Having been a part of the entertainment industry for eight years, Anshuman Jha who started his career in films with Dibakar Bannerjees LOVE SEX AUR DHOKA and went on to well-received roles in CHAURANGA and YEH HAI BAKRAPUR, is stepping into the web series world. He is ready to do television shows too as he feels the medium is no bar.

BABBAR KA TABBAR — a new web series — is part of the original content bouquet offered by new digital platform Zee5, from the ZEEL stable. Set in Delhi, the show will have 24 episodes.

"The show is set in east Delhi where a tenant called Jamiya — that's my character — has taken over the Babbar family's Parchatti (terrace room). And how they let him be because he solves their day to day problems in his own quirky way," he said.

So why did Anushuman wait this long to work on the medium?

"I'd say there is no difference between cinema and television in today's times. Even Meryl Streep is doing 'Big Little Lies' for HBO. I would love to do TV as well, if the quality of script offered to me challenges me. Unfortunately, whatever has been offered to me hasn't. And the script is sacrosanct to me."

Anshuman has earlier rejected TV opportunities.

"I have refused two web shows before this, but this one instinctively hooked me. It's the only show on the new channel Zee5's launch program with two seasons… That is a total of 24 episodes. Everything else is only one season as of now with 12 episodes or less.

"Having stayed away from TV all these years and having refused to get on the digital bandwagon till now, this was a script and a character which I couldn't refuse."

Anshuman will also be seen playing his most violent role ever in his next feature film.

"It's a dark Indie film titled MIDNIGHT DELHI, directed by Rakesh Rawat. It's my most violent role to date. It's about one night in Delhi and if I may say so, it is damn gory. The film is very dark, aggressive and my character is extremely violent."

Other feature films on Anshuman's card include Harish Vyas' ANGREZI MEIN KEHTE HAIN.

"It releases this summer. It's got Sanjay Mishra, me and the actress Shivani Raghuvanshi from Kanu Behl's TITLI opposite me. In addition, I will be seen in Academy Award Nominee Ashvin Kumar's Kashmir-based 'Noor' which will be out post June 2018. I am also shooting for a 'Romeo & Juliet' adaptation 'Ishwar', directed by Imtiaz Ali's Associate Pradeep."

It looks like a busy year for Anshuman.

"Yes," he said, adding: "It's a struggle to do quality work only when you are an outsider in the Mumbai film industry with no powerful connections. But I am determined to slog it out. I am convinced hard work always pays."

[By Subhash K. Jha]

Having been a part of the entertainment industry for eight years, Anshuman Jha who started his career in films with Dibakar Bannerjees LOVE SEX AUR DHOKA and went on to well-received roles in CHAURANGA and YEH HAI BAKRAPUR, is stepping into the web series world. He is ready to do television shows too as he feels the medium is no bar.

BABBAR KA TABBAR — a new web series — is part of the original content bouquet offered by new digital platform Zee5, from the ZEEL stable. Set in Delhi, the show will have 24 episodes.

"The show is set in east Delhi where a tenant called Jamiya — that's my character — has taken over the Babbar family's Parchatti (terrace room). And how they let him be because he solves their day to day problems in his own quirky way," he said.

So why did Anushuman wait this long to work on the medium?

"I'd say there is no difference between cinema and television in today's times. Even Meryl Streep is doing 'Big Little Lies' for HBO. I would love to do TV as well, if the quality of script offered to me challenges me. Unfortunately, whatever has been offered to me hasn't. And the script is sacrosanct to me."

Anshuman has earlier rejected TV opportunities.

"I have refused two web shows before this, but this one instinctively hooked me. It's the only show on the new channel Zee5's launch program with two seasons… That is a total of 24 episodes. Everything else is only one season as of now with 12 episodes or less.

"Having stayed away from TV all these years and having refused to get on the digital bandwagon till now, this was a script and a character which I couldn't refuse."

Anshuman will also be seen playing his most violent role ever in his next feature film.

"It's a dark Indie film titled MIDNIGHT DELHI, directed by Rakesh Rawat. It's my most violent role to date. It's about one night in Delhi and if I may say so, it is damn gory. The film is very dark, aggressive and my character is extremely violent."

Other feature films on Anshuman's card include Harish Vyas' ANGREZI MEIN KEHTE HAIN.

"It releases this summer. It's got Sanjay Mishra, me and the actress Shivani Raghuvanshi from Kanu Behl's TITLI opposite me. In addition, I will be seen in Academy Award Nominee Ashvin Kumar's Kashmir-based 'Noor' which will be out post June 2018. I am also shooting for a 'Romeo & Juliet' adaptation 'Ishwar', directed by Imtiaz Ali's Associate Pradeep."

It looks like a busy year for Anshuman.

"Yes," he said, adding: "It's a struggle to do quality work only when you are an outsider in the Mumbai film industry with no powerful connections. But I am determined to slog it out. I am convinced hard work always pays."

[By Subhash K. Jha]

THE TEST CASE actress Nimrat Kaur's father was killed by Muslim militants, but she says her mother kept them away from an anti-Islamic environment and brought her up to have a liberal mind. She also said there should be no political interference in the Indian Army.

Nimrat plays the role of a combat soldier in the web series THE TEST CASE.

On last week's terror attack in Jammu where militants stormed an army camp, Nimrat said: "I think politics should be in its area and should not enter into the Indian Army, just the way the Indian Army does not enter politics. See, in our country, it is very easy to grow up in an anti-Islamic environment, especially for people like us.

"Because my father's life was taken by militants who were Muslims, there were many occurrences where people said 'Muslims are like that, violence exists in their religion, they kill people' and all other hate thoughts. But my mother always shut them up and took us away from those people because she wanted us to be grow up with a liberal mind."

The actress was present along with producer Ekta Kapoor on the talk show 'The Town Hall', hosted by journalist Barkha Dutt, here on Thursday.

On her growing up days in an army cantonment, in a secular environment, Nimrat said: "See, identifying a Sikh is very easy. A Sikh man has a turban and facial hair… that is in our religion. Keeping that aside, I have seen or faced no difference between me and my friends in the army cantonment… We all were given same ration, same food, same space on living all was the replica of each other.

"We had mandir-masjid-gurdwara next to each other, with no difference. Inside the cantonment, the environment is so secular that until after my father's death when my family shifted to Noida, I did not realise religious difference exists."

The conversation will air on Mirror Now.

THE TEST CASE actress Nimrat Kaur's father was killed by Muslim militants, but she says her mother kept them away from an anti-Islamic environment and brought her up to have a liberal mind. She also said there should be no political interference in the Indian Army.

Nimrat plays the role of a combat soldier in the web series THE TEST CASE.

On last week's terror attack in Jammu where militants stormed an army camp, Nimrat said: "I think politics should be in its area and should not enter into the Indian Army, just the way the Indian Army does not enter politics. See, in our country, it is very easy to grow up in an anti-Islamic environment, especially for people like us.

"Because my father's life was taken by militants who were Muslims, there were many occurrences where people said 'Muslims are like that, violence exists in their religion, they kill people' and all other hate thoughts. But my mother always shut them up and took us away from those people because she wanted us to be grow up with a liberal mind."

The actress was present along with producer Ekta Kapoor on the talk show 'The Town Hall', hosted by journalist Barkha Dutt, here on Thursday.

On her growing up days in an army cantonment, in a secular environment, Nimrat said: "See, identifying a Sikh is very easy. A Sikh man has a turban and facial hair… that is in our religion. Keeping that aside, I have seen or faced no difference between me and my friends in the army cantonment… We all were given same ration, same food, same space on living all was the replica of each other.

"We had mandir-masjid-gurdwara next to each other, with no difference. Inside the cantonment, the environment is so secular that until after my father's death when my family shifted to Noida, I did not realise religious difference exists."

The conversation will air on Mirror Now.

The premier new release of the week, Neeraj Pandey’s Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayi starrer, AIYAARY, embarked on a fair start (around 20 percent) but did not see much of a turnaround during the latter shows. While the film still has two more days of the weekend left and can hope for a change of fortune, the alarming thing is that neither the word-of-mouth nor the reviews are all that positive.

Checking out Akshay Kumar’s PAD MAN, after quite a good opening weekend (40 crore), the film did hold well till the mid-week holiday(s) but the collections started declining after that and it ended up netting a good to decent 62-63 crore during the opening week from India. While PAD MAN will still be a good success, PADMAAVAT did manage to snatch away 7-8 crore, which would have given it a 70 crore opening week figure and a sure shot hit status. PAD MAN is decent in the overseas but good in the US, grossing $995,000 (approx) at the end of the first week.

Concluding with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Shahid, Deepika and Ranveer starrer, PADMAAVAT, the film saw another steady week, adding 32 crore, thus netting 257 crore (including paid previews) in three weeks (22 days) from India and is a super hit. PADMAAVAT still has it to add another 20-25 crore to its kitty, fingers crossed.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who is caught up with the production of the movie THACKERAY says actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was the only choice to play the party's late supremo Bal Thackeray on the big screen.

Raut attended the India Art Festival along with Sonu Nigam, Mahima Chaudhry and Lesle Lewis here on Thursday.

On the film THACKERAY Raut said: "Earlier, we released a teaser of THACKERAY and within 24 hours, it had got more than 3 million views. I am sure it will increase in the coming period. As of now, the film has gone on the floors and I think people all across the world will appreciate the movie."

Asked if any other actor apart from Nawazuddin was considered to play Bal Thackeray, Raut said: "No… Nawaz (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) was the only choice in front of me when I thought of making this film."

Directed by Abhijit Panse, the film will be shot in Hindi, Marathi, and dubbed in English. It is slated for release on January 23, 2019.

Sonu shared his excitement to watch THACKERAY.

"I think the actor he has selected to play character of Shri Bal Thackeray is one of the best from our country and more than that, I think when a film is made on certain person from his own family, then it gets another level of validation.

"So, none of the Sena's people can oppose whatever has been shown in the film because this film is made by the Sena itself," Sonu said.

Raut was happy to attend the India Art Festival.

"Major artists across the country have exhibited their art in this festival. I think if we would not encourage artists from our state or country, then who will encourage them?"