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For maker of 'Agra' Kanu Behl, films are not about conveying messages from pedestals

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Mumbai, June 29 (IANS) Filmmaker Kanu Behl, who has been garnering praise across film festival circuits for his film ‘Agra’, shared his opinion on films as a medium for conveying a larger message.

The director also shared the idea behind ‘Agra’, which recently won Best Actor and Best Film honours at the New York Indian Film Festival.

Kanu shared that, for him, films are not about conveying messages from a pedestal.

Speaking with IANS, Kanu said: “With ‘Agra’, I was interested in talking about sexual repression and the areas of our secret lives that are rarely discussed in India. Initially, I wasn’t sure if the film offered a fresh perspective on this subject until I started looking at it from the lens of physical spaces and how they affect our sexual lives and vice-versa. That’s when the film shaped up into what it is now. Films for me are not about conveying messages from pedestals.”

He said that the idea behind the film is to initiate a broader conversation around sexuality and spaces on the margins in a country like India, which is now more than ever on the brink of such discussions.

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Talking about the casting process, the director told IANS that the process was “exhaustive” as it lasted for seven months and spanned five different cities in India.

“What I was looking for were faces that could reflect the unspoken histories of the characters subliminally and spiritually. Each spoken word, reflecting hidden turmoil, was important to me. Mohit, for the role of ‘Guru’, turned out to be a key choice, as he not only nailed a great audition but additionally had the right physical attributes for the part. His soft face and empathetic eyes were necessary to keep the audience hooked on the difficult journey they were going to go on with this character,” he said.

For the character of ‘Priti’, he had always envisioned Priyanka Bose, even while writing the film.

Kanu shared: “The parts of her that were yet undiscovered as a performer intrigued me immensely, and together we were able to carve out an almost unrecognisable visage. Rahul Roy came in without all the airs of a big star and fully immersed himself in a difficult part. Vibha Chibber and Sonal Jha were able to shed their seasoned skins and go on a new journey to construct their parts differently than their usual process. And the other two young guns, Aanchal Goswami and Ruhani Sharma, were discoveries in their own right.”

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The director stated that he and his team did not look at the film differently than any other film just because it was speaking about sexuality.

“The idea was to look at it as a film about people struggling with expressing their innermost desires and transacting around those, rather than think about it as a film about sex. The major challenges were in first avoiding self-censoring and writing the film honestly. And then, subsequently, in raising the financing for a film like this from within India. It took time, but eventually, we found the perfect producers in Yoodle Films,” Kanu said.

The director believes that authenticity is never an issue once you have the right crew in place.

“Right down from the actors to the production designer, Parul Sondh, who is the soul of the film, to the cinematographer Saurabh Monga, my long-time collaborator Fabeha on costume, and Pritam Das on sound design, all of us together found the eyes, ears, and spirit of the film,” he said.

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–IANS

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Salman Khan flaunts new hairdo in brand new pic on Instagram

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who will be next seen in ‘Sikandar’, on Wednesday took to Instagram and shared a picture of himself with a new hairdo.

In the picture, the actor could be seen sitting in the open in a contemplative mood wearing a black T-shirt.

He wrote in the caption, “Green Zone.”

Fans in the comments section were wondering if the new hairdo is for his film ‘Sikandar’, which marks Salman’s first collaboration with director A.R. Murugadoss of ‘Ghajini’ fame.

Murugadoss has so far worked with two Bollywood superstars — with Aamir Khan in ‘Ghajini’ and Akshay Kumar in ‘Holiday: A Soldier is Never Off Duty’, which also starred Sonakshi Sinha.

Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under the banner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, ‘Sikandar’ is set to hit the theatres during Eid next year.

The film promises to be an action-packed thriller, aligning perfectly with Khan’s well-established persona of a larger-than-life hero.

–IANS

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Sidharth urges people to 'exercise caution' after fan alleges scam by actor's 'fanpage'

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Actor Sidharth Malhotra on Wednesday reacted to news that his fan had allegedly been scammed of Rs 50 lakh, stating that neither he nor his family or team supports this, as he urged people to exercise caution when dealing with such matters.

According to media reports, a US-based fan of Sidharth named Minoo Vasudevan claimed on social media that a fanpage of the actor, which is run by Aliza and Husna Parveen, allegedly duped her of Rs 50 lakh.

Minoo accused the admins — Aliza and Husna — of creating fabricated stories about the ‘Student of the Year’ actor, and how his life is in danger because of his wife and actress Kiara Advani.

She also claimed that Aliza told her that Kiara forced Sidharth to marry her by threatening to kill his family, besides doing black magic on him.

The fan also shared how she paid charges to get the inside information about the actor, claiming that the total loss was to the tune of Rs 50 lakh.

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Reacting to the claims, Sidharth took to social media and posted a note, which read: “It has been brought to my attention that certain fraudulent activities/scams have been circulating on various social media platforms, allegedly claiming to be associated with or in relation to me, my family and people claiming to be my fans and seeking money.”

“I want to assure everyone reading this that neither I nor my family or team support any of this. I urge all of you to exercise caution when dealing with such matters. If you receive any suspicious requests, report them to the appropriate authorities and avoid spreading false information. My fans have always been my biggest strength and your trust and safety are my top priorities. Big Love and Hug,” added the ‘Ek Villain’ actor.

In the caption, Sidharth wrote: “To all my fans.”

Sidharth married Kiara on February 7, 2023, in Jaisalmer in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.

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On the work front, Sidharth was last seen in the action thriller ‘Yodha’ co-starring Raashii Khanna and Disha Patani.

–IANS

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'No more comments': Luv Sinha deletes X post on not attending sister Sonakshi’s wedding

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha’s brother Luv Sinha, who recently shared the reason behind not attending his sister’s wedding in Mumbai on social media, has now deleted the said post.

Luv Sinha, who was last seen in the Sunny Deol-starrer ‘Gadar 2’, earlier took to X to state that he didn’t approve of his sister’s marriage to Zaheer Iqbal.

Sharing a news article with his post, the actor wrote, “Why I chose not to attend. Running an online campaign against me on a false premise won’t change the fact that for me, my family will always come first.”

However, now the actor has deleted the post in question and issued another statement saying that the words in his second tweet were wrongly attributed to him.

He wrote, “The quote that is being incorrectly attributed to me is not my statement, and was written in an article by a senior journalist. The matter is now closed, and I will not be commenting on it any further”.

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Sonakshi and Zaheer exchanged wedding vows on June 23 in Mumbai under the Special Marriage Act of the Indian Constitution. While the celebrations of the newly-wed couple were attended by the bigwigs from the film fraternity, her twin brothers Luv and Kush were absent from the festivities.

–IANS

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'Bigg Boss OTT 3': Ranvir, Armaan rubbish Vishal-Lovekesh's 'just for the show' friendship

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Actor Ranvir Shorey, who is currently a part of the streaming reality show ‘Bigg Boss OTT 3’, spoke with his fellow contestant Armaan Malik about the friendship between Vishal and Lovekesh.

The duo concluded that the friendship between Vishal and Lovekesh is just for the show, as it lacks substance in real life.

Armaan also expressed his disappointment over a recent disagreement with Lovekesh, saying, “After our fight yesterday, I had to eat leftover roti because he didn’t make fresh ones for me. Later, I heard he was telling others that I should have made fresh rotis for him to appear generous even after our argument.”

Ranvir questioned if Lovekesh’s actions were merely for the show, to which Armaan affirmed, noting his familiarity with the show’s format.

Ranvir said, “I feel Lovekesh and Vishal are playing up this brotherly friendship angle for the cameras. It seems like a strategy they’ve planned from outside — to stick together and subtly undermine others.”

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Armaan concurred as he suggested that their friendship might not be as genuine as portrayed.

‘Bigg Boss OTT 3’ streams on JioCinema Premium.

–IANS

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How social media has been a game-changer for actress Shivangi Verma

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Actress Shivangi Verma has shared how social media has played a significant role in her life and career, calling it a game-changer and blessing for artistes like her.

Known for her work in the show ‘Choti Sarrdaarni’, Shivangi said: “Social media plays a very important role in my life. It’s a game-changer. If used right, it can take someone from zero to 100 in terms of fame and recognition. For artistes like me, who might not have received the respect they deserve solely based on their talent, social media has been a blessing.”

“Initially, I was hesitant about it, but my mother encouraged me to showcase my work and personality online. As a result, things started working in my favour. I’ve been cast in significant projects through social media, such as the biggest music album of my career with Himesh Reshammiya and other projects in 2021,” she said.

The actress also said that she stays in touch with many influential casting directors and industry people through her social media platforms.

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“However, I also understand the importance of setting boundaries. Too much of anything can be harmful. Social media can expose us to all kinds of people, both good and bad, and sometimes inappropriate content. But despite its downsides, I find social media to be the best thing.”

“Social media has enhanced my career significantly, adding more stars to it. Through social media, people have come to know me better and more deeply. Many of my casting opportunities have come directly from social media, and I believe it will continue to play a crucial role in my career growth,” she added.

On the algorithm changes and fluctuations in views on reels, Shivangi said that she takes social media seriously but does not get frustrated when her reels do not receive views. Instead, she works harder to improve her content and increase their circulation.

–IANS

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