04012023-LSTL-01.qxd 1/3/2023 11:58 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE OTT route Actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s film Blind will be released on digital platform ZEE5 this year. It also stars Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak and Lillete Dubey. TMS LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 4 JANUARY 2023 Playing at Pollywood With films, sequels and web series lined up for the year, the Punjabi entertainment industry is set for a boom Sheetal P Love-ly phase Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Varma seen kissing at a party Looks like a new love story is budding in tinsel town. It’s Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia who are said to be the new B-town couple. And one video is allegedly proof of their relationship. Tamannaah and Vijay were spotted together in Goa and they were allegedly caught kissing each other on the New Year’s Eve! The two have left their fans surprised and this relationship is grabbing a lot of headlines. If reports are to be believed, Tamannaah and Vijay are seeing each other since months now. Earlier the two actors were spotted together as they attended Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Mumbai. TMS Three cheers! Ajay Devgn-Rohit Shetty drop hints about their next collaboration, Singham Again After Cirkus, which didn’t garner much appreciation, director Rohit Shetty has now returned to his most-loved franchises, Singham. Ajay Devgn, who was part of the previous two instalments, has now with the director teased fans about the third part. Ajay Devgnshared a picture with Rohit Shetty on Twitter and captioned it as: “Made a good start to the New Year with #RohitShetty’s narration of Singham Again. The script I heard is fire. God willing this will be our 11th blockbuster.” The first two movies from the Singham Franchise were loved by the fans! — TMS Emmy-nominated director Catherine Cyran passed away on Christmas Eve, according to multiple social media posts from those close to her. She was 59. The filmmaker passed away on December 24 in Vancouver, B.C., following a battle with cancer. Before emerging as director in the 1990s, Cyran established herself as a screenwriter, with films such as 1990’s Slumber Party Massacre III and A Cry in the Wild, the 1990 adaptation of Gary Paulsen’s novel Hatchet. She made her feature film directorial debut with the 1993 sequel White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II, for which she earned an Emmy nomination. Cyran entered the entertainment industry working as an executive assistant under the seminal director Roger Corman. Under Corman, Cyran wrote and produced titles such as Dead Space, Uncaged, Fire on the Amazon, starring Sandra Bullock, and Kiss Me a Killer which earned an Independent Spirit OLLYWOOD couldn’t live up to its potential last year although there were a few hits by the big names of the industry, such as Sargun Mehta, Ammy Virk, Jimmy Shergill and Gippy Grewal. With the New Year, comes possibilities as well as challenges. Here is a look at Punjabi films and web series that look promising for 2023. LOOKING AHEAD 2023 BIG PROJECTS Successful songs turning into titles for movies is not something new, be it Qismat, Galwakdi or Yaar Mera Titliaan Warga. After Yaar Mera Titliaan Warga last year, the multi-talented Gippy Grewal is set to star in the film, Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan, named after a song. It is locked for release in theatres on March 8. Directed by Pankaj Batra, the film stars Tania, Rajdip Shoker besides Gippy. The most successful actor of 2022, Ammy Virk, will be paired opposite actress, Wamiqa Gabbi and debutant Pari Pandher in the films Arjan Tina and Anhi Dea Mazaak Ae, respectively. Both will be releasing on April 7. Hammy will also be seen in a Smeep Kang directorial, Gaddi Jaandi Ae Chalaangaan Maardi, releasing on June 9, which is supposedly a family comedy. Zee Studios also shared in December 2022 that their film Godday Godday Chaa will soon go on the floors. Written by Jagdeep Sidhu, it is directed by NationalAward winner director, Vijay Kumar Arora. Vijay had earlier directed the film Harjeeta and Guddiyan Patole. It has Sonam Bajwa, Tania, Gitaz Bindrakhia and Gurjazz in the lead. The on screen jodi of Gippy Grewal and Neeru Bajwa, which got back together after 12 years in 2021with the film Paani Ch Madhaani, continues to entertain the audiences. Phaatte Dinde Chakk Punjabi is their offering for THE CAST AND CREW OF UCHIYAN NE GALLAN TERE YAAR DIYAN the year, which releases on February 10. Meanwhile, Gippy is pairing with his son Shinda Grewal for Shinda Shinda No Papa, which releases on April 14. SEQUEL STORIES On the anvil are Dev Kharoud-starrer Blackia 2 (May 5), Rabb Da Radio 3 (March 30), with Tarsem Jas- sar and Simi Chahal, and Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2 (April 28). DIGITAL BOOM Punjabi OTT platform Chaupal will be releasing nine originals and five exclusive projects this year. The originals are mostly thrillers, including new titles like Silence and Tittar, and second seasons of previously successful shows, Zila Sangrur and Shikari. Gippy Grewal has also written and produced an original titled Outlaw, whereas Harish Verma will star in another thriller Punjabi film Sabh Fade Jange. Both will release on Chaupal. BUYING TIME Most Punjabi films have RIP Cyran Renner injured, but safe , Emmy-nominated director Catherine Cyran passes away Fred White no more Legendary drummer for the Grammy-winning R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire, Fred White has passed away aged 67 on Monday. No cause of death was given. Since White is the brother of Verdine White and the half-brother of Maurice White, he is a vital member of the ensemble’s familial lineage. In 2000, he and other founding members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame despite having left the band. ANI PHOTO: CATHERINE CYRAN’S INSTAGRAM Award nomination. Cyran also served as a ghostwriter for Frankenstein Unbound, Corman’s final feature as a director. Cyran also published one novel, The Island of the Last Great Auk. Her screenplay, titled The Last Story received the Canadian International Film Festival Award for excellence in writing. Her final film, Our Italian Christmas Memories, starring Beau Bridges, aired on Hallmark a few weeks before her death. — ANI Avengers’ star Jeremy Renner underwent surgery on Monday after a snow plow accident. He remains in the intensive care unit in critical, but stable condition. Jeremy suffered blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries in the weatherrelated accident during the morning of New Year’s Day. After being transferred to a nearby medical center, Renner underwent surgery. Jeremy’s representative issued a statement that read, “Jeremy’s family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, Washoe County Sheriff, Reno City Mayor Hillary Schieve and the Carano and Murdock families. They are also tremendously overwhelmed and appreciative of the outpouring of love and support from his fans.” — ANI c m y b JEREMY RENNER ANIL KAPOOR WISHES HIM SPEEDY RECOVERY Anil Kapoor, who will be seen with Jeremy Renner in Dieney+ series Rennervations, took to Twitter and wished his co-star a speedy recovery. Anil sent his best wishes and a virtual hug to the two-time Oscar nominee. “Praying for your speedy recovery Jeremy @jeremyrenner,” the 66-year-old actor wrote on Twitter alongside a photo with the Marvel star. TMS been shot for more than a year or two, but were not released due to Covid. Producers are now looking for the right time for their release. Kalli Jotta, starring Satinder Sartaaj and Neeru Bajwa, is one such film. Written by Harinder Kour, directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, it also stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Ranjha Rajan, CJ Singh and Ramandeep Jagga. The last schedule of the film was wrapped in September, 2021, and it will be releasing on February 3. Projects like Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua 2, which went on floors in 2020, will also be released this year. It stars Harish Verma and Simi Chahal, and is directed by Janjot Singh. ‘Work of fiction’ After facing massive backlash over a recent episode of Crime Patrol, which depicted a story similar to that of Sharddha Walkar’s case, Sony TV has issued a statement denying any connection with the case. Sony TV issued a statement via their Twitter handle @SonyLiv and wrote that the said episode was a “work of fiction” and that the episode was based on an incident dating back to 2011. Talking about Shraddha Walkar’s case, the next hearing date is January 6, 2023. Aaftab Poonawalla has been accused of strangling to death his live-in partner Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces. — ANI