Mumbai, June 28: Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s production banner Excel Entertainment has joined forces with Anupam Kher’s production studio for “Tanvi The Great”.

Excel Entertainment has come on board the project as the global distributor for the drama scheduled to reach the cinema halls on July 18, this year.

Kher took to his official Instagram handle and posted an image with Farhan and Ritesh. Sharing the exciting announcement, he wrote, “ANNOUNCEMENT: Behind every great story are those who dare to believe in it and those who step in to take it even further. Today, that belief turns stronger with #ExcelEntertainment joining our journey. One of Indian cinema’s most passionate storytellers, their support in Tanvi’s journey will strengthen our dream to take her story far and wide globally. Thank you dearest @faroutakhtar and @ritesh_sid for your faith, support and appreciation!”

On Monday, Kher was seen walking the New York streets with legendary Hollywood actor and his friend Robert De Niro.

Kher, who was in the Big Apple for the premiere of “Tanvi: The Great” said that he never thought of doing such a thing even in his “wildest dreams”.

Taking to his Instagram handle, Kher dropped a picture with De Niro, along with the caption: “Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that one day I will be walking on the streets of New York with the GREATEST ACTOR in the world. The ICONIC #RobertDeNiro! God is kind and so is Mr. De Niro!! Jai Mata Di! #Actors.”

For the unversed, Kher and De Niro were seen sharing the screen in the 2012 Hollywood release “Silver Linings Playbook”, which was made under the direction of David O. Russell.

Backed by Kher Studios and NFDC, in collaboration with Lower Middle-Class Corporation, “Tanvi The Great” has Shubhangi Dutt, Iain Glen, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Pallavi Joshi, Karan Tacker, Nasser, and Shubhangi in pivotal roles, along with others.

Mumbai, June 24: Actress Delnaaz Irani opened up about the evolving nature of the small screen and why audience loyalty isn’t what it used to be.

Speaking to media, she shared valuable insights into how the rise of OTT platforms, changing viewing habits, and the abundance of content have transformed the way audiences engage with television today. Irani, known for her extensive body of work on television, spoke about how the industry has evolved over the years. Addressing the common perception that TV shows no longer enjoy the long runs they once did, the actress maintained that the quality of content hasn’t necessarily declined.

She emphasized that each show has its own journey and that content creators are still putting in dedicated effort to bring meaningful stories to viewers. However, she acknowledged that the media landscape has undergone a massive transformation. Comparing it to the ‘90s and early 2000s, Delnaaz pointed out that the television industry back then operated with fewer channels and limited platforms.

“Every show has its own journey. Content creators are working hard, and good content is still being made. But the media landscape has changed drastically. Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, we didn’t have this many channels or platforms. Today, OTT has taken over in a big way. There’s so much variety that audience loyalty is scattered. The TRP game has shifted. It’s not about quality alone—luck and timing play a big role.”

Delnaaz Irani also reflected on her experience with the beloved historical comedy “Akbar Birbal.” She called it one of the most special projects of her career, having been part of the popular TV series for nearly three years. The Kal Ho Naa Ho actress expressed a deep sense of pride in revisiting the same role for the stage version, calling it a full-circle moment.

Speaking about the challenges of live comedy, Delnaaz shared that the stage has always been home for her. With her acting roots grounded in theatre, she finds performing comedy in front of a live audience not just effortless but immensely enjoyable. “Comedy has always come naturally to me. I started my journey from the stage; that’s where my acting roots are. The stage was my school, my training ground. So, for me, doing comedy on stage doesn’t feel like work—it feels like play, like I’m just having fun.”

Mumbai, June 24: Acclaimed star Pankaj Tripathi has opened up about how his growing up days in Bihar influenced his craft in acting.

Talking about how growing up in Bihar has influenced his craft, Pankaj told IANS: “Of course it has. That will happen. We are nothing. We are puppets of our experience. So my experience, everyone’s experience, not mine, where I was born, where I grew up, my experience is in my work.”

Pankaj added: “Even if I was in corporate, or in any other field, I would still be there because I am in acting, I am in art, and in this, our art form, performing art, is very close to human emotion and nature.”

“If we leave singing, everyone has an instrument, if we leave singing. In the art form of acting, the instrument is your experience, your body, your emotions.Through that we create something. Yes. So the experience we have, we recall that memory and put it in scenes and films.”

The actor currently awaits the release of “Metro…In Dino,” which delves into the complex and modern relationships, the upcoming film promises an exploration of love, heartbreak, and human connection.

The film stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta. Directed by Anurag Basu, the film will be in cinemas on July 4.

The film is a spiritual sequel to the 2007 film “Life in a… Metro” directed by Basu. Partly inspired by Billy Wilder’s romantic comedy film The Apartment, it features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Nafisa Ali, Shilpa Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kangana Ranaut, and Sharman Joshi in lead roles.

It narrates the lives of nine people living in Mumbai and deals with topics such as extramarital affairs, sanctity of marriage, commitment phobia, and love.