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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actor Vijay Varma, who rose to fame with 'Gully Boy' last year, claims his multilayered character in his upcoming film 'Baaghi 3' will leave the audience surprised.## Opening up on his character in the film starring Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor, Varma said: "My character is shown as the one who helps Tiger Shroff to reunite with his brother. He's a very interesting character, with various layers that would leave the audience surprised."## "I am thrilled to be a part of this popular franchise and working with such talented people. With ‘Baaghi 3', I have tried my hands at something new, and fans have never really seen me doing such a role. I'm quite confident about my part because it is really crucial in the film," added the actor.## Varma further revealed that he had to undergo workshops in order to perfect his body language for the role.## "The process to get into the skin of my character was different than usual since the character is in a different space. Once again it's something I haven't attempted before. Since my character is a multilayered one, to get into the skin I attended workshops to get the body language and diction correct. The reading session helped to improvise for the role," Varma said.## Asked if we will see him packing some punches, "Baaghi 3" being an action film, the actor replied: "Not really!" He added: "But my character has its own beauty and uniqueness to it, which will leave the viewers fully entertained. He adds to the madness and leaves you liking him much more at the end of the movie."## Directed by Ahmed Khan, "Baaghi 3" is scheduled to hit the theatres on March 6.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Films are being delayed, stars are skipping multi-city tours, there are appeals to postpone big franchises and tours are being rescheduled. These are some of the coronavirus scare effects, with the deadly virus fast turning into a potential threat for showbiz the world over.## With the global film industry facing losses of over $5 billion, will the coronavirus scare have a trickle-down effect on India as well, particularly Bollywood?## The anxiety around the outbreak is growing with people deciding to stay away from places of large public gathering. This makes cinema halls and lives show arenas a natural target. In India, does it signal a slump for the entertainment industry?## Bollywood has decided to wait and watch on stalling release of films, although our stars are significantly canceling multi-city promotional tours.## "It is not a very aggravated situation in India right now, but people are getting the jitters. I am sure it will be controlled soon. If it spreads further, it will affect collections and cinemas. I think at the moment distributors and producers must be thinking of insuring their films. If we talk about moviegoing, I think the effect is coming in gradually because people will have reservations about going out," trade analyst Rajesh Thadani told IANS.## Globally so far, a total of 90,893 cases of COVID-19 infections and 3,110 deaths, mostly in China, have been reported. In India, at least 25 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported until Wednesday.## Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor's "Baaghi 3" is slated to hit the theatres on March 6, and its box office performance will give a glimpse of how the moviegoing audience is reacting to the outbreak in India.## The season is crucial for Bollywood after all, with several biggies lined up. The fear of coronavirus could ruin box office takings of Irrfan Khan's "Angrezi Medium" (March 13), Akshay Kumar's "Sooryavanshi" (March 24), Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor's "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" (March 20) and the Ranveer Singh-starrer "83" (April 10).## Other big films slated in the first quarter include the Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer "Gulabo Sitabo", Varun Dhawan-Sara Ali Khan's "Coolie No.1", Salman Khan's action drama "Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai", Akshay Kumar's "Laxmmi Bomb", "Bunty Aur Babli 2" and Kangana Ranaut's "Thalaivi".## "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Gunjan Saxena", "Roohi Afzana", "Ludo" and "Chehre" are also lined up in the first half.## Bollywood might be waiting to understand the impact of the virus outbreak on its business, but stars are not taking a chance. Many have been skipping travel to multiple cities for the promotion of their films -- a reason why the "Baaghi 3" team and the "Angrezi Medium" cast probably skipped coming to Delhi.## "There is nothing to panic as of now. People are vigilant because no one wants to take a risk. Having said that, I don't think as of now it is on the level where the entertainment industry will be affected. It is a little too far for anyone to get scared thinking about its effect on the entertainment industry. It has impacted internationally and scared away people across the globe," trade expert Girish Johar told IANS.## "There are big blockbusters slated for release in the upcoming months and we are hopeful that the situation will improve over a course of time, allowing consumers to visit their favorite cinemas. At this point all our focus is on taking preventive measures and offering a clean and disinfected environment," said Devang Sampat, CEO at Cinepolis India.## Cinema halls insist they are working towards giving audiences a safe environment.## Raj Kumar Mehrotra, general manager at Delite Cinema, told IANS: "There is no impact at the moment but if it spreads then it will have an impact. We are taking precautionary measures to ensure safety."## "We are on an alert and keeping a close watch on the situation. Routine facility management protocol ensures all our cinema premises are up to appropriate hygiene standards. We are working promptly towards creating ample awareness amongst our teams with regards to the symptoms and precautionary measures to deal with coronavirus," read an official statement by INOX.## According to hollywoodreporter.com, analysts believe COVID-19 could already result in a loss of at least $5 billion from diminished box office revenue and impacted production. It has started having an impact on moviegoing worldwide, particularly in China, South Korea, Italy, and even Japan.## Earlier this week, James Bond fans came together to urge the makers to delay the release of the upcoming film of the franchise, "No Time To Die". It is scheduled to release in April. Disney is also likely to delay the release of its live-action "Mulan" remake in China.## Along with Bond, "Black Widow", "Wonder Woman", "F9: The Fast Saga" and "Top Gun: Maverick" is the most speculated films coming from Hollywood in the first half of 2020.## Box office slowdown can mean more profit for streaming platforms, and it will be interesting to witness how they seize the moment.## At a time Hollywood is taking serious note of coronavirus and a shadow of doubt having fallen on major sporting events such as Tokyo Olympics and Euro football, even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have declared they will stay away from Holi Milan parties. Bollywood, it seems, is yet to understand the gravity of the situation.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Pop star-composer Yo Yo Honey Singh, often accused of promoting alcoholism through outrageous lyrics, says alcohol is an important aspect of partying and celebrating and adds that the day the government stops giving license to open wine and liquor shops, he will end reference to alcohol in his songs.## Honey Singh was interacting with the media at the launch of his new song "Loca". Like many of his past hits, "Loca", too, starts with a mention of alcohol.## Mention also came up with reports that the singer, at the peak of his career a few years back, had to enter rehab owing to alcoholism.## "I never went to rehab. I know that there are a lot of reports that are circulating around me and my life. I don't drink now," countered Honey Singh, adding: "Whenever you party then alcohol is the biggest reason to do so. You can't avoid that. In fact, our governments give license to open wine shops and liquor shops. The day they stop doing that, we will also put an end to mention alcohol in our songs."## Yo-Yo Honey Singh has often landed in controversy due to outrageous lyrics in his songs, with court cases being filed against him.## Does he exercise caution now, while writing a song? "I try to write lyrics as per my understanding, but if someone suggests me write easy lyrics then I do that, too," the singer replied.## Yo-Yo Honey Singh's new song "Loca" has garnered over 18 million views on YouTube since its release. The song is officially available on T-Series' YouTube channel.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Chennai, March 4 (IANS) Southern superstar Tamannaah made her debut exactly 15 years ago on this day, with the Hindi film 'Chand Sa Roshan Chehra'. The film tanked but the 15-year-old Tamannaah would go on to make her debut in the South Indian industry later the same year with the Telugu film 'Sri'. The audience loved the budding teenager's innocence and charm, and there has been no looking back since.## Over the last decade and a half, she has scored several hits and memorable performances. However, her real turning point had happened in 2007. With releases such as "Happy Days" in Telugu and ''Kallori'' in Tamil, Tamannaah managed to acquire a distinct vibe as a star and as an actress. Appearing as a college student in both films, she chose the route of being a performance-oriented stars who had no qualms donning a no make-up look. It was then that the audience realised the fresh-faced Tamannaah was here to stay and slay!## After her first few films, Tamannaah went on to star as the fun-yet-sensible female lead in films such as "Kick" and "Ayaan". With her spunk and striking smile, she made her mark by starring in films including "Kanden Kadhalai", "Paiyaa", "Thillalangadi", "Siruthai". Her popularity in Telugu and Tamil won her films opposite A-list stars such as Jr. NTR, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Prabhas, Ajith and Vijay.## Tamannaah did make an attempt to shift to Bollywood with films such as "Himmatwala" opposite Ajay Devgn and "Entertainment" opposite Akshay Kumar, but the Mumbai born actress of Sindhi-descent found more quality and content down South. The decision to work in South Indian films paved way for something more significant.## The biggest film in Tamannaah's career came through director SS Rajamouli, by way of the epic "Baahubali" franchise (2015 and 2017). A two-part series featured Tamannaah as Avanthika, a warrior princess who charmed everyone with her fierce moves. The film won her new fans all over India, and also a huge band of loyalists in faraway Japan. Last year, she went on to appear in another period drama, "Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy" opposite Chiranjeevi.## Tamannaah isn't just known for her vivacious energy. She is also popular for her killer dance moves. It is no wonder that she has appeared in special songs in blockbuster films such as "Alludu Seenu", "Speedunnodu", "Jaguar", "K.G.F" and "Sarileru Neekevvaru". Her dance moves have also led her to take part in the Magenta Riddim challenge, where she danced to DJ Snake's viral track.## A look at her career-graph tells you that she has worked with the biggest of stars and the best of directors. Fans and those in the film industry say that her knack to learn regional languages with ease, her willingness to work hard and shoot in a professional manner, make her one of South Indian cinema's most sought-after and richest actors. In a world where new faces are launched every Friday, it is quite an accomplishment to complete 15 years.## Tamannaah will soon be seen in the Hindi film "Bole Chudiyan" opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the Telugu film "Seetimaarr" opposite Gopichand.## For more and latest news about Tollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actor Arun Govil, who became a national icon in the eighties playing Ram in the eighties serial 'Ramayan', recalled there was a time when the cast of the series was approached for sensuous photoshoots! ## "While we were shooting for 'Ramayan', a lot of renowned magazines approached me and the other cast members to do sensuous photoshoots for them. They were so desperate that they were ready to pay hefty amounts of money for it. But none of us accepted their offers and we believed that our audiences' look up to and rest their faith in us. We could never take the chance of breaking their trust for money," said Arun. ## He opened up about this and working on Ramanand Sagar's hit TV serial of the eighties during "The Kapil Sharma Show". The actor was joined by his "Ramayan" co-stars Deepika Chikhalia, Sunil Lahri along with producer Subhash Sagar. ## The episode will be aired this weekend on Sony Entertainment Television. ## For more and the latest news about TV, stay tuned to us.

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Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who is all set to make her acting debut opposite Akshay Kumar in 'Prithviraj', says she has always been interested in history.## "While growing up, I was really interested in history, the tales of grand kingdoms and larger than life historical heroes. I had always been fascinated with the story of Prithviraj and Sanyogita and life came to a full circle for me when I was offered this film," Manushi said.## Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, "Prithviraj" is based on the life and heroism of the king Prithviraj Chauhan. It stars Akshay in the title role while Manushi plays Sanyogita, the love of his life.## "When I was given the narration of the film, I had a smile on my face thinking that I'm listening to a story that I had been most interested in reading in school. Prithviraj and Sanyogita is a fascinating story and a beautiful chapter in the history of India and I'm blessed and fortunate to have got the opportunity to bring Princess Sanyogita's story to life," she added.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Filmmaker Tahira Kashyap is worried after seeing the increase in the number of people infected by a coronavirus in India.## She recently took to Instagram and posted a selfie in which she is seen wearing a mask.## "Trip to Delhi... as I entered the airport I saw everyone wearing masks. The sight in itself started giving me anxiety. How are we living? What's happening to my earth? I literally had to call up a friend and get comforted as the anxiety was becoming a sort of panic attack.## "Not seeing faces, not seeing people smile or talk, one sneeze or sniff and people become wary, the sight is really disturbing. This on one side and riots on the other...collective prayers can work is all I know, is all I can hope for," Tahira said.## To lighten up the mood, she humorously mentioned the mask as a piece of fashion accessory.## "On a lighter note these masks are going to be the next Louis Vuitton, mine is a limited edition with intricate convolutions!! I am so fashionable that even with the mask on I am giving my left profile??#traveldairies #travelfears," Tahira added.## According to the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, there are at least 25 positive cases of COVID-19 in India at present.##