Entertainment
A monthly theatrical experiences
New Delhi, April 2 (IANSlife) It’s an exciting time of the year owing to the ongoing festivities and the stage is abuzz with a fantastic line-up of presentations. Here are some upcoming shows to immerse yourself in over the month.
Short Film Corner | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with White Wall Screenings
Scenes from a Pandemic: A young ambitious woman moves to Mumbai for her first job right out of college. Three months after her move is the onset of the pandemic and her life changes forever. Spanning two years, Scenes from a Pandemic is the story of a young woman’s relationships with her mother, her best friend, and her career during a tumultuous phase of life.
Guddi Maasi: Guddi Maasi, A matchmaker from Varanasi arranges child marriages with older men and is a part of shady money deals. Is she?
When: Little Theatre
Where: April 3, 6:30 pm
Entry: On a first-come-first-served basis
Purane Chawal | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with D For Drama production
Set in contemporary Mumbai, this Hindi adaptation of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys delves into the world of two retired comedy geniuses who are brought together to reprise their iconic comedy act after 12 years for the biggest festival of comedy in the country. The only problem is they can’t stand each other. Will they be able to put aside their differences and create the same magic?
Where: Tata Theatre
When: Sunday, 7th April – 7.00 pm
Language: Hindi
Duration: 1 Hr 40 mins
Directed by Sumeet Vyas
Adapted by Farrukh Seyer and Avinash Gautam
Cast: Kumud Mishra, Shubhrajyoti Barat, Ghanshyam Lalsa/Ishar Sunya, Ayesha Raza, Kirti V.A., Divyendu Saurav, Prashant Pandey
All Stars Comedy | An NCPA Off-Stage Presentation in collaboration with The Habitat
A star-studded comedy line-up from The Habitat’s daily All Star Stand-up Comedy show is now at an auditorium near you. Here is the perfect opportunity to experience laughter like never before.
Where: Godrej Dance Theatre
When: April 7, 5.00 pm and 7.30 pm
Duration: 90 mins
Language: English/Hindi
Age Suitability: 18+
Performed by: Shreeja Chaturvedi, Mohd Hussain, Shashwat Maheshwari, Sumit Sourav, Siddharth Dudeja
Reality Check – Ayena Mirror | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Cinema Collective
NCPA has revived the Reality Check film series, which was started in 2014, to promote and encourage documentary filmmakers in India, whose work reflects life and culture in the country today in a provocative blend of creativity and integrity.
A momentary act of revenge transformed the lives of two young Indian women forever. After surviving an acid attack while carrying the scars of human brutality on their face, both Ritu and Faraha now have to navigate a sea of odd currents daily.
Strangely enough, Ritu’s scars also brought her fame. She occasionally finds herself talking on television, modelling at fashion events, or even featuring in a Bollywood film. Still, she often feels lonely. She wants to be loved and embraces an ambiguous relationship with a fellow female acid attack survivor. Faraha on the other hand, has come to terms with her post-attack singlehood and her new lease of life. As she begins to enjoy freedom and independence, a desire to become a mother slowly brews inside her.
Where: Little Theatre
When: April 11, 6.30 pm
Language: Hindi/Urdu with English subtitles
Duration: 1 Hr 10 mins
Entry: on a first-come-first-served basis
The Siddhus of Upper Juhu | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Rage Productions
Balvinder Siddhu, also known as Bubbles, a 50-year-old well-paid financial executive, and his loyal Parsi wife, Behroze, live on the 14th floor of a typical modern Upper Juhu high-rise called Sea View Towers. Despite having poured their life savings into this 2.5 BHK flat in Mumbai, everything civil and civic seems to go wrong.
When: April 13, 7.00 pm
Where: Tata Theatre
Language: English
Duration: 90 mins
Directed by Rahul da Cunha
Cast: Rajit Kapur, Shernaz Patel, Meera Khurana, Kajli Sharma & Shishir Sharma
Qisse aur Kavitaayein | An NCPA Off-Stage Presentation
A unique amalgamation of poetry infused with music. Stories about life, love and laughter are sure to move you and bring you an experience to remember amidst nature at the beautiful Tata Gardens at the NCPA. Boasting a line-up that includes the country’s most popular poets and storytellers such as Helly Shah, Mehak Mirza Prabhu, Rakesh Tiwari, Ishpreet Balbir and the newest voice on the circuit Aanchal Anita Dhara, indulge in a diverse blend of talents.
Where: Tata Gardens
When: Saturday, 13th April – 7 pm
Language: Hindi
Duration: 1 Hr 30 mins
Age Suitability: 15+
Curated by Priya Malik
Chanakya | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Dharmajam Production
Chanakya was the greatest statesman, a visionary and arguably the first patriot of the country, who single-handedly carved India (as we know it today) out of the chaos of infighting and exploitation by the regional kings of the time. Love for one’s society and nation is the greatest virtue, nationalism elevates an individual from his mundane existence and improves his quality of life. Patriotism binds an individual to his society and inspires the strong to work towards the betterment of the weak. The play Chanakya brings the man who advocated these sayings to live once again but in the modern context.
What: Play
Where: Tata Theatre
When: April 14, 7.00 pm
Language: Hindi
Duration: 2 hrs 30 Mins
Written by Mihir Bhuta
Directed by Manoj Joshi
Cast: Manoj Joshi, Sanjay Bhatia, Bhuvanesh Shetty, Kavita Rathod Rana and others
Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with The Hoshruba Repertory & Art for Causes
The play is based on the life of Sahir Ludhianvi. Sahir Ludhianvi was one of the iconic poets & lyricists of Urdu literature and Hindi cinema respectively in the 20th century. Hoshruba Repertory in collaboration with the Art for Causes brings alive his life in a semi-autobiographical theatrical presentation. The play attempts to bring a 360-degree perspective on his life interspersed with some of his iconic songs and poems. Co-written by Ali Husain Mir (Writer of the film Mee Raqsam, and Himanshu Bajpai, the well-known. “Aao Ke Koi Khwaab Bunein” Composed by Aneesh Pradhan and First Sung by Shubha Mudgal
Where: Tata Theatre
When: April 20, 7.00 pm
Duration: 2 Hrs
Writers: Mir Ali Husain & Himanshu Bajpai
Director: Danish Husain
Actors: Danish Husain, Vrinda Vaid ‘Hayat’, Shantanu Herlekar, Srijonee Bhattacharjee, Siddarth N. Padiyar & Donald Krist
Dekh Behen Part Two | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Akvarious Productions
Five years have passed since the events of the first play, and Kanupriya aka Kannu is getting married in Jaipur. It is a vegetarian, alcohol-free wedding, filled with orthodox in-laws and judgmental guests. But the gang of girls is back and committed to having a good time. They’re older, but probably not wiser. Retaining all the fun of the first, and dealing with new and pertinent issues, this sequel to the Akvarious superhit is another crazy celebration of female friendship.
Where: Experimental Theatre
When: April 20, 5 pm & 7.30 pm
Duration: 1 Hr 20 Mins
Language: English/Hindi
Age Suitability: 18+
Featuring Astha Arora, Dilshad Edibam, Garima Yajnik, Lisha Bajaj, Prerna Chawla, Shikha Talsania, Tahira Nath, and others
Written by Dilshad Edibam and Tahira Nath
Directed by Prerna Chawla and Shikha Talsania
Stand up with D Girls | An NCPA Off-Stage Presentation in collaboration with Being Association.
In today’s time, when standing up for an issue and even doing stand-up comedy is difficult, this solo is a satirical take on both situations. Everything is already decided for us, yet you get to watch shocking news about us every day! Why! How!
This solo is a journey through those types, exploring great literature and poems in between, which tell us a tale of “D’ girls. By intertwining the shadows and lights, hope and hopelessness in Ritu and Faraha’s life, Ayena becomes a mirror, allowing one to glimpse their reflection.
Where: Godrej Dance Theatre
When: April 20, 7.30 pm
Langauge: Hindi and English
Duration: 1 Hr 25 min
Written, directed & performed by Rasika Agashe
Producer & Director: Siddhant Sarin (The Films)
The film screenings will be followed by a post-film discussion.
Cast Off All Shame | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Story Circus
Cast Off All Shame begins with the spirit of a Bhakti poet Janabai coming alive and taking over a radio show as an RJ. She then talks to various women callers who reach out to her with their everyday issues of gender and patriarchy. Thus the solo theatre piece consists of a series of vignettes – some hilarious, some gut-wrenching about Indian women from a variety of classes and settings. Their situations are illuminated by women Bhakti poets- Janabai, Lal Ded, Akka Mahadevi, Avvaiyyar, Soyarabai- whose poems appear as ‘characters’ in this show. Punctuated with soulful poetry and stories, Cast Off All Shame remains an entertaining, engaging and empowering experience for everyone.
Where: Godrej Dance Theatre
When: April 21, 6.00 pm
Language: English & Hindi
Duration: 80 mins
Written, directed, and performed by Ulka Mayur
Red | An NCPA Presentation in collaboration with Water Lily
In RED, the renowned painter Mark Rothko is at the pinnacle of his creativity but struggling through the creation of a series of large paintings, commissioned to feature in New York’s brand-new Four Seasons Restaurant.
Set in the late 1950’s, and based on a series of real events, Red takes a compelling look at the ever-changing relationship between an artist and his creations.
Where: Experimental Theatre
When: April 21, 4.30 pm & 7 pm
Language: English
Duration: 90 mins
Age Suitability: 12+
Writer: John Logan
Director: Daniel Owen Dsouza
Cast: Vikram Kapadia & Daniel Owen Dsouza
Love and Information | An NCPA production in association with Aasakta Kalamanch
How do we look at ourselves and others, how do we make connections, and how do we love? These are some of the questions that are thrown up by Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information, which challenges traditional theatrical norms with its unconventional structure. Comprising over fifty scenes in seven sections, the play follows a non-linear narrative and is devoid of central characters, emphasizing the cumulative impact of diverse, brief scenes ranging from seconds to minutes.
The vignettes mirror the rapid pace of channel-hopping or scrolling through social media, highlighting potential implications for relationships in an era dominated by instant gratification and short attention spans. The play’s kaleidoscopic structure touches on an array of themes such as memory atrophy, privacy erosion, alienation from the self and the decay of genuine emotion. Through its experimental form and astute observations, written in 2012, “Love and Information” the play speaks directly to the way we make meaning of our lives and existence when there is an over-exposure and saturation of different kinds of information
Where: Experimental Theatre
When: April 25 – 28
Language: English Hindi Marathi, Haryanvi, Gujarati
Duration: 120 min
Age Suitability: 18+
Playwright: Caryl Churchill
Director: Mohit Takalkar
Cast: Ashish Mehta, Dusha Madhav, Kashish Saluja, Lovleen Misra, Mahesh Saini, Mallika Singh Hanspal, Mrinmayee Godbole, Prajesh Kashyap, Rachel D’souza, Rytasha Rathore, Siddhesh Dhuri
IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in
–IANS
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Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
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