Raghava Lawrence 'Chandramukhi 2' 's First Single 'Swaagathaanjali...' Lyrical Song Released

Star choreographer, director, actor Raghava Lawrence in a lead role, while Bollywood star heroine Kangana Ranaut is doing titular role in the big budgeted film, 'Chandramukhi 2'. Senior Director P. Vasu is helming this project. Prominent production house Lyca Productions known for delivering event films along with content oriented movies is producing 'Chandramukhi 2'. Subhaskran is bankrolling this project in an uncompromised manner. Makers released the first song from the film, 'Swaagathaanjali...' lyrical video on Friday. Kangana Ranaut is seen flaunting her dance moves as King's court dancer 'Chandramukhi' in ethnic wear and jewellery in the song.

The grand sets erected for the film, royal costumes designed for Raghava Lawrence and Kangana Ranaut wowed the audience. The soothing song is composed by Oscar Winner MM Keeravani. Sree Nidhi Tirumala lent her soulful vocals while Chaitanya Prasad has penned the lyrics for this song. It is known that 'Chandramukhi 2' is the sequel to the trendsetter in horror genre, sensational film, 'Chandramukhi'. Everyone is familiar with the blockbuster success of 'Chandramukhi' directed by P. Vasu which was released in 2005. RD Rajasekhar is handling the cinematography. National Award winner Thotta Tharani is the production designer and Anthony looked after Editing department.

'Chandramukhi 2' is gearing up to release worldwide for this Vinayaka Chavithi.

Cast: 

Raghava Lawrence, Kangana Ranaut, Vadivelu, Laxmi Menon, Mahima Nambiar, Radhika Sarath Kumar, Vignesh, Ravimariya, Shrishti Dange, Subhiksha, YG Mahendran, Rao Ramesh, Sai Aiyyappan, Suresh Menon, Shatru, TM Karthik

Crew: 

Direction: P. Vasu, Banner: Lyca Productions,

Producer: Subhaskaran, Cinematography: RD Rajasekhar, Production Designer: Thotta Tharani, Music: MM Keeravani, Editor: Anthony, Stunts: Kamal Kannan, Ravi Varma, Stunt Siva, Om Prakash, Lyrics: Yuga Bharathi, Madan Karky, Vivek, Chaitanya Prasad, Costumes: Perumal Selvam, Costume Designer: Neetha Lulla, Dorathy, Make-up: Sabari Giri, Stills: Jayaraman, Effects: Sethu, Audiography: Uday Kumar, NAC Studios, Publicity Design: Muthu, Pointer Studio, PRO: Yuvaraj (Tamil), Surendra Naidu - Phani Kandukuri (Telugu)

Shah Rukh Khan leaves Gauri Khan with a facepalm after she tells him to ‘draw the curtains’. Watch

 

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan come together once again in a new ad. On Friday, Gauri posted the new ad, which is for the brand D'decor. Their camaraderie, clubbed with Shah Rukh's hilarious sense of humour, is the highlight of the video. 

Shah Rukh and Gauri's new ad

The ad begins with Gauri Khan resting on a couch in what seems to look like a living space in Mannat. She is seen reading a book when Shah Rukh walks in and she tells him, “Can you please draw the curtains for me?” The actor says 'Anything for you darling" and proceeds towards the windows.

Shah Rukh turns poetic upon seeing the curtains and dedicates some romantic lines to them. As Gauri asks him, “Who are you talking to? I asked you to draw the curtains," he turns around and pulls out a painting of curtains as he literally did what his wife told him to. As Shah Rukh breaks into a laugh, Gauri does a facepalm and hides her face behind the book.

Internet on Shah Rukh and Gauri

Sharing the ad, Gauri Khan wrote in the caption, “A stroke of opulence with the D’Decor “curtains You’ll love to draw.” Responding to the clip, Sussanne Khan commented, “Love this!” A fan added, “He was dedicating those lines for you.” “King n Queen together,” said one fan. Another one reacted, “The way he said Darling.”

The Khan family

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan have been married since 1991. They often collaborate on projects. They have an elder son, Aryan Khan, who has multiple businesses and is also gearing up for his Bollywood debut as a filmmaker. Their daughter Suhana Khan is also months away from marking her Bollywood debut with Netflix's upcoming film, The Archies. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh and Gauri's youngest son AbRam is currently studying in school.

While Gauri is a successful interior designer and producer, Shah Rukh is looking forward to his next film, Jawan. He was last seen in Pathaan, which performed exceptionally well at the box office. Jawan will release worldwide in theatres on September 7 in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu languages. Besides this, Shah Rukh also has Dunki with Taapsee Pannu.

Sizzling Samachar: ‘Jailer’ Hindi screening delayed due to a certain clause; Ajay Devgn and Deepika Padukone to reportedly play siblings in new ‘Singham’ film; Imran Khan to make his Bollywood comeback

 

Welcome to another episode of Sizzling samachar on OTTplay , Im your host Nikhil. News from Kollywood first.

‘Jailer’ Hindi screening delayed due to a certain clause

Superstar Rajnikanth’s latest film Jailer has already passed several box office milestones after becoming the highest opening for a Tamil film in India. However, the film’s Hindi release has hit a snag. The national multiplexes demanded the filmmakers keep an eight-week gap before the OTT release, but the filmmakers are only keen on a four-week gap, causing the Hindi screening to be halted until a breakthrough in negotiations can be finalised. Pankaj Jaysinh of UFO argued that the clause is fundamentally wrong considering several films have shorter theatrical runs. He added that the clause is currently applicable only to the Hindi version and that the Telugu and Tamil versions are being screened instead in various national multiplexes. Jailer has grossed over ₹72 crores on its opening day despite releasing on a working day.

Ajay Devgn and Deepika Padukone to reportedly play siblings in new ‘Singham’ film

Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cop Universe’ is about to get even bigger according to new reports. The director is apparently adding Bollywood star Deepika Padukone to the cast of the new Singham film, titled SinghamAgain. She will essay the role of Ajay Devgn’s sister in the film and will be the ‘Cop Universe’s’ first major female police officer. She plays an extended cameo in the film and she will star in her own spin-off in the future.

Imran Khan to make his Bollywood comeback

Bollywood star Imran Khan is set to make his much-anticipated comeback to the silver screen after an eight-year hiatus. Khan was last seen in the 2015 film Katti Batti along with Kangana Ranaut. Imran Khan, who is the nephew of Bollywood superstar Amir Khan, revealed that he is currently working on his comeback, following an interaction with a fan on Instagram. Further details regarding the project have been closely guarded.

Season 2 of ‘Tokyo Vice’ wraps filming

The ongoing WGA & SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood have halted several film and TV projects mid-production. However, it has been revealed that the second season of the critically-acclaimed crime drama series Tokyo Vice, starring Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, and Rachel Keller, wrapped filming before the strikes were announced. The release date could be further delayed because the post-production cannot commence until the strikes are called off. House of the Dragon season 2 is currently the only major TV show that is unaffected by the strike as the cast and the crew fall under UK labour laws.

‘Meg: 2’ soars at the box office despite negative reviews

Jason Statham returned to the big screen with the sequel to the sci-fi shark film Meg. Statham reprises his role as Jonas, a veteran diver who is tasked with capturing the prehistoric giant shark called the Megalodon. The sequel titled Meg 2: The Trench, garnered much criticism, but it has still managed to cause a dent in the global box office, which is currently dominated by the Barbenheimer frenzy. The film has already surpassed $150 million at the global box office thanks to its impact on the Chinese market. Barbie bombed at the Chinese box office while Oppenheimer is yet to be released in China.

Aimee Lou Wood and Jodie Whittaker cast in Netflix’s 'Toxic Town'

Stranger Things star Aimee Lou Wood is set to star alongside Doctor Who actress Jodie Whittaker for a new Netflix series titled Toxic Town. The series is based on true events, which involves the Corby poisonings in the US. It will explore the toxic waste spells and the legal battle that ensued. The series is produced by Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, and also stars Robert Carlyle and Rory Kinnear in prominent roles. A release date for the series is yet to be confirmed by Netflix.

Well that's all we got for today's episode, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho

• Written by Ryan Gomez

Listen to more OTTplay Sizzling Samachar of the Day podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Dull ‘Heart Of Stone’ Doesn't Deserve Alia Bhatt

 

I wonder when Netflix will realise that — like a geeky kid who isn’t cut out for sports, or a dog that isn’t cut out for purring — they just aren’t cut out for slick action thrillers. It doesn’t take an MBA genius to detect that it makes zero sense for streaming platforms to keep making big-budget action spectacles when the only screen we can watch them on is…small. So much of the adrenaline, rhythm, plotting, effects and punch gets muted by default. Not a single stunt lands. The immersive quality is as good as non-existent. All I can hear is money. As of now, it feels like Netflix is using ChatGPT to ‘write’ these incredibly derivative, long and unimaginative movies — the latest of which is Heart of Stone, starring Gal Gadot and Bollywood star Alia Bhatt. At more than two hours, the movie feels like five, and only goes to prove the novelty of Tom Cruise and his stubbornly big-screen spectacles.

The title is a play on the protagonist’s name, Rachel Stone, and her identity as a secret agent for an outfit of international espionage called The Charter, which uses a futuristic artificial intelligence software called ‘The Heart’ to maintain global peace. The irony. Stone is also undercover as a modest MI6 computer specialist, and her colleagues have no idea she is a super-skilled field agent (called the Nine of Hearts) for The Charter. Like nearly every other action movie ever made, this one opens with a mission going wrong in a scenic location. The MI6 team messes things up in the European Alps, and we see Stone shedding her pen-pushing IT persona like a superhero (not named Wonder Woman) wearing her cape and using her secret skillset (like paragliding down a snowy mountain and all) to save the team. They soon discover that a mysterious young hacker named Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt) is responsible for the mess. More twists await, Stone is outed, and one of the MI6 team members might be a traitor with a dark past who has hired Keya to track down The Heart for his own world-ruling whims.

It feels like I’ve typed down versions of this premise in film reviews a thousand times before. Naturally, Rachel Stone must become a globe-trotting badass, almost die, and defy her bosses to stop the rogue agent; it can’t be easy to go from the Alps to Lisbon to Western Africa to Iceland and get attacked and outsmarted in different time zones. I like Gal Gadot despite her problematic political stances, but her Goddess-like charm as this foreign-born Hollywood success story is starting to wear off. She is adequate here, a bit inert at times, and kills with that trademark grin of hers, but there’s nothing we haven’t seen earlier in films that solely count on the tokenism of having a female action hero. The writing is incidental. The explosions may as well be the morning commute to work.

There’s also — and now I’ll take a deep sigh — Jamie Dornan, once again playing a devious man who has no qualms beating up and torturing women. Only this time, it’s not BDSM. Some of the set pieces go on forever (especially the Lisbon one), and feel about as exciting as watching the paint dry on a Sunday morning. It takes some level of desensitisation to action as a genre that even the sight of Gadot sprinting across a spaceship that explodes in the atmosphere and then falling through the sky with an errant parachute is…dull. Not once did I want to pause the film to catch my breath (unless you count that Dornan sigh) and let my anxiety subside. Such is the era of excesses. For a film that’s all about a Macguffin called The Heart, it’s fitting that it has the soul of a crowded Excel sheet. One of the challenges of my life is to say this same thing in different ways for every new Netflix actioner, and as is evident, I’m running out of options.

The one bright spot in the film — and I’m not saying this because I’m an Indian film critic or a Bollywood fan craving Western validation — is Alia Bhatt as the hacker. There’s not enough of her of course, and I hate that Keya’s initial villainy is sacrificed as the altar of moral righteousness and female solidarity. (It made me imagine her as an all-out IT baddie — a la Tahir Raj Bhasin in Mardaani — in the YRF Spy Universe). But despite a disappointing character arc, Bhatt is refreshingly authentic. And I mean that in a very specific sense. Unlike other Hindi stars who’ve appeared in Hollywood productions (like Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra, or even Amitabh Bachchan in The Great Gatsby) and felt the burden to represent South Asian culture, Bhatt’s English dialogue is not littered with hybrid accents and linguistic complexes. She speaks the way she usually does, with no put-on twangs, and trusts her natural instincts as a performer to do the rest. She could be this character in a Hindi film and we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. It may seem like a weird detail to be impressed by, but it can’t be overstated enough.

It makes Bhatt — and by extension, Keya — an equal on the screen, at the level of Gadot or Dornan or anyone else, and not some commercial Diversity Import hoping to impress the First World and attract eyeballs of the Third World. I won’t say it made me “proud,” but it did restore my faith in the cultural honesty of creating. Viewers elsewhere might finally realise that this is how a majority of urban youngsters sound in Indian cities, which takes some doing after Chopra’s (accented) rise to fame in Hollywood. Keya expects the others to understand her rather than changing herself to be understood — comfortable in her own skin, and very much the beating heart in a film of stony mediocrity. It reminded me of the late Irrfan Khan and his eye-catching roles in the West. Everyone admired him because his aura was unadulterated by the urge to punch ‘upward’; he was already an equal in his own eyes. There can be no bigger compliment in terms of a global trajectory, even if it means a trashy action franchise or three.

Tamannaah on Jailer, Bholaa Shankar: Working with the industry’s biggest stars is a dream come true

Tamannaah, one of the topmost actresses in South Indian cinema, will have two releases for the Independence Day weekend - Jailer, Bholaa Shankar. While Jailer, directed by Nelson, has her teaming up with Rajinikanth, she is reuniting with Chiranjeevi for Bholaa Shankar, her second project with the star after Sye Raa. In a chat with OTTplay.com, she shares her excitement about the projects

“It feels great to be a part of two special films like Bholaa Shankar and Jailer. Both films are having a wide release in multiple languages. I got to work with the industry’s biggest stars - Chiranjeevi and Rajinikanth - and it’s a dream-come-true moment,” the actress expresses her excitement. She particularly cherished the opportunity to shake a leg alongside the ‘mega’ star in Bholaa Shankar.

Tamannaah finds it really heartwarming that one of the songs in the film is named after her, Milky Beauty. “I consider myself blessed to be dancing with Chiranjeevi. We shot the song in Switzerland; it’s a romantic melody with graceful movements. He’s set the trend for a style of dancing that’s relevant even today. Bholaa Shankar will always be close to my heart.”

While the actress maintains that Bholaa Shankar is a remake of Vedalam, she insists the action entertainer has a new flavour. “My role will be bigger and different, in comparison to the original. The characterisation is unique.” She only has a small part to play in Jailer. “Both films are different; Kaavalayya is working well with listeners. In Bholaa.., I’ll be seen in a full length role.”

She has high words of praise for Meher Ramesh, the director of Bholaa Shankar. “He’s chilled out and easy going on sets. I had a jolly-good time shooting for it. I have a lot of funny sequences in Bholaa.. I enjoy comedy a lot and he’s conceptualised the light-hearted scenes very well. The film also gave me a chance to work with Sushanth, so many years after Kalidasu.”

Keerthy Suresh gets to play a measured, matured role packed with emotions. “I enjoyed working with her and we’ve developed a good rapport through the shoot.” Bholaa Shankar is a commercial film with all the ingredients in the right measure. “I hope audiences like it. The producers were extremely passionate about the project took good care of us during shoot.”

Happy birthday Kajol: 7 best films of actress and where to watch them on OTT

One of Bollywood's most well-known and diverse actresses, Kajol has received countless honours and awards for her work. She has starred in a range of genres, including comedies, dramas, and thrillers, and she has wowed audiences with her on-screen persona and acting prowess. With her talent, the actress also has an infectious smile that makes us all her fans. Today, as the actress celebrates her birthday, here are seven of her top flicks that you may watch on OTT services to appreciate her talent.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995):

This movie established Kajol as a household name in the 1990s. She portrayed Simran, a young NRI woman who, while travelling through Europe, falls in love with Raj (Shah Rukh Khan). She must choose between her love and her family because her stern father (Amrish Puri) has engaged her to another man. The movie has developed a cult following and is still loved by the audience. The film receieved Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director, among the 10 Filmfare Awards.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997):

In this suspense thriller, Kajol played the evil Isha, the obsessive girlfriend of Sahil (Bobby Deol), who is suspected of killing his stepfather (Raj Babbar). She was the first woman to receive the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, and Kajol's real-life father Shomu Mukherjee also play major roles in the movie. The movie enjoyed both commercial and critical success.

Gupt: The Hidden Truth is available to watch on ZEE5.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998):

This blockbuster movie, which starred Kajol, Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, also served as Karan Johar's directorial debut. Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) is best friends with Anjali (Kajol), a tomboyish girl who secretly generates feelings for him. However, he marries Tina (Rani Mukerji), the new student at the college, after falling in love with her. With the help of Rahul's daughter (Sana Saeed), Anjali had the opportunity to reconcile with him years after Tina's passing. A musical romance, the movie also dealt with issues of friendship, love, and destiny. In addition to Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director, it also received eight more Filmfare Awards.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is available to watch on Netflix.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001):

Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Rani Mukerji all appeared in this mega-hit film by Karan Johar. Kajol portrayed Anjali Sharma, a vibrant and jolly woman from a lower middle class household who marries Rahul Raichand, the older son of a successful business tycoon (Amitabh Bachchan). Rahul is played by Shah Rukh Khan. The movie is a moving narrative that examines the ties of tradition, love, and family. It received five Filmfare Awards and at the time was the highest-grossing Indian movie outside of India.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar.

Fanaa (2006):

After a five-year acting break, Fanaa was Kajol's comeback movie. She portrayed Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman who falls in love with Rehan Qadri, an attractive tour guide who is actually a terrorist, played by Aamir Khan. The romantic suspense drama explores themes of sacrifice, treachery, and patriotism. It was one of the highest-grossing pictures of 2006, and Kajol's performance won her praise from critics.

Fanaa is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

My Name Is Khan (2010):

After eight years, Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan once again worked together. They portrayed the Indian-American couple Mandira and Rizwan Khan, who endure sorrow and persecution in the wake of the 9/11 events in the US. With Asperger's condition, Rizwan sets out on a mission to meet the US President and clarify his record. The movie is a social drama that emphasises the problems of racism, terrorism, and Islamophobia. Kajol received her sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and it was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time in foreign markets.

My Name Is Khan is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar.

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020):

For the first time in 12 years, Kajol and her husband Ajay Devgn appeared together in Tanhaji. She portrayed Savitribai Malusare, the valiant Maratha warrior who battled against the Mughal invasion in the 17th century and was married to Tanhaji Malusare (Ajay Devgn). The movie is a historical action drama that honours Tanhaji and his troops for their bravery and patriotism. It was one of the most financially successful films of 2020 and was well-liked by both viewers and critics.

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu reacts to rumours of taking 25 crore for myositis treatment from Telugu superstar

 

As per recent reports, a Telugu actor had reportedly helped Samantha Ruth Prabhu by giving her a whopping ₹25 crore for her myositis treatment. Now, Samantha has reacted to the false reports of her taking financial help for her treatment and said on Instagram Stories that she was capable of taking care of herself after working in films for a long time. 

No Telugu star helped Samantha financially

On Saturday, Samantha Ruth Prabhu also urged the media to be responsible. She wrote on Instagram Stories, “ ₹25 crore to treat Myositis!? Someone got you a pretty bad deal. I am glad I am only spending the smallest fraction of that. And, I don’t think I was paid in marbles for all the work I’ve done in my career. So, I can easily take care of myself. Thank you. Myosotis is a condition thousands suffer from. Let’s please be responsible with the information we put out regarding the treatment.”

Samantha was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition, myositis, in 2022. Reports had recently claimed that Samantha had spent a lot of money on her treatment. According to a Sakshi TV video report, Samantha had borrowed ₹25 crore from a renowned actor in the Telugu film business. The actor's identity had not been revealed.

Samantha's acting break

After wrapping up the Indian chapter of the web series Citadel, as well as her Telugu film Kushi, Samantha is taking a step back from acting for at least one year. During the break, she would primarily focus on her health, and undergo treatment for the autoimmune condition myositis in the US, said a source close to the actor.

“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,” the source earlier told in Social Media.

Since the past few days, Samantha has offered fans glimpses of Bali, where she was on holiday. Samantha is expected to go to the US shortly to begin her treatment.