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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Indians inducted into Oscars Academy: Kamal Haasan, Payal Kapadia, Ayushmann Khurrana among 534 global invitees
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the body behind the Oscars) has invited 534 new individuals to become members. It's the biggest batch since 2020, covering a wide range, actors, comedians, cinematographers, directors, musicians, and more. Alongside Hollywood names such as Sebastian Stan, Mikey Madison, and Ariana Grande, this year's list also includes major Indian talent. Actors such as Kamal Haasan, Ayushmann Khurrana, cinematographer Ranabir Das, costume designer Maxima Basu, and others have been inducted by The Academy. Also read: 'All We Imagine As Light' director Payal Kapadia conferred with French honour for her contribution to cinema Actors Kamal Haasan – Vikram, Nayakan Ayushmann Khurrana – Article 15, Andhadhu Casting Directors Karan Mally – Toofaan, Gully Boy Cinematographers Ranabir Das – All We Imagine as Light, A Night of Knowing Nothing Costume Designers Maxima Basu – All We Imagine as Light, Bajirao Mastani Documentary Arun Bhattarai – Agent of Happiness, The Next Guardian Smriti Mundhra – I Am Ready, Warden, St. Louis Superman Executives Ravi Ahuja Production and Technology Chaitanya Chinchlikar Momita SenGupta Munira Tayabji Sound PM Satheesh – Agni, Baahubali: The Beginning Visual Effects Ravi Bansal – Nyad, The Jungle Book Abishek Nair – Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Fate of the Furious Yugandhar Tammareddy – Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Rangasthalam Jateen Thakkar – Leo: Bloody Sweat, Mirzya Writers Payal Kapadia – All We Imagine as Light, A Night of Knowing Nothing Associates (non voting) Raj Kapoor Among the new invitees are talk show icons Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel, both past Oscar hosts, who've now been brought in as Associates (non-voting members). On the executive front, major names like Tom Quinn (Neon), Jason Ropell (Mubi), Ravi Ahuja (Sony), and Shannon Ryan (Disney) lead the pack. Also on the list are top talent reps, including Ari Greenburg (WME), Nina Shaw (entertainment lawyer), and Christian Hodell (Hamilton Hodell, UK). The list also features several Oscar winners and nominees from the 2025 ceremony Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain The team behind No Other Land Lol Crawley and Daniel Blumberg from The Brutalist Best Actress winner Mikey Madison and the Best Picture team from Anora Also read: Recalling stories behind the Academy Awards' name, $1 resale value of Oscar statuette and more Interestingly, Karla Sofía Gascón, the first-ever trans woman nominated for Best Actress, was left off the invite list, possibly for the same reason her Oscars hopes were dashed, after old tweets resurfaced and sparked backlash. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang, in a statement to Variety said, 'We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy. Through their commitment to filmmaking and to the greater movie industry, these exceptionally talented individuals have made indelible contributions to our global filmmaking community.' Oscar nominees are automatically considered for membership in the same year. Other applicants need to be recommended by two existing Academy members from their respective disciplines. There are also some celebs who get invited by multiple branches like directors and writers, and are asked to pick one. This time, the case was observed with 12 names, including Brady Corbet, Smriti Mundhra, Coralie Fargeat, Gints Zilbalodis, and more. Some of the big highlights of this year's invitee list include Hamdan Ballal, who was arrested by the Israeli Defence Forces after winning an Oscar. Big names from recent projects like Jane Schoenbrun, Naomi Ackie, Rose Glass, and Gillian Anderson are also included in the list. Even the producers behind the last two Oscar ceremonies, Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan, and Molly McNearney, were added in the non-voting criteria. If everyone accepts, the Academy's total will hit 11,120 members, out of which 10,143 will be eligible to vote.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix fans have less than a week to watch highest rated Rotten Tomatoes film of all time
Netflix is removing one of the highest rated movies of all time which movie fans won't want to miss before it's gone. Netflix fans have been warned that one perfect scoring film is leaving the streaming platform in just a few days time. Leave No Trace has snagged a 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes but viewers have less than a week to watch the film before its taken off the streaming platform on June 30. The 2018 film follows a father and his teenage daughter who live deep in a municipal forest in Portland, Oregon and need to rely on survival skills to make it through their day to day lives. However, after they are seen by a member of public, their world is turned upside down as they are suddenly dragged back into the real world. Will, played by Ben Foster, suffers from PTSD after serving in the armed forces and he and his daughter, Tom, played by Thomasin McKenzie, struggle as they try to adapt to normal life. The movie follows their tumultuous journey after being discovered by authorities living off the grid, exploring their relationship and love itself, without becoming overly sentimental. Directed by Debra Granik, Leave No Trace was the highly anticipated follow-up to Winter's Bone, which featured Jennifer Lawrence in her breakout role, and was released eight years before in 2010, the Mirror reports. Granik also scored another impressive 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes for her documentary Stray Dogs about dog lover, motorbiker and veteran Ron Hall. Granik's double achievement is highly admirable considering the 100 per cent approval rating does not come around often. In fact only 68 films can claim the honour and when you think about how many movies exist, it makes the accolade that much more impressive. Only two titles from 2024 have made the list including All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Other famous films that have managed to snag a perfect score include Toy Story, Two Story Two, 12 Angry Men, Before Sunrise, Singin' in the Rain, Cool Hand Luke, The Terminator and Pinocchio. Leave No Trace has 252 reviews and they were all positive with one critic writing: "Leave No Trace, in the biggest of ironies, leaves the greatest of traces upon us." Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here an d get the latest news sent straight to your messages Another penned: "Leave No Trace is further evidence Granik is one of the most talented directors around - and Ben Foster ranks among the finest and most intense actors working today." A third remarked about the film: "Granik is one of the most distinctive filmmaking voices we have; I'd love to see her make more features but I'm also glad she takes the time to do them right." Leave No Trace is set to leave Netflix in just a few days time so viewers need to be fast if they want to catch the film before it goes.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix fans have just 7 days to watch highest rated Rotten Tomatoes movie ever
One of the highest-rated movies of all time is about to leave Netflix in just a few weeks - so movie fans need to make sure they fit this one in before it's gone for good You won't want to miss this perfect scoring movie before it's gone from Netflix - and you haven't got long left to watch this one, because it's going to be removed from the streaming service on June 30. Managing to snag the elusive 100 percent score on movie review accumulator Rotten Tomatoes, Leave No Trace follows a father and daughter living deep in the forest, relying on survival skills to make it through - before they are dragged back into the real world with a jolt after being spotted by a member of the public. The father Will, played by Ben Foster, suffers from PTSD after serving in the armed forces, and he and his daughter Tom - played by Thomasin McKenzie - struggle to adapt to normal life. The film follows the twists and turns of their journey after being discovered by authorities living off the grid, exploring their relationship and love itself, without ever becoming overly sentimental - watch the trailer below. The movie is leaving Netflix on 30 June - so you only have a week to heat up some popcorn and fire this one up, but you are unlikely to regret taking the time and spending an evening dedicated to watching this one. Directed by Debra Granik, Leave No Trace was the hotly anticipated follow-up to Winter's Bone, which starred Jennifer Lawrence in her breakout role, and was released eight years before in 2010. In between Granik scored another perfect 100 on Rotten Tomatoes for her documentary Stray Dogs, about dog-lover, motorbiker, and veteran Ron Hall. The elusive 100 percent approval rating doesn't come along very often, only 68 films can claim the honour - and when you think about how many movies are released in the era of streaming, it makes the achievement seem all the more impressive. Two offerings from 2024 have made the list, All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Other famous movies that have managed a perfect score include 12 Angry Men, Toy Story, Two Story Two, Singin' in the Rain, Before Sunrise, Cool Hand Luke, The Terminator, and Pinocchio, amongst the most famous on the list. Leave No Trace had 252 reviews, and they were resoundingly positive, with one reviewer writing: "Leave No Trace, in the biggest of ironies, leaves the greatest of traces upon us." Another said, "Leave No Trace is further evidence Granik is one of the most talented directors around - and Ben Foster ranks among the finest and most intense actors working today." A third wrote about the movie, "Granik is one of the most distinctive filmmaking voices we have; I'd love to see her make more features but I'm also glad she takes the time to do them right."
The Star
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Rewriting Bollywood's macho script
THE country's giant movie industry is known for its macho, men-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers is helping to break the mould. 'More and more women are writing their stories, turning them into films,' said writer-director Reema Kagti, who believes the trend brings a more 'real and healthy perspective' to movies, with complex, outspoken women characters who are masters of their own story. The world's most populous nation churns out 1,800 to 2,000 films in more than 20 languages annually – and Hindi-language Bollywood is one of the largest segments, with more than 300 productions. Yet the films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. A 2023 study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences found that female characters in most chart-topping Indian films play the role of a romantic interest – and are 'fair skinned with a thin body type and a small screen time'. But industry insiders point to a slate of women-directed movies earning international acclaim that have also scored well at the tough domestic box office. Malayalam-language film All We Imagine as Light, a poetic tale about two nurses forging an intergenerational friendship, was the first Indian production to win the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Director Payal Kapadia shunned the one-dimensional portrayal of women on Indian screens which tends to mimic 'unrealistic standards set by society', she said, in favour of one that allows women to 'just be ourselves, authentic and true to how we are in everyday life'. India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars was Kiran Rao's Lost Ladies – 'Laapataa Ladies' in Hindi – a comedy which challenges convictions surrounding marriage and womanhood, a sign of a shift – even if it missed the final shortlist. Changing landscape: Kagti (centre) says the trend of women filmmakers brings more authentic and healthy perspectives to the screen. — AFP 'More inclusive narratives' It is not only arthouse films that are winning hearts. Mainstream movies with strong women co-leads are filling up theatres as well. Stree 2, a horror comedy featuring Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, smashed box office records last year, beating earnings by superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action flick Jawan. And Crew, a heist comedy about flight attendants, was widely seen as a win for women-centric movies. 'Women still face challenges in telling stories from their perspective', said actor-producer Dia Mirza. 'However, the increasing presence of female directors, producers and writers is paving the way for more inclusive narratives.' Movies can also tackle the way regressive traditions manifest in the daily lives of Indian families. Mrs, a Hindi-language film released in February, dives into the unseen labour of a newlywed housewife, her silenced aspirations and the societal conditioning she struggles with. 'Across social media, you can see people posting – that the majority of women in India go through this turmoil,' said Lakshmi Lingam, a Mumbai-based sociologist. She points out that there was no backlash to the film. 'The voices of women saying, 'Yes, this is true and I can see myself there' is very high,' she said. 'So, there is that kind of ecosystem of women resonating with many of the ideas these women filmmakers are making.' 'Still misogynistic' Industry figures suggest progress is being made, albeit slowly. Last year, 15% of Indian movies surveyed hired women for key production positions, up from 10% in 2022, according to a report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios. Konkona Sen Sharma, an actor-director who is a champion of women-oriented cinema, is cautiously optimistic about the role women will play in the future. Women are increasingly present in the film industry, but 'we still don't have enough women in positions of power,' she said. Filmmaker Shonali Bose points out that women directors need the independence and financial backing to tell new stories. 'Our problem is not to do with gender, it is getting to make what we want to make,' Bose said. 'When we want to make world cinema, we are facing market forces which are getting increasingly conservative.' Lingam, the sociologist, said that while moviegoers are being 'exposed to the changing discourse', mainstream films are 'still very male-orientated' and plotlines 'still misogynistic'. 'Some of the women scriptwriters have great ideas, but producers don't want to back those stories,' she said. 'They intervene and make so many changes by converting the female protagonist into a male to make a 'larger-than-life character'. 'At the end of the day, the buck actually dictates what can be made and what can't.' — AFP
Sinar Daily
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Women claim spotlight in India's macho movie industry
The films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. 25 May 2025 07:01pm (L-R) Indian actress Kani Kusruti, Indian actress Chhaya Kadam, Indian director Payal Kapadia and Indian actress Divya Prabha pose during a photocall after she won the Grand Prix for the film "All We Imagine as Light" during the Closing Ceremony at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. India's giant movie industry is known for its macho, male-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers are helping break the mould. (Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP) MUMBAI - India's giant movie industry is known for its macho, men-centric storylines, but a wave of women filmmakers is helping to break the mould. "More and more women are writing their stories, turning them into films," said writer-director Reema Kagti, who believes the trend brings a more "real and healthy perspective" to movies, with complex, outspoken women characters who are masters of their own story. Indian director Payal Kapadia (2nd R) arrives on stage after she was awarded with the Grand Prix for the film "All We Imagine as Light" next to US actress Viola Davis during the Closing Ceremony at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) The world's most populous nation churns out 1,800 to 2,000 films in more than 20 languages annually -- and Hindi-language Bollywood is one of the largest segments, with more than 300 productions. Yet the films have often failed to portray women authentically, choosing instead to box them into being passive housewives or mothers who bow to societal pressure. A 2023 study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) found that female characters in most chart-topping Indian films play the role of a romantic interest -- and are "fair skinned with a thin body type and a small screen time". But industry insiders point to a slate of women-directed movies earning international acclaim that have also scored well at the tough domestic box office. Malayalam-language film "All We Imagine as Light", a poetic tale about two nurses forging an intergenerational friendship, was the first Indian production to win the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Director Payal Kapadia shunned the one-dimensional portrayal of women on Indian screens which tends to mimic "unrealistic standards set by society", she said, in favour of one that allows women to "just be ourselves, authentic and true to how we are in everyday life". India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars was Kiran Rao's "Lost Ladies" -- "Laapataa Ladies" in Hindi -- a comedy which challenges convictions surrounding marriage and womanhood, a sign of a shift -- even if it missed the final shortlist. 'More inclusive narratives' It is not only arthouse films that are winning hearts. Mainstream movies with strong women co-leads are filling up theatres as well. "Stree 2", a horror comedy featuring Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, smashed box office records last year, beating earnings by superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action flick "Jawan". Bollywood film director and screenwriter Reema Kagti (C) attends a masterclass by American screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris and Bollywood actor and filmmaker Boman Irani in Mumbai on November 23, 2024. (Photo by Sujit JAISWAL/AFP) And "Crew", a heist comedy about flight attendants, was widely seen as a win for women-centric movies. "Women still face challenges in telling stories from their perspective", said actor-producer Dia Mirza. "However, the increasing presence of female directors, producers and writers is paving the way for more inclusive narratives." Movies can also tackle the way regressive traditions manifest in the daily lives of Indian families. "Mrs.", a Hindi-language film released in February, dives into the unseen labour of a newlywed housewife, her silenced aspirations and the societal conditioning she struggles with. "Across social media, you can see people posting -- that the majority of women in India go through this turmoil," said Lakshmi Lingam, a Mumbai-based sociologist. She points out that there was no backlash to the film. "The voices of women saying, 'Yes, this is true and I can see myself there' is very high," she said. "So, there is that kind of ecosystem of women resonating with many of the ideas these women filmmakers are making." 'Still misogynistic' Industry figures suggest progress is being made, albeit slowly. Last year, 15 percent of Indian movies surveyed hired women for key production positions, up from 10 percent in 2022, according to a report by Ormax Media and Film Companion Studios. Konkona Sen Sharma, an actor-director who is a champion of women-oriented cinema, is cautiously optimistic about the role women will play in the future. Women are increasingly present in the film industry, but "we still don't have enough women in positions of power," she said. Filmmaker Shonali Bose points out that women directors need the independence and financial backing to tell new stories. "Our problem is not to do with gender, it is getting to make what we want to make," Bose said. "When we want to make world cinema, we are facing market forces which are getting increasingly conservative." Lingam, the sociologist, said that while moviegoers are being "exposed to the changing discourse", mainstream films are "still very male-orientated" and plotlines "still misogynistic". "Some of the women scriptwriters have great ideas, but producers don't want to back those stories," she said. "They intervene and make so many changes by converting the female protagonist into a male to make a 'larger-than-life character'. At the end of the day, the buck actually dictates what can be made and what cannot." - AFP More Like This
