New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) She would have remained a B-grade film heroine, save for one standout moment when she became the first actress to rock and roll in a saree, with no top actor of the time ready to accept her as a co-star. Thankfully for Mumtaz, Dilip Kumar had no such hang-ups.

During casting for “Ram Aur Shyam” (1967), her name was suggested to Dilip Kumar as the romantic partner for one of the twins he would play. The thespian was first undecided but on being shown videos of her performances so far, remarked she was “a scene stealer” and agreed to take her on. She took with gusto to the role of Shanta, who has a bantering relationship with the boisterous Shyam, but eventually finds her real partner in the timid and oppressed Ram.

However, a one-off would not have been enough to catapult Mumtaz, who celebrates her 77th birthday on this day (July 31) to the top league. But the actress, who was as determined as she was talented, was up to the task.

She cemented her presence with the romantic potboiler “Patthar Ke Sanam”, in which as Meena, the second lead, her elfin charm was a foil to Waheeda Rehman’s grace, then, as Shabnam, Sunil Dutt’s spirited onscreen partner, in whodunnit “Hamraaz”, Shefali in V. Shantaram’s “Boond Jo Ban Gayee Moti” (all 1967) and then, Reena in “Do Raaste” (1969) – the first of her 10-odd hit films with Rajesh Khanna.

The icing was Shammi Kapoor’s “Brahmachari” (1968), in which she played a vamp out to dupe the promiscuous villain, and jived in a saree in “Aaj kal tere mere pyaar ke charche”. A special one was created for the purpose by ace designer Bhanu Atheya, with inbuilt pleats and a zipper down one side! It would go to be known as the “Mumtaz saree”.

In “Khilona” (1970), Mumtaz bravely took up the role of a prostitute, after many others turned it down, and went on to win her first and only Filmfare Award. She held her own against Zeenat Aman as Dev Anand’s love interest in “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” (1971).

Born to an Indian father and an Iranian mother in 1947 – a fortnight before Independence, Mumtaz Askari had her first experience of the film world when young and became a child artiste at 11. However, as she turned adult, she only managed small roles in films like Sunil Dutt’s stark “Mujhe Jeene Do” (1963), or at best, the second heroine in the Persian epic-inspired “Rustam Sohrab” (1963) – the swan song of Suraiya – where Mumtaz played Sohrab’s (Prem Nath) love interest.

A real-life strongman seeking to turn into a reel-life strongman came to her aid. Dara Singh accepted her as a co-star and they did a string of action thrillers – “Veer Bhimsen”, “Samson”, “Hercules” (all 1964), “Tarzan Comes to Delhi”, “Tarzan and King Kong”, “Son of Hatimtai”, “Sikandar-e-Azam”, “Rustom-e-Hind”, “Jadui Angoothi” (all 1965), “Daku Mangal Singh” (1966), and so on.

While she was making fairly decent money, Mumtaz could have been trapped in this rut, had not her chance with Dilip Kumar given her an opportunity to enter the top league.

With her large smoky eyes that could portray everything from saucy innocence to sparkling sensuality to hurt anguish, dancing skills, and a readiness to experiment, she easily transitioned to become a top heroine and a style icon.

In the process, many heroes, who had spurned her earlier, would now request her to star with them, and she gracefully acceded, even, as a reigning superstar, with whom she had a string of successes, reportedly went into a sulk if she acted with other heroes.

A highlight of her film foray was her kinetic performances in a spate of evergreen songs – the gay abandon of “Jai Jai Shiv Shankar” (“Aap Ki Kasam”, 1974), the intrinsic playfulness of “Gore rang pe na ghuman kar”, and the silliness of “Chal dariya mein kud jaaye” (“Prem Kahani”, 1975) – all with Rajesh Khanna, “Main tere ishq mein” and “Koi Shahri Babu” (“Loafer”) with Dharmendra and the brazen “Le jayenge, le jayenge dilwale dulhaniya le jayenge” (“Chor Machaye Shor”, 1974) with Shashi Kapoor.

She made her presence felt in even those where she was merely serenaded — “Phir tumhari yaad aayi hai sanam” (“Rustam Sohrab”), “Tauba yeh matwali chaal” (“Patthar Ke Sanam”), and “Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai” (“Loafer”).

However, Mumtaz never took her fortune for granted and less than a decade as one of Bollywood’s most popular actresses, bid adieu at the peak of her fame, having married a rich NRI businessman. She did attempt a comeback in 1990 but it it did not work out, and she only returned onscreen in a 2010 breast cancer documentary, having survived the disease herself.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

–IANS

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Los Angeles, July 31 (IANS) The upcoming DC movie ‘Superman’, helmed by James Gunn, has wrapped up its filming. The writer-director announced the completion of the shoot on his social media accounts.

He wrote: “And that’s a wrap. God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life. I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own,” reports Variety.

He continued: “Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honour. The destination has been Superman, but the journey has been the toil and the laughter and the emotions and ideas and magic we’ve shared together on set – and for that I am forever grateful.”

As per Variety, his ‘Superman’ movie will kick off the rebooted DC Universe under the supervision of him and his DC Studios co-boss Peter Safran.

The superhero movie, originally titled ‘Superman: Legacy’, stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’ Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.

Nicholas Hoult is taking on the role of Superman’s infamous villain Lex Luthor, while Gunn’s cast also includes Skyler Gisondo, Anthony Carrigan, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion and Isabela Merced.

Will Reeve, son of the late Superman actor Christopher Reeve, will make a cameo playing a TV reporter in the film. ‘Superman’ is set to debut in theatres on July 11, 2025.

–IANS

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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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