Legendary South Indian actor B. Saroja Devi dies at 87
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Indian Express
24 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Son of top Indian lyricist survived on stolen bread in Mumbai, hadn't seen his dad for 23 years; went on to write songs for Govinda, Shah Rukh Khan
Every music lover must have come across the name Sameer Anjaan. He is the man behind the lyrics of some of the most iconic songs: 'Nazar Ke Saamne', 'Teri Umeed Tera Intezaar' and 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' among others. However, success didn't come easy to him. Despite being born to one of the most well-known lyricist Anjaan, Sameer had to go through years of struggles before getting his first break and eventually taste success. In a recent interview with DD Urdu, Sameer recalled the time when he left his full-time job to chase his dream of becoming a poet/lyricist. He managed to come to Mumbai, but struggled to survive. He shared, 'I have seen the hardest times in Mumbai. I was the same boy, who didn't even have to take a glass of water by myself when I was back in Benaras. I didn't know how to cook, just knew how to make tea. Biscuits were my breakfast. For lunch, I had a setting with an Uttar Pradesh man at a South Indian restaurant in Khar station. He would steal puris for me. I paid Rs 10 for lunch everyday. For dinners, if people ever invited me over then well and good, if not then would just eat a banana or so.' For the longest time, his father was unaware of his presence in the city of dreams. 'In between, I had to visit Benaras. At that time, I was wearing a shirt worth Rs 10 and an extremely old pant. I looked lean without good food. My mom saw me and felt terrible about my situation. This prompted her to write a letter to my father. She wrote, 'My son has been struggling in Mumbai and you never cared to check on him.' His reply was, 'I wouldn't know it until I am informed. How would I know he's here?'' ALSO READ | 'Ranveer Singh was never written off': Dhurandhar co-star Madhavan calls actor 'secure', says 'couple of bad films' don't end careers After the letter, Sameer's father contacted all his relatives in Mumbai to look for him. 'It was after 23 years that I met him. I was so upset with him and frustrated with all the struggle.' However, this was just the beginning. Before approving his career choice, Anjaan who himself struggled for 17 years before tasting success, took a test of his son. Luckily, Sameer passed. His father then advised him that the industry tests people's patience and success is hard to get. He agreed to teach him the technicalities of being a lyricist, but refused to refer him to anybody for work. Sameer recalled, 'I struggled a lot. And amid this, I came across a music director. I don't want to name him as he was friends with my father. But when I visited him, he asked me to show my work to him. His expectations were high as I was lyricist Anjaan's son. After listening to about 40 of my songs, he had an extremely rude response, 'You wasted my time. You are a terrible writer. Never dare to share your work with anyone. You will spoil your father's name. I will pay you, please return to Benaras.' He even threw my diary out of his window in anger. I was shaken after listening to him. This broke me, but I was still hopeful. I picked my diary and went to Usha Khanna's house.' She is India's third female music director after Jaddan Bai and Saraswati Devi. There he found her alone, and requested if she would read his work. 'She happily agreed. Soon after listening to four of my poems, she stopped me and said, I am going to record all four of them. It were the same poems which had received such negative remarks just hours ago, and now the same poems impressed Usha. This is how my career started.' While Sameer Anjaan struggled in his 80s, with songs from the films Aashiqui (1990), Deewana (1992) and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), he shot to fame as well as bagged three Filmfare Awards. Many years later, he confronted the music director who once questioned his talent. 'I bumped into that music director a lot of times at various events, but he never dared to see me in my eyes. After I became extremely successful, I saw him at a party. I stopped to confront him and cleared things out.'
Pink Villa
an hour ago
- Pink Villa
Coolie plot leaked: Rajinikanth's action thriller operates through a bunch of golden watches? Here's what we know
Coolie is undoubtedly one of the most hyped about upcoming Tamil movies at the moment. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film stars some of the top actors from the fraternity, including Nagarjuna Akkineni, Aamir Khan, Shruti Haasan, Upendra, Sathyaraj, and more. An interesting anecdote about the action thriller has now gone viral ahead of its release. Coolie to follow the storyline of a mafia crew connected with watches? According to Letterboxd, the plotline of Coolie is supposed to follow the rise of an old mafia gang led by Rajinikanth 's character, Deva. He is portrayed as an aging gold smuggler who devises a unique plan to reunite and revive his old gang. Deva utilises stolen technology hidden in vintage gold watches, which brings together his former crew and colleagues in one place. However, his plan to reclaim the once-fallen smuggler empire begins to spiral out of control and become something greater. It ultimately forms a larger and new universe, one created from forged crime, greed, and a sense of broken time. However, this is an unconfirmed synopsis, and it remains to be seen whether the film's actual storyline aligns with this. Lokesh Kanagaraj confirmed bagging Rs. 50 crore as fees for Coolie In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lokesh Kanagaraj opened up about reports of him bagging a whopping Rs. 50 crore as fees for Coolie. The filmmaker mentioned that his last big film, Leo, earned about Rs. 600 crore at the box office, and it is only befitting that his fees now get doubled. In his words, 'You might ask me about my Rs. 50 crore remuneration, but it stems from the fact that my last film, Leo, did very well at the box office and collected in the range of Rs. 600 crore. So it is only natural that my remuneration also got doubled. This is a demand and supply field, and I am working hard for every penny.' Rajinikanth's reaction on watching Coolie In another excerpt of the same interview, Lokesh Kanagaraj opened up about Rajinikanth's first reaction on watching Coolie altogether. The director mentioned receiving a special comment on this matter from the senior actor. He said, 'After watching the film in the dubbing studio, he [Rajinikanth] hugged me and said, 'It looked like Thalapathi for me!' That made my day, and that was the night I slept very peacefully after many months.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Salmanul Faris and Megha set to play the titular role in upcoming show ‘Thirumangalyam'
Tamil television is abuzz with excitement as a brand-new family drama, Thirumangalyam, is all set to grace the small screen. Touted to be an emotional rollercoaster that blends tradition with modern-day values, the show will feature actors and Megha in the titular roles. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Joining them in pivotal roles are Abhinash, Gayu Sri, , Bhala Khomhar, and Isvar Raghunathan, forming a strong ensemble cast that promises to bring depth and nuance to this highly anticipated drama. Thirumangalyam is positioned as a gripping family saga, exploring themes of love, sacrifice, legacy, and the delicate balance between age-old traditions and contemporary challenges. Set against a rich cultural backdrop, the show aims to offer a slice-of-life narrative packed with emotional twists, resonating with viewers across generations. The show's launch was officially announced by actor Abhinash, who took to social media to share a heartfelt note along with pictures from the show's first-day ceremony. Reflecting on his journey, he wrote: 'From Anna to Thirumangalyam, this journey has been nothing short of magic. Two years of relentless hustle, countless prayers, silent tears, and undying passion. Today, standing in my soul temple, launching my second project with the people who believed in me from day one—it's nothing but grace and love. To every single person who rooted for and for me, this one's for you. Forever grateful to RR Creations, my amazing team, my parents, my friends, and the universe. Let's begin another beautiful chapter… #Thirumangalyam #NewBeginnings #ActorLife #BlessedAndGrateful' With its emotionally charged storytelling, socially relevant themes, and a talented cast, Thirumangalyam is shaping up to be a must-watch in the upcoming prime-time lineup.
