29012025-LSTL-01.qxd 1/28/2025 8:03 PM Page 1 c m y b KRITI IN ENIGMATIC AVATAR Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon, who was recently seen in the streaming movie Do Patti has been confirmed opposite Tamil star Dhanush in the upcoming movie Tere Ishk Mein. The newly released promo showcases Kriti Sanon in an enigmatic avatar. TRIBUNE Holy visits Life Raveena Tandon paid a visit to the Rukmini Temple in Dwarka. Earlier, she visited the Nageshwar Mahadev Temple. The actress also visited Thakurji at Dwarka Jagat Mandir. LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 29 JANUARY 2025 Actor Jai Randhhawa launches poster of Punjabi film Badnaam during a skydiving stunt in Dubai High ! lying f The film market is saturated and to stand out, filmmakers go to any length to grab eyeballs. Actor Jai Randhhawa took things to another extreme to launch the poster of his upcoming film Badnaam at an altitude of 13,000 feet during a skydiving stunt in Dubai! Sharing the footage of the adrenalinepumping event at the recent launch event at Mohali, Jai shared, “The skydiving poster launch was a thrilling experience. We are excited for the audiences to experience the story and vision of this film. We feel proud to introduce something new and historic to Indian cinema.” The event was attended by the film’s lead actor Jai Randhawa, who was joined by renowned cricketers, Rahul Tewatia and Yuzvendra Chahal. Badnaam is a Punjabi drama-romantic film directed by Maneesh Bhatt. Featuring Jai Randhawa, Jasmin Bhasin and Mukesh Rishi, the film is scheduled for release on February 28 in cinemas. — TNS PHOTO: RAVI YUZVENDRA CHAHAL, JAI RANDHAWA AND RAHUL TEWATIA Tune of devotion Who would have thought the Saaun Di Jhadi hitmaker Babbu Maan endured enough gham to write a book on it? Well, his poetry book Mera Gham gives a peek into the real Ma(a)n Notes from the heart Mona F OR the devoted, dedicated fan base that eagerly awaits Babbu Maan’s next song and the film with bated breath, the artiste had a surprise. On Tuesday, the Saaun Di Jhadi hitmaker offered not a song or another film, but a page from his personal troves titled Mera Gham—a collection of poems that the singer, actor, composer and screenwriter wrote during his college years. This heavy tome, a debut poetry book, by Babbu Maan, has poems, ghazals and nazms in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English. Kaun sa gham…everyone gathered at the book launch was intrigued? Was it love, which didn’t meet its manzil during college years or something else? “When we folks from the village move to the city, we come with aspirations and, yes, love is one of them. The subject of my poems carries youthful angst; political and societal issues; Partition pain to love and loss,” shared Maan. Daur aata hai aur daur jata hai/ Diwana har daur main mafhfil sajata hai/ Bikte honge fankar tukdon pe/ Pagal shayar apni dhun main gaata hai…” read his poem Pagal Shayar. Babbu, a one-man army, writes, composes and sings his songs, “I write on subjects that I feel about. Growing up in a village, casteism irked me, as did majdoors not getting due wages in time. Life back home is very different than the cities. Part of that time comes in the book and has stayed with me in the kind of songs I sing or the films I write.” Real change is slow Social media has permeated everyday life and Maan called it a good platform, “The idea is how you use it. If you are using it to put forward a good idea or B Praak teams up with Shreya Ghoshal for Aayiye Ram Ji Popular musical duo Jaani and B Praak have teamed up with Shreya Ghoshal for the devotional song Aayiye Ram Ji. Jaani and Praak have launched Kripa Records, a devotional music label with their debut song, Aayiye Ram Ji, sung by Shreya Ghoshal. The latest track, a soulful and heartfelt prayer to Lord Ram, features Shriya Saran. Composed by B Praak, the lyrics have been penned by Jaani. The track invokes Lord Ram, asking him to bring peace and justice to a world facing struggles while embodying his virtues of compassion, bravery and righteousness. Shreya shared, “It’s always a blessing to lend my voice to a devotional song, and Shriya has brought it to life beautifully with her heartfelt performance in Aayiye Ram Ji. Singing this track was a deeply emotional and sacred experience for me. B Praak and Jaani are exceptionally talented artists, and it’s always a pleasure to collabo- rate with them. I wish them the very best for this wonderful new initiative with Kripa Records.” Shriya Saran added, “Shooting for this song in such a serene and divine setting was truly a special experience. As I immersed myself in the story, I felt a deep connection with Lord Ram, making the entire journey incredibly spiritual. Enacting to Shreya’s mesmerising voice made it even more magical. B Praak and Jaani are brilliant artists.” — IANS Laapataa Ladiesshortlisted for Japan Academy Film Prize Global acclaim Aamir Khan Productions and Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies), is making waves internationally as it has been shortlisted for the Best International Film category at the Japan Academy Film Prize 2024. This recognition marks a significant achievement for the film, which is now garnering attention on the global stage. The Best International Film winner will be announced on March 14, 2025, during the Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony. A source revealed that out of 204 eligible international films released in Japan in 2024, India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars, Lost Ladies, has been selected as one of the top five international films. — IANS FROM PIND TO THE SHAHAR Inspired by his iconic music album by the same name, Mera Gham reflects themes of love, life’s lessons, societal realities and the teachings of Sikh gurus. These heartfelt pieces capture Babbu Maan’s journey from a pind (village) to the shahar (city), while exploring hardships and joys. Encouraged by friends from his college days, Babbu described the book as a, “Journey through memories, a reflection of tougher times and the better Punjab we see today.” Books ground us and connect us to our roots; Maan added, “In an era of social media, readers must approach truth with caution.” initiative, why not? But if you use it to create another controversy, one is better off it.” Equality and opportunity for all is what the film Ekam’s writer and producer strongly believes in. Known to raise his voice on issues that irk him, Maan shared, “I best express as a songwriter-singer. Real change is slow and all of us have to be a part of it. Change becomes real only when it becomes a law.” Maan makes a case for professionals from different walks of life to get their due too. “Wherever I see, there are interviews of artistes only. Why not those of doctors, lawyers and other professionals?.” He speaks about how unregulated use of social media can be unsettling. “In comparison, reading a book makes you sahaj,” he said. Back in time Going back to the book, Maan recalled sakhi in gurdwaras as his first read. “We all have read and learnt from our history, and those stories have shaped who we are today.” Ask him about his next song and he candidly said, “What do you want to listen?” His next single drops in early February. And, there are going to be more books. There is going to be a qissa on Heer and poems in Shahmukhi too. He also talked about love across the border. “My naankas were based in what now is Pakistan. My mother was born there. Political gimmicks divided our country into two.” Through an hour-long meet, Maan won hearts with his straight-forward approach. Sharing anecdotes from his life, being vocal about the challenges he faced to moving towards a better future, he appealed, “If there is any cause that can make a real change, call for me, I will there.” (Mera Gham would be available online from February 5) Bridging cultures Sikhlens: Sikh Arts and Film Festival 2025 returns to Chandigarh RICHA CHADHA ‘Trying to breathe for now’ Bollywood actress Richa Chadha recently shared a heartfelt post on social media, opening up about her brief hiatus and the whirlwind of changes in her life. In an Instagram post, the actress revealed that she took a small, ‘undeclared break’, from social media, explaining that it was necessary for her to focus on her new role as a mother. She described the period as ‘bananas’, acknowledging the challenges of bal- ancing motherhood with rediscovering herself. Richa wrote, “I took a small undeclared break of sorts from SM. Sigh! Had to. Needed to. Now back. Somewhat. Between becoming a new mom and trying to remember who I was, it’s been bananas.” She added, “But first, thank you to those who stayed through my hiatus. I know I don’t owe you updates, but I like to chat with you all sometime...” — IANS Sikhlens returns to Chandigarh for its sixth consecutive year. The festival will be held on February 22 at the Tagore Theatre. Originating in 2001, Sikhlens now hosts festivals across 16 cities worldwide, including the United States, Canada and India, revealed Ojaswwee Sharma, award-winning director and India head, Sikhlens Festival. “Sikhlens is not just a platform for storytelling; it is a movement that bridges cultures and creates meaningful conversations through the universal language of art and cinema. Each year, we aim to push boundaries and present films that inspire, educate, and unite audiences,” he added. The founder of Sikhlens, Bicky Singh is very happy with the response, “We are doing our sixth film festival in Chandigarh. This year, there are two world premieres — Saka Sirhind, The Martyrdom of Younger Sahibzaadey and Raah E Nanak,” he says. OJASWWEE SHARMA, BICKY SINGH AND GURPREET KAUR. PHOTO: RAVI c m y b THIS YEAR’S SELECTION 14 films from 7 countries, including India, USA, Pakistan, Canada and Turkey. ■ Notable titles include Saka Sirhind: Martyrdom of Younger Sahibzadey, a heartfelt animated film highlighting Punjab’s history and the dream project of Sikhlens’ founder Gurpreet Kaur’s late father. FEATURED FILMS (SELECTED LIST): ■ Rising Above: The Kamal Singh Story (UK) – Amit Kaur ■ Saka Sirhind: Martyrdom of younger Sahibzadey (India) – Pardeep Singh Matharu ■ The Patka Box (Canada) – Davinder Singh ■ Kartarpur Corridor: Connected Histories (TurkeyPakistan) – Zeynep Gül Ünal ■