stellar cast (sublime actors, all of them), and the freedom to tell the story in a non-stereotypical way. For all the writers, their observation begins at home. This film is a celebration of our family members - our ‘Bua’s and ‘Chacha’s and ‘Dadda’s - who we (Ghoomketu) always carry in our hearts, wherever we go. I am glad it will reach the huge family audiences of ZEE5.”

Vivek Agrawal, Producer, Phantom Films says, Ghoomketu is one of those rare gems that will put a smile on your face while taking you through the struggle of a man who is out there trying his luck in Bollywood films. Bringing this story to life has been a roller-coaster ride, just like the protagonist’s journey in the film! It has been a pleasure working on ‘Ghoomketu’– a project that is relatable for many people, on so many levels and we are thrilled to have ZEE5 on board to release it.”

This quirky comedy is all set to confuse, entertain and make you laugh this Eid weekend. 

May 09, 2020 at 03:36PMNawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Ghoomketu to release digitally on Eid weekend; RanveerSingh and Amitabh Bachchan to be seen in special appearances https://ift.tt/2LgbA8a

[airoasis]

Ranveer Singh flaunting his ripped body is a perfect Monday inspiration

Gully Boy'with Alia Bhatt and he will likewise be seen in' 83'a film based on India's Cricket World Cup win.On the personal front, rumors of Ranveer Singh getting married

with supposed sweetheart Deepika Padukone is acquiring strength. Reports of the lovebirds getting hitched in Italy at some point in November is being reported.We will wait for an official verification of the same from Ranveer and Deepika.Alia Bhatt's'Q and

A' session with fans is all about sweetheart Ranbir Kapoor-read information Alia Bhatt is the newest celebrity to try her hands that the 'Ask me a concern'feature on Instagram. Because the 'Raazi'has more than 23million fans on her social networks deal with, the lovely woman believed it's her turn to contemplate love on her fans and thus Miss Bhatt addressed each question. Needless to say, the very best ones which we discovered, were associated with her boyfriend and we are sure that her man, Ranbir and his family would approve of Bhatt's choice. Exactly what do you believe?'Helicopter Eela ': Ajay Devgn apologises for not crediting lyricist Swanand Kirkire Image Source-Yogen Shah, mhdfoto Kajol introduced the trailer of her upcoming movie' Helicopter Eela' the other day which likewise happened tobe her 44th birthday. While the trailer was lauded by numerous, the movie which sees the starlet playing a mother who begins studying at her teen boy's college, found itself in problem soon. National Movie Acclaimed lyricist and writer, Varun Grover, who just recently worked on Netflix web-series 'Sacred Games', called out the maker of the movie for not crediting lyricist Swanand Kirkire.Taking to his Twitter manage, Varun shared an image of the end-credits of the trailer and composed,"This brand-new movie's trailer is cut primarily on songs. They have actually credited everybody in the title-plate at the end OTHER THAN the lyrics author(s )(consisting of Swanand Kirkire). All you need to know how dispensable they think we are. Shameful."This brand-new film's trailer is cut primarily on tunes. They have actually credited everybody in the title-plate at the end OTHER THAN the lyrics author(s)(consisting of Swanand Kirkire). All you have to understand how dispensable they think we are. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/2USiQP1Iix!.?.!A few hours later, when Grover's tweet concerned Ajay Devgn's notice, the co-producer of'Helicopter Eela', he immediately apologised for the same. Appealing

that they would rectify their mistake quickly, the' Singham'star wrote,"We inadvertently lost out @swanandkirkire's name as a lyricist from Helicopter Eela trailer. Apologies, remedying it." Take A Look At Ajay Devgn's tweet here: We unintentionally lost out @swanandkirkire's name as lyricist from Helicopter Eela trailer. Apologies, rectifying it.We are grateful that Ajay Devgn fasted to provide a declaration, considering it was a huge blooper from their end. Anyway, now that everything is arranged, we hope that the film'Helicopter Eela'directed by Pradeep Sarkar does not fall victim to any controversy.

[cheapest-usps-eddm]

Radhika Apte starrer Raat Akeli Hai is set in north India and follows a small town cop, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who is summoned to investigate the death of a politician.

Actor Radhika Apte says, as an audience, she enjoys watching thrillers and her upcoming film Raat Akeli Hai is a great whodunit. Set in north India, the crime thriller follows a small town cop, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who is summoned to investigate the death of a politician. Raat Akeli Hai marks the directorial debut of casting director Honey Trehan, known for films like Talvar, Udta Punjab and Delhi Belly. Apte said the film, slated to be released on Netflix on July 31, is a “stunning debut” from Trehan. “I love thrillers. This film is a great whodunit with amazing ensemble performances. Honey is a director to look out for,” she told PTI in an interview. The actor said working with the first-time director was a “fulfilling” experience as Trehan is someone who taps talent very well. “Honey and I have had a long relationship. I’ve auditioned for him many times. I’ve not been selected for many, many parts he auditioned me for because he needs to cast people who are absolutely perfect for the part. He always makes the choice which is perfect for the film. “When I found that he was going to make a film, I really wanted to be a part of it because he is so good with actors that (I thought) it will be a great experience. And that was exactly the same.” Apte said there were many instances when Trehan surprised her with a nuance she hadn’t thought of before. “I liked the script. We did lots of rehearsals, readings, and had to work on my accent a lot. He just had such homework done for every single reaction and sentence,” she added. Raat Akeli Hai borrows its name from the popular number from the 1967 hit film Jewel Thief. It is one of Apte’s favourite songs. “Whenever we used to go on trips with my family and how sometimes stupidly parents were like “Oh! sing a song for them” and I always used to sing “Raat Akeli Hai”. I still know the whole song by heart,” she recalled. In the movie, Apte, 34, plays the mysterious Radha, who was to be married to the man who is murdered on the wedding night. She said her character was of someone who has been “victimised and abused in our culture very often”. “Radha is the mistress of the man who is killed. She has had a very difficult life, so she thinks that there is basically nothing to lose. She’s feisty. She can come across as arrogant and rude, but she is quite matter of fact. There are a lot of things in her which I found more progressive than other people. But we don’t know whether she is tricking you or not.” The film also reunites the actor with Siddiqui, her co-star in the films Manjhi: The Mountain Man, Badlapur, and Netflix series Sacred Games. Apte said the duo have done various roles together so it has been a fun journey. “Nawaz is one of the finest actors in the country. The good thing about him is that he is always present in the moment. He reacts to you. He doesn’t come to the sets prepared. So we can just play along with our parts, improvise a lot, and see what comes along.” At a time, when the number of cases due to the coronavirus pandemic continue to rise, Apte said, like everyone, she is also clueless about the future. “I don”t know what’s going to happen after the pandemic is over. I don’t think anyone knows. The only thing the pandemic has taught us is to live in the present. Let”s just live in the now. We”ll know what to do in future when time comes.” The actor said OTT platforms are a saving grace when theaters remain closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “We can’t go to theatres so it’s great we have OTT platforms. The film is viewed by so many people in so many countries. You get so much visibility,” she added. Apte will next be seen in the American historical drama Liberte: A Call to Spy and Apple TV Plus series Shantaram. “A Call to Spy is releasing soon. ‘Shantaram’ will be shot next year. I have also done a series but I don”t know when it will release.” Raat Akeli Hai also features Shweta Tripathi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Nishant Dahiya, Ila Arun, Swanand Kirkire and Aditya Srivastava.

[smnews]

Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of audio entertainment and audiobooks, on Thursday introduced a new service created exclusively for Indian listeners. Audible Suno, available for free on Android devices, offers unlimited, free access to hundreds of hours of audio entertainment, enlightenment and learning featuring many of India’s favourite celebrities and personalities.

At launch, Audible Suno offers more than 60 original and exclusive series in both Hindi and English. Each show is comprised of short, easy-to-digest episodes featuring stars like Amitabh Bachchan (Kaali Awaazein), Katrina Kaif, Karan Johar (Picture Ke Peechhe), Anil Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Mouni Roy, Anurag Kashyap, Tabu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Diljit Dosanjh, Vir Das, and Vicky Kaushal.

The range of fiction series includes horror (Kaali Awaazein), romance/relationships (Matrimonial Anonymous and Piya Milan Chowk), and suspense (Thriller Factory), while the comedy series on Audible Suno feature India’s funniest comedian (The Unexperts by Abish Mathew). Non-fiction series available on Audible Suno include intimate interviews with some of the country’s biggest stars (Kissa Khwabon Ka, Picture Ke Peechhe); socially relevant series that explore topics like mental health, sex education and the rights of the LGBTQI+ community (Azaad Awaaz, SentiMental). Dale Carnegie (translated in Hindi), Om Swami, Radhakrishnan Pillai, and Divya Prakash Dubey are among the top authors featured on Audible Suno.

With Audible Suno, Audible enables listeners to turn their idle time into “found time” and unlock more hours every day to fill with entertainment and learning. Whether listeners are riding on the bus or the local train, are busy doing chores or cooking, are working out at the gym or even relaxing at home, Audible Suno offers the perfect solution to spend the time meaningfully.

“Audible Suno is a world-first for Audible, and reflects our commitment to creating exceptional entertainment for our Indian customers,” said Audible founder and CEO Don Katz. “I’ve always been passionate about the transformative power of the spoken word, and I’m delighted to be able to offer this breadth of famous voices and culturally resonant genres with unlimited access, ad-free and free of charge.”

“In India, our love of storytelling is ingrained in our culture, as we share stories generation after generation, and as we create and pass on new stories with family and friends today. Since its founding, Audible has worked in service of a singular purpose: to ignite the power of sound to entertain, inspire and move listeners, which we will now further with the launch of an India-first offering – Audible Suno,” said Shailesh Sawlani, VP, Country Manager India, Audible.

Amitabh Bachchan (Kaali Awaazein) said, “I have always believed that audio is an incredibly powerful, yet thus far under-utilized entertainment medium in India, and it is exciting that Audible is poised to change that. It is breaking new ground with spoken-word entertainment, showcasing a wide range of deeply Indian stories told by some of India’s most famous voices. The series featuring my voice, Kaali Awaazein, is a fictional psychological thriller inspired by ghost stories and supernatural sightings, designed with immersive 3D sound to make these stories come alive on Audible Suno in a way I hope my fans would enjoy. It has been a first-time experience for me and one that I have enjoyed doing.”

“As an artist and director, I’m constantly on the lookout for new ways to present riveting stories. With Audible Suno, I am thrilled by the opportunity to create cutting-edge audio entertainment in a completely new format. Audible Suno has inspired me to push the envelope when it comes to storytelling, harnessing the power of audio,” said Thriller Factory director and presenter Anurag Kashyap.

“What excites me about Audible Suno is being able to explore a completely different format as an artist. I think an audio show can spark imagination in ways that few other formats can, leading to a powerful experience as a listener. I am proud to be a part of what promises to be a wonderful and rewarding journey,” said Thriller Factory performer and actor Tabu.

“Comedy can often rely on being visually engaging. So, Be Stupid with Vir Das was a cool creative puzzle - trying to get the funny from my mouth to your ears with nothing in between! More than anything else, I got to sit down with amazing people. I'm a storyteller at heart and I can't wait to bring you their hilarious and stupid stories. I’m so glad I was able to explore this new medium with Audible Suno, and I hope my audience listens to me and other series on the app, from my particular stupid...all the way to the sensible,” said comedian Vir Das.

The Audible Suno app is now available to download for free on devices that run Android 4.4 onwards. iOS users in India can access Audible Suno content for free as well via the current iOS Audible app.

Audible Suno is a distinct offering from Audible’s audiobook service, which launched for Indian customers in November 2018 to provide members with access to a large library of over 200,000 audiobooks, including more than 250 recently added titles in Hindi and Urdu. Among the selections available in Hindi are Charag by Waseem Bareilvi, Manas Ka Hans by Amritlal Nagar and Buri Ladki by Priyanka Gupta, as well as translations of works including Meeri Gita by Devdutt Pattanaik, The Mastery Manual by Robin Sharma and Chanakya Mantra by Ashwin Sanghi. One year on, Audible is solidifying its commitment to Indian listeners and to growing the rapidly evolving category with the launch of Audible Suno, an India-first, free-of-cost audio entertainment service.

  ORIGINAL SERIES AT A GLANCE

SCRIPTED SERIES/FICTION

Thriller Factory: Thriller Factory is a 10-episode series directed by Anurag Kashyap, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tabu and Sachin Khedekar. Adapted from the work of celebrated writer Ved Prakash Sharma, written by Pravesh Bhardwaj and created with an immersive score inspired by ‘80s Bollywood movies, every episode takes you into the blood-soaked underbelly of India’s best pulp fiction.

Kaali Awaazein: Kaali Awaazein is a 10-episode fictional series featuring the one and only Amitabh Bachchan, directed by Mantra and written by Mantra and Mishkka Singh Shekhawat. This psychological thriller is inspired by ghost stories, supernatural sightings and strange phenomena reported from the most haunted places across India. Every episode features a new story and an immersive 3D sound experience that will place you at the very center of the story. Listen with the lights on.

Bhoot Kaal: Bhoot Kaal is a 30-episode series created and narrated by Neelesh Misra. This series is based on supernatural and horror stories from across urban and rural India that play on the very basic human instinct: the fear of the unknown. The stories are fictional and created purely for the purpose of evoking thrill and entertainment.

Chhupe Saaye: Chhupe Saaye is a 38-episode series featuring stories of the supernatural, paranormal, horror, suspense and crime from the best of English, Bengali and regional literature. From strange creatures emerging from a moonlit lake, to a deadly stalker following a schoolmaster in the dead of the night, to a lifeless doll coming to the rescue of a little girl, to the sad tale of a patient fighting his inner demons, experience stories that will stay with you long after you listen.

Mine and Yours: Mine and Yours is a 10-episode romantic drama starring Mantra and Mishkka Singh Shekhawat, about hidden desires and unfulfilled lust in a relationship. “Yours” has a secret. “Mine” is hiding something from Yours too. As you listen, from a chance encounter, to a first kiss, to a night together in a hotel room and a whirlwind trip around the world, you’ll soon realize that Mine and Yours are keeping something from you too.

Pull to Refresh: Pull To Refresh is an 8-episode fictional series created by Terribly Tiny Tales. Ananya Mehra is a foul-mouthed, unfiltered twenty-something who runs a podcast that divulges her entire life. Nothing is sacred or off-limits. She records intimate, personal conversations with the people in her life and streams them on her show without their knowing. When she hits her lowest low, it is her own life that begins to unravel before listeners.

Tridevi: Tridevi is an 8-episode fictional series created by OfSpin for Audible Suno. Three mothers and close friends from college reconnect after the upheaval of recent motherhood. Funny, deeply honest and poignant, Tridevi follows Imli, Sifu and Niko as they take on the highs and lows of love, careers, in-laws and children.

CELEBRITIES/BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Mera Music Mera Mantra: Mera Music Mera Mantra is a 10-episode series hosted by Jankee Parekh Mehta, featuring musicians Armaan Malik, Harshdeep Kaur, Guru Randhawa, Nucleya, Naezy, Palak Muchhal, Javed Ali, Divine, Jonita Gandhi and Farhan Akhtar. This series reveals their own personal mantras for success. How have they hustled their way to the top? More importantly, how have they managed to stay there? Hear how they have pushed the boundaries of their own life stories to make their name and their music known.

Spot Dada is a 10-episode fictional series starring national award-winning actor Swanand Kirkire, Rajeshwari Sachdev and Neena Kulkarni. For the past 40 years, one man in Bollywood has seen it all. Manohar Patil, lovingly known as Spot Dada, started as a spot boy and went on to become the wise old Banyan tree on some of Bollywood’s most iconic sets. However, in the last twelve years, Manohar Patil’s career has nosedived, with a new generation of spot boys taking over - those with smartphones and fancy shoes, and a smattering of English and loads of smarts. Embittered, cynical and jobless, he still hangs around the sets of large film studios freeloading and pretending to work. When asked at home about money, he says the production units are delaying payments. What will happen to Spot Dada? Will he fade into oblivion like many before him, handing over the reins of the industry to a capable new set of individuals and to a new set of rules? Or will there be a miracle?

INSPIRING/DOCUMENTARY

Yoddha with Neelesh Misra: Yoddha is a 30-episode series created and performed by Neelesh Misra. This series celebrates the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces, chronicling soldiers’ fierce sense of duty in the face of impossible odds. The stories also reveal their personal lives and sacrifice, and the courage of their family members.

My Ex-Breast: My Ex-Breast is a 7-episode series by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana and Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. In this series, Tahira takes you on an intimate journey through a mad storm called breast cancer. In a single moment, she went from praying for her breasts to grow, to life throwing her a curveball in the form of a mastectomy and reconstruction. Poignant, honest and radically hopeful, Tahira shares how she and her loved ones chose joy in the face of fear.

LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS 

Matrimonial Anonymous is a 12-episode confessional series from Audible Suno, hosted by Mouni Roy. Amidst the ceremony of shaadi, between the sacraments and sangeets, live our secrets. In the Big Fat Indian Wedding, these are the unspoken questions, desires, fears and fantasies we whisper only to ourselves, that chase us in our search for the perfect partner, which can unsettle even the quietest hearts. This series features the real confessions of women and men who bravely share their own personal secrets about their search for love.

Cupid Kaneez: Cupid Kaneez is a 10-episode series created and hosted by comedian Kaneez Surka. In this series, Kaneez plays matchmaker to her friends and sets them up on blind dates. Every episode is a post-mortem of the date and explores the suspense, intrigue and awkwardness of modern dating. Cupid Kaneez explores the love lives of Sumukhi Suresh, Rohan Joshi, Kubra Sait, Rega Jha, Pooja Dhingra, Daniel Fernandes and more, as they share their thoughts on what it takes to play the dating game.

Azaad Awaaz: Azaad Awaaz is a 10-episode series hosted by filmmaker Mozez Singh, created by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. In a series of powerful interviews, Singh and his guests celebrate life’s most important pursuit: the freedom to be and love who you are. Hear the dreams, hopes, triumphs, struggles and joy of India’s LGBTQIA+ community. Join allies and guests like Vicky Kaushal, Richa Chadda, Manish Arora and Sushant Divgikar in this celebration of freedom and love.

Ae Dil Hai Complicated: Ae Dil Hai Complicated is a 24-episode series hosted by Neena Gupta. The series explores the very edges of modern love and relationships. Spanning secret sex lives, open marriage, polyamory, missing parents, almost lovers and everything in between, this series explores the intimacies of real stories and confessions from Arré writers across the country.

Piya Milan Chowk is a 14-episode series written and narrated by Divya Prakash Dubey. Divya Prakash Dubey is one of the most popular Hindi authors of our time. He’s also a poet and a songwriter. This series, written and performed by him, celebrates love that blossoms in ��Piya Milan Chowk’ – a junction where lovers secretly meet. Each story in this series is woven around an encounter that took place in ‘Piya Milan Chowk’. Beautifully narrated and heartwarming, these stories are sure to touch your heart.

COMEDY

The Unexperts: The Unexperts is a 10-episode live comedy series created and hosted by Abish Mathew. The Unexperts are experts at giving you information you don’t need—unsolicited advice, ridiculous opinions and really, really bad reviews. Every episode features a panel of Unexperts who will take down and breakdown everything from their old school teachers, to artificial intelligence, ghosts, the apocalypse, family and more.

Why Would You Do This?: Why Would You Do This? is a 12-episode series hosted by comedian Sahil Shah that explores the most bizarre and silly news stories from India and around the world. Join Sahil Shah and some of India’s top comedians as they dissect some of the stupidest things humans have done by asking, "Why Would You Do This?"

HINDI SELF DEVELOPMENT/AUTHOR-BASED

Be Stupid with Vir Das: This 15-episode series is created and hosted by comedian Vir Das. What if a stupid decision could change your relationship, your career and even the course of your life for the better? In this counterintuitive guide to life’s best mistakes, Vir talks to people who have funny, heartwarming and insightful stories of instant regret but ultimate redemption.

ALSO READ: Amitabh Bachchan and Sonakshi Sinha are most talked about handles on Twitter India

from Latest Bollywood News | Hindi Movie News | Hindi Cinema News | Indian Movies | Films - Bollywood Hungama https://ift.tt/2snU5MW

[lazyupdates]

Akshay Kumar watched Chumbak recently, a film directed by Sandeep Modi starring lyricist Swanand Kirkire in the lead role. Interestingly, the film lingered in Akshay’s mind. So much so that he often thought about it. Ultimately, Akshay decided to present this film, which had struck a deep chord with him.

Akshay took to the social media to share his feelings in a video talking in Marathi. He said, “Every cinema has its own language. Few days ago, I saw such a Marathi movie, which made me laugh and cry a lot. It was such an honest film. I’ve watched so many films but I don’t know why, this particular movie, its characters have remained etched in my mind. No matter where I am, what I’m working on, I remember this film very often.  Even now, when I’m sitting in my car, I have been thinking about this film and thus making this video. That’s why I have decided to share this movie with you’ll. I’m pretty sure you’ll will love this movie. I’m bringing this film to you’ll on 27th July, I hope you guys enjoy it. The name of the film is Chumbak.”

The film is a story of friendship between a restaurant busboy and a village simpleton. Chumbak is a coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old Baalu and his chance encounter with a 45-year-old mentally challenged man, Prasanna played by Swanand Kirkire. Speaking on the film, producer Narain S Kumar had said in an interview, “Baalu who is on the verge of making the choices in life, till he meets Prasanna, a mentally slow man. Thrown on a roller coaster ride of circumstances together with Prasanna, Baalu finds himself in a dilemma again. Will the attraction of his dream make him sell his soul? Or will the pull of his conscience and Prasanna make him the man he once wanted to be? Chumbak is the journey of these two opposites.”

The post Akshay Kumar to present a Marathi film titled Chumbak appeared first on Lazy Updates.

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Pad Man Review: PAD MAN scores high on content as well as emotions

Akshay Kumar for long has been championing social and nationalist causes in his films with TOILET: EK PREM KATHA, AIRLIFT, JOLLY LLB 2, HOLIDAY, BABY, NAAM SHABANA, among others. It would be safe to say that the actor has carved his niche with integrating pertinent issues in commercial cinema space, leading to few of his detractors limiting him to that particular category. Akshay, who also is one of the most bankable stars in the business currently, returns to the big screen with R Balki’s PAD MAN based on the issues, relating to menstruation, faced by underprivileged women in rural India. The film is produced by Twinkle Khanna’s Mrs Funnybones Movies and has Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in lead roles along with Kumar.

So yes, with all this hoopla around PAD MAN, it is only logical to expect a lot from the film. Does it meet our collective expectations? Read on to find that out. We have you covered.

The film revolves around life of Lakshmikant Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) based out of a village in Madhya Pradesh and his inspiring journey of spreading awareness about menstruation and smashing taboos associated with it in the conservative society. Now, first of all let us all agree that it was indeed brave of Akshay to touch upon this subject, given his massy appeal. There is a probability that aam junta might shy away from watching the film because of its unconventional content. But the makers have made sure that there is enough publicity going around which will make people shun their ignorance and embrace this cause wholeheartedly. So, a newly married Lakshmi is a welder but extremely curious about female menstruation and is disturbed by the lack of sanitation or awareness around it. It all starts when he finds out that his wife Gayatri (Radhika Apte) uses dirty cotton cloth for the lack of sanitary pads during her periods. He then fashions a cotton pad and persuades his wife to use the same. Despite repeated attempts, he fails to make a sustainable napkin. His relentless pursuit to make the perfect sanitary napkin leads his entire family to disown him until he manages to convince the society that menstrual hygiene is a burning topic which needs to be addressed.

Akshay Kumar is at his natural best in the garb of a village bumpkin Lakshmi. The supporting cast of Radhika Apte, Mrunmayee Gokhale and Jyoti Subhash are brilliant, complementing his performance. The first half is filled with a lot of bittersweet moments between Akshay and Radhika but one scene that stood out for us was just before the interval. Lakshmi, in an attempt to make a full proof napkin, attaches an animal blood pouch to his waist making the blood drip steadily into his handmade pad. Thinking that his job is done, he happily strides away only to realise to his dismay that the pad is leaking. The mere sight of Akshay taking a plunge into the nearby river with soiled pants is moving, impactful and breaks stereotypes in every way possible. It is indeed brave for a mainstream Hindi film hero to attempt something like this. The dialogues written by Swanand Kirkire and R. Balki are funny, emotional, bringing out a very earthy side of the lead hero. Though we felt that Lakshmi’s UN speech could have been shorter.

In the second half, director R. Balki slips a little bit as the film gets too technical showing Lakshmi building a pad manufacturing machine from scratch. The editing treatment given to these bits by Chandan Arora could have been tighter. Also, Sonam Kapoor’s entry is a little too convenient and the way she begins her association with the PAD MAN Akshay is a tad bit filmy. Sonam tries to deliver an honest performance as a confidante and marketing guru to Akshay’s character but there is little focus on her in the movie. She however tries to make the best of what she has, engaging us for most part. Despite saying this, a love angle created by the makers between her and Akshay seemed forced and unnecessary.

The screenplay (R. Balki) is quite engaging and entertaining. It sure drops at a few places but eventually manages to pick and keep you glued to the story.

Since this film, which is inspired by the life of Tamil Nadu’s social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, is adapted to suit North Indian sensibilities for greater viewership, PAD MAN is shot across scenic locales of Maheshwar, Indore and Mahu in Madhya Pradesh. PC Sreeram has done an excellent job with the cinematography. The camera work is beautiful and expansive capturing the simplicity of the lifestyle of the people living there. One finds a massy connect in the way characters are treated as far as their costumes, dialogues and overall appeal is considered.

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Amit Trivedi’s music is good but not spectacular, to be honest. Only two tracks ‘Aaj Se Teri’ and Pad Man title track stand out but then there is little scope for the music when the film is so heavy on content.

It is worth mentioning here that Akshay Kumar manages to maintain perfect gravitas as a feminist icon who is emotional and passionate about his cause. It is indeed applause worthy for him to take a taboo topic (after TOILET: EK PREM KATHA) and make a commercial film out of it, without letting it get too preachy for its own good. Also, it is interesting to note that Balki’s gallery has always been the urbane multiplex going audience and yet he pleasantly surprises us by making a rooted film which has the potential to cut across class/caste barriers.

On the whole, PAD MAN is a brave and an inspirational attempt at creating a commercial cinema out of a taboo topic. The movie scores high on content as well as emotions. At the box office, Akshay Kumar’s mass appeal will surely help to pull in the audiences. It has the potential to grow steadily at the box-office with the positive word-of-mouth. Period.

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SPOILERS AHEAD

This definitely won't go down as a match made in heaven. Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a pulpy, uneven romantic caper that strives to pass itself off as a mellow tale of patriarchy, love, honour and ambition set in small-town India and couched in doses of humour. Neither the mush nor the air of mirth can pull it out of the trough it digs for itself. Writer-director Shashank Khaitan's overly cheerful follow-up to 2014's Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania pulls off only a part of the exercise. The rest - comprising protracted swathes of the film - is at best glossed-up dross. The attempted marriage of frivolity and matters solemn isn't a happy one. Badrinath Ki Dulhania, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, is replete with all the stock conceits of the genre (including a robust wedding song and a frenetic nightclub number) even as it tries to seek out a fresh trajectory.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review: Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan's film is a pulpy, uneven romantic caper

Jhansi boy Badrinath Bansal (Varun Dhawan) meets Kota girl Vaidehi Trivedi (Alia Bhatt) at a friend's wedding. After some meaningless banter, they get into Hum Aapke Hain Koun mode and break into dance. Once the musical interlude ends, the two go their own ways.

But the besotted Badri can't get Vaidehi out of his system. The girl ticks him off in no uncertain terms, and repeatedly at that, but Badri is the sort of guy who does not take no for an answer. He isn't likeable at all.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review: Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in film still

The dissonance between avowed purpose and muddled plotting undermines the central message of Badrinath Ki Dulhania - the right of a woman to carve her own space outside the constricting roles that their fathers and husbands/boyfriends want to impose upon them.

The rebellious Vaidehi is an embodiment of that urge for personal freedom. This makes her about the only character in Badrinath Ki Dulhania who occasionally comes close to rising above the tangled treatment of a battle-of-the-sexes drama. This film would have played much better had it been titled Vaidehi Ka Dulha - Badri concedes his own secondary place in the tale only in a bizarre climax played out on the grounds of an ancient fort that assumes the look of a Ram Leela maidan - and presented through her gaze.

Watch the trailer of Badrinath Ki Dulhania:  

If Vaidehi's flight - she dreams of being an airhostess - fails to turn the direction of the film decisively, it is solely because Badri's bride-hunt quickly becomes a puerile game masterminded by two wanton boys. Badri is a bit of a lout who has no clue what he wants to do with his life. He is a school dropout and gallivants aimlessly around town with bum chum Somdev Mishra (Sahil Vaid), who, on his part, is seeking to get his fledgling matrimonial website going.

With the help of this nutty friend, the hero pursues the heroine without let, completely oblivious of the fact that he constantly crosses the line of acceptable behaviour. The young lady tells him as much, but he does not take the message.

Worse, he continues to make a sorry spectacle of himself not just on desi terrain, but also in Singapore. His 'tera peecha na chhodoonga' approach to love - he never accepts his stalking of Vaidehi for what it is, a transgression - smacks of outright boorishness. It isn't in sync with the film's purportedly progressive ambitions.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review: Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan's film is largely inoffensive, harmless fun

Badri's dad (Rituraj Singh) is a well-to-d0 car dealer with archaic views on a woman's place in the family. Vaidehi's father (Swanand Kirkire) is a middle class man two years shy of superannuation. Both men have a weak heart and depend on an oxygen cylinder. It isn't just the social status of their families that separate Badri and Vaidehi. Their outlooks on life do not match either.

Many might see Badrinath Ki Dulhania as largely inoffensive, harmless fun. But the subliminal points that the film makes about the way men treat women in Indian society borders on the dangerous. Badri wants Vaidehi to believe that simply because he has never misbehaved with her nor held her hand by force, he has done no wrong. But his endless badgering of the girl compels her to take a step that places her instantly in opposition with her own people. Not done!

Badrinath Ki Dulhania turns everything else in sight into picture-postcard images. Jhansi doesn't look like Jhansi and Kota doesn't look like Kota. Even the accent that the leads adopt is rather dodgy and disinfected. Why would a Jhansi boy and a Kota girl embrace the same diction? If that's love, it doesn't make sense.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania Review: Hop aboard only if you have no option

Varun and Alia deliver energetic performances. The duo is well supported by Sahil Vaid (playing the hero's comic sidekick) and Shweta Basu Prasad (as a banking graduate forced into dull domesticity in a feudal household). The overall result is middling.

Jhansi and Kota might not derive any benefits from being at the heart of this flimsy film. But Frankfinn Academy and Singapore's Silk Air stand a good chance. Both entities are given heightened play in Badrinath Ki Dulhania. As for the film itself, it runs into an air-pocket of mediocrity and never finds its way out of it. Hop aboard only if you have no option.

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