Your Entertainment Expresso is served! The Indian Express brings to you the latest news updates from the world of Indian and international entertainment, movies, TV and OTT.
Top Bollywood Updates: Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma receive an invitation to the Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, Boman Irani discusses his two-decade-long Bollywood career, The second trailer of the biopic “Main Atal Hoon” is out, and more.
Latest Bollywood News Today Transcript at 11:30 AM on 17 January 2024
Let’s begin with our top story: India’s batting talisman Virat Kohli and his wife actor Anushka Sharma on Tuesday, January 16th, received an invitation to attend the Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony on January 22 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Kohli is the latest cricketer to receive an invitation to the ceremony. Alongside him, former India captain MS Dhoni and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar were also invited to the ceremony in Ayodhya. Notably, a host of Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Tiger Shroff, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt have also been extended invitations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started an 11-day special ritual in the run-up to the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlala at the temple at Ayodhya.
Boman Irani, recently seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s “Dunki,” has an illustrious two-decade-long career, having worked with a myriad of popular Bollywood actors. In a recent interview with Connect FM, Boman was asked about the questions he would want to ask movie stars and he came up with a few fascinating questions. For Shah Rukh Khan, Boman said “How many hours do you sleep? It’s got to do with his energy and the fact that he wants to wake up and start the day with a bang. He is very into his tandoori chicken and he is content. I have spent the whole night sitting and chatting with him. I am a mess the next morning, he is not. It’s amazing.”
Next up: The makers of the highly anticipated biopic Main Atal Hoon, portraying the life of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, unveiled its second trailer on Tuesday, January 16th. In a concise 2-minute and 35-second clip, Vajpayee’s impactful political journey is encapsulated, with Pankaj Tripathi undertaking the significant task of portraying the beloved politician on the big screen. Opening with the nation in upheaval after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, the trailer follows Vajpayee navigating through ideological conflicts. It offers glimpses of the late politician speaking against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the Emergency period, highlighting poignant moments between Vajpayee and former President APJ Abdul Kalam Azad. Skillfully covered are events such as the Babri Masjid demolition, the Lahore Bus Yatra, and the Kargil War.
Dhanush, who was recently seen in Captain Miller, made his debut in Hindi movies way before the concept of pan-Indian films became big in India. In 2013, Dhanush assumed a significant role in Aanand L Rai’s “Raanjhanaa.” In a recent interview with Mashable, the filmmaker told Mashable India, “We have an image for a hero which is changing now. But at that time, in 2012-23… in the north, a 6 foot tall, fair boy was seen as a hero. That was the image. In such a world, Dhanush, who was a star in south, but here, people saw him as odd. But when you see him in the film and when he performs, there is no one more appealing.”
When Shah Rukh Khan and director Aanand L Rai embarked on the journey of making Zero, it sounded like a near-impossible expensive project. While the movie did not work at the box office, Aanand L Rai still remembers the time he spent with SRK fondly. In a recent chat with Mashable India, when asked about the high budget of the film, Rai said that he “would fight on this” and then shared with a laugh, “He is a king and I would think so much money… why?” In Zero, SRK played a vertically challenged man and the BTS footage of the film explained that the makers had to shoot each scene five times to meet the demands of the visual effects studio.
Moving on, Ahead of the 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards, the organisers unveiled the list of nominations. Host Karan Johar and actors Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor were present during the press conference held on Monday, January 15th. Notable contenders in the Best Film category include Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, Atlee Kumar’s Jawan and Karan’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Competing for the Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male) include Shah Rukh Khan (Dunki and Jawan), Ranbir Kapoor (Animal) and Ranveer Singh (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani), while the race for Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female) include contenders like Alia Bhatt (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani), Deepika Padukone (Pathaan).
Suresh Oberoi, a familiar face from 1980s and 1990s Hindi cinema, recently starred in “Animal.” His son, Vivek Oberoi, mentioned in an interview with Bollywood Bubble that Suresh joined the film upon Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s insistence. Vivek further recalled Sandeep’s words,“‘I won’t take no for an answer. You have to do this for me,” He then spoke about the success party and shared, “He really enjoyed doing Animal and I really enjoyed walking with him to that success party. It was so lovely to see everybody there.” He also commended Ranbir Kapoor for his respectful demeanour towards Suresh, emphasizing the mutual admiration between them.
Lastly: Bollywood heartthrob Sidharth Malhotra marked his 39th birthday on Tuesday, January 16th, with an intimate celebration alongside his wife, Kiara Advani, and close friends, including filmmakers Karan Johar and Shakun Batra. On Instagram, Kiara shared glimpses of the cosy celebration, featuring pictures of the couple with balloons and a passionate kiss. The Kabir Singh star also offered a sneak peek of Sidharth’s elaborate birthday cake. On the professional front, Sidharth Malhotra is gearing up for the eagerly awaited web series “Indian Police Force,” a significant instalment in Rohit Shetty’s cop universe, premiering on January 19, 2024. He also has Karan Johar’s film “Yodha” in the pipeline, where he will take on the role of an Army officer.
Click to listen to yesterday’s bulletin
Expresso Bollywood News Update at 11:30 am on 17 January 2024 – The Indian Express
Leave a comment