Latest news with #Regal
Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Mumbai's Regal theatre to screen Bambai Ka Babu, CID, Mera Gaon Mera Desh during Centenary celebration of Raj Khosla
The face-off between Dharmendra, essaying the character of a reformed petty thief-turned-farmer Ajit, and Vinod Khanna as dreaded dacoit Jabbar Singh will play out on the screen of Regal, the city's heritage single-screen theatre, on Saturday evening as it will showcase Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971). The screening is organised as part of its director Raj Khosla's birth centenary celebration and will be introduced by one of the film's leading actor Asha Parekh. A day-long mini-retrospective of the popular writer-director's movies, titled 'Raj Khosla 100 – Bambai Ka Babu', organised by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) at Regal on Saturday, commemorates this 100th birth anniversary. The event will also hold screenings of Khosla's C.I.D. (1956) and Bambai Ka Babu (1960), which have been restored in 4K resolution by the National Film Archive of India (NFDC). His just-published biography, written by Amborish Roychoudhury, will be released. In a career spanning three decades and 27 films, Khosla is known for his remarkable song picturisation in the 1950s and 60s as well as revolutionising the way music was integrated into Indian film narratives. Born in Punjab (now in Pakistan), he shifted to Bombay with dreams of becoming a playback singer. Instead, he ended up being an assistant director on Guru Dutt's directorial debut, Baazi (1951), which featured actor Dev Anand. Though Khosla's directorial debut, Milap (1955), was not a box-office hit, he went on to direct several successful entertainers — from neo-noir crime dramas like CID (1956) and Solva Saal (1958) to the haunting Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) and Mera Saaya (1966). Describing Raj Khosla as 'the Howard Hawks of Indian cinema' for his remarkable ability to successfully make films in every genre from thrillers, whodunits, musicals, action adventure to love stories and dacoit films, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of Film Heritage Foundation says: 'Raj-ji excelled in song picturisation and was known for having strong female characters in his films. It inspired me as an upcoming filmmaker when I saw images of his hoardings that had a director's chair with his name emblazoned on it.' Parekh counts Do Badan, Chirag, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki and Mera Gaon Mera Desh — directed by Khosla — among her favourite films. 'Before my first film, Do Badan, with Raj Khosla, I was known more for my dancing and glamorous roles. Do Badan that changed people's perception of me as an actress that could perform more serious roles. He was a very fine filmmaker and his song picturization was remarkable,' says the Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient. 'This screening at Regal, Mumbai is a unique opportunity for the cinema lovers to view, for the first time ever, Bombai Ka Babu in 4K restored version. We are also showcasing another classic, CID, restored by NFDC-NFAI,' says Prakash Magdum, managing director of NFDC.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Beyond talking the talk: Regal Elementary staff literally walk the walk to boost attendance
May 29—During his first year as a counselor at Regal Elementary, Tony DeBari used the standard method to reach families when their kids were not in class. He called their home, which for many kids was a five-minute walk from school. But the phone calls weren't enough to get the kids to school or build relationships with families, Debari said. Midway through last year, a thought struck him. "After the phone calls weren't working, I was like, 'Well, let's go pick them up,' " he said, and started the school's first "walking school bus," going door to door each morning to amass a herd of students to walk to school. The "bus" services around 40 students who live along two predetermined routes, too close to qualify for Regal's one school bus. Much like a big yellow school bus, staff and volunteers walk to each kids' address before school. Staff knock on each door with a bright, "Regal, Regal!" and wait a few beats for their pupil to emerge, usually grinning or groggy. Each morning, two teams of staff and volunteers assume the routes, one is a longer route that crosses the four lanes of Wellesley Street; it has a crosswalk, but the flashing lights indicating a pedestrian is crossing the street are only activated by a key that staff have. "Families were scared to cross Wellesley," DeBari said, describing foggy or dark early hours that could shroud a kid crossing a busy street in commuter traffic. The shorter route serves students in a nearby apartment complex, which happens to be home to many refugee and immigrant families. Often, punctuality at school takes some getting used to, one of the many adjustments one makes when moving to a new country. "A lot of it for me is taking something off the family's plate," DeBari said. On one morning last week, a crew of three staff and three volunteers meandered through the Regal Arms apartments, a Bluetooth speaker hung on librarian Simeon Bergstedt's lanyard, playing a cover of "Three Little Birds." He knocked on each door and waited for the kids to hop on the nonexistent bus. Wearing a foam ram head as a hat and waving blue pom poms, his presence cracks a smile from a few of his riders when they open their front door, still wiggling on their shoes or shrugging on their backpacks. "It takes a huge pressure off families," Bergstedt said "When all you got to do is open that door and there's a reindeer hat and music playing, it makes it a lot easier to get to school on time." DeBari started the initiative part way through his first year at the school in an effort to boost attendance in some of his most chronically absent pupils. Along the way, he saw unintended side effects like convening with families and building trust by literally meeting them where they are, he said. He saw kids grow close, building a bond "kinda like a sports team, they want to be part of it," he said. Originally, he was the "alarm clock" for many of his students. At his knock they'd come to the door sleepily rubbing their eyes and assume the groggy march to school. But at least they'll be at school on time, he said. Now his kids chastise him for his tardiness when he's a few moments late for pick up. His endeavors appear to be paying off, according to Spokane Public Schools attendance data. Of current walking school bus participants who also walked last year, 88% of them increased or maintained their attendance level. A fourth of them reached what the district deems "satisfactory attendance," missing no more than 9 days of the 180-day school year. Improving attendance has long been a goal of schools following the pandemic, when "chronic absenteeism," defined as missing 10% of the school year, or 18 days, has sharply increased and shown little signs of slowing. The proportion of chronically absent students nearly doubled around the state from 15% to 27% between the 2018-19 school year, the last full one before the pandemic, and 2023-24, the latest year with available data according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. In Spokane Public Schools' rates of chronic absenteeism jumped from 17% to 32% in those same years. Joe Johnston, a professor of sociology at Gonzaga University, embeds the walking school bus in his courses, even publishing his research on the program in recent years. He's a regular face at Logan Elementary, where many of his students lead daily walks to school in an effort to naturally build relationships with the schoolkids merely with their consistent presence. "The program, on its surface, is really all about improving attendance and timeliness to school, but the way that we try to do that is through building relationships and community," Johnston said. "And if we're successful in the building of relationships and community, the attendance part sort of just takes care of itself." By embedding themselves into the kids' daily routine at such a "tender time" in their sleepy morning walk to school, Johnston hopes to teach not only the systems and structures they learn about in their lecture halls, but also that they have the ability to address them. "A lot of our social problems, the way that we make progress on those is through communal and social responses to that," Johnston said. "So I think there's something about the walking school bus, even though it is just a walk in the morning, that can be a real tool for understanding how we shouldn't just be sad and down and depressed; we actually got to get up and keep on doing stuff and keep on engaging." DeBari noted anecdotal observations in his walking school bus riders' attendance, having improved "big time," he said, some of his kids even trying to come to school when they're sick and contagious. Seeing them "take ownership" of their punctuality, he said, is what drives him to continue his 7:30 a.m. marches around the neighborhood. "Rain, shine, snow, we go," he said is the bus motto. "You can't miss a day for those families, they're depending on you." Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lucky Car Collector Auctions Offers Orphan Car Icons from Nash, Frazer, and Studebaker
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector Lucky Car Collector Auctions is putting the spotlight on three of America's most compelling orphan cars in its upcoming sale, offering bidders a rare chance to take home vehicles that defined innovation and individuality from automakers that no longer off the trio is a first-year 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire, known for its ingenious retractable roof design — a feature so unique it was advertised as being able to carry a refrigerator upright. Finished with the Regal trim and powered by a 289-cubic-inch V8 paired with a column-shifted manual transmission, this Wagonaire remains in good driving condition and retains its distinct mid-century charm. As Studebaker's response to the utility needs of families and adventurers alike, this early crossover concept remains a standout among vintage of only 62 Manhattan convertible sedans built in 1949, this Frazer represents postwar luxury at its rarest. Restored in the early 2000s to a high standard and finished in its original Caribbean Coral hue, this award-winning example was honored with the Kaiser-Frazer National Gold Award. With its elegant design, 226-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine, and open-top configuration, it's both a showpiece and a tourer, ideal for collectors seeking exclusivity and impressive is this 1955 Nash Ambassador Country Club, one of fewer than 1,800 produced. Designed with input from Italian styling house Pinin Farina and powered by a Packard Jetfire V8 engine, this top-of-the-line Nash blends style, comfort, and engineering vision. Recently restored and loaded with factory air conditioning and the rebuilt Ultramatic transmission, it showcases the last gasps of Nash's independent innovation before merging into American Motors Corporation. With just over 41,000 believed-original miles and extensive documentation, it's a show-ready classic with unmatched authenticity. These three orphans—each with rich backstories and preserved originality—demonstrate the uniqueness and legacy of defunct American marques. Lucky's upcoming auction is a chance to celebrate, preserve, and drive home a piece of automotive history that stands apart from the crowd. These adorable orphaned babies are being sold at the Spring Classic 2025 Auto Auction taking place Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, Jun 1 at the LeMay Marymount Event Center. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Hari Hara Veera Mallu USA Advance Booking: Pawan Kalyan's period action adventure records USD 94,000 in pre-sales for premiere day
Hari Hara Veera Mallu, headlined by Pawan Kalyan, along with an ensemble star cast, is about to hit the screens soon. The movie has recorded a decent pre-sales in the limited pre-bookings at the USA box office for the premiere day. Hari Hara Veera Mallu registers USD 94,000 of pre-sales, needs a banger trailer Jointly directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and A M Jyothi Krishna, Hari Hara Veera Mallu recorded a decent pre-sales of USD 94,000 for the premiere day in the USA. Co-starring Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Aggerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Nora Fatehi, the movie needs a banger trailer to see a surge in ticket sales and record a solid opening at the premieres. The movie has sold around 3500 tickets in approximately 600 shows across 196 locations. One must note that AMC cinemas have started to open the advance booking, while major Regal cinemas are yet to open. The full-fledged advance booking of Hari Hara Veera Mallu is expected to begin from this week. With 14 days still to go for the release, the Pawan Kalyan movie has enough time to record a phenomenal advance booking in order to sail through a successful theatrical run. The historical drama, bankrolled by Mega Surya Entertainment, is likely to mark a solid comeback of the star-actor after a hiatus of two years. He was last seen in Bro, co-starring Sll and directed by Samuthirakani. Set in the 17th century during the Mughal Empire, the movie narrates the untold story of brave Veera Mallu. The movie faced multiple delays in production due to various reasons, including the pandemic and Kalyan's political commitments. The actor is currently completing the patchwork and is expected to return to the sets of his other pending movies- They Call Him OG and Ustad Bhagat Singh. It will be interesting to see how the Pawan Kalyan starrer performs at the box office. For the unversed, the movie is hitting the silver screen on June 12th, 2025. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
In Raj Khosla biography, a portrait of an director as a ‘gloriously flawed human being'
Raj Khosla was born in 1925, the same year as his mentor Guru Dutt. Khosla went on to become a well-regarded Hindi cinema director, making his debut with a Guru Dutt production – the crime thriller C.I.D. in 1956. Khosla then moved smoothly into other genres. Ghost stories, melodramas, dacoit dramas – Khosla rolled them out mostly with panache until 1989, two years before he died at 66. 'No other filmmaker has, arguably, made so many iconic and path-breaking films,' says the introduction to Raj Khosla, a new book about the filmmaker. ' It is as if they are all from different filmographies. How on earth can the same director have made a C.I.D. and a Do Raaste? The same guy, without breaking a sweat, created Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki and Dostana within a span of two years.' Written by Amborish Roychoudhury along with Khosla's daughters Anita Khosla and Uma Khosla Kapur, Raj Khosla is a well-researched and engrossing chronicle. Khosla's films attested to his technical feats – especially in the shooting of songs – as well as his troubled personal life, the biography suggests. The book will be released on May 31, which is Khosla's birth centenary. To mark the occasion, three of his best-known films will be screened: C.I.D, Woh Kaun Thi? and Mera Gaon Mera Desh. The event at Mumbai's Regal cinema have been organised by Film Heritage Foundation, with restored prints supplied by the National Film Archive of India. Roychoudhury, who has previously written Sridevi: The South Years, was approached by Khosla's daughters to work on the biography. He spoke to Scroll about the complexities of profiling a filmmaker with a varied filmography and a colourful personal life. Here are edited excerpts from the interview. What are the challenges of profiling a filmmaker who worked between the 1950s and the 1980s, whose contemporaries have mostly died, and about whom there is largely anecdotal material? A lot of narrative gets lost over time. Unfortunately, we as a country really suck at archiving or preserving our past. In this case, he said or she said wasn't possible since people weren't around to talk. There weren't too many interviews even when he was making his major films. But there are resources available if one wants to do the research. There are bread crumbs. I found the gossip columns in old Filmfare issues useful. They talked about films that were under production, so I found some stories there. For instance, how Solva Saal (1958) is based on a real incident. The family was very helpful. They had some material, but not a lot. They had photographs, books and his diary, which is written in Urdu. A lot of the things that were discovered in the journey of writing this book were also news to them. The book states, 'Like his mentor Guru Dutt, a lot of Raj Khosla's later work was autobiographical. As with every sensitive artist, the trials and tribulations of his private life had a direct impact on his creative approach and output.' How did you approach the sensitive aspects of his off-screen self in an authorised biography? There's a lot of information on him available on Google, which I have not said out loud or written explicitly. The family has been helpful and forthcoming. They didn't have qualms. They extended phone numbers of people who were party to the developments. But I didn't get permission from the concerned people to quote them or state their names, which is why I didn't. I didn't want to sensationalise anything. There is a thread that you can join from Guru Dutt to Raj Khosla to Khosla's protege Mahesh Bhatt, in terms of their scars and demons and how these found expression in their films. The distinction is that Mahesh Bhatt opened up and spoke about it publicly. Guru Dutt clammed up. Raj ji also didn't speak about it very often. What did you discover about Raj Khosla while working on the book? That he was a passionate singer. He was so passionate about his singing that he squeezed in some of his humming into his films without his music director knowing. When I was interviewing Mr Pyarelal, I told him about one such instance and he said, humein to bataya nahi [He didn't inform me]. Then, there was the aspect of how what was happening in his life came into his films, like Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki or Sunny. He always wanted to run away from his work. There are many instances of how he found excuses to say pack up or go back to sleep – do anything but shoot. I also found his relationship with his co-workers and people who worked for him fascinating. He used to pay salaries for months on end even when he wasn't making films. There is the incident of how his father was dying, so his secretary hesitated to ask him about singing pay cheques. When Raj Khosla got to know, he was furious. He said, my father is the one who is dying, why should these people suffer? There was a lot of respect for him and genuinely so, not just from the standpoint of success but also as a human being. He was a gloriously flawed human being. I developed deep respect for his personality, his filmmaking, his storytelling. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Film Heritage Foundation (@filmheritagefoundation) And what did you discover about his filmmaking? I don't think he had a very exalted view of himself as a creator. He basically said, I don't want to be celebrated as the maker. Filmmaking is a collaborative project, there's nothing grand about it. People come to see the actors and the stories. At the same time, he had certain fascinations. Creators like Guru Dutt, Vijay Anand and Raj Khosla used songs as narrative devices, not only in terms of moving the plot forward but also in terms of building a personality for the character or emphasising the relationship. Raj ji did this very well. His songs had a beginning, middle and end, like his films. Take Achcha Ji Mein Haari from Kala Pani (1958). There's a story in how Dev Anand moves, how Madhubala moves. A conversation is happening through the lyrics. The way he filmed the songs was very special. He had a dysfunctional relationship with women in terms of how he wanted to project them. Some of his female characters had flaws and regressive aspects. At the same time, certain characters had agency and spoke for themselves, such as Asha Parekh's character in Do Badan, who stands up to her husband. The Sadhana trilogy [ Woh Kaun Thi?, Mera Saaya, Anita ] is all about the women. Several of Raj Khosla's films have been ripped off from novels or American films. How do you view this lack of originality in his plots and scripts? A work of art needs to be seen in its historical context. We would be hard-pressed to find films from previous decades that had not been adapted from somewhere, whether it's William Shakespeare's plays or Wuthering Heights. The sources were not acknowledged – it wasn't a done thing, which doesn't make it right. That said, the world of the Hindi film was so restricted in the past that the filmmakers probably felt that the audiences wouldn't know, and that nobody outside India would see these films anyway. A film like Bombai Ka Babu is based on a short story [O Henry's A Double-Dyed Deceiver ], but there are big changes in the script and storytelling. So I don't think we can say that it is a blatant copy.
