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Indian filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar is returning to Yash Raj Films (Yrf), the studio where he made his first four films, Variety has learned.

Zafar made his feature directorial debut with Yrf’s 2011 romantic comedy “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan,” starring Katrina Kaif, Imran Khan and Ali Zafar. The film was a hit and Zafar followed up with the studio’s action film “Gunday” (2014), starring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan, which was a massive success. Blockbusters followed, including wrestling drama “Sultan” (2016), starring Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma, which is one of the studio’s all-time biggest hits; and “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017), starring Khan and Kaif, the second instalment of Yrf’s popular spy universe franchise created by studio head Aditya Chopra.

Family drama “Bharat” (2019), also starring Khan and Kaif, an adaptation of Yoon Je-kyoon’s “Ode to My Father,” also proved to be a success. Produced by Reel Life Productions,...

Actress Amyra Dastur, on Wednesday, treated fans to some mesmerising pictures of herself in a golden shimmery saree, and shared how she is “winging” her life, eyeliner and everything!

Amyra, who is known for her work in ‘Judgementall Hai Kya’, ‘Kaalakaandi’, ‘Jogi’, etc, took to Instagram and shared a string of photos, in which she can be seen wearing a golden-coloured saree.

She paired the shimmery saree with a matching tube blouse, which has heavy embellishments on it.

For the makeup, she opted for peach brown lips, winged eyeliner and brown eyeshadow. She has kept her hair open, and accessorised it with silver pearl earrings.

The post is captioned: “Just winging it. Life, eyeliner, everything.”

Amyra was last seen in the period crime thriller series ‘Bambai Meri Jaan’.

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A post shared by Amyra Dastur (@amyradastur)...

Devashish Makhija’s survival thriller “Joram,” which is playing at the Busan International Film Festival, will be released theatrically worldwide by Zee Studios in December.

The film, which premiered at Rotterdam earlier this year, is in Busan’s A Window on Asian Cinema strand. Eminent actor Manoj Bajpayee, who previously starred in Makhija’s 2016 short “Taandav” and played the title role in “Bhonsle,” plays Dasru, a tribal migrant worker in Mumbai whose past catches up with him and he must flee with his infant daughter Joram. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub plays a weary Mumbai cop in pursuit of Dasru. Also in the mix is a sinister tribal lawmaker, played by Smita Tambe (Netflix series “Sacred Games”). Acclaimed actors Tannishtha Chatterjee (Busan winner “Roam Rome Mein”) and Rajshri Deshpande (Netflix series “Trial by Fire”) have special appearances in the film.

The film is produced by Zee Studios and Makhijafilm. Zee Studios is...

Melbourne, July 13 (Ians) The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) has announced the nominations for its 14th edition, which includes titles such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Kantara’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Bhediya’, among many others.

This year, the festival welcomes a new addition to its jury panel, the Oscar-winning Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford, known for directing films such as ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and ‘The Contract’.

The Iffm advisory committee after meticulous consideration of hundreds of films and series from across Indian cinema, have finalised the nominations of films and series which have been released between June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

Leading the pack in the film categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress, are notable productions such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Monica O My Darling’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and ‘Kantara’.

In the Ott category, series such as ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Jubilee’, and ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ have garnered the highest number of nominations. The winners of the prestigious...

Punjabi pop star Sukhe has released an electrifying track ‘Jogi’. The track blends captivating melodies and infectious rhythms, and takes the audience on a musical journey through the mesmerising elements of Dubai, from scenic desserts to pulsating dance floors and exclusive clubs.

The song also features a sample from Romey Gills’ popular song ‘Jogiya’ adding a nostalgic touch to the tune.

Talking about the song, Sukhe said, “I’m thrilled to present ‘Jogi’ to my amazing supporters. This track is a perfect blend of energy, rhythm, and style, designed to make everyone hit the dance floor. Get ready to groove like never before”.

The song has been composed and penned by Naagi, with beats produced by Mnltx. Amanninder Singh has directed the music video of the song.

Mnltx said, “We wanted to create a sound that combines the best of Punjabi pop with a modern twist, and I believe we have achieved just that.

Punjabi Pop Star Sukhe is all set to ignite the dance floor with the electrifying track ‘Jogi’ produced by Bhushan Kumar. Composed and penned by Naagi, and beats produced by by Mnltx ‘Jogi’ is a fusion of captivating melodies and infectious rhythms. Directed by the talented Amanninder Singh, this vibrant song takes you on a musical journey through the mesmerizing elements of Dubai, from scenic desserts to pulsating dance floors and exclusive clubs.

With Sukhe’s signature musical flair and swag, ‘Jogi’ is guaranteed to make you move. What sets this track apart is the intriguing use of a sample from Romey Gills’ popular song “Jogiya,” adding a nostalgic touch that fans are sure to appreciate.

Says Sukhe, “I’m thrilled to present ‘Jogi’ to my amazing supporters. This track is a perfect blend of energy, rhythm, and style, designed to make everyone hit the dance floor. Get ready to groove like never before!

Shahid Kapoor has been at the pinnacle ever since Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminey and Haider, where he peaked and entered his second phase as an actor. Representing himself as a serious performer, he has shed his chocolate boy image to become a menacing anti-hero in his recent films and web series. If Kabir Singh was an angry man with a thermometer and a stethoscope, Sumair, in Bloody Daddy, is Kabir Singh wielding knives and guns. The similarity is difficult to miss as you see him shouting and summoning the same rigor in his voice, even though he is placed in a completely different circumstance here. Sumair seems to have the same behavioral traits as Kabir, but when he sees a man forcing himself on a woman, it enrages him. Sumair at least understands consent. Apart from that, he is an incessantly irresponsible father and an alcoholic, and he doesn’t...

The teaser of the upcoming film ‘Bloody Daddy’ was unveiled on Friday. The film stars Shahid Kapoor in a suave avatar with the teaser giving a glimpse of his character of what appears to be a swift assassin, who goes on a killing spree slashing whoever comes in his way.

The film also stars Diana Penty, Sanjay Kapoor, Ronit Bose Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Vivan Bhathena, Zeishan Quadri, Ankur Bhatia, Mukesh Bhhatt, Sartaaj Kakkar, and has been helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar, who is known for his work in films such as ‘Sultan’, ‘Bharat’ and the most recent Diljit Dosanjh-starrer ‘Jogi’.

Talking about the film, Shahid said: “I had a great time doing an action film. I really enjoyed working with Ali. He understands this genre very well. It’s been a blast. This is a very special film.”

The film, presented by Jio Studios in association With Aaz Films,...

Popular Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra has two projects based on real-life stories in the works.

“Chamkila” is a biopic on Punjabi singer-songwriter pop star duo Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot Kaur, who shot to fame in the 1980s recording and performing songs that were social commentaries or devotionals, and which became massive hits. The duo was gunned down in Mehsampur village, Punjab, in 1988. Their assassination remains an unsolved mystery and was the subject of Kabir Singh Chowdhry’s 2018 mockumentary “Mehsampur.”

“Chamkila,” produced by Reliance Entertainment, is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, known for “Jab We Met” (2007), “Love Aaj Kal” (2009), “Rockstar” (2011) and “Highway” (2014). Pop star and actor Diljit Dosjanh (Netflix original film “Jogi”) plays Chamkila while Chopra plays Kaur.

“Diljit and I are going to be singing throughout the film. We’re doing like 12-15 songs because it’s a film on music. We’re doing live recordings on set.

Throughout his career, Indian filmmaker Devashish Makhija has been a chronicler of social inequities and “Joram” continues the trajectory.

Makhija’s short films examine subjects as varied as misogyny, corruption, land grab and patriarchy. Amongst his features, “Ajji” (2017) tackles rape and its aftermath, while “Bhonsle” (2018) looks at a host of subjects including loneliness, social justice and the plight of the migrant worker.

With “Joram,” Makhija returns to themes explored in his debut feature “Oonga” (2013). Eminent actor Manoj Bajpayee, who previously starred in Makhija’s 2016 short “Taandav” and played the title role in “Bhonsle,” plays Dasru, a tribal migrant worker in Mumbai whose past catches up with him and he must flee with his infant daughter Joram. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub plays Ratnakar, the weary Mumbai cop in pursuit of Dasru. Also in the mix is sinister tribal lawmaker Phulo Karma, played by Smita Tambe (Netflix series “Sacred Games”).

Acclaimed actors Tannishtha Chatterjee...

Harshvardhan Kapoor celebrated his achievement as a producer and even gave some credit to his trolls for helping him reach there. Harsh’s last release ‘Thar’, which starred him alongside his father Anil Kapoor among others, also marked his debut as a producer with the Netflix film. He recently shared a note praising the film and his team after it was touted as one of the best Ott releases this year.

On Thursday, a list of the most-liked Direct-To-ott Hindi films of 2022, based on audience engagement was released. A Thursday, Forensic, and Kaun Pravin Tambe? emerged as the top three films in the list, followed by ‘Thar’ in the fourth position. ‘Darlings’, ‘Jogi’, ‘Cuttputli’, ‘Dasvi’, ‘Jaadugar’, and ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ were the next films in the top 10 list.

Harshvardhan Kapoor took to his Twitter account on Friday to react to his film making the list and shared a message for his trolls.

After the release of ‘Jogi’, actor Diljit Dosanjh is all set for his next project ‘Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne’ opposite Sargun Mehta. The actor gets candid about the latest dance numbers from the movie, ‘Koka’ and ‘Bachelor Party’

He said: “‘Koka’ and ‘Bachelor Party’ are both Punjabi numbers, and what better than bringing this just before the festive season.”

While the first song ‘Koka’, sung by Diljit is a complete dance number, ‘Bachelor Party’ brings out the romantic chemistry between Diljit and Sargun. It is sung by Diljit and Inderjit Nikku.

Diljit has worked in a number of Punjabi and Hindi films including ‘Jatt & Juliet 2’, ‘Punjab 1984’, ‘Good Newwz’ and others.

Sargun is also known for her TV shows and films. She was seen in ‘Crime Patrol’, ‘Kya Huaa Tera Vaada’, ‘Jamai Raja’ and also participated in reality shows such as ‘Nach Baliye 5’, ‘Comedy Nights With Kapil’. She was also part...

From ‘The Family Man’ hitmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D K unspooling the small-town dark comedy ‘Guns & Gulabs’ set in the 1990s, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Rajkummar Rao, to a soup-slurping Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Soup’, to Nayanthara’s fairytale wedding and the uncle-nephew duo Venkatesh and Rana Daggubati uniting on screen as father and son in ‘Rana Naidu’, Netflix unveiled quite a formidable lineup for its Indian subscribers at a global fan event on Saturday.

Presented by comedian Zakir Khan and popular actress Prajakta Koli, Tudum India showcased the series and films lined up for release in the coming weeks and months. These included:

Monica, O My Darling

With a title that pays tribute to the unforgettable R.D. Burman-Asha Bhosale number picturised on a unctuous Helen, the Vasant Bala-directed neo-noir movie with Huma Qureshi and Rajkummar Rao is a whodunit that wades through lust, blackmail, betrayal, blood, and...

Popular Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh was born in the year 1984 when thousand of Sikhs were massacred following the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards. Terming it as a “genocide”, the actor said that he grew up listening to stories of suffering.

The actor was born in the village of Dosanjh Kalan in Phillaur tehsil, Jalandhar district of Punjab, in January 1984.

His latest release ‘Jogi’ tells the tale of anti-Sikh riots that erupted in Delhi after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in Delhi in June 1984.

Talking about the incident from Canada, Diljit said: “‘Genocide’… I was born in 1984, so I grew up listening to all these stories. I couldn’t believe it. But when we grew up, saw and read (stories) then I got to know that this happened deeply. So, all those stories add up to the making up of the film.”

The 38-year-old star,...

Jogi

Starring Diljit Dosanjh, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub

Director Ali Abbas Zafar

Ali Abbas Zafar’s Jogi is a relevant and important piece of work recalling one of the most horrific episodes of law-sanctioned carnage in the history of mankind.

The year is 1984, and the dramatic brutal and hardhitting screenplay is set in Delhi in the days following the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi on October 31 when allegedly, the administration was shut down. Police and marauders alike were given a free rein to loot and burn Sikhs.

Jogi captures the initial shock and bewilderment of the Sikh community with disturbing dexterity. There is a traumatic sequence in the early hours of the prepared pogrom when Diljit Dosanjh in the titular role, boards a Delhi bus with his father and is glared down and then thrashed by co-passengers for reasons that become apparent to Jogi and his ilk only later.

The early...

For India in general and the Sikh community in particular, 1984 is a particularly emotive year, including for musician and actor Diljit Dosanjh, the star of Netflix film “Jogi.”

In June 1984, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered an army operation against separatist militants at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a holy location for Sikhs, that was criticized by many in the community. In October, Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards assassinated her, leading to ant-Sikh riots across northern India, with the country’s capital Delhi as its epicenter.

The happenings of 1984 left deep and enduring scars on the Sikh community and the events have been depicted in film and television over the years. In “Jogi,” directed by Ali Abbas Zafar (“Sultan”), Dosanjh plays the titular Jogi who takes it upon himself to heroically save his family and neighbors as politically-backed riot mobs in Delhi, including childhood friends from other communities, systematically target Sikhs during the 1984 riots.

Neelu Kohli is all set for her next venture and she will be seen next in Diljit Dosanjh-starrer ‘Jogi’, based on the anti-Sikh riots. She recalls several painful memories associated with the riots and how her family got affected.

Going down the memory lane, she shares: “I have very vivid memories about 1984 because my family was really affected.”

“I was in Chandigarh at that time but my parents in Ranchi were riot victims and my dad lost everything in the riots. After his retirement, he had some money with which he started a construction business with his brother and he lost everything. He never recovered after that and subsequently passed away. I felt after the riot, he was sad and had taken a lot on his heart.”

Neelu also shares a scene in the film which has certain similarities with her real life.

“Coincidentally there is a scene between Jogi and me,...

Actor Diljit Dosanjh, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Jogi’, has talked about working with Ali Abbas Zafar and Himanshu Mehra for the movie. He says it is important that a story is said in a credible yet sensitive manner.

‘Jogi’ is set in the capital of India, Delhi in 1984. It charts a story of three friends who unite to save hundreds in their town. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh, Kumud Mishra, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Hiten Tejwani and Amyra Dasturi in the lead roles.

In the film, Diljit is the protagonist Jogi who advocates for brotherhood, unity and courage to fight against all odds and go the extra mile to protect his loved ones.

Discussing his experience working with Ali and Himanshu, Diljit said: “Working with Ali Bha Ji and Himanshu Bha ji on this project was very collaborative. As a team they are always...

Film score composer Julius Packium shares how challenging it was to compose music for Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Jogi’ and why it was altogether a different experience to score for Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Cuttputlli’.

He says ‘Jogi’ is a beautiful story about friendship, through a very tough time in Indian political history when there were riots in Delhi in 1984 where Sikhs were persecuted.

“It’s a touching story yet at the same time it’s a very sad tale about how our socio-political situation deteriorated tremendously in that period. I would say to an extent ‘Jogi’ was quite challenging because I had to watch a lot of sensitive scenes while scoring.”

“They were tugging at the heartstrings and it’s not comfortable to compose music where it’s very sentimental and sad. So, from that aspect ‘Jogi’ was a little tough to create,” adds the composer known for his scores...

Netflix India’s Vice-President (Content) Monika Shergill has said five Indian titles have featured on Netflix’s global top 10 lists so far this year. Viewership of Indian films on the streaming service has gone up by 50 per cent from last year, reports ‘Variety’.

Hits for the service include Alia Bhatt’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, pan-India blockbuster ‘Rrr’ and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, starring Kartik Aaryan and Tabu.

Shergill also pointed out in an interview with ‘Variety’, coinciding with the streamer’s Films Day on Monday, that Indian movies featured in the Netflix non-English charts for 31 of the last 34 weeks.

Another hit Alia film has been ‘Darlings’, whose story revolving around domestic abuse, which debuted as the biggest non-English language original film opener for the service worldwide. The movie, co-produced by Alia with Red Chillies Entertainment, also features powerful performances by Shefali Shah and Vijay Verma.

Other titles showcased during Films Day included:...