Bollywood Glitterati

Mumbai-based National Award Winning author Aabid Surti, who among many other things is also an incisive environmentalist and accomplished artist, is back in full force. The author of many bestselling books, some of which have even courted controversy, has revisited one of his autobiographical tomes titled 'Sufi – The Invisible Man of The Underworld' and updated it to make it more current. Sriram Raghavan, Shridhar Raghavan and Annie Zaidi were present at the launch. “Sufi,” begins Surti, “is the story of two boys who grew up in the 60s and 70s’ Mumbai’s infamous Dongri area. The first of them, Iqbal Rupani rises through the ranks to crown himself underworld kingpin, on one hand, and becomes extremely pious, on the other hand. While he through his puritan stance becomes well-known as ‘Sufi’, the story catches up with the other boy-turned-man, Aabid Surti, that’s me as well,” avers the master story-teller with a smile.   The real story of the two boys who start at the same...

Dr Aneel Kashi Murarka, a well-known philanthropist and social-worker, sends flood relief material and life-saving medicines to Kolhapur through his social organisation Ample Missiion for the flood affected people.

  Much-lauded filmmaker, media strategist, and journalist, animal activist, TEDx speaker Anusha Srinivasan Iyer was bestowed the ‘Outstanding Contribution in Socio-Cultural Development of the Nation’ award at the 2019 National Excellence Awards ceremony at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She was chosen for her outstanding contribution in all these various fields, stemming from her innate sense of social responsibility. “It feels good to be recognised and I’m grateful for having received the 2019 National Excellence Award. However successful one may become, I believe the true fulfillment of being born a human being comes from how you contribute back to society – that’s what defines you as a person ultimately! I believe that with all my heart and follow up that belief in all my efforts – be it as a filmmaker, animal activist, media strategist and journalist or TEDx speaker! That’s the main aim of my life, and it feels awesome to be awarded for it,” avers Anusha Srinivasan Iyer. Kudos An...

Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal’s featured in Mail Today from the India Today Group. #Audiology #Speech #Therapy #Interview #Feature #MailToday #IndiaToday #Hearing #Impairment #Positive #Attitude

जेव्हा सिंग्स अँड सन्स चा विषय येतो तेव्हा उद्योजकता आणि समाजकार्य एकत्रितपणे वाढताना दिसून येते. आता ह्यात अजून हि एक मानाचा तुरा जोडला गेला आहे. त्यांचा युवा प्रतिभावान वंशज अजय हरिनाथ सिंह यांना नुकतेच टाईम्स पॉवर मेन अँड यंग आयकॉनिक आंत्रप्रेन्योर अवॉर्डने सन्मानित करण्यात आले आहे. "नेटफ्लिक्स यूएसए चे राजीव, झी५ च्या रेश्मी आणि झी एंटरटेनमेंटचे जय यांच्याशी दीर्घकाळापासून व्यावसाहिक संबंध आणि अजून हा व्यावसायिक कारभार चीन, कोरिया, जपान, झेक प्रजासत्ताक, जॉर्जिया या देशांमध्ये त्याबरोबर पसरवण्यासाठी आणि भविष्यात डिजिटल वितरण प्लॅटफॉमचा विस्तार करण्यासाठी आम्ही उत्साहित आहोत." अजय हरिनाथ सिंग म्हणाले. भारतातील सर्वात शक्तिशाली, श्रीमंत आणि प्रभावी कुटुंबाचा भाग असल्यासोबत अजय हरिनाथ सिंह  विविध कंपन्यांसाठी काम करून अधिकाधिक अनुभव मिळवले. भारतीय उद्योजकतेची विलक्षण आवड असल्यामुळे त्यांनी डार्विन प्लॅटफॉर्म ऑफ कंपनी (डीपीजीसी) ची स्थापना केली. प्रामुख्याने तेल आणि शस्त्रे आणि दारूगोळा यावर लक्ष केंद्रित केले. पाहता-पाहता बँकिंग, फार्मास्युटिकल्स, वित्त, खाण, माहिती तं...

Veteran singer Sudesh Bhosale launched his dream project, Gravity Studios, a feature-rich recording studio alongside a live room, along with the music launch of the film “ULTE”. The story is about a common villager, who is the butt of everyone’s jokes for his upstanding character. The story picks steam when he finds out about bogus voters and decides to expose this wrong-doing. The route he takes and the hurdles he crosses in this mission forms the crux of the film, which is treated in a light-hearted comic manner…  Sudesh Bhosale, who has rendered his vocals for the songs in the film, producers Hemangini Patadia and Jeet Kumar, writer-director Manoj Nathhwani along with actors Aroon Bakshi, Adi Irani, Mushtaq Khan, Firoze Irani, Falguni Rajani, Sachin Patil and Kiran Acharya attended the music launch at the  well-appointed Gravity Studios, which could easily accommodate all the attendees in its live room. Need we say, all the attendees had a blast! ...

Entrepreneurship and philanthropy go hand in hand when it comes to the Singh’s & Sons. While being a jury member of the Russian International Family Films festival, In the entertainment sector, Chairman & Managing Director Darwin Platform Group of Companies (DPGC), Ajay Harinath Singh has invested in news media while being the finance backbone to two film production houses from Indias top 5, for 43 films, three of which are Indias most expensive films ever. He has been rightfully bestowed upon the Times Power Men and Young Iconic Entrepreneur Awards, and now he is himself foraying into mainstream commercial content production for cinema, TV, & Web, with his media house headed by DPGC Group COO Dr. Farhad Vijay Arora, also son of film star Vijay Arora & Ex Miss India Dilber Debara. Of the entire 19 Darwin Platform Group of public listed Companies empire, which is a debt free organisation since inception, and has a asset based turnover of INR 41000Crs, with its pr...

                                                          Samrat Chatterjee’s birthday party was nothing short of a star-studded affair that saw in attendance actors of the likes of Anangsha Biswas, Jaideep Ahlawat, Anupriya Goenka, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Pitobash, Nanda Yadav, Preeti Sood, and Singer Composers Nikhil Dsouza, Shadab Hashmi, Ashim Kemson, Rajesh Roy, etc. The celebs were spotted dancing till the wee hours of the morning while enjoying lip-smacking delicacies at Pind Masala, Andheri West. Check out the adjacent pictures!

In order to revive the Indian handloom industry, and to keep the craftsmanship of the Paithani weaver women alive and breathing, Shraddha Sawant and her brainchild Massakali had brought together more than 500 handloom sarees to an exhibition at Novotel, Juhu. H andloom lovers and actresses Shabana Azmi and Bhagyashree were present along with Sharmila Thackeray, actress Indira Krishnan, filmmaker Anusha Srinivasan Iyer and Indian ethnic wear influencer Mamta Sharma Das aka The Bohobaalika, among many other celebrities.  It was a pleasure to see them mingle with the weavers and their families, showing exactly how special a place handloom has in their hearts, as they all walked in wearing exclusive Massakali creations. Shraddha Sawant had flown in two of their Paithani weavers along with one of their looms to recreate the entire weaving atmosphere to give the onlookers the opportunity to have a go at the weaving process. Paithani sarees jostled with several other handloom...

Rains make us susceptible to a bouquet of diseases such as dengue, malaria, colds… and ear-aches! Yes, rains are the ripe time for many ear-related issues to crop up… Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal and co-founder of JOSH Foundation agrees, “During monsoon, fungal ear infections are quite commonplace. Such infections may cause painful itches that are aggravated by scratching with cotton swabs and other similar objects, thus resulting in more damage than the infection itself. Remember that fungal infections breed like mushrooms in the monsoons. So in case your ears itch for more than a day, consider consulting a specialist.” The main area of concern in this monsoon season coupled with humid weather is the beating our immune systems take. “Infections become more common in the rains because our immunities are at their weakest,” avers Dalal. “The key is to boost our immunity by taking proper precautions. So, when you can, choose hot beverages like hot soups and teas t...

Veteran singer Padma Vibhushan Asha Bhosle & granddaughter Zanai Bhosle, along with writer Rajita Kulkarni, announced their songs, in gratitude to the Spiritual & Humanitarian Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at Pancham Studios, Andheri West.  While Asha Bhosle has sung one song, Zanai has sung the other.  On being asked if Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar knew about the songs, Asha Bhosle expressed, “I’ve not spoken to Gurudev about the songs but I have met him several times. He is very fond of me, just like he is fond of all his other followers.” On why she chose to take up these songs, added the veteran singer, “Not all songs are about romance or love. There are other emotions as well, especially those that connect us to God. And songs in gratitude to Gurudev connect us with God.” Incidentally, Asha Bhosle has also composed the music for the songs! This is not Zanai Bhosle’s first collaboration with her grandmother! “This song is very close to my heart. She is ...

Artist-Social Activist Rouble Nagi launched another Edu-Hub (Balwadi) and Skill Centre in Jaffar Baba Colony,Bandra West. This comes after sustained and successful efforts to provide education and vocation in the areas of Worli, Prabha Devi, Colaba, Virar, Thane, Aurangabad,Nasik to name a few in Maharashtra. Under Misaal Mumbai’s initiative of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, the inauguration of the Balwadi was done by the Honourable Minister Shri Ashish Shelar. Shekhar Ravjiani of Vishal-Shekhar fame also graced the occasion & showed interest in teaching music to the kids at the skill centre. The event was also marked by broad smiles as the tiny tots were happy to receive sweet treats from the guests! Aiming at enabling women and youth to live financially independent lives, the project aids with vocational skill building and placement support system.Through consistent efforts in the direction of quality skill building and employment support, trainees will secure employment an...

Revered producer Siddharth Roy Kapur and teen heartthrob Aditya Roy Kapur, along with their parents Salome and Roy, and Kunaal’s wife Shayonti, came together to attend the premiere of Kunaal’s loverboy debut movie Mushkil - Fear Behind You. The two brothers proudly walked alongside Kunaal and family, and gave everyone family goals! ”My family has always been supportive but they are critics. But I am glad we watched the film together and they loved it! People who love horror should surely watch Mushkil.” said Kunaal Roy Kapur. Mother Salome admitted she loved the ending whereas Shayonti Roy Kapur loved Kunaal the romantic, “I’m terrified of the horror genre but I loved the story in it.” The joy and pride on the faces of Kunaal's wife, and the brothers' parents was there for all to see, especially since Kunaal was stepping into younger brother Aditya's romantic hero territory for the first time.  Considering their busy schedules, one might think it would be ‘mushkil’ ...

It is not often that 28-year-olds burst into tears as they cut their birthday cake. But if you are Sulakshana, celebrating her first birthday ever in 28 years, cheered by family of 80 people, and friends, you sure will shed tears of happiness. So the words 80 family members caught your attention. The members we refer to are orphan kids who have come together to celebrate the birthday of one of their own. Cheering the radiant  birthday girl were celebs of the likes of Anand Mahendroo, Shekhar Suman, Papon, Ismail Darbar, Shrikant Bhartiya, and the beautiful couple Sareeka Gagan and Gagan Mahotra, who made this initiative possible. "I am overwhelmed," said Sulakshana. "I was abandoned as an infant with my sister, with a note stating our names and birthdays. This is my first celebration in 28 years!" Sulakshana today dedicates her life to more orphans like her who are at times even reduced to begging on the streets once they are out of orphanages on turn...

Actors Rajniesh Duggall, Nazia Hussain and Pooja Bisht, director Rajiv S Ruia and Producer Ravinder Jeet Dariya were spotted at Bombay Cocktail Bar, Andheri West, at a promotional event of their film, Mushkil - Fear Behind You, all set to hit the marquee on 9th August, 2019.  Shot in breathtakingly beautiful locales, directed by Rajiv S Ruia and produced by Ravinder Jeet Dariya, under the banner Big Bat Films, Mushkil – Fear Behind You is the story of four friends who end up at a forbidden castle… a castle they should not have entered! With the universal belief where the righteous good always ends the evil, Mushkil - Fear Behind You is all set to the triumph of good in the Universe. Yours is to check out the film at a theatre near you! 

 डॉ. अनिल काशी मुरारका यांनी त्यांच्या अँपल मिशन ह्या संस्थेसोबत एक आगळीवेगळी मोहीम राबवली. ही मोहीम जनसामान्यांमध्ये टोबॅको संदर्भात जास्तीत जास्त जागृकता निर्माण व्हावी ह्यासाठी योजली गेली होती. डॉ. अनिल काशी मुरारका त्यांच्या टीम सोबत मुंबईच्या रस्त्यावर उतरले, वेगवेगळ्या लोकांना भेटले त्यांच्या आयुष्यातील  वेगवेगळे पैलूं जाणून घेतले आणि त्यांच्याशी सवांद साधला आणि शेवटी नम्रपणे त्यांना धूम्रपान सोडण्यास आणि तंबाखू उत्पादनांचा वापर करण्यापासून दूर राहण्याची विनंती केली. डॉ. अनिल काशी मुरारका म्हणाले, "तंबाखूचा वापर हा भारतातील एक गंभीर समस्या आहे. कमी शिक्षित आणि योग्य मार्गदर्शनचा अभाव, सहकारी दबाव आणि मुलांमध्ये वरिष्ठांचे अनुकरण करण्याचा आग्रह, गैरसमज, तणाव आणि विविध प्रकारच्या सुलभ उपलब्धता तंबाखू उत्पादने आणि नाविन्यपूर्ण जाहिराती लोकांना तंबाखूच्या वापराकडे आकर्षित करतात आणि बऱ्याच वर्षांपासून त्यांचा वापर आणि गैरवर्तन यामध्ये सतत वाढ झाली आहे. आपण जितके करू शकतो तितके आपण करावे, मला वाटते की लोकांना शिक्षित केले तर ते स्वत: ची मदत करू शकतात."

Sangeeta Babani, a distinguished artist also known for her art on cars, has conceptualized and created a unique mixed media 10 feet by 5 feet artwork. The said artwork, aptly titled ‘Joyful Moments’, was completed in a short span of just 3 months! Sangeeta has used various mediums in the said artwork, including wood, metal, sculpture paste et al, depicting the goings-on of the Otters Club.  With two inch moulded frames, Sangeeta Babani’s exhibit has been installed on the 1st Floor of Otters Club, the area catering to the most elite crowd of Bandra! The painting was unveiled over high tea with esteemed guests from different walks from life. Besides Chief Guest Hon’ble Minister for School Education, Sports & Youth Welfare of Maharashtra Ashish Shelar, Corporator Swapna Mhatre, Actor Preeti Jhangiani, Ghazal singers Jaswinder Singh, Samir and Dipalee Date, Vikram Rao, Akshay and poet Chand were spotted at the exquisite art affair. Artist Sangeeta Babani, raised in Spain and...

Philanthropist Dr. Aneel Kashi Murarka was recently bestowed with the 2019 Bharat Gaurav Award in London. With the award ceremony being held at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, he was honoured for his distinguished services to his nation and outstanding achievements in the individual capacity. Having followed his heart while helping and servicing his fellow countrymen, Dr Aneel Kashi Murarka has never thought of recognition! “It does feel good, especially when one is honoured for what one does on an international platform,” he admits. In 2015, Ample Missiion, a social awareness organization helmed by Dr Aneel Kashi Murarka, was set up with the hope to transform the society through awareness and timely action. Some of Ample Missiion’s latest campaigns include distributing sanitary pads to tribal women; helping acid attack survivors; organizing a sports day campaign for the specially abled, where the youth were educated on the challenges faced by the differently abled; he...

Dhvani Parag Dalal, daughter of Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal, is representing India in the International Folk Dance Competition held at Istanbul, Turkey. Participating in the International Culture & Art festivities where dancers from over 28 countries are participating, Dhvani has made India proud. Kudos to her!