Page 543 - Entertainment Culture

Akon to launch streaming app, featuring classics like 'A Star Is Born'

Akon is set to enter the digital space with a streaming application that will feature Hollywood classic films such as "A Star Is Born". The retired singer-rapper is joining hands with Samsung to launch the Cinemoi Channel app, a subscription-based video streaming app available 24 hours a day. "We're always looking for new ways to engage our customers. With the Cinmoi Channel app, we're responding to consumer demand, helping deliver content through a new experience that makes finding entertainment easy for our customers," Akon said in a statement. The app will also have space for modern-day films such as "Wreckers", specials including "The Jonathan Ross Show" and more. Cinemoi Channel will reach over 39 million smart TVs and 95 million smartphones worldwide.

My endeavour is to be most real person, says Sara Ali Khan

Sara Ali Khan says she may be pursuing acting as a profession but her aim is to be as real and relatable as possible. Sara, who made her Bollywood acting debut with "Kedarnath" and is awaiting the release of her second film "Simmba", has become an instant social media fan favourite. The young actor believes, "People appreciate the fact that I am real. I endeavour to be most real person. I don't think too much and try to be as organic as I can. I do make mistakes. With the same token you get appreciation and criticism as well and you have to take it the same way." Sara told PTI that as a performer she wants to experiment. "I am taking each day as it comes. I will see what offers come my way and whatever excites me I will take that up. As an actor I want to experiment with different kinds of films. I have always loved acting. I am always dying to be on a film set. Life is empty for me without that," she said. Directed by Rohit Shetty, "Simmba" features Ranveer Singh in the title role ...

I don't want to be embarrassed in my grave about work I do: Swara

With every character she does and the films she chooses, Swara Bhasker makes a statement; and the actor says her biggest fear would be doing work which would embarrass her when she looks back. Swara gained prominence by featuring in the "Tanu Weds Manu" franchise and "Raanjhanaa" before headlining critically-acclaimed films like "Nil Battey Sannata" and "Anaarkali of Aarah". The actor says she has been very principled regarding the films she wants to do even when the work was scarce and the struggle real. In an interview with PTI, Swara says, "Even when I was struggling, in my early days, I've never done work which I didn't want to do or done something just for the money. May be occasionally there was a judgement of error, a particular script which looked nice but didn't turn out well. "But as actors, when we die, we are only going to leave behind our body of work. I really don't want to be embarrassed in my grave. I don't want people to say 'oh what has she done.' I'm very careful ...

Criticism is the reason why I'm alive in the industry: AR Rahman

Music maestro AR Rahman believes the reason for his longevity and success in the music industry is the fact that he takes criticism in his stride. The 51-year-old Oscar-winning composer said even though reviews matter to him he does not let the negativity affect him. "Sometimes it is good to take criticism. Some of it is venomous while some of it is beautiful, there is concerned criticism as well. And all this is one of the reason why I am staying alive today, otherwise I would have gone. You have to be open (to criticism). "Sometimes they are your teachers but some stuff are not good. Today because of Twitter and everything is in your face, I don't see it (comments) sometimes. We don't have to creatively nudge ourselves, you have to be in your own zone and do your best," Rahman told PTI. The music director believes it is important to be honest towards his work. "For me it is about longevity and it comes from integrity. If I am honest with my work, I am right. If I am dishonest then I

Essential to have fearless approach as a filmmaker: Aanand L Rai

Aanand L Rai believes as a filmmaker one should have guts to bring a story they believe in on screen. The 47-year-old director, whose next "Zero" features Shah Rukh Khan, said the story should be the hero of the film and audiences as well as filmmakers should not be influenced by the star power. "Films are part of life. There is different high in converting something that is on paper to breathe on the big screen. My driving force is the story. The story comes from anywhere. "The world around me inspires, at times you get something from society, at times you want to give something to society. I should have a reason to tell a story. It is essential to have guts and fearless approach (in making films). Neither the audience nor the maker should be in awe of somebody," Rai told PTI. The director, known for films like "Tanu Weds Manu", "Raanjhanaa" and "Tanu Weds Manu Returns", said his aim is to stay connected with Indian audience. "I have made Indian, rooted films because I want to stay ..

Panaji turns into a public art space as Serendipity Arts Festival opens

An organized hustle seemed to have gripped the city as the third edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival opened on Saturday is successfully turning the Goan capital into an engaging public art space. The footpaths here are crowded with pedestrians walking from one venue to another in the pleasant Goan sun, all trying their best to catch everything they could in this tightly curated multi-disciplinary arts festival, which features over 90 projects highlighting India's rich traditions of music, dance and theatre, alongside culinary arts, craft, and visual arts exhibitions. From recreating a market place in a park to dramatizing the "Mahabharata" using puppetry, and singing retro Bollywood songs to jazz tunes, the eighth-day-long event is celebrating all things, ordinary and nostalgic, alike. "Intimate Documents" in the photography section curated by Ravi Agarwal is a heart-warming vindication of the age old saying 'a picture is worth a thousand words'. Exhibited at the Adil Shah ...

Adria Arjona in talks to join 'Morbius'

"Pacific Rim" star Adria Arjona is in early negotiations to join Jared Leto in "Morbius". According to the Hollywood Reporter, if things workout, Arjona would play Martine Bancroft, who in the comics was engaged to Dr Michael Morbius. In the comics, Morbius was a scientist who suffered from a rare blood disease and turned himself into a living vampire while seeking a cure. Bancroft made her debut in 1971's comics 'Amazing Spider-Man No. 102' and could be said to be accidentally responsible for Morbius' transformation into a vampire-like creature, as it's the human Morbius' love for her that drives him to experiment on himself. Scandinavian filmmaker Daniel Espinosa is directing "Morbius" from a script by Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach will produce with Lucas Foster.

I don't like Indian TV shows: Sanjay Mishra of 'Office Office' fame

Actor Sanjay Mishra, who had starred in the popular sitcom "Office Office" and now regularly features in Bollywood films, says he doesn't miss working on a TV show as he isn't a fan of the shows being aired now.

Muhammad Ali was on the short list to play Superman in 1978 film

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali and veteran actors Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman were on the short list to play Superman in the 1978 film, producer Ilya Salkind has said. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Salkind made the revelation on the commentary track in the newest edition of the film which was recently released to coincide with its 40th anniversary. "One of the conditions with DC Comics was I had to make a list of actors to play Superman that they had to approve. "I had a made a list that was absolutely hilarious because they had approved people like Cassius Clay then, they had approved Al Pacino, they had approved Dustin Hoffman. They had approved them, they could play Superman," Salkind said. Christopher Reeve played the iconic DC superhero, but Ali and Superman teamed up in the comics to defeat an alien invasion of Earth. The comics titled "Superman vs Muhammad Ali" also released in 1978. Salkind shared the casting process was "complex" and confusing at times. "One side, they ...

More difficult to be an actress in Hollywood: Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell has slammed Hollywood for making it ''more difficult'' for female actors to do well in comparison to their male counterparts. The 67-year-old movie icon hit out at Hollywood for its ''historical'' mistreatment of women, reported Contactmusic. "Historically we can look at the product that comes out of Hollywood and for the most part it is more difficult playing in that world as an actress than it is an actor. But that is probably going to change too," Russell told BW magazine. The "Hateful Eight" star also praised female actors, including his partner Goldie Hawn, for defying entertainment industry's rules on ageing. ''(Goldie's) energy is incredible, she still looks great, she is in great shape and she is interested in things other than primarily what is going on in this town but every once in a while she ducks her head in and has some fun.

Rosamund Pike plans to take a short break from movies

Actor Rosamund Pike says she is thinking of going on a small break after playing intense roles in "A Perfect War" and "Radioactive". The 39-year-old actor, who can next be seen as late war correspondent Marie Colvin in 'A Perfect War' and then famed scientist Marie Curie in 'Radioactive', said she wants some time to just be herself. ''I just want to sit back for a bit. Pretending to be someone else is quite fragmentary, so it's important to just be you for a while," Pike told Marie Claire magazine. The actor, however, is ready with a list of directors she wants to collaborate with in the near future. ''... I want to work with the directors who have blown me away this year. 'Roma' by Alfonso Cuaron is the most beautiful piece of work. I'd love to work with him. Why not say it? He might think I'm awful but if you never say it, you never find out. You have to speak your truth," she said.

I have grown as a human after working with Jennifer Lopez, says Milo Ventimiglia

Actor Milo Ventimiglia says he has grown as a human and as a performer after working with pop star Jennifer Lopez on "Second Act". The 41-year-old actor said he relished the experience of working with Lopez on the Peter Segal-directed film. ''We looked out for each other. I have grown as a human and as an artist spending time with her and that's really all you can ask for," Ventimiglia told the People magazine. "She's a creative mogul and a great artist. To have her put her confidence in me as an actor, I was really grateful," he added.

Robert De Niro inspired Bradley Cooper to direct

Hollwyood star Bradley Cooper says veteran actor Robert De Niro motivated him to take the idea of directing a film seriously. Cooper, who made his directorial debut with critically-acclaimed "A Star Is Born", says De Niro urged him to turn director during their time on "Limitless". ''I tried to get him to do this movie, 'Limitless', and combine two characters. That was the first time I tried to cast a movie, even though I wasn't the director, and I went to see him in his hotel room. ''I was pitching him the whole thing and then he wound up saying yes, which blew my mind because he was my hero. After that movie, he said he thought I should direct," Cooper told the Hollywood Reporter. "A Star Is Born" also features Lady Gaga.

'Roma' is good, but not a great film

"Roma" (Netflix); Written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron; Rating; *** (three and a half stars)

Sarah Silverman done with using gay slurs

Actress-comedian Sarah Silverman says she is done using gay slurs in her comedy.

Steve Harvey doesn't want to host Oscars

TV host Steve Harvey says he is not interested in hosting the Oscars.

Shots fired at beauty parlour of actress; none injured

: Two men on a bike fired shots at a beauty parlour run by controversial south Indian actress Leena Mariya Paul here Saturday,but no one was injured, police said. The men, wearing full face helmets, came to the parlour in Panampilly Nagar at around 3 PM, fired two shots and sped away, police said. There were a lot of customers inside the beauty parlour at the time of the incident, they said. "We suspect the weapon was an air pistol," a police officer told PTI. The actress was in Thiruvananthapuram when the incident occurred. Leena Mariya Paul has acted in Bollywood film 'Madras Cafe', Tamil flick 'Biriyani' and Malayalam films 'Husbands in Goa' and 'Red Chillies'. The actress was an accused in a bank fraud case and was associated with alleged con man Sukesh Chandrashekhar, currently in Tihar jail in a matter related to a bid to bribe the Election Commission, involving Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader and R K Nagar MLA T T V Dhinakaran.

Goan capital abuzz as multi-arts Serendipity festival opens

The western coast of the Goan capital is abuzz with conversations over different streams of art, as 13 locations here sprawled across Mandovi's shoreline opened their gates for the third edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival 2018 on Saturday.

Akon to launch streaming app

Popular American singer-rapper Akon will be launching a streaming app featuring classic Hollywood films.

T-Pain's single with 'melody' of Mithoon's song blocked

T-Pain had dropped a "surprise" song, which got blocked on YouTube on copyright grounds after Indian filmmaker Mohit Suri and Mithoon pointed out that the melody used by the Grammy award-winning rapper is the Indian composer's original work which had featured in the 2013 film "Aashiqui 2".