Latest news with #FTII
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Madhavan backs Maharashtra's creator economy push with FTII collaboration
Mumbai, Maharashtra aims to become a hub of the global "creator economy" by developing a skilled and technically sound workforce through strategic collaborations, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday. He was speaking at an event where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) and the Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). The MoU, facilitated by the state's cultural affairs department, aims to provide quality training and certification in creative and technical skills related to film, television and digital content creation. "This is not just a partnership but the beginning of a movement. Maharashtra will soon emerge as the epicentre of the creator economy, not only for India but for the world," Fadnavis said. He said with the rapid monetisation of creative content by individuals using digital platforms, the need for certified training is more critical than ever. The CM cited the fast-growing creator economy, which expanded from Rs 92,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore in just 100 days. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Couple Wonders Why Their Photo Went Viral Till They Go Through The Comments Learn More Undo "Today, even a common person can be a creator. But despite having talent, many lack certification, which limits their professional opportunities. This collaboration will bridge that gap," Fadnavis said. Welcoming the MoU, cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar said it would decentralise FTII's reach, allowing students from rural and semi-urban Maharashtra to access training at the state level. He said four centres, at Goregaon in Mumbai, Kolhapur, Prabhadevi, and Karjat, will serve as hubs, promoting local talent and opening new employment opportunities within the entertainment sector. FTII chairperson and actor R Madhavan highlighted the emergence of talented creators from smaller towns and said India's cultural narratives deserve global attention. "While Western cinema has its superheroes like Superman and Batman, it is time the world recognised Hanuman and Krishna. India's soft power lies in its storytelling," Madhavan asserted. The MoU was formally exchanged between Swati Mhase-Patil, Managing Director of Film City, and Dheeraj Singh , Registrar of FTII, in the presence of senior officials from the cultural affairs department. The MFSCDC is an undertaking of the Maharashtra government and is associated with a wide gamut of initiatives in the sector, including helming the renowned Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon, popularly known as Film City. The FTII is a institute under the Union ministry of information and broadcasting
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Was kicked out of Mr India and replaced by Amrish Puri; felt belittled, hurt, jealous', says Anupam Kher: ‘I wouldn't have played it so stiff'
Actor Anupam Kher said that he was fired from the hit film Mr India and replaced by the legendary Amrish Puri, whose performance as Mogambo has gone down in Hindi cinema history as one of the greatest villainous acts ever. In an interview, Anupam said that he and director Shekhar Kapur had a different idea for the character, and that his performance wouldn't have been as stiff as what audiences eventually saw in the movie. He admitted in a new interview that being kicked out of the project made him feel belittled and jealous. 'Arrogance, if used in the right manner, is not a negative quality… Jealously is also very healthy if used in the right manner,' he said in appearance on Raj Shamani's podcast. Asked when he felt jealous, the actor said, 'When I was removed from Mr India and replaced as Mogambo by Amrish Puri. I felt small. After watching the film, I knew that I wouldn't have played the character so stiffly. Me and Shekhar had a different idea for the character, he would've been more Machiavellian.' Also read – Anupam Kher recalls shutting down Aamir Khan on Dil He Ke Manta Nahin sets 'with an English phrase': 'He complained to Mahesh Bhatt' Explaining further about what he felt at the time, Anupam said, 'I felt belittled. I wondered why I had been replaced, why I had been fired. It's natural to feel small. They did it for themselves. But that I understand now. Back then, I felt inferior, hurt, and jealous. 'How could he get the role?'' Anupam said that he watched Jack Nicholson's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest five times in a row when he was studying at the FTII. 'Professional jealously makes you want to push yourself,' he said. In an earlier interview, Anupam had revealed that he was replaced after having filmed a large portion of the movie. 'Mogambo's role was offered to me before Amrish Puri. However, after one or two months, the filmmakers replaced me. When you are dropped from a film then generally an actor feels bad, but when I watched Mr India and saw Amrishji's work as Mogambo then, I thought that makers of the film took the right decision by casting him in their film,' Anupam had said earlier. In his autobiography, Amrish Puri admitted that he was apprehensive about taking on the role after so much of the movie had already been shot. 'I thought to myself, 'inhe ab jaakar meri yaad aayi (Now they remember me?)'' he wrote.
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Jaideep Ahlawat's dance moves on Kapil Sharma's show leave fans stunned: ‘He's got the lachak'
Actor Jaideep Ahlawat took the audience by surprise when he delivered an amazing dance performance in his latest film, Jewel Thief. Recently, on The Great Indian Kapil Show, Jaideep grooved to a song along with Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda, only to leave the internet stunned once again. Impressed by his moves, many fans have praised Jaideep, pointing out how he has the rhythm of a 'natural dancer'. On the latest episode of Kapil Sharma's show, Jaideep Ahlawat was seen with Vijay Varma, Pratik Gandhi, and Jitendra Kumar. Even fellow actor Vijay Varma looked impressed with Jaideep's performance. Lauding his dance moves, a fan on the internet said, 'Ironically, he was a dancer since his FTII days and before. He never got a chance to dance, even in the film whose promotional song made him famous as a dancer.' Also Read: Jaideep Ahlawat recalls living with 6 people in 1BHK during struggle; Jitendra Kumar says he quit acting 3 months after coming to Mumbai: 'We all would just lay together in the hall' Jaideep Ahlawat out here dancing like a dream… seriously, is there anything this man can't pull off? byu/Chai_Lijiye inBollyBlindsNGossip Another user wrote, 'Dude is rocking it out there, he's got the lachak (rhythm) of a proper – dare I say natural – dancer.' A third fan commented, 'See, this is what people miss about choreography these days. It's not about the complex steps, but the feeling of you grooving as well while watching the actors enjoy themselves. You can just see that the man is having fun.' Around Jewel Thief's release, Jaideep Ahlawat grabbed attention for his dance moves, something the audience had never seen before. He had also spoken about it at the event's trailer launch and said, 'I don't know why people are so surprised to see me dance. I am from Haryana and have danced in lots of ghudchadis (wedding processions). Dancing is okay.' A post shared by The Great Indian Kapil Show Only On Netflix (@thegreatindiankapilshow) Jaideep Ahlawat will be next seen in Ikkis, and he will also feature in Shah Rukh Khan's King. Talking about the same, Jaideep had said in an interview, 'From what I have learned, SRK sir was thinking about this for quite some time. But Siddharth was a little skeptical, because it's a small role to offer after Jewel Thief. But Khan saab said he will talk to me, now who can say no to him?'
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Actor-director Dheeraj Kumar passes away
Dheeraj Kumar , who started out as a hero in Hindi cinema, found stardom in Punjabi films before becoming a hugely successful actor-director-producer of television shows such as 'Kahan Gaye Woh Log' (1985) and 'Om Namah Shivay' (1997), passed away in a Mumbai hospital on Tuesday. He was 80. "He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday as he had fever, cold and cough," Ajay Shukla, a close associate and family friend, told PTI. The actor, an alumni of FTII, Pune, was a finalist in the Filmfare United Producers talent contest. "Three people emerged from that contest. Rajesh Khanna went on to become a superstar. Subhash Ghai became a super-director. The third was Purushottam, me," he said in a recent podcast with 'Shresth Bharat'. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai By the time he danced with unbridled energy in his debut film, Raton Ka Raja (1970), Purushottam Kocchar had become Dheeraj Kumar. The film flopped but Dheeraj was noticed as the duty-bound cop, the youngest of three brothers—Manoj Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan being the other two—in the blockbuster Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan (1974). He was, however, more appreciated as the neatly-dressed romantic bhadralok who lip-synched the unforgettable 'Ka karoon sajni aaye na balam' in Yesudas' voice in Basu Chatterji's 'Swami' (1977). Dheeraj found the elusive stardom in Punjabi films with 'Daaj' (1976). "The film did as much business as 'Amar Akbar Anthony' (1977) in Punjab," he said in the podcast. He managed to rope in Sanjeev Kumar for the title role of 'Fauji Chacha' (1979) to conjure another box-office smash. He became a top hero before returning to Mumbai on benefactor Manoj Kumar's cajoling. In 1984, when Doordarshan went commercial with its first soap opera, 'Hum Log', Dheeraj followed his elder brother's advice and became an early entrant. Television turned out to be his true calling. Dheeraj set up his own production company, Creative Eye, and got Ganga Prasad Mathur, the writer of Vividh Bharati's iconic radio programme Hawa Mahal, to pen a series on forgotten martyrs, "Kahan Gaye Woh Log'. This was a time when film actors scoffed at the small screen. But director Dheeraj also convinced a reluctant Hema Malini to act in the serial courtroom drama 'Adalat' (1993). He made 'Apradh' (1994-95) for Zee TV, a crime show. Dheeraj directed a series of mythologicals, starting with 'Om Namah Shivay' (1997) which ran for 208 episodes. 'Shree Ganesh' (2000) enjoyed a longer stint: 397 episodes.
India.com
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
'Kaliya! He looks like a…'; Meet actor who met his lover on a train, his mother-in-law called him a…, her mother rejected his proposal, he is…
The film industry has seen many couples getting married after a tough negotiation with their parents. We have seen several cases where a mother refuses to give their daughter to an actor. Today, we're going to tell you about a superstar who fell in love with Miss India while traveling on a train. On the other hand, the daughter's mother was not willing to marry her daughter to this actor. She called him 'Kaliya' (black-skinned) and compared his standards with her beautiful daughter. The love story of Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha Today, we are going to tell you about the love story of Bollywood's finest actor, Shatrughan Sinha, and his wife, Poonam Sinha. For the past 45 years, Shatrughan has been married to his wife Poonam. In a recent conversation with Curly Tails, the veteran actor turned politician revealed how Poonam's mother didn't agree to their marriage and called him 'Kaliya and a rowdy boy.' How did Shatrughan Sinha meet his wife Poonam? You'd be surprised to know, Shatrughan Sinha's love story is nothing less than the chemistry in a film. While travelling from Patna to Pune, Shatrughan Sinha first saw Poonam in a train with his friends. During that time, Shatrughan Sinha was heading to Pune for the first time to join the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). The two were in the same compartment, struck by her beauty, Shatrughan Sinha defended Poonam while his friends teased her. When Poonam's mother was not ready to marry her daughter to Shatrughan Sinha In the same conversation, Sinha revealed that Poonam's family initially refused to marry her daughter to Shatrughan. However, Sinha's family never gave up on the fight. After several years of hard work, Poonam's family agreed to the marriage. In an anecdote, Shatrughan Sinha revealed how his elder brother, Ram Sinha, who was a scientist in the United States, first approached Poonam's family for the matrimony. However, Poonam's mother, in no time rejected the proposal, and said, 'Have you seen your brother's face? Kaliya! He looks like a fool as well as a street rowdy at the same time. Look at my daughter… she looks like she bathes in milk. Poonam Chandiramani is Miss India. If you were to click a colour photograph of the two of them together, it would still look like black and white. Their pair does not make sense.' Later, Sinha said, 'Fortunately, however, they eventually agreed to our union.'
