The Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) has announced the release of an additional tranche of emergency relief fund for its members facing financial crisis during the nationwide lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic.
The fund will support around 3500 writers and composers in the music fraternity, across the country, whose livelihoods have been deeply impacted by COVID-19, a press release issued by IPRS said.
Soon after the lockdown was announced to combat COVID-19 situation in the country on March 24, IPRS, a copyright society mandated by the government of India, as a custodian of its creator members, had declared an emergency relief package.
"When the lock down was announced IPRS (Indian performing rights society) had funded more than 3000 members who are not in a comfortable position by putting money directly in their accounts since the lock down has continued IPRS  is again funding those 30000 composers/ writers," veteran lyricist-writer and chairman of IPRS, Javed Akhtar wrote on .

IPRS announces additional relief fund to 3500 members

PTI Automatic

A host of Bollywood actors and filmmakers have backed the decision of the makers of "Gulabo Sitabo" and "Shakuntala Devi" to directly release their films on the streaming platform.
The move to release the two films on Amazon Prime Video has been criticised by theatre chains, INOX and PVR, who said that such a step goes against the tradition of films hitting the cinema houses first.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta said it is up to the producer to decide whether he wants to release his film on an OTT platform or in theatres and exhibitors should not feel threatened by it.
"The producers and the director want the best for their film. One wants investments to be protected the other wants her/his film to be experienced by maximum people over the longest duration of time. Why should exhibitors feel threatened? You win some, you lose some," Mehta wrote on Twitter.
"Right now, it is a battle for survival. If producers survive, exhibitors will thrive. Live and let live," he added.
Mehta maintained that 

Actors, filmmakers support digital release of films

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray had to intervene after a scriptwriter drew his attention towards a city hospital that had run out of food to serve to its patients.
Scriptwriter Vishal Kapoor took to Twitter and said the cook at Sanjeevani Hospital in Malad, where his uncle was admitted after his COVID-19 diagnosis, had left and hence the patients didn't have any food to eat.
"URGENT: My uncle, tested Covid+, is in the ICU at Sanjeevani Hospital Malad East. We were informed that the cook at the hospital has left and the patients haven't got food since yesterday. Request urgent help @CMOMaharashtra @AUThackeray (sic)," he tweeted.
Taking note of the tweet, Thackeray tagged Shiv Sena corporator Amey Ghole and asked him to look into the matter.
In a follow up tweet, Kapoor, whose writing credits include Marathi horror "Lapachhapi" and TV series "Bombers", said the hospital is "arranging food from a nearby restaurant for the patients."
Ghole said he had spoken to the hospital and ...

Writer raises issue of no food in hospital for COVID-19 patients, Aaditya Thackeray intervenes

Malaysian prosecutors have dropped money laundering charges against The Wolf of Wall Street film producer and stepson of ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak in a move slammed by Human Rights Watch on Friday as a triumph for impunity and corruption."
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he was worried the move could set a precedent in graft cases in which thieves will be let off if they return the stolen money."
Riza Aziz reached a settlement with the government and was discharged Thursday without being formally acquitted, meaning that prosecutors can revive the charge.
The anti-graft agency said in a statement that the government will recover USD 107.3 million of overseas assets involved in the case  about 43 per cent of the USD 248 million Aziz was accused of having laundered from the 1MDB state investment fund  and Riza is also required to pay an unspecified fine.
Riza was the third person in his family to be charged last year over the 1MDB graft scandal that helped Mahathir's ...

Malaysia drops charge against 'Wolf of Wall Street' producer

The London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) has taken its Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition online as part of a hybrid solution for the annual festival as cinemas remain closed during the coronavirus lockdown.
LIFF, backed by the British Film Institute (BFI) and Bagri Foundation, will showcase its nine award-winning short films that reflect the focus and ethos of Ray's filmmaking passion online from this week.
The films, created for the competition in memory of the iconic Indian filmmaker, will mark the launch of the online version of the festival for viewing at home at loveliffathome.com.
On the 99th birth anniversary month of the world's most loved Indian director Satyajit Ray, it seems almost a tryst with destiny to be able to show, for the first time, all the winners together of the renowned Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition, that the Ray family kindly supported because the films must enshrine Ray's empathetic vision of humanity, said Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Executive and ...

COVID-19: London Indian Film Festival takes short film competition online

Hollywood veteran Bill Murray says he missed working with "Ghostbusters" original actors -- Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis -- while working on the upcoming movie in the franchise.
Almost all of the original stars are returning for "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" except Moranis and Ramis.
In the 1984 movie, Moranis played Louis Tully, while Ramis essayed the role of Egon Spengler alongside Murray's Peter Venkman.
Ramis passed away in 2014 at the age of 69. It is still unclear why Moranis didn't join the latest movie.
"They're greatly missed for so many reason reasons. They were so much a part of the creation of it and the fun of it," Murray said during an online appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' show, for which he wore a panda mask.
Jason Reitman has directed Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which also features Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard and Paul Rudd.
The movie was scheduled to release on July 10, but has been postponed to March 5, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bill Murray says he greatly missed' Rick Moranis and Harold Ramis on Ghostbusters: Afterlife'

Pop star Katy Perry has unveiled the first track from her much-awaited fifth album, which will be released on August 14.
The track, "Daisies", has been written by Perry in collaboration with Jon Bellion, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Michael Pollack.
In a post on Instagram, the 35-year-old singer, who is expecting her first child with partner Orlando Bloom, explained the idea behind the song.
"I wrote this song a couple months ago as a call to remain true to the course you've set for yourself, regardless of what others may think. Recently, it has taken a new meaning for me, in light of what the whole world is experiencing. Each of us is one in more than seven billion, with our own story of strength and resilience to tell.
'Daisies' is out now. I hope it will be the soundtrack to going for your dreams now... especially the ones we left behind," Perry wrote.
The music video, which has been shot and produced by director Liza Voloshin from a safe social distance, features Perry roaming in a ...

Katy Perry drops new single 'Daisies', shares album launch date

PVR Pictures, the largest theatre chain in India, on Friday said they are disappointed with producers directly releasing their movies on streaming services and bypassing the traditional theatrical route.
The multiplex chain stressed that theatrical experience remains the best medium for audiences to enjoy movies.
"As PVR, we believe that the theatrical release is the best way for audiences to experience the labour and creative genius of our filmmakers. This has been so for decades and not just in India but globally," Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures, told PTI.
The theatre chain joins its industry counterpart INOX in voicing concern about filmmakers opting for the digital release at a time when theatres are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gianchandani said the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has caused an unfortunate shutdown of cinemas but they are confident when the situation returns to normalcy, people will definitely go to theatres to watch movies.
"We are confident, once we 

PVR 'disappointed' with films going directly to streaming platforms

Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller has confirmed that his standalone on Furiosa will be a prequel to the 2015 hit.
There were rumours that the director was meeting young actors such as Anya Taylor-Joy to take over the part of Furiosa, which was terrifically portrayed by Charlize Theron in the previous film.
Miller told The New York Times that he considered de-aging Theron for a while but abandoned the idea later.
"For the longest time, I thought we could just use CG de-aging on Charlize, but I don't think we're nearly there yet. Despite the valiant attempts on The Irishman,' I think there's still an uncanny valley. Everyone is on the verge of solving it, particularly Japanese video-game designers, but there's still a pretty wide valley, I believe," the Australian director said.
Miller is planning to film the Furiosa movie after he finishes production on his next film, Three Thousand Years of Longing, starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton.
The director developed the script for ..

George Miller's Mad Max' Furiosa movie will be a prequel

Jennifer Connelly is excited about her upcoming movie "Top Gun: Maverick", co-starring Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise, and the actor says she has seen portions of the film, that were "unreal".
The movie, directed by Joesph Kosinski, is a sequel to Cruise's 1986 blockbuster "Top Gun". Cruise is reprising his role of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the action drama feature.
Connelly is essaying the role of Penny Benjamin, Maverick's love interest, who is a single mother and owner of a bar.
The 49-year-old actor talked about the much-awaited movie during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
"Having seen some of the footage of the flying sequences, it's unreal. They were all really presented with quite a challenge and it's pretty extraordinary what they did," Connelly said.
The actor particularly praised Cruise for setting "the bar really high" when it comes to doing action.
"What I observed was that he's someone who is really passionate about just doing the best that he can possibly do ..

It's unreal: Jennifer Connelly on 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Actor Sumeet Vyas says lessons from the lockdown and the way human beings have to rethink their lives will help him in his journey of becoming a father soon.
Last month, Sumeet and actor-wife Ekta Kaul, who got married in 2018, announced they are expecting.
The "Veere Di Wedding" actor said the way people lived their lives will have to be reset, thanks to the nation-wide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"If we are not able to learn lessons from this lockdown as human beings, then this would be a failed exercise. This has happened for a reason, spend time with each other, ourselves, question how we went about things.
"How we wanted to consume everything nature had to offer without anything to give in return. That's the biggest lesson that I'm learning. I'm sure that'll help me as a parent when I move on to that journey," Sumeet told PTI.
The actor says the lockdown has come as a "boon" for the couple at a time when they're about to turn parents.
"Fortunately for us, it has come .

Will carry lessons from lockdown to fatherhood: Sumeet Vyas

The musical adaptation of Disney's Frozen will not reopen when Broadway once again starts the performances post-pandemic.
The news was shared on the official Twitter handle of Frozen The Musical.
We are heartbroken to announce that Frozen will not reopen once Broadway returns. Thank you for the love and magic we've shared together during our incredible 851 performances at the St. James Theatre. Some people are worth melting for, and today our hearts melt with you, the post read.
The musical, based on the 2013 Oscar-winning animated film, opened on March 22, 2018. Caissie Levy and Patti Murin starred as Elsa and Anna, respectively.
Directed by Michael Grandage, the musical earned Tony Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Score for Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and Best Book for Jennifer Lee.
The production's final performance was on March 11, a day before all the shows in New York's iconic theatre district were suspended to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

Disney's 'Frozen' musical will not reopen on Broadway post-pandemic

CBS All Access has given a season five order for hit legal drama "The Good Fight".
The streamer has also announced that the show's fourth season will conclude with episode seven on May 28. The three remaining episodes will not be shot after their production was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, reported Deadline.
Created by Robert King, Michelle King, and Phil Alden Robinson, the show is both a spin-off and a sequel to hit series "The Good Wife", which aired on CBS network.
Julie McNamara, executive vp and head of programming at CBS All Access, said "The Good Fight" remains one of the "most beloved and critically acclaimed original series" of the streamer, having witnessed a "tremendous response from fans" during the current season.
"While we all had hoped to provide audiences with a 10-episode fourth season, we, among many others, have had to adapt due to the pandemic. Although it's a shortened season, the incredible cast and crew, helmed by the incomparable Robert and ...

'The Good Fight' renewed for S5 at CBS All Access

Actor Judy Greer has boarded the cast of Universal Studios' upcoming feature "Flint Strong".
Rachel Morrison, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of "Mudbound" and Marvel's "Black Panther", will make her directorial debut with the movie, based on the Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper-directed boxing documentary "T-Rex".
Filmmaker Barry Jenkins has penned the script and will also serve as a producer on the project, reported Deadline.
Greer is best known for starring in films such as "The Descendants" "Jurassic World", "Ant-Man" and "Halloween".
The 44-year-old actor will have a key role in the film, which also feature Ryan Destiny and Ice Cube.
The story is about 17-year-old Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, a Flint Michigan native whose dreams of becoming the first American woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing are realised at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Shields won a second gold medal in Women's Middleweight boxing.
Universal had ..

Judy Greer joins Rachel Morrison's 'Flint Strong'

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg is in early negotiations with Netflix to produce and star in spy movie Our Man in New Jersey.
According to Variety, if the deal is locked Wahlberg would portray a blue-collar 007 James Bond-type character.
Plot details are being kept under the wraps.
Wahlberg will produce with Stephen Levinson, who came up with this inspired idea.
Netflix has also acquired superhero film Ball and Chain, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
The film is based on the 1990s comic of the same name by Scott Lobdell. Emily V. Gordon has penned the script.
The story revolves around a couple going through a rough phase in their relationship. They have superpowers, which only work properly when they are together.
Johnson and Blunt recently worked on Disney's Jungle Cruise, a family adventure that is scheduled to release in 2021.

Mark Wahlberg in talks with Netflix to star in and produce Our Man in New Jersey'

PVR Pictures, the largest theatre chain in India, on Friday said they are disappointed with producers directly releasing their movies on streaming services and bypassing the traditional theatrical route.
The multiplex stressed that theatrical experience remains the best medium for audiences to enjoy movies.
"As PVR, we believe that the theatrical release is the best way for audiences to experience the labour and creative genius of our filmmakers. This has been so for decades and not just in India but globally," Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures, told PTI.
The theatre chain joins its industry counterpart INOX is voicing concern about films going straight to streaming platforms.
In an apparent reference to the decision of the makers of "Gulabo Sitabo" to release the film on Amazon Prime Video on June 12, INOX  had released a statement on Thursday, expressing its "extreme displeasure and disappointment" over the move.
On Friday, the makers of another film, Vidya Balan-starrer ...

Now, PVR 'disappointed' with films going directly to streaming platforms

A live-action series based on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels is in development at Disney Plus.
Riordan and his wife Becky announced the project on Twitter and said the show will follow the storyline of the original Percy Jackson five-book series.
We can't say much more at this stage but we are very excited about the idea of a live-action series of the highest quality, following the storyline of the original Percy Jackson five-book series, starting with The Lightning Thief' in season one.
"Rest assured that Becky and I will be involved in person in every aspect of the show, he said in a statement posted on the social media platform.
The Lightning Thief and the second book in the series, Sea of Monsters, were previously adapted as feature films.
The movies featured Logan Lerman as the title character, a boy who discovers he is the son of the Greek god Poseidon, and Alexandra Daddario as another demigod, Annabeth.
The five-book series also comprises of The Titan's Curse, The Battle .

Percy Jackson series in the works at Disney Plus

Expressing their displeasure over the statements issued by few multiplex chains against digital release of films, Producers Guild of India (PGI) on Friday said, it is time for the entire industry to come together and support each other, amid the nationwide lockdown, which has resulted in shutting of theatres.
In an apparent reference to the decision of the makers of "Gulabo Sitabo" to release the film on a streaming platform, multiplex INOX on Thursday had expressed its "extreme displeasure and disappointment" over the move.
Kamal Gianchandani of PVR Pictures also said they were expecting the producers to hold their films for theatrical release.
This is a time for the entire film industry to come together with empathy and support for the difficult predicament that each of our constituents finds themselves in - from producers, distributors, exhibitors, daily wage earners and technicians, to the thousands of people whose lives and livelihoods are in some way dependent on our industry, ..

Producers Guild of India defends filmmakers' decision to opt for digital release

Never Have I Ever actor Darren Barnet is set to feature in a guest star role on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Barnet, who tasted fame courtesy his portrayal of teen heartthrob Paxton Hall-Yoshida on Netflix's comedy by Mindy Kaling, will star in the premiere episode of the seventh and the final season of the ABC superhero series.
According to Variety, the episode titled The New Deal, will see Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the agents go back in time to 1931 New York City, where they will meet Barnet's character.
It is still unclear if Barnet will feature in more than one episode.
Patton Oswalt is also returning to the series in an unspecified new role. He has previously played iterations of Koenig siblings, a family with close connection to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. final season premieres on May 27.

Never Have I Ever' actor Darren Barnet joins Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D' as guest star

Universal Picutres has roped in Call Me By Your Name filmmaker Luca Guadagnino to direct Scarface reboot.
The latest version of the script is penned by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, with earlier drafts by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, Jonathan Herman and Paul Attanasio.
According to Deadline, David Ayer and Antoine Fuqua were previously attached to direct the long gestating project.
This is the third imagining of the gangster story. The first Scarface, set in Chicago, released in 1932. It was directed by Howard Hawks. The second film was based in Miami and starred Al Pacino as Cuban gangster Tony Montana.
The latest film will be set in Los Angeles. It will be produced by Dylan Clark for his Dylan Clark Productions. Scott Stuber will executive produce alongside Marco Marabito.
Guadagnino is also working on the sequel to his Oscar-nominated movie Call Me By Your Name, titled Find Me, with the original stars Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer returning.

Luca Guadagnino set to direct Scarface' reboot written by Coen brothers

Vidya Balan-starrer "Shakuntala Devi" biopic is the latest major Bollywood movie to go for a direct digital release on Amazon Prime Video after Amitabh Bachchan-Ayushmann Khurrana's "Gulabo Sitabo" amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to the closing of cinema halls.
Amazon Prime Video on Friday announced its direct-to-service line-up spanning five Indian languages, which include Hindi films Gulabo Sitabo and Shakuntala Devi, Tamil legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal, Tamil-Telugu bilingual movie Penguin, Sufiyum Sujatayum in Malayalam and Kannada features Law, French Biryani.
The movies will premiere exclusively on Prime Video over the next three months and will be available in 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Over the last 2 years, Prime Video has become the destination of choice for our customers to watch new releases, across the languages, within weeks of their theatrical release.
"Now we're taking this one step further, with seven of India's most-anticipated films ...

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