Actor Scott Haze has been roped  in to star in "Venom", which features Tom Hardy in the title  role.
The actor is joining Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams and  Jenny Slate in the film to be directed by Ruben Fleischer,  according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Character details for Haze are being kept under wraps.
The film is being produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and  Amy Pascal.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" scribe Kelly Marcel is also on  board to co-write the project with Scott Rosenberg and Jeff  Pinkner.
"Venom" opens in theatres on October 5 next year.

Scott Haze in talks to join Tom Hardy in 'Venom'

PTI Automatic

Actor Rose McGowan has pulled out of  a public appearance after accusing media mogul Harvey  Weinstein of rape.
The 44-year-old actor had revealed that she was raped by  the producer in a series of tweets directed at Amazon founder  Jeff Bezos and alleged that she was ignored, reported  FemaleFirst.
McGowan will not attend the Tallgrass Film Festival,  where she would have been recognised with an Ad Astra Award  for her directorial debut, "Dawn".
"We are sorry to announce that we've just been informed  that Rose McGowan has cancelled all upcoming public  appearances due to compounding factors surrounding recent  revelations in the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment case.
"While we're disappointed that Rose cannot be here with  us in person, we understand that her well being is the  priority. We support her and our thoughts are with her," read  the statement from the organisers.
The festival will now hold a panel discussion,  "#WokeWomen: A Candid Conversation with Tallgrass' Female  ..

Rose McGowan cancels a public appearance

Press Trust of India

Director Quentin Tarantino has  said he knew about Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual  harassment towards a number of women.
The 54-year-old filmmaker said he regrets about not doing  enough to prevent the sexual misconduct that the females in  the industry had to suffer at the hands of the disgraced media  mogul.
"I knew enough to do more than I did. There was more to  it than just the normal rumours, the normal gossip. It wasn't  secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things. I wish I  had taken responsibility for what I heard. If I had done the  work I should have done then, I would have had to not work  with him.
"What I did was marginalise the incidents. Anything I say  now will sound like a crappy excuse," Tarantino told New York  Times in an interview.
The director has been Weinstein's frequent collaborator  on films such as "Reservoir Dogs", "Pulp Fiction", the "Kill  Bill" films, "Inglourious Basterds" and "The Hateful Eight".
Tarantino recalled when he was dating actor ..

I knew enough to do more than I did: Tarantino on Weinstein

Singer Tom Jones has said that it is  not just Hollywood that is reeling under the allegations of  sexual harassment post Harvey Weinstein controversy, but the  music industry is also not free from the clutches of the  malaise.
The 77-year-old singer said both men and women have been  subjected to abuse on the music scene too, reported  FemaleFirst.
"Things have always happened in the music industry as  well. There's been people complaining about publicists and  different things they've been expected to do to get a record  contract, just like a film contract.
"There were a few things like that. But you avoid it. You  just walk out... But what's tried on women is tried on men as  well," Jones said in an appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live.
The "Sex Bomb" also alluded to being sexually abused  during his career.
"It wasn't bad, just somebody tried to pull... It was a  question and I said, 'No thank you.' You think, 'Well, I've  got to get away from this person and it can't be like ...

Tom Jones speaks up about sexual abuse in music industry

Taylor Swift dropped her new  song "Gorgeous" much to the surprise of her fans.
The 27-year-old singer took to Instagram where she teased  the new track with a three posts - one featuring the song's  introduction, a baby voice saying "gorgeous" over an electro-  pop sound bed.
The other messages were direct that said the new song was  "available everywhere" and "midnight tonight eastern" hinting  the time from when it will be available to her fans and  followers.
"Gorgeous" is the third song from Swift's upcoming album,  "Reputation", after "Look What You Made Me Do" and "Raedy For  It?"
Her sixth studio LP releases November 10.

Taylor Swift teases new song 'Gorgeous'

Shia LaBeaouf has been ordered  to undertake anger management classes after the actor was  pulled up for allegedly being drunk and disorderly in public.
The 31-year-old actor was arrested in July after he  misbehaved and hurled profanities when he was refused a  cigarette by someone he approached.
According to TMZ, LaBeouf entered the Savannah, GA  courtroom and addressed the judge.
The "Nymphomaniac" actor pled guilty to obstruction and  no contest to disorderly conduct. His public drunkenness  charge was dismissed.
LaBeouf was sentenced to anger management and one year  probation. He also has to undergo alcohol evaluation and pay  USD 2,680 as a fine.

Shia LaBeouf sentenced to anger management classes

Los Angeles police say they are  investigating a possible sexual assault case against Harvey  Weinstein, the first involving the producer in the city.
Police spokesman Sal Ramirez says the department has  interviewed a possible sexual assault victim who reported an  incident that occurred in 2013.
He says the investigation is ongoing and he could not  answer any questions about when the interview or incident took  place.
Police in New York and London are also investigating the  fallen movie mogul over allegations of sex abuse in those  cities.
"Mr. Weinstein obviously can't speak to anonymous  allegations, but he unequivocally denies allegations of non-  consensual sex," his representative Sallie Hofmeister wrote in  a statement.
Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment or abuse  by more than three dozen women, including several top  actresses including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
Several of the incidents allegedly happened at hotels in  Beverly Hills, which does not ...

Los Angeles police open Weinstein sex assault investigation

On the occasion of Diwali, the  festival of lights, the makers of Shahid Kapoor starrer "Batti  Gul Meter Chalu" today launched the teaser of the movie that  addresses the issue of electricity bills.
Drawing parallels with the subject that addresses the  issue of power bills, the title and the 30 second teaser  was shared with the fans.
Shahid made the announcement of the title of the film on  Twitter with the caption - "Let's celebrate the festival of  light with the wish that soon electricity will be a right and  not a privilege for all."
T-Series and KriArj Entertainment have teamed up again  for director Shree Narayan Singh's next film "Batti Gul Meter  Chalu", a light-hearted social drama.
"We hope to make a memorable film that reaches a wide  spectrum of audiences across the country. I also look forward  to working with Shahid Kapoor who will do complete justice to  the role," Singh, of "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" helmer, said in a  statement here.
"Batti Gul Meter Chalu" which is ..

Shahid's next film titled 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu'

'Padmavati' is a film that  celebrates India's culture and every Indian should be proud of  it, actor Shahid Kapoor said, as he urged people to see the  film before judging.
Shahid asserted that the film will be releasing on  December 1, despite threats from the Rajput Karni Sena to  "burn cinema halls" which screen the movie, if the makers  do not show them the film before its release.
"We are ready to release (the movie) on December 1. It's  a film that every Indian is proud of as it's a film that  celebrates India, our culture, what we stand for and shows  everybody in the most amazing light... They should see the  film to decide," Shahid told reporters here at the sidelines  of the annual Mumbai film festival.
"The right thing to do at this point is to let the right  authorities to deal with it. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and  everybody at the helm of affairs need us to not comment on it  because we need to contain the situation," Shahid said.
Expressing disappointment at a rangoli ...

Every Indian will be proud of 'Padmavati': Shahid

Danielle Darrieux, one of France's  most enduring and glamourous film stars despite her wartime  collaboration with the Germans, has died aged 100 at her home  near Paris, her partner said today.
She became unwell "recently after a little fall", Jacques  Jenvrin told AFP.
With her smouldering good looks and sulky pout, Darrieux  became a huge international star in the 1930s, playing  opposite Douglas Fairbanks Jr in the Hollywood romance "The  Rage of Paris" in 1938.
But her decision to keep working after the Nazis occupied  France, and to star in movies made by the studio set up by  their propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, saw her branded as a  collaborationist.
However, Darrieux later said that she was forced to take  part in a notorious publicity tour to Berlin in 1942 so she  could free her husband, the playboy and diplomat Porfirio  Rubirosa, who had been interned by the Nazis as a spy.
She left the German-backed studio after he was freed and  went into hiding under a false ...

French film legend Danielle Darrieux dies aged 100

Responding to the #MeToo campaign  on sexual harassment and assault started by Hollywood actor  Alyssa Milano, Bollywood actresses Konkana Sen Sharma and  Radhika Apte have come out in support of it.
Since the movement kicked off, after mass sexual assault  charges cropped up against Hollywood film producer Harvey  Weinstein, several women have started to speak about their  experiences on social media using - hashtag MeToo.
"What is nice about it is if it makes people understand  the magnitude of the problem it's good, if it helps other  people to speak up about it then that's wonderful. There  are nice things that you can achieve from this as well.
"It shows solidarity. But we have to think about  deeper ways about how to solve the problem," Konkana told  reporters on the sidelines of the Jio MAMI festival here last  night here.
Radhika, who was also present at the event, supported it,  saying, "I haven't done it (written on social media about  #MeToo) but I read about it. I do ...

Konkana, Radhika Apte support #MeToo campaign

Bollywood celebrities, including  legends Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar and Dilip Kumar,  today sent out their good wishes to fans around the globe by  wishing them a 'happy and safe' Diwali.
"Diwali greetings begin in huge abundance ... and we work  ... just so all the family can breathe peacefully," Bachchan,  75, posted on Twitter.
Dilip Kumar, along with a picture with wife Saira  Banu, tweeted, "May this beautiful festival of Diwali fill  your lives with joy, happiness, prosperity and peace. God  bless."
Mangeshkar also took to Twitter and wrote, "Namaskar.  Aap sab ko Deepavali ki hardik shubhkaamanayein."
Urging fans to light "at least one diya" for the Army,  actor Akshay Kumar wrote, "We are, because they are."
Emraan Hashmi asked fans to have an "eco-friendly" Diwali  and wrote, "Hoping that the dazzling lights of Diwali bring  you peace, prosperity and good health. Have an eco-friendly  and noise free Diwali guys."
"Happy Diwali beautiful people. You are beautiful ...

B-town celebs wishes Happy Diwali

Shahid Kapoor's next film -- 'Batti  Gul Meter Chalu' -- is about escalating electricity bills and  has a social message, its director said.
The film's teaser was released today on Diwali.
"The subject of the film is very relevant to our times.  Diwali makes it just the right occasion for us to bring light  on a subject that needs to be discussed.
"We look forward to making a film that is both  commercially entertaining and encourages a social  conversation," Director Shree Narayan Singh said in a  statement here.
'Batti Gul Meter Chalu' is a light-hearted social drama,  and since it is based on the issue of astronomical electricity  bills that citizens face, the makers thought it was ideal to  launch the title and teaser on the festival of lights, a press  release issued here said.
"Let's celebrate the festival of light with the hope that  soon electricity will be a right and not a privilege for all,"  Shahid tweeted, along with a video revealing the title.
The film is produced by ...

Shahid's next film on high power bills: Director

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das'  'Village Rockstars' dominated the Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film  Festival, bagging three awards here tonight.
The movie chronicles the story of a girl, Dhunu, who has  grown up in deprivation. She learns to fend for herself in the  hostile surroundings while nurturing her dream to own a guitar  someday.
The film was screened in the 'India Gold' section of the  festival here and bagged the top prize, the Golden Gateway  award.
'Village Rockstars' also took home two other honours --  Oxfam Best Film for Gender Equality award and Young Critics  Choice award.
Receiving the top honour, an emotional Das said the  people thought she had gone "mad" while making the film but  will now have a "very happy Dilwali".
"I will be grateful to MAMI and jury for the award.  Specially to my children. They believed in me for four years,  never questioned me. Most of the people thought I was mad,  spoiling the children. But my family believed in me. I  struggled for eight years, .

'Village Rockstars' steals the show at MAMI 2017, bags 3

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das'  'Village Rockstar' dominated the Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film  Festival, bagging three awards here tonight.
The movie chronicles the story of a girl, Dhunu, who has  grown up in deprivation. She learns to fend for herself in the  hostile surroundings while nurturing her dream to own a guitar  someday.
The film was screened in the 'India Gold' section of the  festival here and bagged the top prize, the Golden Gateway  award.
'Village Rockstar' also took home two other honours --  Oxfam Best Film for Gender Equality award and Young Critics  Choice award.
Receiving the top honour, an emotional Das said the  people thought she had gone "mad" while making the film but  will now have a "very happy Dilwali".
"I will be grateful to MAMI and jury for the award.  Specially to my children. They believed in me for four years,  never questioned me. Most of the people thought I was mad,  spoiling the children. But my family believed in me. I  struggled for eight years, ...

'Village Rockstar' steals the show at MAMI 2017, bags 3 awards

FTII chairman and actor Anupam Kher  today said that he will take out time from his acting schedule  to fulfill his new responsibility.
Kher was last week appointed chief of the Pune-based Film  & Television Institute of India (FTII), an autonomous body  under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
"A busy man has time for everything. I understand the  sense of responsibility. It is not that I am an actor who is  retired and is now doing a job.
"I am a very happening actor. I will take out time. I  will bring the whole experience of being a stage actor,  theatre actor, teacher on board for FTII," Kher told reporters  when asked how he would manage his acting career and his new  role.
The 62-year-old veteran was speaking on the sidelines of  the Jio MAMI festival's closing ceremony here.
"With power comes great responsibility. It is an  important job, it is an important responsibility and I am  happy about it," said Kher, according to whom the best gift  this Diwali ...

Will take out time from acting schedule to fulfill

Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani  says he has wanted to work with Shah Rukh Khan for a long  time, though no project is in the pipeline as of now.
"For a long time we have been waiting to work with him.  Every time we meet we talk about working together. At the  moment there is nothing. But hopefully I would write a  script," he told PTI on the sidelines of the Jio MAMI  festival here.
There were reports that Hirani will be teaming up with  Shah Rukh soon.
"Kiran Rao, Anupama Chopra are involved with MAMI and  for the last three years they are doing it, it is good. They  know mainstream people and they have managed to get them for  MAMI. It is a city where films are made, it is interesting to  have a festival here," he said.
"There is a good selection of films, there are some great  films screened here and not average. They are exploring world  cinema. They are doing fantastic work," he said.

I am waiting to work with Shah Rukh, says Rajkumar Hirani

Rock poet and Tragically Hip  frontman Gord Downie, whose evocative lyrics helped define  Canada, has died at age 53.
Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer after  suffering a seizure during a walk in his hometown of Kingston,  Ontario in December 2015.
According to a statement from his bandmates, he passed  away yesterday evening surrounded by his family.
"Gord knew this day was coming - his response was to  spend this precious time as he always had - making music,  making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family  and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a  kiss... on the lips," said the statement.
"He loved this country with everything he had... He loved  every hidden corner, every aspect of this country," an  emotional Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, tears streaming  down his face.
"He wanted to make it better. He wanted us to be better  than we were," Trudeau said of the man he called a friend. "We  are less a country without Gord Downie in 

Canada's Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie dies at 53

Raising questions of freedom of  expression, Deepika Padukone today said she was heartbroken by  the attack on a rangoli inspired by her upcoming film  "Padmavati" and drew Union minister Smriti Irani's attention  to the incident.
The rangoli in a Surat mall was vandalised earlier this  week. It had taken rangoli artist Karan 48 hours to make it.
"A crowd of 100 people cried JAY SRI RAM AND rubbed out  my 48hrs' intense work! Shocked," Karan had tweeted after the  incident.
Deepika, 31, appealed to the Union information and  broadcasting minister to look into the matter.
"Absolutely heart breaking to see the recent attack on  artist Karan and his artwork! Disgusting and appalling to say  the least!" she posted along with a photograph of the rangoli.
The actor, who plays the titular role in Sanjay Leela  Bhansali's magnum opus, said such attacks muzzled the  freedom of expression.
"Who are these people? Who is responsible for their  actions? For how long are we going to let this go on? 

'Padmavati' rangoli vandalised, Deepika asks for action

Hansal Mehta's intense drama of a  dreaded terrorist in "Omerta" received thundering applause as  it closed the Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film Festival, here today.
The film chronicles the life of British-born terrorist  Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was freed in the exchange for  passengers of a hijacked Indian Airlines plane in 1999 and was  later accused of killing journalist Daniel Pearl.
Actor Rajkummar Rao plays the titular role in the  drama-thriller.
Mehta previously featured Omar in his 2013 "Shahid", in a  brief scene where he tries to recruit lawyer Shahid Azmi in  his plan while in Tihar jail. Interestingly, Rajkummar played  the role of Shahid in that film.
"'Shahid' incidentally released today five years ago.  Shahid also started his life like Omar. Both of them were in  Tihar jail and one of them chose a different path," Mehta  said.
"The guy who was more privileged became this monster,  whereas Shahid chose humanity. The irony is, Shahid is dead,  he was killed, but Omar is alive. 

Hansal Mehta's 'Omerta' receives applause at film festival

Two of the most successful films  in Arshad Warsi's career, "Golmaal" and "Munna Bhai" series,  came to him at the same time and he was initially in a spot  over choosing the Rohit Shetty-directed movie.
"Golmaal" series, directed by Rohit, had Ajay Devgan,  Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor in all the four installments.
Arshad said when Rohit first approached him for the first  part, it was not an immediate yes primarily due to date  issues.
"It was not an immediate yes, it was bit of a struggle. I  was shooting for 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' so I was like I can't  do it. But later the dates of 'Lage Raho...' got shifted so I  was free. I liked the story 'Golmaal' and I did it.
"Another reason for me to say yes to 'Golmaal' was that I  found Rohit very competent and I had a lot of faith in Ajay's  judgement," Arshad told PTI.
According to Arshad, the makers have discussed the  possibility of the fifth part if the latest film does well.
The 49-year-old actor, who has often been a part of two  ..

Page 959 -