Kejriwal to launch Hashmi's book

Emraan Hashmi turns author with his book , “The Kiss Of Life--How A Superhero & My Son Defeated Cancer” and the actor's book has already garnered massive anticipation.

Ayaan who was in remission has defeated cancer, inspiring the tag line of his book “How a Superhero & My Son Defeated Cancer” .The book published by Penguin ,is co-authored by Bilal Siddiqi and traces the effect the disease can have on a child and his emotional journey from diagnosis, through the treatment, to being cancer free for 2 years.

While the cover of his book was unveiled at the Penguin Books India's Spring Fever 2016, the book will be formally launched by Delhi Chief Minister , Arvind Kejriwal , 

SELFIE : The Play, out with their official Song

While the whole world is obsessing over Selfies (especially the fairer sex), renowned theatre figure Paritosh Painter shows us the mirror with his latest play ‘Selfie’. The play stars well known faces of the entertainment industry like Lucky Morani, Rupali Ganguly, Deepshikha, Urvashi Sharma Joshi and Madhurima Nigam. The all-women gang is out with a fun promotional song for the play sung by Aditi Singh Sharma.

The two and half minute official song is a fun track composed by Kashyap Sompura. The women are seen having a great time facing the camera. Talking about the song, Rupali Ganguly says, “Being on stage is completely different from being in front of the camera and it has been such a learning experience. Facing the camera for the official song was so much fun. We are all very comfortable in front of the camera and thoroughly enjoy it. Especially between the crazy number of hours we put in the rehearsal. I love the official song as it sums up the journey of the ‘Selfie’."

The Play was premiered on the 1st of April and has received a spectacular response. After the amazing reception for the premiere show, the cast and crew are all set to go all out with their act. Adapted and Directed by Paritosh Painter and produced by Ideas The Entertainment Company.

Farah choreographs Chinese song for Jackie Chan

Farah Khan who was roped in to choreograph an extravagant song for Jackie Chan’s film, recently shot the “big, happy, Bollywood style-Chinese song” in Jodhpur’s Mandore gardens.

Despite having choreographed innumerable songs in the past , this one turned out to be a special one for Farah, who was floored by the international megastar’s humility and professionalism. Apart from shooting in the scorching heat, minus complains, Jackie Chan also reported to the sets 15 minutes before call time.

Talking about the song says Farah Khan, “It's a Chinese song with Jackie, Sonu (Sood), Amyra (Dastur) and Disha (Patani) shaking a leg to the catchy beats.Jackie has been wanting to do a Bollywood song for a while now and has promised to show off all these moves when he's in India next to promote the film. In fact, he is doing it so well that we now call him Jackie Jackson on the sets.“

The one-and-a-half day schedule in India wrapped up yesterday, and Farah now flies to Beijing to film the rest of the song.

Composer Salim Merchant makes an acting debut

Y-Films, Yash Raj Films’ youth wing, short film anthology ‘Love Shots’ premieres ‘Fired’ where singer, song-writer, composer Salim Merchant makes his acting debut with the incredibly talented Tillotama Shome [Monsoon Wedding]. Directed by Ankur Tewari, the film tells the story of a young upwardly mobile couple where the wife who’s in a corporate job is fired and meets her chef husband – who makes a shocking revelation of his own. The short also features a unique Hindi Jazz song as part of the original soundtrack composed & perfomed bySubhi Khanna.

Adds Salim, “I never thought that acting is such an involved art form until I actually started preparing for it. Being a composer and scoring films like Ab tak Chappan and Chak De! India, among others, I always followed the actor's timing to know where to score and where not to and I was intrigued with the idea of acting. I'm fortunate to have Ankur (director) and Tillotama who is such a fine actress to spend hours doing readings and workshops preparing for my character.”

Director Ankur Tewari said, “It was amazing working with Salim. He was acting for the first time and he surprised me with his acting abilities. I never thought he would be as good an actor as a musician. Tillotama was amazing as always. They both set off each other’s chemistry very well. The story was quite interesting as well, as it deals with the highs and lows of a relationship, and shows the dark patches that every couple goes through and has to overcome.”

The music for Love Shots is exclusively available on Wynk music for a period of 3 days before its release. Mr. Srini Gopalan – Director – Consumer Business, Airtel, says, “Airtel has been a pioneer in the Indian telecom industry and is leading the 4G growth story in the country. Smartphones and fast mobile internet have transformed the way we consume content, with video emerging as the most popular form. Consumers, in particular, the multi-tasking youth, are looking for engaging video content to snack on and we believe Love Shots from YRF will set a new benchmark in short storytelling. As the leading smartphone network, Airtel is very excited to be a part of this innovative project.”

Love Shots is an anthology of 6 short films that explore love in every form, shape and stage in life. It features an absolute never-before coming together of some of the most exciting actors playing delightful characters including Nimrat Kaur, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Salim Merchant, Tillotama Shome, Saqib Saleem, Shweta Tripathi, Farida Jalal, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rhea Chakraborty, Saba Azad & Mohit Marwah, Swanand Kirkire,Shubham Tukaram, Shravani Desai among others. And the soundtrack features 6 original songs by some of the freshest upcoming musicians of today showcasing a range of genres. The 6 music videos will be attached to each individual short film and have been directed by Shraddha Pasi Jairath.

Asin's retirement is 100cr loss of Industry

Bollywood actor Asin Thottumkal, who got married to business tycoon Rahul Sharma in January, has announced that she has stopped working post marriage. In a long post, Asin wrote on her Instagram account on Sunday, “For all my media friends who still have not got the message, I’m once again reiterating that I have stopped taking up any assignments and have wrapped all my commitments before my wedding itself including my brand endorsements.”

Her retirement is an Industries loss, as she was instrumental in collecting 100cr BO for three Hindi films....A

Saavn Launches Original Programming

Saavn, India’s leading music streaming service, today announced the launch of Saavn Original Programming, a new initiative that will expand Saavn’s repertoire of content to include a cutting-edge collection of original, long-form audio programs for its worldwide user base.

The slate of shows, including two original series by renowned journalist and radio icon Neelesh Misra, will debut on Saavn on May 1st. Misra will narrate Qisson Ka Kona, a storytelling program, along with Time Machine (premiering mid-June), a show covering mythology. Saavn has also partnered with new-age digital brand Arré to produce the original true crime series Trial by Error: The Aarushi Files.

For Misra, Saavn Original Programming marks his first foray into digital audio, a landmark moment that will help him reach a truly global audience, far beyond that of terrestrial radio alone.

In addition to these new original shows, Saavn Originals will debut with popular programs from Indus Vox Media. These include Maed in India, featuring interviews and performances by top indie musicians, and Cyrus Says, an irreverent, comedy talk show discussing current events.

The initiative will also introduce Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence program, a creative platform highlighting the best new musicians and bands. The first Artist-in-Residence is Nucleya, the popular and iconic Indian indie electronic artist.

The launch of Saavn Original Programming marks an exciting development for listeners, artists, and advertisers. The new programming slate will provide diverse, cutting-edge content choices for Saavn’s global audience, along with a powerful new platform for upcoming artists and entertainers of all genres.

For advertisers, the initiative provides a novel set of innovative ways to engage with audiences through audio content. With non-music audio programs, brands will gain exclusive, native placement opportunities, as content creators, above and beyond sponsorship.

Following the launch, Saavn will continue to commission and publish new original programming, including new properties produced in partnership with both Indus Vox Media and Arré.

“India is the most exciting entertainment market in the world and mobile streaming is the medium of choice for millions of users in India, and around the globe. Today, we are turning Saavn from a music-only product to an entertainment platform - a platform with the best music experience, groundbreaking original programming, and a true home for artists and creators,” said Saavn Co-founder and CEO Rishi Malhotra. "We are a company of music and entertainment fanatics and our aim is to be the first stop for entertainment. While music is at the heart of everything we do, we are building off that success to bring our listeners closer to India's best talent in storytelling, comedy, documentaries, and sports. Mobile is the new cable box and we're bringing these channels to life; they’re made in India, for the world to hear."

“Storytelling is very much the people’s medium in India, and the Internet represents the future of that medium,” said Neelesh Misra. “I am ecstatic to partner with Saavn to bring the power of stories to an audience around the world.”

Arré Founder B. Sai Kumar added, “We are incredibly excited to bring our shows to Saavn’s highly engaged audience of millions. Arré, true to its promise of being multi-genre and multi-platform, is very excited about the potential of the audio medium, given the explosion in listening devices, in broadband connections, and in the “head-phone lifestyle” of millennials. Podcasts and spoken-word programs are the future of entertainment, and Arré - Saavn Originals is creating a promising platform for artists & creators to thrive in the future.”

Amitabh Bachchan's reaction on Panama story

Official statement from Amitabh Bachchan on Panama story 

"I do not know any of the companies referred to by Indian Express - Sea Bulk Shipping Company Ltd, Lady Shipping Ltd, Treasure Shipping Ltd, and Tramp Shipping Ltd. I have never been a director of any of the above stated companies. It is possible that my name has been misused. I have paid all my taxes including on monies spent by me overseas. Monies that I have remitted overseas have been in compliance with law, including remittances through LRS, after paying Indian taxes. In any event the news report in Indian Express does not even suggest any illegality on my part."

Pearl Raah is Salman Khan's new find?

Does Bollywood Badshah Salman Khan have a new "friend" in his life? If sources are to be believed, Salman Khan has a new 'woman', oops 'friend' in his life. And the new friend is none other than 18-year-old, London-born NRI teenager Pearl Raah. It seems the two met when Salman Khan visited London last year and hit off very well. They chatted for hours and it is rumoured that Salman Khan even invited Pearl to have dinner with him. The two have been in constant and daily touch on phone and IM since then.

Says a source close to Pearl Raah, "We knew that she was 'good friends' with Salman Khan for the last few months, but we can't say for sure if it's a relationship. Salman is a very helpful guy and he spent a long time with Pearl trying to explain to her the nuances of the film industry. Pearl, who has applied for a Masters in Business Administration course from a prominent University in London has plans to shift to Mumbai very soon. Her family is not in favor of shifting to Mumbai, but Pearl seems to have made up her mind. She is all set to storm Bollywood - of course with 'bhai' help and blessings. A little birdie told us that Pearl is looking for a flat in Bandra and as usual 'bhai' has given her the mobile numbers of all his top real-estate friends. 

We wonder if there is anything more to this friendship? Only time will tell. Wait and watch this space as well spill the beans.

But for now we wish Pearl all the best and of course, looking forward to Sallu's forthcoming film Sultan as we wait for more news on Dabaang 3.

Review - Kung Fu Panda 3, a delightful experience

Kung Fu Panda 3 Review - By Harshada Vedpathak

हा गरमीचा सिजन अगदी मनोरंजनाच्या कुशीत घालवायचा असेल तर कुंम्फु पान्डां 3 हा चित्रपट ऐक अतिशय उत्तम पर्याय म्हुणुन या आठवड्यात उपलब्ध झालाय. एक अजय योध्दा म्हणुन नावारुपाला येण्याचं भाग्य लाभलेला पो हा पांडा, स्वतसह विश्वास नसल्यागत अगदी थातुरमातुर कामामध्ये व्यस्त असतो. परंतु त्यांच्या कबील्यावर आलेल्या झोंबी योध्दाला ज्या शिताफतीने तो पछाडतो त्याचे चित्रण येथे पहायला मिळते. थ्री डी या तंत्रज्ञानाचा अतिशय सुंदर प्रयोग या चित्रपटात केलेला दिसुन येतो. आतापर्यत पाहिलेल्या पांडा सिरीजमधील भाग तिनमध्ये आधुनिक कथानकासह तंत्रज्ञानाचा नयनरम्यरीत्या केलेला वापर पहायला मिळतो.

लहान प्रेक्षकांना जेथे कुंम्फु पांडा खिळवुन ठेवतो तेथे हा चित्रपट मोठ्यांना पण विरंगुळा देणारा आहे, हि या चित्रपटाची खासीयत आहे.  पहिल्या दोन चित्रपटांमध्ये जेथे पांडा चे कथानक आपलेसे वाटत होते, तेथे भाग तिनमधिल भावनिक कथानकाची भरपाई, थ्री डीचे अऩोखेपण भरुन काढताना दिसते.

दिग्दर्शक अलेसझेन्डरो कारलोनी आणि जेनीफर युह नेल्सन यांनी कुंम्फु पांडा या चित्रपटात जॅक ब्लॅक, ऍन्जेलिना जोलीये, ब्रायन क्रॅनस्टोन, जे.के.सीमॉन्स, डस्टीन हॉफमन, जॅकी चॅन, केट हडसन या हॉलीवुडमधिल प्रसिध्द कलाकारांचा आवाज वापरल्यानं चित्रपटाला एक दमदार वलय प्राप्त झालं आहे. जेणेकरुन कुंम्फु पांडा हा चित्रपट मस्ट वॉच या सदरात बसत नसल्यास नवल. 

Polish actress Angela Krislinzki to stars in Googly Ho Gayi

In a surprising move, Parth Samthaan’s female co-star, Sohai Ali Abro of his debut film, GOOGLY Ho Gayi has been replaced by Indo-Polish actress Angela Krislinzki. 

The makers of GOOGLY Ho Gayi including producer Subhash Singh (Katrina Kaif’s former make-up artist)and Sonali Singh has now signed foreign import Angela Krislinzki on the dotted line to play the lead actress in their movie.

Unfortunately, the Pakistan-based Sohai couldn't be part of GOOGLY Ho Gayi because of visa issues and so the makers including Subhash and Sonali were looking for a fresh face to play the female lead opposite Parth.

Subhash, who is popularly known as Katrina’s make-up man, auditioned several young and aspiring female actors and eventually settled for a foreign import, the gorgeous Angela Krislinzki.

Not many know, Angela is an Indian model with Indo-Polish genes. She has done Tollywood projects in the past and now has her eyes set on Bollywood. She has done several popular television commercials with Bollywood stars including Hrithik Roshan, Irrfan Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Sushant Singh Rajput.

Sohai agreed to do GOOGLY Ho Gayi since she’s a huge admirer of Parth and used to watch his show Kaisi Yeh Yaariyaan in Pakistan and she feels sad about not being part of the movie. But she is hopeful to work with Parth in the near future.

Parth Samthaan, also popularly known as Manik of 'Kaisi Yeh Yaariyaan' fame will be making his big Bollywood debut this year with GOOGLY Ho Gayi. 

Produced by Sonali Singh and co-produced by Subhash Singh under the banner of 3's Creation and directed by Ali Shah, GOOGLY Ho Gayi starring Parth Samthaan and Angela Krislinzki is written by Raj Shandilya, choreographed by Shabina Khan and cinematography by Prakash Kutty.