IIFA 2023: About 25000 people and 120 celebrities to attend this year’s edition at Abu Dhabi

The 23rd edition of the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards is all set to take place from tomorrow – May 26 and 27 at Yas Islands in Abu Dhabi. The fact that this is one of the grandest film events of the globe is seen by the number of tickets that have been sold so far.

About 11,000 people are expected to attend the Sobha Realty IIFA Rocks on May 26 and 14,000 are expected to attend the NEXA IIFA Awards on May 27. Hence, the total number of people expected to attend this year’s edition goes up to an impressive 25,000.

About 120 celebrities from across the globe are expected to grace the event, along with 240 plus media delegation. From the Bollywood actors who would be attending the include, Salman Khan, Kamal Haasan, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Varun Dhawan, Rajkummar Rao, Vicky Kaushal and Fardeen Khan. The actresses who have confirmed their participation include Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rakul Preet Singh, Dia Mirza, Nora Fatehi, Mrunal Thakur, Mouni Roy and Genelia D’Souza who will be accompanying husband Riteish Deshmukh.

This year’s edition will see performances from Salman Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nora Fatehi, Rakul Preet Singh and Iulia Vantur. After this year’s performance, Nora will become the only Bollywood personality to perform twice at the IIFA in all these years.

Sharing her excitement about her performance this year, Iulia said, “I am super super super excited. I just finished the rehearsals, and I am filled with a lot of energy. The music on which we are performing is so dynamic and full of energy. I will perform with artiste which I really like.” Giving a hint of who she will be performing with, she sang a line from Sukhbir’s iconic song, ‘Ishq Tera Tadpawe.’

IIFA 2023, however, is not just about the performances. Filmmaker Kabir Khan and Omung Kumar will be hosting masterclasses and workshops on filmmaking. Sharing his excitement at his session, Khan recently said in a statement, “I’m really looking forward to the interaction as it will give me a chance to retrospect and introspect on my choices too. This kind of knowledge exchange not only makes for a stimulating conversation, (but) it also works to the benefit of cinema. I will not only be celebrating box-office wins and awards, but also reflecting on the failures of projects one was passionate about and negative press which can dent your confidence as a filmmaker momentarily but can never keep you down.”

Also Read: IIFA 2023: Kamal Haasan, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh and Manish Malhotra to be honoured

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Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif to join Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan starrer Pathaan Vs Tiger; shoot to commence in January 2024

In January this year, we saw Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan share screen space in the film Pathaan. Reprising their roles of Pathaan and Tiger the two were an instant rage with the audience seeming to want more. This demand for the two-mega stars to feature in a full-fledged film together led to the announcement of the venture Pathaan Vs Tiger. While we are eagerly awaiting the release of this film, Bollywood Hungama has continued to bring you the latest updates. Well, now we hear that the makers of the film are looking to commence work on the project in January 2024.

Revealing details of what to expect from Pathaan Vs Tiger a well-placed industry source exclusively tells Bollywood Hungama, “Everything is locked for Pathaan Vs Tiger. In fact, the makers are looking to commence work in January next year, with Siddharth Anand directing the venture.” Further detailing the cast, he adds, “Joining Shah Rukh Khan and Salman will be their co-stars from Pathaan and Tiger, viz. Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif. The two will be playing the same characters from the previous films.”

While the cast is certainly intriguing, the title of the film Pathaan Vs Tiger has raised a number of questions, one among them being whether the venture will see SRK and Salman going head-to-head. However, the source puts such rumours to rest saying, “Though the title is Pathaan Vs Tiger the film will not be based on a rivalry between the two spies. Instead, the film will feature one common villain that the two actors will be pitted against. In fact, Siddharth plans on getting an equally big star name to play the arch-villain to them.”

Currently, with the film shoot expected to commence in January, huge action set pieces are being designed and conceptualized. Apparently prep work for the same has already started. In the interim, Salman Khan on the work front will wrap Shershaah director Vishnu Vardhan’s next film with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, while Shah Rukh Khan will finish work on Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan blaze the screen in YRF’s Pathaan x Tiger theme video, watch

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Ajay Devgn starrer Bholaa heads to Prime Video for digital premiere

Prime Video today announced the global streaming premiere of the Hindi action-adventure film, Bholaa. Directed by Ajay Devgn, and jointly produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms, Reliance Entertainment, T-Series, and Dream Warrior Pictures, the film features Devgn in the titular role, alongside Tabu and Amala Paul in pivotal roles.

Bholaa, a former convict, is released after 10 years of imprisonment and wants to reunite with his daughter, whom he hasn't seen for years. However, this is abruptly halted when he becomes unwittingly involved in a well-coordinated drug-bust. As events unfold, Bholaa is forced to confront his past and make difficult decisions while pushing through obstacles lurking at every corner.

Audiences across the world can now watch Bholaa on Prime Video, starting today. Bholaa is the Hindi remake of the Tamil blockbuster Kaithi. The film released in 2019 which was an action thriller directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film was headlined by Karthi alongside Narain and Dheena. It is produced by S. R. Prakashbabu and S. R. Prabhu under the banner Dream Warrior Pictures and co-produced by Tiruppur Vivek under the banner Vivekananda Pictures. ALSO READ: Ajay Devgn’s NY Cinemas to launch its first-ever cinema in Guwahati

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No intimate scenes between Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan in Citadel

And we thought we were in the 21st century! The brouhaha over the supposed intimate scenes between Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dawan in Raj-DK’s Citadel, seems to be a case of much ado about nothing.

A source close to the project wonders what the fuss is about. “Where are these reports of onscreen intimacy between Sam and Varun coming from? Just because Priyanka Chopra and her co-star had lovemaking scenes in the international Citadel? But the Indian Citadel is completely different from its international counterpart! It is a completely different project. Sam is definitely not playing PeeCee’s character. Why would Sam mimic Priyanka’s behaviour?”

Having cleared the air on that rumour let us for a moment ask a larger question. Why is so much fuss made about physical intimacy on screen in the entertainment media? While world cinema has moved ahead to embrace sex and nudity as an integral part of storytelling, sections of Indian media are still counting the number of kisses exchanged between the lead pair and bikini shots of the heroine.

Also Read: BREAKING: Karan Johar to direct Tiger Shroff and Varun Dhawan in an action driven project

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Onir's Pine Cone to open South Asia's largest queer Film Festival, Kashish Film Festival

Kashish Film Festival, the largest queer film festival in South Asia, will witness the world premiere of Pine Cone, directed by the filmmaker Onir, which will be the opening film for this year's festival. Pine Cone is a celebration of love within the LGBTQ community and is a story that is a powerful advocate for their true representation in cinema.

Directed by Onir, an openly gay filmmaker who has consistently pushed boundaries and strived for authentic portrayal of queer experiences, Pine Cone promises to be a heartfelt exploration of love, relationships, and self-discovery. Onir has a proven track record of creating iconic films that shed light on the LGBTQ community's challenges and triumphs, making him an invaluable voice in the industry.

Pine Cone showcases three stories told from the lens of the life of the lead character Sid Mehra, as he navigates relationships in his quest for love. What sets this film apart is its unique narrative structure, with the stories unfolding in reverse chronological order, spanning the years 2019, 2009, and 1999.

Speaking of it, Onir said, "Pine Cone ... is a very special film to me as the process started when the Ministry of Defence did not approve one of my scripts that was inspired by a real story. So we started working on this story in 2021 so that we continue telling our stories and overcome resistance to our identity. Pine Cone comes from memories of love, loss, deceit and forgiveness. Forgiving the world, that special person and oneself and celebrating the beauty of our journey... the rainbow journey”.

The screening of Pine Cone at the Kashish Film Festival will take place on the opening day of the festival on 7th June 2023. ALSO READ: Onir wraps up My Melbourne project with his film based on the subject of sexuality

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Adipurush: Prabhas starrer second song 'Ram Siya Ram' to release on May 29 in 5 languages

The team of Adipurush Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and others along with the media fraternity is set to orchestrate a launch of the second song from the film, titled "Ram Siya Ram," across a myriad of platforms on 29th May 2023 in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

The song is sung and composed by the musical duo Sachet-Parampara, with lyrics by Manoj Muntashir. From movie channels, and music channels, to general entertainment channels (GECs), radio station spanning over 70+ markets across India, national news channels, outdoor billboards, music streaming platforms, ticketing partners, movie theatres, video streaming platforms and all major social media platforms, to screen the song real-time at 12 noon on May 29 reverberating far and wide.

Adipurush, directed by Om Raut, is produced by T- Series, Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar, and Rajesh Nair from Retrophiles. The film will be released globally on 16th June 2023. ALSO READ: Team Adipurush launches full version of the track ‘Jai Shri Ram’; watch 

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Movie Review: The Little Mermaid (English) THE LITTLE MERMAID has its share of lovely moments but suffers due to its length

THE LITTLE MERMAID is an unusual love story between a mermaid princess and a human prince. Ariel (Halle Bailey) is a mermaid and one of the seven daughters of King Triton (Javier Bardem). She is quite fascinated by the human world and human beings and wants to know more about them. She keeps collecting souvenirs from shipwrecks, as part of her interest in the human world. Triton detests this behaviour. He feels that humans are evil and that they are responsible for the death of his wife and Ariel's mother. Ariel, however, continues with her obsession. One day, she gets close to the ship of Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). She overhears his talk with Prime Minister Grimsby (Art Malik) and realizes that he's a kind and compassionate man. The ship gets trapped in a storm and Ariel saves Eric's life. She sings a song while trying to revive Eric. Eric, in a half-unconscious state, sees a brief glimpse of her. Ariel runs away as Eric's crew comes running to save the Prince. After Eric recovers, he tells his officials to find the girl who saved him. Queen Selina (Noma Dumezweni), however, bars him from stepping outside the castle. Ariel, meanwhile, is longing to meet Eric again. This is when she meets Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), Ariel's aunt who has been banished for her nefarious activities. Ursula promises to turn Ariel into a human being. But her terms and conditions are quite risky. Ariel accepts it, nevertheless. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Hans Christian Andersen and David Magee's story is fascinating and classic. David Magee's screenplay is a mixed bag. While some scenes are cute, the impact of several scenes is limited. The dialogues are well worded.

Rob Marshall's direction is okay. He has handled the scale and grandeur well. Some scenes are executed deftly like Ariel saving the prince, Ariel and Eric exploring the island, the song 'Kiss The Girl' etc. The scenes involving the bird and crab are sure to raise laughs.

On the flipside, the impact is heavily diluted due to the long length (135 minutes). The animated version had a runtime of just 83 minutes and was quite fast-paced. The live-action film, meanwhile, drags. A few scenes also seem clichéd and give a been-there-done-that feeling. Moreover, the villain is too loud and doesn't come out well, the way it did in the animated version of THE LITTLE MERMAID.

Speaking of performances, Halle Bailey gives her best and makes the film watchable. She hardly has any dialogues in the second half and she beautifully communicates through her eyes and expressions. Jonah Hauer-King is dashing and is apt for the part. Javier Bardem is fair. Melissa McCarthy hams. Art Malik and Noma Dumezweni do well. Daveed Diggs (as the voice of Sebastian, the crab), Awkwafina (voice of Scuttle, the gannet), Jacob Tremblay (voice of Flounder, the tropical fish) do a good job with their voiceovers.

Alan Menken's music is entertaining and adds to the narrative. The ones that leave a mark are 'Under The Sea', 'Kiss The Girl' and the two versions of 'Part Of Your World'. Alan Menken's background music is cinematic. Dion Beebe's cinematography is spectacular. John Myhre's production design is rich but looks a bit animated and away from reality in some scenes. VFX matches global standards. Colleen Atwood’s costumes are appealing. Wyatt Smith's editing could have been sharper.

On the whole, THE LITTLE MERMAID has its share of lovely moments but suffers due to its long length, weak villain track and clichéd narrative. At the box office, it will appeal mainly to a section of the kids.

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