Shahid goes Chameleon, again!

Shahid Kapoor, along with co-star Kangana Ranaut, director Vishal Bhardwaj and a braveheart unit, has just returned from a gruelling three-week schedule of Rangoon. 

The Casablanca-like love story is set during the Second World War, and producer Sajid Nadiadwala, managed a coup of sorts by getting permission to shoot in virgin locales of Arunachal Pradesh where the Indo-Burma border was recreated.

The crew was staying in a hotel in Rottung and while the locations are picture-perfect, the living conditions were at best spartan even for the stars. 

But neither of them complained, even though Kangana is playing a diva of the '40s. Even the nawab, Saif Ali Khan, who was down for a couple of days, soldiered through long drives to and between Pasighat, Rottung and Kibang, sometimes an eight nine-hour journey one way, and long treks through jungles.

Since the sun rises in the east, days dawned early and it was action from 4 am. But they also packed up early, around 4-5 pm, once the light faded. And as there wasn't much to do except for work, everyone would be in bed by 8 pm.

Shahid couldn't skip his workouts as he plays a soldier in the film and needed to be in peak physical condition for the action scenes. He's never been fitter.

Vishal Bharadwaj's Rangoon also marks Shahid's hatrick with the director who has already worked on 2 hit films previously! 

Rangoon is produced by filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala and features Shahid with Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut in lead roles. The film is all set to release on October 14, 2016.

'Chittiyan Kalaiyan' girl Jacqueline bonds with Kids of Panbai International School!

We all are aware of the huge destruction the incessant rains caused during the months of November and December, 2015 in Tamil Nadu. The rains led to losses of lives, assets, households and livelihood of the people.

While it is already out of the memory of most of the people, there are still a few who are putting in their best to help the affected victims rebuild their homes and restart their lives.

Jacqueline Fernandez is one of them, the actress has joined hands with an NGO, Habitat for Humanity, and they have in unison launched a Tamil Nadu Flood Relief Campaign 'Jacqueline Builds' . 

On the 9th of April Jacqueline will be manually building houses for the victims.

For this initiative funds are being raised to build  houses and to help the victims.

Jacqueline has been encouraging school kids to spread awareness for Jacqueline Builds. 

The actress visited Panbai International School in Mumbai on today to appreciate the commendable efforts of the students.

Jacqueline received a very warm welcome at the school with children addressing her with her famous song 'Chittiyan Kalaiyan' which is a huge rage amongst the youth.

The enthusiastic students and their families shared to feel for the cause and have lent their utmost support in helping victims rebuild their life. 

Jacqueline bonded with the children who were all smiles seeing the lovely actress. 

She interacted with the students, teachers and expressed her gratitude as well as to the parent community for encouraging the children to participate in such noble initiatives.

Jacqueline's team is leaving no stone unturned as they also largely feel towards the cause the actress is supporting. They are putting in their best to help the actress on her initiative.

The actresses entire team, her manager, her assistant, her hair and make up artist, her spot and her driver have lend their support to the cause by contributing as much possible in their capacity.

Chandrasekhar Reddy's Fireflies in the Abyss' selected at 2016 Hot Docs

Chandrasekhar Reddy's docu-feature 'Fireflies in the Abyss' is the only Indian docu-feature selected at the prestigious 2016 Hot Docs

~ The film about coal mining had it’s world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival and India premiere at the 14^th MIFF where it won two top awards~

Mumbai, March 25, 2016: The acclaimed Indian documentary feature, Chandrasekhar Reddy’s Fireflies in the Abyss will be featured in 2016 Hot Docs, Canadian International Documentary Festival, one of the most prestigious International documentary festivals, which will be held from April 28 – May 6, 2016.

The film is selected among 38 best features from across the world to be screened in the World Showcase section, marking its North American premiere at the festival.

Now in its 23^rd edition, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference and market that is held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Reddy’s feature captures the dream of an 11-year-old boy who fights his way out of life in the rat-hole coalmines, to put himself in school.

The film made its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival and made its India premiere at the 14^th Mumbai International Film Festival where it won two top awards - the Golden Conch award for Best Documentary Feature film and the Best Cinematography in the National Competition category.

Delighted with the selection at Hot Docs, Chandrasekhar says, “After the response and appreciation at the Busan and Mumbai fesivals, it is a great opportunity for the film to get a platform at HotDocs, which will help reach the North American audiences and market. The Toronto audiences are known to be hugely appreciative and I am really looking forward to present the film there. There is also a brilliant selection of films this year to watch, including Herzog's new film and am hoping to catch some of them."

Apart from Fireflies in the Abyss, the documentary short, Amdavad Ma Famous, directed by Hardik Mehta, is competing in the international shorts category.

Synopsis of Fireflies in the Abyss:

The ‘rat-hole’ mines in the Jaintia Hills of Northeast India, are hostile pits where men and boys risk their lives everyday to scratch coal out of hard rock. Burrowing into narrow tunnels, they are armed with nothing more than a pickaxe and a torch.

Each of them comes to the coalpit for different reasons. But once there, all of them are looking for a chance to breakout. Some are able to escape, most can’t. Even with the odds stacked against him, Suraj, an 11-year old boy, grapples his way out of this abyss to eventually put himself in school.

The film follows Suraj and several other miners whose lives intertwine with his, to reveal lives under extraordinary circumstances and the brutal choices they are forced to resolve at every turn of their lives

About the Chandrasekhar Reddy:

Chandrasekhar Reddy is an independent producer/director, having extensive experience in a variety of documentary formats –factual, developmental and environmental. Previous credits include films for National Geographic Asia, Discovery Asia, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Ministry of Tourism GoI, and BBC/OU, UK. His short‘Coalboy’ was part of the “Why Poverty’ series. ‘Fireflies in the Abyss’, is his debut feature length documentary.

Film's trailer link -  https://youtu.be/9bFMut61RFA