Actress Vaani Kapoor will be walking the ramp at the forthcoming Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer-Resort 2018 edition as a showstopper of designer Neha Agarwal.

She will turn Agarwal's muse for her label AGAMI by Neha Agarwal.

"I am enthused to walk for Neha. The brand beautifully pays homage to the indigenous culture of Indian handloom textiles while adopting the most unconventional ways. With the right amount of fluidity and structure and all things in best proportions, the collection will be a sure hit," Vaani said in a statement.

Talking about the collaboration, Agarwal said: "Vaani brings a youthful appeal to any garment she wears. Her playful sense of style, bold and quirky fashion sensibilities, and edgy personality strikes a perfect semblance for AGAMI. We are still exhilarated from our first trial! She is looking stunning in the outfit and just can't wait to see her at the ramp."

The core essence of the brand is to revisit traditional Indian crafts, encouraging the age-old legacy of Indian couture.

Agarwal will show ‘Lost in the Woods' collection at the fashion gala.

The aim of the collection is to promote Indian zardozi craftsmanship in contemporary patterns. The colour story mixes a lot of pastel hues embellished with deeper tones.

The forthcoming edition of the fashion gala will be held from January 31 to February 4.

Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International) announced in association with China’s E Stars Films Ltd and Salman Khan Ventures that it will be releasing the multiple record breaking blockbuster BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN in China on 2nd March 2018 during the Chinese Lantern Festival.

Dubbed in Chinese, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is the first Salman Khan film to release in China. The film is expected to get a wide release across 8000 plus screens. The Indian drama directed by Kabir Khan stars leading Indian film actor Salman Khan as Bajrangi, an ardent devotee of Hindu deity Hanuman, and his arduous journey to reunite a six-year-old Pakistani girl – who somehow gets lost in India – with her parents, back to her hometown in Pakistan.

With China overtaking the US with the world’s largest screen count with over 41,000 screens against 40,759 screens in the US and the recent successes of Indian film releases in China, the studio and the makers are confident of BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN’s box office potential in one of the most promising international markets for Indian films.

Speaking on the development, Jyoti Deshpande, Group CEO, Eros International said, “China has emerged as an important market and major box office earner for Indian films in recent years, what with the recent success of DANGAL and we are delighted to partner with E Stars to showcase our film to China. Our Indo-China co-productions are still in the making which we are extremely excited about, meanwhile what better film than BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN starring one of India’s most loved superstars that weaves the universal story of cross border friendship to release in a growing market like China. There are no international films releasing during that period in China so we hope to have a fantastic run at the box office in the world’s biggest film market”.

Allen Liu, CEO, E Stars Films Ltd added, “We are looking forward to partnering with Eros, one of the leading studios in India. There is high expectation and curiosity for the film post the success of recent Indian releases in China and the positive word of mouth BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN enjoys. We anticipate tremendous potential in this beautiful drama starring one of the most popular actors in Indian cinema in a film that speaks the language of emotions like courage and hope which are universal.”

Eros released BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN across 4200 screens in India (the highest number of screens for a Hindi film at the time) and over 700 screens in the international markets on 17th July 2015. The film went on to break several records in the domestic and international markets including the fastest 100 crores for a Hindi language film and several others.

BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is the first of the film associations Eros is exploring with China. Recognising the significant market opportunity in China, Eros and director Kabir Khan are once again coming together for a travel drama, THE ZOOKEEPER (working title) under its franchise studio, Trinity which will be shot in Hindi and Mandarin languages.

Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International) announced in association with China’s E Stars Films Ltd and Salman Khan Ventures that it will be releasing the multiple record breaking blockbuster BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN in China on 2nd March 2018 during the Chinese Lantern Festival.

Dubbed in Chinese, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is the first Salman Khan film to release in China. The film is expected to get a wide release across 8000 plus screens. The Indian drama directed by Kabir Khan stars leading Indian film actor Salman Khan as Bajrangi, an ardent devotee of Hindu deity Hanuman, and his arduous journey to reunite a six-year-old Pakistani girl – who somehow gets lost in India – with her parents, back to her hometown in Pakistan.

With China overtaking the US with the world’s largest screen count with over 41,000 screens against 40,759 screens in the US and the recent successes of Indian film releases in China, the studio and the makers are confident of BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN’s box office potential in one of the most promising international markets for Indian films.

Speaking on the development, Jyoti Deshpande, Group CEO, Eros International said, “China has emerged as an important market and major box office earner for Indian films in recent years, what with the recent success of DANGAL and we are delighted to partner with E Stars to showcase our film to China. Our Indo-China co-productions are still in the making which we are extremely excited about, meanwhile what better film than BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN starring one of India’s most loved superstars that weaves the universal story of cross border friendship to release in a growing market like China. There are no international films releasing during that period in China so we hope to have a fantastic run at the box office in the world’s biggest film market”.

Allen Liu, CEO, E Stars Films Ltd added, “We are looking forward to partnering with Eros, one of the leading studios in India. There is high expectation and curiosity for the film post the success of recent Indian releases in China and the positive word of mouth BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN enjoys. We anticipate tremendous potential in this beautiful drama starring one of the most popular actors in Indian cinema in a film that speaks the language of emotions like courage and hope which are universal.”

Eros released BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN across 4200 screens in India (the highest number of screens for a Hindi film at the time) and over 700 screens in the international markets on 17th July 2015. The film went on to break several records in the domestic and international markets including the fastest 100 crores for a Hindi language film and several others.

BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is the first of the film associations Eros is exploring with China. Recognising the significant market opportunity in China, Eros and director Kabir Khan are once again coming together for a travel drama, THE ZOOKEEPER (working title) under its franchise studio, Trinity which will be shot in Hindi and Mandarin languages.

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia is learning to Tango for her upcoming Telugu film NAA NUVVE.

The film will also feature actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram.

"This is the first time I'm debuting in this dance form and in fact it's not that easy as it sounds. I got injured a few times already while rehearsing but I have to thank my choreographer Brinda Master for helping me ace this style," Tamannaah said in a statement.

NAA NUVVE is a romantic tale between a radio jockey and an acquaintance, where Tamannaah will essay a radio jockey named Mira while Nandamuri will play her lover.

Directed by Jayendra, the project also mark Nandamuri's 15th appearance onscreen.

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia is learning to Tango for her upcoming Telugu film NAA NUVVE.

The film will also feature actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram.

"This is the first time I'm debuting in this dance form and in fact it's not that easy as it sounds. I got injured a few times already while rehearsing but I have to thank my choreographer Brinda Master for helping me ace this style," Tamannaah said in a statement.

NAA NUVVE is a romantic tale between a radio jockey and an acquaintance, where Tamannaah will essay a radio jockey named Mira while Nandamuri will play her lover.

Directed by Jayendra, the project also mark Nandamuri's 15th appearance onscreen.

Actress Nimrat Kaur, who has worked in foreign television series like WAYWARD PINES and HOMELAND, says that culturally we are very different from the West and dignity of labour is something we can learn from the Occident.

The actress told media persons at an interaction here on Friday for her web series THE TEST CASE that: "We are very different from the West, culturally, but I think there is dignity of labour in the West which we can definitely learn from them. Everybody is treated equally on a set."

"Each member of the crew eats the same food, right from spot boys to actors involved in it. That is something I would love to see here in our work environment. As an actor we are privileged, as makers take care of us really well, but people other than us work for really long hours and it really breaks my heart to see the kind of conditions people work under," she added.

Nimrat, 35, says that, as a female actor, to do so much work at this point of her career is something she never thought of.

"I feel as a female actor, to be able to do so much work at this stage in my career is something I did not think of. For a female actor after you become a bankable star, after you gain certain commercial momentum in your career then you a get certain responsibility of a film which you can shoulder which will assure you eyeballs," she said.

"So, at this point in my career to work so extensively in female-driven project is a biggest opportunity and blessing I could ask for," added the AIRLIFT actress.

THE TEST CASE traces the story of India's first woman combat officer, who struggles to carve out her own identity in a male-dominated world.

Talking about her preparations to play the role of a female army officer, Nimrat said "she had to change all my eating habits completely".

"I was never really an unfit person but I have also not been an athletic person, so I had to really change that in every possible way," she said.

The web series also stars Juhi Chawla, Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Dev, Manit Joura, Suhail Nayyar, Akshay Oberoi, Samir Soni and Anup Soni.

Helmed by Vinay Waikul, "The Test Case" will be released on ALTBalaji on January 26.

Actress Nimrat Kaur, who has worked in foreign television series like WAYWARD PINES and HOMELAND, says that culturally we are very different from the West and dignity of labour is something we can learn from the Occident.

The actress told media persons at an interaction here on Friday for her web series THE TEST CASE that: "We are very different from the West, culturally, but I think there is dignity of labour in the West which we can definitely learn from them. Everybody is treated equally on a set."

"Each member of the crew eats the same food, right from spot boys to actors involved in it. That is something I would love to see here in our work environment. As an actor we are privileged, as makers take care of us really well, but people other than us work for really long hours and it really breaks my heart to see the kind of conditions people work under," she added.

Nimrat, 35, says that, as a female actor, to do so much work at this point of her career is something she never thought of.

"I feel as a female actor, to be able to do so much work at this stage in my career is something I did not think of. For a female actor after you become a bankable star, after you gain certain commercial momentum in your career then you a get certain responsibility of a film which you can shoulder which will assure you eyeballs," she said.

"So, at this point in my career to work so extensively in female-driven project is a biggest opportunity and blessing I could ask for," added the AIRLIFT actress.

THE TEST CASE traces the story of India's first woman combat officer, who struggles to carve out her own identity in a male-dominated world.

Talking about her preparations to play the role of a female army officer, Nimrat said "she had to change all my eating habits completely".

"I was never really an unfit person but I have also not been an athletic person, so I had to really change that in every possible way," she said.

The web series also stars Juhi Chawla, Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Dev, Manit Joura, Suhail Nayyar, Akshay Oberoi, Samir Soni and Anup Soni.

Helmed by Vinay Waikul, "The Test Case" will be released on ALTBalaji on January 26.

This is not a review of this year's most awaited film. And why this year? PADMAAVAT, nee Padmavati, is perhaps the most anticipated film since Raj Kapoor's SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDERAM. The frenzy that has been incited by some fringe groups, the threats and abuses, the violence and the virulence have whipped up the nation's appetite.

Methinks, the Sena doth protest too much.

Having had the privilege of being close to the project from its inception, I can say one thing in all certainty. PADMAAVAT is a proud majestic anthem to the valour and pride of the Rajput community. Every frame, every movement exudes a nationalist fervor, a sense of unbridled pride and joy though without a trace of arrogance in being Indian. It is likely to see a major success, perhaps even bigger than BAAHUBALI.

I wonder what the fringe groups would have to say once the film is out. Will they apologise to the nation and to the community they purport to represent, for misleading them?

The film industry is a soft target for peripheral attention-seeking organisations. I had never heard of the Karni Sena till the PADMAAVAT protests started. Now we can't hear the end of their bickering and abuses. I get a feeling they will continue to protest against the film even after it releases, so habituated have they become to the limelight in the past months.

How will they survive without the platform of television channels to scream invectives at Bhansali and the film industry?

Maybe they can find another hapless filmmaker to target? This will keep on happening as long as an emasculated entertainment industry too afraid to speak up; too self-absorbed to care about what happens to a fellow-filmmaker.

As a prominent director explained: "If it was Karan Johar, he would have ten colleagues sitting besides him holding his hand under siege. But Sanjay Bhansali has not made too many friends in the industry. He's paying the price for it."

One direct fall-out of the unsolicited troubles that PADMAAVAT faced was the fear of history that now grips the film industry. The makers of bio-pic on Jhansi ki Rani are running through their script constantly to ensure no faction is offended by any of the dialogues or situations.

Nonetheless, trouble may visit any film. Some group or the other may come forward to say Kangana Ranaut is not from Jhansi. How dare she play Jhansi Ki Rani? I am surprised nobody brought up the Rajput angle vis-a-vis Deepika Padukone. Or the Islamic card to deride the casting of the Punjabi Ranveer Singh. Never have we seen a society so abjectly divided on the basis of caste and religion.

Here's the fallout on historicals in Bollywood: No one is going to make them anymore.

Says a filmmaker: "History and mythology are taboo, unless you're making a BAAHUBALI. Hats off to Aamir Khan for his determination to make "Mahabharat". He can be pulled up for anything — from his wrong cultural identity to his lack of knowledge of the Epic. The best thing is to make a GOLMAAL or a JUDWAA in this country. Anything deeper gets you into trouble. So, for now, goodbye history."

Unless someone wants to make a film on the troubles that "Padmavaat" faced during its shooting and before its release. That would be one hysterical historical. It may become an even bigger hit than PADMAAVAT.
 

[By Subhash K Jha]

This is not a review of this year's most awaited film. And why this year? PADMAAVAT, nee Padmavati, is perhaps the most anticipated film since Raj Kapoor's SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDERAM. The frenzy that has been incited by some fringe groups, the threats and abuses, the violence and the virulence have whipped up the nation's appetite.

Methinks, the Sena doth protest too much.

Having had the privilege of being close to the project from its inception, I can say one thing in all certainty. PADMAAVAT is a proud majestic anthem to the valour and pride of the Rajput community. Every frame, every movement exudes a nationalist fervor, a sense of unbridled pride and joy though without a trace of arrogance in being Indian. It is likely to see a major success, perhaps even bigger than BAAHUBALI.

I wonder what the fringe groups would have to say once the film is out. Will they apologise to the nation and to the community they purport to represent, for misleading them?

The film industry is a soft target for peripheral attention-seeking organisations. I had never heard of the Karni Sena till the PADMAAVAT protests started. Now we can't hear the end of their bickering and abuses. I get a feeling they will continue to protest against the film even after it releases, so habituated have they become to the limelight in the past months.

How will they survive without the platform of television channels to scream invectives at Bhansali and the film industry?

Maybe they can find another hapless filmmaker to target? This will keep on happening as long as an emasculated entertainment industry too afraid to speak up; too self-absorbed to care about what happens to a fellow-filmmaker.

As a prominent director explained: "If it was Karan Johar, he would have ten colleagues sitting besides him holding his hand under siege. But Sanjay Bhansali has not made too many friends in the industry. He's paying the price for it."

One direct fall-out of the unsolicited troubles that PADMAAVAT faced was the fear of history that now grips the film industry. The makers of bio-pic on Jhansi ki Rani are running through their script constantly to ensure no faction is offended by any of the dialogues or situations.

Nonetheless, trouble may visit any film. Some group or the other may come forward to say Kangana Ranaut is not from Jhansi. How dare she play Jhansi Ki Rani? I am surprised nobody brought up the Rajput angle vis-a-vis Deepika Padukone. Or the Islamic card to deride the casting of the Punjabi Ranveer Singh. Never have we seen a society so abjectly divided on the basis of caste and religion.

Here's the fallout on historicals in Bollywood: No one is going to make them anymore.

Says a filmmaker: "History and mythology are taboo, unless you're making a BAAHUBALI. Hats off to Aamir Khan for his determination to make "Mahabharat". He can be pulled up for anything — from his wrong cultural identity to his lack of knowledge of the Epic. The best thing is to make a GOLMAAL or a JUDWAA in this country. Anything deeper gets you into trouble. So, for now, goodbye history."

Unless someone wants to make a film on the troubles that "Padmavaat" faced during its shooting and before its release. That would be one hysterical historical. It may become an even bigger hit than PADMAAVAT.
 

[By Subhash K Jha]

King Khan who has been all over the news for his film Zero, recently mentioned on the shoot of TED Talks India Nayi Soch that he wanted a 4th kid called Akanksha.

We all know how much SRK loves his kids and is protective of them. A lot of fingers were pointed at him on the news of his surrogate child AbRam, to which King Khan came out in the open and spoke about it confidently. We hear that he is planning to have a 4th child.

While shooting for the upcoming episode, SRK was made to say ‘Akanksha’ to which he fumbled a lot of times leading to multiple retakes. To this he joking exclaimed, “I am fumbling with this name a lot and it’s really embarrassing because this never happens to me. I think I’m going to have a 4th kid very soon and I’m going to name her Akanksha.”

No one can beat King Khan when it comes to being witty! Or what if he’s actually planning another child? Well all we can do is wait and watch.

Watch Shah Rukh host TED Talks India Nayi Soch every Sunday at 7pm on STAR Plus.