Hindi
Special celebrations planned to commemorate 100 years of Begum Akhtar
NEW DELHI: As the nation celebrates the year-long birth centenary celebrations of noted classical singer Begum Akhtar, commemorative coins of Rs 100 and Rs 5 were issued today by union culture minister Shripad Naik to symbolically mark the start of the celebrations.
Noted singers Rita Ganguly (Dadra), Shashank Shekhar (Thumri) and Prabhati Mukherjee (Ghazal) gave an impressive performance on the occasion.
DD Bharati is also marking the day with an exclusively curated show, Akhtari ki Mehfil aur Kaifi Azmi at 9 pm with repeat telecast at 5 am and 1 pm.
The show by Yatindra Mishra and Kumud Diwan features the Begum and celebrated Ghazal writer and reciter of that era, Kaifi Azmi and few others. Begum Akhtar’s archival performances were hand-picked and woven together for this telecast where Kafi Azmi will be personally present.
Akhtar Bai Faizabadi, popularly called Begum Akhtar (07 October 1914 –30 October 1974) was a famous Indian singer of ghazal, dadra and thumri. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music and was awarded Padam Shri and Padam Bhushan by government of India. She was given the title of mallika-e-ghazal (queen of ghazals). On completion of 100 years of this versatile genius, the government has decided to commemorate the occasion. With this end in view, a National Implementation Committee (NIC) under the chairmanship of the culture minister was constituted to chalk out programmes and activities that may be taken up during the commemoration year.
Some of the initiatives which will be taken up during the commemoration period are centenary festivals in Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bhopal and Kolkata, web portal and digitisation/ documentation etc., of the legacy of Begum Akhtar, exhibitions and workshops, publications, seminars and a scholarship to young artists.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
