Rajiv Thakur, the popular comedian, is currently enjoying the success of his recently released web series 'IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack'. Rajiv has been gaining the audience's love for his portrayal of the chief, one of the five terrorists involved in the longest hijacking in the history of India. In an exclusive chat with Midday.com, Rajiv was asked if he remembers reading about the news of the real hijacking or if he has any memory of it. To our surprise, Rajiv shared information that will shock you. The actor revealed that he had seen the hijacking with his own eyes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mid-day (@middayindia) Rajiv Thakur on witnessing the real IC 814 hijacking: Yes, you read it right. Rajiv Thakur hails from Amritsar and was in college when the real hijackers took the IC 814 flight to the city. Rajiv recalled being asked to rush home and remembered seeing commandos taking over the situation. In conversation with us, he revealed, "I have seen it myself; I am from Amritsar, and we were in college. We were rehearsing for the youth festival, and back then, there were no mobile phones. I studied at Khalsa College, which was very close to the airport." He continued, "Suddenly, we noticed that a plane was flying unusually low. I mean, the flight was flying much lower than necessary, and we were thinking that the plane looked very big. While pondering over this, we went outside for tea, and by the time we returned, everyone was shouting, 'Run, run, anything can happen here!' In the meantime, we saw commandos arriving, and someone informed us that the flight had been hijacked. That memory is still etched in my mind." Recalling how he rushed home to share the information with his parents, Rajiv stated, "Within about 30 minutes, I reached home and told everyone that the flight had been hijacked. The family said it had been taken to Pakistan." Rajiv Thakur says his childhood was spent amid terrorism: Being from Amritsar, Rajiv not only witnessed the real hijacking of IC 814 but was also at home when the 1984 riots were happening. Reflecting on how his childhood was spent amid terrorism, he stated, "I am from Amritsar, so my entire childhood was spent amid terrorism. The events of '84 happened right in front of our eyes." While sharing one terrifying memory from the riots, Rajiv stated, "One of the core memories in my mind is when I was on the roof. It was the day of Maha Shivratri, and there was an explosion about 4-5 kilometers away from my house, and the sound was so loud. Later, we found out that a blast had occurred in a Shiva temple. That time was terrifying." About actor and comedian Rajiv Thakur: Rajiv first made everyone laugh in 2008 when he appeared as a contestant on 'Comedy Circus'. Since then, he has appeared in many small and big roles, including an important role in SAB TV's show 'Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo'. He has always been associated with Kapil Sharma, from playing various roles on 'The Kapil Sharma Show' to playing the flight attendant at Kap's Cafe in 'The Great Indian Kapil Show'. While he is known for playing characters that make people laugh, this time he has proved that, as an actor, he has a lot to offer. About Anubhav Sinha's web series IC 814: Featuring Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Arvind Swamy, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Dia Mirza, Amrita Puri, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Aditya Srivastava, Kanwaljit Singh, and Patralekhaa in lead roles, the show is based on a real-life incident.
30 October,2024 11:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Shachi ChaturvediIn her second stint with audio shows after Adulting, Yashaswini Dayama feels her voice-acting experience in Audible’s Marvel series Wastelanders: Doom has given her new insight and helped her grow as an actor. The series is set 30 years after a battle where supervillains triumphed, leaving many superheroes dead. Dayama voices the character of Valeria Richards, daughter of Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic) and goddaughter of Doctor Doom in the 10-episode show. “Her superpower is immortality, but unfortunately, that’s not a power you easily discover. She lost her family and has lived in guilt for 30 years. Despite this, whenever she learns about any super weapon that once belonged to a hero or villain, she collects it to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands,” explains Dayama. Valeria dedicates herself to the cause, which leads to an inevitable confrontation with her godfather. With every Marvel comic spinning a new universe, Dayama admits her research didn’t extend far beyond the script. “I read up a bit and listened to the English version as well. The script provided enough material to understand the character as the story progressed. Whenever I needed to fill in the blanks, I’d just quickly Google the relevance or relationship. I didn’t try to find a lot of details outside of that,” she says. From watching Marvel movies in English to voicing a character in Hindi posed a unique challenge for Dayama. She initially had doubts about how the established universe would sound in Hindi, but those reservations quickly vanished. “I’d seen some funny translations, and I’d grown up watching cartoons in Hindi, and they felt real and powerful. Words like ‘pitra dev’ and ‘sangraksharam’ may sound strange, but they still carried weight in context. What really helps is the honesty and commitment with which the actors performed their parts. We’re used to hearing these stories in English, and Hindi feels a bit clunky at first. But if you can justify it to yourself, you can sell it to others who are listening,” she shares. Dayama also found inspiration in the banter between Saif Ali Khan and Vrajesh Hirjee, who play Star Lord and Rocket, respectively. The technical demands of audio acting were another learning curve for the actor. Although she primarily recorded alone, Dayama emphasises the importance of fully immersing herself in each scene. “To make it sound authentic, you have to get into it. When I needed to pant, I’d run on the spot. I even made hand jabs. Your heart rate does increase, and it gets exhausting,” she confesses, admitting that action scenes were the most challenging to voice. “I couldn’t record more than two episodes a day.”
10 September,2024 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam AbrahamMusic is deeply ingrained in Skand Thakur, who was a DJ in his 20s. It feels serendipitous that his first show as the lead, Khalbali Records, is set in the music industry. Also featuring Ram Kapoor, Prabh Deep, and Saloni Batra, the Jio Cinema series explores the cut-throat world of music labels, through a father-son story. After playing pivotal roles in Article 370, Yours Cupidly (2019), and Feels Like Ishq (2021), Thakur discusses the pressure of playing the protagonist for the first time and why he will always be in survival mode in the industry. Edited excerpts from the interview. As the protagonist, did you feel the pressure of shouldering the show?[As the] lead, I used to feel a lot of nervousness on set. I used to tell Devanshu [Singh, director] that I’m feeling the pressure as everything is on me right now, but he is such a wonderful person. We had a lot of conversations. There is pressure as it’s such a big show. But I am confident because we have cumulatively done a good job, given our heart and soul to this show. A still from Khalbali Records With so much at stake, have you mentally prepared yourself in case the hard work doesn’t pay off?At least I won’t regret that I didn’t try. If I had half-assed my way through the show, I wouldn’t feel that way. We have put in an honest day’s work every day. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t, but I’ll be proud of the fact that we collectively did everything we could. If it doesn’t work, maybe I’ll [reflect on] what went wrong and what I could’ve done better, but I’ll definitely not have any regret. Do you feel you’re always in survival mode as an actor in this industry?I think the survival mode or the [feeling] that you have to keep proving yourself is something that will linger around for a long time, at least for those who are not from the industry. We always have to prove ourselves, no matter if it’s a one-minute role or the lead. We want to do a fantastic job, get noticed, and do it again because that’s how we’ll get more work. I hope [that mode] always stays in me because I know there is no one sitting around to give me another chance. I don’t have anyone backing me. I have to do a great job and prove myself. I’ll never slack off, but I’ll still be in survival mode. As prep, did you study about all that goes into the music business?Fortunately, Azadi Records—the people who have given music for the show—came on board four months before we started shooting. I was shadowing Azadi Records’ CEO, Mo Joshi. I spent a lot of time with him during his live shows with Uday Kapur and Prabh Deep. We would reach the venue three to four hours prior to see what the artiste needs. Even while shooting, he was with his artistes making a new song, or trying to link up with new artistes and get a new song out. That gave me a little exposure to the music industry. In your time with Azadi Records, did you gauge the conflicts in the music industry?I had a few conversations about it with Prabh and Mo. I got to know the challenges that singers and rappers face. For instance, sometimes they’ve made a song, but it’s not being loved as much. Or the beats produced by producers don’t get approved by the song’s owner. There is a lot of competition as well because we have so much talent when it comes to writers, composers, rappers, and singers. So, conflict is bound to be there. With multiple artistes coming together, there is bound to be love and hate. You have to navigate the contractual process carefully because you might just feel that you’re stuck with someone for five or 10 years, depending on how big the contract is. Azadi Records is exactly what Khalbali aspires to be—unfiltered and uncensored. How is the music in the show?Music is the main character in our show. There are roughly 23 original songs in the show, which will be released as an album soon. We have about 30 to 35 artistes who have given music, including Prabh, and J Trix. Amit [Trivedi] sir has given seven songs for this. Azadi Records has given the rest. We also have Rekha Bhardwaj-ji, Nikhita Gandhi, and Anu Malik-ji [featuring] in the show. It will be a treat for everyone who is into music.
10 September,2024 07:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam AbrahamThere seems no end to the troubles for IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack and its streaming platform Netflix. According to a report by Bar and Bench, ANI sues Netflix and makers of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack for alleged infringement of copyright and trademark. ANI says the show uses its footages showing the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, General Parvez Musharraf and terrorist Masood Azhar without licence." According to Reuters, the news agency has demanded that four episodes from the show be taken down as they used ANI content without license. Following this Delhi HC issued notice to Netflix and the show's other producers. The matter was briefly heard by Justice Mini Pushkarna and ordered the production houses associated with the show- Matchbox Shots, Benaras Mediaworks, and Netflix- to file their replies to ANI’s plea for interim relief within two days. The matter will be heard on Friday. What did ANI say? According to the plea filed by ANI at the Delhi HC, the show which is currently streaming on Netflix makes use of video content that belongs to the news agency. Some of the footages used on the show include the scenes with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, General Parvez Musharraf, and terrorists Masood and others. The visuals, ANI claims was used without proper licensing. As per Bar and Bench, Advocate Siddhant Kumar who appeared for the news agency argued that they do not want to be associated with a show which exonerates Pakistan of its role in the plane hijack and which is now being termed as a public relations exercise for the Pakistani spy agency ISI. The advocate further revealed that the show's producer did approach ANI with request to use their footage in the year 2021 but there was no agreement between the two sides. He also said one of the footages shows the logo of ANI which amounts to infringement of trademark. “This show is only controversial but anti-national and unpatriotic in the eyes of the public. I do not want to be associated with them… Four out of the six episodes use my footages extensively. I engaged a cameraperson in Pakistan who possibly has the only shot of Masood Azhar being released in Pakistan,” Kumar stressed.
09 September,2024 01:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIf the multiple glimpses (and the show’s title) are testimony, Ananya Panday-led Call Me Bae should be centred on the character of, well... Bae. Our conversations with the top brass of composers have revealed that a show heavily dependent on its lead character is sonically benefited when a single composer is tasked with weaving the musical narrative around her. Evidently then, our first question to music supervisor Azeem Dayani revolves around the wide array of artistes he has chosen for the Prime Video series. Azeem Dayani “The integral aspect of [this show] is that as you watch it, you’ll notice that the character grows too. You will see many shades to her, and notice the tone [change],” says Dayani, adding that while they initially intended to feature five songs alone, they found ample pockets to give more artistes the chance to get their foot in the door. “The character traces a nice emotional journey. There are [lively] songs, but there are also numbers that are minimalistic. We were looking for [definite] sounds at several points [in the show], so we reached out to artistes who could precisely deliver the sounds we were seeking. I’m glad that we had the liberty to introduce so many people into the industry.” In keeping with the format of a web show, Dayani promises that the songs serve to take the narrative ahead. “At the same time, we were certain that we wanted them to [also appeal to a listener] who is hearing them while he or she is not watching the show. I continue to write and learn at the same time. When I meet young musicians, I learn new sounds. Often, I wonder why I couldn’t write them before. Then, there are calls that only I can take because I understand the show better. This includes the choice of words that may [enhance the project].” Dayani points to the multiple “flavours and characters” that define the series when asserting that there wasn’t the need to craft the music around Panday’s personality. He, however, admits that when a song perfectly, albeit coincidentally, suits an actor’s persona, it is always a welcome development. “Vekh soniya is one such track. We definitely imagined Ananya [while hearing it]. It has a ‘Gen Z vibe’.” Today in music September 9, 2006: A crowd gathered to cheer 50 Cent and jeer the police after he was pulled over in his open-topped Lamborghini for unsafe driving in New York
09 September,2024 07:16 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia LullaOn screen, Bhuvan Bam’s Vasya will be seen locking horns with Jaaved Jaaferi’s character in the second season of Taaza Khabar. Off screen, it’s a whole different story. Working alongside Jaaferi is a cherished experience for the YouTube star-turned-actor. Bam says that growing up, he admired the senior actor-host’s versatility and humour. “I’ve always looked up to Jaaved sir. Watching him bring characters to life with such ease and charisma was a huge part of my childhood. He was India’s original content creator. Long before the digital age [ushered in], he made us laugh, think, and kept us entertained in ways that only he could,” he says. Jaaved Jaaferi plays the villain Throughout his career, Jaaferi had a way of connecting with different sets of viewers—if the older generation tuned into Channel V’s Flashback, the youth swore by the dance reality show, Boogie Woogie. Bam’s connection with him runs deeper. Jaaferi was the original voice of the Indian version of Takeshi’s Castle, a staple for many in their growing-up years. Recently, Bam took on the mantle and voiced the reboot. Now, collaborating with Jaaferi on the Disney+ Hotstar series feels “surreal” to Bam. The actor says, “Sharing the screen with someone I’ve admired for so long is surreal. Jaaved sir brings so much depth and intensity to his role. He brings a fierce energy to the role of Yusuf Akhtar that elevates the series. Watching him transform into this powerful antagonist was incredible, and pushed me to bring my best to Vasya’s character.”
09 September,2024 07:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuBollywood actress Ananya Panday shared a photo dump from the behind-the-scenes moment from “Call Me Bae” and even shared some details about how she actually ate aloo in "in real life". Ananya revealed that her character Bae has a scarf hidden in almost every look she wears and that she actually ate ‘aloo’ and her co-star Gurfateh Singh Pirzada chose not to as she shared a picture of the vada pav. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ananya 🌙 (@ananyapanday) After sharing a string of pictures from the sets of “Call Me Bae,” Ananya shared anecdotes in the caption. She wrote: “Some #CallMeBAE moments (binge now on @primevideoin ) 1. GUTS if you haven’t seen the show yet, 2. & 3. bae’s face before and after you see the show, 4. Bae has a scarf hidden in almost every look she wears!! How many can you spot? 5. First shot of the shoot! Right before I tripped and fell over all the LV bags” The actress shared a picture with her co-star Muskkaan Jaferi, who plays the role of her best friend Saira, a picture of the vada pav, which itself has an significant role in the show and a picture of her mother Bhavna Panday on the sets. She captioned: “6. My Muskiiiii Sairu #BehenCode 7. Cute shoes, 8. Aloooo squishy which actually I had had in real life and @gurfatehpirzada (Neel) never had! 9. She’s cute! Even when she sleeps 10. Cryyyying 11. Mama came to TRP set.” “Call Me Bae” revolves around the story of Bae, who upon being downsized from heiress to hustler, discovers that her most valuable assets aren’t her diamonds, but her street smarts and style. Broke but refusing to be broken, she navigates the newsrooms of Mumbai, finding beaus, behens, and her better self. The eight-part series stars Ananya in the lead role, and features an ensemble cast including Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur. The show is a Dharmatic Entertainment production, with Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra as executive producers. The series is created by Ishita Moitra, and directed by Collin D’Cunha.
08 September,2024 08:31 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAnanya Panday's debut web series 'Call Me Bae' is now out of Prime Video. The show backed by Dharma Productions and created by Ishita Moitra has been receiving largely positive reviews. The show which is being termed as fun tells the story of Bella Chowdhary akak 'Bae' who gets disowned by her family after her husband catches her cheating on him. She moves to Mumbai from Delhi hoping to start from scratch away from the shame back home. In the process, she discovers a middle-class lifestyle and gets a cultural shock as she moves cities. While her character reminded people of Kareena Kapoor's Poo, turns out that's where the story began. Call Me Bae started as spin-off of Poo Ishita Moitra who is the creator of the show shared images from the first draft of the show that she wrote. The show was titled 'Poo' with the subheading as 'When life gives you lemons-Just Poo it' . The draft mentions the genre as comedy with eight episodes of 20 minutes each. The draft also included a picture of Kareena Kapoor as her iconic character Poo from 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'. In the second slide, the scene where Bae meets celebrity channel anchor Siddharth Sen for the first time is penned. While the scene was retained on the show, the script had Bae as Poo. Moitra also shared the part where Bae realised for the first time that she has officially become middle class. In the first script, Poo talks about getting disowned financially by the Raichands. Now, if you remember in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Amitabh Bachchan's family were the 'Raichands'. His wife was played by Jaya Bachchan and they had two kids played by Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. While SRK gets married to Kajol, towards the end of the movie we see Poo getting married to Rohan (Hrithik Roshan). So going by the first draft, it is clear that the show began as a spin-off of Poo. Sharing the draft, Ishita wrote, "Thanks to @somenmishra I took a deep dive down memory wali gulley. Here’s how it began. How it went and where we are at. Thank you God ki best log milte rahe aur karvaan badhta raha.Her pain is her couture, it’s her Gucci and her Dior.Who’s that girl, you can watch her slay.Who’s that girl - you can call her Bae. ❤️❤️❤️Overwhelmed with all the love. Deep gratitude to all of you and you, dear audience" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ishita Moitra (@_ishita_moitra_) The missing Mumbai struggle in Call Me Bae The script also details Poo getting a new job, new friends in the hostel and also her struggles of taking the local train to commute from one end of the city to another for work. Now that is a classic Mumbai struggle. However, that part was missing in the life of Bae.
08 September,2024 02:47 PM IST | MumbaiExcitement is mounting for the highly anticipated series, The Penguin, which is set to premiere on September 20, 2024, on JioCinema Premium in India. Fans are eagerly counting down the days to immerse themselves in the dark, gritty world of Gotham's infamous crime lord, Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin. Colin Farrell's transformation into Oz Cobb, first revealed in 2021, has already generated significant buzz online. As the premiere date approaches, the anticipation only grows. In light of this, let’s explore which Indian actors could be perfect for the iconic role of The Penguin. Vijay Sethupathi Vijay Sethupathi would be a great choice to play Oz Cobb, also known as the Penguin. He's known for his ability to portray complex characters and has a talent for blending both good and bad traits in his roles. Sethupathi's strong screen presence and his skill in showing the human side of even the most villainous characters would make his take on the Penguin unique and compelling. He could bring a new depth to the role, making the character both menacing and relatable. Jaideep Ahlawat Imagine Jaideep Ahlawat stepping into the shoes of Oz Cobb, the notorious Penguin of Gotham. Ahlawat’s ability to bring intensity and depth to his characters makes him an ideal fit for this iconic role. With his knack for portraying complex, layered villains, he could infuse the Penguin with a unique blend of menace and charisma. Ahlawat’s powerful screen presence and distinctive style would add a new dimension to the character, making him both formidable and fascinating. In his hands, the Penguin could become a figure that’s not just feared, but deeply respected in the dark world of Gotham. Anurag Kashyap Anurag Kashyap as Oz Cobb, the Penguin, and it’s easy to see how his unique style could bring something entirely new to the character. Known for his gritty, raw storytelling and unconventional approach to filmmaking, Kashyap could translate that same energy into his portrayal of Gotham’s infamous crime lord. His experience in crafting complex, morally ambiguous characters would allow him to dive deep into the Penguin’s psyche, bringing out a darker, more intense version of the villain. With Kashyap's sharp instincts and bold presence, the Penguin could become a figure of both fear and fascination, adding layers of complexity to Gotham’s underworld. Manoj Pahwa Manoj Pahwa as Oz Cobb, the Penguin, would be an unexpected yet intriguing choice. Known for his versatility and ability to slip seamlessly into any role, Pahwa could bring a fresh and unique perspective to Gotham’s iconic crime lord. His talent for portraying both humour and menace could add an interesting twist to the character, making the Penguin both cunning and relatable. Pahwa’s strong presence and expressive acting would allow him to explore the deeper layers of the Penguin, turning him into a figure who is not just feared but also understood. His portrayal could bring a surprising blend of charm and ruthlessness to the dark world of Gotham. Mahesh Manjrekar Mahesh Manjrekar would be an excellent choice to play the Penguin. Known for his powerful acting and intense roles, Manjrekar could bring a strong presence to Gotham’s infamous crime lord. His experience with complex characters means he could dive deep into the Penguin’s dark side while still showing his cleverness and charm. Starting 20th September, tune into JioCinema Premium to watch the much anticipated ‘The Penguin’ in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali.
08 September,2024 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHow many roles can you serve in a project? Three, if you’re Lisa Mishra. Call Me Bae marks her debut not only as an actor, but also as a composer. Not to mention, the singer has also lent her voice to two songs in the Ananya Panday-fronted series. Yaara tere bin, which released this week and has been composed by Ruuh and Joh, saw her go behind the mic. “Call Me Bae is a dream project for me, not just because it marks my acting debut, but also because I got to sing for it. It’s rare to find such an opportunity where you can showcase both your passions. I’m grateful to the makers for believing in my talent and allowing me to be a part of this journey,” says Mishra. Ananya Panday leads the series What makes the track all the more important for her is that she has also served as a composer on its reprised version, reimagining it in her own way. “This is my debut as a composer,” beams the singer, who had first caught netizens’ attention with her cover version of Tareefan in 2019. The Prime Video series, which has Panday’s character journeying from an heiress to hustler, sees Mishra portray a TV news producer.
07 September,2024 06:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuThe highly anticipated show Call Me Bae premiered today, September 6, on Amazon Prime Video, and it has exceeded expectations. The creators have included nods to real-life people and events, adding a meta twist to show. Ananya Panday's 'Call Me Bae' has THIS Ambani family reference Five years ago, a video of the Ambani family wishing Shloka Ambani on her birthday grabbed attention. In the video, her husband Akash Ambani winked while hinting that he wanted to start a family with her. This funny moment is also featured in the show, and Agastya's wink is sure to get a laugh from the audience. That's not all—there are mentions of places like Lakshadweep, Maldives, and the Khan Market Gang, all packed into the very first episode, which sets the tone right away. These humorous references and jabs keep popping up throughout the rest of the series as well. About Ananya Panday's Call Me Bae series debut Ananya Panday is making her web series debut with a new show called 'Call Me Bae', where she plays an extremely rich young woman whose life turns upside down when she is disowned by her family. The trailer of the new show, which also stars Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur, was unveiled today. It is a Dharmatic Entertainment production with Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra as executive producers. With the super glamorous setting and the mannerisms of Ananya, the trailer will remind you of Sonam Kapoor from Aisha. After all, who doesn't love watching a wealthy character lose everything and be forced to work for a living? It's a tried-and-true storyline that’s captivated audiences for ages—think Caroline Channing from 2 Broke Girls or Schitt's Creek. But Call Me Bae adds a unique twist. There’s no shady business manager or tax evasion involved. The downfall of 'Bae' (played by Ananya Panday) stems from something far more personal: her loneliness, which leads to infidelity in her marriage to one of India's top business families. When her affair is exposed, she’s not only cast out by her in-laws but abandoned by her own family. Thus begins Bae's “struggle.”
06 September,2024 05:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
