Ranveer Singh appointed Dish TV ambassador, Farhan 'disappointed' over #MeToo accounts against Sajid, and other Bollywood updates

MUMBAI: The weekend is here, and here we bring you all the new and fresh happenings from the world of Bollywood.

Ranveer Singh appointed Dish TV ambassador

Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has been appointed brand ambassador of direct-to-home company Dish TV ahead of the festive season. 

Ranveer said in a statement that he is "extremely happy" about his association with a brand "that is as passionate about entertainment as I am". 

"My experience shooting for this campaign is pretty much summarized by their tagline - 'Dish Nahi Dishkiyaon Hai Ye' - fun, cool and entertaining. I'm excited and looking forward to everyone watching the TV commercial," said the Padmaavat actor, known for having a huge youth fan following.

A new campaign for the brand was launched on Friday. It has been designed to showcase the brand in a completely new, bold avatar - signalling a new phase in the brand's life cycle.

According to Anil Dua, Group CEO - Dish TV India Limited, "Ranveer's vivacious and energetic personality" resonates well with the new brand positioning. 

LMIFW: Tabu, Yami celebrate 'tribes of world' with style

Bringing the fearless culture from tribes of the world alive, actresses Tabu, Yami Gautam, Athiya Shetty and Prachi Desai along with four designers presented a slice of tribal fashion from the world on the ramp of the Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week (LMIFW) here on Friday.

Designers like Architha Naranyam, Poshpride, Sanjukta and WNW sought inspiration from various tribes and paid ode to them with their colours, fabrics and weaves.

Titled Tribes of the World, the creations were loosely inspired by the tribes from Persia, Assam and Kashmir.

First came actress Tabu, dressed in a Mekhela Chador for designer Sanjukta, who is popular for the traditional ensemble from Assam. 

With beautiful colours like red, black blue, yellow, Sanjukta's line, replete with thread work and prints, reflected Assam's rich culture and heritage. She showcased a wide array of Mekhela Chadors draped in an unconventional way.

Next was designer Architha Naranyam, who showcased a line titled 'Thallasa', meaning sea and was inspired from the Persian tribe.

Actress Prachi Desai looked spectacular in a lime green lehenga and completed her look with minimal make-up and a half hair do. 

Next came actress Athiya Shetty, who walked the ramp for the label Poshpride. She twirled the stage with elan. She walked the runway in an electric bubblegum pink layered deconstructed pant skirt topped with a metallic silver jacket.

The line saw an array of shorts, pants, asymmetrical dresses, skirts, jackets, layered skirts and deconstructed pant skirts, 

Label WNW unveiled the line Dejhoor inspired from Kashmir and Victorian motifs.

Harsh Bhotki, Director, WNW, told a leading publication that the line had attention to details and took over 900 mandays to develop.

A traditional look for Yami Gautam as she looked ravishing in an orange embellished lehenga.

Neha Dhupia, Shikha Talsania awarded for breaking stereotypes

Actresses Neha Dhupia and Shikha Talsania have been honoured with an award for being honest while expressing their opinions and making an impact in the society.

Sony Pictures India identified and awarded celebrities who have ‘Unleashed their Inner Venom' and made an impact through their actions and voices. They did the activity for their film Venom.

They gave the award to Neha for breaking societal stereotypes, Shikha for talking about body positivity, Shaheen Mistry for promoting literacy and Milind Soman for promoting fitness and health, read a statement. 

"It's very exciting and encouraging to receive the award for challenging and breaking stereotypes. While that has never been a deliberate effort, it's reassuring to be given this title," Neha said.

Shikha said, "I'm just trying to be the best me and speak my truth. As corny as it sounds, the truth does let you free. So I encourage you to unleash your inner venom and let the truth be out."

Venom stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and as Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to powerful alien symbiote. 

Venom was created in 1988 by Marvel Comics. The character made his big screen debut more than a decade ago in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, where he was portrayed by Topher Grace. The film released in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in India on 5 October. 

We should open more art galleries, says Jackie Shroff 

Actor Jackie Shroff, who was last seen onscreen in Paltan, has said that there is a need to open more art galleries to encourage and appreciate artists across the country.

Jackie Shroff was interacting with media when he visited India Art Festival along with Rohit Roy on Friday in Mumbai.

Talking about India Art Festival which has showcased collection of 200 painting of artists across the country, Shroff said, "In our country, we have around 80,000 artists who wait for around five years to showcase their collection in this art festival so, I feel we should open more art galleries so that, we all can experience great piece of art work of these fantastic artists." 

Shroff said he is not an artist or a painter, but he always makes a point to appreciate every piece of art. "There are some blind painting artists in this festival who have showcased their paintings. They have used flavoured colours in paintings like vanilla is used for white colour and lemon is used for yellow so that, these blind artists can recognize colour of paint by its smell." 

Jackie Shroff will be essaying the role of Salman Khan's father in the highly anticipated Bharat. It is a remake of the 2014 Korean film An Ode to My Father and will depict the bond between a father and son. 

Disha Patani, Tabu, and comedian Sunil Grover will be seen in pivotal roles along with Katrina Kaif who plays the female lead. 

Produced by Atul Agnihotri's Reel Life Production Pvt. Ltd and Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, Bharat will be releasing in cinemas on Eid 2019. 

Ahan's hard work inspires me: Athiya Shetty 

Actress Athiya Shetty said her brother Ahan Shetty's hard work and calm nature inspires her and he is her "guiding force".

“Ahan is younger than me but I treat him as an elder brother... I actually take advice from him. He's very calm and I admire that about him... I learn a lot from him. He's the most hard working person I know," Athiya told a leading publication while talking about Ahan, who is set to debut with the Hindi remake of Telugu hit RX 100. 

The 25-year-old actress was here to walk the ramp for the label Poshpride on the third day of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week here.

Athiya, daughter of actor Suniel Shetty, made her debut in 2015 with Hero and was then seen in Mubarakan which released in 2017.

Talking about her journey in Bollywood, Athiya said, "First, the film picks you, then you pick the film."

 

"I always thought that this is what I want to do and this is how I am going to be. I had a rigid plan but as you grow you mature and learn from your mistakes," she said, adding that the highs and lows have shaped her to the person she is today. 

She is now looking forward to her upcoming film with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui. 

Asked if she is fashion conscious in real life, Athiya said, "I am not actually. It depends on my mood... Fashion is an extension of your personality." 

Prateik Babbar's accident was 'simple' mishap: Lawyer 

The lawyer of Bollywood actor Prateik Babbar, who was booked for dangerous driving after his vehicle knocked down a motorcyclist and entered a one-way street in Goa's Porvorim, said on Friday that the accident was a simple mishap. 

The statement comes a day after the police closed the accident case, involving the actor and a resident, following a mutual agreement. 

"It was a simple mishap. There were no injuries caused to anyone or anything whatsoever. All the reports alleging rash and negligent driving as well as assault are absolutely untrue and solely aimed at maligning my client's reputation. All the medical tests conducted on my client were negative thereby demolishing all the unfounded allegations," lawyer Vibhav Amonkar said in a statement issued here.

On 10 October, Prateik was booked under Section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act after his car hit the motorcyclist.

During his medical examination at a local government hospital, Prateik had refused a blood test.

His counsel has now said that the vehicle involved in the accident had been released by the officials at the Porvorim police station. 

"Some unscrupulous persons were merely trying to gain mileage and publicity from my client's celebrity status. The police after completing all the necessary formalities have compounded the case and closed the matter. The vehicle involved in the said accident has been released along with all the original documents," Amonkar said, adding that Prateik had been "extremely co-operative" with the police. 

Vishal Dadlani hopes to get solo pilot license soon 

Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani says he is a licensed paraglider, and is hoping to get a solo pilot license by the end of this year.

"I am quite adventurous in life and had been learning paragliding for two years. Now I am a licensed paraglider. Also, hopefully (I am) going to get my solo pilot license too by end of this year," Dadlani said in a statement to a leading publication.

Dadlani spoke about being an adventure junkie when he appeared on Midnight Misadventures with Mallika Dua, hosted by comedienne Mallika Dua. The show is aired on TLC.

Asked about the weirdest food he has ever tried, the composer said that he had tried all possible creatures he can, like scorpion, cricket, worm and octopus.

Farhan 'disappointed' over #MeToo accounts against Sajid 

Actor-filmmaker-singer Farhan Akhtar says he is shocked to read accounts by multiple women who faced sexual misconduct by his cousin and director Sajid Khan. 

Farhan on Friday took to Twitter to condemn the behaviour of the Housefull director, who is the son of his mother's sister.

He wrote, "I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid's behaviour. I don't know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions."

Sajid has been named by multiple women, including two actresses -- Sonali Chopra and Rachel White -- and one journalist for sexual misconduct. 

On Friday morning, actor Akshay Kumar announced his decision to cancel the shoot of Sajid's directorial Housefull 4 until "further investigation".

Sajid himself stepped down as director of Housefull 4, and urged "friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out". 

Several celebrities' names have cropped up in the #MeToo movement, leading several others to take a stern stand. 

Bollywood star Aamir Khan chose to dissociate from a film as someone involved with the project was accused of sexual assault. While he did not name anyone, it was clear the project was the Gulshan Kumar biopic which was to be directed by Subhash Kapoor, against whom Geetika Tyagi had complained in 2014.

Amid the rising number of cases and accounts in this wave, actor Ajay Devgn tweeted, "I'm disturbed by all the happenings with regards to #MeToo. My company and I believe in providing women with utmost respect and safety. If anyone has wronged even a single woman, neither Ajay Devgn Ffilms nor I will stand for it." 

Pink actress Taapsee Pannu, who is known for raising her voice over social issues, tweeted, "More than the names it's the description of the way things happened is what is disturbing me the most. Makes me have this terrible feeling that we have discovered only the tip of this iceberg."

Actor Aparshakti Khurana made a pertinent point as he spoke to the media on the sidelines of an event here on Thursday.

He said, "It is really unfortunate that we have to start this kind of a movement to bring sexual harassment stories in forefront. People are expressing their views on social media about this issue, but there is a larger population which is not on social media and they also might be going through these circumstances but they don't have platform to share their stories.

"So, we also need masses to come out and talk about it. Sometimes people can also take unnecessary advantage of a situation, so, I hope everything is going in the right direction and I am really glad that people are coming out to share their stories which will curb anti-social elements of the society." 

Vikas Bahl's former wife slams 'gutsy, fearless' Kangana 

Vikas Bahl's ex wife Richa Dubey came out in support of the filmmaker and slammed actress Kangana Ranaut for saying that the Queen director used to 'bury his face in her neck' and 'hold her really tight'.

Dubey took to Twitter on Friday and questioned Kangana, who has worked with Bahl in Queen, on why she continued to have a good friendship with the filmmaker despite his inappropriate actions.

She shared a post which read, "This is going beyond boundaries and tolerance level now this is not a #MeToo but a meme. I want to ask all the women if a man makes you uncomfortable and touches you inappropriately would you have a good friendship with that man?"

Dubey added that "would you not cut ties with that man and make your interaction minimum with that person? Or would you still giggle and go out wining and dining with that person or because you want to work with that man because he is good at his work."

"You are willing to bypass this? Especially when you are strong, fearless and a gutsy person... I don't understand this at all."

Dubey then mentioned certain "loopholes" in the actress's story that included performing together (Kangana and Vikas) an "item number" at Madhu Mantena and Masaba Gupta's wedding in 2015 to sharing "extremely friendly messages" till date.

Bahl was accused by a woman, who was a previous Phantom Films employee, of sexually harassing her repeatedly after the first incident in 2015 in Goa.

Post that, Kangana had alleged that Bahl used to 'bury his face in her neck' and 'hold her really tight' to which Dubey slammed the actress and says that "this is not a #MeToo but a meme".

She concluded by saying that she was not interested in a media battle with Kangana and asked her to stop.

Phantom Films, which Bahl was a part of with business partners Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, has also been dissolved.

( SOURCE : IANS)