Bollywood filmmaker JP Dutta poses for a photograph with his wife Bindiya Goswami, and newlywed daughter Nidhi Dutta and son-in-law Binoy Gandhi during the wedding ceremony at Rambagh Palace, in Jaipur.
Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty addresses a public meeting after he joined BJP ahead of West Bengal Assembly Polls, at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated by Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty during a public meeting ahead of West Bengal Assembly Polls, at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty addresses a public meeting after he joined BJP ahead of West Bengal Assembly Polls, at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty along with state BJP President Dilip Ghosh and other leaders after he joined the party during a public meeting ahead of West Bengal Assembly Polls, at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
No, we are not suggesting this as a representational image of Parineeti Chopra’s hectic prepping for the final shoots of Saina—the much awaited biopic of India’s first woman badminton ace—the inimitable Saina Nehwal. Indeed, any medieval knight templar would have loved to don this heavy-set gown, with its furry extremities, intricate lacework and endless sparkles that mirror a starry sky, and march on to the Crusades (he’d probably change into something comfy before a showdown). Nope, Parineeti, who makes the most of a generous breathing space in the formidable armour, is probably celebrating her two other imminent releases—Sandeep Aur Pinky Faarrar and The Girl On The Train. Reminded of the 2016 Emily Blunt starrer? We’re sure they have made a few changes.
Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor poses for a photograph during an promotional event for her upcoming movie, 'Roohi', in New Delhi.
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan arrives at Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) to record a statement in a case he registered against Kangana Ranaut in 2016 involving alleged e-mail exchanges, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan arrives at Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) to record a statement in a case he registered against Kangana Ranaut in 2016 involving alleged e-mail exchanges, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor, with a placard supporting farmers pasted on a vehicle behind her, during shooting of her upcoming film ‘Good Luck Jerry’, in Patiala.
Bollywood actors John Abraham (L) and Emraan Hashmi pose for photographs during the trailer launch of their upcoming film 'Mumbai Saga', in Mumbai.
Bollywood actors Amrita Singh and Sara Ali Khan visit the shrine of Sufi Moinuddin Chishti, in Ajmer.
Bollywood actors Sharman Joshi during the promotion of his upcoming movie 'Fauji Calling', in Kolkata.
Bollywood actor Sushmita Sen attends the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2021, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Daisy Shah during the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2021, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood shows a copy of the book "I AM NO MESSIAH", based on his life, in Mumbai.
For all its recently-acquired taste for gritty realism—usually expletive-laden jousts set in the dirt and grime of a dun-coloured north Indian town, amidst the loud chorus of love expressed for ‘strong scripts’, the beating heat of Hindi films rests in the simple cults, and occult, of the past. Those of us old enough to remember Sridevi’s wide-eyed, menacing mien from the film posters of Nagina, the twisting, simple tune of a snake charmer’s pipe and young enough at the time to be scared at Amrish Puri’s creepy villain, must rejoice. The shape-shifting Naagin, announces Shraddha Kapoor proudly, is making a comeback as a film trilogy. One needs to inhabit all kinds of roles, hints Shraddha through the delicious asymmetry of this velveteen gown. We reluctantly agree.
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher launches his book 'Your Best Day Is Today' with noted writer and art curator Ina Puri (L), in Kolkata.
It’s poses like these and enigmatically sinister bracelets like this that make crowds go berserk at the slimmest chance of espying Sunny Leone. Why, in Kochi a few years ago, they stopped drinking for an entire afternoon to catch a glimpse of her. Now, an audacious event manager has filed a cheating case against her, saying she took in lakhs as appearance money for ‘inaugural events’, but didn’t show up. Sunny sets the record ramrod straight: yes, her manager did take the money, but she couldn’t honour those commitments as the fickle man kept changing the dates, which kept bumping against her other assignments—like the one here, requiring her to embrace, with calculated abandon, chunks of cool granite. Solemn promises were made about attending the events if schedule permits, though we openly side with Sunny here.
This is an exemplary family photograph garbed in traditional attire: beautiful kids and an ever-loving wife. But one is drawn in by the hooded eyes and pain-creased visage of Sanjay Dutt. News of his beating back a grave illness comes to mind, and along with it, a flood of sympathy. But our man doesn’t exactly follow straight-laced Gandhigiri about matters such as tax. Reports say he ‘gifted’ wife Maanayata four luxury flats in an upscale Bandra highrise in December. Six days later, she ‘returned’ them. Initially, we were as perplexed as you are at this private charade, but a worldly man says such circulatory ways have to do with ‘tax structuring’. Market price of the dens? Rs 100 crore only.
Continuing with our series of Maldivian escapades, we find Alia Bhatt, who repaired thence with a gaggle of girlfriends, sunk on her knees in the bleached, unsullied sand watered by a placid sea, about to break into song. We cannot add more to our expansive extolling of the landscape, but do take note of her choice of a vintage bikini—they never seemed to have gone out of fashion. As for an actress who resembles—in her twinkly, sparkling eyes and in those tightly pursed lips ever ready to break into a smile—a youthfully radiant Juliet Binoche, films titled Brahmastra and RRR are but trifles. We need a manhunt for an Indian Kieslowski.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan at the residence of actor Rajiv Kapoor, who passed away at the age of 58, in Mumbai.
People attend the funeral of Bollywood actor Rajeev Kapoor in Mumbai. Kapoor died at the age of 58.
Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza at an event of Indian fashion designer Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Sonali Bendre attends an event of Indian fashion designer Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Genelia D'Souza poses for photographs during a promotional event, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor poses for photographs during a promotional event, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia D'Souza and Rajkummar Rao pose for photographs during a promotional event, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor and Shiv Sena leader Urmila Matondkar celebrates her birthday with children at Vile Parle in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan (C) attends a prayer meet of Bollywood producer Bunty Walia's late father Pirthi Paul Singh, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon attends a prayer meet of Bollywood producer Bunty Walia's late father Pirthi Paul Singh, in Mumbai.
Bollwood actress Anushka Sharma along with her husband and Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and their new-born baby girl Vamika, in Mumbai.
In spite of the fragility of her frilly dress, or the wispiness of those windblown tendrils of hair, one cannot miss the quiet confidence exuded by Taapsee Pannu. To that add the attribute of plainspeak. Taapsee, who’s carved a niche in women-centric movies, lays her dainty fingers on an anomaly—how male superstars, out of misplaced, insecure ego, rarely agree to play a part in them. Even if an actress has partially more screen time, she acidly observes, he’d have none of it. Her latest, Rashmi Rocket, is a gritty turnaround story of a down-an-out athlete from the Rann of Kutch. Take note: it has no big male stars.
The two eternal extremes of life have dominated us this past year of panic, enforced stasis and a protracted fight with an unseen foe—the steady, heartrending departure of people who gave us so much, and the arrival, or impending arrival, of a new generation. Bollywood, it lights dimmed like never before, was not an exception. Perhaps that’s the reason why a wedding—that joyous intertwining of lives around which we sentimentally sniffle—has captured headlines, as it has a welcome presage of normality. True, when Varun Dhawan, leading young Turk of filmdom, wed his fashion designer sweetheart Natasha Dalal in Mumbai, only 50 people were invited in, but their colour-coordinated lehenga, sherwani and stole rang out hope to all.
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal during their wedding ceremony at Mansion House at Alibaug in Raigad district.
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal during their wedding ceremony at Alibaug in Mumbai.
She’s not wearing a classical bodice, nor does she have a starched, frilly tutu around her, but those pointe shoes doth confuse the mind: does the leotard-fitted Jacqueline Fernandez—all toned muscle and flexibility—want us to think ballet, or its garbled encounter with modern dance? Keeping up a sphinx-like mystique, she wouldn’t tell, but only drop the name of her next film, She Rox Life. Possibly, feel those who worry about such matters, it has to do with dance or fitness. Others, who don’t care that much, covered the Instagram photos in fulsome praise. Among them, the generous Shilpa Shetty and Yami Gautam.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a meeting with Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, at his residence in Bhopal.
Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut arrives at Raja Bhoj Airport for the shooting of her upcoming film 'Dhaakad', in Bhopal.
Comedian Kapil Sharma speaks to media personnel after he called for an inquiry against car designer Dilip Chhabria over fake registered cars, at Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey along with Director Karan Johar during actress Deepika Padukone's 35th birthday celebration, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt during actress Deepika Padukone's 35th birthday celebration, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone celebrates her 35th birthday with her husband and actor Ranveer Singh, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone celebrates her 35th birthday with her husband and actor Ranveer Singh, in Mumbai.
Parents of Janhavi Kukreja leave after meeting with Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh regarding their daughter’s murder case, in Mumbai. 19-year-old Kukreja was found dead following a party with her friends in suburban Khar on New Year's Eve.
Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor leaves a sound dubbing studio after recording for an upcoming movie in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher (L) and director Satish Kaushik attend the screening of the upcoming biographical drama Hindi film 'Kaagaz' in Mumbai
Bollywood actors Farhan Akhtar (L) and Anupam Kher (R) attend the screening of the upcoming biographical drama Hindi film 'Kaagaz' in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor attend the screening of upcoming biographical drama Hindi film 'Kaagaz' in Mumbai.
Actress Rhea Chakraborty and her father Indrajit Chakraborty outside the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office, in connection with a drug-related case, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor during the shoot of his upcoming movie 'Jug Jug Jiyo', in Patiala.
Bollywood actors Randhir Kapoor (L) and Rajiv Kapoor arrive for a Christmas brunch, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actress Gauhar Khan along with her husband Zaid Darbar poses for photographs during their wedding reception, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actor Ankita Lokhande dressed as Santa serves food to the underprivileged children during a campaign, in Mumbai.
Akbar, the greatest Mughal, and his son Salim have had their young love stories celebrated in Bollywood. It’s time for the next padshah to glory in and mope about his love. Enter…Akshay Kumar, as Shah Jahan. Akshay predictably took to the Taj Mahal, armed with a solitary rose, dressed in royal garb and prancing about with that boyish grin plastered all over his face. The one person pining for the pleasure of Akshay’s company on the sets of Atrangi Re is Arjuman Bano, aka Sara Ali Khan. Understandably, everyone is thrilled at the resumption of shooting after the long Covid intermission. But won’t Akshay sport a beard, in conformity with all the miniatures we have seen of the builder of the grandest mausoleum ever? Use your fertile imagination, pals, and visualise him in a theatrically classical beard, and how it might clash with that grin.
The one constant, toxic element in all nationalist-nativist movements across the world is the obsession with racial purity. Inter-community marriages—harbingers of compassion and understanding—are anathema. The kerfuffle over ‘love jehad’ is just an example. The one Bollywood star who has been damned roundly by trolls—torchbearers of an ugly new India—is Urmila Matondkar, for her marriage to a Kashmiri man, Mohsin Akhter, in 2016. The staggeringly handsome Mohsin was termed, Urmila now reveals, ‘Pakistani’ (a newly-charged slur), then ‘terrorist’, while some deviants invaded Wikipedia and sprayed nuisance. All this, says Urmila—so content here in the arms of the man she loves—created unbearable strain. The party she recently joined, however, has had little qualm in encouraging nationalist hatred. Or is the alliance with the Congress bringing about a change in the stripes of the Shiv Sena?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being presented with a memento during a meeting with Producer Pahlaj Nihalani, in Lucknow.
Bollywood actress Adah Sharma dressed as Santa Claus poses for photographs during PETA India's Christmas Party for Rescued Chickens, in Mumbai.
Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan during the shoot of their film 'Atrangi' at the historic Taj Mahal, in Agra.
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar arrives for the shooting of film 'Atrangi' at the historic Taj Mahal, in Agra.
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar poses for photographs with security personnel during shooting of film 'Atrangi' at the historic Taj Mahal, in Agra.
Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan during shooting of film 'Atrangi' at the historic Taj Mahal, in Agra.
Actor Arjun Rampal arrives at the NCB office to appear before the agency in a drug related case, in Mumbai.
If you thought you’d get away from our continuing series of bathing beauties displaying their skills in magnetic Maldives—where they’re drawn, by some inexplicable herd instinct, like moths to a flame—you are mistaken. This week, there’s Daisy Shah (Jai Ho, Race 3) to beguile you, before you ask that very pertinent question: does the reign of intoxicating, liquid blue extend beyond the waterline, to the domain of sand and crabs and lurking beachcombers? Or is that the sky, with its artsy watercolour clouds, playing tricks at us mortals? “Meet me where the sky touches the sea,” writes the nymph in the pink bikini. We’d have taken up the offer and asked her, but later….she’s only sleeping.
