Category: Arts Entertainments

LOS ANGELES: Streaming service Netflix has announced that the fifth and final season of its smash hit series Stranger Things will debut later this year in three-parts.

At its annual Tudum event, the streamer revealed that the first part of the final season will come out on November 26, followed by the second part on Christmas on December 25, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve on December 31.

Stranger Things, created by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, is set in the 1980s and takes a look at the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, where a secret government lab accidentally opens a door to a parallel dimension referred to as the The Upside Down.

The series regulars returning to the final outing include Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Cara Buono, and Jamie Campbell Bower.

Netflix’s annual global fan event, Netflix TUDUM 2025, was lit up by Indian rapper Hanumankind, who set the tone for the night with a show-stopping opening act that has fans buzzing.

The Kerala-born artist, whose real name is Sooraj Cherukat, kicked off the spectacle with a fiery live performance of his hit track ‘Run It Up’. Backed by Squid Game’s eerie pink guards on stage, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. The performance marked one of only two major live acts of the evening, instantly grabbing the attention of a global audience tuning in to the Tudum livestream.

Netflix took to Instagram shortly after, writing, “Red light, green light, Hanumankind @hanumankind just opened #TUDUM!”

Known for his raw, unapologetic delivery and hard-hitting lyricism, Hanumankind’s presence on stage drew instant comparisons to international rap heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar.

His raspy vocal texture and powerful cadence made him a natural fit for an event that celebrates global pop culture at its boldest. His sound has already been embraced by the platform — he previously co-wrote “The Game Don’t Stop” for Squid Game Season 2 in collaboration with Netflix, and his latest 2025 track was sampled in the event’s trailer.

As the crowd roared and the bass thumped, Hanumankind delivered a performance fans are already calling the most explosive Tudum opener yet. One viewer summed up the sentiment perfectly: “Big energy, big stage, big moment. Hanumankind owned it.”

For Indian representation on a global stage, this wasn’t just a performance; it was a statement.

Singer Chinmayi Sripada finds herself at the centre of attention for her stirring rendition of the song ‘Mutha Mazhai’ at the recent Thug Life audio launch. Her performance has ignited a social media frenzy, with fans demanding its inclusion in the film and drawing comparisons to Dhee’s original version. Chinmayi, however, has quelled the debate, emphasising artistic camaraderie over competition.

Addressing the latest surge in popularity and the ensuing comparisons in an interview with The Hindu, Chinmayi articulated her perspective. Describing it as a regular on-stage rendition of an original song, she said that it is not something she has done for the first time, citing her prior versions of KS Chithra and S Janaki’s songs. Chinmayi also emphasised that she sang the Tamil version of the song at the audio launch of Thug Life due to the absence of its original singer, Dhee.

Chinmayi then addressed the comparisons, expressing her discomfort. She said that Thug Life makers must have chosen Dhee for a ‘quirky’ version of the song. She then described Dhee’s musical expression as being inimitable and called the comparison between their versions of the song unnecessary. “It feels like we are part of a wrestling match that we did not sign up for,” said the ‘Tere Bina’ singer. She underscored the mutual respect prevalent among artists and even extended an apology to Dhee for the comparisons.

Recently, Kamal said that Thug Life would even make the audience ‘forget’ Nayakan, his previous film with Mani Ratnam. The actor reinstated his belief in the quality of Thug Life, saying, “For giving you a bad film, I am giving you a good film.”

Kamal went on to add that Thug Life has Silambarasan TR’s career-best performance. “He has done many (performances), but for me, this is the level I wanted his acting to reach, and he has achieved it.”

Kamal also said that his Thug Life co-star Nasser delivered a memorable introduction scene in the film that made him the latter’s fan.

While the linguistic controversy continues to be a major talking point in the industry, Kamal’s candidness has appealed to a section of the audience.

Rawal’s departure has reportedly left both fans and colleagues disheartened. Suniel Shetty, who plays the calm and collected Shyam in the series, expressed his disappointment during an interview with ANI.

“I mean, it’s an absolute shock to me. I’m here because I heard it yesterday, and then today, some more news came about. So, I need to call and find out, and I’m completely heartbroken because if there was one film I was looking forward to, it was Hera Pheri, you know,” Shetty said.

He also emphasised that the franchise would be incomplete without Rawal’s character.
“It cannot happen. One hundred per cent cannot happen without Paresh Rawal. It can have a 1 per cent chance without me and Akshay, but 100 per cent cannot happen without Paresh ji. No, it doesn’t. Raju and Shyam, if they’re not hammered by Babu here, it doesn’t work,” he added.

In the original Hera Pheri films, Akshay Kumar played Raju, Suniel Shetty portrayed Shyam, and Paresh Rawal immortalised the character of Baburao, earning widespread acclaim for his comedic timing and memorable dialogues.

As fans continue to hope for the return of the original trio, Shetty’s message serves as a poignant reminder of the camaraderie and legacy that the Hera Pheri franchise represents.

Tom Cruise has shared on X a heartfelt message and a collection of behind-the-scenes images from the sets of his eight Mission: Impossible films, offering fans a glimpse into the epic journey that began over 30 years ago. The retrospective comes amid the grand success of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, marking Cruise’s swansong as IMF agent Ethan Hunt.

In a personal note accompanying the images, Cruise expressed his gratitude for the monumental undertaking. “Over 30 years ago, I began the journey of producing my first film, Mission: Impossible. Since then, these eight films have taken me on the adventure of a lifetime.”

The actor, renowned for his dedication to practical stunts and immersive filmmaking, recently shared in an interview that his friends and colleagues did not encourage the idea of him making a Mission: Impossible film. However, the success of Brian De Palma’s 1996 original spawned a franchise that would last more than three decades. Cruise also extended his gratitude to the countless individuals who have contributed to the franchise’s enduring success.

It’s been 22 years since Sonia Agarwal made her acting debut in Selvaraghavan’s Kadhal Konden. All these years later, Sonia lives by her three-point formula — work in roles she believes in, draw boundaries when needed, and strive to achieve success in all her roles. She is among the handful of female stars in a male-dominated industry to continue to feature prominently in film posters. Discussing her longevity, Sonia says, “The constant love from the audiences made me reach this position. It feels good, and I am blessed to consistently receive good scripts. Honestly, I never wanted to do a ‘normal’ character from day one of my career. I have always played a strong female lead, even if there was an equally big hero basking under the limelight. Be it Divya, Anitha or Angel, my roles are always layered and deep.” In fact, Sonia shares that this pursuit of such roles started right from her critically acclaimed debut performance in Kadhal Konden. “Once you have established yourself as an actor who plays meaningful characters, you can’t go back to working on ‘normal’ roles. I had to become a conscious actor,” she explains.

The culmination of it all has landed on Will, her upcoming film, where she sits on the elevated judge’s seat for the first time in her career. “I was nervous to wear the coat,” shares Sonia, crediting director Sivaraman, a lawyer himself, for getting the nuances of a courtroom setting right and extracting the exact performances needed for the film. “Sometimes, there is a chance of directors missing a few details in films like these. However, Will is carefully constructed since the director has experienced living in such a setting. Crafting roles like lawyers and doctors requires meticulousness as they are strong personalities. While wearing their uniforms, we need to respect these roles,” she notes, adding how her brother and composer Saurabh Agarwal had developed tunes aligned to these themes.

Early on in her career, Sonia Agarwal had benefited from being part of several films that have gone on to become cult classics in Tamil cinema—Kaadhal Kondein, 7G Rainbow Colony, Thiruttu Payale and Pudhupettai. Recalling memories from these films, she points to how Pudhupettai, starring Dhanush and herself, changed how people looked at films. “It greatly influenced how the audience looked at films. It taught people in the industry to utilise their resources to make wonderful films. If we could do this film without the technological advancements that we have now, imagine the potential that we hold in our hands now,” she reflects, adding, “Similar to Pudhupettai, I continue to always look for roles where women are strong. She can be naïve, but there needs to be an unshakeable inner strength in her.”

Among the Padma awardees gathered at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday evening to receive one of the country’s highest civilian honours, was Bengaluru’s own musician Ricky Kej who attended the ceremony with his mother on his arm. In a brief chat on a flight en route the USA, the three-time Grammy award winner shared the surreal joy of receiving the Padma Shri, saying, “The award itself was announced on the eve of Republic Day this year and I was overjoyed, but it felt absolutely real only when I actually stepped into the Rashtrapati Bhavan.” Explaining the preparation that happens behind the scenes of what the nation sees on screen, he added, “In the morning, a rehearsal was organised and it helped all of us award winners to be less nervous – we practiced the entire event flow, and pathway to walk to the president. We also got to know a little bit about the history of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.” Despite this, Kej’s nerves had not completely dissipated. “When my name was called out, it was a complete blur,” he recalls.

Because of being ‘humbled by the entire event itself’, Kej chose to make the walk barefoot. “It is so amazing that the award goes to unsung heroes – people who are doing amazing work at the grassroots level, helping communities that have been historically left behind, and furthering the arts. It felt like I was in a temple and it was overwhelming as a spiritual moment. That is why I decided to walk barefoot and accept the award,” he explains, adding that despite his four Grammy nominations and three wins, the Padma Shri is the most special to him.

“Each dialect brings a new rhythm to the story. Language is not just a medium here—it’s a character of its own,” Rathan adds.

Behind the scenes, Sees Kaddi is powered by a seasoned creative team. With cinematography by Suneil Narasimhamurthy, music by KC Balasarangan, costumes by Asha Thomas, and editing by Anirudh Harshavardhan.

The film is produced under the Grahana LLP banner by Sampath Shivashankara, Krithi Nannaiah, and Rathan Gangadhar.
The ensemble cast features Sitin Appayya, B.S. Ramamurthy, Manvi Balagar, Sowmya Jaganmurthy, Pratham Raje Urs, Santhosh Karki, Anushka Takkalaki, Sanjay Gowda, Shreshta Jupthimut, Mahendra Gouda, Deepika Adthale, Nagaraj Rao, Rekha Kudligi, Raghavendra Bhat, and Nonavinakere Ramakrishnaiah, among others.

Before turning to cinema, Rathan spent years in advertising. “Ad films were starting to feel repetitive,” he admits. “I needed something more immersive, something that lets a story breathe. Sees Kaddi gave me that canvas.”
He concludes with quiet confidence. “Much like a pencil itself, it may seem small, but the marks it leaves could last a lifetime. I hope this film leaves that kind of impact on audiences.”

Aactor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has sparked controversy after suggesting that the Kannada language originated from Tamil, drawing criticism from pro-Kannada groups.

“Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil,” Haasan said during the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life in Chennai.

The actor began his speech with the Tamil phrase ‘Uyire Urave Tamizhe’ (my life and my family is in Tamil) and referred to Kannada actor Shivarajkumar, who was also present at the event, as his family from another state.

Kamal, while addressing Shivarajkumar, said: “That’s why when I started my speech, I said ‘my life and my family is Tamil’. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil. So you are included in that line.”

His remarks drew condemnation from pro-Kannada organisations, which said the comments hurt public sentiment and warned of serious consequences if similar statements were made in the future. Activists also tore down posters of his upcoming film Thug Life in Bengaluru.

Karnataka BJP chief, Vijayendra Yediyurappa, reacted to the incident and called out the actor’s behaviour in a post on X.

While referring to Kamal Hassan’s behaviour as “uncultured”, Yediyurappa accused him of insulting Kannada. He went on to say that the actor is not a historian to make such claims and demanded an apology.

Describing Aranyer Din Ratri as the story of a playful encounter between four young men and three young women, the Cannes writeup on the film called it free-spirited and radiant in its appeal. Based on Sunil Gangopadhyay’s novel of the same name, Ray turns it into a portrait of the bourgeoisie Indian youth of the times and a peep into the class, gender and urban-rural dynamics, differences and divides.

Tagore calls the four male protagonists of Aranyer Din Ratri, “victims of cultural imperialism”. “The four boys [Asim played by Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee as Sanjoy, Samit Bhanja as Hari and Rabi Ghosh as Sekhar] go for a vacation [to Palamu] to get away from it all… They are too caught up. Without the trope of Western cinema, they can’t appreciate nature. They don’t have the words to explain it. They are out of place in nature, amid the grace of the local santhal tribal people,” says Tagore.

A nonchalance that could also hold true for youngsters today, inhabiting a world that is all about instant gratification, selfie culture and compulsion to constantly click photographs. “In the process, they lose out on looking and absorbing a place. They need to spend time drinking it all in. Perhaps write a diary to make memories. But with the telephone in hand, it has become all about the instant. They don’t go to the depths, they are short of time,” she says.

Posited against the arrogance, callousness and entitlement of the Aranyer men are three women who hold a mirror up to them—the elegant, intelligent and self-possessed Aparna, played by Tagore, the feral tribal Duli (Simi Garewal) and the daring Jaya (Kaberi Bose), Aparna’s widowed sister-in-law.

The experience almost came true for Fiamma Villaverde, who was celebrating her 29th birthday at the theatre along with her 11-year-old daughter and a friend. Her life was saved by a whisker as she was leaning towards the armrest. However, she sustained injuries on her shoulder, back, knee and ankle. Villaverde told publications that she is planning to file a complaint and contact a lawyer to sue people responsible for the incident that caused her traumatic injuries. Released on May 16, Final Destination Bloodlines stars Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, with Brec Bassinger and Tony Todd in his final film appearance before his death.

The film, which has set cash registers ringing in box offices worldwide, has its screenplay written by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor from a story by Jon Watts, Busick and Taylor. The film is produced by Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle and Toby Emmerich. David Siegel and Warren Zide are the executive producers. Practical Pictures, Freshman Year, and Fireside Films are behind the film.

Soni, who has always been a curious young adult, let the story marinate in his head for years. It was a few years ago that he informed Babban about his interest in making this film. “After years of interaction with Babban and trying to understand their struggle, we started working on this project. It wasn’t only my interest in the story but also Babban’s need for their pain and resilience to be shared with the world. I became the medium to tell their story.”

The filmmaker believes that storytelling comes with a lot of responsibility. With Babban sharing possibly everything about their life, Soni feels it becomes even more challenging to deal with the subject with sensitivity. “You are dealing with a part of the country where there’s a massive lack of understanding when it comes to a subject like this. You have to make sure you do justice to the story and also deliver in a way that doesn’t create any trouble for them,” he adds. Soni thinks it is very important to earn the trust of your subject when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics. The subject shouldn’t fear exploitation. “A 25-minute film could have been an hour-long film. There is a reason it isn’t. The realisation comes with the responsibility of the choices that you’ve to make at the edit table. We have been able to deliver, keeping all of this in mind. That is why both Babban and I are very happy with the outcome,” says Soni.

A student of Pratt Institute in New York, it would be an understatement to say that Soni simply loves the city. He breathes it. Soni believes that New York has contributed massively to his filmmaking career. But it is the mundane life in Delhi which keeps inspiring him. “I love New York and feel it is the best city in the world. There’s nothing like the hustle culture in New York. You are surrounded by art, literature and poetry. But I’ve wanted to tell stories because of my never-ending love affair with Delhi. It is home. There’s a story in every lane and bylane, waiting to be told.”

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Saturday accused the Telugu film industry players of “lacking minimum respect” towards the TDP-led NDA government at a time when it is contemplating to accord industry status and develop it further.

Asserting that Tollywood, as the industry is called, is not demonstrating gratitude, the actor-politician noted that the film industry’s representatives are yet to meet Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, even a year after the formation of the NDA alliance government.

“At a time when the government is thinking of giving industry status and developing the film industry, including ensuring that their (film makers) respect is not lowered, they do not have even a minimum respect or gratitude towards the Andhra Pradesh government,” said Kalyan in a press release.

The Janasena chief, who is also a popular actor, observed that the filmmakers would only come during the release of their movies but refrain from activities such as developing the field.

You and Jason have great chemistry together on screen. How did you go about building such a believable relationship together?

Jason is wonderful to work with. That’s just how he is as an actor. Also, I had an experience of working with the same actor every day on The X-Files. So, I know how to make that work. But Jason makes it very easy. We always felt like we were part of the same conversation.

What do fans tend to want to talk to you about the most when they meet you?

I still get a lot of X-Files. But I don’t really get recognised all that much in public. It’s weird. Sometimes I don’t get recognised in places where you’d think I would, and then in places where you’d swear to God they’d never seen anything ever, I get recognised.

You work in so many genres, both on the big and small screens. How do you go about choosing what project to do next?

I just try to make every project and every role as different and as surprising as I can make them. I keep saying I’m going to stop playing historical or real-life characters, and then I find somebody else who I find fascinating and want to jump into the shoes of. So, I can’t say what role is next, but there will definitely be powerhouses, in one form or another.

CANNES: The Cannes film festival drew to a close on Saturday, promising to overcome a major power cut in order to hand out its prizes at a VIP-studded ceremony later.

A wry Iranian film about political prisoners and a Ukrainian-directed drama about despotism are among the frontrunners after almost a fortnight of red carpets and politically charged statements.

French actor Juliette Binoche and her jury will announce the winner from the 22 films competing for the Palme d’Or for best film.

The best-reviewed contenders include Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident and Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa’s study of tyranny in Two Prosecutors, according to analysis from Screen magazine.

But cinema bible Variety predicted a triumph for Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a moving tale about a quietly fractured family starring Elle Fanning.

It got an extraordinary 19-minute standing ovation after its premiere on Thursday.

Rumours buzzed around the Riviera resort on Saturday morning about the likely winners, but the traffic did not.

Traffic lights were knocked out by the power cut, causing major snarls, while the electricity supply was briefly cut at the film festival headquarters.

Organisers said they had switched to an alternative supply, “which enables us to maintain the events and screenings planned for today in normal conditions, including the closing ceremony”.

The cause of the outage has not been announced, but police sources told AFP it was caused by a fire, probably an arson attack, on a nearby electricity substation.

The film, titled Michael, stars Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael with Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Michael Jackson’s parents

According to reports, the release of the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has been pushed to 2026. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is known for his collaborations with Denzel Washington.

Jon Feltheimer, CEO of Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, shared that ‘a definitive release strategy and timing’ will be announced in the next few weeks. But the release of the film will be moved out of the 2026 fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026.

Michael is the feature film debut of Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, who will play Michael in the film. The rest of the cast includes Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Larenz Tate, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Jessica Sula, Liv Symone, Kevin Shinick, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, and Kendrick Sampson.

With Fuqua in the director’s chair, Michael is produced by John Branca and John McClain, alongside Graham King. Lionsgate is the studio backing the film.

Tamil actor Dhanush will play the role of former president APJ Abdul Kalam in his biopic ‘Kalam: The Missile Man of India’ directed by Om Raut.

The film was officially announced at the Cannes Film Market on Wednesday. Dhanush also shared the post poster of the film in his Instagram account.

“I feel truly blessed and deeply humbled to be portraying the life of such an inspirational and magnanimous leader – our very own Dr APJ Abdul Kalam sir,” he wrote.

The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar of T-Series and Abhishek Agarwal and Anil Sunkara of Abhishek Agarwal Arts.

Director Om Raut, in a post on X, shared the update on the film. “From Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the journey of a legend begins India’s Missile Man is coming to the silver screen. Dream big. Rise higher. #KALAM – The Missile Man of India @dhanushkraja @omraut #BhushanKumar @AbhishekOfficl @AAArtsOfficial,” he wrote.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Tagore reminisced about the challenging shoot in the Betla forest during the hot summer and recalled staying in a modest “chaukidaar’s room” while filming.

“I had the chowkidar’s room and I had a water cooler. In dry weather, it worked very well. These guys were in a shed with with tin roof. So they would all joke about themselves and say ‘I am Rabi roast’, Subhendu would say ‘I am sauteed Subhendu’ because it used to be so hot. You cannot imagine how hot it was. We could only work from 5:30 AM to 9:00 AM and then again from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Rest of the time, we just bonded and became good friends,” she recalled.

Tagore explained that Ray wanted to shoot during the hot summer because the trees were leafless.

“He wanted a particular look and it was only possible in May because then the rains came soon after, and before that, it was all leafy and lush,” she said, highlighting the Ray’s dedication in bringing his vision to life.

Satyajit Ray’s contributions to cinema are monumental, with his works like The Apu Trilogy and Charulata earning international acclaim. The restoration and screening of Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes serve as a testament to his lasting legacy and the global appreciation of his artistry.

The presence of Tagore and Garewal at Cannes not only celebrated a cinematic masterpiece but also highlighted the timeless elegance and cultural richness of Indian cinema on the world stage.

Rana Daggubati’s crime-thriller show Rana Naidu Season 2 will be released on Netflix on June 13, the makers announced on Tuesday. Created by Karan Anshuman, who has co-directed it with Suparn Verma and Abhay Chopra, the series also stars Venkatesh, Arjun Rampal, Surveen Chawla, Kriti Kharbanda, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Banerjee and Ashish Vidyarthi in pivotal roles.

The makers shared a poster featuring Rana, Venkatesh, Arjun, Surveen and Kriti as they are donning intense looks. They wrote in caption, “Jab baat parivaar ki ho, Rana harr line cross Karega (When it comes to family, Rana will cross all lines). Watch Rana Naidu Season 2, out 13 June, only on Netflix.”

Rana Naidu, an official adaptation of the 2013 American series Ray Donovan, follows the life of the city’s go-to-fixer, Rana Naidu, who does the dirty work for top power players; making the problems of the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls disappear.

The show is produced by Sunder Aaron.

The makers of Mohanlal–Sathyan Anthikad‘s Hridayapoorvam have announced the completion of the film’s shoot via social media, sharing a photo featuring the cast and crew. This marks the 18th collaboration between the actor and director, reuniting after a decade since their last film together, Ennum Eppozhum (2015).

Touted as a family entertainer set primarily in Pune, Hridayapoorvam is based on a story by Akhil Sathyan, with debutant Sonu T P writing the screenplay and dialogues. The film stars Malavika Mohanan as the female lead, alongside Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala actor Sangita Madhavan Nair, Premalu-fame Sangeeth Prathap and Siddique in key roles. Its technical crew includes cinematographer Anu Moothedath, art director Prasanth Madhav, sound designer Anil Radhakrishnan and music composer Justin Prabhakaran, who previously collaborated with Akhil on his directorial debut Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (2023).

Produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas, Hridayapoorvam is scheduled to hit theatres on August 25 as an Onam release.

Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi makes his first appearance at an international film festival in 15 years at Cannes on Tuesday, with a story about political prisoners trying to get back at their jailers.

Panahi was banned from making films and has been repeatedly detained since 2009 over his gritty, social dramas, considered subversive by the Islamic republic’s regime.

His new film, “It Was Just An Accident” — which is in the running for Cannes’s top prize — uses humour to point out injustice.

Critics clapped at the end — a rare occurrence in press screenings.

The director said his own time in prison helped colour the wry tale.

Panahi, 64, told Screen magazine: “One of the characteristics of the Iranian people is their humour. This regime has been trying for over four decades now to impose on Iranians tragedy, tears and suffering but the Iranians always come up with humour and jokes.”

The acclaimed director has repeatedly skirted the ban on him by shooting in secret, including 2022’s “No Bears”, which screened at the Venice film festival and won a special jury prize there while he was in jail.

“Although I am not banned any more, it didn’t really change my actual situation. I still had to work illegally,” he told Screen.

A source close to the filmmaker, who asked not to be named, said Panahi’s latest film had been shot in secret and had no government funding.

Cannes has a long history of supporting independent Iranian filmmakers, who often face legal problems and intimidation from Iranian authorities.

Director Rohith VS confirmed on Sunday that his upcoming film Tiki Taka, headlined by Asif Ali, will be released in cinemas during Christmas 2025. Sharing the update via Instagram stories, he wrote, “Christmas 2025. All bloody languages for you,” signalling a wide multilingual release.

Tiki Taka marks Rohith’s third collaboration with actor Asif after Adventures of Omanakuttan and Ibilis and is being billed as the most ambitious project in the actor’s career. Asif recently shared a personal note on X (formerly Twitter) expressing his high expectations for the film, which he described as a full-scale commercial entertainer driven by action and mass appeal.

Tiki Taka also features Lukman Avaran, Wamiqa Gabbi, Naslen Gafoor, Sanchana Natarajan, Harisree Ashokan, and Santhosh Prathap. The film is produced by Siju Mathew and Navis Xaviour of Juvis Production, in association with Adventures Company. The technical team includes cinematographer Sony Seban, music director Dawn Vincent, and editor Chaman Chakko.

Some viewers defended the scenes, saying that if the plot supports the age difference, it can be acceptable. One Reddit user wrote, “The story is about an older man and a younger woman, so it makes sense with Trisha. But with Abhirami, it feels awkward.” Others felt that pretending such an age gap does not exist, just to keep up the “mass hero” image, seemed lazy and out of touch.

Thug Life, set to release in cinemas on 5 June, is backed by Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies. The film tells the story of a gangster, played by Haasan, who takes in a young boy and raises him in the criminal world. The boy, played by Silambarasan TR, later becomes a key figure in the gang, but their relationship is tested by power struggles and betrayal.

British maestro Mike Leigh’s 23rd feature, Hard Truths, is an intense yet compassionate character study of Pansy Deacon (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), a far from likeable person at first sight. High-strung, easily affected and offended and flaring up at the slightest provocation, she makes things wretched not just for herself but also for everyone around her. Her plumber husband Curtley (David Webber) and their aimless drifter of a son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) are at the forefront of bearing the brunt of her mercurial ways, relentlessly, almost every single day and hour of their lives. The strangers—fellow shoppers, sales counter managers, doctors and dentists—are just as susceptible to her unpredictable fits of temper.

The only one to exercise a modicum of control and bring ease and peace to Pansy is her hairdresser sister Chantelle (Michele Austin). A polar opposite, Chantelle is a sunny, positive, cheerful and immensely amiable single mother with two daughters who are just as bright as her—Kayla (ani Nelson) and Aleisha (Sophia Brown). While Pansy shuns people, Chantelle embraces them and personifies community spirit.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It also screened at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, London Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. Jean-Baptiste’s performance has been one of the most widely appreciated in 2024. She got the Best Actress nod for 2024 from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (shared with Mikey Madison, Anora) as well as the National Society of Film Critics, the first woman of colour to have achieved this distinction. She also won the best lead performance award at the British Independent Film Awards and Toronto Film Critics Association.

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government has challenged the acquittal of Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, and Sonali Bendre in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, in which superstar Salman Khan was convicted in 2018. The matter was heard on Friday in the Rajasthan High Court, where a plea for leave to appeal was taken up.

Justice Manoj Kumar Garg directed that the case be listed along with other related matters. According to Advocate Mahipal Vishnoi, the incident occurred on 1 October 1998, during the shooting of the film Hum Saath-Saath Hain in Kankani village near Jodhpur.

It was alleged that the actors, led by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, had hunted blackbucks, a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act.

On 5 April 2018, the trial court convicted actor Salman Khan and sentenced him to five years in prison. However, co-accused Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, Sonali Bendre, and a local man, Dushyant Singh, were acquitted due to lack of evidence and were given the benefit of the doubt.

In its petition, the state government has sought permission to transfer related matters and include Salman Khan’s conviction as part of the broader appeal—over seven years after the verdict was delivered in a Jodhpur court. The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for 28 July, when all related cases will be heard together.

Following his conviction in April 2018, Salman Khan was sent to Jodhpur Central Jail. However, on 7 April 2018, the District and Sessions Court granted him conditional bail on a surety of Rs 50,000, and he was released the same day. Currently, he remains out on bail, while the case continues to be pending before the High Court.

In 1998, a total of five cases were registered against actor Salman Khan and his co-stars, including Sonali Bendre, Tabu, Saif Ali Khan, Satish Shah, and some locals of Jodhpur, for allegedly hunting two blackbucks and one chinkara during the shooting of the film Hum Saath-Saath Hain.

Kajal Aggarwal is set to portray Queen Mandodari in director Nitesh Tiwari’s epic film Ramayana, CE has learnt exclusively from a source close to the project. Kajal joins the film’s existing cast, Ranbir Kapoor (Ram), Sai Pallavi (Sita), and Yash (Ravana), among others. Reportedly a retelling of the epic mythological tale, the film is produced by Namit Malhotra of Prime Focus India, with Yash co-producing under his banner Monster Minds Creations. As reported earlier, the film will release in two parts, with the first part already in post production.

Ramayana Part I is set for a Diwali 2026 release, followed by the second part that is slated to release on the same festival occasion the subsequent year. The film’s cast also includes Ravi Dubey (Lakshman) and Sunny Deol. Reportedly, Sunny is portraying Hanuman in the film. Earlier, Indira Krishnan, who portrays Ram’s mother Kaushalya in Ramayana, confirmed that Arun Govil plays Ram’s father Dashrath in the film.

Veteran actor Al Pacino adds more star power to the already star-studded cast of the biographical drama Maserati: The Brothers, directed by Robert Moresco.

Welcoming Al Pacino to the team, producer Andrea Iervolino hailed the actor for his “unparalleled talent and iconic presence” that will bring a “profound depth to this inspiring story. Iervolino is also producing Al Pacino’s upcoming film about the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III.

Al Pacino joins the ensemble of Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Alba, Michele Morrone, Andy Garcia and Salvatore Esposito. Gina La Piana and Tatiana Lute round out the cast.

Maserati: The Brothers chronicles the rise of the Maserati family, which took the lead in automotive innovation. Al Pacino will play the businessman Vincenzo Vaccaro, who pinned hopes on the Maserati family business’ nascent days.

The film’s second and final phase of filming will commence in June in Rome, with the makers planning a release later this year.

Described as a stylish and unconventional heist film, Here Comes the Flood will revolve around a bank guard, a teller, and a master thief ensnared in a high-stakes web of deception, cons, and double crosses. The story will reportedly play out in a non-linear narrative, keeping viewers guessing throughout. Production is slated to begin this fall, with Samson Mucke serving as executive producer.

This marks a return to Netflix for Meirelles, whose The Two Popes earned the streamer three Academy Award nominations. His other notable works include the political thriller The Constant Gardener and the critically acclaimed City of God, which earned him a Best Director Oscar nomination.

Prime Video announced at the annual upfront presentation of Amazon that Fallout is renewed for a third season. The series which premiered in April 2024 is based on the video game series which began in 1997.

Two hundred years after a nuclear fallout, humans who were able to survive in luxury fallout shelters discover that the world outside is complex, weird, and violent. Lucy, one of these dwellers, must confront her idealistic nature in order to rescue her father. Meanwhile, in the wasteland, Maximus, a young squire with the militaristic Brotherhood of Steel, is on a mission to further the Brotherhood’s goal to bring order to the wasteland. They collide when they chase an artefact that can potentially change the power dynamic of that world.

The cast of Fallout includes Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Aaron Moten, Moises Arias, Kyle MacLachlan, Sarita Choudhury, Michael Emerson, Leslie Uggams, Frances Turner, Dave Register, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton, Rodrigo Luzzi, Annabel O’Hagan, and Xelia Mendes-Jones.

Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner are the showrunners of Fallout. They serve as executive producers with Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, Athena Wickham, Todd Howard, and James Altman. Nolan directed the first three episodes of the first season. Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films produce Fallout, in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks.

Season One of Fallout is currently streaming on Prime Video, with the second season set to premiere in December 2025.

Sri Ganesh has previously helmed 8 Thottakkal and Kuruthi Aattam. 3 BHK also stars Yogi Babu, Meetha Raghunath and Chaithra Achar. The lattermost, known for her role in the Kannada film Sapta Sagaradaache Ello – Side B, is making her Tamil debut with this film.

The technical crew of the film comprises cinematographers Dinesh Krishnan B and Jithin Stanislaus, editor Ganesh Siva, art director Vinoth Rajkumar N, and music director Amrit Ramnath.

PARIS: French movie star Gérard Depardieu ’s fall from grace is now complete.

Depardieu was found guilty Tuesday of sexually assaulting two women on the set of a movie in which he starred in 2021 and given an 18-month suspended prison sentence. He was also fined a total of 29,040 euros (around $32,350), and the court requested that he be registered in the national sex offender database.

The actor, 76, has been convicted of having groped a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant during the filming of “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”). The case was widely seen as a key post-#MeToo test of how French society and its film industry address allegations of sexual misconduct involving prominent figures.

Depardieu, who has denied the accusations, didn’t attend the hearing in Paris. Depardieu’s lawyer said that his client would appeal the decision.

“It is the victory of two women, but it is the victory of all the women beyond this trial,” said Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, the set dresser’s lawyer. “Today we hope to see the end of impunity for an artist in the world of cinema. I think that with this decision we can no longer say that he is not a sexual abuser. And today, as the Cannes Film Festival opens, I’d like the film world to spare a thought for Gérard Depardieu’s victims.”

Depardieu’s long and storied career — he told the court that he’s made more than 250 films — has turned him into a French movie giant. He was Oscar-nominated in 1991 for his performance as the swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac.

During the four-day trial in March, Depardieu rejected the accusations, saying he’s “not like that.” He acknowledged that he had used vulgar and sexualized language on the film set and that he grabbed the set dresser’s hips during an argument, but denied that his behavior was sexual.

The two accusers testified in court

The set dresser described the alleged assault, saying the actor pincered her between his legs as she squeezed past him in a narrow corridor.

She said he grabbed her hips then started “palpating” her behind and “in front, around.” She ran her hands near her buttocks, hips and pubic area to show what she allegedly experienced. She said he then grabbed her chest.

At a time when the line between audience and artist continues to blur, journalists Hemanth Kumar and Vrinda Prasad have made the leap from observing cinema to making it. Their debut production Muthayya, a heartwarming Telugu indie written and directed by Bhaskhar Maurya, was born not out of a boardroom plan but a shared restlessness. The film, which stars Sudhakar Reddy Kethiri in a breakout performance, has travelled to several festivals and earned praise from industry giants including SS Rajamouli and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. But for Hemanth and Vrinda, it’s not just about acclaim, it’s about integrity too.

Vrinda says the shift began when she grew disillusioned with television. “There’s only so much you can do on TV,” she adds, “There’s a format, and there’s no space to explore stories with heart. I’d always told Hemanth, who’s been my best friend for over 15 years, that we should do something on our own one day. But we didn’t have the courage then.”

In 2019, the duo started planned to do something else but it didn’t last long. Then, in 2021, Vrinda, working at Zee at the time, decided she’d had enough of corporate restraiants. She recalls quitting on May 30. Five days later, a friend brought Bhaskhar’s Muthayya script to them. “He said, ‘It’s your kind of film.’ We heard it on June 5, and by June 7, we told Bhaskhar we were in. No investors, no plan; we just knew we had to make it.”

Funding came from a friend, equipment came from well-wishers, and goodwill fuelled the production. Cinematographer Divakar Mani joined on a friendly basis and was later given co-producer credit. “Everything about this film happened because of people who just believed in the story,” Vrinda says.

Hemanth’s entry into production, he says, stems from his ‘genuine love for Telugu cinema.’ A mechanical engineering graduate from BITS Pilani, he found his calling in criticism, blogging about movies from 2007. “I took a film studies elective in my final semester and watched Nostalgia by Tarkovsky,” he says, “It blew my mind. I didn’t even understand what I was watching, but I knew I wanted to study film seriously.”

The idea of enabling other people’s stories rather than telling their own is a conscious one. Vrinda admits she has no interest in writing fiction, and Hemanth laughingly says he would be ‘the worst director’. But as producers, they have clarity of purpose. “Our job is to spot the potential in an idea and create the best environment to bring it alive,” she says.

That clarity also comes with an awareness of risk. “Nobody wakes up and says they want the headache of producing a film,” Hemanth laughs and adds, “But producers are the unsung heroes. From scouting talent and building a crew to thinking two years ahead about where the market will be, it’s exhausting and invisible work.”

Hemanth specifies that the film was made in just 15 days, including reshoots. “We didn’t have the luxury of time, but the clarity of vision helped. Bhaskhar, our director, had a very unique approach; he didn’t want to overwhelm the actors, many of whom were new. That affected how we framed the scenes too. The camera just observed,” he says. The film’s visual language, composed of long takes and static shots, initially worried Vrinda. “There were no close-ups, no coverage,” she recalls. “I was terrified. But once we saw the rough cut, we knew it worked.”

Their debut might have been an emotional leap of faith, but they are more pragmatic now. “If you ask me today to make Muthayya again, I don’t know if I’ll do it unless I have a streaming deal in place,” Vrinda says. “The struggle was real. We made it during COVID, aimed for OTT. The streamers were taking any film that was available in the market. By the time we were done, then theatres reopened. Suddenly, the world changed. Now, everybody is going behind theatres. It was a battle for us to bring the film out.”

Despite all this, Muthayya found its home. Eventually released on ETVWin. The film also went on to premiere at festivals, gaining attention from industry heavyweights. “Nani released our teaser, Kajal launched our poster, and Suriya sir tweeted about it,” Vrinda recounts, her voice still tinged with disbelief. “That’s the beauty of the relationships we’ve built over the years. These are people who’ve seen us grow, just as we’ve seen them evolve.” Hemanth agrees and says, “That support doesn’t come from nowhere. People knew we were genuine, that we give our heart and soul to a project.”

Their past in film journalism remains both a foundation and a lens. Hemanth adds, “When I reviewed films, I never claimed to know everything. It was just my personal perspective. That humility stays. We think of the audience first. I don’t bring that understanding here. The media world gave me access to every part of the industry. I learnt so much just by asking questions on sets and in interviews. That’s what shaped my understanding of cinema.”

Today’s audience, they believe, is fragmented. “Everyone is busy with something now,” Hemanth says. “If people have two hours, they might go to YouTube, Instagram, or Netflix. That’s why films have to earn their time. If you’re spending two hundred rupees, you need to walk into an experience.”

Still, both are clear about one thing: they are not in it just for survival. “There’s a reason we didn’t chase stars or big names for Muthayya,” Vrinda says, “The story was the star. Sudhakar gaaru brought a kind of magic no big name could have.” As for what kind of stories they want to tell, both cite a blend of instinct and economics. “You have to play by certain rules,” Hemanth says, “The crowd matters. We might love European cinema, but that can’t always dictate our choices. Still, we believe there’s space for both.”

Vrinda concludes saying, “The industry definitely needs more producers. Not just businessmen, but people who care about stories and processes. Because this job is lonely, unpredictable, and hard, but it is also full of possibilities.” Hemanth agrees, “At heart, we’re still storytellers, not business people yet. We want to help tell stories we believe in. Because making cinema could be a journey of 1 or 2 years, and through all that, if you don’t believe in your film, there’s no point.”

As they look ahead, their plans are more structured. They’re working on a rural comedy, a rom-com, and a horror film. They are also actively pitching scripts to platforms and looking for collaborative partners. “You can’t stick to one model anymore,” Hemanth says. “Some projects are OTT-bound, others are theatrical. But you have to think of the crowd. Our taste cannot be the only filter.”

The film stars an ensemble cast which includes Kaitlyn Dever, Sam Neill, Jack O’Connell, Matthew Modine, Alycia Debnam-Carey and Delroy Lindo, with Dan Stevens reprising his role as Trapper Beasly from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

In Godzilla X Kong: Supernova, Titans Godzilla and Kong will be facing off against a threat which is world-ending, with the humans beside them. The script for the film has been written by David Callaham and Michael Lloyd Green.

Grant Sputore is known for the 2009 film I Am Mother. David Callaham has written the script for the film. He has also written for films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Dunst has previously earned an Oscar nomination for The Power of the Dog and won Cannes’ best actress prize for Melancholia. She is also known for Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicides, and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. Her upcoming films include Derek Cianfrance’s Roofman and Ruben Östlund’s The Entertainment System Is Down.

Madison, previously seen in Scream 5, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and FX’s Better Things, has been praised for her bold, emotionally raw performances — a quality likely to shine in Reptilia‘s twisted, aquatic narrative.

The film is being produced by Imperative Entertainment, Pastel, and AF Films, with Landes Echavarría also producing under his A Stela Cine banner. Black Bear is financing.

Vijay’s partner, Kalidasa (Tabla Nani), is the opposite—quiet, dependable, and grounded. Their dynamic is subtle but strong, built on mutual respect rather than dramatic clashes. Then comes Adhvika (Apoorva), who starts as a romantic interest but soon proves to be key to both the plot and Vijay’s emotional journey.

The film takes its time to get going. The first half has some predictable moments and plays to the gallery with lighter scenes. But the second half is where the real story kicks in. As the mystery deepens, so does the emotional weight. The shift might be too slow for some, but others will appreciate the layered storytelling that follows.

Kiran Kumar tries to balance suspense, emotion, and social commentary. The film weaves in family drama and betrayal without overdoing it. The emotional moments feel earned and help ground the more dramatic parts of the plot.

Chandan Shetty, in his first full-fledged acting role, is still finding his feet. Known for his music, he brings a certain rawness to Vijay that works well for the character. He may not be flawless as an actor yet, but he carries the emotional arc with honesty. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for with commitment—and his music is a big plus. The background score adds a layer of tension throughout, and his rap numbers in the first half bring energy and youth appeal, even if they slightly break the tone.

Tabla Nani is a pleasant surprise. Known for his comedic roles, he dials it down here and delivers a mature, understated performance. Apoorva adds more than just a romantic angle—her role is central to the plot and gives the film its emotional core. The onscreen chemistry between her and Chandan is quiet but believable. Navarasan, who also produced the film, appears briefly but leaves a mark.

Visually, the film is well-crafted. PKH Doss’s cinematography uses light and shadow to mirror the film’s mood. The second half’s editing is sharp, helping to pick up the pace as the story intensifies.

Suthradaari tries to juggle suspense, social messaging, and emotional drama in one go. While it may stumble in the first half, it regains its footing with a strong second act. Whether that’s enough to call it a success depends on what kind of viewer you are. If you’re in for a slow-burn thriller that eventually delivers, this might hit the mark. But if you’re expecting a high-octane ride from the start, you may be left wanting more.

What aspect of the character were you most excited to explore in this sequel?

The biggest appeal to me as an actor was to expand on Wolff’s relationship with his brother. I loved working with Jon in the first movie. We had a lot of fun building from where we left things with these characters. I feel like all the characters from the first movie are really expanded on and fleshed out in this one. Everyone gets their moment to shine.

How do you think you would do as an accountant in real life?

Terrible! Christian Wolff is insanely smart. That is the aspect of the character I had to fake the most, for sure.

What about the physical challenge of playing the action-movie side of this character?

That is more fun for me, but, yes, it’s challenging, of course, especially when you are working with someone like Jon. He is so spectacularly good at all that stuff. Cynthia (Addai-Robinson) is also incredible and super badass in the movie. I just try to keep up. But the action in this one is even more incredible than the first movie. The action sequences are amazing, and they are not just there for the sake of just seeing stuff blow up, a car chase or a gunfight. All the action scenes make sense, and because of the way Gavin works, you care about the people involved and what happens to them. It’s action with intelligence and humour to it. You feel the tension because you are so invested in these characters.

Many of us, growing up, would have watched our mother dressing up and admired her style, hoping to someday be like her. We may have even tried on her jewellery, messed up her makeup or gotten hopelessly tangled in her sarees. But fashion designer Seema Malhotra didn’t just admire her mom – Jamila Malhotra shining in Bengaluru’s elite social circles with her intricate hand embroidered outfits – but also learnt her skills, creating the luxury bridal fashion brand,

Shimmer, in UB City, alongside her. “I think I developed that flair from her because she was always a trendsetter,” says Seema, as Jamila adds, “I used to do all my own designing and embroidery. Slowly, Seema also got interested… It was beautiful because, my mother too, was a great seamstress,” adds Jamila.

What started off as making clothes for friends and family, evolved into more as the pair began to dress Bollywood celebrities like Manisha Koirala, Raveena Tandon, Farah Khan, and more while working alongside foreign designers to create costumes for actors in Hollywood films like Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth (1998), Finding Neverland (2004), and Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love (1998) which went on to win an Oscar for costume design. “We worked on the embroidery for Judi Dench’s peacock gown which got a lot of attention. A lot of research went into it – we looked up stitches and embroidery styles that were done hundreds of years ago. It’s very different from working in Bollywood, where things are churned out a day before the shoot,” recalls Seema.

After her recent appearance in the political drama Emergency, Kangana Ranaut is now preparing to make her Hollywood debut. According to Variety, the actress will star in a horror film titled Blessed Be the Evil, which is being produced by Lions Movies.

According to a report by OTTplay, The film will see Ranaut in the lead role, alongside American actors Tyler Posey, known for Teen Wolf, and Scarlet Rose Stallone, who recently appeared in Tulsa King. Production is slated to begin this summer in New York, with the filmmakers opting for U.S. locations to minimise potential disruptions.

Directed by Anurag Rudra, who co-wrote the script with Gatha Tiwary president and founder of Lions Movies Blessed Be the Evil is described as a horror drama that explores themes of love, loss, and faith. The story centres around a Christian couple grappling with the trauma of a miscarriage. Hoping to start afresh, they purchase an abandoned farm, only to find themselves tormented by an evil presence.

Aneesh also reflects on the importance of regional languages and rural storytelling. “Our film is about life in rural areas, the Gram Panchayat system, and the way people live and think. It’s very different from urban storytelling. However, people in places like Mysuru and Bengaluru can relate to it because it is about something very basic and rooted,” says Aneesh.

Talking about how Tulu cinema is an extension of his self, Aneesh says, “Daskath refers to a signature, but it’s not just about signing. The act of sowing seeds in agriculture, lighting a lamp for the deity every morning, or even the expressions of love and hatred — these are all reflections of our signature. Daskath captures that with authenticity.”

The film features a cast of fresh faces, including Yuva Shetty, known for his versatility in comedy. “Yuva was also part of Comedy Khiladigalu, and in Daskath, he gets to play a villain. We also have Deekshith, Bhavya, Neeraj, and Mithun as part of the ensemble cast,” says Aneesh.

The technical crew includes Samarthan S Rao as the music director, Santhosh Acharya handling cinematography, and Ganesh Nirchal as the editor. Looking ahead, Aneesh is working on three new stories, which will be produced in Tulu and Kannada languages.

“I want to tell stories from Tulu Nadu but also reach audiences across Karnataka. Tulu and Kannada have different flavours but deserve quality storytelling.”

Apple TV+ recently announced that its original series, The Studio, has been renewed for a second season. The series is created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, with Rogen playing the lead.

Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the new head of Continental Studios, who is deeply passionate about films and has been chasing a job like this his whole life. The series follows the daily battles Remick fights as he tries to navigate the industry and keep his job.

The cast for The Studio includes Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders. Guest stars for the first series include Martin Scorsese, Bryan Cranston, Olivia Wilde, Ron Howard, Steve Buscemi, Greta Lee, Anthony Mackie, Zac Efron, Rebecca Hall, Josh Hutcherson, Dewayne Perkins, Jessica St Clair, Johnny Knoxville, and Zoe Kravitz.

Rogen and Goldberg also serve as writers, directors, and executive producers for the series. Other writers on The Studio include Alex Gregory, Peter Heck, and Frida Perez. Josh Fagen, Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck, Alex McAtee, and James Weaver also serve as executive producers.

Season one of The Studio is currently streaming on Apple TV+.

Basil Joseph’s latest dark comedy, Maranamass, is set to make its OTT debut on Sony LIV from May 15. The film, which originally released in theatres on April 10 alongside Bazooka and Alappuzha Gymkhana, will be available for streaming in multiple languages – Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada – on the same day.

Directed by Sivaprasad and written by Siju Sunny, the film has been co-produced by Tovino Thomas, Thanzeer Salam of Worldwide Films, and Raphael Pozholiparambil under Raphael Productions. Maranamass also stars Anishma Anilkumar, Rajesh Madhavan, Suresh Krishna, Pooja Mohanraj, and Joemon Jyothir in key roles, with Tovino Thomas making a special cameo appearance.

As the Vatican awaits its new pope, Conclave, a gripping political thriller, is now available for streaming in India exclusively on Prime Video, as of May 7, 2025. Reported OTTPlay. Directed by Edward Berger and based on Robert Harris’s best-selling 2016 novel, this intense drama delves into the secretive, high-stakes process of selecting the next pope.

The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Jacek Koman, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, and Ralph Fiennes, who plays Cardinal Lawrence. Tasked with overseeing the ancient and covert ceremony of selecting a new pope, Lawrence finds himself ensnared in a web of deceit, conspiracy, and intrigue following the sudden death of the incumbent pontiff.

Donald Trump has still not recovered from his bout of ‘tariff’itis, if we can be allowed the liberty to term it so. The latest sign of the ailment was him calling foreign movies a “national security threat” and going on to puff up his favourite “I will be slapping a 100 per cent tariff on them” line.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump wrote, “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” adding that other countries are offering “all sorts of incentives” to drive filmmakers and studios away from the US.

“This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat,” he further wrote, describing foreign films as “messaging and propaganda.”

He also added that he was authorising the Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative “to immediately begin the process” of imposing a 100 per cent tariff on films coming into the US which are “produced in Foreign Lands”.

On Monday, there were signs that White House might have begun to realise the Alice in Wonderland quality to the announcement. Might be the King did not mean Off with heads after all.

“Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump’s directive to safeguard our country’s national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.

But many were still left wondering what the announcement implied and how the filters might be applied.

Billion-dollar question

The biggest question looming before them — what exactly counts as a foreign film in today’s globalised world?

Remember films these days rely very rarely on the resources of just one country. Big-budget movies backed even by American studios end up being filmed abroad with an international cast and crew.

Take one such recent example, Wicked. One of the highest-grossing films in Hollywood, it was shot at Sky Studios Elstree in the United Kingdom. In the same way, Barbie was also shot in the UK, at Warner Brothers’ studios.

The production of Barbie added more than 80 million pounds to the UK economy and generated hundreds of jobs. The same studio also made Wonka.

Many American films have also been either fully or partly shot in Australia, such as Fall Guy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Australia offers many filming incentives, including a 30 per cent rebate under its location offset scheme. Similarly, New Zealand also provides similar tax benefits.

The US gothic horror film Nosferatu was shot in Prague, Czech Republic. Other American films have also been made in Spain, Germany and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, many of what Trump could consider to be “foreign films” also generate revenue for “the U.S.A”.

Many Indian films made over the past two decades have made use of Brooklyn Bridge, New York City and Miami beaches. Now, the question arises if these foreign films that generate revenue for the US are also guilty of “messaging and propaganda”.

Hurting Indian films

The next big question is how much do foreign films rely on the US as a market?

Shibasish Sarkar, president of the Producers Guild of India, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) on Monday that Indian films make over Rs 800 crore at the US box office every year.

He predicted that “if this tariff is implemented, exhibitors will increase ticket prices and make it expensive for consumers because of which even footfalls will drop dramatically.”

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri agreed. “I don’t think anybody will watch them in theatres, especially when the films will be available on Netflix, Amazon, etc,” he told PTI.

The US is home to 5.4 million people of Indian origin, the largest Indian diaspora globally. But it’s not just Indian films that perform well in the US.

Paddington in Peru from the UK earned over USD 45 million there, while South Korean animation The King of Kings made USD 54.7 million in April, surpassing Parasite. However, unlike Parasite, The King of Kings is in English and features Hollywood actors like Oscar Isaac.

One tariff that will not give China sleepless nights

By contrast, Chinese films remain largely dependent on domestic audiences.

Animated hit Ne Zha 2 grossed USD 1.9 billion, mostly in China, with over 99 per cent of its earnings from the mainland.

Similarly, 2024 comedy Yolo earned just USD 2 million in the US despite being one of the year’s top global hits.

What Australia and New Zealand have to say

Following Trump’s threat, Australian Home Affairs Minister and Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, responded saying, “Nobody should be under any doubt that we will be standing up unequivocally for the rights of the Australian screen industry.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that his government was awaiting further details on the tariffs.

“We’ll have to see the detail of what actually ultimately emerges. But we’ll be obviously a great advocate, great champion of that sector and that industry,” he said.

Philippa Childs, the head of UK media and entertainment union Bectu, called on her government to protect its film industry adding that “These tariffs, coming after COVID and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering”, Childs said.

Following the pattern of other Trump “threats”, US media stocks fell on Monday following the announcement.

Streaming giant Netflix saw its shares drop by 2.5 per cent in early trading, while Disney, Warner Brothers, and Comcast also recorded declines ranging from 0.7 to 1.7 per cent.

With so much worry being unleashed, we must finally examine Trump’s assumption that Hollywood is “dying”. Is that for real?

It is true that in recent years, Hollywood has faced a series of challenges, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, global box office revenues for Hollywood studios stood at around USD 30 billion, down 7 per cent from the previous year and still about 20 per cent below the pre-pandemic average, according to Gower Street Analytics.

That same year, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA went on strike, demanding fairer contracts and protections against AI, which led to shutdowns and staff reductions across the industry.

In early 2024, wildfires in Los Angeles damaged several filming locations and destroyed the homes of many actors. As the industry struggles with these setbacks, a push is under way to bring more productions back to California, with filmmakers and industry workers urging state lawmakers to boost tax incentives.

Be that as it may, Trump’s tariff threat may offer little relief to the industry, sparking instead fresh questions about what defines a “foreign” film in a world where cinema is inherently global.

The US President may have framed the threat as protecting American interests, but it risks harming international collaborations and alienating key allies whose industries also support and enrich Hollywood. As the global film landscape continues to shift, such policies built on isolation may do little to revive a struggling industry – and instead only accelerate its decline.

This was Priyanka Chopra’s fifth Met Gala appearance, while it was Shah Rukh Khan’s first. Speaking at the event, Shah Rukh admitted that he usually avoids red carpet events, but came this time thanks to encouragement from his children.

“I have little kids who are very excited about the Met. I don’t know if I would have come here on my own, but when Sabya suggested it, they went ‘wow’. I still don’t know if that was ‘wow, they called you’ or ‘wow, you’ll be good on it’,” he shared.

Shah Rukh’s outfit, with its sleek black suit and standout ‘K’ necklace layered with bold chains, fit perfectly with the Gala’s celebration of Black style and elegant tailoring.

Even though the stars didn’t pose together, their fashion choices created a moment that fans will remember one that blurred the lines between style, cinema, and a beloved shared history.

Director G Marthandan’s Ottam Thullal was launched on Monday following a traditional pooja ceremony. Earlier, the makers announced the film with the unveiling of its title poster on social media. It features Vijayaraghavan, Harisree Ashokan, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Pauly Valsan, Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Tini Tom, Manoj KU, Kutty Akhil and Binu Sasiram, who also penned the script.

Presented by Aadhya Sajith, Ottam Thullal is produced by Mohanan Nellikkat under the banner of GKS Productions. On the technical front, the film has Pradeep Nair in charge of cinematography, while editing is handled by Johnkutty. More details regarding its plot and genre are yet to be disclosed.

Marthandan made his directorial debut with the Mammootty-starrer Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus in 2013 and later reunited with the veteran actor for his sophomore outing Acha Dhin (2015). His filmography also includes Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Paavada (2016), Kunchacko Boban’s Johny Johny Yes Appa (2018), and Maharani (2023).

Vaibhav and Athulya Ravi’s upcoming film Chennai City Gangsters which was expected to release late last year, finally has a release date. The makers announced on Monday that the film is scheduled to release on June 20.

The upcoming film, directed by Vikram Rajeshwar and Arun Keshav is produced by Bobby Balachandran under his banner BTG Universal Production. The ensemble cast of the film also includes Anandraj, Rajendran, John Vijay, Redin Kingsley, Sunil Reddy, Ilavarasu, PL Thenappan, and others in supporting roles. Vikram is the son of veteran writer and director Rajeshwar, who is popular for Kadalora Kavidhaigal, Paneer Pushpangal, and Vetri Vizha.

On the technical front, Chennai City Gangsters has music by Imman, cinematography by Tijo Tomy, editing by Suresh A Prasad, art direction by Arunshankar Durai, and stunt choreography by Don Ashok.

Better theatres, better business

Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, in different sessions, emphasised the need for more theatres to make the experience of watching films more accessible.

In a panel discussion titled ‘The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler’ moderated by his friend and frequent collaborator Karan Johar, speaking alongside Deepika Padukone, SRK noted that theatres are the need of the hour today.

“Small theatres in small towns, cheaper theatres so that we can show more films to people in every corner of the country,” he said.

In another panel discussion on ‘Studios of the Future: Putting India on World Studio Map,’ Aamir Khan said that India is a cinema-loving country but the majority of its people don’t have access to theatres.

“India has huge potential but that can only be realised when you have more screens across the country. If you don’t, then people won’t watch the films,” the actor said.

He also highlighted that India is way behind the United States and China in terms of cinema screen count.

“For the size of the country and the number of people living here, we have very few theatres. I think we have around 10,000 screens. In the US, which has one-third the population of India, they have 40,000 screens. China has 90,000 screens,” he said.

Even for blockbuster movies, only a tiny fraction of Indians are able to watch them in theatres, he noted.

“Only two per cent of the population in our country, which is recognised as a film loving country, watches our biggest hits in theatres. Where is the rest — 98 per cent — watching a movie?” he asked.

Aamir also spoke about Hindi films not working at the box office. He blamed the “faulty business model” of theatricals being given to OTT platforms in just 45 days of their release.

“The window is too small between a theatrical and OTT release. You are killing your own business,” he said.

“You are telling the audience not to come, that’s why they are not doing well,” he added.

Later, during a panel titled ‘Pan-Indian Cinema: Myth or Momentum’, with Anupam Kher, Khushbu, and Karthi, Nagarjuna reflected on the success of pan-India blockbusters like Pushpa, KGF, and Baahubali, attributing their wide appeal to authentic storytelling and the allure of larger-than-life heroes.

“For many Indians, just living day to day is difficult. They just want to see magic on screen,” he said. Emphasising the importance of cultural rootedness, he added, “That’s what the larger-than-life stories are doing, without losing the fundamentals of Indian storytelling.

Rajamouli shot Baahubali, frame by frame, thinking it was a Telugu film. He was very proud of his roots and language, and he shot it like a Telugu film, and people loved it across the world! If you are rooted in your storytelling, it will resonate.”

Karthi echoed this sentiment, pointing out that such successes are often a result of long-standing popularity rather than sudden breakthroughs. “Allu Arjun was a star in the North for ten years before Pushpa happened. It wasn’t an overnight success,” he said.

Reflecting on the evolution of audience habits, he noted that even with access to global content, viewers continue to seek out the immersive, celebratory experience that Indian cinema offers.

Meanwhile, Khushbu highlighted the deeper emotional and cultural connection that underpins such storytelling: “When you honour our shared heritage, our songs, our stories, our soil, your film stops being regional or national; it becomes Indian cinema, and that is what makes everything fall into place.”

In an insightful panel discussion titled ‘Legends and Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India’s Soul’ moderated by Akshay Kumar, veteran actors Mohanlal, Chiranjeevi, and Hema Malini delved into the enduring spirit of Indian cinema.

Dulquer Salmaan’s 40th film, titled I’m Game, has officially gone on floors with a pooja ceremony held on 3 May 2025. The launch event saw the presence of many cast and crew members, including Antony Varghese Pepe and Tamil filmmaker-actor Mysskin. However, Dulquer himself was not seen at the event, as he is currently completing the shoot of his Telugu film Aakasam Lo Oka Tara. He is expected to join the I’m Game shoot in June.

Directed by RDX fame Nahas Hidhayath, I’m Game is backed by Dulquer’s own production house, Wayfarer Films. The team shared the start of filming on social media, writing, “At long last we begin shooting of our highly ambitious film, I’m Game! We have assembled a wonderful team of technicians and actors and have been waiting to get started. Wishing the entire team good luck and prayers for a fantastic first schedule!”

Earlier in March, Dulquer had shared the first-look poster of the film, which featured a wounded hand holding a playing card, hinting at mystery and action. He captioned it: “The Game is On! #RollYourDice #ImGame.”

The story follows AK, also known as the feared gangster “Red Dragon”, who leaves behind his violent past to reunite with his family. But his peaceful return is short-lived when his wife and son are kidnapped, forcing him to go back to his old ways. What follows is a gripping tale of action and revenge, as AK fights to protect his loved ones and clear their names.

The film features a star-studded cast including Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Das, Jackie Shroff, Simran, Rahul Dev, Usha Uthup, Prasanna, Redin Kingsley, and many more. Music for the film is composed by GV Prakash Kumar.

Netflix announced the OTT release on X with a poster and the line:
“Avaru rules ah avare break pannitu velila varaaru na… sambhavam iruku. 8 May anniku sambhavam irukku.”

Fans of Ajith Kumar and action thrillers alike can look forward to a thrilling watch this May on Netflix.

Popularly known for his YouTube videos, VJ Siddhu is all set to have his directorial debut with the film titled Dayangaram. He will also be playing the lead in the film. The makers of the film, Vels Film International, announced the news on Friday with a promo video.

According to a press note, producer Ishari Ganesh called Siddhu a “natural entertainer and a promising new filmmaker,” and that he is always keen on introducing new talents to the industry, hoping Siddhu too will join the list of his successful launches such as Pradeep Ranganathan and RJ Balaji. Recounting his journey as something filled with “hustle, self-doubt and countless late nights”, Siddhu said it feels like a dream. About Dayangaram, Siddhu shared, “It’s me, it’s my fun, my youth, my livelihood, my life.”

More details regarding the film’s plot, cast, crew, and release are expected to be announced soon. Siddhu was last seen in Ashwath Marimuthu-Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dragon. Siddhu’s directorial, currently in pre-production, is yet to go on floors.

Nawaz plays the titular Costao, modelled after Tony da Costa Fernandes, a customs officer in Goa who got entangled in a murder trial in 1991 while trying to bust a gold-smuggling racket. During a raid, Nawaz’s Costao accidentally causes the death of the brother of a local strongman, D’Mello. The smuggling angle is sidelined, and soon Costao is only being tried for murder. The film shows a corrupt system’s wrath against an honest officer. As Costao is put in a bureaucratic chokehold, he still remains unbroken, unwilling to cut corners. He is socially shunned, and the case also distances him from his family. A classic tale of process being the punishment.

Nawaz seems to be in a picture deal with ZEE5. His previous works for the platform (Haddi, Rautu Ka Raaz) have mostly been middling. Costao is no different; however, it has a serene, calming quality. It’s a thriller which is more laidback than riveting (Rautu… had a similar telling). At the centre of Costao is a trial, but it isn’t a courtroom drama. The film is being told from the perspective of Costao’s young daughter, which gives it an intimate quality. The story becomes more internal. It doesn’t jump from revelation to revelation. It isn’t about the outcome of a case but about a journey of a family. It often sags, becoming mundane and predictable, but Nawazuddin shakes things up. In many sequences I could sense he was improvising in order to enliven a scene. Nawaz is a terrific actor who knows how to pull off a film, but Costao might not possess the gravitas and the enjoyable unpredictability the actor puts in his performance. Resultingly, many of Nawaz’s scenes have great reel fodder but operate in a different mood than that of the film.

Costao scores some points for not being a hagiography. There is an attempt at looking at Costao from a critical lens. What it lacks is momentum. The film starts off pacy but ultimately goes for a stroll. By its climax, Costao does feel like a journey, breezy yet bumpy, monotonous but often also meditative.

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, known for his horror features, has roped in singer-songwriter Charli xcx as an actor in his next project, reports Variety. Charli xcx is also producing the film under her banner, Studio365. It is her second project as a producer, the first one being the upcoming A24 feature The Moment. Ross Evans is attached to the film as its screenwriter.

The makers are yet to reveal plot details. Miike has more than 100 films to his credit as a director, covering horror, drama, action, and more genres. He is best known for films such as Audition (1999) and Ichi the Killer (2001), which have plenty of violence.

After the launch of her album Brat in June 2024, Charli xcx has signed up for many films as an actor. Her upcoming projects include The Moment, 100 Nights of Hero, Erupcja, the Faces of Death remake, I Want Your Sex, The Gallerist, and Sacrifice. On the other hand, Takashi Miike’s upcoming project is a crime thriller titled Sham, which is slated for a June 09 release.

Days after the actor, in a recent promotional interview for his upcoming film DD Next Level, said he will team up with STR, it is now official that Santhanam is indeed a part of actor Silambarasan TR’s next, tentatively titled STR 49.

Dawn Pictures, the production company behind STR 49, made an official announcement of the actor’s onboarding on Wednesday.

In his recent Vikatan interview, Santhanam said that he could never say no to Simbu when he gave him a call and said he should be a part of STR 49.

Santhanam and STR’s friendship dates back years, when the latter discovered the comedy talent in the former during his Lollu Sabha days. Santhanam collaborated with STR in Kadhal Azhivathillai (2002), Manmadhan (2004), Vallavan (2006), Kaalai (2008), Silambattam (2008), Vaanam (2011), Osthe (2011), Podaa Podi (2012), Vaalu (2015) and their last collaboration Idhu Namma Aalu, released in 2016.

STR had worked as a music director in Santhanam’s Sakka Podu Podu Raja in 2017.

STR 49 is backed by Aakash Bhaskaran of Dawn Pictures, who is currently behind films like Dhanush’s Idly Kadai and Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi. Ramkumar Balakrishnan made his directorial debut with Harish Kalyan-MS Bhaskar’s Parking. Sai Abhayankkar has been roped in as the music composer for the film. More details about the film’s extended cast, crew and plot are yet to be disclosed.

Shine Tom Chacko is teaming up with director AJ Varghese (formerly known as John Varghese) for a new film titled Adinaasham Vellappokkam. Its title poster was unveiled in Thrissur at a launch event graced by veteran actor Shobana. It’s the director’s third outing after Adi Kapyare Kootamani (2015) and Uriyadi (2020).

A comedy entertainer, Adinaasham Vellappokkam also stars Baiju Santhosh, Manju Pillai, John Vijay, Ashokan, Johny Antony, Prem Kumar, Sreekanth Vettiyar, Vineeth Mohan, Sanjay Thomas, Sajith Thomas, Arun Prince, Lizabeth Tomy and Raj Kiran Thomas.

Adinaasham Vellappokkam’s technical crew includes cinematographer Sooraj S Anand and editor Lijo Paul. The film’s music is composed by Suresh Peters, Electronic Kili, and Ramakrishnan Hareesh. It is produced by Manoj Kumar K P under the banner of Surya Bharathy Creations, with R Jayachandran, S B Madhu, and Thara Athiyadathu serving as executive producers.

Shine will next be seen in GM Manu’s The Protector, slated to hit theatres on May 16.

A film adaptation of the series Miami Vice is in development at Universal Pictures, with Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker Joseph Kosinski attached to direct it. Kosinski is set to work from a screenplay by Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy, who penned the script with Top Gun: Maverick screenwriter Eric Warren Singer’s draft. Kosinski is also set to produce the film through his company Monolith alongside Dylan Clark, who is backing it under his namesake banner. The makers are yet to announce plot or cast details.

Creator Anthony Yerkovich and executive producer Michael Mann’s TV series Miami Vice follows two undercover cops, played by Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson, who bust drug dealers in Miami. It had a five-season run from 1984 to 89 on NBC. There is also a film adaptation, Michael Mann’s 2006 feature Miami Vice, starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.

Kosinski shot to fame with 2022’s Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun: Maverick. His upcoming projects include F1, starring Brad Pitt, and a UFO conspiracy thriller alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Often he chose a narrative interpersed with long silences and pauses that conveyed so much better than loud frames and ponderous dialogues. His stories were subtle yet tinged with prophetic vision.

In his directorial debut, Piravi, which tracks the gruelling pain of a father’s wait, the compelling narrative left the audience speechless and overcome with an ache that defied description. The movie serves to be a caustic pointer to the disturbing saga of custodial deaths.

Swaham too depicts waiting, but of a different kind. Vanaprastham, which elicited one of the career-best performaces from Mohanlal, too was another sketch of yearning – this time that of a Kathakali artist, who goes through the myriad hues of love, life, isolation amidst a complex societal structure.

Shaji was an extremely selective filmmaker when it came to his cinematic creations. He was immune to the glitter of the industry. Even the well-established norms of arthouse movies failed to woo him. He was someone who refused to remain stagnant. “I tend to forget a film, once it’s done. If not, I would have to carry its baggage,” was his motto.

Beginning his career as a cinematographer, Shaji quickly established himself as a master of visual story-telling. He blossomed well in thr company of masters with whom he joined hands – be it G Aravindan, KG George or MT Vasudevan Nair, with whom he worked for films like Manju. That he successfully wielded the camera for the widely-popular, yet artisically brilliant KG George movies too, showed his multiple talents.

A 32-year-old Chennai-based Bharatanatyam teacher Chezhiyal Neelakesi, brings the dance form to the underprivileged communities in India’s largest resettlement site of Kannagi Nagar. The divides of class, caste, religion, or age are left outside the doorstep of this dance class at the Muthal Thalaimurai Trust, as a 50-year-old taps her feet away alongside a six-year-old with abandon.

The Ghosts of 2013: Scandal, resignation, and a Church in crisis

The film’s fictional conclave unfolds amid scandals—financial corruption, abuse cover-ups—that mirror the real-life chaos of 2013. Benedict XVI’s resignation had left the Church’s reputation at a nadir. The Vatican Bank was embroiled in money-laundering allegations, abuse survivors demanded justice, and the bureaucracy moved at glacial speed. Catholics craved a pope who’d wield a broom, not a sceptre. Enter Bergoglio: the “slum cardinal” who had scrubbed floors in Buenos Aires’ shantytowns.

Conclave’s Benitez is cut from the same cassock. When asked to bless the meal, he blesses “All those who cannot share this meal.” He remembers, “The hungry, the thirsty, the sick, and the lonely,” echoing Francis’ sentiment, “the sisters who prepared this food for us.” Like Francis, his election is a rebuke to complacency and corruption.

The Art of the (Divine) deal

Both elections show the strategic alliances and moral compromises that lead to a ‘holy’ coalition-building. In 2013, Bergoglio’s allies—dubbed the “Gang of Eight”—included reformers like Honduras’ Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga and Germany’s Reinhard Marx. They framed him as the anti-Benedict: pastoral, accessible, allergic to pomp and a bridge between tradition and modernity. Similarly, in one of the early scenes in the film, eight reformers meet inside a theatre, and later Benitez wins over moderates by personifying what the Church could be, not what it has been.

The film also nails the conclave’s quirks: the folded ballots, the oath of secrecy, and the fumata nera (black smoke) that signals failure. One scene shows burning votes with chemical additives to control smoke colour—a detail so niche that very few in the world know it.

Humility as Revolution

Another thing that unites Francis and the fictional Benitez is their quiet radicalism. Both reject the trappings of power: Francis ditched the papal apartments for a guest house, swapped red shoes for plain black, and told bishops to work amidst their flock so they can “smell like the sheep”. Both Francis and Benitez seem to believe that the church isn’t a museum; it’s a field hospital.

Yet their humility is political dynamite. Bergoglio’s 2005 conclave gesture—stepping aside to endorse Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI)—burnished his reputation as a team player. By 2013, that selflessness became his trump card. It is as if the more a candidate wants power, the less likely he is to get it, which also comes true in the book and the film.

The ending we need: A Church for the Broken

As I write this, the next conclave looms. Will it mirror Conclave‘s hopeful ending? The film closes with Benitez, now Pope Innocent, being elected despite being chromosomally a woman. He’s a symbol of renewal—a man who’d rather hug a refugee than kiss a ring.

In 2013, Francis did just that. His first act as pope? Asking the people to pray for him, not to him. He washed the feet of prisoners, embraced the disfigured, and scolded clerics for acting like “peacocks.” His reign wasn’t perfect—critics cite slow progress on abuse reforms—but he shifted the Vatican’s gaze from its navel to the margins as he believed Jesus would.

The world today feels fractured by wars, inequality, and culture wars. Politics, once a tool for unity, seems only to exacerbate divisions. But could religion be the twist; what so often has been a wedge, might it just stitch us back together? Francis showed it’s possible. The next pope could decide to carry on that legacy.

As the cardinals gather, I’m reminded of Benitez’s fictional words: “The Church is what we do next.” Maybe that’s the lesson from both Conclave and Pope Francis: institutions don’t change by magic. They change when ordinary people—cardinals or filmmakers or you or me—dare to imagine something better.

So let the next conclave begin. Let the debates rage, the alliances shift, the smoke rise. And may the winner be someone who knows that true power isn’t in a throne, but in the dirt, the streets, and the quiet act of helping and healing.

After all, if a Jesuit from the slums can become pope, maybe miracles aren’t just for the history books. Maybe they’re what we do next.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The world of cinema has lost an icon with the passing of Shaji N Karun, master filmmaker, cinematographer, and one of the country’s most profound visual poets. He was 73.

His movies depicted grief, not through grand gestures, but through the small, almost invisible fractures of the heart. His death feels eerily familiar, as if one were living inside one of his own stories. The same heavy silence now wraps his admirers.

He is best known for his acclaimed films Piravi (1988), Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999), and Kutty Srank (2009).

His debut film Piravi won the National Award for Best Director and received the Caméra d’Or Special Mention at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.

Swaham also travelled to Cannes, becoming only the second Indian film to be selected for the competition section.

Vanaprastham won widespread national and international recognition. At the time of his passing, he was serving as the chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation.

Born in 1952 in Kollam, Shaji grew up in a household rich in cultural awareness. His father worked in the revenue department while his mother nurtured his love for literature and classical arts.

In 1963, the family moved to Thiruvananthapuram, where Shaji studied at Palkulangara High School and University College. In 1971, he entered the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, graduating in 1974 with a gold medal in cinematography. His graduation film Genesis had already started to turn heads.

He spent the first decade of his career behind the camera, working with filmmakers like G Aravindan and K G George. His cinematography in films such as Kummaty, Thampu, Esthappan, and Yavanika showed his excellence in handling light, rhythm and emotional depth. His visuals became the story rather than just accompanying it. Influenced by classical Indian aesthetics and European art cinema, Shaji developed a language all his own.

In 1988, he made his directorial debut with Piravi, inspired by a real-life story from India’s Emergency era. Without confrontations or melodrama, the film portrayed a father’s endless search for his missing son that conveyed an overwhelming sense of absence. His ability to capture silence, waiting, and grief marked him as a filmmaker of rare sensitivity.

Swaham followed a woman’s battle with fate after the loss of her son. Vanaprastham delved deeper into themes of artistic loneliness and social invisibility, offering one of Malayalam cinema’s most artistically ambitious works.

On Sunday, Dawn Pictures, the production banner of Silambarasan TR’s 49th film, announced that Dragon star Kayadu Lohar has joined the film’s cast in a lead role. As reported earlier, Ramkumar Balakrishnan of Parking-fame is directing the film, tentatively titled STR 49, from his own screenplay. Announced in February, on Silambarasan’s birthday, the film also stars Santhanam.

STR 49 is Ramkumar Balakrishnan’s sophomore directorial after 2023’s Parking, starring Harish Kalyan and MS Bhaskar in the lead roles. Aakash Bhaskaran is producing the film through his banner, Dawn Pictures. On the technical front, it has composer Sai Abhyankkar. The makers are yet to reveal any information about its plot or additional cast and crew. While announcing Kayadu’s casting news, Dawn Pictures stated that “more updates are on the way.”

Kayadu Lohar, who shot to fame after her breakout role in actor Pradeep Ranganathan and director Ashwath Marimuthu’s Dragon this year, has Idhayam Murali next, opposite Atharvaa. On the other hand, Silambarasan’s upcoming projects include Thug Life with director Mani Ratnam and actor Kamal Haasan, STR 50 with director Desingh Periyasamy, and STR 51 with Ashwath Marimuthu.

The actor also spoke about the situation in Pakistan, pointing out that the country is struggling to meet the basic needs of its people. He said, “Pakistan can’t even look after its own people, who don’t have proper electricity and water. What do they want to do here? India doesn’t need to attack Pakistan because the people there are already fed up with their own government. If things continue like this, they will turn against their own government.

The way they fight is like the tribal wars of 500 years ago. We need to stand united as a nation and love each other. Only then can we move forward as a society. Education is key. Let’s all be happy, keep our parents happy, and only then can we progress.”

Vijay also took to social media to express his outrage over the attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam on April 22. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “I celebrated my birthday two years ago in Pahalgam, amidst shooting a film, amidst laughter, surrounded by my local Kashmiri friends who took the greatest care of us. What happened yesterday is heartbreaking and infuriating – calling yourself a Force and shooting tourists is the most shameful, embarrassing, and cowardly act of senseless terrorism hiding behind guns.”

MUMBAI: Veteran actor Zeenat Aman has said she is recuperating well in the “recovery room” of a hospital here after being admitted for a pending medical procedure.

The 73-year-old actor posted a series of pictures from the hospital bed on her Instagram handle last evening.

In one of them, the veteran star is seen covering one of her eyes.

“Hello from the recovery room! I won’t blame you for thinking I’ve abandoned my social media aspirations. My profile has, after all, been quite silent and half-hearted of late. As the great Indian saying goes – What to do?” Aman wrote without divulging details about the reason behind her hospitalisation.

The actor said she had been caught up with the medical procedure which is the reason why she was missing from social media.

However, she didn’t reveal any details about the medical procedure.

“But now that I am emerging on the other side of this experience, I’m feeling inspired to continue storytelling on Instagram. You see, there’s nothing like the sombre, clinical cold of a hospital to remind one of what it means to be alive and have a voice!”

“So, expect more cinematic crumbs, more personal history, more fashion, more dogs and cats, and yes–most definitely more opinion,” Aman said.

Known for her work in films like “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”, “Don”, “Dum Maro Dum”, and “Satyam Shivam Sundaram”, the veteran actor enjoys a huge popularity on Instagram, courtesy her candid posts where she often shares anecdotes from her decades-long career in Hindi cinema.

Malavika’s words point to a serious problem where some men in the film industry wear a mask of feminism for the public but don’t actually practise it in real life. According to her, this kind of fake behaviour is harmful and dishonest.

In the same interview, she also spoke about how female actors are judged for their looks. She said that in the South Indian film industry, there’s a strange obsession with showing the navel, and people often comment on her body. “I used to be very confused at first because I grew up in Mumbai,” she said. “It was very new to me that people were so focused on the navel. You even see photos online where they zoom into a woman’s body. The navel obsession is real.”

She said she often gets comments about her weight whenever she gains or loses a little. This shows how much pressure women face to look a certain way in films, rather than being valued for their talent.

Despite all this, Malavika continues to focus on her work. She is seen acting alongside Mohanlal for the first time in Hridayapoorvam, a film directed by Sathyan Anthikad.

The director, who has a lot of thoughts and curiosity about the changing patterns of the audience’s taste, ruminates, “The average mindset that they have is that if they are paying Rs 300, the film has to be a 1000 crore grosser (laughs). If it’s a 5 crore grosser, it deserves an OTT viewing. They have stopped considering that a film with minimal production value too can perhaps offer a lifetime experience. When they hear about films like Middle Class Melodies or Laapataa Ladies, they instantly think, ‘We can watch this on OTT.’ There is a great obsession now with visual and aural experience, IMAX, and Dolby Atmos.”

Yet, the filmmaker believes comedy to be one of the rare genres where audiences are willing to come to theatres without worrying about other factors. He notes, “Everybody’s in a race to create a spectacle, a sensory experience based on fantasy, a film far from our real world. However, the audience is missing out on real-life experiences in this race. Meanwhile, Sarangapani Jathakam is grounded in reality—be it the conversations, characters, or the production design.”

Talking about other barriers for current filmmakers, Mohana Krishna states, “There are 500 phones between us and the screen now. Earlier, we used to immerse ourselves in the on-screen world. Now, a new world exists between the two. The joy of community viewing has been replaced.” The filmmaker also sees this as an opportunity to raise the bar for storytelling. He adds, “That audience, which treated theatrical visits as a pastime activity, is gone. They have more options now, so you have to deliver a quality product, something with genuine creative originality.”

Mohana Krishna, who is known for making light-hearted films, had ventured into action with his 2020 film V, which had a direct-to-OTT release and received mixed reviews. It was around the same time when the theatrical business saw a major overhaul, with action movies returning to rule the box office charts in an overwhelming manner. The director recalls witnessing the evolving pattern and feeling unnerved about the change. “On-screen violence should come out of desperation, building on emotion—when a system fails and a hero replaces it, people like it. It’s a pedestrian dream. However, violence has become entertaining for people now. I look at others enjoying grotesque violence and feel like asking them, ‘How is this helping you forget your woes? Shouldn’t this disturb you?’” he reflects.

The director admits feeling the need to adjust with changing times. Further reflecting on the post-COVID trends, he notes, “When Aa Ammayi Gurinchi Meeku Cheppali, my next film after V, failed, I sat and reflected on my work. There are struggles in adapting to the changing times, and it also takes time to assess and realign yourself. But you must think and reflect; it’s your responsibility—audiences are our only strength.” Mohana Krishna states that Sarangapani Jathakam is a conscious attempt in this direction. “People still remember the humour offered by Sammonaham. People who grew up with Ashta Chamma remember it fondly. What I enjoy is comedy, and Sarangapani Jathakam is my way of returning to current times and writing a script keeping this generation in mind. I can start a fresh conversation with my audience. You can’t win every time, but you have to keep trying,” he says.

Mohana Krishna also spills the beans on Jataayu, a project that has been a long time in the news. He clarifies that it’s not an adaptation of Ramayana, as rumoured to be. “It’s an action-adventure with a mythical touch. I have had the idea since 2010 and penned it with a lot of detail. If it ever happens, I will direct it myself,” he concludes.

Following the deadly terrorist attack, Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor expressed their condolences on social media. They said that they are deeply saddened and gutted over the terrorist attack in South Kashmir amid growing demands to ban their upcoming film.

“Deeply saddened to hear the news of the heinous attack in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrifying incident, and we pray for strength and healing for their families in this difficult time,” Fawad Khan wrote on Instagram.

Kapoor also shared similar sentiments through a post on Instagram. “Have been numb, at a loss for words since the time I have read about the attack on innocent people in Pahalgam. Gutted. Devastated. My prayers are with the families,” she wrote.

A statement issued by the FWICE read, “In light of the recent attack in Pahalgam, FWICE is once again compelled to issue a blanket boycott on all Pakistani artists, singers and technicians participating in any Indian film or entertainment projects. This includes performances or collaborations occurring anywhere in the world.”

A reversal and a retrial

The 73-year-old Weinstein, seated in the wheelchair he now uses because of health problems, didn’t look at Lucey or the jury during her presentation before Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and others in a packed courtroom audience. But Weinstein watched intently as Aidala outlined his defense.

The retrial is happening because New York’s top court last year threw out Weinstein’s conviction, which in 2020 was a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. The high court found that the previous trial judge allowed prejudicial testimony about allegations that were separate from the charges.

Weinstein’s retrial is playing out at a different cultural moment than the first. #MeToo, which exploded in 2017 with allegations against Weinstein, has evolved and ebbed.

At the start of Weinstein’s first trial, chants of “rapist” could be heard from protesters outside. This time, there was none of that.

Nevertheless, Sokola’s lawyer, Lindsay Goldbrum, has called Weinstein’s retrial a “signal to other survivors that the system is catching up—and that it’s worth speaking out even when the odds seem insurmountable.”

A teenage model and a movie model

While this jury won’t hear about the allegations that got the first conviction thrown out, the panel is expected to hear from Sokola. After the high court sent the case back for retrial, prosecutors added a criminal sex act charge based on her allegations.

The Polish-born Sokola met Weinstein in 2002 after traveling alone to New York for a modeling trip at age 16, according to prosecutors. She alleges he invited her to lunch to discuss potential acting jobs but detoured to his apartment and demanded she take off her shirt if she wanted to make it in the movie business. Then, Sokola alleges, Weinstein fondled her while making her touch his genitals.

Over the next few years, Sokola stayed in contact with Weinstein, even after telling him off for allegedly groping her in a car around 2004, Lucey told jurors. She said Weinstein arranged for Sokola to be an extra and talk to the stars of the 2007 rom-com “The Nanny Diaries,” and she invited him to lunch with her visiting sister, hoping to impress the sibling.

After the lunch, he lured Sokola to his Manhattan hotel room by saying he had scripts for her to see, ordered her to undress, held her down on a bed, and performed oral sex on her while she tearfully implored him not to do so, Lucey said.

In the weeks after, Sokola was photographed with Weinstein and a third person at an event, and his company wrote her a recommendation letter for acting school, the prosecutor said. Lucey told jurors that power imbalances often “cause victims to behave in ways that laypersons possibly might not expect.”

After other allegations emerged against Weinstein in 2017, Sokola sued. Prosecutors said she received $3.5 million in compensation.

Two of the original charges remain

Aidala said Sokola and the other accusers were “trying to take advantage of Mr. Weinstein when he was at the top,” then benefited from making allegations “when he was headed toward the bottom.”

Outside court, Sokola’s attorney decried Weinstein’s defense as full of “victim blaming” and “rape myths.”

In addition to the charge related to Sokola, Weinstein is being retried on a criminal sex act charge for allegedly forcibly performing oral sex on then-production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006, and a third-degree rape charge for allegedly assaulting then-aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013.

Weinstein’s 2020 acquittals on two other charges—predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape—still stand.

The film generated about 1.8 million minutes viewed on April 20 and by the end of April 21, that number had reached 6.9 million minutes viewed.

Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris, “Conclave” is directed by Edward Berger and stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini.

The film is set just after the death of a pope and follows the papal election process and the College of Cardinals convene to elect the Bishop of Rome.

Netflix’s 2019 film “The Two Popes”, another Vatican-themed film, also witnessed a surge in viewership on the platform.

It follows Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) as he attempts to convince cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) to reconsider his decision to resign as an archbishop as he confides his own intentions to abdicate the papacy.

Viewership spiked 417 per cent from Sunday, when it generated 290,000 minutes watched, to Monday, when it reached 1.5 million minutes watched.

When Tharun Moorthy quit his engineering professor job to pursue his passion for films, he might not have imagined working with his idol Mohanlal. Two films (Operation Java, Saudi Vellakka) and a National Award later, Tharun is finally living that unseen dream. Thudarum, his maiden collaboration with Mohanlal, is gearing up for release this Friday as one of the most anticipated Malayalam films of the year. The hype is not just because of the Mohanlal factor. It is also because Mohanlal and Shobana are pairing up after a decade. It is also because of the mystery maintained around the film’s plot. It is also because people expect a ‘fanboy sambhavam’ from Tharun. However, the director, well aware of the weight on his shoulders, is constantly trying to keep the expectations in check. For, he knows hype is a double-edged sword and being realistic is the way forward.

In this conversation, Tharun talks about all things Thudarum, Mohanlal, and what one can expect from the film.

Excerpts

Eminent producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad spoke about his latest film Sarangapani Jathakam at a recent press meet. Sivalenka talked about his experience working with writer-director Mohana Krishna Indraganti, the changes in industry over last three decades, and more.

Krishna Prasad, who is producing the film under Sridevi Movies, stated, “We planned the film to have Jandhyala’s brand of comedy, and Indraganti’s mark to please everyone and reach everyone. The void of a full-length comedy movie will be filled with this film.” Talking about his film’s lead Priyadarshi, the producer noted, “After hearing this story, we thought that Darshi would be good. After Court, Priyadarshi has further grown in stature. There, he appeared serious, but in this movie, he makes everyone laugh a lot.” The renowned producer also spoke about reuniting with Mohana Krishna Indraganti after delivering hits like Gentleman and Sammohanam. He noted, “Whether it’s a love story like Sammohanam, a film like Gentleman, or a comedy, the audience knows what Indraganti’s mark is. Indraganti’s comedy timing in this film is on another level. I am going to do another film with him soon.”

Krishna Prasad also reflected on the evolving working style of industry, adding, “Once upon a time, a film would be completed in three months. Back then, we would plan a film with one hero and then another. But now, each person is putting four or five projects in line. Everything revolves around combinations.”

The producer also explained the reasons for delaying release for Sarangapani Jathakam. He said, “We are coming a little late with the intention of finding the right theaters, which we couldn’t find on April 18. We are also releasing it grandly overseas in more than 220 theaters.”

Talking about his future projects, Krishna Prasad said, “We are currently discussing some stories. I really liked the two stories told by the directors of Yashoda. I also found the story told by Pawan Sadhineni very interesting. I am very afraid of sequels, so I stay away from them. But if Balakrishna starts the work on the sequel to Aditya 369, I will be a part of it.”

Also starring Roopa Koduvayur, Vennela Kishore and Harsha Chemudu in significant roles, Sarangapani Jathakam is set to hit theatres on April 25.

Khalid Rahman is undoubtedly a big name in Malayalam cinema. As an upcoming artist, being part of his movie must have been a huge opportunity. How was your experience working with him?

To be honest, I didn’t know who Khalid Rahman was when I first got the callback. I was raised in the north and wasn’t very familiar with Malayalam cinema. Ask me about Bollywood or Hollywood, and I might know more. But I’m still new here and just getting exposed to the Malayalam industry.

Once I watched Thallumala, I realised the scale of his work and how successful his films have been. That’s when it hit me — this is big. Working with him was definitely a unique experience. He’s a very instinctive director — he’ll make spontaneous decisions if something isn’t working, or shift a scene to a better setting. I feel he has a clear vision in his head and doesn’t stop until he sees it come to life. It was a really good experience overall.

What is your dream role or project?

I’m looking for roles that demand deeper preparation, where I can truly get into a character’s skin and grow as an actor. But language has also been a slight issue so far.

My biggest professional dream is to work with Shah Rukh Khan one day. I believe I will make that happen. And after that? Who knows — maybe I’ll aim for Hollywood (laughs). I’m a very ambitious person.

How do you feel about the recent online criticism you have faced?

I got trolled for an outfit I wore to a promotion event — a short skirt. That one skirt somehow became the talk of Facebook, racking up a million views and 400 hate comments. I can’t read Malayalam, so I had to ask my friends what people were saying. Their responses made it clear it wasn’t pleasant. I genuinely hope to be criticized for my work, not my wardrobe.

Mathimaaran clarifies that Mandaadi will not adhere to a sports drama template, which typically moves from one game to another and eventually to an all-important final match in the climax. “Though you will witness lots of the game, the film is not just about that. I have planned a non-linear narration tying this game to everyone’s lives and how the dynamics within them change because of this game. The drama part in the sports-drama is about a person’s redemption and a second chance at life. Mandaadi is as much a story where human emotions are at play as it is a story about a sailing game,” he shares. The director says the six-month-long pre-production, which is currently underway, will help him with the technical challenges of shooting a film that is predominantly set in the ocean. “Your expertise with lens, shot and angles on the land will be of no use on the ocean. An angle change on the land could be done in 30 seconds, it may take hours on the ocean. I have planned to film in Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, and Thanjavur. It’s going to be a huge task, but I have immense faith in my skilled team of technicians,” he says. Apart from Soori, the film has Mahima Nambiar playing the female lead, with actors Sathyaraj, Achyuth Kumar, Sachana Namidass, and Ravindra Vijay in central roles.

The film’s technical crew comprises composer GV Prakash, cinematographer SR Kathir, editor Pradeep E Ragav and stunt choreographer Peter Hein. Mandaadi, bankrolled by Elred Kumar’s RS Infotainment, has filmmaker Vetrimaaran as the creative producer.

Tamil actor Bobby Simha’s driver, identified as Pushparaj, has been arrested following a serious road accident in Chennai that left four people injured. The incident took place on Friday, April 18, on the busy Kathipara flyover in Guindy.

According to reports, Pushparaj was driving under the influence of alcohol when he lost control of the vehicle after dropping off Bobby Simha’s father. In the ensuing crash, he rammed into six vehicles — three motorcycles, two autorickshaws, and a car. The Chennai Traffic Police confirmed that four individuals, including a woman, sustained serious injuries and are currently being treated at a nearby hospital.

Authorities have since seized Bobby Simha’s car, and Pushparaj has been remanded by the Alandur court until April 30. He was produced before the magistrate shortly after his arrest.

Bobby Simha, who was not in the car at the time of the accident, has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. The National Award-winning actor is known for his standout performances in Jigarthanda, Soodhu Kavvum, Neram, among others. He bagged the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Jigarthanda. He was last seen in Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 in Tamil and in Razakar in Telugu. 

(This story originally appeared in Cinema Express)

The Masoom Minawala Show podcast is about women who have often built themselves from scratch and worked their way up. Hosted by global influencer and entrepreneur Masoom Minawala, the show is a display of strength and resilience and appeals to women from all walks of life.

Upasana Kamineni Konidela, who was one of the guests on the show recently, spoke about how carving her own identity was important to her. Konidela comes from a business family (founders of the Apollo group of hospitals) and is married to superstar Ram Charan. It was in her 30s that she realised the need to restructure her company for better outcomes and educate herself to manage her finances and inheritance the right way. It was one of her rare interviews where she opened up about her life and legacy, but not without a few filters. The conversation, however, lacks depth. She ends up sounding preachy and rehearsed rather than organic. At times, Minawala finishes Konidela’s sentences, and at other times, she speaks more about herself than the guest.

Or perhaps it is the nascent stages at which Minawala finds herself in the podcast space. Yet within three months of inviting female industry leaders to her podcast, she has managed to have the biggest names on her show narrate their journeys of struggles and hardships. Shereen Bhan, Guneet Monga, Anita Dongre, Tamannaah Bhatia, Radhika Gupta, Falguni Nayar and her daughter Adwaita, among others, have appeared on the show.

KOCHI: Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko has been arrested by the Kochi city police in connection with a narcotics raid at a hotel in Kochi, where he allegedly fled the scene. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, specifically for consumption of narcotic drugs, abetment, and criminal conspiracy.

According to a top police source, the actor is likely to be granted bail. In response to a police notice, Shine Tom Chacko appeared for interrogation at the Ernakulam town north police station on Saturday morning, arriving 30 minutes ahead of schedule. He declined to comment to reporters upon arrival.

The police had initially summoned him to appear at 10.30 am, but he arrived at the station by 10 am, accompanied by his lawyers. Following his arrival, interrogation in the presence of two Assistant Commissioners began. Police have also obtained his phone records from the past months as part of the interrogation.

CHENNAI: Superstar Kamal Haasan on Friday described his upcoming film Thug Life, a gangster drama directed by Mani Ratnam, as a peace offering to fans who have waited for over three decades for the two stalwarts of Indian cinema to reunite for a movie.

The duo had famously collaborated for the 1987 epic crime drama Nayakan, which was a huge commercial as well as critical hit, winning multiple National Film Awards.

And now they have reunited for Thug Life, another crime drama with high octane action and a star-studded cast, consisting of actors from both north and south cinema industries.

“We can only say sorry. This film is our peace offering. And the fault lies with us. We could have done it. It’s our fault–we kept thinking we could have done it. But it not make it a stage for an apology,” Haasan said at the launch of the movie’s first song “Jinguchaa“.

Though they are collaborating after over 35 years, Haasan said their dynamic is still the same.

“Nothing has changed between Mani sir and me. We have done about 25 per cent of what we spoke of. One is Nayakan and the other one is Thug Life. We have a long way to go. Because we didn’t get to realize all our dreams in any film. I am sure that will be the case in the future films that we do.”

“We dream so big and then we are constricted to fit our market and our budget,” he added.

Haasan said in the world of cinema business, many are only concerned if a movie would make money or not.

“It might gain profit, it might lead to a loss. But the ultimate judgement is given by the audience. And that’s how new, budding artists evolve. That’s how STR (Silambarasan TR) has also evolved and is rocking,” he said.

He said Thug Life is the kind of cinema he wants to make as an artiste.

“I’m glad that I got to act and produce it too. It has been done with a lot of love for a discerning audience,” Haasan said.

The actor also remembered the time when he and Ratnam discussed cinema while sitting on a parked scooter in Eldams Road in Chennai’s Alwarpet.

“It feels like a dream. Generally, when we watch Mani sir’s movies, we want to be a part of his films…Rahman sir, his music and Kamal sir, who is my on screen guru. But all of them together in one film is a surreal experience.”

“When we were shooting, it was very tough to go and perform in front of them….They will be standing together and talking, you won’t know what to know in between. I have always seen his films and grown up. But to act next to him was a great moment,” Silambarasan said.

Trisha, who collaborated with Ratnam for the two-part epic Ponniyin Selvan, said the two stalwarts of Indian cinema have a “certain aura” around them.

“You’re always a little bit awestruck…What I admire and respect about both of them and I’ve had the privilege to do three films with each of them…They make sure they burst that bubble (of being awestruck with them).

There’s a comfort that I probably share with Mani sir and Kamal sir that I may not actually share with a fellow contemporary also because they make sure they burst that bubble.

“We do so much of rehearsals, homework and to be very honest with the body of work I’ve done, when I have worked with Mani sir and Kamal sir, these are the films I think I have spent more rehearsal days than shooting days (sic).”

“On the set, there was no “hierarchy” between the artists, she said.

“Even if there is a child, Kamal sir will make sure he tutors them and helps them do what they’re supposed to do. We have this backup when we come on set, everything becomes so much easier for us. They’re legendary for many reasons but this is one reason that has always stood out for me,” she added.

Thug Life is jointly produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Red Giant Movies, Raaj Kamal Films International and Ratnam’s Madras Talkies.

The film, which is scheduled to be released in theatres countrywide on June 5, will also feature Ashok Selvan, Abhirami, Nassar, Joju George, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sanya Malhotra and Ali Fazal.

Saiju Kurup and Sunny Wayne‘s Written & Directed by God will hit theatres on May 16, the makers announced on Thursday along with unveiling a new poster featuring the lead actors. Directed by debutant Febi George Stonefield, the film is jointly scripted by Jomon John, Linto Devasia, and Roshan Mathew. It stars Aparna Das as the female lead.

In an exclusive conversation with CE, Saiju revealed that Written & Directed by God is a feel-good fantasy centred on the conflict between a human and a God, who appears before him in person. Sunny plays the role of the God, while Saiju portrays the human. The film’s cast also includes Abhishek Raveendran, Vaisakh Vijayan, Sreelekshmi Santhosh, Chembil Ashokan, Neena Kurup, Manikandan Pattambi, Jolly Chirayath, Babu Jose, Austin Dan, Dinesh Prabhakar, Balaji Sharma. On the technical front, it has Bablu Aju wielding the camera, Shaan Rahman composing the music, and Abhishek GA handling the cuts. Presented by Saiju, Written & Directed by God is produced by Thomas Jose and Sanoob K Yoousef under the banners of TJ Productions and Nettooraan Films.

Saiju’s upcoming slate also includes Malikappuram director Vishnu Sasi Shankar’s Sumathi Valavu, Rahul Riji Nair’s Flask and the third instalment of the Aadu franchise, written and directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas.

Sunny was last seen in Thurkish Tharkkam, alongside Lukman Avaran.

Jesse Eisenberg’s upcoming musical comedy has added Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, and Bernadette Peters to its cast, reports Variety. Emma Stone reunites with Eisenberg to produce this film after serving as a producer on Eisenberg’s A Real Pain.

The yet-to-be-titled film is said to be about a reserved woman who goes on to lose herself in a role after she is cast in a community theatre musical production.

Bailey, Liu, and Peters join the cast that includes Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Lilli Cooper, Bonnie Milligan, Eldar Isgandarov, Colton Ryan, and Maulik Pancholy, with Eisenberg in a starring role.

For the film, Eisenberg has written the script along with writing the original music and lyrics. Dave McCrary, Ali Herting, and Stone are producing the film, which they developed with Eisenberg. Topic Studios is producing the film with Stone’s Fruit Tree banner.

Halle Bailey is known for her role as Ariel on Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2023). She is also known for starring in The Color Purple (2023), The Line and several shows for the Disney Channel.

Havana Rose Liu starred as Isabel in Emma Seligman’s Bottoms. She has also starred in the third season of American Horror Stories.

Bernadette Peters is a stage actress who has also starred in films like The Longest Yard (1974) and Annie (1982).

Nandamuri Kalyan Ram’s Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi, directed by Pradeep Chilukuri, is set for a theatrical release on April 18. Also starring the legendary Vijayashanti, the film is billed as a massy family entertainer with action, sentiment, and a quietly simmering ideological conflict between a mother and son. It marks a comeback for Vijayashanti in a full-length, physically intense role and presents Kalyan Ram in an intense emotional space. Addressing how the film came into being, Pradeep shared, “The producers wanted to make a film with Kalyan Ram gaaru. He had already done experimental films like Devil or Amigos recently. This time, we thought, ‘Let’s do a mass film.’ I built a strong hero character, and then we thought, what if the mother was just as powerful? That’s when the idea of a character like Vyjayanthi came to life.”

The real test, of course, was casting. Pradeep recalled, “We pitched the idea to Kalyan Ram gaaru and he said yes, but only if Vijayashanti gaaru agrees to it. If she is not going to do it, then let’s work on another story. We took it to her, and she was very happy. She even suggested a few changes. We made them, and then we went to set.”

Aamir Ali, known for his TV acting, recently spoke about a troubling experience he had as a teenager. He recounted being sexually harassed at the age of 14, which was so upsetting it made him stop using trains in Mumbai.

Aamir explained this incident initially gave him some “reservations” about men attracted to other men. However, as he got older, he realised it wasn’t fair to judge all gay men based on one bad experience from his youth.

Speaking to Hauterrfly, when asked about his gay friends, Aamir admitted to initial “reservations.” He shared, “When you are young and the first time I travelled on a train… The reason I stopped travelling on trains was because I was being touched. I was 14. Then I started holding my bag closer to my back. Then one day, someone stole books from my bag and I thought, ‘Who steals books?’ And I decided I wouldn’t travel on a train.”

The first look of Fahadh Faasil’s Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira was unveiled by the makers on social media with a caption that reads, “Their love story was perfect… until the wedding.” The poster features Fahadh on a white horse, dressed in a sherwani. Other actors, including the film’s female lead Kalyani Priyadarshan, Vinay Forrt, Suresh Krishna, Lal and Anuraj OB, look shocked and chaotic in a wedding-themed setting. Billed as a romantic comedy, it marks the sophomore directorial venture of Althaf Salim, who made a noteworthy debut with the Nivin Pauly-starrer Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela (2017).

Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira also stars Revathi Pillai, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Babu Antony, Johny Antony, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Vineeth Vasudevan, and Saafboi in prominent roles. Produced by Ashiq Usman, the film has Jinto George as the cinematographer, Abhinav Sunder Nayak as the editor and Justin Varghese as the music composer.

Meanwhile, Fahadh is awaiting the release of his upcoming Tamil film Maareesan, alongside Vadivelu, scheduled to hit theatres in July. In Malayalam, the Aavesham actor also has debutant Roy’s Karate Chandran, Mahesh Narayanan’s multi-starrer MMMN, alongside Mammootty and Mohanlal, and Renji Panicker’s upcoming directorial as part of his upcoming slate. In Telugu, he is involved in Oxygen and Don’t Trouble the Trouble.

It is well known that Sivakarthikeyan, who was last seen in director Rajkumar Periasamy’s Amaran, is awaiting the release of Madharasi, helmed by AR Murugadoss. On the occasion of Tamil New Year, the makers of the much-anticipated action film announced that it will hit screens on September 5.

A teaser revealing the title, which was released in February, showed Sivakarthikeyan caught between crossroads as the city witnesses a breach of security due to bomb blasts occurring in various places. The film also features an ensemble cast consisting of Vidyut Jammwal, Rukmini Vasanth, Vikranth, Shabeer Kallarakkal, and Biju Menon.

Madharasi will be Sivakarthikeyan’s first collaboration with director Murugadoss, although the filmmaker had previously written the former’s sports-comedy film Maan Karate (2014), directed by Kris Thirukumaran.

Produced under the Sri Lakshmi Movies banner, the film’s technical crew includes cinematographer Sudeep Elamon, editor A Sreekar Prasad, and music composer Anirudh. The plot details for the film have not been disclosed. Besides Tamil, Madharasi will also be released in Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. The Hindi version of the film has been titled Dil Madharasi.

Meanwhile Sivakarthikeyan will also be seen in Sudha Kongara’s multi-starrer period film Parasakthi, which is also centred around Old Madras. The film also stars Sreeleela in her Tamil debut, Ravi Mohan, and Atharvaa, among others in prominent roles.

The rapper shared several clips of his Coachella performance on his Instagram Stories, thanking the festival with a simple, “@coachella Thank you for having me.” In another story, he posted a video of himself performing alongside American rapper Maxo Kream.

Hanumankind’s performance was a crowd favourite. In one clip, the audience can be seen singing along to Big Dawgs, the track that shot him to global fame in 2024. At one moment, the rapper even held out the mic to let the crowd take over, creating a memorable moment.

Fans flooded social media with love and excitement. One fan wrote, “The world ain’t ready to see what Indian performances have in store,” while another said, “Boy is born to claim.” A fan commented in Malayalam, “This is what it is all about! DOPE! ABSOLUTELY DOPE!!!!!!” One of the chenda players, Immanuel Sunny, even joined the fun, commenting, “Ayyyyyyy that’s me!!”

For over two decades, Prasanna has graced the silver screen, showcasing his versatility across lead roles, supporting characters, and memorable antagonists. However, his recent venture, Good Bad Ugly, alongside Ajith Kumar and director Adhik Ravichandran, proved to be a refreshingly unique chapter in his illustrious career. In this exclusive conversation with CE, Prasanna speaks about collaborating with Ajith and Adhik on Good Bad Ugly, the audience reception of the film, the characters he is best remembered for, and more.

Excerpts:

Some fans have even tagged director Lokesh Kanagaraj, who worked with Sri on the hit film Maanagaram, asking him to check in on the actor and offer support.

Sri began his career with the much-acclaimed film Vazhakku Enn 18/9, directed by Balaji Sakthivel. He later went on to act in Onaayum Aatukuttiyum, Son Papdi, Vil Ambu, Maanagaram, and Irugapatru. Before films, he was a familiar face on television, having played a lead role in Kana Kaanum Kaalangal Season 2 on Vijay TV. He also briefly appeared on Bigg Boss Tamil Season 1, hosted by Kamal Haasan, but left the show within four days.

Fans are now hoping someone close to the actor can reach out and ensure he is safe and getting the help he might need.

Owen Cooper, the young actor who plays Jamie Miller in Netflix’s powerful drama Adolescence, has said he hasn’t watched the full series even though it’s become a huge global hit.

In a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Cooper explained that he doesn’t enjoy watching himself on screen. “I still haven’t watched it,” he said. “I just don’t like watching myself. And now Jack Thorne, the show’s creator says it’s going into schools… that’s my worst nightmare!”

Adolescence, which was released on March 13, tells the gripping story of a 13-year-old schoolboy who is accused of murdering a classmate. The show dives deep into the dangers of the internet, showing how boys are being pulled into harmful online spaces like the “manosphere.”

Despite her talents, there were doubts from others. “Relatives would say, ‘She dances, draws, sings she’s all over the place. She won’t reach anywhere.’ Even my parents began to worry. And yes, I did lose confidence for a while.”

People often labelled her as rebellious. “But I don’t want to call myself a rebel,” she says. “There’s no need to hate society. I think everything should be balanced you can follow your path without being against everything.”

Her most recent film, Alappuzha Gymkhana role brought all her passions together. “An associate called me and said, ‘There’s a boxing character you might be the main lead.’ I told him, ‘Sir, please look into it. I’ve been thinking about doing a sporty role.’” She met the team at a training gym, where actor Naslen was present, and saw what the role involved.

“I was into sports, but I didn’t know boxing,” she admits. Later, when she met director Khalid Rahman, he asked her bluntly, “You will get good punches. Are you ready for it?” She replied confidently, “I’ve done karate.” But Rahman ikka smiled and said, “This is different. This is not karate. You’ll get a proper punch.” He asked her three times before she finally said yes and that’s when he signed the contract.

After many years of impassioned calls for an Oscar recognizing the art of the stunt, the film academy has decided to give it an official award.

An achievement in stunt design prize will be added starting with the 100th Academy Awards, which will recognize films released in 2027, the film academy said Thursday.

“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion.”

The film academy’s production and technology branch has more than 100 stunt performers among its ranks.

David Leitch, who directed “The Fall Guy,” which was itself an ode to stunt performers, helped lead the charge for the new prize. Leitch began his career as a stuntman for stars like Brad Pitt before transitioning to making stunt-heavy films like “John Wick.” He and stunt coordinator and designer Chris O’Hara of Stunts Unlimited made presentations to the academy advocating for the addition of a new award.

“Stunts are essential to every genre of film and rooted deep in our industry’s history — from the groundbreaking work of early pioneers like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin, to the inspiring artistry of today’s stunt designers, coordinators, performers, and choreographers,” Leitch said in a statement Thursday. “Chris O’Hara and I have spent years working to bring this moment to life, standing on the shoulders of the stunt professionals who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades. We are incredibly grateful.”

Stunt designer is a relatively new designation. For his work on “The Fall Guy” O’Hara was the first person to be credited as such.

“To be seen by the film community as stunt designers hopefully brings more light to what we really do,” O’Hara told The Associated Press in 2024. “Back in the day, stunt guys were the cowboys. Now we are creative. We create amazing things, just like a production designer does or a costume designer does.”

The film is especially significant as it reunites Khatter and Kapoor, who made their debut together in Dhadak, also produced by Dharma Productions.

Karan Johar shared a heartfelt message on social media, calling the film a “soulful story” and celebrating its selection at Cannes. “This moment is a testament to the power of Indian cinema,” he wrote.

Homebound will be shown alongside several other films in the Un Certain Regard section. These include Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great, Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Morad Mostafa, The Last One for the Road by Francesco Sossai, Meteors by Hubert Charuel, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo by Diego Céspedes, and My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr, among others.

Despite the presence of capable actors, the performances are mechanical at best. The exchanges between Mammootty’s character and Sunny (Hakim Shahjahan), a software architect-cum-gamer, are tedious and pretentious. Sunny initially comes across as a comic relief, but he soon becomes an important part of the storyline. Even then, his sudden transition to become the truth-seeker is unconvincing. One of the very few memorable segments in the film is a robbery attempt during a temple festival. Everything from the colours, cinematography, artwork, and music in that entire sequence come together brilliantly. However, the makers fail to recreate anything close to that in the subsequent portions. The worst of all is how amateurishly the stadium heist sequence is filmed. This inconsistency is evident throughout the film. Saeed Abbas’ techno-heavy music also starts off promising, only to get repetitive and jarring after a point. You feel like you are in the middle of a rave party rather than a film.

Bazooka has Mammootty sleepwalking through it for the most part. But eventually, when he comes into his ‘game’, he manages to create some excitement. In gaming terms, this surge in energy is like a cheat code to salvage a lost game. However, the damage until then is so severe that there’s hardly any scope for redemption.

As per a press release shared by the makers, “Khauf delves into the eerie and unsettling journey of Madhu, a young woman seeking refuge in a hostel in a new city, hoping for a fresh start, unaware of its dark history of hidden secrets. As she struggles to escape the shadows of her past, she finds herself trapped in a chilling battle against unexplained forces lurking both within her room and beyond. As the sinister presence tightens its grip, Madhu’s reality twists into a waking nightmare—one from which she may never escape.”

Talking about the show, creator and writer Smita Singh said, “Horror thrives on emotions and atmosphere, and with Khauf, we created a story that is both unsettling and deeply human. Madhu’s journey isn’t just about confronting external horrors — it’s also about facing her own fears and past traumas.”

Akhil Akkineni’s next film has been titled Lenin. The makers unveiled a title glimpse on Tuesday, on the occasion of Akhil’s birthday. The glimpse shows Akhil in a rugged rural role. His character says, “My father used to say, when we are born, we only have our breath and no name, but when we die, we don’t have a breath but have a name, and that name should stand tall.” The film pairs Sree Leela alongside Akhil, and it promises to be an intense love story set in rural Rayalaseema. It’s the first outing for Akhil in an out-and-out rural role. 

Nagarjuna posted the trailer on social media and wrote, “Happy birthday, Dear Akhil Akkineni. As you enter this year, pray that the Universe bless you with all its power and glory so that you may shine!! Very happy to collaborate with you Naga Vamsi Thank you team Lenin for the superb glimpse!! Dear Akkineni fans, thank you for all the love.”

Lenin is written and directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, who made his debut with Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha. The film is jointly produced by Sithara Entertainments and Annapurna Studios. The romantic action drama has music by S Thaman, cinematography by Naveen Kumar, and editing by Navin Nool. Avinash Kolla is the production designer. The film is currently in production, and the makers are yet to announce a release date.

According to a press release, The statue will be placed along the eastern terrace outside the Odeon Cinema, a tribute to the iconic scene where Raj and Simran’s paths first cross. Other memorable locations from the film in London include Horseguards Avenue, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, and King’s Cross Station.

Mark Williams, deputy chief executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance, expressed excitement over the statue’s installation. “This is a fitting tribute to Bollywood’s global impact and a celebration of London’s vibrant diversity. The statue is sure to attract fans from all around the world to Leicester Square, the heart of film and entertainment.”

DDLJ has long been a pop culture phenomenon, with its reach extending far beyond India. In addition to the statue unveiling, the film will also inspire a new musical, Come Fall In Love The DDLJ Musical, which premieres at the Manchester Opera House on May 29, 2025.

Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, said “We are honoured that DDLJ will be the first Indian film represented in the Scenes in the Square trail. This is a testament to the cultural impact the film has had globally, and we’re thrilled to see our stars and the film recognized alongside Hollywood legends.”

This tribute marks a milestone in celebrating the enduring legacy of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and the global love for Indian cinema.

Some singers have voices that carry a special emotional depth. “Our director Prem, who is also a noted singer, has that quality—because he carries the spirit of a mother within him,” says director Anand Raj, speaking about ‘Khamisu Amma‘, the emotional mother-themed song from his upcoming film Jhonty Son of Jayraj. The track was recently launched by lyricist Yogaraj Bhat and Women’s Commission Chairperson Dr Nagalakshmi, and it has already started to have an impact on audiences.

Anand Raj, who also wrote the lyrics, said, “When I heard the tune composed by Vijetha Manjaiah, I knew it would be a hit. I just wanted it to make people remember their mothers.”

The song plays during a poignant climax where the protagonist realises he may have strayed from the path his mother dreamed of, but she remains his everything.

“In life, we’re quick to apologise to strangers but forget to say sorry to our mothers—the ones who endured the most. This song is our way of asking for that forgiveness,” he added.

Ajith Jayaraj, son of Bengaluru’s underworld figure MP Jayaraj, who is playing the lead, said, “I play two shades—Jonty, a scripted character, and I am glad that I get to play my father Jayaraj on screen. That’s the highlight, with room for a Chapter 2.”

Backed by debut producer Suguru Kumar, the film also stars Rajavardhan, Sharath Lohitashwa, and Nivishka Patil. It has visuals by Arjun Akot and music by Alex.

NEW DELHI: Vicky Donor, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam, will be re-released in theatres on April 18.

The movie, which originally hit the big screen in 2012, was directed by Shoojit Sircar and was backed by actor John Abraham in his maiden production venture.

Set in Delhi, Vicky Donor was one of the most talked about movies of the year as it dealt with the novel subject of sperm donation. It marked the Hindi film debut of both Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam.

Gautam shared the film’s re-release announcement on Instagram on Tuesday.

“The film where it all started for us. See you in cinemas again. Save the date – 18th April !!!! #VickyDonorinTheatres,” she captioned the poster of “Vicky Donor.”

Filmmaker Jesse Armstrong gained prominence after his hit series Succession. He was announced to be entering into a deal with HBO Max for a film titled Mountainhead.

The makers announced that the film will be premiering on the platform on May 31. The announcement was accompanied by the first look poster of the film.

The official logline of the film states that Mountainhead is set against the “backdrop of a rolling international crisis” that hits a group of four billionaire friends. The star cast is headlined by Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, and Cory Michael Smith. The supporting cast of the film includes Hadley Robinson, Andy Daly, Daniel Oreskes, Ali Kinkade, Amie MacKenzie, David Thompson, and Ava Kostia.

The film went on floors in March in Park City, Utah, and will complete production later this week. Armstrong also doubles up as a writer in his feature directorial debut. He teams up with his Succession collaborators Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, Tony Roche, Jon Brown, Will Tracy, and Mark Mylod to executive produce.

Khalid Rahman’s latest film, Alappuzha Gymkhana, set for release on April 10, 2025, promises to be another fresh venture. This time, it focuses on a sports comedy about a group of youngsters hoping to get into college through the sports quota. The director, who has been in the industry for just under a decade, has already worked on films like Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, Unda, Love, and Thallumaala, all of which have been vastly different in terms of genre, treatment, and star cast. Khalid says this diversity has not been a conscious choice, but rather a result of his pursuit of newness.

In an interview with Galatta Plus, he talks about his approach to filmmaking, Khalid shares, “When I go on to the set, every day I have to do something new. Not just me, but my entire team needs to feel like we are doing something different. We may use the same camera or angles, but the end result must always be interesting. Otherwise, it becomes very boring to repeat the same things again and again.”

Literary podcasts typically fall into a niche category, appealing to those who enjoy discussing books as much as reading them. While many follow a predictable pattern of featuring authors promoting their latest books, TheIndicPen, hosted by Lipika Bhushan, carves out a distinctive space within this niche. Rather than just skimming the surface, Bhushan delves deeper, offering listeners an engaging exploration of Indian literature, particularly through the lens of authors writing in the ‘Indic tradition.’

Launched in June 2024, TheIndicPen serves as a platform for authors to discuss their latest works, but Bhushan ensures that each episode moves beyond mere book promotion. She begins with the central theme of the book, anchoring the discussion in the author’s primary research or narrative, before seamlessly branching out into broader historical, mythological, socio-political, or philosophical territories. This fluid expansion allows for rich, multifaceted conversations that give listeners deeper insights into both the content of the book and the context in which it is situated.

Bhushan has hosted a range of eminent guests, including journalist Anuj Dhar, who questions mainstream narratives about Subhash Chandra Bose; historian Vikram Sampath, who explores Mysuru’s history for his recent book on Tipu Sultan; and author Shantanu Gupta, who discusses the Nath tradition and Yogi Adityanath in a viral episode that has garnered over one lakh views.

A defining aspect of TheIndicPen is its focus on philosophical, spiritual, and religious themes rooted in the subcontinent. Some may appreciate the depth of spiritual engagement, while others may find the lack of counterarguments limiting. That said, the podcast is well-structured, with Bhushan’s calm and attentive interviewing style keeping discussions engaging. She allows guests to articulate their thoughts fully. However, some episodes run long, and tighter editing could improve engagement for those who prefer concise discussions.

One area where TheIndicPen could improve is in featuring a broader range of opinions. While it provides an alternative to mainstream discourse, it should include guests who challenge the podcast’s dominant narratives. For a show that seeks to offer counter-narratives, embracing differing perspectives would add depth to its discussions. Ensuring a diversity of voices (among guests) is crucial; without it, the podcast risks becoming an echo chamber—ironically, the very issue Bhushan’s podcast seeks to address.

As a niche platform, TheIndicPen with Lipika Bhushan is a must-listen for anyone interested in Indian history, socio-politics, mythology, and spirituality.

Who is your Sikandar in real life?

There is only one person, and that is my father, who stays on the first floor.

You have done so many iconic movies in your career; how do you define the term ‘mass movies’?

The fine line between mass and class films has faded now. People watch these films at single theatres as well as multiplexes. People who whistled in theatres do so in multiplexes too. Mass movies were only connected to single screens earlier. That feeling of watching a film on a single screen is different.

Have you paid homage to Salim Javed dialogues through this film?

I have used them because they were popular, and yes, it was a homage of sorts. They were Salim-Javed dialogues, and we used them with a twist in our film.

Empuraan is also releasing on the same day as Sikandar. What are your thoughts?

Oh, the Mohanlal film. I love him as an actor, and I love Prithviraj, who is the director. Jatt is also releasing on the same day. I hope they all do well.

South actors have always looked up to you and Amitabh Bachchan. How important is this sense of brotherhood to you?

They have all grown up in front of me. Taarak (Jr NTR) and Ram Charan started their careers in front of me. Venkat and Chiranjeevi have been old friends. I did a Thumbs Up commercial with Chiranjeevi earlier. In fact, I was the first of my generation who started working in the South. I have done this way before others in Bollywood started the trend.

What do you think about the unpredictability of films at the box office?

Good films run well, and if the film is not good, it won’t do well. If you are lucky and the film is not good, then again it will do well.

Following the release of the film, the BJP Thrissur District Committee member also approached the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi to immediately ban the screening of the film in theatres to prevent further controversy and avert potential communal unrest. However, the High Court refused to pass an interim order banning the screening.

The RSS mouthpiece Organiser targeted the film’s director, Prithviraj Sukumaran, labelling him the “voice of the anti-nationals”. The RSS mouthpiece also said that the film is “anti-Bharat and anti-Hindu” as it “undermines Bharat’s nationhood, culture, constitution and democratic institutions.”

Following the backlash, Mohanlal had expressed his regret for the “distress” caused, stating that his films do not intend to promote hatred toward any political ideology, organization, or religious group.

During the last two days the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also conducted search operations at the offices of Gokulam Group and the residence of its Chairman, Gokulam Gopalan and seized Rs 1.5 crore in cash. Gokulam Gopalan is the producer of the film. On Saturday, the director of the film was also slapped with a notice from the Income Tax Department.

Despite the controversy, the film continues its successful run. However, the film saw a noticeable decline in earnings over the previous four days, indicating a slight slowing in its box office momentum.

With stiff competition coming up this week, it remains to be seen whether L2: Empuraan can retain its top spot, or if one of these new films will steal the show.

Pooja Hegde, a popular name in the South film industry, has made her mark in Bollywood as well. She made her big debut in 2016 with Mohenjo Daro alongside Hrithik Roshan. Since then, she has starred in several notable films like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Housefull 4.

In a recent conversation with Bombay Times, Pooja opened up about the challenges female actors face in the industry. She shared how filmmakers often have a fixed perception of actors, especially women, and how they tend to be typecast into similar roles. This, she feels, can limit an actor’s chances of exploring different kinds of characters.

Having been in the showbiz for over a decade, Pooja remains open to auditioning for roles, even now. She recalls a recent experience where she auditioned for a Tamil film but didn’t get the part. “I was told I was too young for the role, so they chose someone older,” she shared. Despite the rejection, Pooja doesn’t shy away from auditions. “I’m open to auditions and never shy away from them,” she added.

LONDON: British police on Friday charged comedian Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault after an investigation sparked by complaints from several women.

London’s Metropolitan Police force said Brand, 50, faces one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault.

The alleged offenses took place between 1999 and 2005.

In September 2023, British media outlets Channel 4 and the Sunday Times published claims by four women of being sexually assaulted or raped by Brand. The accusers have not been identified.

The comedian, author and “Get Him To The Greek” actor has denied the allegations, saying his relationships were “always consensual.”

Known for his unbridled and risqué standup routines, Brand hosted shows on radio and television, wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.

In recent years, Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories. He recently said he had moved to the United States.

Police said Brand is due to appear in a London court on May 2.

Despite the rocky start, Veera Dheera Sooran has been making waves at the box office, amassing Rs 42 crore in its first week alone. With a strong opening weekend, industry experts predict even greater earnings in the coming days, reported Pinkvilla.

Expressing his gratitude, Vikram thanked his fans for their unwavering support, acknowledging how their love and encouragement had played a crucial role in the film’s success after enduring repeated delays.

According to reports by Koimoi, Vikram has been paid a staggering ₹30 crore for both instalments of the franchise, with the sequel hitting cinemas before the prequel.

Apart from Vikram, the film features an ensemble cast including Dushara Vijayan, SJ Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Prudhvi Raj, and several others in pivotal roles.

With its gripping storyline and stellar performances, Veera Dheera Sooran continues to make its mark, proving that resilience and dedication can turn even the most uncertain beginnings into triumphant successes.

As Prime Video’s The Bondsman gears up for its premiere, new cast members have been confirmed. Mike Kaye, Kathrine Barnes, and Jay Ali have joined the cast, reports Variety.

In The Bondsman, Kevin Bacon plays Hub Halloran, a bounty hunter who comes back to life to hunt monsters that have escaped from hell.

Mike Kaye is known for appearing in Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Kathrine Barnes has appeared in Moonshot. Jay Ali is known for playing FBI Agent Ray Nadeem in season three of Marvel’s Daredevil.

Beyond Bacon, the cast members include Jennifer Nettles, Beth Grant, Damon Herriman, Maxwell Jenkins, and Jolene Purdy.

Erik Oleson is the showrunner and serves as an executive producer with series creator Grainger David, star Kevin Bacon, Jason Blum, and Jeremy Gold. Chris Dickie, Chris McCumber, and Paul E Shapiro. Blumhouse Television, CrimeThink Production Company, and Marker 96 produce the series. Erik Holmberg is a co-executive producer.

Prime Video’s The Bondsman is set to premiere on April 3.

On Wednesday, Dil Raju and Shirish announced the 60th production under their eminent banner, Sri Venkateswara Creations. The film will have Ashish in the lead role, who was last seen in the romantic thriller Love Me – If You Dare. 

The film, untitled as yet, will mark the directorial debut for Aditya Rao Gangasani. Reportedly, the film is set against a backdrop of old Hyderabad, promising to bring an earthy, gritty story rooted in that culture. Earlier this week, the makers had announced a casting call for actors of all ages, seeking new talent fluent in the Hyderabad slang, ensuring an authentic feel for the film.

Ashish is reportedly undergoing a makeover for the film, where his character will demand a rugged and muscular appearance. The makers will announce the other details of the movie soon.

Dil Raju had two releases earlier this year, with Game Changer and Sankranthiki Vasthunam. The latter, for which Dil Raju was onboard as a presenter, emerged as a massive commercial success. 

On Wednesday, Arun Varma’s upcoming film Baby Girl commenced filming in Thiruvananthapuram following a traditional pooja ceremony attended by the cast and crew. Billed as a thriller, it is scripted by the duo Bobby-Sanjay, known for penning films such as Traffic, Ayalum Njanum Thammil, Mumbai Police and Kaanekkaane.

Although it was announced that Baby Girl would be headlined by Kunchacko Boban, his involvement in the project is now uncertain. The film features Lijomol Jose, Premalu-fame Sangeeth Prathap, Marco actor Abhimanyu Thilakan, Azees Nedumangad and Aswanth Lal in prominent roles. Produced by Listin Stephen’s Magic Frames, it has Faiz Siddik wielding the camera, Shyjith Kumaran on the editing table and Jakes Bejoy composing the music.

Arun made his directorial debut with the hit film Garudan (2023), also a thriller produced by Listin. The film, headlined by Suresh Gopi and Biju Menon, is written by Midhun Manuel Thomas.

Adolescence has risen to the top of Netflix’s All-Time Most Popular TV list, surpassing massive hits such as Stranger Things 3 and Bridgerton 2.

Released just three weeks ago on March 13, the limited series has garnered an impressive 96.7 million views, securing the 9th spot on the streamer’s all-time list, reported Variety.

In its short run, Adolescence has surpassed Stranger Things 3 (94.8 million views) and Bridgerton 2 (93.8 million views), with the Duffer Brothers’ supernatural thriller now sitting at No.10, while Bridgerton has fallen off the list altogether.

In just 17 days, the crime drama has been watched by 30.4 million people in the past week alone, overtaking all other shows in viewership. This rapid rise means Adolescence has over two months to continue adding to its viewership, as Netflix’s rankings account for 91 days of viewership data.

Earlier, we reported that Vinay Forrt, Sharaf U Dheen, Lijomol Jose and Priyamvada Krishnan are headlining a new Malayalam feature titled Samshayam, slated to hit theatres later this year. On Tuesday, the makers unveiled the film’s first-look poster featuring its lead actors.

Samshayam, written and directed by debutant Rajesh Ravi, is described as a “fun-filled family entertainer bursting with humour and surprises.” On the technical front, the film has State Award-winning cinematographer Manesh Madhavan, editor Lijo Paul, and music director Hesham Abdul Wahab. It is produced by Suraj P S, Dixon Poduthas, and Lino Philip under the banner of 1895 Studios.

Earlier, Rajesh was supposed to make his debut with Bismi Special, headlined by Nivin Pauly and produced by Weekend Blockbusters. Though the film was officially announced in 2020, there have been no updates since and its current status remains unknown.

KOCHI: Amid pressure from right-wing groups, the makers of Empuraan have deleted 24 scenes, including changing the antagonist’s name from Bajrangi to Baldev, removing the ‘NIA’ nameplate from the car, altering Hindu religious structures, and cutting a scene involving violence against a pregnant woman.

The total removal of 2.08 minutes from the film follows backlash from the Sangh Parivar, including the RSS, who claimed the film depicted the 2002 Gujarat riots without showing the Godhra train burning incident that triggered the violence.

The makers of the Mohanlal-starring movie also removed a thanks card to BJP MP and actor Suresh Gopi. The re-edited and re-censored version of the film is expected to be released from Tuesday evening or Wednesday, according to sources, though there is still no clarity on this.

The makers of L Jagadamma Ezham Class B have announced that the film will hit cinemas on May 2. The announcement was made on Monday, along with the release of a new poster featuring the lead actor as the titular character, a Panchayat president, along with the supporting cast. It is directed by Urvashi’s husband Shivas, who has also penned the story, screenplay and dialogues.

L Jagadamma Ezham Class B also stars Kalesh Ramanand, Balachandran Chullikkad, Jayan Cherthala, Kalabhavan Prajod, Rajesh Sharma, Noby Marcose, Jibin Gopinath, PR Pradeep, Resmi Anil, Shailaja Ambu and Anjaly Sathyanath. The film’s technical crew includes cinematographer Anil Nair, music director Kailas Menon and editor Shaijal PV. It is produced by Urvashi in association with Fossil Holdings.

Urvashi was last seen in Lijin Jose’s anthology film Her, which also starred Parvathy Thiruvothu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Remya Nambeesan, and Lijomol Jose.

She further alleged that Mishra forced her to undergo abortion procedures on three separate occasions. The complainant, in her statement to the police, also accused Mishra of reneging on his promise to marry her.

According to a statement from the Delhi Police, an FIR was lodged on March 6, 2024, under several sections, including rape, assault, causing miscarriage, and threatening.

The complainant also supported her allegations during a statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The police were able to gather medical evidence related to the alleged abortions from Muzaffarnagar.

The incident that triggered the complaint occurred on February 18, 2025, when the accused allegedly brought the victim to Hotel Shiva in Nabi Karim.

Mishra is accused of having physical relations with the woman during this visit before abandoning her, which led to her filing the police complaint. The arrest follows the denial of Mishra’s bail application by the Delhi High Court, which had previously examined the case.

Mallika also said that her response comes as there is a deliberate attempt to spread the rumour that Prithviraj cheated Mohanlal and producers, including Antony Perumbavoor, by making the film ‘Empuraan‘, and some media have now taken it up. “Knowing what happened behind the scenes of this film, I am deeply hurt by the attempts of some people to isolate and attack Prithviraj. I want to make it clear that there is not a single shot in the movie that neither of them (Antony Perumbavoor and Mohanlal) knew about. There is nothing in this movie that Mohanlal does not know about. Neither of them say that they did not know about any of this,” she added.

Responding to Major Ravi’s Facebook Live, Mallika said that his remarks were unnecessary. “Why did he make such a statement? Neither Mohanlal nor Antony would ever say that Prithviraj cheated. And I don’t know if Ravi benefits from isolating Prithviraj,” she said.

Mallika’s response on Facebook comes following the social media posts criticising Prithviraj for making the film and as the makers decided to move for a re-edit and re-censoring of the film.

KOCHI: Amid backlash from the Sangh Parivar, including the RSS, regarding Empuraan, Mohanlal, the lead actor in the film, expressed his regret for the “distress” caused, stating that his films do not intend to promote hatred toward any political ideology, organization, or religious group.

In a post on Facebook, Mohanlal said, “I have learned that some of my dear well-wishers have been deeply troubled by certain political and social themes in Empuraan. As an artist, it is my responsibility to ensure that none of my films spread animosity toward any political movement, ideology, or religious community. I sincerely regret the distress this has caused, and the Empuraan team and I fully acknowledge our responsibility in this matter. With this realization, we have collectively decided to remove such elements from the film,” Mohanlal wrote.

Kalyan Shankar’s MAD Square is the cinematic equivalent of an inside joke told once too often. Sequels walk a tightrope between fan service and innovation, and MAD Square takes the safer route where it delivers more of the same but without the electric unpredictability that made MAD such a riotous surprise. It’s like a standup comedian’s material has been decoded, and no matter the setup, we know the journey of the joke, and unless you love the style too much, it is hard to enjoy beyond a point.

Director: Kalyan Shankar

Cast: Sangeeth Shobhan, Ram Nitin, Narne Nithiin, Satyam Rajesh, Reba Monica, Muralidhar Goud

MAD thrived on its rhythm—a gag would build up, twist itself into something unexpected, and land in an absurd yet hilarious punchline. For instance, a character says, “The poor guy has been in love for four years and suffered a lot… so what if he suffers one more day?” This brand of unpredictability was its biggest asset. But MAD Square suffers from the paradox of expectation. When a joke constantly subverts into the opposite route, that becomes the new expectation. The sequel’s humour still follows the same blueprint: setup, misdirection, absurd reaction. Only now, the audience is already in on the trick. Instead of doubling down on new variations, MAD Square often feels like a remix of its predecessor, with the same beats, detours, and brand of lunacy, only repackaged in a shinier Goa backdrop. The result? A film that still amuses but doesn’t astonish.

The first MAD worked because it was hilariously relatable. It captured the lunacy of college life with exaggerated but still recognisable situations. This time, the trio DD (Sangeeth Shobhan), Manoj (Ram Nitin), and Ashok (Narne Nithiin) find themselves caught in an implausible mix of crime, mistaken identities, and a mafia chase in Goa. While the first film’s comedy felt like an extension of everyday madness, this sequel leans into heightened cinematic stakes that don’t blend as seamlessly with its brand of humour. The setup requires a greater suspension of disbelief, and the jokes don’t quite do enough to justify it.

Sure, the makers kept asking us not to expect logic in MAD Square, but there’s a difference between illogical fun and disjointed storytelling. The first film’s campus setting gave it a sense of place; this one feels like a comedy troupe air-dropped into a location-jumping action-comedy.

Sangeeth Shobhan, Ram Nitin, and Vishnu Oi still bring their zany energy to the screen. Their chemistry remains infectious, even when the jokes don’t hit as hard. Sangeeth, in particular, has perfected the art of delivering absurdity with a straight face, and Muralidhar Goud as the perpetually exasperated father continues to be a delight (that’s a surprise because he’s been playing a version of the same role in all the films he does). But the novelty of their madness has worn off, and the film doesn’t quite give them enough fresh material to work with.

If there’s one area where MAD Square absolutely delivers, it’s in its soundscape. S Thaman’s background score injects a sense of cinematic grandeur, and Bheems Ceciroleo’s folk-infused songs help maintain the film’s easy-going, chaotic charm. Goa provides a vibrant setting, but visually, the film doesn’t make the most of it. Instead of using the location to create new gags, it mostly serves as a backdrop for more of the same hijinks.

Kalyan Shankar is a director who knows what worked in his first film, and he doesn’t shy away from repeating it. MAD Square carefully retains all the elements that made its predecessor a hit—the introductory build-up for Laddoo (Vishnu Oi), the narrative flashback, the heroism of Ashok (Narne Nithiin), the climax twist, and the inevitable setup for yet another sequel. But this approach is both a strength and a potential pitfall. Audiences will enjoy revisiting the madness, but if the director’s future films don’t evolve beyond this, the formula risks becoming predictable.

MAD Square is like going back to a favourite hangout spot only to realise the charm was in the first-time experience. It’s still fun and engaging, but the thrill of the unexpected is missing. If you walk in anticipating to be surprised, you’ll find yourself predicting every gag. But if you simply sit back and enjoy the nostalgia of MAD’s brand of humour, there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

“Krrish has entertained audiences the world over and Hrithik will now reveal the next chapters of this superhero saga and take the vision I created so many years ago to greater heights,” he added.

Roshan also welcomed Yash Raj Films’ head Aditya Chopra to the franchise.

“It was he who convinced Hrithik to sit in the director’s chair. Adi and Yash Raj Films have the knowledge, understanding and technological might to produce this film and add great value to this project,” he said.

“Hrithik and Adi coming together as a producer-director pair with me behind them is a rare and deliciously creative combination! I’m sure they will turn Krrish 4 into a theatrical experience that has never been made in India. The dream is to make India proud globally with a larger than life experience like Krrish 4,” he added.

Roshan also took to Instagram to share a picture of himself and Hrithik and gave his blessings to his son as he embarks on this new journey. “Duggu 25yrs back I launched you as an actor, and today again after 25 years you are being launched as a director by two filmmakers Aditya Chopra & myself to take forward our most ambitious film #Krrish4. Wish you all the success in this new avatar with good wishes and blessings!” he captioned the post.

The Krrish franchise began with Koi… Mil Gaya, which followed Rohit Mehra (Hrithik), a young man with cognitive disabilities who gains superhuman intelligence and strength after befriending an alien named Jadoo. The film also starred Preity Zinta and Rekha and was a major success. It laid the foundation for India’s first superhero universe that began with its follow-up Krrish in 2006. It followed Rohit’s son, Krishna Mehra, who inherits superhuman abilities and takes on the superhero identity of Krrish. The film also starred Priyanka Chopra. The third chapter, Krrish 3 was released in 2013 and added Kangana Ranaut and Vivek Oberoi to the cast.

NEW YORK: A New York City rapper who joined President Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy charges after prosecutors say he used earnings from his music career to fuel gang violence in Brooklyn.

Sheff G, whose legal name is Michael Williams, agreed to serve five years in prison as part of the plea entered in a Brooklyn court Wednesday, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

“Notoriety could not shield this defendant from justice,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “He used his fame to fund and direct violence, terrorizing our streets.”

The 26-year-old rapper, whose songs and videos have millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams, was among those arrested in connection with a long-term investigation into gang-related shootings in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.

More than 30 purported members of the 8 Trey Crips and the street gang’s affiliate, the 9 Ways gang, have so far been indicted.

Among them is Tegan Chambers, a rapper known as Sleepy Hallow who also appeared on stage with Trump and Sheff G during the May 23, 2024, rally in the Bronx.

Prosecutors say Sheff G showered money and jewelry on gang members as they battled rivals in Brooklyn.

They say the rapper even acted as a getaway driver on at least one occasion, chauffeuring three codefendants to and from a 2021 shooting that targeted a rival but instead hit two bystanders.

Sheff G also treated Sleepy Hallow and others to a lavish dinner at a Manhattan steakhouse to celebrate a 2020 shooting that killed a purported rival gang member and injured five others, according to prosecutors.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The schism within the BJP state leadership is nothing new. And this time the leadership is sparring over an unlikeliest topic: ‘Empuraan’. The Mohanlal starrer movie directed by Prithviraj has divided the camp as some leaders defended the movie, which the right-wingers have dubbed as anti-hindutwa, while some others went out all guns blazing, accusing it of parroting the narratives of extremist groups.

Newly appointed BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekharan was one among the first BJP leaders, who extended greetings for the movie. Sharing a photo of his meeting with Mohanlal in Meta on Thursday, the release day, Rajeev also expressed his wish to watch the movie. “Best wishes, Mohanlal Prithviraj Sukumaran n team! I look forward to watching and enjoying #L2E #Empuraan one of these days!” he wrote.

The followers, however, not amused by this act and commented to his post that the film had scenes and narratives that showed hindutwa outfits in bad li

BJP state vice president P Reghunath, meanwhile, had a contrasting opinion. In his social media post, he wrote that the theme of the movie itself was absurd and doubted whether the film tried to whitewash the now-defunct Popular Front of India and external spy agencies such as Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI).

Even as a section of BJP-RSS workers and sympathizers raised a boycot call against the movie on social media.

BJP state general secretary M T Ramesh struck a different note. He told media that cinema should be viewed as that and Keralites have the common sense and knowledge to understand that. Let people decide whether they want to see it or not. 

Vishwadev Rachakonda, who played a prominent role in 35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu last year, will be seen playing the protagonist in Dark Chocolate. The makers of the film unveiled a new poster on Tuesday.

In Dark Chocolate, Vishwadev essays a fading movie star who is struggling to rise back to prominence. Waltair Productions, the production banner for the film, also shared a brief synopsis along with the new poster, which read, “Firestar Yagna — once a star hero — but with a series of flops, has become a ‘one film wonder’. Rival star Dinesh is trolling and provoking him with PR & fake profiles. Will Yagna, who was banned from the Film Chamber due to arrogance, come back to form?”

Debutant Shashank Srivatsavaya is the writer, editor and director for Dark Chocolate. The film features Bindhu Madhavi as the female actor and Ramesh Konambhotla and Rakesh Rachakonda in the supporting cast. Vivek Sagar is on board as the music director, while Satish Taakar helms cinematography.

Rana Daggubati, who was also the presenter for 35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu, is presenting Dark Chocolate under his production company Spirit Media. The makers are yet to confirm a release date.

By now, Kollywood’s connection to Tamil Nadu politics is widely known. In the yesteryears, celluloid hero MG Ramachandran, script writer M Karunanidhi and actress J Jayalalithaa went on to become Chief Ministers.

The younger generation appears to be in no way different. Where superstars Rajinikanth dithered and Kamal Haasan failed, Ilayathalapathi, Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar aka Vijay had the will to take the plunge in politics.

Vijay’s TVK or Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will make its poll debut in the Assembly polls scheduled for next year. The political outfit was formed on February 2, 2024.

The ruling DMK led by Chief Minister MK Stalin witnessed the elevation of Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin to the post of Deputy Chief Minister during the last week of September 2024.

These two young leaders’ movies gets released during Pongal (January) 2026.

In short, Vijay’s Jana Nayagan and Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi will battle it out for supremacy ahead of the polls.

Jana Nayagan is stated to be Vijay’s last movie as he has announced his exit from movies following the launch of his political party early last year.

Interestingly, the distribution rights of Parasakthi is with the Red Giant Movies headed by Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Parasakthi has been described as “political drama film” based on true events, the story revolves around the Anti-Hindi agitations in Tamil Nadu that happened in 1965. The plot has relevance to the present day politics where the ruling DMK is opposing the three-language policy of the Centre.

The 1952 movie Parasakthi starring late actor Sivaji Ganesan with dialogues written by Udhayanidhi’s grandfather M Karunanidhi is considered as one of the landmark movie in Kollywood.

For the uninitiated, the manosphere is a digital network of forums and communities that promote misogynistic and anti-feminist ideologies. “One of the concerning aspects of online toxicity, particularly digital misogyny, is its tendency to push young minds toward seeking and proving dominance,” says clinical psychologist Shrikari S Rao. “Children today start consuming digital content as early as 1.5 years old, and by ages 3 to 4, they begin forming gender roles. By 6 or 7, these attitudes become more defined, shaping their social interactions.”

The show’s scope, however, is not limited to toxic masculinity. Adolescence has also spurred discussions about the growing divide between parents and children. Many young parents have been jolted into introspection.

Kavya Baburaj, a mother of a 9-year-old and founder of Social PR, calls the series a wake-up call. “While we are generally aware of the dangers around us, seeing the drastic consequences laid out so vividly in the show was scary,” she says.

The series highlights how vital parental monitoring is crucial, Kavya adds. “I ensure my son uses gadgets only when I am present,” she says. “But it’s not just about gadgets or digital content — children also face immense pressure in schools. I spend an hour every night chatting with my son, to understand what he might be going through.”

Ganesh Prasad, father of a teenage girl, echoes similar views. “A four-episode series has left many parents with a knot in the stomach. That’s worth pondering over. Adolescence will certainly make parents wonder if they are doing enough,” he says.

“How much time do we need to give our children to ensure they grow up to be a good human? That’s the question. It’s important to give them their space, yet be beside them as an unseen angel.”

Vinu V S, father of a 14-year-old, says he has been monitoring his son’s online activities. “If we come across anything unsuitable, we have open conversations and help him understand what’s right and wrong,” he says.

“The language children use these days to communicate and the way they show off coolness was completely foreign to me. I also discovered that their chatting is not limited to WhatsApp; there are platforms like Discord, where they can interact with people from across the world.”

LOS ANGELES: Actor-singer Selena Gomez says it’s much worse for women, when it comes to dealing with social media negativity.

Gomez discussed the topic at On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, where she appeared alongside her fiancé, Benny Blanco.

Whereas, Blanco said he doesn’t read what people write about him online, Gomez had different things to say.

“I was also going to point out that women have it much worse. From my perspective, it’s pretty wild, and I think this isn’t news to anybody, that obviously women have a lot more intense feelings from their appearance to what they’re wearing to everything,” she said, according to the entertainment news outlet Variety.

Gomez, known for her work in Another Cinderella Story, Monte Carlo and her latest, Emilia Perez, said the response from the people online even impacts how she gets ready for the events.

She added that there is constant judgment around the character.

“When I get prepared for an event, 90 percent of the time I’m just like, ‘I just hope I can take the picture and sit down.’ It’s the character that gets judged, it’s the way I’m not white enough, I’m not Mexican enough.”

Varun Tej, who was last seen in the period crime-drama Matka, is headlining an Indo-Korean collaboration for his next project. Tentatively titled VT 15, the film was officially launched on Monday with a muhurtham puja ceremony.

The launch ceremony was also attended by Krish Jagarlamundi, among others. Billed as a horror comedy, VT 15 stars Ritika Nayak as the female lead. Merlapaka Gandhi helms the direction, while Thaman S has been signed to compose music for the film. Manojh Reddy helms the cinematography. 

VT 15 is jointly bankrolled by UV Creations and First Frame Productions, with Rajeev Reddy serving as the producer. More details about the film’s cast and crew are yet to be announced. 

Merlapaka Gandhi has earlier directed films like Express Raja, Sapthagiri Express and Krishnarjuna Yudham. Ritika Nayak’s upcoming projects include Mirai, the fantasy drama starring Teja Sajja.

Kamra recently performed a parody of a popular Hindi song from the film “Dil Toh Pagal Hai,” apparently referring to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor).

He also made jokes about recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the Shiv Sena and NCP splits.

On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commented on the row, saying Kamra should apologise for his “low level comedy”.

Echoing Fadnavis’ remarks, Ranaut said: “These people call themselves influencers.

Where is society headed for this 2-minute fame? We need to think about this.

Like Fadnavis ji said we have to take some responsibility for what we say. There could be repercussions. Would you stand by that when you are questioned legally?”

On Sunday night, Shiv Sena members damaged Habitat Studio in Mumbai’s Khar area, where Kamra’s show took place, as well as a hotel in whose premises the club is located.

The actor also said it was wrong to compare the incident at the comedy club with the demolition of her Mumbai office by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) back in the 2020 incident following her spat with the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government.

“(Demolition of my office) was a completely illegal activity, this is absolutely legal. They can’t be clubbed together,” she added.

However, she also took a moment to share a more positive reflection from the Oscars, mentioning the emotional experience she had during the 2023 ceremony when RRR’s song Naatu Naatu won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

“I remember being in the audience when they announced RRR. I got emotional. Outside of being Indian, I had really nothing to do with that movie, but that was a huge, huge moment. That felt very, very personal,” she recalled.

Alongside her own thoughts, the video featured clips from several critically acclaimed Indian films that were notably snubbed by the Academy. These included Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, Rahi Anil Barve’s Tumbadd, and Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox. All of these films were lauded for their storytelling and performances but did not receive the recognition they arguably deserved at the Oscars. Through this, Padukone pointed out the missed opportunities for Indian cinema to shine internationally.

Music composer Daboo Malik has publicly addressed his son, singer-songwriter Amaal Mallik’s controversial social media post for the first time, after Amaal shared deeply personal revelations about his struggles with his family. In a now-deleted post, Amaal announced his decision to distance himself from his family, stating that his communication with them would only remain “professional.” This bold message sparked widespread attention and speculation, particularly regarding his strained relationship with his parents, Daboo and Jyoti Malik, and his brother, singer Armaan Malik.

On Saturday, March 22, 2025, Daboo Malik took to Instagram to share an intimate and touching moment with Amaal. The post featured a photograph of the two, with Daboo affectionately kissing his son on the cheek. The caption read, “I love you.” This heartfelt message marked Daboo Malik’s first public response following his son’s emotional and controversial post.

Mohanlal, who also participated in the press meet, agreed with Prithviraj’s sentiment, stating, “I haven’t taken a single rupee for the film,” and further confirmed that all the resources were directed towards creating the best cinematic experience for the audience.

“All of us, the technicians, and the actors, knew we were attempting something different, and we all pitched in. Even the foreign actors understood. People like Jerome, Andrea acted in Empuraan as a favour,” Prithviraj said.

In his conversation with Pinkvilla, Prithviraj also mentioned that he had initially reached out to some big names from international cinema, including actors from the US, UK, and China. However, when the agents got involved, the financial demands made it difficult to secure them for the film. “That doesn’t work for Malayalam cinema,” he said.

Despite these challenges, L2: Empuraan still managed to gather an impressive ensemble of eminent actors.

The 23-year-old, Avneet Kaur, known for her role in  Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga (2018-2021), has bravely opened up about her experiences with inappropriate behavior and verbal abuse in the entertainment industry.

In a recent interview with Hauterrfly, she revealed that she was inappropriately touched at the age of eight during dance rehearsals. Her mother, upon learning of the incident, explained the concept of “good and bad touch,” emphasising the unfortunate reality of such occurrences.

As Kaur’s career progressed, she faced another traumatic experience at the age of eleven. This time, it was verbal abuse from a director. “I was just starting out, and a director gave me a challenging monologue. I was very scared, and when I fumbled, he turned on his mic and verbally abused me, saying I was incapable and would never succeed. He used harsh language,” she shared. Even her parents were not allowed on set. “I told them everything, and my self-confidence as an actor was shattered. Later, I discovered he had subjected other actresses, including well-known names, to the same treatment.”

When Supreeth C Krishna made his directorial debut four years ago with Alanati Sitralu, he had no goal other than to find an expression for his sensibilities. The audience reception was not on his mind, says Supreeth, adding, “I just thought I was creating something new. It was slice-of-life, had no three-act structure, and just tapped on emotions—there was no calculation behind it. With Tuk Tuk, it’s the opposite. Though I am still attempting to explore my sensibilities, the artist in me has taken a backseat here. Tuk Tuk is a film I want people to watch and celebrate. It’s a complete package.”

Starring Harsh Roshan, Karthikeya Dev, and Saanve Megghana in the lead cast, Tuk Tuk revolves around the lives of three young boys who become the saviours of their village after finding an autorickshaw with seemingly magical powers. The inspiration for Tuk Tuk came to Supreeth from a RuPay commercial featuring an animated vehicle. The director recalls, “I looked at it as a human with a personality and thought, ‘Why can’t it be the central character of a story?’ That was the seed, but we needed a cinematic idea and structure around it, which came from my sensibilities.” The director states that underneath a constantly moving narrative, Tuk Tuk has a philosophical element that’s rarely touched upon in Telugu cinema. He elaborates, “While the first half is centred around the three boys and is fun in nature, the second half captures a never-seen-before, abstract idea. It’s the section where the links between all the metaphors and layers will become clear. Usually, the conflicts are relationship-driven. Here, the core conflict and the journey are abstract; it speaks about life and freedom.”

Supreeth also talks about how the two main characters of his film, played by Nihal Kodathy and Saanve Megghana, are written with an element of symbolism. He adds, “The way Saanve’s character is written will be heavy for the audience. Her character will convey a new perspective toward life, not through dialogues but through her actions and journey. The same goes for Nihal’s character, where he won’t spell out his philosophy. If you remove that element of philosophy, other characters will appear incomplete.”

The subject of navigating self-expression and entertainment comes up throughout the conversation with Supreeth. Despite his penchant for exploring philosophy and abstract ideas, Supreeth sounds practical about its reception by the audience. He notes, “The audience doesn’t care for abstract, nor do they need it. They need to be engaged in the story and empathise with characters, which is our job to ensure.” Supreeth also talks about his conscious approach to not overindulging himself, explaining, “I am not selling philosophy, but rather a film with philosophy embedded in it. If they notice it, well and good. If they like the film and think about its elements later, that’s enough in itself.”

Much like the balance of art and commerce in his film, Supreeth talks about the energy of his three leads—Harsh Roshan, Karthikeya Dev, and Stephen Madhu—and how it helped him in the making of Tuk Tuk. The director explains, “While making a film, we all become serious and stressed and stop enjoying the process. However, every time these three boys came to shoot, the energy on set would just change. Every stress would vanish, and we became kids again. It helped that they were already friends before the shoot began and brought that childlike energy to the shoot. That energy reflects in the first half of the film.”

One of the songs from Tuk Tuk, titled ‘Alala,’ garnered a lot of attention for its use of AI-generated images. The director clarifies there is a specific reason for using AI images in the song sequence, where they explore the concept of multiverse for the film’s characters. “You will always need a human touch, especially when it comes to art. Otherwise, it comes out plastic and creates a distance from the viewer. AI will help only when you want to enhance what you have created—it cannot create from scratch.”

Supreeth began his career as part of the writers’ team for renowned filmmaker Puri Jagannadh, later joining the production team on his 2017 film Paisa Vasool. He clarifies why he chose to join the production team, instead of joining Puri’s direction. “Most of the production work happens either as pre-production or on the post-production level. On set, I had more time to observe, interact, and learn. Also, you have the licence to go and talk directly to DOP or other technicians and ask them about anything you want.” After working on Paisa Vasool, Supreeth branched out on his own and assembled a team to make Alanati Sitralu on a shoestring budget. He recalls, “After Alanati Sitralu, I told myself, ‘This is not enough; let’s upscale a bit.’ I took my time and wrote the script for Tuk Tuk. For my next film, I want to make it even bigger.”

Supreeth reflects on his major learnings from Puri Jagannadh, as he states, “I like Puri sir as a thinker. He has a radical thinking style, a rogue within that reflects in scenes of his movies. If you have a certain sensibility, show it in your scenes in a palatable way—that’s the mantra from him, and he has been doing it successfully for years.” Supreeth talks about how he implemented something similar in Tuk Tuk. “Puri sir uses individual scenes to showcase his philosophy. I thought, ‘Instead of scenes, why not write a film that captures the essence of your philosophy?’ That idea lies at the heart of Tuk Tuk,” he concludes.

NEW DELHI: Hollywood star Tom Cruise is set to receive BFI Fellowship, the highest accolade from the British Film Institute.

Cruise, known for his work in projects like the “Mission Impossible” franchise and “Top Gun”, will be felicitated with the award which is presented to the individuals in recognition of their outstanding contribution to film or television culture.

The 62-year-old actor will be presented with the accolade on May 12 at the BFI Chair’s Dinner in London, according to a press release.

It will be hosted by BFI Chair Jay Hunt.

A day prior, the actor will be a part of In Conversation session at BFI Southbank, where he will discuss his enduring legacy and his work on “Mission: Impossible franchise”.

Cruise said he is honoured by the acknowledgment. “I’ve been making films in the U.K. for over 40 years and have no plans to stop. The U.K. is home to incredibly talented professionals actors, directors, writers, and crews, as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world. I’m grateful for all the BFI has done to support U.K. filmmaking and this incredible art form we share,” he said in a statement.

Kabir Khan has always been a storyteller of scale—his films sweep across borders, histories, and human emotions, turning intimate journeys into grand cinematic spectacles. With Setara, his segment in the recently released anthology My Melbourne, Kabir returns to Afghanistan, a place he has explored earlier in Kabul Express (2006) and Phantom (2015). This time, he focuses on a young Afghan girl chasing her dream of becoming a cricketer in Australia. The anthology, brought to life by filmmakers Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das, Onir, and Kabir, weaves together tales of identity, displacement, and belonging, set against the multicultural backdrop of Melbourne.

In this freewheeling chat, Kabir reflects on the underperformance of his last film Chandu Champion, how OTT has reshaped audience choices, and what it means to stay authentic as a filmmaker.

Excerpts

“It does not take an army to make a film. It just takes love to do that,” declared Hansal Mehta while introducing his small team of about a dozen and a half who made Shahid.

As everyone who worked on the film gathered at PVR Juhu on February 26 for a special screening organised by the delectable duo of Prayrak and Rohan K Mehta under their Versova Homage Screenings Foundation, the cinema hall erupted with applause and whistles. And why wouldn’t it? For two hours, the crowd was captivated by the journey of advocate Shahid Azmi, who persevered through humiliations, ultimately finding the strength to fight for justice for those denied it.

For the next hour, they’d be equally enthralled by a journey no less heroic: of how this motley crew banded together to make this film. Hansal’s story, in essence, mirrors Shahid’s.

“I had given up on filmmaking. I really had no idea that I would be able to make a film again. And then I read about the killing of Shahid in the papers. I wanted to work on it, but I had no means,” Hansal told the rapt audience.

Over the next year, Hansal – thanks to producer Sunil Bohra, and Anurag Kashyap – assembled a tiny gang of crew and actors. They begged, borrowed, or simply took every camera they could find – from Canon 7Ds to 5Ds to Red Ones and Red MXs, even an Alexa. They shot in small bursts of 3 to 5 days for 11 months to complete it.

Looking at the film 13 years on, it’s hard to believe it was a patchwork of different cameras and shooting schedules.

Hansal explained, “None of that mattered: What camera you were using, what lenses you were using… it became irrelevant because the need to tell the story was so strong.”

Harder You Work, Luckier You Get: Shahid is the film where Rajkumar Rao truly shone, essentially introducing him to the industry despite his previous work. However, he wasn’t the first choice – it was originally meant for someone already big in Bollywood. But casting director Mukesh Chhabra insisted Hansal meet “this boy” he was sending over. Hansal reluctantly agreed, but the moment he met Rajkumar, he knew he’d found his Shahid because of “the purity that Rajkumar brings to his character.”

Hansal was convinced that “the film will be made with him no matter what. And that’s what happened.” Little did he know then that Rajkumar would go on to play many more memorable characters for him throughout his career.

The film also “discovered” famous singer Arijit Singh. Shahid features only one song, Beparwah, which was among Arijit’s first in the industry. The fun fact? The makers discovered him while he was eating chowmein!

The third discovery? Hansal himself.

First Takes on Second Chances: For 20 years before Shahid, Hansal admits, “I failed consistently. I did stuff that, when I look back, I shouldn’t have done. I lost my way.” But those very failures shaped him. “They really sort of made me. They constructed the person I have become.”

Interestingly, the film wasn’t just about Hansal finding himself but also about rediscovering his son Jai Mehta, who first collaborated with him on this project and has been his closest collaborator since. Jai worked as an assistant director, securing locations (with or without permission) to shoot the film. It was a logistical obstacle course that Jai navigated without complaint and without much money.

What’s particularly magical is how the film captured Mumbai with raw honesty through its guerrilla-style shooting. It’s been just 13 years, but that Mumbai is already gone — lost to redevelopment and perpetually dug-up roads — preserved now only in films like this one.

The film was made for under ₹70 lakhs, possible only because everyone poured their hearts and souls into it while taking home barely anything. Yet it became the defining project for everyone involved, launching careers and offering second chances to some and first breaks to many. The first take of a second chance is always the first day of the rest of a filmmaker’s life.

Limitations Maketh A Film: Many scenes were improvised, like when Shahid proposes to his wife – that wasn’t in the script. Shot mostly handheld, the film adapted to circumstances at every turn. Even the editing followed this philosophy. Cinematographer Anuj Dhawan noted, “The language of the film got formed because of all the restrictions. You get your grammar from it. But now it’s in your hands. The tricky part is to maintain that balance all through your film and how you control that.”

One of the most powerful moments is Shahid’s death scene. The film doesn’t show Shahid getting shot, which seems like a deliberate artistic choice to avoid glorifying his killers. The truth is quite different. Being so connected to the real Shahid Azmi’s story, they filmed in locations intimately tied to him – his actual house, his real office, even the very chair in which he was killed.

The office was cramped, and they had run out of money for action sequences. With no squibs (small explosive devices used to simulate gunshots), they got creative. The makeup artist quickly created the blood and wound between takes. After multiple attempts at filming Rajkumar being shot, they couldn’t hide the makeup artist at work, so editor Apurva Asrani made the inspired choice to show the scene as it appears in the final film.

Learning From Your Own Work: Hansal hadn’t watched the film in years, and seeing it at the screening taught him a thing or two – most importantly, why he became a filmmaker in the first place.

“I had forgotten the film. Obviously, when I watched it, I felt I was seeing something new. I was also looking at how easily I could ignore matters of craft while making it. How craft is so secondary to telling a story that you really want to tell. So, the screening has been a learning experience. I wish I could go back to these days.”

He says the screening reminded him of his purpose in filmmaking. “I am scared of nostalgia because it can be very debilitating, but sometimes it is important to revisit. We become spoilt over time. We have huge crews and huge entourages, but we don’t have the purity. So, revisiting reminds you that you were in more honest, more pure times.”

It primarily focuses on a mother and her seizure-prone son, who are trapped in a busted-down car outside a service garage.

The novel was earlier turned into a feature film by director Lewis Teague.

King’s works have inspired numerous successful film and television adaptations.

Currently, he is involved in multiple projects, including “Never Flinch” and a series adaptation of “Carrie”, directed by Mike Flanagan.

Aronofsky has several critically acclaimed and award-winning films to his credit, including “Requiem for a Dream”, “The Fountain”, “The Wrestler”, “Black Swan”, “Noah” and “The Whale”.

The filmmaker is currently working on “Caught Stealing”, a crime drama starring Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Actor Mohanlal on Tuesday performed a special offering for Mammootty, his fellow actor in the Malayalam film industry.

It was reported that a ‘Usha Pooja’ has been offered for Mammootty in the name of ‘Muhammad Kutty, Vishakham’ by Mohanlal.

Recently, there were reports about the health of Mammootty with some rumours saying he was undergoing treatment. However, it was denied by his PR team while dismissing all speculations as baseless.

Mohanlal climbed the hill shrine in the evening on Tuesday after carrying the ‘irumudikettu’ from Ganapathi Kovil. He will return from Lord Ayyappa Temple on Wednesday morning after performing a ‘Neyyabhishekam’.

The Malayalam Superstar was visiting the hill shrine after a long period of 10 years. His last visit to the temple was in 2015 at the time of the release of ‘Pulimurugan’, his known superhit.

His visit to the Sabarimala again came to the limelight as his new film ‘L2E: Empuraan’, the highly anticipated sequel to Lucifer, is all set to release on March 27.

Émilie Dequenne, the Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in “Rosetta,” has died, a news report says. She was 43.

Her family and agent told the news agency Agence France-Presse that Dequenne died Sunday of a rare cancer in a hospital outside of Paris. In 2023, Dequenne revealed she had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma. Representatives for Dequenne did not immediately respond to inquires from The Associated Press on Monday.

Dequenne was only 18 when she was selected as best actress at Cannes in 1999. In “Rosetta,” from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, she portrayed a teenager trying to escape her difficult life in a caravan park with an alcoholic mother. The film also won the Palme d’Or that year.

Born in Belœil, Belgium, in 1981, Dequenne had a performance streak from a young age. She studied drama at the Académie de Musique de Baudour.

She became well-known in France after starring alongside Catherine Deneuve in “The Girl on the Train,” in 2009, based on the true story of a woman who falsely claimed she was the victim of an antisemitic attack. Dequenne also portrayed police officer Laurence Renauld on the French series “The Missing.”

In 2012, she won the Un Certain Regard actress prize from Cannes for “Our Children,” a dark psychological drama inspired by the real story of a Belgian woman who killed her five children. She was also nominated for several César Awards throughout her career, finally winning best supporting actress in 2021 for the romantic comedy “Love Affair(s).”

Speaking to The Guardian in 2013 about the difficult role in “Our Children,” she said, “For my part I went home every weekend, and stayed with my family, which is a very safe place. Making a film like that is something that you have to survive.”

More recently, she co-starred in “Close,” Lukas Dhont’s tender boyhood drama, which brought her back to Cannes again in 2022. She saw similarities between her young co-star and her own breakout role with “Rosetta.”

Goswami was named the Best Actress for her role in ‘Santosh’, which also won Suri the trophy of Best New Director.

‘All We Imagine As Light’, an official India-French co-production, charted history by becoming the first Indian title from India to win the Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

The widely-feted Malayalam-Hindi movie follows two nurses Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) from Kerala navigating life and love in Mumbai along with their friend and cook Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam).

‘Santosh’ revolves around a newly widowed housewife (Goswami) as she inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable and becomes embroiled in the investigation of a young girl’s murder.

It is a joint production of India, United Kingdom, France, Germany.

Other nominees in the Best Actress category were: Kani Kusruti (‘All We Imagine As Light’), Sylvia Chang (‘Daughter’s Daughter’), Kawai Yuumi (‘Desert of Namibia’), and Kim Go-eun (‘Exhuma’).

Suri, a British-Indian filmmaker, bested Yamanaka Yoko (‘Desert of Namibia’), Sora Neo (‘Happyend’), Dong Zijian (‘My Friend An Delie’), and Truong Minh Quý (‘Viêt and Nam’) in the Best New Director category.

In 2002, Puneeth made his debut as a lead actor with Appu, directed by Puri Jagannadh, which was a massive commercial success and established him as a major star. Over the next two decades, he delivered a series of blockbuster films such as Arasu, Milana, Jackie, Hudugaru, Raajakumara, Yuvarathnaa, and the posthumous release James. His films were known for their action-packed sequences and emotionally resonant storytelling, captivating audiences across generations.

Beyond the screen, Puneeth Rajkumar was a deeply committed philanthropist. He chose to donate his eyes upon his death, following in the footsteps of his father, the legendary Dr Rajkumar, and his mother, Parvathamma. His generous contributions to society included funding the education of thousands of students and supporting orphanages, old-age homes, and various charitable causes.