Shaukat on his relationship with Farah Khan: She is like a sister to me

Real estate tycoon Shaukat Shaikh says that there are very few people in his world who support each other unconditionally, and one such person is filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan. Shaukat, who only deals with celebrities when it comes to selling his real estate properties, says that she is always recommending him to her friends in the industry, and her compassion is unparalleled.“I am close to many celebrities such as Hrithik Roshan and Rakesh Roshan as well as Farah Khan. Hrithik and Rakesh are like family to me; they live right next to my house. Farah Khan is like a sister to me; she showers me with love and strong support in the Bollywood industry, which is truly rare. I'm grateful for her respect. I haven't achieved anything in my life without her help. Every call from her is about offering assistance, and I'm always a bit anxious that my good fortune might attract the evil eye. I deeply respect and love her for the genuine support she provides without any ulterior motives.”
Talking about how Farah always supports him, he says, “Recently, when Rajkumar Hirani was looking for a house, she immediately called me. I'm currently in transactions with Rajkumar Hirani and Malaika Arora. It’s unbelievable how Farah connects me with people without expecting anything in return. It's a heartfelt connection, perhaps from a previous life, characterised by immense respect. It's a relationship I hold dear, and I greatly appreciate the kindness and support from such a wonderful person.” Ask him if it is easy to deal with celebrities, and he says, “I prefer dealing only with celebrities; I find it best. Besides them, I don't want to have any dealings in real estate. I've named my company Solution Hospitality because I want to provide services in the hospitality sector, helping people with land acquisitions. I aim to build relationships with these celebrities to offer construction opportunities to my local brothers in Lonavala who have studied engineering. I want to provide employment to them, whether it's gardening or any other work.”
Talking about how he supports his workers, he says, “I assist those in need, providing opportunities for employment. Along with my social work, I've set up a large office in Khandala with the tagline ‘Muffat Upchar Seva,’ entirely funded by me. The focus is on offering services, providing jobs, and conducting free surgeries and operations. During shoots, people approach me, and there's no commission or hidden fees – just good intentions and local educated youth working with me.” He adds, “I've facilitated numerous free surgeries using funds generated from my business. When there's a need, I arrange transportation, meals, and even take care of the salaries of the young individuals working in my office during such social activities. I'm happy to help those who can't afford fees or are struggling outside the office, understanding their needs and providing assistance.”

Fans request Siddharth Anand to direct Pathaan 2

While 2023 started on a rocking note with director Siddharth Anand delivering the biggest blockbuster with ‘Pathaan’, 2024 started off with Fighter emerging as the first hit of 2024. Now, speculations are rife that while the sequel of Pathaan, is going to go on the floors this year, Siddharth Anand may not helm it.Anand's approach has been very evident, of not directing sequels and rather focusing on creating franchises with his astute cinematic vision. Despite this, fans are fervently requesting him to helm the sequel to his blockbuster hit 'Pathaan'.

Sid Anand Is Anand Is The Best Action Director Of Recent Times in terms of scale, action blocks, cinematography..We have seen #Pathaan create history with All Time Blockbuster under his direction..So we want again Sid Anand in #Pathaan2..We don't want any experiments please @yrf pic.twitter.com/rujDzhlFOy

— Sourav Srkian Das (@SrkianDas04) March 30, 2024

Fans have taken to social media and persistently expressed how they want Siddharth Anand to direct the sequel too and repeat his previous success with Shah Rukh Khan. The Pathaan director typically sets a benchmark with his unique presentations and strategically takes a fresh perspective to the next one. This bolsters diverse creative inputs, ensuring the longevity and growth of the franchise in a different manner.
“Sid Anand Is The Best Action Director Of Recent Times in terms of scale, action blocks, cinematography..We have seen #Pathaan create history with All Time Blockbuster under his direction..So we want again Sid Anand in #Pathaan2..We don't want any experiments please,” a fan wrote on social media.
Siddharth Anand’s ‘Pathaan’ went on to earn a gross worldwide collection of over Rs1,000 crore and has garnered immense admiration for his directorial prowess in the action genre. Known for his knack in establishing successful cinematic universes with films like 'Bang Bang', 'War', 'Pathaan', and now 'Fighter', it remains to be seen if Anand makes an exception.Meanwhile, Siddharth Anand is currently enjoying the success of ‘Fighter.' As per reports, the Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer has reigned #1 in India, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka, while it has charted in the top tens list in 22 Countries globally including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Brazil among others.
 Ayshmann Khurrana signs global deal with warner Music India 

Bollywood superstar Ayushmann Khurrana, an actor and recording artist known both for his blockbuster movies and chartbusting songs, has signed a global recording deal with Warner Music India, the country’s leading music label, in the next chapter of his artist career.Signing with Warner Music India will enable Khurrana to access the label's global ecosystem, helping him connect with audiences and artists beyond India’s borders. The first release from this partnership is expected to drop this month.*Expressing his excitement about the partnership, Ayushmann Khurrana states:* _“I have always wanted to collaborate with like-minded people in my pursuit of creative excellence. I want to take my music to a global audience and I’m confident that with Warner Music India by my side, I will make some significant strides in this realm. I cannot wait to unveil my next song to people. It will be a new sound that people haven’t heard from me before which is extremely exciting personally for me.”
*Jay Mehta, Managing Director Warner Music India & SAARC, comments:* _“Ayushmann has experienced unparalleled success with his films, and we're excited to see him now scale new heights as a pop star. With his passion for music, a versatile sonic identity, and our artist-first ecosystem, we are thrilled to build an iconic roadmap for him on his music journey.”.*Alfonso Perez Soto, President of Emerging Markets, Warner Music adds:* _"Ayushmann already enjoys immense popularity in India and among the global Indian diaspora. We believe he has the talent and charisma to connect with even more audiences worldwide and become a truly global music and entertainment icon.”
*Max Lousada, the CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group concludes:* _“Ayushmann and his distinctive voice light up the stage and screen, and he has the star quality to captivate audiences around the world. I’m very excited about the music culture in India right now - its diversity, pace, and dynamism are inspiring - and we have big global plans for our artists and our company.” Ayushmann has lent his voice to several iconic pop songs over the past decade, including hits such as "Mitti Di Khushboo," "Paani Da Rang," and "Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho", each amassing millions of views. In his cinematic journey, he stands out as the sole Indian actor to be honored twice by TIME Magazine within just three years, recognized for his groundbreaking use of cinema for social change, solidifying his influence on a global scale.

Sherleen Dutt: Participating in the reality show ‘KINK' was both amazing and challenging

Sherleen Dutt participated in KINK (Kiss Ishq N Konnections) recently. Excited to have got this opportunity, the actor talks about being a part of this reality show.“Participating in the reality show ‘Kink: Kiss Ishq N Connection’ was both amazing and challenging. I have a strong fondness for reality shows because they reveal how people truly are. These shows open up individuals, showcasing both their positive and negative aspects,” she says.
While the overall experience was fantastic, it had its challenges. Sherleen shares about her experience.“People deliberately tried to annoy me for drama, and I encountered various individuals, some of whom were not pleasant. Despite these challenges, the experience was incredible because "KINK" is tailored for a youthful audience. The show's concept, involving three couples, their exes, and the entry of present partners, presented real challenges that I thoroughly enjoyed. Our show is hosted by Divya Aggarwal, a queen of reality shows herself, and Karanvir Vohra, adding another layer of excitement to the overall experience,” adds the actor, who has also been a part of projects such as AFL (Anything For Love) and Honey Trap Squad on Alt Balaji.

He is a very sweet and down-to-earth person: Manjari Mishra praises Mika Singh

Actor-dancer Manjari Mishra, who made her music video debut with Mika Singh’s “Haaye Rama”, is all praise for the musician-singer. She called him a humble person and appreciated him taking care of the cast and crew while filming.“Getting the opportunity to do the first album with Mika Singh is a very big thing. It was my first album. He is a very sweet and down-to-earth person. He used to take care of everyone on the sets, not only the artists but also the crew. This is a very sweet gesture and being such a big celebrity he is still so humble,” she said.
Sharing her happiness of getting the audience’s love, she said, “Soon after we released the song, we got a million views within a few minutes. We got so much love from the audience. Now we are also planning to shoot a second video too.”Manjari, who has been part of the short film “Main Tumhara”, and the movie “Rocket Gang”, has already shot for her second music album. Talking about it, she said, “My co-actor is a newcomer in the industry, and we shot for the song in Manali. It was very cold there almost -17 degrees, and there was heavy snowfall and even 7-8ft of snow.”
“I was wearing a chiffon saree, so you can imagine how difficult it was. And we were shooting at night. I couldn’t wear a cap, jacket or gloves. I was shivering. I have worked hard on the video and I would say that the feedback to the trailer is amazing. It is shot very beautifully in the midst of nature,” she added.
She is happy that there are so many music videos being made these days, and added, “Through music we express our emotions and feelings. Music albums are back in trend and because of this new talent, singers, and actors are getting a chance. It is very beneficial because so many people get to work on a single music album.”

Choreographer Rajit Dev speaks about his next film Ruslaan

Choreographer Rajit Dev needs no introduction; in his long career he has been working continuously for all the genres from music videos to ad films, live shows and films as well. Working in films like Meri Pyaari Bindu ,and Khaali Peeli as a choreographer, Rajit’s latest one is Aayush Sharma’s Ruslaan. First song Taade is out now and Rajit shares his excitement.He says, "I have done all the songs for the movie Ruslan. Right now, the first song is out which is called Taade, it is composed and sung by Vishal Mishra and lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed. Taade is the first song I choreographed for this movie. It had a great vibe and it’s a massy song. The music is very addictive, the guitar riff is catchy and I’m sure people will be seen dancing to my hookstep."
Sharing about his experience on working with Aayush, Rajit says, "Aayush Sharma and I go very well. He treats me like a brother, a family member. I was working as chief assistant choreographer for Vaibhavi Merchant during Aayush’s debut film Loveyatri. He always had immense respect for me and my talent. So when this film was being made, he called me and said he would love to have me on board as a choreographer for Ruslaan. So I’ll always be very thankful to Aayush. Talking about his dancing skills . He’s very charming and has great charisma in everything he does. But one thing he does is he works really hard on the dance moves. So I would say he’s very dedicated and focused on his moves and music. He has great music taste.”
While choreographing for films and for a music video, what are the major differences? Rajit shares that too. He adds, "While choreographing for a film I have to think about the script, the storyline , the characters and then design the dance sequence. So the songs in the film are like a bridge from one sequence to another. Sometimes it’s also storytelling through dance. So film songs are a little tougher to crack. Unless it’s a promotional track. Music video song is just one stand alone song which has to be conceptualised according to the lyrics. Even this is tough because every time I have to come up with something new. But I like challenges, I am happy that the era of music videos is back and at the same time songs in films are humongous and they need special attention. Hindi film songs have the most trustworthy pillars, they're good melodies and great moves."

I would like to play Bhagat Singh. He was an unstoppable force against the Britishers : Jason Tham

Actor Jason Tham has been doing some great roles in films like Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi, Rocket Gang. The young actor is currently being seen in a completely different avtaar in a new OTT series - Swaraj - as King Narenderjit.Sharing more about the role and look, Jason says, "Narenderjit was the prince of Manipur. At a very young age he had to take charge against the brutality of the Britishers. He took charge and fought alongside the nation in the war of 1857. He was amongst the many unsung heroes who died sacrificing for the freedom of his people. After playing this role I have realised portraying a character in a period drama is not easy, specially when the resources are limited. You have to do a lot of imagination under the realm of the given resources. I had to work extra on my speech, as it was a mix of Urdu and Hindi. The costume and the production team have done a fabulous job in carrying me through. Swaraj was shot in the outskirts of Mumbai, where we had to stay close to the set. So I didn’t see home for 4 days.”
Jason also shares his take on the freedom fighters of our nation. He adds, "When you read about some unsung heroes you realise it’s because of their sacrifices that we are where we are today. And the emotion that they go through to take the extreme step is just unimaginable. Truly inspiring and an honour to play them. I enjoyed every second of the whole process. For me, living and playing Narenderjit’s life was a breath of fresh air. Going through his childhood, hardships, trauma and finally becoming the beacon of hope for his people was absolutely breathtaking . I took it as a challenge. My audience has never seen me in this look and attire. As an artist it is our responsibility to showcase variety through our craft.”
If Jason gets an opportunity to play an iconic freedom fighter from history he will play Bhagat Singh. He says, "I would definitely like to play Bhagat singh. He was an unstoppable force against the Britishers. His brave attitude left the Britishers spellbound.”