Page 2 - Cinema

Frames per second: Revisiting nostalgia, Emergency, and lost revolutions

The 2003 film, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, recreated the revolutionary fervour of the 1970s and the Emergency - albeit with a strong tinge of nostalgia

Twin Peaks' maker David Lynch passes away at 78: tributes pour in

American filmmaker David Lynch passed away from complications related to emphysema, a chronic lung condition he attributed to years of heavy smoking

Bollywood trade association writes letter to PM Modi, highlights grievances

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), a trade union body, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a meeting to highlight the grievances of "workers, technicians, junior artists, and artists" of the Hindi film industry. In the letter, sent on January 11, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta highlighted the major concerns of the workers, including poor pay, long working hours and lack of safety on film sets. "These individuals form the foundation of India's entertainment industry, which contributes significantly to the country's economy and cultural influence. However, despite their contributions, they are subjected to exploitation, poor working conditions, and a lack of social and economic protections. "We seek your intervention to address these challenges and propose structural reforms that would not only improve the lives of these workers but also strengthen the industry itself," read the letter. It highlighted that workers are made to work "16 to

Kerala's eventful 2024 marred by disasters, scandals and political twists

The devastating landslides that wiped away three villages in Wayanad, Congress' thumping victory in the Lok Sabha polls and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's maiden electoral victory were the significant events that shaped the Kerala's socio-political scenario in 2024. The revelations of sexual abuse and harassment in the Malayalam film industry, brought to light by the Justice Hema Committee report, also stirred up the political pot due to the delay in disclosing the panel's findings, which followed allegations of rape against some key actors, including ruling CPI(M) MLA and actor M Mukesh. On 30 July, massive landslides occurred in the Chooralmala and Mundakkai regions of Wayanad, triggered by torrential rains, resulting in over 200 deaths, numerous injuries, and thousands being left homeless. It is considered one of the worst natural disasters in Kerala's history. Hundreds were left buried under the debris and many had to be pulled out by rescue agencies, which ...

'Pushpa 2' creates history, earns Rs 294 cr worldwide on opening day

'Pushpa fire nahi, wildfire hai', the popular dialogue from Allu Arjun's "Pushpa" franchise has come true with the historic box office performance of the second part, which has amassed Rs 294 crore gross globally on day one of its release. The day one collection of the Sukumar-directed movie, a sequel to 2021's Telugu blockbuster "Pushpa: The Rise", has shattered the record for the highest opening in the history of Indian cinema, which earlier belonged to SS Rajamouli's "RRR" (Rs 223.5 crore), followed by "Baahubali 2" (Rs 217 crore) and "Kalki 2898 AD" (Rs 175 crore). The film's collection has beaten expectations of the trade pundits, who had pegged the film's opening figure to be slightly over than Rs 150 crore. Production banner Mythri Movie Makers, which has bankrolled "Pushpa 2", shared the box office figures. "The Biggest Indian Film creates History at the box office. #Pushpa2TheRule grosses 294 crores worldwide on Day 1 making it the highest opening day in Indian Cinema," ..

Amidst ongoing crisis, Malayalam cinema to get new film association

At a time when the Malayalam cinema industry is reeling from the shocking revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report, a group of film personalities are set to launch a new film body aimed at revitalising the sector and promoting a fair and just workplace. A vision note of the proposed outfit, Progressive Filmmakers' Association, has been circulated among the industry members. The note, accessed by the media, is purportedly signed by well-known filmmakers Anjali Menon, Lijo Jose Pellissery, Rajeev Ravi and Aashiq Abu, actress Rima Kallingal and producer Bineesh Chandra. According to the vision note, the Malayalam film industry, despite its significant contribution to the state's economy and cultural landscape, remains tethered to outdated systems and practices. "As filmmakers-producers, directors, technicians-we are the foundation upon which this industry stands: creating jobs, driving innovation, and fostering creativity. Yet, we often find ourselves navigating an ...

Unsafe at any place: Hema Committee underlines distance to gender equality

Recent revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report on women in Malayalam film industry and events following the rape and murder of a medical student in Kolkata point to a disturbing regression

Malayalam director Ranjith, actor Siddique resign over abuse allegations

Noted actor Siddique on Sunday resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A.) following sexual assault allegations raised by a woman actor on August 24. Talking to a television channel, the senior actor said he had sent his resignation letter to the President of the organisation, Mohanlal. "Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned," Siddique said. A female actor had on Saturday alleged Siddique had sexually abused her after inviting her for a movie discussion. The allegations came in the wake of the churn in the Malayalam film industry following the release of Justice Hema Committee report, which pointed towards numerous incidents of casting couch and sexual abuse in the field. The report had revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompti

India leads global VFX industry with rich history, cutting-edge technology

History and tech power have ensured India remains at the forefront of the global visual effects business

The Kerala script: What is behind the resurgence of Malayalam cinema?

Few would have imagined the blockbuster year for Malayalam cinema that 2024 is turning out to be

More than 157 million Indians bought 943 million movie tickets in 2023

Theatre-going population in India on the rise, says Ormax data

Robert Downey Jr. wins supporting actor, his first Oscar for 'Oppenheimer'

Three decades after receiving his first Academy Award nomination, Robert Downey Jr. has won his first Oscar. Downey won best supporting actor on Sunday for his portrayal of Rear Adm. Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, hailed as one of Downey's best performances in years. It was the third career Oscar nomination for a veteran actor known as one of Hollywood's most versatile performers but before Sunday had never won an Academy Award. He was nominated in 1993 for best actor for Chaplin and in 2008 for best supporting actor in Tropic Thunder. Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's three-hour deep dive into the development and fallout of the atomic bomb during World War II, led the Academy Awards with 13 nominations. Downey beat Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, Ryan Gosling for Barbie, Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things and Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon. The win solidified Downey's frontrunner status this awards season. He also took home the top honor for supporting actor at the

Preserving the magic

Martin Scorsese's rich legacy not only includes a compelling oeuvre but also the numerous films he has preserved and restored for future generations to cherish

Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Shah Rukh wins Best Actor, Vanga Best Director

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga bagged the Best Director award for his film 'Animal' at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2024

Grieving through popular culture

Cyril Radcliffe, the man who physically drew the line separating Hindu-dominated India from the Muslim one in the west and the east, had the worst job possible

Rashmika Mandanna thanks Delhi Police after deepfake video creator arrested

Actor Rashmika Mandanna has expressed gratitude towards Delhi Police after it arrested a B-Tech graduate from Andhra Pradesh in connection with a deepfake video of the "Animal" star that was widely circulated on social media. The video went viral on social media in November which showed a woman, dressed in a black workout onesie, stepping inside an elevator. The accused, who has been identified as 23-year-old Eemani Naveen, a native of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, had morphed British-Indian social media personality Zara Patel's face using artificial intelligence (AI) to resemble the actor. On Saturday, Mandanna shared a note on her official X page and tagged the handle of Delhi Police's Cyber Crime Unit. "Expressing my heartfelt gratitude to @DCP_IFSO. Thank you for apprehending those responsible. Feeling truly grateful for the community that embraces me with love, support and shields me," the 27-year-old wrote. "Girls and boys - if your image is used or morphed anywhere without your .

Cinema daily shows up to 623 in 2022, theatre attendance drops: Delhi govt

The average number of cinema shows per day rose from 450 in 2010 to 623 in 2022 but the average number of cinema goers per day declined in the last 13 years, according to the Delhi Statistical Handbook-2023. The number of theatres in Delhi rose from 129 in 2008 to 137 in 2022, with the peak point being in 2017, when the number was 142, it said. The handbook containing data on socio-economic parameters of the national capital was released by the Delhi government's Economic and Statistics department. The number of multiplexes has also risen from 21 in 2008 to 33 in 2022, the handbook said. The average number of cinema goers per day was 90,000 in 2010 when the theatres, including multiplexes, were showing an average of 450 shows per day. With the average number of shows going up to 510, 98,000 cinema goers visited cinema halls on an average per day in 2011. It rose to 1,07,000 and 1,15,000 in 2012 and 2013, respectively, as the number of shows also surged. In 2014, the average numbe

Barbie wins inaugural Cinematic & Box Office Achievement at Golden Globes

'Barbie' was the dominant force heading into the evening, landing a leading 10 nominations across all categories, including nods in the musical or comedy categories of best feature film

On the slow road: From drive-in cinemas to smaller outdoor screenings

'Drive-in theatres occupy a huge area of land. It is difficult to scale that kind of business'

Andre Braugher, actor who starred in 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine', dies at 61

Andre Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor who would master gritty drama for seven seasons on "Homicide: Life on The Street and modern comedy for eight on Brooklyn 99, died Monday at 61. Braugher died after a brief illness, his publicist Jennifer Allen told The Associated Press. No further details were given. The Chicago-born actor would establish himself in the role of Detective Frank Pembleton, the lead role on Homicide: Life on the Street, a dark police drama based on a book by David Simon, who would go on to create The Wire. The show, which focused on the homicide unit of the Baltimore Police Department, ran for seven seasons on NBC, and would win critical acclaim with Braugher as its dramatic centre and breakout star. He would win his first career Emmy for the role, taking the trophy for lead actor in a drama series in 1998. He feared he would be typecast after spending most of the 1990s as the brooding detective. "If I do it too long then I'll stop really searching and probing