Entertainment

Deepika Padukone’s deal with Louis Vuitton is her first ambassador role for a luxury label Deepika Padukone is going places.  After having secured a place amongst the top most stars of Bollywood, the actor has now been roped in by none other than fashion house Louis Vuitton as its ambassador. This is not a small achievement for Deepika as she is the first ever Indian ambassador for the French luxury house. The Indian actor will now be seen in a handbag campaign by Louis Vuitton, alongside two other actors of global repute – Emma Stone and Chinese actor Zhou Dongyu. The three will be seen in a series of promotional shots of the new handbag campaign. Deepika, who is 36 years old at the moment, has had a fair amount of success in Bollywood after having portrayed vivid roles in a career that has seen many box office successes. Though she has been formally roped…

Govt to explore possibility of supporting film projects of two men and women directors each from SC/ST communities every year. A unique effort aimed at supporting aspiring filmmakers from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities is seeing fruition in Kerala. The Kerala Government’s pathbreaking initiative got rolling with the first film under this project getting on to the floors. The film is produced by the Kerala State Development Corporation (KSFDC), which significantly is the first public sector corporation for film development in India. KSFDC was established in 1975. The Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes K Radhakrishnan performed the switch-on for the film, titled Ariku. The film is directed by mediaperson and filmmaker V S Sanoj. Filmmakers from SC/ST communities to get support Terming the project as pioneering effort, Minister Radhakrishnan said the talk on this initiative to support filmmakers from the SC/ST communities should not be limited to the…

State government-owned OTT platform CSpace will enable film lovers to access a wide range of films, short films and documentaries of their choice It’s to be known as CSpace, and is expected to revolutionise the way the people of Kerala watch movies. In what is termed as a forerunner for the whole of the nation to emulate, Kerala will kick start its own state government-owned OTT platform that would bring to film buffs a wide range of films, short films and documentaries of their choice. CSpace, which boasts of several unique features, will be unveiled on November 1, the Kerala state formation day. Saji Cheriyan, Kerala’s Minister for Culture, stated that this would be a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, and that CSpace will mark a new beginning that will considerably help in the growth of Malayalam cinema. OTT platform not to impact theatre business Assuring that the new OTT will not create crisis for the…

Ms Marvel, with Farhan Akhtar in the cast, will start streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India, from June 8 onwards. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) just got richer with an astounding Indian presence. Actor-director Farhan Akhtar being roped in to play a role in MCU’s upcoming web series Ms Marvel. Though an official announcement hasn’t been forthcoming as yet, a post by Farhan’s wife Shibani Dandekar revealed the roping in of the Indian actor to play a part in the web series.  There had been speculations on Farhan being signed in for a role in the upcoming series, but the confirmation came through Shibani’s post in this regard. Significantly, the show also stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan alongside Farhan. For those who aren’t aware, Ms Marvel is a Marvel Cinematic Universe venture based on a character named Kamala Khan. Kamala Khan, incidentally, is Marvel’s first teen Muslim superhero. A die-hard fan of the Avengers, Kamala…

Vijay directs fans not to troll anyone on social media, violations could have them expelled from fans club Tamil actor Vijay, also known as Thalapathy (The General), has time and again made headlines with his unique intervention in the political affairs of the country. The actor, much loved for his roles wherein he positions himself as the voice of the common man, had even made his foray into electoral politics when he fielded a bunch of his fan club members for the rural local body elections in Tamil Nadu. The success rate in the polls was fairly good too, with 129 candidates emerging victorious.      Continuing with his interventions in the political and social arena, he has now directed his fan club to desist from trolling anyone one on social media.   A tweet by Bussy Anand, the General Secretary of the actor’s fans’ organisation Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, calls out to all members of the…

Veteran actor Jim Carrey much loved for his comic roles, is stepping out of the Hollywood limelight Yet another actor who has entertained the world with his astounding performances is stepping off the limelight. Jim Carrey, the veteran actor who has been much loved for his comic roles, has decided to call it a day. Carrey announced his retirement seeking ‘the quiet life’, and has said that his last appearance on screen would be in the upcoming release, Sonic The Hedgehog 2. Post-retirement announcement of Bruce Willis, Jim Carrey too deciding on leaving the Hollywood limelight comes as a shock. For, both the actors were expected to give their audiences many more memorable roles. Bruce Willis’ family had, last week, let the world know that the actor has decided to stop acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia. Jim Carrey to quit soon after Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Jim Carrey had given the world of…

Bruce Willis has aphasia, a medical condition said to hinder the ability to communicate Worldwide fans of Bruce Willis, the American actor, are in for some major disappointment. The 67-year-old actor is reportedly moving away from the movie cameras after having been diagnosed with aphasia, a medical condition said to hinder the ability to communicate. Willis’ family has sent out a statement stating that the actor has been experiencing health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia. The medical condition is impacting his cognitive abilities, and so he will be stepping away from his acting career. The family statement further said that this is a really challenging time for the family. Aphasia forces Bruce Willis to step aside Bruce Willis’ wife Emma, ex-wife Demi Moore, and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn, said in the statement that, “As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that”. Aphasia…

Apple TV Plus becomes first streaming service to win Best Picture laurel at the Oscars The Academy Awards of 2022 has been eventful. In the midst of all the celebrations and controversies that erupted, Apple scored a first. When CODA was announced the winner, it also became the first flick from a streaming service to win best picture at the Oscars. CODA’s winning moment was celebration time for streaming services that have been seeing a major spurt across the world. Streaming services of the likes of Apple, Netflix, and Amazon could have many more celebration events in the offing later on too, going by the way the audiences have been lapping up the services offered by them. And for now, its Apple TV Plus that is hogging the limelight. Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremony saw Apple TV Plus become the first streaming service to win Best Picture at the Oscars.  CODA, which was streamed by…

The 94th Academy Awards presentations will get underway at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March The world has been waiting to watch the Academy Awards ceremony for long now. And the day has finally arrived. In a few hours from now the Oscars will be presented, and film buffs around the world will have a gala time. The 94th Academy Awards presentations will get underway at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 27, 2022. Apart from the nominations, film enthusiasts, as they do every year, have been waiting to know who will form the galaxy of presenters on the stage. The Academy has now announced the sixth round of presenters, and the prominent names in the list are Josh Brolin, Jacob Elordi, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Momoa, Jill Scott, J.K. Simmons, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Rachel Zegler. Academy Awards presenters list includes Rachel Zegler The inclusion of Rachel Zegler in the…

Randeep Hooda roped in for Mahesh Manjrekar’s Veer Savarkar biopic It looks like saffron patriotism and related stuff are what Bollywood would to explore more these days. Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files and the success it has reaped at the box office seem to have spurred more on that genre, the Indian movie buff in for some history lessons. And who else would be best bet to be a topic for a movie than Veer Savarkar, when such films are mulled over. Though many may not agree, there are a group of people who consider Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as a freedom fighter who had relentlessly fought against the British to secure Indian independence. Now, that remains a matter of debate, with many stories doing the rounds across the Indian political spectrum.  However, for the makers of a new movie titled Swantantra Veer Savarkar, he is a freedom fighter, politician, activist, and writer. When prominent filmmaker-actor…

Kerala government’s efforts to put an end to exploitation of women in film industry set to be law In what could be considered a pioneering move, the Kerala government is all geared up to bring about a legislation aimed at ensuring complete protection of women in film industry. The legislation has come about as a need in the government’s efforts to put an end to exploitation of women in the film industry in the state. According to Saji Cheriyan, Minister for Culture in the state, the proposed legislation for protection of women in film industry will be drawn up after going through the reports submitted by two panels constituted in this regard. These two commissions appointed to study in detail the problems faced by women in film industry of the state include the one headed by noted film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and the Justice Hema Commission. Ensuring safety of women in cinema The Minister for…

Kareena will be seen making her OTT splash through the film based on Japanese author Keigo Higashino’s novel, ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ The OTT arena is blossoming. With many film makers and actors opting more and more for the OTT route, the scene is getting vibrant than ever before. The latest on that front has all in it to thrill the fans of Bollywood’s much loved actor Kareena Kapoor Khan. Kareena is gearing up for an OTT splash through a murder mystery to be helmed by much-applauded film maker Sujoy Ghosh. The film is yet to be named, but we hear that it would be based on Japanese author Keigo Higashino’s novel, ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’. With Sujoy Ghosh, who had earlier presented awesome flicks such as Kahaani and Badla, has already begun work on the film. With Kareena being roped in for the film, the enthusiasm among fans has grown manifold. Besides…

The KSFDC project aims at strengthening the presence of female directors in Malayalam cinema Strengthening the presence of female directors is an initiative that has been rolled out by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) in over nine decades old Malayalam cinema. And as part of continuing this effort, KSFDC has kicked off work on its fourth such film. Established way back in 1975, the KSFDC is the country’s first public-sector corporation for film development. Produced on behalf of the state government, the women-centric movie, B32 Muthal 44 Vare, will be directed by debutant Shruthi Sharanyam, and features six main female characters. A majority of its crew in each department are also women.  ‘Films Directed by Women’ project, a pioneering effort The movie is being shot as part of the state government’s pioneering ‘Films Directed by Women’ project, which strives to support aspiring women directors by bringing into full play their cinematic abilities. Actor-director…

Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files has received the thumbs up from audiences across India and the globe. The Kashmir Files, the film helmed by Vivek Agnihotri, is on a roll. The flick, which has the Kashmir of 1990 as the backdrop, had not enthused many when it was announced. However, the film has surpassed expectations and has, on its third day of release, amassed Rs 15.10 crore at the box office. Made on a shoestring budget, The Kashmir Files had not seen much of a marketing exercise too. Controversies on the subject had also threatened to pull it down when released in cinemas. But the results at the box office has been spectacular, until now. The film which was released in theatres on March 11 saw audiences lapping it up, making it an absolute winner, and it has even pushed down releases such as Prabhas-starrer Radhe Shyam and others which opened in cinemas around the…

Nothing similar seen since pioneering 2002 Osian’s Historical Mela Sale From Awara to Mother India, from Mughal-e-Azam to Junglee, from Khamoshi to Majboor, First Release Original PostersTributes to Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna & the Cinema of Satyajit Ray & Bimal Roy Online Auction House deRivaz & Ives announced what is heralded to be the greatest collection of first release original Indian Film Posters to be offered for public sale on 8-9 April 2022 on its auction website: www.derivaz-ives.com. Exactly 20 years after the landmark Osian’s Auction – Historical Mela: The ABC Series – which introduced and started building a credible financial market and respectability for Indian film publicity material and memorabilia, this deRivaz & Ives auction though smaller in ambition, offers the finest collection of rare first release original film posters from India’s vast cinematic history, including many designs which are still not available on the global internet. Various live events &…

Prime Video premieres Sharmaji Namkeen, Rishi Kapoor’s last onscreen portrayal, on March 31 When Amazon Prime Video commences the exclusive world premiere of Hindi flick Sharmaji Namkeen, it would be a tribute to the late actor Rishi Kapoor. Prime Video has announced that it will premiere Kapoor’s last film directed by Hitesh Bhatia, starting March 31. Legendary actor Rishi Kapoor had passed away after being troubled by leukaemia in April, 2020. He was 67. Sharmaji Namkeen is his last onscreen portrayal, and is said to be the tale of an ordinary man and his extraordinary pursuit to find a new meaning in life. Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment in association with Honey Trehan and Abhishek Chaubey of MacGuffin Pictures, Sharmaji Namkeen comes with an ensemble cast, and it stars Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, and Isha Talwar. Significant about the…

Alia Batt, who recently mesmerised the screen with Gangubai Kathiawadi, will be seen alongside Gal Gadot in upcoming Hollywood flick After blazing the screen with her performance as Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia Bhatt seems to all set to fly higher. The talented actress is all geared up for a Hollywood debut now, and significantly enough, Alia will be sharing screen space with none other than Gal Gadot. The news of Alia Bhatt’s upcoming Hollywood debut has sent her fans into a frenzy with many looking forward to seeing her on the screen alongside Wonder Woman Gal Gadot. For Alia, the new offer comes as a feather in her cap after her scintillating performance in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali opus Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film has been a success with full house shows ongoing during the post-Covid period. The film has successfully managed to sweep away the pandemic blues as theatres opened to much applause across India. Hollywood…

The Batman screening in a US cinema encounters real bats flying around. Post-Covid 19 restrictions the theatres in the US woke up to something spectacular. And that was the release of the much awaited Matt Reeves movie, The Batman. The Robert Pattinson starrer, where he plays the title role, opened in theatres after the long lull. It was also Warner Bros. major release in a situation post the pandemic and every one at the production house have been enjoying the big relief The Batman has ushered in with its superlative opening at the box office. Meanwhile, at a cinema in the US, The Batman screening was punctuated by a strange happening. Even as the film was running on screen, a fan who sneaked in bats into the theatre, let them fly across the theatre much to the surprise of all those who had been watching the movie. The Batman sequence turns real It was like…

Young fans of Pawan Kalyan behead goat in front of movie theatre in Chittoor, where Bheemla Nayak was released. Telugu film star Pawan Kalyan’s new film ‘Bheemla Nayak’ has been attracting a large number of fans in theatres at the moment, but the actor’s fans have in a frenzy of celebration brought a mega amount of shame to him and the film’s producers. Pawan Kalyan’s fans across Andhra Pradesh are an excite lot as their screen icon has returned to cinema screens with his latest flick. And a group of them couldn’t resist their excitement and went to the extent of sacrificing the goat to celebrate the movie release. The group of young men, who are also diehard fans of Pawan Kalyan, are now in major trouble. With animal rights group People for Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA) India taking offence to the mode of celebration the young men resorted to, senior police officials in…

Netizens are an excited lot as Aishwarya Rai shares a poster from Ponniyin Selvan A Mani Ratnam movie without Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the cast seems like a rarity these days. Ever since Aishwarya had made her debut in Mani Ratnam’s magnim opus Iruvar, a movie that had stunning performances from Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and actor extraordinaire Prakash Raj, the former Miss World has been a regular in the Tamil film maker’s projects. He might have missed casting her in a couple of flicks post-Iruvar, but Aishwarya is much loved by the south cinema world for her portrayal of characters Mani Ratnam had given her. She was much applauded for her performance in Mani’s 2007 film Guru and the 2010 flick Raavan. These films also had her husband Abhishek Bachchan in the cast. Ponniyin Selvan based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is back again to charm the audiences through the latest project that…

Shah Rukh Khan is all geared up for a comeback with his new flick ‘Pathaan’ set for release in January 2023 It’s been a while since Bollywood’s Badshah was seen on screen. To be precise, it was in 2018 that Shah Rukh Khan or SRK as he is known as, was last seen in film. The film ‘Zero’, which was directed by Aanand L Rai, had Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma as his co-stars. The absence from mainstream movies in Bollywood had come about unexpected, and it had proved to be a big disappointment for his fans.  Now after a long gap, SRK is all set for a comeback. The actor himself has announced the news of his next on screen, by making an official announcement about his upcoming project ‘Pathaan’.  Shah Rukh Khan, who has a huge fan following in social media, took to the virtual space to announce the details of his comeback…

Russia’s military action has forced film production majors to halt the release of their latest flicks in Russia The Russian aggression on Ukraine has angered almost everyone in the world. With Russia’s military pounding Ukraine’s cities and killing hapless civilians, it is high time that the war needs to come to an end. Various nations around have condemned Russia for the attack on Ukraine, and even the film production majors are giving Russia the cold shoulder. Warner Bros, which is expected to bring to cinemas around the world, its most recent flick, The Batman, has decided against releasing the film in Russia. One of the most anticipated superhero films of the year, The Batman is directed by Matt Reeves and stars Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz in pivotal roles. Positioned as a novel take on the caped crusader The Batman releases on March 4.  Warner Bros, however, has decided to give theatres in Russia the…