Massive fire broke out at Navrang studio round Friday midnight in Mumbai’s Lower Parel.

The fire gutted down the dilapidated studio around mid-night and fortunately so far no casualties have been reported.

An official was quoted saying to NDTV as, “Fire fighters are trying to contain the blaze. The studio building is old, unoccupied and precarious.”

Fortunately since the studio was unoccupied there were no casualties. Around 8 fire engines were deployed to bring the massive fire under control.

However the actual cause of the fire is yet to be known. In a similar incident few days back a fire that broke out at Kamala mills had claimed 14 lives and had left over 20 people severely injured.

Massive fire broke out at Navrang studio round Friday midnight in Mumbai’s Lower Parel.

The fire gutted down the dilapidated studio around mid-night and fortunately so far no casualties have been reported.

An official was quoted saying to NDTV as, “Fire fighters are trying to contain the blaze. The studio building is old, unoccupied and precarious.”

Fortunately since the studio was unoccupied there were no casualties. Around 8 fire engines were deployed to bring the massive fire under control.

However the actual cause of the fire is yet to be known. In a similar incident few days back a fire that broke out at Kamala mills had claimed 14 lives and had left over 20 people severely injured.

Salman Khan's Tiger Zinda Hai shook the Bollywood box office from slumber by registering record-breaking business last year, and Newton got global acclaim by becoming India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars 2018. But the two films failed to earn a nomination in the main categories for the 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018.

The nominations list was released on Thursday.

TIGER ZINDA HAI, which released on December 22, minted Rs 206.04 crore in seven days. The film has been nominated in just one category — Best Action, leaving out Salman from the Best Actor in a Leading Role category.

As for NEWTON, starring Rajkummar Rao in a story set against the backdrop of elections in the world's largest democracy, has nominations across six categories. But neither is Rajkummar's widely lauded performance in the Best Actor category nor has the movie got a nod in the main categories.

Pankaj Tripathi has earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) for the Amit V. Masurkar-directed NEWTON, which also finds a mention in the Best Editing, Best Original Story, Best Dialogue, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography categories.

Varun Dhawan's BADRINATH KI DULHANIA, Rajkummar's BAREILLY KI BARFI, Irrfan Khan's HINDI MEDIUM, Aamir Khan's SECRET SUPERSTAR and Akshay Kumar's TOILET: EK PREM KATHA are in contention for the Best Film trophy.

When it comes to Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male), Akshay (TOILET: EK PREM KATHA), Ayushmann Khurrana (SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN), Hrithik Roshan (KAABIL), Irrfan (HINDI MEDIUM), Shah Rukh Khan (RAEES) and Varun (BADRINATH KI DULHANIA) are in the race.

As far as the female counterparts are concerned, Pakistani actress Saba Qamar has been nominted in the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) for her role in HINDI MEDIUM. She will be fighting for the trophy with Alia Bhatt (BADRINATH KI DULHANIA), Bhumi Pednekar (SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN), Sridevi (MOM), Vidya Balan (TUMHARI SULU) and Zaira Wasim (SECRET SUPERSTAR).

Advait Chandan, who made his directorial debut with Aamir's home production SECRET SUPERSTAR, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari for BAREILLY KI BARFI, Saket Chaudhary for HINDI MEDIUM, Shashank Khaitan for BADRINATH KI DULHANIA and Shree Narayan Singh for TOILET: EK PREM KATHA are fighting for Best Director trophy.

The award gala will be held on January 20 here.

Salman Khan's Tiger Zinda Hai shook the Bollywood box office from slumber by registering record-breaking business last year, and Newton got global acclaim by becoming India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars 2018. But the two films failed to earn a nomination in the main categories for the 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018.

The nominations list was released on Thursday.

TIGER ZINDA HAI, which released on December 22, minted Rs 206.04 crore in seven days. The film has been nominated in just one category — Best Action, leaving out Salman from the Best Actor in a Leading Role category.

As for NEWTON, starring Rajkummar Rao in a story set against the backdrop of elections in the world's largest democracy, has nominations across six categories. But neither is Rajkummar's widely lauded performance in the Best Actor category nor has the movie got a nod in the main categories.

Pankaj Tripathi has earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) for the Amit V. Masurkar-directed NEWTON, which also finds a mention in the Best Editing, Best Original Story, Best Dialogue, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography categories.

Varun Dhawan's BADRINATH KI DULHANIA, Rajkummar's BAREILLY KI BARFI, Irrfan Khan's HINDI MEDIUM, Aamir Khan's SECRET SUPERSTAR and Akshay Kumar's TOILET: EK PREM KATHA are in contention for the Best Film trophy.

When it comes to Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male), Akshay (TOILET: EK PREM KATHA), Ayushmann Khurrana (SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN), Hrithik Roshan (KAABIL), Irrfan (HINDI MEDIUM), Shah Rukh Khan (RAEES) and Varun (BADRINATH KI DULHANIA) are in the race.

As far as the female counterparts are concerned, Pakistani actress Saba Qamar has been nominted in the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) for her role in HINDI MEDIUM. She will be fighting for the trophy with Alia Bhatt (BADRINATH KI DULHANIA), Bhumi Pednekar (SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN), Sridevi (MOM), Vidya Balan (TUMHARI SULU) and Zaira Wasim (SECRET SUPERSTAR).

Advait Chandan, who made his directorial debut with Aamir's home production SECRET SUPERSTAR, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari for BAREILLY KI BARFI, Saket Chaudhary for HINDI MEDIUM, Shashank Khaitan for BADRINATH KI DULHANIA and Shree Narayan Singh for TOILET: EK PREM KATHA are fighting for Best Director trophy.

The award gala will be held on January 20 here.

Actress Sunny Leone's wax figure will be placed at the Madame Tussauds musuem here.

It will be displayed alongside statues of other leading celebrities in a yet to be announced theme, read a statement.

A team of expert artists flew in from London to meet Sunny for the sitting in Mumbai, where they took over 200 specific measurements and images were taken to create an authentic figure.

"I am thrilled and grateful to Madame Tussauds for creating my figure. Having my own wax figure is completely overwhelming. This is the first time I have undergone a sitting and I must thank the entire team for making it a unique and memorable experience. I am equally excited to see 'me' at the attraction and can't wait for the fans reaction it will be finally displayed later this year," said Sunny.

Pointing out that the actress has a massive fan base, Anshul Jain, General Manager and Director, Merlin Entertainments India Pvt Ltd, said: "Announcing her figure at the attraction is equally enthralling for us, and we are certain that this will give her fans millions of memories to carry home with lots of selfies."

The other wax figures at the venue include those of Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Salman Khan, Will Smith, David Beckham, Kim Kardasian, Justin Bieber, Beyonce Knowles, Asha Bhosle, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Sharma, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Ranbir Kapoor.

Actress Sunny Leone's wax figure will be placed at the Madame Tussauds musuem here.

It will be displayed alongside statues of other leading celebrities in a yet to be announced theme, read a statement.

A team of expert artists flew in from London to meet Sunny for the sitting in Mumbai, where they took over 200 specific measurements and images were taken to create an authentic figure.

"I am thrilled and grateful to Madame Tussauds for creating my figure. Having my own wax figure is completely overwhelming. This is the first time I have undergone a sitting and I must thank the entire team for making it a unique and memorable experience. I am equally excited to see 'me' at the attraction and can't wait for the fans reaction it will be finally displayed later this year," said Sunny.

Pointing out that the actress has a massive fan base, Anshul Jain, General Manager and Director, Merlin Entertainments India Pvt Ltd, said: "Announcing her figure at the attraction is equally enthralling for us, and we are certain that this will give her fans millions of memories to carry home with lots of selfies."

The other wax figures at the venue include those of Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Salman Khan, Will Smith, David Beckham, Kim Kardasian, Justin Bieber, Beyonce Knowles, Asha Bhosle, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Sharma, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Ranbir Kapoor.

Aamir Khan's movie SECRET SUPERSTAR will release in China on Friday and is expected to make waves in the country where his DANGAL raked in $190 million, the highest earning by any Indian film abroad.

Aamir is hugely popular in China where craze for Indian movies is ever growing. DANGAL, a story about a man who trains his daughters to become wrestlers, is a household name in China.

Such is the success of DANGAL that it has arguably become synonymous with India in China. So much so that Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he liked the movie.

It is to be seen if SECRET SUPERSTAR will storm the box office in China the way DANGAL did in 2017.

The latest movie stars Aamir and Zaira Wasim. In DANGAL, Zaira enacts Aamir's teenaged eldest daughter who stuns her male opponents by defeating them in wrestling.

In SECRET SUPERSTAR, the Kashmiri actress again plays a teenage girl who dreams of becoming a singer. The film is about how she fulfils her dreams by keeping her identity hidden.

Aamir's movies like PK and 3 IDIOTS have also done well in China.

"I am excited (about the movie). The first thing I will do when I reach Chengdu is to watch SECRET SUPERSTAR," Cairang Lamu, a college student in her 20s, told IANS from Qinghai province over the phone.

She studies in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

"Can't wait to watch it. Indian movies also do well in China thanks to the poor quality of Chinese films," said an official of a big conglomerate in China.

"That's why China does not allow every foreign movie to release because good movies will destroy its film industry," the official, who didn't want to be named, told IANS.

Wary of outside influence, China has a quota on the number of overseas movies that can be screened in the country each year.

Aamir Khan's movie SECRET SUPERSTAR will release in China on Friday and is expected to make waves in the country where his DANGAL raked in $190 million, the highest earning by any Indian film abroad.

Aamir is hugely popular in China where craze for Indian movies is ever growing. DANGAL, a story about a man who trains his daughters to become wrestlers, is a household name in China.

Such is the success of DANGAL that it has arguably become synonymous with India in China. So much so that Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he liked the movie.

It is to be seen if SECRET SUPERSTAR will storm the box office in China the way DANGAL did in 2017.

The latest movie stars Aamir and Zaira Wasim. In DANGAL, Zaira enacts Aamir's teenaged eldest daughter who stuns her male opponents by defeating them in wrestling.

In SECRET SUPERSTAR, the Kashmiri actress again plays a teenage girl who dreams of becoming a singer. The film is about how she fulfils her dreams by keeping her identity hidden.

Aamir's movies like PK and 3 IDIOTS have also done well in China.

"I am excited (about the movie). The first thing I will do when I reach Chengdu is to watch SECRET SUPERSTAR," Cairang Lamu, a college student in her 20s, told IANS from Qinghai province over the phone.

She studies in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

"Can't wait to watch it. Indian movies also do well in China thanks to the poor quality of Chinese films," said an official of a big conglomerate in China.

"That's why China does not allow every foreign movie to release because good movies will destroy its film industry," the official, who didn't want to be named, told IANS.

Wary of outside influence, China has a quota on the number of overseas movies that can be screened in the country each year.

Ever since the announcement of PADMAAVAT (earlier titled PADMAVATI) controversies refuse to haunt the film as well as the filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. CBFC cleared PADMAVATI giving it U/A certificate but asked the makers to change the title of the film just to highlight the fact that it is a work based on epic poem ‘Padmavat’ by Malik Muhammad Jayasi and is in no way based on any historical figure.

The controversies regarding the film led to shuffle in not just its name but its release date as well which eventually impacted the entire industry as every other filmmakers made sure that their film is neither releasing right after/before nor with PADMAAVAT.

Now Akshay Kumar’s PAD MAN’s release date was already announced well in advance and they stuck to it but makers of PADMAAVAT not finding any other clear window chose to release their film as well on 25th January keeping in mind the extended Republic Day weekend.

Despite a clearance from CBFC and the certain changes incorporated in the film after CBFC’s suggestion the question regarding PADMAAVAT’s smooth release is still arising as few states have banned the film citing law and order issues upon its release.

But despite the highest judicial forum of the country giving a green signal to the film certain fringe groups are still issuing threats of burning down the theaters screening PADMAAVAT. None of these fringe groups are willing to bow down to SC’s verdict; they are still doing what they are known for i.e. disrupting the law and order.

Now a big question arise that amidst these threats of burning down theaters screening PADMAAVAT how PAD MAN will also the face the brunt of the situation. Because PADMAAVAT is a big budget film so naturally the makers of the film would be trying to release their film in maximum multiplexes. The fact that the film will also be released in 3D version ensures that multiplexes would want to make the most of this magnum opus of Bhansali but then if these groups stick to their threats and actually create ruckus upon the film’s release then do you think they will spare people on the basis of the film’s ticket they have bought? No they will blindly destroy theaters irrespective of the fact whether they are screening PAD MAN or PADMAAVAT.

Secondly if the law and order is disrupted then do you think audience will be willing enough to risk their lives just to watch a film? Who would take their family out amidst a tension filled situation? So naturally if things go out of hands after the film’s release then it would directly affect PAD MAN’s collection as well.

R Balki, director of PAD MAN had already expressed his displeasure over PADMAAVAT clashing with his film. Expressing his annoyance over this fact he was quoted saying in Mumbai Mirror as, “Our film was supposed to release on Republic Day from the outset. It's a free country and if people insist on a particular day, nobody can stop them. However, it is silly to clash in a small industry; there are enough dates for everyone. It's not the wisest thing for films to clash.”

First the clash and now the threats of not letting it screen even after Supreme Court’s order is definitely going to cause trouble to Akshay Kumar’s PAD MAN as well and eventually both the films will suffer. At the end of the day it will be a huge blow for the film industry.

The budget of PAD MAN is nothing as compared to that of PADMAAVAT and it has booked its release date way in advance but still it will be facing heat of the situation if things go out of hand on 25th January. So now the clash between PAD MAN and PADMAAVAT is beyond box-office collections.

Bollywood is offering two very diverse and interesting film next week as on one hand we have a film based on periods and on other hand we have an epic period film but unfortunately the fate of both these films will be in jeopardy thanks to the looming violence surrounding PADMAAVAT’s release.

All we hope that both the films have a smooth release and the hard work put behind these films by the respective filmmakers yield sweet fruits.

(With inputs from Keval Asher)

Marking his directorial debut with web series 'The Test Case', Vinay Waikul says he tried to make the best film in every episode.

The web series is about the first woman soldier to be trained to serve as a combatant in the armed forces in India, featuring Juhi Chawla, Nimrat Kaur, Rahul Dev, Anoop Soni and Akshay Oberoi.

"Being my very first project as a director, it was a roller-coaster of struggles and epiphanies and was thrilling to say the least. The big challenge in a long format is to keep the audience coming back till the very end but I couldn't think of all that.

"For me, it was about making the best film in every episode, treating each episode as important as the next to tell the whole story," said Waikul.

Waikul has earlier worked as an assistant director of SWADES, as a chief assistant director on BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, GHAJINI, 3 IDIOTS, DANGAL and SATYAMEV JAYATE.

On the concept of the series, he said: "Given how women today are taking a stand and braving a fight for a life they choose I think this show is an opportunity for me to support that. I believe everyone should have a choice in the kind of life they want and be able to lead it with dignity and happiness."

'The Test Case' will be available for streaming on ALT Balaji on January 26.