10112023-LSTL-01.qxd 11/9/2023 10:34 PM Page 1 c m y b VENOM 3 POSTPONED Sony Pictures has pushed back the third Venom movie to November 8, 2024. Previously, makers of the film had announced the official release date as July 12, 2024. Kelly Marcel, who wrote and produced the first two Venom movies, will direct the upcoming superhero film from a screenplay she wrote. TRIBUNE OTT route Life Actor Pankaj Tripathi will be seen headlining Kadak Singh. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, the film will be released on ZEE5. The makers on Thursday unveiled the first look poster. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2023 Playing the antagonist Sheetal Actor Indraneil Sengupta is the latest addition to the cast of Aarya, a Disney+Hotstar original. He portrays the character of Sooraj, one of the antagonists in the third season. Excited about the series, Indraneil shares, “Aarya has more challenges this season. It’s going to be more action for the viewers.” Changing times Had stagnated as an actor before Aarya, says Sushmita Sen Indraneil Sengupta, who will be seen in Aarya 3, says OTT space should not be mixed with television Sushmita Sen recently talked about her transformative experience of working in Aarya. She said she had kind of stagnated as an actor, but after meeting filmmaker Ram Madhavani she said yes to the web series. Sushmita said: “I had kind of stagnated as an actor. I was not learning anything, but wanted to learn. I did not want to do the old stuff again. Then I met Ram and knew of Aarya. In flat five minutes, I said yes, and I thought, ‘My God, I have to pull this off’.” She added, “He came to me and said, ‘I’ll need you to do workshops. You’ll have to unlearn and relearn’. I was like, ‘This is what I’ve been wanting. There is a lot I have to unlearn because I’m a 90s kid and actor’. So there was a lot to do there, and the process was made so friendly and so warm that I came back as a newcomer with a completely different approach.” Aarya Season 3 streams on Disney+ Hotstar. — IANS While in season two Sooraj’s name was brought up by the makers, it was only in season three that Indraneil joined in. Sooraj is the husband of Nandani, who accidentally died because of Aarya and in season three he has landed from overseas with the sole purpose of taking revenge from Aarya. Indraneil says, “Sooraj does not belong to a drug cartel or gangster family. He was living a happy and peaceful life abroad. Suddenly because of his wife’s death, he becomes a different person.” All praise for creator Ram Madhvani and his team, Sengupta admits it’s probably for the first time that he had agreed to do a workshop before the shoot. He explains, “Director Kapil Sharma handled all my scenes and I loved how they kept pushing everybody until they got it right.” ON THE SET OF AARYA 3 BEING SUBTLE Sengupta played a bisexual character in Bengali film Arekti Premer Golpo way back in 2008. Cut to postCovid era where one sees in the face LGBTQIA+ representation, sometimes even forced, in a plot, Sengupta draws a contrast. He shares, “I really think when the LGBTQIA+ character is introduced subtly in the narrative, it’s more acceptable. LGBTQIA+ identity should not be a glaring fact about that character. In Aarya, Vikas Kumar, who plays ACP INDRANEIL SENGUPTA Khan, is gay but that is never forced in the narrative; it’s organic.” Sengupta, who is more into inclusivity, says, “When there is a hot topic, people exploit it to the fullest. But when you try to exploit it, you absolutely dilute it and make a mockery of it, which is not how it should be.” Blurring lines One thing that he is worried about when it comes to OTT and its future, is the bridge that’s being built between OTT and television. He opines, “OTT space should not be mixed with television. However, OTT is also moving towards a television kind of sensibility, which is a little sad.” On the work front, he awaits the release of second season of Zee5 series Mithya and a yet-untitled Bengali film. At times, Sengupta feels he is a little interested in filmmaking but then he thinks he is not equipped for it. “I think it needs a lot of work behind the scenes. That time has not come yet,” he signs off. AR Rahman, Neliima Azeem, Vidya Balan and Aditya Roy Kapoor attend screening of Ishaan Khatter’s Pippa Ahead of the release of Ishaan Khatter-starrer war film Pippa, the makers hosted a grand screening. It was attended by the star cast, including Vidya Balan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Jackie Shroff and many more. The screening, which was held in Juhu, in Mumbai, saw the man of the hour, Ishaan, in a three-piece grey suit. In black formal shoes, donning a moustache and beard, Ishaan looked simply dapper. The actor was accompanied by his parents — mother Neliima Azeem and father Rajesh Khattar. Neliima was seen in an emerald green suit, while Rajesh wore a white kurta and blue denims. Ishaan’s sister-in-law Mira Rajput, wife of actor Shahid Kapoor, was also present on the occasion. She wore a pink satin co-ord set, with her hair open and matching heels. Pippa also stars Mrunal Thakur. The actress looked beautiful during the screening as she wore a brown bodycon gown with off-shoulders neckline and long sleeves. Soni Razdan, who is also a part of the movie, looked radiant in a multi-coloured kaftan dress. She was accompanied by husband and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and daughter Shaheen. Zaved Akhtar was seen in a yellow kurta, while Jackie wore a green shirt and was seen holding a plant in his hand. Aditya looked dapper in a casual grey t-shirt and ripped denims, while Kunal Kemmu exuded boho vibes in a black sleeveless t-shirt, blue denims and a bandana. Vidya Balan wore a black saree, while Rasika Dugal was seen in a white formal shirt and flared denims. Others who attended the screening included Vijay Varma, Ali Fazal, Nimrat Kaur, Sobhita Dhulipala and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Pippa is a thrilling narrative of a landmark moment in history, the ‘Battle of Garibpur’, during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, which was pivotal in Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. The film features Ishaan as the real-life war hero Captain Balram Singh Mehta along with Mrunal Thakur, Priyanshu Painyuli and Soni Razdan in pivotal roles. The movie is based on the book The Burning Chaffees by Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta. Produced by Ronnie Screwvala under the banner of RSVP and Siddharth Roy Kapur’s Roy Kapur Films, and directed by Raja Krishna Menon, it will release on Prime Video on November 10. — IANS Into the war zone ADITYA ROY KAPUR AND VIDYA BALAN Mrunal Thakur and Ishaan Khatter SHAHEEN BHATT, MAHESH BHATT AND SONI RAZDAN c m y b