Bollywood classic 'Sholay' releases in Pakistan after 40 years

Mumbai, Aug 2: Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron has come aboard as an executive producer on filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane's movie The Disciple. The Marathi feature is set to represent India at the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival. It will be screened in the Competition section of the prestigious film gala.

The movie, which is Tamhane's follow-up to his National Award-winning feature Court, has also been selected for 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's official line-up.

"I met Chaitanya through a mentorship program where I had the opportunity to watch his very superb debut film, Court  I was immediately impressed by his sense of cinema and fearless confidence to tell stories.

"He was part of most of Roma's process and I jumped to the opportunity to be part of the process of his second film The Disciple. I believe Chaitanya is one of the most important new voices of contemporary cinema," Cuaron said in a statement.

Tamhane said he is honoured to have Cuaron aboard the film.

"It’s a bit surreal and an incredible honour for me to have one of the most recognised and acclaimed filmmakers in the world be part of 'The Disciple'. In some ways, this validation from Alfonso Cuaron is even more," he added.

The Disciple, a 127-minute long feature, stars Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave, and Kiran Yadnyopavit. It has been produced by “Sir” actor Vivek Gomber through his Zoo Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

The Disciple marks Tamhane’s return to Venice after he won the Best Film - Orizzonti and Lion of the Future award for Court in 2014.

Court, a poignant commentary on India's judicial system, also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 2015 and was India's official entry for the Best Foreign Film at the 2016 Oscars.

Endeavor Content will sell North American rights and New Europe Film Sales boards the film as an international sales agent.

Mumbai, Aug 1: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that Sushant Singh Rajput case should not be politicised or used to create friction between Maharashtra and Bihar.

Amid the ongoing criticism faced by the Mumbai Police following an investigation into Rajput's death case, the Chief Minister stressed that Mumbai Police is not "inefficient" while appealing those who have any evidence in regard to the case to step forward.

"Mumbai Police is not inefficient. If anyone has any evidence they can bring it to us and we will interrogate and punish the guilty. Please do not use this case (Sushant Singh Rajput death case) as an excuse to create friction between Maharashtra and Bihar," Thackeray said on Friday.

"Bringing politics in the case is the most deplorable thing to do," he added.

Maharashtra government has filed a caveat before the Supreme Court in the Rajput's death case.

Earlier, Bihar government and Rajput's family have filed caveats in the top court seeking to challenge actor Rhea Chakraborty's petition that sought transfer of the FIR registered in Patna to Mumbai in the actor's death case.

"After Bihar government and Rajput's family filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, Maharashtra government has filed a caveat before the SC today to ensure that no order is passed in Rhea Chakraborty's petition case without hearing its (Maharashtra) side," said Sachin Patil, standing counsel for Maharashtra Government.

A caveat is a legal process, in which the party which had filed it before the concerned court, shall have to be heard definitely before the concerned court passes any order in future.

Bihar Police has sought the assistance of Mumbai police to probe the Sushant Singh Rajput case, Mumbai police Crime Branch officials told ANI. However, the Police are still considering their request.

Bihar Police team reached after an FIR was filed by late actor's father KK Singh against Chakraborty in Bihar under several sections including abetment of suicide.

Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

Mumbai, Jul 27: Reel life villain Sonu Sood turned real life hero once again, this time by gifting a tractor on Sunday to a farmer in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh to help him till the land. The actor came up with the gift after coming through a video clip on Twitter wherein a tomato farmer in Madanapalle in Chittoor district was seen ploughing the land with his two daughters carrying the yoke on their shoulders.

In his instant reaction, Sood promised a pair of ox to the farmer, but later said the family deserved a tractor. "So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields. Stay blessed," Sood, who acted as a villain in numerous Telugu films, said in a tweet.

True to his word, a new tractor was delivered to the elated farmer Nageswara Rao at his Mahalrajupalle village by Sunday night. Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who belongs to Chittoor district, hailed the actor's gesture.

"Spoke with @sonusood ji and applauded him for his inspiring effort to send a tractor to Nageswara Rao's family in Chittoor district. Moved by the plight of the family, I have decided to take care of the education of the two daughters and help them pursue their dreams," Naidu said in a tweet.

Rao's elder daughter completed her Intermediate while the second one passed Class 10. Rao used to run a tea stall in Madanapalle before coronavirus left him out of business. He returned to his native Mahalrajupalle village to take up agriculture once again.

Given his penury, he could not hire either a pair of bulls or a tractor to till the land, when his daughters volunteered to help him on the chores. Their plight went viral on social media following which the actor stepped in with help.