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Hindi Cinema
Veteran screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar has expressed his disappointment that movies reflecting the reality of society face hurdles from regulatory bodies in India, while those rife with vulgarity seem to slip through the cracks. Speaking at an event on Friday, Akhtar said it is a bad audience that makes a bad film successful. "In this country, the fact is that vulgarity will still be passed by (the film regulatory bodies), they do not know that these are wrong values, a male chauvinistic view that is humiliating women and is insensitive. What will not be passed is something that shows the mirror to society," he said at the inaugural session of Anantrang mental health cultural festival. Akhtar said films merely try to depict reality. "A film is a window into society through which you peek, then close the window, but closing the window will not fix what is happening, he cited. Talking about the impact of hyper-masculinity portrayed in films on mental health, Akhtar said that the
Hindi film 'Homebound' has been chosen as India's official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category, chairperson of the selection committee N Chandra said on Friday. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Chandra said a total of 24 films in different languages were in contention for representing the country at the Oscars. "It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people," he said. "We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark," he added. The 12-member selection committee comprised producers, directors, writers, editors and journalists. 'Homebound', directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles. It portrays the story of two childhood friends from a small north Indian village who chase a police job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to celebrated actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor on his 100th birth anniversary, hailing him as "the eternal showman". He said on X, "Today, we mark the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary Raj Kapoor, a visionary filmmaker, actor and the eternal showman! His genius transcended generations, leaving an indelible mark on Indian and global cinema." The prime minister had recently met members of the Kapoor family, which has produced several successful actors, to commemorate his legacy. Born on this day in 1924 in what was then undivided India and is now part of Pakistan, Kapoor was the son of stalwart actor Prithviraj Kapoor and grew to become not only a successful actor but also one of the greatest filmmakers of the Hindi film cinema. His screen portrayal of a common man wedded to working-class values coupled with an eye for talent in various aspects of film-making, not least in music, created a popular cinema that won the hearts of .
Noted Hindi and Bhojpuri poet, lyricist and litterateur Pandit Hariram 'Hari Bhaiya' Dwivedi passed away after a prolonged illness, his family said on Tuesday. He was 87. According to his family members, Dwivedi -- who had been ailing for a long time, died on Monday afternoon at his residence in the Mahmoorganj area of this Uttar Pradesh district. His last rites will be performed at Manikarnika Ghat on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences at his death. Dwivedi's family members said the multiple award-winning poet had been unwell for several months. His health worsened late on Sunday and he succumbed the following day. They said Dwivedi's last rites will be performed after his eldest son returns from Odisha. Expressing grief over Dwivedi's passing, Modi said in a post on X, "I am saddened by the passing of Pandit Hariram Dwivedi, the great creator of Hindi literature and resident of Kashi. With poetry collections like Anganaiya and Jeevandayini Ganga and
If there is a song which best describes legendary singer Mukesh, it is his own track "Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar," says his son Nitin Mukesh, remembering his music icon-father on his birth centenary. Born in Delhi on July 22, 1923 as Mukesh Chand Mathur, the artist was part of the famous triumvirate of singers alongside Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, who ruled the Hindi cinema playback scene for decades. Known for evergreen hits such as "Mera joota hai Japani", "Jeena yahan marna yahaan", "Kabhi kabhie mere dil mein" and "Kai baar yuhi dekha hai", Mukesh was "down to earth" and that never changed, said his son Nitin Mukesh. "One thing that stays most in my memory is his humility and down-to-earth nature, despite being such a famous man and a legend. It was not an act he was putting on. It came naturally to him, Nitin Mukesh told PTI. He was a simple man and that reflected even in his birthday celebrations which were always a private affair, he added. His birthdays used to