Want 'Newton' to break India's dry spell at Oscars: Rajkummar

Agencies
November 16, 2017

New Delhi, Nov 16: With "Newton" being unanimously chosen as India's official entry to the Academy Awards next year, actor Rajkummar Rao hopes that his dark comedy on Indian democracy manages to win the golden statuette.

Directed by Amit Masurkar, the movie featuring Rajkummar in the title role has been chosen to represent the country in the Best Foreign Language category at the awards.

As it is barely months to the ceremony, the actor says the team is working round-the-clock, which includes showing the film around and acquiring the services of a publicist.

"The campaign is on. We are trying our level best and hoping for the best. The team is already there. A lot of screenings are going on in Los Angeles as we speak. There are a huge number of films, that are in the running for the Oscars.

"I really want 'Newton' to break India's dry spell at the Oscars. I can't say, obviously, if it will happen or not. But I wish it does," Rajkummar says in an interview with PTI.

There were reports that suggested "Newton" was a rip-off of the 2001 Iranian film "Secret Ballot". But the reports were quashed by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's timely intervention. He reached out to the director and the producer of the Iranian film to clarify that "Newton" bore no similarity with their project.

Rajkummar quipped, "(He) butchered those people who were saying 'it's a copy, it's a copy'.

"I don't understand people have so much time in this world. I don't know why they don't focus on making their life better."

Rajkummar was in the capital to promote his upcoming web series, "Bose: Dead/Alive", in which he features in the title role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

It premieres on AltBalaji app from November 20.

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News Network
May 1,2020

May 1: Rubbishing reports of hospitalisation, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Thursday said he was "fine" and at home observing the nationwide lockdown.

Shah, 69, in a Facebook post, thanked people for their concern and reassured them about his health.

"I thank all those enquiring after my health and reassure them I am fine," he said.

"I'm at home and observing the lockdown. Please don't believe any rumours," he added.

"A Wednesday" actor's younger son Vivaan Shah also dismissed rumours about his father's health.

"He's alright. These are just rumours," Vivaan said.

Reports about Shah's health started surfacing on social media as the industry was coming to terms with the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor.

Rishi Kapoor, aged 67, died on Thursday in a hospital here after a two year-long battle with lukaemia, while Irrfan, 54, passed away on Wednesday due to neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Jerusalem, Jun 17: Calling Sushant Singh Rajput as "a true friend", Israel has expressed its deepest condolences at the passing away of the young Bollywood star.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Gilad Cohen, deputy director-general of Israel's foreign ministry, took to Twitter to mourn the actor's sudden demise.

"Sending my deepest condolences on the passing of Sushant Singh Rajput, a true friend of Israel. You will be missed!" Cohen wrote while sharing the link of the song "Makhna" from the actor's last film "Drive".

Sushant and his co-star Jacqueline Fernandez had shot the song in Israel as part of its ongoing efforts to bring Bollywood to the country.

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News Network
May 12,2020

Mumbai, May 12: Superstar Salman Khan on Tuesday released his latest romantic single "Tere Bina" featuring Jacqueline Fernandez while in quarantine at his Panvel farm house.

The actor, along with close family and friends from the industry, including Iulia Vantur, Waluscha De Sousa, is living in the farm house. This is the second song Salman has released amid the coronavirus pandemic, after "Pyaar Karona."

"About seven weeks ago, when we came to the farm, we didn't know we will be here under a lockdown. So we wanted to do things to keep ourselves busy. That's when we decided to do these songs. We launched 'Pyaar Karona' and now, we are launching 'Tere Bina'," Salman said in a statement.

The song, sung and directed by Salman, is composed by his friend Ajay Bhatia and written by Shab bir Ahmed.

The actor said he had the song "Tere Bina" with him for quite a while but because it wasn't fitting into any of his film, he decided to release it now.

Jacqueline said she didn't think they would be able to shoot the song, which they finished in four days of evening shoots, with such limitations.

"We are used to shooting songs on a large stage with grand production costs. There are costumes, hair, make up. All of a sudden, we find ourselves with a team of three people. For the first time, I was checking lighting and moving props around. It was a great experience and it taught us how to make the most of what we have," she said.

Salman recently sent out food packets and ration from his farm house to those affected by the lockdown.

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