30042024-LSTC-01.qxd 4/30/2024 12:18 AM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Eye opener Rapper Badshah recently visited the new Parliament building and said that it was a celebration of India’s cultural heritage. CHANDIGARH | TUESDAY | 30 APRIL 2024 Nonika Singh A Murders she solved... Kareena can’t wait for The Buckingham Murders magic to unfold for her On Hansal Mehta’s birthday on Monday, Kareena Kapoor Khan extended her wishes to the filmmaker and shared that she coul dnot wait for the magic of their upcoming film The Buckingham Murders to unfold for the two of them. Kareena took to her Instagram stories and shared a monochrome picture featuring herself and the filmmaker engaged in conversation. “Happy birthday @hansalmehta. Can’t wait for the Buckingham magic to unfold for us,” she wrote in the caption. The Buckingham Murders is a crime thriller film in which the actress portrays a British-Indian detective assigned to investigate the case of a murdered child in Buckinghamshire. The movie premiered at the 67th BFI London Film Festival in October 2023. — IANS Together they rock DILJIT DOSANJH Punjabi singer-actor Diljit with Neeru Bajwa...she is Dosanjh never misses a here in the stadium. We all chance to make his fans and love you Neeru Bajwa ji. We colleagues feel special. all respect you. You are one After showering praise on and only Queen of our PunKareena Kapoor Khan durjabi industry. Also, our film ing his concert in Jatt & Juliet 3 is comIndia, Diljit has ing...show us love,” now given a shout Diljit said in Punout to Punjabi jabi, eliciting a actress Neeru loud cheer from Bajwa at his Dilthe audience. luminati Tour in After attending Vancouver, Canada. the concert of Diljit, Several videos have NEERU BAJWA Neeru took to Instasurfaced online in which he gram and shared pictures could be seen calling Neeru from the gig. Meanwhile, Bajwa the ‘Queen’ of the Diljit sang his popular songs Punjabi industry. in the presence of 54,000 fans “My film journey started in Vancouver. — ANI ‘nurturing and good looking’ life partner, a baby on the way and ‘baby steps’ into the world of production and icing on the happiness cake, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Heeramandi in which she plays a key part is ready to stream on Netflix…. Touch wood! Even before the talented actress Richa Chadha can utter the word, we echo similar thoughts. Life is good, admits the Masaan actress. Though she has proved her mettle in more than one film, Bhansali’s Heeramandi is a special one. It’s the first time she plays a dancer and had to reconnect with Kathak, a dance form she had learnt in early formative years. As she calls her part of courtesan Lajjo, ‘female Devdas,’ we wonder whether her reference points were reel Devdas’ Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan or the ultimate tragedy queen Meena Kumari. She shares that it’s indeed the late actress who herself played the part of tawaif to perfection in Pakeezah. Richa not only had Meena Kumari’s onscreen performances in her mind but also offscreen heartbreaks, her struggles with addiction and more. “It’s Mr Bhansali’s and my tribute to her.” Bhansali, with whom she has worked previously too in Goliyon Ki Raasleela RamLeela, is undeniably a tough taskmaster but ‘not aimlessly tough’. Since he would not settle for anything less than perfect, Richa adds, “I would not mind doing 100 re-takes for him.” Guess what, for a particular scene of dance in Heeramandi she came rather close — 99 retakes. Interestingly, Bhansali’s presence on the sets also ensures that despite an ensemble cast of so many actresses, including Manisha Richa Chadha, who plays Lajjo in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, hopes that after watching the Netflix series, people associate the word tawaif with dignity Decoding the ‘femaleDevdas’ Koirala and Sonakshi Sinha, there is no rivalry. She chuckles, “When you have such an alpha as the captain of the ship, there is no room for women to have an ego or bicker among themselves. Anyway, he makes his women old, young, those who have small or major parts, look beautiful, for visual aesthetics is so important to him. Moreover, so high are his standards that invariably parts in his films also end up being actors’ most memorable ones.” For Richa, it was a conscious choice to play this hopeless romantic Lajjo as against other grey characters in the series. Breaking away from stereotypes is something that she has consciously worked upon. Indeed, there is more than one Richa in this Bholi Punjaban of Fukrey franchise and Nagma Khatoon of Gangs of Wasseypur. She reasons, “If I were to play similar characters in film after film, I would be bored and so would my audiences. It’s an actor’s job to create something new. There should be an element of surprise for the audience, other- ❝ “LAJJO OF HEERAMANDI IS A HOPELESS ROMANTIC. BUT I AM MORE PRAGMATIC IN REAL LIFE AND ONE-SIDED LOVE IS CERTAINTY NOT FOR ME.” wise why would they put in their time and money.” The million dollar question — why should they invest in eight-episode Heeramandi, a tale of courtesans, far removed from On Irrfan Khan’s fourth death anniversary on Monday, here’s a look at some of his best movies While commemorating the fourth anniversary of Irrfan Khan’s passing, one cannot help but recall not only his immense talent but also the impact he made on the world of cinema. Here is a look at five of his must-watch movies. The Lunchbox (2013): In this poignant romantic drama, Irrfan Khan plays the role of Saajan Fernandes, a lonely office worker who strikes up an unexpected friendship with a woman through a lunchbox mix-up. His nuanced portrayal captures the character’s loneliness, longing, and eventual emotional awakening. Maqbool (2003): Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth sees Irrfan Khan in the titular role of Maqbool, a loyal but ambitious underworld henchman. His portrayal of the conflicted protagonist navigating power struggles and moral dilemmas earned him widespread praise for his intensity and depth. Paan Singh Tomar (2012): Portraying the real-life athlete-turned-dacoit, Irrfan Remembering a legend THE NAMESAKE on Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, this Mira Nair film explores the complexities of identity and belonging through the journey of an Indian-American family. Irrfan Khan reminds, “No one does period cinema like Mr Bhansali.” As she and her husband Ali Fazal have started a production house and are winning accolades for their film Girls Will Be Girls, would this Punjaban care to promote Punjabi cinema and talent from her home state? She nods, “Punjabi cinema is at a very interesting phase today almost where Marathi cinema was, say, 10 years ago.” She, who has recently seen Chamkila and is a self-confessed Diljit Dosanjh fan, would not only care to produce a Punjabi film but also love to act in a coming- ofage Punjabi film. Her Punjabi as of now is more Delhi-wasi kind… but she will brush up this ‘sweet beautiful’ language if the role demands. After all, the biggest takeaway from her exacting director Bhansali has been ‘absolute insistence on quality. ’ Pop sensation Rihanna stirred excitement among fans, as she hinted at what’s to come from her highly anticipated next album. The 36-year-old singer and businesswoman, known for her groundbreaking music and innovative beauty line, discussed her creative endeavours and upcoming ventures at an event for the launch of her Fenty Beauty’s new product. Rihanna unveils ambitious plans for upcoming album Rihanna shared insights into her musical aspirations and the evolution of her brand. Amidst discussions of makeup, motherhood, and the upcoming Met Gala, Rihanna made it clear that her focus remains firmly on delivering an exceptional musical experience with her forthcoming album. — ANI Musical connect Arijit Singh sings Zaalima, apologises to Mahira Khan after overlooking her at a concert PAAN SINGH TOMAR Khan delivers a powerhouse performance in this biographical drama. His portrayal of the titular character, who turns to a life of crime after facing injustice, is both gritty and empathetic, earning him critical acclaim and a National Film Award for Best Actor. The Namesake (2006): Based their reality of today? She says, “It’s shared history of our sub-continent. If you don’t know your context, you are lost.” She was wellclued in to the fact that there was a place in Lahore called Heeramandi where courtesans had so much sway over society. The series, she so hopes, would make people realise how these courtesans were not just nautch-girls but ones because of whom so many elements of culture survived. “Their contribution to poetry, music (Thumris) and dance (Kathak) can’t be overlooked,” she says. How challenging was it for a contemporary woman like her to step back in time and become an authentic and integral part of 1940s? Director’s vision and writing help, but she insists, “You have to do your own research.” In the same breath, she also ‘It’s gonna be amazing’ shines in the role of Ashoke Ganguli, a loving and introspective father whose quiet strength and wisdom anchor the narrative. Piku (2015): In this heart- c m y b warming comedy-drama, Irrfan Khan plays Rana Chaudhary, a pragmatic taxi company owner who finds himself entangled in the eccentricities of the titular character’s family dynamics. — ANI Arijit Singh’s recent concert in Dubai has been the talk of the town, especially in India and Pakistan. A video from the gig has been doing the rounds on the internet in which Arijit could be seen apologising to Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, who was seated in the audience, for not recognising her at first instance. While addressing the fans, the playback singer said, “You guys must be surprised, should I reveal? I should reveal in a very nice way. Can we have camera there? I have been trying to recognise this person, then remembered I have sung for her. Ladies and gentlemen, Mahira Khan sitting right in front of me. I was singing her song Zaalima and it’s her song and she was singing and standing and I couldn’t recognise her. I am so sorry ma’am, gratitude and thank you so much.” — ANI
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).