Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, made her appearance on the festival’s red carpet on Thursday.

The actress set her best fashion foot forward as she walked the red carpet in a black and white gown with balloon sleeves and golden patterns.

The gown also had a long train with gold embellishments. It seemed like an extension of the Met Gala theme ‘The Garden of Time’. She kept her hair half up, half down, and sported a signature cat eyeliner. However, what caught the attention of everyone was her arm covered with a cast.

The actress waved at the paparazzi stationed at the venue, and also winked in one of the pictures.

Earlier, the actress was accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya as the two landed in the French Riviera. A video of the same has gone viral on the Internet.

The Instagram reel showed Aishwarya wearing her arm in a sling, with a white cast that was visible around the wrist.

–IANS

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Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Veteran actress Rakhee Gulzar, who will be soon seen in the upcoming Bengali movie ‘Amar Boss’, left behind the comfort of a make-up van and opted to spend time with her fellow actors during the shoot.

The film marks her comeback to Bengali films.

Filmmakers Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, who are helming the movie, told IANS, “Throughout the shoot of ‘Amar Boss’, Rakhee di’s presence served as a source of inspiration and encouragement.

“Whether engaging in heartfelt conversations between takes or sharing light-hearted moments of laughter, Rakhee di’s genuine warmth and approachability endeared her to the entire cast and crew, who were in tears on the last day of her shoot… She has given us all memories of a lifetime.”

By choosing to forgo the isolation of a make-up van, Rakhee fostered an environment where everyone felt connected.

The veteran actress’ humility and camaraderie served as an example of her simplicity and dedication to work.

The film, produced by Windows Productions, is slated to release in theatres on June 21.

–IANS

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Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Actress Rashmika Mandanna, who is gearing up for her upcoming movie ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, took to social media on Thursday and shared a video of the newly-built Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, officially known as the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu.

The actress shared a video of herself travelling on the Trans Harbour Link on her X handle, as she spoke about how the engineering marvel opens the door to a new India.

“Don’t look at me, look outside the car. What do you see? If you still see a sea bridge then open your eyes bro… Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, India’s longest ever sea bridge, 22 km long, 6 lanes, and it cuts a 2-hour journey to 20 minutes. Unbelievable, isn’t it? A few years ago, who would have thought that this could happen? This knock is on those closed doors which said India can’t dream big,” she said in the video.

She added, “But, we built this majestic marvel in just 7 years. Atal Setu has knocked so hard on the future doors that new doors have opened to Viksit Bharat. Atal Setu is not just a bridge, it’s a guarantee for a young India. Our nation is unstoppable now. You want to get 100s of such Atal Setu bridges? Wake up and vote for development.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Krishna Prakash is better known as the officer who heads Force One, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the Mumbai Police, but he’s now busy with something softer — and nobler.

The Additional Director General of Police (ADG)-rank officer is bringing the festival ‘Sab Me Ram Shashwat Shri Ram’ to Mumbai to share what he describes as the “strength of steel” he derives from Lord Ram’s life and teachings.

The super cop has visualised the festival in a way that he tells the story of Lord Ram through music, literature, dance and theatre. Ahead of the event, ADG Singh spoke to IANS about the idea behind it.

Krishna believes that Lord Ram’s universal appeal cuts across ideologies and transcends the boundaries of time. He told IANS, “Even the Bhakti saint-poet Kabir, who follows the Nirgun Niraakaar school of devotion, sings about Lord Ram existing in one and all. Sufi poetry talks about Lord Ram as much as Bhakti poetry. Tulsidas’s Ram is the same as Kabir’s Ram.”

He said he had put together a multi-media experience to project the glory of Lord Ram because it is immersive and draws the spectator or listener immediately into the story

The venues for the event are Gateway of India (from where, incidentally, he swam to the Elephanta Caves), Mumbai University and Ballard Pier. The top cop said that each of the three venues had been chosen because of their heritage value and dignity.

Prakash told IANS, “The Gateway of India is a sign of how India never lost its spirit and grandeur in spite of the British onslaught on its culture and sense of self-respect. The Gateway also symbolises how Lord Ram crossed the ocean to accomplish his aim. It will also draw us visually to the narrative we wish to recreate with dance, music and poetry.”

He then spoke about Mumbai University, saying it is a seat of knowledge and wisdom, so it is natural that all literature-related discussions are to be hosted here. “Having the university partner with us is a feather in our cap as it represents all that higher knowledge that we associate with Lord Ram,” Krishna said.

Ballard Pier, the police officer continued, is being used for the first time for a cultural event because that neighbourhood is representative of South Mumbai’s culture and commerce.

Delving deeper into the literary programme, Krishna said, “The Hindi Sahitya Bharti and Maharashtra Rajya Hindi Sahitya Akademi are organising it. It is natural therefore that enlightened and erudite scholars would be a part of the discussions and lecture series. The subjects will include the poetry of Rama, the female characters of Ramayana, the various Ramayanas of Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kamban, Krittivas, and so many others.”

Besides international speakers from Indonesia, Thailand and several other countries, spiritual personalities such as Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj of Ayodhya, Prof B.R. Shankaranand, head of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, and Shashwatanand Giri Maharaj will speak at the event.

It is Krishna’s dream “to make everyone understand what Ram means”. He said: “Lord Ram has different facets. He is all-inclusive. He is everywhere. He is the karma – the dharma – the thought.”

‘Sab Me Ram Shashwat Shri Ram’ will be held across Mumbai from May 31 to June 2.

–IANS

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Mumbai, May 16 (IANS) Actress Sanvikaa, who plays Rinki in the popular streaming series ‘Panchayat’, has shared her experience of working with stalwarts like Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav, saying she learnt not to get too serious before shooting a scene from them.

Sharing her experience, Sanvikaa told IANS, “Neena ma’am and Raghubir sir are such legendary actors. There’s so much fun energy when they are around. In every take, they have something new to offer. It’s fun to watch them together. There’s always laughter and music when they are around, as both like to sing old songs.”

She added, “They are also old friends, so they keep pulling each other’s legs. Also, they treat me like their ‘baccha’ (kid). So there’s a lot of comfort around them. Being with them, I have learnt not to be too serious before performing. Not to stress and just have fun and enjoy acting. They are like walking acting books. The more you observe them, the more you learn.”

When asked about her character in the upcoming ‘Panchayat Season 3’, she told IANS, “Rinki’s character has been explored slowly from Season 1 to Season 3. This time, more of her personal life and ambitions are being explored.”

“Her love life also picks up pace in Season 3. The character is brewing slowly to give a perfect taste in the coming seasons,” she said.

–IANS

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