26052025-LSTC-01.qxd 5/25/2025 8:27 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE All set... Life Nonika Singh Chandigarh girl Wamiqa Gabbi is in town to promote her latest film Bhool Chuk Maaf Homecoming Actress Wamiqa Gabbi lit up CP67 Mall in Mohali during a promotional event for her latest film, Bhool Chuk Maaf. The evening featured a special screening, drawing fans eager to catch a glimpse of Gabbi and her heartfelt performance as Titli — a spirited, impulsive woman whose journey of love and forgiveness lies at the core of the story. Wamiqa interacted with the audience, sharing behindthe-scenes anecdotes and insights into her character’s emotional journey. The event added to the growing buzz around the film, which has received a heartwarming response from audiences across the country. Many prominent faces from Pollywood, including actress Neeru Bajwa, were present at the event. — TNS PHOTO: VICKY T HEY are two of the Indian film industry’s finest actors. As muchacclaimed Vinay Pathak and National Award-winner Amruta Subhash share the screen space for the first time in their upcoming film Chidiya, their chemistry is more than evident. Undeniably, each is an individual in his/her own right with an enviable body of work. But when they get talking, you can sense a similarity in their thought process and sensibilities. First things first. What made them say yes to what seems like a children’s film? It was the script which, for Amruta, was like king/queen of cinema. The fact that Chidiya has taken 10 years to find a theatrical release is a reflection on an indie maker’s ‘tumultuous’ journey. Like the struggles of the two children in the film, director-writer Mehran Amrohi too had his ups and downs to ensure the film saw the light of the day. Vinay nods that when a film takes so long to release, there is always a danger of it becoming dated. But, he insists, “There is a timeless appeal to the story and if I were given a choice today to do such a film and if it were to release in 2035, I would still go ahead.” Amruta, who has watched the film recently, too believes the subject of two young children’s realisation of dreams against all odds is not only relatable but even more relevant than ever. She explains, “In the past 10 years, materialism has multiplied manifold. There is a lesson for today’s privileged children. How there are so many on this planet Earth who can’t even spare Rs 700 to follow their passion is a telling reminder that certain sections of society can’t afford the simple joys of life.” Though quintessentially a story of underdogs, Vinay shares how filmmaker Mehraan has not tried to sell poverty or the under-privileged status of his young characters. Interestingly, one of the dialogues in the film goes, ‘filmon mein sirf ek hero hota hai baaki sab mazdoor hotein hai…’ do these two gifted actors who have played cameos feel the same? Well, Amruta claims that the commercial films, be it Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy or Ram Madhvani’s Dhamaka, were in a different space where all actors had to attend workshops and everyone was treated as an equal. Besides, Vinay dispels the notion that it’s only lately that actors have Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda will make his big screen debut with the war-drama film Ikkis. The movie is slated to hit theatres on Gandhi Jayanti. LUDHIANA | MONDAY | 26 MAY 2025 Timeless appeal As Vinay Pathak and Amruta Subhash-starrer Chidiya is set for its theatrical outing after 10 long years of struggle, the actors tell us why the film is still relevant and relatable begun to be recognised. Rather, the actor of iconic Khosla Ka Ghosla adds, “In the mainstream cinema, actors are the more pampered species. On the sets compared to other departments, like, say, lights or cameras, they do get more attention and care.” Since both of them come from a theatre background, it’s certainly the best grounding they could have ever got. For Vinay, being on stage is akin to riyaaz, a must as it is for other forms of art like music and painting. Amruta gained financial freedom by being part of commercial Marathi theatre and has recently even directed a Marathi play titled Asen Me Nasen Me (Rahein Na Rahein Hum). Trained actors, Amruta is an NSD alumna and Vinay studied drama in New York; they talk about learning and unlearning the art and craft of acting. While Vinay observes, “The entire craft of acting lies in unlearning”, Amruta emphasises the need for intuition. She recalls lessons learnt from the legendary Naseeruddin Shah, whom she calls her guru and mentor. She shares, “As actors on stage at times, we begin to revel in the applause so much that we start to play to the gallery. Naseerji came to watch one of my plays, Mrug Trishna, at the National School of Drama. While I was lost in the reverie of wah wahs, he told me that he was disappointed to see me playing safe and for the audiences’ claps.” And his advice, ‘I would rather see you fail than do the same thing over and over again’ has stayed with her. She adds, “Often we end up imposing our capabilities on our character rather than going by what the character demands and fall into the dangerous trap of showing off.” Indeed, both have escaped stereotypes simply as Vinay says, “by being honest to the text.” As for what happens when actors of similar calibre like them are in the same frame? Vinay laughs and quips, “It becomes a battlefield.” Seriously, it’s all about timing, give and take, being on the same page and then the magic happens…. something they would love to recreate again and again. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi makes an emotional appeal at Cannes after winning Palme d’Or for his revenge drama It Was Just an Accident Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his revenge thriller It Was Just an Accident, handing the festival’s top prize to a director who had been banned from leaving Iran for more than 15 years. Cate Blanchett on Saturday presented the award to Panahi, who three years ago was imprisoned in Iran before going on a hunger strike. For a decade and a half, he has made films clandestinely in his native country, including one film (This Is Not a Film) made in his living room, and another (Taxi) set in a car. ‘Let us join forces’ The crowd rose in a thunderous standing ovation for the filmmaker, who immediately threw up his arms and leaned back in his seat in disbelief before applauding his collaborators and the audience around him. Panahi said what mattered most was freedom in his country. “Let us join forces,” said Panahi. “No one should dare tell us what kind of clothes we should wear, what we should do or what we should not do. The cinema is a society. Nobody is entitled to tell what we should or refrain from doing.” The Grand Prix, or second prize, was awarded to Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value, his lauded follow-up to The Worst Person in the World. “We live in a time of tremendous excess and saturation of images. Moving images are being thrown at us all the time,” said Trier. “And I want to give homage to the Cannes Film Festival for being a place where the big cinematic image, which is the foundation of the moving image, the free image, the image that we take time to look at, the image where we can identify with each other in contemplation and empathy, to be cherished in this place in such a way is very important in this moment.” Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Brazilian political thriller The (L-R) NADIA MELLITI, JAFAR PANAHI, KLEBER MENDONCA FILHO, MASCHA SCHILINSKI AND JOACHIM TRIER. PHOTOS: REUTERS c m y b Secret Agent won two big awards: best director for Filho and best actor for Wagner Moura. The jury prize was split between two films— Oliver Laxe’s desert road trip Sirat and Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling. The Best actress went to Nadia Melliti for The Little Sister, Hafsia Herzi’s French coming-of-age drama. The Belgian brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne won best screenplay for their latest drama, Young Mothers. The festival’s award for best first film, the Camera d’Or, went to Hasan Hadi for The President’s Cake. — AP JEAN-PIERRE DARDENNE AND LUC DARDENNE, OLIVER LAXE