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Sanya Malhotra: Great to see female characters being written with empathy

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Ever since her debut in Bollywood with ‘Dangal’ in 2016, Sanya Malhotra has played myriad roles on-screen which are close to reality. She says unless new generation of actresses question ‘stereotype’ and demand to change the image of women in cinema, the shift will not happen.

After her debut, Sanya has appeared in films like ‘Pataakha’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Pagglait’ and ‘Meenakshi Sundareshwar’ to name a few.

In a conversation with IANS, Sanya said: “I think the kind of character I have acted on-screen so far, as an audience I want to see them because they are the women I have grown up seeing! Whether it is Jyoti, Sandhya, Meenakshi…we are those women. The good thing is, writers are now writing them with empathy and not with sympathy.”

She added that as an audience, she is “demanding the right representation of women on-screen.”

“We really have to break those stereotypes. As an actress of the new generation, I surely feel the responsibility to choose and say the right thing. There are a few things about women in cinema we have just normalised, and maybe it is time for us to question them too. Yes, change is happening but we have a long way to go!”

Sanya will next be seen in ‘Love Hostel’, which revolves around a young couple Ashu and Jyoti who got married in an inter-faith relationship. As it was against the will of their parents, they had to elope, and eventually, the parents of the girl’s family decided to run after their lives for honor killing.

She admits that the story of ‘Love Hostel’ was the best script she read in 2020, the 29-year-old actress shared how difficult it was for her to find the right note to play the character.

“Our world is so different. Jyoti’s reality is so different from who I am in real life or even the circumstance I have grown up into. The only way we could have done it right is to surrender to the script completely and that is what our director has motivated us to do.”

“Honestly speaking I had no reference point to it, so in some of the scenes in the film where Jyoti was going through some kind of trauma that I could never imagine. Those were tough moments. As an audience, we connect to Ashu and Jyoti with a lot of empathy and what I love about the whole story is, no matter how bad the situation was, they never lose hope,” she concluded.

The film is directed by Shanker Raman, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Drishyam Films. ‘Love Hostel’ also featuring Bobby Deol, releases on ZEE5 on February 25.

Bollywood

‘Dhurandhar 2 Is A Pakistani Film, Why Show It To People Of Hindustan?’ Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi Slams Ranveer Singh Starrer Movie

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Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi on Friday slammed the Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar 2, calling it ‘a false film’ made to spread hatred. Azmi added that the film is about Pakistan and questioned why it is being shown to audiences in India. His statements came as the release of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ triggered fresh controversy, with religious leaders raising concerns over its content.

While speaking to media, he questioned, “This film is made only to spread hatred, it is a false film. It is a Pakistani film, so why not show it to the people of Pakistan? Why show the people of Hindustan?”

Azmi accused the film of defaming Muslims, as he alleged that the movie focuses only on a few criminals while ignoring the many major crimes that have occurred in India.

Earlier, SP MLA Rais Shaikh had criticised the film and raised concerns saying that cinema should entertain, not become a tool for propaganda. Taking to his official handle on X (Formerly Twitter), Shaikh claimed that films like Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, calling the film an agenda, not an art. “Films like #Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, repeatedly glorifying one government. This isn’t art, it’s agenda,” he wrote.

AIMIM leader Waris Pathan stated movies should ideally provide knowledge and entertainment, alleging that some filmmakers create such content for monetary gain while spreading negativity against a specific community. 

Despite the controversy, the film garnered a massive box office collection by crossing the Rs 100 crore mark on Day 1 itself. With this, the film’s total collection now stands at a staggering Rs 145.55 crore (all languages), setting the tone for a blockbuster run ahead.

During the paid previews on March 18, the film faced cancellations and delays across India. Not just this, Director Aditya Dhar also issued an apology to the audience after last-minute cancellations and delays.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar 2 is a spy action thriller that stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun. Dhurandhar 2 offers a glimpse into Ranveer’s character, undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who is fully embedded in the criminal underworld under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari. It also depicts his ascension to the role of the new Sher-e-Baloch and his ascendancy as the undisputed king of Lyari, as the actor unleashes his full intensity after eliminating Akshaye Khanna’s character, Rahman Dakait, in the first part.

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Mumbai Crime Branch Issues LOC Against Lawrence Bishnoi Aide Harry Boxer For Threatening Actor Ranveer Singh

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Harichandra alias Harry Boxer, a key alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in connection with a threat issued to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The action follows a preliminary investigation into a threatening voice note and extortion demand received by the actor’s manager, police officials confirmed, Media reported on Saturday.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the voice note was sent from an American phone number and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crore. In an earlier development, Mumbai Police sources had indicated that the actor allegedly received a death threat along with an extortion demand of Rs 10 crore from members linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

A senior police official said the threatening message was received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager. The sender identified himself as ‘Harry Boxer’ in the audio message. Following this, the Crime Branch sent the voice note for verification to agencies in Punjab and Haryana, while also initiating official communication with US authorities to gather technical details related to the foreign number used to send the threat.

During the preliminary probe, investigators found that Harry Boxer, described as a close aide of the Bishnoi gang, allegedly sent the voice note. Initial findings suggest that the voice in the message matches that of Boxer, although officials stressed that further corroborative evidence is being collected to conclusively establish his involvement.

Police sources further revealed that the threatening message was sent shortly after a recent firing incident outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty, raising concerns about a possible pattern of intimidation linked to high-profile personalities.

In response to the threat, security arrangements around Ranveer Singh’s residence in Mumbai have been tightened as a precautionary measure. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and continues to examine digital and forensic evidence related to the case.

Officials clarified that while no formal FIR has been registered so far, a preliminary inquiry is underway. Further action will be decided based on the outcome of ongoing verification and evidence collection, police confirmed.

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Actor Ranveer Singh Receives Death Threat, Rs 10 Crore Extortion Demand Linked To Bishnoi Gang

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Mumbai : Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has allegedly received a death threat and an extortion demand of Rs.10 crore from members of the Bishnoi gang, according to Mumbai Police sources.

A senior Mumbai Police official said the threat was sent via a voice note from an American number. The Crime Branch has initiated contact with the concerned agency in the United States through official protocol to obtain details about the number used to send the message.

During the preliminary investigation, the Mumbai Crime Branch found that one of the close aides of the Bishnoi gang, identified as Harry Boxer, allegedly sent the voice note threatening the actor and demanding Rs.10 crore. The voice message was reportedly received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager.

Primary findings of the Crime Branch suggest that the voice in the note matches that of Harry Boxer. However, officials said further evidence is being collected to substantiate the claim.

According to investigators, the threatening voice note was sent after the recent firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. The message was received on the manager’s mobile phone following that incident.

After the threat surfaced, security around Ranveer Singh has been tightened. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and is continuing its inquiry.Police officials clarified that no FIR has been registered in the matter so far, but a preliminary inquiry has been initiated.

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