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Jackky Bhagnani has returned to acting after a six-year gap with the Independence Day anthem 'Tere Rang Mein,' released under his music label Jjust Music. The actor-producer said the song offered him an opportunity to return to the screen with a project that was personally meaningful to him. Bhagnani described himself as a patriot and said the nature of the song played an important role in his decision to face the camera again. “I am a patriot by heart. It’s been quite some time since I faced the camera. So, I thought the best way to come back is with the right cause,” Bhagnani said. The actor's return comes after several years of focusing primarily on film production. According to Bhagnani, stepping away from acting was a conscious decision as he worked behind the scenes and became more involved in producing films. Jackky Bhagnani on focusing on film production Bhagnani said his experience as a producer made him rethink the way he wanted to approach his acting career. He ...

The English trailer of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 has been released by Sony Pictures for audiences worldwide, offering an international preview of the upcoming epic. While the scale and visual effects have drawn attention, one of the key talking points has been the technology used to ensure that the actors’ lip movements match the English dialogue. Unlike conventional dubbed versions, where a new voice track is placed over the original footage, the English version of Ramayana: Part 1 uses DNEG’s AI-powered technology to digitally adjust the actors’ mouth movements. Producer Namit Malhotra has now explained how the process combines human performances with technology to achieve a more natural result. Namit Malhotra explains how Ramayana’s English lip-sync was created Speaking to ET Now, Malhotra stressed that the process did not begin with AI. According to the producer, the first step involved human voice performances, with members of the principal cast also contributing their own...

The British actor delivers his strongest performance to date in indie film Union County as a person struggling with substance abuse trying to turn his life around Every week, Annette Deao, a drug dependency counselor, sits in the county jail and offers incarcerated people in rural Ohio a chance at recovery. One bright day she meets Cody, a young man who shuffles towards the lectern and quietly says that he’s ready to give it a shot. “His self-respect is in the basement,” said Will Poulter , the British actor who plays the character. “He doesn’t like or accept himself enough to embark on helping himself.” Directed by Adam Meeks, an Ohio native, Union County is a bruising yet poetic depiction of a real life drug recovery court in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where individuals join long-term treatment programs with daily sobriety testing. Though the film is led by Poulter and Noah Centineo as foster brothers taking steps to get clean, much of the supporting cast is made up of first-time actors wh...

Reports claiming that IPL founder and businessman Lalit Modi will enter the Bigg Boss 20 house have been denied by Modi, who has also issued a legal notice to publications and social media accounts that carried the claim. The clarification came a day after several social media accounts reported his alleged participation in the upcoming season of the Salman Khan-hosted reality show. Taking to X early on Saturday morning, Modi categorically rejected the reports and said he has neither been approached for the show nor intends to participate in it. “FAKE NEWS. PERIOD. I have NOT been approached for Bigg Boss 20. I am NOT participating in Bigg Boss 20. And I have NO intention of doing so. Amazing how a completely fabricated story can become ‘news’ without anyone bothering to ask the person concerned,” he wrote. Modi also shared a legal notice issued by his lawyers, Hirani & Associates, and warned the publications and social media accounts that had carried the reports. “Perhaps next tim...

The 59-year-old actor reflected on her high-profile marriages in an interview with Vogue, saying she felt ‘deeply vulnerable’ after her split from Urban Nicole Kidman has opened up about her divorce from Keith Urban and reflected on her marriage to Tom Cruise, saying she was warned being his wife would overshadow her career. In a new interview with Vogue , the 59-year-old actor spoke about going through two divorces under intense media scrutiny: with Cruise, who she married in 1990 and divorced in 2001, and musician Urban, who she married in 2006. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/XuEzDL5 via IFTTT

Bond villain, Begbie, male stripper … the Trainspotting and Full Monty star has played everyone from Sherlock Holmes to Rumpelstiltskin. As his latest directorial project premieres in Edinburgh, he is here to answer your questions You’ll know Robert Carlyle for many things – getting his kit off in The Full Monty , being skewered through the heart with a plutonium rod as Bond villain Renard in The World Is Not Enough, playing Sherlock Holmes in Watson, joining Line of Duty as a gruff specialist firearms officer, and appearing opposite David Tennant and Toby Jones in ITV’s The Hack. He also appeared as Adolf Hitler in Hitler: The Rise of Evil and (uncredited) as John Lennon in Yesterday; as a cannibalistic soldier in Ravenous; Rumplestiltskin in Once Upon a Time; and the British prime minister in Cobra. But it’s hard to ever fully dissociate him from the fantastic moustache he sports as violent, pint-swilling psychopath Francis Begbie in Trainspotting – a moustache that is now, unbelieva...

In 2020, Hansal Mehta made his digital debut with Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, a biographical financial thriller that became a groundbreaking success for SonyLIV and one of the most acclaimed Indian web series of its time. Mehta directed the Pratik Gandhi-led show with his filmmaker son Jai Mehta. Three years later, the franchise returned with Scam 2003: The Telgi Story; however, Hansal served only as showrunner, handing over directorial duties to Tushar Hiranandani. As the third season of the franchise, Scam 2010, takes shape, Hansal is set to return to the director’s chair, this time alongside a new co-director. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Sumit Purohit will co-direct Scam 2010 with Hansal Mehta. Purohit was among the writers of the first season and is intimately familiar with the franchise’s tone and storytelling approach, making him a natural fit for the job. The screenwriter made his directorial debut with the espionage thriller series Saare Jahan Se Acc...

In February, Bollywood Hungama exclusively revealed that Priyadarshan’s 2006 comedy Malamaal Weekly is getting a sequel. Since then, we have been regularly updating about the film and we recently also unveiled the leading female cast, which includes Parineeti Chopra, Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shirodkar. Now, we can reveal the male leads of the project. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Riteish Deshmukh, Elvish Yadav, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav have been locked for Malamaal Weekly 2. Though Riteish is leading the film, sources close to the production have said that he is still reading the script and is yet to sign on the dotted line. The sequel is moving ahead with the original trio of Riteish, Paresh and Rajpal returning for the leads, along with Elvish Yadav joining as a new casting addition to the principal cast. Yadav is a popular YouTube content creator and the winner of Big Boss OTT Season 2 (2023), and this film will mark his second Bollywood outing following his...

First time director Dylan Meyer’s female twist on the genre is let down by silly stereotypes and jokes that land with a thud Want to feel old? Superbad turns 20 next year. It’s been decades since the stoner comedy ruled the box office. In fact, the genre’s best theatrically released film of recent years – the hilarious buddy movie One of Them Days – didn’t feature any weed smoking at all despite hitting all the usual outlandish beats of a stoner flick. If the streaming success of Hulu’s recent R-rated bong-ripper Pizza Movie is anything to go by, audiences would rather watch this particular strain of movie on the couch where they can spark up in peace. The Wrong Girls aims to reverse that trend with a nationwide US theatrical rollout by Neon, the arty distributor which propelled Parasite and Anora to Oscar glory. Best friends Molly ( Alia Shawkat ) and Frankie ( Kristen Stewart ) live in a PeeWee’s Playhouse-coded stoner cave with macrame decor, a life-size cutout of Céline Dion, mu...

A sex worker and a call centre employee forge an ambiguous relationship in a film of strong feelings In a tiny crumbling Mumbai apartment two women move around each other, squeezing into the kitchen to cook, or past one another in the hallway. The cramped space hems them in – just as society limits their choices. That is surely the point first-time director Anuparna Roy is making in a gentle drama set mostly in the apartment about the closeness that develops between the two women. One of the roommates is Thooya (Naaz Shaikh), an actor and part-time sex worker. The apartment belongs to a client, Nitin (Bushan Shimpi), an arrangement that outrages the neighbours. Thooya doesn’t care what they think, and has rented the second bedroom to a stranger, Shweta (Sumi Baghel), who works from home for an IT call centre. There is an awkwardness between them at first that develops into … what exactly? Romance? It looks that way, although the film’s final scene is ambiguous. Continue reading... f...

On August 10, Bollywood Hungama reported that PVR Inox Pictures, the distributors of Batwara 1947, have demanded all the shows in single-screen cinemas. This added to the exhibitors' woes, as Awarapan 2 also releases this Friday, August 14. On top of it, the Batwara 1947 distributors asked for seven shows a day in two-screen theatres, 10 shows in three-screen multiplexes, 12 shows a day in four-screen cinemas and 15 shows a day in five-screen multiplexes. However, as per the latest reports from exhibitors, the demand has now undergone a change. An exhibition source told Bollywood Hungama, “Earlier, their requirement was that 60% to 70% of the shows should be allotted to Batwara 1947. However, they have now taken note of the exhibitors’ concerns. As a result, they have agreed to a 50-50 showcasing arrangement for both films.” As per some exhibitors, the 50-50 arrangement will also apply to single-screen cinemas. However, most single-screen theatres across the country are yet to ope...

Your mum’s favourite star of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sliding Doors, Spartacus and a new GoPro-filmed thriller is ready to answer your quetions He’s your mum’s favourite, after playing the jolly nice man who is jolly nice to Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors, and the jolly nice man who delivers the heartbreaking WH Auden eulogy for his partner in Four Weddings and a Funeral . But there is far more to John Hannah than a Scottish accent, magnificent eyebrows and an unrivalled ability to look soulfully concerned. In The Mummy films, he played treasure-hunting comic relief Jonathan Carnahan. In 2002’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, he took on both halves of Robert Louis Stevenson’s character. He played a psychopathic killer in Truth or Dare, and appeared opposite Denzel Washington in The Hurricane. On TV, he has been a transhumanist scientist in Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD ; a gruff but compassionate emergency medicine chief in Transplant; and a gladiator school owner in the blood-soaked, boobs-...

Famed for playing loners, cranks and wayward angels, the Hollywood star is now a wolfish 90 – but he still jogs daily. As he takes his latest film to Edinburgh, we meet the man Hitchcock called ‘the golden calf’ ‘Can you take another story?” asks the veteran actor Bruce Dern towards the end of our talk, as though every tale is a drink and the landlord has called last orders. He doesn’t want to keep me and knows we’re running out of time. It’s just that one memory sparks another and these tales won’t tell themselves. He says that the next one is a doozy. “It’s about Marilyn Monroe.” Throw out all the questions and turn the clocks to the wall. One does not interview Dern so much as say hello, hit record and sit back. The man began his career acting alongside Montgomery Clift and Mary Astor and has collaborated with everyone from John Wayne to Tom Hanks, Hitchcock to Tarantino. He’s the lawless survivor of American movies, blown in from the past, and talking 19 to the dozen. “I’m 90 fucki...

Yesterday, Bollywood Hungama reported that The Odyssey continues to remain rock-solid at the box office despite the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The Christopher Nolan-directed film has collected Rs. 166.89 crores in 24 days, of which a huge Rs. 74.21 crores has come from IMAX screens. The film, which released on July 17, has enjoyed exclusive access to IMAX shows ever since, thanks to its historic response. However, from Friday, August 14, The Odyssey will begin sharing IMAX shows with the Anne Hathaway-starrer, The End Of Oak Street. A trade source told Bollywood Hungama, “The End Of Oak Street is a big-scale film and also features dinosaurs. Hence, it’ll make for a great watch in IMAX. It is being released by Warner Bros, which also distributed Universal Pictures’ The Odyssey in India. Since the same team is handling both films, it has become easier to divide the shows between the two.” The source continued, “Warner Bros has asked IMAX theatres to play The End Of Oak Street...

Offerman leads a talented cast, but this preschool picture book spinoff fails to inspire Grumpy Mr Fish (Nick Offerman) has a reputation for being a sourpuss, but when he teams up with baby sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama) to locate a wish-granting fish, it’s pretty much guaranteed that we will discover some sort of heart of gold lurking beneath his gloomy exterior. Not that a picture book for the two to four-year-old crowd can’t be expanded into a satisfying narrative feature film universe, but this high seas adventure as personal growth is fairly by-the-numbers stuff. Based on the books by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna, The Pout-Pout Fish’s animation lacks the charm of the books’ illustrations, and the writing is uninspired. Sample exposition-dump: “Did you not hear what they just said? Someone else is looking for Shimmer! And they’ve got a head start! If they get to her first, she won’t have any wish power left!” When the script tries to be more distinctive, you kind of wish they hadn’t...

An exhibition called Big Cine Expo is held every year where theatre owners, design consultants, equipment manufacturers, system integrators, project management professionals, and industry stakeholders come together to celebrate cinema and the exhibition sector. One major highlight of the expo is the presentation of exclusive footage from an upcoming film. And at this year’s edition of Big Cine Expo, attendees will get a chance to watch exclusive glimpses of arguably the most awaited film of the year – Ramayana! The period epic stars Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sunny Deol, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta and others. The Big Cine Expo 2026 will be held on August 18 and 19 in Chennai, and the Ramayana glimpse preview will take place on the first day. Attendees will be strictly prohibited from using their mobile phones or recording any part of the presentation. This is because the team will showcase visuals from the film that have not yet been revealed to the public. Memb...

Bitter Christmas, Late Fame and The Christophers all depict geniuses aware of their waning acclaim and terrified it will end Entertainment culture is so preoccupied with nowness that last month we were inundated with speculation about how directors under 30 topping the box office would change the industry . The flipside of a youth obsession is the conviction that age will increase irrelevance, and this is something that a new crop of films about ageing artists is zeroing in on. Specifically, Bitter Christmas , Late Fame and The Christophers are films in which artists – all male – indulge in selfishness, vanity and spite, and egotistical behaviour and a loss of creative (and masculine) virility are part of the same phenomenon. None of them is dislikable – they might be catty, pathetic or abrasive, but they’re always entertaining – but they all bend to the ego whispering in their ear, believing it will shield them from the pain of their fading art. It’s no surprise to discover that an ...

The film-maker’s take on Homer’s epic has beaten his previous record holder The Dark Knight Rises The Odyssey has become the highest grossing film of Christopher Nolan’s career, having made more than US$1bn at the global box office less than a month after its release. The blockbuster, which was released on 17 July, is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic and follows Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan war. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/dWoDNrG via IFTTT

When discontented Lily becomes a fantastical sea creature her low-budget transformation is strikingly unconvincing, rather in tune with the whole film Mermaidcore comes to the Welsh coastline in this somewhat stilted family movie about a teenager called Lily who turns into a mermaid. You could imagine it being developed into a series for kids’ TV but as a film it unfortunately falls at the first hurdle – failing to pull off a convincing mermaid transformation. Poor Lily’s shimmering tail is very obviously made from nylon that becomes very clingy when wet, making her legs very visible under the scales. Ellie Bindman plays Lily, who has moved from London to the Welsh seaside with her family for her stepdad’s work. Resentful about leaving her friends, she is huffy, communicating with her mum Claire (Marie Wilson) primarily in eyerolls. Lily’s only friend in town is Shane (Jack Taruschio Thomas), an awkward, slightly odd trainee local reporter who is following a lead about a mermaid sighti...

Film director Shakeel Noorani, 73, has been arrested in Mumbai following a complaint filed by a 33-year-old actor, who has alleged that she was raped after being called to his residence in Malwani. According to the police complaint, Noorani allegedly invited the actor to his house on the pretext of discussing an upcoming film project. The actor has alleged that after she reached the director's residence, she was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted. The complaint further states that Noorani allegedly threatened her following the incident. Police subsequently registered a case based on the actor's allegations and arrested the filmmaker. Following his arrest, Noorani was produced before the Borivali Holiday Court. The court has reportedly remanded him to police custody until August 12, during which the police are expected to investigate the allegations and gather further evidence in the case. The allegations are currently part of an ongoing investigation, and the charges aga...

Locarno film festival A couple attempting to leave Ukraine when the war encounter gender identity issues in this bold and challenging film A movie’s themes could hardly be more urgent and contemporary than those on offer in this entirely absorbing film from German director Isabelle Stever and Ukrainian critic turned screenwriter Anna Melikova. It’s a bulletin from the frontline of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and from the culture war too. It is about identity and choices made in peacetime when less was at stake. There is a bold and brilliant premise that may at first look artificially satirical but is actually inspired. When Russia begins its attack, the crisis is very specific for a scared young Ukrainian couple, recently engaged: Olya (Tania Myronyshena) and Oleh (Markus Bright). As bombs rain down, they head west in the cramped car of Olya’s elderly mum and dad – with Olya grumpily objecting to her dad’s sexist comments from behind the wheel about female drivers – to stay with Olya’s si...

The actor on being told she was no Ingrid Bergman, forgetting her lines on stage, and not caring about getting older Born in New York City, Stockard Channing, 82, played Rizzo in the 1978 film Grease. In 1985, she received a Tony for her performance in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, and in 1994 was Oscar-nominated for her role in the film Six Degrees of Separation. She has three Emmys for her TV work, which includes The West Wing. She makes her directorial debut at the Edinburgh festival with Krapp’s Last Tape, in aid of the Wembley to Soweto Foundation, Upstairs at the Roxy until 31 August. Her latest film is Practical Magic 2. She lives in London. What is your greatest fear? Climate change. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/tU3oZP1 via IFTTT

The Dutch creator of the controversial trilogy set to detail struggles with neurological disease in homemade documentary, after spending six years ‘as a recluse’ Tom Six, the film-maker behind schlock horror phenomenon The Human Centipede, has revealed that he has been living as “a full-blown recluse” in a darkened Amsterdam apartment for six years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In The End of Tom Six, a homemade documentary that the Dutch director said would be his final film, he says that the stress over his failure to find a distributor for the follow-up to the Centipede trilogy significantly exacerbated his condition. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/slVcIm4 via IFTTT

At 22, Ramsey has already been on our screens for a decade, and nominated for every award going. So why do they find it strange to be called an actor? Bella Ramsey often feels more comfortable around older people. The actor, 22, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, has been working professionally since they were 11, when they got their first TV job as the child noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. For half of their life, they have been in adult environments, talking to adults, working with adults. Even so, the London cafe in which Ramsey has chosen to meet makes any retirement home look like a creche. It is full of old men with their dogs, popping in for a cup of tea and a morning chat. “It feels like it belongs in the Midlands. It feels a bit, like, shit and familiar,” says Ramsey, who grew up in the East Midlands and can say that with affection. Their curly hair is short, pushed back off their face, and they have a single gold hoop in one ear. The plan had been to ...

On August 5, Bollywood Hungama was the first to report that Ramayana would release worldwide in most international markets on Friday, November 6. And now, producer Namit Malhotra has revealed an unusual release strategy – the film will arrive in international markets two days before its India release. In an interview with NDTV, Namit Malhotra revealed that since Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8, audiences in India will get to watch Ramayana on the big screen on the festival day itself. Meanwhile, the film will release overseas two days earlier, on Friday, November 6. When asked about the film’s release date, Namit Malhotra said in the NDTV interview, “It’ll release in India on Diwali.” When specifically asked if that meant Ramayana would arrive in Indian theatres on November 8, he replied in the affirmative. The reporter then pointed out that the recently released English version of the Ramayana trailer mentions November 6 as the release date. Explaining the difference, Namit Malhot...

Bollywood Hungama was the first one to confirm in February 2026 that Malamaal Weekly 2 is in the works. Two months later, in April 2026, we revealed that Amit Joshi of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024) fame has been signed to direct the comic caper. We now bring you another exciting piece of news from this upcoming project. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that two talented actresses, Raveena Tandon and Parineeti Chopra, have joined the cast of Malamaal Weekly 2. A source told Bollywood Hungama, "Both the actresses are perfect as per the requirement of the script. Hence, the makers were really keen to have them on board. Thankfully, both Raveena Tandon and Parineeti Chopra loved the script and their respective characters. They readily signed the film." The source continued, "Both actresses are talented and have great comic timing. Raveena has proved her worth with the numerous comedies she has starred in during the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as the re...

Yash Raj Films (YRF), one of Bollywood’s most prominent production houses, is all set to explore uncharted territory by venturing into the horror genre for the first time. The studio’s maiden horror feature will be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Abhay Pannu, who earned widespread praise for his critically acclaimed series Rocket Boys. Pannu has also penned the screenplay for the upcoming project, which is expected to commence production later this year and is slated for a theatrical release in 2027.   Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Varun Dhawan has been roped in to headline the ambitious project, marking another significant collaboration between the actor and the prestigious banner. Confirming the development, a source close to the project told Bollywood Hungama, “Varun has come on board as the lead for YRF’s first horror film. Yash Raj Films (YRF) is entering the horror genre for the first time with a feature film directed by Abhay Pannu, strategically championed...

After his breakthrough in The Holdovers in 2023, Sessa has gone back to the 70s again for Tony, the biopic of bad-boy chef and Kitchen Confidential author Bourdain. And, he says, a big part of him would like to stay there Despite being just 23, Dominic Sessa is perhaps as intimately acquainted with the 1970s as those who grew up then. Although the New Jersey-born actor has only starred in five films, two of them are marinated in the fashions, sounds and mores of the decade. In his new movie, Tony , he plays the 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain, future bad-boy celebrity chef, bestselling author of Kitchen Confidential and host of its hit TV spin-off. Tony restricts itself to one summer in 1975, when Bourdain bummed around the coastal resort of Provincetown, Massachusetts, falling in love, scrubbing pans in a seafood joint and catching the cooking bug. “For a rootless young man with sensualist inclinations,” he wrote, “it was the perfect getaway.” A 70s retro vibe also hung over Sessa’s debu...

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has added another major international project to her growing Hollywood slate. The actor is set to share screen space with Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe in the upcoming sci-fi action thriller Bluefly. The film will be directed by Nimród Antal, known for Predators and Stranger Things, while the screenplay has been penned by David Frigerio, William Eubank, and Carlyle Eubank. The announcement follows another significant career update for Priyanka, who was recently confirmed to star opposite Orlando Bloom in the survival thriller Reset. Earlier this year, she headlined Prime Video's The Bluff, which debuted at the top spot globally. She also featured alongside Idris Elba and John Cena in the action-comedy Heads of State, which became Prime Video's fourth most-watched film. The film has since received a nomination for Outstanding Television Movie at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. Priyanka also earned a nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movi...

Andrew Neel’s documentary contrasts the lavish dishes eaten by heads of repressive states – served by largely unrepentant staff – with the starvation faced by their citizens There are moments in this sly documentary that evoke regular food porn, with crisply lit footage of vegetables being chopped and simmered, meat getting grilled, fat bubbling and browning – all the culinary sizzle is on display. Then there are climactic money shots, obligatory overhead views of the finished product, elegantly garnished, accompanied by text identifying the dish as, say, a Chilean country stew, or a whole roast goat, made precisely to suit the taste of a very specific client. It’s just that the clients these chefs served were despots, including Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein, Augusto Pinochet and Kim Jong-il. Charles Otonde Odera once prepared a human heart “perfectly” for Amin, though at the time he thought better than to ask where the raw offal came from. Director Andrew Neel and editor Brad Turn...

Netflix has announced a major step towards strengthening India's creative landscape with the launch of the ‘Netflix India Storytelling Initiative’, reaffirming its long-term commitment to the country's growing entertainment industry. The announcement comes after Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos met Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to discuss the increasing global appeal of Indian stories and the company's continued investment in India's creative economy. Having worked with India's creative community for over a decade, Netflix has produced more than 200 Originals and filmed across over 100 locations in the country. Building on this foundation, the newly launched initiative aims to support the next generation of storytellers through a multi-phase investment focused on talent development. The programme will establish strategic collaborations with leading Indian institutions to equip aspiring creators with industry-relevant skills across the Animation, Visual E...

A retrospective at the Locarno film festival looks back at the era of Huac’s domination of US culture, uncovering some sobering lessons for now In September 2025, Disney and ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel and his late-night talkshow would be taken off the air indefinitely , after a conservative backlash against the host’s comments about the murder of far-right influencer Charlie Kirk. President Donald Trump personally championed the decision, calling it “great news for America” . He further called for other programmes critical of his administration to be removed. Though Kimmel’s suspension was reversed within a week, many commentators viewed this concerning development not as a sudden escalation of crisis, but a continuation of Hollywood’s habitual acquiescence to authoritarian pressure. In a guest essay for the New York Times , journalist and Trump biopic] The Apprentice screenwriter Gabriel Sherman explicitly linked Kimmel’s cancellation to the Hollywood blacklist of the 1940s and ...

As Steal This Story, Please! charts her astonishing reports on everything from climate summits to earthquakes to massacres, Goodman talks about dissent, censorship – and her ‘magic moments’ ‘I consider an exclusive a failure,” Amy Goodman says. It is not a typical observation for a journalist to make, but it is the approach at the heart of a documentary about her career, Steal This Story, Please! If an article, item, narrative or interview is significant enough “it should be shared around the world,” she insists. This time, however, her goal is not to share a particular news story, but rather an entire professional philosophy. To do so, Goodman had to let “two Oscar-nominated stalkers into my life” in an effort to “spread the word about this critical form of independent journalism” that she has practised over four decades. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/Skcb23h via IFTTT

Saiee M Manjrekar has reportedly commenced work on yet another project, adding to her growing slate of films across multiple industries. The actress is currently in Italy, where she has begun shooting for what is being described as a romantic drama, although an official announcement regarding the film is still awaited. According to sources, Saiee has travelled to the picturesque European country to begin the first schedule of the yet-untitled project. The film is said to be helmed by a debutant director and is expected to be extensively shot across scenic locations in Italy, with the story unfolding against a summer backdrop. While the makers have remained tight-lipped about the project, the development has sparked curiosity among fans eager to know more about the actress' next outing. Details regarding the film's cast, title and production banner are currently under wraps, with an official announcement expected in the coming days. A source close to the development shared, ...

With the trailer of Awarapan 2 set to launch on August 6, anticipation around Emraan Hashmi’s much-awaited sequel continues to grow. The film, which arrives in cinemas on August 14 during the Independence Day holiday weekend, will face competition from Sunny Deol’s Batwara 1947. Despite the high-profile box office clash, producer Vishesh Bhatt has expressed confidence and gratitude, saying the release date was chosen with audiences in mind rather than competition. Addressing the much-discussed clash, Vishesh Bhatt said, “We came on the date that seemed best. It's our first release coming into 14th August on a holiday and it's our fortune and luck that we get to share this release date with the legend Sunny Deol and and it's with a lot of humility we would like to bring the film on a holiday so more people can also come and watch this film.” #Awaarapan2 producer Vishesh Bhatt answers the question on the Independence Day clash with #Batwara1947. He says it's THEIR fortun...

The ultra-likable comedian decides to go on a chicken shop diet for 28 days, but like a gen-Z Super Size Me uncovers some dark truths behind this billion-dollar industry ‘I think you’re going to die,” says a teenager bluntly to comedian Mo Gilligan when he tells her about his plan to eat only from chicken shops for one month. Spoiler: he lives. But after 84 fried chicken meals, Gilligan is heavier, unhealthier and starting to feel depressed. In this funny, slick and accessible Netflix documentary he takes on “Big Chicken”, the industrialised poultry farming industry. Flavouring doc-journalism with his brand of ultra-likable humour, he’s gen Z’s answer to Michael Moore or Morgan Spurlock (who pulled a similar trick 20 years ago, eating nothing but McDonald’s for one month in his 2004 documentary Super Size Me). At the start of the film, there is no guilt in Gilligan’s pleasure walking into a chicken shop (“Bring on the wings!”). Growing up in a low-income household in London, a bucket o...

She’s acting royalty – literally, having played Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown – but what questions would you ask her? It is perhaps fitting that Imelda Staunton ended up playing Queen Elizabeth II in the last two series of The Crown, considering she has been acting royalty for years. Her film career has seen her voice champion egg-layer Bunty in 2000’s Chicken Run, followed by roles in Mike Leigh’s 2004 drama Vera Drake and the 2005 comedy Nanny McPhee. In 2014, she played the formidable Welsh miners’ strike campaigner Hefina in Pride . She also plays Lady Maud Bagshaw in the first two Downton Abbey films, and voices Paddington’s beloved Aunt Lucy in all three Paddington films. For a whole generation, however, she will always be Dolores Umbridge in two of the later Harry Potter films, where she somehow made a pink cardigan almost as frightening as Voldemort. On TV, she has cropped up in everything from Little Britain and Doctor Who to Psychoville, Brassic and a memorable guest appear...

This sensitive adaptation of Jansson’s 1972 novel, set in the beatific Gulf of Finland, is a quiet treatise on life and death Glenn Close brings her totemic presence to this gentle movie – as well as a makeup-enhanced grandmotherly face. This is a sweet-natured adaptation of Tove Jansson’s 1972 novel; it has charm, though it’s sometimes becalmed in its own sensitivity. Close plays a tough, wise, humorous-yet-cantankerous eightysomething woman who likes cigarettes and walking around outside stark naked when there’s nobody else around. She brings her recently widowed son (Anders Danielsen Lie) and six-year-old granddaughter Sophia (newcomer Emily Matthews) to a tiny, idyllic island in the Gulf of Finland, where they have a summer cottage. The grandmother may, incidentally, have unresolved feelings for local man Eriksson, in a fleeting cameo for veteran Icelandic actor Ingvar Sigurdsson. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/Byd3OvG via IFTTT

How did the pioneering director get involved – then fall out – with the 80s’ poppiest band? How are Sam Peckinpah and Michael Jackson’s Thriller involved? Prepare for a tale of ambition, deception and shuttlecock-stuffed shorts When Wham! squashed Lindsay Anderson’s China film Andrew Ridgeley on Wham’s surreal trip to China It was the evening of 3 April 1985 in a hotel in Hong Kong. Lindsay Anderson, who I’d engaged to direct the theatrical documentary I’d instigated of Wham!’s historic trip to China, had called a meeting of the film crew. He wanted to give a pep talk the night before we flew to Beijing. The 30-strong team my production company had recruited for this adventure duly assembled. Lindsay gave a speech in the stentorian tones of an elder statesman addressing the House of Commons and rooted in Henry V’s St Crispin’s Day oration. And typical Lindsay, he mixed shrewd observation with sardonic wit. “Tomorrow we embark on a great adventure,” he said. “We travel into communist Ch...

Recently, reports claimed that Salman Khan had charged just Rs. 70 crores for Vamshi Paidipally’s upcoming untitled film. It was further alleged that the superstar, whose usual remuneration is said to exceed Rs. 120 crores, had agreed to reduce his fee by nearly 40% for the action entertainer. However, Bollywood Hungama has now received an exclusive statement from the film’s producers, categorically denying these claims. The producers, Sri Venkateswara Creations, have shared the following statement with Bollywood Hungama: “We have come across several reports circulating regarding Salman Khan’s remuneration for SVC63. We would like to categorically state that these reports are completely false and baseless. As producers, we do not comment on or disclose confidential business or financial arrangements related to our projects. The figures currently being circulated, including those relating to the film’s budget, are purely speculative and factually incorrect. We sincerely request members...

Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks. But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims? By rights, Irvine Welsh ought to be photographed somewhere gritty, looking grumpy, he says: “That’s the brand.” Beside a graffitied wall or at the docks, with a beanie pulled low, and definitely not smiling. But here he is, clear-skinned and wholesome in shorts and a T-shirt, drinking tea and – it’s hard to think of anything more off-brand – talking about the health benefits of yoga. Given his reputation for having lived in the worlds his books portray, he should or could look a lot worse. He guffaws at this, eyes a delighted blue, and repeats the phrase as if he’s found a new personal tagline: “Could look a lot worse!” Over the three decades since his cult debut, Trainspotting, was published in 1993, Welsh’s fiction has explored with humour the darker side of life. Drugs, c...

After a three-year absence from the big screen, superstar Shah Rukh Khan will return this year with the highly anticipated action entertainer, King. A special announcement promo unveiled in January confirmed that the film would arrive in cinemas on December 24. In recent weeks, however, speculation has been rife that King might miss its scheduled release and be pushed to 2027. Bollywood Hungama has now learnt that there are no plans to postpone the film and that King remains firmly on track to release on December 24, 2026. Significantly, King will arrive amid three major Hollywood releases. December 18 will witness the epic clash between Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three. Avengers: Doomsday is expected to take a thunderous start; in fact, the extraordinary box office performance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day has further underlined the massive demand for Marvel films among Indian moviegoers. In comparison, Dune: Part Three is likely to appeal to a relatively niche audience. Howeve...

Canadian stuntwoman is only 4ft 6in and stood in for star to make the giant Laestrygonians appear even bigger A 35-year-old stuntwoman is one of the great unsung heroes of Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster The Odyssey – standing in for Matt Damon and displaying what the actor called “the greatest arms I’ve ever seen”. Canadian Devyn Dalton was the Hollywood star’s stunt double in a pivotal scene in the film where Odysseus (Damon) and his men are confronted by the Laestrygonians, giant armoured cannibals. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/tgkfJR3 via IFTTT

The promotional campaign for Batwara 1947 is underway, with the film's cast travelling across multiple cities ahead of its theatrical release on August 14, 2026. Now, a new report suggests that the makers have planned a unique initiative during the city tour, with lead actor Sunny Deol expected to honour individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to society. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, Batwara 1947 stars Shabana Azmi, Sunny Deol and Preity G Zinta in leading roles. Set against the backdrop of the Partition of India, the film explores the human stories that emerged during one of the most defining moments in the subcontinent's history. According to a source associated with the project, the promotional campaign will go beyond conventional film events by recognising real-life changemakers in every city the team visits. “Makers has planned a very special initiative during the Batwara 1947 promotional city tour. In e...

As AI slop takes over our screens, what better antidote for enquiring minds than a magical film? We ask directors, producers and critics to pick one must-see movie for each year from infancy to early adulthood *** Screentime has a bad rep these days: it’s allegedly at the root of everything from the collapse of media literacy to the rise of the far right. For parents, and indeed anyone who cares about the future of the planet, the relationship children have to their screens is a particular hot potato. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/XZRbHf2 via IFTTT

On the occasion of Friendship Day, actor Varun Sharma has exclusively spoken about his upcoming film, Side Heroes, a promising story celebrating friendship and centred on three friends. He assured audiences that it is not merely a maddening comedy but also explores important aspects of life. He further drew parallels with the iconic friendship film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). Varun Sharma said, “Side Heroes is not just a hilarious friendship film. It’s like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – it makes us realize what truly matters in life, success and views happiness with a fresh lens.” Side Heroes is backed by Imtiaz Ali, Mahaveer Jain and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. Besides Varun Sharma, the film also stars Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. A few days ago, Bollywood Hungama exclusively revealed that a fresh face has been cast as the female lead in this coming-of-age friendship film. Set in the heartland of India, Side Heroes tells the poignant yet comical story of three childhood fri...

Long before looksmaxxers, Aziz ‘Zyzz’ Shavershian was famous online for posting workouts and rage-bait – until he died in Thailand in 2011. A new documentary reveals what really happened Decades before the extreme aesthetic trend of looksmaxxing, there was Zyzz. Aziz Shavershian was an Australian teenager who became a fitness influencer in the 2000s, filming his workouts and thoughts about the world on his Nokia and posting them to YouTube. Zyzz was big in all senses of the word: many of his videos would see him flexing into unabashedly vain bodybuilding poses, hair feathered like an anime character, as he mocked his audience’s envy with slang straight out of bodybuilding forums: “U mirin’, brah?” He was skilled in rage-bait long before anyone had heard of it, creating accounts to troll himself in case the haters ever forgot to hate. He started an anonymous Facebook page, titled “10,000 likes and I’ll bash Zyzz”, and, when the goal was reached, switched the page to one advertising his ...