Actor Sanjay Mishra, an alumnus of NSD who is known for his unconventional and soulful roles in Bollywood, believes in becoming the other face of the Indian that is unknown to audience.

Actor Sanjay Mishra literally believes in American playwright Clare Luce’s succinct observation, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” As somebody who completely dissolves into the common characters that he enacts onscreen, he says he doesn’t overthink his roles or even his choice of them. “It’s very simple. I don’t read scripts at all, I like the scripts being read out to me. If I am able to see the entire movie in my mind with the character while hearing, then I am in. At least that’s my first criteria,” he tells us on the sidelines of the recently concluded Jagran film festival. “Other than that, I’m a very emotional person. I say yes to whichever film strikes the emotional core of my being. And I reject roles where I am required to be a caricature of an oppressor, like in romantic films where I’m to play a strict father of a girl who wants to marry another boy he has issues with. So, it’s quite a simplified process for me.”

For somebody who debuted and made a mark on television with the popular Office Office, Mishra’s acting chops drew mainstream attention with his performances in indie films like Masaan and Ankhon Dekhi.

But he won’t go back to television soon though he doesn’t disown it at all. Says Mishra, “I worked for television a lot and it was fun too. But after a point, I realised that the content of TV is degrading. If you ask me what went wrong, I will put it in a very desi way, ‘Sab chaat ki dukaan ban gaya hai (Everything has become like a snack shop).’ So long as a recipe works for  everyone, everybody will churn out the same staple. They don’t want to come out of their comfort zone and try something new and unique.”

Mishra believes that content writers are scared to write anything new because of fear of failure. “Writers are so hemmed in by the revenue and funding imperatives that they don’t realise there might be a flip side and the audience might actually love a show that is unique.” In films, he says, “The situation is not that bad as yet. There have been Kadvi Hawa and Ankhon Dekhi and young filmmakers want to tell a good story. Big banners still rely on formula but the smaller films have forced them to change their tack a bit.”

Having worked in a lot of independent projects, Mishra says he does them because “there are stories that need to be heard. Movies made by independent filmmakers are really the ones that deserve the kind of attention that movies with banners do.

I’m not saying all of them produce great work but I think everyone should have an equal opportunity to reach out to the audience. I hope that the flat world of the internet changes the dynamics as these independent projects are gaining traction.”

The 54-year-old actor, known and appreciated for his rustic acting and originality, credits his fans for lasting so long. But now he feels it’s enough. So he wants to hit pause button, breathe easy and focus on his life. “I’ve hustled a lot now. I wanted to become an actor and I’m blessed to have been given the opportunity to become one. I have tried to give a voice to the grassroots with  roles that have had a social impact, sometimes through comedy. As long as I am offered good scripts that tell a story I’m personally emotionally attached to, I’ll work. If I don’t, I won’t look back with anger or regret. I’ve made my parents, myself and my kids proud.”

After that, there’s the commune of artists. “I want to build a cultural hub for myself and the young ones who need a roof over their heads to chase their dream and live a simple life, like how we used to live in the good old days.” A rare chip of the old block.

Writer: Shambavi Suri

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Dil Hai Hindustani 2 is starting soon, and one of the people on the judge panel is none other than our favorite – Badshah! Muskan Kathuria says that the rapper will take on a new take with this role and follow it up with an acting stunt.

Does the name Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia ring a bell? No? So, are you familiar with Badshah? If the answer is a resounding yes, no one is surprised. The transformation of the young civil engineer from Delhi with a common name to the ace rapper is now complete as his songs are now on the lips of every Indian. What has made him immensely popular is that he writes about the most relatable things. In the past, he has rapped in songs like DJ Wale Babu and Saturday Saturday which went to become the party anthems for young adults.

His latest song Tareefan, from the multi- starrer Veere di Wedding, where he made his singing debut just hit a whopping 91 million views on YouTube. He was in the capital to promote the second season of the singing reality show Dil Hai Hindustani 2 which will be aired from July 7 on Star Plus. While the rest of the judging panel has changed, Sunidhi Chauhan, Pritam and Badshah are in for a longer run. He believes the concept of the show and the bubbling talent is what make him love it. Irrespective of nationality, Dil Hai Hindustani invites everybody who can sing Hindi songs to compete in the show.

In a candid conversation, he shared his expectation from the show and his feelings for the group that used to be Mafia Mundeer. And there is more as one might soon see Badshah, the actor, on the big screen.

What according to you determines the success of a reality show? What made you choose Dil Hai Hindustani?

TRPs. The secret of TRPs for any show is the content and nothing beyond it. It’s the talent and the vibe of the show that attract the audience. I have no idea what makes Dil Hai Hindustani different from other shows, but I just love it. I love the people, the production house and the channel. Of course, money is one factor for why I chose to be here, but once I met the people on set, I felt like this is where I want to be. I have Raghav and Mukti, they’re such talented kids. We just hope we’re able to capture this vibe and communicate it to the viewers.

How was your experience while judging the show with Sunidhi Chauhan and Pritam in Dil hai Hindustani 2?

Pritam Da (music composer) and Sunidhi (Chauhan) Ma’am are amazing, I get to learn a lot of new things from them. It is amazing. While Pritam Da is a bank full of knowledge and Sunidhi Ma’am is like a computer. Like, I find a contestant’s song extremely good and feel that nobody can sing it better, Sunidhi ma’am can find a hundred flaws in it. And then she sings it and nails it. We had this contestant who sang Kamli and I was talking to her about how good it was and Sunidhi ma’am appreciated it too, I was like, thank god! But then she sang that song and I had goosebumps. I started crying  as I wondered how can she do that. We don’t realise it, we praise Beyonce, but Sunidhi Ma’am is so huge. She’s blessed. We’re blessed to have her.

How was your journey from Aditya to Badshah?

The journey from Aditya to Badshah can be an incredible biopic. I was just looking for a stage name and I thought Badshah was quite apt because I’m a huge fan of Shahrukh Khan. That was an important factor in choosing the name. Also, probably because I live like one. But these are two different persons. I think, Aditya is an employee of the brand Badshah. The rest is for you to figure out (chuckles).

Do you feel the industry is somehow losing originality as there is a flush of remakes, be it in songs or stories?

I have begun to feel the same too. That is why I made Buzz with Aastha Gill and then Tareefan. I rejected a lot of remakes that came my way. There may be around 20 remake proposals that I have said no to. I feel like you should do what you’re best at. It is up to us musicians to keep the sanctity of Indian music intact. I did feel like it was losing somewhere but it’s going to be back on track. There are a lot of amazing soundtracks releasing this year.

When did you decide that you wanted to become a rapper?

I always wanted to be successful in whatever I did. But being a rapper was a natural instinct. I think storytelling came naturally, so I felt like I need to do this. I just subconsciously decided that. I was working as a civil engineer but when rapping had started supporting me financially, I left the job. I wasn’t stupid to follow it passionately. I think, I was smart enough to balance the both. My dad wasn’t supportive. It was a typical middle class family crisis. But then I came home with a BMW and he was fine.

Tareefan is a huge hit, how does that make you feel? How involved were you with the song?

It’s a huge hit and that makes me feel pressurised. I didn’t expect it to become this huge. But I’m just glad to be a part of this song. The movie Veere di Wedding itself is very special to me. I love Rhea (Kapoor) for what she does, she’s always stood for women in her own ways. I wouldn’t call her a feminist but she’s a boss lady. When she was making this film, she was under tremendous pressure. She couldn’t find the soundtrack and I was happy when she brought the song to me. When she asked me to rap on this song, I refused and said that I’ll sing it. She didn’t think I could do it but I reassured her and told her to give me five days to nail this. After five days, she heard me sing it and responded, “Dude, you nailed this!”

Which one do prefer more — singing or rapping?

I like both. Maybe, acting! You’ll see me on the big screen soon.

Where do you find the inspiration for your songs?

Anywhere and Everywhere. This interview. *raps* Interview me pooche muhse aise se sawaal, jaise mere liye buna jaa raha ho koi jaal; jaise mujhse sunna chah rahe ho kuch sansani khes, jaise kya maine sach me likhe gaane Honey ke.

While there are millions of people that love your songs, there are also a few who dislike them. How do deal with the critics?

I’ll explain it to you in this way: Pink is a beautiful colour. But I don’t like it. It’s subjective. Lord Ram couldn’t make everyone around him happy, who am I. My own wife doesn’t like my songs. I am the colour pink for her.

You are no longer close to the group that was called Mafia Mundeer? What went wrong?

I’m not. I’m independent and I’m bigger. That is what I wanted to be. To be able to do my own thing, be independent. I feel it’s only natural to follow your dreams and people have their different ideologies. Even the biggest groups split. We were just young kids from Delhi. And it happened for the best for each one of us. I’m not close to any of them now but I wish them well. I don’t intend to work with them in the future because to work with me, they have to be on the same creative level. We have to share the same zeal, the passion and the vision. I don’t know if they share the same vision.

Who would you like to work with in the future?

Young kids. Passionate kids. Not the upcoming stars, just kids with a lot of passion. No big names because they’ll become big post working with me.

What are your views on the culture of rapping in India?

It’s growing, It’s beautiful. I think, it’s up to us to cultivate it. Of course, there is a stereotype against rappers but I don’t intend to break it. I think time will do that. It also depends on how we treat this genre. If we’re in this for the money, I don’t think it will be a long surviving genre but if we’re in this for the love of music, nobody will be able to question its credibility.

Your much awaited album O.N.E. is coming out soon. What should we expect from it?

It’s my life in an album. Obviously, there are going to be a few commercial songs, but the rest would be about my life. I feel it’s about time that you get to know about me.

Writer: Muskan Kathuria

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Team Viva says, the California-based songwriter and rapper Raja Kumari, with roots in Andhra Pradesh believes that she is the link between East and West.

She straddles the East-West divide with an ease that comes together in the combination of Indian classical dance with Western rap. And this amalgam is visible in the US born singer Raja Kumari new song I Did It which hit YouTube last week and instantly went viral. Dedicating it to her fans, she tells us, “I created this song for my fans who wanted to dance with me. I’m a dancer first, so it was exciting to create a true fusion of sounds. I always wanted to set classical dance within hip hop beats. I feel like we achieved this.” If you have missed it, then you certainly haven’t missed  the Allah Duhai Hai number in Race 3.

She performs a mix of Indian ethnic dance forms and hip hop. Sung in English, she can be seen performing kathak, while the Indian taals (beats) can be heard in the background.

The songwriter and rapper is best known for her collaboration with artists including Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony, Knife Party and Fall Out Boy while her solo songs on YouTube are unique. “Music has always been a huge part of my life. I wanted to find a way to have fun every day and music was always that escape for me”, Raja Kumari says. The West Coast hip hop and rap influence was common ground for her. She became a household name in India, especially after the song City Slums (featuring Divine) which has successfully amassed 7.6 million views on YouTube. “I’ve had some incredible experiences in life. I can never forget the feeling of performing City Slums for the first time at NH-7. It was the first time I stepped on stage in India and experiencing the love of the people was an incredible feeling,” she adds.

What makes her songs stand out is the ways she blends genres. Mixing the music traditions of two different countries also helps in bridging the gap between them. She says, “I believe I am the bridge. I want to open the door for cultural exchange and want to see an Indian person impacting pop culture worldwide.” She is very passionate about music and was nominated for a Grammy award in 2015.

Though she grew up in America, the Indian in her was always alive and kicking thanks to her parents. She emphasises, “I credit my parents for raising me with a deep respect and love for my culture. They always made me proud to be Indian and made sure I knew my roots.” Unlike some NRIs who force their children to be doctors and engineers, Raja Kumari’s parents were supportive of her and satisfied with whatever made her happy. Her academic choice was pioneering too. She studied ancient religious studies and took comparative religious studies in college. She has  a degree in ancient Indian history and studied Sanskrit besides three classical dance styles. “I did my arangetrams in different styles. I’ve dedicated my life to study Indian culture,” she adds.

Despite supportive parents, she did face some obstacles at at other fronts. Surmounting them, she says, “It is always difficult to blaze your own trail. Being a woman in a male-dominated arena is a challenge but I welcome it.”

I Did It has already won millions of hearts and has gained over 300K YouTube views and because of its uniqueness the figures will continue to rise.  Talking about her future plans, she says, “I don’t limit myself. I want to lend my voice to whatever makes to my brand. Right now, I’m in Los Angeles working on my new EP. I love Bollywood and would love to get more involved.”

Writer: Pioneer

Courtesy: The Pioneer

After a long break, TV Star Mona Singh is again ready for her new upcoming series ‘Yeh Meri Family’. The web series is set in 90s and revolves around a typical Indian family. Mona plays a simple housewife, a mother of three children, who’s a strict disciplinaire. She is paired opposite veteran actor-filmmaker Akarsh Khurana.

As the scorching heat reigns over Delhi, one misses the good-old days of the early 90s when families, despite the goodies of liberalisation, still  sat together. For something as simple as savouring mangoes. For kids, summer was about outdoor games and for mothers a troublesome time as they ran around the house. To relive nostalgia from three decades ago, and symbolically hoping to relearn a few lessons, The Viral Fever has announced a new web-series on YouTube, Yeh Meri Family, starring Mona Singh and Akarsh Khurana.

Singh, best known for her lead role in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi, plays the mother. “On TV, a mother is still portrayed as very sweet and sugar-coated, who is forever indulgent. But the difference here is that I am playing a believable, real-life one. Back in the 90s, we used to get shouted, scolded and not treated with kid gloves. Our parents were disciplinarian but not over-indulgent. And they were just as caring and loving. They made us understand the worth of things and work towards it. Nowadays, parents just dump everything in excess, be it affection or gifts, like reward points. For this role, I referenced  my mother and I tried to get an essence of that in my acting,” she says.

The web series, set in the summer of 1998, “is taking the audience back to the pre-cellphone age, when Govinda songs were a rage and family time was all about eating mangoes together,  even going out to a dhaba for a good meal,” she tells us, hoping she can take the viewer on a trip down memory lane. In the process, she hopes people will appreciate the emotional heft of family relationships that are increasingly under strain these days.

The actress has come a long way since her first role in the Indian adaptation of Ugly Betty and has gone on to play mature characters in movies like 3 Idiots, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and won the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Ja.

She doesn’t mind playing mother, since that is one role that can be played over and over again with discernible layers of complexity, conflict and empathy.“Three of my co-actors were  kids. On the sets, I would become one of them and play all sorts of silly games like hide and seek. On the other hand, Akarsh, who is a very funny man, used to keep cracking jokes all the time. We shot for almost 40 days for seven episodes and it never felt like we were working. It was always party-time. That’s when I realised the importance of connecting with family, no matter what the time or context,” she says.

Working with TVF for the first time, the 36-year-old says she was inspired by all “very creative people, who write inspiring stories, which get brilliantly translated by the director. I believe that these are the type of stories that need to be told  and unfortunately lack takers on TV.”

Writer: Shambhavi Suri

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas have consistently been spotted together, but hadn’t talked publicly about their relationship. It looks like actress Priyanka Chopra has finally found the love of her life in Nick Jonas. The actress posted a photo on social media of her brother Siddharth and Nick in Goa with the caption, “My favourite men”.The pair has consistently been spotted together, but hadn’t talked about their alleged relationship. This is the first time that Priyanka has shared Nick’s photo while he had already made it official when he posted a small video of the Quantico star. The video was posted online with the caption ‘Her’ followed by a heart-eye emoji.

These days a lot of singers are sounding like Arijit Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan or someone else but not something original. As a music composer, if I can work with some of the icons, why should I work with with these kids who do not have their own identity?

— Salim Merchant

Southern star Aditi Seiya, who will be seen playing Priya Dutt in Sanju, said, “Who wouldn’t want to make their Bollywood debut with Rajkumar Hirani? Even if it were a blink-and-miss role, I would have taken it.” Aditi further stated how getting into the skin of the character was a task, especially since she has never met Priya. “Ranbir is a one-take guy who enhances every scene. I have become his fan.”

Bryan opens up about Princess Di

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter bryan adams, who once wrote a song about Princess Diana, said they were very good friends unlike the reports that stated that they were once “romantically involved”. The Canadian singer was asked on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen about their relationship. Her butler had said that he used to sneak Adams into Kensington Palace. “How would you characterise your relationship with Princess Diana?,” Cohen asked.

“Great friends, she didn’t sneak me in, I would just roll up,” Adams said.

When asked if they were friends with benefits, he said, “Just good friends.”

Writer: Team Viva

Courtesy: The Pioneer

For IIFA 2018, all the top actors of cinema came together to award each other’s works and celebrate on 24 June in Bangkok. The event did justice to our cinema legends.

Bollywood took over Bangkok’s Siam Niramit theatre and transformed it with its tinseltown magic for the annual International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards on Sunday.

The 2,000-seater theatre saw thousands of fanatics coming to the event to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. A string of A-listers like Ranbir Kapoor, Varun, Arjun, Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol, who’s making a comeback, and Shraddha set the stage on fire with their power-packed and electrifying performances. Varun danced on numbers like Sau Tarah Ke, Tama Tama, and High Rated Gabru. Bobby danced with Romanian TV presenter and singer Iulia Vantur on numbers like Gupt Gupt, Soldier soldier, Tera Rang Balle Balle and tracks from his latest release Race 3. Kriti, Arjun and Shraddha also danced to tracks from their films respectively.

The award function honoured late actors Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi. Late Sridevi’s producer-husband Boney Kapoor took the award for her performance in Mom as best actress. Receiving the award from actress Kriti Sanon, a teary-eyed Kapoor said, “I dedicate this award to the entire team of Mom. I have mixed emotions today. I miss her every minute and second of my life. I still feel she is around here. I want you all to support Janhvi like you supported her mother.”

Khanna’s award was accepted by veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. Rishi Kapoor accepted Shashi Kapoor’s award.

Actor Irrfan Khan was named the best actor for his  remarkable work in Hindi Medium .

The story of an ambitious and enterprising housewife, Tumhari Sulu, bagged the best picture honour while Saket Chaudhary took back the best director award.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has dedicated his best supporting actor honour to his Mom co-star Sridevi. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the first female superstar Sridevi and I dedicate my award as a tribute to her,” Nawazuddin tweeted on Monday, a day after the IIFA Awards ceremony here.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher was honoured with the “outstanding achievement” award. And true to his grain, he dedicated the award to strugglers who try and find their feet without a godfather. “Thank you IIFA for honouring me with the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Cinema’ award. I really feel honoured and energised. Thank you Bangkok for your love, warmth and hospitality. I dedicate this award to all the struggling actors who have to make it without godfathers,” he tweeted the morning after. He has featured in over 500 movies in his career, which has seen him work across theatre, television and film media. “It is a great feeling when your own peers celebrate your achievements and as I have been saying, this is just the interval point of what I am doing and my second half of journey starts now. It started with my 500th film. I told myself this is the interval point with The Big Sick. After that I have done 15 films in the last year, both international and national,” he added.

Composer Amaal Mallik, who bagged the best music director award for his work in the film Badrinath Ki Dulhania, said. “The feeling of winning an award is always special as it boosts one’s drive to strive harder and better one’s craft. I’m so honoured to have won my first ever IIFA award for the two songs (Roke na ruke naina and Aashiq surrender hua) which happen to be so dear to me in such different ways.” The award couldn’t have come at a better time for him as his parents also celebrated their anniversary on the same day. “They’ve probably been the reason why I am holding this award in my hand. Their teachings about and beyond the world of music happen to be the decisive factor behind all the good things that have happened to me in my life,” he said. “It was my dad’s dream that I do a Dharma film some day. When an artist’s intention is to only go out there and make an honest song, from his heart, seeing it pay off, it is possibly the most humbling feeling ever.”

Aashiq was a joyride for Amaal. “Having the chance to lend my vocals and see it getting the kind of response it got was nothing but overwhelming to me. This award only means that I’ll backpack a bigger set of responsibilities to entertain you in several ways, always,”he said.

Dancing to the tunes of Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya to Salam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan, veteran actress Rekha left everyone smitten here with her grand finale performance. Known for her elegance and twinkle toes, Rekha, 63, looked stunning in a powder pink anarkali bedazzled with silver zari work as she performed live on stage after two decades. She brought alive the 1981 film Umrao Jaan as she swayed effortlessly on numbers like Dil Cheez Kya Hai and In Aankhon Ki Masti. She also danced on numbers from the 1960 film Mughal-E-Azam like Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya and Thare Rahiyo from Pakeezah.

After the original Khoobsoorat actress finished with her 20-minute performance, the audience and celebrities were left asking for more and gave her a standing ovation. Actors like Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Kartik Aaryan went on stage to do an encore of  Salaam-E-Ishq with her. “After sharing the stage with these great actors today, I have become a better actor and a better performer after the stardust has rubbed on me,” she said.

The 19th edition of IIFA was hosted by Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar.

Writer: Pioneer

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has completed 26 years in Bollywood, and the superstar hopes he has touched the hearts and lives of people during his journey in showbiz. After working for TV, he  entered Bollywood with Deewana, which released on June 25 in 1992.

SRK tweeted on Monday: “Expressing love, happiness, sadness, dancing, falling and flying. Hope I have touched small bits of your hearts and hope I can do so for the whole lifetime,” he added. Shah Rukh has been appreciated for films like Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai and Swades.

“It is sick and shameful, the kind of vicious trolling Sushma Swaraj ji is being subjected to because she and her ministry did their job conscientiously and as per the law of our land. Sad that the anti-minority hate by bhakts in our public discourse now doesn’t spare their own leaders. ”

—Swara Bhaskar

Singer-composer VISHAL DADLANI says that the only thing that makes him happy is to do things that he has not done before. He will soon be seen  in the show Great Escape 3. For this, he embarked on an expedition to the less-explored regions of Himachal Pradesh along with actress-host Sarah Jane Dias. Dadlani said that whatever activities he did for the show will remain with him forever.

Trump tells Fallon to be a man

US President DONALD TRUMP slammed TV show host Jimmy Fallon over recent comments in a podcast episode wherein Fallon became choked up talking about the grief he felt after tussling Trump’s hair on his show.

Trump said, “Jimmy Fallon is now whimpering to all that he did the famous ‘hair show’ with me (where he seriously messed up my hair), and that he would have now done it differently because it is said to have ‘humanised’ me — he is taking the heat. He called and said ‘monster ratings.’ Be a man Jimmy!”

Fallon responded on Sunday: “In honour of the President’s tweet, I’ll be making a donation to a foundation for refugees in his name.”

Writer: Pioneer

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Thalaiva’s political ideology seems to be far removed from that of the character he portrays in his recent film, Kaala. Can he fill the void left by the death of AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, asks Kumar Chellappan

Yatha raja tatha praja (As is the king, so are the subjects) is an ancient Indian saying, which quite substantiates the current situation in Tamil Nadu. Jayalalithaa, the supreme leader of the ruling AIADMK, breathed her last almost two years ago, and since then, the State has been in a state of turmoil and uncertainty. Despite the presence of major political parties, there is undeniably a leadership vacuum in the State. Amid the bigwigs, such as the AIADMK and DMK, the emergence of filmstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan in the political arena can be construed by some as a ray of hope.

The assessment by Tamil Nadu’s political pundits is that the 35 per cent vote held by the united AIADMK would get split and this will help the DMK recapture power. But will this materialise? That is where Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan become relevant in the political discourse. Rajinikanth had announced his political ambitions on the last day of 2017 when he told his fans that he would soon launch a political outfit. It has been more than six months, but the actor has not revealed the name of his party. But his rival Kamal Haasan announced the name of his party (Makkal Neethi Maiyam, Tamil for People’s Justice Party) and is touring the State, soliciting public support.

Who will win this race and who will make it to Fort Saint George (Tamil Nadu’s Secretariat in Chennai) is the issue being hotly debated now. Rajinikanth would soon launch his outfit and party programmes, says Tamilaruvi Manian, a former Congress leader-turned-activist, who is a close confidante of the actor.

Who is the leader Tamil Nadu is waiting for? Could Rajinikanth fill the vacuum created by the departure of Jayalalithaa, who was known as a charismatic leader despite the corruption charges against her? It is at this juncture that Kaala was released recently — the first after Rajinikanth announced his political entry last year. Rajinikanth’s fans expected him to make some political statements through this movie, but the star has not lived up to their expectations. He was parroting the script penned by

Pa Ranjith, the director. What Rajinikanth tells in the movie is totally against what he says in real life. He had visited Thoothukudi, where 14 people were killed in police firing during the anti-Sterlite Copper agitation in the last week of May 2018. Rajinikanth said that the agitation was hijacked by anti-social elements, who even assaulted the police in uniform, which resulted in firing and subsequent deaths. A popular English daily in Tamil Nadu supporting the CPI(M) had detailed the activities of the anti-social gang in Thoothukudi through the words of their own reporter.

While speaking to reporters on his return to Chennai, Rajinikanth reiterated his stance that the police had resorted to firing to quell the riots by anti-social elements. He further stated that the Jallikattu agitation in 2017 was masterminded by anti-national and anti-social elements. The Dravidian-dominated Tamil media came down heavily on the superstar and he was forced to tender an apology.

When HD Kumaraswamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Rajinikanth requested him to release the Cauvery waters due to Tamil Nadu. This resulted in Kannadigas in Karnataka demanding a ban on the release of Kaala in that State. The wavering shown by Rajinikanth under pressure does not augur well for his political innings. Compared to Kamal Haasan, who is a better actor, Rajinikanth, an action hero, has created a lot of goodwill among his fans. People like his frankness and the downtrodden section consider him as one among them because of his down-to-earth image. He is an antithesis to the conventional film hero and has maintained a reasonably good image.

The Kannada-born Tamil superstar was seen as the representative of the downtrodden classes in Tamil Nadu till he made it known that politics was his next battlefield. People for whom the actor was a demi-God started questioning his locus standi in Tamil Nadu politics. For the first time since he entered filmdom some four decades ago, his domicile status and his status as a Tamilian were questioned by the Tamil chauvinist political parties as well as the pro-Leftist political commentators. “What is his opinion about reservation for the Dalits? What is his view and opinion about Cauvery water dispute,” asked Ramu Manivannan, a political commentator.

The Left, Tamil chauvinists, and the caste-based parties saw red in the news that Rajinikanth is being advised and counselled by S Gurumurthy, a widely respected chartered accountant-turned-columnist and writer. If the comments in the social media groups in Tamil Nadu are any indication, the Dravidians, Left, the Church, and the Islamic extremists are totally against Gurumurthy. For the Periyarists (who are the followers of EV Ramasamy Naicker, founder of the Dravida Kazhakam), Gurumurthy is a persona non grata in Tamil Nadu. This is mainly due to his Brahmin origin. All political parties  in Tamil Nadu are against Brahmins for fear of losing the vote of the Backward and Most Backward Communities. The Brahmins, which constitute hardly two per cent of the Tamil Nadu population, are considered Aryans, while the BCs, MBCs are the Dravidians. Though scientific research has proved that the Aryan-Dravidian theory itself is bunkum, Tamil Nadu politicians have not accepted it, and the hate campaign continues unabated.

Ramasamy Naicker himself was a casteist  for whom the interests of the backward communities were of paramount interest. “This is proved by the fact that the attacks on Dalits by the intermediate castes continue unabated in spite of the five decades of Dravidian rule. Will the DMK and AIADMK dare to field a Dalit from a general assembly or parliament constituency in the State? For the Dravidian parties, the Dalits are mere vote banks,” said L Murugan, member, National Commission for Scheduled Caste.

Gurumurthy is of the view that the announcement by Rajinikanth that he would launch his political outfit is going to be the tectonic shift Tamil Nadu is waiting for. “In 1967, the DMK defeated the Congress and emerged as the ruling party. This marked the Dravidianisation of Tamil Nadu politics. The dismissal of MGR from the DMK and the launching of the AIADMK was yet another shift in the State’s politics. The AIADMK won because of the anti-DMK votes. Now that the AIADMK itself is getting disintegrated, Rajinikanth could walk away with all the anti-DMK and anti-AIADMK votes,” said Gurumurthy.

Haasan — who describes himself as Ulaga Nayagan (global hero) — is the number one showman in the Tamil film industry. What ails his political mission is his inability to convey to the people his ambitions and dreams. He is not communicative, though his dialogue delivery in films stands out. There is no clarity in his thought or words. The only exemplary fact about his political mission is his secular credentials and his passion for liberalised life. Haasan has given an assurance that he would not tie up with the BJP under any circumstances.

His personal life may come as a handicap because of his frequent hunger for greener pastures in real life. The Ulaga Nayagan, who is on the wrong side of 60s, has had many real life escapades — Vani Ganapathy, Sarika, Gowthamy, the list is lengthy. Recently, Gowthamy publicly complained that she had not been paid a single penny for the work she did for Haasan as an actress and a costume designer. The circumstances under which Sarika left the Chennai residence of Haasan is still shrouded in mystery. But these incidents need not come in the way of his political journey. Tamil Nadu’s people had voted for Karunanidhi despite his romantic interludes with many beauties.

This is where Rajinikanth could steal a march on Haasan. For the first time in Tamil Nadu, an aspiring politician has asked his fans and followers to love their families, parents, wives, and children. “Take care of your family members. Ensure that your parents, wives, and children are well looked after. That’s is your top priority. Politics should come  only after this,” Rajinikanth told his followers on December 31, 2017.

Manian says this has been noted by women. “Women outnumber men in Tamil Nadu. They play a significant role in decision making. That’s why I am confident of Rajinikanth’s success,” said Manian. But N Kalyanasundaram, veteran scribe who worked with both Kamaraj and GK Moopanar, points out that times have changed in Tamil Nadu and both Rajinikanth and Haasan are doomed to end up as failures. “No political parties except the BJP has announced the possibility of aligning with Rajinikanth. All fringe elements and caste parties are already aligned with the DMK. Haasan will end up playing second fiddle to the DMK. I hope Rajinikanth may end up as a non-starter,” he said.

He has reasons to believe so. Kaala could not meet the expectations of Thalaiva’s fans. Moreover, Haasan’s Vishwaroopam 2 is all set to hit the screens in August and could pose a threat to Kaala’s future. It is widely believed that Haasan would go to any extent to appease the Muslim community through this film because he had courted controversy when  the first part was released in 2013.

There is a leadership crisis in Tamil Nadu, though the Opposition DMK vehemently denies this in public. If they agree to this fact, it is like stating that MK Stalin, the DMK working president and the third son of party president M Karunanidhi by his second wife Dayalu Ammal, is not leadership material. Karunanidhi, the 95-year-old founder-leader of the DMK continues to be the party president, a role which he assumed in 1969 immediately after the demise of CN Annadurai, the then party chief and CM. Since then, Karunanidhi converted the DMK into a family enterprise. The next year marks the 50th anniversary of Karunanidhi’s presidency. Though he is confined to a wheelchair and not in a position to utter a single world, the atheist DMK cadre continues to describe him  as the God of all Tamil speaking people across the world and are waiting for the beginning of the celebrations of his golden jubilee as party chief.

Karunanidhi (a school dropout, who travelled ticketless in a train from his hometown of Thiruvarur to Chennai with cinema dreams in his eyes) expects to equal/surpass the world record held by Fidel Castro as the longest serving head of a political party. Castro, who became the general secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in 1961, continued in that position till 2011 before relinquishing the charge at the age of 85. The DMK cadre claims Karunanidhi is going strong even at the age of 95! The fact is that Dr Kalaignar (as he prefers all to address him) has eliminated all his potential rivals in the party since the day he assumed charge. Today in the DMK, there is no one to challenge the might of the K-clan. Those who fell by the wayside include MG Ramachandran, Vaiko, and Nedunchezhiyan.

MG Ramachandran, the poster boy of the DMK, was ousted from the party by Karunanidhi when he felt that the Malayalathan (one who hails from the land of Malayalam) would be a potential threat to his position. MGR launched the AIADMK in 1972, captured power in 1977, and ruled the State till his death in 1987. So long as MGR was around, Karunanidhi was in political wilderness. It was only after the death of MGR and because of the internal strife in the AIADMK that Karunanidhi could make a brief return to power in 1989. He ruled the State for two years before the then government at the Centre headed by S Chandrasekhar dismissed the government citing breakdown in law and order and also his suspected connections with the LTTE. Karunanidhi had to wait five more years to come back to power while Jayalalithaa, the chosen heir of MGR, ruled the State. Since then till 2011 it was Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi who were ruling the State alternately. The rhythm was broken by Jayalalithaa in 2016, who returned to power in the Assembly Elections, demolishing the dreams of Karunanidhi to become the CM for the sixth time. But the joy in the AIADMK camp was shortlived as Amma left to meet MGR within months of her re-election.

The AIADMK, which had a comfortable margin, has started disintegrating and at the time of writing this article, there were three factions of the party fighting for control and Amma’s legacy. There is the official AIADMK headed by CM Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam; the AMMK (Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhakam) led by Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran; and a third outfit, Anna Dravidar Kazhakam, launched by VK Dhivakaran, the Mannargudi-based brother of Sasikala.

The less said the better about other political parties in Tamil Nadu. The Indian National Congress, which ruled the State till 1967 before it was elbowed out by the DMK, is yet to recover from that defeat and continues to piggyback onto the DMK. “There are more leaders than cadre in the Tamil Nadu Congress; it is the bane of the party and there is no future for the party in the State,” sums up Kalyanasundaram.

The Left joins hands with either the DMK or AIADMK depending on the winning possibility of the Dravidian majors. The CPI-M and the CPI, which earlier aligned with Jayalalithaa, have switched their loyalties to the DMK camp following the demise of Amma. The rest are all caste-based fringe elements.

Stalin, the DMK’s working president, has proved that he is incapable of leading a major political outfit and getting the confidence of the people. His stand-off with his elder brother, MK Alagiri, is his major handicap. Till one of the siblings yields space to the other, the DMK is in for mutually assured destruction.

People of Tamil Nadu need a change, a change from the Dravidian and Congress style of politics. The people aspire for a change due to the recent developments in the State. To begin with, January 2017 saw the Marina Beach under siege by those demanding the Tamil Nadu Government enact a law to surmount the Supreme Court ban on  Jallikattu. More than 50 people have been gored to death since Jallikattu was resumed in 2017. Then there were agitations demanding the closure of the Hydro Carbon Extraction Project proposed by the ONGC at Neduvasal, and the protest against the Methane Gas Extraction Project at Mannargudi. All these projects have been put on hold because an axis of the Left-Maoists-Church-Islamist-Tamil chauvinists is resisting the moves of the Centre to bring industrialisation to Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, the methane and the hydro carbon projects were sanctioned by the DMK Government led by Karunanidhi, which ruled the State from 2006 to 2011.

There was a time in the 1950s and 1960s when educated Malayalis made a beeline to Chennai and Tiruchirappalli for livelihood. By 1990s, this phenomenon was ostensibly reversed. Hundreds of people from Tamil Nadu started migrating to Kerala in search of menial jobs for  basic survival. That’s the situation in Tamil Nadu, which also saw a serving CM sentenced to imprisonment with a fine of Rs 100 crore on charges of corruption.

While Rajinikanth and Haasan have made their political plans known, two prominent stars are still struggling to stay relevant in politics. Vijayakanth (the black MGR) and Sarathkumar had given high hopes when they launched their political parties. Vijayakanth, who was projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the Third Front, lost his deposit in the 2016 Assembly Elections. Not only that, the Third Front — a motley alliance of Vaiko’s MDMK, Thirumavalavan’s VCK, the Left, and the TMC revived by GK Vasan — was wiped out in the elections having failed to win at least one seat. Vaiko jumped fence and is working actively to make Stalin the Chief Minister.

Tamil Nadu voters are blessed with an array of chief ministerial candidates to choose from. Palaniswami, Dhinakaran, Stalin, Anbumani Ramadoss, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Vijayakanth. It is a buyer’s market and we have to wait for some more time to zero in on the winner.

Writer: Kumar Chellappan

Courtesy: The Pioneer

The head of the Recording Academy, the professional group of musicians that administers the Grammys, said Thursday he would step aside months after an uproar over his remarks on women.

Recording Academy president and CEO Neil Portnow, whose 16-year tenure has been the longest of any chief of the body, said he would not seek an extension after his contract ends in July 2019.

A calm, bespectacled record industry executive who has put a focus on pressing for the music business’s interests in Washington, Portnow was a largely uncontroversial figure until the latest Grammy Awards.

Asked by a reporter after the gala why more women were not winning the music industry’s biggest prize, Portnow said that female musicians should “step up,” while also speaking of the need for more mentorship.

Top female stars including Katy Perry and Pink voiced outrage over his remarks and a group of women executives in the music business called on Portnow to step down as part of the “Time’s Up” movement against gender inequality.

Portnow, in his statement, did not address the incident but said he wanted an orderly transition to choose his successor.

“The evolution of industries, institutions, and organizations is ultimately the key to their relevance, longevity and success,” he said in a statement.

The spotlight on the gender imbalance came after men dominated the winners at the 60th Grammy Awards, although women — Adele and Taylor Swift — had won the top prize of Album of the Year the two previous years.

Portnow had nonetheless been credited with promoting racial and genre
diversity, in part by switching the Recording Academy to online balloting to ensure better representation.

For the first time, hip-hop dominated the top nominations at the latest Grammys, although funk revivalist Bruno Mars was the night’s big winner. Agencies

Sanjay Dutt’s efforts are looking real as the actor Ranbir Kapoor is looking convincing in the first blooms of the Sanju.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor, glimpses of whose portrayal as Sanjay Dutt in the trailer of Sanju has left the audience asking for more, says he really wants the senior actor to like him and his work.

Ranbir interacted with the media at the trailer launch of Sanju along with Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Dia Mirza and Vicky Kaushal.

Asked how he felt portraying various phases of Sanjay’s life, Ranbir said: “When I was a child, I had a poster of Sanju sir on the wall of my cupboard, and through this film, I am in his shoes. I think in my life, I really want Sanju sir to like me. I know I never can be the man he is, but in whichever way that I go about in my career as a person and even through this film, I really want Sanju sir to like me because I feel that he is man that I respect a lot and I really look up to him. I hope that he feels that I have represented his life in very honest and improved way.”

The film’s trailer gives a rushed glance at the various phases and challenges Sanjay has faced in his personal life, in which he has waded through a battle with drugs, multiple relationships and legal troubles.

How does Ranbir summarise the trailer? “We have worked on this film for two years. Through the trailer, we tried and represented the best version of the film as we can excite the audience. I always had belief in film, script and in Raju (Hirani) sir’s vision, so it’s way bigger than the trailer for me. The trailer is just short window of what’s going to come in the film,” added the actor, who has tried to walk, talk and look like Sanjay Dutt for the film.

With the ups and downs in Sanjay’s life, did playing the character take an emotional toll on Ranbir? He said: “As an actor, I was very excited to play this part. So, it doesn’t bother you that much but when I was acting I was really imagining what he must be going through because I am just acting in the film putting makeup and stuff, so I think just thinking about what he must be going through was such an inspiration for me that the film was fairly easy. And also to have an incredible cast and Raju sir around me, everything was smooth sailing.”

In the trailer, the makers have revealed that Sanjay had 308 girlfriends at one point in his life.

Asked whether he will reveal the number of girlfriends if he ever had a biopic made on his life, Ranbir said: “No… I actually won’t allow. I don’t think I am a courageous man like Sanju sir to give my life out so openly. But my count has been less than ten, so people can’t make a biopic on me.”

Ranbir’s father and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor had praised the young actor’s work when he had watched the trailer of Sanju for the first time. Did that make him emotional?

He said, “Besides being my father, he is also an actor whom I really admire and respect, so when Raju sir recorded his reaction and sent it to me, that time I was shooting for another project. My father never tells me on my face that I have done a good job. It really moved me and made me emotional because every father wants his son to do well but my father is very careful that he doesn’t give compliments for free.”

Sanju is produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film is releasing on June 29.

Writer: Team Viva

Courtesy: The Pioneer

After giving remarkable performances in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Veer-Zaara and the winner of  the National Award for her Supporting Role in Irada, Bollywood actress Divya Dutta talks to Musba Hashmi about her upcoming biopic Manto and her recently released movies. She mentioned during her talk that she is a greedy and versatile actor.

Tell us about the biopic on Manto?

The film throws light on the life of Saadat Hasan Manto, a popular Pakistani writer, playwright and author. The story talks about the tumultuous years of Manto and his journey from India to Pakistan during Partition. Director Nandita Das has beautifully woven stories about his writings on the two nations that became the reason for its rise and fall.

What role did character, Kulwant Kaur, play in his life?

She was just a part of a short story that he wrote. It is a very small yet integral role. She was one of the women who he found very independent and liberating in her thoughts and actions. She speaks her mind and is proud of her sexuality. She was probably someone Manto may have come across in real life. She takes pride in loving her husband who ends up raping a Muslim girl.  When she finds out, she kills him.

What challenges did you face?

Nandita asked me if I would be comfortable doing some intimate scenes with Ranvir Shorey in the presence of the crew and I was fine with it. I don’t call them challenges because as an actor, you are playing a character and telling a story.

Any scene that was out of your comfort zone?

I had to be to totally uninhabited since Kulwant is like that. She is somebody who is totally passionate about her sexuality and I had to bring that out naturally and effortlessly. When the camera said ‘action’, I forgot about all the inhibitions and became the character. When the scene got over, people from the crew were awestruck and told me that shot was done beautifully. Das was very sensitive to the bold scenes and I will always appreciate this gesture from her because the shot could have been awkward. But she made sure I was at ease with Shorey.

When did you first read about Manto?

When I was in college, I was told Manto was a very controversial writer and not to read much about him. But I still managed to read one or two stories by him and loved them. It was much later, a just a couple of years back, that I actually read his work again and thoroughly enjoyed and found a connection with what he has written.

You have been part of other biopics  too. What kind of approach do you have?

When you are playing a real life character, you have to take care of a lot of things like drawing similarities between real and reel story and how convincingly you play the real part on big screen — how close you come to the true story. Since my role in Manto is a part of one of the short stories written by him, I had the liberty to give my own colour to the character something that you can’t do in a biopic.

How was your experience working with Nawazuddin Siddiqui?

Technically, this is my third film with him after  Badlapur and Babumoshai Bandookbaaz but in Manto, I don’t share a screen space with him since I’m a part of the story written by Manto, played by Nawaz). So we are not together. But working with him in other films was a delight. He is a humble person, has a superb sense of humour and is a dear friend. Even at Cannes after the screening of Manto, we went out together and had loads of fun.

Does a movie make an actor or vice-versa?

It is the movie and a good script that makes an actor popular. You can’t rise above a bad film.

You won a National Award for Irada for Best Supporting Role. Has the recognition come late?

There is a right time for everything. Recognition was always there, it is not like suddenly somebody recognised me. Yes, a National Award takes time. But there is an adage: Better late than never. I am happy that it finally came.

Which character has been close to you ?

I’ve emotionally attached to Delhi-6 because it was a very different role from who I actually am. I had to put in extra effort to play my character — Jalebi, a rag picker. The team helped me get the into the shoes of the character. Also, the entire experience of working with brilliant actors like Wahidaji, Rishi Kapoor and Omji (Puri) was great.

What is your take on the kind of films that are being made like Parmanu…, Raazi and PadMan?

I am delighted that we have such an amazing variety of films coming out. I am more delighted that the audience is loving such films and taking them to the Rs 100-crore club. Even though they are not your typical superstar films, the content and their makers are the heroes.

What are your upcoming projects?

There are about eight films releasing this year. After Manto there is Fanne Khan with Anil Kapoor, Anubhav Sinha’s Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, a biopic on Malala, a  romantic movie Music Teacher, a psychological thriller with Arshad Warsi and Juhi Chawla and another film with Arjun Rampal.

Writer: Musba Hashmi

Courtesy: The Pioneer