A new cross-border collaboration has made it’s way to the digital space, and its Meesha Shafi’s soulful voice for Amazon Prime India’s new series Hush Hush. The show stars, Juhi Chawla, Soha Ali Khan, Kritika Kamra, Karishma Tanna, Shahana Goswami among others.
The song called Mere Mahru dropped on YouTube on Sunday that opens to Chawla working out at dusk, her daily life featuring the other female leads and Shafi’s belting notes. The show director, Tanuja Chandra took to Instagram and shared her experience of when she first heard the song. “Arijit Datta sent me [‘Mere Mahru’] as a voice note, I loved it. I’m so happy to have it in Hush Hush, it’s kind of the beating heart of the series,” she wrote.
Chandra re-shared her Instagram story and thanked Shafi for singing for them “from across oceans”. She also expressed that she’s glad Shafi came to her mind after she spoke with actor Sania Saeed and asked if she could get her the ‘Muaziz Saarif’ singer’s contact details.
According to Amazon Prime, Hush Hush is about “four friends that find themselves hurling down a rabbit hole of lies, deceit and secrets after a dangerous encounter at a party. As their privileged and safe world turns upside down, the secrets become the reason to bond for their survival.”
The show is now available to watch on the OTT platform and has seven episodes in total.
Well this isn’t the first time that Meesha has made her way to Bollywood. Earlier she starred opposite Farhan Akhtar in the superhit film, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
She has also starred in the Hollywood film, Reluctant Fundamentalist which also starred Bollywood actors.
Pakistani star-singer Atif Aslam was invited to Sanjay Kapoor’s birthday bash in Dubai. Atif attended the event with his wife Sara Bharwana.
Both Pakistani artists posed for pictures with Bollywood actors and their family members. Cricketer Shoaib Malik’s better half Sania Mirza also graced the event with her presence.
Actor Sami Khan also met Anil in the Dubai and shared the moment on social media.
Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor, the eldest daughter of Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, debuted in 2018 with Karan Johar’s Dhadak.
Being a star kid many felt she has several privileges. However, in a recent chat, the actress has opened up about the ‘biggest misconception’ people have about her.
During a recent interaction with GoodTimes, Kapoor reacted to people thinking she takes her position for granted. The Gunjan Saxena diva said, “People think I take my position for granted. That’s the biggest misconception they have about me. They think because I’m privileged that it makes me unaware of what it’s like to work hard.”
She continued, “I may not be the most talented, or the most beautiful; I may not have many skills to offer; but I can promise you that I am the hardest working person on the set. And this is something I can give in writing in blood, so you don’t doubt my work ethic ever again.”
Speaking about the films she chooses to be part of, Janhvi stated, “I can’t do the same thing over and over again because I get bored easily. I hate repeating things and have to set up challenges for myself because that’s when I know I’m growing. Otherwise, I feel like a waste of time.”
On the work front, Janhvi will star opposite Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar in Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
Indian filmmaker Karan Johar has left Twitter and deleted his account on the micro-blogging app.
In his announcement of quitting Twitter, Karan had written , “Making space for more positive energies only and this is step one towards that. Goodbye Twitter!”
Karan Johar, in one of the episodes of KWK7 opened up about his mental health and how being in therapy helped him during a final episode of Koffee With Karan 7. He said, “I built some kind of thick skin over the years. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me the way people think it should bother me when I read stuff that is completely putrid, awful. They come down to even abusing my kids. Those are times when I feel like f***, just leave them out of it. I’m like, you can say whatever you want about me, my sexuality or about all the conspiracy theories they have that are really down and dirty. It really doesn’t bother me and it’s not like I have not been in therapy and I haven’t had issues in the past.”
Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut is known for her unfiltered statements. From calling out ‘movie mafia’ to slamming filmmaker Karan Johar, she has always bluntly raised her points. Now she has accused director Mahesh Bhatt of casually inciting people for violence.
The Queen actor took to her verified Instagram handle and shared a series of video stories, which featured Mahesh Bhatt. In the videos, Bhatt can be addressing a crowd. Ranaut also alleged that his ‘real name’ was not Mahesh, but ‘Aslam’. In the following story, which had another part of the same video, she wrote, “I am told his (Mahesh Bhatt) real name is Aslam… he converted to marry his second wife (Soni Razdan)… it is a beautiful name, why hide it?”
Kangana added, “He must use his real name, not represent a certain religion, when he has converted…”
Commenting on another one where Bhatt is seen speaking about Islam as a peaceful religion and quoting a verse from the Holy Quran, she added, “I am told his real name is Aslam. He converted to marry his second wife (Soni Razdan) It is a beautiful name, why hide it?”
She further wrote, “He must use his real name, not represent a certain religion when he has converted.”
This was not the first time when the 35-year-old actor has targeted the veteran director. In 2020, she had accused the filmmaker of assaulting her when she turned down his daughter Pooja Bhatt’s film. On the other hand, before the release of Mahesh’s daughter Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, Ranaut had taken an indirect dig at father-daughter duo. While slamming them on her Instagram stories, she said that the film’s blunder was “wrong casting,” referring to Alia as “daddy’s angel” and Mahesh as “movie mafia.”
Earlier this year the Woh Lamhe siren strongly criticised a video of a little girl who recreated a scene of Alia Bhatt’s upcoming biopic film, Gangubai Kathiawadi. An Instagram influencer, Kiara Khanna who is also known as ‘chhoti Alia Bhatt’, re-enacted a dialogue of Alia from her upcoming film which went viral across social media.
She shared two screenshots on Instagram stories and tagged Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani.
She penned, “Should this child imitate a sex worker with a beedi in her mouth and crude and obscene dialogues? Look at her body language, is it ok to sexualize her at this age? There are hundreds of other children who are being used similarly.”
The film is based on the life of a real sex worker based in Mumbai who is mentioned in the book ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai’ by S. Hussain Zaidi. It is being released under the banner of Bhansali Productions with the collaboration of Pen India Limited. Ajay Devgn and Vijay Raaz will also be seen in interesting roles.
She also slammed Deepika Padukone and Ananya‘s film, Gehraiyaan.
She wrote, “I am also a millennial but I identify and understand this kind of romance … in the name of millennial/new age/urban movies don’t sell trash pls … bad movies are bad movies no amount of skin show or p*rnography can _ save it … it’s a basic fact koi gehraiyaan wali baat nahi hai (there is no depth in it).”
Indian singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala passed away on May 29th this year. He was shot dead in his which had a connection with his famous song, 295 that he created for his enemies. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar has taken responsibility for his murder, and Lawrence Bishnoi and others are involved. Now his father Balkaur Singh claims his ‘brothers’ turned out to be his enemies.
A lot has happened ever since Sidhu passed away. A statue has been erected at his cremation site in Mansa and his father inaugurated it. He broke down and even expressed how hard it was to see his son in that form at the age of just 28. Police continue their investigation and several linked to the case have been arrested.
In the latest statement to Indian media, Balkaur Singh said, “Some black sheep became enemies of his career. It was his misfortune that people whom he met at the beginning (of his career) were not the right persons. He could not realize that those who were claiming to be his brothers now would become his enemy tomorrow. I will take their names. Let the time come. It is a matter of a few days. I will make everything clear about who did what.”
Meanwhile, out of 6 shooters who killed Sidhu Moose Wala, three have been arrested. 2 of them have been neutralised while the remaining one is still absconding.
Days after Sidhu’s murder, Mumbai Police reached Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s house on Monday after a death threat letter had been sent to him and his father, Salim Khan.
Salim Khan’s guards had spotted an unsigned letter at Mumbai’s Bandra Bandstand promenade. The letter had a death threat for the Khans, “tumhara Moose Wala kar denge (you will end up like Moose Wala)”.
Following the discovery of the letter, an FIR was registered by Mumbai Police, an official said. On early Sunday morning, Salim was sitting on a bench at the Bandra Bandstand, which is his routine, after a morning walk when an unidentified man handed him a letter which mentioned a threat to kill Salim and Salman, the official said.
Later, with the help of his security personnel, Salim Khan contacted the police and an FIR was registered under section 506-II (Criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Bandra police station.
Bishnoi had reportedly planned a plot to assassinate Khan over his involvement in a blackbuck poaching case. Blackbucks are considered sacred creatures by the Bishnoi community.
Deepika Padukone began her journey with Om Shanti Om in Bollywood and there was no going back. She was the lucky one as her big Bollywood debut was with Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since, the actress has been a part of some remarkable projects like Piku and Bajirao Mastani amongst others.
During a recent interview, Deepika revealed that she was suffering from depression some years ago and was suicidal at times. However, the signs and symptoms were recognised at the right time and she fought back bravely.
Opening up about when she was suffering from depression, Deepika said, “I give all the credit to my mother for recognising the signs and symptoms because it just happened out of the blue.”
She went on to add, “I was on a career-high, and everything was going well, so there was no reason or no apparent reason why I should’ve felt the way I was feeling.”
“But, I would break down for no reason. There were days when I just didn’t want to wake up, I would sleep because sleep for me was an escape, I was suicidal at times,” she said.
During the interview, the ‘Cocktail’ actress said that she used to behave normally in front of her parents. As her parents, who live in Bengaluru, visited her most often.
Further, she said, “Even now when they visit me, I always put on a brave front that everything’s okay. You always want to show your parents that you are fine.”
Earlier this year, Padukone was asked by Filmfare magazine about the worst advice she’s ever received. Reacting to the same, the Gehraiyaan diva said, “I was told to get breast implants. I was all of 18 and I often wonder how I had the wisdom to not take it seriously.”
When asked about the best advice, the Cocktail star answered, “Shah Rukh (Khan) gives good advice and I got a lot from him. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I got from him was to always work with people you know you are going to have a good time with, because while you are making a movie you are also living life, making memories, and creating experiences.”
Discussing the aforementioned experiences, Deepika added, “Some [experiences were] public, some not so public. But in hindsight, I am grateful for those experiences. You don’t always walk into them knowingly. But eventually, you realise that all of life’s experiences teach you something. They give you clarity. They tell you a lot about who you are and give you perspective about the people around you.”
Meanwhile, Deepika will be next seen in Siddharth Anand’s directorial Pathan. She reunites with Shah Rukh Khan in it. She’ll be also seen in Anand’s Fighter, marking her first collaboration with Hrithik Roshan.
Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt recently discussed in an interview how she has occasionally encountered casual misogyny and has heard sexist remarks in Bollywood.
The Raazi star claimed that she did not recognise the sexism in such remarks early in her, however now such sexist remarks irritates her.
When asked if she had faced casual sexism in Bollywood like fellow women producers and actors, the Student Of The Year actor replied, “I think from time to time I have faced that– casual sexism. Many times I would not notice it. When I think back now because I am so much more aware of it, it just makes so much sense as ‘oh my god that was such a sexist comment, or that I was basically a subject of extreme misogyny in that moment. That’s why now I am so much more sensitive. Sometimes my friends go like ‘what’s wrong with you, why have you become so aggressive?’”
The actress said, ‘But it is not about her, people say don’t be so sensitive, you are being so sensitive, have you had periods.’ I say, ‘I am not getting sensitive and even if I am on my period, then what? You were also born because of this because women have periods.’
She added, “I get very angry when people say these random things. Things like ‘Your bra shouldn’t be on the bed, hide your bra. Hey, why hide it? It’s clothes, you’re shining your underwear, so I’m not saying anything. It’s not that all this happened to me but I understand how you as a woman should hide a lot of things.”
She further mentioned, “But it’s not about that, just random things like ‘don’t be so sensitive, you’re being so sensitive, are you PMSing. To hell with you, I am not being sensitive, and even if I am PMSing so the hell what? You were born because women were PMSing. It gets me so annoying when people say these random things. It’s just casual.”
Earlier this year Alia took to her Instagram stories to share a screenshot of a post by Pinkvilla that claimed the Gangubai Kathiawadi star would return to Mumbai, India in mid-July and that her husband Ranbir Kapoor would especially fly to the UK to bring his wife back home as she is pregnant and needs care.
The post also read that Bhatt will be taking a rest after she returns from her shoot, suggesting that the diva had planned her pregnancy in a way that doesn’t affect her shoot schedule. The post concluded that Bhatt would be wrapping up her films Heart of Stone and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani before the end of July.
Alia captioned her post while re-sharing that in some “peoples heads we still live in some patriarchal world” and confirmed that nothing has been delayed. “No one needs to PICK anyone up. I am a woman, not a parcel!!!! I do not need to REST at all but good to know you’ll have a doctor’s certification as well.”
She emphasized that this is 2022 and requested that people could get out of the “archaic” way of thinking. “Now if you would excuse me.. my shot is ready,” she concluded suggesting that she won’t be “resting” at home.
Multiple Pakistani actresses have extended their support to Bhatt with heartwarming posts.
Pakistani actors Zara Noor Abbas and Durefishan Saleem lent support to the Bollywood star and took to their Instagram stories to write that women don’t have to prove anything.
Zara wrote that she thought this happens only in Pakistan, recounting how brands wanted to drop her after finding out that she was expecting.
“Becoming pregnant and being an actress makes the society feel you are not good for work anymore. Well guess what, WOMEN are good enough for everything and anything and it’s time the dictators realise so. We don’t have to prove our motherhood and craft to any patriarchy,” penned the Zebaish star.
Kesi Teri Khudgarzi diva Dur-e-Fishan Saleem also shared Alia’s Instagram story to her own and wrote, “We can get married/make babies and still be kick a** fab. Marriage is a part of life not a [halt].” She also said people need to stop telling women that their career goals don’t align well with that.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia is all set for the release of her maiden production film, Darlings, which is scheduled to release on August 5, 2022, on Netflix.
Actress Ratna Pathak Shah ofKapoor & Sons fame has landed in hot water after her recent comments on a Hindu festival. This trolling is owing to the actress’ recent statements about India moving towards becoming an ‘extremely conservative society’ and slamming the concept of ‘Karwa Chauth’.
During a recent chat with an entertainment portal, the Golmaal 3 star spoke about how women in the 21st century, are still observing age-old traditions like Karwa Chauth – a Hindu ritual in which the wife prays for her husband’s long life by fasting.
While she revealed it was for the first time last year she was asked if would fast for her husband, Ratna also said that India is becoming ‘a conservative society’ and the first thing it does ‘is clamp down on its women’ – just like they have done in a country like Saudi Arabia.
Netizens aren’t happy with Ratna Pathak Shah’s comments and have taken to social media to slam her for both dissing women keeping the Karwa Chauth fast and calling Saudi Arabia a conservative society while making comparisons.
Ratna said that she was asked for the first time last year if she would fast for her husband, actor Naseeruddin Shah.
“Nothing has changed for women or very little has changed in very crucial areas. Our society is becoming extremely conservative. We’re becoming superstitious, we’re being forced into accepting and making religion a very important part of one’s life. Someone asked me for the first time last year if I’m observing Karwa Chauth. I said, ‘Am I mad?’ Isn’t it appalling that modern educated women fast to pray for the long lives of husbands?”
She continued, “We are moving towards an extremely conservative society. The first thing a conservative society does is clamp down on its women. Look at all the conservative societies in this world. Women are the ones who are most affected. What’s the scope of women in Saudi Arabia? Do we want to become like Saudi Arabia? And we will become because it’s very very convenient. Women provide a lot of unpaid labour within the home. If you have to pay for that labour, who will do it? Women are forced into that situation.”
Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh’s recentnude photo shoot has landed the actor in trouble. The Mumbai Police on Tuesday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Singh after an application was filed against Singh for “hurting the sentiments of women” through his “vulgar” photos.
#NoSpin | “Of course this is vulgar, we can see his (Ranveer Singh’s) ‘bum’, his video is with me he is completely nude in that video”: Vedika Chaubey, complainant on FIR against actor Ranveer Singh for nude photoshoot pic.twitter.com/6WS9zt4pBk
On Monday, according to The Hindustan Times, an office-bearer of a non-governmental organisation called Shyam Mangaram Foundation sought the registration of an FIR against the Bollywood actor. The complainant stated the actor hurt the “sentiments” of women and insulted their modesty through his photographs.
“Last week we saw many nude photographs were clicked in such a manner that any male or female will feel ashamed about it,” read the complaint.
It was submitted at the Chembur police station and the complainant demanded the registration of a case against the Ram Leela actor under the Information Technology Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
On Thursday, July 21, Paper Magazine posted an interview with the Bollywood star that featured some nude pictures. Singh has often attracted attention for his bold fashion choices, but discarding clothes altogether has put him under the spotlight.
“It’s so easy for me to be physically naked, but in some of my performances, I’ve been damn f-ing naked. You can see my f-ing soul. How naked is that? That’s being actually naked. I can be naked in front of a thousand people, I don’t give a sh*t. It’s just that they get uncomfortable,” said Ranveer.
Twitter reactions to Ranveer’s nude photoshoot
Twitterati had befitting replies to Singh’s photoshoot.
