05032024-LSTC-01.qxd 3/5/2024 12:14 AM Page 1 c m y b FOOD FOR THOUGHT Veteran actress Supriya Pathak, who has essayed the iconic character of Hansa in the streaming comedy Khichdi 2: Mission Paanthukistan, has called the Khichdi franchise a prescription and her character a stressbuster. She also believes that doing comedy is more complex than other genres. TRIBUNE New track Life Rapper Pitbull calls it an honour to collaborate with singer Dolly Parton. The new track pays a tribute to working women and features a sample of Parton’s 9 to 5 song. CHANDIGARH | TUESDAY | 5 MARCH 2024 They own this space After Kal Penn, Irrfan Khan, Priyanka Chopra paved their way to Hollywood, the new crop of South-Asian actors is solidifying its position like never before such as Farhan Akhtar and Fawad Khan. Dhanush Universal issues Iman Vellani Priyanka Chopra Jonas Christmas cheers Savi Parmar ‘I will make my dream studio’ Kanpur’s Vaibhav Gupta has won singing reality show Indian Idol 14 after besting co-contestants Subhadeep Das Chowdhary from Kolkata and Rajasthan’s Piyush Panwar. Gupta, 19, was awarded with a cheque of Rs 25 lakh from Sony Entertainment Television and a Brezza from cosponsors Maruti Suzuki India Ltd in a ceremony last night. The singer says he wants to pursue a career in playback singing. “When I was a kid, I used to say idol (Indian Idol) is my dream and today it has come true for me. I am very happy and feel very proud that I have made my father happy. I thought if I work hard for long enough, one day I will get it (the idol trophy) and today I have become the winner of Idol 14,” Gupta said. “I will make my dream studio. I will make new songs in the studio and will try my best to reach you with my voice and good music,” he said. — PTI F ROM Hollywood blockbusters to acclaimed television shows, actors of South-Asian origin are increasingly making their presence felt. Gone are the days when actors of colour were often confined to stereotypical roles, playing characters that lacked depth. Now, they are portraying characters that transcend cultural boundaries and resonate with audiences worldwide. Actors like Kal Penn, Kunal Nayyar, Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari and Irrfan Khan are the pioneers in this area. The new wave of talent is further challenging these stereotypes with authentic performances. Standing tall One notable figure leading this charge is British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed, whose Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who was seen in Netflix series Never Have I Ever, is another South-Asian face to watch out for. The show is produced by Indian-American screenwriter-actor Mindy Kaling. With Never Have I Ever, she crafted a narrative that resonates with audiences of all backgrounds while celebrating the unique experiences of South-Asian Americans. Riz Ahmed Kanan Gill compelling performances have garnered critical acclaim and accolades across various platforms. Ahmed’s portrayal in films like Sound of Metal and Nightcrawler has demonstrated his versatility. Global desi girl Priyanka Chopra Jonas broke the stereotypes when she played Alex Parrish in the American TV series Quantico. In a role traditionally reserved for Western actors, Chopra mesmerised audiences with her portrayal of a talented FBI recruit nav- igating through complex missions. She has also acted in series like Citadel, Isn’t It Romantic, and Baywatch. Recent additions In the recent past, Alia Bhatt and Dhanush also made their Hollywood debut in significant roles in films, Heart of Stone and The Gray Man, respectively. The Russo Brothers’ recent venture Citadel starring Priyanka Chopra is also said to be made into an Indian spin-off by the same name. Actors Varun Dhwan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu have been cast for the upcoming series. Simply superb Kamala Khan, the titular character of Ms Marvel, portrayed by a talented Canadian actress of Pakistani descent Iman Vellani, is the first South-Asian superhero of Marvel Cinematic Universe on OTT platform. Kamala Khan brings to life the complexity and richness of a character grappling with her identity, culture, and newfound superpowers. It also includes big names From SRK to Ivanka Trump — who wore what on Day 3 of Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding festivities Christmas As Usual is appreciated for its refreshing approach to storytelling and its commitment to representing diverse voices. At the centre of the series is Indian stand-up comedian-actor Kanan Gill. He brings depth and authenticity to his multidimensional character. Colour no bar Another series, One Day, released recently on Netflix has Ambika Mod as the lead. The story isn’t about a ‘young brown woman and her experiences in London, but it’s about ‘a woman living her life and her relationships with her boyfriend, friends and her career.’ The series’ success is a reminder of the fact that diversity is now an accepted norm. As Riz Ahmed puts in, “Our differences are what make us unique, but our shared humanity is what connects us all.” Political note The estate of the late Irish singer-songwriteractivist Sinead O’Connor has denounced the Republican Party’s presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s use of her performance of Nothing Compares 2 U at his campaign rallies. The single was a part of her best-selling 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, which sold seven million copies worldwide. It was voted the No. 1 world single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards. In a statement, O’Connor’s estate and label Chrysalis Records demanded that Trump cease playing the song immediately. — IANS ‘He was not a maafiveer’ Randeep Hooda says his film will counter decades of propaganda against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar Mukesh and Nita Ambani Aditya Roy Kapur and Ananya Panday Rajinikanth and Latha Shah Rukh Khan, AbRam and Gauri Khan Bill Gates and Paula Hurd Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump The dress circle The star-studded grand pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant concluded after three-days of grand celebrations that began on March 1. Bollywood celebrities, sports personalities, and other guests had a gala time at the event in Jamnagar, Gujarat. On Day 3 celebs made stylish appearances at the gala night in traditional outfits. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan stole the limelight with his amazing look as he opted for an off-white sherwani and salwar with little embroidery at the bottom. In a picture, King Khan could be seen posing with his wife Gauri and son AbRam. AbRam looked cute in a black sherwani, while Gauri wore a heavily embellished blue sharara set. Actor Ananya Panday matched the wedding vibes as she opted for a maroon and mustard-yellow toned lehenga. Her outfit featured intricate Gujarati printed motifs all over it. Aditya Roy Kapur looked dapper as he wore a white bandhgala coat, with little embroidery, over a matching white kurta-pyjama. Former US President, Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump looked adorable in a yellow lehenga choli set at the star-studded cerempony. Her daughter, Arabella twinned with her mommy in a different hue of yellow lehenga. Ivanka’s hubby, Jared Kushner looked handsome as he wore a blue shirt, paired with a white Nehru coat. Superstar Rajinikanth opted for a white shirt which he paired with a beige veshti. Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted for a white kurtapyjama, while his wife Sakshi, dolled up in a simple yellow and red-hued printed salwar suit. Microsoft CEO, Bill Gates wore an ivory sherwani teamed with beige pyjama. Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar looked handsome as he wore a beige sherwani, while his wife Anjali opted for a pink salwar suit. Superstar Salman Khan wore a black sherwani with heavy embroidery. Celebrity couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt looked cute in traditional outfits. The Barfi actor wore a cream shwerwani, whole Alia looked beautiful in embellished lehenga in gold and beige-hue. — ANI Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani c m y b Randeep Hooda, who is gearing up for his upcoming directorial debut Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, has said that his film is not a propaganda. The actor shared that it’s actually the antidote to the propaganda against freedom fighter and politician Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The actor, who stars in the film in the titular role, spoke with the media on Monday at the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai. Randeep opined as he told the media that the public perception of Savarkar has been heavily skewed owing to propaganda against him. The actor said, “This is an anti-propaganda film. It will counter all the propaganda against Savarkar that has been going on since decades. He was not a ‘ maafiveer’ (apologist). Not only him, many other people too wrote mercy petitions at the time. I have addressed this very extensively in the film.” —IANS
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).