Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair wins TIFF Tribute award, says important to tell our own stories

New Delhi: Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, two episodes of whose six-part television series "A Suitable Boy" will close the 45th Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, received the Jeff Skoll Award for Impact Media on Monday evening at a remotely conducted TIFF Tribute Awards ceremony.

The presentation of the award to Nair was initiated by Tabu, star of "A Suitable Boy" as well as the director's critically acclaimed 2006 drama "The Namesake". The actor said: When Mira Nair was a kid, she asked herself, can art change the world? She has proven it can. And in doing so, the filmmaker has, Tabu added, set the very highest standards of cinema .

Nair was one of six recipients of the TIFF Tribute Awards alongside octogenarian actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, Chinese-American filmmaker Chloe Zhao (whose Venice Golden Lion-winning Nomadland is one of the highlights of TIFF 2020), indigenous Canadian director Tracey Deer and musician Terence Blanchard.


In her acceptance speech, Mira Nair said: When I work, it feels like fun, so I really want to thank the Toronto International Film Festival for giving me an award to have my fun and to be part of the extraordinary privilege of being able to make cinema.

After years of loving & matchmaking, I offer you #asuitableboy.

May you enjoy the ride.

Episode 1 - Sunday, July 26 @BBCOne 9pm. pic.twitter.com/NshMiiyb1O

— Mira Nair (@MiraPagliNair) July 25, 2020

Nair, who divides her time between homes in New York City, Kampala and New Delhi, added: I have often said if we don't tell our own stories no one else will. But it doesn't stop there. In telling these stories, I have also discovered the power of listening, of the possibility of making bridges, the possibility of translation, of being porous.

The award tells me, Nair said, that my art and my films have actually made change. That is such a beautiful feeling. The filmmaker signed off by saying, I accept the award in honour of all the stories that held the idiosyncratic, the unseen, the unspoken, the unsaid, and the baffling. Here's to them and they happen everywhere in the world.



The TIFF Tribute Awards is an annual fundraiser held as part of the festival that is regarded as one of the most important launching pads for cinema and a bellwether for the Oscars. The awards honour the film industry's outstanding contributors and their achievements.

I've read Vikram Seth's gorgeous novel seven times at least— and I never thought possible the beautiful & evocative version made by @MiraPagliNair for the screen. Breathtaking. pic.twitter.com/CYMOGWTTQt

— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) September 14, 2020

Sir Anthony Hopkins's TIFF Tribute Actor Award was presented by Olivia Colman, his on-screen daughter in the film "The Father", which is part of the festival programme. Accepting his award, the 82-year-old actor said: I am astonished that I am still in work at my age.

COVID-19: Goa welcomes filmmakers to shoot movies in beach state

Panaji, Goa: The state-run Entertainment Society of Goa on Sunday welcomed filmmakers to the coastal state after the Centre announced the standard operating procedures for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes.

After the outbreak of COVID-19 in March, film shootings were suspended in Goa, which is a popular hub for the Hindi, Marathi and South Indian film industries. Films and other shootings have already been permitted in the state since last week of June, Entertainment Society of Goa's (ESG) Chief Executive Officer Amit Satija said.

Detailed SOP for resuming work in the media production industry by Govt of India..Film and other shooting has already been permitted in #Goa with adequate safeguards by Govt of Goa since June last week. Welcome to #FilminGoa," the official tweeted.

The ESG was started by the state government in 2004 to bring the best of the events, film festivals and creative minds of entertainment industry from all over the globe at one place, and to make Goa the hub of this industry.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday announced guiding principles and SOPs on preventive measures for media production to contain the spread of COVID-19.

These include measures such as social distancing and mandatory use of face cover or masks for cast and crew, except for actors in front of camera. The I&B document also emphasised on the health and family welfare ministry's guiding principles which state that non-essential activities will not be allowed in COVID-19 containment zones.

Hindi thriller film 'Drishyam' director Nishikant Kamat's condition critical: hospital sources

Mumbai: Film Director Nishikant Kamat, best known for his films "Mumbai Meri Jaan", "Drishyam" and "Madaari", is critical, according to hospital sources.

Kamat, who is suffering from chronic liver disease and secondary infections, was admitted to AIG hospital in Gachibowli, Hyderabad on July 31. "He is not dead, he is on ventilator. But his condituon is very critical," his industry friend and director Milap Zaveri told PTI. Earlier, Kamat's close friend, Marathi actor Jaywant Wadkar had said that the director had passed away.

Thereafter, many of his associates, including actor R Madhavan, who worked with him in "Mumbai Meri Jaan" (2008), had started posting their condolences. 


In a statement on August 12, the medical facility had said that Kamat was hospitalised for jaundice and abdominal distention, and was later diagnosed with chronic liver disease. The hospital had described his condition "critical but stable".

Kamat, 50, made his directorial debut with the Marathi film "Dombivali Fast" in 2005. His Bollywood debut was "Mumbai Meri Jaan", also starring Irrfan.

Kamat also played the negative role in John Abraham-starrer "Rocky Handsome" in 2016, which he also directed. His biggest hit was Ajay Devgn-Tabu starrer "Drishyam", which was a remake of the Malayalam movie of the same name.

Aamir Khan meets Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan as he shoots for Laal Singh Chaddha, Twitterati Unhappy!

New Delhi: Bollywood actor and Popularly known as Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan met the Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan at the presidential residence in Istanbul on August 15. The photos from the meeting have been going viral.

According to reports in local Turkish media, the meeting happened at the request of Aamir. The actor and the first lady discussed the various projects initiated by Aamir and his wife Kiran Rao, including their Paani Foundation. The actor also spoke about how Kiran had lived in Turkey for a short while.

Aamir Khan is trending furiously on Twitter which is none too happy about the meeting because of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks about Kashmir during his address in Pakistan's parliament. Aamir, who is unlikely to respond to the trolling, took the shooting of his upcoming film Laal Singh Chaddha to Turkey, where he met Emine Erdogan - the pictures of which meeting she shared on her official Twitter handle. Emine Erdogan described Aamir Khan as "the world-renowned Indian actor" and wrote that she's "looking forward" to watching his film.


Emine Erdogan tweeted: "I had the great pleasure of meeting Aamir Khan, the world-renowned Indian actor, filmmaker, and director, in Istanbul. I was happy to learn that Aamir decided to wrap up the shooting of his latest movie Laal Singh Chaddha in different parts of Turkey. I look forward to it!"

I had the great pleasure of meeting @aamir_khan, the world-renowned Indian actor, filmmaker, and director, in Istanbul. I was happy to learn that Aamir decided to wrap up the shooting of his latest movie ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ in different parts of Turkey. I look forward to it! pic.twitter.com/3rSCMmAOMW

— Emine Erdoğan (@EmineErdogan) August 15, 2020

Aamir Khan is in Turkey to resume the shoot of his film Laal Singh Chaddha., an official remake of Tom Hanks’ classic Forrest Gump. With Kareena Kapoor in the lead, the film was being shot in parts of India including Chandigarh, Kolkata and Amritsar when India went into a lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Sat Sri Akaal ji, myself Laal...Laal Singh Chaddha.🙏 pic.twitter.com/aXI1PM8HIw

— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) November 18, 2019

Aamir announced Laal Singh Chaddha in a media interaction on his birthday last year. “I have always loved Forrest Gump as a script. It is a wonderful story about this character. It is a life-affirming story. It is a feel-good film. It is a film for the whole family. It’s a wonderful film so I really like it,” he had said. 

Laal Singh Chaddha is directed by Secret Superstar fame Advait Chandan, the film will span over decades and cover the important milestones from India’s lived history. The film, which was expected to release at the end of 2020, has now been postponed to Christmas of 2021. 

Priyanka Chopra finishes her memoir, said every word reflection into her life

Mumbai: Actor Priyanka Chopra on Tuesday revealed that she has completed the final manuscript of her memoir, "Unfinished", and the book is set to come out soon.

"Unfinished" is a collection of personal essays, stories and observations of the 38-year-old actor, to be published by Penguin Random House India. Priyanka took to Twitter and said the book comes from an extremely personal, introspective space.'Unfinished' is finished! Just about sent in the final manuscript! Wheee! Cannot wait to share it with you all. Every word in my memoir comes from a place of introspection and reflection into my life. #ComingSoon," she wrote.

Priyanka forayed into the entertainment industry at the age of 17 when she became Miss India and went on to win Miss World the following year. Besides acting in several Bollywood movies such as Aitraaz , Barfi! , 7 Khoon Maaf and Bajirao Mastani , Priyanka earned acclaim for her work as Alex Parrish on ABC's show "Quantico", becoming the first South Asian to headline an American network drama series.

She made her Hollywood debut as antagonist Victoria Leeds in Seth Gordon's action comedy Baywatch and followed it up with A Kid Like Jake co-starring Jim Parsons and Claire Danes. Priyanka also had a supporting part in Todd Strauss-Schulson's comedy "Isn't It Romantic", which starred Rebel Wilson. Last year she returned to Hindi cinema with Shonali Bose's The Sky is Pink .

The actor's future projects include Netflix's adaptation of Aravind Adiga's satirical novel The White Tiger , Robert Rodriguez's superhero film We Can Be Heroes , thriller series Citadel and much-anticipated Matrix 4. Priyanka also has a production banner Purple Pebble Pictures, under which she produces global TV and film content.

Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha to release on Christmas 2021

Mumbai: Actor Aamir Khan’s next Laal Singh Chaddha will hit the theatres on Christmas 2021, Viacom18 Studios announced on Monday. The film, produced by Aamir Khan Productions and Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

'Secret Superstar' helmer Advait Chandan is directing the film from a script by actor-writer Atul Kulkarni.The film has music by Pritam with Amitabh Bhattacharya credited for the lyrics. Aamir Khan was recently photographed in Turkey, where he is currently shooting Laal Singh Chaddha. The actor resumed the shoot after the lockdown break. Before the nationwide lockdown was imposed, Aamir was pictured filming Laal Singh Chaddha in Himachal Pradesh and Amritsar.

Cuties! 💕💕@aamir_khan #AamirKhan #LaalSinghChaddha #LSC2020 pic.twitter.com/dSmMjwaPXx

— Aamir Khan Official Team (@AKofficialTeam) January 6, 2020

The movie, which is an official remake of Tom Hanks' 1994 feature "Forrest Gump", was previously scheduled to hit the theatres on December 25 this year. The production on the film is yet to be finished. 


Aamir, 54, had announced the project on his birthday in March 2019. The actor, whose last film Thugs of Hindostan did not perform well at the box office, said he would be losing around a lot of weight for his role in the film.

At this stage of my life, I'm looking for projects I enjoy: Naseeruddin Shah

-Shubha Dubey
New Delhi: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah says he accepts projects purely on instinct but off late, he has started looking for parts where he can enjoy himself, irrespective of the length of the role. The actor said there have been instances where his instincts have worked well, like in the case of Neeraj Pandey's A Wednesday, which he calls one of his most memorable films but there have been some regrets as well. 

"At this stage of my life, I'm not looking for great parts to play. I have had more than my share. I'm looking to work in projects where I enjoy myself and which will give me something to chew on. I wouldn't do a role of a boring traditional father in a movie, even if it is made by somebody I like, Shah told PTI in Zoom interview.

One of the most admired actors in India, Shah said he felt a shift in his perspective about 15 years ago when he appeared in several small parts. The actor enjoyed doing supporting but critical roles, in which "directors hesitate to cast well known actors as they feel audiences' expectations would be blighted. I realised my own role is not as important as the totality of the film and I should contribute to the totality of the film in whatever capacity I can, he added.

Shah, who studied at the National School of Drama and Film and then the Television Institute of India (FTII) in late 1970s, established himself as a major contributor to the Indian new wave cinema during the 70s and 80s. While he made a mark in movies "Nishant", "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro", "Ijaazat", Bazaar , Katha , Masoom and Mirch Masala with his flawless performances , he also created a space for himself in commercial cinema with films such as Hero Hirala , Karma , Tridev , Vishwatma , Chamatkar and Mohra .

The actor said there was resentment towards trained actors when he joined films. The resentment was not unjustified, because a lot of these so called trained actors' were utterly incompetent. They were carrying this baggage of being method actor and things like I want to be the character I'm playing or call me by the name of the character.'

All this kind of absolute nonsense created a condescending attitude (towards trained actors). I was very careful to not call myself a trained actor, especially when I was doing my first few song and dance movies like Sunayana' and Khwab', because I didn't want to invite this mockery that he is an intellectual', he added.

During his student days, Shah believed he would be doing small parts or acting in the art movies but the success of his mainstream films took him by surprise. The on screen sing and song is something I have never quite cracked... It is due to a shortcoming in my own orientation because when I was hoping to do movies and I was studying at FTII, I never imagined that I will be singing songs.

I imagined I will be playing smaller parts or acting in art movies, which is more or less how it happened. Let's say I didn't really prepare myself for commercial success. So it was a surprise when Tridev' and Mohra' became huge successes. No one was more astonished than I was, he said. The generational conflict when he joined films prompted the actor to strike a balance between art and commercial cinema.

Recalling his experience of working on the 1979 film Sunayana , Shah said the film's director Hiren Nag would be utterly perplexed at his suggestions. To avoid conflict, he decided to do whatever the director asked him to do "and thoroughly regretted it".

"That's not the only instance, there have been others, he added. But he never faced something like that with the younger generation, Shah noted with admiration. In an unqualified way, I'm full of admiration for these kids In the last 10 years some of the small films I have seen are very effective. There is hope from the younger generation.

We have actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, Gulshan Devaiah, Ayushmann Khurrana and many other marvellous performers, who are comfortable in all forms of cinema. They are much more evolved than my generation was and I feel privileged to work with these guys. I envy them and their abilities, he said.

His latest project, Bandish Bandits , is an addition to his list of collaboration with young talents. Helmed by, actor-director Anand Tiwari, the series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday. Shah said he agreed to be a part of the project because of his fondness for Tiwari.

I did the series for Anand. I like him very much and we have been friends for a while. He has worked with us in our theatre company. I have also acted with him and I think he is a marvellous actor. I was just happy to work with him and enjoy his company, Shah said.

The actor plays a veteran classical musician in the series, featuring Shreya Chaudhry and Ritwik Bhowmik in the lead. He said he enjoyed playing the role as there were shades of grey in it.

He is an opinionated old Ustad, who always feels he is right. There were many dimensions in the characters. There were negative shades to character and I have always enjoyed playing a baddie. I haven't had enough opportunities unfortunately.

And there was lot of Indian classical singing, which I know nothing about. So I had to practice lip-syncing and understand the music, he said. Another reason to board the project was the company of actors like Atul Kulkarni, Sheeba Chaddha and Amit Mistry, whom Shah admires.

Also OTT is the future, one cannot stay away from it. I didn't feel that way for television. I never felt that television would take over everything, and it didn't. That's why I don't have any aversion at all to appearing on OTT platform, he said.

Sushant's death may be investigated by the CBI, center accepted the recommendation of Bihar govt

New Delhi: The government has accepted the request by the Bihar government to order the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Centre’s senior second-most law officer Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made the submission during the hearing of a plea by actor Rhea Chakraborty seeking transfer of the case registered in Bihar’s capital of Patna to Maharashtra’s Mumbai. “Union of India has in principle accepted the request by Bihar to have a CBI probe. Notification regarding the same will be issued by end of day today,” Mehta said. The top court asked the parties involved to file their response in three days. It also ordered the Maharashtra government to apprise the court of the stage of investigation by Mumbai Police into Rajput’s death. The case will now be heard next week.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s father, KK Singh, had filed a police complaint against Chakraborty in Patna, accusing her of abetting his son’s alleged suicide in June. His father has also alleged that Chakraborty illegally transferred Rs 15 crore from his son’s bank account and mentally harassed him. Chakraborty has challenged Bihar police’s jurisdiction in the matter, saying that the alleged crime took place in Mumbai.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recommended that the CBI take over the case on Tuesday. Kumar said the decision was taken after Rajput’s father met the state police chief Gupteshwar Pandey. “The DGP spoke to Sushant Singh Rajput’s father this morning and he gave consent for CBI inquiry. So now, we are recommending CBI probe in the matter,” Kumar said on Tuesday. Uddhav Thackeray, Kumar’s counterpart in Maharashtra, and the western state’s home minister Anil Deshmukh had both earlier ruled out a CBI probe.

Rajput’s father had also met Kumar seeking CBI investigation in the case. The actor’s father had said on Monday he had filed a complaint with Mumbai Police in February claiming Rajput’s life was in danger. The revelation came as Singh filed an FIR with Patna police, alleging Mumbai police of inaction even after 40 days of the actor’s sudden death.

Sushant Singh Rajput had bipolar disorder, said Mumbai police chief

Mumbai/Patna: Bollywood Actor Sushant Singh Rajput was suffering from bipolar disorder, a mental condition characterised by extreme mood swings, at the time of his death, Mumbai police chief Parambir Singh said on Monday amid clamour by Bihar politicians for a CBI probe.

An IPS officer from Bihar, who had landed in Mumbai on Sunday for leading the SIT investigating in the case, was, meanwhile, quarantined under the COVID-19 regulations in force in the city, a development Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called “inappropriate and forcible”. The issue resonated in the two Houses of Bihar legislature, with lawmakers across the political divide demanding a CBI investigation into the death of the 34-year- old Patna-born actor. Both Mumbai and Patna police are probing the case.

Rajput, who impressed his audience with his performances during his short but promising career, was found hanging in his rented apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra on June 14. “It was found that the actor had bipolar disorder, and was undergoing treatment and taking medicines for it. What circumstances led to his death is the subject of our investigation,” Mumbai police commissioner Singh told a press conference.
Singh also said no politician’s name has come up during the investigation by Mumbai police. There is no question of non-cooperation with the Bihar police team which is in the city in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, Singh said, adding Mumbai police are seeking legal opinion on the matter.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday voiced strong disapproval of the “forcible” quarantine of the officer. “Whatever has been done to him is inappropriate,” Kumar told journalists in Patna. Patna police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was in a relationship with Rajput, on the basis of a complaint lodged by his father K K Singh.
Kumar also said the matter has been taken up with the authorities in Maharashtra by DGP Gupteshwar Pandey. “He (Pandey) will himself speak to the authorities concerned,” Kumar said. When asked about whether he would himself have a word with his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray, the Bihar chief minister said, “It is not a political matter. The issue at hand is a legal obligation of the Bihar police. We will make all possible efforts to fulfil the same.”

He, however, ducked queries about recommending a CBI inquiry into the matter, the demand for which has been raised by at least two of the deceased actor’s sisters. Meanwhile, political lines got blurred as the bicameral Bihar legislature demanded a CBI inquiry into Rajput’s death. The demand was first raised by Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu, a BJP MLA and the deceased stars cousin, when members were allowed to speak on the subject by Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary after the passage of 12 bills by the House, which assembled for a truncated, day-long monsoon session.
Turning towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bablu requested the state government to hand over the probe to the CBI. “It is evident that the Maharashtra government is trying to put hurdles in the way of Bihar police, preventing it from investigating the matter properly, he alleged. Bablu’s wife Nutan Singh, a BJP MLC, also raised the issue in the legislative council.

The BJP MLA underscored the “forcible quarantine” of an IPS officer from Patna, hours after he landed in Mumbai on Sunday, to buttress his point. The demand for handing over the matter to the central agency was seconded by leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who asserted, RJD was the first party to have made such a demand. I had written a letter to the CBI shortly after Rajputs death and also requested that the upcoming film city in Rajgir be named after the deceased actor.
Congress legislature party leader Sadanand Singh, who is also a former Speaker of the House, suggested that a resolution be passed in support of the demand for a CBI inquiry into the actors death. Raju Tiwari, an MLA of Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP, and Awadhesh Kumar Singh of the Congress were among others who rose to speak in favor of a CBI inquiry.

Mumbai police commissioner Singh said after registering an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the case, the investigation is in progress and till now statements of 56 people have been recorded. The statements of Sushant’s sisters have also been recorded, he said. Sushant was upset after he was linked with the death of his former manager Disha Salian on June 8, he said.
“No politician’s name came up during the probe so far. There is no evidence against any politician from any party,” Singh said, referring to a query on the name of a prominent young Maharashtra politician being mentioned on social media. “The FIR by Bihar police says Rs 15 crore were siphoned off from Sushant’s account. During the probe, we found he had Rs 18 crore in his account of which around Rs 4.5 crore are still there,” he said.

There is no confirmation yet of a direct transfer to the account of Rhea Chakraborty, he added. Police consulted forensic experts and doctors during the investigation, he said. “We obtained CCTV footage of June 13 and 14 of his house but we did not get any evidence about any party being held there,” he said.

“The statements of Sushant’s father, sister and brother-in-law were recorded on June 16. At that time, they neither raised any suspicion nor complained about any lapse in our probe,” he said. All angles are being investigated, be it professional rivalry, financial transactions or health reasons that could have led to the actor’s death, he said. 

Sushant Singh Rajput's sister gives him rakhi tribute: You'll always be our pride

Mumbai: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's sister Shweta Singh Kirti on Monday remembered the late star on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan and said he will always remain special.

Shweta took to Instagram and shared a collage of childhood photographs of Sushant, where the actor is seen surrounded by his four sisters as they tie him rakhi. "Happy Rakshabandhan my sweet baby. We love you a lot and will always do so. You were, you are and you will always be our pride @sushantsinghrajput #HappyRakshaBandhan," she captioned the photo collage.

Shweta, on Saturday, had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding justice for Sushant who died on June 14. She posted a brief note on her social media handles, requesting the PM to look into the death case of her brother and ensure that there is no tampering with the evidences.

"We are from a very simple family. My brother had no Godfather when he was in Bollywood nor do we have anyone right now. "My request to you is to immediately look into this case and make sure that everything is handled in a sanitised way and no evidences are tampered with. Expecting justice to prevail," she wrote.

Sushant, 34, was found dead at his Bandra residence. The actor's untimely demise was followed by a high-profile investigation by Mumbai Police during which many big names from Bollywood, including filmmakers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Aditya Chopra, recorded their statements.

Over a month after the actor's death, his father lodged a police complaint in Patna against his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, accusing her of abetting the suicide.

Amitabh Bachchan tests negative for COVID-19, discharged from hospital

Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has tested negative for COVID-19 and has been discharged from the hospital, son Abhishek Bachchan shared on Sunday.

Amitabh, 77, and Abhishek were admitted to Nanavati hospital after they tested positive for COVID-19 on July 11. Taking to Twitter, Abhishek, 44, wrote Amitabh will now be resting at home. “My father, thankfully, has tested negative on his latest Covid-19 test and has been discharged from the hospital. He will now be at home and rest. Thank you all for all your prayers and wishes for him.” 

In the following tweet, Abhishek said he is still COVID-19 positive and will remain under medical care.  “I, unfortunately, due to some comorbidities remain Covid-19 positive and remain in hospital. Again, thank you all for your continued wishes and prayers for my family. Very humbled and indebted. I’ll beat this and come back healthier! Promise,” he added.

Abhishek’s wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (46) and eight-year-old daughter Aaradhya were discharged from the hospital on Monday after testing negative for COVID-19. 

Rhea Chakraborty said to SC, "I was in a live-in relationship with Sushant, left him on June 8"

New Delhi: Actress Rhea Chakraborty has told the Supreme Court that she has been falsely implicated in the FIR registered against her in Bihar by late actor Sushant Singh Rajputs father.

Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case took a dramatic turn recently after his father KK.Singh recently filed an FIR in Patna accusing six people, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, for abetment to suicide. The actress, who on Wednesday had moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation to Mumbai, told the apex court that she also received many death and rape threats and that she is in deep trauma due to the loss of Sushant, which has multiplied further due to the constant media glare the case has been receiving.

Rhea informed the top court that she was in a live-in relationship with Sushant till June 8. She claimed that Sushant was suffering from depression for some time and was on anti-depressants. "In peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case, the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case filed by at the instance of Krishna Kishore Singh," Rehea said in her plea.

"He committed suicide on the morning of June 14 at his Bandra residence by hanging himself. The petitioner was summoned and she had visited the Bandra police station on various occasions and her statement was recorded under Section 175 of CrPC.

"The petitioner has filed a complaint at Santa Cruz police station in Mumbai against the death and rape threats. It would be just and expedient, if the transfer of the case is directed from Patna to Mumbai," the plea said. Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde had said that his client has electronically filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking transfer of investigation from Patna to Mumbai where the investigation in connection to the actor's death was already in progress.

Sushant and Rhea were in a relationship before the actor's alleged suicide on June 14. Sushant's father has levelled various allegations against Rhea, including taking money from his son and also threatening to disclose his medical reports with the media. Sushant's family has also accused Rhea of keeping him away from his family.

Actor turned MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty sharing screen space in Bengali film

Kolkata: Actor turned MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty are sharing screen space in Bengali film 'SOS Kolkata', shooting for which has started after the West Bengal government allowed resumption of film shoot in the state.

Jahan and Chakraborty said they are happy to be back on shooting floors in 'SOS Kolkata' and are enjoying the 'new normal' experience. Jahan said on Thursday that she is happy that the role of female protagonist came to her, the role which is not usual and conventional for a female lead in a Bengali film, of an out and outsmart, intelligent, gritty character she had always dreamt to play.

Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty 

Jahan's co-star and friend Chakraborty said: "We are happy that the shoots have passed off so smoothly. I am playing Sanjana, a woman pivotal to the film." Director Anshuman Pratyush said it was a relief to be back on floors after four-month lockdown and "we are abiding by all safety norms stipulated by the government." He said the film would be released by this Durga puja.

The film also cast Yash Dasgupta, Ena Saha, Shantilal Mukherjee, Rupa Bhattacharya and Sabyasachi Chakraborty. This is Jahan's second film after she was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Basirhat seat on a Trinamool Congress ticket. She had been cast in Pavel's 'Asur' earlier.

Chakraborty is the Trinamool Congress MP from the Jadavpur constituency. Jahan and Chakraborty had earlier shared screen space in Birsa Dasgupta's 'Criss Cross'.

Sushant Singh Rajput Case: Bihar Police visits Reha's house, Investigation of bank account started

Mumbai: The visiting Bihar police team on Thursday started the process of scrutinising financial transactions and bank account details of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput as part of their probe into his alleged suicide here last month, a Mumbai police official said. The Bihar police team, which arrived here on Wednesday, visited several places, including the residence of Rajput's friend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, who is facing `abetment to suicide' charge in a Patna FIR, but did not find her at home, said the Mumbai Crime Branch official. 

According to the official, the Bihar police started looking into financial transactions of Rajput, who was found hanging in his suburban Bandra apartment on June 14. As part of the process, the four-member team visited a Bandra-based bank where the 34-year-old actor had an account, he said. The Bihar cops are also looking into evidence collected so far by the Mumbai police and statements recorded by them, he said.

They are expected to question some people linked to Rajput, including his ex-girlfriend, actress Ankita Lokhande, the official said. The Bihar Police team landed in Mumbai to probe an `abetment to suicide' case registered against Chakraborty and others in connection with the death of Rajput.

Krishna Kumar Singh (74), Rajput's father, lodged a complaint against Chakraborty, the deceased actor's friend, and six others, including her family members, for alleged abetment to suicide, in Patna on Tuesday. The Mumbai police who are already investigating the alleged suicide have questioned several people from the film industry in connection with the case.

The Patna case was registered under various IPC sections including 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 306 (abetment of suicide). Singh accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actor, of having befriended his son in May 2019 with the intention of furthering her own career. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Shambhuraj Desai on Thursday said the Bihar police did not follow established protocols. "The Mumbai police have registered a case... from day one we are investigating it," he said. "Whenever a police team from a state visits another state for investigation, there are some protocols which are to be followed.. these were not followed," Desai told a news channel here.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had on Wednesday ruled out a CBI probe into the death of Rajput. "The Mumbai police are investigating the case and there is no question of the case being handed over to the CBI," Deshmukh had said.

Cinema: Sanjay Dutt’s birthday gift to fans is first look poster of KGF-2 character Adheera

Mumbai: The first look of Sanjay Dutt from upcoming Kannada epic KGF Chapter 2 was unveiled Wednesday, July 29, on the occasion of the star’s 61st birthday. Sanjay Dutt is playing the character of "Adheera" in this film.

The poster features a tattooed Sanjay, holding a sword, in what is shaping out to be one of the most-anticipated characters in the sequel to KGF Chapter 1. Dutt’s character is styled like a warrior character from the series Vikings. “It’s been a pleasure working on this film and I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift,” React the Sanjay, while sharing the new poster on Twitter. It will be interesting to see how a mob boss dressed like an 11th-century warrior will conduct his business in 1980s India. 

Sanjay Dutt’s towering physique and resting mean face makes him the perfect choice to play the villain in KGF Chapter 2. In KGF, director Prashanth Neel ensured that Adheera remained a mystery, with hints dropped about his massive stomach for power and violence. Even though Adheera is preset as a cruel master, he comes across as a man of his words and a loyal brother. In KGF Chapter 1, Adheera’s elder brother Suryavardhan hands over the reins of the gold mines of Kolar to his son Garuda, assuming that Adheera can’t handle political challenges. Adheera respects his brother’s choice and excuses himself from the power struggle. But, he vows that he will return and take over the gold mines if something should happen to Garuda.

And that is what exactly happens by the end of KGF. Rocky kills Garuda amid a lot of fanfare and that creates a power vacuum in Kolar. While there are multiple players bidding for control of the gold mines, the actual power struggle will be between Adheera and Rocky.

It is worth noting that Sanjay Dutt has earlier played a similar role as drug lord Kancha Cheena in Agneepath and that became an iconic villain role of Hindi cinema. However, Dutt is quite upbeat about KGF 2. “The character of Adheera in KGF is very powerful. If you have seen Avengers, you know how powerful Thanos is. Adheera is as powerful as him,” Sanjay Dutt had said earlier. Sanjay will join an impressive star cast that features the likes of Yash, Srinidhi Shetty and Raveena Tandon. 

The film is directed by Prashanth Neel, with music by Ravi Basrur. Produced by Hombaale films. The production of KGF Chapter 2 was stopped due to the outbreak of coronavirus. And it has subsequently affected the original release date, which was October 23, 2020

Mahesh Bhatt said, he never asked Rhea Chakraborty to leave Sushant Rajput

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police on Monday recorded the statement of film director Mahesh Bhatt as part of its investigation into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. police has been investigating the suicide of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput and has questioned several personalities in connection with the actor's unfortunate demise, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, producer Aditya Chopra and several others.

Mahesh Bhatt revealed that he has only met Rajput twice and that the latter was not offered any role in ‘Sadak 2’. He added that ‘Sadak 2’ was always supposed to be made with Sanjay Dutt as lead, just like 'Sadak'. The ‘Arth’ director further disclosed he met the late actor through Rhea Chakraborty. He  also said that the ‘Dil Bechara’ actor was keen on working with him and even showed interest at times to do so.

Now, based on a report of a leading news website, the ‘Aashiqui’ director invalidated the stories of him asking Rhea Chakraborty to leave Sushant Singh.  However, this statement comes out as a contradiction to one of the employees of ‘Vishesh Films’. Suhitra Das took to her social media and penned down a note coming out in support of Rhea. She wrote, “Cant forget the evening in Sushant’s terrace when it almost felt like everything was normal in the world while deep within he was slipping away. Sir saw that, that’s why he shared the very words his Master UG told him warning him about Parveen Babi, “walk away or this will take you down under along with."
Police will record Karan Johar’s statement this weekend in connection to the film Drive that Rajput had made with his production house, Dharma Productions, the officer added. Before Johar, however, the police is set to question Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta on Tuesday in connection with the agreement signed with Rajput for Drive. The film, which also starred Jacqueline Fernandez, was released on Netflix last year.

The police received a report on Rajput’s viscera from Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) last week. “The FSL has informed us that there are no signs of poisoning in the viscera. On the basis of our probe so far, there is no evidence of foul play,” the officer said. Parth Pawar, the son of state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, met state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday, with a request to consider transferring the probe to CBI. 

Sushant Singh Rajput Death: Filmaker Mahesh Bhatt Joins investigations

Mumbai: Bollywood films producer and director Mahesh Bhatt today joined police investigations into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death mystery. According to reports Mr Bhatt toady reached the Santacruz police station at 11:30 AM and recorded his statements before Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Trimukhe.

Besides Mr Bhatt, Karan Johar's manager and actor Kangana Ranaut have been asked to join investigations into the case, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Sunday. "Mahesh Bhatt will be called for questioning and we will later call Karan Johar''s manager too. If required Karan Johar can also be called for the questioning in Sushant Singh Rajput case," he told ANI yesterday.

The Mumbai police are investigating allegations that professional rivalry, besides clinical depression, drove the actor to suicide.  After Sushant’s death at his apartment in Mumbai last month, Ms. Kangna Ranaut had lashed out at nepotism and cartels in Bollywood, alleging that he was its victim, Kangna has also been summoned by the Bandra police, which is investigating the case. Ms Ranaut, who is in Himachal Pradesh since March 17, has requested police to send a team to the state to record her statement in person.

Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, was found dead in his home in Bandra on June 14. The police said it was death by suicide. The police are investigating allegations that professional rivalry, besides clinical depression, drove the actor to suicide. 

The police have so far questioned a few Bollywood personalities in the case, including casting director Mukesh Chhabra, Yash Raj Films (YRF) Chairman Aditya Chopra, YRFs casting director Shanoo Sharma and film critic Rajeev Masand. police recorded statements of 37 people in connection with the case. 

Sushant Singh Rajput debuted in the 2013 film "Kai Po Che" and went on to do several films, including "PK", "MS Dhoni: The Untold Story", "Kedarnath", "Sonchiriya" and "Chhichhore" - one of his last films that was widely appreciated. His death led to a deluge of tribute and recriminations on social media involving the Hindi film industry, which has been battling allegations of nepotism and cliques.

Amitabh Bachchan Writes About How COVID-19 Affects Patient's Mental Health

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who is undergoing treatment for coronavirus at a hospital here, has opened up about the mental health struggles COVID-19 patients face under isolation in order to curb the spread of the disease.

The 77-year-old megastar and his son, actor Abhishek Bachchan were admitted to the isolation ward of Nanavati Hospital on July 11 after they tested positive for the virus. In his blog on Saturday, Amitabh said the mental condition brought upon by the disease takes a toll on the patient as one is kept away from human contact.

"The mental state sparks from the stark reality that the COVID patient, put in hospitalised isolation, never gets to see another human for weeks. There are the nurses and the doctors on visit and medicine care but they ever appear in PPE units," the screen icon wrote. He said one doesn't get to know the faces behind the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as the healthcare workers take extreme precautions and deliver "what is prescribed and leave".
"Leave because longer stay has the fear of contamination. The doctor under whose guidance the care and mapping and reports are governed by, never ever comes near you to give a hand of assurance, a personal detail of the treatment in the close proximity of an assurance." The communication is virtual, Amitabh said, which is the best way under the current situation, but is still "impersonal".

The actor, who occasionally updates his fans on social media about his health, said the stigma of having been COVID-19 positive is something which a patient may wrestle with once the institutional isolation is over. "Does it have an effect psychologically mentally? Psychologists say it does. Patients after release are tempered, they are given to consultation with professional mind talkers.

"They are afraid to be in public for fear or apprehension of being treated differently, treated as one that has carried the disease, a pariah syndrome. Driving them into deeper depression and in the loneliness that they have just come out of," he noted. Highlighting his own state, Amitabh wrote he sings to keep himself entertained in the loneliness.

"In the darkness of the night and the shiver of the cold room, I sing .. eyes shut in attempted sleep .. there is no one about or around .. and the freedom to be able to do that will extend I know if in the Will of the Almighty there is release," he said. On Thursday, the Bollywood veteran dismissed reports that he has tested negative for coronavirus and called the piece of news "an incorrigible lie".
Amitabh's daughter-in-law, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 46, and his eight-year-old granddaughter Aaradhya Bachchan also tested positive for COVID-19 and were shifted to Nanavati last week. The tally of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 3,66,368 with 9,251 new patients being reported on Saturday, according to State Health department.