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From Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean trilogy Maqbool (based on Hamlet), Omkara (Othello) and Haider (Hamlet), Maqbool is the rawest, most honest and untarnished adaptation.

Maqbool transports us to a threshold of pain and redemption hitherto unknown to Hindi cinema. Because this is Shakespeare’s Macbeth trans-located to Mumbai’s underworld, and because Bhardwaj has selected a dream cast to portray his nightmarish world of crime and retribution, Maqbool takes its emotional content beyond any other film from the genre.

The writing on the wall is so clear, coherent, and redemptive that even Shakespeare would smile indulgently at the artistic liberties Bhardwaj has taken with the original text. Maqbool opens a whole new universe of passion- play, unexplored in the original text. Bhardwaj reveals the politics of lust and passion with a sure-handedness seldom witnessed in Hindi cinema.

Hence, the King from Shakespeare becomes a doddering, paunchy underworld kingpin, Abbaji (Pankaj Kapoor...

Akshay Kumar Rejected Maqbool, Making Way For Irrfan’s Glorious Debut! (Photo Credit – Instagram/YouTube)

It was in the year 2003, on the same day, that Bollywood witnessed one of its brightest stars finally arrive. It was the day when Indian Cinema celebrated Irrfan in his full glory, and one might thank Akshay Kumar for making this happen, the very moment he rejected Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool!

The adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the tragedy film starred the Paan Singh Tomar actor along with Tabu in the lead along with Pankaj Kapur. The Dark Love Story was his debut film as a lead, but he was not the first choice for the role!

Akshay Kumar’s Miyan Maqbool

Maqbool was earlier titled Miyan Maqbool, and Vishal Bhardwaj approached Akshay Kumar to play the lead. However, the Sky Force actor rejected the film, citing a weak climax since he felt that the...

Tabu Net Worth (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Tabu is one actress who needs no introduction. Many consider her an epitome of talent, versatility, grace, and stellar screen presence. Over the years, she has established herself as a powerhouse of a performer who has, time and again, left the audience impressed with her bold choices and experimentation with her roles. This has also been reflected in her soaring bankability.

Tabu’s Journey In The Entertainment Industry.

Tabu started her acting career with the 1985 film Hum Naujawan opposite Dev Anand and the 1991 Telugu film Coolie No 1 opposite Venkatesh. However, it was the 1994 film Vijaypath opposite Ajay Devgn which catapulted her into the main league. What followed was a glorious career spanning around 90 films. She appeared in films like Hu Tu Tu, Virasat, Maqbool, Chandni Bar, Haider, Cheeni Kam, The Namesake, and Life Of Pi.

Her second innings were followed by equally successful projects like the Drishyam franchise,...

The Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (Imppa) introduced a novel networking space at this year’s International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa – a three-deck luxury yacht that served as a floating venue for industry events and meetings.

The vessel, dubbed the Imppa Yacht, hosted over 1,000 visitors during the four-day Film Bazaar segment of Iffi, according to Yusuf Shaikh, Imppa’s international committee head and CEO of Janta Cinema. More than 30 producers utilized the space for launches, press conferences and networking events.

“We wanted to give our 25,000-plus members and the film fraternity a chance to explore Iffi 2024 in a unique manner and match up to the standards of the Cannes Film Festival,” said Imppa president Abhay Sinha.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (Cii) organized an event aboard featuring industry veterans Shekhar Kapur, Boman Irani, Bobby Bedi and Nikkhil Advani. The yacht also served as the launch pad for Bedi’s venture,...

Bobby Bedi, one of India’s most successful film producers, unveiled a powerful multinational production slate ranging from dance documentary to soaring fantasy.

Speaking at a private event on the sidelines of the International Film Festival of India, in Goa, Bedi introduced “Mudras,” the journey of a Spanish dancer who travels to India in the 1980s and finds her form and identity in a blend of Flamenco, Bharat Natyam and Kathakali. More than 20 years later, the woman’s daughter makes a similar journey but emerges with very different results.

Currently in post-production the feature documentary produced is by Bedi and Anna Saura through Bedi’s Contentflow Studios, with Bedi and Maria Salgado co-directing. Bedi described the film as “a story of two ladies, two countries two cultures and two generations, exploring dance, exploring themselves and discovering themselves.”

The company is in pre-production on “Bandit Queen MP,” a title that builds...

Piyush Mishra, Salman Khan in Maine Pyar Kiya. (Photo Credit – Instagram/Youtube)

In 1989, Salman Khan appeared as the leading hero for the first time in Sooraj Barjatya’s Maine Pyar Kiya. The film also stars Bhagyashree, Reema Lagoo, Mohnish Bahl, Alok Nath, and others. It received terrific reviews and made Salman the superstar he is today. But did you know actor Piyush Mishra was first considered for the part?

Actor Piyush Mishra has acted in several Hindi movies, including Gulaal, Gangs of Wasseypur, Tamasha, Rockstar, Maqbool, and others. In an interview, Mishra revealed that Sooraj Barjatya’s father had approached him to play Prem in Maine Pyar Kiya.

Piyush Mishra On Being Offered Maine Pyar Kiya

The Rockstar actor said, “It wasn’t that I had become a star or I had landed that part. It was an early discussion, and I was majorly considered by Sooraj Barjatya’s father...

Oscar-, BAFTA-, Golden Globe- and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman, veteran producer Bobby Bedi and the Technicolor Group have unveiled a film project based on Middle Eastern wit Mulla Nasruddin at the Cannes Film Festival.

Also known as Nasreddin Hodja, Nasruddin was a 13th century folklore character from what is now Turkey, known for his pithy wit and humorous wisdom. Stories about him appear in the Islamic folklore of the Middle East, the Balkans and China and the character is enormously popular in India as well. The International Nasreddin Hodja festival is celebrated every year in Turkey.

Bedi’s credits include some of the landmark titles of Indian cinema, including Shekhar Kapur’s international breakthrough film “Bandit Queen” (1994), Deepa Mehta’s controversial “Fire” (1996), Rani Mukerji-starring relationship drama “Saathiya” (2002), Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Macbeth” adaptation “Maqbool” (2003), Stanley Tong’s Jackie Chan starrer “The Myth” (2005) and Gurvinder Singh’s Rotterdam title “Crescent Night” (2002).

Frequent collaborators,...

Legendary Television has officially welcomed award-winning veteran Indian actor Tabu to the cast of Maxs highly-anticipated Dune: Prophecy series. The prequel was initially titled as Dune: The Sisterhood when it was first announced back in June 2019.

According to Variety, Tabu, whos best known for her critically-acclaimed performances in movies like Virasat, Astitva, Chandni Bar, Maqbool and Andhadhun, has been tapped for a recurring role in Maxs Dune: Prophecy. She will be playing Sister Francesca, whos described as a "strong, intelligent, and alluring character, who leaves a lasting impression in her wake. Once a great love of the Emperor, her return to the palace strains the balance of power in the capital." This wont be the celebrated actors first English project, after previously appearing in Ang Lees Life of Pi movie, and in the BBC miniseries A Suitable Boy.

Related Anya Taylor-Joy Recalls Begging Director Denis Villeneuve for Dune 2 Cameo...

Tabu On Playing Morally Wrong & Dark Characters ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Tabu is one of the most versatile actresses in the Indian film industry. From the 80s till now, the actress has been winning hearts and leaving a mark with her exceptional performances. Whether being part of a silly rom-com like Biwi No 1 or delivering a solid act in Haider, the actress can easily pull off any character.

It has been four decades since Tabu debuted with Hum Naujawan in 1985. Since then, the talented actress has acted in more than 90 films so far. In the past few years, she has delivered fantastic performances with Andhadhun, Bhool Bhulaiyya 2, Khufiya, etc. Tabu’s first release of 2024, Crew, is all set to release in theatres this week.

What makes Tabu super successful and different from everyone else is her choice of scripts. The actress often takes risks and never shied away from playing twisted,...

The B2B meetings at Mumbai’s annual Frames media conference have now bloomed into the full-fledged Global Content Market under the guidance of veteran producer Bobby Bedi.

Bedi’s credits include some of the landmark titles of Indian cinema, including Shekhar Kapur’s international breakthrough film “Bandit Queen” (1994), Deepa Mehta’s controversial “Fire” (1996), Rani Mukerji-starring relationship drama “Saathiya” (2002), Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Macbeth” adaptation “Maqbool” (2003), Stanley Tong’s Jackie Chan starrer “The Myth” (2005) and Gurvinder Singh’s Rotterdam title “Crescent Night” (2002).

The market, which was buzzing from the get go, boasted a significant international presence from the U.K., Korea, Turkey, Spain, Germany and Saudi Arabia, besides a sizeable Indian contingent. Bedi said that the word ‘Asian’ suggests mainly content from the Far East and the Frames market plugs the gap for South Asian and Middle Eastern content. Differentiating the market from the Indian government’s Film Bazaar in Goa,...

The enigmatic greys of a Kashmir winter in ‘Haider’, the many tones of black in ‘Maqbool’ with such visual poetry where each note stands out, Vishal Bhardwaj’s cinema has never shouted ‘independent’ but subtly stood out from the movies of his time.

Not hyper-realistic in its treatment, it is Bhardwaj’s visual poetry that makes the thematic essence pull in reality at its most profound.

“What you call visual poetry in my films emerges from the deep-rooted love for poetry that never leaves me,” Bhardwaj told Ians. “Therefore, there is always an effort to lend a certain rhythm and deeper meaning to everything that happens in front of the camera.”

Together with Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Tigmanshu Dhulia, Bhardwaj has been instrumental in ushering in a new era in Indian cinema after the almost traumatic 80s when Hindi cinema hit its lowest. He believes, though, that the independent...

Actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya, who is known for his work in films like ‘Black Friday’, ‘Maqbool’, ‘B.A. Pass’, ‘Lootera’ and others, has shared that auteur Anurag Kashyap kept his promise of casting him in his cult film ‘Dev.D’, which recently clocked 15 years of its release.

‘Dev.D’ marks a significant chapter in Hindi cinema echoing artistic brilliance and has been hailed for its path-breaking storytelling and bringing in a new dawn in Hindi cinema.

Walking down the memory lane, Dibyendu shared: “When Anurag was making ‘Dev.D’, I had expressed my desire to play Chunnilal as I have always been very keen to work with him. At that time, Anurag’s ‘Black Friday’ had received a stay order, and the film’s future was in the dark. Anurag told me that in case ‘Black Friday’ doesn’t release, he might have to take a more celebrated actor to play Chunnilal and if...

Ajay Devgn’s Savage Digs On Koffee With Karan Season 8! ( Photo Credit – DisneyPlus Hotstar / YouTube )

The teaser of Koffee With Karan Season 8 Episode 9 is out, and it’s going to be another dhamakedaar watch! Continuing the saga of unique pairings, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty will grace the couch this Thursday. And the Singham actor is leaving us in splits with his digs. Scroll below for his brutally honest confessions on Ranveer Singh and his wife, Kajol.

One thing that we absolutely love about Kajol and Ajay is their honest nature. They’re probably the most rare couple in Bollywood who don’t mince with their words. Their appearance on the Kwk couch in 2018 was a laughter riot. This season, Kajol appeared with Rani Mukerji. On the other hand, Ajay, as mentioned above, was invited with his Singham director Rohit Shetty.

If you haven’t already seen the Koffee With Karan Season 8, Episode 9 teaser,...

Dawood Ibrahim Poisoned & In Critical Condition, Media Reports Claim He Passed Away On Sunday(Photo Credit –Twitter)

Notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is a most wanted criminal and is reportedly living in Pakistan. But there have been several reports claiming that he has passed away due to alleged poisoning. It has taken social media by storm, confusing people about the entire fiasco. What is the truth behind it? Scroll below to know the deets.

Dawood was reportedly the mastermind behind the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Several people lost their and countless were injured. Quite a few films have been made loosely based on the life of the infamous don. When the pandemic hit the world, there were reports which claimed that Dawood had passed away, but the words were dismissed.

According to a DNA report, Dawood Ibrahim has been poisoned and is in critical condition at a hospital in Karachi,...

Vishal Bhardwaj Reveals Giving Up His Rs 30 Lakh Fees To Make Irrfan Khan & Tabu’s Maqbool (Picture Credit: Facebook & IMDb)

Vishal Bhardwaj is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of Hindi cinema, who has given his fans some masterpiece movies like Omkara, Haider, 7 Khoon Maaf, and others. His latest work, Khufiya, starring Tabu in the lead, is streaming on Netflix. The prolific filmmaker recently sat down for an interview where he spoke about many things, including the films he was about to quit and others he couldn’t make with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Speaking about Irrfan Khan and Tabu starrer Maqbool, the filmmaker revealed that to shoot the film at a particular haveli – he had his eyes on – he gave up on his fees. He revealed that he was getting paid Rs 30 lakh for directing, writing, editing, and composing music. However, due to budget constraints,...

Bollywood personalities such as Manoj Bajpayee, Vishal Bharadwaj, Pratik Gandhi and Guneet Monga talked about how South Asian content has broken barriers and gone ahead creating waves internationally.

ZEE5 Global has announced a strategic move to aggregate multiple South Asian streaming platforms within the ZEE5 Global platform with the launch of Add-ons in the US.

The ZEE5 Global Add-ons will offer subscribers in the US a single-window to access South Asian entertainment platforms on the platform itself.

In a panel, when asked how the audiences have changed viewing content, Manoj saidthat earlier he would visit his friends or relatives in the US, “there was someone in that crowd and in that party who would come and talk to me and there was one person who always came to me and not just to me but to whole lot of people who were making the kind of cinema that the whole...

Bollywood personalities such as Manoj Bajpayee, Vishal Bharadwaj, Pratik Gandhi and Guneet Monga talked about how South Asian content has broken barriers and gone ahead creating waves internationally.

ZEE5 Global has announced a strategic move to aggregate multiple South Asian streaming platforms within the ZEE5 Global platform with the launch of Add-ons in the US.

The ZEE5 Global Add-ons will offer subscribers in the US a single-window to access South Asian entertainment platforms on the platform itself.

In a panel, when asked how the audiences have changed viewing content, Manoj saidthat earlier he would visit his friends or relatives in the US, “there was someone in that crowd and in that party who would come and talk to me and there was one person who always came to me and not just to me but to whole lot of people who were making the kind of cinema that the whole...

Khufiya (Netflix)

Starring Tabu, Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi, Atul Kulkarni , Azmeri Haque Badhon

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj

Cutting through the acres of ambiguity and symbolisms that run through his work, Vishal Bhardwaj delivers his most coherent cogent and compelling film in years.

Khufiya is many things at the same time. It is on the topmost layer an espionage thriller about a spy at Raw selling confidential information to the neighbouring country. Ali Fazal plays this character with such straggling imprecision that I thought we would lose focus on the spy’s brazen antics (how did he get away with it for so long?!).

But no. Bhardwaj, fully in charge for once wastes no time in exploring hazy characters played by lazy actors. His focus is the ever-resplendent Tabu who has earlier created enduring magic for Vishal in Maqbool and Haider. In Khufiya, Tabu plays a number of roles, and I...

The world of detective Charlie Chopra, based on characters created by Agatha Christie, is set to have a prolonged life in India as a franchise.

“Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley,” based on Christie’s 1931 novel “The Sittaford Mystery,” was adapted as a series for Indian streamer SonyLIV by renowned filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj.

Set in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, northern India, the series follows the journey of Charlie Chopra and her quest to uncover a murder mystery alongside her sidekick Sitaram. Bhardwaj served as director and co-producer and co-screenwriter alongside Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan. The cast includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Ratna Pathak Shah, Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Paoli Dam.

Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures produced with Priti Shahani’s Tusk Tale Films in association with Agatha Christie Limited. James Prichard, Basi Akpabio and Leo Dezoysa served as executive producers...

Iffla Will Open With Khufiya Directed By Vishal Bhardwaj And Close With All India Rank By Varun Grover

US Premieres of Documentaries The World is Family by Legendary Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain

Exclusive Masterclass with World Renowned Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj

Today the 2023 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) announced the lineup of official selections for the 21st annual edition of the internationally acclaimed film festival. Iffla will showcase 24 films from 13 countries and in 14 languages, including the world theatrical premiere of Vishal Bhardwaj's Khufiya, the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal's Berlin, and the North American premieres of Varun Grover's dramedy All Indian Rank, Dominic Sangma's Garo language film Rapture,and the Malayalam film Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi. Plus, the LA premiere of Joram by Devashish Makhija.

Passes and Gala tickets are now available at www.indianfilmfestival.org. Tickets to...

Netflix has unveiled the trailer for its upcoming spy thriller, Khufiya, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and starring Tabu, Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Ashish Vidyarthi. The film is based on true events and is adapted from a book by a former R&aw officer, Amar Bhushan. Khufiya promises to take the viewers into a world of espionage, secrets and betrayal, as Tabu plays a R&aw agent who is tasked with tracking down a mole who is leaking defense secrets to the enemy. The film also explores her dual identity as a spy and a lover, as she struggles to balance her professional and personal life.

The trailer of Khufiya showcases the high-octane action, suspense and drama that the film has to offer. Tabu, who has previously collaborated with Vishal Bhardwaj in films like Maqbool and Haider, looks stunning and fierce as Krishna Mehra, the lead protagonist of the film.

Los Angeles, Sep 15 (Ians) The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla).

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.

Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.

The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s...

The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.

Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.

The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s ‘Berlin’, Dominic Sangma’s...

Tabu-starring spy thriller, “Khufiya” has been set as the opening title of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Oct. 11-15). A Netflix-backed production, the Iffla presentation will represent the film’s theatrical world premiere.

The festival will wrap with the North American premiere of dramedy “All India Rank,” by Varun Grover. The film had its premiere at the Rotterdam festival in January.

Between the two, the festival will play four additional narrative features, two documentary features and 16 shorts, hailing from 13 countries.

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, “Khufiya” is based on the novel “Escape to Nowhere,” written by a former chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan and sees top actor Tabu as an operative on a mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover. It also stars Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Azmeri Haque Badhon (“Rehana”).

Indian director, screenwriter and musician Vishal Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj,...

Tabu and Vishal Bhardwaj are back together for the third time in Khufiya, a spy thriller that will premiere on Netflix on October 5, 2023. The film also features Ali Fazal and Wamiqa Gabbi in pivotal roles. Khufiya is inspired by true events and based on the popular espionage novel Escape to Nowhere by Amar Bhushan, a former Chief of the Counter Espionage Unit of R&aw.

Khufiya

Tabu, who has previously worked with Bhardwaj in Maqbool (2003) and Haider (2014), plays Krishna Mehra, a R&aw operative who is assigned a crucial mission that leaves her juggling between her dual identity as a spy and a lover. Ali Fazal plays her partner and colleague, while Wamiqa Gabbi plays a Pakistani agent. Ashish Vidyarthi and Azmeri Haque Badhon are also part of the cast.

Khufiya Teaser

Khufiya promises to take the viewers on a gripping journey into the mysterious world of love, betrayal and all things secret.

Around the turn of the century, modern reimaginings of Shakespeare had reached a fever pitch. Audiences were rediscovering the Bard's work through a string of stylish Hollywood films ranging from Baz Luhrmann's bombastic “Romeo + Juliet” to Michael Almereyda's gen-x-courting “Hamlet” to fun teen comedies like “10 Things I Hate About You.” It wasn't long before the trend reached the Indian film industry, which had previously produced only a small selection of Shakespeare adaptations. The charge was led by Vishal Bhardwaj, who received widespread acclaim for 2003's “Maqbool,” his violent take on “Macbeth” featuring Irrfan Khan in the lead role. Transposing the Scottish Play's power struggles to 21st-century Mumbai, Bhardwaj takes a haunting approach to the material, leaning into the bloodshed while playing with the supernatural moodiness and psychological torment of its protagonist. Bhardwaj would continue his Shakespeare trilogy with “Omkara” (“Othello”) in 2006 and “Haider” (“Hamlet”) in 2014, both...

Mumbai, Aug 14 (Ians) Actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya, who is known for his work in ‘Maqbool’, ‘Dev.D’, ‘Lootera’, ‘Black Friday’, ‘Delhi Crime’ and ‘Rocket Boys’, has started shooting for the third season of his streaming show ‘Undekhi’ in Manali.

The series depicts the two aspects of the society – the influential people who are drunk on power and think they can get away with anything, and the oppressed, subjected to years of torture, who finally decide to bring themselves to justice. The first season of the series began with the murder of a dancer during a wedding, the events leading up to which are captured in the camera of the wedding photography team.

Reflecting on his journey so far, Dibyendu said: “The response to ‘Undekhi’ has been overwhelming and I am grateful to the audiences for appreciating my character Dsp Barun Ghosh. The enigma the series has created is a testament to the dedication of the entire team.

Indian streamer SonyLIV has announced an adaptation of Agatha Christie detective novel The Sittaford Mystery, which marks director Vishal Bhardwaj’s debut on a streaming series.

The Hindi-language adaptation, entitled Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley, is produced by the director’s Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures, along with Priti Shahani’s Tusk Tale Films in association with Agatha Christie Limited.

Bhardwaj has also co-scripted the adaptation, which transplants the action to the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, along with Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan.

The series’ heavyweight ensemble cast includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Ratna Pathak Shah, Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Paoli Dam.

James Prichard, Christie’s great grandson and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, is on board as an Executive Producer. Basi Akpabio and Leo Dezoysa have also taken on the role of Executive Producers on behalf of Agatha Christie Limited.

Bhardwaj...

Agatha Christie’s “The Sittaford Mystery” will be adapted as “Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley” for streamer SonyLIV by renowned Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj.

Set in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, northern India, the series will follow the journey of Charlie Chopra and her quest to uncover a mystery. Bhardwaj will serve as director and co-producer and co-screenwriter alongside Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan. The cast includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Ratna Pathak Shah, Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Paoli Dam.

Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures will produce with Priti Shahani’s Tusk Tale Films in association with Agatha Christie Limited. Bhardwaj’s film franchise based on the works of Christie was announced in 2020.

Bhardwaj is best known internationally for his acclaimed Shakespeare trilogy “Maqbool,” (Macbeth) “Omkara” (Othello) and “Haider” (Hamlet).

James Prichard, Basi Akpabio and Leo Dezoysa will serve as executive producers...

Mumbai, Feb 27 (Ians) Filmmaker-writer-music composer Vishal Bhardwaj, who is known for films such as ‘Kaminey’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Maqbool’ and several others, is adapting British writer Agatha Christie’s mystery novel ‘The Sittaford Mystery’ for the Ott.

The series titled ‘Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley’, is set in the snow-capped mountains of Himachal Pradesh and will follow the journey of Charlie Chopra and her pursuit to uncover a deep mystery.

Besides donning the hats of director and co-producer, Vishal Bhardwaj also serves as the show’s co-screenwriter, alongside Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan.

Talking about the series, Vishal Bhardwaj said: “I grew up devouring all Agatha Christie tales. Her plots, characters and setting remain unparalleled in the genre and continue to excite storytellers even today.”

The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast featuring Wamiqa Gabbi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Ratna Pathak Shah, Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Chandan Roy Sanyal,...

Shot entirely on an iPhone 14 Pro, ‘Fursat’ with Ishaan Khattar and Wamiqa Gabbi in lead roles, the movie, according to Bhardwaj, has proved that making a full-blown, two-hour feature film is now possible with the device. And he is willing to take a shot at it.

“Not just short films, I feel that the iPhone is now ready to help us create a full feature film. It is kind of unbelievable that we can have such a kind of stabilisation in scenes with Action Mode in iPhone 14 Pro. Cinematic Mode, or shift focus in our language, is another intelligent feature. The amazing part is that we could use this Cinematic Mode tool even after the shot was taken,” Bhardwaj told Ians.

The device, he said, gives freedom to filmmakers who cannot afford to hire the entire fleet of tech equipment.

“It liberates you. You have a great device and now you only need content,...

Actor, playwright, lyricist, and screenwriter Piyush Mishra talked about the bond he shared with Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee and director Anurag Kashyap in the 2012 film ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

He shared: “Manoj and I have been friends since a long time and both of us used to do theatre in Delhi since the 80s. And, I have known Anurag since 1986 from Delhi and we connected again when we started working together in 1989.”

‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ was released in 2012 and it was all about politics, and power struggle between three families. It featured Manoj Bajpai, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadda, Huma Qureshi and Tigmanshu Dhulia in the major roles. The film was directed by Anurag Kashyap.

As the movie completes its 10 years, Piyush, who is known for his acting skills in ‘Maqbool’ and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, appeared on ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’ along with Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi,...

Filmmaker-director-writer Vishal Bhardwaj is set to reunite with his muse Tabu, who played key roles in ‘Maqbool’ and ‘Haider’, in the upcoming film ‘Khufiya’. It will be the first time when Tabu will appear in a Vishal Bharadwaj film not inspired by a Shakespearean play.

The first-look teaser of ‘Khufiya’ was unveiled on Monday at the Films Day by Netflix. The teaser of the spy drama gives a sneak peek at the intense, gripping characters.

Speaking about the teaser release, Bharadwaj said, “Working on films that explore people, characters, conflicts and relationships is something I truly enjoy. ‘Khufiya’ is a really special project for me. The entire team has worked very hard to create a suspenseful slow-burning thriller and with Netflix we are thrilled to present the film to audiences globally.”

The film is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by ex-chief of the Counter Espionage Unit of R&aw,...

If you have been reading us in the past few years, you will have probably realized that we have a particular love from crime thrillers, here in Asian Movie Pulse. However, we felt that Korean first and Japanese second are the ones that mostly draw the attention of the audience, and thus, we decided to focus in another industry which actually thrives on a number of films of the category, the Indian one. “Gangs of Wasseypur” may be the most renowned, but we thought we should also present a number of others that are definitely worth a watch, and not only from fans of the category. Here are 15 of the best, in chronological order

1. Black Friday

When it comes to crime thrillers, Anurag Kashyap is a “go-to” name. While most of his filmography will satisfy the genre aficionados, one of his earlier movies, almost two-decades-old “Black Friday”, deserves special attention.

Mumbai, March 11 (Ians) Late actor Irrfan Khan's son Babil Khan on Thursday hinted at plans of joining the film industry soon, while posting about his father on social media.

While Babil remained tightlipped about how he plans to follow his father's footpath into Bollywood, he recalled his father's work and treated Irrfan's fans with a still from "Maqbool" on Instagram.

"I know it's been a minute. When my superstitions allow me to, I will reveal what I've been busy with, but there's some stuff cookin'," Babil wrote.

The caption goes on: "Anyway, since I'm obviously extremely frightened on having started my journey in Indian cinema without any formal training on acting and 8 years too early, I often calm my anxieties by looking at baba's pictures from Nsd and earlier films. Here's something for his fans."

Irrfan died in April last year after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour. He...

Known for playing offbeat and memorable characters on screen, Pankaj Tripathi, has always portrayed his roles with sheer ease and finesse. Following the successful release of Mirzapur Season 2 and prior to the launch of his upcoming film Ludo, the versatile actor gets candid with IMDb in the latest episode of IMDb On The Scene, fondly revisiting his favorite moments in Mirzapur while also deep diving into his upcoming Diwali release.

When asked if there has ever been a role that took a lot from him as a person, Pankaj Tripathi said, “Gurgaon (2017) was really difficult and even Guruji (Sacred Games) was tough. Artists have 2 tools, their personal experiences and the more important one, their imagination. These roles were tough because they were different from my life experiences and I had to imagine a lot. Acting is now a spiritual process for me. If you see me on the sets you...

Mumbai, Nov 11 (Ians) Pakistani actor Bilal Abbas Khan feels Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has an amazing understanding of cinema, and hopes to work with the filmmaker.

"I love watching movies and web series, be it Hollywood or Bollywood. I have seen a lot of Indian movies including the South Indian ones. They are the reason that I am an actor today," he said.

"I wish to be directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. I have seen all his films like Omkara, Kaminey, Haider and Maqbool. His understanding of cinema is amazing and I aspire to be part of films that comprise performance-driven characters and a powerful storyline. He is my all-time favourite," he continued.

At the moment, he is seen in acclaimed Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar's "Ek Jhoothi Love Story", which also stars Madiha Imam. The show is scripted by Umera Ahmed, celebrated writer of the show "Zindagi Gulzar Hai". The...

Here’s some exciting new movie news especially for mystery fans! Renowned Indian film maker Vishal Bhardwaj, popularly recognised for his cult classic Shakespearean Trilogy – Maqbool, Omkara and Haider – has partnered with Agatha Christie Limited to develop a series of big screen adaptations for Indian audiences. Christie’s iconic characters include Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Tommy & Tuppence but with this latest film franchise Bhardwaj will create an entirely new pair of lead investigators taking inspiration from one of her famous stories. The first film will introduce a young heroine who is thrown into solving a murder, and teams up with an unlikely companion to unravel the case. Future films will follow the duo as they continue to investigate multiple murder mysteries.

The script is currently in development, but which of the Queen of Crime’s books writer-director Bhardwaj is adapting first is being kept strictly under wraps.

Agatha Christie,...

To keep connected and support the South Asian community, 3rd i’s eighteenth annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival: Bollywood and Beyond (Sfisaff) will be offered for Free this year as a completely virtual experience, Oct 23-25, 2020. Festival attendees can access scheduled screenings and filmmaker discussions from the safety of their homes, after registering online. The three-day Festival will screen a select program of narrative features and shorts by independent filmmakers from South Asia and its Diaspora, including stories from India, South Africa, and the Pakistani and Sikh communities in the USA.

This year’s festival presents an homage to one of the greats of Indian cinema, Irrfan Khan, who was lost too soon in a battle with cancer in early 2020. Khan made a phenomenal crossover from Bollywood films to International acclaim, starring in some of the most memorable films of the last few decades including “The Lunchbox...

Irrfan Khan, the Indian actor who became a Bollywood and Hollywood star with credits including “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Life of Pi,” has died at the age of 53. Khan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in March 2018 and passed away in the early morning of April 29 after checking into a hospital in Mumbai, India earlier this week for a colon infection. Khan continued to act in the two years between his diagnosis and death.

Khan made his acting debut with a supporting role in Mira Nair’s 1988 breakthrough “Salaam Bombay!” before achieving dominant success in India with films such as “Haasil” (2003), “Maqbool” (2004), and “Paan Singh Tomar” (2011), which won him the National Film Award for Best Actor. The actor achieved crossover success in the U.S. by starring in Nair’s “The Namesake” (2006) and Ritesh Batra’s “The Lunchbox” (2013), which resulted in memorable supporting roles in Hollywood tentpoles such as “The Amazing Spider-Man,...

Tribute My first memory of Irrfan Khan was 14 years ago, in a TV series called Mano Ya Na Mano (Believe it or not), and I’ve been captivated ever since.Geetika MantriIrrfan/FacebookI remember the first time I watched Irrfan Khan on screen, 14 years ago. Not unusually, 12-year-old me was surfing the channels on the TV till something grabbed my attention on Star One. It was his voice that caught me – he was setting the stage for an episode of a show called Mano Ya Na Mano (Believe it or not). The show itself was about mystical, inexplicable and spooky things that have happened in India – which was right up my alley – but it was Irrfan’s calm anchoring that pulled me in. From that day on, I would try to catch the reruns of the show every afternoon – I wasn’t allowed to watch TV too late at night,...

The Bollywood and international crossover actor, Irrfan Khan has passed away at the age of 53.

The actor, who was known on a global stage from his roles in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘Jurassic World’, had been admitted into the intensive care unit of Mumbai’s Kokilaben hospital with a colon infection.

In 2018, he had been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, received treatment in London and recovered. At the time, he announced his news via his Twitter account stating he had been diagnosed with an endocrine tumour, a rare illness affecting cells that release hormones into the bloodstream.

Also in news – ‘The Goonies’ original cast reunite for Josh Gad

The Bollywood film industry have taken to Twitter to share their condolences. Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted: “Thank you for those indelible movie memories….thank you for raising the bar as an artist …thank you for enriching our Cinema….we will miss you terribly...

Irrfan Khan, the wide-eyed actor who enjoyed art house acclaim in his native India and crossover-success with major Hollywood roles including “Life of Pi,” "The Lunchbox," “Jurassic World” and “Inferno,” died on Wednesday. He was 53.

Khan was previously diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018 and underwent extensive treatment in London. He recovered well enough to shoot what would turn out to be his last film “Angrezi Medium,” the release of which was abruptly cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

On Tuesday, he was admitted into the intensive care unit of Mumbai’s Kokilaben hospital with a colon infection.

After a brief stint in television, Khan made his film debut with a cameo in 1988 with Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated “Salaam Bombay.” He returned to Indian television for the next decade. He shot to global prominence playing the lead in Asif Kapadia’s BAFTA winner “The Warrior” in 2001.

His major breakthrough...

Irrfan Khan has understood the true meaning of life, and importance of living in the moment after his health scare. While recuperating from a rare illness, the actor said he was restless to be fine, and now has resolved to put his health as top priority.

The actor, who is still under treatment from the disease, is taking baby steps back into the acting world. He was away from the big screen since the release of "Karwaan" in 2018 -- the year when he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour. He will be back on the silver screen with "Angrezi Medium", a follow-up to his 2017 film "Hindi Medium". The film is slated to release on March 13.

Also Read:?Irrfan Khan and Deepak Dobriyal give sibling rivalry a delightful touch

Irrfan says he was not restless about getting back to work, but to get fit and fine.

"No work was never my anxiety.

Embed from Getty ImagesAbhishek Chaubey’s latest film, Sonchiriya has greatly impressed filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj. Abhishek’s association with Vishal is a long one, in fact he assisted Bhardawaj in multiple films such as Omkara and Maqbool. Sonchiriya hit screens this Friday, and Vishal can’t stop praising the director.

“To make Omkara as a western-genre film, was Abhishek’s idea and 12 years later, he has taken it a different level with Sonchiriya. I think it’s a very mature film and the performances are nuanced,” says Vishal.

He adds, “As a director, he has grown by many folds since Ishiqiya. His command over his craft has always been visible. Sonchiriya is the testament of how secure as a director and a storyteller is Abhishek. I m very proud of him !” He says.

Vishal Bhardwaj is also the music director of Sonchiriya.

Abhishek is known for his films Ishqiya, Dedh...

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Abhishek Chaubey?s latest film, Sonchiriya has widely appreciated and garnering appluads for the preformances of the actors and the director Abhishek Chaubey. Another director who is greatly impressed with the film is filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj. Abhishek?s association with Vishal goes long back as he has assisted the latter in multiple films such as Omkara and Maqbool. Sonchiriya hit screens this Friday, and Vishal can?t stop praising the director.?

"To make Omkara as a western-genre film, was Abhishek's idea and 12 years later, he has taken it a different level with Sonchiriya. I think it?s a very mature film and the performances are nuanced," says Vishal.

He adds, "As a director, he has grown by many folds since Ishiqiya. His command over his craft has always been visible. Sonchiriya is the testament of how secure as a director and a storyteller is Abhishek. I m very proud of him !" He says.

In Wednesday’s roundup, ABC announces the premiere date for “Schooled,” and “Fleabag” releases a first look image ahead of the second season.

First Looks

“Fleabag” has released a first look image from Season 2, which will debut on BBC Three and Amazon Prime Video in 2019. Created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the comedy series centers on a young woman navigating her life in London and coping with a recent tragedy. Returning to the principal cast are Olivia Colman, Sian Clifford, Bill Paterson, Brett Gelman, Jenny Rainsford, and Hugh Skinner. Andrew Scott joins the cast for the new season.

Dates

ABC has announced that “Schooled,” the spinoff of the comedy series “The Goldbergs,” will premiere Jan. 9. “Schooled” will air Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. Et/Pt, following “The Goldbergs.” “American Housewife” will move to Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., beginning Tuesday, Feb. 5. “Schooled,” set in the 1990s, follows the eccentric faculty of William Penn Academy,...

Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj (Haider) has been tapped as showrunner and executive producer on Midnight’s Children, Netflix’s upcoming series based on Salman Rushdie’s seminal novel.

Midnight’s Children follows the life of Saleem Sinai, born on the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the time of India’s independence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of India’s national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India’s 1,000 other “midnight’s children,” all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts.

The book, published by Random House in 1981, is a literary tour de force that has won multiple accolades, including the 1981 Booker Prize, the Best of the Booker twice...

Irrfan Khan is known for intense performances as that’s the kind of roles he did in the initial years. His performances in films like Haasil, Maqbool, Slumdog Millionaire, New York etc. slotted him in a certain genre despite the fact that he occasionally did light-hearted roles like Sunday, Life In A Metro, Krazzy 4 etc.Read More

The post Shocking: When Irrfan Khan wanted to kill his sister’s boyfriend appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.

With films such as The Namesake, Chandni Bar, Maqbool and Haider to her credit, Tabu is undoubtedly one of the finest performers of her generation, but the actor says becoming a star was never on her agenda. The 45-year-old actor, who even did an offbeat film like Maachis in the initial days of her career,Read More

The post “The whole phenomenon of fame throws me off guard” – Tabu appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.