Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

LEGEND ON STAGE

A BEAUTIFUL moment in Chennai is well worth seeking out online. Legendary actress Vyjayanthimala delivered a unique performance alongside Girijashankar Sundaresan, where the Carnatic vocalist sang while the seated 91-year-old expressed the music through classical Indian dance movements.

Sundaresan described the experience as magical and something he would cherish forever. The cinema icon has credited dance for keeping her healthy and continues to perform regularly, even in her 90s.

YOHANI IN UK

SRI LANKAN music star Yohani will finally make her UK concert debut with performances at Athena in Leicester on Saturday (15) and The Harley Lounge in central London next Friday (21).

The singer-songwriter became a global sensation in 2021 after her song Manike Mage Hithe went viral. Since then, she has performed internationally, sung for Bollywood films, and become one of Sri Lanka’s most popular celebrities on social media.

SORDID KISSING SPREE

SINGER Udit Narayan has been scrambling for damage control after a video of him kissing female fans during selfies went viral.

Udit Narayan

One clip appeared to show him forcibly kissing a woman on the lips, sparking widespread backlash.

The 69-year-old’s weak explanations and denials only made matters worse, leading to old videos resurfacing online where he once again came across as inappropriate.

The incident serves as yet another reminder that in today’s social media-driven world, there is no hiding place for celebrities if they are accused of wrongdoing.

Anoushka Shankar

ANOUSHKA LOSES OUT

ANOUSHKA SHANKAR edged closer to the record for most Grammy nominations without a win after failing to secure an award at the recent ceremony.

Artists with more nominations than her 11 without a win include Katy Perry (13), Brian McKnight (16), Snoop Dogg (17), and Indian conductor Zubin Mehta (18).

However, it wasn’t all disappointment for the sitar maestro’s family, as her half-sister Norah Jones won an impressive 10th Grammy.

Meanwhile, Anoushka will be hoping to break her streak before reaching mastering engineer Chris Gehringer’s record of 21 Grammy nominations without a win.

BIG DEVA DISASTER

BEFORE the recent Bollywood film Deva was released in cinemas, I predicted it would be a major failure – and I was proven right. Despite being a remake of the hit 2013 Malayalam film Mumbai Police, the Shahid Kapoor starrer was rejected by audiences and recorded low box office figures. Once again, this highlights how Hindi cinema needs to focus on original content instead of repeatedly producing substandard remakes.

PENN AVOIDS TABOO

KAL PENN covered a wide range of topics during his recent visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival, where he discussed his memoir, You Can’t Be Serious. 

He spoke about his love for Bollywood, experiences as an immigrant, battles with bullying, and the influence of aunty culture.

He also shared how he used a popular Indian drama serial to improve his Hindi.

One subject he noticeably avoided was his sexuality and his decision to come out as gay in 2021. This would have been particularly relevant given that all high-profile gay stars in India remain unable to come out – and likely never will – in such a conservative society.

Kal Penn

BIG GERALDINE MOVIE MYSTERY

THE internet is ablaze with Marvel fans eagerly speculating about which superhero Geraldine Viswanathan will play in the highly anticipated Hollywood film Thunderbolts.

So far, the only confirmed detail ahead of the megabudget entertainer’s release later this year is that she will portray Mel, an assistant to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Thunderbolts follows a group of anti-heroes and villains who turn into the good guys. There is widespread speculation that the Australian actress could be playing Melissa Gold, who is also Songbird, a supervillain with supersonic sound abilities.

Meanwhile, Geraldine has added to her impressive body of work with the romantic comedy You’re Cordially Invited, which recently premiered on Amazon Prime.

Geraldine Viswanathan

NEPO KIDS DUMPED ON STREAMING SITE

IN THE past, when children of famous Bollywood celebrities were launched, it was accompanied by great fanfare and a major cinema release. Now, with audience interest waning, films with star kids are increasingly being sent straight to streaming platforms, as producers recognise their limited box office appeal.

The latest to receive a lessthan-impressive launch is Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son, Ibrahim Ali Khan. His debut film, Nadaaniyan, opposite Sridevi’s daughter Khushi Kapoor, will be released on Netflix.

This is yet another example of how nepotism has harmed Hindi cinema and why the industry urgently needs fresh talent from outside these privileged circles.

Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor

INDIA MUSIC INVASION

THE changing cultural landscape of India has been reflected in the growing success of Hollywood films in recent years. A similar shift in the music scene has been evident with global stars like Coldplay and Ed Sheeran playing sold-out stadium gigs in the country over the past month.

While the increasing influence of international films and pop acts is great for audiences, it poses a challenge for local talent. Indian filmmakers and musicians will now have to step up their game if they want to compete with this international wave sweeping through India.

Chris Martin

BAD PARENTAL ADVICE

NEWCOMER Rasha Thadani has been badly let down by her hugely influential parents. It was obvious that her debut film, Azaad, would be a major box-office disaster – even those with little knowledge of Hindi cinema could have predicted its fate.

Yet, her actress mother, Raveena Tandon, and her powerful film distributor father, Anil Thadani, did not prevent her from taking such a disastrous first career step.

Rasha is clearly talented and good-looking, making it all the more surprising that her experienced parents did not guide her towards a better project. With her first film turning out to be such a spectacular failure, it will now be difficult for her to move forward – and her parents must share some of that blame.

Rasha Thadani