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Taapsee reveals how ‘Haseen Dillruba’ reached her

It’s not just a beautifully written mystery, it has such wonderful characters, which is candy in an actor’s hands,” Taapsee said…reports Asian Lite News.

Taapsee is one of the actresses who choose characters wisely. She has revealed that she was not the first choice of the upcoming mystery thriller “Haseen Dillruba”. The actress claims the film came to her after all options were exhausted.

“‘Haseen Dillruba’ was a film I had a very gut feeling about the day I heard the basic idea from (writer) Kanika (Dhillon). Unfortunately, I wasn’t the first choice for the film and it came to me after all their options were exhausted,” Taapsee said.

She calls the film a candy in an actor’s hand. “The good old saying that, if it’s meant for you it will come to you stands true for this case. It’s not just a beautifully written mystery, it has such wonderful characters, which is candy in an actor’s hands,” Taapsee said.

She added: “I am glad I got to experiment with my look and performance with this one because I am definitely not the go-to person for this kind of character conventionally, and we all love to take risks.”

The film, which also stars Vikrant Massey and Harshvardhan Rane, is about a woman whose heart longs to live like the words captured in a novel, but who finds herself entangled in the murder of her husband.

Vikrant calls the film a perfect blend of humour, quirk, revenge and romance. “I hope it surprises the audience as much as it surprised me when I heard it first. It was an enthralling experience shooting for,” he said.

Harshvardhan feels honoured to be in the same frame with some of our “country’s finest talent”.

“Taapsee and Vikrant, have one thing in common I could never make out if they were joking or if they were serious. I always had to look for tiny nuances to understand the pretext,” he added.

“Haseen Dilruba”, directed by “Hasee Toh Phasee”, helmer Vinil Mathew, will be released on Netflix.

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Shraddha feels blessed to work with amazing people


The storyteller adds: “I met some wonderful people in the course of this show. I was blessed to have worked with amazing people. A few of them will remain with me forever.”…reports Asian Lite News.

Film making is a wonderful art that all people can’t succeed in. Filmmaker Shraddha Pasi Jairath’s recently-released web show “Chattis Aur Maina” revolves around ambitious Maina, lead of a dance troupe, and her neighbourhood good boy Chattis, and how their lives change when they start vibing on a dating app. The show stars Sandeepa Dhar and Vikram Singh Chauhan.

“They say you don’t take a shot (in films), you make a shot. It’s been a learning experience so far, from graduating at FTII Pune to working with stalwart directors. Each and every project teaches you what to do and what not to do. Personally, ‘Chattis Aur Maina’ has been close to me. I got an opportunity to do a lot of stuff from dance to romance to drama to holding scenes with a large number of actors in one frame,” she says.

The storyteller adds: “I met some wonderful people in the course of this show. I was blessed to have worked with amazing people. A few of them will remain with me forever.”

Shraddha has worked with directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Pradeep Sarkar, Vikas Bahl, Maneesh Sharma, Ram Madhvani and Yash Raj Films in the past. She was the assistant director in films and television shows like “Mahi Way”, “Khotey Sikke” and films like “Mujhse Fraandship Karoge”, “Shudh Desi Romance”, “Mardaani” and “Shaandaar”.

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‘Choosing role in a thriller is advantage’

“11th Hour” streams on Aha while “November Story” is on Disney+ Hotstar VIP…reports Asian Lite News.

South star had recently debuted in OTT. Tamannaah Bhatia feels choosing a role in a thriller can always be an advantage for an actor because the genre has a high binge quotient.

This year, Tamannaah made her digital debut in April with the Telugu web series “11th Hour”, a crime thriller that also features Adith Arun and Vamsi Krishna.

In May, she returned to OTT space again with the Tamil whodunit drama “November Story” alongside Pasupathy, GM Kumar, Aruldass and Vivek Prasanna.

“A thriller, if done well, has the ability to let you binge-watch. Now that is essentially what everybody who makes a show wants you to do. So, when you choose a genre like the thriller, if it is done well, it has a high potential of reaching that goal of being a binge-watchable show,” she says.

“11th Hour” streams on Aha while “November Story” is on Disney+ Hotstar VIP.

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READ MORE-Tamannah makes her OTT debut

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Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

Mrunal not bothered about medium

The actress adds that the medium has never really mattered to her…reports Asian Lite News.

Digital platforms got wide acceptance amid this pandemic era. Actress Mrunal Thakur, who has the films “Toofan”, “Jersey” and “Aankh Micholi” lined up, says that she has always taken projects which will help her survive longer in the industry.

The actress says that she has always focused on giving her best performance in every role.

“I am glad that cinema is reaching a wider audience. There were people and filmmakers who asked me to do a couple of films in order for me to be famous. But I never choose my films thinking that I will be a star. I want to survive longer here. One thing that lasts longer is talent and performances,” she told.

The actress adds that the medium has never really mattered to her.

“No matter where my films come, they need to be good. If you ask me personally my job is just to be a part of the movie. That’s what my dream is. Thanks to OTT, in the midst of a pandemic, as an artist if I can entertain then that is only through OTT,” she says.

However, she does feel insecure due to the current situation.

“There is a bit of insecurity also because of the time that we are living in. I am not apprehensive, I am just worried that a film should get the recognition it deserves. Things have slowed down and this has affected the entertainment industry,” the actress added.

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READ MORE-Mrunal Likes To Pick Roles Based On Story

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Lockdown fuels growth of E-commerce, OTT, gaming

E-commerce, OTT, gaming saw over 100% growth in 2020. The OTT segment witnessed an incredible 144 per cent increase in the number of transactions and a 139 per cent increase in expenditure between 2019 and 2020

Advantage OTT, Gaming and e-commerce. Covid spread has fuelled the growth of tech sector. Amid the pandemic, online payments, indoor entertainment and gaming witnessed over 100 per cent growth in India last year, a new report said.

 As theatres and offline entertainment avenues remained shut consumers turned to indoor entertainment, the OTT segment witnessed an incredible 144 per cent increase in the number of transactions and a 139 per cent increase in expenditure between 2019 and 2020, according to online payments solution provider PayU.

 The pandemic gave a huge boost to online payments, seen in the 24 per cent increase in the number of transactions and 23 per cent increase in expenditure across the PayU platform, year on year.

 “PayU is committed to partnering with merchants to facilitate adoption of digital infrastructure,” said Hemang Dattani, Head- Data Intelligence, PayU.

 Interestingly, during the festive season (October-December 2020) there was a 45 per cent spike in the number of online transactions vis-a-vis the same period in the previous year.

 The number of UPI transactions grew by 288 per cent and expenditure through UPI grew a phenomenal 331 per cent between 2019 and 2020.

 The gaming segment saw a phenomenal 100 per cent increase in expenditure and a 154 per cent increase in average ticket size between the two years.

 “For gaming and entertainment, the number of transactions made at night increased by 34 per cent while the number of transactions made during the day decreased by 11 per cent in 2020 vs. 2019, an indication of the increased dependence on indoor entertainment while working from home,” the findings showed.

  Travel and hospitality were some of the most impacted sectors with an 86 per cent drop in the number of transactions and expenditure between pre and post-COVID quarters (January-March vs April-June 2020).

 Compared to 2019, there was a 46 per cent drop in the number of transactions and a 52 per cent in drop in expenditure in ’20.

 “Edtech emerged as a winner, with a 78 per cent increase in the number of transactions and a 44 per cent increase in expenditure,” the report mentioned.

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Bollywood Lite Blogs

Nawazuddin takes a jibe on super stars

The actor adds that stars are now moving to OTT because films are not being released in theatres…reports Anjuri Nayar Singh

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is not reluctant to make his comments. Actor Siddiqui says that aspiring actors need to make sure they have their unique style while entering showbiz, adding that if they intend to copy the superstars, they will not be liked by the audience.

ALSO READ: Nawazuddin, Ila Arun on their best scene in ‘Ghoomketu’

“I would just like to say from my experience that you should not lose your originality. These superstars do fake acting, so don’t get carried away with it. I want to see your original acting. If you are acting like a superstar, why would I watch you. If you show something good, something that is interesting and original, I would want to see that,” he told.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

The actor adds that stars are now moving to OTT because films are not being released in theatres.

https://asianlite.com/obituary/bollywood/nawazuddin-timing-is-very-important-in-comedy/

“In the beginning, it was because of cause and passion. Now, because of the lockdown and films not releasing in theatres, these big stars are coming to OTT. That is not a good thing. Now there are big OTT platforms that are taking these big stars. Why didn’t these stars come before?” he says.

Nawazuddin makes his music video debut in B. Praak’s new song “Baarish ki jaaye”, which released recently.

Talking about the video, he says: “My experience was very different. I have never done it (music video) before and I never even paid attention. But they got two to three options, and we talked. I like the work of B. Praak and this one I liked in the first go. (Video director) Arvindr Khaira shot in Hyderabad. We shot it in two days. I have never danced and have this mental blockage about it. I was scared, too. But I rehearsed and it went off well,” he recalls.

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Tamannah makes her OTT debut

She has a note of caution for fans, too: “Guys, as much as possible, please be safe. It’s really bad right now. We should just all follow the guidelines…reports Asian Lite News.

Pandemic period gave opportunities to several stars to get into new medium of movie release. Southern star Tamannaah Bhatia, who makes her OTT debut with the Telugu corporate thriller series “11th Hour”, feels despite language restriction the show has a universal appeal.

“It’s a boardroom drama, and it’s my first show on OTT. The show is in Telugu language but I think it’s extremely universal. I hope, even the audiences who don’t understand Telugu but like good shows will watch it,” says Tamannaah.

The show is her first offering after she recovered from Covid-19 infection. Talking about her experience of returning after being down with the coronavirus, she says: “It was a super experience. For me it was a bit exhausting because it was right after I got Covid, but I think I used it as fuel and I hope that will be seen in the show.”

Bollywood celebrities including Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal, Govinda, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhumi Pednekar, Ajaz Khan, Shubhangi Atre and Ritwik Bhowmik have been afflicted by the virus so far, and Tamannaah wishes everyone a speedy recovery.

“It is pretty bad right now. I just want everyone to recover well and I hope whoever is going through it, gets out of it and feels healthy and good,” she says.

She has a note of caution for fans, too: “Guys, as much as possible, please be safe. It’s really bad right now. We should just all follow the guidelines. It will be a lot better for us and the city as well because Mumbai is really crowded. We need to help each other to not get infected. This all depends on us.”

Her debut series “11th Hour” is directed by Praveen Sattaru. The eight-episode web series is inspired by Upendra Namburi’s 2017 book “8 Hours”, in which the protagonist Aratrika Reddy (played by Tamannaah), faces a multi-layered high stakes boardroom challenge that unfolds over one night. It streams on Aha, April 9 onwards.

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Spotlighting ‘Lesbian love’ in B’wood

The upcoming anthology is all about love and longing. However, one story featuring actresses Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari explores a relationship between two women…reports Asian Lite News.

OTT gave wide range of opportunities to real creative contents. Same-sex love stories with male protagonists, although rare, have still been explored on the Hindi screen, but lesbianism is relatively rarer. The rise of OTT culture has created a platform to explore a variety of subjects. Lesbianism, a taboo word in India, is finding space, too, over the recent past.

Moving away from formula-driven content, the digital space has been intrepid in narrating stories where a woman would express love to another woman uninhibitedly.

Nushrratt Bharuccha

There are quite a few projects that have come up spotlighting lesbian love.

Ajeeb Dastaans

The upcoming anthology is all about love and longing. However, one story featuring actresses Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari explores a relationship between two women. Titled “Geeli Pucchi” and directed by “Masaan” maker Neeraj Ghaywan, the story revolves around two women who long for an emotional connect and end up finding it in one another.

Bombay Begums

The show, starring Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand, touches upon themes of ambition, desire, struggle for power and vulnerability through the stories of five modern Indian women in Mumbai. When it dropped, a sensual kissing scene between Plabita and co-actress Sanghmitra Hitaishi created quite a stir.

The Married Woman

The web series is about a relationship two women develop, and the circumstances that lead to it. The show stars Monica Dogra and Ridhi Dogra, and is based on author Manju Kapur’s bestseller novel of the same name.

Four More Shots Please!

The show isn’t just about lesbian relationships but one of the lead characters, played by Bani J, is bisexual. Soon, the story shifts to Bani’s character falling in love with Lisa Ray’s character and the story revolves around their relationship.

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‘ Entire film ensemble is important’

I think when I choose a character, I look at it as a challenge and if it is something that I have done before, I try to make it better,” Amrutha speaks with Yashika Mathur.

OTT is a normal platform for the present period of film industries. Actress Amruta Khanvilkar is gearing up for the release of her Marathi film “Well Done Baby” on OTT. She says her job is to act well and not be concerned about which platform her project releases.

“I feel any kind of work that gets a bigger audience is a win-win situation. I think I am getting the best of both worlds. Before lockdown, two of my very big films were released. One was ‘Malang’ in Hindi and ‘Choricha Mamla’ in Marathi, and both did really well. I think for actors it is important to do our job and not think about which platform (the work) is going to be released. When you work with dedication, everyone sees it. Across platforms, what I can do is see what I bring to the table,” she told .

She added: “For me, choosing scripts does not depend on whether it is a feature film or an OTT project. For me, the script, the director, the story and the entire ensemble is important and not where it’s going to be showcased.”

The actress has worked in digital space earlier, in the series “Damaged”. Reflecting on why digital platforms can have an edge over feature films, Amruta feels it has to do with the availability of stronger content.

“I feel very confident while doing my work and choosing my character. It is irrespective of it being a project on OTT or feature films It’s just that OTT gives you an edge over choosing bolder and more content driven films other than feature films. I think when I choose a character, I look at it as a challenge and if it is something that I have done before, I try to make it better,” she says.

Talking about “Well Done Baby”, which also stars actor Pushkar Jog, Amruta says: “My character is a very strong, stubborn, career oriented girl, who is working through a failed marriage and in the process of that, she gets pregnant. How she has to tackle her dreams and aspirations along with her baby along with the baby starts taking a toll on her. A very common thing between me and my character is that she is very connected to her mom. I had a blast performing this character.”

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Writing, a liberating process for Shruti

She also has “Salaar” with Prabhas, which is being shot in Hyderabad. She will also be seen in an untitled OTT series.

Like her father Kamal ,Shruti also becoming a multitalented artist in the industry. Actress Shruti Haasan has developed an interest in scriptwriting. Shruti, who is also a singer, has been writing songs from the age of 15, and has lately started exploring scriptwriting.

“Writing has always been a liberating process for me. I have been writing songs, poetry or at times just my feelings down, and I believe it can help you express yourself so much better. I have been writing poetry and stories I would love to develop into fullfledged scripts and I’m currently working on those,” Shruti tells.

Also Read-Shruti: Learnt a lot while working with father

At the box office, her year started on a good note. The Ravi Teja-starrer “Krack”, which features her in the cast, opened to phenomenal response in theatres. Shruti has a list of projects lined up.

Shruti Haasan (Pallav Paliwal)

Writing for her is a therapeutic exercise.

“With all the hectic schedule, writing helps me unwind and its extremely therapeutic for me. Song writing is another aspect I thoroughly enjoy, and I have been constantly sharpening my skills over the years,” says the actress.

Shruti has recently completed the shoot of her Tamil film “Laabam”, in which she stars alongside Vijay Sethupathi. She also has “Salaar” with Prabhas, which is being shot in Hyderabad. She will also be seen in an untitled OTT series.

On her musical career, she has sung the track “Yaazha yaazha” in “Laabam”. The song is written by Yugabharathi and composed by D. Imman.

Shruti Haasan spotted in Mumbai. (Pallav Paliwal)

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