I

IANS News

1758 Articles

Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is a private Indian news agency. The IANS was founded by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service. It was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service. The IANS has its main offices located in Noida.

Articles Written By IANS News

Marvel unveils Phase IV roster
2287 days ago
Hollywood

Marvel unveils Phase IV roster

New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) Its going to be a marvelous time for Marvel fans. The new phase starts with Scarlett Johansson coming back on the big screen as deadly spy Natasha Romanoff in 'Black Widow' this April.## After a blockbuster end to the last phase in 2019 with "Avengers: Endgame", Marvel will be starting off its most anticipated phase four by redefining the superhero universe with women's power in focus.## On Thursday, the studio released a poster announcing the dates of release in India for its upcoming films.## Johansson's "Black Widow" will release on April 30. The film is set after the events of "Captain America: Civil War" but before the events of "Avengers: Infinity War". The film will trace the story of Romanoff, who will confront her past.## Directed by Cate Shortland, "Black Widow" will also feature Taskmaster, a popular character from the Marvel Comics. It will be his first live-action film appearance. It is not known who will portray the villain. The film also stars Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz.## Then there will a Bollywood touch to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with big-budget superhero saga "The Eternals". The film is slated to release on November 6.## Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film stars Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, and Kumail Nanjiani.## It is about the super-powered beings, The Celestials, and their villainous adversaries, The Deviants, in a war set millions of years ago. Nanjiani says his character in "The Eternals" will have the secret identity of a Bollywood star.## Marvel's first Asian-led superhero film, "Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings" will release on February 21, 2021.## Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, it stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, alongside Tony Leung and Awkwafina.## Actor Benedict Cumberbatch will be returning as the Sorcerer Supreme with "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", which will open on May 7, 2021. The film also stars Elizabeth Oslen and Benedict Wong. It is believed that Sam Raimi, who directed the 2000s "Spider-Man" trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, is in talks to direct the "Doctor Strange" sequel.## The God of Thunder will be back for a new adventure, too. "Thor: Love And Thunder", the fourth film in the "Thor" franchise, will release on November 5, 2021. Chris Hemsworth will return as Thor.## Natalie Portman will be returning to the franchise for the first time since 2013's "Thor: The Dark World". At the San Diego Comic-Con last year, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige said that Portman's Jane Foster will take up Thor's hammer Mjolnir in "Love And Thunder", and take up the persona of the Mighty Thor. The film is being directed by Taika Waititi and it also stars Tessa Thompson and Waititi.## There are reports that actor Christian Bale is also in talks to join the cast of "Thor: Love And Thunder".## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Nishad Vaidya returns to television after four years
2287 days ago
TV

Nishad Vaidya returns to television after four years

Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Actor Nishad Vaidya of 'Amita Ka Amit' fame has spoken about returning to television with the newly-launched show 'Qurbaan Hua'.## The last daily soap he did was 'Bhaage Re Mann', which went off air in 2016.## "The break was not intentional. I have done a few episodic roles in 'Code Red' but after that, there was a phase when I was not getting roles according to my wish list. I preferred to wait. That was the time I used to feel very low and down. People often think that when one person is feeling low or depressed, it is mostly because of a heartbreak. But that's not the case," he said.## "As an artist when you know that you have the potential but nothing is happening according to your preference, you feel low. My parents have been a rock-solid support system to me and their presence and guidance helped me to bounce back," he added.## Speaking about his new role, Nishad said: "Alekh is only concerned about his own designation and wants to satisfy his own ego. Beyond that, he doesn't care about anything. I have been eagerly waiting to play a character like this. Alekh is a dark guy and I am learning a lot on the set. Playing Alekh is allowing me to explore my wings and fly."## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Instagram star Shobhita Rana to debut in B'wood with 'Ram Rajya'
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Instagram star Shobhita Rana to debut in B'wood with 'Ram Rajya'

Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Instagram sensation Shobhita Rana, who shot to fame down South following a stint in Tamil and Telugu commercials, is all set to make her Bollywood debut in the film 'Ram Rajya'. The film also marks the debut of actress Rakul Preet Singh's brother, Aman Preet Singh and features television heartthrob Salman Shaikh.## Shobhita has been working in the Punjabi industry for a while now, and is known for her appearance in the 2014 Punjabi rom-com "Ishq Brandy", and other projects such as "Cannada Di Flight" and "Gollu Aur Pappu".## In Nitesh Rai's "Ram Rajya", she plays a pivotal role. The film talks of the need to create 'Ram Rajya' (land of Ram), where there is no place for terrorism, hate, indiscipline, and rationalism.## "The movie revolves around three central characters, and Shobhita is one of them. Owing to circumstances, she tries to end her life but her life takes a turn when she decides to fight against all odds and create 'Ram Rajya'. Her character is someone who everyone can connect to," claimed director Rai.## "We are trying to put out a very clear message with this movie. We want the youth of our country to learn from an early age about fraternity, brotherhood, and religion, which will help them become good rulers and decisionmakers," stated writer Shivanand Sinha.## The film is set to hit the theatres on April 2, which is the day of Ram Navami this year.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Nupur Sanon goes unplugged with 'Filhall'
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Nupur Sanon goes unplugged with 'Filhall'

Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Actress Kriti Sanon's sister Nupur Sanon had made her acting debut with the music video 'Filhall'. Now, the trained classical singer will unveil an unplugged version of "Filhall" in her own voice.## The video of the song, sung by B Praak, has crossed 600 million views-mark on YouTube. While its views are still growing, Nupur is set to bring out a version of the song in her voice along with a video to go with it.## "It's such a surreal feeling for me. I can't believe that the music video has done so well. I feel honored to bring out an unplugged version of the song and I am grateful to everyone who has supported me in this. I feel happy to add to the journey of 'Filhall' in my own"way," Nupur said.## The makers of the song are already prepping to bring out a sequel. Nupur featured along with actor Akshay Kumar in the 2019 video.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
When Justin Bieber tried to scare David Beckham
2288 days ago
Hollywood

When Justin Bieber tried to scare David Beckham

Los Angeles, March 5 (IANS) Singer Justin Bieber recently tried to scare retired football superstar David Beckham but the prank failed miserably.## Beckham was chatting with host Ellen DeGeneres on her show about buying a football club. The 44-year-old was made the target of a prank, but it backfired, reports mirror.co.uk.## The former footballer was talking about how his sons Brooklyn, 21, Romeo, 17, and Cruz, 15, were such huge fans of Justin that they wanted David and Victoria to name their next child after him. When Victoria was pregnant with Harper, now 8, the boys asked if they'd choose the name Justin for a boy or Justine for a girl.## Just as Ellen was asking why they hadn't gone with the name, Justin popped out of a box positioned between the two chairs and screamed in David's face. David remained cool and jumped up to give the singer a hug.## Justin told him: "Sorry, they made me do it. I've gotta go," before running off the stage.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Ali Fazal on 'nascent part' of his career in the West
2288 days ago
Hollywood

Ali Fazal on 'nascent part' of his career in the West

Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Actor Ali Fazal has shot for his second major Hollywood film, 'Death on the Nile'. He says he has come back with a great addition to his understanding of an actor's job.## The "Victoria & Abdul" actor had shot for three months for "Death on the Nile", directed by Kenneth Branagh.## Talking about his experience, Ali said: "Honestly, it's a nascent part of my career in the West so I'm only learning with each passing day and project. And being on sets of 'Death on the Nile' too was a progressive growing experience for me."## He feels that when you shoot with people who are masters of their craft, you will land up learning a lot of things.## "I'm humbled by the experience and the time I spent on the sets. I have come back with a great addition to my understanding of an actor's job, as it's a part of our lives to keep learning with each part that comes our way," said Ali.## "In this day and age, actors are no longer transitioning but merely expanding their skill sets. I aspire to work in different countries, platforms, regardless of their languages. I have found people who push me to seek parts and not projects and that's my blueprint going forward," he added.## The movie also stars "Wonder Woman" actress Gal Gadot, Emma Mackey, Armie Hammer and Annette Bening amongst others.## "They were all extremely kind, professional and warm. An entire bunch is a wonderful group of people who bring a certain energy every time they walk onto the sets. So I hope I managed to learn from them and I hope I have brought my best to the table. We were a diverse bunch who were bringing some very valuable contributions that it almost felt like the Olympics. It was the amalgamation of these unique energies that made it so interesting," said the Indian actor.## He has another international project in his kitty though he is tight-lipped about it.## Ali had made his Bollywood debut with a special appearance in the 2009 blockbuster "3 Idiots".## He then starred in "Always Kabhi Kabhi" (2011) and went on to achieve success with movies, including "Fukrey".## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us

Read Article
Kiara Advani: My roles have been different from each other
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Kiara Advani: My roles have been different from each other

Mumbai, March 5 (IANS) Actress Kiara Advani's photograph on Dabboo Ratnani's 2020 celebrity calendar took the internet by storm just a few days ago. However, the photograph invited its share of controversy, with charges of plagiarism being leveled against the concept. Soon after, memes took over the internet mocking the photographer as well as the actress.## Kiara, of course, insists that memes don't affect her, and claims she considers them to be a form of flattery! The actress in fact revealed that she has also shared some of the memes!## "It is so funny and so flattering. I had even posted some of the memes that went viral. They were really funny. It's okay. I think it's just a form of flattery," Kiara told IANS.## On the work front, Kiara has a busy year ahead. She is all set for the Netflix film "Guilty".## Talking about her role in the film, the actress shared: "I play a character called Nanki in 'Guilty'. She is an extremely layered and complex character. She is constantly wearing a mask. She is very far from who I am as a person. It was very interesting to understand the different shades of this character and get inside the skin of it."## "My characters in 'Kabir Singh', 'Good Newwz' and 'Guilty have all been very different from the other. Let's hope people like this ('Guilty') as much as they loved me in those roles as well," she added.## Do platforms like Netflix provide a better opportunity for actors who tend to get typecast in Bollywood? "I think today the lines are blurring. I remember after watching 'Sanju', I liked Vicky's (Kaushal) character as much as I liked the character of Sanju. The role which you are playing should excite you as an actor. Even the platforms are blurring. A mainstream actor like me is also doing a feature film on a platform like Netflix. I think that's a great thing. A change is happening," Kiara replied.## Directed by Ruchi Narain, "Guilty" stars Kiara Advani, Akansha Ranjan Kapur, Taher Shabbir, and Gurfateh Singh Pirzada. The film releases on Netflix on March 6.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Guneet Monga: We women fix each other's crown, we don't compete
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Guneet Monga: We women fix each other's crown, we don't compete

Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Whether her recent collaboration with female film directors as Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Smrutika Panigrahi, and Vijayeta Kumar or picking up a tabooed subject like menstruation, Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga is constantly conveying her belief on how the female workforce can bring about change in the portrayal of women within the entertainment space.## Film production was predominantly ruled by the male, but Monga feels change is coming because of more and more women are joining the workforce behind the camera.## "I would like to mention that we women are not a competition to each other. We fix each other's crowns, so when we come together to tell stories, the representation of women on screen changes automatically," Monga told IANS.## The role of women has changed in society, she reminds. "Gone are the days where women were told that the duty of a woman is to handle domestic chaos and that she cannot handle finance or the hardcore professional world. As a film producer, I feel responsible for not portraying women in a regressive manner because that is not the society we wish to live in. Rather, we rather intend to change the perspective. We need to change the lens through which women were seen so far. Of course, the involvement of more women in the workforce adds to that," she said.## Citing the example of her recent collaboration "Zindagi In Shorts, Guneet said: "I am very proud of the fact that in the anthology 'Zindagi In Shorts' that I have produced for the Flipkart app, I have worked with three female directors -- Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Smrutika Panigrahi, and Vijayeta Kumar. I am working with another female director Sudha Kongara for my Tamil film production 'Soorarai Pottru'."## "Soorarai Pottru" features Suriya, Aparna Balamurali, Jackie Shroff, Mohan Babu, and Paresh Rawal among others.## Sharing insight of "Soorarai Pottru", she said: "It is a very important story of a farmer who made India's first-ever low-cost airline for common people to fly. It is an inspiring story and it required a different level of conviction and care to bring life to the narrative. Sudha has done a good job."## The film is scheduled to release on April 20.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Rakul Preet on Women's Day: Why should we celebrate woman just one day?
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Rakul Preet on Women's Day: Why should we celebrate woman just one day?

Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actress Rakul Preet Singh reveals she will have a working Holi this year.## 'I am shooting on the day of Holi', she informed when asked about her Holi plans, before getting nostalgic about how she spent the day of colors as a child. "We used to play a very nasty Holi in my childhood. People would throw eggs on me! I stopped playing Holi in class IX or X because you become aware of how much water is wasted. It's not worth it and it damages the environment. Since then, I've only played dry Holi, I meet my family and friends and eat a lot of sweets and other dishes," she recalled.## Does she have the Holi sweet tooth? "I used to like gujiyas a lot but now I can't eat gujiyas due to my fitness regime. I can't play with water and colors so, I prefer working on a festival," she replied while interacting with the media at the 8th edition of Cheryl's Femina Ms Stylista West 2020.## Sharing her thought on International Women's Day, which falls on March 8, she said: "I don't believe in Women's Day. We don't celebrate Men's Day, so why do we have to celebrate women on just one day? I feel we should celebrate womanhood every single day. I feel we should respect women around us and that's the most important thing. That way, we will celebrate womanhood in a far better way."## Meanwhile, Rakul Preet has a busy year ahead, after impressing all with her roles in "Marjaavaan" and "De De Pyaar De". She confirms signing filmmaker Indra Kumar's yet-untitled film, which apparently co-stars her "De De Pyaar De" co-star Ajay Devgn and "Aiyaary" co-actor Sidharth Malhotra. Shooting for the film will start in April, the actress said.## That apart, she will be seen alongside John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez in "Attack", will also feature in Kamal Haasan's "Indian 2" and also stars in Kaashvie Nair's untitled project this year, apart from a project down South.## "There is the (untitled) film that I am shooting with Arjun (Kapoor). So, I am shuttling between that film, 'Attack' and 'Indian 2'. After that, I will get into a film in which I am working with Indra (Kumar) Ji in April, once I wrap up shooting of these two films," Rakul Preet revealed.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Sanjay Mishra excited about lead role in 'Kaamyaab'
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Sanjay Mishra excited about lead role in 'Kaamyaab'

Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actor Sanjay Mishra, whose supporting acts have often been counted among highlights of the films he works in, finally gets to play the lead role in the upcoming film 'Kaamyaab'. Mishra says he is happy that the film is being critically appreciated.## "I'm getting appreciation from every corner. It is like climbing the steps of a ladder. Now, I feel I have reached a prominent position in my career. Earlier, people could have pushed me off the ladder but abhi maine khamba pakad liya hai (now I am firmly holding on to a poll), boss! People have liked the trailer of the film and the media has given a standing ovation to the film. That's not regular scene for me so, it feels really nice," said Mishra, at the film's premiere, which he attended with the film's director Hardik Mehta on Wednesday in Mumbai.## "Kaamyaab," tells the story of an aging Bollywood sidekick who decides to make a comeback when he realizes his filmography is one short of 500 films.## Talking about Mishra's performance, director Hardik Mehta said: "Sanjay sir has played many T-20 matches (supporting roles), but in this film, he has played a Test match (lead role). I think he has played really well. You will think of Sir Don Bradman while watching him, so let's see how the audience responds to the film. I am thankful to critics and other people who have appreciated the film. I want people who are in love with Hindi cinema to come and watch the film."## At the premiere of the film, the film's superstar producer Shah Rukh Khan made a grand entry amidst huge cheering. Khan was in good spirits as he gave a tight hug to film's cast comprising Sanjay Mishra, Deepak Dobriyal and Isha Talwar, and exchanged words with them and then happily posed for photographs.## Also spotted at the screening were Rajkummar Rao, Manav Kaul, Viineet Kumar Singh, Chitrangda Singh, Elli AvrRam, Rajat Kapoor, Anjana Sukhani, Seema Pahwa, Avtar Gill, Bhuvan Bam, and Mithila Palkar.## "Kaamyaab" is scheduled to release on March 6.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Neena Gupta: I still have a fear of being out of work
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Neena Gupta: I still have a fear of being out of work

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Veteran actress Neena Gupta has been a part of Indian cinema for over four decades. From her debut film 'Adharshila' in 1982 to bagging the National Award for 'Woh Chokri' in 1994, to becoming a household name as actor and director with the TV series 'Saans' in the late nineties, she has always entertained the audience.## Neena, who has often made heads turn with her irreverent lifestyle, shocked everyone in 2017 when she took to social media and confessed openly that she was out of work. A comeback for the talented actress happened soon, with "Veere Di Wedding" and "Badhaai Ho". Since then, she has had a busy second innings.## " 'Badhaai Ho' is a classic film. People can watch it 10 times. I feel fortunate to be part of that film. It changed my life a lot. The film became a hit. Too many people watched it and liked my performance. If it was not a hit then I would not have got the chance to sit here and give interviews! All this change happened because the movie became a hit," Neena told IANS.## Asked if she still has the fear of being out of work, the 60-year-old artist laughed. "Acting is a profession where you are always thinking if you'll get work in the future or not. This is a strange profession. Today you have loads of work but tomorrow you might be sitting idle. Sometimes, you feel lost. So, yes I still have that fear of being out of work. But it does not mean I will stop working. I believe in working hard and moving ahead," she said.## Neena Gupta's latest release is "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan", a gay rom-com where she plays the mother of one of the male protagonists. She paired with her "Badhai Ho" co-star Gajraj Rao in the film.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Salman Khan has inherent superstar quality: Karan Tacker
2288 days ago
Bollywood

Salman Khan has inherent superstar quality: Karan Tacker

Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actor Karan Tacker, who recently featured alongside Salman Khan in a beverage advertisement, is completely in awe of the Bollywood superstar.## "It was fantastic working with Salman Khan. It has always been a dream to share screen space with him. He's so cool to work with and he has this massive inherent superstar quality about him but he doesn't let you realise it at all.## "He is such a humble guy. He was nice enough to hang around, take pictures with everyone and I love how he just chills outside his van and is oblivious of his own stardom," Karan said.## Karan is currently gearing for the launch of his web show "SpecialOps" in which he will be seen playing the role of an undercover agent.## Salman Khan was last seen in "Dabangg 3" on the Bollywood screen. He is gearing up for the release of the cop action drama "Radhe" on Eid this year. The film also features Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff, and is directed by Prabhu Deva, who also made last year's "Dabangg 3".## Unconfirmed reports have associated Salman with upcoming sequels of "Kick" and the "Tiger series", though there has been no official announcement on the same.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
Prev Next