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Biiggbang Amusement announces its first collaboration with Assorted Motion Pictures with the award-winning film, Rikshawala
As the world is keeping up with the hustle and challenges of the new normal, Biiggbang Amusement is here to help its audience with a few moments of entertainment, cheer, and laughter with its unconventional content slate. The OTT platform specializes in bringing forth the most compelling stories within minutes for its viewers. With the thought to bring entertainment anytime, anywhere, Biiggbang Amusement announces its first collaboration with Assorted Motion Pictures with the award-winning film, Rikshawala. Breaking the bandwagon, the platform aims to curate critically acclaimed short-form content in one place.
The short-film entices its audience to think and throws light on an often overlooked sect; the Riksha-pullers. The film is laced with undertones of realism and portrays a simplistic sense of storytelling, similar yet distinct from Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s former projects. Set in the backdrop of the city of joy, Kolkata, Rikshawala features talented actors like Kasturi Chakraborty, and Avinash Dwivedi that add special elements of life to the story.
This fidelity and simplicity is being loved by audience across the world, helping Rikshawala getting selected for the esteemed Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival, aimed to recognize the enlightening, entertaining and progressive new age cinema of youth and experienced filmmakers. The critically acclaimed short-film has also successfully brought back the award for the Best Human Rights Film at the Cardiff International Film Festival, while its talented director, Ram Kamal Mukherjee also won the awards for the Best Director at International Film and Television Entertainment Award, Australia and the Rajasthan International Film Festival.
Sharing his thoughts on the brand’s first collaboration, Sudip Mukherjee, CEO and Founder, Biiggbang Amusement quoted, “While the world is in shackles of the pandemic, we are all looking for a breeze of hope and positivity. We at Biiggbang Amusement aim to help our audience with this by bringing them relatable and meaningful stories, anytime and anywhere. While the upper-crust of the audience consumes English content widely, we are looking at seeping through the crust to reach every viewer, countrywide with distinct languages and genres catering for every niche. We are proud to associate with a talented creator like Ram Kamal Mukherjee and Assorted Motion Pictures to inscribe the first short-film on our content slate. We plan to populate our content library profusely with many more masterpieces and award-winning shows and films like Rikshawala.”
Sharing his thoughts on the premiere, Avinash Dwivedi shared, “Rikshawala is definitely a milestone for me and all the accolades including the award for the Best Actor at the 13th Ayodhya International Film Festival, and the awards at Cardiff and Melbourne have truly given me a boost as an actor. I was really excited about working on this project right after I heard the narration from Dada (Ram Kamal Mukherjee). Before meeting him I was a little nervous about his seniority but after meeting him, he made me feel very comfortable and we became friends at an instant. Every aspect from the film is relevant and touching. I could really connect to my character in the film. He is someone who would do anything for his family and really loves his profession to the core. The film will make you think, and will touch you in ways that you won’t forget. While I was comfortable with the Bhojpuri dialogues, Bengali isn’t a language that I’m very familiar but I did want to give it a shot, so I ended up dubbing both; Bhojpuri and Bengali dialogues in the film.”
Excited about the premiere, Kasturi Chakraborty said, “Being a part of Ram Da’s film Rickshawala was both enriching and inspiring. It takes a hard look at the lives of the people who struggle in their own way to get what they want. In the case of my character, she goes through the sweet torture of heartbreak which is something I have deeply felt personally. Ram Da had a vision for each of us and he encouraged us to take that journey into the lives of our characters to attain spotless authenticity. I think it is the unfiltered portrayal of the reality of the people in the film and his vision that made it worthy of all appreciation globally. It’s great that the film now will be available on Biiggbang Amusement for all the cinema lovers globally.
Commenting on this collaboration, Ram Kamal Mukherjee, Director & Writer, Rikshawala, shared, “Rikshawala is a unique love story with a special twist. It is a project that is really close to my heart, and what makes it relevant is the humaneness and realism of the characters. I am also overwhelmed with such a positive global response and all of these awards and accolades are truly encouraging and I strive to tell many more of stories embedded with realism and relatability. It was an amazing experience to work with talented actors like Avinash Dwivedi and Kasturi Chakraborty who gave their sweat and blood to make their characters alive. I spotted Avinash at a birthday party in Juhu while Kasturi is a known television face, and I instantly knew that they’re perfect for the roles I had in mind. I am also really excited about my very first collaboration with Biiggbang Amusement and take pride to be a part of their content library of carefully curated content.”
The riveting short-film also made its way to the ImagineIndia festival held at Madrid and Spain, and also fetched laurels including the Best Actor and Best Director award at the 13th Ayodhya International Film Festival. Biiggbang Amusement is set to launch soon and is gearing up with a competitive and unequalled content slate aimed at entertaining, inspiring, and amusing its audience across the globe.
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Asha Bhosle, the unforgettable voice that sang a thousand emotions
The melody that defined generations has fallen silent, but her songs will echo forever.
MUMBAI: The voice that once lit up countless silver screens and brought rhythm to millions of hearts has stilled. Legendary singer Asha Bhosle, one of the most versatile and prolific vocalists in Indian film music, passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai on Sunday. She was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday night after suffering cardiac and respiratory issues and had reportedly been unwell for several months.
Her son, Anand Bhosle, confirmed the news on Sunday afternoon. The last rites will be performed on Monday.
Born in 1933 into the illustrious Mangeshkar musical family, Asha began her journey in the golden era of Hindi cinema. She recorded her first film song at the age of nine in 1943 and, by the 1950s, had already carved a distinct space for herself in Bollywood. While her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar often took the more melodic, heroine-centric numbers, Asha quickly became the go-to voice for energetic cabaret tracks, dance numbers, and later, the full spectrum of emotional expression.
The 1950s–60s: Rise of the Cabaret Queen In the early decades, Asha was frequently typecast for “item songs” and Western-style numbers. Yet even within those constraints, she delivered unforgettable hits such as “Aaja Aaja” from Teesri Manzil and “O Haseena Zulfon Wali” from the same film. Her playful, sassy delivery gave these tracks a magnetic energy that still feels fresh today.
The 1970s: Peak Versatility This was the decade that cemented her legendary status. Songs like “Dum Maro Dum” (Hare Rama Hare Krishna), “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja” (Caravan), “Chura Liya Hai Tumne” (Yaadon Ki Baaraat), and “Yeh Mera Dil” (Don) became cultural touchstones. Asha proved she could swing from seductive to soulful with equal ease, working with almost every major composer of the era.
The 1980s: Emotional Depth and Ghazals After marrying composer R.D. Burman in 1980, Asha explored more nuanced, introspective territory. Her National Award-winning performances in Umrao Jaan (“Dil Cheez Kya Hai”) and Ijaazat (“Mera Kuch Saamaan”) showcased a matured, velvety voice capable of profound emotion. These tracks remain among the most cherished ghazals in Indian cinema.
The 1990s–2000s: Global Collaborations and Reinvention Even as newer voices emerged, Asha refused to fade. She collaborated internationally with the Kronos Quartet and released experimental albums. Later in her career, she lent her voice to younger composers and continued performing live, often sharing the stage with her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle.
A Life Beyond the Microphone Asha’s personal journey was as dramatic as her filmography. At 16, she eloped with Ganpatrao Bhosle, her personal secretary. The marriage ended in separation in 1960 after they had three children. In 1980, she married R.D. Burman in a union that faced family opposition but brought creative synergy. RD passed away in 1994.
Throughout her life, Asha remained grounded, often crediting classical music and ghazals for keeping her voice sharp. In a 2023 interview, she admitted she rarely listened to contemporary film songs, preferring the timeless works of Bhimsen Joshi and classic ghazals to stay inspired.
Her seven Filmfare Awards and two National Film Awards are merely numbers; the true measure of her legacy lies in the thousands of songs that still play in homes, cars, and hearts across generations. From the foot-tapping energy of “Dum Maro Dum” to the haunting beauty of “Mera Kuch Saamaan”, Asha Bhosle gave Indian cinema a voice that was simultaneously bold, tender, playful, and profound.
The golden era has lost one of its brightest stars, but the music she created will continue to refresh souls for decades to come. As the final notes of her extraordinary journey fade, India bids farewell to a voice that truly defined an era.
