23102023-LSTC-01.qxd 10/22/2023 11:15 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Up next Superstar Akshay Kumar has started shooting for his next film titled Khel Khel Mein. The movie went on the floors in London on Saturday. LUDHIANA | MONDAY | 23 OCTOBER 2023 In a happy space Sheetal A I’ll be back! Singer Rihanna planning a ‘massive’ comeback tour The Love The Way You Lie hitmaker Rihanna may be on maternity leave, but she is planning a ‘massive’ comeback tour for 2024-2025 after striking a deal worth $38 million with Live Nation. The singer already has two albums of new material to release. An insider said, “Rihanna is quietly planning a comeback tour after signing with Live Nation. The deal was created to facilitate a world tour and her creative team is quietly at work in Los Angeles, putting it all together as she raises her family. She’ll press play on the live show once she’s ready to go back to work and has two albums’ worth of material to release once she’s back.” Rihanna and her rapper fiancee A$AP Rocky welcomed their second son, Riot Rose, in August. They are already parents to 18-month-old RZA. Rihanna, 35, revealed she was expecting another baby during her Super Bowl show in February. The singer has been enjoying lots of family time since then but Rihanna hasn’t let her career slip, trusting her team to make all the necessary preparations for her return. The star isn’t in a hurry to rush back though because in recent months, she has become a billionaire and the world’s richest female musician, thanks to the success of her cosmetics’ range. — IANS CTRESS-INFLUENCER Dolly Singh is on cloud nine after her first big acting project, Thank You for Coming, has been appreciated by audiences. Featuring Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Gill, Kusha Kapila, Shibani Bedi and Dolly, it’s a sex comedy, a topic that has often explored in Bollywood from the male point of view. Dolly has been part of the series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, Modern Love Mumbai and Double XL, but feels that she truly has arrived as an actress with Thank You for Coming. A successful influencer with a following of over 1.6 million on Instagram, she says, “In my first show, Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, I had a good role but it didn’t work because of the pandemic. We didn’t get enough time to promote it. After that I did act in big projects, but the roles were kind of blink and miss. When the first show came out, I thought my life was about to change. So, it really hit me hard because it did not work and I wasn’t expecting that. I thought I would get a lot of offers, but nothing came by for a year.” Dolly Singh, who is a part of the film Thank You for Coming, says it was her childhood dream to become an actress ROLE CALL Dolly, playing Pallavi Khanna in Thank You for Coming, wasn’t interested in portraying the role of a best friend yet again. “I gave an audition just for the sake of it and got rejected. But two-three months later, the makers asked for another audition. I gave it my all and everything fell in place.” On whether there’s indifference in the industry towards an influencer, Dolly clears the air, “One cannot deny that there is a slight bias against influencers turned actors. However, it is not true that our stature or numbers on social media get us a role.” DREAM COME TRUE Although she never expressed it, Dolly’s childhood dream was to become an actress. She says, “I remember I was so ‘Sensitive Coming up and fragile’ ‘Cinema is universal language’ Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt feels while cinema may be separated by languages, it in its entirety is a universal language of emotions that appeals to the audience. Over the years, the superstar has delivered some iconic roles in Hindi cinema, most notably in the 1993 blockbuster Khalnayak, Sadak, Vaastav, the Munna Bhai franchise, Agneepath and several others. He ventured into the South Indian film industry with his role as Adheera in KGF: Chapter 2, leaving a profound impact. He followed it up with his Tamil debut in Leo, as an antagonist. About venturing into different film industries across India, Sanjay says, “While language can seem like a hurdle, remember this — cinema is the universal language of human emotion. Stories have a remarkable way of reaching people beyond words, touching the very core of our existence.” Continuing his streak, the superstar is now geared up to star in the upcoming Kannada film KD The jealous when I got to know that a local girl from Nainital was picked for a prominent role in Koi Mil Gaya. The film was shot in Nainital, my hometown. I would often think why it was not me. Even though I wanted to be there, at the same time I was a very shy kid. I never actively took part even in school plays, but still always wanted to be an actress.” Rashmika Mandanna’s next film titled The Girlfriend Actress Rashmika Mandanna is set to headline The Girlfriend, a film presented by veteran producer Allu Aravind of Geetha Arts, the makers announced on Sunday. The upcoming movie is written and directed by Rahul Ravindran, known for films such as Chi La Sow and Manmadhudu 2. Geetha Arts shared the announcement along with its first look on its official X page. “The world is full of great love stories. But there are those few love stories that haven’t been heard or seen before. And ‘The Girlfriend’ is one such. #RM24 @GeethaArts Production No.51 is #TheGirlfriend,” the banner said in the post. Mandanna’s other projects include “Animal” and “Pushpa: The Rule”. — PTI Sanjay Dutt Devil. He will also be seen in Double Ismart, an upcoming Telugu movie scheduled to be released on March 8, 2024. The movie will be Thank you! Arjun Rampal expresses gratitude for success of Bhagavanth Kesari Actor Arjun Rampal has expressed gratitude towards the audience after receiving a positive response for his South Indian debut project Bhagavanth Kesari. About the box-office success of Day 1 wherein the film crossed Rs 20 crore, he said, “Bhagavanth Kesari has been a truly special film for me right from the beginning to the end. From working with such an incredible cast to the love it has received from audiences all over the world, this journey has been quite extraordinary. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to watch the movie.” — ANI directed by Puri Jagannadh, and feature Ram Pothineni and Sanjay Dutt as lead characters. — IANS Priyanka Chopra reflects on motherhood Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas has reflected on her role as a mom. The actress, 41, opened up about motherhood and how it was a journey filled with varying emotions. The actress, who shares 21-month-old daughter, Malti Marie, with husband Nick Jonas, said, “I think when you put them to bed, it’s extremely overwhelming because every single day you worry about what you can do wrong and what mistake you might make. But you have to check yourself, and I check myself with my family. I look at my daughter’s smile, and I’m like ‘okay, okay’. I’m doing well so far’. It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s extremely scary.” Priyanka and Nick welcomed their first child together via surrogacy on January 15, 2022. Priyanka added: “I don’t know if having my own daughter has specifically made me want to get behind amplifying women’s voices. That’s something that I am extremely aware of, being a woman who has the privilege of choosing my life and my career. There are so many women around the world that don’t get that opportunity.” Still, the Citadel star noted that motherhood had made her more aware of her own emotions. “It has made me a tad more sensitive and fragile, I think it has made me a little bit nervous . I didn’t expect that,” she said. — IANS Here are a few movies that highlighted the devastating consequences of uncontrolled anger and toxic masculinity FIT of rage Toxic masculinity is a complicated subject that often features prominently in cinematic narratives. Here are some stories with protagonists whose issues drove them over the edge. Huge debate Arjun Reddy This fiery portrayal of a passionate and hot-tempered medical student inspired remakes like Kabir Singh and created a huge debate about the normalisation of what many perceived as confines of a marriage. The film centres around the intricate journey of Siddharth, brilliantly portrayed by Dulquer Salmaan, as he struggles with his inner fury. This turmoil profoundly impacts the relationships he holds dear, particularly with his wife and family. (Available on iTAP) Complex narrative Kaatru Veliyidai Kaatru Veliyidai toxic masculinity. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Vijay Deverakonda starred in this 2017 Telugu drama that revolved around the protagonist’s ego and his complicated love affair with Preeti (Shalini Pandey). (Available on Disney +Hotstar and Prime Video) c m y b Kali Domestic violence Thappad Thappad unravels the complex theme of domestic violence. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, this 2020 film stars Taapsee Pannu as Amrita, a gentle, nurturing housewife whose life undergoes a seismic shift when her husband Arjun Reddy Vikram, portrayed by Pavail Gulati, slaps her during a house party. But Thappad is more than about just one slap; it delivers a powerful critique of patriarchy that excuses domestic violence as normal. The film also stars Dia Mirza, Ratna Pathak Shah, Kumud Mishra, Tanvi Thappad Azmi and Manav Kaul. (Available on Prime Video) Inner fury Kali Sameer Thahir’s directorial masterpiece shares the devastating consequences of uncontrolled anger in everyday situations as well as within the Kaatru Veliyidai focuses on the life of Varun, an Indian Air Force pilot battling anger issues. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the film highlights the destructive consequences of uncontrolled anger on his personal relationships. Through this narrative, Kaatru Veliyidai issues a vivid reminder of the importance of self-regulating toxic emotions. The film also stars Karthi, Aditi Rao Hydari and RJ Balaji. (Available on JioCinema)