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Sony Liv has a sure-shot winner in Freedom at Midnight. Adapted from a book written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, the Indian series depicts the struggle of the Indian freedom movement and how the founders laid the foundation of one of the largest democracies in the world. The seven-episode long Nikhil Advani-created miniseries faithfully adapts the book. Let us look at the cast and characters of Freedom at Midnight in this article.

Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru

Actor Sidhant Gupta, who made a huge splash last year in the Prime Video series Jubilee, helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane, has got the meaty part of Jawaharlal Nehru here. For Gupta, who’s only thirty-five years old, it was a particularly challenging part as the show is set mostly during 1946–47, when Pandit Nehru is almost sixty. But given Gupta had already shown his skill as an actor, there was no reason...

Nikhil Advani’s stunningly created Partition drama Freedom at Midnight goes really hard at fleshing out Gandhi, Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Muhammad Jinnah while telling a story that is known to everyone—at least in broad strokes. From beginning to end, the series manages to hold its audience. It is, of course, adapted from the very controversial book of the same name, by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. Some of you might find Freedom at Midnight‘s ending a bit abrupt. In this article, we’re going to look into that and also discuss a bit about the possibility of this show getting another season.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens in the Series?

The amount of urgency Freedom at Midnight shows is admirable. Without wasting a second, it places us in the middle of the conflict. In a rain-soaked Calcutta, Mahatma Gandhi promises his followers that India is going to stay united,...

Freedom at Midnight might be adapted from Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre’s very controversial non-fiction book (of the same name) that was published way back in 1975, but even the people who haven’t heard of it do know what it is about. I mean, India’s partition (and subsequent independence from the British rulers) has remained a hot topic of modern history, and people keep talking about it. Quite naturally, Sony Liv’s new series, which sheds light on the tumultuous political and religious climate of India around the years 1946–47, was bound to draw attention from the audience.

Released in the seventy-eighth year of our independence, the Nikhil Advani-created series tells the story of the Partition. Advani, who has had a fascinating career in Bollywood as a writer, director, and producer, directs all seven episodes of the series. Given how engrossed I found myself in it despite knowing what was going to happen,...

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The late Richard Attenborough is an unquestioned legend. Largely known for his roles on screen in films like "The Great Escape" and "Miracle on 34th Street," he perhaps doesn't get enough credit for his work as a director. His finest hour came in 1982 when he stepped into the director's chair for "Gandhi." The biopic about the Indian revolutionary Mahatma Gandhi went on to sweep the Academy Awards that year, culminating in a Best Picture win. It's the realization of a dream few filmmakers will ever know. Be that as it may, Attenborough believed a Steven Spielberg classic should have taken home the prize that year.

Released the same year, Spielberg's "E.T." was an acclaimed box office juggernaut and ultimately took in nearly $800 million worldwide. It was also up for Best Picture that year, with Spielberg and Attenborough competing for Best Director.

São Paulo-based production company Estudio Escarlate is set to announce a “Chico Vive” (“Chico Lives”) project during this year’s Expocine. The initiative includes the production of a doc and a biopic about Brazilian environmental leader Chico Mendes and the development of a manual with guidelines for sustainable film and TV productions, Escarlate CEO Joana Henning told Variety.

The features, which will be helmed by Sergio Carvalho and Sergio Machado, will be the first two fully sustainable productions in Brazil. The doc is due to premiere during the 30th Un Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Nov. 2025 in Belem, a Brazilian city located in the Amazon Rainforest.

The biopic, which will star Jorge Paz as Mendes, will be lensed in 2026 and released in 2027 domestically and abroad. The manual will be drafted based on the shooting experiences of the two features and is expected to be published in 2027, Henning said.

Chico Mendes,...

Applause Entertainment’s series on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi directed by Hansal Mehta, seems to get bigger by the month.

The big announcement on Gandhi Jayanti is that A R Rahman would be scoring the music for this purported epic series.

Rahman is no stranger to historical epics: he has earlier scored music for Ketan Mehta’s Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Raj Kumar Santoshi’s The Legend Of Bhagat Singh and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti.

On Rahman’s coming up n board Applause Entertainment’s Gandhi, director Hansal Mehta comments, “Gandhi is a deeply human retelling of M K Gandhi’s life story, a story that continues to inspire generations. Having A.R. Rahman join us on this journey is truly a dream come true. His music has the unique ability to elevate storytelling and for a project of this scale and significance, we couldn...

Directed by Ryan Ashley Lowery, Light Up is centered around five prolific figures of the Black queer community: Dunlap Simone, Derek Johnson, Benjamin Carlton, Obio Jones, and Octavius Terry. Over the course of the documentary Lowery, along with other interviewers, get into the nitty-gritty of the lives of the film’s subjects, how they learned that they were queer, the kind of push back they faced from society, and what did it take for them to overcome the hurdles placed in front of them and make a name for themselves in a profession of their choosing. Lowery sat down for a virtual chat with me to talk about the experience of making Light Up, what it was like to interview Simone, Johnson, Carlton, Jones, and Terry, representation of Black queer people in the world of entertainment, and more.

How did you come up with the idea of making Light Up?...

On October 2nd, we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, marking the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, a global symbol of peace, non-violence, and justice. Born in 1869, Gandhi’s philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (truth and resistance) transformed India’s struggle for independence into a moral revolution. His unwavering commitment to civil disobedience inspired global movements for human rights, from Martin Luther King Jr. in America to Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Gandhi’s ideology transcended political boundaries, leaving a lasting imprint on the world—and even the film industry. Filmmakers across continents have sought to capture his life and ideals on screen, creating enduring works that not only tell the story of Gandhi but also remind audiences of the power of truth, empathy, and resistance in the face of injustice. Through cinema, Gandhi’s legacy continues to inspire generations, proving that his teachings remain as relevant today as ever. To honor his memory,...

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”) has signed on to create the musical score for the upcoming series “Gandhi,” directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by India’s Applause Entertainment.

The announcement was made on Oct. 2 to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti, the annual celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday in India.

The series is based on historian Ramchandra Guha’s books “Gandhi Before India” and “Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948.” The first season covers the formative years of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s life as a law student in London and later as lawyer and civil rights activist in South Africa, during which time he conceived the ideas that ultimately led India to independence from British rule. Gandhi became known as Mahatma, or great soul, for his leading part in the independence movement. The second and third seasons will cover the rest of his life.

The series sees the reunion of Applause,...

Anand Patwardhan is known for creating thought-provoking documentaries about important socio-political issues in India. His latest film takes a more intimate approach, profiling his own relatives who took part in the nation’s independence movement. The World Is Family pieces together memories and stories from Patwardhan’s parents, uncles, and others connected to this pivotal time. We get to know these real people and understand a bit of history through their experiences.

Filmed over several years, the documentary brings together interviews and candid home videos. We see Patwardhan’s parents in their later years, sharing funny recollections and touching moments. His mother, Nirmala, comes across as strong-willed yet humorous. She studied art with Rabindranath Tagore and helped Mahatma Gandhi. The filmmaker’s father, Balu, participated in protests too, despite his more reserved nature. Two uncles deeply involved in the freedom struggle are also part of this interwoven tale.

By focusing on his own family,...

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda’s creative approach has kept the series at the top of the podium for almost 30 years, and most of the credit for this goes to his ability to take inspiration from real-life elements and use it to create the fantastical world of his own. And while some of these inspirations have been confirmed by the mangaka himself, others are just assumptions made by fans.

One Piece | Toei Animation

One such assumption that fans have made is about the Gorosei or the Five Elders, who have recently unleashed hell on Egghead Island in order to capture the Straw Hat Pirates. Many One Piece fans believe that just like other major characters, the enigmatic Five Elders have also been inspired by real-life individuals.

The assumptions also point out that, just like the Five Elders, their real-life inspirations are also world leaders who have contributed to bringing change in the world.

School’s out at Clone High, with Max cancelling the revival after two seasons, TVLine has learned exclusively.

“Although Max will not proceed with a third season of Clone High, we will always cherish our creative partnership with Chris Miller, Phil Lord, Bill Lawrence, Erica Rivinoja, Erik Durbin, Judah Miller, Corey Campodonico, Alex Bulkley, and the team at MTV Entertainment Studios,” Max says in a statement obtained by TVLine. “The incredibly talented voice actors, writers, cast and crew provided the opportunity to thaw out these legendary characters.”

More from TVLineJames Gunn Reveals DC Studios Logo, First Footage From New DC...

Janhvi Kapoor recently created a stir online by discussing casteism and the ideological debate between Mahatma Gandhi and Br Ambedkar. Her remarks garnered mixed reactions, with some praising her for engaging with important social issues and others dismissing it as a publicity stunt. In response, Janhvi has addressed these criticisms.

Janhvi Kapoor hospitalised with food poisoning

During her interview, Janhvi expressed her surprise at the skepticism she faced, questioning why it was hard for people to believe that a young female actor could have an informed opinion. She revealed that people accused her of staging a ‘PR plug’ and clarified that her comments were made casually during an interview. Concerned about the potential backlash, she consulted her PR team, who suggested that the Ambedkar vs. Gandhi debate might be seen as controversial. This led her to panic, fearing it could negatively impact the release of her movie.

“I was like...

Sudha Kongara’s Sarfira, a remake of her Tamil film Soorarai Pottru (2020) and adapted from the real-life events depicted in the book Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey by G. R. Gopinath is the tale of an underdog who dreams of spreading his wings high up in the sky by starting India’s first low-cost carrier airline. As he embarks upon fulfilling his near-impossible objective, he eventually confronts obstacles one after the other and tackles them with resilience and grit. It is an inspiring tale where an individual from the lower strata of society fights the authoritarian powers of a society that does not believe poor people have the right to be equals. The antagonist comes in the form of a rich and powerful business tycoon who has all the wealth and influence to manipulate the rules and regulations of the aviation department. As the story moves forward, we are made...

Pop culture fans and history buffs consider Musée Grévin a must-see attraction along Paris’s Seine River. The museum is home to over 200 wax sculptures of famous figures like Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Michael Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Although visitors enjoy “meeting” these iconic faces, the initial unveiling often stirs up controversy. Enter Beyoncé, unveiled this morning.

A wax figure of Beyoncé is unveiled at Musée Grévin on July 04, 2024 | Julien Hekimian/Getty Images

The new waxwork sculpture of Beyoncé has sparked outrage amongst fans of the 32-time Grammy Award winner. Commenters on X, formerly Twitter, claim that she looks like “anything but” herself. Whitewashing comes to mind as BeyHive supporters say she looks “white” and “Why this look like beyonce body, with Mj face,” according to the Metro.

A wax figure of Beyoncé is unveiled on July 04, 2024 | Julien Hekimian/Getty Images

The wax sculpture does have a noticeably whiter complexion and a thinner face.

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is on track to make waves with his upcoming film ‘The Delhi Files.’ Engaged in a meticulous research process, the filmmaker is traveling across the nation and beyond to craft a compelling narrative. Recently, he heightened anticipation by announcing a pan-India casting call for the roles of Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Now, he has revealed a significant chapter of Bengal’s violent history discovered during his research.

Agnihotri took to social media to share his findings, including a photo from the National Museum and a painting gifted by a Bengali artist. He wrote:

“#TheDelhiFiles Update:

बंगाल की असली कहानी, बंगालियों की ज़ुबानी।

For the last 6 months, I have been on the road visiting different cities and villages, interviewing people, studying local culture, its history, and trying to understand the root cause of Bengal’s violent history for our next very important film.

June 4, 2024 – Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley, beloved James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan and Star Wars universe luminary Mark Hamill form the ultimate vocal rogues’ gallery in Mofac Animation’s upcoming The King of Kings, an animated family film inspired by a little-known short story by Charles Dickens depicting the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Kingsley voices High Priest Caiaphas, who presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus. Hamill takes on the role of King Herod, who, according to the Gospel of Matthew, ordered the Massacre of the Innocents in an attempt to kill Jesus as an infant. And Brosnan gives animated life to Pontius Pilate, who ultimately ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. The triumvirate of villainous voices further enhances the A-list cast behind the faith-based animated film, which also includes Academy Award & Emmy Award winners Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Golden Globe...

India’s premiere DIY documentarian Anand Patwardhan turns his lens homeward in “The World Is Family,” a personal chronicle of India’s freedom movement and its contemporary cultural milieu. Through interviews with his aging parents and their friends and family, the director transforms his collection of lo-fi footage and old, monochrome photographs into a patchwork of political memory, resulting in one of the most moving films this year.

Patwardhan’s 1992 breakout “Ram ke Naam” (“In the Name of God”) was a prescient chronicle of India’s growing Hindu supremacist movement, while several of his other works, like “Jai Bhim Comrade” from 2011, shed light on the country’s caste hegemony. These perspectives and more inform his familial portrait too, which seeks to explore the intimate details of his parent’s youth under British rule, his uncles’ revolutionary activities alongside Mahatma Gandhi, and the ways in which the Gandhian dream of secular...

Elvis Presley‘s Graceland home has become a mecca for music fans worldwide. However, it was a family abode before it became a popular tourist destination. Elvis tried to make Graceland a place where he could unwind from the rigors of the road. One of its most unique elements is its Meditation Garden, which draws inspiration from a surprising source.

Elvis Presley’s inspiration for the Meditation Garden hails from a California sanctuary

One of the most unique features of Elvis Presley’s Graceland home remains its Meditation Garden. The peaceful backyard area was modeled after a sanctuary the King of Rock and Roll frequented during his visits to California.

Architectural Digest reports Elvis often visited the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in California while filming his movies. The sanctuary, located in Los Angeles, holds a portion of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes.

The reflective area is serene, with plenty of areas...

There are several films being made by Hindi filmmakers about historical figures with differing political ideologies. Hindi filmmakers love to put across stories of many freedom fighters from across the country who had fought tooth and nail against the British for independence. Only a few filmmakers were able to bring justice to these characters on screen. The finest example would be Sardar Udham Singh, directed by Shoojit Sircar. To some extent, even Rang De Basanti beautifully incorporated the lives of the freedom fighters into the narrative of youngsters taking up arms against the system that wronged them. The plethora of Bhagat Singh movies that came out allow the audience to refresh their memories of some of the revered revolutionary martyrs of the country. Sadly, only a few of them left an impact. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, 23 March 1931: Shaheed, Shaheed-e-Azam, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Hey Ram, and Chittagong...

The upcoming streaming series ‘Freedom at Midnight’, based on the eponymous book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, stars an array of international talents.

The makers of the show revealed the international lineup on Tuesday, which includes Luke McGibney, Andrew Cullum, Richard Teverson, Alistair Finlay, and Cordelia Bugeja.

McGibney and Bugeja will play the last Viceroy and Vicereine of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Lady Edwina Mountbatten, respectively.

Sharing his thoughts on portraying Lord Louis Mountbatten, Luke McGibney stated, “As Mountbatten, I step into the shoes of a pivotal figure in India’s history. Mountbatten’s role during the transfer of power and partition was both profound and controversial. It’s a fascinating challenge to tap into the complexities of a character who wielded immense influence during a critical period. From his tenure as the last Viceroy of India to the tumultuous aftermath of partition, ‘Freedom at Midnight’ allows us...

Exclusive: SonyLIV’s ambitious Indian independence drama Freedom at Midnight has added British cast.

Cordelia Bugeja, Richard Teverson, Luke McGibney, Andrew Cullum and Alistair Findlay have joined the series, which charts India’s struggle for independence and subsequent partition.

McGibney and Bugeja will play the last Viceroy and Vicereine of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Lady Edwina Mountbatten, respectively. Finlay is Archibald Wavell, the Commander-in-Chief and Viceroy of India preceding Mountbatten. Cullum brings to life Clement Attlee, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, while Teverson portrays Cyril Radcliffe, the chairman of the Boundary Commission for the Partition of India.

They join Sidhant Gupta (Jubilee), who stars as Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, Chirag Vohra (Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story) as...

The Planet of the Apes franchise will make its big screen comeback this year with a new installment set in the same universe, where Andy Serkis’ Caesar first led an uprising of the mutated and enhanced apes. While Serkis won’t be a part of the new installment, his performance as Caesar and its legacy will certainly cast a shadow on it.

Andy Serkis’ Caesar takes on a leadership role in War for the Planet of the Apes

Andy Serkis played the role of Caesar in three installments of the Planet of the Apes franchise. During an interview, Serkis revealed an unlikely inspiration behind his role. Serkis stated that he modeled his performance on a real-life leader, and his answer would leave many fans confused. Here is what Andy Serkis revealed about the inspirations behind his Planet of the Apes role.

Andy Serkis Based His Planet of the Apes Role...

Heeramandi’s Fardeen Khan opens up about the No Entry Sequel(Photo Credit –Instagram/IMDb)

Heeramandi’s Nawab Wali is reflecting on ‘No Entry’ Days and revealing new information about the recently confirmed Sequel with a new cast. Fardeen Khan, who recently wonderfully made his comeback with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series, revealed new deets about Boney Kapoor’s No Entry 2. Khan revealed that he had heard the new script and thought it would be great. He also expressed that he wishes he could be a part of the movie, but in his words, it wasn’t meant to be. Fardeen also advised Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh & Arjun Kapoor, who are taking on the baton for the No Entry Sequel.

Even before the movie was filmed, No Entry 2 was creating all sorts of buzz. Previously, we heard about the rift that the movie has caused between brothers Anil and Boney Kapoor.

“Harry Potter” star Tom Felton is currently filming the series “Gandhi,” where he plays Josiah Oldfield, the future Mahatma’s friend in London.

Part of the series, produced by Sameer Nair for India’s Applause Entertainment and directed by Hansal Mehta, follows the young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi when he was in London to study law and missing vegetarian food. It examines how Gandhi’s chance discovery of a vegetarian restaurant brings him to the lesser-known Vegetarian Society of London, of which Oldfield is one of the founders. This chance meeting proves to be formative for Gandhi, as it is Oldfield who first discovers the writer in him and encourages him to pen articles for the Vegetarian Magazine.

“It is about the relationship between the two of them and how they found each other at exactly the right time. And how without meeting each other, their lives would have definitely been different,...

Indian studio Applause Entertainment’s upcoming big-budget series “Gandhi” aims to humanize the Mahatma.

The first season covers the formative years of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s life as a law student in London and later as lawyer and civil rights activist in South Africa, during which time he conceived the ideas that ultimately led India to independence from British rule. Gandhi became known as Mahatma, or great soul, for his leading part in the independence movement.

The series sees the reunion of Applause, director Hansal Mehta and actor Pratik Gandhi (no relation to the Mahatma) who plays Gandhi, after hit SonyLIV series “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story” (2020).

The benchmark for on-screen depictions of Gandhi remains Richard Attenborough’s “Gandhi” (1982), which won eight Oscars.

“It’ll be complementary in that sense, because Attenborough had some three hours to tell the story, which is a big story and a big life,...

Gandhi, the Indian period drama series currently in production, will reveal “the origin of Superman,” according to its makers.

In a series of interviews, stars Pratik Gandhi and Tom Felton, director Hansal Mehta and executive producer Sameer Nair revealed the latest on the show, which is being billed as one of the biggest to ever come out of India.

The show will tell the story of Mahatma Gandhi’s earlier adult years before becoming a political icon and nonviolence protest pioneer, in particular his time spent in London and South Africa.

“There are almost 45 years of life before the moment he becomes the Mahatma,” said Nair, CEO of Gandhi producer Applause Entertainment. “Of that, a large part was spent in London before he spent 23 in South Africa. There are a lot of elements of that story that are not known but are important to the history. Richard Attenborough’s [1982] movie covers it in 15 minutes,...

Tom Felton aka Harry Potter’s Draco Malfoy Joins Pratik Gandhi’s Series On Mahatma Gandhi’s Early Life. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Move over, Draco Malfoy! Tom Felton, the actor best known for his role as the conniving Slytherin in the Harry Potter films, is taking on a whole new kind of magic – portraying a character in a major new series about Mahatma Gandhi.

Applause Entertainment’s upcoming series, Gandhi, has unveiled its impressive international cast, and Tom Felton stands out as a surprising but exciting addition. The series, directed by the acclaimed Hansal Mehta, promises a captivating exploration of Gandhi’s early life, specifically his formative years spent in London and South Africa.

This period-drama marks uncharted territory for Gandhi’s story on screen. While his later life as the leader of India’s independence movement is well-documented, his lesser-known experiences abroad will be brought to life by a stellar cast.

The upcoming series ‘Gandhi’, helmed by the National Award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta, is set to feature a star-studded cast.

Currently in production and filming across various locations, the series features an international star cast including Tom Felton, Libby Mai, Molly Wright, Ralph Adeniyi, James Murray, Lindon Alexander, Jonno Davies, and Simon Lennon.

Actor Pratik Gandhi, who garnered audience acclaim with another Hansal Mehta directorial, ‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’, will portray the role of Mahatma Gandhi.

Actor Tom Felton expressed his excitement about being part of the journey to depict Gandhi’s early years in London.

“It’s an important aspect of history that hasn’t been told on screen before, and to be working with Hansal and Pratik is an honour and pleasure,” he said.

Talking about the international starcast, director Hansal said: “Working with an exceptionally talented cast has been nothing but a privilege. The casting of...

Exclusive: Harry Potter star Tom Felton has boarded Gandhi, the Hansal Mehta-directed streaming series about the iconic Indian nonviolent resistance leader from Applause Entertainment.

Felton will play Josiah Oldfield, Gandhi’s first and best friend during a period he spent in London while studying law. Pratik Gandhi (no relation) is playing Gandhi, as we reported back in May 2022, and we can reveal his real-life partner, Bhamini Oza, will play Kasturba Gandhi, the Mahatma’s wife.

The period drama series has been billed as India’s answer to The Crown, and several scenes are being shot in London this month. As such, British actors James Murray, Jonno Davies, Molly Wright (Apostasy), Simon Lennon, Ralph Adeniyi, Libby Mai and Lindon Alexander are joining Felton in the cast.

Mumbai, May 2 (Ians) The upcoming streaming show ‘Freedom at Midnight’, based on the eponymous book, is set to delve into India’s fight for Independence, showcasing critical moments from the partition era.

It details the events behind the last year of British Raj from 1947 to 1948 and how it gave away India, which was a part of its empire.

The events begin with the appointment of Lord Mountbatten of Burma as the last viceroy of British India and conclude with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

The first look of the show was unveiled on Instagram on Thursday by showrunner and director Nikkhil Advani, who captioned Gandhi’s quote, “Jawahar and Sardar will be like two oxen yoked to the government cart. One will need the other, and both will pull together.”

The show stars Sidhant Gupta, once again showcasing his acting prowess against the backdrop of partition after ‘Jubilee’.

It also...

In his over half-a-century-long Hindi film career, he sang more than a thousand songs, but just three serve to demonstrate his position in the industry’s scheme of things – the madcap “Ek Chatur Naar” where Kishore Kumar beats him; the enchanting qawwali “Na to karvaan ki talash hai” where Mohammed Rafi emerges triumphant eventually; and the classical contest “Ketaki gulab juhi”, where he beats Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

This was part of the misfortune of Prabodh Chandra ‘Manna’ Dey, born on this day (May 1) in 1919 in Calcutta. His classical training, innate talent, and “masculine” voice made him perfect for all shades of songs – romantic (including those for the vintage-aged), folk ballads, philosophical musings, and more, but he was never deemed a top-notch singer.

A nephew of gifted blind singer-composer Krishna Chandra Dey, who paved his way into music and films, Manna Dey’s forte was challenging, classical-based songs, especially those that his contemporaries considered difficult,...

New Delhi, May 1 (Ians) More than three decades before Aamir Khan’s train stunt in “Ghulam” (1998), this actor, renowned for his natural performances, had already done such a hazardous exploit, not just a daredevil challenge on the screen, but to inject reality into the scene and save the filmmaker the “bother of back projection”.

Balraj Sahni also involved Meena Kumari in his risky ruse in “Pinjre ke Panchhi” (1966), which — in another strange resemblance with Aamir’s film — was shot at Khandala. The scene had her walking on the rail tracks in a bid to commit suicide, even as he ran after her and managed to pull her aside from the rushing train at the last minute.

The filmmaker only wanted shots of him running after her and pulling her away; those of the were to be juxtapositioned. Sahni, however, knew that a train would pass the spot soon, and if they moved fast,...

We are thrilled to have Danish here to share insights into the making of this unique love story that draws inspiration from historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Get ready to uncover behind-the-scenes anecdotes, insights into character development, and much more as we explore the journey of “Pyar ke do naam from script to screen.

Congratulations on the upcoming release of Pyar Ke Do Naam! Can you share with us the inspiration behind this unique love story, which draws from the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela?

The inspiration for Pyar Ke Do Naam stemmed from a conversation I had with Vijay Goyal about a book on Mandela. As we discussed the remarkable contributions of Mandela and Gandhi, we were fascinated by their ideologies and how they could be reflected in a contemporary love story. From my fascination with the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela,...

The delayed release of Indian feature film The Sabarmati Report has placed new scrutiny on Bollywood’s relationship with the country’s political machine, as elections in the world’s largest democracy enter their second week.

The political movie about the disputed 2002 Gujurat riots was due to be released early next month, right in the midst of the six-week election period, but it has been pushed back to August 2. Local reports have cited fears around inciting communal tensions as voters head to the polls.

The world’s most populous country has an extensive election process, which is running until June 1. By June 5, the world will have discovered whether controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp) has been given a third term — a result widely expected coming as his tenure at the very top enters its second decade.

Starring Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) and directed by Ranjan Chandel,...

Shueisha announced that they will be fully revamping its long-selling history manga series “Learning Through Manga: World History,” with all 18 volumes to be released on Oct 4.

The new version, which will be the first major revamp in 22 years since its release in 2002, will change the format from the previous large-format hardcover to a more portable softcover and will also completely renew the content.

The cover illustrations for all 18 volumes is drawn by 16 popular manga artists, including Hirohiko Araki (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Tatsuya Endo (Spy x Family), and Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia).

Below are the titles of all 18 volumes, the manga artists responsible for the cover & the illustrations:

1. Civilizations of the Orient and Mediterranean – Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece

Cover Illustrator: Yasuhisa Hara Figure depicted: Rameses II

2. The Beginning of Chinese Civilization and Empire – From Yellow River to Tang Dynasty

Cover illustrator: Hiroyuki Asada Figure depicted: Qin Shi Huang

3. The Glory...

Michael Jackson‘s Bad includes many of his most impressive songs. The writer of one of the album’s songs said it came from God. That’s fascinating, considering that the music video for the tune includes images of some of the most famous religious leaders who ever lived.

Michael Jackson knew a song from ‘Bad’ came from God even though nobody told him that

“Man in the Mirror” was co-written by Siedah Garrett. Grett might be most known for duetting with the King of Pop on his hit ballad “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” During an interview with Blue Railroad, she said “Man in the Mirror” came from God. Despite this, she didn’t directly tell Jackson about its origins.

“My answer to him was that ‘I asked for it,'” she said. “I didn’t mention God because I didn’t know where he was as far as religion goes.

Mumbai, April 21 (Ians) Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who scooped praise for his recent streaming series ‘Lootere’ and ‘Scoop’, is busy with the production of his new project.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the filmmaker shared snapshots from the shoot.

He showcased his sartorial elegance in the images, dressed in baggy pants, a white shirt, and a cream-coloured jacket.

In the caption, Hansal wrote: “Baggy pants. Nip in the air. On location with @rishghel @gyaskz.02 @nikita_bavishi.”

The first picture depicts the director surrounded by his crew at an undisclosed location against the backdrop of Victorian architecture.

The second picture captures the director briefing his actors inside an atrium with a staircase adjacent to him.

Members of the film fraternity flooded the comments section, praising Hansal for his choice of outfit.

Director Anubhav Sinha, who is known for ‘Mulk’ and ‘Article 15’, commented, “Star hai tu”.

Actress Neena Gupta wrote: “Kya style hai sir.

On Kasturba Gandhi’s 155th birth anniversary, the makers of the upcoming series ‘Gandhi’ have finally revealed that Pratik Gandhi’s wife Bhamini Oza will play the iconic personality on screen.

Bhamini, the real-life partner of Pratik Gandhi, who portrays the titular role of Mahatma Gandhi in the series, said: “Stepping into Kasturba Gandhi’s shoes feels like a beautiful twist of fate in my acting journey. Working with Hansal Mehta and the Applause Entertainment team is a dream come true, especially alongside my husband Pratik.”

The actress added: “From our early theatre days, we’ve dreamed of sharing the screen together, and now it’s finally happening. My attempt is to bring honesty to the character and a genuine connection to the story.”

Director Hansal Mehta said: “I’ve known Bhamini as a terrific actor – she is formidable on stage. To showcase her playing the character of a lifetime is truly a privilege.

Mumbai, April 2 (Ians) Auteur Imtiaz Ali is one of the rare filmmakers who strikes a perfect balance between philosophy and entertainment in his stories.

While his earlier works like ‘Socha Na Tha’ and ‘Jab We Met’ were more on the entertaining side, films like ‘Love Aaj Kal’ (2009), ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Tamasha’ have aged like a fine wine and have cultivated a new fan base which craves for deeper meaning to a story as much as the entertainment.

The filmmaker is now gearing up for his ninth film, the biopic based on the highest selling Punjabi musician of all times, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’.

“There are a lot of ‘9’ happening,” Imtiaz told Ians as he seems in a quirky mood.

“Nine is my favourite number, A.R. Rahman (his music composer) also loves nine, he has made ’99 Songs’ and ‘Chamkila’ is my ninth film”.

‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, which is set to release on April...

How Much Did Kapil Dev Get Paid For Ranveer Singh’s 83? (Photo Credit – IMDb/Instagram)

Ranveer Singh portrayed the role of Kapil Dev in 83. The biographical drama, directed by Kabir Khan, was based on the Indian national cricket team, which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Unfortunately, the film turned out to be a flop. Scroll below for the budget, salaries, and box office collection.

Producers Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Phantom Films co-producer Madhu Mantena first pitched the idea to the 1983 players in a meeting in July 2016. Principal photography began in 2019, and the film hit the theatre screens in 2021. The biography received as many as 14 nominations at the Filmfare Awards but won only two – Best Actor and Best Lyricist.

How much did Kapil Dev and the 1983 Cricket team get paid? Trending Did Sara Ali Khan Just Breathe Life Into A Forgotten Freedom Fighter? Great-grandson Of Mahatma Gandhi Reacts To Ae Watan...

Best known for his Punjabi films ‘Anhe Ghore Da Daan’ and ‘Chauthi Koot’ which premiered at Venice and Cannes Film Festivals respectively, filmmaker Gurvinder Singh is all set to make a web series on revolutionary Bhagat Singh.

Stressing that he is still relevant and will continue to remain so, Singh said, “The revolutionary’s character has always fascinated me owing to the multiple layers he boasted of. Not many people have explored him completely. Yes, he was a revolutionary but also had a great sense of humour.”

The series will dwell upon how Bhagat Singh and his comrades ‘used’ the trial to amplify their ideas of independence.

While many other films have been made on Bhagat Singh, including ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’, the filmmaker points out that in most films, the narrative was very linear.

“Not one spelt that he was an atheist,” says this Film and Television Institute of India (Ftii) pass-out.

Fighter Enjoys Higher Viewership Than Dunki & Salaar In Its Opening Week(Photo Credit –Facebook)

Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter, after its theatrical run has ended, is making noise on the Ott platform. The film was touted to be a big money spinner at the box office, and though it did reasonably well, it wasn’t up to the mark considering the scale and cost. Thankfully, it is now reaching more audiences on the small screen, and in fact, it has defeated Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki and Prabhas’ Salaar with its debut numbers.

Hrithik & Siddharth Anand’s combo failed this time!

Before this aerial action drama, Hrithik and director Siddharth Anand worked together for Bang Bang and War. Both films were highly successful at the box office and enjoyed a good theatrical run. This time, to give a much better experience to the viewers, a much bigger budget was spent, and...

Kannan Iyer‘s sophomore, Ae Watan Mere Watan, currently streaming on Prime Video, narrates the tale of a courageous young girl in pre-independent India when the British government controlled all the newspapers and private radio stations. It was done with the sole intention of manipulating the perceptions of the Indians to suit their cruel and deceptive agenda. Most of the freedom fighters and political leaders were in jail. Those who were not arrested went underground. The situation was both intimidating and dangerous, and the government has partially curbed the freedom movement. In response to this despot approach, the protagonist and her friends embark on a bold endeavor. They aim to inspire and unite fellow Indians in their struggle against the empire and liberate the nation from the fetters of slavery. While the premise holds promise, the film serves as another example where a potential concept doesn’t always ensure an equally engaging output.

Is there a more underrated actor in Indian cinema than Randeep Hooda? Opportunities to prove his heavy mettle seldom come his way. But when given a meaty role, Hooda lets us know what divides the men from the boys.

In Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, Hooda not only proves himself an able if somewhat self-indulgent director, but he also portrays one of the unsung founding fathers of Azad Bharat, the man and leader who dared to call out Mahatma Gandhi for his sometimes-myopic view of secularism.

Indeed, one of the highlights of this remarkable bio-pic are the dialogues between a benign Gandhi (played with a slightly smug self-love by Rajesh Khera) and an aggressive Savarkar. Gandhians may not agree with the portrayal of Gandhi as an incorrigible peacenik. Good films do that: they force open uncomfortable debates.

As an actor, Hooda is fully prepared for any combat that Savarkar must face. His...

Politically-inspired biopic of Indian politician who opposed Gandhi’s non-violence is hamstrung by its own lack of action

Of all the hot takes you expect to see when you go to the cinema, the suggestion that Mahatma Gandhi was overrated is perhaps low down the list. But this Hindi biopic of Hindu nationalist leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar argues exactly that, although it’s careful to have Savarkar note: “I don’t hate Gandhi, I hate non-violence.” Okay then. In general, the stance across the nearly three-hour runtime is that, in contrast to the famous maxim, the sword is in fact mightier than the pen, with Savarkar exhorting followers to “get rid of your pen and arm yourselves”.

What is odd is that the film doesn’t make more use of its own subject’s principles. Much ink has been spilled over the issue of whether on-screen violence is too glamorous,...

Actors are drawn to biopics like moths to a particularly bright, often gold-tinted flame because it allows them to test their impressionistic mettle, to inhabit the real life of someone who’s often larger than life, to chart how an extraordinary human being is transformed into an emblem of their moment. Audiences are drawn to biopics because we love actors, or at the very least we like seeing them trying to fill the shoes of these renowned figures and find the person beneath the symbolic purpose, shouted slogans, and prosthetic schnozzes.

Some releases promote the Pm and his policies while others are accused of being divisive and Islamophobic

They are films that claim to tell the “real story” of India’s history, taking aim at the evils of “leftists” and “intellectuals” and even the freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.

As Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (Bjp) seek a third term in next month’s election, a feverish pro-government momentum has gripped Bollywood, blurring the lines between entertainment and political campaigning in India’s largest film industry.

Hindi cinema is filled with movies that delve into the Indian freedom struggle and other events that occurred in India post-Indian independence. The makers of such movies go ahead and take all the cinematic liberties they need to tweak the story and rely a lot of the narrative on jingoism. Just last week, there was Yodha, a movie about a soldier trying to avert the possibility of a conflict between India and its neighboring country. That film, incidentally, was produced by Dharma Films. Directed by Kannan Iyer, Ae Watan Mere Watan is the story of two freedom fighters who dared to make a difference for the sake of their motherland. The movie is based on two real-life freedom fighters who put a lot at stake to make sure their country received independence.

Spoilers Ahead

Who Was Usha Mehta?

Usha Mehta was a young, college-going girl from a family of means,...

Kannan Iyer has done an excellent job adding another patriotic film Ae Watan Mere Watan to the list. The amazing cast of the film has won us over with their brilliant on-screen presence. This film talks about the sacrifices that the revolutionaries made to see a free India. Sara Ali Khan has left us speechless, playing the role of Usha Mehra, an unsung hero who has sacrificed her life to propagate Congress Radio to influence the people and push them to seek freedom during the Quit India Movement. The film brings to the forefront the undying will of the revolutionaries, whose sacrifices have ensured our freedom.

Usha Mehta

Sara Ali Khan has done an excellent job of playing the character of Usha Mehta in the film. Usha’s undying love for her nation has been a significant factor driving her life since her childhood. She never backed off from her...