Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) Actress Amruta Khanvilkar, who is sharing screen space with Sharib Hashmi in the upcoming suspense and mystery thriller ’36 Days’, shared how there was an instant spark of camaraderie between them during an award show.

Interestingly, their connection dates back to 2021, when Amruta presented Sharib with his first-ever OTT Award. Now, the actor-duo stars as a reel-life couple in ’36 Days’.

Ahead of the series’ release, Amruta opened up about her experience joining forces with Sharib on screen after instantly hitting it off with him at an award function in 2021.

Recalling the event, Amruta shared: “We first connected at an OTT Awards, and there was an instant spark of camaraderie. Presenting Sharib with his first OTT Award was such a proud moment because I knew then what a talented and dedicated actor he is.”

“Sharib’s dedication to his craft is truly inspiring, and being able to collaborate with him on ’36 Days’ has been an incredible experience. Our characters, Lalita and Vinod, have a complex and intense relationship, and bringing that to life alongside him has been both challenging and fulfilling,” said Amruta.

The actress further added: “It’s not often that you find a co-star who elevates your performance, but with Sharib, that’s exactly what happened. I’m excited for the audience to witness the chemistry and emotional intensity we’ve brought to the series.”

In ’36 Days’, Sharib portrays Vinod Shinde, the general manager at Hotel Emerald Oceans Star Suites in Goa. Amruta essays the role of Lalita, a complex character shaped by a tumultuous past and a relentless pursuit of luxury and status, leading her into morally ambiguous situations.

’36 Days’ also stars Neha Sharma, Purab Kohli, Sushant Divgikar, Shruti Seth, and Chandan Roy Sanyal, among others.

Set against the serene backdrop of a well-off suburban housing estate in Goa, the series unfolds with the discovery of a murder, setting off a chain of events that unravel the hidden secrets of the seemingly perfect neighbourhood.

’36 Days’ will premiere on Sony LIV on July 12.

–IANS

sp/prw

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) Actress and lyricist Gunjan Saini, who is known for her work in the series ‘Gutar Gu’, shared how social media is a great platform for artists like her, calling it a game changer if used in the right way.

Speaking about the same, Gunjan said: “Instagram has given me a lot of recognition. People who come to my shows are usually my followers who have been with me for a long time. Social media is a game-changer if you use it the right way. It has helped me a lot, and through Instagram, I met my partner.”

Gunjan’s relatability and connection to her content have been key to her success. She is known for sharing viral videos on social media.

“Recently, I wrote about middle-class kids, and it crossed four million views. You have to strategise a lot about what is relatable. I also posted a reel about the T20 World Cup, which was also well received,” said Gunjan, who has 206K followers on Instagram.

‘Shukriyaa’ is one of her most viral pieces of content.

Talking about the same, Gunjan said: ” ‘Shukriyaa’ crossed 25-26 million views and one million shares, which is huge for my page. The thought was that I believe being grateful is everything, and it can help you achieve more in life.”

However, she acknowledges that writing content for social media can be challenging.

“Being relatable and unique is a challenge. Everyone is trying to be relatable, so you have to find a way to be unique, which can be tricky at times. When you brainstorm and focus on what your audience wants, it becomes easier to create content.”

On the work front, Gunjan played the role of Pari in the teen drama television series ‘Gutar Gu’. Created and directed by Saqib Pandor and produced by Achin Jain and Guneet Monga under Sikhya Entertainment, it stars Ashlesha Thakur as Ritu and Vishesh Bansal as Anuj.

The show also features Satish Ray, Meenal Kapoor, Harsh Khurana, Shubham Kumar, Tushar Shahi, Aarrian Sawant, and Sambhavi Sthapak in pivotal roles.

The show is streaming on Amazon miniTV.

–IANS

sp/prw

Los Angeles, July 6 (IANS) Actress Emma Roberts says she has downloaded her Oscar-winning aunt Julia Roberts’ movies and watches them for comfort when she is by herself.

Emma, who is the niece of Hollywood star Julia Roberts, made this revelation in an interview with Variety, reports people.com.

When asked if the two might ever work together in a movie, Emma said: “I would love to find the perfect project for me and my aunt, and I know that there will be something. But it’s never been the right thing.”

“She’s the best, and I want to do something with her. We send each other books and talk about stuff, but it hasn’t been right.”

Emma is okay with just watching her Oscar-winning aunt’s “comfort” work.

“I watch her movies when I’m on location and by myself. I have movies of hers downloaded on my computer that I watch for comfort. My Best Friend’s Wedding and America’s Sweethearts are my safe movies,” she said.

Emma, the daughter of Julia’s older brother Eric Roberts, has opened up about her relationship with the veteran actress in past interviews, always maintaining that there’s no pressure to live up to Julia’s success.

Speaking about her own work, Emma discussed how she tunes out the criticism she sometimes receives.

In her latest film, titled ‘Space Cadet’, Emma plays a Florida party girl who becomes the only hope for a NASA space program.

–IANS

dc/prw

Los Angeles, June 6 (IANS) Hollywood star Nicole Kidman regrets not keeping a movie costume and wishes she had done so.

In Vogue’s interview series ‘Off the Cuff’, Kidman told her co-star Joey King that she regrets not taking a specific costume from the 2001 iconic film ‘Moulin Rouge’.

“I wish I kept the pink feathers from ‘Moulin Rouge’, ’cause they’re so beautiful,” the actress said of one of the outfits she wore as nightclub star Satine in the movie, reports people.com.

Kidman wore the stunning two-piece ensemble, which featured a fitted, embellished bustier and a pink feathered train. It was selected by the film’s co-costume designers, Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie.

The actress also mentioned regretting not keeping the glasses her character Alice Harford wore in the 1999 thriller ‘Eyes Wide Shut’.

“I keep nothing, but I do keep all my couture dresses,” said Kidman.

For the red carpet look for the premiere of ‘A Family Affair’, alongside King and Zac Efron, the actress wore a floor-sweeping strapless nude Gucci gown with a middle thigh-high slit. She completed her look with a gold choker necklace for a subtle yet dramatic effect.

Directed by Richard LaGravenese, ‘A Family Affair’ is about how an unexpected romance triggers a series of funny consequences for a young woman, her mother, and her boss.

Kidman began her journey in showbiz in 1983 with ‘BMX Bandits’. She gained the spotlight with ‘Dead Calm’ and the series ‘Bangkok Hilton’.

In 1990, she gained international acclaim with ‘Days Of Thunder’, a sports action drama featuring her former husband Tom Cruise. She subsequently appeared in films such as ‘Far and Away’, ‘To Die For’, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, ‘The Others’, and ‘Cold Mountain’.

Over her career spanning more than four decades, Kidman won an Academy Award for portraying Virginia Woolf in the 2002 film ‘The Hours’. She received nominations for ‘Moulin Rouge!’ in 2001, ‘Rabbit Hole’, ‘Lion’, and ‘Being the Ricardos’.

Kidman has also starred in films such as ‘The Golden Compass’, ‘Australia’, ‘Paddington’, ‘Aquaman’, and ‘Bombshell’.

–IANS

dc/prw

Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) The makers of Akshay Kumar-starrer upcoming film ‘Sarfira’ on Friday released a behind-the-sets (BTS) video from the shoot of the movie, wherein we can see the ‘Khiladi’ of Bollywood lending a helping hand to a senior lady, who was boarding her first-ever flight.

A recent video from the sets of ‘Sarfira’ is melting hearts across the internet. With grace and kindness, the video shows Akshay taking away the heavy bag from her and offering assistance during her scene.

The video captures Akshay speaking to the lady in fluent Marathi, creating a moment of genuine warmth and connection. The senior lady’s heartfelt blessing towards the end of the clip is evidence of the impact of Akshay’s kindness off-camera.

‘Sarfira’ is inspired by the life of Air Deccan founder GR Gopinath, who revolutionised air travel in India by making it affordable for the common man.

Akshay plays Vir Jagannath Mhatre, the son of a teacher in rural Maharashtra, who embarks on an ambitious mission to democratise air travel, challenging socio-economic barriers and embodying the spirit of modern India’s entrepreneurial rise.

The movie stars Radhikka Madan, alongside Akshay.

‘Sarfira’ not only tells an inspiring story but also involves real-life locals from small towns, who experienced their first flight during the making of the film.

The makers also recently released a new track from the movie titled ‘Chaawat’, which captures the joyous spirit of a traditional Maharashtrian wedding.

The Maharashtrian-themed song is penned by Manoj Muntashir Shukla and is composed by G.V Prakash Kumar. It is sung by Shreya Ghoshal.

Written by Sudha and Shalini Ushadevi, with dialogues by Pooja Tolani, and a G.V. Prakash Kumar musical, ‘Sarfira’ is produced by Aruna Bhatia (Cape of Good Films), South superstars Suriya and Jyotika (2D Entertainment) and Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment).

The movie is set to release in theatres on July 12.

–IANS

sp/dan