Latest news with #JaiSantoshiMaa
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Hema Malini Pays Final Respects To Dheeraj Kumar At His Prayer Meet
Last Updated: Veteran actress Hema Malini attended the prayer meet for actor-producer Dheeraj Kumar in Mumbai. Veteran actress and politician Hema Malini was seen at the prayer meet of actor-producer Dheeraj Kumar, held in Mumbai on Friday, July 18. She offered her condolences to the grieving family and paid her final respects to the late star. Videos from the prayer meet show Hema interacting with family members and joining others in remembering Kumar. Actor Poonam Dhillon was also present at the gathering. Take a look here: Poonam Dhillon and Jackie Shroff were also present. Dheeraj Kumar passed away on July 15 at the age of 79. He had been suffering from acute pneumonia and was admitted to the ICU of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. His close friend and family associate Ajay Shukla confirmed the news, saying, 'He passed away this morning at 11:00 am due to pneumonia at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He was unwell and was admitted to the hospital on Saturday as he was having fever, cold and cough. He was admitted to the ICU due to his age." According to a report, Kumar was placed on a ventilator, but doctors were unable to save him. In a statement, his family and production team had earlier said, 'Dheeraj Kumar is under the close supervision of doctors and is undergoing treatment. The family is praying for his speedy recovery and also requests everyone to maintain his privacy during this difficult time." Apart from his film career, Dheeraj Kumar made a lasting impact on Indian television through his production company, Creative Eye Limited. He was behind several successful and long-running TV shows, particularly in the mythological and devotional genre. His banner produced popular series like Om Namah Shivay, Shree Ganesh, Jai Santoshi Maa, and Jap Tap Vrat. These shows were known for their engaging storytelling and spiritual themes, reaching wide audiences across India. One of his last public appearances was at the inauguration of the ISKCON temple in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. He is survived by his wife, Zuby Kochar. May his soul rest in peace! First Published: July 19, 2025, 11:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
TMKOC: Munmun Dutta Pays Tribute To Dheeraj Kumar, Attends Prayer Meet
Previously, the maker of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Asit Kumarr Modi, also visited Dheeraj Kumar's residence to pay his final respects to the veteran actor. Television actress Munmun Dutta, popularly known for her iconic role as Babita Ji in the long-running show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, recently paid heartfelt tributes to the late veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar. On Friday, Munmun attended Dheeraj's prayer meet in Mumbai, where she paid her respects to the departed soul. A video from the prayer meet surfaced on social media, which showed the actress standing with folded hands in front of Dheeraj's photo frame, offering him flowers as a mark of respect. Previously, the maker of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Asit Kumarr Modi, also visited Dheeraj Kumar's residence to pay his final respects to the veteran actor ahead of his funeral. In videos that surfaced on social media, Asit Modi looked visibly sad as he met Kumar's family and offered his condolences. He also expressed his sorrow over the veteran's death and called it a huge loss for the television industry. 'The television industry has suffered a great loss with the demise of Dheeraj Kumar. I am very shocked because I had met him just a week ago," Asit Modi told the news agency ANI. When And How Did Dheeraj Kumar Pass Away? Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar passed away in Mumbai on July 15 at the age of 79. Kumar, who had been battling pneumonia, was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in critical condition and was on ventilator support before his death. In a statement, his family and production team had earlier said, 'Dheeraj Kumar is under the close supervision of doctors and is undergoing treatment. The family is praying for his speedy recovery and also requests everyone to maintain his privacy during this difficult time." Dheeraj Kumar's Television Career Apart from his film career, Dheeraj Kumar made a lasting impact on Indian television through his production company, Creative Eye Limited. He was behind several successful and long-running TV shows, particularly in the mythological and devotional genre. His banner produced popular series like Om Namah Shivay, Shree Ganesh, Jai Santoshi Maa, and Jap Tap Vrat. These shows were known for their engaging storytelling and spiritual themes, reaching wide audiences across India. Over the years, Creative Eye delivered thousands of hours of television content, making it a leading name in the Indian TV industry. Dheeraj also ventured into contemporary fiction, with shows like Ishq Subhan Allah, which earned praise for its fresh concept. view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 08:12 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
TMKOC's Asit Modi Attends Dheeraj Kumar's Last Rites: 'I Am Very Shocked'
Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar passed away in Mumbai on July 15 at the age of 79. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah maker Asit Kumarr Modi visited Dheeraj Kumar's residence on Wednesday morning to pay his final respects to the veteran actor ahead of his funeral. In videos that surfaced on social media, Asit Modi looked visibly sad as he met Dheeraj Kumar's family and offered his condolences. He also expressed his sorrow over the veteran's death and called it a huge loss for the television industry. 'The television industry has suffered a great loss with the demise of Dheeraj Kumar. I am very shocked because I had met him just a week ago," Asit Modi told the news agency ANI. #WATCH | Mumbai | On the demise of Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar, Television Producer Asit Kumar Modi says, '…The television industry has suffered a great loss with the demise of Dheeraj Kumar. I am very shocked because I had met him just a week ago…" — ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2025 When And How Did Dheeraj Kumar Pass Away? Veteran actor and producer Dheeraj Kumar passed away in Mumbai on July 15 at the age of 79. Kumar, who had been battling pneumonia, was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in critical condition and was on ventilator support before his death. In a statement, his family and production team had earlier said, 'Dheeraj Kumar is under the close supervision of doctors and is undergoing treatment. The family is praying for his speedy recovery and also requests everyone to maintain his privacy during this difficult time." Dheeraj Kumar's Television Career Apart from his film career, Dheeraj Kumar made a lasting impact on Indian television through his production company, Creative Eye Limited. He was behind several successful and long-running TV shows, particularly in the mythological and devotional genre. His banner produced popular series like Om Namah Shivay, Shree Ganesh, Jai Santoshi Maa, and Jap Tap Vrat. These shows were known for their engaging storytelling and spiritual themes, reaching wide audiences across India. Over the years, Creative Eye delivered thousands of hours of television content, making it a leading name in the Indian TV industry. Dheeraj also ventured into contemporary fiction, with shows like Ishq Subhan Allah, which earned praise for its fresh concept. view comments First Published: July 16, 2025, 14:09 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Before this film released, puja was performed in theatre, audience watched it after removing…, not Adipurush, Ramayana, film is…
In 1975, a unique sight was seen outside the cinema hall. Women from nearby villages and towns, many of them elderly, came to watch the film in buses, carts and bullock carts. Inside the hall, many women would remove their slippers. Some were barefoot. They watched the story on the screen with reverence and wonder, as if they were attending a satsang. 'Jai Santoshi Maa' was not just a religious film for them, but a life-affirming one. Before this film began, puja used to happen in theatre All this was repeated for months in hundreds of small towns and villages across the country. This film by first-time director Vijay Sharma was released on 30 May 1975, when the Emergency was four weeks away from being imposed in the country. 'Sholay' was released on 15 August, but no one could stop the popularity of the low-budget 'Jai Santoshi Maa'. Viewers would offer coins, flowers and rice to the screen. How did Jai Santoshi Maa become a huge success? In the 1975 trade guide annual report, 'Jai Santoshi Maa' and 'Sholay' were given blockbuster status above 'Deewar'. The film celebrated golden and silver jubilees in many cities. According to Film Information magazine, a separate 9 am show for women was started in Malad, Bombay. The impact of this film was not limited to just revenue. From the silent era to the 1960s, religious films were continuously made in the cinema market of Bombay. They were mocked by the educated urban people, but had a huge fan base among the common people. The opening credits of the film were written in Hindi, not in English, which was common at that time. The production of religious films decreased in the 1970s. Most of the films were unsuccessful except 'Sampoorna Ramayan' in 1973. 'Jai Santoshi Maa' produced by Satram Rohra breathed new life into this waning market.
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
'Maa' movie review: Kajol's dramatic deity act in loosely assembled horror film
Last month marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), a cultural phenomenon which turned theatres into temples. I am not joking. The film was such a craze that villagers reached their nearby towns in bullock carts, took off their slippers at the entrance of the cinema hall and possibly prostrated when Anita Guha, as the titular Santoshi Maa, appeared on screen. It wasn't a sleeper hit, the film managed to score big at the box office in a year of Sholay and Deewar. It even surpassed the latter in collections. Everytime the glowing imagery of Kaali turned up in Maa, the Kajol-headliner supernatural-horror film, I couldn't help but think of some theatre where a viewer might be putting their popcorn aside to fold hands and seek blessings from the deity. It's strange to feel both dread and divinity in such a quick succession. Fear gives in to reverence, a microcosm of how religion operates. There are some questionable plot developments, some VFX which screams VFX but who cares? It's like PK turning the other cheek with Shiva's sticker on it. Objectivity logs out when faith enters the chat. Maa claims to be set in the world of Shaitaan (2024) which made me deduce three things: a girl will have to be saved from the horrors of patriarchy, there will be blaring BGM and we should all wait for a post-credit scene. The film revolves around Ambika (Kajol), her husband Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta) and their daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma). Shuvankar hails from a rajbari-owning family of West Bengal's Chandrapur, a place he and his wife are hush-hush about in front of their curious daughter. A death in the family makes Shuvankar pay a visit to his ancestral house but he predictably doesn't make it back. While dealing with the grief of losing him, Ambika gets a call from Chandrapur's sarpanch Joydev (Ronit Roy) informing her that selling the rajbari was Shuvankar's final wish. Skeptical, Ambika and Shweta soon land in Chandrapur. Regular horror-isms kick in once the narrative shifts to the rajbari. There is a creepy banyan tree in the woods behind. The caretaker's family, which lives in the mansion, gives off strange vibes. We see teenage ghost girls peep at Shweta and often appear on the side of a frame to offer a lousy jump scare. Maa is directed by Vishal Furia, who has previously helmed Chhorii (2021) and Chhorii 2 (2025). He seems to be going over the same themes of patriarchy and female infanticide with this one. Infants cry in the jungle, little girls are offered as a bali, we see Kajol drown under a mob of women, an image similar to what Nushrratt Bharuccha endures in Chhorii 2, a literal representation of how patriarchy makes women pull down women. Maa is what you get if you cross Bulbbul (2020) with a Maddock horror film. Its themes feel dated, explored so often in the Stree films. The build-up is effective, but only in parts. The lore of the film is derived from the indigenous tale of deity Kaali and her battle with the demon Raktbeej but its visual design seems borrowed. The villain looks like if the Night King from Game of Thrones decided to join the Children of the Forest. There are some impressive set-pieces though and two of them involve cars. One is when Shuvankar's vehicle is attacked by a bunch of rogue tree vines (can't explain) and another is when Kajol's Ambika and her daughter Shweta are trapped inside an SUV being zombie-hoarded by over a dozen ghost girls. The film seems constantly in a bid to exhibit its special effects (VFX by Devgn Films) which, although competent, often pops out like a sore thumb in an otherwise lacklustre plot. Maa sets it up decently but then messes up the gameboard stating that it doesn't want to play. Its lore doesn't hold and the plotline is predictable, derivative and often confusing at times. I sighed once the dramatic exchanges on nari shakti and a mother's power began. Kajol was soon levitating with her hair flying in the wind. The villain utters something along the lines of 'you are a mere mortal, woman.' There are only two options. You can either laugh loudly at the silliness unfolding on the screen and invite the ire of the believers in your theatre or you can sit back, relax, crunch on that popcorn, and pray. It will be over soon. 'Maa' Rating 2/5 Directed by: Vishal Furia Written by: Saiwyn Quadras Cast: Kajol, Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, Kherin Sharma and Dibyendu Bhattacharya
