Latest Bollywood Updates

[Crystal]

After playing a gynaecologist in the film Doctor G alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh will now play the role of a condom tester in her next. Opting for an unconventional role like that, her next Chhatriwali aims at educating the society about the importance of safe sex and inspiring people to be more open about the subject.

Rakul Preet Singh recently took to Instagram to share the motion poster of Chhatriwali in which she is seen posing with a blackboard that features the diagrams of men and female reproductive parts, whereas she is holding a book of Concise Biology with students seated in front of her. The motion poster indicates the way students often have several questions about sex in their mind and how, Rakul, will attempt to solve them.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rakul Singh (@rakulpreet)​

Considering the unique job profile of the actress, the film is also expected to be an attempt to remove the stigma attached to sex and subject related to it. Talking about the film and her character in it, Rakul had earlier said, “It’s quite an interesting and hatke subject and I am very thrilled about starting the journey of my character. It's important to highlight some issues in a light-hearted way and that has got me pretty excited.”

Chattriwali is directed by Tejas Deoskar and it also features Sumeet Vyas and others in pivotal roles. The film is expected to premiere on January 20, 2023 on ZEE5.

Besides this, Rakul Preet Singh also has the much talked about Pan India film Indian 2 alongside Kamal Haasan and Kajal Aggarwal, an untitled venture co-starring Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, among others.

Also Read: Rakul Preet Singh completes the shoot of Chhatriwali, says she ‘couldn’t have asked for a better team’

 

[Crystal]

Over the past couple of weeks or for that matter months, the hottest topic of discussion in the Bollywood circle has been Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani’s impending nuptials. In fact, there have been reams of reportage on the couple’s apparent wedding with dates flying fast. Well, we at XDReams have managed to get an inside scoop on what could well be Bollywood’s most talked about wedding. Though we don’t have the final dates of the February wedding, we have managed to get some inside details on what to expect from their nuptials.

Sharing details, a source close to the development revealed exclusively to XDReams that the function will be an intimate family affair in Rajasthan. “Unlike the proverbial big fat Bollywood wedding that everyone is expecting, Sidharth and Kiara have opted for a quiet family affair with both sides of their families in attendance. Currently the two are making a guest list of just 100 people who will be there, which will also include their teams.” Ask the source about the Bollywood representation at the function and he continues, “No, like most of the recent industry weddings, theirs too will not have any Bollywood celebrities joining in. The only two people from the industry who are likely to be invited are Ashvini Yardi and of course Karan Johar.”

If that was not enough, while their wedding ceremony will be a family affair, it is said that the couple will likely host a reception later in the city for their industry friends. “To include their industry friends and well-wishers in their joy, Sidharth and Kiara are also planning a reception in the city. Though a date has not been confirmed yet, the couple will most likely host an evening session with dinner for the film fraternity.”

Back on the work front, Sidharth Malhotra will soon be seen in Mission Majnu followed by Yodha, while Kiara Advani has RC15 and Satyaprem Ki Katha.

Also Read: Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani spotted at Mumbai airport, did the two take off to celebrate New Year together?

 

[Crystal]

Karan Johar appeared on the Masters’ Union podcast, where he talked about how Telugu industry is booming. He also slammed stars who charge Rs. 20 crores as remuneration but don't even give an opening in theatres of Rs. 5 crores.

“I have so much emotion. My heart lies in Hindi cinema. But if you ask me, as a business person, I think Telugu is a far more lucrative industry,” he said. When asked who is earning the money, the filmmaker said, “Unfortunately, a pie of that is with the movie stars. I might be murdered for saying this, but if you are opening to five crores and you are asking me for 20 crores, how is that fair? Delusion is one disease that has no vaccine.”

Karan Johar further revealed that his film Student Of The Year which launched Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra was a hit but he lost money. He recalled Yash Chopra had told him ‘a film never fails, a budget does.’ He said, “Like I told you about Student Of The Year. Like I made a hit film and lost my money. I literally popped a pill every night.”

Last year, during a roundtable discussion hosted by Galatta Plus, Karan Johar said that makerting is ridiculous in Hindi films. He said, “Today if I want to launch a new talent, a new boy or girl, nobody is going to watch that film. Because we’d have to promote that film so much that how do you recover that PNA (personal networking agency). So the way the marketing goes in other languages, Hindi is ridiculous.”

Meanwhile, Karan Johar’s next film is Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, will release in theatres in April this year. It stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan.

[H4]ALSO READ: Karan Johar on where Bollywood went wrong, “We let go of Salim-Javed brand of cinema and went to Switzerland”[/H4]

 

[Crystal]

Not too long ago, we had reported that Zee TV is now joining hands with Sunshine Productions after more than a decade to present viewers with a high-octane drama, ‘Maitree’. Set against the backdrop of Prayagraj, the show focuses on the exciting journey of Maitree and her soul sister, Nandini.  While actors Shrenu Parikh, Namish Taneja, and Bhaweeka Chaudhary will play the roles of Maitree, Ashish, and Nandini respectively, popular television actor Zaan Khan will be seen playing the role of Ashish’s brother- Saaransh in the show.

Talking about Saaransh, he is an NRI, living in London who is very unpredictable and reckless; if he is nice to someone at one moment, he is capable of being rude to that person the very next minute. He is the opposite of how his brother Ashish is and doesn't follow any rules in his life. He does pretty much everything contrary to what is expected of him. He will be seen getting married to Maitree (played by Shrenu Parikh) on the show.

Talking about his character, Zaan Khan mentioned, “When I got a call for this role, I immediately said yes to them, just because of the character in the show. This character is very different from what I have played in the past and is the opposite of who I am in real life. I had to do a lot of preparation like attending workshops for this role. Saaransh is a Mumma's boy and tries to get away with his every wrongdoing, just because he has her support. I am sure with loads of twists and turns that my character will bring in, the audience will be hooked onto their television screens.”

Maitree revolves around two best friends who have been inseparable since their childhood, so much so that their mothers also question them as to what will they do when either of them gets married. While they are sure that nothing can break their friendship and that they will remain the best of friends even after marriage, it seems that life has its own plan for them, making everyone wonder - ulajh ke do ungliyan, chali jo barso saath… kya hua ki choote hath? Kya hua ki hue khilaaf ?

Maitree goes on air on Zee TV soon.

Also Read: Maitree actress Bhaweeka Chaudhary compares her character to Geet of Jab We Met; says, “I always wanted to play a character like that in my career”

 

[Crystal]

As the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan is around the corner, it is receiving a mixed response across the country. While a section of the audience is eagerly waiting to watch SRK on the big screen after four long years, a few groups are creating a ruckus demanding a boycott of the film. Recently, footage of Bajrang Dal destroying the posters of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's upcoming Pathaan at a mall in Ahmedabad grabbed headlines. Reacting to the incident, Pooja Bhatt shared her two cents on the matter.

The Sadak actress re-shared the video posted on news agency ANI’s Twitter handle and differentiated between a “protest” and a “riot”. For the unversed, as mentioned above, Bajrang Dal workers protest against the promotion of Pathaan at a mall in the Karnavati area of Ahmedabad. In the video, they can be seen tearing down posters of Shah Rukh Khan and his co-stars.

The demonstrators have also, reportedly warned the mall management that, if the movie is released, they will launch an even more vehement demonstration. Reacting to it, Pooja wrote, “Protest-An organised public demonstration of disapproval” (of some law, policy, idea, or state of affairs) / Riot-A disturbance of the peace created by an assemblage of people acting with a common purpose & in a violent/tumultuous manner to the terror of the public.”

In the following tweet, the Sanam Teri Kasam actress further added, “Both according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law no less!,” along with a hashtag, which read, “just saying”.

Protest-An organised public demonstration of disapproval”(of some law,policy,idea,or state of affairs)
Riot-A disturbance of the peace created by an assemblage of people acting with a common purpose & in a violent/tumultuous manner to the terror of the public” https://t.co/QC3AY389gD

— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 5, 2023

Speaking of the film, XDReams was the first to report that the film has undergone cuts as per the rulebook. In addition, the Sidharth Anand directorial has secured a U/A certificate and its length, as mentioned on the certificate, is 146 minutes. Pathaan is slated to release on January 23, 2023.

Also Read: Pooja Bhatt celebrates 6 years of quitting alcohol; says, “Sobriety rocks”

 

[Crystal]

Earlier today we had reported that the release of the Ajay Devgn starrer Maidaan had been pushed. In fact, the film, which was to release on February 17, 2023 had been pushed for release after the other Devgn starrer Bholaa that is slated to hit screens on March 10. Well, now we hear that the makers of Maidaan have already finalized a new release date.

If that we hear is true, then apparently Ajay Devgn's Maidaan will now release on May 12, 2023. Confirming the same a source close to the project informed Bollywood Hungama exclusively, "Maidaan is a rather ambitious film with a decently big budget. With Ajay Devgn requesting the makers of Maidaan to release the movie after the release Bholaa, they had to reconsider a new date." Further talking about the new date, the source continues, "As of now Maidaan will release on May 12, 2023. Since it is an open window with next to no release till June 2 when the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan hits screens, the movie will benefit immensely. In this period the only two releases are Yaariyaan 2 and Swatantra Veer Savarkar, both of which are expected to post no competition to Maidaan."

Though an official announcement of the new release date is awaited, we are told that the makers will be making a formal announcement in the coming days.

As for the film, Maidaan produced by Zee Studios, Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, and Arunava Joy Sengupta, the screenplay and dialogues are written by Saiwyn Quadras and Ritesh Shah respectively. The film will also release in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam languages.

Also Read: Ajay Devgn, Tanishaa Mukerji, Bobby Deol and others become Kajol’s “important loved ones”; check out her “recap” post

 

[Crystal]

Following Akshay Kumar's meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, actor Suniel Shetty met him at Taj Hotel in Mumbai. The actor spoke about the film opportunities in the upcoming film city project in Uttar Pradesh. He also spoke about the anti-Bollywood trends on social media and how his word will go a long way. He said that the industry is good and they don't do drugs or wrong work.

As quoted by Indian Express, Suniel Shetty told CM Adityanath, “The hashtag that’s going on, Boycott Bollywood, yeh ruk bhi sakta hai aapke kehne se (it can stop if you say). It is important to spread the word that we are doing good work. One rotten apple is everywhere, but just because of that you can’t call the whole industry rotten. Today people think that Bollywood is not a good place, but we have made such good films here. I was a part of one such film too, when I did Border. I have been a part of many good films. We have to come together and work towards how we can get rid of the Boycott Bollywood hashtag. We have to figure how we can stop this trend.”

He also spoke about how the industry has been doing good work for years. "Today, if I am Suniel Shetty, it is because of UP and the fans from there. If you take the lead, this can definitely happen. It is of great importance that this stigma that is on us is gone. It is a very strong emotion for me. Dukh hota hai bolne mein ke humaare pe yeh stigma hain (it pains me to tell that there is this stigma on us) because 99% of us are not like that. Hum din bhar drugs nahi lete, hum galat kaam nahi karte (We don’t do drugs whole day, we don’t do wrong work). Hum achhe kaam se jude hain (We are associated with good work). Bharat ko agar bahar ke desho se kisi ne joda hai toh woh hain humaara music (Bollywood music has connected India with the world), and our stories. So, Yogi ji if you take the lead and talk to our beloved Prime Minister about it, it will make a huge difference,” he further added.

Earlier, Akshay Kumar met CM Adityanath to talk about film opportunities at UP. The CM also said that the film industry should focus on issues to raise social and national awareness.

[H4]ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar meets Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Mumbai, says Bollywood is excited for film city project[/H4]

 

[Crystal]

The CBFC and its chairperson, Prasoon Joshi, in all their wisdom have decided to let Deepika Padukone’s saffron bikini remain in the ‘Besharam Rang’ song. Former actress and former chairperson of the Central Board Of Film Certification says she is worried about Pathaan. “Our industry has never gone through such a bad phase. I’ve been part of it for more than sixty years. I have never seen such a low phase in the history of the industry. Pathaan needs to be released without any hindrance. Yash Raj has suffered a series of blows recently. They can’t afford another one.”

So what’s the solution? Ashaji says, “Let them remove the song, if that’s what it takes to ensure a smooth release for Pathaan. Although let me state very clearly that I’m totally opposed to such bullying. Why should some elements decide on behalf of the entire nation on what’s good and what’s not? You don’t want to see the film, don’t see it. I want to see the film. Why are you stopping me?”

Ashaji who was known as the Jubilee Queen in the 1960s for her uninterrupted flow of hits, feels the cinema business is on the brink. “We must have hits. Films like Pathaan and Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani can revive the film industry.”

At the same time Ashaji feels the curb on an artiste’s freedom is not to be encouraged. “Why is a stamp being put on one particular colour? Every colour is equally beautiful. Orange was such a favourite colour of many of us heroines. Imagine being told, don’t wear this colour don’t wear that colour. This is the height of bullying. No community can claim ownership over any colour.”

Also Read: BREAKING: CBFC removes close up shots of buttocks and ‘side pose’ from Pathaan’s ‘Besharam Rang’ song

 

[Crystal]

After building high anticipation with the first look teaser of the much-awaited film of the year, Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon starter Shehzada is set to welcome 2023 with the splendid trailer of the film on 12th January! With a never witnessed celebration, the trailer will be celebrated on a grand scale with three straight days of festivities in the most vibrant cities of India.

Following the launch of the trailer on 12th January in Mumbai, Shehzada himself along with Kriti Sanon will celebrate Lohri on January 13th in Jalandhar, Punjab. Furthermore, the actors will make their way to celebrate the festival of kites Makar Sankranti in the great Rann Of Kutch, the white desert of India on January 14th making it one of its kind trailer launch.

Makers of Shehzada said, “With so much love pouring in from the audiences from all over India; we had to make the trailer launch a larger-than-life celebration. The entire team is more excited than the audience to finally show their hardwork. This unique 3-day celebration is a way of thanking our audience for the constant love & support.”

Shehzada is directed by Rohit Dhawan, starring Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon , Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Ronit Roy, Sachin Khedekar, and music by Pritam, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Allu Arvind and Aman Gill, the film is set to release on 10th February 2023.

[H4]ALSO READ: Kartik Aaryan’s Shehzada trailer to be attached to Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan[/H4]

 

[Crystal]

Back in 2021, we had reported that Kabir Singh producer Murad Khetani had acquired the rights to the Anil Kapoor - Madhuri Dixit starrer Tezaab. In fact, Khetani under his banner Cine 1 Studios was looking to remake the film featuring Kartik Aaryan and Shraddha Kapoor. In fact, there were a number of media reports claiming that the makers of the film were in talks with the two. However, now XDReams has learnt that the makers of the film have in fact approached Janhvi Kapoor and Ranveer Singh to top-line the cast.

Revealing details about the casting of the Tezaab remake a well-placed industry source tells XDReams exclusively, “Initially the plan was to rope in Shraddha Kapoor and Kartik Aaryan. However, Murad Khetani and team have now decided to approach Janhvi and Ranveer for the project.” Ask the source why the sudden change in the cast and he continues, “Kartik and Shraddha were the front runners for the film. However, due to certain reason the makers have now decided on approaching Janhvi Kapoor and Ranveer Singh for the same roles. Initially, the makers of the Tezaab remake had approached Ranveer first, and instead of Shraddha, they want Janhvi in the movie.”

While there is no confirmation yet on the final cast of the Tezaab remake, it will be interesting to see Janhvi and Ranveer sharing screen space. In fact, the film will mark the first time these two will be paired together on screen, and going by their respective fan following, it is sure to cause a stir.

Also Read: Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh appear to be truly in love as they were spotted together at the airport in coordinating attire