Superstardom of Khans won't come back: Rajkummar Rao

Agencies
February 1, 2019

Mumbai, Feb 1: Rajkummar Rao may have emerged as a major box office draw at the box office but the actor does not believe he is anywhere near the superstardom that the three Khans have in Bollywood.

There is a great churning in Bollywood with content driven films outperforming and outclassing those headlined the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.

Rajkummar, who is the considered one of the faces of this new breed of cinema, however, says it would not be right to compare his stardom with that of the Khans.

"I don't think we can compare superstars and actors like me. The kind of films Aamir sir, Shah Rukh sir and Salman sir have done are amazing. You can't say they are not good just because one of their films did not work.

"They are superstars for some reason and we all love them. I am myself a fan of the Khans. We should not compare. We are very new and we have a long way to prove ourselves. I don't think the kind of superstardom that these superstars have seen will ever come back again," Rajkummar told news agency.

The actor believes the mass hysteria and mania around their superstardom is something that all actors yearn for but it just cannot be replicated.

"I want all our films to do well at the box office. But the craze that they have seen is something I don't think is going to comeback. It is very tough. People love these actors, the way people react, shout, hug, cry... The phenomenon is huge."

The 34-year-old actor, whose filmography includes gems like "Newton", "Trapped", "Bareilly Ki Barfi" and "Stree", among others, rules himself out of the contention of being the next big Bollywood superstar.

"I am very happy doing what I am doing and if it takes me there, good. But let me tell you I am happy in this space."

The actor had five releases in 2018 but it was Amar Kaushik's "Stree" that did the wonders for Rajkummar at the box office. He also starred in critically-acclaimed films "Omerta" and "Love Sonia".

"Audience loved these stories more than anything else. Today people are more concerned about the content they are seeing. I always try to offer new things. Since my debut film 'Love Sex Aur Dhokha', I am trying to experiment and push boundaries as an actor. I am happy people are accepting that. It is a feeling of validation as these are the kind of films I was doing earlier and today they are doing great numbers."

Despite his recent success, the actor still reads all his scripts. He says yes to a project only if he feels the story is good.

"I do get a lot of scripts, I don't want to give a number, I can't brag. I get all kinds of scripts from weird to some really interesting ones as well. I have a number of films to choose from.

"I read all my scripts and I don't let other people decide. I believe an actor should invest their time in reading scripts carefully and understanding it. Also, there are filmmakers with whom I wanted to work and now I am getting the opportunity to do so."

Up next for the actor is "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", where he reunites with Anil Kapoor and co-stars Sonam Kapoor.

About the film, Rajkummar says, "More than the role, the story was unique, so I did the film. It talks about things that are relevant in our society. I liked the role as well. It is the story that I look at first and then comes my role."

The film offers yet another take on LGBTQ issues, something which Rajkummar previously dealt with in Hansal Mehta's "Aligarh".

He believes that while "Aligarh" was a biopic on Aligarh Muslim University professor Ramachandra Siras, "Ek Ladki.." is a commercial project and an entertaining film.

"This film ('Ek Ladki..') is more about acceptance. This is a family film, relationship drama, it is about friendship, love. I believe there has to be equality, you can't judge someone based on sexual preference. It is their life and who they want as their partners, it is a normal thing," he adds.

He has an interesting blend of films up for release this year - "Mental Hai Kya" with Kangana Ranaut and "Made in China". He has also signed a film with Anurag Basu and Hansal Mehta.

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News Network
July 6,2020

Jul 6: Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, who specialized in playing tough guys on Broadway in such shows as Waitress, A Bronx Tale and Bullets Over Broadway, has died in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. He was 41.

Cordero died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai hospital after more than 90 days in the hospital, according to his wife Amanda Kloots. “God has another angel in heaven now,” she posted on Instagram. “Nick was such a bright light. He was everyone’s friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband.”

Nick Cordero entered the emergency room on March 30 and had a succession of health setbacks, including mini-strokes, blood clots, septis infections, a tracheostomy and a temporary pacemaker implanted. He had been on a ventilator and unconscious and had his right leg amputated. A double lung transplant was being explored.

Kloots, sent him daily videos of her and their 1-year-old son Elvis, so he could see them if he woke up, and urged friends and fans to join a daily sing-a-long. A GoFundMe page to pay for medical expenses has raised over $600,000.

“I tell him, I say, ‘You’re gonna walk out of this hospital, honey. I believe it. I know you can,’” she told “CBS This Morning” over the summer. ”‘We’re gonna dance again. You’re gonna hold your son again.’ My line is, ‘Don’t get lost. Get focused.’”

The lanky Cordero originated the menacing role of husband Earl opposite his estranged wife, played by Jessie Mueller, in Waitress as well as the role of Sonny in Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale. It was at Bullets Over Broadway where Cordero met his wife. The two married in 2017.

Cast members from “Waitress” — Jessie Mueller, Keala Settle, Kimik Glenn and songwriter Sara Bareilles — helped raise money for Cordero by covering his song “Live Your Life.” Sylvester Stallone sent a video with best wishes.

Kloots had said that it was difficult to tell whether Cordero understood what happened to him, but said he could respond to commands by looking up and down when he was alert.

Her husband played a mob soldier with a flare for the dramatic in Broadway’s Woody Allen 1994 film adaptation of Bullets Over Broadway, for which he received a Tony nomination for best-featured actor in a musical. He moved to Los Angeles to star in Rock of Ages.

On the small screen, Nick Cordero appeared in several episodes of Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and he had a role in the film Going in Style.

Actor and guitarist for Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Van Zandt offered Cordero his first TV acting gig in the final episode of Lilyhammer. After he was hospitalized, Van Zandt teamed up with Constantine Maroulis and Vincent Pastore to make a video performing “Live Your Life.”

Cordero was last onstage in a Kennedy Center presentation of Littler Shop of Horrors. His off-Broadway credits include The Toxic Avenger and Brooklynite.

The coronavirus has sickened other Broadway veterans, including the actors Danny Burstein, Tony Shalhoub, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Gavin Creel, Aaron Tveit and Laura Bell Bundy as well as composer David Bryan. It has also claimed the life of Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally.

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News Network
February 27,2020

Mumbai, Feb 27: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Wednesday said it's with constant education that a country, a family can move forward as there is never an end to learning.

In December last year, when the actor visited the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the La Trobe University announced the 'Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship'. At the event to announce therecipient of the scholarship here on Wednesday, Shah Rukh said it was his honour to lend his name or be attached to the scholarship.

"I am a big believer in education. I truly believe that the way forward for any country, any family, city, state is by educating itself more and more.

"There is never an end to education. I've come to realise the more I know, I figure out, the less I understand. It's very important to keep educating ourselves for the rest of our lives.

"I've always believed education in India and elsewhere in the world, is the most important step forward for any nation," he said.

The scholarship aims to provides an opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to undertake research.

The 54-year-old superstar said what also will help taking the world move ahead is educating women.

"Related to the fact, is of course, education of women, empowering women, to look after themselves to look after their families...

"If you are able to empower them with education, the world goes even further forward," the actor added.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Mumbai, Jul 31: Maharashtra Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the Enforcement Directorate should carry out an investigation in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case.

"There is a huge public sentiment about handing over #SushantSinghRajput case to CBI but looking at the reluctance of State Government, atleast @dir_ed ED can register an ECIR since misappropriation and money laundering angle has come out," tweeted Fadnavis.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that no FIR had been registered in Maharashtra yet and that the case must be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"There is a confrontation between two states and there has been no FIR registered yet in Maharashtra. Chirag (Paswan) had spoken to CM Thackeray that there should be CBI probe. All political leaders are demanding for it. It should be handed over to CBI," Paswan said.

A team of the Bihar Police that arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday, recorded statements of two persons, including actor Sushant Singh Rajput's sister, on Wednesday in connection with the case.

An FIR was filed by Sushant Singh Rajput's father against actor Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on Tuesday.

Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

According to the Maharashtra Police, statements of 41 people, including filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, film critic Rajeev Masand, director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and filmmaker Aditya Chopra have been recorded in the investigation so far.

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