At 160 minutes, Wicked is too long, and knowing the undercurrents running through the plot, the candyfloss cheeriness gets too much after a point. Still, it is a worthwhile page-to-stage-to screen journey, observes Deepa Gahlot.
'After Kabir Singh, everyone said I should do a 150 crore film, that people will back me up with money.' 'I thought, sure, they will put money but what will the film be?'
The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, began in Prayagraj, India, with millions taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Devotees from across India and the world converged for the 45-day event, which is considered to be a particularly auspicious one this year due to celestial alignments. The event is a major logistical challenge for the government, which has implemented several crowd-control measures and security measures to ensure the safety of the millions of pilgrims.
What was supposed to be a guest appearance, then an 'extended cameo' for Salman, has now become a full-fledged role.
'Anybody who watches my work will see that I am really trying to do something different in each film.'
After Kartik Aaryan exited from the project in April, there's buzz that Akshay Kumar has been signed for Dostana 2.
Sports films have their own unique charm, but those centered on the Olympics and Olympians stand apart, depicting unparalleled tales of grit, guts, gumption, and glory.
The Independence Day holiday weekend is very popular amongst film-makers and film-goers.
Angry Young Men misses some important elements of the Salim-Javed story including an understanding of the duo's creative process. In fact, the two men do not even appear together in the same space in the series.
Zoya Akhtar's popular film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara turned 13 on July 15, and that sent its cast -- Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol -- down memory lane.
Modern Masters aims to showcase Rajamouli's enigmatic career and paints a context of what makes him the singular voice that defined his generation of film-makers, for millions, observes Arjun Menon.
'Outside the house, he was this iconic deified figure.' 'Inside, he was a sorted-out, genial householder, always ready to lend a patient ear to our problems.'
The Army Day Parade this year will see participation of an all-girl marching contingent from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and showcasing of four thematic tableaux, including one based on the force's Mission Olympics Wing.
'You have to keep working hard.' 'The universe sees that in you and the higher power puts those opportunities in your way.'
'Everyone knows the money the stars are asking for is absurd.'
'When I did Bhoot we got a lot of appreciation. After that I didn't get any script that was good in this genre.'
Sanjay Gupta's Mumbai Saga and Ram Gopal Varma's DCompany are all set to release this week, and add to the gangster movies made in Bollywood.
'I would think a hundred times before I wrote a gay character or a mentally challenged character because it requires a lot of research and empathy. That's the reason I shy away entirely from stories that have rape. I just can't. It's just terrifying for me, as a woman, to handle subjects like that because it's so sensitive.'
'We did take after take, confusing and stressing her out, until she just threw up her hands and said she couldn't do it.' 'She was close to tears.' A fascinating excerpt from Adman Madman: Unapologetically Prahlad by Prahlad Kakar with Rupangi Sharma.
They try to hide behind the smokescreen that these are works of fiction inspired by real events. So, you can pick and choose from facts and fictionalise to push the right triggers with your audience or appease the powers that be, observes Shekhar Gupta.
The Sabarmati Report is so flimsy in its execution, taking offence to it would be dignifying its existence, notes Sukanya Verma.
Film stars and technicians were awarded at the IIFA awards over the weekend, and here are the big winners.
Bring me the mundane lives of the working class next. At least, it won't be as embarrassing as this, asserts Mayur Sanap.
'To this day, women, especially housewives, come up to me to tell me how much Arth matters to them.'
'I remember AK came on set one day; one of his films had released the previous day and was not doing well. He was very attached to that film.' 'I felt he was low and that affected me.'
'Nobody likes preachy stories. When you lace it with humour, it works.'
The TIME 100 AI list is an interesting assortment of titans. Indians make up about 20 per cent of the coveted list, which is pretty commendable, notes Sandeep Goyal.
It looks like Stree 2 has been granted a bigger budget for VFX and sound, bringing with it a promise of more chills, observes Deepa Gahlot.
...She is no Anushka Shetty, observes Moumita Bhattacharjee.
Calling it a direct challenge to India's sovereignty, film director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri said on Thursday that he declined an invitation by the Oxford Union and found the theme of the debate -- 'This House Believes in an Independent State of Kashmir' meaningless.
Sara Ali Khan says she is proud to portray a character that echoes 'bravery and courage' in her upcoming movie, Ae Watan Mere Watan.
'I'm a guy who tries to find humour in every situation, no matter how difficult and serious, without offending anyone.'
Intelligent tools are being deployed to detect content pirated from OTT platforms.
Make time for this one, you will be in for a pleasant surprise like I was, endorses Mayur Sanap.
>The film charts the true story of Punjab's original rockstar of the masses, the highest record-selling artist of his time, Amar Singh Chamkila, often referred to as the 'Elvis Presley of Punjab'.
'Everyone is watching Korean content.' 'Their films are a lot like our Indian films.' 'Their emotion, expressions, it's all very Indian.'
It means more tickets sold and therefore more revenues and hastens the recovery of the devastated-by-the-pandemic film business.
The Kalki Universe might just take off, but it will still owe its gee-whizery to Hollywood movies, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The Indian Diaspora has been able to carve a niche in their adopted countries as a result of their talent, perseverance and hardworking nature, asserts Rup Narayan Das.
Through Manorathangal, M T Vasudevan Nair makes himself available to a whole new generation of uninitiated viewers, who can familiarise themselves with his rich body of work and hope to learn a thing or two about life in all its messy grandeur and flawed imperfections, notes Arjun Menon.
