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Grey's Anatomy actor Ellen Pompeo writes open letter to HFPA amid Golden Globes diversity controversy

Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo has written an open letter to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), addressing the inclusion issue that was brought to light by  The   Los Angeles Times ' recently . There are 87 members who get to vote for the awards and the association's name was called out because none of the members were Black journalists. Pompeo called out the body, in charge of arranging the Golden Globes award ceremony every year, for its glaring lack of diversity. The HFPA had recently responded to the backlash saying that they intend to "immediately work to implement a plan." However, Pompeo asked "White Hollywood" to "do the work to right the wrongs we have created". "I would kindly ask, all my white colleagues in this industry, an industry that we love and has granted us enormous privilege…. to pull up, show up and get this issue resolved." Here is her letter Previously, Sterling K Brown, Kerry Washington, Jur

Salaar, featuring Prabhas, Shruti Haasan, to have a theatrical release on 14 April, 2022

Prabhas’s upcoming film Salaar will release in theatres on 14 April, 2022. Directed by Prashanth Neel, who shot to fame with KGF , the film stars Shruti Haasan as the female lead. The first schedule of shooting for the film was wrapped up a few days ago, reports The News Minute . Check out the post here View this post on Instagram A post shared by Prabhas (@actorprabhas) The film, which is being produced in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi simultaneously, would mark the first screen collaboration between Haasan and the Baahubali star. Talking about his role, Prabhas had said earlier, “This is a very exciting film, and my character is extremely violent, so this is something I haven’t really done before. It’s a pan-Indian film and I can’t wait to be on the sets already." Prabhas has a number of films in the pipeline. He will be next seen in Radha Krishna Kumar's romantic drama Radhe Shyam , alongside Pooja Hegde. The film is slated to release on

Pawan Kalyan’s upcoming Telugu film PSPK 27, directed by Krish, to have a Sankranti 2022 release

Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan's next project, tentatively titled PSPK 27 , is slated to have a theatrical release on Sankranti 2022. The film is helmed by Krish known for the 2015 National Award winning film Kanche  and Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika . Here is the announcement  The most awaited film of Power Star @PawanKalyan garu & our @DirKrish , #PSPK27 will be coming on Sankranthi 2022. Get ready to witness the Periodic Extravaganza and Might Power Fire like never before on Big Screens #PSPK27onSankranthi2022 #AMRatnam @mmkeeravaani pic.twitter.com/H7WfelUB2u — Mega Surya Production (@MegaSuryaProd) February 28, 2021 PSPK 27 is Krish and the actor's first film together. According to The News Minute , the plot is set in British-era India and will also see Arjun Rampal in a cameo appearance as Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Actors from other film industry will also be reportedly seen in the period film. Besides PSPK 27 , Pawan will once again play the role of a cop in

Jeo Baby Director’s Cut: On The Great Indian Kitchen, piracy, censorship, Sabarimala and a fear of right-wingers among TV channels

So the latest buzz is that award-winning actor Aishwarya Rajesh will play Nimisha Sajayan’s character in the Tamil remake of The Great Indian Kitchen that has become a pan-India rage since it dropped on Neestream in January.  Virtually nil promotions in an era of hyper-marketing; a release on a brand-new Malayalam-only OTT platform in the age of multi-language, trans-national giants Netflix and Amazon; a Malayalam film in a country where so-called ‘national’ newspapers and TV news persist with their pro-Hindi, pro-Bollywood bias; a story indicting patriarchy in the majority community at a time when Hindutva forces are on a rampage – these factors might have been hurdles for any other film, but for The Great Indian Kitchen they have become measures of the extent to which a significant number of Indians will embrace cinema in any language and on any accessible space, so long as the theme and quality appeal to them.  In this interview, 38-year-old writer-director Jeo Baby speaks,

Buffy actor Eliza Dushku, husband Peter Palandjian expecting a second child

Actor Eliza Dushku and her businessman husband Peter Palandjian are set to welcome their second child together. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor shared the pregnancy news on her Instagram page. Check out her post here View this post on Instagram A post shared by Official Eliza Dushku (@elizadushku) Filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor Gabrielle Union congratulated the Bring It On actor in the comments section. Dushku and Palandjian, 57, got engaged in 2017 and tied the knot in August, 2018. They welcomed their first child, son Philip "Bourne" Dushku Palandjin, in mid-2019. by Press Trust of India

Tasha Huo attached as writer of long-in-the-works Red Sonja adaptation

Writer Tasha Huo, who is attached to showrun and executive producing the upcoming animated Tomb Raider series, has come on board to pen the long-gestating fantasy reboot of Red Sonja. Transparent creator Joey Soloway will direct the Millennium Films project, based on the sword and sorcery comic book by Dynamite Entertainment. Soloway was announced as writer and director in 2019, taking over from Bryan Singer who was dropped following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against the filmmaker in an investigative report in The Atlantic . According to The Hollywood Reporter, Soloway said she is looking forward to working with Huo. "I have loved Red Sonja forever and I feel so honoured to help shepherd her story and start this cinematic journey. There could not be a greater moment in our world for Red Sonja''s ways of wielding power and her connection with nature and our planet. "She is an ancient heroine with an epic calling, and translating that

Joe Baby Director’s Cut: On The Great Indian Kitchen, piracy, censorship, Sabarimala and a fear of right-wingers among TV channels

So the latest buzz is that award-winning actor Aishwarya Rajesh will play Nimisha Sajayan’s character in the Tamil remake of The Great Indian Kitchen that has become a pan-India rage since it dropped on Neestream in January.  Virtually nil promotions in an era of hyper-marketing; a release on a brand-new Malayalam-only OTT platform in the age of multi-language, trans-national giants Netflix and Amazon; a Malayalam film in a country where so-called ‘national’ newspapers and TV news persist with their pro-Hindi, pro-Bollywood bias; a story indicting patriarchy in the majority community at a time when Hindutva forces are on a rampage – these factors might have been hurdles for any other film, but for The Great Indian Kitchen they have become measures of the extent to which a significant number of Indians will embrace cinema in any language and on any accessible space, so long as the theme and quality appeal to them.  In this interview, 38-year-old writer-director Jeo Baby speaks,

Firefly Lane actor Patrick Sabongui joins final season of Showtime's Shameless

Actor Patrick Sabongui, best known for his work on The Flash and Firefly Lane , is set to star in the 11th and final season of Showtime's Shameless in a recurring role. The actor has previously starred on the network's acclaimed hit political thriller series Homeland . According to Deadline , Sabongui will play Martin, a city slicker in a crisp suit; the landlord who has a run-in with Carl (Ethan Cutkosky). Shameless features actor William H Macy as a patriarch of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, navigating life and love in Chicago's South Side. The final season of the long-running show finds the Gallagher family at a crossroads, with changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, gentrification and ageing to reconcile. "As Frank (Macy) confronts his own mortality and family ties in his alcoholic and drug-induced twilight years, Lip (Jeremy Allen White) struggles with the prospect of becoming the family's new patriarch. "Newlyweds Ian (Cameron Monaghan)

Taylor Swift officially cancels Lover Fest concerts, confirms it won't be rescheduled

Pop star Taylor Swift has officially cancelled all of her pending Lover Fest tour dates due to the “unprecedented pandemic.” The singer-songwriter had a few shows planned for summer 2020 in support of her 2019 album Lover , but had postponed the gigs to June and August this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement shared on her social media, Swift said she was "disappointed" that she won’t be able to see her fans in person. I miss you terribly and can’t wait til we can all safely be at shows together again 💘 pic.twitter.com/q3T23FCpMn — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) February 26, 2021 “This is an unprecedented pandemic that has changed everyone’s plans and no one knows what the touring landscape is going to look like in the near future. I’m so disappointed that I won’t be able to see you in person as soon as I wanted to. I miss you terribly and can’t wait till we can all safely be at shows together again," the singer wrote. Refunds have been availab

Trailer of Haathi Mere Saathi, featuring Rana Daggubati, Pulkit Samrat, to release on 4 March

The trailer of Rana Daggubati, Pulkit Samrat-starrer Haathi Mere Saathi is scheduled to release on 4 March. Also featuring Shriya Pilgaonkar and Zoya Hussain, the film will be released in Tamil as Kaadan and as Aranya in Telugu. Samrat's character is played by Vishnu Vishal in the Tamil and Telugu version, reports Bollywood Hungama . Check out the announcement here #HAATHIMERESAATHI TRAILER... Trailer of #HaathiMereSaathi - starring #RanaDaggubati , #ShriyaPilgaonkar , #ZoyaHussain and #PulkitSamrat - drops on 4 March 2021... Trailer of #Tamil and #Telugu versions will be unveiled a day earlier [3 March 2021]... In *cinemas* 26 March 2021. pic.twitter.com/NEObSTVWsO — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 28, 2021 #HaathiMereSaathi is directed by Prabhu Solomon... Produced by Eros Motion Pictures. — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 28, 2021 Directed by Prabhu Solomon and produced by Eros International, Haathi Mere Saathi chronicles the journey of a man

Chinese moviegoers flock to theatres after COVID-19 containment, spur new box office records

The thrills and chills of the big screen are back big-time in the world’s largest film market. With the coronavirus well under control in China and cinemas running at half capacity, moviegoers are smashing China's box office records, with domestic productions far outpacing their Hollywood competitors. February marked China’s all-time biggest month for movie ticket sales, which have so far totalled 11.2 billion yuan ($1.7 billion). China overtook the US as the world’s biggest market for movie ticket sales last year as the American box office took a massive hit from the closure of cinemas because of the pandemic. Chinese theatres were able to reopen by midyear and have seen steady audience growth since then. Local movies have also benefited from periodic unofficial “blackout" periods, when only domestic productions are allowed to be screened. A dearth of major Hollywood blockbusters over recent months appears to have also boosted the market for Chinese films. “People were en

Maya Rudolph to return as host of Saturday Night Live in upcoming episode

Actor-comedienne Maya Rudolph will be returning as a host on late-night sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) . The 48-year-old actor, who most recently recurred on the show as Vice President Kamala Harris, will be hosting the 27 March episode of the series. According to Deadline , rapper Jack Harlow will be the musical guest on the episode, which will also mark comeback of the show after a month-long hiatus. The last episode, which aired on Saturday, had Nick Jonas serving as host and musical guest. Rudolph, who started her career with Saturday Night Live in 2000 and then served as a regular cast member till 2007, made her hosting debut on the show in 2012. She last year won the guest comedy actress Emmy for her portrayal of Harris in the 45th season of the late-night comedy series. by Press Trust of India

Wu Assassins standalone film, Fistful of Vengeance, in the pipeline at Netflix

Streaming platform Netflix has ordered a standalone movie based on supernatural action series Wu Assassins, with Roel Reine attached to direct. Titled Fistful of Vengeance , the 90-minute film will star original Wu Assassins cast members Iko Uwais, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao and JuJu Chan Szeto. Uwais will reprise his role as Kai Jin, along with Tan as Lu Xin Lee, Kao as Tommy Wah and Chan Szeto as Zan Hui. Here is the announcement When an otherworldly threat claims one of their own, the Wu Assassins will travel to Bangkok and face their deadliest enemy. Here is the cast of Fistful of Vengeance, a stand-alone Wu Assassin's story, coming to Netflix. pic.twitter.com/vTVnVIkl8K — NX (@NXOnNetflix) February 26, 2021 According to Variety , actors Pearl Thusi, Rhatha Phongam, Francesca Torney and Jason Tobin are the new addition to the cast. Thusi will portray Adaku, Corney will essay the role of Preeya, Tobin is William Pan and Phongam is Ku An Qi. Writers of season one of the

Kal Penn writes to Irrfan Khan's son, Babil: 'The Namesake brought me greatest artistic happiness'

Irrfan Khan's son Babil said he was left 'speechless' when actor Kal Penn reached out to him. Penn, who worked alongside Khan in Mira Nair's The Namesake , said that he wasn't sure how to get in touch with Khan’s family, but was glad that he finally could after Babil presumably reached out to him. Khan passed away  at 53 in April 2020 after a long battle against cancer. Penn, in the message, thanked Babil for reaching out to him and said that The Namesake was the project that he was “most proud of” and which bought him the 'greatest artistic happiness'. "I've thought of you two and your mom a lot this past year and wasn't sure how to get in touch to share my love and gratitude. It really means so much to me that you reached you." Penn asked Babil to meet him the next time he visits New York. Reacting to this, Babil wrote on his Instagram Stories, "What is happening? How to write a reply when you're speechless? Penn had previ

Malavika Mohanan says it is 'unfortunate' Bollywood is put on 'higher pedestal' than other film industries

Malavika Mohanan, who was last seen in Master alongside Vijay, will soon make her way into the Hindi film industry with Yudhra alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi. The romantic-action-thriller is slated for a summer 2022 release. Yudhra  marks Mohanan's second Hindi project, after the 2017 drama  Beyond the Clouds  helmed by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi. The actor tells  Hindustan Times that like most of the films she works in,  Yudhra  is also an intuitive pick. She adds that having worked in big-budget South Indian productions like Master and Rajinikanth's Petta , she realises how Bollywood is given more importance over other industries. "Bollywood is an amazing industry. I have grown up watching Hindi films, I am a Mumbai girl, and seen Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and all these people. For most of us Indians, Bollywood is more than just cinema, it’s an emotion, nostalgia. There’s a different kind of pride we have for it. Having said that, I do see pe

Taapsee Pannu reunites with Thappad co-star Pavail Gulati for Anurag Kashyap's Dobaaraa

Actors Taapsee Pannu and Pavail Gulati have reunited after last year's hit Thappad for filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's upcoming thriller Dobaaraa . On the first anniversary of Thappad , Pannu took to Instagram and made the announcement. The 33-year-old actor posted a candid picture of the duo from the film's set. Check out the announcement here View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) Gulati also shared the picture on his Instagram page and wrote that the film will be "super special". "To my solid rock Taapsee I'll try and be nicer this time. Anurag Kashyap, you know what you mean to me," the Made in Heaven actor wrote. Dobaaraa marks Pannu's third collaboration with Kashyap after 2018 hit Manmarziyaan and biographical drama Saand Ki Aankh , which had the filmmaker on board as producer. Dobaaraa is backed by Ekta Kapoor's Cult Movies, a new division under her Balaji Telefilms banner. The film

Kevin Hart, John Hamburg to collaborate for Netflix's upcoming comedy Me Time

Actor Kevin Hart's next is a Netflix comedy, titled Me Time and to be directed by filmmaker John Hamburg. Hamburg, known for penning the Meet the Parents series and directing Along Came Polly , will helm the project from his own script, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story if about a stay-at-home dad who finds himself with some "me time" for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away. He reconnects with his former best friend for a wild weekend that nearly upends his life. Hart and Hamburg will also produce the movie alongside Bryan Smiley with Lauren Hennessey and Joe Gatta serving as the executive producers. The actor will next star in Lionsgate’s adaptation of the video game Borderlands . He recently wrapped Sony’s action-comedy Man from Toronto opposite Woody Harrelson. by Press Trust of India

Vineet Kumar Singh to play lead in producer Manish Mundra’s directorial debut Siya

Actor Vineet Kumar Singh has been roped in to play the lead role in producer Manish Mundra’s directorial debut Siya . The social drama film will mark the third collaboration between Singh and Mundra, best known for backing critically-acclaimed movie such as Masaan, Ankhon Dekhi, Kadvi Hawa  and Newton . The two have earlier worked together on the upcoming movie Aadhaar  and International award-winning film Tryst With Destiny . "Manish has produced such good films before and I am very happy and excited about working in his directorial debut Siya . This is my third movie with him and first as a director-actor,” Singh said in a statement. The 36-year-old actor said his role is quite "challenging and different" from the character he played in the past. "As an actor I am always on the lookout for new and challenging roles and  Siya is one of them, it is different,” he added. The Mukkabaaz actor said that he has begun preparation for the part and will soon leave f

Russo Brothers recall how they had to 'fight' with Sony to cast Tom Holland as Spider-Man

Russo Brothers fought Sony in order to cast Tom Holland as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reveal the director duo in a new interview. Holland first appeared in Captain America: Civil War , followed by other Marvel spinoffs and his own Spider-Man film series set up at Sony. He’s about to appear in the third entry, Spider-Man: No Way Home , due for theatres in December. In an interview with British GQ , Russo Brothers recall how Sony was involved in the lengthy process to find the right actor for the iconic superhero. However, when it came down to Holland, the directors and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige were very enthusiastic about the young actor, but the studio was more resistant to the choice, according to the Russos. "We could tell we were meeting resistance from Sony. So we brought [Holland] back, brought him back, brought him back, and we were relentless in our pursuit of jamming him down the throat of the studio who owns this IP. It came down to a fig

Christian Bale to reunite with Scott Cooper for The Pale Blue Eye, based on Louis Bayard's 2003 novel

Hollywood star Christian Bale is re-teaming with filmmaker Scott Cooper for his next feature The Pale Blue Eye . The Oscar-winning actor previously collaborated with the director for critically-acclaimed movies Out of the Furnace and Hostiles . According to Deadline , the new movie is based on author Louis Bayard's 2003 novel of the same title. Thriller revolves around the attempt to solve a series of murders that took place in 1830 at the US Military Academy at West Point. Bale will portray a veteran detective who investigates the murders, helped by a detail-oriented young cadet who will later become a world famous author, Edgar Allan Poe. Cooper said that the film is his attempt at whodunnit genre. "I want to make films that push me into a different, maybe uncomfortable space, but I am glad to have Christian go there with me. I’ve wanted to make this for over a decade and fortunately for me, Christian has perfectly aged into the lead character," the filmmaker sai

Amitabh Bachchan to undergo surgery due to a 'medical condition', actor shares on his blog

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has shared that he has a "medical condition" for which he needs to undergo surgery. It is unclear if the medical procedure is complete. In a one-line, cryptic message on his personal blog , the 78-year-old actor gave an update to his fans and followers. "medical condition .. surgery .. can't write (sic)" Bachchan wrote on Saturday. The actor recently shared the details about the projects his family members -- wife Jaya Bachchan, son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan -- were currently working on. Amitabh Bachchan had also said he would soon start shooting for filmmaker Vikas Bahl's next. The screen icon was last seen in Shoojit Sircar's Gulabo Sitabo , which had a digital premiere last year in the wake of the coronavirus-induced shutdown. One of the busiest stars in the Hindi film industry, Amitabh Bachchan was recently shooting for MayDay , directed by and starring Ajay Devgan. The veteran acto

Nancy Drew, streaming on Voot Select, takes the business of a ‘gritty’ reimagining a little too seriously

On December 4 last year, Hulu released the first season of The Hardy Boys , based on the eponymous mystery novel series (intended for children and teens) by Franklin W Dixon. A couple of weeks ago, The CW’s Nancy Drew (streaming in India on Voot Select, based on Carolyn Keene’s YA (young adult) detective fiction series, began its second season.  In many ways, these updates are doing what series updates do circa the Disney-led year of our Lord 2021— craft the young protagonists’ ‘tough’, ‘gritty’ coming-of-age journey around the death of a parent. Frank and Joe Hardy (16 and 12-years old, respectively) investigate a larger, town-wide conspiracy around their mother Laura’s mysterious death. 18-year-old Nancy Drew follows more of a monster-of-the-week vibe a la Buffy . But even her story eventually drifts towards her biological mother, whose ghost is said to haunt the town of Horseshoe Bay, Maine, where Nancy and her friends (‘the Drew Crew’) solve mysteries. Origin stories   Almos