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Chandro Tomar, who was popularly known as "Shooter Dadi", passed away on Friday, 30 April due to COVID-19. She was 89 and had been admitted to a private hospital in Meerut where she breathed her last. After the news came out, her fans and various known celebrities took to social media to mourn her death. Bollywood actor Bhumi Pednekar, who played Tomar in the biopic Saand Ki Aankh remembered Shooter Dadi by sharing few pictures with her and wrote, “You will be missed so much forever”. You will be missed so much ❤️ Forever #ChandroTomar #ShooterDadi pic.twitter.com/zM9nEhq5Ic — bhumi pednekar (@bhumipednekar) April 30, 2021 In another tweet, she said “her legacy will live on”, adding that she’s lucky as she “got to know and be her”. Devastated by the news of Chandro Dadi’s demise. Feels like a part of me is gone. She made her own rules & paved the path for many girl to find their dream. Her legacy will live on in them. Condolences to the family. Am lucky I go...

This article was first published on 2 May, 2020, two days after Rishi Kapoor passed away. * I cried along with his 'kids' when Rishi Kapoor was hanging on to a cliff in Anil Dhawan's 2000 directorial Raju Chacha . Sixteen years later, I cried with Rishi Kapoor when he urged his 'grandsons' Fawad Khan and Sidharth Malhotra to return because he misses them after his son Rajat Kapoor's sudden demise in Shakun Batra's 2016 family drama Kapoor & Sons. And between both these times when Rishi Kapoor brought me to tears, he also made me laugh uncontrollably on several occasions. He even made me cringe, and left me in awe of his impeccable charisma. To me, a millennial born at the cusp of age group, Rishi Kapoor was never a heartthrob, like he was to many women my mother's age in the 1970s and '80s. He was the Raj from Bobby , a ladies' man, much before Shah Rukh Khan owned the character name in Aditya Chopra's 1995 romantic drama Dilwale Dul...

Singer Guru Randhawa and actor Urvashi Rautela's ‘ Doob Gaye ’ has finally released today, 30 April. For the past few days, fans of Urvashi and Guru had been eagerly waiting for the song. It showcases the duo’s crackling chemistry to the romantic-yet-heartbreaking number. Taking to his social media handle , singer Guru Randhawa tweeted saying, “Doob Gaye Out now. Share - Support http://bit.ly/DoobGaye @TSeries @remodsouza @UrvashiRautela @yourjaani @BPraak”. Even the beautiful Urvashi shared a post saying, “Intezaar ke faasle huye kam ab waqt hai doob jaane ka!” The track is directed by Remo D'Souza while Guru has given his soothing vocals to the soulful song. The moving lyrics have been penned by Jaani, while ace musician B Praak has composed the music. Talking about the music video, the song begins with Guru and Urvashi much in love and talking about their relationship if they have to part ways someday. As per the video, Urvashi belongs to a wealthy family while Guru doe...

Once upon a time, my friends S, R, and I went to watch  Anegan  (2015) at a near-empty theatre in Bengaluru. We chose to sit in the first row, even though we had the pick of the lot. R, who was new to mainstream Tamil cinema, was struggling to make sense of the onslaught on screen; the tone, tempo, style, even the story making somersaults every 30 minutes. S and I, on the other hand, were enjoying the film like we would a circus, dancing in our seats to ' Danga Maari Oodhaari ,' whistling for Karthik, hooting during the climax, essentially having the time of our lives.  These are the only two ways to read KV Anand’s work — you either suspend the last shred of disbelief and let yourself have a ball or be the pedant who stays dissatisfied. There is nothing in between. To understand Anand’s career as the director of eccentric mainstream films like  Kaappaan  (2019),  Kavan  (2017),  Maattrraan  (2012), and  Ayan  (2009) among other...

It's hard enough trying to make people laugh, and when one seeks to build a reality show around it, the stakes are even higher. Amazon Prime's LOL: Hasse Toh Phasse , the Indian iteration of Last One Laughing, a reality show where a bunch of 'funny' people are locked into a house for a predetermined period tasked with not laughing, is a misfire on many levels. The show has an interesting bunch of contestants ranging from established comics like Cyrus Broacha, Aadar Malik, Aditi Mittal to sketch comedians like Suresh Menon, Sunil Grover, Gaurav Gera, along with influencers like Kusha Kapila, Mallika Dua, Ankita Shrivastav and upstart comedian, Aakash Gupta. It's an intriguing mix of styles of humour, and therefore once we find out the rules of the show, one might even hold their breath for what awaits us. But it only takes the first 10 minutes to give us a peek into how the show is going to turn out. Hosts Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi (who apparently loves the soun...

After Seeti Maar , the second song from Salman Khan starrer Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai titled Dil De Diya has released today, 30 April. It features Jacqueline Fernandez alongside Salman. The song has been sung by Kamaal Khan and Payal Dev while the music has been composed by Himesh Reshammiya. Shabbir Ahmed is the lyricist of the peppy track. Dil De Diya is getting a good response from fans who are loving Salman and Jacqueline’s signature moves. In the song, Jacqueline can be seen sporting a stunning pink dress while Salman and Randeep Hooda also make an appearance. The song has received more than 4.5 lakh views within an hour of its release. Jacqueline shared the song on her Twitter account. Radhe is gearing up for release on 13 May during the Eid festivities. Disha Patani will be seen as Salman’s love interest while Jackie Shroff will also be seen playing an important role. The film will be released in theatres and ZeePlex (pay per view) simultaneously. The advance booking ...

Language: English A marriage unravelling in sinister ways, sparse instances of horror staples like strange occurrences and mysterious voices, and the cord that connects this world to the afterlife are elements that feel deliberately clumped together in  Things Heard and Seen , a rather dispassionate ghost story from the husband-wife duo, Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman. In the adaptation of Elizabeth Brundage’s 2016 novel, All Things Cease to Appear , Academy Award-nominated actor Amanda Seyfried and James Norton (of Happy Valley and Little Women ) play Catherine and George Claire, who move from the bustle of Manhattan to a bucolic town in Hudson Valley with their daughter, Franny. On getting his doctorate in art history from Columbia University, George is offered a post upstate as a professor at the provincial Saginaw College. Catherine, on the other hand, gives up her job as an art restorer, a pretty good one at that, to make this move, uncertain about ...

Actor Michael B. Jordan has reacted to the result of the 93rd Academy Awards in the lead actor category. Anthony Hopkins won the award for best actor in a leading role for his work in The Father defeating late Chadwick Boseman who was nominated for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom . Boseman’s friend Jordan said that his performance is truly special given that it is one of the last things where he is going to be seen. Jordan said, “I’ve said it before, win or lose, when it comes to that, he won.” Jordan and Boseman worked together in the 2018 superhero film Black Panther . It was expected that Boseman might receive the Academy Award for his role in Black Bottom . Breaking the convention, this year the award for Best Actor was announced towards the end of the ceremony instead of Best Picture. Boseman’s loss was unexpected for several viewers. However, in an interview with TMZ, the brother of the late actor Derrick Boseman said that their family does not see the loss of Ma Rainey’s Black B...

On the first death anniversary of actor Rishi Kapoor today, 30 April, his son Ranbir Kapoor and actor Alia Bhatt were spotted outside Neetu Kapoor's residence in Mumbai. The veteran actor's daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni posted a collage remembering her dearest dad. Riddhima, who often shares her family photos on social media, posted a collage of new and old childhood picture with the late actor. Taking to her Instagram account, Riddhima penned an emotional note expressing her desire to be called Mushk by her father. She also used writer Dorothy Mae Cavendish's quote in her post. "If only I could hear you call me mushk once more... 'Until we meet again we think about you always, we talk about you still, you have never been forgotten, and you never will. We hold you close within our hearts and there you will remain, to walk and guide us through our lives, until we meet again.- Dorothy Mae Cavendish. I love you always (sic),” Riddhima wrote. Check out the posts ...

The final scene of Chaitanya Tamhane’s The Disciple – a static shot that runs uncut for about two and a half minutes – is almost a tour de force in the sheer intricacy and potency of cinema as a medium. I won’t talk about what happens in the scene, but if I were to verbally describe the life of the film’s protagonist Sharad Nerulkar in a few lines, and then simply show you that last shot of the film, the shot would still make all the sense in the world; and it would most certainly have some kind of emotional impact on you as well. Of course, to truly feel the full weight of that final image of The Disciple , you need to experience everything that comes before it. At its barest, the film is a look at the life of an aspiring classical singer in Mumbai, one who spends nearly every moment of his youth consumed by the vagaries of his chosen vocation. Indian classical music, with all its glorious traditions and esoterica, seems like a ruthless pursuit for someone who yearns for success, ...

Yesteryear heroine and former MLA Debashree Roy is all set to appear in a Bengali TV soap after having taken a break from her acting career in the past 10 years. The National Award winner who had acted in films like Unishe April, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Dadar Kirti a nd popular Hindi TV serial Mahabharat said on Thursday, she liked the storyline and the way her character has been etched. "I liked the script which is different from other routine stories. A lot of importance has been given to my character," the actress said, affirming that she has no problem acting in a mega serial. The 59-year-old actress said, she will be portraying the character of a simple, ordinary girl and her extraordinary journey in life. "Be it a mega serial or a feature film or web series, what matters is facing the camera if you like the project," she explained. The shooting of the untitled serial is slated to begin by end-May, director Shehasis Chakraborty said. The actress, who is a...

Disney+ Hotstar is launching a lineup of short-format titles starring the likes of Mandira Bedi, Vidya Malavade, Poonam Dhillon and Shreyas Talpade, among others. The episodic show will begin streaming from 7 May, and episodes will be debuted every day. Here is a comprehensive list of shows premiering on the platform Chattis Aur Maina Starring Sandeepa Dhar and Vikram Singh Chauhan, the show follows two people who are like chalk and cheese. The show is set in a fictional town called Dhooppur. As a dance troupe arrives at the town for the wedding season, Maina has run-ins with Chattis, the son of a local failed politician. Actor Sandeepa Dhar describes her character as an "independent, career-oriented and quirky girl who is stubborn about the way she lives her life. Supporting herself since she was 18, she is conscious about the important things in life, and even looks out for her girl gang of dancers." Mukesh Jasoos Starring Poonam Dhillon, Rahul Bagga, Ruchi Malviya,...

Veteran actor Randhir Kapoor tested positive for coronavirus on 29 April. He got admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Mumbai for treatment. The hospital officials confirmed the news yesterday and now the 74-year-old actor has opened up about contracting the virus. The actor revealed that he underwent the test after feeling "some shivering". He had a bit of fever which is gone now. Overall, he is in "no discomfort". Speaking to Times of India about contracting coronavirus, Randhir shares that his staff has also tested positive and he has got them hospitalised with him. "I have no clue how I got COVID. I am surprised. Let me also tell you that my entire staff of five members, too, has tested positive, and I have got them hospitalised with me in the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital," he said. After he got diagnosed with the virus, his wife Babita Kapoor, daughters Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan too got tested. Speaking about their reports, the veteran ...

The Weeknd was snubbed by the Grammys but he’s the leading nominee at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, where rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD earned multiple posthumous nominations, including top artist, and disgraced country singer Morgan Wallen is a six-time nominee. The Weeknd, Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke — the third most-nominated act — are up for top artist along with Taylor Swift and Drake, the show’s most decorated winner of all-time. The Billboard Awards will air live on 23 May. The Weeknd earned 16 nominations, including top male artist, top R&B artist, top Billboard 200 album for After Hours and top Hot 100 song for 'Blinding Lights,'  the No. 1 song of last year. DaBaby — thanks to his own hit 'Rockstar' and his guest appearance on Jack Harlow’s 'What’s Poppin' — is second with 11 bids, and he will battle himself in categories like top rap song, top streaming song and top collaboration. Pop Smoke, who follows with 10 nominations, died last Feb...

NEW YORK — Dave Grohl thought he was making a nostalgic film about the formative days of famous musicians. But then the pandemic happened. Partly by design and partly by circumstance, What Drives Us became a surprisingly emotional documentary about the power of live music and the pain of its absence. The Foo Fighters leader has become an effective storyteller on film, making the Sound City documentary on a legendary California music studio and the HBO series Sonic Highways . His latest is available for streaming Friday through the Coda Collection, a subscription streaming service, and Amazon Prime Video outside the US. It centers on an experience common to most musicians, certainly rock bands. At some point they take the figurative leap of getting into a van with band members and bringing their music on the road. “You’ve got to get in a van if you want to make it in this business,” said Ringo Starr, who told of the Beatles stacking themselves like firewood to keep warm after the...

Anne Douglas, the widow of Kirk Douglas and stepmother of Michael Douglas, died Thursday in California. She was 102. Douglas died at her home in Beverly Hills, according to an obituary provided by spokeswoman Marcia Newberger. No cause of death was given. Kirk Douglas, the Hollywood legend who starred in Spartacus, Lust for Life and dozens of other films, died in February 2020 at 103. He married Anne Buydens in 1954 after they met in Paris while he was filming Act of Love and she was doing publicity. They had two sons, Peter, a producer, and Eric, an actor. “I often wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn’t married Anne. I might not have survived without her business acumen and her finely-honed instincts,” Kirk Douglas once said. In 2017 the couple published Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in Hollywood. The Douglas Foundation, which Anne and her husband co-founded, has donated millions to a wide range of institutions, from Children’s Hospital Lo...

Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi will soon be seen making her Hollywood debut with Army of the Dead . Renowned film director Zack Snyder took to social media and shared her character poster from his upcoming movie. He also released character posters of other lead actors on Twitter. In the much-awaited movie, Huma plays the role of a determined mother (Geeta) to an estranged daughter (Kate). In the character poster, Huma can be seen holding a knife in her hand, and an intense look on her face. While sharing the poster, Huma posted a note for her fans and urged them to stay safe. “My heart bleeds as my country and my fellow Indians fight personal loss, hurt, pain and devastation every day because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I stand alongside them in sharing every bit of it with them,” she tweeted. Check out the posters here Another Reason to Stay at Homa @netflix @NetflixIndia #ArmyOfTheDead #geeta #humaqureshi pic.twitter.com/fdjPZlggzB — Huma S Qureshi (@humasqureshi) April 29, 20...

Director-cinematographer KV Anand who predominantly worked in the Tamil film industry passed away on Friday, 30 April in Chennai. Anand was 54 years old and died due to a heart attack. He worked as a photojournalist for a short period and then became a cinematographer. He worked in over a dozen films for the Tamil film industry and Bollywood. Anand was also a founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC). Anand’s friends and colleagues from the Indian film industries mourned his death on Twitter. Telugu film star Allu Arjun paid tribute to Anand by calling him a “wonderful cameraman, brilliant director, and very nice gentleman.” The actor said that Anand will always be remembered and missed. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal also tweeted his condolences Music director Harris Jayaraj tweeted that he is extremely shocked to know that Anand is no more. Calling it devastating news, Harris said, “RIP my friend KV Anand”. Cinematographer Santosh Sivan also prayed that Anand...

The woman who  returned  Lady Gaga’s stolen French bulldogs was among five people arrested in connection with the theft and shooting of the music superstar’s dog walker, Los Angeles police said Thursday. Detectives do not believe that the thieves initially knew the dogs belonged to the pop star, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. The motive for the 24 February  robbery , investigators believe, was the value of the French bulldogs — which can run into the thousands of dollars. The dog walker,  Ryan Fischer , is recovering from a gunshot wound and has called the violence “a very close call with death” in  social media posts . He was walking Lady Gaga’s three dogs — named Asia, Koji and Gustav — in Hollywood just off the famed Sunset Boulevard when he was attacked. Video from the doorbell camera of a nearby home shows a white sedan pulling up and two men jumping out. They struggled with Fischer and one pulled a gun and fired a single shot bef...

The Viewfinder  is a fortnightly column by writer and critic Rahul Desai, that looks at films through a personal lens. * What we choose to derive from art is a reflection of who we are. It need not be what the creator intends to convey. Missing the point can be the whole point. As much as we love listening to a story, the good stories listen to us. They understand us and, in exceptional cases, help us understand ourselves. They sign their entry tickets with personalised remarks, assuring us that our worldview — our private “takeback” from a vast narrative — is not lesser or greater. It’s just that: ours. And it’s valid. Writing that gets read is no more a collection of words, it’s a conference of worlds. For instance, Call Me By Your Name is by all accounts a summer-drenched portrait of first love at the intersection of adolescence and adulthood. But what I took back was my own custom-made souvenir — not the illicit passions of same-sex attraction so much as the compassion...

I remember seeing Masoom only closer to my teen years. One of the many moments that struck a chord with me, involved Minni, the youngest of Naseeruddin Shah’s two daughters in this wonderful Shekhar Kapoor film. Minni is watching Rishi Kapoor as the actor’s Karz plays out on the television in front of her. Kapoor is shimmying away to the ‘ Om Shanti Om ’ track in the film and Minni is whole-heartedly supporting her beloved ‘ Chintoo mama ’ by singing and dancing along with him. This in essence is the effect Kapoor had on his audience, even if it were a five-year-old. He took them on a joy ride with his energy and charisma and struck a bond with them. For some he was the pop sensation Monty ( Karz ), to others he was the delightful Akbar Illahabadi from Amar Akbar Anthony, while many simply saw him as the middle-aged, pot-bellied Duggal sir of Do Dooni Chaar. But in each of these performances, Kapoor always managed to connect with his audience. Kapoor became an overnight sensatio...