The list of actors cast in Netflix’s ‘Spaceman’ continues to grow as the makers rope in Paul Dano and Kunal Nayyar for the project.&nbsp;

The duo also join 2 time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan in the movie along with lead Adam Sandler.

‘Chernobyl’ filmmaker Johan Renck is directing ‘Spaceman’, which is based on the Jaroslav Kalfar novel Spaceman of Bohemia. C

In the movie, Adam Sandler is an astronaut sent to the edge of the galaxy to collect mysterious ancient dust as he finds his earthly life falling to pieces. He turns to the only voice who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.

Meanwhile, Paul Dano will also be seen in Warner Bros. upcoming ‘The Batman’ reboot from Matt Reeves as The Riddler. As for Kunal Nayyar, he stared on hist comedy show ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and took six SAG nominations. He is currently starring in and shooting the AppleTV+ series ‘Suspicion’.

The list of actors cast in Netflix’s ‘Spaceman’ continues to grow as the makers rope in Paul Dano and Kunal Nayyar for the project. The duo also join 2 time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan in the movie along with lead Adam Sandler.

The list of actors cast in Netflix’s ‘Spaceman’ continues to grow as the makers rope in Paul Dano and Kunal Nayyar for the project. The duo also join 2 time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan in the movie along with lead Adam Sandler. ‘Chernobyl’ filmmaker Johan Renck is directing ‘Spaceman’, which is based on the Jaroslav Kalfar novel Spaceman of Bohemia. C In the movie, Adam Sandler is an astronaut sent to the edge of the galaxy to collect mysterious ancient dust as he finds his earthly life falling to pieces. He turns to the only voice who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship. Meanwhile, Paul Dano will also be seen in Warner Bros. upcoming ‘The Batman’ reboot from Matt Reeves as The Riddler. As for Kunal Nayyar, he stared on hist comedy show ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and took six SAG nominations. He is currently starring in and shooting the AppleTV+ series ‘Suspicion’.

Paul Dano and Kunal Nayyar cast in Netflix's 'Spaceman'

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in for Kunal Kohli’s next venture, ‘Ramyug’. The series will stream on MXPlayer as it announced its voice artists.

The series will be directed by ‘Hum Tum’ fame Kunal Kohli.

The announcement teaser featured a special rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa featuring <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</a>'s voice and tabla by Ustad Zakir Hussain. The track is composed by Rahul Sharma.

The official Twitter handle of MX Player posted the video, while Kunal also reshared and captioned it, "Coming soon."

In 2018, Kohli had announced he would adapt the Hindu epic Ramayana titled ‘Ramyug ‘for the big screen.

Meanwhile, actor Vicky Kaushal will feature in ‘Ashwatthama’, playing the titular mythological Mahabharata character who was given the curse of immortality.

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in for Kunal Kohli’s next venture, ‘Ramyug’. The series will stream on MXPlayer as it announced its voice artists.

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in for Kunal Kohli’s next venture, ‘Ramyug’. The series will stream on MXPlayer as it announced its voice artists. The series will be directed by ‘Hum Tum’ fame Kunal Kohli. The announcement teaser featured a special rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa featuring Amitabh Bachchan's voice and tabla by Ustad Zakir Hussain. The track is composed by Rahul Sharma. The official Twitter handle of MX Player posted the video, while Kunal also reshared and captioned it, "Coming soon." In 2018, Kohli had announced he would adapt the Hindu epic Ramayana titled ‘Ramyug ‘for the big screen. Meanwhile, actor Vicky Kaushal will feature in ‘Ashwatthama’, playing the titular mythological Mahabharata character who was given the curse of immortality.

Amitabh Bachchan lends vocals to Hanuman Chalisa for Kunal Kohli's new series Ramyug

In a rather strange and unpleasant experience, ‘The White Tiger’ director Ramin Bahrani was subjected to racist comments from a bystander in Atlanta, US. The Oscar-nominated director had racist comments come his way as he conducted a Zoom interview with director Ava DuVernay and other BAFTA and Academy members. One such comment had asking him to “go back to your own country”.&nbsp;

On the incident, Ramin Bahrani told People magazine, “I was in Atlanta on location in a residential neighbourhood directing a TV pilot for Apple. We had worked late that day, so I had to do my Zoom interview with Ava on my phone while we were still in the street. During the interview, I noticed a car parked behind me. When the driver saw me and my colleague (who is South Asian) he said, ‘You all think you run the world. You all don’t run s—.’ His friend told him to calm down and leave it alone. As the driver pulled away, he shouted, ‘Go back to your own country!’ ”

The Iranian-American director opened up about the racist episode so as to make people aware of the racism that minorities face everyday in the US.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/priyanka-chopra">Priyanka Chopra</a> also spoke on the unfortunate incident as she said, “Who belongs here, and who doesn’t? Isn’t America a melting pot of all people from all backgrounds? This country was built on the back of immigrants in search of the American dream, a life of freedom, opportunity, and a safe place not only for themselves but for their families.”

“Content by Hollywood is embraced by the world, but the world is not always embraced by Hollywood. Hollywood and pop culture, in general, have a massive responsibility in this fight for racial equality and representation in global entertainment,” Priyanka added.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, ‘The White Tiger’ was recently nominated at BAFTA although it lost out to its contemporaries. The film has currently been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

In a rather strange and unpleasant experience, ‘The White Tiger’ director Ramin Bahrani was subjected to racist comments from a bystander in Atlanta, US. The Oscar-nominated director had racist comments come his way as he conducted a Zoom interview with director Ava DuVernay and other BAFTA and Academy members.

In a rather strange and unpleasant experience, ‘The White Tiger’ director Ramin Bahrani was subjected to racist comments from a bystander in Atlanta, US. The Oscar-nominated director had racist comments come his way as he conducted a Zoom interview with director Ava DuVernay and other BAFTA and Academy members. One such comment had asking him to “go back to your own country”. On the incident, Ramin Bahrani told People magazine, “I was in Atlanta on location in a residential neighbourhood directing a TV pilot for Apple. We had worked late that day, so I had to do my Zoom interview with Ava on my phone while we were still in the street. During the interview, I noticed a car parked behind me. When the driver saw me and my colleague (who is South Asian) he said, ‘You all think you run the world. You all don’t run s—.’ His friend told him to calm down and leave it alone. As the driver pulled away, he shouted, ‘Go back to your own country!’ ” The Iranian-American director opened up about the racist episode so as to make people aware of the racism that minorities face everyday in the US. Priyanka Chopra also spoke on the unfortunate incident as she said, “Who belongs here, and who doesn’t? Isn’t America a melting pot of all people from all backgrounds? This country was built on the back of immigrants in search of the American dream, a life of freedom, opportunity, and a safe place not only for themselves but for their families.” “Content by Hollywood is embraced by the world, but the world is not always embraced by Hollywood. Hollywood and pop culture, in general, have a massive responsibility in this fight for racial equality and representation in global entertainment,” Priyanka added. Meanwhile, ‘The White Tiger’ was recently nominated at BAFTA although it lost out to its contemporaries. The film has currently been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

Priyanka Chopra slams racists for their comments on ‘The White Tiger’ director

Russia has launched a probe against YouTube for "abusing" its dominant position in the market by making "biased" decisions about comment moderation, a government regulator said on Monday.

The move comes as Russia ramps up pressure on foreign tech platforms, with Moscow stepping up its efforts to control the Russian segment of the internet.

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said that YouTube's rules relating to the suspension or deletion of accounts are "opaque, biased and unpredictable".

"This leads to sudden blocking and deletion of user accounts without warning and justification," the regulator said in a statement.

It added that "such behaviour can lead to the infringement of the interests of users" and the "restriction of competition".

The regulator said it had launched the probe after receiving a complaint from the Regional Public Centre for Internet Technologies (ROTsIT), a group presenting itself as defending the interests of Russian internet users.&nbsp;

"The fact that the publication and broadcasting of video content in Russia can be regulated by the legislation of other countries is not correct," ROTsIT said in a statement in December announcing its complaint.

Russian authorities in recent months have been irritated by restrictions on several pro-Kremlin films on YouTube.&nbsp;

In September, Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor accused the US platform of censorship after it added a warning about potential inappropriate content to a documentary about the Beslan school siege in 2004.&nbsp;

Roskomnadzor made similar complaints in March after similar warnings were added to films about World War II and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

President Vladimir Putin has also complained about what he has called the growing influence of large technology companies, saying that they are competing with states.

- Calls for protests -&nbsp;

YouTube has been a particular boon for Russia's opposition in a country where television is mainly controlled by the authorities.

Putin's best known domestic opponent Alexei Navalny has for years released investigations into corruption on the platform as well as calls to protest that have garnered millions of views.&nbsp;

His team published its latest video on Sunday calling for mass protests across Russia Wednesday evening in support of Navalny, who is on hunger strike in a penal colony demanding adequate medical treatment for a litany of ailments. The video has already been viewed nearly three million times.

On Monday Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter that she had received an email from YouTube notifying her that Roskomnadzor had ordered the company to delete the video, saying it violated Russian law.

Navalny, 44, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years behind bars for violating parole terms on old fraud charges soon after he returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he was recovering from a near-fatal poisoning.

His team that month called for protests that brought tens of thousands to the streets across the country, with authorities accusing foreign social media platforms of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs by not deleting calls to the rallies.

Earlier this month Russia fined Twitter and TikTok for failing to remove those calls.

Russia regularly fines foreign internet companies like Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, for failing to comply with its legislation.

In December, Russian lawmakers passed legislation that gave authorities the power to block internet platforms like YouTube if they are deemed to have censored content produced by Russians.&nbsp;

Russia has banned a number of websites that have refused to cooperate with authorities, such as LinkedIn.&nbsp;

In March, Roskomnadzor began throttling Twitter's service speeds, accusing it of failing to remove content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide.

The regulator has given the US social media giant a deadline of mid-May to remove the content.&nbsp;

Russia has launched a probe against YouTube for "abusing" its dominant position in the market by making "biased" decisions about comment moderation, a government regulator said on Monday.

Russia has launched a probe against YouTube for "abusing" its dominant position in the market by making "biased" decisions about comment moderation, a government regulator said on Monday. The move comes as Russia ramps up pressure on foreign tech platforms, with Moscow stepping up its efforts to control the Russian segment of the internet. The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said that YouTube's rules relating to the suspension or deletion of accounts are "opaque, biased and unpredictable". "This leads to sudden blocking and deletion of user accounts without warning and justification," the regulator said in a statement. It added that "such behaviour can lead to the infringement of the interests of users" and the "restriction of competition". The regulator said it had launched the probe after receiving a complaint from the Regional Public Centre for Internet Technologies (ROTsIT), a group presenting itself as defending the interests of Russian internet users. "The fact that the publication and broadcasting of video content in Russia can be regulated by the legislation of other countries is not correct," ROTsIT said in a statement in December announcing its complaint. Russian authorities in recent months have been irritated by restrictions on several pro-Kremlin films on YouTube. In September, Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor accused the US platform of censorship after it added a warning about potential inappropriate content to a documentary about the Beslan school siege in 2004. Roskomnadzor made similar complaints in March after similar warnings were added to films about World War II and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. President Vladimir Putin has also complained about what he has called the growing influence of large technology companies, saying that they are competing with states. - Calls for protests - YouTube has been a particular boon for Russia's opposition in a country where television is mainly controlled by the authorities. Putin's best known domestic opponent Alexei Navalny has for years released investigations into corruption on the platform as well as calls to protest that have garnered millions of views. His team published its latest video on Sunday calling for mass protests across Russia Wednesday evening in support of Navalny, who is on hunger strike in a penal colony demanding adequate medical treatment for a litany of ailments. The video has already been viewed nearly three million times. On Monday Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter that she had received an email from YouTube notifying her that Roskomnadzor had ordered the company to delete the video, saying it violated Russian law. Navalny, 44, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years behind bars for violating parole terms on old fraud charges soon after he returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he was recovering from a near-fatal poisoning. His team that month called for protests that brought tens of thousands to the streets across the country, with authorities accusing foreign social media platforms of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs by not deleting calls to the rallies. Earlier this month Russia fined Twitter and TikTok for failing to remove those calls. Russia regularly fines foreign internet companies like Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, for failing to comply with its legislation. In December, Russian lawmakers passed legislation that gave authorities the power to block internet platforms like YouTube if they are deemed to have censored content produced by Russians. Russia has banned a number of websites that have refused to cooperate with authorities, such as LinkedIn. In March, Roskomnadzor began throttling Twitter's service speeds, accusing it of failing to remove content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide. The regulator has given the US social media giant a deadline of mid-May to remove the content.

Russia probes YouTube for 'abusing' dominant position

An alleged stalker of pop superstar Taylor Swift was arrested after she suffered a break-in at her New York apartment, police said Monday.

Hanks Johnson, 52, was charged with criminal trespassing after police responded to an emergency call on Saturday, reporting that someone was breaking into Swift's home in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan.

Johnson was released on his own recognizance following an arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Sunday night.

According to the New York Daily News, Johnson had shown up at Swift's building to ring the doorbell at least five times over the past six months.

The 31-year-old Swift -- who is back on top of the charts following the release of her re-recording of her hit "Fearless" album -- has been a victim of stalking at her various properties for years.

In June 2019 an Iowa man was arrested after traveling to Rhode Island, where she owns a home, with burglary tools including an aluminum baseball bat and plans to "visit" Swift.

Roger Alvarado was arrested multiple times for breaking into her Manhattan home in recent years.

The pop phenom has cited violence as one of her "greatest fears," and in the past reportedly has deployed facial recognition technology at some concerts to identify potential stalkers in the crowd.

An alleged stalker of pop superstar Taylor Swift was arrested after she suffered a break-in at her New York apartment, police said Monday. Hanks Johnson, 52, was charged with criminal trespassing after police responded to an emergency call on Saturday, reporting that someone was breaking into Swift's home in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan.

An alleged stalker of pop superstar Taylor Swift was arrested after she suffered a break-in at her New York apartment, police said Monday. Hanks Johnson, 52, was charged with criminal trespassing after police responded to an emergency call on Saturday, reporting that someone was breaking into Swift's home in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan. Johnson was released on his own recognizance following an arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Sunday night. According to the New York Daily News, Johnson had shown up at Swift's building to ring the doorbell at least five times over the past six months. The 31-year-old Swift -- who is back on top of the charts following the release of her re-recording of her hit "Fearless" album -- has been a victim of stalking at her various properties for years. In June 2019 an Iowa man was arrested after traveling to Rhode Island, where she owns a home, with burglary tools including an aluminum baseball bat and plans to "visit" Swift. Roger Alvarado was arrested multiple times for breaking into her Manhattan home in recent years. The pop phenom has cited violence as one of her "greatest fears," and in the past reportedly has deployed facial recognition technology at some concerts to identify potential stalkers in the crowd.

Stalker-plagued Taylor Swift has break-in at New York home

'Another Round,'&nbsp;a film about a pact by four world-weary Danish schoolteachers to spend every day drunk for a loosely scientific "experiment," was always going to walk a fine line between comedy and darkness.

Director Thomas Vinterberg wrote his script, originally a play, upon realizing many of the world's great historic feats were made by people regularly intoxicated on alcohol -- the very same substance that can rip lives and families apart.

But four days into shooting, Vinterberg's daughter was killed in a car crash. He somehow still finished the uniquely funny, tender and tragic film -- which has earned him a rare Oscar nomination for best director.&nbsp;

"The movie was always meant to be life-affirming and full of love, and bare to some extent... raw," Vinterberg told AFP in an interview via Zoom.&nbsp;

"But the tragedy that happened in my life left all defenseless and open."

Starring as the teachers are four of Vinterberg's close friends and collaborators, including former 007 villain Mads Mikkelsen, who all spent the shoot doing "everything they could to make me laugh in these circumstances."

"There was so much love on the set -- and I guess you can see that on the screen," said Vinterberg, whose movie is a favorite to take home the Oscar for best international film on Sunday.

While the film is clearly about alcohol, it is also "about living inspired, about forgetting about yourself, about being curious, and being in the moment and all that comes with drinking."

Those life-affirming elements were inspired by his daughter Ida, who was due to play Mikkelsen's daughter, and whose real-life friends play classmates who participate in a joyous teen drinking competition around a lake.

"There's an alarming bunch of people and countries who connected to this thing about drinking," joked Vinterberg.

"Yes, they drink differently in California -- they put the bottle in a [paper] bag -- whereas in Denmark, teenagers run around in the streets with bottles out," he said.

"But it seems that the film connects on a different level, and hopefully we succeeded in elevating this film... to a movie about something more."

- 'My own garden' -

Humor is not always associated with Vinterberg, co-founder of the ascetic Dogme 95 filmmaking movement with Lars Von Trier, and director of movies tackling issues such as child abuse including "The Celebration" and "The Hunt."&nbsp;

But Vinterberg, 51, has often defied categorization. The famous Dogme 95 "manifesto" imposing strict naturalistic limits on directors was always half serious, half tongue-in-cheek.

And while he has dabbled in Hollywood -- for instance 2015's "Far From the Madding Crowd" starring Carey Mulligan, also an Oscar nominee this year -- his most widely acclaimed films are often his most Danish and local.

"It seems like when I dig in my own garden, that's when people really get interested, also abroad," he said.

The universal themes of "Another Round" may partly explain how Vinterberg landed one of just five Oscar best director nods, for a non-English-language film (fellow nominee Lee Isaac Chung's "Minari" is in Korean and English).

"The pleasures of alcohol, but also the destructive side of drinking, have been around for thousands of years, in all cultures almost," said Vinterberg.&nbsp;

The director served his cast booze during rehearsals, and they watched Russian YouTube videos together to observe episodes of extreme inebriation.

"We needed to see these characters being in the zone," he recalled. "It wasn't like they were very drunk, actually, but there was alcohol."

On set, however, everyone was sober, Vinterberg said -- "they had to act, basically, which I think they did well."

Much as the production of "Another Round" is a story of contrasts -- tragedy and camaraderie, humor and philosophy -- the fates of the teachers diverge when the temptation of booze takes hold to varying degrees with each of them.

But the movie itself deliberately "did not want to moralize" or "make an advertisement for alcohol," said Vinterberg.

"Very importantly, I did not want to have a message."

'Another Round,' a film about a pact by four world-weary Danish schoolteachers to spend every day drunk for a loosely scientific "experiment," was always going to walk a fine line between comedy and darkness.

'Another Round,' a film about a pact by four world-weary Danish schoolteachers to spend every day drunk for a loosely scientific "experiment," was always going to walk a fine line between comedy and darkness. Director Thomas Vinterberg wrote his script, originally a play, upon realizing many of the world's great historic feats were made by people regularly intoxicated on alcohol -- the very same substance that can rip lives and families apart. But four days into shooting, Vinterberg's daughter was killed in a car crash. He somehow still finished the uniquely funny, tender and tragic film -- which has earned him a rare Oscar nomination for best director. "The movie was always meant to be life-affirming and full of love, and bare to some extent... raw," Vinterberg told AFP in an interview via Zoom. "But the tragedy that happened in my life left all defenseless and open." Starring as the teachers are four of Vinterberg's close friends and collaborators, including former 007 villain Mads Mikkelsen, who all spent the shoot doing "everything they could to make me laugh in these circumstances." "There was so much love on the set -- and I guess you can see that on the screen," said Vinterberg, whose movie is a favorite to take home the Oscar for best international film on Sunday. While the film is clearly about alcohol, it is also "about living inspired, about forgetting about yourself, about being curious, and being in the moment and all that comes with drinking." Those life-affirming elements were inspired by his daughter Ida, who was due to play Mikkelsen's daughter, and whose real-life friends play classmates who participate in a joyous teen drinking competition around a lake. "There's an alarming bunch of people and countries who connected to this thing about drinking," joked Vinterberg. "Yes, they drink differently in California -- they put the bottle in a [paper] bag -- whereas in Denmark, teenagers run around in the streets with bottles out," he said. "But it seems that the film connects on a different level, and hopefully we succeeded in elevating this film... to a movie about something more." - 'My own garden' - Humor is not always associated with Vinterberg, co-founder of the ascetic Dogme 95 filmmaking movement with Lars Von Trier, and director of movies tackling issues such as child abuse including "The Celebration" and "The Hunt." But Vinterberg, 51, has often defied categorization. The famous Dogme 95 "manifesto" imposing strict naturalistic limits on directors was always half serious, half tongue-in-cheek. And while he has dabbled in Hollywood -- for instance 2015's "Far From the Madding Crowd" starring Carey Mulligan, also an Oscar nominee this year -- his most widely acclaimed films are often his most Danish and local. "It seems like when I dig in my own garden, that's when people really get interested, also abroad," he said. The universal themes of "Another Round" may partly explain how Vinterberg landed one of just five Oscar best director nods, for a non-English-language film (fellow nominee Lee Isaac Chung's "Minari" is in Korean and English). "The pleasures of alcohol, but also the destructive side of drinking, have been around for thousands of years, in all cultures almost," said Vinterberg. The director served his cast booze during rehearsals, and they watched Russian YouTube videos together to observe episodes of extreme inebriation. "We needed to see these characters being in the zone," he recalled. "It wasn't like they were very drunk, actually, but there was alcohol." On set, however, everyone was sober, Vinterberg said -- "they had to act, basically, which I think they did well." Much as the production of "Another Round" is a story of contrasts -- tragedy and camaraderie, humor and philosophy -- the fates of the teachers diverge when the temptation of booze takes hold to varying degrees with each of them. But the movie itself deliberately "did not want to moralize" or "make an advertisement for alcohol," said Vinterberg. "Very importantly, I did not want to have a message."

'Raw' personal loss inspired Vinterberg's Oscar-nominated dark booze comedy

The Oriental lute is making a comeback in Iran after decades in the shadows as musicians reconnect with an instrument integral to Arab and Turkish musical tradition in a fragmented region.

Known as the oud in Arabic, it is commonly called the barbat in Persian, although some would argue the instruments differ slightly.

"The number of (oud) students has increased considerably over the past 15 years or so; before a known teacher would have had a dozen students whereas today they'll be about 50," said Majid Yahyanejad, a 35-year-old oud teacher in Tehran.

Noushin Pasdar, a 40-year-old musician in the Iranian capital, made the same observation.

She started teaching the stringed instrument "about 23 years ago" after graduating from professional arts school, known as honarestan in Persian.

"At the time, most of my students were old, really old. Now they're more on the young side," Pasdar said.

"We only knew the oud as played in Egypt and Iraq. We knew nothing of the oud in Turkey. But today we know it's also played in Syria, Kuwait and Jordan."

- Internet friends -

Yahyanejad noticed young Iranian oud players were "taking more interest in Arabic and Turkish culture... and Turkish, Arab and Iranian musicians are becoming friends on the internet".

The barbat has been around for centuries and it takes up a whole chapter of the "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written in the 10th century.

Iran and Syria are lobbying for the manufacture and playing of the oud to be added to UNESCO's "intangible heritage" list.

The barbat had fallen out of Iran's classical and traditional repertoires, with (other) stringed instruments such as the setar, tar, santur and kamancheh given preference.

But in the second half of the 20th century, a man named Mansour Nariman introduced oud instruction at the honarestan and published the first Persian-language manual on the instrument, Yahyanejad points out.

Nariman, who died in 2015, had been drawn to the "warmth" of its sound, at a time when the Arab oud did not even figure on Iran's musical periscope.

In the absence of any teachers back then, Nariman taught himself and wrote off letters to Egyptians he had heard playing the instrument on the radio.

He received a reply from one of the biggest names in Arab music, Mohamed Abdelwahab.

- Instrument to 'reconcile' -

Many years later, Mohammad Firouzi, a student of Nariman, recorded several pieces of music with the undisputed maestro of Persian song, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, who died in October.

Among them were masterpieces such as "Aseman-e Eshgh" in 1991, "Aram-e Jan", 1998, and "Ghoghaye Eshghbazan", in 2007.

Pasdar remembers the first time music teachers showed her an oud, triggering a hunt for the instrument in central Tehran's Baharestan Square, a paradise for musicians.

She said she found only two, both made in Egypt, and too bulky for a budding musician.

Fatemeh Moussavi, who crafts ouds in a small Tehran studio, says very few artisans manufactured the instruments and they were pricey back in the day.

Things didn't change much until the early 2000s, when thousands of ouds landed in Iran, mostly from Syria and Turkey, bringing down prices.

It was a time of liberalisation under the reformist Mohammad Khatami who served as president between 1997 and 2005.

The arts scene benefitted from this period in the Islamic republic, where the Shiite clergy prioritises study of the Koran holy book and religious jurisprudence.

For Hamid Khansari, who has written an introduction to the oud, the bow-shaped instrument is "a blessing" that "expands the possibilities of creation".

Lebanon's Charbel Rouhana played the instrument on stage in Tehran with Iranian group Gardoun in 2016, followed the next year by Yurdal Tokcan from Turkey.

Tunisian Dhafer Youssef has woven Persian poems into his repertoire and given several concerts with Iranian musicians figuring in his international orchestra.

In a Middle East tormented for decades by war and conflict, Yahyanejad harbours hope that musical interaction will forge bonds of friendship across religions, ethnicities and cultures.

"This instrument could finally help reconcile peoples of the region."

The Oriental lute is making a comeback in Iran after decades in the shadows as musicians reconnect with an instrument integral to Arab and Turkish musical tradition in a fragmented region.

The Oriental lute is making a comeback in Iran after decades in the shadows as musicians reconnect with an instrument integral to Arab and Turkish musical tradition in a fragmented region. Known as the oud in Arabic, it is commonly called the barbat in Persian, although some would argue the instruments differ slightly. "The number of (oud) students has increased considerably over the past 15 years or so; before a known teacher would have had a dozen students whereas today they'll be about 50," said Majid Yahyanejad, a 35-year-old oud teacher in Tehran. Noushin Pasdar, a 40-year-old musician in the Iranian capital, made the same observation. She started teaching the stringed instrument "about 23 years ago" after graduating from professional arts school, known as honarestan in Persian. "At the time, most of my students were old, really old. Now they're more on the young side," Pasdar said. "We only knew the oud as played in Egypt and Iraq. We knew nothing of the oud in Turkey. But today we know it's also played in Syria, Kuwait and Jordan." - Internet friends - Yahyanejad noticed young Iranian oud players were "taking more interest in Arabic and Turkish culture... and Turkish, Arab and Iranian musicians are becoming friends on the internet". The barbat has been around for centuries and it takes up a whole chapter of the "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written in the 10th century. Iran and Syria are lobbying for the manufacture and playing of the oud to be added to UNESCO's "intangible heritage" list. The barbat had fallen out of Iran's classical and traditional repertoires, with (other) stringed instruments such as the setar, tar, santur and kamancheh given preference. But in the second half of the 20th century, a man named Mansour Nariman introduced oud instruction at the honarestan and published the first Persian-language manual on the instrument, Yahyanejad points out. Nariman, who died in 2015, had been drawn to the "warmth" of its sound, at a time when the Arab oud did not even figure on Iran's musical periscope. In the absence of any teachers back then, Nariman taught himself and wrote off letters to Egyptians he had heard playing the instrument on the radio. He received a reply from one of the biggest names in Arab music, Mohamed Abdelwahab. - Instrument to 'reconcile' - Many years later, Mohammad Firouzi, a student of Nariman, recorded several pieces of music with the undisputed maestro of Persian song, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, who died in October. Among them were masterpieces such as "Aseman-e Eshgh" in 1991, "Aram-e Jan", 1998, and "Ghoghaye Eshghbazan", in 2007. Pasdar remembers the first time music teachers showed her an oud, triggering a hunt for the instrument in central Tehran's Baharestan Square, a paradise for musicians. She said she found only two, both made in Egypt, and too bulky for a budding musician. Fatemeh Moussavi, who crafts ouds in a small Tehran studio, says very few artisans manufactured the instruments and they were pricey back in the day. Things didn't change much until the early 2000s, when thousands of ouds landed in Iran, mostly from Syria and Turkey, bringing down prices. It was a time of liberalisation under the reformist Mohammad Khatami who served as president between 1997 and 2005. The arts scene benefitted from this period in the Islamic republic, where the Shiite clergy prioritises study of the Koran holy book and religious jurisprudence. For Hamid Khansari, who has written an introduction to the oud, the bow-shaped instrument is "a blessing" that "expands the possibilities of creation". Lebanon's Charbel Rouhana played the instrument on stage in Tehran with Iranian group Gardoun in 2016, followed the next year by Yurdal Tokcan from Turkey. Tunisian Dhafer Youssef has woven Persian poems into his repertoire and given several concerts with Iranian musicians figuring in his international orchestra. In a Middle East tormented for decades by war and conflict, Yahyanejad harbours hope that musical interaction will forge bonds of friendship across religions, ethnicities and cultures. "This instrument could finally help reconcile peoples of the region."

Oriental lute makes comeback on Iran music scene

In a first, Hollywood star Kate Winslet has opened up about her daughter Mia’s acting career.&nbsp;

Kate Winslet shares Mia with first husband Jim Threapleton. As she appeared on a virtual chat, she spoke about Mia’s career and how she has managed to get acting parts on her own name as most don’t know that Mia is her daughter.&nbsp;

Kate Winslet said, “What’s great for her is she has a different surname so she slipped under the radar and the people who cast her didn’t know she was my daughter and that was important for her self-esteem of course.”

“Mia is 20 and acting. She’s away now in the Czech Republic about to start on a TV series over there. I think I knew it was coming, I always suspected. And then a few years ago she turned around and said, I’d like to give it a go,” she added.&nbsp;

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Kate Winslet was married to Mia’s father Jim from 1998 to 2001. She then married Sam mendes and has a son with him, Joe who is 17 now. She split with him too and is now married to Edward Abel Smith, with whom she shares son Bear, seven.&nbsp;

Kate Winslet is currently promoting her new show ‘Mare Of Easttown’.

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Meanwhile, Mia made her acting debut last year in Ireland-set chiller ‘Shadows’, which was directed by Italian director Carlo Lavagna and largely shot in an abandoned hotel in the woods near Howth.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-attendees-wont-be-wearing-face-masks-on-camera-378754" hreflang="en">Oscars attendees won't be wearing face masks on camera</a>

In a first, Hollywood star Kate Winslet has opened up about her daughter Mia’s acting career. Kate Winslet shares Mia with first husband Jim Threapleton. As she appeared on a virtual chat, she spoke about Mia’s career and how she has managed to get acting parts on her own name as most don’t know that Mia is her daughter.

In a first, Hollywood star Kate Winslet has opened up about her daughter Mia’s acting career. Kate Winslet shares Mia with first husband Jim Threapleton. As she appeared on a virtual chat, she spoke about Mia’s career and how she has managed to get acting parts on her own name as most don’t know that Mia is her daughter. Kate Winslet said, “What’s great for her is she has a different surname so she slipped under the radar and the people who cast her didn’t know she was my daughter and that was important for her self-esteem of course.” “Mia is 20 and acting. She’s away now in the Czech Republic about to start on a TV series over there. I think I knew it was coming, I always suspected. And then a few years ago she turned around and said, I’d like to give it a go,” she added. Now you can order 'BTS inspired meal' at the McDonald's Kate Winslet was married to Mia’s father Jim from 1998 to 2001. She then married Sam mendes and has a son with him, Joe who is 17 now. She split with him too and is now married to Edward Abel Smith, with whom she shares son Bear, seven. Kate Winslet is currently promoting her new show ‘Mare Of Easttown’. Texas wants actor Matthew McConaughey as their governor over incumbent Republican Greg Abbott Meanwhile, Mia made her acting debut last year in Ireland-set chiller ‘Shadows’, which was directed by Italian director Carlo Lavagna and largely shot in an abandoned hotel in the woods near Howth. Oscars attendees won't be wearing face masks on camera

Kate Winslet reveals daughter Mia gets films on own merit as most don't know about her

Benjamin Lorr’s non fiction book ‘The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket’ is now in the pipeline to be turned into a TV docuseries.

The book will be made into a project for the small screen as ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ and ‘Ink Master’ producer Truly Original has optioned the book which was published last year.

The TV series will explore the hidden reality of the modern American supermarket and examine the passion, ingenuity and the exploitation grocers rely on to meet seemingly impossible consumer demands: low prices, high quality, endless options.&nbsp;

Benjamin Lorr spent five years “stalking groceries” for the book, embedding with popular stores and big box retailers, he traveled the globe in an attempt to understand what makes the supermarket a modern marvel.&nbsp;

On the announcement, Lorr said, “I want to upend how we think about buying food. Retail grocery is a reflection, and this is going to be a ‘warts and all’ look in the mirror. We have a massive industry carefully calibrated to consumer demands, and it’s been doing a damn good job. But how? And at what cost? This show will be an entertaining exploration of a system that’s way too good to be true, unveiling every hero, villain, beauty and blemish behind it.”

Benjamin Lorr’s non fiction book ‘The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket’ is now in the pipeline to be turned into a TV docuseries.

Benjamin Lorr’s non fiction book ‘The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket’ is now in the pipeline to be turned into a TV docuseries. The book will be made into a project for the small screen as ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ and ‘Ink Master’ producer Truly Original has optioned the book which was published last year. The TV series will explore the hidden reality of the modern American supermarket and examine the passion, ingenuity and the exploitation grocers rely on to meet seemingly impossible consumer demands: low prices, high quality, endless options. Benjamin Lorr spent five years “stalking groceries” for the book, embedding with popular stores and big box retailers, he traveled the globe in an attempt to understand what makes the supermarket a modern marvel. On the announcement, Lorr said, “I want to upend how we think about buying food. Retail grocery is a reflection, and this is going to be a ‘warts and all’ look in the mirror. We have a massive industry carefully calibrated to consumer demands, and it’s been doing a damn good job. But how? And at what cost? This show will be an entertaining exploration of a system that’s way too good to be true, unveiling every hero, villain, beauty and blemish behind it.”

‘The Secret Life of Groceries’ book to get adapted as TV docuseries

Marvel Studios chief, Kevin Feige, has confirmed that ‘Doctor Strange’ has wrapped filming this week.&nbsp;

While Benedict Cumberbatch's original ‘Doctor Strange’ solo film hit theaters back in 2016, it has taken several years for a sequel to materialise.&nbsp;

Doctor Strange 2 has had a few changes after Scott Derrickson exited a few months before production was scheduled to begin. Sam Raimi replaced him as the sequel's director.&nbsp;

The cast of the film includes Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Benedict Wong as Wong were confirmed, along with the addition of Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez.&nbsp;

In a recent interview with The Undefeated, Feige confirmed that this is the final week of filming on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He mentioned that he is in London for the end of production and is wearing one of his traditional MCU hats, but this time it is a new one for the Doctor Strange sequel.&nbsp;

Marvel Studios chief, Kevin Feige, has confirmed that ‘Doctor Strange’ has wrapped filming this week. While Benedict Cumberbatch's original ‘Doctor Strange’ solo film hit theaters back in 2016, it has taken several years for a sequel to materialise.

Marvel Studios chief, Kevin Feige, has confirmed that ‘Doctor Strange’ has wrapped filming this week. While Benedict Cumberbatch's original ‘Doctor Strange’ solo film hit theaters back in 2016, it has taken several years for a sequel to materialise. Doctor Strange 2 has had a few changes after Scott Derrickson exited a few months before production was scheduled to begin. Sam Raimi replaced him as the sequel's director. The cast of the film includes Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Benedict Wong as Wong were confirmed, along with the addition of Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez. In a recent interview with The Undefeated, Feige confirmed that this is the final week of filming on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He mentioned that he is in London for the end of production and is wearing one of his traditional MCU hats, but this time it is a new one for the Doctor Strange sequel.

'Doctor Strange 2' wraps filming confirms Kevin Feige

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn has joined hands with producer Siddharth Roy Kapur for a '90s satire film titled ‘GOBAR!’

Set in the cow belt of India during the 1990s, ‘GOBAR!’ is touted to be an amusing satire inspired by true events that transpire when an idiosyncratic animal-loving veterinary doctor chances upon a tangled web of corruption in his local state hospital.&nbsp;

‘GOBAR!’ is a one-of-a-kind comedy themed on one man’s hilariously bumbling and ridiculously brave journey to stand up against corruption whatever the consequences.

On the film, Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “GOBAR! is a story that chronicles the seemingly pointless but ultimately heroic journey of a simple citizen who deals with corruption in a way that will bring on many laughs, much adventure, and ultimately a simple message about the power of the common man. What makes the film entertaining and unique is that it is a situational comedy that sheds light on the inner workings of power. To be collaborating with Ajay, someone I have always respected for his creative choices, and his team at Ajay Devgn Ffilms on bringing this film to life is very exciting.”

Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ajay-devgn">Ajay Devgn</a> said, “The story of GOBAR! is at once unique, relatable, and incredibly funny, as well as gripping and entertaining to the point that I'm confident it will compel people to go to the theatres. We are very clear about the impact we want to make. We want viewers to laugh, relax, perhaps think a little bit and be entertained. The standard that Siddharth observes in content creation and filmmaking makes this collaboration very exciting for us.”

‘GOBAR!’ produced by Roy Kapur Films and Ajay Devgn Ffilms, will go on the floors at the end of the year.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn has joined hands with producer Siddharth Roy Kapur for a '90s satire film titled ‘GOBAR!’ Set in the cow belt of India during the 1990s, ‘GOBAR!

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn has joined hands with producer Siddharth Roy Kapur for a '90s satire film titled ‘GOBAR!’ Set in the cow belt of India during the 1990s, ‘GOBAR!’ is touted to be an amusing satire inspired by true events that transpire when an idiosyncratic animal-loving veterinary doctor chances upon a tangled web of corruption in his local state hospital. ‘GOBAR!’ is a one-of-a-kind comedy themed on one man’s hilariously bumbling and ridiculously brave journey to stand up against corruption whatever the consequences. On the film, Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “GOBAR! is a story that chronicles the seemingly pointless but ultimately heroic journey of a simple citizen who deals with corruption in a way that will bring on many laughs, much adventure, and ultimately a simple message about the power of the common man. What makes the film entertaining and unique is that it is a situational comedy that sheds light on the inner workings of power. To be collaborating with Ajay, someone I have always respected for his creative choices, and his team at Ajay Devgn Ffilms on bringing this film to life is very exciting.” Meanwhile, Ajay Devgn said, “The story of GOBAR! is at once unique, relatable, and incredibly funny, as well as gripping and entertaining to the point that I'm confident it will compel people to go to the theatres. We are very clear about the impact we want to make. We want viewers to laugh, relax, perhaps think a little bit and be entertained. The standard that Siddharth observes in content creation and filmmaking makes this collaboration very exciting for us.” ‘GOBAR!’ produced by Roy Kapur Films and Ajay Devgn Ffilms, will go on the floors at the end of the year.

Ajay Devgn and Siddharth Roy Kapur announce ’90s satire film 'GOBAR!'

Formar One Direction member Liam Payne is paying an artful tribute to Prince Philip.&nbsp;

The 27-year old singer took to his Instagram Stories and shared an artwork of the late Royal that he drew and painted.&nbsp;

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“Rest in peace HRH Prince Philip. A small tribute to you, thank you for your service.” he wrote in the clip featuring the young Duke of Edinburgh in his navy uniform. In the clip, he also held the photograph from the 1950s of the Prince that he used as inspiration to draw.&nbsp;

<img alt="Liam" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6d3fd373-6472-4c67-a657-beaff10d123e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy%2030th%20birthday%20%281%29.png" /> 
 
The One Direction singer showed the progress and detailing of his drawing from the day first on his Instagram story until the end. 
 
“Beginning something really special I hope,” Liam captioned the first image. Later, in the second photo, he said: “Taking shape has a long way to go.”&nbsp;With the third photo, Liam said, “Hours later, ready for watercolour.”

<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/prince-philip-1921-2021-lesser-known-facts-about-queen-elizabeth-iis-husband-376445" hreflang="en">Prince Philip (1921-2021): Lesser-known facts about the Duke of Edinburgh</a> 
 
Prince Philip, the husband and the Queens consort, died on April 9 aged 99, and his funeral will take place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17 and will have only 30 attendees given the COVID-19 norms in Britain.

Formar One Direction member Liam Payne is paying an artful tribute to Prince Philip. The 27-year old singer took to his Instagram Stories and shared an artwork of the late Royal that he drew and painted.

Formar One Direction member Liam Payne is paying an artful tribute to Prince Philip. The 27-year old singer took to his Instagram Stories and shared an artwork of the late Royal that he drew and painted. Prince Philip funeral: List of notable figures who will attend the ceremony “Rest in peace HRH Prince Philip. A small tribute to you, thank you for your service.” he wrote in the clip featuring the young Duke of Edinburgh in his navy uniform. In the clip, he also held the photograph from the 1950s of the Prince that he used as inspiration to draw. The One Direction singer showed the progress and detailing of his drawing from the day first on his Instagram story until the end. “Beginning something really special I hope,” Liam captioned the first image. Later, in the second photo, he said: “Taking shape has a long way to go.” With the third photo, Liam said, “Hours later, ready for watercolour.” Prince Philip (1921-2021): Lesser-known facts about the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, the husband and the Queens consort, died on April 9 aged 99, and his funeral will take place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17 and will have only 30 attendees given the COVID-19 norms in Britain.

Liam Payne artful tribute to Prince Philip, paints portrait of the late Royal

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