News

Shah Rukh Khan’s long wait for national-level recognition finally ended as his blockbuster film Jawan bagged the National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. The film not only won hearts at the box office but also earned the superstar his first National Award in decades of a legendary career.

But what followed the award was a wholesome moment between Srk and Shashi Tharoor that’s now winning hearts online.

Shashi Tharoor’s Classy Compliment

Congress MP and popular orator Shashi Tharoor took to social media to congratulate Shah Rukh Khan, praising Jawan for blending entertainment with a powerful social message. He called Srk a “king who rules not just the box office but also the hearts of millions.”

The tweet went viral, not just for its content but for the elegance with which Tharoor expressed admiration. Fans appreciated the unexpected cultural crossover of a politician known for...

Prakash Jha Explained Why He Won’t Re-Release Classics Like Gangaajal & Raajneeti (Photo Credit – Instagram)

There is a growing trend of re-releasing popular Bollywood movies nowadays. Karan Arjun, Veer Zaara, Singham, Taal, and Maine Pyar Kiya are some movies that have been re-released in theatres, and they have also fetched the producers a decent return.

However, acclaimed director Prakash Jha is averse to re-releasing his blockbusters. Why? In an interview with India Today, the director shared that the audience has seen his movies several times on television, so there is no need for their re-releases. “Actually, no. All my films have been watched multiple times by my audience. I meet people who say they have watched Gangaajal 40-50 times, so I don’t think there’s any need to release it in theatres again,” Jha said while speaking to India Today.

Gangaajal is one of the finest movies from Jha,...

Mumbai, Jan 23 (Ians) Actor Boman Irani, who is known for ‘Munna Bhai’ franchise, ‘3 Idiots’, ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, and others, will be conferred with a special honour by the British Parliament for his contributions to Indian cinema.

The actor has also been invited as a featured speaker at Oxford University and The London School of Economics.

Boman will be travelling to London on January 24 with his family for the events.

On January 25, he will deliver speeches at the aforementioned venues.

With this memorable achievement, Boman has now joined the ranks of esteemed speakers at Oxford, following in the footsteps of Shah Rukh Khan and Shashi Tharoor.

Boman expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and honour, as he said: “It’s truly humbling to represent India on such esteemed global platforms and receive this recognition. Especially as my family will be present with me to witness this gratifying moment.”

He added, “I...

Jude Anthany Joseph, director of India’s international feature Oscar contender “2018,” has started work on his next film.

The untitled investigative thriller is being written by the filmmaker alongside journalist Josy Joseph. The film is based on the true story of Kerala Shipping Corporation’s cargo ship Mv Kairali that disappeared in 1979 with a crew of 49 and 20,000 tonnes of iron ore on board while sailing from Margao, India to Rostock, Germany, via Djibouti.

“It’s really fascinating to learn the historical importance of this incident and how the investigation never succeeded. As a filmmaker it is a challenging subject to execute,” Joseph told Variety. Production is due to commence in the last quarter of 2024.

Meanwhile, “2018” screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (Iffi), Goa and the producers threw a lavish party to celebrate the film’s progress. The survival drama based on the climate change-caused floods that...

Actor Boman Irani, who has lent his voice to the documentary film ‘1947: Brexit India’, shared that it is an exploration of a human tragedy and called it a “pivotal moment” in India’s history.

‘1947: Brexit India’, which is an Indo-us production, has been officially selected to be showcased at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) 2023 in Goa. The documentary presents a compelling exploration of the events surrounding Britain’s abrupt exit from India in 1947.

The film boasts an ensemble of distinguished personalities, including Shashi Tharoor, William Dalrymple, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Uday Bhaskar, Professor M. Rajivlochan, Allister Hinds, professor Tom Tomlinson, David Omissi and Gurharpal Singh. It has been written by Shama Zaidi, and directed and co-produced by Sanjivan Lal who previously helmed the acclaimed film ‘Bubble Gum’.

Talking about the film, Boman Irani shared: “As the narrator, I embraced the challenge of presenting a historical narrative to engage today’s audience.

Actor Boman Irani, who has lent his voice to the documentary film ‘1947: Brexit India’, shared that it is an exploration of a human tragedy and called it a “pivotal moment” in India’s history.

‘1947: Brexit India’, which is an Indo-us production, has been officially selected to be showcased at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) 2023 in Goa. The documentary presents a compelling exploration of the events surrounding Britain’s abrupt exit from India in 1947.

The film boasts an ensemble of distinguished personalities, including Shashi Tharoor, William Dalrymple, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Uday Bhaskar, Professor M. Rajivlochan, Allister Hinds, professor Tom Tomlinson, David Omissi and Gurharpal Singh. It has been written by Shama Zaidi, and directed and co-produced by Sanjivan Lal who previously helmed the acclaimed film ‘Bubble Gum’.

Talking about the film, Boman Irani shared: “As the narrator, I embraced the challenge of presenting a historical narrative to engage today’s audience.

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 26 (Ians) Celebrations galore in Kerala. Thanks to Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor who shared with the world that the key scientists who formed a part of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission team have graduated from two engineering colleges of the state.

While the Isro chairman S. Somanath is a product of Tkm College of Engineering, Kollam, his other colleagues graduated from the College of Engineering, ( Cet) Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Incidentally Somnath’s alma mater is the first Government-aided engineering college whose foundation stone was laid in the year 1956 by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of Independent India.

The college was formally inaugurated by Prof. Humayun Kabir, the then Minister for Scientific and Cultural Affairs, on July 3, 1958.

While Cet — the first engineering college in the state — has churned out an array of engineers and continues to do the same, it has always been the first...

TechnologyTom’s videos have spawned a plethora of similar deepfake renditions from netizens, casting prominent personalities including actors and politicians in Hollywood film scenes and other videos.Courtesy: YouTube / vavvalmanusyan An uncannily realistic deepfake video, which features Malayalam actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Fahadh Faasil as characters in the Hollywood classic The Godfather, has been awing netizens ever since it was first uploaded to the internet on June 23. Kerala-based quantitative developer Tom Antony who created the video, however, has now shared a word of caution, especially to those who have been inspired by and seek to experiment with the artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Highlighting the dangerous side of the deepfake technology and the ease with which it can be misused for malicious intent, Tom has called for people to be ethical and responsible while creating such videos. He also stated that he won’t make anymore such videos using another person’s face without permission.

NewsThe 93-year-old, who was suffering from age-related illnesses, breathed her last at a private hospital in Kochi in the early hours of Friday, April 21.Mammootty with his mother Fathima. Courtesy: Facebook / Shashi TharoorFathima Ismail, mother of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi in the early hours of Friday, April 21. The 93-year-old was suffering from age-related illnesses. Her last rites will be performed at the Chembu Muslim Jamath Mosque at 4 pm on Friday. Fathima was known for her ‘lady-next-door’ image and was a popular figure in her village, Chembu, near Kochi. Besides Mammootty, who is her eldest son, Fathima is survived by two other sons, actor Ibrahim Kutty and Zakariah; and three daughters, Ameena, Sauda, and Shafeena. Her husband Panaparambil Ismail predeceased her. Actor Dulquer Salmaan is her grandson. Politicians and celebrities from the Malayalam film industry took to social media to pay their tributes to the actor’s mother.

ReviewThe film has nothing new to say that its predecessors didn’t, and the making doesn’t help it stand out in any way.Still from the filmIn the introduction of Dhyan Sreenivasan’s character in Higuita, he plays football with a bunch of kids, failing to stop an easy goal. He is shown as this naïve young man, afraid of everything. You imagine that the film will be about his transition, turning into a Higuita-like player, given the title. But through the entire film -- another clichéd narrative around Kannur politics -- Dhyan plays an unreadable character, mostly a silent observer of what goes on around him. It is Suraj Venjaramood, playing a tall leader of the Left, who Higuita revolves around. The film has nothing new to say that its predecessors didn’t, and the making doesn’t help it stand out in any way. Higuita had run...

New Delhi, March 16 (Ians) Patrick French, the biographer of Sir Vidia Naipaul and Francis Younghusband, and Dean of the School of Art and Sciences at Ahmedabad University, passed away on Thursday in London, leaving behind his wife Meru Gokhale and four children.

He was 57 and suffering from cancer.

Reacting to the shocking news, fellow writer and Indophile William Dalrymple tweeted: “Heartbroken to hear about the death of Patrick French, who I have loved and admired since we were both thirteen, and who was the Best Man at my wedding. He was funny & clever & charming, always full of enthusiasm & energy. He was also the greatest biographer of our generation.”

At the time of his death, French was writing a biography of British-Zimbabwean Nobel laureate Doris Lessing.

He first attracted the attention of the world with his authoritative account of the life and adventures of Sir Francis Younghusband, the British explorer and diplomatist who revealed,...

New Delhi, March 16 (Ians) Patrick French, the biographer of Sir Vidia Naipaul and Francis Younghusband, and Dean of the School of Art and Sciences at Ahmedabad University, passed away on Thursday in London, leaving behind his wife Meru Gokhale and four children.

He was 57 and suffering from cancer.

Reacting to the shocking news, fellow writer and Indophile William Dalrymple tweeted: “Heartbroken to hear about the death of Patrick French, who I have loved and admired since we were both thirteen, and who was the Best Man at my wedding. He was funny & clever & charming, always full of enthusiasm & energy. He was also the greatest biographer of our generation.”

At the time of his death, French was writing a biography of British-Zimbabwean Nobel laureate Doris Lessing.

He first attracted the attention of the world with his authoritative account of the life and adventures of Sir Francis Younghusband, the British explorer and diplomatist who revealed,...

New Delhi, Dec 14 (Ians) The identity of those responsible for the cyber attack on the server of Delhi’s Aiims would be known once the Nia completes its investigation in the matter, the Parliament was told on Wednesday.

Responding to a question on the incident by Bjp MP Sukanta Majumdar during Question Hour, It and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that in the case of Aiims, its network had grown as a flat network over a period of time, and is now getting fully updated into a hierarchical system in which the users’ login password, privileges of administrator and other aspects are being redefined.

About the identity of the cyber attackers, Vaishnaw said: “That as and when the investigation by the Nia is complete, we would actually come to know who were the attackers. But definitely, we have taken all the required measures for making sure that the network is protected.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (Ians) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday urged the government to ensure protection of sensitive personal data and take measures to prevent cyber attacks similar to the one launched on Aiims Delhi’s servers.

Raising the Aiims cyber attack issue in the Lok Sabha, the lawmaker from Thiruvananthapuram said that the matter should be thoroughly investigated.

“It also reflects the weak data protection safeguards in our country, especially by government institutions. The Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 had created a special category of sensitive personal data including health data that required stringent safeguards but this has unfortunately been done away with in the new draft bill released by the government,” he said.

He called upon the It and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take necessary action to ensure that such data breaches don’t take place again.

Raising the matter of urgent public importance in the lower house,...

Film FestivalThe decision on whether the International Documentary and Short Film Festival will be conducted online or in theatres will be taken after considering the Covid-19 situation.Tnm StaffFrom Iffk 2021The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy is holding its 13th edition of the International Documentary and Short Film Festival (Idsffk) from September 25 to 30, 2021. The decision on whether the festival will be conducted online or in theatres will be taken after considering the evolving situation of the Covid-19 pandemic. Entries for the festival have been invited and these can be submitted online through www.idsffk.in by August 10. "The conduct of the Idsffk, organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala, will be subject to the evolving situation of the global pandemic Covid-19. The festival will follow the guidelines of the Government of Kerala prevailing at that time," said a statement by the academy.

CoronavirusThe comments by Anupam Kher, who has been a strong supporter of the Bjp and Pm Modi in the past, have evoked a flurry of reactions on social media. Tnm StaffIt is important to hold the government responsible for what is happening in the country in the wake of the second Covid-19 wave, actor Anupam Kher said on May 12 while asserting that public criticism towards authorities is "valid in lots of cases". The veteran actor, who is often viewed as being close to the Narendra Modi-led government and is married to Bjp MP Kirron Kher, added that it was time for the government to understand that there's more to life than image building. In an interview to Ndtv, the former Ftii (Film and Television Institute of India) chairperson also said that while the government has "slipped" somewhere in its management of the health crisis, it was wrong for another...

India celebrates its 72nd Republic Day and what better way to celebrate it than by watching some of the most gripping web shows, that highlight the stories of real life Heroes, who stand to keep this country safe.

Mission Frontline

Featuring multi-award-winning actor and producer Rana Daggubati, ‘Mission Frontline’ highlights the life of Border Security Force, our frontline heroes, fighting at the border to keep the country safe. In the special episode, Rana Daggubati experiences first-hand, the difficult life of a Bsf Jawan and live with the border men at the Murar Post, Jaisalmer. The audience can witness Rana in a never-seen-before avatar, performing tasks just like a Jawan, including physical training routines like learning to salute; running drill with weapons and backpack; fireman’s lift and hurdle jump. The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye

Lieutenant Sodhi and his army fight for Indian Independence during World War II as part...

By Nishant Arora

New Delhi, Dec 26 (Ians) As we gloat over reports how the US and European countries have started to tame the social media platforms in regard to anti-trust market practices, users privacy and the spread of fake news, Big Tech firms had their own iota of controversies in India in 2020, generating enough political heat in the process.

The biggest controversy came in August when the Wall Street Journal reported on the blatant biases of Facebook India's team, headed by their public policy chief for the country, Ankhi Das.

The report alleged that the top leadership at Facebook's India office refused to apply the company's own rules to politicians from the ruling party, despite clear violations of Facebook's policies against incitement to violence, hate speech and misinformation.

Following the report, the Congress raised the issue of what it calls "unholy nexus" of the ruling Bjp with Facebook and WhatsApp.

Sharjah, Sep 28 (Ians) While all the limelight was taken away by Rahul Tewatia during Rajasthan Royals' historic win over Kings XI Punjab, it was the incredible innings from Sanju Samson which laid the platform for the Steve Smith-led side during their chase at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Samson scored 85 runs as Royals chased down the target of 224 -- highest ever in history of the Indian Premier League -- with four wickets in hand and three balls to spare. His 42-ball knock was studded with four 4s and seven 6s.

Taking note of Samson's innings on Sunday, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Twitter: "What an absolutely incredible win for Rajasthan Royals! I've known Sanju Samson for a decade and told him when he was 14 that he would one day be the next Ms Dhoni. Well, that day is here. After his two amazing innings in this Ipl, you...

EntertainmentThe video of the song was launched online by Malayalam film star Mammootty.Tnm StaffA boy is resting in a field of grass when a raindrop falls on his face. He runs and dances across a village in Kerala when he sees a small army of leaders holding black umbrellas. The animated line of people becomes a map of Kerala as the faces of the leaders become clear. Up ahead is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, followed by Health Minister Kk Shailaja, with Congress leaders like Shashi Tharoor and Hibi Eden in the line. Health workers and police personnel are also among them. The video, with a song that its makers call ‘The Kerala Anthem’ in the background, was launched online by Malayalam film star Mammootty. “The song was written four years ago! Like we say in the beginning of the song, it was conceived as a song of ‘brotherhood and dreams’. But in March,...

EntertainmentVery often we try to pick shows, listen to interviews, and engage with reality TV, based on who anchors that show.Neelima MenonAn ‘anchor’ has always meant someone or something that grounds you or gives you direction. In a world where media and entertainment abounds - every day a new platform or a new show is born - there appears to be a very thin line between good and bad television. And very often we try to pick shows, listen to interviews, and engage with reality TV, based on who anchors that show. Here’s our list of the best MCs - some old, some new - in Malayalam media, to help you choose better. Rekha Menon (Asiaville): During an interview with actor Jayasurya, which was filmed on the terrace of his sprawling home in Kochi, while climbing the concrete stairs, Rekha confides in the actor that she is...

EntertainmentVery often we try to pick shows, listen to interviews, and engage with reality TV, based on who anchors that show.Neelima MenonAn ‘anchor’ has always meant someone or something that grounds you or gives you direction. In a world where media and entertainment abounds - every day a new platform or a new show is born - there appears to be a very thin line between good and bad television. And very often we try to pick shows, listen to interviews, and engage with reality TV, based on who anchors that show. Here’s our list of the best MCs - some old, some new - in Malayalam media, to help you choose better. Rekha Menon (Asiaville): During an interview with actor Jayasurya, which was filmed on the terrace of his sprawling home in Kochi, while climbing the concrete stairs, Rekha confides in the actor that she is...

Skip to episode five and watch Shashi Tharoor and Kunal Kamra's gigs if you are in speedwatching mood, and you will have watched pretty much the best bit of the show.

In his debut as a stand-up comedian, author-politician Tharoor doles out a few gems on Indian politics. There is a potshot at his self-obsession with the English language, too.

Tharoor's is mostly an introspective set coming from a person who has nothing to do with showbiz, and yet he scores above Taapsee Pannu, Richa Chadha, Vishal Dadlani and Bhuvan Bam ? the other celebrity comics on the show.

"One Mic Stand" falls short of expectation not because of lack of effort. As an experiment in the Indian stand-up scene it is definitely a novel try. The sense of being let down, however, is an outcome of ineffective execution. Each episode wastes too much time in capturing the preparation process of each celebrity performer.

ComedyDidn't find his stand-up funny? Blame it on Nehru, says Tharoor.Sowmya RajendranThere are many Indian politicians who are known for their wit but Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has become the first to attempt an actual stand-up routine. On One Mic Stand - Season 1 which premiered on Amazon Prime on November 15, the Kerala politician gamely takes up the challenge of entertaining the audience with his comedy. Mentored by comedian Kunal Kamra, Shashi Tharoor performs a nearly 10-minute set in the 33-minute long episode that begins with the behind-the-scenes of the production. Tharoor, we're told, has had only 24 hours to prepare his material and his mentor Kunal Kamra is a bit worried on his behalf. Can the Kerala politician pull it off? But before we see Tharoor in action at the Comedy Club in Delhi, Kunal and Sapan Verma of East India Comedy warm up the audience with jokes ranging from...

EntertaimentThe Amazon Prime series is set to release on November 15. Tnm StaffIt’s common knowledge that MP Shashi Tharoor has a penchant for perplexing English words (recall the “farrago of distortions” or “floccinaucinihilipilification” incidents). Now, in a new Amazon Prime comedy special, Tharoor seems to be poking fun at his own language skills. “It’s gotten to the point where anything I say is assumed by people to be more complicated than it really is,” he said in a sneak peek of the series, set to release on November 15. Even his lunch order is evidently hard to understand. “So I said, please may I have a Caesar salad. And this woman says, ‘Oh Shashi, always quoting Shakespeare,” Tharoor says. Sneak preview of a minute of my stand-up comedy act (it does get better later!) #OneMicStand pic.twitter.com/tgXVZEYOir — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 13, 2019 One Mic Stand features five well-known personalities...

It was a moment of victory, pride, revenge and emotional freedom when the Indian cricket team clinched the NatWest trophy in 2002. And director Abhinay Deos sports drama "Doosra -- Indias Other Freedom Struggle" brings back the memories of the victory, and aims to take the audience on an emotional journey.

Also read:?Abhinay Deo's sports drama Doosra's poster is out and it will get you thinking

The trailer, released on Friday, gives a sneak peek into the story of "Doosra...", and how the moment changed an entire generation.

It was on July 13, 2002 when the then cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and his young team won the NatWest Trophy final at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. They defeated England in the final match of the three-nation tournament.

Ganguly had waived his T-shirt at the Lord's balcony following the win -- an image which is still fresh in the minds of all the cricket lovers in India.

MollywoodDebutant director Vivek shows promise handling a script by Pf Mathews, master weaver of dark stories, but the movie lacks conviction.CrisThe place is beautiful, as most remote places seem to be. A truck rides through a long green stretch, and you watch the camera zoom out to show the place to you, moments after the eerie picture the movie began with. Shanti Krishna had walked panicking into a large house, big wooden blocks in front of it giving you the year – 1967 – nice bit of art direction and more of it will come later. The music is scary so you know something bad has happened there, and you watch Shanti jolt back four times, finding four dead people in various parts of the house. In the last room, she finds someone playing with a strip of wool, packs a suitcase and leaves the house. Athiran begins with all the necessary...

SandalwoodThe film opened to high expectations and has lived up to it.Aravind ShwethaNatasaarvabhowma is the first biggest release of this year and Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar’s fans have more than one reason to celebrate. The trailer of the film, carefully crafted with minimal dialogue, had only hinted about the supernatural element, leaving his fans waiting for more. This was the first time that Puneeth had signed a film of the horror genre and his fans were eager to see his performance on the big screen. The houseful early morning shows are a testament for that. Puneeth collaborating with hit filmmaker Pawan Wadeyar, after their previous venture Ranavikarama, had doubled the expectations from Natasaarvabhowma. The plotline begins with an interesting angle. Gagan Dixit (Puneeth Rajkumar) is an investigative journalist from Kolkata working for a daily newspaper. He comes to Bengaluru looking for a friend but settles in a haunted house,...

Anupam Kher, who we have seen essay a variety of roles took on a completely new one while he penned down a book titled, ‘The Best Thing About You Is You!’ in 2011. The seasoned actor put pen to paper to draw lessons from his personal life that could inspire his readers. His book is so successful and loved that he made it to Richtopia’s The 200 Most Influential Authors. Ranked 6th on the list, the actor-turned-author shares this mention with acclaimed writers such as J. K. Rowling, Paulo Coelho, Michael Moore, John Green and E. L. James. The list has also featured a few big names from India such as Hrh Dalai Lama, Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Tharoor.

The book was an instant bestseller as soon as it hit the shelves and has been passed on to Kher’s co-stars in the Oscar-winning, Silver Linings Playbook, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.

Being a recipient of National award and Padma Shri, Vidya Balan is known for some iconic performances in Bollywood and the actress is all set to address the alumni of Iimb (Indian Institute of Management Bengaluru) in the leadership summit to be held on December 11. Vidya will turn speaker in this event and superstar Shah Rukh Khan too will be present at the venue for the same. From what we hear, Vidya Balan will be joining Kabir Bedi during the event where she will be discussing varied subjects like leadership and creativity. Vidya too is excited about the event and is looking forward for the fun session with these young minds. Other speakers at the summit include Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Anil Kumble, Azim Premji, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw among others.

The New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff), which opens next week on May 4th, will showcase a series of special screenings of Vishal Bhardwaj’s brilliant Shakespeare Trilogy Maqbool, Omkara, and Haider. If that wasn’t cool enough, after each screening there will be a discussion with Bhardwaj, who will not only talk about the film but take the audience on journey of his career in Hindi film and music.

The first of the trilogy Maqbool (2003), starring Irfan Khan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapoor, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah was based on Macbeth, while 2006’s Omkara, based on Othello, starred Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Bipasha Basu, Naseeruddin Shah then there was his latest film, Haider, his version of Hamlet, that starred Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Shraddha Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon, Irfan Khan. Each of the epic films have received national and international acclaim as well as a huge fan following.

The Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac) continues its annual tradition with its signature program of the year and announced that the 14th Annual New York Indian Film Festival, the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America, will be held May 5 – May 10, 2014 in New York City. Nyiff will kick off its six day long festivities with a star-studded Opening Night red carpet premiere, which will take place at the Skirball Center for Performing Arts. Festival screenings, centerpiece, retrospectives and special events will take place throughout the week at the Village East Cinemas (2nd Ave @12th St NYC), with the Closing Night selection to be followed by the annual awards ceremony and after-party at Skirball Center for Performing Arts. Final film selections will be announced by early April with tickets going on sale on April 15.

This year’s festival will feature a Spotlight on British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha...

Mumbai, Jan 18: Bollywood celebrities like Asha Bhosle, Sridevi and Shabana Azmi have expressed shock and grief at the "sudden" and "unfortunate" demise of Indian Minister of State for Human Resources Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar. They remember her as an exuberant person with a zest for life.

Sunanda, who was active in social circuits, was found dead in a New Delhi hotel room Friday night.

Here's what the celebrities posted on Twitter Saturday:

Asha Bhosle: Shocked to hear news about Sunanda. Condolences to Shri. Shashi Tharoor and family of Sunanda Pushkar.

Sridevi: Saddened by the unfortunate demise of a warm, affectionate, vibrant and good soul. Rip Sunanda Pushkar.

Shabana Azmi: Deeply.

The Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac) continues its annual tradition of film excellence with its signature program of the year and announced today that the 13th Annual New York Indian Film Festival, the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America, will be held Tuesday, April 30 to Saturday, May 4 in New York City.

The New York Indian Film Festival will kick off its week-long festivities with a star-studded Opening Night red carpet premiere, which will take place at a prestigious new opening venue for the Festival, the Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

Festival screenings will take place throughout the week at Tribeca Cinemas, with the Closing Night selection to be followed by the annual awards ceremony and after-party at the Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

Nyiff’s selection committee, led by Film Festival Director and noted film journalist Aseem Chhabra, will consider submissions for narrative and documentary features and shorts.

Kolkata, Feb 2: Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor said he was worried that segments of society claimed the "right to be offended" and pointed out that the expression of heretical views was often necessary for an "evolution of culture".

"This is an era when segments of society claim the right to be offended and... it is for the rest of us to pay attention to their sense of offence. This cuts across political lines, state governments and central government, and is a nationwide phenomenon," Tharoor said at the Kolkata Literary Meet here Friday, when asked to comment on the "Viswaroopam".

The wedding reception of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor brought Aurangzeb road to a standstill, with everything being set according to the evening. The bungalow had been designed according to the Mughal theme of the reception and was full of guests. Fans were trying their best to get a peek into the celebration, but the security was tight and at least 100 police personnel had been positioned around the venue. The entire place had been decorated with mogra flowers and the stage had been designed with antique props to give it the perfect Mughal feel. The entrance had a much priced possession of the Pataudis- a royal embroidered carpet

Kareena wore a golden gharara with shades of pink designed by Manish Malhotra while Saif donned a Raghavendra Rathore creation. Sharmila Tagore was dressed in an eye catching gold sari and looked completely royal. She spoke to the media and asked them to bless the couple.

A recent survey declared Priyanka Chopra as the top most influential Indian in social media. While Priyanka Chopra tops the list, Shashi Tharoor is second while legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan comes in third reports Pinstorm India.

The list consits of 100 people ranging from Aamir Khan to Salman Khan to film critic Taran Adarsh and may more. What sets Priyanka apart is that she has one of the highest number of followers 2228363 on twitter which is more than Sachin Tendulkar.

However, this hasn't stopped the leggy damsel who has been working round the clock shooting for Krissh 3, Kunal Kohli's Teri Meri Kahaani and giving time for her endorsement commitments.

A recent survey declared Priyanka Chopra as the top most influential Indian in social media. While Priyanka Chopra tops the list , Shashi Tharoor is no 2 and Amitabh Bachchan on no 3 reports pinstorm India.

The list consits of 100 people ranging from Aamir Khan to Salman Khan to Taran Adarsh and may more  while Priyanka Chopra tops the list

Priyanka Chopra also has one of the highest number of followers 2228363 on twitter which is more than Sachin Tendulkar

Priyanka Chopra has been working round the clock shooting for Krissh 3 , ...

B town beauty Asin who has been busy juggling the promotional activities of her upcoming comic caper ‘Housefull 2’ and the shoot of Rohit Shetty’s ‘Bol Bachchan’, has added yet another feather to her cap!

News is that the actress has specially been invited by the U.S Counsel General Peter Haas to speak at the Second Annual Young Change Makers Conclave. The event which is hosted by the prestigious United Nations Information Center for India and the U.S Consulate, has previously had speakers like Mr. Shashi Tharoor grace their podium.

This is definitely a moment of pride for the actress who without any godfather has made a mark for ...

Jaipur, Jan 22: Bollywood actor Anupam Kher donned a new hat of a self-help guru with the launch of his inspirational book 'The Best Thing About You is...You' at the Dsc Jaipur Literature Festival Sunday evening.

The book, which teaches situation management, ways to tackle failure and the art of acceptance, is Kher's maiden shot at non-fiction writing based on experiences from his own life. The book was released by MP and writer Shashi Tharoor.

'What prompted me to write the book was my life. I come from a lower middle class family. My father had to feed a family of four,' Kher said, narrating anecdotes from his life.

Shimla,.

A grand premiere of Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don 2’ was held last night at PVR theatre in Juhu, a western Mumbai suburb. Shahrukh Khan looked dashing in black suit while Priyanka Chopra looked fresh in an Armani metallic jacket. Mom-to-be Lara Dutta arrived with her husband Mahesh Bhupathi. She is in her trimester and her baby bump was clearly evident in black outfit. Boman Irani and Kunal Kapoor also made appearance. Anurag Kashyap and wife Kalki Koechlin also spotted at the premiere. Genelia D’Souza was accompanied by her beau Riteish Deshmukh. Shabana Azmi arrived with Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar. Choreographer V...

Actor Deepika Padukone was announced Entertainer of the Year at D Y Patil Annual Achiever's Awards in Mumbai on Sunday night.Dr. D Y Patil Group in association with Bhamla Foundation on Sunday presented for the first time, the D Y Patil Annual Achiever's Award. The grand award function that took place at the Taj Lands End was embedded with the eminent personalities such as Shashi Tharoor, Fardeen Khan, Gopinath Munde, Jayant Patil, Harshvardhan Patil, Vasant Davkhare, Sach... Read More...

Actor Deepika Padukone was announced Entertainer of the Year at D Y Patil Annual Achiever's Awards in Mumbai on Sunday night.Dr. D Y Patil Group in association with Bhamla Foundation on Sunday presented for the first time, the D Y Patil Annual Achiever's Award. The grand award function that took place at the Taj Lands End was embedded with the eminent personalities such as Shashi Tharoor, Fardeen Khan, Gopinath Munde, Jayant Patil, Harshvardhan Patil, Vasant Davkhare, Sach...

We have heard the politicians kids entering the showbiz but politicians themselves entering films is a big news.

Remember Shashi Tharoor, the suave politician who looks a cross between a literary genius and a bollywood star not to forget his political charisma at the same time, has been approached to essay a key role by a leading production house in their upcoming film.

Our source reveals, 'Shashi Tharoor has been approached to play a key role in one of the upcoming films starring <a href=" ...

Here is an exclusive piece of news that is totally untouched, virgin and fresh. Remember Shashi Tharoor, the suave politician who looks a cross between a literary genius and a bollywood star not to forget his political charisma at the same time, has been approached to essay a key role by a leading production house in their upcoming film. Glamsham has exclusive details that the said role will be on the lines of Tharoor's earlier international assignment when he was the under sec... Read More...

Here is an exclusive piece of news that is totally untouched, virgin and fresh. Remember Shashi Tharoor, the suave politician who looks a cross between a literary genius and a bollywood star not to forget his political charisma at the same time, has been approached to essay a key role by a leading production house in their upcoming film. Glamsham has exclusive details that the said role will be on the lines of Tharoor's earlier international assignment when he was the under sec...

Beauty Queen to Twitter Queen: Priyanka Chopra

Actress Priyanka Chopra joins the elite club of celebrities such as Sachin Tendulkar with over 1 million fans on the micro-blogging site

Neither Shahrukh Khan nor Salman Khan can brag of such a feat. Actress Priyanka Chopra is now followed by more than a million fans on the micro-blogging site Twitter. The 1 million milestone was crossed on Monday morning followed by a prompt tweet from the former Miss World stating, ‘Wow! A million. Thank you so much you guys. I feel very loved today.my twitter rockstars r the best. Big smile and loads of love. Xoxo.?

Incidentaly, in a recent poll conducted by Chakpak.com, Priyanka Chopra was voted the second most serached celebrity (female) on the internet. Chopra came a close second to Sheila Ki Jawaani star Katrina Kaif.

Priyanka (28) currently has 1,003,194 followers. She behind politician Shashi Tharoor by only 2434 fans. The...

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is quite up the popularity list these days. The actress is winning accolades left right and center not only for her stellar performance in the recently released flick No One Killed Jessica, but also is high on the list of the hottest vegan celebrities.Vidya Balan, who is known for her food fetish is actually a pure vegan and she has topped the list with the former union minister of state for External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor.s name too featuring alongside hers in the list.Vidya ,who looks too hot to handle despite being the target for her dressing sense sometime ago has certainly scaled heights and proved to her detractors that she is one of the most good looking people around tinsel town and along with that she houses a beautiful heart within that looks with kindness to animals.However, the title hottest vegan won...

Member of Parliament and writer Shashi Tharoor on Sunday hit out at Arundhati Roy at the Hay Festival here, saying the Booker prize winner-activist has "gone too far to the left" and "unfortunately chooses to write about those who carry guns". "Arundhati Roy has gone far too to the left like (writer-thinker) Christopher Hitchens, who has gone far too right. Arundhati Roy unfortunately chooses to write about those who carry with guns - it is sad for those at the receiving end of the guns. By writing about Gandhians with guns, she loses a large number of people. A large number ...

September 9, 2010: The renowned political figure of India, Shashi Tharoor has a long Bollywood connection. Tharoor wrote a tell-all novel on Bollywood, which is titled ‘Show Business’. It was written by him almost 18 years back, when he was a practicing author. Tharoor planned to expose a lot of secrets of the industry.

Now, the latest buzz is that Tharoor’s 17-year-old son stepson Shiv, from his third wife Sunanda Pushkar, has Bollywood dreams. Shiv’s father Sujith Menon died in a road accident. He was an entrepreneur in Kerala.

The young chap has got himself admitted at veteran.