Don 3: Farhan Akhtar calls Ranveer Singh ‘amazing’; speaks on divided opinions: “We went through the same emotional process when Shah Rukh Khan did it and everyone was like, ‘OMG, how can you replace Mr. Bachchan?’”

Over a week ago, Farhan Akhtar announced that Ranveer Singh is ready to step into the new interpretation of this larger-than-life character, Don, in one of the most awaited action franchises of 2025. Announcing Don 3, which is touted to be a reboot, the Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani actor is excited to take on the iconic role. Farhan recently revealed that he is so pumped about it as well.

In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Farhan Akhtar said, “I’m just really looking forward to get it going. I mean Ranveer is amazing. He’s great for the part. He’s also, as you can imagine, really excited and really nervous. You know about the thing that you’re filling some big shoes. But we went through the same emotional process when Shah Rukh Khan did it and everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, how can you replace Mr. Bachchan?’ That whole thing happened then. And it really is about an actor coming in and owning the part and making it, really like giving it their style and their flair and he has that. He has that in spades. So he’s gonna do that. Yeah. So he’s gonna do a great job. I think the responsibility is more of mine now to make sure that the script of the film works out the way I imagined.

”Ranveer is amazing, he is great for the part. He is also really excited and really nervous. He is going to do great job. The filming for don starts in 2025.” – Farhan Akhtar on Ranveer Singh #Don3 pic.twitter.com/QhDHXGtadU

— Ranveer Singh TBT | #TeamRocky???????? (@Ranveertbt) August 15, 2023

He added, “The filming for Don (3) starts in 2025. We start in January of 2025. So there’s some time away.” When asked what makes a good Don, he said, “Self-confidence, flamboyance and the belief and the ability to do anything that your mind is set on.”

In recent times, ever since the announcement, fans have been divided about not having Shah Rukh Khan in the third installment. The original character was played by Amitabh Bachchan in the 80s followed by SRK in the 2000s in Don and Don 2. However, Ranveer Singh is well aware of the responsibility that comes along with the role and he hopes that he can deliver a memorable performance if given a chance by the audience.

Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar of Excel Entertainment, the film is scheduled to release in 2025.

ALSO READ: Zeenat Aman gives her blessings to Ranveer Singh for Don 3; says, ‘May you find a worthy jungly billi to your Don’

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Independence Day 2023: Shah Rukh Khan hoists Indian flag with wife Gauri, son AbRam at Mannat, says “little one has made it a tradition”

India celebrated its 77th Independence Day on August 15, 2023. Bollywood celebrities took to social media to extend their wishes and tribute to the country in several ways. Shah Rukh Khan ensured that the tradition that his son AbRam Khan started at home continues. The superstar shared a family photo from the terrace of his Mumbai residence Mannat with his staff members as they hoisted the Indian flag.

In a caption shared on social media, Shah Rukh Khan wrote, “Now the little one has made it a tradition. Hoisting of our beloved Tricolour and wishing everyone Happy Independence Day. Love to all and may our country, India prosper and all of us with it.” His team and his family were saluting looking at the flag as Swades theme played in the background.

 

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A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk)

On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his next release, Jawan, which is scheduled to hit the theatres on September 7. Directed by Atlee, the film also stars Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, and Riddhi Dogra among others. As per the prevue, Deepika Padukone will make a special appearance in the movie. The music is given by Anirudh Ravichander.

ALSO READ: Independence Day 2023: Sara Ali Khan, Kartik Aaryan, Shraddha Kapoor, Kiara Advani and more extend wishes on social media

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Prashanth Neel meets Kantara star Rishab Shetty as he finishes patchwork for Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire

Coming from the house of the biggest action director Prashanth Neel, Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire has left the nation in absolute wonder with its action-packed teaser. Now, we bring you a coincidence that recently occurred when the director Prashanth Neel met the Kantara star, Rishab Shetty while they both were shooting.

The director of Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, Prashanth Neel was shooting a small patch of the film in Mangaluru, incidentally, the Kantara star Rishab Shetty happened to be there while he was finalizing the story of Kantara’s upcoming part.

Hombale Films, Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire will star Prabhas along with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, and Jagapathi Babu. Made under the direction of Prashanth Neel, the film will be released in theatres on September 28, 2023.

ALSO READ: Here’s how Kantara star Rishab Shetty expressed his wishes to everyone on Independence Day

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Akshay Kumar announces Indian citizenship on Independence Day; shuts down trolls

Akshay Kumar, who is known for doing some of the most patriotic films like Airlift, Rustom, among others, has decided to renounce his Canadian citizenship. The actor, who was often trolled for holding the citizenship of a different country, has decided to choose his nation India over others as he has officially been declared as the citizen of this country and the actor took to social media on the occasion of India’s 77th Independence Day to make this announcement.

A few moments ago, Akshay Kumar took to Twitter to share a photo of a legal document later adding in the caption that he has renounced his Canadian citizenship and become the citizen of India. He penned a note in Hindi along with the photo on social media saying, “Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani (Heart and Citizenship are both Indian). Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind!”

Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani.
Happy Independence Day!
Jai Hind! ???????? pic.twitter.com/DLH0DtbGxk

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 15, 2023

Followed by his post, many fans shared their congratulatory messages to the actor whereas they also posted ‘RIP’ messages to haters and trollers. Readers would recall that many of the actor’s releases were bashed by netizens who called out the star of making films on patriotic values but not opting for the citizenship of his own country.

On the other hand, for the past few years, Akshay has opened up about his keen interest of switching his citizenship to India on many occasions and the actor was often seen confessing about kick starting the process. And it seems that the actor found the perfect date to declare the status of his Indian citizenship on August 15.

On the work front, Akshay Kumar recently featured in a distinct but pivotal role in OMG 2 in which he essays the role of Lord Shiva’s messenger. The film released on August 11 and also features Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam in lead roles.

Also Read: Akshay Kumar says, “Bharat hi mera sab kuchh hai”; expresses desire to take up Indian citizenship again

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When Jackky Bhagnani united the entertainment industry for a patriotic song ‘Muskurayega India’ amidst lockdown

In the ever-evolving landscape of the Indian entertainment industry, Jackky Bhagnani is making waves as one of the youngest producers in the mainstream game of Indian entertainment. The actor turned producer has worked with some of the most prominent names in the past and is currently working with stars like Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon in his upcoming projects. As India is celebrating its 77th Independence Day, here is looking back to the time when Jackky Bhagnani united the whole industry and evoked a sense of patriotism with his music video ‘Muskurayega India’.

When the whole nation was going through the toughest time and COVID-19 was on the rise when the entertainment industry was not functioning, Jackky Bhagnani had come forward and united the prominent names of the industry, such as Akshay Kumar, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Kartik Aaryan, Tiger Shroff, Bhumi Pednekar, Taapsee Pannu, Ananya Panday, Kiara Advani, and several others for a patriotic theme-based music video titled ‘Muskurayega India’.

Amidst the rays of negativity, due to the Covid-19, Jackky Bhagnani wanted to take up an initiative to spread positivity and with his music video ‘Muskurayega India’, he wanted to send out the message of Unity is strength. The actor turned producer believed this was the best way to do so and truly won hearts with his efforts.

On the other hand, as a part of wishing everyone on this special patriotic occasion, Jackky Bhagnani took to social media to repost a video from his Jjust music collection, the 2022 rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ by Vishal Mishra featuring Tiger Shroff and also sung by the actor.

Also Read: Rakul Preet Singh addresses rumours about her marriage with Jackky Bhagnani; says, “They have already gotten me married twice by the way”

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Web Series Review: Taali

TAALI is the story of an extraordinary person. The year is 1988. Ganesh Sawant (Krutika Deo) is a school-going boy who resides in Pune with his father, Inspector Dinkar Sawant (Nandu Madhav), mother (Aishwarya Narkar) and sister Swati (Hemangi Kavi). Ganesh realizes soon that he’s a girl trapped in a boy’s body. He finds happiness in applying lipstick and wearing his mother’s dupatta. Her mother is concerned about his behaviour but is supportive. Dinkar, however, is shocked and warns Ganesh to stop. Ganesh’s life is shattered when his mother passes away suddenly. Swati, too, gets married and Ganesh has no choice but to reside with his father, who doesn’t understand him at all. Cut to 2013. Ganesh is now Shreegauri Sawant (Sushmita Sen) after a sex change operation. She has made a name for herself through her activism. Now, she has knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court, demanding that transgenders be recognized as the third gender. What happens next forms the rest of the series.

Kshitij Patwardhan’s story is terrific as Shreegauri Sawant’s journey makes for a great plot. Kshitij Patwardhan’s screenplay is very effective and intriguing. Not many know about where she came from and the challenges she had to face. As a result, one gets totally invested in her story. Moreover, the writer also enlightens viewers about certain aspects. For instance, men also pretend to be trans and beg on the streets, certain people from the trans community were against Shreegauri’s endeavour, etc. But in several places, the writing doesn’t do the desired justice. Kshitij Patwardhan’s dialogues are outstanding. In fact, one will be amazed to see such witty one-liners from start to finish.

Ravi Jadhav’s direction is exemplary. The expert filmmaker has creatively helmed several scenes which elevate the impact. For instance, Ganesh reads on the notice board in his building about the death in his family. But the way it’s depicted, one assumes that his father must have passed away. Any other filmmaker would not have thought of such a genius idea. Secondly, Shreegauri standing in between the male and female washroom sign is also a masterstroke as it sums up the show’s idea in a matter of seconds. Some other scenes that are memorable are Dinkar shaving his head while Shreegauri celebrates being trans, Shreegauri threatening cops and later the pimp while rescuing Gunjan, Shreegauri’s powerful speech at the conclave, Shreegauri fighting the hospital authorities etc. There are a few cute scenes as well in the film. The most notable among them is Shreegauri travelling by aeroplane for the first time.

On the flipside, TAALI is just 6 episodes and approx. 180 minutes long and yet, feels stretched in some parts. On the other hand, in some scenes, the narrative moves very quickly, skipping some important events of Shreegauri’s life. The makers don’t show viewers about Shreegauri’s USA visit though a lot of build-up is done about it before she flies to the foreign country. An important track in the show is of Shreegauri Sawant’s case in the Supreme Court. But very little time is devoted to the happenings in the court. We only hear her lawyer putting forward why transgender should be recognized as the third gender. We never get to know what the other side argues. It would have made for an interesting sequence. Lastly, there’s a slight change in the tonality of the show from the fourth episode. Until then, it’s more of an emotional drama but after the mid-point, it becomes quite hard-hitting. The shift happens suddenly and one wonders how come Shreegauri Sawant overnight become an activist and messiah of sorts.

Speaking of performances, Sushmita Sen delivers the best performance of her career. One has never seen this actor in such a form. She gets totally into the skin of her character and is sure to leave viewers in awe of her. Interestingly, TAALI is a bit in the zone of GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI [2022] zone but Sushmita ensures that one is reminded of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directorial or Alia Bhatt’s performance. Had TAALI been a film, Sushmita Sen would have had high chance of winning the National Award. Nandu Madhav gives a moving performance as the father who is caught between societal pressures and love for his child. Aishwarya Narkar is adorable in a cameo. Hemangi Kavi is decent. Sheetal Kale (Nargis) leaves a huge mark. Ankur Bhatia (Naveen) is lovely. The same goes for Suvrat Joshi (Munna). Ananth Narayan Mahadevan (Dean) delivers a stupendous performance. Maya Rachel McManus (Amanda) is okay. Chetan Shinde (Guru) and Amit Behl (JK) are wasted. Anil Rastogi (Judge K U Rathore), Vijay Vikram Singh (Shreegauri’s lawyer), Ajit Kelkar (Dr Biniwale) and Naren Prajapati (Mutthu) are fine.

Songs are well woven into the narrative and played in the background. The tracks which stand out are ‘Rahi Chal Raha’, ‘Pehchaan Le’ and ‘Aali Aali’. Mangesh Dhadkde’s background score enhances the impact. Raghav Ramadoss’ cinematography is neat. Vivek Prakash Maurya and Amish Chauhan’s production design is realistic. Uma Biju and Biju Antony’s costumes are straight out of life. Special mention should also go the make-up team. Faisal Mahadik’s editing could have been sharper.

On the whole, TAALI works due to Sushmita Sen’s most accomplished performance to date, an extraordinary story and some hard-hitting sequences.

Rating – 3 stars

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Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh fondly remember former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on his death anniversary

Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh, who recently co-starred in Ved, took to social media to share a heartfelt post commemorating the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh. On his 11th death anniversary on August 14, his son Riteish and daughter-in-law Genelia decided to share an emotional post in memory of him. The two actors have often spoken about missing him in their interviews and in the recent post too expressed their love for him.

Riteish Deshmukh took to Instagram to share a photo of him where he is seen offering his prayers and paying respect to his father Vilasrao Deshmukh and along with that he captioned it saying, “Miss you pappa”. He also added a folded hands emoji in the note.

On the other hand, Genelia Deshmukh too shared a throwback photo of Vilasrao Deshmukh standing next to her on the day of her wedding with Riteish. She penned a heartfelt poem for her father-in-law as she added, “Dearest Pappa, I just want you to know You are so wonderful to think of But so so so hard to live without <3 I’m sure wherever you are, it must be the most special place because you have that ability to bring a smile to everyone’s faces We miss you Pappa <3 Until we meet again…<3”

 

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A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd)

The couple’s friends from the industry like Pulkit Samrat, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mushtaq Sheikh, among others dropped comments along with a few fans who also remembered the Chief Minister fondly.

 

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A post shared by Genelia Deshmukh (@geneliad)

Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh tied the knot in February 2012 and later in the same year, former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh breathed his last on August 14.

Also Read: Riteish Deshmukh pens a heartfelt note for wife Genelia D’Souza on her birthday; says, “To my best friend”

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