Mammootty is celebrating his 73rd birthday on Saturday. In the past few years, he’s taken on some unique projects, and now he’s finally shared an update with his fans about his next film. The movie, titled Dominic and the Ladies' Purse, had its first poster released on his birthday, sparking excitement around the interesting title. Mammootty Birthday: South star unveils Dominic first look The poster, directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon, shows Mammootty dressed in a bathrobe, but he’s not the main focus of the image. Instead, there’s a board filled with pictures that are connected by lines, suggesting some kind of investigation. A purse is also lying on the floor in the room, hinting that Mammootty might be playing a detective in the movie. On Mammootty's birthday, take a look at Dominic's first look: Presenting the First Look Poster of Dominic and The Ladies' purse , Directed by @menongautham & Produced by @MKampanyOffl pic.twitter.com/DQdbxbUhYC — Mammootty (@mammukka) September 7, 2024 Mammootty reacts to Justice Hema Committee report Veteran Malayalam actor and film producer Mammootty has finally reacted to the findings and uproar over the Justice Hema Committee report that levelled sexual misconduct allegations against his peers from the entertainment industry. The three-time National Award-winning star took to Facebook and penned a comprehensive post stating that no ‘power groups’ exist and everyone should let courts decide the punishments instead of creating a divide. The translated post by Mammootty read, “The developments currently being faced by the Malayalam film industry are the basis for this post. It is the protocol of the organization that the actors' association and its leadership should first respond to such matters. It is because I believe that opinions should be expressed only after such official responses that I have waited this long. Cinema is a reflection of society. All the good and bad aspects of society are present in cinema as well. The film industry is something that society closely observes. Therefore, every little and big issue that happens in this field becomes a topic of major discussion. Those working in the film industry must remain vigilant and careful to ensure that nothing undesirable occurs.” He continued, “The Justice Hema Committee was formed by the government to study the film industry, prepare a report, suggest solutions, and recommend actions in light of certain incidents that should never have occurred. The suggestions and solutions outlined in that report are wholeheartedly welcomed and supported. This is the time when all the associations in the film industry, without any division, should join hands to implement those suggestions.”
07 September,2024 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Narsingi police have filed a chargesheet against actor Raj Tarun following a complaint from his ex-girlfriend, Lavanya. According to Telangana Today, the chargesheet was filed after she presented enough evidence to support her claims against him. Actor Raj Tarun faces chargesheet for cheating ex-girlfriend Lavanya? In July, Lavanya filed an FIR against Raj, accusing him of cheating her by falsely promising marriage. She also alleged that he pressured her into having an abortion and that they had been in a relationship for 11 years. Lavanya claimed that Raj had an affair with his co-star, Malvi Malhotra, who appeared in Tiragabadara Saami. Lavanya provided enough evidence to the police, including hospital records confirming her abortion and proof of Raj's infidelity, according to the report. The police have reportedly verified her claims. Lavanya also alleged that Malvi and her brother threatened her and that she had been married to Raj for some time. However, Raj denied these accusations in July, claiming that Lavanya was involved in drug use and had harassed him. In August, he was given conditional anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court. Now that the chargesheet has been filed, it’s uncertain if the bail will still stand. What is the controversy surrounding actor Raj Tarun about? A complaint was filed at Narsingi police station against Telugu actor Raj Tarun and actress Malvi Malhotra. They are accused of harassing and threatening a woman named Lavanya, who claims to be in a live-in relationship with Raj Tarun. In her complaint, Lavanya stated that she had been in a relationship with Raj Tarun for the past 11 years and that they had been living together. As per Telugu Cinema, she said, “We were secretly married in a temple. He made a commitment to marry me legally, but he left me after engaging in a romantic relationship with an actress.” According to Lavanya, she and Raj had been in a relationship since 2012 and started living together in 2014. She claims that Raj began an affair with a young actress from Mumbai and stopped taking their relationship seriously. This made Lavanya feel abandoned as Raj spent more time with the actress. However, in recent years, Raj Tarun has been avoiding her, and Malvi's family has been threatening to kill her and frame her in false cases. She also claimed that Raj Tarun and Malvi have been spending time together and frequently visiting places like Goa, Puducherry, and Chennai.
06 September,2024 07:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Hema Committee Report has encouraged several artists from the film industry to come forward and open up about the sexual assault they faced in the industry and name their perpetrators and initiate legal action. While so far the allegations and cases have been found within the state of Kerala, an actress has now shared her unpleasant experience with a Tamil film director. Popular Malayalam film actress Sowmya has narrated an incident from her college days when she was raped by the director for a year. Recalling the traumatic period, she also said that the director inserted a rod in her genitals for 'entertainment'. In an interview with NDTV, Sowmya spoke about how she was groomed as a sex slave by a married Tamil director. She however, refused to disclose the identity of her perpetrator at this time. She said she would reveal the man's identity to the special police team formed by the Kerala government, which is investigating multiple cases of alleged sexual assault in Mollywood. "I was 18 and in my first year of college... I came from a very sheltered background and my parents knew nothing about movies. This opportunity (to act in a Tamil film) came through my college theatre contact. As a child I was enamoured by the actor Revathy, who lived near my house at that time...I was in a fantasy world. So I went for a screen test with this couple..." Sowmya said she had voiced her discomfort on being around the man after their first meeting She revealed that the director told her father they had spent large amounts of money on her screen test and arm-twisted her family into allowing her to act. Sowmya said that she felt obligated to act in that movie. "During the first outdoor shoots he didn't speak to me. The agreement was that his wife would be the director but that was on paper... in reality he was directing the whole movie." "And so I was under his control... and he gave me the 'angry silent treatment' like a lot of men are used to doing. And because of our conditioning in patriarchy... about authority figures, particularly intimidating men who express anger very easily, I was very scared," she said. Sowmya reveals director's daughter had accused him of rape Sowmya also shared that the director would claim her to be his daughter when his own daughter had left, accusing him of rape. "But they told me she (the daughter) was lying. So they brought me into their home... I was a teenager who was rebellious at home and suddenly this couple was nice to me, bribing me with good food and milkshakes, and telling me good things. That was the grooming process... he knew fully well what he was doing," she said firmly. Sowmya recalls sexual assault Sowmya then recalled the sexual assault and rape that happen done fine day. "One fine day, when his wife wasn't around, this man, while calling me his daughter, kissed me. I completely froze. I was so desperate to tell my friends but couldn't... I was ashamed, thinking I had done something wrong and that I was obligated to be nice to this man..." "So I continued going for practice, for dance rehearsals... every day I went back and gradually, step by step, this man completely used my body to his advantage. At some point he forced himself on me... so he raped me. This went on for close to a year while I was in college." Sowmya further said that the man messed with her brain as he would call her his daughter and also wanted a child with her. Sexual assault continued in Malayalam film industry In the 90s, Sowmya did three films which were all hits. However, the sexual abuse continued in the Malayalam film industry. "A co-star who sexually abused me has now been named in the Hema Committee report" she said adding that "directors, actors, and technicians" continued to abused here. "It took 30 years for me to heal and recover from this sense of 'shame'... I encourage survivors to report all such abuse," she said.
06 September,2024 09:55 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn relief for actor and two-time CPI-M legislator and actor Mukesh and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes' former General Secretary Edavela Babu, who have been booked by police on complaints of sexual assault by a former actress, a court in Kerala's Kochi on Thursday night granted them anticipatory bail. The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, while granting Mukesh interim relief from arrest last week till its final orders, granted him anticipatory bail. Likewise, Babu also got bail. Trouble has been brewing in the Malayalam film industry ever since the August 19 release of the damning report of the Justice K. Hema Committee, which probed the conditions of the women working in the Malayalam film industries, and made explosive revelations, triggering a storm of complaints against top film personalities. Kerala Police have so far registered FIRs against 11 people, ten of which are from the film industry based on the complaints from actresses. Those who are in the dock after the police registered FIRs, include actors Mukesh, Nivin Pauly, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and V.K. Prakash, and production executives Vichu and Noble. Actor Baburaj and director Tulasidas have been named in complaints too, but no FIRs have been registered against them so far. Meanwhile, the special investigation team of 7 police officials, of which four are woman IPS officers, are currently taking statements from those victims who have come forward with their complaints but are yet to question the accused. In a related development on Thursday, the Kerala High Court's acting Chief Justice A.Muhamed Mustaque ordered the formation of a special two-member bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha to look into all cases which will be registered based on Hema Committee report. Meanwhile, the powerful Producers Association, in its first reaction to the explosive report, on Thursday expressed its concern about the manner in which "fake allegations are coming". "The stage is such that with the Hema Committee report coming out, anyone can make any allegations and that will not augur well for the civil society and hence, the state government should take note of this. The whole purpose of the Hema Committee also could take a beating," the Association said. --IANS sg/vd
05 September,2024 10:40 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSMalayalam film actor and director Vineeth Sreenivasan has come out in defense of actor Nivin Pauly speaking about the rape allegations against him. Earlier this week, a woman accused movie star Pauly of sexually assaulting her in Dubai along with a few others. She had claimed that the incident happened in November and December of 2023 in Dubai when she was called under the pretext of being offered a role in the movies. Now, Vineeth has said that Nivin was with him from December 14 till the early hours of December 15 shooting for their film 'Varshangalkku Shesham'. Talking to Malayalam channel Reporter Live, Vineeth said that Nivin was shooting with the team in Kochi. He said that they were shooting the climax scene which is set inside a theatre. He also said that the scenes were shot in the presence of 100s of junior artists who can also vouch for Pauly's presence. “Nivin was with us filming in Kochi on December 14 and 15, 2023. We began the shoot on the 14th morning at Nucleus mall in Kochi. I remember the dates as I was personally coordinating his dates. After lunch we moved the shooting to Crown Plaza," the filmmaker said. Vineeth said that there is plenty of proof to substantiate Nivin's presence on set on December 14 till the early morning of December 15. "We had booked a room under Nivin's name at Crown Plaza. There is CCTV footage as well. On-location stills will also have the date and time of the photographs captured which will prove the same. There is plenty of proof," he assured. Vineeth also shared that Nivin was with them in Munnar for the film's shoot on December 1, 2,3 of 2023 as well. He rejoined the shoot on December 14. The filmmaker also said that Nivin had given him only four days to shoot as we was simultaneously shooting for a web series called 'Pharma'. The shoot of the series was also in Kerala, the filmmaker shared. According to Reporter Live, the creator of 'Pharma' has also confirmed that Nivin was shooting with them in Kerala in December. What the complainant said Speaking to the same channel, the complainant had said that she had returned to Kerala from Dubai on December 17. She said that the sexual assault incident happened in the days leading to her return to India. When the reporter asked if it happened between December 13-17, she confirmed the same. What Nivin Pauly said Soon after the allegations were made, Nivin Pauly wasted no time and called for a press conference. He confidently dismissed the allegations as fake and said that he will fight it legally. "This is a deliberate allegation and I believe there is a conspiracy behind it". He further said that he did not know the complainant and had never seen or spoken to her. The actor said that around one-and-a-half months ago, an officer of Oonnukal police station had called him over the phone and told him that they have received a sexual assault complaint against him from a woman. "When I denied knowledge about the allegations, the officer said they were convinced that the complaint was false and they were going to close it," he said.The actor further said that the officer and his lawyer advised him not to file a case against the complainant as some persons make such complaints merely for publicity. "So, I did not pursue that then," he said. Pauly said he will take all possible legal measures to prove his innocence and will fight it to the very end as he believes that "we need to put a stop to such fake allegations". "So, I will fight it, not just for me, but for others who might face such fake allegations in the future," he said.
05 September,2024 06:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThalapathy Vijay's movie 'GOAT' hit the big screens, and fans are going wild. Crowds lined up outside theatres to catch the first show, which started at 4 am. People who have already seen it are sharing their excitement and praising the film on social media. Take a look at how fans are celebrating 'GOAT.' Thalapathy Vijay's 'GOAT' 'X' review: Here's the internet's verdict Goat has references to probably all top 6 actors right now. Vijay literally has 0 ego or insecurities. A reason why he is the GOAT OF KOLLYWOOD ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5j6Q3ibp7C — 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨 (@SergioCSKK) September 5, 2024 The Climax was peak GOAT....!!!! 🥶🌟 pic.twitter.com/GauWfbhwmK — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 5, 2024 #GOAT BLOCKBUSTER 🔥🔥🔥First Half - 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Second Half - 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🤯🤯🔜Different Genre& Screenplay🥵🥶#GOATFDFS #GOATReview#TheGreatestOfAllTime #TheGOATpic.twitter.com/1Sf1ZRbaUQ — Mᴜʜɪʟツ𝕏 (@MuhilThalaiva) September 4, 2024 Theatre turns into stadium🔥That's how you make a mass entertainer, action movie 🐐.Some vfx were ok but film was blockbuster.🍿.Last year Jawan=This year GOAT, 5th September becomes historical for mass movies...#TheGreatestAllTime #ThalapathyVijay #Trisha #GOATReview pic.twitter.com/XudmREHE0h — samajiktoxic_ (@shhuv_twts) September 5, 2024 The GOAT PAIR #ThalapathyVijay #Trisha @trishtrashers2004 ❤️🔥2024 #TheGreatestAllTime#Ghilli pic.twitter.com/Y5MpPp50Xt — Vignesh_offical (@CennaiT) September 5, 2024 The OG pair is unbeatable whenever the shake legs together 🔥🔥🔥 #TheGreatestAllTime @trishtrashers @actorvijay pic.twitter.com/i1YOep0AjF — Rajasekar (@sekartweets) September 5, 2024 About the cameos in Thalapathy Vijay's movie 'GOAT' Meanwhile, as the first-day, first-show of the film kicked off early in many theatres across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, fans took to social media platform X to share snapshots of Trisha’s lively performance in 'GOAT'. She is seen in a yellow saree, dancing alongside Vijay in the catchy song ‘Matta’. As it turns out Indian cricketer MS Dhoni makes a special appearance in the film. In the scene we see, Dhoni stepping out on the field dressed in Chennai Super Kings jersey. We then get to see Vijay performing gravity defying bike stunts and heading at full speed towards the stadium where Dhoni is playing. The visuals seemed to have been used from one of CSK's game for IPL. The crowd went wild to see their Thala and Thalapathy in the same frame. GOAT to have a Rs 100 crore on day 1? Thalapathy Vijay's fans have taken it upon themselves to ensure that this Thursday's release beats all previous records of the actor's film. According to trade portal Sacnilk, the film saw high advance bookings in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh , Telangana and Maharashtra. At the worldwide box office, the Thalapathy Vijay film has crossed Rs 50 crore in its advance booking as of Wednesday. Given these numbers, GOAT is likely to open above Rs 100 crore at the worldwide box office. Thalapathy's previous release 'Leo' had opened at Rs 142 crore at the worldwide box office. Meanwhile, 'The Greatest of All Time's dubbed Hindi version will not be a threat to the blissful run of Stree 2 as the former will not be released in national multiplex chains -- PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis after makers failed to adhere to the theatrical guidelines. These guidelines state that makers of all new Hindi movies will have to maintain an 8-week-gap between the theatrical release and premiere on OTT platforms. The makers of GOAT, however, have a pre-decided agreement with an OTT platform to release the movie just after 4 weeks, as per media reports.
05 September,2024 05:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTovino Thomas, who became a favorite among audiences through the movie "Minnal Murali," is appearing in three different roles —Maniyan, Kunjikkelu, and Ajayan in "ARM." 'ARM' is a pan-India fantasy film. Directed by debutant Jitin Lal and produced by Listin Stephen under the banners Magic Frames and UGM Motion Pictures, with Dr. Zakaria Thomas, “ARM” is being made entirely in 3D and stands as one of the highest-budget films in the history of Malayalam cinema. The movie is set to release in theaters on September 12. Ahead of the film's release, the makers are busy with promotions of the film. The trailer for 'ARM', which was released on August 25, quickly went viral on social media, receiving millions of views in every language. The intriguing and breathtaking trailer has raised expectations for the film. Recently, the team met with blockbuster director Prasanth Neel, known for the KGF franchise and Salaar at Mangalore. The director watched the trailer and praised the entire team, highlighting the stunning visuals, Tovino Thomas's three unique looks, and the director's ambitious vision. This is a significant boost for the film and heightens anticipation for ARM. After winning great acclaim for movies like "Kaan" and "Chithha," Dibu Nainan Thomas has composed the music for "ARM." Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Surabhi Lakshmi, who have gained attention through Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films, play the female leads in the movie. Basil Joseph, Jagadeesh, Harish Uthaman, Harish Peradi, Kabir Singh, Pramod Shetty, and Rohini also appear in significant roles. The screenplay for the movie is written by Sujith Nambiar. Jomon T. John, who started in Malayalam cinema and has now reached Bollywood, handles the cinematography for "ARM." The editing is done by Shameer Muhammed. The co-producer is Justin Stephen, and the executive producers are Naveen P. Thomas and Prince Paul. Additional screenplay credits go to Deepu Pradeep. Since its announcement, the film has generated significant buzz, and the release of each promotional material has only heightened the anticipation. The film stunts were coordinated by Vikram Moore and Phoenix Prabhu of "Kantara" fame. The film will be distributed by major industry players, with Hombale Filmsj handling the Kannada release, Mythri Movie Distributors for Telugu, and Anil Thadani for Hindi, ensuring a grand release across multiple languages on September 12th.
05 September,2024 02:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Kerala High Court on Thursday said it will constitute a five-judge special bench to hear cases related to the Justice Hema Committee report. A bench of Acting Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque and Justice S Manu made this oral observation while hearing a plea challenging a single judge's decision allowing release of the committee's report. The special bench would also comprise women judges, the High Court said in its oral observation, a lawyer associated with the petition said. The single judge on August 13 had allowed release of the report by dismissing a plea challenging the State Information Commission's order permitting the panel's findings and recommendations to be made public. The single judge order came while rejecting the plea by Sajimon Parayil, a film producer, who had challenged the Information Commission's July 5 order directing the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) to reasonably disseminate the information in the report while ensuring that it does not compromise the privacy of individuals.Parayil filed an appeal against the single judge's order before a division bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice which on Thursday decided to constitute a special bench for hearing matters related to the panel's report. The committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry. Following the allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors in the wake of the report being made public, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 September,2024 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai | PTITo mark the 100th birth anniversary of Natasamrat Akkineni Nageswara Rao which falls on 20th September this year, not-for-profit organization Film Heritage Foundation announces a retrospective film festival titled ‘ANR 100 – King Of The Silver Screen’ that pays tribute to legendary doyen of Indian cinema. When and which films will be screened? The festival will feature a compilation of 10 restored classics of ANR that will be screened from September 20 – 22, 2024 across 25 cities, including major metros like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru and smaller cities like Vadodara, Jalandhar, Rourkela, Warangal, Kakinada and Tumkur. Film aficionados across the country will have the exclusive opportunity to witness the remarkable versatility and powerful performances of the South Indian icon once again on the big screen in a curated festival of landmark Telugu films including ‘Devadasu’ (1953), ‘Missamma’ (1955), ‘Mayabazar’ (1957), ‘Bharya Bharthalu’ (1961), ‘Gundamma Katha’ (1962), ‘Doctor Chakravarthi’ (1964), ‘Sudigundalu’ (1968), ‘Prem Nagar’ (1971), ‘Premabhishekam (1981) and ‘Manam’ (2014) Film Heritage Foundation and Akkineni Nagewara Rao family is presenting the countrywide festival in association with the NFDC – National Film Archive Of India and PVR-Inox. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Filmmaker and Director, Film Heritage Foundation states, “After the huge success of our Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand retrospectives, we are thrilled to present another first-of-its-kind film festival of Telugu classics to honour the memory of a doyen of Telugu cinema - Shri Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The selection of films in this retrospective beginning from 1953 to 2014 include some of his biggest hits that will give people a chance to see his remarkable range as an actor and why these films continue to have resonance with people decades after they were made and why it is so important to preserve our film heritage. This is in keeping with our commitment to showcase the diversity of India’s rich film heritage from every region of the country and we have seen the enthusiasm of contemporary audiences for classic cinema during these retrospectives with many of the screenings going house full.” What Akkineni Nagarjuna and Amitabh Bachchan Akkineni Nagarjuna states, “I am delighted that the Film Heritage Foundation is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of my father with a festival of his landmark films across the country. He was rightly called Natasamrat for his amazing ability to play a range of roles from a saint to an alcoholic to a romantic hero in a way that has stayed in people’s hearts and minds for decades. His performance in Devadasu has been acknowledged as one of the best across all versions of the film over the years and his films like Premabhishekam, Doctor Chakravarthi and Sudigundalu are loved even today. He was a pioneer who established Annapurna Studios, laying the first foundation for the Telugu film industry in our state. We are very proud of his legacy and through this festival audiences across the country will remember an icon not just of Telugu cinema but of Indian cinema. We would like to preserve this legacy so that people will remember him for another hundred years. The entire Akkineni family would like to thank the NFDC-NFAI and PVR-Inox for partnering with us to make this festival possible.” Amitabh Bachchan states, “I am delighted that Film Heritage Foundation will be celebrating the legacy of Shri Akkineni Nageswara Rao – a pioneer of the Telugu film industry and an icon of Indian cinema –by releasing his restored films all over India to mark his 100th birth anniversary. I had the good fortune to meet him on several occasions and I was always struck by his humility and simplicity. This is the first time a retrospective on this scale has been done for Telugu cinema in a manner befitting his stature. The festival is in keeping with Film Heritage Foundation’s commitment to bringing the heritage of Indian cinema back on the big screen the way these films were meant to be seen. This will give contemporary audiences an amazing opportunity to experience the tremendous screen presence, the versatility and the range of a legendary actor in Telugu classics like Devadasu, Sudigundalu, and Doctor Chakravarthy.” Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films) and Managing Director, NFDC-National Film Archive Of India states, “NFDC-NFAI is deeply honoured to collaborate in commemorating the birth centenary of Shri. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, by presenting seven timeless classics, restored in 4K from prints and negatives held in the archive’s collection. This event is not just a tribute to a legendary actor but also a testament to our commitment to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Indian cinema. By bringing these masterpieces back to the big screen, we hope to evoke a deep sense of pride and nostalgia, allowing audiences to reconnect with the golden era of our film history. Our sincere thanks go to PVR-INOX for providing the platform to share these films with the nation, to Annapurna Studios and Film Heritage Foundation for their curation and planning, and to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for funding this endeavour under the National Film Heritage Mission.” About ANR Versatility, humility and a powerhouse of talent. These are some of the words often used to describe Akkineni Nageswara Rao, or ANR or Nata Samrat, as he was fondly called. An actor and producer who worked in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil cinema, ANR was most famous for his work in Telugu cinema. In a career spanning 71 years and more than 250 movies, he was best known for his diversity of roles. He acted in mainstream movies and offbeat films, in mythologies, dramas and comedies. The trailblazer was the recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Raghupati Venkaiah Award, Filmfare Awards, amongst others. ANR established Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad that grew as a hub for the Telugu film industry ANR passed away on January 22, 2014 leaving behind two generations of actors, including his son the superstar Nagarjuna and grandsons Naga Chaitanya and Akhil Akkineni to carry forward his legacy.
05 September,2024 12:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAnd the big day for Thalapathy Vijay's fans is here! The release of his film 'Greatest Of All Times (GOAT)' has brought a lot of excitement among fans who headed to the theatres to watch the film FDFS (first-day first show). While fans were excited to watch the Venkat Prabhu directorial, they went crazy with the cameo appearances in the film. Visuals of the audience reacting to MS Dhoni's appearance and Trisha's guest role in the cinema hall is nothing short of a treat to watch. Yes, as it turns out Indian cricketer MS Dhoni makes a special appearance in the film. In the scene we see, Dhoni stepping out on the field dressed in Chennai Super Kings jersey. We then get to see Vijay performing gravity defying bike stunts and heading at full speed towards the stadium where Dhoni is playing. The visuals seemed to have been used from one of CSK's game for IPL. The crowd went wild to see their Thala and Thalapathy in the same frame. Apart from that, the fans were also thrilled to see Trisha in a guest role for one of the songs in the film. a small clip ..😃⭐⭐😀🔥🔥Dhoni in Thalapathy Vijay's Goat Dhoni in thalapathy Vijay's GOAT 🔥🔥🔥#TheGreatestOfAllTime#Dhoni #Trisha #ThalapathyVijay𓃵 pic.twitter.com/dulbBQ1hgM — filmy bhaaayyy (@MeenaPankaj2796) September 5, 2024 GOAT to have a Rs 100 crore day 1? Thalapathy Vijay's fans have taken it upon themselves to ensure that this Thursday's release beats all previous records of the actor's film. According to trade portal Sacnilk, the film saw high advance bookings in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh , Telangana and Maharashtra. At the worldwide box office, the Thalapathy Vijay film has crossed Rs 50 crore in its advance booking as of Wednesday. Given these numbers, GOAT is likely to open above Rs 100 crore at the worldwide box office. Thalapathy's previous release 'Leo' had opened at Rs 142 crore at the worldwide box office. Meanwhile, 'The Greatest of All Time's dubbed Hindi version will not be a threat to the blissful run of Stree 2 as the former will not be released in national multiplex chains -- PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis after makers failed to adhere to the theatrical guidelines. These guidelines state that makers of all new Hindi movies will have to maintain an 8-week-gap between the theatrical release and premiere on OTT platforms. The makers of GOAT, however, have a pre-decided agreement with an OTT platform to release the movie just after 4 weeks, as per media reports. About GOAT: The trailer introduces Vijay as a field agent and spy who has carried out over 65 successful operations in his career. The trailer gives a glimpse of Vijay's double role, playing a father-son duo. It is directed by Venkat Prabhu and produced by Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh and Kalpathi S Suresh of AGS Entertainment. 'GOAT' also features Prabhudheva and Prashanth, alongside actors such as Mohan, Ajmal Ameer, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Sneha, Laila, Vaibhav, Yogi Babu, Premgi Amaren, Yugendran, VTV Ganesh, and Aravind Akash.
05 September,2024 09:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a joint appeal, 72 prominent personalities, including author Arundhati Roy, have urged the Kerala Chief Minister to enact a law addressing concerns raised by the Justice K Hema Committee report on sexual atrocities against women in the film field. The signatories to the appeal include Supreme Court advocates Indira Jaisingh and Vrinda Grover, actors Aparna Sen, Prakash Raj, Swara Bhasker, musician T M Krishna, a few retired bureaucrats, and several journalists who have sought a "360-degree approach" from the state government to achieve the objectives for which the committee was set up. In their letter to the CM, the concerns they have highlighted include the "inordinate focus on the sexual misdemeanours and crimes mentioned in the report" and the "virtual exclusion" of issues like the working conditions in the film industry, lack of contracts, pay disparities, etc. which also find mention the panel's findings.One of the signatories, T M Krishna, in a post on social media platform Instagram, expressed solidarity with women in Malayalam cinema and urged the state government to take immediate action on the committee's report. "Standing in solidarity with women in Malayalam cinema, we urge the Kerala government to take immediate action on the Hema Committee Report, addressing not just sexual harassment, but also wage disparity, poor working conditions, and systemic inequality in the industry," he said. The signatories, in their joint letter to Vijayan, said that the setting up of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the allegations being made by women about their experiences of sexual harassment and violence in the industry "has given a further impetus to the media's selective coverage". "The inevitable implication of such selectiveness is that addressing the underlying causes of violence ¿ namely, inequality and discrimination ¿ is less important than the violence itself. "Further, the government has made no effort to sensitise the media and public to the possibility that women with legitimate complaints of crimes may not necessarily wish to explore legal options for multiple, completely acceptable reasons," they said. They further said that in the absence of such sensitisation, the present atmosphere in the state was veering towards doubting the allegations of any woman who opts not to file a police complaint after going public with her grievances. Additionally, women who shared their stories with the public and media are facing extreme pressure from the police to lodge official complaints, they said in the letter. This is a deeply disturbing development. In all cases of sexual crimes, a survivor's agency and mental health must be prioritised above all else. The government must strictly instruct the police and the SIT to not bulldoze women, to treat them with consideration, and to act in their best interests, they said. They said that in these circumstances, women who have come out with allegations should be allowed to decide how they wish to proceed with their individual experiences in the aftermath of the report's release. It further said that the state government should also "invest in an awareness-building programme to sensitise the public and media", so that "testimonies" by women who suffered sexual exploitation are not doubted just because they cannot or do not wish to fight long-drawn-out cases. "The aim of such a programme should be to make certain that women who decide not to explore legal options are not discredited in public or humiliated, which is the direction that we worry the discourse in the state will take in the absence of a well-thought-out intervention. "The government must offer counselling to all women who speak out, irrespective of the path they choose. Such counselling would help them to deal with the mental health issues that result from sexual harassment and violence," they said in the letter. They also said that the government should also look into the other important issues, like the absence of written contracts, wage discrimination and poor working conditions, such as non-provision of secure, private toilets and dressing rooms as well as safe accommodation and transportation, highlighted in the report. "It must take steps to remedy the situation through systemic reform of the industry in keeping with the many detailed recommendations of the committee. The government must also ensure the safety of women who have spoken to the committee and in public about their experiences. "This must include - we repeat, because it cannot be emphasised enough - an assurance that they will not be bullied into filing police complaints if they do not wish to do so," they said.
04 September,2024 09:42 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIADVERTISEMENT
