Tag: Richa Chadha

  • Heeramandi Review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Magnum Opus Is All About Love, Lust, Revenge And Theatrics | Web Series News

    Show: ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ Cast: Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, Taha Shah, Fardeen Khan, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Where To Watch: Netflix Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

    Review: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s tribute to the elegant courtesans, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazar is an opulent saga of love, revenge, betrayal and a lust for power.

    But, interestingly enough it is the women who are the driving force in this grandiose narrative which takes us to pre-Independent India and the abode of tawaifs of Heeramandi in Lahore.

    Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala) or Huzoor as she is called, is the crafty head of Shahi Mahal, the elite brothel in Heeramandi. Unapologetically shrewd, we are given an insight into her dark past, when her newborn was forcibly sold by the intimidating Rehana( Sonakshi Sinha) the Madam of Shahi Mahal. Mallikajaan has usurped Rehana’s position and now rules over Shahi Mahal with an iron fist. One of her chief patrons is Nawab Zulfikar( Shekhar Suman) who is her lover, partner in crime and Manisha Koirala as the intoxicated and temperamental Mallikajaan reminds one of the female version of Ranveer Singh’s Khilji from Padmvaat.

    The other residents of Shahi Mahal include Waheeda( Sanjeeda Sheikh), Mallika’s mercurial younger sister, who is complex and hyper-emotional.

    Bibbojaan( Aditi Hydari Rao) a delicate and popular courtesan is patronized by the influential Nawab Wali( Fardeen Khan). However don’t be fooled by her frailty, Bibbo uses her proximity to the Nawabs to leverage information for the revolutionaries, as the Independence movement gains momentum. Lajjo( Richa Chadha) the inebriated and love-lorn courtesan who is pining for her lover the selfish Nawab Zorawar( Adhyayan Suman) There is Alam ( Sharmin Segal) Mallika’s rebellious daughter who spends time writing poetry and does not want to be part of Shahi Mahal’s legacy. Alam falls head over heels in love with Tajdar( Taaha Shah Badussha)the Oxford-returned heir of an influential family, who chastises the Nawabs for being puppets in the hands of the British.

    As the art of seduction and Machiavellian tactics for power unfold amongst the walls of Shahi Mahal, the arrival of Fareedan( Sonakshi Sinha) casts a shadow of doom.

    Fareedan is back to exact her pound of flesh and place as the rightful heir of Heeramandi. She is the only one who can challenge Mallikajaan and is willing to use every trick to overthrow her.

    Sanjay Leela Bhanslali’s Heeramandi comes bearing his signature stamp of grandeur and theatricals. The visually appealing sets apart, the elaborate costumes created by Rimple and Harpreet give a glance into the ostentatious world of courtesans, who were the purveyors of fashion and style.

    “I am not a Tawaif, I am a traditional artist, but people call us Tamasha Baaz”, says Mallika. Accomplished artists, and flag bearers of arts, culture, literature and etiquette, the courtesans were also the unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle.

    As the show tries to pack in all these aspects, along with queer themes, it comes across as stretched and staged. The rivalry and the toxic synergy between Manisha Koirala’s Mallika and Sonakshi Sinha’s Fareedan is riveting. As both these women put their cunning and calculative foot forward to wrestle power, the actors are impressive and uninhibited.

    Aditi Rao Hydari impresses as Bibbo, the coquettish courtesan who is also a charged rebel with a cause.

    Richa Chadha is impactful in the little screen time she is given. Sanjeeda Sheikh as Waheeda gets the beats of her character. However, Sharmin Segal as Alam is the weakest link in the narrative. The love track between Alam and Tajdar lacks passion and comes across as forced and contrived.

    The men in the show make little or no impact and are just incidental. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazar sparkles all right, but gets unduly stretched and laborious.

    Watch the trailer here:

  • Richa Chadha begins shoot for first international project

    By Express News Service

    Actor Richa Chadha has begun shooting for the upcoming international project Aaina, in London, alongside William Moseley. The makers will then move to India to shoot other portions in September.Aaina marks Richa’s first international project and is expected to be a drama based on real-life events.

    Talking about the project, Richa said, “I had read a couple of scripts for international projects but nothing was fitting well. When Aaina came my way, I knew this was the one and now, as it is finally happening, I am extremely thrilled.

    The movie has a very interesting storyline. I have manifested a strong script for my international debut and Aaina was perfect for that. The film was completely shot in the UK and they have a very different working culture than ours. So, even with a good number of years of experience in the Indian movie industry, I felt like a fresher.”

    Meanwhile, Richa had wrapped up shooting for Fukrey 3 and finished her other work commitment for the maiden project from her production house, Girls will be Girls. The film, which is about a 16-year-old girl who shares a very difficult relationship with her mother, stars Kani Kusruti in the lead and also has debutant Preeti Panigrahi and Kesav Binoy Kiron in prominent roles.

    Actor Richa Chadha has begun shooting for the upcoming international project Aaina, in London, alongside William Moseley. The makers will then move to India to shoot other portions in September.Aaina marks Richa’s first international project and is expected to be a drama based on real-life events.

    Talking about the project, Richa said, “I had read a couple of scripts for international projects but nothing was fitting well. When Aaina came my way, I knew this was the one and now, as it is finally happening, I am extremely thrilled.

    The movie has a very interesting storyline. I have manifested a strong script for my international debut and Aaina was perfect for that. The film was completely shot in the UK and they have a very different working culture than ours. So, even with a good number of years of experience in the Indian movie industry, I felt like a fresher.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Meanwhile, Richa had wrapped up shooting for Fukrey 3 and finished her other work commitment for the maiden project from her production house, Girls will be Girls. The film, which is about a 16-year-old girl who shares a very difficult relationship with her mother, stars Kani Kusruti in the lead and also has debutant Preeti Panigrahi and Kesav Binoy Kiron in prominent roles.

  • ‘Richa Chadha’s Galwan tweet shows ‘tukde tukde’ mindset’: MP minister

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday said he has received a complaint against actor Richa Chadha for her tweet in which she referred to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, and he has forwarded the same to the police for a legal opinion.

    He also criticised the actor saying her tweet showed her “tukde-tukde” mentality.

    The actor had tweeted “Galwan says hi” in response to the Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi’s statement that the Indian Army is “waiting for orders from the govt (sic)” in reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

    Chadha’s tweet caused a severe backlash on Twitter, with netizens including celebrities, criticising her for mocking the sacrifice of the Indian Armed forces.

    In a video statement on Saturday, Mishra said the actor should learn to differentiate between the Army and cinema.

    “There is a difference between reel and real life,” the minister said, daring Chadha to lead the life of a soldier, who lives in extreme weather conditions to protect the country. Your comment has hurt the patriots. This comment shows her ‘tukde-tukde’ mentality. I have received a complaint against her and have sent it to the police for legal opinion,” Mishra said.

    .@RichaChadha जी आप सेना का सम्मान करना सीखें। यह सेना है, सिनेमा नहीं।’टुकड़े-टुकड़े’ वाली मानसिकता से प्रेरित आपके बयान से अनेकों राष्ट्रभक्तों को पीड़ा पहुंची है।मेरे पास आपके खिलाफ़ शिकायत आई है। उचित कार्रवाई को लेकर हम कानून विशेषज्ञों से राय ले रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/EVe8klXyCm
    — Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) November 26, 2022
    “Tukde-Tukde” is a term often used by right-wing parties to attack the opposition, particularly Left and Left-backed outfits as well as those who support them.

    The minister also pointed out that Chadha hadn’t spoken a word on the murder of Shraddha Walkar (27) who was sawed into 35 pieces by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala at their house in south Delhi’s Mehrauli.

    ALSO READ | Anupam Kher, Kay Kay Menon criticise Richa Chadha’s ‘Galwan says hi’ tweet 

    Following the backlash, Chadha had issued an apology on social media, saying she didn’t intend to hurt the sentiments of the Indian Army.

    India and China are locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 29 months.

    The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday said he has received a complaint against actor Richa Chadha for her tweet in which she referred to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, and he has forwarded the same to the police for a legal opinion.

    He also criticised the actor saying her tweet showed her “tukde-tukde” mentality.

    The actor had tweeted “Galwan says hi” in response to the Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi’s statement that the Indian Army is “waiting for orders from the govt (sic)” in reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

    Chadha’s tweet caused a severe backlash on Twitter, with netizens including celebrities, criticising her for mocking the sacrifice of the Indian Armed forces.

    In a video statement on Saturday, Mishra said the actor should learn to differentiate between the Army and cinema.

    “There is a difference between reel and real life,” the minister said, daring Chadha to lead the life of a soldier, who lives in extreme weather conditions to protect the country. Your comment has hurt the patriots. This comment shows her ‘tukde-tukde’ mentality. I have received a complaint against her and have sent it to the police for legal opinion,” Mishra said.

    .@RichaChadha जी आप सेना का सम्मान करना सीखें। यह सेना है, सिनेमा नहीं।
    ‘टुकड़े-टुकड़े’ वाली मानसिकता से प्रेरित आपके बयान से अनेकों राष्ट्रभक्तों को पीड़ा पहुंची है।
    मेरे पास आपके खिलाफ़ शिकायत आई है। उचित कार्रवाई को लेकर हम कानून विशेषज्ञों से राय ले रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/EVe8klXyCm
    — Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) November 26, 2022
    “Tukde-Tukde” is a term often used by right-wing parties to attack the opposition, particularly Left and Left-backed outfits as well as those who support them.

    The minister also pointed out that Chadha hadn’t spoken a word on the murder of Shraddha Walkar (27) who was sawed into 35 pieces by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala at their house in south Delhi’s Mehrauli.

    ALSO READ | Anupam Kher, Kay Kay Menon criticise Richa Chadha’s ‘Galwan says hi’ tweet 

    Following the backlash, Chadha had issued an apology on social media, saying she didn’t intend to hurt the sentiments of the Indian Army.

    India and China are locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 29 months.

    The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.

  • ‘Inexcusable act of carnage, chaos’: Hollywood and Bollywood react sharply to US Capitol attack

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES/ MUMBAI: Several cinema and music personalities, including Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Cardi B, Richa Chadha, and Vir Das, have condemned the attack on the Capitol Hill in the US by thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump who clashed with police, calling it an act of “terror” and assault on democracy.

    The violent attack resulted in at least four deaths and interrupting a constitutional process to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the election.

    The police, outnumbered by the maskless protesters, had a tough time in managing the mob, as hundreds of protesters breached security and entered the Capitol building on Wednesday, where members of the Congress were going through the process of counting and certifying the Electoral College votes.

    Many pointed out the difference in police response to the rioters at the Capitol building and protesters for the Black Lives Matter movement. “Imagine if this was our side. There would be rivers of our blood in the streets and not a single one of us would be armed. This has been allowed. #CoupAttempt,” wrote Ruffalo.

    Imagine if this was our side. There would be rivers of our blood in the streets and not a single one of us would be armed. This has been allowed. #CoupAttempt
    — Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 6, 2021

    “Just think of the carnage had they not been white. So many people enabled this,” said Evans. Oscar-winning director Matthew A Cherry said they would have “dropped a whole bomb on the capitol if this was us”.

    The irony is pretty funny………weren’t people just wild animals in the summer for demanding justice and now?……Let me just watch.
    — iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 6, 2021

    Cardi B found the irony “funny” and the rapper asked, “Weren’t people just wild animals in the summer for demanding justice – and now?”

    Democracy is fragile, everywhere…needs to be saved from “leaders” everywhere.
    — TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) January 6, 2021

    Chadha said it was a “dark day” for America, describing the country an “erstwhile spreader of offshore democracy”. “Democracy is fragile, everywhere…needs to be saved from ‘leaders’ everywhere,” she tweeted.

    All these world leaders condemning the ‘shocking images’ from America. This is an architectural problem.We need to design leader houses with more windows. So they can see their own back yards.
    — Vir Das (@thevirdas) January 7, 2021

    Das said world leaders condemning these ‘shocking images’ from America was an “architectural problem”. “We need to design leader houses with more windows. So they can see their own back yards,” he tweeted.

    What mob anarchy looks like. #MAGATerrorists #CapitolBuilding #USA pic.twitter.com/Ho825sAVH5
    — Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) January 6, 2021

    Sharing pictures of the attack on Twitter, actor Swara Bhasker said this is “what mob anarchy looks like”. Both the House and Senate and the entire Capitol were placed under a lockdown. Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers were evacuated to safe locations.

    Four people died on Wednesday, including one woman who was shot by a police officer, amid protests and rioting on Capitol Hill that resulted in dozens of demonstrators being arrested, police said.

    If this were a movie, I’d also say there is NO WAY a significant amount of people are gonna fall for this tan sprayed, combed over, blustering charlatan. But I have underestimated the power of a large media site (FOX “NEWS”) pumping propaganda 24/7. But–
    — Mangold (@mang0ld) March 21, 2020

    “Ford vs Ferrari” director James Mangold called for a full boycott of the Fox News appealing for all “fellow content makers” to cancel any appearances on the network and use their power to keep ads for their projects off the channel as well.

    “Frozen” star Josh Gad questioned the police’s credibility over the violent assault on the landmark building. “This is either a dereliction of duty by the Capitol Police or a complicit desire to not plan for the known threat of chaos today. Either way, this is inexcusable. If you can be prepared for imaginary ANTIFA protesters, you had no business not prepping for these actual terrorists,” Gad said.

    “The Office” star Rainn Wilson said the Capitol is “under attack by terrorists”.

    Legendary musician Stevie Wonder was among several Hollywood names who demanded Trump’s impeachment and said he was “heartbroken and astounded” with the turn of events. Calling the outgoing POTUS a “narcissistic and dangerous president”, Wonder said Trump is no longer able to serve as president because “he can’t accept defeat”.

    Scores of celebrities such as Dylan O’Brien, Chris Hayes, Dylan Minnette, and Halsey also called for his impeachment.

    Trump, who earlier encouraged his supporters to head to the Capitol, urged them to abide by the law and go back home after the violent clash. “This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home,” Trump said in a video message posted on Twitter.

    Director James Gunn said that Trump “had to wait until AFTER his followers had pushed past police and entered the Capitol building and there was a face off with guns, but, you know, okay”.

    Actor-comic Sacha Baron Cohen, a staunch critic of Facebook, urged Mark Zuckerberg and the heads of Twitter, YouTube and Google to ban Trump. “Is that finally enough for you to act?! It’s time to ban Donald Trump from your platforms once and for all!” he tweeted.

    Singer Selena Gomez also slammed social media platforms for “failing” the American people. “I hope you’re going to fix things going forward,” she added. “The President just said ‘we love you’ to the armed mob storming The Capitol, replacing the American flag with a makeshift Trump flag,” ‘Top Chef’ host Padma Lakshmi tweeted.

    The microblogging site later removed the video and some tweets in which Trump appeared to defend the actions of his supporters. In an unprecedented move, Twitter and Facebook have suspended Trump’s accounts after he continued to push conspiracy theories about the November 3 election.

    Twitter suspended Trump’s account for 12 hours and also blocked three of his tweets including a video of his address to his supporters. Facebook said it would be blocking the president’s account from posting for 24 hours due to two policy violations.

    The protesters dispersed following the enforcement of curfew in the national capital. Mayor Bowser announced the curfew to prevent the situation from escalating. Officials said the Capitol was secured, putting an end to nearly four-hour violent occupation by Trump supporters.

    Heavily armed police personnel were deployed to disperse the crowd.