Page 1675 - Entertainment Culture
Olivia Munn takes on Woody Allen for his "Witch Hunt" remarks
Responding to director Woody Allen's "witch-hunt atmosphere" remark, actor Olivia Munn said the system is complicit for letting predators back into the mainstream. Allen, an Oscar-winning director, had voiced his concern about Hollywood slipping into a "witch-hunt" culture in the aftermath of Harvey Weinstein scandal where multiple women accused the producer of sexual misconduct. "The possibility of an overcorrection is much less worrisome than all of the injustices that led us to this moment. Woody's gut instinct to fear what this might become would be better suited to a gut instinct to hold back an urge that could be wrong," Munn wrote in an op-ed for Entertainment Weekly. Munn was one of six women who came forward with accusations against Ratner, as initially published in The Times. The star claimed the director once masturbated in front of her and made sexually aggressive comments to her in public. "When people ask how these men in powerful positions were able to ...
Neeraj a friend, no clash at BO: Akshay on 'Padman', 'Aiyaary'
Akshay Kumar's "Padman" will be locking horns with his filmmaker friend Neeraj Pandey's upcoming film "Aiyaary" next year and the superstar does not seem to be worried about it. The year 2018 will open with "Padman" and "Aiyaary" release on January 26. Asked about the clash, Akshay said, "Both the films are absolutely different. Neeraj is a dear friend of mine. There is nothing like clash. The word clash is media created. My film might get screened in 2,800 screens or so. Their would be in 1,600-1,800 or more. "There are 4,000-5,000 screens so how come there is a clash. That film is different and so is ours. So there is no clash as such." The national award-winning actor said it was his wife Twinkle who researched the story. It is a biographical drama based on the life of the Tamil Nadu-based activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, who worked towards providing cost-effective and hygienic sanitary napkins to the women in the rural areas. It features Akshay in the lead role ..
I am going to embrace the culture: Wiz Khalifa on India visit
Rapper Wiz Khalifa is excited about his maiden visit to Indian and plans to "embrace the culture" and connect with his fans here. Khalifa, who will headline the day two of multi-genre music festival Time Out 72 in Goa, said he wants to present a stunning show. "I'm excited to visit India. I am keeping an open mind and going to embrace the culture as soon as I land. I'm excited to get over there and see what there is for me to do. And then I plan on putting on an amazing show for my fans," the rapper told PTI in an email interview. Khalifa added, "India is huge and the fans are awesome." The "See you again" hitmaker said he has heard a lot of good things about the Indian music and Bollywood, but is yet to explore them. "I have heard of Bollywood. I don't know a ton about it but it looks amazing! I listen to every kind of music. I don't have any favorites but I love listening to a diverse playlist." The 30-year-old, however, has no immediate plans to collaborate with ...
Gal Gadot to receive #SeeHer Award
Actor Gal Gadot will be honoured with #SeeHer award at the annual Critics' Choice Awards. The actor will be presented with the honour by her "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins at the ceremony on January 18 next month, said a statement posted on the award's official website. The #SeeHer award recognises a woman that pushes boundaries and changes stereotypes in entertainment to accurately portray women. Spearheaded by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the #SeeHer movement aim to accurately portray all women and girls in media by 2020. "We're honoured to recognise Gal this year with the second annual #SeeHer Award," said ANA CEO Bob Liodice in the statement. "Not only was she able to challenge stereotypes in film and find success by starring in one of the biggest blockbusters this year, she also used that success to shine a light on her own industry, and push the boundaries on gender equality in real life," he added. Actor Viola Davis was the recipient of ..
Rian Johnson finally addresses 'The Last Jedi' backlash
After a record-breaking opening and good word of mouth from the critics, 'The Last Jedi' seems to be facing a backlash from many ardent fans of 'Star Wars' for its thin narrative.But this does not bother director Rian Johnson that his film is sparking so many debates.In response to a fan asking whether he thought it was a good thing that 'The Last Jedi' has been so polarising among audiences, Johnson wrote in a tweet, "The goal is never to divide or make people upset, but I do think the conversations that are happening were going to have to happen at some point if sw is going to grow, move forward, and stay vital."Critics praised the film and it holds a 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but it has only a 56 percent audience score on the movie aggregator.'The Last Jedi' had a near-record breaking opening and shows no sign of slowing down, raking in as much as USD 120 million between Wednesday and Monday alone.Still, in spite of that, the film has proved divisive online among fans, with ...
Akshay Kumar has million tales to tell in new 'PadMan' poster
Bollywood heavyweight Akshay Kumar is all set to educate the masses on menstruation in his latest outing, 'PadMan'.The promotional game of the movie has been quite innovative. With quirky posters and promotional videos, 'PadMan' has caught the attention of the masses.The filmmakers have now come up with one more unique poster, in which the Khiladi Kumar can be seen with cotton in his hand.Akshay also took to Twitter to share the poster and captioned it as, "What it takes to be #PadMan! Get to know this Republic Day, 26.01.18."On the poster, there are many words written on it like Fighter, Genius, Innovation, Unreal Man, No Shame, Real Problem and Passion.While talking about the movie, Twinkle Khanna, producer of the movie, recently revealed that Akshay Kumar was not the first choice to play Arunachalam Muruganantham in the film.The former actress noted that she had some names in her mind but later realised that Akshay would be perfect for the role.She said, "The thing is if we had ...
Neeta Lulla to design for Wiz Khalifa, Jason Derulo
Designer Neeta Lulla, who earlier dressed US President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump, Akon, The Chainsmokers and DJ KSHMR in her creations, is now on board to design outfits for rapper Wiz Khalifa and singer Jason Derulo and DJ Martin Garrix for their debut India tour.
Petition launched to axe Matt Damon from 'Ocean's 8'
An online petition has been launched against Matt Damon following his controversial comments on sexual misconduct in Hollywood.
'Mamma Mia 2' trailer teases Meryl Streep's character's death
The official trailer of "Mamma Mia 2" teases the death of actress Meryl Streep's character.
Hindu outfit protests against a Bengali film
Bengali film "Rong Beronger Kori" has drawn the ire of a Hindu outfit as two of its characters are named after deities Ram and Sita. Director Ranjan Ghosh, however, has refused to make any changes, calling the protests an attempt to curb his creative freedom. The activists of the fringe group, Hindu Jagran Manch, held demonstrations outside the local office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) today and submitted a deputation seeking changes in the names of the characters. The spokesperson for the West Bengal unit of Hindu Jagran Manch, Vivek Singh, has also written a letter to the Union Information and Broadcasting minister, Smriti Irani, stating that naming the film's characters after Ram and Sita will hurt the sentiments of Hindus. Singh told reporters yesterday that he will not give up the fight and may even explore legal options if the Censor Board clears the film without considering the group's demand. Ghosh said the film has four separate stories about
Liam Payne, Rita Ora tease 'Fifty Shades Freed' collaboration
Singers Rita Ora and Liam Payne have hinted that they will be collaborating on a song for the forthcoming "Fifty Shades of Grey" film. "Fifty Shades Freed" is the third and final installment of the erotic romance trilogy based on the books by British author E L James. It's due for release on February 9, 2018. Ora uploaded an image to her Twitter of her and Payne, writing, "#FiftyShadesFreed." Payne shared the same photo with the same caption. If things work out, Payne would be the second former One Direction member to croon for the franchise. Singer Zayn Malik had earlier collaborated with Taylor Swift for "Fifty Shades Darker" song "I don't wanna live forever".
Tarantino's 'Star Trek' movie nabs 'The Revenant' screenwriter
A week after its official announcement, Quentin Tarantino's 'Star Trek' movie is back on track at Paramount Pictures with 'The Revenant' screenwriter Mark L. Smith hired to write the script.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the scribe known for writing last year's Oscar-nominated movie 'The Revenant', is on board for the 'Star Trek' movie Tarantino is developing with filmmaker JJ Abrams.The news of working on the R-rated project first emerged on December 4. Details of the plot are still under wraps.The 'Hateful Eight' helmer created a writer's room last month with Smith, Lindsey Beer, Drew Pearce and Megan Amram. Smith has been considered the frontrunner for the job.'Star Trek', the first film in the rebooted franchise based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, earned more than USD 380 million worldwide in 2009.The second installment, Star Trek Into Darkness, earned more than USD 460 million worldwide when it opened in May 2013. The series' third film, Star Trek Beyond, which
Goal is never to divide people: Rian Johnson on 'Last Jedi'
Director Rian Johnson has responded to the criticism surrounding his film "Star Wars: The Last Jedi". The "Looper" director was asked by a fan whether he found it to be good that his film has polarised fans. "The goal is never to divide or make people upset, but I do think the conversations that are happening were going to have to happen at some point if SW (Star Wars) is going to grow, move forward and stay vital," Johnson tweeted in reply. The film, which stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac and others, has been lauded by the critics. However it has also divided fans on certain plot points.
Expectations vs reality: Bollywood films that fell flat (2017 in Retrospect)
Big names, extravagant budgets, picturesque locales and brilliant promotions -- and yet, insufficient box office collections. The Year 2017 has been a mixed bag for stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Kangana Ranaut and Ranbir Kapoor.
Douglas, Zeta-Jones checkout Jaipur streets
Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who are in India with their children Dylan Michael and Carys Zeta on a family vacation, roamed around the streets here and got excited looking at the hustle-bustle in the city.
Tarantino's 'Star Trek' to be penned by 'The Revenant' scribe
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantinos "Star Trek" movie project has "The Revenant" screenwriter Mark L. Smith on board as the writer.
Gal Gadot to be honoured at 2018 Critics Choice Awards
The Princess of Themyscira continues to be a symbol of pushing boundaries and breaking stereotypes, as actress Gal Gadot is all set to receive the #SeeHer Award at this year's Critics Choice Awards.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 'Wonder Woman' star will be honoured at the upcoming Critics' Choice Awards with the #SeeHer Award, which recognises a woman that pushes boundaries and changes stereotypes in entertainment to accurately portray women.Gadot will be handed the award by Patty Jenkins, who directed her in 'Wonder Woman'.Talking about the decision, Bob Liodice, CEO of the Association of National Advertisers said, "We're honoured to recognise Gal this year with the second annual #SeeHer Award. Not only was she able to challenge stereotypes in film and find success by starring in one of the biggest blockbusters this year, she also used that success to shine a light on her own industry, and push the boundaries on gender equality in real life."Meanwhile, ANA AFE #SeeHer ...
The year when fiction returned to the fore in Indian publishing (2017 In Retrospect)
Fiction was almost lost from Indian publishing at about this time last year. With about three non-fiction titles releasing for every novel, it was clear who ruled the roost in 2016 - just as it did in 2015. In 2017, however, book lovers had a lot to chew upon as some really strong novels made their mark both in the market and among readers. Their numbers again may have been fewer than non-fiction, but it was the utter magic of some strong novels that stole the show.
Tom Hanks wouldn't screen 'The Post' for Donald Trump
Hollywood star Tom Hanks says he would not screen his film "The Post" for President Trump at the White House if he was ever invited. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film follows Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham, who ran The Washington Post for over 20 years, and made the decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, which held inflammatory details about the U S's involvement in Vietnam. Graham risked losing her newspaper and even prison time by defying then-president Richard Nixon and publishing the papers. Hanks plays the newspaper's then-editor, Ben Bradlee, who pushed publisher Graham to release the documents when the New York Times, which first started publishing the documents, was hit with an injunction. Asked whether he would screen the film for the current president, Hanks told The Hollywood Reporter, "I don't think I would. Because I think that at some point look, I didn't think things were going to be this way last November. I would not have been able to imagine .
Complaint filed against Salman Khan, NCSC seeks reply
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has sought a reply from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the police commissioners of Delhi and Mumbai over complaints against Bollywood actor Salman Khan and actress Shilpa Shetty for allegedly using derogatory language against the Scheduled Castes in TV shows.The NCSC has asked to file a reply on the action taken against the actors as per the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 2015, within a week.The commission issued the notice after it received a complaint from an ex-chairman of the Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis, Harnam Singh.Singh, in his complaint, said that the actors used the word 'bhangi' in TV shows which clearly insults the entire Valmiki community of the world.Salman had used the word during the promotion of his film 'Tiger Zinda Hai', while referring to his dancing skills. Shilpa had reportedly used the word to describe how she looks at home.