BREAKING: Raksha Bandhan passed with zero cuts and 'U' certificate; is one of the SHORTEST Akshay Kumar films ever!

Akshay Kumar's last film Samrat Prithviraj (2022) faced a tough time at the box office and its trailer had also got a mixed response. However, the trailer and songs of his upcoming film, Raksha Bandhan, has been received positively and the viewers, on the whole, are waiting to see it once it releases on August 11, which is also the day of the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Bollywood Hungama has learnt that the film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a 'U' certificate. Moreover, the board hasn’t asked for any cuts at all.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, "The film is a clean family entertainer, as evident from its promos. Director Aanand L Rai has handled it sensitively and there was no need in the film for profanity or intimate scenes. Hence, the CBFC examining committee felt no reason to ask for any cuts or modification.”

The censor certificate was handed to the makers today, that is, August 3. The run time of Raksha Bandhan, as mentioned on the censor certificate, is just 110 minutes, that is, 1 hours and 50 minutes. This makes Raksha Bandhan one of the shortest Akshay Kumar films ever in his 30 year plus career.

An exhibitor told Bollywood Hungama, "The length of Raksha Bandhan is surprisingly less than two hours. We are happy as we'll be able to accommodate it with Laal Singh Chaddha, which is 2 hours and 42 minutes in duration, which also releases on the same day. If Raksha Bandhan was also lengthy, it would have been a problem in sharing shows equally between the two especially in single screen theatres."

Also Read: Meet Sadia Khateeb, Smrithi Srikanth, Deepika Khanna and Sahejmeen Kaur who are playing Akshay Kumar’s sisters in Raksha Bandhan

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal receive awards for their achievements in cinema at the Marateale in Italy

Readers would be aware that Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are currently in Italy. While many believed that the couple took off on a vacation to spend quality time with each other, it seems that the duo received a special honor. Both the actors are known for their unconventional roles in some interesting projects with Ali also doing some great projects on an international scale. In a move to celebrate their achievements, the Maratea Film Festival in Italy has awarded Richa and Ali with the Outstanding International Talent Awards.

The past winners at this festival include legends like Sophia Loren, Richard Gere, John Landis and others.  Although the two of them have received awards in the past, this is the first time where they will be awarded together. Speaking on this Richa said, “We were elated when we were told that the festival wants to award us. To know the past recipients of the award is such an honour. Ali and I are both looking forward to the festival and to be amongst peers who love cinema as much as we do and to celebrate everything about the movies”.

Ali added, “I’m elated and honored that the Maratea Film Festival has chosen to honour Richa and me. This recognition means a lot to us as artists of the world ahead looking to bring change with our stories and actions. For a platform to internationally recognize our work and to give this title / award to us makes me very happy. Glad to know that our work has had an impact in different parts of the world”.

Amidst their films, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are also set to embark on the journey of becoming producers too.

Also Read: Heeramandi: Richa Chadha starts training in Kathak for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming Netflix series

Aamir Khan starrer Laal Singh Chaddha with runtime of 164 minutes passed by CBFC with U/A certificate

Laal Singh Chaddha starring Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead roles is only a week away from its release and the audience is excited to meet the characters from the Advait Chandan directorial. The film is Indian adaptation of Tom Hanks starrer Forrest Gump. Now, the runtime of the film has been revealed.

As per official update, Laal Singh Chaddha has been passed by CBFC with 'U/A' certificate on 2nd August 2022. The runtime of the film is 164 minutes and 50 seconds [2 hours, 44 mins, 50 secs].

Laal Singh portrayed by Aamir Khan is innocent, unapologetic, and hopeful in life. He is a man of virtue, substance and ambitions. He walks on the path his mother has shown and eventually becomes the man he is meant to be. His life journey is unlike any and is destined for the world to watch and learn.

Laal Singh Chaddha, produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kiran Rao, and Viacom18 Studios, also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Chaitanya Akkineni. The film will be released on 11th August.

ALSO READ: Koffee With Karan 7: Aamir Khan says he makes sure to meet ex-wives Reena Dutta, Kiran Rao at least once a week: 'There is a lot of genuine care, love and respect towards each other'

Aamir Khan BREAKS silence on the feedback given by Chiranjeevi, S S Rajamouli, Sukumar and Nagarjuna about Laal Singh Chaddha; says "They all had one reaction and we realized that they are right. And we made the chance accordingly"

Around a week ago, a picture went viral that showed Aamir Khan showing his much-awaited film Laal Singh Chaddha to four reputed personalities of the Telugu industry – Mega Star Chiranjeevi, Baahubali and RRR director S S Rajamouli, Pushpa director Sukumar and talented actor Nagarjuna. At a recent media interaction, Aamir opened up on the feedback, which he got from the quartet.

When asked whether they liked Laal Singh Chaddha, he replied, “They did. In fact, all four of them reacted in the same way at one point and that made us realize one thing about our film!”

When asked what it is, he stated, “I can’t tell you (laughs)! What I can tell you is that they all had one reaction and we realized that they are right. And we made the chance accordingly. Aur woh change bahut sahi tha! So all four – S S Rajamouli, Sukumar, Chiranjeevi Garu and Nagarjuna – all said the same thing.”

Explaining the reason to show the film to the South film members and trying to woo the South audiences, Aamir Khan stated, “I believe that if the Hindi audiences can be welcoming of the content from Telugu and Tamil language films, then certainly the Telugu and Tamil audiences would also be open. So, we are trying to reach them.”

Also Read: Kareena Kapoor Khan speaks up on calls to boycott Laal Singh Chaddha: ‘Good films will surpass anything’

Beyoncé to change a lyric in ‘Heated’ track from Renaissance album containing ableist slur after social media backlash

Singer-songwriter Beyoncé is changing a lyric from her new song “Heated” following criticism from disability advocates and users on social media. The Grammy-winning sensation dropped her studio album Renaissance on Friday, July 29.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beyoncé will replace an offensive lyric on her recently released Renaissance album after a line in the track “Heated” drew backlash from users on social media. A spokesperson for the singer told Billboard in a statement on Monday morning that “the word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.”

The song includes the word “spaz” during a verse in which Beyonce sings: “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.” In the medical field, “spastic” refers to a disability that makes it difficult for people to control their muscles, especially in their arms and legs. The blowback on social media inspired an essay from disability advocate and writer Hannah Diviney who wrote an op-ed in The Guardian on Monday.

“It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now,” Diviney said, noting that it’s been just six weeks since she called out Lizzo for using the same word on her Special song “Grrrls.” US pop star Lizzo apologized for using the same word in her song GRRRLS. Within days, she apologized and re-released the song, omitting the offensive lyric.

“That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post,” Diviney said. “I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing,” she added writing about “Heated,” which counts Drake as a co-writer.

“I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to ‘do better’ like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level. Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment,” Diviney continued. “Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow."

“But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are.”

Moreover, the outcry over the lyric isn’t the only backlash Beyoncé’s faced since dropping her new album on July 29. “Milkshake” hitmaker Kelis accused Beyoncé of “theft” after she sampled her 1999 song “Get Along With You” in “Energy.”

Also Read: Beyoncé announces six studio album Renaissance; to release on July 29

Vikrant Massey heads to Birmingham to be a part of the prestigious Commonwealth Games 2022

Recently, actor Vikrant Massey was appointed as an official friend for the prestigious Swiss watch brand Longines, in India. The brand, which is known for its quality of products, has appointed an Indian face, with Vikrant being one of the rare male actors to be one. And now, he will be seen representing as a ‘friend’ of the Swiss watch brand who are the official partner and timekeeper of 2022 Common Wealth Games in Birmingham (England).

Vikrant Massey and ace swimmer Sajan Prakash celebrated the launch of the Longines Hydro Conquest XXII Commonwealth Games Watch in India in Delhi. Sharing his excitement Vikrant shares “I really wish Sajan Prakash all the very best and keep my fingers crossed that he gets us the medals with his spell at the Games. As a proud Indian, I would love to see India at the top of the medal tally.”

 

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Vikrant Massey, who started his career with television, has gone to become quite popular inn Bollywood and OTT platforms too. Speaking of his films, he is all set to be seen in Gaslight with Sara Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan’s Sector 36.

Also Read: Vikrant Massey begins shooting for Sector 36 in Delhi- “I was really waiting to talk about this one for a while”

Israeli live-action drama The Hood to be remade in India by Abundantia Entertainment

The leading Israeli-based media company Ananey Studios, part of Paramount global, has signed a deal with India’s premier content producer Abundantia Entertainment to develop an Indian remake of the hit Israeli live-action teen drama, The Hood which is originally called Shchuna in Israel. The original series, created by Giora Chamizer (Netflix's Greenhouse Academy) and produced by Ananey Studios, has had three hit seasons (150 x 22') on Nickelodeon in Israel and was also sold to Portugal’s free-to-air channel RTP 2.

The Hood is a daily drama that skillfully combines edgy class struggles with suspenseful action and big doses of fun. A flagship show that has already gotten rave reviews, The Hood is a surefire success among teens, perfectly suitable for family viewing. The series provides the viewers with strong, inspirational protagonists with whom they can identify, a rich and original fictional world, and a gripping plot, which contains exciting surprises and twists throughout the season.

With the announcement of The Hood’s Indian adaptation, Abundantia Entertainment adds to its glittering roster of premium series that boasts of Breathe (2018), Breathe: Into The Shadows (2020), and upcoming titles like Hush Hush, The End, and series, based on the bestselling ‘Rita Ferreira’ books. The producer’s film slate has also met with resounding success with recent releases like Jalsa (2022), Sherni (2021), and Chhorii (2021) adding to its hall of fame that contains titles like Shakuntala Devi (2020), Toilet – Ek Prem Katha (2017) and Airlift (2016).

The series will be produced under the new genre vertical of Abundantia Entertainment – Filters, which creates content that focuses on the young adult demographic. There are multiple films and originals being developed along with The Hood, including the remake of ‘Missing’ and an adaptation of the popular book ‘Along Came a Spyder’, to name a few.

Excited about the association with Ananey Studios and about remaking The Hood for India, Vikram Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, said: “It is a matter of great honour to partner with a creative powerhouse like Ananey Studios and I am super pumped to develop the very popular and successful The Hood in an Indian avatar for local audiences. The association with Ananey Studios underlines our vision to partner with top-quality global creators to bring impactful stories and unique story-telling voices to progressive Indian viewers. I am also excited to add to our slate of content for the rapidly-growing youth and Young Adult segments”.

Orly Atlas Katz, CEO, Ananey, EVP Paramount Israel: “We are so excited to be partnering up with Abundantia Entertainment to bring The Hood – one of Israel’s most successful and loved teen dramas -  to new audiences around the world and are confident that, with their rapid growing slate of hits, Abundantia is the perfect production company to turn The Hood into a huge hit in India as well. The Hood joins a list of Ananey studio titles that have reached viewers all over the world and we are thrilled to bring our content to Asia as well with this deal”.