Latest news with #NationalFilmAward
New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
‘Good does not mean successful,' says Shankar Mahadevan ahead of Bengaluru performance
For over three decades, Shankar Mahadevan has been a name synonymous with versatility – transcending borders and generations in the music world. As a celebrated playback singer and music composer, he has left an indelible mark in the industry for years with songs like Maa Tujhe Salaam, Breathless, and Mitwa and grabbing awards like the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Enna Solla Pogirai and Padma Shri. Among the milestones in his journey is the founding of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy 15 years ago which he co-established with Sridhar Ranganathan with the intention to democratise music education. He performed with members of the academy at Sangam and Prayag, a music festival, on Friday. Recently, the academy unveiled two new courses, aimed to cater to diverse musical interests and ages. 'The whole idea of forming this academy was to leave a legacy behind. We wanted to create this, not only for the generations to come, but also for generations before us,' said Mahadevan. For him, music serves a higher purpose. 'Music is not just about entertaining, or about teaching and learning. It has a purpose beyond age, country, and religion.' One of the shifts in music teaching in recent years has been the adoption of the online mode, Mahadevan commented, 'People did not have faith in it. Many questioned us asking if it's possible. Now, there are hundreds of kids who have learnt online from various parts of India, and they are all singing in unison,' adding, 'We have teachers who learn Japanese or even Spanish [to teach foreign students]. They might be sitting in Ahmedabad and teaching students in Kumbakonam. The students performed for me and the dedication, the fire, the focus that those kids had – now there is no looking back. We introduced these classes in three villages, now we want to make it 3,000.'
Mint
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Asha Bhosle moves audience with a heartfelt performance at ‘Umrao Jaan' screening. Fans say ‘goosebumps all over'
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle, now 91, captivated hearts once again as she made a rare public appearance at the special screening of the restored version of the 1981 classic 'Umrao Jaan' in Mumbai. In a deeply emotional moment, Bhosle performed the film's hauntingly beautiful track 'Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston', while actress Rekha, who starred in the original film, stood by her side in a show of warmth and support. A video from the evening has since gone viral, showing Bhosle on stage with Rekha and Ali. Though she appeared to struggle momentarily while singing, Bhosle quickly recovered, continuing her rendition to thunderous applause. In a light-hearted moment, she joked, 'Mera gala dabba rahi hai,' referring to Rekha hugging her from behind — a moment that sparked shared laughter and cheers from the audience. Fans on social media expressed admiration for Bhosle's enduring grace and charm. One Instagram user commented, 'No words, she is brilliant. Goosebumps all over.' Umrao Jaan, set in 19th-century Lucknow, follows the journey of a young girl named Amiran, who is kidnapped and forced into a brothel, where she transforms into the famed courtesan and poet Umrao Jaan. Rekha's portrayal of the title character, supported by Farooque Shaikh, Raj Babbar, and Naseeruddin Shah, is widely considered one of her finest performances and won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. The film has been meticulously restored by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) under the National Film Heritage Mission. The re-release aims to bring the timeless story, music, and performances to a new generation of cinema-goers. The event was organised ahead of the film's theatrical re-release on June 27, and was attended by a host of Bollywood celebrities, including Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, and Khushi Kapoor. Director Muzaffar Ali, who helmed the original film, was also present to celebrate the restoration and re-release of what is widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most iconic period dramas. For many in the audience, however, the highlight of the evening was not just the film itself, but the touching reunion of two cinematic legends — Asha Bhosle and Rekha — whose bond and artistry continue to inspire generations.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Not Janhvi Kapoor or Ananya Panday, Kajol feels Alia Bhatt is the most promising star of the new generation: 'She has proven herself quite a bit'
Kajol acknowledges the evolving landscape of Bollywood and praises the new generation of actors for forging their own paths. She appreciates their self-awareness and independent choices, highlighting Alia Bhatt as the most promising talent. Kajol admires Alia's versatility and consistent performances in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi, recognizing her significant impact on the industry. As Bollywood continues to evolve with a wave of fresh talent, veteran actress Kajol is taking notice. In a recent interview, the DDLJ star shared her thoughts on the generational shift in the industry, praising today's young actors for forging their own paths instead of following in the footsteps of their predecessors. Among them, she singled out Alia Bhatt as the most promising talent of the new generation—highlighting her versatility, maturity, and consistent performances over the years. In an interview with India Today, Kajol was asked if any of today's young actors remind her of herself from the 1990s. She responded candidly, saying she's glad none of them do. Clarifying that it wasn't out of arrogance, Kajol explained that each emerging actor is carving their own identity and not walking in anyone else's footsteps — which, she believes, is exactly how it should be in today's changing industry. The actress further reflected on how much the film industry has evolved over the years. She pointed out that today's generation of actors is significantly more self-aware and driven by their own choices, unlike earlier times when guidance often came from others. When asked to name a standout performer from the younger generation, she acknowledged several rising stars but reserved special praise for Alia. She noted that Alia has consistently proven her talent, setting herself apart. While she also mentioned names like Ananya Panday , Janhvi Kapoor , and Sara Ali Khan , Kajol made it clear that Alia remains the most impressive among them in her eyes. Alia has won several accolades throughout her career for Udta Punjab, Raazi, Gully Boy, and Gangubai Kathiawadi. In 2024, she was also honoured with the National Film Award for Best Actress for her powerful performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Expanding her global footprint, Alia made her Hollywood debut in 2023 with the action thriller Heart of Stone.
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Remember Chapu from Salaam Bombay? His film was once nominated for an Oscar, won a National Award for…, now struggles to make ends meet, works as a…, his name is…
Cinema has become not just a medium of entertainment but also a means of emotional bonding across the world. Every year, countless films of different genres are released, sometimes romantic, sometimes action, and sometimes based on true events. Some films do wonders at the box office, while some are remembered even after years due to their depth and sensitivity. One such film is 'Salaam Bombay', released in 1988. Directed by Mira Nair, this film did not get much discussion at that time, but with time it started being counted among the cult films of Indian cinema. After all, Bollywood's veteran actor Irrfan Khan got recognition in the cinema world through this film. Could not get recognition even after becoming a hero Although Irrfan was not the lead actor in this film but a supporting actor, the soul of this film was a 12-year-old boy, played by Shafiq Syed. He had entered the hearts of the audience as the main character of the film 'Chapu'. Even though the film had the support of big stars Nana Patekar, Raghuveer Yadav, Irrfan Khan, Anita Kanwar, but the whole story of the film revolves around Chapu i.e. Shafiq Syed. Shafiq was awarded the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for this film, which showed the bitter truth of Mumbai's streets through an innocent child's eyes. People thought that Shafiq's luck had shone, and he would emerge as a big name in the cinema world and become the new star of Bollywood. Away from the glamour, towards the struggles But the sad thing is that despite the success of this film, Shafiq Syed's life was not what it should have been for a child artist. Neither did he taste financial growth nor did he get many films. Even today he is travelling a journey full of struggle away from glamour. Shafiq was born and brought up in the slums of Bangalore. As a teenager, he ran away with his friends to Mumbai, where he spent his days on the footpath near the railway station. Mira Nair noticed him then and he was cast in 'Salaam Bombay'. For the film, he was paid 20 rupees daily and a vada as lunch. Now he is driving home by auto After 'Salaam Bombay', Shafiq worked in another Mira Nair film 'Patang' in 1994, but after that he disappeared from the film world. He returned to Bangalore to his family, where he started living a normal life. Today Shafiq Syed drives an auto rickshaw. To feed his family and fulfill their needs, he also works temporarily with small production houses, especially in the Kannada TV industry. In an old interview to the Telegraph, he had said, 'I had to take responsibility of my family. There was no such responsibility in 1987. Now I have the burden of many people on my shoulders.' The battle between family and dreams Shafiq is the head of a family today. He lives with his wife, mother, three sons and a daughter in a small town 30 km from Bengaluru. He may be remembered for 'Salaam Bombay', but the glamour of films is now far away from his life. In 2008, when 'Slumdog Millionaire' gained international popularity, people remembered 'Salaam Bombay' and Chapu, but by then Shafiq had returned to a normal life, where every day is a struggle for him. Shafiq Syed's story highlights the reality of Indian cinema, where art gets recognition, but the future of an artist is often lost in the fog. This child who once won millions of hearts as Chapu is still looking for a better life.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Audiences destroyed theatres after watching Agneepath; Amitabh Bachchan had to solve the issue overnight: Abhishek Bachchan recalls
Amitabh Bachchan took a long hiatus from the movies in the 1980s after he started his journey in politics. However, his stint in politics was terminated midway, but he discovered that the film industry had evolved tremendously, and wasn't ready to take big bets on him. It was during this phase that Bachchan appeared in Mukul Anand's film Agneepath, where he played the role of a man who chooses the path of crime to avenge his family's honour. While playing Vijay Deenanath Chauhan, Amitabh tried something new; he decided to dub his character in a distinct voice, but the audience wasn't having it. In a new interview, his son, Abhishek Bachchan, recalled that Amitabh had to redub the entire film in one night after the release, because the audience outright rejected his experiment. In a chat with India Today, Abhishek said, 'I remember sitting with my father watching him re-dub Agneepath in one night.' Abhishek said that 'when the film released, they started getting reports that people were breaking the sound systems at the theatres because they said, 'What happened to Amitabh Bachchan's voice?' They thought the speakers were off.' Amitabh is known for his baritone, and so, it was probably difficult for them to accept a new voice. In fact, the early reviews of the film, including that of trade analyst Komal Nahta, also criticised Bachchan's voice. ALSO READ | Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar: You're all very mean to Arjun Kapoor; all he needs is a great director to guide him Abhishek recalled that Yash Johar, who was the producer of the film, figured that they had to do something about it, and thus, they decided to re-dub the entire film. 'I remember Friday night, he went into the dubbing studio and I sat with him and I fell asleep, I was very young. He spent the entire night re-dubbing the entire film in his normal voice. And Saturday, 8 am, he walked out of there. Mukul Anand took those cans for mixing and by Saturday night, they were sending those prints everywhere with the new voice,' he recalled. Despite these efforts, Agneepath didn't work at the box office but it fetched Amitabh his first National Film Award for Best Actor. Later, he won the same award for Black, Paa and Piku. He holds the most Best Actor award wins by a male actor.
