24052024-LSTC-01.qxd 5/23/2024 8:49 PM Page 1 c m y b SRK IN RECOVERY MODE Finally there is good news for SRK fans as King Khan, who was admitted to KD Hospital in Ahmedabad due to dehydration and heat stroke, is doing well now. His manager Pooja Dadlani posted on her X handle, "To all of Mr Khan's fans and well-wishers — he is doing well...” TRIBUNE Sunny as DJ Actress Sunny Leone is set to debut as a DJ on World Music Day. She will be performing at Lucknow on June 21 at an exclusive one-day event. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 24 MAY 2024 Joining hands First look of the film Love In Vietnam unveiled at Cannes A BEHIND THE SCENES MOMENT WITH THE CAST OF LAAPATAA LADIES Vikrant Parmar S HE is reticent, quite like the role she essayed in the recently released hit film Laapataa Ladies. Rachna Gupta, who hails from Pathankot, Punjab, made quite a mark in the role of Poonam, a young mother who stays with her in-laws in the fictional Nirmal Pradesh, as her husband is away for work. Poonam does not open her mouth, so much so that the lead protagonist inquires whether she could speak, till she actually does! But emote she does, and quite well too. “I hail from Pathankot, but graduated from DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, where I was a part of the Dramatics Club, Aaghaaz. We used to take part in youth festivals and personally I was interested in theatre. We often used to go to Mumbai,” she opens up about her initial days. During one such occasion, after a performance on stage, she was richly applauded by acclaimed director-actor Piyush Mishra. “He asked me to pursue acting further, so I completed a three-year diploma course from the National School of Drama in New Delhi, with a specialisation in acting. I passed out in 2018 and then entered the world of entertainment.” LADYON A mission This coy girl from Punjab has proved her mettle on screen with the hit film Laapataa Ladies. Fond of the Sector 17 ‘softie’ in Chandigarh, Rachna Gupta talks about her initial days in B-town and her dreams it has been appreciated much. Another tour is lined up for the near future,” she beams. As for Laapataa Ladies, a theatrical film directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Rachna loved playing mother to a six-yearold son, “It was quite challenging initially, but later I adapted and SLOW AND STEADY loved his company. Delving into the Rachna has appeared in several emotions of a wife pining for her projects across television and husband’s company and yet playOTT platforms. From essaying ing a loving mother was tough, Panna in Main Kuch Bhi Kar but I quite enjoyed it,” she says. Sakti Hun Season 3 to Ikjot in “In fact, all the youngsters on Love at Fifth Floor to Paahi the sets had a great time in Aarya 2 to the film Laapshooting various sequences ataa Ladies, she is slowly in the quaint setting. carving a niche for herself. Kiran Rao ma’am was Rachna is also associated very encouraging and with the Broadway-style let us be ourselves musical Mughal E Azam, on screen, the readirected by Feroz Abbas son why we perKhan, where she essays formed at our the character of optimum levels,” Suraiya. “We have takshe adds. en this musical to Citing another RACHNA GUPTA’S LOOK IN LAAPATAA LADIES challenge, she many countries where adds, “Gaining weight for the role to look the part was a mountain to climb, but I did manage somehow. Learning the dialect and diction was a test too, but after some classes we all aced it.” ON A PERSONAL NOTE In an era of OTT, what’s her preferred medium? “There is no substitute for the big screen. I love watching films in theatre and that is the medium I will always prefer. Having said that, as long as the part is substantial I don’t mind doing roles on OTT and television,” says Rachna. As for Chandigarh memories, she shares, “Whenever I am in City Beautiful, I make it a point to visit Sector 17 and savour the lovely ‘softie’ there. There is nothing like the open spaces the place affords, despite all the malls in the city. I also enjoyed my time on the famous geri route during college days.” Any advice to the ones who want to step into the entertainment world? “Once you have decided on a particular course in life, do not think about the struggles; just focus on your path. The rest will follow,” she signs off. Silence not acceptable! Bhanuni Saini The Instagram social media handle @blockoutnow has put forward the names of various celebrities across the world who have maintained silence on the Israel-Gaza issue. Apparently, the first post on the page was made on May 11 and it has already garnered 23.5k followers! What started with naming billionaire singer- songwriter Taylor Swift has now 617 account,s ranging from actors, musicians, athletes, vloggers, influencers, and even brands and companies. Important people from all TAYLOR SWIFT walks of life, such as Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Cristiano Rolando, Zendaya, Beyonce and Selena Gomez, have been brought to notice by such boycott calls. Indian angle The first Indian celebrity to be blocked was star Indian AVNEET KAUR Seriously? A social media handle that names celebs for maintaining silence on the Israel-Gaza conflict is gaining traction among netizens cricketer Virat Kohli due to his silence on the issue, while the latest is Gucci’s global brand ambassador and actress Alia Bhatt. The boycott call came just days after her attendance at the Met Gala 2024. Other names that came up included Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Varun Dhawan, Karan Johar, Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor —they all were called out for either being silent on the issue or making less to zero impact with their PR statements. The first look of Love in Vietnam, starring Shantanu Maheshwari, Avneet Kaur, and Vietnamese actress Kha Ngan, was unveiled at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The India-Vietnam collaboration, which is directed by Rahhat Shah Kazmi, marks Omung Kumar’s production debut and is based on the bestseller Madonna in A Fur Coat. The event was graced by the presence of lead actors Shantanu and Avneet, director-producer Shah Kazmi, and other producers. The film is supported by the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Mumbai, and Vietnam Airlines. Love in Vietnam is produced by Omung Kumar, Rahhat Shah Kazmi, Captain Rahul Bali, and Abhishek Ankur, under the banners of Blue Lotus Creatives, Rahhat Kazmi Film Studios, Innovations India and Lensglare Entertainment, respectively. The film is directed by Rahhat Shah Kazmi and co-produced by Tariq Khan, Zeba Sajid, Samten Hills, Dalat, with associate producer Vikas Sharma. — IANS Cate Blanchett gets trolled after describing herself as ‘middle class’ at Cannes ALIA BHATT c m y b VIRAT KOHLI Hollywood star Cate Blanchett is getting mocked for calling herself ‘middle class’ despite her estimated $95 million fortune. The Oscar-winning actress made this statement during a United Nations press conference at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. She said, “I’m white, I’m privileged, I’m middle class, and I think, you know, one can be accused of having a bit of a white saviour complex, but to be perfectly honest, my interaction with the refugees in the field and also in resettled environments has totally changed my perspective on the world.” She added, “I’ve met some extraordinary people with extraordinary creative talents and amazing perspectives.” However, this did not go down well with netizens, who started trolling her over the ‘middle class’claim. One user wrote, “You think you’re middle class, Cate Blanchett?” “In what world is she ‘middle class’, she’s been in two major franchises and is worth an estimated $90 million,” wrote another. However, there were some who defended her. They said she might have meant she was ‘middle class’ compared to billionaire showbiz figures. — IANS
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