Los Angeles, July 30 (IANS) Actor Josh Hartnett hopes he has “learned a lot” since his days of early stardom he achieved as a teen idol in the late 1990s.

Hartnett found fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s as he featured in several popular films such as “40 Days and 40 Nights” and “Pearl Harbor”.

“I hope I’ve learned a lot since then. It was all just brand-new, very shiny, and very interesting. I look back on it all fondly, but I also see someone just trying to figure it out,” the actor told Men’s Health, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Following the years where he was known as a teen idol, he decided to take further control of his career.

He said: “I never wanted to chase the hottest property and be one of the guys who could have gotten it but didn’t get it, or whatever… don’t want to be a part of that game. As soon as people see that you’re working in movies that are getting more attention, you become more viable.”

“It’s probably just a reflection of who I am. I’m annoyed by people that play the numbers and game the system and just do the safe thing. Generally, I find that kind of… I’ve always wanted to try to do things that are a little bit more off-centre.”

Recently, the actor appeared in a string of blockbusters such as “Oppenheimer” and “Wrath of Man”.

However, he said he would love to make something like an animation so his children could be involved in his career.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Director David Dhawan, who ruled the Bollywood of the 1990s, has revealed that it was Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt who motivated him to take up direction.

David Dhawan, who is an Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) graduate, went through many courses during his career.

Although he initially thought of becoming an actor, he enrolled in FTII Pune for the course of film editing.

However, it was during the editing of the film ‘Naam’ when Sanjay told him to explore possibilities as a director.

David, who appeared on the chat show ‘The Invincibles’, told show host Arbaaz Khan, “‘Naam’ has another very big thing in my life. I was editing ‘Naam’, the actor in the film ‘Naam’ was Sanjay Dutt, and Sanjay used to always be extremely friendly, he would come and watch the rushes and one day he said, ‘David yaar tu director Kyun nahi Banta?.'”

“I said, ‘Kaun banayega Mujhe director’ and he said ‘Ban Gaya tu, 3 days ago I signed a film and Tu usko Direct karega’, can you believe it?,” he added.

At this point in the episode, Arbaaz said, “Kya baat hai! Unbelievable but were you prepared for that when this happened? Were you already talking about it?”

David said, “No nothing.”

Arbaaz then said, “So Sanjay Dutt came as a blessing in disguise.”

To which David said, “He was like ‘Tu Kar na yaar, I will be there’.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) The makers of Rudhraksh Jaiswal and Nikeet Dhillon-starrer ‘Tujhpe Main Fida’ Season two on Tuesday unveiled the trailer of the modern-day fairytale show, which is a journey filled with love, heartbreak, and mystery.

The one-minute and 35-second trailer takes the audiences back to Cole Town, featuring Rudhraksh as Marcus, and Nikeet as Aaira.

The video gives a peek into how the spark that had once burned so brightly between Marcus and Aaira still lingers.

It further shows the characters mending their hearts post breakup.

Speaking about the series, Rudhraksh said in a statement: “I am stoked to embark on Marcus’s journey once again in Season two. My character experiences profound growth, diving deeper into his personal life and the intricate mysteries of Cole Town. As Marcus navigates the painful process of healing from a severe heartbreak, he must reconstruct and redefine himself before he can fully embrace his path forward.”

“My passion for storytelling and unwavering dedication to my craft propel me to infuse Marcus’s journey with genuine authenticity and intensity, ensuring that every moment resonates deeply with our devoted audience,” he shared.

Rudhraksh added: “I am deeply committed to bringing a rich, nuanced performance that captures the essence of Marcus’s evolution, and I am eager to share this compelling chapter with our viewers. Thank you for all the love and support you have showered us with, it means the world to us.”

Amogh Dusad, Head of Content, Amazon miniTV, commented: “The second season of ‘Tujhpe Main Fida’ is the perfect blend of intense romance, mystery, and intrigue. The narrative and the plot will definitely keep the viewers at the edge of their seats with the evolving mystery that hides in the silent lanes of Cole Town. A stellar cast, engrossing story, and excellent screenplay will undoubtedly appeal to audiences.”

Sameer Gogate, General Manager, BBC Studios Productions India, added: “‘Tujhpe Main Fida’ has really captured the hearts and minds of our viewers and we’re excited to bring Marcus and Aaira back for more romance and intrigue.”

Produced by BBC Studios Productions India, ‘Tujhpe Main Fida’ S2 will stream on Amazon miniTV from August 2.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Renowned celebrity photographer Rohan Shrestha recently completed an exclusive photoshoot with Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.

This is not the first time Shrestha has clicked pictures of global head-turners, including names such as Lionel Messi, Kevin Hart and Oprah Winfrey.

The photographer, who has worked with Bollywood bigwigs such as Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra and Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli, ‘White T Series’ features celebrities in simple white T-Shirts, has become particularly iconic, capturing the essence of stars like Oprah Winfrey with striking simplicity.

The series began in 2012 with actor Abhay Deol, reports variety.com.

For Reynolds’ shoot, Shrestha implemented his signature style, creating a series of black and white portraits.

The photographer shared an anecdote about bonding with the star over his early role in “Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place”.

“The first thing I spoke to him about was a show that he was a part of when he was much younger,” Shrestha said.

“I told him about his character Berg and how I used to watch that growing up in India. He laughed and said, ‘Oh, that’s awesome, man, that’s still one of my most favorite roles that I’ve played.'”

Shrestha added that Reynolds is “genuinely nice and funny”.

He added: “He made everybody on the crew laugh. For me personally, I was kind of nervous just because it’s always nervy to shoot someone you’re in awe of.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Playback singers Sonu Nigam and Anup Jalota celebrated their birthdays on Tuesday with fellow singers and composers from the music industry.

On Tuesday, playback singer Shaan took to his Instagram and shared a video of the two singers cutting cakes and celebrating the occasion with their friends and contemporaries.

In the video, artists like Papon, Shaan, Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota, Anu Malik, Shankar Mahadevan, and Swanand Kirkire can be seen enjoying the celebrations.

Shaan humorously mentioned in the caption that this was Sonu’s 21st birthday celebration. While Sonu’s birthday is on July 30, Anup’s birthday is on July 29.

The singer wrote in the caption: “Wishing my Brother and The Real Rockstar @sonunigamofficial a Very Happy 21st Birthday. Sharing a lovely moment… when @anupjalotaonline Ji and SonuBhai cut each other’s Birthday cake.… (Anupji’s Birthday was Yesterday)… The Love and camaraderie was so Beautiful. Had to share it with You ..:)) (forgot to take a pic with Budday Boy though).”

Sonu and Shaan have been professional rivals yet the best of friends. The two ruled the 1990s during the Golden period of Indie Pop.

Anup Jalota, who was awarded the Padma Shri by the government in 2012, is known for his contributions to the Bhajan genre of Indian music. He is popularly known as the “Bhajan Samraat.”

Indie pop thrived throughout the 1990s, but the scenario changed when the dotcom bubble burst in the early 2000s, leading to the monopoly of mainstream film music. This changed with the 4G revolution in India as the music ecosystem became more democratised.

–IANS

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