Mumbai Apr 25 PTI Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes reinventing as a performer is the only way to not become jaded in the film industryIn his career of more than two decades Siddiqui has received acclaim in almost every film -- from his early breakout roles in Black Friday and Kahaani to films which were riding on his shoulder like Gangs of Wasseypur Badlapur and PhotographThe actor said he never takes his audience for granted and hence his attempt is always to look for something more when a character comes his way It is on you if youre making your character challenging enough If youre doing that means youre still curious It is an ongoing process The day I stop the process thinking that the audience will love me anyway as I am a great actor my downfall will beginHere you can get too comfortable with the praise that comes your way it can make you feel jaded If I take that love the audience for granted I am finished the 47-year-old told PTICiting a cricket analogy Siddiqui said just because a cricketer has hit a century in his last match doesnt mean he gets to start his next from 100He also starts from zero Thats how acting is Every film of mine be it the big screen masala entertainers or so-called artistic films my process remains the same I always start from the scratch I unlearn and then go into any project Thats what keeps me on my toes and makes me be more receptive to challenges The actor is currently awaiting the release of his next Heropanti 2 The actioner headlined by Tiger Shroff is among those projects that feels like a departure from the Siddiqui brand of movies which are often mounted on a smaller scale but almost always guarantee a thought provoking cinematic experienceThe actor said he is aware that his appearances in commercial films like Kick and Heropanti 2 can irk a section of his fansA section of my fan base abuse me when I do commercial films and say Sir why are you doing this But for every Heropanti 2 I also have a No Lands Men watch that then I did Manto it was a beautiful film but when that didnt work it pained meWhen a credible thoughtful film-- made after a lot of research-- is not watched by the audience you feel like Forget it now I will do the other kind of cinema But hum aadat se majboor hai I will keep doing my kind of films and strike a balance he addedSiddiqui said commercial films are a great tool to break the pattern that one might fall into as an actor and credited them for always opening up a newer world for himWhat also helps the actor said is the visibility the big films give to his smaller projectsI have never hated commercial films If these big films earn money my smaller films will get made because money is always rolling Commercial films attract a huge audience and if even ten percent of that section comes to watch my smaller films it will be a hit he addedDirected by choreographer-filmmaker Ahmed Khan Heropanti 2 is scheduled to be released on April 29 PTI JUR SHD SHD

Mumbai Mar 31 PTI Actor Taapsee Pannu on Thursday said her upcoming Telugu movie Mishan Impossible was a project she chose because of the gratitude that she has for the industry in helping her become successful in cinemaThe actor got her big break in 2010 with the Telugu film Jhummandi Naadam and later featured in Vastadu Naa Raju Mr Perfect Mogudu and Sahasam among othersShe now returns to the industry with Swaroop RSJ-directed Mishan Impossible three years after her bilingual thriller Game OverAhead of the comedy thrillers release on Friday the 34-year-old actor took to Instagram and posted a heartfelt noteThere are some films that one does as a good career move There are certain films one does which are good for the craft and then there are certain films one does because of gratitude that today you have the power to pick choose and payback MishanImpossible definitely falls in the latter category Pannu wroteAccording to the makers Mishan Impossible follows the lives of three boys who set out to find the whereabouts of Dawood Ibrahim for a reward of Rs 50 lakh promised by the governmentPannu said Mishan Impossible is a project she will be immensely proud ofPower that comes with success can make you highly addictive and greedy for more but seldom you realise the potential of the responsibility that comes with that powerTime and again I get these beautiful opportunities to associate myself with the so-called small films which ironically have a big heart films you know many will fail to understand why you chose them unless you watch them Adding a film I know I will be proud of whenever I look at my filmography she addedMishan Impossible also stars Harsh Roshan Harsha Vardhan and Bhannu Prakshan It is produced by Niranjan Reddy and Anvesh ReddyPost the Telugu film Pannu has a packed slate as she will be seen in films like director Anurag Kashyaps thriller Dobaaraa Shabaash Mithu the biopic of Indian cricketer Mithali Raj and Blurr which marks her debut as a producer PTI JUR BK BK

Mumbai Mar 21 PTI Filmmaker Aishwarya Rajinikanth on Monday announced she is set to debut in Hindi as a director with her upcoming film Oh Saathi ChalAishwarya who has so far directed two Tamil films and one documentary in her career spanning a decade took to Twitter to make the new announcementMy week couldnt have started better Happy and feeling blessed to announce my directorial debut in Hindi Oh Saathi Chal an extraordinary true love story produced by MeenuAroraa Cloud9Pictures1 archsda NeerajMaini need all your blessings and wishes the 40-year-old filmmaker wroteAishwarya made her feature film directorial debut with 3 in 2012 featuring her estranged husband DhanushShe followed it up with the 2015 crime comedy Vai Raja Vai and later directed the documentary Cinema Veeran which featured untold stories of stunt choreographers of Tamil cinema PTI JUR BK BK

Mumbai Mar 21 PTI Actor Ajay Devgn says whenever he decides to direct a film he constantly searches for challenging subjects which excite him as a makerDevgn made his directorial debut in 2008 with the drama U Me Aur Hum and followed it up with his 2016 actioner ShivaayThe actor is currently awaiting the release of his third directorial Runway 34 billed as an edge-of-the-seat thrillerDuring the trailer launch of the film on Monday Devgn said he was fascinated by the story when writers Sandeep Kewlani and Aamil Keeyan Khan approached him more than two years agoInspired by true incidents Runway 34 revolves around Captain Vikrant Khanna played by Devgn a flying prodigy whose flight takes a mysterious course after take-off from an international destinationI really wanted to make the film as I was fascinated by the story When we began work it started to shape up very well and within a month we went on floorsWhen I want to make a film I search for films which are not easy to mount So it was difficult to create new visuals as the film is set on ground and on air But it was also exciting the 52-year-old actor told reportersThe actor said he first came onboard the film as a director and then decided to also star in it Eventually he also decided to back the project under his banner Ajay Devgn FfilmsRunway 34 also features megastar Amitabh Bachchan Boman Irani Rakul Preet Singh and Angira DharDevgn said he was certain to cast Bachchan for the film and had no other casting optionIn this film for Mr Bachchans role if he wouldnt have agreed I dont even know if I would be able to cast any other actor I dont think I would be making the film he addedDevgn said he had earlier directed a schedule of his film Major Saab with the 79-year-old actor when its director Tinnu Anand fell illBut this is the first time I worked with him in a full-fledged film as a director Ive known him ever since I was a child I would visit his set often Later I went on to work with him in nearly six films To say anything about him would be a cliched because I havent seen any other hardworking professional actorThe energy and dedication he works with is amazing Even if he is facing any problem once hes on set he forgets everything I feel inspired to do better work when I look at him he addedThe film is co-produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak Vikrant Sharma Sandeep Harish Kewlani Tarlok Singh Jethi Hasnain Husaini and Jay KanujiaRunway 34 is scheduled to release on the big screen on April 29 PTI JUR BK BK

Mumbai Mar 18 PTI Actor Bhavana Balsavar says one of the reasons why content on TV deteriorated with time is because it rarely challenges artistes to push themselves Balsavar who has featured in some of the most popular TV shows in the 1990s like Dekh Bhai Dekh Zabaan Sambhalke and No Problem said she feels sad that it is difficult to get projects which can motivate her to work harder Unfortunately I dont get to work as hard as I used to earlier Earlier we had a lot more to do retakes improve on our performances rewrite That isnt the case anymore as there is a time constraint and due to that we arent able to dedicate time to perfect our characters or a shot That is my biggest grouse the 46-year-old actor told PTIBalsavar said during her days working on the cult classic show Dekh Bhai Dekh the team would shoot for hours to get a sequence of four-five minuteThere have also been times when we shot seven days for one episode Today you dont have that luxury as you are rolling out episodes everyday With weekly shows time was a luxury Right now it is more about catching the eye with garish colours and costumes so that people stay it has got nothing much to do with contentI was once told that if you are dressed normal and plain people will switch away from us and go to some other channel with bright colours So if this is the thinking then this is exactly how things are going to be she addedThe actor said its ironic that she has been in the industry for 30 years but hasnt done too much work Balsavars TV appearances have been limited with gaps between each projectShe now returns to the small screen with her latest Colors TV show Spy Bahu which pairs her with her mother veteran actor Shubha KhoteThe duo are seen playing on-screen mother-daughter on the show Spy Bahu features actor Sana Sayyad as an agent on a mission to uncover a suspected terrorist played by Sehban Azim but ends up falling in love with himI have always looked for something that makes me happy My character has to be good should have various shades the duration doesnt matter What I liked about Spy Bahu was that it is a well-rounded character It has humour but is also highly emotional That got my attentionThe show is also so unique Right now on TV everything is so mundane with the same run-of-the-mill kind of stories But this show is different with a fantastic nice story Everything just came together for this one she addedThe actor said Spy Bahu was one of the rare projects which had a promising character for her to play and where the makers didnt rely on what she had done in the pastA lot of the time I am turned off by what is offered There are makers who offer me a role saying It is comedy please do it If you are in it the comedy will happen I am not here to create comedy I can act enhance but you have to give me a foundation a script And this is limited to not just comedy but everything on TVI dont want people to come with empty offers They say TRPs will dictate how the show will turn out But you need to have something substantial at first Its not like I havent worked for years and so I am desperate now Thankfully I have never reached that stage she added PTI JUR RB SHD SHD

Mumbai Feb 28 PTI Pakistani stars Saba Qamar and Nauman Ijaz are set to feature in the latest Zindagi original series Mrs Mr Shameem the makers announced on MondayBilled as an unconventional love story the show will premiere globally on ZEE5 on March 11The series is directed by filmmaker Kashif Nisar who has helmed dramas like Dumpukht - Aatish E Ishq and O RangrezaManish Kalra Chief Business Officer ZEE5 India said the upcoming drama marks the continuation of their collaboration with Zindagi to present real and relevant stories but with a twistIts an unconventional love story explored through a new lens as it shatters age old gender roles and boundaries defined by the society It also has a stellar team behind it and we are excited to bring this forth to our viewers across 190 countries Kalra said in a statementWhile Qamar is known for Pakistani dramas like Thakan and movies including Manto and her Bollywood debut Hindi Medium Ijazs credits include shows like Badi Aapa and RehaaiShailja Kejriwal Chief Creative Officer Special Projects Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd said Mrs Mr Shameem aims at redefining the meaning of true love and challenges societys preconceived gender biasesIt is an uncommon bond of two people based on nothing superficial she addedAccording to Nisar the show follows the story of Shameem who embodies effeminate traits while Umaina played by Qamar is outspoken and bold in her waysDespite their significant personality differences there develops a beautiful bond between them of love respect and companionshipThe show has been written by playwright Sajjad Gul Saji who said the series is a contemporary story which traces the journey of Umaina and Shameem discovering love in its unusual waysThe show challenges the gender barriers that exist in society We hope that the audience connects with the story as it presents a fresh perspective on love the writer added PTI JUR RDS RDS

Mumbai Jan 25 PTI Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkars health has marginally improved but she continues to remain in the ICU her family said on TuesdayThe 92-year-old singer tested positive for coronavirus with mild symptoms and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit ICU of the Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai on January 8The Mangeshkar family through the official account of the singer once again asked people to not indulge in spreading disturbing rumours about her health conditionThere is a marginal improvement in Lata Didis health and she continues to be in the ICU Kindly refrain from spreading disturbing rumours or falling prey to random messages regarding Didis health Thank you Mangeshkars official Twitter account tweetedIn a separate statement from the family they said Mangeshkar is being treated by a team of doctors headed by Dr Pratit SamdaniIts not possible to give updates daily as that is a direct intrusion in the privacy of the family We request each one of you to be sensitive to this issue read the statement shared by close family friend Anusha Srinivasan IyerRegarded as one of Indian cinemas greatest singers Mangeshkar started her career at the age of 13 in 1942 and has over 30000 songs to her credit in several Indian languagesIn her over seven-decade career she has sung various memorable tracks such as Ajeeb dastan hai ye Pyar kiya to darna kya Neela asman so gaya and Tere liye among othersThe singer -- known as Melody Queen of India -- has been lauded with numerous awards and honours including the Padma Bhushan the Padma Vibhushan and the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and multiple National Film AwardsShe is also a recipient of the Bharat Ratna Indias highest civilian honour PTI JUR BK BK

Mumbai Jan 24 PTI Actor Barun Sobti on Monday said he has finished filming season two of his crime thriller series AsurAsur 2 stars Sobti Arshad Warsi Amey Wagh and Riddhi Dogra reprising their roles from the 2020 Voot Select seriesThe Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon star took to Instagram and posted a picture from the shows setThere have been a lot of milestones This was exactly the one that I desired Asur2 the 37-year-old wroteAsur 2 is directed by Oni Sen The first season of the show chronicled the story of a serial killer on the loose in the backdrop of myths and religionThe show marked the digital debut of Warsi who featured as a forensic expert PTI JUR SHD SHD

Mumbai Jan 21 PTI Actor Vikrant Massey is set to return to television after eight years with documentary series Kahani Navbharat Ki which will chronicle key moments that shaped the countrys history and its evolutionThe show is set to be launched by Times Now Navbharat with a special curtain-raiser episode on January 26Massey said he was drawn to host the series as it is a timely reminder of Indias historyWhat prompted my return with the show is the simple fact that there is a dearth of informative content on TV today When we recognised that we are celebrating 75 proud years of our independence this felt like just the right show for me to come back and interact with my audience It is a highly researched non-fiction show which I am doing for the first time in my life Massey told PTIDirected by Aparna Sanyal the 10-part series will commence from January 30 and air every SundayThe 34-year-old actor who was last seen on the TV show Ajab Gajab Ghar Jamai said Kahani Navbharat Ki has an inspiring quality attached to it which will reach out to the audience especially the younger generationThe kind of historical anecdotes stories and inspiring personalities I came across--especially the ones I was not really aware of--that inspired me a lot I thought if I could feel this way there is a huge possibility for the audience especially the younger generation to feel the pride The actor said the series aims to unearth forgotten historical incidents and present them to the viewers with utmost authenticityMassey said the shows research team worked on it for more than two years in an attempt to bridge the information disparity between the younger generation and what transpired 75 years ago when the country attained independenceDue to the advent of social media we have a lot of chitter chatter going around But we dont really have an in-depth understanding of what really happened We want to go back to those archival materials those incidents or anecdotes which have been far forgotten We want to revive them and share them with people These stories chronicle pivotal moments in the founding of the country he addedAccording to the makers the show will use hybrid form of storytelling for its narration employing elements like sketches animations stylized graphics full-frame illustrations contemporary footage and interviews in addition to rare archival footage PTI JUR SHD SHD

Mumbai Jan 19 PTI Popular TV actor Shaheer Sheikh says his father was on the ventilator following a severe COVID-19 infection and asked fans to pray for his recoveryThe Kuch Rang Pyaar Ke Aise Bhi star took to Twitter late Tuesday evening and shared his fathers health statusMy dad is on a ventilator suffering from a severe covid infection please keep him in your prayers Sheikh wrote alongside a picture of his fatherThe name and age of Sheikhs father could not be confirmed immediatelySeveral of the actors industry colleagues including Hina Khan Karanvir Sharma and Vatsal Sheth wished for his fathers speedy recoverySheikh was most recently seen on the reboot of the popular TV show Pavitra RishtaOn Tuesday Mumbai recorded 6149 coronavirus cases while seven more patients succumbed to the infection and 12810 others recovered the city civic body said PTI JUR RDS RDS