09052023-LSTC-01.qxd 5/8/2023 10:20 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Lead role Pankaj Tripathi on Sunday started shooting for his upcoming film Main Atal Hoon, a biopic based on the life of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He will play the lead role. ANI LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 9 MAY 2023 Dare todream Mona A Great honour Ayushmann Khurrana to be felicitated by PU In Chandigarh, Rakul Preet Singh says regional cinema is more accessible to urban audience now Slowly, Rakul cemented her place in the Telugu industry, but started afresh in Hindi cinema, “It didn’t come easy, but I wanted to take my chance. My first Hindi film was supposed to be MS Dhoni, but dates changed and I had prior commitment. So, it was only with Aiyaary that I got the first break in Hindi cinema.” Soon followed De De Pyaar De, Cuttputlli, Doctor G, Thank God and Chhatriwali, among others. Taylor score(s) again Singer Taylor Swift has won big at this year’s edition of the 2023 MTV Movie and TV Awards, which were held in Los Angeles on Sunday. Her song Carolina was named the Best Song. Released in 2022, Carolina was featured in the film Where the Crawdads Sing. Written solely by Swift, 32, and produced by frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner, Carolina features great vocals by the 11-time Grammy winner. Meanwhile, the awards ceremony, which was derailed by the US writers' strike and forced to turn into a non-live Great phase “I really enjoy this phase of our cinema that there are such beautiful roles written for the likes of Shefali ma’m, Tabu, Taapsee, Bhumi; I loved what Kriti Sanon did in Mimi.” For those who believe that nobody gets work in Bollywood without ‘compromising’, Rakul said, “Till date nobody has ever done or said anything remotely demeaning to me. Getting work on the basis of your sheer capa- event, saw many expressions of support for the striking writers. — ANI ‘Namaste’ Actor Sonam Kapoor delivered a spoken word piece about the Commonwealth at the Coronation Concert to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as part of the United Kingdom’s long celebratory weekend. The event, which also saw performances by pop stars Katy Perry and Take That, was held at Windsor Castle on Sunday evening. Dressed in an exquisite Anamika Khanna-Emilia Wickstead ensemble, Sonam began her address with a namaste. “Our Commonwealth is a union. Together, we are one third of the world’s people. One third of the world’s ocean. One quarter of the world’s land. Each of our countries is unique; each of our peoples special, but we choose to stand as one, learning from our history; blessed by our diversity; driven by our values; and determined to build a more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous future for everyone; where every voice is heard,” the 37year-old actor said in her spoken word piece. She then introduced the Commonwealth virtual choir composed of performers from across the 56 Commonwealth countries, alongside the legendary musician Steve Winwood. The group performed a modern version of his song Higher Love, accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra. “I was so proud to wear this look created together by my friends Anamika and Emilia on this important occasion,” the actor, who divides her time between Mumbai and London, said in a statement later. Sonam wore a design created especially for this historic occasion by the two designers from the Commonwealth. The bespoke floor-length Actors Vinay Pathak and Yashpal Sharma too were part of the Chandigarh Music and Film Festival 2023, and shared interesting anecdotes from their long spanning careers. “I learnt a lot from my senior coactors, but much from the legendary Om Puri. All your talent, hard work and training aside, it’s more important to be a good human being first. Only then can you become a true artiste,” said Pathak. Yashpal Sharma shared. “It is very important to break the herd mentality. When I made my first film as a director, Dada Lakhmi, I gave six years of my life to it, as I wanted to create something novel. National YASHPAL SHARMA Award from the President and a run at Cannes, the film has been watched and loved globally.” He also asked the students to take their local stories and reach out to the global audience, as today ‘content is the hero’. PHOTOS: NITIN MITTAL Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana will soon be honoured by his alma mater, Panjab University, for his contribution to Indian cinema. The actor will travel to Chandigarh to receive the award on May 20 and also interact with the students of the prestigious institute. Panjab University’s alumni list consists of people who have made India proud globally like Ayushmann. The other notable names are Manmohan Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Shekhar Gupta and Kiran Bedi, among others. Ayushmann shared, “While studying at the Panjab University’s mass com department, I was astonished to learn about so many seniors who had become national icons. It was a great honour for me to have studied at this prestigious institution, mentored by brilliant teachers.” ‘CONTENT IS THE HERO’ N Army kid, a hyper actor, a Sardarni in love with food and a freespirited girl, when Rakul Preet Singh was in Chandigarh for a brief halt, she won hearts along with her pretty looks and wit. Part of the 3rd Chandigarh Music and Film Festival 2023, Rakul opened up on her journey. Rakul bagged her first film, a Kannada movie titled Gilli, during her college years. “I did it thinking it was my chance to have my first car before any of my friends,” she laughed. One film led to others and not before long, she had tasted stardom. “I was bowled over on the sets on the very first day when everybody started calling me ma’m, as I was just 18!” bility might take long, but I wasn’t aiming at overnight success anyway. So, the journey has been beautiful.” She credits it all to her Army upbringing, “Much of my confidence, comes from Army culture. You carry yourself in a way that nobody can dare to be disrespectful.” Having worked with who’s who of regional cinema, Rakul shared, “The pandemic broke boundaries and regional cinema became accessible to urban audience. Today we have women leading the films as there is Sonam Kapoor delivers spoken word piece at King Charles III’s Coronation Concert an audience for it, similar is the case with films in different languages.” She said spectacles like RRR or Pathaan would always be successful in cinema, and content-driven films, like her Chhatriwali, were cut-out for OTT. “The industry is still figuring out the dynamics and I am sure it’s just matter of time till we find the right formula.” Rakul also regaled Chandigarh University students . “Do not trust the narratives sold to you, think and question, and as long as you are working hard, you can achieve what you dream.” PHOTOS: PTI/REUTERS VINAY PATHAK Shub-Man to Spider-Man! Shubhman Gill to lend voice for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse LIONEL RICHIE ROCKS Apart from Katy Perry, another solid performance that stole the limelight at Coronation Concert was by Lionel Richie. Sitting on a black baby grand piano to perform, the singer sang The Commodores classic, Easy. Later he crooned his own hit All Night Long (All Night) to a cheering crowd. Lionel’s daughter, Sofia Richie, was also spotted in the audience. — ANI gown featuring a sweeping band detail around the shoulders framing a corseted bodice, and a full-skirt lined with architectural godet pleats was designed by New Zealand-born, UK-based fashion designer Emilia. The calico-inspired print was created by celebrated Indian fashion designer Anamika. In the 17th and 18th centuries, calico prints were an important commodity traded between India and the UK. — PTI KATY PERRY ‘YOU CAN BE MY WINGMAN ANY TIME’ Tom Cruise showed his support to the newly coronated King Charles through his virtual presence. The Top Gun: Maverick star, 60, appeared in a video cameo, giving King Charles III a shout-out while sitting in a fighter jet. “Pilot to pilot, Your TOM CRUISE Majesty, you can be my wingman any time,” Cruise said. — ANI c m y b PALOMA FAITH Cricketer Shubhman Gill is now all set to woo the audience with his voice. Yes, you read it right. The Indian batter will lend his voice to Indian Spider-Man, Pavitr Prabhakar, in the Hindi and Punjabi versions of the upcoming Sony Pictures’ animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Sharing the update, Shubhman took to Instagram and wrote, “ShubMan is now Spider-Man! Thrilled to give my voice for the Indian SpiderMan, Pavitr Prabhakar in SpiderMan: Across the #SpiderVerse. Trailer dropping soon! Get ready for some web-slinging action.” Shubhman further said, “I have grown up watching Spider-Man, and he is one of the most relatable superheroes. Since the movie will be showcasing Indian Spider-Man for the first time on screen, getting to be the voice of Pavitr Prabhakar in the Hindi and Punjabi languages has been such a remarkable experience for me. Already, I feel superhuman. I am eagerly anticipating the release of this movie.” — ANI