News

Comparing Aamir Khan & Salman Khan’s Last Three Box Office Flops Will Surprised! (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Aamir Khan is all set to make a grand yet subtle comeback with his feel good film Sitaare Zameen Par and we are expecting all good things from the film. Good content and even better box office numbers, especially because it has been long since the actor delivered his last hit at the box office!

Mr Perfectionist’s Last Hit

The superstar delivered his last superhit in 2016 with Dangal! Ever since, fans have been waiting for that one phenomenal film that breaks records every single day and makes us take pride in Hindi Cinema!

Aamir Khan’s Last Flop!

Aamir Khan delivered his last flop with his last debacle, Laal Singh Chadha, which arrived in 2022 and clashed at the box office with Akshay Kumar‘s Raksha Bandhan! In fact, both superstars tanked at...

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah Fame Amit Bhatt Once Starred In A Salman Khan Production! (Photo Credit – Instagram/Sony Liv)

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actors are household names today. Not only Dilip Joshi, Munmun Dutta, and other leading members but also supporting cast members like Mayur Vakani and Daya Shankar Pandey. But do you know Amit Bhatt, aka Champaklal featured in a Salman Khan production in 2018? Scroll below for the unknown details!

Who is Champaklal Jayantilal Gada in Tmkoc?

Amit Bhatt plays the role of Champaklal. He’s Dilip Joshi, aka Jethalal’s father, in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The actor has been portraying his iconic comic role since 2008. That’s not it! He also briefly portrayed the character of his on-screen father, Jayantilal Girdharlal Gada.

Many wouldn’t know, but before Champak Chachaji, Amit Bhatt was a part of many renowned Television shows. The list includes Khichdi,...

Have You Watched Tmkoc’s ‘Dayaben’ Disha Vakani Grooving In A Sultry Avatar? (Photo Credit – Sony Liv)

We’ve all seen the ‘sanskari’ Dayaben played by Disha Vakani in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She left the show in 2017, and even after 8 years, the makers are struggling to find an apt replacement. But do you remember when the actress sizzled in a bikini top and went topless for an item song? Scroll below for the lesser-known details!

Disha has been a household name as ‘Dayaben’ since 2008. But her acting chops have not been limited to Television screens. She’s entertained fans on the big screens with pivotal roles in movies like Hrithik Roshan & Aishwarya Rai Bachchan‘s Jodhaa Akbar, Aamir Khan’s Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas, among others.

During her early years, Disha Vakani featured in a sultry avatar in the Marathi song, Bhingri Ga Bhingri.

When Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Shut Down A Journalist(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is not only adored for her glorious filmography over the years but also for being a woman of substance. In an earlier interview, the actress had garnered several applause for shutting down a reporter who asked problematic questions to her. Not only did she manage to keep her calm but the actress gave out some sassy remarks, which shut down the journalist for good.

Talking about the same, in the interview with journalist Chetan Sharma with Ndtv, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was asked whether she is facing obstacles in the industry because of not being able to establish a good equation with the Khans. To this, the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam actress said, “You guys enjoy all this drama. So I think you can keep this going. It will keep you all entertained.”

The journalist further...

When Disha Vakani Shared Screen Presence With Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Photo Credit – Instagram/Sony Liv)

It has been around 9 years since Disha Vakani bid farewell to the comedy show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She became a household name for her stellar portrayal of Daya Bhabhi on the show. While we miss her presence on our TV screens, an interesting trivia is also attached to her body of work.

When Disha Vakani Was Seen Alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Before she won hearts as Daya Bhabhi in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Disha Vakani was seen alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the 2008 historical drama Jodha Akbar. Yes, you heard that right! Disha was seen playing Jodha Bai (Aishwarya Rai)’s companion Madhavi in the film. She was one of Jodha’s aides who accompanied her to the Mughal kingdom after she married Akbar (Hrithik Roshan).

Many eagle-eyed fans also spotted her...

When Disha Vakani Refused To Do Tear-Jerker Shows! (Photo Credit – Sony Liv)

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah once dominated the Television screens with its light-hearted comedy. It made Dilip Joshi, Munmun Dutta, and other star-cast household names. Disha Vakani had quit Tmkoc in 2017. But remember when she refused to be a part of “rona dhona” daily soaps? Scroll below for all the details!

As most know, Disha Vakani was a rising name in the entertainment industry. She has also been a part of renowned Bollywood films like Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Devdas, and Jodhaa Akbar. She took a maternity leave in 2017 to welcome her first child with Mayur Vakani. And there have been no signs of a comeback since.

As per multiple rumors, Disha Vakani did negotiate for a comeback in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, but the discussions with Asit Kumarr Modi and producers did not work out. But...

Applause Entertainment’s series on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi directed by Hansal Mehta, seems to get bigger by the month.

The big announcement on Gandhi Jayanti is that A R Rahman would be scoring the music for this purported epic series.

Rahman is no stranger to historical epics: he has earlier scored music for Ketan Mehta’s Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Raj Kumar Santoshi’s The Legend Of Bhagat Singh and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti.

On Rahman’s coming up n board Applause Entertainment’s Gandhi, director Hansal Mehta comments, “Gandhi is a deeply human retelling of M K Gandhi’s life story, a story that continues to inspire generations. Having A.R. Rahman join us on this journey is truly a dream come true. His music has the unique ability to elevate storytelling and for a project of this scale and significance, we couldn...

There are several films being made by Hindi filmmakers about historical figures with differing political ideologies. Hindi filmmakers love to put across stories of many freedom fighters from across the country who had fought tooth and nail against the British for independence. Only a few filmmakers were able to bring justice to these characters on screen. The finest example would be Sardar Udham Singh, directed by Shoojit Sircar. To some extent, even Rang De Basanti beautifully incorporated the lives of the freedom fighters into the narrative of youngsters taking up arms against the system that wronged them. The plethora of Bhagat Singh movies that came out allow the audience to refresh their memories of some of the revered revolutionary martyrs of the country. Sadly, only a few of them left an impact. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, 23 March 1931: Shaheed, Shaheed-e-Azam, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Hey Ram, and Chittagong...

Mumbai, Feb 24 (Ians) Best known for her role Daya in the sitcom ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ (Tmkoc), Disha Vakani was seen performing an ‘Ashwamedh Yagya’ puja in Mumbai, along with her husband and two children.

The video doing the rounds on the Net shows Disha wearing a bright yellow saree and matching jewellery. Her husband Mayur Padia, who is a chartered accountant, is also in a yellow kurta and white pyjama.

The snippet shows Disha saying, “I am blessed and fortunate to perform this Ashwamedh Yagya. Shri Ram had performed this yagya. Bahut achche vibes hain. We have performed many Gayatri mantras on the sets of Tmkoc. This helps in improving the environment and gives birth to good thoughts in the minds of everyone.”

Coming from Gujarat, Disha is also known for her work in films such as ‘Devdas’, ‘Mangal Pandey: The Rising’ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.

–Ians

sp/dan...

Actor Subrat Dutta, who has worked in movies like Zameen, Tango Charlie, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Talaash, Bhootnath Returns, Sameer, Madholal Keep walking, Roar- Tigers of the Sundarbans, Shoukeens etc., has come with the award-winning and critically acclaimed movie “Guthlee Ladoo” alongside Sanjay Mishra. Dutta’s performance is highly appreciated and left an unforgettable impression on the audience at many national and international film festivals. Dutta, an Nsd alumni, has created his own space in Bollywood through his outstanding performances.

When asked about what difference he feels between Nsd (National School of Drama) students in comparison to other actors, Dutta said, “Nsd people always think very long-term. Even though I am from Nsd, We normally think that we should be remembered even after our deaths through our films. Look at the past works of Nasir saab (Nasiruddin Shah) and Om Puri ji. In today’s generation, Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin-like...

Actor Subrat Dutta, who has worked in movies like Zameen, Tango Charlie, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Talaash, Bhootnath Returns, Sameer, Madholal Keep walking, Roar- Tigers of the Sundarbans, Shoukeens etc., has come with the award-winning and critically acclaimed movie “Guthlee Ladoo” alongside Sanjay Mishra. Dutta’s performance is highly appreciated and left an unforgettable impression on the audience at many national and international film festivals. Dutta, an Nsd alumni, has created his own space in Bollywood through his outstanding performances.

When asked about what difference he feels between Nsd (National School of Drama) students in comparison to other actors, Dutta said, “Nsd people always think very long-term. Even though I am from Nsd, We normally think that we should be remembered even after our deaths through our films. Look at the past works of Nasir saab (Nasiruddin Shah) and Om Puri ji. In today’s generation, Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin-like...

Mumbai, March 7 (Ians) The upcoming episode of comedy show ‘Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai?’ has taken inspiration from Bollywood movies such as ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Jodha Akbar’ and ‘Mangal Pandey’. The show leads Ambrish Bobby, Pawan Singh and Akansha Sharma share details of its upcoming track with a Bollywood twist. Ambrish Bobby, essaying Ramesh Prasad […]...

Actress Ameesha Patel is picking up Ghaziabadi accent these days, for her role in the upcoming film "Tauba Tera Jalwa".

"This character Laila is bold, modern, loving and also has grey shades, which caught my interest instantly. I have never done such kind of a role and I am trying to give it my best," Ameesha said about her role in the film.

Also Read:?Ananya Panday's hilarious caption for her millennial dress

Starting her career in the year 2000 with "Kaho Naa... Pyar Hai" opposite Hrithik Roshan, Ameesha was seen in films such as "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha", "Humraaz", "Mangal Pandey: The Rising" and "Race 2" among others.

In her upcoming film, she will be seen with Jatin Khurana, who plays a young tycoon from Ghaziabad.

The film is directed by Akashaditya Lama. His earlier film "Nani Teri Morni" was selected in Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival,...

Charlie Higson, British writer and actor, known for his “Young Bond” novel series, has boarded “Curse of the Kohinoor,” a recently announced Anglo-Indian heist series, as its co-writer. He will join Farrukh Dhondy (“Mangal Pandey: The Rising”), screenwriter and former Channel 4 commissioning editor for multicultural programming, on the project.

The thriller recounts a plot to steal the Kohinoor diamond, centerpiece of the British Crown Jewels. Featuring many of the biggest names from the Indian entertainment industry, “Curse” intertwines the history of the iconic diamond with the story of an incredible robbery attempt.

The series will be directed by Colin Teague, director of the BAFTA-winning BBC series “Dr Who” and ITV’s “Beowulf.” “Curse” will be shot on location in India and the U.K. from March 2020. Executive producers are Padma Galla for Amara Raja Media & Entertainment, Rahul Aggarwal for Star Entertainment Worldwide, and Bobby Bedi for Contentflow Studios.

Charles Thompson,...

On his son, Junaid Khan's birthday superstar Aamir Khan shared an adorable photograph of his son along with Rani Mukerji and wondered how Junaid managed to charm the actress.

Also Read:?Aamir Khan surprises co-passengers

?Aamir on Monday took to Twitter and Instagram to share the image, where Junaid can be seen smiling as he stood right next to Rani. The "Mardaani" star can be seen looking at Junaid and smiling.

"I wonder how he managed to charm Rani... I never did! Happy Birthday Junsie," Aamir captioned the image.

Aamir and Rani have worked in movies like "Talaash", "Ghulam", and "Mangal Pandey: The Rising".

Junaid's sister Ira Khan also took to Instagram stories to wish her brother. She posted a photograph of the siblings and captioned it: "Happy birthday, Junnu."

Both Junaid and Ira are from Aamir's first wife Reena Dutta. The couple divorced in 2002. Aamir got married to...

A lot of Indian films have come under the scanner for allegedly distorting history or for overdramatizing the characters portrayed in their films. A few of such Indian films are Bandit Queen, Aśoka, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Jodhaa Akbar, Mohenjo Daro, 7aum Arivu, Padmaavat etc. Even English (Hollywood) films like Saving Private Ryan, based onRead More

The post Do filmmakers have rights and liberties to distort history? appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.

Call Aamir Khan a perfectionist, and he’ll lightheartedly brush off the label, preferring to describe himself as simply “passionate” instead. Terminology aside, a mere glance at his 28-year career is ample proof that for Khan, going the extra mile is practically the equivalent of slacking off—the 51-year-old actor, producer, and director usually travels another 10 for good measure.

He did it in 1998’s “Ghulam,” when he turned down a body double or special effects in favor of sprinting towards an oncoming train for a stunt, avoiding it by a mere second and gambling his life for the sake of realism.

In 1999, when a script about 19th century villagers protesting British land tax with a game of cricket was dismissed by every financier in Bollywood, Khan took on his first producing role alongside his acting credit to make the film. Three years of grueling production later, “Lagaan” became the third...

Kolkata, Jan 11: Stating that Bollywood actors are popular only amongst the Indian diaspora in Britain, Indian-origin British author and scriptwriter Farrukh Dhondy says that the formula films churned out by the Hindi film industry "don't work in the West".

Dhondy has written screenplays for film and television, including "Split Wide Open" (1999) and "The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey" (2005).

"You can make Indian films like 'Slumdog Millionaire' today which can absolutely work and win Oscars, but Bollywood's mentality of having a particular formula just doesn't work in the West...people laugh at it," Dhondy told Ians on.

Rani Mukherji

Popular actress Rani Mukherji is keen to perform an item number

Renowned actress Rani Mukherji, who has impressed critics and audience with her outstanding performances in films like Black (2005), The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005), No One Killed Jessica (2011), has shown interest in doing item numbers recently. Rumors of Rani doing an item number in Housefull 2 are doing the rounds. However, she mentioned that “doing it totally depends on how the song is being presented…and if it excites me.”

Rani Mukherji in Dil Bole Hadippa

The 33-year-old actress is a trained dancer in Odissi and loves dancing. As is the custom of Bollywood, item songs are generally performed by a different genre of actresses like Rakhi Sawant, Payal Rohatgi, Mallika Sherawat.

Recently, however, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Kajra Re in Bunty Aur Babli 2005), Preity Zinta (Happening in Main Aur Mrs Khanna 2009), Deepika Padukone (Love Mera Hit Hit in...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Actor Rani Mukerji just can’t stop beaming. She is about to rub shoulders with her Ghulam (1998) and The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) co-star Aamir Khan again, this time in Reema Kagti’s next film, Zakhmi. “That’s the next film I’m doing. It’s amazing because I’ve always loved to work with Aamir, and now that I’m doing a film with him again, it’ll bring back the memories of all the times that we’ve shared during Ghulam and The Rising...,” says the 33-year-old, who will be honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for her ‘outstanding performance’ as a scribe in her ...

Locarno International Film Festival,

Piazza Grande (World Premiere)

Ketan Mehta's sweeping epic, The Rising -- Ballad of Mangal Pandey, is a kind of Bollywood Braveheart as one courageous and doomed man confronts the might of the British Empire, plus there's singing and dancing.

Sumptuously designed and beautifully shot, the film will delight Bollywood fans but likely will fail to capture mainstream audiences with its melodramatic style and jarring combination of stirring action, brutality and musical numbers.

For 100 years, the East India Company was the face of the British Empire, ruling one-fifth of the world and dominating the Indian subcontinent with the help of 300,000 Hindu and Muslim soldiers called Sepoys.

In Mehta's tale, the introduction of a new rifle in 1853 brought down the most successful private company in history. The rifle used a cartridge that soldiers had to bite the end of in order to pour the powder into the barrel. But the company used the grease of pigs and cows to seal the cartridges, and so placing them in their mouths violated the Sepoys' faiths.

Mangal Pandey (Aamir Khan) is one of the bravest Sepoys, having served with distinction in places like Afghanistan's Khyber Pass, where he saved the life of Capt. William Gordon (Toby Stephens).

At first, trusting the Company lie that the cartridges do not use pig or cow grease, Pandey bites the bullet, but when the truth is revealed, he leads the Sepoy in a rebellion that for the first time unites all the various creeds, tribes and castes of the region. It sows the seeds for the end of the East India Company's reign, though India would not gain its independence from Britain for about another century.

The saga is told in black-and-white terms with a clear division between good guys and bad guys. The dastardly villains are the ones in the red uniforms who speak as if they've just swallowed a plum. The only good British officer is, inevitably, Scottish.

The Bollywood style is so bouncy and optimistic, however, that it's difficult to sustain the effect of an oppressed nation when everyone, even untouchables and slave girls, all appear so jolly. The hero is savagely beaten by five Company men, but shortly afterward he joins the beautiful pleasure house girl Heera (Rani Mukherji) in a jaunty dance number.

Although the film is expertly rooted in its period, Heera seems to have been parachuted in from the 21st century with her cover girl eyes and MTV choreography.

There are many bold statements about freedom and peoples' rights to their own cultures and faiths and a suggestion that there are modern versions of the East India Company at work in the world, which might well be true, but the message gets a bit lost amid all the happy singing people.

The Rising -- Ballad of Mangal Pandey

Kalaidoscope Entertainment & Inox Leisure Ltd. & TFK Films present a Kaleidoscope Entertainment & Maya Movies production

Credits:

Director: Ketan Mehta

Screenwriter: Farrukh Dhondy

Producers: Bobby Bedi, Deepa Sahi

Director of photography: Himman Dhamija

Production designer: Nitin Chandrakant Desai

Editor: Sreekar Prasad

Composer: A.R. Rahmaan

Cast:

Mangal Pandey: Aamir Khan

Capt. William Gordon: Toby Stephens

Heera: Rani Mukherji

Emily Kent: Coral Beed

Veer Pretap: Amin Hajee

Lol Bibi: Kiron Kher

Jwala: Ameesha Patel

No MPAA rating

Running time -- 150 minutes...

LOCARNO, Switzerland -- With the out-of-competition screening of the Bollywood film The Rising -- Ballad of Mangal Pandey at its famed Piazza Grande, the 58th Locarno Film Festival kicked off Wednesday. The first official competition screenings are scheduled for Thursday. A total of 18 films best described as multicultural-niche are vying for the Golden Leopard and its prize of 90,000 Swiss francs ($71,337). Two Silver Leopard awards also will be handed out, along with a special jury prize and a Leopard for best male and female performance.

ROME -- Two more titles were added Wednesday to this year's lineup of films in competition for the Locarno International Film Festival's Golden Leopard prize. They are Canadian director Louise Archambault's Familia and Yvan Le Moine's Vendredi ou un Autre Jour, a Belgium-France-Italy co-production. The new titles join 15 others announced last week. Festival organizers also said that Susan Sarandon will be on hand to receive an excellence award and that the opening film in the Piazza Grande will be Ketan Mehta's The Rising -- Ballad of Mangal Pandey. The festival runs Aug. 3-13.