29042023-LSTL-01.qxd 4/28/2023 10:37 PM Page 1 c m y b REESHMA, THE LEADING LADY The makers of KD – The Devil have introduced the leading lady of the film. Actress Reeshma Nanaiah will be seen opposite Dhruva Sarja as Queen Macchlakshmi. Reeshma says, “The best part about Queen Macchlakshmi is the larger-than-life persona she has.” TRIBUNE Rumour mill Top Gun star Glen Powell has seemingly split from his girlfriend of three years Gigi Paris, amid rumours he is dating actress Sydney Sweeney. IANS LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 29 APRIL 2023 Intriguing world of spies On an epic scale NET, FLICKS & MORE Mona Citadel, a century-old organisation, maintained relative peace in the world, till one amongst them betrayed their own, making it fall into chaos. The supposed ‘angels’ aka ‘agents’ have fallen and been replaced by a rival agency, Manticore, which harbours devious plans. Amazon Original series Citadel finds its lead pair in Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, playing international operatives Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, respectively. The series opens with a stunning train sequence in the Italian Alps. The formidable duo is cornered, mission compromised and the train in flames. They supposedly perish just like most of their elite mates — Vishal Raj in Mumbai, Tanaka in Tokyo and tech teams in Mexico City, Milan, Paris and Cairo. Their memories are backstopped — that is erased as a preventive measure! Eight years on, the evil Manticore gets details on the Citadel X case, which has all important information, including agent identities, black site information and important nuclear codes. Mason and Nadia have survived; they are living their new identities. Mason now has a wife and daughter, but suffers from ghosts of the past. An effort to reconnect with the past leads him to the handler Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), a Citadel member, who has got intelligence on Manticore’s nefariousdesigns. In comes Nadia, living in Valencia, Spain, and the battle between good and bad begins once again. Slick and stylish, Citadel’s first two episodes build interest. The global spy thriller is an ambitious project with its universe spread across different regions — its Indian and Italian instalments already being shot. But first, what we already have. No newcomer to action, with Don and Quantico to her credit, PeeCee looks like a dream and moves stupendously in action sequences, whether it’s hand-to-hand Russo Brothers’ Citadelis an entertaining and engaging tale Nonika Singh Love and war, treachery and loyalty, grandeur and human frailty….The second part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan opens the many strands of the narrative and holds you in a spell. Indeed, it’s imperative that you should have seen the prequel as the characters here are numerous, interrelated and back stories significant to truly comprehend the complex storyline. Of course, compared to PS1, which takes a while to establish its key characters, PS 2 connects the dots more easily. For by now you are already familiar with characters and their motives. Taking us back to Nandini and Aditha Karikalan’s love story, we soak into how ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. The rationale behind Nandini’s rage is crystal clear. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the bewitching queen Nandini plots and schemes the downfall of her once lover and now enemy, the crown prince Aditha Karikalan. Along with the enemies of mighty Chola Empire, particularly the Pandyas, she is out to deci- Web Series: Citadel Director: Newton Thomas Sigel Cast: Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Stanley Tucci, Lesley Manville Rating:  combat, flying kicks or taking an aim. ‘Do I look like a woman who plays for the minor leagues,’ she says, mocking CIA and MI6. Dressed in red and black, she is stunning; finding the perfect partner in Madden. As Orlick says, together they are ‘hot stuff’. Madden delivers excellent action sequences on the train. The one in particular in the lavatory has been shot brilliantly. He’s charming and gets into the shoes of a super spy rather comfortably. The first two episodes take one across the globe, right from the war-ravaged Serbia to the splendid Grand Canyon. Production design and CGI are superlative with befitting sound by Alex Belcher — level it to the reportedly staggering 300 million budget! Russo Brothers’ expansive outing sure comes in with full spy trope — lies and deceit masking reality, super agents with slick devices, familiar sights and more. One wishes they spelled ‘Sinh’ right though! Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, the sinister UK ambassador, does well. Stanley Tucci as handler Bernard Orlick provides her just the right competition. He’s commanding and gets witty dialogues throughout — ‘Why would you trust me? I am exceedingly untrustworthy. I am a spy.” The show is not sheer action, but drama to a large proportion. It’s funny in bursts too. Extravagant and expansive, Russo Brothers’ global spy extravaganza treads the staple spy tropes and yet entertains. (Streaming on Amazon Prime) mate not only Karikalan, but other heirs of the empire too. The conspiracies (of her making) keep the interest and intrigue factor alive. Added by captivating cinematography (Ravi Varman’s brilliant camerawork from wide angle to intimate close-ups), lyrics by Gulzar, and music by AR Rahman, the master storyteller Mani Ratnam takes us right into the heart of history and drama. It’s a period perhaps we north Indians know and understand only from textbooks. Here, based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s epic historicalfiction novel, it is fleshed out as a tale of rulers as human beings not just as warriors, whose empire extended from the Maldives in the south to the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. The re-imagination of the golden period has all that it takes to create a majestic period piece and a lot more. If the prequel climaxed with a teaser, there are more tantalising moments at hand. Arulmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan may have survived, but so have his enemies. And how he escapes a daring attack at the Buddhist PS 2is not just a glorious tribute to one of the longest ruling empires in world history, but a beatific cinematic treatise Film: Ponniyin Selvan 2 Director: Mani Ratnam Cast: Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prabhu, Prakash Raj and Kishore Kumar G Rating:  MOVIE REVIEW monastery is one of the many climatic highs of the film. But if one expected more from Aishwarya’s double role, well, one is a tad disappointed. Not with Aishwarya though, who as Nandini and Mandakini mirrors the many emotions and shades of her part(s). A woman torn apart by love, set on the path of retribution, her emotional distress as Nandini is palpable. Vikram’s feelings as Aditha Karikalan are as angst-ridden and tread a similar path of heartbreak and tragedy. Arulmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan’s arc finds a more affirming resolution. Jayam Ravi as the righteous ruler, who is just right for the part, impresses with his royal persona, charm and skills. Cast in the titular part, the prince who rose to be the greatest of all Chola rulers, he is an epitome of selflessness and all that is right with royalty. ‘Praja par vishwas kiye bina prashasan nahi kiya ja sakta,’ he says with conviction and displays the same courage of conviction in his act and deeds. Karthi, as Vallavaraiyan, the warrior prince of Vaana clan once again gets a meaty part, only this time around he is more serious than flirtatious. As the film navigates twists and turns, tragic too and finally arrives at a heartwarming finale, it’s a fulfilling treat. Visually no doubt, but equally engaging are the dramatic On World Dance Day, here’s a look at some iconic hook steps Aanya Jatana Tatad Tatad, Dabbang, Thriller, Ghungroo, Ek Do Teen, Zingaat and My Name Is Lakhan; these celebrated songs have one thing in common — their timeless hook steps! This World Dance Day, let’s take a look at some other iconic hook steps. Oscar-winning, RRR’s Naatu Naatu never fails to impress. Choreographed by Prem Rakshith, it was recently performed at the 95th Academy Awards. Another unforgettable number, Kajra Re Kajra Re, starring Aishwarya Rai Bacchan, hubby Abhishek Bacchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, saw them shaking a leg to Vaibhavi Merchant’s choreography. Big B’s quirky dance style is iconic in itself, giving us go-to moves in songs like Apni Toh Jaise Taise, Khaike Paan Banaras Wala and Rock N Roll Soniye. Farah Khan gave classic hook steps for SRK in Chhaiyan Chhaiyan and Priyanka Chopra in Desi Girl. Hritik Roshan’s effortless performances in Ek Pal Ka Jeena, You Are My Sonia and Tu Meri never fail to get us going. In the same league are Kaala Chashma and Hardy Sand- Hook-ed! choreographed by actor Jenna Ortega herself. Another TikTok sensation was a fun sequence on the Rap Song Jiggle Jiggle by Duke & Jones and Louis Theroux. It was named one of the top songs on TikTok in 2022. Clips of celebrities like Shakira and Camila Mendes performing the hook step also went viral. Another social media favourite was American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor’s Made You Look. Spring in step hu’s Bijlee Bijlee. Reels of celebs and netizens dancing to these songs at weddings and parties send waves across the internet. Anil Kapoor made Hollywood actor George Clooney perform the energetic Nach Panjabban hook step during a virtual interaction! Looking West The west too has given its fair share of hook steps that we can’t help but shake a leg to. Gangnam Style by South Korean singer PSY, which released in July 2012, was the first video to hit one billion views on YouTube. Any party c m y b NAATU NAATU was deemed incomplete without American EDM group Major Lazer and French DJ and producer DJ Snake’s Lean On, whose video was shot in India. The iconic dance sequence from the Netflix series Wednesday on the 1980’s hit Song Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps also made everyone sway and spin. From Madonna to Lady Gaga, everyone was obsessed with the eccentric Goth-girl dance piece that was But dance need not be done according to a fixed set of steps, it is also an expression of joy and freedom. Alia Bhatt’s free-spirited dance in Highway was a reflection of the same, as she swayed to the song Wanna Mash Up. Kangana’s character dances her woes away in Hungama Ho Gaya from the 2013 movie Queen. Whether you’ve shimmied down to the dance floor or boogied the night away, there are always some signature steps that we call our own. Be it Shah Rukh Khan’s evergreen arm raise in every romantic song or Salman Khan’s towel dance; these steps will always be associated with them! flourishes. The one involving Nandini and her mother Mandakini in particular comes like a bolt from the blue. An epic drama made on an equally epic scale, PS 2 is not just a glorious tribute to one of the longest ruling empires in world history but a beatific cinematic treatise. Despite its rather long length of little less than three hours, it doesn’t lose you at any point. Of course, with attention paid to detail it also demands and commands your attention. A befitting sequel high on resplendence, emotional graphs and stellar acting, PS 2 once again proves that in the deft hands of Ratnam, time is relative and magic of cinema eternal. Sooraj Pancholi on Instagram after being acquitted ‘Truth always wins’ After being acquitted of abetment charges in Jia Khan’s suicide case, actor Sooraj Pancholi took to Instagram and wrote: ‘ Truth Always Wins’. The actor posted this note with folded hands and a heart emoji. He wrote in the hashtags# GodisGreat. Almost 10 years after actress Jiah Khan’s death by suicide, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on Friday acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi of abetment charges. “Due to paucity of evidence, this court can’t hold you (Sooraj Pancholi) guilty, hence acquitted,” Special CBI court judge Judge AS Sayyed said while pronouncing the verdict. Jiah Khan was found dead in her suburban home on June 3, 2013. Based on a letter seized on June 10, which was purportedly written by the 25-year-old Jiah, Mumbai Police booked Suraj Pancholi under section 306 (abetment to suicide) and arrested him. Sooraj, son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, was allegedly in a relationship with Jiah. Jiah’s mother Rabia Khan alleged that her daughter was murdered. In October 2013, Rabia moved to the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe. — ANI