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Maharashtra Polls: Akshay Praises Booth Setup, Farhan Urges Voter Participation

November 20, 2024, 12:40 pm

As Maharashtra Assembly elections commenced on Wednesday, several celebrities were spotted at polling stations casting their votes. Videos and pictures of Akshay Kumar, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Rajkummar Rao, and Kabir Khan surfaced on social media, showing them arriving early to vote.

Akshay Kumar’s Visit

Akshay Kumar was seen interacting with the media outside the polling booth. When asked to show his inked finger, he praised the arrangements, saying, “The best thing is the arrangements are really good. I saw that planning was done well for senior citizens. It’s clean too. Yahi hai ki sab log aaye, vote kare (Everyone should come and vote). That is the most important thing.” He joked with a reporter about arriving early, mentioning that even the reporter had come before him. Akshay was dressed in a black shirt and grey pants.

Farhan Akhtar on Voting’s Importance

Farhan Akhtar took to social media to urge citizens to vote, emphasizing, “I urge all people to come out and vote. It’s very important. It is our responsibility as a citizen of this city, state, and country to be involved in its narrative…I hear that people complain about Mumbai and how it should be but when asked if they voted, they will say, ‘No, I didn’t.’ Then don’t complain. This is the one chance that you have to contribute as a citizen. So it is your responsibility.” He also discussed the need for more cinema screens, urging the government and the industry to collaborate on expanding screen availability.

Rajkummar Rao and Gautami Kapoor Encourage Voting

Rajkummar Rao cast his vote early and reminded everyone of its importance: “It is very important (to vote). Everyone, please step out and vote. This is the voting day, it is very important.” He wore a beige T-shirt and black pants.
Similarly, actress Gautami Kapoor expressed her satisfaction after voting, saying, “I feel great. I think casting a vote is amazing. You feel liberated and I think it is very important for every citizen to vote because every vote makes a huge difference. So, please vote…It’s very important, we can change the country.”

Maharashtra Elections Overview

The voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections began at 7 a.m. and will conclude at 6 p.m. Polling is taking place across all 288 assembly constituencies. With heightened security in Mumbai, over 4,000 candidates, including 2,086 independents, are contesting the elections. Among the major parties, BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, NCP 59, Congress 101, and smaller parties like BSP are also in the fray. The state has approximately 9.7 crore registered voters.

Lok Sabha Elections Phase 5: Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar cast votes in Mumbai

May 20, 2024, 8:44 am

Bollywood siblings Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar exercised their right to vote early on Monday morning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. They were joined by their mother, Honey Irani, and were seen patiently waiting in line at their assigned polling station in Mumbai, as captured by ANI. The trio proudly displayed their ink-stained fingers after voting.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: Actor Farhan Akhtar and Director Zoya Akhtar show their inked fingers after casting their votes at a polling station in Mumbai.#LokSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/ESpxvZNuGN

— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024

The elections for six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai—Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South, and Mumbai South Central—are part of Phase 5. Other constituencies in Maharashtra participating in this phase include Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Kalyan, Palghar, Bhiwandi, and Thane.

Maharashtra has a total of 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-highest after Uttar Pradesh. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with results to be announced on June 4. Voting on this day began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, with those in line at closing time still allowed to vote. According to the ECI, over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore men, 4.26 crore women, and 5409 third-gender electors, will decide the fate of 695 candidates in this phase.

Among the 49 Lok Sabha seats in this phase, 14 are in Uttar Pradesh, 13 in Maharashtra, 7 in West Bengal, 5 in Bihar, 3 in Jharkhand, 5 in Odisha, and one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. To ensure a peaceful election process, 2,000 flying squads, 2105 static surveillance teams, 881 video surveillance teams, and 502 video viewing teams are monitoring the 94,732 polling stations around the clock.

‘The Archies’ fame Dot unveils her latest single ‘Girls Night’

March 27, 2024, 4:47 pm

Actor-singer Aditi Saigal, also known as Dot, who recently appeared in Zoya Akhtar’s film ‘The Archies,’ has released her latest single, ‘Girls Night.’ The song, with its sunny Motown-infused jazz-pop vibe, celebrates the unique camaraderie and warm intimacy among girlfriends.

Regarding the release of the music video, Dot expressed her excitement, saying, “One of the best things about being in this line of work is the ability to say, ‘Hey, you know what? I wanna shoot a music video with my best friends and then just do it. I mean really. How lucky am I? I get to write music talking about the people I love and then act alongside them!”

Produced by Dot & Hawwa (who is also the director of the music video), the video for ‘Girls Night’ portrays a safe space for its characters. Dot, along with her friends Shibangi and Aksha, finds comfort in a house where they can escape from the pressures of their jobs and be themselves.

“In the video, directed by another close friend Hawwa Samples, we wanted to capture the ease with which we unwind together, as well as some of our antics. We brainstormed to try to tap into specific memories we had of each other. With the last few shots especially, the video sort of became an ode to friendships everywhere. Cheesy McCheese, I know but.. It’s true,” shared Dot.

Dot made her acting debut with ‘The Archies’ and gained recognition in the Indian music scene with her viral YouTube song ‘Everybody Dances To Techno.’ Her album ‘Practice Rooms,’ which originated from university recordings, features hits like ‘Asymmetrical,’ which impressed Zoya Akhtar so much that she included it in ‘The Archies’ and also cast Dot in a key role in the film.

The Archies’ Trailer: Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda Stand Out”

November 9, 2023, 3:24 pm

The trailer for Zoya Akhtar’s directorial debut, ‘The Archies,’ is finally here. This Netflix film marks the acting debut of Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda, representing the next generation of Bollywood.

‘The Archies,’ a coming-of-age musical, explores the lives of iconic Archie Comics characters—Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel, and Dilton. Set in the fictional hilly town of Riverdale, the film delves into themes of friendship, freedom, love, heartbreak, and rebellion.

The trailer unfolds a musical narrative led by seven charming characters, navigating the retro alleys of love, friendship, and youthful aspirations. It concludes with a poignant message: “You are never too young to change the world.”

Expressing her excitement about the film, Zoya Akhtar shared, “Having spent a lot of my childhood living in an Archie Comic, I’m thrilled to introduce Riverdale to this generation. The characters are iconic, their teenage life innocent, the world simpler—a time when less was more. Archie Comics, Netflix, Tiger Baby, and Graphic India were in complete sync, and wanted the adaptation to be as wholesome as the original comic was. It’s clean young adult content and was very fresh for Reema and me to work on. It’s also very exciting that a global IP chose the India film industry to make its first feature. Excited to get it out there.”

‘The Archies’ is set to release on December 7, promising an engaging and nostalgic journey into the world of these beloved comic book characters.

Zoya Akhtar On Working With Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor

September 26, 2023, 2:06 pm

The Archies, inspired by the beloved American comics of the same name, is ready to premiere on OTT soon. In a recent interview with Vogue, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar discussed the challenges she faced while working with newcomers on the Archies. She shared, “The challenge was that they were completely raw. So, you have to do a complete boot camp. You have to prep them for various reasons. One is, you want your characters to be who you want them to be, you want to co-create something with the actor. You want them to be comfortable when they hit the scene because it’s overwhelming to have 200 people on a set, you have a camera in your face and you have to perform when everyone keeps quiet and you have to perform when the word action is said, it’s daunting.”

Coming to Netflix on December 7, the film explores friendship, freedom, love, heartbreak, and rebellion through the lives of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel, and Dilton. The story is set in the fictional town of Riverdale, nestled in the hills.

For the unversed, the Archies marks the debut of Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Boney Kapoor’s daughter Kushi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda. Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar had earlier shared, “I am super excited to have the chance to bring The Archies to life. It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years. The characters are iconic and globally loved, which is also why I am a little nervous.”

‘Made In Heaven’ Season 2 Official Trailer Out

August 1, 2023, 3:36 pm

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar on Tuesday unveiled the official trailer of the much-awaited series ‘Made in Heaven Season 2’.

Taking to Instagram, Zoya shared the trailer which she captioned, “Your favorite wedding planners are back with the grandest weddings of the season. #MadeInHeavenOnPrime S2, trailer out now.”

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A post shared by Zoya Akhtar (@zoieakhtar)

The show stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, and Vijay Raaz in the lead roles.

The trailer of ‘Made in Heaven Season 2’ takes us into the lives of its lead characters, who were at the crossroads at the end of Season 1. With new brides and new challenges, our favourite wedding planners deal with their professional and personal setbacks.

The second season of ‘Made in Heaven’ promises to be grander, filled with romance, drama, and weddings, along with familiar and new faces and a compelling plot. With the new season, the International Emmy-nominated series will delve deeper into the lives of its characters who navigate the complexities of organizing and celebrating marriages while their own lives unfold in unexpected ways.

Directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Media and Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Tiger Baby, the 7-episode series will exclusively stream on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video.

“It feels amazing to be back as Tara in Made in Heaven Season 2. For me Tara’s journey has been both fascinating and challenging as she navigates her personal life with Adil and Faiza while planning lavish weddings,” shared actor Sobhita Dhulipala, adding, “I had such an incredible time shooting for the second season, and I think this season will resonate even more with our audience. There is a little pressure to match and even surpass the audience’s expectations from the previous season but I’m positive about it. I’m sure Made in Heaven Season 2 will enthrall the viewers and prompt significant conversations about the complexities of human existence, making it an unforgettable and thought-provoking experience.”

‘Made In Heaven’ Official Trailer To be Out On This Date

July 31, 2023, 1:25 pm

Makers of the upcoming drama series ‘Made in Heaven Season 2’ on Monday announced the trailer release date of the series.

Taking to Instagram, director Zoya Akhtar shared a string of posters of actors Sobhita Dhulipala, Kalki Koechlin, Jim Sarbh, Mona Singh, and others. She captioned the post, “The wedding planners are back in biz! #MadeInHeavenOnPrime S2, on Aug 10.”

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A post shared by Zoya Akhtar (@zoieakhtar)

The posters read that the official trailer of the series will be out tomorrow i.e August 1.

The first season, premiered in 2019, featuring Shobita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, and Kalki Koechlin.

‘Made in Heaven S2’ will stream exclusively on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video from August 10.

The show returns with the second season, starring, Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, and Vijay Raaz reprising their roles.

‘Made In Heaven’ is a story of two wedding planners in Delhi, which brings out the clash of traditional and modern aspirations, set against the backdrop of a big fat Indian wedding. There are many secrets which are revealed in the series.

The makers of the show recently announced the release date of the show, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, Show Creators, said, “Made in Heaven holds a special place in our hearts as it’s a true strength of collaboration with many creative energies aligning and we are very proud of that. The second season of Made In Heaven, delves deeper into the extravagant world of Indian weddings and unearths more stories from the community. Made in Heaven reflects the lives of upscale modern India, and is narrated through the eyes of two wedding planners, set against the backdrop of quintessential Indian weddings and recurring social prejudices. Our hope is that the latest one is received with as much love as the last.”

Directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Media & Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Tiger Baby Films, the 7-episode series will be stream on Prime Video India on August 10.

The Archies Gang Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor Others Jet Off To Brazil

June 13, 2023, 10:32 am

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan is all set to make her debut with the movie, ‘The Archies’ by Zoya Akhtar. Apart from her, Boney Kapoor’s daughter Khushi Kapoor, and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda will also make their acting debut with the film.

The gang of all the actors along with the other cast including Aditi Dot, Yuvraj Menda, Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina were spotted at the Mumbai airport as they were heading to Brazil for Netflix Tudum 2023 event. The entire cast was seen wearing black jackets with white and yellow stripes on the sleeves and around the collar with ‘Archies’ written on the back. They all looked excited about the event and smiled while posing for the camera. Khushi was spotted wearing a black crop top and loose beige pants underneath the jacket, while Suhana was seen sporting a black top and leggings.

Recently, Netflix India shared the poster of ‘The Archies’.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan also shared the poster and tweeted, “I remember when I was young ( millions of years ago ) would book my Archie’s Digest in advance to rent. Nostalgia. I hope Big Moose is also in the film! All the best to the whole cast and love.”

Taking to Instagram, Suhana wrote in the caption while sharing the poster, “Meet the @archiesnetflix gang! Coming soon, only on @netflix_in!”

The youngsters of Riverdale will be introduced to the viewers in India in the coming-of-age tale ‘The Archies’.

The convention event will be held from June 16 to 18 in Sao Paulo. Featuring over 2000 square meters of activities, games, live music, and more, the convention will also give attendees the chance to see their favourite stars up close. The live stream will be broadcast around the world on June 17.

Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor Unveil New Archies Poster

June 12, 2023, 12:42 pm

Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan and producer Boney Kapoor’s daughter Khushi Kapoor on Monday unveiled the new poster of their debut film ‘The Archies.

Taking to Instagram, Suhana shared the poster which she captioned, “Meet the @archiesnetflix gang! Coming soon, only on @netflix_in!”

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A post shared by Suhana Khan (@suhanakhan2)

The new poster features Suhana, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Nanda among others who’ll be seen in the official Indian adaptation of Archie Comics.

Helmed by Zoya Akhtar, the film will stream on the OTT platform Netflix. The official release date of the film is still awaited.

Zoya took to her Instagram and shared the poster which she captioned, “Take a trip to Riverdale. We have saved you a seat Meet the Archies gang. Coming soon only on @netflix_in!”

Soon after Suhana dropped the new poster, her fans swamped the comment section with red hearts and fire emoticons. Maheep Kapoor commented, “Sue this is FABbbbbb!” A user wrote, “all the best” “All the very best,” a user commented.

Apart from Suhana and Khushi ‘The Archies’ also marks the acting debut of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda. ‘The Archies’ is a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers of Riverdale to a new generation in India.

Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina and Yuvraj Menda will also be seen in the film. Meanwhile, Zoya Akhtar is known for her films like ‘Dil Dhadakane Do’, ‘Gully Boy’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’.

Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ concludes shooting

August 13, 2022, 5:32 pm

The shooting for ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ has come to an end. The movie is directed by Arjun Varain Singh and is scheduled to release in 2023.

Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi shared a heartfelt note for the cast and crew and thanked Zoya for the film.

Taking to his Instagram handle alongside the pictures Chaturvedi wrote, “and its a wrap! #KhoGayeHumKahan. We were young crazy, and restless. Fun, curious & a millennial mess. It’s a story about you & me, and we were just… A bunch a cool kids makin’ a film.”

Thanking director Zoya Akhtar Siddhant said, “Thank you @zoieakhtar @reemakagtil for the best filming experiences ever. @tigerbabyofficial @excelmovies Hail! @arjunvarain.singh Our Captn! My brother! Thank you for showing this mad faith in us. You’ve been strong & vulnerable in a timed beauty of its own.”

“My creative pillars @yashsahai and @sapanv. It wouldn’t have been possible without your Wit, Wohoos, and WTFs! My Co-stars and now friends for life @ananyapanday @gouravadarsh @kalkikanmani. I’ve only grown working alongside you both. You guys are freaking beautiful. And lastly to the whole Cast and Crew, Dadas and Dudes, and my core A-team @radhikamehta9 @gautam0099 @poonamsrv @sandeep.rasal82. Thank you guys, it was an honor,” Chaturvedi wrote.

‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ is a story of three friends in the city of Bombay. The movie is written by Zoya Akhtar, Arjun Varain Singh, and Reema Kagti.

Meanwhile, the new age drama by Excel Entertainment stars Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav. Moreover, Arjun Varain Singh is making his directorial debut with this movie.

However, the 29-year-old actor will be next seen in the movie ‘Phone Bhoot’ alongside Katrina Kaif and Ishaan Khatter.