Have you heard? 'Pushpa 2' stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna to close IFFI; Amitabh Bachchan slams biased commentary

Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna

It's a wrap for IFFI

The 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is set for a star-studded closing. The eight-day festival that is underway in Goa will have its closing ceremony later this evening. Stars of the upcoming Telugu action drama, Pushpa 2: The Rule, including Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna, will be seen promoting their December release at the ceremony. Rumours are rife that Alia Bhatt and filmmaker Karan Johar will also attend the event; however, there's no confirmation on their attendance. Pratik Gandhi and Vikrant Massey will be among the other Bollywood attendees. Artistes associated with the Prime Video show Bandish Bandits, including Ritwik Bhowmik, Shreya Chaudhary, Mame Khan, Nikita Gandhi, and Digvijay Singh will also perform.

Big B underlines biased commentary

While celebrating India's victory over Australia in the first test match, Amitabh Bachchan highlighted the "biased commentary" that was part of the game. "Despite the biased commentary, [India] thrashed Australia in cricket," he wrote on his blog after India secured 295 runs over Australia in the first of the five-match series, which is taking place in Perth. The cine icon also went on to congratulate his son Abhishek for the win registered by his team, Jaipur Pink Panthers, at the Pro Kabaddi League.

A bit too much?

The feud between Nayanthara and Dhanush has taken a turn for the worse, with the latter having filed a civil suit against the former. Accusing her of using visuals from his production Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015) in her Netflix documentary without his approval, Dhanush approached the Madras High Court, naming Nayanthara, her husband Vignesh Shivan, and their production company as defendants. Additionally, Dhanush's production company filed an application requesting the court's permission to sue the Mumbai-based entity through which Netflix manages its content investments in India.

War of words continues

Rupali Ganguly may have hoped that filing a R50 crore defamation case would deter her husband's daughter Esha Verma from further criticising her publicly; however, the latter continues to use her social media to direct her anger at the Anupamaa actor. Stating that the decision to share the story about her parents' separation was hard, Verma wrote on social media, "Speaking up brought clarity, peace, and liberation from years of silence. My intention was never to cause harm but to shed light on experiences that shaped me. Their response to my statement was disturbing, [and] cruel, and displayed their true character." Referring to her previous claim that Ganguly had conceived her son with Verma's father out of wedlock, Verma said, "I learnt of a marriage that took place on February 6, 2013, and later discovered on August 25 that they had a child. Any additional interpretations published in the media were made without my input."

Not a film for yesterday

Earlier in August, R Madhavan's 25-year-old film Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein re-released in theatres owing to the appreciation it has earned from fans over the years. However, at the time of its release, the love saga earned little attention from cinegoers. Recalling how the film's box-office debacle affected him, Madhavan said at a Goa film festival, "When it first released, it was a flop. I remember being heartbroken. Little did I realise that fate had [other plans]. It re-released after 25 years and made more money than it did originally." RHTDM, as it was fondly referred to, also starred Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan.

The millionaire returns?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a newly launched production banner has acquired the film sequel and TV rights to the Academy Award-winning Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire (2008), the Danny Boyle-directed venture that starred Dev Patel in his breakout role. Also starring Freida Pinto, it earned eight Oscar titles, including Best Director and Best Picture. "The film's narrative is universal, cutting across cultural and geographical lines, and it embodies the kind of stories we love - ones that bridge entertainment with profound human experiences," the label's owners said in a statement. The original also starred Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan.