23032024-LSTL-01.qxd 3/23/2024 12:55 AM Page 1 c m y b BOMAN’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT Prime Video has unveiled a sneak peek into The Mehta Boys, marking the directorial debut of acclaimed actor Boman Irani. He is also the writer and producer of this project. TRIBUNE On board Life Heart’s wish Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu wants to work with SRK, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu, who is known for her role in Mean Girls, said she would love to be part of Indian cinema as she has grown up watching films such as Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) and Veer Zaara. Avantika, who will be seen in the Hindi series Big Girls Don’t Cry, shared: “It’s truly surreal to come full circle and return to India, from my roots as a child actor to now leading a Hindi series like Big Girls Don’t Cry. This homecoming feels like a dream come true.” “Since my childhood I have been watching Yash Chopra films like Chandni, Veer Zaara, DDLJ, Darr, among many others... and developed a desire to work in Bollywood films. I love the colour, emotions and cheerful Indian movies, and cannot wait to be a part of them.” Avantika, who was born to an Indian, Teluguspeaking family, made her mark in several Hollywood projects, including Mean Girls, Spin, and Senior Years, among others. She said that she would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. The actress said: “I have grown up admiring SRK, Deepika, Alia and so many actors, and would love to work with them.” — IANS Bollywood actorTusshar Kapoor has joined the cast of Dunk. Produced by Prerna Arora, the film also stars Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Shivin Narang. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 23 MARCH 2024 Web of crime... Sheetal A CTOR-WRITER Prince Kanwaljit is back with another engrossing crime thriller, Plaster, which is currently streaming on Chaupal. Directed by Mehul Gadani, the cast of this Punjabi web series was all praise for Prince KJ, as it has not only been well-written but also happens to leave an impression on minds of the audience. After all, Warning, Panchhi and Outlaw wouldn’t have been a success if Prince KJ hadn’t thought of it in the first place. He shared, “It is a very happy moment for me. The title Plaster came to me when I was once having a chat with Gippy Grewal, and he was mentioning a story about his friend, who broke his leg and had to get a plaster done. The story was so interesting that the word plaster stuck with me. When you watch the series, you will love each character. All the actors have done a fantastic job, and we had fun during the shooting. I have a special bond with each actor, and they fit perfectly into their characters.” The extensive star cast includes Ashish Duggal, Sukhdeep Sukh, Diljot, Iqbal Actor-writer Prince Kanwaljit, whose upcoming web series Plaster is about a fraudulent drug deal, says the storyline was inspired by a real-life instance The cast of the film Plaster Charik, Deep Mandeep, Gurinder Makhna, Aman Cheema, Sukhwinder Chahal, Rangdev, Harpreet Bhoora, Lucky Mistry, Surinder Narula and Sanjeev Kaler. The series revolves around four young boys with lowincome jobs, Bunty (Navdeep), Gora (Bharat), Mistri (Gurjit Lucky), Pradeep (Dharampreet Gill) and Honey (Mohanty Sharma). Their involvement in a fraudulent drug deal that revolves around the mysterious ‘plaster’ and the jigsaw puzzle that they’re stuck in is what the story is all about. Fun time Actor Sukhdeep Sukh calls his role a unique one, something that people haven’t seen much of in Punjabi films or series. He adds, “I am a stylised drug lord who is very conscious about what he wears and how he looks. It was hard to sit for long hours to get my hair bleached and coloured for the scenes. But then it is part of the career I chose.” Big stage Nicole Kidman reveals why she burst out laughing on seeing her father’s body in a coffin Actress Nicole Kidman has talked about how her body and mind went into a state of shock when she saw her father lying in his casket. The actress said that the grim sight led to her bursting into a fit of laughter. Nicole’ psychologist father Antony Kidman died aged 75 in 2014, after suffering a fall when visiting the actress’ sister Antonia in Singapore. “I literally started laughing because I was so grief-stricken and so devastated. My body and my psyche just couldn’t handle it.” The actress also said her grim habit of laughing at inappropriate times has followed her ever since. — IANS Actress Rashami Desai will reportedly be seen in the upcoming movie Jahangir National University (JNU), where she will be seen playing a character based on the life of writer and professor Nivedita Menon. The actress said: “First of all, a huge thanks to all my fans and supporters for waiting so patiently to see me on screen. It was a conscious decision to take a bit of a break in order to do the kind of things I wanted to do. I have truly put my blood, sweat and all my efforts to get into the skin of my character and do complete justice to it.” “A lot of people’s faith and belief is associated with me and the project, and it’s my moral responsibility to take care of all of it. As an actor, right from the research and preparation stage to doing everything that’s needed to get deep into the character, I have done it all,” she said. — IANS Speaking up Singer Ricky Martin has shared that his father, Enrique Martin Negroni, encouraged him to come out as gay and added that his professional team encouraged him to continue concealing his sexuality. “‘This is gonna be the end of your career’,” he recalled being told. “You don’t have to tell the world. Your friends know, your family know. Why do you need to stand in front of the camera and talk about it?” While his team “didn’t understand the importance” of coming out, the singer’s father did, especially after the ‘Maria’ hitmaker welcomed his twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, in 2008. “He said, ‘What are you gonna (do), teach your kids to lie? You gotta be open. You gotta go out... I want to help you. How can we do this?’” said the Grammy winner. “And I’m like, ‘All right, Dad, I’m working on it. Gimme a second. I don’t know how. I don’t know if it’s through an interview. I don’t know if I want to write a letter and tweet it. I don’t know. Gimme a break. It’ll come’.” — IANS Ricky Martin says his father encouraged him to publicly come out of the closet SRK-starrer Baazigar all set to re-release in theatres Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Shilpa Shetty-starrer cult classic film Baazigar is all set for re-release in cinemas. King Khan shared this exciting news with his fans. “Flashback to a time when magic unfolded on the silver screen! Inviting you to relive those moments at our Retro Film Festival with the iconic Bollywood classic Baazigar. I’m thrilled to join you in this nostalgic journey,” King Khan announced in an Instagram post. — ANI Actress Deep Mandeep, who is a part of this maledominated star cast, shares, “It is fun being on the sets with all those male actors. In no way did I feel performance pressure, in fact, being less in numbers, only three or four actresses in this one, we got a special treatment. I am happy that OTT allows us to be experimental.” Deep feels a lot has changed from when she began working in the industry, but there’s still need to be talks on pay parity. WHEN YOU WATCH THE SERIES, YOU WILL LOVE EACH CHARACTER. ALL THE ACTORS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, AND WE HAD FUN DURING THE SHOOTING. I HAVE A SPECIAL BOND WITH EACH ACTOR, AND THEY FIT PERFECTLY INTO THEIR CHARACTERS. PRINCE KANWALJIT, ACTOR-WRITER ‘I had no backing’ Rashami Desai to be a part of the film Jahangir National University Laughing in grief! PHOTOS: RAVI KUMAR c m y b Actress Sharvari has said when she ventured into the world of cinema, she had no backing and knew that for surviving in the industry, her work needed to either be a hit or receive acclaim. Sharvari, who is gearing up for the release of the film Vedaa, took to Instagram and shared a still from the film, featuring actor John Abraham. The actress captioned it, “Every time anyone asked me what I wanted to become when I grow up, I only had one answer — I wanted to be an actor! Well it is easier said than done… years of patience, keeping the fire burning inside for the love of the craft, honing my skills, controlling my insecurities, going through days of self-doubt and introspection, coming out of that crashing down feeling, because well… the stars have to really align to get that one project. That empowers you to deliver the best.” Sharvari stepped into the industry with the 2020 film Bunty Aur Babli 2. — IANS Sharvari Tanvi Malhara talks about her role in Savdhaan India Apni Khaki Strengthof a woman Tanvi Malhara, the former Miss India Multinational, is captivating audiences on Star Bharat’s Savdhaan India Apni Khaki with her portrayal of Pragati Deshmukh, a determined and fierce subinspector. Tanvi shared, “When I auditioned for the role, portraying a tough, no-nonsense cop seemed like a far from my expectations. However, my passion for acting outweighed any doubts.” Embracing Pragati’s strength meant confronting her own vulnerabilities. “There were moments when I struggled to embody Pragati’s unwavering resolve. I found myself tearing up during intense scenes. But with perseverance, I stepped into her shoes,” she added. Tanvi underscored the importance of pursuing dreams relentlessly. “I’ve always aspired to be an actor, despite the obstacles. Similarly, Pragati never shies away from challenges, and that resilience resonates with me. I used to rely on others, particularly men, to make decisions for me. But now, I understand the power of making my own choices and facing the consequences head-on. It’s liberating and empowering to take control of your life and chase your dreams without regrets,” she said.
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).