Never worried about the long gap between my films: Vaani Kapoor

December 6, 2016

Mumbai, Dec 6: It was in 2013 when she got noticed for her debut performance in Shuddh Desi Romance but it took Vaani Kapoor nearly three years to bag another Hindi film, something which did not bother her much. Post her debut with the Yash Raj-backed romantic-comedy, Vaani featured in the Telugu remake of Band Baaja Baarat, titled Aaha Kalyanam in 2014.

vanikapoorThe 28-year-old actress will now be seen in filmmaker Aditya Chopra’s Befikre, her second Hindi film in three years. “I never went into a state of overthinking that what will happen, what if I keep waiting at home. That’s because after ‘Shuddh Desi…’ Adi used to have conversations with me and reassure me that he has something in mind and wants me to wait for the right project,” Vaani said.

Not that there were not offers, as the actress says, some projects did come her way but nothing appealed to her. “I didn’t want to be a part of movies which were offered to me. They didn’t fully satisfy me as an actor, I felt it wasn’t too great or exciting. For me Adi’s words hold a lot of importance. If my mentor is asking me to wait, there must be something good about it.”

So, Vaani began waiting for the right project to land, and in the meanwhile started doing workshops with casting director Shanoo Sharma on a very brief sketch given by Chopra, without “any proper script.” After “months and months” of auditions, Vaani got a pleasant surprise from Chopra.

“Then one fine day, he said I am directing the movie. I was like ‘really?’ he said, ‘also, you are in it.’ It didn’t hit me then. It took me a lot of time to sink in that I am actually in an Aditya Chopra film.” Befikre aims to celebrates love in a carefree, fun filled and impulsive spirit. The teasers and promos are in compete contrast to the kind of cinema Chopra is known to make- “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Mohabbatein” and “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi”.

Vaani was not surprised to see Chopra’s transformation from someone who made love stories rooted in tradition to someone who made a completely modern film. “I did realise that it is different and new in terms of the romance he is projecting on screen. But because I had spoken to him (Chopra) at length, he told me this is something that he always wanted to make.

“During DDLJ he used to have these concepts and this kind of storyline always existed in him but never came out in his movies.” The actress insists, the film still has the soul and feel of a Chopra film, despite being overtly modern. “The way he has treated the film, it shows his soul and essence. When you come out of the theatre you will realise this is an Aditya Chopra movie. The treatment might be new, it still has his soul intact.”

In the film, scheduled to release on December 9, Vaani co-stars with Ranveer Singhfor the first time and says the actor had no starry tantrums. “He never acted like a star. I have a lot of respect for Ranveer. I think he is supremely talented. He was very humble and supportive as an actor so there was nothing like ‘I am 8-movie old and you are 2-movie old’.”

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News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: 'Housefull 4' actor Pooja Hegde will star opposite Salman Khan in his Eid 2021 release 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali'.

Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday.

"CONFIRMED... #PoojaHegde opposite #SalmanKhan in #KabhiEidKabhiDiwali... Directed by Farhad Samji... Story and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala... #Eid2021 release," read Adarsh's tweet.

Earlier, Salman Khan had announced the title of the film 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali' in January, keeping the trend alive of gifting his fans a movie to enjoy on Eid al-Fitr.

The film is being co-produced by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, and Atul Agnihotri under the banners Salman Khan Films, Sohail Khan Productions and Reel Life Production.

The flick will hit theatres on Eid 2021, which will be around May 21.

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News Network
June 9,2020

New Delhi, Jun 9: Multiplex operator PVR on Monday said it has cut salary across various levels, laid off employees and deferred increments during the lockdown to mitigate adverse impact of COVID-19 on the business.

The company said at present it is not generating any revenue from exhibition business and related activities as cinemas across the country are shut following the directions from the regulatory authorities.

According to the company, closure of screens during the lockdown will have a significant negative impact on profitability and liquidity.

PVR has taken measures to reduce its personnel cost, including salary cuts across various levels in the organisation during the lockdown along with "reduction in headcount by way of layoffs/retrenchment" to mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the business.

Moreover, the board of the company, in its meeting held on Monday has also approved plan to raise Rs 300 crore through rights issue.

"Since Cinema Exhibition is the only business segment, company is currently not generating any revenue from admissions, food and beverage sales or other revenue and cash flow from operations," said PVR in an update.

Beginning from March 11, PVR started closing its screens in accordance with the order passed by various regulatory authorities and within a few days most of our cinemas across the country were shut down, it added.

The company will continue to incur committed cash outflows, including employee salary pay-outs, other overheads as well as payments for older working capital.

"This has and will have a significant negative impact on profitability and liquidity during lockdown and even thereafter till business comes to normalcy," it added.

Further, once the cinemas are re-opened, we may not be able to run our cinemas at normal capacity utilisation levels on account of social distancing measures that cinemas may be required to follow as well as health concerns that the patrons may have, the multiplex operator said.

"On account of this, our revenue and cash flow generation may be impeded even once we are allowed to restart operations," it added.

The company has also deferred decision on on increments to reduce its cost, it added.

PVR has also written to developers for waiving rental and CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges for the lockdown period.

It is in discussion with developers for reducing rentals post re-opening and has invoked force majeure clause in its agreements with them.

Besides, the company has raised additional borrowings from existing bankers to shore up liquidity.

"As of March 31, 2020 the company had cash and bank balance of Rs 316 crore. As on June 7, 2020 cash and bank balance is Rs 227 crore (including undrawn bank lines)," it added.

Over reopening of theatres, PVR said that the government has come out with a phase-wise schedule.

In these guidelines cinema halls have been kept in the third phase of re-opening, where dates will be decided based on assessment of the situation.

"We are in continuous engagement with all regulatory authorities and hope to receive the necessary permissions for restarting opening in the near future," it added.

Currently PVR operates 845 screens in 176 properties in 71 cities.

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News Network
January 19,2020

Mumbai, Jan 19: An FIR has been registered against actor Shabana Azmi's driver after the car they were travelling in met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Ms Azmi's driver has been identified as Amlesh Yogendra Kamat.

According to the police, a complaint has been registered by Rajesh Pandurang Shinde, the truck driver whose vehicle was hit from behind by Ms Azmi's car.

"Due to rash driving by the driver, the car hit the moving truck on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway which resulted in the accident," the FIR copy read.

Soon after the accident, Shabana Azmi was immediately rushed to MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai and was later shifted to the multi-specialty Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai's Andheri.

According to doctors, she has suffered a head injury and slight damage to the backbone. Her condition is said to be stable, although, she remains under medical observation.

Her husband lyricist Javed Akhtar, who was travelling with her, escaped with a minor injury.

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