Category: Entertainment

Filmmaker-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra has expressed strong criticism towards social media influencers and the entire ecosystem surrounding social media fame, particularly regarding how brands engage with these influencers.

During a masterclass at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, he highlighted his concerns about the burgeoning culture of social media stardom and its impact on cinema.

Chopra remarked, “What word can I use? These are a***. They go on the Internet and stand in a certain way. Someone has 5 million followers, someone has 10 million, another has 20 million.”

He elaborated on the mindset of social media influencers: “The social media influencer thinks that he is a legend. And then brands go to that fellow and say, ‘Please sell our product’. The influencer stands again, and says, ‘Hey, buy this tiffin. Buy whatever’. What the f*** is going on? You as an individual have to choose whether you want to be that or you want to really strive for happiness and joy.”

At the festival, Chopra also conducted a masterclass focusing on filmmaking. He reflected on the 8K restoration of his classic film 1942: A Love Story, sharing a behind-the-scenes anecdote where his then-assistant Sanjay Leela Bhansali scattered breadcrumbs on a mountain to attract birds for a song sequence.

He further criticized the contemporary film industry for often prioritizing presentation over storytelling, asserting that his films authentically represent the social realities of their time.

The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) showcases over 240 films from 81 countries, featuring 13 world premieres along with international and Asian debuts. This year, the opening ceremony breaks tradition with a grand parade along the Mandovi River, celebrating a vibrant convergence of cinematic art, culture, and technology.

Mega star Chiranjeevi recently surprised Anil Ravipudi, the director of his upcoming film ‘Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu’, with a special watch on the occasion of his birthday.

Sources close to the actor revealed that the team celebrated the director’s birthday by cutting a cake. Anil Ravipudi was visibly moved by the thoughtful gift and heartfelt wishes from the Megastar.

Chiranjeevi took to his X timeline to express his birthday wishes, stating, “Many Many Happy Returns of the Day to my Director @AnilRavipudi. Your warmth on set and your joyous filmmaking style make every moment special. Excited to celebrate the festive magic with you and our #ManaShankaraVaraPrasadGaru team this Sankranthi 2026 in theatres.”

The anticipation surrounding ‘Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu’ has been growing, especially among fans and film enthusiasts.

The film’s unit began shooting the climax fight sequence at the start of this month. Sources indicated that this action sequence, featuring Chiranjeevi and a team of fighters in Hyderabad, is set to be stylish. They described it as crafted with a unique and visually captivating approach, overseen by renowned choreographer Venkat Master to ensure precision in every moment.

With Chiranjeevi’s unmatched charisma and Anil Ravipudi’s signature touch, the film promises to deliver a memorable experience.

The title teaser for the film, released on Chiranjeevi’s birthday, showcased a sharply dressed Chiranjeevi arriving in a vehicle, closely followed by a group of armed commandos. The teaser’s background music highlighted the word ‘Boss’ multiple times, hinting that he leads a security-focused entity.

Initially referred to as #Mega157, the film is being produced by Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela under the banners of Shine Screens and Gold Box Entertainments.

Notably, after ‘Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy’ and ‘Godfather’, Nayanthara will share screen space with Chiranjeevi for the third time. Additionally, actor Venkatesh will make a cameo, marking their first appearance together in a film.

Bheems Ceciroleo will handle the music score, with cinematography by Sameer Reddy. Editing is by Tammiraju, while A S Prakash serves as the art director. The story is co-written by S Krishna and G Adi Narayana, with S Krishna as the executive producer.

The film is scheduled for release during Sankranti 2026.

Pop icon Beyonce ignited the race track alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton as they achieved a remarkable 200 mph hot lap during the 2025 Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Sporting a custom racing suit, the ‘Crazy in Love’ hitmaker and her husband, rap mogul Jay-Z, made a rare public appearance together in Sin City during the qualifying session, as reported by Female First UK.

Beyonce and Jay-Z were seen in the paddock among a star-studded crowd gathered for one of the final races of the F1 season on the Las Vegas Strip.

Before the race kicked off, Beyonce strapped into a Ferrari 296 for a thrilling Pirelli Hot Lap experience, riding as a passenger with Scuderia Ferrari’s Hamilton. This high-speed lap provided an exhilarating taste of Formula 1’s intensity, with Beyoncé later sharing a clip of the ride on Instagram, captioned, “Give it to Mama.”

Throughout the years, Beyonce and Hamilton have crossed paths at various celebrity events, with the former Destiny’s Child star previously attending the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix. The Vegas Grand Prix attracts big names each year, and this weekend’s guest list included Travis Scott, Jake and Logan Paul, and Cynthia Erivo.

Earlier this year, Beyonce reunited with former band members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams onstage for a surprise Destiny’s Child performance. They sang a medley of their iconic hits, captivating the crowd at Allegiant Stadium.

“Destiny’s Child b****,” Beyonce announced to the audience before joining Rowland and Williams for their 2004 hit ‘Lose My Breath.’ The group then showcased Beyonce’s 2022 hit ‘Energy’ before taking on the infamous Mute Challenge.

They wrapped up their performance with their 2001 anthem ‘Bootylicious,’ as Beyonce embraced Williams and Rowland onstage. Concluding the song, she encouraged the audience, saying, “Give it up for Destiny’s Child!” before they exited the stage.

Actor Vivan Bhathena, who portrays a soldier in the recently released film ‘120 Bahadur’, has noted that his co-actor Farhan Akhtar never took on the role of co-producer during the film’s production. Vivan emphasized that Farhan was fully immersed as an actor while shooting.

Farhan’s Focus on Acting

In a conversation during the film’s promotional activities, Vivan remarked that Farhan completely set aside his producer responsibilities for the benefit of the film. He stated, “Farhan is not a producer on the set ever. He comes as an actor. In fact, we were also hoping that the producer side will come out somewhere, and we will get to see that. Nothing of that sort happened. He never interfered, never said a word. It was just himself busy with the character, did his part, asked the director if he needed to do anything else.”

Vivan further elaborated, “He never unnecessarily interfered with anything or made any unnecessary suggestions. We would always ask him for guidance. He would always guide us in the right way and tell us not what to do, but how to feel. So, those are important things.”

About ‘120 Bahadur’

‘120 Bahadur’ pays tribute to the brave Ahir soldiers of Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, who sacrificed their lives in the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 Indo-Sino war. The film showcases the stunning landscapes of Ladakh and draws deeply from the real events of this conflict.

The 1962 war was sparked by undefined boundaries along Aksai Chin near Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. China’s construction of a road through Aksai Chin, claimed by India, escalated tensions. Diplomatic negotiations failed, leading to a two-pronged Chinese offensive in October 1962.

India faced significant challenges in the war due to Jawaharlal Nehru’s hesitation to mobilize the air force and the insufficient military infrastructure in border areas. Additionally, the USSR, one of India’s closest allies, was unable to offer support as it was embroiled in the Cuban missile crisis during the Cold War.

Music composer Palash Muchhal’s wedding to Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana has been indefinitely postponed.

This decision comes after Smriti Mandhana’s father, Shrinivas, reportedly suffered a heart attack, as revealed by sources close to the family. The wedding was initially set to take place in Sangli, Maharashtra, her hometown, on Sunday.

Celebrating Success on the Field

Palash Muchhal is recognized for his contributions to Hindi film music, while Smriti is fresh from the thrilling victory in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Finals. The Women’s Indian Cricket Team triumphed over South Africa in the finals, held at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This achievement mirrored the men’s team, which also defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 Final.

In the historic ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, Smriti played a crucial role, scoring 434 runs across nine innings—the highest ever by an Indian in a single edition of a World Cup. Her standout performance included a century against New Zealand and strong partnerships at the top of the order, essential for India’s campaign. She was the top scorer and instrumental in India clinching its maiden title in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 by defeating South Africa.

A Thrilling Final

In the World Cup Final, South Africa won the toss and captain Laura Wolvaardt opted to bowl first. The Indian team, dubbed the “warrior queens,” launched their innings with an explosive partnership of 104 runs between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Smriti scored an impressive 45 runs from 58 balls, just missing a half-century, while Shafali Verma made a remarkable contribution with 87 runs off 78 balls, including 7 boundaries and 2 sixes. The team set a challenging total of 298 runs, slightly shy of the 300 mark.

Despite the pressure, the Proteas faltered in the finals, leading to India’s victory by 52 runs. Deepti Sharma shone with the bat and even brighter with the ball, achieving a five-wicket haul while conceding 39 runs at an economy rate of 4.11. She was awarded the Player of the Tournament, while Shafali Verma was named the Player of the Match.

Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney is opening up about a personal struggle that resonates with many women.

The actress shared that women, including herself, often find it difficult to ask for help due to fear of being perceived as “weak.”

As the 28-year-old portrays former boxer Christy Martin in David Michod’s biopic, she connects with Christy’s desire to appear self-sufficient and not show signs of vulnerability.

Speaking to Sky News, Sydney said, “I have a really hard time with asking for help, and my friends recently have really pointed that out to me, and they’re like, ‘Sydney, it’s okay to ask. Like, you can.’ There’s nothing wrong with it, but I have a really hard time with it.”

She elaborated, “I think it’s hard, especially as a woman, there are so many expectations on us to have it all together. If we do ask for help, then it’s a sign of weakness. We don’t want to be viewed that way, even though if a man asks for help, no one thinks, ‘ah, he’s weak.’ But if a woman director asks for help, it’s like, ‘oh, she’s not prepared for this role.’”

According to reports, the 57-year-old Christy Martin, a former boxer and domestic abuse survivor, recently praised Sydney’s performance in ‘Christy,’ noting her “competitive spirit” essential for bringing Martin’s story to life on screen.

Christy remarked to Flickering Myth, “She did a great job. What’s interesting that maybe a lot of people don’t know is that she actually has an MMA background from when she was a teenager. So she already has that competitive spirit. The boxing, she enjoyed. I actually feel like she had fun with this role because it’s so out of character for her that it was challenging, but yet fun for her to be something that wasn’t the norm.”

Christy Martin is known as a trailblazer in the boxing world but also endured an attempted murder by her abusive husband, Jim Martin. She aims for the biopic to encompass all aspects of her complex story.

Director Sankagiri Rajkumar, renowned for his critically acclaimed film ‘Vengayam’, has achieved an extraordinary milestone by completing his latest project, ‘One’, entirely on his own, without any outside help.

A Groundbreaking Achievement

This remarkable accomplishment is unprecedented in the film industry.

From scripting to acting, directing, shooting, editing, and even operating cranes, every aspect of the filmmaking process has been handled by Rajkumar himself.

A Challenging Journey

When asked about the time required to create this film, Rajkumar stated, “It took me six years to make this film. In between, when about 75-80% of the movie had been processed, I couldn’t continue. I became depressed. The stress got to me.”

He explained, “Thinking about where to store data, managing costumes, and ensuring continuity overwhelmed me. I realized I needed to set everything aside and focus on something else to refresh myself.”

A Refreshing Break

During this challenging period, Rajkumar took a breather and created a simpler film titled ‘Bioscope’, which was free of graphics and advanced technology.

“Bioscope was a simple film made with the help of family and friends. It narrates the story of how I made my first film, ‘Vengayam’. It was a fun project that rejuvenated my spirits. After finishing ‘Bioscope’, I regained my enthusiasm and went on to complete ‘One’,” he shared.

The Scope of ‘One’

Rajkumar has acted in all the roles for ‘One’, which falls under the sci-fi genre. “The film features 20 main characters and around 500 supporting characters, all played by me,” he revealed.

He elaborated that he worked across not just 24 filmmaking crafts but over 70 departments. “While we often think there are only 24 crafts in filmmaking, numerous ancillary departments support each craft, and I had to handle those as well. I worked on approximately 70 departments, from story creation and makeup to costume design, camera lighting, editing, dubbing, graphics, animation, 3D modeling, texture, color correction, and music,” Rajkumar explained.

Looking Ahead

Sankagiri Rajkumar is now preparing to release ‘One’ in December this year. “I haven’t finalized the date as yet, but I intend to release it in December,” he confirmed.

Singer-actress Lady Gaga has undergone a notable hair transformation, going back to black.

Recently, photos surfaced of the 39-year-old Grammy winner leaving a restaurant in Paris, where she showcased her new jet black hair styled in loose curls, elegantly swept to one side. As she continues the European leg of her Mayhem Ball tour, the ‘Abracadabra’ singer opted for a mint green suit paired with chic sunglasses and a sheer bralette peeking from beneath her blazer.

While Gaga is no stranger to black hair, she had been sporting platinum blonde locks just last month while filming ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ in Milan. After finishing her scenes for the sequel, which will see the return of original stars Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, Lady Gaga was spotted heading to the airport, embracing her chic blonde style with a bubblegum pink Matieres Fecales knitted two-piece set.

Prior to this, the multi-talented artist was seen with black hair in September during her appearance on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.’ In that segment, she shared her aspirations of becoming a mother, stating, “I would like to do many things. All of these things are open. But, what I really want is to be a mom. That’s my next starring role, I hope.”

In March, Lady Gaga flaunted a black bob with baby bangs while preparing for a significant milestone: joining the Five-Timers Club on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Accompanied by a joint post with ‘SNL’, she was captured sitting at a piano in a busy office, donning a black baseball cap with her new hairstyle. Observers noted how she embraced “her process,” humorously engaging her audience through song. Known for her ever-evolving hairstyles and bold fashion choices, Gaga continues to make memorable red carpet appearances.

Actor Milind Soman, who rose to fame with the iconic music video “Made In India,” shared insights into his diet plan, revealing that he steers clear of beverages like tea and coffee.

An old video featuring the actor from the 90s has resurfaced online, showcasing his daily eating habits.

“I don’t drink tea, I don’t drink tea. The first thing I consume is fruit juice in the morning. From the beginning, I haven’t made a habit of drinking tea or coffee since childhood. I read somewhere in my childhood that it’s not good for health. I never eat eggs or bread. Sometimes, when I go to places where I don’t get good fruits, I have to eat something, so I eat puri or bhaji. I eat very little fried food— that too, since childhood,” he stated.

He elaborated, “I don’t eat meat. I eat less meat because I like it, but I eat less because it’s also not good for health. It’s not that after becoming a model, I thought about what’s bad for looks and what’s good. What’s bad for health and what’s good is what I focus on more. I used to be a sports person from the age of 10. I used to do competitive swimming and was a national champion for a few years. So, for that, I had to think about all this.”

Born on November 4, 1965, in Scotland and raised in Mumbai, Milind gained prominence in the 1990s through modeling and music videos, particularly “Made in India.” He later transitioned into films and various television projects.

An accomplished athlete, Milind has completed Ironman and Ultraman endurance events. He actively promotes running culture in India and is renowned for his disciplined lifestyle. Today, he continues to advocate for fitness and engages in various media projects.

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds recently shared a valuable lesson imparted to him by renowned filmmaker Richard Curtis, known for romantic comedy classics like “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Love Actually.”

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s CMO Summit, Reynolds recalled, “I remember he once said to me when I was very young, I was like 40. He said every character has to have a beginning, a middle and an end. [The advice] really kind of stuck with me.”

The ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ actor elaborated on how he has applied this wisdom in the advertising space while promoting various brands. He mentioned, “I sort of brought that even into that space with, ‘How do you do that in 30 seconds or 15 seconds as well?’. I really do believe that too much time and too much money will murder creativity; it will just kill it.”

Before and after referencing the ‘Notting Hill’ screenwriter, Reynolds discussed the strategic use of humor in advertising. He stated, “Well, humor and emotion are the two feelings that I think travel the most,” adding, “Humor works so well, so does emotion. But if you get them together, it really, really just creates togetherness. It creates that feeling that we’re all right now, we’re not divided.”

Reynolds also spoke about his approach to “soft parenting” his four children with wife Blake Lively. “Soft parenting is new, right? I didn’t have that,” he explained. “If you’re just in a place of safety, you make great decisions. You really kind of work from a place that isn’t fight or flight. You actually get to be thoughtful, and you get to think about everybody in the room.”

The couple shares four children: James, Inez, Betty, and Olin.