Bachchan, Kangana win big at Bollywood heavy National Awards

March 28, 2016

New Delhi, Mar 28: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan won his fourth National award for "Piku", while it was a second consecutive best actress win for Kangana Ranaut at the National Film Awards announced here today, which saw Bollywood's dominance in major categories, barring the top prize that went to multilingual "Baahubali".big-kangana

73-year-old Bachchan won the best actor honour for his turn as a hypochondriac father in the road-trip family drama. He previously won the honour for "Agneepath", "Black" and "Paa".

Ranaut, who turned 29 last week, was declared the winner for her endearing dual turn as Tanu, a troublesome wife and Haryanvi sportsperson Datto in romantic comedy "Tanu Weds Manu Returns".

The actress called it the "best birthday gift" especially since she gets to honour with Bachchan.

"It is the best birthday gift I could have got. I am thrilled and feel blessed especially since Mr Bachchan is the best actor with me," Ranaut said in a statement.

This is the third trophy for Ranaut at the National Awards, having won best actress for "Queen" last year and earlier for best supporting actress for 2008 film "Fashion".

SS Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali" was announced the best feature film winner by filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, who headed a 11-member jury, even as last year's much appreciated "Masaan" had to contend itself with just a best debut director award for Neeraj Ghaywan.

"Baahubali" star Rana Daggubati said, "I am thrilled. We took a risk and attempted something different with it. Now with this award we feel honoured."

Sweeping historical romance "Bajirao Mastani", starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, helped its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali win the best director honour, besides bagging five more honours.

"This is my first National award as a director, it is really very special to me. My mother always prayed that I should get one and here I get it. Her prayers are answered," Bhansali told PTI.

The director said his mother screamed with happiness when she got to know about his win.

Sharat Katariya's debut "Dum Laga Ke Haisha", a '90s set drama in Haridwar about the romance between a mismatched couple, was named the best Hindi film.

Salman Khan-starrer cross-border drama "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" was named best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.

"Thank you everybody for all your love. We are really happy that 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' got the National Award for Best Popular Film," director Kabir Khan tweeted.

Best adapted screenplay honour went to Vishal Bhardwaj for real-life inspired crime drama "Talvar", while the best original screenplay and dialouge was shared between Juhi Chaturvedi (Piku) and Himanshu Sharma (Tanu Weds Manu Returns).

"Nanak Shah Fakir" won the Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on National integration, besides winning best costume honour.

Actress Kalki Koechlin's stint as a girl affected with cerebral palsy in Shonali Bose's "Margarita with a Straw" got a special jury mention.

"Bajirao Mastani" also earned Tanvi Azmi the best supporting actress honour for her portrayal of a shrewd mother, while Remo D'Souza got his first National Award for choreographing two chart topping numbers "Pinga" and "Deewani Mastani".

The period drama also won majorly in technical categories like cinematography, production design, re-recordist and sound design, thereby becoming the biggest gainer at the ceremony with six trophies.

Tamil star Samuthirakani bagged the best supporting actor award for his role in thriller, "Visaranai", based on M Chandrakumar's novel "Lock Up". The movie also won the best Tamil film and best editing awards.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha's popular soft melody "Moh Moh ke Dhaage" earned two honours for its female singer Monali Thakur and lyricist Varun Grover.

Whereas, Mahesh Kale took home the best playback singer (male) award for crooning in Marathi film "Katyar Kaljat Ghusali".

"Baahubali", which won best feature film honour, also scored the best special effects award for CGI-laden screenplay.

Resul Pookutty's co-production "Nanak Shah Fakir", based on the life and teachings of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev, won the Nargis Dutt Award for best feature film on national integration, besides best costume design and make-up.

"Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal", a dramatically disturbing exposition of the ill effects of pesticides in North Kerala, bagged the best film on environmental conservation/[preservation.

Story of a child prodigy "Duronto" won best children's film, while actor Gaurav Menon took home the best child artist award for his performance in "Ben".

"Nirnayakam" was named the best film on social issues.

Meghna Gulzar's "Talvar" also bagged the best location sound recordist honour. The best song award went to "Kaathirun Nu Kaathirunnu" from "Ennu Ninte Moideen", while ace composer Ilaiyaraaja won the best background score honour for "Thaarai Thappattai".

Bhaskar Hazarika's "Kothanodi" won the best Assamese film award, while veteran filmmaker Gautam Ghose's evocative story "Shankhachil" took home the trophy for the best Bengali movie.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Mumbai, Jan 9: Actor Juhi Chawla on Wednesday said instead of constantly criticising the government, one should reflect on own conduct and talk about uniting rather than dividing.

The actor attended an event which aimed to counter "Free Kashmir (narrative), anti-India slogans, false propaganda and clear the misconception."

Juhi said as artistes, it's unfair to be questioned about incidents "just for a reaction" when they should be given time to truly understand the situation.

"We are going to work, thinking how to execute our task, then some incident happens somewhere and suddenly the media asks, 'what do you think about this?' We haven't understood the matter, people haven't understood the matter but you need a reaction.

"Let people understand, whether it's NRC or CAA, and what's is it about, why is this being talked about," Juhi told reporters.

The actor said it is sad that people talk about division more than unity.

"Everyone is quick to talk about dividing. Why don't we talk about uniting? Why does everyone say 'what is the government doing, why is it doing this?' but I say if you point one finger there then three fingers are at you.

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News Network
April 30,2020

Mumbai, Apr 29: Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor is not keeping well and has been admitted to a city hospital here, his elder brother Randhir Kapoor said.

The 67-year-old actor was taken to H N Reliance hospital by his family on Wednesday morning.

"He is in the hospital. He is suffering from cancer and he has some breathing problem, so he has been admitted to the hospital. He is stable now," Randhir told PTI.

The actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for cancer in the US for almost a year.

In February, Kapoor was hospitalised twice due to his health issues.

He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function. At the time, Kapoor had said that he was suffering from an "infection".

After his return to Mumbai, he was again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon after.

Kapoor, who has been quite active on social media, hasn't posted anything on his Twitter account since April 2.

The actor recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film "The Intern", also featuring Deepika Padukone.

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Agencies
June 15,2020

Mumbai, Jun 15: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death has reignited the discussions around the struggle of survival in Bollywood, with many insiders highlighting "cruel and unforgiving" nature of the industry, particularly tough on outsiders.

Rajput was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday.

According to a police official, Mumbai Police found out during the probe that the 34-year-old actor was under medication for depression.

An engineering student, Rajput left his course at the Delhi Technological University in the early 2000s and rose from a background dancer to a TV star with soap opera Pavitra Rishta, which gave the "outsider" his breakout show in 2009.

In 2013, he made his Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che! and went on to star in films such as Shuddh Desi Romance, Raabta, Kedarnath, Sonchiriya and Chhichhore.

But his most prominent role came as cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni's in the 2007 biopic, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.

In a telling tweet, veteran actor Dharmendra wrote despite not knowing Rajput personally, his death served as a reminder that the industry could be "cruel".

"Pyaare Sushant, naa film dekhi na kabhi mila tum se... par tere achaanak chale jaane se bada sadma laga. This beautiful beloved 'show business" is very cruel. I can imagine your unbearable pain. I share the pain of your loving family and friends," Dharmendra wrote.

Actor Meera Chopra penned a powerful, poignant note about the loneliness one feels working in an industry, which is "cold and ruthless".

"We all knew well that Sushant was going through depression since long, but what did we do? Where was his close circle, the directors and producers he's worked with, his close friends? Why nobody came out and helped, gave him the kind of love, the work that he wanted - because nobody cares," she wrote on Twitter.

The Section 375 actor, who has been vocal about feeling suffocated by the constant judgement from the industry colleagues, said nobody in Bollywood cares about what one's going through and artistes are just a flop away from being alienated.

Chopra said the industry has "failed" Rajput and Bollywood will now never be the same.

"True, Bollywood is a small family, but a kind of family which is never there when you need them. He had to take his life for that family to realise the kind of pain and need he was in. An outsider will always feel like an outsider here.

"I just want to say to my industry that help people when they need it, and you know when they need it. There is no point tweeting when they are no more. Don't pretend to be sad when you guys didn't do anything when he was sad. Stop being such a hypocritical society," she added.

Gulshan Devaiah said, as an actor, one could understand why Rajput would've taken the step to end his life.

"As actors, somewhere deep down inside, we think we know why he did it and that’s why it so disturbing even if you didn’t know him at all. It’s a hard game to play and he played it very well but the game won in the end," Devaiah wrote.

Quoting Chopra's tweet, the Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota star dismissed the idea of Bollywood being a family.

"If one thinks it’s a family, there is the problem. Bollywood is an imaginary name for a place of work, that’s it. I am really not trying to put anybody down here and sorry if it seems," he wrote.

On Sunday, actor-producer Nikhil Dwivedi posted a strongly-worded tweet calling out the "hypocrisy" of the industry after people from the film fraternity wrote they regretted not staying in touch with the "Chhichhore" star.

"High and mighty announcing they should have kept in touch with Sushant. Come on, you didn't! And that's because his career dipped. So STFU! Are you in touch with Imran Khan, Abhay Deol and others? No! But you were, when they were doing well," Dwivedi said.

Similar sentiment was echoed by filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, who, without taking names, said the "Bollywood Privilege Club" must sit down and think hard.

"Now don't ask me to elaborate any further," he tweeted.

Addressing outsiders, filmmaker Hansal Mehta wrote a long thread about the two ends of an artiste's time in the industry - the glorious successes and the crushing lows.

"There are many young 'outsiders' in this industry. Remember this - there is an establishment that will make you feel like the next big thing until they need you. They will drop you and mock you as soon as you falter. Do not fall for the trap. The ones that celebrate you will celebrate your downfall some time later," he tweeted.

Mehta said it's important for those who don't come from a film family to not force themselves to fit in.

"Just be authentic, follow your heart and stop seeking acceptance from anybody. Your connection should be with your art, your craft and with your audience. Nothing else matters. Over the years you will succeed, you will stumble.

"But remember that nothing is more important than you. Look after yourself. And know that you matter. The world is much bigger and wiser than what you perceive. So are opportunities. If you stay they will be yours. Lots of love. Never lose heart," the filmmaker wrote.

Celebrity hairstylist-turned-director Sapna Bhavnani claimed that Rajput's battle with mental health was out in the open and yet the industry chose to look the other way.

"It’s no secret Sushant was going through very tough times for the last few years. No one in the industry stood up for him nor did they lend a helping hand. To tweet today is the biggest display of how shallow the industry really is. No one here is your friend," she wrote on Twitter.

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