08042024-LSTC-01.qxd 4/8/2024 12:33 AM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Wishing Jackie Life Actress Disha Patani on Sunday wished her Kung Fu Yoga costar and famous martial artist Jackie Chan on his 70th birthday. CHANDIGARH | MONDAY | 8 APRIL 2024 ‘Trying to discover myself’ Strength of a woman Actress Gul Panag talks about how women can empower each other At an event in Dehradun recently, actress Gul Panag talked about women empowerment.“Women empowerment starts with uniting women. When I am with women, I feel that I have my own empowerment. Because I believe that one woman can inspire and encourage another woman. And I consider myself very fortunate that I am here. I was invited, and I was given a chance to speak. The challenges that women are facing are universal. They should be talked about. I believe it will make these challenges easy,” she said. She added, “In the environment and society where we are conditioned to put everybody before us, we typically put ourselves last. Now what that does is compromise our ability to do the very job that’s been thrust on our shoulders. Take care of the family; take care of the home. And whatever it may be — whether you’re a stay-at-home mother or a working mother — whatever you do, you have a disproportionate share of responsibility on your shoulders. And those shoulders need to be strong.” Gul Panag is known for her versatility, she has made a mark in the entertainment industry as well as in various other fields. Gul started her journey in the world of glamour by winning the Miss India title in 1999. She later represented India at Miss Universe 1999. She made her Bollywood debut with the movie Dhoop. Some of her other movies include Dor, Turning 30 and Student of the Year 2, among others. She has several web shows to her credit, including The Family Man, Paatal Lok and others. “I’m 45 right now and think prioritising my health has had a very big role to play in me being able to do all that I’m able to do. If we are not strong, if we are not capable, then we will not be able to do all the things that are on our wish-list. We must eat healthy,” she said. — ANI Sudhanshu Saria, show-runner and writer of the series Big Girls Don’t Cry, believes there is no tolerance for mediocre stories on OTT platforms as the audience has a multitude of choices now Sheetal T HE makers of Prime Video’s recent comingof-age drama Big Girls Don’t Cry (BGDC) took their cameras right inside the uncharted territory of an all-girls boarding school. Set in a hilly region, the series boasts of stars like Pooja Bhatt, Tanya Abrol, Loveleen Sharma and Suchitra Pillai, but also launches new group of female actors. The series has been directed by Karan Kapadia (two episodes), Sudhanshu Saria (two episodes), Nitya Mehra (one episode) and Kopal Naithani (one episode). The National-Award winning director Saria, also the show-runner and writer of the series, says that more than finding problems in collaborating with fellow writers and directors, everyone’s input made a difference. Saria elaborates, “It can be a very good thing if the synergies are right and talents are complimenting each other. It gives you multiple perspectives and makes the show all the more relatable.” He adds, “It also allowed Rest in Veteran cinematographerfilmmaker-producer Gangu Ramsay passed away on Sunday. He was 83. He was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai due to agerelated ailments. Gangu Ramsay’s career spanned decades as he worked on over 50 iconic films under the Ramsay Brothers banner, including classics like Veerana, Purana Mandir, Bandh Darwaza, Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche, Saamri, Tahkhana, Purani Haveli, and Khoj. He worked with Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan on his debut film Aashik Aawara, and also collaborated with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on the Khiladi series, including Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Sabse Bada Khiladi and Pandav. He work on television includes Horror Show, Naagin, and Zimbo, among others. His legacy extends beyond borders, having worked with renowned actors like Vishnu Vardhan in the South Indian film industry. A couple of years back, Kumar Ramsay of the Ramsay Brothers died at 85 after suffering a cardiac arrest. — IANS DISCOVERING NEW TALENT From the very onset, Saria and others were very clear that they must find a young cast. They had no interest making a 30-year-old play an 18-yearold. Saria explains, “We spent nearly eight months in finding the right cast. And when these seven girls came on board, each of them slid into their roles so beautifully.” A still from Big Girls Don’t Cry multiple units to shoot at the same time, which hastened the process.” Garnering fame Sudhanshu had won National Award for his 2020 film, Knock Knock Knock, a psychological thriller set in Darjeeling, and garnered fame at International Film Festivals, including Berlin, Busan, Hong Kong, Israel, Estonia and more. His short films, A Tight Spot and His New Hands, and even feature film debut, Love (2018), did the rounds at various festivals. As Saria embraces OTT with BGDC, does he find any similarities between parallel cinema and OTT medium? “Not really. The only similarity that I can draw is in my approach towards content, whether it’s for digital space or film festivals. I am trying to discover myself while telling new and innovative stories. Audiences today are not looking for the same stuff, they have exposure to films and series from all around the world, so to keep them engaged and interested you really need to innovate as well as try new things,” explains Saria. Moving past the 2022 release, Sanaa, starring Radhika Madan, Sohum Shah and Pooja Bhatt, jumping onto a series like BGDC and now excited about his next film Ulajh, also with big names like Janhvi Kapoor, Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan Mathew, Saria has come far. For the future, he would rather take the road less taken. “I think what we have seen, especially after the pandemic, is that there is no appetite or tolerance for mediocre stories. No matter Woody Allen is still unsure about when he’ll retire peace Gangu Ramsay of horror film specialists Ramsay Brothers passes away at 83 Pooja Bhatt and Sudhanshu Never say never again A still from Crew Cherishedpeek into her Crew look moments Kriti Sanon gives a sneak Kriti Sanon, who has won hearts with her portrayal of an air hostess in the recently released movie Crew, on Sunday shared behind-thescenes (BTS) glimpses of her character, Divya Rana. The comedy revolves around three air hostesses. The film stars Tabu and Kareena Kapoor Khan, alongside Kriti. Taking to Instagram, Kriti, who enjoys a massive fan-base of 57.3 million followers, shared a string of BTS pictures, wearing the uniform of a flight attendant. The post is captioned as: “Divya Rana from Haryana #crew”. — IANS On familiar pitch Singer Ed Sheeran, Shubman Gill’s banter-filled Mumbai getaway was all about cricket, food and SRK Ed Sheeran, the global music sensation, recently took a laid-back trip to Mumbai and shared glimpses of the day out on his YouTube channel. Accompanied by cricketer Shubman Gill and comedian Tanmay Bhat, Sheeran explored the bustling streets, played cricket and savoured local delicacies, creating memorable moments along the way. The trio indulged in a quintessential Indian experience and engaged in lighthearted banter. — ANI Legendary filmmaker Woody Allen is unsure about making his next film. The 88-year-old filmmaker has helmed his 50th feature film in the form of the French erotic thriller Coup de Chance. However, he is unsure whether it will be his last project as he still has lots of ideas, but finds trying to obtain financial support for his work tiresome. Woody said, “I’m on the fence. I don’t want to go out to raise money. I find that a pain in the neck. But if someone shows up and calls in and says we want to back the film, then I would seriously consider it. I would probably not have the willpower to say no because I have so many ideas.” The veteran director, whose career has spanned over six decades and includes films such as Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters, explained that the delay of the release of Coup de Chance has left him disillusioned with the movie industry. He said it did not matter to him whether it got distributed in the US or not. He added, “Once I make it, I don’t follow it anymore. Distribution is no longer what it was. The whole business has changed, and not in an appealing way. All the romance of filmmaking is gone.” — IANS c m y b what the budget, the story must be cutting-edge, new and compelling. Now how that story is executed and who it is aimed at determine its budget. Which actors are you able to get also determine the reach and therefore the budget? So it all comes down to good script, everything else comes later and is secondary.” The director calls it an ‘absolute honour’ and ‘overwhelming’ experience to receive a National Award at such as early stage of his career. He adds, “Given the level and depth of talent in our country, it is a big honour. It is really encouraging.” Casting Pooja Pooja Bhatt plays the central character in BGDC and gave a wonderful performance as headmistress Anita Verma of Vandana Valley Girls. Saria says, “Pooja Bhatt and I just finished a film together, Sanaa (2018), where we had quite a phenomenal time. So when we were very early into the casting of BGDC, we knew we needed somebody singular and talented, like Pooja Bhatt. A simple phone call was all it took, as she was all excited to join. She said yes before she had read the script.” He is also full of praise for seven brilliant new actors in BGDC — Aneet Padda, Lhakyila, Akshita Sood, Afrah Sayed, Avantika Vandanapu, Vidushi and Dalai. “All my focus right now is on making sure that the most number of people take a chance, enter this world and see what these actors have been able to accomplish in BGDC,” he signs off. Coming soon Diljit treats fans to new BTS photos from Chamkilasets With the release of his next film around the corner, actor Diljit Dosanjh shared new behind-thescenes photos from the sets of Chamkila. Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Diljit treated fans with new photos, featuring Parineeti Chopra and him. — ANI Oh, that’s good! Sandra Oh joins Aziz Ansari’s comedy film Good Fortune Sandra Oh, who is known for her roles in Killing Eve and Arliss, has been roped in for Aziz Ansari’s directorial Good Fortune. The film also stars Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, and Keke Palmer. Oh’s role is being kept under wraps, as is the plot of the movie. The film is Ansari’s second directorial project, following the Searchlight dramedy Being Mortal, which was shut down in 2022 because of allegations of bad behaviour by cast member Bill Murray. He previously directed his 2022 comedy special Nightclub Comedian for Netflix, as well as 11 episodes of the critically acclaimed Netflix series Master of None. The actor-filmmaker said, “Sandra Oh is wonderful and I’m so excited she is a part of our film.” Oh is currently seen starring opposite Awkwafina in Quiz Lady, which premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival. — ANI Fit as a fiddle Actress Shilpa Shetty exercises with daughter Samisha On World Health Day, actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra shared a motivational workout video featuring her daughter Samisha. The video captured Shilpa working out at her home gym, listening to Hanuman Chalisa while working out and playing with her little daughter. Sharing the video, she wrote, “Happy World Health Day. Wellness transcends the gym — it’s in our morning rituals, the meals we savour, the moments shared with our loved ones and our mental well-being. Celebrate #WorldHealthDay by prioritising you! Don’t forget to hydrate, meditate and appreciate our greatest gift. Swasth raho, mast raho.” — ANI
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