Thor: Ragnarok actor Mark Ruffalo: I can do straight roles in Bollywood

Agencies
October 15, 2017

Sydney, Oct 15: Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo, popular for his onscreen character the Hulk, says though he cannot sing and dance, he can do performance-oriented roles in Bollywood. Ruffalo, whose career spans about three decades in Hollywood and who has been seen in popular entertainers such as ‘Spotlight’, ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Kids Are All Right’, is in Sydney to promote his upcoming Marvel Studios film ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, which is set to hit the Indian screens on November 3.

Asked if the perception of Bollywood cinema being only about song and dance has changed, Ruffalo said in a round table conference, “I saw a cool Bollywood film… A tough guy thing where there are rival gangs…’Scarface’ characters… more like gangster character. I look forward to seeing what more Indian cinema can come up with.”

But would he like to be a part of one? “Why not? I can’t sing and dance very well, but I can do some of the straight roles,” he said. Ruffalo, 49, will be reprising the role of Bruce Banner/the Hulk in the Taika Waititi’s directorial.  ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ will see the characters Thor and Hulk battling for the first time. Ruffalo says he has been waiting for this for the past six years.

“It was great to smash him (Thor). I have been waiting for six years to smash him… It was really fun. People always want to see Thor and Hulk fight and I’ve got to do it in this one,” Ruffalo answered to a question from news agency. But Ruffalo said he wishes that a stand-alone film could be made on his angry green character.

“I’d love that, but that’s not going to happen because Universal (Universal Pictures) owns the rights to it,” Ruffalo said. The actor went to Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige to speak about the stand-alone Hulk movie. “I went to Kevin Feige and he brought me into this. He said ‘If you want to make a stand-alone Hulk movie, what would it be?’ I said ‘I’d like to do this…’, and he said ‘Let’s do that in ‘Thor 3’, ‘Avengers 3’ and ‘Avengers 4’, we will spread it across over those three movies,” said the actor.

Apart from being a part of the superhero genre, Ruffalo has worked in several movies including ‘Begin Again’, “Normal Heart” and “Just Like Heaven”. How does he balance between different genres? “It’s just more fun. I get bored very easily. So, for me to keep it interesting I like to do different kind of movies,” he said.

The actor says that he would like to do theatre more. “I’d love too (do more theatre work). One good thing about these movies is that it allows me to do these little things that I love,” Ruffalo said.

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News Network
April 25,2020

Mumbai, Apr 25: Actor Vidya Balan has decided to donate 1000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to the frontline healthcare staff across India.

In a video message posted on her Facebook page, the actor announced that she is also collaborating with celebrity shout-out platform Tring to raise money for additional 1000 PPE kits.

“In the war against COVID-19 our health care professionals are like our soldiers at the border fighting for our health and freedom. Just like we equip our soldiers for the battle we must do the same with our medical staff. There is a critical shortage of PPE for our senior doctors, residents, nurses and ward boys in their daily work.

“As a result, a lot of our hospitals are not functioning at full capacity. Join me in changing this now. I am donating 1000 PPE ktis to hospital and medical staff across the country. And I am pledging to raise money for another 1000,” she said.

According to a statement issued by the actor’s team, she has joined hands with Tring to provide additional 1000 PPE kits, in association with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer-producer Atul Kasbekar.

For donations made through Tring, Vidya will be recognising the support of every donor by sending a personal thank you video message, and a chance for a two-minute video call with her.

Vidya said each PPE kit is worth Rs 650 (all-inclusive of delivery costs and applicable taxes) and it consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof, nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask and shoe covers.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Mar 21: The novel coronavirus outbreak in the country may have brought the ever-bustling film industry to a halt but it hasn't stopped Bollywood celebrities from utilising their massive online influence to entertain their followers as well as engage them in fitness, dance and yoga routines.

According to the Health Ministry, the coronavirus cases in India rose to 258 on Saturday after 35 fresh cases were reported in various parts of the country.

As the government encourages more social distancing, people from the film fraternity are finding ways to connect to people and ensure their self-isolation isn't wasted.

On Sunday, actor Shilpa Shetty will hold a special live fitness session across digital platforms for people to follow from home.

"In times like these, it's important to stay fit, active, and healthy. Join me on Sunday, 22nd March at 4:00 pm IST as I go LIVE on Instagram-Facebook-Helo (@theshilpashetty) and on the @ShilpaShettyApp to show you some beneficial and helpful yoga asanas.

"You can watch, learn, and practice it from the comfort of your homes. Remember, staying indoors shouldn't be an excuse for deviating from your fitness routine," the actor wrote in an Instagram post.

Online yoga and fitness programs are picking up steam, with many celebrities pitching in.

On Saturday, actor Tamannah Bhatia went live with Diva Yoga, a studio part of a larger yoga ecosystem called SARVA, where she participated in a one-hour virtual yoga class, to encourage people to pursue their fitness goals.

Malaika Arora, co-founder of the yoga studio, told news agency that as the world fights a public health crisis, "we must do our best to stay calm and safe."

"There is also a need to boost our immunity levels even if it means continuing our workout from home. The live sessions being conducted on the Diva Studios Instagram handle and immunity boosting modules being shared on the SARVA app and website are aimed at this.

"Our instructors will offer guided lessons every day... for everyone’s benefit. I encourage people to join in and be responsible for your own health. When you are fit and healthy, you can help others in a better manner. It is these small steps that will lead to a better outcome," she said.

With everything coming to a standstill, choreographer Terence Lewis has also figured out an alternate avenue to reach out to his students: through online classes.

As of now, those who are not his students do not have the access to it, but Lewis said that's going to change soon.

"In few days, we will be starting online dance tutorials for people who have no access and means to be a part of our institute directly. Since, we do not have any branches, neither do I believe in having one, we directly teach from our original space in Andheri.

"Here we have instructors who have learnt from me and is the only legit institute we have hence, we'll think of doing the online classes as way of engaging with people who are far away from us," Lewis told PTI.

As shootings of movies, TV shows and web series stand suspended till March 31, casting director and actor Abhishek Banerjee is encouraging artistes to send self tapes from their homes.

"We are encouraging that to minimise human to human contact and audition spaces. Some actors are known to us, some unknown. It's very difficult to track anybody's health of you don't know the person. So it's easier to see the self tapes and keep shortlisting them and maybe we will call them again for a proper audition when everything is alright," he said.

The process of recording a self audition, according to the "Stree" actor, isn't easy.

"Full marks and respect for actors who are sending the self tapes because audition process takes a lot of efforts and to do that alone, without any help in isolation, without cues, it's commendable."

Banerjee, who runs Casting Bay, a leading casting studios, along with his friend Anmol Ahuja, said on an average, any big casting office had around 100-150 footfalls everyday, which has now come to a griding halt.

"The minute the government decided, we stopped all auditions too. Everything is on a standstill now. The production houses have asked us to hold on the auditions and projects. The major worry is that many actors will have date issues now. Once everything opens in April, let's see how to tackle that. It'll be a very difficult situation," he added.

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News Network
January 18,2020

Mumbai, Jan 18: Actor Shabana Azmi was injured in an accident on Saturday afternoon on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Maharashtra's Raigad district, an official said.

The incident took place around 3.30 pm near Khalapur, over 60 km from Mumbai, when the car in which she was traveling rammed into a truck, said Raigad Superintendent of Police Anil Paraskar.

She was rushed to MGM hospital in Navi Mumbai and was undergoing treatment, he said.

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