Page 865 - Entertainment Culture
Chadwick Boseman says 'Black Panther' will compete for Best Picture Oscar, not Popular Picture
Chadwick Boseman has said that his superhero film "Black Panther" will be vying for the Best Picture Oscar at the next years Academy Awards instead of the newly introduced Popular Film award. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter's 'Awards Chatter' podcast, said the 40-year-old actor said at the moment there is no award campaign for the film, but he insisted that they would compete for the Best Picture and not Popular Picture. "We don't know what it (the new prize) is, so I don't know whether to be happy about it or not," Boseman said. "What I can say is that there's no campaign (that we are mounting) for popular film; like, if there's a campaign, it's for best picture, and that's all there is to it," he added. Earlier this month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) board of governors had approved some major changes to the Oscars' format, including shortening the length of the ceremony and introducing a new category for outstanding achievement in popular film. The .
Eminem releases surprise new album 'Kamikaze'
Legendary rapper Eminem has released a surprise new studio album, titled 'Kamikaze'. The rap icon's tenth album was dropped without any fanfare at midnight on Thursday. It serves as a follow-up to his 2017 album 'Revival', which was released nine months ago. The record, co-produced by Dr Dre, features 13 tracks and includes a song recorded for forthcoming film "Venom" which stars Tom Hardy, reported Variety. The artwork of the album was inspired by The Beastie Boys, serving as a homage to their album Licensed to III. Interpolations on the album include Kendrick Lamar's "Humble," Playboi Carti's "Woke up like this," Young M A's "Oouu" and L L Cool J's "I'm bad." Other topics and personalities addressed on the album include President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, the Grammy Awards and the press, which Eminem calls out for panning 'Revival'.
Telugu film director Jaya dead
: Noted Telugu film director B Jaya died of a cardiac arrest, family sources said here today. She was 54. She passed away at a privatehospital here, they said. The journalist-turned-director is known for her films like 'Chantigadu', 'Premikulu', 'Gundamma Gaari Manavadu' and 'Lovely'. Her husband BA Raju is a notable producer and a public relations officer in the Telugu film industry. Jaya was one of the few women directors in the film industry. She started her career as a journalist and turned to film-making with 'Chantigadu' in 2003. She is credited with introducing new faces in the Telugu film industry. Several film personalities including actress and producer Lakshmi Manchu condoled Jaya's death. "Deepest condolences for #jaya director. We lost one of the very few positive women directors of our times..Too unfortunate to have lost her so soon. Strength to @baraju_SuperHit and her familyMay her soul rest in peace.#RIPJayaGaru (sic)," actress Lakshmi Manchu tweeted.
Ariana Grande gets hour-long BBC special
Pop star Ariana Grande has landed an hour-long "Ariana Grande at the BBC" special. According to the BBC, Davina McCall will interview the singer, who will perform music from her new album, 'Sweetener', accompanied by an all-female orchestra. "Since I've been asked to do this show I have been worried that someone is going to call up and tell me they've made a mistake and chosen the wrong presenter, because this seems just too good to be true. "Ariana Grande is such an incredible talent. She's very funny and incredibly kind and has achieved so much already in her career. I'm really excited about talking to her and, of course, hearing some of her amazing music," McCall said. Grande last appeared on BBC One when she headlined the One Love concert in Manchester in 2017. The concert was held to pay tribute and raise money for those affected by the suicide bombing at her gig on May 22 at the Manchester Arena. The show will be recorded on September 7 and will air later this year.
Eminem teases fans with teaser of 'Venom' song
Eminem has something interesting lined up for all the Marvel fans out there. The American rapper has uploaded a 15-second teaser of his song from the upcoming action-packed film 'Venom'.The hard to resist explosive beats and ominous lyrics, "Knock, knock, let the devil in", aptly matches the dark vibe of the film.Produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures, Venom is scheduled to release on October 5, 2018, in US theatres with international rollout commencing the same week.This new update comes as an appetizer for all the Marvelites while they eagerly wait for 'Venom' to hit the big screen.
Rajkummar Rao on films that shaped his career
In a career spanning eight years, Rajkummar Rao has made a steady rise to the top, becoming one of the most distinctive and trusted actors of Hindi cinema. Rao, who turned 34 today, believes "Shahid", "Trapped", "Newton" and "Bareilly Ki Barfi" are the four films that impacted his career the most. "The characters in these films were real in a way. Though 'Shahid' was the only true story, what happened in 'Trapped' can happen to anyone. And I am sure there are people like Newton and there are boys who are naive, sweet and rowdy, like my part in 'Bareilly...'. The humanness is something I loved," the actor told PTI in an interview. "Shahid", a 2013 biopic directed by Hansal Mehta, was based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi who was assassinated in 2010. "...Hansal sir narrated me his story and on a human level, I was moved that there was somebody like him. That film also changed me as a person." He spent a lot of time with Shahid's family, trying to know ...
I like surprising people with something unexpected: Shahid Kapoor (IANS Interview)
Be it Haider Meer, Tommy Singh, Maharaja Rawal Ratan Singh or his upcoming portrayal as boxing hero Dingko Singh, actor Shahid Kapoor says he loves to take the audience by surprise with something that they do not expect him to do.
'Black Panther' rooting for best picture, not 'popular Oscar': Chadwick Boseman
The 'Black Panther' team is not interested in the new Oscar category of 'popular film', it is rooting for the 'best picture' award.A new category called 'outstanding achievement in popular film' has been introduced in the Oscars for the upcoming 91st edition. Marvel actor Chadwick Boseman is concerned that this new category might affect his critically acclaimed blockbuster's prospects for the most prestigious Oscar of all 'best picture'.In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Boseman said that since he does not know anything about the new category, he is not sure whether he should be happy about it or not. He stated that they are not pursuing the popular Oscar, they are campaigning for the 'best picture'.Boseman further said that the introduction of the popular Oscar category should not keep Academy members from nominating the same film in the best picture Oscar category. "A good movie is a good movie," he said.Boseman even listed out all the reasons that make the film special, ..
SC quashes FIR against Priya Prakash Varrier
The Supreme court on Friday quashed an FIR registered in Telangana against actress Priya Prakash Varrier over picturisation of the song 'Manikya Malaraya Poovi' from her movie 'Oru Adaar Love'.A three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud, passed the order and quashed the FIR which objected to the actor's wink in the song.The court, in its order, said that picturisation of a popular folk song can never be termed 'blasphemous'.On February 16, the Raza Academy penned a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani seeking a ban on internet sensation Varrier's song. The academy alleged that the said Malayalam song insults Prophet Mohammad and his 'pious wife'.The Supreme Court, on February 21, stayed all the cases pending against her and said no criminal proceedings can take place against her in any part of the country, till further hearing in the matter after
Of kickass parenting, courtroom drama and dare dreamers (IANS Books This Weekend)
Read about the war that moms fight in raising their kids; know the secret dramas that unfold inside the courtroom in a crime thriller; and finally get an insight into a fictional start-up of superheroes with a mission of saving lives.
Voot to enter UK market in Nov; launch 18 premium web series
Viacom18's advertising led video-on-demand platform Voot is planning to launch its international distribution, starting with the UK in November. It will also be launching 18 multi-lingual premium web series across genres and adding news to its content offering, according to a company statement. "Voot is all set to debut internationally starting November 2018 with its entry into the United Kingdom. With an Indian origin population of around 1.825 million, the UK market presents a significant reach opportunity for Voot to leverage," the statement said. Operating as an ad-supported service in the country, Voot claims to have over 35 million monthly active users. The company said it will be launching 18 multi-lingual premium web series cutting across genres, as part of its Voot originals and has tied up with various brands of the network. Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the network's movie studio, will now be producing web-series for Voot, under the banner of Tipping Point Films, ..
Woody Allen's latest film release in limbo
The release of director Woody Allen's film "A Rainy Day in New York" has reportedly been put on hold by Amazon Studios. Sources told PageSix that the film, which stars Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Elle Fanning, Rebecca Hall and Jude Law, has been shelved indefinitely by Amazon Studios. The film marks fourth collaboration between the 82-year-old director and Amazon Studios, after "Cafe Society", "Crisis in Six Scenes" and "Wonder Wheel". In 2016, the studio had signed a five picture deal with Allen who has been releasing a feature every year since 1982. Amazon told Page Six that "no release date had ever been set" for the film that had concluded filming in 2017. The decision to shelve the project stems from the renewed focus on the director in the wake of Harvey Weinstein scandal and #MeToo movement. Many activists had called out Allen, who was accused of sexually assaulting his step-daughter Dylan Farrow when she was a seven-year-old in the early 1990s. Actors like Michael Caine, .
Venice Film Festival to sign gender-parity protocol
The Venice Biennale, parent organisation of the Venice Film Festival, is set to sign a protocol on gender parity. The protocol is the same that the Cannes, Locarno and Sarajevo festivals have recently agreed to. Initiated at Cannes by French organisation 50502020, the protocol involves pledges to practices that Venice officials say are already in place at their event: issuing statistics on the number of films submitted; being transparent about the members of the selection and programming committees; and reaching an even gender ratio in the organisation's top management. The pledge will be signed today at a news conference in presence of Italian organisations Dissenso Comune and Women in Film, TV & Media Italia. The agreement follows what the two organisations say have been friendly and constructive discussions that were protracted in part because the Biennale is a multidisciplinary organization extending to other arts beyond film, such as architecture and dance. The protocol that .
Sonu Sood no longer a part of 'Manikarnika'
Sonu Soon has decided to leave Kangana Ranaut-starrer "Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi" due to scheduling conflict, the actor's spokesperson said today. According to the spokesperson, Sonu, who is filming Rohit Shetty's "Simmba" right now, was recently asked to reshoot portions for "Manikarnika" by Kangana. The 45-year-old actor is sporting a beard for the Ranveer Singh-starrer, but for "Manikarnika" he was asked to go clean shaven. Sonu had asked the makers of the biopic to finish the reshoots after he completes his schedule for "Simmba" but things did not work out and he decided to quit the project. "Sonu has always been a thorough professional and honoured all his commitments. He had informed the makers of Manikarnika about his dates and schedule well in advance. Inconveniencing the team of his current film to accommodate the demands of another are against his professional principles. "Sonu has taken the higher road ahead and wishes the team of Manikarnika all the best," the ...
SC quashes FIR against actor Priya Varrier, director and producer of 'wink video' movie
The Supreme Court today quashed an FIR against actor Priya Prakash Varrier, director and the producer of Malayalam movie 'Oru Adaar Love', which alleged that the 'wink song' video had hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said the Malayalam folk song, on which the song has been picturised with Varrier, has been in the public domain since 1978 and the song video cannot be termed as blasphemous. "We allow the writ petition of Varrier and others and quash the FIR lodged against them in Telangana and further direct no FIR or any complaint under Section 200 of CrPC will be entertained against the petitioners for picturization of the song in question," the bench said. Referring to a constitution bench judgement and a verdict delivered in a similar case lodged against cricketer M S Dhoni, it said no offence under Section 295 A of the IPC is made out against the 18-year-old actor and others ..
Want to keep my honesty intact: Rajkummar Rao
Actor Rajkummar Rao, who turned 34 on Friday, has kept the audience captivated with his impactful performances in films like "Shahid", "Kai Po Che!", "Trapped", and "Bareilly Ki Barfi". He says he wants to keep his honesty intact and wants his films to continue resonating with the audience.
Sikandar opens up about his 'camaraderie' with Dulquer
Actor Sikandar Kher will be acting with Dulquer Salmaan for the first time, but their friendship began even before the Malayalam star made his acting debut in 2012 with the film "Second Show".
How Varun got his distinctive look for 'Sui Dhaaga'
Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma, who have come together for the first time on-screen for 'Sui Dhaaga', have garnered appreciation for their de-glam looks in the film.Talking about his appearance, the 'Kalank' star, who plays a small town tailor, revealed the makers wanted a very distinct look. In a video he shared on social media, Varun reveals how he transformed into Mauji."I grew my hair for the first time for Mauji's role. Then, Sharad Katariya, the director, advised that I should also have a moustache. We tried different fake moustaches which somehow didn't look so good," he said while adding, "When one day I came with a real one, Sharat really liked it.The 'Judwaa 2' star tweeted the video with the caption, "Main bana mauji? Kaisaaaaaa"On Thursday, Anushka had shared an exciting behind-the-scenes video which showed her transformation. In it, she revealed the best part of playing Mamta in 'Sui Dhaaga' was that she used to be ready in 20 minutes flat.The film, which revolves around
In search of a good screenwriter who's a former journalist: Imtiaz Ali
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali says he is in search of a good screenwriter who has earlier worked as a journalist, for a film that he has in mind on the media.
Netflix content in India has ramped up faster than anywhere else: Simran Sethi
Streaming service Netflix has ramped up its content in India faster than anywhere else in the world, doubling its catalogue since 2016 when it entered the market and working towards higher growth, says a senior executive of the company. The goal is to tell "authentic Indian stories" on a world platform, said Simran Sethi, director creative, international originals, Netflix. Of late, Netflix has diversified its content, including "Sacred Games", its first Original Series in India, and its latest "Ghoul" as well as films such as "Lust Stories". "Since our launch in India, our content has ramped up bigger and faster than anywhere else in the world in the same time period. We have doubled our catalogue. If it seems like there is a lot going on, it is because of this ramp up. India is a very important market for us," Sethi told PTI in an interview over phone from Mumbai. The Indian content seems to have exploded but Sethi says they have been working on it for a while. "We have been in ...