INSIGHTS

Entertainment industry insights, case studies and analysis.

Photographer Sharat Chandra welcomes decision to let film industry resume shooting

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As the country has entered the fifth phase of the Corona crisis lockdown as well as Unlock 1 (as it is called) from June 1, 2020, the Maharashtra government has put across some stringent guidelines for film and television shootings to resume.

Giving the green signal to resume film, television and streaming services shoots with strict preconditions, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures, titled “Guiding Principles to Restart Entertainment Industry in Maharashtra.” These set of ‘principles’ and measures will be active until further notice.

Ace photographer Sharat Chandra has welcomed the government’s decision. An elated Sharat says, “The Indian film industry, like most other industries, has suffered a huge setback during the lockdown. I heartily welcome the government’s decision to slowly and steadily open the doors for the film industry to get back on its feet.”

“Considering the fact that cricket and Bollywood are just like religions in India, its time when people stranded inside their homes for so long, are permitted to have a bit of respite. The very fact that they would now feel that they can see their Bollywood idols back on the screen soon, is a heartening thing,” adds Sharat.

Under the new rules, producers who wish to conduct shoots in the city will have to seek permission from the managing director of the Maharashtra Film, Theatre and Cultural Development Corporation (Film City). Film shoots across other cities or districts in Maharashtra will need permission from the collectors of those districts.

An important regulation is that the state government has recommended an on-set crew of a third of the original strength. The presence of an ambulance, a doctor and a nurse will be compulsory on every set, along with the monitoring of the body temperature. A significant ruling is that children below the age of 10 and adults over the age of 65 will not be permitted to participate in the shooting.

Top 10 transformational looks from hair, makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh

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When it comes to transformational looks and makeovers, National Award-winning hair, makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh is the undisputed No. 1 in Bollywood. She has also set up India’s first make-up and prosthetic lab called Da Makeup Lab at Versova, which has emerged a landmark. Here’s a list of the Top 10 looks she’s designed, which impressed every Bollywood buff. What’s more! Most of the films have emerged big money-spinners at the box-office.

1) Chhichhore

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The film had many characters which needed character designs as well as ageing. Preeetisheel had to keep that in mind while curating the looks. Plus, all the characters in the film were being drastically transformed in looks for the first time, which made her job all the more special. But she made sure that the looks matched their characters and also kept them as realistic as possible, which was loved by the director Nitesh Tiwari. Preetisheel designed multiple young and old-age looks for an ensemble lead cast. The film turned out to be quite spectacular. It went on to cross the Rs 200 crore mark at the box-office.

2) Padmaavat

2) Padmaavat

Designing the looks for Padmaavat led to creating the look of the evil ruler Alauddin Khilji (played with aplomb by Ranveer Singh), which turned out to be one of the most iconic villainous characters in Indian cinema, not just for the performance, but also for the look. Preetisheel’s looks for Deepika Padukone (as the legendary queen Padmavati) and Shahid Kapoor (as the Rajput ruler Ratan Singh) and the other cast of the film also earned her tremendous praise. Viewers and film critics alike, were awestruck with the results. Working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali was always special to Preetisheel (she had worked with him on Bajirao Mastani earlier), because she got all the creative freedom she needed. He trusted her work and that gave her the confidence to design something very unique and different. The film is reported to have earned Rs 585 crore at the box-office.

3) Bala

3) Bala

Bala was a film where Preetisheel designed the looks for both the main leads, which were totally transformed. The balding look of Ayushmann Khurrana was enjoyed by the audiences and so was the dusky look of Bhumi Pednekar. The film became a hit and was hugely accepted by the audiences all over the globe, grossing Rs 171.45 crore worldwide.

4) Nanak Shah Fakir

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This film is very special to Preetisheel as it was her first film as a hair, makeup and prosthetic designer, and even bagged her the National Film Award for Best Makeup. A pre-Mughal historical epic Nanak Shah Fakir based on the life of Guru Nanak, required the most amount of prosthetics done in Preetisheel’s career. She designed the looks for all the characters in the movie. The film released and re-released amid controversy, but went on to become an landmark for its subject and theme. Reminiscing about it gives Preetisheel immense creative satisfaction.

5) Housefull 4

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For Housefull 4, looks for all the period characters including those of Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Kriti Kharbanda and Rana Daggubati were designed by Preetisheel. Media went ga ga over Akshay Kumar’s bald look in the film and it received a huge opening. Akshay also complimented Preetisheel for her work. The song Bala Bala Shaitan Ka Saala too, emerged a rage. Housefull 4 grossed Rs 280 crore worldwide.

6) Bajirao Mastani

6) Bajirao Mastani

This was Preetisheel’s first movie with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It gave her a chance to prove herself to him, as the maker focuses on the minutest detail. All the characters in Bajirao Mastani turned out outstanding and that’s what gave Preetisheel a masterful footing with period films. Especially, Ranveer Singh’s look as the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao earned Preetisheel good recognition. The film was reported to have grossed Rs 356 crore at the box-office.

7) 24

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24 was the first time she got a chance to work with Southern superstar Suriya. Preetisheel found him extremely down-to-earth to work with. 24 was hailed as one of the classiest movies in terms of looks and special effects, and went down in history as great fine art. She got to work with Suriya in more films later. The film earned 150 crore at the box-office.

8) Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW)

8) Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW)

RAW had a lot of disguises on John Abraham who plays a spy in the film. That by itself was super exciting for the makeup and prosthetic whiz. She found him amazing to work with as he was very open to the idea of prosthetics and very patient getting into the various looks. Some of his disguises in the film were so good that even his fans could not recognize him in the movie stills which were released before the film.

9) 102 Not Out

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Creating super-aged looks for Amitabh Bachchan (as a 102-year-old man) and Rishi Kapoor (playing his 75-year-old son) is yet another highlight of Preetisheel’s career. Working for this Umesh Shukla film was interesting for her, but she also admits that it was tense. Apart from their seniority, Preetisheel knew that both Bachchan and Kapoor had worked with some of the best international names in makeup and prosthetics. She did her best. Luckily, they loved the looks and so did the audience. Though the film was not a typical Bollywood potboiler, it earned a handsome 115 crore at the box-office.

10) Mom

10) Mom

Mom had an amazing script to start with and transforming the look for Nawazuddin Siddiqui for the first time was quite exciting for Preetisheel. His receding hairline and buck tooth look in the film, almost made him unrecognizable. The film was a success, earning 175 crore at the box-office. Preetisheel later worked with Nawazuddin again for the film Thackeray, where she transformed his looks into that of the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray

Izabelle Leite goes sultry for Sharat Chandra’s photoshoot

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Now here is something interesting to pep your mood up in Lockdown times. For a recent photoshoot with ace photographer Sharat Chandra, the pretty Izabelle Leite transformed into a sultry maiden wearing a stunning modern monokini from new-age designer Surya Sarkar’s latest Resort Wear Collection.

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Yes, Izabelle Leite — the Brazilian actress and model who was dating India’s cricket captain Virat Kohli, who not long ago, was one of India’s most eligible bachelors. The stunner has been working in India from sometime and has appeared in quite a few Southern movies as well as in Bollywood. A while ago, her music video titled Lahore with Guru Randhawa crossed 856 million views on YouTube.

In her latest pics, Izabelle is seen posing elegantly in the black fusion net monokini, replete with drape and belt. Sharat Chandra has intelligently blended natural light with strobe light, complimenting Izabelle’s tall figure, giving the much-needed edge to her looks, which are a unique mix of innocence and hotness.

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“Since Izabelle has fair skin, I chose a slightly warm tone for the pictures which could give them a satin-line shine. And that seems to have worked well,” says Sharat. ” Izabelle is a very good poser with a charming personality. She throws no tantrums which makes her a great person to work with,” he adds.

Describing his Resort Wear Collection, designer Surya Sarkar remarks, “We have a lot of colours in the whole line, but we used black for this shoot. It’s a classic and universal colour and one can’t go wrong with it. Izabelle needed to look sexy and exotic in the shoot, so the dress was ideal for it. It’s a very light weight dress, designed keeping the Indian weather in mind.”

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Surya Sarkar’s Resort Wear Collection was supposed to be launched in the beginning of 2020, but is on hold due to the Corona crisis. The collection comprises of dresses which could comfortably be worn at beach events.

 

Iulia Vantur is a picture of elegance as she poses for Sharat Chandra

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Though these pics were clicked a little before Mumbai went into the Coronavirus lockdown, we are quite happy to have discovered them recently.

It was just a few weeks ago that ace fashion and film photographer Sharat Chandra clicked these regal-looking pictures of Romanian television presenter and singer Iulia Vantur, who is rumoured to be Bollywood megastar Salman Khan’s girlfriend.

Just after this shoot, she headed to Nykka Femina Beauty Awards 2020, where she was seen sparkling in this red outfit. “Iulia is an ethereal beauty and it was a pleasure to click her,” says Sharat. “The best thing about her is that she has an easy-going and radiant personality,” he adds.

Dressed in a bright red dress made by the magnificent new-age designer Surya Sarkar, Iulia carries herself with utmost elegance in the shoot, which also makes us wonder, why she is not seen more often on the ramp or in the movies.

Must say, the best part about this girl is that she is a very optimistic person. Her Insta followers swear by that and actually feel they elevate their mood with her messages and pics whenever they head to her Insta account. Now that’s some good vibration with a dollop of positive energy, and not many have that effect on people.

Vickyy Kohhli releases new inspiring song Muskurale with Sadhana Sargam

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To inspire people during this tough time of Coronavirus pandemic, the talented singer Vickyy Kohhli has come out with a new melodious and soothing song along with the famous Bollywood singer Sadhana Sargam.

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Titled Muskurale, the number has an interesting video with montage shots of various places in and around India and depicting a cross-section of people and communities living in peace and harmony. The video is accompanied by lyrics embedded in Hindi.

“Together we will come out stronger from this pandemic of lockdowns, hunger and poverty,” says Vickyy, who is confident of the world having the strength to fight against this tough time. Composed and written by Vickyy Kohhli, the music for Muskurale has been beautifully arranged by Rajib, Mouna and Sajid, with the video masterfully edited by Karan Channey and Tanveer Babu.

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While the film industry is going through a very financially damaging phase, the music industry may revive first, as songs can be sung, composed and mixed with minimal physical interactions.

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In fact, a lot of Bollywood actors like Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham have also come out with special motivational videos in the last few weeks, and Vickyy feels this kind of music goes a long way in giving people strength and hope. Meanwhile, new normals are fast setting in, and songs like Muskurale prove they are ahead of the curve.

Rozlyn Khan rocks Marathi TikTok video with Riteish Deshmukh

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TikTok ‘Comedy Princess’ Rozlyn Khan never fails to amuse us! One of the recent videos she has come out with, is titled ‘Marathi TikTok.’

And guess who she is featured with? Cool dude Riteish Deshmukh. The duet clip has Rozlyn and Riteish juxtaposed side-by-side, with her pestering him to tell her a joke. What happens next is to be seen in the video.

Just for the record, Rozlyn shot to fame with her acts as a model and then in Bollywood movies. Her famous desi rip-off video of the South Korean megahit Gangnam Style had us wondering what she will come up with next. And then she made a foray into TikTok and reinvented herself as India’s ‘Comedy Princess’. Way to go!

Ardhsatya web-series maker Kanu Priya urges people to “surrender” to COVID-19

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Actress and celebrity host Kanu Priya who recently directed and produced the successful supernatural fiction show Ardhsatya for the OTT platform Watcho, has a unique take about how people should deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.

Sharing her viewpoint on social media, the soul-searching actress says, “COVID-19 is not a fight. Its a journey of surrender.” Elaborating on what she means, she explains how people need to look within for real solutions. “Surrender to the higher self and accept our mistakes.”

Kanu Priya remarks that humans are used to fighting for survival in moments of crisis. We come together, stand up for each other, and feel we have won the battle. The actress feels, “we are all doing it wrong. We are quarantined. We are sitting at our homes with family. Our core has got corrupted which can only be healed by sitting in stillness and alone. Others can’t make us see our darkness. We know about it, but we are not learning our lessons.”

“We don’t need to be together in this battle. The enemy is not outside. Doctors, nurses, police, house-keeping staff and others were doing their job earlier too. But now we have made them Gods and saints. We have put them on a very high pedestal. Appreciating someone’s work, and giving them a God’s status, are two different things. Instead of messiah complexes, we should be finding the real reason for this pause.”

Kanu Priya feels this issue will not go away. “COVID-19 is not a collective fight, it’s an individual battle and till the time we do not accept that, we will not allow our inner demons and darkness to come out,” she analyses.

“It’s not going to be easy to face our inner self, hatred, fears, karmas. But I can assure you, there’s enough light for your darkness to go away. Because deep down, beyond our darkness is our Godliness. It wants to emerge now. Give it space. Clear it up. Let the light shine.”

For the record, before the web series Ardhsatya, Kanu Priya has been known for her international hit shows include Awakening With Brahma Kumari, Subah Savere, Mann Ki Baat and Evening Live Show. She’s been an integral part of the entertainment industry for over 25 years.

Kanu Priya is also the founder and CEO of Noida-based media company Gul Guncha Arts and also runs the Actor Unveiled Acting Academy. A truly multifaceted lady, she believes in using the power of mass media to bring a global change in the world.

Memories of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan bring tears to Preetisheel Singh

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National Award-winning makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh who curated Rishi Kapoor’s looks for 102 Not Out and Mulk, and worked with Irrfan Khan for Haider, is overcome with grief after their sudden demise.

“Working with Irrfan Khan and Rishi Sir has been a journey I will never forget,” says Preetisheel. She mentions that it’s rare to have such accomplished artists always willing to experiment with their screen appearances.

Preetisheel recollects, “When I first got a chance to work with Rishi Sir on 102 Not Out, I was a bit nervous as he had been working with international prosthetic artists earlier. But once I had finished the process of his look in the film, he was very impressed .”

“Moreover, he would give me interesting advice while narrating his experiences with international makeup and prosthetic artists. He was like a father figure to me and I will always miss him a lot.”

“I got a chance to work with Mr Khan during Haider and the experience was fabulous, as he was one of the most patient actors on the makeup chair,” reminisces Preetisheel.

“Apart from being among the best our industry has had, both Mr Khan and Rishi Sir were amazing and very down-to-earth human beings. And that is what made them so special. Today, when I think of all the times spent working with them, it brings tears of fondness. It is really sad to lose such amazing talent and good human beings.”

Bollywood PR Dale Bhagwagar lists 6 best Rishi Kapoor movies which amazed the nation

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As appeared on Mango Bunch:

https://mangobunch.in/gossip/bollywood-pr-dale-bhagwagar-lists-6-best-rishi-kapoor-movies-which-amazed-the-nation/

Reeling under the pressure of the Coronovirus lockdown, the demise of veteran actor Rishi Kapoor immensely saddened Bollywood. More so, Rishi’s death hit the industry as a twin tragedy, just as it was getting over the grief of actor Irrfan Khan’s death.

Remembering the evergreen actor’s classics, Bollywood PR Dale Bhagwagar listed 6 of Rishi Kapoor’s top movies which took the Indian film industry by storm. “Going through these top Rishi Kapoor classics as a flashback, may serve as a balm on the sad news that has befallen,” he wrote on his social media.

1) Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

The first in the list is Amar Akbar Anthony which was directed by the maverick filmmaker Manmohan Desai. Starring Rishi with Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna, the film belonged to the drama genre, but could easily be classified as a comedy and a musical.

2) Naseeb (1981)

Another dramatic film which Dale has listed on top is Naseeb, once again starring Rishi with Amitabh Bachchan, this time with Shatrughan Sinha giving them company. This one too was directed by Manmohan Desai.

3) Bobby (1973)

The third movie listed by the Bollywood publicist among Rishi’s best, is the actor’s first film as a lead star; the cult romantic megahit Bobby, directed by none other than his father Raj Kapoor, co-starring Rishi with Dimple Kapadia.

4) Prem Rog (1982)

Raj Kapoor was the director of two more films listed by Dale as the topmost classics of Rishi Kapoor. One being the dramatic Prem Rog, co-starring Rishi with Padmini Kolhapure.

5) Mera Naam Joker (1970)

The other being the romantic biopic Mera Naam Joker, which was actually Rishi’s debut as a child-artist. It released in 1970, three years before Rishi made his debut as a hero in Bobby in 1973. He even received the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for this one. Mera Naam Joker starred Raj Kapoor with Simi Garewal and a host of stars from the film industry. Rishi played the role of an adolescent called Raju, who deals with an infatuation with his teacher Mary, played by Simi Garewal.

6) Chandni (1989)

The final film Dale Bhagwagar lists as one of Rishi Kapoor’s greatest classics, is Yash Chopra’s movie Chandni, which starred Rishi with Sridevi and Vinod Khanna. Sixteen years after he made his debut as a hero with Dimple in Bobby, Rishi outdid himself as a romantic lead once again in Chandni opposite Sridevi.

“His more recent films like 102 Not Out (2018), Mulk (2018), Kapoor & Sons (2016), Rajma Chawal (2018), The Body (2019) and the reboot of Agneepath (2012) where he starred as a villain, also make credible mentions,” wrote Dale. “And not to forget some of the other greats such as Karz (1980), Saagar (1985), Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), Deewana (1992), Damini (1993), Heena (1991), Coolie (1983) and Bol Radha Bol (1992),” Dale added.

What more can we say, but that we have lost a gem of an actor, which Bollywood won’t forget forever. Rishi was known as Bollywood’s ‘evergreen’ actor, and now, evergreen he will stay in the memories of all.

 

National Award-winner Preetisheel Singh’s Da Makeup Lab launches makeup contest amid Lockdown

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Bollywood’s premier makeup and prosthetic studio Da Makeup Lab, that is responsible for looks created in films like Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Chhichhore, 102 Not Out, Thackeray, Bala, Housefull 4 and many more, launched a makeup contest amid the Corona crisis.

“Post the lockdown, there were a huge number of inquiries coming in about learning makeup and prosthetic, so we thought, why not let people nurture their creativity in this time of isolation,” says Preetisheel Singh, who runs the makeup and prosthetic outfit in Versova, Mumbai.

“The motive of having this competition is to raise spirits during this time. People tend to be more motivated when there is something positive to look forward to when these troubled times end,” she points out.

Called the SFX Makeup Contest, the theme of this online competition is ‘trauma’ (bruised and battered look). It gives a chance to makeup lovers to not only utilize their time during the Coronavirus lockdown, but even win an opportunity to learn from the best. Because three of its top winners will get a chance to attend a workshop with the National Award-winning Preetisheel Singh a few weeks after the lockdown is completely relaxed.]

As per a source at Da Makeup Lab, people have already started responding and are excited about creating looks. The source quips, “We have had a few people even messaging us and asking if they could send in multiple entries, and we say, of course, why not.”

Preetisheel Singh behind South style icon Allu Arjun’s look in Pushpa

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National Award-winning look designer Preetisheel Singh, who has designed looks for Bollywood biggies like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, John Abraham, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana and Ranveer Singh, has now teamed up with South style icon and superstar Allu Arjun for his upcoming film Pushpa, creating a look which already has the masses anticipating more.

The makeup and prosthetic designer has done a lot of detailing, including colour, tan, and a hairstyle to match the rugged bearded look of Allu Arjun with piercing eyes. The actor recently shared the first look of the film on social media and the poster instantly went viral.

What’s more! The poster emerged the most liked first look on Twitter with more than 84.k likes in 24 hours. Currently, it has 17.3k retweets and 98k likes on the micro-blogging site.

According to the grapevine, the film is based on red sandalwood smuggling and set in the backdrop of Seshachalam forest, the hilly ranges part of Eastern Ghats in southern Andhra Pradesh. Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa is touted to be an action entertainer, with the shoot being planned after the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

Known for her transformational work in Bollywood, Preetisheel also owns and operates India’s premier outfit Da Makeup Lab along with her partner Mark D’souza.

Feryna Wazheir posts WVU helpline to tackle COVID-19 stress

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has requested the nation to light diyas and torches at 9pm on August 5, in a show of strength and togetherness. It’s going to be a huge symbolic expression about making everyone feel that we are not alone.

On a similar line of thought, Airlift-fame actress Feryna Wazheir who was recently seen in Commando 3, has posted a very sweet message on her Instagram, imploring her fans not to feel lost, depressed or alone.

Along with a heart-warming video, she wrote: “Your positive state of mind is the first line and strongest defense against disease. For the first time in India, a large community of well-wishers are going beyond themselves to deliver back to society, peace and harmony, by sharing what they most value, their time, their empathy and their support.”

Imploring people not to hesitate to seek professional assistance if they feel isolated or anxious, Feryna shared the helpline numbers of Wellbeing Volunteers United (WVU); a collective effort of different NGOs and organizations working in the field of mental health who bring varied levels of understanding and ability to solve today’s challenges.

“Please don’t suffer in silence and reach out on the free helpline to talk to the trained Wellbeing Volunteers United in their effort to uplift the spirits of India. Your spirit.” she added. “Empower yourself with the power of positive thinking.”

With India emerging a hotbed of mental health challenges, WVU is aiming to launch a coordinated multi-dimensional effort to help people deal with mental illnesses and address the disturbing progression of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, financial insecurity, relationship anxiety, gender stereotypes, stress and panic attacks.