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Aparna Sen’s ‘The Rapist’ to premiere at Busan Film Festival

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National Award-winning actress and filmmaker Aparna Sen’s directorial ‘The Rapist’ is all set for its world premiere at the 26th edition of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Talking about the film, Aparna said, “Apart from trying to explore the reasons why our society turns out rapists in such numbers and looking into the inequalities in our social system that are responsible for giving rise to criminals, what drew me to this story, was the psychology of the three protagonists.

“Stripping off the layers and the carefully built-up facades to get at the person underneath was a fascinating process. Fascinating too was getting the two Indias to come face to face – the India that lives in urban slums with its age-old beliefs, and educated urbane India with its ‘progressive’ value systems.”

The film features Konkona Sen Sharma and Arjun Rampal in pivotal roles.

‘The Rapist’ chronicles the journey of three protagonists and how their lives get entwined because of one horrific incident. The film looks beyond the obvious crime, to explore not only how it affects the survivors and perpetrators of the crime, but also delves into how one’s idealistic views are drastically altered when the truth hits uncomfortably close to home.

The film is produced by Applause Entertainment.

Sameer Nair, CEO of the production house, said, “Collaborating with Aparna Sen for our first feature has been something we’ve been excited about since we heard this powerful story. The enthusiasm has only doubled up with a nomination for the Kim Jiseok Award, and a world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the most celebrated film festival in all of Asia. We’re happy to have partnered with Quest Films and are confident that Aparna’s unique brand of storytelling, especially of complex themes plaguing our society, will resonate with the world audience at large.”

Widely acknowledged as the largest film festival in Asia, the Busan International Film Festival will be held from October 6 to October 15.

Hollywood

David Attenborough to explore marine secrets, threats in World Oceans Day documentary

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Mumbai, June 6: Biologist, natural historian and writer David Attenborough is taking a deep dive into our oceans. He is set to take the audience in the realm of the marine world with his upcoming documentary film ‘Ocean by David Attenborough’ on National Geographic.

The film is set to release on the occasion of World Oceans Day.

The powerful documentary talks about the importance of the world’s oceans and the story of how we can, and must, restore the glory of Earth’s vast, interconnected waters.

The film draws upon extensive marine science and was supported by a team of scientific advisors, including National Geographic Pristine Seas Founder, Enric Sala.

The film features footage of bottom trawling, the act of dragging weighted fishing nets along the ocean floor, and its devastating effects on the ocean. Only by revealing this footage to the world and exposing what’s happening beneath the surface can people begin to understand the devastating impact it is having and the urgent risk it poses to our ocean.

Talking about the film, Attenborough said, “My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man. In this film, we share those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can bounce back to life.”

Tom McDonald, National Geographic’s executive vice president of Global Factual and Unscripted Content, said, “I’m thrilled that audiences worldwide will be able to engage with Sir David’s signature storytelling and the inspirational message of this film through the power of National Geographic’s global platforms. There is no one better to deliver this landmark film than Sir David, and I’m delighted that he’s working with National Geographic for the very first time on a subject that is timely and close to his heart.”

The documentary focuses on the human actions leading to the oceans’ collapse and the effects of destructive fishing techniques, such as dredging and bottom trawling, on entire marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and the global climate.

Alok Jain, President – Entertainment, JioStar added: “At National Geographic India, we believe that storytelling has the power to ignite change. OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is a landmark film that reminds us how interconnected we are with our oceans, even here in India, where over 11,000 kilometers of coastline support vibrant marine life and millions of livelihoods. Through David Attenborough’s unmatched narration and breathtaking visuals, we hope to inspire Indians to see our oceans not just as distant waters but as living systems that need our urgent protection.This is not just a global story – it is our story too.”

The film is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield and produced by Nowlan for Silverback Films. The film is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production.

‘Ocean by David Attenborough’ is set to release on June 8 on National Geographic and JioHotstar.

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Entertainment

Zakir Khan calls his 60-city stand-up tour a big step toward mainstreaming comedy

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Mumbai, June 4: Comedian Zakir Khan is set to embark on a groundbreaking 60-city stand-up tour across India, marking what he calls a major milestone for the comedy scene.

Partnering with BookMyShow enterprise, this ambitious tour aims to bring live comedy to audiences in every corner of the country—an effort Zakir sees as a big step toward making stand-up a respected part of mainstream entertainment. In a significant milestone for India’s live entertainment landscape, Only Much Louder and TribeVibe Entertainment (a BookMyShow enterprise) have joined forces to launch Zakir Khan’s massive stand-up comedy tour, covering over 60 cities nationwide. Designed as a comedy caravan, the tour is set to entertain more than 160,000 fans, marking it as the biggest comedy deal ever signed in India.

Speaking about the tour, Zakir Khan expressed, “This isn’t just a personal milestone, it’s a celebration of how far Indian stand-up has come. I’m grateful to be doing this with partners who truly believe in the power of homegrown stories and the audiences who’ve made it all possible. This tour is not just about performing in 60 cities, it’s about taking the art of Indian stand-up to every corner of the country with the scale and seriousness it truly deserves. For years, we’ve dreamed of comedy being treated like mainstream entertainment, and this partnership is a massive step in that direction. I’ve always believed in building something bigger than myself, and this moment feels like that belief taking centre stage.”

Shoven Shah, founder and CEO of TribeVibe Entertainment, added, “This collaboration signals a new form of cultural consumption in India, one that is ambitious in scale, yet grounded in purpose. It’s not just about doing a 60-city tour; it’s about proving that India is ready to host and celebrate live entertainment at this scale across its full breadth. At TribeVibe, we’ve always believed in democratising access to great experiences and Zakir, through his authenticity and connection with audiences, is the perfect artist to lead this vision. Partnering with OML to bring this to life feels like a natural next step in the journey.”

Zakir Khan, widely regarded as one of India’s most popular and impactful comedians, is gearing up to connect with audiences across the nation from bustling metros to smaller towns, as he brings his brand of live comedy to the very heart and soul of the country

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Bollywood

Varun Dhawan: One must travel to learn

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Mumbai, June 3: Actor Varun Dhawan stressed that travel is essential for gaining knowledge and life experience.

The actor took to Instagram, where he shared three pictures from the airport. The first was an image of the actor posing inside the airport with the airplane docked. The other was of him at the same location but this time his back was towards the camera as he looked at the aircraft. The third was a closeup image of him as he made his way inside the flight.

“One must travel to learn,” Varun wrote as the caption.

A few days ago, Varun wrapped up the Scotland schedule of his upcoming project ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’.

Sharing the professional update on social media, Varun penned, “It’s a schedule wrap for us here in Scotland on #haijawaanitohishqhonahai. So many days everyone pulling together to make this happen. Bringing u all the laughs soon. Now back home.”

The post also included some fun moments of the “Badlapur’ actor in Scotland with his co-stars Mrunal Thakur, Mouni Roy, Chunkey Panday and Pooja Hegde.

The title “Hain Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hain” is inspired by the song “Ishq Sona Hai” from “Biwi No.1.” starring Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Sushmita Sen. The 1999 drama was helmed by David Dhawan, who is also directing Varun’s next.

“Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai” is reported to have the charm of classic 90s rom-coms.

Varun also has Shashank Khaitan’s “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.” Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, Abhinav Sharma, Maniesh Paul, and Manini Chadha are also a part of the project’s pivotal cast.

Furthermore, Varun also had “Border 2”, which is being made under the direction of Anurag Singh. He will be co-starring Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty in the highly-anticipated sequel.

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