Entertainment
Undying love for supernatural stories sustains TV universe of 'dayans' & 'chudails'
New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) In the forever-changing canvas of television, the fascination of viewers with mystical creatures such as ‘Naagins’, ‘Chudails’ and ‘Daayans’ is timeless, and it is fed continually by serials that keep climbing up the popularity charts.
Mrinal Jha, the writer of ‘Naagin’, the popular supernatural series based on shape-shifting serpents, noted that these stories work because of their very high relatibility — all of us, irrespective of where we live or our station in life, have grown up listening to stories about these characters.
This fascination cuts across geographical boundaries and has fed such big cultural moments such as the explosion of Harry Potter mania or the comeback of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ universe.
Closer home, ‘Naagin’, which first aired in 2015, has kept coming back for six seaons and seen its lead actresses — notably Mouni Roy, Surbhi Jyoti, Nia Sharma and Tejasswi Prakash — attain instant celebrity status.
In fact, it wasn’t just a coincidence that the most successful Bollywood film immediately after the Covid lockdown was ‘Bhool Bhulaiya 2’ — and a third addition to the series is on the cards.
In a conversation with IANS, Jha said: “I have always been fascinated by the supernatural genre and one of the things that has struck me is how it is so hugely popular around the world, which the success of the ‘Twilight’ series and vampire films/TV serials have amply demonstrated. Today, there are so many variants of the supernatural genre — it hasn’t happened in a long time.”
Talking specifically about the cult of ‘naagins’, ‘dayans’, ‘pisachinis’, Jha said: “We have our own folklore, we have our ‘daayans’ and ‘chudails’ and their appeal is pan-Indian. These stories have been around for a long time, we did not have to do much with them. Our idea was to explore this world and then create a universe around it. That is what I think happened with ‘Naagin’ when we explored the folk tales around the theme.”
Delving into her supernatural show ‘Nazar’, with Monalisa in the lead role of a 251-year-old ‘daayan’ Mohana, Jha said: “If you see ‘Nazar’, ‘Divya Drishti’ or ‘Pishachini’, all of these are explorations of the supernatural world. That’s the idea, you create a universe and these characters become fantastical, and then you can create more and more spinoffs from them.”
‘Divya Drishti’, with Sana Sayyad, and Nyra Banarjee in the lead roles, revolved around a ‘pishaachini’. The show ran from 2019 to 2020.
Speaking about the relatability factor, Jha said: “These stories are heard in the smallest of the villages across India. So the relatability is really high. When I started working on ‘Nazar’, I spoke to a number of people from villages and places like that, and everyone had heard about a ‘daayan’, or ‘chudail’, or ‘pishaachini’. Everyone was aware of some story or the other.”
Continuing on the theme, Jha said: “I think the connection was immediate. We borrowed a lot of beliefs from there and then expanded on them. I think one of the reasons why this genre clicked was because these stories are a part of our culture, and all of us in our childhood have heard some story or the other about these fantastical creatures. The interest in watching stories about them playing out on television was obvious.”
If something is still lacking in this genre, according to Jha, it is that it has still not been scaled up. “Our characters remain within the confines of television sets in people’s homes. I think we should take it to the next level, where they are involved in far bigger things and larger numbers of people.”
Jha concluded by saying: “For example a ‘daayan’ gets into politics, then what happens. I think that’s the next league of stories we should look at when we expand the genre of the supernatural and the fantastical.”
Giving an actor’s perspective, Naqiyah Haji, who plays the character of Nikki in the wedding fantasy thriller ‘Shaitani Rasmein’, welcomed the advent of supernatural shows on Indian television.
Haji told IANS that as a performer “you can go all out, make it exciting, even crazy”. She said: “If it’s so much fun to perform or create, it would be just as enjoyable to watch. I believe the arrival of supernatural shows is really great for Indian television.”
The actress pointed out that with VFX (visual effects) technology getting more advanced, the supernatural genre is “growing day by day” and the “creativity is going crazy”.
Referering to the global popularity of shows like ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Vampire Diaries’, Haji said the genre was “really growing internationally” and people were just loving it. “I hope we really grow into it,” she added.
Even as memories of the sixth season of ‘Naagin’, which featured Tejasswi Prakash in the lead, are still fresh in the minds of people, Nia Sharma is set to return as a 200-year-old ‘chudail’ in the upcoming Colors show ‘Suhaagan Chudail’.
Nia’s character has been gathering special skills known as the ‘solah shringar’ that will make her incredibly powerful. Once she acquires the 16th power, which is known as ‘sindoor’, she will kill the 16th man to gain that power.
It will be interesting to see whether the ‘chudail’ will be able to get to the 16th ‘shringar’. And it is this curiosity that will keep the supernatural factory of Jha producing more and more fantasies of people with an insatiable appetite for such stories.
–IANS
sp/srb
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
dc/khz
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
sp/
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
dc/
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
dc/
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms- A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
- Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
- UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
- Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
- Rupee weakened by 5 paise to 85.69 against the US dollar
- Huge ammunition and arm seized in Manipur
- Pushpa 2 earns RS 1085 CR in pre-release collection
- BJP opposes Nawab Malik’s candidacy
- Lee Hsien Yang seeks refuge in United Kingdom
-
Video2 years agoPM Modi Attacks Congress in Karnataka with “Kerala Story”
-
Politics2 years ago
Siddaramaiah & DK Shivakumar sworn in as Chief Minister & Deputy CM respectively
-
Cricket2 years ago
CSK players rejoice 5th IPL title with their families (Pics)
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Karan Deol weds his longtime Girlfriend Drisha Acharya (Pics)
-
Sports7 years agoHistory Of Official FIFA WORLD CUP Match balls
-
India2 years ago
Ashwini Vaishnaw: Railway Board recommends CBI probe in the Odisha railway disaster
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Urvashi Rautela dazzles on Cannes 2023 red carpet (Pics)
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Sunny Leone gets ready for Kennedy premiere in Cannes (Pics)
