01042024-LSTC-01.qxd 3/31/2024 11:56 PM Page 1 c m y b WILLEM IN SNL 1975 Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe is set to join the ensemble cast of Jason Reitman’s directorial film SNL 1975 (working title), which is based on the origin story of the popular late-night show Saturday Night Live. Dafoe will play David Tebet, who was VP Talent Relations at NBC when SNL launched. TRIBUNE Dubbing debut Life Rashmika Mandanna dubs in Malayalam for the first time for the teaser of the upcoming film The Girlfriend. Filmmaker Rahul Ravindran has heaped praise on actress for the same. CHANDIGARH | MONDAY | 1 APRIL 2024 Karan Johar desires to delve into diverse creative avenues such as music & immersive storytelling Gurnaaz Kaur I ‘Never say never’ Denise Richards on possibility of returning to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills American model and actor Denise Richards is planning to return to the reality TV series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She recently attended the Los Angeles Mission’s Easter celebration and spoke about her return on the show, reported People. “I always say, ‘Never say never,’” said Richards, adding how she is open to returning even after some recent disagreements with cast member Erika Girardi. “I have nothing against her at all,” said the Love Actually actor. She continued, “It’s just, its silly fights on the show sometimes. We’ll see what happens when they get around to going back for their season.” Season 13 finished airing earlier this month. Before telling that she’ll ‘never say never, ’ Richards confessed on the March 6 edition of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she still finds it ‘unbelievable’ that Girardi, 52, mentioned her 19-year-old daughter’s OnlyFans account. Although Richards’ return is still up in the air, former co-star Lisa Rinna recently said she’d ‘never’ go back to the reality series. The 60-year-old actress explained during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show that she would not consider returning. ‘I’m grateful for that show. I’m the person I am today because of it, but I’ll never go back. Nope, I did it. Did it, done it, saw the movie,” Rinna said. — ANI Ink addiction Vikrant Massey tattoos son Vardaan’s name, date of birth on his arm Actor Vikrant Massey, who is currently riding high on the success of 12th Fail, has tattooed the name and date of birth of his son on his arm. Vikrant took to Instagram stories and shared a close-up of the ink, which read “Vardaan” and “7-22024”. The actor wrote, “Addition or addiction? I love them both.” It was on February 7, when the actor and his wife Sheetal Thakur welcomed their first born. Vikrant will next be seen in Phir Aayi Haseen Dilruba starring Taapsee Pannu. He also has The Sabarmati Report, which is based on Gujarat railway incident of 2002. — IANS N the dynamic world of Indian cinema, few figures loom as large as Karan Johar. The creative force behind Dharma Productions, Karan has not only shaped the landscape of Bollywood but has also become an influential voice on matters ranging from filmmaking to gender politics. Him being at the concluding session of CIFF was an apt grand finale. The filmmaker was his candid best and offered insights into his journey, the evolution of his production house. He didn’t shy away from talking about his failures or sharing the principles on which his company operates. He even spoke about surrounding oneself with diverse perspectives and embracing criticism as a tool for growth. Karan’s pursuit of excellence is one thing, but when it comes to taking decisions, he relies on the superpower of instinct, which ‘all of us are born with’. “In my early days, I often relied on mainstream norms and societal expectations. However, as I evolved as a filmmaker and entrepreneur, I learned to trust my instincts more deeply. They often led me to daring and innovative creative choices.” Personal growth and societal awareness have also shaped his evolving nature and creative instincts. “I believe Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has a lot of flawed gender politics. But I didn't know better then. Because I was still growing as a human being. Now you know that a man chasing a woman romantically is not romance, it’s stalking,” he says. KJo gets candid I am hoping that eventually I make my Lagaan. I still believe I haven’t made it. And why I say Lagaan? Because it is that kind of film that will be in the archives of Indian cinema. SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERS Reema Maya is writing the digital version of Student of the Year. It will be her way and definitely not mine. I just wanted to be her voice and she made it her own. I think I might have given something away right now. Just work. If you’re not being able to direct your film, if you’re not being able to produce your film, if you’re not getting green-lit with the story you wrote, just become an AD. Simply get onto a film set. Criticism is healthy, we all say, but to deal with it when it’s thrown at you every so often can’t be easy. Being in the public eye, Karan knows it can’t be avoided. Instead, he has made it a part of his growth. “It’s very easy to operate within a bubble. It’s easy to be a victim of delusion. Delusion is a disease — when you feel like you are above it all and want to be away from it all. And do your own thing and pretend that what you are doing is great. At a very early stage, I would read my criticism more than my praise. I remain open to feedback from peers, critics, and even adversaries. Criticism is not a setback but an opportunity for growth,” he says, highlighting how insights from industry stalwarts like Anurag Kashyap have contributed to his evolution. “At Dharma Productions, delegation and trust are the pillars of leadership,” he explains. “Empowering team members to take ownership of their work fosters an environment of collaboration and communication.” This approach, he believes, not only leads to creative breakthroughs but also nurtures loyalty. Throughout his career, Karan has been unafraid to challenge traditional Bollywood norms. “I've ventured into diverse genres and storytelling formats, pushing the Selena Gomez shares glimpses of her ‘date night’ with sister Grace Singer and actor Selena Gomez had a fun night out with her younger sister Grace. She shared a series of adorable pictures with her in which they can be seen making silly poses with chopsticks. Gomez wore a black top in the photos and sat next to Grace, 10, who sported a pink shirt that showed a peek of the cartoon character Tweety Bird. The young girl also appeared to have a black and pink plaster cast on her right arm. “Sissy date night,” Doting sister the Only Murders in the Building star captioned the post. Grace grinned and held a set of chopsticks near her head in the first snap, while Gomez imitated eating a mouthful of food next to her. In the second shot, they pose with their spoons, and in the last photo, they shared a kiss at the table while holding their utensils. Gomez became a big sister when her mother, Mandy Teefey, welcomed Grace in California in June 2013. The siblings have a 20-year age gap. The Who Says singer frequently accompanies her sister to industry events, like as the 2023 Golden Globes, and highlights their strong relationship on Instagram. Grace coloured her hair purple in July 2023 to commemorate Gomez’s best friend Taylor Swift’s release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and the singer made a hilarious Instagram post on the difficulty of having famous friends. — ANI Alia Bhatt lauds Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, Kriti Sanon starrer-Crew for its flying start at the box-office All praise Alia Bhatt is thrilled about Rajesh A Krishnan heist comedy Crew. The movie, featuring Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, and Kriti Sanon, surprised everyone by achieving the largest opening ever for a movie led by women worldwide. Alia praised the women both on-screen and behind the scenes for their success. Alia on Saturday, took to her Instagram Stories to share a poster of Crew, featuring the three leading ladies. She wrote, “This #Crew has smashed the BO (sparkle emoji). Congratulations to these outstanding women on and off screen.” Kriti too posted Alia’s wishes on her Instagram Stories and wrote back, “Aliaa. Thanks love (red heart emoji).” Kriti and Alia both won the National Award for Best Actress last year for their roles in Mimi boundaries of Indian cinema,” he states proudly. Projects like Lust Stories and Bombay Talkies exemplify his commitment to diversifying narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices. Reflecting on his personal journey, he acknowledges both triumphs and struggles. “I faced financial hardships and doubts about carrying forward my father’s legacy,” he admits. However, with the support of friends and colleagues like Apoorva Mehta and Shah Rukh Khan, he persevered, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever. While he acknowledges commercial success of films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, he longs to create works that resonate as deeply as iconic masterpieces like Lagaan or Dil Chahta Hai. Comparing these three films that released in the same year, he says, “I am proud of what I did as a core of what I believed, what I loved and passionately adored about mainstream cinema. But if you understand the layers and finer nuances of cinema, Lagaan is a way more superior product. Dil Chahta Hai is way more path-breaking. Did I make a path-breaking film? Not at all. Did I conform to synagogue tradition of Indian cinema? Yes, I did. And I did it with all abandon and aplomb. But did I make my Lagaan? No.” Despite the successes and failures, Karan loves what he does and that’s what drives him. Going forward, he has made a promise to himself. “I am going to direct at least five films in this decade. Direction is the key component where my journey began.” Alia Bhatt A still from Crew and Gangubai Kathiawadi, respectively. Alia has also confessed her admiration for Kareena, who is now her sister-in-law. The two even appeared together on the couch for an episode of Koffee with Karan Season 7 last year. Kareena Kapoor, Tabu and Kriti Sanonstarrer Crew has had a great start at the Box Office. According to estimates, the film opened to Rs 10.28 crore in India and grossed Rs 20.07 crore worldwide on Day — ANI KRITI VISITS MUMBAI THEATRE Actress Kriti Sanon recently visited a theatre in Mumbai to gauge the audience’s reactions to the heist comedy Crew. During her visit, she interacted with moviegoers, adding to the buzz surrounding the film. On Saturday, she dressed in a stylish mauve top and denim pants, arrived at a cinema in Mumbai where audiences had just watched her recently released film Crew. Kriti engaged with the audience while asking for their feedback c m y b on the film and their overall experience. Happy to hear the audience laughing and enjoying the film during the screening, Kriti asked a group about their favourite scene, getting a unanimous response for the landing sequence. She teased, “Would you want me to be a pilot? Be careful.” Kriti also had heart-warming interactions with some children, exchanging high-fives and smiles, while a lady praised her exceptional acting skills. ANI Couple goals Rakul Preet Singh offers sneak peek into her morning coffee with Jackky Bhagnani Bollywood actor Rakul Preet Singh, who recently tied the knot with Jackky Bhagnani, shared a glimpse of her peaceful morning with her husband, complete with cozy coffee. The actress on Sunday, took to her Instagram Stories to share a lovely picture showing their coffee mugs together, with a caption that read, ‘Morning coffee with the best’ and a heart emoji. The post was timestamped at 7.18 am and adorned with a cute heart sticker. Jackky showed his love by reposting Rakul’s story on his own Instagram. Rakul and Jackky tied the knot in a close ceremony in Goa on February 21. They had two ceremonies as per Sikh and Sindhi traditions. — ANI Best one yet! Sonu Sood is all geared up for his upcoming film Fateh, which he described as ‘an action that will raise the bars.’ The actor, who is making his directorial debut with Fateh, promised that he will deliver the best with the film. He added that the movie has been one of the most fulfilling experiences ever as an actor and director for him. Sonu shared two monochrome stills from the film and wrote, “I have been doing films since so many years. Was fortunate enough to work with the best. But always felt like creating an action franchise which we will all be proud of. An action that will raise the bars. Fateh has been one of the most fulfilling experience ever as an actor and director. Hoping to deliver the best ever. Be ready.” Fateh is about a former gangster hired to guard a young woman and stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Vijay Raaz. — IANS Sonu Sood calls Fateh’the most fulfilling experience ever as an actor and director