Actor Vidya Balan will play a forest officer in her forthcoming film that will explore man-wildlife conflict.
There have been reports that the film revolves around the controversial killing of a tigress named Avni.
"She will be playing the role of a forest officer," a source close to the film told PTI.
Tigress Avni was shot dead by a sharp shooter in November 2018, allegedly on the instructions of the forest department officials as the tigress had allegedly killed 13 people in Maharashtra.
The source said the movie is not based around Avni's case, but focuses on "man- animal conflict".
The yet-untitled project will be produced by Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment.
Vidya will next be seen in biopic on mathematician Shakuntala Devi. The film is scheduled to release on May 8.

Vidya Balan to play the role of a forest officer in her next film

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The first installment of Ayan Mukerji's much-anticipated "Brahmastra" trilogy finally has a release date and it is December 4, 2020.
The long in the making project will feature Mukerji's frequent collaborator Ranbir Kapoor besides Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy.
The announcement was made by the cast in a funny video that was shared by Alia on Instagram.
In the clip, recorded by Alia, Ranbir is seen gruelling Ayan about the delays in the film and incessantly asking the director about the film's final release date.
Bachchan is also present in the video but he only reacts when Ayan says that he has a  release date for "Brahmastra" part one and that is December 4, 2020.
"Soooooo.. this just happened! Brahmastra 04.12.2020.. promise," Alia captioned the video.
The megastar also shared the news on Twitter, saying, "'Brahmastra'.. coming to cinemas on 4/12/20 and Ayan is not allowed to change it now!"
The film, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and Fox Star .

'Brahmastra' part one to release on Dec 4

The Punjab Police on Saturday said it has registered a case against Punjabi singers Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, aka Sidhu Moose Wala, and Mankirat Aulakh for allegedly promoting violence and gun culture in a song uploaded on social media.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Mansa) Narender Bhargav said a case under sections 294 (sings, recites or utters any obscene song), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC was registered against the duo.
Preliminary inquiries have revealed that the song was recorded at Mussa village in Mansa district at the residence of Moose Wala, Bhargav said in a statement here.
A video clip of the song was uploaded on social media sites and it was found to be promoting violence and gun culture, he added.
Bhargav said Moose Wala's song "Pakhia pakhia pakhia, gun wich panj golia..." evidentially promotes violence and gun culture.
On Friday, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had expressed deep concerns over the 

Punjabi singers Moose Wala, Aulakh booked for glorifying violence, gun culture

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra says the team behind "Munna Bhai" series has zeroed in on an idea for the third part and are developing it further.
Chopra, who is currently promoting his next directorial venture "Shikara", said the franchise, starring Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi, is close to his heart and he wants to start production on the threequel as soon as possible.
"I want to make Munnabhai..'. I want to make some fun films. Finally we have something that I want to do," Chopra said in a group interview here.
The filmmaker said soon after the release of "Shikara, which is about exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, he will start working on the next "Munna Bhai" movie.
When asked if the stars of the movie and director Rajkumar Hirani will return for the new installment, Chopra said, "It will definitely be with Sanjay. Hopefully it will be made with all of them. I am going to work on it from February 10."
"We have the correct idea but we have to work on it. I don't know by when 

We finally have an idea for 'Munna Bhai 3': Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Actor Adam Sandler has extended his partnership with Netflix to maker four more films for the streamer.
Netflix shared the news on Friday that Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions have locked a new deal with the streaming platform.
Sandler first signed a deal with Netflix to produce and star in four films exclusively for the streaming service back in 2014.
Netflix re-upped that deal for another four films in 2017.
So far, the actor has made "The Ridiculous 6", "The Do-Over", "Sandy Wexler", "The Week Of", and "Murder Mystery" as well as stand-up special "100% Fresh" with the streamer.
"Whether you know him as Sandman, the Water Boy, Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Nick Spitz or simply Adam, one thing is clear: our members can't get enough of him," Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
"They love his stories and his humour, as we saw with 'Murder Mystery'. So I could not be more excited to extend our partnership with Adam and ..

Adam Sandler to make four new films for Netflix

Filmmaker Karan Johar's much-anticipated historical drama "Takht", starring Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Anil Kapoor, will hit the theatres on December 24 next year.
The movie, which also features Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, is set in the Mughal era.
Johar announced the release date of the film and shared the first teaser on Twitter.
"Presenting 'Takht'. Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar & Apoorva Mehta  Screenplay by Sumit Roy. Starring Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor. Releasing Christmas, 24.12.2021," the director tweeted on Saturday.
"Takht", which marks Johar's first attempt at directing a period drama, traces the relationship between Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his brother Dara Shukoh.
Hussain Haidry has penned the dialogues for the film.
The movie is Johar's follow-up to 2016's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

Karan Johar's 'Takht' to release on Christmas 2021

Actor Taapsee Pannu does not believe "Thappad" is an antidote to Shahid Kapoor-starrer "Kabir Singh", but she says the movie definitely opposes physical abuse in the name of love.
"Kabir Singh", directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was one of the biggest grossers of 2019, but the film received flak for its misogynistic gaze and normalising violence in relationship.
Anubhav Sinha's "Thappad", which focuses on a woman seeking divorce after her husband slaps her in a party, is being considered by many on social media as an answer to Vanga's depiction of love.
"The film ('Kabir Singh') is not entirely about that. There was a moment in that film, which  kind of mad domestic violence or physical abuse by a man on a woman normal and a part of love and intensity. Our film opposes that.
"To say, it opposes the entire film will be too heavy a statement to make. In 'Thappad', we don't feel it (violence in a relationship) is okay," Taapsee told PTI.
The 32-year-old actor said love can only thrive on .

'Thappad' doesn't oppose 'Kabir Singh' but physical abuse in love, says Taapsee Pannu

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta, his co-stars from "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan", have become the country's "most loved on-screen parents" post 2018's "Badhaai Ho".
A follow-up to the actor's 2017 hit "Shubh Mangal Savdhaan", the new film stars Ayushmann and Jitendra Kumar as a homosexual couple trying to win over each other''s family.
Ayushmann said he was glad to be reuniting with Gajraj and Neena, who are playing the father and mother of Jitendra's character.
"Gajraj sir and Neena ji are the most loved on-screen parents for audiences today and it is such a pleasure to have them in 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan'. They have won over the audiences and their hearts with their stellar performance and such endearing on-screen chemistry in 'Badhaai Ho'," Ayushmann said in a statement.
He said though his relationship with the two actors is different in the new film, their work dynamic remains the same.
"This time our relationship is a little different, they play ...

Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta are riot together in 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan': Ayushmann

"Rocketman" star Taron Egerton is in talks to star in the remake of cult classic "Little Shop of Horrors".
According to Full Circle Cinema, the 30-year-old actor is being eyed for the role of Seymour Krelborn, a flower shop employee who encounters and becomes an accomplice to a man-eating Venus flytrap.
Besides Egerton, Billy Porter is being approached to voice Venus flytrap, while Scarlett Johannson is being considered for the role of Audrey, Seymour's co-worker and love interest.
The character of Seymour was famously portrayed by Rick Moranis in director Frank Oz's 1986 film, which was an adaptation of the off-Broadway musical comedy of the same name.

Taron Egerton eyed for 'Little Shop of Horrors' remake

British child actor Amelie Bea Smith has been roped in by Entertainment One and animation studio Astley Baker Davies as the new voice of popular cartoon character, Peppa Pig.
Amelie will debut as the voice of the title character of the animated hit in episode  titled "Valentine's Day".
"We're delighted to welcome Amelie to the 'Peppa Pig' voice cast and are confident that she will continue the strong legacy of the previous Peppa voice actors,' said co-creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker from Astley Baker Davies
The nine-year-old actor has previously starred in British soap opera "EastEnders".
Smith is the fourth British voice artiste to play Peppa Pig. Prior to her, Harley Bird, now 18, voiced Peppa Pig from the age of five and also won a BAFTA for the role in 2011.
Lily Snowden-Fine and Cecily Bloom have also played the character that first appeared on television in 2004.

Amelie Bea Smith is Peppa Pig's new voice

Series reboot of Joel Schumacher's 1987 film "The Lost Boys" has been given a pilot order by The CW.
The series is a retooled version of the pilot the CW ordered last season, from Heather Mitchell and Rob Thomas, reported Entertainment Weekly.
In the new version, when a mother and her young sons move to the seaside town where she grew up, they discover there is a sinister reason the local cool kids sleep all day, party all night, never grow up and never get old. Family bonds are tested as the brothers find themselves on opposite sides of a mythological struggle.
Marcos Siega, who has previously helmed the pilots for the CW series "The Vampire Diaries" and "Batwoman", has come on board to direct the new "Lost Boys" pilot.
None of the cast members from the first pilot are attached to the new version.
The CW has also given pilot order to drama "Maverick". The series is set in present day America that finds itself under authoritarian rule.
Merigan Mulhern is the writer and co-executive ...

'The Lost Boys' adaptation gets pilot order at CW

Noted actor Shabana Azmi, who was injured in an accident last month, on Saturday said that she is back home now and thanked her fans for praying for her speedy recovery.
The 69-year-old actor suffered head injuries when her car met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on January 18. Her husband, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, was also there in the vehicle but escaped unhurt.
The actor and her driver Kamlesh Kamath were taken to the MGM hospital in Navi Mumbai and later shifted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in suburban Andheri the same day.
"Thank you all for your prayers and wishes for my recovery
. I'm back home now," Azmi wrote on Twitter alongside a post-recovery photo of herself.
"Thank you #Tina Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani hospital for the sterling care provided by the doctors team and the nursing staff. Im indebted and grateful," she added.
Azmi's driver has been booked for rash driving and negligence.

Shabana Azmi returns home, expresses gratitude to well-wishers

Cynthia Erivo is excited about her best actress in a leading role Academy Awards nomination, but the singer-actor says being the only woman of colour competing for the trophy is "saddening".
Erivo, who is nominated for her performance in biographical drama "Harriet", said while she is happy about her nod, it also highlights the lack of diversity in Hollywood.
"It is a moment for celebration, but it also is a real eye-opener. It can't just be me alone. There's just such good work going on and this may sound fatalistic, but I would hate for people's work to have gone by and then for us to have looked back and go, "Oh, I wish we would've given roses," when people aren't there to actually receive them. I don't want us to do that," the 33-year-old actor told The Hollywood Reporter.
"To be in a room and not being able to see other actors (of colour) who are nominated, to not be able to share that with another black actress is saddening. I would love to share this moment with someone else," .

Saddening to be only woman of colour in Oscars 2020 race, says Cynthia Erivo

"Saturday Night Live!" star Cecily Strong is in final negotiations to star in a musical comedy from Apple.
Titled "Schmigadoon", the show has received an eight-episode order from the studio, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The comedy series has been penned by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio of "Despicable Me" fame and will be executive produced by Lorne Michaels.
The story follows a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover the magical town of Schmigadoon, in which everyone acts as if they're in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can't leave until they find "true love".
Daurio and Paul will also serve as executive producer on the project, which hails from Universal Television.

Cecily Strong in talks for Apple's 'Schmigadoon'

Veteran filmmaker Paul Schrader has announced that his follow-up to "First Reformed" will also feature actor Tiffany Haddish.
In an interview with The Metrograph, the 73-year-old director confirmed that Oscar Isaac will play the main lead in the movie, currently titled "The Card Counter".
Isaac will essay the role of a gambler and ex-serviceman who tries to reform a young man looking to exact revenge on a mutual enemy.
Schrader said the film will also feature Willem Dafoe and Tye Sheridan in pivotal roles.
As for Haddish, the filmmaker said, "I love Tiffany. I've never met her, but I was on the phone with her for an hour. She's a firecracker. It's like talking to a live-wire connection. She's very funny and, of course, she makes you funny."
"When someone's sharp, that makes you get sharp because you want to keep up. So that's all good," he added.
Schrader also said the film will revolve around "the world series of poker and Abu Ghraib".
"The Card Counter" is yet to begin ...

Paul Schrader says Tiffany Haddish will appear in his next movie

Netflix has pulled the plug on musical drama "Soundtrack" after just one season.
The Joshua Safran-created musical show had premiered in December 2018 to poor reviews.
The series takes a look at the love stories connecting a diverse, disparate group of people in contemporary Los Angeles through the music that lives inside their hearts and minds.
Fox had originally picked up "Soundtrack" in 2018 with a pilot-episode order. After the network passed it on, the show found home at Netflix.
The streamer had ordered a 10-episode first season in July 2018 and it premiered on December 18, 2018.
"Soundtrack" featured Jenna Dewan, Callie Hernandez, Madeline Stowe, Jahmil French, Campbell Scott, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Megan Ferguson and Evan Whitten.

Netflix cancels 'Soundtrack' after one season

Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee has signed on to direct the film adaptation of Broadway show "David Byrne's American Utopia".
The project, which hails from Participant Media, will include live performance from the original stage show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The production opened in October 2019 and runs through February 16 at the Hudson Theatre.
"Pinch me. This couldn't have worked out better for this project. Spike Lee directing and Participant producing  two socially engaged teams, well, three if you count us in the band, coming together in what I feel will be something moving, important, and unlike anything anyone has seen before," Byrne said in a statement.
Participant CEO David Linde said "American Utopia" is a "true celebration from a great artist and a beautiful reminder to our nation that we are all born barefoot and wearing the same suit."
"We are incredibly excited to work with Mr Byrne and the incomparable Spike Lee, along with RadicalMedia, River Road and ..

Spike Lee to helm film version of 'David Byrne's American Utopia'

Hollywood star Owen Wilson has joined the cast of Disney Plus' much-awaited "Loki" series.
Tom Hiddleston is reprising his role of Loki, the God of Mischief, in the series that will be directed by Kate Herron.
"Rick & Morty" scribe Michael Waldron is penning the pilot episode and will also serve as executive producer.
According to Variety, the details of Wilson's character has been kept under wraps as of now.
The six-episode series will take place after the events of "Avengers: Endgame" and explore a different version of the story with Loki at its centre.
The show will also feature British actor Sophia Di Martino in a pivotal role.
"Loki" series, which hails from Marvel Studios, will premiere in 2021.
Wilson is best known for voicing Lightning McQueen, the lead character in the Pixar "Cars" franchise.
His other film credits include "The Royal Tenenbaums", "The Darjeeling Limited", "Midnight in Paris", "Wedding Crashers" and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou".

Tom Hiddleston's 'Loki' series adds Owen Wilson

Netflix's critically-acclaimed royal drama "The Crown" will conclude after its fifth season with veteran actor Imelda Staunton being confirmed to portray Queen Elizabeth II.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, series creator and showrunner Peter Morgan said though he originally envisioned the show to run for six seasons, he now believes five is the "perfect time and place to stop".
"At the outset I had imagined The Crown' running for six seasons but now that we have begun work on the stories for season five it has become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop," Morgan said in a statement.
"I'm grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision," he added.
Staunton, best known for playing Dolores Umbridge in the "Harry Potter" series, will replace Oscar winner Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II for the fifth season.
Colman, who took over the part from Claire Foy after the first two seasons, made her debut as the Royal Queen with the third season in ..

The Crown' to end after season five with Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth

Veteran actor Jackie Shroff on Saturday joined the cast of Rohit Shetty's cop-drama "Sooryavanshi".
The 63-year-old actor will be seen in an "interesting role" in the much-awaited film, starring Akshay Kumar as the titular hero.
"I have worked with his (Rohit) father Shetty sahab whom I respected a lot. I have done a lot of work with him and now working with his son, Rohit has been fantastic. He has the story in his head. He is the boy who has come right from the soil.
"He knows his job and I loved working with him. It is an experience I will never forget. I can't disclose my character but its an interesting role," Jackie said in a statement.
Actor Katrina Kaif is paired opposite Akshay in the movie, which also feature special appearances by Ajay Devgn as Bajirao Singham and Ranveer Singh as Sangram Bhalerao from the director's cop universe.
"To be in the same film with all these young stars is fantastic. It is a great opportunity to be part of a film like this, which gives me a lot ..

Jackie Shroff boards cast of Akshay's 'Sooryavanshi'

As Britain starts life outside the European Union, pro-EU diehards could at least claim a tiny consolation victory on Friday in the weekly pop charts.
Having fought a titanic political contest for three years over Brexit, Britain's "Leavers" and "Remainers" did battle in the singles charts, trying to get rival songs to number one.
While both sides fell well short, Remainers managed to get the EU's anthem "Ode to Joy" to number 30 -- and it was the most downloaded track of the week.
The piece from German composer Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9" was performed by the Johann Strauss Orchestra, led by Dutch conductor Andre Rieu.
That trumped comedian Dominic Frisby's profane rival tune "17 Million Fuck-Offs" backed by Brexiteers, which made it to number 43, the UK Official Charts Company said.
The novelty pro-Brexit song takes aim at the Brussels and London establishments as well as pro-EU celebrities.
Overall, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi topped the charts with "Before 

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