Your Weekend Planner April 9: OTT ka Bachchan kaun?
From stock market ka Bachchan to OTT ka Bachchan to a Telugu remake of a Bachchan film, it is all things Bachchan this week.
Dear Reader,
Stock market ka Bachchan kaun? We all know the answer. At least those of us who've watched the Pratik Gandhi-starrer Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. Par OTT ka Bachchan kaun, malum? In a recent interview, Abhishek Bachchan - humbly - said that he is OTT ka Bachchan, after the 'super success' of Breathe: Into The Shadows and Ludo, and now, with The Big Bull, adapted from the real-life story of Harshad Mehta. Technically, he isn't wrong. He has a finger in every OTT-pie, from Amazon Prime Video to Netflix to now Disney+Hotstar. But that is not what our review says. Carefully weeding out the excess Bollywood from this Kookie Gulati directorial venture, what is left is perhaps a tad underwhelming. Especially in comparison to Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, released earlier. And comparisons are but natural, right? Aur waise bhi, har Gujarati Gurukanth Desai aka Gurubhai nahi hota.
Moving on to other more successful adaptions, at your perusal this week, don't forget to check out Fahadh Faasil's Macbeth adaptation, Joji, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Brilliant, says our review. You'd expect nothing less from Fahadh, right? There is a bunch of new stuff on OTT, check them out in the OTT section.
In theatres this week, we have Dhanush's Karnan and Pawan Kalyan's Vakeel Saab, the Telugu remake of Amitabh Bachchan's Pink. Bachchan har jagah hai, dost. If your city still permits you to catch a show, don't miss them, but ensure you're following all safety protocols, okay? Do-gaz ki doori, mask hai zaroori.
But there was no do-gaz ki doori on the Mrs Sri Lanka stage. What drama, really! Clueless? Read all about it here.
Far East, Bengal is in the middle of a game far more exciting than an IPL match. Catch our ground report here, ekdom gorom, like the bajaar in Bengal.
Finally, now that you're in Kolkata, don't forget to check out the world's largest chicken roll. After all, what's poll without a roll? For those who cannot reach this now-famous joint, make 'em at home, We give you a recipe in the food section.
The week ends on a bitter note. Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, breathed his last today, April 9. He was at 99 and the Royal Family confirmed on their official Twitter handle that “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle”. More about the man here.
Now, let's move on to news that trended through the week. And, until next week, stay home, stay safe, and enjoy the weekend.
WHAT’S TRENDING?
Truly, it feels like 2020. The second wave of Covid-19 is here, and you must not take it lightly. If you have been shopping at malls, heading for vacations or attending parties all across the city, JUST STOP because the daily Covid-19 case count has breached the 1.25-lakh mark for the first time since the pandemic began last year.
As India's Covid-19 curve witnessed a steady increase since mid-February, eight states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have shown a rise in the Covid-19 daily new cases accounting for 80.70 per cent of the new cases reported in a day.
The moral of the story is pretty basic. Don’t go out unless absolutely necessary. Wash your hands. Wear the mask.
Covid aside, there is some news from Sri Lanka that did not quite please the internet. During the Mrs Sri Lanka World 2020 pageant in Colombo earlier this week, the reigning Mrs World and 2019 Mrs Sri Lanka Caroline Jurie snatched the crown from the winner on stage. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media and netizens, in the meantime, lashed out at Caroline Jurie. In short, there was immense drama.
By the way, did you know Elon Musk is an alien? Well, we aren’t saying this. Elon Musk is. Two days ago, one of Elon Musk’s followers asked him whether he is an alien. His answer was quite ‘obvious,’ seemingly.
Before you move to the next section, we have to serve you this bad news. Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, died today, April 9, at 99. Royal Family confirmed that His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. RIP.
Now, we hope to bring a smile back to your face with stuff in our next section. Read on.
SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE
Heard this rendition of the hit 2008 song Jashn-E-Bahaara from Hrithik Roshan’s film Jodhaa Akbar? Instagram user Anumita Nadesan has gone viral for it as her YouTube video collected over two million views already.
Also, these two medical students from Kerala danced to Rasputin in their college corridor. Energy levels? Off the charts!
DON'T FORGET TO WORK OUT
Bollywood's OG fitness diva, Malaika Arora, motivated her fans this week by sharing a video in which she talked about her favourite body toning exercises. She shared three yoga asanas that are her go-to postures for getting a toned body. The three poses are Vrikshasana, Naukasana and Utkatasana. Read more about these yoga asanas here.
Ankita Konwar talked about the importance of exercising and how running has helped her deal with her mental health issues. As for Mandira Bedi, she shared an intensive workout session with fans. We have all the motivation for this weekend, what about you?
FROM THE BOOKSHELF
Dopehri is a heart-warming book revolving around the life of Ammi Bi, the protagonist. The story talks about the feeling of loneliness, with which many elderly people try to survive waiting for their final day to come. Ammi Bi longs for a company all the time. This is when Sahiba enters and changes Amma Bi’s life drastically. You remember the times when we had old currency coins, right? When times were simpler, and people were much kinder. Reading Dopehri feels like that. The book is written by Pankaj Kapur and Rahul Soni. It is a wonderfully evocative work of wry humour and quiet power.
ON YOUR PLATTER
This week, a food joint in Kolkata’s Garia went viral on social media for making the 'world's biggest’ chicken egg roll. Now, with this rising Covid-19 cases all across the country, a trip to the stall may be a bit risky.
But we have a solution for you. You can always make Chicken Egg Roll at your home and enjoy it inside the comfort of your house. Here’s a simple recipe that you can follow:
To make Chicken Egg Roll, you will need 1 Chicken breast, cooked and shredded, 1 large onion chopped in thin slices, 2 green chillies, 1 chopped tomato, 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, salt as per taste, 1 teaspoon crushed pepper, soy sauce to taste and chilli sauce to taste. Mix all these ingredients inside a bowl and set aside. This will be used for the filling.
Now, beat two eggs in a bowl and season it with salt. Heat a pan and place a roti on it. Once it is heated through, sprinkle some oil over it. Add 1 tablespoon of egg over it, swirl the pan and then flip onto the other side. Once the egg is done, remove it from the tawa.
Now add the prepared chicken filling on top of the roti. Pour some spicy mayonnaise over it. Roll the roti and serve with a dip of your liking.
FASHIONABLY YOURS
Jaya Bachchan's versatility in her career has been an inspiration to so many. On her 73rd birthday, we celebrate some of her iconic looks. Not only does she look gorgeous, but has given us outfit ideas that are evergreen.
MOVIES AND MAGIC
Akshay Kumar is in the hospital, as a precautionary measure, getting treated for the novel coronavirus. 45 members of the 100-member crew of Ram Setu have also tested positive. In all this, Sooryavanshi release date was pushed again. Yes, the future of cinema in India looks bleak again. It's a deja vu of March 2020! Good thing is we still have OTT! And this Friday, catch Abhishek Bachchan's The Big Bull on Disney+Hotstar. Wanna know how it is before you invest your time? Read our review here.
The rest is just business as usual. For Monday Masala, we revisited Akshay Kumar's Housefull 2 and found out what makes it the perfect masala entertainer. Tuesday Trivia was about Irrfan's Blackmail and how his character name was a tribute to legendary actor, Dev Anand. Wahiyat Wednesday went to Another Akshay Kumar film - Thank You - but no, thank you, really. And Throwback Thursday was about Allu Arjun and Sneha Reddy's love story.
Two grand releases took over social media this week. What are they? Here's a list:
Karnan (Tamil)
Cast: Dhanush, Lal, Yogi Babu, Natarajan Subramaniam, Rajisha Vijayan, Gouri G. Kishan and Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli.
Vakeel Saab (Telugu)
Cast: Shruti Haasan, Pawan Kalyan, Nivetha Thomas, Anjali, Prakash Raj.
The Mauritanian (Hollywood)
Cast: Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Now, off to our OTT section.
INTO THE WORLD OF OTT
ON DISNEY+HOTSTAR
What to watch: The Big Bull
You will like it if you liked: Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story
The Big Bull is inspired by true events based on the stock market scam by infamous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, who was often called the Big Bull of the Dalal Street. Abhishek Bachchan plays the lead role in the film and Ileana D'Cruz plays the role of a journalist. The Big Bull started streaming on April 8 and is directed by Kookie Gulati. Read our review here.
ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
What to watch: Hello Charlie
You will like it if you liked: Dunston Checks In
Aadar Jain and Jackie Shroff are set to take us on a fun ride in Hello Charlie. The film is directed by Pankaj Saraswat. Jackie plays the role of a fraudster, who is finding different ways to leave Mumbai after committing various bank frauds. Chirag Rastogi (fondly called Charlie), on the other hand, has come to Mumbai to start a new life. Their paths cross when Charlie is given the task of transporting a guerilla. It started streaming today, April 9.
What to watch: Joji
You will like it if you liked: William Shakespeare's Macbeth
Director Dileesh Pothan and writer Syam Pushkaran joined hands for Joji, which is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Joji played by Fahadh Faasil, is an engineering dropout and the youngest son of the rich plantation family, who aspires to become a super-wealthy NRI. His father sees down on him and thinks of him as nothing more than a loser. Driven by greed and blind ambition, Joji finally decides to execute his plans following an unexpected event in the family. Read the review here.
What to watch: Well Done Baby
You will like it if you liked: Good Newwz
This Marathi film revolves around the life of a young couple, who are expecting their first baby. The story focuses on their journey together before and after the good news. The film stars Pushkar Jog, Amruta Khanvilkar and Vandana Gupte in lead roles. It started streaming today, April 9.
What to watch: Them
You will like it if you liked: Moonlight
Them is a series that talks about the horror black families faced in America. The show is set in the 1950s when a Black family moved to an all-white Los Angeles neighbourhood during The Great Migration.
ON NETFLIX
What to watch: Thunder Force
You will like it if you liked: Wonder Woman
If you are a superhero geek, then you can watch Thunder Force this weekend. Thunder Force is an action-comedy about two estranged childhood best friends, portrayed by Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer, who reunite to become an unlikely crime-fighting superhero duo when one invents a formula that gives ordinary people superpowers. The film is set in a world where super-villains are commonplace, and the duo decides to take them down and protect their city. It started streaming today, April 9.
What to watch: The Big Day Collection 2
You will like it if you liked: The Big Day
The Big Day is back with its second season and this time, much like Season 1, the show will focus on some of the most luxurious weddings in India. With their extravagant setups and picture-perfect frames, every episode is a delight to watch. The Big Day: Collection 2 premiered on April 7.
ON VOOT
What to watch: Ghosted: Love Gone Missing
You will like it if you liked: Love Is Blind
Hosted by Rachel Lindsay (The Bachelor franchise) and Travis Mills, Ghosted: Love Gone Missing is a unique reality series that helps a lucky few people track down former lovers, friends, family members or relatives to reconnect with them. The motive of the show is to help people understand what went wrong in their relationship with their loved ones, who suddenly cut off all contact with them. The show is streaming on Voot Select.
ON AHA
What to watch: 11th Hour
You will like it if you liked: Bombay Begums
Tamannaah is all set to make her digital debut with 11 Hour. She plays a businesswomen Aratrika Reddy who needs to fight her own battle to stay in the business. As several people take her for a ride, how she overcomes these obstacles to save her company follows the story of 11th Hour. The series also stars Adith Arun, Vamsi Krishna, Vikram Aditya, Shatru and Roshni Prakash in important roles. Read our review here.
ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREENS
What to watch: Indian Idol 12
Where to watch: Sony TV, 9.30 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Music maestro AR Rahman will be seen as a special guest on Indian Idol 12 this weekend. He will be seen motivating the contestants and will also join some of them on the stage. Apart from Rahman, music composer Anandji will also grace the stage of Indian Idol 12.
What to watch: Dance Deewane 3
Where to watch: Colors TV, 9 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
The upcoming episode of Dance Deewane 3 will witness choreographers Punit J Pathak and Shakti Mohan in the judges' panel along with Madhuri Dixit and Tushar Kalia. They will be taking the place of judge Dharmesh Yelande, who has tested positive for Covid-19. The episode will also see Madhuri Dixit grooving to her popular number Ek Do Teen from the film Tezaab along with Punit and Shakti.
What to watch: Super Dancer Chapter 4
Where to watch: Sony TV, 8 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
The kids' dance reality show features Anurag Basu, Shilpa Shetty and Geeta Kapur as judges. Contestants from across India have taken the talent quotient much higher this season. This weekend, the contestants will be seen battling it out to secure their position in the top 13 on Super Dancer Chapter 4. 8-year-old Esha Mishra from Delhi will impress the judges in the mega auditions with her performance on the song Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara. Esha's cuteness will compel Anurag Basu to dance along with her. The two will shake a leg to the song Galti Se Mistake.
(Compiled by Ananya Bhattacharya, Nairita Mukherjee, Raya Ghosh, Krishna Priya Pallavi, Vibha Maru, Jyoti Kanyal, Janani K, Divyanshi Sharma, Shweta Keshri, Logesh Balachandran, Grace Cyril, Rishita Roy Chowdhury, Tiasa Bhowal, Tanya Goel, Nivedita Giri)
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