23042022-LSTL-01.qxd 4/23/2022 12:19 AM Page 1 c m y b ‘IT’S PERSONAL CHOICE’ On Thursday, Akshay Kumar released a statement, apologising to his fans for endorsing a pan masala brand. Akshay mentioned that he has decided to step down from the endorsement. And now, reacting to Akshay’s apology, Ajay Devgn , who is also a part of the same commercial, said that it is a personal choice. TRIBUNE Life Dress sense Rakul Preet Singh, who is gearing up for the release of Runway 34, said when stepping into a uniform there is a certain sense of dignity that automatically steps in. —IANS LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 23 APRIL 2022 The Agnihotri Files PHOTO: VICKY Producer Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures has signed a multi-film production deal with Armaan Zorace’s US genre label Dark Hell and prolific Hollywood producer Steven Schneider, known for producing the horror film franchise, Paranormal Activities. Sheetal Promoting the weaves of India Malaika Arora to walk the ramp at the grand finale of D’Glance Fashion Week 2022 Bollywood’s fashionista Malaika Arora is set to walk the ramp at the grand finale of D’Glance Fashion Week 2022. The actress will turn showstopper for celebrity designer Shravan Kummar, who will showcase his collection by the name Weaves Of India. Organised by Purple Peony Production & Media Pvt Ltd, the event is scheduled to take place at Vivanta, New Delhi, Dwarka, on April 30. The fashion week will have more than 10 designers showcase their collections. The list includes Ashfaque Ahmad, Anjalee & Arjun Kapoor, Joy Mitra, Gutlu by Shikha & Shivam Thakur, Wrickie Angrish, Nikita Nayak and clothing brand Boi Bae among others. ‘ From Tashkent to Kashmir to Delhi — will Vivek Agnihotri now turn towards Godhra in Gujarat or Nellie in Assam for his next?’ we wondered aloud while interacting with the filmmaker at the venue of The 2nd Chandigarh Music and Film Festival and the retort that came was quite unexpected, “Saare files banana ka theka humne le rakha hai kya?” His better half and producer-actor of The Kashmir Files, Pallavi Joshi, however, was more composed, explaining that it was a creative call to end the trilogy with The Delhi Files and not carry on like an episodic series to rip open the Pandora’s box of all sorts of tragedies in history. The Kashmir Files director and his wife were in Chandigarh University to interact with the students of media and journalism. Once the dust settled, the director advised the students to make films on other tragedies. He said, “There are too many films on Gujarat riots. I want to bring out the truth on topics that need courage to do so.” That somewhat explains the Ycategory security after The Kashmir Files. And has he made peace with this recent An interactive session with Vivek Agnihotri at Chandigarh University witnesses fireworks as students pose tough questions & the filmmaker occasionally loses his cool change in lifestyle? “Well, not really. It’s claustrophobic to have people guarding me all the time. I enjoy freedom and like to interact with people freely. I volunteer to be at events like these and if time permits I will continue to do so in future as well.” A Kashmiri student asked the director why he chose to remain quiet about the Muslim voices which were against the atrocities committed on the Pandits. Commending the confidence of the girl, he replied, “You have noticed what’s missing in The Kashmir Files, but did Going places Paranormal Activity producer teams up with Ekta Kapoor for Indian horror slate you notice that Kashmiri Pandits were missing in films like Fiza, Haider, Mission Kashmir, Roja and many others? I am sure you had not noticed this until today. I mentioned in the concluding speech how Buddhists, Muslims and Sikhs have been victims to terrorism.” With the movie still going strong at the box office, and an invitation by British Parliament to talk about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits adding to his glory, isn’t it a little too soon to announce his next project, The Delhi Files? Agnihotri explained, “I was sure of a trilogy from the very beginning. The three films are based on the three fundamental principles of democracy; first film The Tashkent Files is based on the right to truth; the second on the right to justice for Kashmiri Pandits and now The Delhi Files will stand for the right to life.” While the director was tightlipped about the subject of The Delhi Files, he said it has much more to offer than what the audience is expecting. Agnihotri, who calls the making of The Kashmir Files no less than completing a PhD, said Bollywood films don’t spend much on research and take the audience for fools who would watch anything. He said, “I had long back retired from Bollywood as there are set rules in place for commercial and serious films.” Both Agnihotri and Joshi said that they are committed to bringing out the truth at any cost. Pallavi said, “Our house is no less than a mad house and now our children are also taking to the film line. One of the girls who shouted ‘ Free Kashmir’ in the film is my daughter.” Under the terms of the deal, a slate of high-concept films in the thrillerhorror genre will be produced in Hindi and other Indian languages jointly by the three entities. Ekta said, “At Balaji Motion Pictures, our aim is to continue telling genre-bending stories which connect with the viewers. I am elated for this association, and I’m certain to be bringing together the best of crosscultural content to the Indian Diaspora.” “Such an opportunity helps us expand reach to markets and audiences, and this collaboration is of mutual ideas and intent.” —IANS Creative freedom When Mrunal Thakur met Nani, the original leading man of Jersey Chance meeting Mrunal Thakur, who is playing the female lead in the Hindi remake of Jersey, had an accidental but absolutely endearing meeting with the leading man of the original. Telugu superstar Nani met Mrunal during her shoot in Hyderabad, where she is shooting for her next film with Dulquer Salmaan. Says Mrunal, “Nani was so There is more creative freedom in releasing Thar on Netflix, says actor Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, who felt liberated that they did not have to censor scenes or think about the box office numbers of the film. It would be the fourth Netflix release for the actor, whose films Bhavesh Joshi did well at the platform after a theatrical release while Ray and Ak vs Ak directly released on the streaming platform. “I don’t have that vanity that my films should release in cinema. I don’t take myself that... for me it is not about me, but about the film and over the course of my career, people will see that. I am not self-involved with the approach,” Kapoor told in an interview ahead of the release of Thar. Son of Bollywood star Anil Kapoor, the actor is working ‘Don’t have the vanity that my films should release in theatres,’ says Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor with his father in the movie, directed by debutant Raj Singh Chaudhary. The film also features Fatima Sana Shaikh, Satish Kaushik, Jitendra Joshi and Mukti Mohan. “I feel with this film, we were creatively more liberated because you don’t have to think about the pressure of first day number, satellite sale. There is decent amount of action, violence, little bit of sex, all of those things… With Netflix, you get a little more leeway in terms of artistic expression. “What is on the screen is more or less exactly what is on the page. It has not been diluted in any way through that process.” Citing the example of some of his father’s films, Kapoor said while box office may follow the rule of demand and supply, the real test of a movie is time. “The quality of a film is what stands the test of time. They are two very different things, like if this film released in theatres and the first three-day collection would have been good, then it is successful film. “But maybe people didn’t like the film and they just went because they were curious to see it as opposed to other films that come in cinemas that are not able to generate interest immediately, the trade writes it off as a bad film. I have million examples like Nayak, Lamhe, Pukar, Parinda. Those are the films that people talk about now.” — PTI In the action zone Director-actor jodi of Faruk Kabir and Vidyut Jammwal sets the internet frenzy humble and such an absolute sweetheart. He even shared with me his excitement to watch the remake and I want to know what he thinks of the remake. When I watched the original film, it was Shraddha and his performance that made me want to work in this film. So, I’m glad I got to meet him in person.” The hit jodi of director-actor Faruk Kabir and Vidyut Jammwal created a buzz with the action-packed drama Khuda Haafiz in 2020. Now, they are back now with its sequel. Faruk, who has earned the repute of filming highoctane action drama, unveiled the poster of Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2, announcing its theatrical release date as June 17. Speaking about the film, Faruk Kabir said, “From day one, I had an instant synergy with Vidyut Jammwal. And the same is reflected on the screen that appeals to the mass. I am overwhelmed by the response right now, and I am sure the cinegoers will enjoy Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 even more than its prequel.” Meanwhile, netizens are flooding the comments’ section with fire emoticons in anticipation. Ranveer turns into item boy Ranveer Singh has turned an item boy in Jayeshbhai Jordaar’s new song Firecracker, which he performed without being choreographed. Ranveer says, “Firecracker is a vibe. Maneesh (Sharma) was very clear. Divyang (Thakkar) was very clear when he said, ‘look, you’ve performed the entire character now; you’ve gone through the entire graph, the journey of the character. Now, the character is yours, you’ve made it your own. So, we won’t choreograph it! You just do freestyle, as c m y b Jayesh would’.” He adds, “Barring the hook step, I was just left to be and to dance the way Jayesh would dance. Being in character, the moves would just come out, stumble out of me and we captured that. It has its own appeal. Jayesh is an endearing character and it’s that aspect of him that he wanted to showcase in the song. Just the great joie de vivre that he possesses, this great love of life, this joyous, beaming grateful heart that he has.”