09072025-LSTC-01.qxd 7/8/2025 7:57 PM Page 1 c m y b BACK TO BORDERLAND Japanese thriller Alice in Borderland returns for its third season on Netflix on September 25. Director Shinsuke Sato reunites with stars Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya, now portraying a married couple haunted by the past. When Usagi vanishes, Arisu must re-enter the perilous Borderland. TRIBUNE Young love story Life Not here for fame: jkummar Ra Saiyaara has taken the Hindi film industry by storm, becoming the most talked-about debutant film in years. this Mohit Suri directorial has Ahaan Panday and Aneet Paddaas lead pair. Saiyaara releases on July 18. LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 9 JULY 2025 Here’s to the rise of visual storytelling in Indian cinema from humble heroes to Ramayana’s grand spectacle Myth,magic &VFX Yathesht Pratiraj Phool T here’s a kind of hush that falls over a room when something truly epic plays on screen — and that’s exactly what happened when the Ramayana teaser dropped. Within seconds, you’re pulled into a world of blazing arrows, soaring chariots and divine beings etched in pixels so crisp, it almost feels blasphemous to blink. And let’s not even get started on the orchestral pulse of Hans Zimmer meeting AR Rahman — that alone is a cinematic mic drop. But what really made jaws drop? It wasn’t just the visuals. It was the feeling — that Indian cinema had finally stepped into the big league of mythological storytelling, armed not just with reverence but with real firepower: world-class CGI and VFX. boundaries, it practically tackled them. With DNEG (the same Oscar-winning VFX studio behind Dune and now Ramayana) involved, Ra.One promised tech-laced dreams: digital villains, shapeshifting suits and gaming universes. It was chaotic. It was ahead of its time. It also kind of confused a lot of people. But here’s the kicker — visually, Ra.One brought Bollywood dangerously close to Hollywood’s playground. FIREBALLS & FAITH Then came Brahmastra (2022) — a film that had everyone talking, even before it hit theatres. Ayan Mukerji dared to blend Hindu mythology with urban fantasy and the result was — visually, at least — spectacular. With help from international studios (yep, DNEG again), the film pulled off elemental effects that felt new and culturally resonant. Agni Astra? Vanarastra? Suddenly, Indian audiences had their own cinematic universe with astras and avatars. It wasn’t just the VFX — it was the way it imagined myth in the now. MYTH MEETS MEGABYTE If Krrish lit the spark and Ra.One tossed in some gasoline, Baahubali? That was the explosion. SS Rajamouli’s two-part epic (2015, 2017) didn’t just break records — it redefined what Indian cinema could look like. Towering palaces, waterfall fortresses, armies as far as the eye could see — and all of it rendered in sweeping, seamless CGI. The level of detail was stunning. STYLISED MAYHEM PIXEL BEGINNINGS Let’s rewind to 2006 — back when flip phones were a thing and Hrithik Roshan was leaping across rooftops in Krrish, wearing a black trench coat and a lot of hope. It might look cheesy now, but Krrish was a turning point. It was Bollywood’s first serious crack at the superhero genre and it brought CGI into the mainstream like never before. The effects were basic — by today’s standards, almost cute — but they worked. Why? Because they felt ambitious. etes 15 years in ao, who compl memRajkummar R Actor wants to be re year, says he or Bollywood this film industry “f joined the as someone who bered s”. Gangs of the right reason roles in Rann, ualplaying small From Che!, Rao grad ash and Kai Po cally acclaimed asseypur, Tala W in criti into lead roles ton, ly transitioned Trapped, New ahid, Aligarh, s such as Sh e 2 and Bhool film o, Stre fi, Badhaai D Bareilly Ki Bar s, I Chuk Maaf. ter many year think of me af t— “When people a lot of respec ith think of me w who want them to seriously and took his work the right intenmebody who so with e right reasons, r cinwas here for th contribute to ou u r fame, but to ns and not fo film works, yo tio “When a Rao. He added, x office ema,” said me every bo ays, people assu like saying can tell. Nowad ’s not true. It’s but that t true. figure is fake, ch again, is no e media, whi oducers and y actor calls th ever my pr that. I speak to ra film has pe I’ve never done derstand how u see theutors to un distrib When yo won’t lie to me. you know the formed — they full, that’s how –80 per cent atres 70 .” film is working for the now preparing Rao is lik, where he release of Maa oes of a fullsteps into the sh hero for fledged action e. Directthe first tim it of ed by Pulk me, Bhakshak fa is slated to Maalik on hit cinemas — PTI July 11. MADNESS WITH MEANING By late 2022, RRR was already a beast. But what pushed it into global cult territory was its sheer audacity. Where else would you see a man sprint through fire with a tiger, jump off a bridge with another man on his shoulders and still make it look believable? CGI made all that happen — not subtly, but unapologetically. And you know what? It worked. Western audiences lapped it up. Critics called it “chaotic brilliance.” VFX here wasn’t just a tool — it was a character in the story. TOO SOON, TOO SLICK Fast forward to 2011. Shah Rukh Khan comes along with Ra.One — a sci-fi spectacle that didn’t just push SACRED TO CINEMATIC? Which brings us back to Ramayana. The teaser is out and let’s just say — this isn’t your grandmother’s mythological drama. Everything about the project screams scale. The involvement of DNEG again isn’t surprising — they’ve become a kind of unofficial partner in India’s visual evolution. But Hans Zimmer on the score? That’s international validation. AR Rahman beside him? That’s legacy. From what we’ve seen so far, this Ramayana is not just aiming for visual excellence. It’s aiming for emotional immersion — where light particles dance in divine energy and battlefields won’t just look vast, they are bound to feel sacred. Not every film needs gods and demons to flex its VFX muscles. Take War (2019), for example — Hrithik Roshan again, this time swapping the cape for sunglasses and impossible stunts. While not fantasy-heavy, War used VFX to elevate realism. Think bike chases on icy mountains, slow mo gunfights and explosions that looked too clean to be practical — because they weren’t. CGI made those sequences feel sharp and smooth. When people think of me after many years, I want them to think of me with a lot of respect somebody who took his work seriously and who was here for the right reasons. Box office superstar Scarlett Johansson has officially claimed the title of the world’s highest-grossing actor, with her films earning over USD 15 billion at the global box office — surpassing Hollywood heavyweights like Robert Downey Jr and Tom Cruise. A significant portion of this staggering total comes from her iconic portrayal of Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Iron Man 2 to Avengers: Endgame, Johansson infused the character with depth, grit, and heart, becoming a fan favorite worldwide. However, her success extends beyond the MCU. With acclaimed performances in Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit, Lucy, and Her, Johansson has showcased her versatility, earning both critical acclaim and strong box office returns. Her career — from indie dramas to major franchise blockbusters — showcases a rare blend of artistic integrity and commercial success. In an Shahid, Mira mark a decade of love With $15B in box office, Scarlett Johansson becomes highestgrossing actor Bollywood couple Shahid Kapoor and Mira Kapoor are celebrating 10 years of marriage and fans can’t seem to get enough of their heartwarming journey. To mark the occasion, Mira shared an Instagram post that offered a glimpse into their life together. The post featured five photographs, each capturing key moments from their decade-long relationship — from romantic escapes to touching parenting milestones. One photo shows Shahid beaming at Mira while holding her close, while another captures a tender scene of industry frequently dominated by male-led blockbusters, Johansson’s achievement represents a milestone for female actors worldwide. At just 40, Scarlett Johansson isn’t just a Marvel icon — she’s a symbol of lasting stardom and cinematic influence. — TNS c m y b him cradling their daughter Misha as a baby. A third image features their son Zain’s tiny hand resting gently in Shahid’s palm. Another snapshot shows the actor joyfully swinging with one of their children, and the final picture is a poignant moment of Shahid kissing Mira on the forehead. Alongside the images, Mira wrote: “Ten years later, and you’re still the one — my forever.” Shahid and Mira tied the knot in a private ceremony in Delhi on July 7, 2015. Their marriage, arranged by their families, has blossomed into one of Bollywood’s most admired love stories. The couple welcomed their daughter Misha in 2016, followed by their son Zain in 2018. On the professional front, Shahid was last seen in Deva. — ANI
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).
