<p>Vaani Kapoor continues her collaboration with Yash Raj Films after "Shuddh Desi Romance"&nbsp;and "Befikre". The actor will star opposite Ranbir Kapoor in "Shamshera".</p>

<p>The 29-year-old actor will play the character of a desirable and sought-after travelling performer from the Indian heartland in Yash Raj Films’ action entertainer.</p>

<p>Director Karan Malhotra said the character played by Vaani acts as the catalyst to Ranbir’s character in the film and she is the perfect choice for the part. Vaani plays Ranbir’s love interest in the film and is a very important collaborator in his character’s journey. Her character graph is interlinked to the plot of the filmmaking her a crucial catalyst in our hero’s rebellious mission.</p>

<p>"Vaani is a perfect fit for the role. She is a fine actor, a fabulous dancer, and a gorgeous Hindi film heroine. We wanted someone absolutely fresh to wow audiences on the big screen and she beautifully fits that brief,” Malhotra said in a statement.</p>

<p>Sanjay Dutt has been roped in to play Shamshera’s merciless nemesis in the project. The film is set to go on floors end of this year and shooting will wrap by mid-2019.</p>


Vaani is said to play the role of a travelling performer from the heartland of India. 'Shamshera' is set to go on floors by the end of this year while its shooting will wrap by mid-2019.

Vaani Kapoor continues her collaboration with Yash Raj Films after "Shuddh Desi Romance" and "Befikre". The actor will star opposite Ranbir Kapoor in "Shamshera". The 29-year-old actor will play the character of a desirable and sought-after travelling performer from the Indian heartland in Yash Raj Films’ action entertainer. Director Karan Malhotra said the character played by Vaani acts as the catalyst to Ranbir’s character in the film and she is the perfect choice for the part. Vaani plays Ranbir’s love interest in the film and is a very important collaborator in his character’s journey. Her character graph is interlinked to the plot of the filmmaking her a crucial catalyst in our hero’s rebellious mission. "Vaani is a perfect fit for the role. She is a fine actor, a fabulous dancer, and a gorgeous Hindi film heroine. We wanted someone absolutely fresh to wow audiences on the big screen and she beautifully fits that brief,” Malhotra said in a statement. Sanjay Dutt has been roped in to play Shamshera’s merciless nemesis in the project. The film is set to go on floors end of this year and shooting will wrap by mid-2019.

Vani Kapoor all set to sizzle with Ranbir Kapoor in 'Shamshera'

<p>Netflix Inc said on Monday it planned to raise $1.5 billion in debt as the video streaming pioneer continues a rapid expansion in production of original shows.</p>

<p>The company said it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include content acquisitions, production.</p>

<p>In announcing the planned debt financing Monday,&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;included the standard boilerplate that it expects to use the net proceeds “for general corporate purposes,” but the company has been clear that it’s plowing capital into content.</p>

<p>Netflix reported&nbsp;booming first-quarter 2018&nbsp;results last week, exceeding subscriber-growth estimates both in the U.S. and abroad, to hit 125 million total streaming customers at the end of the period. The company reiterated that it expects content spending to be $7.5 billion to $8 billion for 2018 on a profit/loss basis, in line with its previous estimates.</p>

<p>Netflix crushed Wall Street’s estimates for subscriber additions earlier this month, driven by hit original shows “Altered Carbon” and “Jessica Jones”, and said it looks to spend nearly $8 billion on content in 2018.</p>

<p>Netflix shares were up 1 per cent in premarket trading.</p>


The company said it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include content acquisitions, production

Netflix Inc said on Monday it planned to raise $1.5 billion in debt as the video streaming pioneer continues a rapid expansion in production of original shows. The company said it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include content acquisitions, production. In announcing the planned debt financing Monday, Netflix included the standard boilerplate that it expects to use the net proceeds “for general corporate purposes,” but the company has been clear that it’s plowing capital into content. Netflix reported booming first-quarter 2018 results last week, exceeding subscriber-growth estimates both in the U.S. and abroad, to hit 125 million total streaming customers at the end of the period. The company reiterated that it expects content spending to be $7.5 billion to $8 billion for 2018 on a profit/loss basis, in line with its previous estimates. Netflix crushed Wall Street’s estimates for subscriber additions earlier this month, driven by hit original shows “Altered Carbon” and “Jessica Jones”, and said it looks to spend nearly $8 billion on content in 2018. Netflix shares were up 1 per cent in premarket trading.

Netflix to raise $1.5 billion in debt

<p>The Multiplex Association of India, which represents about 75% of multiplex owners, has announced that they will not be screening <em>Padmaavat</em> in four states - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa.</p>

<p>The decision came as Rajput outfits and other fringe elements vandalised malls, burned vehicles, and issued open threats to theatre owners and public in their bid to stall its release, claiming distortion of history.</p>

<p>&ldquo;For us safety of patrons is important. Depending on the scenario, we will see if the atmosphere is safe, then we will play it (in these four states). Things could change (but) at the moment we are looking at safety of people,&rdquo; Deepak Asher, president of the association said.</p>

<p>In Gujarat, theatre owners said that the film would not be screened in any of the multiplexes or single screens till the row was resolved.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-gurugram-to-mumbai-violent-protests-rock-cities-ahead-of-padmaavat-release-30621">Violent protests </a>against the film across the country continued on Wednesday ahead of <em>Padmaavat&#39;s</em><em> </em>release.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also see: &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-review-ranveer-singh-shines-in-bhansalis-visually-grand-historical-saga-30568">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-review-ranveer-singh-shines-in-bhansalis-visually-grand-historical-saga-30568">&nbsp;review: Ranveer Singh shines in Bhansali&#39;s visually grand historical saga</a></p>

<p>Security has been deployed all over the area and major bars and clubs were shut down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Karni Sena chief <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karni-sena-chief-we-wont-let-the-film-release-come-what-may-30662">Lokendra Singh Kalvi </a>directed a &ldquo;self-imposed curfew by people&rdquo; to oppose Sanjay Leela Bhansali&rsquo;s movie.</p>

<p>He said: &ldquo;We are adamant on our stand that this film Padmavaat should be banned. January 25 may come and go but we won&rsquo;t let the film release, come what may.&quot;</p>

<p>A group of protestors reportedly pelted stones at a bus belonging to GD Goenka School on Wednesday evening, which was ferrying children at the time of the incident, near Bhondsi, breaking the vehicle&#39;s windows. It was unclear if anyone was wounded in the incident. &nbsp;</p>

<p>A Roadways bus was torched in Haryana, protests were carried out near malls and theatres in Lucknow, while the NH-3 was blocked for a few hours, malls were vandalised on Jammu and Ahmedabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Supreme Court had on Tuesday rejected Rajasthan&#39;s final appeal to ban<em> </em><em>Padmaavat</em><em> </em>and ordered the government to screen the film.&nbsp;</p>


The movie will not be screened in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa

The Multiplex Association of India, which represents about 75% of multiplex owners, has announced that they will not be screening Padmaavat in four states - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa. The decision came as Rajput outfits and other fringe elements vandalised malls, burned vehicles, and issued open threats to theatre owners and public in their bid to stall its release, claiming distortion of history. “For us safety of patrons is important. Depending on the scenario, we will see if the atmosphere is safe, then we will play it (in these four states). Things could change (but) at the moment we are looking at safety of people,” Deepak Asher, president of the association said. In Gujarat, theatre owners said that the film would not be screened in any of the multiplexes or single screens till the row was resolved. Violent protests against the film across the country continued on Wednesday ahead of Padmaavat's release. Also see: Padmaavat review: Ranveer Singh shines in Bhansali's visually grand historical saga Security has been deployed all over the area and major bars and clubs were shut down. Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi directed a “self-imposed curfew by people” to oppose Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie. He said: “We are adamant on our stand that this film Padmavaat should be banned. January 25 may come and go but we won’t let the film release, come what may." A group of protestors reportedly pelted stones at a bus belonging to GD Goenka School on Wednesday evening, which was ferrying children at the time of the incident, near Bhondsi, breaking the vehicle's windows. It was unclear if anyone was wounded in the incident. A Roadways bus was torched in Haryana, protests were carried out near malls and theatres in Lucknow, while the NH-3 was blocked for a few hours, malls were vandalised on Jammu and Ahmedabad. The Supreme Court had on Tuesday rejected Rajasthan's final appeal to ban Padmaavat and ordered the government to screen the film.

No screening of 'Padmaavat' in 4 states, says Multiplex Association of India

<p>Released during the weekend, &quot;Fifty Shades Freed&rdquo; is currently dominating North American moviegoing weekend with a solid $38.8 million at 3,678 locations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the theatre owners wait for &quot;Black Panther&quot;&nbsp;release, Sony&#39;s launch of family comedy &quot;Peter Rabbit&quot; looks in a good position with numbers. Meanwhile,&nbsp; Clint Eastwood&rsquo;s thriller &ldquo;The 15:17 to Paris&rdquo; from Warner Bros. has raked in $12.6 million at 3,042 venues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Completing the list of top five films at the box office, Sony&#39;s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle finishes with&nbsp;$9.8 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The finale of the &ldquo;Fifty Shades&rdquo; trilogy &mdash; Fifty Shades Freed launched also in 57 international markets. All this is pegged at about $1.09 billion.</p>

<p>The film stars&nbsp;Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson&nbsp;as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele reprising their roles from the previous movies.</p>


Projected as the climax to the series, this is the finale of the “Fifty Shades” trilogy

Released during the weekend, "Fifty Shades Freed” is currently dominating North American moviegoing weekend with a solid $38.8 million at 3,678 locations. While the theatre owners wait for "Black Panther" release, Sony's launch of family comedy "Peter Rabbit" looks in a good position with numbers. Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood’s thriller “The 15:17 to Paris” from Warner Bros. has raked in $12.6 million at 3,042 venues. Completing the list of top five films at the box office, Sony's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle finishes with $9.8 million. The finale of the “Fifty Shades” trilogy — Fifty Shades Freed launched also in 57 international markets. All this is pegged at about $1.09 billion. The film stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele reprising their roles from the previous movies.

'Fifty Shades Freed' collection soars with $38.8 Million on first weekend

<p>After all the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-review-ranveer-singh-shines-in-bhansalis-visually-grand-historical-saga-30568">Padmaavat&quot;</a>, the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has decided to revise some sensitive facts related to Chittor&rsquo;s queen Padmini from its history textbooks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ranveer-singh-on-threats-to-deepika-padukone-during-padmaavat-row-had-the-urge-to-speak-out-but-instructed-not-to-32321">Ranveer Singh on threats to Deepika Padukone: Had the urge to speak out but was asked not to </a></p>

<p>The RBSE is in the process of eliminating and correcting the content in the textbooks before the new session begins in April. People familiar with the matter at the board said some changes have been made with regard to content on Padmini, the queen of Rawal Ratan Singh, the 14th-century ruler of Chittor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per reports, the history textbooks in school had been teaching the same distortions about Queen Padmini of Chittor which have allegedly been shown the film &quot;Padmaavat&quot;.</p>

<p>Reports say that people in connection with the matter have already made a revised copy. RBSE chairperson BL Chaudhary said that the changes have been successfully made. He had earlier informed that syllabus in the history textbooks has not been changed since the last 50 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini&rsquo;s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head <em>Padmini ki </em><em>kahani</em> (Padmini&rsquo;s story) has been revised as <em>Padmini ka Itihas</em> (Padmini&rsquo;s history).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875">&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875"> continues impressive run, enters 200-crore club </a></p>

<p>While making the modifications, the book, however, goes on to say that one of the reasons Khilji attacked Chittor was to capture Padmini, who, according to legend, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-deepika-padukone-opens-up-about-the-jauhar-scene-and-the-controversy-around-it-31318">chose to commit </a>&quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-deepika-padukone-opens-up-about-the-jauhar-scene-and-the-controversy-around-it-31318">jauhar&quot;</a> along with 1,600 other palace women, rather than be captured by Khilji.</p>

<p>The film had been facing protests by the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-not-sit-quiet-if-padmavati-releases-threatens-rashtriya-rajput-karni-sena-28377"> Karni Sena</a> and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie. The Rajput community led by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had demanded a ban on the movie &quot;Padmaavat&quot; for misrepresenting facts like Khilji seeing Padmini&#39;s reflection in the mirror even though there were none in the 14th century in Mewar, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-now-rajasthan-bans-the-film-keeping-public-interest-in-mind-29892">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-now-rajasthan-bans-the-film-keeping-public-interest-in-mind-29892">: Now, Rajasthan bans the film keeping public interest in mind</a></p>

<p>The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.</p>


The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini’s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head Padmini ki kahani has been revised as Padmini ka Itihas

After all the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat", the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has decided to revise some sensitive facts related to Chittor’s queen Padmini from its history textbooks. Also read: Ranveer Singh on threats to Deepika Padukone: Had the urge to speak out but was asked not to The RBSE is in the process of eliminating and correcting the content in the textbooks before the new session begins in April. People familiar with the matter at the board said some changes have been made with regard to content on Padmini, the queen of Rawal Ratan Singh, the 14th-century ruler of Chittor. As per reports, the history textbooks in school had been teaching the same distortions about Queen Padmini of Chittor which have allegedly been shown the film "Padmaavat". Reports say that people in connection with the matter have already made a revised copy. RBSE chairperson BL Chaudhary said that the changes have been successfully made. He had earlier informed that syllabus in the history textbooks has not been changed since the last 50 years. The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini’s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head Padmini ki kahani (Padmini’s story) has been revised as Padmini ka Itihas (Padmini’s history). Also read: Padmaavat continues impressive run, enters 200-crore club While making the modifications, the book, however, goes on to say that one of the reasons Khilji attacked Chittor was to capture Padmini, who, according to legend, chose to commit "jauhar" along with 1,600 other palace women, rather than be captured by Khilji. The film had been facing protests by the Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie. The Rajput community led by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had demanded a ban on the movie "Padmaavat" for misrepresenting facts like Khilji seeing Padmini's reflection in the mirror even though there were none in the 14th century in Mewar, reports said. Also read: Padmaavat: Now, Rajasthan bans the film keeping public interest in mind The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.

Rajasthan: History textbooks to revise chapter about Padmini following 'Padmaavat' row

<p>The Karni Sena -- after over two years of protesting against the movie Padmaavat -- finally withdrew its protest on Friday, saying the movie glorifies Rajput valour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A few of the Sena&#39;s members had watched the movie in Mumbai on Friday, after which the announcement was made. The instructions to watch the movie had come from the sena&#39;s&nbsp;national president, Sukhdev Singh Gogamadi. News reports quoted the sena members who watched the movie as saying every Rajput would feel proud after watching the movie.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The sena added, in a letter, that there was no &quot;objectionable scene&quot;&nbsp;between Rani Padmini of Chittor and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. And added that the outfit would now help get the movie released in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The sena added it would now help get the movie released in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa</h5>
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<p>The Sena had earlier said the movie disrespected the Rajputs, and was especially worried about a rumoured dream sequence between Khilji and Padmini.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Padmaavat movie review:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-review-ranveer-singh-shines-in-bhansalis-visually-grand-historical-saga-30568" target="_blank">Ranveer Singh shines in Bhansali&#39;s visually grand historical saga</a></p>

<p>The protests against the&nbsp;movie had begun in January 2016 when the film&#39;s set&nbsp;was attacked in Jaipur. The director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had been manhandled too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie was then banned by four governments -- Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, who said they were worried about violence breaking out -- but the ban was revoked by the Supreme Court. The court had told the four governments that It was their duty to ensure law and order.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie finally released on January 25, after the&nbsp;Central Board of Film Certification asked the movie&#39;s makers to change its name to&nbsp;Padmaavat from the earlier Padmavati.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie however&nbsp;was not screened in four states -- <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-not-to-release-in-4-states-says-multiplex-association-of-india-30677" target="_blank">Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa</a> -- where cinema hall owners said they were too scared, again because of the threat of violence, to show the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


A few of the Sena's members had watched the movie in Mumbai on Friday, after which the announcement was made

The Karni Sena -- after over two years of protesting against the movie Padmaavat -- finally withdrew its protest on Friday, saying the movie glorifies Rajput valour. A few of the Sena's members had watched the movie in Mumbai on Friday, after which the announcement was made. The instructions to watch the movie had come from the sena's national president, Sukhdev Singh Gogamadi. News reports quoted the sena members who watched the movie as saying every Rajput would feel proud after watching the movie. The sena added, in a letter, that there was no "objectionable scene" between Rani Padmini of Chittor and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. And added that the outfit would now help get the movie released in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa. The sena added it would now help get the movie released in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa × The Sena had earlier said the movie disrespected the Rajputs, and was especially worried about a rumoured dream sequence between Khilji and Padmini. Padmaavat movie review: Ranveer Singh shines in Bhansali's visually grand historical saga The protests against the movie had begun in January 2016 when the film's set was attacked in Jaipur. The director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had been manhandled too. The movie was then banned by four governments -- Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, who said they were worried about violence breaking out -- but the ban was revoked by the Supreme Court. The court had told the four governments that It was their duty to ensure law and order. The movie finally released on January 25, after the Central Board of Film Certification asked the movie's makers to change its name to Padmaavat from the earlier Padmavati. The movie however was not screened in four states -- Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa -- where cinema hall owners said they were too scared, again because of the threat of violence, to show the film.

Karni Sena withdraws protest against Padmaavat, says movie glorifies Rajput valour

<p>Arnold Schwarzenegger took to Twitter to express shock and dismay at the recent spate of allegations put forth by actress Eliza Dushku&nbsp;who starred with him in 1994 flick &quot;True Lies&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said he is &quot;shocked and saddened&quot;&nbsp;to learn of&nbsp;Eliza Dushku&#39;s alleged sexual assault during the filming of &quot;True Lies&quot;&nbsp;and added that had he known about the&nbsp;incident at the time he &quot;would have done something.&quot;</p>

<p>Schwarzenegger also tweeted his support to the actress and expressed pride in her&nbsp;for coming forward.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>He tweeted:&nbsp;</em></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tom, you bet your ass all of us would have done something. I&rsquo;m shocked and saddened for Eliza but I am also proud of her - beyond being a great talent and an amazing woman, she is so courageous. <a href="https://t.co/EJJbkdior2">https://t.co/EJJbkdior2</a></p>
&mdash; Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) <a href="https://twitter.com/Schwarzenegger/status/953087244629303296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The action star toplined James Cameron&#39;s 1994 action thriller while Dushku played his daughter and was 12 years old at the time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dushku on Saturday accused &quot;True Lies&quot;&nbsp;stunt coordinator Joel Kramer of assault in a lengthy Facebook post. The actress claimed she was &quot;sexually molested&quot; by the then-36-year-old after he &quot;lured&quot; her to his hotel room during production. Dushku was 12 at the time.</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOfficialElizaDushku%2Fposts%2F1769957739689557&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>Cameron also publicly commented on the allegations. Speaking at the Television Critics Association&#39;s winter press tour to support AMC&#39;s Visionaries: James Cameron&#39;s Story of Science Fiction, he said, &quot;Eliza is very brave for speaking up. I think all the women are that are speaking up and calling for a reckoning now. I think this has been endemic throughout human systems, not just Hollywood.&quot;</p>

<p>He added, &quot;Because Hollywood deals with women who are victims 10-15-20 years ago who are famous today, so they get to have a louder voice when they come forward. Bravo for them for doing it and I&#39;m glad Eliza did that. It&#39;s just heartbreaking that it happened to her.&quot;</p>


Eliza Dushku accused 'True Lies' stunt coordinator Joel Kramer of assault in a Facebook post.

Arnold Schwarzenegger took to Twitter to express shock and dismay at the recent spate of allegations put forth by actress Eliza Dushku who starred with him in 1994 flick "True Lies". He said he is "shocked and saddened" to learn of Eliza Dushku's alleged sexual assault during the filming of "True Lies" and added that had he known about the incident at the time he "would have done something." Schwarzenegger also tweeted his support to the actress and expressed pride in her for coming forward. He tweeted: Tom, you bet your ass all of us would have done something. I’m shocked and saddened for Eliza but I am also proud of her - beyond being a great talent and an amazing woman, she is so courageous. https://t.co/EJJbkdior2 — Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 16, 2018 × The action star toplined James Cameron's 1994 action thriller while Dushku played his daughter and was 12 years old at the time. Dushku on Saturday accused "True Lies" stunt coordinator Joel Kramer of assault in a lengthy Facebook post. The actress claimed she was "sexually molested" by the then-36-year-old after he "lured" her to his hotel room during production. Dushku was 12 at the time. Cameron also publicly commented on the allegations. Speaking at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour to support AMC's Visionaries: James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction, he said, "Eliza is very brave for speaking up. I think all the women are that are speaking up and calling for a reckoning now. I think this has been endemic throughout human systems, not just Hollywood." He added, "Because Hollywood deals with women who are victims 10-15-20 years ago who are famous today, so they get to have a louder voice when they come forward. Bravo for them for doing it and I'm glad Eliza did that. It's just heartbreaking that it happened to her."

Arnold Schwarzenegger calls Eliza Dushku 'courageous' for speaking against her molester

<p>Ever since it was announced that Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/confirmed-padmavat-to-release-on-january-25th-28879" target="_blank">Padmavat</a>&quot;&nbsp;will release on January 25, Bollywood calendar of movie releases is under critical update with movie makers shifting&nbsp;release dates left, right and centre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest to postpone its film release is Urvashi Rautela starrer &quot;Hate Story 4&quot; which was slated to release on March 2 initially.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Owing To Anushka Sharma starrer horror film &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-watch-teaser-anushka-sharma-in-pari-looks-creepy-as-a-witch-29079" target="_blank">Pari</a>&quot; taking the spot, makers of Hate Story 4 postponed it release to March 9.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hate Story 4 is helmed by Vishal Pandya and stars&nbsp;Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon and is produced by T Series.</p>

<p>Film critic and analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to share the release date and wrote, &ldquo;#HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya and produced by T Series, to release on 9 March 2018... The erotic thriller stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HateStoryIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HateStoryIV</a>, directed by Vishal Pandya and produced by TSeries, to release on 9 March 2018... The erotic thriller stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon. <a href="https://t.co/c6qS0LiusU">pic.twitter.com/c6qS0LiusU</a></p>
&mdash; taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/951668632152518656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The first look of the film featuring Urvashi was launched a few months back and took the internet by storm as she looked every bit chic.</p>

<p>Back then too, Taran had shared the look saying, &ldquo;Hate will be back, darker than ever. Urvashi Rautela in #HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya. Produced by T Series. 2 March 2018 release.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hate will be back, darker than ever. Urvashi Rautela in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HateStoryIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HateStoryIV</a>, directed by Vishal Pandya. Produced by TSeries. 2 March 2018 release. <a href="https://t.co/xXjkJ5BG6r">pic.twitter.com/xXjkJ5BG6r</a></p>
&mdash; taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/919087964159803392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Republic Day weekend will see Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s &quot;Padmavat&quot; starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh clash with&nbsp;R. Balki&#39;s &quot;PadMan&quot; starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Anushka Sharma's 'Pari' took initial release date of 'Hate Story 4' of March 2 because of which makers of the latter had to postpone its release

Ever since it was announced that Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavat" will release on January 25, Bollywood calendar of movie releases is under critical update with movie makers shifting release dates left, right and centre. The latest to postpone its film release is Urvashi Rautela starrer "Hate Story 4" which was slated to release on March 2 initially. Owing To Anushka Sharma starrer horror film "Pari" taking the spot, makers of Hate Story 4 postponed it release to March 9. Hate Story 4 is helmed by Vishal Pandya and stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon and is produced by T Series. Film critic and analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to share the release date and wrote, “#HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya and produced by T Series, to release on 9 March 2018... The erotic thriller stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon.” #HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya and produced by TSeries, to release on 9 March 2018... The erotic thriller stars Urvashi Rautela, Karan Wahi, Vivan Bhathena and Ihana Dhillon. pic.twitter.com/c6qS0LiusU — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 12, 2018 × The first look of the film featuring Urvashi was launched a few months back and took the internet by storm as she looked every bit chic. Back then too, Taran had shared the look saying, “Hate will be back, darker than ever. Urvashi Rautela in #HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya. Produced by T Series. 2 March 2018 release.” Hate will be back, darker than ever. Urvashi Rautela in #HateStoryIV, directed by Vishal Pandya. Produced by TSeries. 2 March 2018 release. pic.twitter.com/xXjkJ5BG6r — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) October 14, 2017 × The Republic Day weekend will see Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavat" starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh clash with R. Balki's "PadMan" starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte.

Urvashi Rautela's 'Hate Story 4' postponed to March 9, avoids clash with 'Pari'

<p>In what looks like Anushka Sharma&#39;s creepiest avatar till date, makers of her next film &quot;Pari&quot; released the teaser of the film and it&#39;s enough to haunt you at night when you are alone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After leaving an impression with the first look of the film in the form of posters, the makers are here to intrigue you with a little more.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Announcing the film as &quot;Not a fairytale&quot;, Anushka Sharma can be seen in an 18-second long teaser which has the actress&#39;s face in closeup while it deforms by each passing second. Bruised and wounded, her face changes into one of a witch.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Watch the teaser:&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tXfJOSlnd9M" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>The teaser also announced that the date of release for the movie is changed. It will no longer release on February 9 but has been shifted to March 2. It will hit the theatres with Hate Story 4 starring Urvashi Rautela and Karan Wahi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pari is the third film produced by the actress after NH-10 and Phillauri.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-this-is-how-shah-rukh-khan-and-team-zero-welcomed-anushka-sharma-back-on-set-28868" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;This is how Shah Rukh Khan and team &#39;Zero&#39; welcomed Anushka Sharma back on set</a></strong></em></p>

<p>Anushka is currently shooting for Shah Rukh Khan&#39;s &quot;Zero&quot;&nbsp;with Aanand L Rai. She will also begin working on &quot;Sui Dhaaga&quot;&nbsp;with Varun Dhawan soon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Anushka recently returned from a long vacation and honeymoon. She got married to Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli in a private ceremony in Italy and gave a grand reception to family and friends in both Delhi and Mumbai.&nbsp;</p>


The makers released Anushka Sharma's next film Pari's teaser that is slated for a release on March 2

In what looks like Anushka Sharma's creepiest avatar till date, makers of her next film "Pari" released the teaser of the film and it's enough to haunt you at night when you are alone. After leaving an impression with the first look of the film in the form of posters, the makers are here to intrigue you with a little more. Announcing the film as "Not a fairytale", Anushka Sharma can be seen in an 18-second long teaser which has the actress's face in closeup while it deforms by each passing second. Bruised and wounded, her face changes into one of a witch. Watch the teaser: The teaser also announced that the date of release for the movie is changed. It will no longer release on February 9 but has been shifted to March 2. It will hit the theatres with Hate Story 4 starring Urvashi Rautela and Karan Wahi. Pari is the third film produced by the actress after NH-10 and Phillauri. Also Read: This is how Shah Rukh Khan and team 'Zero' welcomed Anushka Sharma back on set Anushka is currently shooting for Shah Rukh Khan's "Zero" with Aanand L Rai. She will also begin working on "Sui Dhaaga" with Varun Dhawan soon. Anushka recently returned from a long vacation and honeymoon. She got married to Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli in a private ceremony in Italy and gave a grand reception to family and friends in both Delhi and Mumbai.

Watch teaser: Anushka Sharma in 'Pari' looks creepy as a witch

<p>Hollywood actress Meryl Streep has responded to Tom Hanks&#39; comments about her being &#39;high maintenance&#39;, stating that Hanks spends more time doing hair and makeup than her.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>While attended the premiere of her movie &quot;The Post&quot;, in which she co-stars with Hanks, Streep said,&nbsp;&quot;Just check the amount of time he took in hair and makeup and how much I did, and you&#39;ll find out who&#39;s high maintenance.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;By the way, the movie is dedicated to Nora Ephron, who claims that phrase - high maintenance - as her own,&quot; noted Streep.</p>

<p>Earlier this week, Hanks jokingly said that Streep was high maintenance while talking to &nbsp;Stephen Colbert on his show &quot;The Late Show with Stephen Colbert&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After host Stephen Colbert explained to Hanks that many people trust him, including his co-star (Streep), Hanks playfully rolled his eyes and said, &quot;You mean, can I just say, high-maintenance Meryl Streep?&quot;</p>

<p>Tom Hanks stopped by&nbsp;<em>The Late Show</em>&nbsp;on Monday to promote the new film,&nbsp;<em>The Post</em> and&nbsp;ribbed his co-star Meryl Streep in the process.</p>


'The Post' tells the story of Ben Bradlee (Hanks) and Katharine Graham (Streep), and Graham's decision to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, at the risk of losing her family-owned newspaper

Hollywood actress Meryl Streep has responded to Tom Hanks' comments about her being 'high maintenance', stating that Hanks spends more time doing hair and makeup than her. While attended the premiere of her movie "The Post", in which she co-stars with Hanks, Streep said, "Just check the amount of time he took in hair and makeup and how much I did, and you'll find out who's high maintenance." "By the way, the movie is dedicated to Nora Ephron, who claims that phrase - high maintenance - as her own," noted Streep. Earlier this week, Hanks jokingly said that Streep was high maintenance while talking to Stephen Colbert on his show "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". After host Stephen Colbert explained to Hanks that many people trust him, including his co-star (Streep), Hanks playfully rolled his eyes and said, "You mean, can I just say, high-maintenance Meryl Streep?" Tom Hanks stopped by The Late Show on Monday to promote the new film, The Post and ribbed his co-star Meryl Streep in the process.

Meryl Streep responds to Tom Hanks' 'high maintenance' remark

<p>Anurag Kashyap stays true to his style with his next movie &quot;Mukkabaaz&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The official trailer for the movie released today, living up to its hype. It was released&nbsp;exclusively on Eros Now.</p>

<p><em>Watch the trailer:&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fl3gun0J8XM" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-anurag-kashyaps-mukkabaaz-first-poster-out-26104" target="_blank">poster</a> of the film was released in the morning today.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">Dekho&nbsp;????&nbsp; aa&nbsp;???&nbsp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mukkabaaz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mukkabaaz</a>! ??<br />
Trailer out now - <a href="https://t.co/RtSzMWy7aj">https://t.co/RtSzMWy7aj</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ItsVineetSingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ItsVineetSingh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aanandlrai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aanandlrai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cypplOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cypplOfficial</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@anuragkashyap72</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FuhSePhantom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FuhSePhantom</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/zyhssn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@zyhssn</a> <a href="https://t.co/UfmQIWNXu3">pic.twitter.com/UfmQIWNXu3</a></p>
&mdash; Eros Now (@ErosNow) <a href="https://twitter.com/ErosNow/status/938687577133076481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The film looks to be set in the state of Uttar Pradesh and revolves around a lower-caste aspiring boxer, Shravan, who falls in love with the niece of a local goon. Shravan trains at a gym owned by an upper-caste don played by actor Jimmy Shergill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie stars Vineet Kumar Singh as Shravan, Zoya Hussain as Sunaina, Kishan as Sanjay Kumar and Shergill as Bhagwan Das Mishra.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lo Aa Gaya Mukkabaaz !!! The gutsy happy filmmaker <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@anuragkashyap72</a> and his men from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mukkabaaz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mukkabaaz</a> are in full form. <a href="https://t.co/AQV5jvGrVK">https://t.co/AQV5jvGrVK</a> <a href="https://t.co/Styn1EuAmT">pic.twitter.com/Styn1EuAmT</a></p>
&mdash; AANAND L RAI (@aanandlrai) <a href="https://twitter.com/aanandlrai/status/938732671789944832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The film is slated to release on January 12 next year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Anurag Kashyap's next is slated for a release on January 12 next year

Anurag Kashyap stays true to his style with his next movie "Mukkabaaz". The official trailer for the movie released today, living up to its hype. It was released exclusively on Eros Now. Watch the trailer: The poster of the film was released in the morning today. Dekho ???? aa ??? #Mukkabaaz! ?? Trailer out now - https://t.co/RtSzMWy7aj@ItsVineetSingh @aanandlrai @cypplOfficial @anuragkashyap72 @FuhSePhantom @zyhssn pic.twitter.com/UfmQIWNXu3 — Eros Now (@ErosNow) December 7, 2017 × The film looks to be set in the state of Uttar Pradesh and revolves around a lower-caste aspiring boxer, Shravan, who falls in love with the niece of a local goon. Shravan trains at a gym owned by an upper-caste don played by actor Jimmy Shergill. The movie stars Vineet Kumar Singh as Shravan, Zoya Hussain as Sunaina, Kishan as Sanjay Kumar and Shergill as Bhagwan Das Mishra. Lo Aa Gaya Mukkabaaz !!! The gutsy happy filmmaker @anuragkashyap72 and his men from #Mukkabaaz are in full form. https://t.co/AQV5jvGrVK pic.twitter.com/Styn1EuAmT — AANAND L RAI (@aanandlrai) December 7, 2017 × The film is slated to release on January 12 next year.

Watch: 'Mukkabaaz' trailer packs a few serious punches

<p>Fans of the &quot;X-Men&quot;&nbsp;universe have something to look forward to and it&#39;s not another movie on the theme, at least not exactly.</p>

<p>Director Josh Boone has made a spin-off of the original &quot;X-Men&quot;&nbsp;movie theme and made a creepier, horror version of it. Titled &quot;The New Mutants&quot;, the movie&#39;s official poster is out and there are several screaming faces breathless against a plain white sheet.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The only thing you have to fear... is yourself. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheNewMutants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheNewMutants</a> in cinemas 2018. <a href="https://t.co/0IdwciuBfQ">pic.twitter.com/0IdwciuBfQ</a></p>
&mdash; X-Men Movies UK (@XMenMoviesUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/XMenMoviesUK/status/938108661406294016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The movie is about the story of younger mutants who end up forming a new team, learning to cope with their powers and trying to escape a secret facility where they are imprisoned currently.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The New Mutants&quot;&nbsp;stars&nbsp;Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, Alice Braga and Charlie Heaton.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie, as announced, will not be a lone film but will be part of an alternate universe that Boone is building. In a statement, he said,&nbsp;&quot;Fox made Deadpool and Logan and they were sort of so tonally different they felt emboldened to let us go make it different, and make have its own distinct tone and identity. I think of the mainline X-Men movies more as grand operative science-fiction films. This is much more of a performance-driven horror film.&quot;</p>

<p>The movie is set for a release next year on April 11.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Watch the official trailer here:&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S61L-lcyaPI" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The spin-off looks like a horror version of the original sci-fi movie

Fans of the "X-Men" universe have something to look forward to and it's not another movie on the theme, at least not exactly. Director Josh Boone has made a spin-off of the original "X-Men" movie theme and made a creepier, horror version of it. Titled "The New Mutants", the movie's official poster is out and there are several screaming faces breathless against a plain white sheet. The only thing you have to fear... is yourself. #TheNewMutants in cinemas 2018. pic.twitter.com/0IdwciuBfQ — X-Men Movies UK (@XMenMoviesUK) December 5, 2017 × The movie is about the story of younger mutants who end up forming a new team, learning to cope with their powers and trying to escape a secret facility where they are imprisoned currently. "The New Mutants" stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, Alice Braga and Charlie Heaton. The movie, as announced, will not be a lone film but will be part of an alternate universe that Boone is building. In a statement, he said, "Fox made Deadpool and Logan and they were sort of so tonally different they felt emboldened to let us go make it different, and make have its own distinct tone and identity. I think of the mainline X-Men movies more as grand operative science-fiction films. This is much more of a performance-driven horror film." The movie is set for a release next year on April 11. Watch the official trailer here:

'The New Mutants': Poster for 'X-men' spin-off out, looks creepy

<p>Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has joined the cast of a&nbsp;Pokemon movie in the role of Detective Pikachu.</p>

<p>The actor will be lending his voice to the detective who owns mythical animated character Pikachu.</p>

<p>Joining Reynolds in the film will be actors Justice Smith and&nbsp;Kathryn Newton in the live-action film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reynolds&#39; shots will be captured by motion caption technology giving it the live-action feel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Pokemon film will be directed by&nbsp;Rob Letterman while the script is written by&nbsp;Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch.&nbsp;The story of the film&nbsp;is about a teenager who teams up with Pikachu in order to find his kidnapped father.</p>

<p>For background, &quot;Detective Pikachu&quot;&nbsp;was a video game launched in Japan in 2016. According to the game, the character Pikachu would help a child solve mysteries with new powers of being able to speak in human languages and wearing a reindeer cap just like Sherlock Holmes.</p>

<p>Filming on the project is expected to start soon.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


He will play the role of Detective Pikachu in a live-action film

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds has joined the cast of a Pokemon movie in the role of Detective Pikachu. The actor will be lending his voice to the detective who owns mythical animated character Pikachu. Joining Reynolds in the film will be actors Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton in the live-action film. Reynolds' shots will be captured by motion caption technology giving it the live-action feel. The Pokemon film will be directed by Rob Letterman while the script is written by Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch. The story of the film is about a teenager who teams up with Pikachu in order to find his kidnapped father. For background, "Detective Pikachu" was a video game launched in Japan in 2016. According to the game, the character Pikachu would help a child solve mysteries with new powers of being able to speak in human languages and wearing a reindeer cap just like Sherlock Holmes. Filming on the project is expected to start soon.

'Deadpool' actor Ryan Reynolds to star in Pokemon film

<p>Saif Ali Khan starrer&nbsp;&quot;Kaalakaandi&quot;&nbsp;released its first look poster Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to announce that the trailer for the film will also be releasing today.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First look poster of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kaalakaandi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kaalakaandi</a>... Stars Saif Ali Khan... Trailer out today [6 Dec 2017]... 12 Jan 2018 release. <a href="https://t.co/aXRymDcR4a">pic.twitter.com/aXRymDcR4a</a></p>
&mdash; taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/938304234545668096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the first look poster, Saif Ali Khan can be seen&nbsp;holding a gun with a staunch expression on his face but it&#39;s his hairstyle that will grab your attention.</p>

<p>&quot;Kaalakaandi&quot; is a black comedy and is directed by Akshat Verma. It features Saif in the lead role while Akshay Oberoi, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Deepak Dobriyal, Vijay Raaz, Sobhita Dhulipala and Isha Talwar play pivotal parts.</p>

<p>The film is scheduled to hit the screens next year.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Taran Adarsh noted film critic and trade analyst also wrote on Twitter about movie's trailer's release today

Saif Ali Khan starrer "Kaalakaandi" released its first look poster Wednesday. Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to announce that the trailer for the film will also be releasing today. First look poster of #Kaalakaandi... Stars Saif Ali Khan... Trailer out today [6 Dec 2017]... 12 Jan 2018 release. pic.twitter.com/aXRymDcR4a — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) December 6, 2017 × In the first look poster, Saif Ali Khan can be seen holding a gun with a staunch expression on his face but it's his hairstyle that will grab your attention. "Kaalakaandi" is a black comedy and is directed by Akshat Verma. It features Saif in the lead role while Akshay Oberoi, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Deepak Dobriyal, Vijay Raaz, Sobhita Dhulipala and Isha Talwar play pivotal parts. The film is scheduled to hit the screens next year.

'Kaalakaandi' first poster out, Saif Ali Khan looks amusing

<p>Kate Winslet revealed that Jack (played by DiCaprio) could have easily fit on the floating door with her in the end scene of the movie<em> Titanic</em>.</p>

<p>Winslet, who played Rose in the James Cameron&#39;s 1997 hit movie, appeared on <em>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</em> where he asked her about the scene.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;In the famous line, you say, &#39;I&#39;ll never let you go, Jack,&#39; but you do - you let him go,&quot; Colbert said,</p>

<p>&quot;I lie, I fully lie. I hold my hand up. I let him go,&quot; Winslet responded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She further said that Jack could have tried harder to get on that door.</p>

<p>&quot;I mean we could re-enact it now,&quot; she said, as she got on to the table and Colbert (acting as Jack) holding himself up at the edge while holding her hand.</p>

<p>&quot;Promise me this, Rose, You&#39;ll let me get up on that door with you,&quot; Colbert said.</p>

<p>&quot;Come on darling! There&#39;s room for two!&quot; she replied as she rolled over and Colbert climbed on the desk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Yes!&quot; Winslet shouted with her fist in the air, &quot;We&#39;ve done it, we&#39;ve proved it.&quot;</p>

<p>Paramount initially wanted Matthew McConaughey to play Jack, but Cameron insisted on DiCaprio. The movie marks 20&nbsp;</p>


Winslet, who played Rose in the James Cameron's 1997 hit movie, appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he asked her about the scene

Kate Winslet revealed that Jack (played by DiCaprio) could have easily fit on the floating door with her in the end scene of the movie Titanic. Winslet, who played Rose in the James Cameron's 1997 hit movie, appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he asked her about the scene. "In the famous line, you say, 'I'll never let you go, Jack,' but you do - you let him go," Colbert said, "I lie, I fully lie. I hold my hand up. I let him go," Winslet responded. She further said that Jack could have tried harder to get on that door. "I mean we could re-enact it now," she said, as she got on to the table and Colbert (acting as Jack) holding himself up at the edge while holding her hand. "Promise me this, Rose, You'll let me get up on that door with you," Colbert said. "Come on darling! There's room for two!" she replied as she rolled over and Colbert climbed on the desk. "Yes!" Winslet shouted with her fist in the air, "We've done it, we've proved it." Paramount initially wanted Matthew McConaughey to play Jack, but Cameron insisted on DiCaprio. The movie marks 20

Kate Winslet says Titanic's Jack may have survived

<p>Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday said that he decided to ban&nbsp;&#39;Padmavati&#39; in the state due to representation of women in the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Chief Minister said, &quot;We have banned &#39;Padmavati&#39; film because the way it represents women and we respect women in Gujarat. Women are to be respected&quot;.</p>

<p>The Gujarat CM said that many communities had voiced their concern over the film&#39;s release.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Such issues spoil the environment. The threat of violence can spoil the environment during elections, keeping law and order issues in mind,&quot; Rupani asserted.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmavati-is-based-on-jayasis-poem-says-bhansali-to-parliamentary-panel-25541">Sanjay Leela Bhansali appeared in front of a Parliamentary committee </a>on Thursday afternoon to present his point of view on his film Padmavati.</p>

<p>While protest around the film continues, Bhansali categorically stated that he had not distorted the historical facts about the 16th-century Rajput queen in his film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-dear-rajput-brethren-as-a-bengali-i-ask-you-to-chill-25421">Opinion: Dear Rajput brethren, as a Bengali I ask you to chill</a></p>

<p>Last week, the Supreme Court rejected the petition filed against the release of &#39;Padmavati,&#39; saying the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has not yet issued a certificate to the film.</p>

<p>Bhansali&#39;s magnum opus, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has been facing protests from various groups, especially from Shri Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with the historical facts.</p>


Bhansali categorically stated that he had not distorted the historical facts about the 16th-century Rajput queen in his film

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday said that he decided to ban 'Padmavati' in the state due to representation of women in the film. The Chief Minister said, "We have banned 'Padmavati' film because the way it represents women and we respect women in Gujarat. Women are to be respected". The Gujarat CM said that many communities had voiced their concern over the film's release. "Such issues spoil the environment. The threat of violence can spoil the environment during elections, keeping law and order issues in mind," Rupani asserted. Sanjay Leela Bhansali appeared in front of a Parliamentary committee on Thursday afternoon to present his point of view on his film Padmavati. While protest around the film continues, Bhansali categorically stated that he had not distorted the historical facts about the 16th-century Rajput queen in his film. Also read: Opinion: Dear Rajput brethren, as a Bengali I ask you to chill Last week, the Supreme Court rejected the petition filed against the release of 'Padmavati,' saying the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has not yet issued a certificate to the film. Bhansali's magnum opus, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has been facing protests from various groups, especially from Shri Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with the historical facts.

Portrayal of women in 'Padmavati' is reason behind ban: Gujarat CM

<p>I grew up hearing pride sagas of Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan, Rana Sanga, Rani Padmini, Rani Lakshmibai and a lot more heroes. My grandmother had a treasure of such heroic tales. From interesting folklores to epic poems written by famous personalities, those bedtime stories gave me the fascination to know Indian history.</p>

<p>When I learned more about Indian history, one thing was very clear that history is always written from the perspective of the victors, not the losers. Victory tales are easier to carry forward to next generation and there are various ways of doing it, such as writing songs, poems, stories, movies etc.</p>

<p>Cinema has a huge impact on the people. Its content, music, theme, location, actors, play an important role in establishing the relation between cinema and society. Movies and TV serials based on history and mythology have lasting impression for decades and sometimes forever.</p>

<p>For instance, Ramanand Sagar&#39;s Ramayan was a very popular TV show in India during the 90s. The popular actor Arun Govil who played Ram was actually considered as Lord Ram by many believers. Once, he was beaten up by the people when they caught him smoking.</p>

<p>There are several other examples of such cases where people have gotten into such acts by showing their passion for a particular movie or TV serial.</p>

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<h5>There are people, who are not protesting but has deep-rooted sentiments associated with Rani Padmavati but their sentiments are unheard.</h5>
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<p>On the contrary, the protest done by Karni Sena and Rajput communities for the movies Padmavati is entirely different. The movie, which is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and has Deepika Padukone&nbsp;in the lead role, is said to have distorted history.</p>

<p>I don&#39;t support the ongoing row but there are people, who are not protesting but have deep-rooted sentiments associated with Rani Padmavati, and their sentiments are unheard. I am&nbsp;waiting for the CBFC&#39;s certificate and movie&#39;s disclaimer, before that I can not comment on the movie.</p>

<p>When I talk about the disclaimer, there are two ways it can happen, first, either the&nbsp;disclaimer will say that the movie is based on fictional characters but there is the presence of historical characters, such as Rawal Singh and Alauddin Khilji and both have a documented history. Also, if it is based on fiction or myth then, why the name Padmavati is taken? He could have used some other name Leelawati or Mayawati but why Padmavati?</p>

<p>It is not about Padmavati&#39;s physical existence but Rajput community believes in Rani Padmavati and that belief is connected to their sentiment. Even Sai Baba was politicised, but many who believed in him still worship him. The controversy that said, &quot;Sai Baba was not a God or a Saint, he should not be worshipped&quot; just benefitted fringe groups and factions. Many of us do believe in God and Goddess but there will always be a question on the existence of God/Goddess as well. But believers are going to believe.</p>

<p>Second, if the disclaimer says that movie is based on real historical characters, then Mr Bhansali is proving the point that Rani Padmavati existed.</p>

<p>Biography of Alauddin was documented by a Persian historian Wassaf and it is one the few sources to learn about Khilji dynasty. Along with Wassaf, Amir Khusrau also has written about Alauddin Khilji.</p>

<p>In the 12th century, Khusrau has documented that Alauddin treated the obedient Hindu zamindars kindly and granted more favours to them than they had expected. He also stated that all the insolent Hindus in the realm of Hind had died on the battlefield and the other Hindus had bowed their heads before Alauddin.</p>

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<h5>The best way to get rid of such protests for the movies which are based on mythology or history, the director must get the script approved by Censor Board then start the production process.</h5>
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<p>Raja Rawal Singh did not bow his head and was defeated inadequately in the battlefield, though he fought bravely along with his commanders Gora and Badal, but died at the end, leaving behind his two wives and the empire. The wives, Rani Prabhavati and Rani Padmavati had no other option to save their pride and honour from the invaders through self-immolation (Jauhar).</p>

<p>In my opinion, the best way to get rid of such protests around movies, which are based on mythology or history, is to get the script approved by the Censor Board then start the production process. To judge the movie after the release doesn&#39;t make any sense. Movies like Padmavati, which has&nbsp;gathered attention will do good business. If the director has made the film to earn profit then its ok otherwise if he is portraying Rajputana pride and honour then the movie must soothe the Rajput communities.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


The Rajput community believes in Rani Padmavati and that belief is connected to their sentiments.

I grew up hearing pride sagas of Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan, Rana Sanga, Rani Padmini, Rani Lakshmibai and a lot more heroes. My grandmother had a treasure of such heroic tales. From interesting folklores to epic poems written by famous personalities, those bedtime stories gave me the fascination to know Indian history. When I learned more about Indian history, one thing was very clear that history is always written from the perspective of the victors, not the losers. Victory tales are easier to carry forward to next generation and there are various ways of doing it, such as writing songs, poems, stories, movies etc. Cinema has a huge impact on the people. Its content, music, theme, location, actors, play an important role in establishing the relation between cinema and society. Movies and TV serials based on history and mythology have lasting impression for decades and sometimes forever. For instance, Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan was a very popular TV show in India during the 90s. The popular actor Arun Govil who played Ram was actually considered as Lord Ram by many believers. Once, he was beaten up by the people when they caught him smoking. There are several other examples of such cases where people have gotten into such acts by showing their passion for a particular movie or TV serial. There are people, who are not protesting but has deep-rooted sentiments associated with Rani Padmavati but their sentiments are unheard. × On the contrary, the protest done by Karni Sena and Rajput communities for the movies Padmavati is entirely different. The movie, which is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and has Deepika Padukone in the lead role, is said to have distorted history. I don't support the ongoing row but there are people, who are not protesting but have deep-rooted sentiments associated with Rani Padmavati, and their sentiments are unheard. I am waiting for the CBFC's certificate and movie's disclaimer, before that I can not comment on the movie. When I talk about the disclaimer, there are two ways it can happen, first, either the disclaimer will say that the movie is based on fictional characters but there is the presence of historical characters, such as Rawal Singh and Alauddin Khilji and both have a documented history. Also, if it is based on fiction or myth then, why the name Padmavati is taken? He could have used some other name Leelawati or Mayawati but why Padmavati? It is not about Padmavati's physical existence but Rajput community believes in Rani Padmavati and that belief is connected to their sentiment. Even Sai Baba was politicised, but many who believed in him still worship him. The controversy that said, "Sai Baba was not a God or a Saint, he should not be worshipped" just benefitted fringe groups and factions. Many of us do believe in God and Goddess but there will always be a question on the existence of God/Goddess as well. But believers are going to believe. Second, if the disclaimer says that movie is based on real historical characters, then Mr Bhansali is proving the point that Rani Padmavati existed. Biography of Alauddin was documented by a Persian historian Wassaf and it is one the few sources to learn about Khilji dynasty. Along with Wassaf, Amir Khusrau also has written about Alauddin Khilji. In the 12th century, Khusrau has documented that Alauddin treated the obedient Hindu zamindars kindly and granted more favours to them than they had expected. He also stated that all the insolent Hindus in the realm of Hind had died on the battlefield and the other Hindus had bowed their heads before Alauddin. The best way to get rid of such protests for the movies which are based on mythology or history, the director must get the script approved by Censor Board then start the production process. × Raja Rawal Singh did not bow his head and was defeated inadequately in the battlefield, though he fought bravely along with his commanders Gora and Badal, but died at the end, leaving behind his two wives and the empire. The wives, Rani Prabhavati and Rani Padmavati had no other option to save their pride and honour from the invaders through self-immolation (Jauhar). In my opinion, the best way to get rid of such protests around movies, which are based on mythology or history, is to get the script approved by the Censor Board then start the production process. To judge the movie after the release doesn't make any sense. Movies like Padmavati, which has gathered attention will do good business. If the director has made the film to earn profit then its ok otherwise if he is portraying Rajputana pride and honour then the movie must soothe the Rajput communities. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: As a Rajput girl, I believe in Padmavati

<p>Amid&nbsp;the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmavati-controversy-protests-in-gujarat-maharashtra-24034"><em>Padmavati</em>&#39;&nbsp;</a>row, actress Deepika Padukone has decided not to attend the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ivanka-trump-to-be-a-part-of-the-global-entrepreneurship-summit-in-november-24166">Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) </a>to be&nbsp;held on November 28 in Hyderabad, reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US president&#39;s daughter Ivanka Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the high-profile two-day event with entrepreneurs from across the world set to attend the event.</p>

<p>The summit will be attended by thousands of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters from around the world which is themed &lsquo;Women First, Prosperity for All&rsquo;.</p>

<p>An official of the Telangana government informed on Monday that Deepika had withdrawn her name from the summit after confirming her participation earlier.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The star was supposed to address one of the sessions &#39;Hollywood to Nollywood to Bollywood: The Path to Moviemaking.&rsquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her reason to pull out of the summit remains unknown, reports stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Deepika is at the centre of the row&nbsp;surrounding her movie <em>Padmavati</em>&nbsp;with&nbsp;the Rajput Karni Sena threatening her over her depiction of the Rajput princess.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The summit will be attended by over a thousand entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters from around the world which is themed &lsquo;Women First, Prosperity for All&rsquo;</p>


Her reason to pull out of the summit remains unknown, reports stated.?

Amid the Padmavati' row, actress Deepika Padukone has decided not to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) to be held on November 28 in Hyderabad, reports said. US president's daughter Ivanka Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the high-profile two-day event with entrepreneurs from across the world set to attend the event. The summit will be attended by thousands of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters from around the world which is themed ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’. An official of the Telangana government informed on Monday that Deepika had withdrawn her name from the summit after confirming her participation earlier. The star was supposed to address one of the sessions 'Hollywood to Nollywood to Bollywood: The Path to Moviemaking.’ Her reason to pull out of the summit remains unknown, reports stated. Deepika is at the centre of the row surrounding her movie Padmavati with the Rajput Karni Sena threatening her over her depiction of the Rajput princess. The summit will be attended by over a thousand entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters from around the world which is themed ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’

Deepika Padukone withdraws from Global Entrepreneurship Summit amid 'Padmavati' row

<p>Film actor Raza Murad on Saturday said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy should prove his charge that Padmavati is an international conspiracy funded by Dubai.</p>

<p>Murad said, &quot;Subramaniyam Swami is a very qualified man; whenever he speaks, he speaks something new. So, one thing I would say is either he should prove it that the funding of Padmavati has been done from Dubai and if he cannot then he should stop passing these statements.&quot;</p>

<p>He added: &quot;I would say only one thing: please watch the film first, where Alauddin Khalji has been shown as a villain.&quot;</p>

<p>Murad, who is playing Khalji in the film, says Rani Padmavati has been shown as a very graceful lady and the film only highlights the &#39;honour, prestige and bravery&#39;&nbsp;of Rajput clan.</p>

<p>Padmavati is surrounded by controversy. The period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with historical facts.</p>

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<p>Rajput groups have objected most stridently to reported &#39;dream sequence&#39; between Deepika Padukone (playing Padmavati) and Ranveer Singh (playing Allaudin Khilji).&nbsp; (Zee News Network)</p>
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<p>Joining the ongoing controversy over the film, Swamy on Friday asserted that it should be enquired if there is an international conspiracy behind it.</p>

<p>Swamy told ANI, &quot;Many big budget movies are made these days, we should see if there is a conspiracy in it. People from Dubai want Muslim kings to be portrayed as a&nbsp;hero; they want to show as if Hindu women wanted relationships (with them).&quot;</p>

<p>The Karni Sena, which demolished the sets of the movie in Jaipur and also thrashed Bhansali, last month, again, warned the director that he would face consequences if the movie distorted historical facts.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the petition filed against the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s Padmavati.&nbsp;</p>


Padmavati is surrounded by controversy. The period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with historical facts.

Film actor Raza Murad on Saturday said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy should prove his charge that Padmavati is an international conspiracy funded by Dubai. Murad said, "Subramaniyam Swami is a very qualified man; whenever he speaks, he speaks something new. So, one thing I would say is either he should prove it that the funding of Padmavati has been done from Dubai and if he cannot then he should stop passing these statements." He added: "I would say only one thing: please watch the film first, where Alauddin Khalji has been shown as a villain." Murad, who is playing Khalji in the film, says Rani Padmavati has been shown as a very graceful lady and the film only highlights the 'honour, prestige and bravery' of Rajput clan. Padmavati is surrounded by controversy. The period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering with historical facts. Rajput groups have objected most stridently to reported 'dream sequence' between Deepika Padukone (playing Padmavati) and Ranveer Singh (playing Allaudin Khilji). (Zee News Network) × Joining the ongoing controversy over the film, Swamy on Friday asserted that it should be enquired if there is an international conspiracy behind it. Swamy told ANI, "Many big budget movies are made these days, we should see if there is a conspiracy in it. People from Dubai want Muslim kings to be portrayed as a hero; they want to show as if Hindu women wanted relationships (with them)." The Karni Sena, which demolished the sets of the movie in Jaipur and also thrashed Bhansali, last month, again, warned the director that he would face consequences if the movie distorted historical facts. The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the petition filed against the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati.

Swamy should prove his 'Dubai funding for Padmavati' charge: Raza Murad

<p>Bianca &ldquo;Bam Bam&rdquo; Elmir is dressed in a sky blue shirt, squished on a Skype screen on an early morning in Melbourne. Although she is half a world away, her energy is evident even through a screen. Next to her is Jemma van Loenen, the producer of Bam Bam, the documentary.</p>

<p>We establish her history immediately: &ldquo;I come from a Lebanese background, my grandparents migrated in the &lsquo;50s to Australia. I was raised in Canberra, where I&rsquo;m based, by a single parent, my mom, who divorced my dad when I was very young. I was 2.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Shifting slightly, she adds, &ldquo;I met my dad at 27 properly; we&rsquo;ve had a very loose relationship since then. My mom, on the other hand, has raised me on her own.&rdquo;</p>

<p>It is not the first time in our conversation that I am surprised by Bianca&rsquo;s candor. She is direct, open, occasionally pushing back her curly hair and shifting as she speaks. The Australian boxer is evident even when she is seated not just in her body, but in the way she moves occasionally, unable to sit totally still.</p>

<p><strong>Spiritual moments in the ring</strong></p>

<p>The tagline to Bam Bam the movie is &ldquo;Boxer. Woman. Muslim.&rdquo; I ask Bianca about the Muslim part, first, curious as to how she defines herself in this regard.</p>

<p>&ldquo;My mother, she didn&rsquo;t really have a strong connection to the faith growing up &hellip; she didn&rsquo;t wear the scarf and she didn&rsquo;t pray,&rdquo; Bianca replies. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s becoming more devoted as she&rsquo;s grown older. At 13 or 14, my attachment to Islam was the strongest in my life. It cemented my identity.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She pauses and then continues: &ldquo;Since then, I&rsquo;ve changed, and the religion has changed with me. I still consider myself a strong believer. I feel like my faith is at the center of who I am and everything I do. Boxing, for me, is something very close to my heart because it&rsquo;s raw.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Bianca&rsquo;s unexpected shift toward discussing boxing in the midst of discussing Islam throws me slightly, but she finishes her thought with an eloquence that I&rsquo;m beginning to see is an indisputable part of her.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very close to my emotions: being a fighter and sticking up for what you believe in and believing in yourself and have the most acute focus and focus to detail. I feel like my faith enhances those elements in me. Islam is about sticking up for what you believe in and fighting for a cause and believing so deeply in something and committing to it. I think [boxing] runs parallel to that. It&rsquo;s a very spiritual moment in the ring.&rdquo;</p>

<p>When she says this, I immediately think of the traditions of Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing. In a traditional Thai fight, a number of ceremonial rituals, including the Wai Khru Ram Muay dance and the wearing of mongkol (or mongkon) headdress, form an enormously important part of every fight.</p>

<p>Bianca, who has a background in mixed martial arts, confirms my thought when she continues: &ldquo;When I come in and out of the ring&mdash;we get these traditions from the Thais, the blessings coming in and out&mdash;I thank God. I don&rsquo;t necessarily thank the spirits, but I thank God, always, for my opportunity in the ring, whether it&rsquo;s training or fighting. In the moments of despair when I&rsquo;m at my wit&rsquo;s end and I&rsquo;ve got someone trying to take my head off in front of me, I have a second of self-doubt and that&rsquo;s when I turn and restate to myself that myself that I believe in God and myself and this opportunity and this moment.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;My religion gives me a lot of inspiration,&rdquo; she finishes, simply.</p>

<p>I wonder if Bianca&rsquo;s experience of religion is reflective of a very private negotiation of her Muslim identity, without the input of a larger Muslim community.</p>

<p>&ldquo;In a way, yes, I look at other young people &hellip; it&rsquo;s a confusing time in that you&rsquo;re trying to figure out your identity, how you fit into the particular community you&rsquo;re a part of, and if you&rsquo;re a part of a diaspora that doesn&rsquo;t have a lot of momentum, you feel like you have to shout a bit louder. With the religion, I felt on the periphery&mdash;living in Canberra, it&rsquo;s a very middle-class, white suburban city, I always felt a little bit on the outside&mdash;anyway, even though it&rsquo;s a very inclusive space, I felt like I had to stand up from when I was very young.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The idea of growing up surrounded by a different, dominant narrative is so similar to my own childhood. I tell Bianca that I went through the same process of identity negotiation and she nods, continuing: &ldquo;Having the religion as a label, being Muslim at the time, gave me comfort and gave me that pathway, especially being quite a young person, I was searching for that. Kind of similar to you, I didn&rsquo;t need to shout as loud about needing to verify who I was. I was more comfortable having nuances about being a girl, a Muslim, someone from an ethnic background.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She pauses, laughing: &ldquo;So, having all those different narratives, I&rsquo;m still nostalgic about those days because things were so clear and I was confident about how things were right or wrong. Understanding what is evil and what is not evil. I feel like I&rsquo;ve got a more progressive understanding of the religion, now. Community work, care for the people around me, care for the people that were ill&mdash;[Islam] instilled that in me and I still hold on to that, treat people with respect, if someone is poor, look after them. You have to help people in need. Those are the things that have stuck with me.&rdquo;</p>

<p><strong>Identity and femininity</strong></p>

<p>When she pauses, she and Jemma both look at me expectantly and I sheepishly admit that, from the trailers for Bam Bam, Bianca comes off as far more aggressive and defiant than she does in person, where she is immensely articulate and thoughtful.</p>

<p>Bianca laughs: &ldquo;I feel like I&rsquo;ve become quite masculine. My particular gym is only boys, so I&rsquo;ve had to take on a persona which is a little, you know, thick-skinned. Can take anything, can take all kinds of comments, can take any guy they put in front of me, so I think I&rsquo;ve developed that quite well over time, out of survival. My coach has a lot of confidence in me but then will also put me in front of anything.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She shifts a little, still grinning: &ldquo;I think at times, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m getting my head pummeled in and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s going on.&rsquo; Through self-preservation, I&rsquo;ve had to take on this persona of toughness and true grit, bite down on my mouth guard and get through everything.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Jemma, looking a little startled, adds: &ldquo;That&rsquo;s interesting, I didn&rsquo;t realise that was coming across. I wanted to create some kind of in that, there&rsquo;s a goal she&rsquo;s trying to achieve and there have been obstacles to overcome, like the ban &hellip; but also to balance that with what gets Bianca through.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She adds: &ldquo;I did have a little snippet that I wanted to put in there, there&rsquo;s a snippet of you rubbing your face and you say you like having your face patted, to balance this full-on an aggressive thing where people are punching you in the face. You have that need to be nurtured.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Bianca smiles playfully and says, to me this time, &ldquo;I just want to be hugged.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Being in a highly sexualised environment,&rdquo; she continues, pausing briefly to become more serious again, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to come across as too cute and too much of a princess. Maybe I&rsquo;ve gone too far the other way. I&rsquo;ve found at times I need to re-center and ground myself; I find myself losing a bit of my identity and femininity, which I really embrace and love about myself. The paradox is really difficult.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Many female fighters and athletes, including Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey, contend that being &ldquo;feminine&rdquo; and an &ldquo;athlete&rdquo; are not mutually exclusive. While Bianca seems to agree with this, she also contends that the traits of aggression and dominance visible in boxing are male traits that she must take on in order to survive. In a way, she must &ldquo;fight like a man&rdquo; while still finding ways to express her femininity.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Feminine, to me, is maybe having a more nurturing, a more humble side, a caring side. Feminine is being more considerate&mdash;I see it as all of those things. I don&rsquo;t express those things in the ring; otherwise, I&rsquo;d get my head punched in. So then I express my femininity through dancing&mdash;I&rsquo;m always dancing around in the gym. It&rsquo;s quite sexualised dancing, sometimes, but it&rsquo;s the one space I know no one can take from me, where I can be chill and be a girl, I can feel my body and I can dance.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She pauses and looks at Jemma, thinking, and Jemma adds: &ldquo;It hasn&rsquo;t necessarily come through yet in the trailers, but it&rsquo;s definitely something we&rsquo;ve talked about and we&rsquo;re interested in.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s almost like this alter ego has become me,&rdquo; Bianca says, smiling again. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got this persona and I&rsquo;m so mindful. I don&rsquo;t even let men go through that. It&rsquo;s fascinating looking at the person I was a few years ago to what I am now. I would walk into an office as a political advisor with beautiful skirts and high heels and jewellery and I was the face of the office.&rdquo;</p>

<p>I can&rsquo;t help but think that Bianca&rsquo;s blunt admission that yes, she does have to take on what she defines as masculine characteristics is almost more honest than most negotiations about gender.</p>

<p>&ldquo;All those things are amplified in the sporting world. I have to hold my own, and if I&rsquo;m emotionally fragile or I&rsquo;ve had a bad day and I want to cry, yell or scream, I have to hold out on my own. My coach isn&rsquo;t going to hold on to those things. I&rsquo;ve chosen a sport that really amplifies it&rdquo;.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a very fine line,&rdquo; she continues, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to dumb myself down or make myself ugly just in case you find me sexually attractive&mdash;you have to own that and you have to be responsible. But don&rsquo;t cross my boundaries. If you want to admire me, that&rsquo;s fine as well, but first and foremost I&rsquo;m an athlete and I want to be respected for that. Honestly, if there was a whole heap of other girls at the gym, I might find that threatening. There was a girl that came once and she had a bit of a sulk about the weight we were working with and I blanked her.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She finally, in the interview, shows the aggression that is so evident in the movie trailer: &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t put me in your &lsquo;please help me circle.&rsquo; I worked hard for this. I&rsquo;m going to lift this weight and I can do it. I had to spar her, I sparred hard, and she never came back.&rdquo;</p>

<p>When Bianca sits back a little, pausing, Jemma adds that they have been trying to explore the ideas of aggression and the labels imposed by society.</p>

<p>Bianca leans back in and says, &ldquo;The debate is so interesting, anyway: to be feminine, and through Islam on top of that, where feminine is such an external experience, it&rsquo;s understood to be external. Femininity is something very personalised and it&rsquo;s centered in the private sphere and celebrated amongst women.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She continues thoughtfully: &ldquo;But I&rsquo;m living in a Western country. I never really felt like I needed to wear a short skirt. I felt like I went the other way, I felt like one of the boys, so I got the label &lsquo;tomboy&rsquo; which I find so derogative. I hate the word. I box in a skirt just because, because girls will try to show that they&rsquo;re just as good as the guys and wear the same thing as the guys, but that&rsquo;s why I wear a skirt, it looks good on me and is different.&rdquo;</p>

<p><strong>Fight or flight</strong></p>

<p>There is no question that Bianca is a bundle of contradictions: articulate, aggressive, spiritual, sexual. Yet this is perhaps the most intriguing part of her: the constant, ongoing negotiation of her identities. While other women attempt to straddle precariously, Bianca is defiantly who she is with very few apologies.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I moved out when I was 21,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;I was ostracised, I was on my own, travelled on my own, lived on my own, got myself through university. That was hard. I was young and I really had no one else. I had no family at all, so whilst I can sit here and say, very confidently, yes, this is who I am and say that this has been a hard road.&rdquo;</p>

<p>When I ask her who she is, she replies, &ldquo;The fighter narrative. Fight or flight. I fought back for myself, for what I wanted to do, for the person I want to become. I could quite easily still be living at my mom&rsquo;s house, gotten married, become the person she wanted me to be, put on a headscarf and been done with it. I didn&rsquo;t.&rdquo;</p>

<p>As we begin wrapping up our conversation because Bianca must prepare for a flight, I am particularly interested in her feeling that she negates some of her femininity and sometimes, in her own words, uses it to &ldquo;manipulate men.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;I feel like I can get it over any guy, it&rsquo;s really interesting because I express it when we have these big kickboxing events,&rdquo; she says, smiling again with an ever-present charm. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s when I get the chance to dress up, that&rsquo;s really when I can cement my femininity, the juxtaposition of who I am. I love the shock element and I find people treating me totally different. I&rsquo;m the sexy girl, I like playing that role.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&ldquo;I know that deep down,&rdquo; she says, pausing ruefully, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m still a woman. I feel like I have these sides of me where I do want to care for people and treat them kindly. With men, in particular, I feel like I need to conquer them. That might have something to do with it. Maybe it&rsquo;s my daddy issues, I probably do have daddy issues.&rdquo;</p>

<p>She chuckles again, grinning at Jemma and myself: &ldquo;At least I&rsquo;m self-aware! I&rsquo;m lucky I&rsquo;ve had that self-reflective part of me for a very long time. I&rsquo;ve been analytical in writing diaries and I&rsquo;ve always had someone to confide in. Being open and adaptable to change, I feel like I&rsquo;m open to what life presents.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Even first thing in the morning, this woman&rsquo;s charisma is evident. Jemma, the producer, has been a quiet presence throughout the interview, but it is Bianca who has taken center stage without much effort.</p>

<p><strong>&quot;You are worthy&quot;</strong></p>

<p>As Bianca gets up with a cheery wave to begin preparing for her flight, I ask Jemma why she chose Bianca as a documentary subject.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I want to give a different angle,&rdquo; Jemma responds, &ldquo;from what is out there on Australian TV and cinemas, something that is a little-left field, and I guess connect it with that sort of people about following a dream. The plotline for Bianca is to be a world champion - to be the best at something, everyone has that dream in some form or another, in whatever career or vocation that&rsquo;s in, but it&rsquo;s too easy for us to lose that. It&rsquo;s easy to doubt and fear and to give in to those things.&rdquo;</p>

<p>We say goodbye and end the call, but in the silence afterwards, it is Bianca&rsquo;s final thoughts on what to say to other young Muslim girls that resonate with me.</p>

<p>&ldquo;My message is that throughout your journey, which you need to define yourself, there will be moments of anxiety, fear and doubt, and all of those things are okay and they&rsquo;re a part of the journey,&rdquo; she says.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really important in withstanding those emotions that you cultivate self-belief and that way that you can do that is just by working really hard, looking at yourself in the mirror now and then, revisiting your own eyes, and looking deep into those eyes and telling yourself you are worthy.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Photo Credit: Lollapalooza Films</p>

<p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/asia_pacific/muslim-woman-fights-like-man-34953/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a>&nbsp;has been originally published in Fair Observer.</p>


Australian amateur boxer Bianca ?Bam Bam? Elmir talks about her journey of life

Bianca “Bam Bam” Elmir is dressed in a sky blue shirt, squished on a Skype screen on an early morning in Melbourne. Although she is half a world away, her energy is evident even through a screen. Next to her is Jemma van Loenen, the producer of Bam Bam, the documentary. We establish her history immediately: “I come from a Lebanese background, my grandparents migrated in the ‘50s to Australia. I was raised in Canberra, where I’m based, by a single parent, my mom, who divorced my dad when I was very young. I was 2.” Shifting slightly, she adds, “I met my dad at 27 properly; we’ve had a very loose relationship since then. My mom, on the other hand, has raised me on her own.” It is not the first time in our conversation that I am surprised by Bianca’s candor. She is direct, open, occasionally pushing back her curly hair and shifting as she speaks. The Australian boxer is evident even when she is seated not just in her body, but in the way she moves occasionally, unable to sit totally still. Spiritual moments in the ring The tagline to Bam Bam the movie is “Boxer. Woman. Muslim.” I ask Bianca about the Muslim part, first, curious as to how she defines herself in this regard. “My mother, she didn’t really have a strong connection to the faith growing up … she didn’t wear the scarf and she didn’t pray,” Bianca replies. “She’s becoming more devoted as she’s grown older. At 13 or 14, my attachment to Islam was the strongest in my life. It cemented my identity.” She pauses and then continues: “Since then, I’ve changed, and the religion has changed with me. I still consider myself a strong believer. I feel like my faith is at the center of who I am and everything I do. Boxing, for me, is something very close to my heart because it’s raw.” Bianca’s unexpected shift toward discussing boxing in the midst of discussing Islam throws me slightly, but she finishes her thought with an eloquence that I’m beginning to see is an indisputable part of her. “It’s very close to my emotions: being a fighter and sticking up for what you believe in and believing in yourself and have the most acute focus and focus to detail. I feel like my faith enhances those elements in me. Islam is about sticking up for what you believe in and fighting for a cause and believing so deeply in something and committing to it. I think [boxing] runs parallel to that. It’s a very spiritual moment in the ring.” When she says this, I immediately think of the traditions of Muay Thai, or Thai Boxing. In a traditional Thai fight, a number of ceremonial rituals, including the Wai Khru Ram Muay dance and the wearing of mongkol (or mongkon) headdress, form an enormously important part of every fight. Bianca, who has a background in mixed martial arts, confirms my thought when she continues: “When I come in and out of the ring—we get these traditions from the Thais, the blessings coming in and out—I thank God. I don’t necessarily thank the spirits, but I thank God, always, for my opportunity in the ring, whether it’s training or fighting. In the moments of despair when I’m at my wit’s end and I’ve got someone trying to take my head off in front of me, I have a second of self-doubt and that’s when I turn and restate to myself that myself that I believe in God and myself and this opportunity and this moment.” “My religion gives me a lot of inspiration,” she finishes, simply. I wonder if Bianca’s experience of religion is reflective of a very private negotiation of her Muslim identity, without the input of a larger Muslim community. “In a way, yes, I look at other young people … it’s a confusing time in that you’re trying to figure out your identity, how you fit into the particular community you’re a part of, and if you’re a part of a diaspora that doesn’t have a lot of momentum, you feel like you have to shout a bit louder. With the religion, I felt on the periphery—living in Canberra, it’s a very middle-class, white suburban city, I always felt a little bit on the outside—anyway, even though it’s a very inclusive space, I felt like I had to stand up from when I was very young.” The idea of growing up surrounded by a different, dominant narrative is so similar to my own childhood. I tell Bianca that I went through the same process of identity negotiation and she nods, continuing: “Having the religion as a label, being Muslim at the time, gave me comfort and gave me that pathway, especially being quite a young person, I was searching for that. Kind of similar to you, I didn’t need to shout as loud about needing to verify who I was. I was more comfortable having nuances about being a girl, a Muslim, someone from an ethnic background.” She pauses, laughing: “So, having all those different narratives, I’m still nostalgic about those days because things were so clear and I was confident about how things were right or wrong. Understanding what is evil and what is not evil. I feel like I’ve got a more progressive understanding of the religion, now. Community work, care for the people around me, care for the people that were ill—[Islam] instilled that in me and I still hold on to that, treat people with respect, if someone is poor, look after them. You have to help people in need. Those are the things that have stuck with me.” Identity and femininity When she pauses, she and Jemma both look at me expectantly and I sheepishly admit that, from the trailers for Bam Bam, Bianca comes off as far more aggressive and defiant than she does in person, where she is immensely articulate and thoughtful. Bianca laughs: “I feel like I’ve become quite masculine. My particular gym is only boys, so I’ve had to take on a persona which is a little, you know, thick-skinned. Can take anything, can take all kinds of comments, can take any guy they put in front of me, so I think I’ve developed that quite well over time, out of survival. My coach has a lot of confidence in me but then will also put me in front of anything.” She shifts a little, still grinning: “I think at times, ‘I’m getting my head pummeled in and I don’t know what’s going on.’ Through self-preservation, I’ve had to take on this persona of toughness and true grit, bite down on my mouth guard and get through everything.” Jemma, looking a little startled, adds: “That’s interesting, I didn’t realise that was coming across. I wanted to create some kind of in that, there’s a goal she’s trying to achieve and there have been obstacles to overcome, like the ban … but also to balance that with what gets Bianca through.” She adds: “I did have a little snippet that I wanted to put in there, there’s a snippet of you rubbing your face and you say you like having your face patted, to balance this full-on an aggressive thing where people are punching you in the face. You have that need to be nurtured.” Bianca smiles playfully and says, to me this time, “I just want to be hugged.” “Being in a highly sexualised environment,” she continues, pausing briefly to become more serious again, “I don’t want to come across as too cute and too much of a princess. Maybe I’ve gone too far the other way. I’ve found at times I need to re-center and ground myself; I find myself losing a bit of my identity and femininity, which I really embrace and love about myself. The paradox is really difficult.” Many female fighters and athletes, including Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey, contend that being “feminine” and an “athlete” are not mutually exclusive. While Bianca seems to agree with this, she also contends that the traits of aggression and dominance visible in boxing are male traits that she must take on in order to survive. In a way, she must “fight like a man” while still finding ways to express her femininity. “Feminine, to me, is maybe having a more nurturing, a more humble side, a caring side. Feminine is being more considerate—I see it as all of those things. I don’t express those things in the ring; otherwise, I’d get my head punched in. So then I express my femininity through dancing—I’m always dancing around in the gym. It’s quite sexualised dancing, sometimes, but it’s the one space I know no one can take from me, where I can be chill and be a girl, I can feel my body and I can dance.” She pauses and looks at Jemma, thinking, and Jemma adds: “It hasn’t necessarily come through yet in the trailers, but it’s definitely something we’ve talked about and we’re interested in.” “It’s almost like this alter ego has become me,” Bianca says, smiling again. “I’ve got this persona and I’m so mindful. I don’t even let men go through that. It’s fascinating looking at the person I was a few years ago to what I am now. I would walk into an office as a political advisor with beautiful skirts and high heels and jewellery and I was the face of the office.” I can’t help but think that Bianca’s blunt admission that yes, she does have to take on what she defines as masculine characteristics is almost more honest than most negotiations about gender. “All those things are amplified in the sporting world. I have to hold my own, and if I’m emotionally fragile or I’ve had a bad day and I want to cry, yell or scream, I have to hold out on my own. My coach isn’t going to hold on to those things. I’ve chosen a sport that really amplifies it”. “It’s a very fine line,” she continues, “I’m not going to dumb myself down or make myself ugly just in case you find me sexually attractive—you have to own that and you have to be responsible. But don’t cross my boundaries. If you want to admire me, that’s fine as well, but first and foremost I’m an athlete and I want to be respected for that. Honestly, if there was a whole heap of other girls at the gym, I might find that threatening. There was a girl that came once and she had a bit of a sulk about the weight we were working with and I blanked her.” She finally, in the interview, shows the aggression that is so evident in the movie trailer: “Don’t put me in your ‘please help me circle.’ I worked hard for this. I’m going to lift this weight and I can do it. I had to spar her, I sparred hard, and she never came back.” When Bianca sits back a little, pausing, Jemma adds that they have been trying to explore the ideas of aggression and the labels imposed by society. Bianca leans back in and says, “The debate is so interesting, anyway: to be feminine, and through Islam on top of that, where feminine is such an external experience, it’s understood to be external. Femininity is something very personalised and it’s centered in the private sphere and celebrated amongst women.” She continues thoughtfully: “But I’m living in a Western country. I never really felt like I needed to wear a short skirt. I felt like I went the other way, I felt like one of the boys, so I got the label ‘tomboy’ which I find so derogative. I hate the word. I box in a skirt just because, because girls will try to show that they’re just as good as the guys and wear the same thing as the guys, but that’s why I wear a skirt, it looks good on me and is different.” Fight or flight There is no question that Bianca is a bundle of contradictions: articulate, aggressive, spiritual, sexual. Yet this is perhaps the most intriguing part of her: the constant, ongoing negotiation of her identities. While other women attempt to straddle precariously, Bianca is defiantly who she is with very few apologies. “I moved out when I was 21,” she explains. “I was ostracised, I was on my own, travelled on my own, lived on my own, got myself through university. That was hard. I was young and I really had no one else. I had no family at all, so whilst I can sit here and say, very confidently, yes, this is who I am and say that this has been a hard road.” When I ask her who she is, she replies, “The fighter narrative. Fight or flight. I fought back for myself, for what I wanted to do, for the person I want to become. I could quite easily still be living at my mom’s house, gotten married, become the person she wanted me to be, put on a headscarf and been done with it. I didn’t.” As we begin wrapping up our conversation because Bianca must prepare for a flight, I am particularly interested in her feeling that she negates some of her femininity and sometimes, in her own words, uses it to “manipulate men.” “I feel like I can get it over any guy, it’s really interesting because I express it when we have these big kickboxing events,” she says, smiling again with an ever-present charm. “It’s when I get the chance to dress up, that’s really when I can cement my femininity, the juxtaposition of who I am. I love the shock element and I find people treating me totally different. I’m the sexy girl, I like playing that role.” “I know that deep down,” she says, pausing ruefully, “I’m still a woman. I feel like I have these sides of me where I do want to care for people and treat them kindly. With men, in particular, I feel like I need to conquer them. That might have something to do with it. Maybe it’s my daddy issues, I probably do have daddy issues.” She chuckles again, grinning at Jemma and myself: “At least I’m self-aware! I’m lucky I’ve had that self-reflective part of me for a very long time. I’ve been analytical in writing diaries and I’ve always had someone to confide in. Being open and adaptable to change, I feel like I’m open to what life presents.” Even first thing in the morning, this woman’s charisma is evident. Jemma, the producer, has been a quiet presence throughout the interview, but it is Bianca who has taken center stage without much effort. "You are worthy" As Bianca gets up with a cheery wave to begin preparing for her flight, I ask Jemma why she chose Bianca as a documentary subject. “I want to give a different angle,” Jemma responds, “from what is out there on Australian TV and cinemas, something that is a little-left field, and I guess connect it with that sort of people about following a dream. The plotline for Bianca is to be a world champion - to be the best at something, everyone has that dream in some form or another, in whatever career or vocation that’s in, but it’s too easy for us to lose that. It’s easy to doubt and fear and to give in to those things.” We say goodbye and end the call, but in the silence afterwards, it is Bianca’s final thoughts on what to say to other young Muslim girls that resonate with me. “My message is that throughout your journey, which you need to define yourself, there will be moments of anxiety, fear and doubt, and all of those things are okay and they’re a part of the journey,” she says. “It’s really important in withstanding those emotions that you cultivate self-belief and that way that you can do that is just by working really hard, looking at yourself in the mirror now and then, revisiting your own eyes, and looking deep into those eyes and telling yourself you are worthy.” Photo Credit: Lollapalooza Films This article has been originally published in Fair Observer.

The Muslim woman who fights like a man

<p>&quot;If you were really concerned about public and the society you should have started campaigns against various social evils like untouchability and safety of women. But you choose to target a particular movie.&quot;</p>

<p>Those were the words of justices M M Sundresh and M Sundar of Madras High Court while summarily dismissing a petition seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to revoke the censor certificate issued to Vijay starrer Mersal for it&#39;s &#39;&#39;anti-GST&#39;&#39; dialogues.</p>

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<h5>The petitioner argued that the movie contained scenes and dialogues, which were against the interests of the country&#39;s sovereignty and integrity and the security of the state.</h5>
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<p>The judges while junking pseudo-nationalism propagated by the petitioner said in a mature democracy, the voices of the minority cannot be stifled and concluded that ultimately it was for the viewers to take a call on the contents of a movie.</p>

<p>The petitioner, forgetting that &#39;Mersal&#39; is after all just a movie, argued that the movie contained scenes and dialogues, which were against the interests of the country&#39;s sovereignty and integrity and the security of the state. Here, we are made to wonder whether the petitioner a true patriot? If he is, as he claims himself to be, what&#39;s he doing on the court? Should he be fighting our country&#39;s enemies along the borders?</p>

<p>The petitioner&#39;s contention was that the apparent false information about GST and Digital India Scheme would encourage people to indulge in tax evasion. So, as per the petitioner&#39;s argument, nobody hides income in India and everyone files taxes without fail, and this movie was going to open black money floodgates.</p>

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<h5>The petitioner and all those who have been demanding to purge certain scenes in the film conveniently forgot that Mersal is, after all, a work of fiction.</h5>
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<p>Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;America first&quot; policy will draw a blank in front of the patriotic spirit of this petitioner. One wonders how the petitioner and all those who have been demanding to purge certain scenes in the film conveniently forgot that Mersal is, after all, a work of fiction.</p>

<p>The judges had to step forward and remind the petitioner and other BJP leaders that India and, especially, Tamil Nadu is a democracy. &quot;This is a democracy and people have their right to freedom of expression, and this applies to films as well,&quot; the judges said in their order.</p>

<p>&quot;Even today the media has reported that the Leader of Opposition in the state has criticised demonetisation, can the court pass a gag order against him from making such statements,&quot; the bench further said.</p>

<p>Wondering how the Censor Board had issued certification for the above movie, the petitioner had said: &quot;the film was full of wrong propaganda about India and fake dialogues and scenes which obviously lead to the misconception about the new taxation system (Goods and Service Tax).&quot;</p>

<p>The judges condemned the pseudo-nationalist petitioner and dismissed the plea as devoid of merit.</p>

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<h5>The petitioner&#39;s motivation was to invoke communal disharmony in Tamil Nadu for electrical dividends.</h5>
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<p>This is not the first time the court&#39;s precious time was wasted on a&nbsp;useless petition. Recently, the Delhi High Court junked a petition filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor&#39;s wife Sunanda Pushkar, terming his PIL as a &quot;textbook example of a political interest litigation&quot;.</p>

<p>While observing that the petition by Swamy cannot be entertained as a PIL, the bench said that &quot;Courts need to be careful that judicial process is not used by political persons for their own purposes&quot;.</p>

<p>The courts of our country have seen several such petitions now and then.</p>

<p>What&#39;s the intention of people filing such petitions? Are they really concerned about the issues that the country is facing? If so, why they don&#39;t suggest solutions to issues plaguing the country instead of wasting court&#39;s time and energy?</p>

<p>The petitioner&#39;s motivation was to invoke disharmony in Tamil Nadu for electrical dividends, not realising that the state had consigned these kinds of prejudice and preconceived notions to oblivion ages ago.</p>


The petition to ban few dialogues from the movie Mersal was intended to invoke communal disharmony in Tamil Nadu

"If you were really concerned about public and the society you should have started campaigns against various social evils like untouchability and safety of women. But you choose to target a particular movie." Those were the words of justices M M Sundresh and M Sundar of Madras High Court while summarily dismissing a petition seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to revoke the censor certificate issued to Vijay starrer Mersal for it's ''anti-GST'' dialogues. The petitioner argued that the movie contained scenes and dialogues, which were against the interests of the country's sovereignty and integrity and the security of the state. × The judges while junking pseudo-nationalism propagated by the petitioner said in a mature democracy, the voices of the minority cannot be stifled and concluded that ultimately it was for the viewers to take a call on the contents of a movie. The petitioner, forgetting that 'Mersal' is after all just a movie, argued that the movie contained scenes and dialogues, which were against the interests of the country's sovereignty and integrity and the security of the state. Here, we are made to wonder whether the petitioner a true patriot? If he is, as he claims himself to be, what's he doing on the court? Should he be fighting our country's enemies along the borders? The petitioner's contention was that the apparent false information about GST and Digital India Scheme would encourage people to indulge in tax evasion. So, as per the petitioner's argument, nobody hides income in India and everyone files taxes without fail, and this movie was going to open black money floodgates. The petitioner and all those who have been demanding to purge certain scenes in the film conveniently forgot that Mersal is, after all, a work of fiction. × Donald Trump's "America first" policy will draw a blank in front of the patriotic spirit of this petitioner. One wonders how the petitioner and all those who have been demanding to purge certain scenes in the film conveniently forgot that Mersal is, after all, a work of fiction. The judges had to step forward and remind the petitioner and other BJP leaders that India and, especially, Tamil Nadu is a democracy. "This is a democracy and people have their right to freedom of expression, and this applies to films as well," the judges said in their order. "Even today the media has reported that the Leader of Opposition in the state has criticised demonetisation, can the court pass a gag order against him from making such statements," the bench further said. Wondering how the Censor Board had issued certification for the above movie, the petitioner had said: "the film was full of wrong propaganda about India and fake dialogues and scenes which obviously lead to the misconception about the new taxation system (Goods and Service Tax)." The judges condemned the pseudo-nationalist petitioner and dismissed the plea as devoid of merit. The petitioner's motivation was to invoke communal disharmony in Tamil Nadu for electrical dividends. × This is not the first time the court's precious time was wasted on a useless petition. Recently, the Delhi High Court junked a petition filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar, terming his PIL as a "textbook example of a political interest litigation". While observing that the petition by Swamy cannot be entertained as a PIL, the bench said that "Courts need to be careful that judicial process is not used by political persons for their own purposes". The courts of our country have seen several such petitions now and then. What's the intention of people filing such petitions? Are they really concerned about the issues that the country is facing? If so, why they don't suggest solutions to issues plaguing the country instead of wasting court's time and energy? The petitioner's motivation was to invoke disharmony in Tamil Nadu for electrical dividends, not realising that the state had consigned these kinds of prejudice and preconceived notions to oblivion ages ago.

How pseudo-nationalists attempted and failed to tame 'Mersal'

<p>Salman Khan is easily one of the most bankable actors in the Bollywood industry today. His last year&#39;s Eid release titled&nbsp;Sultan, broke all records and became an All Time Blockbuster after entering the Rs. 300 crore club.</p>

<p>This holiday on Eid, Salman&#39;s new movie titled Tubelight will release and fans will get to see the coming together of the hunk actor with director Kabir Khan, after EK Tha Tiger and most recent Bajrangi Bhaijaan.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Also Read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/salman-khan-fans-we-have-great-news-for-you-16040">&nbsp;Salman Khan fans, we have great news for you</a></h2>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the bigger issue remains: Whether Tubelight collections surpass the global hit Baahubali 2?</p>

<p>While fans on social media are constantly writing success stories of the movie, Salman in an interview to Firstpost said, &quot;I doubt that Tubelight will break Baahubali 2&rsquo;s record because the latter is one of the most freakish films that has been made. Hindi film-goers lapped up the film despite watching a dubbed version of it. It is because of the Hindi cine-goers that they have got these numbers. But as long as nobody loses money, I am fine. I don&rsquo;t feel the pressure.&quot;</p>

<p>The actor himself is currently on&nbsp;a promotional spree for his movie after the trailer release was met with hightened expectancy. Speaking in the interview, Salman pointed out how he still gets nervous before the release of his film. He elaborated: &ldquo;Yeah, but for different reasons. You do a film, you put in so much of hard work. That&rsquo;s okay, but the reason that you have signed the film is that you think it will be a sure short hit. Now, the film releases and it is a flop, that means your thinking has gone all wrong.&quot;</p>

<h2>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/baahubali-2-becomes-first-indian-movie-to-earn-rs-1500-crore-worldwide-15789">Baahubali 2 becomes first Indian movie to earn Rs 1,500 crore worldwide</a></h2>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TqDvZqAfruY" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>Tubelight will hit theatres on June 25.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Salman Khan fans are already speculating an even grander reception to his upcoming movie

Salman Khan is easily one of the most bankable actors in the Bollywood industry today. His last year's Eid release titled Sultan, broke all records and became an All Time Blockbuster after entering the Rs. 300 crore club. This holiday on Eid, Salman's new movie titled Tubelight will release and fans will get to see the coming together of the hunk actor with director Kabir Khan, after EK Tha Tiger and most recent Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Also Read: Salman Khan fans, we have great news for you But the bigger issue remains: Whether Tubelight collections surpass the global hit Baahubali 2? While fans on social media are constantly writing success stories of the movie, Salman in an interview to Firstpost said, "I doubt that Tubelight will break Baahubali 2’s record because the latter is one of the most freakish films that has been made. Hindi film-goers lapped up the film despite watching a dubbed version of it. It is because of the Hindi cine-goers that they have got these numbers. But as long as nobody loses money, I am fine. I don’t feel the pressure." The actor himself is currently on a promotional spree for his movie after the trailer release was met with hightened expectancy. Speaking in the interview, Salman pointed out how he still gets nervous before the release of his film. He elaborated: “Yeah, but for different reasons. You do a film, you put in so much of hard work. That’s okay, but the reason that you have signed the film is that you think it will be a sure short hit. Now, the film releases and it is a flop, that means your thinking has gone all wrong." Also Read: Baahubali 2 becomes first Indian movie to earn Rs 1,500 crore worldwide Tubelight will hit theatres on June 25. (WION)

Salman Khan on whether Tubelight will cross Baahubali 2's collections

<p>Konkana Sen Sharma&#39;s directorial debut is a well written story about a family and their interpersonal relationships. The cast of the film and their performances will make you a believer of their story and take you along on their family holiday.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Though the plot struggles between black and white, it does not fail to keep you hooked with&nbsp;a build up of suspense&nbsp;twith each scene.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Death In The Gunj is set in a small place called Mccluskieganj in north India, about 60 kilometres from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, which was once home to hundreds of Anglo-Indian families.&nbsp;<br />
The enchanting locales and befitting costumes directly transport&nbsp;the audience to the year 1979 where the English speaking clan joins their extended family to spend some quality time. You can see Sen&#39;s vision being beautifully married to Sirsa Ray&#39;s cinematography. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Cinematography of the&nbsp;film succeeds in depicting this&nbsp;picturesque town where all the action happens.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Sen&#39;s powerful directorial debut includes some stellar performances too. While late actor Om Puri and Tanujaa ( Mr and Mrs Bakshi) play the elderly couple who are joined by Nandu (Gulshan Devaih) and his wife Bonnie (Tillotama Shome), their daughter (Tani Arya), and family friends Vikram ( Ranveer Shorey), Brian (Jim Sarbh) and Mimi (Kalki Koechlin) along with their&nbsp;often ignored cousin Shutu (Vikrant Massey).&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Konkana allowed every character enough space to evolve in the audience&#39;s mind. &nbsp;So even though you may feel agitated with Nandu&#39;s overly patriarchal nature and Vikram&#39;s philandering behavior that highlights the status women had in that era, you end up developing a soft corner for Shutu&#39;s character. Tilotama does justice to her role of a prim and proper wife, and Kalki is effortless in her bold depiction of Mimi.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The haunting melancholic background score does full justice and further adds to the eerie chills the director wants you to experience.&nbsp;And yes, going by the title, someone does die in The Gunj but the best part about the film is that it&nbsp;will keep you guessing till the end.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some films have stories that follow you out of the theaters and with this film, the intricate details of each character lingers on. The film is hugely inspired by incidents from Konkana&#39;s life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Konkona Sen Sharma debuts as a director with this film and she gets all the points for it

Konkana Sen Sharma's directorial debut is a well written story about a family and their interpersonal relationships. The cast of the film and their performances will make you a believer of their story and take you along on their family holiday. Though the plot struggles between black and white, it does not fail to keep you hooked with a build up of suspense twith each scene. A Death In The Gunj is set in a small place called Mccluskieganj in north India, about 60 kilometres from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, which was once home to hundreds of Anglo-Indian families. The enchanting locales and befitting costumes directly transport the audience to the year 1979 where the English speaking clan joins their extended family to spend some quality time. You can see Sen's vision being beautifully married to Sirsa Ray's cinematography. Cinematography of the film succeeds in depicting this picturesque town where all the action happens. Sen's powerful directorial debut includes some stellar performances too. While late actor Om Puri and Tanujaa ( Mr and Mrs Bakshi) play the elderly couple who are joined by Nandu (Gulshan Devaih) and his wife Bonnie (Tillotama Shome), their daughter (Tani Arya), and family friends Vikram ( Ranveer Shorey), Brian (Jim Sarbh) and Mimi (Kalki Koechlin) along with their often ignored cousin Shutu (Vikrant Massey). Konkana allowed every character enough space to evolve in the audience's mind. So even though you may feel agitated with Nandu's overly patriarchal nature and Vikram's philandering behavior that highlights the status women had in that era, you end up developing a soft corner for Shutu's character. Tilotama does justice to her role of a prim and proper wife, and Kalki is effortless in her bold depiction of Mimi. The haunting melancholic background score does full justice and further adds to the eerie chills the director wants you to experience. And yes, going by the title, someone does die in The Gunj but the best part about the film is that it will keep you guessing till the end. Some films have stories that follow you out of the theaters and with this film, the intricate details of each character lingers on. The film is hugely inspired by incidents from Konkana's life. (WION)

A Death In The Gunj movie review: A complex family drama with strong characters

<p>Manisha Koirala was one of the most popular heroines of Bollywood in the &rsquo;90s, before a short-lived marriage and a brave fight against cancer made her take multiple breaks from films. She is back as one of the lead stars in Dear Maya that also has two newcomers in the lead. Directed by Sunaina Bhatnagar, Dear Maya is a moving drama about finding love at unexpected times, and of friendship.</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s our review&hellip;</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s it about</strong></p>

<p>In a&nbsp;quaint town of Shimla, Maya (Manisha Koirala), a 40-year-something spinster leads a desolate existence inside her derelict mansion, in the company of her birds and two dogs. She never steps out of her courtyard, and spends time making depressing dolls. Her intriguing lifestyle catches the eye of her 16-year-old neighbour, Ana (Madiha Imam), and her mischievous bestie, Ira (Shreya Chaudhary). When they learn that Maya has never experienced the love of a man, thanks to the trauma she suffered in the past, Ira convinces Ana to spice her life up by writing love letters in the name of some random admirer from Maya&rsquo;s past.</p>

<p>Reluctant at first, Ana finally caves in and starts writing beautiful letters to Maya. She feels more encouraged when Maya begins to respond to them positively and starts coming out of her shell. However, due to Ira&rsquo;s mistake, one of Maya&rsquo;s letters accidentally features an address from Delhi, making her sell everything and leave for the capital to be with her &lsquo;lover.&rsquo; Guilt-stricken over this, Ana confesses to her parents, who pack her off to boarding school and she also breaks off her friendship with Ira in the process. Six years later, they, however, reunite to search for Maya, who could or could not be dead by then.</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s hot</strong></p>

<p>Dear Maya is a kind of genre we don&rsquo;t pretty much see in Bollywood these days &ndash; a moving human drama that doesn&rsquo;t involve huge twists or shockers, but invests itself in human relationships and dynamics, without resorting to a an item number song to spice things up. The premise is not new &ndash; it actually reminded me of the Malayalam movie, Pavam Pavam Rajakumaran, which was about how a college professor was duped by his colleagues through fake letters from a girl.</p>

<p>&nbsp;However, Dear Maya has to be appreciated for the fact that it doesn&rsquo;t stray too much from its subject, and only has a handful of characters for us to invest in. There are several interesting moments in the movie, especially when it shows Maya rediscovering life through the letters, and later through the city.</p>

<p>In her comeback role, Manisha Koirala gives a nuanced performance that will win your heart. Though she lends an air of mysticism to the initial portions of the movie, it&rsquo;s when she rediscovers life is where Manisha shines the best. Too bad that the movie invests too little in her. Despite the raw edges, both the newcomers, Madiha and Shreya, are convincing in their roles. Iravati Harshe, as Ana&rsquo;s mother, is superb as always.</p>

<p>There&rsquo;s a surprising cameo towards the climax, which we are not ruining for spoiler purposes.</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s not</strong></p>

<p>More than this being Maya&rsquo;s story, Dear Maya is actually about the two girls re-evaluating their friendship through the repercussions of their prank on an unsuspecting victim. Not a bad idea, per se. But the problem is we don&rsquo;t feel much for their friendship thanks to some very okayish writing in these portions. So those moments, when they fight and later reconcile, do not touch us with the same effect as Maya enjoying a sweet dish after many years.</p>

<p>One of the characters is even given a forced sob story, just so to get her more sympathy points. Though the scene where she takes in the atmosphere of a nightclub in Delhi for the first time is well-depicted. Some of their actions also don&rsquo;t make any sense. Like Ana is shown frantically searching for Maya for six years; she calls up radio stations and pastes posters of Maya&rsquo;s everywhere. But at no point, does she even think of visiting a police station, until someone reminds her of doing so. The pace of the narrative is cumbersome and yawn-inducing, and will put you off the movie at several junctures.</p>

<p><strong>What to do</strong></p>

<p>Dear Maya may have an interesting story to tell, but it is a slow watch and is not everyone&rsquo;s cup of tea. Manisha Koirala delivers a fine performance in her comeback role, but we do wish the movie had invested in giving her more screentime.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Rating: </strong>2.5 out of 5</p>


The movie is slow-paced but has an interesting story to tell

Manisha Koirala was one of the most popular heroines of Bollywood in the ’90s, before a short-lived marriage and a brave fight against cancer made her take multiple breaks from films. She is back as one of the lead stars in Dear Maya that also has two newcomers in the lead. Directed by Sunaina Bhatnagar, Dear Maya is a moving drama about finding love at unexpected times, and of friendship. Here’s our review… What’s it about In a quaint town of Shimla, Maya (Manisha Koirala), a 40-year-something spinster leads a desolate existence inside her derelict mansion, in the company of her birds and two dogs. She never steps out of her courtyard, and spends time making depressing dolls. Her intriguing lifestyle catches the eye of her 16-year-old neighbour, Ana (Madiha Imam), and her mischievous bestie, Ira (Shreya Chaudhary). When they learn that Maya has never experienced the love of a man, thanks to the trauma she suffered in the past, Ira convinces Ana to spice her life up by writing love letters in the name of some random admirer from Maya’s past. Reluctant at first, Ana finally caves in and starts writing beautiful letters to Maya. She feels more encouraged when Maya begins to respond to them positively and starts coming out of her shell. However, due to Ira’s mistake, one of Maya’s letters accidentally features an address from Delhi, making her sell everything and leave for the capital to be with her ‘lover.’ Guilt-stricken over this, Ana confesses to her parents, who pack her off to boarding school and she also breaks off her friendship with Ira in the process. Six years later, they, however, reunite to search for Maya, who could or could not be dead by then. What’s hot Dear Maya is a kind of genre we don’t pretty much see in Bollywood these days – a moving human drama that doesn’t involve huge twists or shockers, but invests itself in human relationships and dynamics, without resorting to a an item number song to spice things up. The premise is not new – it actually reminded me of the Malayalam movie, Pavam Pavam Rajakumaran, which was about how a college professor was duped by his colleagues through fake letters from a girl. However, Dear Maya has to be appreciated for the fact that it doesn’t stray too much from its subject, and only has a handful of characters for us to invest in. There are several interesting moments in the movie, especially when it shows Maya rediscovering life through the letters, and later through the city. In her comeback role, Manisha Koirala gives a nuanced performance that will win your heart. Though she lends an air of mysticism to the initial portions of the movie, it’s when she rediscovers life is where Manisha shines the best. Too bad that the movie invests too little in her. Despite the raw edges, both the newcomers, Madiha and Shreya, are convincing in their roles. Iravati Harshe, as Ana’s mother, is superb as always. There’s a surprising cameo towards the climax, which we are not ruining for spoiler purposes. What’s not More than this being Maya’s story, Dear Maya is actually about the two girls re-evaluating their friendship through the repercussions of their prank on an unsuspecting victim. Not a bad idea, per se. But the problem is we don’t feel much for their friendship thanks to some very okayish writing in these portions. So those moments, when they fight and later reconcile, do not touch us with the same effect as Maya enjoying a sweet dish after many years. One of the characters is even given a forced sob story, just so to get her more sympathy points. Though the scene where she takes in the atmosphere of a nightclub in Delhi for the first time is well-depicted. Some of their actions also don’t make any sense. Like Ana is shown frantically searching for Maya for six years; she calls up radio stations and pastes posters of Maya’s everywhere. But at no point, does she even think of visiting a police station, until someone reminds her of doing so. The pace of the narrative is cumbersome and yawn-inducing, and will put you off the movie at several junctures. What to do Dear Maya may have an interesting story to tell, but it is a slow watch and is not everyone’s cup of tea. Manisha Koirala delivers a fine performance in her comeback role, but we do wish the movie had invested in giving her more screentime. Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Dear Maya movie review: Manisha Koirala gives a nuanced performance in this slow-burning tale of friendship and love

<p>Sachin: A Billion Dreams follows a structure that is not a documentary yet a film with docu-like narration.&nbsp;Sachin fan or not, the movie brings forth the emotion that every Indian felt when Sachin came to bat. Directed by Emmy-nominated James Erskine, it is definitely an experiment when it comes to our box office.</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s it about</strong></p>

<p>Well, you know the story&hellip; it&rsquo;s about the fantastic journey of Sachin Tendulkar from the time when he was a mischievous kid, to that moment when he bid farewell to cricket and left many in tears. His childhood is shown through a dramatic representation, through actors who play his little self, as well as his family and coach, Ramakant Achrekar. Once he enters professional cricket, rest of the movie is told through a series of snippets and real footage, narrated by none other than the God of Cricket himself.</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s hot</strong></p>

<p>It&rsquo;s really strange that it took a foreigner to coach India to its World Cup win in 2011. Similarly, it also feels weird that it took a foreigner to make a movie on Sachin Tendulkar, and in the process, make the best movie on cricket &ndash; the sport. So let me say it, while Sachin may be a hero to billions, James Erskine&rsquo;s taut direction is the hero of the film. Not only has he captured the spirit of cricket and its effect on India through Sachin&rsquo;s journey, he also makes sure that you don&rsquo;t ever feel that it is a documentary. Rather, you feel that you are a part of the journey, or simply putting in better words, you are reliving the best part of your childhood. If you are a &rsquo;90s kid and have breathed cricket like me, you will understand what I mean. What I liked the best about Sachin: A Billion Dreams is that it is not entirely about Sachin. It&rsquo;s also a journey of Indian cricket. It&rsquo;s also the story of his teammates and above all it is a celebration of his fans, who have cheered him, booed him but stayed with him throughout his career.</p>

<p>Some of the best moments to cheer for, during the film, were not even about Sachin. Perhaps it&rsquo;s that wicket of Aamir Sohail that Venkatesh Prasad flicked during the 1996 World Cup, or when Laxman and Dravid guided India to a historic win in the 2001 series against Australia, or Dhoni&rsquo;s iconic six that helped us win the World Cup. Sachin has not made it all about himself. But through these moments, he made us realise that Cricket is his everything, and sometimes it even came before his family. So when he talks about the infamous match-fixing scandal, you can feel the pain of betrayal he felt over certain colleagues. There are also many interesting tidbits about his life and career that you would easily lap up. Like, do you know which song Sachin always listens to when he feels down? Yes, the film answers it!</p>

<p>But it&rsquo;s his family moments that gives the movie its heartwarming appeal. The film begins with videos showing Sachin holding his kids after their birth. This itself indicates how important his family is to him. Be it his cheesy love story with wife Anjali, who stood with him through the bleakest of times, or his emotional state when his father passed away on the eve of World Cup &rsquo;99 &ndash; it&rsquo;s these moments that make us realise that the God is as human as any of us. Only he has used his adversities to rise up again like a phoenix. If there are enough moments to cheer about, there are also a few moments that will leave you teary-eyed.</p>

<p>Coming to technical values, both the editing and cinematography are top-notch and help make the movie an engaging watch throughout. AR Rahman&rsquo;s background score is perfect &ndash; it is thumping at times, but it never overshadows the moments. And the use of Vande Mataram song during the World Cup final is a master-stroke.</p>

<p><strong>What&rsquo;s not</strong></p>

<p>I don&rsquo;t know how the movie will appeal to the viewers who have never experienced Sachin in his prime &ndash; the ones who associate cricket with IPL and the T20 format. Or even those who have never been a fan of cricket. Even though the movie addresses the darker history of Indian cricket, like the match-fixing scandal and the Greg Chappell travesty, I feel the movie played a bit safe in those moments. The monkey-gate incident is completely ignored. Also, Sachin never reveals how it was to be playing under Ganguly, Dravid and Dhoni, after his rather unsuccessful stints as the skipper of the Indian cricket team.</p>

<p>Sachin, as a narrator, was a bit stiff, but then he was never an actor. However, he was rather free when he was around cricketing equipment.</p>

<p><strong>What to do</strong></p>

<p>Sachin: A Billion Dreams is a movie strictly for cricket fans which basically means the entire country right? It&#39;s a good piece of cinema and whether you are a Sachin fan or not, the movie is bound to make youe motional. Sachin: A Billion Dreams is highly recommended. Just make sure you cheer with the rest of the audience &hellip;Sachin&hellip;Sachin&hellip;!!</p>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3>Rating: 4.5 out of 5</h3>


The movie is one of the finest films made on cricket

Sachin: A Billion Dreams follows a structure that is not a documentary yet a film with docu-like narration. Sachin fan or not, the movie brings forth the emotion that every Indian felt when Sachin came to bat. Directed by Emmy-nominated James Erskine, it is definitely an experiment when it comes to our box office. What’s it about Well, you know the story… it’s about the fantastic journey of Sachin Tendulkar from the time when he was a mischievous kid, to that moment when he bid farewell to cricket and left many in tears. His childhood is shown through a dramatic representation, through actors who play his little self, as well as his family and coach, Ramakant Achrekar. Once he enters professional cricket, rest of the movie is told through a series of snippets and real footage, narrated by none other than the God of Cricket himself. What’s hot It’s really strange that it took a foreigner to coach India to its World Cup win in 2011. Similarly, it also feels weird that it took a foreigner to make a movie on Sachin Tendulkar, and in the process, make the best movie on cricket – the sport. So let me say it, while Sachin may be a hero to billions, James Erskine’s taut direction is the hero of the film. Not only has he captured the spirit of cricket and its effect on India through Sachin’s journey, he also makes sure that you don’t ever feel that it is a documentary. Rather, you feel that you are a part of the journey, or simply putting in better words, you are reliving the best part of your childhood. If you are a ’90s kid and have breathed cricket like me, you will understand what I mean. What I liked the best about Sachin: A Billion Dreams is that it is not entirely about Sachin. It’s also a journey of Indian cricket. It’s also the story of his teammates and above all it is a celebration of his fans, who have cheered him, booed him but stayed with him throughout his career. Some of the best moments to cheer for, during the film, were not even about Sachin. Perhaps it’s that wicket of Aamir Sohail that Venkatesh Prasad flicked during the 1996 World Cup, or when Laxman and Dravid guided India to a historic win in the 2001 series against Australia, or Dhoni’s iconic six that helped us win the World Cup. Sachin has not made it all about himself. But through these moments, he made us realise that Cricket is his everything, and sometimes it even came before his family. So when he talks about the infamous match-fixing scandal, you can feel the pain of betrayal he felt over certain colleagues. There are also many interesting tidbits about his life and career that you would easily lap up. Like, do you know which song Sachin always listens to when he feels down? Yes, the film answers it! But it’s his family moments that gives the movie its heartwarming appeal. The film begins with videos showing Sachin holding his kids after their birth. This itself indicates how important his family is to him. Be it his cheesy love story with wife Anjali, who stood with him through the bleakest of times, or his emotional state when his father passed away on the eve of World Cup ’99 – it’s these moments that make us realise that the God is as human as any of us. Only he has used his adversities to rise up again like a phoenix. If there are enough moments to cheer about, there are also a few moments that will leave you teary-eyed. Coming to technical values, both the editing and cinematography are top-notch and help make the movie an engaging watch throughout. AR Rahman’s background score is perfect – it is thumping at times, but it never overshadows the moments. And the use of Vande Mataram song during the World Cup final is a master-stroke. What’s not I don’t know how the movie will appeal to the viewers who have never experienced Sachin in his prime – the ones who associate cricket with IPL and the T20 format. Or even those who have never been a fan of cricket. Even though the movie addresses the darker history of Indian cricket, like the match-fixing scandal and the Greg Chappell travesty, I feel the movie played a bit safe in those moments. The monkey-gate incident is completely ignored. Also, Sachin never reveals how it was to be playing under Ganguly, Dravid and Dhoni, after his rather unsuccessful stints as the skipper of the Indian cricket team. Sachin, as a narrator, was a bit stiff, but then he was never an actor. However, he was rather free when he was around cricketing equipment. What to do Sachin: A Billion Dreams is a movie strictly for cricket fans which basically means the entire country right? It's a good piece of cinema and whether you are a Sachin fan or not, the movie is bound to make youe motional. Sachin: A Billion Dreams is highly recommended. Just make sure you cheer with the rest of the audience …Sachin…Sachin…!! Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Sachin: A Billion Dreams movie review: Sachin Tendulkar?s inspiring journey is as perfect as his cover drive

<p>All the Salman Khan fans in the house, there&#39;s good news.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Salman Khan starrer Tubelight movie is all set to release today. According to the poster recently released, the timings are IST 8:59 PM tonight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film revolves around Laxman (Salman) who is a little slow and is known as Tubelight. After his brother goes missing during the Indo-Sino war, he is forced to introspect and truly believe that he has the power to find him. The movie features Shah Rukh Khan&nbsp;in a cameo as a magician, who helps Salman&rsquo;s character discover his talents.</p>

<p><strong>Take a look at the poster here:</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(12)-20170525011632.jpg" />
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<p>Tubelight movie poster (Facebook)</p>
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<p>The period drama also stars Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and late actor Om Puri in key roles.</p>

<p>After missing the teaser launch, Salman will be attending the film&rsquo;s trailer launch in Mumbai today.</p>

<p>Tubelight is the third collaboration between Kabir Khan and Salman, after successful films like Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan and hence expectations are high.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here is the trailer of the movie:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UKlkIzD-Yj8" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Listen to the first song of the movie here:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIMz4M2Vuw4" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>Tubelight is all set to hit the theaters on 23rd June 2017.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Salman Khan starrer Tubelight trailer is all set to release today

All the Salman Khan fans in the house, there's good news. Salman Khan starrer Tubelight movie is all set to release today. According to the poster recently released, the timings are IST 8:59 PM tonight. The film revolves around Laxman (Salman) who is a little slow and is known as Tubelight. After his brother goes missing during the Indo-Sino war, he is forced to introspect and truly believe that he has the power to find him. The movie features Shah Rukh Khan in a cameo as a magician, who helps Salman’s character discover his talents. Take a look at the poster here: Tubelight movie poster (Facebook) × The period drama also stars Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and late actor Om Puri in key roles. After missing the teaser launch, Salman will be attending the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai today. Tubelight is the third collaboration between Kabir Khan and Salman, after successful films like Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan and hence expectations are high. Here is the trailer of the movie: Listen to the first song of the movie here: Tubelight is all set to hit the theaters on 23rd June 2017. (WION)

Salman Khan fans, we have great news for you

<p>Remember the much debated film&nbsp;<em>Lipstick Under My Burkha?&nbsp;</em></p>

<p>The film<em>&nbsp;Lipstick Waale Sapne </em>(Lipstick Under My Burkha in English) is an Indian film directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and produced by Prakash Jha. It came under <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indias-censor-board-refuses-to-certify-lipstick-under-my-burkha-12748">controversy</a> after The Censor Board of India (CBFC) refused to certify the film, stating that &quot;The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contanious sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, there is good news for those who believe in creative freedom.&nbsp;The film has now become eligible for Golden Globes after it was chosen as&nbsp;one of the official Hollywood Foreign Press Association Screening entries at the International Film Festival of Los Angeles. The Golden Globes&nbsp;is run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and is expected to be held in january 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;We are honoured that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has chosen our opening night film, <em>Lipstick Under My Burkha</em>, to be an official Golden Globes qualifying screening. The director of the film will now have the opportunity to properly plan a Golden Globes campaign should she choose to submit the film for nomination,&rdquo; Director of Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Christina Marouda said in a press statement.</p>

<p>The film stars Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur in lead roles along with Sushant Singh, Vikrant Massey, Shashank Arora, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi and Jagat Singh Solanki.&nbsp;The trailer of the film was released on 14 October 2016 while the film premiered at the Tokyo and Mumbai Film Festivals, where it won the Spirit of Asia Prize and the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EpHqeHF8NM0" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>The storyline of the movie revolves around&nbsp;four women: burqa-clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and a 55-year-old widow who rediscovers her sexuality.</p>

<p>But while the movie receives more accolades on global turf, the film is not yet realeased in India. Are you listening CBFC?&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The movie was refused certification by The Censor Board of India (CBFC) for being too 'lady-oriented'

Remember the much debated film Lipstick Under My Burkha? The film Lipstick Waale Sapne (Lipstick Under My Burkha in English) is an Indian film directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and produced by Prakash Jha. It came under controversy after The Censor Board of India (CBFC) refused to certify the film, stating that "The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contanious sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society". However, there is good news for those who believe in creative freedom. The film has now become eligible for Golden Globes after it was chosen as one of the official Hollywood Foreign Press Association Screening entries at the International Film Festival of Los Angeles. The Golden Globes is run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and is expected to be held in january 2018. “We are honoured that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has chosen our opening night film, Lipstick Under My Burkha, to be an official Golden Globes qualifying screening. The director of the film will now have the opportunity to properly plan a Golden Globes campaign should she choose to submit the film for nomination,” Director of Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Christina Marouda said in a press statement. The film stars Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur in lead roles along with Sushant Singh, Vikrant Massey, Shashank Arora, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi and Jagat Singh Solanki. The trailer of the film was released on 14 October 2016 while the film premiered at the Tokyo and Mumbai Film Festivals, where it won the Spirit of Asia Prize and the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality. The storyline of the movie revolves around four women: burqa-clad college girl, a young beautician, a mother of three and a 55-year-old widow who rediscovers her sexuality. But while the movie receives more accolades on global turf, the film is not yet realeased in India. Are you listening CBFC? (WION)

Indian movie 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' eligible for Golden Globes

<p>Actors sometimes can go to any limits to get into the skin of a character that they are playing on-screen. A recent case is that of the famed Hollywood actor Gary Oldman, who is believed to have put in 200 hours of getting the make-up right for his latest movie.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gary Oldman is playing the role of the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He made the announcement while speaking at Focus Features&#39; slate presentation. The British actor revealed it took over 200 hours in the make-up chair to be transformed into the former British Prime Minister for new Joe Wright&#39;s film Darkest Hour.</p>

<p>But going that extra mile really works as the actor is unrecognisable in the film.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(6)-20170330105412.png" />
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<p>Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in the movie (WION)</p>
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<p>The film follows the life story of the first five weeks of Winston Churchill&#39;s tenure as prime minister when Germany&rsquo;s dictator, Hitler began invading the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gary Oldman is known as a methodical character actor who changes his look for all roles that he portrays for films. Some of his famous movies include True Romance, The Fifth Element among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Oldman, however, finds the role of Churchill a &ldquo;bit tougher than the rest&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Oldman as quoted in the event: &ldquo;They&rsquo;re all challenging in their own way but Winston was kind of a hard one. It&rsquo;s a lot to wrap your arms around. Not only the physical, but he is arguably the greatest Brit who ever lived&hellip; a kind of iconic figure. It was daunting but once I started to find out who the man was, it was&hellip; well, I never enjoyed anything so much in my life.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Joe Wright is known for his eclectic style of movies with credits like Atonement, Hanna, Anna Karenina in his kitty.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film Darkest Hour stars Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn and Kristin Scott Thomas and will be released in the UK on 29 December.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Gary Oldman will be playing the role of British prime minister in the movie titled Darkest Hour

Actors sometimes can go to any limits to get into the skin of a character that they are playing on-screen. A recent case is that of the famed Hollywood actor Gary Oldman, who is believed to have put in 200 hours of getting the make-up right for his latest movie. Gary Oldman is playing the role of the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He made the announcement while speaking at Focus Features' slate presentation. The British actor revealed it took over 200 hours in the make-up chair to be transformed into the former British Prime Minister for new Joe Wright's film Darkest Hour. But going that extra mile really works as the actor is unrecognisable in the film. Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in the movie (WION) × The film follows the life story of the first five weeks of Winston Churchill's tenure as prime minister when Germany’s dictator, Hitler began invading the country. Gary Oldman is known as a methodical character actor who changes his look for all roles that he portrays for films. Some of his famous movies include True Romance, The Fifth Element among others. Oldman, however, finds the role of Churchill a “bit tougher than the rest”. Oldman as quoted in the event: “They’re all challenging in their own way but Winston was kind of a hard one. It’s a lot to wrap your arms around. Not only the physical, but he is arguably the greatest Brit who ever lived… a kind of iconic figure. It was daunting but once I started to find out who the man was, it was… well, I never enjoyed anything so much in my life.” Joe Wright is known for his eclectic style of movies with credits like Atonement, Hanna, Anna Karenina in his kitty. The film Darkest Hour stars Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn and Kristin Scott Thomas and will be released in the UK on 29 December. (WION)

It took 200 hours of make-up for Gary Oldman to look like Winston Churchill

<p>A toddler posed for the camera as a Disney princess when her father decided to do an extensive photo series paying homage to Walt Disney&rsquo;s fairytale romance, <em>Beauty and the Beas</em>t.<br />
<br />
The 3-year-old Nellee, channeled a tiny golden gown as Disney&rsquo;s character Belle of <em>Beauty and the Beast</em> for the photo shoot, recreating some iconic scenes from&nbsp;the movie.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQiKeVUhYln/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Josh Rossi (@joshrossiphoto)</a> on <time datetime="2017-02-15T13:24:15+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Feb 15, 2017 at 5:24am PST</time></p>
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<p><br />
Her father, Josh Rossi, is a commercial photographer who planned the photo series&nbsp;a&nbsp;month in advance. He planned, shot and edited the series with support from his wife.The entire shoot was carried out in&nbsp;European locations with costume designs commissioned to luxury costume designer, Ella Dynae.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQgjwwlBVBO/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Josh Rossi (@joshrossiphoto)</a> on <time datetime="2017-02-14T22:26:44+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Feb 14, 2017 at 2:26pm PST</time></p>
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<p><br />
In an interview to Mashable, Josh&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Usually we are just playing games our kids like. This time we play a game we both truly love, which is taking magical pictures together. I honestly hope that dads will get inspired to spend more time with their daughters and find something they can do together to connect.&quot;</p>

<p>The film, directed by Bill Condon, will hit theatres on March 17, 2017. The film stars Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.<br />
<br />
Watch the extended trailer of the movie here:&nbsp;</p>

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<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The entire shoot was carried out in?European locations with the outfits designed by luxury costume designer, Ella Dynae

A toddler posed for the camera as a Disney princess when her father decided to do an extensive photo series paying homage to Walt Disney’s fairytale romance, Beauty and the Beast. The 3-year-old Nellee, channeled a tiny golden gown as Disney’s character Belle of Beauty and the Beast for the photo shoot, recreating some iconic scenes from the movie. A post shared by Josh Rossi (@joshrossiphoto) on Feb 15, 2017 at 5:24am PST Her father, Josh Rossi, is a commercial photographer who planned the photo series a month in advance. He planned, shot and edited the series with support from his wife.The entire shoot was carried out in European locations with costume designs commissioned to luxury costume designer, Ella Dynae. A post shared by Josh Rossi (@joshrossiphoto) on Feb 14, 2017 at 2:26pm PST In an interview to Mashable, Josh said, “Usually we are just playing games our kids like. This time we play a game we both truly love, which is taking magical pictures together. I honestly hope that dads will get inspired to spend more time with their daughters and find something they can do together to connect." The film, directed by Bill Condon, will hit theatres on March 17, 2017. The film stars Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts. Watch the extended trailer of the movie here: (WION)

Father-daughter duo recreate scenes from 'Beauty and the Beast' in photo shoot

<p>For all the romantic movie lovers, there&rsquo;s great news! After 14 years of the first movie releasing, the hit movie <em>Love Actually</em> is soon going to get its own sequel.</p>

<p>Richard Curtis&nbsp;directed the 2003 romantic Christmas comedy and is believed to be the reason behind this development.&nbsp;However, it will only be a short film where original cast members unite for a cause &mdash;&nbsp;Comic Relief&#39;s Red Nose Day,&nbsp;a charitable event in the US&nbsp;and UK&nbsp;that benefits children worldwide.</p>

<p>In a statement to BBC, Director Richard Curtis said, &ldquo;I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to &quot;Love Actually&quot;. But I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to. Who has aged best? &mdash; I guess that&rsquo;s the big question &hellip; or is it so obviously Liam?&quot;</p>

<p>The cast of<em> Love Actually&nbsp;</em>includes Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rowan Atkinson. They are also confirmed for the sequel. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The film, hopeful of bringing a moment of nostalgia among the cast members, promises to&nbsp;keep the spirit of the first film while helping aid the Red Nose Day collections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &quot;Love Actually&quot;&nbsp;short film is titled&nbsp;<em>Red Nose Day Actually</em> and is still being written. The film&nbsp;airs&nbsp;on March 24.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The planned sequel is coming after 14 years of the first movie

For all the romantic movie lovers, there’s great news! After 14 years of the first movie releasing, the hit movie Love Actually is soon going to get its own sequel. Richard Curtis directed the 2003 romantic Christmas comedy and is believed to be the reason behind this development. However, it will only be a short film where original cast members unite for a cause — Comic Relief's Red Nose Day, a charitable event in the US and UK that benefits children worldwide. In a statement to BBC, Director Richard Curtis said, “I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to "Love Actually". But I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to. Who has aged best? — I guess that’s the big question … or is it so obviously Liam?" The cast of Love Actually includes Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rowan Atkinson. They are also confirmed for the sequel. The film, hopeful of bringing a moment of nostalgia among the cast members, promises to keep the spirit of the first film while helping aid the Red Nose Day collections. The "Love Actually" short film is titled Red Nose Day Actually and is still being written. The film airs on March 24. (WION)

'Love Actually' will get a sequel this spring

<p>There are no plans to digitally create Carrie Fisher&#39;s likeness for future Star Wars movies, producers said in a statement.</p>

<p>Fisher died last month due to a cardiac arrest aged 60.</p>

<p>In July, &quot;Star Wars: Episode VIII&quot; wrapped up shooting with Fisher reprising her role as the character initially known as Princess Leia she first performed in the first installment of the franchise released in 1977.</p>

<p>She had been expected to have a role in Episode IX of the massive franchise.</p>

<p>Lucasfilm assured the fans that there will be no future Star Wars movies featuring Fisher after Episode VIII releases.</p>

<p>&quot;We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher&#39;s performance as Princess or General Leia Organa,&quot; the producers said in a statement on the massive franchise&#39;s website, AFP reported.</p>

<p>&quot;Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend.&quot;</p>

<p>They added: &quot;We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honor everything she gave to Star Wars.&quot;</p>

<p>A younger version of Fisher as Princess Leia had been recreated using CGI.</p>

<p>(With inputs from AFP)</p>


CGI was used to recreate a younger Fisher as Princess Leia in an earlier period

There are no plans to digitally create Carrie Fisher's likeness for future Star Wars movies, producers said in a statement. Fisher died last month due to a cardiac arrest aged 60. In July, "Star Wars: Episode VIII" wrapped up shooting with Fisher reprising her role as the character initially known as Princess Leia she first performed in the first installment of the franchise released in 1977. She had been expected to have a role in Episode IX of the massive franchise. Lucasfilm assured the fans that there will be no future Star Wars movies featuring Fisher after Episode VIII releases. "We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher's performance as Princess or General Leia Organa," the producers said in a statement on the massive franchise's website, AFP reported. "Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend." They added: "We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honor everything she gave to Star Wars." A younger version of Fisher as Princess Leia had been recreated using CGI. (With inputs from AFP)

No plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher for future Star Wars

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