Goswami Tulasi Das’s Ramayan written in Sanskrit by Rishi Valmiki – to Hindi in his re-telling, created an epic that has been a best seller in the world for 200 years.  Tulsi Das said, Ram had many myriad manifestations and Ramayan, a thousand distinct narrations. One such is Sita Banwas, originally written in 1928 by a Banaras born man playwright Agha Hashr Kashmiri. This was a story of Sita’s banishment from Ayodhya. King Ram first asked for an Agni-Pariksha to prove her chastity and later sent her to exile.

Sita lived at Rishi Valmiki’s ‘ashram. He named her Vandevi and it was at the ashram she delivered her twins Luv and Kush. The brothers grew up proficient in Brahmanical pursuits of art, literature, grammar, and Kshatriya war-fare. Rishi Valmiki documented Ramayan and taught them to emote the verses. 

They were only twelve years old when they captured the sacred horse, Ashwamedhyagya and when the warriors came in search of the horse and challenged them, they accepted the challenge. It is when the children make Lord Hanuman a captive and proudly present him to mother Sita, that the secret is revealed.

In the meantime, what unfolds in Lord Ram’s Durbar is something that is never presented in theatre before. The retelling of the story is important in present times to project new insights and perspectives. Ank celebrates 50 years of the group in a large-scale production, written- directed by Atul Tiwari.

Odisha’s first premium OTT platform, AAO NXT, proudly announces the digital release Ghamaghot, Odisha’s first-ever full-scale action movie. Ghamaghot created history in Odisha by breaking the stereotype of traditional storytelling. The film has quite literally redefined Odia cinema. More than just entertainment, the film is a celebration of Odisha’s changing times and perspectives, a beginning of more experimental and unconventional cinema to come in  the coming years.

Festival is the time the celebrities are busy endorsing brands. Vidya Balan is visiting Dehradun, Raveena Tandon is doing it in Mumbai and actor Shantanu Maheshwari of Gangubai fame is launching Tasva, the Indian Mens wear brand in Kolkata.For an actor who did exceptionally well in his debut film Shantanu did not receive the attention he should, but it is never too late and Tasva designers and owners are more than happy with their new model. Something tells me that this is going to be a turning point for Shantanu.

 “It’s a special feeling to be in Kolkata, during the Durga Puja and it seems like maa has plans for me, and I’m going with the flow

About Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited: ABFRL is part of a leading Indian conglomerate, The Aditya Birla Group. With revenue of Rs. 13,996 Cr. spanning retail space of 11.9 million sq. ft. (as on March 31, 2024), it is India’s first billion-dollar pure-play fashion powerhouse with an elegant bouquet of leading fashion brands and retail formats.

In 2022, he made his directorial debut with Siya, the critically acclaimed social drama was an official selection at the 53rd International Film Festival of India and was nominated for Best Debut. Now, Sony Liv brings Real Kashmir Football Club, the story of two men who turned a dream into reality by creating Kashmir’s first professional football club that made it to India’s top-tier football league.

Produced by Jaya Entertainment and Oshun Entertainment, and directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar, the series stars Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Manav Kaul, and Abhishant Rana. Real Kashmir Football Club is a real story of resilience, courage, and the power of a game to unite an entire community.

Sports seems to be the flavour of the season, both on and off the screen because actor Manoj Bajpayee, trifle drained after playing so many intense roles, has found a new calling. He is the presenter, of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 and delivered an unforgettable commentary in Bhojpuri at the Jio Studios.

These days our filmmakers seem to be interested in either mythological/ historical/ patriotic films or biopics. A few years ago, a film was made on the life of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now, there is a movie releasing on Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath Yogi.

A special screening of Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi was held in Ayodhya for saints and spiritual leaders before the release of the film. Attended by members of the Ayodhya Sant Samaj and more, the sages were curious to watch the portrayal of Yogi Adityanath’s early struggle and journey.

Both these films made on restricted budgets deliberately featured newcomers to not lose focus on the message. Says producer Ritu Mengi, “Ajey is a story of faith, resilience, and leadership and to begin our journey from Ayodhya, the land of Shri Ram, is a blessing in itself.”

Odisha’s  AAO NXT, Eastern India’s premier regional OTT platform, is proud to announce the addition of the Odia classic Pipasa (1978) to its growing library of timeless and original content. Directed by the late Debi Prasad Das, the film is a poignant romantic tragedy about love, sacrifice, and the complexities of relationships. The 2-hour 24-minute social drama continues to be remembered as one of the most powerful works of Odia cinema from the golden era. Produced by Devi Prasad Das and written by Manmath Nath Das, the film remains a landmark for its emotional depth and artistic brilliance.

Dedicated to curating original Odia content, classics, and contemporary storytelling for a global audience. Founded in 2020 by Kaushik Das (Founder & CEO) and Rambhadra Patnaik (Co-Founder & CFO), AAO NXT has become synonymous with bringing Odisha’s culture, tradition, and cinematic excellence to the world stage.

Shanaya Kapoor is stepping into a new role beyond cinema and I applaud her for that. She is a creator and a storyteller in the world of design. Co-creating Indinoor, a new jewellery brand from the House of Isharya, Shanaya proves that there is a life beyond stardom. Shanaya, grew up watching and wearing her mother Maheep Kapoor’s designs and now she is projecting the same with another dimension. Indinoor, translates tradition to contemporary, something young, something more natural. Shanaya describes her brand philosophy as Jewels of Happiness. The stone can be polki, jadau, temple work, zircon, the piece can be chaandbalis or bangles, her jewellery isn’t heirlooms for vaults, it is to be relished, celebrated every day. ‘Every jewellery has an expression, tells a story, the occasion can be a wedding or a festival, a private celebration or a gift, Indinoor is about identity.”

It takes a courageous one to think out of the box and when he does, he sets a trend. In the 90s when Shah Rukh Khan became a star, a lot of us found him irreverent but the actor mellowed over the years and time has proved that he is not just a responsible superstar but also a responsible family man. Last week, the megastar, launched his son Aryan Khan as a writer and a director with what promises to become a game changer in entertainment business.

Journalists like me are invited every week for a film event and after so many years, there are hardly any surprises, still I must admit that Netflix did a good of Bads of Bollywood.

The event was held at Yash Raj Studios because that is the venue Shah Rukh feels safest. The duration was an hour and quarter and the content engaging and entertaining. While most of the launches are interspersed with irrelevant talks on stage, Shah Rukh anchored the show without the slightest fuss or frill. Loads of love from him to the cast and the family to him, but no idle chatter and no meaningless question-answers.