New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Gone are the days when make-up was considered a taboo for men, who are now breaking free from traditional gender norms and are putting it on as a form of self-expression and confidence.

From subtle touch-ups to bold statements, men’s make-up is becoming immensely popular. Renowned television personalities such as Arjun Bijlani, Angad Hasija, Kanwar Dhillon and Rushad Rana have spoken about how make-up is not limited to any one gender.

Actor Angad Hasija, who has worked in shows such as “Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai” and “Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye” to name a few minces no words when he says that “male make-up” is a topic less discussed.

“I feel that the trend of men wearing make-up for shoots, events, parties, and public appearances is definitely becoming more common. Even we actors are supposed to apply make-up for shoots daily. So, it’s a positive shift, as makeup is a form of self-expression and not limited to any one gender,” Angad told IANS.

Talking about the reason why it’s a less touched topic for a conversation, Angad added: “It’s true that male makeup is less talked about because of traditional gender norms and stereotypes that have long associated makeup with femininity. And these norms can create a stigma around men using makeup, making it seem taboo or unusual.”

Actor Arjun Bijlani, whose character of Mayank from the television show “Miley Jab Hum Tum” is still fondly remembered, agrees that make-up is an amazing skill and reveals he knows how to do it.

“I know how to do my own makeup, which is an amazing skill and an important part of my life. It’s good to have knowledge about it. While I have a makeup artist and a team, I can still do my own make-up,” Arjun told IANS.

He agrees that women do it more often than men and that “shringaar suits them well” but also stresses the fact that men do natural make-up for a minimalistic approach.

“Actors have to wear makeup because there are certain looks they need to achieve. Otherwise, males usually wear very minimalistic makeup. I don’t know any male who wears make-up and looks significantly different; we generally look like ourselves. Men do minimalistic make-up,” he said.

For “Anupamaa” actor Rushad Rana, men doing up their faces is a personal choice.

“If I have to talk about it from a personal point of view, we shoot daily and apply so much make-up daily, I prefer going out without it. But yes, I do see a lot of men with makeup, and I don’t have any judgment on that as that is one’s personal wish.”

However, he does agree that there is a “myth that only women apply make-up.”

“Nowadays, even men turn up being so well dressed. I personally like to stay away from make-up, keep my hair down, and have a good time,” he said.

Actor Kanwar Dhillon, who is recognised as Shiva Pandya from “Pandya Store”, asserted that the world of fashion and beauty has become more “inclusive” and that men and women are both open to experimenting with their appearance now.

Kanwar told IANS: “It was somewhat of a taboo until a few years ago, but with changing generations and evolving lifestyles, makeup and fashion have become more inclusive.”

When it comes to makeup, men might have fewer options compared to women, he feels.

The 31-year-old actor doesn’t think “men wearing makeup is a taboo anymore” and sees it as a “positive change”.

“Why should it be a taboo? Whether a guy wants to wear makeup or not is his choice, just as it is for a girl. There’s no discrimination there. We’re living in a very progressive world, and it’s a good space to be in. To each their own,” said the actor.

When it comes to make-up, why should only girls have all the fun!

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) Choreographer Ganesh Acharya who has designed the steps for many iconic songs in Bollywood, attended the launch of the ‘Punjabi Munde’ song from the upcoming movie ‘Ghudchadi in Mumbai’s Juhu.

The revelation was made by the director of the film, Binoy Gandhi, as he spoke with the media on the sidelines of the event. Binoy, who shares a great companionship with Ganesh, said that the latter told him that he would do anything for him as they share a great rapport.

The director told the media that Ganesh attended the event, and performed despite the doctor advising him to take rest. Ganesh was joined by the Badshah of Bhangra, Sukhbir on the stage and the cast of ‘Ghudchadi’ as they grooved to the electrifying number.

‘Ghudchadi’ stars Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, Parth Samthaan, Khushalii Kumar and Aruna Irani in pivotal roles. It tells the story of a couple, whose parents fall in love. With their parents set to marry each other, the situation poses a hilarious yet grave consequence to the couple’s relationship.

The film has been shot around Gurugram, New Delhi and Jaipur. It marks the feature debut of Parth Samthaan, who is known for his work on the medium of television.

The film, produced by Nidhi Dutta and Binnoy K. Gandhi, is set to stream on August 9 on JioCinema Premium.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) Actress Sumbul Touqeer Khan has opened up on her friendship with reality TV personality Shiv Thakare, sharing that she can count on him no matter what.

Their friendship formed during their stint on ‘Bigg Boss 16’ stands out as a rare and enduring bond, as their connection has only strengthened over the years.

Despite the intense and competitive environment of the controversial reality show, Sumbul and Shiv developed a genuine friendship based on mutual respect and understanding. Their friendship was evident, and viewers admired their unwavering support for each other.

Reflecting on their lasting bond, Sumbul shared: “Shiv was a good participant in ‘Bigg Boss’ and I vibed with him; he’s been there, and I know I can count on him no matter what. Our friendship goes beyond the show, and it’s something I cherish deeply. We keep bumping into each other at events too.”

Over the years, the duo has continued to be close friends, celebrating each other’s successes and offering support during tough times. They recently attended the launch of the ‘V4 Once More’ band’s video ‘Bro-Sarikhe’.

The winner of ‘Bigg Boss 16’ was MC Stan, with Shiv as the runner-up.

Sumbul, who started her acting career with supporting roles as a child artiste in ‘Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal’ and ‘Jodha Akbar’, participated in dance reality shows such as ‘India’s Dancing Superstars’, and ‘Hindustan Ka Big Star’.

Sumbul acted as a child artiste in shows like ‘Aahat’, ‘Gangaa’, ‘Baalveer’, and ‘Mann Mein Vishwaas Hai’. She also appeared in the shows ‘Waaris’, ‘Chakradhari Ajay Krishna’, ‘Chandragupta Maurya’, and ‘Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein’.

In 2020, Sumbul essayed the titular role in the show ‘Imlie’, co-starring Gashmeer Mahajani, Fahmaan Khan and Mayuri Deshmukh.

She is currently playing the lead in ‘Kavya- Ek Jazbaa, Ek Junoon’ airing on Sony.

Shiv has been the winner of ‘Bigg Boss Marathi 2’. He also participated in ‘Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 13’, and ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11’.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Actress Huma Qureshi, who has recently turned 38, has shared a peek into her birthday celebrations with her ‘best family’, and it includes her brother Saqib Saleem, and actors Rajkummar Rao, and his wife Patralekhaa.

Huma celebrated her 38th birthday on July 28, and now on Tuesday, she has shared celebratory birthday pictures on her Instagram account, where she has 8.3 million followers.

The selfies feature Huma in a black dress, Rajkummar in a blue T-shirt, Patralekhaa in a black tank top, and her brother Saqib.

The pictures also show actor Rachit Singh.

The actors are currently holidaying in Europe.

Huma captioned the post as: “Blessed with the best #mafamily… only remember laughing and singing the whole trip… #love #family #friends #blessed.. Thank you all for making it sooo special.”

On the work front, Huma had made her film debut in 2012 with a supporting role in Anurag Kashyap’s directorial two-part crime drama ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

The movie featured Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadda, Reema Sen, Piyush Mishra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, and Tigmanshu Dhulia.

She has then starred in movies like ‘Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana’, ‘Ek Thi Daayan’, ‘Badlapur’, ‘Jolly LLB 2’, ‘Bell Bottom’, ‘Double XL’.

Huma was last seen in the biopic ‘Tarla’, which is based on Indian chef and cookbook author Tarla Dalal.

It features Huma in the titular role, and is directed by Piyush Gupta and produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari.

The film is streaming on ZEE5.

She also featured as ‘Madness ki Malkin’ in the comedy show ‘Madness Machayenge-India Ko Hasayenge’.

Huma will next be seen in comedy film ‘Jolly LLB 3’, starring Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Amrita Rao and Saurabh Shukla.

She also has ‘Pooja Meri Jaan’, ‘Gulabi’, and ‘Bayaan’ in the pipeline.

On the other hand, Rajkummar was last seen in romantic sports drama ‘Mr. & Mrs. Mahi’. He next has ‘Stree 2’, ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’, and ‘Bhul Chul Maaf’ in the kitty.

–IANS

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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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