30042025-LSTL-01.qxd 4/29/2025 9:09 PM Page 1 c m y b MAKE WAY FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE 4 Season 4 of the hit legal drama series Criminal Justice is set to stream exclusively on Jio Hotstar from May 22. The makers have released the teaser for the series. Pankaj Tripathi will be reprising his role of advocate Madhav Mishra. TRIBUNE In love Life Elizabeth Hurley shared a series of pictures with boyfriend Billy Ray Cyrus from their weekend together in Nashville. She captioned the picture with, “Tennessee weekend.” LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 30 APRIL 2025 Once upon a time in Chandigarh Mona T HAT renowned actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya grew up playing cricket and doing theatre in Kolkata is common knowledge. During a visit to The Tribune on Monday, the Poacher actor shared that he and his friends also ran a literary magazine back in his school days. Those enthusiastic scholars would not only write, edit, print their magazine but also sell it for Rs 10! A visit to City Beautiful opens a floodgate of emotion for actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya. He reminisces the scooty rides with his beloved during their college breaks In a heartfelt chat Dibyendu opened up about his illustrious journey. “The applause I got when I first went on the stage decided it for me. I was sure that I wanted to pursue acting. The stage gave me joy and that I could pass that joy on to the audience cemented my belief.” He fondly recalled his days at the National School of Drama (NSD). His stint with the NSD Repertoire Company later helped him improve his Hindi, which eventually paved the path to Mumbai. The actor, who played a small part in Monsoon Wedding and later acted in films like Dev D, more recently in Fateh and web series The Railway Men, said his role in Poacher was the closest to his heart. “Poacher made me aware of so many dark truths. We are in such an alarming situation, at the brink of ending the symbiotic relationship we share with nature. Working on this topic made me feel like a crusader.” The series also won him the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was recently honoured with the Pride of Bengal award. “Though most my works are in Hindi, this honour bestowed by my home state rekindled my desire to do something in my native tongue, Bengali.” Honours, awards sure makes the actor in him happy, but what message his work gives out is also important to him. “We are in the business of entertainment. But if along with entertainment, our work also gives out a message, phir sone par sugaha ho jata hai.” This Pride of Bengal shares an equally strong connection with City Beautiful. He found the love of his life and wife, Richa, in Chandigarh! The duo met during their days at the NSD. “In summer she used to come back to meet her parents, and I would follow her to this beautiful city. She had a Kinetic at that time and we would roam around the city. It’s pretty nostalgic to be back,” he said. Dibyendu has worked with many directors and is open to work with all, “I want to work with one and all. Last night I was with Rahul Rawail ji. I want him to make a film and cast me in it.” SIMPLICITY WORKS “I don’t know if I am a good actor, but I keep trying,” said Devyendu. Each time he approaches a new project he feels the nervous energy. “Acting is a complex craft. One ❝ Censorship is a catch 22 situation. A strict censorship curtails an artist’s freedom. We also see misuse of this freedom. Art is mirror of life and that makes it relatable. I believe age ratings are the best way forward. —DIBYENDU BHATTACHARYA needs to get not just the mannerisms right but also get into the mind of a character.” According to him, to be a good actor one needs to lead a simple life. “Lesser the baggage, better the performance,” he explained. Among his upcoming projects are a horror comedy Kapkapi and the remake of Basu Chatterjee’s 1986 film Ek Ruka Hua Faisla and a couple of series. The trip to Chandigarh was brief and that left him with a lingering wish, “The city is so open and green that I want to settle here!” Of creative liberty Pali Bhupinder Singh announces a three-film deal with foreign collaborations Gurnaaz Writer-director Pali Bhupinder Singh’s journey through the vibrant world of cinema and theatre is anything but ordinary. As United Studio (USA) and Luminary Productions (Canada) announce a three-film collaboration with Pali, it’s his unflinching belief in creative freedom that catches your attention. “I believe in total creative liberty,” he begins with a conviction that set the tone for our conversation. “A writer-director needs a lot of creative liberty.” He explains how crucial it is for a filmmaker to have space to breathe, to create without constant interference. He praises producer Damanveer Singh Phillaur for understanding this from the very beginning, “From day one, he’s been saying, ‘I don’t know what you’re going to make, or how you’re going to make it. We’re just going to fund you. You make it your way.’ Gurmukh was a beautiful film just because the producer never interfered.” Coming from a theatre background, he has always found freedom on stage. “I didn’t have anyone to stop me. I could make whatever I wanted. Theatre taught me to trust my instincts.” However, he is acutely aware that cinema, unlike theatre, is a commercial art form. “It’s a very costly art. The producer’s payback is very important. When I made Gurmukh, I kept that in mind — a good film of my nature, but also a film that pays back.” When asked about the essence of his stories, he leaned in, his voice brimming with passion, “I always believe in the power of content. Content should be powerful, different, unique. It shouldn’t follow trends. A writer should be a trendsetter, not a trend follower.” His loyalty to his roots shines through in his projects. “These movies are based in Punjab. Even when I write in Hindi, the background is Punjabi. I understand Punjab.” He reveals that his upcoming films would feature talented, lesser-known actors — what he called the “B team” — not for lack of choice, but because they are genuinely passionate about content-driven cinema. “These are medium-budget films, but they are rich in heart and story. Theatrical releases are planned,” he assures. Mask-man on prowl Abhishek Malik’s ‘Joker’ avatar brings chaos on sets Zee TV’s Jamai No. 1 continues to keep viewers hooked with its unexpected twists. In an upcoming sequence, Abhishek Malik, who plays Neel, will be seen wearing the scary ‘Joker’ mask to kidnap his mother-inlaw Kanchan (Papia Sengupta). As Kanchan uses the incident to claim that Neel is mentally unstable, tensions rise and the plot takes a sharp turn. Abhishek says, “I’ve always been fascinated by the Joker, there’s something unpredictable and intense about him that really sticks with you. I remember watching the movie Joker and being impressed by Joaquin Phoenix’s performance. So, when I found out that I’d be wearing a Joker mask for a sequence, I was thrilled. Of course, this wasn’t the full makeup look like in the film — I had the mask version. But honestly, once the shot was done, I couldn’t help myself. I started sneaking up on people with the mask — first my co-stars, then the background artistes, and even some of the crew members. And the funniest part, even when they knew it was me, they still got scared! I must’ve worn that mask 10 times that day just to catch them off guard. It turned into a fun little prank spree. Moments like these really make the long shoot days more enjoyable — they keep the energy up and bring us all closer as a team.” c m y b