Creators Pushkar, and Gayathri were overwhelmed by the response to ‘Suzhal-The Vortex’

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Directors Pushkar and Gayathri, who are the creators of the critically-acclaimed Tamil web series ‘Suzhal-The Vortex’, are overwhelmed with the response, not just from the audience but also from celebrities.

Actors Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan, director SS Rajamouli, and Vicky Kaushal are among the scores of celebrities who have praised the series, Pushkar, and Gayatri couldn’t be any more grateful for the love and support they have received from the Indian film fraternity.

They say, “The response has been overwhelming. The series is over six hours long, with eight episodes. But they all took the time to watch it and some binge-watched it too. And, then sent messages about it, this was completely unexpected. We thought it would happen over the course of a week. We didn’t expect all this response to start happening within a day or two of the show’s release.”

The web series, which has been directed by Bramma and Anucharan, features Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Sriya Reddy along with Radhakrishnan Parthiban in the lead.

The series was released on Prime Video on June 17 in over 30 foreign and Indian languages.

 

‘Thaai Kelavi’ from ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ garners 2.3 mn views on YouTube in less than a day!

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The official lyrical video of the peppy song ‘Thaai Kelavi’ from director Mithran R Jawahar’s upcoming film, ‘Thiruchitrambalam’, featuring actor Dhanush in the lead, has garnered a whopping 2.3 million views within a day of being released on YouTube.

Set to tune by Anirudh Ravichander, the song, which has been written by Dhanush, has also been rendered by the actor himself. The song instantly drew attention, with over 1.68 lakh people giving it the Thumbs up sign on YouTube.

The film, which also features Raashi Khanna, Nithya Menen, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Prakash Raj, and Bharathiraja, has triggered huge expectations.

Interestingly, actor Prakash Raj, who plays a pivotal role in the film, too has tweeted about the experience of working on this film.

He said, “A joy to be a part of this team Dhanush K Raja(‘s) ‘Thiruchitrambalam’. “While Dhanush plays the titular role of Thiruchitrambalam, director Bharathiraja plays the role of Senior Thiruchitrambalam. Nithya Menon plays a character called Shobana, who happens to be Thiruchitrambalam’s best friend in the film. Prakash Raj plays a strict inspector called Neelakandan in the film while actress Priya Bhavani Shankar plays Ranjani, a village lass. Actress Raashi Khanna, who is the female lead, plays Anusha, Dhanush’s high school friend in the film.

The film, which has cinematography by Om Prakash and editing by Prasanna G K, has been produced by Sun Pictures Kalanithi Maran.

 

Mrunal Thakur researches extensively for the upcoming cop role in ‘Gumraah’

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Actress Mrunal Thakur will be seen playing a fierce police officer in the upcoming thriller ‘Gumraah’ and is leaving no stone unturned to prepare for the character.

“For portraying the role of a committed cop, I had to go through extensive body training. From getting physically trained to maintain the body structure while running with trained athletes to handling different types of guns, I have tried everything to adapt the essence of a cop,” Mrunal said.

She added that in her preparation for the role she also “involved talking to and spending time with some female cops of our force in order to understand their world through a better lens.”

Mrunal was last seen opposite Shahid Kapoor in the family cricket drama, ‘Jersey’, which is currently streaming on Netflix.

Lady Gaga, Tom Daley hailed at 2022 British LGBT Awards

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Singer-actress Lady Gaga, diver Tom Daley and the first all-male ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ couple were among the winners of 2022’s British LGBT Awards.

According to aceshowbiz.com, Vogue director Edward Enninful and singer Alicia Keys also took home gongs at the London event on Friday.

Hosted by comedian Sue Perkins, the awards show is the UK’s biggest LGBT+ awards event. Enninful, 50, said when handed his ‘Global Media Trailblazer’ prize: “I am so honored to be part of the 2022 LGBT Awards, especially as the UK celebrates 50 years of pride.

“Growing up as a young, black gay man in West London, I could only have imagined the day when events like this would celebrate people like me, and the other incredible trailblazers recognized tonight.

“My hope is that we all continue to push for positive change for the next generation.”

Keys, who was handed the ‘Celebrity Ally of the Year’ award, said via video link: “On a personal level, I’m honored to accept this award tonight. I’ve been blessed to know all kinds of people since I was a little girl and fortunately exposed to the beauty and richness of diversity. That’s all colors, all religions, all styles, all beliefs, all loves, all people.”

“Believe me, I know that hate is taught and judgment is taught, but we are the light and we are the love,” the 41-year-old hitmaker went on to share.

“I sometimes can’t believe how much hate there is to overcome, but where there is light and love, darkness and hate cannot exist.”

Daley, 28, in the meantime, collected the ‘Swinton Insurance Sports Personality of the Year’ award after he spoke out against anti-LGBT+ laws.

Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes was a surprise presenter on the night for the ‘Celebrity Award’ hand-out, after the former athlete broke a 34-year silence to say she is gay in mid-June. The prize was won by Gaga, reports aceshowbiz.com.

‘Strictly Come Dancing’ duo 35-year-old Johannes Radebe and 33-year-old John Whaite were handed the ‘Media Moment of the Year’ trophy by show judge Shirley Ballas after they were the first male same-sex couple on the show.

Chris Hemsworth ‘did a lot of work’ for ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ nude scene

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Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth did “a lot of work” to prepare for his nude scene in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’.

Sharing that shooting the scene for the Taika Waititi-directed movie felt like a natural evolution for the character, the 38-year-old actor made sure he was in tip-top shape before taking his clothes off, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“I mean, it was kind of 10, 11 years in the making, that shot,” the Hollywood leading man, who stars alongside Natalie Portman in the new movie, told Entertainment Tonight.

“In each film, we’ve taken off another item of clothing, and now we just kind of took it all off.”

Hemsworth, who embarked on an intense fitness plan before shooting the movie, admitted the director was the driving force behind the scene.

When asked what made him reprise the character for the new Marvel movie, he joked: “Obviously a contractual obligation. If it was my choice it wouldn’t have happened!”

The husband of Elsa Pataky has played Thor for more than a decade, and he previously confessed to over-training in the early years.

He said that his intense workout regime actually had a detrimental impact on his energy levels.

“For years I probably over-trained,” he shared.

“People who do muscle-building often don’t realize it’s a sport that shouldn’t be seven days a week, two hours a day,” the father of three continued.

“I was doing that in the previous Thors, and was coming up sorer, with less energy.”

Chris actually adopts an athlete-like approach to his preparation, but he ultimately finds the experience to be “incredibly rewarding”.

“The training across 10 years of doing it is a full-time job. That and then a 12-hour shooting day, it’s a real grind. It’s incredibly rewarding, too, you have to look at it as a professional athlete.”

Christian Bale still hasn’t seen Robert Pattinson-starrer ‘The Batman’

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Hollywood star Christian Bale says he hasn’t watched ‘The Batman’ but has called actor Robert Pattinson an absolutely wonderful actor.

“I still haven’t seen it. I will see it,” Bale told Variety during the ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

“Listen, mate, it’s amazing how few films I see. Every director I work with, I’ve seen a couple of their films and they’re always looking at me going, ‘Are you kidding?’ I like to really savor films and I don’t watch too many. But I will, I certainly will. Robert is an absolutely wonderful actor. We bumped into each other, talked a little bit about it ahead of time, and I heard wonderful things.”

According to ‘Varitey’, Bale famously played the Caped Crusader three times in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” franchise. Pattinson took on the role last year in the first installment of Matt Reeves’ franchise reboot.

In aThor: Love and Thunder’, Bale plays the terrifying Gorr the God Butcher, a name he joked means, “You don’t really have to ask, what’s he about and what’s his motivation?'”

He stars in the Taika Waititi-directed Marvel film alongside Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson, but admitted that the deciding factor in him taking on the role was his two kids.

“I always just look at who’s directing it, who are the people involved, is it a good story, am I gonna get something out of it,” Bale said. “With this one, it was my kids saying to me, ‘By the way, you’re doing this one,’ and I went, ‘Am I really?’ And they said, ‘Yes you are,’ and I went, ‘OK, yes I am.'”

He continued: “I’m there for Taika and for Chris and Natalie and Tessa and the whole crowd, and I originally thought, ‘Yeah, that’s not gonna work,’ and I stand corrected by my kids.”

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ is set for release in theaters on July 8.

 

Top US media companies to enable travel by staff seeking abortions

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Top media companies, including Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Comcast, Sony and Meta, have said that they will cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions following the US Supreme Court’s contentious ruling on Friday overturning its 1972 Roe v. Wade decision, reports ‘Variety’.

Disney reached out to employees to stress that it recognizes the “impact” of the Supreme Court’s decision and “remains committed to providing comprehensive access to quality and affordable care” for all employees and their families, which includes family planning and reproductive care, “no matter where they live”, an internal source told ‘Variety’.

For Disney employees unable to access a medical service, including abortions, in one location, they have a travel benefit that allows for “affordable coverage for receiving similar levels of care in another location”.

A Netflix spokesperson told ‘Variety’ that the streaming service does offer travel reimbursement coverage for full-time US employees and their dependents who need to travel for cancer treatment, transplants, gender-affirming care, or abortion — through our US health plans. This is a $ 10,000-lifetime allowance per employee and/or their dependents per service.”

In light of the Supreme Court decision, Warner Bros. Discovery has expanded its “healthcare benefits options to cover transportation expenses for employees and their covered family members who need to travel to access abortion and reproductive care,” a spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ‘Variety’.

‘Variety’ has confirmed that Comcast has a travel benefit that covers Comcast and NBCUniversal employees’ medical services and procedures that aren’t available near an employee’s home.”

Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips sent a memo to staff on Friday, confirming the company’s intentions to cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions.

In a memo obtained by ‘Variety’, they wrote: “Reproductive health care through company-sponsored health insurance, including coverage for birth control, elective abortion care, miscarriage care, and certain related travel expenses if the covered health service, such as abortion, is prohibited in your area.”

 

‘America … you’re in for the fight of your life’: Hollywood celebs slam abortion ruling

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The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its historic Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision in its 50th year has been greeted with widespread criticism from American celebrities.

Voicing the majority view in the entertainment industry, pop star Taylor Swift tweeted: “I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are — that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”

In a detailed response, cookery show host and author Padma Lakshmi said: “People will still get abortions. These procedures won’t stop just because Roe v. Wade is overturned. This will only prevent safe, legal abortions from taking place.”

She added: “The right to decide when to start a family or not is a choice every individual should be able to make on their terms when the time is right for them. This freedom and dignity are something we should all fight to preserve.

“I wish more people understood that the decision to have an abortion is deeply personal and complex. It’s a decision that should be treated with compassion and empathy, not vilified or criminalized.”

Thundered multiple award-winning actress Ariana DeBose: “Yeah, ain’t NOBODY telling me what I can & can’t do with my body. Ain’t nobody telling me who I get to love or marry for that matter. America … you’re in for the fight of your life.”

Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette was equally unequivocal. She said: “This Supreme Court is an absolute disaster. Giving people the right to carry guns to take away women’s rights of autonomy over their own bodies. We weren’t being reactive, we saw it coming.”

But the last word certainly belonged to the best-selling author Stephen King. He tweeted: “It’s the best Supreme Court the 19th century has yet produced.”

Vijay Sethupathi’s performance in ‘Maamanithan’ deserves National Award: Shankar

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Ace director Shankar has said Vijay Sethupathi deserves a National Award for his spectacular performance as a dad in director Seenu Ramasamy’s just-released Tamil family drama ‘Maamanithan’.

Taking to Twitter, Shankar wrote, “‘Maamanithan’ Got the satisfaction of watching a good film. Director Seenu Ramasamy (has) put his heart and soul and making this a real classic!

“Vijay Sethupathi’s brilliant performance deserves a National Award. Music from Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and Yuvan Shankar Raja blended soulfully with the film.”

Shankar wasn’t the only one floored by the realistic drama. Director Simbu Devan too showered praises on the film.

He wrote in Tamil, “Congratulations director Seenu Ramasamy brother and Vijay Sethupathi brother and the team… Already the film has got good reviews. My hearty wishes for the film to succeed big.”

Actor Raj Kiran too was thoroughly impressed by the film and expressed his appreciation to director Seenu Ramasamy, who was grateful for the compliment.

Tweeting about actor Raj Kiran’s appreciation, Seenu Ramasamy said, “I cannot forget this day when actor Raj Kiran, whom I consider my guru, blessed me wholeheartedly after watching my film.”

National Award-winner Thota Tharani’s daughter to join him as an art director in ‘Gentleman 2’

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Rohini Tharani, the daughter of well-known National Award-winning Art director Thota Tharani, will join her illustrious father in taking care of the art direction department of director A Gokul Krishna’s upcoming big-budget film, ‘Gentleman 2’.

The film, which is being produced by K T Kunjumon, known for having introduced ace director Shankar to the film industry, has music by Marakathamani (M.M.Keeravani), and cinematography by Ajayan Vincent. Nayanthara Chakravarthy and Priya Lal are the heroines of the film, the hero of which is to be announced soon.

Taking to Twitter, K T Kunjumon made the announcement. He tweeted, “Proud to announce that legend Thotta Tharani and his daughter Rohini Tharani will be (the) project designer(s) of Gentleman Film International’s mega project ‘Gentleman 2’ that is directed by A Gokul Krishna.”

Thota Tharani, who is considered a legend in the world of art direction, has worked on cult classics and blockbusters like ‘Nayagan’, ‘Thalapathy’, ‘Sivaji’, ‘Rudhramadevi’ and ‘Gentleman’ and is now working on Mani Ratnam’s upcoming magnum opus, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.