BOLLYWOOD voice entertainment Friday, February 22, 2019 www.WeeklyVoice.com Section B Rima Das Film Gets Special Berlin Mention BERLIN: National Award- winning ilmmaker Rima Das’ Assamese feature ilm “Bulbul Can Sing” received a ‘Special Mention at the Berlin Interna- tional Film Festival 2019. The ilm was competing in Generation 14 Plus category at the festival. “I am extremely pleased and honoured to receive this impor- tant award as a special mention

from international jury Berlin Generation 14 plus at the Ber- lin International Film Festival 2019,” Das said in a statement. “Bulbul Can Sing”, which had its European premiere at the fest, is a visceral coming-of-age dra- ma about a teenage girl, Bulbul, living in a village in Assam, ight- ing her way through love and loss as she igures out who she really Smiriti ‘No’ To Mythological Shows is. Das got the mention on Friday. : Actress Smiriti Kalra said in a statement. “Itti Si Khushi” and “Dil Sambhal The third Assamese feature doesn’t enjoy watching mythological “The market is evolving and lot of Jaa Zara”. Talking about her work of writer-director-producer Das, shows, and says she is not keen interesting stufs are coming. The slate, she said: “I have always picked “Bulbul Can Sin” had its world on doing that either. “I don’t enjoy web platform is an adventurous up diferent projects in my career, premiere at the Toronto Inter- national Film Festival 2018, watching mythological shows as space to be in and I see myself irrespective of the fact whether it followed by the South Asian much as other shows. I am not keen acting in a web show soon,” said is a TV show or a short ilm. If I was premiere at the Busan Interna- on that. I am being considered for the actress. She has been a part of ofered a historical, I would love to tional Film Festival and Indian a few projects, but will talk about shows like “Suvreen Guggal - Topper play characters like Jhansi Ki Rani or premiere at the Jio MAMI 20th them when the time is right,” Smiriti of The Year”, “12/24 Karol Bagh”, Indira Gandhi. “ Mumbai Film Festival. My Public Image Hurt My Career: Neena Gupta Jeetendra And MUMBAI: National Award appreciation. Jaya Prada winning actress Neena Gupta Neena, 59, is the mother of says she got stereotyped and was fashion designer Masaba Gupta On TV Show offered only negative roles in the who is the lovechild of Neena and early days of her career due to her the iconic West Indian cricketer MUMBAI: Veteran actors public image and personal life. Vivian Richards. Jeetendra and Jaya Prada, who “I suffered as an actress be- “I had a child out of wedlock have acted together in over 20 cause of my public image. So I and that proved me as a strong ilms, will reunite on-screen, think it is important to maintain a headed woman which I am; but this time for a TV show. certain image in the public eye to back then, a strong woman can The stars will be special get roles in cinema,” the actress only play a vamp! So I ended up guests on “Super Dancer Chap- said in an interactive session with playing mostly negative roles in ter 3”. Contestants will be per- actor Rajit Kapur during Act Fest, ilms. forming on their popular songs here on Saturday night. “Girls, if you want to smoke, from the 1980s and 1990s. “The society has not changed do not smoke in public or do not “I am very excited to see even today and that is why I want be physically friendly to a male the talented kids of the dance to tell all the aspiring actresses friend also... all these are per- show,” Jaya said. Jeetendra especially -- do not be very can- ceived as a sign of strong, liber- said: “My grandson Laksshya is energetic and enthusiastic did at your professional space. I “Gandhi” in 1982, Neena acted in among many others. In recent ated, independent woman... that like these ‘Super Dancer’ -con really suffered,” she said. times, her performance in the might just offer you a certain type several ilms like “Jaane Bhi Do testants,” he added. Starting her career with the ilm Yaaro”, “Khalnayak”, “Mandi” ilm “Baadhai Ho” has got hugeof role,” she said. If Jhansi Ki Rani Can Dance Why Not Rani Padmavati?

By Subhash K. Jha “Ek toh Rani, opoopar se garbhbati ty. “This is our dance tribute to the brave off Deepika’s nose. (irstly a queen and above it, pregnant).Rajput women of Rajasthan. I heard how Says a source very close to the “Pad- Director Krish Jagarlamudi is done How can she be shown dancing in thatlittle children performing the Ghoomar maavat” team: “When we showed Deep- with the bickering with . unbecoming fashion? Krish was totally dance at a school in India were stopped. ika dancing in the Queen’s inner cham- “I’ve had my say. No more. If she wants against the idea. The song-and-dance was “I’d like to tell those disruptive ele- bers, we had to digitally cover Deepika’s to believe she directed all of ‘Manikarni- added on by Kangana after Krish left,” ments that you can’t stop something as midriff before the censor board allowed ka’, so be it. Everyone knows the truth,” the source says. beautiful and innocent as this from reach- the Ghoomar song. asserts Krish and vows to not get into any Signiicantly, when another Queen, ing out to the hearts of people across the “Now in ‘Manikarnika’, again about a more war of words with the ilm’s aggres- Padmavati in an epic ilm in January world.” Queen, Kangana’s Rani Laxmibai jumps sive leading lady and co-director. 2018, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaa- Bhansali’s heart swells with pride to off her seat and breaks into a street-side However, one major issue that needs to vat”, got up from her throne to take to the see Ghoomar reaching into the hearts and jig with the commoners. That was okay? be addressed is the singing and dancing dance loor with her ladies-in-waiting, all feet of American kids. Says the director: What is good enough for Rani Laxmbai is that the Queen of Jhansi is seen indulg- hell had broken loose. Deepika’s Rani “What better illustration of Prime Minster not beitting for Rani Padmavati? Please ing in with her subjects. In an elaborate Padmaavati was shown dancing to the Narendra Modiji’s Make In India policy? igure out that one.” song and dance sequence, Rani Laxmibai Ghoomar song in the most graceful and I feel our culture is so rich and varied. When pressed for a response, Krish embarrasses the hell out of her husband, queenly manner in a closed environment We’ve so much to give the West. Why notsaid: “I don’t know where the singing and the King of Jhansi (played by Jisshu Sen- with the women from her durbar. take our culture and art forms to the West dancing came from. It wasn’t there when gupta) by dancing with the people of their Bhansali said: “We wanted the Ghoomar rather than continuously borrow their I was directing ‘Manikarnika’.” state in a pregnant condition. song and dance to retain its purity since lifestyle and culture?” The question remains: Why was it not A source very close to the ilm says that this was being performed by Rani Pad- All hell had broken lose with fringe right for Rani Padmavati to dance when the song and dance during times of raging mavati. Every step and every move in the groups demanding that the song-and- everyone seems okay with the Rani Of battles was Kangana’s idea. dance form celebrates the grace of royal- dance be removed or else they would cut Jhansi shaking a leg, midriff forgotten?