Chip of the old Block - DAY 833

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Bachu Sampat, producer at INT (Indian National Theatre) and both his parents Paresh and Swaroop Rawal, Aditya Rawal is all set to relish his share of the spotlight and mother Swaroop Sampat is more than happy. “Paresh and I always knew that Aditya will make a skilled writer and we are delighted that he has decided to launch as a play wright and not a screen writer”. Paresh adds that more than a father he is excited as an actor that his son has now become a full fledged writer.

Aditya studied Theater at the London International School of Performing Arts and The Queen is a result of a newly minted M.F.A.Dramatic Writing Program, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU.  Set in 16th century Indiaduring the Mughal era it is the story of Durga, who is confined to the west wing of the palace after her husband, the Rajput king, marries a younger woman.  Isolated and angry Durga battles against the loss of her identity and resolves to destroy her husband King Amar. The queen is the story of beauty and betrrayal, a story of doom and dynasty.

Few people know that Aditya Rawal has co-authored two story books on Child Rights. He has produced and directed a documentary titled, Drama-in-Education: Taking Gandhi Out of the Textbook. Aditya is also an actor and starred in Gujrati play Kishan Kanhaiya and did a cameo in Ferrari ki Sawaari.

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Praktan means Former - DAY 832

Last year Bengali film directors Nandita Roy and Shiboprasad Mukherjee made Belasashe about an ageing couple and their family presented by Eros International. The film won accolades for the story and the message of the film.

This year Nandita and Mukherjee are ready to showcase their new film Praktan once again presented by Eros International.

This time the story is about a couple that has parted ways and meet accidentally on a train journey. Sudipa a career woman and Malini, a homemaker accompanied by her four year old daughter are co-passengers from Pune to Kolkata. Malini befriend Sudipa with stories about her husband and family and in Nagpur they are joined by Malini’s husband who is infact Sudipa’s former husband.

Interestingly shot with a variety of characters and live music performed by a group of actual musicians sharing a coach the film has many moods of drama and emotion. Because the hero is a city guide he recaps kolkatta history with humour and charm. The film focuses on small family relationships and personal ambitions and how too many expectations ruins a quality relationship.

Praktan starring Rituparna Sengupta and Prosonjeet Chatterjee is a contemporary film about contemporary characters and important for wha is happening in urban life.

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Waiting is sensitive - DAY 831 C

Anu Menon likhi directed Waiting kahani hai do ajnabiyon ki jo aspatal mein milte hai aur dost ban jaate hai.40 saal shaadi shuda Shiv Natraj, yaane Naseerudin Shah ki patni 8 mahino se coma mein hai aur Shiv apna har din, uske saath aspatal mein guzarta hai.

Tara Mathur ki shaadi ko 6 mahine bhi nahi hue, jab ek accident mein uske pati Rajat ussi aspatal mein ICU mein bharti hote hai.

Ab Shiv aur Tara ke aage hai intezaar aur ye intezaar, dono ko, apne aap se parichay karwata hai.

Dukh mein kayi padhav aate hain aur dukh ko har insaan alag tarike se joojhata hai.

Shiv ashavadi hain, isliye vishwas mein jeete hain…Tara realist hai, isliye medical world se praman maangti hai…

Film ka plus: film ki anokhi kahani, dono kirdaar, unke aapsi rishtey, unke apne jasbaad aur nazariya. Kuch scenes aise hain, jahan kuch nahi hota hai par bohat kuch hota hai…

Film ka minus: second half thoda dragging hai, end thoda sa confused hai magar ye sab maaf hai kyon ki film ki neeyat nek hai aur performances sincere.

Naseerudin Shah Shiv ko puri tarha se apnate hain aur Kalki Kochelin screen se nikalkar aap ke dil mein jagah bana leti hain.

Agar aap ne kabhi bhi kissi apne ke liye aspatal mein intezaar kiya hai, toh Waiting ko miss mat karna.

Waiting ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3.5 stars.

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Veerapan is dull - DAY 831 B

Ram Gopal Varma likhi directed Veerapan Tamil Nadu, Karnataka aur Kerala ke most wanted poacher

aur sandalwood smuggler ki daastan hai.

Hum sab jaante hai ki Veerapan ne kareeban 200 police officers aur shayad uss e bhi zyaada haathiyon ko maara hai aur karodon ka ivory aur sandalwood videsh export kiya hai.

Ye kahani hai Veerapan ki bekhauf ladai aur jigar ki, uski haar aur uske samarpan ki…

Film ka plus: film ke kuch exotic locations aur kuch engaging moments. Film ka minus: film predictible hai aur bohat zyaada violent bhi.

Veerapan ki bhumika mein Sandeep Bharadwaj asli Veerapan ki yaad dilate hai aur unka saath deti hai Muthulakshmi yaane Veerapan ki patni ki bhumika mein Usha Jadhav.

Dull or boring Veerapan ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 1.5 stars.

Phobia is scary - DAY 831 A

Pawan Kirpalani directed aur Viki Rajani likhi Phobia matlab ek prakar ka darr, kahani hai ek mashoor artist Mehak yaane Radhika Aapte ki jo Agrophobia naam ki bimari ki shikar hai. Medical bhasaha mein Agrophobia matlab ghar ke bahar public places aur logon ke beech mein rehne ka darr.

Mehak ki zindagi mein, ek raat, aisa kuch ho jaata hai, jiske baad woh ghar se nikalna bandh kar deti hai, painting karna chod deti hai…

Ab Mehak sara samay ghar ki chaar dewari mein bandh  rehti hain aur uski zindagi aur bhi mushkil ho jaati hai.

Film ka plus: film ka refreshing subject aur thriller treatment.

Film ka minus: film lambi hai aur repetitive bhi.

Agar aap kissi phobia ka shikar ho toh aap iss Phobia se door rahe, agar aap ko psychology aur thrillers mein dilchaspi hai toh Phobia aap ke liye hai.

Phobia ko sirf Radhika Aapte ke super performance ke liye Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 2 stars.

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Art of Promotion- DAY 830

In the olden days the actor’s job was over when the film shooting was completed. He was called to dub the film and was rarely involved in the post production of the film. The film was packaged, promoted, marketed and advertised by the producer. Sometimes the producer and the director had creative differences on how the film should be edited or ended but these differences never became public. Sometimes the director faced problems with the censors and the actor was taken as a mediator to express and influence the team but these details also never became public. While the production house hassled with release details, the stars came into action when it was time to participate in the premier of the film.

Today it is a reverse story, today the film is promoted from the day it is planned/ announced/ shot and released. The promotion gets more and more aggressive as the release date gets closer and the best example of this is Ajay Devgn's ambitious project Shivaay.

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Power of Three - DAY 829

In less than a month we will witness the power of three formidable performers namely Amitabh Bachchan,

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, with Vidya Balan in Ribhu Dasgupta's TE3N. 

As we all know the film is a thriller shot in Kolkatta and Vidya Balan comes in a special appearance. Vidya has a special relationship with the film unit and if last time in Kahaani she had to learn to walk and breathe like a pregnant woman, this time she has to learn skill she is not good at, for instance driving.

Vidya Balan shares that she learnt driving very early when she was in college but was never a confident driver. For TE3N however I’m required to drive in a very important sequence in the film and I wanted to do it myself without a double, so took over the wheel and after a brief warning to all to look after themselves dashed around driving around the narrow streets of Kolkata. I don’t know about my companion Nawazudin in the adjoining seat but I felt safwe because Sujoy Ghosh was my driving instructor.”

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Don’t Angry Me - DAY 828

We are living in times where everything is news and the credit for manufacturing catchy headlines goes to professional PR teams. There is intelligence in the way every film/ play/ program/ channel/ product is promoted.  

The Angry Birds Movie in a unique campaign to promote the brilliant animation film has come up with the original idea to award celebrities who are angry, and for a good reason. After bestowing,,,Sonakshi Sinha and RJ Malishka with The Angries awards, The Angry Bird has found the next angry celebrity – Neha Dhupia who has never restricted herself from expressing her mind. Recently Dhupia tweeted about the potholes menace in the city and had to face with angry protestors outside her home but that does not stop Neha from being heself.

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Healing Broken Hearts- DAY 827

We have heard of books on different subjects but Dr Shyam Bhat, a psychiatrist in Bengaluru has a unique

clinic titled Mind Body Clinic where he promotes a Self Therapy, inspired from trans-personal method drawing insights from Vedanta and Western psychotherapy. Dr Bhat is also an author and host of a radio show called 'Heart line'.

Today at Little Theatre, Nariman Point he will address a talk based on his latest book How to Heal Your Broken Heart, followed by a conversation with  columnist, author Anil Dharker.

It`s open to all and the security will not be checking at the door for broken hearts.

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Sarabjeet is a brave film with brave performances - DAY 826

Omang Kumar directed Sarabjeet Pakistan ki jail mein barson tak qaid rahe Hindustani kisan Sarabjeet Singh ki kahani hai.

Amritsar ke Bhikwindi gaon ka Sarabjeet Singh ek raat, apne khet se lautte hue, galti se Pakistan border paar karta hai aur giraftar ho jaata hai.

23 saal tak, Pakistan sarkar Sarabjeet ko Lahore mein bomb blast karwane wala Manjeet maanti hain.

Aur 23 saal Sarabjeet ki behan Dalbir Kaur apne bhai ki begunahi ki ladai ladti hai.

Film ka minus: film ki disjointed story telling aur slow paced editing jo tragedy ko aur bhi depressing bana deti hai.

Film ka plus: film ka detailed art design, camera work, costumes, music or performances…

Lawyer ke role mein Darshan Kumar aur Sarabjeet ki patni bani Richa Chadha lajawab hai! Dalbir Kaur, Aishwarya Rai ke career ka sab se brave aur musjkil performance hai aur Sarabjeet Singh, Randeep Hooda ka sabse behtar aur yadgaar performance!

Aise kirdaaron ko humara dil chalni kar dena chahiye tha jo nahi hota hai…

Shayad isliye, kyon ki ye film bhi Sarabjeet ki zindagi ki tarha kuch tooti-bikhri-nirash-aur-neerras hai!

Agar aap ko manoranjan ki talash hai toh Sarabjeet aap ke liye nahi hain.

Agar aap ko itihaas mein, samajik muddon mein, pariwar mein ruchi hain, toh Sarabjeet aap ke liye hai.

Sarabjeet ko sache performances, nek sandesh aur prayas ke liye Big Entertainment Ratings milte hain 3 stars.

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Why why Girl- DAY 825

Inspired by Mahashweta Devi’s story Why-Why Girl published by Tulika Books the poem of Safdar hashmi is adapted and directed by Shaili Sathyu and choreographed by Hamsa Moily.

How often do children ask questions and actually get answers from adults? And how often do adults make an attempt to enter the magical world of questions raised by children?

The play tells the story of Moyna and many similar children, who always have so many questions to ask. Performed through dance and live music the writing gives insights into an innocent world.

Kyun-Kyun Ladki has been performed for schools, at theatre festivals and at theatres across Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Patna, Guwahati, Kolkata and Delhi, including TIFLI, International Theatre Festival for Young Audiences.

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Khalil Gibran is timeless inspiration - DAY 824

Khalil Gibran's The Prophet will now have a different expression. Artist Sujaya Batra has chosen it as her subject to illustrate into an adult colouring book. Sujaya first read the book when she was 16 and was fascinated with the concept and has gone back to it at every turning point in her life. Says Sujaya “Everytime I needed answers to difficult situations, I went back to The Prophet and everytime Khalil Gibran balmed me with his soothing philosophy.” 

So inspired by the book and a commercial artist by profession, she decided to combine the two passions. She says sketching is her way of meditating and has chosen to interpret select verses from the book into creative illustrations.

Aleph Book Company saw the potential of the drawings and their verses and turned it into a beautiful colouring book for adults elaborated with images of flowers, birds, animals.  Sujaya concludes that today's young adults live in a stressed world and need to decompress and introspect. “This book is my tribute to The Prophet and the wisdom it offers.”

Sujaya Batra is a textile designer and commercial artist and a qualified T’ai Chi teacher. She sketches predominantly in black ink, pencil work and watercolours.

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A play about food - DAY 825

Based on a story by Shamim Padamsee, published by Tulika, adapted and directed by Timira Gupta and music by Johns Soans and Janit Temkar, A Silly Story of Bondapalli is a play about food. Looking and cooking it, smelling and touching it, crunching and slurping it, chewing and licking it.

And who does all of this, well a king who loves to eat and his three chefs who love to cook. 

All is well in the happy kingdom until the day the princess is born. She turns out to be the fussiest eater in the world and just nothing that the chef spreads out for her meets her approval.

The three chefs spend their day chipping and chopping, boiling and baking, roasting and frying but nothing presented to the princess makes her happy.

Will the king be forced to hang the royal chefs who cannot please his princess or will they finally suceed in discovering the magic recipee that will make the princess happy?

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Bachchan plays football - DAY 824

Amitabh Bachchan was shooting at the famed club grounds Mohammedan Sporting Club in Kolkatta for TE3N when there was a long break. The megastar not to miss an opportunity had some fun kicking around the ball.  The club was so happy to watch an

enthusiast that they immediately made him a life membership.  This is a special moment indeed because it happened on the 125^th anniversary of the club. It was a nostalgic moment for Bachchan too who spent his early days in Kolkatta and recognized the benches which have not been replaced since the 60s. Bachcan remembered his trips to the club, sometimes directly from the Kolkatta Railway Station as he did not want to miss the game.

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Dhai Akshar - Pothi padh padh jag mua, pandit bhaya na koy Dhai akshar prem ka, padhe so pandit hoy- DAY 823

Love has countless forms and expressions:Simply put; Project Dhai Akshar is one such expression!The idea behind it is simple: Lighting lives lovingly! A small but strong and secular Endeavour dedicated steadfastly, towards providing a learning environment for severely disadvantaged children in Mumbai, India. Target Group: children from underprivileged background.

This may include those living in the slums of Mumbai, homeless children, rehabilitated child labourers and children of unskilled labourers Our vision stems from the fundamental belief in ‘equal opportunities’ for children and conviction in the fact that love can transform lives. It is our firm commitment, to provide disadvantaged children with their basic rights - that of a free and happy childhood, the right to free will, the right to learn and the right to dream of a safe and secure future! We do so by extending a happy & stimulating learning space, with engaging & interactive multidisciplinary programmes that enrich these children and enable them to learn, to love, to play, to dream and to grow!

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Marathi film Lapachhapi selected for International Film Festivals - DAY 822

Lapachhapi became the first Marathi film and the first Indian horror film to be in the official selection of the Brooklyn, Hudson and Madrid International Film Festivals. Produced by Jitendra Patil of Midas Touch Movies and directed by the award winning Vishal Furia Lapachhapi meaning Hide N Seek has reached Spanish shores with the Madrid

International Film Festival with five nominations for Best New Director (Vishal Furia), Best Actress (Pooja Sawant), Best Supporting Actress (Usha Naik), Best Editor (Dinesh Poojari) and Best original score (Ranjan Patnaik, Tony Basumatary and Utkarsh Dhotekar).The VFX and post production of the film was done at Jai Shree Krishna Studios, Goregaon East.

The film will hold a world premier at the Brooklyn Film Festival, a moment of great honour because this is the first time in the history of Marathi cinema over a hundred years that a classic horror is being made for an audience that largely consumes comedies and dramas and is targeted at the mainstream audience.

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Prakash Raj turns director - DAY 821

After acting in more than 300 films Kanada superstar and villain in Hindi films will venture into film direction. Raj is all set to remake his super hit film Salt & Pepper with Nana Patekar, Shriya Saran, Ali Fazal and Taapsee Pannu! Titled Tadka the film has been well received in three south India languages namely Un Samayal Ariyal, Oggarane and Ulavacharu Biryani!

Zee Studios will be collaborating with Nana Patekar again after Natsamrat in Marathi and now a new avtaar in Hindi.

It is a unique tale of love that brews between a middle aged couple over their love for cooking and food.  To be shot in Goa and the filmmaker is keen to capture the unique colors and flavours from the land of feni and fish.

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Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s double look- 820

A lot has been written about TE3N, an emotional thriller starring Amitabh Bachchan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the latest being that Vidya Balan will appear in a guest appearance in the film. Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, Sujoy Ghosh supervises the project as creative producer, Set in Kolkata, TE3N is about a crime that affects its three principal characters namely Amitabh Bachchan on a relentless pursuit for justice since eight long years.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, whose life changed after a crime that claimed the life of a young girl and Vidya Balan a cop who springs in to dare devil action! 

Scripted by Suresh Nair and Bijesh Jayarajan, with dialogues by Ritesh Shah and music by Clinton Cerejo the action of the film is directed by Sham Kaushal.

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Two plays and a week end - DAY 819

Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, who did important roles in Ranjhana and Tanu Weds Manu Returns, will now be seen on stage accompanied by his wife and NSD colleague Rasika Agashe. The couple has experimented with television, with films and now will explore theatre together in a play titled, Iss Kambakht Satthe Ka Kya Karein. 

About a successful ad film maker who has everything in life but gets competitive with a colleague and brings home his troubles thereby ruinining his happy marriage. The play deliberately takes a funny stand so as not to get too serious and this is the third play to be presented under the Aadayam banner.

 Ladies Sangeet opens with a household that’s buzzing with wedding preparations. The oldest daughter of the house Radha, 23 is about to wed to Manas, 28, from an affluent family. Everyone is happy and chirpy as the music-filled house resonates with joy and cheer.

Radha is as nervous as she is excited because she has been dreaming of her wedding since she was 13 but apart from what she has read in books she has no idea of what it actually entails after the bonhomie.

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Traffic is engaging - DAY 818

Late Rajesh Pillai directed Traffic satya ghatna par adharit kalpanik kahani hai.  Film ke opening titles mein film ke mukhya kalakar aur khani ke alag tracks ko introduce kiya jaata hai.

Inme se kuch pehle se pareshan hain aur kuch nayi khushiyon ki dehleez par khade hain…

Aur phir, ek haadsa hota hai, jiske baad saari kahaniyaan aur sabhi kalakar ek doosre ke saath jud jaate hain…

Iss 2:30 ghante ke safarr ke dauran hum milte hain do niraash maa baap, do kamnaseeb bache aur teen bahdur professionals se, sugeon Vikram Gokhale, traffic inspector Jimmy Shergill aur traffic cop Manoj Bajpayee.

Film ka plus: film ka music, subject aur umda sandesh. 

Film ka minus: bas itna, ki film A Wednesday ki yaad dilati hai…

Traffic serious hai, sensitive hai, samajik aur naitik muddey uthati hai aur iske uprant ek aham paath padhati hai…

Ki har subah, har koi, apni muskilon se joojhta hai aur har pal, hume jagrit rehna hai, apne dil ki awaaz sun ni hain.

Traffic, medical aur traffic world ke sahas ki kahani hai aur isse yaadgaar banati hai film ke ensemble performances…

Traffic ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3.5 stars.

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Movers & Makers - DAY 817

Shah Rukh Khan has a diary packed with appointments but the superstar knows when he has to make time for an occasion and does it with grace and style.

The actor shared along with Hon Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis and State Minister (Industries) released a book Movers & Makers which elaborates on the making of a city and which experts  believe which will go a long way in promoting Industry in Maharashtra.

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Govinda supports dancers - DAY 816

On International Dance Day, Sandip Soparrkar in association with Phoenix Market city Kurla, presented India Dance week Season 3 which concluded yestersay. Bollywood's dancing king - Govinda was the

esteemed chief guest and surprsed everybody with a jig from his film Raja Babu. The Event kick started with the Ganesh Vandana performed by Uma Rele's Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyala student followed by other performances like Ryoko De's School of International Folk Dances presented rare dances from Japan, China and Tibet.

This festival is the only dance festival in the country that has Indian classical, Indian folk, international folk, ballet, bollywood, ballroom, Latin dances and many other dance forms performed by professionals from all over India and which is why Govinda agreed to grace the occasion too.

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Ram Gopal Varma’s first look of Rai - DAY 815

The first look of Ram Gopal Varma's (RGV) most ambitious film till date called RAI --The Greatest Gangster Ever, starring Vivek Oberoi and produced by C R Manohar (MLC) was unveiled by Muthappa

Rai himself during his birthday on May 1 6 pm in the presence of fifty thousand people at Bidadi, Bengaluru.

The film, to be shot in London, Dubai, Mumbai and Bangalore will be made at a cost of Rs 55 Crore.
The Hindi version of Rai has been acquired by one of the biggest producers of Bollywood, Raju Chadda of Wave films and Sunil Lulla of Eros International.

The Telugu version of the film has been acquired by Dasari Kiran Kumar who is already producing the highly prestigiousVangaveeti with RGV and the Tamil version has been acquired by Ganga Raju, the South India film chamber President.
Many celebrities and political leaders are attending the event at Bidadi on May 1st where giant cut outs of the first look along with a gigantic firework display and a laser beam show of Rai's first look will performed by Internationally acclaimed technicians.

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