New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) On the eve of Kamal Haasan’s much-anticipated appearance in Shankar’s ‘Indian 2’, which follows the mega star delivering successive blockbuster hits — ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ this year and crime thriller ‘Vikram’ in 2022 — Audible has announced the release of a new audiobook titled ‘Kamal Haasan: A Cinematic Journey’.

Director-turned-educationist K. Hariharan explores Kamal Haasan’s evolution across 50-plus films, showcasing his ability to challenge stereotypes and push boundaries. Here are some lesser-known facts from the screen legend’s incredible journey from the audiobook:

1. When veteran producer L.V. Prasad screened ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’ for the first time, it was a disaster.

Kamal Haasan bridged the north-south divide in India and made inroads into the Hindi film industry with ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’ (1981), which was what we would now call a pan-India film. Despite the initial setbacks and sceptical distributors in Mumbai, the film eventually was greeted with packed cinemas and emotional reactions.

The audience response took the veteran producer L.V. Prasad by complete surprise. In the words of Hariharan, “Prasad realised that everyone had seen a wholesome tragedy after a long time on the Hindi screen and there was no difference in feelings between the Tamil and Hindi audiences … he immediately called his son to order another 40 prints to be released all over India the following Friday.”

The film went on to celebrate 50 weeks in the theatres (a golden jubilee in the terminology that was current then) and the rest is history.

2. Shah Rukh Khan did not charge a paisa for his role in ‘Hey Ram’.

Kamal Haasan’s journey with ‘Hey Ram’ (2000) began with an idea akin to a crime thriller, but he soon realised that empathising with Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, would be too reactionary.

“I changed it around completely and made the story get some respect for the protagonist. Undoubtedly, the film got me a lot of respect, but it flopped,” Kamal Haasan tells Hariharan. Shah Rukh Khan, however, “was so impressed by the vision of the film that he refused to charge a penny for his performance as Amjad, instead deeming it an honour to get an opportunity to work with a legend like Kamal.”

3. Silent comedy ‘Pushpak’ was certified by the Censor Board multiple times in the same year in all Indian languages.

Inspired by the legacy of Charlie Chaplin, Kamal Haasan’s ‘Pushpak’ (1987) redefined silent comedy for Indian audiences. In the audiobook, Hariharan shares that the film’s release strategy was quite complex because of the absence of dialogue.

“The rule says that a talkie has to be in a certain language,” explains Hariharan. “In order to release this wordless film all over India, it was certified the same year by the Censor Board multiple times, in all Indian languages, with titles being changed and new censor certificates issued in all languages!”

4. ‘Sathya’ almost got shelved because of Kamal Haasan’s financial difficulties.

The 1988 movie ‘Sathya’ was a bold move as it was the remake of the 1985 Bollywood hit ‘Arjun’, scripted by Javed Akhtar. Suresh Krishnaa was the director of the Tamil film and Kamal’s production house was helming the project. Kamal demonstrated his remarkable acting prowess, says Hariharan, but the film’s production faced a number of challenges.

“Kamal’s second production, a big-budget sci-fi venture titled ‘Vikram’ suffered on both critical and commercial fronts. His company had to comfort the distributors who had shouldered the risk of such an ambitious film,” writes Hariharan. But the film did well on all counts. With a stellar musical score by Ilaiyaraaja and Kamal’s relentless dedication, ‘Sathya’ became a defining film resonating deeply with audiences.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Actress Mahima Makwana, who is gearing up for the new episodes of her streaming show ‘Showtime’, has shared that she was inspired by Gauri Khan and Guneet Monga for her role of a producer.

The actress essays the role of Mahika Nandy, a journalist turned producer in the show. She shared that for a female producer to carve her niche in a male-dominated film industry is a daunting task. There are always new challenges for female producers in an industry which is so dynamic.

Mahima said: “It is not easy to survive, let alone rise up to be the leading producer in the male dominated business of entertainment. Mahika was merely an outsider covering the twisted games of the industry as a journalist but circumstances made her an insider playing those games. This shift came with a lot of vulnerabilities and self-reflection.”

She added: “When I was reflecting on Mahika’s journey and how she’s standing her ground as a female producer, I couldn’t help but look up to female producers like Gauri Khan and Guneet Monga who have established themselves in this industry. I was inspired and knew exactly how Mahika will figure her way out of the producer war that is at play now.”

The show also stars Emraan Hashmi, Mouni Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Shriya Saran, Vishal Vashishtha, Neeraj Madhav and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles.

‘Showtime’ is set to stream on July 12 on Disney+ Hotstar.

–IANS

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Los Angeles, July 11 (IANS) ‘Killing Eve’ and ‘Sex Education’ star Edward Bluemel, who was most recently seen in the fantasy show ‘My Lady Jane’, has joined the cast of the upcoming Agatha Christie series ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’.

Bluemel joins ‘How to Have Sex’ star Mia McKenna-Bruce, who would lead the whodunnit, written by ‘Broadchurch’ creator and former ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner Chris Chibnall.

Set in 1925, ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’ follows a lavish country house party where a practical joke appears to have gone murderously wrong. It’s down to the fizzingly inquisitive Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent to unravel a chilling plot that will change her life, cracking wide open the country house mystery, reports variety.com.

The actor will play Jimmy Thesiger, a charming yet witty man who becomes Bundle’s ally in the murder investigation.

The series also stars Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman.

Alongside ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’, Bluemel also has a lead role in the upcoming limited series ‘Washington Black’ alongside Sterling K. Brown, and will be seen in the drama ‘We Might Regret This’.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) As their film “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” clocked 10 years since its release in Hindi cinema, actress Alia Bhatt said that she cannot believe it.

“Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” released in 2014 was a romantic comedy directed by Shashank Khaitan. It also stars Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Shukla.

Khaitan took to Instagram, where he shared a picture with Varun and Alia. He captioned: “10 years… Wow… Only gratitude… Thank you universe…”

Alia re-shared the post on her Instagram story and wrote: “Can’t believe it.”

Alia then shared moments from the film and captioned it: “#10yearsofHumptySharmaKiDulhania.”

Varun took to his Instagram stories, where he shared the poster of the film and reshared the post by the director and added a heart to it.

“Humpty Ki Dulhania” is the first instalment of the Dulhania franchise. The sequel is titled “Badrinath Ki Dulhania”, which traces the story of an aspiring independent air hostess from a small town who refuses to conform to the patriarchal expectations of her fiance.

Talking about their upcoming slate of work, Alia will next be seen in “Jigra”, which also stars Vedang Raina. It is touted as a drama about a sister’s love for her brother and how she would go to any length to protect him.

She then has “Alpha”, directed by Shiv Rawail. Also starring Sharvari, the film from the Spy Universe film was officially titled on July 5.

A video shared during the title unveiling featured Alia saying, “Greek alphabet ka sabse pehla akshar Aur humare program ka motive, sabse pehle, sabse tez, sabse veer. Dhyaan se dekho toh har sheher mein ek jungle hai. Aur jungle mein hamesha Raj karega Alpha.”

Varun is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film “Baby John” directed by Kalees. He then has “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” with Janhvi Kapoor.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Actress Vidisha Srivastava shared her tried-and-true monsoon makeup tips, revealing that she prefers using a mattifying primer to control excess skin oil, waterproof products, and light and non-greasy formula during the rainy season.

The monsoon season brings a refreshing change and unique challenges for maintaining flawless skin and makeup.

Vidisha, who essays the role of Anita Bhabi in the sitcom ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai’ advises: “During monsoon season, it’s important to adjust your regular makeup routine. The humidity and rain can cause your makeup to smudge, melt, and wear off quickly. Changing your makeup routine to adapt to the season will help your makeup last longer and keep your skin looking fresh and healthy.”

“I prefer using a good primer, waterproof products, and light and non-greasy formula. I opt for a mattifying primer to control excess skin oil. Heavy foundations can feel cakey and melt off in the humidity, so I choose lightweight, water-based foundation or BB cream that provides coverage without feeling heavy,” shared Vidisha.

She added: “Investing in waterproof makeup products, especially mascara and eyeliner, is crucial to prevent smudging and keep my eye makeup intact, even in a sudden downpour. For my lips, I prefer matte lipsticks that stay put longer and give a chic finish, less likely to bleed in the rain.”

“A makeup setting spray is essential to lock everything in place, ensuring my makeup stays fresh and lasts throughout the day regardless of the weather,” concluded Vidisha.

‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai’ airs on &TV.

On the work front, Vidisha made her film debut in 2007 with SP Entertainments’s Telugu film ‘Maa Iddari Madhya’. She also starred in other Telugu projects like ‘Alaa’, ‘Prem’, ‘Athili Sattibabu LKG’.

She has featured in Kannada movie ‘Nali Naliyutha’, Tamil drama ‘Kathavarayan’, and Malayalam film ‘Lucky Jokers’.

Vidisha has also been a part of TV shows like ‘Yeh Hai Mohabbatein’, ‘Meri Gudiya’, ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran’, ‘Durga-Mata Ki Chhaya’, and ‘Kashibai Bajirao Ballal’.

–IANS

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