Category: Entertainment

It has been over 112 years since Indian cinema began, yet we have not won an Oscar for any of our feature films. This year, optimism is high with ‘Homebound’ as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. Filmmaker Kiran Rao believes that while there may not be a conscious bias in the West towards Indian films, the perspective from which they view our cinema is significantly different.

Celebrating Success

In a recent conversation, Kiran celebrated the triumph of her directorial project ‘Laapataa Ladies’ at the Filmfare Awards, where it won 13 accolades. When asked about potential biases held by the West regarding Indian cinema, she said, “I don’t know about a conscious bias. But I feel that for every country, when they (the Academy) award a film, they look at it roughly through their own lens. While there is an appreciation for Indian cinema, perhaps a lot of the time it just doesn’t tick the boxes of many of the voters there. It’s almost as if they might not automatically gravitate towards that kind of cinema.”

Diverse Indian Cinema

Kiran pointed out that India produces a wide range of films. She firmly believes that at some stage, an Indian film will make the country proud by winning an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. She expressed her hopes for ‘Homebound’, stating, “I think it’s a great choice of film to have sent. A film that would resonate with the voters. There’s a whole ecosystem around the Oscars, and for us to actually plug into that, we need a certain understanding of distribution and how films go through the Oscar route. We don’t make films with that in mind; we create them for our audience and the ideas we want to share.”

Looking Ahead

Kiran added, “I think that convergence will happen someday. In general, awards will come only if there’s natural recognition from the audience watching your film. For instance, we received an Academy Award from an International Academy in Japan, which was unexpected. I was delighted to hear it, as it demonstrates that even if a film isn’t commercially the biggest in that place, there can still be appreciation for the work. Therefore, I don’t believe that awards will always reflect what audiences think. It’s a combination of factors. But I do think the day is not far.”

Popular Telugu actor Varun Tej Konidela recently delighted his fans by sharing pictures of his family’s Deepavali celebrations, featuring his newborn son, Vaayuv Tej.

Celebrating the First Diwali

On his Instagram page, Varun posted, “About last night! Our lil man’s first Diwali! Hope you all had a great time with your family and friends. Lots and lots of love!” Along with this heartfelt caption, he shared a series of joyful family pictures from their Deepavali festivities.

Introducing Vaayuv Tej Konidela

It’s worth mentioning that Varun Tej and his wife Lavanya Tripathi had recently revealed the name of their first child, Vaayuv Tej Konidela. This announcement was made during the auspicious occasion of Vijayadasami.

In his Instagram announcement, Varun expressed, “Our greatest blessing now has a name,” and shared a video clip where the couple introduced their son. “We introduce our beloved son Vaayuv Tej Konidela – a name that embodies unstoppable force, devotion, courage, and spiritual radiance. Carrying the spirit of Lord Hanuman,” they stated.

Joyful Arrival

The child was born on September 10 this year, bringing immense joy not just to the family but also to Varun’s fans. Megastar Chiranjeevi publicly welcomed the little one to the Konidela family with a warm message: “Welcome to the world, little one! A hearty welcome to the newborn baby boy in the Konidela family. Heartfelt congratulations to Varun Tej and Lavanya Tripathi on becoming proud parents. So happy for Nagababu and Padmaja, who are now promoted to proud grandparents.”

Chiranjeevi wished the baby all happiness, good health, and abundant blessings, emphasizing the love and support that would always surround the child. His heartfelt post included a photo of him holding the newborn, with Varun standing beside them.

Family Background

For those unfamiliar, Varun is the son of Chiranjeevi’s younger brother, Nagendra Babu. Varun Tej and Lavanya celebrated their wedding on November 1, 2023, in Tuscany, Italy.

In May this year, the couple shared the joyful news of their first pregnancy through a sweet Instagram post, featuring a monochrome photo of their hands alongside a baby shoe in the background, captioned, “Life’s most beautiful role yet – Coming soon.”

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston has revealed that her father, John Aniston, advised her to consider a different career path.

The 56-year-old actress, known for her impactful roles, shared this insight during her appearance on the podcast “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.” She reminisced about her father’s words: “My dad was telling me, please don’t do this. You’re just going to suffer rejection.”

John Aniston, who had a long-running role as Victor Kiriakis on the iconic soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” initially studied at a medical school in Greece before turning to acting. Jennifer playfully recalled her father’s paternal advice, saying, “Yeah. You’re gonna end up in Greece anyway. Go get a real job. All the cliché things.”

John’s remarkable career on “Days of Our Lives” spanned an impressive 37 years until his passing in 2022. Jennifer mentioned, “He was on that show forever. In fact, the last episode he shot aired like a week after he died. So he worked right up until that was it. That was literally a wrap on John.”

In other news, Jennifer recently expressed her desire to return as Dr. Julia Harris from the “Horrible Bosses” movies. She believes “comedy is a necessity” in life and considers the “Horrible Bosses” franchise to be her top choice for a revival.

When discussing potential projects to revisit, Jennifer told people.com, “Horrible Bosses. Jason Bateman and I were talking about that, and Charlie Day has been talking about it a lot too. So that’s something that we think would be super fun.”

She emphasized the need for comedy, saying, “The characters are hilarious, and we need comedy. I personally think comedy is a necessity. That’s one that we would have a really fun time, I think, going back to seeing where those crazy cats are today.”

Jennifer also mentioned her aspiration to perform in a Broadway play, stating, “That’s on my bucket list, but it’s finding the time and finding the right piece, the right material. But I absolutely have to do a play on Broadway.”

Actress Keerthy Suresh was showered with birthday greetings and wishes from friends, family, and fans on her recent birthday. In response, she has shared a heartfelt note of gratitude to everyone who reached out.

A Note of Thanks

Keerthy took to her X timeline to express her appreciation, saying, “Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes. Your warmth and love truly mean the world to me! Every message, every post, artwork, edit and poster, I’ve seen them all, and they’ve made me feel so, so, so special. Wishing you and your family all the love, light and prosperity this Diwali, Happy Diwali! With immense gratitude, Keerthy Suresh.”

Upcoming Projects

On the professional front, Keerthy has several exciting projects in the pipeline. These include:

• Revolver Rita: An action-comedy entertainer directed by J K Chandru that has created a buzz since the release of its title teaser a few months ago. The cast also includes Radikaa Sarathkumar, Sunil, Ajay Ghosh, Redin Kingsley, Super Subbarayan, and John Vijay, among others.

• An untitled film with Vijay Deverakonda, directed by Ravikiran Kola, known for his work in “Raja Vaaru Rani Gaaru.” This rural action drama began shooting on October 16 and is expected to release next year.

• A yet-to-be-titled intense courtroom drama featuring Mysskin as the director, where Keerthy plays the lead. Interestingly, she shares her birthday with director Praveen S. Vijay.

Keerthy Suresh continues to captivate audiences with her diverse roles and strong performances.

Actress Ana de Armas regards superstar Tom Cruise, with whom she has been romantically linked, as a “dear friend and mentor.”

A source revealed to people.com that Ana is currently single and has been for some time. She maintains contact with Tom and is looking forward to their upcoming movie project together.

Armas, who previously dated renowned actor Ben Affleck, enjoys spending time with Cruise. However, they are only friends for now, according to the insider, as reported by femalefirst.co.uk.

The duo was spotted together in Vermont back in July, although they have never publicly confirmed a romantic relationship.

In April, Armas expressed her views on the gender-swapping of iconic characters, stating she is not in favor of altering legacy titles like ‘James Bond.’ She advocates for more films like her impending bare-knuckle action project ‘Ballerina,’ instead of changing established characters.

Currently, Armas is promoting her ‘John Wick’ spinoff from Lionsgate at CinemaCon, where a recent discussion was prompted by actor Helen Mirren. According to ‘Variety,’ Mirren shared in an interview with the UK’s Guardian that she “never liked the way women were in James Bond,” calling the franchise’s concept “drenched and born out of profound sexism.”

Ana made her notable debut in the 2021 Bond film ‘No Time to Die,’ where her character Paloma was celebrated for breaking away from typical Bond Girl stereotypes. Not only did her character deliver some of the film’s biggest laughs, but she also demonstrated impressive skills in combat alongside Daniel Craig, saving him during their scenes together.

“Why don’t we have more movies about Paloma? Let James be James and John Wick be John Wick. We’ll do our thing,” Armas said at The John Wick Experience, a multi-room immersive pop-up where fans can experience the infamous Continental Hotel from the Keanu Reeves films.

She also stated, “When you get a woman fighting, you’ll be surprised by the things she can pull off.”

Football legend David Beckham fondly recalled his Diwali celebrations in India a few years ago with Bollywood fashionista Sonam Kapoor and her husband, Anand Ahuja.

Beckham shared this memory on his Instagram stories, which Sonam later re-shared. In the picture, the two are seen posing together during the Diwali festivities, with Beckham holding a plate filled with delicious Indian food, including roti, sabzi, and sweets.

Accompanying the image was a text overlay that read: “Loved celebrating Diwali with great company (& great food!) in India @sonamkapoor @anandahuja.”

During Beckham’s 2023 visit to India, Sonam played the perfect host, organizing a grand welcome party for the former English footballer at their home in Mumbai.

In other news, Sonam recently shared a glimpse of her family’s intimate Dhanteras celebration. Posting a video montage, she captioned it, “Our hearts (and home) are glowing a little brighter this Diwali. From our little family to yours — wishing you love, laughter & light. Anand, Sonam & Vayu.”

In the video, Sonam looked elegant in a heavily embroidered maroon and red ensemble, complemented by traditional silver jewellery and bangles. She gracefully performed the rituals alongside her husband, Anand, who wore an ivory kurta-pyjama. Their son, Vayu, dressed in a white embroidered kurta, added an adorable charm to the family portrait as he sat close to his parents during the puja.

Sonam married Anand in May 2018 after dating for nearly four years. The couple welcomed their first child, Vaayu Kapoor Ahuja, in August 2022.

Known for her roles in critically acclaimed films like “Neerja,” “Ranjanaa,” “Veere Di Wedding,” and “Delhi 6,” Sonam took a sabbatical from Bollywood following the birth of her son to focus on family.

She made her return in 2023 with the film “Blind,” a crime thriller directed by Shome Makhija, featuring Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak, and Lillete Dubey in supporting roles. The film is a remake of the 2011 Korean movie of the same name and follows a blind police officer searching for a serial killer.

Sonam’s next project will be “Battle of Bittora,” based on Anuja Chauhan’s 2010 novel. It tells the love story between two up-and-coming politicdigihunt who, despite their romance, find themselves contesting elections against each other. This drama will be produced under the banner of Anil Kapoor Film, in collaboration with Communication Network.

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is mourning the loss of legendary actor-comedian Asrani, reminiscing about their years of collaboration in some of Hindi cinema’s cult classics such as Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhag, and De Dana Dan.

Heartfelt Tribute on Social Media

Akshay took to Instagram to share a snapshot from their films and recalled their recent meeting just a week prior on the sets of Haiwaan, directed by Priyadarshan.

“Speechless with grief at the passing of Asrani ji. We had just shared the warmest of hugs a week back at the shoot of Haiwaan. Bahot pyare insaan the…he had the most legendary comic timing,” Akshay wrote in his heartfelt caption. He mentioned working alongside Asrani in upcoming projects like Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan.

He expressed, “From all my cult films Hera Pheri to Bhagam Bhag to De Dana Dan, Welcome and now our unreleased Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan, I had worked and learned so much from him. What an absolute loss to our industry. God bless you, Asrani Sir, for giving us a million reasons to laugh. Om Shanti.”

A Great Loss to Cinema

Asrani passed away at the age of 84 due to a chest infection, according to his manager. His last rites were performed at Santacruz Crematorium.

The official Instagram account for the actor shared a somber note regarding his demise.

They wrote, “The news of the passing of the king of comedy, the great actor Asrani ji, who ruled over millions of hearts, has plunged us all into deep sorrow. He gave Indian cinema a new identity with his unique acting, simplicity, and humor. The life he breathed into every character will forever live on in our memories. His passing is not just a loss for the film industry, but for everyone who ever smiled at his acting. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti.”

Just hours before his passing, Asrani shared a Diwali greeting to his fans on his social media account.

Renowned comic actor and Bollywood veteran Govardhan Asrani, widely known by his stage name Asrani, has passed away at the age of 84. The cause of his death is currently unknown.

His last rites were performed at the Santacruz Crematorium. Just hours before his demise, Asrani shared a Diwali message wishing his fans well on his social media account.

Asrani was one of Indian cinema’s most enduring comic actors, boasting a career that spanned over five decades and included more than 350 films. He trained at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, during which he honed his craft before stepping into the Hindi film industry in the mid-1960s.

While he initially took on serious and supporting roles, his true comedic talent soon became apparent. Asrani emerged as a staple of Hindi cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, often portraying the lovable fool, the flustered clerk, or the witty sidekick. His impeccable timing and expressive features made him a favorite among directors.

His performances in classic films such as ‘Sholay’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, and many others solidified his status as a prominent figure in the acting realm. Notably, his iconic role in ‘Sholay’ as the bumbling jailor parodying Hitler became an immortal part of Indian pop culture.

Asrani showcased his versatility by working across various genres and languages, including Gujarati and Rajasthani films. He even ventured into direction with a few Hindi and Gujarati movies. He formed memorable comic partnerships with legends like Mehmood, Rajesh Khanna, and later Govinda, bridging generations of comedy in Bollywood.

Beyond humor, Asrani occasionally displayed his dramatic range in films like ‘Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar’ and ‘Chala Murari Hero Banne’, where he also took up directorial roles. His contributions to Indian cinema transcend mere laughter; they reflect a consistency that marks him as a true entertainer—one who evolved with time while remaining rooted in charm and simplicity. Further details regarding the actor’s demise are awaited.

Veteran actress Farida Jalal recently opened up about a deeply personal chapter in her life—her parents’ divorce and how it shaped her early years.

The Impact of Her Parents’ Divorce

During her appearance on the celebrity talk show “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai,” Jalal shared that her parents separated when she was just two years old. Following the divorce, the court ordered that the children be sent to a boarding school. Eventually, her mother took custody, and these experiences left a lasting impact on her childhood.

Journey into Acting

When discussing what drew her toward acting, Farida Jalal revealed that her journey into films happened quite organically. Growing up with a deep love for performing and storytelling, she naturally gravitated toward the stage.

Farida Jalal mentioned, “As far as I remember, I always wanted to do acting in my life. Even in your childhood? Yes, I used to do a lot of dances in school. The function always had an Indian dance by Farida Sami. My real name is Farida Sami. My parents divorced when I was a two-year-old. Then, they had custody of the kids. Then the court had ordered that the kids be put in boarding school. And my mother took the custody.”

Memorable Experiences at School

She recalled amusing moments from her time at a missionary school, saying, “One thing they would ask me. First and foremost, Farida, please translate it into English. The song that you are doing, what does it mean? So, there was a song which went a little… Come in the shade of my eyelids. He said, no, no, no. See, you can’t dance on such a song. So, another song was taken. Can you believe it? I danced on.”

A Remarkable Career

In 2021, Farida appeared on the show, hosted by Farooq Shaikh. With an impressive career spanning nearly five decades, she has appeared in over 200 films. Jalal has become a familiar face in some of Hindi cinema’s most memorable hits, including “Raja Hindustani,” “Dil To Pagal Hai,” “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai,” “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” and “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.”

Actor Bobby Deol recently reflected on his childhood and life in a joint family, recalling the warmth and togetherness that characterized those formative years.

Childhood Memories and Family Bonds

In an exclusive interview, Bobby shared his deep attachment to his parents, revealing that he slept with them until the age of 14—a practice he considers quite normal in Indian households. Growing up in a large joint family meant sharing limited space with siblings and relatives, which fostered close family bonds.

Bobby recounted that his father, Dharmendra, always kept the lights on while sleeping. This habit rubbed off on him; even now, he prefers having a night light and feels uneasy in complete darkness. He said, “I don’t like it when it’s dark. This is something very interesting because a lot of people think by turning off the lights, that is one way of saying it. But I don’t like it when it’s dark. My wife and I always have a fight. We have installed a night light on the floor.”

Sharing Rooms and Family Dynamics

He elaborated on his childhood sleeping arrangements, stating, “I was very lucky. I slept with my parents till I was 14 years old. My mother would often tell me to go and share a room with my brother, but I always got upset and cried about it.” Whenever it was time to switch rooms, Bobby’s mother would sometimes invite him back, highlighting the closeness within the family.

Bobby’s narrative also touched on his father’s presence, saying, “In Punjab, my father is alone. Whenever my mother would visit, she would ask him to come and sleep with me. This has been going on for many years.”

Bobby Deol’s reflections paint a picture of a cherished childhood filled with love, highlighting how his upbringing has shaped his preferences and family dynamics today.