Singer Taylor Swift is  releasing her own social media application.
Named 'The Swift Life', the app will connect the star  with her fans.
The announcement was made via a "first look" video posted  to the "Bad Blood" hitmaker's YouTube account, in which she  speaks to a camera to tell her fans she has "something pretty  awesome" to share.
She added: "I think you guys are really going to like  this. I mean - I hope. It would be preferable if you did."
According to the video, the app will be available to  download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store later  this year. It is still unknown whether it will be free to  download.
The video's description read: "A creative, inclusive and  community-driven place for users to better connect with each  other... and Taylor! Coming late 2017.

Taylor Swift to release social media app

PTI Automatic

The Academy of Motion Picture  Arts and Sciences said its Board Of Governors will discuss  "any actions warranted" against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The Academy issued a statement addressing the multiple  allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein, news of  which broke in an New York Times expose and was compounded by  a New Yorker investigation, reported Deadline.
"The Academy finds the conduct described in the  allegations against Harvey Weinstein to be repugnant,  abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the  Academy and the creative community it represents.
"The Board of Governors will be holding a special meeting  on October 14, to discuss the allegations against Weinstein  and any actions warranted by the Academy,"  the statement  read.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts also  suspended Weinstein's membership, saying the organisation  "considers the reported alleged behaviour completely  unacceptable and incompatible with BAFTA's ...

Weinstein accusations repugnant, board to take action: Academy

Actor Vaani Kapoor has been roped in  to star opposite Hrithik Roshan in Yash Raj Films' upcoming  action entertainer.
Directed by Siddharth Anand, the movie also features  Tiger Shroff.
"While the film is primarily Hrithik vs Tiger, there is  only one girl in the movie who is opposite Hrithik. I was  looking for young and fresh energy in the casting and I have  found that in Vaani Kapoor.
"I have loved Vaani as an actor in both her films and  after meeting her I was fully convinced that she is the best  girl for my film," Siddharth said in a statement.
The yet untitled project will release on January 25,  2019.
Vaani was last seen in "Befikre", directed by Aditya  Chopra.

Vaani Kapoor to romance Hrithik in YRF's action entertainer

Press Trust of India

Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer  "Brahmastra" will be a trilogy and the first part of the  series will release on August 15, 2019.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the fantasy adventure series is  produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.
Also featuring megastar Amitabh Bachchan, the movie will  see Ranbir playing a character with special powers.
In a recent interview, Ayan told PTI, that his good  friend and frequent collaborator Ranbir will undergo training  in horse-riding and gymnastics for the film.
"There is lot of action, so there is lot of training,  like gymnastics kind of training, horse-riding, fighting and  lot of physical stuff that Ranbir will have to do. And then  there is internal work, like to get the spirit of the  character right.
"Ranbir has to observe the flavour of the film and  communicate it with the audience. We are trying to imagine  things, this (fantasy) world, and work accordingly," Ayan had  said.
The team will start the shooting sometime early next  year.

Ranbir-Alia's Brahmastra a trilogy, part I to release in 2019

British Academy of Film and  Television Arts has suspended Harvey Weinstein's membership,  effective immediately.
In a statement released on the BAFTA website, the group  declared that the extensive sexual harassment allegations  levied against Weinstein were unacceptable and they have  decided to terminate the producer's membership.
"In light of recent very serious allegations, BAFTA has  informed Harvey Weinstein that his membership has been  suspended, effective immediately
"Whilst BAFTA has previously been a beneficiary of Mr  Weinstein's support for its charitable work, it considers the  reported alleged behaviour completely unacceptable and  incompatible with BAFTA's values. This has led to Mr  Weinstein's suspension, and it will be followed by a formal  process as laid out in BAFTA's constitution," the statement  read.
The New York Times last week published a story citing  multiple sexual harassment accusations. It was followed by an  explosive report by the New Yorker in which 

BAFTA suspends Harvey Weinstein

Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra  thanked her mother Madhu Chopra for raising her to believe in  herself and urged people to do their best to "inculcate sense  of confidence" in girls.
The 35-year-old actor took to Instagram where she posted  a sweet picture of her with her mom and captioned it with a  touching and motivational message.
"As cliched as it may sound, my mother is my #GirlHero.  She is a feisty woman that came from a small town, who ran  away from home to pursue her dream job. She was a doctor in  the armed forces, has over eight different medical  certifications, is a certified pilot and she speaks nine  languages!
"... She's also an amazing mother, daughter, sister,  wife, business partner. She's the one who taught me that I  could be anything and everything I want to be. And that's why  she's my #GirlHero. It's so important to inculcate that sense  of confidence in the girls around you..." Priyanka wrote as  she celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child.
The ...

Important to inculcate sense of confidence in girls: Priyanka

Hollywood star Ben Affleck has  apologised for an incident in 2003 in which he "acted  inappropriately" towards actress Hilarie Burton.
Burton claimed Affleck, 45, groped her when she was a  host of MTV's TRL in 2003.
"I acted inappropriately toward Ms Burton and I sincerely  apologise," Affleck tweeted.
The incident on TRL resurfaced after Affleck condemned  the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein  saying he was "saddened and angered" by claims of alleged  sexual harassment and assault made against the movie mogul by  some of the biggest celebrities in Hollywood.
After a fan suggested that Affleck should have "kept  quiet," another Twitter user wrote, "He also grabbed Hilarie  Burton's breasts on TRL once. Everyone forgot though."
The 35-year-old actress soon responded about the alleged  2003 incident, "I didn't forget."
The "One Tree Hill alum" then shared a clip of TRL  outtakes in which she says, "He comes over and tweaks my left  b**b," apparently speaking ...

Affleck apologises to Burton for acting 'inappropriately'

Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey's next  directorial venture "Aiyaary" will hit the theatres on  February 9, 2018.
Featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee in the  lead roles, the movie is based on true incidents.
The last schedule of the film was recently completed in  Cairo.
A mentor-protege story, the film is set in Delhi, London,  and Kashmir. It revolves around two strong-minded army  officers having completely different views.
"Aiyaary" is produced by Shital Bhatia, Dhaval Jayantilal  Gada and Motion Picture Capital.

Neeraj Pandey's 'Aiyaary' to release in February next year

The Cannes film festival's senior  executives today said sexual assault allegations against  disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein merit "only the  clearest and most unequivocal condemnation", as more women  continue to come forward with accusations.
"We have been dismayed to learn of the accusations of  harassment and sexual violence recently levelled against  Harvey Weinstein," wrote the festival's president Pierre  Lescure and director Thierry Fremaux.
"These actions point to a pattern of behaviour that  merits only the clearest and most unequivocal condemnation,"  the leaders of the world's most prestigious film festival said  in the statement posted on the festival's website.
"Our thoughts go out to the victims, to those who have  had the courage to testify and to all the others. May this  case help us once again to denounce all such serious and  unacceptable practices."
Yesterday, model and actress Cara Delevingne joined a  slew of other well-known women to accuse ...

Cannes film festival condemns Weinstein sex assault

The sexual assault accusations  against Harvey Weinstein have seeped into America's partisan  politics, with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton accused of  waiting too long to disavow their friend and party donor.
The politicization of the scandal came as the Hollywood  producer faced claims he raped an Italian film star and at  least two more women, a new angle to allegations that have  rocked Hollywood and sent tremors through the Democratic  Party.
Weinstein denies all charges, according to a statement  from his spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister circulated among US  media.
Today, Hofmeister offered "no comment" when asked about  TMZ reports that Weinstein was heading to Europe to enter a  rehabilitation facility.
His wife, British fashion designer Georgina Chapman, told  celebrity magazine People she was leaving Weinstein, with whom  she has two children.
The list of the Oscar-winner's harassment victims also  reportedly now includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie,  Rosanna Arquette and 

Weinstein scandal envenoms US political feuds

Gajendra Chauhan, who will hand  over the baton of Film and Television Institute of India chief  to Anupam Kher, today said he played a 20/20 match during his  stint at the Pune-based organisation but wished the government  gave him more time to complete the work he started.
Since his appointment as FTII chairman in June 2015,  Chauhan's tenure has been marked by controversies. Soon after  he was appointed, the students went on a 139-day strike  protesting against what they perceived was a politically-  motivated decision.
He assumed office only in January 2016.
"I have conveyed my best wishes to Anupam ji. I just wish  the government had given me more time to finish the work that  I started. I just had one year and two months to do that," he  told PTI.
"The FTII is facing basic problems and needs a good  administrator. I am sure Anupam ji will work towards resolving  these problems," Chauhan added.
The actor, best known for his portrayal of Yudhishthir in  "Mahabharat", said the ...

Wish I had more time to finish my work at FTII: Chauhan

Britain's film academy says it has  suspended producer Harvey Weinstein over the multiple  accusations of harassment and sexual assault against him that  recently became public.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts said  today that Weinstein was informed "that his membership has  been suspended, effective immediately."
The organisation says Weinstein had supported its  charitable work, but called his alleged behaviour "completely  unacceptable and incompatible with BAFTA's values."
The British academy has about 7,500 members who work in  film, television and games. It offers training and support for  people in the industry and organises annual movie, TV and  games awards.
One of Hollywood's most powerful producers, Weinstein has  been fired by the company he co-founded after multiple women  accused him of sexual harassment and assault. He denies non-  consensual activity.

UK film academy suspends Weinstein over sex allegations

Superstar Aamir Khan today  acknowledged the gender pay gap in Bollywood, saying the  difference in the paycheck results from the patriarchal  mindset of society, which does not see women as heroes.
The 52-year-old actor, who has been the star of some of  the biggest money-spinners in Bollywood, said he "strongly  believes" in equality but the change will happen only if there  is a paradigm shift in society's attitude.
"Unfortunately, what has happened that most of our stars  are male. The people who draw crowd are male and it is a  result of the patriarchal influence on our society."
The actor said the children are conditioned to look at  men as heroes from a young age.
"We don't see women as heroes. We start planting these  thoughts in our heads since childhood. There has to be a  paradigm shift in that. I am someone who strongly believes in  equality whether you are man or a woman. But ultimately in the  economics of cinema anyone who pulls people in will be paid  higher. There is .

We are trained to see men as heroes: Aamir on pay gap in films

Matt Damon has denied that he  helped kill a 2004 New York Times expose on Harvey Weinstein's  alleged history of sexual abuse.
Weinstein's downfall has been swift since the New York  Times article exposed decades of alleged sexual abuse by  Weinstein.
The Wrap founder Sharon Waxman recently accused the New  York Times of backing down from a similar story in 2004 due to  intense pressure from high-profile people such as Damon and  Russell Crowe.
Waxman said her piece revolved around an executive at the  Italian branch of Miramax who had supposedly been paid just to  facilitate Weinstein's alleged sexual misconduct.
NYT has already issued a rebuttal to Waxman's account and  now Damon too has spoken out.
Damon, in an interview to Deadline, said Weinstein had  asked him to call Waxman to vouch for Fabrizio Lombardo, who  ran Miramax's Italian office, the distribution company for  Weinstein, and Damon agreed to call the reporter.
The actor said he had no knowledge about the subject of  ...

Matt Damon denies trying to kill a 2004 Weinstein story

The European Union Youth Orchestra  (EUYO) today announced it is to leave London and set up  headquarters in Italy following Britain's Brexit vote.
"Following more than 40 years in London, the new  arrangements signal a bold, imaginative and sustainable future  for the EUYO," chief executive Marshall Marcus said in a  statement.
"It makes absolutely no sense for the office not to be in  the EU," he told the Guardian.
"You can't ask for EU funding and then not be in the EU.  The heart of your operation cannot stay in London."
Following an offer from the Italian culture ministry, the  respected orchestra, which draws from European Union member  states, will be based in Ferrara and Rome from next year.
Orchestra co-chairs John Tusa and Ian Stoutzker called it  a "good day" for European musical cooperation.
"We are grateful to all parties for their vote of  confidence in the European Union Youth Orchestra," they said  in a statement.
The orchestra was established in 1976 and has about 120 

EU youth orchestra makes Brexit move from UK to Italy

A Syrian filmmaker close to the  opposition who made a film about a notorious regime prison has  been stabbed by an unknown assailant in Istanbul, supporters  and Syrian groups said today.
Muhammad Bayazid was stabbed yesterday while on his way  to a meeting, according to an account posted on the  filmmaker's official Facebook page by a friend who witnessed  the attack.
His wife Samah Safi Bayazid, who is also a filmmaker,  confirmed the attack, describing it on her Facebook page as an  "assassination attempt". He was taken to hospital but his  condition was not immediately clear.
Ahmad Ramadan, an official with the Syrian opposition in  Istanbul, said Bayazid had produced a film about torture in a  notorious Syrian prison.
He also described the attack as an "assassination  attempt".
Syrian opposition activists and journalists based in  Turkey have repeatedly complained of threats to their  security.
A veteran Syrian opposition activist and her journalist  daughter were found stabbed .

Syrian opposition filmmaker 'stabbed in Istanbul': supporters

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur will serve  as the head juror for the Singapore International Film  Festival's (SGIFF) Asian Feature Film Jury, it was announced  today.
The director will be joined by Hong Kong Second Wave  filmmaker Clara Law, Iranian-American screenwriter-director  Ana Lily Amirpour and Mark Peranson, the head of programming  at the Locarno Film Festival, on the judging panel of the 28th  edition of the festival.
Besides his jury duties, Kapur will also conduct a  masterclass, where he will share his experience in films with  the audiences.
The talent will be recognised at the Silver Screen  Awards, which will be held on December 2.
Kapur first gained global recognition with his film  "Bandit Queen", which received critical acclaim after its  premiere at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.
The filmmaker then went on to direct Australian star Cate  Blanchett in two award-winning biopics on Queen Elizabeth in  "Elizabeth" (1998) and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (2007, and  walked ...

Shekhar Kapur to head jury for Asian Feature Film competition

Veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Saira  Banu have thanked their friends and fans for their love and  prayers as they celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary  today.
Saira, 73, thanked millions of followers, through the  official Twitter account of Kumar, 94, for their constant  support and best wishes.
"Message from Saira Banu; On our 51st Anniversary we want  to thank our friends n families n millions of fans for their  prayers and love," the tweet read.
She also shared a picture with her husband on the  microblogging site.
The couple tied the knot in 1966.

Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu thank fans on 51st wedding anniversary

Hillary Clinton has said she was  "shocked and appalled" by the revelations about disgraced  movie titan Harvey Weinstein, while former President Barack  Obama said he and his wife, Michelle, were "disgusted."
Weinstein faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse and  harassment from some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Weinstein has been a major Democratic Party donor as he  and his family has given more than USD 1.4 million in  political contributions since the 1992 election cycle.
The explosive report by The New York Times last week and  subsequent stories have forced congressional Democrats to give  thousands of dollars in donations they received from Weinstein  to charities.
The pressure was also on Clinton, the 2016 Democratic  presidential nominee, and Obama to respond to the reports.
In a statement on Twitter yesterday, Clinton said she was  "shocked and appalled" and that "the behaviour described by  women coming forward cannot be tolerated. Their courage and  the support ..

Clinton 'appalled,' Obamas 'disgusted' by Weinstein reports

Veteran filmmaker Martin  Scorsese has come out in support of Darren Aronofsky's  'mother!', which was panned by critics and audiences alike,  calling it a "tactile, so beautifully staged and acted" film.
In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, the 74-  year-old director defended the Jennifer Lawrence-starrer,  saying the movie was subjected to harsh criticism as it does  not fit into any definite genre.
"After I had a chance to see 'mother!' I was even more  disturbed by this rush to judgement, and that's why I wanted  to share my thoughts. People seemed to be out for blood,  simply because the film couldn't be easily defined or  interpreted or reduced to a two-word description," Scorsese  said.
The filmmaker, who is known to direct cult movies such as  "The Goodfellas", "Taxi Driver", "The Departed", "The Wolf of  Wall Street", questioned the need to explain a film.
"Is it a picture that has to be explained? What about the  experience of watching 'mother!'? ... The subjective .

Martin Scorsese defends Darren Aronofsky's 'mother!'

Just when Amitabh Bachchan was  making a foothold in Bollywood, Rajesh Khanna, already a  superstar, had sneered at the angry young man's punctuality,  calling it a clerical trait, a new book has revealed.
While Khanna was known for throwing tantrums and coming  late for shoots, Bachchan was getting appreciated by the film  fraternity for being very professional and punctual.
According to "Excellence - The Amitabh Bachchan Way" by  Virender Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna didn't react well to this.
"He apparently said in an interview that he believed that  clerks were punctual and that he was not a clerk, but an  artist," says the book.
During this time, Bachchan was still emerging as a star  and had just begun receiving appreciation from the public.
"Bragging about his position, he added that he was not a  slave of his moods but instead, his moods were his slaves," it  adds.
Bachchan, however, not just remained respectful to Khanna  but also admitted that the latter would always be the only  ..

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