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Arts & Culture Celebrity Lite Blogs

Hema Malini acknowledges Tani Walawalkar’s work and supports ‘Jogan Ki Geet’

Recently in Goa, Rahul Laud met renowned spiritual and devotional singer Tanvi Walawalkar to know more about her ‘jogan ke geet’ series of songs

Recently a Varanasi noted actor come dancer Hema Malini recognised Tanvi Walawalkar’s spiritual devotion towards Krishna and her musical pursuit to share Krishna’s joy and wisdom.

Hema Malini was kind and generous to promote Tani’s Jogan Ki Geet – an anthology of 500 krishma bhajans penned by Tanvi.  Tanvi was in Varanasi for her video shoot for one of her songs from her anthology. where she met her.

Tanvi believes that this was completely divine intervention and she was overwhelmed by Hema Malini’s humility and genuine interest in music and performing arts.

Tanvi Walawalkar, a  resident of Goa is recognised for her spiritual singing. She has enthralled audiences in Goa and neighbouring states with her mellifluous voice. Trained classical vocalist from goa , Tanvi who is a disciple of Pt Subhankar Karandikar inaugurated recently  the Global CHAMBER OF Saraswat ENTREPRENEURS ANNUAL CONCLAVE WITH her saraswati vandana to set the tone of the business proceedings.

Tanvi shares that in her deep meditative state she has written 500 jogan ke geet songs dedicated to Krishna. She has copyrighted all her creative work as she strongly believes in its precious wisdom and not mere songs. Approximately 22 out of them have been composed in musical form and posted  on YouTube for public consumption.

This creativity in her sharply surfaced during covid.  Tanvi was never a poet , lyricist believes that her writing experience has been unique as this process helped her to heal herself. SHE ALSO BELIEVES THAT she was chosen as the medium to express these songs. To her bewilderment, these songs are all written in Hindi – a language she   has not been conversant with. She wonders as apparently she has no answer as to how this whole experience happened.

She wrote over 100 songs in a month and all her songs were divine experiences. She shares all her songs when written and starts and finishes in one go. Mother of two Tanvi balances her professional spiritual singing with her family. Goa’s famous Kamakshi temple uses one of her TANVI’S chanting as  A REGULAR CHANT IN THEIR TEMPLE.

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Bollywood Celebrity Events

I did shopping and strolled in Ruwi, recalls Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi

Vivek Oberoi’s his first film “Company” in Hindi was with Mohanlal and after nearly two decades he debuted in a Malayalam film “Lucifer” with Lalettan, writes Vinod Raghavan

MUSCAT : Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, was moved by the young dance performers of Delicious Academy for Dance and The Kings United, which took him back to the memory lanes of his younger days as a child dancer who performed way back in the 80s in Muscat.

The “Company” actor, who was in Muscat as Chief Guest for the closing ceremony of the first ever European Union Film Festival, organized by the French Embassy in Oman in collaboration with the IFFO, minutely watched the steps on Bollywood numbers, reminded him his earlier days as a child dancer who performed on stage in the capital city of Oman.

Remembering the bygone era, “Saathiya” fame actor recalled that he first performed in the capital city of Oman and revealed, that, “I used to practice a lot and work very hard on stage and also used to assist my seniors at the backstage for which we used to get TA, DA for our performance, which I saved and used to go to Ruwi and do shopping.”

“I used to stroll in Ruwi and do small shoppings of buying chocolates and fancy items, (those days foreign made goods were in great demand back home), reveals the “Krrish” actor.

In a Tete with Journalist Anirban Ray

“The Shootout at Lokhandwala”, actor had special words for Omani singer, Jihad Al Raisi, and added, that nowadays, the word Jihad is wrongly interpreted, but here is the singer Jihad from Oman, who spreads love and brotherhood. He loved Oman and said Omanis are peace loving people and known for their hospitality.

In his recent south Indian Malayalam film “Lucifer” he played a villain’s character, was all praise for the veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal, addressing him as Lalettan (Big Brother), he said, “coincidentally my debut film “Company” in Hindi was with with the great actor and now my first Malayalam film “Lucifer” is also with Lalettan.

The ardent devotee of “Lord Ayappa” took questions from the audience and replied elegantly. He also had kind words for the host of the evening Piya Pawani, who is a model and also acted in a South Indian Tamil film and short films viz. “The Broken Nest”, “Art That Hurts” amongst them in Oman.

ALSO READ: Over a dozen films showcased at EU Film Fest in Oman, concludes in style  

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Celebrity Fashion Gallery

GALLERY: Kanwal Toor

Kanwal is now a Model, Actor, entrepreneur and a social activist based in London and Dubai.

Kanwal Toor is a media personality, Bollywood and television actress living in London. She participated in the Femina Miss India contest in 2001 and later went on to represent India in Miss International 2001. Kanwal is now a Model, Actor, entrepreneur and a social activist based in London and Dubai.

Kanwal started her career in modelling and has worked for various brands, such as Vogue, Pepsi, Mercedes-Benz, LG, Gillette, and Yamaha. She has acted in serials on major channels in India and has also appeared in music videos. She hosted the show Filmi Fever, which aired on Zoom TV. And also hosted the show out & about on Zee TV (Europe). She made her film debut through the critically appraised Bollywood film Cheeni Kum, co-starring alongside Amitabh Bacchan and Tabu.

In 2009 Kanwal dabbled briefly in politics and stood a s a parliamentary candidate in the 2009 general elections from Slough. She was a town councillor in Beaconsfield too. Kanwal is now full time back into acting and modelling and is looking forward to doing some ” meaty” roles both in Dubai and London.

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Bollywood Celebrity London News

India’s top women’s college LSR’s London based alumni in conversation with actor Taha Shah Badussha

Lady Shri Ram College, a premier women’s educational institution in India has alumni worldwide and the network has alumni groups dotted around the globe. London chapter of the alumni body called ELSA-UK is a vibrant group of about 300 alumni based in and around London. The network has done about fifty networking fireside chats in the last decade with movers and shakers from different fields to seek inspiration, facilitate networking at these thought leadership sessions and celebrate aspirations also achievements of the speakers invited who the group feels they can learn from. The alumni body overall has tens of thousands of members worldwide.

In July 2024 some of the ELSA-UK group members had the opportunity to hear an inspirational journey of breaking through barriers from Taha Shah Badussha who’s done this to forge a a game-changing acting trajectory for himself. This coffee chat style chat with Taha was absolutely incredible to say the least, to hear his tale of grit, determination, never give up spirit, discipline, hope, positivity, perseverance, his go-getter attitude left each and everyone moved and motivated! 

Taha Shah Badussha is a versatile talent in the Indian entertainment scene, renowned for his impactful performances on both big screens and digital platforms. He gained prominence with his breakout role in the 2011 film “Luv KaThe End,” followed by notable appearances in hits like “Gippi” (2013), “Barkhaa” (2015), “Baar Baar Dekho” (2016), and “Ranchi Diaries” (2017). 

Transitioning seamlessly to digital, he starred in the acclaimed web series “Taj: Divided by Blood” on Zee5 in 2022, further solidifying his stature as a compelling actor across various mediums. He also appeared in the US project “Draupadi Unleashed,” which received critical acclaim.

Badussha’s portrayal of Tajdar in the highly acclaimed Netflix series “Heeramandi” marked a significant turning point in his career, earning him widespread acclaim and making him a national crush and sensation. As the biggest ever web series made in India on any OTT platform, this role gave him the recognition he truly deserves as an artist. 

ELSA UK fireside with Taha was truly remarkable they felt, offering a glimpse into the mind of a strategic, hardworking, driven actor. Taha shared his journey with humility and candor, recounting the challenges he faced, how he surmounted these with support of his mother and all the internal resources he sought to create a successful career for himself. His insights on resilience, adaptability, and the importance of staying true to one’s values resonated deeply with the group. Taha’s humbleness, friendliness, optimism left a lasting impression, motivating everyone to strive for excellence and make a meaningful impact in their own endeavors.

With “Heeramandi” Taha has got global recognition and fan following. With this Taha has proven his mettle and is set for future big collaborations, promising more remarkable performances that will captivate audiences.

ALSO READ: Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2024 Reveals Star-Studded Nominees

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Bollywood Celebrity Dubai

Indian Divas in Sarees Rock Dubai

Dubai witnessed an unforgettable night singing legend, Usha Uthup, lovingly known as Didi, and the Dancing Diva Kalpana Iyer, took center stage to perform their chart-topping Bollywood hits. The audience, comprised of both locals and expatriates, enthusiastically joined in as they chanted “Hari Om Hari” and “Ramba Ho” to show their support and admiration for the dynamic duo on stage … writes Kaliph Anaz

Glamour and Celebrity Radiate in Dubai as Bollywood Divas Shine in Sarees. Dubai witnessed an unforgettable night singing legend, Usha Uthup, lovingly known as Didi, and the Dancing Diva Kalpana Iyer, took center stage to perform their chart-topping Bollywood hits. The audience, comprised of both locals and expatriates, enthusiastically joined in as they chanted “Hari Om Hari” and “Ramba Ho” to show their support and admiration for the dynamic duo on stage.

Draped elegantly in traditional Indian sarees, these two Indian icons stormed the stage with their unmatched charisma and talent. Kalpana Iyer paid a heartfelt tribute to Didi, acknowledging the pivotal role she played in fueling her own rise to stardom. Mrs. Usha Uthup, in turn, expressed her gratitude to her ‘sister’ for immortalising her enchanting voice on the silver screen.

The sisterly bond between these two luminous stars warmed the hearts of Dubai’s diverse audience, transcending borders and cultures. This spectacular evening was not just about entertainment; it was also a part of the International Mother Teresa Awards, adding a meaningful touch to the star-studded affair. Mrs Uthup shared her experience with Mother in Kolkata.

Former editor of Filmfare (Middle East) Manju Ramanan played the host. In every note sung and every dance move executed, the magic of Bollywood and the power of sisterhood radiated throughout Dubai, leaving an indelible mark on all fortunate enough to witness this extraordinary performance of Didi and her ‘sister’ Kalpana.

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-Top News Celebrity USA

Trump likely to be arraigned on April 4 in Manhattan

Trump reportedly faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, which was filed under seal

Former US President Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned in court on the afternoon of April 4 following his indictment in connection with a $130,000 pay-out to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, according to media reports.

The reports on Friday came a day after Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg’s office said that they contacted Trump’s attorney to “coordinate his surrender” for arraignment.

Trump reportedly faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in an indictment from a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, which was filed under seal, reports Xinhua news agency.

Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, said on Friday that his client will not accept a plea deal and does plan to file “substantial legal challenges” to the indictment.

Tacopina added that Trump will “absolutely” voluntarily surrender to Manhattan law enforcement and that his client “will not be put in handcuffs”.

Juan Merchan, acting justice for the New York County Supreme Court, will reportedly preside over the case, which stems from Bragg’s investigation into the alleged hush money payments Trump made to Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Stormy Daniels. (Photo: Twitter/@StormyDaniels)

Trump has denied wrongdoing and alleged that the criminal inquiry and others relating to him are all politically motivated.

He is reportedly scheduled to be arraigned at 2.15 p.m. on April 4 in Merchan’s courtroom in New York City.

The case has been closely watched since it’s the first time in US history that a former president has been criminally charged.

Trump, 76, served as President from January 2017 to January 2021 and is again running for the White House.

President Joe Biden told reporters before leaving the White House for a trip to Mississippi on Friday that he won’t talk about his predecessor’s indictment.

In the wake of the developments, security in New York is being co-ordinated by the FBI, NYPD, Secret Service and New York City court officers.

Sources told CBS News that they are bracing for possible scenarios that include attacks against Trump, prosecutors, jurors or members of the public.

The DA’s office has received “many threats”, the sources said.

Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have accused the Manhattan DA of weaponising the criminal justice system to influence next year’s presidential election, reports the BBC.

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green, who Trump recently suggested should run for Senate, called on followers to protest and said she plans to be present in New York next week.

In response, DA Bragg said the charges had been brought by citizens of New York doing their civic duty, and neither the former President nor Congress could interfere with proceedings.

ALSO READ: Trump all set to hold presidential campaign rally in Texas

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Bollywood Celebrity Lite Blogs

Don’t miss Rani Mukerji starrer Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway

Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway: Rani Mukerji shines as the protagonist in this power-packed film, writes columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International

Powerful. Superbly Enacted. Gripping. Riveting. Heartwarming. Heartbreaking. Evocative. Some of the many thoughts and emotions that the film can and may take the audiences through, this film which is based on a true incident, is one of a kind indeed, for all those reasons and more.

The film is a story of an immigrant Indian mother who fights the Norwegian foster care system and legal machinery tooth and nail to win back custody of her children. It stars Rani Mukerji, Anirban Bhattacharya, Neena Guptaand Jim Sarbh. The music of the film is composed by Amit Trivedi. Lyrics are written by Kausar Munir.

Rani Mukerji is back on the big screen in a never-seen-before character. The much-awaited film which is directed by Ashima Chibber’s Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway is all set to release on 17th March 2023. 

The OG Queen of Bollywood has time and again impressed audiences with her performances. 

Playing the role of a determined woman, Rani is seen challenging an entire Norwegian government to reunite with her children in this powerpacked film.

Talking about the film, Rani Mukerji says, “Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway is very special. I can’t wait to see the reactions of my fans” 

Producer Nikkhil Advani (Emmay Entertainment) shares, “It is a matter of pride and responsibility with which we have made our film and are delighted to bring the inimitable Rani Mukerji to our audiences.”

Shariq Patel, CBO, Zee Studios adds, “Zee Studios is committed towards backing content-driven and provocative stories and ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway’ is just the right film. Partnering with Rani and Emmay (Emmay Entertainment) on such an important film, that’s based on a true incident and conveys the hardship of a mother who went against an entire country for her children, was creatively enriching.”

Produced by Zee Studios and Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani & Nikkhil Advani), Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway is slated to release in theatres on 17th March 2023.

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Bollywood Celebrity India News

Bollywood bigwigs pay homage to Yash Chopra in Netflix series

SRK, Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif, Amitabh Bachchan speak about why Yash Chopra is a legend in Netflix’s docu-series The Romantics! Preview feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.

Iconic director Yash Chopra’s impact on Hindi cinema is an everlasting one and Netflix pays tribute to the legend and Yash Raj Films’ cultural impact on India for the past 50 years in a new docu-series The Romantics which is releasing globally on Feb 14th!

The docu-series will see the Hindi film industry come together to celebrate Yash Chopra. The mega-stars of the Indian entertainment industry like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Katrina Kaif, etc will pour their hearts out to speak about how the legend’s work shaped their cinematic vision!

Yash Chopra is celebrated widely for his envelope-pushing romantic films like Silsila, Lamhe, Kabhi Kabhie, Veer-Zaara, Dil To Pagal Hai, Chandni, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, etc. SRK, who has been directed by Yash Chopra four times,talks about how mesmerized he was watching those films. He says, “As a professional, if I would have to spend 100 days on a set, I would rather do it on a Yash Chopra set than anybody else’s.”

Karan Johar, who knew Yash Chopra closely and is also widely known for his cult romantic films, says, “I just became obsessed by watching his films and I felt that who is this man, who is constantly responsible for mesmerizing me as a child.”

Meanwhile, superstar Katrina Kaif loved how Yash Chopra portrayed his heroines, who were all independent-minded, forward-thinking, self-reliant, and strong. Yash Chopra’s heroines contributed to how women were projected on screen by the Indian film industry. She says, “The way that Yashji portrayed his heroines was so dignified, graceful, and layered.”

Amitabh Bachchan, who has collaborated with the icon for landmark films like Deewar, Silsila, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Kaala Patthar and Veer Zaara, calls Yash Chopra a true master of cinema in The Romantics, given how brilliant he was with diverse genres!

Amitabh says, “We shot for Deewar for several months within ten or fifteen days. We started Kabhi Kabhie suddenly to shift to an environment which is full of flowers and mountains and snow but the ease with which he just adapted to that was just quite remarkable!”

The Romantics has been directed by Oscar & Emmy-nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra, who returns to Netflix after the phenomenal success of Indian Matchmaking and the Never Have I Ever franchise.

Netflix, one of the world’s leading entertainment services, in this four-part docu-series, will also feature 35 leading personalities from the film industry, who have closely worked with YRF through its 50-year glorious existence.

Interestingly, the reclusive head of the iconic Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra, has also recorded his first on-camera interview for ‘The Romantics’! Hearing him share insights about YRF and the Hindi film industry in this docu-series would be a huge highlight for the film fraternity, cinephiles & Hindi cinema audience at large.

YRF is currently at an all-time high as their latest release Pathaan, the fourth film of YRF’s Spy Universe is breaking all records at the global box office. Pathaan is now the number one Hindi film worldwide and has become the biggest all-time blockbuster in the history of Hindi cinema. YRF is home to some of the biggest blockbusters that Indian cinema has ever witnessed like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, War, Sultan, Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Mohabbatein.

ALSO READ: Kaftan…Bollywood’s favourite winter style

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Arts & Culture Business Celebrity

PUREWAL TWINS TO PROMOTE HOUSE OF KHALSA

House of Khalsa influential luxury watch brand announces the Purewal Twins as official brand ambassadors

In 2021 Identical British South Asian Twins Amar and Arjun Purewal made history lining up against each other at Wembley Stadium in FA Vase final; Amar led the line for Hebburn Town with Arjun as captain. Making them the first pair of identical twins to play in a major final at Wembley, as well as being the first Asian players.

The House of Khalsa exclusively announces The Purewal Twins as the face of the House of Khalsa as ambassadors.

The Purewal Twins are one of the most popular and high-profile faces for the House of Khalsa brand, With its sleek and elegant design, House of Khalsa makes luxury watches, which are the perfect match for the Purewal Twins.  Each of the House of Khalsa watches is manufactured in Switzerland and Hong Kong and engraved with the Khalsa symbol.

Danny Singh, CEO of The House of Khalsa, said: We are proud to announce our partnership with both Arjun and Amar Purewal, they are amazing role models for our community and a perfect fit for our brand. They fit beautifully into our company mission statement; we very much look forward to working with them on a larger platform’

Amar and Arjun went on to comment’ We are proud to represent House of Khalsa and engaging in a brand that takes our culture forward and in return lets us promote football in our community, we are very much looking forward to our journey with The House of Khalsa.

On the work front, Arjun and Amar are successfully working on AP Coaching, which is going from strength to strength, with Arjun working towards his UEF B Licence.

PERIENCE HOUSE OF KHALSA AT SUNNY JEWELLERS LEICESTER

Sunny Jewellers is the official stockist for House of Khalsa watches in Leicester. To experience House of Khalsa head towards The Golden Mile for Your timepieces known for their intricate craftsmanship.

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Celebrity Media Music

DESI LION RECORDS PRESENTS GREEN EYEZ

2022/2023 will see MILAN take the music industry by storm with releases with major music producers and performances at events and festivals

Multi-talented UK based singer MILAN releases his 2nd track ‘GREEN EYEZ’ releasing worldwide on the 26thSeptember 2022.

Produced by Desi Lion Records, Lyrics by LOVE, music by Notorious Jatt. Video was shot in the UK, based on a love story which follows the path of both girl and boy love relationship.

In 2021 we saw MILAN’S release produced by award winning producer Aman Hayer, ‘BAI CHAMKILA’ which proved to be a international success.

2022/2023 will see MILAN take the music industry by storm with releases with major music producers and performances at events and festivals.