02042024-LSTL-01.qxd 4/1/2024 7:55 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE He’s back Kartik Aaryan is all set to shoot the second schedule of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. He shared a selfie on social media doing his character Rooh Baba’s signature pose LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 2 APRIL 2024 ‘Box Office matters more than awards’ Nonika Singh The story unfolds Shruti starts shooting for Chennai Story Shruti Haasan, who has been receiving a lot of positive response to her recently released song Inimel with director Lokesh Kanagaraj, has started shooting for her next project. Her next project is an international film, titled Chennai Story. It will be helmed by BAFTA-nominated director Philip John. On Monday, Shruti took to Instagram and shared glimpses from the sets of the film and the mahurat shot. The actress also shared a video of herself enroute to the set in her car. Shruti shared the video with the caption: “New day. New movie. New energy. Thankful.” Chennai Story marks Shruti’s third international outing after Treadstone and The Eye. The movie, adapted from Timeri N. Murari’s bestseller The Arrangements of Love, is set against the backdrop of Chennai. It is a coming-of-age romantic and Shruti plays the pivotal role of Anu, a spunky private detective. — IANS As an actor he rarely falters. Rajat Kapoor, the three-time National Award winning director and actor, has wowed us more than once. So, it comes as no surprise as he delivers another noteworthy performance in Lootere, streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Yet, in his vast filmography which includes movies like Drishyam, Mulk, Kapoor & Sons, Dil Chahta Hai and Bheja Fry, he considers the part of the captain of the ship in Lootere as an exception. Seen in nearly 50 films, a meaty role that allows him to ‘truly sink his teeth and get the juice out of it’ is not an everyday norm. He is not a fan of pirate dramas for, “There is hardly any such genre and only few films internationally fall in this category.” He thinks Lootere is essentially a gangster thriller. As the series has received much appreciation, he lauds its young director Jay Mehta. He can’t say whether Jay, son of celebrated director Hansal Mehta, is his father’s son but pats him on the back not just for his technical brilliance but passion and perseverance. A filmmaker himself, however, the director in Rajat takes a backseat when the directorial reins are in others’ hands. He avers, “It doesn’t matter whether the director is young or old, first-timer or veteran, I am a very submissive actor. Even though I might offer a suggestion or two, ultimately I do become part of the larger goal of director’s vision.” While the world might be going gaga over how OTT has transformed the landscape of entertainment, he is not sure whether streamers …says National Award-winning actor and director Rajat Kapoor, who has delivered a noteworthy performance in his latest web series Lootere have in anyway changed audiences’ tastes in India. “Sure, people are watching documentaries. But that number is still small. Anyway, there were always people who were into different kind of cinema.” Take him, with a film-buff father, at the age of 16, he was part of a film society in Delhi. Introduction to world cinema, the likes of Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Ingmar Bergman, had already happened when he entered the Film Training Institute of India, Pune. However, acting was never by conscious design. While his nuanced role of an abusive uncle in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding (2001) would be forever etched on our minds, at that point he was not looking at a career in acting. Today, he might agree that OTT has done wonders for actors, but on a platform where a star is born For a safe ride ‘We’re like siblings’ Damian Hurley says filming his mom’s racy scenes felt ‘totally normal’ British actress Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian Hurley “felt totally normal” while he directed her in racy scenes. The mother and son say they feel more like siblings, which they know seems unusual to outsiders. Damian has spent years taking photographs of his mother wearing bikinis. The 58-year-old actress shared there was “nothing gratuitous” shot for 21-year-old Damian’s Strictly Confidential film, and added that she “felt very comfortable” getting intimate with another woman in front of her son, who was behind the camera. The actress also shared that the “budget couldn’t run to” hiring an intimacy coordinator on set. “I hate to say that it felt totally normal. I don’t know what that says about us,” Damian said. He added, “I was speaking to a lot of my friends who are also second generation of parents in the industry. They say exactly the same thing, that things to outsiders that may seem totally strange and extraordinary, for us we’ll just have grown up with in everyday life.” Damian grew up without his late father Steve Bing. He explained his relationship, “We’re like siblings. I think when it’s just two of you, any farce of ‘I’m the parent, you’re the child, I’m going to tell you off’ goes out the window. “You start seeing each other as real humans way sooner than when there are two parents, two kids, and you’re separated from the adults,” he said. — IANS Saiyami calls for cycling-friendly roads in Mumbai c m y b Boss lady Parineeti responds to pregnancy rumours Parineeti Chopra on Monday has debunked rumours of her pregnancy by sharing a video of herself wearing ‘fitted clothes’. Recently, during the trailer launch of her upcoming streaming movie Amar Singh Chamkila, Parineeti wore a loose black coloured kaftan dress. Rumour mills were abuzz with the speculation around the actress’ pregnancy, after her recent wedding with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha. However, the actress had earlier put all rumours to rest, as she took to Instagram stories and wrote a note: “Kaftan dress = pregnancy, Oversized shirt = pregnancy, Comfy Indian kurta = pregnancy.” On Monday, Parineeti took to Instagram and shared a reel, wherein she can be seen wearing a white top, matching pants and blazer. The Ishaqzaade actress is giving major boss lady vibes in the outfit. The video includes a caption that reads: “POV wearing well fitted clothes today, because when I tried a kaftan dress...,” then the video shows several news headlines stating ‘Is Parineeti Chopra pregnant?’— IANS Prankstars! Elizabeth Hurley and Damian Actress and an avid cyclist Saiyami Kher has voiced her concerns regarding the safety of cyclists in Mumbai amid the city’s ongoing infrastructure development. The actress highlighted the challenges posed by the narrowing of roads due to the construction of metro tracks, flyovers, and coastal roads, leaving little space to ride safely. Saiyami said, “There’s been an increasing number of cyclists facing accidents and unsafe environments. The entire city is dug up, every major and smaller connecting road, making it difficult for cyclists to navigate.” “This has not only been an inconvenience and should be addressed, but the fact that it has also led to people’s death is really shocking,” she said. The actress said that every “city should have infrastructure for open air fitness options of which cycling is a major option for many, and to know that this can be hazardous is really sad.” “The authorities need to do better, the current conditions aren’t conducive for anyone to take health and fitness in open spaces in Mumbai given the current scenario,” she added. Saiyami emphasises on the importance of wearing safety gear. — IANS every other day, he is not looking for that one part which will define him. “I don’t think there is one such role which will prove your mettle. Ultimately you want to be remembered for your entire body of work,” he says. And his impressive oeuvre includes much-lauded directorial endeavours like Ankhon Dekhi. He specialised in film direction at his alma mater and remembers how much the guidance of stalwarts Mani Kaul and Kumar Shahani enriched him. With three National Awards under his belt, he is honest enough to admit that beyond honours and laurels, ‘box office matters more’. But he also insists, “Ultimately one works neither for awards nor for money, but whether one has done something that will outlive you.” His drive to achieve that goal reflects in his film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, which was screened at MAMI Film Festival. For the actor in him, besides Amazon series Khauf, there is the next season of Tanaav, which he promises would be ‘better than the first’. On unflattering comparisons with the original Fauda, which was a rage in India, he would not comment simply for he has not seen the Israeli series. Actually, OTT where the space for Indie cinema is dwindling does not figure in his viewing experience; at least web dramas don’t. But he would want viewers to catch up with Lootere, which among other things he says is ‘fun’. His reflections on life and his journey may not come across as fun or funny, but candid, calm and collected he sure is. Tiger Shroff pranks Akshay Kumar with overflowing soft drink bottle Badshah’s hilarious gym tip Rapper Badshah has the funniest gym tip to fitness fanatics on his social media. Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, took to his Instagram Stories and shared a video. The mirror-selfie clip first shows his footwear and then pans it to the mirror to show himself in the video. In the clip, the rapper said, “Gym karna hai toh crocs main karo, bhai jooton main toh har koi karta hai (If you want to work out, then do it in Crocs, everyone does it wearing shoes).” On the work front, Badshah has released his third studio album Ek Tha Raja, featuring 16 tracks and collaborations with different artistes, including Karan Aujla, Nikhita Gandhi, MC Stan, Raftaar and Divine among others. — IANS On April Fools’ Day, actor Tiger Shroff did not leave any chance to play a prank on his co-star Akshay Kumar. Tiger on Monday shared a video on Instagram. The clip begins with Tiger shaking a big bottle of soft drink and then runs to play in the garden. Akshay comes in to join the game but the Baaghi star asks him to first bring in the bottle. Tiger then makes Akshay open the bottle, which fizzes out and the drink inside gets spilled all over the Airlift star. The 34-year-old actor, who is the son of veteran star Jackie Shroff, captioned the clip, “April (flower emoji) bade miyan.” On the work front, Tiger and Akshay are set to appear together on the big screen in the film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, which also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Alaya F and Manushi Chhillar. — IANS