Ready to take her first Hollywood venture Wraith on floors, Kaminey co-producer Mubina Rattonsey on hoping to take India global
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 28, 2019)

It has been a fulfilling journey from the Sydenham college campus to the corridors of Hollywood for Mubina Rattonsey. The producer — who has backed eclectic films like Kaminey (2009), Before The Rains (2007) and Tahaan (2008), among others — is ready to kick off Wraith, the first production under her banner Zero Gravity. While she had launched the Los Angeles-based production house in 2016, she says — as with all good things — it has taken her a while to give shape to their maiden venture. "Armaan Zorace, a Cannes-nominated filmmaker, is attached to direct the horror film. Rohini Singh and Manmeet Singh will produce alongside me," says Rattonsey of the movie that is set in an Islamic nation and revolves around exorcism.

Quiz her about the challenges of breaking into Hollywood, and she says, "Here, you have to be an unabashed creative force to get a seat at any table. I wasn’t afraid to try. I built my independent production house to have something larger than myself. There is a lack of mainstream producers hailing from India. It is our endeavour to build powerful collaborations with strong filmmakers from India and across the globe. I want to include and showcase Indian talent in the projects that we’re setting up." Even as she takes her first project on floors, the producer has already begun the groundwork on her next — the superhero film, Gamma Man, and an epic war-drama in The Aryan Papers.

Given that she counts Priyanka Chopra Jonas amongst her closest friends, is there collaboration on the cards? "I would love to collaborate with incredible talents, like Priyanka and many others that have attempted to break barriers."

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; November 28, 2018)

Preparations for Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ grand shaadi are on in full swing at Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace. Their respective families will fly out tomorrow to the desert city. Says a source, “They have booked a chartered flight that will take them to Jodhpur. From there, they will be taken to the hotel in a chopper.” The mehendi and sangeet will be organised on Thursday at the same venue, where Nick will perform a few songs, including some of PC’s hit numbers. Like we had earlier told you, the couple will also recreate the first date they went to. On November 30, their rishtedaars will gather for the haldi ceremony, followed by a cocktail party the next evening. Earlier, the pre-wedding ceremonies were supposed to be held at the Mehrangarh Fort, but they were later shifted due to security concerns.

INDO-WESTERN WEDDINGS
Like Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, Nickyanka, too, will reportedly take their nuptial vows twice, in sync with each other’s traditions and customs. Both the weddings will be solemnised on December 2. “The Christian ceremony will happen first, after which Nickyanka will change their outfits and get ready for the Hindu nuptials. Their outfits are colour-coordinated,” adds the source.

The couple has booked the hotel till December 3, and will relax the next day before they fly to the capital. Though speculations have been rife that no one from Bollywood has been invited for the celebrations, we have learnt that PC’s besties — Srishti Behl Arya, Mubina Rattonsey and Arpita Khan Sharma, along with hubby Aayush Sharma will be present for the D-Day. Along with that, we hear, invites have been sent to the team of The Sky Is Pink, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif among others.

TWO RECEPTIONS
Following this, the duo will fly to New Delhi on December 3 where the Chopras have apparently organised a lavish reception for the family members at the Taj Palace Hotel the next day. A source states, “Priyanka and Nick have already chosen their outfits with the former opting for an Indian designer for the occasion.” Right after this, PC will fly back to Mumbai before zooming off to Sikkim with her mother on December 6 to attend a press conference for her regional production venture, Pahuna.

Another informer tells us, “The jodi will throw a big bash for the film fraternity and industry insiders in Mumbai, but they are yet to zero in on a particular date for the same. It’s likely to happen in the second week of December. The team is working out the logistics.”

Actress to take a break from work on November 25 for her Jodhpur nuptials with Nick Jonas; newlyweds to go on a brief vacation before she resumes shooting on December 17
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2018)

After a roka ceremony on August 18 in Mumbai in the presence of their respective parents, Priyanka Chopra and her American singer-songwriter fiancé Nick Jonas have been shuttling between Mumbai and New York to honour work commitments and spend quality time together.

And while preparations for their December nuptials in Jodhpur are presently underway, the 36-year-old actress kicked off pre-wedding celebrations with a bridal shower in New York, which was organised by her best friends, filmmaker Mubina Rattonsey and manager Anjula Acharia, on Sunday.

Held at a café in the Big Apple, the party went on till the early hours of Monday and was attended by PeeCee’s soon-to-be sister-in-law Danielle Jonas, actress-dancer-talk show host Kelly Ripa, actress Lupita Nyong’o, members of Priyanka’s staff and her friends from the city. “Mubina, along with Anjula, had planned this a while ago for her ‘troublesome twin’ and is looking forward to other celebrations lined up in the run-up to the big day. Priyanka is expected to return to Mumbai sometime this week as she is to start shooting for the third schedule of Shonali Bose’s The Sky Is Pink with Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim in Delhi,” informed a source close to Priyanka.

Over the weekend, PeeCee was also spotted dining with Nick’s mother, Denise Jonas, at a high-end restaurant. The matriarch documented the outing with a picture and captioned it with “So Blessed”.

The wedding which is reportedly to take place at the Mehrangarh Fort, will be a four-day affair beginning from November 29 to December 2, and will kick off with a sangeet ceremony. “Priyanka will be wearing a Ralph Lauren creation for one of her functions. While only close friends and relatives of the bride are invited to the private function, over 100 guests are expected to attend from the groom’s side, who will be introduced to Indian customs during the ceremony,” informed the source.

On the work front, Priyanka is scheduled to shoot for Shonali’s film till November 25. “So, she won’t have much time in-between to prepare for the wedding. She will be resuming work on the film on December 17 after she returns from a brief vacation after the wedding,” added the source.

DNA (April 27, 2016)

Sonakshi Sinha will not be able to be a part of Haseena, the biopic on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena. Says a source close to the actress, “Though she thinks it’s a fantastic script, the film has to be finished in one schedule of 45 days, which she is having problems scheduling. She feels there is no point in keeping anyone waiting so, after a lot of thought she felt it would be best for all if she excused herself from the film.” Director of Haseena Apoorva Lakhia says, “We couldn’t get bulk dates from her. We needed over 40 days from her for costume trials and other things. After John hurt himself in Force 2 her dates went haywire and Sonakshi and I were both feeling the pressure. It was a mutual decision we took and best for both parties concerned as it’s very important to make this film in a particular way and budget. Now, I have to first get the script back in my name. Earlier Mubina Rattonsey was producing the film. She left for USA so now I have to approach somebody else to produce the film.”

Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 20, 2015)


Prabhu says all four projects await the correct actors. “The scripts are being worked out. But finally it’s the actors. All the big stars — male and female are booked for months and years. I don’t know how to make the films that I am supposed with the cast that I want.” Prabhu has so far made only one film with a newcomer Girish Taurani in Ramaiyya Vastavaiya. That apart his big-ticket films need the A-list heroes. He is looking at the dates of Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan for his future projects.

Sonakshi Sinha talks about her upcoming role in the biopic on Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar’s life...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 9, 2015)


Excited about playing Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena in her biopic?
Yes, I am. It’s a powerful role, a great script and a story which will translate very well on screen. I am looking forward to getting into character for this one.

Were you, even at any point, sceptical about being a part of the film?
Initially, because of the sensitive subject. That’s when I went to my dad for advice and he said as an actor, this kind of a role is a rarity. He was the one who encouraged me to do it.

This would be your first biopic. Is there a particular strategy you are adopting to play Haseena on screen? Are you doing any kind of research?
A lot of research has been done by my director Apoorva Lakhia and producer Mubina Rattonsey. They have shown me a lot of material which will help me in understanding the character. I will have to meet her daughters at some point of time to gauge what kind of person she was and understand her nuances. I want to prepare well for this role.

Will we see you speaking in a certain way for the film?
Yes, I will have to get the language and accent right.

More and more roles for women are being written and played out. Agree?
Yes, I totally agree. It’s a great shift as audiences have become keen to see different kinds of films on screen.

You were part of multi-crore blockbusters and then you had critics raving about Lootera. Do you think your next few films, especially Akira and Haseena will notch up your credibility as an actress?
Nobody doubted my credibility as an actress even in the multi-crore films that I have done. If anything, they have always questioned my choice of role and I take that as a compliment because that is how much more they expect from me. After Akira, they will stop questioning that as well. I have reached that stage where I want to try out different things and challenge myself as an actor. It’s a very personal decision and it came from within, not because of any pressures from outside. This is my journey as an actor and I will take every step on my own terms and conditions.