05092025-LSTC-01.qxd 9/4/2025 9:34 PM Page 1 c m y b DEEPIKA SLAYS IN FRINGE SHIRT Deepika Padukone has made history by becoming the first Indian jury member for the Louis Vuitton Prize. Deepika shared a series of pictures from the global event on her social media. The actress looked stunning in a Louis Vuitton outfit. TRIBUNE Punjab first Life Diljit Dosanjh is showing his complete support amidst Punjab flood crisis. He shared a video expressing his solidarity for the people in the state and said that “we all stand” with them. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 5 SEPTEMBER 2025 From Naseeruddin Shah to Nandita Das — meet actors who are real-life teachers O N-SCREEN, they’ve played unforgettable roles, but beyond the arc lights and film sets, some Bollywood actors have taken on an equally powerful role — that of a teacher. From classrooms to workshops, from mentoring to guiding future stars, these actors remind us that teaching is also an art, one that demands patience, passion and generosity. On Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the stars who have inspired both audiences and students alike. Dear Sir & Ma’am, with love! NASEERUDDIN SHAH PANKAJ KAPUR Regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema, Pankaj Kapur also began his career as a teacher at the National School of Drama (NSD). His students often recall how his nuanced approach to acting helped them unlock new dimensions in their performances. SAURABH SHUKLA Legendary Italian Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Dies at 91 Italian designer Giorgio Armani, one of the biggest names in the world of fashion has died at the age of 91, the company that he founded and led for five decades said on Thursday. Armani, synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance, combined the flair of a designer with business acumen. “With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the fashion house said in a statement. He had been unwell for some time and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career he had missed one of his catwalk events. Armani remained the sole owner of his company and worked with a tight-knit group of long-time colleagues and members of his family. “In this company, we have always felt like part of a family,” the company said in the statement. Known as “Re Giorgio” — King Giorgio in his native Italian — the designer famously oversaw every detail of his collection of his business, from advertising to fixing models’ hair as they headed out on to the runway. A funeral chamber will be set up on Saturday and Sunday in Milan, the city he made his home, followed by a private funeral at an unspecified date, the company said. On his demise, fashion designer Donatella Versace said, “The world has lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.” — Reuters Best known for his powerful character roles, Saurabh Shukla has always kept one foot in the world of theatre. He regularly conducts workshops, encouraging students to explore their creative instincts. His teaching style emphasises honesty in performance and staying true to one’s craft. BOMAN IRANI Beyond cinema, Boman Irani founded Spiral Bound, a free online screenwriting workshop series on Zoom that he launched during the 2020 lockdown. What began as an informal gathering has evolved into a thriving creative community that he personally leads. Anyone with a love for cinema and an interest in writing is welcome to join FOC, creating an inclusive space for learning. PANKAJ KAPUR ANUPAM KHER A National Award-winning actor and a stalwart of Indian cinema, Anupam Kher has always believed in nurturing young talent. His acting academy, Actor Prepares, is a hub for budding performers. BOMAN IRANI NASEERUDDIN SHAH Hind Rajab’s voice is heard! Kaouther Ben Hania & Saja Kilani hold a picture of Hind Rajab The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2025, and turned out to be a huge emotional event after it received an over 20-minute standing ovation by the attendees after screening. The movie is directed by Tunisian director Kouther Ben Hania. It tells the story of a 5-yearold Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who was killed in the early stages of the war in Gaza. The standing ovation was the longest of the festival so far. The film is expected to be a frontrunner for the Golden Lion at the festival. — ANI The Bengal Files, which the filmmaker says is based on ‘truth’, opens in cinemas today Naseeruddin Shah is celebrated not just for his mastery on stage and screen but also for his dedication to teaching. He has guided countless students at the National School of Drama and the FTII. NANDITA DAS Nandita Das was a teacher at Rishi Valley School in India before coming to Bollywood and independent cinema. She completed her masters from the Delhi School of Social Work and then established herself as the director of this school. SAURABH SHUKLA NANDITA DAS ANUPAM KHER Vivek Agnihotri & his penchant for opening old files NonikaSingh The proof of the pudding is in the eating. But when it comes to Vivek Agnihotri’s cinema, the appetizer is enough for his detractors to pass judgment. Since he released the trailer of The Bengal Files, he has been in the eye of a storm, much of his making too. After the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, stalled the trailer release event in Kolkata, he has been talking about how the powers that be are strangulating the freedom of expression. Does he endorse what he preaches? Well, to a large degree, yes. Unlike many directors whose PR professionals would hand you a list of questions not to be broached during an interview, Agnihotri issues so such instructions. Like his cinema or not, believe in his politics or not, he is a man of conviction; convoluted, critics would say. Yet, he takes on the googlies thrown his way. The query, ‘why don’t you make a film on Gujarat riots’ is met with a stoic response, “It’s my choice to make the kind of films I want.” The liberals never tire of repeatedly asking him more of the same. Recently he has found a new bête noire — John Abraham. Abraham has thrown in a poser — what about a film on Manipur Files? Agnihotri may not have responded to Abraham’s dig, but as the National Award winning director said in an interview, he sees himself as a representative, if not a messiah, of the ‘persecuted’ Hindu community. The Bengal Files connects pre-Partition Bengal with the current state of affairs in West Bengal and the 1946 Noakhali massacre of Hindus. Perhaps, there is a kernel of truth in his assertion that in this Hindu majority nation, sufferings of Hindus are rarely put on record. REWIND & RAMBLE c m y b Leave aside his politics, what cine-lovers find difficult to digest is his craft; too in your face to be called artistic. Yet, the gut wrenching visceral quality of his movies demands attention. After giving a notso-flattering review for The Tashkent Files, I met many educated movie buffs who believed in his cinematic truth. The Bengal Files is likely to find admirers. However, the cast is on divergent paths. Bengali actor Saswata Chatterjee has distanced himself and Mithun Chakraborty rises to defend the film. No doubt, baiters will find his film inflammatory. Those who are not so clued in history will be shocked, even mesmerised by Agnihotri’s cinematic turn of events. The provocative trailer promises; it is a true story. But hyperboles abound. The very first scene throws the possibility of a Taimur becoming the Prime Minister of India thus fueling the fears of polarised Hindus who fear being dominated by the minority community. The teaser also tells us how there are two constitutions in West Bengal, separate for Hindus and Muslims. The hyperactive social media India will get more reasons to hyperventilate and add to the online divisions. Should cinema feed into fear mongering or counter it… a question Agnihotri and those who endorse his brand of ‘brutally honest’ cinema need to ask. For now, he weaponises what he calls is truth. Cinema is powerful enough to make deep impressions. Rather than raking up old wounds and adding a few fresh ones, cinema must provide the healing touch. He insists The Kashmir Files provided closure to thousands of Kashmiri pandits…The Bengal Files comes with a warning — if we don’t pay heed to the problem of illegal migrants in the state bordering radicalised Bangladesh, it too would become Kashmir. From Kashmir to Bengal, his ruse is the same. And those, opposing him or supporting him, are unlikely to change too. Take your positions as the film releases today.