Page 564 - Entertainment Culture
Carvaan hits one million units sales in 16 months
Saregama India's Carvaan, a portable digital audio player with 5000 evergreen Hindi songs, is set to touch the one million sales mark in 16 months, the company said on Friday. Carvaan was introduced at a time when the world was going gung-ho about shift of music consumption pattern from physical to digital. "The brand launched its first music speaker cum digital audio player in the form of Carvaan in 2017. Saregama is all set to celebrate the 1 million milestone with Carvaan this month," a Saregama India release said Friday. Though, the company did not reveal revenue but said it has versions of Carvaan with prices ranging from Rs 2490 to Rs 14,990 for the top model. Saregama said it become a rage among the millennials and non-millennials alike. Fusing digital technology, it offers an app allowing users to choose the song they want to hear or create their own playlist. The product won the of South Asia Brand of the Year title at Campaign Asia Awards 2018, the company
Cinema, a medium to fight divisive forces: Nandita Das
Cinema remains one of the most powerful mediums to fight the divisive forces in a non-violent manner, noted actor-director Nandita Das said Friday. Speaking at the opening of the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), where she was the guest of honour, Das said if cinema wasn't so powerful, "nobody would want to silence us." "Times are very difficult. You all have gone through the floods. All of us did our very little bit. We all came together," she said. "But the other attack is of the divisive forces that are dividing us in the name of religion, caste, class, gender and we have to fight them without being violent and I think art and cinema remain one of the most powerful mediums," she added. Das also said that cinema has the power to "subliminally go into our subconscious" and engage us in bringing out the "inconvenient truths". "Because if it wasn't so powerful, nobody would want to silence us. There wouldn't be bans, there wouldn't be censorships. "And .
'Aquaman' already big hit in China
American actor Jason Momoa's superhero movie 'Aquaman' witnessed a huge start on its opening day in China.According to Variety, the film earned RMB 89 million (USD 12.9 million), plus RMB 9 million (USD 1.2 million) in midnight previews, making for a powerful start with RMB 98 million (USD 14.2 million).Meanwhile, 'Aquaman' will debut in North America on December 21.The flick traces the life of the King of Atlantis who is a part human and part Atlantean. He steps forward to lead his people and to stop his evil half-brother, the villain Ocean Master, played by Patrick Wilson, who wants to turn Earth into an underwater world.Momoa had first played Aquaman in a cameo role in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' and reprised the part in 'Justice League'.The movie also stars Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren and Willem Dafoe.
Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Cardi B and Lady Gaga lead Grammys nominations
The 2019 Grammy nominations were announced on Friday with Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Post Malone and Cardi B leading the list with maximum nods. 2018's Best New Artist winner Alessia Cara, Apple Music host Zane Lowe, Janelle Monae and Mendes announced nominations in select categories on "CBS This Morning". The full list was shortly uploaded on Grammy.com. The announcement was pushed back from December 5 due to President George H W Bush's funeral. Lamar topped the list with eight nods, followed by Drake (seven), Boi-1da (six), Carlile (six), Cardi B (five) and Childish Gambino (five). Lamar's "All the Stars" is up for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year, among six others. Drake's 'Scorpion' and Carlile's 'By the Way, I Forgive You' got Album of the Year nods alongside Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy, H.E.R.'s eponymous album, Post Malone's' 'Beerbongs' and Bentleys, Janelle Monae's 'Dirty Computer', Kacey Musgraves' 'Golden Hour' and the "Black Panther" soundtrack. Lady Gaga has ...
Australia hammer China 11-0 in Hockey WC
A brilliant performance saw Australia thrash China 11-0 in a Pool B match of the hockey World Cup here on Friday.
Avengers 4 officially titled ' Endgame', Russo brothers release first trailer
"Part of the journey is the end," says IronMan as the first trailer of the much anticipated final Avengers movie, titled "Endgame", opens hinting at more emotionally draining moments in the follow up of 2018's "Infinity War". The over two-minutes-long trailer was released by directors Russo Brothers-- Joe and Anthony-- on their official Twitter handle. "For those who have been here since the beginning. For those who have joined along the way. For the best fans in the Universe. This trailer is for you...," they captioned the post. The trailer is set after the destructive battle of Wakanda in which Thanos wipes of half of the population and has left Marvel superheroes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johanasson) scrambling for a way to defeat the supervillian from Titan. Marvel Studios has given out very less details considering numerous theories surrounding the film, but definitely promises to give its fans one
8th Delhi Comic Con begins with session by Game of Thrones actor
The 8th edition of Delhi Comic Con returned with a bang, as it once again brought together the universes of comics, movies, anime, television and gaming for fans of pop-culture. The event at the NSIC Grounds in Okhla here opened on Friday with a special session by Vladimir Furdik, who plays the Night King in the popular American television series "Game of Thrones". The actor interacted with the fans as he shared his thrilling experiences as a stuntman and about his role as the menacing leader of the army of the dead. "I feel elated to be part of this event where everyone is eagerly warm and nice! I had a wonderful time on my last visit to India and was looking forward to meeting my fans and trying the delicious food again. Needless to say, this beautiful country never disappoints," Furdik said. The event also saw the launch of a book titled 'Rhyme Fighters' by Indian comic creator Abhijeet Kini. The book is a series of cartoons, comics and rhymes dedicated to the unsung heroes ...
Apple acquires London-based music firm Platoon
In a bid to further cement its position in the global music space, Apple has reportedly acquired London-based creative services and music start-up Platoon for an undisclosed sum.
'Objectionable' scenes shouldn't be shot around centres of faith: U'khand min
With a ban imposed on the release of "Kedarnath" in seven districts of Uttarakhand, Tourism minister Satpal Maharaj Friday said filmmakers should not stoke unnecessary controversies by shooting "objectionable" scenes around centres of faith. The ban was imposed by district magistrates in seven districts of the state in view of protests by Hindu outfits, a senior official said. "Kedarnath is a major centre of faith for crores of Hindus. Any objectionable scenes around it are bound to hurt religious sentiments. Filmmakers should be careful," Maharaj said, adding that it was his personal view. "Filmmakers should not stoke unnecessary controversies by shooting objectionable scenes around centres of faith while using them as a backdrop or part of the storyline for their movies," the minister, who headed a committee to look into the objections to the film, said. However, he said a policy will soon be framed by the state government to ensure that centres of faith are not commercially ...
Celebrities add glitz to Telangana polls
Adding a dash of glamour to the poll process in Telangana, celebrities turned up in good numbers to cast their ballot Friday. Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, veteran actor Krishna, popular heroes Nagarjuna, "junior" NTR and Mahesh Babu, and 'Baahubali'-fame director S S Rajamouli exercised their franchise. Tennis ace Sania Mirza and star badminton player P V Sindhu also cast their ballots. Chiranjeevi, Krishna, Nagarjuna, "junior" NTR and Sania Mirza turned up at the polling stations along with their family members to vote in the election to the 119-member Telangana Assembly. At some places, people were seen taking selfies with celebrity voters, and poll officials were visibly delighted to see them in person. Talking to reporters, Chiranjeevi urged all voters to exercise their franchise without fail to strengthen democracy. Nagarjuna, accompanied by his wife Amala, a popular actress of yesteryear, was among those who voted in the initial hours of polling. Nitin and comedian Sunil
Sidharth Malhotra's 'Marjaavaan' goes on floors
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra has commenced shooting of his upcoming movie 'Marjaavaan' with co-stars Rakul Preet Singh and Tara Sutaria.Sporting a rugged look, the 'Student of the Year' star took to his official Instagram account and shared a still from the action-packed thriller. He has tattoos of all religions inked on his knuckles- Hinduism's Om, Islam's Allah, Sikhism's Khanda and Christianity's Cross.He captioned the post as, "Ishq aur inteqaam ka koi mazhab nahi, koi ek Rab nahi! #Marjaavaan Shoot begins today!,"Earlier, Rakul also shared a video on her Instagram story from the sets, writing, "And Marjaavaan begins".Directed by Milap Zaveri, the movie will also see the 'Brothers' actor sharing screen with Riteish Deshmukh for the second time after 'Ek Villain' in 2014.The 33-year-old actor will also be seen opposite Parineeti Chopra in 'Jabariya Jodi'.
This is how Suhana helped SRK for 'Mere Naam Tu'
Seems like Bollywood's Badshah Shah Rukh Khan has his own secret advisor, and it's none other than his daughter Suhana Khan!In a recent tweet, SRK revealed how Suhana helped him learn the lyrics of the song 'Mere Naam Tu' from his upcoming movie 'Zero'.The snap features the 'Raees' actor taking lessons from Suhana on how to memorise the lyrics on the sets of the flick."Of all the things I have done for Mere Naam Tu...this is the sweetest. My daughter teaching me to get the lyrics right on the sets. Hope after she sees the song she approves," read his tweet.The doting dad, who often showers love and praises on his kids, earlier took to social media to laud Suhana after watching her play 'Juliet' in London. The 53-year-old even commended the entire team for the exceptional work.SRK's darling daughter made her entry into the glamour world by becoming Vogue India's cover star for their August issue. It is also well known that Suhana is keen on becoming an actor; however, her parents - ...
'Kedarnath' not to release in Uttarakhand
The Sara Ali Khan-Sushant Rajput starrer Bollywood film "Kedarnath' will not be released in the hill state of Uttarakhand, an official said on Friday.
Basanti remains a symbol of women's empowerment : Hema Malini
'Dreamgirl' Hema Malini says the character of Basanti in 'Sholay', which she had essayed four decades ago remains a symbol of women's empowerment till this date. "Basanti was the first woman character in a Bollywood film who commanded a horse-drawn carriage. She remains a symbol of women's empowerment till this date," Hema Malini, also BJP MP, said on Thursday during the 'In the Spotlight' session at INFOCOM 2018. "Now when I go for campaigning I tell the women present, a large number of them tribals in some places, that their contribution is no way less than Basanti the tangewali. "Women work so hard, the tribals work so tirelessly - hats off to them," the 'Padma Shri' recipient commented. Asked if she is more popular as Basanti than any other roles portrayed in her 50-year long film career, the 70-year old Bollywood diva said, "In my dance shows people want to see my dance numbers only. But when I go for campaigning, the public come to see me because I am an artiste ...
Bookstores, book covers help Classics stay relevant: Penguin Classics creative editor
With thousands of new books published across the world everyday, what keeps readers going back to the classics? Penguin Classics' creative editor Henry Eliot gives the credit to bookstores and new, contemporary book covers. "I think lots of people have great love for classics... the trouble is because they have been around for so long they almost feel like part of the furniture," Eliot told PTI. But "inspiring" bookstores and catchy covers help in reinventing the genre and intriguing new readers, he said. Describing bookstores as "beautiful and inspiring places", he said they give readers an opportunity to explore, experience, discover the world of literature and, most important, "bring back the focus on Classics". "What's brilliant about bookstores is that you discover new books. You get surprises. You see something that you might never have thought of before." Occasionally, he added, the bookseller will come to a visitor and say, "Look, I know you normally like this, but have you ...
Jodie Whittaker confirms return for 'Doctor Who' season 12
Actor Jodie Whittaker has confirmed she will be returning for another season of "Doctor Who". Whittaker is the first female Time Lord in the history of the cult sci-fi series. "I really can't wait to step back in and get to work again. It's such an incredible role. It's been an extraordinary journey so far and I'm not quite ready to hand it over yet," Whittaker told The Hollywood Reporter. The 11th season of "Doctor Who" will end on Sunday, with the show returning for a New Year's Day special. Season 12 is expected to start shooting in early 2019.
What media portrays isn't always true: Sumitra Mahajan on women safety
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday said the media in India paints a gloomy picture of issues like women's safety and that the reality was different. Addressing the 51st convocation of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), she also rued that newspapers and TV channels give space only to protests inside Parliament but ignore debates on important issues. "Don't women travel on roads... then people say women are not safe in India. When I go abroad, people ask me 'what's happening in india, madam. Your country is not safe now'. "I tell them that for the last 75 years I am in India, nothing has happened to me, my daughter or daughter-in-law. There's nothing like that. It happens in your country also... in every country," she said. "Yes, people commit crimes. But, is that only crimes are happening and nothing else? Politically, is only abusive language being used or something significant is also being spoken about," Mahajan asked. She appealed to the media to introspect
Shilpa to provide expert advice for 'Big Boss 12' (Lead, correcting headline)
Actress Shilpa Shinde says she is super excited to provide expert advice for the current season of "Big Boss" on a radio channel.
Singer Mika Singh released in UAE
Singer Mika Singh, who was arrested in UAE for allegedly sending "indecent pictures" to a teenaged Brazilian model, has been released. The singer was released Thursday night following the intervention of the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, told Gulf News. Suri said the singer is expected to appear in a court later. The envoy added though Mika was arrested in Dubai, the police took him to Abu Dhabi as the complainant was holding an Abu Dhabi residence visa. According to the sources, the singer was arrested after a 17-year-old Brazilian model allegedly lodged a complaint for sending inappropriate pictures. He also promised her a job in a Bollywood movie. This is not the first time that the singer has faced charges of inappropriate behaviour. He was accused of forcibly kissing the Bollywood's controversial actor Rakhi Sawant and was involved in a fight with an audience member during a show.
Shah Rukh Khan hopes daughter Suhana approves his performance in 'Mere Naam Tu'
Shah Rukh Khan is back being his romantic best for the song "Mere Naam Tu" from his upcoming film "Zero" and the superstar hopes his daughter Suhana approves of his performance in the track. The 53-year-old actor, who plays a vertically challenged man in the Aanand L Rai-directed drama, tweeted the making of "Mere Naam Tu" which also features Anushka Sharma. In the making video, the actor can be seen rehearsing the lyrics of the song with his daughter Suhana. "Of all the things I have done for Mere Naam Tu...this is the sweetest. My daughter teaching me to get the lyrics right on the sets. Hope after she sees the song she approves," he tweeted. Shah Rukh said filming the song was "one of the most beautiful experiences from the shoot". The team filmed the song in 14 days and Remo D'Souza has choreographed it. Also featuring Katrina Kaif, "Zero" will hit the theatres on December 21.