Pushpa 2 is a badly misjudged, doubtful sequel that can't capitalise on the wealth of the story world set up in the first film, observes Arjun Menon.
Top actor Mohanlal on Saturday broke his silence over the shocking revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report which has shaken the Malayalam film industry, and said the entire industry is answerable to the questions raised but the actors' association is targeted and blamed for everything.
Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa has been granted bail by the Karnataka High Court in the Renukaswamy murder case. The actor, along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and seven others, was arrested in June for allegedly killing Renukaswamy, a fan, for sending obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda.
'Habitat was viewed as the proxy for him and got unjustly targeted.'
Mumbai Police has asked podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before them on Saturday as part of a probe into his controversial remarks on a YouTube show, as he did not turn up during the day.
Hollywood's biggest night was high on glitz and glamour but lacked the edge and excitement of the movies it was celebrating, observes Sukanya Verma.
Maharashtra Cyber will summon YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia again in connection with a case registered against him concerning his remarks on comic Samay Raina's web show 'India's Got Latent.' Allahbadia failed to appear before the agency on Thursday, and was also asked to remain present at the Khar police station after he failed to appear, an official said. The agency has so far summoned at least 50 persons to record their statements in connection with the case, including actor Raghu Ram, who was questioned on Thursday. Raina is scheduled to record his statement on February 18.
Saif Ali Khan's mother Sharmila Tagore and sister Soha Ali Khan visited the Lilavati Hospital to check on his condition. following the shocking attack on him at his residence in the early hours of Thursday.
'These allegations need to be treated with utmost seriousness.'
'I have not forgotten all the horrible things that you said about the film that was one of your biggest hits as a producer and a film that is loved by all even today.' 'I learnt through film circles that your ego was supremely hurt after the film became a blockbuster.'
'An emergency has been imposed on my film too. It's a very hopeless state.'
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged two men for allegedly conspiring to establish an Islamic caliphate in India, besides spreading terror in Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. The accused, Abdul Rehman and Mujibur Rehman, were allegedly involved in recruiting "Daris/students" to "secret classes" of the Hizb ut Tahrir (HuT) terror organization. They are accused of conspiring and preparing to undertake terrorist acts to promote the HuT ideology in Tamil Nadu and other places.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Monday challenged Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut to prove her allegation that the state government took loans and diverted the money to Sonia Gandhi, failing which it said it would file a defamation case against her.
On a day a sexual abuse case was registered against actor Siddique based on a complaint by a woman actor, the Left government appears to have adopted a cautious approach in the case of MLA Mukesh, with two ministers indicating that further action hinges on the findings of the probe by the special police team.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has criticized Telugu actor Allu Arjun for attending the screening of 'Pushpa-2' despite police permission being denied. Reddy alleges that the actor continued to be present at the cinema hall even after a woman died in a stampede and criticized film personalities for showing more empathy to Allu Arjun after his arrest than to the injured boy involved in the incident. The CM also assured that there will be no special privileges for those involved in such incidents.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
The friction started during India's arrival in Perth last month, when the Australian media criticised the visitors for holding private training sessions at the WACA.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi's remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sparked outrage in the Maharashtra legislature, leading to calls for his suspension and accusations of treason. The issue, which was politicized by both the ruling coalition and opposition parties, led to the adjournment of both Houses of the state legislature. Azmi later retracted his statements, saying they were twisted and that he had not made any derogatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj or Sambhaji Maharaj. The BJP, however, seized the opportunity to slam the Congress and other opposition parties, accusing them of trying to "eradicate" Sanatan Dharma. The Mumbai police have initiated a probe into the matter, registering a case against Azmi for his remarks.
Ranjith has reportedly rejected Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra's charge and said he was the "real victim" in the case.
'I had sought help but did not receive any support. Nobody was there.'
The Saffron party alleged that the accused was a DMK office-bearer, which was denied by the ruling party.
Gangster Anmol Bishnoi had ordered the hit on Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique for his 'association with Dawood Ibrahim and involvement in the 1993 Bombay blasts', alleged main shooter Shivkumar Gautam in his confessional statement to the police.
Actor Mushtaq Khan, best known for his roles in films like Welcome and Stree 2, was allegedly kidnapped on the pretext of being invited to an event in Meerut, police said on Wednesday.
All is not well between veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu and his son Manchu Manoj.
Even as political pressure was building against Ranjith, actor Siddique quit as the general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) amid voices from within his fraternity seeking his resignation.
'What attitude has spawned such gruesomeness in the state of Saint Tukaram, Saint Dnyaneshwar, and great leaders like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar?'
The biographical drama is caught up in controversy after some Sikh organisations including the Shiromani Akali Dal objected, accusing it of misrepresenting the community and getting historical facts wrong.
As pressure mounted, the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front seemed to be supporting Mukesh, taking a cautious wait-and-watch stance.
Throwing its weight behind actor-cum-MLA M Mukesh, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist in Kerala on Saturday said that he need not resign from his post as legislator merely because a rape case has been registered against him.
A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notices to the Kerala government and the victim in the case and sought their replies within two weeks.
The actor-politician however, said they should not try to destroy such a huge industry like cinema.
The fallout from the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry intensified on Monday as a case was filed against well-known filmmaker Ranjith, and several female actors stepped forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.
Separate cases have been registered in Kerala against popular Malayalam actors Jayasoorya and Maniyanpilla Raju following an allegation raised by a female actor that they had sexually assaulted her, police said on Thursday. Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report. In a Facebook post, the woman actor had said, 'I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry.'
The accused allegedly thrashed the three boys, aged 12-14 years, shaved their heads, blackened their faces, wrote 'thief' on their forearms, and paraded them around the village with their hands tied, according to the police.
Do Patti is a film about interrogation and differing accounts, with an added layer of psychological drama. That's a fine recipe for an engrossing thriller, vouches Mayur Sanap.
During his recent appearance on the show, Ranveer Allahbadia asked a contestant whether they would rather watch their parents have sex for the rest of their life or join them once and put a stop to it.
As the Queen star found herself in the middle of a row, with the BJP distancing itself and the Congress attacking it, here's a look at some of the controversies, political and otherwise.
The actor, who has been in the US with his family for the past one month, said he will face the allegations legally and his lawyers will take care of the proceedings in the cases against him till he returns.
The court noted that the primary allegations centred around disagreements related to the couple's sexual relationship and the wife's refusal to engage in certain activities. It concluded that these disputes were not indicative of dowry demands and were more likely driven by personal differences.
The CM said that the film exposes the conspiracies of 'love jihad', religious conversion and terrorism and its "hideous" face.
