After Maharashtra, Priyanka Chopra-starrer "Mary Kom" has been declared tax-free in Uttar Pradesh. The National Award winning actress has thanked the state's Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

"Thank u @yadavakhilesh for helping #MaryKom's story get a bigger reach in UP. The film is officially tax free a week before release. Awesome," Priyanka tweeted Sunday.

"Mary Kom", a biopic on the five-time World Champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom, is slated to release on Teacher's Day Friday.

Last week itself, the movie was declared tax-free in Maharashtra, and Priyanka was joyous.

The movie, co-produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's banner, will mark the directorial debut of Omung Kumar.

A.R. Rahman straddles different continents, cultures and a cornucopia of commitments. Though the journey is "tough", the Oscar-winning composer says he makes sure to pick projects which don't let him get bored of his work.

In an interview, he has spoken about juggling between different places, his new projects and life away from his family.

Excerpts:

Q. You are rarely able to do Bollywood scores these days. How do you manage to turn down Mumbai producers politely?

A. (laughs) It's tough, very tough. But at this juncture of my career, I only want to do the music that motivates me to work harder. Otherwise, you lose your audience. The relationship becomes like an old boring marriage.

Q. What do you mean?

A. It's very important for me to not get bored with the work that I'm doing. That's why after doing a series of epic/period films, I did something young like the song "Khalifa" in "Lekar Hum Deewana Dil". After that I've only said yes to Shekhar Kapur's "Paani" and Imtiaz Ali's "Tamasha". And I've also said yes to Rhea Kapoor, Anil Kapoor's daughter's film. That's about it for now.

Q. Are you tired of the epic scores?

A. Not at all. I love doing them. So much detailing and labour goes into them. Every epic score is an elaborate experience. On a personal level, it is also very enlightening for me to visit a particular era. While doing the music for a period film, I discover a whole new culture.

Q. Do you enjoy rediscovering a culture as you create a music score?

A. Immensely. But at the same time, it is also important to find an emotional connect with the filmmaker that I work with.

Q. Are you happy with the treatment of your songs on screen?

A. Well, a lot of my very good songs in films like "Rang De Basanti" and "Delhi 6" were used as soundtracks in the background. They were not used as lip-sync. So the reach of those songs was just 30 or 40 percent of what it was meant to be. Songs that are sung by major stars on screen get played in clubs and on radio. They make a psychological impact on the audiences' mind. One reason why I want to do music in young stories is because these films allow their actors to sing on screen.

Q. How do you manage your time between India and abroad?

A. It's tough. When I have a project abroad, it takes me a month or a month-and-a-half to take care of it. I go with the flow, basically. Thankfully, communication is far easier today than it was when I started out with my international career. I can be connected to and from any part of the world.

Q. What international assignments have you done lately?

A. I've completed two assignments "Million Dollar Arm" and "The Hundred Foot Journey". Both were very satisfying experiences. The working methods abroad are entirely different from home. Fortunately, I'm given the liberty to do purely international sounds abroad. I don't have to use Indian instruments.

Q. But you do miss your family when you're abroad?

A. It's a sacrifice. I'm missing out on my children growing up. But sometimes I do take my children abroad with me when they have school vacations. But they can't accompany me everywhere. It's not possible to wrench them away from their lives and ask them to join me wherever I am.

Q. Do you miss having time to just relax?

A. That's one of the advantages of being abroad. You don't get mobbed on the roads. People leave you alone even if they recognize you. I can take long walks without being disturbed. All those things that I miss doing at home, I am able to do when I am abroad.

Q. You are now 47. How do you manage to sound so young in your music?

A. Because when I was actually very young, I didn't get a chance to feel young. As a child, I spent so much time with musicians who were 40-plus, chewing paan and discussing classical styles. I felt like one of them as a child. Today I feel younger than I did when I was actually young.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor, who has stakes in the Mumbai City Football Club (FC) franchise of the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament, believes Bollywood celebrities' involvement in sports in the country is beneficial in many ways.

Apart from Ranbir, the ISL has star team co-owners such as John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan, while Varun Dhawan endorses the Goa team.

"It's a great thing, and every sport should be encouraged in the country. Cricket is our first love, but that doesn't mean we should not give kabaddi or football a platform," the 31-year-old said here recently at the launch of his football club.

"More than anything, you are giving opportunities to the youth to become a football player or kabaddi player and not necessarily a cricketer," he added.

Abhishek, whose team Pro Kabaddi League franchise Jaipur Pink Panthers, won Sunday night, is also part-owner of the Chennai franchise of the ISL.

John Avraham is the co-owner of NorthEast United FC, while Varun Dhawan is the brand ambassador of FC Goa.

Ranbir stated that everyone involved in the ISL will strive to make the league engaging and hopefully it will lead to the creation of a very good Indian football team.

"It's about the quality of the game and how well Star Sports markets the game. All the people who are involved - like IMG Reliance, Hero, franchise owners and everyone, wants to put their best foot forward and create a league that is engaging and entertaining and has quality football.

"Hopefully we can have our own Indian football team which can play in the World Cup," Ranbir said.

The inaugural season of the Hero ISL will be played from Oct 12 to Dec 20 in eight Indian cities. Bollywood star Salman Khan is a co-owner of the Pune franchise.

Mumbai Film Fest (MFF) organisers have managed to raise Rs.1.5 crore of the Rs.5 crore budget with the aid of social media, which has helped them garner support of filmmakers including Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

With campaign #pledge4MAMI going viral, organisers are trying their best to ensure that the 16th edition of the fest features on the city's cultural and festival calendar.

Cinestaan Film Company, promoted by Anand Mahindra and Rohit Khattar, has committed Rs.60 lakh to the fest, the future of which seemed bleak due to lack of sponsors and funds.

Apart from Chopra and Hirani, Manish Mundra, Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navlakha, Hansal Mehta and Anupama Chopra, among numerous others, have turned guardian angels for the festival.

Officials at Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), organiser of the annual MFF, are happy to have found support to ensure that the "festival rises like a Phoenix".

"I'm extremely happy and humbled with the response that we have been getting from the film industry and film lovers in the city at large. Today, for the first time ever it truly feels that MFF belongs to the patrons and lovers of the festival," MFF director Srinivasan Narayan said in a statement.

"I thank each and every one of those who strive to ensure that the festival continues to present the best of World cinema to our Indian audiences," he added.

With the end of a five-year-long partnership with Anil Ambani's Reliance Entertainment, the organisers have been on the lookout for a title sponsor and additional funds.

For now, all of Fawad Khan's energy is concentrated towards making a career in filmdom, says the Pakistani actor-singer who is making his Bollywood foray with "Khoobsurat".

He enjoys a huge fan following in his homeland, and in India, courtesy channel Zindagi, which airs Pakistani TV shows here, he's found fans galore here. But TV is not Fawad's priority as of now.

"I would want to stay away from TV right now. I have done as much as I could...," Fawad Khan told IANS here.

"I'm a very big fan of Hollywood. I really like what's happening there right now, where the marriage between cinema and TV is amazing. Things are changing here (in India), but it's only the tip of the iceberg, it's just started," he added.

The actor, who has been part of TV shows like "Humsafar" and "Zindagi Gulzar Hai", says he's entering cinema "because I get to learn something from it".

In India, Fawad is making his Hindi film debut with "Khoobsurat", which stars Sonam Kapoor as the female lead. The fact that it's a movie driven by the female character, did not make him apprehensive about taking up the role.

The process of choosing the film was "pretty easy" for him.

"I didn't have any apprehension working in a female-centric film as I have done this back at home. It all depends more on the content, director and co-actors you work with," the 32-year-old said.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh, "Khoobsurat" is the remake of 1980 superhit film "Khubsoorat".

Girish Kumar, who made his Bollywood debut with "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" in 2013, has now given a nod to his second film, reveals his father and film producer Kumar Taurani.

"Girish has been reading many scripts for a while now, but we didn't find anything interesting. Now finally we have come across a very good script and we will soon make an announcement in the next 15 days. Girish will start shooting for the same soon," Taurani told IANS.

He refused to reveal any details about the project.

"Ramaiya Vastavaiya", directed by Prabhudheva, saw Girish share screen space with Shruti Haasan.

Designer Sakshee Pradhan of the label Schon is all set to showcase her collection titled Nefarious at the Dubai Fashion Week Friday.

The collection is inspired by an Egyptian warrior princess and boasts of ensembles fit for the woman of today.

“The word Nefarious means villainous or wicked. A juxtaposition of geometrical structures and flowy lines forms the surface textures of my collection. My designs ooze power and strength, which every women has and my outfits would just encourage them to be strong and confident,” Pradhan said in a statement.

“Dubai Fashion Week is great platform and I am looking forward to positive response,” she added.

The ensembles ranges from skirts to saris to evening gowns. The colour palette is dominated by black with hints of golden.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, an avid user of social media, has amassed a massive following of over 10 million users on Twitter. His target is to double the figure.

"10 MILLION!! ON TWITTER!! YEEAAAHH!! Thank you all that follow me! Next target 20," Amitabh tweeted Sunday.

The most followed Twitter user in India, the 71-year-old is known for his versatility on the platform.

He keeps his fans entertained by frequently tweeting about issues of national and international importance, sharing moments from his personal and professional life, and connecting with his fans personally by replying to them directly on Twitter, through over 33,000 Tweets till now.

The actor is also known for initiating new trends on the platform and had recently launched an initiative called #BachchanBol via which every Wednesday, the actor shares fun and interesting facts with his followers.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who was embroiled in controversy for his objectionable tweets on Lord Ganesh recently, believes in freedom of expression. He says expressing what he feels in a manner he likes, is the way he enjoys being.

Varma was Sunday booked under four sections of the Indian Penal Code, with a complainant alleging that the filmmaker hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by insulting Lord Ganesh through his series of tweets.

In an interview, he has spoken about his controversial tweets, his films and his lack of camaraderie with people in the film industry.

Excerpts:

Q. You've done it again, stirred up a huge controversy, this time with your remarks on Lord Ganesh?

A. The moment you say, time and again it also means that it's a part of my nature and inner personality to express what I feel in a manner I chose to. And this is not the first time I've done this. If people are interested, they can go and check my tweets in the last four years and they will find many similar ones.

Q. Are you proud of offending people?

A. It's the way I am. If you remember, there was a huge furore over an abusive word I used against Amitabh Bachchan. Everybody got into a frenzy except him, whereas in reality, he should have been the only one to get upset. He didn't get upset only because he knew and understood the context.

Q. I believe you are getting a lot of death threats after your Ganesh tweets. Doesn't this kind of situation scare you?

A. It's not true that I got death threats... as per the random comments from unknowns on the social network, everyone knows that those are just wild snarls from a hideout of anonymity.

Q. A lot of people believe you deliberately provoke people with your tweets to get attention?

A. People will believe what they want to believe irrespective of what I say. So there's no point in saying anything.

Q. Are you anti-religion or just a cynic? Don't you think it's wrong to attack religious beliefs?

A. I am anti-anything I don't agree with and I am not attacking anything or anyone other than just expressing my opinions which I have a right to do like any one else in a free democratic country.

Q. You've been missing from Mumbai for nearly six months now? Have you decided to quit Hindi films and make only Telugu films?

A. I wanted to take some time off from Hindi films and reinvent myself in terms of doing very different kind of genres from what I have been doing

Q. Your new Telugu film "Ice Cream" flopped. You apparently threw a party celebrating the failure. What does this mean?

A. This is the funniest thing I've heard. "Ice Cream" is probably the biggest hit in a ratio of investment versus return. And my proof of that is "Ice Cream 2" is just being wrapped up.

Q. Have your friends from the Mumbai film industry kept in touch with you while you are stationed in Hyderabad?

A. I don't have any friends and never had.

Q. Don't you feel isolated from the entertainment industry by your own cynicism and sharp tongue?

A. I like being myself, by myself and I live for myself and I don't have time or mind-space for people who waste their time and mind-space thinking about me.

Sridevi's Bollywood comeback vehicle "English Vinglish" has registered a box office collection of $1 million in Japan. The veteran actress is elated.

The movie, backed by Eros International, continues to perform well at the box office after hitting theatres in Japan June 28.

After releasing in 33 screens initially, the film opened to audiences in another 17 odd screens additionally, taking the total screen count to 50 in across 20 cities in Japan, said a statement.

Sridevi is happy with the dream run of the movie, which tells a moving tale of a home-bound woman who doesn't know English and how an overseas trip helps her to bring out the best in her.

“I am flattered with all the love and affection the film continues to receive and once again thank the director Gauri Shinde for making such a wonderful film," she said.

The grand premiere of the film was held in Tokyo May 27.

Shekhar of composer duo Vishal-Shekhar says their song "Indiawaale", which they composed for Shah Rukh Khan's forthcoming film "Happy New Year", will become a dance anthem.

Vishal-Shekhar, who performed at the 52nd Bangalore Ganesh Utsava Sunday, belted out their hit numbers, but when they sang "Indiawaale", it rocked the charged crowd at the APS College Grounds in Basavanagudi.

About the response to "Indiawaale" at the fest, Shekhar said they got "goose bumps when a crowd of about 30,000 people started singing our song 'Indiawaale' with us".

"It is a very surreal feeling and, trust me, a very proud moment for us that our music has been loved by people and reached people even before its official release," Shekhar said in a statement.

Vishal-Shekhar have composed music for heist drama "Happy New Year". The song "Indiawaale" will be officially launched Sep 3.

"I am so excited for everyone to hear the full song because we feel that 'Indiawaale' is a dance anthem that can be heard and danced to in a disco, stadium or a stage. It is a song for everyone!" he added.

Directed by Farah Khan, "Happy New Year" is scheduled for Diwali release.

After having regaled Indian fans with a first-of-its-kind performance in the capital, members of South Korean band N-Sonic hope more artists from their homeland get to perform K-POP in the country.

Formed in 2011, N-Sonic is a K-POP band of six boys - J. Heart, Sihoo, Byeol, Minkee, Black J and Zion, who are popular for giving hit numbers like "Crazy" and "Run & Run".

They were here to perform and judge the finale of the recently concluded K-POP (Korean pop) India Festival, which saw participation from Indians who sang and danced to catchy Korean numbers. They felt "honoured" to be part of the event, which was presented by the Korean Cultural Centre and co-organised by the Korea Tourism Organization.

"The chance given to us is important for further relationship (between South Korea and India) too. More artists can come if Indian audiences like us. That way we feel responsible and honoured. We hope it encourages more exchange programmes. We would love to come back here," J. Heart told IANS here.

Their genre is Korean style of western pop music and emerged in the 1990s. It is a combination of popular music like dance-pop, pop ballad, electronic, rock and hip-hop.

So, it is no surprise that the vocalists of the band look 'up to American band 'N Sync' that was a pop sensation in the 1990s.

"We liked their dancing style and their music was also quite refreshing," said Sihoo.

Along with singing and dancing, presentation is equally important for the boys, who are in their early 20s and brimming with energy and enthusiasm. They ensure that they give a personal touch to their attire before performing.

"Our stylist comes up with a concept and within that boundary we discuss and try to find our own style," said J. Heart, who was dressed in a deep blue suit and a crisp white shirt. That music knows no boundary was a fact that resonated when they arrived here for their performance and were greeted by excited Indian fans dressed in t-shirts with their photographs on them.

The rise of participation in the fest from mere 37 entries in 2012 to 130 for the third edition this year proves that there is no slowing down when it comes to fan base for the K-POP genre.

The boys only have encouraging words to share with their fans in India.

"Never give up. If you follow what you like, success will be guaranteed. We were touched to see Indian contestants singing and dancing to Korean numbers," said Sihoo.

Divided into song and dance categories, the fest saw participants from Chennai, Mumbai, Guwahati and Delhi.

While Indian music lovers are grooving to the tunes of South Korean artists - remember Psy of "Gangnam style" fame - the N-Sonic band members are also all praise for desi beats.

"India has a strong unique style. It is a good place to learn music. We would like to collaborate with Indian artists some day," said J. Heart. Though they are not good with names of Indian music artists, they are familiar with Bollywood's beloved 'badshah' Shah Rukh Khan.

When asked about Bollywood, Sihoo promptly said: "Shah Rukh Khan. I got to watch 'My Name Is Khan', then I searched for his details online and became his fan!"

J. Heart also nodded in agreement and said that his favourite SRK movie is "Om Shanti Om". In fact, when his fans got to know about his liking for the film, he delivered the film's popular dialogue - "Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat tum kya jaano Ramesh babu", with a little help from an Indian emcee.

Sonu Sood, who started his acting journey down south, says he wants to strike a balance between the two thriving film industries - Bollywood and southern cinema.

He said that he "started" down south, "so I still do them (southern movies)."

"Southern films give me a chance to choose only a few Hindi films and the best ones. I try to maintain a balance," the 41-year-old said Monday at the launch of a new perfume here.

"So, I have done around 55-60 films in many languages. Next month there is a Telugu release and then 'Happy New Year' in October. So I will try to maintain a balance between the two industries," he added.

"Happy New Year" has been directed by Farah Khan and has an ensemble cast that includes superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani and Vivan Shah, apart from Sonu.

The film is slated for a Diwali release this year.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is associated with Hindi commercial blockbusters, is hopeful that English language movie "Finding Fanny" will open avenues for more such cinema.

"Finding Fanny" narrates the story of five oddballs who venture out in search of Stefanie Fernandes. And on their journey, they find meaning to their otherwise pointless lives.

Karan's good friend Homi Adajania has directed it and the former feels that "Finding Fanny" is a step ahead of the latter's directorial venture "Being Cyrus".

"I think there is an audience for every kind of film. 'Finding Fanny', just like 'Being Cyrus', is one step ahead in making avenue for English language films with mainstream movie stars and actors," Karan said here Monday at the screening of "Finding Fanny".

"I really, really hope it does exceedingly well. It opens many more doors and windows for this kind of cinema," he added.

Presented by Fox Star Studios, "Finding Fanny" is produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films. The film, a quirky satirical comedy, releases Sep 12.

It features Arjun Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia in key roles.

Actor Kay Kay Menon supports Anurag Kashyap's decision to release "Bombay Velvet" next year and says that the director shows his work only when he is a hundred percent satisfied.

"Bombay Velvet" was initially slated to come out Nov 28, but now it will hit the screens in May 2015. With a lot of pending VFX work, the film cannot be readied for a November release.

Kay Kay, who plays an investigative officer in the film, "doesn't regret the delay".

He said: "They must have thought of it before making any decision. To show 1960s is not easy, so post production will take time and Anurag will not release till he is satisfied with his work and that would be the reason they must have postponed it."

"The film is based in 1960s, so the treatment is also different," he added.

Kashyap's "Bombay Velvet" features Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles.

"This is my fourth film with Anurag. We have a different connection and our working style is different. Without saying or talking much, we understand each other's silence. It's all about creativity," said Kay Kay, who worked with Kashyap in films like "Black Friday" and "Gulaal".

Superstar Aamir Khan is so fascinated by Hrithik Roshan’s dance moves in “Bang Bang!” that he too wants to groove like him.

“I wish I could dance half as well as Hrithik! I really loved the new song of 'Bang Bang'! And the 'Bang Bang' trailer is outstanding! Hrithik and Katrina look like a million bucks!

“...Love the shot of Hrithik come shooting out of the water with guns pointing! Cant wait for 2nd Oct!” Aamir tweeted Tuesday.

While “Bang Bang!” will hit the screens Oct 2, Aamir-starrer “PK” is slated to release Dec 19.

Actress Bipasha Basu recently caught up with Yo Yo Honey Singh and says that the rapper is a “total gentleman”.

The “Raaz” star was on “India’s Raw Star”, which sees Honey Singh mentoring the participants of the reality show, to promote her forthcoming film “Creature 3D”.

“Thank u @asliyoyo! U r such a gentleman n fine artist! Was really lovely meeting u! What a fab show! India's Raw Star!” she tweeted Monday night.

Actress Priyanka Chopra has her hands full with promotion of her forthcoming film “Mary Kom” and shooting of "Dil Dhadakne Do". That leaves her no scope for taking time out despite being unwell.

“Cough cough... sneeze sneeze... Dance dance... nerves nerves... Grrrr #MaryKom #DilDhadakneDo,” she tweeted.

She is currently in Delhi to promote “Mary Kom”, based on five-time World Champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom. It will hit the screens Sep 5.

Actress Bipasha Basu is so impressed with rapper-singer Yo Yo Honey Singh that she wants to work with him.

"I will be foolish if I don't want to do it," Bipasha said on the sets of Honey Singh's singing reality show "India's Raw Star".

When asked if she would like to work with the singing sensation, she said: "Definitely! I would love to work with him because his songs are very popular. People love his songs and you can really dance to them."

"He has got a great groove to all his songs."

Further praising him, the 35-year-old said, "Honey Singh has the magic touch. He is the Midas man of music."

Within a short span of time, Honey Singh has become quite popular in B-town. Right from superstar Shah Rukh Khan to megastar Amitabh Bachchan, he has composed and sung for most of the top-notch actors. His biggest hit was "Lungi Dance" for "Chennai Express".

Recently, Sonakshi Sinha featured in the music video "Desi Kalakaar" from his upcoming album.

As of now, Bipasha is looking forward to the release of her film "Creature 3D" on Sep 12.

After entertaining movie buffs in 15 cities, the 5th Jagran Film Festival will conclude at PVR Cinemas in Andheri and Juhu here.

The seven-day final leg of the fest will start Sep 22 and it will showcase an interesting bouquet of films from various parts of the world. Some of them are black and white Hindi classics such as "Do Beegha Zameen", "Bandini", "A Patriotic Man", "Outside The Law" and "Break Loose".

“This year’s edition will also present a special section ‘Cinema of the Uprising’ with a clutch of seven very special films, close to the Jagran Philosophy,” said a statement.

Audiences can sneak peek into the journey of eminent filmmakers and personalities by attending their special workshops at the fiesta.