Showing posts with label Saudi Arabia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saudi Arabia. Show all posts
Maatribhumi delay leaves theatres without annual Salman Khan boost on Eid; focus now on 7 Dogs
10:13 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 24, 2026)
The uncertainty around ‘Maatrubhumi’ is beginning to frustrate exhibitors across Mumbai. According to trade insiders, the Salman Khan-starrer was expected to capitalize on the Eid holiday corridor before delays pushed its release further down the calendar.
“Everybody internally assumed Eid was the target,” says a source familiar with the discussions. “But once the film missed the window, people realized the timeline may not be straightforward anymore, given the lack of clearances.”
At Mumbai’s iconic Gaiety Galaxy, the absence has been particularly noticeable. Khan’s Eid releases have historically transformed the theatre into a carnival, with fans thronging early morning shows. “There’s a certain fanfare that only a Salman opening brings,” an insider adds.
Ironically, the immediate excitement for fans now comes from Khan’s cameo in ‘7 Dogs’. The film is set to release across Middle Eastern territories, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, on May 27, while Indian distribution talks continue. mid-day had earlier reported on Khan joining the project during a shoot in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla. (Arabian tales for Salman- Feb 20).
“People are desperate to see Salman on the big screen again, so there is genuine interest, but it might not release on Eid,” says an insider. “Early reports suggest Salman has a 21-minute role and big action sequences.”
‘7 Dogs’, directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, stars Egyptian actors Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz alongside Monica Bellucci. Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt appear in extended special appearances.
I didn’t want to use my famous surname for work-Shehzad Shaikh
11:11 AM
Jaspreet Nijher (BOMBAY TIMES; May 9, 2026)
Actor Shehzad, popularly known by his surname Shaikh, is in fact a Babi by lineage. Yesteryears’ star Parveen Babi is his step-grandmother—a detail he calls “incidental” rather than defining, insisting his journey is shaped by persistence, not privilege. “I am a nepo kid, but that’s not how I wanted to be known,” says the actor, currently shooting for Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan in Chandigarh, in a conversation with us. Excerpts:
You started in hospitality, and then you moved into acting. How did that transition happen?
I grew up in Saudi Arabia and moved to India for higher studies, graduating in hospitality with a top-paying job. Though I always wanted to act, coming from a family of lawyers, I never expressed it openly. After a stint at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, I moved to Gujarat to start an energy-saving business, but it shut down. I then worked as a stockbroker until the market crash, followed by a brief stint as cabin crew when the airline also shut down—forcing me to rethink my path.
Amid all this, when did you get into acting?
My neighbour, actor Nawab Shah, once challenged me to prove my interest in acting by giving me a contact number. I took it seriously, dressed in a suit, introduced myself as offering “acting services,” and began auditioning. Eventually, I got a call from a casting director to play lead in an episodic in Savdhaan India. I started from the bottom — no contacts, no connections and did episodic like Savdhaan India, Adaalat, Gumrah, and similar formats.
I got my first big break with the Qubool Hai. After that, I did a film which was a great learning experience, but I ended up spending two years on that project, which slowed my career. That’s when I realized that films and web series weren’t always viable from a business perspective for me at that stage. So, I decided to return to TV and came back with Bepannaah, followed by Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
Around the same time, Vikram Bhatt cast me in a web series Anamika, with Sunny Leone. He offered me another film, 1920: Horrors Of The Heart, but my first producer, Gul Khan felt I was ready for a full-fledged lead role on TV. I respected that, apologized to Vikram sir, and quit the film shoot to do Sindoor Ki Keemat as lead.
After that, I did Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali, which also performed very well, especially in North India. Then last year, I experimented with a limited-series format—Zyada Mat Udd.
No one quits films for TV, but you did...
See, I realized early that television is my bread and butter. It gives you daily visibility, you enter people’s homes every night, which no other medium offers at this scale. By doing films, my visibility is once or twice a year. But through TV, I am in your homes every day, you can’t ignore me (laughs).
Sadia Khateeb says she is safe in Saudi Arabia: "My duas are for the world"
10:28 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 8, 2026)
Actor Sadia Khateeb is among the celebrities currently in the Middle East amid ongoing global tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. She was in Saudi Arabia with her family when air travel in parts of the region was disrupted.
Sharing an update, she tells us, “I am here and completely safe with my family. Amid what’s happening around the world, prayers are all that I can do. My duas are for the world. May everyone be safe.”
Despite the tensions, the 28-year-old is focused on marking a spiritual milestone: her first Umrah (pilgrimage to the Ka’aba in Makkah). “This year, Eid will be in Medina with my family, and I can’t wait to experience that with them, we are happy and safely placed at the moment,” she says.
For now, Sadia says she is fully immersed in the holy month of Ramzan with her family. “This comes after two physically demanding years... During promotions of The Diplomat (2025), I had to occasionally break my (Ramzan) fasts during interviews. This year, I’m sharing iftar with my mother,” she ends.
When films miss the Gulf market, how much does it impact?
8:17 AM
From Border 2 to Dhurandhar and The Diplomat, films remain unreleased across key Gulf markets — a pattern trade can’t ignore. We speak to experts to understand how it impacts business
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 30, 2026)
Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, may be flying high at the Indian box office, but the war drama will not release across key Gulf markets including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While no official reason has been issued, industry insiders point to the film’s India-Pakistan war backdrop and strong military narrative as the likely factor behind the decision, a pattern seen with several recent titles in the region.
Why the Gulf matters
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region remains a crucial overseas market for Hindi cinema, often contributing 3-5% of a big film’s global business. Trade figures suggest a well-performing Hindi film can earn between Rs. 30 crore and Rs. 50 crore from the region.
Film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi explains: “For a film like Border 2, expectations are massive, so the loss is felt. At the same time, exhibitors in the Gulf also lose out by not being able to screen big titles. For Indian films, 3-5% of business going away is still a large number.”
Border 2 isn’t the first high-profile Hindi film to face resistance in the Gulf. Last year, Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar did not release in the region despite a strong global run. Earlier, The Diplomat, starring John Abraham, and Fighter, led by Hrithik Roshan, faced similar roadblocks, though Fighter was later cleared for release in the UAE.
Trade reactions
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh believes the impact varies by film: “A Shah Rukh Khan film would mean something very different in the Gulf compared to others. In Dhurandhar’s case, which has already done well without a Gulf release, the loss could be Rs. 20-40 crore. For Border 2, it’s early to judge, but business in other territories could compensate.”
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, president of the Indian Film and TV Directors’ Association, has called for diplomatic clarity. “We are told India shares strong relations with the UAE. If a film talks about fighting terrorism, why should it be blocked?” he asks.
There was absolutely no confidence from the partners involved in The Diplomat-John Abraham
10:01 AM
Actor-producer John Abraham on the film’s box-office performance despite the lack of promotions and buzz
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 8, 2025)
John Abraham’s latest film The Diplomat may have released last month with barely a whisper, but it is quietly building momentum. Despite minimal pre-release buzz, the film has seen a steady rise in audience interest, with more shows being added across theatres.
“No one knew when The Diplomat released. There was absolutely no confidence from the partners involved in the film. I want to thank my critics and my audience for keeping it alive. The audience always finds the good films,” says the actor who also produced the film.
He takes pride in the fact that it didn’t depend on “nationalistic jingoism”, calling it a conscious decision. “We walked a thin line... Ritesh (Shah, screenwriter) wrote a banger of a script, but I also give credit to my director Shivam (Nair)... Shivam and I discussed very categorically that this cannot be a jingoism film,” the 52-year-old shares, adding, “Apne aap ko ooncha dikhane ke liye kisi aur ko neecha dikhane ki zarurat nahin hai. We’ve seen too many of them in the recent past.”
Leaning away from formulaic success, this is John’s second outing playing a secondary character to a female lead after Vedaa (2024). “It comes out of security,” he says, elaborating, “You have to be secure as an actor, and you need to know what your intention is. Do you want to keep playing a glorified lead, or do you want to tell a good story? You have to be a carrier of a good story, which is something that we must reinvent in our industry.”
On the ban in Middle East
The film has been banned in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. Shocked at this outcome, the actor opines, “People are very myopic in their vision. We have in no way demeaned anybody. We didn’t cheat anybody or sell our souls for the film. This is not an anti-Pakistan film. If anything, we’ve showed that the judiciary in Pakistan is honest.”
Salman Khan films last-minute post-credit song for Sikandar
8:27 AM
Back from the Saudi Arabia shoot, Salman Khan films a post-credits song, which is a last-minute addition to Sikandar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 26, 2025)
There is no breather for Salman Khan, who recently completed filming his portions for an international film in Saudi Arabia. We have heard that the superstar returned to the bay on February 24, only to face the camera again yesterday for Sikandar. While A R Murugadoss’ actioner is near the finish line, the makers decided to include a post-credits song at the last minute. The team is currently shooting the foot-tapping number at Royal Gold Studios in Film City, Goregaon.
A source close to the production reveals, “The song was a last-minute addition, but Salman and producer Sajid Nadiadwala felt it would be a great way to catch the audience’s attention. It is being shot on a lavish scale and will be an integral part of the promotional blitzkrieg.”
If things go as planned, the unit will wrap up this track over the next week. With that, Murugadoss will call a wrap on Sikandar—starring Rashmika Mandanna as the leading lady—on March 8, slightly later than the initial plan. While the team was to shoot for two days in Rajkot, those portions have already been canned in Mumbai.
An insider from the film’s crew shares, “Songs have usually played a big role in Salman’s films, be it Jumme Ki Raat or Swag Se Swagat. This track is expected to have a high recall value.”
The action spectacle is being readied to hit the screen around March 28 as an Eid offering.
Salman Khan wraps cameo shoot for Arab film titled The Seven Dogs
9:03 AM
Salman Khan wraps up his cameo in the Arab film, titled The Seven Dogs; thriller helmed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah of Bad Boys: Ride Or Die fame
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 20, 2025)
Earlier this week, mid-day was the first to report that Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt were set to shoot cameos in an upcoming big-budget international film (Hollywood brings Bollywood’s forces together, Feb 17). Now, we have dug out further details of the project that is being filmed in Saudi Arabia. Sources tell us that the thriller is titled The Seven Dogs, and features Egyptian actors Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz in the lead.
Director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, known for the summer blockbuster Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024), are helming the film. While details of Dutt and Khan’s roles remain under wraps, the latter began filming his portions from February 17. A video of his shoot leaked online. A source tells us, “Salman shot some sequences set in a villain’s den, near a market in Riyadh. He wrapped up his sequences on Wednesday and headed out to Dubai for the launch of his nephew Ayaan Agnihotri’s single.”
Khan’s presence in The Seven Dogs is not surprising, considering Turki Al-Sheikh, a friend of the superstar, has written the thriller. One of the key figures in Saudi Arabia’s entertainment industry, Sheikh is also overseeing the project that is touted as one of the most expensive Arabic-language productions to date.
Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt to feature in cameos in big-budget Hollywood thriller
9:52 AM
Sources say superstars Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt to feature in cameos in an American thriller; three-day shoot kicks off in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla today
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 17, 2025)
When you unite Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt on screen, you’re bound to catch the audience’s attention—from Saajan (1991) to Chal Mere Bhai (2000), from Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002) to the multiple cameos in each other’s films. Throw Hollywood into the mix, and it immediately becomes a much-anticipated project. That’s exactly why our ears perked up when we heard about the two superstars’ latest reunion.
mid-day has learnt that Khan and Dutt have flown to Saudi Arabia to shoot their cameos for a big-budget Hollywood thriller. Filming will begin today and go on till February 19 at the newly launched AlUla Studios, a state-of-the-art film production facility that was recently launched in Saudi Arabia.
While the makers are tight-lipped about the movie in question, sources tell us it is an American thriller that will have Khan and Dutt featuring in pivotal sequences.
A source reveals, “Salman and Sanjay are wildly popular not only in Bollywood, but also in the Middle East. Their scenes are being specially designed to make an impact and cater to a global audience. It will be a three-day shoot. Salman’s team flew in on Sunday morning to Riyadh.”
AlUla, known for its desert landscape and ancient architecture, has been increasingly attracting major Hollywood productions, including Gerard Butler’s spy thriller Kandahar (2023). The insider adds, “The details will be released at a later stage as the talents and their teams are currently bound by NDA.”
When I first laid my eyes on the Kaaba, mera rona hi nahin ruk raha tha-Aly Goni
9:29 AM
Navya Kharbanda (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 22, 2024)
Actor Aly Goni recently performed Umrah in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) to mark the holy month of Ramadan. Expressing gratitude derived from the pilgrimage, he shares, “Even last year, I went for Umrah during Ramadan. That was my first visit. Maine neeyat maangi thi ki main har saal aa paaun. Iss saal bulaava tha so I went again. Obviously, it’s more special to perform Umrah during Ramadan. The prophet said that if you do Umrah during this holy month, it’s like doing Hajj.”
For Goni, the pilgrimage was not just a religious duty, but also a transformative experience. “It’s a totally different experience, har insaan nahin jaa paata hai wahan par. Since childhood, everyone dreams of going there. But you realise the importance of it once you grow up. When a person goes there, they get a reality check and there is a power that makes you feel good,” the 33-year-old says.
He continues, “When I first laid my eyes on the Kaaba [last year], mera rona hi nahin ruk raha tha and iss saal bhi similar feeling thi. Aisa lag hi nahin raha tha ki main second time aa raha hoon. I felt the same excitement. I am planning to go again next year with my mum and dad, inshallah.”
I think when I was born, I came out on ‘Lights, camera, action’-Alia Bhatt
8:14 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (January 22, 2024)
Alia Bhatt recently graced the Joy Awards held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she was bestowed with the Honorary Entertainment Makers Award. In her acceptance speech, the actor shared her deep affection for cinema and expressed gratitude towards the organizers for bringing diverse talents together.
After receiving her trophy, Alia said, “It’s a privilege to be here in this nation, the nation that is currently doing so much to unite us all and bring us all under one roof in the name of cinema. It doesn’t happen very often when countless talents from the West, and East come together under one roof and celebrate each other. So, thank you for making this happen.”
She added, “It’s truly an extraordinary night. I’m obsessed with movies, it’s all I know. I’ve said this before, I think when I was born, I came out on ‘Lights, camera, action’. That’s how much cinema means to me. One of the things, if we are talking about joy, one of the greatest things in our lives is love. So tonight when I go back home, I take back with me the love of the movies and the love that I felt here in Riyadh.”
Bollywood cinema does escapism best-Freida Pinto
8:11 AM
John Bleasdale (VARIETY; December 3, 2023)
Freida Pinto took a break from her jury duties at the Red Sea Film Festival to talk to Variety about her career and her hopes for the future.
The Indian actor shot to world fame for her starring role in Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) and remains committed to the breadth of cinema. “I’ve always looked at cinema globally,” she tells Variety. “After ‘Slumdog,’ I could have easily played all the Indian roles, the girlfriends and sidekicks, or just gone and done something only in India.”
Instead, she sought out challenging roles, often playing non-Indian characters such as Iranian or Arab women, for example a Palestinian girl in “Miral,” a choice that she recognizes is now controversial.
“I know it’s not okay these days, because the world has opened up and there’s so much talent,” Pinto says. “But — and I don’t mean this in a pompous way — with a film like ‘Miral,’ where I’m playing a Palestinian girl and it’s such a controversial subject matter, they needed someone then who could put butts on seats. I now see that’s why they chose me, but at the time I thought: I can see myself as x, y and z, and I feel that in me too. The way I think now is not the way I thought back then, at all. But those films opened doors and made people more aware of a whole region, which has so much talent and so many stories that are not being told frequently enough. I wouldn’t do it now, but I’m very proud of what I did then.”
Having had a large part to do with placing Bollywood in the mainstream of Western culture, how does it feel to be in Saudi Arabia where Bollywood stars are greeted with such adulation?
“Bollywood is all over the region. The Middle East and Northern Africa. I believe it’s also huge in Japan. When I was filming in Israel and Palestine, I remember going into the old city of Jerusalem, and they were literally selling DVDs of old Bollywood movies and they would say “Hind,” which means Indian in Arabic. They would ask me, even though I was in character, if I knew all the old Bollywood actors, which obviously I said no.”
So what’s the appeal?
“I think what really works is the escapism, which is something Bollywood cinema does best. I love what we do in the Western world as well, but there’s something magical about Bollywood and it’s always about family, love and culture, and it’s immediately relatable for the Middle East. Coming together, respect for your elders, all of that is represented in Indian Cinema and although Saudi Arabia and India are different countries, there’s no disconnect, when it comes to that. The Western world and their beliefs are more nuclear than the extended family.”
This global perspective also is dictating Pinto’s own future both as an actor and a producer.
“The opportunities are changing now. We’re celebrating ‘Minari’ and ‘Parasite’ at the Oscars. You’re in a bubble if you think Hollywood is the only thing. There’s Asian cinema that isn’t tapped into or explored, and they’re all doing really well in their own countries as well as elsewhere. I don’t want to be just doing Hollywood and working with the filmmakers who we hear about over and over again. That’s why I would love to work with Nadine Labaki. I loved her first film ‘Caramel’ and I’ve been hoping an opportunity would come and now with my own production company I can create that opportunity for myself if I wanted to.”
2024 looks to be a big year with a slew of projects potentially coming to fruition, including roles in Season 2 of Apple TV+ show “Surface” and a film adaptation of Onjali Q. Rauf’s “The Boy at the Back of the Class.” As a producer, she has four projects near “the finishing line,” including a Deepa Mehta film.
“It’s all coming together,” she says.
Right now, I’m clueless. We’re trying to make it work, says Ali Fazal on wedding with Richa Chadha
7:59 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 26, 2021)
Actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal were set to tie the knot in April 2020 but their plans had to be put on hold due to the pandemic. After recent reports that they have chosen March 2022 for their wedding, with only family and close friends in attendance and functions in Delhi and Mumbai, we reached out to Fazal for details.
“We’ve been dying to do this (get married). Earlier, there was the lockdown, then the second wave… hence, the delay. Moreover, when things opened up, both of us had to wrap up pending shoots, so there was no time,” Fazal says.
The actor, who is shooting in Saudi Arabia for the Hollywood project Kandahar, will be there till January end. Pointing out that he’s often asked about his wedding date, he adds, “As for March 2022... maybe. But right now, I’m clueless. We’re trying to make it work.”
The couple met on the sets of their film Fukrey (2013), and in December 2019, Fazal proposed to Chadha on her birthday while on vacation in the Maldives.
Ali Fazal bags Hollywood film Kandahar, co-starring Gerard Butler
7:58 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 4, 2021)
Actor Ali Fazal is all set to take his next flight to Hollywood with Kandahar, co-starring actor Gerard Butler. And the Indian talent promises lots of action and drama in his next international outing.
The film is being helmed by Ric Roman Waugh, known for bringing alive varied stories on the big screen through projects such as Felon (2008), Angel Has Fallen (2019), Greenland (2020) and the upcoming film National Champions. They will start shooting in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s quite a pleasant outing after the pandemic. Also as actors, we are always looking to better ourselves with every passing prospect. I continue to find new spaces,” an excited Fazal tells us from Saudi Arabia.
The screenplay of the project is written by Mitchell LaFortune, who is looking deep into his own experiences as a military intelligence officer in Afghanistan at the time of the Edward Snowden leaks.
Opening up about the project, the 35-year-old says, “It has been a lot of prep work for me for the last one month and studying all the material Ric and Mitch have given me to work with. Ric is a visionary in all senses”.
The film captures the story of an undercover CIA operative, stuck deep in a hostile territory in Afghanistan, and his escape.
Fazal, who has made a name for himself in the international market with projects such as Victoria & Abdul (2017) and Death On The Nile, says the script is spectacular. “I am humbled to be sharing my notes with the very best in the field. It’s a whole lot of action and drama,” adds the actor, who can’t reveal much about the project at the moment, but promises it to come packed with lots of thrills.
Overseas markets gradually come to life
8:25 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
There seems to be some light for Hindi films in the Overseas market now.
The markets in the Far East have been doing well but they hardly matter
for our films. There have been cinemas open in North America for some
months now with limited business but finally cinemas in New York are set
to open on the 5th March.
These theatres have been shut for around one year and have finally got permission
to open with 25% occupancy from 5th March onwards. The hope is that
cinemas in Los Angeles will follow suit. New York and LA are the hubs for cinema
business in USA and are very crucial not just for Hollywood cinema but
even for Hindi cinema these as two places form a huge bulk of the
business.
United Kingdom will also cinemas to open from 17th May and it could be
with 100% occupancy allowed but if that is not the case, then 100% will be allowed from 21st June. The opening of cinemas in UK will
not be in time for Eid which along with Xmas is the best period for
Hindi films in United Kingdom but it will allow the Eid releases to get a
theatrical release in UK.
The other two main markets (Gulf and Australia) for Hindi films have had
cinemas open for some time. Australia seems to being doing very well
going by the business of some Hollywood releases while the markets open
in Gulf are generally lackluster though MASTER (Tamil) scored very well
in UAE and Saudi Arabia. If SOORYAVANSHI keeps its early April release
date and cinemas open in LA, then it could see a healthy release in North
America and it will only be missing UK and some smaller circuits.
Poet-songwriter Rozam brings Hollywood & Bollywood together for a Vikram Bhatt horror film
3:38 PM
BOMBAY TIMES (January 13, 2021)
Rozam is the pen name of the poet and songwriter Turki Al-Sheikh from Saudi Arabia. A big fan of Indian music and movies, some time ago he hosted an award ceremony that felicitated Shah Rukh Khan and has also collaborated with AR Rahman for a track.
Talking about the project, which will be mounted on a big scale, Vikram Bhatt says, “Turki Al-Sheikh and I bonded over our love for horror thrillers, and so, we decided to work together to make the best one to date. While Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes will be consulting on the screenplay based on a story written by Turki Al-Sheikh, I will be directing it. We plan to shoot a big portion of the film in Saudi Arabia. I am particularly excited to explore the virgin location of AlUla.”
Screenwriters Carey and Chad Hayes, who are consultants on the film, say, “After the success of The Conjuring, we have been given many opportunities to work with the best filmmakers and creative executives that Hollywood has to offer. We are very excited to expand globally with Rozam and Vikram Bhatt, two incredibly creative and talented individuals who strive to make great, scary movies with heart and soul, which parallels our own mandate. Filmmaking is a collaborative process, and to work with the best is an honour. We are excited about The Cello, as it not only “plays” up to everything we love about these type of movies, but also promises a mind-blowing story with scares that will chill even the bravest to the bone.”
Made under the banner of Rozam, The Cello is slated to release later this year.
Celebrate 25 years of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge by visiting a cinema near you
8:11 AM
To mark its 25th anniversary, Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to have a worldwide release again
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 22, 2020)
A film that shaped romance and pop culture in India — Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) — written and directed by then debutant Aditya Chopra, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, shattered all box office records and is one of the biggest all-time blockbusters in the history of Hindi cinema. It is also the longest-running Hindi film. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, DDLJ is now being re-released across the world.
"DDLJ made people fall in love and has constantly won hearts whenever it has been screened across the world. On its 25th anniversary, we are re-releasing the film so that audiences can celebrate this cult classic on the big screen as we are planning the re-release in several key diaspora and non-diaspora global markets," informed Nelson DSouza, Yash Raj Films, associate vice president-International distribution.
The 1995 film will be re-released across Germany, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, USA, UK, Canada, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Estonia and Finland on October 30. "The film, which was made at a budget of Rs 4 crore, emerged as a blockbuster in 1995 collecting about Rs 89 crore in India and Rs 13.50 crore in the overseas markets. In today's inflation adjusted value, DDLJ's collection stands at a staggering Rs 455 crore in India and Rs 69 crore in overseas territories, taking the total worldwide collections to a phenomenal Rs 524 crore," informs a trade source.
Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea's release postponed at Gulf exhibitor's behest
8:12 AM
Another biggie falls prey to coronavirus as makers of Mohanlal and Suniel Shetty starrer, Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea), defer release at Gulf exhibitor's behest
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 14, 2020)
It was exactly a week ago that South megastar Mohanlal released the trailer of the epic war film — Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Marakkar - The Lion Of Arabian Sea), sealing a March 26 date with the audience. However, considering the coronavirus outbreak in India, the Mohanlal and Suniel Shetty starrer has become the latest big-ticket project to defer its release. While the shutdown of theatres in Mumbai, Kerala and Delhi forced the decision, filmmaker Priyadarshan says the makers did a rethink at the behest of the exhibitors in the Gulf, particularly those across Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It would be fair to assume that returns from the overseas market would be crucial to the success of the war film, which is reportedly mounted on Rs 100 crore budget and has been dubbed in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi."Theatres in Kerala will remain shut till March 31, so effectively there would have been no cinema halls to screen the movie, had we released the film on March 26. So, we decided to defer it. Moreover, another major territory for us is the Gulf region. The exhibitors there and some of our overseas distributors requested us to not release it now," says the director, pointing out that cinemas in the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have been closed until further notice. He adds that Malayalam movies have takers in Malaysia too. "They have shut down cinema halls there too."
While the team hadn't begun their promotions, a grand premiere in Dubai on March 24 was on the cards. "We have cancelled that. Nor are we doing any media events or promotions." Quiz him on the new release date, and Priyadarshan says the team is adopting a wait-and-watch strategy. "We will see how things work out this week and decide."
Sonam Kapoor draws flak for defending event in Saudi Arabia where women were molested
8:03 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (December 24, 2019)
Sonam Kapoor has invited major international flak from a leading fashion Instagram handle, Diet Prada, for showing the world what privilege looks like.
Diet Prada (with a follower count of almost two million) had called out various celebrities and influencers who attended the MDL Beast Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ignoring the country’s human rights violations. Quoting a United Nations report that called Saudi Arabia “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis”, Diet Prada barefaced celebrities by saying they were “cashing big fat checks in exchange for #content creation (also known as propaganda) to rehabilitate the image of Saudi Arabia, a country said to be causing ‘the world’s worst humanitarian crisis’, according to the United Nations. According to anonymous sources, six-figure sums were paid for attendance and geo-tagged posts.”
The ‘guest list’ included actors Armie Hammer (who hailed the event as a “cultural shift”, equating it with “Woodstock in the 1960s”), Ryan Phillipe, Ed Westwick, supermodels Winnie Harlow and Alessandra Ambrioso, and social media stars Sophia Richie and Scott Disick.
Sonam decided to jump into the embers by sharing Diet Prada’s post, saying, “Let’s just agree to disagree. Let’s appreciate that the whole world is a shithole right now and any positive step forward is something that I want to celebrate. I was treated with immense respect and love as a hindu brown female actor (sic).”
Diet Prada replied by tagging her in several posts showing videos of molestation of women at the festival and their online complaints, each one sharing their horror stories of being groped and having their underwear ripped off their bodies.
“@sonamkapoor, here is a brown girl at MDLBeast who wasn’t’ 'treated with immense respect' as you were in the VIP section,” Diet Prada wrote.
Mirror reached out to Sonam and her team, but they remained unavailable for comment.
In August, US A-listers including Barack Obama and Leonardo DiCaprio assembled in Italy to discuss climate change. However, the gigantic carbon footprint of the attendees, who reportedly descended in 114 private jets, grabbed more headlines than the causes they were to speak about.
Earlier, in July, rapper-songwriter Nicki Minaj cancelled her Saudi Arabia concert following backlash from human rights activists. Incidentally, it is in the largest sovereign country in Western Asia, where the ever-growing list of tone-deaf celeb-dom is being updated.
Every country needs to do more for equality-Jacqueline Fernandez
8:03 AM
Pooja Sharma (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 14, 2019)
Women empowerment is a cause close to Jacqueline Fernandez’s heart. In her previous interview with HT, the actor shared how she would like to see women across the world take gender prejudice head on. Jacqueline has now become one of the faces of the women’s liberation movement in Saudi Arabia. She features in an advertisement at KSA airport. Jacqueline says that it’s important for nations to promote equality for their people. She is also gung ho about her upcoming work on the digital platform. Excerpts:
You are the first Bollywood actor to become one of the faces of women’s liberation movement in Saudi Arabia. In what ways has the country progressed?
I don’t consider myself to be the face of women’s liberation movement in Saudi Arabia. There are many great women who I think are more deserving of that title. It’s an honour to have my picture at KSA airport! Saudi Arabia has progressed in many ways in recent times. It’s important for countries to retain their cultural identity, but I do think Saudi Arabia is consciously moving towards greater freedom for all its citizens. In the times of economic and technological advancement, every country could do more to promote equality for their people.
Have you also received film offers or dance show offers in Saudi Arabia?
I was invited to perform in Saudi Arabia as a part of the Da-Bangg The Tour. I would love to bring the show to this remarkable country.
With two of your upcoming movies releasing on an OTT platform, do you want to focus on the digital medium now?
I love the digital platform. It has such exceptional content to offer. It’s more accessible for people and I think everyone should have access to art and entertainment. I will always love films, so it would be great to maintain a balance between both the mediums.
Are you ready to go for a non-glamorous look for a role or even physical transformation?
It would depend on the role. I am not against doing something gritty and less glamorous. If it’s the right opportunity, I would absolutely consider doing something different and unexpected.
Would you, at any point, also want to do a sports centric movie? Do you also follow any sport?
The achievements of sportswomen are under-recognised. I would love to celebrate them on screen. I grew up in Bahrain where Formula 1 racing is huge. I have a soft spot for it. However, I love all things athletic and have a lot of respect for professional athletes.
Salman Khan to take Da-Bangg The Tour to Africa, Indonesia, Fiji Islands and Malaysia
7:41 AM
As Bharat earns praise in overseas markets, Salman Khan takes Dabangg tour to new territories
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 13, 2019)
Banking on the success of his last Da-Bangg The Tour Reloaded, and the subsequent acclaim that recent release Bharat continues to earn, Salman Khan is set to embark on a longer tour this year. With Ali Abbas Zafar's directorial venture performing well in East Africa, Indonesia, Fiji Islands and Malaysia, Khan will apparently enthral his new fan-base at these venues.
A source tells mid-day, "His fans in Africa and Fiji have been requesting that his shows be conducted there and Salman is keen to oblige them. The success of his previous gigs in the US, Canada and New Zealand implies more performances will be conducted. Apart from Salman, frequent collaborators Sonakshi Sinha, Jacqueline Fernandez, Katrina Kaif, Prabhudheva, Maniesh Paul, Daisy Shah and Guru Randhawa are expected to join him this year as well. There may be some new faces too."
Tour managers Sohail Khan Official Entertainment and JA Events are considering places like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, South Africa, Singapore, Nepal and Malaysia. "The team is also working on a Europe tour. Dates are being chalked around the shoot of Bigg Boss 13, which is hosted by Salman. The tours are expected to begin in August."
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