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Around Tinsel Town
>>IFFI 2024: ‘Toxic’ clinches Golden Peacock; Vikrant Massey adjudged Indian film personality of the year
Toxic, directed by Lithuanian filmmaker and screenwriter Saulė Bliuvaitė, clinched the Golden Peacock for the Best Film as the 55th International Film Festival of India came to a close. Actor Vikrant Massey, who starred in the blockbuster 12th Fail, was honoured with the Indian Film Personality of the Year award.
Legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi was honoured at the festival. Rafi’s son, Shahid Rafi, said he is set to produce a biographical film on his father, with an official announcement expected in December, 2024. Meanwhile, sharing her thoughts on nepotism at the IFFI 2024, actor Kriti Sanon said even the “media” and “audiences” contribute to the nepotism conversation.
Ranbir Kapoor, when asked about violence in his movies Animal and Sanju, said artistes should be mindful of the stories they choose to tell, it is equally important for them to explore new genres. Actor Hugo Weaving, known for The Lord of the Rings and Matrix franchise, said Satyajit Ray introduced him to Indian cinema.
>>International Emmy Awards 2024: ‘Drops of God’ wins Best Drama; India’s ‘The Night Manager’ misses out
India’s The Night Manager, starring Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sobhita Dhulipala, was a strong contender in the Drama Series category at the International Emmy Awards. However, the award went to Apple TV’s Dropsof God (Les Gouttes de Dieu),a French-American-Japanese production.
Timothy Spall won Best Performance by an Actor for his role in The Sixth Commandment whileAokbab-Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying received Best Performance by an Actress for Hunger. Meanwhile, Vir Das, who hosted the ceremony and the cast crew of The Night Manager, marked a significant moment for Indian television on the global stage.
Hollywood
Tabu reveals episode of grand entry as Sister Francesca in ‘Dune: Prophecy’
George Clooney, Brad Pitt’s ‘Wolfs’ sequel no longer in making
‘Rocky’ star Dolph Lundgren says he is finally cancer-free
Charlize Theron latest to join Christopher Nolan’s untitled next
Idirs Elba in talks to join cast of ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie
Bollywood
Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chhaava’ locks new release date; averts clash with ‘Pushpa 2’
Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Deva’, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, gets preponed
Can’t blame Bollywood alone for nepotism, says Kriti Sanon
Aamir Khans says he nearly retired during COVID-19 pandemic
Sharmila Tagore to make big screen comeback with ‘Outhouse’
Regional
Actor Dhanush sues Nayanthara before Madras High Court
Family court grants divorce to actor Dhanush and filmmaker Aishwarya Rajinikanth
Saira Banu breaks silence following separation with AR Rahman
Sudeep’s action thriller ‘Max’ gets a release date
Actor Akhil Akkineni gets engaged to Zainab Ravdjee
Trailers
An intense Ajith Kumar hits the road in ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ teaser
Player 456 returns, mounts epic resistance in ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 trailer
In ‘Viduthalai Part 2’ trailer, Vijay Sethupathi takes the front seat in Vetrimaaran’s sequel to the Soori starrer
In ‘Lilo& Stitch’ live-action teaser, Disney brings its mischievous blue monster to life
Essential Reading
1) Jon M Chu interview on ‘Wicked’: ‘9 million tulips and a 60-tonne train’
>> He says the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda is the driving force behind this adaptation of the hectically successful Broadway play
2) Director Chuck Russell interview: On a death battle between The Mask, The Scorpion King and Freddy Krueger
>> He talks about the art of reimagining old horror scripts and extracting performances from stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwayne Johnson
3) ‘I Want to Talk’ interview: Abhishek Bachchan and Shoojit Sircar on life, death and everything in between
>> The duo discusses bringing to screen the story of cancer survivor Arjun Sen, the peculiarities of parenthood, and the role of family in an artistic life
4) The Dhanush-Nayanthara dispute and copyright law
>> In the context of previous claims, where does the copyright infringement suit filed by Dhanush against Nayanthara fit in?
5) Hollywood horror gives up theatrics to accommodate the terrors of the womb
>> This year’s most striking genre entries are reacting to the horrors of womanhood by portraying pregnancy not as a miracle of life but as the nightmare of control
6) Imtiaz Ali interview: On what changed between ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Chamkila’ and his relationship with anger
>> The acclaimed Hindi filmmaker opens up on his evolution as an artiste, and why nuanced romance dramas are dying out in India
7) RJ Balaji on ‘Sorgavaasal’, redefining himself and teaming up with Suriya and AR Rahman for ‘Suriya 45’
>> He talks about his evolution as a writer, actor and director, opting for genre-specific films, collaborating with A R Rahman, and more
8) Nikkhil Advani on adapting ‘Freedom of Midnight’: Art and history are worth fighting for
>> The writer-director-producer talks about his creative gaze and the urge to balance divergent points of view
9) Mani Ratnam talks to Gautham Menon on ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and transforming literary masterpieces into engaging films
>> The ace filmmaker discussed his passion for filmmaker, literary adaptions, and Indian mythology at IFFI, Goa
10) Mohanakrishna Indraganti: I discovered the nuances of Priyadarshi’s performance on the edit table
>> The director discusses completing two decades in Telugu cinema and why he supports formal training in screenwriting and filmmaking
11) Varun Grover and Christo Tomy on being selected for 2024’s BAFTA Breakthrough India programme
>> Grover has been selected for his ‘All India Rank,’ while Tomy of ‘Ullozhukku’-fame has found a place for ‘Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case’
12) Actor Joju George on controversial phone call to online reviewer: I wish the incident hadn’t happened
>> The actor, who made his directorial debut with ‘Pani’, responds to criticism around a rape scene in the movie and talks about his expectations from film reviewers
13) “Nobody can occupy the dreams of a people,” says Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi
>> Masharawi, whose latest production ‘From Ground Zero’ was cancelled at film festivals, speaks out against the silence of the world
14) ‘3D Space Safari’, a Malayalam 3D film is a slick, well-made exploration into outer space by Kochi-based filmmaker
>> AK Saiber’s 3D film, ‘3D Space Safari’, takes the audiences on an exploration of the solar system
Reviews
1) RJ Balaji’s ‘Sorgavaasal’ is an ambitious crime drama that withers in effect
2) In ‘Woman of the Hour’, Anna Kendrick makes assured directorial debut with bizarre true-crime thriller
3) ‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ is a ho-hum heist flick with an impressive Jimmy Shergill
4) Robbie Williams’ musical biopic ‘Better Man’ is eccentric but earnest in its ‘monkey’ busniess
5) ‘Red Path’ is about stolen childhoods and the barbarity of extremism
6) ‘Synkefri’ (‘Unsinkable’) is a gripping Scandinavian drama on the fallout of a maritime tragedy
7) In ‘The Piano Lesson’, Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington tear into the heart of darkness
8) ‘Nirangal Moondru’, the comeback vehicle of Karthick Naren, is a trippy and indulgent hyperlink film that almost works
9) Breathless thrills, action, laughter and tears mark the final season of ‘Alex Rider’ Season 3
10) Nagaraja Somayaji’s ‘Maryade Prashne’ has relatable moments but suffers from an identity crisis
11) ‘Aaram Aravinda Swamy’, starring Aniissh Tejeshwar and Milana Nagaraj, is a dull, forgettable comedy drama
Published – November 29, 2024 03:52 pm IST
