Actress Manisha Yadav, who is an ardent fan of popular southern star Simran Bagga, says she's proud to be part of upcoming Tamil film "Trisha Illana Nayantara" featuring the yesteryear actress.

"I'm not sure if I have any combination scenes with Simran maam, but I'm proud to be part of a film that also features her. I'm a great fan of her work and I fancy myself as other Simran," Manisha said in a statement.

Manisha plays one of the leads in the film, which features composer-turned-actor G.V Prakash Kumar as the male lead.

"I've already shot for three days. I'm excited about the script and working with Prakash has been so much fun. He's a through professional. The director is very friendly,a she said.

Being directed by debutante Adhik Ravichandran, "Trisha Illana Nayantara" features Anandhi as the main female lead.

Actor-filmmaker T. Rajendar on Monday sent a legal notice to the crew of upcoming Jayam Ravi-starrer Tamil romantic-comedy "Romeo Juliet" restraining them from using the song "Dandanakka' in their film.

The song, which was meant to be a tribute to Rajendar, has not gone down too well with him.

"Rajendar sir is upset with the fact that the song has not been received well by his fans. Although the makers of 'Romeo Juliet' claim it's a tribute, it has only paved way to memes and funny mash up videos. It has not been received positively, and that's why a legal notice has been sent to the team," a source close to Rajendar told IANS.

After its release online a few weeks ago, the song became an instant hit. But audiences made it seem like a funny tribute to Rajendar -- popularly known as TR.

A day after the release of the song, actor Jayam Ravi clarified that the song was not meant to demean T. Rajendar.

"My character is inspired by TR sir. I play his biggest fan in the movie. The song is a tribute to him. But certain videos are showing him in bad light, which hurts all those involved in the making of the project," Ravi tweeted.

The legal notice has been sent to the film's producer Nandagopal, director Lakshman, composer Imman, writer Rokesh and actor Jayam Ravi.

A new title sponsor, over 100 established and rising designers, a fashion label from Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor and promotion of Khadi as its main theme, the 25th edition Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) will see glamour at its best when it kicks off here on Wednesday.

The five-day autumn-winter edition of the fashion week will be held at Pragati Maidan, where some of well-known names like Abraham and Thakore, J.J. Valaya, Namrata Joshipura, Rina Dhaka, Malini Ramani, and Pankaj and Nidhi will present the trend for the upcoming season through their catwalk presentations.

In addition, the event will also feature stalls from popular designer labels including Rohit Bal, Ranna Gill, Tarun Tahiliani, Gauri and Nainika, Indian by Manish Arora, Payal Pratap and Geisha Designs (by Paras and Shalini).

"Amazon's coming on board would give a much-needed shot in the arm to the industry; this association is bound to further expose designers and craftsmen to the strengths and realities of doing business in the digital world," FDCI President Sunil Sethi, said in a statement.

Apart from the established names, there will also be a focus on promoting Khadi through a special installation where 63 designers in collaboration with FDCI and a fashion magazine will present their interpretation of an ensemble made from this traditional handloom fabric.

While Rajesh Pratap Singh, who is known for his textiles and minimalism, will open the fashion event, there will also be a press briefing with "Ek Villain" actress Shraddha Kapoor, who will embark on her fashion journey by showcasing her 'Inara' label on the opening day.

The stage for the final day has also been set to make it grander than grand. For the first time, 25 designers will be collaborating to showcase their individual interpretations of the theme 'Crafts of India'. The theme aims to bring to the limelight the breadth-taking richness and heritage of Indian craft.

Among the 25 designers who will showcase their creativity at the finale are Abraham and Thakore, Amit Agarwal, Anamika Khanna, Aneeth Arora, Anju Modi, Ashish Soni, Gaurav Gupta, J.J. Valaya, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra and Wendell Rodricks, amongst others.

Each of the 25 designers will present two ensembles inspired by the rich crafts of India in tones of red, orange and pink and highlight them in a unique collective manner.

Vikas Purohit, head of fashion at Amazon India, said: "When 25 of India's most talented and creative minds collaborate together towards a single purpose, it can only result in something spectacularly innovative and creative - a true homage to Indian craftsmanship and a befitting culmination to the Amazon India Fashion Week."

Sethi also believed that getting 25 designers on the same stage is the best way to celebrate the "momentous occasion".

"This is a great concept... and the resulting execution of the idea will present a unique experience that will set new benchmarks for such events in the future," Sethi said.

With the new alliance, the virtual aspect of the fashion gala has also strengthened.

While the finale will be streamed live on the AIFW page, giving an opportunity to consumers and fashion enthusiasts across India to watch the show and participate in the celebrations, the digital platform will also host several Google hangouts during the event with various panelists from the fashion fraternity including designers, fashion experts, celebrities and models.

Shraddha will participate in the first Google hangout and discuss about fashion in the digital age.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday congratulated the 62nd National Film Award winners from her state and other parts of India.

"Congratulations to all the winners of 62nd #NationalFilmAwards. So many talented artistes across India and Bengal. Congratulations to all," Banerjee tweeted.

The Best Direction award went to Bengali director Srijit Mukherji for "Chotushkone", which according to the jury, has "brilliantly reflexive use of the cinematic idiom".

Mukherji also won for Best Original Screenplay for the film, which even won the Best Cinematography accolades for Sudeep Chatterjee.

A Special Mention honour in the 62nd National Film Awards winners' list has reinstated "Bhoothnath Returns" producer Bhushan Kumar's faith in content-driven cinema.

Co-produced by T-Series and B.R. Films, "Bhoothnath Returns" had the unique pair of megastar Amitabh Bachchan and talented child star Parth Bhalerao as leads along with Usha Jadhav.

Kumar of T-Series is elated.

"I'm extremely delighted and honoured by this Special Mention... and on behalf of my entire team, would like to thank the jury for this honour. We have always upheld cinematic values and this has further justified our faith in unique and meaningful movies," he said in a statement.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film raised pertinent questions on corruption in politics, the redundancy of democracy and the validity and imperativeness of the vote, via a story of a common man's ghost and his camaraderie with a child.

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan says that his upcoming Tamil movie "Uttama Villain", in which he plays a superstar and an eighth century theatre artiste, is the story of an actor. He also clarified that it isn't a "satire on the film industry".

"It's the story of an actor; a superstar with and without a mask. All those who have asked me whether this is the story of my life, I'd like say all my stories have some part of me," Kamal told IANS.

Directed by actor Ramesh Arvind, the film features Haasan's mentor and late legendary filmmaker K. Balachander (KB) in an important role.

"I've always wished to work with him (KB). For many years, he dodged opportunities to act but this time around, I finally managed to convince him. He plays a very important role of a director called Margadarshi," Kamal said, and added that Balachander is the common thread between the two stories in the movie.

Kamal said Balachander was reluctant to be part of the film, citing health reasons and that he had forewarned the team.

"He had asked what we'd do if he passed away in the middle. He reminded us several times about our decision to cast him and that we were making a mistake. I told him if at all anything happens, I'd change the story and complete the film," he added.

"As soon as we finished shooting for the film, he rushed us to do the dubbing. When he fell ill and was hospitalised, I was mixing the film in the US. When I asked him should I leave and come visit him, he told me to finish all pending work and then return," he said.

For Haasan, "Uttama Villain" is an "important" and "unforgettable" film.

More importantly, it will be a "good film", he assured.

The film, which is slated for release on April 10, also features talented actors such as Urvashi, M.S. Bhaskar, Nasser, Jayaram, Pooja Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah.

On his decision to choose his friend and co-actor Ramesh to direct the project, Kamal said: "Ramesh and I come from KB school. We're friends and his students. Ramesh has been involved in story discussions of my several projects and he helped in choosing the story of 'Uttama Villain'".

"At all times, I have several stories with me. While discussing a few stories with Ramesh, he suggested that I should take up the story of this film. I felt he could direct it because as KB proteges, we've learnt to be directors as well," he said.

Talking about the plagiarism charges in "Uttama Villain", Kamal said all his films have been inspired.

"I take inspiration from all the films I have seen and everything around. Sometimes even from the people I meet in my life. I'm not an original man," he said, and pointed out that the plagiarism allegations against the Theyyam art in his film as merely "inspiration".

"All those who think I've copied the Theyyam art from a French photographer, should know that this art existed even before the French started speaking French," he said.

Director Praveen Sattaru, who was disappointed with the box-office prospects of his National Award-winning Telugu drama "Chandamama Kathalu", said the prestigious honour came at the right time and boosted his morale.

At the 62nd National Film Awards announced on Tuesday, "Chandamama Kathalu" was adjudged the best Telugu film.

"We expected the film to do well financially, but it didn't. I was slightly disappointed. But the National Award, which has come at the right time in my career, is a big morale booster," Sattaru told IANS.

"My faith has been reinforced courtesy the award. I'll continue doing good films and stop worrying about box-office returns," he said.

Featuring an ensemble cast of Lakshmi Manchu, Krishnudu, Richa Panai, Chaitanya Krishna, Aamani and Naresh, the film is an emotional story about experiences that make up life.

Actor-politician Manchu Mohan Babu will be felicitated by Telugu Association of London (TAL) on Saturday here for his contribution to the field of entertainment for over four decades.

"Mohan Babu's contribution to the entertainment industry, education, and charity is unparalleled. This award is a tribute to his passion for cinema and we are extremely happy he was gracious to accept the award," Ramulu Dasoju, founder president, TAL said in a statement.

Mohan Babu said that he'd like "dedicate the award to my family, friends, fans and all those who walked along with me in this long journey".

Telugu Association of London is a widely known a non-profit Telugu charity organisation in the Britain.

TAL was formed in 2005 with a clear vision and objective to lay foundation for Telugu speaking community.

Debutante director Sathiyamoorthy said shooting forthcoming Tamil thriller "CSK: Charles Shafique Karthika" -- which releases in cinemas on Friday -- inside a shopping mall here, was extremely challenging.

"More than half of the story unfolds in a single night, and the story takes place inside a mall. Shooting the mall sequences was extremely challenging because we shot in multiple malls and had to make it look like it was shot in the same place," Sathiyamoorthy told IANS.

"We had to change malls due to time and other constraints. But somehow, we managed to complete the film without much hassle," he said.

Starring Sharran, Narayan, Vimal, Mishal and Jai Quehaeni, three stories run parallely in the movie.

"I like the idea of dealing with multiple stories. It isn't easy to deal with it, but something about it gives me a high. The three stories are linked with three characters," he said.

"In every individual's life, there will be an important day that would change their life. This film is mainly based on one such day that changes lives of the three lead characters. Audiences would recall a similar important life changing day from their lives," he said.

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, who is busy promoting forthcoming Tamil release "Uttama Villain", has wrestled with so many controversies over the years that he feels they follow him and will continue for the remainder of his career.

"Even till last week, we were fighting a case in connection with my film 'Papanasam'. We know who filed the case, and from where. It's like trouble and controversies always follow me," Kamal told IANS here.

"I feel I'm always targeted. It has happened in the past too. For instance, people objected the title of my film 'Mumbai Express'. They said the title wasn't in Tamil, but what's the Tamil word for Mumbai? In an earlier case, they didn't let me name one of my films 'Sandiyar', and a few months ago, a film with the same name released. Why didn't anybody object to it," he asked.

Kamal's recent release Tamil spy thriller "Vishwaroopam" was embroiled in controversies after Muslim groups felt they were portrayed in bad light.

The same film earned the wrath of the distributors after Kamal commissioned an idea to release the film via DTH platform on the day of theatrical release.

Haasan still swears by the DTH idea.

"It's one of the other branches of film business. We have to do business in all directions," said Haasan, who also blames the Central Board of Film Certification for curbing the freedom of speech.

"If I feel like saying something in the language I want, I have to write and get permission from the Board, like in the British times. But I am an artiste, I have all the rights to say what I want and also question them," he added.

Kamal also has two more Tamil films "Papanasam" and "Vishwaroopam 2" in his kitty. He said even if these films release or get delayed, he will continue working.

"I can't sit idle. I am always eager to give audiences good projects because they are expecting it from me," he added.

The 60-year-old has already started work on his next Tamil project, a thriller said to be set against the backdrop of Mauritius.

Indian filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra's maiden Hollywood venture “Broken Horses” will release as a novel in India, Britain and the US, a spokesperson has said.

The news was confirmed by a spokesperson of Vinod Chopra Films in a statement.

The original story of the film is co-written by Chopra and Abhijat Joshi, and it gives the former a rare distinction to be an Indian who has written, produced and directed by a Hollywood film.

The trailer of “Broken Horses” was launched by legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan.

Set in the shadows of US-Mexico border gang wars, “Broken Horses” is a thriller about bonds of brotherhood, laws of loyalty and futility of violence.

The principal cast of “Broken Horses” includes Vincent D’Onofrio, Anton Yelchin, Chris Marquette and Maria Valverde. Distributed and marketed by Fox Star Studios in India, “Broken Horses” will hit the theatres on April 10.

The longest-running, most prestigious South Asian film festival in the US, New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), will open May 4 with Shonali Bose's "Margarita With A Straw."

Aparna Sen's "Saari Raat" will be the centrepiece film of the 15th annual showcase of ground-breaking, thought-provoking, independent cinema, to be screened at prestigious venues around New York City May 4 -9.

Starring Kalki Koechlin, Revathi and Sayani Gupta, "Margarita" is the poignant portrayal of a rebellious young woman with cerebral palsy who leaves her home in India to study in New York, unexpectedly falls in love and embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.

Starring Anjan Dutt, Rittwik Chakraborty and Konkona Sen Sharma, "Saari Raat", a play in three acts by the legendary Bengali playwright and theatre personality Badal Sircar, is also Sen's tribute to Badal, who passed away in 2011.

Special screenings and events include Vishal Bhardwaj's Shakespeare trilogy of "Maqbool", "Omkara" and "Haider" followed by a discussion between Bhardwaj and a Shakespearean expert.

A special screening of "Daughters of Mother India", a documentary film focused on the aftermath of the Delhi rape incident, given India's ban on the broadcast of the BBC rape documentary "India's Daughter."

Also featured would be "Benegal's New Cinema", a documentary on Shyam Benegal's films, followed by a discussion with Benegal about the New Cinema Movement and South Asian Film Lab: launch, special short film screening, live reading of a screenplay.

"Every year, we strive to make our programming unique and relevant, based on the incidents that are occurring around the world, in South Asia and in our own backyard, New York City," said festival programmer Aseem Chhabra.

"These selected films, which have won a combined total of nine National Awards, serve as a mirror, and we hope that our audiences can see their lives reflected in these stories."

The complete line-up of 30 films for the festival includes National Award winners "Chotoder Chobi" (Best Film on Social Issues -Narrative);

"Daughters of Mother India" (National Award Winner for Best Film on Social Issues - Non-Narrative): "Elizabeth Ekadashi" (Best Children's Film); "Haider "(winner of five National Awards) and Kakka Muttai (Best Children's Film & Best Child Artist).

The size of India's media and entertainment industry crossed the Rs.1 trillion mark in 2014 and is set to grow at 13.9 percent annually till 2020, even as digital advertising revenues are set to expand 30.2 percent during the period, says a Ficci-KPMG report.

"The growth in popularity of digital media continued to surge in 2014 with a significant growth in digital advertising of 44.5 percent over 2013," says the report, entitled "Shooting for the Stars", released at the annual Ficci Frames conclave here on media and entertainment industry.

"Critical tax and regulatory interventions were key for enabling growth," it says.

The study predicts the following compounded annual growth for the various constituents of India's media and entertainment sector: TV 15.5 percent, print 8 percent, films 10 percent, radio 18.1 percent, music 14 percent, animation 16.3 percent and gaming 14.3 percent.

The study forecasts the overall industry to grow to Rs.1,964 billion from Rs.1,026 billion now.

Speaking about 2014, the report says it was also a year of deals. "Deal activity in the media and entertainment sector was on an uptrend in 2014, recording 61 transactions versus 26 transactions in 2013. Deal values increased from $224 million in 2013 to $2,380 million in 2014."

In sports, it says, cricket remains the most popular. "But the success of the IPL (Indian Premier League) has led to the creation of several other league-format sporting events," it says listing sports such as hockey, football and kabaddi, which had a viewership of 66 million people.

"The media and entertainment sector in India is poised for exciting times, powered by the growth in digital media consumption, and the supporting environment created by regulatory reforms", it says, listing fragmented audience and monetisation as challenges to the digital ecosystem.

Other highlights of the study:

- Average revenues per user in TV remains unrealised for distribution companies

- Gap between the top 10 films and the rest further widened in 2014

- Exhibition segment expansion mainly in Tier II and Tier III cities

- For print, growth of circulation revenue was higher than that of advertising revenue

- Print media still commands the largest share of advertising in India

- Digital media growth continued as India now has second-largest Internet user base

- Adoption of smartphones and 3G also played a major role in digital media growth

- Radio showed one of the highest growth amongst other traditional media

- Live events segment saw a positive shift, particularly after general elections

- Key trend in 2014 was the growth of non-cricket sports in India.

Most Indian fashion designers play with a gamut of colours, but Rajesh Pratap Singh prefers to to spread magic through his black and white creations. He says he wants to perfect two colours, instead of painting a riot of hues on the runway -- something he did in the past, but went unnoticed.

There's usually a hint of colour here and there in his garments, but what stands out through his collection is the usage of the two stark colours - black and white.

"I do a lot of colours, but I believe that if I can handle two colours -- black and white -- properly, then I will be okay. I still haven't been able to perfect it. In fact, if I am able to finish off the handling with even one colour, then probably I'll be happy," Singh told IANS post his show at Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) here, and added that he "used colours in the past, but it went unnoticed".

Singh's romance with ikat continued with this show on the opening day of AIFW on Wednesday. It's the difficult quality of the fabric to be turned into a garment, that keeps him hooked to ikat.

"I keep doing ikat. I love that fabric because as you know it is not easy to do, so I love doing that and take that challenge," said the designer, who has incorporated unfinished leather and ikat in his collection.

He showcased his autumn-winter collection the ongoing editon of the bi-annual event, which celebrates India Fashion Week's 25 years of existence in the industry.

His show was innovative in presentation -- with hospital beds, surgical masks, spectacles, drips and a live band, adding spunk to his show.

The designer, who hails from a medical family, dedicated his new line to his family and all the people associated with health industry.

"I was born into a medical family and everyone in my family stuck to this industry. I also spent a lot of time in hospital, so I know a lot, and I think it needs to be celebrated in a beautiful way. The collection is a tribute to the health workers and everything they work through," he said.

The fashion week is celebrating its silver jubilee.

Sharing his journey with the platform, he said: "I think we have been able to give the industry a smoother time-table... with buyers, designers, the suppliers and all the characters of our industry getting together and interacting. I think it is really required as it solves all the problems of our community. Our industry has been able to pull it through for 25 years."

Well, the designer will be back for the grand finale of the fashion extravaganza. Singh is one of the 25 designers who have come together for "Craft of India" theme, which will bring the curtains down on the five-day gala in a befitting way.

He will be showcasing his interpretations of the theme through two ensembles, and he promises "something different".

Actor Jason Statham, who is gearing up for his forthcoming action thriller film "Fast and Furious 7”, says it is “full of testosterone" and will go “down and dirty” -- just the way fans want to see it.

“'Fast & Furious 7' is full of testosterone. We get down and dirty with bare knuckles. That’s the way the audience wants to see it go down. That’s the way that Shaw and Toretto want to do it,” Statham said in a statement.

Talking about his character, he added: “My character is very black-and-white. Blood is blood and nothing gets in the way of that, so he’s left with no choice but to avenge his brother.”

Apart from Statham, "Fast and Furious 7”, which also stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, late Paul Walker and Indian actor Ali Fazal, will hit Indian screens in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on April 2, 2015.

Actor Sai Dharam Tej, who comes from megastar Chiranjeevi's clan, says he doesn't feel any pressure of belonging to the prestigious family. But he is aware of his responsibility of living up to the family's reputation.

"I know I come from a very popular family. But that doesn't add any pressure on me. I feel like I have a big responsibility to bear and keep my family's reputation intact. Although everybody in the family encouraged my decision to act, they cautioned me as well," Sai told IANS.

Chiranjeevi's family has already produced actors such as Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, Allu Sirish and Varun Tej among others. Sai says he wouldn't feel like competing with them.

"Lot of flowers blossom from the same tree, but they don't compete with each other. We're all like the flowers from the same tree. We see each other's films but never talk about it. At home, we rarely talk about films," said Sai.

After a long delay of nearly three years, Sai's first Telugu film "Rey" is releasing in cinemas on Friday.

He says the delay didn't deter him.

"Initially, I was disappointed but it subsequently turned into a learning experience. Every actor has to undergo such a tumultuous phase at some point in their career. And I'm glad it happened at the beginning of my career," he said.

"I never lost my motivation and used the long delay to groom myself. I took dancing and acting classes because I was certain I may not get such a long break ever in my career again. The delay also taught me how the industry functions," he added.

Directed by Y.V.S. Chaudhary, "Rey", a musical drama, also features Saiyami Kher and Shraddha Das.

Explaining the film's delay in release, Sai said: "One of the reasons for the delay is that I injured my knee while filming a song sequence and the shooting had to be cancelled for about three to four months. We shot the film for about 315 days."

And the other reasons being the delay in getting visas to travel to multiple locations, including the US, for shooting.

"The director has taken a different backdrop. The story revolves around a music competition in the US, where the best of the world's top pop stars compete," he said, and added that the dance sequences took a toll on his body.

"Since this was a dance-based film, I spent almost five months learning dance before the project went on floors. We shot the climax song for about 35 days, and it was rigorous. We'd shoot from morning till midnight," he said.

"For that particular song, my director wanted me to have six-pack abs. It was physically strenuous, but I really enjoyed the whole experience because I wouldn't get such opportunities again in my career," said Sai, who was interested in dancing from a young age, courtesy his mother, who was a classical dancer.

Sai, who has already had a Telugu release, is now busy shooting for his third venture titled "Subramanyam for Sale".

Actor Dhanush, who has played a variety of roles in his career so far, will be seen essaying the role of a pantry worker in filmmaker Prabhu Solomon's yet-untitled next Tamil project.

"The entire film will be shot in moving trains. Dhanush will be playing a pantry worker," Solomon told IANS.

Known for working with newcomers, Solomon chose Dhanush because he loves his performance.

"It's true that I prefer working with new faces, but Dhanush is an exception. He's an amazing actor and this film will showcase another side of the actor in him," he said.

The filmmaker usually likes to take his audience to faraway, unknown spots through his works. And he says he will surprise audiences in this film as well as he's planning a trip to Assam soon to zero in on some locations. He adds that the film will be a travel script.

"I've always wanted to do a travel film. In a train, it's quite possible to find many stories," he added.

The film's story is about a guy who travels from Delhi to Chennai via Duronto Express.

"I'll spend the next few weeks finalising on the locations. Dhanush has already started working on his next project. Once I'm back from my location recce, we'll discuss with him possible dates to start shooting," he said.

Prabhu is yet to finalise the rest of the cast, and the film is most likely to feature a new heroine.

Dhanush, who recently wrapped up Tamil romantic-comedy "Maari", has started shooting a yet-untitled project in the language with the team of his last year's blockbuster "Vela Illa Pattathari".

A self-trained designer and an aesthete, Nikasha Tawadey made her debut in the Indian fashion industry in 2006 with her eponymous label 'Nikasha'. The designer feels the industry has grown to a point wherein designers are confident about their own inspirations rather than looking to the West for influences.

"I think Indian fashion has finally started developing a voice... and we (designers) are not scared of expressing themselves anymore. There was a time when we looked up for extension and association with whatever was happening in the west, but I think we are almost on a detachment (phase)," Tawadey told IANS at the Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) here.

She finds this growth "very good" due to the confidence that has seeped into the industry.

"By confidence in design, you mean that you have a story to tell... so we all are finding our stories to tell and we are happy," she added.

She says it is veteran designers like Rohit Bal and Rohit Khosla, who set the standards for designers in the country.

At AIFW, which began on Wednesday at Pragati Maidan here, Nikasha showcased a collection titled 'Ruby'.

Taking inspiration from Loulou de La Falaise, a fashion muse and designer of fashion, accessories and jewelelry associated with Yves Saint Lauren, Ruby, as the designer explained is an imaginary girl with Anglo-Indian French roots.

This collection revisited an age of individual style, laidback glamour complete with fringes, kimono shawls, turbans and silhouettes that clunk and clatter.

Asked about her international presence, she said she's looking forward at "doing some fashion weeks internationally", and added that "let it all be fine (fixed), then we will talk about it".

She also has a message for aspiring designers.

"If you have a sincere and strong voice, you will find people who admire and like your work. Look at designers like Sabyasachi, who never wanted to do anything else than what he is doing. I think if your voice is strong, people will admire it."

Dedicating his National Awards for the 2014 Bengali thriller "Chotushkone" to late filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh and the movie's team, director Srijit Mukherji believes there is no divide between Bengali cinema and Bollywood when it comes to content.

Mukherji bagged the coveted Best Director honour at the 62nd edition of the prestigious awards for "Chotushkone" (The Quadrangle), which according to the jury has made "brilliantly reflexive use of the cinematic idiom".

He also won the award for the Best Original Screenplay for the film, which even received the Best Cinematography accolade for Sudeep Chatterjee.

"I don't think there is any gap (between Bengali cinema and Bollywood). Good cinema is good cinema wherever it happens, be it 'Haider' or "Chotoder Chobi' or 'Chotushkone'. Content is the greatest leveller... I don't really think there is a gap as such," Mukherji told IANS in an interview here.

The Kolkata-based filmmaker also stressed that in due course of time, Bengali cinema will also hog its share of the spotlight given its current performance on the national circuit.

"If you are talking about national recognition and limelight, given how Bengali cinema is faring on the national scene of late, that gap or discrepancy or discrimination will be bridged in course of time," he said.

While Vishal Bhardwaj's "Haider" took away a bouquet of five awards and "Queen" scored with the Best Hindi Film and Best Actress honours, Tamil and Bengali movies also got a plethora of honours.

The Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a director went to Bengali film "Asha Jaoar Majhe", helmed by Aditya Vikram Sengupta, while Bengali film "Chotoder Chobi" was named as Best Film on Social Issues for its portrayal of marginalised people.

Actor Churni Ganguly won the Best Bengali film award for her directorial debut "Nirbashito".

The resurgence of Bengali cinema, feels Mukherji, is due to the diversity of subjects.

"New voices like Churni Ganguly, Sengupta are coming up and old voices are coming up with versatile subjects and this augurs very well for the state of Bengali cinema," he said.

Debuting with the critically and commercially successful "Autograph" in 2010, the 37-year-old's impressive six-film repertoire boasts of variety.

Be it the psychological thriller "Baishe Srabon", "Hemlock Society" (dark comedy), adventure flick "Mishawr Rawhoshyo", "Jaatishwara (a period musical drama which won four National Awards last year) and "Chotushkone", Mukherjee says he steers away from repetition.

"I don't try to be different... my films turn out to be different and that's because I hate repeating myself and I love dabbling in variety and as far as plots and subplots are concerned. I'm very fond of multiple narratives and also non-linear narration (as in 'Chotushkone')," he said.

Revolving around four filmmakers who are each given the task to shoot a short film dealing with death, the intriguing "Chotushkone" involving sub-plots, stars real-life actor-directors Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose, Parambrata Chatterjee and Chiranjeet Chakrabarty in the key roles.

Chatterjee's role was originally meant to be essayed by Rituparno Ghosh, who passed away in 2013 following a heart attack. Incidentally, it was Ghosh who brought home the last Best Director Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) trophy for "Abohoman" in 2009.

"The win is dedicated to Ghosh and the team of the film. I wrote 'Chotushkone' in 2010 and I started discussing the film with him and became close to him.

"So it is a very significant film when it comes to Rituparno Ghosh and me and obviously I learnt a lot. He would have been very happy today," Mukherji reminisced fondly, adding the star-cast of the film was in sync with the story's structure.

An economist and social scientist by qualification, Mukherji had no clue what a camera looked liked when he quit his plush job and "took the plunge" into showbiz five years ago.

He is no alien to the perils of the film industry, including censorship issues that he had to tackle for the 2012 "Hemlock Society" which deals with physician-assisted suicide.

"I have faced it (censorship troubles). It is a serious issue. I think sensible people should look into the issue. The important thing is Censor Board of Film Certification is a misnomer. I think we should remain true to its name of certifying films instead of censoring films.

"We should certify who should watch it and who shouldn't instead of telling what to watch and what not," asserted Mukherji, whose next film "Nirbaak" starring Sushmita Sen is ready for release in May. He is currently working on "Rajkahini".

Actor Vishal Krishna Reddy's upcoming Tamil actioner is titled after superstar Rajinikanth's 1983 blockbuster "Paayum Puli". This is the second time Vishal has named his movie after the superstar's film.

Last year, Vishal's Tamil thriller "Naan Sigappu Manithan" was also named after a Rajinikanth film.

The makers of "Paayum Puli" announced the title on Twitter on Thursday.

Being directed by Suseenthiran, the movie features Vishal as an undercover policeman in Madurai.

The film, which is said to be based on a true story, also features Kajal Aggarwal and Samuthirakani in important roles.