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New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Prakash Raj speaks out against ban on 'Abir Gulaal', rising intolerance in cinema
Veteran actor Prakash Raj, who is known for his strong opinions, recently opened up about Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor's 'Abir Gulaal' not being allowed to be released in India in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir. In an interview with The Lallantop, Prakash Raj said he is opposed to banning any film, including such films with controversial contents. However, the actor said he's not opposed to ban on films involving child sexual abuse or pornography. He further added that people should have the freedom to watch all films and express their own opinions. This statement comes at a time when the Hindi film 'Abir Gulaal', starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, has been stopped from releasing in India. The romantic-comedy film was set to hit theatres on May 9. The decision to stay the release came after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where over 26 tourists were killed, leading to nationwide anger. 'Abir Gulaal' is directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Indian Stories in collaboration with A Richer Lens and Aarjay Pictures.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bird Foods to operate 100 outlets in three years
Bird Foods , part of Bird group, plans to have 100 outlets in the next three years, a senior executive said. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack The groundwork before India mounts a strike at Pakistan India considers closing airspace to Pakistani carriers amid rising tensions Cold Start: India's answer to Pakistan's nuclear threats The company is betting on the growth of India's quick-service restaurant (QSR) and food court sector. From 23 outlets by June 2025, it aims to scale up to 35 outlets by March 2026. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo 'We are leasing space at high-traffic locations like malls, highways, airports, and railway stations,' said Bird Foods chief business officer Rahul Segal. The company's expansion includes new openings at Radisson Dwarka's 'Dwarka Walk' food court, featuring brands Indian Stories (Mughlai, Chaat, Biryani, Kebabs) and Kaching (Chinese Sizzlers and Millbowls). Live Events Additional launches are planned at Advant Business Park in Noida by May 2025 and Unity One mall in West Delhi by mid-June. The company is also in advanced stage of talks for food courts along the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and Yamuna Expressway. 'Highways like Delhi-Mumbai are game-changers for food courts,' Segal said. Bird Foods currently operates 13 outlets across five brands - Indian Stories (five locations, including Pebble Downtown Mall, Faridabad, and Mall of Dehradun), Kaching (three hybrid-model outlets at DT Mega Mall and Epica Mall), Spice Nama (a vegetarian brand at Omax Mall, Chandni Chowk, with a franchise planned at Tughlaqabad metro station), Freddo Coffee (a new affordable coffee chain launched at Tughlaqabad), and (food courts at Tughlaqabad and outside Lucknow airport). The company also manages Bird Lounges at airports in Bhubaneswar, Dehradun, and Calicut, with a recent tie-up with Air India for business class lounge access in Calicut. The company is also exploring tier-2 cities like Raipur and has engaged consultants for outlet openings at IKEA Gurgaon. It is also in talks with SmartQ (Compass Group) to introduce tech-enabled food courts in universities and hospitals. Bird Foods operate a 24-hour food plaza at Old Delhi Railway Station. It reported a revenue of Rs 35 crore in FY 25 and is projected to reach Rs 60 crore this year. Bird Foods is bidding for lounge operations at Patna's new airport terminal and eyeing Uttar Pradesh's bus station redevelopments, such as in Agra, for retail opportunities.
Gulf Today
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Vaani Kapoor's ‘Angreji Rangrasiya' is a lively and high-octane track
The makers of 'Abir Gulaal' dropped the dance number 'Angreji Rangrasiya'. Actress Vaani Kapoor said the track is a lively and high-octane track. Talking about the song Vaani Kapoor Shares, 'The song has such an electrifying energy, it's vibrant, infectious, and full of life. I had an absolute blast shooting for it.' 'It's a lively, high-octane track that's sure to get everyone on their feet and dancing. Whether you're at a party or just looking to let loose, this track brings the vibe,' she added. This new song is a dance number showcasing the graceful dance moves of Vaani. The music is helmed by the acclaimed Music Composer and Singer Amit Trivedi, with additional vocals by the talented Chotu Khan. The lyrics that capture the song's lighthearted essence are penned by lyricist Kumaar, and the female vocals are rendered by Akanksha Sethi. 'Creating the music for 'Angreji Rangrasiya' was a delightful experience, and I believe the upbeat Indian beats perfectly capture the fun spirit of the song,' said Amit Trivedi. He added: 'Our aim was to craft a song that resonates with joy and celebration, something that feels inherently Indian yet universally appealing. It's a track designed to uplift and create a fun moment for all. On April 14, the first track 'Khudaya Ishq' from the upcoming film was unveiled and Amit Trivedi shared that the song's melody is woven with emotions. 'Creating the music for Abir Gulaal has been a truly enriching journey, and this first song is a testament to the beautiful synergy between Kumaar's evocative words and the melodious voice of Arijit Singh alongside Shilpa Rao,' said Trivedi, who is known for belting out hits such as 'Iktara,' 'Naina Da Kya Kasoor,' and 'Love You Zindagi,' among many others. The music composer added, 'It's a melody woven with emotion, and I sincerely hope it touches the hearts of everyone who listens.' Directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Vivek B Agrawal, Avantika Hari, and Rakesh Sippy, it is slated for a May 9 release. The shooting for the upcoming entertainer commenced on September 29 last year in the picturesque backdrop of London and was announced by production house Indian Stories. Indian Stories Limited and A Richer Lens Entertainment, in association with Aarjay Pictures, present 'Abir Gulaal.' Produced by Vivek B. Agarwal, Avantika Hari, and Rakesh Sippy, 'Abir Gulaal' will release in theaters on May 9. Meanwhile, last year, the director Aarti S Bagdi offered a glimpse into the storyline and said that the film is about love and healing. Bagdi said: 'The film explores the journey of two individuals who unintentionally help each other heal, with love blossoming as an unexpected consequence.' The film has been shot in the UK over October and November. It was in 2014, when Fawad, one of Pakistan's biggest stars, made his debut in Indian cinema with the Sonam Kapoor-starrer 'Khoobsurat', a romantic comedy drama by Shashanka Ghosh. Meanwhile, Vaani was last seen in Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Khel Khel Mein.' Indo-Asian News Service
Gulf Today
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan's comeback in Bollywood
The makers of upcoming film "Abir Gulaal" unveiled the film's teaser on Tuesday and it is packed with love, romance and a lot of flirting. Vaani and Fawad took to their respective Instagram, where they shared the teaser. It begins with the question "when was the last time you fell in love?". It then pans to the Pakistani actor singing "Kuch Na Kaho" by Kumar Sanu from the 1994 movie "1942 A Love Story", in the car. Vaani, who is seen sitting on the passenger seat asks if he is flirting with her. To which, Fawad asks: "Do you want me too?" The teaser was captioned: "The wait is over! Bringing love back to the big screen with Abir Gulaal and @fawadkhan81. A Richer lens film @aricherlens. See you in the cinemas on 9th May!" Directed by Aarti S Bagdi and produced by Vivek B Agrawal, Avantika Hari and Rakesh Sippy, it is slated for May 9 release. The shooting for the upcoming entertainer commenced on September 29 last year in the picturesque backdrop of London and was announced by production house Indian Stories. Last year, the director Aarti S Bagdi offered a glimpse into the storyline and said that the film is about love and healing. Bagdi said: "The film explores the journey of two individuals who unintentionally help each other heal, with love blossoming as an unexpected consequence." The film has been shot in the UK over October and November. A leading Bollywood music composer has already created 6 original tracks to be sung by Bollywood's best music talent, read a statement from the makers. It was in 2014, when Fawad, one of Pakistan's biggest stars, made his debut in Indian cinema with the Sonam Kapoor-starrer "Khoobsurat", a romantic comedy drama by Shashanka Ghosh. The film was loosely based on the 1980 film of the same name. It also featured names such as Kirron Kher, Ratna Pathak Shah and Aamir Raza Hussain. He was then seen sharing screen space with actors Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra in the 2016 family drama "Kapoor & Sons" by Shakun Batra. His last big film with Bollywood was Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma Meanwhile, Vaani was last seen in Akshay Kumar-starrer "Khel Khel Mein." Indo Asian News Service
Express Tribune
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
WATCH: 'Abir Gulaal' teaser reveals Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor in romantic comedy
Listen to article Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor are set to light up the big screen in the upcoming romantic comedy Abir Gulaal, which has officially set its release date for May 9, 2025. The film, which is directed by Aarti S. Bagdi, has also dropped its first teaser, giving audiences a glimpse into its storyline and the chemistry between the two lead stars. The plot of Abir Gulaal is set in London, following the development of a love story with various twists and moments of connection. The film aims to explore themes of romance and personal growth. Fawad Khan, known for his roles in Khoobsurat (2014) and Kapoor & Sons (2016), returns to Bollywood for this project. His recent work includes The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022) and Ms. Marvel (2022). Vaani Kapoor, recognised for her performance in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021), plays the female lead. Vaani Kapoor also has roles in the upcoming Netflix series Mandala Murders and the Bollywood film Badtameez Gill. Abir Gulaal is produced by Indian Stories, A Richer Lens, and Aarjay Pictures. The producers include Vivek B. Agrawal, Avantika Hari, and Rakesh Sippy. The film is directed by Aarti S. Bagdi. The film follows the Bombay High Court's 2023 ruling that dismissed a petition seeking to ban Pakistani artists from working in India.
