The Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) has come to the aid of veteran music composer Vanraj Bhatia following reports about his declining health and poor financial situation.
Bhatia, 92, is best known for providing music to films such as "Ankur", "36 Chowringhee Lane" and TV show "Tamas", for which he won a National Award.
Earlier this week, a daily reported on Bhatia's ill health and dwindling financial state. The veteran is having trouble walking properly and is not able to get treated due to lack of funds.
IPRS, headed by veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar, stepped in for help after the news. It is a registered body which safeguards the rights of authors (lyricists), music composers and music publishers in the country.
"We always strive to help our music fraternity through all available means whenever needed. The moment we came to know about the ill-health of our composer friend Vanraj Bhatia, we immediately released from our funds for his aid.
"Going forward, we are looking into 

Ailing music veteran Vanraj Bhatia gets financial support from film body IPRS

PTI Automatic

Rajkummar Rao says he would always hear stories about how the film industry ran on connections and 'jugad' but they never worked in his favour when he was starting out.
The actor is glad that he found success the traditional way, with a combination of hard work and talent.
"When I was looking for work here, a lot of people told me 'jugad lagana padta hai'. You have to make contacts, do networking, go to parties. I didn't know any of that. So I could never manage that. I would meet casting directors and try and convince them to call me for auditions. That's how my journey began," Rajkummar told reporters at the trailer launch of his latest film "Made in China".
The actor believes shortcuts don't work well in the long run and especially in a creative field.
"There was no jugad in my career if there was, then I would have been finished early on (in career). In any artistic life, one can go a little ahead with 'jugad' but ultimately it is your hard work and talent that matters," he ...

Shortcuts never worked for me, says Rajkummar Rao

Filmmaker Anjan Dutt is set to  make a movie trilogy on Bengali litterateur Sarat Chandra  Chattopadhyay's masterpiece novel 'Srikanto'.
Shooting for the first movie of the series is slated  to begin January next year, Dutt told PTI.
The first movie will be set in the backdrop of the  Naxalite period in the 1970s and narrate the journey of  protagonist Srikanto's adventurous friend Indranath, he said.
'Srikanto' was a four-part novel written by  Chattopadhyay between 1917 and 1933.
"Srikanto is a political novel which can be set in the  70s Naxalite period. The novel is timeless as it has touched  upon certain issues that are relevant even today," he said.
While two Bengali movies based on the novel had hit  the screens -- 'Rajlakshmi o Srikanto' (1958) and Iti Srikanto  (2004) -- another film by director Pradipto Bhattacharya on  the novel is slated to hit the screens soon.
"I am intrigued by a character like Indranath, who  does not care about untouchability or casteism, eats beef ..

Anjan Dutt to make trilogy on Sarat Chandra's 'Srikanto'

Shyam Ramsay, one of the seven Ramsay Brothers known for cult horror films such as "Puraani Haveli" and "Tahkhaana", died in a hospital here on Wednesday, his family said. He was 67.
Shyam Ramsay died of pneumonia on Wednesday morning at a city-based hospital.
"He was hospitalised two-three days ago as he was not feeling well. He passed away in  the hospital due to pneumonia at around 5 am today," a relative told PTI.
The origins of the horror empire set up by the band of brothers can be traced back to a modest radio shop in Karachi in undivided India.
The shop's proprietor, Fatehchand U Ramsinghani, had relocated to Mumbai after the Partition and decided to get into the business of film production.
It was Ramsinghani who adopted the last name Ramsay and went on to make films such as "Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh" (1954) and "Rustom Sohrab" (1963), which featured screen icons Prithviraj Kapoor and Suraiya.
The films worked like magic on the box office and Ramsinghani pulled all seven ..

Ramsay 'Brother' Shyam Ramsay dies, film industry remembers soft-spoken director

Rajkummmar Rao, who will join Priyanka Chopra Jonas Netflix's upcoming film, says the actor is phenomenally talented and he is looking forward to work with her.
Rajkummar and Priyanka will star in an adaptation of Arvind Adiga's Man Booker Prize-winning novel "The White Tiger".
"I am very excited for this, it is a great book. I have read the book. I met Ramin
(Bahrani, director) and he is a great guy. I am really looking forward to start working on it pretty soon.
"Priyanka is phenomenally talented so I think we will have good time together," Rajkummmar told reporters here at the trailer launch of his upcoming film "Made in China".
Bahrani, who will also write the screenplay, is best known for films like "Chop Shop", "99 Homes" and "Fahrenheit 451".
The novel follows the extraordinary journey of a self-made man from tea-shop worker in a village to successful entrepreneur in a big city.

Priyanka phenomenally talented: Rajkummmar Rao on working with her

Filmmaker Todd Phillips has made it clear that there are no plans to develop a sequel to Joaquin Phoenix-starrer "Joker" as they intended it to be a standalone story.
His comments come days after he teased the possibility of the sequel, saying he is ready to do "anything Joaquin wants to do".
Now, in an interview to IGN, Phillips said, "We have no plans for a sequel. The quote was, 'I will do anything Joaquin wants to do.' And I would. But the movie's not set up to (have) a sequel. We always pitched it as one movie, and that's it."
"Joker" features Phoenix in the role of iconic DC Comics villain The Joker.
The standalone film is being touted as an origin story as well as character study of the Clown Prince of Crime.
It premiered at the festival on August 31 where it received an eight-minute-long standing ovation from the audience. It was also screened at the recently concluded Toronto International Film Festival.
The movie, which also features Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz, will ...

We have no plans for 'Joker' sequel, says Todd Phillips

"Made in China" director Mihil Musale is impressed with his lead star Rajkummar Rao's physical transformation that required the actor to put on eight kgs of weight.
"I really don't know how he did it. And that too, in such a short time span. That's  his secret and that's honestly the magic of a performer as incredible as Raj. I think he's spoiled me for life as this was my first Hindi film and I was fortunate enough to work with possibly the most collaborative artist," Mikhil said in a statement.
The director said that soon after Rajkummar came aboard the film, he started preparing for it, which included a recce of Ahmedabad, where the team was set to shoot.
"Raj and I had many conversations to solidify the space of Raghu Mehta's world. Next thing I know, I get a call from him telling me that he is in Ahmedabad. And this was a month before the shoot.
"He took a video camera and visited many busy areas of Ahmedabad from Lal Darwaja to Gandhi market to Manek Chowk and also a few places .

Rajkummar Rao put on 8 kgs for 'Made in China' role, says director

Sterling K Brown is backing another drama series.
The Emmy winner is set to produce "Everyday Insanity" with his "This Is Us" executive producer Ken Olin, reported Deadline.
Fox has given a script commitment with penalty to the one-hour drama penned by Laura Bensick.
The series draws inspiration from Bensick's life about three starkly different families who form a "created family" to support each other after their loved ones are diagnosed with mental illnesses.
Bensick is also executive producing, along with Danielle Reardon.
Twentieth Century Fox Television is co-producing with Brown's Indian Meadows and Fox Entertainment.
The development came days after Brown announced producing slavery drama "Washington Black", set at Hulu.

Sterling K Brown to produce drama 'Everyday Insanity'

Timothy Olyphant will be seen in the new season of "Fargo".
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor will star in a recurring role of Dick "Deafy" Wickware.
The details of the role are being kept under wraps.
The show marks Olyphant's return to FX, who featured on the network's "Justified".
Led by Chris Rock, the story is set in Kansas City, Missouri where two criminal syndicates have struck an uneasy peace. One Italian, one African-American.
Together they control an alternate economy that of exploitation, graft and drugs. This too is the history of America. To cement their peace, the heads of both families have traded their youngest sons.
Also part of the cast are Ben Whishawm, Uzo Aduba, Francesco Acquaroli, Gaetano Bruno, Salvatore Esposito, E'myri Crutchfield, Jeremie Harris, and Anji White.
The fourth season of the show is slated to return next year.

Timothy Olyphant joins 'Fargo'

Veteran actor Tim Matheson is joining the fourth season of hit family drama "This Is Us" in a key recurring role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Hart of Dixie" star will play Rebecca Pearson's (Mandy Moore) previously unseen father.
"This Is Us" previously introduced Rebecca's mother, Janet Malone, who shares a difficult relationship with her daughter.
Matheson has recently featured on "The Good Fight", "The Affair" and the "Child's Play" remake.
"This Is Us" season four starts airing on NBC on September 24.

Tim Matheson to star in 'This Is Us' S4

Michael B Jordan-starrer "Without Remorse", the new film series based on Tom Clancy's character John Clark, has added actor Jamie Bell to its cast.
Jordan is taking on the part of John Terrence Kelly aka Clark, who is Clancy's second most famous character after Jack Ryan.
Paramount is developing two movies for the character, with an origin story planned for an adaptation of "Without Remorse", followed up by a sequel based on "Rainbow Six".
According to Variety, Bell will portray Robert Ritter, the deputy director of operations at the CIA who was a major character in the Clancy universe and helped recruit Clark into the CIA.
Stefano Sollima, best known for helming Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro-starrer "Sicario: Day of the Soldado", is on board as the director.
He will reunite with "Sicario: Day of the Soldado" scribe Taylor Sheridan, who has penned the film's script.
Clark is an ex-Navy Seal-turned-operations officer for the CIA. He has been described by his creator as "Ryan's dark .

Jamie Bell boards Michael Jordan's 'Without Remorse'

Hollywood star Salma Hayek is excited to work with "Game of Thrones" heartthrob Kit Harington in Marvel's "The Eternals".
The veteran actor took to Instagram to share her 'fan girl' moment with Harington on Tuesday.
"I still can't believe that I'm working with #jonsnow! Kit you're the best! #theeternals #gameofthrones #kitharington," Hayek captioned the picture.
Harington was sporting a shorter crop, bidding his Jon Snow days goodbye.
The announcement of Harington, who played fan favourite Jon Snow in the HBO series, was made at the D23 Expo last month.
He joined fellow "GOT" star Richard Madden, who is also a part of the star-studded cast.
"The Eternals" also boasts of Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Barry Keoghan and Gemma Chan.
Critically-acclaimed filmmaker Chloe Zhao is attached to direct the movie from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo.
The film is slated for a November 6, 2020 release.

Can't believe I'm working with Jon Snow: Salma Hayek

Avinash Tiwari and Mrunal Thakur are set to star in Karan Johar's chapter of Netflix's upcoming anthology "Ghost Stories".
Avinash, best known for "Laila Majnu", and Mrunal of "Love, Sonia" fame, will play the leads in the short film that revolves around the horror and supernatural genre, a press release said.
The anthology marks Karan's foray into the horror genre.
After the success of "Lust Stories", Karan and fellow filmmakers Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Anurag Kashyap are reuniting to tell spine-chilling tales through "Ghost Stories".

Karan Johar to direct Avinash Tiwary, Mrunal Thakur in 'Ghost Stories'

Shyam Ramsay, one of the seven Ramsay Brothers known for cult horror films such as Puraani Haveli" and "Tahkhaana", died in a hospital here on Wednesday, his family said. He was 67.
Shyam Ramsay died of pneumonia on Wednesday morning at a city-based hospital.
"He was hospitalised today morning as he was not feeling well so family members got him hospitalised. He passed away in hospital due to pneumonia," a relative told PTI.
He is survived by two daughters Sasha and Namrata.
Shyam Ramsay was one of the seven Ramsay Brothers, who for the longest time ruled the horror genre in Indian cinema with low-budget movies in the 1970s and 1980s. The films were widely popular for their unique mix of horror and erotica.
Shyam Ramsay was considered the brain behind the group.
He directed films such as "Darwaza", "Purana Mandir", "Veerana" and "The Zee Horror Show".

Ramsay 'Brother' Shyam Ramsay dies in Mumbai hospital

Bill Skarsgard says he has had discussions with "It: Chapter 2" director Andy Muschietti about a potential third part in the horror blockbuster series.
The actor, who plays Pennywise the Clown in the screen adaptation of Stephen King's novel, said the threequel would be different.
"Chapter 2", which follows the last half of the book as the characters return to their hometown after 27 years as adults and face Pennywise once again, fully utilised the source material.
"Andy and I have discussed ideas for what a third movie would look like. I don't think it's quite what people expect. It's something different.
"The first two stories are the book, and the second film is the end of that story. So we would do something quite literally off book. There are a few ideas floating around," Skarsgard told web portal Arrow in the Head.
The actor said as he has done what he could with the "incarnation" of Pennywise as the character is known, it would be a "cool idea" to change a few things.
"So, ...

Bill Skarsgard says there are 'few ideas' floating around for 'It: Chapter 3'

Matt Jones is returning for the movie adaptation of hit drama series "Breaking Bad".
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor, who played Jesse Pinkman's (Aaron Paul) friend and drug-dealing and -using partner Badger in the show, will also appear in "El Camino".
Jones was last seen in the AMC series finale as he and Skinny Pete posed as unseen hitmen to help ensure Walter' (Bryan Cranston) former business partners set up a trust for the latter's children.
Described as an "Netflix television event", the movie is based around Paul's Jesse.
"In the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity, Jesse must come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future," the brief plotline of the film read.
The film will release on Netflix on October 11 and later air on AMC.
Vince Gilligan, the creator of the original show, has written and directed the film.

Matt Jones to reprise series role in 'Breaking Bad' film

Actor-writer Issa Rae is working on a re-imagining of hit crime thriller "Set It Off".
The "Insecure" star and co-creator will produce and is planning to feature in the project, reported Variety.
Syreeta Singleton and Nina Gloster are attached to write the script.
Starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox and Kimberly Elise, the 1996 film centred on four friends who pull off a series of successful robberies in Los Angeles, courtesy a rogue insider.
The original was a blockbuster and propelled the careers of all four leads, including its director F Gary Gray.

Issa Rae developing modern take on crime thriller 'Set It Off'

Hollywood veteran Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised fans that the upcoming "Terminator: Dark Fate" will return the franchise to its original glory.
The much-awaited film, directed by Tim Miller, is a direct sequel to James Cameron's 1991 "Terminator: Judgement Day" and will retcon the events of the last three films in the franchise.
The veteran actor is reprising his role as the T-800 and will see him reunite with Linda Hamilton, who originally starred in the first two films of the series.
"I haven't seen action and emotion like this since the second movie. It feels new again," Schwarzenegger told Total Film Magazine.
Miller said the new film has two-movie worth material packed in it.
"We could easily make two movies out of this, the amount of story that we're packing in.
"Jim (Cameron) kind of invented the fourth act structure where you reach a point where you think the movie is over, and then it goes on further," the director said.
Hamilton said the film is a "worthy" follow-up to .

'Dark Fate' will renew 'Terminator' series, says Arnold Schwarzenegger

Reality TV personality Kourtney Kardashian has revealed there have been times when she wanted to leave "Keeping Up With The Kardashians".
The 40-year-old addressed the rumours that she might be quitting the family's hit reality series on talk show "The Real".
"So, every day is different," Kourtney replied.
When co-host Jeannie Mai asked her, "Oh, so you actually considered it?" she replied in the affirmative.
"But at the current moment I'm happy and very into my blessings and feeling very good. But I definitely have my moments where, 'cause I mean, life is short," Kourtney answered.
The 17th season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians", which focuses on the personal and professional lives of the KardashianJenner family, premiered on September 8.

Kourtney Kardashian has considered leaving 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'

Moti Bagh, a documentary film based on the struggle of a farmer in a remote Himalayan village, has been nominated for the Oscars, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said on Tuesday.
The chief minister congratulated the director, Nirmal Chander Dandriyal, and said the film is based on the life of Vidyadutt, a farmer living in the state's Pauri Garhwal region.
The film, Rawat said, will inspire youths to stay in their villages and work for their communities. "It will help stop migrations from remote areas," he said.
The chief minister appealed to young farmers to play a role in preventing migration and said they should take advantage of schemes launched by the state government.

Documentary film based on life of Uttarakhand farmer nominated for Oscars

Veteran singer Kumar Sanu said  he is ready to sing a duet with social media sensation Ranu  Mandal if he gets a proper offer.
Ranu has been catapulted to fame after a video of her  singing a Lata Mangeshkar track in a railway station of West  Bengal had gone viral last month. She has already recorded a  duet with Himesh Reshmiya.
"We are happy if a new singer comes. If she (Ranu)  does a good job, she will be recognised. I will definitely  sing with her if there is a proper offer," Sanu told PTI at  the launch of his Durga Pujo album on Monday.
The 61-year-old singer said he has heard that Ranu has  sung a duet with Himesh but did not have the chance to hear  the song.
"Let's wait to see how she (Ranu) performs in the  coming days," said the singer of evergreen hits like 'Tujhe  Dekha To' and 'Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Pagal Hai'.
In the time of technology, he said, non-singers have  become performers along with those who can sing really well.
"The change in technology has transformed the ..

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