Category: ENTERTAINMENT

Los Angeles, April 16 (IANS) Auteur Christopher Nolan has shared that his upcoming film ‘The Odyssey’ was a “nightmare to film, but in all the right ways”.

The 55-year-old filmmaker’s upcoming blockbuster brings Homer’s epic ancient Greek story to the big screen and he explained that he had an “amazing time” shooting the movie during a hectic production process across Morocco, Greece, Italy, Iceland and Scotland, reports ‘Female First UK’.

Speaking at a presentation for ‘The Odyssey’ at CinemaCon, Nolan said, “This has been a nightmare to film, but in all the right ways”.

The ‘Oppenheimer’ director reserved praise for The Odyssey’s leading man Matt Damon, whom he referred to as his “partner on this journey”.

Nolan shared, “He was there on the boats, up the mountains, in the caves, in the beating sunshine, sideways rain, wind. You’ll be pleased to know how difficult it was. It was meant to be; that’s the nature of the story”.

As per ‘Female First UK’, the attendees at CinemaCon in Las Vegas got an extended glimpse of ‘The Odyssey’, which will be released in July, and Nolan explained that he decided to adapt Homer’s story for the cinema because it “has fascinated generation after generation”.

The auteur said, “Why The Odyssey? The Odyssey is a story that has fascinated generation after generation for 3,000 years. It’s not a story. It’s the story”.

The picture tells the story of Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and his long and perilous journey home to reunite with his wife Penelope (played by Anne Hathaway) following the Trojan War and Nolan quipped that the film’s cast, which also includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya and Charlize Theron, is so talent-filled that he couldn’t bring all of the stars to CinemaCon.

The director said, “How do you go about bringing this to a modern audience? Obviously, we start with the cast. It’ll be quicker for me to tell you who isn’t in the movie. I would have brought them all here, but the massive weight of extraordinary talent would have collapsed the stage”.

‘The Odyssey’ is Nolan’s first movie to be shot entirely with Imax cameras.

–IANS

aa/

Los Angeles, April 16 (IANS) The upcoming reboot of the legendary series ‘Baywatch’ has added another familiar face to its line-up. Actress Erika Eleniak will reprise her role as Shauni McClain in a guest starring capacity.

The actress starred in the first two seasons of the show before departing at the beginning of Season 3, reports ‘Variety’.

A former Baywatch lifeguard, Shauni is now a Santa Monica city councilwoman who returns to the beach to help Hobie Buchannon (played by Stephen Amell) kick off the annual “Beach Games” between reigning champions of Baywatch versus the Coast Guard.

As per ‘Variety’, she has joined returning cast member David Chokachi, who is reprising the role of Cody Madison, as well as an ensemble that includes Amell, Jessica Belkin as Charlie Vale, Shay Mitchell as Trina, Hassie Harrison as Nat, Thaddeus LaGrone as Brad, Brooks Nader as Selene, Noah Beck as Luke, Livvy Dunne as Grace and Nadia Gray as Lisa.

Decades after the original ‘Baywatch’ became one of the largest television properties of all time, launching David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson to global stardom, Fox and Fremantle decided to revive the franchise with a series that continues the storyline of the original. Matt Nix is the showrunner, executive producing alongside director McG, Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto and Mike Horowitz.

The reboot received a California state tax incentive to shoot in Los Angeles, and Fox hosted an open casting call in February to attract new talent. ‘Baywatch’ blended action, sun-soaked visuals, and melodrama along California’s beaches. The show followed lifeguards rescuing swimmers, tackling crime, and navigating personal lives. It is known for its iconic slow-motion beach runs and catchy theme, it became one of the most-watched TV shows worldwide in the 1990s. Despite mixed critical reviews, its cultural impact and global syndication success made it a television phenomenon.

‘Baywatch’ is set to premiere on Fox as part of the 2026-2027 season.

–IANS

aa/

Los Angeles, April 16 (IANS) Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet has shared that he was “deeply emotional” upon finishing production on his upcoming film ‘Dune: Part Three’.

The 30-year-old star reprises his role as Paul Atreides in the concluding installment of Denis Villeneuve’s space opera and has described it as a “deep honour” to have worked on such a successful movie franchise, reports ‘Female First UK’.

Speaking at a presentation for the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Timothee, who was joined on stage by co-stars Zendaya and Jason Momoa, as well as director Denis Villeneuve, said, “It was deeply emotional. I’ve grown up on screen with Denis, I’ve been in three films now with Zendaya”.

“and it was just deeply moving to be a part of a sci-fi trilogy on the scale of Lord of the Rings, but in a time when movie theatres and movies aren’t as necessarily successful as they used to be. It’s a deep honour, if not the biggest honour of my career, to be working with the one, (who) is Denis Villeneuve, the real Paul Atreides”, he added.

As per ‘Female First UK’, footage from ‘Dune: Part Three’ was debuted at the CinemaCon presentation recently, and the actor has hinted that his character will be darker in this flick, which is set 17 years after the events of the previous movie ‘Dune: Part Two’.

The ‘Marty Supreme’ actor said of his alter ego, “He’s become the worst vision, and it’s 17 years later, and he’s struggling to retain the parts of himself he sees the most and trying to figure out how to still protect those he loves in his life while becoming an all-powerful, dark emperor of the universe”.

The actor recently recalled how he pushed himself harder than ever for ‘Dune: Part Three’, which will be released in December.

Speaking at an event earlier this year, the four-time Oscar nominee said, “I didn’t want to be complacent about a single moment. Everything was sacred, and it was my last time doing a Dune film, so I really wanted to treat it as sacred. “Because people can get complacent, but I was more intense on the third one. It felt like that was the natural momentum, so I wanted to push against that as hard as I could”.

He got the chance to return to familiar sequences in ‘Dune: Part Three’ and described how this made him determined to elevate his performance from the original 2021 flick.

–IANS

aa/

Hyderabad, April 16 (IANS) The makers of director Bharat Krishnamachari’s eagerly awaited pan Indian period film ‘Swayambhu’ on Thursday released the single ‘Rara Dheevara’ from the film, much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

Crafted on an epic scale, the track brings together powerful storytelling, high-voltage composition, and striking visuals to deliver a truly unforgettable experience.

Composed by blockbuster hitmaker Ravi Basrur, ‘Rara Dheevara’ is a commanding blend of devotion and intensity, set against the backdrop of the sacred Vaikunta Ekadasi. Powered by the electrifying vocals of Santhosh Venky and penned by Ramajogayya Sastry, the track seamlessly transitions from spiritual fervour to a high-energy celebration of the hero’s rise.

Featuring the charismatic Nikhil Siddhartha and Nabha Natesh, and directed by the visionary Bharat Krishnamachari, ‘Rara Dheevara’ unfolds on an epic scale with over 500 dancers, seamlessly blending vibrant festive visuals with the protagonist’s transformation into a fierce warrior. The track carries Basrur’s signature larger-than-life sound, elevating the scale and ambition of Swayambhu.

The song has been released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, reaching audiences across the country.

Ravi Basrur, the music director of ‘Swayambhu’, said, “With this track, we wanted to bring back that grand, powerful sound that elevates both the character and the story. ‘Rara Dheevara’ is designed to make you feel the energy, the devotion, and the strength all at once.”

Actor Nikhil Siddhartha said, “Rara Dheevara reflects the essence of my character and everything he stands for. The scale, the energy, and the emotion that went into this song are truly special, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

Junglee Music CEO Mandar Thakur said, “Rara Dheevara is a grand, phenomenal track built for a massive cinematic experience. We are excited to bring this to audiences across languages.”

For the unaware, ‘Swayambhu’, which is among the most eagerly awaited films of the year, will feature Telugu star Nikhil Siddhartha in the lead along with actresses Nabha Natesh and Samyuktha. It is being produced by Bhuvan and Sreekar under the banner of Pixel Studios and presented by Tagore Madhu.

Rooted in India’s cultural heritage, ‘Swayambhu’ will delve into untold chapters of the past – stories that extend far beyond traditional tales of kings and wars. At its heart lies the saga of a formidable warrior whose valour shaped an era.

–IANS

mkr/

Los Angeles, April 16 (IANS) The three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg has shared ideas to ensure the longevity of cinema. The filmmaker recently premiered a new trailer of ‘Disclosure Day’ at CinemaCon.

The film marks his return to summer blockbuster filmmaking after a decade mostly spent making personal dramas (‘The Fabelmans’) and prestige fare (‘West Side Story’), reports ‘Variety’.

The film’s plot has been shrouded in secrecy, but it involves visitors from another planet and a vast government conspiracy to cover up their arrival.

As per ‘Variety’, it’s a genre that has been good to Spielberg over the years, inspiring classics such as ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and hits like his remake of ‘War of the Worlds’.

In this film, he’s supported by a starry cast that includes Emily Blunt as a weather reporter with a connection to otherworldly visitors, Josh O’Connor as a man with evidence that we’ve made contact; and Colin Firth as a nefarious bureaucrat who will stop at nothing to keep our heroes from going public.

Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo round out the ensemble. David Koepp, who penned ‘Jurassic Park’, wrote the script. Spielberg called the sci-fi premise “closer to truth” than you might think.

“I’ve been curious ever since I was a little kid with what was happening in the night sky”, Spielberg said. He noted that there has been increasing evidence that unidentified flying objects are real, referencing a 2017 report in the New York Times on a secret Pentagon program to investigate these mysterious sightings

“The world has become more accepting of the fact that we probably are not alone”, he shared. The director’s certainty that intelligent life is out there has only grown in the nearly 50 years between the release of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘Disclosure Day’.

Spielberg stressed that studios like Universal need to keep investing in original films like ‘Disclosure Day’ instead of reboots, sequels and spinoffs.

“If all we make is known, branded IP, we’re going to run out of gas. There is nothing more important than giving the audience visual stories, and they can be in any form, but we need to tell more original stories”, he added.

–IANS

aa/

Chennai, April 16 (IANS) The State Cyber Crime Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police on Thursday announced that it had cracked the case pertaining to the leaking of actor Vijay’s last film ‘Jana Nayagan’ on the Internet and said that it had arrested three more people in connection with the case.

It may be recalled that the police has already arrested six people in connection with the case.

In a statement, the State Cyber Crime Wing said that as part of its continued crackdown in the case, it had arrested three more people.

“Following the six arrests of accused involved in dissemination and uploading of the pirated content, three main accused are arrested,” the Cyber Crime Wing said and added that the arrests were effected based on a detailed technical analysis and examination of digital evidence. The three people accused of the crime were arrested for their involvement in data theft and dissemination of the pirated copy of the film.

Giving details of the crime, the police said, “The main accused was working as a freelance assistant editor for another movie. However, he unauthorizedly gained access to the reels of ‘Jananayagan’ movie at the editing studio and stole it. The stolen data was then rendered into a movie and shared with the co-accused, leading to the circulation and wider dissemination of the pirated copies online.”

“All the three accused arrested have been arrested, produced before the Hon’ble Court, and remanded to judicial custody,” the police added.

The police also strictly advised the public not to download, stream, or share the pirated content.

“Any involvement in digital piracy, including forwarding or promoting such content, will invite strict legal consequences,” the police warned and also urged the public to promptly report any instances of pirated content or suspicious links to them.

For the unaware, director H Vinoth’s eagerly awaited film, ‘Jana Nayagan’, featuring actors Vijay and Pooja Hegde in the lead, was recently leaked on the Internet, evoking shock and anger among fans and those in the film industry. Several top film industry professionals cutting across regions had condemned the leak and had called for strict action against the perpetrators of the crime.

–IANS

mkr/

Mumbai, April 16 (IANS) Indian auteur Imtiaz Ali has shed light on the finer details of his upcoming film ‘Main Vapas Aaunga’. The filmmaker spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film, which stars Diljit Dosanjh in the lead.

‘Main Vapas Aaunga’, which marks the filmmaker’s 2nd collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh, is set in the era after the Partition of India, which is the largest mass migration in human history. The event, which led to the carving out of Pakistan from India, led to displacement of an estimated 14 to 18 million people.

Talking about the nuances of the film, Imtiaz told IANS, “So what we have done is that we have had certain lensing styles and for production design. When you remember a memory, there is a cleanness, you remember fewer things than what existed. So we have used that in production design. We have cast faces that can give an impression of how these people could have been in 1947. Then styling them, because we worked with the team very closely, Shoma and the look team, and Sheetal, the costume team, with so many references trying to create those faces that we see in old photographs in albums. How people dressed up in Punjab in the 1940s”.

The director shared that during the research process, the team came across many interesting findings which added to the film’s structure.

He further mentioned, “What we discovered firstly in the research was quite different from what we expected. For instance, people were very westernized, more westernized than today, because it was a part of the West. They were listening to English songs. You will see that in old films. There’s a certain type of music and hairstyle. So we went after that. And even the light of the memory is a certain different color. So we imposed that, we brought that out. That is how we have created the colors of the shirts because all kinds of dyes were not even available. So we went into the research and discovered what dyes were available. And we have clothes that were authentic to that period”.

“So everything put together makes that one frame. And we’ve had a certain type of lensing when you look at when you imagine your own memory. And we try to create that by the use of lenses and by use of filters, we created some special filters for ourselves. We sometimes have even done this whole thing of bringing elements of the past into the present time”, he added.

Produced by Sameer Nair and Deepak Segal of Applause Entertainment, along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films. ‘Main Vapas Aaunga’ is set to release in cinemas on June 12, 2026.

–IANS

aa/

Chennai, April 16 (IANS) Actor Dulquer Salmaan, who plays the lead in director Nahas Hidhayath’s eagerly awaited action thriller, ‘I’m Game’, on Thursday, announced that shooting for the film had been wrapped up.

Taking to his X timeline to share pictures of the unit on the last day of shooting, Dulquer wrote, “Wrap day smiles say it all. #ImGame shoot done & dusted, couldn’t be happier! Grateful for this journey… see you all on August 20.”

It may be recalled that in February this year, the makers of the film had marked actor Dulquer Salmaan’s completion of 14 years as an actor by releasing a poster of his from the film.

Dulquer Salmaan had then taken to his Instagram page to pen a post of gratitude. He had said, “Today marks 14 years of my journey as an actor. Thank you, each and every one of you ! For the endless love. For the encouragement. For a place in your hearts. To mark this milestone sharing a poster from my next ! #ImGame. Coming to Cinemas near you this Onam.”

It may be recalled that the makers of the film had only in December last year welcomed actress Kayadu Lohar onboard the unit of the film.

Kayadu Lohar is best known for her performance in director Ashwath Marimuthu’s Tamil film ‘Dragon’, in which she played one of the female leads.

Taking to his Instagram page, director Nahas Hidhayath had then said, “Adding sparkle to #ImGame – thrilled to welcome the gorgeous #KayaduLohar!.”

The film has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs ever since the makers released the first look poster of Dulquer Salmaan in the film. The first look poster had Dulquer striking a stylish pose with a pistol in his hand.

“I’m Game” marks director Nahas Hidayath’s next venture after the blockbuster hit ‘RDX’. Posters featuring the other lead actors too have been released by the makers. The movie has quickly become one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

It may be recalled that the film officially went on floors on May 3 last year. Actors Antony Varghese, Mysskin, Kathir, Parth Thiwari, and Tamil actress Samyuktha Viswanathan play pivotal roles in the project.

The stunt choreography for “I’m Game” is being handled by Anbariv Masters, who have previously worked on major pan-Indian films such as ‘Kabali’, the ‘KGF’ series, ‘Kaithi’, ‘Vikram’, ‘Leo’, and ‘Salaar’. After the massive action success of ‘RDX’, the Anbariv team is reuniting with Nahas for this film.

Produced by Dulquer Salmaan along with Jom Verghese, ‘I’m Game’ has triggered immense interest as this will mark Dulquer’s return to Malayalam cinema. The story of ‘I’m Game’, which happens to be Dulquer’s 40th film, is by Nahas Hidhayath himself while its screenplay is by Sajeer Baba, Bilal Moidu and Ismail Aboobacker.

Cinematography for the film is by Jimshi Khalid and editing is by Chaman Chakko. Music for the film, which has raised huge expectations among fans and film buffs, is by Jakes Bejoy. Costumes for the film have been designed by Mashar Hamsa and production design is by Deepak Parameshwaran.

–IANS

mkr/

Mumbai, April 16 (IANS) Actress Kritika Kamra, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming streaming show ‘Matka King’, has shared her experience of witnessing and working in the Mumbai of the 1960s and the 70s.

‘Matka King’ follows the story of a gambling lord, who undergoes a meteoric rise in the 1960s and 1970s in Mumbai. The cotton mills of Mumbai play an important part in the show and its narrative.

Kritika essays the role of Gulrukh, a Parsi woman, who acts as a catalyst to the evolution of the game of Matka. The actress spoke with IANS during the promotions of the show, and shed light on making her way around a story set back in time.

She told IANS, “See, the world was already created through the story. So, you are already inhabiting that world as an actor. As soon as you go on the set, as soon as you enter that costume, you enter that world. That’s a gateway to go into it. And, of course, there’s a language of that era. There is stability in that era, things move slow because the technology is not fast. There is the analog world”.

She further mentioned, “At one point, Matka’s numbers also start coming on the phone in the show. So, that was very interesting because at many places, we had to also pretend that there was no sound because at that time, there was no sound. And there was an operator. I don’t think Gen Z will even know these words. Back then, people used to connect lines manually. A whole department used to do that”.

“We don’t know how it happens today because the technology has gone so far ahead. So, there were such interesting things that belonged to the era before my time even. So, I find it fascinating. It was fascinating to be around it. But I think the people and the psyche of people and our addiction to hope, we can still understand that and portray it”, she added.

‘Matka King’ skillfully blends the technology of its time with the show’s narrative, and acts a vehicle to tell the story.

The show is set to drop on April 17 on Prime Video.

–IANS

aa/

Mumbai, April 16 (IANS) The new trailer of the upcoming film ‘Ek Din’, which stars Sai Pallavi and Junaid Khan in the lead, was unveiled on Thursday. The trailer promises a love story peppered with hope and magic. In the trailer, Junaid Khan portrays a shy and a different guy, who develops feelings for Sai Pallavi’s character, who is a cheerful and full-of-life girl.

While they both work in the same office, Junaid struggles to gather the confidence to talk to her. However, a twist unfolds in Japan when Sai meets with an accident and suffers from Transient Global Amnesia (TGA), remembering only Junaid, who saved her life.

The film itself seems to promise a magical, gentle and classic love story, something that has become increasingly rare in contemporary Bollywood. There is a certain old-world charm and emotional sincerity in the storytelling that reminds audiences of the romantic narratives that once defined the genre.

The film marks the reunion of Aamir Khan and filmmaker Mansoor Khan after a significant hiatus, reviving one of Hindi cinema’s most cherished creative partnerships. Together, they have worked on films like ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’, ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’, ‘Akele Hum Akele Tum’, and ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’. With ‘Ek Din’, the duo returns to the romance genre, sparking fresh excitement among fans.

Their coming together once again has heightened curiosity, with audiences keen to witness the charm they recreate on screen.

The film marks Junaid Khan’s 2nd big screen outing after ‘Loveyapa’, and Sai Pallavi’s Bollywood debut.

Produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, ‘Ek Din’ is directed by Sunil Pandey and produced by Aamir Khan, Mansoor Khan, and Aparna Purohit. The film is set to release in theaters on May 1, 2026.

–IANS

aa/