When Ranveer Singh spoke about Deepika Padukone revealing his 'bizarre request' on Bajirao Mastani sets

 Ranveer Singh is celebrating his 38th birthday today. In an old interview, the actor was asked about a revelation made by now-wife Deepika Padukone. She had spoken about the 'bizarre request' Ranveer had made on the sets of their film 2015 Bajirao Mastani. Responding to her remark, Ranveer opened up about his 'very difficult process' to get into his character based on Bajirao I, the peshwa of the Maratha empire. 

What Deepika Padukone had said

Ranveer was asked in a 2015 interview about Deepika Padukone's statement in which she had said that Ranveer wanted people to call him Bajirao on Bajirao Mastani sets. Responding to a question about if that helped him, Ranveer said it was 'a bizarre request', but it really helped him.

Ranveer Singh wanted to be called Bajirao on sets

The actor had told Rediff in the 2015 interview, "It's a very difficult process to get into such a distinct character. I changed the way I looked, changed my body, my voice and accent... I would come on set, go to my make up room and take about two hours to get ready, with all the scars, eye make up, earrings, angrakhas, layers over layers... At one point, I also had a fake moustache. I would change, do exercises for my voice and body, so that I would get into my character completely before the shooting."

He had added, "It has never taken me more than 30 minutes to get ready for my characters before. So, after spending these two hours getting ready, and after I stepped out of the room, completely in character, if the AD (assistant director) said, 'Ranveer is walking on the set'. I would be like, 'Mere saare kaam pe unhone paani pher diya (You have spoilt all my hard work). Why are you reminding me that I'm Ranveer, when I've done all this work to leave Ranveer behind and step into this distinctive characterisation? It was a bizarre request, but it really helped."

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's films

Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh's romantic drama Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela released around 10 years ago. It was their first film together. In 2015, their period film Bajirao Mastani, also directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was released. Deepika played Mastani, Bajirao's second wife, while Priyanka Chopra was seen as Kashibai, Bajirao's first wife.

They featured alongside Tanvi Azmi, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi, Milind Soman, Mahesh Manjrekar and Aditya Pancholi in the romantic drama. Deepika and Ranveer's third film directed by Sanjay, Padmaavat, which also featured Shahid Kapoor, was released in January 2018. The couple dated for six years before tying the knot in November 2018.

Exclusive: Shah Rukh Khan is doing fine, reports of his injury were false

 Good news for fans of Shah Rukh Khan! The news of his ill health turns out to be nothing but a hoax. Hindustan Times confirmed by reaching out to people close to the superstar.

Reports claimed Shah Rukh Khan injured himself during his time in Los Angeles. It also added that he underwent nose surgery as a result of his injury. Talking about it, a source close to the actor told Hindustan Times, “The reports about Shah Rukh Khan and his health is completely false. He is doing fine.”

In the early hours of Wednesday, Shah Rukh Khan was seen at the Mumbai airport. He walked out of the airport gate without any visible sign of injury. He wore a blue sweatshirt, blue denim pants and a black cap. However, he wasn’t alone. He was with his wife Gauri Khan and their younger son Abram Khan.

Previously, Shah Rukh was trending on Twitter after the news of the injury spread like wildfire. His fans began praying for him. It seems like it all happened when Shah Rukh was flying back from America.

It all began when a leading daily reported that the 57-year-old actor began bleeding during a shoot. Reportedly, he was rushed to a hospital, following which his team was informed about his health. It also said that doctors updated that there was nothing to worry about. No more update about the actor’s alleged injury has surfaced for now.

Shah Rukh Khan was last seen in Siddharth Anand’s blockbuster Pathaan. The film marked his reunion with Deepika Padukone and starred John Abraham as the prime antagonist. Actors Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana also played key roles in the film. The highlight of the film was Salman Khan’s special appearance as his icon character Tiger.

Shah Rukh will be next seen in Atlee’s upcoming action Jawan. It has Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara, collaborating with the actor for the first time. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on September 7. Besides Jawan, the actor will also be seen in Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki, billed as a comedy-drama about illegal immigration by Indians. It features Taapsee Pannu and is likely to be out in December 2023.

Jawan: Shah Rukh Khan and Nayanthara starrer gets an action-packed sequence worth Rs 17 crore

 Atlee-directed Jawan starring Shah Rukh Khan and Nayanthara is one of the highly-anticipated films of the year. The action-drama movie has been buzzing around among cinephiles and netizens since it has been announced. Among a lot of fun and surprising developments, one of the recent media reports informs that an incredible amount of Rs. 17 crore has been allocated for a single action sequence in the movie. Fans are eagerly anticipating this high-budget production, which promises to deliver thrilling action and stellar performances from the talented cast.

The news about this extravagant action sequence has been creating quite a buzz on social media. According to a report on 123telugu.com, Jawan is to feature a thrilling highway chase scene that has cost Rs. 17 crores to the makers. The sequence involves 70 Scorpio cars, making it one of the major highlights of the movie.

Adding to the excitement, popular actor Vijay Sethupathi will also play a significant role in this action-packed thriller. Red Chillies Entertainment is producing the film, while the talented Anirudh Ravichander is composing the music. Fans eagerly await the release of the film's teaser, which is expected to be out on July 12, 2023.

Jawan also stars Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra in pivotal roles along with Sunil Grover, Yogi Babu, Riddhi Dogra, Astha Agarwal and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya in supporting characters.Mark your calendars for September 7, 2023, as this epic action flick is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide. 

Samantha to take year-long break, will get treated for Myositis in US and South Korea

 After wrapping up the Indian chapter of action-thriller Citadel, actor Samantha is taking a step back from acting for at least one year. While she is looking forward to this break, she would primarily focus on her health, and undergo treatment for autoimmune condition, Myositis, in the US.

“Few months back, Samantha decided that she will be taking a break from acting, and was just waiting to wrap up her projects — Kushi with Vijay Deverakonda and the Indian segment of Citadel with Varun Dhawan. When I checked with her a few months back, she told me that she is not signing any projects currently,” says a source close to the actor.

Addressing the reports of her returning money to producers for the projects she had signed, the source adds, “This is a bit of assumption and exaggeration because she decided to take a break some time ago and was not even accepting anything. There is no new project where her name was associated with.”

Back in 2022, Samantha revealed that she has been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis, and the source informs us that she took a six month break for treatment at that time, too. Now, she is determined to regain her health in a holistic way before resuming work.

“She is taking a break as she wants to focus on her health. She just came back because of her commitments. She was in mid of shooting of Kushi when she fell ill. Now, she has to go for the main treatment and therapy session,” shares the source.

The 36-year-old will be leaving for the US in August, as the source tells us, “The break will be for at least a year. She is dealing with an autoimmune disease, which is not simple. There are long treatment and therapy sessions on the card. She will go to the US for the treatment, and is expected to visit South Korea as well for treatment purposes.”

Known for being a workaholic, Samantha is not upset about taking a break, instead is looking forward to it.

“It is something which she wants for her well-being. She wants to get better in a more holistic way. When I spoke to her about her decision, she confessed that she is looking forward to the break. Unless her health is fully recovered, it will be difficult for her to resume work and continue acting which is a demanding job. She knows that due to which she is happy about the break,” the source ends.

Lust Stories 2: Every short in the anthology film ranked from best to worst

 On Thursday, Netflix recently dropped the second season of Lust Stories, five years after the first season. The second season comprises four short films directed by R Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh, and Amit Ravindernath Sharma that explores the difference between love and lust in different forms through the eyes of their female characters.

Ever since the series dropped on Netflix, it has been trending on social media. While some of them are hailing actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Varma’s performances in it, a few of them heaped praises on actors Neena Gupta and Kajol as well.

Let’s decode some of the most iconic scenes in the series that are ranked from best to worst by many social media users.  

1. Tamannaah Bhatia, Vijay Varma’s sizzling chemistry

What happens when your past meets the present? This is how actor Vijay Varma feels in the series. The series begins with Vijay Varma essaying the character of Vijay who is embroiled in a turbulent marriage. He desires to have sex with a pornstar to calm down but ends up meeting his ex-wife at a location. The role of Vijay’s ex-wife is essayed by actress Tamannaah Bhatia. He soon realizes that he is head over heels attracted towards his ex-wife.

Surely, the chemistry between Tamannaah and Vijay is being loved by a significant number of internet users. Without giving you spoilers, let us tell you that after knowing the history of Tamannaah and Vijay’s lives, they change each other’s lives for the better.

2. Neena Gupta as a grandmother with a modern touch

Neena Gupta, as a grandmother, breaks away from societal taboos and openly talks about sex with her granddaughter. The dialogue, in which she says, that ‘a trial run’ is the need of the hour to ensure that the couple lives happily ever after, is surely winning the hearts of people on the internet. 

She is essaying the role of a strong and open-minded grandmother who understands the needs and wants of modern society. In one of the scenes, Neena’s son is questioning her, “Chahati kya ho? Ki hamari beti... before she gets married?’ Neena quickly responds by saying, that it should not be a problem.

3. Kajol’s behaviour despite knowing her husband is cheating on her

The lives of married women in traditional Indian society are not easy! In the series, Kajol throws light on how she faces challenges in her marital life even after knowing that her husband is cheating on her. In the series, Kajol as Devyani is seen with an alcoholic husband Suraj who does not spare anyone who he sets his eyes upon. She is on a mission to get rid of her husband.

4. Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash and their take on love

Tillotama and Amruta are shown as two women from two different classes of society who know exactly what the other one is up to but, are unable to confront the same. This episode has a mix of lust and love. However, the makers of this episode are unable to join the dots in the story.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Kiccha Sudeep responds to producer MN Kumar's allegations with a cryptic post

 Kiccha Sudeep continues to be in the news for varied reasons, but the most recent one does not seem to be all that flattering. The actor has been pulled by Kannada film producer MN Kumar for allegedly deserting and evading him, despite receiving remuneration for a film.

In the press meet organized on July 3, MN Kumar accused Sudeep of not fulfilling the commitment to work on a film together. The former also stated that he has paid the entire agreed-upon amount to the actor in cash but to no avail, since the Vikrant Rona actor, he alleges further, has failed to respond properly to his many requests. MN Kumar added that he has written as many as six letters to Sudeep through the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce since December 2022 but only one of them has been replied to. 

It also came to light that Sudeep chose to not be part of the same press meet despite being urged by the KFCC to personally address the matter.

The 51-year-old actor, however, has instead opted to share his two cents on the issue via social media and has posted a cryptic quote. 

"Let it be known: my goodness is not a tool for manipulation or misuse. It shines brightest when genuine, and I won't let arrogance taint its radiance. Stay humble, stay true," wrote Sudeep in his tweet.

Could he be referring to the accusations made against him? In all likelihood, yes. But while his well-wishers and admirers (including industry insiders) voice their support for him, one wishes to see him address the allegations in a more forthright manner - it would be interesting to see how the issue unfolds after all.

In his emotional speech, MN Kumar would also highlight that Kiccha Sudeep was meant to do his film after Pailwaan and Kotigobba 3 but was later told to wait until the completion of Vikrant Rona. The issue was then aggravated even more when Sudeep announced Kiccha 46, a new film with Tamil producer Kalaippuli S. Thanu.

MN Kumar also said that he was asked by Sudeep to bring Nanda Kishore on board at one point and he, too, was paid an advance amount. Despite all the efforts, he added, things failed to fall into place.

Kaavaalaa: First single from Rajinikanth's Jailer ready, Anirudh's composition to be out on THIS date

 Rajinikanth's Jailer is the next big outing from Kollywood; the film helmed by Nelson Dilipkumar is due for release on August 10. The project bankrolled by Sun Pictures is the Superstar's release after almost two years. The movie, which began as an action drama, went on to garner more hype after a few senior actors were brought on board.

Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar and Jackie Shroff apart from Sunil and Tamannaah joined later which elevated the hype surrounding the movie. Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Vinayakan and Vasanth Ravi were actors who initially joined the project.

One of the attractions of Jailer ever since the film was announced has been the music by Anirudh Ravichander. All eyes were on the songs in the movie after the makers announced the release date. Fans have been eagerly awaiting an update on the first single.

The composer and Nelson have now come up with a funny promo video, something they have been doing ever since their second collaboration Doctor. Both of them appear quite confident about the first song, which has been titled Kaavaalaa. Arunraja Kamaraj has penned lyrics for the peppy song which is shot in Tamannaah.

Though fans of Rajinikanth are surprised that the first single from Jailer isn't an intro song of the Superstar, they hope that Anirudh has ample stuff which is going to leave them enthralled. Marana Mass and Chumma Kizhi were the first singles that were unveiled earlier from the combination of Rajini and Anirudh in Petta and Darbar respectively.

Kaavaalaa is a song that is expected to have lyrics in Tamil and Telugu. Tamannaah is said to be playing an actress in the movie and cinephiles are waiting to know how makers have placed the track in the film. The song will be unveiled on July 6.