Radhika Apte‘s A Call To Spy, a historical drama about three women who work as spies during World War II, will release on Amazon Prime Video in India on December 11. The film (starring Radhika Apte, Stana Katic and Sarah Megan Thomas) released in theatres in October in the UK and US. Apte has said she is looking forward to a positive response from Indian fans.
Directed by Lydia Deal Pilcher and written and produced by Sarah Megan Thomas, A Call To Spy is based on true events and real life interviews about a spy agency that helped to undermine the Nazi regime in France, according to an Amazon Prime Video press release on Wednesday. Apte plays a Muslim pacifist named Noor Inayat Khan, who is recruited along with Virginia Hall (Thomas), an ambitious American woman with a wooden leg. Vera Atkins (Katic) plays the spymistress who recruits them for a spy agency formed at the beginning of the second World War, named the Special Operations Executive (SOE).
Popularly known as Winston Churchill’s secret army, the SOE’s mission was to “conduct sabotage and build a resistance,” and set up spy networks to explode the Nazi supply chain, according to the press release. The women who worked here were called “Churchill’s wonder women” by The Irish Times, and together “help[ed] to undermine the Nazi regime in France.”
The character of Virginia Hall is based on a woman who worked for British intelligence during WWII and was the first woman field agent to have been sent to France. She was called the most dangerous of all Allied spies by a Nazi leader, according to the press release.
Speaking to the BBC, the director said that although the film has stayed true to the basic facts of what happened, the relationship between the women had been tweaked in the script to make it easier to show Noor Inayat Khan and Virginia Hall in the same time and space. Another change was that although Vera knew Virginia, she did not recruit her in real life.
Radhika Apte said in the press release, “Since the movie has already premiered globally, I have been waiting for the moment where Indian audiences get the chance to watch this thrilling spy drama. I am hoping that they too will shower the same love and appreciation that we received from other parts of the world.”
“A Call to Spy is a fascinating story of female war-time agents, something which audiences are yet to explore/witness in prominence,” said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head of Content at Amazon Prime Video, India.
A Call To Spy had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2019 and its USA premiere in the 36th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January 2020. Producer and director Thomas won the Anti-Defamation League Stand Up Award at the latter. The film also bagged the Alliance of Women Film Journalists EDA Award for the Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature, and Thomas won the Audience Award for the producer, at the Whistler Film Festival 2019.
A Call To Spy released in theatres in the UK on October 23 and in the USA on October 2, 2020.
Rajinikanth has announced that he will launch a political party in January. He also promised that his party would establish a “corruption-free” government that would be free of religious and caste discrimination. The date of the launch will be announced on December 31, 2020, he said.
Rajinikanth’s decision comes days after discussions with the district secretaries of his three-year-old political launchpad, the Rajini Makkal Mandram, about whether he should join politics.
The actor and politician issued the statement on social media on Thursday. In his statement, Rajinikanth said, “In the upcoming Assembly elections, we will win with immense support from the people and will definitely establish a honest, sincere, transparent, corruption-free, caste and religious bias-free, spiritual politics. Miracles will happen.”
Speaking to the media assembled outside his residence in Poes Garden, Chennai shortly after, Rajinikanth said that he had planned to go across Tamil Nadu to campaign. However, he said he could not due to the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with his health condition. Rajinikanth recently underwent a kidney transplant surgery.
He said, “The doctors told me that it is medically dangerous to campaign and meet the general public. However, when I was admitted in Singapore, I was able to recover due to the prayers of the Tamil people. I will be most happy even if I have to sacrifice my life for them. I will never back down on my words.” Rajinikanth said that change in Tamil Nadu politics was the need of the hour.
Rajinikanth also said that his political work would not hinder the shooting for his upcoming film Annaatthe as it was his “duty to complete it”. He said 40 percent of the film still remained to be shot.
Earlier on Monday, Rajinikanth had met with senior officials of the Rajini Makkal Mandram at the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam. After the meeting, he had told the press he would soon announce his decision.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, a Rajini Makkal Mandram member from Thoothukudi said, “What he says is final. We will abide by that. We discussed whether he should start a political party considering his health. Whatever decision he takes, we will abide by that.”
On December 31, 2017, Rajinikanth had initially declared that he would join politics. However, even as he has made socio-political comments from time to time, the actor had taken no concrete steps to establish himself in politics. He also did not participate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, saying that his true goal was the 2021 State Assembly Elections.
In October this year, a letter rumoured to have been penned by the actor began circulating on social media. The letter stated that he was reconsidering his decision to join politics due to bad health. Following that, on October 29, Rajinikanth issued a statement to clarify that though the purported note was not his, the contents of it were true. He also announced that he would declare his position at an appropriate time.
Subsequently in November, Rajinikanth’s meeting with political commentator and editor of Thughlak, S Gurumurthy, triggered fresh speculations. According to reports, Gurumurthy urged Rajinikanth to rethink his decision to stay out of politics.
In response, the actor’s fans had taken to putting up posters and sending him postcards that urged him not to quit. One such poster, reported by NDTV, was made by the ‘Vellore Citizens Wishing for a Change’, and asked the actor to “take the path of a lion to hunt down blood sucking pack of wolves and convocation of eagles”.
The 93rd Academy Awards, scheduled to be held in April 25, 2021, will be held live and aired on ABC channel, a representative of the Academy and the ABC Television Network told Variety, on Tuesday.
The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences, which organises the annual Oscars event, announced in June that the ceremony had been postponed by two months in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and in the hope that the cinemas would re-open soon.
The official notice read, “…the 93rd Oscars® ceremony will move to Sunday, April 25, 2021, as a result of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. The show, which will air live on ABC, was originally scheduled for February 28, 2021.”
Film industries across the world suffered a blow when theatres shut down and film shoots were stalled, thereby, causing delay in stages of production and release. Several films have postponed their releases to 2021 or on a digital platform this year. Consequently, the Academy announced an extension of the eligbility timeline from December 31, 2020 to February 28, 2021 to accommodate films that released or will release on OTT platforms so that they qualify for submission.
The Oscars event is held at the 3,400-seater Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, every year. While it is unclear what safety protocols will be introduced for the ceremony, an awards publicist familiar with the situation told Variety, “The Academy has done a walkthrough of the Dolby recently to see all the multiple options.”
The Academy will also be opening the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to the public for display.
The Emmy Awards was held in September this year partially on Zoom and partially live at an empty Staples Theatre in Los Angeles which was broadcast by the ABC Television Network. The announcement of nominations and winners was done digitally with the presenters doing the honours through Zoom calls from their houses.
On the other hand, the Venice International Film Festival, also held in September, saw half of the ususal attendance present and with strict Covid protocols in place.
Other international award ceremonies that are scheduled to be held prior to the Oscars include the Golden Globe Awards 2021 (February 28, 2021), Critics Choice Awards (March 7, 2021), Screen Actors Guild Awards or SAG (March 14, 2021), and the British Academy for Film and Television Awards or BAFTA (April 11, 2021).
The US has had 13.8 million Covid-19 cases so far, with Los Angeles at around 4,09,000 cases and an estimated 7,700 deaths.
Sarpatta Parambarai, the upcoming Tamil film starring Arya and directed by Pa Ranjith, wrapped up shooting on Tuesday. The film will release in theatres in early 2021.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the film’s publicity manager Guna said, “The complete shooting of the film has taken place in Chennai and was completed yesterday (Tuesday). We are planning to release the film in theatres in January or February, next year.”
The story revolves around the boxing culture in north Chennai during the 1970-80s, he said and added that the film will show a different slice of Chennai and its people during the time it is set in.
“Actor Pasupathy has acted in a prominent role,” added Guna.
A first look poster of the film, featuring Arya as a boxer, was unveiled by the makers on social media on Wednesday.
The film marks the director’s first collaboration with Arya. Sharing the film’s poster on Twitter, Ranjith wrote: “Opportunities are made not available very often. This is our game and the opponent should feel the heat.”
Billed to be a sports drama, the film will also feature Dushara Vijayan, who made her debut in Tamil film Bodhai Yeri Budhi Maari in 2019 opposite Arya. Sarpatta Parambarai will be produced by Shanmugam Dhakshanraj. While the film’s music is composed by Santhosh Narayanan and lyrics penned by Kabilan, Murali G is in charge of cinematography. Selva RK is in charge of editing. The stunt coordinator is Anbariv.
Earlier, Ranjith had directed the Tamil political drama Madras (2014) with Karthi in the lead, that explored north Chennai and its communities.
Elliot Page, the Oscar-nominated star of Juno and Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, came out as a non-binary transgender on Tuesday. Formerly known as Ellen Page, he introduced himself on social media with a post saying, “I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they, and my name is Elliot.”
Elliott said his personal pronouns were he/him and they/them, and said he identified as transgender and non-binary. Non-binary or gender queer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine, and are identities that are outside the gender binary.
Elliot said he was overwhelmed with gratitude for the support he has received during this journey. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” they said.
“I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society,” he said.
The actor, who came out as gay in 2014 and married dancer Emma Portner in 2018, asked “for patience” following his announcement, saying “my joy is real, but it is also fragile.” He expressed fears of “invasiveness, the hate, the “jokes and of violence”.
So far, according to a study by the Human Resource Campaign, 40 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been killed in the US, a statistic that Elliott called “staggering”.
He said he joined in the voices protesting the attacks on the trans community, and that political leaders who had criminalised trans health care had “blood on [their] hands”. “You unleash a fury of vile and demeaning rage that lands on the shoulders of the trans community, a community in which 40% of trans adults report attempting suicide. Enough is enough. You aren’t being ‘canceled’, you are hurting people. I am one of those people and we won’t be silent in the face of your attacks,” he said.
He ended his statement with a message to the trans community, saying, “To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”
Several Hollywood celebrities and people from the transgender community came out in support of Elliot and thanked him. Netflix, too, shared the statement and announced excitement over Elliott continuing in season 3 of The Umbrella Academy as the character Vanya, who is a cis-gender woman with superpowers.
Elliot Page’s words here are so beautiful and so eloquent, and he is reminding me that we can all be brave and joyful, even when things are scary. And this year especially, that reminder is such a GIFT. Sending them love/praise/gratitude/well-wishes etc etc etc etc ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/BX6DRXHzmz
.@TheElliotPage has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. Elliot will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. We celebrate him. All trans people deserve to be accepted. https://t.co/Ba7HOBgU5Gpic.twitter.com/qFR1qG4H6q
Thanks Elliot for sharing your journey with the world. Yours is a voice that needs to be heard, to encourage and educate us all. https://t.co/sZF9ROPRFh
Apart from his most-known works in Inception, X-Men, and Juno, Elliott made his directorial debut alongside co-director Ian Daniel for Netflix’s There’s Something In The Water. He also created and produced the Hulu docu-series Gaycation, which earned two Emmy nominations.
According to the Human Resource Campaign, “a transgender person, not “transgendered,” is someone whose gender assigned at birth does not match the gender they identify with.” It includes both medically-transitioned as well as “as non-binary or gender-expansive people who do not exclusively identify as male or female”.
The Human Resource Campaign also notes that the proper names and pronouns “should be used by others, regardless of their legal name or gender marker on identification documents”.
Some people choose to use the gender-neutral pronouns “ze/hir/hirs” or “ey/em/eir”, among others. Here‘s a list of the several gender-neutral pronouns.
The trailer of The Mauritanian, an upcoming American drama starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Zachary Levi, was released on Tuesday. The film is about a Mauritanian engineer who is detained in Guantánamo Bay after the 9/11 terrorist attacks without a charge or a trial for 14 years .
The film is based on a memoir written by Mohamedou Ould Slahi (played by Tahar Rahim in the film). Slahi, who hails from Mauritania, wrote his memoir Guantanámo Diary after he was detained by the US government in the country’s military prison Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, from 2002 to 2016. He was arrested in connection with the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001, but never charged or given a trial. Slahi worked as an engineer in Germany and returned home in 2000.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald and written by MB Traven, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, The Mauritanian is scheduled to release on February 19, 2021.
The plot, according to the film’s promotional material, will take the viewers through Slahi’s life, in the aftermath of his detention. As he finds a defence attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley), the story travels in their pursuit of justice for Slahi and shows how evidence uncovered by a military prosecutor, Lt Colonel Stuart Couch (Cumberbatch) leads to a revelation of a conspiracy.
The film is based on a true story.
In a Guardian video posted on the memoir’s website, editor of the book Larry Siems says that Slahi had joined al-Qaeda in the 1990s like many young men to fight against the Communist government of Afghanistan. However, Slahi broke all ties with al-Qaeda after the Communist government collapsed. Hollander, Slahi’s defence attorney, says that he was from a poor family and was at his mother’s house in November 2001 when he got a call from the police to come and be interviewed.
Since then, Slahi disappeared for his family and was never to be found. He was lodged into the Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba in 2002 and was subjected to torture. He was finally released in 2016. Slahi had started to write his memoir in 2005 as a diary which turned detailed into a manuscript and subsequently a memoir.
The memoir was published in 2015 and went on to become an international bestseller. Translated into multiple languages, the book was published in more than 25 countries.
The film is being distributed by STX Entertainment.
Both the survivor and the prosecution had moved the Kerala High Court in October to transfer the trial, which is ongoing at the Additional Special Sessions Court at Ernakulam in Kerala. They had both claimed bias on the part of the judge.
However, on November 20, the Kerala HC dismissed the pleas of the prosecution and the survivor after observing that there were no sustainable grounds to transfer the case. The court had also rejected the prosecution’s request to stay the case for a week so that it could appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Special Judge involved in the case had earlier directed the investigating officer to make arrangements to resume the trial by November 26. Now, the prosecution has sought for more time since it has approached the Supreme Court.
A Special Leave Petition is a petition filed for an appeal at the Supreme Court by an aggrieved party, here the prosecution, against an order passed by any of the lower courts or tribunals in India. It is exercised only in cases when any substantial question of law is involved, or gross injustice has been done.
The case history began in February 17, 2017, when the survivor was abducted while she was travelling from Kochi to Thrissur in Kerala. After being sexually assaulted for two hours, she was dropped off near the residence of director Lal. Soon after the incident, the first accused in the abduction case, Pulsar Suni, who drove the car while she was being assaulted, was arrested. In June, Pulsar Suni confessed that actor Dileep had conspired in the assault.
On July 20, 2017, Dileep was arrested as the eighth accused in the case. The prosecution counsel has alleged that the trial proceedings were being constantly delayed ever since Dileep was let out on bail.
Dileep, who had been suspended from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), was reinstated to the organisation in 2018. In response, the survivor, Rima Kallingal, Ramya Nambeesan and Geetu Mohandas resigned from the AMMA.
Peter Dinklage, who played Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s drama series Game of Thrones, will star in a reboot of the 1984 action comedy film The Toxic Avenger, reported Deadline.
The film will be helmed by Macon Blair and produced by Troma Entertainment’s Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz. Both had worked as the director and producers of the original 1984 film.
The ToxicAvenger‘s plot revolves around a 98-pound janitor at a health club who is harassed by customers. As the torment increases for him, one of the perpetrator’s tricks lands the janitor in toxic waste. He is then transformed into a hideous creature and acquires enormous size and strength. He emerges a superhero, and the film goes on to show how he battles crime from them on.
The film had been called a midnight movie (a film that is usually made with a low budget and shown during the late hours) and become successful gradually. Cinema Blend reports that Troma Entertainment made the sequels only after the original film had gained cult status over time through late run shows. The sequels made were The Toxic Avenger Part II in 1989, The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie in 1989, and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV in 2000, and an animated spinoff series Toxic Crusaders also aired in 1991.
The new take for which Dinklage has been cast has reportedly been been in the works for a decade now.
Dinklage, who has strong acting credits in the fantasy and superhero genre, has previously appeared in the Marvel superhero film Avengers: Infinity War in 2018, the American superhero film X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian in 2008.
The original 1984 film starred Mitch Cohen with Kenneth Kessler lending his voice to the role.
The 93rd Academy Awards, set to be held in April 2021, have a number of strong contenders from around the world in the International Feature Film Award category, including Jallikattu (Lijo Jose Pellissery) from India, Funny Boy (Deepa Mehta) from Canada, and Sincerely Yours, Dhaka (11 emerging directors) from Bangladesh. In a first for the Oscars, there are also submissions from Sudan, Suriname, and Lesotho.
The Oscars had to be rescheduled this time from February 2021 to April 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the eligibility period has also been extended by two months, from October to December 2020.
The International Feature Film category was earlier named the Best Foreign Film, but was changed in 2019. Larry Karaszewski and Diane Weyermann, co-chairs of the International Feature Film Committee had then stated that “the reference to ‘Foreign’ is outdated within the global filmmaking community,” and that revising the word to ‘International’ would promote “a positive and inclusive view of filmmaking, and the art of film as a universal experience.”
Bong-Joon-Hoo’s Parasite was the first film to win the award in the renamed category in 2018.
Here’s a look at some of the contenders for this year:
India’s official entry for Oscars 2021 is the 2019 Malayalam film Jallikattu. The Lijo Jose Pellissery directorial is a visceral, disorienting, man vs animal film that has more to it than the traditional game it is named after. It starts with a bull, who runs amok in a small village in Kerala, and every man in the village run after it to capture it. While Jallikattu as a game is used as a running theme in the film, the focus is on human greed and what that entails.
The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. It was also showcased at the 24th Busan International Film Festival. In India, the film released in October, 2019. Pellissery was awarded the Best Director trophy at the 50th International Film Festival of India.
Filmmaker Deepa Mehta‘s Funny Boy will represent Canada in the Best International Feature Film category.
The film is based on Shyam Selvadurai’s 1994 novel of the same name. Set in Sri Lanka against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, the story revolves around the sexual awakening of a young boy. The film will feature Arush Nand, Brandon Ingram, Nimmi Harasgama, Ali Kazmi, Agam Darshi, Seema Biswas, and Shivantha Wijesinha in pivotal roles.
Funny Boy will release in selected theatres in a few cities in Canada and will be released worldwide on Netflix on December 10.
Sincerely Yours, Dhaka
Bangladesh- Sincerely Yours, Dhaka (11 directors)
Dhaka is a collection of 11 shorts set in Bangladesh’s capital city by 11 emerging filmmakers: Nuhash Humayun, Syed Ahmed Shawki, Rahat Rahman Joy, M.D. Robiul Alam, Golam Kibria Farooki, Mir Mukarram Hossain, Tanvir Ahsan, Mahmudul Islam, Abdullah Al Noor, Krishnendu Chattopadhyay and Syed Saleh Ahmed Sobhan. The anthology film was nominated for the New Currents Award at the Busan Film Festival.
Better Days
Hong Kong- Better Days (Derek Tsang)
Better Days will be the highest grossing film in the Oscar race this year, having made $225 million worldwide ($223 million in China). Directed by actor-turned-director Derek Tsang, the film revolves around a teenage girl who has been bullied and who goes on to form an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man. The man protects her from her assailants, while she copes with the pressure of final examinations.
Better Days was originally scheduled to debut in the Generation 14Plus section at Berlinale 2019, before it was pulled just days before the festival started, with speculation that it had not passed China’s censorship process.
Impetigore
Indonesia- Impetigore (Joko Anwar)
Indonesia announced on November 11 that the 2019 horror film Impetigore (Perempuan Tanah Jahanam) would be its official entry for the Oscars. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) is the only horror film to have won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Other horror films that have earned a nomination include, The Exorcist (1973), Jaws (1975), The Sixth Sense (1999), Black Swan (2010), and Get Out (2017).
Directed and written by Joko Anwar, the film revolves around the mystery of a girl who returns from the city to the village with her best friend in search of her inheritance, unaware of the danger that awaits her.
Impetigore won the Méliès International Festivals Federation Award for Best Asian Film at the 2020 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea, and dominated the nominations at the 2020 Indonesian Film Festival with 17 nominations.
Malaysia- Roh (Emir Ezwan)
Malaysia’s entry is also a horror feature with Emir Ezwan’s Roh. Set in the past, the film centres on a family who is visited by a strange little girl with a frightening prediction.
OSCAR DEBUTANTS
This is Not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection
Lesotho- This is Not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection (Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese)
Lesotho will make its Oscar debut with This is Not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection in 2021. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s feature revolves around an 80-year-old widow whose village is threatened by forced resettlement due to reservoir construction, which leads to the village rising in protest. The film debuted at the Biennale College at Venice 2019, and then went on an extensive international festival tour, which included the Sundance festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and Göteborg. It also won prizes at Athens, Durban, Guanajuato, Haifa, Hamptons, Hong Kong, La Roche-sur-Yon, Montclair, Montréal, Portland, Reyjavik, Sundance and Taipei festivals.
You Will Die at Twenty
Sudan- You Will Die at Twenty (Amjad Abu Alala).
This film centres a young man who turns 19, and receives a prediction from his village’s holy man that he will die when he reaches 20.
Suriname- Wiren (Ivan-Tai-Apin)
Suriname’s official entry Wiren revolves around a young deaf boy who fights discrimination against the people with disabilities in his country.
Rahul Roy (Aashiqui), the actor who suffered a brain stroke in November while shooting in extreme weather conditions in Kargil for the film LAC: Live the Battle, is recovering well. He will soon be fit enough to return home, the film’s producer Nivedita Basu told Silverscreen India on Tuesday.
She said, “Rahul Roy is being shifted to the normal ward today and will be shifted to his house soon as well.”
Roy is currently undergoing treatment at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital. He has been diagnosed with a condition called aphasia or impaired speech and is likely to undergo surgery.
The 52-year-old actor was shooting in extreme weather conditions in Kargil for the film, LAC: Live the Battle, when the temperature dropped and he had to be airlifted to Mumbai. While Roy was initially admitted to a hospital in Srinagar, the filmmakers decided to shift him to Mumbai before his condition worsened.
Speaking to Midday about the incident, Basu said, “Kargil had extreme weather conditions and they had gone up to -12°C and -13°C, so it was just a matter of time when someone would have succumbed to the cold, and I think that’s exactly what happened with Rahul. His one day of the shoot was still left but when we got to know about him, we told Nitin that we need to get him out.”
She further said, “Nitin arranged for him to be airlifted from Kargil to Srinagar and then back to Mumbai. The expenses are being taken care of by the production, he was taken to the hospital immediately by us and was given immediate attention.”
LAC: Live the Battle is directed by Nitin Kumar Gupta and jointly produced by Chitra Vakil Sharma and Nivedita Basu.
Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Vijay Shah has denied reports that he had halted the shooting of Vidya Balan’s upcoming Hindi film Sherni after the actor allegedly declined his dinner invitation.
According to a Times Now report, vehicles of the production team of Balan’s film were stopped from entering a forest in Madhya Pradesh by the District Forest Officer (DFO) of Balaghat, a day after the actor allegedly refused to accept the Minister’s dinner invitation.
However, the Minister told ANI that it was he who had refused to accept a lunch/dinner invite from the film’s crew when they sought permission to shoot.
Was there(Balaghat)on request from those who took permission for shoot & requested me for lunch/dinner. I said not possible now, I'll meet them when I go to Maharashtra. Lunch/dinner was cancelled, shoot wasn't: MP min Vijay Shah on reports of his dinner invitation to Vidya Balan pic.twitter.com/N0f4nJBU73
The film has run into issues since shooting began in Madhya Pradesh. Shooting had to be stalled in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and only resumed end-October. Meanwhile, a few weeks ago actor Vijay Raaz was arrested for allegedly molesting a crew member. Raaz is out on bail, but is no longer a part of the film. After getting bail, the actor left for Mumbai. Vidya Balan, makers or the production team of the film have not issued a statement on the incident as yet.
Balan, along with the rest of the team, has been shooting for Sherni in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat for a few weeks now.
Lakshya is a new-age sports drama in which Naga Shaurya plays the role of an archer who wants to compete at the Olympics. Speaking with The Times of Indiain July, Naga Shaurya had said, “I play an archer who’s headed to the Olympics. The lockdown gave me the time to work out more to look better for this role. I even trained with a professional archer to learn the nuances of the sport and get the body language right.”
In addition to training under a professional archer, Naga Shaurya also worked with a celebrity fitness trainer to prepare for the role. This will be Shaurya’s 20th film.
According to the filmmakers, Lakshya (which translates to ‘Target’ in English) will be India’s first feature film on archery. The first-look poster, released in July, depicted Shaurya as an archer.
Lakshya also features Ketika Sharma in a leading role. Details on her role have not yet been announced.
Lakshya is directed by Santhosh Jagarlapudi and produced by Narayan Das K Narang, Puskur Ram Mohan Rao and Sharrath Marar under the banner of Sree Venkateswara Cinemas LLP along with Northstar Entertainment. Lakshya is Jagarlapudi’s second directorial venture after 2018 Telugu film Subrahmanyapuram.
Raam Reddy will be handling the cinematography while Junaid Siddiqui will be the editor for the film. The music for the film will be composed by Kaala Bhairava.
The film was first launched in October 2019. There has been no official announcement on the release date of the film as yet.
Early on Monday, an anonymous person sent a bomb threat to actor Vikram’s house in Besant Nagar, Chennai. The Chennai police subsequently conducted a search and found it to be a hoax.
After receiving a call from an anonymous person, the police control room contacted the Thiruvanmiyur police station. Speaking to Silverscreen India, Inspector Ramasundaram of the Thiruvanmiyur police station said that within five minutes, the police had alerted the bomb squad and gone to Vikram’s house to conduct a search. After investigating the premises, the police concluded that the call was a hoax.
According to Ramasundaram, the police are currently trying to trace the culprit behind the phone call. India Todayreports that the call received by the control room had been traced back to Villupuram.
Recently, there has been an increase in the number of bomb threats made to persons in the Tamil film industry.
Last month, the Chennai police received two calls from the same unknown person claiming that a bomb had been planted at the residences of actor Dhanush and actor-politician Vijayakanth. The person had called the Chennai Police control room in the morning and told them about the bomb at Vijayakanth’s house. He then called three hours later claiming that another bomb had been planted at Dhanush’s house in Teynampet. However, upon investigation, it was found that the calls were a hoax.
In June, a class VII student from Nellikuppam had called the Chennai police and claimed that bombs had been planted at actor Rajinikanth’s residence. Four months ago, the student had made two calls and claimed that a bomb has been planted at actor Suriya’s residence.
It was later found that the person who had made the calls was suffering from a mental health disorder. The person was released with only a warning. According to India Today, the police suspect that the person behind Vikram’s bomb threat could be the same person who was responsible for the earlier incidents.
Ryan Reynolds has begun shooting for the science-fiction film, The Adam Project, which will release on Netflix. On Sunday, the actor posted first-look photos from the set, and announced that one week of shooting had been completed. The Adam Project also stars Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener and Alex Mallari Jr.
Directed by Shawn Levy, the film is a science-fiction time-travel film in which Reynold’s character goes back in time to join forces with his 13-year-old self in order to try and save the future. According to Hollywood Reporter, Mark Ruffalo plays Reynolds’ father, a brilliant physicist, while Keener (Into the Wild) plays the main antagonist, a woman who has stolen powerful technology from the physicist.
According to a Deadline report in July, the film, which is now supported by Netflix, was originally titled Our Name Is Adam eight years ago. At that time, it was tied up with Paramount and had actor Tom Cruise playing the lead role. Since then the script (which was originally written by TS Nowlin) has undergone many changes. In the earlier version, the protagonist was an astronaut. The latest version has been written by Jonathan Tropper, reports Deadline.
According to Hollywood Reporter, The Adam Project will be jointly produced by Skydance Productions, 21 Laps Entertainment, and Reynolds’ Maximum Effort. A part of Maximum Effort’s program is the Group Effort Initiative, which aims to give artists of colour an opportunity to work on Reynolds’ productions. This film will mark the program’s first venture.
The Adam Project comes in the wake of a deal between Levy and his production banner 21 Laps Entertainment for the first look for features and exclusive for TV, reported Deadline. In addition to The Adam Project, Levy has also directed six episodes of the Netflix’s science-fiction horror series, Stranger Things.
A bad listener is the first indication of a potentially bad relationship.
In Basu Chatterjee’s Rajnigandha (1974), Sanjay (played by Amol Palekar) is not only a poor listener, but insensitive in other ways. Perhaps it’s all part of the same terrain. However, he is consistently committed to Deepa (played by Vidya Sinha). So, what saves the day for him, and why is this elegant and intelligent woman so beatifically tolerant of him?
It is with some such lack of charity that I watched the beginning of the film, that had stayed in mind for decades as a mélange of images, but remained unfamiliar in terms of lines of the narrative. Upon re-visiting the film recently, I was struck by how comfortably Deepa meets Sanjay at her home, and how she plans to appear for an interview for a job in Bombay (while she lives in Delhi) at a time when such decisions were even more unusual than today. However, the idea of a relationship and marriage are a given; so, there’s no point in my fussing over that issue. It is when she finds herself attracted to her ex-boyfriend Navin (played by Dinesh Thakur) in Bombay that the film acquires huge interest, as not only one about romance and choices; but about the remnants of desire and silent ways in which it steals upon her.
Who draws boundaries and who breaks them? Who reminds us of monogamous commitments and also its difficulty? How is both policing and transgression of boundaries in the same heart, that strains to jump free, and returns? An enormously timely and expressive song manages to say all this. The song starts almost mid-conversation,
Kai baar yun bhi dekha hai, yeh jo man ki seema rekha, man todne lagta… anjaan aas ke pichhe, anjaani pyaas ke pichhe… (It often happens that the heart breaks its own boundaries and thirsts for the unknown)
The love at India Gate is different from love at Gateway of India. Sanjay, whom Deepa has left behind for five days in Delhi, acquires a haziness in her mind. She finds herself selecting the saree that Navin likes, and is reminded of how oblivious and inattentive Sanjay was to her desire to be seen and noticed. Sanjay couldn’t have enough of whining about his office; the lack of promotions, the cut in dearness allowance. His garrulity drowned out Deepa’s responses; and her studied silence remained unnoticed. On other hand Navin is sensitive; quiet, not making gaffes about women working, or earning, and simply plays a gracious host. He is worldly wise and confidently strides through the advertising world of Bombay.
Given Chatterjee’s penchant for cities, we see one pair walking through New Delhi’s Lodi Garden and a reconfigured pair walking in Hanging Garden of Bombay. The companionship shifts with each urban landscape, and Deepa finds herself being drawn to Bombay as a city where she experiences sensuality. She longingly looks to Navin to say something to her; but in vain.
Meanwhile, her home, back in Delhi, is filled with rajnigandha (tuberose) flowers. The song that had played in the first few scenes merging as it were her love for the flowers and Sanjay, is muted. I refer to the famous song, Rajnigandha phool tumhare mehke yuheen jeevan main…
The flowers now appear to surveil Deepa’s desire for Navin, whose letter she waits for. She has to turn her back on the flowers to indulge in fantasies about Navin. She hopes the letter would make love to her but instead, it ends before it begins.
Meanwhile, the rajnigandha flowers are as regular and constant as Sanjay and both remain in her life. This was the truth of her life. Yahi sachi hai, as the title of the story by Mannu Bandhari goes, and forms the basis of the film. As spectators of today, we are left somewhat bewildered by such narrow possibilities of truth, that lies between two men of which neither is good for the woman.
Kuruthi will be produced by Supriya Menon, under the banner of Prithviraj Productions. The film also stars Shine Tom Chacko, Murali Gopy, Manikandan R Achari, Navas Vallikkunnu, Srindaa, Naslen, Sagar Surya, and Mammukkoya.
The filmmakers announced the shooting date and the title on the social media platform Twitter on Sunday:
The script of Kuruthi has been written by Anish Pallyal (The Summer of Miracles). Jakes Bejoy will be composing music for the film. Kuruthi is the third Prithviraj film that Bejoy is composing music for, after the 2018 Malayalam action thriller Ranam, and the 2020 Malayalam action thriller Ayyappanum Koshiyum. The award-winning lyricist Rafeeq Ahammed will write the lyrics. Cinematography will be handled by Abinandhan Ramanujam, who has earlier worked on Prithviraj’s 2015 release Double Barrel. Editing will be handled by Akhilesh Mohan.
Kuruthi marks the director’s first project in Malayalam cinema. Warrier has previously directed a 2014 romantic drama Coffee Bloom and also worked as a writer on the TV series YUDH, a psychological thriller starring Amitabh Bachchan.
Prithviraj is expected to begin shooting for Kuruthi after he finishes shooting for the Malayalam cop drama Cold Casein Thiruvananthapuram. Earlier in October, the actor had tested positive for Covid-19 while on the sets of Dijo Jose Anthony’s Jana GanaMana. As per regulations, shooting was subsequently halted. A week later, he tested negative on the antigen test and resumed shooting soon after. Following the wrap-up of Jana Gana Mana, he started shooting for Cold Case and now has Kuruthi in his pipeline.
Though an official announcement has not been made, as per an On Manorama report, the shooting will be completed in a single schedule in Erattupetta in Kottayam, Kerala, from December 9, 2020 to the second week of January 2021.
Actor-filmmaker Lakshmy Ramakrishnan‘s next film Blue Ink is based on a real-life incident explored through the emotional journey of three women in different age groups. Lakshmy told Silverscreen India that the incident, which occurred a month-and-a-half ago, had affected her deeply.
She said, “I want to discuss this incident – it’s not a rape or anything like that – but when this incident happened it was politicised and it was approached with a caste angle. It was approached in a way that the very focus on the main issue was lost and the woman went through a hell of a time.”
“Since it is a real life incident, the scripting part becomes very spontaneous and very intuitive. It just flows out of you. That’s what happened for House Owner. House Owner’s script was done in 10 days. So the same thing is happening for this movie also.”
House Owner was showcased as one of the best films under the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) last month.
Lakshmy said that the title “Blue Ink” was a reference to advertisements for sanitary napkins which use the colour blue where there should be bloodstains. Lakshmy, who called this hypocritical, said her comments would likely trigger a discussion about menstruation.
She said, “I actually wanted [the film’s poster] to carry a stained sanitary pad. But then that will be too much to digest for many people. So I decided not to go with that.”
According to Lakshmy, menstrual blood was the “true representation of womanhood”.
Lakshmy said that before writing the script of Blue Ink, she had been working on another film, Are You Okay Baby? However, she shifted her focus to Blue Ink as she felt it was more relevant in today’s world. She said, “If you give me a camera, I will go tomorrow and start shooting. But they are holding me back now and asking me not to be impatient. I am so eager to share my views on the incident and I feel it is very relevant to today’s world,”
The film’s cast has not yet been announced, although the team is in talks with two actors.
Shooting for Blue Ink is expected to start after January 15, 2021.
Speaking of House Owner‘s release, Lakshmy said, “Last time, what happened with House Owner was that we could not give a premiere. House Owner got the attention from many festival directors but they wanted a premiere and we had already released the film. I had sold the overseas rights, I had sold the satellite rights and OTT, everything before I even started shooting.”
House Owner Movie Stills Featuring Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Lakshmy said she hoped to complete shooting by February so that the film could premiere in major film festivals outside India.
David Prowse, the British actor best known for playing the original Darth Vader in the popular Star Wars franchise, died at a hospital in London early on Saturday, after battling Covid-19 for two weeks, his daughter Rachel told The Sun. He was 85.
Rachel also said that Prowse had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “It’s horrible that Covid restrictions meant we did not get to see him and say goodbye. But when we went to collect his stuff from the hospital the nurse said what a cool guy he was. He was such a larger-than-life character. He would have loved to see himself trending on Twitter,” she said.
Prowse’s death was first announced on Sunday by Jason Joiner, an events manager who worked with Prowse on a Facebook fan page dedicated to the actor. The announcement read, “We are very sad to have to inform you that Dave Prowse has passed away aged 85. Dave has been suffering for some time and has not been attending events for several years.”
Thomas Bowington, Prowse’s agent, told The Guardian, “It’s with great regret and heart-wrenching sadness for us and million of fans around the world, to announce that our client Dave Prowse MBE has passed away at the age of 85.”
Prowse was born in Bristol, England, in 1935. He was a three-time weightlifting champion and even represented the country in weightlifting at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. His physical build allowed him to break into movies and play the roles of many monsters.
Prowse is best known as the iconic character Darth Vader, an imposing antagonist in the popular science-fiction series, Star Wars. However, due to his West Country English accent, Vader’s dialogues had to be voiced by James Earl Jones.
Vader makes an entrance in Star Wars: A New Hope.
George Lucas, the director of Star Wars, had invited Prowse to audition for the roles of both Chewbacca and Darth Vader, after seeing him play a minor role (Julian) in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. However, Prowse chose Vader. In a 2008 interview with NPR, Prowse said he picked Vader because, “You always remember the baddie.”
Prowse won an MBE, the third highest ranking Order of the British Empire award, for playing the Green Cross Man, a superhero created for promoting road safety in the UK. In fact, Prowse may be best known for Vader but he was most proud of his role as the Green Cross Man.
In 2014, Prowse wrote in a Guardiancolumn, “Many people will know me for being the ultimate screen villain, Star Wars’ Darth Vader. But being a “goodie goodie” and heading up the Green Cross Code campaign, helping to save thousands of lives has always been the ultimate honour.”
In his tribute to Prowse, Star Wars creator George Lucas said that he brought a physicality that was essential for Vader’s character. Lucas told The Hollywood Reporter, “He made Vader leap off the page and on to the big screen, with an imposing stature and movement performance to match the intensity and undercurrent of Vader’s presence. David was up for anything and contributed to the success of what would become a memorable, tragic figure. May he rest in peace.”
Lucasfilm was saddened to learn of the passing of David Prowse, who provided the commanding presence and imposing physical performance of Darth Vader for the Original Trilogy. He will be long remembered…https://t.co/U8Yua0mmoKpic.twitter.com/m2WGGlE3r1
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, the protagonist of the original Star Wars series, and also the son of Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker, also paid tribute to Prowse. Saying he was saddened to hear the news, Hamill wrote:
So sad to hear David Prowse has passed. He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader. Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting Champion & Safety Icon the Green Cross Code Man. He loved his fans as much as they loved him. #RIPpic.twitter.com/VbDrGu6iBz
Co-star Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO, a protocol droid bought by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, wrote:
More sad news. Dave has gone. I don’t think 3PO ever faced Vader’s mighty presence on set, other than as a bag of bits on Chewie’s shoulders in the carbon freezer. But Dave’s iconic figure dominated the finished film in ’77 and has done so ever since. And will continue to do so.
The family of late actor Peter Mayhew, who played the role of Chewbacca, the 200-year-old Wookie (a fictional alien race), in Star Wars, posted a photo of Prowse along with Mayhew and late actor Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2 (an astromech droid), on social media :
John Barrowman, Prowse’s co-star in Doctor Who, wrote:
#DaveProwse has passed away. #fanfamily We knew him best as #DarthVader Dave got me into shape/trained me for my Role in Matador. He was a genuine, kind, loving man, loved life, family, fitness and his fans. Dave was a huge part of our #confamily his smile will be missed. Jb pic.twitter.com/t91c5JCcTS
Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas is set to star alongside Outlander actor Sam Heughan and singer Celine Dion in a romantic drama film titled Text For You. Shooting for the film has already commenced.
Chopra Jonas posted an Instagram story with the caption “It begins…#textforyou.”
Credits: Priyanka Chopra on Instagram
The film is a remake of the 2016 hit German film SMS Fur Dich, which was based on Sofie Cramer’s novel by the same name. The film is being distributed by Sony’s Screen Gems.
According to a report by Variety, the story revolves around a woman who sends romantic messages to her dead fiancé’s phone. However, it turns out the number has been reassigned to a man across town suffering from a similar heartbreak. The two meet and despite feeling a strong connection towards each other, they are unable to let go of their past.
The film is being directed by James C Strouse. He has written the film’s script along with screenwriter Lauryn Kahn. The film will be produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Esther Hornstein for Thunder Road, which undertook the production of films like A Star is Born and John Wick.
Strouse last directed the film The Incredible Jessica James, starring Jessica K Williams, Chris O’Dowd, Lakeith Stanfield, and Noel Wells.
Chopra Jonas will also be seen in the upcoming Netflix film White Tiger, which has been co-produced by her. On Saturday, she shared an Instagram story of her dubbing for the film. She will also be seen in We Can Be Heroes, directed by Robert Rodriguez. She is also set to star in Matrix 4 and Citadel, which is being directed by Avengers: Endgame directors Russo Brothers.
Director Keith Gomes‘ short film Shameless has been announced as India’s official entry to the Best Live Action Short Film category of the 93rd Academy Awards.
The Oscar is scheduled to be held in April 2021. Director Marshall Curry’s The Neighbor’s Window won the award this year.
The 15-minute film is a dark-comedy that features actors Sayani Gupta, Hussain Dalal and Rishabh Kapoor. It deals with the loss of human spirit due to technology and also attempts to raise relevant questions on the issues of entitlement, humanity and empathy toward the migrant class, ANI reported.
The story revolves around a professional, played by Dalal, who works from home and keeps on ordering pizza. He wakes up one morning to find himself trapped by an exasperated and apologetic pizza-delivery girl, played by Gupta.
As per a report by ANI, Gomes said in a statement, “I observe human behavior and love telling stories about the human spirit. This world needs kindness and my films are a reminder to not get lost into technology. I have to thank my incredible cast and my crew of National and Oscar Award winners. I make films with little funding from my family and friends, everyone comes together with loads of love and passion. Couldn’t be more blessed.”
Produced by Ashley Gomes and Sandeep Kamal, the film was one of the finalists at the third edition of the Best of India Short Film Festival 2020. Resul Pookutty, who won an Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, has designed the sound for the short film.
Gomes’ other works include the short films Doobie (2020) and Child’s Play (2016). Doobie was released by veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and won several international awards, including the Best Children’s Short Film Award at Dytiatko International Children’s Film Festival, Ukraine. It was screened at several platforms including the POFF Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and the Jaipur International Film Festival.
Earlier, Gomes had written the screenplay for the 2014 Salman Khan-starrer film Kick.
The second season of Gupta’s Amazon Prime web series Four More Shots Please! was nominated for the Emmy’s this year in the Best Comedy Series category. She has earlier worked with Dalal in the 2014 film Margarita With A Straw.
Shameless released in April 2019 and was contending for the Oscars against four other short films- Shaan Vyas’ Natkhat, Aditya Kelgaonkar’s Sound Proof, Safar, and Trapped.
Malayalam independent film Jallikattu has been announced as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy.
Actors Tej and Nabha took to social media on Saturday to announce the release date.
Can't wait to listen to your cheers and whistles. Feel privileged to be part of a film which is releasing first in the new normal. Let's restart and go back to our beloved theaters. #SoloBrathukeSoBetter – Coming to theaters near you this Christmas.#SBSBOnDec25thpic.twitter.com/Vy9V8eITNw
The film was initially scheduled to release in theatres on May 1, but shooting halted and the release was postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In August, Tej took to Twitter to announce that the film has resumed shooting.
Sole Brathuke So Better is pitched as a romantic satire comedy. The trailer released earlier this year and featured Sai Dharam Tej as a college-going student who is actively involved in campus politics.
Solo Brathuke So Better will be among the first Telugu films to release in theatres in Telangana, after more than eight months. The Telangana government recently issued an order stating that theatres outside Covid-19 containment zones could reopen by adhering to Covid-19 safety guidelines. Norms prescribed include social distancing, mandatory usage of masks, frequent sanitisation, crowd management, controlling temperatures inside cinema halls and staggered show timings.
Solo Brathuke So Better is jointly produced by BVSN Prasad, under the banner of Sri Venkateshwara Cine Chitra, and Zee Studio Association. Cinematography has been handled by Venkat C Dilip, while Naveen Nooli has handled editing. S Thaman has composed the music.
Actor Taapsee Pannu commenced shooting for her upcoming Hindi film Looop Lapeta, on Saturday. The film is an adaptation of the cult German film Run Lola Run.
Shooting for the film was supposed to begin in April, but was stalled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The film is being helmed by Aakash Bhatia and stars Tahir Raj Bhasin in a prominent role. Vivek Krishnani’s Sony Pictures Films India, Tanujj Garg, and Atul Kasbekar’s Ellipsis Entertainment and Aayush Maheshwari are jointly producing the film.
According to its makers, the film is a “comedy thriller” based on the 1998 experimental film Run Lola Run, in which a girl named Lola gets 20 minutes to secure 100,000 Deutsche Marks to save her boyfriend Manni. The film gave audiences three possible outcomes for the same situation depending on what Lola encounters on her 20-minute journey. Run Lola Run, helmed by Tom Tykwer, starred Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtreu in lead roles and won accolades such as the German Film Award for Best Feature Film, Best Direction, and Best Editing.
Pannu has earlier worked in a similarly-themed thriller film. In her 2019 Tamil-Telugu film Game Over, directed by Ashwin Saravanan, she plays PTSD patient and a game designer who gets three chances to outwit a serial killer on the loose.
Taapsee
Apart from Looop Lapeta, the shooting for two of Pannu’s upcoming Hindi films- Rashmi Rocket and Haseen Dilruba alongside Vikrant Massey- had also been stalled owing to the pandemic. In October, she announced that shooting for HaseenDilruba has wrapped up. The actor took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce that she has completed the first schedule of shooting for RashmiRocket.
While it was announced earlier this year that Looop Lapeta would hit the theatres on January 29, 2021, there has been no official confirmation regarding the release date yet.
