Stargazer: Shraddha Kapoor, Meghna Gulzar and Avinash Arun

Dancing Queen

Shraddha Kapoor seems to be preparing for the role of a lifetime. After playing a singer in love with an alco­holic in Aashiqui 2, the mysterious Stree, and a very confused girlfriend in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, Kapoor is now taking on the fictionalised version of Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar in the biopic ‘Eetha’. Vithabai was one of Maharashtra’s most iconic folk artists, playing a huge role in taking the traditional performance art of Lavani to a wider audience through her troupe, Vithabai Narayangaonkar Bolhadi Tamasha. Kapoor is no stranger to Marathi or music —her mother is Shivangi Kolhapure, Lata Mangeshkar’s niece.

True to Form

Meghna Gulzar is used to making films based on true stories, from Talvar (2015) and Raazi (2018) to Chhapaak (2020). Her next film, ‘Daayra’ will be based on the 2019 gang rape and murder of a veteri­narian in Hyderabad and the subsequent police investigation. Kareena Kapoor Khan is set to star with Prithviraj Sukumaran in what will certainly be an intense film.

On a Roll

Avinash Arun is on fire, with two major releases coming up. He is the man behind Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Pritam and Pedro’ on JioHotstar which will star Hirani’s son Vir, along with Vikrant Massey and Arshad Warsi. He will also direct ‘Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story’, based on prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and the trial of one of the 26/11 attackers, Ajmal Kasab. Arun had ear­lier directed Three of Us (2023).