Have you heard? Salman Khan to start a war drama on Galwan conflict; Aditi Rao Hydari, Avinash Tiwary to wrap up O Saathi Re with final leg of shoot in Mussoorie
Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta and Paresh Rawal
No rest, already on to the next
Salman Khan
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will reportedly begin his next within five months, possibly a war drama, said to be directed by Apoorva Lakhia. The film will be based on the 2020 Indo-China Galwan Valley conflict, showcasing the bravery of Indian soldiers (Bhai at the border, May 2). We have learnt that Salman hasn’t officially signed the project, but has given a go-ahead to the filmmaker. Reports suggest that he prioritised this project after a potential collaboration with filmmaker Kabir Khan on Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 failed to materialise. Earlier, mid-day had reported that veteran writer V Vijayendra Prasad was writing the script of the sequel to the 2015 classic (A scintillating script in the making, April 28), however, the project now seems to be delayed.
Looking for musical inspiration
Anu Malik
Veteran music director Anu Malik is on a quest to revive the magic of Indian music. With his baajaa (harmonium) in hand, he’s searching for work and inspiration in an industry he feels has lost its spark. He told mid-day, “Main baajaa leke bhaagta hoon, log haste bhi hai. They say, ‘arre yaar Anu Malik, itna naam kama liya hai, baaja leke kahaan bhaag raha hai? I do that! It’s time to do something.” Malik believes the new generation of musicians lacks inspiration, despite having talent. He yearns for the golden era of Indian cinema, where great directors and writers collaborated to create timeless music. With a hunger for meaningful music, Malik is ready to create something new, driven by his passion for music as he believes, “The audience loves it, they are ready for that kind of music to come back.”
Love in Mussoorie
Avinash Tiwary, Aditi Rao Hydari and Imtiaz Ali
Imtiaz Ali’s Netflix series O Saathi Re, starring Aditi Rao Hydari and Avinash Tiwary, is nearing completion with the final shooting schedule set to begin in Mussoorie soon. The filmmaker, along with his star cast was recently spotted at Dehradun airport as they were heading to the hill station for the shoot. We have learnt that approximately 80 per cent of the series has been shot, with the Mumbai schedules successfully wrapped up. According to reports, the remaining portions will be filmed in Uttarakhand. Imtiaz is the creator, writer, and showrunner of the series, and it is directed by his brother, filmmaker Arif Ali.
Baby steps into acting
Iulia Vantur
Romanian model and singer Iulia Vantur, who is rumoured to be dating Salman Khan, is stepping into the world with the English short film, Echoes of Us. The movie will be directed by Joe Rajan and produced by Pooja Batra. Speaking about her debut, Iulia said, “I am an artiste who needs to express in various forms… Acting is a beautiful and profound way of expressing through another character’s skin.”
Going all-out commercial
Shahid Kapoor and Vishal Bhardwaj
The buzz is that Shahid Kapoor’s Arjun Ustara is set to be a mass-appealing commercial film. We have learnt that he signed Vishal Bhardwaj’s directorial venture after he was assured by the filmmaker and producer SN that the film would have a mainstream treatment in keeping with the audience’s current taste. mid-day had reported that after wrapping the Indian schedule, the team is gearing up to commence the international leg of the gangster actioner in Georgia, starting mid-May, and wrapping up by the end of June. The film will be ready for a December release (Gangster rules, uninterrupted, May 5). The film, also starring Triptii Dimri, is apparently being designed for the big screen experience.
