Globalwoodnews

After the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian film industry is treading cautiously, distancing itself from collaborations with Pakistani artists. The first major casualty was Abir Gulaal, which was set to mark Fawad Khan’s much-awaited Bollywood comeback alongside Vaani Kapoor. The film was shelved just days before its release. Another film under scrutiny is Sardaar Ji 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh. Speculation around Pakistani actress Hania Aamir’s casting in the project was confirmed when the trailer dropped on June 23. In the same announcement, the makers clarified that the film would release exclusively overseas. However, the move sparked widespread backlash online. Several netizens criticised both Diljit and the producers for casting a Pakistani actress amid heightened tensions between the two nations, especially following Hania Aamir’s condemnation of India’s counter-operation, Operation Sindoor. Now, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has called for a...

Lucian Pintilie’s grimly ironic 1968 film is based on real events, in which delinquents are forced to act out their brawl in front of government cameras Lucian Pintilie’s Romanian film from 1968 is a bizarre and wayward political satire that at first involves just a handful of people – and finally unveils a dreamlike crowd scene with hundreds of non-professionals swarming across the screen, their expressions of incomprehension and incredulity pressed into service for fiction. Yet the whole thing is stranger than fiction – more metaphorical, more metatextual than fiction – and, of course, taken from real life. Pintilie co-wrote the screenplay with Romanian author Horia Patrascu, based on Patrascu’s novel about an extraordinary event that took place in the early 1960s. Two drunken, hapless youths were caught brawling at a riverside cafe and were made to re-enact the event in detail for a solemn instructional film produced by the communist party authorities to be shown in schools, offic...

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has officially rejoined Prayag India, a leading manufacturer of sanitaryware and plumbing solutions, as its brand ambassador, marking a renewed collaboration that draws on shared values of strength, integrity, and trust. This announcement comes with the launch of a fresh campaign, "Prayag Ghar Banaye Shaandar," which aims to strengthen Prayag’s emotional connect with Indian households while reaffirming its commitment to quality and innovation. Devgn, known for his commanding presence and rooted performances, previously represented Prayag in the popular "Prayag Quality Bemisal – Likh Ke Le Lo" campaign—a marketing success that went beyond the screen to become a colloquial phrase among consumers. The brand now looks to build on that legacy with a campaign that emphasizes the role of durable, trustworthy products in shaping modern Indian homes. Nitin Aggarwal, CEO of Prayag India, expressed pride in having Devgn back on board. “His authent...

The stage is set for Kannappa, Vishnu Manchu’s long-awaited mythological epic, as advance bookings officially open today in North America and on June 25 in India. Slated to hit theatres worldwide on Friday, June 27, the film is poised for one of the biggest ever global openings for a Telugu-language film — and possibly the first devotional drama to aim for a ₹100-crore day-one gross. Boasting a massive rollout on 5,400+ screens globally, Kannappa is being touted as a pan-India spiritual spectacle with international appeal. The film will screen in over 4,300 locations across India, including all major premium formats, and over 1,100 locations overseas, with the U.S. hosting 200+ premiere shows — a record-breaking number for a devotional Telugu film. “Our aim is to bring Bhakta Kannappa’s devotion to every home,” says lead actor-producer Vishnu Manchu. “If audiences feel the love we poured in, the numbers will follow.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Vishnu ...

In an endearingly whimsical road trip documentary, Floriane Devigne takes calls from her interview subjects in the last remaining phone boxes dotted across rural France The humble telephone box, a souvenir from the days of analogue, can also be an intriguing cinematic locus. Floriane Devigne’s road trip documentary begins with such a relic: the last public phone booth in Paris, which also appears in Jacques Rivette’s mesmerising 1981 film Le Pont du Nord. Unlike their Instagrammable British counterparts, French phone boxes are usually painted in a demure grey and blend seamlessly with their surroundings. As it moves from the capital city to more remote areas, Devigne’s film observes the vanishing of a formerly essential utility as her cross-country odyssey sparkles with an endearing whimsicality. Instead of using talking heads, Devigne ducks into various phone boxes scattered across France, as she takes calls from her interview subjects. Stories of love and longing fill these unassum...

Co-owner of west London studios tells of dunking Victoria Beckham, industry upheavals and 25-year labour of love The first time film-maker Barnaby Thompson visited Ealing Studios it was to shoot Victoria Beckham, who at the time was better known globally as Posh Spice , being unceremoniously plunged underwater. “It was 1997, we were making Spice World and there was a sequence where Posh Spice got thrown into the Thames,” says Thompson, whose film credits include Wayne’s World, the remake of St Trinian’s and an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband. “We have a tank at Ealing so we shot Posh being thrown into the tank. It was the first time I had been on that hallowed ground.” Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/rsEzjnB via IFTTT

The trailer for Sardaar Ji 3 has stirred headlines after headlines with its unexpected casting and release strategy. Released on social media by Diljit Dosanjh, the two-minute glimpse confirms that Pakistani actress Hania Aamir plays a prominent role alongside Diljit and Neeru Bajwa, reprising her character as a ghost hunter in the UK-set horror-comedy. However, the trailer reveals a notable rift in distribution plans: the film is set to skip theatrical release in India and will premiere only in overseas markets starting June 27. When fans in India attempt to view the trailer on YouTube, they encounter a geo-block message notifying them of its restricted availability. The decision follows mounting political tensions after the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack and India’s retaliatory “Operation Sindoor.” Industry bodies like the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) had urged the CBFC to withhold certification for Sardaar Ji 3, citing concerns over Pakistani actors' ...

She made her name in Lena Dunham’s landmark series, then starred in Get Out. As she returns in M3gan 2.0, the sequel to the hit horror about a murderous AI doll, she talks about parenting in an age of smartphones, Botox and her famous father If you had wandered the set of the film M3gan 2.0 last year, chances are you would have stumbled into M3gan, the terrifying humanoid doll, staring lifelessly while she waited to be called for her next scene. Sometimes she would stand in the corner of the soundstage, says Allison Williams with a nervy laugh. “The dilemma is: do you turn her around so she’s facing the wall, or do you let her face the room? Both answers are wrong.” In the sequel to the sci-fi horror M3gan, Williams resumes her role as Gemma, a roboticist who has become a crusader against rampant and reckless AI development after her creation – developed for her orphaned niece – became murderous. (She is also a producer on the second film.) Continue reading... from Film | The Guar...

In 2023, Shah Rukh Khan made a major impact at the box office with three consecutive blockbusters — Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki. Now, anticipation is building around his upcoming film titled King. While Saurabh Shukla had earlier confirmed his role in the project, actor Jaideep Ahlawat has also revealed in an interview with Lallantop that he is part of the film. Jaideep Ahlawat confirmed his involvement in Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film King and shared how he became part of the project. He recalled, “SRK sir kaafi time se soch rahe the iss cheez ko, jaisa mujhe pata laga hai, but Siddharth Anand bhai thoda hichak rahe honge ki chota part hai to offer after Jewel Thief. But Khan saab being Khan saab, he said I’ll talk to him. Ab unki baat kaun nakarega (SRK sir had been thinking about this for quite some time, as far as I know. But Siddharth (Anand) bhai was a bit hesitant to offer it since it was a small role after Jewel Thief. But Khan saab being Khan saab, he said, ‘I’ll talk to him.’...

He’s had supporting roles in almost every big TV show of the past few years, but now the man nicknamed Ideal Actor is taking the lead on stage, playing a top politician. He talks about challenging perceptions, being detained by the FBI and ‘redefining the idea of the everyman’ A decade ago, it would have been rare to have an Asian actor playing the British prime minister or leader of the opposition. But in the space of a couple of years, Adeel Akhtar has done both. He was the PM in the Netflix drama Black Doves , which took the world by storm last year, and now he’s stepping into the shoes of a man vying to be leader of the opposition at London’s National Theatre. For Akhtar, who has been working as an actor for more than two decades, there has been an undeniable shift in the kind of roles he’s been offered in recent years. The British Asian experience is no longer a niche subject. Continue reading... from Film | The Guardian https://ift.tt/xG2XhAW via IFTTT