07062024-LSTC-01.qxd 6/7/2024 12:36 AM Page 1 c m y b UP NEXT FOR SIDDHARTH On Thursday, actor R Madhavan unveiled the first look poster of Siddharth-starrer Miss You. He also wrote, “After the multiple award-winning # Chithha, my dear bro Sid picks up a story on the way after ages...roses are red, violets are blue, Sid’s next romance film is Miss You...” TRIBUNE Fortunate Sharvari feels lucky that she got a chance to work with Baahubalifame Sathyaraj in the film Munjya. “When I first learnt that Sathyaraj sir was part of Munjya, I was very excited.” CHANDIGARH | FRIDAY | 7 JUNE 2024 udes ol d co wheels Haute & Revving eels That Fly and not, , Wh Elite Superbikers mes strike a chord? If a Souls… Do the n the bikers’ gangs of tricity h here’s a date wit RABBI SANDHU, SAMRAT MUKHRA, SHISHIR GUPTA AND ARJUN RAGHUVANSHI Sheetal SACHIN JAIN T HE Litchi Beer launch at Social, Chandigarh, witnessed an unexpected but thrilling addition — a group of bikers roaring in on their super machines. Amidst the ambience of chilled litchi-infused beverages and upbeat music, these tricity bikers’ gang brought a whole new level of excitement to the event. Many indulge in the festival’s offerings, but they also shared their adrenaline-pumping experiences on the road, particularly in challenging weather conditions. Group theory There are three biker groups at present in tricity — Elite Superbikers, Wheels That Fly (WTF) and Revving Souls — headed by Samrat Mukhra, Shishir Gupta and Sachin Jain, respectively. Shishir has 56 riders from various nearby cities. Sachin and Samrat are co-admins of Revving Souls, which has 65 members, whereas Samrat’s Elite Superbikers has 25 members. Samrat says, “I am running this group since 2020. While other groups in tricity are riders only, this one allows those with superbikes above 1,000 cc engine. Thus, the membership is limited.” Samrat rides Rocket 3GT 2500cc, which is only possessed by 75-80 people in India and three-four in tricity. Apart from the group admins, other riders, including Rabbi Sandhu, Arjun Raghu, Vikram Prakhar, Varun Wadhawan, Prikshit Mahajan, Vivek Chauhan, Shubham, Dinesh, Namit and Vipin Kediya, were also present. Akrapovic, Japan. Later, I went back to my Intruder for a year and then to the Kawasaki Ninja ZX14r 2016 model. Talking of passion, Arjun runs a shop in the Industrial Area that deals with premium parts and protective gears for these bikers, and Sachin Jain hosts a special bikers’ café called Caffiene & Machine in Mohali. Braving the weather Riding through thunderstorms requires nerves of steel and sharp reflexes, as every twist and turn Passion or obsession? Varun Wadhawan, who started professional stunt riding at 18, currently has a BMW S1000 RR with a Sidhu Moosewala’s taped sticker. Shishir has been riding since 2013 and for five years, he owned Suzuki Intruder M1800 R. He shared, “After that for two years, I shifted to the Kawasaki Z800 modified with a full system exhaust by VIVEK CHAUHAN ON HIS DUCATI VARUN WADHAWAN becomes a test of skill and resilience. Likewise, braving the intense heat demands endurance and proper preparation. One of the bikers, Namit, talked about his tryst with a thunderstorm while on a long-distance ride. “It was a test of both my riding abilities and my bike’s capabilities. The rain was pouring down and visibility was reduced to almost nothing. But with focus and determination, we powered through, reaching our destination safely,” he said. Another rider, Arjun Raghuvanshi, narrated his experience of enduring scorching temperatures during a recent trip. “The heat was relentless, the asphalt seemed to have melted. But the camaraderie among fellow riders and the thrill of the journey kept us going. It’s moments like these that truly test your passion for biking.” Rabbi Sandhu who rides Kawasaki zx14r was vocal about how riding motorbikes gave him a sense of brotherhood and togetherness. “It allows me to express freely. To be able to share the joy of discussing about motorcycles with individuals of all ages, who come from different walks of life, is so satisfying in itself. You develop a bond.” These bikers generally ride only on Sundays, about 100 to 200 km to and fro. To all the newcomers who want to enter the world of superbikes, Shishir suggests, “Be patient and start with a small bike, not more than 400-600 cc engine displacement. Increase your experience and gradually start upgrading to 800-1000 cc engines. Be cautious as these machines are insane and can kill you even if there is slight negligence. Ride safe.” Catalepsy, ghosts and dollops of comedy — Punjabi film Mr. Shudai is based on an interesting premise In high spirit(s) Gurnaaz Imagine this—a person meets with an accident, ends up in a hospital, is declared dead, and then comes back to life within 15 minutes. Now, that’s miraculous. But let’s add some spice to it. He revives with the power to see, hear and talk to eight souls. Are you bewildered? Thinking where it's going? We'll break it to you. This was a brief description of the trailer of upcoming Punjabi flick Mr. Shudai. The team calls it unique, with many firsts and also a message. Starring Mandy Takhar and Harsimran in the lead roles, the film also features Karamjit Anmol, Sukhwinder Chahal, Nisha Bano, Aarav Bhullar, Ashman Sidhu, Malkeet Rauni, Harby Sangha, among others. The trailer asks, “Do you believe in ghosts? You might not, but they believe in you.” Spooky! Eight lives So, why do the ghosts believe in Harsimran, who apparently is the Mr. Shudai? He explains, ACTORS MANDY TAKHAR, HARSIMRAN, NISHA BANO AND DIRECTOR HARJOT SINGH AND NAV LEHAN “Catalepsy is a real phenomenon, and the story of our film evolves from there. My character lives eight different lives, as he is interacting with ghosts and helping them fulfill their last desires. And these are such experienced actors like Sukhwinder Chahal, Nisha Bano and Karamjit Anmol, so it was far from easy. From understanding the behaviour patterns to mimicking their facial expressions, I did it all to become them.” Shot in Australia, Harjot Singh debuts as a film director with this one, and the team says, “While a Punjabi film is incomplete without comedy, to add emotions and a storyline to it is a big deal, and Harjot has done it well.” Weighing heavy Mandy too had a new experience with the film as it’s the first time in her career that she played a cop. She says, “I was in total Singham mode. To play a police officer was not only fun but meant a lot of work. To chase someone, fight or drag with all my might, the body lan- c m y b guage, I lived and breathed my character.” But Mandy did have second thoughts when she started the movie, and, no, it wasn’t because of the role, it was her weight. “I had completed Haye Ni Meri Moto for which I gained 45 kg, and I had just started losing weight again. While in the earlier film, it was the demand of the character to be fat, when I had to face the camera as a cop for this one, I had hesitation because it wasn’t normal for me. I would feel people were staring at me, so I told the makers to change the actress.” The team believed in her, and so did she in herself. “When they showed confidence in me, I asked myself why not? I took it as a step towards normalising the thought of a fat person as the lead actor in a commercial film,” Mandy affirms. “My overview has completely changed; my weight doesn’t bother me at all. Let’s find something that’s more than looks because beauty has nothing to do with weight.” As the cast and crew support Mandy’s take with applause, Nisha Bano adds, “As an artiste, I feel it’s unnecessary pressure to expect actors to be in a certain shape. It’s not our weight that gets us work; it’s our talent, and we are as human as any of you sitting in the audience.” Nisha, who is playing a ghost for the third time, says, “I don’t know why filmmakers like me so much as a ghost that they keep bringing such roles to me. On a serious note, I promise this one is really different.” He’s the Boss Anil Kapoor to host Big Boss OTT Bollywood star Anil Kapoor is confirmed to take over hosting duties from superstar Salman Khan for the third season of the controversial reality show Bigg Boss OTT. He said he was ‘reverse ageing’ but labels Bigg Boss as ‘timeless’. Talking about being the host for the first time, Anil said, “Bigg Boss OTT and I are a dream team! We’re both young at heart; people often say jokingly that I’m reverse ageing, but Bigg Boss is seriously timeless. It feels a bit like going back to school, trying something new and exciting.” — IANS