10092023-LSTC-01.qxd 9/9/2023 11:09 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Set for stage American rapper Nicki Minaj will perform at MTV’s Video Music Awards 2023. Minaj, who is nominated for six VMAs this year, will announce this year’s performers, presenters and winners. CHANDIGARH | SUNDAY | 10 SEPTEMBER 2023 ‘Grateful beyond words’ Gadar 2 director Anil Sharma tells his critics why the film is being loved by the masses Working with superstar Shah Rukh Khan is the dream of so many actors and directors. Ridhi Dogra also dreamt of it in her life and she finally managed to fulfil her “sapna” with Atlee’s directorial Jawan. Ridhi Dogra reveals no phones were allowed on Jawan sets Keeping it classic Kate Middleton pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on first death anniversary On the first death anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Middleton and Prince William travelled to Wales for a service honouring her at the ancient St. Davids Cathedral. During the service, Princess Kate stepped forward with her husband by her side to place a bouquet of white flowers at a portrait of Queen Elizabeth. The Princess of Wales has regularly paid tribute to the late Elizabeth II through her jewellery. So marking the queen’s first death anniversary, Kate wore a pair of the late monarch’s pearl-and-diamond drop earrings for the event. The classic style, which Queen Elizabeth wore for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, includes a teardrop-shaped pearl hanging from a diamond stud versus the larger round pair she usually wore. The princess paired her pearls with the maroon coatdress. The event, called “an act of reflection for accession day,” included prayers said in both Welsh and English. Queen Elizabeth II was 96 when she breathed her last on September 8 last year. —ANI Pamela Anderson needs ‘two hours’ to have her ‘natural’ look Carefully careless? Pamela Anderson has said her new natural look “still takes two hours in front of the mirror”. The former Baywatch star is embracing a more relaxed image but she’s revealed looking natural is just as time-consuming as wearing a full face of cosmetics because it still takes hours to achieve. “This is a new chapter in my life and, I don’t know, natural beauty still takes two hours in front of a mirror,” she joked when speaking to Entertainment Tonight. In a recent interview, the 56-year-old actress said she decided to change her look after the death of her longtime make-up artist Alexis Vogel. She said, “She was the best. And since then, I just felt, without Alexis, it’s just better for me not to wear makeup.” Pamela added her new look has been “freeing, and fun, and a little rebellious too.” She went on, “I did notice that there were all these people doing big make-up looks, and it’s just like me to go against the grain and do the opposite what everyone’s doing.” “I think we all start looking a little funny when we get older. And I’m kind of laughing at myself when I look at the mirror. I go, ‘Wow, this is really ... what’s happening to me?’ It’s a journey. (But) I feel rooted for. I feel good. I’m in a good place.” The screen star added she’s now most comfortable when she’s at home working in her garden or making pottery. She’s poured her love of renovations into her reality show Pamela’s Garden of Eden which shows her doing up her home - previously owned by her grandmother - on Vancouver Island in her native Canada. —IANS Team Gadar 2 celebrates the success of the film at the box office Nonika Singh C RITICS be damned. As Gadar 2 is literally creating gadar on the box office, director Anil Sharma is a in state of total bliss. Upfront and candid, he neither minces words nor lets harsh reviews dampen his enthusiasm. For, the more the critics hated his film, it seems the more the masses loved it. As the film breaches the elusive Rs 500 crore border, he might profess that ‘nindak nere raakhiye’ (keep your critics close to you) for they help you evolve, he knows too well at this stage what critics say or don’t say matters little. First things first. To all those who allege Gadar 2 is a launch-pad for his son Utkarsh Sharma, he shoots back, “So what if it is? All fathers support their children, if I did it, what’s wrong with it.” Moreover, he reinstates how it was Utkarsh who played Tara Singh’s son Jeete 22 years back in Gadar and has created a history of sorts. “For, it’s rare that the child actor reprises the same adult character two decades later.” As for backing 65-year-old ‘Writing reviews is easy, try making a film’ Sunny Deol, the answer is simple, “Who else but Sunny? Gadar is quintessentially a story of Tara Singh, Sakina and Jeete.” Sunny, in fact, has been a part of many of his films such as Singh Saab The Great. He says, “Sunny truly gets into his part. He keeps discussing the story and his character till he immerses himself completely. And then he cries, shouts, is angry of his volition and it’s near impossible to make him snap out of the character.” As audiences are going ga ga over Sunny’s powerpacked performance, even comparing him to Thor, we wonder if he had the Marvel hero on his mind? “Not at all. I am a dehati banda. All I know is that in villages when men are enraged they pick up hathodas (hammer) to fight.” But yes, in Tara Singh he does see a superhero of Indian origin. While critics may not have been able to fathom why the film has set the box office on fire, he has a ready answer, “When a film is a genuine hit as Gadar: Ek Prem Katha was back in 2001, there is nostalgic excitement among viewers to meet the same characters, just as it happened with Top Gun and Mad Max. It’s like meeting your family members after a long time. Secondly, as an Australian fan told me, Gadar 2 is a family film and finally, the patriotic flavour touched a chord.” On the acerbic tribe who are dubbing the film as overtly jingoistic, he laughs, “When my character says Hindustan zindabad with patriotic fervour and enthused gusto they say it’s jingoistic. Frankly, till date I have not understood what jingoism truly means. Critics can coin whatever word they choose to.” To those who still don’t understand his idea of filmmaking he throws an open challenge, “Writing reviews is easy, try making a film.” For someone who began his career at 18 as an assistant to BR Chopra, he does owe the filmmaker a debt of gratitude. “Jo kuch seekha unse hi toh seekha.” Among the many lessons he learnt was that story is the king. He adds, “Few minutes into the film and the setting, the costumes, makeup and the camera angles cease to matter. What is important is whether your story connects with the audiences emotionally or not. Today there is much talk about content where again they look at all possible aspects but miss the emotional connect.” For the people of Armenia Jungle safari Kim K asks Joe Biden to boycott Azerbaijan to prevent ‘another Armenian genocide’ Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has asked US President Joe Biden to prevent another Armenian genocide. The 42-year-old star, who is of Armenian descent, has co-written an article with Dr Eric Esrailian for Rolling Stone, in which they plead with Biden to take action to protect Armenians from Azerbaijan. “My Plea to President Joe Biden to Stop Another Armenian Genocide. It’s time for America (and the world) to take action to protect Armenians from Azerbaijan,” Kim shared a link to the article on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote. Kim wrote that she and countless others are “descendants of Armenian genocide survivors” and went on to detail how Azerbaijan’s actions have affected those living in Armenia. She wrote, “Azerbaijan has blockaded the only lifeline between the indigenous Christian Armenians of Artsakh” and the rest of the world. Adding that the war in Ukraine has meant some countries have come to rely on Azerbaijan for oil, she wrote that Azerbaijan in using “starvation as a weapon against the Armenian population in the region.” Kim is asking President Biden to cut off foreign aid to Azerbaijan and boycott international events happening in the country. The star, whose late father Robert Kardashian was Armenian, donated $1 million to the Armenia Fund three years ago. —IANS c m y b Among the many integral elements of a successful film, besides a strong storyline, he pinpoints, “It should appeal to one and all not just niche audiences. Besides, it must possess the singular ability to entertain; make people smile, laugh and cry. And there can be no Indian film without music.” With films like Hukumat, Veer, Apne, et al to his credit, he looks back at his journey with a great deal of satisfaction. As his hit flop report card reads a favourable 80 per cent, with Gadar franchise shining like a beacon clearly he has no reason to complain. Gadar’s success could have been a double-edged sword…. for every time people do expect you to match the same feat. But with Gadar 2 rivalling the prequel, he can easily proclaim, “My journey has just begun.” Kunal Kapur & Akshata Murty At your service Celebrity chef Kunal Kapur “feeling incredibly honoured” as he cooks for First Ladies Celebrity chef Kunal Kapur expressed his happiness as he got an opportunity to serve the First Ladies of the UK, Japan, and Turkey at the G-20 summit. He shared pictures with them on Instagram and wrote in the caption, “Feeling incredibly honoured and excited for having this opportunity to serve the First Ladies of the UK, Japan, and Turkey at the G-20 summit. A momentous occasion that I will cherish forever!”—ANI On Akshay Kumar’s birthday, the producers unveiled the release date of Welcome To The Jungle on Saturday. The film extends the beloved franchise of the film Welcome providing an amazing family entertainer to the fans with 24 actors in a film for the first time in Indian cinema. —ANI In the action-packed drama, Ridhi essays the role of Kaveri, Shah Rukh’s adopted mother. Her brief role did not go unnoticed and won hearts. As the film is ruling the box office, Ridhi took to Instagram and penned a lengthy post. “This film is a blockbuster. Is what I said every time I was on the sets of Jawan. You all are celebrating the film as a festival which makes me want to celebrate too with this long post. #towhomsoeveritmayconcern. I’m grateful beyond words. PS: No phones were allowed on set,” Ridhi said. — ANI