07122024-LSTL-01.qxd 12/6/2024 10:24 PM Page 1 c m y b NICOLE KIDMAN IS ‘BABYGIRL’ Actress Nicole Kidman is taking on one of the most captivating roles of her career in the upcoming film Babygirl, where she plays Romy, a powerful CEO navigating a journey of self-discovery and sexual exploration. “I love the title. So, I was like, ‘Oh! I’d like to be a Babygirl!’” she said. TRIBUNE Life Good news Actress Amber Heard is basking in the glow of new beginnings, as a spokesperson for the actress has confirmed that she is expecting her second child. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 7 DECEMBER 2024 ‘Despatchis an appetiser’ S Mona HAHANA GOSWAMI is a woman with many interests. Acting is her true calling, and so are writing and directing, something that she has dreamt of doing since her childhood, which she believes will happen in due time… If Covid had people finding it difficult to pass time, Shahana wanted extra four hours to do all that she wished to do! Shahana Goswami, who plays the wife of Manoj Bajpayee in Despatch, says acting with Bajpayee, and director Kanu Behl was rewarding We catch her during Despatch promotions, and get to know more about her love for cinema, and travel. But before we get there, it’s Despatch, the film that’s due to release on December 13 on ZEE5. Working with director Kanu Behl was on her to-do list, and to act opposite Manoj Bajpayee was icing on the cake. Yet, it was a small part and that made Shahana hesitant. “I don’t have a problem with small parts, but when you have Kanu and Manoj on board, one gets greedy and wants more,” says the Rock On!! actress. On the hindsight, she is glad that she took up the opportunity. “I consider Despatch an appetiser,” she laughs. Playing Shweta Bag, wife of Manoj Bajpayee, came with emotional heft. The couple is in the dying stage of their marriage and gives it one last try to sale it. While real Shahana is pretty different from the character she plays here, she relates to the sinking feeling that comes with a doomed relationship. “We all have been through that feeling of hopelessness, and despair that comes with it. That bit was relatable.” However, it was her character Meenakshi Chatterji in The Suitable Boy that stands out for her. “As Mark the date Documentary on Yo Yo Honey Singh to drop on OTT on December 20 an actor you take on many characters but playing Meenakshi Chatterji, so very different from the real me, was a revelation.” Though women directors in the industry can be counted on the fingertips, Shahana has interestingly worked with more women directors than men. The list includes Deepa Mehta, Reema Kagti, Mira Nair, Shimit Amin, Nandita Das, Alankrita Shrivastava, Bornila Chatterjee, Tanuja Chandra and Anu Menon among others. “I know it’s an anomaly, but I take pride in working with many women South-Asian directors. Lately, there has been a push in this direction,” says Shahana, who believes one is likely to see many women taking up prominent roles in the film industry in coming times. Among many things that she loves, attending film festivals is one of them. “As a cinema lover, I love to watch films that seldom see theatrical release. As an actor too, I bond with people, who enthusiastically come to film festivals to appreciate a certain director’s or actor’s work.” Shahana, who attended Dharamshala International Film Festival and International Film Festival of India recently, says independent filmmaking is a courageous job and film festivals are the place to celebrate that. Most festivals have a distribution network that can help films see RANBIR KAPOOR AND RANVEER SINGH WITH SACHIN TENDULKAR AND HIS WIFE ANJALI a release as well. “I have done about 35 films and about half of them had a festival round or not released at least in India though they were released overseas. Not just the actor but the cine buff in me loves these festivals!” She loves to travel to meet people and explore paces. “I travel so much that being in Mumbai is like a vacation for me,” she says. Having started when films were shot on reels, just before the advent of the digital era, Shahana believes that OTT has been the real game-changer. “Now that there is an audience for all sorts of stories, one can experiment with the story telling, which is wonderful,” she signs off. VICKY KAUSHAL STARRY AFFAIR Bollywood makes a beeline for the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis SHAH RUKH KHAN SALMAN KHAN As the Maharashtra Assembly welcomed Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister, Bollywood stars lined up at the oath taking ceremony. The bigwigs of B-town like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Rohit Shetty, Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit attended the event in Mumbai.Both Salman and SRK, whose iconic film Karan Arjun re-released in cinemas recently, were dressed in their formal best. The two hugged each other at Azad Maidan where the event was held, sending their fans in frenzy over the “bhaichara”. While Ranbir was seen dressed in a white kurta-pyjama with a jacket, Ranveer opted for an all-black look in Indo-Western formals with his half-tied hair. c m y b ARJUN KAPOOR & JANHVI KAPOOR The documentary based on Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh, Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous has set its streaming date. It is set to drop on OTT on December 20. It is directed by Mozez Singh of Human fame, and offers an exclusive look into the life of the hip-hop artiste and rapper. Revealing the real Honey, aka Hirdesh Singh, the man behind the headlines, it chronicles his rapid rise to fame, from the challenges he faced to his comeback. The documentary has been produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain under the banner of Sikhya Entertainment. Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain, said in a joint statement, “With Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous, we delve into his story in its rawest form—from his meteoric rise to his struggles and ultimate comeback as Hirdesh Singh. It was fascinating to discover how little we knew about the real person behind the stage name.” They further mentioned. “After the success of The Elephant Whisperers, we’re proud to present a documentary that captures the resilience, reinvention, and unfiltered truth of this true desi kalakar—a journey we believe fans and critics alike will find deeply fascinating. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Director Mozez Singh and Netflix again to bring this extraordinary story to audiences worldwide.” For director Mozez Singh, capturing Honey Singh’s journey has been an incredible experience, as he said, “He is a fascinating man, who has already lived so many lifetimes in this one life. I feel honoured and privileged to be bringing a documentary alongside the Oscar-winning Sikhya and to have been given full access to Honey Singh’s world. I’m so thankful that he trusted me with his life story. We have covered everything in this film- love, pain, family, success, failure, loss, mental health, and the fight to come back”. The documentary is set to premiere on December 20 on Netflix. —IANS