Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore at Cannes 2015

Films an important constituent of Govt.’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiatives,

says Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore at Cannes 2015

Cannes, 14 May  2015: Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Retd), inaugurated the India Pavilion at Cannes Films Festival today in France. Speaking at the packed inaugural session of the India Pavilion, Hon’ble Minister said, “new Government at the Centre is certainly more decisive and focused and is constantly working towards taking India to higher levels of growth which is inclusive. The government is channelizing that objective through campaigns like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ and realizes that the film industry is an important part of these campaigns given its tremendous potential towards job creation”.

Adding to that the Minister said that, “even though steps may seem slow but they are certainly for sure”. Col. Rathore further said, “India has already signed coproduction agreements with a slew of countries. In the last one year five co-productions have been undertaken with France alone. We need to take these partnerships to the next level now”.

He added that the government is rigorously working towards providing a seamless work environment for the film industry by establishing a single window clearance mechanism. Also, a center of excellence for gaming and visual effect s has been announced. The government would do its best to be an infrastructure partner and would like to have faculty coming from the industry itself and looks forward to more faculty exchanges.

The session also saw unveiling of the 46th IFFI, 2015 regulations and ‘India Film Guide’ by the Minister. The India Film Guide is a comprehensive booklet with information on policy initiatives by the government pertaining to film sector, the listing of Indian companies at Cannes Film Market, Indian Films at Cannes and contacts of important people in the business of film making.

The session was attended by luminaries such as Dr. Mohan Kumar, Ambassador of India to France, Mr. Bobby Bedi, Film Maker, Ms. Nandita Das, Actor/Film Maker, Mr. Roshan Baig,  Minister of Information and Public Relations, Government of Karnataka, Mr. K. Sanjay Murthy, Joint Secretary, Films, Ministry of I&B, Govt. of India and Mr. Ravi  Kottarakara, Former President, Film Federation of India.

Mr. Bobby Bedi, the celebrated film maker, in his welcome address said that, “India’s presence at Cannes has increased tremendously over the past decade and we have seen an increase in representation in terms of quantity and an improvement in the quality of content as well”. Dr. Mohan Kumar, Ambassador of India to France said that the ambition should be to get Indian films in the most important category of films at Cannes. He added over the next two to three years he will strive to work on that. The quality of films from India has been wonderful quality and content now. Mr. Ravi  Kottarakara, Former President, Film Federation of India felt that India has on offer some of the best shooting locations. There has been a tremendous change in the Indian film landscape and the sector is definitely going to grow by leaps and bounds. We should try to experiment more to have a wider global acceptability. Also, India’s linguistic cinema which includes films in Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Bhojpuri are as good as mainstream Bollywood films and should get an equal opportunity to be showcased.

Ms. Nandita Das, Actor/Film maker said that she would like to raise the issue of censorship in India. As we mature, it is important to promote freedom of expression rather than curtailing voices. Mr. Roshan Baig, Minister of Information and Public Relations, Government of Karnataka suggested that it will be really great if the regional film industry is showcased as a part of the delegations to some of the major international film festivals.

Mr. K Sanjay Murthy, Joint Secretary, Films, Ministry of I&B, Government of India said that over the course of next few days we hope to learn from various film commissions and carry back new partnerships and learning experiences.

Ranveer and Anushka fall in love Istanbul!

Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma are coming together in Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do.

Ranveer’s character ‘Kabir Mehra’ and Anushka’s character ‘Farah Ali’ meet on the cruise and fall in love with each other while they explore Istanbul.

Istanbul is one of the most romantic cities in the world.

The setting of their love story is very pretty. They have a lot of fun together and romance blossoms in the romantic city.

The film is shot on a cruise liner and Istanbul is a stop over where they two step out to explore the city and fall in love.

Zoya Akhtar has handpicked a few scenic places where their love story gets woven.

Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne is one of the most talked about films of the year. The highly anticipated film brings back the great pairing of Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma.

As a part of her prep, Radhika Apte interacts with PR professionals.

Radhika Apte who is being tagged as the new discovery of Bollywood is currently shooting for her upcoming film titled “Bombairiya.”

It is an Indo - British production, the film will be directed by Pia Sukanya and will be produced by British filmmaker Michael Ward.

The actress will be seen in a complete new avatar yet again. Compared to her previous films where her bold role in Badlapur and a girl next door in Hunterrr got her immense acclaim, this time the actress will be portraying a yet different character.

However, Radhika has been meeting a lot of PROs as part of her prep for the film. She has been doing her homework in order to get the nuances of her character right.

She has been meeting various PR managers to understand the basis of her role. Infact she has been even hanging out with a few to pick their language and the terms they often use.

This has really helped Radhika build her character and she feels it's a great way to absorb the essence of her role.

Radhika had garnered rave accolades for her performance in Badlapur. Following which Hunterrr just proved the versatility that the actress carries. 

We surely look forward to what has Radhika got for us in her yet different role in her upcoming film.

Deepika Padukone personification with a class.

Deepika grows to be multi lingual.

Deepika Padukone believes in learning and growing with each film

She indulges in self development.

She has undertaken many lessons and tips to enhance her character in many movies.

For her latest release Piku, Deepika took lessons to learn Bengali, also worked on her accent and pronounciations.

This highlights the level of perfection the actress delivers in her films.

She invests time and energy to make sure her verbal skills are polished..

Previously. she took it upon her to perfect her Urdu accent and pronunciations in Om shaanti Om, she also went on to learn and voice Tamil dialogues for Chennai express.

Deepika’s ethnic connect!

Deepika though having a modern appearance is a true Indian at heart.

She believes in praying before leaving the house or commencing a journey.

She also finds solace and peace in visiting religious places.

Deepika shares to have found peace at the river side of Ganga in Benaras and confesses to spend some alone quality time there after wrapping up her shoots.

She points out enjoying the peace and solace the place possessed.

In the past, Deepika has been seen visiting the Ajmeer sharif dargah at Rajasthan and Mumbai’s Siddhi Vinayak temple.

Deepika hopes to explore India by medium of her film.

With every film, Deepika Padukone grows.

All her films mark her to be an exceptional actress.

Deepika has been known for doing varied roles.

She has been venturing into different territories with reference to her work.

From North (Yeh jawaani hai deewani) to South (Chennai express) to East (Piku) and Ram-leela from the west.

Deepika has covered it all, geographically and commercially.

Recently for the shoot of Piku, Deepika got a chance to explore Delhi, Calcutta and Varanasi. While shooting she spent quality time exploring the places.

The actress feels that through her film she has been able to explore the most beautiful parts of India.

She is fascinated with the various lifestyles and cultures followed in urban and rural India.

Deepika toughens up!

Deepika is regarded as the most understanding actress by her co-workers.

Deepika is one of those actresses who works as a team player.

 She does not like to fuss.and sticks to her prescribed schedules.

Miss Padukone, is regarded as a touch actress as she manages to deliver her best in extreme climates and other problematic situations.  .

She is knoiwng to be a solution provider.

Deepika being a calm and composed individual prefers to be a part of the solution rather than being the problem.

She is admired largely by her crew for her courteous nature.

   Deepika feels responsible!

Deepika is of the view that all her performances portray her as an Indian in the eyes of the world.

She feels responsible to represent the nation and also by promoting her movies and their respective contents around the country and worldwide.

Deepika strives to deliver her best, and works really hard to portray the character and enhance its positive elements.

In her latest release, Deepika is shown exhibiting an underlying message for today’s youth i.e. to take care of parents as children when old age strikes.

She makes sure to endorse positive ideas and causes to have an impact on the youth and to create awareness.

    Deepika rules hearts internationally.

 Deepika Padukone‘s latest release Piku has won her a lot of appreciation nationally and globally.

She has won applauds from not only the audiences but also co-actors and critics.

Deepika plays a daughter to Amitabh Bachchan in the movie.

She beautifully portrays te role of a daughter by being a mother, doctor, nurse and a friend to her 70 year old father.

The heart touching chemistry between the duo has received housefull audience presence worldwide.

In the first three days of the release, Piku managed to earn 25 crores.

Deepika reigns cinema beyond Friday.

Deepika has established herself as a commercially viable actress.

Her movies have proved to shatter box office records and set new trends.

Her acting skills add an all new dimension to her role in the movies.

The recent past has witnessed Deepika to indulge in a quantifying number of movies.

 Her latest release Piku has been entertaining audiences from all walks of life.

The movie received family audience with a blend of youth, who collectively enjoyed Piku’s content.

The movie continues to receive the much deserved love from its audiences and Deepika being the lead protagonist reigns theatres beyond the weekends.

Deepika is expressive and how!

Deepika is adored for her dusky looks and expressive eyes.

This wide eyed beauty communicates with her eyes and woes her audiences.

She is known to have portrayed multiple roles that have touched the audience’s hearts and acquired appreciation.

The audiences build a connect with the young actresses roles as she completely moulds herself in to her on screen character.

Deepika is one of the most expressive actors in the industry.

She has the ability to lighten her audience’s faces with a smile or bring tears to their eyes by her magnificent on screen presence.

Deepika was recently seen in Piku donning a Kohl outlined eyes, further enhancing them.

Throughout the film Deepika is seen using minimal words, instead she is expressing her feelings through her eyes, be it anger, disappointment, love, care, frustration or  grief the actress was witnessed putting forth all these emotions with her eyes.

Deepika gives herself competition.

Deepika Padukone is on a high these days.

The actress is the lead protagonist in her latest released Piku.

Deepika feels blessed on receiving the much deserved love and appreciation from her fans.

With every new film, this actress sets trends and exceeds her past performances.

In the past, Deepika is seen portraying various roles, she experiments with her looks and promotes self development through learning and researching for her films.

By constantly learning and innovating, Deepika believes in setting higher benchmarks for herself .

The actress names herself as her biggest competition, she is of the opinion that one should strive to be better with each passing day.

The actress has been appreciated for her performances since her first release Om shaanti Om.

Deepika’s fan base grows with each new film.

Deepika proves to do complete justice to what has been served to her.

Deepika doesn’t consider her work as a task; instead the successful actress worships her work.

It is a common fact that Deepika is a workaholic!

The actress lives by the principle, “Work is worship”

She has been living out of a suitcase for the past many years, being committed to her work.

Her work tops her priority list followed by her family.

She believes in doing complete justice to her character by researching and delivering her best.

Deepika terms her work as fun, and looks forward to consuming herself in it.

Deepika’s work commitments never seem to take a backstage, after wrapping up Piku’s schedule; Deepika is seen preparing for her future release ‘Bajiroa’

Deepika Padukone has been receiving accolades for her recent outing Piku.

The film has been received very well in India as well as internationally. It is also being called one of Deepika's best performances. It has done extremely well at the box office and continues to soar. 

Piku is a very special film for Deepika that is close to her heart and she wants to go all out to support the film. So she is pulling all stops and going all out to promote the film.

The word of mouth publicity on the film is very positive and the marketing team of the film has requested Deepika for some additional time for the post release promotions of the film.

All this while Deepika has been juggling between promotions of Piku and shooting for Bajirao Mastani. She has been shooting for Bajirao Mastani in the night and promoting Piku during the day. Even though it was a very hectic schedule Deepika continued to juggle between the two for the last couple of weeks. 

However, the marketing team has made some additions for the promotion of the film. They are keen to amp up the communication of the film this week. 

Deepika is the protagonist of the film and so they have chalked out a special campaign for her which would need more of her time.

Keeping this in mind, Deepika made a special request to Sanjay Leela Bhansali to give her two days off from the shoot to take part in the promotions. The two share an excellent rapport and Sanjay Leela Bhansali instantly agreed.

Spokesperson of Deepika confirms and shares, "Deepika has taken a two day break from shooting to promote Piku. She made a special request to Sanjay sir and he graciously got her dates re-aligned so that she can promote the film."

Mad Max: Fury Road review by ANIZ FILMVALA

Mad Max: Fury Road review

by ANIZ FILMVALA

*****

Director: George Miller

Cast: Tom Hardy,Charlize Theron,Nicholas Hoult,Hugh Keays-Byrne.

Since 1979 when the first part of the Mad Max hit the theaters it changed the way of Action can entertain and enthrall with a velocity of fast pace visual which the world had never imagined about how cinematic view of car chase and repulsive characters would create a space in the History of Awesome Action movies.

Director George Miller after a gap of three decades is back with the Awesomeness of the edge of the seat thrills and nonstop ride to invigorate the way Action film should be made.

Incredibly created characters and beyond the belief production design will mesmerize you,120 minutes of nonstop car chase on a wild Desert between the good and bad contention is one big theme to draw attention universally, and a kind of an bungee string lively guitarist jamming on an moving truck is attitude unmatched. You witness a madcap world where even prayers to god are ridiculed.

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa who is on a mission to save the wives of her commander Immortan Joe(Hugh Keays-Byrne) gives a thundering performance and dwarfs the Bad Boy “Mad Max” (Tom Hardy) out of his size and Heroic image since thirty Years. Mr. Miller seems to be more inclined towards the feminist force of the future “Mad Max” series to come.

Come witness the most overwhelming live-action you must have not experienced in ages, the makers have effortlessly created and staged the stunts so well that it creates a authentic ambiance of a much awaited “Mad Max” film it should be. 

Statement regarding the RUPA Frontline ad

This is a statement by Mr. Mukesh Agarwal, Whole-time Director, Rupa & Co. Ltd. and spokesperson for the Brand: "This is to clarify that the shark shown in the latest Rupa commercial featuring Ranveer Singh is a rubber toy, no animal was used in the shoot. It is not our intention to hurt anyone's sentiment. We will be adding a disclaimer to the ad to this effect."

एवेलीने शर्मा ने भोपाल में लिया पान का ज़ायका

हालही में एक्ट्रेस एवलीन शर्मा और उनके सह कलाकार महाक्षय अपनी  फिल्म इश्क़दारिया के प्रमोशन के सिलसिले में भोपाल पहुंचे। हालाँकि अभिनेता महाक्षय और फिल्म के प्रोडूसर  राजेश पान खाने के शौक़ीन हैं इसलिए उन्होंने भोपाल के फेमस पान की दुकान से   पान का ज़ायज़ा लिया, फिल्म की एक्ट्रेस इवेलिन जो  इंडिया में बिलकुल ही नयी हैं वो भी बहुत उत्साहित थी जब उन्होंने पान का स्वाद लिया।  

इवेलिन का मानना है की उन्हें नयी नयी  चीज़ो को ट्राय  करना बहुत  पसंद है  खास कर वह चीज़े जो मुझे इंडिया की जड़ो से जोड़ कर रखे। पान का स्वाद बहुत ही दिलचस्प था 

Saroj Khan predicted that Meenakshi Dixit’s the new MD on the block!

Looks like newcomer Meenakshi Dixit who will be seen making her debut in Kundan Shah’s P Se PM Tak has more in common with Bollywood queen Madhuri Dixit than just her famous surname and even the initials MD. Recently Meenakshi revealed  it was Madhuri’s dance guru Saroj Khanwith whom Meenakshi had done a stint on TV, who had first encouraged that Meenakshi should try her hand at films saying that she is the second MD of the big screen! An insider says, “Meenakshi’s a fabulous dancer and very expressive. She was a favourite of Saroj Khan on her TV show too and Sarojji would often compare her to the Bollywood diva, which is the biggest compliment for any actor.”

Hamari Adhuri Kahani title track crosses 2 million streams!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fWejtOkCYs

“The song has definitely touched the soul of people and  we can see this as Sony Music has surpassed all streaming numbers across different platforms. It crossed half a million streams in just 48 hours!  I am very happy that the song has done well and I am confident that the entire album will be a listeners delight” Jeet Gannguli Music Director Hamari Adhuri Kahani

Sony Music achieves yet another milestone of reaching 2 million streams for the title track of Hamari Adhuri Kahani. A first for any single, the song is the title track of “Humari Aduri Kahani”, from Mohit Suri’s much awaited romantic drama featuring the suave Emraan Hashmi and the very talented Vidya Balan. Beautifully composed by Jeet Gannguli and sung by India’s favourite singer Arijit Singh with lyrics by Rashmi Virag, showcases an intense chemistry between the duo which is a must watch.

“The song has definitely touched the soul of people and we can see this as Sony Music has surpassed all streaming numbers across different platforms. It crossed half a million streams in just 48 hours!  I am very happy that the song has done well and I am confident that the entire album will be a listeners delight” Jeet Gannguli Music Director Hamari Adhuri Kahani

Adds Mukesh Bhatt, “ Listeners expect nothing less from a Bhatt film and with this film we have given them another reason to love us.”

Adds on Sanujeet Bhujabal, “2015 will witness a love album that will be etched in the listeners heart for a very long time. The lyrics and the melody is evocative giving people a fresh new music feel. The Hamari Adhuri Kahani title track has been a huge success and has clocked more than 2 million streams since its release and  is dominating all music charts. This is surely the love anthem of 2015.’’

The film is based on the love story of Bhatt's parents, Nanabhai Bhatt, Shirin Mohammad Ali and his stepmother. The music is released by Sony Music and will be available across all physical and digital formats. Produced by Vishesh Films and presented by Fox Star Studios, the film releases on June 12th 2015.

The Sense of an Ending

The Lunchbox director, Ritesh Batra's next is an adaptation of the Julian Barnes novel, The Sense of an Ending starring Oscar winning actor Jim Broadbent

Mumbai, May 13, 2015: After wowing the audience with the critically acclaimed and award winning directorial debut, Lunchbox, Ritesh Batra will direct, The Sense of an Ending starring the Academy Award-winning British actor Jim Broadbent (known for films like Topsy Turvy, Iris, Moulin Rouge, Paddington, Cloud Atlas, The Iron Lady and Harry Potter series).

Based on Julian Barnes’ Booker Prize-winning novel, the film follows a retired man who receives an unexpected letter from a lawyer that forces him to confront his own past — and unfulfilling present — including the suicide of his childhood best friend. The film marks Nick Payne's first screenplay. Payne’s Broadway play "Constellations" led by Jake Gyllenhaal got a Tony nomination.

The English language film will be shot in the UK later this year.

FilmNation, which has a spate of Cannes market titles this year including films from Tom Ford and Pedro Almodovar, holds worldwide rights and will co-finance with BBC Films. Origin Pictures’ David Thompson and Ed Rubin are producers.

Ritesh Batra said, “I am thrilled to adapt one of my favorite novels to screen and to work with a great team. Julian Barnes's characters are an important part of my life and work, and I am very much looking forward to spend time with them, and with Jim Broadbent whom I have always admired.”

 The Lunchbox has been showcased in various film festivals including The Cannes Film Festival, The Telluride Film Festival, The Toronto Film Festival and The London Film Festival etc. It has won various awards like Viewers Choice Award at the International Critics' Week, Best Film at The London Film Festival and The Filmfare awards, to name a few. It won an award of Best First Feature in 2014 by Toronto Film Critics Association and was nominated for the ‘Film Not in the English Language’ category of the BAFTA awards.

Gul Panag Co-founds MobieFit

Actress, activist and fitness advocate, Gul Panag co-founds MobieFit, a start-up focused on fitness centered mobile apps.

MobieFit is a venture focused on mFitness. It helps you become as fit as you want, in the way that you want. MobieFit is one among many ventures born at Prototyze, an incubator founded by Gourav Jaswal.

About Gul Panag

Gul Panag has co-founded Mobiefit. While people know Gul as an actress, a social activist, a television commentator and a former Ms. India, she’s also an icon for fitness for over a decade. Gul is a serial half-marathon runner and has been featured in multiple media about her fitness routine and her running philosophy. Besides running, her passions include cycling, trekking and tennis. She is in the process of writing a book on fitness.

Gul takes conscious activism to all her endeavors and is an ambassador for women's fitness and running. Passionate about all things technology, Gul sees mobile apps as the major catalyst of the next wave of fitness. Gul is one of India’s most powerful opinion makers and thought leaders and now an avid fitness entrepreneur.

About Prototyze

Prototyze is an incubator, currently working in stealth mode on building mobile technology centered businesses in multiple sectors such as Financial Services, Health & Fitness, and Training & Learning. Two ventures catalyzed by Prototyze (MobieFit and HandyTrain) have already been incorporated as independent companies with independent teams, investment and trajectory.

About Gourav Jaswal

Gourav is the Founder and Director of MobieFit and Prototyze. He started his first business at the age of twenty-one and since then has built half-a-dozen growing, profitable companies

This entrepreneurial ecosystem of companies include ScreenRoot which focusses on human: screen interaction design (mobile apps, web applications, intranets…); Synapse which specializes in business communication, Visual JuJu that’s focused on multimedia and Starving Artist Films which makes films designed for online media. In addition, we have Junoon Ventures, a holding with Zaki, a studio focused on corporate art, Gulnar which makes hand-made soaps and Shirkshop an early-stage venture experimenting with product design, currently furniture, and of course, Prototyze.

‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ breaks the stereotype of “Log Kya Kahenge?”

Zoya Akhtar and Excel entertainment take a bold step and indulge in breaking the existing stereotype of “Log kya kahenge” by walking hand in hand with the cultural shift experienced in India.

The times where actresses played laid back supportive roles are long gone.

Actresses are emerging as the new “Hero”

Producing movies with contents/ acts that force respective subjects to be spoken about leading to bring about an evolution in the Indian mentality

Present Directorshave a changed perspective from “Log kya kahenge?” to ensuring “Kuch toh log kahenge!”

Kangana Ranaut was shown refusing her groom for marriage in Queen.

Shraddha Kapoor was featured riding a bike with Siddharth Malhotra riding pillion

To the most recent display of Anushka Sharma taking center stage with her performance in NH10

The recent past involved movies that led to a change in the audiences perceptions too, fostering the growth of movieshaving a liberalized approach.

‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ revolves around the story of a dysfunctional family, in contrast to the traditional Indian family.

The film exhibits a modern approach to relations and portrays a friendly bond between all the characters.

. The many ‘Avatars’ of Shahid Kapoor.

Shahid Kapoor has been constantly in the news with his different looks and innovative hairstyles.

His appearances have been widely appreciated by his fans.

Shahid is viewed as an Icon by the youth; often his fans are spotted donning his looks.

His style has evolved over time from his first film Ishq vishq to his latest Haider

Shahid is seen experimenting with his appearance in films like

Jab we met

Kaminey

Teri meri kahaani

R..Rajkumar

Haider

His upcoming films like ‘Shandaar’ starring Aliaabhatt and ‘Udhta Punjab’ also exhibit him in different looks.

Shahid believes in experimenting and doing complete justice to the roles he plays by completely transforming into his on screen character.