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Suchitra Sen was not a legend but a god: Mamata

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Stating that the word legend was not adequate to describe Bengali screen icon Suchitra Sen, who died Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday hailed her as a "god" and recalled how the star had spoken to her as a "near and dear one".

"It would be wrong to address her as a legend. She was a god," said Banerjee,while officially announcing Sen's death at the nursing home premises, in the morning.

Sen was 82. Her body was consigned to flames at the Keoratala crematorium here Friday afternoon. During her last rites the 'Mahanayika' (great actress) remained virtually invisible to the public.

She was honoured with a 21 gun salute by the state government, in accordance with Banerjee's wish.

Banerjee attended Sen's funeral.

"The passing away of 'Mahanayika' (great actress), I feel in world of cinema and in Bengali cinema is a big and sad news. Such a talent is born only once and there is no parallel. Today is extremely saddening for us. We have lost someone important today," said Banerjee.

The chief minister rushed to the nursing home soon after receiving the news from doctors and family members.

"During my second visit, she asked me, who was I to her? She had spoken to me like a near and dear one (aaponjon). She was conscious and could recognise her family members during her last days."

She observed, how she had "so astonishingly" kept herself away from the public for three decades, a departure from tradition.

Banerjee was a frequent visitor to Belle Vue Clinic where Sen was admitted. Having shunned public figures for over three decades, Sen made a rare exception for Banerjee during the last few days of her stay in the nursing home.

In 2012, the West Bengal government conferred its highest award "Banga Bibhushan" on Sen in absentia.

Sen, who had bewitched generations of filmbuffs with her grace and beauty, died following a massive cardiac arrest, a doctor said. She was under treatment for the last 26 days following serious respiratory problems.

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Honey Singh wants Sunny Leone to do a Cameron Diaz

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Singer-rapper Honey Singh, who teamed up with adult star Sunny Leone for the song "Chaar bottle vodka", wants the actress to perform action stunts in a film a la Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz.

Sunny has so far had two Bollywood releases - "Jism 2" and "Jackpot".

"I really want to see her in an action film, proper mainstream action film where we could see her doing action stunts like Cameron Diaz," the rapper told reporters here Wednesday.

"Chaar bottle vodka" will feature in the film "Ragini MMS 2", a horror-thriller 3D film directed by Bhushan Patel and produced by Ekta Kapoor. Set to release March 21, the film also stars Parvin Dabas and Sandhya Mridul.

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Riteish happy with response to promo of Marathi film 'Yellow'

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The first look of Riteish Deshmukh's next Marathi production venture "Yellow" is out and getting a good response.

The film deals with special kids (children with special needs and learning differences) and Riteish is happy that people, irrespective of the language, have accepted the promo with an open heart.

"It is a Marathi film. People, who don't even understand the language, have seen it with the subtitles and reacted positively. It's really great. I am really overwhelmed by the response. People are re-tweeting," the 35-year-old said at the Renault Star Guild Awards here.

"Yellow" has been directed by Mahesh Limaye and stars Upendra Limaye, Aishwaraya Narkar, Usha Nadkarni and Mrunal Kulkarni in pivotal roles.

Riteish hopes that the film will be equally appreciated when it is released.

"Actually we need to support such kind of films because they are special films. Hopefully, we will be out soon and hope audiences love it," Riteish said.

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SRK, Salman hug yet again

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Bollywood's warring Khans -- Shah Rukh and Salman -- put up a united front by hugging each other at an awards night, where the 'badshah' received the Entertainer of The Year honour.

The picture-perfect moment was captured at the 9th Renault Star Guild Awards here Thursday night.

Looking dapper in formal suits, both the Hindi film superstars, who are said to have been sharing a cold war since a long time, warmed up to each other in a rare moment, which comes soon after Rekha broke the ice with Jaya Bachchan at another awards event.

At the Star Guild Awards, Shah Rukh was handed over the trophy by his "Chennai Express" co-star Deepika Padukone, while Salman was the host for the event.

"It feels special to get this award in the company of Salman who is one of the greatest entertainers the country has seen," Shah Rukh said as he received the award, a source told IANS.

In fact, the moment SRK walked in at the venue to get seated, Salman acknowledged his presence with a "Hi, Shah Rukh". The "Dabangg" star even congratulated Shah Rukh for the success of "Chennai Express", which turned out to be one of the biggest grossers of 2013.

Salman even asked Shah Rukh to shout out "Jai Ho" as a gesture to promote his forthcoming film, which is releasing Jan 24. And the actor gave in willingly.

This is the second hug that the two Khans have shared since they shook hands and hugged at Congress leader Baba Siddique's annual Iftar party in July last year.

The actors had not been on amicable terms post a fight the two allegedly had at Salman's then girlfriend Katrina Kaif's party in 2008. But now all seems to be well.

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Siddharth Shukla signs three-film deal with Karan Johar

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Television actor Siddharth Shukla, popular as Shiv of TV show "Balika Vadhu", has signed a three-film deal with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.

Out of the three, the first one is "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" and Siddharth will be seen sharing screen space with Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt in the upcoming movie.

"Siddharth has been signed up for the film. He is a talented actor and a rage in 'Balika Vadhu'. Dharma Productions plans to continue its professional equation with him," Karan said in a statement.

Siddharth has been part of shows like "Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na", "Jaane Pehchaane Se Ye Ajnabbi" and "Love U Zindagi".

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'12 Years A Slave' to hit Indian screens Jan 31

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Oscar nominated drama “12 Years A Slave” is set for January-end release in India.

Distributed by PVR Pictures, the movie based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York, who is abducted and sold into slavery, will release Jan 31 in the country.

“‘12 Years A Slave’ is meaningful cinema and acting prowess at its best. The movie handles sensitive subjects of slavery and racial discrimination beautifully winning accolades at film festivals and award ceremonies,” Kamal Gianchandani, President, PVR Pictures, said in a statement.

Directed by Steve McQueen, the movie stars Chiwetel Ejifor, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano and Brad Pitt.

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Anushka starts shooting for 'NH10

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Anushka Sharma has started shooting for her maiden production venture "NH10" and the actress-producer is having mixed feelings about the project.

The actress, who is co-producing the film with production house Phantom, took to Twitter to share her feelings on the first day of the shoot.

"First day of shoot for 'NH10' today (Friday). Excited...nervous...send some love and your warm wishes please," Anushka posted on the microblogging site Friday.

The action thriller is directed by Navdeep Singh, known for his critically acclaimed directorial debut “Manorama Six Feet Under”, and revolves around a road trip that goes awry.

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SRK dedicates award to AbRam

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Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who loves to dedicate his awards to his children, just won an award and said it goes to his son AbRam.

The actor took to Twitter to share his happiness at receiving the award and also conveyed his gratitude to his company Red Chillies Entertainments for the VFX work that they did for superhero film "Krrish 3".

"Third award of the season. Finally, got one for AbRam. Age does come before beauty so he had to wait. Also VFX killing it second year in a row," he tweeted Friday.

At Star Guild Awards held Thursday, the superstar bagged the title of best entertainer of the year after winning best actor award in popular choice category at the recent Screen Awards for his film “Chennai Express”. He also won the Star Plus entertainer of the year at the Big Star Entertainment Awards held in December.

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Big B thrilled at youth liking 'Sholay 3D'

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Cult movie "Sholay" might have been made in 1975 but the recently released 3D version of the all time favourite is enjoyed by the youngsters. The positive response to the film has overwhelmed megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who features in the film.

The 71-year-old took to Twitter to express his gratitude to everyone who is enjoying the film.

"Been quite a revelation to find such positive reactions to 'Sholay 3D'...most of it coming from kids not even born when it was made," Amitabh posted on the microblogging site Friday.

Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film also starred Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini in the lead roles.

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Of kisses, whims and pleasant memories: Biographer recalls times with Suchitra

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"I can't give you a kiss so easily," actress Suchitra Sen, who died Friday, once told her biographer Gopal Krishna Roy, leaving him momentarily stunned.

But the "kiss" that the iconic actress spoke of, was not in a literal sense.

Roy, then a reporter with UNI, had approached Sen with a questionnaire on the issue of the kiss in Indian films, which had become a raging debate in the late 1970s.

"The issue was whether it was right to have kissing scenes in Indian films or not. The matter was fiercely debated in parliament also. So, I prepared a set of questions, and sent it to filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen and actors Uttam Kumar and Soumitra Chatterjee. I had given a set to Suchitra also.

"Everybody responded, but Sen. When I called her up after a few days, she said, 'I can't give you a kiss so easily'. I understood she won't reply. So I told her I will do the story without her answers. And I went ahead," Roy told IANS.

But the incident was a boon for Ray, as it started his long friendship with the most popular actress in Bengali films. The relationship continued even after Sen withdrew from public life, confining herself to a close circles of family members and a handful of friends.

"During the last three and half decades, very few people could meet her. There was a director, Dilip Mukherjee who often called on her. Mrinal Sen visited her once. But her doors were closed to most people," said Roy, now 80.

But she became very fond of Roy.

"She used to call me every day. She insisted I accompany her on her evening strolls that started from near her residence in Ballygunge Circular Road. I used to tell her "People will recognise you."

"But she said: "Are, let us go na?"

One evening, a gentleman did recognise Sen and sought her autograph.

"But he was carrying neither a paper, nor a pen. Suchitra took my pen. Then she picked up an empty cigarette packet and signed on it and returned it to the gentleman."

Sen was moody, and had her star-like whims aplenty.

"Till a few years back, she used to drop in often to the local tailor shop. She would spent hours there, chatting with the tailor and asking him about his family," recalled Roy.

On another Sunday morning, Roy received an "sos" from the actress to come to her residence.

"When I reached, she told me, "I badly need to check my weight right now. Let's go".

"We drove out. But the weight machine at a nursing home close to her residence was out of order. She then insisted that we go to Gariahat area about three kms away. But there the shops were closed. However, Suchitra said she won't return home without checking her weight. Finally, we travelled eight kms to near the Grand Hotel in Central Kolkata, where she finally found a weight machine," said Roy.

Sen then asked for 50 paise from Roy. "The job done, she was happy, and lost her interest in the outing. We immediately returned home."

On another occasion, Sen asked Roy to accompany her to Lover's Lane. "I told her I didn't know the place. She replied impishly: "What sort of a journalist are you, that you don't know where Lovers'Lane is?"

"When I went there, I saw her sitting happily with her two granddaughters Riya and Raima, her face covered with a veil. She was munching on ground nuts," he said.

Sen was a regular visitor to Roy's house, and would spent hours chatting with his mother in "Bangal" (East Bengal dialect). "She was also fond of my mother's culinary skills".

Roy felt that the magic of Sen lay in her beautiful smile.

"And you know, she never needed glycerine to cry on screen. Whenever she had to give such a shot, she would ask for a minute, close her eyes, and immediately tears used to flow."

Roy wrote two books on the actress.

"Suchitrar Katha" came out in 1998. It is now into its 12th edition, a testament to Sen's unsagging popularity and the fans' interest in the enigma.

The other book "Anya Ek Suchitra" was finished five years back.

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Sunny Leone credits husband for success

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From being an adult film actress to creating waves in Bollywood, Sunny Leone has come a long way in the past few years. The Indo-Canadian talent credits her husband Daniel Weber for her success.

The duo got married in 2011.

"I would have been nothing if Daniel wasn't by my side," Sunny said during the shooting of UTV Stars' show "Breakfast to Dinner".

She said that at first, “I wanted him to reject me, so I went late for my first date with Daniel."

But destiny had other plans for them.

Sunny said that she owes her husband, who is also her manager, as he stood beside her through thick and thin.

A known name in the world of pornography, Sunny made inroads into Indian entertainment when she participated in reality show "Bigg Boss 5". Her appearance on the show set the ball rolling for her as far as getting work in Bollywood was concerned.

Sunny, whose real name is Karen Malhotra, got her first break with 2012 film "Jism 2". Following that, she was seen in a special song in "Shootout at Wadala" and then a full-fledged role in "Jackpot".

She is looking forward to the release of "Ragini MMS 2" later this year and hopes that the Indian film fraternity and the audience accept her in different roles and take her seriously as a performer.

The episode of "Breakfast To Dinner", featuring Sunny will air Sunday.

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Hasina mourns death of Suchitra Sen

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Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday condoled the death of Bengali cinema icon Suchitra Sen whom she described as one of her "favourite actresses", state media reported.

Hasina said the 82-year-old Suchitra Sen, often termed the Greta Garbo of Bengali movies, was the actress she admired most, reported Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the country's national news agency.

"Bengali people have lost a distinctive figure of classical Bengali daughter, wife and caring mother at her death," Hasina said.

President Abdul Hamid, in a message of condolence, said the death of Suchitra Sen signalled the end of an era of Bengali cinema.

Suchitra Sen was also an asset of the country as her native home was in Pabna and she had millions of fans in Bangladesh, BSS quoted Hamid as saying.

"Suchitra Sen will remain an inspiration for making classic cinema on true Bengali culture," he said.

The actress, who breathed her last at a Kolkata nursing home following a heart attack Friday morning, was awarded the best actress for the film "Saat Paake Bandha" at the Moscow Film Festival in 1963.

During her illustrious career, Sen delivered power-packed performances in acclaimed Bengali films such as "Deep Jwele Jaai" and "Uttar Falguni" as well as in Hindi movies like "Devdas", "Bombai Ka Babu", "Mamta" and "Aandhi".

A widow, Suchitra Sen leaves behind her daughter Moon Moon Sen and granddaughters Riya and Raima, also actresses.

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Prosenjit's 'Jaatishwar' screened for president

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Bengali cinestar Prosenjit Chatterjee's "Jaatishwar", which released Friday, was screened in the capital for President Pranab Mukherjee.

The screening was held Wednesday evening at Rashtrapati Bhavan Art Theater Basement.

Prosenjit had met Mukherjee at an awards function in Chennai and got talking about his film "Jaatishwar", based on "Antony Firingee", a cult Bengali film released in 1967 with the then superstar Uttam Kumar and Tanuja in the lead.

This made Mukherjee excited about "Jaatishwar", a musical drama.

"Pranab Babu showed keen interest to watch 'Jaatishwar'. He has always been a great patron of art, culture and cinema. But that he singled out this film gave us an added confidence. We had sent him an official invitation once the film was ready and he immediately responded with an affirmative," the actor said in a statement.

"Jaatishwar" released Friday in over 20 cities in the country.

On the basis of its performance, it will release in more cities subsequently.

The film also features Jisshu Sengupta and Swastika Mukherjee in the lead. It has been released by Reliance Entertainment.

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Supriya Pathak thanks viewers for appreciating her work

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Actress Supriya Pathak is elated after winning an award for her negative role in "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela" and thanked the audience for appreciating her work.

The film, which featured Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh as the lead pair, saw Supriya as Deepika's authoritative mother and the role fetched her best actress in a negative role award at the 9th Renault Star Guild Awards.

"I feel very happy that the audience appreciated me (in 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela') and liked my work," Supriya told reporters Thursday at the award ceremony here.

"Audiences accept in every character that I play and I am really thankful to them. It is really beautiful," added the actress who also portrayed a grey character in TV show "Chhanchhan".

Supriya, daughter of theatre stalwart Dina Pathak, started her career with a supporting role in Shyam Benegal's "Kalyug" in 1981 and after that she featured in many films like "Bazaar" and "Vijeta".

In recent times she was seen in films like "Sarkar" and her husband Pankaj Kapoor's directorial debut "Mausam".

Supriya is happy about more and more women centric films being made and said: "Now the actresses are having a lot more opportunity to perform lot more interesting kind of characters."

She feels "it's needed and it is great".

Apart from "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela", films like "Dedh Ishqiya" and forthcoming saga "Gulaab Gang" talk about women empowerment.

Meanwhile, Supriya will next be seen in Danis Tonovic's "White Lies" and Dia Mirza's "Bobby Jasoos".

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Bengal weeps for Suchitra Sen

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From matinee idols to seasoned politicians, well-heeled socialites to faceless homemakers, West Bengal wept for reclusive cine goddess Suchitra Sen, as thousands turned out on the streets to bid adieu on her final journey Friday.

Saluting Sen, who captivated generations of Bengali speaking people with her grace, beauty and restrained performances, the actors of the regional film industry termed her death as the end of an era.

Apart from the hundreds who had been gathering daily before the city nursing home where the "Mahanayika" was admitted with a serious respiratory problem 26 days ago, a large number of fans were seen at her residence where the body was taken for a brief five minutes after she died of cardiac arrest this morning.

There was a deluge of admirers around the Keoratala crematorium when Sen's body was brought in a coffin inside a hearse fitted with dark glasses and covered with floral wreaths. But the most popular actress in Bengal's history remained virtually invisible to her adoring fans even after her death, after shunning the spotlight for three and half decades, and remaining fiercely protective of her privacy to her last days.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally supervised the funeral arrangements through the day after reaching the nursing home minutes after Sen's death. She officially announced the sad news, and accompanied the body to the actress' house and finally to the crematorium where she stood by the family till the final rites were complete.

"The passing away of 'Mahanayika' (great actress), I feel in world cinema and in Bengali cinema, is a big and sad news. Such a talent is born only once and there is no parallel. It would be wrong to address her as a legend. She was a god," said Banerjee.

"Her immortal roles in innumerable cinemas would treasure her in our hearts with eternal perpetuity," she said.

Politicians, senior police officials and doctors who treated her -- all were present at the crematorium as Sen was given a gun salute, before her daughter Moon Moon lit the funeral pyre.

Bengali superstar Prosenjit solemnly stood by the family - Moon Moon and Sen's granddaughters Raima and Riya - during the last rites.

"Indian cinema will truly miss the eternal beauty. Mohanayoker por amader chere chole gelen Mohanayika. (The Mahanayika has left us after the Mahanayak Uttam Kumar). It's a great loss for Bengali Cinema and Indian Cinema Mahanayika is no more...Mrs. Sen. RIP," he tweeted.

Flanking him was heartthrob Dev, who watched the proceedings silently with his head bowed down.

Actress Deboshree Roy, who joined in later, as well as veteran actor Bishwajit conveyed their condolences to the family.

Veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee said: "It is said that she shunned the limelight, but she had reached the zenith of her film career and therefore, she left the field and then pursued her spiritual interests. After that she never returned."

Sen's sincerity in her work and her spiritual pursuits, later in her life, was a "mark of her dedication" to whatever she did, felt actress Moushumi Chatterjee.

Filmmaker Buddhadev Dasgupta commented on the hit pairing of Uttam Kumar and Sen that spawned the golden era of Bengali cinema.

"We don't know if it can be repeated by any pair."

Actor Mithun Chakraborty wondered "what is the magic" that she created through the decades.

Referring to her as 'Madame', he asserted, "She is the undisputed Number 1 actress. Her personality, her talent, and the way she carried herself...undoubtedly, without any prejudice, she is the number one."

Celebrated Bengali actor Ranjit Mullick said Sen's death is "heartwrenching" for him.

"All those memories of us chatting after shooting came flooding back," said Mullick, who had acted with the film icon in "Debi Choudhurani" (1974).

Filmmaker Aparna Sen said she was "mesmerised" by her immense screen presence and beauty.

"It is the end of an era. I wanted to make a documentary film on her, but she had refused...I knew she would not accept."

Actress Rituparna Sengupta said Sen remains an inspiration to actresses, not only for her talent, but for cutting through a male-dominated film industry and "ruling" it.

Fans took to social networking sites to express their sorrow.

"With the demise of Suchitra Sen, a generation witnesses sunset in the most depressing manner. An era simply ends, without a whimper," said Nilanjan Nandy on twitter.

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People have angst against the system: Irrfan Khan

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Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan Friday refused to comment on the growing popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but admitted that people want change and there was angst all over the world.

"I will not comment on the AAP but I can say that people have angst against the system. People want change as there is no concern for the common man. There is angst all over the world," the actor said at a press conference here on the sidelines of the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

"This is the reason why the party is getting such a good response," he added.

The 47-year-old actor also said he has no inclination of joining politics as of now.

"I can't juggle between two professions -- actor and a politician. I feel as an actor I am just born," he said.

The "Lunchbox" actor also pointed out how the country was having many distractions and losing its cultural roots.

"We have fast food culture now. There is too much of western influence in our lives," he said.

"We in India might think we are known in the world or have a presence or have been able to make a mark. Unfortunately that is not true. We, sitting here, might think that but once you are in some other country you struggle for the identity," he said.

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Bengali film industry will remain indebted to Suchitra: Buddhadeb

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Former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Friday paid homage to late actress Suchitra Sen and said the Bengali film industry would forever remain indebted to her.

"A fine mix of personality and beauty, Suchitra Sen occupied a unique place in Bengali films," Bhattacharjee said in a condolence message.

"Her acting ability made her a centre of attraction for long. The Bengali film industry will forever remain indebted to her," he said, expressing sadness at Sen's demise.

Sen, who captivated generations of film buffs with her looks and grace, died at a nursing home here Friday following a massive cardiac arrest.

The 82-year-old actress was under treatment at the Belle Vue Clinic for the last 26 days following serious respiratory problems.

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No better shooting locale than Kashmir: Kabir Khan

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There is no outdoor location in the world more beautiful and enchanting than Kashmir and nothing can beat the magic of Gulmarg in winter, director Kabir Khan said Friday.

Kabir Khan is currently directing Sajid Nadiadwala's thriller "Phantom", based on the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai and their fallout.

The film has Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles.

In an exclusive chat with IANS, Kabir Khan said that for many years Bollywood could not come to Kashmir because of the situation, but now every filmmaker is trying to make up for the lost time.

"There is no outdoor location as beautiful and enchanting as Kashmir and there is nothing that can beat the magic of Gulmarg during the winters," he said.

"We have been shooting here for the last few days and we intend to complete soon."

"'Phantom' should hit the theatres before the end of this year. I am sure it would be received very well," Khan said.

The film has also been shot in Beirut in Lebanon.

Khan has previously directed blockbusters like "Kabul Express", "New York" and "Ek Tha Tiger".

Khan started his career with documentaries like "The Forgotten Army" in 1999, a documentary on the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose.

He later made "Taliban years and beyond" and "The Titanic sinks in Kabul".

He said he has always liked working in Kashmir and it was something spiritually refreshing and rejuvenating.

"Yes, Kashmir has a spiritual value addition for anyone who comes to do creative work here. There is no doubt about this and one has to come and work here to notice this," Khan said.

With the improvement in the law and order situation, more Bollywood directors are coming here to shoot their films.

In 2013, "Haider", an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" directed by Vishal Bhardwaj was shot here for over two months.

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'Jodha Akbar' e-book, mobile game launched

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Ekta Kapoor's first historical drama "Jodha Akbar" took the digital route Friday with the launch of its first e-book and mobile game.

The mobile game also called "Jodha Akbar" was launched by actor Rajat Tokas, who plays Akbar. Paridhi Sharma, seen as Jodha, unveiled the e-book titled "The Zee TV Mughal Empire E-Book".

The e-book and mobile game were released at the ND Studio in Karjat, 90 km from Mumbai.

The mobile game comprises six mini games. It gives players a chance to step into the shoes of Akbar and conquer a fort to rescue his ladylove Jodha.

The e-book, which has attractive graphics, presents historical facts and figures through vibrant pictures.

Paridhi said the e-book is "an innovative creation".

"This e-book is an innovative creation and an easy way to know the Mughal history. It's visually appealing and its purpose is not just education but edutainment," she said.

Both the applications can be downloaded on Android platforms and will soon be available on IOS platform as well.

Produced by Balaji Telefilms, "Jodha Akbar" went on air June 18, 2013 on Zee TV.

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'Miss Lovely' - dark, devastating universe of porn

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Film: "Miss Lovely"; Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Niharika Singh and Anil George;

Director: Ashim Ahluwalia; Rating: ****

To aesthetically capture the scummy on screen in all their naked glory is not an easy task. Debutant director Ashim Ahluwalia has achieved a stirring and disturbing synthesis of a documentary-styled narrative on the not-defunct world of horror-porn from the 1980s, and a conventional Hindi film love triangle (two brothers, one girl, tension, tension!).

The storytelling is not just unique, it is also extremely disturbing. The characters do not follow the redemptive path from sleaze to atonement. They remain till the end damned, doomed and despicable in their greed to capture female flesh in lascivious close-ups.

The lure of the leer is laid out with a brutal directness. The tale is a trap for the compromised. But it's not a morality tale.

The camera space between the characters and the audience is next to non-existent in Ahluwalia's narrative. And that's the highest compliment one can pay the film's cinematographer K.U. Mohanan and co-editors Paresh Kamdar and Ahluwalia who have done their jobs so well they seem non-existent in the scheme of Ahluwalia's scathing sting operation on human depravity and uncontrollable sexual appetites.

There is an unevenness about the narration which perfectly matches the smoky seedy mood of the story. Barring Niharika Singh's character which epitomizes beauty in the sleazy cesspool, all the actors are captured in grotesque flabby close-ups. Niharika looks aloof and detached from the sleaze. She seems to be playing the title role. But then, deception is the name of the grime.

There is nothing pretty or lovely about "Miss Lovely". Penetrating into the horrifically immoral world of horror-porn films in the 1980s, Ahluwalia expends no shame in exposing the characters - the low-life money-spinners desperate to make a fast buck by shooting a fast f**k in hazy garish light.

Scene after scene of cheesy titillation is piled on with little space for narrative niceties. In one sequence, a desperately ambitious starlet is introduced by her mother to a room filled with balding horny businessmen.

"My daughter is willing to do anything you'd like," the mother offers helpfully.

Elsewhere a flabby woman, clearly past her prime, jiggles her bust for a midget- middleman in the hope of getting a role as the middleman orders her to give him a closer look.

Clearly Ahluwalia knows this dark desperate ugly world. He enters it fearlessly and shamelessly. The narrative pulls the characters out of their cheesy lair like cavities from a mouth filled with infected teeth. Emotionally and visually the narrative remains married to the murky until the bitter shocking end.

The finale leaves us as sick in the pit of our stomach as the rest of the film . These are characters who belong to the armpit of humanity. You can almost smell their dried sweat. The actors are so real you wonder if they are really actors! The four principal parts are played with disconcerting scruplousness by Niharika Singh, Anil George, Zeena Bhatia and last but not the 'leashed' Nawazuddin Siddiqui who continues to create compelling characters culled from dark desperate corners of the human condition.

Nawazuddin's Sonu Duggal is a curiously untarnished soul trapped in a world of unmitigated debauchery. His romance with the wannabe starlet Pinky (Niharika Singh) comes to an expectantly sticky tragic end. The bitter rage with which Nawazuddin confronts the betrayal of his innocent love for the girl is more Shakespearean than you'd expect a film of this nature to be.

The blend of Ramsay and Shakespeare, of the perversely potent and spiritually impotent, is unparalleled. Loath or love it. But you've never seen anything like "Miss Lovely". It builds a world of vicious vices with the raw stock of gritty stark visuals and elemental emotions. The sound design is deliberately hazy, going as it does from Asha Bhosle-R.D. Burman in the opening credits to incidental distant sounds of girls giggling in fake ecstasy and moaning in ersatz pleasure.

If we close our eyes we can "see" Ashim Ahluwalia's world for what it is: a blind alley infested with a cornucopia of debasement. Dark, sinister, sexy, dangerous and devastatingly lurid, the sleazy world of Bollywood's semi-porn scare-fests in the 1980s is recreated in a scarily new cinematic language.

"Miss Lovely" takes Indian cinema to another level. The view may not be pretty but it is unfailingly provocative and exhilarating. This film is not for the squeamish.

Neither is life.

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