Tag: Bollywood superstar

  • Lok Sabha polls: Showbiz personalities galore in Bengal electoral fray

    The not-so-old trend among major political parties in West Bengal to throw their weight behind silver screen personalities continues unabated in the current edition of Lok Sabha polls where stars of yesteryears are contesting the elections shoulder to shoulder with contemporary celluloid icons of the industry. In terms of numbers the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, like in the past, is way ahead of its completion this time around as well by fielding six of the nine filmstars in the poll fray.

    While the opposition BJP has nominated two film personalities, the CPI (M) has settled for one well-known tinsel town figure from the Tollygunge film and TV industry to try and dent the opposition vote bank.

    TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has reposed her faith in Bollywood superstar of the 70s and 80s, Shatrughan Sinha, a repeat candidate from Asansol, and on reigning Tollygunge superstar Dipak Adhikari aka Dev from the Ghatal seat for a third consecutive term in Lok Sabha. She also nominated tried and tested contemporary actors-cum-politicians Saayoni Ghosh and June Maliah from the Jadavpur and Medinipur constituencies respectively. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSatabdi Roy, another popular star of the 80s, is TMC’s candidate from Birbhum who is eyeing her fourth term in the lower house of the Parliament. Successful Bengali film heroine of the 90s, former Miss Calcutta and immensely popular TV show host, Rachana Banerjee, is the party’s candidate of choice from the Hooghly seat. Banerjee, of course, makes her debut in politics with her role as a prospective parliamentarian. TMC’s inclination for film stars also comes with Mamata Banerjee’s decision to drop from the fray Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan, leading ladies of the Bengali film fraternity who won the polls in 2019 from Jadavpur and Basirhat seats respectively. “I am happy to be working under the country’s strongest and most popular political figure Mamata Banerjee and want to continue serving the people of Asansol,” Sinha, fondly called ‘Bihari babu’ by his fans, said.

    The veteran actor has already spent over two decades in politics and switched camps from the BJP to the Trinamool following his fallout with the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime.

    A distant follower of the TMC with respect to the number of showbiz figures it has managed to field, the BJP’s candidate list includes actor-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee from the Hooghly seat and Tolly star Hiran Chatterjee from Ghatal.

    While Hiran, a sitting BJP MLA from Kharagpur, takes on fellow star Dev, debutant Rachana finds herself pitted against Locket, the incumbent MP from Hooghly.

    An initially reluctant Dev, who publicly expressed his desire to stay away from electoral politics during the current polls, later relented under the insistence of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

    “My dream is to implement the Ghatal masterplan which will put an end to people’s distress arising out of recurrent floods in the area. I have been trying to implement the project since 2014 and felt I should continue in politics a while longer and finish what I started,” Dev told PTI.

    Dev’s rival Hiran had debuted in politics ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls.

    “It’s easy to fight injustices on reels, but you have to be part of the system to change it,” said Hiran who is a bitter critic of alleged corruption under the current TMC regime.

    Rachana, so far, seems to be enjoying the different kind of limelight she has been put under.

    “I don’t believe politics is a pastime for people like us. Village women are mobbing me. They want to touch me. Men are asking me to bless their children during road shows,” said Banerjee, host of the high TRP-grosser ‘Didi Number One’ reality show.

    Rachana, though, drew a flak from her rival Locket who is seeking re-election for the third time.

    “If she thinks hitting campaign trails coming straight from a studio and waving hands at people will fetch her votes, she is grossly mistaken. Elections are a different ball game,” Chatterjee said.

    Another familiar face from the industry, June Maliah, a Trinamool MLA of the Medinipur assembly segment, is locking horns with BJP’s Agnimitra Paul, a known fashion designer and MLA of Asansol South, at the Medinipur Lok Sabha seat.

    TMC’s youth wing president and a popular actor in her own right, Saayoni Ghosh, has been pitchforked by the party to lead the party’s challenge in Jadavpur. Ghosh had unsuccessfully contested against Paul in the 2021 assembly elections.

    “My experiences over the past three years have been rewarding and helped me mature as a politician. That is allowing me to reach out to my electorate in a better manner this time,” Ghosh said.

    CPI(M) nominee Devdut Ghosh, a familiar face in TV soaps, OTT platforms and films, is trying his luck from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat after biting the dust in the 2021 state polls from Tollygunj.

    “As an actor, I have a certain sensitivity. I cannot remain confined to my profession and fraternity when the state is burning. I need to respond and drive home my message to the people I can connect with,” he said, justifying his foray into electoral politics.

    TMC spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya said, “Dev, June and Saayoni have already proved their political acumen. While Dev and June have regularly been in touch with the voters of their constituencies, Saayoni gave a good fight to the BJP in 2021. She has emerged as an important leader with street fighter instincts.

    SFI state committee member Subhajit Sarkar called TMC’s nomination of candidates like Rachana Banerjee “nothing but a stunt”. “Remember they did not renominate Nusrat Jahan or Mimi Chakraborty. People have seen through their gimmicks,” he said.

    BJP’s actor-leader Rudranil Ghosh said he was all in favour of people joining politics from various walks of life. “But we don’t need star personalities with little or no idea of what they are getting into,” he added.

  • Opinion: Is Ranbir Kapoor The Next Superstar After Shah Rukh Khan? Read On | People News

    New Delhi: Who is a superstar? According to Webster’s dictionary, it is defined as a person from movies or sports who is considered extremely talented, has a great public appeal, and usually commands a high salary.

    However, in the Indian context, the definition and context have constantly shifted as the once elusive star now becomes easily accessible, thanks to the growing influence of social media. Beyond the carefully curated image, their worth depends on the constantly shifting yet omnipresent power of the box office.

    “In the Indian context, superstardom has always represented a cultural phenomenon that has gone beyond an actor’s film successes. While the term ‘superstar’ was coined for Rajesh Khanna in the 1970s, the concept of superstars had existed long before him. From Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, and Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan, the allure of each superstar has transcended the screen. These icons have not only dominated pop culture but have also become cultural symbols, influencing aspirations, and fashion, shaping social discussions, and commanding extensive media attention. In the present scenario, can define a Bollywood superstar succinctly in one way: A star whose mere presence reliably ensures a blockbuster opening in THEATRES — consistently. Stardom, I believe, transcends rational explanation; it exists beyond the confines of logic,” says author and film critic Yasser Usman.

    Shahrukh Khan’s 2023 blitzkrieg proved that he was indeed the Badshaah of screens, as he delivered the biggest hits in Pathaan and Jawan. The King despite a four-year hiatus and a string of flops, proved that he was far from being written off. The box office collections of both his films created a new benchmark and remain unmatched.

    So is Shahrukh Khan the last superstar of Bollywood, many pondered? However, film and trade experts say that in a rapidly changing scenario and a market-driven industry, the concept of stardom too has changed.

    The last decade has thrown up several names from Ranbir Kapoor to Ranveer Singh, Kartik Aaryan and Vicky Kushal. But the contest according to trade pundits begins and ends with Ranbir Kapoor. The actor has not only proved his mettle and range as an actor in diverse narratives from Rockstar to Barfi, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, Tamasha and Sanju. But is also willing to take risks for his craft. He decided to devote five years to the making of supernatural Brahmastra, many called it a professional risk. The gamble paid off, and the film which was one of the first to release in theaters post-pandemic made 431 crores, its success was followed by the rom-com” Tu Jhoothi ​​Main Makkar ” made a little over 177 crores. But he hit the ball out of the park with his latest “Animal”. Sandeep Vanga Reddy’s directorial which was panned by many for being toxic and misogynistic narrative, made over 500 crores.

    “Ranbir Kapoor is the superstar of the generation An actor who can consistently deliver big openers of over 250 crores and has delivered 3-4 Big Blockbusters in his career can be called a superstar is Ranbir who has done this and before him, it was Hrithik Roshan”, says Sumit Kadel. The non-PR savvy Ranbir Kapoor, who unlike his contemporaries is not found on any social media account, had even admitted that he would take a break post Animal. His reasons being it was time to recalibrate and understand the industry which is undergoing its shift”.

    But, no sooner did Animal hit bullseye, it seemed all those who had once penned career obituaries for the actor do a double take, while some had an I told you so moment. His wife Alia Bhatt and sister Kareena Kapoor Khan both admitted Ranbir remained nonchalant with success or failure.

    A sequel to Animal, called Animal Park is in the works, as well as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next Love And War, which stars him opposite wife Alia and Sanju co-star Vicky Kaushal. The grapevine is also abuzz that he would be in Nitish Tiwari’s Ramayan as well.

    On the other hand, Ranveer Singh has had mega-blockbusters in Padmavat and Simbaa to his credit. Faced with a dry spell, he expressed his disappointment when ’83 the film, even though it made over 100 crores was called out a flop. Despite the failures of Jayeshbhai Jordan and Circkus, the actor returned with a blockbuster hit with Karan Johar’s Rocky our Rani Ki Prem Kahani. He is all set to reprise Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic Don, in the franchise taking over from SRK.”He needs to consistently maintain this with consecutive hits making over 200 crores plus, he will truly be the superstar,’ says film critic Joginder Tuteja.

    So as the box office plays ringmaster in the battle of who is the crorepati of the screens, its true stardom is indeed ephemeral. As they say, stars stay they never fade, it is just sometimes they shine bright, sometimes less, which is true in Bollywood’s constantly sifting sands.

  • The Amitabh Bachchan of Flagship Phone

    After so many leaks, rumours and speculations OnePlus finally unveiled their 2018 flagship killer smartphone on May 16. The device went up on sale on May 22 in India at a very competitive price point. OnePlus is a company which has a huge fan following in India, just like a Bollywood superstar. No wonder Amitabh Bachchan was chosen as the brand ambassador for the new OnePlus 6 device as well, continuing his association with the brand in India that started with the OnePlus 5. Just like Amitabh Bachchan movies, OnePlus devices have been something that every Indian now looks forward too. Both have stood the test of time and have grown only better with age. Some might say that they are often seen doing the same thing, time and again, but they have proved that they are their only competition. And most of all, both Big B and OnePlus in their own way work on a mantra to Never Settle. So, before we get into the review of the all-new OnePlus 6 let’s quickly refresh your memory with the specs of this device and then tell you whether the OnePlus 6 will be able to hold its legacy just like Amitabh Bachchan?

    OnePlus 6 Key Specifications
    Design: Glass And Aluminium

    Weight: 177 grams
    Dimensions: 155.7 X 75.4 X 7.75 mm

    Operating System: Android Oreo 8.0 + Oxygen OS
    Display: 6.28-inch Full Optic AMOLED
    Display Resolution: 1080 x 2280 pixels
    Display Aspect Ratio: 19:9
    Screen To Body Ratio: 84%
    Rear Camera: Dual: 16 MP (f/1.7, 27mm, 1/2.6″, 1.22µm, gyro-EIS, OIS) + 20 MP (f/1.7, 1/2.8″, 1.0µm)
    Front Camera: 16 MP (f/2.0, 20mm, 1/3″, 1.0µm)
    Camera Features: Slow-Motion, Bokeh, 4K Video @60fps, video editor, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash, OIS & EIS
    Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC; Octa-core (4×2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4×1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver)
    GPU: Adreno 630
    RAM: 6GB/8GB
    Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB
    Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, USB Type-C
    Security: Fingerprint Sensor, Face Unlock
    Price: Starting at Rs 34,999 up to Rs 44,999