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Salaar: Part 1: The Ceasefire Review: Prashanth Neel Scripts A Worthy Comeback Film For Prabhas Despite The Cliched Trappings

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Director: Prashanth Neel

Cast: Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Sriya Reddy, Easwari Rao, Bobby Simha, Tinnu Anand

Where: In theatres near you

Rating: 3 stars

The stakes are undeniably high for everyone involved in Salaar: Part 1: The Ceasefire. Filmmaker Prashanth Neel, having set a formidable standard with the monumental success of the K.G.F. franchise, understands the imperative of maintaining the expectations of his audience. Additionally, lead actor Prabhas, having transcended his status as Telugu cinema’s Darling Rebel Star to become a Pan-Indian superstar, seeks a much-needed hit after a string of disappointments with Saaho, Radhe Shyam, and Adipurush. Meanwhile, Prithviraj Sukumaran, a trailblazer in Malayalam cinema, has long embraced the foresight of exploring diverse content in various Indian languages, both as an actor and a producer. Moreover, an inevitable showdown with a reigning global superstar at the box office, this weekend, has only intensified the intrigue around the film’s release. Does the film deliver or does it crumble under the weight of expectations, let’s figure.

Salaar: Part 1: The Ceasefire unfolds the narrative of Deva (Prabhas) and Vardharaja Mannar’s (Prithviraj) friendship in the fictional town of Khansaar. Their camaraderie takes a tumultuous turn when political circumstances transform them into bitter rivals, compelling Deva to depart from the city along with his mother. Several years later, as Aadhya (Shruti Haasan) returns to India from the US, she becomes the target of Mannar’s extended family. It falls upon Deva to uphold and protect her, presenting an opportunity for the estranged friends to reunite for a cause that will reshape the destiny of Khansaar.

Neel draws inspiration from Game of Thrones, Baahubali, and his own 2014 Kannada debut, Ugramm, to craft a project that aligns seamlessly with the commanding presence of his main leads. While the screenplay could have benefited with tighter editing, given the filmmaker’s penchant for establishing Prabhas’ on-screen persona, the extended shots of the actor may become overwhelming for the audience after a certain point. Ravi Basrur’s musical composition, while not reaching the exceptional heights as observed in Neel’s K.G.F., nevertheless contributes effectively to the stylishly choreographed action sequences in the film, with his background score. Bhuvan Gowda’s cinematography and T.L. Venkatachalapathi’s skillful production design collaborate seamlessly to enable Neel in providing an exceptional world-building experience, particularly in the way Khansaar is designed. It’s a city that spells doom and dread.

Without the finely orchestrated action sequences by Anbarivu, Salaar might risk becoming a rather dull affair. The action director skillfully uses the impressive physiques of Prabhas and Prithviraj, creating exhilarating action moments that are worth cherishing at the theatres. Examining the film solely based on its script, the premise appears, quite frankly, outdated and redundant.

Salaar succeeds due to the commendable performances of both Prabhas and Prithviraj. Prabhas, openly acknowledging his own laziness in past interviews, benefits from a capable director like Neel, whose vision effectively brings out at least the bare minimum effort from the actor on screen. The man can now witness the spell of failure being broken. He exercises pain and power, in equal measure Yet, from a personal perspective, I would prefer to commend Prithviraj’s performance. He is restrained yet effective. Shruti has minimal screentime, and it remains interesting to see whether she will play a more substantial role in the subsequent films of the Salaar franchise. Jagapathi Babu, portraying Raja Mannaar, has a restricted on-screen presence, yet his effectiveness is notable. Bobby Simha performs commendably in his limited role as Vardha’s brother-in-law Bhaarava. Sriya Reddy and Easwari Rao deliver fine performances in their pivotal roles as Radha Rama and Deva’s mother.

With Salaar Part 1: The Ceasefire, Neel scripts a much-needed comeback vehicle for his leading man. Never mind the cliches though.

Bollywood

Ranvir Shorey criticizes MNS workers for assaulting a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi

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Mumbai, July 3: Bollywood actor Ranvir Shorey took to social media to strongly condemn the actions of MNS workers who allegedly assaulted a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi.

Expressing his outrage, the actor called the incident shameful and unacceptable. He also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his post. The ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ actor took to his X handle to post a video that captured members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly attacking a restaurant owner in Mumbai’s Mira Road area over his inability to speak Marathi. Expressing his anger, Shorey described the incident as “disturbing” and voiced serious concerns about the current state of law and order in Maharashtra.

The actor tweeted, “This is sickening. Monsters on the loose, looking for attention and political relevance. Where’s L&O, @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis ?.” Ranvir also hit back at trolls in the comments section of his post, giving a sharp and fitting response to those who tried to criticise him. One user asked the actor, “Since how many years you now live in Maharashtra? How much effort have you taken to learn Marathi?”

In his reply, Ranvir Shorey said, “First, I’m not answerable to a hateful anonymous troll like you for any of these questions. Second, you’re really dumb if you think beating people up will make them learn and speak a language. And finally, if you do want to bring attention to the issue, there are more positive & constructive ways to bring about change, or even protest for political mileage, instead of beating hapless citizens who’re just trying to make a living!”

A video that went viral on social media showed a group of men visiting a shop to buy food. The situation turned violent when they allegedly attacked the shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The men were seen wearing scarves associated with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

The incident took place in Bhayander, located in Maharashtra’s Thane district. It occurred shortly after the state government rolled back its decision to enforce a three-language policy, which had sparked criticism from the opposition.

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Bollywood

Singer Rochak Kohli shares how AI is empowering musicians

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Mumbai, July 3: Singer and composer Rochak Kohli, who is best known for his song, “Pani Da Rang,” believes that artificial intelligence is not a threat to musicians but a powerful tool that can enhance creativity.

In an exclusive interview with media, the singer shared his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in music. Kohli said he regularly uses AI for generating musical ideas, exploring new instruments, and staying updated with global trends. Rochak even admitted to creating videos using AI for his independent channel, adding that he sees it as a helpful resource rather than something to fear.

“I see AI as a tool—nothing more, nothing less. I use it quite a bit myself. Whether it’s for musical ideas, discovering new instruments, or global trends, it’s very useful. I’ve even made videos using AI on my independent channel. Rather than a threat, I think AI is empowering musicians.”

When asked about the growing remix trend in today’s music industry and whether he prefers original compositions or finds them risky, the singer shared, “Original compositions bring true satisfaction. When there’s a demand for a remix, we carefully consider the song, the reason behind it, and whether it adds value. Nowadays, people don’t accept remixes the way they did a decade ago, and I think that’s a positive shift—original music is finally getting its due.”

Talking about his new album, “Aap jaisa Koi,” Rochak stated, “I’ve composed two songs in this album—Jab Tu Sajan and Dhuaan Dhuaan, which is an intense track. The sequence of songs was a deliberate choice. We used a part of Jab Tu Sajan as a bridge into Dhuaan Dhuaan to ensure the emotional flow remained seamless and cohesive for the listener.”

Rochak Kohli added, “After a long time, I had the opportunity to work on a project where music played a pivotal role. Our first song, Jab Tu Sajan, was shot in a very unique style. It felt really good to see music being given its due importance again.”

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Bollywood

Naseeruddin Shah breaks silence after being trolled for deleting post backing Diljit Dosanjh

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Mumbai, July 2: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah took to social media to share a powerful message after deleting a post in support of Diljit Dosanjh.

Reflecting on the pressure and backlash that followed, Shah reflected on truth and silence in a thought-provoking message, quoting German scientist and philosopher Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. The ‘Omkara’ actor took to his Facebook handle and wrote, “It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody’s beard. -Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, scientist and philosopher (1 Jul 1742-1799).”

The line, though centuries old, seems to have resonated deeply in the current context, subtly highlighting the backlash the veteran actor faced for removing his post. In the post, he had made religious remarks against those criticizing Diljit Dosanjh’s collaboration with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film ‘Sardaar Ji 3.’ Shah clarified that the actor had no role in the decision to cast Hania Aamir in the film.

In his now deleted post, Naseeruddin Shah wrote, “I stand Firmly With Diljit. The dirty tricks deptt of Jumla Party has been awaiting a chance to attack him. They think they’ve got it at last. He was not responsible for the casting of the film, the director was. But no one knows who he is whereas Diljit is known the world over, and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned.”

The 74-year-old actor added, “What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and some dear friends there and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever i feel like it. And my response to those who will say “Go to Pakistan” is Go To Kailasa.”

A section of users on X criticized the veteran actor for taking down his post merely a day after he had spoken out against the backlash aimed at Diljit Dosanjh.

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