Actor Taapsee Pannu commenced shooting for her next film Rashmi Rocket on Tuesday. Makers of the film took to social media to make the announcement.
“We are soon going to hear only one name on the tracks!#RashmiRocket, filming begins today!” read a tweet from RSVP Movies, which is bankrolling the film.
The film has been billed as a sports drama and is directed by Akarsh Khurana. It is written by Nanda Periyasamy, Aniruddha Guha, and Kanika Dhillon. Shooting for the film was initially slated to commence earlier this year but was stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rashmi Rocket is being jointly produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Pranjal Khandhdiya and Neha Anand. Music will be composed by Amit Trivedi.
Pannu shared photos of the film’s script on Instagram and wrote: “On your marks.” She also shared a picture from the set and wrote: “Today at the starting line.”
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Painyuli, who will play the role of Pannu’s husband in the film, also shared the announcement and wrote: “It’s time to flag off. Very excited for this one.”
The story, based in Kutch, Gujarat, revolves around a Gujarati girl named Rashmi. The first look motion posterwas released last August by Akshay Kumar, which depicted Pannu running against a rural backdrop and on the tracks.
“This ROCKET is set for her next MISSION and she’s off to the tracks! Presenting a glimpse of @tapsee in and as #RashmiRocket,” Kumar had written on Instagram while releasing the motion poster.
Pannu was last seen in Thappad, which released earlier this year. She recently wrapped up shooting for Haseen Dilruba, alongside Vikrant Massey, directed by Vinil Mathew.
Painyuli was seen in Amazon Prime Video’s web series Mirzapur 2, which released in October.
Hindi romantic drama Sir, starring Tillotama Shome and Vivek Gomber, will release theatrically on November 13, Shome announced on Twitter on Tuesday.
Initially slated for a theatrical release in March, the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival under the Critics’ View Sidebar category in 2018. Sir has been screened at several international film festivals, including the New York Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival and the Jagran Film Festival in Mumbai in 2019.
The film is written and directed by Rohena Gera. Gera has also co-produced the film with Brice Poisson. Sir features Geetanjali Kulkarni, Rahul Vora, and Ahmareen Anjum in pivotal roles.
The film is produced under the banner of Platoon One Films, founded by Shiladitya Bora. Tweeting the announcement, Bora wrote: “Distance makes the heart grow fonder… and it also keeps you safe! #SIRTheFilm welcomes you back to cinemas with all safety precautions. Releasing on 13th November 2020. @RohenaGera @TillotamaShome #VivekGomber @getkul @BricePoisson @ShiladityaBora #PlatoonOneFilms @PicturesPVR”
Set in Mumbai, the film narrates the story of Ratna (played by Shome), a live-in maid hired by Ashwin (Gomber), the scion of a real estate family. Ratna and Ashwin develop feelings for each other but soon find out that their relationship is forbidden.
Shome was last seen in Zee5’s Hindi web series Mentalhood (produced by Rupali Guha, co-starring Karishma Kapoor) and late actor Irrfan Khan’s last film Angrezi Medium.
Shome had also appeared inChintu Ka Birthday (2019), a Hindi comedy-drama film, written and directed by Devanshu Singh and Satyanshu Singh. She was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award at the 63rd Filmfare Awards for her role in A Death In The Gunj, directed by Konkona Sen Sharma.
Shome’s other notable films include Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding, Shadows of Time (Schatten der Zeit, directed by Florian Gallenberger), The Waiting City by Claire McCarthy, Italo Spinelli’s Gangor (based on Mahashweta Devi’s novel), Qaushiq Mukherjee’s Tasher Desh and Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai.
Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming Telugu thriller Gathamhas caught attention for its impressive stunning visuals and background score. What makes it more interesting is that a group of young US-based students and IT professionals got together to make this film. Directed by IT professional Kiran Reddy, Gatham stars newcomers like Bhargava Poludasu, Rakesh Galebhe, Lakshmi Bharadwaj, and Poojitha Kuraparthi in lead roles.
In an interview with Silverscreen India‘s Shrija Ganguly, the director walks us through journey of making the film- conceiving the idea of the film in 2012 to the final cut in 2019- and how all of them juggled the film and their families.
“What really helped us was a strong will power. There were instances where shooting had to be stopped, no matter what, and a lot was at stake, or, quit the filming location after filming for 10 days and 10 more days of filming were left. We were never bogged down by all these factors. To keep it simple, you will definitely go through a phase of , ‘hey, we should call it quits’, but I was not the only one,” says Reddy.
Gatham is an extension of one of your short films. Which one is it and why did you feel the need to make a feature film out of it?
When we made the short film, we never knew that that would have legs to be transformed into a feature film. But we happened to attend a film festival where we premiered the short film and directors like Harish Shankar, who directed Pawan Kalyan’s Gabbar Singh, and Merlapaka Gandhi watched it and boosted our confidence by talking to us personally and showering us with praises. They were really impressed and found the concept to be pretty unique. And that coming from filmmakers who are proven in the industry, filled us with faith. That’s when we started travelling with the movie. We were doing a lot of other short films but in hindsight, I always knew that this is how I was going to debut.
It goes back to 2015, but apart from the core concept, it is in no way related to the short film. It is totally different with lots of layers and emotions. It is like apples and oranges. Plus, the span is huge. I will definitely attribute it to the short film.
What were some of the obstacles in extending a short film into a feature film?
We faced inner challenges during the stage of pre-production because the logistics expand multifold. Because in our case (the short film), it was just my friend Harsha and I. But in case of Gatham, our team expanded to 12 or 13 people, including the cast and crew. Even though that was not huge in comparison to the normal filmmaking process, it still was a huge jump. Managing people is 50% of the filmmaking process and the rest 50% is the creative part of it. I had to treat them very carefully because they are different brains constantly trying to push the envelope. Obviously they want to get the best output from the movie but we learnt how to manage people.
What does Gatham exactly stand for?
The reason I chose this title is because the past plays a key role. It drives the entire movie. Not just from the story perspective but also from the characters’ perspective- what one’s past means to someone else.
Is there an issue that the film is central to? This is in relation to the scene of a missing girl’s case with which the trailer opens.
It is totally fictional and is in no way related to any of my earlier works. We did not pick anything else apart from the element of past.
A still from the film.
When was the film shot? And how long did it take?
We filmed it in December 2018 and it was a 17-day-long schedule. Because we all are working professionals, coordinating was not an easy thing. It was less but whatever we achieved, and whatever you will be watching on screen is a result of excellent planning and proper execution during that window. We did nine additional days for other schedules, but the longest schedule was the 17 days and on an average, we worked for 18 to 20 hours a day and sometimes we even went on for 26 hours.
For that, we definitely didn’t work as a team but we worked as a family. For example, if someone was acting, the others would be running the show behind the camera holding the lights, etc. Nobody had any inhibitions. Everyone did multiple jobs. Eventually, we wanted to tell a great story. But how do we do that with our limited logistics? How can we get more creative? By putting that extra hour.
Hopefully, this will inspire upcoming filmmakers to tell great stories even with limited resources.
The entire film was shot in 26 days.
The cast and crew of the film is really small.
We had an ensemble cast. Since the movie starts and ends in different zones, we had to explore lots of locations. There were about 50-60 actors, including the junior artists. But the crew remained pretty much constant, ranging from six to eight people, including myself, Harsha and my wife, who took care of the production design of the show. The technical crew comprised five people, mostly.
Making of Gatham Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Was it tough to pull off an entire feature film with a limited crew? How difficult was it?
It was definitely tough to do pre-production and not that tough while executing it. Because we knew that our USP lay in the production value and strong narration. I can’t sell a film that has newcomers. So, where we could excel, was in the making. But how do we get creative? We had to do extensive research during pre-production; figure out how we could capture a location in a cinematic fashion that would look like a big production house’s. You have to have a clear vision, clarity of thought, and communicate it to your director of photography and other technicians and they will enhance your vision. That’s what happened with Gatham.
Did you face any problem with budget restraints?
When we decided to make Gatham, we always had a practical approach to it. We knew we cannot go overboard. Having said that, we had never anticipated that it would go on to a platform like Amazon (Prime Video), which has millions of subscribers worldwide. We cut down on wherever we had to and still deliver that quality that the audience would anticipate. During this process, we met a lot of people, especially Srujan from S Originals, who is also one of our producers. He happened to watch the rushes and then he decided to back the film. He saw a spark in our filmmaking and thought that we will go places next two or three years or so. That’s how it got bigger everyday and today we are here.
Could you give some instances of where you had to cut down?
For example, to run the set you need at least four or five production assistants catering to the needs of the cast and the crew because they are always working tirelessly. But I didn’t have the budget to afford them. So, during their breaks, the actors stepped in as production assistants. They would go grab the food or set up the lights and camera lens. That’s how we cut down on most of our costs. The crew members did not take any remuneration because they believed in us and helped us a lot. I used that money to narrate the film in a better way.
So, everyone on the cast and crew was known to each other? Did the film start out as a collective thought or was built organically, starting from you and then including the others?
Before we ventured into Gatham, we (the lead cast) were all traveling together as we go way back. We (Harsha and I) started this in 2012 and then slowly people joined in as they believed in our vision and conviction. With each short film, we added more people to our close-knit group. It was a job made easier because of our common vision and common interest in filmmaking. So, when I decided to venture into a feature film, I knew whom to pick. I did not have a lot of challenges in assembling them. It was a process that was built over the years.
What is the reason behind the two-year gap, between filming and the film’s release?
As I mentioned earlier, the filming took another nine days (after the 17-day long schedule). We had to do three more schedules and assembling everyone again for even three days was pretty difficult owing to their daily lives, responsibilities, and professions. So, we had to spread those schedules across five more months and eventually, we were able to finish the filming in May 2019.
From there on, post-production took around eight or nine months and we were ready with our first copy in February 2020. And then the pandemic struck and we had to wait all these days. Thanks to Amazon (Prime Video), we are coming on November 6. On paper, it definitely looks like a two-year waiting period but it was just the situation that delayed the release.
A still from the film
So, you and your team were juggling Gatham and your day-to-day lives?
Yes, indeed. Most of us, if not everyone, are software professionals and work with the IT industry here (in the US). We could not quit our jobs, of course. All we could do was take some vacation and make this happen. Whenever we used to work, we would switch on our software brains from 9 am to 5 pm, and after that get into the world of cinema and have lots of creative juices flowing together. It has been a roller coaster ride. It was a fun process, though. We have the satisfaction of achieving something as well as doing justice to our responsibilities and family commitments. It is a complete feeling. It’s not really like we had to sacrifice anything.
Hopefully, this will set an example for those who think that we have to quit something to achieve what we are really passionate about. There are ways you can work around and not having to part with your near and dear ones.
Filmmaking is a tedious process and requires time and attention. And then you come and prove the contrary. So, was there a time when you felt like you should quit or you can’t go any further?
It is definitely a tedious process if you don’t enjoy it. Unless you are committed to creating a movie, there is no point that you will even try to make an attempt. It is going to be gruelling unless you know what you are in for.
Having said that, not always did we enjoy it. No matter what, we have our saturation points. Especially, for makers like us, Indie style guys who have nothing in control and have to do a lot of run-and-gun filming. A lot of situations won’t support you. But still, you have to pull it off. What really helped us was a strong will power. There were instances where the shooting had to be stopped no matter what and a lot was at stake, or, quit the filming location after filming for 10 days and ten more days of filming were left. We were never bogged down by all these factors.
Could you share a couple of instances (when the shooting had to be stopped)?
So, the first one being filming for 10 days in a cabin that we rented. There are a lot of cabin shots in the trailer, including the first shot. We filmed there but did not have any filming license. Since we were a crew of six or seven, we thought that we could pull it off. And then after 10 days, a police officer comes and asks for our licenses. He verified to make sure that all of us were above 18 and then left the location. We were all confused but we went ahead with the filming. And the lady who manages this rental property crashes into the cabin and starts counting down from 10 to 1. She wanted us to quit the location because she thought that we were doing some adult-filming. That happened because one of the neighbours did not like what we were doing and then complained saying that we were doing adult-filming. Then we had to show them the footage, rushes and explain to them what really was at stake if we quit the premises. They saw what we shot and were really impressed. They were suprised with the way we shot the location so beautifully. It was kind of marketing their cabin as well. We lost a day, and out of 17 days if we lost a day it was pretty tough.
A still from the film
The second incident was when we filmed for straight 26 hours and everyone was hungry and exhausted. So, we called for a lunch break and came back to our accomodation. We were having lunch when we realised that we had forgotten a lens box at the location. We went back to find out that it was missing. It was worth almost Rs 1 crore. And imagine our scale of production and how much it meant. Luckily, we had another set of lens. Here is where the will power comes into picture. We decided to focus on finishing the film and went ahead and finished it. When we went back to the same location for one last shot, a guy came and said, “hey, did you guys lose a lens box? Because I found it and here it is”. It again comes back to will power. What really was trying to pull us down, eventually worked in our favour. It’s not luck or fortune but will power.
How were music composer Sricharan Pakala and cinematographer Manojh Reddy brought on board?
So, when I was done with the story, I had the vision that it has to be someone as creative as Manojh. We started scouting for people. I had my own limitations but I needed someone who could do justice. Manojh was, luckily, graduating from a film school during that time and he did a lot of fantastic short films and I happened to watch his reel. I met him and narrated the story and that’s how it all started.
Even with Sricharan Pakala, I somehow got his connection. I was listening to the album of Goodachari and decided to have him on board. Then again I narrated the story to him and he was convinced. So, in both these cases, they didn’t have to trust me because I am a newcomer. They trusted the story. That inspired them to come up with creative ways to elevate my vision and I must say that they enhanced it by at least twice or thrice.
How did Prime come on board?
We were gearing up for a theatrical release in March and made a promo for the public. When the pandemic struck, we were in a confused state. We didn’t know how long it was going to be that way. People started talking about one month and then two months. And we were swept through our feet without getting noticed. But thanks to (Amazon) Prime (Video), they were looking for content-driven movies and then when they watched the teaser and the promo, they were really impressed. They wanted to watch the film once it was ready and it took us about four months to finish it. Then we happened to show them the entire first copy in June or July. That’s how it all started rolling.
They liked the movie. They wanted to support youngsters irrespective of us being newcomers. They thought, “hey, you guys need as much reception as any other big film goin into the market. We will back you and this will inspire more storytellers to come”.
Do you feel that the reception is an outcome of the recent phenomenon of regional films in India making a mark for themselves and the flourishing of OTT platforms?
Definitely, a very big reason. The digital transformation that we have been going through right now, thanks to the pandemic, has played a key role in Gatham being acquired by Amazon Prime (Video). Having said that, there are hundreds of films that are flocking to the OTT platforms and Amazon (Prime Video) is a big player. But what matters is the content. Why we stood out from the rest is because of the quality of filmmaking. We have lots of technology and tools at our disposal compared to a decade ago. How do we use them to tell great stories, makes us stand out from the rest.
Did you consider releasing your film on an OTT platform or did you plan for a theatrical release?
Personally, I was going through a dilemma because I was already invested into this for almost two years. But thanks to the producers, they were trying to get his movie out. So, they tried to market the movie. Definitely that happened but what really impressed us is the way in which Amazon (Prime Video) dealt with everything- starting from the feedback to the movie to positioning and marketing the film.
What are your expectations from Gatham?
I want people to watch the movie, especially because it belongs to a thriller sub-genre. I am sure you will be taken by surprise with the kind of filmmaking we have in store for you. What I would request is, do not skip even a frame, especially the first 15 minutes. This is a 1 hour, 41 minutes and 37 seconds-long movie. Give it some time. The actors are pretty new. So, you won’t know how they will react thrown into a situation. Once the characters are established, I am sure that you are in for a ride.
So, do watch the movie. Encourage filmmakers like us because we have great stories to tell. And even if you don’t like it, drop us a message or leave us a comment in a constructive way so that we can improve and come up with greater stories in the future.
***
Gatham will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video from November 6
Veteran actor and comedian John Sessions died of a heart attack at his residence in London on Tuesday. He was 67.
The late comedian was best known for his appearances in television shows, including Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Have I Got News For You and QI. Sessions has also played diverse roles in several films. One of his earliest films was Henry V, directed by Kenneth Branagh. He has also played Salerio in Michael Radford’s The Merchant of Venice in 2004.
His filmography also includes Made in Dagenham, The Iron Lady, Gangs of New York, Legend, and Florence Foster Jenkins. One of his final acting roles was in the 2015 television film We’re Doomed! The Dad’s Army Story, where he played the role of Arthur Lowe.
Several celebrities took to social media to pay tributes to the late actor and comedian.
British actor and comedian Stephen Fry wrote:
I’m already missing Johnny Sessions dreadfully. As warm, vulnerable, lovable and loving as anyone can be. And so so much talent. He could make me laugh until I was sick and dizzy with pleasure and exhaustion. I can’t bear that he’s gone.
Shocked to hear that John Sessions has died at 67. Terrific company always and a true talent. His roles at the heart of this, my favourite radio series, have given endless pleasure to me and will continue to do so always. Travel easy, chum… pic.twitter.com/S4OHEUV3vR
Jeez. Another one. John Sessions. Just the best, he’d blow everyone away on Whose Line with his speed of thought & breadth of reference. Utterly absorbed by Hollywood, its characters and stories, brilliant raconteur, genius mimic. A flash of brilliance just went out.
The BBC show QI tweeted a clip of Sessions impersonating late actor Alan Rickman.
John Sessions was a panellist on QI’s first ever episode: Series A, Episode One, ‘Adam’. His incredible wit and encyclopaedic knowledge played a huge part in the show’s history and everyone at QI is deeply saddened to learn of his passing. pic.twitter.com/F1cxzcBRae
Written and directed by debutant Indhu VS, the film marks Sethupathi’s second Malayalam project after his 2019 release Maarconi Mathaai, co-starring Jayaram.
The makers have not divulged any information about the film’s plot. Going by the title, which refers to the Indian Constitution’s provision that upholds a citizen’s right to freedom of speech and expression, the film’s central theme might be about the provision.
The film will be bankrolled under the Anto Joseph Film Company banner, which is headed by producer Anto Joseph. The film also stars Indrajith Sukumaran and Indrans in pivotal roles. Govind Vasantha of Thaikkudam Bridge will compose the music.
Sethupathi was last seen in the 2020 film Ka Pae Ranasingam, that released as a pay-per-view-watch on ZeePlex. The actor’s upcoming works include Master and Tughlaq Darbar. He is also set to make his Hindi debut alongside Aamir Khan in Laal Singh Chaddha.
Recently, Sethupathi backed out from 800, the biopic of Sri Lankan cricketer Mutthiah Muralitharan, after he faced a massive public backlash from the members of the Tamil film fraternity, including veteran director Bharathiraja and lyricist Thamarai, who called out the actor for choosing to play Muralitharan.
Menen was last seen in the 2020 Amazon Prime Video web series Breathe: Into the Shadows, co-starring Abhishek Bachchan and Amit Sadh, and in Tamil film Psycho. Menen has completed filming for her upcoming Netflix Tamil anthology film Navarasa and Gamanam, co-starring Shriya Saran. Gamanam is expected to release in five languages- Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Menen also has Telugu film Ninnila Ninnila, co-starring Ashok Selvan and Ritu Varma, in the pipeline.
Kathiresan of Five Star Creations and National Award-winning director Vetri Maaran will be joining hands after nearly 10 years for an upcoming film, starring Sasikumar in the lead role.
Production banner Five Star Creations announced the project on Wednesday.
Five Star Creations and Vetri Maaran’s Grass Root Film Company will be jointly producing the untitled project. While it has been confirmed that Vetri Maaran will be penning the story and screenplay for the film, the rest of the cast and crew has not yet been announced. The film is expected to commence shooting in 2021 after Pongal.
Kathiresan made his debut as a producer and Vetri Maaran debuted as a director through the film Polladhavan, starring Dhanush and Divya Spandana in the lead. Following their debut, Kathiresan produced Vetri Maaran’s Aadukalam, starring Dhanush and Taapsee Pannu. The film won several awards, including six National Awards. Kathiresan’s Five Star Creations has also bankrolled films including Naiyandi and Jigarthanda.
Vetri Maaran launched his own production company, Grass Root Film Company in 2012 and produced Udhayam NH4, starring Siddharth. He later went on to produce critically acclaimed films like Kakka Muttai and Visaranai.
He is working on Vaadivasal with actor Suriya, based on CS Chellapa’s novel Vaadi Vaasal, which revolves around the sport of jallikattu, a bull-taming sport popular in Tamil Nadu. The first look poster of Vaadivasal was released by Kalaipuli S Thanu, who will be bankrolling the film. GV Prakash Kumar will be composing music, R Velraj will handle cinematography and Jacki is helming art.
Poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar filed a defamation case against actor Kangana Ranaut, reported ANI on Tuesday. The hearing has been scheduled for December 3.
According to the report, Akhtar filed the case against the actor over her remarks during an interview with a news channel about her feud with actor Hrithik Roshan. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the complaint stated that Ranaut dragged Akhtar’s name while referring to a “coterie” existing in the Hindi film industry, following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June. Akhtar filed the case before the metropolitan magistrate at Andheri in Mumbai alleging that Ranaut’s comments have damaged his reputation.
Earlier, in an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Akhtar’s wife Shabana Azmi had said: “Kangana has started believing in her own myth. She says she taught feminism to the film industry, she taught it nationalism. I’m glad she spelled that out because nobody else had noticed! I think she fears the day when she will no longer be in the headlines and so has to keep making outrageous statements to stay in the news. Poor girl, why doesn’t she just do what she is best at, which is acting.”
Replying to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s tweet addressing the news of the defamation suit against her, Ranaut wrote: “Ek thi sherni… aur bhediyon ka jhund (there once was a lioness… and a pack of wolves)”
Meanwhile, in a separate case, the Mumbai Police on Tuesday issued a notice to Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel to appear before them for allegedly promoting enmity between communities through their remarks. The two are scheduled to appear before the investigation officer on November 10.
The actor is in her hometown Manali, attending the wedding functions of her brother.
Bharathiraja, head of the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), announced on Monday that no new Tamil films will be released until the deadlock over VPF (Virtual Print Fee) charges, demanded by digital service providers, gets cleared by theatre owners.
In a press release, Bharathiraja said that producers came to this decision after service providers did not pay heed to five requests made by the TFAPA. He said that producers have agreed to pay only the one-time charge, which includes mastering, cloning, and delivering.
Among the five requests made, the TFAPA said that they were unwilling to bear the VPF to service providers QUBE Cinema and UFO Moviez, which they had been doing for the last 10 years.
Talking about the issue, president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association Tiruppur Subramaniam told Silverscreen India, “Tomorrow there will be a meeting between the TFAPA and the Theatre Owners Association wherein we will try to come together to form a consensus. We are looking at ensuring that the service charge is brought down to the minimum and getting a heavy discount on the same.”
Producers were unwilling to talk unless the condition of no VPF has been agreed upon, producer G Dhananjayan told Silverscren India.
“We are united on the front that we do not want to pay VPF. We are looking at how to resolve the issue and release our films. There was a discussion of a meeting but we decided that until the condition of absolutely no VPF is agreed to, we will not talk,” he said.
Two years ago, the industry had come to a standstill for almost 50 days when the TNPF and digital service providers could not come to a decision over the excessive price of VPF.
A month back, Qube Cinema had put out a statement saying that they have reduced the VPF by 50% temporarily from the current price list for Digital Cinema Initiatives and e-cinema to help producers release more films in theatres.
Senthil Kumar, co-founder of Qube Cinema, told Silverscreen India that theatre owners and producers should talk to and resolve matters.
Replying to the TFAPA, Qube Cinemas said in a letter, “You had asked us to discuss with theatres where they pay for the equipment. Since we have binding agreements with theatres where each party’s rights and obligations are clearly laid out, we are not in a legally tenable position to make any unilateral changes.”
“Further, this issue is one that covers all of India and any change will have to be carried out by all exhibitors, producers, distributors, and digital cinema service providers in the country. It is our request that this matter be addressed in a wholesome manner by all stakeholders in a common forum so that an amicable solution can be arrived at that will benefit the entire industry,” they said.
Ruban Mathivanan, managing partner of GK Cinemas in Chennai, said that the issue needs to be solved between the producers and service providers. “There is a misconception that the VPF goes towards the projector that is being set up in the theatres. That is not the case. We pay our money for the projector to the service provider. These issues are not there in other states. So why does this issue come up every now and then in Tamil Nadu? We are following an all-India business model so asking us to change it is not fair.”
Talking about whether theatre owners were ready to bear the brunt and pay for the charges, Tiruppur Subramaniam said, “That has never happened in history and it will not happen in the future.”
As theatres and multiplexes in Tamil Nadu are gearing up to reopen on November 10, the State government released a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cinema halls, on Tuesday.
According to the guidelines issued, all the theatres must operate with 50% of its capacity. However, theatres at Covid-19 hotspots cannot operate.
Theatres should also mark the seats that cannot be used by the audience, with the help of tapes and fluorescent markers. Additionally, the seats that are available, should also be notified to the customers while buying the tickets. A distance of six feet between individuals should be maintained inside the theatres and face masks are mandatory.
The guidelines state that touch-free sanitisers should be present near the entry and exit points of the theatre. Visitors are encouraged to use tissue papers while sneezing or coughing and a proper disposal method should be introduced, the State government said.
Also, the government has advised the public to keep a tab on their health and to reach out immediately to the district or State helpline in case of health issues. The guidelines also banned spitting in public and encouraged everyone to register on the Aarogya Setu app. Anyone with the symptoms of Covid-19 should isolate and quarantine in a separate room or section.
If anyone is found sick within the theatre premises, a face mask should be provided to them till they are inspected by a medical officer. They should immediately be taken to a nearby hospital or the district/State helpline should be reached out to. Further steps regarding the risks posed by the infected, the treatment that they should undergo, the people they have been in contact with, and the necessity to spray disinfectants, should be taken by the theatre. If the person is found infected with Covid-19, then the entire theatre should be disinfected.
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The theatres should also have thermal scanners at the entry points and only those who do not show any symptoms of Covid-19 can be allowed to enter. The entertainment centre should also ensure ample intervals between each film screening to avoid overcrowding of people while entering and exiting.
Steps should be taken to ensure social distancing at parking lots and outside theatre premises. Valets should be wearing face masks and gloves and restrictions should be imposed on the number of people using escalators and lifts. People should also be encouraged not to step outside during intermissions.
In the case of multiplexes, the film timings must vary from screen to screen. The beginning, intermission, and end of the films running on different screens must not coincide. To avoid contact, tickets, food, and beverages must be sold through digital methods. More counters for food and beverages should be installed and only packed food and beverages can be sold.
Phone numbers of the audience must be procured to help facilitate contact tracing. Extra ticket counters should be installed within theatres and they should remain open throughout the day.
The guidelines also specify that theatres should be disinfected frequently and after every screening, the auditorium must be disinfected. Those working in the santisation department should be provided with proper safety equipment.
Employees coming from the containment zones areas are allowed to work only after the government announces that their area is not a risk zone. Employees who are at higher risk, including old people, pregnant women, and those with other diseases, should undertake extra precautions and avoid coming in direct contact with the public.
Theatre owners should ensure that their staff has registered on the Aarogya Setu app. The staff must be educated on the precautions and safety measures to be taken and should be provided training regarding the same. It is also the responsibility of the theatre owners to raise public awareness about the dos and don’ts regarding the pandemic, safety measures to be taken by putting up posters, and through audio and video announcements.
The air conditioning must be maintained at 24 to 30 degrees Celsius and the humidity must be maintained between 40 to 70%. Theatres should avoid recirculating air and proper ventilation should be ensured within the auditorium.
The SOP also directs the necessary officers in charge to take stringent action against those who do not follow the rules laid out.
Actor Arya posted pictures from the sets of his next film with director Pa Ranjith on Twitter on Monday.
The actor’s post read:
Thank u @beemji sir for this amazing film couldn’t have asked for a better sports film. U r incredible #Murali sir u were faster than all of us. Thx 4 de visual treat Going beyond all limits My producer@K9Studioz project would have been unimaginable without you (1)
Thank u @beemji sir for this amazing film 😍🤗🤗 couldn’t have asked for a better sports film. U r incredible 😘😘#Murali sir u were faster than all of us. Thx 4 de visual treat 😍 Going beyond all limits My producer @K9Studioz project would have been unimaginable without you (1) pic.twitter.com/rfpbDFwE3D
Reportedly, the sports-centric film is titled Salpetta Parambarai. The film will be set against the backdrop of north Chennai and was announced last September.
Arya has started to prepare for the role and posted a video of him working out. He wrote:
“My love for sports coming alive on screen All set to face the boxers in the ring with @beemji sir for our next. It’s the most challenging film of my career. Loving the experience. #Ranjith sir is just phenomenal” @Music_Santhosh @K9Studioz #AnbuArivu#Murali
The film will mark Ranjith’s next directorial venture after the 2018 film Kaalaand his first collaboration with the Arya. This film will also be Arya’s 30th project.
Arya was last seen Kaappaan, which released in 2019. The actor will be seen next in the Tamil film Teddy, that is billed to be an animated film for children, and 3 Dev.
Pa Ranjith is also working on his first non-Tamil language project Birsa Munda, a Hindi biopic based on the life of the adivasi freedom fighter. The film’s cast has not been announced yet.
Actor Kunchacko Boban unveiled the first look poster of his next Malayalam film Nizhal on Monday.
The actor took to Instagram and wrote:
“Presenting yours truly as,
First Class Judicial Magistrate👨🏻⚖️
…..Mr.JOHN BABY….
Sometimes,you have to fear your own Shadow!!!!
…….”NIZHAL”…….”
The poster features the actor wearing a black mask. It has an uncanny resemblance to Hindi film Krrish(2006), starring Hrithik Roshan.
Directed by award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri, the film will feature actors Kunchacko and Nayanthara in lead roles.
Debutant director Appu N Bhattathiri has won five awards at the Kerala State Film Awards for editing. His films includeVeeram and Ottamuri Velicham.
The editor-turned-director initially worked as an assistant director for the film Second Show. His entry into films was with filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Oraalppokkam.
Appu has also directed acclaimed short films such as Irreversible, Between and Candle Camera and has edited Nonsense, Lily, Theevandi and Udalazham, as reported by The Hindu.
This film marks Nayanthara’s return to Malayalam cinema. She will be shooting for her part this month, as reported by India Today. The actor duo had earlier shared screen space in the 2008 Malayalam film Twenty 20.
The film will reportedly be a thriller and is being shot in Ernakulam in Kerala under strict government restrictions and with regulations in place. There will be minimal crew on the location and the cast will be tested for Covid-19 once every week.
Kunchacko was last seen in the 2020 film Anjaam Pathiraa. His upcoming films include Mohan Kumar Fans, Pada, and Nayattu. Additionally, the actor has signed four films.
Director SS Rajamouli‘s period drama Roudhram Ranam Rudhiram (RRR) courted controversy after Telangana BJP state president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar threatened to burn down theatres if the film depicted protagonist Komaram Bheem wearing a skullcap.
During a campaign on November 1, he said, “If you are going to make a film by undermining Komaram Bheem, by undermining the rights of adivasis and by undermining the sentiments of adivasis, we will hit you with sticks. If you release the film in theatres, we will set fire to every theatre showing your movie.”
Accusing the director of distorting facts, he added: “For sensation, if Rajamouli puts a cap on the head of Komaram Bheem, will we keep quiet? Never.”
On October 21, the filmmakers released a video of Komaram Bheem, played by Junior NTR, introducing him as an adivasi who applies kohl in his eyes, wears an amulet and a skullcap. Soon, the film landed in a controversy regarding the adivasi leader’s religion.
In 2018, when Rajamouli announced the project, he had clarified that the film, which is based on freedom fighters Alluri Sitaramaraju and Komaram Bheem, would not be a biopic.
“My film will not dwell on the stories of their rebellion that we already know. But, it will focus on what would have happened if they had met during their self-imposed exile and became friends,” he had said.
Adivasi leader Komaram Bheem fought against the Nizam’s rule in Hyderabad. The Gond tribal leader came up with the slogan Jal, Jangal, Zameen (water, forest, land) and fought for the rights of forest-dwellers.
In an interview to a local news channel, Adilabad MP and BJP leader Soyam Bapu Rao said, “We have no objection if you want to highlight Komaram Bheem, but if you hurt the sentiments of adivasis, we won’t tolerate it. If you (Rajamouli) continue with ‘let adivasis do whatever they want, I will do whatever I want’ kind of attitude, you will have to face serious consequences.”
“The film has already completed 40% of its shooting, but as there’s still 60% of it left. Remove the surma, skull cap, and pyjama and try to show the genuine Komaram Bheem, or else we will see to that the film doesn’t get released. Even if it does, we won’t hesitate to burn down theatres,” he said.
According to a The News Minutereport, the claim made by the MP- that Komaram Bheem was a Hindu has been outrightly rejected by the adivasi community.
The filmmakers, however, are yet to comment on the controversy.
Amid rumours of actor Rajinikanth reconsidering his decision to plunge into politics, he met with political commentator and editor of Thughlak, S Gurumurthy on Sunday.
Even though it was alleged that the RSS-idealogue met with Rajinikanth as a courtesy call to check up on his health, the timing of their meeting has triggered speculations about the actor’s political venture.
The New Indian Express reported that during the meeting, which lasted for 90 minutes, Gurumurthy urged Rajinikanth to rethink his decision to quit politics. It is believed that with the meeting, Rajinikanth’s final call on his political career will be ascertained.
Gurumurthy had earlier announced that Rajinikanth has a bright future in politics and had even urged him to align with the BJP. He had stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political acumen and Rajinikanth’s pull among the masses could work favourably in Tamil Nadu.
On October 29, Rajinikanth clarified the rumours about him planning to quit politics due to his health conditions. In a tweet, Rajinikanth addressed the contents of an allegedly leaked letter to his fans regarding his health conditions, and said that he did not write it. He announced that he would soon issue an announcement regarding his decision over his political career.
The letter, that made its rounds on social media, claimed that the actor was deciding to quit politics due to his kidney condition. According to the letter, doctors have asked him to restrict his movement because of his condition, which could worsen due to the added vulnerability of Covid-19.
Following the uncertainty of Rajinikanth’s political plunge, fans of the actor have taken to putting up posters and sending him postcards to urge him not to quit politics. According to NDTV, a poster by ‘Vellore Citizens Wishing for a Change’, asked the actor to “to take the path of a lion to hunt down blood sucking pack of wolves and convocation of eagles”.
Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee‘s health condition has slightly improved, however, his hemoglobin level remains low, senior doctor Dr Arindam Kar who is leading the medical team at Belle Vue Hospital in Kolkata said on Monday evening.
The veteran actor has been admitted to the hospital ever since he tested positive for Covid-19 on October 6.
On October 9, the 85-year old actor was moved to the ITU and put on oxygen support after his health condition deteriorated. On October 11, Chatterjee was treated twice with plasma therapy and on October 28, he was put on dialysis due to “mild physiological alterations.”
“Our team of intervention radiologists, vascular surgeons, anesthesiologists, and all others decided to have a look into whether or not there has been any ongoing bleeding. They will try to completely evacuate the blood that has accumulated, and stop the bleeding itself,” Kar said.
“The team of doctors had to do a CT- angiography to find out his exact internal bleeding location,” the doctor said.
On Sunday, Kar said that “actor did not have to be put on dialysis”.
At present, the actor is stable with his cardiovascular conditions, blood pressure, and heart rate at normal levels. However, the veteran actor is still on ventilation and oxygen support with no improvement in his consciousness since Sunday.
“Right now our major concern is to take complete control of the bleeding which is almost contained now but we do not want to take any chances and evacuate the accumulated blood so that there are no secondary infections in that part,” added Kar.
“After so many days with these many complications, problems, comorbidities and non-improvement of the neurological condition with an age of 85, it is always very difficult for the critical care team as well as the team of doctors to get the best outcome of the situation. But we are still doing our best for the legendary actor. We are doing everything that can be done for him to make him survive,” Kar concluded.
The Padma Bhushan awardee is renowned for his several successful collaborations with the Oscar-winning director Satyajit Ray. The duo has worked together in 14 films, including the Apu Trilogy and Feluda series. The duo was considered to be of the same stature as Scorsese-Dicaprio, and Scorsese-DeNiro.
— VISHNU VISHAL – stay home stay safe (@TheVishnuVishal) November 2, 2020
The film is directed by Manu Anand, a former associate of director Gautham Vasudev Menon. The film features Manjima Mohan, Reba Monica John, and Raiza Wilson in the lead roles. The cast also includes Gaurav Narayanan and Gautham Vasudev Menon, who will be seen in pivotal roles. The film will also feature south Indian film tracker Prashanth Rangaswamy in a significant role. Prashanth has dubbed for his portions earlier in September and the film is expected to release this year.
In February, a teaser of the film was released showing Vishnu playing Abu Bakker Abdulla, a Muslim youth who has been framed as a terrorist for being extremely religious. Menon was seen playing a cop who is on a hunt for Abdulla.
The film is bankrolled by Vishnu’s home banner Vishnu Vishal Studioz after Anand Joy’s Sujataa Entertainment dropped out of the project due to a lack of funds. The film’s technical crew consists of Arul Vincent handling the camera, N Ashwath composing the music, and Prasanna GK on the edit. Stunt Silva will be choreographing the action sequences.
Meanwhile, Vishnu Vishal and Rana Daggubati‘s much-anticipated film Kaadan is set to hit the screens during Pongal, next year. Directed by Prabhu Solomon, the film is in the making for almost two years and was supposed to release on April 2, this year. However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed.
Kaadan also features Pulkit Samrat, Shriya Pilgoankar, and Raghu Babu in pivotal roles. Produced by Eros International, the film will release in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. While the Hindi version will be called Haathi Mere Saathi, the Telugu version is titled Aranya.
Veteran actor Sean Connery died on October 31 at the age of 90. The actor, who immortalised the role of British secret agent James Bond, was reportedly unwell for some time.
Connery made his debut as an uncredited actor in the 1954 film Lilacs of the Spring. During his career, spanning almost five decades, he acted in 94 films and television series. However, his most acclaimed role as the 6.2-feet agent James Bond garnered an iconic status and international recognition. He also bagged the Academy Award for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1988 for his role in the 1987 film The Untouchables. The actor’s timeless dialogue, “The name is Bond… James Bond” struck a chord among his audience.
The Indian film fraternity mourned the loss of the actor and took to social media to share their condolences.
T 3707 – What is the date today .. 31 . 10 . 20 .. add up ➡️ .. 3 +1 is 4 .. then 1 = 5 .. then 0 .. then 2, so 4+1+2 = 7 .. then 0 .. so .. 3+1+1+2 = 7 .. and 2 zeros before you get there .. So .. 007 .. !! Sean Connery passes away .. he gave life to 007 !!
Actor Naseeruddin Shah, who played Captain Nemo in the same film, told The Times of India: “He was the ONLY Bond for me! My only reason for watching the Bond films after he quit playing the part was because of the actors playing the baddies, not because of who played Bond.”
Reminiscing the days while working together, Shah added: “All of us, his (Sean Connery’s) co-actors, were certainly in awe of him, but he never displayed any sign of entitled behaviour. He didn’t need to, he was perfectly happy sitting around in his undershirt sans his wig, with us all and scratching himself and breaking wind! He often asked us things about ourselves, which was touching — celebrities are never interested in others, they’re always waiting to be asked things about themselves and are happy to hold forth about themselves even if not asked.”
Calling him “the perfect Bond who enthralled audiences”, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar said such legends were rare.
Deeply saddened to hear, Sir Sean Connery is no more. The perfect Bond who enthralled the audiences and stood tall as one of the most charismatic personalities in the entertainment industry. Such legends come rare! Heartfelt condolences.
Actor Hrithik Roshan thanked Connery for “inspiring” people with his “human potential”.
Sean Connery . Sir . Your legend will live on forever . Well done Sir. You won this life . ❤️ thank you for inspiring us with the extent of your human potential. R.I.P
Stating that Connery went beyond playing only James Bond, Malayalam actor Mammootty said he was the “definition of an international spy”.
The name James Bond brings to mind only one actor. And that is Sean Connery. The actor who went beyond James bond to play many amazing characters. But to most of us the original, and the definition of an international Spy. RIP Mr Connery. You live in forever through your films. pic.twitter.com/2y8GazTtsN
Filmmaker Sujoy Ghoshwrote, “How does one even thank sean connery for all the films…”
Sharing Connery’s photo, actor Randeep Hooda wrote: “The man who defined “cool” before the word really meant anything besides temperature .. the only #JamesBondthat was hard to live upto .. Sir #SeanConnery RIP Legend ”
Singer Adnan Sami tweeted photos of the actor and called his demise “heartbreaking.” “This is so heartbreaking… Sir Sean Connery, one of my childhood favourite actors has passed away. He was an amazing actor & amongst his many iconic roles, he was indeed, the best James Bond EVER!! May his soul rest in peace…”#SeanConnery
Connery featured in seven James Bond films from 1962 to 1983, namely, Dr No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).
After having an intimate wedding ceremony, actor Kajal Aggarwal and her entrepreneur husband Gautam Kitchlu shared photos on social media. The two tied the knot at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai on Friday. Here’s a photo story capturing the wedding ceremony of the couple.
Calling it a “Punjabi meets Kashmiri wedding”, Aggarwal had revealed that they had included Jeelakarra Bellam, a Telugu ritual, as an ode to her close relationship with South India. She had also shared the difficulties of planning a wedding during the pandemic and added that they had strictly adhered to the protocols.
Aggarwal wore a traditional red and pink lehenga, designed by Anamika Khanna. Sharing photos of the actor, Khanna described the lehenga as a labour of love and wrote that the intricate zardosi embroidered floral pattern took 20 people almost a month to create.
Aggarwal posted a few pictures of the pre-wedding festivities on social media. Hours before the wedding, she had posted a monochrome picture with her lehenga in the background along with the caption, “Calm before the storm”.
The couple had a bunch of pre-wedding festivities including a mehendi, haldi and a sangeet ceremony. Aggarwal sported a yellow sharara set by designer Anita Dongre for most of her pre-wedding ceremonies. While she paired the kurta with floral jewellery during her haldi, she matched it with gold sunglasses and tassel earrings for the sangeet. Videos of Aggwaral and her sister Nisha Aggarwal dancing during the sangeet were widely circulated on social media. The actor opted for a mint green kurta set with floral prints for her mehendi ceremony.
The couple moved into a new house in Mumbai, post their wedding. While Aggarwal had posted stories on Instagram with pictures of the house asking her fans for tips to decorate it, Kitchlu shared the before and after images of their new home.
The actor had announced her wedding three weeks ago.
“It gives me immense joy to share that I am getting married to Gautam Kitchlu, on October 30, 2020 in Mumbai, in a small, private ceremony surrounded by our immediate families. This pandemic has certainly shed a sobering light on our joy, but we are thrilled to start our lives together and know that all of you will be cheering us on in spirit,” she had said in a statement.
Bankrolled by Arun Kumar VR under the banner of Film Roll Productions, Sibi Thomas and journalist Sreejith Divakaran have penned the screenplay. Thomas made his debut with the 2017 Malayalam family drama Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, prior to which he was a circle inspector at Kasargod police station in Kerala. This is the actor’s first time as a writer.
Kuttavum Shikshayumhas been billed as a cop drama based on a real investigation that took place in Kasargod, Kerala.
In the film, Ali will be playing the role of a cop. Alencier Ley Lopez, Sharaf U Dheen (Sharafudheen) and Senthil Krishna will also appear in pivotal roles.
National Award winner B Ajithkumar is the editor, while Suresh Rajan is handling the camera. The film went on the floors in early February.
Ravi’s last directorial was 2016 Malayalam action-drama Kammatipaadam, starring Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role. He is working on a Malayalam historical drama Thuramukham,starring Nivin Pauly in the lead role.
Ali was last seen in the 2019 Malayalam film Kettyolaanu Ente Malakha directed by debutant director Nissam Basheer. The actor has a number of films in the pipeline, including Kunjeldho, Kothth, Rachiyamma (a Malayalam anthology film), Ellaam Shariyaakum, Maheshum Maruthiyum, Thattum Vellattam.
Wayne’s last film was a Malayalam fantasy-comedy thriller My Santa (2019), directed by Sugeeth, and Tamil romantic road movie Gypsy written and directed by Raju Murugan. Wayne will be seen in an upcoming Malayalam drama fantasy film titled Anugraheethan Antony (directed by debutant director Prince Joy), Zam Zam (a Malayalam remake of 2014 Hindi release Queen) and a few others.
Directors Venkat Prabhu, Pa Ranjith, M Rajesh, and Chimbu Deven have teamed up to direct a new Tamil anthology series titled Victim: Who’s Next? The series will be released on an OTT platform.
The upcoming series will be produced under Venkat Prabhu’s banner Black Ticket Company and Axess Film Factory. It has also been speculated that the series might be released on Disney+ Hotstar.
While details regarding the project are yet to be revealed, artists like Anirudh, Sivakartikeyan, and Gautham Vasudev Menon congratulated the creators on their upcoming venture in a unique way.
They each tweeted out a situation in which they have been a victim. Music director Yuvan Shankar Raja tweeted saying that he had been a victim of comparison but it helped him understand himself.
Victim comes at a time when the Tamil film industry has been seeing several anthology series. With Amazon Prime’s Putham Pudu Kaalai receiving good reviews, there have been announcements of other anthology series such as Navarasa and Paava Kadhaigal.
Venkat is working on the Hotstar series Live Streaming, starring actor Kajal Aggarwal.
For the other directors, this will be their first directorial venture on an OTT platform.
M Rajesh’s movie Mr. Local was released in 2019, while Chimbu Deven previously worked on Puli.
Pa Ranjith’s last directorial venture was the Rajinikanth-starrer Kaala. In 2019, he produced the film Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu under his production banner Neelam Productions.
Actor Sean Connery died at the age of 90 on October 31 at his residence in the Bahamas, his son Jason Connery announced. He told BBC that his father was “unwell for some time”.
The actor who made James Bond iconic and international as the charming and witty spy agent, was born on August 25, 1930 in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. Born of Scottish descent, Connery traversed through various forms of employment before becoming an actor of global repute.
He started by doing odd jobs in Edinburgh and somewhere between working as a milkman and a lorry driver, among other things, he joined the Royal Navy. After getting discharged from the force on medical grounds, he worked as a lifeguard and then started modelling. Throughout this time, Connery was consistent at working as a body-builder and a weight-lifter.
Sean Connery in a scene from Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, 1989. Photo by Paramount/Getty Images
While he debuted as an uncredited actor with the 1954 film Lilacs in the Spring, his acting breakthrough came with the 1962 film Dr. No, the first film ever in the James Bond franchise based on author Ian Fleming’s spy series. He went on to feature as 007 in six other films from the same franchise, catapulting him to the status a global star.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Connery told Playboy magazine: “Bond came on the scene after the war, at a time when people were fed up with rationing, drab times and utility clothes and a predominately grey colour in life,” he said. “Along comes this character, who cuts right through all that like a very hot knife through butter, with his clothing and his cars and his wine and his women.”
For him, the “timing had a lot to do with it” (the success of the James Bond films).
Connery who made “Bond… James Bond” an iconic dialogue, went on to become the face of several spy and action-oriented films with his acting, charisma and his 6.2 feet frame. He broke barriers with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie which talked about marital rape.
What followed was a slew of films that etched his name as one of the finest actors.
He retired from acting in 2006, when he received the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Hollywood Reporter listed 13 memorable movies by the actor, showcasing his skill and panache.
Poster of Dr. No (1962). Photo by LMPC via Getty Images
The first film in the James Bond franchise, this story revolves around the spy ‘007’ who is sent to Jamaica in search of a fellow agent. What follows is travel, cars, encounters with women and tracking down the assailants. Although Dr. No is the first film in the franchise, it is not the first novel by Ian Fleming. Casino Royale was the first book in the series.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the film is a psychological thriller and as Hitchcock put it, “it is more than a sex mystery”. Starring as husband and wife, Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren take on their respective characters with ambiguity. This is especially true in Connery’s case as he both attempts to help his wife with her psychological issues and also ends up sexually abusing her when she refuses his advances.
Directed by Sidney Lumet, this film is a British-American war drama. It is about five prisoners who are new to a military prison camp and struggle for survival in the face of brutal punishment. The film had won the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965.
Based on Agatha Christie’s novel by the same name, the film revolves around detective Hercule Poirot who is asked to investigate the murder of an American businessman on the the Orient Express. Connery plays the characters of one of the passengers aboard, Colonel Arbuthnot.
Based on the 1974 book by the same name and directed by Richard Attenborough, it is based on the events of the Second World War’s failed Operation Market Garden, or the attempt of Allies to break the German lines in Netherlands.
Based on Umberto Eco’s book by the same same, the film looks into the aftermath to a death in Benedictine Abbey. In this Italian-German-French historical drama, Connery plays the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville who is falsely accused and must prove his innocence.
Directed by Brian De Palma, this was an American crime film which also featured Robert De Niro, who played the lead role of American gangster Al Capone. Connery played the role of Jimmy Malone, right hand to Al Capone and takes up the responsibility to train second-in-command, Ness. Connery won the Academy Award for the best actor in supporting role in 1988. The actor had won the Academy Award in the best actor category for his role in The Untouchables.
The film is based on Rudyard Kipling’s novel by the same name and revolves around two ex-soldiers living in British India, played by Connery and Michael Caine. The film is an escapist entertainer, where the two soldiers, bored of their lives, plan to move elsewhere. The film got four Academy Award nominations.
Connery plays the role of Henry Jones Senior, father of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford). The action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg had won the Academy Award for Best Sound Effects and Editing.
The movie is a submarine spy-thriller film set in November 1984. Connery stars in the film as Marko Ramius alongside Alec Baldwin and Scott Glenn. The film was nominated for three Oscars, winning for best effects.
The action thriller film, which received the Academy Award for best sound mixing, saw Connery feature as prisoner Captain John Patrick Mason who escaped from Alcatraz three decades earlier.
Connery plays the role of an antagonist Sir August de Wynter who conspires to destroy the world through a weather-changing time machine. The spy action film is the adaptation of a British television series by the same name.
In an alternate Victorian age world, a group of contemporary famous, science fiction and adventure characters team up on a secret mission. Connery plays Allan Quatermain who leads the group.
