Popular TV actor Gautam Gulati will play the role of former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri in the forthcoming biopic Azhar. The film is based on the life of former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin.

When asked if he is playing Shastri in the movie, he said, "Yes, I am doing the film. But I am not allowed to speak anything.

"I can't talk about the project in detail," Gautam, who shot to fame after stint in Bigg Boss, told PTI.

Actor Emraan Hashmi is playing the role of Azharuddin in the biopic. 

According to sources, Gautam has been chosen to do the role of Shastri as he fits the bill.

The biographical sports film directed by Tony D'Souza is based on Azharuddin, who was involved in a match-fixing scandal in 2000.

Actors Prachi Desai and Nargis Fakhri reportedly play Azhar's wives Naureen and Sangeeta Bijlani.

Kangana Ranaut has shown the world that nothing is impossible. Her latest film Tanu Weds Manu Returns was appreciated by the audiences, making it a huge success. Little did we know that this film will end up being an All Time Blockbuster by earning over Rs. 150 crores, as per information from India Box Office. Kangana has paved the way to become the only female star in the Top-10 list of all time highest grossing films, which is otherwise dominated by the three Khans and Hrithik Roshan. 

"So far, only Aamir Khan (3 Idiots, Dhoom 3), Salman Khan (Kick, Ek Tha Tiger, Dabangg 2), Shah Rukh Khan (Chennai Express, Happy New Year) and Hrithik Roshan (Krrish 3, Bang Bang) have managed to surpass the Rs. 150 crore mark. Each of these has been a male hero-centric film. Not only has Kangna made an entry into the Rs. 150 crore club, she is also the lone woman standing in the list which is dominated by superstars who have been in the business of films for much longer than her," informs a trade source. Tanu Weds Manu was a start for Kangana, leading to her success in Queen and finally resulting in the success of her super-hit sequel Tanu Weds Manu Returns. The film's success has generated huge revenue for the producers Eros and Aanand L. Rai, now it's Kangana and her journey ahead.

When asked about big star-packages coming her way, Kangana said, "Well, Tanu Weds Manu Returns deserves every bit of this success. Now big makers are proposing mega budget projects to me.` 

This victory has emerged as a new phase in Bollywood making the actress stand shoulder to shoulder with male actors. Speaking about this Kangana says, "I feel truly self sufficient. I am in a league of my own, independent of big stars and big production houses." 

We wish this lady all the best for her future and hope that she continues to entertain us with such amazing performances.

os Angeles: Actor Henry Cavill has denied speculations that his upcoming film "Batman v Superman" would be a sequel to the 2013 superhero hit "Man of Steel". Since the final battle in "Man of Steel" may be related to the plot of upcoming DC movie "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", many said that "Batman v Superman" is the sequel to "Man of Steel".

"As far as the individual character is concerned, this is not a Superman sequel," said Cavill. "It's more of an introduction to Batman, an opening to Justice League, and an expansion of the world that was created in 'Man of Steel'."

The 32-year-old actor also hinted that there would be possible Superman sequels in the future, reported Aceshowbiz. "There's plenty of time for individual Superman sequels. He's a tough character to tell. People like the darker vigilante.

"I think it speaks to the human psyche more easily rather than the god-like being that we can't really understand. Once we have a more expansive universe we can delve more into the character of Superman and hopefully tell more stories."

"Batman v Superman" will mark the launching of DC Cinematic Universe in which other superheroes such as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) join Superman and the Caped Crusader.

Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Ray Fisher and Laurence Fishburn are attached to play Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Alfred J Pennyworth, Cyborg and Perry White respectively.

Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie will arrive in US theatres on March 25, 2016.

PTI 

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, the release of whose film "Sultan" is clashing with Shah Rukh Khan's "Raees" on Eid next year, hopes it motivates theatre chains to increase the film exhibition space in the country.

While a lot of buzz has surrounded the Eid clash of the two films, Salman said: "We feel that if both these films come on Eid next year, there is enough time to build enough theatres to accommodate both of them. This will only make the industry grow."

He shared that "for a country like ours, we need at least 20,000 to 25,000 theatres".

When Shah Rukh was asked about the clash, he had responded earlier: "There are 365 days in a year which amounts to 54 Fridays. And there are bound to be clashes. The business will get divided, but Salman and I are such good friends that we have decided on doing everything together including releasing the movies together."

IANS 

The title of the 'serial kisser' of Indian cinema no longer belongs to Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi. Giving him company is Tamil actor-director GV Prakash Kumar. It has come to light that for a lip-locking scene from the upcoming Tamil romantic-comedy Trisha Illana Nayanthara, actor-composer GV Prakash Kumar and co-star Manisha Yadav had to enact the said scene 36 times before canning the perfect shot. 

"Prakash was initially hesitant about the lip-lock scene. He wasn't comfortable with the idea. However, Manisha didn't have any qualms about it and instantly gave her a nod when she was narrated the scene. It took Prakash some motivation, but he eventually gave in," said a source from the film's unit.

It took 36 takes because the scene was shot from different angles.

"The director wanted to capture the scene from the most appropriate angle in order to not make it look dirty. Hence, it took so many takes to lock the shot," the source said.

Directed by debutant Adhik Ravichandran, the film features Anandhi as one of the leading ladies, while veteran actor Simran Bagga has essayed a cameo.

Prakash's other films as actor includes Ketta Payada Indha Karthi and Basha Engira Anthony. He has also signed a yet-untitled film with Darling director Sam Anton, and this project will be produced by Studio Green.

Sunny Leone has carved her own image in the film world with her bold roles in films like Jism 2 and Ragini MMS 2, and now the actor says that it's her 'dream' to star opposite Bollywood A-listers.

"When they come into the industry, it's anybody's dream to work with the people they have seen in so many movies. First and foremost, I'm a fan of Bollywood films, and have been following them for a long time. So, it would enhance my talent if I get a chance to work with big stars. It would be a dream," Sunny told IANS.

"I'm a part of everything that I want to be. I work really hard for my roles. For me, the only acceptance is from my fans, and the most important thing is staying connected with them," she added.

Asked whom she would like to date if she was not married to producer Daniel Weber, Sunny said, "First of all, I'm married, but if I was single, I would have wanted to date Brad Pitt. He is one of the hottest men in the world."

On the career front, Sunny is currently waiting for the Censor Board to pass her delayed sex comedy Mastizaade. Apart from that she will next be seen in Beimaan Love and One Night Stand. Sunny's last films were Ek Paheli Leela and Kuch Kuch Locha Hai, which released earlier this year.

Actor Tiger Shroff admits to have been approached for Jackie Chan's martial arts film Kung Fu Yoga. The film which is going to be an action – adventure was earlier offered to Aamir Khan but the PK actor had to decline the offer due to his commitment to his upcoming film Dangal. 

Tiger has yet not signed the film but is hopeful that if all falls into place, it would be a dream come true as Jackie Chan has been an inspiration for him. Kung Fu Yoga will be directed by Stanley Tong and will begin filming in September this year. Currently Tiger is busy shooting for Baaghi and will then start working on Remo D’souza’s upcoming project.

Apparently the actress has been shown the door after some issues with the makers of the film Recently it was reported that model-turned-actress Pooja Chopra was all set to be a part of the adult comedy 'Great Grand Masti' but if the latest is to be believed then the actress has been shown the door after a tiff with the makers of the film.

According to a source, "Pooja had replaced Nidhi Subbaiah in the adult comedy directed by Inder kumar and Nidhi was not aware about it unless it was published in the paper. Also an official announcement was never made by the makers of the film following which there were some issues with Pooja and hence was shown the door."

"Yes, it's true that Nidhi was not informed about the development with Great Grand Masti and it came as a shocker for her when she read about Pooja replacing her in the film. The director Inder kumar had texted Nidhi and apologized her but things got out of hand and Pooja was shown the door." Adds a source close to the project. When contacted both Pooja Chopra and the spokesperson of the film remained unavailable for the comment.

Singer Lily Allen reportedly hasn't had a drink in seven months and is house-hunting here. The singer is focussing on her career and decided to ditch alcohol in an effort to make it here, reports mirror.co.uk.

A source told Grazia magazine: "She wasn't enjoying herself anymore so she decided to stop drinking. "She seems a lot happier. She's working out a lot. She looks really good and is a lot healthier."

Back in December, the 30-year-old star, who has daughters Ethel, 3, and Marnie, 2, revealed that she had given up drinking for a month in an effort to "grow up". She is reportedly searching for a house here and wants her family to split their time between US and their home in the Cotswolds.

She calls Los Angeles her "happy place" and has fallen in love with the city, where she hopes to record her next album. A source added: "Lily has been working with Sean Paul, who has collaborated with Beyonce (Knowles) and Rihanna. She knows LA is the place to make things happen."

Another actress has become the victim of a nude photo leak after Radhika Apte earlier this year. This time, it's 'Unfreedom' actress Preeti Gupta, whose controversial photographs haven't just been leaked online, but have since then, gone viral on the internet.

Sunday, June 28th, saw social media ablaze with reports of graphic images of Gupta, from the sets of the movie Unfreedom, which happens to have high sexual content resulting in its pan-India ban, going viral online. Preeti then spoke to a leading daily newspaper stating that the entire episode could only be characterised as 'bizarre.' The actress is angry about the incident, especially because it is a 'violation of privacy,' and she asserted that such acts should be banned rather than pertinent films which raise important issues. 

Preeti was seen in the popular daily soap 'Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii' and made her film debut with Raj Amit Kumar's Unfreedom. After the film's May release in the United States, it reached the revising committee at the Central Board of Film Certification. The filmmaker refused to comply with the Censor Board's suggested cuts. Kumar further appealed against the Censor Board’s demand to the Indian Government’s Information and Broadcasting Appellate Tribunal FCAT, which in turn resulted in the film being banned entirely. 

The film chronicles two contemporary stories which delve into issues relating to identity, sexuality, religion, love and family. Preeti's dare-bare act from the film was an integral part of the storyline which is about religious intolerance to all forms of love. At this point, the actress if furious with both the photo leak of images which were taken in a closed set, and the ban on the film in general. She says that trusting the audience's intelligence means accepting that all adults should be given the choice to judge content. 

With the US Supreme Court's recent breakthrough ruling of gay marriage being legalised across the country, the fact that 'homosexuality is natural' has become a topic to trend. Will Unfreedom see the light of day in India? Only time will tell.

By Rhea Srivastava

The recently released movie ABCD 2's back up dancer, Nilesh Nirbhavane (20) has been arrested by Pant Nagar Police personnel for allegedly raping a mentally challenged teen.

According to the police, Nilesh and the other two accused, took the girl to public toilets and islolated stories and raped the 14-year-old mentally challenged girl.

The incident came to light when the girl's teacher questioned her, after noticing a stark change in her behavior. The girl then reveled that three people had been raping her since May.

“The girl described Nilesh with his identical feature that he had two broken front teeth. When we picked Nilesh up, he confessed the allegation. He is now booked under Sections 376D (gang rape), 377 (unnatural offences) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code”, DCP Vinay Kumar Rathod said.

Police are in search of the other accused while Nilesh is under Police custody.

As you know, Russell Brand was in India recently for a stand-up comedy show. And it seems like he is quite familiar with our Bollywood stars. At least that’s what it sounded like because right before he started his act he had something to say about Deepika Padukone. WOAH!

So basically, he was asked if there was anyone in India he’d potentially fall in love with – and guess what? He had someone in mind. Yes, he took Deepika’s name. He continued adding that IF he wasn’t arrested after his act, or if it wasn’t censored (flashback to the AIB roast episode) then he would somehow find the actress and seduce her. He also went on to ask the audience if they could give him her contact number. LOL!

Oh! We don’t blame you, Russell…

Happy birthday Nicole Scherzinger! The Pussycat Dolls star is giving a lot of women a run for money by celebrating birthday the hottest way possible. The singer is celebrating her 36th birthday by taking a short vacation to Mykonos in Greece. 

Nicole appeared to be in high spirits as she enjoyed the weekend with her female buddies while enjoying on the pool. Dressed in a teeny-mini bikini, Nicole Scherzinger flaunted her perfectly toned svelte figure she she beat the summer heat while dipping in the pool. Showing off her curves, Nicole is surely showing what her on-again and off-again boyfriend, Lewis Hamilton is missing out. The former X Factor judge wore a Victoria's Secret bikini and flaunted her curves.

Nicole got a nice chance to flow down to Greece, celebrate her birthday and attend the launch of Joe Fournier's club Bonbonniere over the weekend.

Joe uploaded a pic while holding Nicole in his arms to wish her a happy birthday. He captioned the pic, "Well #Mykonos this is the kinda way it went down today so much fun continuing the party from #BonBonniereMykonos #Opening so much fun with the best girl @nicolescherzy #Happy #Birthday #BirthdayWeek glad you came #BonBonniere." The birthday girl also posted a super hot pussycat look inspired pic on her Instagram account ahead of her birthday celebrations writing, "Goofing around with my girls getting ready for tonight my #birthdayweekend #mykonos."  #dailymail.co.uk

Shraddha Kapoor finally seems to be keen to explore a new terrain. After mostly playing the damsel-in-distress type of roles, she now wants to play grey characters. 

The actress gave a hint by stating at a recent event, "I'll just say that may be you'll see me in that (a grey persona) sooner rather than later." 

Looks like she has been influenced by her ABCD2 co-star and childhood buddy Varun Dhawan to take on distinct roles. 

The question is, in which of her two upcoming films - 'Baaghi' or 'Rock On 2' - will she play negative role?

By #Mid-Day.com

Sunny Leone has become one of the most popular Bollywood actresses in no time, but the adult star-turned-actress never had the opportunity to work with B-Town's A-listed actors.

However, it now looks like the "Baby Doll" star's wish to share screen space with Bollywood's famous actors has been fulfilled.

Sunny will be playing a cameo in Akshay Kumar starrer "Singh is Bling", reported Bollywood Life.

According to the reports, the cast and crew of "Singh is Bling" was shooting in Goa last month when they learnt that Sunny was also in the city shooting for "Splitsvilla 8", where she is the host.

Grabbing the opportunity, the makers immediately decided to add a scene in the film to fit in the "most searched celebrity in India 2014".

"Though it was a tight schedule for her, she couldn't let go of an opportunity to share screen space with a huge star like Akshay. She requested for a day off from shooting her TV show to shoot with the Khiladi," a source told the web portal.

Meanwhile, the first look of "Singh is Bling" is already out and besides the "Brothers" actor, the film stars Amy Jackson in the lead role.

The Prabhu Deva directorial also features Vivek Oberoi, Bipasha Basu and Lara Dutta, and will hit the theatres on 2 October.

The first teaser of Madhur Bhandarkar's next, 'Calendar Girls' will be attached to Subhash Kapoor's 'Guddu Rangeela’, that hits the theatres next week. Both the movies are produced under Sangeeta Ahir’s Banner, Mangal Murti Films and it seems like a natural move on part of the production house.

The special teaser, which is little over a minute long, will be revealed with 'Guddu Rangeela'. Mangal Murti Films has two back to back releases lined up in the next couple of months and both the movies look quite promising.

The first poster of 'Calendar Girls' that features 5 ravishing hot models was unveiled recently and has taken the tinsel town by storm. Madhur is now all set to give us the first glimpse of his film this coming week. Considering, not much has been revealed about the movie, as the makers have been tight lipped on it, audiences are quite curious to know what the film delves into.

Ace filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has movies like 'Page 3', 'Fashion' and 'Chandni Bar' among others to his credit. With this venture one can definitely expect something new and exciting coming up from him.

Guddu Rangeela on the other hand marks the comeback of the Hit Actor-Director duo Arshad Warsi and Subhash Kapoor. While the satirical take on the legal discrepancies in Jolly LLB tickled the audiences’ funny bones, Guddu Rangeela takes up Kapoor’s witty tone to comment on the prevalence of honour killing.

Stay tuned!

Singer Selena Gomez says her star friend Taylor Swift will not be a good roommate for her because she thinks the latter "likes her personal space".

Gomez opened up during an interview for "Shoboy in the Morning" on Thursday and shared that she would love to move to New York City and get close to Swift, reports aceshowbiz.com.

As Swift lives in New York, host Shoboy asked Gomez whether she would join her friend.

"I want to...Honestly, I do," Gomez said.

However, she won't likely move to the city anytime soon as she said: "But because I purchased my house last year, I thought I should enjoy that in LA. But it's crazy, there's been pull, something's pulling on my heart to come here (New York) for a little bit, but I just don't know when I'm going to take the step and do it."

When she was asked where she would reside if she moved to the city, she said: "Probably close to Taylor...because I would be nervous and would not know anybody, and I'd just want to be around her."

However, when asked whether the two would be good roommates, Gomez admitted: "No, I don't think so...I think she also likes her personal space."

Singer Rita Ora has shared that she had a midnight meeting with "The X Factor" boss Simon Cowell over her role as a judge on the talent show. The musician said that they had to meet at midnight because of their hectic schedules, reports mirror.co.uk.

"We had to fly out to Los Angles to finish my album the next day and he was working on 'Britain's Got Talent' at the time," Ora told The Sun.

"I had a lot of questions and he did too. But it just fit into place perfectly. And the time commitment worked perfectly for me. What made it special was when Simon asked me about 'The X Factor', he told me about his plans for the show and how he was going to change it up," she said.

The British singer, who is a former guest judge on "The X Factor", also said that the process was natural as they met at Cowell's West London mansion.

"His house was incredible. It was actually a no pressure vibe, it felt very natural, it was professional and straight to the point," the 24-year-old said. #mirror.co.uk

While many producers are in an attempt to find new locations for their films, Ashvini Yardi and Akshay Kumar too have decided to shoot in the unexplored Romania for their upcoming film Singh Is Bling. The makers of the film were initially keen on South Africa but later, decided to shift the location of Romania. 

From what we hear, the film will explore different picturesque locations in the country including the capital, Bucharest. It is also being said that one of the crucial scenes of the film will be shot at Bran Castle, popularly known as Dracula's Castle, located in Transylvania. Producer Ashvini who is excited about shooting in Romania mentioned that they will be shooting the climax scene which is filled with lots of action and will be set against the backdrop of beautiful castles. She added that she always wanted to try something like this for the film. 

Singh Is Bling stars Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta among others and is directed by Prabhu Dheva. The cast and crew will be kick start the last leg of the film in the first week of July. Produced under the banner Grazing Goat Pictures, the film is slated to release on October 2, 2015.

#http://www.hungama.com/

There’s a stigma attached with Mothers breastfeeding their babies in public. Frankly, its a very natural thing and should never be frowned upon. Photographer Ivette Ivens wants to make public breastfeeding the norm. 

Her ongoing project “Breastfeeding Goddesses” features portraits of mothers feeding their children outside of the home. As Ivens tells Mashable, “My own experience inspired me to spread the word and encourage other mothers, as well as non-mothers to see breastfeeding the way it’s supposed to be seen,” she says. “My message is simple: anywhere, anytime.”

Interestingly several celebrities are already supporting this mission. Have a look at the following pages with photos of Miranda Kerr, Gisele Bundchen, Pink and more.

Here’re some of the most stunning pictures from Breastfeeding Goddesses:

In each portrait, the settings are often quiet outdoor spaces and her subjects are nearly nude or draped in airy fabrics. Though the series shows scenes of serenity that are often far from the reality of breastfeeding a child in public, Ivens says she’s not striving for the realistic.

“My images might seem unrealistic, and I’m not aiming to show the raw side of it,” she said. “My goal is to reveal how each mother feels while breastfeeding their child.”

Source: Mashable