Entertainment

apple-tv-announces-new-documentary-about-john-lennons-murder

Fri Oct 27 16:28:19 IST 2023

Apple TV+ has announced that it is coming out with a documentary series on the life and murder of iconic musician John Lennon. The three-part series takes a close look at the 1980 murder of the Beatles front-man. The documentary titled John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial, will be narrated by Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland.

The docu-series will feature eyewitnesses interviews and previously unseen pictures of the crime scene. The series will also follow the investigation and conviction of Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman. There will also be interviews with Lennon's closest friends. Lennon was shot outside his home in New York by Chapman, a troubled fan. Chapman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He remains incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York.

Reportedly, the production was granted extensive Freedom of Information Act requests from the New York City Police Department, the Board of Parole and the District Attorney’s office to gain access to the interviews. The series, reportedly, also features interviews with Chapman's defence lawyers, psychiatrists and prosecutors. The series is directed by Nick Holt and Rob Coldstream and is being produced by 72 films.

Chapman's story was dramatized in 2005 as a film titled Chapter 27. It featured Jared Leto. Also on Thursday, a track recorded by Lennon before his death was completed with help of AI by his bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. It was released as the Beatles final new song.

The release date of the docu-series hasn't been announced.

priyanka-chopra-arrives-at-mumbai-head-of-jio-mami-festival

Fri Oct 27 13:18:34 IST 2023

Actor Priyanka Chopra has reached Mumbai for MAMI or Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image festival. Chopra will be hosting the opening night of the Jio MAMI festival. Chopra, who was last seen in the movie Love Again co-starring Sam Hueghan, didn't attend her cousin Parineeti Chopra's wedding, which took place last month. Parineeti got married to AAP politician Raghav Chadha.

Chopra, in recent weeks, joined her husband, Nick Jonas, while his band, The Jonas Brothers were on tour. She was seen at various venues with her daughter Malti Marie. Priyanka landed in Mumbai, early morning Friday. She was wearing a black crop top, which she paired with a black shrug and grey sweatpants. She was sporting a necklace with her daughter Malti's name.

Her husband Nick Jonas and Malti Marie weren't seen at the airport. Malti Marie was born in January last year. Both Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra share moments with their daughter on Instagram. She will next be seen in Heads Of State, alongside John Cena and Idris Elba. MAMI will take place between October 27 and November 5. The Festival will take place at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). The Citadel actor quickly interacted with the press present at the airport.

amitabh-bachchans-khakee-to-get-a-sequel

Thu Oct 26 16:29:07 IST 2023

Khakee, a 2004 movie starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai is getting a sequel. The project is currently in the scripting stage. The sequel was confirmed by Aryeman, son of late producer Keshu Ramsay.

“Yes, we are planning a sequel to Khakee. The scripting is on and we have a basic plot in mind. We plan to go on floors with the film by next year as it will also mark 20 years of the original film which is still remembered and watched by the fans and audiences,” Aryeman said, Bollywood Hungama reported.

He said the movie's storyline will have a continuation from part one. But, the movie won't feature Aishwarya Rai, Akshay Kumar or Ajay Devgn as their characters die in the first film. The movie directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, also featured Tusshar Kapoor. Khakee was remade in Telugu in 2009, as Satyameva Jeyate.

Aryeman also indicated that he would ask Rajkumar Santoshi to direct the film. The film was a hit at the box office.

amala-pauls-boyfriend-jagat-desai-proposes-to-her-my-gypsy-queen-said-yes

Thu Oct 26 16:45:40 IST 2023

Actress Amala Paul's boyfriend Jagat Desai made her 32^nd birthday extra special by proposing to her. In a video that is now going viral Jagat joins a group of dancers before he goes down on one knee.

The two then share a kiss as the actress says 'yes'. Sharing the video on social media, Jagat wrote: “My gypsy queen said yes.” The video was reportedly shot at a resort in Goa where they are vacationing.

Fans flooded the comment section with messages of love as they wished the duo the best. According to a report in Indian Express, Jagat, who hails from Goa, works as a manager in a luxury villa in the state. Amala and Jagat, who recently made their relationship Instagram-official, have been dating for a while.

Amala was previously married to Tamil director A.L. Vijay. The couple parted ways in 2017.

In 2020, she was back in the news after Mumbai-based singer Bhavninder Singh, whom she was reportedly dating, shared their pictures and claimed they had tied the knot. Amala denied the reports and moved court to stop Bhavninder from publishing the photographs that were clicked during a shoot. She also filed a defamation suit against Singh for sharing the photographs with misleading captions.

On the workfront, Amala was last seen in Tamil film Cadaver. Amala, who has acted in several languages including Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, won the Tamil Nadu state film award for best actress for playing the title role in Mynaa (2010).

elvish-yadav-files-complaint-after-receiving-extortion-calls-demanding-rs-1-crore-reports

Thu Oct 26 13:36:06 IST 2023

Popular content creator and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav has reportedly lodged a complaint with the police after receiving extortion calls. The Gurugram police registered an FIR on Wednesday after an unknown caller demanded Rs 1 crore from the social media influencer.

Several media outlets also reported on Thursday that the Gurugram police teamed up with the Gujarat police to arrest one person from Vadnagar.

Elvish, who made his TV debut with Bigg Boss OTT season 2, has a massive fan following on social media. His YouTube channel The Social Factory has over 14 million subscribers at the moment. With 15.7 million followers, Elvish has a very strong presence of on Instagram too. He stole the limelight with his performance in the Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss OTT 2. He scripted history by becoming the first wildcard entrant to win the show, taking home Rs 25 lakh.

He is also the owner of clothing brands like systumm_clothing.

in-a-first-kerala-police-registers-a-case-over-negative-film-reviews-on-social-media

Thu Oct 26 13:03:15 IST 2023

The Kerala Police, in a first of its kind move, has registered a case for uploading negative movie reviews on social media. Director Ubaini Ebrahim, director of Rahel Makan Kora filed an FIR under section 385 (extortion) and section 120 (o) of the Kerala Police Act stating that reviewers deliberately tarnished his film with a motive to blackmail.

The accused include owner of film promotion firm Hains, social media reviewers Arun Tharanga, Aswanth Kok, Facebook account user anoopanu6165, social media handle soulmates55 and platforms YouTube and Facebook. On October 9, the Kerala High Court asked the State Police to act against vloggers and social media influencers, who deliberately post negative reviews.

Rauf had stated that no reviews of his movie Aromalinte Adya Pranayam be made on a public forum for the first seven days of the release. Kerala High Court also directed the State Police to curb review bombing. The Court in its ruling said that movies are a collective efforts of thousands of people including the producers, actors and directors.

Reportedly, several reviewers have gained monetary benefits after posting unfavourable reviews of Rahel Makan Kora, an hour after the movie released.

"It must, however, be specifically kept in mind by the State Police Chief that, what he is now being called to respond to, is regarding action only in. the cases of motivated and calculated reviews made solely to extort and blackmail; and not those which are made bona fide," the court said on October 9.

Talking to THE WEEK, filmmaker Don Palathara said, " I don’t see reviewers as an authority on deciding the quality of a film. With the emergence of Instagram and YouTube reviewers, things are getting too chaotic. There are only a bunch of reviewers who are actually equipped with the knowledge and openness to study various aspects of a new film and understand it in cultural and historical contexts. The recent popularity that most of today’s reviewers are getting is a phenomenon that unfortunately has less to do with the cinematic art and more with the business aspect of it. On the other hand, the recent ban on reviewers is an extreme measure. Freedom of speech is questioned here, one should be able to express their views about anything publicly."

katrina-kaif-named-brand-ambassador-for-rado

Thu Oct 26 11:39:08 IST 2023

Swiss watchmaker brand Rado has roped in actor Katrina Kaif to be its global brand ambassador. “Katrina’s versatile talent and international appeal make her the perfect choice to represent the values that Rado holds”, the brand said.

Kaif, whose Tiger 3 is set to release in November, is already the brand ambassador of global brands like Uniqlo and Etihad Airways. “We are thrilled to welcome Katrina Kaif into the Rado family. Her timeless beauty and global recognition align seamlessly with Rado’s core principles. We look forward to this journey of redefining luxury together,” Adrian Bosshard, Rado CEO said.

“Rado watches have always fascinated me with their innovative designs and commitment to quality,” Kaif said. In the video announcing Kaif's association with the brand, she is seen wearing the sophisticated Centrix watch.

Currently, the other Indian, who is a brand ambassador for the watch brand is Hrithik Roshan.

murders-most-foul-the-real-story-behind-scorseses-killers-of-the-flower-moon

Thu Oct 26 13:37:15 IST 2023

The Old Farmer's Almanac—an annual American journal that contains weather predictions, planting schedules, astronomical tables, recipes, anecdotes, and more—has different names for 12 full moons. January's full moon is called Wolf Moon, February has Snow Moon, March has Worm Moon, April has Pink Moon and May, Flower Moon. Also known as Planting Moon, and Milk Moon, May's moon gets this sobriquet on account of the wildflowers that bloom in the month. In the pitilessly indifferent nature, the wildflowers that sprout in April and bloom in May are forced out by taller plants stealing their water and light.

"In May, when coyotes howl beneath an unnervingly large moon, taller plants, such as spiderworts and black-eyed Susans, begin to creep over the tinier blooms, stealing their light and water. The necks of the smaller flowers break and their petals flutter away, and before long, they are buried underground. This is why Osage Indians refer to May as the time of flower-killing moon," writes David Grann, in Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. The book has now been turned into a major motion picture, helmed by arguably one of the greatest directors of all time, Martin Scorsese.

There is no better allegory to describe the evil that befell the people of the Native American tribe, Osage Nation, in Northeast Oklahoma, in the 1920s, than the fate of the tiny plants that bloom and die in May.

The curse of black gold

Resource curse—also known as the paradox of plenty and poverty paradox—is a political-economic theory that argues that mineral and fuel abundance does not always lead to the development of a nation, or people who possess the said resources. The theory suggests that such abundance may cause state intervention and large degrees of rent-seeking and corruption. "...extraction projects often attract large influxes of people, whether or not additional employment is actually available. This can cause stress on economic, social and cultural relations," a paper titled The Resource Curse: The Political and Economic Challenges of Natural Resource Wealth observes.

While this theory, proposed in the context of less developed countries and the oil boom, may not apply to the Roaring Twenties of the United States—an era that was marked by widespread prosperity—it would not be all wrong to take recourse to it to understand what happened to Osage, who were once the world's wealthiest people per capita.

Known as the Children of the Middle Waters, the Osage were always land-rich. However, in the 19th century, within years after US President Thomas Jefferson bought from the French the territory of Louisiana, which was home to the Osage people, they were forced to cede much of their ancestral land—nearly a hundred million acres—and settle near southwestern Kansas, Oklahoma. They were assured by the US government this new land would be their home forever. The Osage did not want their new land to be violated by the white men, and so they bought the territory. While they settled into their reservation, which was certainly not prized real estate, hoping that their deities and way of life would not have to be compromised, the US authorities, as white man's burden always demands, thought that it was necessary to make them accept the the god and ways of the white men.

When Oklahoma became the 46th state of the US, the tribe sold their surface land in what was now Osage county but kept the mineral rights (headright) of the land under their control. Grann writes that the tribe knew that there were oil deposits under the reservation. The Osage wanted to make sure that they collectively owned what was below the land, and so they gave each person a headright, which could not be sold or bought. It could only be passed on or inherited. The headright for the land essentially meant that they had a share in the mineral trust and hence would receive a check for royalties for the oil drilled from their land. With the tribe's approval, John Florer, owner of a trading post, and a wealthy banking partner got a lease to begin drilling on the reservation. The tribe soon began leasing more of their areas to white prospectors for exploration.

The black gold changed their fortunes overnight. From being America's poorest, they became the richest people per capita in the world. An Osage writer later described the people of this decade as "the Kuwaitis of the 1920s."

"They were drawing millions. By 1923, the Osage collectively received that year more than $30 million...This was being split up by a group of about 2,000 people," Grann said in an interview.

As money started pouring in from oil royalties, they built mansions, appointed white servants, and bought the finest cars.

The reign of terror

Wealth attracts envy, and more wealth attracts the envy of the whole wide world. According to Grann, "The public, the whites, not just in Oklahoma, but across the US, were transfixed by the Osage wealth." It was said that each Osage owned 11 cars. Publications began to write about the lavish lifestyles of the Osage people. The message they wished to convey was that the Osage did not deserve this wealth and that they were wasting it.

Soon, things began to fall apart; and what has been described as the "reign of terror" began.

The US was still the land of outlaws, men with guns, and lawmen who dished out the kind of justice they deemed fit. "Everybody in the world descended into this area to try to find every possible way to separate the Osage from their money," says Grann in a documentary titled The Osage Murders.

The government held the racist belief that the Osage, or any tribes for that matter, could not manage their money, and so white guardians were appointed to help them with their money. These unscrupulous guardians had complete control over the assets of their wards, and they began looting the Osage. There were kickbacks for being appointed as guardians, skimming, and in many cases, outright stealing where the guardians would abscond with millions of dollars belonging to the Osage.

University of Tulsa professor Garrick Bailey, whose research Grann banked on while writing the book, observes in The Osage Murders documentary: "Many of the whites who lived in Osage county attempted to exploit the Osages. There are bootleggers, prostitutes, gamblers, burglars, rustlers, armed robbers, all of these people victimised the Osage. They are not the only ones. The merchants created a two-tier prizing level, charging the Osage more than they charge the non-Osage customers."

Soon, some of the members of the tribe began dropping dead under mysterious circumstances or started to disappear!

The whites also married the Osage headright holders. Upon the untimely death of a headright holder, the spouse would be left with great wealth. The book Killers of the Flower Moon focuses on one such marriage, that of Mollie Burkhart, originally, Mollie Kyle. Mollie was married to Ernest Burkhart, whose uncle William King Hale was seen as a respectable figure and the most powerful man in Osage county. Her sister, too, had married a white man. The book begins with the murder of Mollie's sister Anna. In a few months, other members of her family started dying, except Mollie as diabetes was taking her to an early grave anyway. The medication that she was on was only making her sicker.

Two months after Anna's murder, Mollie's mother was poisoned to death. Two years later, another sister, Rita, and her husband, Bill Smith, died after their house was destroyed in a bomb blast at night. As her family members died, Mollie became the sole owner of their headrights, and her wealth was managed by Ernest who was under the thumb of Hale.

Between 1921 and 1925, the official number of untimely deaths of Osage were 27, while unofficial accounts put the death count above 60. According to Grann, the world's wealthiest people per capita were becoming the world's most murdered. As Grann focuses on the life of Burkharts and Mollie's efforts to find the truth behind the murder of her sister Anna, he leads the readers to more such gory deaths—by bullets, poisoning, "peculiar wasting illness", and from being thrown off a speeding train. It was as if every full-blooded Osage was walking around with a death warrant on him/her.

The deaths of Mollie's family members and others did not bother the authorities. Hale, his nephews, other oil barons, medics who examined the deceased, Hale's henchmen and other avaricious white men who stood to gain from these deaths were quick to draw a veil over the suspicious early deaths. Hale, the self-proclaimed 'King of the Osage Hills', knew how to cover his tracks as he never personally got his hands dirty.

Mollie, suspicious of the deaths surrounding her, began to fear for her life. She approached the law enforcement requesting them to look into the deaths, but was ignored. She even hired a private detective to look into the deaths, but he turned out to be corrupt. However, after the bomb blast, the Osage Tribal Council began urging the federal government to send detectives to investigate the murders.

The investigation

In May 1924, an ambitious 29-year-old man was made the chief of the Bureau of Investigation, which later became the FBI. J. Edgar Hoover—the deeply polarising figure in American history who headed the agency for decades—in the summer of 1925, summoned Thomas White, an old-school lawman and former Texas Ranger, who had no formal police training. Hoover asked White, who joined the Bureau of Investigation in 1917, to head the investigation into the Osage murders.

It was certainly not an easy task. The Osage had developed a general distrust for outsiders and white men. Nobody was willing to talk although they all knew Hale was behind the reign of terror. There was “an almost impenetrable wall of fear...People who were afraid to talk and witnesses who might have given information had long since disappeared,” writes Don Whitehead in the book The FBI Story: A Report to the People.

White had his team go undercover, as a cattle buyer, oil prospector, an insurance salesman, and a medicine man, to get people talking. Over time, they collected enough evidence to build a case against Hale and his henchmen. The investigators also got Ernest Burkhart to talk. He admitted that his brother Bryan was part of the plot to murder Anna at the orders of Hale. Hale's grand stratagem involved Ernest eventually killing Mollie, making him the sole owner of the family's oil rights as one did not have to be an Osage to inherit a headright. Grann, who spent five years researching the crimes, once said during an interview that Ernest Burkhart reminded him of "what are sometimes referred to as 'the willing executioners' in Germany during the Holocaust. They weren’t necessarily the leaders, but they were the people who went along. And because of that, so many people were killed."

Ernest revealed most of his uncle's misdeeds, including ordering the murder of Rita and her husband. Hale was also found guilty of the murder of Osage member Henry Roan, from whose death he benefitted $25,000 in the form of the life insurance policy taken out on his life.

The FBI cracked the crimes involving Hale after months of grueling undercover work, and the murders mostly stopped after the arrests of Hale and his accomplices. But not every murder was solved, not every murderer was brought to justice. "The murderers are now dead, and so are the eyewitnesses. One of the great horrors was that the murderers had many cases, not only erased their victims, they had often erased their history too," Grann said in an interview to RogerEbert.com.

It is hard to make sense of mass murders. Such deplorable crimes are possible only when a section of people refuse to see another as their equal. "Unquestionably, greed was the driving force. But I would say there was another deeper force at work than just greed. For these systemic crimes to have taken place, greed was fused together with a dehumanisation of another people. The perpetrators did not look upon their targets as fully embodied humans with souls and dignity," Grann said during a recent discussion at Oklahoma Christian University.

"Seldom in the long history of the white man's dubious dealings with the Indian has there been such a determined combination of craft and violence as that described by witnesses before the grand jury," The New York Times had said while reporting on the trial in the case.

The oil eventually dried out, and the Osage Indians have moved on to newer trades, but the collective memory of the genocide of their forefathers still haunts the current generation, although they mostly remain as mere footnotes in the vast history of oppression by the white men in America.

daniel-radcliffe-produces-documentary-on-harry-potter-stunt-double

Wed Oct 25 17:20:11 IST 2023

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is the executive producer for a movie featuring his stunt double. David Holmes was paralysed while practising a stunt for the penultimate Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I. Holmes working in a scene that involved an explosion, which left him paralysed from the chest down. Holmes, who had been Radcliffe's stunt double since 14, right from the first movie, had formed a bond with the actor.

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived is described as a “coming-of-age story”, a Vulture report reads. Holmes is a trained gymnast. Holmes and Radcliffe, in 2020, began a podcast 'Cunning Stunts'. When Holmes met with the accident in 2009, Radcliffe hosted a charity auction to raise money for his medical bills. Radcliffe and fellow actor Tom Felton would visit Holmes in the hospital.

In a 2014 interview with The Mirror, Radcliffe talked about the bond he shared with Holmes and said, “And I would hate for people to just see me and Dave and go, ‘Oh, there’s Daniel Radcliffe with a person in a wheelchair’ because I would never, even for a moment, want them to assume that Dave was anything except for an incredibly important person in my life.”

The movie features behind-the-scenes footage of Holmes’s stunt work and interviews with Radcliffe, other close friends, family members and former crew. The movie is directed by Dan Hartley. The movie premiers on HBO and Max on November 15, at 9 p.m.

“I think there’s a myth around stuntmen that they are just superhuman in some way. When the public sees something really painful or horrible, they think it was a visual effect or that there’s some clever, safe way of doing it. Often that’s not the case,” Radcliffe told Variety about the podcast.

movies-and-shows-to-binge-watch-on-amazon-prime-video-this-festive-season

Wed Oct 25 16:37:22 IST 2023

From laughter, romance, mystery and more, here are 11 movies and shows to binge-watch on Prime Video this festive season. As everyone gears up for the best time of the year, here are some films and shows in various languages available for streaming on Prime Video. These titles are part of Prime Video's festive line-up for the Great Indian Festival 2023 that started from October 8.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Coming Soon)

The Transformers universe is expanding even further with its seventh installment, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. This installment focuses on the Autobots and Optimus Prime as they face their greatest obstacle to date. They must work together with the powerful faction of Transformers known as the Maximals to save Earth, as a new menace with the potential to wipe out the entire planet appears.

Rainbow Rishta (Coming Soon)

Featuring six fierce and fabulous real stories of love, Rainbow Rishta is a groundbreaking new docuseries that celebrates queer love in India. Enter the riveting worlds of the protagonists, as they move mountains to make their seemingly impossible dreams come true.

Upload S3 (Streaming Now)

Emmy-winning writer Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill) has created a science fiction comedy series called Upload S3, which is set in a futuristic, technologically advanced world. Furthermore, the most unique aspect of the series is that humans can opt to be uploaded into a virtual world. Season 3 of the Amazon Original premiered on October 20, with eight episodes releasing weekly until November 10.

The Burial (Streaming Now)

Inspired by true events, the Amazon Original film The Burial is a courtroom drama. It follows an interesting court battle where a lawyer helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth. The film features Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones and Jurnee Smollett in pivotal roles and is an incredible watch to witness how justice unfolds.

Takeshi’s Castle (Coming Soon)

India reboot of the beloved 80s Japanese show Takeshi’s Castle is back with Bhuvan Bam as a commentator. This Hindi version of the show will soon hit Prime Video. The eight-episode series will stream exclusively on Prime Video India.

The Other Zoey (Streaming Now)

American Amazon Original film The Other Zoey revolves around Zoey Miller (Josephine Langford), a super smart computer major uninterested in romantic love, who has her life thrown upside down when Zach (Drew Starkey), a popular college soccer player, gets amnesia and mistakes Zoey as his girlfriend. Just before she reveals the truth, she meets Zach’s cousin, Miles (Archie Renaux), with whom she has a lot in common. Still pretending to be Zach’s girlfriend, she realises she has feelings for both of them and is forced to confront her fears to make an impossible decision.

007: Road to a Million (November 10)

The reality show 007’s Road to a Million - S1 embarks on a journey of nine regular individuals competing to win a life-altering £1,000,000 prize, and are set off on an incredible journey through a series of James Bond-inspired tasks to uncover questions buried throughout the globe. The adventure series will premiere on Prime Video on November 10.

Permanent Roommates S3 (Streaming Now)

Featuring Sumeet Vyas and Nidhi Singh in the lead roles, the season 3 of Permanent Roommates brings back internet’s favourite couple. In the romantic coming-of-age drama, Mikesh and Tanya are in a live-in relationship but have different aspirations for their future. Tanya wants to go abroad, while Mikesh wants to stay in India. Despite their differences, will they be able to sustain their relationship? The latest season is as entertaining as the first two, with diverse characters, perfect comic timing and replete with fun-filled moments. It rightly captures the essence of modern-day relationships as they set out to come on common grounds for love! The series is now streaming on Prime Video.

Aspirants S2 (Streaming Now)

One of India’s top-rated shows (9.2/10 on IMDb), the latest season of Aspirants follows the journey of its characters - Abhilash, Guri and Sandeep as they navigate life through love, career, ambition and dreams, with stakes much higher and double the fun in the second attempt. The new season offers a dual narrative that switches between the past and the present. Along with senior aspirant Sandeep Bhaiyya, who also encounters hurdles, the three IAS hopefuls near the end of their back-breaking journey with twice as many obstacles. Now an IAS official, Abhilash attempts to maintain his valued friendships while attempting to walk the tightrope between right and wrong at work.

Maama Maschindra (Streaming Now)

Maama Maschindra is a Telugu action drama starring Sudheer Babu as Parasuram, who wants to seek revenge for the death of his mother by confronting his father and stepmother. The film beautifully portrays father-daughter bonding and is a gripping tale about family, revenge and the drama is now streaming on Prime Video.

Mark Antony (Streaming Now)

Set in the 90s, Mark Antony is a Tamil blockbuster film. The sci-fi adventure tale blends future technologies and the violent world of gangsters. Mark, who gets his hands on a phone that lets him travel back in time, uses it to uncover family secrets and confront his guardian and adopted father’s (SJ Suryah) true motives. Get ready for an adventurous ride as the film is now streaming on Prime Video.

ec-to-appoint-newton-actor-rajkummar-rao-as-national-icon

Thu Oct 26 16:10:27 IST 2023

Actor Rajkummar Rao, whose portrayal of an official tasked with conducting polls in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh in Hindi film Newton won accolades, will be inducted as a National Icon by the Election Commission (EC).

The EC appoints prominent Indians as national icons to motivate voters to participate in elections.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar will formally appoint Rao as a National Icon of the EC on Thursday.

Rao's portrayal as a principled government clerk who is determined to conduct a free-and-fair election in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh, overcoming the cynicism and apathy of a security officer, won accolades.

The movie won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and was also India's nominee for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 90th Academy Awards, popularly known as Oscars.

Earlier, the EC recognised actors Pankaj Tripathi, Aamir Khan and sportspersons, such as Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni and M C Mary Kom, as national icons.

heart-is-thumping-with-joy-rajinikanth-reunites-with-big-b-after-33-years-for-thalaivar-170

Wed Oct 25 14:48:02 IST 2023

After his most recent box office success with Jailer, actor Rajinikanth is back to work on the sets of his next film tentatively titled Thalaivar 170. Directed by TJ Gnanavel of Jai Bhim fame, the film also features superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

Rajinikanth took to social media to share a picture with Big B, whom he referred to as his 'mentor'. "My heart is thumping with joy", Rajinikanth said on reuniting with Bachchan after 33 years. According to reports, the shooting of the film is currently on in Mumbai.

The film also features Fahadh Faasil and Rana Daggubati. According to reports, the cast also includes Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh and Dushara Vijayan.

Speaking about the film earlier when he was in Kerala, Rajinikanth said that the film will be a huge entertainer with a social message.

Rajinikanth, who was last seen on the big screen in Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer, will work on another untitled project with director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Bachchan was last seen in Bollywood films Uunchai and Brahmastra Part 1.

karan-johar-said-shah-rukh-khan-was-the-first-person-to-understand-his-feminine-side

Wed Oct 25 14:13:29 IST 2023

Director Karan Johar opens up about his sexuality in the finale of a web series on YouTube, 'Be a Man Yaar'. Hosted by Mumbai-based writer, and entrepreneur Nikhil Taneja, all episodes of the series are now available on YouTube. He got candid about having more female friends, struggles in coming to terms with his sexuality and experiences that shaped his childhood.

Johar said, ''I remember Shah Rukh Khan was the first, kind of like, man that didn't make me feel lesser for some reason. I feel like he accepted what in those days was considered being pansy, being effeminate or walking funny''.

''He was just so cool about anything. He even had a lot of open chats with me. Whenever I had to say the biggest thing about my personality and sexuality, I spoke to him first. He was that one sense of support. Even he doesn't realise what he's been to me,” he added.

“He (Shah Rukh) would hang out with me, laugh with me,'' Johar said. He also said that his family didn't understand the feminine side of him. Johar revealed that while growing up, he was made fun of as his feminine side came out strongly. The filmmaker also recalled that he got a 'reality check' when in 10th std., he pretended to be in love with a girl. Johar also revealed that Shah Rukh was the first person he went to when he wanted to discuss struggles related to his sexuality.

jailer-actor-vinayakan-arrested-for-creating-a-ruckus-at-police-station

Wed Oct 25 11:55:21 IST 2023

Jailer actor Vinayakan was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly creating a ruckus at a police station here in an inebriated state, officials said.

The actor allegedly caused a commotion at the Ernakulam Town North police station in the evening, where he was summoned by the police over a dispute with his wife at his apartment.

He was arrested for making trouble at the police station, a senior police officer said. The actor was then taken to a nearby hospital for necessary medical examination, the officer said.

Police later let him off on bail after due procedure.

Meanwhile, Vinayakan, while leaving with the police from the hospital after his medical examination, told mediapersons that he was unaware why he was arrested.

When asked about the reason for his arrest, the actor said, "I came to file a complaint. Please ask the police why I was brought here (hospital)."

A police official accompanying the actor to the hospital told reporters that he was arrested for creating a ruckus at the police station in an inebriated state.

The official also said that earlier in the day, police were called to Vinayakan's apartment by the actor to resolve some issues with his wife.

ranbir-kapoor-reacts-to-wipe-off-lipstick-comment

Wed Oct 25 11:41:09 IST 2023

Actor Ranbir Kapoor had recently come under the scanner for making a remark that had several people on social media calling it a 'red flag' and saying that it reeked of toxic masculinity. Alia Bhatt, in an interview, had said that her husband Ranbir Kapoor doesn't like it when she wears lipsticks and tells her to ‘wipe it off’.

Kapoor, at a recent interaction with fans, referred to a piece written about him on toxic masculinity and said, “Recently, I was reading some article about being toxic and something relating to some statement I made and I understand this. And I am on the side of the people who are fighting for the toxic masculinity, if they use me as the face of it, it’s fine because their fight is bigger than just me feeling sad about them having an opinion about what I said. I look at a larger picture.”

On dealing with negativity on social media, he said, “Hey, I'm not on social media so I don’t have the need to deal with it which is a great thing. But I feel negativity is very important especially if you are an artist and if you have some work out there I think both need to exist because then that creates a balance.”

The couple got married in 2022 and have a daughter. In another interview, Bhatt said that Kapoor doesn't like it when she raises her voice. “I have to try very hard to control my anger because my husband does not like when my voice goes above this decibel. Because he thinks it’s not fair and it’s important to be kind even when you are unhappy,” she told Vice.

The 'lipstick' isn't the only 'insensitive' remark Kapoor has made. While promoting the movie Brahmastra, which also stars Bhatt, the latter's baby bump was showing. Kapoor, addressing the media said, “I can see somebody has phaeloed (spread out),” looking pointedly at her baby bump. Alia can be seen visibly shocked in the video.

The actor later apologised and said, “I spoke to Alia about it and she really laughed it off and she didn’t mind it. But I do have a bad sense of humour and sometimes it falls flat on my own face. So I am sorry if I have hurt anyone with it.”

anirudh-ravichander-accused-of-copying-otnickas-song-in-leo-belarusian-composer-reacts

Tue Oct 24 17:08:40 IST 2023

Anirudh Ravichander is one of the most popular music composers in the Tamil film industry at present. After delivering a series of foot-tapping numbers in Tamil films, he also ventured into Bollywood with Atlee's Jawan. However, the young music director is facing allegations of plagiarism after he shared a song from Vijay's Leo. The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directorial, currently running in theatres, also featured songs and background score by Anirudh.

On Monday, Anirudh took to social media to share a song titled 'Ordinary Person' from the film. Soon after the song was released, several netizens claimed the song was a copy of Peaky Blinders track 'Where Are You', composed by Belarusian musician Otnicka. "For this shameless rip-off, he is earning more than AR Rahman. Quite sad. I hope Otnicka initiates a legal action so that he stops stealing ideas,” a user wrote on platform X. Several users also tagged Otnicka in the comments and also sent him direct messages and mails.

“Anirudh has ripped Ordinary Person from Otnicka, a Bulgarian Artist’s soundtrack. He has just added the lyrics over the track, “ another user wrote.

With messages flooding his inbox, Otnicka took to Instagram to clarify that he was monitoring the developments, and that the situation is “very unclear”. He wrote: "Guys, thanks for hundreds of your messages about the movie "Leo". I can see everything, but it's physically impossible to answer everyone. The mail is overflowing with messages, Instagram, as well as thousands of comments on YouTube under the video "Where Are You". The situation is very unclear. We are looking into this and a little later I will give an assessment of everything that is happening (sic)."

Replying to one of the comments, Otnicka clarified that no one contacted him or his team for the song's license. “ The label does not own the copyright and cannot grant a license without the artist's knowledge,” he wrote.

first-look-of-ram-charans-game-changer-released

Tue Oct 24 16:56:48 IST 2023

Makers of the upcoming movie Game Changer starring Ram Charan, released the first look of a single from the movie. The first look of the song Jaragandi was released on Instagram. Kiara Advani stars in the movie too.

Sharing a poster of the track, Zee Studios wrote, "Team #GameChanger wishes you all a Happy Dussehra. And there's more to celebrate. Get ready for the electrifying first single #Jaragandi coming your way this Diwali. A @musicthaman musical."

The song will be released on Diwali 2023. Helmed by Shankar, the film will be released in three languages - Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. This is the first time Ram Charan will appear on the big screen after RRR, which was released in 2022 and was a blockbuster. RRR's music director MM Keeravani even won an Oscar that year for best background score. He even went on to win a National Award.

In one of the posters' Ram Charan is seen facing away from the camera, wearing a purple kurta. In another poster, Ram Charan is seen next to a Kiara, who looks displeased and wearing a green outfit. Ram Charan plays an IAS officer in the film. Kiara and Ram Charan previously worked together in Vinaya Vidheya Rama, which was released in 2019. The cinematographer for the movie is Thirunavukkarasu and the dialogue writer is Sai Madhav Burra. The movie will be released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

leo-director-lokesh-kanagaraj-visits-kerala-gets-injured

Tue Oct 24 16:11:25 IST 2023

Leo director Lokesh Kanagaraj was in Palakkad, Kerala to promote Vijay starrer Leo. The director, however, sustained injuries due to the crowd that gathered to see the director. He suffered a minor injury to his leg; as a result, the director cancelled other events planned in the state and returned to Tamil Nadu. The numbers, that turned up with the hope of meeting the director was huge and the police had to resort to using lathi to control the crowd.

Kanagaraj was in Palakkad, visiting a few theatres. The Vijay starrer grossed Rs 400 crore globally over the weekend. The movie, based on the Hollywood movie, A History of Violence has done very well in Tamil Nadu. Earnings of the movie are expected to cross that of Kamal Hassan's Vikram, directed by Kanagaraj.

In Kerala, Leo has grossed 12 crore so far. In India the movie grossed Rs 49 crore Taking to X, Lokesh shared a selfie he took at the Aroma Theatre “Thank you Kerala for your love.. Overwhelmed, happy and grateful to see you all in Palakkad ❤️,” he wrote. He was supposed to visit Kavitha Theatre in Kochi and Ragam in Thrissur. He had planned to hold a press conference in Kochi at 4 p.m.

The film stars Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Mysskin and Gautham Menon. The movie is produced by Lalith Kumar and Jagadish Palanisami under the banner of Seven Screen Studio and The Root.

koffee-with-karan-master-peace-life-on-our-planet-the-enfield-poltergeist-ott-releases-this-week

Wed Oct 25 15:59:48 IST 2023

It is time to update your weekly watchlist. From season 8 of popular chat show Koffee with Karan to horror dramas and a documentary series, here is a quick look at the movies and shows releasing on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney plus Hotstar and other platforms this week.

Aspirants season 2: Amazon Prime Video

Release date: October 25

The second season of the popular TVF show, which delves into the lives of UPSC aspirants, takes us deeper into the journey of the trio—Abhilash, Guri and SK. The latest season tracks the trio's relationship as they try to balance their friendship with complex and life and career decisions. Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, the series features a stellar cast of Naveen Kasturia, Sunny Hinduja, Abhilash Thapliyal, Shivankit Parihar and Namita Dubey.

Life on Our Planet: Netflix

Release date: October 25

After the visually stunning Our Planet docuseries, Netflix is back with yet another nature series. This eight-part docuseries, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, explores the story of life on earth over billions of years. The series, narrated by Morgan Freeman, will track the saga of evolution, adaptation and survival of thousands of species. The docuseries will also feature the use of advanced CGI technology to bring to life various species, so of which have long disappeared from the face of the planet.

Koffee with Karan season 8: Disney plus Hotstar

Release date: October 26

Bollywood's favourite talk show, hosted by filmmaker-producer Karan Johar, is back with a fresh season. The season will kickstart with power couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone taking the couch for the first time. The promo of the inaugural episode went viral on the internet after Ranveer revealed to Karan that he was secretly engaged to Deepika.

Master Peace: Disney plus Hotstar

Release date: October 25

The Malayalam language series is a fun-filled family drama that revolves around the life of a couple—Binoy (Sharafudheen) and Ria (Nithya Menen). The streamer describes it as a tale of an unconventional family led by Binoy, a determined yet struggling businessman, and Ria, a dedicated homemaker striving to hold their unique family together. The series also features Renji Panicker, Maala Parvati, Ashokan and Shanti Krishna.

Pain Hustlers:Netflix

Release date: October 27

Inspired from true events, the Netflix thriller drama features Emily Blunt and Chris Evans as pharma representatives trying to promote the sale of opioids. Directed by David Yates, the film also features Catherine O'Hara, Andy Garcia and Chloe Coleman among others.

Sister Death: Netflix

Release date: October 27

The supernatural horror film is centred around the events that happen in a former convent when Narcisa, a novice, starts teaching the girls there. Set in post-war Spain, this is a sequel to the the popular horror movie Veronica. Directed by Paco Plaza, the scary film seems to be an ideal watch for Halloween.

The Enfield Poltergeist: Apple TV+

Release date: October 27

Told through original audio recordings, the four-part documentary series revisits the haunting events in a London home in the 1970s. The documentary uses over 250 hours of audio archive, recorded by paranormal investigator Maurice Grosse, to recreate the events that inspired The Conjuring 2.

10-actors-who-turned-down-iconic-roles

Tue Oct 24 15:30:11 IST 2023

Pop star Britney Spears was supposed to play Allie in 'The Notebook'. Spears reportedly gave a great audition to be featured alongside Ryan Gosling in the movie set in the 1940's. The 2004 movie was based on the book of the same name. The role eventually went to Rachel McAdams. The casting director called Spears 'phenomenal'.

Other actors who auditioned for the role included Scarlett Johansson, Claire Danes, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Jamie King, and Mandy Moore. In her memoir, 'The Woman in Me,' Spears says she has no resentment for turning down the role. She writes, “If I had, instead of working on my album 'In the Zone,' I'd have been acting like a 1940s heiress day and night."

She had, in 2002, acted in 'Crossroads'-- the only movie she has acted in. In the audition tape, Spears can seen saying, "I'm not staying," and "Noah, you can't marry two people. And I'm marrying Lon, so I should go, okay?" she gets emotional and says, "I prayed for you to die in the war, really... So I gotta go, okay?"

Here are other actors who turned down some major roles.

Claire Danes: Danes had already worked with Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliette. She felt the movie would be a big success and wasn't ready for that kind of fame and hence turned down the role.

Will Smith: Will Smith was reportedly considered to play Neo in Matrix. He said he found the narration to be baffling, which didn't convey how iconic the movie would be and hence, turned it down. Reportedly, Brad Pitt too, turned down the role.

Jack Nicholson: Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. He thought the role should be played by an Italian actor. Also, he wanted to work directly with Marlon Brando, and there weren't any scenes that had Brando and Nicholson working closely.

Rachel McAdams: Rachel McAdams reportedly turned down the role of Andrea 'Andy' Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. The role instead was played by Anne Hathaway, who went on to become one of the iconic characters millennials resonate with.

Emily Blunt: Emily Blunt had to turn down the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2, as she already signed the contract to star in Gulliver's Travels. The role eventually went to Scarlett Johansson, which made her an icon.

Amanda Seyfried: Amanda Seyfried turned down the role of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy. When Seyfried was offered the movie, which also starred Chris Pratt, she said, “Who wants to see a movie about a talking tree and a racoon?", in a later interview and admitted that she was 'clearly wrong'

Emma Watson: Harry Potter star Watson turned down the role of Mia in Oscar winner La La Land. Watson said her commitments to star in Beauty and the Beast kept her from taking up the role. The role eventually went to Emma Stone, who won an Oscar for the role.

Drew Barrymore: Drew Barrymore and reportedly, Reese Witherspoon turned down the chance to play Sidney Prescott in Scream. The role went to Neve Campbell.

Julia Roberts: In a 2014 interview, Julia Roberts, known for films like Erin Brockovich, my Best Friend's Wedding and Pretty Woman, said, that she was offered the role of Anne in Sleepless in Seattle. The role was played by Meg Ryan.

Sean Connery: Sir Sean Connery reportedly turned down the opportunity to play Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. The role went to Ian McKellen.

next-mission-impossible-delayed-by-a-year-as-actors-strike-drags-on

Tue Oct 24 12:54:38 IST 2023

The eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise has been postponed a year, signalling a new wave of release schedule juggling for Hollywood studios as the actors strike surpasses three months of work stoppage.

Paramount Pictures on Monday shifted the release date of the next Mission: Impossible from June 28 to May 23, 2025. Production on the follow-up to Christopher McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One was paused in July while Tom Cruise and company embarked on an international promotion blitz for Dead Reckoning. (The sequel had been titled Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part Two but is now simply listed currently as Mission: Impossible.)

Dead Reckoning ultimately grossed $567.5 million worldwide, falling shy of 2018 installment Fallout ($791.7 million globally) and the heady highs of Cruise's summer 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick ($1.5 billion).

The 163-minute-long action thriller, drew some of the best reviews of the 27-year-old movie franchise, but was quickly eclipsed by the box-office juggernauts of Barbie and Oppenheimer.

As Hollywood's labour turmoil has continued, it's increasingly upended release plans not just for movies this fall that want to wait until their stars can promote them (like Dune: Part Two, postponed to March), but some of next year's top big-screen attractions.

A string of Marvel movies have previously shifted back, as did the third Venom film. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, has been delayed indefinitely after being dated for March 2024.

Paramount also announced Monday that A Quiet Place: Day One, a prequel to the post-apocalyptic horror series starring Lupita Nyong'o, will have its release pushed from March to when Dead Reckoning had been scheduled to open on June 28.

Negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios are scheduled to resume Tuesday.

vijays-movie-leo-collects-rs-370-crore-at-the-box-office-worldwide

Mon Oct 23 16:53:43 IST 2023

Tamil film Leo starring Thalapthy Vijay has collected Rs 370 crore worldwide. 219 crore is from the domestic market in India. The movie, which also stars Sanjay Dutt, is fourth only to Pathaan, Jawan and Baahubali 2 in the list of biggest grossers overseas, a Pinkvilla report reads.

Reportedly, the opening for the movie globally is on par with the Martin Scorcese-directed film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which grossed $44 million. Leo could inch towards being the number 1 movie globally. In Middle Eastern nations, it grossed $5 million and in European nations, it collected $3.30 million.

Based on the Hollywood film A History of Violence, Leo received mixed reviews. The movie is reportedly part of LCU or Lokesh Cinematic Universe.

“ThalapathyVijay’s #LEO features at number 3 in the most authentic box-office barometer @Comscore global chart! It is worldwide only next to #KillersofTheFlowerMoon and #TaylorSwiftErasTour. Fabulous,” industry analyst Sreedhar Pillai wrote on X.

The movie, which also stars Arjun Sarja and Trisha is Vijay's second movie with director Lokesh Kanagaraj. The duo worked together before this for Master.

konkona-sen-sharma-was-a-must-have-in-the-series-nikhil-advani

Mon Oct 23 15:27:51 IST 2023

Nikhil Advani of Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, Rocket Boys 2, Mumbai Diaries 1 and Adhura fame, is currently basking in the glory of positive reviews for the second instalment of Mumbai Diaries, Season 2 of which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. This year, marks the 20th year of Advani as a director, beginning with Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003 and 30 years since he first stepped into the film industry. “I started with Sudhir Mishra, Kundan Shah, and Aziz Mirza in 1993. It has been 30 years and I just feel I was at the right place at the right time." In an interview with THE WEEK, he talks about Mumbai Diaries season 2, and more.

How different did you want this season to be from the previous one? What did you have in mind?

I did want it to be different at all; rather, I wanted season 2 of Mumbai Diaries to be as good as the first one. Season 1 was so well received and we got numerous awards and positive reviews too. So, yes the bar was season 1 itself. Of course, in One, the storytelling revolved around terrorism and a siege of the hospital whereas Season 2 deals with water and the floods. The latter had its own requirements, which included shifting it from a disaster-themed show into a drama around medical emergencies.

What went into the finalisation of the cast for Mumbai Diaries — they are all so apt for the characters they portray... but I'm sure it was not easy to finalise on the names. Tell us the background story as it happened...

Well, Kavish Sinha, who is the casting director of Mumbai Diaries and of a lot of stuff we do at Emmay Entertainment, I think he had a challenge on hand and he aced it. Konkona Sen Sharma was a must-have in the series because I wanted to work with her and Mohit Raina was suggested by Aparna Purohit from Amazon. I loved Prakash Belawadi as an actor in Madras Cafe and Shreya Dhanwantary was superb in Scam 1992. So, these five became sort of pillars of the show and the rest of the cast too, was decided upon after discussions. Also, because Mumbai Diaries as a show is so entrenched in the city of Mumbai, which is a microcosm of diverse communities, the overall cast came from theatre, cinema and became representative of diversity.

How many succeeding seasons of Mumbai Diaries can we expect in the coming months?

That question should be asked to Amazon. The show has given me so much love that I fear presenting a season of Mumbai Diaries which might not live up to expectations. So, as long as we get the writing good content and as long as we know that the next one will be as good as seasons 1 and 2, we will keep making it.

Which western show inspired you to make Mumbai Diaries — there are always some previous works we look at for reference and a better understanding.. which one was it for you?

I think it was ER, Chicago Hope, and Grey's Anatomy. All medical dramas and everything that Arin Sorkin has ever possibly put pen to paper, I think the energy and confidence his characters bring to the screen is remarkable. I have tried to imbibe that in my characters in Mumbai Diaries too. Whether they are navigating through obstacles or solving problems they do it all with dignity. So I think that is something I find very fascinating.

What's next in your kitty?

We have almost completed shooting Veda, a feature film with John Abraham and Abhishek Banerjee. We get to start shooting for Freedom at Midnight December onwards.

navratri-celebrations-which-bollywood-beauty-nailed-the-desi-girl-look

Mon Oct 23 16:10:51 IST 2023

B-Town beauties attended Durga puja functions at various locations over the weekend. The actors, at the events, gave us some glamorous looks in traditional outfits. Which of these beauties do you think nailed it?

Rani Mukerji, on Saturday, wore a beautiful off-white chanderi sari and paired with with a golden blouse. She accessorised it with a heavy ruby and coral choker. The actor looked simply radiant.

Her cousin Kajol gave us two looks-- one in an orange sari on Friday and a pink Punit Balana on Saturday. She kept her make-up minimal; the accessorising was minimal too. We liked her look in orange a wee bit more and overall, we feel Kajol nailed the sari game in comparison to Rani. What did you think?

Sushmita Sen, on Saturday, looked stunning in a pink bandhani saree. The actor's make up again, was minimal (we spot a trend here!). She reportedly performed the traditional Bengali dhunuchi dance with her daughter Renee, who wore a pink sari as well.

Sonakshi Sinha attended the Navratri celebrations hosted by Kalyan Jewellers. She wore a red kaftan and sharara pants set by Arpita Mehta. She wore layered necklaces. We weren't fans of the look, the actor could've opted for a figure-hugging outfit to show off her curvy body.

Katrina Kaif, attending the same event, wore a red embroidered Tarun Tahiliani sari, which she paired with a matching blouse. While the sari is a win, Kaif could have opted for a golden blouse or one in solid red.

Kiara Advani was seen at a Durga puja celebration in a lime green kurta set, which she paired with jhumkas. We liked the look.

Kriti Sanon looked beautiful in a pink Masaba Gupta sari, which she paired with a printed blouse. She was again attending the Navratri celebrations hosted by Kalyan Jewellers.

Which of these celebrities nailed the desi look according to you? We think it is a tie between Kajol and Kriti.

Images: Instagram, highheelconfidential

in-viral-clip-ranveer-singh-reveals-he-was-secretly-engaged-to-deepika-padukone

Mon Oct 23 12:28:21 IST 2023

The promo of the upcoming season 8 of Koffee with Karan is going viral on the internet. In the video, Karan invites “Bollywood royalty” Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh on to the show for the first time.

Sharing the promo on social media, the filmmaker said he was excited to kickstart the latest season with the power couple. “They are absolutely gorgeous & absolutely at the top of their game,” he wrote. Deepika and Padukone are at their candid best in the show that has witnessed some of Bollywood's biggest stars on the couch.

In the now-viral clip, Ranveer reveals that he was “secretly engaged” to Deepika. In one of the segments, Karan asks: “You were secretly engaged?” We see Ranveer reply: “2015, I proposed to her”. Ranveer goes on to say, he decided to propose her before anyone else does. “Isse pehle ki koi aur ajaye, maine jake chappal rakh deta hun,” he quips in Hindi, to which Deepika jokingly adds: “Advance booking.”

Ranveer and Deepika, who co-starred in Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat, tied the knot in Italy's Lake Como in 2018.

Karan also asks Deepika if she would ever date Rocky Randhawa [Ranveer's lead character in Karan's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prema Kahaani]. Deepika replies that she is already married to Rocky Randhawa.

Deepika also says that she shares an amazing chemistry with Hrithik Roshan, opposite whom she will be seen in Fighter next year.

Season 8 of Koffee with Karan will start streaming on Disney plus Hotstar on October 26.

salman-rushdie-calls-for-defence-of-freedom-of-expression-as-he-receives-german-prize

Sun Oct 22 18:39:13 IST 2023

Author Salman Rushdie called for the unconditional defence of freedom of expression as he received a prestigious German prize that recognises his literary work and his resolve in the face of constant danger, on Sunday.

The British-American author decried the current age as a time when freedom of expression is under attack by all sides, including from authoritarian and populist voices, according to the German news agency dpa.

He made his remarks during a ceremony in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, where he was honored with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for continuing to write despite enduring decades of threats and violence.

In August 2022, Rushdie was stabbed repeatedly while on stage at a literary festival in New York state.

Rushdie has a memoir coming out about the attack that left him blind in his right eye and with a damaged left hand. Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder will be released on April 16. He called it a way to answer violence with art.

The German prize, which is endowed with 25,000 euros ($26,500), has been awarded since 1950.

The German jury said earlier this year that it would honor Rushdie "for his resolve, his positive attitude to life and for the fact that he enriches the world with his pleasure in narrating.”

Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had condemned passages referring to Islam's prophet Muhammad in Rushdie's 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses' as blasphemous.

Khomeini issued a decree the following year calling for Rushdie's death, forcing the author into hiding, although he had been travelling freely for years before last summer's stabbing.

bollywood-actor-dalip-tahil-sentenced-to-prison-in-2018-hit-and-run-case

Sun Oct 22 17:00:49 IST 2023

Popular Bollywood actor Dalip Tahil has been sentenced to two months in prison in a five-year-old hit-and-run case.

According to media reports, the 65-year-old actor was sentenced to prison on Sunday, by a magistrate's court based on the evidence provided by a doctor who had observed that there was the smell of alcohol on him and his pupils were dilated, suggesting that the actor was in an inebriated condition during the time of the accident. The doctor had then noted that the actor had “unsteady gait, dilated pupils, and incoherent speech”.

The court also ordered the actor to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 to the injured woman.

Reacting to the judgement, the actor said, "I respect judge and decisions taken in magistrate’s court . We are challenging the entire decision and the entire verdict in the higher court. We prefer to challenge the whole decision. It was a suspended sentence and most importantly I would like to say, there were minor injuries in the incident. I did not injure anyone," reported news agency ANI.

In 2018, the actor's car rammed into an autorickshaw, injuring a woman passenger. The actor was arrested then and granted bail.

Tahil had tried to flee the spot after the accident but was prevented due to the traffic congestion caused by the Ganesh Visarjan processions. According to a Times of India report, when the actor was confronted by the passengers in the autorickshaw, an argument and physical altercation ensued, following which police were called. The actor was apprehended then.

Tahil , popular for his roles in Bollywood movies like Baazigar, Hum hai rahi pyar ke, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai among others, had refused to give his blood at the time of the accident.

have-to-remind-myself-i-can-do-this-priyanka-chopra-on-how-motherhood-impacted-her

Sat Oct 21 13:24:42 IST 2023

Actress Priyanka Chopra, who has positioned herself as a global star, has always impressed fans with her confidence—be it with her professional and personal choices, or even her speeches. The actress, however, said that motherhood has made her “a lot more fragile”.

Opening up about parenting in an interview to TODAY.com, the actress-producer-entreprenuer said that like many new moms, she, too has doubts. “I don’t know if motherhood has impacted my self worth or confidence but what it has impacted — it’s made me a lot more wary,” she said. She further said: “Every day, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s the mistake I’m going to make? Or how can I mess this up? How am I going to self-sabotage in a way?’ I feel like I have to remind myself that I’m a confident person and I can do this."

Priyanka and husband Nick Jonas welcomed a baby girl, Malti Marie, via surrogacy in January last year. Malti often makes her way into the duo's social media handles as they share cute glimpses from their parenting journey. Priyanka had earlier revealed that Malti was born premature and spent over 100 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. “I didn't know if she would make it or not,” Priyanka had said.

Speaking of confidence, Priyanka said that it is never too early to instill confidence in children. The actress, who recent headlined Amazon spy series Citadel, said she was taught to be ambitious, right from an early age. She added that her parents equipped her to have a sense of self as she stepped out into the real world. “ I think that is what I am trying to do (with my child) too,” she said.

In a detailed interview to British Vogue earlier this year, Priyanka said after two decades of hustling and “working at breakneck speed”, Malti's birth brought a sense of calm. “Now I feel I have a centre, because very decision ends up being about her.”

raj-kundra-reveals-truth-about-cryptic-post-that-triggered-divorce-rumours

Fri Oct 20 15:06:42 IST 2023

Hours after Raj Kundra triggered speculations of divorce from wife and actress Shilpa Shetty, he cleared the air with another social media post on Friday. “We have separated and kindly request you to give us time during this difficult period,” he had written in a cryptic post early morning.

As it fuelled rumours of separation, he put up another post clarifying that he was indeed separating—not from his wife, but the face masks that have“protected” him over two years. Sharing a reel featuring his collection of face masks, the actor-producer wrote: “Farewell Masks ...it's time to separate now! Thank you for keeping me protected over the last two years. Onto the next phase of my journey. #UT69”

Kundra is currently promoting UT69, in which he plays himself. The film revolves around events that led to Kundra's arrest in 2021 following the charges of producing and sharing pornographic content. Since being out on bail in September 2021, Kundra has not revealed his face to the public or paparazzi. Every time he steps out, he was spotted with different types of masks that cover his face completely.

Removing the mask in front of media during the press conference for UT69's trailer launch recently, he said: "I wore the mask out of pain. The media trial was painful. It was more painful than my legal trial that's going on.”

The trailer gives a glimpse of his experiences as an under-trial in Mumbai's Arthur Road prison. The film is helmed by Shahnawaz Ali.

jr-ntr-joins-academys-prestigious-class-of-actors

Thu Oct 19 16:21:21 IST 2023

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday welcomed Telugu actor Jr NTR to its 'Actors Branch'. The RRR actor joins the prestigious group that includes Marsha Stephanie Blake, Ke Huy Quan, Kerry Condon and Rosa Salazar.

“Through their nuanced expressions, compelling gestures, and authentic portrayals, they bridge the gap between fiction and reality, allowing us to see ourselves in the struggles, joys, and triumphs of the characters they bring to life,” the Academy said in an Instagram post.

Jr NTR's induction into the new 'member class of actors' has fans excited and they took to social media to congratulate the actor. The Telugu actor, who has delivered many hits, received national attention with his role in RRR.

Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the multilingual period drama revolved around two freedom fighters, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, essayed by Ram Charan and Jr NTR respectively. The film which was widely appreciated by the international audience also brought home an Oscar for Best Original Song. 'Naatu Naatu', composed by M.M. Keeravani, had gone viral with many trying to emulate the dance steps of Ram Charan and Jr NTR.

On the workfront, Jr NTR will next be seen in Devara 1, an action drama written and directed by Koratala Siva.

mixed-reviews-for-leo-as-first-reactions-pour-in-unnecessary-hype-full-on-entertainment

Thu Oct 19 11:15:10 IST 2023

As Vijay fans throng theatres to catch first-day-first-shows of Vijay's Leo, social media is filled with reactions on the eagerly anticipated actioner. Early reviews on social media suggest the Lokesh Kanagaraj film is receiving mixed reactions.

While many fans hailed the film as a mass actioner and overall entertainer, some critics felt Leo did not live up to the expectations. Film trade analyst and critic, Manobala Vijayabalan said the film “tried to be a lion but ended up as a cat”. “Despite a promising premise and some commendable efforts from Joseph Vijay and cast, the end result is a disappointment. Lokesh Kanagaraj's Leo fails to live up to the expectations or unnecessary hype,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, however, called it an “exhilarating blend of emotion and mass action”.

A parody account of director Prashant Neel praised Lokesh and Vijay for taking entertainment to the the “next level”. He also hinted of a “surprise” in the movie.

One of the users commented that first half was average, and Trisha's character was 'wasted'. In contrast, another user called it a 'masterpiece' from Lokesh and stated that the visual effects and Vijay's screen presence “were absolute fire”.

The gangster drama also features Sanjay Dutt as the antagonist.

will-leo-shatter-records-and-make-vijay-undisputed-king-of-kollywood-box-office

Wed Oct 18 18:51:34 IST 2023

Leo, the action thriller directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is expected to set the box office on fire and establish Thalapathy Vijay as the premier star of Kollywood, overtaking the record set by Rajinikanth’s Jailer. On the first day of advance booking on October 14, the movie had collected Rs 34 crore.

Jailer collected Rs 650 crore in the box office, helping Rajinikanth stay on top of the box office pyramid despite the failure of his previous two outings, Darbar and Annaththe. According to industry trackers, Leo is expected to cross Rs 700 crore mark, given the huge excitement around the film worldwide. The film will be released in 3,000 screens across Tamil Nadu and over 15,000 screens world wide, on Thursday.

With the first weekend of the release of the movie being a long holiday in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India due to Vijayadashami, the Vijay-starrer is expected to emerge as the highest-grossing Tamil film in the recent past. Earlier, Rajinikanth’s 2.0 made Rs.118 crore on day one of its release while his own Kabali made Rs.106 crore on the first day. According to industry sources, given the number of screens and the hype among Vijay fans, Leo is expected to break several records in terms of the first-day collections.

On the first day of advance booking on October 14, tickets were sold in normal cinemas for Rs 29 crore and at IMAX cinemas for Rs 7 crore. The ticket sales in the past four days have crossed Rs 70 crore. While the director refused to confirm if the movie is part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), according to industry sources, Kamal Haasan, who played the lead in Vikram has lent his voice for the film.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, after watching Leo, took to X, to praise team Leo and Kanagaraj, and suggested that the movie may be part of the LCU. This has upset Vijay fans as he had disclosed a closely guarded secret.

This is the director's second film with Vijay after Master. Apart from Vijay, the film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Gautham Menon, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja. Produced by Seven Screen Studio, the trailer showed Vijay playing a dual role as Leo and Parthiban.

did-udhayanidhi-stalin-just-confirm-vijays-leo-is-part-of-lcu

Wed Oct 18 14:58:44 IST 2023

Just a day ahead of Vijay's much-awaited Leo, actor-producer and Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin posted a review of the actioner. Udhayanidhi, who watched a special screening of Leo, praised Lokesh Kanagaraj for his filmmaking.

However, it is something else that caught the eye of Vijay fans—Udhayanidhi mentioned Lokesh Cinema Universe (LCU) in his post on X. He wrote: "Thalabathy @actorvijay Anna’s #Leo @Dir_Lokesh excellent filmmaking, @anirudhofficial music, @anbariv master @7screenstudio #LCU! All the best team ! (sic)."

The mention of LCU has fans excited amid speculations whether the Vijay-starrer iwill indeed be part of the franchise. In an earlier interview, however, Lokesh had stated Leo could be a standalone film even though he had discussed the LCU possibility with Vijay.

The LCU, a collection of films directed by Lokesh, currently features only two films—Kaithi and Vikram. If Leo is part of the LCU, it remains to be seen what elements from the previous films will be incorporated into the upcoming gangster drama. Fans have been eagerly waiting to see if any of the charcters from Kaithi or Vikram will make a suprise appearance in Leo.

The film boasts of an ensemble cast featuring Sanjay Dutt, Trisha, Mysskin and Gautam Menon among others. Leo, co-written by Rathna Kumar and Deeraj Vaidy, also features music by Anirudh Ravichander.

britney-spears-underwent-abortion-while-dating-justin-timberlake-memoir-reveals

Wed Oct 18 14:27:17 IST 2023

Pop star Britney Spears, in her upcoming memoir, has written that she underwent an abortion while dating actor, pop star Justin Timberlake. The book titled 'The Woman in Me', focuses on Spears being under conservatorship under her father James Spears for 13 years.

According to a People Magazine report, Timberlake was "not happy" about Spears being pregnant. "He said we weren't ready to have a baby in our lives," she says.

They dated between 1999 and 2000 when they were in their late teens. In the book set to release on October 24, she says he was very sure about not wanting to be a father. She adds that, if left up to her, she wouldn't have gone ahead with the abortion.

"For me, it wasn't a tragedy. I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day. This would just be much earlier than I'd anticipated," she said, BBC reported. Spears went on to have two children with her second husband Kevin Federline-- Sean Preston and Taylor James.

The 41-year-old has previously called the conservatorship, which her father arranged after she had a public breakdown in 2008, 'abusive'. At the time, Spears shaved her head. In 2021, she testified in a court that she was drugged, forced to perform and prevented from having more children.

Under the arrangement, the singer had very little say in financial or career matters. Her father even had control over her personal matters, including whether she could get remarried. Since the end of her conservatorship, Spears has recorded several more hits and married boyfriend Sam Asghari. The couple, however, got divorced a year later. Spears says after the conservatorship, she has been able to carve out an identity for herself, that of a strong, confident woman.

kaala-paani-mansion-24-permanent-roommates-season-3-ott-releases-this-week

Wed Oct 18 13:07:07 IST 2023

We are back with a weekly update on movies and shows releasing on streaming platforms this week. While theatres gear up Tamil action thriller Leo, OTT platforms, too, are ready with an exciting lineup of releases.

A quick look at what's arriving on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney plus Hotstar and other platforms.

Kaala Paani: Netflix

Release date: October 18

The Netflix original set in the Andaman and Nicobar islands is a gripping tale of the fight for survival after the outbreak of a mysterious illness. Told through the eyes of the local people, administrators and medical professionals, the series also tracks the search for a remedy for the affliction. The drama features an ensemble cast including Mona Singh, Ashutosh Gowariker and Sukant Goel among others.

Mansion 24: Disney plus Hotstar

Release date: October 17

The Telugu-language horror series revolves around a girl's search for her father who went missing after entering a haunted mansion. She braves her fears to enter the old mansion, triggering a series of supernatural events. The series features actors Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Bindhu Madhavi and Avika Gor.

Permanent Roommates season 3: Amazon Prime Video

Release date: October 18

The much-loved TVF favourite, featuring Sumeet Vyas and Nidhi Singh, is back with a fresh season as they navigate new challenges. The duo tackles a new challenge as Tanya (Nidhi) wishes to move out of the country, while Mukesh (Sumeet) wishes to stay back in India.

Elite season 7: Netflix

Release date: October 20

The coming-of-age Spanish drama is back with new twists and turns. The official synopsis reads, "Omar is living life at the university and far away from Las Encinas, but he is unable to move on. The guilt he feels for Samuel's death and the suffering from that period are still very much present, leading him to undergo therapy." According to reports, Omar Ayuso will return to his role as Omar Shanaa.

Neon: Netflix

Release date: October 19

The musical comedy series revolves around three friends and their journey to make it big on the music scene. The eight-part series, explores the ups and downs as they head out from Florida and explore the Miami music scene. An ode to the Latin music scene, the series features guest appearances from Brray, LYANO, Ken-Y, Villano Antillano, Jon Z, Jota Rosa, Jowell, and Daddy Yankee.

will-watch-both-films-prithviraj-on-dunki-salaar-clash

Tue Oct 17 18:29:14 IST 2023

Actor, and film-maker Prithviraj Sukumaran, on Tuesday, broke his silence on the movie starring him and Telugu star Prabhas, Salaar, clashing with Dunki starring Shah Rukh Khan.

Both Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire, helmed by KGF director Prashant Neel and Dunki directed by Rajkumar Hirani is slated for a Christmas release. The plausible clash between two heavyweight films has been the talk of town for a while now.

"I am not quite sure about the promotional plans yet. The makers will let us know in November how they intend to roll out the film. I am in touch with Prashanth Neel, the director. But the fact that we are releasing alongside films by Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan leaves everything else aside; as a film lover, I absolutely love it!” Prithviraj Sukumaran told Pinkvilla.

Both the films are said to have opposite themes. Prithviraj had to undergo knee surgery due to an accident he was involved in while shooting for a Malayalam film, Vilayath Buddha. He is currently shooting for L2E- Empuraan, which also stars Mohanlal. He also said that he will be watching both the films.

There were rumours on social of Dunki, Rajkumar's first film with Shah Rukh Khan being postponed, but sources have said that the movie isn't getting postponed.

no-early-shows-for-leo-yet-but-madras-hc-tells-tn-govt-to-reconsider-decision

Wed Oct 18 10:52:16 IST 2023

Amid immense anticipation from fans of Tamil actor Vijay, the Madras High Court on Tuesday refrained from passing an order on Leo producer's plea to allow special morning shows for the film in Tamil Nadu.

The Vijay-starrer, set to hit the big screens on October 19, will not have 4am shows as the state government denied permission for shows earlier than 9am.

Seven Screen Studios had moved the HC, requesting permission for five screenings of Leo, from 7am, between October 19 and 24. The HC, however, directed the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its decision. The film's makers and representatives of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Association will once again meet government officials on Tuesday, seeking permission for the special shows, Times of India reported.

According to a report by The Hindu, Justice Anita Sumanath also directed the cinema department to hold a discussion with producers and take an appropriate decision. The decisions need to be taken by end of Tuesday itself as hundreds of tickets have already been sold in advance bookings. In case of fresh shows, ticket bookings will need to commence at the earliest.

State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah had vehemently objected to the early morning screenings citing security issues. In recent times, multiple incidents of violence have been reported during early shows and fan screenings of movies headlined by Tamil superstars. There are also allegations of tickets being sold at exorbitant rates.

In January, the state government initiated action against theatre owners who violated prohibitory orders and conducted early morning screenings for Ajith-starrer Thunivu and Vijay's Varisu.

Leo, a gangster drama helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, features an ensemble cast including Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Priya Anand, Mysskin and Gautham Menon among others.

Also Read: Is Vijay's 'Leo' part of LCU? Lokesh Kanagaraj breaks silence

malayalam-actor-rahman-is-the-main-villain-in-tiger-shroffs-ganapath-reports

Mon Oct 16 17:07:18 IST 2023

Malayalam actor Rahman, is reportedly, set to make his Bollywood debut in upcoming Tiger Shroff actioner Ganapath: A Hero is Born. According to reports, the actor will essay the role of the antagonist—a martial arts guru—in the film that hits theatres on October 20.

The Times of India reported that Rahman will play the son of veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan. Billed as a science fiction action film, Ganapath, will see Tiger Shroff essay a vigilante in a dystopian world. Helmed by Vikas Bahl, the film also features Kriti Sanon as the female lead.

The trailer showed glimpses of CGI-heavy action sequences as Tiger fights against evil, with Kriti by his side. Besides Hindi, Ganapath will also release in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

On the work front, Rahman was last seen on the big screen in Mani Ratnam's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan and Malayalam sci-fi thriller Samara.

sanjay-dutt-insisted-i-call-him-appa-says-leo-director-lokesh-kanagaraj

Wed Oct 18 10:56:16 IST 2023

Leo director Lokesh Kanagaraj said that he shares a father-son relationship with actor Sanjay Dutt, who makes his Tamil debut with the Vijay-starrer. The Bollywood actor insisted Kanagaraj call him 'Appa' (father), he said in an interview with IndiaGlitz.

Dutt, who locked horns with Yash in KGF chapter 2, will now take on Tamil superstar Vijay in the actioner that releases on October 19. Dutt will essay the role of Antony Das, elder brother of Vijay's Leo Das.

Kanagaraj said that initially he had a different opinion of Dutt after watching his movies and interviews in Bollywood. But, he was able to take a great amount of freedom while working with him on Leo. Sharing further about their bond, the filmmaker said: “He said that I am like his son and insisted that I call him Appa.”

In awe of Dutt's dedication, Kanagaraj said that the actor would remain on the movie sets as last as 3am, and also denied the option to lip sync the Tamil dialogues. Leo also features Trisha, Arjun, Gauthav Vasudev, Mysskin and Priya Anand among others.

The advance bookings for the films will begin in Tamil Nadu on Monday. In response to the high demand for tickets, producers of Leo had sought special permission from the Tamil Nadu government to organize early morning screenings starting at 4am. The government, however, turned down the team's request and stuck to its earlier decision of starting movie screenings at 9am.

Also Read: Is Vijay's 'Leo' part of LCU? Lokesh Kanagaraj breaks silence

want-to-be-part-of-stories-that-make-a-difference-dia-mirza

Fri Oct 13 16:17:50 IST 2023

A woman doesn't have to rebel against her cultural roots to achieve empowerment, says actor Dia Mirza as she believes the portrayal of progressive female as bold doesn't hold true for a "vast majority".

The actor said her latest movie Dhak Dhak, which released in theatres countrywide on Friday, presents the aspirations of a culturally-rooted Indian woman. "I feel a certain language, tone has been assigned to women, who are being depicted as progressive. While that may be true for them, it doesn’t define the vast majority of women, who are seeking agency.

"It (the film) is so important for the rest of those women who don’t use foul language, who are not sexually avert, who are rooted in culture but are still seeking agency and empowerment. This is the story that will give those women the opportunity to say that," Mirza said.

The actor, who essays the role of Uzma, a mechanic and a housewife in the movie about four women bikers, said at this stage in her career, she wants to play impactful roles.

"I want to be part of stories that make a difference. Like, Kaafir (her 2019 OTT series) was a role of a lifetime. It was such a powerful story, written with such nuance. It shaped my journey as an artist. I was waiting for years to find something like that. Then we also have something like Dhak Dhak for the big screen."

The film also features Ratna Pathak Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sanjana Sanghi, Dhak Dhak who embark on a biking expedition filled with emotions, adventures and self-discovery.

According to Mirza, the film doesn't show women who are rebelling against their culture and roots. "The most beautiful thing about it is that in order to show progressive women, we have not used the device of making them defiant of culture and their roots. They are rooted in their culture yet they are the ones who are seeking agency, and are out to find themselves.

"We all have that moment (of finding yourself) in life. For me, that point in life was when I discovered that so many of my choices were stirred from a place of fear. As women we inherit a lot of fear, like constantly being told, ‘don’t do this, be careful, wear this, don’t wear this, etc’," she added.

Mirza said female stars are often used as decoration in commercial projects and their characters are given little attention or significance. "We are constantly put in boxes and constantly stereotyped. Nobody was willing to see us from any other lens apart from the glam one. Most of the films were patriarchal. Women for the most part in mainstream commercial films were largely window dressing, there was just so little emphasis or importance paid to those parts."

Citing the example of some of her films like Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein and Lage Raho Munnabhai, the actor said she too has played roles that presented her as a typical heroine.

“I was fortunate that in my first film, ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’, there seemed to be a balance, there was this opportunity to stand up, express opinion but at the end of the day, she did go with the stalker, even though as endearing as he was.

"There were some roles like that (stereotypical) far and a few in between, like ‘Lage Rahe Ho Munnabhai’ and ‘Parineeta’. Like, in ‘Lage Rahe…’, she is forced to marry, she is manglik, the tradition track, etc."

Mirza said it took her 23 years to find a story like Dhak Dhak. Dhak Dhak is directed by Tarun Dudeja and co-written by Parijat Joshi and Dudeja. It is produced by Viacom18 Studios in collaboration with Taapsee Pannu and Pranjal Khandhdiya's production company Outsider Films in association with BLM Pictures.

we-dont-impose-on-each-other-akshay-kumar-says-he-doesnt-discuss-politics-with-twinkle-khanna

Thu Oct 12 16:59:22 IST 2023

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has been quite open about his political leanings, be it through his movies, ad campaigns or social media posts. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about his marriage to actress-author Twinkle Khanna and how they cope with their differing political opinions.

"My wife’s thinking about politics is different than me. We don’t impose on each other. We are completely different,” Akshay said in an interview with ANI. When asked if the couple discuss politics at home, Akshay said they avoid the discussion. “That is one discussion we try and avoid because there’s no point. You know how the other person thinks and you know how you think,” he said.

Akshay further said that sometimes, in a marriage, it is okay to “brush things under the carpet”. “When you want to live happily, I say sometimes it is important because that particular thing, there is no solution to it. Take it and put it under the carpet and live happily,” he said.

Akshay, who was last seen in Mission Raniganj, recently responded to people who call him a 'Modi bhakt'. The actor, who has been the face of many campaigns of the Mod-led government, has also been accused of promoting the saffron party's message through his films like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Responding to this, Akshay said that he has done films set during the Congress's rule also. “When I made Airlift, the Congress was in power,” he said.

“Even Mission Raniganj is set during Congress’ tenure. It doesn’t matter who was in power. What matters is what was done for the betterment of the country,” he said.

Mission Raniganj is based on the true story of mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill who successfully rescued 65 miners from the Raniganj mine after its collapse in 1989.

bigg-boss-17-contestants-former-journalist-jigna-vora-set-to-enter-the-house

Thu Oct 12 15:28:57 IST 2023

Excitement is at its peak among Bigg Boss fans—Bollywood star Salman Khan will open the doors of the BB house this Sunday. Ahead of season 17 of the much-awaited reality show, there are multiple speculations about confirmed contestants.

While the names of a number of celebrities have been doing the rounds, a report stated that former journalist Jigna Vora, whose real-life story inspired the much-talked-about Netflix series Scoop, is also set to enter the house. Sources close to Indian Express confirmed Vora's participation in Bigg Boss 17.

A Mumbai-based crime reporter, Vora made headlines when she was arrested for her alleged role in the murder of senior crime journalist J Dey in 2011. She was accused of conspiring with gangster Chhota Rajan to kill the Mid-Day journalist. While Rajan was sentenced to life imprisonment, Vora was acquitted seven years after the killing. She later penned a memoir title Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, detailing her harrowing experiences in prison. Scoop, based on the book, was helmed by filmmaker Hansal Mehta. Karishma Tanna essayed the lead role in the Netflix series which featured Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Harman Baweja, and Prosenjit Chatterjee in supporting roles.

In October, the series won the award for the Best Asian TV series at the Busan Film Festival. Speaking to Zoom, Vora said she was glad people finally know the truth through Scoop and added that common people could connect with her after knowing the story of her struggle.

After battling the worst phase of her life, Vora is now reportedly a tarot reader and healer.

Standup comedian Munawar Faruqui, winner of Kangana Ranaut-hosted reality show Lock Upp, is also among the contestants of BB17, reports state. The comedian was arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in one of his shows.

is-vijays-leo-part-of-lcu-lokesh-kanagraraj-breaks-silence

Wed Oct 11 17:09:37 IST 2023

Tamil filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj is gearing up for the release of his next film—the much-awaited Leo. Starring Vijay, the film will hit the big screens on October 19.

Amid the buzz about the film, fans have been speculating whether Leo will be part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). The LCU, an Indian version of Hollywood's superhero universes, is a collection of action thriller films helmed by Kanagaraj. So far, only two films are part of the LCU—Kaithi (2019) and Vikram (2022).

In a recent interview, Kanagaraj, who has not officially confirmed anything in this regard, said that he did not want to disappoint his fans by doing “small things” to connect Leo to the LCU. According to a Times of India report, the filmmaker said he had discussed with Vijay about the cinematic universe, but Leo will remain a standalone film.

However, in an earlier interview Kanagaraj refused to spoil the suspense amid reports that the makers of Leo had met producers of Kaithi and Vikram to obtain a No-Objection Certificate that will be needed to incorporate elements from these films into another.

The gangster drama features an ensemble cast including Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Priya Anand, Mysskin and Gautham Menon among others. The film received a U/A certificate from the Censor Board. According to reports, expletives and bloody action sequences have been reduced from the Vijay-starrer.

malayalam-actress-alleges-harassment-onboard-flight-lodges-complaint

Wed Oct 11 15:51:38 IST 2023

A Malayalam film actress, Divya Prabha has lodged a complaint with the police alleging harassment by a male passenger on board an Air India flight bound for Kochi. The incident allegedly occurred on Tuesday during the flight from Mumbai.

Taking to her social media platform on Tuesday night, the actress alleged that the fellow passenger in question was "inebriated and disruptive". In an Instagram post detailing the "disturbing incident", she also charged that the response from the airline's ground office and the flight crew was "disappointing."

Despite reporting to the air hostess, the only action taken was relocating her to another seat, just before the takeoff, the woman rued. After landing at the airport here, the issue was reported to the airport and airline authorities, who redirected her to the police aid post there, she explained.

On her Instagram page, she also shared a copy of a complaint lodged with the local police via email in this regard. She recollected how the intoxicated passenger had occupied her seat and engaged in a heated argument. She also accused him of "misbehaving, including inappropriate physical contact". "I promptly reported the matter to the Air hostess on the flight. However, the only action taken was my relocation to a middle seat three, four rows ahead.

Unfortunately, no measures were implemented against the harasser," the woman said. Meanwhile, Nedumbassery police on Wednesday said they received an email from her requesting to consider it as her formal complaint. "We are looking into the matter. We are trying to contact her to collect more details regarding the incident. However, we are yet to get her on the phone," an officer told PTI. No case has been registered so far, and further actions will be decided after contacting her, he added.

upcoming-ott-releases-the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-mark-antony-sultan-of-delhi

Wed Oct 11 14:52:27 IST 2023

We are back with the what-to-watch list for this week. From docuseries to mystery thrillers and period dramas, here is quick look at what's releasing on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney plus Hotstar this week.

Star vs Food Survival : Discovery Plus

Release date: October 9

A concoction of food and adventure, the reality series features Bollywood actors who team up with celebrity chef Ranveer Brar to whip up some exotic cuisine. In the first season of the show, actors Suniel Shetty, Sanjay Dutt, Aparashakti Khurana, Mouni Roy and Nakul Mehta explore some difficult terrains and unravel unique flavours from Coorg and Spiti Valley.

The Fall of the House of Usher: Netflix

Release date: October 12

Based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story, the horror series follows Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), CEO of a corrupt pharmaceutical company who is forced to encounter his dark past when each of his children begin to die in a mysterious manner. Helmed by Mike Flanagan, the series will also reportedly blend in references from other Poe classics as well. Flanagan is well-known for his works in the horror genre including Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Sultan of Delhi: Disney plus Hotstar

Release date: October 13

The period thriller set in the 1960s revolves around Arjun Bhatia, essayed by Tahir Raj Bhasin, who beings to work for Delhi's biggest illegal arms dealer Jagan Seth (Vinay Pathak). The nine-episode series, directed by Milan Luthria and Suparn Varma, also features Anjum Shharma, Nishant Dahiya alongside Anupriya Goenka, Mouni Roy, Harleen Sethi and Mehreen Pirzada.

The Burial: Amazon Prime Video

Release date: October 13

Based on true incidents, the legal drama starring Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones revolves around a funeral home owner who hires a lawyer to save a family business. Set in the 90s, the film addresses the issues of racism and the greed of corporate behemoths who tried to take advantage of the Blacks.

Mark Antony: Amazon Prime Video

Release date: October 13

Featuring Vishal and SJ Suryaj, the Tamil film was released in theatres in September. The action thriller, directed by Adhik Ravichandran, revolves around two gangsters who get hold of a mobile that has the ability to time travel. The film which largely received positive reviews went on to become the highest-grossing film in Vishal's career.

told-doctor-to-remove-my-breasts-i-dont-want-to-die-mahima-chaudhry-on-her-battle-with-cancer

Wed Oct 11 15:56:54 IST 2023

The morning of October 10 turned out to be quite an emotional moment for everyone present in the room. We were at a press conference inside a suburban five star hotel in Mumbai and on the stage was Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhry, narrating her harrowing experience with breast cancer and eventual victory over it. For her, it was a deja vu moment; she let tears roll down her cheeks unapologetically and self-assuredly.

When she said, "People told me to be strong, I also told myself the same thing. But I did not want to give myself this fake sense of strength. Instead, I decided to embrace the reality for what it was, and gave myself the right to feel down and vulnerable when I had to. I told the doctor to remove both my breasts, I don't want to die," the room, full of cameramen and journalists went silent. In that instant, nobody said anything; nobody asked anything.

Chaudhry had her moments of "deep depression," moments when chemotherapy made it "severely challenging," her body caved in and made it obvious to her that it could not take any more. She fought it all, one step at a time. Rather, one session at a time.

In a candid conversation around her journey through breast cancer back in 2022, she had us all in rapt attention. "It wasn't easy to let my little daughter watch me in that state. I looked miserable with all that hair loss, energy and life draining out of my body on a daily basis, I looked wretched and sickly. My doctors gave me hope that being in an early stage, I'd recover and that I was not terminally sick. But my daughter couldn't fathom that because she saw me as being very sick and dreaded losing me forever. It was a heart-wrenching to see the fear of a parent's looming death in this child's eyes; it rattled me."

When Chaudhry was diagnosed with cancer, she was already struggling with a lot at home. Her mother, a Parkinson's patient required continuous care and so there were always three to four nurses at home at any given point and Chaudhary had made herself available to her mother at all times. Alongside, her school-going daughter demanded attention too. And so, Chaudhry never let her mother know about the diagnosis; only her close friends and the nurses at home knew that the 50-year-old had cancer.

Chaudhry is the face of SBI Life Insurance's 'Thanks a Dot', campaign, which moots the idea of self breast examination using a hot water bag which is commonly used by women to ease menstrual pain. Interestingly, the actress who has starred in popular films such as Pardes, Dhadkan and Dil Kya Kare, has had no family history of cancer.

Dr Nita Nair, Chaudhry's oncologist from Apollo hospital in Mumbai, says that 10 per cent risk factor of breast cancer is genetic which actually increases the chances of cancer diagnosis by 80 per cent. "Then there are also non-modifiable lifestyle factors such as simply being born as a female increases the risk and so does aging. The age at which we start and stop menstruating, obesity, reproducing late and not breastfeeding children are also risk factors," said Nair.

Having been through the worst, Chaudhry has been warning her friends to get timely breast examination done, but many still choose ignorance over knowledge, she said. "My friends, all of who are well-educated said they out of fear of what might get detected, they hadn't got their breast examination done for several years and neither did they intend to do. Because the knowledge that they had been hit by cancer would be far more devastating. The point I want to make is that breast cancer is completely curable if detected at an early stage and delaying examination will only further delay one's chances at survival,” she said.

"Had I been to my doctor in time, I might have been in a better position today," she added referring to the six month delay in getting her breast examination done.

"Had I not delayed it, I wouldn't have needed to undergo chemo."

first-song-from-ranbirs-animal-has-rashmika-kissing-him-in-front-of-her-family

Wed Oct 11 14:16:54 IST 2023

The first song of Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna is out. The couple featured in the film directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga can't seem to keep their hands off each other. The song 'Hua Main' begins with the 'besharam ladki' Rashmika kissing her love interest in front of her family.

The couple then elopes to a place with snow-capped mountains, where they get married. Throughout their journey in the private jet, the duo can be seen kissing frequently. The song showcases a softer side to Ranbir Kapoor, who, in the initial posters of the film sports a bearded look wielding a long hammer.

The movie also stars Anil Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Tripti Dimri. For most of the song, Ranbir's expression doesn't change much, but, Rashmika looks smitten and innocent. The lyrics for the son have been penned by Manoj Muntashir Shukla and composed by Pritam.

Reddy Vanga's last movie was Kabir Singh featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani. Ranbir Kapoor was last seen in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar alongside Shraddha Kapoor. Rashmika's last movie was Varisu, which also starred Tamil superstar Vijay.

The movie is set to release on December 1 in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

naagin-actor-madhura-naik-says-cousin-husband-killed-by-hamas

Wed Oct 11 11:24:54 IST 2023

Madhura Naik, an Indian TV actor says her cousin sister and her husband were killed by the Hamas in front of their children. As the war enters day five, 3,000 people have lost their lives on both sides. The actor in a sombre video said how, on October 7, two members of her family were killed. Madhura has appeared in hit television series, Naagin.

Naik, a Jew of Indian origin said, “The grief and emotions my family face cannot be expressed in words. As of today, Israel is in pain and the streets are burning in flames in the wrath of Hamas."

"Women, children, the old and the weak are being targeted," she said. She also talked about pro-Arab-Palestine propaganda that has been doing the rounds on the internet since the war began and said she was trolled online for sharing her deceased cousin's picture.

"It shows how deep the pro-Palestinian agenda runs. I was shamed, humiliated and targeted for being Jewish," she said. Several children have lost their lives and several orphaned due to relentless rocket attacks and counter air strikes.

The actor who said there are only around 3,000 Jews in India, added, “The grief and emotions my family face cannot be expressed in words. Israel is in pain and the streets are burning in flames in the wrath of Hamas."

She also said that she has both Arab and Israeli friends and that she doesn't support violence of any kind. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel's military campaign is only the start of a sustained war. According to the UN, more than 187,500 people have been displaced inside Gaza.

vijays-leo-gets-ua-certificate-after-13-minor-cuts-scenes-with-blood-gore-expletives-removed

Tue Oct 10 20:50:43 IST 2023

'Thalapathy' Vijay's upcoming action flick, Leo, received a U/A certificate from the censor board.

Thirteen minor changes have been suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), including removing a few seconds of action sequences with blood and gore, and a few expletives. The movie has a run-time of 164.27 minutes.

Leo is all set for a grand theatrical release on October 19. Helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Leo has Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja playing the antagonists. The trailer of the movie, released a few days ago, suggested that Leo is a complete action drama with plenty of bloody sequences.

In the trailer, Vijay was heard uttering a cuss word. There was much criticism over this.

At least 43 seconds of the movie has been cut as per the changes suggested by CBFC. Around 18 seconds of the film has been replaced with different frames or muted as advised by the censor board. A few expletives have either been removed or muted and a few action sequences involving flying teeth, a cut ear, blood splash and an injured face have been replaced or removed.

Like in Kaithi and Vikram, the director has used vintage Tamil songs in Leo as well. The CBFC has, however, not mentioned anything on this or revealed the storyline of the film. “In the world of untamed rivers that are trying to drown Parthiban, whether he remains as a divine god or a dreaded demon is the rest of the story," says the CBFC website on Leo.

after-jawan-nayanthara-to-team-up-with-sanjay-leela-bhansali-next

Tue Oct 10 17:04:28 IST 2023

Actress Nayanthara, who was last seen in Bollywood blockbuster Jawan, is reportedly in talks with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali for his next project Baiju Bawra. Though she has not signed on the dotted line yet, multiple reports state she is considering the offer to play a pivotal role in the film.

Nayanthara was also spotted at the veteran filmmaker's office earlier this year, with her husband Vignesh Shivn. According to a report by Film Companion, Baiju Bawra was originally made in 1952. The original version directed by Vijay Bhatt featured Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari in the lead.

It is being speculated that Bhansali's version will feature Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in the lead. The period saga revolves around Baiju, a young singer who challenges the legendary Tansen to a musical competition.

While Ranveer has previously collaborated with the ace filmmaker for Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Goliyon ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Alia teamed up with Bhansali for the National Award-winning Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Ranveer and Alia were last seen together in filmmaker Karan Johar's romantic drama Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani.

Nayanthara, who made her Bollywood debut with Jawan, was reportedly upset with director Atlee for 'cutting down' her role in the Shah Rukh-Khan starrer to give more prominence to Deepika Padukone. According to earlier reports, she was unlikely to sign new Bollywood projects soon.