Page 357 - Entertainment Culture
Sridevi: The enigma continues (February 24 marks Sridevi's first death anniversary)
"It will never ever register that Sridevi is not there". Anupam Kher puts the sentiment of fans, family members and fraternity friends in just the right words a year after the demise of the enigmatic actress, who lived the cinematic dream for 50 years.
Siddhant Chaturvedi pens heartfelt note after receiving letter, flowers from Big B
Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt-starrer 'Gully Boy' received an overwhelming response for its powerful dialogues, rap songs and the acting prowess of the lead pair. However, there is one more person who received a lot of appreciation in the film apart from Ranveer and Alia. And it is none other than Siddhant Chaturvedi, who made his Bollywood debut with the film.The actor, who played the role of MC Sher in the film, took to his Instagram to share a heartfelt note after receiving a special letter and bouquet as a token of appreciation from Amitabh Bachchan.He posted his picture, posing with the bouquet and letter sent by Big B. The newbie was all smiles and expressed happiness with a caption in Hindi. Siddhant thanked him for the letter and said that he hopes to meet him in person one day.He posted another photo, giving a closer look at the letter.Siddhant' performance in 'Gully Boy' has garnered immense appreciation for his portrayal of rapper MC Sher- Ranveer's mentor in the film. The ..
MU rolls out hip-hop course
Rap music aficionados who want to take their passion to the next level have a reason to cheer now thanks to the Mumbai University's initiative to launch a dedicated course in Hip-Hop studies, beginning this academic year. Officials have said "Introduction to Hip-Hop Studies" will be the first such varsity level course in the entire Asia. A special curriculum has been designed for this course, which is established under the department of communication and journalism. "Considering the popularity of hip-Hop as a study material, the university administration has decided to introduce a certificate course from this academic year only (2019-20)," Mumbai University (MU) spokesman Liladhar Bansod told PTI Saturday. An underground music movement that originated on the streets of New York several decades back, Hip-Hop metamorphosed into a sub-culture while arriving in India. The genre, which encapsulates art, music, dance, literature, identity, style and politics, returned to ...
'The Greatest Showman 2' in the works, Hugh Jackman to return
"The Greatest Showman" director Michael Gracey has said that Hugh Jackman is reportedly developing a sequel of the 2017 musical film. The film followed the true story of American showman PT Barnum, played by Jackman, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Gracey said after the film's success, going in for a sequel was an organic step. "When a movie becomes as big a success as this, it's only natural there is demand for a sequel. So those discussions have started and we are working on one right now," the director told The Sun. "The Greatest Showman" minted USD 435 million at the box office and also went on to win the best compilation soundtrack for visual media at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. The film, starring Michelle Williams, Zac Efron and Zendaya, scored an Oscar nod last year in the best original song category. Jackman will also perform the tracks from the musical on a worldwide arena tour of his one-man stage show this year.
Film about clerical child abuse opens in French cinemas
A film about child sexual abuse by Catholic priests with certain scenes so sensitive that they had to be shot abroad, has finally opened in French cinemas amid controversy surrounding the country's biggest church abuse scandal, the media reported on Saturday.
Omi Vaidya in web series with references to US politics
Actor Omi Vaidya of "3 Idiots" fame will be seen in a web series that will touch upon US politics and issues that Indian Americans face.
Jussie Smollett's character to be written out of 'Empire' final episodes
The executive producers of "Empire" have confirmed that Jussie Smollett's character will be written out of the final episodes of the show's upcoming season. The announcement comes a day after Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on the Fox series, was arrested and released on USD 10,000 bond on suspicion of filing a false report about an incident on January 29 where the actor had claimed that he was attacked by two men screaming racial and homophobic slurs while leaving a restaurant in Chicago. "The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us. Jussie has been an important member of our Empire family for the past five years and we care about him deeply," read a statement from Empire executive producers Lee Daniels, Danny Strong, Brett Mahoney, Brian Grazer, Sanaa Hamri, Francie Calfo and Dennis Hammer. "While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out. We are also aware of the effects of this ...
Woody Allen to film new movie in Spain
Filmmaker Woody Allen will reportedly start shooting his new film this summer. According to New York Times, the 83-year-old Oscar-winning director will head to Spain to shoot the project. Barcelona-based conglomerate Mediapro, which previously worked with Allen on "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Midnight in Paris", is reportedly working with the director on the film. The news comes weeks after Allen filed a lawsuit against Amazon for allegedly backing out of a multi-film deal, including the shelving of his completed comedy "A Rainy Day in New York", due to reports of alleged sexual abuse against him. The suit claimed that Amazon was aware of the "25-year-old, baseless allegation" when it signed Allen to a multiple-film contract, but backed out after Allen's adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, resurfaced allegations of past abuse against her father in a Los Angeles Times open letter in 2017 after previously writing about it in a 2014 New York Times op-ed. Allen has long denied Farrow's ...
Being judged is part of being a public figure: Diana Penty
Actress Diana Penty says being constantly judged is a part and parcel of being a public figure, and she agrees it can be ruthless sometimes.
Actor-comic Brody Stevens dead
Actor-comedian Brody Stevens has died. He was 48. Stevens, who was a regular at Los Angeles comedy clubs and a character actor in many film and television productions, passed away Friday. His representatives confirmed the news to Deadline in a statement but did not provide the cause or location of death. "Brody was an inspiring voice who was a friend to many in the comedy community. He pushed creative boundaries and his passion for his work and his love of baseball were contagious. He was beloved by many and will be greatly missed," the statement read. As an actor, Stevens appeared in comedies such as "Road to Park City", "The Hangover", "Due Date" and "The Hangover Part II". He began his stand-up career in Los Angeles, then moved to Seattle, where he started in a public access television show with Teina Manu called "Brody and Teina". The comedian later moved to New York before returning to Los Angeles and resuming his work on the comedy scene. Stevens appeared on a host of shows ...
My personal life is totally imbalanced right now: Arjun Bijlani
Actor Arjun Bijlani, who is currently working on two different shows simultaneously, says it is becoming difficult for him to maintain a fair balance between his personal and professional life.
David Oyelowo joins 'Peter Rabbit' sequel
Critically-acclaimed actor David Oyelowo has joined Sony Pictures' "Peter Rabbit 2", the live-action sequel to the 2018 hit. Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson are returning from the first film along with James Corden in the voice of the naughty Peter Rabbit, reported Variety. Will Gluck, who directed the first part, is back at the helm. He is also is also producing through his Olive Bridge Entertainment banner, along with Animal Logic's Zareh Nalbandian. The screenplay is penned by Gluck and Patrick Burleigh. "Peter Rabbit 2" will hit the theatres on February 7 next year.
John Krasinski to direct 'A Quiet Place' sequel, Emily Blunt in talks to return
John Krasinski is set to return to direct the yet untitled sequel to horror hit "A Quiet Place". According to Variety, Emily Blunt, Noah Jupe, and Millicent Simmonds are in talks to reprise their roles in the Paramount project. "Time to go back. #PartII 5-15-20," Karsinski wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of the red lights that became synonymous with the alien threats in the first film. "A Quiet Place" grossed USD 340 million at the worldwide box office last year. Krasinski penned the screenplay with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck and the trio has received a Writers Guild nomination in the original category. The film is also up for an Oscar for sound editing for Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl. The first film revolved around an isolated family of four that must live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.
Kim, Trump impersonators draw ire of Vietnam's authorities
Vietnamese authorities are not amused by the antics of two impersonators of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump. The duo has been making rounds of Hanoi, taking pictures with curious onlookers ahead of the second summit of the two leaders next week. However, on late Friday, a Kim lookalike, the Hong Kong-based impersonator who uses the name Howard X, posted on Facebook that about 15 police or immigration officers demanded a mandatory "interview" with them following a talk they gave at the state-run VTC station. "They then said that this was a very sensitive time in the city due to the Trump/Kim summit and that our impersonation was causing a 'disturbance' and ... suggested that we do not do the impersonation in public for the duration of our stay as these presidents have many enemies and that it was for our own safety." According to Howard X, there was a back-and-forth with an unnamed Vietnamese officer who "did not seem pleased with my answer" and threatened ...
'Total Dhamaal' is total garbage (Review)
Film: "Total Dhamaal"; Director: Indra Kumar; Cast: Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaaferi and Sanjay Mishra; Rating: *
Salman Khan to reunite with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for a love story
Remember the magic Salman Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali created with films like 'KhamoshiThe fans of the duo have a reason to rejoice as the two are reuniting after a hiatus of 19 years for another love story.Confirming the same, Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to his Twitter handle to share the news.He wrote, "#BreakingNews: Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Salman Khan reunite after 19 year for a love story... The film is set to go on floors soon."This news was also confirmed by the CEO of Bhansali Productions, Prerna Singh who said, "Yes, Salman Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali are reuniting after 19 years for a love story. Their collaboration is the best thing that can happen in terms of story-telling."Salman and Sanjay had first worked together in the director's debut film 'Khamoshi: The Musical' (1996). The iconic actor-director duo last worked together on 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (1999), the film also starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and it went on to become one .
Elizabeth Anweis to play Catherine Hamilton-Kane in 'Batwoman'
Actor Elizabeth Anweis has been cast opposite Ruby Rose in "Batwoman", the CW's drama pilot from Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros Television. Anweis will play Catherine Hamilton-Kane, the stepmother of Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, reported Variety. Catherine made her fortune as a savvy, bullheaded defense contractor, and all those billions position her as one of Gotham's most powerful residents. For Catherine, it is a matter of the bottom line -- Batwoman is bad for business. Written by Caroline Dries and directed by Marcos Siega, "Batwoman" marks the first gay lead character of a live-action superhero series. Full of passion for social justice and confidence, Kate Kane (Rose) dominates the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter trying to cut down the increasing crime rate in the city. The series also features Dougray Scott, who will play Kate's father Jacob Kane, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Nicole Kang and Rachel Skarsten.
Maggie Lawson to joins Fox comedy 'Geniuses'
Actor Maggie Lawson is set to play one of the lead roles in Fox's multi-camera comedy pilot "Geniuses". The show revolves around a blue-collar couple in South Jersey trying to get by and raise four kids, three of whom just happen to be certified geniuses. Lon Zimmet will write and executive produce the pilot. Lawson will play Cay, the mom and boss of the family. A true Jersey girl, she can be tough and blunt when she needs to be. She's intuitive and works as a pit boss at an Atlantic City casino. "Geniuses" is one of six comedies in the works at Fox for the 2019-2020 season.
There is always a touch of Bengal in my works: Shoojit Sircar
Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar has said that he is still learning to emulate the works of great Bengali directors and will definitely make a Bengali film one day. He also said that there is always a touch of Bengal in all his films. "When people ask me why I don't make a film in Bengali, I reply I am still learning," Sircar said on Friday evening after he was given the 'Dashovuja Bangali 2019' award by St Xavier's College (Calcutta) Alumni Association here. "But whoever I collaborate with in a film, there is always a touch of Bengal in my work, in some way or the other," he said. Affirming his indebtedness to great filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Tapan Sinha, Sircar said that they have always inspired him. "I always think that it will be gratifying for me as a filmmaker if I am ever able to recreate at least one per cent of Ray's magic in my films," Sircar, the director of various films such as Piku, October and Vicky Donor, said. He said the reason behind .
'Young Sheldon' renewed for two additional seasons
"Young Sheldon" has been renewed through season four by the CBS. The comedy series, a spin-off of "The Big Bang Theory" by Chuck Lorre, will now be slated to run beyond this season for two more years, Deadline reported. "Thanks to Chuck Lorre's and Steve Molaro's outstanding creative leadership, 'Young Sheldon' has been a powerful performer for the network with an audience that towers over most of the television landscape," Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. "The Coopers are portrayed by an amazing cast, and we are looking forward to having the gifted writing staff mine even more of Sheldon's hilarious backstory and the warm family dynamic that has made this comedy a favorite with audiences for the past two seasons," added Thom Sherman, Senior EVP of Programming. The show, which is currently in its second season, focuses on Sheldon as a nine-year-old, played by Iain Armitage. It follows Sheldon in his high school days, and his family in east Texas. The ...