25032025-LSTL-01.qxd 3/24/2025 7:47 PM Page 1 c m y b DEFINITION OF HOLLYWOOD Denzel Washington in a recent interview shared his thoughts on his acting career and why he considers himself a theatre actor first. When asked about being a ‘Hollywood actor’, he responded, “What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.” TRIBUNE High praise Karan Johar called Netflix’s show Adolescence a reminder for parents coping with the challenges of raising children in today’s digital world. LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 25 MARCH 2025 His resemblance with his grandfather Shashi Kapoor is uncanny, but for Black Warrant actor Zahan Kapoor, who was in Chandigarh for Cinevesture International Film Festival, the privilege comes with the weight of expectations and responsibilities P RIVILEGE is a word he uses liberally but not by way of selfgloating. Till the other day he could have been just another member of the illustrious Kapoor khaandan. Today, courtesy his stellar part in Black Warrant, Zahan Kapoor is a cynosure of many eyes, enjoying both attention and adulation. Indeed, the young actor in Chandigarh for the Cinevesture International Film Festival, who stayed away from limelight in his formative years, is savouring this moment. And not merely because he has earned fulsome praise for etching the lead role of Sunil Gupta with conviction but also that every aspect of the Vikramaditya Motwane series is exceptionally well made. In his words, “Motwane is a meticulous director with astute understanding of every aspect of filmmaking. He empowers and steers those who work with him and enables the process of collaboration.” For Zahan, the greater sense of pride also is that he met him after auditions and not as somebody looking for work. Since many viewers too saw the actor in him first and realised who he is much later, he believes in letting his work speak for itself. Interestingly, Black Warrant is not where he cut his acting teeth. Just before the much acclaimed Netflix series brought him on centrestage, he was part of Hansal Mehta’s film Faraaz. In 2019, he had the privilege of working on stage with maverick theatre person Makarand Desh- RARINGTO GO PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Nonika Singh ❝ THOUGH I HAVE DONE FIVE privileged PROJECTS, THE IMPRESSION THAT his parental surname I HAVE GONE FROM A HANSAL alone, let you be this MEHTA FILM TO A VIKRAMADITYA reminded, grandson of Shashi MOTWANE SERIES IS A VERY Kapoor also has STRONG ONE TO MAKE. another very strong pande. In between there has been a short film, yet another play, Siachen, and an Amazon series, Bandwaale, to be released soon. One could easily argue acting/filmmaking races in his blood. If you think he owes his talent to filmy family connection. The Sholay fame Ramesh Sippy happens to be his maternal grandfather. Double bonanza which could easily have been a double whammy too; only his parents, actor and ad filmmaker Kunal Kapoor and photographer Sheena Sippy, ensured he did not grow under the shadow of the remarkable lineage he was born with. He observes, “From the ZAHAN KAPOOR IN BLACK WARRANT outside, the privilege might seem rather strong but it comes with the weight of expectations and responsibilities. I was afraid of not being able to live up to it. So, I worked hard to earn it.” Indeed, love for theatre must have passed on from his grandmother Jeniffer Kendal too whom he never met since she passed away before he was born. With so many stalwarts in the family, perhaps he didn’t need to look outside for role models. Yet, he admires so many more like Aamir Khan and his vast body of work. He adds, “Even though several films of his like Dangal, 3 Idiots, Rang De Basanti fall in the mainstream space, these are so very authentic.” Authenticity and honesty in cinema is exactly what he is aiming at. Like his grandfather, whose vast range, from commercial fanfare to international movies to championing independent cinema with his own productions, he singles out (more than any particular film), he would like to try out all genres. Typical lover-boy…why not? And this polo player would simply love to ride horses on screen. Post the success of Black Warrant, he claims he has not signed anything on the dotted line as yet. Self-effacingly he says, “People have begun to notice my work and considering me a possible option.” Equally heartening is how the extended family, cousins like heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor have reacted to his performance. If Ranbir was blown away by how he nailed his jailer act, Alia Bhatt exclaimed to have been ‘star struck,’ all effusive compliments he takes with a pinch of salt. Whether we will see him sharing screen space with them anytime soon, he is keener to share his work and learn valuable lessons from them. To those, who see only stardom in his superstar cousins, he reminds what Hansal Mehta had to say about Kareena Kapoor’s work ethic. As to how she is a thorough actor who comes to the sets remarkably well prepared. Zahan says, “Stardom is only a by-product. There is so much rigueur involved in acting.” He too gives it all. Why he even made scene by scene notes for Black Warrant. With grounding in theatre, he promises he will always be closely associated with family heirloom Prithvi theatre, started by Shashi and Jennifer, which has since nurtured both theatre and talent. After all it was on stage he learnt to be ‘present in the moment’ and theatre taught him to ‘rehearse, rehearse, rehearse yet surprise yourself’. Interestingly, he is not astonished when people sense an uncanny resemblance with his handsome grandfather Shashi, especially the twinkle in the eyes and oh-so-endearing smile. Only he says, “It’s more like people sharing their love for him, remembering him and the deep impact he had.” Chip of the Kapoor block he might be but with a mind and identity very much his own. With talent to match…look out for more from him who wants to be at the service of storytelling more than anything else. Toxic butcool! dream YashtoshootforToxic:AFairyTaleforGrown-Ups Calling out… Deepika Padukone says India has been robbed of Oscars many times Deepika Padukone believes that many Indian films deserved to win Oscars but were repeatedly snubbed. Deepika took to her Instagram account to share a video in which the actress, who is seen getting ready for a Louis Vuitton show in Paris, recalls being at the Academy Awards when RRR won Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu in 2023. The actress also expressed her disappointment, stating how India has been “robbed of the Oscars” too many times despite its rich cinematic heritage and the talent present in the industry. “India has been robbed of the Oscars many times. Many, many deserving movies, I feel, have been snubbed. Whether it’s movies, whether it’s talent... But I remember being in the audience when they announced RRR, and I got emotional. Outside of being an Indian, I had nothing to do with that movie, but that was a huge, huge moment. That felt very, very personal,” Deepika said in the video. The Chennai Express actress also spoke about this year’s Oscars and mentioned that the one win that made her very happy was Adrien Brody’s Best Actor win for The Brutalist. — ANI A long cherished AR Murugadoss on why he chose superstar Salman Khan for Sikandar AR Murugadoss expressed his love and admiration for Salman Khan by sharing an old incident which took place in Chennai, where he saw the actor for the first time. Director Murugadoss collaborated with Salman Khan for the first time for the upcoming film, titled Sikandar. At the trailer launch event, the Ghajini director shared, “I was struggling as an AD (Assistant Director) long back. I wanted to watch a shoot, so I went to Prasad Studios in Chennai. I didn’t know what the shoot was. Sridevi was there. Then I saw a hero’s back. He was combing his hair. He was none other than Salman sir. I thought that one day I would direct him. After so many years, I have directed the film with him.” — ANI Yash, best known for his power-packed performance in KGF, touched down in Mumbai on Monday. He is all set to begin the next schedule of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Yash happily posed for the shutterbugs outside the Mumbai airport. Toxic: A Fairy Tale for GrownUps is jointly produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. It will hit the theatres on March 19, 2026. Yash recently treated his fans to a short glimpse of Toxic, on the occasion of his 39th birthday. In the clip, Yash, impeccably dressed in a crisp white suit while holding a cigar, makes a commanding entrance into a club filled with partygoers. As the actor walks to the centre of the club, every gaze in the room is drawn to him. Brimming with bold and provocative moments, the teaser invites viewers into a captivating world. The film went on floors on August 8 in Bengaluru last year. Geetu Mohandas is helming it. —ANI Emraan Hashmi announces Awarapan 2 on birthday Blast from the past Bollywood fans can brace themselves for a blast from the past as Emraan Hashmi and filmmaker Vishesh Bhatt have officially announced Awarapan 2 as the ultimate birthday surprise for the actor’s dedicated fanbase. In a thrilling social media announcement, Emraan Hashmi and Vishesh Bhatt revealed that a sequel to the cult classic Awarapan is in the works. “Bas mujhe kuch SALMAN KHAN AND RASHMIKA MANDANNA c m y b aur der zinda rakh...#Awarapan2 in cinemas, 3rd April 2026,” Emraan Hashmi captioned the post. Titled Awarapan 2, the film is set to hit theatres on April 3, 2026. The original Awarapan, released in 2007, was a commercial success, with its songs, characters, and emotional depth leaving an impact on audiences. The film’s legacy has endured, with fans demanding a sequel. The film will be directed by Nitin Kakkar, written by Bilal Siddiqui, and produced by Vishesh Bhatt. Awarapan 2 promises to be an intense action drama, picking up where Shivam Pandit’s story left off. The film starred Emraan in the lead role of Shivam Pandit The partnership between Emraan Hashmi and Vishesh Films has yielded numerous blockbuster films. Awarapan 2 is gearing up to go on floors soon. —ANI