As India witnesses a rapid spike in the number of coronavirus cases, Kannada actor Arjun Gowda has come forward to do some humanitarian work. He is currently working as an ambulance driver to help the COVID-19 patients in Karnataka’s Bengaluru city. At a time, when many actors have stepped up and volunteered to contribute towards COVID-19 relief, Gowda is winning hearts on social media with this gesture.
He has launched his own ambulance service, called Project Smile Trust, to help coronavirus patients reach hospitals. Not just that, he also helps in carrying out the final rites of those who have lost their lives to the virus.
During a recent interview with Bangalore Times, the actor shared the main reason behind this drive. "I've been on the road for a couple of days and I've already helped out around half a dozen people with assistance for final rites. We want to ensure that we help out anyone in need irrespective of where they come from or what religion they practice,” he said.
Gowda also shared a snippet of the news article on his social media handle saying he has taken all necessary precautions and training for the job. He feels overwhelmed with all the wishes pouring in for him.
“It's my commitment and my honour to serve and work for the people of Karnataka," he added.
Gowda is best-known for his work in movies like Yuvarathnaa, Odeya, Rustum, Aa Drushya, and many more.
So far, celebs like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sonu Sood, John Abraham, SS Rajamouli, Taapsee Pannu among others have been actively taking part in coronavirus-related SOS requests on social media.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2PDcod8
Allie Fox, the escapee from society at the heart of The Mosquito Coast, is no fan of any technology he didn’t invent. So it’s kind of a kick to talk to Paul and Justin Theroux on Zoom, a video chatting app that Allie would abhor as intrusive.
Paul wrote the novel The Mosquito Coast, originally published in 1981. His nephew Justin plays Allie in the new Apple TV+ adaptation, premiering 30 April. (Both men are executive producers). Paul, also one of the world’s foremost travel writers, was working in Hawaii when we spoke earlier this month (“I can see the Pacific Ocean from my window,” he said); Justin was at home in New York. Both were eager to discuss this unique familial collaboration, the story of a disillusioned, egomaniacal white patriarch and his family who must flee the United States.
“Nepotism had nothing to do with this,” Paul said. “This was all a happy accident, but it’s great. I’ve made a number of films of my books, but I’ve never talked to an actor in such a friendly, intimate way.”
Among the other topics on the table when we spoke: the significant differences between the novel, which also inspired a faithful 1986 movie starring Harrison Ford, and the series. In the book, Allie, an inventor thoroughly sick of modern life and convinced the next world war is imminent, uproots his family from Massachusetts to Honduras, where he tries to create a self-styled utopia. Hostile missionaries and other obstacles, including his own delusions, stand in his way.
Some of that could still happen in later seasons of the series. (Only one has been greenlighted thus far.) But for now, Allie and his family, which now includes a teen daughter (Logan Polish), are running from the law for mysterious reasons. They execute a reverse (and bloody) border crossing to Mexico, where they stumble into a fine mess with a cartel lord.
The first season is a tightly plotted suspense thriller and family drama with philosophical heft. Through the course of seven hour-long episodes, it’s also a great example of how to adapt the written word for the screen.
“Hopefully, knock on wood, in subsequent seasons we’ll be getting more into the core themes of the book,” Justin said.
From their perches on opposite ends of the country, uncle and nephew also discussed the familial and political roots of Mosquito Coast, the similarities between yesterday and today and the pleasures of portraying a man who is unflagging in his dangerous convictions. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
It’s been 40 years since The Mosquito Coast was published. What inspired it?
Paul Theroux: It was the times, particularly the late ’70s. Japan was flooding the U.S. market with cars and electronic goods. And bank interest rates were at 18 percent. People were blaming the government. I was also thinking about Huckleberry Finn’s father, and Jim Jones, and [the founder of Mormonism] Joseph Smith. I wanted to think of the personification of someone who wanted to leave the country and take his family with him and say: “This isn’t the country I grew up in. It’s gone wrong. Let’s go someplace.”
Justin, can you remember the first time you read the book?
Justin Theroux: I actually have a vivid memory of reading it on a bus going to and from school, when I was living in Washington, DC I think it was a couple of years above my pay grade when it came out. I probably read it four years later, and it made a big impression on me, especially the character of the son, Charlie, who is the narrator and the POV. I loved it. Then, once the movie came out, me and my brothers and sisters and cousins were all kind of enamoured with the fact that Harrison Ford was going to be doing a movie of it.
Paul Theroux: This was the first book of mine that my kids could actually connect with. My sons, Louis and Marcel, were 11 and 13. Justin was 10, so he was in the same sort of family milieu. I deliberately made the kids in the book the age of my kids so that they could read it and relate to it.
In the series, the law is coming for the Fox family, though we’re not sure why. In the novel, they leave of their own volition.What was the idea behind that change?
Justin Theroux: I think there were certain decisions that Neil Cross [the series’ creator] had to make when faced with serialising it. The characters are largely the same but updated and built out a little bit. But when you have that much runway in front of you — it could be two, three, four seasons or more — Neil, I think, smartly made some changes. So the law is now the propellant that forces them out of the country, as opposed to Allie’s own free will and wanderlust.
Neil was very clear from the beginning: The movie’s obviously been made, and to do a faithful retelling of it in the serialised version would feel like we were maybe eating someone else’s sandwich. But the one thing we had very sharp elbows about was protecting the character of Allie and his philosophy on life and those sorts of things.
Paul Theroux: The idea of being pursued is terrific for a series. In a movie, it’s different. I think that series are truer to books than films are. A film becomes something else, but a series is like … do you know what a Victorian three-decker novel is? Well, novels used to be trilogies. So when Charles Dickens was writing David Copperfield, it was two or three books. It wasn’t just one.
A TV series is a very literary form because it’s in parts: Part 1, then Part 2, then Part 3, Part 4. A film isn’t. A film encapsulates and leaves a lot out, but the detail that you find in a novel can be elaborated on in a series. That’s the pleasure, actually, of a series.
Justin, what drew you to Allie as a character?
Justin Theroux: There’s a complexity to the character, but he doesn’t overcomplicate things for himself because he’s obviously married to his convictions. I really like that. I thought it was going to be hard to play. But when you’re playing someone who’s that shiny a penny in his own mind, and that convinced of his own correctness, then it’s liberating. Your whole body opens up, and you think, “Oh, this is really fun.”
He can be by turns extremely charming and funny, but also infuriating. I was thinking of The Great Santini, or that kind of classic antihero. He’s not square-jawed and leaning into the wind and can solve any problem that way. He’s deeply flawed, but I just found him really enjoyable.
Paul, can you see similarities between the time the novel was written and today?
Paul Theroux: I truly believe that today is a distant echo of the late ’70s. The economy is in the toilet. With the pandemic, there’s also no shortage of people who are saying, “I’d like to leave.” I mean, you probably know them. They’re saying: “I’d like to go to Mexico. I’d like to go to New Zealand. I want to go to Canada. I’d like to go somewhere else.” It’s amazing.
People want to go do what Allie Fox did. Allie Fox says, “I’m taking the best of America with me, and we’re going to remake America somewhere else.” There are plenty of people now saying that very thing. Trust in the government is at an all-time low. So Allie has to leave, in the series, because the government is after him. But he’s the sort of person that would want to go. And he goes to Mexico, which is terrific. I like the idea that he’s crossing the border the other way.
What keeps us from hating Allie, with all of his character flaws?
Paul Theroux: As a can-do guy, and as an optimist, Allie inspires people to come with him. No one’s going to follow him if he’s downbeat. Justin has that to a T. It’s impressive that he brings his family with him, and that they’re on his side.
Justin Theroux: He’s also not a liar, so he’s not a bastard in that sense. He might commit sins of omission, or he might make a promise that looks very different from what it ends up being. But he’s true to his word.
Chris Vognar c.2021 The New York Times Company
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2PIhfdc
Actor R Madhavan, who has been amplifying requests seeking COVID-19 related resources, has warned his fans and followers against fraud. The actor shared information alleging fraud by a Remdesivir seller. The photo tweeted by the actor mentioned the name of a seller Ajay Aggarwal and his contact number. It said that the person takes Rs 3,000 in advance from people to supply a vial of Remdesivir anywhere in the country. However, once the payment gets done, the seller does not pick calls.
Warning people of fraud, Madhavan asked his Twitter followers to be aware. Speaking about the person allegedly committing fraud, the 50-year-old actor added that there are devils amongst us too.
Many actors, social media influencers, and public figures are amplifying SOS requests related to COVID-19. The request ranges from oxygen cylinders, ICU beds, medicines, ventilators to plasma.
Like many others, Madhavan, who has 2.8 million followers, is using his social media clout to help people find information regarding the required resource.
Last month, the actor had tested positive for coronavirus after his 3 Idiots co-star Aamir Khan who had also contracted the virus.
When he tested positive, Madhavan tweeted a joke with a poster of 3 Idiots featuring Aamir and himself. He said that ‘Virus’ has always been after Rancho and Farhan (their characters from the film) but this time, it caught up with them. He was referring to the coronavirus and Virus — Boman Irani’s character in the film.
Madhavan added that this is the one place where they do not want Raju (played by Sharman Joshi) to join them. He had informed everyone that he was recovering well.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3eIZ4wk
उन्होंने कहा कि पिछले दस दिनों में मैंने कई भयावह दृश्यों को देखा है। मैंने ऐसी हालत कभी नहीं देखी थी। मैंने छोटी लड़कियों को अपने पिता के शरीर को अंतिम संस्कार के लिए ले जाते देखा है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/2Rg5MC5
देश में कोविड की जरूरी दवाइयों की भारी कमी हो रही है और वैक्सीन की कमी की ख़बरें भी आ रही हैं। इसी मुद्दे पर डिबेट के दौरान बीजेपी प्रवक्ता जफर इस्लाम और कांग्रेस प्रवक्ता आलोक शर्मा के बीच तीखी बहस हो गई।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/335DQn6
In a homage to Satyajit Ray, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Friday, announced that it will organise year-long celebrations across India and abroad to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary filmmaker.
Satyaji Ray (2 May, 1921- 23 April, 1992) was a renowned filmmaker, writer, illustrator, graphic designer and music composer.
He started his career in advertising and found inspiration for his first film, Pather Panchali, while illustrating the children's version of the novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.
The film catapulted him into international fame. Ray went on to make other great films such as Charulata, Agantuk and Nayak, an I&B Ministry statement said.
Ray was also a prolific writer, making the famous sleuth Feluda and scientist Professor Shonku, a popular part of Bengali Literature. The government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, in 1992.
In homage to the legendary filmmaker, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will organise year-long birth centenary celebrations across India and abroad.
As part of the celebrations, the media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting - Directorate of Film Festivals, Films Division, NFDC, NFAI, and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata - are planning a series of activities.
Other ministries and departments including the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Culture will also be playing an active part in organizing events, the statement said.
However, in view of the pandemic situation, the celebrations will be held in hybrid mode, digital and physical both, during the year, it said.
In recognition of his legacy, ''Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema'' has been instituted from this year to be given at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) every year starting from this year.
The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a certificate, shawl, along with a Silver Peacock medal and a Scroll.
As part of the celebrations, the Directorate of Film Festivals, the Films Division and the Ministry of External Affairs will be organising Satyajit Ray Film Festivals in India, and abroad through Indian missions, where films and documentaries by and on Satyajit Ray will be showcased.
A special retrospective and screening of Ray's films are being planned at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, the ministry said.
The Directorate of Films Festivals will also be organising a special retrospective at the IFFI, 2021.
The retrospective will be travelling to prominent international and national film festivals.
The Films Division will be creating a dedicated Satyajit Ray section at the National Museum of Indian Cinema, Mumbai.
This section, which would also travel to different museums in the country over the year, would host memorabilia from Ray's life in both physical and interactive digital versions, including the best shots from his films, interviews etc.
The National Film Archives of India (NFAI) will do restoration and digitization of all the available films and publicity material of Ray, the ministry said. It will also organise a virtual exhibition of the posters of his films.
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) will organize a film festival on its OTT platform, cinemas of India, showcasing five of the maestro's films.
The SRFTI, Kolkata will be unveiling a statue of Satyajit Ray on its campus.
To promote understanding of the filmmaker's genius, a course on his work will also be taught at the Institute.
A package of Ray's works for children that can be given to schools is also being developed, the ministry said.
Inter-college competitions on themes from Ray's films will also be organised amongst film schools, it said.
The Ministry of Culture will be organising cultural activities and showcasing the various perspectives of Ray's personality and works in arts and literature.
To oversee the activities, an implementation committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary (I&B) has been set up. The committee includes senior Filmmaker Dhritiman Chaterji as the nominated member, and other senior officials of the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Culture and External Affairs.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3tdmxuF
The big flashy red carpet has made its return to New York City — albeit in a massive socially distant manner — with the premiere of the third and final season of the FX series, Pose.
Series co-creator Ryan Murphy considers the energy of his inclusive cast perfect for celebrating a return to normalcy after a devastating pandemic shut the city down for more than a year, but that’s not the only reason.
Murphy calls the series — which resumes Sunday — a “love letter to so many things.”
He said the New York-based show on the underground ballroom dance scene represents one of his proudest accomplishments because it boasts the biggest LGBTQ cast in history.
“Pose to me was a very personal show, for one, because when I started off in my career in 1997, ’98, I was not even allowed to have a single gay character because the networks were so afraid of that at the time,” Murphy said.
Since that time, Murphy has created award-winning television series that include Glee, American Horror Story, and Hollywood But it’s Pose that stands out.
“I’m very proud of the legacy of the show, which in many ways is more important than the show itself, I think. But I love it. It’s one of the things that I’m the most proud that I’ve ever done,” Murphy said.
The event Thursday was held indoors at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center. There were plastic barriers between photographers and the stars and reporters were kept 4 feet apart.
Billy Porter, who won an Emmy for his role as Pray Tell on the series was thrilled to celebrate the final season in “normal” fashion after being “locked up for a long time” due to the pandemic.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and maybe we can all breathe again. And I hope that we all come out of this a little bit different,” Porter said before heading into the screening.
He added: “I hope we’ve learned something, and we could be a little different.”
“Pose tells the story of the city’s underground ball culture, with the first season taking place in the mid-1980s, and the second in 1990. In the final season, it’s 1994 and the AIDS epidemic is taking its toll on the community.
In addition to its inclusivity with actors of colour and the LBGTQ community, ’Pose also features the largest cast of transgender actors as series regulars, including Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Hailie Sahar and Indya Moore.
Moore, who is transgender and non-binary, struggled as a teen with unsupportive parents forcing, they to leave home at 14 to live in the foster system.
So, a show that prominently features trans characters brings tears to Moore’s eyes.
“I don’t have any words,” Moore said. “I think that the size of what this means to me, I just can’t get it out into words.”
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2QOJB5Q
COVID-19 Vaccination for 18+, Coronavirus Vaccine India Latest News Updates: देश के कई राज्यों ने टीके के अभाव के कारण अपने हाथ खड़े कर दिए हैं। असमर्थता जताए जाने के बीच केंद्र ने शुक्रवार को कहा कि कुछ राज्य जिन्होंने पहले ही उत्पादकों से समन्वय किया था वो निर्धारित तिथि पर अभियान शुरू करेंगे।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3eJ740f
सीएमआइई की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, अभी समस्या व्यापार, कारोबार, उत्पादन की गति को बनाए रखने की है। झारखंड, तेलंगाना, राजस्थान, तमिलनाडु, पंजाब में पूर्णबंदी की घोषणा हो चुकी है। कई राज्य रात्रि कर्फ्यू या ऐसे ही प्रतिबंध लगा चुके हैं। प्रतिबंधों से कारोबार में बाधा पहुंच रही है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3gXa5gf
वीडियो कॉफ्रेंस के जरिए हुई सुनवाई के दौरान एक वकील ने कहा कि एक व्यक्ति को नोएडा के अस्पताल में दाखिला देने से इसलिए इनकार कर दिया गया क्योंकि उसके आधार कार्ड पर मुंबई का पता था।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3t951HW
महाराष्ट्र में सबसे अधिक कोरोना के नए मामले दर्ज किए गए। महाराष्ट्र स्वास्थ्य विभाग की ओर से जारी आंकड़ों के मुताबिक राज्य में शुक्रवार को कोरोना के 62,919 नए मामले दर्ज किए गए। वहीं इस अवधि में 828 लोगों की मौत हुई।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3vwjiA5
एनसीआर में नोएडा, ग्रेटर नोएडा स्थित दर्जनों बिल्डर परियोजनाओं के कार्यालय पिछले करीब एक महीने से तकरीबन बंद पड़े हैं। कोरोना के खौफ के चलते खरीदार आ नहीं रहे हैं। निर्माण स्थलों पर बचे मजदूर काम करने को तैयार नहीं हैं और इएमआइ भुगतान में लगातार गिरावट आ रही है।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3uaqgdQ
Game of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco sued Marilyn Manson on Friday, alleging sexual, physical and emotional abuse.
In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Bianco says that Manson violated human trafficking law by bringing her to California from England under false pretences of roles in music videos and movies that never materialised.
An email seeking comment from an attorney who has previously represented Manson was not immediately returned. Manson said earlier this year that all of his intimate relationships have been entirely consensual.
The lawsuit alleges that in 2009, Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, flew Bianco to Los Angeles to shoot a video for the song, “I want to kill you like they do in the movies.”
The suit says that Bianco was expected to stay at Manson’s home instead of the hotel where she had been booked, and there was no crew, only Manson himself shooting with a phone.
Manson deprived Bianco of food and sleep though gave her alcohol and drugs, locked her in a bedroom, whipped her, gave her electric shocks, tried to force her to have sex with another woman and threatened to enter her room and rape her during the night, the suit alleges. No video was ever released.
The two began a long-distance relationship later that year, the suit says.
Manson again brought Bianco to Los Angeles in 2011, ostensibly to appear in his feature film Phantasmagoria, though that project also never materialised.
During that visit, Manson would not allow Bianco to leave home without his permission, chased her around their apartment with an axe, cut her with a “Nazi knife” without her consent and photographed the cuts and posted the pictures online, also without her consent, the lawsuit alleges.
“It took Ms Bianco years to understand the extent of Mr Warner’s physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse. Her career suffered due to the deterioration of her mental health,” the suit says. “She deals with complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks to this day as a result.”
The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Bianco said in a statement that she is coming forward publicly to air her allegations with hopes that others will do the same.
The lawsuit said that at the time, Bianco feared for her safety if she didn’t comply with Manson’s demands, and did not go to authorities. But her attorney Jay D Ellwanger said she has now come forward and spoken to the FBI and local law enforcement.
Bianco first aired many of the allegations in February. She was one of several women who spoke out after actor Evan Rachel Wood said on social media that Manson sexually, physically and emotionally abused her during their relationship. Manson’s record label and agents dropped him at the time.
In response to the allegations in February, Manson wrote on Instagram that “these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth.”
Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives also said in February that they were investigating domestic violence allegations against Manson dating from 2009 to 2011 in West Hollywood. They did not identify the woman who made the report.
Bianco played Ros in the first three seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3xwDCTQ
The Grammy Awards have changed its tune and voted to remove its anonymous nomination review committees — groups that determined the contenders for key awards at the coveted music show.
The Recording Academy made the announcement Friday after the board of trustees met and approved the change. The decision came hours after The Associated Press reported that the academy was planning to discuss its nomination review committees and whether it was time to eliminate them.
“It’s been a year of unprecedented, transformational change for the Recording Academy, and I’m immensely proud to be able to continue our journey of growth with these latest updates to our awards process,” Harvey Mason Jr., the academy’s interim president and CEO, said in a statement Friday.
“This is a new Academy, one that is driven to action and that has doubled down on the commitment to meeting the needs of the music community. While change and progress are key drivers of our actions, one thing will always remain — the Grammy Award is the only peer-driven and peer-voted recognition in music,” he continued. “We are honoured to work alongside the music community year-round to further refine and protect the integrity of the awards process.”
The major change comes months after The Weeknd blasted the Grammys and called them “corrupt” after he earned zero nominations for the 2021 show despite having the year’s biggest single with 'Blinding Lights.'Nominees will now be based purely on votes made by the academy’s 11,000+ voting members, and the academy said that “more than 90 percent of its members will have gone through the requalification process by the end of this year, ensuring that the voting body is actively engaged in music creation.”
For the Grammys’ top four awards — album, song and record of the year, along with best new artist — a nomination review committee of at least 20 music generalists in past years selected the top eight nominees from those voted into the top 20.
The majority of the 80-plus Grammy categories were voted by nomination review committees, which were intended to safeguard a specific genre’s integrity and to serve as additional checks and balances. While nominees for some categories like best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance were based purely on votes, a number of genre categories had nomination review committees. Those included the rap, rock, R&B, country, dance/electronic music, American Roots, Latin, jazz and gospel/Christian music fields. Nomination review committees for those groups consisted of 13 to 17 voting members who selected five nominees from the top 15.
But questions have loomed for years around the nominations process with music industry players calling for more transparency because the selection of finalists happens behind closed doors. Others have claimed that members of key nominating committees promote projects they worked on or projects they favour based on personal relationships.
Last year the academy announced that musicians invited to participate in a nomination review committee would have to agree to the terms of a conflict of interest disclosure form and reveal if they would benefit from an artist’s nomination for that category, whether the ties are financial, familial or creative.
That seemed like a response to former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan, who was fired only months into her job and days before the 2020 Grammys. Dugan had said the awards show was rigged and muddled with conflicts of interest.
Doubts about the Grammys voting process reached greater heights when The Weeknd — who topped the charts with “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless,” launched an uber-successful album with “After Hours” and even performed at the Super Bowl — was severely snubbed at this year’s show, held last month. The Grammys contrasted most of the other music awards shows, where The Weeknd was a key nominee (he earned 16 Billboard Music Award nominations Thursday), and he vowed to boycott the show.
Change has been a centre of conversation at the Grammys for years. The organisation has been criticized over the lack of diversity in its top prizes, which rarely go to rap and contemporary R&B stars, including heavyweights like Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Drake, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey and John Legend. While those acts have won in the rap and R&B categories, when it comes to major prizes such as album, song and record of the year, the winners tend to be in the pop, rock, jazz or country genres. The organisation has also been targeted for its lack of female winners in the top categories.
While there is some negativity linked to nomination review committees, some members preferred them so they can protect who is allowed to be part of a specific genre. For instance, the rap field at the Grammys added a nomination review committee three years after Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won three rap Grammys in 2014 over Kendrick Lamar, a decision that was heavily criticised by the music community and public, and even Macklemore himself.
Other changes announced Friday include limiting how many genre categories voters can vote in, which has been reduced from 15 to 10. The academy said that “those 10 categories must be within no more than three (genre) fields.” All voters can vote for the top four awards.
The academy also introduced two new awards, bringing its total to 86: best global music performance and best música urbana album.
The 64th annual Grammy Awards will air live on 31 January, 2022. Nominees will be announced later this year, and eligible songs and albums must be released between 1 September 2020 and 30 September, 2021.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/2PEkH8F
As the pandemic reaches its worst in India, stepping out becomes more difficult. During such times, online digital content comes in as one of the few saviours. From Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, here are all the titles that the audience can expect to watch in May:
Netflix
Monster – 7 May
Released at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago, Monster adapts Walter Dean Myers’ novel about a 17-year-old honour student in the US, who suddenly faces charges of felony murder. The legal drama also stars Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Jupiter's Legacy- 7 May
Jupiter's Legacy is a multi-generational drama that will follow millennial superheroes struggling to live up to their superhero parents' achievements over the course of eight episodes. American Jesus will be a Spanish-English show about a 12-year old boy who realises he is Jesus Christ and his powers to turn water into and perhaps even bring the dead back to life.
Milestone – 7 May
Directed by Ivan Ayr (of Soni-fame), and starring Lakshvir Saran and Suvinder Vicky, Milestone (Meel Patthar) follows the journey of a trucker trying to reconcile with a jobless future only moments after losing his most beloved person.
Oxygen- 12 May
Netflix’s French survival thriller Oxygen's story centres on a young woman who wakes up in a medical cryo unit. She doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up sequestered in a box no larger than a coffin. As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare.
Cinema Bandi- 14 May
Raj and DK's heartwarming slice-of-life Telugu narrative follows an autorickshaw driver as he goes about his small village trying to shoot a film with the camera he got hold of accidentally.
Haunted (Season 3) – 14 May
Netflix returns with one of its most popular horror series based on people’s real-life experiences with the supernatural — ghosts, poltergeists, monsters, what have you.
Love, Death + Robots (Season 2) – 14 May
The second season of Love, Death + Robots sees Jennifer Yuh Nelson joining as supervising director, overseeing all episodes. She previously directed multiple episodes of Spawn, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3, and the live-action feature The Darkest Minds.
The first season of Love, Death and Robots was a collection of animated short stories spanning several genres, including science-fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. Each episode runs from six to seventeen minutes in length, and hails from different writers, directors, and animation studios.
Love, Death + Robots is executive produced by David Fincher, Tim Miller, Jennifer Miller, and Josh Donen.
The Woman in the Window – 14 May
The Woman in the Window will see Amy Adams in the lead. The film is based on AJ Finn's bestselling novel of the same name, which debuted at No 1 on TheNew York Times bestseller list, and remains the biggest-selling adult fiction title of 2018. It is directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay written by Tracy Letts (best known for writing August: Osage County). Scott Rudin and Eli Bush are producing the project.
Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, and Brian Tyree Henry also feature in supporting roles.
Sardar Ka Grandson – 18 May
In Sardar Ka Grandson, Arjun Kapoor plays a US-returned grandson who will go to any length to fulfil the last wish of Sardar (Neena Gupta), the family matriarch. Described as a coming-of-age cross-border romance, the story has been penned by Anuja Chauhan and director Kaashvie Nair with dialogues by Amitosh Nagpal.
Sardaar Ka Grandson also features Rakul Preet Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, John Abraham, Soni Razdan, Kanwaljit Singh, and Kumud Mishra. It is co-produced by Abraham's JA Entertainment, Nikkhil Advani's Emmay Entertainment, and Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar's T-Series Films.
Army of the Dead – 21 May
A zombie heist movie by Zack Snyder, Army of the Dead features Dave Bautista, Garret Dillahunt, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Raul Castillo, Tig Notaro, Theo Rossi, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighofer, and Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi.
The film follows a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, when a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Blue Miracle – 27 May
Netflix’s upcoming life-affirming drama follows the story of a Mexican orphanage struggling to survive in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile that occurred in 2014.
Directed by Julio Quintana, the film was acquired by Netflix in February. It stars Dennis Quad in the lead.
The Kominsky Method (Season 3) – 28 May
While season 2 pumped it up with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin’s comic timing, the third and final season of Chuck Lorre’s comedy series will not see Arkin’s return.
Amazon Prime Video
The Underground Railroad - 14 May
The Underground Railroad is director Barry Jenkins’ limited series set in the Civil War era. Based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Underground Railroad is a fictional tale of Cora and Caesar, two slaves in the south-eastern US, who plan to escape from the Georgia plantation by following the Underground Railroad. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W Dillon, and Joel Edgerton are part of the cast.
Toofan - 21 May
Directed by Rang De Basanti-fame Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Toofan is a sports drama which stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role. Akhtar, who plays a professional boxer in the film, is joined by Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, and Hussain Dalal in supporting roles.
Amazon announcedP!NK: All I Know So Far, an upcoming documentary about pop star P!NK, in March.
The film shows P!NK as she embarks on her 2019 Beautiful Trauma world tour, all while trying to balance being a mom, a wife, a boss, and a performer. Mixing footage from the road, behind-the-scenes interviews, and personal material, director Michael Gracey gives audiences a glimpse of the music star's life.
The documentary has been produced by Gracey and Isabella Parish in conjunction with Luminaries, Silent House, and Lefty Paw Print.
Solos - 25 May
Amazon Prime’s anthology series Solos features Academy Award-winning actors Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, and Helen Mirren.
The series, created by David Weil, also features actors Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu.
The seven-part anthology series explores the strange, beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious, wondrous truths of what it means to be human. "The series spans present and future, and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments, we are all connected through the human experience," the streamer said in a release.
Solos is executive produced by Weil and Laura Lancaster with Pixie Wespiser serving as a producer.
Weil makes his directorial debut, helming three episodes. Sam Taylor-Johnson directs and executive produces two episodes. Additional directors include Zach Braff and Tiffany Johnson.
Disney + Hotstar
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - 3 May
Star Wars: The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War.
Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
Pose (season 3) - 3 May
The FX series follows the New York drag ball culture among LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming Black and Latino communities. The third and final season will drop on 3 May.
Disney+ Hotstar Quix- 7 May
Disney+ Hotstar is launching a lineup of short-format titles starring the likes of Mandira Bedi, Vidya Malavade, Poonam Dhillon and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Since these will be mini-episodes, the channel is launching it under the umbrella of Disney+ Hotstar Quix.
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele - 9 May
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele features Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan. The show follows two friends who set out on an adventure of a lifetime and discover something beautiful.
Oslo- TBA
Adapted from the Tony Award-winning play of the same name, Oslo is based on a true story of negotiations between implacable enemies that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.
Starring Golden Globe-winner Ruth Wilson (HBO’s His Dark Materials, Mrs. Wilson) as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister, and Emmy-nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Black Mirror) as Terje Rød-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband, the film details the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple.
Apple TV+
Mythic QuestSeason 2 – 7 May
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet follows one of the most globally popular multiplayer video games. The narrative of the second season involves the team’s efforts in expanding the universe based on the success of Raven Banquet. Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, F Murray Abraham, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Jessie Ennis, and Danny Pudi return for this season as well.
The series is created by McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz. The first two episodes are scheduled to premiere on 7 May, with new episodes releasing weekly.
MXPlayer
Ramyug – 6 May
MXPlayer announced their new series Ramyug in April, directed by Hum Tum-fame Kunal Kohli.
The series "celebrates the life and journey of Rama, prince of Ayodhya and his righteous rule (Ram-raj) that inaugurated a golden age for all mankind." The majestic series sees an ensemble cast of Diganth Manchale, Akkshay Dogra, Aishwarya Ojha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vivan Bhatena, Navdeep Pallapolu, Anish John Kokken, Shishir Mohan Sharma, Jatin Sial, Shweta Gulati, Suparna Marwah, Mamta Verma, Tisca Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Anup Soni, Vikram Singh Chauhan, Hemant Kumar Pandey, Arun Singh, Ravi Jhankal, Shaan Grover, Amit Madan Gaur, Teena Singh, and Danish Akhtar in pivotal roles.
MUBI
Mr Jones – 7 May
This biographical thriller by Agnieszka Holland loosely tells the story of Gareth Jones, a journalist from Wales, who uncovered the truth about the Holodomor, the devastating famine in Ukraine in which millions died. In March 1933, Gareth Jones takes a train from Moscow to Kharkov in Ukraine.
He disembarks at a small station and sets off on foot on a journey through the country where he experiences at first hand the horrors of famine. Everywhere there are dead people, and everywhere he goes he meets henchmen of the Soviet secret service, who are determined to prevent news about the catastrophe from getting out to the general public.
Stalin’s forced collectivisation of agriculture has resulted in misery and ruin; the policy is tantamount to mass murder. Supported by Ada Brooks, a New York Times reporter, Jones succeeds in spreading the shocking news in the West, thereby putting his powerful rival, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, pro-Stalin journalist Walter Duranty, firmly in his place.
ZEEPlex
Radhe – 13 May
Salman Khan's Radhe will simultaneously release in cinemas and on a pay-per-view basis on ZEEPlex on 13 May. The film will also be available on DTH operators such as Dish, D2H, Tata Sky, and Airtel Digital TV.
The action drama was scheduled to hit screens during Eid on 22 May last year but was delayed due to the pandemic-mandated shutdown. In January, the makers confirmed that Radhe will be out in theatres.
Radhe will also open in theatres worldwide, adhering to the COVID-19 protocol issued by the respective governments.
Sony LIV
Maharani- TBA
Huma Qureshi features in Subhash Kapoor's political thriller Maharani. The actress plays Rani Bharati, the Chief Minister's wife, embroiled in a sudden turn of events after her husband announces an unexpected candidate as his successor.
Directed by Karan Sharma, the series also stars Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Kani Kusruti, and Vineet Kumar among others.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3nAJRlb
As the pandemic reaches its worst in India, stepping out becomes more difficult. During such times, online digital content comes in as one of the few saviours. From Netflix to Amazon Prime Video, here are all the titles that the audience can expect to watch in May:
Netflix
Monster – 7 May
Released at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago, Monster adapts Walter Dean Myers’ novel about a 17-year-old honour student in the US, who suddenly faces charges of felony murder. The legal drama also stars Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Milestone – 7 May
Directed by Ivan Ayr (of Soni-fame), and starring Lakshvir Saran and Suvinder Vicky, Milestone (Meel Patthar) follows the journey of a trucker trying to reconcile with a jobless future only moments after losing his most beloved person.
Haunted (Season 3) – 14 May
Netflix returns with one of its most popular horror series based on people’s real-life experiences with the supernatural — ghosts, poltergeists, monsters, what have you.
Love, Death + Robots (Season 2) – 14 May
The second season of Love, Death + Robots sees Jennifer Yuh Nelson joining as supervising director, overseeing all episodes. She previously directed multiple episodes of Spawn, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3, and the live-action feature The Darkest Minds.
The first season of Love, Death and Robots was a collection of animated short stories spanning several genres, including science-fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. Each episode runs from six to seventeen minutes in length, and hails from different writers, directors, and animation studios.
Love, Death + Robots is executive produced by David Fincher, Tim Miller, Jennifer Miller, and Josh Donen.
The Woman in the Window – 14 May
The Woman in the Window will see Amy Adams in the lead. The film is based on AJ Finn's bestselling novel of the same name, which debuted at No 1 on TheNew York Times bestseller list, and remains the biggest-selling adult fiction title of 2018. It is directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay written by Tracy Letts (best known for writing August: Osage County). Scott Rudin and Eli Bush are producing the project.
Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, and Brian Tyree Henry also feature in supporting roles.
Sardar Ka Grandson – 18 May
In Sardar Ka Grandson, Arjun Kapoor plays a US-returned grandson who will go to any length to fulfil the last wish of Sardar (Neena Gupta), the family matriarch. Described as a coming-of-age cross-border romance, the story has been penned by Anuja Chauhan and director Kaashvie Nair with dialogues by Amitosh Nagpal.
Sardaar Ka Grandson also features Rakul Preet Singh, Aditi Rao Hydari, John Abraham, Soni Razdan, Kanwaljit Singh, and Kumud Mishra. It is co-produced by Abraham's JA Entertainment, Nikkhil Advani's Emmay Entertainment, and Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar's T-Series Films.
Army of the Dead – 21 May
A zombie heist movie by Zack Snyder, Army of the Dead features Dave Bautista, Garret Dillahunt, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Raul Castillo, Tig Notaro, Theo Rossi, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighofer, and Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi.
The film follows a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, when a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.
Blue Miracle – 27 May
Netflix’s upcoming life-affirming drama follows the story of a Mexican orphanage struggling to survive in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile that occurred in 2014.
Directed by Julio Quintana, the film was acquired by Netflix in February. It stars Dennis Quad in the lead.
The Kominsky Method (Season 3) – 28 May
While season 2 pumped it up with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin’s comic timing, the third and final season of Chuck Lorre’s comedy series will not see Arkin’s return.
Amazon Prime Video
The Underground Railroad - 14 May
The Underground Railroad is director Barry Jenkins’ limited series set in the Civil War era. Based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Underground Railroad is a fictional tale of Cora and Caesar, two slaves in the south-eastern US, who plan to escape from the Georgia plantation by following the Underground Railroad. Thuso Mbedu, Chase W Dillon, and Joel Edgerton are part of the cast.
Toofan - 21 May
Directed by Rang De Basanti-fame Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Toofan is a sports drama which stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role. Akhtar, who plays a professional boxer in the film, is joined by Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, and Hussain Dalal in supporting roles.
Amazon announcedP!NK: All I Know So Far, an upcoming documentary about pop star P!NK, in March.
The film shows P!NK as she embarks on her 2019 Beautiful Trauma world tour, all while trying to balance being a mom, a wife, a boss, and a performer. Mixing footage from the road, behind-the-scenes interviews, and personal material, director Michael Gracey gives audiences a glimpse of the music star's life.
The documentary has been produced by Gracey and Isabella Parish in conjunction with Luminaries, Silent House, and Lefty Paw Print.
Solos - 25 May
Amazon Prime’s anthology series Solos features Academy Award-winning actors Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, and Helen Mirren.
The series, created by David Weil, also features actors Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Anthony Mackie, Dan Stevens, and Constance Wu.
The seven-part anthology series explores the strange, beautiful, heartbreaking, hilarious, wondrous truths of what it means to be human. "The series spans present and future, and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments, we are all connected through the human experience," the streamer said in a release.
Solos is executive produced by Weil and Laura Lancaster with Pixie Wespiser serving as a producer.
Weil makes his directorial debut, helming three episodes. Sam Taylor-Johnson directs and executive produces two episodes. Additional directors include Zach Braff and Tiffany Johnson.
Disney + Hotstar
Star Wars: The Bad Batch - 3 May
Star Wars: The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War.
Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
Pose (season 3) - 3 May
The FX series follows the New York drag ball culture among LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming Black and Latino communities. The third and final season will drop on 3 May.
Disney+ Hotstar Quix- 7 May
Disney+ Hotstar is launching a lineup of short-format titles starring the likes of Mandira Bedi, Vidya Malavade, Poonam Dhillon and Shreyas Talpade, among others. Since these will be mini-episodes, the channel is launching it under the umbrella of Disney+ Hotstar Quix.
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele - 9 May
Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele features Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan. The show follows two friends who set out on an adventure of a lifetime and discover something beautiful.
Apple TV+
Mythic QuestSeason 2 – 7 May
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet follows one of the most globally popular multiplayer video games. The narrative of the second season involves the team’s efforts in expanding the universe based on the success of Raven Banquet. Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, F Murray Abraham, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Jessie Ennis, and Danny Pudi return for this season as well.
The series is created by McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz. The first two episodes are scheduled to premiere on 7 May, with new episodes releasing weekly.
MXPlayer
Ramyug – 6 May
MXPlayer announced their new series Ramyug in April, directed by Hum Tum-fame Kunal Kohli.
The series "celebrates the life and journey of Rama, prince of Ayodhya and his righteous rule (Ram-raj) that inaugurated a golden age for all mankind." The majestic series sees an ensemble cast of Diganth Manchale, Akkshay Dogra, Aishwarya Ojha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vivan Bhatena, Navdeep Pallapolu, Anish John Kokken, Shishir Mohan Sharma, Jatin Sial, Shweta Gulati, Suparna Marwah, Mamta Verma, Tisca Chopra, Dalip Tahil, Anup Soni, Vikram Singh Chauhan, Hemant Kumar Pandey, Arun Singh, Ravi Jhankal, Shaan Grover, Amit Madan Gaur, Teena Singh, and Danish Akhtar in pivotal roles.
MUBI
Mr Jones – 7 May
This biographical thriller by Agnieszka Holland loosely tells the story of Gareth Jones, a journalist from Wales, who uncovered the truth about the Holodomor, the devastating famine in Ukraine in which millions died. In March 1933, Gareth Jones takes a train from Moscow to Kharkov in Ukraine.
He disembarks at a small station and sets off on foot on a journey through the country where he experiences at first hand the horrors of famine. Everywhere there are dead people, and everywhere he goes he meets henchmen of the Soviet secret service, who are determined to prevent news about the catastrophe from getting out to the general public.
Stalin’s forced collectivisation of agriculture has resulted in misery and ruin; the policy is tantamount to mass murder. Supported by Ada Brooks, a New York Times reporter, Jones succeeds in spreading the shocking news in the West, thereby putting his powerful rival, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, pro-Stalin journalist Walter Duranty, firmly in his place.
ZEEPlex
Radhe – 13 May
Salman Khan's Radhe will simultaneously release in cinemas and on a pay-per-view basis on ZEEPlex on 13 May. The film will also be available on DTH operators such as Dish, D2H, Tata Sky, and Airtel Digital TV.
The action drama was scheduled to hit screens during Eid on 22 May last year but was delayed due to the pandemic-mandated shutdown. In January, the makers confirmed that Radhe will be out in theatres.
Radhe will also open in theatres worldwide, adhering to the COVID-19 protocol issued by the respective governments.
Sony LIV
Maharani- TBA
Huma Qureshi features in Subhash Kapoor's political thriller Maharani. The actress play's Rani Bharati, the Chief Minister's wife, embroiled in a sudden turn of events after her husband announces an unexpected candidate as his successor.
Directed by Karan Sharma, the series also stars Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Kani Kusruti, and Vineet Kumar among others.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3eQAslA
केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय के संयुक्त सचिव लव अग्रवाल ने लोगों से कोविड से बचाव संबंधी सावधानियों का अनुपालन करने का आग्रह करते हुए कहा, '' वायरस को थकावट नहीं हुई है, हम थके हुए हो सकते हैं। किसी भी स्तर पर लापरवाही का प्रभाव पूरे समाज पर होगा।
from Jansattaराष्ट्रीय – Jansatta https://ift.tt/3aUTlTc
Veteran actor Randhir Kapoor tested positive for coronavirus on 29 April. He got admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Mumbai for treatment. The hospital officials confirmed the news yesterday and now the 74-year-old actor has opened up about contracting the virus. The actor revealed that he underwent the test after feeling "some shivering". He had a bit of fever which is gone now. Overall, he is in "no discomfort".
Speaking to Times of India about contracting coronavirus, Randhir shares that his staff has also tested positive and he has got them hospitalised with him.
"I have no clue how I got COVID. I am surprised. Let me also tell you that my entire staff of five members, too, has tested positive, and I have got them hospitalised with me in the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital," he said.
After he got diagnosed with the virus, his wife Babita Kapoor, daughters Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan too got tested. Speaking about their reports, the veteran actor added that, "Their reports have come negative".
The eldest son of legendary Raj Kapoor, Randhir lost his young brothers Rishi Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor within a span of a year. After fighting with cancer for two years, Rishi died in April last year. While Rajiv passed away in February this year following a heart attack.
Randhir tied the knot with actor Babita in 1971 but they separated later.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3gKSDLY
The Weeknd was snubbed by the Grammys but he’s the leading nominee at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, where rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD earned multiple posthumous nominations, including top artist, and disgraced country singer Morgan Wallen is a six-time nominee.
The Weeknd, Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke — the third most-nominated act — are up for top artist along with Taylor Swift and Drake, the show’s most decorated winner of all-time. The Billboard Awards will air live on 23 May.
The Weeknd earned 16 nominations, including top male artist, top R&B artist, top Billboard 200 album for After Hours and top Hot 100 song for 'Blinding Lights,' the No. 1 song of last year. DaBaby — thanks to his own hit 'Rockstar' and his guest appearance on Jack Harlow’s 'What’s Poppin' — is second with 11 bids, and he will battle himself in categories like top rap song, top streaming song and top collaboration.
Pop Smoke, who follows with 10 nominations, died last February at age 20 as his songs and mixtapes began to make a splash on the pop and rap charts. His official debut album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, was released last July and dominated the charts and streaming services, along with platinum-selling songs like 'For the Night,' 'What You Know About Love' and 'Dior,' which earned him a Grammy nomination this year. His Billboard nominations include top new artist, top male artist, top rap artist and top Billboard 200 album.
Juice WRLD died in December 2019 at age 21. His posthumous album, Legends Never Die, was released a week after Pop Smoke’s album and set several records on the Billboard charts, becoming the biggest posthumous debut in 23 years since Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. posthumously released albums in 1997.
His seven Billboard nominations include top male artist, top rap artist and top Billboard 200 album.
Others battling The Weeknd, Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD for top album include Lil Baby’s My Turn and Swift’s folklore, which last month won the star her third album of the year Grammy.
Morgan Wallen wasn’t allowed to compete at this month’s Academy of Country Music Awards because the singer was caught on camera using a racial slur earlier this year, but he’s one of the top nominees at the Billboard Awards. His six nominations include top song sales artist, top country artist and top country album for Dangerous: The Double Album, which is currently No. 3 on the pop charts and continues to sell extremely well despite Wallen’s crisis moment. He’s even a double nominee in top country song, competing with the hits 'Chasin’ You' and 'More Than My Hometown.'
Wallen is a contender because the Billboard nominees are based on album and digital sales, streaming, radio airplay and social engagement, and they “are not chosen by a voting committee or membership organisation,” dick clark productions said.
The producers said though Wallen is a multiple nominee, they won’t allow him to participate in the show.
“Morgan Wallen is a finalist this year based on charting. As his recent conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting),” the statement read. “It is heartening and encouraging to hear that Morgan is taking steps in his anti-racist journey and starting to do some meaningful work. We plan to evaluate his progress and will consider his participation in future shows.”
Country singer Gabby Barrett performs her breakthrough it 'I Hope' alongside pop singer Charlie Puth.
Wallen’s not the leading country music nominee though — that goes to breakthrough singer Gabby Barrett, who is the most nominated woman with nine bids. She dominated both the country and pop charts with her Charlie Puth-assisted hit 'I Hope', and she’s up for honours like top new artist, top Hot 100 song, top radio song, top country album and top collaboration. She’s the sole woman nominated for top country artist and top country song.
The Billboard Awards are based on the chart period of 21 March, 2020 through 3 April, 2021. Two of the 51 categories are fan-voted, including top collaboration and top social artist, where Asian acts dominate. Nominees include K-pop groups BTS, BLACKPINK and Seventeen; Filipino boy band SB19; and Ariana Grande.
Others who scored multiple nominations include Bad Bunny, Chris Brown, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Justin Bieber.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3nyTErK
NEW YORK — Dave Grohl thought he was making a nostalgic film about the formative days of famous musicians. But then the pandemic happened.
Partly by design and partly by circumstance, What Drives Us became a surprisingly emotional documentary about the power of live music and the pain of its absence.
The Foo Fighters leader has become an effective storyteller on film, making the Sound City documentary on a legendary California music studio and the HBO series Sonic Highways. His latest is available for streaming Friday through the Coda Collection, a subscription streaming service, and Amazon Prime Video outside the US.
It centers on an experience common to most musicians, certainly rock bands. At some point they take the figurative leap of getting into a van with band members and bringing their music on the road.
“You’ve got to get in a van if you want to make it in this business,” said Ringo Starr, who told of the Beatles stacking themselves like firewood to keep warm after their windshield blew out on a frigid night.
Grohl started by swapping van stories with more than two dozen musicians. But the interviews grew deeper as they talked about why they got into these lives, hence the double meaning of the What Drives Us title. He started editing the interviews after the pandemic struck, and realised how much the need to share music onstage was a common theme.
“It was part of the conversation,” Grohl said. “But as time went on and we were starved for it, I realised that it was the most important part of the conversation. It’s why we do it. No musician wants to stay in their basement for the rest of their life practising scales.”
Their stories are funny and at times poignant; the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea talks about music as an escape from an abusive childhood. “Here’s your golden ticket to Oz — go around in a van and play music with friends,” he said.
U2′s The Edge grew up in a small town north of Dublin with nothing to do. “That’s why we got into explosives,” he said, until watching A Hard Day’s Night set him and his friends on a more productive path.
St. Vincent, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson are particularly eloquent subjects.
In a touring van, “you get to be really, really close with people — close in a way that people in a bank could never know,” St. Vincent said.
Grohl even finds, and drives around, the red van that Foo Fighters used in their formative days. His 15-year-old daughter is an aspiring musician, and the film made her more enthusiastic about following dad’s line of work, he said.
Grohl has a rapport with his fellow musicians that a conventional filmmaker or journalist can’t match. They’ve been in the same seat, or cargo hold.
“Musicians have a type of ESP with each other, which is usually shared when the instruments are on,” he said. “I’ve had great conversations with musicians where we haven’t said a word. You just play instruments together, and sometimes those can be the most revealing.”
He’s also gregarious and open-hearted to a startling extent; it’s hard not to get swept up in the 52-year-old songwriter’s enthusiasm. The former Nirvana drummer’s pandemic activities have included online “drum-off” contests with a 10-year-old British girl, Nandi Bushell, and writing and recording a song with Mick Jagger. He’s writing a book about some of his life’s adventures and finished making a TV series about rock stars and their mothers with his own mom.
From his days in the underground punk rock scene around Washington, D.C., music has always meant community to him.
He recalls being backstage at music festivals, with all sorts of acts playing a variety of styles.
“I would go walking from dressing room to dressing room, knocking on the door with a bottle of whiskey in my hand and say, ‘dude, let’s hang out, we’re musicians,’” he said. “We should be hanging out. It’s what we do.”
He’s lost track of all the colleagues he’s shared a whiskey with.
“I just love being with musicians,” he said. “Musicians can be really fun. In some ways, we’re like aliens. In some ways, we’re electricians. But put us all together and we’re like a convention of weirdos. I love being in the middle of it.”
If there’s a theme that runs through his film work, it’s to humanise a life that may seem distant or exotic to outsiders. Grohl is knocking on your door, essentially.
Live music is starting again, at least trickles of it. Grohl said he’s constantly asked by people on the street when it will be fully back; he’d love to know himself. He has dreams about it, stepping onstage and soaking up applause before hitting that first guitar chord.
He expects it will be an overwhelming experience.
“You can open up your laptop and go to YouTube and watch live performances by bands,” he said. “It can be entertaining. It can almost be exciting. But the tangible, communal experience of actually being there while it’s happening is something else.”
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/3eGVnYb
