Chris Pratt calls elder brother Cully his ‘first hero’ on his 50th birthday

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) Hollywood star Chris Pratt penned a birthday note for his elder brother Cully, calling him his “first hero” and crediting him for shaping the man he is today.

Chris took to Instagram, where he shared a string of images featuring him, his brother and their parents. The glimpses are from the special moments they have shared in their childhood to now.

Sharing how he looked up to Cully as a child and even wore his clothes because they smelled good, the star praised him as an incredible artist, father and, above all, “a really good man.”

He wrote: “Happy 50th birthday to my big brother. My hero. Cully Pratt. When I was a kid I wanted to be just like Cully. I used to wear his clothes the day after he did, picked em right up off his floor and put them on because they smelled so good and he knew how to match. Haha.”

“I looked up to him that much. He played Boo Bear in the Christmas Play and that made me want to be an actor. Truth is, I don’t think there’s a single part of the man I am today that wasn’t shaped in some way by him,” he wrote.

Chris called Cully an “incredible artist, craftsman and father.”

“He served his country in the Army and his community in law enforcement. But those are just things he’s done. Who he is, is a good man. A really good man. Life gets busy. We don’t spend nearly as much time together as we used to. I miss that. I miss being kids. I miss looking up to him every day. Funny thing is, I still do.”

He added: “I love you, brother. More than I probably tell you. You were my first hero. Fifty years on this earth and I’m so grateful I got to spend mine being your little brother. Happy Birthday Bro!”

–IANS

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Legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain Passes Away at 73

Mumbai, Dec 15(IANS) Renowned tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain (73) succumbed to heart-related issues on Sunday, December 15.

Hussain’s manager, Nirmala Bachani, said in a statement that the maestro was battling blood-pressure related problems.

Earlier, it was learned that Zakir Hussain had been admitted to a hospital in San Francisco after experiencing heart-related problems.

Ustaad Zakir Hussain, the renowned tabla maestro, was born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. As the eldest son of the illustrious tabla player Allah Rakha, he was naturally drawn towards music from a young age. He completed his primary education from St. Michael’s High School in Mahim, Mumbai, and later graduated from St. Xavier’s College and further solidified his foundation in music and academics.

Hussain married Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and teacher. They have two daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

Zakir Hussain also acted in few movies including ‘Saaz’ , ‘Heat and Dust’. His most recent film ‘Monkey Man’ released in 2024.

Industrialist Harsh Goenka conveyed his condolence over Zakir Hussain’s passing on social media, saying: “The world falls silent as the tabla loses its maestro. Ustad Zakir Hussain, a rhythmic genius who brought the soul of India to global stages, has left us. I feel privileged to have known him through his connection with HMV and to have witnessed his incredible performance at our home. His beats will echo eternally.”

Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore wrote “Ustad Zakir Hussain’s extraordinary mastery of the tabla has created a timeless legacy in the world of music. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the countless admirers whose lives he touched with his artistry. His rhythms will echo in our hearts forever.”

Minister of Tourism of Gujarat Mulubhai Bera wrote The rhythm of heaven just got a little more vibrant. Farewell, Zakir Hussain. Your music will continue to be a blessing to humanity.

—IANS

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J&K: Sonu Nigam arrives in Srinagar to enthral fans

Srinagar, Oct 25 (IANS) Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam arrived here on Saturday for October 26 musical concert on the banks of the Dal Lake in J&K’s Srinagar city.

The concert being held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) by the banks of the Dal Lake tomorrow will be a tribute to the legendary singer, late Mohammad Rafi.

This is going to be the first major musical event in Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists.

Organised by NDTV Good Times, the musical bonanza will feature Sonu Nigam’s voice blending modern energy with the timeless melodies of Mohammad Rafi.

The concert will be open to all ages, with tickets available on the official website of www.district.in/events/sonu-nigam-live-tribute-to-mohammed-rafi-2025-buy-tickets.

Those desirous of attending the concert can also visit the SKICC venue for tickets and more details.

“It is more special because we have not seen the celebration of 100 years of the late Mohammed Rafi Sahab at Dal Lake. Can you imagine?

“The whole World knows my connection with my peer, my guru, and my inspiration, but celebrating his legacy at Dal Lake in Kashmir, celebrating the zest of Kashmir, will be really wonderful and special. Looking forward to seeing you all there,” Sonu Nigam has said.

The concert is slated to last approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Srinagar-based Qazi Touqueer, who won the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005, will be the opening act at the Sonu Nigam Live On Dal Lake concert.

Limited free parking will be available at the venue, and visitors are advised to arrive early to avoid congestion.

There is no dress code, and the venue is wheelchair accessible, ensuring an inclusive and comfortable experience for all attendees.

A variety of food, beverages, and drinks will be available for purchase at the venue. Re-entry will not be permitted once you exit, so guests should plan their movements accordingly.

–IANS

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Arjun Das wins Best Actor Award for ‘Rasavathi’ at New Jersey Indian and International Film Festival

Chennai, April 12 (IANS) Actor Arjun Das, who plays the antagonist in actor Ajith Kumar’s just released film ‘Good Bad Ugly’, has won the award for Best Actor for his performance in the critically acclaimed romantic crime drama ‘Rasavathi’ at the New Jersey Indian and International Film Festival.

Santhakumar, the director of ‘Rasavathi –The Alchemist’, shared the happy news on his timeline on X.

He wrote, “Arjun Das won the “Best Actor award” for the movie ‘Rasavathi’ from New Jersey Indian and International Film Festival – 2024 Congratulations GBU Villain ArjunDas. #Arjundas #Rasavathi #GoodBadUgly @iam_arjundas”

This is not the first award that the film has won. Earlier this year, the critically acclaimed film, featuring actors Arjun Das and Tanya Ravichandran in the lead, won the award for Best Sound Design at the London International Film Festival 2025.

Sound engineer Tapas Nayak’s work in ‘Rasavathi’ won the Award defeating nine other films from around the globe. The other nominees that competed with ‘Rasavathi’ for that award were ‘Nobody wants to shoot a woman’, ‘Black, Queer& Done’, ‘Perfect Meal – My dear’, ‘Let’s eat together’, ‘The Chocolate Club’, ‘Culture Vs War. Liberov’, ‘The Therapy’, ‘We will not be silenced’, ‘Dawn At Gougane Barra’.

Apart from the category of Best Sound Design, Rasavathi –The Alchemist had also gained nominations in five other categories. They were Best Director of a Foreign Language Film, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Editing of a Foreign Language Film, Outstanding Actor in a Foreign Language Film and Outstanding Actress in a Foreign Language Film.

Apart from Arjun Das and Tanya Ravichandran, the film also featured a host of actors including Sujith Shankar, Ramya Subramanian, G.M. Sundar, Reshma Venkatesh, Sujatha and Rishikanth.

The critically acclaimed film had music by SS Thaman. Interestingly, ‘Rasavathi’ was the third film for which Santhakumar had joined hands with Thaman.

The film had two cinematographers in Saravanan Elavarasu and Sivakumar. V J Sabu Joseph handled the film’s editing work. Sathish Krishnan was the dance choreographer for the film, which had art direction by Sivaraj and sound effects by Sethu. Tapas Nayak was in charge for sound mixing.

–IANS

Mkr/