Mumbai: Political drama “Madam Chief Minister”, starring Richa Chadha, is all set to have a theatrical release on January 22, the makers announced Monday.
The film is written and directed by Subhash Kapoor of “Jolly LLB” fame.
“Madam Chief Minister”, which also stars Manav Kaul and Saurabh Shukla, is produced by T-Series Films and Kangra Talkies.
T-Series also shared the first look of the film, which is set in Uttar Pradesh, on Twitter.
The poster features Chadha with a broom in her hand, alongside Kaul and Shukla, with “Untouchable, Unstoppable” as tagline.
“Presenting to you, the first look of #MadamChiefMinister, a gut shaking political drama starring Richa Chaddha, Manav Kaul and Saurabh Shukla! Out in cinemas on 22nd January! Stay tuned!” T-Series tweeted.
Chadha said the film is about an “untouchable” who braves all odds in life.
“Glad to present to you all, my new movie #MadamChiefMinister, a political drama about an ‘untouchable’ who hustles and makes it big in life!” she tweeted.
“Madam Chief Minister” also features Akshay Oberoi and Shubhrajyoti in pivotal roles.
This would be Chadha’s second theatrical release amid the coronavirus pandemic, after “Shakeela” which hit cinema halls last month. (AGENCIES)

Sydney: Australian pacer James Pattinson was on Monday ruled out of the third Test against India due to bruised ribs, the home team’s cricket board said in a statement.
The match is scheduled to be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 7-11.
“Fast bowler James Pattinson has been ruled out of our Australian squad for the third #AUSvIND Vodafone Test with bruised ribs,” said Cricket Australia (CA).
A replacement has not been named for Pattinson, who got injured after a fall at home.
“He will not be replaced in the squad and will be assessed further ahead of the Brisbane Test match,” CA added.
With Pattinson ruled out of the penultimate Test of the four-match series, Michael Neser has only Sean Abbott to compete with for a spot in the playing XI. The all-rounder was seen doing duty quite a few times as a substitute during the second Test in Melbourne.
Pattinson last played against India in a tour match in the lead-up to the opening Test of the series, picking up three wickets.
He has taken 81 wickets in 21 outings for Australia at an average of 26.33 and last featured in a Test against New Zealand last January.
The 30-year-old Pattinson was not included in the playing XI in the first two Tests and was unlikely to be a part of the third match as well, with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon forming a four-pronged bowling attack. (AGENCIES)

Melbourne: The Indian cricket team and its support staff have returned negative in the latest COVID-19 tests conducted here ahead of the third Test against Australia in Sydney, the BCCI said on Monday.
The game is due to start on January 7 and The Indian team landed in Sydney on Monday as scheduled.
“Playing members of the Indian Cricket Team and support staff underwent an RT-PCR Test for COVID-19 on January 3, 2021. All tests have returned negative results,” the BCCI said in a short statement.
The statement came a couple of days after five Indian players — vice-captain Rohit Sharma, opener Shubman Gill, stumper Rishabh Pant, pacer Navdeep Saini and batsman Prithvi Shaw — were placed in isolation when a video of them at an indoor restaurant was posted by a fan on Twitter.
Cricket Australia had announced that a joint investigation with the BCCI was on to determine whether it amounted to a breach of bio-security protocol for the series.
The five were, however, allowed to train and travel with the team for the match in Sydney. According to sources in the Indian contingent, they have been cleared to play in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
All the players and support staff returning negative for COVID-19 is welcome news for the Indian team amid the controversy around the alleged breach of bio-security protocols.
Despite the announcement of a joint investigation by BCCI and Cricket Australia on the alleged breach, there has been no word on it from either of the two boards in the last two days.
According to the bio-security protocols set by CA, players are allowed to sit outside but not allowed to dine inside restaurants. The players, according to team sources, have maintained that they went in to escape a drizzle.
It is understood that the controversy has not gone down well with the travelling team and it is not amused with how CA has so far handled the issue.
The latest development is preceded by Australian media reports that the fourth Test in Brisbane has been jeopardised as the tourists are reluctant to travel there in view of stricter quarantine rules.
But the final Test, starting at the Gabba from Janauary 15, is on as of now.
The four-match series is currently locked 1-1 after India fought back with an eight-wicket triumph in the Melbourne Test following a humiliating loss in the opener in Adelaide. (AGENCIES)

Sydney: The crowd limit for the third Test between India and Australia, beginning here from Thursday, has been reduced to 25 per cent of the SCG’s seating capacity on advice of the New South Wales government after fresh COVID-19 cases were recorded in the city.
Approximately 9500 people would be allowed to watch the game with the series currently locked at 1-1 following India’s remarkable comeback in Melbourne. The SCG has a seating capacity of about 38,000.
“Reducing the capacity of the venue is crucial in achieving social distancing requirements, and we sincerely thank ticket-holders for their patience, as we process refunds today, reconfigure the SCG seating plan to deliver these social distancing measures and go back on sale,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said in a statement.
The SCG had hosted two ODIs and as many T20s during the limited overs leg of India’s tour.
The first three games were held in front of a limited 18000 crowd before restrictions were lifted for the final T20 on December 8 with more than 30000 attending the game.
The match will now have to be re-ticketed with the existing holders getting an exclusive window to re-buy the tickets from 5 pm local time on Monday through to 12pm on Tuesday. All remaining public tickets will be released at 12pm on Tuesday.
“In response to the public health situation in NSW, we are working closely with Venues NSW and NSW Health to put appropriate bio-security measures in place for our staff, players, match officials, broadcasters and fans to ensure we play the third Test at the SCG safely,”
Tony Shepherd, Venues NSW Chair, said that the SCG has taken significant measures to ensure fans’ safety.
“There are extensive protocols being enacted for the upcoming Test, including increased cleaning, customer service and security staff, along with dedicated social distancing marshals,” Sheppard said.
“The SCG is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government which allows exhaustive record keeping and QR code check-in protocols that will ensure the safety of ours fans.
“We have a very safe stadium and will be doing everything we can to deliver this event safely, as we have at our venues in NSW for the entire year,” he said. (AGENCIES)

Melbourne: Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon on Monday said they are “100 per cent” sure of Brisbane hosting the fourth Test against India, playing down media reports that the tourists are reluctant to travel there in view of stricter quarantine rules.
The fourth Test is scheduled to be held in Brisbane from January 15, but Lyon added his team is currently focussed on the third match, which will be played in Sydney from January 7.
“100 per cent planning on going to Brisbane and sticking with plan A,” said Lyon at a virtual press conference.
“We have heard nothing as players, so we have got obviously travel up to Sydney today and get ripping there, and hopefully, get the result that we are after and then straight on playing in Brisbane.”
Australia have got a good record at Brisbane while India are yet to win a Test at the Gabba.
“We all know how much we love playing cricket at the Gabba and we know our result there as well with our records. So, all plans to go to Gabba, that is for sure.
According to Australian media reports, the Indians are not happy at the possibility of going for another quarantine in Brisbane, since they have already served one upon entering Australia.
“To be honest mate, I am not thinking about plan B or not playing at the GABBA. I, for 100 per cent, think we are going there and we are preparing for the Gabba.”
Lyon is aware that many players in both the groups have been staying in a bubble for close to six months, but he called it a “small sacrifice” under the current circumstances.
“To be honest, regarding quarantine, I know there are few people from both squads, who have been in the bubble for close to six months now.
“But, in my eyes, it is a very small sacrifice, for us to get out there and play the game we love and put a lot of smiles on lot of people’s faces around the world,” added Lyon, who has played 98 Tests.
Lyon made it clear that the focus now is on the Sydney Test and he is not worried about what is being reported.
“I am not really worried about what’s being reported, it is for us to worry about what we can control and the information that we are receiving from the people at Cricket Australia and the medical people.
“It is just about us making sure that we are very well prepared for the Sydney Test, everyone keeps talking about the Gabba Test, but there is a massive Test match in just couple of days at the SCG and that is where our focus is 100 per cent at the moment.”
He backed the returning David Warner to open the innings for Australia in the third Test this week, saying he had the “X-factor” to change a game.
The explosive opener missed the first two Tests with a groin injury, but has been training and was included in the squad for Thursday’s clash in Sydney, with the four-Test series locked at 1-1.
“One hundred percent. I think David is an X-factor,” Lyon said.
“He is a world-class batter, we all know that, so I am 100 percent expecting David to go out there in the next couple of Test matches and do well.
“Obviously, he’s got all of the support of the Australian changing room and everyone else around the world to come in here and do well,” he added.
“So I’m looking forward to getting Davey back up to the top order for Australia.” (AGENCIES)

MUMBAI: Actor Renuka Shahane, who is looking forward to the release of her film “Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi Crazy”, on Monday said the Netflix film explores dysfunctional family dynamics through three “fascinating” women of different generations and personalities.
The film, which derives its title from an Odissi dance pose, is described as a heartwarming storyline that looks at the importance of family in everyday lives.
Also written by Shahane, the film stars Tanvi Azmi as matriarch Nayan, a critically acclaimed Marathi litterateur; Kajol as her daughter Anu, a renowned classical dancer and actor; and granddaughter Masha played by Mithila Palkar.
Shahane, a well-known face in both cinema and television, said the beautiful yet asymmetrical Tribhanga dance pose has been used as a metaphor to represent the women in this film “who have their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, and yet are fascinating, beautiful and vibrant”.
“I believe that women who make unconventional life choices and women with a wide range of personalities need to be represented in films. The idea for this film came from my experience of meeting someone who had a very acrimonious relationship with her mother, unlike my relationship with mine,” the actor-director said in a statement.
“I wanted to capture the dysfunctional family dynamics when the core, the relationship with the mother, is shaky and unstable. I added three different generations to better reflect the intergenerational perspective in looking at the same event in three different ways,” she added.
Kajol, who is making her digital debut with the film, said “Tribhanga” is a celebration of women and all their beautiful imperfections.
“We need to embrace these imperfections and live on our own terms, just the way Nayan, Anu, and Masha do in this film. My character is outspoken and opinionated much like how the audience knows me, yet is completely different.
“As a mother I can vouch that there are challenges that women face daily as the smallest of things we do affect our children. Motherhood is a minefield of emotions captured extremely well by Renuka. I am very excited for the audience to see this film and hope it will resonate with people of all ages,” she added.
Azmi said her character Nayan might be the oldest in the family, but her ideals are not.
“… She is constantly challenging the normal, ahead of its time. In essence, ‘Tribhanga’ showcases the twisted journeys of three women who are related but could not be more different. Renuka has beautifully and sensitively captured the intergenerational family dynamics and their struggles.”
Though she is the youngest, Palkar said, her character Masha is the “calming force among the three women”.
“It has been such an enriching experience being a part of this film and working alongside stalwarts like Tanvi ma’am, Kajol ma’am and Renuka tai. ‘Tribhanga’ beautifully encapsulates the unconventional life choices of three women and how they deal with every situation that comes their way,” she added.
The family drama also stars Kunaal Roy Kapur, Kanwaljeet Singh, Manav Gohil and Vaibhav Tatwawaadi.
Backed by Kajol’s husband, actor-producer Ajay Devgn, in collaboration with Bannijay Asia and Siddharth P Malhotra’s Alchemy Films, “Tribhanga” is slated to start streaming from January 15. (AGENCIES)