Salman, Katrina dazzle as show stoppers for Manish Malhotra

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif set the ramp on fire with their dazzling chemistry when both of them walked together for Manish Malhotra's Haute Couture 2018 as show-stoppers at the JW Marriot here.

The latest collection that was showcased on Wednesday night was titled "Zweena", featuring classic as well as contemporary Manish Malhotra signature shimmery and embellished ensembles for men and women.

The show was also a celebration of 13 years of Manish's illustrious design label, deriving inspiration from the old-world magic of the Indo-Persian era.

At the fashion show, Salman sported a black embroidered 'sherwani' amidst the backdrop of an eagle taking flight on the large screens at the venue. Well groomed hair gave a final touch to his appearance.

Katrina was an epitome of elegance and grace as she shimmied and sizzled in an embellished ensemble replete with a cape. Wavy hair and subtle makeup perfectly complimented her ethereal avatar.

The actors were all smiles as they walked the ramp and the chemistry was palpable. There was a certain aura of comfort between the two which reflects well in their equation, on-screen as well as off-screen.

With the pair, a befitting muse for the maverick Manish Malhotra, the night certainly ended on a high note with other industry and Bollywood celebrities cheering on the couple and the designer.

Having worked together in many films, including "Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya", "Yuvraj", "Ek Tha Tiger" and "Tiger Zinda Hai", the actors have recently signed another film together which will be their fifth collaboration as lead actors.

"Bharat" is a remake of the 2014 South Korean film "Ode to My Father" and will reportedly feature Salman in five different looks over 60 years. He will also be seen recreating his look from the film "Karan-Arjun".

In the film, Katrina will play Salman's love interest. It also stars Tabu, Sunil Grover and Nora Fatehi in pivotal roles.

The film will be shot in Malta and Abu Dhabi, besides Punjab and Delhi.

Produced by Atul Agnihotri's Reel Life Productions and Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, "Bharat" will release on Eid 2019.

'Bhoomi': Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao chemistry elevates the film (Movie Review, Rating ****)

Film: 'Bhoomi'; Director: Omung Kumar; Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharad Kelkar, Shekhar Suman; Rating: ****

"Jadd se ya dhadh se?" Sanjay Dutt plays a cruel KBC with his daughter's rapist, offering to either kill or castrate him.

The pleading begging rapist takes the knife and plunges it into his pants.

I squirmed , as I was meant to. Bhoomi a film about a father and daughter's revenge on her wrongdoers set in the seamier side of the city of the Taj Mahal, is not an easy film to view. Just because it stars Sanjay Dutt, don't expect him to rise Phoenix-like to the occasion. With remarkable disregard for his larger-than-strife image, Sanjay Dutt plays an aging caring doting father who is a helpless mute entity in the case to fight his daughter's violators.

The rape-revenge motif has been done so much to death I wondered why we need another film on the theme. But "Bhoomi" has plenty of surprises to offer. It never lets the very beautiful Aditi Rao play the victim-card eventhough she is violated humiliated and vilified repeatedly. Yet she stands tall and dignified. This could be because Aditi Rao in the film's titlular role is just so frigging ethereal. Her makeup-free scrubbed and honest face conveys hurt, suppressed anger and hastily dismissed bewilderment. She is a treat to watch.

Put her on screen with Dutt and you have magic. Scenes such as the one where she tells her broken dad it's time to rise above the tragedy, are pitch-perfect in their shrill yearnings, neither overstating nor trivializing the very grim issue of rape.

Sanjay Dutt though a little wheezy and out of rhythm, is heartrendingly avuncular.His breakdown in the courtroom is so raw and unrehearsed it washes away all cynicism. He seems so protective of his "Betu" and so shattered by her violation that we tend to forgive the film's absolute absence of novelty. A parent grieving over a daughter's rape is not just familiar territory it is also a territory that threatens to explode under the weight of overstatement in our cinema.

With rather unnecessary detailing Bhoomi charts out the daughter's rape. Shot in a ramshackle single theatre ironically named Bhagwan Talkies, the gangrape is filmed against a backdrop of a film being screened within the film. In this way we are reminded of how cinema is responsible for an increase in sex crimes. (more)

Movie review: Wonder Woman reinvigorates tired superhero conventions

The story is repositioned to the trenches of World War I

“Wonder Woman! All the world’s waiting for you,” rang the theme song to the classic 1970s television show as one-time Miss World America, Lynda Carter, transformed into the star-spangled superhero. Yet while gun-toting raccoons headline today’s superhero movies, the world has waited a long time for its most famous female superhero to receive a dedicated film.

Female superheroes have been confined to sidekick roles (Black Widow is the highest profile Avenger without her own movie) or relegated to TV (where Jessica Jones and Supergirl kick ass on a weekly basis). Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman is the first major female-led superhero movie - and as a hero, her antecedents reach back to the suffragettes.

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Model Sonika's death case: Actor Vikram charged with culpable homicide

As historian Jill Lepore details in The Secret History of Wonder Woman, the formative years of Wonder Woman’s creator, psychologist William Moulton Marston, took place against the backdrop of the suffragette movement. As a freshman, he had heard Emmeline Pankhurst speak when she visited Harvard in 1911.

An advocate for women’s rights, Marston would later describe the “blood-curdling masculinity” of comic books as their “worst offence”. His remedy? To create a “feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman”. So in October 1941, All Star Comics introduced Wonder Woman, “to whom the problems and feats of men are mere child’s play”. Read more

Salman Khan not worried about Baahubali 2 box office record

Baahubali: The Conclusion has so far collected over Rs 1,500 crore across the world

SS Rajamouli's "Baahubali: The Conclusion" may be setting the box office on fire but superstar Salman Khan said he doesn't get worried about the business of a film as he thinks every movie has its own destiny.

"Baahubali: The Beginning" released on July 10, 2015, a week before Salman's "Bajrangi Bhaijaan".

"Baahubali: The Conclusion", which hit theatres on April 28, has so far collected over Rs 1,500 crore across the world.

"After 'Baahubali: The Beginning', we came up with "Bajrangi Bhaijaan". Now after 'Baahubali: The Conclusion', we are coming up with 'Tubelight'. There is a lot of pressure on the CEO of Salman Khan Films. I don't get worried so much. It is a phenomenal success and it is amazing.

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• To do a 'pure' character is the most difficult thing: Salman Khan
• Here's why Salman Khan doesn't enjoy watching 'Tublight's teaser

"I have not seen the film but I will watch it. But it doesn't matter (box office records) as I think every film has its own destiny. Lets see what the destiny of 'Tubelight' is and how much it earns," Salman told reporters here at the trailer launch of "Tubelight".

The "Dabangg" star on a lighter note further said, "They (referring to Rajamouli doing one film in four years) do one film in four years, I do two films in a year and the average is that much."

Salman's brother, actor Sohail Khan, who also stars in "Tubelight", said it's good if a movie sets a record at the box office.

"It's lovely when a film does well commercially as it sets a yardstick (for other films). It's nice that 'Baahubali...' did well," Sohail said.

During the launch, Salman seemed emotional while talking about his other co-star, legendary actor Om Puri. (more)

Brad Pitt in Mumbai to attend War Machine screening, meets Shah Rukh Khan

The 53-year-old actor plays a US General posted in Afghanistan

Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt is in India to promote his latest film, the Netflix satire "War Machine".

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will be moderating a special chat session here with Pitt, in which the two actors will discuss the project.

In the movie, the 53-year-old actor plays a US General posted in Afghanistan.

Directed by David Michod, of "Animal Kingdom" fame, the Netflix Original film is inspired by the book "The Operators: The Wild & Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan" by late journalist Michael Hastings.

An investment in the range of $60 million also makes it Netflix's biggest-budget feature to date.

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Surprise! Brad Pitt in India to promote 'War Machine'

Pitt's character is loosely based on General Stanley A McChrystal, a retired United States Army general best-known for his command of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).

His last assignment was as Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, US Forces Afghanistan.

Hastings's blistering profile on McChrystal led to his firing by Obama.

Pitt's company Plan B is also one of the producers of the film.

The first big-budget Hollywood movie on Netflix will be released on May 26.

Celina Jaitly pregnant with twins again

Actress Celina Jaitly is expecting twins with her hotelier husband Peter Haag, who are due in October this year.

The 35-year-old actress is already a mother to five- year-old twin sons, Winston and Viraaj.

Celina, who has entered her second trimester, says they were "initially shocked" when they got to know they were pregnant with twins again.

"Doctor was doing ultrasound and Peter asked the doctor if it is twins this time too. Doctor said yes and we both were initially shocked," Celina told PTI in an exclusive interview over phone from Dubai.

"We were exhilarated because the first thing that came in our mind was that we are the chosen one. We are God fearing and we feel God chooses special people to be parents of multiple children."

Both Celina and Peter love kids and are aware of the challenges as parents.

The "No Entry" actress says, "My mother always advised me that there is no perfect way to be a mother and father, but there are a million ways to be a good parent.

"I have always believed there are no rules to be parent. My husband is 100 per cent involved in the pregnancy and we both take our responsibilities seriously as parents." (more)

Deepika Padukone & Aishwarya rai makes Cannes red carpet debut

All eyes were on Deepika Padukone with bated breath to see how she would turn up on her first red carpet appearance as a brand ambassador for Loreal at Cannes

she finally put her fashionable foot forward, she made sure to look like a million bucks.

Dressed in a dainty wine coloured net ensemble, designed by Marchesa Notte. She looked bold and classy as she strutted down the coveted red carpet.

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Cannes gets an added dose of drama as Netflix makes its festival debut

Opening the 2017 Festival is French director Arnaud Desplechin's Ismael's Ghosts

The red carpet has been rolled out and the stars are taking their photo calls as the aristocracy of the film industry gathers at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes for the 70th annual film festival. From Afghanistan to Zambia, film makers, buyers, screenwriters, distributors, critics, academics and cineastes bunker down together for 12 days of communal cinematic consumption in dark rooms interspersed with heady business and critical discussion in the glare of the Mediterranean sunlight.

Opening the 2017 Festival is French director Arnaud Desplechin’s Ismael’s Ghosts, which is screening out of competition and kicks off a line up that includes 49 films from 29 countries, 12 of them by female directors.

Also Read : Deepika shines bright like a diamond at Day 2 of Cannes

The festival groups its selection (invited from more than 1,000 submitted films) into a number of strands: “the Competition”; “Un Certain Regard”; “Director’s Fortnight” and “Critic’s Week” all of which have their own programme of films. Complementing these strands are special events such as “Midnight Screenings”, “Cannes at 70” screenings, “Cannes Classics” and “Out of Competition” screenings – including, this year, a new thriller from Roman Polanski.

Thierry Frémaux, the Festival’s artistic director, is in charge of selection – and this year his choice is characterised by a lower number of Hollywood films than usual. He has also gone for a more pronounced political tone in the films, on themes such as migration, sex trafficking and the refugee crisis. Another feature of this year’s selection is the screening of films financed by media streaming platforms, including Netflix and Amazon, and the inclusion of “cinematic” television dramas. Read more

Bollywood's smiling mom Reema Lagoo passes away in Mumbai

Lagoo, who had played on screen mother to Salman and Shah Rukh, died of a cardiac arrest, she was 59

Actress Reema Lagoo, best known for playing the modern-day Bollywood mother in films such as "Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" and "Kal Ho Na Ho", passed away at a hospital here today. She was 59.

Lagoo, who came to represent the antithesis of the mournful white sari-clad mother of Hindi cinema through her roles, died of a cardiac arrest in the early hours of the morning at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.

She was admitted to the hospital late last night after she complained of chest pain, the hospital's Executive Director Ram Narain told PTI.

She is survived by her daughter Mrunmayee, who is also a theatre and film actress as well as a theatre director.

From Amitabh to Aamir, Madhuri Dixit, Bollywood mourns Reema Lagoo's sudden demise

Lagoo's son-in-law Vinay Waikul told PTI, "She was complaining of chest pain so we took her to the hospital at around 1 AM. She passed away due to a heart attack around 3.15 AM.

"She was perfectly fine and had no health issues... So it is really shocking for all of us that she is no more with us."

Tributes poured in as the news of her sudden death spread.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Lagoo as a versatile actor who left a big impact in the film and TV world. "Her demise is saddening. My deepest condolences," he tweeted.

Born in Mumbai, Lagoo's acting career spanned almost four decades. She started her career with Marathi theatre.

She was just 30 when she came to the limelight as Juhi Chawla's mother in Mansoor Khan's hit film "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak". Read more

Bollywood Celebrities and their Ganpati 2016

Bollywood Celebrities and their Ganpati 201

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