Hindi

‘Angry Indian Goddesses’: It’s different

Published

10 years ago

December 4, 2015

MUMBAI: Thanks to the world of media and entertainment opening up, filmmaking has been continuously expanding its dimensions. A lot of filmmakers are breaking the genre barriers and daring to project stories that would have been unimaginable until not so long ago. The era of abla Indian naari is long gone, at least, as far as the film stories go. As the title asserts, Angry Indian Goddesses is about a bunch of women who don’t conform to the stereotype.

Sarah-Jane Dias, Anushka Manchanda, Sandhya Mridul, Pavleen Gujral and Amrit Maghera are career women (except Pavleen). Sarah, a professional photographer, is asked to compromise: make a dark model look fair for a fairness cream. She is supposed to just shoot her pictures and the rest will be done on Photoshop, she is assured. But, she would not compromise on her skill and walks off.

Similarly, Sandhya, a tycoon, has a problem on hand as her mining fields are controversial and have been shut down due to a protest led by Tannishtha Chatterjee. Amrit is an aspiring actor but walks out of a film shoot when she is padded up all over to just look sexy and vulnerable instead of acting her part.

Pavleen is a merit list graduate but is married off early into a traditional family where the only expectation from her is to deliver a child, sort of, without her husband’s participation. These all are Sarah’s dear friends.

Sarah, having walked out of her photo-shoot assignment, heads straight to Goa to her ancestral home. She plans to marry and decides to invite her friends. So, Sarah, Sandhya, Anushka, Pavleen and Amrit gather under one roof in a Goa village. Also around is Sarah’s childhood companion cum maid, Rajshri Deshpande, a gutsy, street smart woman.

As one sits through the film, nothing is happening except that this bunch has what is their idea of fun. Generally, this involves pulling each other’s leg, drinking, dancing and finally opening up with their respective problems. As they open up, you feel like an eavesdropper on an all girls’ party! None of them are really happy as the others perceived. One thinks the women have been told by the director to just go along and do as they liked; their idea of a get-together of a bunch of friends.

If there is a purpose to the film, the indications come only post interval as Sandhya, the tycoon’s b?te noire, Tannishtha, walks in as another guest.

The women, all troubled by their circumstances, having time of their life and none feels like going back. On one of their outings, they confront some bike-riding bullies. The guys run away but that is not going to be the end of it. Because, the makers also plan to stress on rape and the attitude of the law and views on a woman’s dressing.

Finally, Sarah is forced to reveal who she is going to wed and that is another aspect rarely ventured on Hindi screen. It is the last half an hour or so that turns the film around and gives it a purpose. The climax is interesting.

Pan Nalin has penned and directed this film and he has handled it well considering this is a dicey theme with little substance in the footage for most part. The film has a very situational musical score. The Konkani song, rendered by Anushka, a musician herself, is a delight. The location being Goa, it is a pleasure to watch and aids the cinematography look pleasant to eyes.

Angry Indian Goddesses is an interesting watch if you are a discerning film lover with patience. Eventually, it makes up for your patience and money spent.

Producers: Pan Nalin, Gaurav Dhingra

Director: Pan Nalin

Cast: Sarah-Jane Dias, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Anushka Manchanda, Sandhya Mridul, Amrit

Maghera, Rajshri Deshpande, Pavleen Gujra, Arjun Mathur, Adil Hussain.

‘Hate Story 3’: Rides on brand equity

The Hate Story franchise has been a moderate success twice before, albeit, in a limited range. Not blockbusters but profitmaking all the same. And so the story continues. You have a title and you have the basic theme of skin show. Rest would be easy.

However, while rules at the censor board are still the same, the implementation has changed. So, liberties can’t be taken. ForHate Story 3, the germ is borrowed from the Hollywood movie, Indecent Proposal (1993).

Sharman Joshi is a successful entrepreneur with an ever growing business empire. He has a loving wife by his side in Zarine Khan. But, there is a sinister man around who has a glad eye for Zarine. That is Karan Singh Grover. He invites Sharman and Zarine for a business launch. He offers to help Sharman to grow his empire even further because, he says, he likes self-made men! However, for his help Sharman would have to send Zarine to Karan to spend a night with him. Now, why should Karan even imagine Sharman, a self-made man rich man would want to do that? You may borrow an idea from a foreign film but how about logic?

Rejected, Karan becomes vengeful and plans to destroy Sharman and his business. He starts with contaminating the soft drinks in Sharman’s factory. Sharman is wary. He deputes his secretary, Daisy Shah, to lure Karan and find out what he is up to. But, it is not all that easy as Daisy is killed and her body is found in the bushes.

Hate Story 3 has a weak base and far short of content compared to the earlier two versions. The direction is okay but not good enough to stretch the limited content to over two hours. The songs, usually the strength of a T-Series home production, have limited appeal. Two song, Tumhe apna bana…and Wajah… sound pleasant. Editing needed to be slicker.

Performance wise, Sharman looks a bit ill at ease. Karan is okay. Zarine is good. Daisy is passable.

Hate Story 3 has taken a good opening thanks to its brand equity. Made within a controlled budget, it has a two week open window without opposition and will make the most of it.

Producer: Bhushan Kumar, Vikram Bhatt Director: Vishal Pandya

Cast: Sharman Joshi, Zarine Khan, Daisy Shah, Karan Singh Grover

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Hindi

Boney Kapoor acquires remake rights of Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil

Strong word-of-mouth turns Pongal satire into remake pick

Published

2 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A Pongal release, a village satire and a theatre visit in Coimbatore have turned into Boney Kapoor’s latest acquisition. The producer has secured the remake rights to the Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (TTT), a film that has been enjoying a strong theatrical run powered by word-of-mouth and praise for its sharp, rooted writing.

Set in a rural milieu, the story follows a panchayat leader thrown into disarray when a wedding and a funeral land on the same day. What unfolds is a swirl of satire and humour that skewers local politics, power games, bruised egos and family tensions, all anchored in the textures of everyday village life.

Kapoor first encountered the film earlier this year while in Coimbatore for the Celebrity Cricket League. With time to spare, he caught a screening at a local theatre. That viewing proved decisive. According to sources, the narrative style, performances and the film’s balance of political commentary and comedy caught his attention.

Interest quickly turned into intent. Kapoor reached out to the producers soon after to explore a remake. Talks gathered pace over the following weeks and came to a head last Friday at the film’s success party in Chennai, where Kapoor joined the celebrations and continued negotiations with the makers.

By the end of the evening, the deal was sealed, with Kapoor formally acquiring the remake rights.

For an industry constantly mining regional cinema for the next crossover story, the move is telling. A small-town satire with local flavour has found a national backer. And if Kapoor’s instincts hold, a tale born in one village may soon echo far beyond it.

Hindi

Fans take centre stage as Zee Cine awards turns the spotlight around

Published

4 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the applause gets louder than the dialogue, you know the fans have taken over. That was the unmistakable mood as Zee formally announced the Zee Cine Awards 2026, flipping the script to celebrate not just cinema’s stars, but the people who cheer them on the loudest.

The 24th edition of the awards marks a fresh chapter in Zee’s long-standing relationship with Hindi cinema, anchored in its fan-first philosophy, Fantertainment. This year’s theme, ‘Yeh Pal Hai Fans Ka’, reinforces a simple idea: cinema’s most powerful moments are shaped as much by audiences as by actors on screen. Presented by Maruti Suzuki, the awards aim to turn fandom into the main event.

The announcement, held in Mumbai, was anything but a routine press conference. Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Aparshakti Khurana, composer Mithoon and singer Palak Muchhal joined fans to kick off the celebrations, turning the launch into a high-voltage, participative spectacle.

Staying true to the theme, fans didn’t just watch the announcement, they drove it. Akshay Kumar took the lead, pulling fellow stars on stage and energising the room, before the unveiling of a live LED Fan Meter. Powered purely by audience cheers, the rising meter culminated in the reveal of the Zee Cine Awards 2026 ground event date, announced in unison with fans, blurring the line between performer and spectator.

The momentum continued as Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa and Aparshakti Khurana recreated iconic hook steps, joined by Mithoon and Palak Muchhal for music-led interactions. Games, spontaneous performances and playful banter kept the focus firmly on shared moments, underscoring the evolving bond between cinema and its audience.

Beyond the launch, the awards will roll out as a multi-platform journey across television, digital, print and fan-led experiences. The aim is sustained engagement from the first announcement to awards night cementing fandom as a cultural force rather than a footnote.

Commenting on the milestone edition Zee head of advertisement revenue, broadcast & digital Laxmi Shetty said the 24th Zee Cine Awards continue to draw strength from the network’s omni-channel ecosystem, reflecting how audiences consume content today across TV, digital and social platforms. She noted that long-standing brand associations, including Maruti Suzuki’s three-year partnership and support from brands such as Hell Energy, underline the platform’s scale, trust and cultural relevance.

As Zee Cine Awards 2026 gathers pace, one thing is clear: this year, the loudest cheers won’t just echo in the auditorium, they’ll shape the show itself.

Hindi

Prime Video to stream Don’t Be Shy, produced by Alia Bhatt

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Prime Video has found its next feel-good original, and it comes with a healthy dose of heart, humour and youthful chaos. The streaming platform has announced Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age romantic comedy produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.

Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes her life is neatly mapped out until it suddenly is not. What follows is a relatable tumble through friendship, love and the awkward art of growing up, when plans unravel and certainty gives way to self-discovery.

The project is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani, with music composed by Ram Sampath, adding to the film’s promise of warmth and energy. Prime Video describes the story as light-hearted yet emotionally grounded, with a strong female-led narrative at its core.

Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the platform was delighted to collaborate with Eternal Sunshine on a story that blends sincerity with humour. He noted that the film’s fresh writing, earnest characters and infectious music make it an easy, engaging watch for audiences well beyond its young adult setting.

For Alia Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy reflects the kind of storytelling Eternal Sunshine set out to champion. She said the film stood out for its honesty, its coming-of-age perspective and Mukerji’s passion, which she felt was deeply woven into the narrative. Bhatt also praised Prime Video for supporting distinctive voices and bold creative choices.

With its breezy tone and familiar emotional beats, Don’t Be Shy aims to charm viewers whether they are rom-com regulars or simply in the mood for a warm, unpretentious story about life refusing to stick to the plan.