Neil Nitin Mukesh with his father Nitin Mukesh; poster of ‘Hai Junoon’
| Photo Credit: @neilnitinmukesh/Instagram and Special Arrangement
Streaming giant Jio Hotstar is all set to premiere the musical drama series Hai Junoon! Dream. Dare. Dominate on its platform on May 16. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the series stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead.
Centred around themes of passion, individuality and friendship, the series revolves around a musical competition in which two arch rivals — Misfits and Supersonics — collide. Neil plays the role of Gagan, who, according to a press release by the makers, “serves as the soul of Supersonics and embodies music itself, channeling rhythm, emotion, and raw intensity.”
Speaking about preparing for the role, Neil, son of playback singer Nitin Mukesh and grandson of late veteran singer Mukesh, said, “Music runs in my blood. When I was young, I had the privilege of training under my grandfather’s Guruji. That passion for music never left me, even after I chose acting as my profession. So, when I was offered the role of a pianist, I immediately jumped at it. It’s the first time I’m playing a character so closely aligned with who I am, at least when it comes to passion.”
Neil added that he closely worked with director Abhishek to develop Gagan’s style as well as his emotional arc. “I also drew inspiration from a number of artists, including my father, Nitin Mukesh, and other legendary singers,” he added.
Interestingly, ‘Hai Junoon’ was the title of a song in Neil’s 2009 film, New York, co-starring John Abraham, Katrina Kaif and Irrfan Khan.
The cast of Hai Junoon! Dream. Dare. Dominate also features Boman Irani, Siddharth Nigam, Priyank Sharma, Sumedh Mudgalkar, Kunwar Amar, Mohan Pandey, Elisha Mayor, Sanchit Kundra, Santana Roach, Devangshi Sen, Aryan Katoch, Anusha Mani, Bhavin Bhanushali, Yukti Thareja, Arnav Magoo and Saachi Bindra. The series is produced by Jio Creative Labs.
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai TV serial update: Ruhi-Abhira’s bond to change after Aarohi’s death truth expose? Garvita Sadhwani says ‘Kuch aur badha…’ | Bollywood Life
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai TV serial update: Ruhi-Abhira’s bond to change after Aarohi’s death truth…
In Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Ruhi finally knows that Abhira’s mother Akshara wasn’t responsible for the death of her mother Aarohi. Will this change her equation with Abhira?
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai TV serial has Rohit Purohit and Samridhii Shukla playing pivotal roles. The current storyline is about Armaan and Abhira becoming parents. They opted for surrogacy and now they have welcomed their daughter into this world. Ruhi (Abhira’s sister) became the surrogate mother. Before Ruhi gave birth, she got to know a major truth from the past regarding her mother’s death. So far, it was believed that Akshara was the reason behind Aarohi’s death. However, Akshara’s diary revealed that it was Ruhi who was responsible for Aarohi’s death. This truth leaves Ruhi shocked. Will it change Ruhi and Abhira’s dynamics?
In an interview with entertainment news channel Saas Bahu Aur Saazish, Garvita Sadhwani who plays the role of Ruhi in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai spilled beans over the upcoming track of the show. She mentioned that Ruhi undergoes labour pain as the big reveal leaves her stressed. However, she added that one thing that hasn’t changed at all is Ruhi’s trust on Abhira. Garvita Sadhwani also said that Ruhi is now feeling guilty for whatever happened. “Kahin na kahin, Ruhi ko guilt bohot zyada horaha hai. Ab voh aur zyada strongly kuch kar sakti hai voh Abhira ke liye.” She did not mention what, but it looks like Ruhi will go out of her way to prove herself to be a good sister to Abhira.
Meanwhile, in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, we will see that Armaan will be the happiest as his daughter is safe and healthy. He will hold his daughter and introduce her as ‘Meri Beti’. This will leave Abhira shattered. She will feel bad. In the upcoming episodes, fans may get to see Armaan being over possessive about his daughter Pookie. Not just Abhira, his actions may also hurt other family members. It is given that the upcoming episodes of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai will be high on drama.
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Shahbaz Khan slams Bollywood’s casting practices after being denied better opportunities: ‘People in South industry work with discipline…’ – The Times of India
Actor Shahbaz Khan is known for playing some memorable villainous roles in the 1990s in Bollywood, and the actor has voiced concerns about the changing dynamics in the entertainment industry that have left many senior actors on the sidelines. In a recent interview, he criticised casting practices and the influence of corporates on the creative aspects of filmmaking.Shahbaz about limited opportunitiesDuring a conversation with the YouTube channel Just Baat, Shahbaz opened up about the limited opportunities he and his contemporaries are receiving today.“Casting directors have their favourites, and they call old actors like me—who worked extensively in the 1990s—overexposed. This is wrong. Those who are truly overexposed are the actors being cast in every other OTT show. Some actors are such that the audience doesn’t want to see them, yet they are forced upon them. The new-age casting directors and actors think of themselves as no less than Dilip Kumar. They see themselves as the biggest actors,” he shared.
Fans confuse Dilip Kumar’s brother Aslam Khan as him, actor corrects the blunder
Making movie’s for commercial aspectHe also highlighted how the influx of corporate funding has altered the industry’s priorities, shifting the focus from creativity to commercialism. According to him, this has inflated actor salaries while sidelining the passion and artistic spirit that once defined filmmaking. “Old actors started with less money, but at that time the value of money was greater. Currently, actors may be paid more, but their expenses are also higher. The economy has changed. Purane actors ne bhi maal banake rakha hai. Sab set hai. But they are not getting work now.” He further added that films are becoming ‘money-minting machines’, and creativity is no longer their priority.Shahbaz about South Industry Shahbaz also revealed that he has worked on a few projects in the South Indian film industry. He praised their work ethic and organisation, citing his experience of being treated with utmost professionalism. “People in the South industry work with a lot of discipline and passion. They would call me at 6 a.m. for a 7 a.m. shoot, saying the car is ready,” he recounted.He later shared that Dilip Kumar once advised him to be like clay on set, fully surrendering to the director’s vision, stay surrounded by positive and knowledgeable individuals, and maintain a spiritual connection with god to become a truly good actor.
Bhool Chuk Maaf’s last minute OTT release faces backlash from exhibitors: “Opening advances and then pulling out of releasing a film is UNHEARD of. This NEVER happens, that too on the last day” : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama
Dinesh Vijan has been a darling of exhibitors as his films like Stree 2, Chhaava, Munjya etc. have done extraordinary business in cinemas. But on the morning of May 8, he broke the hearts of cinema owners across the country. An announcement came from the makers that Bhool Chuk Maaf, their next film starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, will not release on May 9 in cinemas, as scheduled. That’s not all. The film will now directly release on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video a week later, on May 16. The statement read, “In light of the recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation, we at Maddock Films and Amazon MGM Studios have decided to bring our family entertainer, Bhool Chuk Maaf, directly to your homes on May 16—only on Prime Video, worldwide. While we were eagerly looking forward to celebrating the film with you in theatres, the spirit of the nation comes first. Jai Hind.”
Bhool Chuk Maaf’s last minute OTT release faces backlash from exhibitors: “Opening advances and then pulling out of releasing a film is UNHEARD of. This NEVER happens, that too on the last day”
As expected, the exhibitors have not taken this decision in their stride. A multiplex official said on condition of anonymity, “We got the shock of our lives. We read the tweet from Mr Taran Adarsh about the cancellation of the release of the film. The distributor mailed us only 1 ½ hours later. Of course, by then, we had begun to issue refunds and change the programming. During a pandemic, we can understand films taking the direct-OTT release route. But what was the need to do in this case? It baffles all of us.”
A trade source said, “The film had sold around 5000 tickets in the national chains. It would have had an opening of Rs. 3 crores, and if the content was strong, it would have collected around Rs. 15 crores in the weekend. With no competition from Hindi films until June 6, Bhool Chuk Maaf could have sustained well, if the reports were on its side.”
Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Purnia, Bihar, said, “The advance booking had begun a few days ago for the film and there was no traction. In Inox City Centre Patna, only 2 tickets were sold. Cinepolis P&M Mall hadn’t sold a single ticket.”
He added, “Hence, I don’t blame him. He can always claim that there’s a war-like situation and that people are diverted. He could have released his film on some other date. Maybe, he could have released it on May 23. However, he chose to premiere the film on OTT.”
Vishek further said, “The makers must have realized that Rajkummar Rao’s last film Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video did a business of around Rs. 35 crores. Though it had much better music, yet, it didn’t open well. They must have assumed that even this film would do business in the same range, which means a theatrical share of around Rs. 17 crores. Amazon probably must have increased the digital rights price by Rs. 10-15 crores for direct OTT release. The producers must have thought that for the next few days, people might not step out, and therefore, it is ideal to give them content to consume at home. Hence, the finances must have made sense. Otherwise, opening advances and then pulling out of releasing a film is unheard of. This never happens, that too on the last day.”
He remarked, “The root cause is that there was no demand for this film and hence, they decided to dress it up this way. Had the advances been extraordinary, then Dinesh Vijan wouldn’t have cancelled the release.”
Distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal also had the same viewpoint, “I strongly feel that since the film didn’t create much buzz, they took the OTT route just to safeguard their interest. This is not good for the industry, especially multiplex screens. What will they now play? You need multiple movies to sustain.”
He added, “I was quite taken aback by the announcement. It is very unfair. The theatrical business is anyway struggling. If they feel the time is not right, they could have postponed the film by a few days. And isn’t Raid 2 doing well?”
Exhibitors confirmed that the news of Operation Sindoor or mock drills hasn’t caused a dent in the business. Raj Bansal revealed, “There’s no drop. I am getting enquiries for Raid 2. In fact, when the situation is so serious, people would definitely go to the cinemas to get entertained. I guess people are avoiding travelling outside the city. Otherwise, people within their own cities are going out for dinners and attending parties. Life is going on normally.”
Vishek Chauhan replied, “There was a small drop par unnees bees toh hote rehta hai. Yesterday, the collections were fine. It’s not like people will stop coming to cinemas. Jisko film dekhni hotihai, woh dekhte hai. During the Bombay riots, Tirangaa (1993) was running successfully. Ya toh picture chalti hai, ya fir bahane chalte hai!”
An exhibitor from a small town in Rajasthan said, “I’d like to invite Maddock and Amazon MGM Studios head honchos to my theatre so that they can see what the potential of India’s theatrical is. Small-town stories do well across the country. Our centre would have contributed significantly to the revenues of the makers. It is disheartening that they are not releasing the film theatrically.”
Exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi, meanwhile, said, “Every filmmaker, depending on the circumstances, tracking, potential at the theatres and external scenarios, makes decisions that are in the best interest of the film. While, as an exhibitor, it would have been good to have Bhool Chuk Maaf release in cinemas, I don’t doubt the integrity and Maddock’s commitment to theatrical business. Even their smaller films like Munjya got huge success in theatres. These are exceptional circumstances, and they have taken an exceptional decision, which is fine. I truly hope that going ahead, all their films come to theatres and do the amazing business that they have always done.”
Raj Bansal signed off by cautioning, “More producers might also get motivated to release their film directly on OTT. This is what happened during the pandemic.”
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