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Category: Bollywood
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Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor ,Anushka Ranjan ,Aditya Seal , Krystle D Souza for screening of Indoo Ke Jawani.
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Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar has announced that he and fellow star Rana Daggubati will be coming together to launch Socialswag, India’s first influencer-led online market place.
Socialswag, which is being hailed by many as an innovation that could change the digital landscape, will enable users to connect with celebrities, influencers, bloggers and other notable figures through personal interactions and learning forums. This will enable interactions in a number of ways such as masterclasses, live-chats, shoutouts and virtual selfies.
The new venture between Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati will certainly excite fans as the platform looks to bring the best of sport, entertainment and vocational opportunities to the forefront.
The app is set to launch across India in February 2021 and will no doubt provide an experience for fans like no other.
Speaking about the app, Akshay Kumar, said:Â “I have seen so many opportunities in the digital domain this year and I believe being able to connect with fans through this platform with some of our products like my Masterclass or a Virtual Selfie will give not only me, but all my peers an additional opportunity to closely connect with fans in these changing times.”
Akshay Kumar has been heavily involved in the technology world as of late, with the Bell Bottom star recently appearing in an advert for PagarBook, a government initiative, which was formulated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi  as part of his policy of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ to help make India more self-sufficient and sustainable.
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Big ticket spinoffs On OTT
There is a thread that ties Star Wars and Moana with Baahubali. Their universes are ever expanding, through spinoff series on the canvas of streaming platforms.
For many, the success of a film directly translates to a chance to cash on the success by spinning a new series and stories. It is a win-win for the audience as well, as the makers as well as people get to live with their favourite characters, and makers continue to reap on the benefits of the success and create a multiverse franchise.
IANS takes a look at some big-ticket spinoffs, which are either winning fans all over the global or are in works.
Star Wars
The saga from a galaxy far, far away continues to live on through various films and spin off series. The list of “Star Wars” stories for Disney’s streaming platform keeps on growing. It already includes “The Mandalorian”, and two other previously ordered series — one based on Cassian Andor prior to the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, and another following the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi between “Revenge Of The Sith” and “A New Hope”.
The Batman
The show will be set in the world that Matt Reeves is creating for “The Batman” film. It will build upon the film’s examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City, and go on to launch a new Batman universe across multiple platforms. It is being created for HBO Max.
Ice Age
Titled “The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild”, the spin-off will revolve around three characters: the prankster possum brothers Crash and Eddie, and the titular weasel, Buck. Simon Pegg will be returning to lend his voice to the role of Buck. It is slated to release in 2022.
Loki
The OTT series will bring back actor Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the trickster demi-god and brother to Thor, for new adventures. It will stream on Disney+ Hotstar in 2021
Falcon And Winter Soldier
The web series will take the audience on new adventures featuring characters played by Anthony Mackie (Falcon) and Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier) in the “Captain America” and “Avengers” movies. It will stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Baahubali
The success of the magnum opus “Baahubali” film franchise gave way to the opportunity to explore the story through a spin-off series titled “Baahubali: Before The Beginning”. It will explore life on the streets of the fictional city of Mahishmati. Slated to release on Netflix.
Moana
Titled “Moana: The Series”, it takes on from the successful 2016 animated film, which narrates the adventures of a young island princess, who is chosen by the ocean to reunite a mystical relic to a goddess. Her journey starts when she sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod with a hope to save her people. The spin-off series is being described as a “long-form musical comedy” and slated to release in 2023.
Up
The OTT spinoff will bring back one of most loved characters in the film. The animated series is titled “Dug Days”, and it features breakout character Dug the dog who will discover the “dangers of suburbia like puppies, fireworks, and… SQUIRRELS!!”. It will release on Disney+ Hotstar in 2021.
Monsters At Work
The animated spinoff series inspired by the Hollywood hit “Monsters, Inc” will introduce new monsters. The series will follow a new cast of monsters, with special appearances by popular franchise characters Mike and Sulley (voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman). It is being made for the streaming platform of Disney.
Boss Baby
Based on the film, the spin-off series, “The Boss Baby: Back In Business”, follows the Boss Baby as he continues to balance his work as a CEO of Baby Corp and home life schedule. It is available on Netflix.
Cars
The world of “Cars” will expand with a new series. The untitled series will follow Lightning McQueen and Mater on a road trip across the country. It will feature old characters and introduce new characters as well. It is slated to release in 2022.
Zootopia+
Slated to release in 2022, “Zootopia+” will feature different characters and locations from the film. The spinoff will feature some of the most popular characters in the 2016 film “Zootopia”, such as Fru Fru, Tiger Dancers and Flash the sloth.
Baymax!
The Big Hero sidekick and healthcare robot Baymax is getting his own OTT series. Set in San Fransokyo, the show will give Baymax new powers to help people. It will release in 2021.
The Princess and The Frog
The spin-off is titled “Tiana”. The film, which was released in 2009, is about aspiring chef Tiana, who kisses a prince turned frog, and also turns into a frog. They then go on a journey to defeat a witch to get back to their human form. It is believed that the series will follow the titular character’s marriage to the prince, her new royalty status, and running her restaurant. It is one of four animated spin-offs expected to launch on Disney+ in 2022.
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Read More:Bajpayee Asks Remo To Come Back Soon
Actor Manoj Bajpayee conveyed wishes to his friend and famous choreographer Remo D’Souza. Bajpayee tweeted his hearty regards by saying that he hopes Remo recovers soon.
Last week, D’Souza was rushed to hospital after suffering cardiac problems. He underwent angioplasty, and is recovering in the hospital.
“Get well soon and come back fast to show some more innovative moves @remodsouza !! You are a champion,” Manoj wrote.
“On Friday morning Remo was admitted at the Kokilaben Hospital following some heart issue. There were some blockages due to which an Angioplasty was performed by the doctors.
Now he is doing fine according to the doctors. We are here, he is my family friend and we assure that please do not worry, everything is under control,” Remo’s friend Mahesh Kukreja had told IANS at that time.
Remo rose to fame as a choreographer, before making his transition into filmmaking with ‘F.A.L.T.U’ in 2011. He went on to helm ‘ABCD: Any Body Can Dance’ (2013), ‘ABCD 2’ (2015) and ‘Race 3’ (2018). His last directorial ‘Street Dancer 3D’ starring Varun Dhawan, Nora Fatehi and Shraddha Kapoor, opened earlier this year.
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American actor of Indian origin, Ravi Patel, says a lot is changing for talent from our country in Hollywood. He notes that Indian actors are gaining visibility as well as power in the West.
Indian origin American actor Ravi Patel says that Indian actors are coming to the limelight and gaining more visibility in Hollywood. ‘A lot is changing for talent from our country in Hollywood’, he adds.
“I agree, It really has. I think I’ve been quite lucky in that sense. As my career has ascended, so have Indians in the fabric of America. As I’ve moved up in Hollywood, better roles for Indians have shown up. I’m just so grateful for it. And now my parents are doing It, which is a hilarious plot twist,” Ravi told IANS.
Patel is best known for his the autobiographical comic documentary “Meet The Patels”, and will soon be seen in the Gal Gadot-starrer “Wonder Woman 1984”. The actor has also featured in the series like “Scrubs”, “Master Of None” and “Grandfathered”, and his career trajectory closely parallels the rise of Asian Americans in Hollywood. He says he feels lucky to have witnessed the rise of the Indian community in the West.
For Ravi, it was easy to evade being stereotyped. “I do roles that I love. It’s that easy. And if I see something that I think is inappropriate, I speak up,” he said.
Asked how the representation of Asians has changed in the West, the actor replied: “Asians are at the top of most companies in this country. We are killing it in America. We are gaining both visibility and power in the country. The recent election was a great example — Asian Americans were the most pursued demographic. It was our coming out party. And this is just the beginning.”
When it comes to men adding to the dialogue of gender equality in the West, the actor, who is currently seen in the Hindi web series “Bhaag Beanie Bhaag”, feels “listening is the key to understanding this gap”.
Asked about his role in the much-anticipated sequel of global hit “Wonder Woman”, he said: “I’m also not allowed to discuss my role, other than to say I love my wig in it.”
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TV star Raaj Singh Arora, who is currently seen in the OTT-released film Torbaaz, notes how the films hero Sanjay Dutt has a way with children. He recalls how well Dutt bonded with children on the sets of the film, while shooting in Kyrgyzstan.
Raaj, who plays a cricket coach in the film, said: “In the film, Sanjay sir takes up the challenge to protect kids from the shackles of religious terrorism. In fact for the shooting that took place in Kyrgyzstan, we had taken kids from various places all over the country to portray an ethnic mix. Sanjay sir and the kids bonded really well.”
“After the shooting hours, all of us would play games and engage in various fun activities. One could notice the playfulness of a mega actor then. I am sure that he is a doting father to his kids. The kids did not get intimidated with him, be it the beard, the voice or the height,” Raaj added.
“Having worked with young people a lot, Sanjay sir knew how to create the perfect environment. The kids being kids, at times do not understand what is happening.
We soon began to eat and spend most of the time together. We were all gloomy on the last day of shoot, especially Sanjay sir and the kids, now that the journey would be paused,” Raaj recalled.
Directed by Girish Malik, Torbaaz also features Rahul Dev, Nargis Fakhri, Gavie Chahal and Kuwaarjeet Chopraa. The film streams on Netflix.
Actress Raveena Tandon is on her Himachal trip for ongoing project, and shares some of her wonderful postures from the freezing mountains.
In her latest post on her verified Instagram account, Raveena can be seen posing in the snow clad mountains of Himachal, just like Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan did while shooting in Switzerland.
“Was doing a #Switzerlandkasharukh in the stunningly gorgeous Himachal mountains .. just love, love my beautiful India! yeh desh hai mera!” captioned the actress.
Raveena Tandon is having the time of her life in Himachal Pradesh, where the actress is currently shooting for an upcoming project.
Last week, the actress shared a photo sitting beside a fireplace. “Books, winter, fireplaces …these are a few of my favourite things,” Raveena shared on Instagram.
Sharing the photo of mountains in another post earlier this month, Raveena wrote: “Breaking through the clouds, When the snow melts and you warm up to the sun again …I find my happiness where the sun shines.”
Also Read: John Abraham Named For PETA Person Of The Year
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Bollywood actor John Abraham has been named the Person of the Year for 2020 by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
In 2020, John had sent a letter urging e-retailer Quikr to stop trading in live animals. Over the years, he has teamed up with PETA India to push for a ban on animal circuses, speak up for Mumbai’s dancing monkeys, and star in an ad-campaign urging everyone not to keep birds in cages.
He also adopted a community dog, Bailey, urged authorities to stop illegal pig slaughter in Goa and put a football jersey on the auction block to benefit the organisations work to help animals.
Past recipients of the honour include politician Shashi Tharoor, former Supreme Court Justice KS Panicker Radhakrishnan, cricketer Virat Kohli, and actors Anushka Sharma, Sunny Leone, Sonam Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Hema Malini, R. Madhavan, and Jacqueline Fernandez.
“John Abraham has been helping PETA India advocate for animals since our inception, and he shows no signs of slowing down. If birds are suffering in cages, puppies are being cruelly sold, or animals are in danger anywhere in the world, we can count on him to come to the rescue,” said Sachin Bangera, PETA India Director of Celebrity and Public Relations.
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