Bollywood's first Saudi filmmaker works on maiden venture

November 15, 2015

Hyderabad, Nov 15: Sameera Aziz, the first Saudi filmmaker in Bollywood, wants the world to know about Saudi Arabia and is currently in India working on pre-production of 'Reem', her maiden Bollywood venture.

Sameera-Aziz

"My aim is to introduce Saudi Arabia to the outside world. Saudi Arabia is a hidden society. They have not come out and told the world about themselves and this created misconceptions," Sameera told IANS in an interview.

'Reem' is the story of a Saudi girl who comes to India in search of her mother. "The story is about the challenges she faces in India whose culture is a new experience for her. Whether she finds her mother and love in India is something which you have to watch out," she said.

Sameera, 35, journalist, Urdu writer, novelist, poetess and activist, is the director, producer and writer of the movie, which she plans to release worldwide by the end of next year.

She took up filmmaking as she believes it is the most powerful medium of 21st century and this will help her introduce Saudi Arabia to the world.

Sameera, who has written the script, has been coming to India for the last three years for pre-production work.

"This a true story which I came across during my journalistic career. I want to give a message of peace and love through this film and show Saudi Arabia to the world because people don't know much except the holy cities of Makkah and Madina," she said.

It's not lost and found story. "The story is powerful and with all twists and turns surprise the audience and engage them," she said.

'Reem' will be a complete commercial film with all Bollywood elements. It will also have an item song, which will be belly dance. It also features a ghazal written by her.
Sameera Aziz Productions, formed by her, will finance the film along with some financiers from Bollywood.

She has already finalised the Saudi cast for the film and plans to soon announce the Bollywood actors for the movie.

Sameera, who has learnt filmmaking from experienced British and American filmmakers, feels working in Bollywood is easy.

"There is no film industry in Saudi Arabia. It's difficult to work because there is no trained manpower, equipment or atmosphere. I also used to feel embarrassed because I was the only woman. Working there was tough as one person had to handle several works simultaneously," said Sameera who worked on five projects in Saudi Arabia.

"When I came to Bollywood I found everything is organised. People are totally professional and qualified. I found working here is easy," she said.

About her film projects in Saudi Arabia, she said they were all about human and women's rights.

Also an activist, Sameera is fighting for women's rights, especially taking up the cases of NRI women who are victims of domestic violence.

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News Network
June 2,2020

New Delhi, Jun 2: After Amitabh Bachchan, it is actor Akshay Kumar, who has come forward to support Bhumi Pednekar's initiative -- Climate Warrior -- urging the people to plant trees.

Bhumi Pednekar has sought to bring Bollywood together to spread awareness about mother nature through her campaign in view of the coming World Environment Day (June 5).

The campaign endeavours to get leaders from the entertainment industry to tell what is the 'one wish they have for the earth.'

Following the thread, the 'Kesari' actor was seen raising his voice on issues, and have taken steps to bring awareness to important causes like climate change.

"Our Beautiful Planet that has sustained us now needs us to protect it more than ever. During this time we as a community must tread carefully and act immediately" Akshay Kumar was seen saying in a video posted by Pednekar on Instagram.

"A lot of damage has been done and climate change is a grave reality that all of us are facing," he added.

Explaining his one wish to rebuild mother nature, is, as he says: "The simplest act of planting trees."

"I consider this as one of the most basic and efficient deeds that we can exercise individually and also urge others to do so. Let us do our bit to heal and rebuild the only planet we have. So join me and become a Climate Warrior," the 'Padman' actor concluded.

Ahead of the World Environment Day, and in support of Bhumi's initiative, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan earlier in the day also pledged to be 'climate-conscious' in a bid to protect nature.

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News Network
July 24,2020

New Delhi, Jul 24: With more than 50 movies under her credits and being one of the few actors from Bollywood to make a strong imprint in Hollywood, actor Priyanka Chopra started it all by winning Miss India 2000 pageant.

Chopra who is currently celebrating the completion of 20 years in the entertainment industry, on Friday looked back and reacted to the video where she was crowned as Miss India.
The' Fashion' actor shared a video on Instagram, where she is seen watching the throwback video. The 'Dostana' actor recalled winning the title and joked about her sense of style and poses back then.

Sharing the reaction video, she wrote: "Alright guys, we're doing this! I'm watching footage from my Miss India pageant in 2000! This is where it all began... If you've never seen these before, you are in for quite a treat. #20in2020 @feminamissindia."

Throughout the video, the 'Gunday' actor is seen casually commenting on her hairstyle, enacting her own movement on stage, and also recalled her luscious hair, which she now wonders where it all got lost.

However, she took a moment to appreciate the "clever and profound" answer she gave for the question that won her the crown.

While watching the winning moment, the 'Don' star noted how she never expected to win it. She explained that she had a train booked as she was to go back and take her board exams.

Going through the old photographs that run parallel to the video, she says: "These pictures are hard to look at." Pausing at a particular photograph, she laughs and says, "I don't even know how to do that pose."

"Well, this is where everything started. These are the pictures that sent me to Tinseltown," said the actor towards the end of the video.

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News Network
July 14,2020

Los Angeles, Jul 14: US officials on Monday found the body of "Glee" actress Naya Rivera in the Californian lake where she drowned last week during a boat trip with her four-year-old son.

Rivera's body was retrieved and an initial examination found no evidence of foul play or suicide, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told a press conference.

"We are confident the body we found is that of Naya Rivera," said Ayub, pointing to the location, appearance, clothing and condition of the body.

Her body was being taken to a medical examiner's office for a full autopsy and confirmation of her identity from dental records, though no other missing persons have been reported at Lake Piru, he added.

Rivera, 33, is believed to have accidentally drowned after renting the boat with her young son at the camping and recreational hotspot around an hour's drive northwest of Los Angeles.

She vanished on Wednesday afternoon, and a massive search involving divers, patrol boats and helicopters was launched after her sleeping son was spotted drifting alone in a boat on the lake.

The son later told investigators that Rivera had helped him into the boat before "he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water," said the sheriff.

Ayub pointed to the lake's strong currents as a possible cause of a fatal accident.

"The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting -- it was unanchored -- and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself," he said.

The lake has been closed to the public since Wednesday, with around 100 personnel, including the US Coast Guard and rescuers from neighboring counties, joining the search.

Search teams used footage from video messaging calls Rivera made from the boat before her disappearance, as well as interviews with her son, to scour portions of the lake bed for her remains over six days, with no success.

"We believe she was concealed within some of the shrubbery on the floor bed of the lake" before eventually floating to the surface due to natural decomposition, said Ayyub.

With less than one foot (30 centimeters) of visibility underwater in daylight, the recovery operation was a "complex search effort" even with use of sonar equipment, he said.

Rivera was best known for her role as high school cheerleader Santana Lopez in "Glee."

She starred for six seasons in the wildly popular musical television series set in a US high school that ended in 2015.

The "Glee" cast has been struck by tragedy before.

Actor Mark Salling took his own life in 2018, weeks before being sentenced for possession of child pornography.

Canadian castmate Cory Monteith died in July 2013 of an overdose of drugs and alcohol.

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