Married actresses, mothers considered dead commodity: Rani Mukherjee

Rani Mukherjee. Photo: DNAIndia

Actor Rani Mukherjee has opened up about the discrimination married actresses face in Bollywood and how she hopes that her upcoming film Hichki will change this perception.

In an interview with the Indian Express, the 40-year-old actress said, that despite being married and having a kid, nothing has changed about her.

Riding on the success of her recently released film, Hichki, the actress revealed that once an actress is married or has had children she is considered dead to the industry.

"There are basic prejudices that come with married actresses and those who are mothers. How we are a dead commodity. We don't sell and that no one wants to see us," she said.

"Actors don't get this. They have a successful career and parallelly lead their normal lives. Only actresses are made to choose marriage late in their lives because they feel our commodity dies once we are married".

For her, when speaking of her film's success it's the audience who matter. "The opinion of the audience matters. It's never the actor. It's the audience because as an actor I will always give my 100 per cent like I gave before I became a mother," she said.

She also shared the moment she fell in love with acting was right after Mujhse Dosti Karoge and Saathiya. 

 "Till then it was a job for me because I hadn't fallen in love with acting. I was just doing my job and coming home. But then the fan letters I used to get made me feel I need to give more. I felt this profession was more serious than I imagined it to be."

When asked about her change from being cautious and holding back to now being outspoken and opinionated, the actress said people are more accepting of a person now than they used to be in the past.

"Today, people are more accepting of you. They don't keep you on a pedestal. Everyone's looking at you as a normal person. That's also the persona you want to project that yes, we are stars but we are also attainable and we can make mistakes. Even if I have an opinion that doesn't mean it has to be everyone else's. No one's going to take it so seriously that they will change their lives. And if they do, then great but they are aware that Rani also has flaws". 

Mahira, Sheheryar to share screen for third time in Asim Raza's next film

Director Asim Raza is set to return to the silver screen with his second film after the success of his first directorial Ho Mann Jahaan.

The film, Paray Hat Luv, will star Mahira Khan and Sheheryar Munawar and will release on Eidul Azha 2019.

Mahira and Sheheryar also appeared in Raza's debut film, but the director promises the romantic comedy will be "very different" from Ho Mann Jahaan.

"A director has a signature style so that's that but Paray Hat Luv is very different from Ho Mann Jahaan," Raza said while speaking to Geo News.

"Ho Mann Jahaan was a serious drama film with a very different story and characters," he continued.

The director further said this time, Mahira and Sheheryar will be paired together unlike in Ho Mann Jahaan where Mahira was seen with Adeel Hussain.

Raza added that Paray Hat Luv is "is young, fresh and vivacious". "The content of the film is engaging and the canvas is larger and vibrant."

"The story plays on an underlying fear of today's generation to commit to anything in life. The story promises to be a journey of romance, emotion, drama and witty puns," he continued.

Regarding why he chose Mahira and Sheheryar, the director said, "Mahira first worked with me when she was very young and I have seen her grow as an actor and she's someone I can work with well."

"As a director, you choose stars according to who you can work with easily and who you know will deliver and fully commit to work over a period of six months," he added.

The director further said that the film will be produced by Sheheryar Munawar and has been written by seasoned writer Imran Aslam.

Azaan Sami Khan has been given the responsibility of music.

The cast of the film also includes Nadeem Baig, Hina Dilpazeer, Ahmed Ali Butt, Zara Noor Abbass, Rachel Viccaji and others.

Atif Aslam to sing track penned by Salman Khan

Photo: YouTube

Pakistani singer Atif Aslam has been roped in for playback for a song penned by Salman Khan for his upcoming film Race 3.

"Atif has been a part of every Race film and we felt he would be perfect for this romantic song. It will be a surprise for the audience," producer Ramesh Taurani was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

According to the Indian daily, the song written by Salman Khan for his upcoming action-thriller is a romantic number, which is being choreographed by director Remo D'souza.

The video will be picturised in Abu Dhabi as part of the multistarrer's ongoing schedule.

Atif has been an integral part of the Race franchise in the past.

The singer previously gave hits such as 'Pehli Nazar Mein' for Race (2008) and 'Beintehaa' for Race 2 (2013).

However, this time his association with Race coincides with a renewed call for a ban on Pakistani artists in Bollywood.

Atif Aslam must have reason to not promote song: Daas Dev composer

Upcoming Bollywood film composer says 'talent is beyond nationality'

Earlier this month, music director and composer Vipin Patwa backed Atif Aslam's decision to not promote his song in upcoming Bollywood film Daas Dev.

The Pakistani singer refused to promote his song Sehmi hai dhadkan after Indian politician Babul Supriyo asked for a ban on Pakistani artists working in the Hindi film industry to continue. Last month, Supriyo while objecting to the inclusion of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice in the Bollywood film Welcome To New York demanded that it be dubbed by an Indian singer.

Nandita Das says she's in Pakistan to break barriers with India

Indian actor and director Nandita Das. Photo: File

Indian actor and director Nandita Das is visiting Pakistan after nine years.

The actor-cum-director is in Karachi to attend the first Pakistan International Film Festival being held in the metropolis from March 29 to April 1.

Dismissing a ban on Pakistani talent in India, Das said, "There should be no restrictions on borders."

"I am in Pakistan to break these barriers," she asserted.

She added, "We are neighbours, friends and share similar food, language and culture so it's bizarre that restrictions are placed on us visiting the other country or viewing their works."

The filmmaker who visited Pakistan last during the Kara Film Festival and is currently directing a film on author Manto, said that Manto is both Pakistani and Indian and a "true South Asian".

"I'd love to bring Manto to Pakistan because he is also from here," she said.

Das further said she's fan of Pakistani music. "I've been listening to Pakistani singers for years now and I think it's very precious."

First Pakistan International Film Festival to begin from March 29 in Karachi

The festival will have workshops for young aspiring filmmakers where they can learn the craft from renowned mentors

The PIFF is an initiative of the Karachi Film Society and is screening features, short films and documentaries from Pakistan and around the world.

PIFF management has also invited overseas delegates of filmmakers, artists and professionals.

Earlier, Indian film director and screenwriter SS Rajamouli said he is travelling to Karachi to attend the PIFF for the screening of his film Baahubali.

Indian director travelling to Pakistan for screening of his film 'Baahubali'

SS Rajamouli says 'Baahubali has given me opportunities to travel to a number of countries… The most exciting of them all is now, Pakistan'

The director took to Twitter to announce the news. "Baahubali has given me opportunities to travel to a number of countries… The most exciting of them all is now, Pakistan. Thank you Pakistan International Film Festival, Karachi for the invite," he said.

British-Pakistani bus driver hopes his phone-shot film will inspire youth

Asif Raja receives the Best Actor and Director awards for his phone-shot film 'Ehsaas'. Geo.tv/Tanveer Khatana

 

MANCHESTER: A British-Pakistani bus driver, who now proudly calls himself an award-winning actor-director as well, hopes that his latest media-related achievement and hard work will inspire and encourage other youngsters to come forward and take interest in the entertainment industry.

Asif Raja has already inspired many others by creating an award-winning, Bollywood-style (as dubbed by the British media) feature film using just his mobile phone.

Ehsaas (Urdu for feeling/realisation), his phone-shot flick, was filmed at various locations around Yorkshire, over an eight-day period, on a Samsung S8+ phone and with zero budget.

Some drone shots were also used in the film, with its post-production taking three months and a trailer launched July last year.

A resident of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, and a presenter at the Asian Music radio station, Raja said his film was received well by the audience and has bagged two local magazine awards for best director and best actor.

"I was recently interviewed by BBC Leeds [BBC Radio Leeds, a local radio service for the West Yorkshire county] and articles about my film were published in various news outlets. I am getting very good feedback.

"As a director and an actor, it has been a wonderful experience for me and I hope to take this further," he said, adding that intends to produce bigger and better projects in future.

"I used local, British-Pakistani talent in the film … actors like Rafiq Butt, Abdul Shakoor, Khwaja Amjad, Tehmina, Kiran Khan, and Fareed Butt, [all of whom] are very talented.

"They are working on different projects but were never given proper chance to showcase their talent.

"Another actor in the film is Mehmood Sultan, who has worked in Pakistan and English films," Raja explained. Sultan, 66, had his first big role in the movie Actor In Law, wherein he played a judge.

Raja now looks forward to releasing his unique film in Pakistan later this year.

"I am already working on some of my future projects.

"I want to work with artists of any age, gender, [and] from all communities and backgrounds to promote community cohesion as it will surely give opportunities to local artists to stage their talent".

Written and directed by Raja himself, the romantic thriller is based on the story of online fraud and stock trading, and features a Bollywood-style song as well.

The film sticks true to its name — Ehsaas — and makes the audience root for the protagonist, who struggles to recover the money he loses due to a fraud.

Despite including a romantic side-plot — a mandatory element for every subcontinental film — the hero becomes the voice of justice and righteousness while the villain is on a power trip.

Owing to the zero budget, expenses incurred during post-production were supported by local businesses. Yet, Ehsaas has some amazing scenes that any Bollywood director would love to have.

Netflix series on corruption scandal angers Brazil's former president

BRASILIA: Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has accused Netflix of political bias and character assassination in its series based on the massive Car Wash corruption investigation that rocked Brazil's political establishment.

Since its debut on Friday, the series called "The Mechanism" has enthralled Brazilians with its dramatization of the political scandal that contributed to Rousseff's downfall and impeachment in 2016.

But it sparked mocking memes and angry tweets in Brazil with accusations including that some dialogue delivered by leftist ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the show resembled the words of a right-wing politician in a real-life wire tap.

Rousseff assailed the series as a travesty of history aimed at her Workers' Party and its founder Lula, who has been convicted of corruption for receiving a luxury seaside apartment as a bribe.

"Under the guise of telling the story of the Car Wash investigation in a series 'based on real events,' the director José Padilha distorts reality and spreads all sorts of lies to attack me and President Lula," Rousseff said in a statement.

The director, she said, "doesn't merely reproduce fake news. He has turned himself into a creator of fake news."

Padilha could not immediately be reached for comment, and Netflix did not respond to requests for comment. Padilha told Reuters this month that he hoped to remind viewers that rampant corruption in Brazil was not the fault of any particular politician or party.

"The series is trying to take a position that is non-ideological," he said in that interview.

Workers Party officials said they were consulting lawyers to see what legal action they can take.

Rousseff was impeached for breaking budget laws, ending 14 years of leftist rule by the Workers Party. Lula, still Brazil's most popular politician, faces a 12-year prison sentence and will likely be barred from running in this year's election, even though he is the front-runner in early polls.

The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported that left-wing Brazilians canceled their Netflix subscriptions over the weekend angered by the depiction of Lula and his party.

"The Mechanism" opens a decade before the Car Wash probe was launched in early 2014 with federal police investigating money laundering in southern Brazil but failing to catch a key suspect.

They eventually unveil a kickback scheme involving politicians, construction companies and Brazil's state-run oil company called Petrobras in real life and Petrobrasil in the series.

Tobias Menzies to play Prince Phillip in The Crown’s season three

Tobias Menzies. Photo: Getty Images 

Tobias Menzies has been cast in the third season of The Crown to play Prince Phillip. 

Menzies will replace Matt Smith who played the role in the first two seasons.

He is best known for playing Edmund Tully on Game of Thrones. Menzies has also starred in other shows such as The Night Manager and Outlander. 

Menzies will be portraying the Duke OF Edinburgh from the 1960s to 1980s.

Paul Bettany was originally cast in the role, however, he dropped out due to other commitments.

The Crown recently came under fire following news that lead actress Claire Foy was paid less than her male co-star Matt Smith with the production company later issuing a formal apology to its former lead star.