Category: Entertainment

This book describes end to end playing techniques of Mridangam and elaborates unique concepts in Music

“My style in Carnatic Music, especially playing Mridangam, an ancient South Indian classical percussive instrument is very unique,” says T. Shankaranarayanan Nandakumar, while describing the objective of writing of his new book, “Intricacies of Mridangam”  is being released in hardcover both Barnes and Nobles and Amazon. “I want to pass on this rich knowledge and skills that I have received from my Masters to the new generation, who are often not familiar with the nuances of this ancient musical instrument.”

World renowned for his mastery of the Mridangam and with expertise in various other percussion instruments, including konnakol (vocal percussion), thavil, ghatam, kanjira, and morsing, Nandakumar is a well-known south Indian music artist, showcasing his versatility in Carnatic music and has devoted his entire life to the cause of popularizing Indian classical music around the world.

Nandakumar developed a string interest in music at a very young age. Throughout his professional career, he has accompanied many well-known names in Carnatic music and continues to perform all over the world. As a percussionist, TSN has accompanied luminaries in Carnatic music, including Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, M. D. Ramanathan, Bhimsen Joshi, T. N. Krishnan, M. Balamuralikrishna and others. His role as an accompanist has greatly enhanced the events with the performances of these eminent artists.

Through his musical engagements, TSN engages in cultural diplomacy, fostering an appreciation for Indian music and drumming traditions. This indirect form of education occurs as audiences experience the artistry and cultural depth of the mridangam during performances. He has taken up his life mission to perpetuate Indian ancient art form and has dedicated himself in teaching the same to hundreds of students worldwide.

With the mission to spread the knowledge and provide education on this ancient Indian musical instrument, Nandakumar established TSN’s Percussive Arts Centre. Inc (TSNPAC), where students are trained in diverse instruments. Since its inception in 1998 in Mumbai, India, TSNPAC has evolved into a hub for students to refine their skills and collaborate within the realm of Carnatic arts. Upon migrating to New Jersey, USA, TSN seamlessly incorporated TSNPAC, offering courses in higher learning for Carnatic percussion enthusiasts in the United States. Today, TSNPAC stands as a beacon for aspiring artists seeking to master the intricacies of Carnatic percussion.

Nandakumar’s belief that “Music is like a horizon which is never ending and has no boundaries” has enabled him to take music with him wherever he goes. Since his coming to the United States, Nandakumar continues his life’s mission through stage performances at prestigious orchestras, participation in global music events, educational initiatives and contributions, collaborations, global impact, and philanthropic endeavors. He has demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility through charity work, including organizing a 24-hour non-stop Akanda Seva Bhajan in aid of India’s tsunami victims.

According to Nandakumar, playing Mridangam requires mastering of several intricacies and mathematical calculations. This new volume is aimed at providing the skills to an enthusiastic learner of Mridangam to be able to play with any artist without practice.

TSNPAC conducts Mridangam Arangetram annually, where students, without prior rehearsal, accompany main artists like A. Kanyakumari, culminating in a graduation ceremony. Notably, TSNPAC’s influence extends globally, with dozens of professional student performances, including drumming, at the Cleveland Thyagaraja festival. TSNPAC’s significant milestones include a decennial celebration marked by a grand performance featuring over 100 students.

TSN’s participation in international festivals and workshops has contributed to the global awareness of Indian percussion, showcasing the richness of Indian drumming traditions and providing a platform for cross-cultural exchange. By actively participating in musical collaborations and performances in the United States, TSN not only showcases the beauty of the mridangam but also educates audiences about the intricacies and significance of this traditional Indian percussion instrument.

“Through music, you can reach god,” says Nandakumar who wants to spread this path to the Almighty. “I feel very good about my accomplishment in spreading my knowledge about music to everyone. I have students all over the world, students of Indian origin and from other nationalities, some of them have become full-time musicians and are accompanying renowned artists,” Nandakumar says with pride.

In recognition of his great accomplishments, TSN was honored with The Lifetime Achievement Award by the Shanti Foundation in Chennai. He was awarded the “Best Teacher Award” from several organizations with the most prominent being awarded by Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and the Cleveland Thygaraja Aaradhana Festival and by the Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai in 2007, Bharat Ratna Dr. M. S. Subbulakshmi Sangeetha Pracharya Award), and Visionary Award by Academy of Indian Music, USA.

Dedicating his entire life to the spreading of Carnatic Music, Nandakumar has been highly sought after as a teacher in India and abroad. He has conducted several musical concerts, lectures, demonstrations, and workshops at universities in the United States abroad like Lamar University of Houston and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. TSN conducted special classes in percussive arts at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Pittsburgh, and the Academy of Indian Music in New Jersey and Switzerland. He also conducted 24 hours nonstop Akanda Seva Bhajan (Offered a Prayer through the medium of music) with his students in Mumbai for the tsunami-affected victims of India.

Nandakumar says, “My aim of contributing to Carnatic music by spreading knowledge has been successful and I forever am indebted to my parents and my teacher. I feel even more proud that some of my students have become masters of mridangam and it’s an honor knowing that the knowledge I shared with my students is now spreading around the world, imparting to many generations.”

Nandakumar’s new volume, “Intricacies of Mridangam” gives an overview of the ancient South Indian Classical Carnatic music style for the percussive instrument, mridangam. This book describes end to end playing techniques of Mridangam and elaborates unique concepts in Music, which are explained with examples as well as some original creations and compositions from the author.

The funds generated from the sale of the book will support (TSN’s Percussive Arts Centre. Inc) TSNPAC’s initiatives, such as organizing events that offer students the chance to participate in full-fledged concerts.

“Intricacies of Mridangam” is now available for purchase online! You can find it at the following links: Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/intricacies-of-mridangam-nandakumar-t-s/1145052967?ean=9798877049864 and at: Amazon on: https://a.co/d/bGpdmcv

A lawyer sits opposite his client, delivering a grave ultimatum.

“You have one month to secure a co-signer for your visa,” he solemnly states. “Otherwise, you’ll be forced to depart from the United States.”

Such dismal scenes are commonplace at Khalil Immigration Law, where individuals facing defeat often seem to vanish into thin air. Even the office’s decor fails to inspire confidence, with a plaque offering a tepid reassurance: “We’ll do what we can!”

This surreal setting is just one of many eccentric locales viewers encounter in the newly released film “Problemista.” The story follows Alejandro, portrayed by writer-director Julio Torres, as he embarks on a frantic journey to remain in the US and fulfill his aspirations.

Early in the movie, we witness a pivotal moment between Alejandro and his lawyer, Mr. Khalil, played by Laith Nakli. Faced with impending deadlines, Khalil urges Alejandro to find a solution promptly. Could a newfound acquaintance serve as his sponsor?

“I mean, we’ll see,” Alejandro responds with a shrug.

Rather than proposing a groundbreaking legal strategy, Khalil’s reaction is unexpectedly lighthearted. “We’ll see,” he echoes, envisioning the phrase adorning a new plaque in the waiting room. “That’s a much better motto for us.”

Such humorous interludes pepper “Problemista,” a film that underscores the uncertainties inherent in the US immigration system and the surreal hurdles confronting those who navigate it.

Despite the absurdities, Alejandro persists against the odds, contending with the erratic behavior of his employer, art critic Elizabeth Asencio, portrayed by Tilda Swinton, whose default mode seems to be confrontation.

For Torres, the film is both a work of fiction and a reflection of personal experiences. Having migrated from El Salvador to pursue his education in the US, Torres empathizes deeply with Alejandro’s struggles. Recalling his own anxiety while transitioning from a student visa to a work visa, he admits, “I would wake up and my heart was already racing.”

Similarly, Nakli, who portrays the well-intentioned but ineffective immigration lawyer in “Problemista,” finds parallels between his own journey and Alejandro’s plight. Despite achieving success in his acting career, Nakli’s past legal troubles continue to cast a shadow over his life.

In 1998, Nakli, originally from the UK and a former bodybuilding champion, faced federal charges related to conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances. Reflecting on his remorse, he expressed profound regret for betraying the trust of the country that welcomed him.

Transitioning from bodybuilding to acting, Nakli found himself haunted by his past, yet hesitant to share his story due to shame. Despite the closure of his deportation case under the Obama administration, Nakli remains vigilant, aware that any misstep could reignite legal proceedings.

The perpetual uncertainty weighs heavily on Nakli, reminiscent of the tense atmosphere depicted in “Problemista,” where waiting room scenes evoke a palpable sense of dread.

Nakli’s decision to pursue a presidential pardon underscores the ironic juxtaposition of his role as an immigration lawyer in the film. Torres believes Nakli’s experience highlights the unforgiving nature of the immigration system, which disproportionately affects immigrants like Nakli.

“Problemista” offers a satirical lens through which to examine the labyrinthine bureaucracy of immigration. Torres drew inspiration from his own struggles, recalling the absurdities of navigating the visa process through unconventional means, such as the gig economy and online platforms like Craigslist.

The film’s surreal elements mirror the Kafkaesque realities of immigration, where legal pathways are convoluted, and success often hinges on bending the rules. Despite the challenges, Torres maintains that “Problemista” isn’t merely an exposé but a testament to resilience in the face of adversity.

Both Alejandro and Torres embody the spirit of a “problemista” – individuals who thrive amidst challenges and find creative solutions to navigate life’s complexities.

As Nakli awaits a decision on his pardon application, he remains hopeful for a fresh start. Recognizing the transformative power of second chances, he embraces the possibility of redemption and a renewed sense of belonging in the country he calls home.

While uncertainties loom, Nakli’s resilience echoes the hopeful message of “Problemista,” where perseverance and resourcefulness ultimately triumph over adversity. Unlike the ghostly figures of rejected immigrants depicted in the film, Nakli’s story is one of resilience and the enduring pursuit of a brighter future.

Christopher Nolan’s biographical film Oppenheimer took center stage at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Saturday, with multiple winners acknowledging the significance of last year’s actors’ strike. Cillian Murphy secured the award for best actor, while Robert Downey Jr. clinched best supporting actor, and the Oppenheimer ensemble triumphed with outstanding performance by a cast.

In his remarks at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Irish actor Murphy expressed gratitude for being recognized by his peers, reminiscing about his early struggles as an aspiring actor. He stated, “Twenty-eight years ago when I was trying to become an actor, I was a failed musician, and I felt extremely like an interloper. But looking out on all of you guys here today, I know I’m part of something truly wonderful.” Oppenheimer chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, often hailed as “the father of the atomic bomb.”

Accepting the accolade for outstanding cast, British actor Sir Kenneth Branagh lauded the actors’ union strike, which caused delays in numerous Hollywood projects last year. He expressed appreciation, saying, “Thank you for fighting for us, thank you for every Sag-Aftra member whose support and whose sacrifice allows us to be standing here better than we were before.”

Lily Gladstone, star of Killers of the Flower Moon, claimed the title of best leading actress and also addressed the impact of the strike in her speech. “This has been a hard year for all of us,” remarked Gladstone, emphasizing solidarity with other unions.

The SAG Awards often serve as a barometer for predicting winners at the upcoming Academy Awards, slated for March 10. While Murphy is a frontrunner for the best actor category, the competition is tighter for best actress, with Gladstone and Poor Things star Emma Stone vying for the honor.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph from The Holdovers secured best supporting actress, while Robert Downey Jr. from Oppenheimer was recognized as best supporting actor. In television categories, Succession clinched best ensemble drama cast for its fourth and final season, and The Bear was awarded best ensemble comedy cast.

Barbra Streisand received this year’s lifetime achievement award, presented by Jennifer Aniston and Bradley Cooper. Reflecting on her journey, Streisand reminisced, “I didn’t like reality, I wanted to be in movies. Even though I knew I didn’t look like the other women on screen. My mother said ‘you’d better learn to type’. But I didn’t listen. And somehow, some way, it all came true.”

During the In Memoriam segment of the show, tributes were paid to notable figures such as Matthew Perry, Harry Belafonte, Sir Michael Gambon, Tina Turner, and others. The Devil Wears Prada stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt reunited to present the first award of the night, offering a nostalgic sketch featuring iconic lines from the movie, nearly two decades after its release.

Idris Elba, the London-born actor, hosted the ceremony, marking the 30th SAG Awards, which were streamed on Netflix for the first time. Elba injected humor into the proceedings, joking, “Personally, I can’t wait to get home, and have Netflix recommend this show to me.”

The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards have been unveiled, and there are a couple of glaring omissions that caught the attention of many. Notably, actress Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were left out of the list for their contributions to “Barbie.” Additionally, the star of “Killers Of The Flower Moon,” Leonardo DiCaprio, was notably absent from the Best Actor category. Despite these surprises, “Oppenheimer” dominated the nominations with an impressive 13 nods, alongside “Poor Things” and “Killers Of The Flower Moon” (minus its male lead) with 11 and 10 nominations, respectively.

Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio’s co-star in “Killers Of The Flower Moon,” made history earlier this year by becoming the first indigenous actress to win a Golden Globe. Now, she is in the running for an Oscar. On the other hand, Team Barbie faced heartbreak with its star and director missing out on nominations. However, America Ferrera’s name did make the cut among the Best Supporting Actress contenders. Ryan Gosling, who sang “I’m Just Ken,” earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and the song itself got a nod for Best Original Song.

The acting nominations for “Oppenheimer” were as expected, with Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, and Emily Blunt earning nods for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. It’s worth noting that the first two actors secured victories at the Golden Globes in their respective categories. The nominee list also included other Golden Globe winners from the year, such as Emma Stone and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

This year, the Academy, responsible for presenting the Oscars, introduced a diversity rule for Best Picture nominees. To compete in this category, films must meet at least two out of four “representation and inclusion standards.” The aim of this rule is to enhance the portrayal on screen and, subsequently, increase employment opportunities for traditionally under-represented communities, including women, LGBTQ+, and various racial, ethnic, and disabled groups.

The Oscar nominations were announced by actors Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid. The highly anticipated award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on March 10 (early morning of March 11 for India), with Jimmy Kimmel returning as the host.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the list of nominees for the various categories:

BEST PICTURE

– Oppenheimer

– Barbie

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Poor Things

– The Holdovers

– American Fiction

– Maestro

– Past Lives

– The Zone Of Interest

– Anatomy Of A Fall

BEST DIRECTOR

– Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

– Martin Scorsese (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

– Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)

– Jonathan Glazer (Zone Of Interest)

– Justine Triet (Anatomy Of A Fall)

BEST ACTRESS

– Lily Gladstone (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

– Emma Stone (Poor Things)

– Carey Mulligan (Maestro)

– Sandra Huller (Anatomy Of A Fall)

– Annette Bening (Nyad)

BEST ACTOR

– Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

– Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

– Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)

– Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

– Colman Domingo (Rustin)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

– Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

– Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)

– Jodie Foster (Nyad)

– America Ferrera (Barbie)

– Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

– Robert Downey Jr (Oppenheimer)

– Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

– Robert De Niro (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

– Sterling K Brown (American Fiction)

– Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

– Anatomy Of A Fall

– The Holdovers

– Maestro

– May December

– Past Lives

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

– American Fiction

– Barbie

– Oppenheimer

– Poor Things

– The Zone Of Interest

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

– Io Capitano (Italy)

– Perfect Days (Japan)

– Society Of The Snow (Spain)

– The Teachers’ Lounge (Germany)

– The Zone Of Interest (UK)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

– The Boy And The Heron

– Elemental

– Nimona

– Robot Dreams

– Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

– Bobi Wine: The People’s President

– Four Daughters

– Eternal Memory

– To Kill A Tiger

– 20 Days In Mariupol

In addition to the major categories, there are nominations in various technical and artistic categories:

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

– The ABCs Of Book Banning

– Island In Between

– The Barber Of Little Rock

– The Last Repair Shop

– Nai Nai & Wai Po

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

– The After

– Invincible

– Knight Of Fortune

– Red, White And Blue

– The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

– Letter To A Pig

– 95 Senses

– Our Uniform

– Pachyderme

– War Is Over! Inspired By The Music Of John & Yoko

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

– American Fiction

– Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

– Oppenheimer

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Poor Things

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

– I’m Just Ken (Barbie)

– What Was I Made For (Barbie)

– The Fire Inside (Flamin’ Hot)

– It Never Went Away (American Symphony)

– Wahzhazhe (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

BEST SOUND

– The Creator

– Maestro

– Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

– Oppenheimer

– The Zone Of Interest

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

– Oppenheimer

– Poor Things

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Napoleon

– Barbie

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

– El Conde

– Maestro

– Oppenheimer

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Poor Things

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

– Golda

– Maestro

– Oppenheimer

– Poor Things

– Society Of The Snow

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

– Barbie

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Napoleon

– Oppenheimer

– Poor Things

BEST FILM EDITING

– Anatomy Of A Fall

– The Holdovers

– Killers Of The Flower Moon

– Oppenheimer

– Poor Things

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

– The Creator

– Godzilla Minus One

– Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3

– Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

– Napoleon

The excitement builds as the cinematic world eagerly awaits the outcome of the 96th Academy Awards, set to unfold in March.

 ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, has announced the addition of Buhe Bariyan in their US market, yet another hit-comedy title aimed at expanding its Add-ons content library. The newly released Add-on Chaupal aims to provide customers in the US a wide selection of South Asian content in languages like Punjabi, Bhojpuri, and Haryanvi.

Buhe Bariyan, the movie, is not just a cinematic treat but is also an inspiration for all those women who are looking for some sort of strength in their lives. The movie is about the lives of a group of women, played by ace artists from the film industry namely – Rubina Bajwa, Gurpreet Bhangu, Nirmal Rishi, Seema Kaushal, Rupinder Rupi, Dharminder Kaur, Baljinder Kaur, Malkeet Rauni, and Jaswinder Brar, who have in some way, or the other been abused by either their partners or abused by the societies or in their marital homes. The actors have played their parts perfectly and one is sure that their roles can be resonated with a lot of women across. The core of the film has Neeru Bajwa who plays the role of Prem Kaur, an upright police officer who gets involved in the lives of these women and the story takes on from there.

The movie brings up a lot of important issues that have crippled society where women are looked down upon and not treated well. Neeru Bajwa starrer, Kali Jotta, which was released earlier this year, and it is now streaming on OTT platform Chaupal, also showcased a portrayal of women who could neither speak up about their traumas nor take any action as victims of domestic abuse.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global mentioned, “Punjabi movies have always delivered a strong performance for us in the US. Our Add-on partner Chaupal’s large Punjabi content library now added in, opens up a huge gamut of content options for our viewers in the US. Buhe Bariyan weaves a powerful narrative, and we are confident that the addition of this title is bound to delight our audiences.”

Nitin Gupta, Chief Content Officer, Chaupal remarked, “In the spirit of year-end festivities, we extend our heartfelt gift to esteemed audiences in Punjab and beyond. Watch an array of big releases from the year gone by exclusively on Chaupal, that can be enjoyed by all. Among these treasures, Buhe Bariyan stands out as a delightful offering that touches on an important issue of society and invites families to partake in its timeless charm and to immerse themselves in the joy of classic cinema with us.”

Users can download the ZEE5 Global app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store. It is available on Roku devices, Apple TVs, Android TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TVs. Users can also access ZEE5 Global on www.ZEE5.com

About ZEE5 Global

ZEE5 Global is the world’s leading South Asian streaming platform. It brings together the largest offering of content across 18 languages: Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, , Marathi, Oriya and Bhojpuri, and  six international languages Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Urdu, Bangla and Arabic wigth all content being subtitled in English, ZEE5 Global is home to 200,000+ hours of on-demand content. The platform brings together the best of Originals, Movies and TV Shows, Music, Health and Lifestyle content in one destination. In addition, ZEE5 Global offers features like 15 navigational languages, content download options, seamless video playback and Voice Search. ZEE5 Global now also launches ZEE5 Add-ons where you can access and subscribe to multiple South Asian streaming platforms like Chaupal, Oho Gujarati, Namma Flix. Simply South and iStream all in one single destination, ZEE5.

ZEE5 Global Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZEE5GlobalCorp

ZEE5 Global LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ZEE5 Global/

(AP) Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” dominated the Golden Globe Awards nominations with nine nods for the blockbuster film, including best picture musical or comedy as well as acting nominations for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and three of its original songs.

It was closely followed by its release date and meme companion Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which scored eight nominations, including best picture drama and for actors Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt.

In a statement, Gerwig said she, “can’t wait to bring the Barbie party to the Globes.”

The revamped group, now a for-profit endeavor with a larger and more diverse voting body, announced nominations Monday for its January awards show, after scandal and several troubled years, including one without a broadcast. Cedric the Entertainer and Wilmer Valderrama presided over the announcements from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the show will also take place on Jan. 7.

Films nominated for best motion picture drama included “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” and Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest.”

In the best motion picture musical or comedy category, “Barbie” was joined by “Air,” “American Fiction” “The Holdovers,” “May December” and “Poor Things.”

Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” and Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” both received seven nominations each. “Poor Things” saw nominations for Lanthimos, its actors Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Tony McNamara for screenplay. “Killers of the Flower Moon” got nods for Scorsese, for direction and co-writing the screenplay with Eric Roth, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro.

Stone, who was also nominated for the Showtime series “The Curse,” said in a statement that she was “Feeling extremely bewildered and thankful for it all.” She also said her “Poor Things” character Bella Baxter is her favorite.

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DiCaprio praised Gladstone in his statement: “She is the soul of our film and helped to bring this sinister and painful part of our nation’s history to life,” he wrote. The film is about the murders of wealthy Osage individuals in Oklahoma in the early 20th century.

“Barbie” tied for second-most nominations in Globes history with “Cabaret,” from 1972. Robert Altman’s “Nashville” remains the record-holder with 11 nominations. It went into the morning as a favorite and got a big boost from its three original song nominations, including “I’m Just Ken,” and one of the year’s new categories, recognizing cinematic and box office achievement. One person who was not nominated was America Ferrera, who delivered the movie’s most memorable monologue.

“Succession” was the top-nominated television program, with nine nods including for series stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin, followed by Hulu’s “The Bear.”

As always there were some big surprises, like Jennifer Lawrence getting nominated for her bawdy R-rated comedy “No Hard Feelings” for best performance by a female actor in a musical or comedy. She was nominated alongside Robbie, Stone and Fantasia Barrino (“The Color Purple”), Natalie Portman (“May December”) and Alma Pöysti (“Fallen Leaves”).

Barrino heard the news from her husband who she immediately called back to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

“My voice is shot because I’ve been screaming, crying and just telling God, ‘Thank you.’ I almost allowed fear to hinder me from this role, to keep me from this role,” she told the AP through tears. She’s been on the road for work and said she’s excited to go home and experience it with her children.

“The Color Purple” was expected to do better. The adaption of the stage musical got only two nominations total, both for actors, for Barrino and Danielle Brooks for her supporting performance. Left out was Colman Domingo, who was nominated for best drama actor for “Rustin.”

Cord Jefferson’s comedy “American Fiction” also came up with only two nods, best musical or comedy and for lead actor Jeffrey Wright, who plays a frustrated writer.

“I don’t think it’s totally healthy to think about these things too much, but they’re there, so one does,” Wright told the AP Monday. “I’m really pleased that the film is being recognized more so than my own personal recognition.”

Sofia Coppola’s widely acclaimed “Priscilla” got only one nomination, for actor Cailee Spaeny’s portrayal of Priscilla Presley. Her category mates in best female performance in a drama include Gladstone, Annette Bening for “Nyad,” Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Greta Lee for “Past Lives” and Carey Mulligan for “Maestro.”

The Globes won’t have to worry about anyone criticizing its “all male” directors this year, however. Gerwig was nominated as was Celine Song, for her romantic debut “Past Lives,” alongside Nolan, Scorsese, Cooper and Lanthimos.

Netflix got the most nominations overall, with 13 total for a slate which included “Maestro,” “May December” and “Rustin,” followed by Warner Bros., which made “Barbie” and “The Color Purple” with 12.

Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” was not nominated at all. Instead, its star Joaquin Phoenix was recognized for “Beau is Afraid” in the lead actor comedy/musical category, with Wright, Matt Damon (“Air”), Nicolas Cage “Dream Scenario,” Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”). Michael Mann’s “Ferrari,” with Adam Driver, and Wes Anderson’s starry “Asteroid City” also got zero nominations.

The voting body has now grown to 300 members, following backlash to a 2021 report in the Los Angeles Times that found that there were zero Black members in the group that was then composed of only 87 foreign journalists.

Perhaps as a result, there were more international films and actors nominated in prominent categories including the Finnish comedy “Fallen Leaves,” the courtroom thriller “Anatomy of a Fall” and the harrowing Auschwitz drama “The Zone of Interest.”

The 81st Golden Globes will be the first major broadcast of awards season, with a new home on CBS, but no word yet on a host. It’s been tumultuous few years behind the scenes in the aftermath of the L.A. Times report, which also exposed ethical lapses like its members accepting lavish gifts and travel from awards publicists and studios.

The Globes had long been one of the highest-profile awards season broadcasts, second only to the Oscars. Before the pandemic, it was still pulling in around 19 million viewers. The show was touted as a boozy, A-list party, whose hosts often took a more irreverent tone than their academy counterparts.

Some years, the HFPA were pilloried for nominating poorly reviewed films with big name talent with hopes of getting them to the show, the most infamous being “The Tourist,” with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. In the past decade, they’ve more often overlapped with the Oscars.

This year, NBC’s Tuesday night broadcast got its smallest audience ever for the ceremony, with 6.3 million viewers.

ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content, announced a strategic move to aggregate multiple South Asian streaming platforms within the ZEE5 Global platform with the launch of Add-ons in the US. ZEE5 Global Add-ons will offer subscribers in the US a single-window to access their favorite South Asian entertainment platforms on the ZEE5 Global platform itself, with Add-ons pricing starting from just $1.49 onwards.

ZEE5 Global Add-ons was unveiled by Amit Goenka, president, Digital Businesses and Platforms, and Archana Anand, chief business officer, ZEE5 Global, at an event at Mumbai’s Hotel Taj Land’s End on November 28. The show was attended by various Hindi film, TV and web series celebs as well as regional names. Subhash Ghai, Anu Malik, Gulshan Grover, Amisha Patel, Luv Sinha, Aamir Ali, Rohitashv Gaur, Aasif Shaikh, Shubhangi Atre Poorey, Sharad Kelkar and others were spotted at the launch.

Said Goenka: “We have become No. 1 in the US market, and also Europe, Australia and Middle-East and more, that too within a short span of four years, Our user base is 15 times that of our nearest competitor. And because we have reached  this pinnacle, we thought we can go further.”

“The launch of Add-ons on ZEE5 Global is a significant milestone, further cementing our leadership position as the No.1 South Asian streaming platform,” said Anand. “Add-ons will bring the best of South Asian content from multiple streaming platforms within ZEE5 Global for the diaspora in the US and soon globally, and at the best possible value.”

ZEE5 Global Add-ons currently offers content across languages from streaming platforms like Simply South (all South Indian languages), Oho Gujarati (Gujarati), Chaupal (Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Haryanvi), NammaFlix (Kannada), EPIC ON (Hindi) and iStream (Malayalam) with at least six more about to join. As a first for ZEE5 Global, Gujarati content will be available on the platform to delight the huge Gujarati-speaking population in the US.

ZEE5 Global Add-ons partner titles will further add to the platform’s huge catalogue of over 250,000 hours of movies, TV shows, and originals across languages. Currently, audience fragmentation looms large, their being over 30 South Asian streaming platforms.

Goenka added, “As digital entertainment consumption and delivery models evolve in the global landscape, addressing the growing consumer demand for engaging content and a seamless, personalized experience that combines accessibility and affordability is the need of the hour. With the launch of our aggregator platform, ZEE5 Add-ons, we aim to unite the entertainment ecosystem for the discerning viewer to build a robust monetization opportunity for multiple players in the global markets. We are pleased to have on board some of the most renowned names offering South Asian content to the diaspora, and we look forward to building a healthy partnership by enhancing capabilities in the realm of content creation and distribution by establishing ZEE5 Global Add-ons as the single destination for all South Asian content.”

Sharing her vision for ZEE5 Global Add-ons, Anand added, “As the foremost South Asian streaming platform in the United States, ZEE5 Global has played a crucial role in connecting the South Asian diaspora with their cultural roots. Building on our leadership, the natural progression was to evolve into the premier aggregator for South Asian entertainment. Add-ons will help address challenges such as content and consumer fragmentation and empower subscribers to effortlessly access their preferred content at one destination. It also benefits our partners, who can bank on our extensive reach in the US and save on customer acquisition and marketing costs.”

Users will now have just one app to download, only one login and a single password to remember. Billing and payment is also simplified through a single platform for all streaming subscriptions. Personalized recommendations across languages, unified user interface and search across platforms, and an ad-free viewing experience are just some of the other key benefits for consumers in the US.

In addition to Add-ons, ZEE5 Global is set to launch the largest consumer giveback program, the Great ZEE5 GiveAway, for its US consumers over the next few weeks in association with multiple partners like Quicklly, the leading online South Asian marketplace in the US, wherein with every purchase of ZEE5 or any Add-On pack, all new or existing subscribers will stand to win guaranteed gifts with sweepstakes ranging from gift cards to all-expenses-paid trips to destinations like Hawaii, Las Vegas and more.

A unique India-to-US Referral Program will also be rolled out shortly. Subscribers in India will be able to share their unique referral link with friends or family in the US and earn Rs.500 for each successful referral. The best part is: no capping on the number of referrals, so there is no upper limit to how much one can get.

Speaking at the event, Anand also announced a massive campaign against global piracy to be launched soon with ZEE5 Global, offering a logical and legitimate option for consumers tempted by the content variety and low costs offered by pirate platforms.

Tied in with her aspiration around ZEE5 Global being at the forefront of making South Asian entertainment larger on the global stage, the launch event also featured a panel discussion titled “The Coming of Age of South Asian Entertainment: The Time is Now.” The panel discussion, moderated by Anupama Chopra, featured Manoj Bajpayee, Guneet Monga, Vishal Bhardwaj and Pratik Gandhi besides Anand. The panelists discussed a range of topics around the subject covering how South Asian content is finally taking centrestage, their own perspectives about the South Asian audience, how storytelling has evolved and whether crossing over was a personal aspiration for them.

Antarctica has witnessed the release of around 66.9 trillion tons of freshwater into the oceans over the last 25 years, according to scientists from the University of Leeds. The research indicates that nearly 67 trillion tons of ice have melted into the ocean during this period, with 59 trillion tons added back to the ice shelves. Despite this, there is a net loss of 7.5 trillion tons. The western side of Antarctica’s ice shelves, in particular, has been heavily impacted, with human-induced global warming identified as the likely culprit.

In the analysis of 162 ice shelves surrounding Antarctica, 71 have seen a reduction in volume from 1997 to 2021. The study highlights that most ice shelves on the western side have experienced loss, while those on the eastern side have generally remained unchanged or even expanded in volume. The research involved examining over 100,000 satellite radar images to comprehensively evaluate the “health” of the ice shelves.

The potential repercussions of ice shelf loss or reduction are substantial for Antarctica’s ice system and global ocean circulation. This could impact the vital “conveyor belt” responsible for transporting nutrients, heat, and carbon throughout the polar ecosystem. Dr. Benjamin Davison, the lead researcher from the University of Leeds, explains the varying conditions around Antarctica: “The western half is exposed to warm water, which can rapidly erode the ice shelves from below, whereas much of East Antarctica is currently protected from nearby warm water by a band of cold water at the coast.”

The study’s findings challenge expectations, with almost half of the ice shelves shrinking without signs of recovery. Dr. Davison notes the impact of ocean temperature and currents, emphasizing that the susceptibility of the western side to warm waters beneath the ice shelves contributes to their erosion.

The researchers attribute these changes to global warming, arguing that if natural climate fluctuations were responsible, there would have been indications of ice regrowth, especially on the western ice shelves.

Ice shelves, acting as extensions of the continental ice sheet, float on the surrounding seas, serving as significant barriers that regulate the pace of glacier ice flowing into the oceans. As these barriers diminish or weaken, the acceleration of glacial ice loss occurs.

Notable ice losses were observed on the Getz Ice Shelf, with a total of 1.9 trillion tons of ice lost during the study period. Calving, where large ice portions detach and drift into the sea, accounted for only five percent of this loss, while the remainder was attributed to base melting. The Pine Island Ice Shelf experienced a loss of 1.3 trillion tons, with approximately 450 billion tons due to calving and the rest from base melting. Conversely, the Amery Ice Shelf on Antarctica’s eastern side gained 1.2 trillion tons, attributed to its colder surrounding waters.

This influx of freshwater can alter the density of salty ocean water, potentially disrupting the global ocean conveyor belt—an essential component for global ocean circulation. A separate study in the journal Nature Climate Change suggests that this disruption may already be underway.

Professor Anna Hogg, a co-author of the study, comments on the consistent losses observed through melting and calving, stating, “With 48 shelves losing over 30% of their original mass in just a quarter-century, it’s clear evidence of Antarctica’s response to a warming climate.” The ongoing research underscores the urgency of addressing climate change to mitigate the far-reaching impacts on Antarctica’s ice shelves and the global climate system.

Vir Das made history by taking home the trophy for the best unique comedy at the 2023 International Emmy’s, for his comedy special ‘Vir Das: Landing.’

Comedian-actor Vir Das made history by bagging the prestigious Emmy Awards for best unique comedy for his Netflix show ‘Vir Das: Landing’. After accepting the honor in New York City, Vir returned to India on Wednesday. During an interaction with the media at the New Delhi airport, he talked about his experience of winning the trophy.

He said, “I am very happy to bring this home. Now, I have a show in Panchkula so I will go to Panchkula and then to Benagluru. This award will tour India like me and I am very excited. We are here because of the people who have come before us, like Johnny Lever.This is the first award for Indian comedy internationally but hopefully not the last, hopefully, many comedians can win it.”

Johnny Lever is an Indian film actor and one of the most noted comedians in Hindi cinema. Lever is one of the first stand up comedians in India.

Das added, “There is love for India in every joke of mine and there will be love in every joke in the future as well. If you love your nation, write about it.”
The award for the Comedy Category was a tie, with ‘Derry Girls Season 3’ also receiving the recognition.

‘Vir Das: Landing’ marks his fourth Netflix comedy special that presents a show about what it means to be truly global while looking for a home. To carry your country across the world with you, whatever that country is, and to find your feet.

A show about growing up in India, seeing the globe, love troubles, colossal failures, social media madness, the perils of outrage, unplanned drugs, war-zone boarding schools, metaphorical mathematical equations, the current state of comedy, getting nominated, getting intoxicated, and ultimately just getting situated.

‘Vir Das: Landing’ which premiered on the OTT platform Netflix, was competing with Le Flambeau from France, El Encargado from Argentina, and Derry Girls Season 3 from the UK.

Earlier, Vir’s third standup special ‘Vir Das: For India’ received a 2021 International Emmy Nomination for “Best Comedy.”

As the comedian received the prestigious award which he shared with UK comedy series ‘Derry Girls’, Vir Das shared his vote of thanks.

In his statement, the Indian comedian said, “This moment is truly surreal – an incredible honor that feels like a dream.  Winning an Emmy for ‘Vir Das: Landing’ in the ‘Comedy Category’ is not just a milestone for me but for Indian comedy as a whole. It’s heartening to see ‘Vir Das: Landing’ resonate globally, thanks to Netflix, Akash Sharma and Reg Tigerman who made it special. My journey from crafting local stories to receiving a global accolade has been both challenging and rewarding, and Netflix has been instrumental in that growth. I’m excited about the continued exploration of diverse narratives, from Noida to the International Emmys – India gets you there.”

Global, 15th November 2023:  ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content,  announced the world digital premiere of the recently released Kannada movie, ‘Ghost’ today. After creating a resounding impact in theatres last month, ‘Ghost’ has garnered praise from both audiences and critics for its dynamic storyline and powerhouse performances.

The highest grosser of the year in Kannada revolves around an exciting chase between a cunning criminal and a determined police officer. It has spared no effort in entertaining viewers with its non-linear screenplay, breathtaking elevation scenes, and top-notch action sequences that showcase the renowned actor Shiva Rajkumar in a compelling new light. The highly acclaimed movie that collected over 3M USD at the box office is now set to have its digital premiere on November 17th exclusively on ZEE5 Global.

‘Ghost’ envelopes the details of a prison hijack in Karnataka led by a mysterious criminal named Dalavayi Muddanna (Shiva Rajkumar) while following an intense chase between Dalavayi and the determined ACP Chengappa (Jayaram). With hidden gold bars, unexpected twists, and an engrossing storyline, the film keeps its viewers engaged as the characters navigate through a complex web of suspense and betrayal, leading to an exciting climax.

Directed by M. G. Srinivas and produced by Sandesh Productions, the film stars Shiva Rajkumar in the lead role alongside Jayaram and Prashant Narayanan in other prominent roles. The film also boasts noteworthy cameo appearances by Dattanna, Archana Jois, and veteran actor Anupam Kher, adding depth and nuance to this thrilling narrative.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, said, “We’ve seen great success with thrillers globally, thanks to stories deeply rooted in South Asian culture that offer an exciting cinematic experience. Our new addition, ‘Ghost,’ is a thrilling Kannada chase drama Packed with excitement, it’s a complete must-watch entertainer that we’re proud to add into our bouquet.”

Director M.G. Srinivas mentioned, “I am overwhelmed by the incredible response ‘Ghost’ has received in theatres, and I am delighted that the film’s reach will now expand globally through ZEE5 Global. The exceptional performances by Shiva Rajkumar, Prashanth Narayan, Jayaram, and other talented ensemble, along with the remarkable contribution of Anupam Kher, have truly brought the vision of ‘Ghost’ to life. I am thrilled to share our labour of love with audiences worldwide and look forward to the film’s continued success on the digital platform.”

Actor Shiva Rajkumar who is seen in the role of Ghost, said, “Since the movie’s release, I’ve experienced a whirlwind of emotions within me. Initially, I was anxious about how my performance would be perceived by the audience, but I am elated to see the kind of reviews the film has received. ‘Ghost’  has a unique narrative with a fresh perspective to the thrilling tale. My character in ‘Ghost’ embodies multiple shades, each serving a different purpose. While the term ‘ghost’ often evokes fear, the film presents a nuanced play on the concepts of good, bad, and the complexities in between. I am excited to know that the film is now available to an even wider audience on ZEE5 Global.”

Jayaram who is seen in the role of ACP Chengappa, said, “Being a part of ‘Ghost’ working with a powerhouse of talents like Shiva Rajkumar, Director Srinivas has been an exciting journey for me, and I am happy to see the movie being appreciated by critics and fans alike. The interesting story and the relationships between the characters have made this film a special project for me. The way the movie explores human emotions is fascinating, and I am thrilled that more people can now enjoy it on ZEE5 Global.”

The Grammy nominations for 2024 were unveiled on Friday morning, and SZA emerged as the front-runner with an impressive nine nominations, closely followed by Victoria Monét and Phoebe Bridgers, each securing seven nods. Sharing the third spot with six nominations each were Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Boygenius, Jon Batiste, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and Brandy Clark.

The 2024 Grammy nominations were disclosed by a lineup of artists including Kim Petras, St. Vincent, Jon Bon Jovi, Muni Long, and others. Anticipation had been high for SZA and Swift, given their acclaimed 2022 albums, “Midnights” and “SOS,” respectively. Swift set a new record with six nominations this year, breaking the record for the most nominations in the Song of the Year category, accumulating seven in total, though she has yet to secure a win in this category.

The Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. As the music industry awaits the event, let’s delve into some notable surprises and snubs from this year’s nominations.

Surprise: Victoria Monét Triumphs

Earlier in the year, Victoria Monét faced disappointment at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she was denied a performance, with her team deeming it “too early in [her] story” for such an opportunity. However, those sentiments are likely regretted now as Monét received her first Grammy nomination, along with six others, including one for Record of the Year. Her nominations span multiple categories, such as Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.

Original Quote: “Earlier this year, Victoria Monét did not get to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, taking to X to explain that her team said it was ‘too early in [her] story’ for that opportunity.”

Surprise: Pop Dance Category is an Australian Wonderland

Two Australian artists, Kylie Minogue and Troye Sivan, found cause for celebration as their songs made it to the nominations list. Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam,” a widely acclaimed earworm in queer spaces and online, secured a nomination, marking her sixth overall and potentially her second Grammy win. Troye Sivan, recognized for his internet phenomenon single “Rush,” received his first-ever Grammy nod after over a decade in the music industry.

Original Quote: “Two Aussies have means for celebration today and their songs will provide the perfect soundtrack.”

Snub: Peso Pluma Overlooked in Best New Artist Category

Despite a significant year with features on hits like “Ella Baila Sola” and collaborations with KAROL G, Becky G, El Alfa, and more, Peso Pluma was overlooked in the Best New Artist category. His album “GÉNESIS,” released in April, showcased his boundary-pushing approach to corridos tumbados, making his absence in the category notable.

Original Quote: “Peso Pluma had a big year with his feature on the breakout hit, ‘Ella Baila Sola,’ and a quick ascent to fame working with the likes of KAROL G, Becky G, El Alfa, and more.”

Surprise: Barbie Racks Up Four Nods in One Category

The cultural phenomenon that was Barbie in 2023, with its star-studded soundtrack, garnered significant attention from the Recording Academy. It dominated the Best Song Written for Visual Media category, securing four nominations for tracks like Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj’s “Barbie World,” Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For,” and the Ryan Gosling rock-ballad “I’m Just Ken.”

Original Quote: “Barbie was the moment—the closest we got in 2023 to the days of monoculture.”

Surprise: Rihanna’s Black Panther Song Gets Grammy Love

Rihanna’s song “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, marked her return to music after a seven-year hiatus. The Grammy nomination suggests anticipation from both the Recording Academy and her fans for a potential full-length project in the future.

Original Quote: “When the song “Lift Me Up” was released, the public heralded it as Rihanna’s return to music because she hadn’t released an album in seven years.”

Snub: Foo Fighters Do Not Receive Album of the Year Nod

Despite the Foo Fighters’ highly anticipated return to music with the album “But Here We Are,” following the tragic loss of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022, the band did not secure a nomination for Album of the Year. Earlier predictions from outlets like Rolling Stone had anticipated the Foo Fighters to receive recognition for turning a terrible tragedy into an artistic triumph.

Original Quote: “The Foo Fighters’ longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins died in 2022, prompting the band to step away from the spotlight.”

Surprise: The First-Ever African Music Performance Category Picks Strong Contenders

The Recording Academy introduced the Best African Music Performance category to acknowledge the growing influence of afrobeats and African music in the United States. Notable nominations in this category include Asake, Davido, Ayra Starr, and Tyla, all receiving their first-ever Grammy nominations. The inclusion of Tyla’s song, “Water,” reflects the song’s popularity with its blend of amapiano, afrobeats, pop, and R&B.

Original Quote: “The Recording Academy introduced the first-ever Best African Music Performance category following the success of afrobeats and African music in the United States.”

The 2024 Grammy nominations present a mix of expected recognitions and unexpected twists, with artists like SZA, Victoria Monét, and Phoebe Bridgers leading the pack. As anticipation builds for the awards ceremony on February 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, music enthusiasts will be keen to see which artists take home the prestigious trophies in their respective categories.

ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content,  today announced the world digital premiere of ‘Ghoomer’. With an inspiring storyline, the movie features a stellar cast of Shabana Azmi, Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher, Angad Bedi and a special appearance by none other than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. Helmed by R. Balki, Ghoomer is all set to make an indelible mark via its OTT release on 10^th November exclusively on ZEE5 Global.

Produced by Hope Film Makers and Saraswati Entertainment, Ghoomer is an emotional story with multiple layers. In ‘Ghoomer,’ Saiyami Kher plays Anina Dixit, a talented cricketer whose dreams are shattered by a tragic accident leading to the loss of her right arm. Paddy (played by Abhishek Bachchan), a former test cricketer, becomes her coach and helps her become the first-ever one-armed spinner, propelling her to play for the Indian National Team. The coach gives her new hope, trains her with unconventional techniques and invents a Ghoomer bowling style to turn her fate around. ‘Ghoomer’ shows how people can win over tough times and get another shot at success beating all odds.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global said, “Outstanding stories of might and perseverance hold the power to unite viewers across the globe. With the digital premiere of the critically acclaimed film Ghoomer on ZEE5, we hope to inspire viewers across the globe as the film’s remarkable story highlights the unbreakable human spirit. The title further expands our robust blockbuster movies library and is sure to resonate deeply with viewers worldwide.”

Director R. Balki said, “Ghoomer on ZEE5 Global will finally take the film to the widest possible audience the film deserves. Loved unanimously by those who have seen it in its limited release in the theatres, this magical story of a one-armed girl who is given a new lease of life by a man who believed in the impossible and changed the rules of the game, can atleast be witnessed by every home around the globe. I am thrilled now Ghoomer will finally reach the hearts of millions.

 Abhishek Bachchan shared his excitement, stating, “Working alongside Saiyami Kher and under R. Balki’s brilliant direction was an enriching experience that allowed us to delve deep into the intricacies of our characters. The success of this Ghoomer should be credited to the stellar team both on and off-screen who brought this story to life. I am thrilled that the film is set to make its digital premiere on ZEE5 Global, bringing this heartfelt tale to a wider audience who can now enjoy the film from the comfort of their homes.”

 Saiyami Kher mentioned, “Ghoomer has been the best experience of my life. The film has my blood, sweat, toil and my entire heart. Getting to play a differently abled cricketer, getting to work with the genius R. balki. Getting to share the screen with AB, Shabana ji and Angad has been a dream. This film is everything I could have asked for. I am delighted that the film will now be accessible to a wider audience on ZEE5 Global, allowing viewers to experience the magic of life, live Anina and paddy sir’s journey and get inspired by Anina’s courage.”

Viewers can catch ZEE5 Global’s unmissable slate and stock up on their yearlong entertainment by subscribing to the Annual pack and grabbing the limited-time special offer price.

ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, announced its next direct-to-digital film, Kadak Singh today. This will mark the second collaboration between national award-winning director, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and ZEE5 Global after the success of Yami Gautam starrer ‘Lost’ and the third direct-to-digital collaboration between national award-winning actor, Pankaj Tripathi and ZEE5 Global after the success of ‘Yours Truly’ and ‘Kaagaz’. Produced by Wiz Films (Andre Timmins, Viraf Sarkari & Sabbas Joseph), HT Content Studio (Mahesh Ramanathan), and KVN and co-produced by Shyam Sunder and Indrani Mukherjee, Kadak Singh also stars Sanjana Sanghi, Jaya Ahsan, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Dilip Shankar, Paresh Pahuja and Varun Buddhadev in prominent roles and is set to premiere on ZEE5 Global later this year.

Kadak Singh is an engaging thriller filled with mystery and suspense. The movie follows the perplexing journey of AK Shrivastav (Pankaj Tripathi) as he battles retrograde amnesia, uncovering a web of conflicting narratives from his past. Amidst the process of piecing together his life, the film delves into his quest to expose the truth behind a significant financial crime.

Pankaj Tripathi going live on Instagram two days ago and seeming a little lost and confused and ending the live abruptly, leaving people perplexed now makes sense as he seems to be playing out his character suffering from retrograde amnesia live for his virtual audience, giving them a sneak-peek into his character. The direct-to-digital film, Kadak Singh is set to premiere on ZEE5 Global later this year.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Globalsaid, “We are proud to unveil ‘Kadak Singh,’ our latest direct-to-digital release. We’ve delivered outstanding original content this year, earning the love of global audiences and are pleased to bring this film which marks our third collaboration with the phenomenal Pankaj Tripathi. We have full confidence that viewers will find ‘Kadak Singh,’a film well worth watching.”

Viraf Sarkari, Director Wiz Films and Producer of Kadak Singhsaid, “It’s been 12 years since I first thought of this story & started developing this film. I am so happy to finally realise this dream. We have done our best to put the best team of actors, director & crew to be a part of this film. On behalf of Wiz Films & my partners Andre Timmins& Sabbas Joseph I’d like to thank our Director Annirudha Roy Chowdhury, our producers KVN & Suprith, HT Content Studio’s Mahesh Ramanathan, & our co producers Shyam Sunder & Indrani Mukherjee, our writer Ritesh Shah and Music Director Shantanu Moitra for their love & support. Hope the audiences enjoy watching this film as much as we all did while making it”.

Director, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury said, “Kadak Singh is a special film and talks about the responsibility of one government official towards the common people. Pankaj Tripathi and Sanjana Sanghi have done a fabulous job at portraying this complex father daughter story. Infact, I was in a paradise full of great actors including Parvathy and Jaya Ahsan and collaborators where each one of them has really pushed the boundary to deliver a terrific thriller. The highlight of this film is that it has relationships in different forms and how these relationships provide different perspectives and help the story move forward. It is also about a dysfunctional family coming on their own and becoming functional after a series of events leading to a rollercoaster of emotions. I hope that the film enriches people as it is a commentary on the society, and I am looking forward to another successful collaboration with ZEE5 Global”.

 Viewers can catch ZEE5 Global’s unmissable slate and stock up on their yearlong entertainment by subscribing to the Annual pack and grabbing the limited-time special offer price.

ZEE5 Global is the digital entertainment destination launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a global Media and Entertainment powerhouse. The platform launched across 190+ countries in October 2018 and has content across 18 languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, including six international languages Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Urdu, Bangla and Arabic. ZEE5 Global is home to 200,000+ hours of on-demand content. The platform brings together the best of Originals, Movies and TV Shows, Music, Health and Lifestyle content in one destination. In addition, ZEE5 Global offers features like 15 navigational languages, content download options, seamless video playback and Voice Search.

Users can download the ZEE5 Global app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store. It is available on Roku devices, Apple TVs, Android TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TVs. Users can also access ZEE5 Global on www.ZEE5.com

In contemporary film criticism, there’s a well-established rule: avoid revealing a movie’s ending unless your audience is particularly niche. Delving into the details of a final scene or closing shot is often met with disdain from the spoiler police. Yet, once in a while, a film’s ending is so emotionally charged, so impactful in its own right, and as the culmination of everything preceding it, that it warrants separate consideration. Martin Scorsese’s exceptional film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” adapted from David Grann’s 2017 book that delves into the systematic and macabre murders of wealthy Osage landowners in 1920s Oklahoma, is precisely one of those instances. The concluding moments of the film are so compelling that they underscore Scorsese’s profound connection with the material and enable us to express our own emotions about it. In my case, the movie lingered with me for days, even weeks, with memories of it resurfacing unexpectedly, like messages etched in smoke. If you haven’t seen “Killers of the Flower Moon” yet, please consider this your warning to stop reading here. However, if you’ve watched it and are haunted by it, this is an opportunity for us to share in that haunting together.

The film is set in Osage territory in the early 1920s in Oklahoma. Lily Gladstone delivers a mesmerizing performance as Mollie Burkhart, an Osage Indian whose oil-rich land, previously acquired through coercion by the U.S. government, has made her a wealthy woman. Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), an ambitious but not particularly bright World War I veteran, pursues and marries Mollie. Much of this decision is influenced by his uncle, the corrupt cattleman William Hale (Robert De Niro), although Ernest seems to genuinely love Mollie. Nonetheless, he willingly becomes part of Hale’s nefarious plan to murder affluent Osage to obtain their oil rights.

One by one, Mollie’s family members are brutally murdered, with their deaths masked as accidents or coincidences. Ernest is aware of or directly involved in at least two of these murders, and he actively participates in the planned murder of his own wife. In reality, these heinous acts were part of a series of crimes, many of which remain unsolved and may have claimed the lives of around 100 members of the Osage nation, if not more. An upright Bureau of Investigation agent named Tom White (Jesse Plemons) arrives to investigate the community’s murders and eventually solves the case. However, Scorsese places the story’s emphasis on Mollie, her family, and Ernest’s terrible betrayal of the woman he genuinely loved. The primary narrative concludes with Mollie’s reluctant and painful acknowledgment of her husband’s role in the murders. But this ending is followed by a coda in which Scorsese himself makes an appearance, a moment where the storyteller reaffirms Mollie as the heart of this saga and reminds us that while life is fleeting, history endures.

This coda draws inspiration from the radio serials of the 1930s and 1940s, a time when home entertainment involved gathering around a device that sparked the imagination through sound, rather than visuals (which were reserved for the movies). In real life, the Osage murders were dramatized in a 1933 episode of “The Lucky Strike Hour,” with the approval of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s chief, J. Edgar Hoover, who recognized its potential for positive public relations. “Killers of the Flower Moon” ends with a reimagined recreation of the broadcast recording, featuring a mostly male voice cast (including Larry Fessenden and musician Jack White) narrating the aftermath of the case. We learn that Hale and Burkhart were convicted but later pardoned, and the Osage perspective is presented through a voice actor using cartoonish pidgin English.

Through this coda, Scorsese conveys how events are remembered and retold and how they become part of history, typically by individuals who didn’t directly experience them. While storytelling keeps these stories alive, it’s often the people who suffered the most who lack the means to share their stories with the wider world. In the early 1930s, about a decade after the actual events, the story of the Osage murders was retold by a group of white voice actors dressed in suits and equipped with various Foley effects. Almost 95 years later, that story is recounted in meticulously researched form by a white journalist. And approximately a century later, it becomes a movie created by a white director, possibly the world’s greatest living director.

Scorsese has occasionally made uncredited appearances in his films, whether through his voice or brief glimpses on screen. It’s as if he has immersed himself so deeply in the act of storytelling that he can’t resist including himself in the narrative, even if subtly. He’s the artist who can’t help but secretly embed his own image on the canvas, akin to Jan van Eyck’s self-reflection in his painting.

However, Scorsese’s presence in “Killers of the Flower Moon” as a radio producer who steps up to the microphone for the last word in the reimagined “Lucky Strike Radio Hour” broadcast is distinct. In a few brief sentences, he encapsulates the essence of Mollie Burkhart’s obituary. She passed away in 1937, a full-blood Osage, and was laid to rest next to her family members who had preceded her in death. Then he adds a poignant detail. Although his tone is measured, you can’t help but wonder if his own heart is breaking as he reads it: “There was no mention of the murders.”

With this statement, Scorsese seems to be conveying how Mollie Burkhart’s life was assessed and summarized at the time of her death. In his book, Grann had provided more details about her story. In restructuring the material for the film, Scorsese attempts to further restore her dignity, although he recognizes the paternalistic nature of the notion of “restoring dignity.” A person’s, especially a woman’s, dignity is a personal matter, and does she truly need another person, particularly a man, to tidy it up and return it to her?

In a single sentence, Scorsese, a man who is dedicated to storytelling, implicitly acknowledges the inherent fallacy of this idea. Directors are generally self-assured individuals, at times to the point of hubris. However, in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Scorsese’s concluding words are an act of humility, offered by a filmmaker who is aware that he is nearing the twilight of his career.

The film’s closing image is an Osage celebration, a circle of dancers depicted as a kaleidoscopic whirl. Mollie’s spirit, her history, lives on in them. Yet Scorsese, the outsider, wants to pay homage to her as well. He has done his utmost to bring her to life for us through Gladstone’s performance, in a film so vivid and empathetic that it leaves an indelible after-image. This is the greatest tribute he can offer to Mollie Burkhart. Nevertheless, he understands that it falls short of being enough.

In a stunning feat, Indian actor Vijay’s latest blockbuster, “Leo,” raked in an astounding $16 million (₹140 crore) worldwide on its opening day. This phenomenal success was unveiled in a report by CNBC. Notably, “Leo” managed to outshine the collections of Shah Rukh Khan’s “Jawan,” which had hit the screens on October 19, 2023.

“Leo,” an action-packed thriller, was unveiled in multiple languages, encompassing Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. A social media post by the renowned film trade analyst Ramesh Bala, shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), disclosed that the movie swiftly crossed the remarkable ₹100-crore (US$ 12 million) milestone at the global box office within its opening day.

Citing information from industry tracker Sacnilk.com, CNBC confirmed that director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s “Leo” had scripted history by achieving the ‘most significant worldwide opening for a Kollywood (Tamil) film.’ Notably, this film marks the third installment in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), following “Kaithi” (2019) starring Karthi and “Vikram” (2022) featuring Kamal Haasan. “Leo” drew inspiration from “A History of Violence” (2005), an adaptation of the graphic novel bearing the same title.

The star-studded cast of “Leo” includes Vijay in the lead role as Leo Das/ Parthiban, Sanjay Dutt portraying Antony Das, Arjun as Harold Das, Trisha taking on the character of Sathya, and director-cum-actor Gautham Vasudev Menon stepping into the shoes of a forest ranger. Complementing this ensemble are Madonna Sebastian, George Maryan, Mathew Thomas, Mansoor Ali Khan, Mysskin, and Sandy Master.

The film, initially announced in January 2023, marked Vijay’s 67th cinematic venture. The musical score for this cinematic spectacle was crafted by Anirudh Ravichander, known for his work on “Kaavaalaa.” Manoj Paramahamsa lent his expert touch as the cinematographer, and the editing was masterfully executed by Philomin Raj. The production of this cinematic marvel was overseen by S S Lait Kumar and Jagadish Palanisamy, under the esteemed banner of Seven Screen Studio. The script was expertly crafted by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Rathna Kumar, and Deeraj Vaidy.

Vijay’s last appearance on the silver screen was in “Varisu,” which premiered in January 2023 under the direction of Vamshi Paidipally. On the other hand, Trisha graced the screens as Kundavai in Mani Ratnam’s “Ponniyin Selvan: II,” released in April 2023.

The soaring success of “Leo” signifies the unwavering star power of Vijay and the enduring appeal of Indian cinema, captivating audiences across the globe.

ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content,  announces the world digital premiere of the biggest Hindi blockbuster of the year, ‘Gadar 2’ today. After a successful theatrical run collecting 63M USD in India and still counting, Gadar 2 is set for another successful innings on ZEE5 Global on 6^th October. Produced by Zee Studios and directed by Anil Sharma, the superhit sequel to the 2001 hit ‘Gadar’ will see Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel and Utkarsh Sharma reprise their roles as Tara Singh, Sakeena and Charanjeet “Jeete” Singh respectively.

Gadar 2 brings back India’s most loved family of Tara, Sakeena & Jeete; 22 years after its predecessor. Set against the backdrop of Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, Tara Singh, once again, will face every enemy to protect the honor of his country and family. This time, the narrative will delve deeper into the enduring love of Tara Singh and Sakeena and additionally, will see a strong father-son bond between Tara Singh and Charanjeet as the latter lands in Pakistan and ends up being caught and tortured. While the last time, Tara Singh visited Pakistan to get his wife back, this time, he will return to rescue his son.

So, gear up for bigger, better and bolder action sequences from Sunny Deol and a repeat of his most popular dialogue “Hindustan zindabad tha, zindabad hai aur zindabad rahega” which will continue to echo in every Hindustani’s heart for a long time. The movie will also see Sunny Deol reprise his famous handpump scene and sing and dance to the original chartbusters (from the 2001 film) like ‘Udd Jaa Kaale Kaava’, ‘Main Nikla Gaddi Leke’ and recreate the same magic from 2001.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global said, “Bollywood blockbusters have always transcended geographical boundaries and resonated with global viewers through their powerful and emotionally charged stories. With the World Digital Premiere of Gadar 2, ZEE5 Global is thrilled to present our global viewers with the sequel to one of Hindi cinema’s all-time blockbuster hits that has captivated audiences for over 22 years”.

Shariq Patel, CBO, Zee Studios said, “Gadar 2 brought back India’s most loved family of Tara Singh, Sakeena and Jeete; 22 years after its predecessor. Hindustan Ka Asli Blockbuster will make history once more with its digital premiere on ZEE5 Global”.

Sunny Deol said, “We are absolutely delighted with the overwhelming response that ‘Gadar 2’ has received in theatres. Now with its World Digital Premiere on ZEE5 Global, I am very excited for the movie to reach a wider, global audience. Gadar 2 is a perfect family entertainer which will keep the viewers completely engaged and entertained. I urge everyone to watch it if you haven’t already and watch it again if you have”.

Ameesha Patel said, “Sakeena is a character who has stayed with me throughout my career, and I was so excited to revisit her in ‘Gadar 2.’ The chemistry between Tara and Sakeena is timeless, and the sequel reignites that magic for our fans. ZEE5 Global’s platform allows us to connect with a global audience, and I’m thrilled that viewers from around the world will have the opportunity to witness this epic love story, all over again but with more twists and action”.

Director Anil Sharma said, “The story of ‘Gadar’ is etched in the memories of every movie lover and with Gadar 2, we have tried to recreate the same magic. I am beyond thrilled that Gadar 2 has become one of the most successful Hindi films of all time and now with its World Digital Premiere on ZEE5 Global, I hope that the film breaks more records and reaches more people across the world”.

Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF) is gearing up for its 18th edition from October 12 to 22, 2023, across multiple venues in Seattle, WA. This year, TSAFF achieves a momentous milestone as the first and only South Asian film festival whose winning films will qualify for submission to the esteemed Oscars. The significance of a South Asian film festival qualifying for the Oscars illustrates the importance of representation and inclusivity in media as it challenges historically limited narratives and promotes cross-cultural understanding.

With the theme of “Breaking Cinematic Barriers,” this year’s lineup unveils an impressive collection of 83 selected films spanning diverse genres and captivating themes. The carefully curated selection includes 23 features, 60 shorts, 20 documentaries, and 63 narratives; 25 World Premieres, 36 North America Premiere, with 33 Female identified directors. These films, presented in 26 languages, promise an unparalleled global cinematic journey reflecting the rich tapestry of South Asian stories.

Tasveer co-founder Rita Meher expressed her pride in the festival: “As the only Oscar-qualifying South Asian festival, we are committed to presenting a program of unparalleled depth and significance. Our festival winners can directly compete in the Academy Awards run, allowing authentic South Asian narratives to shine on the grandest stage, unfiltered and unmediated.”

The 18th Annual Tasveer Festival kicks off with in-person screenings from October 12th to 15th at premier venues, including the Paccar IMAX Theater at Pacific Science Center. The festival will continue in a virtual format on TasveerTV from October 16th to 22nd, offering audiences the flexibility to engage with the content from the comfort of their homes.

Film + Event Highlights:

Opening Night Film: The opening night will feature the gripping drama of “Munnel (Sand in Tamil)” from Sri Lanka. The film skillfully weaves together themes of love, loss, faith, and desperation that immerse us in the post-war landscape of Sri Lanka, where Rudran, an ex-Tamil militant, returns home in search of his vanished lover, Vaani. The film won a jury award at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).

Centerpiece: “Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest” presents an inspiring tale from Nepal, chronicling the remarkable journey of mountaineer Pasang Lhamu Sherpa as she challenges racism, gender bias, and political opposition to become the first Nepali woman to conquer Mount Everest.

Washington State/Climate Change Film: “Between Earth and Sky” delves into the life of ecologist Nalini Nadkarni as she explores the effects of disturbance and recovery of rainforest canopies, with a special local focus on the Olympic National Park in Washington state.

LGBTQIA+ Focus: “Blue Sunshine” is a groundbreaking film by and about a Transgender woman, based on the real-life events of Samyuktha Vijayan, who wrote, directed, produced, and acted in it.

Tasveer Youth Collective Focus: “Alone Alone Alone on a Wide Wide Sea” is a creation, in collaboration with Tasveer, from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Documentary Focus: “Tortoise Under the Earth” presents an Indigenous Tribal Rights docu-feature, co-presented in collaboration with the University of Washington South Asia Center.

Local Focus: “Alien” poignantly portrays the struggles of Indian immigrants on H1B visas, exposing the dichotomy between America’s dependence on foreign talent and its treatment of these individuals.

Bangladeshi Film: “Pett Kata Shaw” breathes life into ancient South Asian folktales through a supernatural anthology, embracing the burgeoning popularity of the horror genre in contemporary Bengali films.

Closing Night Film: “Catfish,” World Premiere, explores themes of prohibiting queer love, longing, and loneliness in the digital age as a lonely office worker from Pakistan engages in a desperate online attempt at companionship.

Special Partnership: South Asian House proudly hosts a Happy Hour at Tasveer to celebrate the screening of three films produced and executive produced by co-founders Rohi Mirza Pandya (14 YEARS & EID MUBARAK) and Jitin Hingorani (CALL ME DANCER), featuring lead protagonist and dancer Manish Chauhan on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at PACCAR IMAX Theater. The Happy Hour will take place right after the CALL ME DANCER screening and will take place at The Masonry 20 Roy St, Seattle, WA 98109 from 5 to 7pm. More info at www.southasianhouse.com

A riveting story of human emotions, FARAR is set for its world premiere at the 14^th annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) as the ‘Marquee Web Series’ of the festival. The first collaboration under the landmark partnership of Applause Entertainment and Zindagi, FARAR’s global premiere is a strong reinforcement of bridging cross-cultural gaps and creating universally- relatable South Asian content for the diaspora.

Two episodes from the show, based on the themes of friendship, freedom, and hope, will be screened on Saturday, September 23^rd, as part of the four-day festival program. The premiere will be attended by producers Shailja Kejriwal (Juror at International Emmy Awards 2023) and Umnia Iftikhar, director Mehreen Jabbar (Pakistan’s Oscar Selection Committee), and lead actor Sarwat Gilani (JOYLAND, CHURAILS). The six-episode series, also produced by Sameer Nair and Deepak Segal features Mariam Saleem & Maha Hasan, and is set in the sprawling city of Karachi, Pakistan.

Expressing her excitement, lead actor Sarwat Gilani says, “As an actor, being part of FARAR has been an incredible journey of exploration and dedication. This show is not just a story for us; it’s a piece of our souls, a representation of the rich emotions that connect us as humans. As FARAR gets ready for its premiere at CSAFF, my heart is brimming with happiness. This compelling storyline, delicately weaving the tapestry of female friendships and triumphing over obstacles, is now set to captivate and resonate with audiences worldwide.’’

Recognized as one of the most prolific directors from Pakistan, director Mehreen Jabbar adds, “I am thrilled to have our series premiere in Chicago. This vibrant city not only has a thriving South Asian diaspora but also houses a festival that has consistently championed diverse genres and formats. In a time marked by divisions and jingoism, it is truly heartwarming to see the convergence of two of the world’s largest South Asian nations, uniting in celebration of the art of storytelling.”

Reflecting on this significant milestone, Chief Creative Officer (Special Projects) Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Shailja Kejriwal says, “Personally, nothing gives me greater joy than seeing content from our subcontinent reach a world stage. FARAR’s premiere at CSAFF is extra special as it is our first collaboration with Applause Entertainment.  The potential for South Asian content is unmatched, and we are so thrilled to have such an amazing partner and such brilliant teams on board this journey with us”.

Producer Umnia Iftikhar adds: “Bringing FARAR to Chicago South Asian Film Festival is a moment of immense pride and gratitude for our entire team. This show is a labor of love, a convergence of passion and storytelling. As we premiere here amidst the world, we hope FARAR resonates with the universal emotions that bind us all. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to bridge cultures and ignite conversations, and we are thrilled to share our narrative with this wonderful audience.”

Presented by Applause Entertainment, a Zindagi original FARAR tells the story of three independent women who are navigating the complexities of modern life. The series highlights the universal human experiences of friendship, love, and personal growth, while simultaneously tackling issues such as societal pressures, identity, taboos, and body shaming.

Earlier this week, in a groundbreaking move, Applause Entertainment and Zindagi announced their strategic partnership to energize investment in South Asian content creation that connect with today’s diverse global audience.

About Applause Entertainment

Applause Entertainment is a leading Content & IP Creation Studio with a focus on premium drama series, movies, documentaries, and animation content. A venture of the Aditya Birla Group, led by media veteran Sameer Nair, the studio has produced and released popular series across genres and languages which includes shows like Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, Criminal Justice, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, Undekhi, Kafas, and others that have gone on to win acclaim and applause. Applause’s feature film Zwigato, directed by Nandita Das and starring Kapil Sharma released in cinemas worldwide to tremendous critical acclaim. The first Tamil cinema ‘Por Thozhil’ struck gold at the Box Office with rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The Rapist, directed by Aparna Sen, recently won the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award at the Busan International Film Festival. Applause has partnered with leading platforms like Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Sony LIV, MX Player, ZEE5, and Voot Select for its creative output.

About Zindagi

Zindagi, a flagship channel launched in 2014, owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, introduced India to captivating and thought-provoking stories from across the border. With a focus on exploring the human experience through compelling narratives, Zindagi has gained acclaim for its diverse range of shows like Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Aunn Zara to originally created shows such as Churails, Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, Dhoop ki Deewar and so on that transcend borders and languages.

In the last 9 years, Zindagi has traveled its journey from television to OTT (launched in 2020 on ZEE5) and recently returned to television as a DTH value-added service provider. Last year, Zindagi took home over 10 awards for their original shows, including Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, which was titled the National winner of ‘Best Anthology Award’ at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022 as well as ‘Best Programme Title Sequence’ at the Promax India Awards 2022. Another original show Dhoop Ki Deewar won ‘Best Key Art’ and ‘Best Use of Social Media’ in Marketing at various Awards and so on. Zindagi continues to be at the forefront of storytelling innovation, fostering cross-cultural understanding and forging memorable connections between audiences and the South Asian stories it brings to life.

ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, expands its library with Tamil blockbuster ‘DD Returns’. The movie celebrated huge success in theatres with astounding performance and dialogue delivery which made the audiences smile throughout the movie. DD Returns traces the journey of Sathish [Santhanam] who is desperate to save his girlfriend which leads him to a haunted house. Produced by RK entertainment and directed by S. Prem Anand, the film is one of the best Tamil comedy films in recent times with a pinch of horror. The acclaimed movie is currently streaming on ZEE5 Global.

The movie features an ensemble cast that includes Santhanam, Surbhi, Redin Kingsley, Lollu Sabha Maaran, Pradeep Rawat, Masoom Shankar, FEFSI Vijayan, Rajendran and Munishkanth. The horror comedy chronicles around Sathish and his quest to find and rescue his girlfriend – Sofia when her predicament spirals into a do-or-die situation. Satish and his team are forced to play a dangerous game called ‘Win or Run’ organized by the ghosts inhabiting the palace. The cryptic ghosts who devised the lethal game during their lifetime designed it to brutally kill contestants upon failure to advance. Will Sathish and his team emerge victorious and escape the ghosts? Or will someone meet an unfortunate end at the hands of the phantom game designers?

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global said, “Outstanding stories that resonate with our viewers have been at the heart of our Tamil content library. We are now proud to expand our offering further with a prominent title like DD Returns. The horror comedy brings alive the story of one man’s struggle against rules set by paranormal creatures and is sure to entertain our global viewers.”  

 Producer RK Entertainment C. Ramesh Kumar said, “Although horror comedies are generally considered to be cringe, I was confident that Prem will do justice to the script and make a superb film. The cast and crew have worked tremendously to make this film a success. I am certain that the audience will provide immense support to the film post its digital premiere like they did at the box office.’’

 Director S. Prem Anand commented,“I really wanted the film to make a mark in the horror comedy genre. I took my time to envision a perfect balance between the horror and comic elements so that the hilarity of the plot lasts till the end. I wanted it to be a fun-filled experience for the audience and I was glad when they showered us with love in the theatres. I have my fingers-crossed hoping ‘DD Returns’ receives a greater appreciation in the digital space.”

 Actor Santhanam added, “When I was first presented with the storyline of the film, I was really impressed by the tightly knit writing. I am delighted that I was able to bring life to Prem sir’s vision for the film. All of us spent a lot of time and effort on the making of this film but the overwhelming response from my fans made it worth it. I hope the viewers appreciate the movie equally post its launch on ZEE5 Global.”

Viewers can catch ZEE5 Global’s unmissable slate and stock up on their yearlong entertainment by subscribing to the Annual pack and grabbing the limited-time special offer price.

After the raging success of its previous season last year, ZEE5 Global’s iconic singing reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa returns with an exciting new season that has Himesh Reshammiya, Neeti Mohan, Anu Malikas judges and Aditya Naryanas the host. Streaming on ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, the new season of the Zee TV show is poised to change the game with a new format that includes spontaneous challenges thrown at contestants by the judges after one of their peers has delivered an outstanding act in a particular style or genre. Rather than a set template with weekly rounds one is familiar with, this challenging environment is bound to shake up the room a bit, stimulate a competitive edge amongst the contestants and pack in a new surprise for its viewers in every single episode!

The show can be watched ad free only on ZEE5 Global in countries across the globe, and anytime at one’s convenience on any device of their choice. Viewers can catch up on past episodes and even download episodes and watch the show offline.

Two months ago, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa announced a nation-wide quest for ‘OG’ voices across India. For the first time ever, the audition process went paperless – led by a strong digital leg and even the on-ground phase saw negligible use of paper as a part of the channel’s endeavour of being environmentally responsible.

This season features contestants hand picked by the judges from across India like West Bengal’sAlbert Kabo Lepcha, Kharagpur’s Sonia Gazmer, Delhi’s Sana Arora,Mumbai’s Abdul, Uttar Pradesh’s Nishtha Sharma and Kolkata’s Ranita Banerjee.The talented bunch promise viewers an exceptional musical extravaganza that marks a grand celebration of music this season!

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Globalsaid, “Our marquee music reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is much loved by fans across the globe, driving us to innovate it further into a brand-new format this year. It draws in fans from every corner of the world who enjoy the immense convenience of watching it ad free at their convenience on ZEE5 Global or catching up on missed episodes, and we are thrilled to bring them this latest season that will surely delight them.”

Here’s what the judges had to say at the show’s launch:

Judge Himesh Reshammiya said, “Although I have been a part of several seasons of this reality show, each season has left me surprised with the kind of talent that has performed on this stage. I truly believe that it is going to be a real treat to watch these raw gems perform, and a brilliant opportunity for them would be to get a chance to sing a song that will be released by Zee Music. The idea is to specifically look for OG singers so that we can give fresh and new voices to our Indian music industry.”

Judge Neeti Mohan added, “I am all set to judge the new season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and it’s an honor to be on the same judging panel as the esteemed singers and composers of our music industry – Himesh Reshammiya and Anu Malik. I must say that selecting the best among the best for this season is undoubtedly a challenging task for all of us, but we will do our best to shape the future of the emerging talent that comes our way.”

Judge Anu Malik said, “I am really excited to be part of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa once again, and after witnessing the amazing performances of the new talent during the audition episodes, Himesh, Neeti and I will ensure that we do justice to them by guiding them to the best of our abilities. I believe the franchise has nurtured exceptional talent over the last few decades, and this year as well, the audience will get to watch extraordinary talent perform some mesmerizing songs.”

About ZEE5 Global

ZEE5 Global is the digital entertainment destination launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a global Media and Entertainment powerhouse. The platform launched across 190+ countries in October 2018 and has content across 18 languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, including six international languages Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Urdu, Bangla and Arabic. ZEE5 Global is home to 200,000+ hours of on-demand content. The platform brings together the best of Originals, Movies and TV Shows, Music and Health and Lifestyle content in one destination. In addition, ZEE5 Global offers features like 15 navigational languages, content download options, seamless video playback and Voice Search.

ZEE5 Global Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZEE5GlobalCorp

ZEE5 Global LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ZEE5 Global/

Barbie is on top of the world. Every week since its release on July 21, it’s broken a record: The year’s biggest opening weekend; the largest opening for a female director ever; Warner Bros.’ highest grossing domestic release in history, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. But now, it’s breaking a big one: Barbie has become the highest-growing movie of 2023 reaching $575.4 million domestically this week, according to Variety. 

It has already grossed $1.3 billion globally and will soon surpass Super Mario Bros. in its worldwide gross as well.

It’s a big number for any film, but it’s especially significant for Barbie. When I wrote a cover story about the film earlier this year, box office prognosticators initially predicted the movie would make $55 million its opening weekend. It nearly tripled that estimate with a $162 million haul in just those first few days after release. It’s also the first time Warner Bros. has managed to snag the title of biggest release of the year since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II.

Will Barbie be topped this year? Probably not. Here’s why and what it may mean for the future of Hollywood movies.

Unfortunately, Hollywood tends to take away the wrong lessons from the success of idiosyncratic films. After The Dark Knight became a blockbuster, Hollywood decided that gritty was always good—even if it didn’t fit the material (think: Snow White and the Huntsman, the body horror Fantastic Four movie, and Zack Snyder’s dark take on Superman, comics’ most hopeful superhero). Avatar’s history-making numbers spawned a trend of films rendered in 3D for no particular reason. And the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe spawned dozens of imitation cinematic universes, like Universal’s failed “Dark Universe” that ended as quickly as it began after Tom Cruise’s (gritty) The Mummy remake bombed.

In this instance, the same logic would follow: a toy movie performed well, so toy movies will inevitably proliferate. Mattel executives told me that they had already planned to build the brand’s own cinematic universe long before Barbie was ever released, but now other studios are rushing to turn toys into films: Hasbro launched a new entertainment division in August.

It’s difficult to imagine any other movie based on a toy ever reaching Barbie’s heights. Barbie is an icon. She has name recognition across the world equal to Mickey Mouse and Coca-Cola. And, sure, Hot Wheels may be popular, but won’t a Hot Wheels movie just be a racing movie, even if J.J. Abrams is at the helm as executive producer?

Mattel certainly isn’t shying away from taking risks: I’m particularly interested in Daniel Kaluuya’s involvement with what sounds like a very meta Barney movie (as in, yes, the big purple dinosaur); whether Lena Dunham can find a quirky take on Polly Pocket; and if a Magic 8 Ball horror movie can actually prove to be scary. And yet just about every girl in the world has played with Barbie at some point and has (often complex) feelings about her. I could be wrong, but I don’t think many people have strong feelings about the Magic 8 Ball.

Beyond Mattel’s film division, other studios are looking for major takeaways. One obvious one, that I’ve argued before: Make movies for women, and audiences will come! Barbie leans heavily into femininity—the assault of pink has been relentless, and yet people seem to have not tired of it. In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Randall Park hit the nail on the head: “I feel like, just in general, this industry is taking the wrong lessons. For example, Barbie is this massive blockbuster, and the idea is: Make more movies about toys! No. Make more movies by and about women!”

I fear that even if studios heed Park’s advice, in the short-term that will mean Disney hyping up the fact that The Marvels is a female-fronted superhero film, even though superhero movies have traditionally catered to a young male audience, regardless of who stars in them. Or studios might paint a sheen of pink on other films without stuffing the stories without Gerwig’s complex considerations about male fragility, female frustrations, and whether we can reach a state of equity.

 Gerwig happened to make two masterpieces before Barbie about the complex interiority of women: Lady Bird and Little Women. She found a way to pack considerations she has already articulated beautifully in those films into a blockbuster movie, a feat pulled off by a select few artists. (Ryan Coogler’s interrogation of race in the context of an increasingly globalized world in Black Panther and James Cameron’s blunt but effective advocacy for saving our dying planet in the Avatar films come to mind.) It’s easy to make a blockbuster. It’s hard to make a thoughtful one.

Perhaps most depressing for theater owners: Gerwig’s next project is a series of Narnia movies…for streamer Netflix.

Barbie was special. Credit the Warner Bros. and Mattel marketing teams that partnered with seemingly every clothing line, decor company, and makeup brand on earth to turn our social media timelines pink.

Or praise director Greta Gerwig, who could have made a toy commercial and instead stuffed a fun summer romp with meditations on God and feminism and Sylvester Stallone’s bizarre wardrobe.

Or acknowledge that TikTok played a massive role in turning a rivalry between two movies that could not be more different into the Barbenheimer phenomenon that made moviegoing fun again. Think about how many people spent more than five hours in a movie theater—sometimes in the same day—over the course of a hot summer weekend.

In short, Barbie was fun. And we were all in desperate need of fun. Barbie simply had to be experienced in a theater, ideally with friends, and definitely with a flock of other pink-clad moviegoers.

(AP) — The loss of ice in one region of Antarctica last year likely resulted in none of the emperor penguin chicks surviving in four colonies, researchers reported Thursday.

Emperor penguins hatch their eggs and raise their chicks on the ice that forms around the continent each Antarctic winter and melts in the summer months.

Researchers used satellite imagery to look at breeding colonies in a region near Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea. The images showed no ice was left there in December during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, as had occurred in 2021.

Researchers said it is likely that no chicks survived in four of the five breeding colonies they examined. Penguin chicks don’t develop their adult waterproof feathers until close to the time they usually fledge, in late December or January, scientists say.

“If the sea ice breaks up under them, the young chicks will drown or freeze to death,” said Peter Fretwell, a researcher at the British Antarctic Survey and co-author of the study published Thursday in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

Overall, the ice around Antarctica reached near record low levels last year. The researchers say that climate change will make such losses more frequent in the future.

Fretwell’s team has also completed a preliminary analysis of known nesting sites — visible in satellite photos because of colored guano, or poop stains, left on white ice — across Antarctica, the only continent where the emperor penguin lives. There are about 300,000 breeding pairs left of the world’s largest penguins.

Of 62 known penguin colonies, around 30% were harmed by low sea-ice levels last year — and 13 likely failed entirely, Fretwell said. “That this could happen doesn’t shock me, but I’m shocked that it has happened already. I thought it would be further down the line,” said Daniel Zitterbart, a researcher who studies Antarctica for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, but was not involved in the new paper.

If penguins aren’t successful breeding in one location, they may look for another site the next year, he said. While it’s possible for the population to recover from one or two bad breeding years, he’s worried about the future. “If you look further out down the line, how many suitable places will be left?” he asked.

The Old Globe is presenting the West Coast premiere of Dishwasher Dreams, written and performed by Alaudin Ullah (filmmaker of the award-winning documentary In Search of Bengali Harlem; featured comedy acts on HBO, Comedy Central, PBS, and more; the hit film American Desi) and directed by Chay Yew (Cambodian Rock Band – Craig Noel Award; Durango – Obie Award), with music by acclaimed tabla percussionist Avirodh Sharma. Performances begin September 16 and play through October 15, 2023, with the opening on Thursday, September 21 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Tickets are on sale now at www.TheOldGlobe.org.

 What exactly is the American Dream? For Alaudin Ullah’s Bangladesh-born parents, it means opportunity and a stable job. But to comedian Alaudin, America is the home of the New York Yankees and George Carlin. In an autobiographical solo show that the Hartford Courant calls “memorable and meaningful,” Ullah and musician Avirodh Sharma take audiences on a journey of vivid remembrances and discoveries from 1930s Bangladesh to 1970s Spanish Harlem to present-day Hollywood. Through comedy and music, this remarkable play recounts the immigrant experience, how this country gets made, and the dreams of those who make it.

 Dishwasher Dreams is the companion piece of Ullah’s award-winning documentary film In Search of Bengali Harlem, which will be streaming on PBS this fall. Plans for a theatrical release of the film and distribution on other streaming platforms are slated for later this year.

 “The Old Globe is thrilled to be presenting the West Coast premiere of Alaudin Ullah’s exuberantly funny Dishwasher Dreams,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “And we couldn’t be more honored to have the esteemed Chay Yew, one of the country’s leading theatre directors, at the Globe. Alaudin and Chay’s artful collaboration vibrantly tells the stories of the complexities and struggles of achieving the American Dream, enhanced further by the extraordinary live music by tabla percussionist Avirodh Sharma. I’m certain our audiences will have an exciting evening of laughter and joy.”

 In addition to playwright Alaudin Ullah, director Chay Yew, and musician Avirodh Sharma, the creative team includes Yu Shibagaki (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Anshuman Bhatia (Lighting Design), and Darlene Miyakawa (Production Stage Manager).

Dishwasher Dreams was originally developed under the name Indio through the Joseph Papp Public Theater’s Emerging Writers Group Program. Playwright Alaudin Ullah was part of the program’s inaugural 2010–2011 cohort of writers. In 2018, Castillo Theatre in New York presented the world premiere of Ullah’s play, which was directed by Gabriel Vega Weissman. In 2022, the play was directed by Chay Yew at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, and Hartford Stage in Connecticut.

 Dishwasher Dreams will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). Performances for the five-week limited engagement run September 16 – October 15, 2023, with the official press opening Thursday, September 21 at 8:00 p.m. The performance schedule is Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Notes: A 2:00 p.m. matinee is scheduled on Wednesday, October 11, and there are no performances on Saturday, September 23. 

Tickets are available online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623), or in person at The Old Globe’s Box Office in Balboa Park. The Vicki and Carl Zeiger Insights Seminar, scheduled for Tuesday, September 19 at 6:00 p.m., will provide patrons an exploration of the themes and background of Dishwasher Dreams from selected artistic company members. Post-Show Forum events will be held on Tuesday, October 3; Tuesday, October 10; and Wednesday, October 11. Community Nights at The Old Globe will provide festive opportunities to connect over refreshments and conversation for BIPOC community on Saturday, September 16 and LGBTQIA+ community on Friday, October 6. For additional information, visit www.TheOldGlobe.org.

 Dishwasher Dreams is supported by Major Production Sponsors Vicki and Carl Zeiger. Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego. The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.

 The Tony Award–winning The Old Globe is one of the country’s leading professional nonprofit regional theatres. Now in its 89th year, the Globe is San Diego’s flagship performing arts institution, and it serves a vibrant community with theatre as a public good. Under the leadership of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and the Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director Timothy J. Shields, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 16 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages, including its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. 

More than 250,000 people annually attend Globe productions and participate in the theatre’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Its nationally prominent Arts Engagement Department provides an array of participatory programs that make theatre matter to more people in neighborhoods throughout the region. Humanities programs at the Globe and around the city broaden the community’s understanding of theatre art in all its forms. 

The Globe also boasts a range of new play development programs with professional and community-based writers, as well as the renowned The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Numerous world premieres—such as 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bright Star, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!—have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country.

Get ready for the much-awaited return of “Made in Heaven Season 2” on Amazon Prime Video, premiering on August 10, 2023. To announce this momentous release date and ignite excitement worldwide, an exuberant promo was crafted in three iconic locations – Mumbai, London, and New York City.

Neha Lohia, an acclaimed female Filmmaker from India now based in the USA, takes immense pride in her role as segment director of the New York portions for the launch promo of Made In Heaven Season 2 which showcases a groundbreaking team with a majority of All Female Directors, writers, and creatives at the helm.

With Reema Kagti co-writing and directing alongside Zoya Akhtar, Alankrita Srivastava, and Nitya Mehra, the show is majorly led by an inspiring female team. Neha’s direction captures the grandeur of an Indian Baraat in the vibrant American backdrop of Times Square. Fueled by her passion for authentic storytelling and admiration particularly for Reema Kagti, one of the show creators, Neha’s creative brilliance shines brightly in this captivating promo.

“This project was both challenging and immensely enjoyable,” shared Neha Lohia. “With a three-camera setup and an enthusiastic team, we turned Times Square into a global celebration. The response from onlookers and the incredible performances from the all-woman band and talented actors made it truly memorable, nobody wanted to stop dancing in this baraat.”

The 7-episode series, co-produced by Excel Media & Entertainment and Tiger Baby, promises to be a cinematic masterpiece, boasting an impressive lineup of directors, including Alankrita Shrivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar.

Featuring a stellar cast in New York, including Hervender Pal Singh, Kaitlyn N.S. Mitchell, Reena Sharma, Madison Hadley, Christine Mendes, and Kai Whitehead, the promo exudes the spirit of a true Indian wedding celebration touching hearts globally. The all-woman Brass Queens NYC band provided a lively and spirited musical performance, amplifying the grandeur of this Baraat promo.

Assisting in the coordination of this international project were Abhishek Singh from Celebbazaar for the New York leg and Chaitanya Bagai from Tryz Innovationz in Mumbai.

The promo, launched on YouTube and Instagram, surpassed expectations with over 500,000 views within a day, garnering global attention. Audiences eagerly anticipate the return of “Made in Heaven Season 2.”

As the director of the New York portion, Neha Lohia artfully helped build the show’s reputation, co-creating an unforgettable and attention-grabbing visual spectacle with the worldwide creative teams headquartered in India. “Reema has been an inspiration for me and her work in the past with her film particularly Talaash has helped me tremendously in my personal life, I hope to meet her in person someday and share with her how much her work has impacted and healed me. This promo work is my thank you and expression of gratitude to her,” said Neha Lohia, the Segment Director for this promo.

“Made In Heaven Season 2” promises to deliver more spice, mad fun, and unbridled celebrations, leaving audiences worldwide on the edge of their seats. This show has garnered accolades, including nominations for Best Actor at the International Emmy Awards in season 1, and promises to be a heart-stealer in this second round.

The worldwide premiere of “Made In Heaven Season 2” on August 10 invites viewers to embark on a journey of love, celebration, and the complexities of life. Brace yourself for a captivating exploration of high-end wedding planners portrayed by Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur in the bustling city of New Delhi. Their performance in this promo itself sets the stage and teases audiences for what lies ahead in the show with their flare and flamboyance.

Prepare to immerse yourself in the opulence and drama of Indian weddings globally while embracing the heartfelt storytelling that brings the world together. Join the grandest baraats, and get ready to revel in the wedding season and relationship dynamics once again!

“Neha Lohia’s Directorial Brilliance Sparks Global Celebration and Anticipation with a Grand Indian Baraat Promo Embracing Indian-Origin Content”

About “Made In Heaven Season 2”: “Made In Heaven Season 2” is a highly anticipated web series returning after four years, streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The show is known for its compelling storytelling, star-studded cast, and captivating visuals, making it a global favorite among audiences giving a taste of India to the entire world.

About Neha Lohia: Neha Lohia is an accomplished award-winning director with a passion for creative storytelling and visual excellence. With an impressive portfolio of successful projects, Neha’s conscious creations, talent, and expertise continue to create a significant contribution to the entertainment industry. Watch the GRANDEST BARAAT promo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKQJvnnl32w More: www.nehalohia.com or www.creatrixentertainment.com

The much-anticipated IAAC Festival of Indian Music is back for its second year, promising three incredible days filled with mesmerizing melodies, soulful rhythms, and a celebration of India’s rich musical heritage. From the 11th to the 13th of August, New York City will come alive with the harmonious sounds of renowned artists, and pay homage to the late Pandit Vijay Kichlu, one of the greatest proponents of Indian classical music.

The line-up of events includes:

• Tribute to Late Pandit Vijay Kichlu
  August 11, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. ET
  The Consulate of India in New York, 3 E 64th St, New York, NY 10065
  On the opening day of the festival, we pay tribute to the esteemed Pandit Vijay Kichlu, whose contributions to the world of classical music are immeasurable. This emotional journey will be accompanied by exclusive screenings of snippets from the documentary Raga Revelry, shedding light on the extraordinary life and musical journey of Pandit Vijay Kichlu.
• Queen of Folk, Malini Awasthi In Concert
  August 12 at 5:30 p.m. ET
  Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023
  Tickets: Click here
  Prepare to be enthralled as Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center, plays host to the soul-stirring melodies of folk music sensation, Malini Awasthi. With her powerful voice and remarkable talent, Malini Awasthi effortlessly captures the essence of Indian folk music, transporting the audience to the culturally diverse landscapes of India. This unforgettable evening promises to be a celebration of the country’s rich folk traditions, showcasing the beauty of its regional music. She will present a collection of foot tapping songs in various languages – Hindi, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bundelkhandi & more. She will also present semi-classical compositions from her vast repertoire. Accompanied by: Anubrata Chatterjee – Tabla, Monty Lalani – Dholak,  Brij Joshi – Keyboard,  Mayank Patel – Octopad, Rohan Prabhudesai – Harmonium.
• Three Generations In Concert
  August 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET
  Symphony Space Level, 2537 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
• The grand finale of the Music Festival will feature a breathtaking performance by the legendary Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan, accompanied by his exceptionally talented sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Joining them on stage will be Ayaan’s twin sons, Abeer Ali Bangash & Zohaan Ali Bangash, marking a truly remarkable display of three generations of musical brilliance. Symphony Space will reverberate with the captivating sounds of the sarod, enchanting the hearts of all music enthusiasts. It is an incomparable journey where the Guru leads you from the visible to the invisible, from the material to the divine, from the ephemeral to the eternal.

A wonderful and strange mystery of Indian classical music is the fact that one can spend a lifetime trying to obtain knowledge and perfection and still feel that one has only touched a mere drop of an ocean. The learning never stops along the Journey of searching and discovering. Indian Classical music has indeed had a very spiritual and scientific development and growth. This was a phenomenon that existed from Vedic times.

The Sarod Quintet concert will start with a solo presentation by Maestro Amjad Ali Khan. This will be followed by a Sarod duet by Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. They present a traditional Raga of Indian Classical music set to various rhythmic time cycles. Keeping India’s ethos of traditions and legacies alive, Three Generation Quintet represents the 6th, 7th and 8th generation of musicians coming together on stage and performing together. This will be the third segment featuring Sarod Grand Master Amjad Ali Khan and his virtuoso sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash on Sarods.

They will be joined by Ayaan’s Twins Zohaan Ali Bangash and Abeer Ali Bangash. They present a Tribute to India’s ongoing 75th year of Independence celebration. Amit Kavthekar and Anubrata Chaterrjee, two brilliant Tabla (Indian two-piece drums) players provide accompaniment for this concert.

Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, IAAC Chairman, remarked, “Preserving the rich traditions of folk and classical music is of utmost importance in today’s rapidly evolving world. The IAAC Festival of Indian Music serves as a platform to cherish and uphold these age-old traditions, allowing us to connect with our roots and experience the profound beauty of our musical heritage.”

Sunny Thakkar, Music Festival Director, expressed his excitement for the event, saying, “After the grand success of last year’s star studded Festival of Music specially organized for India@75, we are thrilled to curate the festival again this year and continue to bring something special to the audiences in New York City. Our aim is to create an immersive experience that showcases the diversity and magnificence of Indian music. This year’s lineup promises to be an extraordinary journey through the realms of classical, folk, and inter generational performances.”

About Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC):
The IAAC supports all the artistic disciplines in classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India. We work cooperatively with colleagues around the U.S. to broaden our collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources and funding. Our focus is to help artists and art organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists from India to exhibit, perform and produce their work here. The IAAC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. For information, please visit www.iaac.us.

With Hollywood zeroed in on establishments, superhuman universes and spin-offs, there’s rising rivalry to discover some subject that will stick out.

For Sara Stewart, there is one remarkable exertion: ” Director, musician, and activist Boots Riley created Amazon Prime’s “I’m a Virgo,” a satire set in Oakland, California, about a 13-foot-tall Black teenager named Cootie (Jharrel Jerome). In its debut end of the week, the series was accounted for to be the most famous one on the stage.”

“I can confidently say that “I’m a Virgo” is also the most original new show currently available on Prime or anywhere else. This series has so many big ideas that it’s nearly impossible to pick one out all at once; Visceral harms from capitalism, racism, and the police state, as well as the role of mainstream pop culture in encouraging complicity in all three, are major concerns.

One more motivated move, composed Holly Thomas, was the projecting of Phoebe Waller-Extension in the new Indiana Jones film featuring Harrison Passage.

Indy’s last movie is said to be “Dial of Destiny.” In the film, “we meet Indy in 1969 no less than 25 years over the hill, snoozing through the moon arrival and debilitated to the back teeth of his occupation as a schoolteacher. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena, his cunning goddaughter, wakes him up from his slumber. Together, they set out determined to recover the Antikythera, a time-traveling gadget concocted by Archimedes (yes).”

“It’s a mantle-passing in each sense: From Jones to his younger relative, and from Hollywood legend to millennial side-eye queen. The differentiation is uplifted by Waller-Scaffold’s mooring in the famous creative mind as Fleabag — of which we are continually reminded, on account of Helena’s bare personal responsibility at times tempered by looks at heart.”

Elton John gave his final tour performance, complete with gold confetti and glitz on Saturday last week. The last show was set in Stockholm, Sweden. It marked the conclusion of the British singer’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which lasted for five years and included 16 Gucci suits and 330 performances. The visit is viewed as the most elevated netting in Announcement Boxscore history. Last month, it turned into the very first visit to make more than $900 million.

Before the show, John wrote on Instagram, “What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it.”

Several of John’s most famous songs, like Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, and Candle in the Wind, were performed in the performance.

In heart-molded pink shades, he said thanks to his fans for their help consistently.

“You have no clue about how it affects me, your consideration. I’ve had the most great vocation,” he said. ” How fortunate I am to perform. But if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you.”

The around the world, goodbye visit started off in 2018, however had to stop in 2020 for almost two-years because of the pandemic. The 76-year-old headlined the Glastonbury Festival last month, marking the end of his U.K. tour.

In 2021, the worldwide pop star let NPR know that he anticipated resigning from visit so he could invest more energy with his youngsters.

“A decade ago, all I planned to do was tour and make records. John stated, “And I had nothing planned for the rest of my life except to make music and tour.” And afterward we had two remarkable young men. And afterward David, my better half, said, all things considered, what is it that you deeply desire now? Do you actually need to visit? “No, I don’t,” I declared.

“As much as I love playing, I want to be with my boys now,” he said later. I need to show up for them.”

Kamal Hassan starrer Project-K directed by Nag Ashwin will become the first Indian film to debut at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2023, the actor said on Twitter.  SDCC will take place in San Diego, California, from July 20, 2023, to July 23, 2023. The film produced by C Aswani Dutt’s Vyjayanthi Movies, will also feature prominent Indian actors like Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Disha Patani.  Additional details of the film are yet to be released.

The event will take place in San Diego, California, from July 20, 2023, to July 23, 2023 According to a Variety report, exclusive footage from the film will be released at the convention on Thursday, July 20, 2023, in a panel called “This is Project K: First Glimpse of India’s Mytho-Sci-fi Epic”, with will feature Deepika Padukone, Prabhas, and Kamal Hassan. The teaser and release date will also be disclosed at the event.

Celebrating the proud moment, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter, “I never realized how important and big this is.” Deepika also took to social media to express her excitement. “Proud to be a part of the first-ever Indian Movie to go to Comic-Con. See you there,” she wrote.

“India’s storytelling tradition has ancient roots, with its epics serving as the origins for many civilizations worldwide. A world as big as this needs a platform as big to introduce it to the people. Comic-Con felt like the perfect place, where the honesty and enthusiasm needed for ‘Project K’ will be found,” Director Ashwin was quoted saying in the Variety report.

San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California, since 1970. BAPS NJ showcases versatility of Bharatanatyam

The country was astonished by the sensational murder of India’s most famous crime reporter in June 2011 and the subsequent arrest of a female crime reporter on suspicion of involvement in the crime.

Jyotirmoy Dey, prominently known as J Dey, was shot dead in Mumbai by men on bikes on orders from perhaps of India’s most famous criminal, Chhota Rajan – he was sentenced in 2018 and is carrying out a day to day existence punishment for the killing.

However, newspaper journalist Jigna Vora became entangled in the commotion and was falsely accused of being involved in the murder.

Before being granted bail, she was held in Byculla jail for more than nine months. Ms. Vora, a single mother of a 10-year-old boy, was found not guilty in 2018 because the police didn’t have any evidence against her.

This account of a writer’s homicide – and of another’s illegitimate imprisonment – is the subject of Scoop, another web series on Netflix that is wowing pundits and watchers the same.

In light of Ms. Vora’s 2019 journal – Behind The Bars In Byculla: The gripping tale of a real-life crime, Mumbai’s mafia, and the role of the press and police in it is My Days in Prison – Scoop. Ms. Vora states that “the series makers have exercised cinematic leverage” despite the fact that many of the real-life incidents have been recreated.

As Ms Vora’s screen symbol Jagruti Pathak, who lives by pursuing scoops that would get her a byline on the first page, winds up in a jail cell with those she once covered, she likewise starts to ponder her life and needs.

Ms Vora let the BBC know that she’s satisfied with the manner in which the series has ended up yet it was hard to watch it.

“It was like going back to the entire trauma. It was hard to see on screen what I went through, the embarrassment and character death I confronted. Yet, I’m glad that the series got made on the grounds that individuals expected to see reality that I was not blameworthy.

A couple of months after J Dey’s homicide, bits of hearsay began whirling around that a female wrongdoing correspondent was engaged with the homicide. Police sources were cited in some of the media reports.

“We were likewise pondering who it very well may be? “I told her that I had no idea that it could be me.

She claims that when a report naming her appeared in a newspaper at the end of October, her initial reaction was shock. She then became aware that her arrest was imminent, and on November 25, she was apprehended.

“It was a very difficult time for me; I was afraid and even considered suicide, but my family motivated me to fight. They let me know that on the off chance that I committed suicide, individuals would feel that I was liable. I had to fight if I wanted to clear my name.”

Ms. Vora claims that the murder of J. Dey changed her life forever. The police said she was associated with the hidden world and had helped the killers by giving them data about J Dey. She was accused in accordance with the severe Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (Mcoca), a law that, in serious cases, carries the death penalty.

Some in the Mumbai press pursued her, with a significant number of her previous partners enjoying a vicarious her ruin. She was called a gangster’s mistress and a murderer. They conveyed unconfirmed stories, frequently credited to “sources in the police”, and censured her for being “excessively aggressive”.

She tells me, “I think there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious.” However, in my case, it was used to make me look bad.”

According to Ms. Vohra, “when female colleagues and editors made disparaging remarks about me, saying that I was sleeping around with people to get stories, but I had no-one to tell my side of the story” was the part of the experience that caused the most distress.

The show shows the circus that is the media as reporters harass her family, including her son. The child appears perplexed and terrified as television cameras ask him about his mother’s alleged crimes.

Ms. Vora asserts that her time in prison was “a very difficult phase of life, I think it would have been for anyone in my position.” She adds, however, that the inmates at the prison tried to cheer her up and were very helpful.

“The jail authorities additionally treated me well, they’d advise me advising me to require every day as it comes and that all that will be okay.”

Ms. Vora, who was found not guilty of any charges by both the trial court and the high court, claims that she “no idea who fixed me.”

“The only thing I am aware of is that it took place, and I accept it as my karma.” Presently regardless of whether I figure out who fixed me, could I have the option to transform anything?” She demands.

She claims that she did a lot of soul searching while she was in jail, and after she was granted bail, she “started the process of healing myself.”

“I began pondering and once out, I visited bunches of sanctuaries and all that assisted me with acquiring my internal strength. I was dependably a devotee, and presently my confidence in God expanded.”

Scoop has remained one of India’s most popular shows ever since it was released on Netflix at the beginning of June. Even now, just a few weeks after its release, it still ranks second out of the top 10 shows. It has likewise wowed pundits who have depicted it as “a holding story of the media” and “a should look for all columnists”.

Movie producer Hansal Mehta who coordinated Scoop says he had followed Ms Vora’s case in 2011.

“Yet, similar to all titles, her story was supplanted by another title. She and her family endured the trauma of being labeled without judicial process, even though it was contained within the pages,” he told The Times of India.

“The potential to engage with the audiences on a story that is both a cautionary tale and an important chronicle of our times,” he says when he read Ms. Vora’s book in 2020.

“I knew that he would be able to do justice to my story,” Ms. Vora says when she learned that Mr. Mehta would be the director. However, she claims that she was not prepared for this response.

“On social media, people are sending me love and respect, telling me that this series has helped them see the truth, and many are saying that I’m very strong – but what choice did I have?” She demands.

Ms. Vora, a tenacious reporter, had made a name for herself in the field of crime reporting in just a few years, but she never went back to the profession after serving time in jail. She now works as a life coach and astrologer, earning her living as a healer.

She is uneasy about the media trials she endured more than a decade ago, as well as the ones that take place every night in television studios and result in the destruction of reputations through speculative and unsubstantiated allegations.

According to her story, she, ought to act as an illustration for the press to be cautious on the grounds that their revealing can obliterate lives.

“The press is referred to as the “fourth estate” because of their immense power and the power to transform lives. I hope they will change their ways now that they know how serious their work is.

‘RRR’ star NTR Jr, who is currently busy with the shooting of his film ‘Devara’, has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation behind the Oscars, as a new member along with Ram Charan, Karan Johar2, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Mani Ratnam and Chaitanya Tamhane, M.M. Keeravani, Chandrabose, K.K. Senthil Kumar and documentary filmmaker Shaunak Sen.

As members, they all will have several roles including but not limited to voting for the nominees for the annual Oscars ceremony. The Academy has also added international stars like Taylor Swift and Ke Huy Qwan.

Meanwhile, NTR Jr is reuniting with ace filmmaker Koratala Siva for ‘Devara’ which is currently being shot in Hyderabad. The film, which also stars actors Saif Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor, is slated to hit the screens on  April 5, 2024.

He will also be working with KGF director Prashant Neel for ‘NTR 31’ which goes on floors in March 2024.

Bravo’s ‘Top Chef’ and Hulu’s ‘Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi’ tied for first place at the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Real TV prizes on June 16, with two awards each. The yearly awards celebrate excellence in reality, unscripted, and reality programming.

‘Top Chef’ won the best culinary show, while ‘Taste the Nation’ won the best-structured series. In the category for best show host, Lakshmi and RuPaul, host of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,’ took home the awards.

Reacting to the news, on Twitter, the Indian American said, “I love anytime I’m in a headline with @RuPaul!! Thanks for the wins Critics Choice! What a way to go out for #TopChef, and to keep the ball rolling with #TasteTheNation. So grateful to both amazing production teams!”

Lakshmi is the executive producer and host of the television programme ‘Taste the Nation,’ which examines the cuisines of many ethnic groups and civilizations across the country. The show’s second season premiered on Hulu in May. Meanwhile, she announced her exit as a host from Top Chef, which ended on June 8. The Emmy Award-winning series which is currently in its 20th season, was hosted and executive produced by her.

“Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food,” Lakshmi said announcing her decision on Instagram.

Padma Lakshmi has revealed her departure from the popular culinary competition series, “Top Chef,” after serving as its host and judge for 17 years and 20 seasons. In a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday, Lakshmi announced, “After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave Top Chef.”

She expressed immense pride in being a part of the show’s success throughout its 20 seasons and stated her desire to focus on other projects, such as her Hulu series “Taste the Nation” and her New York Times bestselling books. “I feel it’s time to move on and make space for Taste the Nation, my books and other creative pursuits,” she wrote.

Over the years, Lakshmi earned 13 Emmy nominations for her work on “Top Chef.” She has been an integral part of the series since joining during its second season. An NBC Universal spokesperson expressed gratitude for her contributions, stating, “We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons.”

While no successor has been announced yet, the spokesperson assured that Lakshmi will always be a part of the Top Chef and NBCUniversal family, adding, “She has a seat at the judges’ table anytime.”

In her farewell post, Lakshmi referred to the “Top Chef” cast and crew as family, admitting she would “miss working alongside them dearly.” She also took the opportunity to thank the show’s audience, saying, “I am deeply thankful to all of you for so many years of love and support.”

Indian American model, TV host, author and activist Padma Lakshmi hopes to become the oldest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model in history.

The 52-year-old model has said that she’d love to replace Martha Stewart in the record books, after the 81-year-old TV star appeared on the cover of the 2023 Swimsuit Issue, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Asked if she’d like to surpass Martha’s record, Padma told the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six Style column, “I hope. I mean, listen, if I’m still doing covers like she is at 80 plus. I mean, God, more power to her. And she’s always been someone I’ve admired, so why should this be any different?”

Padma appeared in this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. However, she never expected for it to happen so late in her career. Padma shared, “I thought it would happen one day for me when I was in my 20s and 30s and a model, but it never did, so I really thought that ship had sailed. So it’s almost sweeter happening at this age.”

Earlier this month, Martha said to being “kind of surprised” to land the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover. The businesswoman feels proud of her Swimsuit cover – but it wasn’t something she ever imagined doing. (IANS)

One of Bollywood’s biggest award nights, the IIFA Awards 2023 was held in Abu Dhabi in the presence of leading names from the industry. Legendary actor Kamal Haasan was felicitated for his outstanding achievement in Indian cinema. The actor who has worked in both regional and Hindi films was felicitated by his friend and singer AR Rahman during the event.

Bollywood actor Salman Khan hit the stage with a fusion of Bollywood and urban dance styles at the award ceremony. Several other stars including Varun Dhawan, and Jacqueline Fernandez performed at the event. Salman Khan hit the floor with a fusion of Bollywood and urban dance while actress Kriti Sanon also performed dance moves with the Norwegian dance group Quick Style on her super hit song Param Sundari from the film Mimi.

R Madhavan received the IIFA trophy under the ‘direction’ category for his stellar work in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. Abhishek Pathak’s Drishyam 2 was selected as the best picture. Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak and the director were presented the IIFA trophy for the film. Actors Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza, were recognized for their outstanding achievements in regional cinema.

Actor Hrithik Roshan received the trophy for his lead role in the action-packed film Vikram Vedha, a remake of the Tamil film. Producer Jayantilal Gada was on stage to receive the trophy on behalf of actress Alia Bhatt for her  best actress in a lead role recognition in the film Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Veteran actor Anil Kapoor bagged an award for his supporting role in JugJugg Jeeyo; Mouni Roy for hers in Brahmastra Part One: Shiva. Actors, Shantanu Maheshwari and Babil Khan were recognized for their debut performances in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Qala respectively.

Khushalii Kumar was recognized for her debut in Dhokha: Round D Corner. Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal won the playback singer awards for Kesariya and Rasiya from Brahmastra Part One: Shiva. Pritam Chakraborty and Amitabh Bhattacharya were also awarded for their music and lyrics. Meanwhile, Jasmeet K Reen and Parveez Sheikh won the best story original award for Darlings.

Anushka Sharma graces the Cannes Film Festival 2023 with her first appearance. The event celebrates women in the film industry.

Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma made her long-awaited debut at the prestigious 76th Cannes Film Festival. Photos and videos capturing her stunning entrance surfaced on social media Friday evening. For the occasion, she chose a beautiful gown by designer Richard Quinn.

Anushka Sharma’s inaugural Cannes Film Festival look

A video showcases Anushka elegantly descending the stairs at the Cannes Film Festival venue. She dazzled in an off-shoulder dress adorned with striking floral embellishments. Complementing her ensemble, she wore her hair in a sleek bun and opted for a refined makeup look. Minimal jewelry completed her appearance.

The reason behind Anushka Sharma’s presence at Cannes Film Festival

Anushka is attending the Cannes Film Festival 2023 to pay tribute to women in cinema. She will be joined by renowned actress Kate Winslet at the event. This opportunity arose shortly after Anushka and her husband, cricket star Virat Kohli, met France’s ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenin, at the French Embassy in New Delhi.

It remains unclear when Anushka arrived in Cannes. On May 22, she was spotted at Mumbai airport with Virat Kohli as they returned from Bengaluru. While in Bengaluru, Anushka supported Virat during his Indian Premier League (IPL) match as part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. After arriving in Bengaluru, she shared a glimpse of the city’s rainfall. On May 24, the couple was once again seen at Mumbai airport.

Anushka Sharma’s upcoming film project

Anushka’s most recent appearance was in the film Qala, where she had a special cameo. She will star in the forthcoming sports biopic Chakda Xpress, directed by Prosit Roy. The film, which will exclusively stream on Netflix, is based on the life of former Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami.

Anushka completed filming for Chakda Xpress in December last year. She shared several photos from the last day of shooting, which took place inside a cricket stadium, and expressed her gratitude in an Instagram post captioned, “It’s a wrap on Chakda ‘Xpress and thank you @JhulanGoswami for the final clap to bring an end to the shoot!.”

The newly-appointed US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti was hosted by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan at his home ‘Mannat’ in Mumbai.

Garcetti took to Twitter, where he shared a string of pictures from his visit, which also features SRK, his wife Gauri and his manager Pooja Dadlani.

He captioned the image: “Is it time for my Bollywood debut? Had a wonderful chat with superstar @iamsrk at his residence Mannat, learning more about the film industry in Mumbai and discussing the huge cultural impact of Hollywood and Bollywood across the globe. #AmbExploresIndia.”

Shah Rukh was seen in a black sweatshirt, matching denims and a cap. Gauri was seen in a black outfit too. Pooja opted for a white shirt and denims. The room, in which they gathered, had a red brick wall on one side in which a huge painting was hung. A chandelier also hung from the ceiling. Couches along with a coffee table were also seen in the picture.

On the acting front, Shah Rukh Khan was recently seen in the blockbuster ‘Pathaan’ alongside John Abraham and Deepika Padukone. He is now gearing up for his next titled ‘Jawan’,by Atlee. The film also features Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi and Sanya Malhotra in the lead roles. He also has Rajkumar Hirani’s upcoming film ‘Dunki’ opposite Taapsee Pannu.

The film is all set to hit the theatres on September 7. Earlier the film was scheduled to hit the theatres on June 2. It is billed as an event film with high-octane action sequences. Shah Rukh’s production company Red Chillies Entertainment has produced it. Apart from Jawan, Shah Rukh will also be seen in director Rajkumar Hirani’s upcoming film Dunki opposite Taapsee Pannu.

(AP) — Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford swung into Cannes on Thursday for the world premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in one of the most anticipated events of the French Riviera festival. Fedoras abounded in the throngs of onlookers who watched Ford and company hit the red carpet.

Ford walked hand in hand with his wife, Calista Flockhart, and later joined his cast mates as John Williams’ score played across the red carpet. Among those in attendance were Disney chief Bob Iger, Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and filmmaker Steve McQueen.

Ford, 80, who has said “Dial of Destiny” will be his last performance as the character, also received an honorary Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival. Last year, Cannes feted “Top Gun Maverick” and Tom Cruise in a similar manner.

Inside the theater, Ford was greeted with thunderous applause. He beamed and looked around the theater before receiving the honorary Palme.

“I’m very touched. I’m very moved by this. They say when you’re about to die, you, you see your life flash before your eyes. I just saw my life flash before my eyes,” Ford said after a clip reel of his career was played.

“A great part of my life, not all of my life,” Ford continued, thanking Flockhart as well as “Dial of Destiny” director James Mangold and co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

It’s not the first “Indiana Jones” film to premiere in Cannes. The fourth installment, “Indiana and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” launched at the 2008 edition of the festival. Critics and fans alike dismissed “Crystal Skull” as a misjudged sequel, though it still made $790 million worldwide.

This time, “Dial of Destiny” is hoping to make a similar if not larger global impact without its famous filmmakers. The new film, which the Walt Disney Co. will release June 30 in the U.S., is the first “Indiana” film not directed by Steven Spielberg or with a story credit to George Lucas. Instead, Mangold (“Ford vs. Ferrari,” “Logan”) takes the reins for a film co-starring Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas and Mads Mikkelsen.

Leslie Shampaine’s 84-minute feature documentary, CALL ME DANCER, attracted a full house at the 23rd edition of the New York Indian Film Festival on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at the Village East Cinema by Angelika in Manhattan. The special screening was followed by a Q&A with director Shampaine, lead protagonist Manish Chauhan, and executive producer Jay Sean. At the closing night awards ceremony, the New York Women in Film & Television awarded director Leslie Shampaine “Best Documentary by a Woman Filmmaker.”

“This is the story of how boundless determination and unremitting effort can lead to success in any endeavor – a story that I hope inspires young people across the globe to push beyond their limits to follow their dreams,” said Shampaine, a first-time director and former professional ballet dancer. “Dance films are typically created by looking into our world from the outside. They convey the difficulty of the profession, but what is often lost is the passion and inner joy that pushes dancers past the pain. I knew that as a dancer, I could offer an insider’s sensitivity and perspective.”

International pop icon, singer, and songwriter Jay Sean executive produced the film because the story resonated with his own; as a British-Indian, Sean’s parents wanted him to pursue medicine rather than his dream of becoming a singer. CALL ME DANCER, in English and Hindi (with English subtitles), is a live-your-dream film that charts the journey of Manish, a talented street dancer from Mumbai, who dreams of becoming professional against the wishes of his struggling parents. He meets a master Israeli ballet teacher who gives him the determination to keep going. But when he is pitted against another boy who’s got the attention of the top school in the world, Manish realizes he must push himself to his physical limits if he has any chance to succeed. Filmed in India, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the dance documentary features two original songs by Jay Sean, music by Bangladeshi American hip-hop artist Anik Khan, and a score by award-winning, British-Indian composer Nainita Desai. Watch teaser HERE.

*Next, the film will have its European premiere at the prestigious London Indian Film Festival on June 27, 2023, at the historic BFI Southbank Cinema.

The musical production will tour 13 cities starting with Atlanta on May 26, 2023

Indian theatrical Mughal-e-Azam will be making its American debut. The cast and crew of the musical play will be touring 13 cities in North America in May 2023.

An interpretation of K Asif’s hit classic film that was released in 1960, the play is set in the Mughal era when Emperor Akbar was in power. It is centred around the forbidden love story of Akbar’s son Prince Salim and the courtesan Anarkali. Emperor Akbar who disapproves of the relationship is forced to take the difficult choice between responsibility towards his subjects and duty as a father.

Produced by Shapoorji Pallonji Group and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, the play will be enacted in both Hindi and Urdu with dance sequences, spectacular lighting, extravagant costumes, and live singing. With 70 people on the cast and 150 crew members working behind the scenes, the musical is one of the most expensive theatre productions to have toured in India.

Prominent Indian designer Manish Malhotra has designed over 600 costumes for the play using rich silks, velvets, bandhani, and brocades, and crafted with zardozi embroidery. Its value is worth crores of rupees, making Mughal-e-Azam’s costume design the most expensive in the history of Indian theatre.

The play has received critical acclaim and has scooped up several awards in the year following its premiere. Some of the awards to the play’s credit include Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Original Set Design, Best Original Lighting Design, and Best Ensemble Cast. Director Khan was honoured with the award for Best Director at the BroadwayWorld India Awards. It also won the award for Best Play.‌

Bollywood stars Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, filmmaker Karan Johar, and industrialist Mukesh Ambani have praised the play. The North American tour will kick off on May 26 in Atlanta, followed by New York, Baltimore, Lakeland, Chicago, Newark, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and San Jose among others. Tickets are available on Cinema On Stage’s website.

Ahead of the global debut of the streaming spy series ‘Citadel’, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is getting into business with Amazon Studios again, this time with John Cena and Idris Elba in ‘Heads of State’. The movie’s cameras roll in May.

‘Nobody’ filmmaker Ilya Naishuller is directing off a script by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, with an initial draft by Harrison Query based on Query’s original idea, reports Deadline.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film, which we first told you about, is being described as Air Force One meets Midnight Run. Producers are the Safran Company’s Peter Safran and John Rickard. EPs are Cena, Elba and Marcus Viscidi.

As per ‘Deadline’, in February 2021, Priyanka became a New York Times bestselling author with her memoir ‘Unfinished’. She’ll be starring with Richard Madden in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel’, set to begin streaming on April 28.

On the film side, she will next star in Sony’s ‘Love Again’ and most recently starred in Netflix’s Oscar-nominated feature ‘The White Tiger’, which she also executive produced.

Chopra Jonas’ production banner Purple Pebble Pictures is currently under a first-look film and TV deal with Amazon Studios and has also partnered with Paramount Global to create original content focused on diversity and inclusion for its entertainment and youth channels.

Indie Meme, a non-profit organization, is holding its 8th Film Festival (IMFF2023) from April 12-16 in Austin, TX at the AFS Cinema. The festival provides a platform for filmmakers from South Asia and Iran to showcase their unique stories, with award-winning actors and filmmakers attending every year. This year, Kalki Koechlin and Pushan Kripalani, lead actor and director of the festival’s opening night film “Goldfish”, and Leena Yadav, director of “Tell it like a Woman”, will be in attendance.

The festival features over 30 films in 17 languages, representing 13 countries, touching on global issues such as mental health, women empowerment, poverty, freedom of speech, and more. Audience members have the opportunity to engage with the filmmakers after each screening, exchange perspectives and explore the premise further. Additionally, a virtual festival program is scheduled from April 28 to May 1, offering a hybrid experience for those outside Austin.

Indie Meme 2023 Film Lineup

ALL THAT BREATHES

The film “All That Breathes” is in the running for the Best International Documentary award at the 95th Academy Awards. The movie centers around two brothers who are trying to rescue black kite birds, which are crucial to New Delhi’s ecosystem but are dying due to environmental pollution. This documentary is unique in that it is the first film to have won the Best Documentary Prize at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals.

GOLDFISH

“Goldfish,” directed by Pushan Kriplani and starring Kalki Koechlin, will premiere at the South Asian Film Festival in the US. The film follows Janaki, a young woman with bipolar disorder and addiction, as she searches for a missing father with a young boy. “Goldfish” explores mental health, trauma, and human connection and has received critical acclaim. Its premiere at the festival is significant for Indian cinema and a testament to the power of storytelling.

TELL IT LIKE A WOMAN

“Tell It Like A Woman,” a new Indian documentary film directed by Leena Yadav, will premiere at the South Asian Film Festival in the US. The film features interviews with influential and inspiring women from a range of backgrounds, exploring gender, identity, and the role of women in society in India. Through their stories, the film offers a window into the experiences and struggles of women in India.

LEILA’S BROTHERS

The Iranian film “Leila’s Brothers” will have its Texas premiere at IMFF2023. The film was awarded the International Critics’ Prize in 2022 for best film in Cannes main competition. Boasting a tour de force ensemble, Leila’s Brothers is a masterful family drama that echoes Greek tragedies.

This year, the festival scored two international premieres – “Dhabari Quruvi” and “Eikhoigi Yum.”

DHABARI QURUVI

The movie “Dhabari Quruvi” is the first of its kind in the world to have tribals both as actors and singers. It is a beautiful film directed by Priyanandanan with a cast entirely made up of indigenous people from Attappadi, Kerala. The plot revolves around a young girl who challenges the traditional customs of her tribe and takes control of her own body and life choices. The dialogue in the movie is exclusively in the “Irula” language, but according to the director, the emotions conveyed in the story will overcome any language barrier for the viewers.

EIKHOIGI YUM

The IMFF2023 will feature “Eikhoigi Yum” (Our Home), a Manipuri film directed by Romi Meitei. The film tells the story of an 11-year-old boy from an isolated fishing community who is determined to succeed in school despite personal and financial difficulties. The film takes place around the Loktak Pat Lake, and its stunning cinematography portrays the lives of those living in homes built on a floating biomass.

IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM

Don’t miss the Texas premiere of “In Search of Bengali Harlem,” a documentary created by historian and author Vivek Bald and stand-up comedian and actor Alaudin Ullah. The film follows Alaudin as he investigates the history of his immigrant parents from Bangladesh and uncovers a forgotten past where South Asian Muslims, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans created a unique and diverse community in the mid-20th century tenements of Harlem. Both creators of the documentary will be present at the event, which was supported by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

WHILE WE WATCHED

The second documentary of filmmaker Vinay Shukla, who is an Indie Meme alumnus, is called “While We Watched.” The film centers on the experiences of Ravish Kumar, a reporter for NDTV in India, as he confronts limitations on journalism, navigates his career, and faces personal threats.

POLITE SOCIETY

The final movie for IMFF 2023 will be “Polite Society,” a comedy about a young woman training in martial arts who thinks she needs to rescue her sister from an arranged marriage. Together with her friends, they attempt to execute a daring wedding heist to promote sisterhood and independence.

Indie Meme’s Focus

Indie Meme has been featuring a diverse range of films, shorts, and documentaries from talented filmmakers in South Asia and Iran since 2013. The films address important global issues that are often neglected, including climate change, poverty, access to education and healthcare, and discrimination based on caste, gender, and sexual orientation.

Indie Meme is particularly honored to continue to bring these meaningful productions in its 10th year making Austin THE destination for debate, discussions, dialogue, and change!

Badges for the Indie Meme Film Festival, IMFF2023, are available at Indiememe.org/IMFF2023. The festival was dubbed “the best international passport” by The Austin Chronicle in 2016, solidifying Austin’s spot on the world map of film. IMFF 2023 is also supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin, Economic Development Department, and its Sponsors.

Indie Meme is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting independent cinema and filmmakers from South Asia & Iran. Our focus is on promoting diversity and cultural exchange. Over the past 10 years, and 8 years of the film festival, Indie Meme is thrilled to provide a platform for the best in independent South Asian cinema, and brings the work of these talented filmmakers to audiences in Austin, and across the United States.

“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hedge Events New York, we are excited to have you join in and collaborate with us at the Multi-City Vandemataram 2023: Music & Dance Nite, a very popular Entertainment Show across several states in the United States in August-September 2023,” Jacob Araham, CEO of Hedge Funds announced here today. “Vandemataram is a way of expressing our commitment to India while commemorating and paying tributes to our Mother India on the milestone celebration, the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.”

Mr. Abraham introducing the Hedge Brokerage, the main organizing group of the Show said, “We take pride in our mission to be a link between India and the highly successful Indian American Diaspora in the United States. And, rightly so, Vandemataram 2023 is an effective way of being rooted in and appreciating the best of India’s culture and traditions, showcased by versatile internationally famed artists.

Hedge Events is well known in the community for organizing several Shows in the past decade. The Mollywood Kollywood Sooraj Venjaramoodu and Indrajith Mamatha Mohandas Show was organized in 2016. For the first time ever, The United States North American Film Award (NAFA) with participation from Dhulkar Salman, Parwathy, Bhavana. Vijay Yesudas, Gopisunder, which was live telecasted by Flowers Channel was a huge success. In  2017, NAFA event was proud to have Nivin Pauly, Kunjako Boban, Tovino, Manju Warrior, Asha Sarath, Vani Jayaram, Biji Pal, Rima Kallunkal, and Asiq Abu. The 2018 awards ceremony by the Hedge Fund and NAFA had Dulkar Salman, Manju Warrior,  Andria, Vijay Yesudas, Steven Devasia, Joju and many more.

The following stars have already confirmed their participation at the Live Show organized by Hedge in collaboration with several community organizations at the much anticipated Vandemataram 2013: Popular playback singers: Harish Anker and Nithya Mammen; Popular actor Anna Prasad;  Aishwarya renowned actress; Ramadan D4 Dance Winner ; P S Abhijith on Violin; Stephen Devasia on Keyboard; Rajesh Vaidyan on Veena; Mohini Dae on Base Guitar; Mahesh on Thabala; Choreographer Sunitha.

Each Show is expected to have more than 15.000 live audiences. The colorful souvenir we plan to release at the events will be an additional opportunity for you in promoting your business.

Vandemataram 2023 is a great way to connect with and inspire the hearts of souls of the fast-growing and highly successful Indian American community in the United States.  For more details, please contact by Email: hedgebrokerage@gmail.com or visit: www.hedgeeventsny.com

There will be two shows in Hindi with English subtitles on April 21 and 22, and two shows in English with Mandarin subtitles on April 22 and 23.

India’s leading live theatre producer AGP World, along with Arte Compass and Zee TV APAC, inspired by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s classic novel, brings Ashvin Gidwani’s ‘Devdas – The Musical for the world’ premiere in Singapore on April 21, 2023, at the Esplanade Theatre. The news release said that the 100-minute multi-starrer explores the saga of star-crossed lovers Devdas and Paro, torn apart by unfortunate circumstances.

This multifaceted production features performances from popular Bollywood actors such as Sunil Kumar Palwal, Aanchal Chauhan, Bhavna Pani, Jayesh Thakkar and Smita Jaykar, who play key roles in the musical. Actor Arif Zakaria w plays Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the writer of the classic tale. The musical also features songs from the Bollywood movie Devdas such as Woh Zindagi Hi Kya, Shyam Tore Rang Me, and Toota Re Manwa, sung by prominent singers, including Shaan, Kailash Kher, Alka Yagnik, Suresh Wadkar, Shail Hada, Bhoomi Trivedi and Antara Mitra.

Ashvin Gidwani, Producer & MD, AGP World, expressed delight to bring this classic on stage and showcase the first World Premiere in Singapore. The press statement said that there will be two shows in Hindi with English subtitles on April 21 and 22, and two shows in English with Mandarin subtitles on April 22 and 23. British theatre director, writer, actor, and teacher Toby Gough is the creative director for the grand musical which is co-directed by Indian director Ranga Godbole. The team also includes technical director and production designer Tom Kitney.

“Devdas has witnessed several renditions in the Indian cinema, yet there is something about the epic that connects with the audience. A saga of love presented by multiple onstage and offstage talents; Devdas promises to be a production never seen before on the Indian Stage,” Gidwani said.

Sanmesh Thakur, EVP – APAC, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said, “Zee in Singapore has been known to support and co-produce high-quality productions. We are extremely proud and excited to be associated with Devdas, one of the most highly awaited shows of 2023!”

Created through sponsorships from The Auntie Network, Tasveer, One Minute Saree, URL Media, The Partnership Inc., Sway with Pray, Indie Meme, and Lailit Vadlamani & Shubha Iyengar, the first-ever South Asian House (SAH) kicked off at Fourth & Co in downtown Austin during the first weekend of the 37th annual SXSW®.

Featured speakers at the two-day, cultural pop-up included industry professionals from business, tech, film, TV, theater, music, and fashion. SAH also hosted a networking event with  happy hour each day, as well as live music and a DJ set each night. Local Bollywood dance company Sway With Pray organized flash mobs around the city, and to conclude the weekend, Tasveer presented a Red Carpet Awards Ceremony and a live Oscar Viewing Party on Sunday, March 12. Several South Asian nominees and celebrities were cheered on by the House during the Academy Awards.

The inaugural event opened with welcome remarks from the co-founders of the South Asian House and from SXSW’s Director of Sales, Neil Minocha, followed by a fireside chai & chat moderated by Ms. Media CEO and SAH co-founder Monika Samtani and featured movie producer Rishi Rajani (CEO, Hillman Grad Productions), actor Reema Sampat (Orange is the New Black), and journalist/entrepreneur Snigdha Sur (Founder & CEO, The Juggernaut). The fireside was sponsored by Catalyst Media and Lalit Vadlamani & Shubha Iyengar. SAH’s programming also included two noteworthy panels on film and television Saturday. Warm SriLankan Chai was provided by Kola Goodies.

The first, “Creating South Asian Content for a Global Audience,” was an hour-long discussion with actor Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek,” “Peacemaker”), Executive Producer of VICE TV, Falguni Adams, and Apoorva Bakshi, Emmy award-winning producer of the hit TV series “Delhi Crime,” moderated by CEO of Jingo Media and co-founder of SAH, Jitin Hingorani.

The second panel, “Investing in the Future of Our South Asian Stories,” was an important conversation that included CEO and Co-founder of URL Media S. Mitra Kalita, actor Kausar Mohammed (“4400,” “The Flash”), and Atit Shah, CEO of Create Entertainment, moderated by co-founder of Box Office Guru Media Gitesh Pandya.

Women in Film and Television, Austin presented the Pilot reading hour of Rehana Lew Mirza’s script ‘Don’t Hate’ with a full slate of talent cast by Ashley Guaragna Casting with this pilot to be produced by SAH co-founder Rohi Mirza Pandya under the sisters joint production company banner. EarlierThe Leadership Program took a deep dive into the successful leadership mindset followed by one-on-one mentorship sessions with industry leaders Pooja Kumar (Actress/Producer & former Miss India USA), Milan Chakraborty (Head of Film at Marginal MediaWorks), Sid Shah (Founder of Trackmind), and James A. Mathew (CEO of The Outer Voice Company). The Leadership Program was facilitated by SAH co-founders, Rohi Mirza Pandya and Monika Samtani, as well as their production company Catalyst Media+ sponsors Lalit Vadlamani & Shubha Iyengar.

South Asian House attendees enjoyed Happy Hours hosted by our partners Brown Girl Magazine and Austin’s very own Indie Meme Film Festival.

The Auntie Network, a Texas dating and marriage website for South Asian singles, presented The StoryLounge Variety Show, hosted by Vick Krishna and Samrat Chakrabarti, and included comics Proma Khosla, Tanveer Arora, and Aizzah Fatima, with musical guest on the table, Mayookh Bhaumik. The evening’s entertainment concluded with live music by Chloe Choudhury with SUNNN, Meetu Chilana, Aditya Rao, and DJ Anupi. The world renowned percussionist Drums Sivamani surprised all guests with an impromptu performance.

Fashion brand One Minute Saree presented Sunday’s Desi Drag Brunch, featuring New York drag queen Tara Ryst and local drag queens Darshan and Jayan, who draped the sarees on stage during their live Bollywood performances. The event was supported by Austin’s South Asian LBGTQ+ organization, Khush Texas.

The afternoon included a series of shorts content, curated by Jitin Hingorani, Founder and Festival Director of DFW South Asian Film Festival, which culminated with the launch of the title track music video from an upcoming Austin based AAPI project WHERE THE STARS ARE, a Banskota Productions feature film co-directed by Kirtana Banskota and Andy Yang. Oscar Sunday evening kicked off with a red carpet and the Uniquely South Asian awards ceremony presented by Tasveer’s Founder Rita Meher. Awardees included all the afore-mentioned panelists and other thought leaders who are uplifting the Diaspora through their unique contributions to the community at large. The Oscar Watch Party was followed by live sets from  Kiss Nuka Live (Mumbai & Goa) and Austin’s DJ Anup USA.

“And that’s a wrap!” exclaimed producers Mirza Pandya, Hingorani, Samtani, and Banskota. “We are just thrilled at the reception we’ve received from the South Asian community at SXSW, and we can’t wait to come back bigger and stronger next year. A huge shoutout to all our volunteers without whom this event would not be possible.”

About South Asian House: An initiative that aims to connect a thriving community of thought leaders from various sectors in the business, tech, film, television, fashion, music, ad theater idustries from seven different South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The initiative was created by veteran producers, curators, and programmers Rohi Mirza Pandya (Box Office Guru Media), Jitin Hingorani (Jingo Media), Monika Samtani (Ms. Media), and Kirtana Banskota (Banskota Productions). For more information on SXSW’s first ever South Asian House please visit HERE.

In addition to India making a remarkable mark on world stage, the 95th Academy awards were significant for another reason. It was not just India’s night, but all of Asia, with ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ making a clean sweep of almost every award it was nominated for. Michelle Yeoh as the first Asian Best Actress winner, and only the second person of colour to win that trophy after Halle Berry in 2002 for ‘Monster’s Ball’, spoke of her Oscar as ‘a beacon of hope and possibilities’.

Everything Everywhere All at Once has dominated this year’s Oscars, winning seven awards including best picture on a big night for Asian and Asian American representation.

The manic multiverse fantasy, about a fractured family swept up in an interdimensional adventure, also delivered wins for best actress, best director, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best editing and best original screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony held on Sunday, March 12^th, 2023. It was the most nominated film of the night.

Michelle Yeoh became only the second woman of color to win the best actress Oscar, following in the footsteps of Halle Berry in 2002. “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight this is a beacon of hope and possibility,” she said, before adding: “Ladies don’t ever let anyone tell you you are past your prime.”

Ke Huy Quan was named best supporting actor for his role in the film, beating Barry Keoghan and Judd Hirsch. He is the first Vietnam-born actor to win an Oscar. “Mom, I just won an Oscar!” he said tearfully. “They say stories like this only happen in the movies, I cannot believe this is happening to me.”

The win built on the tremendous 2020 ‘Parasite’ sweep when Bong Joon Ho won the best director, and the film won both the best picture AND the best international feature film. EEAAO won seven, yes count them, Oscars. Vietnam-born Ke Huy Kwan won Best Supporting Actor, Jamie Lee Curtis, who really should have won for her breakout perf in A Fish Called Wanda ( yes, way back in 1988), finally got hers with a Best Supporting Actress, the Daniels won the Best Director: the film also picked up awards for Best Original Screenplay and Editing.

In an industry where race and representation have mostly stayed buzz words, the ‘Everything Everywhere..’ triumph feels like a shift, where people of colour are being seen and celebrated for who they are, and what they bring to the table, even if the film often feels laden with too many nods to Asians-in-America stereotypes. But what a performance from Yeoh, and a well-deserved win: there was no better film to have got this award in this year.

I’m sad that the fabulous ‘Banshees of Insherin’, a tale of two most unusual best friends buoyed by a terrific performance from Colin Farrell (an infinitely harder one to pull off as compared to Brendan Fraser’s prosthetic-laden turn in ‘The Whale’, which won the latter the Best Actor) and the gentle donkey Jenny, lost out the Best Picture to EEAAO, but I’m very happy that the latter won, won big, and won so emphatically. Thus proving that it is quite possible to be happy and sad at the same time. Now excuse me while I play ‘Naatu Naatu’ at full volume, all over again.

Indian American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has inked a new multi-year, first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker switching his allegiance from Universal.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy.

News of the pact comes as the director celebrates his latest release ‘Knock at the Cabin’, which marks his seventh No. 1 opening at the box office – he has a No. 1 film in each of the last four decades – and further contributes to his more than $3 billion haul at the global box office, beginning with his breakout hit, ‘The Sixth Sense’, reports Variety.

“Where I write and direct is my home,” Shyamalan said in a statement announcing the new deal. Disney and Universal, where I’ve made most of my films, will always be home and family to me. Warner Bros. has a storied history of cinema. Through its recent experiences, the company has rediscovered its love and appreciation for filmmakers, and the impact of the theatrical experience.”

“We all win when movies succeed in theatres. I believe David Zaslav, Michael De Luca, and Pam Abdy have dedicated themselves to unique filmmakers, and to filling theatres all around the world for years to come.”

Under the new agreement, Shyamalan and his Philly-based production company Blinding Edge Pictures, run by president of production Ashwin Rajan, will develop original projects for the filmmaker to produce and/or direct for WBPG production divisions Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.

Among those projects is Shyamalan’s much-anticipated next directorial effort, ‘Trap’, which is dated for a theatrical release on August 2, 2024.

Also, in the works is ‘The Watchers’, the forthcoming directorial debut of his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan, which will commence production this year and is slated for a June 7, 2024 release.

“Night is one of the most iconic and influential directors of his generation and an auteur in every sense of the word,” stated De Luca and Abdy.

“From ‘The Sixth Sense’ through ‘Split’ to his latest chiller ‘Knock at the Cabin,’ he’s one of the few directors in contemporary cinema whose name alone promises a bold, singular vision, compelling original storytelling and a provocative, surprising and entirely unique experience at the theatre.”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to the Warner Bros. family, and look forward to an exciting collaboration with Night and the entire Blinding Edge team.”

A lifelong film lover, Shyamalan began directing his own projects while a student at NYU, kicking off his career with 1992’s ‘Praying with Anger’ and 1998’s ‘Wide Awake’. In 1999, the writer, director and producer’s third film, “The Sixth Sense,” made him a mega-star, earning nearly $700 million worldwide and netting six Oscar nominations, including directing and original screenplay nods.

His body of work that followed includes blockbusters like ‘Signs’, ‘The Village’, ‘The Visit’ and the comic-book trilogy ‘Unbreakable’, ‘Split’ and ‘Glass’.

On the TV side, Shyamalan has directed five episodes of Apple+ TV’s thriller series ‘Servant’, for which he also serves as showrunner and executive producer. (IANS)

The “Disney Princess” franchise is set to go Desi with its newest addition. According to a report by entertainment outlet Deadline, the House of Mouse has commissioned an original musical film from ‘Bride and Prejudice’ director Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges.

Chadha will serve as the film’s producer and director. Written by both Chadha and Berges, the team will be joined by Lindy Goldstein, the producer of ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ the news report said.

No details have yet been shared on the film’s plot. However, the project would be headed by the President of the Walt Disney Motion Picture Production, Sean Bailey, Deadline said.

Chadha is the owner of the company ‘Bend It Films’, which has grossed in excess of $300 million at the worldwide box office.

She was nominated twice for the BAFTA Award, once for her debut film ‘Bhaji on the Beach’ and then for the film ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, as per Deadline.

Bend It Like Bekham was an international success, raking up $76 million worldwide and also ending up as the most successful British-financed and distributed feature film on the U.K. box office at the time.

(AP) — There are some familiar storylines in a new musical opening on Broadway — a singer and her relationship with the mentor who guided her; a newcomer trying to find his place; young women chasing their dreams.

But they’ve never sounded quite like this.

The global sensation that is Korean pop music is coming to center stage in “KPOP,” opening Sunday at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

Playwright Jason Kim appears at the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York on Nov. 9, 2022, where his musical “KPOP” will open on Nov. 27. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

With an almost entirely Asian American and Asian cast, many of whom are making their Broadway debuts, the musical is set as a backstage look at some K-pop performers as they get ready for their debut show in New York City. Conflicts break out and get resolved, ending in a concert-like performance.

The show’s Broadway arrival has been a long time coming for playwright Jason Kim, who first conceived of a play around K-pop about a decade ago and staged an off-Broadway version in 2017, with music and lyrics composed by Helen Park and Max Vernon.

Born in South Korea, Kim came to the United States as a child, settling with his family in the Midwest. K-pop has been a fixture in his life, as have Korean television dramas. He also loved musical theater, especially shows like “A Chorus Line” and “Dreamgirls” where the story is about what’s happening behind the scenes.

“I love backstage shows,” he said. “Is there fighting going on in-between everybody? Do they all love each other? These are the questions that I asked myself.”

In the initial stage version of the show, Kim was introducing the machine of K-pop to an American audience largely unfamiliar with it; five years later, it’s been rewritten for a world where K-pop musical heavy-hitters like BTS and Blackpink are pop chart mainstays, amid a slew of other Korean entertainment in movies and television like “Squid Games” becoming more popular in the U.S. as well.

Back then, America “didn’t really know what K-pop was, and so there was a lot of explaining that I had to do. … This time around, I didn’t have to really take the stance of having to apologize for anything or having to explain anything, and just let the story unfold,” said Kim, a writer in television and film.

He called the timing “really serendipitous.”

“It’s been really profound and moving actually to watch the world shift in this way.”

A Broadway musical showcasing the sounds of K-pop is a sign of how “the U.S. is finally catching up with what was already going on around the world,” said Robert Ji-Song Ku, an associate professor of Asian American studies at Binghamton University.

K-pop has been growing in popularity globally for the last 20 years, even though other attempts to break into the American market over the years haven’t met with the same success until recently, he said.

“If there’s a spectrum of universality, K-pop is engineered to be as universal as possible,” he said.

Casting the show took about two years, Kim said, with open calls both in the U.S. and South Korea. Some of those in the show have K-pop backgrounds, including Luna, a former member of the group f(x), who plays the central character of MwE, a singer who has spent years working toward her dreams and has come to a crossroads.

It’s a step forward for Asian American representation on Broadway, which matters a great deal to Kim.

The cast during a performance of “KPOP,” opening Nov. 27 at the Circle in the Square Theatre in New York. (Matthew Murphy/O+M/DKC via AP)

“That talent exists, and they just need a platform,” he said. “So it was really important to me to put these Asian people on stage and see them not playing the typical roles that they play, but playing rock stars, playing pop stars, dancing their faces off and acting their faces off and just being spectacular.”

For her part, Park called the experience an honor.

“K-pop and Broadway have both been my passion for a long time; K-pop has been like comfort food for me, and Broadway was my seemingly unattainable dream, given there haven’t been many Asian composers, let alone Asian female composers that I can see and dream to be like,” she said in an email. “To be able to bring something that feels like home to me, to my dream stage, Broadway, feels like the most miraculous gift that I’ll cherish for a lifetime.”

Kim said it was also important that the show includes some Korean interspersed among the English, both in the songs and the dialogue.

It’s “a way to be really authentic to the experience of K-pop idols and Korean people,” Kim said, pointing out that “when I speak to my mom, I’m switching back and forth all the time, depending on what we’re talking about.”

“The design of the bilingual nature of the show was very intentional.”

Clearly, a musical built around K-pop has a built-in base of potential audience members. But Kim says there’s something for everyone, even those who have never heard a K-pop tune.

“Hopefully if we do our jobs right, you’re watching a fun musical with a bunch of great K-pop songs,” he said. “But really what you’re getting as you leave the theater is a universal story.” (Hajela is a member of the AP’s team covering race and ethnicity. She’s on Twitter at twitter.com/dhajela)