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Around Tinsel Town
>> NFDC cancels Israel Film Festival in Mumbai after backlash
The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) cancelled the Israel Film Festival in Mumbai in response to an online signature campaign against the event. The festival was scheduled to be held at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) between August 21 and 22, 2024.
A citizen group comprising prominent actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, veteran freedom fighter Dr. G.G. Parekh, writer and activist Tushar Gandhi (great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi), senior journalist Javed Anand and others led a signature campaign urging the NFDC to cancel the event in view of Israeli war crimes in Gaza. The campaign was organised by the India Palestine Solidarity Forum and received over a thousand signatures
>> The Hema Committee report highlights the dark side of the Malayalam film industry
The K. Hema Committee report on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, published on Monday, five years after it was submitted to the Kerala government, revealed horrid tales of sexual exploitation, illegal bans, discrimination, drug and alcohol abuse, wage disparity and in some cases, inhuman working conditions.
The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of the witnesses as well as the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is under the clutches of certain male producers, directors and actors, whom a prominent actor referred to as a “mafia”, as they could ban anyone from the industry. The committee also confirms the rumoured existence of the practice of “casting couch” in the industry.
Bollywood
Kartik Aaryan-led ‘Chandu Champion’, Vikrant Massey’s ‘12th Fail’ win top honours at IFFM 2024
‘Stree 2’ grosses Rs. 283 crore worldwide in first weekend
‘Game of Thrones’ actor Iain Glen to work in Anupam Kher’s ‘Tanvi The Great’
YRF announces next chapter in ‘Mardaani’ franchise, Rani Mukerji to return as cop
Sunny Deol welcomes ‘fauji’ Varun Dhawan to Battalion in ‘Border 2’
Aparshakti Khurana, Ishwak Singh’s spy-thriller ‘Berlin’ to release directly on OTT
Biopic on Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh announced by T-Series
Randeep Hooda joins Sunny Deol in upcoming action film
Hollywood
Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck after two decades of on-and-off romance
Travis Kelce lands first major film role in Lionsgate’s ‘Loose Cannons’ from ‘John Wick’ director Chad Stahelski
‘Megalopolis’ trailer pulled by Lionsgate following fabrication controversy
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ usurps ‘Joker’ as the highest-grossing R-rated film in history
‘Star Wars’ spin-off show ‘The Acolyte’ cancelled after one season
‘Poltergeist’ TV series in development at Amazon MGM Studios
Rian Johnson wraps up third ‘Knives Out’ film, ‘Wake Up Dead Man’
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ to open with ‘Looney Tunes’-inspired cartoon
‘Rush Hour 4’ in the works despite Brett Ratner sexual misconduct allegations, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan eyed for return
Jonathan Bailey to return as Anthony for ‘Bridgerton’ season 4’; Yerin Ha joins as Benedict’s new love interest
‘Pacific Rim’ prequel series in the works from ‘Arrival’ screenwriter
Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona to star in ‘Spiltsville’
Regional Cinema
Rajinikanth’s ‘Vettaiyan’ to clash with Suriya’s ‘Kanguva’ at the box office
‘Vishwambhara’: Makers release Chiranjeevi’s first look from the socio-fantasy drama
‘Big Dawgs’ rapper Hanumankind’s first look from Aashiq Abu’s ‘Rifle Club’ out
Venkat Prabhu responds to Vijay’s retirement, de-aging, and criticisms at ‘GOAT’ trailer launch
Actor Mohanlal hospitalised after suffering from fever, breathing difficulties
Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen team up for director Pandiraj’s next
Prabhas’ film with Hanu Raghavapudi kick-starts with a pooja ceremony
Mohanlal’s directorial debut ‘Barroz’ gets new release date
Urvashi’s first look from ‘L Jagadamma Ezham Class B’ out
Sudheer Babu’s supernatural fantasy film titled ‘Jatadhara’, first look out
Soori’s next to be helmed by Prashanth Pandiyaraj of ‘Vilangu’ fame
Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Marathi production ‘Paani’ to release in October
World Cinema
French actor and heartthrob Alain Delon dies at 88
Iconic anime voice artist Atsuko Tanaka passes away at 61
Gordon Ramsay and family to star in Netflix docuseries ‘Being Gordon Ramsay’
‘Alien: Romulus’ director Fede Álvarez was banned from ‘Alien’ subreddit for impersonating himself
‘Attack on Titan’ finale, an epic conclusion to iconic anime, to hit theatres in November 2024
‘One Piece’ live-action has found its Dr. Kureha-Dr. Hiriluk, and Nefertari Cobra
‘The Office’ Australia reveals first look at franchise’s first woman boss
Crunchyroll partners with Spotify to launch exclusive anime music playlists
Trailers
Vijay stands tall as ‘The GOAT’ in the trailer of Venkat Prabhu’s action entertainer
Teaser of Chhaava shows Vicky Kaushal take on hundreds of soldiers as the fierce and brave Maratha warrior
Kay Kay Menon is a retired don reluctantly dragged back into a life left behind in the trailer of ‘Murshid’
John David Washington grapples with the past through an heirloom piano in ‘The Piano Lesson’ trailer
Teaser of Pedro Almodovar’s ‘The Room Next Door’ shows a best-selling author reconnect with an old friend
‘Vaazhai’ trailer shows Mari Selvaraj return with a tale of a lost childhood
Kareena Kapoor Khan takes charge in teaser of Hansal Mehta’s mystery thriller, ‘The Buckingham Murders’
‘Privileged’ Ananya Panday steps up to the hustle in the trailer of ‘Call Me Bae’
Trailer of disaster comedy ‘Y2K’ unleashes a series of absurd and disastrous events tied to the Y2K bug
Teaser of Amazon’s anthology ‘Secret Level’ brings videogame stories to life
Hayley Atwell brings the legendary archaelogist to life in the teaser of ‘Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft’
‘Haal’ teaser shows Shane Nigam, Sakshi Vaidya star in an emotional romance drama
Essential reading
1) Naomie Ackie’s whirlwind ride: On ‘Blink Twice,’ Zoë Kravitz and Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’
>> She speaks about collaborating with Zoë Kravitz, resonating with female filmmakers, and entering the magical world of Bong Joon-ho
2) Nani on ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’: This vigilante film does not project the hero as a saviour
>> The actor also talks about his rapport with director Vivek Athreya, the joy of being a part of cinema, and why he loves solo travel
3) Kay Kay Menon interview: Viewers want the buffet, not one nutritious meal
>> The actor discusses the nuances of his craft, his recent detective series ‘Shekhar Home,’ and surviving in the digital age
4) Anna Ben on ‘Kottukkaali’, transcending boundaries and making dream debuts in Tamil and Telugu
>> She talks about playing a stoic character with pent-up emotions, and her experience at global film festivals
5) Mari Selvaraj: If a director really wants to test their acumen, they should do a children’s film
>> The filmmaker talks about the upcoming film ‘Vaazhai’ and the challenges of turning his life’s darkest phase into a film
6) Nithya Menen on her Best Actress win: ‘My intention has always been to do roles that make people happy’
>> She also talks about why a win for a film in this genre matters more, and on reuniting with Vijay Sethupathi for a new film
7) ‘The Rings of Power’ interview: Sam Hazeldine on playing Adar, learning Black Speech and the Sauron problem
>> He talks about how his character is a survivor, a protector and a creature of circumstance in the sophomore season of the Prime Video series
8) ‘Pachinko’ returns: In conversation with showrunner Soo Hugh and actor Jin Ha
>> Ahead of the second season’s release, they reflect on the incredible source material they worked with, and charting a new path for Solomon Baek
9) Actor Diganth on ‘Powder,’ cycling and his rollercoaster journey in Kannada cinema
>> The actor gleefully hops onto a cycle for an early morning ride and opens up on his upcoming film, ‘Powder’
10) The slaying of the Sarkata: The changing portrayal of the female protagonist in 2024
>> With films like ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ ‘Ullozhukku’ and ‘Stree 2,’ women are renegotiating the terms of engagement with society
11) ‘The Rings of Power’ interview: Dialect coach Leith McPherson on the land of Rhûn, Black Speech and Taylor Swift
>> The conductor of Middle Earth’s many tongues has spent over a decade sculpting the linguistic landscape of Tolkien’s universe
12) Minha Kim on starring in the second season of ‘Pachinko’, the ensemble cast, and more
>> Minha speaks about the challenges of bringing alive the central character of author Min Jin Lee’s celebrated novel
13) Why Chennai is special for singers Unnikrishnan, Uthara
>> On Madras Day, the father-daughter singer duo share their connection with the city
14) Urvashi on Kerala State Film Award win and playing Leelamma in ‘Ullozhukku’
>> The veteran speaks about navigating the emotional depths of Leelamma in Ullozhukku, and being a director’s actor
15) How popular yesteryear director Bhim Singh’s films struck a chord with the common man
>> In his birth centenary year, here’s a revisit of Bhim Singh’s riveting family dramas
16) National Award-winner Anand Ekarshi: It is unfortunate that ‘Aattam’ has become relevant now in today’s climate
>> Anand speaks about winning the National Award and shares why he chose such a subject for his debut film
What to watch
1) In ‘Kottukkaali’, Anna Ben, Soori bring PS Vinothraj’s meticulously-crafted vision to life
Read the full review here
2) Fede Álvarez delivers a gut-bursting, psychosexual nightmare in ‘Alien: Romulus’
Read the full review here
3) ‘Angry Young Men,’ a docu-series on Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, is insightful, inspirational, and effusive in parts
Read the full review here
4) ‘Vaazhai’, Mari Selvaraj’s profound, deeply aching bio-drama, is a masterpiece
Read the full review here
5) Manju Warrier, Saiju Sreedharan’s ‘Footage’ lacks the writing to complement its experimentation
Read the full review here
6) Rao Ramesh shoulders ‘Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam’, a part fun, overstretched drama
Read the full review here
7) ‘Blink Twice’ is a weird, disconcerting trip from Zoë Kravitz
Read the full review here
8) Diganth and a troupe of quirky characters deliver a unique dramedy with ‘Powder’
Read the full review here
