‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’ may have released two years ago, but the cast and crew are still being appreciated for their efforts. Actress, Aahana Kumara who made a lasting impact with her feisty role in the film, has also managed to carve out quite the career at the movies. She may have started off on the small screen, but now she’s very much part of the movie making business. One of the latest highlights of her career has been the announcement of the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award. The actress is going to be bestowed with the Most Promising Fresh Face Of The Year Award for her portrayal in ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’.
Commenting on the same, Manisha Singh, a part of the Award committee said, “Aahana is very talented and hard working. She is very promising and has a bright future. This acknowledgement is for the commitment she brings to her work and we wish her a very bright future.”
Deepika Padukone is the only Indian actress to feature in the Time 100 Influential People in the World, sharing space with names like Nicole Kidman, Gal Gadot, Greta Gerwig and Lena Waithe.
In the Time magazine, international star Vin Diesel, Deepika's co-star in her Hollywood debut "xXx: Return of Xander Cage" has penned words of appreciation for her.
"Making that movie, Deepika took committed to a whole other level. That's who she is as a performer. She wants the whole movie to shine, which is a rare thing.
"Anyone could talk about how beautiful she is, and anyone could tell you about her unmatched comedic timing. But she isn't just a star. She's an actor's actor, dedicated to the craft," Diesel wrote.
Deepika scored a success at the box office this year with the epic drama 'Padmaavat' in which she played the title role.
One of the highest paid actors of Indian cinema today, she has 18 brands in her portfolio and has a strong social media presence.
Apart from her work as an artiste, Deepika's philanthropic side has seen her spreading awareness on the condition of mental illness. She has spoken about her battle with depression and has been working towards creating awareness with her NGO The Live Love Laugh Foundation.
The Time magazine list also features actress Meghan Markle, who is set to become a British royal family member upon her wedding to Prince Harry next month.
Bollywood and Hollywood actress Tina Desai ,who has done many interesting films like Table No 21 and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is in India and she shot for Sujoy Ghosh's three features 'Teen Paheliyaan'.
She is playing an interesting role in one of the three features. The actress loves to juggle between Los Angeles and Mumbai and feels that the work is equally hectic in both the cities. She is currently also shooting for her Hollywood series 'Sense 8'.
She says, "I loved shooting with Sujoy Ghosh. He brings something new to the table. And since this was shot like a film, it was worth exploring on Indian television. I am also open to interesting opportunities in fiction shows.
Ask her if she is planning to settle down in the future and she says, "Oh no, I don't see myself married ever. I am very commitment phobic. I don't see myself in that partnership and doing all the household things. I don't think I can cook and do all the wifely duties. I feel it is too much responsibility. I am enjoying my work."
After being a part of the blockbuster film series, 'Baahubali', Tamannah Bhatia is now set to join the cast of the multilingual period film, “Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy”. The actress is playing a pivotal role in one of the most ambitious projects of the Teligu film industry, which features Tollywood superstar Chiranjeevi. A few weeks ago, veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan also took to social media to confirm his guest appearance in the magnus opus and there are speculations that he will play a mentor to Chiranjeevi in the film.
Tamannaah, who has been working round the clock on the Telugu remake of 'Queen', shares, “It’s true, I have been confirmed for the film. It’s a great honor to be sharing the screen with two of my favorite actors, Chiranjeevi and Amitabh Bachchan. Biopics have always been a priority for me and since the film revolves around a freedom fighter, it’s a matter of national pride to contribute to this project. I will be doing a lot of research for my role, as there is limited material available online and I want to keep it as real as possible.”
With this movie, the actress also joins the niche club of working with the father-son duo, Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan. She has earlier worked with Ram Charan and this is her first film with his father. Apart from the 'Queen' remake, Tamannaah is busy with the Telugu film 'Naa Nuvve' with Nandamuri Kalyan Ram.
'Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy', which will release in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, narrates the story of legendary freedom fighter and martyr, Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy. Chiranjeevi plays the title role in the movie, which boasts of an ensemble cast including, Nayanthara.
The magnum opus is directed by Surender Reddy and produced by Ram Charan under his banner Konidela Production Company. The film, which went on floors in December 2017, is expected to release later this year.
Most of her visits to Mumbai have been fairly discreet. However, this time, Maliika Sherawat is in the city with a purpose. Apart from honoring professional commitments, spending time with family and savoring mangoes, the actress is in talks to adapt an Emmy Award winning show for the Indian audience. While she hasn’t frozen on her plans yet, she’s open to making it for the small screen and for the web.
The actress says, “I can’t name the show because I am contractually bound but it’s true that I want to remake it for the Indian audience. We haven’t decided on the platform yet because it all depends on how things move. It’s a strong show centered on a female character who is independent and takes charge of her life. It will be nice to see a character which doesn’t fit into the typical “saas and bahu” bracket. Another reason to be in Mumbai is that I have my family and my little nephew here. I’m also relishing chat and mangoes in the city. You don’t get these mangoes anywhere else in the world.”
Taapsee Pannu has teamed up with directors from diverse schools of filmmaking like David Dhawan ('Chashme Baddoor', 'Judwaa 2') Neeraj Pandey ('Baby') and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury ('Pink'). Her upcoming releases include Anubhav Sinha’s film with a patriotic fervor, ‘Mulq’ and Anurag Kashyap’s romantic drama, ‘Manmarziyaan’.
Clearly, the actress believes in striking a balance between films that belong to the commercial space, narratives that have her as the protagonist and content-driven films which have also been making a mark at the box office.
When asked how she prepares before embarking on films of varied genres and directors and she reveals, “When I work with directors as diverse as David Dhawan, Shoojit Sircar, Neeraj Pandey and Anurag Kashyap, I have to unlearn everything and become a newcomer all over again.
"The formulas on each of their sets are different. I fail to deliver if I come to the set knowing what I am going to do. I am like clay and I look to the director to tell me how he wants me to enact a scene. Since we spend close to two months on a film’s set, it’s important to have a good rapport with your director."
